Chapter 159: Chapter 136: BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

The heavy double doors clicked shut with a solid, echoing sound, sealing the spacious, luxurious sitting room off from the rest of the mansion. Her personal secretary and the head butler had finally stepped out, leaving behind only two people inside the grand room: Jun Hao and Yan Jingshu. The atmosphere instantly shifted; the formal, guarded air that had filled the space just moments ago vanished completely, replaced by a quiet, private warmth.

Yan Jingshu shifted slightly on the plush sofa, her elegant posture relaxing as she turned her full attention toward Jun Hao. The commanding aura she usually projected softened, and for the first time, she looked at him simply as an acquaintance rather than a service provider.

"By the way," she began, her voice now much more casual and conversational, completely different from the authoritative tone she used with her staff. "How is Ao Jin doing these days? Is he doing well?"

Jun Hao answered immediately, his tone light, relaxed, and completely unburdened by formality. He spoke naturally, just as he would chat with any friend, weaving jokes and lighthearted teasing into his explanation about Ao Jin’s daily life and habits.

"Oh, he’s the same as always—lively, noisy, and never runs out of silly ideas," Jun Hao said with a grin. "Sometimes I wonder how he manages to keep that energy up. He’s fine, just being his usual ridiculous self."

As he spoke, Yan Jingshu listened intently, her gaze becoming more focused and fixed upon him, studying his face and his relaxed demeanor with genuine curiosity.

Jun Hao eventually noticed her staring so steadily. He paused mid-sentence, tilting his head slightly in amusement. "Is something wrong, Miss Yan? Why are you looking at me like that? Did I say something strange?"

Yan Jingshu shook her head slowly, a faint, thoughtful smile playing on her lips. "I was just thinking... I find it quite surprising, you know?"

"Surprising? About what?" Jun Hao asked, still cheerful.

"About the way you talk to me," she replied honestly. "You see, almost everyone else who speaks or interacts with me is always so stiff, so formal, and so nervous. There is always this sense of fear or extreme caution in their eyes, as if they are walking on eggshells around me. And then there are those... the ones who try too hard. They act all sweet, flattering me endlessly with fake smiles and empty words. I absolutely despise people like that; it feels suffocating and fake."

She leaned back comfortably, her expression softening.

"But you... you are completely different. You speak casually, naturally, exactly what is on your mind, without any pretense or fear. It is very rare for me to meet someone who can talk to me this freely and comfortably. It feels... refreshing. Like a breath of fresh air in a stuffy room. That is why I was looking at you."

Jun Hao laughed heartily, pointing confidently at his own face.

"Oh? Is that it? I thought for sure you were stunned and amazed because of this incredibly handsome face of mine! That was what I expected, honestly!"

Yan Jingshu was genuinely taken aback. Her eyes widened, and she froze for a second, completely unprepared for such a bold, narcissistic, and playful response. She stared at him in silence for a moment, processing his cheeky words, before finally letting out a soft, genuine laugh that rang clearly in the quiet room.

"Hahaha! I must say... you are the first person I have ever met who is this utterly in love with himself! Truly unique!"

She wiped a tear of amusement from the corner of her eye.

Jun Hao waved his hand seriously, shaking his head.

"Hey, hey, don’t mistake this for narcissism, alright? This is just stating plain FACTS!" He argued playfully. "Look closely—can you find anyone else like me? Handsome face, fit and strong body, and highly professional attitude? You won’t find another one like this anywhere, right?"

As he said this, his gaze drifted downward toward his lower body, specifically to where his uniform trousers were stretched incredibly tight and bulged out massively, prominently outlining his impressive anatomy. His lips parted slightly as if he wanted to add something more or point it out specifically, but he stopped himself abruptly, realizing it might be too much or inappropriate to mention.

"Uh... no, no, never mind... forget that part. What I meant was... handsome face, great physique, and of course, total professionalism! That is all!" He finished quickly, correcting himself.

However, Yan Jingshu had noticed his eyes shifting downwards, and instinctively, her own gaze followed the same path. She intended to glance only briefly out of curiosity, but the moment her eyes landed on his groin area, she froze. Her eyes widened in pure shock and disbelief.

Stretched tightly against the fabric, the outline was enormous, incredibly distinct, and bulging upward in a massive, imposing shape that was impossible to ignore. It was huge—far larger and more prominent than she could have ever imagined hidden beneath his clothes.

