Tang Mian placed the food box on the table and turned to leave the office.
Emma lowered her eyes, her fingers sliding on the screen as she replied: **"What are you having for lunch?"**
Jason thought for a moment, took a picture of the dishes on the table, and sent it over.
Emma took one look and had to admit that the food was much more abundant than hers, with a variety of dishes that looked particularly tempting, making them visually appealing and delicious.
So she replied with a touch of warmth that was reserved only for him: **"I want some."**
Her tone was soft, and even the sweet smile that curled the corners of her mouth was just for him.
Just as she was about to put down her phone to take a sip of water, her phone buzzed again. When she looked down, the water in her mouth almost sprayed out.
**"You come over, I'll feed you."**
These six words made Emma read them back and forth more than ten times before she was sure they were from Jason.
She also finally confirmed one thing.
This man, when being subtly flirtatious, had no limits.
After lunch, the three strolled back to the company building at a leisurely pace.
Today, Shanghai was enjoying a rare clear day with the sun shining brightly, casting its warmth over the entire city.
Huàzhēng yawned as they walked: "I always feel drowsy after a good meal."
"How about a coffee?" There happened to be a Starbucks downstairs, and Tang Mi suggested.
Emma wasn't particularly fond of coffee, but she didn't want to spoil the fun for the others and went along with them. After getting their coffee, it was almost time to head back, so the three headed upstairs to return to the office.
However, when they were downstairs, they ran into other colleagues who looked rushed.
Upon seeing Emma and Huàzhēng's leisurely demeanor, they looked surprised and asked, "Aren't you guys hurrying back to the newspaper office?"
Huàzhēng spat out her straw and asked, "What's going on?"
"Wen Tang and Wu Mengni got into a fight."
As soon as this was said, Huàzhēng and Tang Mi exchanged glances, and without hesitation, they each took one of Emma's hands and rushed her into the elevator.
Emma looked at them and said helplessly, "Are you guys really that eager to watch the drama?"
Huàzhēng: "A dogfight, who wouldn't want to watch?"
Tang Mi agreed with this description and nodded, saying, "Right, I'm in too."
Tang Mi didn't know about the difficulties Wen Tang and Wu Mengni had caused Emma before, but today Huàzhēng told her the whole story, which made Tang Mi so angry that she rolled up her sleeves.
Now, it seemed that these two had turned against each other and were fighting.
There weren't many people taking the elevator at noon. The two colleagues who had spoken to them earlier took another elevator up, so only the three of them were in this one.
So when they spoke, they were less restrained.
Tang Mi said with a smile, "I think the drama at your newspaper office is really exciting."
Emma glanced at her and replied with a light smile, "Our newspaper's entertainment section is actually looking for a film critic. Why don't you come? I guarantee you'll have a front-row seat to the drama every day."
Tang Mi laughed and said, "How much does your newspaper pay anyway?"
Huàzhēng dramatically covered her chest, "Teacher Tang, you've hurt me."
"Poor thing, seriously, when my new media studio opens up, both of you should quit this lousy newspaper and come start a business with me."
Tang Mi was full of vigor.
Huàzhēng immediately agreed with both hands up. Huàzhēng, a girl from Suzhou with a decent family background, didn't want to go back to Suzhou and wanted to stay in the big city of Shanghai. However, the cost of living in Shanghai was indeed high, and the salary at the newspaper office wasn't considered high.
In a short while, they reached their floor. As the elevator doors opened and the noise from outside spilled in, they all exchanged glances, surprised by the commotion...
When they stepped out, they saw that everyone had gathered at the end of the elevator hallway, near the entrance to the newspaper office. Behind the transparent glass door of the newspaper office, many people were also craning their necks to see.
It was clear that no one wanted to miss out on the excitement.
At this moment, Wen Tang, furious and embarrassed, said: "Wu Mengni, I'm telling you, being someone's mistress is your own choice to degrade yourself, what does it have to do with me? You even have the nerve to say that I betrayed you to the man's wife out of jealousy. Are you out of your mind?"
Indeed, even someone as proud as Wen Tang, under Wu Mengni's irrational entanglement, was speaking without discretion.
