The antique girlfriend of a chaebol heir

Seeing the desolation in her eyes, Master Yang hesitated, then turned to Shen Ci and said gently, "Xiao Ci, why don't you go outside and look at the exhibition? I'll talk to your Aunt Ling for a while."

Shen Ci nodded obediently.

As she stood up, her gaze briefly met Ling Shuyun's—the beautiful aunt was looking at her with something in her eyes that she couldn't understand, like nostalgia or envy.

From the occasional snippets of conversation that Master Yang had mentioned, Shen Ci learned that Aunt Ling had been a highly talented art student in her youth, but later married a wealthy businessman in Beijing and disappeared from the art world.

Now that she can pick up her paintbrush again and hold an exhibition, the feeling she has is something that others can hardly understand.

Only after Shen Ci's figure disappeared around the corner did Master Yang turn his gaze away, looking at Ling Shuyun and sighing, "It's already quite an achievement that you were able to pick up a paintbrush and rediscover your dream. Don't overthink it..."

Ling Shuyun's lips curled into a self-deprecating smile: "Old Yang, look at those people outside. Several of them have already tipped off the staff that they want to buy my paintings at high prices. But I know in my heart that they're just pretending to buy the paintings; their real intention is to curry favor with Jiang Hexuan through me."

She paused, her voice filled with deep weariness: "Every time I hold an art exhibition, I wonder whether it is my paintings that move them, or the money and power behind the Jiang family that moves people more."

……

The cabin door of the private jet slowly opened, and Jiang Duo, still jet-lagged, was immediately urged to get into the car by a phone call from his father, Jiang Hexuan, as soon as he stepped off the plane.

"You dare skip your mom's art exhibition today?"

Jiang Duo rubbed his temples helplessly and could only let the driver speed all the way to the art museum.

As soon as the car came to a stop, Jiang Hexuan couldn't wait to go around to the trunk and magically produced a large bouquet of vibrant red roses.

"Dad," Jiang Duo leaned against the car door, his voice hoarse from the long flight, "Why don't you go in first and surprise Mom? I'll look at the paintings in the gallery first, and then I'll come in to find you later."

Jiang Hexuan was adjusting his tie in front of the mirror when he heard this and paused.

He glanced at his son through the mirror. "Okay," he cleared his throat, "you go wander around by yourself first, we'll celebrate together tonight."

Watching his father stride into the exhibition hall carrying that eye-catching bouquet of flowers, Jiang Duo finally breathed a sigh of relief and slowly strolled along the corridor.

Soothing cello music filled the gallery, and a faint fragrance permeated the air.

He walked aimlessly until he turned a corner and his eyes fell on the figure in front of him. He stopped abruptly and froze on the spot.

The girl he had longed for in a foreign land, the one he could only repeatedly imagine in his dreams, was now standing right in front of him.

Shen Ci stood three steps away from him, her head slightly tilted back, intently admiring a street scene painting on the wall. The profile of her face appeared exceptionally gentle under the soft light.

Jiang Duo's heart pounded. He tiptoed silently behind her, then reached out and placed his palm against her eyes.

"Ah!" Shen Ci was clearly startled. She shrank back abruptly and struggled violently, almost hitting his chin with the back of her head.

Jiang Duo "kindly" let go of her hand, watching her quickly turn around—the anger in her eyes turned to surprise the moment she saw him, her pupils dilated slightly, and her lips parted into a small arc.

Before she could even speak, Jiang Duo had already stretched out his long arm and domineeringly pulled her into his embrace.

"Jiang Duo!"

Shen Ci hurriedly pushed against his chest, and said in a low voice urgently, "You... why are you back? There are a lot of people here, don't make a scene, it will disturb other people's viewing of the art exhibition."

Jiang Duo didn't let go; instead, he suddenly took a step closer, pressing his chest tightly against hers, and his deep voice sounded in her ear: "Too many people? Then let's go to a quiet place."

After saying that, he took her hand tightly and led her through the long corridor, pushed open an inconspicuous security door, and went straight into the stairwell inside.

The heavy fire doors shut out the noise from outside, and the stairwell was dimly lit, with only the emergency indicator lights emitting a faint glow.

Shen Ci leaned against the cold wall, looked up and met Jiang Duo's captivating eyes, feeling her heart pounding so hard it was about to jump out of her throat.

Before she could even ask why he had suddenly appeared here from abroad, Jiang Duo had already bent down and sealed her lips with his.

It's been so long since we've kissed.

It was a kiss that carried the dry scent of a long flight; the lips were slightly cool, but quickly became burning hot.

Shen Ci opened her eyes wide and saw his eyelashes, so close to hers, each one distinct, casting a small shadow under his eyelids.

He braced himself against the wall beside her ear with one hand and held the back of her head with the other, pulling her into his arms.

Her whole body stiffened, as if all her strength had been drained away in an instant, leaving her limbs feeling weak and limp.

Jiang Duo's kiss was urgent and passionate. His tongue tentatively tried to pry open her teeth and probe inside, but he restrained himself from going deeper.

She was so sweet and soft, more real than in his dreams, so real that he felt he was about to lose control and completely give up right there.

Shen Ci struggled weakly in his arms for a while, her heart pounding like a drum, and finally she could only close her eyes and give up resisting.

With tacit consent, Jiang Duo's lips shifted from initial rubbing to forceful sucking, the movements heavy and somewhat fierce, as if frantically compensating for the excruciating pain of longing he had endured during this period—

In this dusty stairwell, at the opening ceremony of the mother's art exhibition, in a place where one could be discovered at any moment.

But he couldn't stop.

Just then, the security door was suddenly pushed open from the inside.

"That kid came with me just now, how come he disappeared in the blink of an eye..."

Jiang Hexuan's voice echoed in the stairwell, the last syllable carrying a hint of nonchalant confusion.

He took a step, his leather shoes making a crisp sound on the cement ground, and then froze on the spot.

The scene before him was like a sudden punch, leaving his mind blank.

His son, whom he had just picked up from the plane, was pinning a girl against the wall in the stairwell and kissing her.

The girl's shoulders were even trembling slightly.

Jiang Hexuan stood there awkwardly, subconsciously turning around to look at his wife, who was following closely behind, and her friends.

Seeing him suddenly stop, Ling Shuyun poked her head out in confusion: "Old Jiang, what's wrong...?"

As the last syllable faded into the air, Ling Shuyun's face jolted violently, and the smile on her face instantly froze.

She clearly saw that the girl named Shen Ci was being pinned against the wall and bullied by a boy, and that boy—

It seems to be her son.