Steal his wife

Yu Sheng had the distinct feeling that someone was watching her.

The searing gaze felt almost tangible, as if half her face were about to burn under its intensity.

She lifted her eyes and met a pair of sharp, gleaming pupils on the second floor.

Those eyes were like a blade honed over time, their gaze cast down from above with piercing force—carrying the natural oppression of someone accustomed to power, along with an unreadable emotion that inexplicably unsettled her.

Yu Sheng felt like prey locked beneath the stare of a hawk. The fine hairs along her back stood on end, and an unprovoked chill crept into her heart.

She hurriedly withdrew her gaze, yet her heartbeat refused to steady.

“It’s actually Ji Yanli. He’s here too.” A sudden pressure tightened around her waist as Lin Ruzhou’s voice sounded beside her.

So that was Ji Yanli?

Instinctively, Yu Sheng glanced back in the direction she had just been looking.

But the spot was already empty, as though everything moments ago had been nothing more than her imagination.

“I heard he’s been overseas these past few years. I wonder who had enough influence to invite him tonight,” Lin Ruzhou sighed. “What a pity—I didn’t get the chance to speak with him.”

Yu Sheng knew exactly what he regretted.

In this circle, no one didn’t want to establish ties with Ji Yanli.

For three generations, the Ji family had held both prestige and political standing. After economic reforms, they entered the business world. With powerful backing and perfect timing, they quickly amassed considerable capital.

After Ji Yanli took control, his investment instincts proved even more ruthless and precise. A few years ago, he had defied opposition and sold off the Ji Group’s real estate division at a premium, pivoting instead to overseas artificial intelligence ventures.

Now, under his leadership, the Ji family had successfully transformed, rising to become one of the world’s foremost capital conglomerates. They also controlled half of the domestic entertainment industry.

In other words, anyone making a living in the arts would have to look to him in the future. It was only natural that Lin Ruzhou longed to cultivate that connection.

Yu Sheng had heard of Ji Yanli’s legendary achievements in the business world before, but she hadn’t expected him to be so young—so far removed from the image she’d held of an aging tycoon.

“Sheng, remember to smile more. Tonight is really important,” Lin Ruzhou reminded her, tightening his arm around her waist.

Yu Sheng forced a slight curve to her lips but said nothing.

The banquet tonight was filled with the most powerful and influential figures in the capital. None were people they could afford to offend.

Lin Ruzhou had put in significant effort to secure an invitation, determined to network and seize opportunities.

Though she disliked such occasions, Yu Sheng, as his wife, had no choice but to accompany him.

Married to Lin Ruzhou for three years, she should have grown accustomed to events like this. Yet when she saw the overweight man before her, her expression still changed subtly.

She had noticed earlier that the man had been staring at her lecherously for quite some time.

There were many who harbored improper intentions toward her, but few were so brazen.

“President Chen, long time no see,” Lin Ruzhou greeted him politely, raising his glass with a smile.

The heavyset man approached at once. “Director Lin, we meet again.”

Though his words were directed at Lin Ruzhou, his eyes clung shamelessly to Yu Sheng, roaming over her body.

That slick, invasive gaze made her feel as though a caterpillar were crawling over her skin, leaving her thoroughly uncomfortable.

Suppressing the urge to frown, Yu Sheng offered a faint, polite smile.

Lin Ruzhou kept an arm around her waist, chatting animatedly with the man, seemingly oblivious to her displeasure.

Resentment stirred within her, but she could only stand there and play along.

Husband and wife were one body; she knew Lin Ruzhou must be seeking something from this man.

“President Chen, about that project I mentioned last time…”

Lin Ruzhou had barely begun when the man abruptly shifted his attention to Yu Sheng, smiling. “Why isn’t Mrs. Lin saying anything?”

Yu Sheng forced herself to respond, lifting her glass in a toast. “President Chen, I don’t really understand men’s topics. I’d only embarrass myself by interrupting.”

Chen Jian chuckled, the fat on his face bunching together, his narrow eyes growing increasingly naked in their appraisal.

“Mrs. Lin is too modest.” As he spoke, he suddenly brushed the back of her hand that held the wineglass, raising a brow. “Why haven’t you been acting lately? I’m quite a fan.”

The cold, greasy touch made every hair on Yu Sheng’s body stand on end. She withdrew her hand calmly and glanced at Lin Ruzhou.

