The Cinnabar Mole of a Beijing Circle Tycoon

The private jet landed smoothly at the Capital Airport. It was peak tourist season, and the area in front of the terminal was bustling with people.

Meng Jiangyu and Shen Qingyao had already changed into matching summer outfits: simple white T-shirts paired with neat black shorts.

He bent down, picked the person up horizontally, and strode out of the cabin, a wave of heat hitting him.

"Beijing is so hot!" Shen Qingyao muttered. The servants at the bottom of the gangway were already waiting with black umbrellas to shield the two of them from the scorching sunlight.

"It'll cool off soon." Meng Jiangyu's voice was deep and pleasant. Shen Qingyao buried her face in the crook of his neck, her nose brushing against his slightly cool fabric.

The sound of his steady, powerful footsteps echoed in my ears, each one striking my heart.

I settled comfortably into the Maybach, the air conditioning inside dispelling the summer heat, and the car smoothly drove towards Manhe.

The landscape lights along the way lit up one after another, reflecting the well-trimmed greenery by the roadside, and gazing at the neon lights on the Liangma River in the distance, weaving a dazzling display of light.

Around 7 p.m., the Maybach smoothly pulled into the underground parking garage.

Meng Jiangyu carried Shen Qingyao into the private elevator, and the car slowly ascended.

The central air conditioning in the entryway sent out a cool breeze. He carefully placed her on the soft stool by the door, bent down, and took off her shoes.

Zhang Ma had been waiting at the door for a long time. When she saw the two of them, her eyes crinkled into crescent moons: "Sir, Miss, we've been waiting for you to come back."

"Aunt Zhang, it's been a long time!" Shen Qingyao looked up, her voice sweet and soft.

"Zhang Ma, dinner is ready." Before Meng Jiangyu finished speaking, he bent down, picked up Shen Qingyao, and headed straight for the dining room.

"Home is still the most comfortable place." Shen Qingyao sighed softly, her eyes full of contentment.

As dusk seeped through the huge French windows, it spread a gentle glow.

Aunt Zhang quickly set the dinner table; the stewed pig's trotters on the celadon plate were tender, flavorful, and glistening with oil.

The pork bone broth cooked in a clay pot has a thin layer of milky white on it and is very fragrant.

Next to it are steamed sea bass, braised chicken leg and stir-fried seasonal vegetables, all carefully stewed according to the "like cures like" recipe.

Meng Jiangyu's gaze swept over the dishes on the table, and a satisfied smile appeared on his lips: "Sweetie, this was specially prepared for you by Aunt Zhang."

Shen Qingyao frowned as she looked at the greasy pig's trotters, her voice soft and full of resistance: "I don't like to eat this, it looks greasy."

Meng Jiangyu didn't say anything. He picked up a bone china spoon, scooped up a spoonful of tender braised pork hock, carefully removed the tendons and membranes, and dipped it in the fragrant vinegar next to him to cut through the greasiness.

He leaned closer to her, his long, slender fingers holding a spoon to feed her, his tone gentle and insistent: "Sweetie, just one piece."

Shen Qingyao instinctively tried to dodge, but he firmly stopped her, leaving her only able to open her mouth slightly.

The warm minced meat slid down my throat, with the refreshing taste of vinegar, and was not greasy at all as I had imagined.

Her eyes suddenly brightened, but she still pouted and complained softly, "It was agreed that it would only be one yuan."

"Mmm," Meng Jiangyu responded softly, his eyes brimming with an irrepressible smile.

He coaxed her, and Shen Qingyao unknowingly ate several pieces.

Watching from the side, Zhang Ma smiled knowingly and quietly slipped out.

After the meal, Meng Jiangyu carried Shen Qingyao and placed her on a soft chair by the window in the front hall, instructing the servants to set out a Go board.

"You want to play Gomoku with me?" Shen Qingyao asked, her big eyes blinking with delight. "Didn't you say Gomoku was too low-level and you preferred Go?"

Meng Jiangyu chuckled softly, his fingertips gently stroking her cheek: "You like it, don't you? I'll keep you company."

Shen Qingyao's eyes lit up, and she immediately bent down to pick up the black piece and place it: "I'll make my move first!"

Meng Jiangyu let her go first, holding the white pieces between his fingers, and followed behind at a leisurely pace.

He made his moves decisively and quickly, and within a few rounds, he had laid out a deadly trap on the chessboard.

Seeing that his black pieces were about to be surrounded, Shen Qingyao hurriedly reached out and covered the spot where he was about to place his piece, and said in a spoiled manner, "You can't place it here, you have to go somewhere else."

