"I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to." Because of her own mistake, hairspray had sprayed onto his collar.
This was her second mistake of the day.
Shen Qi felt like she was doomed today.
As a top-tier private stylist, she had made a mistake that even an apprentice wouldn't make. She feared her career in this field was over.
The man having his hair styled had naturally phoenix-like eyes. The corners of his eyes pressed downward, the tails lifted upward, his gaze faintly cold.
According to physiognomy, such a man was ruthless and heartless.
He Yining's gaze once again drifted to Shen Qi's collarbone.
There, in that spot, was a birthmark the size of a fingernail, shaped like a flame.
The fiery red birthmark sat in the middle of her delicate collarbone, vibrant and intense.
"This is the second piece you've ruined." He Yining glanced at his ruined clothes, then looked up at Shen Qi, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Shen Qi felt an overwhelming pressure bearing down on her back, as if the sky itself were collapsing.
Shen Qi's fingers trembled: "I'm sorry..."
Just as Shen Qi's heart was in turmoil, waiting for her fate to be decided, He Yining suddenly leaned close to her ear, a wicked smile curling on his lips: "Are you trying to keep me here?"
His breath sprayed onto Shen Qi's ear, the pheromones radiating from him instantly overwhelming and seeping into every pore.
Shen Qi's pupils contracted sharply.
Her body reacted instinctively, her hand reaching out to push He Yining away.
Her fingers touched his chest, feeling the warmth of his skin, and Shen Qi yanked her hand back as if burned.
Shen Qi stumbled back a step, forgetting that the makeup table was behind her, and she pressed against it.
Just as she was about to get up, He Yining leaned in, closing the distance until their noses were almost touching.
Shen Qi didn't dare to breathe, her lips trembling slightly, her heart racing, her mind going completely blank.
Watching Shen Qi's ears gradually turn red, He Yining let out a soft laugh.
"Last chance." His pleasant voice rang out above Shen Qi's head, making her almost unable to believe she had actually escaped unscathed.
The commanding business emperor.
The ruthless workplace tyrant.
The legendary president of the He Corporation.
The eligible bachelor that countless women both loved and hated...
He had too many titles, and Shen Qi could only remember one: if anyone made a mistake in front of him, they could say goodbye to this industry for life!
Today, she had made two mistakes in a row, and yet he hadn't made her disappear?
His tall figure suddenly pulled away, and Shen Qi, who was only 165 centimeters tall, instantly felt the pressure lift, allowing her to stand up straight.
"Miss, I have fifteen minutes left." He Yining kindly reminded Shen Qi.
Shen Qi snapped back to reality and quickly moved to finish the remaining work.
After completing the styling, Shen Qi asked nervously, "The compensation for those two clothes... how much would it be?"
He Yining looked at her with interest: "Since you admitted your mistake, I'll only charge the cost price. One piece, five hundred thousand."
What? Two pieces of clothing for a million?
Shen Qi's face instantly turned pale.
"What? Can't afford it? Then... how about paying with something else?" He Yining looked at his new look in the mirror, then glanced meaningfully at Shen Qi...
With that, He Yining rose gracefully and left.
Shen Qi was so angry she couldn't speak.
As the head of the He family, how could he...
Her phone rang. Shen Qi glanced at the number, her heart suddenly aching, and she quickly answered: "Hello, Auntie, is there any news about Zhanbo?"
There was a long silence on the other end of the line. After a full minute, a weary voice replied: "The police said that since the forty-eight-hour window for effective rescue has passed, the chances of survival are slim."
Boom—Shen Qi felt her mind go blank.
Her body went limp, and she collapsed onto the carpet.
Zhanbo, dead?
How could he just die like that?
Weren't they supposed to be together for a lifetime?
Hadn't he promised to get engaged when he came back this time?
Liar, Zhanbo, you big liar!
Shen Qi didn't know how she made it out the door.
When she came to her senses, she realized she was completely soaked.
She wiped her face with her hand, unsure if it was rain or tears blurring her vision.
Shen Qi wanted to cry, to vent her emotions fiercely.
But at that moment, she understood that when pain reached its peak, no sound could come out.
Shen Qi stumbled forward. In the pouring rain, the world around her was filled only with the sound of despair.
He Yining spotted the staggering figure by the roadside and instantly recognized the woman who had styled his hair. A strange pang struck his heart, and just as he was about to pass her, he suddenly spoke: "Stop."
The pure white Rolls-Royce came to a smooth halt. The window rolled down, revealing a face of unparalleled beauty that, in this rainy weather, seemed even more like a celestial being untouched by worldly affairs.
Realizing the woman in the rain hadn't noticed him at all, He Yining's eyes narrowed slightly.
No one had ever ignored him like this before.
"Get in." His voice carried a faint trace of anger. Was this woman an idiot? In such heavy rain, she didn't even think to use an umbrella?
Hearing the voice behind her, Shen Qi stopped mechanically and turned around.
When she saw He Yining's cold, stunning face, the tears she had just held back suddenly broke free again.
Shen Qi's lips trembled, tears streaming down her face.
Even though she knew he was just a stranger to her,
Shen Qi desperately wanted someone to talk to, because in this world, she didn't have a single person she could confide in.
Even if it was just a stranger, she couldn't hold it in anymore: "He's dead, he's not coming back... never... coming back..."
Before she could finish, she was already sobbing uncontrollably.
He Yining watched as Shen Qi suddenly became as fragile as a thin sheet of paper, as if a gust of wind could shatter her.
The anger he felt inexplicably dissipated.
He Yining personally opened the car door for Shen Qi, his tone suddenly softening: "Get in."
Shen Qi, like someone on the verge of drowning, grabbed at the last straw and got into the car without hesitation.
Shen Qi curled up in the seat, crying like a child.
She was so afraid of loneliness, so afraid of facing the darkness alone.
He Yining's eyes flickered, and he said to the driver: "To Jinghua Manor."
The driver paused for a moment, then quickly regained his composure and drove toward Jinghua Manor.
By the time Shen Qi came to her senses again, she was already inside a villa within a massive estate.
Looking around at the exquisitely decorated, minimalist Western European-style room, Shen Qi belatedly realized that, in her grief-stricken state, she had gotten into a strange man's car and gone to his home...
Shen Qi instinctively straightened up, grabbed her bag, and prepared to flee in embarrassment.
"What? Owe me money and think you can just run away?" A distant, indifferent voice spoke those words.
Shen Qi spun around and saw He Yining, dressed in a white robe, walking toward her while drying his hair.
His freshly washed black hair was tousled and clung to his skin, making him look even more unrestrained and exuding an air of nobility.