45: Chapter 46 Shen Nian—A Woman Who Can Make Men Go Wrong

Returning to her room, she locked the door, left the lights off, and walked straight to the massive floor-to-ceiling window. Outside the window lay the dazzling night view of Jiangcheng, with its endless stream of traffic and dreamlike prosperity.

She took out her phone and stared at Yu Bo's name on the screen. Her finger hovered over the delete key for a long time, but in the end, she didn't press it.

She switched interfaces and sent a message to her assistant: "Help me reschedule for the earliest flight back to Jiangzhou tomorrow. Also, notify the team that we will hold the next phase strategy meeting for 'Wing Flight' the day after tomorrow at 9:00 AM. I want to see detailed R&D progress and market expansion plans."

After sending the message, she tossed her phone onto the sofa and walked into the bathroom. The warm water washed over her, as if trying to rinse away all the absurdity, humiliation, and suffocating sense of defeat from tonight, but some brands cannot be washed away by water.

In the misty steam, she closed her eyes. What lingered in her mind was not the water, but Yu Bo's eyes—eyes that had suddenly snapped awake amidst the surging passion, only to be filled with self-loathing and the decisiveness with which he pushed her away. And... the fleeting, heart-palpitating intensity and dominance of his kiss when he had kissed her back.

That kiss, though brief and ending in his escape, was like a quenched blade, carving an indelible mark into her heart. He was not completely indifferent. His body remembered her; his desire had responded to her. That was enough.

She washed for a long time, until her skin turned red. She emerged wrapped in a bathrobe and stood before the mirror, looking at the woman inside: eyes slightly red, lips swollen, ambiguous red marks still lingering on her neck and chest, but her gaze was no longer lost or fragile. Instead, it burned with a near-paranoid flame.

Emotionally, she seemed to have suffered a crushing defeat tonight, losing completely. But in Shen Nian's life creed, the word "give up" never existed, especially for things she truly wanted.

Yu Bo doesn't want her? That's just what he "thinks" he wants right now. He is bound by morality, responsibility, and his deep-seated feelings for Yin Tianxue, which is why he pushed her away. But that doesn't mean there isn't a place for her deep in his heart, nor does it mean that the explosive desire and response were fake.

Yin Tianxue? That cold, beautiful woman is indeed his publicly acknowledged girlfriend for now. But so what? In the world of relationships, it's never about who comes first, but about survival of the fittest and relying on one's own abilities. Why should she, Shen Nian, easily let go of the man she has set her sights on just because of a "predecessor"?

What she wants has never been momentary pleasure, but long-term possession. Since Yu Bo cannot fully belong to her now, she will first tear open a gap in his heart and his life, squeeze in, and occupy a place. Using her career, her value, an irreplaceable partnership, and the charm and wisdom of a mature woman, she will infiltrate and devour his defenses bit by bit.

She wants him to get used to her presence, rely on her capabilities, appreciate her courage, and even... at some point in the future, "lose control" to her charm again. She wants the name "Shen Nian" to be more than just a project lead on his investment list; she wants it to be an inescapable, inseparable part of his life.

As for Yin Tianxue... Shen Nian's gaze turned cold. Then let it be a battle of wits. Let's see who can truly capture Yu Bo's heart in the end, and who can walk with him until the finish. She is confident that time will prove everything. Excellent men never have only one woman by their side. And she, Shen Nian, will absolutely not be the one who gets eliminated.

She will not act like she did tonight—humbly begging or losing control and forcing a kiss. That is too demeaning and will only push him further away. She needs to change her approach—a more sophisticated, lasting, and effective method.

She will be a good "President Shen," taking "Wing Flight" to new heights, becoming the brightest star in Yu Bo's investment portfolio, and making him unable to do without her value. She will also be a good "Shen Nian"—a beautiful, intelligent woman who understands him, can fight alongside him, and occasionally reveals just the right amount of vulnerability. She wants him to see that she is more suitable than Yin Tianxue to stand by his side, whether in business or... in other aspects of life.

Tonight's "failure" is not the end, but a new beginning. The beginning of a longer, more meticulously planned, and more inevitable "campaign."

Shen Nian slowly lifted her chin at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes as sharp as knives, yet burning with a sense of inevitable victory.

"Yu Bo, you can't escape." She whispered to herself, her voice echoing in the empty room with unquestionable certainty. "Sooner or later, you will willingly come to my side. And Yin Tianxue... she won't be able to protect you for long."

She turned away, no longer looking at the mirror, walked to the bed, and sat down. She picked up her phone and flipped to Yu Bo's number. This time, she didn't hesitate; her fingertips flew as she typed a line and hit send.

"Regarding tonight, I lost control, and I apologize. But I don't regret letting you know my feelings. Rest assured, from now on, I will only act as President Shen. I look forward to the continued cooperation between 'Wing Flight' and 'Listening to the Waves.' Good night, Chairman Yu."

The message was sent successfully. She put down her phone, turned off the light, and lay down. In the darkness, her eyes remained bright. What burned inside them was no longer tears of despair, but ambition, fighting spirit, and a cold, determined glint of someone who had already captured their prey.

...

Meanwhile, the panicked Yu Bo had practically run all the way back to his hotel. He rushed into his room, locked the door, and slid down against the cold door panel, panting heavily. His heart was still pounding uncontrollably, and his lips seemed to still retain the burning touch of Shen Nian and that salty taste mixed with her tears.

He sat on the cold floor, letting the darkness swallow him. Only the sporadic light from afar outside the window barely outlined the vague contours of the room.

Everything that happened in those few minutes was like an absurd and intense silent film, playing repeatedly in his mind against his will. The decisiveness with which Shen Nian had thrown herself at him, that kiss filled with despair and predatory intent, the trembling and softness of her body, her passion as she responded... and his own damned, intense, and even punishingly predatory kiss in return.

He remembered how he had gripped her waist, how he had threaded his fingers through her hair to hold her steady, how he had fiercely pried open her teeth, how he had sucked and tangled with her, how he had left marks along her neck... Every detail was infinitely magnified in the darkness, terrifyingly clear.

A strong wave of mixed residual desire, fear, and a deeper level of self-doubt and loathing gripped him fiercely.

He raised his hand and looked at his hand, which was trembling slightly in the darkness. It was this hand that had just tightly hugged another woman's waist, stroked her hair, and even... almost tore off her dress.

"Yu Bo, what the hell are you doing?" He growled, his voice sounding exceptionally hoarse and desperate in the empty, quiet room.

Shouldn't he have pushed her away without hesitation? Shouldn't he have kept his promise to Yin Tianxue? Why had his mind gone blank at that moment? Why had his body responded uncontrollably? Why... had he kissed her back so forcefully?