ã€ŠMr. Tycoon&#x27;s Daring Wifeã€‹


 Chapter 1: Prologue

    "Zheng Tianyi, please-"

    BANG!

    A beautiful woman was pushed and thrown onto the floor. Her perfectly curled hair was a mess, her makeup was ruined and there were bruises beginning to form on her wrists.

    Glowering eyes filled with pure hatred and disgust stared down at her. He was supposed to be her loved fiance, the man she would soon wed in one year. Yet, here he was, ring daggers into her body.

    The look he gave her was bone-chilling as if she had brutally ughtered his entire family. Was it possible to hate someone so much to the point of where their eyes were practically burning with venom?

    A simple nce at his infuriated eyes was enough to send chills down one¡¯s spine.

    Standing next to the ruthless man with her arms wrapped around his left one was a tiny and petite woman, whose face screamed innocence. Pure, docile, gentle, and anything sweet could be used to describe Xia Mengxi. Her skin was pale, like the first fall of snow. Her face was small and adorable, like a cherished and doted bunny.

    Because of her meek nature, docile-smiles, and the allure of a female lead, she always provoked the protective nature of men ¡ª more specifically, Zheng Tianyi, who vowed to ruin anyone that dared to harm her.

    Zhao Lifei, his childhood friend for two decades and beloved fiancee for one decade, was unfortunate enough to experience this treatment.

    "You disgust me," He spat out each word, every syble prickling her heart.

    Zhao Lifei felt like the antagonist of their Cindere story that seemed to walk right out of a Korean drama, one that involved a poor, unfortunate Xia Mengxi who managed to capture the heart and attention of a ruthless, but incredibly handsome billionaire.

    "Don¡¯t touch me with your dirty hands." His voice, so dark, but smooth and pleasant to the ears, echoed throughout the room.

    The socialites of Shenbei watched from the corner, their mouths moving non-stop as they mocked, gossiped, andughed at the honorable Zhao Lifei, whose reputation was pushed to ruins.

    Zhao Lifei nced up at the man. Her heart was torn in every direction and painfully ached at the horrible stare he was giving her.

    Zheng Tianyi looked at her like she was the scum at the bottom of his shoes, something that was always with him and would never let go.

    "Tianyi, I-"

    "Did I allow you to call me that? You vengeful b*tch." He snarled at her, his voice dangerously low.

    Zhao Lifei felt a pang within her heart. She looked at him as if she had been brutally kicked.

    When did it all go wrong?

    Zhao Lifei had dedicated all of her time, attention, and life to him. When he needed help in hispany, she was there as the influential daughter of the Zhao family.

    She helped him pull strings, threatened the people, did the dirty work, and allowed herself to be pushed into the brink of stress, worrying over issues that he should¡¯ve cared about. And while she ved away at his desk, Zheng Tianyi was with his lover halfway across the world.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s long, slender fingers curled into fists. Because of her naivety and heart, she had decided to fall deeply in love with him.

    Zheng Tianyi narrowed his eyes at her pathetic state.

    He couldn¡¯t believe in his youth, he thought this lowly woman deserved the title of a friend. When she was a child, she was quite normal and caring. Now that she has gotten older, he saw how much of a crazy woman she was.

    How despicable.

    He was fine when she disyed signs of jealousy. What man didn¡¯t want a beautiful woman desiring after him? But Zhao Lifei had severely crossed the line when she dared to taunt and bully his lover, Xia Mengxi.

    Who did she think she is? He allowed her to exploit the title of "Zheng Tianyi¡¯s Fiance" to a high extent and this is how she repays him? By attempting a hit at Xia Mengxi¡¯s life?

    "You¡¯re nothing but a pawn in my game. How dare the pawne after the Queen." Zheng Tianyi continued to berate the woman in front of him.

    She had already fallen from her grace, but that didn¡¯t mean he understood the meaning of mercy.

    His parents saw her as a lifetime partner, but she saw this as a despicable joke. "Use my kindness as a warning, Zhao Lifei. Stay away from me and my wife." His voice was chillingly cold, like the freezing wind of the Arctic.

    If looks could kill, she would¡¯ve long been cremated and her ashes would have been thrown into the sewers. The atmosphere was frigid, nipping Zhao Lifei¡¯s heart.

    Perhaps her anger and delusion had finally cracked her, but she wanted tough at the title he ced over Xia Mengxi. Wife? More like his Mistress.

    The Zheng family never approved of that woman, because of her lowly background and heritage.

    "Do you understand me?" Zheng Tianyi hissed in anger when he saw her distant expression.

    He bent down and roughly gripped her chin up. Zhao Lifei winced in pain, which caused him to tighten his hold. She knew it was going to leave a nasty bruise on her jawline.

    "Stay. Away. From. Xia Mengxi." Zheng Tianyi¡¯s voice was so calm, that it was beginning to scare the crowd.

    Suddenly, bubbles of confidence surged within Zhao Lifei. It was fueled by her anguished heart that desired revenge for being torn, stomped, and disregarded.

    "And if I don¡¯t?" She retorted back at him, her fiery temper beginning toe out again.

    A ck shadow flew at the speed of light and before anyone could react, a hand had smacked her face with so much force, that it turned to the side.

    The crowd gasped in shock. Never in a billion years, would they expect Zheng Tianyi to strike a woman.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s face was immediately swung to the side with so much force, she knew she got whish. Tears gathered in her eyes at the stinging pain in her cheeks, but she pushed them down.

    "Oh my god! Tianyi, are you alright?!" Xia Mengxi immediately grabbed Zheng Tianyi¡¯s rough, calloused hand. It was bright red because of how hard he had smacked her.

    "Does it hurt a lot?" She gently asked him with her sweet as honey voice. She blew onto his red hand, lightly rubbing her cold fingers against it.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s eyes softened at the sight of the fragile woman beside him. "I¡¯m fine, sweetheart." He whispered to her.

    Zhao Lifei hatefully stared at the couple.

    Zheng Tianyi had one arm wrapped around Xia Mengxi¡¯s waist, holding her incredibly close to him. When Zhao Lifei saw him hold Xia Mengxi like the most precious thing in the world, she nearlyughed.

    Who would¡¯ve thought the Devil was capable of love?

    "Honey, let¡¯s not pay any more attention to her. I¡¯m beginning to pity her..." Xia Mengxi¡¯s voice turned soft and mellow, like the spring breeze on a hot summer day.

    Instantly, Zheng Tianyi agreed with her. The halo of the female lead was too hard to reject. "As you wish, sweetheart." He whispered to her.

    He always agreed to whatever she desired. He was smitten by her, and every inch of his heart craved for her. But his parents and Zhao Lifei saw it as foolish puppy love. They had recently begun to date and were most likely in the honeymoon stage.

    That¡¯s what Zhao Lifei believed in, to convince her broken heart. But a deep part of her knew that wasn¡¯t true.

    The love that Zheng Tianyi had for Xia Mengxi was beyond words.

    Zhao Lifei wanted to keep her mouth shut, but her heart was begging her to open her mouth and seal her fate. Nothing mattered anymore.

    Her pride was destroyed, her parents disowned her, the people had humiliated her and her reputation was sted into nothingness. What more did she have to lose? Something hot, angry, and bitter trickled down her eyes.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s dark eyes flickered in surprise, at the sight of her tears. It was the first time she had cried in front of him.

    He nearlyughed, until he realized it wasn¡¯t tears of sorrow. It was tears of anger that came from the violent waves of her broken heart.

    Zhao Lifei saw red. She slowly stood up, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, and in a momentary sh, she wanted blood to spill.

    But a force was holding her down. "Stay down, it¡¯s futile to fight back" A voice whispered to her.

    When Zhao Lifei nced to the side, she was startled to see a mirror reflection of herself. Was she going crazy? Was all this anger and delusions finally getting to her? Did Zheng Tianyi¡¯s p the senses out of her?

    "He¡¯ll destroy you if you try to fight him. Stay down." The woman softly told Zhao Lifei.

    When Zhao Lifei reached a hand to push the woman away, the hand went straight through her. Gasping in shock, Zhao Lifei stared at the woman with her eyes wide open. And that¡¯s when the floor beneath her copsed.

    Zheng Tianyi and Xia Mengxi were gone. The people that taunted and humiliated her were gone.

    Zhao Lifei stood in an abyss of darkness, unsure of where she went wrong.

 Chapter 2: Utterly Humiliated

    Zhao Lifei abruptly sat up in her bed, her heart hammering against her ribcage.

    She ran a shaky hand through her hair and squeezed her eyes shut. Her lips wobbled as tears pooled behind her eyelids. No matter how much she tried to brush the haunting past away, the pain would always catch up.

    Soon, droplets of salty tears fell from her eyes. She struggled to properly breathe, huping for gasps of air.

    In the cold, dark, and lonely room, she broke down. She wished it had been just a nightmare and not a memory from the past.

    Her heart ached with the painful memories from two years ago. Surrounded by the country¡¯s top socialites, she was utterly humiliated and embarrassed. Her heart was torn into pieces, stomped on, and thrown into the ocean like disposable trash.

    Zhao Lifei still remembered the pain of watching the love of her life choose a woman he¡¯s known for less than a year over her. She had stood by his side for twenty-one years, wasting her youth futilely chasing after a man who never spared her a nce.

    When he was too fatigued to bother with work, she took a position as Vice President of hispany and worked her body to the ground. She expanded thepany to its fullest potential.

    Zhao Lifei did everything she could to support him, and he repaid her by cheating and ripping their marriage certificate.

    She had naively fallen in love with Zheng Tianyi and dedicated her entire life to him. She was willing to run to the opposite side of the world for him, but he wasn¡¯t willing to. She was willing to sacrifice her limbs, health, and womb for him, but he would sacrifice everything for someone else.

    Copsing onto her bed, Zhao Lifei stared at the bleak and endless darkness.

    She had sworn she would forget the past and move on. To some extent, she did. But nightmares, like the one she just experienced, forced her to be aware of the painful past that would forever haunt her.

    Xia Mengxi... even her name sounded innocent and beautiful. Just like the characters [1] of her name, she was an untouchable dream of a real-life Cindere. Growing up in a pitiful family whose father left her at a young age, forcing her mother to single-handedly raise her, she had a very sad story. Her mother used to be a janitor in the Zheng Corporation and after sessfully pulling some strings, Xia Mengxi was able tond a job as Zheng Tianyi¡¯s private secretary.

    By bing his private secretary, she was with him 24/7.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s interest in her started with a naive and shy smile that seemed to light up the room. Xia Mengxi was unaware of her beauty and potential, which sparked his curiosity. Then that spark became a fire that ignited Zheng Tianyi¡¯s heart, and soon, Xia Mengxi found herself with a priceless diamond ring.

    Because the darkness allowed Zhao Lifei to reminisce without any distractions, she didn¡¯t hear the knocking from her door.

    The light knock became harsher and louder. It echoed throughout the hollow, empty room. One knock turned into two, then three, then four, until it became excruciatingly rapid. Without warning, the door mmed open.

    A beautiful woman strutted into the room, her hips naturally swaying side to side. Long, slender legs, seductive eyes, perfect body, it wasn¡¯t hard to see she was a world-renowned supermodel.

    Yang Ruqin stopped in front of Zhao Lifei¡¯s bed with a scowl. She crossed her arms and red down at her like a mother waking up her daughter for school. "It¡¯s two in the afternoon, and you¡¯re still in bed?!" She tugged and pulled at Zhao Lifei¡¯s nkets.

    "Qinqin, let me sleep a bit longer..." Zhao Lifei mumbled, snuggling into her nkets.

    Yang Ruqin was the only friend that stood by Zhao Lifei¡¯s side when Zheng Tianyi practically cklisted her.

    When Zhao Lifei¡¯s "friends" discovered she had no more power, benefits or the title as the Zheng Madam, everyone abandoned her. After many of the socialites realized Xia Mengxi¡¯s importance to Zheng Tianyi, they immediately flooded to her side.

    Zhao Lifei wasn¡¯t surprised when her friends left her for Xia Mengxi. Two years ago, she was supposed to be the vengeful antagonist in Xia Mengxi¡¯s life. She was supposed to be the woman that tried to frame Xia Mengxi for cheating and the horrible person that tried to force the loving couple apart.

    Zhao Lifei will not deny the fact that she used to be a horrible woman whose very name was supposed to be a sin. She couldn¡¯t change the past, but she knew she could change her future, which was why she worked so hard to be a better person.

    "Are you daydreaming again? Did you hear what I just said?" Yang Ruqin fumed when Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t respond back to her.

    "You said it was two in the afternoon, but my room doesn¡¯t feel like it. It might be morning¡ª hey!" Zhao Lifei yelped when Yang Ruqin flung the nket off of her.

    "No, it¡¯s cold..." Zhao Lifei moaned, curling up into a ball.

    "Ugh, why are your curtains so thick and dark? There¡¯s no natural lighting in this room!" Yang Ruqin walked to the long curtains that covered the tall windows.

    "No, wait! I¡¯m not ready for the light¡ª" Toote. Yang Ruqin had already pulled the curtains open.

    Immediately, the bright rays of the afternoon sun soaked into the room, washing all of the mncholic darkness away.

    Because Zhao Lifei¡¯s condo was on the fifth-highest floor of the tall apartmentplex, the sunlight was stronger than ever.

    Groaning at the intrusion of light, Zhao Lifei buried her head into her pillow. She refused to get up, but she knew Yang Ruqin would force her out of the bed regardless. "Can¡¯t you leave me here to wallow in my sorrow?" Her voice came out muffled.

    "A high-ssdy such as yourself should not be sleeping until sunset. Now get up!" Yang Ruqin chided, adjusting the curtain strings.

    "A high-ssdy without friends, a good reputation, and amazing connections is just a simple woman with money." Zhao Lifei huffed.

    Yang Ruqin sat on top of the bed and sighed, running a gentle hand through Zhao Lifei¡¯s hair. "Did you have the same dream again?" She softly asked, stroking her friend¡¯s air.

    After a few seconds of silence, Zhao Lifei said a meek "Yes."

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s expression grew soft. "Just so you know, I didn¡¯t like Zheng Tianyi in the first ce; he was utter trash."

    Zhao Lifei had a small smile on her face. "You only disliked him at first because he stole your pudding on the first day of Kindergarten."

    "I have a billion more reasons for hating him. He was such a jerk." Yang Ruqin retorted. "And for the record, I still hold him ountable for that!" She pouted, crossing her arms like a stubborn child.

    Zhao Lifei let out a peal of lightughter, the pain in her heart momentarily gone.

    "Thank you, Qinqin... I don¡¯t know what I would do without you." Zhao Lifei softly whispered. Her voice was quiet and broken, like a lonely child abandoned by the world.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s face became gentle. She reached down and pulled her best friend into a very tight hug. Together, they¡¯ve experienced so much hardship in this world, there was nothing that could push them apart.

    "My dear, I should be saying that, not you." Yang Ruqin mumbled into Zhao Lifei¡¯s shoulders.

    When Yang Ruqin was faced with any crisis, Zhao Lifei was always there for her. From taking the me of punching a boy in Kindergarten to the days of high school where Zhao Lifei consistently covered for Yang Ruqin¡¯s mischievous deeds. They had seen each other at their worsts, their bests, and everything in between.

    "We¡¯re reminiscing too much into the past when we should focus on the present and future. Nowe on, get up." Yang Ruqin patted Zhao Lifei¡¯s head and watched her finally sit up on her bed.

    "Hurry up and get dressed, so that we can go eat brunch." Yang Ruqin hurried Zhao Lifei off the bed. With each step Yang Ruqin took, her silky red dress flowed behind her.

    "It¡¯s two in the afternoon, brunch has already ended." Zhao Lifei, the pessimist, grumbled to her friend whoughed.

    "Alright, party-pooper, we can get lunch then." Yang Ruqin mused, pushing Zhao Lifei into the bathroom.

    When Zhao Lifei began her morning routine, Yang Ruqin sat in the corner with a hidden, and mischievous smile.

 Chapter 3: In A Rush

    "I don¡¯t like this dress, Qinqin...It looks weird on me." Zhao Lifei frowned, running a tired hand through her hair. There were bags beneath her eyes from the endless nights of tossing in her bed and never falling asleep.

    Ever since she became theughing-stock of Shenbei, her confidence was at its limits. The haughty twinkle in her eyes from being engaged to Zheng Tianyi had vanished long ago.

    From losing everything in just the single span of one night, her diva attitude, prideful smirks, and confident struts were all gone. Before the fall of the legendary Zhao Lifei, she was known to be the top socialite of Shenbei. The women always crowded around her, in hopes of currying favors with the rumored Mrs. Zheng.

    Whatever she wore, ate, and did, everyone copied after her. She was the trendsetter, the single woman that every socialite aspired to be.

    Her parents swore they loved her. Her friends overlyplimented her. The people always tried to befriend her. That all ended when Zheng Tianyi cklisted and tossed her aside. But after two long and life-changing years, Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t me them. She finally understood how much of a horrible woman she was.

    She turned women against women, used people like they were a pawn in her little game of chess, insulted girls to tears, and tried to sabotage the innocent Xia Mengxi. Most would say she got what she deserved, but one never saw the truth behind the prideful and spoiled heiress.

    No one saw how much Zhao Lifei broke down at night, drinking wine all alone in a cold, empty, room until her tears lulled her to sleep. No one saw that broken child reaching for anything that showed her love.

    Zhao Lifei was only able to snap back into reality when Yang Ruqin roughly shook her. "Feifei, I hope you¡¯re not daydreaming again!" Yang Ruqin huffed.

    She was curling Zhao Lifei¡¯s hair in hopes of making her presentable.

    "I wasn¡¯t..." Zhao Lifei sheepishly lied.

    Yang Ruqin rolled her eyes. "Sure, and I¡¯m the ugliest girl this world has seen." Yang Ruqin resorted with her usual sarcasm.

    Zhao Lifei chuckled. "Don¡¯t be so dramatic, Qinqin."

    "I¡¯m supposed to be a diva, it¡¯s my job to be overly dramatic." Yang Ruqinughed, wrapping strands of Zhao Lifei¡¯s silky hair over the curling iron. "Besides, my dear. You look fabulous, don¡¯t doubt yourself anymore." She smiled, cing her hand onto Zhao Lifei¡¯s shoulder.

    "Okay..." Zhao Lifei trailed off, hugging her stomach the way she always did. It made her feel safe. It had been a bad habit of hers after the past two, long, rough years of torment.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s eyes softened. When Zhao Lifei had experienced her worst downfall, Yang Ruqin was at the peak of her career. Her manager and family forced her to work hard and she was often traveling around the world.

    She didn¡¯t hear about what happened to Zhao Lifei until she hade back two yearster. Because she was rarely in the country and was frequently traveling from one country to the other, she barely had time to chat with Zhao Lifei.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t say anything about her downfall. When Yang Ruqin came back, she expected a wedding invitation on her hands, instead, she got the shell of the cheerful woman she used to know.

    After a while of doing Zhao Lifei¡¯s hair, Yang Ruqin finally spoke up again. "It¡¯ll be fun today. I reserved a seat at your favorite restaurant, La Roch¨¦."

    La Roch¨¦ was a very popr and posh restaurant that was rated five Michelin stars a few months after it opened. It was extremely hard to make reservations there; the restaurant never batted an eye to A-List celebrities, powerful politicians, or wealthy socialites. However, the Yangs were able to gain easy entrance. The owner had been good friends with Yang Ruqin¡¯s father and had permitted them unlimited entry at the window with the best view.

    "My favorite? It always seemed to be your favorite." Zhao Lifei teased. She remembered the memories of her youth where she was dragged to the restaurant whenever Yang Ruqin wanted to skip ss.

    "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about." Yang Ruqin giggled, clearly lying through her teeth. Her eyes twinkled with mirth upon being caught red-handed.

    Zhao Lifei gave her a pointed look, forcing Yang Ruqin to reveal a sheepish grin.

    "Okay, maybe I was too addicted to their dishes, but hey! You can¡¯t me me, their appetizers are amazing!" Yang Ruqin tried to defend herself.

    Zhao Lifei chuckled, shaking her head in amusement.

    "Let¡¯s not dwell so much on the facts! The driver is waiting!" Yang Ruqin giggled, dragging Zhao Lifei out of her room.

    The minute Zhao Lifei walked out of her room, she groaned in annoyance. Her living room was very modern and there wererge windows from the ceiling to the ground. The sun was at its highest peak today, and Yang Ruqin just had to open all of the curtains.

    "Some days, I think you¡¯re trying to roast me alive." Zhao Lifei childishly pouted.

    "You need some sun, or more specifically, Vitamin D in your life~" Yang Ruqin teased, nudging her the entire time they walked to the elevator.

    "Ha. Ha. Very funny." Zhao Lifei snorted in the most udylike manner.

    Yang Ruqin chuckled at her friend¡¯sck of humor, then wrapped her arms around Zhao Lifei¡¯s arm ¡ª clinging onto her the way she always did.

    The elevator door dinged to reveal the pretty elevatordy. She smiled and bowed at their presence. "To the ground floor, Miss Zhao and Miss Yang?"

    Had this been the previous Zhao Lifei, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered to acknowledge someone like the elevator hostess. But this was the present. She wasn¡¯t as childish and disrespectful as she was before.

    "Yes, the ground floor please." Zhao Lifei nodded, offering a polite smile.

    "Right away, Ma¡¯am." The elevator hostess said, quietly pressing the button and averting her gaze.

    The elevator hostess couldn¡¯t help but admire Zhao Lifei from the distance. For the two years that she had known Zhao Lifei, the woman was always very polite and warm. There was never a moment in time where Zhao Lifei treated her rudely like she was air, as most of the people in this rich apartmentplex had done.

    The hostess didn¡¯t know the tainted past of Zhao Lifei and if one was to tell her, she wouldn¡¯t believe that person. Thisdy was simply too kind to do something so horrible...

    When the floor dinged and signaled the ground floor, Yang Ruqin pulled Zhao Lifei out of the elevator. "Thank you," Zhao Lifei quietly told the hostess before she was dragged away by Yang Ruqin.

    When they walked into the lobby and towards the entrance, they were quick to garner attention. With each step Yang Ruqin took, her hair would sway and bounce as the wind ruffled the edges of her red sundress. Because of her eye¡¯s feline shape, they always came off as seductive without meaning to.

    The men leered and took second nces at her, their eyes wide with astonishment. They were practically drooling.

    Zhao Lifei quietlyughed to herself. She was already used to these looks whenever she walked with Yang Ruqin. While Zhao Lifei chatted with Yang Ruqin, she didn¡¯t realize the men were also admiring the stunning woman beside supermodel Yang Ruqin.

    Zhao Lifei had thought they were only looking at her best friend, and no one else.

    She didn¡¯t expect them to also stare at her.

    With her high nose of clear wealth, full lips naturally rosy, and fierce eyes, Zhao Lifei¡¯s appearance was the opposite of docile and demure. Instead, she looked like a powerful woman that men seemed to fear but secretly admire.

    Despite what Zhao Lifei thought of herself and herposure, her outward appearance didn¡¯t match her thoughts. Perhaps it was due to the years of training and experience, but Zhao Lifei always walked with confidence. Her shoulders were squared back and her head was held high.

    "What is the rush for?" Zhao Lifei asked when Yang Ruqin hurriedly dragged her inside the car.

    "I¡¯m just excited to eat, that¡¯s all. You know I love food, almost as much as I love you." Yang Ruqin teased, pinching Zhao Lifei¡¯s nose.

 Chapter 4: Han Wuting

    Elegantly climbing out the car, one seductive foot at a time, the onlookers gawked in awe as two beautiful women stepped out of the ck car. The host at the front immediately came to greet them when the two walked in. He must¡¯ve been new because his eyes never left the legendary supermodel, Yang Ruqin.

    ying into the poor boy¡¯s obvious desires, she leaned on the counter, her long slender arm out for him to see. Because the red dress didn¡¯t leave much to hide, the boy visibly gulped.

    Presenting him with a sultry smile, Yang Ruqin was easily able to make him blush. "I made a reservation under YR?"

    The boy snapped out of his daze, clearing his throat in an attempt to hide his growing blush. "Y-yes, Ms. Yang. R-right this way please." He stumbled over his words, barely able to keep hisposure.

    Yang Ruqin looped her hand into Zhao Lifei¡¯s arm.

    Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t help but stifle herughter, feeling sorry for the boy who was being severely yed by Yang Ruqin.

    Later on, he guided them to their private room.

    "That was mean." Zhao Lifei chided when he left the room as if he had stumbled upon a den of lions. This poor kid...

    As soon as he left, the waiter walked in and handed them the menu with two hands.

    "I know." Yang Ruqin shrugged, flipping her hair over her shoulders.

    "This room is quiterge for just the two of us." Zhao Lifeimented as she opened the menu.

    Suddenly, Yang Ruqin, who was sitting opposite to her, stiffened. "The bigger, the better, my dear." She winked.

    Zhao Lifei who was already used to her friend¡¯s perverted jokes rolled her eyes. Whereas, the waiter handling them nearly choked.

    Luckily, he was able to fix hisposure in time. "G-good evening, I will be your server for this evening. May I take your drink order?" Unlike the boy who had guided them into the room, the waiter was much more experienced.

    "Mm, I¡¯ll have some white wine from your best bottle." Yang Ruqin said while opening her menu and skimming through ¡¯Today¡¯s Special.¡¯

    "Just lemon water for me, please." Zhao Lifei quietly said, skipping the alcohol page of her menu.

    The waiter nodded, memorizing everything in his head. After a few seconds of ordering their food, the two closed the menu. Then the waiter took it, bowed, and excused himself.

    After he was gone and the two of them were alone in the big private room, Yang Ruqin finally spoke up. "You sure you don¡¯t want a ss of wine? They have some of the best collection in the city." She mused, faintly remembering the previous Zhao Lifei who drank wine like it was water.

    "No, I promised Grandfather I¡¯d stop drinking so much." Zhao Lifei exined with a small smile.

    When her mother and father abandoned her two years ago, the day she fell from Shenbei¡¯s grace, Zhao Lifei was left to fend the evil alone.

    Her parents canceled her credit cards, tossed her out of their house, and practically disowned her without legal papers, which left her with no resources. Her grandfather was the first to offer her a helping hand. She was surprised to see this, as he ced business over family and was rarely known to perform favors for others, regardless if she was his kin. Little did she know, her grandfather valued her more than the others and it was for a very particr ability she possessed.

    "Hm, speaking of Elder Zhao, how is he these days?" Yang Ruqin drummed her fingers onto the table, with her perfect chin resting on her hand.

    Zhao Lifei chuckled at the recent memory of her grandfather in his Kung Fu outfit sparring and beating up men a fraction of his age.

    "He¡¯s as lively as ever." She mused, a twinkle in her eyes.

    Just then, the door to their private room opened and a different man walked in.

    "Sir, I think you have the wrong room." Zhao Lifei frowned, her hand secretly reaching for the pepper spray she always carried.

    The man was dressed in casual clothes but upon closer inspection, Zhao Lifei noticed that his clothes were from thetest season collection of men¡¯s clothes by Herm¨¨s.

    "Oh no, he¡¯s not. I invited him." Yang Ruqin smiled.

    Zhao Lifei blinked in confusion.

    "My dear, meet Han Wuting. He¡¯s one of this country¡¯s leading doctors." Yang Ruqin gestured the man to sit down on the opposite side of Zhao Lifei.

    "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Zhao Lifei." The man¡¯s voice was surprisingly very soft and smooth, like milk chocte.

    "Please, the pleasure is all mine." Zhao Lifei warmly smiled, gesturing the man to sit down. Although she was all smiles and sunshine on the outside, an angry storm was brewing within her.

    She was tired of being set up on blind dates without anyone telling her! She knew that she should¡¯ve been suspicious when Yang Ruqin insisted she wears a beautiful dress, instead of her usual dress pants.

    Just when Han Wuting sat down, the waiter walked in with the drinks. He was slightly surprised to see that a new guest had joined the table, but he immediately regained hisposure.

    "Would you like a menu, sir?" The waiter asked while cing down the drinks.

    "No, I¡¯ll have what she¡¯s having." Han Wuting nodded in Zhao Lifei¡¯s direction.

    The waiter nodded and passed out the drinks.

    However, Han Wuting was surprised when he saw that the wine ss was for Yang Ruqin and not for Zhao Lifei. He might¡¯ve not been very informative on the high society, but when he researched into Zhao Lifei, he was sure that she liked to drink alcohol.

    Noticing his curious gaze, Zhao Lifei smiled. "I¡¯m trying to cut back on the alcohol. It¡¯s not the best thing for my kidney." She lightlyughed, taking a sip of her water.

    "Ah, is that so. Well, as a doctor, I wholeheartedly agree with you." He winked, rolling up the sleeves of his cashmere sweater to reveal the expensive Rolex watch on his wrists.

    Zhao Lifei hummed in reply but didn¡¯t say much. She knew he was deliberately showing off his wealth, but growing up in the high society, a simple Rolex was not enough to impress her. She had seen better, in particr, Zheng Tianyi¡¯s magnificent collection of watches...

    The entire conversation between the three was light and uneventful, despite Han Wuting¡¯s constant chatter where he would often try to invite Zhao Lifei into the conversation. Although she was very polite and would always respond, her answers were purposely dry. She didn¡¯t want to lead him on as he seemed to be very interested in her.

    Han Wuting was not a bad looking man. His hair was halfbed back on one side, the other was neatly shaved into a fade, and his features were light on the eyes. He was very polite and respectful, but nothing about him screamed interesting.

    Although Zhao Lifei has exchanged her number with him, she was reluctant to do so and, purposely gave him the wrong number.

    The lunch was uneventful and when they walked out, the sun was beginning to set.

    "Have a good day, Han Wuting." Zhao Lifei bade him goodbye with Yang Ruqin doing the same.

    "Have a good day,dies." He smiled, revealing his perfect white teeth. With a final nod, he climbed into his car and drove off.

 Chapter 5: Strong Backings

    When Han Wuting¡¯s car was far into the distance, Zhao Lifei turned toward Yang Ruqin with a deep scowl. She crossed her arms and red daggers from her eyes.

    Yang Ruqin shrunk back, knowing she was in for an earful.

    "Another blind date?! That was the fifth time this month!" Zhao Lifei bit out, her temper slightly rising.

    No matter how many times she told Yang Ruqin that she was fine being single, the stubborn woman wouldn¡¯t listen! Blind dates after blind dates and in the least expected times too!

    "But Feifei, you¡¯re going to be lonely when I leave for my trip next month!" She whined, grabbing Zhao Lifei¡¯s arm and swaying her side by side.

    Zhao Lifei sighed, pinching the spot between her brows. "Like I¡¯ve told you a billion times before, I¡¯m fine being single. I like my peace and quiet." She frowned. She knew Yang Ruqin was looking out for her. The blind dates came from good intentions, but she was beginning to grow annoyed at Qinqin¡¯s persistence.

    What¡¯s wrong with being single?

    "But, Feifei-"

    "No buts." Zhao Lifei interrupted, hailing down a cab to take her home.

    Yang Ruqin pouted upon seeing how eager she was to leave her. "Don¡¯t leave me yet! You might not be lonely, but I most certainly am!" Like a child eager to spend more time with her parents, she clung onto her Feifei.

    Zhao Lifeiughed at her childish friend.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s pout was absolutely adorable and if she was a man, she¡¯d surely do anything to please her.

    But she wasn¡¯t and pouts didn¡¯t work on her. "My dear, you have a lot more friends¡ª"

    "But I like you the most!" Yang Ruqin childishly stomped the ground, her silver anklets twinkling.

    The long list of friends and acquaintances that Yang Ruqin had were endless. It was incredible how she was able to make so many friends have constant ns, and yet still have time for herself.

    Because Yang Ruqin was the only daughter of the prestigious and wealthiest family in the country, many people clung onto her like flies. They always sought after Yang Ruqin¡¯s presence in social gatherings because it would significantly boost their status.

    Zhao Lifei was different.

    She didn¡¯t follow after Yang Ruqin like a lost puppy. Instead, she was independent and very selective of her friends, which forced Yang Ruqin to cling onto her instead.

    "Don¡¯t be mad at me, Feifei. I only wanted the best for you." Yang Ruqin widened her eyes and jutted her lips out into a deeper pout.

    Zhao Lifeiughed and patted Ruqin¡¯s head. "Okay, okay, fine. Come to my house and I¡¯ll lecture you for a bit more, then we can watch that show you really like."

    - - - - -

    After going back to Zhao Lifei¡¯s apartment condo, binge-watching an entire season of a variety show on blind dates, and then throwing popcorn at the screen, Yang Ruqin was officially burned out. Slumped on the couch, she was in a deep slumber. She slept like a child with her body curled into a ball and arms tucked underneath her face.

    Zhao Lifei chuckled at the sight and ced a heavy nket over her. After tying up her long hair, she began to clean up the mess they¡¯ve made. If this was the woman from two years ago, she would¡¯ve left the chore to the house cleaner.

    Zhao Lifei figured it was best to not be sozy. She was twenty-three this year and a grown adult. Being able to clean the house and do herundry was something she should have mastered the minute she moved out of her parent¡¯s house.

    But she didn¡¯t. She used to act like a spoiled brat, one that no one loved, but have to get along with if you wanted good things in life.

    She knew she could never fix the sins that she hadmitted in the past, the friendships and rtionships she had severed, but she swore to herself she would definitely try to make positive changes in her present and future life.

    When she was sweeping the popcorn bits into the dustbin, her phone went off. Looking at the contact, she frowned.

    Her mother was calling her and the woman only did it when she wanted something from her.

    It had been a couple of months since they¡¯vest spoken and that was when her mother tried to ssh boiling hot water onto Zhao Lifei¡¯s face. She was quick to side-step the attack, or else her face would¡¯ve been permanently scarred. Her mother never liked her and after what happened with Zheng Tianyi, the hatred was evident.

    Zhao Lifei hesitated to pick up the call, but on thest ring, she did. The minute she did so, her mother¡¯s voice red out of the phone.

    "Why did you take so long to pick up? Are you trying to disrespect your mother?!" The woman screeched over the phone, her voice rising louder and louder.

    Zhao Lifei held the phone away from her ears.

    Wang Nuoli rambled and yelled about Zhao Lifei¡¯s hesitation of picking up the call and making her wait longer than needed. After a few minutes of nonstop insults, Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t handle it anymore. "Mother dearest, please reach your conclusion soon."

    "You brat¡ª"

    "Yes, yes, I¡¯m a disgrace, and you wish you didn¡¯t give birth to me twenty-three years ago. We¡¯ve already established that." Zhao Lifei already memorized her mother¡¯s insults.

    Every brutal stabbing of reality was given by her mother. The woman was ruthless and showed no love for her eldest daughter. Instead, she focused all of her attention and love on her prized younger daughter, the perfect star of the Zhao family: Zhao Linhua.

    "Your younger sister¡¯s birthday ising up. Give us some face by showing up to the banquet." Wang Nuoli bit out. As much as she despised her eldest daughter with every inch of her soul, Zhao Lifei was inevitably extremely useful. She was able to have the terrifying backing of Zhao Moyao, the Monarch of the Zhao Corporation and the man with the highest share in thepany.

    Wang Nuoli hates to admit it, but this brat was smart. Cultivating a good rtionship with her grandfather at the tender age of four, she had a perfectly safe spot in his cold heart.

    "Are you sure you want me there? I can transfer this call to grandfather since that was your ultimate n." Zhao Lifei hummed, nonchntly inspecting her nails.

    Wang Nuoli nearly lost herposure. Of course, her true purpose in inviting Zhao Lifei was to lure out Zhao Moyao. Having such a grand, influential, and powerful man show up at her youngest daughter¡¯s birthday would bring endless benefits that no money could afford.

    Out of all of his five granddaughters, Zhao Lifei was Zhao Moyao¡¯s favorite.

    Wang Nuoli didn¡¯t know how Zhao Lifei was able to curry his favor and adoration, but she effortlessly did so. If it wasn¡¯t for her strong backings, she would¡¯ve never contacted Zhao Lifei.

 Chapter 6: Pushed to Her Lowest

    "You brat, don¡¯t act so haughty and spoiled. I raised you for twenty-three years with my own blood, sweat, and tears!" Wang Nuoli mmed her manicured hand onto the ss table beside her.

    "Mother, please. You only held me once as a baby and passed me off to different nannies until I could walk. And when I did, you found other nannies for me." Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes at Wang Nuoli¡¯s mncholic story.

    It was no rumor that Wang Nuoli didn¡¯t love her eldest daughter.

    Zhao Lifei was born when Wang Nuoli¡¯s rtionship with Zhao Wenjin was extremely rocky. Both of them were reluctant to marry each other. After heavy pressure from the elders on having a child, Wang Nuoli was forced to sleep with him.

    For Wang Nuoli, a woman who was used to have everything go her way, that night was brutal torture. Not only was she stripped off her clothes, but also her dignity. When Zhao Lifei was conceived, she was furious. After all of that torture, she had to try again?! The elders wanted a son, someone to pass the family fortune off too.

    However, that mindset was changed by the time Zhao Linhua was born, the rocky rtionship between Wang Nuoli and her husband was gone. She was born from a night of love and consensual sex.

    "How dare you show an attitude towards your mother? I might¡¯ve not raised you, but I carried you in my stomach for nine antagonizing months where I couldn¡¯t drink my beloved wine! I pushed your big head out of me, screaming and crying. Show some respect!" Wang Nuoli had reached the brink of her patience.

    Sometimes she wondered where she went wrong with her eldest child.

    Wang Nuoli was so blinded by the delusion that throwing nannies and money at Zhao Lifei would fix all of her problems.

    When Zhao Lifei was a child, all she wanted was her mother¡¯s love and attention. She received nothing but res and spiteful words. Growing up, she was taught that she would never be loved by her mother.

    "Xiao Lin¡¯s birthday is in two weeks from now. I expect you to be there." Wang Nuoli realized how quiet Zhao Lifei had be. Hmph! This child finally had some senses talked into her!

    After a few seconds of awkward silence, Wang Nuoli felt a vein pop out. Was she even listening? "Did you hear me-"

    "Yes, mother. I heard you." Zhao Lifei sighed.

    "You bettere to the banquet. If not, your father and I will show up at your house. If I have to drag you there kicking and screaming, I will!" Wang Nuoli seethed, nearly throwing the ss of wine in her hand. Little did Wang Nuoli know, Zhao Lifei had long moved out of the house brought by her parents.

    "Besides, you know how much Xiao Lin love you¡ª" And just like that, Zhao Lifei hung up.

    Zhao Linhua loves Zhao Lifei? Hah! That must¡¯ve been the joke of the century!

    Zhao Linhua wouldn¡¯t love her older sister even if her life depended on it. Born as a piano prodigy with hundreds of awards lining her bookshelves, she was already the most beloved daughter. She only cared about rtions if there was a benefit in having it. When she had discovered her older sister had fallen from the Zheng¡¯s grace, Zhao Linhua was quick to disregard Zhao Lifei.

    "If you¡¯re going to the banquet, you need a suitable partner that will blow stupid Zheng Tianyi out of the waters."

    Zhao Lifei jumped, nearly dropping her phone when she heard Yang Ruqin¡¯s determined voice. Turning around, she was surprised to see her awake.

    Sitting up with half of the nket on her shoulders, Yang Ruqin tiredly yawned.

    "Good luck finding a man like that. Zheng Tianyi is one of the wealthiest men in this country." Zhao Lifei sighed, tossing her phone onto the couch.

    "I¡¯m sorry for waking you up, was my conversation that loud?" Zhao Lifei tried to change the topic.

    She picked up her broom and went back to sweeping the floor.

    "No, I¡¯m just a really light sleeper. And besides, who could sleep when they hear Wang Nuoli¡¯s nasal voice?" Yang Ruqin scoffed.

    Zhao Lifeiughed at her friend, happy she had someone on her side.

    Yang Ruqin stared at Zhao Lifei sweeping the floor. It was a soothing sight that made her look like a gentle housewife. She did not look like the woman she used to be two years ago.

    "You should raise the pay of the cleaner and have here three times a week. It¡¯s not good to put so much strain on your back. What if your hand gets rough from all of this cleaning?" Yang Ruqin worriedly said.

    Zhao Lifei finished herst sweep and nced up with a small smile. "A woman should at least be good at something. Cleaning can be my skill. Besides, my cleaner recently gave birth. She needs the rest."

    Yang Ruqin had a wry smile. She couldn¡¯t believe the massive change in one person within a span of two years. She wanted to know what really happened on the night that Zhao Lifei ced down her crown as Queen of the Socialites.

    "You fool. You¡¯re good at so many other things, besides cleaning!"

    "Because Wang Nuoli and Zhao Wenjin wanted me to be good at those things." Zhao Lifei nonchntly said while cing the broom and dustpan back into the closet.

    Yang Ruqin frowned. "Don¡¯t lie to me. I know you enjoyed those skills as well."

    Zhao Lifei smiled as she walked to the kitchen. "Perhaps to some extent, yes, but I was a child whose ambition and dreams were shaped by Wang Nuoli and Zhao Wenjin¡¯s desire of having the perfect child." She took out the ingredients for dinner.

    "But you were so good at the piano..." Yang Ruqin muttered under her breath. Because Zhao Lifei was so far, she didn¡¯t hear her.

    When she noticed how quiet Yang Ruqin was, Zhao Lifei turned around to see her friend lost in thought. She shook her head as she started to cut the ingredients.

    After a few minutes of quiet, but oddlyfortable, silence, Yang Ruqin finally stood up from her position. She wanted to pry more and force Zhao Lifei to finally reveal the horrible things that had happened when she wasn¡¯t in the country. But she knew it wasn¡¯t the wisest move.

    Although Zhao Lifei will never admit it, there was a heavy cloud of somberness around her.

    Whenever she was alone, her thoughts were dark and depressing.

    Yang Ruqin noticed that half of Zhao Lifei¡¯s smile contained a hiddenyer of heartbreak, sadness, and betrayal. It pained her to see her best friend in such a pitiful state.

    Sure, Zhao Lifei still kept her pride and head high, but she had lost whatever self-confidence she used to own.

    Yang Ruqin missed seeing the girl who confidentlyughed, wore anything she liked, and did things without a care in the world. She fumed to herself. That bastard, Zheng Tianyi, he really had the audacity to not only cheat on her, but also destroy everything about her!

    Yang Ruqin lifted her gaze from the couch she was sitting on to stare at Zhao Lifei whose back was turned. There was a wonderful smell in the air that could onlye from Feifei¡¯s amazing cooking.

    As she watched Zhao Lifei cook, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh and feel sympathy for her friend.

    Zhao Lifei had her entire life built around the very man that shattered her.

    From a young age, she was drilled on how to be his pir of support, how to manage a multi-billion corporation, how to handle the paperwork, how to fulfill his position when he was absent, how to be his safe haven, and how to be the perfect wife.

    All of her training and endless nights of sleep deprivation waspletely shattered within the span of six months. In just six months, Zheng Tianyi had pushed Zhao Lifei to her lowest for a random woman he happened to fall in love with.

 Chapter 7: Saved His Life

    After cooking dinner and enjoying it with Zhao Lifei, Yang Ruqin went home to prepare herself for a photo-shoot next morning.

    Zhao Lifei quickly cleaned up the mess in the kitchen, showered, and then retired to her office. She didn¡¯t know why she always came into this room, but her office was surprisingly very soothing.

    From the light ticking of the clock on the wall, the perfect view of the city, the bright light of the cars beneath, and the calming scent of cotton, everything about this room screamedfort.

    Sitting on therge window isle, Zhao Lifei stared at the city below her. She took a sip of from her wine ss, twirling it around and chuckling to herself at the taste of the lemon water.

    Zhao Lifei was trying her best to not drink alcohol because it reminded her of horrible memories of self-hatred and doubt. While staring at the scenery of the city, she unknowingly fell asleep and soon found herself stuck in a nightmare.

    - - - - -

    RING!

    RING!

    RING!

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s phone went off the next morning, startling her from the nightmare she was experiencing. In her tired and groggy state, she reached for the phone.

    She groaned at the soreness of her body. "I slept in such an ufortable position, no wonder my body hurts," She muttered to herself.

    Without looking at the caller ID, she tiredly picked up the phone. "...Hello?" She greeted, her voiceced with heavy exhaustion.

    "Xiao Fei, did you just wake up?" The aged, yet deep and powerful voice of her grandfather immediately snapped Zhao Lifei from her sleepy trance.

    Despite the fact that Zhao Moyao was not watching her, Zhao Lifei sat up straighter. "Yes, I did." She sheepishly responded.

    A low chuckle could be heard. "My dear, it¡¯s one in the afternoon. It¡¯s not good to sleep that long." He mused. "I hope you didn¡¯t fall asleep drinking some sort of wine or whiskey?" Though his voice was light and warm, there was a hiddenyer of warning beneath it.

    Zhao Lifei cracked a smile, even though she knew he couldn¡¯t see it. No, of course not. I promised you I¡¯d stop drinking so much, didn¡¯t I?" She picked up the wine ss of lemon water and ced it in the kitchen sink.

    After a few seconds of careful thinking, she added, "But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ve been perfect. I drank lemon water out of a wine ssst night."

    Zhao Moyao released a burst of heartyughter at the image of his granddaughter sulking over lemon water. "As long as it¡¯s not wine, I am fine with whatever ss you drink from." He was entertained by her words.

    He was d she was finally changing her alcoholic ways. It had already ruined her once. He did not want history to repeat itself.

    "Did you have lunch yet, Xiao Fei?" He asked, clearly having an ulterior motive.

    Zhao Lifei raised a brow at his question. She prayed he didn¡¯t join on the blind dates train. She already had one yesterday!

    "Not yet. Did you?" She asked, cing the ss into the kitchen sink.

    "No, I did not. How about you have a nice chat with me in one of the restaurants near my office?" He suggested, standing up from the leather chair.

    Zhao Lifei already knew he had other ns, but she was too lonely to care. "Sure, I¡¯d love to." She quietly said.

    "Good, I will see you in one hour."

    "Alright, goodbye, grandpa."

    "Goodbye, child." He hung up the phone.

    Zhao Lifei began to get ready. She knew if he wanted to meet near his office, she would eventually get dragged into the enormous corporation. So she brushed her teeth, took a shower, and wore something business casual.

    Stepping out of the taxi, Zhao Lifei was beginning to garner the attention of a few onlookers. Because the restaurant was really popr and famous among the socialites, the people immediately recognized the former Queen.

    Dressed in a white Chanel blouse, Valentino dress pants, and thetest handbag, the women couldn¡¯t help but glower at Zhao Lifei. Even when the Queen has lost her throne, she hadn¡¯t lost her elegance and grace.

    Zhao Lifei already knew the women that frequented this restaurant was famous socialites, so she wore an outfit that would leave them speechless. The only con was that she stepped out of a public cab, instead of a private driver.

    "Haha, all those expensive outfits and she stepped out of a peasant car."

    "Who does she think she is? Wearing thetest clothes when her credit cards were all blocked?"

    "I¡¯m surprised she¡¯s even able to buy those brands, didn¡¯t Zheng Tianyi cklist her from those stores?"

    "Hmph, she probably had to ask someone to buy it for her. How shameful."

    If she heard any of the gossips about her, Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t show any signs of it. Instead, she kept her eyes forward and her head up.

    The crown might¡¯ve fallen, but she hadn¡¯t. Besides, she didn¡¯t have time to engage in their mindless chatter and gossip. If she wanted to, she could instantly snap back. but she was too hungry and tired to do so.

    Zhao Lifei skipped the long line and walked straight into the restaurant.

    "Ma¡¯am, did you make a reservation?" The woman in the front counter asked, briefly skimming over her outfit. She had been working here for a while now and could instantly smell money; Zhao Lifei seemed to be made of it.

    "No, I did not." Zhao Lifei¡¯s words immediately caused the women by the entrance to giggle and gossip.

    "Hah, now she can¡¯t get in."

    "Stepped out of a poor car and now she¡¯s going to step out with her head low."

    "The reservation waitlist here is three months, there¡¯s no way she could get in." The womenughed to themselves, clearly not knowing her powerful backing.

    "I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am, but you cannot enter without a reservation." The hostess politely said. She nearly rolled her eyes when Zhao Lifei pursed her lips.

