Chapter 18: Is This Thing Really That Powerful?

Shang Hejing picked up the small pink item he had placed on the table and waved it at Xu Tanxi.

"Look at what this is."

Xu Tanxi looked over, and her mind buzzed. That wasn't the little treasure she had been frantically searching for just a moment ago! How did it end up in Shang Hejing's hands?

"Your husband even washed it clean for you. Happy?"

Xu Tanxi: "..."

If she had committed a crime, the law should punish her, not force her to endure Shang Hejing holding this thing and fishing for praise. The air in the room was thick with awkwardness; Xu Tanxi’s toes curled so hard against the floor she felt like she could have built a Disney castle.

Shang Hejing’s gaze fell on her jade-white toes, and he continued with a cheeky grin: "Are you trying to dig out a castle to move into? What’s the matter, can't stay here anymore?"

Embarrassed as she was, Xu Tanxi truly reached her limit; this bastard’s offensiveness was simply too high.

"Shang Hejing!" she snapped, exasperated.

"No need to be so excited to thank me. Just call my name gently and softly, that will do."

"..."

Xu Tanxi was speechless, wanting only to kick him out. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Shang Hejing sit down on the sofa by the window, draping his arms over the backrest. Clearly, he had no intention of leaving.

Xu Tanxi crossed her arms and stared at him, coldly spitting out three words: "Get out."

"Get out where?"

"Leave here."

"Tang Garden is our marital home; it’s half mine, so why should I leave?"

Xu Tanxi was rendered speechless: "You know I’m not talking about Tang Garden, I’m talking about the bedroom. This is my bedroom."

Shang Hejing’s long, sharp eyes narrowed, his expression playful.

"Miss Xu, I seem to have forgotten to tell you: the bedroom you’re sleeping in was originally mine. I only let you have it that day because you were a newcomer and I didn't want to fight you for it."

?

Xu Tanxi was ready for battle: "Just because you say it’s yours, it’s yours? I don’t see your name written on the bedroom door."

"It’s not on the door, but why don’t you go check the walk-in closet?"

Xu Tanxi bit her lip and turned to walk toward the closet. She had lived here for several days, but she had indeed never looked inside. Because she had been busy with rehearsals, she hadn't moved her things from Lugang International over, so she naturally hadn't had any use for the closet.

Xu Tanxi pushed open the door to the closet and immediately saw that the transparent wardrobe was filled with all kinds of men's clothing.

Shang Hejing admired Xu Tanxi’s colorful expression: "Laugh, why aren't you laughing? Is it just your nature to be joyless?"

Xu Tanxi sneered: "I really want to slap you, but I'm afraid I'd just give you pleasure."

Shang Hejing picked up the small item from the table, turning it over and over, observing it 360 degrees. As he inspected it, he muttered to himself in confusion: "Is this thing really that amazing?"

Xu Tanxi’s face flushed red as blood.

She had honestly felt that there was nothing wrong with this, especially since she had been exposed to such things long before Shang Hejing had gifted her that pile of items. But that didn't mean she could remain calm and collected after being caught in the act by Shang Hejing.

Because they weren't close. Not close at all.

Shang Hejing looked at the item in his hand, then at Xu Tanxi, his tone filled with resentment.

"You didn't even wait for me to come back to play together; that’s really not fair."

"..."

Xu Tanxi took a deep breath, knowing he was deliberately teasing her. Was this flirtatious man really the mysterious power-broker Shang Hejing that the outside world talked about? Did the people outside know that this man could be this shameless when he spoke?

No, they knew nothing.

"Didn't you say you were going on a business trip for half a month? Why didn't you say anything when you came back early?"

"The secondary reason is that I forgot."

Forgot! How the hell could he forget such an important thing!!! Xu Tanxi wanted to kill him.

"Then may I ask what the primary reason is?"

Shang Hejing looked at her, his tone as sincere as could be: "The primary reason is that I don't have your WeChat, so I couldn't reach you."

Xu Tanxi: "..."

If she weren't a complete idiot, she might have actually believed that.

"You don't have my WeChat, but you have my phone number. Is it so hard to just say something? You did this on purpose, didn't you, Shang Hejing?"

Shang Hejing’s right index finger curled slightly, tapping the back of the sofa with a half-smile.

"Sorry, I don't have the ability to foresee the future. If I could have foreseen what you would be doing in this room tonight, I definitely wouldn't have come in. Forgive me, Chief Xu."

Saying the most shameless things in the most cowardly tone—for this man, such things came as naturally as breathing.

Xu Tanxi felt like she was about to faint from rage.

The next second—

"Grrr, grrr."

The sound came from her stomach. She looked down, then looked up, meeting Shang Hejing’s puzzled gaze.

Xu Tanxi then remembered that after rehearsals ended, she had rushed straight back without even eating dinner. It turned out that being blinded by lust to a certain degree really could make one forget to eat.

"Tsk, it seems pleasing yourself is indeed a physically demanding job," the man said in a low, mocking voice.

Xu Tanxi: "Get lost."

Having said that, Shang Hejing stood up and walked out of the bedroom.

"Damn, he’s finally gone."

Exhaling a long breath, Xu Tanxi hurriedly put away the small item on the table. Only when she picked it up did she realize that the sound of water she had heard from the bathroom earlier was Shang Hejing washing it for her.

She froze.

Looking at it from another angle, he was actually quite decent—it would be even better if he didn't have that mouth of his.

...Forget it, even without that mouth, it wouldn't work. What kind of decent person helps someone wash something like that? A total pervert, confirmed!

Xu Tanxi couldn't sleep when she was hungry. With her stomach growling, she decided to get something to eat and opened a food delivery app on her phone.

Just as she was about to place an order, a call came in. Xu Tanxi frowned and answered: "What now?"

"Don't order delivery. Come down and eat in a bit." After saying that, he hung up.

Xu Tanxi was stunned. She opened the door and poked her head out, and sure enough, she heard the sound of the stove being ignited in the kitchen.

What was going on? Cooking? Shang Hejing was cooking for her? And this was after they had just had a fight?

Xu Tanxi looked at the ordering page for beef rice noodles with mint, pondered for a moment, and then exited the app.

Since he had graciously invited her, she would condescend to go down and see what on earth was going on. If this bastard dared to play games with her, he was dead.

Xu Tanxi went downstairs to the kitchen doorway. The tall man, over six feet, stood in front of the stove, making the range hood look like it was sitting lower than usual.

Shang Hejing had changed into loungewear and was standing with his back to her, though she couldn't tell what he was doing with his hands.

Just as Xu Tanxi was about to move closer to take a look, she felt a furry creature brush against her leg. She looked down and saw "King" looking up at her with big, expectant eyes, a faint "purring" sound vibrating in its throat.

She had owned dogs before, so she knew what kind of emotion they were expressing when they made that sound.

She half-squatted to be at eye level with King and asked softly, "What’s wrong? Who bullied you?"

Shang Hejing, who was busy prepping ingredients at the counter, heard this and glanced at King.

The aggrieved purring sound in King’s throat grew even louder.