Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
The few hours before daylight were equally tormenting for Ji Nuan.
The two had fallen asleep on the sofa. With Mo Jingshen holding Ji Nuan in his embrace, she had slept very steadily. However, she could vaguely sense the abnormal heat of his body the whole time.
By the time it was between 4:00 to 5:00 a.m., the marble colors of dawn had begun to spread across the sky. Ji Nuan had slept through the whole night, and when she woke up, she opened her eyes to a pitch-black room. At the same time, she sensed Mo Jingshen had finally fallen asleep.
Although his body temperature remained warmer than it usually was, it was not as alarming as it had been last night. It was likely that he had endured through the worst of it and had finally fallen asleep from fatigue.
Ji Nuan leaned in his embrace, motionless. As she listened to his heartbeat, she slowly moved her hand up to hold his neck, closing her eyes.
She was not sure if the fast-asleep man had woken up or if he had reacted by instinct, but he tightened his hold around Ji Nuan and pressed a gentle kiss on her head. It was most likely an unintentional kiss but Ji Nuan, who was leaning in his embrace, could not hold in her smile.
Ji Nuan slept for nearly two more hours. When she opened her eyes once more, the sky was already bright.
She raised her head and saw that Mo Jingshen was finally sleeping deeply. His body was no longer abnormally warm. She released a sigh of relief and carefully moved away from his embrace. She then picked up his coat and placed it over his body.
With light hands and feet, she moved to the bedside to tug open the curtains. She took a look at the sky. Although there was a heavy thunderstorm last night, the sunlight was extremely bright this morning. She guessed that it was already past seven in the morning.
At this moment, the sound of footsteps approached the door. Ji Nuan warily turned around, and when she realized she could hear Elder Mo’s voice, she directly walked toward the door.
“You’ve really hidden Jing Shen well, ah! No wonder my people were unable to find this place!” Elder Mo paced by the door as he reprimanded angrily, “Your schemes can really be considered detailed and well thought-out, you little brat!”
Mo Shaoze’s voice rang by the door. “In front of you, father, I’m afraid I won’t be able to bear those words.”
Elder Mo coldly harrumphed. “The only thing you are unable to scheme against is the human heart! This time, you’ve completely failed!”
“You sure have a lot of confidence in Jing Shen’s restraint. Since you insist on following me here early in the morning, I won’t dilly dally with my words. After opening this door, you had better accept reality and allow Shu Yan to marry in. Save me from having to spare any more effort.” Mo Shaoze’s tone was filled with confidence.
“Ah.” Elder Mo chuckled. “Go ahead and try opening this door.”
Ji Nuan was pressed against the door, listening to the conversation outside. When she heard the sound of a card being swiped, as well as a short tune being played, her brows moved, and she reached out to open the door.
Originally, Mo Shaoze’s expression contained a few hints of a smile. That expression really suited Elder Mo’s description, it had the taste of a detailed and thoughtful schemer.
Yet, when Ji Nuan had abruptly appeared by the door, Mo Shaoze’s expression quickly turned stiff and cold. He stared at her frostily. “Why is it you?”
Ji Nuan smiled at him, but her smile did not contain much warmth. “Director Mo, good morning.”
Mo Shaoze’s expression was ugly as he glared at her. He immediately wanted to step in to understand the situation, but Ji Nuan stood unmoving by the door. He was a fifty-plus-years-old man and Mo Jingshen’s father at that. He could not simply push her aside.
Elder Mo approached with his walking stick in hand, secretly sticking up his thumb to Ji Nuan. His eyes were filled with gratification and admiration. He then smiled calmly at Mo Shaoze whose expression was beyond ugly and said, “How about it? I said that you would fail, and you failed. Your old man is still your old man. On the matter of my granddaughter-in-law, there’s nothing you can do!”
“How did you find your way here?” Mo Shaoze was after all someone who had seen many things. After his expression had turned heavy for a moment, he directly interrogated Ji Nuan coldly.
Ji Nuan smiled mildly. “The way I found this place is not important. What’s important is that the person with Jing Shen last night is me.”
Mo Shaoze narrowed his eyes coldly.
Without waiting for him to speak, Elder Mo, who was by the side, chimed in as well. “Ji brat, after marrying in for so long, why do you still call him Director Mo? Grandfather is taking charge of things for you here. He is Jing Shen’s father. It’s time you changed the way you address him.”
Mo Shaoze’s expression remained extremely dark. The scene he had predicted and hoped to see did not appear. Instead, he was trapped in this situation by Ji Nuan and the elder so early in the morning. All of his face was thrown on the ground. His dark eyes were sullen.
Ji Nuan hesitated for a moment, but because she had to give Grandfather Mo some face, she smiled. “Father.”
Mo Shaoze coldly eyed her. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to bear Miss Ji’s ‘father.’ If you wish to say it, say it. Anyway, you won’t be able to say it for long.”
Ji Nuan gave an unaffected smile. She did not lose her composure from the iciness and threat in his words, and she remained standing by the door to deny him entrance.
Not only was the woman on the bed innocent and could not be implicated or seen, but Mo Jingshen had also finally fallen asleep after enduring for the whole night. She wanted to let him sleep longer.
Elder Mo’s expression was unhappy as he glared at Mo Shaoze. “Our Ji brat is already giving you sufficient face by addressing you this way. Can’t you keep that stubborn temper of yours away? Jing Shen’s marriage was of his own choice. Even if you are his father, you don’t have any right to interfere. This Ji brat is already part of the Mo family and is just a twenty-years-old child. Can’t you use your words to speak with her properly? Must you be so unreasonable?”
Elder Mo then added, “As the proverb says, one would rather damage ten temples than destroy a marriage. You’re no longer young. After staying in America for so long, have you forgotten how to write the word ‘respect’? Being so overbearing, what sort of image are you portraying!”
“Jing Shen’s future belongs to America. It belongs to Shine,” Mo Shaoze said coldly. “I don’t wish to repeat these words. Shu Yan is the most suitable choice!”
“Where is Shu Yan suitable? If it’s based on family background, Ji Nuan won’t lose to Shu Yan. The only difference is that the Ji family is based in Hai Cheng! In the future, if Jing Shen returned to America to take over Shine, Ji Nuan may not necessarily perform poorer than Shu Yan! You’ve never even compared them before, yet you reject Ji Nuan so definitively! You’re really a stubborn old fool!”
Mo Shaoze’s face was dark from being called a stubborn old fool by his eighty-year-old father. He then coldly glanced at Ji Nuan.
All of a sudden, Mo Shaoze issued an order to the guards behind, “Pull her away!”
The guards immediately rushed forward. Seeing the situation, Elder Mo harshly slammed his walking stick down and angrily said, “Who dares to touch my granddaughter-in-law!”
Mo Shaoze coldly eyed the elder and continued ordering, “Are all of you deaf? Shove this woman aside!”
“Enough.”
All of a sudden, a bright and cold voice rang behind Ji Nuan’s back.
Mo Jingshen stood there expressionlessly; his voice carried some iciness. His pupils were heavy and cold as he mildly looked outside.
