Plunder-Chapter 164: Plaything

As soon as Qiao En sat in An Jinrong’s car, he began complaining of a headache.

He rubbed his temples while sighing.

Secretary Huang immediately offered an explanation for An Jinrong.

"Xu Secretary, our Director An’s headache has flared up again."

"Director An manages myriad affairs, you must take good care of your health. Otherwise, let me verbally report the contents of the documents to you."

Qiao En was preoccupied with work.

She had already spent most of the day dealing with this document at An Jinrong’s place.

She knew it was an inconvenient time to bring it up, but she couldn’t afford to wait.

An Jinrong leaned back in his seat, his brows furrowed into a deep frown. He waved his hand dismissively, "I feel terrible right now, I want to rest for a bit."

With that, he closed his eyes.

Qiao En felt a sinking feeling in her heart; she always felt like An Jinrong was deliberately delaying her today.

But what was his purpose for delaying her?

She couldn’t guess at the moment and could only wait.

The car drove smoothly and the cabin was very quiet.

Half an hour later, the car pulled up in front of the Ronghua Hotel.

Secretary Huang quickly got out of the car and helped An Jinrong, persuading, "Director An, if you’re not feeling well, perhaps we should cancel tonight’s engagement."

"How can that be? Minister Hu and the others are there; how would it look if I didn’t show up?"

An Jinrong replied in a muffled voice.

Qiao En got out of the car as well.

At this point, it was no longer possible for her to bring up the document.

She was here for this reason; the project had already started, with each part reliant on the last, and without this document passing, many subsequent tasks would come to a halt.

Just as she was about to speak, An Jinrong seemed to sense it.

He lifted his heavy eyelids and looked at Qiao En, "Xu Secretary, I must trouble you to wait for me a while. The gathering tonight might last for about two hours, and I’ll only be free after ten o’clock."

After speaking, he gave Secretary Huang a meaningful glance.

Secretary Huang understood and pulled out a room card to hand to Qiao En.

"Ronghua Hotel belongs to the An family; Director An has an office room here. If Xu Secretary is in a hurry, you can wait in the hotel room, and Director An will come by after he is done."

Qiao En was no workplace novice; she knew that the room card handed to her by An Jinrong wasn’t as simple as it seemed.

However, she had a favor to ask and could not afford to consider much else.

"Then I’ll wait for Director An."

When Qiao En accepted the room card, An Jinrong’s eyebrows slightly relaxed.

"I’ll go greet them and then come over. I won’t make you wait long."

An Jinrong and Secretary Huang walked away from Qiao En.

She clutched the room card and sat in the hotel lobby for a long time.

She had accepted the room card. Should she now go to the room and wait for him?

If she didn’t go, it would be seen as a slight to his kindness.

But if she went, there might be a huge pit waiting for her to fall in.

Just as Qiao En was indecisive, Chen Yin suddenly appeared.

She wore a wide-brimmed beach hat, which completely concealed her.

She exited the hotel with hurried steps.

Qiao En momentarily forgot about waiting for An Jinrong and chased after Chen Yin, rushing outside.

Seeing Qiao En, Chen Yin ran even faster, as if a mouse had seen a cat.

Chen Yin ran ahead while Qiao En pursued from behind.

"Chen Yin, I have something to ask you."

Using all her strength, Qiao En managed to catch up with Chen Yin.

However, Chen Yin struggled fiercely, "Let go, I’m not familiar with you."

"You’re not familiar with her, but are you familiar with me?"

As Chen Yin struggled, Zhou Jin’an appeared.

The Maybach pulled up on the roadside, and Zhou Jin’an got out, quickly seizing Chen Yin’s wrist.

She was stunned, immediately losing the will to resist.

"Secretary Chen, please get in the car."

Cheng Lu made a welcoming gesture.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Chen Yin could no longer escape.

She stopped her futile struggle and chuckled coldly, "Jin’an, do you still recognize me?"

Her eyes bore deeply into Zhou Jin’an.

His face was sullen, his lips pressed tightly together, not saying a word.

"Get in."

