Chapter 5: Professional Ethics

Sheng Zhiyi, standing at the doorway, was not discouraged by his cold detachment. Instead, she raised an eyebrow and asked with a charming smile, "Won't you invite me in for a seat?"

Shen Yichi replied bluntly, "It's not convenient."

Sheng Zhiyi teased, "Are you hiding someone in there?"

Shen Yichi remained expressionless and replied, "Yes."

Perhaps not expecting him to deviate from the usual script, Sheng Zhiyi was momentarily caught off guard. After a brief pause, she maintained a polite smile and said, "Yihuan gave me the address. Don't overthink it; I don't mean anything else. As for why I'm here, I specifically came to give you tickets to my concert."

Shen Yichi accepted them with his customary indifference. "If I'm free that day, I’ll certainly come to show my support."

Just then, his assistant, Dong Chuan, approached, and Sheng Zhiyi took the hint, finding an excuse to leave.

Unable to find anyone downstairs, Shen Yichi carried the shopping bag upstairs. He pushed open the bathroom door, and sure enough, she was inside.

The woman was sitting on a chair, legs crossed, fiddling with her phone. She was wearing his white dress shirt, with nothing underneath; the sight was tantalizing and suggestive. The shirt barely covered her hips, leaving her straight, slender legs exposed. Recalling the sensation of those legs wrapped around him, Shen Yichi felt a sudden tremor in his chest.

Song Yanzi curled her lips. "Finished so soon?"

Shen Yichi joked, "Are you that scared? Hiding in here!"

With that, he walked in with the bag.

Song Yanzi adopted a professional tone. "As a qualified secret lover, I have professional ethics and won't cause any trouble for my employer."

He handed her the bag without a word, watching her with an inscrutable gaze.

Song Yanzi, taking the bag, noticed the hidden meaning in his eyes. "Am I wrong?"

As she spoke, she began to open the bag. It contained everything she needed, inside and out—a very thorough preparation.

Shen Yichi did not answer, saying instead, "This won't happen again next time."

Taking the clothes out, Song Yanzi looked up, puzzled by his inexplicable remark, but then it dawned on her.

"Mr. Shen, that woman just now must be your fiancée, right?"

Anyone able to appear here must have an unusual relationship with him. Aside from Song Yanzi, she was the first woman to enter Shen Yichi's private domain.

Shen Yichi warned, "Just do your job and don't worry about anything else."

"As you command," Song Yanzi replied.

Shen Yichi was about to speak when his phone rang. He pulled it out, turned, and left.

After that day, Song Yanzi did not see Shen Yichi for several days. There was no contact between them. Their relationship was purely transactional: intimate in bed, strangers out of it.

They met again a week later.

Song Yanzi had been forced into a blind date; her mother had issued a direct order, and she had no choice but to go. After all, if she defied her wishes, there would be no peace for the entire family. For the past two years, her mother had become increasingly overbearing. Though her condition seemed stable, it was not the case in reality. To avoid triggering her, Song Yanzi obediently appeared at the restaurant.

The man was named Xu Jingcheng. He ran his own company—a modest scale, but his family background was decent. It was baffling how her mother even knew someone from such a distant circle.

Xu Jingcheng talked at length, full of enthusiasm, while Song Yanzi offered the occasional response, maintaining a cool and polite facade.

Just as Song Yanzi was preparing to formally reject him, a figure caught her eye. It was Shen Yichi, whom she hadn't seen for days, and he was accompanied by a beautiful woman. At a single glance, she recognized her—the same woman who had appeared at Shen Yichi's villa. The handsome man and beautiful woman standing together made for an eye-catching sight.

When Song Yanzi had gone out today, she had checked the almanac. Indeed, it was an inauspicious day for everything.

In public, they were strangers and would not acknowledge each other. To her surprise, Xu Jingcheng recognized Shen Yichi.

He stood up enthusiastically and took the initiative to greet him. "Mr. Shen, what a coincidence! You're here for dinner, too."

Shen Yichi replied calmly, "Yes."

Xu Jingcheng was eager. "Meeting is better than scheduling. Mr. Shen, would you do us the honor of joining us for dinner?" He had been turned away several times before, and now that he had this rare opportunity, he was determined not to let it slip by.

Given Shen Yichi's personality, he should have refused, but unexpectedly, he agreed.

Sheng Zhiyi, beside him, was reluctant but found it difficult to say anything. She had finally managed to get him out to dinner, only to run into such a socially oblivious man.

Shen Yichi pulled out a chair for Sheng Zhiyi with gentlemanly grace. As the four of them sat down and the waiter arrived to take their orders, Shen Yichi asked, seemingly offhandedly, "Mr. Xu, and this is..."

Xu Jingcheng introduced her. "This is Song Yanzi, Chairperson of Heng'an. Yanzi, this is the Chairperson of the Shen Group, Mr. Shen."

Song Yanzi reached out her hand. "I have long admired your reputation, Mr. Shen. It is an honor to finally meet you today."

Across from her, Shen Yichi shook her hand. "You are too kind, Ms. Song."

For the rest of the time, the two performed the charade of being strangers, engaging in professional pleasantries. While the man appeared composed and articulate on the surface, his foot under the table was not idle, intentionally brushing against Song Yanzi’s calf. He was tall with long legs; even though she tried her best to avoid him, she was still provoked by his advances.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Song Yanzi stood up, citing a trip to the restroom. Along the way, she silently cursed that bastard Shen Yichi.

Just as she was about to close the door, a tall, imposing figure followed her in.