43: Chapter 44 Aftermath: Shen Nian forcibly kisses her.

The two of them unconsciously walked to the bottom of the hotel where Shen Nian was staying.

This was a boutique hotel with a strong sense of design, its entrance bathed in warm light.

"I am here." Shen Nian stopped, turned around, and faced Yu Bo.

The light at the hotel entrance was much brighter than in the alley, making the exhaustion on her face clearer, yet it also made her delicate features appear even more moving.

She looked at Yu Bo, her eyes much clearer, devoid of the earlier haziness and temptation, leaving only a complex, indecipherable emotion.

"Thank you, Yu Bo, for walking with me tonight." She said earnestly, "And thank you for… 'walking me to the hotel entrance'."

Yu Bo nodded: "You are welcome, President Shen, get some rest early."

Shen Nian did not leave immediately; instead, she took a room card out of her handbag and twirled it gently between her fingertips.

Her gaze fell on the face of Yu Bo again; something seemed to be struggling and flickering in her eyes.

"Yu Bo," she called his name again, her voice very soft, yet carrying a strange sense of determination, "I know you have Miss Yin, and I know I should not have any inappropriate thoughts. But… there are some things that if I do not say tonight, I might never have the courage to say again."

The heart of Yu Bo skipped a beat, sensing she might say something even more boundary-crossing, and he subconsciously wanted to stop her: "President Shen…"

"Just a few words, I will go up after I finish." Shen Nian interrupted him, taking a step forward, shortening the distance between them until they could almost feel each other's breath.

She tilted her face up, looking straight into the eyes of Yu Bo, where the emotions were shockingly complex—admiration, longing, unwillingness, determination, and a trace of… desperate madness.

"I like you, Yu Bo." The voice of Shen Nian was very soft, but every word was clear, like small pebbles thrown into the lake of the heart of Yu Bo, "It is not the kind of liking for an investor, nor is it the appreciation for a business partner. It is just the purest kind of liking a woman can have for a man who has touched her heart."

She paused, watching the drastically changing expression of Yu Bo, and continued: "I know this is wrong, and I know it is impossible. But I cannot control it. That night downstairs at your place, I used the alcohol as an excuse to almost… actually, I was not drunk, I just wanted to give myself an excuse. Tonight is the same; I intentionally created an 'accidental encounter', intentionally introduced the project, just because I wanted to see you more and talk to you more."

Her eyes were slightly red, but she held back the tears: "I am saying this not to ask for a response, nor to ruin things between you and Miss Yin. I just… do not want to regret it. At least, I have let you know my feelings. In the future, I will try to only be your business partner, only be President Shen. But before that… can you give me a hug? Just as… a goodbye to this inappropriate, foolish infatuation of mine."

After she finished speaking, she opened her arms, her eyes filled with a final, humble plea. The night breeze blew the stray hair at her temples, making her look exceptionally fragile and exceptionally beautiful.

Yu Bo stood in place, his heart churning violently. This confession from Shen Nian was direct, passionate, and reckless, with an impact far exceeding any previous hints or probes. He was not made of wood; he could feel the sincerity and weight in these feelings. Facing such a beautiful, excellent, and candid woman expressing her love for him, it would be a lie to say he was not moved at all.

But, it was only being moved. His heart had long been filled by Yin Tianxue, with no space left to accommodate anyone else.

He looked at the eyes of Shen Nian, filled with expectation, plea, and despair, struggling internally. A pure, goodbye hug? It seemed reasonable and could completely cut off her infatuation. But… was this really a pure "goodbye"? Could it be the start of another trap?

Reason told him he should refuse immediately and turn away. But emotionally, looking at the fragile yet stubborn appearance of Shen Nian right now, that cold refusal was hard to voice.

Just in the moment his heart was warring and he was hesitating, Shen Nian seemed to use up her last bit of courage and strength, suddenly stepping forward, throwing herself into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist, and burying her face in his chest.

A soft, fragrant body filled his arms. The body of Shen Nian was trembling slightly, carrying the cool night breeze and her own unique, warm fragrance. The body of Yu Bo stiffened instantly, his hands suspended in mid-air, not knowing whether to hold her or push her away.

This hug lasted about five or six seconds. Shen Nian held him very tightly, as if trying to merge herself into his body. She could clearly feel the powerful heartbeat under his chest and smell his clean, refreshing scent mixed with a hint of dinner's smoky aroma. This brief, warm touch, carrying his body heat, caused her long-tense, feigned-strength defenses to collapse instantly.

The long-suppressed, surging love, unwillingness, longing, and the all-or-nothing madness fueled by alcohol and the night, like a flood breaking through a dam, instantly drowned all her reason.

What she wanted was not just a goodbye hug.

Just a second before the body of Yu Bo was stiff, his hands suspended, not knowing how to react, and preparing to gently push her away—

Shen Nian suddenly raised her head, the last trace of feigned calm and relief in her eyes completely vanishing, replaced by a nearly paranoid, flame-burning determination. She stood on tiptoe, and before Yu Bo could react, she used both hands to firmly cup his face, pressing her scorching, alcohol-tinged, and tear-filled lips onto his without a word of explanation!

This kiss was chaotic, filled with desperate plundering and reckless possessiveness. She sucked and bit his lips forcefully, her tongue clumsily yet aggressively trying to pry open his teeth, wanting to draw the breath from his mouth, wanting to leave her mark on him. Her tears slid down her cheeks, mixing into this salty and crazy kiss.

A "boom" went off in the head of Yu Bo, as if a thunderclap had exploded. He had completely not expected Shen Nian to be so bold, so out of control. The warm, moist sensation on his lips, carrying tears and alcohol, mixed with the increasingly rich warm fragrance on her body, like an invisible net, instantly enveloped him. Her soft female body pressed tightly against him, that astonishing curve and body heat searing his skin through the thin clothing.

In an instant, all the blood in his body seemed to rush to his head, then quickly surge downwards. His male instinct was instantly ignited by this sudden, aggressive kiss. His stiff body had a reaction, and his suspended hands were almost uncontrollably falling to embrace this delicate body that had thrown itself into his arms, full of fatal temptation.