Zhou Jin’an barked angrily, and Cheng Lu pushed Chen Yin into the car.

"Are you alright?"

Zhou Jin’an stepped forward, his tall figure enveloping Qiao En.

"I’m fine."

Qiao En nodded.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and together they got into the car.

Chen Yin kept turning back from the passenger seat, "Jin’an, I remember that when we were dating, we kissed under that streetlight, and you said my tongue tasted like strawberries. Guess if it still does?"

She was purposely teasing.

Zhou Jin’an’s face darkened, he didn’t respond, his gaze fixed outside the window.

"Secretary Chen, please show some self-respect."

Cheng Lu interrupted Chen Yin.

Chen Yin giggled, "Assistant Cheng, have you ever been in love? Have you kissed a woman, made love? If you haven’t experienced these things, you certainly won’t understand the pleasure in them."

Chen Yin at that moment was completely different from the person she had been before.

A seductive charm sparkled in her eyes, intentionally or unintentionally provoking Zhou Jin’an’s nerves.

"Jin’an, look, we once jaywalked there, I remember being tired, and you carried me on your back the whole way. You said then that you wished you could carry me for a lifetime. Do the promises you made back then still count?"

She turned her head, looking earnestly at Zhou Jin’an.

He remained silent throughout.

Qiao En was very aware that Chen Yin was doing this on purpose, not just to reminisce the past but more to disgust her.

Of course, she succeeded.

Qiao En did feel disgusted.

The car stopped at Chu Garden.

Chen Yin’s smile bloomed like a flower, "Jin’an, are you finally bringing me home? I remember when you bought this place, you said we’d live here after we got married, and that you’d never let any other woman come here but me."

Qiao En’s heart twitched slightly.

She recalled the three years she spent with Zhou Jin’an, during which he never brought her here to spend the night.

So, was it because of Su Nian?

Upon exiting the car, Zhou Jin’an offered Qiao En his hand, which she refused.

"I’ll walk on my own."

Entering Chu Garden, Chen Yin ignored Cheng Lu’s attempts to stop her, wandering freely through the hall.

"Jin’an, this place is truly beautiful, just like I imagined. Did you install those floor-to-ceiling windows especially because you know I love them?"

As she spoke, she happily flung herself toward Zhou Jin’an, her arms like vines about to cling onto his neck.

He quickly grabbed her arms, forcefully tossing her onto the sofa.

"I have something to ask you."

Zhou Jin’an’s face was cold as if a blizzard was approaching.

Chen Yin smiled coquettishly, striking a seductive pose on the sofa as if she were mad.

"Are you asking why I didn’t die back then? Or are you asking why I changed my identity and stayed by your side without revealing myself?"

"But, Jin’an, this is a very long story, I really don’t know where to start?"

A sly glint passed through Chen Yin’s eyes as she smirked mischievously.

"I have all the time in the world, take your time."

Zhou Jin’an sat down, his long legs crossed.

Chen Yin’s gaze suddenly swept toward Qiao En.

"Before I answer your question, you answer mine," she said.

She pointed her finger at Qiao En.

"This woman, are you just playing with her, or are you serious? Or is she, like that Qiao En, just a substitute for me?"

She was unabashed, trying to probe her own position in Zhou Jin’an’s heart.

"No one is your substitute," Zhou Jin’an declared emphatically.

"So you’re just toying with her!"

Chen Yin interrupted.

She looked at Qiao En triumphantly, "Did you hear that? You’re just his toy."

She thought this would hurt Qiao En.

But she underestimated Qiao En’s psychological resilience.

Qiao En simply stretched out her left hand, the large pink diamond on her ring finger glittering under the light.

"Really?"

She asked indifferently.

Seemingly calm, yet immensely powerful.

Chen Yin stared at the pink diamond, her eyes widening.

"Jin’an, how can you marry such a woman? You said you only loved me and that it would never change."

"But you changed, didn’t you?"

Zhou Jin’an responded with a smirk.

She had changed her name and surname, her appearance, and her history; she was still Su Nian, but now she could only be Chen Yin.

Chen Yin suddenly laughed, tears mingling with her smile.