Wu Mengni, who had already resigned herself to the situation, looked up and saw Emma approaching. She pointed at Emma and said: "I degrade myself? What about you instructing me to target Emma on purpose, how do you explain that?"
Wen Tang's chest heaved, clearly not expecting her to be so reckless.
At this moment, everyone's face showed their astonishment, as they were well aware of Wu Mengni's scandal. Moreover, she had come to the newspaper office today to pack up and resign. She deliberately chose to come during lunchtime when there were fewer people, but unexpectedly ran into Wen Tang at the entrance, and for some unknown reason, they ended up in a fight.
Wen Tang: "You're talking nonsense."
Wu Mengni burst into laughter, not caring at all since she had already decided to quit and didn't mind exposing Wen Tang's true face.
"You're just jealous that Emma is not only young and beautiful but also has a higher education and a brighter future than you. How you used to talk to me, I haven't forgotten, even if you have. You deliberately made Emma run errands everywhere, a task you couldn't bring yourself to do, so I did it for you."
"And don't forget about the interview with that lecherous old man from the advertising department. You said Emma was pretty, so it was a good opportunity for that old lecher to have a taste."
Tang Mi couldn't hold back and immediately cursed: "What a bunch of idiots."
Wen Tang's face turned pale at this moment. She still cared about her reputation and needed to continue working at the newspaper office, unlike Wu Mengni who had nothing to lose.
Finally, security was called again to escort Wu Mengni out, and the onlookers who were still surrounding the scene had not dispersed. However, Emma slowly moved forward, with everyone's eyes on her.
Emma was quite well-known at the newspaper office, known for being quiet but capable, and not someone to be bullied.
Previously, when Wu Mengni caused trouble for her, she had directly confronted her during a meeting, which many people had heard about.
As she approached Wen Tang, she paused and looked at her.
Wen Tang opened her mouth and said: "Emma, Wu Mengni is just desperately trying to slander people and damage our colleague relationships. You don't believe her, do you?"
Emma found it quite amusing, really quite amusing.
She thought for a moment and asked sincerely: "You mean Wu Mengni is framing you?"
Wen Tang tried to stay calm: "Of course."
Emma looked at her expressionlessly: "Who do you think would believe that? Me or them?"
She glanced towards the glass door, where many colleagues were still gathered, watching the drama unfold. Her voice was neither loud nor low, but everyone could hear her clearly.
"Save it," Emma sneered.
Throughout the week, the employees of the Shanghai People's Daily were bombarded with gossip, to the point where they were too distracted to work. Although Wu Mengni had left the newspaper office, the stories about her did not disappear.
Everyone said that the reason she publicly argued with Wen Tang that day was because she suspected Wen Tang of betraying her by revealing her affair with the wealthy man to his wife.
As for Wen Tang, due to Wu Mengni's accusations and with some instigation from Old Zhang, she was called in for separate discussions with several leaders of the newspaper office.
Her once-overbearing demeanor was no longer present.
By Friday, after a week of drama, the employees were still somewhat disinterested, lacking the usual enthusiasm to leave work early on a Friday.
Emma, however, was unusually punctual, as soon as it was time to get off work, she closed her computer, grabbed her bag, said goodbye to Huàzhēng, and left.
Emma made a special trip to the People's Park, where there was an old shop known for its Shanghainese dim sum. Her grandmother's teeth weren't the best, but she loved the soft and sweet glutinous rice cakes from this place. However, given her grandmother's slightly high blood sugar and lipid levels, Emma would only allow her to have one or two pieces each time she visited.
The nursing home was located in a suburban area, but it boasted an excellent environment. As soon as one entered, there was a large garden complete with a pavilion and exercise equipment for the elderly, similar to what one would find in a public park.
At this moment, a lingering touch of orange from the setting sun rimmed the sky, preventing the city from being completely enveloped by night.
The exterior wall of the nursing home's main building wasn't white but a full and fresh light green, giving a vibrant feeling.
When Emma had visited this place for inspection, she was told that they didn't want the elderly to be in a state of just waiting to die; instead, they wanted them to still be able to face life with joy.
