Chapter Thirty-One: Jiang Yunzhu Departs

All of Jiang Yunzhu's belongings had been cleared out from her room, as if she had never existed there.

Shen Ruizhang ran downstairs once more.

He stopped a servant. “Where is Miss Jiang?”

The servant looked a little frightened and replied in a low voice, “Miss Jiang called you earlier, but you didn't answer. She left, and told us to throw away all her things.”

“Impossible!” Shen Ruizhang retorted loudly.

Jiang Yunzhu liked him so much; how could she possibly leave so easily?

Seeing his disbelief, the servant's fear gradually faded. She couldn't help but complain, “Sir, Miss Jiang waited for you so long, but you never cared about her. She left because you drove her away.”

She remembered the look in Jiang Yunzhu's eyes as she left—so distant and cold, utterly devoid of the happiness she once showed. The servant knew that Jiang Yunzhu would never return.

Her feelings for Shen Ruizhang were utterly gone.

No, Jiang Yunzhu had said she left him a gift.

Shen Ruizhang brushed the servant aside, muttering, “She's just sulking because I neglected her. She'll come back.”

She even prepared a gift for him.

Yes, the gift.

He asked again, “Where is Miss Jiang’s gift?”

The servant cautiously pointed toward the dining room. “It's on the table.”

Shen Ruizhang turned and hurried to the dining room. Sure enough, on the table lay a gift Jiang Yunzhu had left for him.

He picked up the brown paper bag, about to open it, when his gaze fell upon a photo album in the trash bin.

It was Jiang Yunzhu’s album.

Ignoring his usual fastidiousness, he pulled it out.

As expected, it was filled with photos of him and Jiang Yunzhu.

All the sweetness that once belonged to the two of them had been tossed into the trash by Jiang Yunzhu?

No, this couldn't be real.

He carefully put the album away and went back upstairs to Jiang Yunzhu's room.

Staring at the empty room, Shen Ruizhang felt a growing sense of unease.

His Yunzhu was so wonderful, so devoted to him—how could she possibly leave so easily?

She must be throwing a tantrum; she had acted out before.

Yes, that must be it.

She would come back in a few days.

Learning that Jiang Yunzhu had left the Shen residence, Zhou Qingfei couldn't wait to arrive at the villa.

She had even changed into a white camisole mini dress that accentuated her perfect figure, certain that any man would be moved by the sight.

Hearing that Shen Ruizhang was in Jiang Yunzhu's room, Zhou Qingfei went upstairs and pushed open the door.

She found Shen Ruizhang standing in a daze before the empty walk-in closet.

Silently, she slipped behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, her hands caressing the firm muscles of his chest.

“Ruizhang…”

Dressed in her seductive attire, Zhou Qingfei gazed up at him. Shen Ruizhang lowered his eyes, their depths clouded with indistinct emotions.

When he only stared at her without moving, Zhou Qingfei hugged his waist tighter and nestled into his arms.

“Ruizhang, Yunzhu isn’t here today. Can’t we…”

Her hand slid under his shirt, slowly moving upward until it rested on his sculpted abs.

“Ah!”

A startled cry escaped Zhou Qingfei as she clung to Shen Ruizhang’s neck in alarm.

Seeing the desire flicker in his eyes, Zhou Qingfei lowered her head and pressed her lips against his.

Shen Ruizhang froze for a moment, then seized the back of her head, deepening the kiss to something searing and intense.

Outside, the lights flickered; within the dim room, the two figures entwined, clothes strewn messily by the bed.

The air was heavy with the scent of intimacy.

“Ruizhang, give yourself to me,” came a soft moan.

Suddenly, Shen Ruizhang halted his actions.

He opened his eyes and looked into Zhou Qingfei’s misty gaze.

“Yunzhu…”

No, this was not Jiang Yunzhu.

All the desire in Shen Ruizhang's eyes vanished.

He released Zhou Qingfei and got out of bed, heading straight to the bathroom.

Soon, the sound of running water drifted from behind the door.

Damn it! Even now, with Jiang Yunzhu gone, she still managed to ruin things between her and Ruizhang!

Zhou Qingfei gripped the sheets tightly, her gaze turning vicious.

Before long, Shen Ruizhang emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. Seeing Zhou Qingfei still there, a shadow crossed his eyes.

“You should go home now,” he said, his tone growing distant.

At this, Zhou Qingfei panicked.

She forced a smile. “Ruizhang, let me stay with you, please?”

“Go home,” he replied, moving to the bed and handing her clothes to her.

Zhou Qingfei gazed at him, aggrieved, making no move to take the clothes from his hand.

Seeing this, he didn't insist.

“Then stay here and rest,” he said, then turned and left the room without looking back.

Watching his retreating figure, the hatred in Zhou Qingfei's eyes slowly revealed itself.

Shen Ruizhang went to the study, retrieved another phone, and quickly dialed the Jiang family’s number.

International Airport, Country M.

Jiang Yunzhu had just picked up her luggage and stepped out of the airport when she saw a woman in a red dress running toward her.

The woman wrapped her tightly in an embrace.

“My darling, you’re finally home.”

Jiang Yunzhu’s eyes softened as she comforted her, “See, I’m back now. From now on, I’ll be with you every day. Don’t get tired of me, Mom.”