    "Ma¡¯am, you¡¯re holding up the line. If you don¡¯t have a reservation, I¡¯m going to have to ask you to leave." She added on, finally rolling her eyes when Zhao Lifei raised an amused brow.

    ¡¯If she doesn¡¯t have a reservation, why waste my time?¡¯ The woman thought to herself.

    Just then, a man in an ash grey suit stepped forward. His gaze was cold and stoic, forever in a serious and professional manner.

    The hostess at the front immediately bowed at the presence of the man. "Good evening, Manager Tang¡ª"

    "Let the honorable guest inside. She doesn¡¯t need a reservation." The man¡¯s voice was incredibly frigid and the atmosphere around him was eerily calm.

    "Tang Sudong, it¡¯s been a while." Zhao Lifei said, a smile gracing her face at the presence of her old friend.

    His stony gaze softened at her presence. He gently patted her head and resisted the urge to ruffle it.

    "Indeed, it has been a while. We haven¡¯t talked in two years." He scolded, guiding her inside the restaurant and towards the private room where Zhao Moyao was waiting for her.

    The people outside of the restaurant were stunned. They never would have thought the Iron Manager would be able to smile or have such a warm look on his face. All of the employees were equally as surprised.

    Tang Sudong never showed special treatment to anyone, regardless of their social status. They could¡¯ve been an A-list celebrity and he wouldn¡¯t bat an eye at the idea of tossing them out of the restaurant. His mindset waspletely different when it came to Zhao Lifei. Without hesitation, he beckoned her inside the restaurant.

    The people stared at the scene, their mouths open in shock. He treated her like she was VIP or something, even though her current status was way too low in the food chain!

    No one knew the long history between Tang Sudong and Zhao Lifei, the woman who saved his life.

 Chapter 8: Vengeful Woman

    "Grandfather, I¡¯m sorry for myteness. Did I make you wait too long?" Zhao Lifei gently asked while sitting down.

    Zhao Moyao hummed in reply. "No, I just got here," He tantly lied, revealing a smile.

    Li Xuan, his private secretary, twitched his lips at his Big Boss¡¯s lie.

    Zhao Moyao had been waiting here the minute he had called her. He seemed to really cherish the time spent with his granddaughter. He had so many yet he only seemed to favor this one right here.

    "Are you sure? Li Xuan¡¯s lips just twitched right now." Zhao Lifei teased, happy she came thirty minutes earlier than nned. She knew he was the type to constantly wait for her, so she rushed her routine and the cab.

    Zhao Moyao chuckled, taking a sip of his tea. "It seems I should¡¯ve made him wait outside." He mused.

    "That¡¯s not nice, grandfather. He has been your right-hand man for the past decade." Zhao Lifei teased right back, giggling to herself when she took a sip of the hot tea.

    Li Xuan let out an exasperated sigh. The two always teased him as if he wasn¡¯t present in the same room as them. Luckily, he was used to their bullying. Whatever made them happy, he would dly oblige.

    "Besides, why are you still standing, Li Xuan? Come and sit down." Zhao Lifei beckoned towards the empty seats surrounding their table.

    "No thank you. I have to leave soon." He said, politely declining the offer. Exactly a few seconds after, his phone went off. Excusing himself, he stepped outside.

    "Xiao Fei, how are you these few days? I still haven¡¯t visited your condo aftering backst week." Zhao Moyao was a busy man.

    He was the King of the Hotel Empire and Head Monarch of the Zhao Corporation. He did not inherit his position like mostpany legacies. Zhao Moyao was the youngest in his family, but after working hard, he was able to achieve the outstanding position as CEO of the Zhao Corporation.

    "It¡¯s the same routine; there¡¯s nothing out of the ordinary." Zhao Lifei said whilst picking up the menu and briefly skimming through it.

    "My sources told me Yang Ruqin had set you up on another blind date yesterday," Zhao Moyao listlessly said, but his hawk-like eyes were monitoring Zhao Lifei¡¯s expression.

    Zhao Lifei stiffened at the news and sighed. "Grandpa, please don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve hired another private team of bodyguards who are watching me from the distance." She ced down the menu and childishly crossed her arms.

    Zhao Moyao chuckled. "You¡¯re a Zhao and my favorite granddaughter ¡ª those titles are enough for you to have a hit on your head. You need to be well-protected. Besides, an extrayer of security never harmed anyone."

    "It¡¯ll harm my privacy." She resorted.

    "Yes, but it will keep you safe. Especially with that Zheng brat and his minx running around the city." Zhao Moyao¡¯s voice was nonchnt as he casually threw out thement. But deep down, he was burning with fury and a desire for revenge.

    He used to be close friends with the Elder Zheng, but after the horrible humiliation that Zhao Lifei had to endure, Zhao Moyao severed all ties with the elder. He would never allow her to be trampled over, regardless of the things she might¡¯ve done!

    The Zhao Corporation had taken a harsh blow in their stocks, but Yang Enterprise came as their aid.

    "It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not scared of him, grandpa..." Zhao Lifei¡¯s voice turned soft and gentle, but it quivered and shook with uncertainty.

    One nce at the broken and pained expression on her face was enough to make Zhao Moyao frown.

    "Are you sure you don¡¯t want to take up my previous offer? We can try to get rid of that woman¡ª"

    "No, grandfather. One hit at her, and it¡¯ll send the entire Zheng army after us."

    Zheng Tianyi was in charge of the private military that the Zheng owned and he would never hesitate to use it, especially when Xia Mengxi was in the picture.

    Had this been the previous, naive, and vengeful Zhao Lifei, she would¡¯ve immediately agreed with her grandfather.

    An opportunity to discard Xia Mengxi? dly. However, she was not that woman anymore. She had learned her lesson the hard way and was determined to not experience it again. Besides, she didn¡¯t want to forever remain the stereotypical ex-fiancee who refused to let go of the big thigh [1] she was constantly clutching.

    "What that bastard has done to you is despicable." Zhao Moyao ced down his menu.

    How dare they try to attack his granddaughter when he was out of the country on an important business trip?

    Zheng Tianyi waited for the perfect opportunity where all of Zhao Lifei¡¯srades and allies were out of the city or the country to strike her. And indeed, they struck her hard. Within a matter of three days, she was humiliated, tossed aside, disowned, banned, cklisted, beat, and ruined.

    Zhao Lifei might¡¯ve done some horrible things to Xia Mengxi, but Zheng Tianyi¡¯s actions had crossed the line.

    "You¡¯ve changed so much within two years." Zhao Moyao said, remembering the memories of Zhao Lifei¡¯s spoiled and bratty ways.

    Zhao Lifei let out a lightughter. "I didn¡¯t want to be that hateful and vengeful fiancee. A positive change isn¡¯t that bad." She rested her cheek on her propped up hand.

    "You¡¯ve done too much for that useless man." Zhao Moyao muttered, clearly not wanting to let Zheng Tianyi go unpunished.

    His granddaughter shouldered all of the hard responsibilities of being Zheng Tianyi¡¯s public fiancee. Xia Mengxi was hidden from the limelight, and thus, never received the harsher end of the stick.

    Zhao Lifei had to endure death threats, constant assassin attempts, staying up for endless nights working on his reports, and signing documents. It was all of the responsibility that Xia Mengxi should¡¯ve done, but instead of doing so, she ran from it.

    "I want to let go of the past, grandfather. It¡¯s not good to dwell on it any further..." Zhao Lifei whispered, hugging her stomach protectively.

    The past was the past, it should remain in the past and not the present or future.

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s face softened. The woman in front of him has be a shell that has suffered immense damage. The cracks were clear, and the high walls she created were even more visible.

    She was severely damaged, and nothing he could do or say could turn back the time.

    "It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯vest had a nice chat over lunch. Let¡¯s not talk about this matter anymore." Zhao Lifei quietly said, her voice barely above a whisper.

    Zhao Moyao sighed. "Alright, I suppose we should get back to ordering our food."

 Chapter 9: Once Upon a Time

    Zhao Lifei knew it was unwise to meddle with Zheng Tianyi anymore. It was especially unwise to try to attack the apple of Zheng Tianyi¡¯s eyes, Xia Mengxi.

    Xia Mengxi was heavily guarded and protected. If one dared to harm his beloved, they would suffer far more than they could afford.

    Because the Zhengs were the third most powerful family in the country, no one dared to antagonize them.

    The previous Zhao Lifei from two years ago was not afraid of the warning signs. She had constantly ced a target on the innocent Xia Mengxi¡¯s back. She went as far as ndering and bullying Xia Mengxi who never fought back.

    In her spite, Zhao Lifei had dug deep into Xia Mengxi¡¯s background, then discovered something she shouldn¡¯t have.

    When she tried to expose her discovery, Xia Mengxi quickly approached Zheng Tianyi first. And because it was the first time she ever asked for his help, Zheng Tianyi was more than willing to help her. It lead to Zhao Lifei¡¯s biggest downfall and the loss of something extremely precious and irreceable.

    Zhao Lifei would never be able to forget the taunting and horrifying memory of Zheng Tianyi¡¯s disgusted stare when she begged him to stay with her. She was on her knees, clinging and grasping to him. And what did he do to the woman who made him the man he was today? He called security to brutally strip her on the streets.

    She was huddled in front of the Zheng Main Mansion and had to call a cab to go home. Luckily, it was night time and there was no paparazzi around to catch the humiliating sight. The word of what happened to her spread like wildfire. Within the span of a couple of hours, Zhao Lifei had lost everything.

    "Xiao Fei, you¡¯re spacing out again." Zhao Moyao chided when he saw Zhao Lifei¡¯s nk stare.

    "I¡¯m sorry grandfather... I just have a lot in my mind." Zhao Lifei sheepishly said while taking a sip of the tea.

    After ordering their food a while ago, the two were almost done eating.

    "I can tell." He hummed, wiping his mouth with the cloth.

    Zhao Lifei smiled at his bluntness. He wasn¡¯t the type of man tofort people or offer them kind words. He showed his affection and kindness towards her in deliberate and small actions that were hard to catch without paying close attention.

    She didn¡¯t mind his behavior.

    "You¡¯re wearing quite professional clothes today." Zhao Moyao pointed out, staring at her white blouse and ck pants.

    "Yes, I was already expecting you might set me up in a meeting as usual when you invited me to a restaurant close to the corporation." Zhao Moyaoughed, the sound warm and hearty. "It seems you¡¯ve already figured out my ns. But not today, my dear. It¡¯s nothing more than a casual lunch." He smiled, setting down his cup of tea.

    Zhao Lifei slowly nodded and in the next thirty minutes, they had brief conversations on thest couple of days that Zhao Moyao was out of town.

    - - - - -

    After the lunch, Zhao Lifei went back home to repeat the same, mundane routine. There was nothing interesting in her life.

    Two years ago, her life used to revolve around Zheng Tianyi and nothing else. Her schedule used to be filled with doing his paperwork, filing his contracts, creating his business ns, and wasting her entire day to help him run hispany.

    Zhao Lifei stepped out of the taxi and picked up her pace when she realized the sky was turning dark. The minute she stepped into therge lobby of Sky Arc Complex, the rain poured down.

    From a tiny droplet to a storm as thunder rumbled in the distance, the rain became a harsh downpour.

    Stepping into the elevators, Zhao Lifei was pleasantly surprised to see the same elevator hostess.

    "Good afternoon, Ms. Zhao!" The woman greeted, bowing at her presence.

    "Good afternoon to you as well." Zhao Lifei offered a warm smile to the elevator hostess who pressed the button to her floor.

    "How was your day? I hope this job isn¡¯t that tiring." Zhao Lifei made small talk with the hostess who instantaneously replied back.

    "It was alright, nothing out of the extraordinary! Aside from standing for a while, it¡¯s not as bad as my previous job." The elevator hostess happily exined.

    Out of all of the wealthy people that walked in and out of her elevator, none of them bothered to smile and talk to her like Zhao Lifei.

    She was really happy to have someone to talk to in such a boring and tiring job. Having to stand nearly all day was extremely tiring, but conversing with Zhao Lifei made her very energetic.

    When she heard the rumors about Zhao Lifei and her the way she used to behave, she was a bit swayed by the opinions of other workers. But now that she had frequent talks with her, it seemed the rumors were nothing but simple gossips.

    "Have a nice day, Ms. Zhao!" The hostess quickly said when the elevator door closed.

    "Thank you, you too!" Zhao Lifei replied with a nod.

    After keying in theplicated twenty letter passcode, scanning a thumb-pad, and then swiping the card key, Zhao Lifei walked into her spacious condo. Because her living room windows were so tall and wide, she could see the rain perfectly. The heavy rain created a very sorrowful and mncholy atmosphere.

    Zhao Lifei removed her coat and set her bag down, then sat by the window to listen to the rain.

    The sound of rain was so soothing, Zhao Lifei felt inclined to y a melody to apany it. She stared at the polished, ck piano sitting at the corner of the room, right beside the window.

    It¡¯s been a couple of weeks since she hadst yed, but the rain created such a perfect setting, she knew she had to y it.

    Zhao Lifei got up from her position and sat in front of the piano. Taking in a deep andposed breath of air, she closed her eyes. Following the tempo of the rain, she allowed her slender fingers to guide itself on the piano.

    In a trance, she allowed herself to y all sorts of sorrowful pieces, starting with Mozart then ending with Beethoven. In her frenzy of ying the piano, her mind began to wander.

    Once upon a time, she was a piano prodigy.

    Before the birth of Zhao Linhua and the neglect of her mother, Zhao Lifei was an award-winning pianist whose performance awed the people into tears. She used to be surrounded by an endless array of trophies, banners, and awards dedicated to her. Anypetition that she joined would be an effortless win.

    When Zhao Linhua was discovered to also be a prodigy, Zhao Lifei was beyond ecstatic. Because she dearly loved her younger sister the minute she picked her up as a baby, she wanted to teach Zhao Linhua the art of the piano.

    It was all fun and games until Zhao Linhua waspared to her older sister. Afterward, Linhua stopped ying the piano and locked herself in her room.

    Zhao Lifei was heartbroken at the news and decided it was best to not outshine her younger sister. Thus, at the young age of fourteen, she ced her blooming career into a halt.

    Stepping into the shadows, she allowed her younger sister to take the limelight.

    And how did Zhao Linhua repay her? By purposefully showing off her parent¡¯s affection in front of Zhao Lifei who got none of it. Not only that, but Zhao Linhua had also chosen Xia Mengxi over her older sister.

    "Never again..." Zhao Lifei muttered to herself when she felt the prickling pain of betrayal.

    As the seconds turned into minutes and minutes into hours, Zhao Lifei practiced from sunset to midnight. She yed nonstop until her fingers were so sore, it could barely move.

    She was so concentrated on the piano, she didn¡¯t notice her shaky hands and the cold sweat on her forehead. Soon, she copsed onto the piano, her eyes watching the window. With the moonlight casting a pale light upon her translucent skin, she fell into a deep sleep gued by nightmares.

 Chapter 10: What Would I Do Without You

    Zhao Lifei groaned to herself when she groggily woke up the next morning, her body sore again.

    "I need to stop this bad habit of sleeping on random surfaces." She sighed after realizing she had fallen asleep on the piano.

    Standing up, she stretched her body, feeling the stiffness in her joints residing the more she stretched. After brushing her teeth and taking a morning shower, she prepped a light breakfast for herself. She sat on the table counter that faced the living room and window. Swinging her legs, she sipped her morning coffee and read the daily newspaper.

    She groaned when her phone suddenly went off. Who would call so early in the morning? It was barely seven o¡¯clock.

    Her eyes flickered with surprise when she saw Yang Ruqin¡¯s caller ID. The minute she picked up, the panicked voice of Yang Ruqin spoke into the phone. "Feifei, what blood type are you?!" Yang Ruqin rushed out, skipping all sorts of greetings.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s face turned serious. Her Qinqin would never skip her usual greetings unless something dire and important had happened.

    "I have AB negative blood, why? What¡¯s wrong?" She asked, hopping off of the bar stool she was sitting on.

    From the other line, Yang Ruqin let out a sigh of relief. AB negative, just what she needed!

    "Where are you right now? Do you think you can make it to First Hospital within the next ten minutes?"

    Zhao Lifei was taken back by her words. First Hospital? Within ten minutes? Was there an emergency?

    "I¡¯ll try to rush the cab, but I can¡¯t make promises." She grabbed her coat and purse, then walked out of her condo.

    "Okay, please hurry!" Yang Ruqin pleaded, her voice bing more anxious.

    "What¡¯s wrong? Is there an emergency? Are you alright?" Zhao Lifei asked, running down the halls and towards the elevator.

    It opened within seconds but with a different elevator host this time. Instead of the usual woman she saw, it was a man who seemed to be a new worker.

    "To the ground floor please." Zhao Lifei quickly told the man.

    "I-I¡¯m fine, b-but my brother..." Yang Ruqin could barely form words or sentences as she spoke to her. She seemed to be shaken up and with each passing second, her voice was beginning to quiver.

    "Your brother? Which one?" Zhao Lifei tried to distract Yang Ruqin from the dire situation at hand.

    She knew it was best to calm her down by attempting to switch the topic.

    Yang Ruqin sniffled. "The older one..." She quietly said. Then there was amotion in the background and the phone clicked off.

    Zhao Lifei frowned, nced at the phone and tried to call Yang Ruqin back, but she wasn¡¯t answering. She rushed out of the elevator.

    Luckily, the streets of Shenbei are popted with taxis and she was able to quickly wave one down.

    "Please reach First Hospital within ten minutes." Zhao Lifei hurriedly pulled out two hundred dors and ced it into the tip jar.

    At such arge amount of money, the taxi driver immediately stepped on the gas. He drove as fast as the speed limit could allow him.

    Sitting in the car, Zhao Lifei worriedly wrung her fingers together. Her soft brows were knitted together as she thought about the possibility of what could¡¯ve happened.

    Yang Ruqin had two older brothers and she was heavily doted on by both of them. They were the ideal older brothers, protective and loving. She loved both of them very dearly and would risk everything for them, so for something to happen to them, of course, her first reaction was to panic.

    Within eight minutes, Zhao Lifei had reached the hospital. She hurriedly paid the driver and dropped more money into the tip jar before rushing into the hospital.

    She called Yang Ruqin again and within the first ring, she picked up. "Qinqin, what room are you in? I just arrived."

    "I¡¯m on the first floor, near the emergency department!" Yang Ruqin said, suddenly standing up with glee.

    "I¡¯m on my way there." Zhao Lifei quickly rushed to the emergency department by following the signs and within two minutes, she had reached Yang Ruqin.

    Yang Ruqin was anxiously pacing back and forth, chewing on her nails.

    "Qinqin!" Zhao Lifei called out, walking towards her.

    "Feifei!" Yang Ruqin quickly went over to Zhao Lifei.

    The minute she was within arm¡¯s length, she tightly hugged Zhao Lifei ¡ª clinging onto her like a ko.

    "What¡¯s wrong? Why did you ask for my blood type?" Zhao Lifei asked, eyeing the tall men surrounding the spacious hallway. The men were extremely well built and all of them wore sunsses. She recognized them as bodyguards, but didn¡¯t expect so many of them.

    "My brother! He¡¯s gotten in a really bad ident and needs blood transfusion ASAP. But there were a lot of emergencies at the hospital and they¡¯ve ran out of AB negative blood in their storage unit!" Yang Ruqinined, inwardly cursing the hospital.

    She was definitely going toin to her parents! The Yangs were not a force to be messed with. Their power and wealth were even crazier than the Zhaos, and their influence was endless.

    With a hand in different businesses ranging from hotels, oils, restaurants, military, government, and politics, they were a very powerful family with immense backings. How could they run out of AB negative blood at such a crucial moment? Especially when they have Yang Enterprise¡¯s CEO in their care?!

    "I know this is a super weird question but¡ª"

    "Of course, go ahead and take my blood." Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t even need a deep exnation.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s eyes lit up in glee. "Really?! You¡¯re the best, Feifei!" She eximed, jumping up and down.

    Zhao Lifeiughed at her energizer bunny.

    Yang Ruqin turned towards one of her bodyguards. "My Feifei here said she will donate her blood, so hurry and call the doctor!" She ordered. The man quickly rushed off without another word.

    Yang Ruqin turned to face Zhao Lifei again. "Oh Feifei, I don¡¯t know what I could do without you!" She hugged her tighter, not wanting to let go of her loving friend.

 Chapter 11: Nothing To Be Afraid Of

    When the man came back, there were two nurses following after him.

    The entire process was very quick. After a few questions and tests that confirmed Zhao Lifei was in fact, AB negative, they disinfected the area, prepped Zhao Lifei and began to extract the blood.

    After two pints of blood, one of the nurses pulled out the needle and ced it onto the cart. "Alright, you¡¯re all good to go." The nurse smiled.

    Zhao Lifei stood up to bid the nurse goodbye, but she felt drowsy. The world seemed to sway from side to side and her vision was beginning to blur.

    "Feifei, are you alright?" Yang Ruqin frowned. Her eyebrows were knitted together in worry.

    "I-I¡¯m fine." Zhao Lifei lied, her voiceing out tired and weak.

    The nurse quickly realized the situation. They had taken too much blood out of her!

    "Here ma¡¯am, have some green juice and apple slices from the hospital cafeteria. It¡¯ll help with your drowsy state." The nurse handed her a ss of green liquid and a te of apples.

    "Thank you." Zhao Lifei said, taking the food offered to her. She sat back down to quietly munch and drink the juice.

    "We¡¯ll start the surgery now." The nurse said, wheeling the blood into a different room. After a few minutes, the surgery sign turned on.

    Yang Ruqin sat in her chair, nervously nibbling her bottom lips as she patiently waited for the surgery to be over with.

    Zhao Lifei noticed how anxious Yang Ruqin was. She was shaking one of her legs and tapping her fingers on her thighs. Knowing it was best to keep Yang Ruqin¡¯s thoughts distracted, Zhao Lifei decided to probe and ask questions.

    "Mm, Qinqin, you never told me which brother it was. Was it the first or second brother?" Zhao Lifei asked, sipping her juice and eating the fruits.

    "Surprisingly, it¡¯s Feng-ge..." Yang Ruqin sighed.

    ¡¯Feng-ge...?¡¯ Zhao Lifei felt a light buzz in her head. The name sounded so familiar. Where had she heard it before?

    Zhao Lifei had known Yang Ruqin since they were mere babies, but she didn¡¯t remember any encounters with Yang Ruqin¡¯s older brother, considering he was a bit older than them.

    "The reports are iming it¡¯s a car ident, but my parents started a government investigation... They think it¡¯s an assassination attempt." Yang Ruqin yed with her fingers. Her usual bubbly and energetic voice was soft and quiet.

    Zhao Lifei felt her heart clench at Yang Ruqin¡¯s state. She leaned closer and pulled her into a sideways hug so that Yang Ruqin was resting her head on Zhao Lifei¡¯s shoulders.

    "I-I know I shouldn¡¯t worry because assassination attempts happen all the time to rich and powerful men. But none of them ever came this close."

    Being a multi-billion business tycoon at the young age of twenty-seven, Yang Ruqin¡¯s brother had gotten used to all sorts of attacks on him. He was usually prepared, but this time, he had let his guard down.

    "W-what if, next time, the assassins seed?" Yang Ruqin was so shaken at the thought, she could barely speak properly.

    Zhao Lifei hugged Yang Ruqin tighter. "Qinqin, that¡¯s never going to happen. Your brother has the military and undergroundwork one call away. Whoever did that to him was just lucky he was distracted with a very important contract deal."

    "But what if-"

    "There¡¯s no what if¡¯s. Have faith in your brother." Zhao Lifei knew Yang Ruqin was the type to overthink the situation. It was best to shoot her down so that she didn¡¯t jump to new conclusions within the span of five seconds.

    Just when Zhao Lifei said that, the surgery light flickered off. A doctor and a few nurses walked out of the room. The two immediately stood up. When the doctor bowed low in respect, Yang Ruqin and Zhao Lifei also bowed.

    "Doctor, how is he?" Yang Ruqin worriedly asked.

    The doctor smiled, "His condition is very stabilized. The surgery was an immense sess and he should be awake within 2-3 days."

    "You may visit him in the VVIP ward assigned by the hospital¡¯s chairman." The doctor nodded toward the nurses who stepped forward as a guide.

    The VIP ward was an expensive and impressive feat, but the VVIP ward was somethingpletely different. Only the president, the prime minister, and extremely high ranking military officials could enter the room.

    It wasn¡¯t something that money or status could buy, but Yang Ruqin¡¯s older brother could easily and effortlessly gain entrance.

    When they stepped into the room, most people would¡¯ve been shocked or awed at the grand space. However, Zhao Lifei and Yang Ruqin were famous socialites. They grew up in wealth; nothing ever fazed them.

    The nurses were surprised to see their nonchnt and nd expression. Most people, regardless of their wealth or standing, would at least be slightly impressed by the gorgeous room suitable for royalty.

    The VVIP hospital ward looked like one of the fancy rooms in the Buckingham Pce, yet these women stood there,pletely unfazed!

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s brother was wheeled into the room and ced on the bed. After having him stabilized and hooked up to the devices, everyone left the room.

    Just when the doors clicked shut, Zhao Lifei¡¯s phone rang. The name "Wang Nuoli" popped up. Yang Ruqin saw the caller and frowned. "Pick it up, let¡¯s see what the Wicked Witch of the West wants."

    Zhao Lifei picked up the phone and ced it on speaker. Instantly, the frigid voice of her mother sounded through.

    "Well?! Are youing or not? Why have you been ignoring my texts?!" Once again, Wang Nuoli was at the end of her wits. She had been texting Zhao Lifei the entire day, but had gotten no reply!

    "Mother, I was busy and upied with something important." Zhao Lifei checked her phone and realized it was on ¡¯do not disturb.¡¯ When she turned off the setting, 30 texts flooded her phone.

    "Busy and upied?! Your family shoulde first, you insolent wench!" A vein popped out of Wang Nuoli¡¯s forehead.

    Yang Ruqin scowled at the woman¡¯s tone. There had never been a time where Wang Nuoli spoke nicely to her Feifei, and it was beginning to piss Yang Ruqin off.

    "What is your point in calling me? Cut to the chase, mother. I have something urgent on hand." Zhao Lifei nced at Yang Ruqin¡¯s stormy expression.

    "Inpatient brat, I haven¡¯t started my lecture yet¡ª"

    "Your lecture is ten years toote." Zhao Lifei sniped, her words as sharp as a de.

    Wang Nuoli breathed in deeply. She calmed herself down and reminded herself that she was talking to Zhao Lifei for the sake of her precious daughter, Zhao Linhua.

    "Your beloved sister¡¯s birthday is a few days away. Are youing or not?" Wang Nuoli pestered on.

    Suddenly, a n popped into Yang Ruqin¡¯s head.

    Zhao Lifie pursed her lips. "I¡¯m not¡ª"

    Yang Ruqin snatched her phone, "She¡¯s going."

    And without waiting for Wang Nuoli¡¯s reply, Yang Ruqin hung up. Zhao Lifei gasped. She could not believe Qinqin just did that to her! Was Yang Ruqin out of her mind? Did she forget to take her medicine this morning?!

    "Qinqin, are you crazy?! Why are you throwing me into the tiger¡¯s den?" Zhao Lifei scowled, angrily crossing her arms.

    "Feifei, I wouldn¡¯t do that without a bigger n in mind." Yang Ruqin chuckled, a dark and mischievous smirk forming on her face.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s frown deepened. She hated when Yang Ruqin smiled like that because that smile always meant she was up to no good.

    "We both know that bastard Zheng Tianyi and the stupid Xia Mengxi would definitely be there since Zhao Linhua was their biggest supporter." Yang Ruqinid out her n.

    "As much as I hate to say it, Zheng Tianyi¡¯s reputation is supreme. There are only a handful of men in this country who can top it. And it just so happens, my outstanding brother with a better surname than the Zheng¡¯s, Yang Yulong just happens to be free on the night of Zhao Linhua¡¯s birthday!" Yang Ruqin gleefully pped her hands.

    Zhao Lifei frowned. She didn¡¯t like where this n was going...

    "I can get Yang Yulong to be your date for her banquet!" Yang Ruqin happily said, her eyes shining at the opportunity of face-pping Zheng Tianyi.

 Chapter 12: Perfect Plan

    "Qinqin, there¡¯s no way that yer would agree." Zhao Lifei sighed.

    Everyone knew Yang Yulong was a yboy. He changed women like he changed clothes. Unlike his frigid and aloof brother, Yulong had a very nice and easy going personality.

    But despite his happy-go-lucky attitude, he was not a man people should trifle with. When he was upset, the air around him was like a blizzard. He was rarely angry, but when he was, people tended to run faster than they could think.

    A murderous expression, a merciless glint, he was the type of man to kill someone with a smile.

    Although Yang Yulong was always surrounded by women, he had never taken any of them as partners to banquets, celebrations, anniversaries, or any other public gatherings. He was notorious for having many female friends, but not that many lovers.

    Perhaps he didn¡¯t like the idea of being tied down by a rtionship, but in his lifetime, Yang Yulong had only two lovers and both of their identities were unknown.

    He rarely did favors for anyone, even when it came to his own friends and family members. The only person he¡¯d dly listen to was his older brother because Yang Yulong looked up to him a lot.

    "Now, that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong, Feifei. My brother might be a hard-head, but he¡¯ll listen to me if his beloved brother¡¯s life was saved by you." Yang Ruqin chuckled. She knew Yang Yulong¡¯s only weakness was their older brother.

    "I¡¯ll even add in the part where you donated so much blood, you nearly fainted!" Yang Ruqin added on, smiling with glee. Blinded by the desire for sess, she thought her n was practically wless, and to some extent, it was.

    Yang Yulong doted on his sister far more than the eldest brother. Whenever Yang Ruqin threw a tantrum, he was the first to bend to her will and wishes.

    "Uhmm I¡¯m unsure about this." Zhao Lifei said. She thought about the ring w of the n.

    Yang Yulong was known to pamper and cater to his younger sister¡¯s every whim, but when it came to rtionships and women, it was hard to change his mind.

    For him to be surrounded by so many beautiful women with various features and backgrounds, yet not bothering to bring any of them as his date, he probably had very important reasons.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t want to pry and force the man to apany her.

    "What¡¯s wrong with my perfect n?" Yang Ruqin naively asked. She thought nothing could go wrong, yet her precious Feifei doubted her impable n.

    "Zheng Tianyi is not the type of man to care who I walk into the banquet with." Zhao Lifei knew better than anyone else that making Zheng Tianyi jealous was practically an impossible dream. The man had everything he ever wanted, what was there to be jealous about? He ced his pride and dreams over reality¡¯s harsh truth.

    Even if Zhao Lifei¡¯s partner was truly of higher ss and wealth than him, Zheng Tianyi would be blinded by the delusion of a male lead ¡ª that he was perfect in every way.

    He would neverment and think any man was higher than him when his head lived in the clouds of illusions that made him think he was already the best man in this country.

    "If Xia Mengxi is present, he will see no one else except for her. The world will just be a blur to him." Zhao Lifei added on.

    It was true. His eyes always centered on Xia Mengxi and no one else. She was the apple of his eye and when she stepped into the room, everything around her was insignificant. Their love story was truly dreamy and something that walked out of a cliche fairytale. But what could Zhao Lifei say? It was the simple and undeniable truth.

    "Besides, I¡¯m over him." Zhao Lifei¡¯s determined voice cracked at the end. As much as she wanted to deny the truth, she couldn¡¯t. She wanted to convince herself that she was already over him, but a tiny part of her heart painfully ached for him.

    It¡¯s hard to forget your first love, but it¡¯s even harder to forget the man you¡¯ve grown up and gotten ustomed to.

    Growing up, she was preached to by her peers and rtives that she was the perfect partner for him. For a long period of time, she swallowed their lies. The words got to her head and made her delusional.

    She thought nothing coulde in between their love when in reality it waspletely one-sided. Zhao Lifei had to learn this lesson the hard way.

    And in order to prevent herself from ever experiencing such a painful experience, she ced high and unbreakable walls around her heart ¡ª forever locking it away.

    "Fine, we¡¯ll ignore that despicable Zheng. Let¡¯s focus on something else, like face pping Linhua and your birth-givers! Make them regret abandoning you!" Yang Ruqin jumped onto the next train of boosting Zhao Lifei¡¯s rank into the air.

    Her eyes shined at the opportunity of ruining the lives of people that once tried to ruin her precious Feifei¡¯s life. What her own family did to her was beyond cruel; how could blood be so thin to them?

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t reply. She hugged her stomach and thought about it Qinqin¡¯s words.

    While Zhao Lifei was lost in thought, Yang Ruqin pulled out her phone.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t pay any attention to her because she thought Ruqin was scrolling through her designer contact book in search of a dress.

    But then she noticed Yang Ruqin furiously texting someone with a mischievous and evil glint in her eyes.

    Zhao Lifei squinted and nearly gasped at the contact of the person.

    "You didn¡¯t-"

    "Oh yes, I did!" Yang Ruqin happily sang her sentence.

    "You brat! You really texted your brother!" Zhao Lifei hissed in anger.

    How could Qinqin go behind her back to scheme a n right in front of her?

    Why didn¡¯t she take into consideration that Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t want to go through with the n?!

    Yang Ruqin giggled, barely hiding her bright smile. "One day you¡¯ll thank me for this amazing opportunity!" She gleefully pped her hands.

    "Or one day you¡¯ll wake up underwater in Cuba." Zhao Lifei muttered, angrily crossing her arms.

    Suddenly, a ding went off, and Yang Ruqin pulled out her phone.

    She squealed at the message, her loud pitch nearly deafening Zhao Lifei.

    "Feifei, he said sure!" Yang Ruqinughed, happily pping her hands again. She resembled an adorable seal that got its wish.

    "There¡¯s no way he actually epted the request-" Zhao Lifei gasped in disbelief.

    "But he did!" Yang Ruqin happily sang, cing the phone in front of Zhao Lifei¡¯s face.

    In a bright green text bubble, it read, "Sure, I don¡¯t mind."

 Chapter 13: Unexpected Encounter

    After Yang Yulong had readily agreed to the n within the span of three seconds, Zhao Lifei knew that she was cornered with nowhere to run to. So, she willingly surrendered to Yang Ruqin¡¯s n and prayed for the best.

    Right after Yang Yulong agreed to the n, Yang Ruqin¡¯s phone went off. Her manager had called Yang Ruqin to audition, for a perfume campaign of a very prominentpany. With no power to go against her stern manager, Yang Ruqin remorsefully parted ways with Zhao Lifei.

    Sometimes, it amused Zhao Lifei how clingy Yang Ruqin was. They¡¯ve been like this since they were in diapers...

    Zhao Lifei walked out of the hospital and realized how early in the afternoon it was. The sun was bright in the sky, and it was only two in the afternoon.

    Because her schedule was nk without any important meetings with her grandfather, Zhao Lifei decided to burn some time and roam around the streets of Shenbei.

    After a few hours of mindless window shopping, enjoying lunch at a cute little cafe, and visiting the closest bookstore, the sun was finally going down.

    Zhao Lifei nced at her watch and was surprised to read it was six o¡¯clock. She was more surprised that even after her long walks, she was still within the vicinity of First Hospital. As a matter of fact, the enormous white building was just across the street.

    Deciding that it was best to go home, she was prepared to hail a cab home, but something caught her attention.

    An old grandmother was selling vegetables, but she didn¡¯t seem to have done a lot of business. Her cart was still full, despite the long day she spent trying to sell them.

    Zhao Lifei hurriedly walked to the nearest corner store, bought a packet of hand warmers, then walked to the elderly woman.

    "Good afternoon, ma¡¯am." Zhao Lifei politely greeted the old woman.

    She was surprised at the sight of a wide variety of locally grown vegetables. They seemed to be really fresh and well-grown.

    "Good afternoon, youngdy." The woman smiled, revealing fine likes of wrinkles of an aged grandmother.

    "It¡¯s quite cold tonight, this should warm you up." Zhao Lifei ced the hand warmer into the granny¡¯s hand, surprising her in the process.

    "Oh my, thank you, dear. I didn¡¯t think youngsters these days were so polite." She brightly said, cing a few extra pieces of vegetables into Zhao Lifei¡¯s bag for free.

    "Ah, there¡¯s no need-" But it was toote, the woman had already ced a few additional things into Zhao Lifei¡¯s bag.

    "Don¡¯t worry dear. Kindness is priceless." The woman smiled again, her eyes crinkling.

    Zhao Lifei bit her lips and decided that it was best to buy more. The vegetables were decently priced, maybe a bit lower than themercially grown supermarket nts, but the grandmother was really humble about the prices.

    "Oh my, what a big family you have to feed." The granny chuckled at the amount of vegetable that Zhao Lifei was buying.

    "No, no, I don¡¯t have a family. I just really enjoy eating vegetables." Zhao Lifei chuckled at the idea of a family. Did she look that old? Perhaps a new mother? The sudden thought of bing a mother prickled her heart. Suddenly, painful memories threatened to resurface, but Zhao Lifei managed topose herself and push them down.

    "My grandfather really like organic and locally grown food from the countryside. He thinks it¡¯s healthier." Zhao Lifei exined, picking up a few more leafy greens.

    She hadn¡¯t made him home-cooked meals in a while and thought it might be a good gesture to visit him soon and cook for him.

    "Indeed it is." The woman nodded to herself, weighing the vegetables that Zhao Lifei picked up.

    There was something suspicious about this kind and gentle grandmother, but Zhao Lifei ignored it. She med it on the night sky and the unttering light of the streetmps.

    "You should go home now, youngdy. It¡¯s getting quite dark. It¡¯s not good for a beautiful woman like you to roam around the streets." The granny worriedly said, hurriedly packing up the vegetables.

    "Thank you, granny. I hope you¡¯re nning on going home early as well. The cold is settling in. It¡¯s not good for your health and body." Zhao Lifei took off the scarf she wore and ced it around the woman¡¯s neck.

    If this was the old Zhao Lifei, she wouldn¡¯t have cared about the elders. She used to think that they talked too slow or nagged too much. But after maturing in two years, she had long retracted that belief.

    Now, she valued her elders a lot more and worried about them.

    "Oh my, what a lovely scarf! Are you sure you want to give it away?" The woman asked, her hands lightly touching the soft material.

    Zhao Lifei readily nodded. "Of course. It will keep you warm." She said, helping the woman wrap it around her neck.

    "Thank you, dearie. You¡¯re simply too kind. " The women warmly said, as her wrinkled hands patted Zhao Lifei¡¯s contrasting smooth hand.

    "Now, off you go. Wouldn¡¯t want you to get home sote." The woman jokingly shooed Zhao Lifei away. She lightlyughed and after bidding the woman goodbye, she began to walk away.

    The entire time she walked off, she didn¡¯t realize the heavy stare on her back. The gaze had been on her for a while now, starting from the first moment that Zhao Lifei decided to buy a pack of hand warmers...

    The man was surprised to see Zhao Lifei act so politely towards the elderly. He thought she wasn¡¯t capable of kindness and cing the need of others above her own...

    Was that really Zhao Lifei?

    No, it was probably just some woman that looked like her. The Zhao Lifei that he knew, was a vengeful and cruel woman who wouldn¡¯t understand the word "kindness" even if you tied her down and forced her to memorize it.

    Zheng Tianyi took onest puff of his cigarette before throwing it on the ground and stubbing it with the heel of his leather shoes.

    He was originally going to visit the hospital when he heard Yang Enterprise¡¯s Big Boss was gravely injured in a horrific car ident.

    Zheng Tianyi didn¡¯t n to see Zhao Lifei, but his intrigued eyes couldn¡¯t help but follow her interactions with the elderly grandmother. He was so surprised to see her act that way, he was inclined to look on further to prove that it was truly Zhao Lifei he was staring at.

    But his car was a good few meters away from the cart, so it was hard to catch a glimpse of the woman.

    "Sir, it¡¯s not good to stand in the cold for so long. We should head inside and pay our respects to CEO Yang." His private secretary, Chen Xing, a beautiful woman in her early twenties, spoke up.

    She was curious about what he had been staring at while he was smoking, but because Zheng Tianyi¡¯s frame was so tall and she was standing on his left side, she couldn¡¯t see anything.

    "Fine, let¡¯s go." Zheng Tianyi curtly said. He strolled into the hospital with his hands tucked into the pockets of his fitted suit.

    Cheng Xing followed him but stood one step behind him out of respect. She checked her tablet and realized there was a new message.

    "Madam Wang¡¯s daughter, Zhao Linhua¡¯s birthday ising up. She has invited you toe, will you ept the invitation?" Chen Xing ryed the message.

    Zheng Tianyi didn¡¯t think his decision through before answering her.

    "Reject it. I don¡¯t have time for these useless birthday banquets." Zheng Tianyi walked through the automatic sliding doors of the hospital and made his way to the elevator.

    "Ah, but Ms. Mengxi is a friend of Zhao Linhua and has expressed interests-"

    "Then ept the invitation." Zheng Tianyi smiled at the opportunity of making Xia Mengxi happy.

    Recently, they¡¯ve gotten into a small misunderstanding, and she was angry at him.

    Perhaps this birthday banquet would cheer her up...

 Chapter 14: Old Money

    After hauling the vegetables into a cab, Zhao Lifei made a mental note to start using her car. She sometimes liked riding in a cab because she didn¡¯t have to do the driving.

    But as much as she liked it when other people, drove her, she was very reluctant on the idea of hiring a personal chauffeur.

    Her grandfather had consistently insisted she get one, but Zhao Lifei liked the cabs better.

    It was always at her disposal and didn¡¯t require the awkwardness of having a person wait for you the entire day, only to realize she might not leave her house.

    Half way into the route, Zhao Lifei decided it might be a good time to pay her grandfather a visit and cook him the dishes with the new vegetables she brought. She told the cab driver the change in direction and after seeing her ce a hefty tip into the jar, he happily obliged.

    Zhao Lifei decided to text her grandfather in advance to warn him that she would being over. Because Zhao Moyao was such a workaholic, if no one told him toe home, he would probably be buried within his office.

    Luckily, Li Xuan was always there to remind him of the time. Zhao Lifei¡¯s grandmother had passed away long before she was born, so she never got to know the woman.

    She sometimes thought her grandfather was very lonely because he wasn¡¯t surrounded by any of his grandchildren.

    But then Zhao Lifei realized he enjoyed the quiet life more than a loud and bubbly one.

    He refused to stay-in contact with many of his grandchildren. So far, there was only three that was able to capture his attention. He ced his business over family, and unless his grandchildren had something to contribute to the Zhao Corp., he wouldn¡¯t spare them a second nce.

    Zhao Lifei knew half of the reason why her grandfather was so fond of her was because she was the youngest in the family to get a decree from Harvard¡¯s Business School.

    Zhao Lifei was only twenty when she graduated from college earlier than any of her peers. Because of her demonstrated abilities of handling Zheng Corp. by herself in Zheng Tianyi¡¯s absence, Zhao Moyao had realized there was actually a very important worth in Zhao Lifei.

    Zhao Moyao had seen Zhao Lifei¡¯s hidden potential. Luckily, she was still young and was at the ripe age of twenty-three, which made her a very suitable candidate for training ¡ª not that she needed a lot.

    He was very impressed with her capabilities.

    Within the short span of one year, she had significantly increased Zheng Corp¡¯s value in the stock market, something nearly impossible.

    It made Zhao Moyao very curious of what else she could do. He was very good at keeping a close eye on Lifei, but there was one thing she was able to effortlessly hide from him: her private investmentpany, Feili Corp., which was run by a decoy CEO.

    "Ma¡¯am, the front entrance is blocked." The cab driver nervously told the woman.

    Standing tall in all of its full glory was a high and unscble fence. There was an intricately designed metal door with incredibly high security ced in front of the entrance.

    "That¡¯s alright, I can handle it from here. Thank you for the ride." Zhao Lifei paid for the ride and gathered her bags of vegetables.

    There were four men, two on each side of the tall entrance, guarding the door. They were dressed in ck from head to toe, with sunsses, and a face of cold determination. Zhao Lifei knew they had concealed weapons within their suits.

    She ignored the men and walked to the private keypad. The men didn¡¯t move, but their eyes silently scrutinized her for any threats.

    Zhao Lifei pressed an overlyplicated password, did an eye and finger print scan, then finally, the monitor beeped to reveal an elderly butler.

    It was hard for people to gain ess to Zhao Moyao¡¯s main mansion. Only a handful of people had free ess, whereas the rest had to meet him in his second or third mansion. Not even Zhao Lifei¡¯s own father or other cousins had the freedom to enter and leave the Main Mansion as they pleased ¡ª unlike Zhao Lifei.

    "Mr. Tang, it has been a while." Zhao Lifei smiled when she saw the familiar butler whose family had served the Zhaos for many generations. Because the Zhao was old money who held wealth for many generations, their roots in this country was deep.

    The Tang family had been very close friends with the Zhao family, since a century ago. Their bond ran deep and was practically inseparable.

    "Indeed, Miss Zhao, it has been quite a while since you¡¯ve visited the main mansion. As per usual, there will be a private chauffeur that wille to pick you up."

    The front entrance was only the firstyer of security.

    Beyond it was a well-guarded long path that was lined with hidden weapons and men.

    Since the path to the mansion was so long, there was always a private driver that would take the people from the front entrance all the way up the hill and into the house.

    Just when the butler finished speaking, the gate opened and a sleek ck car greeted Zhao Lifei. She carefully climbed into the car. The men in front immediately moved to ce her groceries into the car.

    "Thank you." She warmly told them.

    If they were surprised by her words, they didn¡¯t show it. Instead, the men politely nodded at her and shut the door.

    The car ride to the main mansion was quick and within three minutes, she had reached the front door. Mr. Tang was already at the entrance waiting for her with a warm towel in his hand. A small group of maids apanied him with their head bend.

    "Wee home, Miss Lifei." The butler warmly greeted her, offering a gentle smile.

    "Yes, it¡¯s good to be home." Zhao Lifei fondly said, chuckling to herself at the good memories spend in this house.

    "Please,e in. Master Zhao has been informed of your presence and should arrive very soon." The butler guided Zhao Lifei into the expansive and enormous house.

    He signaled the maid to bring the groceries into the kitchen. Judging by therge amount of food, she brought, he figured she would probably cook for Zhao Moyao.

    "I will take your coat and inform the chefs to prepare the kitchen for you." The butler said. He elegantly took Zhao Lifei¡¯s coat and then guided her to the living room.

    "Thank you, Mr. Tang," She said with a bright smile.

    Despite the long years that she had known this man, he was forever polite.

    It was within his blood to be this regal and elegant. He had always been this way, ever since she was a baby.

    "Please, Miss Lifei, there is no need to thank me." Mr. Tang had a very fond expression on his typically stern-face. The maid apanying him was new to the mansion and was quite surprised to see the typically stony face man have such an adoring expression.

 Chapter 15: World of Black and White

    When Zhao Moyao came home, he was surprised to smell a familiar aroma that brought back memories of the past. He followed the savory scent to the dining hall where the dishes were alreadyid out.

    "Grandfather, you¡¯re home early." Zhao Lifei walked out from the kitchen with two more tes of food.

    "Hm, what did you do this time?" Zhao Moyao chuckled at the premium treatment he was receiving.

    His lovely granddaughter was cooking his favorite dishes that his wife used to cook before she passed away.

    "You always assume the worst, grandfather." Zhao Lifei mused at his skeptical behavior.

    In the past, she used to curry his favors by cooking his favorite dishes, but now, she did it to have family bonding time with the only rtive she could ever consider "family."

    Zhao Lifei has a lot of blood-rted acquaintances, but there was a small handful that was considered "rtives." She had a long line of titled aunties and uncles, but not many of them actually cared about her.

    For as long as Zhao Lifei could remember, she always dined alone.

    Mother dearest always seemed busy with her fashion line, whereas father dearest was too busy in his office. But Zhao Lifei knew it was because they couldn¡¯t stomach food around her, knowing she was the biggest mistake of their seemingly perfect marriage.

    Sitting in an enormous dining hall filled with an eerie silence, maids and butlers at her whim, warm but tasteless food, brightly lit but ck and white world, that was all Zhao Lifei remembered from her childhood.

    Unlike her friends who enjoyed food with a table filled with happy chatter, Zhao Lifei dined with her imaginary friends and family.

    The room would be filled with the quiet sound of utensils slicing through food, metal against porcin, and endless minutes of wondering if her parents would finally join her for dinner...