Emma headed to her grandmother's room with the dim sum, but found her absence a little strange since her grandmother usually knew she would come on Friday evenings and would wait in her room.
Not worried, Emma guessed her grandmother must be in the activity room and headed there with the dim sum.
The activity room was equipped with a TV, chess and card rooms, and other entertainment facilities to help the elderly pass the time. When Emma arrived, the door to the activity room was open, and she could see a circle of elderly men and women, with Jason quietly sitting next to her grandmother's wheelchair, peeling an orange.
He sat with his head down, holding an orange in his long fingers, having just finished peeling it and carefully removing the white pith. After preparing the orange, he smiled and offered it to her grandmother, who was in the middle of a conversation.
It was a rather ordinary scene, but Emma, standing at the door, suddenly turned her head away, her eyes moist.
She tried hard to suppress the tears welling up in her throat, but she still felt an overwhelming urge to cry.
Emma was not given to sentimentality, but seeing Jason sitting quietly beside her grandmother, she felt from the bottom of her heart that she loved this man and had never made a mistake in choosing him.
"Isn't that your granddaughter?" An observant elderly lady spotted her first.
Her grandmother turned to look and called out with a smile, "Xingxing, come here, come here."
At this moment, Emma composed her expression again, walked over with the sweets, and said with a smile, "Grandma."
However, as soon as she approached the group, the old ladies all started talking at once.
"Emma, your husband is so nice, coming early to chat with your grandmother and bringing us so much delicious food."
"I think that's secondary. Look at his appearance, how handsome he is."
"I heard from your grandmother that he works in a big company."
Hearing them praise Jason left and right, Emma couldn't help but look over and ask softly, "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"
"I knew you would be here today, so I didn't mention it," Jason replied with a light smile.
Her grandmother chimed in, "I already told Shenyan that he doesn't have to come to see me just because he's busy with work, but he not only came, he brought so many things."
At this moment, Emma noticed that there were quite a few pastry boxes on the activity room table, but they were almost empty.
Emma looked surprised and asked her grandmother, "Did you eat a lot?"
Seeing her grandmother unable to speak, Jason immediately said, "These sweets were specially made with less sugar, so it's okay to eat a few more pieces."
"Right, look at how thoughtful my grandson-in-law is," her grandmother immediately beamed, completely free of the guilt she had just felt for being caught doing something naughty.
Emma: "…"
So Emma brought the bag forward and said helplessly, "It seems grandma won't be able to eat these."
The old lady's eyes lit up when she saw the pastries from the time-honored shop that she liked. Emma's sweet tooth was mostly inherited from her.
So the pastries she brought were indeed distributed in no time.
Emma looked at Jason, who had been sitting quietly beside her, and asked in a low voice, "Have you eaten?"
"Not yet, we'll have dinner together when we get back," Jason replied softly.
The elderly folks chatted while eating, until someone asked, "When are you two planning to have children?"
This question caught both Emma and Jason off guard, as evident by the momentary pause on their faces.
The elderly have a natural interest in matters of marriage and progeny, and knowing that they had been married for a year, they didn't need any hints from Emma's grandmother to start playing the role of eager procreators, practically pushing them towards the bridal chamber.
Emma quickly made an excuse to go to the restroom. When she returned and saw that Jason was missing, she knew he had stepped out to make a phone call. She grabbed her bag and hurriedly left as well.
Jason had just hung up the phone and was about to turn around when he felt a tug on his sleeve.
He glanced at the person pulling him, and his intended motion to shake off the hand stopped immediately. He allowed her to lead him outside, all the way to a stone bench in a corner of the garden.
As the night darkened, the garden lights provided just enough illumination, not far from where they sat.
After Emma pulled him to sit down, Jason looked at her and asked with a light smile, "What's the matter that requires such secrecy?"
Not only did she bring him to the small garden, but she also chose such a secluded spot.
Emma reached into her bag and pulled out an exquisite little box, saying with a smile, "I bought this after waiting in line specifically for it."
Jason was slightly taken aback until she opened the box to reveal the dim sum inside.
