Love and Desire
She returned to her residence in the Western District with her luggage. This duplex was inherited from her father, He Jinping. Six years ago, her mother sold the house and remarried her first love. It wasn't until this year that Liang Jishen bought it back. Her stepfather, knowing that He Sang was involved with a CEO, urged her mother to scam her for money. Initially, she softened and filled the bottomless pit, but eventually, she cut off contact.
In the afternoon, Li Zhen came to her, covering her face and crying, "My husband is filing for divorce. He caught me at a hot spring with my ex."
Li Zhen's ex was a widowed professor, refined and scholarly with gold-rimmed glasses. She said such storybook-like mature men were very attractive.
He Sang thought, in terms of demeanor, no man could surpass Liang Jishen.
He could easily arouse a woman's desire just by standing there.
After crying, Li Zhen asked He Sang, "How much compensation did Liang Jishen give you?"
He Sang opened the fridge to get some fruit, "He bought this house, and I didn't ask for anything else."
"Giving up material things to earn a man's guilt," Li Zhen said, "When he starts to miss you and regrets losing such a pure and easygoing woman, this move of retreating to advance is smarter than those who demand a lot."
She had a point.
These days, breakups and divorces inevitably involve financial losses and property disputes.
People have different goals—some seek money, some seek affection, and some seek companionship.
Except for the one time she impulsively didn't take her medicine, He Sang's love for him was honest and straightforward.
She didn't want to ruin it.
Those few days, He Sang was in a daze, unable to recover. No matter what she did, Liang Jishen's image would appear before her eyes.
Smiling or not, serious or tender.
She had left in such a hurry that she mistakenly took his razor. The smell of his aftershave on countless mornings, their sticky, humid kisses. Liang Jishen loved to hold her on the bathroom counter, kissing her passionately while caressing the birthmark on her hip.
He was addicted to her body; their two bodies fit together like perfectly matched gears.
While He Sang was lost in disappointment, Manli was basking in her glory, strutting around and taunting her like a queen bee.
The original male lead of "Lust, Caution" was replaced by a fresh young star. The director told He Sang that this young star had an interesting rise to fame—appearing naked at the female director's door and spending seven days and nights with a rich woman. Now his patron was the wife of a big shot on the Hurun Rich List, sponsoring him to act in a play to gain prestige and enter the film industry.
He Sang had heard that the young star often played "couple" with co-stars and even had a "toilet gate" scandal in Hengdian. This time, he insisted on retaining the passionate scenes from the movie version.
On the day of the performance, the young star arrived just before the show. He was a slick and greasy man, even a bit of a lecher. Taking advantage of a hug, he slipped his hand under He Sang's cheongsam and pinched her suggestively.
She quickly broke free and walked to the front of the stage, her gaze inadvertently sweeping over the first row, freezing her in place.
The man sat in the middle of the audience, wearing a gray-blue sweater and slacks, looking elegant and refined, but his brows had a wild and oppressive intensity.
The cashmere coat on the back of his chair was a birthday gift He Sang had painstakingly chosen for him, and she had sewn the whale buttons on it by hand.
Though the stitching was terrible, he never complained.
The blood vessels deep in He Sang's body suddenly throbbed.
The man was also watching her. It was her first time dressed in a cheongsam, looking like a seductive, fiery red rose, dazzling under the lights.
Liang Jishen knew she was extremely charming, with a cold personality that made for an interesting contrast. Few of his friends who had seen her could resist remarking, "Conquering a woman like her is the greatest achievement."
He narrowed his eyes, tapping the table idly.
The executive sitting next to him, an investor from another province, gazed at He Sang with relish, "She's young but has such allure." He instructed his bodyguard, "Go find out if she's available for dinner."
Liang Jishen remained expressionless, his thumb rubbing the strap of his watch, saying nothing.
The bodyguard went out and ran into Manli, who was rushing to her next engagement. He stopped her, "What's He Sang's going rate?"
Manli was taken aback, "For dinner?"
He Sang was too proud to do such work, but Manli wouldn't miss a chance to tarnish her. She leaned in and gave a number.
The bodyguard reported back to the executive, "Ten thousand."
Liang Jishen's face darkened slightly.
"Not a bad price. Mr. Liang, how about we have some fun after the show?"
The executive had investigated Liang Jishen, knowing that among the wealthy scions, he had the highest standards and needed to at least like the woman to be interested. There were rumors of him being close to a theater actress, and the executive bet on him liking that type, successfully getting him to come along.
"I have a meeting later. Let's schedule for another time."
Liang Jishen felt inexplicably irritated and left with his coat.
He bypassed the staircase and entered a room where the director was already waiting, a pot of freshly brewed Maojian tea on the coffee table, "Mr. Liang."
He sat down and took a sip of tea, asking casually, "Why was her role changed?"
The director knew that He Sang and this man had parted amicably, so he didn't dare hide the truth, "Cui Manli has caught the eye of a big shot who is very fond of her. I had to adjust accordingly."
Liang Jishen's expression was indifferent, "What big shot?"
"A man named Huang, one of Mr. Liang's subordinates."
"My second brother?" He raised an eyebrow, thoughtfully turning the teacup in his hand, "Even if she was once with me, publicly humiliating me is unacceptable."
"And your second brother..."
"No one is exempt."
The director shuddered, "I understand."
After seeing off this big shot, the director hurried to the backstage. He Sang was removing her makeup, and he smiled apologetically, "Xiao Sang, the audience's reaction to Manli wasn't as good as yours. You should continue performing."