But he wasn’t looking at her. Instead, he smiled at Chen Jian. “Just some small-time work. You flatter her.”

Yu Sheng paused briefly before adding, “I just haven’t come across a good script recently. If I do, I’ll definitely return.”

In truth, it wasn’t a matter of scripts. Lin Ruzhou disliked her being in the public eye and had prevented her from continuing her acting career.

The fat man’s gaze continued to make her uneasy. Compared to Lin Ruzhou’s project, he seemed far more interested in her, constantly steering the conversation in her direction.

Finally, Yu Sheng slipped her arm from Lin Ruzhou’s and found an excuse to escape.

“Excuse me, I see an acquaintance. I’ll go say hello.”

She had never liked socializing, but since marrying Lin Ruzhou, networking had practically become her full-time occupation.

She had always fulfilled the role dutifully.

Unless she truly couldn’t bear it.

Using the pretense of greeting someone she knew, Yu Sheng finally freed herself from the man’s sticky gaze.

Compared to the lively clinking of glasses inside the hall, the garden outside was much quieter.

Most of the guests, like Lin Ruzhou, were clearly focused on networking and securing resources, unwilling to waste time on anything else.

That suited Yu Sheng just fine. It spared her further trouble.

Lifting her skirt, she wandered forward aimlessly.

In a private club of this caliber, the garden beyond the banquet hall was, of course, meticulously designed—pavilions and water features, enhanced by layered lighting and drifting mist. Even amid the clamor and calculation, it created an unexpected pocket of tranquility.

“…I won’t be going back for now. I’ll handle it once I’m done.”

A voice speaking precise British English drifted into her ears. Yu Sheng paused, lifting her gaze to notice a man standing beneath a decorative pine tree not far away.

He was tall, a cigarette resting between his lips though unlit, leaning lazily against the tree while speaking on the phone.

It was the smoking area. A small amber lamp glowed beneath the pine, with artificial mist curling gently around it, transforming the modern functional space into something almost poetic.

His features were veiled in the haze. The dim light outlined his sharp contours like ink wash on rice paper, making it difficult to distinguish illusion from reality.

When Yu Sheng finally made out his face, she froze in surprise.

It was Ji Yanli. He hadn’t left after all.

“…Nothing is more important than this.”

“…I have no obligation to inform you.”

His voice carried faintly across the distance.

The refined British accent and low timbre seemed to vibrate from deep within his chest. Perhaps the person on the other end of the line put him at ease; he appeared languid and relaxed—quite different from the imposing figure she had glimpsed earlier in the hall.

For reasons she couldn’t explain, Yu Sheng remained where she was, silently watching.

She realized his voice bore some resemblance to Lin Ruzhou’s—both low and magnetic—but there was a difference. Perhaps it was the confidence of someone long accustomed to power; Ji Yanli spoke with greater composure and authority.

The sudden flutter of wings overhead startled her back to awareness—and drew Ji Yanli’s attention as well.

His dark eyes lifted, colliding directly with the gaze she hadn’t withdrawn in time.

Caught eavesdropping, Yu Sheng flushed in embarrassment. Yet when he saw her, there was no surprise on his face, as if he had known she was there all along—perhaps even as if he had been waiting for her.

He simply watched her from afar. In the faint light, his gaze seemed especially deep.

Yu Sheng stood frozen, momentarily forgetting to move.

Ji Yanli’s throat bobbed subtly as he stared at her. Then he reached into his coat and took out a gold-trimmed lighter.

As he lit the cigarette, his eyes never left her, as though waiting for her to approach.

The orange flame flickered in the darkness. He held the cigarette between his fingers, his gaze so undisguised it felt almost aggressive.

He didn’t look like a man lighting a cigarette.

He looked like a predator who had spotted its prey—the firelight reflecting in his dark eyes, revealing a suppressed frenzy and unmistakable delight.

“…I have something here. We’ll talk later,” he said curtly into the phone, his voice slightly hoarser than before.

The crisp snap of the lighter closing jolted Yu Sheng back to her senses.

When she saw him take a step in her direction, she turned almost in panic.

Feigning calm, pretending nothing had happened, she gathered her skirt and hurried back the way she had come.

She failed to notice that in the darkness behind her, the man’s feverish, longing gaze followed her retreating figure like a restless ghost.