Deep Fog Kiss

Pulling himself away from his memories, Gu Zhishen took the last drag of his cigarette.

Zhou Yan asked him if he had asked Jiang Li why she left.

He didn't have much to ask. Going abroad was her choice, she said the harsh words, and she decided that they should be even.

She walked away on her own, and returned on her own.

The harsh words were all spoken, each one piercing to the heart.

He didn't understand why she was coming back to tease him.

Is there an ulterior motive, or is it just for fun?

He stubbed out his cigarette, looked down, and gave a self-deprecating smile.

Is there any sincerity in her carefree jokes?

Just then, there was a knock on the office door.

The man said in a deep voice, "Come in."

His eyes regained their usual cold, deep, and calm expression.

"Boss."

Yin Ming came in and handed over the phone, "It's Leng Feng on the phone."

Gu Zhishen glanced at it, and Yin Ming pressed the speakerphone button.

"Boss, Feng Kai did meet with quite a few people after his mother's funeral," Leng Feng said over the phone. "Besides his gambling buddies, there was another man."

Gu Zhishen gave a mocking smile. "Don't let the fish get away."

"Yes, boss."

Gu Zhishen's voice was mocking, "A gambler is too easily manipulated."

Leng Feng asked, "Boss, are we going to bring Feng Kai here?"

"No need." Gu Zhishen glanced coldly at his phone. "He'll come over."

......

As night falls, the lights are on.

In the bustling bar, the dazzling neon lights reflected on the woman's drunken face.

"Which bastard dares to go against us?! I'm going to kill him!"

Shen Nianchu slammed her wine glass heavily on the table, making a crisp sound.

She was about to roll up her sleeves and beat someone up as she spoke.

Jiang Li quickly stopped her, "Alright, alright, once we find out who this brat is, we'll beat him to death!"

"Beat him to death!" Shen Nianchu plopped down in the booth, her words slurred with drunkenness, "Who did he offend? Stealing our customers!"

She leaned half-lying on the table, gesturing for Jiang Li to name her, "Echo, our child, so small, raised to this size."

Her eyes were hazy and misty. "We were finally getting on the right track, and now they've cut off our supplies and are going to starve us to death!"

Tears suddenly streamed down Shen Nianchu's face, which she quickly wiped away. "Who the hell did I offend?!"

Jiang Li felt a sharp pain in her heart. Shen Nianchu had never cried in front of her. From the time she started her business until now, she had always been full of energy.

When Shen Nianchu invited her to be her partner, her first words were, "Li, come with me, let's make it big and strong, and carve out a niche for ourselves in the screenwriting world!"

She was always so determined and confident.

In the early stages, she invested a lot of money.

As far as Jiang Li knew, the cars she used to drive were all worth over a million yuan. Later, she sold her cars to start her own business and bought a Jaguar worth two or three hundred thousand yuan.

Jiang Li vaguely guessed that Shen Nianchu's family background should be good, but she did all her own business.

After Jiang Li joined the studio as a partner, she invested a considerable amount of money, including her previously saved scholarships and competition prize money. However, compared to what Shen Nianchu had contributed, it was still far from enough.

"Do you know?" Shen Nianchu looked at Jiang Li with her drunken, red eyes, "Although I have parents, they haven't cared about me for many years."

She smiled bitterly, "In their eyes, I am a daughter. After growing up in luxury, I should marry someone of equal social standing and be a good wife. Inheriting the family business, doing business, and running a company are things that men should do."

She swirled the wine in her glass. "My dad said that all I need to do is get married. He can hand over his company to his son-in-law, but not to me, his daughter. He thinks I'm not good enough and has never trusted me. He keeps negating and suppressing me, trying to make me give up the idea of ​​building my own career."

"Why should my life revolve solely around my husband? Why should I be a parasitic vine? I refuse to be one!"

"I just want to prove that I can also build a successful career." Her eyes were filled with tears, yet she remained defiant. "A career isn't just something men can achieve; women can too!"

"I knew I couldn't create Echo on my own." She held Jiang Li's hand tightly. "I knew you could do it, so I brought you in and had you come back to China to be with me, but I messed up our hard work..."

"This has nothing to do with you." Jiang Li met her gaze, her expression earnest and serious. "Shen Nianchu, someone is maliciously targeting our company. It has nothing to do with you. Besides, Echo hasn't collapsed. We're still here, and the team and employees are all here!"

"It's just a few core clients, a few big projects, that's all. We can just talk about other collaborations." Jiang Li downed her drink in one gulp. "The market is so big, there are plenty of clients. Can they possibly snatch them all up?"

"Where's your entrepreneurial spirit? Where's the confidence you had when you approached Tian Ce to secure investment?" She looked at Shen Nianchu. "My confidence comes from you. We'll get through this together."

Shen Nianchu looked at her for a few seconds, then suddenly hugged her tightly and burst into tears.

"Don't cry. The Shen Nianchu I know wouldn't cry over something like this." Jiang Li gently patted her back, her gaze firm. "I won't let Echo fall apart."

Since someone is trying to block their way, she's determined to survive by finding a way out.

......

Nine o'clock in the evening.

The lights were on inside and outside Beishan Villa. A neat circle of small light bulbs was arranged in the flowerbed in the front yard, illuminating the path clearly.

Jiang Li returned to the villa and was about to enter the password when the door was suddenly opened from the inside.

A crisp, cool woody scent wafted towards her, and a tall figure loomed over her at the doorway.

Jiang Li stood still, raised her eyes, and blinked her long eyelashes.

"Gu...Gu Zhishen?"

The man was dressed in light-colored loungewear, his light black hair partially obscuring his brow bone, and his amber eyes were deep and clear.

He stood at the doorway, staring at her intently, his brows furrowed, his expression displeased.

"Have you been drinking?"

Jiang Li sniffed; she did indeed smell a bit of alcohol on her, the scent clearly emanating from the crisp air.

"A little bit."

She smiled, her eyes bright, "I'm not drunk."

Gu Zhishen gazed at her, his clear, bright eyes reflecting the warm overhead light, like a galaxy filled with stars, shining brilliantly.

His eyes softened, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips.

Jiang Li looked up at him, her dimples shallow.

His cool, refreshing scent lingered around her; backlit, his deep features were so handsome they were almost irresistible.

I don't know why, but as long as I see Gu Zhishen's face, all my worries seem to disappear.

Jiang Li's gaze shifted from the corner of his eye to his thin lips. She swallowed hard, really wanting to pounce on him.