    "I have to assume the worst in order to prepare myself for the best." Zhao Moyao said, sitting down at the head of the long dinner table.

    "Don¡¯t worry Grandfather, I didn¡¯t do anything bad this time." Sheughed, setting down thest dish before sitting down in the seat right beside him.

    "I made your favorites this time, the ingredients were really fresh. I bought them from this really nice granny." Zhao Lifei smiled as she ced steamed fish, braised chicken, and stir-fried green beans into his rice bowl.

    Had this been anyone else, Zhao Moyao would¡¯ve pushed the rice bowl away. He disliked it when someone meddled with his food, especially by cing various dishes into it. But this was his precious Xiao Fei and he would never do something like that to her.

    Seeing her bright and hopeful eyes, Zhao Moyao happily ate. Their conversation was lively and filled with chatter.

    The world before Zhao Lifei was shimmering with light, warmth, and color. It was nothing like the meals she used to have as a child.

    The servants quietly watched from the corner of the room with their heads slightly bend low.

    They couldn¡¯t believe their usual cold-hearted and quiet Master was capable of smiling and interacting with one of his grandchildren. They¡¯ve rarely seen any of his grandchildren weed into the Zhao Main Mansion.

    Zhao Moyao refused to acknowledge his long line of grandsons and granddaughters who he deemed useless and spoiled.

    He always said, ¡¯So what if they share my blood? Do they share half of mypetence, brain, and hard work? No. Everything was handed to them on a golden tter.¡¯

    He was his grandchildren¡¯s harshest critic. No matter how hard they¡¯ve tried, not many of them were able to curry his favor.

    But Zhao Lifei was different.

    She knew the right cards to y, the right things to say, and the right moves to make. For as long as Zhao Lifei could remember, she was always trailing after her grandfather, ever since she was a child.

    When he pushed her away, she still followed after him. When he walked faster just to lose her, Zhao Lifei¡¯s stubby legs would run after him.

    Zhao Moyao always gave a test to his grandchildren.

    He would visit them when they were young and too tender to face a grumpy and terrifying face. If they ran or cower away from him, he would not care for them. Why should he care for children that were scared of him, but then only loved him after realizing the wealth he had?

    Unlike many of her older cousins, Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t flinch at his gaze. Instead, she stared right into it.

    She was familiar with cold, judging features and expressions. Growing up with rtives that wore fake smiles and secretly shunned her behind her back, Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t see faces ¡ª she saw the wicked shadows of their heart.

    Zhao Moyao was one of the rare people that shone with brightness. His face wasn¡¯t hidden by a mask of false love. His face wasn¡¯t hidden by malicious shadows, instead, she saw his grumpy and ferocious expression as clear as day.

    His face was always scrunched up in a permanent scowl, but his eyes were gentle. He was one of the first people to look at her for the girl she truly was and not some unwanted mistake.

    "Gwandpaw!" Was the first thing she said when she saw him. Instead of hiding behind her mother¡¯s legs, she ran straight to him with a smile.

    Zhao Moyao was caught off guard by the angelic smile and immediately retraced his steps. He turned his back to her and walked away.

    But Zhao Lifei was stubborn and didn¡¯t want to lose the light. So, she chased after him with her crooked smile, cheerfulughter, and childish names. Her constant pestering and attempts to worm her way into his heart worked, and soon, she found a safe ce within it.

    But adorable and innocent smiles wasn¡¯t enough to win the man over.

    When she was only six years old, he took her to do an IQ test. With a score higher than any of his grandchildren, he saw the first seed of potential.

    The tiny glimmer bloomed into a magnificent flower when she graduated from elementary school, middle school, high school, and even college early! She was at the top of her sses and all of her teachers talked about her great potential.

    Zhao Moyao was the first to witness what she could do.

    At the young age of twenty-one, when most wealthy socialites her age was out partying and drinking, Zhao Lifei was buried under mountains of paperwork.

    She handled nearly all of Zheng Corporation¡¯s contracts, investments, project proposals, and private funds. She was able to perfectly calcte all of the potential ies from projects and investments, it made Zhao Moyao realize how much of a hidden weapon she was.

    In a society ruled by finance and business, Zhao Lifei¡¯s impable ability would bring her very far.

    But then her wings were cut off by a man.

    She lost sight of who she was and for two long years, Zhao Lifei was a shell of who she used to be.

    Terrified of sitting behind an office desk, shaking at the idea of doing paperwork, she seemed traumatized by something and Zhao Moyao couldn¡¯t ce a finger on it.

    He didn¡¯t know the tragic ident that had befallen Zhao Lifei when she overworked and stressed herself out. He didn¡¯t know what she lost in that cold, dark office room filled with the sound of a pen against paper...

 Chapter 16: Suddenly Vanished

    After having dinner with her grandfather and avoiding his constant nagging that she should move into the Zhao Main Mansion, instead of living alone in a condo on the other side of the city, Zhao Lifei finally went home.

    Copsing onto her bed, she was prepared to sleep, but then her phone rang. Tiredly, she reached for her purse. Without looking at the contact info, she picked up the phone.

    "Hello...?" She tiredly mumbled, her eyes threatening to fall asleep.

    "Feifei, are you up?" The quiet and hesitant voice of Yang Ruqin was enough to make Zhao Lifei sit up on her bed.

    "Yes, what¡¯s up? Are you alright? Is your brother alright?" Zhao Lifei asked. She was no longer exhausted after hearing the worried voice of her friend.

    "He¡¯s fine, but mom and dad are having trouble finding the assassin...Apparently, every camera footage was cut off during the scene of the crime, and none of the police could find anything." Yang Ruqin exined, sitting alone in her multi-million condo. She started out the window, her eyes were misty and tired.

    "For him to nearly seed and have the ability to wipe out all of the cameras within the vicinity prove he¡¯s not a simple man." Zhao Lifei frowned, getting up from her bed and turning on herputer.

    "I-I know...Mom and dad were thinking of hiring some private hackers, but they¡¯re not sure who to trust. Yulong wanted to use his underground resources, but my parents severely rejected the idea because they¡¯re really paranoid about the media and Feng-ge¡¯s enemies finding out about this mess." Yang Ruqin heavily sighed at the situation at hand.

    The Yang family, unlike the Zhao, was not built upon the foundation of having old roots in the city. Their connection was far beyond that. A few generations ago, they came from the dark underground world filled with violence and crimes.

    They had a Mafia background ever since the beginning of their time, and it wasn¡¯t until recently did they resurface into the light by conquering the business world. Lead by the tyranny of the previous head of the Yang family, Yang Ruqin¡¯s grandfather, they became the strongest family this country had ever seen.

    All of their Underground backgrounds were expertly hidden, and after a vow made by the current Head Monarch, they promised to be civil and peaceful members of society.

    Many of the Yang family went against this decision, but one ruling from Yang Feng himself was enough to silence his entire n.

    And because Yang Ruqin¡¯s father was raised without the harshness of the Underground world, he didn¡¯t acquaint himself with the resources he had at hand. But his eldest son was different.

    Instead of focusing solely on the Business world and keeping his hands clean from blood, like his father, Yang Feng walked into the Mafia world. Apanying his grandfather at a very young age, Yang Feng learned both the trades of the Business world and Mafia life. And after seeing his older brother dive himself into the Underworld, Yang Yulong also became apart of it.

    Now that Yang Feng had apany to manage and run, Yang Yulong became his second-inmand in order to prevent the Underworld from going rampant.

    "It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯vest talked to him, but I will contact Lu Minhong and see if he can dig anything up." Zhao Lifei said after a long pause. She ced Ruqin on speaker and then texted him.

    "Lu Minhong? Oh my goodness, why didn¡¯t I think of him?!" Yang Ruqin gasped, nearly forgetting her old friend.

    She wasn¡¯t as close to him as Zhao Lifei was. Unlike Zhao Lifei, Yang Ruqin rarely reached out for his help.

    "I haven¡¯t talked to him in ages, I wonder if he still remembers me." Yang Ruqin thoughtfully said as she reminisced about her high school days.

    Together, Zhao Lifei, Yang Ruqin, and Lu Minhong were the ultimate trio of their high school. One was armed with the brain, the other was armed with beauty, and thetter had the power of technology. They were practically unbeatable in high school.

    "Of course he remembers you. He¡¯ll remember anyone who smelled filthy rich." Zhao Lifei chuckled at the memory of when she first met Lu Minhong.

    He was sleeping on an enormous tree branch and when she walked underneath it, he fell off the branch. He imed it was because he was startled by the strong smell of wealth that eluded from Zhao Lifei. Not only that, but he also asked if she was born with a silver, gold, diamond, or tinum spoon. Ever since their strange encounter, the two had been great friends.

    "He¡¯s not replying to my messages, which means he¡¯s probably ying a game right now. I¡¯ll call you back after I contact him." Zhao Lifei sighed at the delivered sign beneath the blue text bubble.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll wait for your updates." Yang Ruqin said, ending the call.

    Zhao Lifei called Lu Minhong who picked up on the third ring. The minute he did so, the sound of cursing and heavy keyboard pressing were heard.

    Zhao Lifei chuckled. "Lu Minhong, did I disturbed you?" She asked her high school buddy and professional hacker.

    Lu Minhong was currently one of the highest paid and fastest hacker that Zhao Lifei knew. Armed with a fountain of knowledge inputer science and engineering, he graduated at the top of his sses. Passing college with flying colors and endless achievements, she couldn¡¯t believe he entered the shady world of hacking, instead of putting his degree into good use.

    Because of his strong love for money, he didn¡¯t care about a person¡¯s reputation. His client could¡¯ve been the country¡¯s most wanted man and he wouldn¡¯t bat an eye to it. As long as the client was rich, Lu Minhong was willing to help him...

    Some said he had no morals, but Zhao Lifei argued it was because he was simply too smart in this society ruled by money.

    "Any phone call is always considered disturbing me." Lu Minhong chided. He was heavily focused on being the beta-tester of a new game that one of his buddies had invented, and right now, he was at the hardest level with the rumored, unbeatable boss.

    Zhao Lifeiughed at his dry humor. "Oh please, you tter me too much." She mused.

    "I have a task for you. Are you free right now?" She asked.

    Lu Minhong rolled his eyes. "Depends on how much you¡¯re paying for my time."

    Zhao Lifei let out a burst of lightughter, the sound echoing in her empty condo. "You sound like a prostitute."

    "And you sound like the perverted old-man buying from the prostitute." Lu Minhong rolled his eyes. A prostitute? How childish. I should be considered a high-ss escort!

    "I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re out for blood again. How long has it been since you¡¯vest contacted me with an assignment? Two years ago?"

    "Hm, I¡¯m not sure."

    "Two years ago, you mysteriously disappeared from the face of Earth! I¡¯m still mad that not even I, the top hacker of this country, could track someone as puny as you down!" Lu Minhong purposely bragged about his status. But he was mainly angry at the memory of refunding his client, for the first time in his life.

    When the entire world looked for Zhao Lifei, she suddenly vanished, and no one knew why...

 Chapter 17: Foolish Woman

    After being humiliated and brought to her lowest, Zhao Lifei left the city. Even when the powers of the country¡¯s top hackers and investigators werebined, they still couldn¡¯t find her.

    Many people came together in hopes of finding her location. The reward for her head was rmingly high, 50 million to be exact. Zheng Tianyi was the one to fund the first half of the 50 million, and the rest was anonymous, but most people suspected it was the angry socialites who was eager to see their dethroned Queen fall to a lower level.

    After two long years, there wasn¡¯t a price on her head anymore. Zheng Tianyi¡¯s anger had soothed and after a lot of convincing from the Zheng family and Elder, he finally retracted his money. Seeing the King had pulled out, the rest of the socialites stopped funding for Zhao Lifei¡¯s head. Within the span of a week, she wasn¡¯t a wanted woman in the Underground World anymore.

    "This time, I have a very important task. Trust me, it¡¯s not some petty face-pping of a white lotus." Zhao Lifei chided herself at the memory of her foolish past.

    She used to be so bitter and horrible to Xia Mengxi, not that she didn¡¯t deserve it.

    In some way, Zhao Lifei regretted raining hell on Xia Mengxi, when she should¡¯ve directed her anger towards Zheng Tianyi as well...It took two to cheat, and she mistakenly focused too much time on one side.

    "I was such a spoiled and bad-tempered brat. Throughout the year I thirsted for Xia Mengxi¡¯s blood and downfall, I¡¯m surprised you stood by my side." Zhao Lifei thought about the bad memories she never wanted to resurface.

    She had sunk to the sea of desperation when she saw Xia Mengxi wrapped in Zheng Tianyi¡¯s arms. She tried to do anything and everything to destroy the couple and along the way, she destroyed herself.

    "Like I always say, you¡¯re signature perfume is unbelievable wealth. Anyone with that scent will always have a safe spot in my heart." Lu Minhong cracked a dry smile at her words. Was she really doubting why he stayed with her? This foolish woman...

    If there was one thing that Lu Minhong would never admit, it was the fact that he actually cared more about Zhao Lifei¡¯s well being than her money. She was someone very special to him and once upon a time, she was his savior.

    "But there was so many people that paid you to abandon me." Zhao Lifei softly said, suddenly feeling very self-conscious of herself.

    Lu Minhong was quiet for a while and Zhao Lifei thought he didn¡¯t hear her because he was so upied by the loud game.

    After a few moments of silence, he spoke. "No money can pay me to abandon you. Not after what you¡¯ve done for me." His voice was somber and soft, nothing like the loud and outgoing person he was.

    Zhao Lifei had a soft expression on her face, as she thought about the hard times that Lu Minhong experienced.

    There was a period of time where Lu Minhong¡¯s wrists were filled with cuts, his eyes dull, the hope long gone from his heart, and his entire body was filled with horrific marks, it was hard to recognize the man he had be.

    "Aw geez, you¡¯re going to make me cry if you don¡¯t speak up." Lu Minhong sighed, his voice getting a bit emotional. This was why he disliked talking about the past.

    Zhao Lifei let out a smallugh. "Seeing you cry would be worth billions." She joked, a tiny smile on her face.

    Lu Minhong sat up straighter, his eyes going wide with excitement. "Wait seriously? You¡¯d pay me billions to cry? I¡¯d cry as much as you want if you pay me that much-"

    "No, you idiot. I was only kidding." Zhao Lifei chuckled at his desire for instant wealth.

    "Boo, you¡¯re no fun." Lu Minhong pouted. He had truly taken Zhao Lifei seriously...

    "Besides, what is your new mission this time?" He added on, turning off the game and then flipping to the second monitor of hisputer.

    Zhao Lifei became more serious. "I need a full report of a silver van that ran into a ck Maybach on Kingston Street. Investigate into the van¡¯s background, owner, licence te. Every little thing you can find out, report it back to me."

    Lu Minhong raised his brow at her surprising assignment. "How much are you willing to pay?"

    Zhao Lifei smiled. He didn¡¯t even hesitate at the harsh mission. "State your price, I can pay anything reasonable." She leaned back in her chair and stared out of the enormous window in front of her.

    Money wasn¡¯t an issue for her, but she knew Lu Minhong was not a greedy man to demand an outrageous price.

    "One million." He bluntly said. This surprised Zhao Lifei. One million? His rate has increased by 200% since thest two years since she had contact him.

    "The price is fine with me, but are you alright Lu Minhong? Is there something I need to know about?" She asked, pulling out herptop to wire him the money.

    Lu Minhong was quiet for a few seconds. Amidst the soothing clicks of his finger against the keyboard and his somber expression, he didn¡¯t know where to begin. "I-I..." He stuttered, unable to say a word.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s expression softened. "Don¡¯t push yourself, I¡¯m fine if you don¡¯t tell me. I¡¯ve already send the money to you." She quietly said, knowing it would take time for him to open up.

    Lu Minhong¡¯s felt grateful for her peaceful approach. For as long as he had known her, she was never the type of woman to force him to say something. When it came to him, she was patient and kind.

    Because Lu Minhong had personally witnessed Zhao Lifei¡¯s unwavering kindness, his impression of her was always good. Regardless of the malicious rumors that surrounded Zhao Lifei and the horrible things she used to do, Lu Minhong would always remain loyal to her...

    "Okay, I¡¯ll get started on your mission right now. It will be done by tomorrow afternoon." He said, already hacking into the security cameras on the street lights.

    "Alright, have a good night." Zhao Lifei said, breathing out a quiet sigh.

    "Good night, Xiao Li." He ended the call and began to immerse himself into the task.

    After the call ended, Zhao Lifei texted Yang Ruqin the details, but she didn¡¯t include the big price tag on the mission.

    [Qinqin: Thank you so much, Feifei! I¡¯ll treat you to our next meal!]

    Zhao Lifei smiled at her friend¡¯s energetic response.

    [Alright, I¡¯ll hold you ountable to that~] She texted back.

    Yang Ruqin didn¡¯t reply for a while and Zhao Lifei figured it was because she was so drained from an entire day of working.

    Not wanting to do anything else, Zhao Lifei copsed onto her bed and fell asleep. Peacefully sleeping, Zhao Lifei was not aware of the storm that would hit her tomorrow...

 Chapter 18: Saving Grace

    Zhao Lifei was woken up by her familiar ringtone. She nced at the time and saw it was only 9AM. Groaning and grumbling under her breath, she wondered why the people didn¡¯t let her sleep!

    With sleep heavily weighing her down, Zhao Lifei picked up at thest ring. "Hello...?" She groggily answered, barely able to keep her eyes open.

    "Gasp! How could you only pick up on thest ring? Why not the first or second? I know the little hermit doesn¡¯t have a life." Yang Ruqin teased, the same way she always did.

    Their friendship was not only build on a strong foundation of having each other¡¯s backs, but it was also build on constantly teasing and joking with each other. Not all friendships wereprised of endlesspliments and ttery. What was the fun in doing just that?

    "I was hoping the big shot wasn¡¯t so lonely to count each ring?" Zhao Lifei tiredly mumbled.

    "Because this big shot has made it big, she doesn¡¯t have any trustworthy friends..." Yang Ruqin pouted, faking a sad tone that caused Zhao Lifei tough.

    "I suppose this big shot wants apany to brunch?" She mused, hailing the closest taxi.

    "Surprisingly, this glutton doesn¡¯t want to eat right now. As a matter of fact, she wants to see you in the First Hospital." Yang Ruqin hummed.

    "Feng-ge has finally woke up yesterday, and I thought it would be ideal if we both visited him." Yang Ruqin said, while getting into her private driver¡¯s car.

    Zhao Lifei crossed her arms. "Why do I have to tag along?" She was slightly suspicious of Yang Ruqin¡¯s tone. Was this woman setting her up again?

    But that was an unlikely scenario, since Yang Ruqin¡¯s older brother was the CEO of the famed Yang Enterprise.

    Even if Yang Feng¡¯s ancestors crawled out of their graves to beg him, he wouldn¡¯t attend a blind date, much less, humor the idea of it.

    Yang Feng might¡¯ve been connected to an IV drip and barely conscious, but one lift of his finger, and Zhao Lifei would¡¯ve been thrown and banned from the country¡¯s top Hospital.

    Zhao Lifei doubted her Qinqin would even think of the foolish idea of pairing her up with Yang Feng.

    "You have to tag along because you, my dear, saved his life by donating blood. You¡¯re his saving grace!" Yang Ruqin happily said, nearlyughing at Zhao Lifei¡¯s skepticism.

    Zhao Lifei scoffed. "His saving grace? Oh please," She rolled her eyes. "All I did was connect my hand to a needle and give him blood, something easily renewable in my body. The doctor who performed surgery on him did all of the important work."

    She hailed down a cab and told the driver the name of her location.

    "But you came first." Yang Ruqin added on.

    "Huh? I came first? What does that even mean?" Zhao Lifei¡¯s brows furrowed together at Yang Ruqin¡¯s confusing words.

    Yang Ruqin faked a heavy sigh of disappointment. "Feifei, after all these years at Harvard, I was hoping you¡¯de back with a better brain-"

    "Says the genius who abandoned her impable violin skills." Zhao Lifei snorted. Before Yang Ruqin became a world renowned supermodel, she used to be a popr violinist. But just like Zhao Lifei, Yang Ruqin yed the instrument not because she wanted to, but because her parents forced it onto her.

    When Yang Ruqin applied for college, she was instantly epted into Julliard in New York, but opted for a different school. Since her second choice college had an outstanding name and title, her parents didn¡¯t hold it against her.

    "Touch¨¦ my dear, touch¨¦." Yang Ruqinughed.

    If it was anyone else saying such words to her, she would¡¯ve flipped and insulted them. But this was her beloved Feifei. Her words were knife-sharp, but when it was said to Yang Ruqin, she had no intentions of cutting her with it, and Yang Ruqin knew that.

    "But going back to what I was saying, before someone rudely interrupted me..." Yang Ruqin tantly hinted to Zhao Lifei and if she was standing their in person, Yang Ruqin would¡¯ve red at her.

    "Don¡¯t re at the poor leather seats." Zhao Lifei smiled when Yang Ruqin huffed. She knew her Qinqin all too well...

    "I was not ring at the seats!" Yang Ruqin resorted, stubbornly crossing her arms like a child caught red handed for stealing cookies.

    "Now stop distracting me! I¡¯m trying to make a point here!" Yang Ruqin whined, huffing and puffing.

    Zhao Lifei bit her bottom lips to prevent another bubble ofughter. She actually wanted to hear how Yang Ruqin could convince her.

    "The doctors came second, you came first. Without your amazing B-type blood, the doctors would¡¯ve not been able toplete the surgery and save his life! Therefore, you came first, which makes you his saving grace." Yang Ruqin triumphantly said, proud of herself for thinking of such a good reason.

    Zhao Lifei raises one amused brow. She was toozy to argue and refute with her friend, so she simply went along with it.

    "Alright, alright, I suppose you¡¯re right." Zhao Lifei said like a tired mother. She was still a good few minutes away from the hospital whereas Yang Ruqin had already arrived and was going up the elevator.

    "Hmph, I¡¯m always right!" Yang Ruqin said. Just then, her phone buzzed again. "My mom is calling me. Text me when you¡¯re at the hospital."

    "Okay. I¡¯ll see youter." Zhao Lifei said, hanging up the phone.

    Since Zhao Lifei wasn¡¯t rushing the cab driver to get there under ten minutes, the man drove at a normal speed. Sensing it might taken a while longer, she ced on her earbuds and hummed the tune to her favorite song.

    ¡¯Beneath the peach blossom tree,

    A white lotus blooms, Surrounded

    by buds that try to mimic her

    A vine is tugging her down

    A girl in white,

    wandering through the field of white,

    A man runs through the field of ck,

    She walks without a might,

    He runs like a knight,

    A girl in white, wandering towards the tree

    Pink against white

    White against ck

    A lotus that reaches

    A vine that that attacks

    A girl in white,

    A girl in ck, clothes tainted in red,

    Beneath the peach blossom tree,

    A single lotus blooms,

    For the lovely girl in white.¡¯

 Chapter 19: Beat Her To The Ground

    "Miss, that¡¯s a beautiful song you¡¯re humming." The driver spoke up after hearing the woman sing to herself.

    Zhao Lifei blushed. "Thank you, it¡¯s a new song from Sun Lee¡¯s newest album," she said, taking off her headphones.

    The man curiously nodded. Sun Lee? Wasn¡¯t that the infamous singer who smacked and beat her husband¡¯s mistress to the ground? The inte had been raving and criticizing her brutish behavior that waspletely unexpected from the Nation¡¯s Beloved Singer.

    The cab driver eyed Zhao Lifei¡¯s charismatic appearance. She was well-dressed in professional attire; nothing too scandalous and revealing, which made her look like a white-cored worker. Why would a woman like her listen to a singer like that?

    "Oh, is that so?" He said neutrally, not wanting to offend Zhao Lifei and receive a lower tip, so he became quiet and focused on driving.

    After a few minutes of silence, he spoke up. "Ma¡¯am, we¡¯ve arrived at your destination."

    Zhao Lifei looked out of the window where First Hospital stood proud and tall. There was a path leading up to the front entrance, with a fountain in the front.

    "Thank you." She smiled and handed him two red hundred bills. The man¡¯s eyes flickered in surprise.

    "Keep the change," she said, before stepping out of the car.

    Zhao Lifei closed the door, walked into the hospital, toward the reception desk.

    "Hi, what floor is the VVIP room located in?" She asked one of the nurses, who exchanged nces with her coworker.

    Seeing their skeptical looks, Zhao Lifei smiled. "Oh, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m a friend of the patient¡¯s sister," she reassured.

    The nurse eyed Zhao Lifei¡¯s expensive blue blouse and white pants, then the outstanding purse on her arms. The patient in the VVIP room was someone from an extremely wealthy background, and this woman seemed toe from the same one.

    So the nurse replied, "I cannot disclose the room number without proof of identification, but the VVIP rooms are located on the 11th floor." She knew each of the VVIP rooms was heavily guarded and figured if Zhao Lifei was a fake, she would never be able to enter the room anyway.

    "Okay, thank you." Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t have any proof of identification, so she took the nurse¡¯s small piece of advice and walked into the elevator.

    When it reached the 11th floor, Zhao Lifei walked out of it and down the clean and polished elevator hallways. She turned the hallway to see a few patients in VVIP rooms and figured she wasn¡¯t that far from the VVIP room.

    True to her belief, as she turned down another hallway, there were four VVIP rooms. But from where she stood, she could only see two rooms and one of them had a group of bodyguard standing in front of it.

    She smiled. This should be the room where Yang Feng resided.

    Zhao Lifei walked up to the men and noticed how suspicious they were of her. They stood like soldiers with their head raised, arms to the side; in clearly protective stances. But something was off about them. Where had she seen those badges on their breast-pocket before?

    She heard a low murmur from the room and instinctively realized it was a pair of male and female voices. Guessing it might¡¯ve been Yang Ruqin and Yang Feng, Zhao Lifei said, "Excuse me, I¡¯m here to visit Yang Ruqin?"

    Neither of the men budged.

    Because their shoulders were wide and the men were incredibly tall, Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t see the door¡¯s sign, so she couldn¡¯t see the room number. Then again, who else would be in a VVIP ward with so many bodyguards?

    Obviously, it would be Yang Enterprise¡¯s highest shareholder, the CEO himself.

    When the men didn¡¯t move, Zhao Lifei figured it was because they wanted some sort of proof. "Uhm, I don¡¯t have any written proof of my rtionship with Yang Ruqin, but I do have pictures taken of me and her together¡ª"

    "Huh? Feifei, what are you doing standing outside that door?" Yang Ruqin¡¯s voice echoed down the halls. Zhao Lifei turned to see her walking towards her.

    "This is not your brother¡¯s room...?" She asked, awkwardly standing there.

    "No, my brother¡¯s room is on the opposite side of the hall," Yang Ruqinughed, looping her arm through Zhao Lifei and guiding her away from the room.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t think much of her honest mistake and apologized to the men with unwavering stony faces.

    She waspletely oblivious to Yang Ruqin¡¯s dark expression while walking down the halls.

    As Zhao Lifei walked with Yang Ruqin, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder who was residing in the other room... Well, whoever it was, it must¡¯ve been someone extremely important to have such high security around their doors.

 Chapter 20: Absolute Monarch

    Zhao Lifei followed Yang Ruqin down the halls and to a different section where another group of bodyguards was standing in front of a door.

    ¡¯Geez, these bodyguard organizations must be rolling in money at the number of people who are hiring them,¡¯ Zhao Lifei thought.

    When the men saw Yang Ruqin, they let her through. They were trained professionals who didn¡¯t spare Zhao Lifei a nce. Instead, they kept their eyes forward for any mishaps.

    The minute the door opened, the wind of Antarctica must¡¯ve blown through because Zhao Lifei shivered on contact and her questioning gazended upon an incredibly handsome, but daunting man.

    His eyes were fierce, their color darker than ink and the night itself. The aura he exuded was chilly, dark, and terrifying. Despite his intimidating vibe, he was breathtakingly handsome with thin lips, a tall nose, and a jawline so sharp, it could probably cut through ss.

    Zhao Lifei was not prepared to face such a deadly and overbearing presence.

    Her throat ran dry.

    She finally understood why so many women threw themselves at his feet. With a face and aura like that, who wouldn¡¯t?

    "Ugh, brother, why the bad temper?" Yang Ruqin sighed, cing down her purse.

    He scowled, his eyes zing with annoyance. "Maybe it¡¯s because of these damn handcuffs."

    Zhao Lifei was surprised to hear his voice wasn¡¯t rough or ferocious. Instead, it was deep and smooth, like the finest milk chocte.

    Standing by the doorway, Zhao Lifei was unsure of whether she wanted to enter the room or not. The man was much scarier in person. Despite the fire that burned in his eyes, his face was impossibly calm.

    She thought to herself, ¡¯is this what people mean when they talk about the calm before the storm?¡¯

    "If I didn¡¯t have you handcuffed, you would leave this room. Then your body won¡¯t get better..." Yang Ruqin trailed off when Yang Feng threw her a soul-piercing re. Even though she had known him for all her life, his brooding stares still terrified her.

    "I¡¯m perfectly fine. I don¡¯t need additional treatment." Yang Feng stubbornly replied, his lips pulling to an unpleasant line.

    Yang Ruqin faltered at his stare and voice.

    "Unlock the handcuffs." His fierce voice was somanding, it took every fiber within Yang Ruqin to reject his request.

    "No." Yang Ruqin stubbornly rejected his request, cing her hand on her hips.

    With a simple word, the atmosphere turned colder. Yang Feng¡¯s frosty eyes dropped the temperature around him, sending a chill down Zhao Lifei¡¯s spine.

    "It wasn¡¯t a suggestion." His voice became so dark, Yang Ruqin was forced to take a step forward.

    Sensing her friend¡¯s obvious reluctance towards her absolute monarch of a brother, Zhao Lifei came to Yang Ruqin¡¯s aid. "Don¡¯t be so rude, she¡¯s only looking out for you."

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes shifted to Zhao Lifei. He wasn¡¯t surprised by her presence; in fact, he was expecting her.

    Zhao Lifei: the ex-fiancee of Zheng Tianyi, the best friend of his pampered little sister... Yang Feng knew of her background. He always investigated Yang Ruqin¡¯s friends in order to ensure none of them had a criminal or harmful background.

    He expected Zhao Lifei to hang around his little sister, but he didn¡¯t expect her dripping charisma and daring-temper. Was she always like this? Why was she not scared of him?

    Sure, this woman was beautiful beyond words. Unlike most women her age, she didn¡¯t dress scandalously or brattily. Instead, she was well-dressed in professional attire that screamed an independent vibe. Yang Feng nearly questioned why Zheng Tianyi left this Zhao Lifei for a woman of significantly lower ss.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t squirm under his scrutinizing res. She was all too familiar with those type of looks. Her skin was long hardened by the envy-filled nces of other socialites.

    "I didn¡¯t invite you into this conversation, get out." His voice was cold and ruthless, cutting everything it touched.

    Zhao Lifei narrowed her eyes and ced her hands on her hips. "Well then, I¡¯m inviting myself into this conversation."

    Yang Feng let out a humorless chuckle. "What gives you the qualifications to enter this conversation?"

    Zhao Lifei felt her lips pull into a scowl. "I donated a lot of blood just to save your safe. I think I should have a voice of reason in this conversation."

    Yang Feng was taken back by the new information before him. "You¡¯re the blood donor?"

    "Yeah I am, why else would I be here for?" Zhao Lifei crossed her arms. "I nearly fainted when I donated blood for you. How can you repay me with wanting to waste all of my hard efforts of staying awake?" Okay, she lied about thest part. But, she needed something to guilt-trip him with.

    Yang Feng instantly misunderstood her words. She wanted something in return for saving his life... Of course, what else could he have expected?

    He thought he was foolish for thinking she might¡¯ve been different from the rest of the women that hung around Yang Ruqin. But s, she was just another fly with ulterior motives.

    "Fine, you want repayment? Xiao Qin, pass me my checkbook." Yang Feng humorlessly ordered, his voice thick with annoyance.

    Yang Ruqin blinked in surprise. She didn¡¯t expect her brother to always carry a checkbook around. Curious to see if he was telling the truth, she walked to his suit and took out a leather checkbook.

    "Wow brother, you actually bring this around!" Yang Ruqin was astonished at the presence of the book. She didn¡¯t think he would actually have this! What type of Korean drama clich¨¦ was this?

    Zhao Lifei felt her patience run thin when he grabbed the book, flipped it open, and signed his name at the bottom of the first page. He ripped the slip and handed it to her.

    "Since you want money so badly, write as many zeros as you¡¯d like." His voice wasced with disgust.

    Zhao Lifei scowled at the backhanded insult. He didn¡¯t even look at her as he passed the slip to her, insinuating as if she was some sort of prostitute or a gold-digging woman with no morals.

    Who did he think he was?

    She saved his life and this was how he was going to repay her? By hinting, she was a woman after his money?

    Zhao Lifei nearly scoffed at his pretentious behavior. She roughly snatched the small paper from his hand and grabbed the pen.

    Yang Feng felt his expectations and impressions for Zhao Lifei drop lower than ever. He couldn¡¯t believe his younger sister¡¯s judgment of people was so poor that she was willing to be best friends with this type of woman.

    He watches her write down at least seven zeros. When she ced her pen down, he opened his mouth, "Now get out¡ª"

    Zhao Lifei took him by surprise when she suddenly ripped the paper into shreds.

    "What are you doing?"

    SWOOSH!

    Zhao Lifei threw the pieces of the paper into his face, the tiny white shreds blowing onto his honey-colored skin.

    At the disrespectful gesture, the room went quiet. The room was filled with deafening silence. The temperature dropped so low in the room, Yang Ruqin shivered in fear. She nced at the thermometer and was surprised to see it was room-temperature, despite the chilly atmosphere.

    Why did it feel like the wind of Antarctica had entered through the windows? The air around her brother was so cold, she was surprised the walls didn¡¯t develop icicles and the ss windows didn¡¯t freeze over!

    The look that Yang Feng gave Zhao Lifei was so bone-chilling, even Yang Ruqin took a step back.

    "You must have a lot of courage to do that. " His voice was so thick with restraint anger, Yang Ruqin nearly ran out of the door in fear.

    But Zhao Lifei was used to these type of men who thought their daunting stares and threats could make a woman run for their life.

    Having toughened her skin from all of the times Zheng Tianyi threatened and red at her, Zhao Lifei was desensitized by thismon behavior. Sure, this man did it better than Zheng Tianyi, but she didn¡¯t care.

    Zhao Lifei ignored the warning bells in her head and the obvious red gs that waved in the air.

    Yang Feng took in a deep, calming breath. He told himself he didn¡¯t need to lose his control for a simple and lowly woman like her.

    "You¡¯re a crazy woman¡ª" His voice died off at thepletely unexpected turn of events. Never in a billion years would he had ever expected the next scene that was unfolded.

    Zhao Lifei had grabbed her purse, opened it, and then threw hundreds, if not thousands, of bills at him. The magnificent color caught the light and with the amount that she threw at him, it was like the room was raining with money-confetti.

    The bills rained onto Yang Feng, dropping onto him and his bed. It made him look like amon male-escort that rich cougars [1] threw their money at.

    "Oooooh, how the tables have turned..." Yang Ruqin quietly whispered under her breath.

    "I don¡¯t need your money, you pretentious bastard!" Zhao Lifei snarled at him before storming out of the hospital room.

 Chapter 21: Please Have Mercy

    Yang Ruqin stood frozen with shock. On one hand, she was extremely satisfied with what had just happened. No one has ever shamed or did something so unexpected to the great Yang Feng and she did it without flinching!

    ¡¯That¡¯s my Feifei for you!¡¯ Yang Ruqin proudly thought in her head. Her excitement died down when she realized how much trouble Zhao Lifei would be in.

    She snuck a nce at her brother¡¯s expression. Instead of sheer hatred or a thirst for blood, his expression was just...nk.

    Yang Feng sat on his hospital bed,pletely baffled by what just happened. He stared at the bills on the floor and on his bed.

    He frowned. It was clear she didn¡¯t want orck money. How foolish of him to think a well-dressed woman like her would have such boring motives.

    Being thrown money at, hah! This was something that has never happened to him before. For some odd reason, he found it amusing. That Zhao Lifei was really interesting...

    When the edge of his lips pulled into a smirk, his eyes shing with mirth, Yang Ruqin stared at her brother like he had grown three heads. Was he crazy? Did he actually enjoy that?

    She was surprised when he let out a smooth, low chuckle.

    "That daring woman, what was her name again?" He questioned the nervous Yang Ruqin. He already knew everything about her, but wanted to tease and scare Yang Ruqin for handcuffing him to the bed. Seriously, what type of little sister does that?

    She stared at his evil expression, an uneasy feeling growing in her stomach. His eyes were glowing with mischief and that was beginning to scare Yang Ruqin.

    Yang Ruqin gulped at his dark expression. She knew it all too well. He had that face when he wanted to ruin someone.

    "Brother, she¡¯s my closest friend. Don¡¯t hurt her. She¡¯s already experienced enough problems in her life." Yang Ruqin pleaded, walking to him and sping her hand over his. She always did that whenever she wanted something from him, and though it rarely worked, it was better than standing there and begging him.

    "You have plenty of other friends." Yang Feng coldly answered, showing no remorse for her position in Yang Ruqin¡¯s life.

    "Feifei and I have known each other since our diaper years! Remember the little girl that used to run in our house, that was Feifei!" Yang Ruqin was frustrated at hisck of empathy.

    "Remember how she used to cling to you? She was the one that always brought you tea, even though her hand would be scalded by it because she wasn¡¯t good at handling a teacup." Yang Ruqin rambled on,pletely unaware of the intrigued expression on his face.

    ¡¯The one that brought me tea?¡¯ Yang Feng did remember an adorable girl with twin buns following after him. She ran after him even when he told her to go away, but eventually she grew on him. And then, when he left to study abroad, she was suddenly gone.

    Yang Feng¡¯s expression darkened when he remembered what his parents told him. He was only gone for two years, and she suddenly became attached to some other boy, whose name was none other than Zheng Tianyi.

    "Where does she live?" Yang Feng¡¯s question startled and terrified Yang Ruqin who immediately shook her head no.

    "B-brother please have mercy on her, don¡¯t do anything rash." Yang Ruqin¡¯s lips wobbled in fear. It had taken two long years for Zhao Lifei to get back onto her feet if she experienced another humiliation and crackdown, Yang Ruqin wasn¡¯t sure if she would ever recover.

    Because Yang Ruqin was standing so close to him, he could see the hairpins in her hair. He surprised her when he reached up to take one out and within five seconds, his handcuff was unlocked.

    "Hey! You can¡¯t do that!" Yang Ruqin scowled, hating herself for wearing her hair in a bun today. If it wasn¡¯t for these damn hairpins, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape the handcuffs. Besides, where did he even learn and master that skill?!

    "I can do whatever I want." He talked to Yang Ruqin as if she was a stubborn brat.

    She childishly stomped the floor and debated the idea of throwing a slipper at him. But she didn¡¯t have a death wish...but the white slipper on the floor looked really inviting.

    "Don¡¯t even think about it." He didn¡¯t even have to look at her to know what she was nning. He grabbed his phone from his suit pocket and texted someone.

    He took pulled out the IV drip on his hand, put on his coat, and slipped the phone into it.

    "You can¡¯t leave yet!" Yang Ruqin huffed, but she knew she couldn¡¯t stop him regardless of what she did or say.

    "Really, you can¡¯t!" She whined, grabbing his arm and tugging him back to the bed.

    "Don¡¯t try to stop me. I¡¯ve rested long enough." Yang Feng gently brushed her hand off and walked out o the door. His men, the people guarding the door, wordlessly followed after him.

    Yang Ruqin scowled and followed him into the elevator. Parked in front of the hospital was a polished ck Maybach that was waiting for them. Right behind it was Yang Ruqin¡¯s personal car.

    "Drive her back to the main mansion. She needs to clear her head." Yang Feng directed her driver before climbing into his own car.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s mouth fell to the floor. She couldn¡¯t believe he would send her back to the main mansion, she was going to be scolded by her parents for allowing him to leave the hospital!

    The driver walked out of the car and opened the door for Yang Ruqin who climbed into the car, fuming and cursing her older brother.

 Chapter 22: Whats The Worst He Could Do?

    Half huffing and half screaming in her head, Yang Ruqin called Zhao Lifei to prepare her for the wrath of her brother.

    "Feifei! Watch out, don¡¯t leave your house for at least a week! My brother has stormed his way out of the hospital, he will make his move soon!" Yang Ruqin wailed into the phone, her voice riddled with emotions.

    Zhao Lifei raised her brow. She was surprised at Ruqin¡¯s frantic voice, but figured it was because she was worried for her.

    "Why should I watch out for him?" Zhao Lifei asked, stepping into her apartment and locking the doors behind her.

    "Well, when he left, he seemed abnormally calm. That phrase, ¡¯the calm before the storm,¡¯ it totally suits my brother! The calmer he is, the more frightening he is! What if he tries to ruin and harm you? I can fend off the other bad guys, but I cannot stop my brother from making his move." Yang Ruqin almost cried out in frustration.

    She felt incredibly useless that she couldn¡¯t stop her brother¡¯s rampage. No one can, not even her parents or Yang Elder could restrain him.

    Zhao Lifei thought about Yang Feng¡¯s dangerous reputation. On the surface, he was a top-notch businessman whosepany was worth billions.

    Sweeping the hotel, corporate, and merchandise world by storm, he was an unbeatable tycoon. Any business deal or contract he signed would always seed without fail. It was scary how urate he was when it came to predictions.

    "I hope you let him know I won¡¯t go down without a fight." For safety measures, Zhao Lifei walked to her private safe. It was tucked and hidden in her walk-in-closet. Unlocking the bullet-proof container, she pulled out her long array of weapons.

    Yang Ruqin nearly swooned at her words. That¡¯s my girl! Don¡¯t be scared of the Demon King! At most, he¡¯ll gobble you up...wait, that¡¯s bad too.

    "I didn¡¯t tell him your address by he texted that Ice King Secretary of his so he¡¯s probably already tracked you down!" Yang Ruqin nervously tapped her fingers on her thigh. Yang Feng¡¯s resources were top-notch, he could track and find someone within seconds of hismand.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be fine. What¡¯s the worst he could do? Kill me for throwing money at him?" Zhao Lifei joked, picking up a small and easily conceble gun. She ran her finger over the cool, ck material of hertest collection.

    Yang Ruqin swallowed. He could arranged Zhao Lifei to be killed and make it could like an ident. She had seen it done before...

    "U-uhm its best to not joke with the truth...Ah...haha...ha." Yang Ruqin nervouslyughed, her eyes jumping around the car.

    Zhao Lifei raised her brow. He was really going to kill her for throwing money at him? How petty!

    "Well, don¡¯t you have a lovely brother." Zhao Lifei sighed at how childish he seemed.

    Yang Ruqin thought about her words. "He¡¯s not that bad, really...it¡¯s just, he¡¯s hard to understand." She leaned her cheeks on her propped up arm and stared out the window.

    "Try to not worry too much about the issue, okay? Why do I feel like you¡¯re more worried than I am." Zhao Lifei dryly said, as she picked up a gun and ced it near the entrance of her condo for safety measures.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll try to not overthink." Yang Ruqin had a glum expression on her face. On one hand, she was really d her Feifei wasn¡¯t scared of her brother. But on the other hand, she wished Zhao Lifei was more cautious over things like this.

    Howe she doesn¡¯t treasure her life...?

    "I¡¯ll talk to youter okay? I haven¡¯t ate much the entire day."

    "Mm, alright. I might not be able to pick up the call because of my parent¡¯s scolding, but I will definitely call you back tomorrow." Yang Ruqin was the first to end the call.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t overthink about the issue at hand. She pulled out some ingredients to cook herself lunch. She turned on the TV and listened to the background sound of the news reporter. When she heard about Xia Mengxi being hospitalized, she quickly switched the channel to something else.

    After cooking and eating, Zhao Lifei realized her schedule was practically empty for the day. So she got to work on her piano and began to practice again. Her slender fingers glided over the keys and soon, she created a one-woman symphony.

    She spend the entire day practicing none stop, until the sun disappeared behind the clouds, and the moon shined through. The moonlight created a serene glow around her tiny shoulders, as her fingers danced over the keys.

    Eyes closed, fingers sore, she soon fell asleep. A peaceful expression on her face, she wasn¡¯t prepared for the surprise that would end up at her doorsteps tomorrow morning.

 Chapter 23: Hes Crazy

    Zhao Lifei heard all sorts of dark, terrifying rumors surrounding the infamous Yang Feng. He was a ruthlessly merciless man who wouldn¡¯t blink at the idea of murder, torture, and ending an entire family¡¯s legacy that have lived for centuries toe.

    His connection to the Underground was a fearsome thing that no one could ever trifle with. One flick of his wrist was enough to send the people onto their knees begging for mercy.

    When Yang Ruqin warned her of the things her brother could do, Zhao Lifei was prepared for his harshest blow. She expected a hit on her head, an assassination attempt, an significant drop in the Zhao Corporation stocks, or waking up in the middle of nowhere.

    But never in a billion years would she expect the box she had received this morning. Early in the morning, she got a ck box with the infamous CH logo on it. And when she opened the box, her heart dropped to her stomach.

    Instead of a bomb, there was somethingpletely different. Sitting on a velvet cloth was a nearly unattainable ck purse that was sold for hundreds of millions. Just because one had money, it didn¡¯t mean they could buy this purse. There was only five ever made and all of the owners were anonymous.

    Zhao Lifei felt her throat dry at the highly expensive and prestigious gift.

    Picking up the purse, she turned it around and stared at it in bewilderment. Why did he send a purse and not a bomb?

    Wasn¡¯t he infuriated at what she did to him?Why was he so nice enough to send a gift, especially one as priceless as this?

    She checked the addressbel of the box and blew out an annoyed breath. Of course the returnbel was nk.

    Gritting her teeth, she picked up her phone to call Yang Ruqin and within the second ring, she picked up.

    "Your brother is crazy." Was the first thing Zhao Lifei said.

    "Huh?" Yang Ruqin¡¯s felt her eyebrows tug together in confusion. She was currently getting ready for another photo shoot and her stylists were currently attempting to work with her bed hair.

    "He send me the tinum Edition CH purse." Zhao Lifei seethed, running a hand through her hair.

    "Wait, he gave that to you?! I¡¯ve been begging him to get me that for the past month!" Yang Ruqin wanted to angrily m her hand onto the table, but a manicurist was working on her other hand.

    Was he even her biological brother?!

    She begged him on multiple asions for the purse, because she knew his connections could easily get her one. There was only one left in the world and she desperately wanted it! But he outright rejected her offer, iming she was already spoiled enough!

    "Qinqin, did you brother eat the wrong medicine? I was expecting some sort of self-explosive in the box, not this damn purse." Zhao Lifei red at the purse on her coffee table.

    The sunlight beamed onto the beautiful jewel-encrusted purse, making it shine like the stars. Sure, the purse was beyond beautiful and women would kill for it, but Zhao Lifei was not going to ept it aspensation.

    What did he think she was? A charity case?

    All she wanted was an apology from him, not a purse worth millions!

    "I don¡¯t know why he would send you a gift as well. In all honesty, I was expecting to pick up this call to hear the news that you¡¯re in the hospital under ¡¯mysterious¡¯ circumstances." Yang Ruqin sighed, switching the phone to her other hand so that the manicurist can work on the untouched hand.

    "I¡¯m d we think alike. I was expecting to wake up in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by sharks and man-eating fishes." Zhao Lifei also assumed the worst.

    "Well, what are you doing to do Feifei? Are you going to keep the purse, because if not, I know a very happy girl who would love it as an early birthday present..." Yang Ruqin trailed off, her voice high and filled with hope.

    Zhao Lifei chuckled. "An early birthday gift ten months in advance? I think not." She mused, crossing her arms.

    Yang Ruqin pouted, despite the fact that Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t see it.

    "Besides, I¡¯m not going to keep it or gift it you. I¡¯m going to return it to him." Zhao Lifei said with a light twinkle in her eyes.

    Yang Ruqin raised a curious brow. "Return it to him? How?"

    Not anyone could easily get in contact with Yang Feng. It was hard for CEOs of other reputablepanies to reach him. In order to personally see him, it would take months of booking.

