Inappropriate greeting
Han Li's POV
Shit.
I didn't expect Jiang Yuxi to show up so soon. And I definitely didn't expect her to catch that.
Jessica.
A model I met in Italy—sharp, gorgeous, and absolutely chaotic in the best ways. We had an amazing time, a whirlwind of tangled sheets and fleeting moments, no strings attached. That's what I liked about her. She was the only one of my occasional entanglements who kept things strictly physical.
No emotional mess. Just chemistry.
And let's be honest—she's got a tongue that could make angels weep.
No wonder she's got half the world's power players saved in her contacts. Shamelessly, I'm one of them.
She's so talented,I swear I saw heaven once.
But none of that matters right now.
Because standing in front of me is Jiang Yuxi—furious, glaring, and so breathtaking it's physically painful.
Her arms crossed tightly over her chest, lips pressed into a thin line, eyes sharp enough to cut through steel. The kind of glare that makes you feel like you've committed a crime even if you haven't.
Except this time, I probably did.
Emotionally, at least. Did I? I don't know, I clear my throat, forcing a sheepish smile.
> "Jiang Yuxi."
She doesn't respond. Just stares.
I resist the urge to squirm under her gaze.
Why does this feel like I'm being interrogated when technically I didn't do anything wrong?
> "Have a safe flight?" I ask, my voice a touch too casual, trying to steer the situation away from the very obvious elephant in the room.
She arches an eyebrow.
Wrong move.
I pivot quickly, gesturing toward the beach like some kind of amateur tour guide.
> "Come on, the view's better over here."
Avoid. Deflect. Distract.
I don't wait for her response. Just start walking, fully expecting her not to follow.
But she does.
---
Jiang Yuxi's POV
I follow her.
I don't know why.
Maybe because she hasn't offered an explanation. Maybe because I want one.
Or maybe—just maybe—because the sight of her with that woman left me with a sour taste in my mouth I can't get rid of.
The breeze grows cooler as we near the water, the sand damp and cool beneath my feet. The sun hangs low, painting the horizon in shades of gold and crimson.
Han Li walks with her hands shoved in her shorts pockets, shoulders relaxed, but there's a tension in the curve of her jaw she can't hide.
Good.
She should feel uncomfortable.
I break the silence first.
> "I know you've been abroad for some time, but that kind of greeting is inappropriate."
Her head jerks slightly, surprise flashing across her face before she masks it.
For a second, I wonder if I hit a nerve.
Then—
She laughs.
A low, soft chuckle, like I've just told the funniest joke in the world.
> "Inappropriate?" she echoes, voice laced with amusement.
I stiffen.
> "What's so funny?"
She shakes her head, eyes twinkling with something I can't name.
> "Nothing. It's just… that's what you took from that?"
> "From what?"
> "From what you saw."
I feel my cheeks heat despite myself,she's teasing me.Lifting my chin, forcing myself to hold her gaze.
> "It was an observation."
> "Right."
> "It was."
> "Sure."
She steps closer.The warmth of her body radiates through the inches between us. The breeze tousles her hair, and the scent of the ocean mingles with the faint, clean scent of her cologne.
> "You seemed pretty… focused," she says, voice dropping slightly. "On the greeting."
I step back before she can crowd me further.
> "Don't flatter yourself. It was just there in my line of sight."
Her lips twitch into a knowing smirk.
> "Too late."
---
Han Li's POV
She's jealous.
I'm ninety percent sure she doesn't even realize it herself, but the signs are there. The sharp tone. The defensive posture. The way she couldn't tear her eyes away earlier, even when she was clearly annoyed.
God, it's adorable.
She steps away, putting distance between us like that'll somehow cool the tension crackling in the air.
It doesn't.
> "Understood," I say, voice light. "I'll be more mindful of my greetings in the future."