Spellbound Hearts - Chapter 89 - Forcing a Cow to Drink

Song Zhaoli spoke with a demeanor too calm. Ji Xuan looked at him, unable to discern whether he was telling the truth or lying. Perhaps having suffered too much under Song Zhaoli, Ji Xuan stared at him for a few seconds before saying, “Sorry, President Song, I’m afraid I can’t help you with this. You know, I have a boyfriend.”

Their eyes met, and Ji Xuan clearly saw the light in Song Zhaoli’s eyes dim. “Hmm,” he replied. Then, Song Zhaoli stepped back and said in a deep voice, “Rest early.”

As the elevator doors closed, Ji Xuan suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of guilt. She couldn’t quite describe the feeling, but it was uncomfortable. As the elevator descended, Song Zhaoli walked out the moment the doors opened and immediately took out his phone to call Liao Bei.

The ringtone sounded for a few seconds before Liao Bei answered, “Seriously, Song, are you sick? You’re having a hormonal imbalance and can’t sleep, so you won’t let others sleep either?”

Song Zhaoli asked, “Did you tell Wu Shu?”

Liao Bei replied, “Does it have to be tonight?”

Song Zhaoli’s voice was indifferent, “She’s going to Bi Sheng tomorrow. If you don’t tell her tonight, when will you?”

Liao Bei had already gone to bed and glanced at the time on his phone, 2 AM. “Are you sure?”

Song Zhaoli said, “Stop wasting time.”

Hearing Song Zhaoli’s words, Liao Bei cursed through the phone, tapped the screen, and was about to hang up to call Wu Shu when he suddenly paused and asked, “Did you… sleep tonight?”

Song Zhaoli knew what he was asking and replied coldly, “No.”

Liao Bei mocked, “It’s this late, and you didn’t sleep? Don’t tell me you two were just chatting under the covers.”

Song Zhaoli took out his car keys and got into the car. “No covers, just chatting.”

Liao Bei laughed, “That pure?”

Song Zhaoli responded with a noncommittal hum.

Detecting Song Zhaoli’s displeasure, Liao Bei cheekily said, “Song, are you frustrated right now?”

Song Zhaoli’s voice was icy, “You looking for trouble?”

Liao Bei laughed even more, “Can you tell me what you actually did at Ji Xuan’s place tonight?”

Song Zhaoli was holding his breath, “Making friends, chatting.”

Hearing these two sentences, Liao Bei burst into laughter, “Making friends? Chatting?”

Song Zhaoli’s face turned ashen.

After a while, Liao Bei finally stopped laughing, sat up in bed, and took a sip of water. “Song, it’s not that I want to build my happiness on your pain; it’s just that your pain is amusing me.”

Having been friends for years, they both knew each other’s nature well.

Song Zhaoli’s voice was as cold as ice, “Nothing, hanging up.”

Liao Bei teased, “Song, I won’t ask if you like Ji Xuan, but satisfy my curiosity. If you had a woman you really liked, would you be with her?”

Song Zhaoli answered without hesitation, “No.”

Liao Bei was curious, “Why not?”

Song Zhaoli said solemnly, “Loving someone means sheltering her from storms, not bringing storms to her.”

Neither mentioned Ji Xuan, but every word was about her.

Liao Bei blurted out, “What storms could you bring to Ji Xuan? If she were with you, she…”

Liao Bei was speaking when he suddenly thought of something and gasped, “Are you worried about the first branch of the Song Family?”

Faced with Liao Bei’s question, Song Zhaoli did not clarify, “Hanging up.”

Liao Bei wanted to ask more, but the call had already turned into a busy tone.

Liao Bei cursed under his breath, lost in thought for a moment, then found Wu Shu’s number and dialed.

Wu Shu was a deep sleeper. It took seven calls from Liao Bei to finally get through.

When the call connected, Wu Shu’s groggy voice came through, “Hello, who is it?”

Liao Bei, who suffered from insomnia, always despised deep sleepers. “It’s me.”

Wu Shu asked, “Who?”

Liao Bei gritted his teeth, “Me.”

Wu Shu threatened, “If you don’t say who you are, I’m hanging up.”

Liao Bei was exasperated, “You didn’t save my number?”

Wu Shu, though still half-asleep, knew it must be someone familiar and answered without thinking, “Saved it, too lazy to check.”

Liao Bei laughed in anger, “It’s me, Liao Bei, the one whose car you splashed with paint worth five million, and then turned me into a mummy in the hospital!”

Wu Shu’s eyes snapped open, all traces of sleep vanished.

After about seven or eight seconds, Wu Shu’s voice on the phone was incredibly attentive, changing faster than flipping a page. “Manager Liao, what brings you to call me so late?”

Liao Bei sneered, “Not asking who I am anymore?”

Wu Shu laughed awkwardly, “Actually, I recognized you right away. I was just joking with you.”

Liao Bei mocked, “How did you recognize me?”

Wu Shu lied smoothly, “Your voice is quite distinctive. Among all the men I know, yours is the most magnetic and pleasant.”

This might work on other men, but Liao Bei was no ordinary man, having been through countless encounters. “Heh.”

Wu Shu was eager to please, “Manager Liao, is there something you need from me tonight?”

Liao Bei cleared his throat, “You know Bi Sheng, right?”

Wu Shu replied, “Yes.”

She had just heard Ji Xuan mention it in passing during their chat tonight.

Liao Bei continued, “I had dinner with the CEO of Bi Sheng tonight.”

Wu Shu was confused, “Does this have anything to do with me?”

Liao Bei was determined to force the issue, “I casually asked about their recent stalled project. He hinted at wanting to sell it off, but at a high price…”

Wu Shu wondered if she had woken up too abruptly and was in a daze, “Manager Liao, does this have anything to do with me?”

Liao Bei said, “Nothing to do with you. I just want you to help me analyze whether this project is worth acquiring.”

Wu Shu reminded him politely, “Manager Liao, I’m a fashion magazine editor.”

Do you even realize what you’re asking me?