Meng Jiangyu took her wrist, his fingertips caressing her smooth skin, his voice low and chuckled: "Baby, are you blatantly being unreasonable?"

"Yes, you're not allowed to get off here anyway," Shen Qingyao said matter-of-factly.

"Okay." Meng Jiangyu agreed, raised his hand and placed the white piece elsewhere, then helplessly ruffled her hair. "It's tiring to keep blocking with your hand, why not just put a black piece here?"

"Oh! Right!" Shen Qingyao quickly picked up the black piece and added it.

After several rounds, Shen Qingyao's chess moves were increasingly pressured by him, and she was on the verge of losing.

"A bet is a bet, and the loser..." Meng Jiangyu deliberately dragged out his words, his fingertips gently brushing against her reddened earlobe, his smile deep, "give me a shoulder massage tonight."

As night deepened outside the window, the warm yellow light fell on the black and white pieces on the chessboard, creating a soft halo that outlined the figures of the two people smiling at each other with exceptional tenderness.

"How come you lost again? You didn't even let me win." Shen Qingyao pouted, pretending to be aggrieved.

"Okay, I'll let you have one more round, let's start over." Meng Jiangyu reluctantly conceded, reaching out to tuck a stray hair from her forehead.

"Yay!" Shen Qingyao's face lit up with a smile.

"Honey, when playing chess, you can't just think one step ahead; you have to think three steps ahead, or even further," Meng Jiangyu patiently advised. "Try setting up two lines simultaneously, converging at one point, so your opponent can only block one line."

"I know that principle, but I'm always just one step behind you." Shen Qingyao sighed, somewhat discouraged.

"Then you'll block me before my strategy is fully formed, disrupt my layout, and at the same time slowly pave your own way," Meng Jiangyu said gently.

"Theoretically, you should have the advantage if you go first, but you didn't plan ahead, which allowed me to gain the upper hand."

A new game of chess began, with Shen Qingyao still moving first, but her playing speed slowed down.

Shen Qingyao began to think carefully with each move, and the game was evenly matched.

Shen Qingyao gripped the black piece, staring intently at the situation on the chessboard, her brows furrowed tightly.

Meng Jiangyu looked down at her, his fingertips occasionally tapping the edge of the chessboard, making a soft sound.

He glanced at where she was about to place her piece and warned her, "If you place your piece here, I'll block your way."

Shen Qingyao looked up and glared at him: "You're so annoying!"

He chuckled softly, his chest trembling slightly, and reached out to grasp her wrist, moving the black piece in her hand to the empty space diagonally opposite: "Try it here."

The moment their fingertips touched, she looked up and met his deep eyes, which were brimming with a smile that seemed about to burst forth.

"You're helping me cheat," she muttered softly, but still followed his lead and placed the chess piece down.

"The examiner agrees, so it doesn't count as cheating," Meng Jiangyu said in a low, hoarse voice.

The black and white pieces on the chessboard gradually intertwined. She stared at his well-defined hands, reached out and pinched his index finger: "Don't play here."

"Okay." Meng Jiangyu drawled out his words, moved to another position, and still won.

Shen Qingyao stood on one leg and reached out to push his chest: "Meng Jiangyu! You're cheating!"

He took her wrist and pulled her into his arms, then lowered his head and gently bit her reddened earlobe, his voice tinged with amusement: "Baby, what's wrong? Can't handle losing?"

"No, a bet's a bet. I'll give you a shoulder massage."

"I'll owe you for now!"

The garden lights shone through the French windows, casting dappled shadows on the intertwined figures of the two.

"Go back to your room, wash up, and go to sleep!" Meng Jiangyu picked up Shen Qingyao.

Shen Qingyao and Meng Jiangyu were washing up in the bathroom when her cell phone started buzzing in her pocket.

She reached for her phone, her eyes lighting up as she saw the name flashing on the screen. She swiped to answer, her voice brimming with excitement: "Ningning!"

After washing his face, Meng Jiangyu glanced at her, a faint smile in his eyes, but didn't say anything to disturb her.

Fang Shuning's voice came from the other end of the phone, her tone emotionless: "Yaoyao, I've left Dali and am now in Suzhou!"

"Ah!" Shen Qingyao exclaimed in surprise, "What happened? Why did you suddenly run off to Suzhou?"

"Cheng Qidong confessed his feelings to me, but I rejected him."

"Oh, I understand." Shen Qingyao put down the washcloth. "How are you now?"

"I'm all settled in. I've rented a detached house with a yard."

"That sounds good. So, what are your plans for the future?"

"I don't have any plans, I'll just take it one step at a time. I'll spend my days reading, enjoying the breeze, and watching the sunset."

"No matter what, live in the moment and enjoy life."

"Uh-huh."