    "Well I was thinking¡ª"

    "Ah there¡¯s my muse! The photo shoot is starting. Come,e, we don¡¯t have much time!" A voice screamed from Yang Ruqin¡¯s phone.

    Zhao Lifei cringed and held her phone a bit further away from her ears.

    There was a slightmotion in the background and then Yang Ruqin spoke up again. "I¡¯m really sorry Feifei, but the photoshoot is about to start. I promise I¡¯ll call you back after I¡¯m done."

    "It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about it. Good luck on your photoshoot, Qinqin!" Zhao Lifei said, hanging up with a shake of her head. She understood how busy Yang Ruqin must¡¯ve been.

    Fashion Week was starting soon and manypanies were approaching her for photo shoots. Her schedule was jam packed and Yang Ruqin¡¯s strict manager would not let her catch a break.

    After hanging up the phone, Zhao Lifei picked up her phone to text an old acquaintance. A coy, low smile spread on Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips when she thought about her brilliant n.

 Chapter 24: Suspicious Parcel

    Yang Enterprise.

    The people nervously held their breath in anticipation. A few shivered at the deathly cold temperature in the room. Others were so nervous, they had cold sweat on their forehead and back. There was a few handful that was on the brink of tears.

    Sitting in the enormous leather seat made for a King, was Yang Feng. With his stoic and deathly stare, the presenters felt their legs quiver in fear.

    His eyes were so dark, it looked like an endless void of despair. His expression was so cold and frigid, it dropped the atmosphere around him.

    Someone had nervously turned on the heater, but the warmth couldn¡¯tpete with the tant displeasure on his face.

    Even with his frightening face that seemed to know your darkest secrets, the female employees couldn¡¯t help but swoon at his handsomeness. He was so dark, scary, and formidable, yet, so pleasing to look at.

    A deathly aura surrounded him, warning those who dared to venture close.

    The room was so silent, everyone could hear the ticks of the clock. After a few unbearable seconds, he finally spoke.

    "The meeting is dismissed." Without another word, Yang Feng stood up from his chair.

    The people held their breathes as they watched him stand to his full glory.

    "T-thank you for your time, President Yang!" Everyone bowed when he walked past them. They kept their bow, even when Yang Feng had walked out of the room. Not a single person dared to move until the echos of his footsteps finally disappeared.

    When they knew he was on apletely different floor, the people finally stood up taller. A few blew out a heavy sigh of relief. Many of them tiredly slumped onto their chairs. Almost all of them felt as if a decade had been shaved off of their life.

    Thank goodness the meeting had ended. There was a few that was on the verge of tears at the disappointed look on Yang Feng¡¯s face. One of the female presenters was two seconds away from crying...

    They didn¡¯t know their presentation was that bad until they took a nce at their CEO and saw how dark his expression had be.

    "We¡¯re totally screwed." One of them said and instantly, mummers of agreement could be heard.

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng¡¯s private secretary, Chen Gaonan, followed after him. He opened the door to Yang Feng¡¯s office and walked in with him.

    Just like Yang Feng¡¯s personality and expressions, the room felt lifeless and chilly. Right behind the enormous ebony desk was a window that gave the perfect view of the skyscrapers lining the city.

    Yang Feng strolled to his chair and sat down. "Today¡¯s schedule?"

    Chen Gaonan cleared his throat and began to read off of his tablet. "The Ling Conglomerate¡¯s stock has dropped, but Weiqi Corp¡¯s stock has significantly risen. Should we continue to invest in the Ling Conglomerate?"

    "Continue to invest." Yang Feng said, leaning his chin on his propped up arm.

    It had taken Chen Gaonan three years to get used to his Boss¡¯s dark stares. He knew it was unintentional, but did it have to look like the stares of Yama [1] himself?!

    "Diamond Sky¡¯s CEO is requesting a meeting with you, ept or deny?"

    "Deny." Yang Feng answered without hesitation.

    Chen Gaonan felt his lips tug into a frown, but he knew it was unwise to question his Boss¡¯s words. Once they¡¯ve been said, it can¡¯t be taken back.

    No matter how influential Diamond Sky was, there was no way Yang Feng would offer them a second chance in a presentation. They had screwed up the first time by underestimating Yang Feng. Thepany had purposely lied about their numbers and when questioned ruthlessly by him, the presenters broke down and revealed the truth.

    Ever since then, Diamond Sky was cklisted by him. Being crossed out by Yang Enterprise lead the otherpanies to follow hismand and soon Diamond Sky found themselves in deep waters.

    Chen Gaonan knew no one ever received a second chance in Yang Enterprise. Eachpany, proposal, and project would receive one chance to demonstrate themselves and their worth. If they fail, they fail. There was no buts, ifs, and might.

    Just when Chen Gaonan was about to list something else, a knock sounded through the room. He shivered when he saw the displeasure on Yang Feng¡¯s face. Who dares to interrupt their meeting?

    "What is it?" Chen Gaonan asked.

    But there was no response.

    When Chen Gaonan noticed his Boss¡¯s lips pulled into a thin line and his eyes ring at the door, he quickly went to check out the situation.

    Chen Gaonan pushed the door open and was surprised to see no one there. As a matter of fact, none of the secretaries that was usually outside the office was present...That¡¯s odd.

    He checked the time and realized half of them were at lunch, whereas the other two was nowhere to be found.

    It was extremely unprofessional to not even have one secretary present.

    Chen Gaonan sighed, knowing one of them would be fired within the spot. And he already knew who it was.

    Just when Chen Gaonan was about to close the door, he noticed a suspicious parcel sitting in front of it. He warily picked it up and turned towards Yang Feng who had been watching him the entire time.

    "Who is it from?" Yang Feng quietly said.

    Chen Gaonan nced down, frowning, at the empty return and delivery address. Was this hand-delivered? But that would be impossible, especially with the tight security around Yang Corporation.

    "Bring it to me." Yang Fengmanded and instantly, Chen Gaonan appeared in front of him.

    "Sir, are you sure we should open it ourselves? It¡¯s a very suspicious package..." Chen Gaonan frowned, not wanting any harm toe to his Boss.

    Yang Feng ignored him and pulled out the letter knife.

    Chen Gaonan jumped in fear at the sudden presence of the knife that gleamed underneath the light. For a second, he thought his Boss was really going to kill him for voicing a silly opinion.

    He held his breath as Yang Feng cut the box open.

    Chen Gaonan felt his hands slightly shake in anticipation of what was inside the box. It was impossible to even enter the Yang Enterprise¡¯s office building without a worker¡¯s ID. But to have a private key card that enables the button to the highest floor of this building was practically impossible. Only a handful of people had ess to the private key card and all of them were Yang Feng¡¯s trusted men.

    How was it possible for this to be hand-delivered?

    Chen Gaonan felt his heart nervously drum faster and faster with each passing second.

    When Yang Feng finally opened the box, his mood dampened.

    Inside the box, was another box. And inside that second box, was a third box. The pattern repeated, until it reached the eighth box. And by the time that happened, Yang Feng¡¯s patience had reached its limits.

    Chen Gaonan held his breath, not daring to speak in fear of further angering Yang Feng.

    It was such a bad day today! First the presenter irked his terrifying Demon Boss, next he gets a random parcel, andstly, the sender had dared waste Yang Feng¡¯s time!

    Everyone at the office will surely suffer today...

 Chapter 25: Priceless Expression

    Yang Feng¡¯s scowled at the incredibly tiny box in front of him. It had taken him ten attempts of opening big boxes to small boxes, then to even smaller boxes, and so on just to reach his current state.

    He felt his mood drop faster when he saw the prestigious Philippe Patek watch that made the famous Rolex watches seem incredibly cheap.

    Sitting in the same material box that he had send Zhao Lifei, was a watch worth twice the price of her CH purse.

    Encrusted in tens of three carat diamonds and made from gold, it was a priceless watch worth tens of millions. Made in the early 1950s, the price for it had significantly risen throughout the years, making it one of the most expensive watches in the world.

    Chen Gaonan¡¯s tablet dinged and he nced down at it with a frown. "Sir, the private security team has just received a suspicious package without a return address¡ª"

    "Tell them to open it."

    Chen Gaonan quickly typed a reply to the head of the security team and within seconds, a picture was send back.

    "Pass it to me."

    Chen Gaonan handed his tablet to Yang Feng.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise when at what he saw. Within the ck box was the purse had gifted to the crazy Zhao Lifei.

    When the realization settled into him, he let out a dark chilly chuckle.

    Chen Gaonan gulped in fear.

    He tried his best to not shiver at the terrifyingughter of the Demon King beginning his murder plot.

    "Interesting...very interesting." Yang Feng muttered under his breath. He stood up from his chair. Fire danced within his eyes as the aura around him eluded a desire for blood.

    Chen Gaonan nearly cried on the spot. It seemed today would be his death day!

    "B-Boss, I will investigate into this situation right away and the culprit will be caught¡ª"

    "No need. I already know who it is."

    That crazy woman was ying fire with fire...

    "Gaonan, go and find the most expensive jewelry you can find." Yang Feng ordered, cing the box into his private drawer.

    "Send it to the same address from this morning. And return the bag to that address as well." Yang Feng added on.

    Chen Gaonan didn¡¯t need to be told twice.

    Without asking any questions or dare to voice his opinion, he hastily walked out of the room. An opportunity to be away from his temperamental Boss? dly!

    When Chen Gaonan left, Yang Feng stared at the enormous window behind his desk.

    From so high up, the world looked so small to him. Everything within a 50 mile vicinity and beyond, was owned by him. In this world, there was nothing he couldn¡¯t afford or get.

    The women threw themselves at him discreetly or purposefully.

    Even when the country¡¯s most beautiful woman approached him, he didn¡¯t flinch or fall in love with her. He wasn¡¯t even intrigued in any of them, even when they did all sorts of schemes to catch his attention. He didn¡¯t even bat an eye to the women that tantly showed off their bountiful assets.

    Yang Feng frowned when he thought about Zhao Lifei. There was nothing special about her background or appearance, yet he had taken an interest in her.

    As he convinced himself she was just like every other woman he knew, his thoughts couldn¡¯t help but linger on her face. She wasn¡¯t bad looking with her long, silky hair that seemed to sway like the calm waves on a summer morning.

    Her eyes were incredibly clear, so much that he could see everything within it. No malice. No hatred. No hidden motives, all of her moves and emotions were genuine. He thought she was those boring and weak women that liked to y the white lotus, but she waspletely different.

    Standing tall, shoulders back, and eyes firm, she had the charisma of a strong and independent woman, something Yang Feng admired.

    "Fool." He said to himself when he realized he had just admitted the good qualities in Zhao Lifei. To him, she was a crazy and impulsive woman. Why was he thinking so much about her?

    - - - - -

    When Zhao Lifei finished cooking her lunch, a door bell rang. She sighed and ced down her chopsticks. She tapped the screen besides her door to see who was outside, but frowned when she saw it was no one.

    That¡¯s strange...

    She reached for the nearest pepper spray bottle and opened her door to look left and then right of her hallway. There was no one there.

    Just when she was about to close the door, a box caught her attention.

    She scowled.

    Did he seriously use the same trick she used on him?

    Zhao Lifei picked up the box and then closed the door behind her. She ced the box onto the ground and opened it.

    When the beautiful sapphire and diamond ne came into disy, Zhao Lifei resisted the urge to roll her eyes. The box also contained the same purse she had returned this morning.

    She picked up the white note that was below it.

    ¡¯Two can y the game.¡¯ -YF

    At the message on the white card, Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t help butugh. A game? Did he think she was the yer when she was the coach?

    Sometimes Zhao Lifei was d for the connections she got as the future "Madam Zheng." Many people would flock to her, eager to please and help her. Everyone knew she was the fiancee of Zheng Tianyi, but none of them knew she was the one that fulfilled Zheng Tianyi¡¯s role as CEO. When she signed his projects, proposals, went to banquets in his stead, she had gained many high-profiled business cards that came in handy.

    Despite losing her position and title, Zhao Lifei was still acquainted with a handful of people that seemed to like her more now that she waspletely single. She remembered Ruqin teasing her about it, saying it was because they knew the role besides her was empty, so it was easier for her to fall in love with them.

    Zhao Lifei ced the white note card into the box and grab her phone to text a highly profiled CEO who managed the car industries.

    She couldn¡¯t help but let out a lightughter. He really knew how to y the game. He gifted her a purse, she gifted him a watch twice the amount, so he gifted her a ne three time the amount. This time, she would give him a gift four times the amount.

    After texting the man and wiring him the money, Zhao Lifei went back to eating her lunch. Right when she ced her chopsticks down, she got a text.

    ncing down at the photo of a gold and tinum coated car with diamond rim lights, she smirked.

    She typed a few things into her phone and soon, the car was send straight into Yang Feng¡¯s private garage.

    After receiving the confirmation that it would be delivered in one hour, Zhao Lifei went to her couch and turned on the TV. Shezily browsed through the channels, until something caught her eye. It was talking about the designer that Zheng Tianyi had picked for Xia Mengxi, in regards to the dress she would be wearing to the famous Zhao Linhua¡¯s birthday banquet.

    Not wanting to see Xia Mengxi or even Zheng Tianyi, Zhao Lifei switched to another channel, but she caught a small glimpse of the sapphire dress that Xia Mengxi would wear.

    She let out a tired sigh and flipped through the wide variety of channels. She thought about how Yang Feng¡¯s face would look like when he sees the car. It would¡¯ve been priceless!

    "I would pay a lot of money to see that expression." She said to no one in particr.

    Zhao Lifei was so bored with the channels, she thought about going to Yang Enterprise to personally see his reaction. She even contemted the idea of bringing popcorn! But s, she decided against the idea, knowing it would be too ridiculous and random if she suddenly showed up at his work ce.

 Chapter 26: Gift War

    When Yang Feng received word that there was a suspicious, yet overpriced car in his private garage at the Yang Enterprise, he was surprised. He didn¡¯t expect Zhao Lifei¡¯s connections to be so tight to the point of where she could buy him a highly sought after car within the span of one hour.

    Stepping out of the private elevator, heughed to himself. It seemed he had truly underestimated his opponent.

    He stared at the sleek and beautiful midnight ck car that seemed to shine underneath the light. With a 16-cylinder engine, 1,500 horsepower and six exhaust pipes, this was the car of every man¡¯s dream.

    The price of this car was worth four times the ne that he had gifted her. Stepping forward, he ran a hand over the polished metal.

    It seemed she had epted his deration for war. To be exact, a gift war. He wondered how far she was willing to go in this little game of theirs...

    After receiving the car, Yang Feng gifted Zhao Lifei a set of matching earrings to go with her sapphire and diamond ne. The earrings didn¡¯te in pairs, so he had to spend additional to get the other part of the earring.

    When Zhao Lifei received the gift, she sent back an entire box of cuff links. Each cuff link was made from the finest quality of materials ranging from meteor rocks to blue diamonds worth a couple million per carat.

    And when Yang Feng received her gift, he chuckled and brought her two hundred roses and a whopping four-floor apartment condo that was in an extremely reputable neighborhood that was located very close to his home.

    Zhao Lifei was pissed at the messy gift which invaded half of her enormous living room. It took at least five cleaners to get rid of all of the roses. Not wanting to waste the beautiful flower that came in a bundle of red, white, yellow, pink, and blue, she gifted it to her team of cleaners.

    She was d her bank ount was loaded with the money she made from her investmentpany and the money she saved up from working as Zheng Tianyi¡¯s double. When she signed his contracts worth millions and sometimes even billions, she had pocketed 15% of the profits without his knowledge.

    Zhao Moyao had advised her to do so. A part of him already expected the oue of a forced marriage contract like theirs. He had witnessed many messy outbreaks in marriages, but he didn¡¯t expect his granddaughter to suffer the harshest ends of it...

    Brushing the thought of money aside, Zhao Lifei picked up her phone to buy him a yacht that would rival his gifts.

    She made a mental note to begin returning all of his gifts or even reselling it to make more money.

    She didn¡¯t like the idea of epting his expensive gifts and knew he would probably only ept one return.

    Zhao Lifei knew she could reuse the money for something better than this petty gift-war.

    Just when Zhao Lifei had sent the gift off to him, she received another text. Her heart dropped to her stomach when she saw the text was from Wang Nuoli. It was about the time and location of the banquet.

    When she saw the names in the group chat, Zhao Lifei nearly rolled her eyes. Wang Nuoli really had the nerves to add Zhao Moyao into the group! Just how thick was her skin to do something as shameless as that?

    The entire Zhao and Wang family knew Zhao Moyao did not care for Zhao Linhua. Out of all of his grandchildren, she was the one who cried and screamed the loudest when she saw Zhao Moyao¡¯s scary face.

    Growing up pampered, overly loved, and sheltered, it was Zhao Linhua¡¯s first time seeing a man with a disapproving expression.

    Not only that, but Zhao Moyao was in a particrly bad day and her screams dampened his mood. Ever since them, Zhao Linhua was cklisted as his granddaughter. He refused to put her in his will, and Wang Nuoli was beyond infuriated when she heard of the news.

    But as much as Wang Nuoli detested the truth, she knew she couldn¡¯t go against his orders.

    "She must¡¯ve think her n was wless..." Zhao Lifei muttered out loud. She knew by sending the text in a group, Zhao Moyao would tantly know Zhao Lifei was attending the banquet. This would increase the chances of Zhao Moyao going as well.

    Within seconds of the text, Zhao Moyao called Zhao Lifei.

    "Grandfather," She answered on the first ring.

    "The banquet is tomorrow night. I hope you have a dress and a date in mind." Zhao Moyao spoke, forgetting all formalities and going straight to the point.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes grew wide. The banquet was tomorrow night? She could¡¯ve sworn it was next week! Did she move up the date?

    Grinding her teeth, she checked her phone and just as Zhao Lifei had expected, the date was moved a week ahead.

    She didn¡¯t have time to contact a designer or double check with Yang Ruqin that her brother would actually show up. She could¡¯ve sworn Yang Yulong was out of the country on an important mission.

    Zhao Lifei knew she waspletely screwed. But she didn¡¯t want her grandfather to worry, so she said, "I¡¯m pretty much all set and ready." She nervously said, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear. She paced around her heavily rose-scented living room.

    "Are you sure?" Zhao Moyao had heard the uneasiness in her voice.

    "Yes, grandfather. Don¡¯t worry too much about the banquet. It¡¯s not good for your high blood pressure." She quickly answered him. He may be stern and strict, but he was getting older. She only came back into the city, from her long two year departure, because she had heard he copsed due to high-blood pressure.

    Zhao Lifei thought about what Yang Ruqin had told her. "As a matter of fact, I already have a partner. He¡¯s someone from the Yang family."

    "Which member?" Zhao Moyao questioned, feeling doubtful of her words. If it was the younger one, he would need to get in touch with him. The younger brother may be outgoing, but Zhao Moyoa knew of his flirtatious and womanizing ways. A man like that better keeps his hands off of his granddaughter.

    "The younger one." Zhao Lifei bit her bottom lips, unsure of his reaction. She was scared he might be angry at her for choosing someone with a coy reputation, but he surprised her by remaining as calm and collected as usual.

    "Is that so..." Zhao Moyao out out a text to Li Xuan. He was preparing an attention security team in case something happened.

    Yang Yulong was far too unpredictable. Moreover, he was also worried about Zhao Lifei¡¯s safety at the banquet. There would be many socialites gathered there and many of them would be Zheng Tianyi¡¯s followers.

    "If he doesn¡¯t show up, I want you to call me as soon as possible." Zhao Moyao¡¯s voice remained warm and inviting, but there was a slight edge to it.

    Even if the Yang family was the most powerful in the country, he would not bat an eye on taking a direct hit at Yang Yulong. If they dared to damage his precious granddaughter¡¯s reputation, blood would spill.

 Chapter 27: Like A Coward

    The following morning, Zhao Lifei woke upter than expected.When she nced at the clock, she had immediately climbed out of bed upon realizing it waste into the afternoon, which meant she had very little time to get ready.

    Pacing back and fourth in her room, she nervously ran a hand through her hair as she observed the different array of dresses scattered throughout her bedroom. Despite the price tag and beautiful style of the dress, none of them interested her.

    Suddenly, all of the clothes she had seemed boring and in. This was a major dilemma, especially when the banquet was in less than three hours!

    Groaning, she copsed onto the bed.

    "Maybe I should just hide somewhere and not show up. I doubt they would miss me." She said out loud, sighing as she did so. She knew she was lying to herself because everyone would know she didn¡¯t show up to her little sister¡¯s banquet. Not only would she look bad, but so would her family.

    What Wang Nuoli loved to do was brag of her long lists of influential, wealthy, and powerful acquaintances that was invited to her banquets. There was always at least four big signs standing in the hallway of the entrance that gave away who was invited to the banquet.

    Zhao Lifei knew from the bottom of her heart that her mother ced her name in the most visible area to show the people how much of an "amazing" mother she was for "not abandoning" her child ¡ª even though she did just that.

    After a few minutes of starring at the ceiling and weighing the idea of disappearing, Zhao Lifei finally got up from her bed to get ready.

    She didn¡¯t want to look like a coward.

    She had already skipped multiple social banquets. Skipping her little sister¡¯s birthday would solidify the rumors that she was avoiding the socialite circle.

    Just when Zhao Lifei prepared to walk into her closet, someone rang her doorbell. Her forehead creased in confusion.

    It was alreadyte in the afternoon, who woulde and visit her? Yang Ruqin was out of the city for a photo shoot, and she didn¡¯t have that many friends who would visit her.

    Zhao Lifei walked to the door and checked the monitor on the wall. This time it was one of the apartment workers. She instantly recognized he was the one who always hand-delivered all of the packages.

    She hesitated to open the door because she knew she didn¡¯t order anything.

    When the door bell rang again, Zhao Lifei opened the door.

    "Please sign here, Ma¡¯am." The man said, handing over a device.

    "Thank you, but who is this from?" Zhao Lifei asked, grabbing the device and fluidly signed her name.

    "Not sure, but a secretary passed it to us a few minutes ago." The man said, checking the signature and handing the box over.

    Zhao Lifei raised a brow, but didn¡¯t ask anymore. She took the box and closed the door.

    She set the box down and opened her. Her eyes flew open in surprise.

    Inside the white box was a gorgeous sapphire-colored dress. When she lifted the dress to see it in its full glory, she felt at loss for words. Whenever the dress swayed, it would catch the light and shine a brilliant hue.

    The dress was breathtakingly beautiful and suitable for a Princess, but something about it felt off. Where had she seen it before?

    After a few seconds of thinking, she suddenly remembered something. Yang Feng had send her a sapphire ne that would go wonderfully with this dress.

    But then she thought about it and shook her head. She needed to return the ne to him anyways, she didn¡¯t want to be seen wearing something she would soon return.

    Besides, she knew she had a lot of different jewelries that might also be suitable for blue.

    After texting Yang Ruqin about Yang Yulong¡¯s confirmation on being her date, Zhao Lifei began to get ready.

    She took a shower first, then did her hair in a fancy up do with a few loose strands framing her heart-shaped face. She stared at herself in the mirror and realized she would need make-up to hide the enormous dark bags underneath her eyes from the endless nights of sleep.

    After concealing her dark circles and doing some simple eye make-up, she took onest nce at herself in the mirror.

    The dress she wore was really mesmerizing. It was a mermaid-evening dress that wrapped around her body in the perfect ces which enhanced Zhao Lifei¡¯s figure. She hate to admit it, but her breast wasn¡¯t as big as the dress had hoped for, thus, it was a bit loose in that area...

    When she checked the clock, her eyes bulged. The party would start in less than an hour! Zhao Lifei hurriedly grabbed her earrings, her purse, then her phone, and quickly ran out of the door.

    She got onto the elevator and because it was already eight, there was no elevator staff. She pressed the button to the ground floor and checked her phone to see if Yang Ruqin had texted her back.

    [Qinqin: Yeah, he¡¯sing. Something came up, so he can¡¯t pick you up, but he will meet you at the banquet. I think he ordered a car to pick you up?]

    Zhao Lifei raised a curious brow as she stepped out of the elevator. Her eyes lifted off of her phone and true to Yang Ruqin¡¯s words, there was a car waiting outside of the apartmentplex.

    A few of the passersby stared at it in astonishment. The apartmentplex was known for it¡¯s luxurious high rise and lobby. It housed many upper ss people, but the car was extremely ordinary inparison to their gaudy sport cars.

    It was the limited edition Maybach that had sold out within the first three hours the car was announced. The prestigious symbol of the Maybach shone in the front, and catching the bright lights of the Sky Arc Complex, the car was beautiful.

    Zhao Lifei frowned at the extravagant pick-up, but nheless walked towards the car. Immediately, the chauffeur came out and opened the door for her.

    She smiled warmly at him. "Thank you." She said, elegantly climbing into the car.

    The driver was surprised at first, but kept hisposure. "You¡¯re very wee, Madam." He smiled while closing the door behind him.

    He had served as a driver for many years and never in his lifetime had he heard anyone ever thank him for his service. It was a giddily and warm feeling...

    Zhao Lifei stared out the window, a soft sigh leaving her lips. It seemed today was going to be a very long night.

 Chapter 28: Former Queen

    The first thing that greeted Zhao Lifei when the car pulled into the drive way was the bright shes and clicks of the cameras that rivaled a red-carpet event with A-list celebrities. Well, in this case, it was A-list socialites whose wealth was significantly higher than celebrities, so it wasn¡¯t a surprise this banquet would be a big outing.

    Zhao Lifei sighed at the swarming paparazzi and brilliant lights that was so blinding, she had to cover her eyes. Even though the windows were heavily tinted, the lights still red through it.

    She was nervous at the idea of facing the limelight after two long years of absence from it. She had nearly forgotten how to behave in front of the paparazzi or elegantly climb out of a car.

    She sucked in a big gulp of air to calm her rising nerves. Counting down from five, she prepared herself to climb out of the car.

    When the car in front of her Maybach finally drove away, Zhao Lifei knew it was her turn to climb out of the car. She warily nced at the reed carpet before rolling her eyes.

    The minute her car drove to the start of the red carpet, the camera zoomed onto the expensive car. Everyone was curious to see who would be the dazzling man or woman that would step out of such a wealthy car.

    They held their breath in anticipation when the chauffeur stepped out of the car. Even the driver looked handsome and well-built! The person inside the car must¡¯ve been something extremely influential!

    The chauffeur used his body to block the people¡¯s view and then opened the door to a small crack.

    "Ready Ma¡¯am?" He asked, blocking the bright shes of the camera.

    Zhao Lifei breathed deeply and then nodded. "Ready." She firmly said.

    The chauffeur gave her a confirmation nod before stepping aside and opening the door to its full glory.

    Instantly, the cameras clicked and the loud voices of the people could be heard. Many gasp spread throughout the crowd as the cameras moved faster than the speed of light.

    One long, slender leg came out first, followed by another.

    When Zhao Lifei stepped out in all of her glory, her shoulders held back and her head high, the people could not believe their eyes. Dressed in a beautiful color, enhanced by her sapphire earrings, she looked like a dazzling Goddess.

    When she smiled and elegantly waved to the camera, chaos ensued. Interviewers pressed forward, cameras clicked faster, and the people began to whisper and talk among themselves.

    They didn¡¯t expect the former Queen of the Socialites to step out so elegantly. For Goodness sake, she was kicked off of her throne, but she walked like she still held the crown!

    "No way! That¡¯s Zhao Lifei?!"

    "How was she able to get her hands on that dress?! It¡¯s customed designed-"

    "Wait a minute...that dress..."

    "Forget about the dress, just look at the earrings on her ears!"

    "Tch, which big thigh is she clutching now?"

    "Hah! Of course the slut would find a sugar daddy so soon! Always leeching off of some man¡¯s money!"

    "And she came without a date, how embarrassing."

    The people talked and gossiped about Zhao Lifei¡¯s presence. If she heard any of their disrespectful terms, she didn¡¯t show it. Instead, she smiled brightly for her haters and strolled down the red carpet, like a Goddess walking on marble columns.

    Even if she looked absolutely perfect, without a single w in sight, the people would talk. Even if she was dressed in an expensive outfit, they¡¯ll always point out the imperfections.

    Zhao Lifei had already epted the cruel reality. No matter what she did or say, the people would talk because that was her nature. Once upon a time, she was also like those people whose heart was filled with displeasure and hatred.

    She understood where their words wereing from, but she never realized the impact it had upon someone, until she was the one to experience these throat-cutting words.

    Paying no mind to the loud chatter, Zhao Lifei walked into the banquet. She didn¡¯t spare the hostess a second nce when she passed the invitation to her and walked into the banquet.

    When the door was pushed open, a hundred pair of eyes trailed to her. Instantly, the lively chatter died in to low mummers. The music was still ying, the people were still mingling, but many eyes were trained on the former Queen.

    When the people had, saw her name on the list, they¡¯d thought she would be too scared to evene. The people thought she would be a coward and run away, so when she came, dressed to her best abilities, the people were surprised.

    That was, until they took a better nce at her outfit.

 Chapter 29: Someone You Cant Afford to Offend

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t pay any attention to the obvious gossip that was about her. Instead, she walked to pick up the nearest ss of wine from a server, but upon realizing her old habit, she immediately ced the ss back onto the waiter¡¯s tray.

    She scolded herself for nearly reverting back to her habits. She knew she needed to be sober, awake, and conscious in this dangerous social gathering. So she walked away from the addicting drink and picked up a ss of grape juice. It wasn¡¯t her favorite fermented wine, but it was better than nothing.

    Unlike what the people expected her to do, she walked into the center of the banquet. Everyone thought she would try to hide in the corner and pray she was unseen, but Zhao Lifei already felt the stares. Even if she did try to hide, it wouldn¡¯t work. So, she faced the harsh reality and braced herself for the exchange of insults and gossip.

    With a gift box in hand, Zhao Lifei was walking to the table filled with mountains of gifts. The minute she ced her gift box down, a group of girls walked towards her.

    Zhao Lifei already heard the loud tter of their heels when they approached her. She sighed, pinching the spot between her brows.

    It was too early for drama to ensue! For goodness sakes, she had just arrived less than five minutes ago and people were already picking a fight with her?! Did these people have nothing better to do with their life?

    "Hmph, if it isn¡¯t the abandoned fiancee. I¡¯m surprised you have the guts to show up after all that has happened." A snarky voice said.

    Zhao Lifei turned around and to no surprise, it was her former best friend. She nearlyughed at this betrayal.

    Song Qiuyu stood like a dignified woman with her arms crossed. She was surrounded by a posse of beautiful women that was low and middle-ranked socialites.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes trailed over the haughty and confident women besides Song Qiuyu. She nearly chuckled. These were the same women that Song Qiuyu used to bad mouth when she was alone with Zhao Lifei.

    "It seems all of the humiliation has made you dumb. You should answer when someone talks to you." One woman chided in, quick to support Song Qiuyu.

    Zhao Lifei stared at them, swirling her cup of juice like it was wine. Her smile was sweet, but her gaze was aloof and cold.

    She was forever unbothered by their words. Growing up surrounded by beautiful roses filled with thorns had toughen her skin. Besides, she used to be the on throwing the insults. One who throw dirt should be prepared for a dirt bath.

    "You really are shameless, showing up to leech money and fame from your sister!" Another woman added on, clearly not knowing her words.

    Zhao Lifei leeching off of Zhao Linhua and Wang Nuoli? Wasn¡¯t it the other way around?

    When a light giggle came from Zhao Lifei, the women were taken back, but quicklyposed themselves.

    "See, Qiuyu. She really has gone insane." A different woman whispered to Song Qiuyu who was observing Zhao Lifei¡¯s nonchnt face.

    "Is that this the best you could do?" Zhao Lifei stood up straighter and ced her drink down. These women were so silly. Did they really think their words were powerful and prickly? What a joke.

    "What did you just say?!" The first woman who spoke up nearly lost it.

    Zhao Lifei raised an amused brow, her lips tilting into a mischievous smirk. A small poke and she was already angered? How pathetic.

    "My, oh my, Song Qiuyu. I didn¡¯t think you would surround yourself with these useless women who¡¯d scream at the first insult." Zhao Lifeiughed, clearly pointing out the fact that Song Qiuyu had low-ss to make friends with these women.

    "You-"

    "Save it. Don¡¯t provoke someone you can¡¯t afford to offend." Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes turned sharp and dark, revealing a certain rity. She dropped the smile on her face which made her look deathly serious.

    She was right, these women couldn¡¯t afford her. She might¡¯ve fallen from grace, but with Zhao Moyao as her backings, she could easily squash these women like flies.

    Song Qiuyu stiffened at the warning. Her friends exchanged wary and curious nces. Seeing the hesitation and self-doubt on her friends, Song Qiuyu felt incredibly embarrassed.

    Song Qiuyu was supposed to show off how much she has grown throughout the years. She wanted to show who the leader was. She used to leech off of Zhao Lifei¡¯s fame and was bullied for doing that. Now, she wanted to look like Zhao Lifei was the one that used to leech off of her, even though everyone knew that was a lie.

    Song Qiuyu racked her brain to think of something to say. When she took a better nce at Zhao Lifei, her lips quirked up. That dress, it was the same one that Xia Mengxi was wearing.

    "Oh, dear Lifei, I didn¡¯t think you were one to steal and copy someone else¡¯s dress. Isn¡¯t that the same one Xia Mengxi is currently wearing?¡¯ Song Qiuyu chuckled, gesturing to the stunning woman that had just strolled into the room with Zheng Tianyi not far behind her.

    Zhao Lifei stiffened, her eyes opening slightly wider. What did she just say? Xia Mengxi was here? Zheng Tianyi had already arrived? And she was wearing the same dress as his beloved?

    She felt her fingers itch to curl around something, so she picked up her ss of grape juice. Zhao Lifei reminded herself to not sway under these women¡¯s words.

    One crack in her perfect wall, one w on her perfect expression, and these women would hound on it. If they saw her falter, she would be instantly teared down.

    "You¡¯re quite the one to talk. Aren¡¯t you the one mimicking Xia Mengxi¡¯s style?" Zhao Lifei lifted her fingers to brush away Song Qiuyu¡¯s bangs.

    "Same hair, same jewels, same style, you should try harder to hide it." Zhao Lifei chuckled. By deliberately touching Song Qiuyu¡¯s hair, she was bringing attention to the extremely familiar hair style that Xia Mengxi had.

    "Now that you mention it, Song Qiuyu¡¯s style does look like Xia Mengxi¡¯s housewife style..." A woman whispered, startling Song Qiuyu whose face inmed in embarrassment.

    When the woman realized Song Qiuyu had overheard her, she was quick to defend herself.

    "Qiuyu, I didn¡¯t mean to-" Zhao Lifei hurriedly made her escape.

    She seized the chance of Song Qiuyu and the women being distracted to find her escape. She nced down at her dress and then toward the beautiful Xia Mengxi who was wearing the same dress.

    ¡¯Damn it! I knew it was too good to be true!¡¯ She seethed inside of her head. She knew she should¡¯ve doubted the dress the minute it was shipped to her.

    No wonder why the dress was familiar, she saw it on TV! She cursed herself for not watching the TV channel. If only she wasn¡¯t browsing the TV, she might¡¯ve caught onto this dress!

    Zhao Lifei gritted her teeth and texted someone to bring her a quick change of attire. Busy with her phone, she had identally bumped into someone.

    "I¡¯m so sorry-" Zhao Lifei¡¯s voice died down when she realized she had bumped into none other than Xia Mengxi.

 Chapter 30: It Was a Mistake

    Zhao Lifei felt her heart drop all the way to her stomach. She stared at the wine ss in Xia Mengxi¡¯s hand. When she had bumped into her, some of the wine spilled onto Xia Mengix¡¯s fingers, and a tiny dropletnded on the blue dress ¡ª but it wasn¡¯t visible to the eye.

    Zhao Lifei took hesitant step backwards, her heart drumming a million beat per minute. She didn¡¯t think she would run into Xia Mengxi so quickly. Worse of all, she didn¡¯t expect to spill the wine all over her hands.

    The chillingly dark voice of Zheng Tianyi spoke up. "You crazy woman, how dare you show your face around here and then touch my Mengxi?" He nearly snarled the words, his eyes gleaming with displeasure.

    "It was a mistake¡ª" Zhao Lifei hissed in pain when he harshly gripped her forearm, yanking her clsoer to the crowd surrounding him.

    She noticed it was wealthy, powerful, and credible businessmen. Zheng Tianyi was probably trying to get Xia Mengxi to be acquainted with these men.

    "It¡¯s been two years and you still haven¡¯t learned your mistakes? Crazy bitch, I told you to stay away from my Mengxi!" He grounded his teeth in anger. His grip became deathly painful when he realized she was looking at the people behind him. This bitch, she was still trying to cling onto another big thigh?

    Zhao Lifei winced in pain, but didn¡¯t dare cry out. She would never give him the satisfaction of seeing her in pain.

    "It really was an ident! Let go of me!" She tugged her arm back, but Zheng Tianyi¡¯s grip was too tight and unbearable.

    "Honey, I¡¯m fine. The wine didn¡¯t spill onto my dress, it was only on my hand-"

    "This lowly rat dirtied your hands. She should pay for it." Zheng Tianyi seethed, his eyes ring with anger. The fire in his eyes was enough to burn Zhao Lifei.

    Zhao Lifei scowled and roughly pulled her arm back. "Don¡¯t be so petty, she can wash her hands." She red back at him, not liking the way he stared at her as if she was someone lower than him. She couldn¡¯t believe she had fallen for a trash like him. Even though she had these thoughts, her heart couldn¡¯t help but skip a beat when starring at his handsome face.

    He wasn¡¯t the male lead just for show. The aura around him was impable and his face was beyond alluring.

    Zheng Tianyi was surprised by her change of behavior. He had expected her to beg and plea for mercy. He didn¡¯t expect this snarky woman that dared to talk back to him. She wasn¡¯t like this in the past, what made her change her mind?

    "Let go of me, Mr. Zheng, you¡¯re bruising my arm!" Zhao Lifei reminded him, her eyes shinning with hatred and annoyance.

    Even though her heart was quivering and her legs were shaking at his overbearing presence, she kept her voice strong and firm. She didn¡¯t want to appear weak, even though she was.

    "Fine." Zheng Tianyi pushed her back with so much force, Zhao Lifei fell onto her backside.

    The crowd of influential socialites chuckled at the embarrassing sight of Zhao Lifei on the floor and Zheng Tianyi standing over her. It seemed after all these years, she was still chasing after him.

    Sheesh, did she have nothing else better to do than beg for Zheng Tianyi? Can she clearly not tell the man was already taken?

    Zhao Lifei grounded her teeth so hard, she was surprised it wasn¡¯t going to crack from the pressure. Her eyes shot daggers at him, wishing and praying he would just drop the ground.

    "You¡¯re absolutely insane!" She sniped at him, attempting to stand up. And when she tried to do so, something trickled over her head, down her hairs and onto her forehead.

    The people gasped and began to mummer to themselves.

    Zheng Tianyi had poured a ss of wine over Zhao Lifei.

    "I warned you before, to not mess with my Mengxi. It seems you wouldn¡¯t listen." He nonchntly said, grabbing another wine ss to pour over her.

    Zhao Lifei was so engulfed with the shock and taste of the wine, her body stiffened in shock. Her thoughts began to swirl to the past where she swore and promised her grandfather she would never remember the taste of wine again, but the minute it touched her lips, she felt the sudden surge of her addiction towards her.

    "A lowly woman, that is exactly what you are." Zheng Tianyi reminded her when he grabbed the third ss of wine and sshed it onto her dress.

    The people pitied her and now that Xia Mengxi was standing so close to her, they saw that both woman was wearing the same dress. Immediately, they hounded on Zhao Lifei who seemingly copied Xia Mengxi¡¯s dress since her dress was publicly announced on television first.

    "How shameful, copying the same dress as Xia Mengxi!"

    "Man, she never learns does she? It¡¯s been two years and she¡¯s still after Zheng Tianyi."

    "When will she get the memo that he doesn¡¯t like her anymore?"

    "How embarrassing, wearing the same dress as Xia Mengxi. Does she want to be her?"

    "Haha! That crazy bitch can never be Xia Mengxi, even if she tried! With such a bad and spoiled attitude, there¡¯s no way she can match up to the innocent and kind Mengxi!"

    "I can¡¯t believe she would show up here, dressed like that. Shameless!"

    "Of course she¡¯s shameless, she has been that her whole life!"

    "It¡¯s not a surprise Zheng Tianyi abandoned her. What a horribly embarrassing woman."

    The people was quick to jump on the bandwagon of humiliating Zhao Lifei. They didn¡¯t know that the dress was randomly send to her. They didn¡¯t know that Zhao Lifei waspletely innocent here.

    Zhao Lifei got a wake-up call when she felt the biting cold. Someone must¡¯ve opened the window or something, because it wasn¡¯t this cold before.

    Laughter erupted in the room and Zhao Lifei began to shake at the memory of what happened two years ago.

    In the same style banquet, in the same position, she was back here reliving her nightmares again.

    Zhao Lifei scolded herself for being so scared and terrified. She had underwent training just to ovee this scenario, why was she on the floor like a wounded puppy?

    "You crazy bastard..." Zhao Lifei muttered under her breath, standing up within seconds, startling Zheng Tianyi and the crowd.

    They had expected her to be weak and cry on the floor, then dragged out by security. They didn¡¯t expect her topose herself so quickly.

    When she stood up, the peopleughed again. Wine was dripping down her hair and onto her face, making a red streak. She looked like an absolute mess. No, she looked like a crazy purple monster who reeked off a pungent smell.

    Zhao Lifei observed the scene before her. Wasn¡¯t this the same scene that every Korean Drama viin had to live through? Was she the viin again? Even though the current situation at hand waspletely unintentional? But the people didn¡¯t care about the truth. They only cared about the momentary pleasure of the free entertainment unraveling before them.

    "Zheng Tianyi, you¡¯re absolutely insane." Zhao Lifei repeated, this time, her voice was louder and more clear.

    At the insult, the crowd immediately silenced. Was she serious? Did she really not care anymore?

    Zheng Tianyi will destroy her for insulting him! She should¡¯ve just begged on her hands and knees for mercy!

    "What did you just call me?" Zheng Tianyi¡¯s voice was so dark and hoarse, the people gulped in fear. Currently, he was the most powerful man in this room.

    Zhao Lifei was screwed.

    "I said you¡¯re insane-" Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t finish her sentence when a smack as swift as lightning pped across her face.

    PAK!

    The people gasped, clearly not believing their eyes. This was the second time Zheng Tianyi had struck a woman, and it happens to be the same woman!

    The p echoed loud and clear throughout the room.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s parents and sister watched her from the corner. They didn¡¯t bother intervening to help and save her. What was the point in helping that useless woman?

 Chapter 31: Its Ruined

    Zhao Lifei grabbed her burning cheek,pletely shocked at what had just happened. Her blood boiled with anger.

    Everyone was so focused on the show, no one had seen the door opening and a tall, handsome man step into the room. But when the sound of his expensive leather shoes cked on the floor in the deathly silent room, the people¡¯s eyes grew wide.

    Strolling into the room with his three-piece ck suit, dark blue tie, and his hands in his pockets, was none other than Yang Feng. His deathly aura was hard to miss, and the furious look in his eyes was enough to send the people shaking in their spot.

    They gulped in fear when his bleak, ck eyes trailed around the room. The people held their breath and shivered at the sudden drop of temperature. Weren¡¯t the heaters turned to its highest temperature? Why was it so cold in here?

    The wind fluttered, and the ck fur-rimmed coat draped over Yang Feng¡¯s broad shoulders made him look like a King, no, the God of War.

    The people watched as his long legs carried him towards the center of the room where Zhao Lifei was standing, shocked and clutching her bright red face.

    Zheng Tianyi was so furious at her, he didn¡¯t realize the presence of a man who can easily stomp over him.

    "What¡¯s going on here?" When he spoke, the entire room became quiet. It was so silent, one could hear a feather fall onto the ground.

    His voice was chillingly cold and deathly. One look at the murderous expression on his face was enough to make the onlookers incredibly nervous.

    "Yang Feng, you¡¯re here." Zheng Tianyi¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise. When did he get here?

    Zheng Tianyi noticed Yang Feng¡¯s gaze on the frozen Zhao Lifei. "I was just handling some business, don¡¯t worry about this trash." He pushed her aside and grabbed Xia Mengxi by her tiny waist.

    "I haven¡¯t been able to properly introduce to you my fiancee¡ª" Zheng Tianyi¡¯s voice died off when Yang Feng didn¡¯t even look at him. Instead, he pushed him aside as if Zheng Tianyi was a waste of air.

    A few people snickered at this embarrassing turn of events. He was brutally ignored by Yang Feng! Hah, that serves him right for trying to curry favors with Yang Feng!

    Everyone¡¯s gaze heavily followed Yang Feng and no one dared to move or make a noise when he took off the coat hanging on his shoulders to wrap it around the shivering Zhao Lifei.

    Zhao Lifei flinched when the coat was ced around her quivering shoulders. She lifted her head and was surprised to see Yang Feng staring down at her.

    When most people would¡¯ve stood frozen to the bone at his terrifying dark gaze that seemed to piece right through you, Zhao Lifei was entranced by it. She breathed out, confused at the electricity and warm feeling from his touch.

    "Yang Feng? What are you doing here?" She asked, leaning a bit closer to his warm coat.

    "I¡¯m your date." His voice was as deep and smooth as she hadst remembered it.

    "My date? I thought Yulong was my date." Zhao Lifei frowned,pletely unaware of the astonished nces on everyone¡¯s faces.

    Yang Feng wasn¡¯t her first?! It was supposed to be Yang Yulong?! How was this girl even acquainted with any of them? Was she dense? Obviously Yang Feng would be the better date option!

    "Do you want Yulong instead?" Yang Feng¡¯s lips pulled into a thin line. She wasn¡¯t happy that he was here? Most girls would¡¯ve killed for this opportunity, yet here she was, questioning his presence.

    Zhao Lifei tilted her head when the temperature dropped again. Did his gaze have to be so angry and dark all the time? His expression was as if someone was owing him an enormous debt worth billions.

    "No, I¡¯m fine with either." She sighed, realizing how temperamental he was.

    Yang Feng stared at her. Even with the wine poured over her and the red streaks on her face, he still thought she was beautiful.

    "What is it?" Zhao Lifei asked, noticing his pressing stares.

    "Let¡¯s get you cleaned up." He said, wrapping an arm around her to guide her towards teh bathroom.

    Zhao Lifei shook her head. "No. I want to go home." She quietly said, not wanting to stay in this suffocating banquet anymore.

    "I¡¯ll take you home as soon as you¡¯re cleaned up." He gently reassured her, upon seeing how soft and demure she had be. What happened to the strong and powerful woman he saw in the hospital room?

    But he quite liked this side of her. He took in her vulnerable and painful expression that seemed to harshly stab his heart.

    "The wine looks like blood. We have to wash it off." Yang Feng grabbed his handkerchief to wipe a few stray droplets of wine.

    She nced down at her ruined dress, the stains a dark purple color.

    "It¡¯s ruined." She whispered, knowing wine was impossible to wash off.

    "It¡¯s an ugly dress anyways." Yang Feng loudly said, enough for Xia Mengxi and the crowd to hear.

    Everyone always took Yang Feng¡¯s word into heart. To them, his word was like thew. Immediately the people turn their backs to Xia Mengxi. They whispered about her bad taste and eyes. Herplex was already pale as it was, the dark blue dress made her veins pop out which gave her a ghostly appearance.

    "He¡¯s right. The dress looks too gaudy on her."

    "It doesn¡¯t suit her body as well. She looks like a standing rectangle."

    "What a tacky dress...she¡¯s obviously new money."

    Xia Mengxi blushed at the insult and looked away, hugging her arms. Zheng Tianyi frowned and took off his suit jacket to drape it around her shoulders. "You look fine, don¡¯t worry." He reassured her, but his words couldn¡¯t do much to stop her self-conscious thoughts.

    Zheng Tianyi was too wary of Yang Feng¡¯s power to go against his words. Once the great Yang Feng has made his statement, there was no way of refuting it without facing his wrath. So Zheng Tianyi bit his tongue and remained silent.