His surprise was evident as he looked at her and asked gently, "Why would you buy this?"
Emma could hear the surprise in his voice and couldn't help but say, "I asked Aunt Zhou. She said it's your favorite."
Jason looked down at the delicate dim sum in front of him, a smile escaping his lips, his eyes twinkling with a depth of emotion, as if filled with water, his smile brimming with tender affection.
Seeing him chuckle without speaking, Emma turned to him and said softly, "Everyone else has eaten, but you haven't, so have some here, and then we'll go back in."
Jason was taken aback, finding her behavior incredibly endearing.
However, he then asked, "Why did you think to ask Aunt Zhou about this?"
Emma looked at him and said with a smile, "Because I want to know what you like and what you don't."
Their relationship had begun so suddenly and progressed so quickly that she didn't have a clear understanding of his preferences. He seemed indifferent to everything, without any particular favorites.
So, Emma took advantage of her limited opportunities at the mansion to inquire about Jason's likes from the housekeeper.
At first, the housekeeper was reluctant to share, but after Emma pleaded softly several times, she finally revealed some of his preferences, the top of the list being this particular dessert.
Even Emma was surprised that someone as indifferent as him had a sweet tooth.
Seeing that he hadn't eaten yet, Emma suddenly turned her head and joked, "If you feel that eating this in front of me will affect your image as a CEO, I can close my eyes."
In fact, Emma was just teasing.
But the man beside her responded earnestly, "Alright, close your eyes for a bit."
Emma: "…"
Once the words were out, there was no taking them back. Emma felt she was being silly, provoking him for fun, only to be outmaneuvered.
As these thoughts crossed her mind, something soft touched her lips.
Jason said, "Open your mouth."
Emma obediently opened her mouth, and the soft, sweet cake began to melt the moment it entered her mouth, accompanied by the faint fragrance of the man beside her.
On this slightly cool night, with her eyes gently closed, the absence of sight heightened her other senses.
After swallowing the cake, Emma sat quietly when the person beside her spoke again, "Another bite?"
She was about to decline, but before she could say anything, something pressed against her lips, followed by his tongue gently parting hers, their breaths mingling, as if to ignite the cool night with warmth.
After what felt like a long time, she was finally released.
Emma had been truly obedient, not opening her eyes yet, but she could hear his deep voice, "Is the cake sweet, or am I sweet?"
The moment the door was pushed open, Emma was bending over to take off her shoes; they had just returned from the nursing home. But as she removed one shoe, she was embraced from behind.
His breath lightly sprayed on her neck.
Having just entered, they hadn't even turned on the hallway light; only a faint glow came from the entrance.
Both of their breaths became disordered in this moment. Emma seemed to struggle to find her voice and said, "Professor Liu mentioned that your body..."
"I just have an allergy, I'm not incapacitated," he snickered. His usually cold and indifferent voice was teasingly trembling in the darkness.
Emma turned around and hugged him; it was too dark to see clearly, but she found his lips by feel, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him.
She couldn't see his face or his appearance.
But she knew his lips were thin and well-shaped.
At this moment, she gently hooked her arms around Jason's neck, kicked off her other shoe with one foot, and stood barefoot on the floor. Jason was responding to her, his palm cupping the back of her head, quickly removing his own shoes, and drawing her waist forward.
This house was where Jason had lived before marriage, and Emma had stayed here a few times before. This time was the longest she had stayed, so she had almost figured out the direction to the bedroom, not to mention with him by her side.
But in the living room, their kisses had already started to ignite flames on each other's bodies, and the small flames in their hearts were continuously stirred up, becoming hotter with each movement.
"Xingxing," Jason murmured her name near her ear.
It was as if a fuse had been lit in Emma's mind, and with a bang, everything was blown to pieces, leaving only the man in front of her in her heart and eyes.
She took the initiative to lift his shirt, and as she did, she touched his waistline.
His belt was still securely fastened, and her fingers slid upwards, almost teasingly caressing his back.
The room was too quiet, and the sound insulation was exceptionally good, so the loudest sound in her world was his increasingly heavy breaths when he was moved.