Usually, when speaking to anyone, she always maintained proper etiquette and kept her eyes locked on the other person’s face. But right now, her attention was completely captured and fixed there, her mind going blank as she stared at the unbelievable size and shape revealed by the tight uniform. She was completely mesmerized, forgetting where she was, forgetting who she was with.

Jun Hao began to feel increasingly awkward and uncomfortable under her intense, silent stare directed right at his most private area. He shifted slightly, unsure what to do, and finally decided to break the heavy silence. He cleared his throat loudly.

"Ahem... Ahem!"

The sound acted like a sudden jolt of electricity. Yan Jingshu snapped out of her trance, her head jerking up quickly. Reality crashed back into her mind instantly, and she realized exactly what she had been doing—staring intently, for a long time, at a man’s private parts until she lost herself!

Her face flushed instantly, turning bright red from her cheeks all the way to her ears and neck. Heat rushed through her entire body. She felt an overwhelming wave of embarrassment and shame, mortified that she had been caught doing such an improper, disgraceful thing. She quickly lowered her head, unable to look him in the eye anymore.

Jun Hao tried to save the situation and lighten the mood with another joke, though he wasn’t sure if it would help or make it worse. "Well... thinking about it... this might actually be one of the greatest achievements I have ever earned, you know!"

Yan Jingshu, trying desperately to calm her racing heart and cool her burning face, looked up at him in confusion, her voice small and shy. "Achievement? What... what do you mean? What achievement comes from this embarrassment?"

Jun Hao looked at her with a completely serious face, as if explaining something very important.

"I mean it! Think about it. I am standing right here, and I have personally witnessed something rare and amazing. I saw Miss Yan Jingshu—this powerful billionaire woman, usually so dignified, calm, and untouchable—blushing bright red and acting shy just like a young girl! That is something huge! It is a precious memory and a great honor. This is definitely a story worth bragging about! I’ll be telling this story to my grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the future! Hahaha!"

At first, Yan Jingshu was stunned silent again, her mouth slightly open, shocked that he would tease her about it so openly and boldly. But after a moment of silence, seeing his proud and innocent expression, she couldn’t help it anymore. She let out a small laugh, shaking her head helplessly. Even though her face was still burning and she felt incredibly embarrassed deep down, his ridiculous reasoning had successfully broken the tension.

Jun Hao grinned, seeing the smile return to her face.

"There we go! That’s much better," he said warmly. "Honestly... it would be such a terrible, terrible waste for someone as beautiful and lovely as you to always keep such a serious, stern expression on your face every single day. A face this beautiful deserves to smile more often, not stay stiff and cold."

He gestured casually, bringing up his friend again.

"Take my friend Ao Jin for example! He laughs and smiles all the time, every day, no matter what happens. Sometimes he laughs and giggles to himself when absolutely nothing is happening around him! Looks like a total madman! Hahaha!"

Yan Jingshu had opened her mouth, intending to comment or scold him slightly, but hearing him make fun of Ao Jin’s silly habits made her close her mouth again. A genuine, sweet smile spread across her face, her heart feeling light and truly entertained.

"You really are... truly a unique person, Jun Hao," she said softly. "I really feel very comfortable talking to you. It feels fresh."

She leaned forward slightly, correcting him gently.

"But there is one small thing I need to clarify, okay? You keep calling me ’Madam’... remember, I am Miss Yan Jingshu. I am not married yet. So you shouldn’t call me Madam."

Jun Hao’s reaction was instantly dramatic and exaggerated. He threw his head back, eyes widening comically, mouth dropping open in fake shock.

"Hah?! What did you say?!" He exclaimed loudly. "A woman with such stunning beauty, with such a perfect, graceful figure, with intelligence and wealth... and yet there is actually no man who has come forward to marry you? No one worthy enough to claim you?"

He shook his head repeatedly, looking at her with exaggerated sorrow.

"That means... all the men in this world must be completely blind! Or perhaps they are just too afraid they wouldn’t be good enough for you? Oh, this is truly... truly such a huge, terrible waste! It is a great loss to humanity, really!"

Watching Jun Hao act so dramatically, with such funny expressions and over-the-top praise, Yan Jingshu finally lost all composure. She burst out laughing, giggling uncontrollably and clapping her hands lightly in pure delight. It had been years since she laughed this freely and happily.

"You really... you really are something else!" she managed to say between laughs, her eyes sparkling with joy.