    Yang Feng ignored the people¡¯s nonstop gossip. Instead, he focused his attention on the alluring woman in his arm. "Why are you not wearing the ne I gave you?" Yang Feng asked. Did she not like it? He thought it would be the perfect pairing with her earrings and dress.

    Zhao Lifei stared at him with a perplex expression, her mouth slightly agape. Why did he care what she wore? Why would he care about her condition at all?

    She touched her bare neck and looked away. "I was thinking of returning the ne." She quietly said, ready to step into the bathroom but he grabbed her wrist.

    "What are you doing-"

    "Keep the ne." He said, his eyes dark with displeasure. Did she not like the ne? Was that why she was throwing it away? Was it not expensive for her? He thought sapphire would be a lovely color on her beautiful translucent skin that put the whitest jade to shame.

    "No, I don¡¯t want to." She immediately reverted back to her old ways.

    Seeing this, Yang Feng hid the smile that threatened to lift his lips. She tried to yank her wrist back, but his grip was as strong as iron. But his touch was gentle, like a soft caress.

    She lifted her head to stare at him and immediately regretted doing so. He was so breathtakingly handsome, she didn¡¯t know what to say. Slowly but surely, she found herself lost within his eyes. It was filled with darkness, yet she couldn¡¯t help but find the beauty within it.

    Completely captivated by him, she didn¡¯t realize he had bend down. It wasn¡¯t until his lips was near her ears did she tense up. In a low and throaty voice, he whispered, "If you return the ne, I¡¯ll toss it into the ocean."

    Zhao Lifei blinked, feeling her face flush at their proximity. She pushed him away, and he released his grip on her.

    At least he was keeping his distance. But what was wrong with him? Why was he standing so close to her before?

    "Don¡¯t touch me." She mumbled, turning her back to hide her expression. And without waiting for his reply, she stomped into the bathroom.

 Chapter 32: What Did You Do

    Yang Feng stood at the end of the hallway, slightly dumbfounded that he was left in the dust. Did she just abandon him? His brows furrowed together and he walked down the hallway to lean on the wall and wait for her.

    Running a hand through his hair, he couldn¡¯t believe he was waiting outside of the bathroom for a woman. He felt like a giddy high school boy waiting for his crush to give her his handkerchief.

    The minute Zhao Lifei walked into the bathroom, she undid her hair. She sighed to herself when her raven locks tumbled down her back, few droplets of wine falling from it. She winced at the heavy stench of alcohol that reeked from her body.

    Zhao Lifei expected her night to brim with backstabbing and gossip left and right, but she didn¡¯t expect it to turn sour in ten minutes.

    "Whatever, at least I gave Linhua her gift." She muttered as she began to clean her face and hair. The water and soap had left her hair in an awkward texture, but at least the smell was gone. The water had washed off her makeup, leaving her face bare of any products.

    Zhao Lifei cringed at the eye bags underneath her eyes. From all the endless nights of tossing and turning, she rarely had a good night of sleep. That¡¯s why she usually woke up in the afternoon ¡ª she only fell asleep after lying in bed for at least a good few hours.

    Just when she was about to step out of the bathroom, Xia Mengxi walked in. She seemed upied with wiping the tears from her eyes, sniffling to herself as she held her dress to walk easier.

    Zhao Lifei eyed the distraught woman in front of her. The two were alone in the enormous bathroom that was twice the size of a moderate bedroom.

    She remembered thest time they were ever alone together. It was the same night that Zhao Lifei confronted Xia Mengxi with the discovery of her real birth parents. Her father didn¡¯t leave her. As a matter of fact, he was desperately trying to contact Xia Mengxi but the woman refused to meet her birth-father.

    And when Mengxi found out Lifei knew the truth, she immediately sought Zheng Tianyi¡¯s help. One thing leads to another, and soon, Zhao Lifei was stripped and thrown out of his house.

    When Xia Mengxi lifted her head and took a few steps back. Her mouth was parted in shock, as if not believing she was alone with Zhao Lifei.

    Zhao Lifei crossed her arms and raised a brow. Why was she pretending to be surprised to see her? She knew Xia Mengxi wasn¡¯t deaf nor did she have any hearing problems. Yang Feng announced he was going to take her to the bathroom, so Xia Mengxi should¡¯ve known she was already inside.

    "H-hello." Xia Mengxi timidly greeted her, her head slightly tucked to portray a demure and wholesome woman.

    Zhao Lifei noticed the tears and quivering lips. She already knew what happened.

    As always, Xia Mengxi couldn¡¯t handle the insults from her peers after Yang Feng pointed out how distasteful her dress was. The people probably tore her apart and once again, the female lead couldn¡¯t handle the criticism of her peers.

    Xia Mengxi was always portrayed to be a gentle, sweet, and simply too innocuous woman. She couldn¡¯t handle the harsh and backstabbing upper society.

    She sniffled. "I¡¯m sorry to have worn the same dress as you¡ª"

    "It¡¯s not your fault." Zhao Lifei said with a frown. Why was this woman apologizing? Her dress was publicly announced on national television, shouldn¡¯t Zhao Lifei be the one to apologize?

    "Oh, I-I guess you¡¯re right." Xia Mengxi nervously babbled. "Then I apologize for Tianyi¡¯s behavior. You know, he¡¯s usually not bad-tempered and mean¡ª"

    "Save it." Zhao Lifei sighed, not wanting to hear the excuses. Of course, she would know he was usually not bad tempered, Zheng Tianyi only showed his nice side to her. Zhao Lifei got the harsher end of the stick.

    She couldn¡¯t help but question Xia Mengxi¡¯s behavior. Why was Xia Mengxi always so kind? She was the pr opposite of Zhao Lifei. Instead of fierce independence, Mengxi oozed that soothing sweetness that draws men closer. She apologized for the things that weren¡¯t her fault, and would dly take the me and fall for something.

    Zhao Lifei bitterly thought to herself, was that why Zheng Tianyi loved her so much? Because Xia Mengxi was so naive and pure, filled with sugar and everything good?

    When Zhao Lifei realized how awkward the atmosphere was, she decided it was time to leave. "Enjoy the rest of your night here." She curtly said, walking past her, but the minute she did so, Xia Mengxi hurriedly grabbed her forearm in panic.

    "Wait! Don¡¯t go¡ª oh my goodness, I¡¯m so sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you. I just wanted to grab your attention. I just wanted to clear up the misunderstandings-"

    "Let go of me!" Zhao Lifei ignored Xia Mengxi¡¯s frantic ramble. Hissing in pain, she yanked her arm back. Damn it, did she have to grab the same arm that Zheng Tianyi harshly gripped?

    "I¡¯m really sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to!" Xia Mengxi cried out, her voice rising higher than ever. Her lips quivered in guilt, her eyes wobbled, and she seemed to be on the verge of another breakdown.

    Zheng Tianyi, who had been waiting outside of the bathroom door, immediately banged the bathroom door when he heard the loudmotion inside.

    "Sweetheart, are you alright?" He worriedly asked. He wanted to walk in there, but Yang Feng was right down the hall watching him.

    Zhao Lifei felt her gaze darken at his tone. Even when she was in the hospital for three weeks, after a horrific ident, Zheng Tianyi didn¡¯t even have that level of worry and fear in his voice.

    Yet, Xia Mengxi only needed to change the tone of her voice, and he¡¯d immediately panic?

    Zhao Lifei frowned at the light prickle in her heart. She thought she had moved on from this man, but it seemed a tiny part of her still loved him.

    "Y-yes I¡¯m fine. I-I just tripped on some tissue paper." Xia Mengxi nervouslyughed, her lie obvious.

    "Are you sure?" Zheng Tianyi worriedly asked, beckoning one of his female bodyguards forward.

    "Yes, don¡¯t worry." Xia Mengxi quickly answered.

    Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t handle this mushy and painful scene anymore. She wanted to leave, but her dress was heavy and was beginning to weigh her down. Speaking of the dress, she already had a sneaky intuition on who sent it to her.

    Who else could easily replicate an expensive designer dress? It was none other than Song Qiuyu who loved to copy Xia Mengxi¡¯s style. She might¡¯ve pretended to be shocked that Zhao Lifei wore the same dress when in reality, she was the one that fabricated the entire thing.

    Not wanting the weight of the dress to drag her down further, Zhao Lifei grabbed the small dagger hidden in her purse. She made a few slits at the bottom of the dress and tore off the long mermaid train.

    Xia Mengxi was startled at the loud sound of fabric ripping. She stood there, stunned that Zhao Lifei would rip such an expensive dress into pieces. ¡¯Oh right, she¡¯s rich. She can afford to ruin it.¡¯ She bitterly thought to herself.

    When Zheng Tianyi heard the sound of fabric ripping, he grew worried. Was she ruining her dress? Was it because of what the people said? He knew he would need to have a good, thorough talk with Yang Feng.

    "Are you sure you¡¯re alright?" He asked, but just then, the bathroom door swung open.

    "No, she¡¯s not fine. She was crying." Zhao Lifei deadpanned.

    Zheng Tianyi was surprised to see Zhao Lifei, but his anger washed over him. Did this girl do something to his Mengxi?

    "What did you do to Mengxi?" He snarled, reaching over to grab her, but Zhao Lifei twirled the knife in her hand and then pointed it at him.

    "Don¡¯t test me, President Zheng." She smiled, the knife catching the light of the chandeliers.

    He was startled to see a knife and the way she fluently twirled it as if she was familiar with it. When was she well-acquainted with the handling knives?

    Zheng Tianyi chuckled and within seconds, he pulled out a gun hidden in his waist pants, twirling the weapon by its handle.

    "You have a lot of nerves to be threatening me." He mused, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

    When he nced down at Zhao Lifei, he was taken back by her nonchnt expression. Most people would¡¯ve frozen in fear or turned pale at the sight of a weapon that could kill in less than 5 seconds.

    But there she stood,pletely unfazed by it. As a matter of fact, she looked unimpressed.

    "Really, President Zheng? Out of all of the weapons you could¡¯ve used, you decide to use a puny pistol? How embarrassing." Zhao Lifei mused, clearly knowing the brand and model of the gun.

    "I rmend the Desert Eagle Mark XIX Pistol. It can do more damage than the useless pistol in your hand. One bullet can instantly kill a bear." Zhao Lifei chuckled, brushing past him like a crazy woman.

    Zheng Tianyi blinked in surprise. Since when did she be knowledgeable in guns? Just who was this woman standing in front of her.

    "Hold it, where do you think you¡¯re going?" Zheng Tianyi reached over to roughly grab Zhao Lifei when he saw the arrogant expression on her face. How did the tables turn on him so fast? Wasn¡¯t she scared of him? He remembered how she used to quiver and shake in his presence.

    But Zheng Tianyi¡¯s hand didn¡¯t reach her skin. Instead, he was met with a rough shove from Yang Feng who red at him. "Don¡¯t touch her so easily. Especially with your dirty hands." His voice was a clear warning, and if his gaze wasn¡¯t enough to terrify Zheng Tianyi, the slightly revealed XIX Pistol in his waistband was enough to do so.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s jaw clenched in anger. He didn¡¯t expect his friend to betray him for a simple woman.

 Chapter 33: Nuisance In His Side

    "Yang Feng, what are you doing? Do you know how horrible that woman is?" Zheng Tianyi bit out, his eyes dancing with disdain for the woman wrapped securely in Yang Feng¡¯s hold.

    "I¡¯ll gouge out your eyes, keep it to yourself." Yang Feng¡¯s voice was cold as ice and rigid as stone. He acted as if he didn¡¯t hear the clear warning in Zheng Tianyi¡¯s voice.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s was surprised by his words. She didn¡¯t expect him toe to her saving grace twice and even ignore his friend¡¯s warning.

    A part of her wondered why he would do something like this. A small part of her agreed with Zheng Tianyi¡¯s words. She was nothing but a horrible woman with sleeves tainted by horrible deeds.

    Doesn¡¯t Yang Feng think she¡¯s a nuisance to his side? A man with his status and power should be seen with a beautiful woman of impable status, not someone like that.

    No one knew it, but Zhao Lifei hated herself more than she could ever hate anyone in this world.

    "Yang Feng, you can¡¯t be serious." Zheng Tianyi crossed his arms with a scowl.

    He couldn¡¯t believe his friend would quickly abandon him. Little did Zheng Tianyi know Yang Feng never considered him a friend. Because Zheng Tianyi was usually outgoing to people that weren¡¯t Zhao Lifei, he thought everyone liked him. Being the male lead, of course, he was expecting the same friendly treatment he always gave out too many of his peers.

    He was used to Yang Feng¡¯s cold nature but never thought about how Yang Feng truly considered him. Truthfully, Yang Feng disliked Zheng Tianyi because he always followed him around like an obnoxious fly that wouldn¡¯t leave his side. Their friendship was always one-sided, but Zheng Tianyi was too blinded by Yang Feng¡¯s wealth and power to realize that.

    "Did I stutter?" Yang Feng¡¯s question came out like an threatening statement.

    Zheng Tianyi scowled at Yang Feng¡¯s unusually cold tone. His eyes trailed towards Zhao Lifei who was secured in his arms, the jacket served as a clear warning as to whose protection she was under.

    He stared at her porcin white skin. The more he looked at her, the more he felt the urge to end her. How dare she strut back into his life and try to ruin the rtionship between him and Yang Feng? This bitch was good at nothing but ruining lives!

    Upon noticing his hateful res, Zhao Lifei raised her head to fiercely re back at him.

    A soft, doubtful voice was enough to cut the thick and heavy tension. "T-Tianyi...?" Xia Mengxi called out, her voice barely above a whisper. She stood by the doorway of the bathroom, nervously holding her dress.

    Her eyes darted between the stand down of two of this country¡¯s most powerful men. She gulped at the crackle of tension in the atmosphere. ¡¯Did I interrupt something?¡¯ She asked herself.

    "You¡¯ve been crying," Zheng Tianyi frowned at the red rimming Xia Mengxi¡¯s eyes.

    She nced at her hands, her hair falling to her face like a beautiful curtain. She sniffled and her shoulders shook. "I-it was just dust in my eyes." She whispered, not wanting to lift her head. She was scared that if she looked him in the eye, that he would see past her mask.

    At the pitiful sight of his lover, Zheng Tianyi¡¯s gaze softened. He temporarily forgot about Yang Feng and Zhao Lifei.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" He asked, walking towards the door. He pulled her into a gentle hug and soon Xia Mengxi was a crying mess. Her pale fingers tightly gripped his white button-up as droplets fell from her eyes.

    Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t bear to see the loving couple any longer and decided it was time to look away.

    She turned to walk off, but a heavy force was holding her in ce. To be more specific, a hand was securely wrapped around her shoulders. She looked up to meet Yang Feng¡¯s brooding stare. She tried her hardest to not drown in the pool of ink known as his eyes.

    Now that she was standing closer to him and the light formed a halo over his face, she saw how tired he looked. He had dark circles underneath his eyes from staying upte and working on hispany matters. Combined with his slight insomnia, it was hard for him to catch a wink of sleep.

    Unconsciously, she reached up to grasp his cheeks. Yang Feng stiffened at the sudden touch.

    "Ah, s-sorry." Zhao Lifei stuttered, immediately retracting her hand before Yang Feng could reach out to grab it and hold it in ce.

    And within a single blink, she had slipped from his arms and fled down the hallways.

    Yang Feng blinked in confusion, running a hand through his hair. The idea seemed so cheesy to him, but was also lost within her eyes that seemed to shimmer and dance with enough brilliance to rival the Universe.

    He breathed out and stared at the retreating form of his partner. Chuckling to himself at how fast she fled, he took his time walking to her. Besides, she couldn¡¯t run very far from him. His legs were much longer than hers and she was trying her best to stomp away in unbelievably tall heels. He was surprised her ankle didn¡¯t snap from how fast she was trying to walk away.

    Watching her try to run and escape from his wide, swift strides was funny. He didn¡¯t notice her torn dress until his eyes trailed to the exposed skin of her slender legs. His stare became dark and his eyes became stormy upon seeing her ripped dress.

    Who did that to her? Was it Xia Mengxi?

    He took a quick nce to the loving couple but paused when he made eye contact with Xia Mengxi. She looked away so quickly, Yang Feng nearly missed it. But he saw it clear as day, she was ring at Zhao Lifei¡¯s disappearing form.

    Yang Feng frowned at the realization. He pulled out his phone to send a text to poor Chen Gaonan who now had to work overtime.

    [Yama King: I want a full report of Xia Mengxi by tomorrow morning.]

    Chen Gaonan had just stepped out of the shower, ready for a pleasurable night with his wife. When he saw the message, he nearly cried.

    "Why tonight out of all days?! I prepped for an entire hour and now it has to go to waste!" Chen Gaonan cursed his Boss to the depths of Hell, but immediately regretted it because then it meant he would be dirt-poor. His Boss may be overly demanding, but he paid his workers really good.

    ¡¯Someone pity me!¡¯ He cried to himself, putting his robe back on. He gingerly grabbed hisptop and debated the idea of tossing it out the window.

    After a few seconds of internally arguing with himself, Chen Gaonan sighed and turned hisptop back on.

    While Chen Gaonan pitied himself all night long, he didn¡¯t know his wife had long fallen asleep waiting for him. Originally, she wanted to have some fun, but he had taken an entire hour to get ready and she had fallen asleep within the hour he took to prep his body.

    Regardless if Yang Feng had sent him the text or not, Chen Gaonan wouldn¡¯t have gotten any steamy action tonight.

 Chapter 34: Expecting Someone

    Back at the banquet, the people were stunned at the scene that had unfolded before them. They were shocked at the sudden entrance of Yang Feng who seemed to have a rtionship with Zhao Lifei.

    Moreover, they were surprised that Zheng Tianyi was the type of man to raise his hand against a woman not once, but twice. Sure, Zhao Lifei might¡¯ve deserved it in the past, but this time, it seemed she really bumped into Xia Mengxi by mistake.

    Did he have to go as far as to bruise her arm and pour wine over her head? She seemed really pitiful too...

    But the banquet didn¡¯t remain quiet and awkward for long. When they realized their free entertainment was over, everyone quickly mingled with each other in hopes of stirring up the lively atmosphere again.

    Amidst the smiles,ughter, and lively chatter, the people couldn¡¯t help but grow curious about Zhao Lifei¡¯s rtionship with Yang Feng. Like his younger brother, he never attended banquets with a woman in his arms.

    Thest time he walked into a public event with a woman on his arm was when he escorted Yang Ruqin down the red carpet. It made headlines on numerous sources that questioned their romantic rtionship. But everything was quickly debunked when the people realized it was just an older brother looking out for his younger sister.

    Wang Nuoli turned towards her husband, nearly losing her patience.

    She couldn¡¯t believe that brat had another man as her backing! The first time it was Zheng Tianyi, and now, it was Yang Feng?!

    Why was her oldest daughter so well-acquainted with wealthy men, whereas her youngest and most beautiful daughter struggled to have powerful friends?

    "Dear, did you just see that-"

    "Shush, I¡¯m thinking right now." Zhao Lifei¡¯s father, Zhao Wenjin ced a hand up to silence his wife. He was lost in thought, trying to piece together Zhao Lifei¡¯s connection to Yang Feng.

    Seeing how protective and doting he was of her, does that mean they are a couple?

    He thought about the endless benefits that Yang Feng could bring to the table if she brought him home and introduced him as a lover.

    For once, his useless and bad-tempered eldest daughter could finally be of use! Zhao Wenjin used to care for Zhao Lifei up to the point of where she stopped ying the piano.

    It had been a few years since Zhao Lifei told him she would quit the piano, but the frustration and disappointment were still there. He poured a lot of money to invest in Zhao Lifei¡¯s skills and even went as far as reserving the best concert halls for her to y in.

    All of his boasting and hard work went down the drain when she suddenly told him she would be quitting the piano.

    He was frustrated in her but kept his patience because she was Zheng Tianyi¡¯s fiance. His patience reached its thinnest straw when she lost the spot beside Zheng Tianyi.

    When she was cklisted from the upper society, Zhao Wenjin was the first to abandon his eldest daughter. In front of many people, he deemed her a useless and unfilial daughter whose doomed to bring bad luck into his family.

    As a very old-tradition man, Zhao Wenjin believed women shouldn¡¯t work in fields that were previously dominated by men. Daughters were supposed to learn the arts and not the trade of business.

    While Zhao Lifei had lost her father¡¯s grace, Zhao Linhua had basked in it. Earning rewards in every pianopetition that she has everpeted in, she lived up to her father¡¯s expectations.

    A graceful flower carefully bloomed under the care, love, and supervision of her parents, Zhao Linhua was everything a parent could ask for. Sweet, kind-hearted, and well-talented in skills suitable for a woman, she was the ideal daughter.

    Zhao Wenjin¡¯s gaze traveled to his daughter who was the center of attention.

    Decorated in a lovely white dress that added an angelic glow to her, Zhao Linhua was happily chatting andughing with a group of influential people that seemed awestruck by her. The young men, in particr, was very drawn to her smile and brightughter.

    He nodded. Good, that was how a woman should act. She should be the party-pleaser, unlike that Zhao Lifei who does nothing but stir up trouble!

    Seeing her husband quietly observing their youngest daughter, Wang Nuoli bit her tongue and held back anyints she had in mind. She knew it was not the best time to chat here, with so many people watching her and the family.

    Deciding it would be better to talk to Zhao Wenjin alone, Wang Nuoli ced her thoughts and opinions aside.

    Looping her slender hand through Zhao Wenjin¡¯s arm, the two walked around the room greeting guests and offering their warmest wees. The entire time, they kept polite and respectful smiles on their faces as if they hadn¡¯t just witnessed their daughter dragged through the mud for a simple ident and misunderstanding.

    Knowing it was unwise toment badly about Zhao Lifei in front of the couple, many people decided to hold their tongue back and continue to enjoy the night.

    And while her parents walked around the room, there was a hidden expression on Zhao Linhua¡¯s face. Every few minute, she would quickly nce at the hallway leading to the bathroom, as if expecting someone to walk out of it.

 Chapter 35: Send Painters Into Madness

    Zhao Lifei walked out of the banquet and into the night, her breathsing out in short pants. She shivered upon feeling the cold embrace of the chilly night sky. She was d to have walked out of the back entrance, instead of the front. If the paparazzi saw her like this, they would surely go to town with her bad image.

    Tonight, the moon was at its fullest. Because the banquet was held outside of the skyscraper city, it was easier to see the stars at night. The night sky was speckled with hundreds of stars and luckily for it, there weren¡¯t any heavy clouds tonight.

    Without anything hiding the glow of the moon, it casts a pale light upon Zhao Lifei. With her sullen expression, ripped dress, slightly messy hair, and dark circles, she looked like a fallen Goddess.

    Standing at the doorway of the exit,pletely entranced by her, was Yang Feng. He stared at her, lips slightly parted at the gorgeous woman standing a few meters away from him.

    Her ponytail was slightly swaying in the wind, her face tilted upwards, and her eyes were closed. Her longshes framed her cheeks and her rosy lips were slightly parted. Her arms were securely wrapped around her stomach, sheltering it from the freezing cold.

    Yang Feng felt his throat run dry at the scene before him. It looked as if it had walked right out of a beautiful painting, the scene itself was enough to send painters into madness. How can one look so mesmerizing, yet so painfully broken?

    Not wanting to disturb her space, Yang Feng patiently waited for her to regain herposure. Leaning on the wall with his hands tucked into his dress pants, he hid in the shadows and quietly watched over her.

    Yang Feng¡¯s usual distant and abnormally indifferent expression was gone. In its recement was a gaze filled with warmth and sympathy for the woman standing not far from him.

    She was doing so good at gathering her wits and thoughts together, he was quietlyplimenting her. He noted the way she deeply breathed through her nose and breathed out of her mouth to clear her thoughts. Was that her coping mechanism?

    Yang Feng nced at his watch and frowned. She had been standing in the freezing cold for ten minutes now. It was time to head back inside. He quickly texted his Hu Wei to meet them in the back entrance.

    When Yang Feng stood up straighter, Zhao Lifei began to walk towards the exit. He watched her from the shadows and his body suddenly jolted forward when she swayed, stumbling over her footsteps, and nearly copsing onto the ground.

    He caught her just in time for her body to slump against his. He grabbed her shoulders in hopes of steadying her footsteps. Just then, he realized something was wrong. Her skin felt icy to the touch, but her cheeks were red with warmth.

    "Zhao Lifei?" He was surprised when her leg suddenly gave out from underneath her and she copsed onto his chest. Her eyes were painfully squeezed tight and her breathing was abnormally quick.

    Worriedly, he ced the suit jacket back onto her shoulders. Then, he covered her with the ck coat to ensure her body temperature was warm.

    As he held her by her slender waist, he was surprised at how small it was. Did she properly feed herself?

    "Hey, are you alright?" Yang Feng asked, lightly shaking her. He grew increasingly worried when she didn¡¯t respond to him. Pressing a hand to her forehead and then cing it back onto his, he was mortified to find out how hot it was.

    She has a fever.

    "Fuck!" Yang Feng cursed under his breath at the startling realization.

    In the blink of an eye, he shifted their position and lifted her up in his arms, carrying her like a Princess. He held her a bit too high, to the point of her cheeks were resting on his shoulders, securely tucked underneath his neck, but Yang Feng didn¡¯t mind it.

    He ignored the arctic wind that blew at him. Wearing nothing but a dress-shirt, there was nothing providing him with warmth, but he didn¡¯t mind. As long as the woman in his arms was secure and warm, he was willing to sacrifice his body temperature.

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t know how anxious he was until he felt his hands lightly shake in fear. Ignoring all sorts of public protocol, not caring if he was caught by paparazzi or not, he rushed out of the ck entrance.

    Using his long legs to his advantage, he closed the distance between him and the ck Maybach waiting for him.

    Hu Wei was stunned to see a beautiful woman in his Master¡¯s arms. His Boss has never carried someone so intimately! He quickly climbed out of the car to hold the door open for them.

    "Speed to First Hospital now!" Yang Feng ordered, not caring if his driver broke the speedingws.

    He didn¡¯t mind the endless tickets that might pile up from this car ride. Right now, he only cared about Zhao Lifei whose breathing was heartwrenching quick. Every few seconds, she would moan out in pain and the quiet noise was enough to cause a prickling pain to his chest.

    Tightly clenching his jaw, Yang Feng med himself for not carefully watching over her. ¡¯She was standing right there. How could I be so blind to not see she was in pain?!¡¯ He scolded himself. In the car, he unconsciously pulled her closer to him.

    "Sir, we¡¯re here." Hu Wei spoke up.

    Yang Feng climbed out of the car and rushed Zhao Lifei into the hospital.

    When his Boss left, Hu Wei sighed in relief. Lifting his head, he stared at the disappearing form of Yang Feng.

    Hu Wei worked with Yang Feng for over a decade now. He had never seen his Boss hold someone with as much care and tenderness as tonight.

 Chapter 36: A Gift War To Win

    When the influential Yang Feng strolled through the emergency room with a beautiful woman in his arms, the nurses and doctors quickly got into action. When he first walked into the hospital, he was already garnering attention.

    One would be living underneath a rock to not know who the notorious Yang Feng was. They didn¡¯t need to be told twice before rushing Zhao Lifei into a VVIP room.

    She was quickly diagnosed to have high fever. She was connected to an IV drip and the nurses carefully watched over her, while Yang Feng paced the room.

    He didn¡¯t expect her to instantly burn up with fever, and one that was higher than normal. What was the cause of it? He cursed under his breath when he realized it might¡¯ve been because he allowed her outside for too long. But it seemed like she was already heating up before she walked outside. When he held her by the bathroom, her body was already oddly warm.

    He stopped pacing when the pieces fell into ce. His long fingers curled into a tight, pale fist. It must¡¯ve been the wine that Zheng Tianyi poured onto her. She was on the floor for God knows how long. Knowing Zheng Tianyi, he must¡¯ve nned the entire ordeal and had gotten some spoiled wine in advance.

    But a simple case of being doused with wine shouldn¡¯t have been the cause of such an intense fever...What else could it be? Yang Feng walked over to the unconscious Zhao Lifei. He brushed her short fringe aside and tucked her tighter into the bed.

    "Mr. Yang, are you her guardian?" A doctor with a clipboard asked.

    Yang Feng nodded.

    Usually, doctors would ask for some sort of proof and question their rtionship, but the man wasn¡¯t dumb. He recognized the richest man in the country with a simple nce, an expensive watch on his wrist and the undeniably handsome face stered on magazines.

    "Do you remember what she consumed within the past three hours?" The doctor asked, flipping to a page in his clipboard.

    "No." Yang Feng answered, worriedly staring at Zhao Lifei¡¯s face.

    "Well, an unknown certain drug and bacteria were found in her system. The sudden urrence of high levels of bacteria attacking her immune system might¡¯ve overworked her body. The drug found was a type used to curb the immune system in case it attacks foreign substances. Thebination of both is very deadly." The doctor frowned at Zhao Lifei¡¯s odd circumstances.

    Was she poisoned by someone? Why? His eyes trailed to the CEO in front of him and he already made conclusions. To attack someone like him, his enemies would need to make a direct hit at the thing he cares the most about.

    "Drugs and bacteria?" Yang Feng faintly remembered the scent of grapes from her mouth. His gaze darkened. Who would poison Zhao Lifei at her own sister¡¯s birthday banquet? He would need to investigate this further.

    "Yes, but the pills have been flushed out of her system. She would need 2 nights of rest and continuous IV drips during this time, but she should bepletely healed within 3 days." The doctor watched Yang Feng¡¯s expression. One night in the VVIP room was in the tens of thousands, but Yang Feng didn¡¯t even flinch at the price of the treatment and room.

    Yang Feng nodded and pulled out his phone. The doctor took it as a cue to leave and did so.

    Chen Gaonan was halfway done with the report when his phone buzzed again. He groaned and nearly banged his head on the keyboard.

    [Yama King: Check the security cameras and see who ced something into Zhao Lifei¡¯s drink. She¡¯s in a blue dress.]

    Chen Gaonan wept for his sleep. It seemed he would be up all night long...and not in a good way. Being the one that dug into Zhao Lifei¡¯s background and identity, he already knew how she looked like.

    After receiving a confirmation text from Chen Gaonan, Yang Feng put his phone away and sat down on the leather couch not far away from Zhao Lifei¡¯s bed.

    He was confused with himself. Why did he care so much about a random and infuriating woman? He sends her a gift and she repays him with something better.

    Yang Feng thought about the gift war and sighed. He hadn¡¯t given her a new gift which meant she was thest person to send one, thus, he was slightly losing to her.

    He had hoped bing her partner at the banquet would be a weed gift that she could never return, but Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t even look happy or excited to have him as her partner. The thought surprised and intrigued him. He rarely brought dates and whoever had this amazing opportunity would instantly be praised by the media.

    Didn¡¯t Zhao Lifei have a bad reputation? Wouldn¡¯t she enjoy the gift of fixing it?

    Yang Feng scowled when he saw the IV drips. It reminded him that she saved his life and he insulted her by throwing a check at her like she was somemon prostitute. Just great, he now had one life debt to pay and a gift war to win.

 Chapter 37: How Many Days Until The Wedding?

    Zhao Lifei groaned at the soreness of her body. Painfully and slowly, she moved into a sitting position. She stared at her surroundings in confusion. It was a fancy andvish hospital room that was twice the size of a regr one.

    She nced at the IV drip that was connected to her and the different machines beside her.

    ¡¯What am I doing here?¡¯ She asked herself,pletely unsure how long she had been unconscious.

    The room was virtually empty and there was no one else in it. The curtains were pulled back to reveal the bright morning outside.

    Zhao Lifei sighed. She looked around the room for her purse and grinned when she saw it sitting on the nightstand next to her. She strained her arm to grab the purse, but to no avail. Slumped at her failure, Zhao Lifei huffed like a child.

    "Fool, you should¡¯ve pressed the help button." Yang Feng mused from the door. He had watched her strain to grab the purse that was too far for her short arms.

    Zhao Lifei stared at him with her mouth agape. What was the Demon King doing here? And how did he have ess to her room?

    "Take a picture, it¡¯llst longer." Yang Feng chuckled at her foolish expression. He stepped into the room with a bag of food in hand.

    "W-What are you doing here?" Zhao Lifei asked, crossing her arms. Her eyes never left his approaching figure.

    "Why wouldn¡¯t Ie here?" He mused.

    Zhao Lifei tilted her head. "I don¡¯t think we were acquaintances or friends." She honestly said.

    Yang Feng paused in his steps. He stared at her, not believing the genuine statement that came out of her mouth. Were they acquaintances? Were they even friends?

    "We¡¯re not." Yang Feng said, opening the takeout boxes and cing it onto a portable table.

    Zhao Lifei was surprised when he ced the tiny table onto herp so that she could eat in bed. She stared at the arrangement of healthy foodid out before her.

    When Yang Feng handed her a wet wipe and utensils, she stared at him like he grew three heads. Why was he so nice to her? She thought he wanted her dead after what she did to him.

    "ording to the tabloids, we¡¯re a dashing couple that fled at midnight." Yang Feng mused when he saw the array of magazines on the tables. He figured one of the nurses probably left it there as free entertainment.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s head snapped up. What did he just say? A couple?!

    She grabbed a magazine and her jaw dropped to the ground. stered on multiple big magazines and newspaper outlets were pictures of Zhao Lifei being carried by Yang Feng, with him holding her protectively against his chest. The heavy fur coat hid half of her face, but everyone who knew her could tell it was Zhao Lifei.

    The headlines were atrocious.

    "Is this Business Tycoon, Yang Feng¡¯s girlfriend?"

    "Breaking news: Yang Feng spotted carrying his girlfriend out of Zhao Linhua¡¯s banquet!"

    "The man that¡¯s rarely spotted with girls, Yang Feng, seen getting intimate with his lover!"

    "How many days until the wedding?"

    Zhao Lifei gulped at thest line. She browsed through the first few pages of the magazines and blew out a sigh of relief. None of them mentioned her name, but she knew her parents and grandparents would freak out when she saw these tabloids.

    Just when Zhao Lifei was about to read more, the magazines were gently taken out of her hands.

    "Hey, I was reading!" She yelled, ring at him for taking it away.

    Yang Feng chuckled at her expression. She pouted like a child whose toy was taken from them.

    "You¡¯ve been asleep for three days, you need to eat." He nodded to the vegetable porridge, carrot and spinach stir fry, and grilled chicken.

    "I¡¯ve been asleep for three days?!" She gasped, not believing his words. Oh no, she didn¡¯t call her grandfather!

    She reached for her purse again but was blocked by the table.

    "Yang Feng, can you get me my phone-"

    "No." He frowned. Why wasn¡¯t she eating?

    "But-"

    "No. You have to eat first." He chided like a parent.

    "It¡¯s important!" Zhao Lifei¡¯s hand clenched into a fist. If it wasn¡¯t for her fear of touching needles, she would¡¯ve long removed her IV drip.

    Yang Feng sighed and stood up. He grabbed her purse and pulled out her phone. Zhao Lifei put her hand out but instead of a phone being ced onto her hand, it was chopsticks and a spoon.

    "Wha-"

    "Eat first." Yang Feng said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

    Zhao Lifei sighed at the stubborn man standing in front of her.

    Yang Feng glowered at her, waiting for her to object his words.

    She didn¡¯t.

    Using her spoon and chopsticks, she began to eat like an obedient little girl.

    Seeing her inhale the food like it was air, Yang Feng blew out a sigh of relief. She was finally eating and putting some much-needed nutrition into her body.

    He took off his jacket and ced it on the back of his chair. He sat down and crossed one leg over the other, then leaned back on the chair. He sat like the Demon King he was, with the bright chandelier lights basking down on him.

 Chapter 38: Called The Wrong Number

    When Yang Feng went outside to take a business call, Zhao Lifei had just finished her food. She grabbed her phone and her eyes bulged when she saw the amount of missed calls from her grandfather and Yang Ruqin.

    She gulped nervously. Her grandfather wasn¡¯t a simple man. He probably thought she had been kidnapped and murdered by Zheng Tianyi. His private sources would surely have told him about what happened, especially the wine incident at the banquet.

    Zhao Lifei took a deep breath and called her grandfather. It was picked up on the first ring, but strangely enough, the line was silent.

    She bit her bottom lip in confusion. "Grandfather? Are you there?" She shuffled in her bed to shift to a morefortable position and prepared herself for an earful.

    When she was met with silence, she nced at her phone to double check that it had connected. It is.

    "Uhm, grandfather?"

    "Hm, that¡¯s strange. I don¡¯t have a granddaughter." Zhao Moyao¡¯spletely serious and deathly calm voice nearly made Zhao Lifei sigh. He was really petty.

    "I apologize, Sir. It seems I¡¯ve called the wrong number-"

    "Speak." Zhao Moyao interrupted, his lips twitching to smile. Originally, he was furious that she had disappeared for three days leaving a trail of crazy headlines published about her, and, a long line of wrinkles on his forehead. He was incredibly worried about her, especially when his private forces couldn¡¯t locate her.

    Even as Zhao Lifei spoke, her phone was being tracked.

    "Did you see the headlines?" Zhao Lifei started off, wondering where she should begin her long story.

    Zhao Moyao hummed. "If you¡¯re talking about your potential partnership with that brat, Yang Heng, then yes, I have seen the incredibly foolish headlines." He muttered, like a petty grandfather. He was unhappy about hearing her partner to the banquet was none other than the man who saved Zhao Corporation¡¯s stock market.

    Li Xuan nearly heaved a sigh. Did his boss have to insult someone so high up? He knew Zhao Moyao had a close rtionship with the Yang elder but wondered if they were close enough to be on an insult basis.

    "His name is Yang Feng, grandfather. And well... you¡¯re not wrong. Haha...ha." Zhao Lifei nervouslyughed, her voice going a shrill too high.

    "..."

    "..."

    Neither of them spoke for a few seconds until Zhao Moyao sighed. "I want to hear the full story from the beginning to the end." He leaned his head on his fist, a dark frown on his face. Why was his granddaughter a ma for powerful businessmen? First, it was Zheng Tianyi and now it was Yang Feng. He knew he should¡¯ve expected this with her beautiful face and impressive business acumen.

    Zhao Lifei started her narration from the hospital call by Yang Ruqin, donating blood, the gift war, the wine pour at the party, Yang Feng swooping in as her savior, and up to the point where she suddenly fainted.

    By the time she was done, Zhao Moyao had an incredibly dark expression on his face. It was as if there was a storm cloud over his head. His expression was so frightening, even Li Xuan gulped.

    "That Zheng scum did what?" He seethed, mming his hand onto the wooden desk beside him.

    Li Xuan was startled at the light cracks that formed on the surface.

    That must¡¯ve hurt Zhao Moyao¡¯s hand but he didn¡¯t even flinch from the impact. He was so angry, he wasn¡¯t aware of the physical pain.

    "Grandpa, was that the only thing you heard?" Zhao Lifei teased, in hopes of lightening the atmosphere. She couldn¡¯t afford for him to get so angry as it wasn¡¯t good for his blood pressure.

    "Which hospital are you in?" Zhao Moyao ignored her question. It was a good attempt, but not distracting enough.

    That Zheng Tianyi never learned! He sure had a lot of guts, attacking Zhao Lifei without hesitation. Who did he think he was?!

    "First Hospital, in the VVIP ward on the top floor..." Zhao Lifei trailed off when Yang Feng walked into the room.

    He walked to her, checked that the food bowl was clean, then nodded his head like an approving dad.

    "Good girl." He muttered, patting her head.

    Zhao Lifei scowled and whacked his hand away. "I¡¯m not a dog." She mouthed at him, to his amusement.

    No one has ever rejected Yang Feng¡¯s touch, especially one so gentle and adoring. He wanted to praise her, yet she jumped to the worst conclusion possible. Seriously, what was wrong with this woman?

    "First Hospital, VVIP ward? I assume this has something to do with that Yang Heng." Zhao Moyao waved his hand to Li Xuan to prepare the car. With a polite nod, Li Xuan walked out of the room.

    Zhao Lifei chuckled at her petty grandfather. "It¡¯s Yang Feng." She corrected, knowing he purposely said the wrong name.

    At the mention of his name, Yang Feng titled his head down to see her. Zhao Lifei ignored his heavy and curious gaze as she paid more attention to her grandfather.

    "Whatever his name is, I don¡¯t care." Zhao Moyao muttered.

    Zhao Lifeiughed at his humor. Regardless of the fact that Yang Feng¡¯spany saved Zhao Corporation from their heavy stock drop, Zhao Moyao would still not care for any man that was close to his precious granddaughter.

    In this world, there was only a handful of people who could speak about Yang Feng so badly without consequences, and Zhao Lifei wondered if her grandfather was one of them. They seemed to have a close rtionship, but she couldn¡¯t figure out why.

 Chapter 39: Special Treatment

    After reassuring her grandfather that she was fine and her condition has stabilized, Zhao Lifei ended the call. She waspletely unaware of the fact that her grandfather was on his way to the hospital.

    When a nurse came to rece the IV drip, Zhao Lifei stopped her. Luckily, Yang Feng had left her ward so he couldn¡¯t do anything about it.

    "Can I get discharged from the hospital right now?" Zhao Lifei asked the nurse with a polite smile. As beautiful and enormous as this room was, Zhao Lifei hated hospitals. It brought back unwanted memories and the pain she refused to think about.

    "Your guardian has specified that you cannot be discharged until three doctors give their conclusion that you are perfectly healed." The nurse exined, cing the IV drip bag onto her cart.

    Zhao Lifei frowned. "My guardian? I¡¯m over the age of 18-"

    "Guardian as in the man that paid for the ward and your treatment. He said he was your..." The nurse flipped a page.

    "Boyfriend?" The nurse said as if it was somethingpletely normal.

    She recognized the man, he always ranked first on lists such as "Nation¡¯s Desirable Men" and "Most Eligible Bachelors". He is the rich tycoon who swept the country by storm. With impable wealth, clean-te reputation, and a face sculpted by the Gods above, Yang Feng is an unattainable dream. Not many people knew of his Underworld ties aside from a handful of people.

    It wasn¡¯t a surprise that a man so powerful and influential had such a beautiful woman in his arms. When the nurses first brought Zhao Lifei in, many of them were gossiping if she was THE Zhao Lifei that was thrown aside by Zheng Tianyi. Even themoners knew of the humiliating incident since Zheng Tianyi paid many big mediapanies to broadcast the incident.

    "My boyfriend? You must be mistaken." Zhao Lifei awkwardlyughed, but she stopped when she saw the nurse¡¯s serious expression.

    "No ma¡¯am, the registry has him listed as your boyfriend. Is there something wrong?" The nurse felt her brows crease together. What was wrong with this woman? A man like him was iming to be her boyfriend, shouldn¡¯t she gleefully brag about it? Most socialites like her do so whenever their lover was influential.

    "Yes, he¡¯s not supposed to be my guardian. If it¡¯s the money you want, I can pay for it-"

    "Don¡¯t even think about it." Yang Feng interrupted, walking into the room with his hands tucked into his pockets like a local thug. But instead of looking cheap, he looked more handsome and dangerous.

    The nurse nearly marveled at him in awe. He was better looking in person! Wearing a dark blue suit, his eyes were zing, his hair messily swept back as if he ran his hand through it so much. He looked as if he had just walked out of a magazine shoot.

    "Excuse me?!" Zhao Lifei scowled, pulling out the needle on her arm herself.

    She grabbed the nearest tissue and pressed on the wound to stop it from bleeding.

    Yang Feng¡¯s angry gaze became a zing fire out for blood.

    "Are you dumb? Or do you have a death wish?" He hissed, walking to her and grabbing her hand. Despite his harsh tone, he handled her with care.

    "Don¡¯t touch me." Zhao Lifei frowned and tried to pull her hand back. But his grip tightened around her and he tugged her closer, pressing a bandaid on her wound.

    "You have to press the right pressure or else it won¡¯t close." Yang Feng scolded her, pressing on the wound for her. A familiar Philippe Patek watch glistened on his wrist.

    Zhao Lifei eyed the watch on his wrist, then opened and closed her mouth. Why was he so nice to her? She was severely confused. Didn¡¯t he hate her?

    "You-"

    "I like the watch you sent me." Yang Feng quietly told her.

    "I hope you liked my gifts as well?" He hummed, staring at her purse. It wasn¡¯t the one he gave her nor was it the same brand. When he walked into the banquet and saw her in a blue dress, he had expected her to apany it with the sapphire and diamond pieces of jewelry he sent. But she went beyond his wildest dreams and left her long, slender neck bare of any essories.

    "They were nice, but I can¡¯t keep it. Please take it back." Zhao Lifei softly said. She didn¡¯t want to be indebted to him by receiving so many expensive gifts.

    When she saw his gaze darken, a sudden chill passed through her. Zhao Lifei thought he might have misunderstood her. "Ah, but you don¡¯t have to return the gifts I sent you! I wouldn¡¯t have any use-"

    "You¡¯re not returning the gifts back to me." He quietly said, his voice leaving no room for arguments.

    "Why not?" Zhao Lifei asked. She nced at therge array of flowers tucked into the vase. They were of the finest quality and seemed to be crafted by a flower artisan...Each flower aroma and color perfectlyplemented each other, creating a harmonious view.

    She was surprised to see the expensive arrangement. Why would someone spend so much on flowers when all she did was faint? Zhao Lifei thought so bitterly of herself, she didn¡¯t realize that her heart saw no value within her.

    "Because it¡¯s impolite to return a gift." Yang Feng chided, removing the pressure on her hand. He pulled back and immediately checked that there wasn¡¯t any blood stain on the bandage. The corners of his lips lifted.

    "Isn¡¯t it impolite to force a gift onto someone as well?" Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t believe how stubborn he was. Why didn¡¯t he understand she didn¡¯t want gifts from him? By epting and using something given by him, doesn¡¯t it make her shameless? She had unmindfully insulted him by throwing money at him, yet he didn¡¯t flinch at the idea of treating her with kindness.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t understand his change of heart. Staring up at the tall and incredibly charismatic man in front of her, she wondered why he was giving her special treatment.

 Chapter 40: Greedy

    "It¡¯s not impolite if the gift came with the right intentions." He retorted, crossing his arms. Why was she so stubborn? Didn¡¯t women like receiving gifts? Especially ones that were expensive and ssy?

    Zhao Lifei blinked at his words. "Why are you so nice to me? I thought you hated me."

    Her words surprised Yang Feng who also felt confused. She was right. Why was he so nice to her? The thought confused him.

    "I don¡¯t hate you."

    For once, Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t know what to say. She stared at him and studied his expression. With his firm eyes and unwavering posture, she could tell he wasn¡¯t lying.

    "But I do." She quietly muttered, turning her back and beginning to tidy her things.

    Yang Feng was taken back by her words. Did she hate him? Why?

    He had been so nice and protective of her to the point where the people misunderstood him as her boyfriend.

    Why did she hate that? Many of the girls who approached him would die for Zhao Lifei¡¯s position in his life, yet, the woman in question disliked everything he did for her.

    "Why?" He instantly asked, the word leaving his mouth before he could stop himself. He cursed himself for sounding pushy and needy.

    "Why what?" Zhao Lifei turned her head in his direction.

    "Why do you hate me?"

    Zhao Lifei sighed. "Because even after I saved your life, you saw me as a horrible person. You thought I was a greedy woman after your money, and you probably still think that. You keep on buying me expensive gifts that I don¡¯t want-"

    "But our recent encounter was not bad." He interjected, disliking the way her words jabbed at him.

    He¡¯ll admit, he was unable to refute her words. He truly thought she was just amon woman that loved money since those were usually the reasons why people tried to get on his good side.

    Zhao Lifei stared at him. Was he dense? Was that the only thing he heard? Her lips thinned to a straight line.

    "No, it wasn¡¯t. But that doesn¡¯t change your current mindset. You treat me like I¡¯m someone you can easily buy with money. Buying gifts do not change anything." She looked around the room for clothes she could wear when leaving the hospital, but there was none.

    Seeing her search for something, Yang Feng connected two-and-two together and draped his jacket over her shoulders. Zhao Lifei jumped in surprise at the warmth that suddenly wrapped around her. Using his jacket, he pulled her closer.

    "I don¡¯t think you¡¯re an easy woman." He quietly said to her, zipping up the jacket and making sure she wasfortable in it.

