A Twisted Love Affair-Chapter 221: Have you had your fill of staring, Zhou Luchen"_1

Chapter 221: Have you had your fill of staring, Zhou Luchen"_1

So this is how she’s been living since the breakup?

Without disturbing her, Zhou Luchen lazily rested his arm on the balcony railing, occasionally sipping his iced water.

Zhuang Ming came to his side and handed him the vibrating phone. "Your..."

Within less than a second, Zhou Luchen turned his head, signaling Zhuang Ming to shut up.

Young Master Zhou’s gaze was chilling, full of warning. Zhuang Ming had no choice but to put away the phone. It was a call from a congressman; if such an important matter was deemed unimportant by his boss, then so be it.

Downstairs, she finished a cigarette but didn’t rush inside. Instead, she said coquettishly, "Had your fill of watching, Zhou Luchen?"

Shen Jing had definitely heard Zhuang Ming’s voice; there was no way she wouldn’t understand.

Zhuang Ming’s voice was highly recognizable, rough and distinctly masculine.

Abroad, in Switzerland of all places, someone was speaking Chinese.

That wasn’t hard to guess.

If she couldn’t recognize it, then having Zhuang Ming as her chauffeur for so long would have been in vain.

The houses here were packed so closely together, and security was tight, reflecting a strong national security awareness.

Even when discovered, the man showed no signs of panic.

Setting down his water glass, Zhou Luchen said, his tone neutral, "Stop smoking."

Shen Jing leaned against the railing, tilting her head up slightly.

The lights on the upstairs balcony weren’t on, so it was exceptionally dim.

The man’s features were shrouded in darkness, unmoving, inscrutable.

The line of his forearm, sleeve half-rolled up, was faintly visible, a vague, pale silhouette—haughty and aloof.

However, she was all too familiar with that face that could instantly captivate and addict women.

"Is it any of your business, Second Young Master Zhou? When I used to nag you, did you ever listen? It’s just one cigarette."

She wasn’t acting as subservient as she used to. Zhou Luchen narrowed his eyes. She couldn’t still be holding a grudge against him, could she?

She seemed to have something on her mind. From the moment he saw her light up that cigarette, Zhou Luchen had sensed her foul mood.

The wind tousled her long hair. She gently tucked a strand behind her ear with her fingers, a gesture that made the V-neck of her nightgown open even wider.

Warm light spilled onto her, suffusing her skin with a delicate, rosy hue. The suggestive curve of her chest swayed slightly from time to time.

Out of the blue, Zhou Luchen said coldly, "Dress properly."

Without moving, Shen Jing curled her lip. "Haven’t you seen it all before? Just this little bit of skin and Second Young Master Zhou can’t handle it?"

She was as unrestrained and bold as when she had first started to seduce him.

Fearless, provoking him, enticing him.

Yet, this simple trick, so artless and childish, had actually fooled him in the past. He had been captivated by her beauty, pressing her down and tormenting her countless nights.

Shen Jing knew she wasn’t revealing much. This was how nightgowns were supposed to be. Did he expect her neck to be covered too?

"What’s wrong? You came all this way to check on me but don’t even show your face. What exactly are you investigating? Are you trying to find out if I’ve kicked the bucket or if I’m still alive?"

Sensing the irritation in her voice, Zhou Luchen replied unhurriedly, "Do I have to see you?"

"Not particularly. But if there’s no need, why bother concerning yourself with my movements and my life? I’m also worried your girlfriend might get jealous. If it were me, and you dared to show this much concern for an ex-girlfriend, I’d definitely pick a fight and break up with you. You’ve witnessed that before, haven’t you?" Shen Jing chuckled, but her laughter had long since masked her true feelings.

She sounded composed, as if merely chatting with a friend.

Busy forging alliances and flying all over the world, it was only after Shen Jing left that Zhou Luchen realized he seemed to have lost all desire.

He knew she was referring to Joanna.

Zhou Luchen calmly retorted, "If I go to your room, will Sun Qiyan get jealous?"

