Chapter 136: Concealed Affection

Rong Shen raised an eyebrow and tightened his grip on her waist. "Do you really need to be so polite with me?"

An Tong, caught off guard by his strength, lost her footing and pressed even more closely against him. Having already shared many intimate moments, no amount of shyness or hesitation could stop her heart from leaning toward him more each day.

She looked up into his deep, affectionate eyes, feeling as though her reason and thoughts were being drawn into them. Without a second thought, she stood on her tiptoes and took the initiative to kiss him.

It was meant to be a fleeting, dragonfly-touching-water kiss, but just as An Tong prepared to pull away, the back of her head was firmly pressed, and Rong Shen seized the initiative.

The living room was empty, and the winter sun shone brightly outside the windows. An Tong accepted it passively, responding with instinctive clumsiness. However, the man’s rapidly quickening breath and the sense of predatory possession he emanated soon became more than she could handle. He usually appeared refined and ascetic, which made the stark contrast during their intimacy all the more striking.

"Master Jiu..."

An abrupt voice came from outside the living room. Not only did Cheng Feng freeze, but An Tong also scrambled to push the man away.

Rong Shen’s reaction, however, was relatively calm and composed. He happened to be standing with his back to the entrance, and as he released An Tong, he took the opportunity to press her head into his chest.

Cheng Feng: "..."

He stood rooted to the spot, caught in a dilemma, and began to seriously consider which hand he should use to gouge out his own eyes so it would hurt less.

A strange, awkward silence permeated the living room. After a few seconds, the man turned slightly, glanced at the stunned Cheng Feng, and frowned in displeasure. "Speak."

"Ah..." Cheng Feng asked belatedly, "Everything is packed; we can leave at any time."

The man pressed his thin lips together, his voice still tinged with hoarseness. "Mm. Go on out."

As Cheng Feng turned to leave, he thought, what does "mm" mean? Should I go or stay? Can't he give a straight answer? Never mind, he dared not say or ask anything more; he would just go out and wait.

After Cheng Feng left, An Tong pulled away from Rong Shen’s embrace, her face burning, feeling thoroughly uncomfortable. Being seen while kissing was something no one could handle with ease, especially someone as thin-skinned as her.

"I’m going to change my clothes."

She tossed the words out softly, pushed past him, and ran off.

...

In the end, Rong Shen did not immediately set off for Zhanzhou, giving An Tong time to handle her private matters. It was not much time, but it was enough—just a few hours.

Near noon, An Tong went to the villa to pack some things she had left there and took the opportunity to call Ling Qi over.

"Ma'am, what do you need me for?"

Ling Qi had her laptop on her lap, the screen displaying a series of business registration procedures. With the New Year only a few days away, she wanted to take advantage of the last few working days to get the company’s license paperwork out of the way.

Before An Tong could speak, Ling Qi turned the laptop screen toward her. "Ma'am, have you decided on a company name? We need to have the name pre-approved."

The words on the tip of An Tong's tongue were stifled. She looked down at the screen and, without much thought, uttered a name: "Rong'an Technology. What do you think?"

Ling Qi smirked slyly. "Which 'Rong' is that?"

An Tong looked at her calmly without saying a word; she didn't believe Ling Qi didn't know.

"Understood, it’s *that* 'Rong' from the boss, right?" Ling Qi wasn't intimidated; her smile remained bright. Finally, she gave a thumbs up. "Ma'am, a high-level display of affection! I’ve learned something new!"

Rong'an Technology.

Even the company was taking her husband's name—could there be a bigger display of affection than this?

Ling Qi tapped away, filling in the online approval documents. After submitting them, she noticed An Tong leaning back against the sofa, looking lost in thought. The sunlight was strong today, piercing through the glass and falling onto her shoulders and face, enveloping her in a hazy, ethereal glow.

"Qi Qi..."

"Yeah?"

Ling Qi, still admiring the sight of the beauty basking in the sun, paused for a second at the sound of her name.

An Tong looked down and played with her fingers. "Do you know Wen Wan?"

"I do." Ling Qi instinctively straightened up. "In Xiangjiang... it’s hard not to know her, right? Why do you ask?"

An Tong’s expression remained unchanged, revealing nothing. "Nothing. She invited me for coffee this afternoon, but there might not be enough time."

She didn't dislike Wen Wan—to say she admired her might be too much, but they were, at most, casual acquaintances who could hold a conversation. As for making friends, An Tong had been extremely picky before her illness, and even more averse afterward. Now that her mindset and condition had improved, her approach to social interaction had become much more laid-back.

...

"I see." Ling Qi blinked her round eyes, propping her chin on her hand. "I’ve never interacted with Wen Wan, but everyone says she’s one of the few true socialites of this generation, very reasonable. She’ll surely understand such a small thing."

An Tong nodded, turned to look out the window, and suddenly felt a sense of listlessness. Ling Qi, Butler Li, and even the maids in the backyard who had spoken to her before—they all spoke highly of Wen Wan.

An Tong was not jealous, and certainly not envious. Even after her own interactions with Wen Wan, she couldn't deny that there were many shining qualities about her that made one feel comfortable.

But... if such an exceptional socialite fell for the same person as her, what would be the outcome?

An Tong was indeed sensitive, and thanks to her good memory, she rarely forgot things she had seen. At last night's gathering, Wen Wan had looked at Rong Shen over thirty times. At first, she hadn't observed specifically, but as they chatted, Wen Wan’s gaze would drift involuntarily toward the man behind her. Once it happened enough times, it naturally drew attention.

Moreover, An Tong could see the restrained, hidden affection in her demeanor. One can tell at a glance whether a woman is harboring feelings for a man. Even without dating experience, the instinct for sensing when someone is "coveting" one's lover seems to be something one is born with.

While curious, An Tong had been deep in thought about whether Rong Shen, as the person involved, knew about it.

And if she and Wen Wan were placed side by side...

As soon as that thought crossed her mind, An Tong closed her eyes and shook her head. There was no need to compare; they were separate and distinct individuals, and there was no basis for comparison.

...

Meanwhile, while An Tong was still pondering whether Wen Wan had invited her for coffee just to chat or to use the opportunity for something else, Ling Qi had already happily carried her laptop to the main living room to "report" to Rong Shen.

"Boss, two pieces of news—one good, one maybe not so good. Which one do you want to hear first?"

The man, who was busy handling work on his phone, asked in a low voice, "Where is An'an?"

Ling Qi tilted her chin toward the villa. "Daydreaming."