The Guide to Rising to Power: The Ultimate Schemes of a Green Tea Beauty

A sudden and persistent cell phone ringtone sounded.

The phone kept ringing, as if it wouldn't stop until it was answered.

Shen Yao frowned slightly, took out her phone from her handbag, glanced at the unfamiliar number flashing on the screen, and her face quickly showed trouble and apology.

She looked up and gave Zhou Jingyan an embarrassed smile: "Sorry, Brother Jingyan, I need to take this call."

Zhou Jingyan nodded understandingly, indicating that she could do as she pleased.

Shen Yao took her phone and walked to a corner of the office near the window, keeping a distance from Zhou Jingyan to ensure he couldn't hear the conversation before pressing the answer button and holding the phone to her ear.

The call connected, but there was complete silence on the other end.

There was no sound, no breathing, not even the slightest electrical noise; only an invisible, oppressive silence permeated the receiver.

Shen Yao didn't say anything, just waited quietly, her face expressionless.

She could even picture Xiao Weilin on the other end of the phone, his face gloomy, teeth clenched, waiting for her to speak first, or waiting for her to reveal her panic.

After waiting for about ten seconds, there was still no response from the other party.

Shen Yao's patience seemed to have run out. She chuckled softly and, in a voice only the two of them could hear, said in a tone of impatience and indifference, "Boring."

Then he hung up the phone without hesitation.

Throughout the entire process, her back view appeared calm and composed, even carrying a hint of displeasure at being disturbed.

Shen Yao put away her phone, turned around and walked back to Zhou Jingyan's side. Her face had returned to its previous gentle expression, and she explained with a hint of helplessness:

"Sorry, Brother Jingyan, it was a spam call. The caller didn't answer and didn't say anything. It might be a wrong number or a prank."

Seeing her calm expression, Zhou Jingyan, unsuspecting, said with concern, "It's good that you're alright. There are a lot of nuisance calls these days; next time, you can just hang up on numbers you don't recognize."

"Okay, I understand." Shen Yao nodded obediently, then picked up her bag, stood up and said goodbye. "Brother Jingyan, it's getting late, I won't disturb your work any longer. Remember to finish the soup, it's good for your health."

Zhou Jingyan also stood up, escorted her to the office door, and gave her a few more words of advice, such as to be careful on the way.

Shen Yao smiled and said goodbye again. She had just stepped out of the company building when her phone vibrated again.

I took it out and saw that it was indeed a message from that black profile picture, still a lonely, questioning one: 【? 】

Shen Yao stared at the question mark, her fingertips tapping rapidly across the screen as she replied with a distant and formal message, as if she were genuinely dealing with an oblivious harasser:

Sorry, I don't know who you are. Please stop bothering me, thank you.

Less than three seconds after the message was sent, the phone started vibrating wildly, like a firecracker that had been lit.

The black avatar replied almost instantly, with astonishing speed, and the words conveyed a thoroughly enraged rage and gritted teeth:

It's me, Xiao Weilin!

On the phone screen, a location message from Xiao Weilin, carrying an undeniable command and an almost overflowing rage, read: 【Come here!】

Shen Yao looked at the address and raised an eyebrow slightly.

She had heard of this area before; it was a well-known, top-tier villa district for the wealthy in Beijing, with extremely strict security.

He actually asked her to go to his house?

This realization gave her a fleeting sense of surprise, but it was quickly replaced by a stronger, almost playful excitement.

Without hesitation, she hailed a taxi and gave the driver another address.

The car drove into the heavily guarded villa area and finally stopped in front of a detached villa with a strong sense of design and a magnificent presence.

Shen Yao paid and got out of the car. Standing outside the tightly closed, ornate iron gate, she looked at the building in front of her, which resembled a lurking beast in the night, and confirmed in her heart once again: this must be Xiao Weilin's house.

She took out her phone and sent Xiao Weilin a message: 【I've arrived.】

The message was replied to almost instantly, containing only one word: 【Wait.】

Not long after, the heavy side door of the villa was suddenly pulled open from the inside, and Xiao Weilin's figure appeared in the doorway.

He seemed to have come out in a hurry, wearing only a black silk bathrobe with the collar slightly open, revealing his well-defined collarbone. His hair was still slightly damp, and he exuded a lazy air after a bath, as well as an even more dangerous aura.

Xiao Weilin spotted Shen Yao standing outside the door at a glance. His face was so gloomy it could drip water. He strode over.

He grabbed her wrist with such force that he almost crushed her bones, and dragged her into the private garden next to the villa without saying a word.

The garden was dimly lit, with only a few ground lights outlining the plants and winding paths.

Xiao Weilin dragged her to a relatively secluded rose bush before abruptly releasing her hands. He crossed his arms, looked down at her with a cold, piercing voice, filled with suppressed anger:

"What the hell are you doing?! Why are you taking so long to get here?!"

Shen Yao's wrist ached from his grip, and she staggered a few steps before regaining her balance.

She looked up, her face showing no fear or apology, but instead gave him an extremely innocent yet slightly aggrieved smile, explaining in a soft, gentle voice:

"Sorry, there was a bit of traffic on the way. And... I just went to buy you a present."

"A gift?" Xiao Weilin's gloomy eyes suddenly narrowed, his brows furrowing deeply, as if he had heard something unbelievable.

What's this woman up to now? He called her over to interrogate her, and she's still thinking about buying a gift?!

He stared at her suspiciously, at her face, which was still unbelievably beautiful even in the dim light.

Shen Yao seemed completely oblivious to the oppressive aura emanating from him, her face still beaming with a smile, even showing a hint of delight as if she were presenting a treasure.

She lowered her head slightly and took out a square gift box from her handbag. It was very well wrapped and even tied with a neat ribbon bow.

Xiao Weilin's gaze swept over the box, but lingered on her face for a moment.

That radiant, almost coquettish smile was a vivid one she had never shown to him before.

A sudden pang of sadness gripped his heart; an indescribable emotion swept through him so quickly it was impossible to grasp.

Shen Yao handed the gift box to him with both hands, tilted her head up, and looked at him with bright, sparkling eyes, like a beautiful little kitten waiting for praise.

Xiao Weilin stared at the overly exquisite box, then glanced at her innocent eyes, and an ominous premonition crept down his spine.

He suddenly sneered, almost violently snatched the box, tore open the packaging in a few quick movements, and abruptly lifted the lid.

When Xiao Weilin saw what was inside the box, he froze on the spot, his pupils suddenly contracting to their maximum size.

Inside the box, on a black velvet cushion, lay quietly...

A collar.