The antique girlfriend of a chaebol heir

Shen Ci could hardly believe what she was hearing.

In broad daylight.

How could he possibly say that?

She lowered her eyes, her eyelashes trembling violently, her fingers gripping the hem of her clothes so tightly that her knuckles turned white, yet she remained motionless.

Jiang Duo stared at her for a long time, his eyes swirling with unspoken emotions.

After a while, he suddenly smiled, raised his hand and gently ruffled her hair, his movements as gentle as if he were soothing a frightened cat.

"We're boyfriend and girlfriend," he said in a low voice, his tone slightly hoarse and ambiguous. "It's only right that we do more intimate things."

"Besides, you yourself said I'm the legal wife, didn't you?"

His tone was indifferent, yet it was like a thin blade pressed against Shen Ci's throat, making her even have to breathe softly.

A slender hand gently covered her, warm and dry, with undeniable strength, slowly prying open her clenched fingers.

Shen Ci's fingertips trembled, and she subconsciously tried to pull them back, but he held them firmly.

"Let go," he whispered, his voice almost coaxing. "You're holding on too tightly."

Shen Ci watched as he loosened her fingers one by one, finally freeing the hem of her clothes from his grasp, only to find it crumpled and wrinkled.

Jiang Duo gently rubbed his thumb against her palm, feeling the fine layer of sweat, damp and slightly cool.

He already knew that she was nervous, and even fearful of him.

This realization was like a pebble thrown into stagnant water, stirring up ripples of obscure ripples in his heart.

The dampness seemed to possess some strange magic; instead of arousing his pity, it acted like a key, unlocking a locked box deep within his heart.

A strange, destructive, and violent emotion was seeping out from the cracks in the box, coiling around his heart and bringing a secret, sharp pain and pleasure.

He could even feel the veins in his temples throbbing, his blood surging through his body, clamoring with an impulse that even surprised him.

He wanted to grip her hand tighter, to make her palm even wetter, to see her eyelashes trembling slightly with fear, and to hear her suppressed breathing.

Finally, he slowly released her hand, straightened up, leaned back on the sofa, and forcefully suppressed the surging emotions.

"Go wash your hands," he said calmly, "and then have dinner with me."

……

Shen Ci went to the bathroom, locked the door behind her, leaned her back against the cold door, and slowly exhaled.

She turned on the tap, and warm water gushed out, flowing slowly down her fingers.

She rubbed each of her fingers together, her fingertips repeatedly brushing against her palms, as if trying to completely wash away the lingering sensation from before.

The spot where he had touched her now felt like it had an invisible brand, making her feel uncomfortable all over.

Those sensations were so unfamiliar—they possessed a masculine strength and warmth, forcefully invading her senses.

She is not from this era; in her mind, men and women should keep their distance.

But now—

She remembered the warmth of his hand covering hers, the touch of his kiss on her forehead, and the strength with which he held her shoulders.

For her, all of this was tantamount to having an intimate encounter with a man who was practically a stranger.

She felt very uncomfortable.

Shen Ci turned off the tap, looked down at her reddened fingers, and felt a wave of helplessness wash over her.

He was still testing her.

but.

with this method.

This is... a way of testing with the body.

In the original owner's memory, Jiang Duo was aloof and distant; they had never even held hands.

Now he takes the initiative to kiss her forehead, and even asks her to... kiss him.

Was this kind of probing too much of a loss for him?

He clearly doesn't like her, and he only agreed to date her because he was coerced into doing her a favor. Why did he have to go this far?

She took a deep breath, composed herself, and slowly pushed open the door. Just as she stepped out of the bathroom, the doorbell rang crisply.

She instinctively stopped in her tracks, watching Jiang Duo walk towards the door and take several packed bags from a middle-aged man in uniform.

The other person lowered his head, said "Young master, please enjoy your meal," and then closed the door and left.

Jiang Duo turned around and went to the dining table, neatly arranging the bags one by one with deft movements.

The sound of tearing open packaging was particularly clear in the quiet room. He skillfully unpacked and folded the extra boxes, and soon, the once empty table was set with four dishes and a soup.

After he finished doing all this, he looked up at her, who was still standing there.

"Come and eat."

At the dinner table, Jiang Duo did not probe any further.

The two ate in silence, the only sound the occasional clinking of their bowls and chopsticks. They were both very well-mannered, eating with extreme elegance, even their chewing movements exuding grace.

Jiang Duo would occasionally raise his head, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment, before lowering his eyes again to continue chewing slowly.

His gaze was neither cold nor warm, yet it seemed to carry a weight as it fell upon her.

As they were finishing their meal, Jiang Duo asked casually, his voice calm, "How did you and Lin Ruochen meet?"

Shen Ci paused slightly as she picked up some food, then looked up and her eyes met his.

Those eyes were as black as ink, so deep that the bottom could not be seen.

"Professor Lin's older sister," she put down her chopsticks, her voice steady, "is about to marry my father. Professor Lin is considered my elder."

"Elders." Jiang Duo slowly repeated these two words, letting out a very soft "hmm" from his throat, and then said nothing more, just continued to eat with his head down.

The living room fell silent again.

But Shen Ci felt as if her every move was under his watchful eye.

It felt like an invisible net that began to tighten the moment she stepped inside.

He ate seemingly casually, but every glance was deliberate; his seemingly casual question was actually a probing question.

After lunch.

Shen Ci sat on the sofa, secretly making plans.

Jiang Duo had already done all the probing, and there was really no need for her to stay any longer.

And no matter how he tests her, even if her personality changes drastically, she is now the Shen Ci of this world, and no one can deny that.

Seeing no movement from the other side, Shen Ci took the initiative to say goodbye: "If there's nothing else, I'll head back now."

"No rush." ​​Jiang Duo put down his phone, stood up, and said, "Come with me."

He led her to the study. It was spacious and simple, with bookshelves covering an entire wall filled with all kinds of books, from professional works to rare and ancient editions, arranged in a pleasing and orderly manner.

Beside the French windows was a large solid wood desk, neatly arranged with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, somewhat similar to her habits.

Jiang Duo raised his hand, gesturing for her to come closer. His slender fingers gently tapped on the rosewood desk, where three thread-bound calligraphy copybooks lay quietly.

"Take it." His voice was deep and carried an unquestionable tone.