The shoes felt just right now. After all, Sheng Chenjin had custom-made them for Shi Xinxin, so they couldn't possibly be ill-fitting. However, if worn incorrectly, with too much shifting in one spot, they would certainly be uncomfortable.
Sheng Chenjin had sensed her discomfort with high heels before. It was particularly when he picked her up from the bar and found her still in her sportswear that he was left speechless.
While dressing casually for an outing with friends was understandable, wearing sportswear to a place like a bar seemed rather odd. Was it purely because she had to climb over the wall?
When Shi Xinxin had interviewed him previously, her clothes were neat and tidy. Yet, even for an interview with a chairman like himself, she had only worn a pair of low-heeled pumps. This had inevitably drawn Sheng Chenjin's attention to her feet.
Shi Xinxin was already very slender with little flesh on her feet. Wearing pumps on such feet could only mean she disliked high heels. Therefore, in situations requiring formal attire, Shi Xinxin still opted for low-heeled shoes.
This woman couldn't even manage her own shoes; how clumsy could she be? Since she had agreed to attend the dance, she absolutely had to meet the standards. A dress and high heels were a must.
So, this time, besides teaching her to dance, Sheng Chenjin was also responsible for teaching her how to wear shoes. He hadn't paid much attention to high heels before, but he knew that only by getting Shi Xinxin to shed her apprehension towards them could she enjoy the pleasure they brought.
Looking at the remaining shoe, Shi Xinxin took a deep breath. "Come on, let's see how good you are," she said, picking up the shoe and positioning it as Sheng Chenjin had shown her.
"Slowly, let your foot enter your body, let us become one. I will lead you in the dance, and you will give me confidence," she murmured, and then easily slipped on the shoe. It felt less tight than the first time.
"This is amazing?" she thought, feeling a surge of happiness. It was as if a magic spell had worked. "Tell me," Shi Xinxin stood up, turning left and right. Her earlier worries had vanished.
After walking a few steps, they seemed to fit well. She supposed that even though her previous experiences with high heels hadn't been pleasant, she had worn shoes before.
Perhaps the period of suffering was over, and she had finally attained enlightenment, which was why the shoes weren't rubbing her feet anymore.
Shi Xinxin tried to rationalize it with experience, not wanting to dwell too much on Sheng Chenjin. Yet, images would still flash through her mind from time to time.
She remembered the scene earlier when Sheng Chenjin had knelt before her without a word, removing her shoes and massaging her feet. Sheng Chenjin had been remarkably gentle since bringing her back from the bar, which surprised Shi Xinxin greatly.
It was as if he had emerged from a cellar, not mentioning medical expenses or the cost of alcohol. This time, Sheng Chenjin also didn't bring up her breaking discipline or disobeying his orders.
He only kept mentioning how she hadn't taken care of herself and had gotten hurt. "Maybe he really likes me?" Shi Xinxin couldn't help but make bold speculations now.
"Alright, Shi Xinxin, you can't overthink this. If it's not like that, how sad you would be." Despite more and more evidence presenting itself, she still wanted to remind herself not to fall into this sweet vortex.
Because she couldn't bear such pain. If others found out, especially someone like Wang Qi, and knew she was unilaterally in love with Sheng Chenjin, they would surely laugh their heads off.
She really needed to take a good look at her own status before daring to dream. She glanced at the flower on her wrist and then at herself in the full-length mirror.
All this beauty had been arranged by Sheng Chenjin. What did it all mean? Perhaps she simply lacked a dance partner.
Perhaps it was because she owed him money and he found it amusing to torment her, playing games with her. Rich people were all like that, weren't they? They didn't take emotions too seriously.
"Since he doesn't want to be serious, I shouldn't be serious either. He wants to play, so I'll just play along. I can indulge in fantasies," Shi Xinxin told herself.
He likes me, but don't be too serious. Shi Xinxin repeatedly warned herself, not letting herself get carried away. "Let's go, let's dance." So many things were unresolved; why bother agonizing over them?
It was better to enjoy the present. She straightened her back and, with a touch of arrogance, walked out of the room in her high heels, feeling completely different from before.
Stepping out of the room, Shi Xinxin froze. They were supposed to dance, but where should she go now? She wasn't familiar with the layout of this room. Which direction should she head?
Shi Xinxin looked around, utterly bewildered. Could it be on the third floor? She guessed and was about to head for the stairs when Sheng Chenjin called her.
Following the sound, she looked down. Sheng Chenjin was calling her from the lobby. "Where are you going?"
Shi Xinxin pointed upstairs. "I thought you were up there."
"What would I be doing up there? Haven't you eaten yet? Come down and eat." Shi Xinxin suddenly realized. So he had been waiting for her in the dining room all along?
"Hurry up, what are you dawdling for?" Sheng Chenjin commanded again. "I'll be right there." They say women are fickle; how could this man be so fickle too? Wasn't he just being gentle with her a moment ago, and now he was so stern?
"He doesn't even give me time to think and just tells me to come down. This is too much," Shi Xinxin pouted. But no matter how angry she was, her stomach overruled her.
She hadn't eaten anything since waking up that morning, and she did feel a bit unwell. The subsequent dance lessons would be physically demanding, after all.
Never mind, she'd put other things aside for now and eat breakfast first. She carefully descended the stairs, her hand on the banister, her steps in high heels slow and cautious. This sight, however, evoked a sense of tenderness in Sheng Chenjin.
So, she could be this feminine. "No matter how disobedient she is, she's still just a little woman." Sheng Chenjin looked at the scene before him, wishing he could make her understand his feelings sooner, so he wouldn't have to go to such lengths to create opportunities for them.
Sometimes, he longed to confess, but he always felt something was missing. He feared saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, pushing them even further apart.