    Her lips parted in surprise and once again, Zhao Lifei felt at loss for words. He was so nice to her, she was scared about his ulterior motives. Did he have any? If so, what was it?

    "As a matter of fact, I think you¡¯re incredibly stubborn." He added, staring down at her. She wasn¡¯t short, but because he was so tall, he towered over her. He found it amusing that the top of her head barely reached the middle of his neck.

    Zhao Lifei frowned, forming lines on her forehead. "I¡¯m not stubborn." She denied the truth, which ironically proved his point.

    Yang Feng chuckled at her sour expression. "Don¡¯t try to deny it." He tapped her forehead, using his long fingers to soothe the creases.

    "Don¡¯t touch me." She mumbled, swatting at his hands like a grouchy little cat.

    Yang Feng stared at her, amusement dancing within his eyes. He swore she acted like a child sometimes, or perhaps, a cute little kitten.

    Zhao Lifei ignored his obvious stare. She picked up her phone, ced it into her purse and then walked towards the door.

    She was surprised he was letting her leave the hospital and nced back at him, noticing him trail behind her.

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t bother forcing her to stay in the hospital. He knew they would just argue back and forth until one has their way.

    "Why are you walking so fast?" He mused, seeing her hasten her footsteps when she saw that he was following her down the hallway.

    "To get away from you." She tantly said without looking back.

    Yang Feng chuckled. This was the first time a woman ever told him that.

    People would always engage him at social gatherings and banquets. Everyone was eager to be around him. They were either drawn by his charisma, wealth, or influence, but Zhao Lifei wasn¡¯t.

    He knew she wasn¡¯t dense and stupid.

    She knew who he was and the benefits that came from being associated with him, yet she decided to abandon the light and face the darkness. She was pushing away the opportunities being handed to her, and it was beginning to confuse him.

    Was she ying a push and pull game? Why was she so eager to get away from him?

    Yang Feng lifted his head to see her repeatedly push the elevator button as if pushing it more than once would urge the elevator toe faster.

    He nearlyughed at how amusing she looked. With her tiny frame, her body was swallowed by his enormous jacket. It hangs loosely on her, emphasizing how slim she was.

    If someone was to simply tell him the things that Zhao Lifei did, he wouldn¡¯t believe it. How can a girl that looked this frail do massive damage? He had Chen Gaonan dig into Zhao Lifei further, which allowed him to discover her malicious past.

    He read about her ndering Xia Mengxi¡¯s name, attempting to kidnap her, bullying and teasing the woman, and forcefully turning the socialites against her.

    But in a sense, he understood her motives. Yes, it had gotten way too far, but was it justified? Yes.

    He knew she was promised to Zheng Tianyi at a very young age and that promise probably got to her head.

    She had fallen deeply in love with the man that was going to be her husband. Devoting her entire being to fulfill the role of his wife, he could see why she was so scorned by the sudden entrance of Xia Mengxi.

    Zhao Lifei saw her as an early mistress, and Yang Feng thought the same thing. Xia Mengxi might¡¯ve been a poormoner with little to none notable abilities, but everyone knew he had a fiancee. Yet, she actively pursued Zheng Tianyi and didn¡¯t bother rejecting his advances.

    If he was in Zhao Lifei¡¯s shoes, he would have probably done the same. No, he would do so much worse. Yang Feng saw Xia Mengxi as a shameless woman with zero morals and in his eyes, she would forever remain that way.

 Chapter 41: A Pawn

    "You should try and be more subtle about secretly inching away from me." Yang Feng spoke up, tilting his head to see Zhao Lifei¡¯s entire body curled up on the opposite side of the car.

    She was sitting so close to the window, he was surprised she hadn¡¯t thought of jumping out of it already.

    After walking out of the hospital, Yang Feng didn¡¯t allow her to take a taxi. It was potentially dangerous to take taxis because of their unverified background.

    For all she knew, she could¡¯ve been riding a car with a convicted murderer. And Zhao Lifei seemed like the perfect victim. With her beautiful face and the way she carried herself, one could tell she came from an influential background.

    What was stopping rogue drivers from taking advantage of her and potentially driving her off to the middle of nowhere?

    It took two minutes of arguing for Zhao Lifei to childishly stomp into the car, mming the door behind her.

    Yang Feng would have normally been angered or annoyed by her daring behavior, but for some odd reason, he wasn¡¯t.

    He finds himself amused by everything she does. She always did the unexpected and went against his wishes. Unlike most people that catered to his every word and whim, she argued against it.

    Most men would find it tiring to spend time with a feisty woman, but Yang Feng actually enjoyed it.

    He didn¡¯t like demure and submissive women like Xia Mengxi. Women like her would readily agree with a man and never fight back.

    He was constantly surrounded by people like that, and having a woman that refuses to think for herself would surely be boring.

    When Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t answer, Yang Feng turned to look at her again. Upon closer inspection, he noticed she had fallen asleep. Curled into a tiny ball with her hands resting underneath her head, he saw her shiver.

    "Hu Wei, lower the air conditioning." He instructed his driver who immediately adjusted it to a warmer setting.

    Hu Wei was surprised at themand. He had been working with Yang Feng for a decade now, thus, he knows of his behavior.

    His boss was the type of man to easily feels hot, hence the air conditioning would always be on the highest setting so that any ce he¡¯s in is always abnormally cold.

    He stole a nce at the rear view mirror and was surprised to see his boss take the unused nket provided in the car to drape it around the woman huddled in the corner.

    This was the first time he had ever seen his boss show an act of kindness towards a woman. She must be someone special to him.

    Hu Wei duly noted in his mind to never cross this woman. With the way his boss gently treated her as if she was a precious treasure passed down from generations, he knew this woman might be his futuredy boss.

    Just then, a light buzz could be heard throughout the car. Yang Feng looked around and noticed that the vibrating sound wasing from Zhao Lifei¡¯s purse. He opened it and pulled out her phone.

    Seeing it was a phone call, he debated the idea of not picking it up. But then he saw that it was a male caller named "Lu Minhong", and he picked up.

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t say anything but the man on the other line certainly did.

    "Hey Feifei, I¡¯m sorry for taking so long with the report you wanted. Whoever did the assassination was really good at hiding their tracks. They hired someone to delete all of the footage from the surveince cameras. But your Minmin is really good at digging the backup files. I will send you the information through your email."

    Curious lines formed on Yang Feng¡¯s forehead. Assassination? On who?

    He nced at Zhao Lifei¡¯s sleeping face. She looked so innocent and serene, one would never guess she was well-acquainted with all sorts of people ¡ª including an expert hacker that referred to himself as ¡¯your Minmin¡¯.

    "Feifei? Why aren¡¯t you talking?" Lu Minhong asked, frowning when he heard no response.

    "Did you identally pick up the call? Hello?" He persisted when he heard a light shuffling in the background.

    "Ugh, I can¡¯t believe you would do this to me! Whatever, I already sent you the files." Lu Minhong scowled. He debated the idea of calling her backter. Without waiting for her reply, he hung up.

    Yang Feng scowled at her phone as if it had wronged him. Why the hell was he calling himself ¡¯Minmin" like he was someone close to her? What was his role in her life? And why did he sound so intimate with her? What is up with that stupid nickname?

    He decided to also research into Lu Minhong¡¯s personal background. Yang Feng didn¡¯t realize how sketchy and stalkerish he seemed until he was about to text Chen Gaonan, then debated against the idea.

    Just when Yang Feng was about to ce her phone back into her purse, an idea came into mind. He tried to unlock her phone and realized there was a password.

    He wondered if she was stupid enough to use her fingerprint as her password, and s, she was. He was able to unlock her phone with her index finger.

    Just when he finished his n, her phone rang again. This time, it was someone he was familiar with. It was Zhao Moyao calling her but Yang Feng debated the idea of picking it up.

    How would the fierce and grumpy man react when a man picked up his granddaughter¡¯s phone?

    It was the final ring when Yang Feng picked up the phone for her.

    "Xiao Fei where are you right now? Li Xuan spoke to the front desk and said you were discharged. Why didn¡¯t you stay longer?" Zhao Moyao reprimanded her, clearly unhappy she left the hospital so early when he was nning to go and visit her.

    "Good afternoon, Mr. Zhao." Yang Feng spoke up, the male voicepletely surprising Zhao Moyao who instantly became alert.

    "Who is this?" Zhao Moyao instantly lost the warmth in his voice. Why did a man have his granddaughter¡¯s phone? He turned towards Li Xuan, ready to have sent a private team to look for her.

    "It¡¯s Yang Feng. Don¡¯t worry, your granddaughter is on her way back home."

    Zhao Moyao wasn¡¯t surprised to know Yang Feng was with her, but he was surprised this man even cared for her to personally send her home. He realized Yang Feng¡¯s rtionship with his granddaughter wasn¡¯t as simple as he had thought it was.

    One of the handful of people that knew of Yang Feng¡¯s Underworld background was Zhao Moyao who also had a hand in it. He had personally witnessed what Yang Feng could do and how heartless he can be. Being friends with Elder Yang also made him understand why Yang Feng was as aloof and cold as he was.

    Zhao Moyao was conflicted.

    On one hand, he was d his Lifei had finally found a man whose power and reputation was enough to rival the nearly unbeatable Zheng Tianyi.

    There were very few men in this country who could go head-to-head against Zheng Tianyi, but there were only three people in this country who could actually win against him. And it just so happens, Yang Feng was one of them.

    He was slightly happy his granddaughter might finally find a guy to rece the useless Zheng Tianyi, but he was also very worried for her.

    Yang Feng wasn¡¯t an easy man to deal with. His underworld connections made him a very dangerous man. There was a very high price on his head, which forced the security around him to be very tight.

    Yang Feng was not immune to pain, but he was very good at not giving into it. He could withstand any ounce of torture and had little to none weaknesses. If pain and torture can¡¯t get to him, what can?

    The answer might be Zhao Lifei.

    Zhao Moyao was terrified at the idea of his granddaughter being used as a pawn for people to get to Yang Feng.

    She might¡¯ve been strong and trained by the best, but she wasn¡¯t invincible. Unlike Yang Feng who didn¡¯t flinch at the idea of being tortured to death, Zhao Lifei was different.

    Her walls were visibly cracked and barely holding itself together. If she suffered something as traumatic as what happened two years ago, Zhao Moyao wasn¡¯t sure if she could ever recover again.

    Her loss had forced her to enter two years of therapy and rehab. He even had to pull some strings to force her into a ce isted from the world, where the security was top notch.

 Chapter 42: Im Deleting Your Number

    "Yang Feng, my granddaughter is very precious to me." Zhao Moyao finally spoke up after a very long silence. His heart felt heavy when he thought back to the image of a lifeless Xiao Fei, whose eyes were so nk, it scared him.

    Yang Feng felt the weight of Zhao Moyao¡¯s words. The man rarely acknowledged or cared for his kin and for him to do so, he should be very attached to them. But Yang Feng was oblivious to what Zhao Moyao was implying.

    "I know. I won¡¯t do anything to her. I will only send her home." Yang Feng reassured him.

    Zhao Moyao raised a brow when he suddenly realized something. This Yang Feng...he wasn¡¯t aware of his tant feelings towards his granddaughter?

    He was amused at the idea. A man strapped with a degree in psychology wasn¡¯t able to understand his own feelings? Zhao Moyao nearlyughed.

    "Alright then. I expect not a single hair to be missing from her head." He mused.

    "Of course." Yang Feng said before hanging up.

    Li Xuan who was watching the entire scene unfold in the car wasn¡¯t surprised to see Zhao Moyao ce his trust within Yang Feng.

    Yang Enterprise had stepped in when Zhao Corporation had suffered a big blow when the ties with Zheng Corporation was severed.

    Despite his young age, Yang Feng was a very reliable man known for his seemingly clean reputation. Besides, he had never done anything to vite Zhao Moyao¡¯s trust. But that didn¡¯t mean he would never destroy it...

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei woke up in her room. She tiredly rubbed her eyes while climbing out of bed and grabbing her phone. She realized the time and noticed it was ten at night. Yawning and stretching, she grabbed her towel and decided to take a shower.

    When she walked to the bathroom, her entire body froze. The towel in her hand fell onto the floor as she frantically looked at her surroundings. Her eyes darted from the white leather couch to the marble countertop, then to the piano, and back to her door.

    This was her house alright, but how did she get back here? Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes grew wide as her heart began to race.

    She remembered falling asleep in a car ride with Yang Feng, so how did she end up inside her house?

    She doesn¡¯t remember giving him the passcode to her door. Then how was he able to carry her in?

    Instantly, Zhao Lifei ran back to her room to pick up her phone. When she scrolled through the contacts to look for Yang Ruqin, she nearly dropped it. Right above Yang Ruqin¡¯s contact was Yang Feng¡¯s name.

    Confused and surprised, she stared at the contact. She knew she didn¡¯t add him on her phone, so how did his phone number get in there?

    Swallowing her hesitation, Zhao Lifei decided it was smarter to call the man himself. It rang a few times and at thest ring, he finally picked up.

    "How do you know my passcode? How did you unlock my phone?" She didn¡¯t bother giving him a proper greeting.

    "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about." He cheekily said, ying dumb even when he clearly schemed to be able to do those things.

    "You¡¯re shameless and-"

    "What¡¯s wrong with having my phone number?" He asked, confused about why she was so angry. He brushed herment aside. Besides, he rarely gave out business cards and only a handful of people had his personal number.

    "You have mine and I have yours, I think that¡¯s a good deal." He added on,pletely shameless ¡ª refusing to acknowledge the big problem at hand.

    Zhao Lifei waspletely speechless by how shameless he could be. Was this even the multi-billionaire that swept the country by storm? Was this even Yang Feng?!

    "I¡¯m deleting your number." She fumed, getting irked and annoyed by his behavior.

    Yang Feng turned serious. "Why?" He asked, the warmth in his voice immediately disappeared.

    Zhao Lifei could practically feel the arctic aire through her phone. "You don¡¯t have to know why." She childishly said, hanging up and cing her phone on do not disturb.

    She was slightly d when Yang Feng wasn¡¯t able to call her back. For once, she could finally rx without him being pushy.

    Turning on herptop, she began to browse through her emails. The first one that popped up was one from Lu Minhong. ¡¯Oh right! How could I forget about him?¡¯ She thought to herself, quickly opening the email.

    There were two attachments sent with it. One was a video of the van hitting Yang Feng¡¯s car, and the other was the license te along with the location it was traced back to.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t know how to handle the information. Was she supposed to send it to Yang Ruqin?

    She didn¡¯t want her to get into trouble, especially when Yang Ruqin was known to act on impulse. She knew her Qinqin would be reckless and get into trouble if she tried to pursue the assassins herself.

    Besides, if they were so good at covering their tracks to the point where it would take Lu Minhong three days to send her information, she knew they were extremely dangerous.

    After thinking for a while, Zhao Lifei finally thought of a perfect n.

    Yang Feng hadn¡¯t sent her a new gift yet, which meant she was winning the gift war. Wanting to be ahead of him by two gifts, she thought about sending the files to him to save him the time and resources of digging into the people that tried to kill him.

 Chapter 43: This Is Stupid

    The next day, Zhao Lifei received a text from her grandfather requesting her to go to his office. After getting dressed and skipping breakfast, she made her way to Zhao Corporation.

    She stepped out of the public cab, dressed in a professional attire suitable for an executive meeting. When the wind blew, she immediately regretted the decision to do so. Her coat wasn¡¯t enough to cover the skin exposed by her pencil skirt.

    Not wanting to be in the cold any longer, she hurried into the lobby. In her haste, she didn¡¯t realize that a familiar ck Maybach was pulling up to the entrance of the building at the same time.

    She swiped her keycard and made her way to the private elevator which garnered attention from some curious eyes.

    The regr employees were used to seeing her walk around the building, but not many people knew what she did or who she was. Every time they see her board the private elevator made for the CEO, the Vice President, and thepany executives, they would question her position.

    A few of them originally thought she was a mistress to one of the executives, but that idea was rejected. In order to have a private keycard, one must approach the CEO and ask for his permission to make a new one. And none of the executives were foolish enough to ce a priority on a mistress.

    The rest of them guessed she was probably the only female executive on board, but that idea seems far fetched because she was rarely in the office.

    Her identity to almost all of the workers was a mystery.

    - - - - -

    When Zhao Lifei walked to her grandfather¡¯s office, she found it empty. One of his secretaries notified her that he was waiting for her in the private meeting room downstairs.

    Zhao Lifei frowned at the location, but nheless, made her way there. Once she got to the board room, she found herself standing in the same room as many of thepany¡¯s executives.

    On the edge of the round table was the regal and majestic Zhao Moyao whoseposure was of an old and wise Emperor. To his left was the Vice President, Wu Yuntai.

    "I apologize for myte entrance." She said as she walked into the room.

    Internally, she was fuming. Her grandfather said to arrive at 9:30, but she came 30 minutes early so technically, she wasn¡¯tte.

    But why did he give her the wrong time? She figured it was because he wanted her to skip the boring introductions of the meeting and to arrive right when he needed her there.

    Zhao Moyao always knew his granddaughter would arrive at his office at least 30 minutes than nned.

    Everyone except Zhao Moyao and Wu Yuntai was confused at the presence of this seemingly insignificant woman. The presenters warily stared at her whereas the executives silently looked down on her. How could she arrive at such an important meeting 15 minuteste?

    "Sit here." Zhao Moyao gestured to the empty seat on his right.

    Wu Yuntai sensed her hesitation and encouraged her with a warm smile.

    Zhao Lifei wasn¡¯t surprised to see the man who had no blood rtions to her family, yet, held the second highest position in thepany.

    Unlike most families that passed the title of Vice President to their son or daughter, Zhao Moyao decided to give it to the boy he raised as his own son. To him, none of his sons were worthy of holding such a major position aside from having a few shares in thepany.

    She walked to the seat while the presenters watched her every move until she sat down. When Zhao Moyao nodded for the presentation to resume, it finally did so.

    As the minutes trickled by, Zhao Lifei felt more and more displeased at what she saw. She frowned upon seeing the numbers on the presentation. The estimated revenue and cost of the project was outrageous and clearly falsified.

    The project wanted to open an enormous five-floor mall in Shenbei. As if the idea itself was not foolish enough, the costs were absolutely horrible and miscalcted.

    To the average eye, it seemed normal and fine to use at least 200 million to open an enormous mall like that. But she knew better.

    Even if she added major intion for all the manpower and materials needed to build it, as well as paying off the governmental fees and the cost of signing partnership deals with otherpanies, opening a five-story mall in that area should not take more than 150 million. What was the purpose of the remaining 50 million?

    Zhao Corporation has deep ties with differentpanies, granting them exclusive deals to be able to have the prestige of working on one of their projects.

    Putting any partnerships aside, it shouldn¡¯t have cost that much in the first ce. If it came down to resources, it would not be best practice to shell out another whopping 50 million. It could only point to one thing: the presenters themselves would pocket the money to spend as they please.

    Not only that, but the estimated revenue was incorrect. They were off by tens of millions.

    Were these beginners? Or were they just trying to swindle Zhao Moyao out of his money? Spending 200 million is not a simple matter even if thepany was worth billions.

    Her eyes scanned the executives that seemed to be onboard with the numbers. A few of them questioned it, but none of them realized the major red gs being waved.

    Her frown deepened at how ipetent they were.

    She searched the room for familiar consultants that was usually present and found none of them there.

    This certainly made her wary.

    She was a part-time consultant for her grandfather, mainly because she felt indebted to him. But she didn¡¯t think he trusted her to the extent of not hiring other people to check the numbers on these presentations.

    Turning her gaze towards Zhao Moyao, she saw his expression was serious, but his eyes were drooping in a bored and nonchnt matter.

    To the eyes of the people that didn¡¯t know him that well, he didn¡¯t look displeased at the numbers on the screen.

    As a matter of fact, some even thought he was intrigued by it because he had been watching the presentation the entire time. But Wu Yuntai and Zhao Lifei knew better than anyone else that Zhao Moyao was severely unhappy at the scheming members of the board.

    Did these fools think he had gone senile with old age? His face might¡¯ve been worn out, but his eyes were as sharp and clear as his days in the military. He would be firing a lot of his men today. It was time for a change in the executive board.

    Zhao Lifei turned her attention back to the arrogance of the presenters.

    Judging by how confident they looked while spitting such lies, she knew this wasn¡¯t the first time they did this. Neither of them looked nervous, hesitated, or became anxious while lying to such important people.

    She nearly rolled her eyes at their foolishness. This was a tantly stupid n on their part.

    Zhao Corporation already had major shares in thergest mall in Shenbei, why would they risk their resources to build another mall that would not even rake in that much revenue and lessen their profit?

    Growing tired of listening to their lies, Zhao Lifei raised a hand to stop the presenters. "Permission to speak?"

    They exchanged nces and was about to brush her off because what could a simple woman contribute to it?

    She looked incredibly young too, so they figured she didn¡¯t have a lot of experience.

    The presenters scoffed at her. Who did she think she was? It¡¯s not like she was another member of the board that had the authority to question them.

    "Request granted. What do you have to say, Lifei?" Zhao Moyao listlessly said, his eyes flickering to his prized granddaughter. His expression didn¡¯t change, but internally, he was smiling. It seemed the genius would finally make her move.

    As much as he doted on her, he deliberately didn¡¯t mention her surname because it would show her ties and connection to him.

    The presenters were shocked at their boss¡¯s words but wisely kept their mouth shut.

    "With all due respect, gentlemen." She began, her eyes trailing to everyone in the room.

    "This is a stupid project."

    And just like that, the presenters lost their patience. "And what credentials do you have to say so-"

    "I¡¯ve barely begun my argument. Don¡¯t get provoked by five simple words." She red at the man that spoke up. Her gaze was fierce, like a deadly snake ready to strike. Everyone felt paralyzed by her frightening stare. Where had they seen that type of re before?

    "First of all, Zhao Corporation already has ties to Imperial Star Mall, why would we need to waste money, time, and resources to build another one that would directlypete with it? Not only would that be a p to Imperial Star and their strongest backing, Ling Conglomerate, it would also sever the ties we have with them."

    "Secondly, the project will suck thepany dry. The annual revenue will be lower than expected, the benefits would be horrible, our reputation would be ruined for attempting topete with a partnerpany, and the money you want for this project is severely beyond the average cost!" Zhao Lifei proceeded to ruthlessly list her long list of reasons of why this project is not worth it.

    Each word she said was like a sharp jab to the men in the room. They never expected such a young woman to walk into the room and be at par with men twice her age. She looked youthful with her dainty face and frail stature. They had misjudged her.

    While Zhao Lifei tore them apart, a man was fascinated while watching her.

    Yang Feng stood in the hallway with his people. Only Chen Gaonan was nowhere in sight because of histest mission. But Yang Feng was still surrounded by a group of people ranging from his secretaries, consultants, and even an attorney. All of them were equally in awe of the powerful auraing from the woman inside the room.

 Chapter 44: A Hidden Weapon

    Yang Feng watched Zhao Lifei give her opinion and berate the ipetent presenters for their proposal that dared to swindle the Zhao Corporation out of hundreds of millions.

    Seeing her strong aura, her fierce unwavering gaze targeting powerful men that were twice her age, Yang Feng was surprised to discover another side to her. It made him realize why Zhao Moyao cherished that feisty little woman. She wasn¡¯t afraid to speak her mind and point out their ws.

    Her eye for seeing through inconsistencies in proposals and expertly calcting the actual revenue and profit from a contract was amazing.

    Where did she learn all these? Does she realize how dangerous her potential is?

    People like her are rare and if word got out about her abilities, she would havepanies fighting over her. Powerful men would use all kinds of nefarious means to get her to their side, or worse, permanently remove her from the hands of Zhao Moyao.

    Yang Feng glowered at the wall.

    She was a hidden weapon, but there was no one around to protect her.

    The security around her was weak, she rarely had bodyguards, she rode on public transportation, and her condo¡¯s security wasn¡¯t the best. Did she not value her life?

    Unless...she didn¡¯t have to be afraid of any threats? He had seen the way she threatened Zheng Tianyi with the dagger, twirling it around her fingers like an expert.

    She knows which gun models are far more superior and effective than the simple pistol Zheng Tianyi possessed.

    It suddenly dawned on him that even with theprehensive background check he had done on her, he didn¡¯t know Zhao Lifei at all. The things he knew about her barely scratched the surface.

    He didn¡¯t find out what happened in her two years of absence.

    Grabbing his phone, he sent a quick text to Chen Gaonan. Yang Feng understood the task might be too hard and something that was beyond Chen Gaonan¡¯s abilities. If he couldn¡¯t find out, Yang Feng knew someone else that would.

    From the hallway, Yang Feng noticed she was done, leaving the room extremely quiet. It seemed it was time for him to make an entrance.

    When he walked into the room, Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t look up from the stacks of paperid out in front of her. She was busy studying the other proposals that were given to Zhao Corporation. So when nearly everyone in the room stood up, excluding her and Zhao Moyao, she was surprised to hear the loud greeting.

    "It¡¯s an honor to see you again, CEO Yang." One of the executives respectfully said to the man 30 years his junior.

    Yang Feng was the youngest CEO in the country, and yet he held a tight grip over the business world. Many of the executives were reluctant to bow down to a man so young, but they knew when to concede. It wasn¡¯t the brightest idea to cross a man who could destroy with them the lift of a finger.

    When Zhao Lifei heard the dreaded name, she didn¡¯t look up. Instead, she kept her head down and continued to study the papers in front of her. She crossed out one proposal after the other, a dark frown on her face.

    When a few strands of hair fell over her face like a curtain, she brushed it behind her ears and swung it over her shoulders, revealing her slender neck.

    The scene of a beautiful woman dressed modestly and then finally revealing a sliver of skin had turned most of the presenters¡¯ gaze lecherous.

    Yang Feng noticed it. One warning stare from him was enough to send the presenters shaking, looking anywhere besides Zhao Lifei.

    ¡¯How can she be so oblivious to the effect she had on men?¡¯ He sighed inside his head. Walking towards her, his polished leather shoes echoed in the quiet room.

    Zhao Lifei could sense him walking closer to her but she pretended to not hear anything and continued to submerge herself in paperwork.

    The executives watched Yang Feng in confusion. Why was he so heavily focused on this woman?

    "You¡¯re not going to greet me?" Yang Feng mused, hovering right over her.

    He stood with his hands tucked into his pockets, staring down at her. He saw the allure of her swan neck and when she continued to ignore him, he lightly touched her hair and used it to cover her neck. Once again, her hair fell over her like a heavy curtain, which blocked her view and only annoyed her further.

    Zhao Lifei pressed her lips together in frustration. She raised her head.

    Yang Feng became slightly happy upon seeing her do so, but his happiness was short-lived when she didn¡¯t look at him. Instead, she looked straight at her overly amused grandfather.

    "I rmend denying proposal 1, 3, and 4." She said to him, cing down the pen and handing the papers to him. On the papers were notes written by her that pointed out all the ws in the proposals.

    Zhao Moyao nearly smiled at his granddaughter¡¯s determination.

    Does she know whose ns she just denied and who proposed the only one she epted?

    One of them happened to be from Zheng Tianyi¡¯spany that wanted to mend their bad rtionship because the Zheng Corporation heavily benefited from having a partnership with the Zhaos.

    He had purposely hidden the names of thepany who initiated the proposal so that she wouldn¡¯t have any biased thoughts when it came to judging it.

    His gaze trailed to the eager man waiting for her to look up and meet his stares.

    Will she continue to ignore the man beside her who looked at her like a desperate puppy needy for its owner¡¯s attention? He wondered whether the aloof Yang Feng, who was famous for never being romantically associated with anyone, knew how captivated he was with his little granddaughter.

    Holding back hisughter, Zhao Moyao tried to sound serious. "What¡¯s wrong with the other proposals?"

    "I already wrote it on the paper, grandfather." Zhao Lifei pointed out to him.

    She was confused as to why he was trying to drag out the conversation. Usually, when he required her consultation services, he wouldn¡¯t ask any other questions because it would all be answered within the notes she would hand over.

    "Yes, but this old man would like you to read it to me." Zhao Moyao chuckled, deciding to y matchmaker.

    His trust in Yang Feng¡¯s capabilities was enough to allow the man to pursue his granddaughter. Had it been any other scum, he would¡¯ve sent out his people to warn the man to stay away from his granddaughter.

    In his eyes, Zhao Lifei deserved the best of the best. It just so happens, his first choice was Yang Feng.

    Curious about Yang Feng¡¯s current state, his eyes tilted to him. Just as before, he was continuing to stare at her. As a matter of fact, his stares had never trailed away from her. Not even once.

    He was amused that Zhao Lifei was pretending to be nonchnt to the obvious stare boring a hole through her head.

    "Grandfather, that would cost an additional few millions to my consultation fee." Zhao Lifei smiles, seeing right through his ns. She grabbed her purse and was prepared to stand up and leave when suddenly, a hand emerged from beside her.

    It mmed onto the table, revealing a white check. "State your price." Yang Feng somberly said, not wanting her to leave so quickly. He had just seen her and she was clearly avoiding him. He wanted to know why.

    "Grandfather, there seems to be an annoying fly buzzing next to me. I apologize but I must leave in order to escape it." Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t even blink at the check and when she tried to walk past Yang Feng, he reached out to grab her forearm.

    "Don¡¯t touch me-"

    "The proposal that you have just epted is the one by Yang Enterprise. I believe the person whose opinion weighs heavily on the eptance of the proposal should be present during the meeting." Yang Feng was eager to see more of her abilities.

    Zhao Lifei frowned at his words. She turned towards her grandfather. This wasn¡¯t what they had agreed upon.

    Their deal was that she reviewed the contracts and proposals before it was approved or signed. She was promised that she would never sit down in any business meetings to discuss beyond that.

 Chapter 45: Eagerly Waiting

    Seeing his granddaughter¡¯s using re, Zhao Moyao lightlyughed. "Release my granddaughter, Yang Feng." His expression was amused, but his tone served as a clear warning. He wouldn¡¯t be taking no as an answer.

    Yang Feng actually respected Zhao Moyao a lot, even before he had ever met Zhao Lifei. He knew the man¡¯s military background very well. He enlisted into the army at a very young age and made a name for himself as a reputable Major General. Zhao Moyao held an esteemed position in many people¡¯s hearts, especially the older generation who had witnessed his great aplishments.

    He was the master of the Zhao Hotel empire, and defying his wishes was very hard, even for a man like Yang Feng.

    Yang Feng stared at Zhao Lifei¡¯s distrustful expression before sighing and releasing her. The minute he did so, she red at him like a spoiled child who had to yield to get her wish.

    Zhao Moyao turned towards everyone present. "Meeting adjourned." It took these two simple words to have everyone scramble out of the room.

    Even though the people were shocked to finally know the position of Zhao Lifei, they were still surprised.

    Zhao Moyao was notorious for ignoring his grandchildren, what made her so special? Was it because she was the only granddaughter that pursued the business world?

    None of them dared to question their scary boss, so within the blink of an eye, the room was cleared. Even Yang Feng¡¯s personal team was send out of the door. Only Zhao Moyao, Yang Feng, and Zhao Lifei remained in the ss room.

    "If that is all, grandfather, I will be going home-"

    "I remember you haven¡¯t had breakfast or lunch yet. It is well into the afternoon, you must be starving." Zhao Moyao quickly changed the topic of discussion, and right on cue, a light rumble echoed throughout the room.

    Zhao Lifei could feel a heavy blush traveling from her neck to her cheeks at the humiliation of her stomach grumbling.

    She had indeed skipped dinnerst night and this morning, she didn¡¯t even eat breakfast.

    Of course, her stomach would demand food, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed. Out of all of the time in the world, it had to make its presence known now?!

    Yang Feng bit his bottom lip to stop himself from smiling in amusement. Seeing the usuallyposed and cold woman be so flustered by a simple noise made by her tiny stomach was a delight. She was even blushing. How cute.

    "I texted Li Xuan to bring your favorite stewed beef with braised eggs from your favorite restaurant. It will be arriving in five minutes." Zhao Moyao added on, purposely listing the menu to entice her to stay longer.

    Upon hearing the word "favorite", Yang Feng¡¯s ears immediately perked up.

    He quietly pulled out his phone to let Chen Gaonan know that he wanted the restaurant¡¯s name. In order to ensure she would forever be able to enjoy her favorite food, Yang Feng was willing to pay off the owner to make sure that Zhao Lifei can enjoy their dishes anytime she wished to.

    Zhao Lifei looked away, her eyes refusing to meet the obvious mirth dancing in both of the men¡¯s eyes.

    "I-I suppose I¡¯ll stay here for lunch." She said, finally sitting back down.

    It was refreshing to see such a bashful and embarrassed expression on his granddaughter¡¯s face.

    She was usually stoic and nonchnt, and seeing her finally expressing normal emotions for a woman her age was enough to warm Zhao Moyao¡¯s chest.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the food to arrive. There was a wide variety of dishes, yet the only one that caught her interest was the restaurant¡¯s signature braised beef that just seemed to fall apart upon the first bite.

    Zhao Lifei ignored Yang Feng¡¯s obvious stare as she happily devoured the food in front of her.

    She would asionally ce different side dishes into her grandfather¡¯s te, while visibly not bothering to care for Yang Feng who was cing more beef into her rice bowl.

    Zhao Moyao watched the exchange with amusement. His granddaughter waspletely nonchnt that he kept refilling her bowl. She pretended to not see him.

    After a while of watching Yang Feng uselessly stare at Zhao Lifei, looking as if he hoped that she would reciprocate and ce something on his still empty bowl, Zhao Moyao decided it was time to stop torturing the poor boy.

    For heaven¡¯s sake, he looked like a pitiful dog abandoned by his owner!

    Even his personal team of assistants waiting outside was beginning to feel sympathy for their hardworking boss!

    Zhao Moyao didn¡¯t know what Zhao Lifei did to unknowingly hug the biggest thigh in the country, but he didn¡¯t underestimate her abilities.

    Deliberately ignoring him, wanting to escape his presence. He wondered if this was what the youngsters called "ying hard to get."

    When Zhao Lifei ced a deboned fish on her grandfather¡¯s bowl, he spoke up. "Xiao Fei, I think Yang Feng¡¯s bowl is missing some fish. Don¡¯t you think so?" He asked her in an obvious attempt to include Yang Feng into the conversation. They were business partners. He had not forgotten how Yang Enterprise had saved Zhao Corporation when he severed ties with the Zheng family.

    Zhao Lifei pursed her lips as she nced at Yang Feng who looked at her with a slightly hopeful expression.

    In all honesty, she was confused about why he was so intrigued by her. Shouldn¡¯t men like him have a beautiful woman with a ster reputation that matched his beside him? An A-List celebrity or an heiress from a powerful family would be a better partner for him...

    Slowly, Zhao Lifei deboned another fish and ced it on Yang Feng¡¯s te. She watched in amusement as he ate the fish like it was the best thing in the world, even though she purposely gave him the least vorful part of the fish.

    She decided it was better to at least treat him nicely during their meal time, so she scooped some steamed scallop eggs into his bowl.

    Yang Feng gratefully epted it with a bright smile. "How did you know I liked steamed scallop eggs, Lifei?" He asked her, his tone light and airy.

    "I didn¡¯t. You¡¯re thinking too much into it." She mumbled, looking away from his pressing eyes.

    His gaze never left her during the entire meal and she had to keep on checking if there was any rice stuck to her face.

 Chapter 46: Sent To The Main Mansion

    After having their meal together, Zhao Lifei was prepared to leave. This time, she would not be persuaded to stay any longer. She didn¡¯t want to remain in the office to discuss the proposal.

    "Grandfather, I hope you don¡¯t break our promise." She reminded him, picking up her purse.

    Zhao Moyao smiled at his doubtful granddaughter. The promise was that she wouldn¡¯t be dragged back into the office for at least 3 days after any consultation work. She was his top consultant, and despite how good she was at running a business, he could see the toll that it took on her.

    She was traumatized by something and it was something that even two years of therapy have been unable to heal. Right now, he could only hope and pray she gets over her fear or else, her abilities were truly put to waste.

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t object to her leaving this time, but that didn¡¯t mean he would be staying here. During the meal, he had contacted Yulong to attend the discussion in his ce.

    Zhao Moyao leaned back in his leather chair as he watched Yang Feng readily chase after his granddaughter.

    Three minutester, another man walked into the room, his face oozing with yful charm. Unlike Yang Feng whose expression was forever arctic and stony, Yang Yulong always had a mischievous smile on his face that hid all of the sins he hadmitted.

    "Elder Zhao, I hope I didn¡¯t keep you waiting for long?" Yang Yulong sat down on the table but paused when he smelled something odd.

    "Did you guys have scallops for lunch?" Despite his tall and slender frame, Yang Yulong was a major glutton known for his bottomless stomach. His keen sense of smell allowed him to detect his favorite food that just happened to be the only thing Yang Feng was allergic to.

    "Your nose is as sharp as a bloodhound, Yulong. But yes, we had eggs steamed with scallops as a side dish." Zhao Moyao picked up the surprised expression on the Vice President of Yang Enterprise¡¯s face.

    "I hope my brother didn¡¯t consume any. He¡¯s severely allergic to it." Yulong grabbed his phone, his eyes slightly wide with panic.

    Zhao Moyao leaned forward, a frown on his face. Severely allergic? But he dly ate the dish when Lifei had scooped it into his bowl!

    "He consumed a spoonful of it-"

    "A spoonful?! My apologies for interrupting, Elder Zhao, but where is my brother right now?!" Yulong stood up from his chair as he hurriedly sent a text Chen Gaonan.

    "He left with my granddaughter." Zhao Moyao sighed at the mess the youngsters have created.

    He wasn¡¯t surprised Yulong didn¡¯t run into Yang Feng. There were two private elevators leading to this floor, which meant Yang Feng and Lifei probably took one down just as Yang Yulong took the other going up.

    Why did Yang Feng eat the scallop and say it¡¯s his favorite if he was allergic to it? Was he asking for a death wish?!

    "Granddaughter? I thought you didn¡¯t acknowledge any of them." Yulong distractedly said.

    Zhao Moyao tiredly leaned his cheeks on one propped up arm. "I acknowledge two of them. One of them is Zhao Lifei, my oldest." He said, clearly getting the facts mixed up.

    She wasn¡¯t his oldest granddaughter, as a matter of fact, he had two older grandchildren, but Zhao Moyao didn¡¯t bother with them. He didn¡¯t even remember their existence!

    "Zhao Lifei?" Yang Yulong lifted his head from the phone he was rapidly typing on. Why did that name sound so familiar?

    He thought back to what his little Qinqin was rambling about a few days ago.

    "Hm, is she acquainted with my little sister?"

    "Yes, Xiao Fei is good friends with Yang Ruqin. If I remember correctly, my granddaughter¡¯s date to the banquet was supposed to be you." Zhao Moyao thought back to Zhao Lifei¡¯s words.

    The security he sent for her reported that while she got picked up by one of the Yang family¡¯s cars, she entered the banquet alone. Due to the strict rules of the banquet, they couldn¡¯t enter the room. Instead, they were forced to wait outside in the hallway ¡ª per protocol. The same rule applied to everyone.

    Yang Yulong snapped his fingers when a light bulb lit up in his head. Yes! That was the one! "It¡¯s so strange, isn¡¯t it? I was all dressed up and ready to escort her, butst minute, Feng-ge stopped me from going. The next thing I knew, I was sent to the main mansion for a lecture while he gets to apany a beautiful woman." Yulong frowned at the unhappy memory.

    He was pretty excited to see Lifei again after all these years. It was strange that she didn¡¯t remember him, especially when they used to be great friends when they were children. He guessed the years had been enough for their childhood memories to fade.

    It was even stranger for Yang Feng to harshly intercept him and force him to not attend the banquet. He really wanted to go, but seeing his brother¡¯s fierce objection, he couldn¡¯t. To prevent Yulong from escaping, he even sent him back to the main mansion where his parents kept a tight leash around him! His brother was really ruthless. First, it was his younger sister, and then it was him. He couldn¡¯t wait to see his parents lecture Yang Feng for making them wait for him to start his own family. The man was already 27 and he had yet to bring home any woman to introduce to his parents.

    Now that Yang Yulong thought about it, he remembered seeing a particr headline that has blown up recently. His parents had called him nonstop since Yang Feng wasn¡¯t picking up their calls. They wanted to confirm the news as they giddily imagined that a grandchild is in their near future. Unfortunately, Yulong didn¡¯t know if it was real or not.

 Chapter 47: You Owe Me

    When Zhao Lifei walked towards the busy streets ready to hail down a cab, a hand suddenly grabbed her. She turned around, ready to tell Yang Feng off, but then she noticed his abnormally pale skin. Cold beads of sweat gathered on his forehead and his eyes were unfocused.

    "Hey, are you alright?" She nervously asked him, allowing him to lean towards her frail stature. Zhao Lifei nearly tripped over her own feet as she tried to support his muscr build.

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t respond, instead, he buried his head on the crook of her neck. She looked down and saw his eyes were painfully squeezed together. His grip was beginning to get tighter now, nearly pinching her skin.

    A few meters away and securely hidden behind a big statue was a paparazzi. He was just strolling through the streets when his keen eyes picked up the reputable Yang Feng. His luck was exceptionally good today because he was able to take a very intimate picture of the couple.

    Completely oblivious to the camera, Zhao Lifei focused her attention onto the heavy man leaning on her.

    "Yang Feng?" She called out, growing worried at his unhealthyplexion. With her free hand, she grabbed her phone to call an ambnce but he reached out to force her hand back down.

    "I¡¯m...fine." He breathed out, but his voice seemed really constrained.

    "No, you¡¯re not. You¡¯re really pale and-"

    A ck Maybach abruptly stopped in front of them, interrupting her from talking. "Get in the car." Chen Gaonan says as he hurriedly steps out from the passenger seat.

    He was grateful to see his boss had managed to lean on someone for support instead of copsing outside where everyone can see.

    It would be bad if his enemies also saw his weakness of a fatal allergy. It was already rumored he was severely allergic to something, but none of his enemies knew what it was. Only Yang Feng¡¯s trustedpanions knew and that was barely more than five people. It wouldn¡¯t be hard to intercept the front desk and ask about any food deliveries.

    "Who are you?" Zhao Lifei frowned at the presence of a stranger.

    "His secretary." Chen Gaonan was slightly surprised to see her in person. It was weird seeing someone in person after digging so intensely into their background. She didn¡¯t know it, but he knew a lot about her already.

    Without waiting for Zhao Lifei¡¯s reply, Chen Gaonan started to half drag, half carry his boss¡¯s heavy body into the car. However, even in his state, Yang Feng held on tightly to Zhao Lifei and would not let go. It seemed he wouldn¡¯t get into the car without her in tow. Obliging to his stubborn wishes, she brushed her thoughts of leaving aside and climbed into the car with him.

    "Do you have an Epipen [1]?" She worriedly asked Chen Gaonan the moment they got inside the car. He quickly nodded and pulled out a yellow stick. Within seconds, Chen Gaonan had uncapped it and with a harsh force, stabbed it onto Yang Feng¡¯s thigh. It was the perfect pressure and location because instantly, hisplexion was looking a lot better.

    Zhao Lifei breathed a sigh of relief she didn¡¯t know she was holding. It was then she realized their awkward position. Yang Feng had moved his grip from her arm to tightly wrap it around her waist, his head leaned once again on her shoulder, and they were sitting so close that their legs touched.

    She nced down at Yang Feng¡¯s peaceful expression. Her eyes trailed up his lips to his eyes, where dark circles were heavily visible. She sighed, knowing it was better to let him sleep than wake him up just because she was ufortable.

    Chen Gaonan noticed their intimate position but looked as if he didn¡¯t witness anything out of the blue.

    The car was stuffy and filled with awkward tension, so Zhao Lifei decided to be the first to speak up. "Do you know what might¡¯ve triggered the allergic reaction?" She curiously asked, thinking back to the dishes. If he was allergic to something, why didn¡¯t he say so?

    "Boss is severely allergic to scallops. Luckily, Young Master Yulong was able to text me in time before his airways had fatally constricted." Chen Gaonan sighed, remembering the urgency he felt when he received the message from Yulong. Thankfully, Chen Gaonan was near the building when the scene unfolded.

    Zhao Lifei felt her throat tighten and her fingers curl into a fist. He was allergic to scallops?! But he readily ate the food she gave him! If he was allergic to it, why didn¡¯t he speak up? Was this crazy man seeking death?

    All he had to do was push the food away and tell her he couldn¡¯t eat scallops. Not only did he refuse to inform her, but he ate it with such a happy expression no one would think he was feeding himself something akin to poison.

    Her lips pressed into a thin line as she stared at Yang Feng. He was peacefully sleeping on her shoulder as if it was the mostfortable position in the world. It was guaranteed that he will be waking up sore as he was too tall to be straining his neck just so he can lean on her. She sighed at how stubborn he was.

    "Mr. Chen, we have arrived at boss¡¯s house." The chauffeur spoke up, looking at them through the rearview mirror. All the times Hu Wei had Ms. Zhao at the backseat, one of them always ends up sleeping on the other. He was thoroughly convinced that the title ofdy boss will belong to her soon.

    "I apologize if this favor seems rude, but Ms. Zhao, would you mind helping me carry the boss into his house?" Chen Gaonan asked, eager to know if the woman his boss is clearly interested in would agree. His boss rarely showed interest to any woman and this would be the first time one had made it this far!

    Zhao Lifei nodded. "Sure, I don¡¯t mind." She lied, even though she was really reluctant to carry him.

    He towered over her, Chen Gaonan, and even some of his bodyguards. With her earlier experience of having to drag his slender yet muscr built for a few steps to the car, she knew she would be having a hard time with this endeavor.

    Carrying Yang Feng back into his enormous mansion took a lot of work, but eventually, the two of them was able to drag him into his room.

    Chen Gaonan was impressed by Zhao Lifei¡¯sck ofints. If she disliked the two flights of stairs they had to climb up to reach his room, she didn¡¯t voice it out loud. As a matter of fact, she didn¡¯t seem annoyed at all.

    He thought that was strange because when hest dug into her history, she was notoriously known as a spoiled and bad-tempered woman.

    Perhaps she didn¡¯t want to look bad in front of Yang Feng? But he was currently unconscious, and she could have easily rejected him.

    Just as the two ced Yang Feng onto the bed, Chen Gaonan received a call. Seeing it was his wife, he quickly went outside to pick up the urgent call.

    Zhao Lifei pursed her lips as she puffed for air. She wondered what he ate so much to be so heavy?! She continued to me his height and muscles. She will probably never ogle at his muscr build after having to endure his weight through all those flights of stairs.

    "You owe me big time for this." She tiredly mumbled, poking his cheeks. He wasying on his nket, and she tried her best to pull it out from under him so he can be covered. In the end, only his torso ended up with a nket over it.

    After wasting so much energy on him, Zhao Lifei had grown extremely tired. She noticed the couch on the opposite side of the ck, minimalistic room. Dragging her legs, she slowly walked to it and the minute she sat, Zhao Lifei could feel her consciousness slipping. Soon, she wasying on the couch with her body curled into a ball. Within seconds, she was asleep.

 Chapter 48: Like A Fool

    Yang Feng woke up in the middle of the night as he always does. He ran a tired hand through his silky hair before realizing his situation. He was already in his bed, barely covered by the nket. He was still wearing the crisp ck three-piece suit from this morning, except it was a bit disheveled from being used as pajamas.

    When he climbed out of bed, he remembered what happened. He had shbacks of readily eating the only food he was allergic to and pretending it was his favorite.

    There was a chance he could die from not being treated fast enough since he did not bring along an EpiPen. He knew he shouldn¡¯t have consumed it, but it was the first time Zhao Lifei had given him something to eat of her own ord. This was progress and he didn¡¯t want to discourage her from doing it as much as possible in the future.

    A slow smile spread on his face when he realized he can still smell the flowery scent on him that came from being so close to her. He remembered how at ease he felt when he had her to lean on for support, and how she shifted her body for him to be in afortable position.

    Smiling to himself like a fool, Yang Feng was prepared to leave his room and do some work in his home office. But then something caught his attention. On his ck leather couch was a woman curled into a ball with her back facing him.

    Not believing his eyes, he slowly walked towards the couch. When he got closer, he confirmed that the figure truly belonged to the woman that had been upying his mind for way too long.