"He will, *oh*. The last time you carried me off, he didn’t call me for three days." Shen Jing had learned to spin tales.

Of course, that single "oh" had already betrayed her lie.

In Zhou Luchen’s eyes, she was a terrible liar.

If they were truly together, the one accompanying her would be Sun Qiyan. He wouldn’t miss any opportunity to be by her side. When a man loves a woman, he generally wants to be with the person he loves every single moment.

It was far too easy to see through Sun Qiyan’s intentions.

Unconcerned, Zhou Luchen asked, his voice tinged with amusement and a playful tone, "Dating?"

Shen Jing tilted her head. "Why should I tell you? It’s none of your business."

Zhou Luchen, clearly having seen through it all, just smirked and didn’t reply.

Shen Jing tapped her cigarette case and looked up towards the dimly lit balcony. "Hey, what are you doing up there?"

"Meeting someone." Then, Zhou Luchen added softly, "Just finished."

Shen Jing suddenly joked, "I was almost narcissistic enough to think you were staying on the floor above me specifically to see me." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Zhou Luchen glanced at Zhuang Ming, a look of understanding passing between them.

"Coincidence."

She laughed at the distinguished figure in the darkness. "If you ever dare to lay a hand on Meimei again without telling me, you’ll be added to my list of enemies."

It sounded quite like a command.

When had he ever mistreated that cat?

He replied very calmly, "Shen Jing, you were the one who chose to give her up. Why should I inform you?"

His words carried an ambiguous undertone.

Shen Jing understood.

Choosing not to keep the cat.

And choosing not to accept the conditions Zhou Luchen had offered.

She even recalled it now.

Indeed, she was the one who hadn’t wanted it—hadn’t wanted to be his mistress in exchange for everything that could have been so easily hers.

Even if she became his mistress, he would still look down on her, wouldn’t he? What man would respect such a frail, dependent plaything? And would the worldly Second Young Master of the Zhou family, a man of flesh and blood, really treat a mere plaything any differently?

Maybe he would, maybe he wouldn’t.

But it didn’t matter. Leaving had been her own determined choice. That kind of life wasn’t what she wanted.

When she looked up again, Zhou Luchen’s figure had vanished.

Shen Jing put away the cigarette case and matches and went into her room.

They didn’t stay long in Zurich, as Shen Jing was worried the familiar surroundings might upset Miss Xing.

Zhou Luchen had arranged a private jet to fly them both back to their home country, saving them the cost of airline tickets. The flight attendants on board provided impeccable service, making the journey exceptionally comfortable.

「 」

In front of the Parliament Building.

Zhou Luchen leaned against the car, legs crossed, tapping a pack of Swiss-branded ladies’ cigarettes in his hand.

A bodyguard had retrieved them from Shen Jing’s luggage after they were found during a security check.

He tossed the pack.

It landed precisely in the trash can.

Standing at a respectful distance, the bodyguard reported, "As per your instructions, the plane has taken off. It’s on a direct flight to a domestic airport."

"She seems very busy. And she was cursing you the entire flight, apparently upset about work."

Zhou Luchen’s eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly. "Upset about what? What’s she busy with?"

"I heard Shen Ji Sheng Peng Holdings also wants to participate in the Global Financial Trade Summit. Shen Ci recently returned to Shen Ji Sheng Peng and has been busy with this, trying to secure a spot," the bodyguard said.

In the eyes of someone like Zhou Luchen, Shen Ji Sheng Peng was merely a small-scale enterprise. For such companies, financing was difficult and expensive, and they were constrained by the market. They genuinely needed opportunities like this summit to collaborate with large domestic or international institutions, build new platforms, and make forward-looking plans.

They really are ambitious.

They wouldn’t let go of any opportunity that could elevate Shen Ji Sheng Peng.

He’d never realized Shen Jing held such high hopes for Sheng Peng’s future.

Someone approached him and spoke in a foreign language, "Chairman Zhou, the council members are waiting for you. Please come with me."