His scent was as usual, light and slightly cold, gradually seeping into her nostrils, as if to tempt her to completely lose her senses.
...
The sounds of panting grew louder, and finally, her calves tightened, and her toes curled and relaxed in a repetitive cycle.
He pressed on top of her, his hands supporting him on either side, both of them now sweaty, layer upon layer of thin perspiration.
The bedroom echoed with muffled and unbearable moans; although the night was deep, the thick curtain by the window seemed to have a slim gap. The silver moon in the sky cast a faint snowy light, which subtly shone in, and the fragmented light and shadow fell on the floor.
Finally, all returned to tranquility.
But after the tranquility came a more direct realization, because such joy could only be brought to her by him.
The next day was the weekend, but when Emma opened her eyes, she saw the man quietly sleeping beside her. His black hair was dark, pressed against the white pillow, and because he was asleep with his eyes closed, he looked particularly gentle.
Emma was clearly stunned.
Jason was too disciplined, so disciplined that Emma felt this man was almost inhuman, getting up at six o'clock every morning without fail.
This is his habit. So much so that whenever he is not traveling around the world and stays at home, it is always he who wakes up before Emma and prepares breakfast for her.
She gazed at him for a moment, about to get up. But as soon as she gently lifted the blanket to rise, an arm hooked around her slender waist.
Emma, though tall, has a delicate frame, giving her an overall impression of being light and slender.
"Why don't you keep sleeping?" Jason's voice was deep and carried a hint of morning huskiness.
Sexy and enticing to the point where Emma almost lost her composure.
She glanced back at him; Jason still had his eyes closed, not yet open, looking a bit like he was reluctant to get out of bed. She had never seen him like this and couldn't help but chuckle, "Aren't you getting up today?"
His face slightly moved on the pillow, as if searching for a more comfortable position.
After a moment, with his eyes still closed, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, revealing a smile: "Cloud-like hair, flower-like face, golden steps sway, lotus curtain warms through the spring night..."
Emma was genuinely stunned, as she really didn't expect Jason to recite such a sensual poem to her so early in the morning...
Of course, the following lines of those two verses are actually more familiar.
The spring night is too short, the sun rises high, from then on the monarch does not attend court early.
After a long while, Emma put on a thoughtful expression and countered, "So, President Jason, do you think I am preventing you from governing your great commercial empire?"
"Mm," Jason responded with a neutral tone.
The surprise on Emma's face gradually faded, and she let out a soft laugh, leisurely saying, "Old men indeed are very naughty."
Jason is thirty-one years old this year, right in the prime of a man's life. Emma, however, is seven years younger than him, only twenty-four years old.
When they got married, Emma was only twenty-three years old, almost immediately marrying him upon graduating from university.
It was also the case that Emma didn't tell anyone about her marriage. Otherwise, her college roommates or classmates would never have expected her to be the one who stepped into marriage right after campus.
Upon hearing this, Jason indeed opened his eyes to look at her.
When his eyes were closed, he appeared exceptionally gentle, but when they opened and his dark pupils stared straight at her, the deep hue made Emma's heart tremble.
Emma had seen this look before. She had occasionally seen him make business calls at home, and when displeased, his gaze was just as terrifying.
This meant that he was about to reprimand someone.
Quick as a wink, Emma dove under the blanket, wrapping herself tightly like a cocoon, even covering her head, as if to say she couldn't afford to provoke him and would hide first.
With Emma's character, the one she truly couldn't afford to provoke was indeed only Jason.
Jason neither moved nor hurried, half-sitting up and leaning against the headboard, casting a cool glance at the person wrapped like a silkworm on the bed: "Do you want me to discipline you or come out yourself?"
Inside the white blanket, there was still no movement.
So he counted with a faint smile: "One, two..."
Finally, there was a bit of movement at the edge of the blanket. Emma peeked out cautiously, only to meet his gaze directly. She blinked, then pouted her lips into a pitiful expression, even her eyes hiding a sense of grievance.
But she remained silent, playing the role of 'Xingxing is wronged, but Xingxing won't speak.'
Jason's gaze changed instantly.