Chapter 22 Can I Come In?

I successfully managed to draw all of my dad's attention to myself, buying Shen Jibai enough time to hide.

It was a close call, but we made it.

Playing the role of a sycophant, I accompanied my dad for a drink and even escorted him downstairs. Thankfully, he has a habit of drinking in his study; otherwise, Shen Jibai, with his 1.85-meter height, might've had to crouch behind the wine rack for who knows how long.

Watching my dad walk into his study, I said goodnight to him and finally returned to my room with relief.

The moment I closed the door, my heart was pounding so loudly it was deafening.

Shen Jibai likes me! He really likes me!

If he weren't usually so decisive, shrewd, and reserved, I wouldn't be this thrilled over his impulsive words tonight!

He said, "Whenever you want to marry me, I'm ready."

I buried my head under the covers and screamed silently in excitement.

The kiss we shared earlier was abruptly interrupted, which might be the only regret of the night, but it didn't stop me from falling asleep almost instantly.

After days of mental exhaustion, my body desperately needed rest.

I slept soundly through the night and woke up the next morning feeling refreshed.

After washing up, I went to my walk-in closet, put on light makeup, and, for once, slipped into a dress. Ever since I arrived here, I'd been wearing simple tank tops and shorts almost every day.

Today's dress was a grayish-pink chiffon piece with a girly design. The oversized bow at the waist was borderline exaggerated, giving it a playful and cute vibe. The thin straps perfectly showcased my elegant collarbones and neck.

But Shen Jibai was nowhere to be found, seemingly busy with my dad since early morning. The house was eerily empty except for the breakfast left in the kitchen.

I sipped on my milk while aimlessly scrolling through my social media feed when a message popped up on my phone.

Shen Jibai: "Are you up? There's breakfast in the kitchen. Don't forget to eat."

"Yeah, I'm eating," I replied.

"Up so early? That's unusual," he teased, and I could feel his smirk through the screen.

Why was I up early?Because I wanted to see you, of course!

I silently grumbled but politely made up an excuse, "Forgot to put my phone on silent, got woken up by a call, hehe."

"How did you sleep?" he asked.

"Very well." Thanks to you, I finally had a good night's rest.

Another message came in from him: "I'll be handling some business matters with Lao Jiang today. I'll try to come back early. Wait for me at home."

"Okay." The way he said it, anyone who didn't know better would think we were living together.

It wasn't until after lunch that Shen Jibai and Lao Jiang finally returned. I'd been waiting at home, practically counting the minutes.

"Oh wow, ever since my daughter came here, I've never seen her dress up properly. Now that you're here, she's actually paying attention to her appearance!"

My dad teased as he looked me up and down, completely ignoring my embarrassment.

Shen Jibai suppressed a smile. "She's grown up. She cares about her image now."

I was… speechless.

But with Lao Jiang present, I only responded lightly, even though Shen Jibai's expression was infuriatingly smug. I kept my emotions in check.

Then the two of them went upstairs for another meeting.

They say women dress up for the ones they like. All my effort today only earned me a round of teasing from those two.

Shen Jibai in work mode felt unfamiliar to me. I pretended to be a dutiful hostess, bringing them tea a few times, but most of the time, my eyes were glued to him.

When he was deep in thought, he had a habit of lightly twirling the pen in his hand. Occasionally, his gaze would lift, exuding an overwhelming sense of dominance. Sometimes, I'd catch a faint trace of disdain on his face, probably in response to something he heard through his earpiece.

Throughout the meeting, he displayed patience, but only just enough. Compared to the gentle, indulgent man who sweet-talked me last night, he seemed like a completely different person.

They appeared to be in the middle of a critical negotiation, leaving no room for distractions. Meanwhile, I, with nothing to do, felt like a wandering ghost in this massive house.

By the end of the day, I still hadn't found a chance to be alone with Shen Jibai.

Finally, at dinner, Shen Jibai came downstairs, unbuttoning his shirt cuffs as he walked toward the bedroom.

Sitting on the couch playing with my phone, I stole a glance at him and felt my heart skip a beat.

Work must've ended. He had changed into a light-colored T-shirt, making him look incredibly clean and fresh, his chest muscles faintly outlined.

But with my dad acting as the third wheel, I couldn't focus on dinner at all and kept zoning out.

Suddenly, a peeled shrimp landed on my plate. Startled, I looked up and met Shen Jibai's gaze. His voice was hoarse, probably from a long day of meetings, but still carried a hint of tenderness. "Eat properly. What are you daydreaming about?"

I quickly buried my head, eating the shrimp guiltily, sneaking a glance at my dad.

Shen Jibai, on the other hand, seemed completely at ease, as if he didn't care about subtly flirting with me right in front of my dad.

After dinner, the two of them went upstairs again, leaving me behind.

"Lili, take your time eating. Once you're done, clean up the table," my dad said as he left, leaving me staring at the pile of dishes with a sinking heart.

Was yesterday's kiss really going to end unresolved like this?

After cleaning up the kitchen, I returned to my room, feeling dejected. The long night stretched ahead, as dull as ever.

Thinking about the fleeting kiss from yesterday, I rolled around on my bed until I was exhausted, then lay still like a corpse.

"Just sleep. A good night's sleep is better than any man," I tried to comfort myself.

Just as I placed my phone on the bedside table, a message popped up.

Shen Jibai: "Are you busy?"

"Not busy," I replied instantly.

"Then open the door."

I practically jumped out of bed and dashed to the door, not even bothering to put on shoes.

When I opened the door, our eyes met. His light-colored T-shirt softened his whole demeanor, a stark contrast to the cold, distant aura he had during the day.

How much do I like him to feel my heart race with just one glance?

"Can I come in?" His voice carried a noticeable fatigue but was still laced with deliberate gentleness.

It was only then that I realized I'd been standing there dumbfounded. Hastily, I stepped aside.

"Oh, oh, please come in…"

"I'm here to make up for yesterday's kiss," he said.