    Zhao Lifei remained unaware as she was still deep in slumber. Her eyes were peacefully closed, lips slightly parted to slowly breath in, and half of her face was covered with her hair.

    His smile got bigger at how messy her hair was. It looked funny, albeit a bit ufortable. He brushed her hair aside to reveal her soft pale cheeks. They seemed so inviting, he couldn¡¯t help but lightly curl one long finger to caress it. Indeed, they were as smooth and soft as they had looked.

    "It¡¯s not good to sleep here." He lightly chided her, despite the fact that she couldn¡¯t hear him. Her position was also really awkward. Without a pillow supporting her neck, she would surely wake up sore.

    He bent down and scooped her into his arms. "Foolish woman. At least use the fur nket." He sighed, his eyes trailing to the white fur nket draped over the far side of the couch she wasying on.

    She was as light as he had remembered. As a matter of fact, she seemed to have gotten thinner than thest time he saw her. Did she lose weight again? He frowned at the idea. She was already skinny as it is, if she lost more weight, she¡¯d be a skeleton. He debated whether to order from her favorite restaurant but they just had it for lunch. He then decided to cook her a hearty breakfast the next morning.

    Like a jewelry master cing a precious jade into a craft box, he gingerly ced her onto the bed. He treated her like a priceless treasure and Yang Feng couldn¡¯t figure out why.

    Seeing her soundly asleep in the same bed he sleeps in and covered by the same nket he used, Yang Feng couldn¡¯t help but be filled with a sense of satisfaction. She slept without a care in the world and when he looked closer, he nearly chuckled. She was lightly drooling. He shifted her chin upwards so that her mouth was closed.

    After making sure she was securely tucked into the bed, he got up to leave. Just then, a hand reached out to grip an inch of his cuff. He looked down and saw Zhao Lifei was still asleep, but this time, her expression was no longer serene.

    Zhao Lifei unconsciously realized the loss of his warmth and quickly reached out for it before it left her. In her nightmare, she was reliving the memory of Zheng Tianyi¡¯s disappearing back. She was on the floor, reaching out to him, begging him not to leave. Walking away with an arm securely wrapped around the crying Xia Mengxi, Zheng Tianyi never looked back. Thest thing she saw was the fading view of his silhouette, as the world she had built for herself crumbled and the future she prepared for slipped away.

    "Don¡¯t go!" She sobbed in her dreams, her voiceing out in reality.

    Yang Feng felt his heart skip a beat at her voice, so sweet and pleading. It instantly beckoned him back to her. Like a bear chasing after his honey, he aimed to fulfill all of her wishes, conscious or not.

    "Please..." She pleaded in her dreams, trying to stand up to chase after Zheng Tianyi but her legs refused to move.

    "Shh, I¡¯m here." Yang Feng gentlyforted her, brushing her fringe aside to reveal her round forehead. He grabbed her dainty fingers that desperately clung onto his sleeve.

    "There, there..." He whispered, holding her hand and gently patting the nket.

    Within her dream, Zhao Lifei felt something warm and cuddly wrapped around her. When she looked around, Zheng Tianyi was no longer there. The stabbing pain she felt in her chest was gone. Her tears had dried up and instead of a heart-wrenching scene she never wanted to remember, there was a figure approaching her.

    Shrouded by a mist, the man was tall and a powerful aura surrounded him as he moved. Theforting sound of his leather shoes clicking on the floor made her realize how familiar it sounded. His face was still hidden by the thick fog, but she could see his hand was stuffed into the front pocket of his dress pants.

    Coming out of the same fog that Zheng Tianyi left through was Yang Feng in his full glory. Like before, Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t control her limbs. She felt like an outsider watching the scene before her unfold.

    In her dream, he was saying something to her, but she couldn¡¯t hear him. He smiled at her, his eyes tender, and his face gentle.

    Her mind became hazy when she looked at him. How could a man look so alluring to the point of where a simple smile was enough to make her go weak?

    He said something again, but she still couldn¡¯t hear him. Without waiting for her reply, Yang Feng stuck out a hand to help her up. Zhao Lifei stared at his outstretched palm. It was rough and yet, it seemed reliable. Her eyes trailed from his palm to his warm and kind expression.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t want to reach up to him, but her mind consciously forced her limbs to move. Like a wounded deer terrified of humans, she slowly reached up to him.

    With a beckoning smile, he remained patient to her clear hesitation. Even when she warily stared at him like he was crazy, he still stood there without making her feel any pressure. After what felt like forever, Zhao Lifei finally ced her cold hand onto his. The moment she did so, he quickly enclosed it around hers, his hand providing her the security she needed.

 Chapter 49: 25/8 Adonis

    Zhao Lifei awakened to hints of a savory and delicious scent in the air. Her stomach growled as she sniffed.

    Tiredly, she sat up and rubbed her eyes. Her gaze was hazy as she felt around the bed for her phone but then realized this was not her bed. She instantly panicked and snapped out of her dazed state.

    Her eyes scanned the enormous room she was in. She took in the coat hanger by the door, the minimalist furniture, and the elegant masculinity of the room. She was definitely in a man¡¯s room. For a second, her panic grew.

    Fortunately, she quickly remembered the events from yesterday. From Yang Feng nearly copsing because of his allergy, to the intimate way he hugged her while he slept in the car ride back to his home, and the arduous task of dragging him upstairs to his room. She remembered falling asleep on his couch. But how did she get into his bed?

    Frowning to herself, she threw off the covers and stood up. When she saw she was still wearing the same clothes and that her undergarments were still intact, she breathed a sigh of relief. At least he was a gentleman and didn¡¯t attempt to change her clothes when she was unconscious.

    She wore the slippers by the door and pulled the door open. The delightful smell was stronger now. Her stomach grumbled at the idea of food.

    She followed the scent of food, and on her way to the dining area, she couldn¡¯t help but marvel at Yang Feng¡¯s house. It was enormous and the contemporary design was a perfect blend of wealth and minimalism, simr to what she saw from his room. She assumed that the house was also designed with the help of a Feng Shui [1] master, seeing the auspiciousness of theyout. The view outside the massive windows is of a vast garden with a water fountain as a focal point.

    ¡¯As expected of a CEO.¡¯ She sighed to herself.

    When she finally reached the kitchen, Zhao Lifei felt her throat run dry at the sight of Yang Feng cooking.

    It was obvious he had been cooking for a while now, as his slightly messy hair was swept back and a few strands were sticking to the little sweat on his face. Dressed in a fitted white V-neck shirt, it showed off his perfect figure. As he cooked, his muscles would slightly bulge. His sweatpants were hanging dangerously low on his hips, nearly revealing his deep V-line.

    She wondered if it was even humanly possible to look this good in the morning. For goodness sake, how was one able to look this good while cooking?!

    Zhao Lifei felt like a slob. She knew her hair and clothes weren¡¯t in the best condition inparison to his 25/8 Adonis appearance.

    "You¡¯re awake." Yang Feng said when he turned around while holding a pan in his hand. In the other was a wooden spat that was ready to flip the pancake.

    "I wasn¡¯t sure what you usually ate for breakfast, so I made a little bit of everything." He exined, pointing to the table filled with food. There were congee, fried rice, breakfast noodles, french toast, and eggs in its¡¯ different forms.

    She warily stared at him. Seriously, why was he so perfect? Was he born that way? She couldn¡¯t help but feel strange around him.

    "Breakfast isn¡¯t ready yet. I still have to finish cooking the pancakes and waffles. But in the meantime, Pei Qing can show you to the bathroom." Just then, a young woman stepped forward. She was dressed in a ck and white uniform suitable for a maid. At first nce, she radiated a glow that was too strong to be a simple maid.

    Zhao Lifei paused when she saw how beautiful this woman was. She looked adorable with her small face, doe eyes, and a smile that shows off her dimples. A man like Yang Feng would definitely have higher qualifications than a normal employer. She wondered whether physical looks were part of the hiring criteria.

    When Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t answer him, he raised a brow. Was everything too much for her? It¡¯s just breakfast, and her frail body needs a lot more food. She seem to be overthinking something.

    "Is everything alright?" He set the pan down and approached her, staring down at her. He once again mused at her height that barely reached his chin.

    "Yeah, I¡¯m fine." She nodded, taking a few steps back to create some distance between them.

    Yang Feng¡¯s lips twitched. She always seemed eager to get away from him that it was beginning to bother him. Did she not like him? Is that what it was?

    He internally sighed before lifting his head to nod at Pei Qing. He knew it would take a while for her to open up to him, seeing she was really wary around unfamiliar men.

    Picking up the signal of her boss, Pei Qing began to guide Zhao Lifei towards the guest bathroom. "This way, miss."

    Zhao Lifei wordlessly followed the maid until the kitchen and dining room was out of sight. As she walked with the maid, she noticed the woman¡¯s rigid back.

    Pei Qing angrily ground her teeth. She had worked for him for three years now and never had she seen him bring a woman home. She did everything she could to make Yang Feng happy in hopes of climbing her way into his bed. However, she never made it as far as to touch the material on his bed because she wasn¡¯t even part of the trusted list of servants that can enter his bedroom. As a matter of fact, Yang Feng didn¡¯t seem bothered by her antics. She wasn¡¯t even sure he realized she was seducing him!

    He never cared for other women aside from his little sister and mother, but this time around, he brought a female guest home! And on her first visit, she even got to stay the entire night in his bedroom! To add the final blow, he spend the entire morning cooking her all kinds of breakfast ¡ª something he rarely did.

    Pei Qing was lucky she walked ahead of Zhao Lifei so that she could hide the scowl on her face. She had seen the way Zhao Lifei tantly distanced herself from Yang Feng even though he seemed smitten by her.

    Annoyed and angered, she forgot about the reflective windows that revealed her expression.

    Zhao Lifei saw the maid¡¯s angered expression. She didn¡¯t need to be a genius to figure out she was one of the maids who thought they were in a fairytale and that they could hoodwink their rich employer to shower them with riches using their bodies.

    She frowned, nearly crossing her arms. The maid can try all she wants to seduce him. As long as she¡¯s polite towards Zhao Lifei, she was willing to ignore it. But there was a gnawing feeling within her that was beginning to grow annoyed at the idea. She tilted her head in confusion at the sudden burst of anger.

 Chapter 50: Protective Instincts

    "This is a spare toothbrush you can use and here¡¯s a towel." Pei Qing roughly handed Zhao Lifei the supplies, nearly shoving everything onto her hands.

    Zhao Lifei felt her eyebrows raise in surprise, a small fire building within her. She reminded herself to stay level-headed. She didn¡¯t want to throw a big scene in someone else¡¯s house, especially when the servant didn¡¯t even belong to her.

    "Oh, and here¡¯s the cup. Mr. Yang doesn¡¯t like to share things with people, so just throw everything outter." Pei Qing set the cup onto the marble sink, it clunked and made a loud sound.

    "And this is the spare clothes for you." She tossed the clothes onto the counter.

    Zhao Lifei gritted her teeth to suppress her anger. Her hand itched to smack and punish the maid.

    If this was the same spoiled and haughty woman from two years ago, she wouldn¡¯t have hesitated at the idea of punishing someone like Pei Qing right then and there. For her, hurting someone was as easy as blinking an eye. She wouldn¡¯t even have batted an eysh to pping the woman silly. She used to be able to get socialites from wealthy families under her control, a maid with no backing would have been child¡¯s y for her.

    But she reminded herself this wasn¡¯t what she learned within the two years of her disappearance. Her counselors warned her to never show people her true emotions. The calmer the storm, the bigger the chaos.

    She told herself she didn¡¯t have to get so worked up over something as small as this horrible treatment. It was not like she had to endure it any longer, nor she was nning to visit Yang Feng¡¯s house again. If she wanted to strike at Pei Qing, she would need to wait until the woman burned Zhao Lifei¡¯sst string of patience within the amount of time she was here.

    A small devil sitting on Zhao Lifei¡¯s shoulders whispered to her to punish Pei Qing right then and there. It will show who the superior one is in this context and who should respect who. The devil told her it was better to smack her now so that it would teach a harsh lesson to Pei Qing to never mess with her again.

    Zhao Lifei stared at Pei Qing¡¯s face as she debated whether to listen to the devil, and Pei Qing was left with no choice but to leave the room. She was still a servant after all.

    Pei Qing was growing frustrated when she saw Zhao Lifei¡¯s nk face that was nearly impossible to read. She had seen the slight twitch of her hands as if she wanted to strike her.

    Pei Qing thought about scheming against Zhao Lifei. What would happen to that random woman if she cried to her master that the woman had struck him? Wouldn¡¯t she look like the innocent victim of a vicious woman?

    Every man had protective instincts. The more domineering and powerful a man, the more protective he bes over the women in his life, and Pei Qing knew Yang Feng wasn¡¯t any different. She had experienced first hand how he handled the people that dared to disrespect the women in his life.

    Pei Qing smirked to herself.

    If she was able to make herself seem like the victim, she might be able to get rid of Zhao Lifei. Yang Feng had a reputation of making sure anyone who schemed against him or his people was punished. She had been working exceptionally for him for three years, she could be considered as one of "his people". Besides, no one likes a bad-tempered woman...

    She nned to secretly treat Zhao Lifei as roughly as possible so that she could push all of the buttons that would force her to p her.

    Pei Qing slightly hesitated when she thought about how hard Zhao Lifei might smack her. Although she looked frail, rich women who beat their servants mercilessly are not unheard of. This Zhao Lifei reeks of being raised in extreme wealth. What if she was able to leave a dark bruise on her beautiful cheeks? Just then, she brushed the thought aside and smiled. The darker the bruise, the quicker Yang Feng¡¯s protective instinct will re up!

    When Zhao Lifei saw the shadow of Pei Qing¡¯s feet from the crack under the door, she nearly rolled her eyes. Did that simple maid take her for a fool? She already knew what Pei Qing was nning.

    Zhao Lifei used to scheme against Xia Mengxi. Though it rarely worked, it made her an expert in acting as a white lotus. To force tears and make herself the most pitiful woman in the room, she knew exactly how to tug at the heartstrings of a simple man.

    However, Zheng Tianyi wasn¡¯t just a simple man and Xia Mengxi¡¯s ¡¯I¡¯m just amoner who fell in love with a prince and is now being bullied all the time¡¯ act is much more effective than hers.

    That¡¯s why Zhao Lifei¡¯s tactics never worked on him.

    She wondered if Yang Feng would fall for her foolish antics. Judging by his high IQ, she knew it would be nearly impossible. But at the very least, it would make the maid look bad.

    She pushed any more thoughts about the maid at the back of her mind and quickly washed up. After stepping out of the shower, she had a different smell to her signature Jasmine-scented tones. She wasn¡¯t surprised to see that even the guest bathroom was stocked with high-end luxury products.

    With Yang Enterprises¡¯ sess domestically and internationally, Yang Feng was practically swimming in money.

    She hurriedly brushed her teeth, washed her face, and wore the outfit given to her. Lifei wasn¡¯t surprised to see the clothes hang loosely on her, despite its small size. She knew it was Ruqin¡¯s clothes the instant she saw them.

    All of the Yang siblings were really tall, thanks to the good gics from both of their parents. Because of their ideal height and nearly wless body, every piece of clothing looked amazing on them.

    Zhao Lifei, on the other hand, thought she looked like a child ying with her mother¡¯s clothes. The white dress surely hugged Yang Ruqin in all of the right ces, but it was loose and flowy on her.

    It didn¡¯t do Lifei¡¯s body any justice as she looked shapeless and nd in the dress. She sulked to herself and thought there was a reason why she and Qinqin didn¡¯t share clothes with each other.

    When she walked out of the bathroom, she realized that she only spent thirty minutes inside, yet Pei Qing was nowhere in sight.

    Rolling her eyes at the ipetent maid, she thought of telling Yang Feng about it. Since Pei Qing wasn¡¯t her servant, she couldn¡¯t do anything to her. Besides, she didn¡¯t want to waste her time and energy on insignificant people.

    I¡¯ll leave the job to Yang Feng to deal with since he was the one who hired this kind of people in the first ce!

    Yang Feng had ced the finishing touches on the grand breakfast he just made when he somehow sensed Zhao Lifei approaching.

    He nced up and sucked in a deep breath when he saw Zhao Lifei. Dressed in a loose white dress that swayed with each step she took, he thought she looked like an angel. On top of that, when she came nearer, he realized that she smelled like him too. He figured she most likely used the same body wash as him.

    He rarely had female guests over, so the shelves were usually stocked with male products. Unless Zhao Lifei had lived here for a while and had rummaged through the shelves where he especially kept toiletries for his mother and Ruqin, she wouldn¡¯t find products that women used. The idea of her living in the same house as him and their bodies smelling the same brightened his mood further.

    "What are you looking at?" Zhao Lifei self-consciously asked.

    "Nothing." Yang Feng mused, his eyes catching the brilliant light of the chandeliers, which enhanced it. His eyes which usually seemed like an endless pool of despair was only bright and yful for Zhao Lifei. But she didn¡¯t know that, as his eyes often had a teasing look during their frequent recent encounters.

    She pressed her lips together and decided to not say anything. ¡¯I should stop overthinking.¡¯ She chided herself, brushing the little devil off of her shoulder once again.

 Chapter 51: A Tsundere?

    When Zhao Lifei stepped closer to the table, she saw a wide variety of food that smelled so good that her stomach made a loud noise again.

    She felt her cheeks heat up and tried to avoid any eye-contact with Yang Feng. He bit his bottom lip to suppress theughter that threatened toe up.

    She snuck a secretive nce at him and instantly wished she didn¡¯t. His eyes were lit up in mischief and the way he was biting his lip made him incredibly charismatic.

    ¡¯Stop drooling.¡¯ Zhao Lifei chided herself, immediately averting her eyes away from him.

    "Don¡¯t just stand there. Come and sit." He mused, his eyes twinkling when he looked at her.

    He thought she was so unpredictable at times. One minute she would give him the cold shoulder and ignore him, then the next minute, she¡¯d surprise him with expressions that ticked his heart.

    The blush on her cheeks have yet to subside as she sat on the chair he pulled out for her.

    ¡¯Is she a tsundere?¡¯ He asked himself when he thought about her behavior.

    "Don¡¯t just stand there. Come and sit." She copied his words upon realizing he was staring at her. She was beginning to squirm under the intensity of his gaze.

    When she turned her attention back to the food, she seriously hoped she wasn¡¯t drooling. Perhaps it was because she was so hungry, but every dish looked amazing!

    She is sure that whoever marries Yang Feng in the future would be a very lucky woman. Based on how good he treated her as his sister¡¯s best friend, the wife-to-be would be waking up to eye-candy every morning and to a doting husband who he will probably cook for her a lot.

    Zhao Lifei felt a prick in her chest at the idea of another woman wrapped around Yang Feng¡¯s arms.

    She blinked at her emotions. There it was again, that sudden surge of annoyance and frustration. She was familiar with this feeling and had associated it with jealousy, but why would she be jealous of Yang Feng¡¯s future wife?

    ¡¯It¡¯s not like I have a crush on him. Don¡¯t overthink this, he¡¯s just being nice because of what happened at the hospital.¡¯ She tried to convince herself. Not wanting to get ahead of herself, she decided to focus on the present.

    "Well, are you going to join me?" Zhao Lifei asked him.

    Yang Feng blinked before revealing a smirk. "Why? Do you want me to join you?" He teased her.

    He was good at hiding his eagerness that looked like a dog wagging his tail for a good response. However, shepletely shattered his dreams when she opened her mouth and said, "No, why would I?"

    Yang Feng felt his world crumble. He took her words to heart and felt a painful jab to his chest at her quick response.

    This woman never hesitated to reject whatever he offered her and had always managed to distance herself.

    Maybe he seriously needs to sit down with that sister of his to find out what¡¯s wrong with this stubborn woman. But knowing Ruqin¡¯s personality, she¡¯d probably jump to another conclusion and impulsively create a misunderstanding.

    When Zhao Lifei saw how somber and dark his expression had be, she couldn¡¯t help but smile in amusement. She was merely joking with him but realized he took her words too literally. "Well, if it makes you so upset, I wouldn¡¯t mind dining with you." She teased again, but her face was so straight when she said it, Yang Feng took it to heart again.

    His expression worsened and then she nearly rolled her eyes before reaching out to tug his wrist.

    He refused to look at her and instead, red at the wall. His stare was so intense, she was afraid the wall might crack!

    "Don¡¯t be angry, it was a joke. Of course, I would love it if you would dine with me." She lightlyughed, her voice no longer indifferent and detached. Instead, her tone was as warm as a summer day.

    Yang Feng turned around in shock. This was the first time she had ever joked with him. Making jokes meant she at least considered him to be a friend? Right?

    "Well, if you suppose so. I guess I should give you the honor of dining with me." Yang Feng felt his mood brighten at the thought. He decided to enjoy the lively atmosphere and teased her back.

    Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes at his words, but couldn¡¯t wipe the smile off of her face. He pulled out the chair beside her and sat down.

    The maids and butler in the corner of the room were shocked to see the scene in front of them. They had never seen their stoic master crack a joke orugh with so much warmth! In front of Zhao Lifei, he was apletely different man!

    The old butler had been taking care of Yang Feng ever since he was a young boy running around the Yang Mansion. He could feel his heart shake and quiver with the strong emotion that washed over him. He hadn¡¯t seen Yang Fengugh so freely in a long time that he nearly forgot the sound of it.

    Ever since the head of the Yang household decided to train Yang Feng in managing both the business and their underworld dealings, he had rarely smiled.

    With his innocence lost, his eyes had turned lifeless and maintained a cold expression as if nothing in this world mattered to him anymore.

    The old butler couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathy for Yang Feng. By apanying his grandfather, what little light that Yang Feng possessed waspletely stolen by the darkness.

    Breathing in the musty smell of rotting bodies, hearing the tortured screams of their enemies, and witnessing things too gruesome for a child to bear, Yang Feng grew up unfazed to all sorts of appalling scenes.

    The old butler remembered a haunting memory of seeing a young, blood-coated Yang Feng stroll through the back entrance of Yang mansion with a chillingly calm expression on his face. And when he asked what happened, he had simply replied, "Business." before dropping the gun he had been holding to the ground. Knowing how harsh Yang Feng¡¯s grandfather was, the old butler could already guess what Yang Feng was forced to do...

    A peal of sweet and refreshingughter brought the old butler from his dark thoughts. He lifted up his wrinkled face and saw a beautiful scene before him.

    The woman sitting beside his unrecognizable young master was grinning at something, whereas Yang Feng seemedpletely smitten by everything she was doing. Their yful banter while eating was something this dining room had never seen before.

    The old butler breathed out in surprise and nearly shed a tear at how happy Yang Feng seemed to be. To be able to lift Yang Feng¡¯s spirit, the old butler began to think very positively of the female guest. At first, he thought she might have been a gold digger who had managed to sessfully scheme against their boss. But now he saw her in a different light.

    The old man knew Yang Feng would be smart enough to weed out the good from the bad. Seeing as he had obviously not discarded or kicked her out of the house when she woke up this morning, the old butler knew the female guest was someone very important to his master...perhaps, she was the future Madam Yang?

 Chapter 52: Broken Heirloom

    After the two finished their meal, Yang Feng was ready to take her back home. But he had to get ready first so Zhao Lifei waited for him in his living room. Sitting on the plush couch with her legs crossed, she was browsing her phone when she suddenly remembered she left her purse in his room.

    She decided to look for his room and get her purse back.

    After walking for a while, she realized she was lost. Huffing in annoyance, she tried to retrace her steps only to find herself getting more and more lost.

    She looked around and noticed that there wasn¡¯t a single person in sight. She remembered how she didn¡¯t see any of them while she was walking to the kitchen earlier, and they didn¡¯t appear until he called for them.

    After a few seconds of thinking over her options, she reluctantly decided to text Yang Feng as she descended the stairs back to the living room.

    Although she said she was going to delete his number, she actually didn¡¯t. Regardless of how angry she felt at the time, she knew it was foolish to lose contact with this man. As much as she hated to admit it, he was very useful.

    Pulling out her phone, she began to walk without paying attention to anything else but her phone, thus, she didn¡¯t see a person walking in the opposite direction as her.

    Before she realized it, she had roughly collided with a servant.

    In a matter of seconds, tes flew to the air and the sound of shattering can be heard. The leftover food from the tes spilled all over the servant, staining Pei Qing¡¯s dress. The loud sound of broken tes was enough to garner the attention of a few servants down the halls.

    When Zhao Lifei saw it was Pei Qing, she quickly deduced that it was a scheme. Why else would an experienced maid carry out dirty tes from their recently concluded breakfast to the living room instead of the kitchen area that was adjoining the dining room?

    Nheless, she decided to be civilized. She knew she was also at fault for not watching where she was going.

    "Here, let me help-"

    "No, thanks." Pei Qing gritted out, her voice filled with annoyance. She miscalcted and got out of bnce during the impact. Fortunately, she did not fall on any of the broken tes.

    Her original n was to spill everything onto Zhao Lifei, not the other way around. But who knew she would manage to walk out of this mess spotless?

    Upon seeing her dirtied uniform, Pei Qing¡¯s blood was boiling with anger. This uniform was fresh from the dry cleaners! Since she wanted to impress Yang Feng, instead of having her uniform washed along with the other servant uniforms in the estate, she goes out of her way to have it dry cleaned. The cleaning wasn¡¯t cheap, and now it¡¯spletely ruined!

    Since she was one of the higher-ranked maids here, her outfit was different from the normal servant so none of the other maid¡¯s uniform could rece it.

    But she decided to push her anger away. She wanted to y the victim here and even sacrificed her precious heirloom for the scheme.

    "My bracelet!" Pei Qing screamed, her eyes zooming onto the broken bracelet on the floor, pieces of it were mixed with the leftover food.

    A few servants paused what they were doing to look at themotion. Whey they saw the mess, they began to pity Pei Qing. She looked like the obvious victim with her broken bracelet, and messy appearance. Pei Qing sessfully pulled the other servants to her side by being so loud and acting as if she was shoved to the floor.

    Zhao Lifei was initially apologetic. Now she felt her lips twitch in anger at how Pei Qing was deliberately drawing attention to herself. Was this karma for all of the things she did to Xia Mengxi?

    "How much is the cleaning? I¡¯ll pay for it. In regards to your broken bracelet, if you can gather the remaining pieces, I¡¯ll get someone to fix it for you." Zhao Lifei thought she was already being kind since this woman was clearly trying to make her snap.

    "Do you think money can fix this? You destroyed the family heirloom passed down from my dead grandmother." Pei Qing¡¯s voice purposefully cracked at the end when she talked about her grandmother. Using her deceased grandmother¡¯s jewelry for this n had made it easier for her to cry and fake the pain.

    Zhao Lifei pressed her lips together, creased lines slightly forming on her forehead. Somehow, she felt like a hypocrite for using the same method as Yang Feng.

    When she noticed the crowd of servants was beginning to get bigger, she decided it was better to talk somewhere else. "I don¡¯t want to cause such a big scene, let¡¯s talk about this in private. How about you change out of these clothes and-"

    "In private? So that you can secretly pay me money to shut up? Money can¡¯t bring back the dead and fix something passed on from generations!" Pei Qing was persistent in making Zhao Lifei look bad by making her look like the stereotypical rich woman.

    The servants originally disliked Pei Qing because of the way she always unted that her position was slightly better than most of them. But right now, they were really falling into her trap.

    A lot of them were people from normal backgrounds who also disliked the idea of people who thought money was the key solution to everything.

    Majority of them was also raised to treat their grandparents with respect, so to have heard something as precious as a family heirloom was broken by Zhao Lifei¡¯s carelessness, it made them point fingers at her.

    Zhao Lifei felt her eyes narrow at Pei Qing¡¯s words. It was unfathomable to her how a foolish maid like her was trying to test her patience.

    She felt her fingers dig into her skin when the devil on her shoulder whispered for her tosh out at Pei Qing for trying to embarrass her.

    The servants whispered about Zhao Lifei. "Tch, she¡¯s just another rich woman who thinks she can seduce her way into Master Feng¡¯s bed..."

    "Look at how unapologetic she is. I feel bad for Pei Qing. I heard that bracelet was really precious to her."

    "Shame on this woman for thinking money can fix the issue. Who does she think she is? Pei Qinges from a middle-ss family. Money isn¡¯t an issue for her."

    "How rude! I hope she doesn¡¯t be our future Madam."

    "Hah! I doubt Master Feng would fall for someone with such a bad temper."

    The whispers were low, but Zhao Lifei¡¯s ears were keen and sharp from her days of listening to gossip. As a woman who once ruled over other socialites, her skill in eavesdropping had been honed to perfection. That was how she used to control them ¡ª by knowing their darkest secrets.

 Chapter 53: You Dont Know Who Youre Messing With

    Zhao Lifei inhaled deeply to clear her mind. She knew it was pointless arguing against these people.

    She decided to focus on Pei Qing who was still sitting on the floor, refusing to get up. "I was trying to fix this situation with the hopes ofing to a solution. But it seems that wasn¡¯t your end goal. You wanted to create a scene and now you have one." Her eyes swept over the judging looks of the servants. Did they not have anything better to do than stand here and gossip?

    "I don¡¯t have time to engage in your damsel-in-distress act. And for the record, you¡¯re not getting an Oscar for your horrible performance. It¡¯s either youe with me in private so that we can discuss a solution, or you can sit on the floor and cry like a baby. I¡¯m fine with either decision, but don¡¯t jump to conclusions and try to nder my name."

    She heard the gasp of the servants but brushed it aside.

    "You¡¯re a grown woman with perfectly working legs. Stand up and stop crying on the floor. It¡¯s pathetic." She glowered at Pei Qing, her eyes on fire. If looks could kill, Pei Qing would¡¯ve long been buried.

    "You know what? You are right. I¡¯m just another rich woman who thinks money can buy her way out of her problems."

    Pei Qing was secretly gloating. She was happy that Zhao Lifei had finally been provoked by her n. While it hurt her ego to be condescendingly talked to, she knew it would only be a matter of time before this reaches the ears of Yang Feng.

    Zhao Lifei walked closer to Pei Qing and with each step, her heels echoed on the floor. It sounded like tiny clicks of fireworks that would eventually lead to an explosion. The frightening and bone-chilling aura that had emerged from her presence was hard to miss.

    Zhao Lifei leaned down to whisper to Pei Qing so that no one else could hear their conversation."If you think this little act of yours will evoke pity from Yang Feng, then try again. You think you¡¯re the only one who can y the role of a white lotus?" She chuckled, her mockingughter paralyzing Pei Qing to the spot.

    The dangerous aura that can only be honed by years of training to be a powerful family¡¯s matriarch passed by everyone the moment Zhao Lifei softlyughed. Traces of fear shed through Pei Qing but she ignored it, believing that she still had the upper hand.

    "Oh, little girl. You don¡¯t know who you¡¯re messing with." She whispered, twirling the white strings on Pei Qing¡¯s uniform. Zhao Lifei instantly picked up that it had clearly been altered. While it still looked simr to uniforms worn by other higher-ranking maids in the estate, Pei Qing¡¯s uniform can be undone by one rough tug. Pei Qing wanted it to be feeble and fragile so that at any moment, she can give easy ess to Yang Feng.

    "Before I lose my patience with you, I suggest you stand up and act like a civilized human."

    Pei Qing felt her anger re at Zhao Lifei¡¯s confident words. "You vicious woman, I will cry to Yang Feng and-"

    She was interrupted by Zhao Lifei¡¯s mocking tone. "Yang Feng? I was not aware servants like you can sound so familiar with your employers. And whose side do you think your master will take? The woman he hovers over like a stubborn fly or an insignificant maid?"

    "ept my hand when I offer it and stand up. If youe to your senses now, I¡¯ll be generous and y the ¡¯horrible rich woman¡¯ stereotype you had in mind. I¡¯ll give you a few million for your dress and bracelet."

    Pei Qing¡¯s desire to ensure Zhao Lifei¡¯s downfall was even stronger. The fire growing in her heart was being fanned by Zhao Lifei¡¯s threatening insults. A few million? Hah! If I marry Yang Feng, a few million will mean nothing to me! It can be used as toilet paper for all I care.

    As promised, Zhao Lifei offered a hand to Pei Qing.

    The servants that had gathered here to gossip were new and had only recently begun working here. Because they were so inexperienced and young, they were instantly drawn over by the loudmotion.

    The ones who had worked for Yang Feng for a very long time knew how to survive in this house. As long as they minded their own business and did their jobs well, Yang Fengpensated them generously. Picking a fight with someone who is clearly on the road of bing their future madam is obviously unwise.

    It was Madam Yang¡¯s idea to hire more servants to work in his house. Yang Feng didn¡¯t want to because he disliked inexperienced people. But with her eldest son living away from the Yang Main Mansion, she couldn¡¯t help but often worry if he¡¯s well taken care of.

    After a lot of convincing and a promise that all of these new workers had gone through an intensive background check, he finally yielded to his mother.

    Pei Qing made it look like she was epting Zhao Lifei¡¯s helping hand. When she was about to stand, she purposefully winced and cried out in pain. "Ah! My ankles!" She hissed and pulled Zhao Lifei onto the floor.

    Before Zhao Lifei could let go of her to prevent herself from falling, Pei Qing had forcefully tugged her to the floor. But unlike Pei Qing, she fell forward, her knees mming hard against the floor.

    ¡¯So this is how she wants to y, well then I¡¯ll y her to death.¡¯ Zhao Lifei thought to herself. When she saw his distinctive figure approaching, she purposely let out a cry. It wasn¡¯t hard for her to make that noise since her knees were truly throbbing with pain.

    The figure was walking closer now and she knew it was time to begin her n.

 Chapter 54: The Master of Schemes

    Pei Qing didn¡¯t think that pulling Zhao Lifei would cause her to be injured to an extent where she cries out in pain.

    Seeing that both women were injured and stained, the servants who were watching were slightly hesitant on who to feel sympathy for. In the end, they pitied Pei Qing more because even if she wasn¡¯t likable, she was someone familiar to them.

    Zhao Lifei, on the other hand, was just another rich woman. The servants thought little of her since it was inevitable to see affluent people when you work for a rich household. So what if she has money?

    Besides, she seemed like every other heiress whose wealth came from her parents. They doubted she would ever have the brain or capabilities to earn her own money unlike them who has to work hard for a living.

    ¡¯Hmph! She deserves the stain on her dress.¡¯

    ¡¯Rich people like her needs to be a taught a lesson to not disrespect us,moners!¡¯

    ¡¯I hope her knees were permanently broken!¡¯

    With Pei Qing¡¯s instigation, the inexperienced servants that were still on the scene hadpletely forgotten who they worked for and what they were supposed to do. Working in Yang Feng¡¯s house, most of them had imagined how nice it would be if they were the ones who actually lived there. They had let the seed of envy in their hearts grow and because of this animosity, everyone decided to side with Pei Qing over their master¡¯s esteemed guest.

    "Pei Qing, are you alright? Does your ankle hurt?" A woman stepped forward, worriedly offering her hand to help her up.

    In order to gain more sympathy from the observers, Pei Qing held onto the woman¡¯s hand as she tried to stand, but then let out another cry of agony.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Susu, it really hurts!" Pei Qing sniffled, her eyes bing watery. The experienced servants who witnessed the scene had rushed to report to Yang Feng while the recently hired ones all crowded around Pei Qing,pletely ignoring Zhao Lifei.

    The sound of approaching footsteps got louder and louder. One nce at Zhao Lifei was enough to cast a stormy cloud above his head. He had looked at her so much recently that even if she tried hiding her grimace, just the way she bit her bottom lip had already revealed to him that she was hurt somewhere.

    Zhao Lifei watched as Yang Feng walked towards them. He was as dazzling as ever. With the natural bright rays of the morning sky shining upon him, adding an ethereal glow to him, words couldn¡¯t describe how handsome he was.

    Midnight-ck hair swept back, glowering eyes sending toe-curling chills down a person¡¯s spine, and dressed in a clean-cut suit, he walked with the aura and confidence of an Emperor. One hand tucked into his front pocket, his strut would put supermodels into shame.

    "What is going on here?" His tone was murderous. It nearly sends the people onto their knees in fear.

    Everyone turned around to see Yang Feng dressed immactely as always. His white pocket square seemed to purposefully match Zhao Lifei¡¯s white dress.

    At the sight of their boss, all of the servants stepped into the side with their head bowed. "Greetings to Master Feng."

    He didn¡¯t even spare them a nce. Instead, his eyes narrowed at the messy scene before him.

    "M-Master Feng..." Pei Qing¡¯s voice was sweet and alluring, everyone was sure it would evoke sympathy from Yang Feng.

    "I was knocked to the ground by that woman...She broke the heirloom that my grandmother passed down to me." When she saw how Yang Feng looked at her, she realized that he didn¡¯t look at her with pity.

    She attempted to stand up with tears streaming down her cheeks and her lips shook from difort.

    "I-I¡¯m sorry for my ipetence and not being able to stand up to properly greet you." Pei Qing tried to make herself seem even more innocent. When Yang Feng walked to her direction, her heart soared with happiness.

    He was just a few steps away when she began to celebrate in her head. It seemed all of her advances on him finally paid off!

    Her delusions were shattered when he walked right past her and headed straight towards Zhao Lifei. Hepletely disregarded Pei Qing.

    "Are you alright?" His voice still had a dark edge to it when he spoke to Zhao Lifei. She hesitated when she saw how frustrated he looked.

    When she thought about it, he seemed ready to murder someone for something that was not that much of a big deal in the greater scheme of things... It was a simple dispute between a guest in his home and an ipetent maid. But she was surprised he even cared that much about her. She thought he was putting up a front to look good.

    Deciding it was time to turn the tables on Pei Qing and show the servants who truly was the master of schemes, Zhao Lifei set her n into action.

    "I¡¯m fine." She purposely looked away from him.

    She knew the sudden reluctance to speak or look at anyone would infuriate Yang Feng. They had simr characteristics after all. She recognized the risk she was taking by ying with his emotions. There was a chance he was already tired of her constant push-and-pull behavior and not give her any face this time around.

    But his next move reassured her and eliminated any remaining hesitation. He bent down and gently turned her chin so that she was facing him.

    Yang Feng saw a familiar glint in her eyes but brushed any assumptions aside. Instead, he wondered whether the way he spoke or acted towards her just now had upset her more.

    But he couldn¡¯t help himself. When he saw her on the floor looking like a fallen angel, he felt a tremor of fury shake his core. To him, she was too precious to receive even the slightest rough treatment. For it to happen under his own roof was simply unforgivable.

    He decided to direct his trusted butler towards the inadequate workers who were stupid enough to ignore her and opted to help someone absolutely useless to him.

    His attention shifted when he felt movement on his fingers. Zhao Lifei had looked away again. When he saw her face filled with guilt and pain, his heart hurt for her.

    She looked apologetic for causing such a big scene but he couldn¡¯t care less if she was even the one who started the issue. She can mess with everyone under his employment if she wants to. As long as she didn¡¯t hate him or push him away, he would dly cover everything up for her.

 Chapter 55: Burn It To Ash

    "Where does it hurt?" He softly asked her, his voice was so alluring and kind, Zhao Lifei was left in a daze. He figured something must¡¯ve happened to her if she couldn¡¯t stand up herself.

    Despite his gentle voice, she couldn¡¯t help but overthink it. When he first arrived at the scene, she could feel his murderous aura. However, he was now gently asking her if she¡¯s hurt.

    She thought he was purposely masking his anger so that he doesn¡¯t explode in front of so many people. Even if they were his servants, he has not had any scandals and his reputation will surely take a hit if a rumor spreads about him mistreating his employees because of a woman like Zhao Lifei. Her reputation was already destroyed, she didn¡¯t want to ruin someone else¡¯s.

    She looked at her hands, her lips tightly sealed. Her silent treatment was enough to further provoke Yang Feng¡¯s anger.

    He thought she would open up to him more because they had at least reached the stage of friendship. Their yful banter during breakfast had shortened some of the distance between them. He only changed out of his house clothes so he can drop her off, and now she was back to being distant. Weren¡¯t friends suppose to talk to each other about the things bothering them?

    He thought he had taken one step forward, but now, it felt as if he had taken two steps back.

    Annoyed and pissed at whoever caused this setback, he directed his harsh emotions to the pathetic woman beside Zhao Lifei.

    Seeing him finally look at her and give her attention, Pei Qing looked at him with a hopeful expression.

    "Pei Qing was it?" He asked, his eyes sweeping over her disheveled appearance and the mess on the floor surrounding both of them.

    "Y-yes-"

    "You¡¯re fired." He coldly told her, standing up and lifting a hand to beckon the old butler forward.

    "Take her belongings and burn it to ash. Make sure she walks out of here without that uniform. I don¡¯t care if she has to walk out of here naked. Just get this trash out of my sight." He was seething as he gave his orders to the old man. The butler immediately nodded.

    "Yes, sir." Without another word, the old butler forcefully hauled Pei Qing to her feet. She was so horrified at his words that her face had gone ghostly pale.

    "W-wait Master Feng! I¡¯m sorry! I was in the wrong!" She shrieked, reaching out to hug his arm. She refused to go and instead, desperately clung onto Yang Feng.

    She was scared of losing this well-paid job. On top of it, she was terrified of losing a ce in his heart.

    "Please give me another chance, I swear I won¡¯t do it again!" Pei Qing wailed, but couldn¡¯t go against the old butler¡¯s brute force. His appearance might not look like it, but in his youth, he was a very powerful man. Trained by the military to be a weapon of destruction, his strength was incredible.

    With one rough tug, Pei Qing was a few inches away from Yang Feng. But she quickly scrambled back to him, wing at the only thing she could hold onto. It just happened to be Yang Feng¡¯s leg.

    The experienced servants couldn¡¯t help but internally scold her for her rash actions. While she might be a high-ranking maid, everyone knew their young master is not someone you can casually touch. Now, she was literally clutching a big thigh.

    "I admit I was in the wrong! I promise I won¡¯t do it again!" She begged while looking up at his face.

    Her crocodile tears from before became real and because of her struggle, she looked like a mess. Her hair was flying in every direction, she had mascara running down her cheeks, and her uniform covered with leftovers.

    Yang Feng looked down at her, his lips curled back in disgust. How pathetic.

    "You won¡¯t do what again?" He asked, waiting for her to confess.

    Pei Qing¡¯s face brightened at the opportunity shining in front of her. "I will make sure to be more careful from now on and never cause a scene-"

    Yang Feng¡¯s mood soured further. While he had definitely seen the subtle hints she had been giving him for the past few years she had worked in his estate, he pretended he didn¡¯t notice. As long as she did not get out of line andpromised her work, he didn¡¯t need to do anything excessive for someone so insignificant. Who knew that she would have the guts to actually scheme against his stubborn kitty?

    The younger servants, even with their lesser experience, knew where Pei Qing had gone wrong in her words. Instead of mentioning she would be more respectful to the guests and acknowledging her wrongdoings, she was making empty promises.

    "I changed my mind." Yang Feng¡¯s words were enough to send Pei Qing¡¯s heart soaring. Her tears immediately dried up and she looked at him with a hopeful expression.

    "I want you to make sure she never finds a good job for as long as she¡¯s alive." He nced at the scattered beads of the bracelets.

    "Check the authenticity of the heirloom. If it¡¯s true, find whoever is closest to the previous owner of the heirloom andpensate them. But make sure she never get to touch the money." It was these words that shattered Pei Qing¡¯s entire world. She screamed louder and clung onto Yang Feng tighter, but her pleas and cries were ignored.

    The old butler signaled with his hand and men dressed in ck came forward. They apprehended her and dragged her away. Pei Qing tried to kick and scream her way out of their hold, but her attempts were futile.

    "Fire everyone who witnessed this and did nothing. I want all of the new servants hired by my mother to be kicked out of the house. If sheins, tell her to bring it to me. If she asks for a reason, let her know it¡¯s because these workers were foolish enough to disrespect the honorable granddaughter of Zhao Moyao."

    The servants who had previously chided Zhao Lifei shivered with fear at his announcement. A small handful of them knew where they had went wronged. Instead of prioritizing the guest and making their Master look good, they had insulted her and ced her in a standing that was lower than a simple worker here.

    Not only did they get fired, but they had also offended both Zhao Moyao¡¯s granddaughter and their boss.

    No wonder she could act the way she does is because she was not just a wealthy heiress, she also had an influential backer!

    It was unwise to trifle with one of the dominant men in the business world and has deep-seated connections in the military. There were only a few families who were significantly wealthier and more influential than the patriarch of the Zhao household. While the Yang family was one of them, they would not allow any of their servants to nder anyone who Zhao Moyao acknowledges as a family member.

    He had built an empire from his bare hands and left a trail of bankruptcies in his path. Even the Zheng family had taken a notable hit when their marriage alliance had been broken two years ago.

    Now that the old butler has finally learned of the female guest¡¯s name, his opinion of Zhao Lifei improved. She was from a reputable family and background which meant she wasn¡¯t a simple gold-digger. This would make her a good marriage partner for his young master.

    The old butler didn¡¯t want Yang Feng to suffer from the disapproval of his parents, even if Yang Feng did not care for their opinions.

    It would be hard to please the incredibly strict Yangs, but with Zhao Moyao as her backing, Zhao Lifei is most certainly a suitable candidate for marriage.

    Zhao Lifei was shocked to hear Yang Feng¡¯s statement but didn¡¯t bother refuting it. She didn¡¯t feel pity for Pei Qing or any of the servants who had sided with her.

    If this was the shiny and pure female lead, Xia Mengxi, in her ce, she might¡¯ve pleaded for justice for themoners who ¡¯unfairly¡¯ lost their jobs. But Zhao Lifei wasn¡¯t the innocent and kind-hearted female lead who experienced a regr life. She knew how ipetent people such as those servants can harm a household with their carelessness.

    She was supposed to be the heartless antagonist. She knew she wasn¡¯t nice enough to let such a horrible person slide away without punishment.

    Yang Feng was d Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t have such a forgiving heart. She truly had the makings of a matriarch of a powerful household. She knew which things to let slide, and when to hand out punishments.

    He turned back to her and offered her a hand. Because she was refusing to tell him what was wrong, he was deliberately pushing her buttons in an attempt to get her to open up to him. He wanted Zhao Lifei to trust him because that is a very important factor for a harmonious rtionship.

    He could tell that the scars left behind by Zheng Tianyi ran deep within her soul. It would take a long time for her to heal but he was willing to remain patient for her. He was willing to walk every step of the way with her, even if it meant that it would take years. As long as he could remain by her side, he will wait.

    Even with this conclusion, Yang Feng was still oblivious to his feelings. He thought this realization derived from his simple curiosity towards her, or it came from the fact that he was so awed by the different facets of her personality.

    Everyone could see the brewing romance in the air. Everyone except Zhao Lifei and Yang Feng.

 Chapter 56: Toss A Pig In The Air

    She stared at his outstretched hand and frowned. Completely ignoring it, she attempted to stand up but the intense pain forced her to slump on the floor again. She made a loud "hmph!" and turned her face away from him.

    Yang Feng sighed at her stubbornness. "Don¡¯t be a spoiled brat." He made a ¡¯tsk¡¯ noise before bending down to easily lift her up.

    "I can walk by myself-"

    "Yeah, and pigs can fly." He rolled his eyes at her poor excuse. He was taking her to the bathroom to allow her to freshen up and change into a different set of clothes.

    "Well if you toss a pig in the air, it can fly." Zhao Lifei childishly replied, crossing her arms and refusing defeat.

    Even though she showed visible unhappiness with his actions, she actually enjoyed it.

    His hold on her was firm yet gentle, making her feel protected and treasured in his arms. But she realized he was inexperienced in the field. He carried her a bit too high, so her head was near his shoulder des instead of his chest. The thought that he doesn¡¯t usually carry women in his arms intensified the feeling of security blooming deep within her.

    Yang Feng¡¯s lips twitched in amusement. She liked to verbally disagree with everything he did for her, but her body always disagreed with her words. Even as they argued, she had shifted her head to rest itfortably on his shoulder, her cheeks lightly squished against it.

    He carried her right into his own bathroom and sat her down on the edge of the big bathtub. "The towels are over there, and the products are over there."

    He debated whether he should offer her female toiletries but didn¡¯t want a misunderstanding to ur. What if he got her female products and she ends up thinking he was the type to frequently bring women into his house? Besides, he actually liked the idea of her smelling like him...

    "Wash up. I¡¯ll have someone bring your clothes. Once you¡¯re done, just press this button on the wall and I¡¯lle to get you." He pointed to the silver button near the door of the bathroom.

    She slowly nodded her head. Wanting to get out of this dirty dress as soon as possible, she decided to not ask any other questions.

    Zhao Lifei waited for him to leave before stripping off her clothes. Her knee was still aching in pain, but it wasn¡¯t as severe as before. She was d her knees weren¡¯t fractured because another visit to the hospital would be too much work.

    She finished her bath faster than usual and reached for the towel. But her knees were still wobbly so she could only rely on the support of the wall to hobble her way towards the towel rack. Wrapping the towel around her, she was d the towel was long enough to decently cover her. While she knew Yang Feng would have already left the bedroom, she still made sure it was suitable for walking out there.

    After sessfully getting out of the bathroom, she noticed a neat pile of folded-clothes on his bed.

    Grabbing the clothes, she walked back towards the couch and lifted up the dress to examine it. Just as she had predicted, it was Yang Ruqin¡¯s clothes again.

    Zhao Lifei unknowingly blew out a sigh of relief. His own bathroom only had male products in it, and his house had no other female clothes aside from the ones that Yang Ruqin uses whenever she visits. This was a good sign because it showed Yang Feng didn¡¯t carelessly invite unfamiliar women over to stay the night.

    She didn¡¯t know that aside from Yang Ruqin and his mother, no other woman had ever slept over at his house. His mother and Yang Ruqin were not even aware that he can cook!

    Zhao Lifei ran a hand over the pastel blue dress and was impressed by it. The material was softer and lighter than the previous white dress. It had mid-length sleeves that belled out towards the end and the style of the dressplimented her figure so much better.

    It seemed whoever gave her the dress didn¡¯t have any ill intent towards her, unlike Pei Qing who tried to pick out the most unttering dress.

    Zhao Lifei wasn¡¯t surprised to see such good taste in clothing. Her Qinqin always had a keen eye when it came to stylish clothes. If Ruqin didn¡¯t be a model, she would¡¯ve be a very sessful designer.

    Now that Zhao Lifei thought about it, she never understood why Ruqin decided not to be a fashion designer.

    She remembered when they were children, Qinqin was very good at drawing and even told her parents she wanted to be a fashion designer. She had actively chased after that dream up until the final year of college when she suddenly went on a rampage and tried to destroy all of her designs...

    Not wanting to dwell on the idea any longer, she hurriedly slipped the dress on. After getting dressed, she thought about calling Yang Feng but her purse was still nowhere in sight. She looked around his room, confused about where the purse might¡¯ve disappeared off to. It¡¯s not like it could grow legs and run off!

    In her rush to find her bag, she forgot about the button in the bathroom.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t realize she had turned the room into a mess. A few minutes had gone by and she still couldn¡¯t find her purse!

    Standing by the door was Yang Feng who was watching her in amusement. He found her expression funny.

    "Aha!" Zhao Lifei nearly jumped in glee when she finally saw the purse tucked behind the couch she fell asleep on. She smiled to herself at her small aplishment. Pulling out her purse, she pretended to text him. In reality, she had already detected his presence by the doorway.

    When Yang Feng saw her smile, his heart skipped a beat. He heard herugh for the first time while they were having breakfast, and he couldn¡¯t help butpare it with a symphony. He didn¡¯t realize it, but seeing her finally smile andugh with him made him very happy. He barely remembered thest time where he genuinelyughed with someone.

    Somehow, being around her makes him feelfortable and secure. Since childhood, his life had revolved around making sure he had total control over all aspects of the Yang family¡¯s business. But with her around, he felt himself rx.

    Zhao Lifei thought about scaring Yang Feng so she pretended to be upied by her phone. When he least expected it, she suddenly turned around, yelling out "Boo!"

    His reaction was boring.

    Instead of being startled and scared like how she wanted him to be, he continued to stare at her with a nonchnt expression.

    "It takes more than a simple jump to scare me.." He chuckled at her poor attempt.

    Zhao Lifei scowled. "It¡¯s not funny! I should be the oneughing." She huffed, crossing her arms in annoyance.

    He was filled with warmth and he couldn¡¯t help but feel giddy at how cute she looked. He walked towards her and patted her head as if he was petting a grouchy cat. She swatted at his hand, a small smile on her face.

    "Does your knee still hurt?" He asked her, bending down to examine it.

    Zhao Lifei jumped when he suddenly grabbed her leg and pushed her dress up a bit to reveal her knees. There was a dark bruise forming there but it wasn¡¯t as painful as before.

    "It doesn¡¯t hurt that much anymore." She told him while tugging her leg back, but he kept a firm hold on it.

    "Hold your skirt, let me apply some ointment onto it." He started uncapping the small jar he had in his hand.

    Zhao Lifei felt her fingers dig into the dress, bunching up the material as her body grew tense. She didn¡¯t know why she felt so nervous, but she did. The moment his fingers touched her skin, she felt a surge of electricity from the spot he had touched and she knew Yang Feng felt it too.

    "You know, this is the first time you¡¯re not fighting against my touch." He teased her, gently rubbing the cream onto her knees. As always, he handled her with utmost care.

    "Don¡¯t get so used to it." She mumbled, averting her eyes from his intense gaze.

    Yang Feng smirked at her behavior. Even when she was embarrassed, she still had a sharp tongue.

    "I beg to differ, darling. I think you should get used to it from now on." Heughed when she chucked a pillow at his head. He expertly dodged it before grinning up at her.

    "Like hell, I would." Even though she seemed displeased at his words, there was a tiny smile on her face and Yang Feng saw the slightest glimmer of hope.

    ¡¯Good.¡¯ He thought to himself. Their rtionship hadn¡¯t taken two steps backward, instead, it had taken four steps forward! He had expected to take baby steps in improving their rtionship, but it seems he can already start sprinting. This was beyond his wildest expectations and the realization made him excited.

 Chapter 57: Were Family

    After rubbing the ointment onto her knees and making sure she¡¯s not hurt anywhere else, Yang Feng took her home. She forced him to drop her off a block away from her condo. She didn¡¯t want to be seen stepping out of such an expensive car because it would attract attention to her and people might start bing curious about her affairs.

    She wanted to live peacefully where people wouldn¡¯t pester her because of her name and reputation. Given that her building is more securepared to others, she knew that some of the residents may already have an inkling about her identity. At least, nobody dared toment or ask her about it.

    Yang Feng was reluctant at first andpromised by getting out of the car with her to personally see her walk into the private elevator of her building. He would have gone up with her and walked her to her door if she wasn¡¯t so stubborn. Only then would he finally feel she was safe. Besides, he already did not trust the so-called tight security of the building. After ensuring she had safely arrived home, he felt reassured. After that, he left for his office.

    Just as Zhao Lifei ced her purse onto the table, she got a message through the inte tablet on her door. Walking towards it, she saw it was from the front desk. She pressed the ¡¯Answer¡¯ button and waited for them to speak.

    "Good afternoon ma¡¯am. Your parents are requesting entrance to your home." A neutral voice spoke out.

    Down at the lobby, there were three people who were struggling to maintain theirposure.

    The receptionist was apanied by the same elevator hostess that always greeted Zhao Lifei. Their faces were cold and didn¡¯t reveal an ounce of emotion. They eyed the people iming to be her parents and younger sister.

    Sky Arc Complexes¡¯ biggest selling point was their absolute respect for client privacy. Without being on a resident¡¯s guest list or the permission of the resident, no one was permitted anywhere beyond the lobby. It didn¡¯t matter if someone imed to be family, parent, rtive, or friend.

    Zhao Wenjin was enraged by theplex¡¯s policy and saw this as a tant insult. Everyone knows we are her parents for heaven¡¯s sake, why can¡¯t we enter?! And how dare that ungrateful brat not put us down in the guest registry! After all that we had done for her, she decided to treat us like this? Uneptable!

    "That insolent child! Just wait until I get my hands on her!" Zhao Wenjin hissed under his breath, his eyes shooting daggers into the front desk.

    His pride and ego were greatly wounded. Not only was the great Zhao Wenjin denied entry to his own daughter¡¯s apartment, but he knew a couple of people who also lived in this apartmentplex.

    Surely, the awkward and humiliating news of the high and mighty Zhao Wenjin not getting past the lobby would circte even before they had stepped out of the building. While it¡¯s not news that Zhao Lifei had been abandoned by her own family, if the media manages to catch a whiff of this specific story, it would surely turn viral!

    Zhao Linhua noticed the red vein popping out of her father¡¯s forehead and immediately knew it was time to step into action. "Daddy, you have to calm down. Don¡¯t overthink it." She softly said, linking her arm through his.

    "Dear, Linhua is right. Your blood pressure might rise if you think too much of it." Wang Nuoli was worried about her husband.

    Even though the beginning of their marriage was extremely rocky, she had eventuallye to love him. The start of their marriage was haunted with darkness that manifested into their first born, Zhao Lifei.

    She grew up during a period of time where the mansion was deste. Zhao Wenjin was barely home while Wang Nuoli had turned to countless bottles of wine from the moment she woke up until she fell asleep. It was no wonder Zhao Lifei made so many mistakes in her life, she didn¡¯t have any good influences around her!

    Zhao Lifei was a dark stain in their marriage, the thing they wanted to erase the most. Due to the immense pressure to fully seal their family¡¯s alliance by producing an heir, Zhao Lifei had been conceived after a night of nonconsensual sex.

    On the other hand, Zhao Linhua was the light and blessing of their marriage. She was born from love and a night of pure consent. Unlike Zhao Lifei who grew up surrounded by her father¡¯s indifference and her mother¡¯s animosity, Linhua was cherished and showered with adoration. She was the constant reminder that their marriage eventually worked out in the end. Linhua was the child they were supposed to have.

    Perhaps that was why Zhao Lifei walked down such a dark path. She mimicked what she saw when she was younger. When Zheng Tianyi was out with Xia Mengxi, Zhao Lifei sat in the same chair as her mother, mixing wine and antidepressants until she was too numb to feel anything. Growing up in a world filled with darkness, scheming against Xia Mengxi came naturally.

    Her sister inherited the good, she inherited the bad. And when she was cast out of the family, Linhua watched on from the pedestal their parents put her on. It wasn¡¯t a surprise Lifei abandoned her family. Why care for someone that never cared for you? To her, the only family left is her grandfather.

    When Zhao Lifei received the message from the front desk, she paused. This was the first time they came to her house. She had been back in the city for a few months already, but neither of her family members, except her grandfather, came to visit her.

    Ever since Zhao Linhua¡¯s banquet, she hadpletely refused to pick up the phone whenever anyone from her so-called family calls. She knew that they were only badgering her to find out whether the headlines about her and Yang Feng were true.

    They saw how overprotective he was of her, regardless of her reputation. It was ironic that they were now calling themselves her family when they stood there and did nothing as Zheng Tianyi used violence against her.

    Her grandfather had not seen any potential in any of his children, hence, none of them inherited a powerful position within Zhao Corporation. She knew her father would want to use her connection with the CEO of Yang Enterprise to boost himself above his siblings.

    She wasn¡¯t hopeful, nor did she try tofort herself with lies. She faced the harsh reality that neither of her family members would associate with her unless it would benefit them. What good was there in meddling with a discarded and useless woman?

    Zhao Lifei wanted to make sure Wang Nuoli and Zhao Wenjin heard the next thing she was going to say. She pressed the button that would allow the receptionist and the guests to hear what she was saying.

    "Parents?" The word seemed foreign to Zhao Lifei. Did she have parents in the first ce? She saw them as nothing but sperm and egg donors.

    Sheughed. The sound was so cold, it blew blowing an icy gust of wind into the warm lobby.

    "I don¡¯t have parents." The sound of Zhao Lifei¡¯s deste voice seemed lifeless and empty. It waspletely different from her usual haughty detachment that even Wang Nuoli and Zhao Linhua couldn¡¯t help but shiver.

    The receptionist was quick to recover. "My apologies for disrupting you. I will have security escort these imposters out-"

    mming his hand onto the desk, his voice was filled with uncontroble rage. "You disrespectful rascal! How dare you speak to your father like that? Have you lost your damn mind?!" His roared over the desk, the sound like a mighty lion awakening from his slumber.

    One could tell Zhao Wenjin had lost his patience. He pushed the receptionist aside to speak to Zhao Lifei. His voice was so loud andmanding, the receptionist nearly trembled.

    Even Linhua and her mother were frightened by the voice. Zhao Wenjin was known to be bad-tempered, but when it came to his family, he was more lenient with them. Even Zhao Lifei had almost never heard him raise his voice this loud. Thest time he did was when he caught wind that Zheng Tianyi was going to break his engagement with his daughter for a mere secretary.

    While Wang Nuoli and Zhao Linhua quivered and shook at the frightening voice, Zhao Lifei remained passive. Her face was calm, almost nonchnt when she heard him. Shouldn¡¯t the harsh scolding of her father scare her?

    "Why, Mr. Zhao, I have indeed lost my mind. I¡¯m d you¡¯ve realized." She replied, her voice as detached as it had always been.

    Everyone was surprised to hear herposed voice. If she flinched or hesitated, it didn¡¯t show.

    Zhao Wenjin was so shocked by the tant disrespect, his mind suddenly went nk. Did he hear correctly? This wench actually called him by his surname, instead of a parental title?!

    It was as if a cold bucket of water was tossed onto him. He realized his daughter truly had stopped caring for him or his reputation. It seemed that having no contact with any of them the past two years had made her bold and confident of her abilities. Did she forget what he could do and the people he couldmand to destroy her?

    "Per protocol of Sky Arc Complex, please escort the strangers out of the building. I have no rtions with them." Zhao Lifei ended the call before any of them could even protest.

    When Zhao Linhua saw her father¡¯s expression instantly turn eerily calm, her eyes flickered with surprise. She knew the expression all too well...it was the face that thirsted for blood, hidden by a veil of tant serenity.

 Chapter 58: Seek Out the Consultant

    Zheng Corporation

    The spacious office decorated primarily by white furniture and steel material was quiet except for the asional ticking of the clock. Not a single sound could be heard within the deste room. The atmosphere was suffocating and the tension was high.

    The secretary standing in front of the desk with her head bowed did not dare to look up. Her head hung in shame for something she couldn¡¯t have prevented. Nervously swallowing, she could only hope her boss would spare her in his thirst for blood.

    "What do you mean our proposal was rejected?" Zheng Tianyi seethed, his fingers pressing harshly onto the metal pen.

    "W-we have just received word from Zhao Corporation and¡ª" Chen Xing let out a startled gasp when an object was hurled towards her. She narrowly dodged, but the dart was able to scratch her cheeks, immediately causing blood to drip.

    "You¡¯ve already told me that. I asked why the proposal was rejected, not for you to repeat yourself like a recorder!" Zheng Tianyi roared, mming his hand onto his desk.

    Chen Xing flinched in fear, her breathing came out haggard and anxious. She was terrified of Zheng Tianyi and what he could do. When angered, he was like an irrational beast out for blood. It was impossible to quell his anger unless Xia Mengxi was present. This was precisely why Chen Xing practically begged her to "make a visit" before letting Zheng Tianyi know the coboration he wanted was not going to push through.

    "The proposal was sent back with notes on why it did not pass the Zhao Corporation¡¯s preliminary assessment. A lot of our ideas were crossed out and¡ª"

    "Fire the entire project nning board."

    "Yes, sir." Chen Xing hastily typed the note onto her tablet.

    "I want you to seek out the primary consultant who was in charge of looking over all the proposals to Zhao Corporation for the next fiscal year. Find out their name, their position in thepany, address, and contact them." Zheng Tianyi felt his blood boil. Courtesy of that damned woman¡¯s connection to Zhao Corporation, he was able to learn that Zhao Moyao had an independent team of consultants that only report to him that work on crucial business coborations. The identities of these consultants have always stayed hidden under Zhao Moyao¡¯s precautionary measures in making sure that the decisions made are free from any influence of external forces.

    "Yes, sir." Chen Xing¡¯s fingers were slightly shaking because of how anxious she felt. Zheng Tianyi was a ticking time bomb right now and one wrong word could set him off.

    Chen Xing had been here for five years now. She knew how precarious the situation is, and how it has turned the harsh Zheng Tianyi even more unbearable to work with. Ever since Zheng Corporation lost the support of the Zhao Moyao, their stocks had been slowly dwindling.

    Chen Xing was one of the core workers who knew about Zhao Lifei¡¯s existence in Zheng Corporation. Before she was promoted to be CEO Zheng¡¯s private secretary, she had already been a part of the CEO¡¯s team of secretaries.

    Not many people knew that ever since Zhao Lifei returned after graduating from Harvard, she had immediately taken on running thepany as Zheng Tianyi¡¯s proxy. Chen Xing had witnessed first hand how Zhao Lifei spent her one year holed up in the office with them, barely eating and sleeping, resulting in the drastic skyrocketing of Zheng Corporation¡¯s worth.

    Zhao Lifei ran a tight ship. Every single contract and proposal went through her, and she had led the management team into closing sessful deals without even having to take credit for anything. With her gone, the team was chaotic and could barely function.

    The departments weren¡¯t properly run, despite the fact that Zheng Tianyi was constantly hiring new managers and executives. Most of the ones who werepetent and had been inadvertently mentored by Zhao Lifei had resigned. A few partnershippanies had also left with Zhao Corporation since it was thanks to Zhao Lifei¡¯s influence, that the Zheng Corps. were able to borrow resources.

    With her gone, thepany had taken a big hit in the two years. On the surface, they seemed perfectly fine and even looked as if they had maintained the glory they had achieved during the year she worked here. But deep down, the multi-million deals she had closed was not a guarantee in closing future deals.

    Zheng Tianyi had high hopes and expectations for the coboration idea he had sent to Zhao Moyao. With Zhao Moyao¡¯s animosity towards him, he had to pull a lot of strings to get it directly handed to him.

    The proposal was created and tediously perfected for a good few months to make sure that it was so good, Zhao Corporation would overlook the fact that they had already severed ties. Zheng Tianyi had spent his blood, sweat, and tears to create it, but it was rejected by a simple consultant?

    That was a smack to his face and pride. Ever since he had taken over the family business, the worth of Zheng Corps had rapidly increased. All of his business ns always worked out well in the end, thus, he gained the reputation of a reliable businessman.

    When Zhao Lifei left, thepany already had ongoing deals with all the huge reputablepanies in the country. He had no issues with the ideas he had presented with the newerpanies they had yet to partner up with.

    Now that those projects hade to an end, it was time for Zheng Tianyi to prove himself once again, only to have an old establishedpany to reject him for the first time!

    Even though somepanies were very reluctant to work with the Zheng family, seeing as their stocks were steadily dropping, none of them could go against Zheng Tianyi in fear of the power of the Zheng¡¯s private army in his hands. The King might¡¯ve slipped, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t retaliate.

    Just then, a knock sounded throughout the room.

    "Who is it?" Chen Xing called out, walking towards the door and opening the room to reveal a stunning woman with an angelic aura.

    With luscious hair framing her dainty face, dewy eyes, and peach blossom lips, Chen Xing bitterly understood why Xia Mengxi was ultimately favored by Zheng Tianyi.

    Zhao Lifei was the epitome of an ice queen. She is deservingly haughty and has the aura of a ruler who can crush anyone who blocks her way. Meanwhile, Xia Mengxi embodied exactly what poems would define as a stunning yet weak woman you need to dote on and pamper.

    Xia Mengxi offered Chen Xing a polite smile before brushing past her and walking straight towards Zheng Tianyi who was surprised to see her.

    "Honey, what are you doing here?" His mood took a 360-degree turn and immediately became better at the sight of his partner.

    "I was called here." As always, her voice was dainty and soft, like the gentlest stroke of a feather.

    Chen Xing stood by the door, hesitating between leaving and staying here. She didn¡¯t want to interrupt them or witness the heart-wrenching scene of watching your crush clearly love someone else.

    Ever since Xia Mengxi retired from being his private secretary to be a "housewife", Chen Xing had been promoted to take over her previous role.

    When Xia Mengxi was hired, she had the luck to immediately snag the role of Zheng Tianyi¡¯s private secretary. Given that everyone in CEO Zheng¡¯s team was highlypetent, Chen Xing had expected that Xia Mengxi who had managed to gain the favor of their CEO was a capable worker as well.

    However, upon her retirement, Xia Mengxi simply left the position. There had been no training, no knowledge transfers, no manuals, and zero exnation on what she had been working on prior to retiring. She had taken the role on without any guidance from the previous secretary at all!

    After undergoing too many trials where she was nearly fired, Chen Xing was finally able to secure her position. Deep down, she harbored extreme dislike towards Xia Mengxi, even more than the negative emotions she felt when Zhao Lifei started working here.

    Even with her slight infatuation with Zheng Tianyi and Zhao Lifei¡¯s arrogant disposition, Chen Xing couldn¡¯t find any fault with Zhao Lifei¡¯s professional ethics. Inparison, she thought Xia Mengxi was just a typical gold digger who climbed her way to Zheng Tianyi¡¯s bed.

    The office staffs would often gossip about Xia Mengxi. A lot of people saw her as a homewrecking mistress for taking someone¡¯s fianc¨¦, but there was also a few people who supported her.

    Xia Mengxi was a beacon of hope to the women who came from simple backgrounds that they can someday catch the attention of a powerful CEO.

    Some thought her actions were justified because Zheng Tianyi was known to have never loved Zhao Lifei. So what if she liked him? It didn¡¯t mean he had to like her back! There were hundreds of girls that fell in love with Zheng Tianyi¡¯s charm, but that didn¡¯t necessarily mean he had to replicate the same feelings.

    Chen Xing looked back at the loving couple and felt her mood turn incredibly sour when she saw that they did not even wait for her to leave the room before getting into apromising position.

    Rolling her eyes at how inappropriate they were in the office, she walked out to fulfill the tasks given to her by Zheng Tianyi.

 Chapter 59: All Alone

    Sky Arc Complex.

    Zhao Wenjin nkly stared at the empty, ck monitor. His face was stony and hard to read even for his wife and daughter.

    Wang Nuoli thought to herself, was this where her daughter got her genes from? People alwayspared Zhao Lifei to her father. Stoic face, aloof personality, and determined eyes, they shared the same expressions that always masked their bad temper.

    Who knew she would inherit the worst attributes of her parents? From her mother¡¯s alcoholic tendencies to her father¡¯s scheming ways. Unlike her little sister who mirrored her mother¡¯s beauty and exhibits her father¡¯s confidence, she didn¡¯t inherit anything good.

    Wang Nuoli couldn¡¯t handle her husband¡¯s nk face anymore. He was so hard to read at times, especially at this moment where she was scared he might cause another scene. She leaned closer to him and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

    "Nothing." He immediately replied, averting her gaze to stare at the entrance of the building.

    Wang Nuoli frowned at his cold-shoulder, before stubbornly crossing her arms and deciding to ignore him as well.

    Zhao Linhua understood her father¡¯s expression. To others, it looked as if she got her parents¡¯ doting without any effort. But that was a lie.

    At a young age, she had quickly realized the difference in treatment between her and her sister. Even with that disparity, their childhood had been filled with sweet stolen moments of sisterhood.

    Her award-winning pianist Zhao Lifei sister doted on her by teaching her how to y the piano. With both of them excelling in the same instrument, she originally thought that their parents¡¯ affections would now be bnced.

    Unfortunately, it was all wishful thinking. She couldn¡¯t help but lock herself in her room and cry for days when all they did waspare them. When Zhao Lifei had ceased to pursue fame as a pianist and had started training to be the future matriarch of the Zheng household, their rtionship also got strained.

    Zhao Linhua didn¡¯t know the real reason why her older sister stopped pursuing the piano, despite the fact that it was one of the few things that made her very happy. She didn¡¯t know that Lifei had asionally heard her cry in her room for missing a key and not being as good as her older sister.

    Deep down, she harbored a dark hatred for Zhao Lifei. The misunderstanding between them was strong, but even if the truth was revealed, Linhua would¡¯ve never forgiven her older sister.

    Without the warmth of her sister, she had to grow up navigating her parents¡¯ emotions. It was all the timing of knowing what to say and when to say it. From the years of experience, she has honed the skill to a very high level of maniption. She knew by sessfully bing a pianist that followed both her mother and father¡¯s wishes, they wouldpletely adore her.

    Given the fact that she always bragged and showcased her parent¡¯s affections in front of Lifei who rarely got any of it, the distance between her and her older sister had grown further apart.

    Studying her parent¡¯s emotions at a very young age, she was quick to pick up their current mood. Right now, she could see the storm brewing within her father. She knew he didn¡¯t want to cause a further embarrassing scene, but that didn¡¯t suppress his wish to punish Zhao Lifei for this humiliation.

    Zhao Linhua nced at the elevator door that looked so close, yet was so far away. She stared at the intricate metal work on the elevator and marveled at the designer¡¯s keen eye for details.

    Sometimes, Zhao Linhua would wonder if Lifei did not stop ying the piano, or if Lifei did not teach her, would she have been forced into a music career? There was a point in time where Zhao Linhua wanted to be an architect...but Linhua knew that was an impossible dream.

    If Zhao Linhua wanted the love and support of her parents, she would need to abandon her high hopes. She had watched as they quickly discarded her sister, their own daughter.

    Her mother wanted to brag about being a world-renowned pianist mother and her father wanted the perfectdy. If she pursued a field her father deemed "only suitable to men", Linhua would lose everything she worked so hard to gain.

    Aside from her parents, she has no one in this world. Everyone in the Zhao family is scheming to secure their inheritance, trying their hardest to gain Zhao Moyao¡¯s affection while pushing their own kin down, and she had seen multiple attempts of her uncle attempting to ruin her father.

    The fighting and money-grabbing schemes made the Zhao family a very dangerous ce to stay. And without the protection of her parents, Linhua would¡¯ve been trampled by her rtives. That was exactly what was supposed to happen to Zhao Lifei, but either by pure luck or skills, she was able to garner the protection of the Head Monarch, Zhao Moyao himself which made her practically untouchable.

    Bitterly, Zhao Linhua thought about how her grandfather only acknowledged Zhao Lifei and one of her cousins. The gap between her sister and her had be irreparable.

    From being too sheltered at a young age and drowned in her parent¡¯s attention, Linhua was too naive and didn¡¯t think about venturing outside of herfort zone.

    This resulted in her detachment from the socialite circle. Sure, she had a few acquaintances, but neither of them considered her as a good friend. Unlike Lifei, her parents kept a tight leash on her and she was homeschooled from a very young age while her sister can go out and about without a care.

    Zhao Lifei had even spent more time in the Yang mansion than their family home. When Linhua was sent across seas to study piano, she wasn¡¯t able to make anysting connections.

    Zhao Linhua bitterly hated Lifei for her ability to control the socialite circle and rule over it with a mighty fist. When everyone crowded Lifei in hopes of currying favors to the future "Madam Zheng", she didn¡¯t bother with helping her younger sister enter the social circle.

    Zhao Lifei had witnessed personally how vicious these women were. In hopes of shielding and protecting her younger sister, she had deliberately left her out any socialite events.

    But Zhao Linhua refused to believe it was because her older sister was sheltering her. She thought it was because the socialite circle was the only ce her older sister got to shine, so she tried her best to keep Linhua out of it in fear of stealing the limelight.

    And for the next few years, Zhao Linhua would never get to meet the fellow rich heirs, heiresses, and children of wealthy families.

    That was until she met the kind and weing Xia Mengxi who was quickly climbing the ranks in the socialite circle for being the love of Zheng Tianyi¡¯s life.

    Unlike her older sister who never introduced her to any of her friends, Mengxi actually invited Linhua into the circle. Thanks to Xia Mengxi¡¯s influence, she was able to make a lot of new friends and was quickly integrated into the socialite ring. And because Mengxi was extremely likely to be "Madam Zheng", a lot of the women flocked to her ¡ª crowding her the same way they used to do so with Zhao Lifei.

 Chapter 60: Im Fine

    Wanting a way of relieving herself from the anger and frustration she had felt from seeing her parents, Zhao Lifei wanted topletely immerse herself into ying the piano. But before that, she unconsciously grabbed something to drink from the fridge. Not even bothering to check what it was, she drank the entire bottle.

    The taste was extremely familiar and heavenly-sweet, like a poison clogging her mind. Within a matter of minutes, her brain became hazy and she could barely think straight.

    She sat down on the bench where she spends the majority of her time bleeding her heart out. She pressed one key, then two, three, until her fingers created a mncholic symphony.

    She had always yed from her memory because they felt familiar to her. They felt safe and secure ¡ª nothing like her traumatic past or the terrifying uncertainty of the future.

    Filling the living room was the sound of hauntingly sorrowful melody. Somewhere along the way, she began to slowly sing the lyrics of a song she had heard a few months ago.

    "Gradually the warm summer air bes winter.

    The fallen petals are reminiscing of the youthful spring days.

    Flowers of spring have withered to be ash.

    Underneath the twilight night,

    You remind me this glimmer of hope is like the stars, forever out of reach, but seemingly close."

    A memory passed through her, the memory of a dazzling woman surrounded by the livelyughter of people.

    The woman was smiling, her eyes bright with innocence,pletely unaware of the creeping future that would surely destroy her. Standing in a crowd of socialite was an adolescent Zhao Lifei who was still young and not corrupted by envy, for Xia Mengxi had yet to enter the scene.

    "A love like a cmity washes over me

    You stand by the tidespletely unscathed by the wind, thunder, and rain.

    Whispers be screams, rain turns into an endless downpour of tears enough to fill the ocean.

    The petals be ash.

    The seemingly sweet fragrance of youthful love bes bitter."

    She thought back to her teenage years where Zheng Tianyi still saw her as a good friend. Before Xia Mengxi came into the picture, he actually ced her in a safe spot within his heart, seeing her as a good and beneficial acquaintance.

    She remembered a heart-warming scene of Zheng Tianyi cing a white flower into her hair, the color reminding her she was still "pure."

    The happy memory waspleted shattered and recing it was the familiar scene she had witnessed for a very long time. Zheng Tianyi turning a cold-shoulder to her, as she frantically grabbed and begged for him, the bitter tears flowing down her face as she sobbed on the floor.

    Mocking her was the perfume she had used in her adolescent years. The expensive bottle, tossed on the floor, and mixed with the water from the broken vase beside it, became a pungent smell.

    "I dance upon the fallen petals

    Blinded by the delusions of false hope.

    You dance with the new, forever abandoning the old.

    Youthful, but old, different and new

    You¡¯re mingling amongst the white lilies,

    As the petals be ashes, lifting into the air.

    My love, forgotten and weightless, following the lonely wind,

    Blowing away from you,

    The ashes of my love..."

    Zhao Lifei yed the piano the entire day, to the point of where her fingers were barely able to move. Shaking and drenched in cold sweat, she decided to finally rest her head on the cool surface of the piano. Staring at nothing in particr, she felt lonely.

    Taking in the spacious apartment filled with furniture for a single person, the enormous couch meant for a family, the unupied room for guests.

    She thought this apartment was too big for her.

    The darkness was haunting, the loneliness was depressing, and the enormous window looking out the beautiful city lights can make someone feel extremely small. Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of sadness.

    All alone...that¡¯s how she had always been.

    She was on the brink of falling asleep when the familiar tune of her phone can be heard throughout the living room. She was confused as to who was calling her. After a second of hesitation, she finally decided to stand up and pick up the call without looking at the caller ID.

    "Hello...?" She quietly said, her voice somber and depressing. She walked to the ss wall that separates her from the rest of the world. She stared at the ring city lights filled with life but wreaked of lonely souls.

    "Lifei." His voice, firm and absolute as always, confused her.

    She nced at her phone to confirm that it really was him, and her heart skipped a tiny beat. She blinked at the sudden emotion, her fingers growing mmy when she thought about how familiar this feeling was. No, not again...

    "You sound upset. What happened?" He asked her, his voice bing smooth like the most luxurious cup of hot chocte. Warm, beckoning, and tender. It made her feel that everything is good and wonderful. Zhao Lifei felt a tremor pass through her at the sincerity of his voice.

    "Nothing happened. You¡¯re overthinking it." She said, but her words didn¡¯tfort him.

    Yang Feng sat in his car, legs crossed and staring at the window. It was already 9 PM but he was just returning home from the office. Upon hearing how different she soundedpared to the lively version of her during breakfast, he immediately ordered Hu Wei to turn the car back around and head to Lifei¡¯s apartment that was on the other side of the city.

    "You clearly don¡¯t sound fine." Yang Feng objected, his gaze dark but tone filled with worry.

    "..."

    She didn¡¯t say anything. Staring at the shimmering lights of the city, she took his words into consideration. Was she fine?

    "I¡¯m fine." She curtly said, even though a part of her knew she clearly wasn¡¯t. Her throat was itching for that wine bottle in her fridge to muddle her mind from the overwhelming mncholy in her apartment.

    This apartment held a lot of memories she never wanted to recount. Every time she looked at the guest bedroom, she was reminded of a memory she swore was buried at the back of her mind.

    Yang Feng frowned at her words. She was fine? Did she think he was stupid? He decided it was a good idea to reach her as soon as possible, for she seemed to be in a very critical stage.

    Holding the phone away from him, he quietly urged Hu Wei to drive faster. "Break the speeding limit. I¡¯ll deal with the consequences."

    Hu Wei was surprised at his order, but nheless, followed it like it was thew. Within seconds, he was speeding down the highway, dodging cars, and breaking into the city streets. Like a car racer with a heart of frenzy for speed, he drove the ck Maybach to its limit.

 Chapter 61: The Past And The Future

    Zhao Lifei was too busy daydreaming out the window to even hear the whispering from her phone in the background.

    She pressed a finger onto the window and started tracing out the people below that looked like little ants.

    She didn¡¯t realize that her emotions were growing unstable as if she was taken back to the version of her from two years ago. She had sworn to her grandfather she would keep her emotions in control. She had gotten out of that ck hole and she did not n on returning. It was what she had learned after spending days and nights with her team of therapists.

    The devil on her shoulder used to be her - the real her. A delusional woman who chased after a man and went crazy when she got rejected.

    "The past can never be changed." She muttered,pletely forgetting her phone call with Yang Feng.

    "Yes, but the future is destined for change." Yang Feng spoke up,pletely confused at her behavior. She sounded woozy. Was she drunk?

    As if in a daze, Zhao Lifei tilted her head to the side. Destined for a change...? Who was the man that was speaking to her?

    It was bing hard for her to concentrate.

    She painfully squeezed her eyes closed when the world started spinning. She stumbled across the living room before finally copsing onto the couch. Perhaps it was thebination of the drink and overworking herself while ying the piano, but she felt tired and her mind was clouded.

    "Change? You make it sound so positive when the future can also spiral out of control." She whispered, her voice heavy.

    Yang Feng paused at her words, his lips pressing together. He didn¡¯t think she would harbor such bad thoughts. It didn¡¯t match up with the person he had interacted with the past few weeks. Was she always this negative?

    "Then seize control of it. The past is already out of your grasp, but the future is within the palm of your hands. What are you afraid of?" He climbed out of the car, his long legs quickly carrying him into Sky Arc Complex.

    "Sir, please show your identification-" The receptionist said as the security team stepped forward. But instantly, they were blocked by a barrier of Yang Feng¡¯s men. The security team tensed up as they remembered how familiar this scene was. Thest time this happened, one of their valued tenants had been carried back to her home unconscious and it was by this same man.

    Effortlessly holding back these feeble people, the men dressed in ck exuded a dark aura and seemed more like soldiers than body guards. Their eyes were lifeless and bleak as if they won¡¯t flinch at the idea of murder.

    A few women paused to admire Yang Feng as he walked towards the elevator. Tall legs that seemed to stretch for miles, suit jacket hanging on his shoulders, swept back hair, and his signature lethal gaze.

    His mysterious persona drew the women in the lobby closer. He was dressed like a wealthy businessman with a ck trench coat hanging on his shoulders, but the way he confidently strutted with one hand tucked in his pocket made him look like a Mafia boss. Just who exactly was this man?

    It wasn¡¯t until a few caught a better glimpse of his face did they step back in fear. It was the legendary Yang Feng who swept the business world by storm! He was famed for ruining the monopoly in the market and within the few years since he became CEO of Yang Enterprise, hadpletely controlled a lot of the major businesses in the country.

    They couldn¡¯t believe that a man of such background and power was walking into Sky Arc Complex.

    Sky Arc Complex may be a luxurious apartmentplex, but it was not fancy enough to be the residence of choice for those who were in the upper realm of the wealthy families. It houses a couple of popr celebrities and some second generation heirs, but most of the residents are middle-ss families who have a significant amount of money. There was a small handful of wealthy people who liked to ¡¯hide¡¯ in the building since the security was tight enough to make sure no one uninvited has ess.

    Yang Feng¡¯s level was considered simply too high for Sky Arc. He wasn¡¯t someone they could afford to offend.

    "I¡¯m not afraid of anything." She quietly said, hugging her stomach with one hand as she stared out of the enormous window taking over the entire wall. It was obvious she didn¡¯t believe in her words.

    "Don¡¯t lie to me." Yang Feng¡¯s voice was so soft, she felt a warm and fuzzy feeling within her.

    "Now, be a good girl and open the door." He knocked on it, waiting for her to do so.

    He was able to unlock her apartment door easilyst time because of her fingerprints and gullibility to mumble answers to questions while she was asleep. But when he tried to type the password he remembered, he found out she had changed it.

    His mood dampened at her actions but he was proud that she was, at the least, attempting to tighten her security. However, he still took offense that she did it against him. Who else knew of her password anyway? By changing her password, didn¡¯t it mean she saw him as a stranger?

    Zhao Lifei felt a slight buzzing in her head and her cheeks felt warm. Stumbling to the door, she opened it to see him standing there in all of his glory. Once again, she felt mesmerized by him. The lights from the hallway flooded her dark living room, adding an ethereal glow around him.

    There was something about that clean-cut and alluring face of his that always seemed to draw her in. She had seen many handsome men in her lifetime and rarely do they ever catch her attention. To her, even if he was enchantingly handsome, what good would it bring? She felt confused at the way her heart skipped a tiny beat when the left side of his lips tilted up into a smirk.

    "Well, are you going to let me in?" He mischievously asked her, teasing her for being so awestruck by him. His appearance was the same from this morning, but after running his hand through his hair so many times, it was a bit messy and there were a few strands falling into his eyes.

    Unconsciously she reached up to brush it aside. He was surprised at her movement but he responded by bending down so that it was easier for her to reach up to him.

    "You¡¯re drunk." He pointed out, noticing her flushed cheeks and the way she smiled at him like a little fool. If only she would be this adorable while sober.

    "Hm?" She mused as she twirled the strand of his hair instead of tucking it back. He chuckled at how obedient she had be which was unlike her usual self that always seemed to want to start an argument. On top of that, she was never this voluntarily touchy.

    "And why do you have the lights turned off? It¡¯s depressing." He gently grabbed her fingers, holding it like it was a treasure worth billions.

    "How much did you drink?" He asked her as he flipped on the light switch and guided her back into the apartment with his hand on her small back.

    His eyes trailed to the kitchen counter and he was startled to see an empty bottle of wine. He trailed his eyes away from the bottle and to her small stature, wondering how a tiny woman like her was able to drink that much.

 Chapter 62: Are You Human?

    "I didn¡¯t drink any alcohol. It was juice." She slurred. She faintly remembered grabbing something that felt like cold ss and figured it was the usual bottle of juice she had stocked in her fridge. She had been drowning in her sorrow and didn¡¯t pay any attention if she got the right bottle.

    "You drank wine." He deadpanned, closing the door behind her and locking all three locks.

    "I drank wine? But I promised grandfather-"

    "How much was in the bottle? Was it full?" He lifted the bottle and swished it even if he already knew it would be empty.

    "Mm, it was heavy. I don¡¯t remember how much was in it." She tried to grab the bottle but he held it away from her.

    "You promised Elder Zhao you wouldn¡¯t drink and you still did?" He teased her, nearly smiling at the way she pouted. She could barely keep her eyes open and he noticed how exceptionally tired she was. What had she been doing the entire day?

    "I-I-" Zhao Lifei stuttered as she felt guilty for breaking her promise.

    "Don¡¯t hide it from him. Tell him and try to talk it out." He knew the familial rtions between Zhao Lifei and her grandfather. He had an inkling that once she sobered up, she would beat herself up for this. It was also unwise to lie to Zhao Moyao who preferred the harshest truth over aforting lie.

    "Okay." She readily agreed while running a tired hand through her hair.

    Yang Feng raised a brow at how she didn¡¯t try to argue with him. He knew alcohol tended to lower one¡¯s inhibitions and reveal their true self. Does she always act like a docile kitten when she¡¯s had a drink? He lightly patted her head for her good behavior.

    "Did you eat anything?" He knew she often skips meals, and he wanted to find out if she was drinking on an empty stomach.

    "I don¡¯t want to eat." She stubbornly said, walking away from him after feeling the desire toy down and sleep.

    "You have to eat something, little one." He grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer to him.

    "But I¡¯m not hungry-"

    "Well, what does your stomach say?" He chuckled, remembering how her stomach had growled every time she had refused to eat in front of him. She blushed at his words and tried to push him away, but he gently kept his hold on her.

    "Come now, don¡¯t be stubborn." He curled an arm around her waist and smiled at how she didn¡¯t try to push him away again.

    His touch was warm andforting to her. She had never been treated with so much care before, and the sensation felt very new to her. Without realizing it, she had already leaned closer to him and the arm wrapped around her waist got tighter. Yang Feng¡¯s tender smile had widened at this.

    "Let¡¯s see what¡¯s in the fridge." He walked with her towards the stainless steel double-door fridge and he nearlyughed when he opened it. It was stocked with leftovers!

    "Well then, I don¡¯t have to worry about you starving anymore." He released her to start pulling out some of the dishes, and he was surprised when she suddenly embraced his arm.

    "Don¡¯t go. You¡¯re warm." She childishly said, her eyes looking up to him like a little puppy who desired attention.

    He felt his heart clench painfully at the sight of her begging eyes. "Little one, I¡¯m not going anywhere." He cupped one side of her cheek and used the other arm to ce it on her lower back, pulling her to him.

    "But-"

    "I¡¯m only going to reheat the dishes and cook rice." Yang Feng didn¡¯t think when she was drunk, she¡¯d reveal a coquettish side of her. It was really nice to see her finally open up a bit and voice out what she wanted, instead of keeping it all in. But a side of him was bitter at this turn of events. Would she only reveal this side of her when she¡¯s drunk?

    He pushed his negative thoughts away. He knew it was probably hard for her to express herself. He had always known that she was neglected as a child. With her traumatic experience with rejection, it was no wonder she would never ask for anything. The experience of losing the man you were groomed to love for the rest of your life would have surely done more damage to her heart.

    The walls around her were high and nearly unbreakable, but that didn¡¯t mean Yang Feng didn¡¯t have a bulldozer to knock it down.

    The only reason why he wasn¡¯t forceful with her was that he knew it was the dumbest thing to do to a wounded woman. Any attempt to force her would only result in her running away from him.

    The harder he tried to pry her open, the harder she would close up.

    He still does not have a concrete idea on what kind of rtionship he wanted with Zhao Lifei, but he knew he wanted her to be in his life and him in hers.

    Instead of crashing her walls to the ground, he was willing to gently scale it and let her pull out the bricks piece by piece. He was mostly fine with how their rtionship had progressed up to now, slowly but surely.

    "Will you eat with me?" Her question surprised him. He took in her frail appearance. Her eyes were filled with sorrow and loneliness. He realized how incredibly big her apartment was for a single person. She must¡¯ve felt alone here with no one to eat with.

    "Of course." He told her, moving his hand from her soft cheek to rub the back of her head. He realized she still smelled like him from this morning and smiled.

    Once again, in her drunken state, she was mesmerized by him. She suddenly poked his dimples. "Are you human?" She asked, using another finger to poke the other one.

    He blinked at her question. The intimate atmosphere was instantly gone and Yang Feng was pulled back to reality.

    "Huh?"

    "Alien." She suddenly said, nodding her head as if she had a sudden epiphany while she tugged at his hair.

    "What?" He was confused by her sudden shift of behavior.

    "It¡¯s inhumane to be this handsome." She mumbled, her voice tinged with light envy.

    Heughed at her words, grabbing the fingers that were tugging at his hair. She thought he was handsome? The idea made him giddy inside. Originally, the day started off great until it got progressively bad. One of his projects wasn¡¯t going as nned and the construction was dyed, he had three excruciatingly long and boring meetings, and his mother had not stopped from trying to get him on the phone.

    After being threatened by his brother to keep his mouth shut, Yang Yulong had refused to divulge the identity of the woman that was Yang Feng¡¯s date to the banquet.

    Yang Feng had made sure to protect Zhao Lifei from the nagging that will surelye from his mother. Now that another photo of him intimately hugging a woman in the streets had circted and getting news that a woman had stayed the night at his house within the same day, Madam Yang had even tried to get his father involved.

    He knew she was at his house right now, waiting for him toe home so she could both pry on his affairs and lecture him about giving his parents grandchildren out of filial piety.

    The old butler had already informed him that the Momzi was home, so he deliberately decided to stay in Lifei¡¯s house longer. Besides, she looked like she could use somepany.

    When she wriggled her fingers out of his hands, she roughly tugged his hair again like a little kid. "Alright, alright. Be good." He chided her, flicking her forehead.

    "Be good? I can¡¯t." She blurted out, pushing him off and walking away from him. He felt his heart race in panic at her retreating back. She was within arms reach, but he felt scared she would suddenly disappear without any reason.

    The view of her small and lonely back leaving him had made him terrified that he wouldn¡¯t be able to close the distance between them. In his eyes, every woman were dispensable, so why wasn¡¯t she the same?

 Chapter 63: No Other Man Can Ever Replace Me

    He stared at the way her long hair swayed as she started walking away, and the way she didn¡¯t look back at him.

    Their rtionship had just improved and he was scared that she would once again close herself off emotionally. He walked after her but stopped in his tracks when she spoke up again, this time, her voice heavy with sadness.

    "I¡¯m not a good woman. In fact, I¡¯m a horrible woman. It wasn¡¯t just evil thoughts. I¡¯ve done things beyond what you can imagine. I have used people and betrayed them. I have blood on my hands, blood that will never go away. I-I¡¯m not a good person." She suddenly turned around, this time, she was no longer docile. Her eyes were fierce and though she sounded emotional, she wasn¡¯t on the verge of tears.

    "I can never change the past. When I close my eyes, all I see are the people I broke, the bonds I¡¯ve severed, and all the awful things I have done! I¡¯m such a bad person, I¡¯m a viin, and-" Zhao Lifei¡¯s voice became muffled when Yang Feng pulled her into a tight hug.

    For once, he saw how truly vulnerable she was. His impression of her had always been of someone confident and daring. Was this how she thought about herself?

    "You said it yourself, the past can never be changed, my dear. Instead of worrying about the past, learn from it. See it as a meaningful lesson and let it go. And besides, there are no pure people in the world. We have all done bad things, not just you. We both know that our families had reached their peak by being ruthless and eliminating everyone in our way. Being kind to your enemies is treating yourself badly. Survival of the fittest is just how the world works."

    A chord within her heart was strung by his meaningful words. She knew deep in her heart that if there was someone who could understand how it feels to be one with their dark side, it would be Yang Feng.

    She blinked once, twice, and thrice until the words finally settled into her brain, imprinting permanently. One that would be there forever, even when she has lost all sorts of hope for herself...

    His words had brought her back to the present and she finally realized how intimate they were. She was crushed against his strong embrace, but not in an ufortable manner. Shrouded by his intoxicating scent and his tender touch, her eyes struggled to stay open.

    All her life, she had never been enclosed within anyone else¡¯s arms except his. Every single instance of genuine physical intimacy she has gotten had happened when he entered her life. Theforting feeling was new to her that she gave in to the temptation of sleep.

    When Yang Feng noticed how quiet she had be, he nced down and saw she had fallen asleep. He stared at hershes and the way it gently framed her dry eyes. He was pleasantly surprised to see she hadn¡¯t cried. Even though she felt weak and vulnerable, she was still strong enough to manage her emotions. What a truly amazing woman, inside and out.

    He looked forward to her future and the long road ahead of them. He couldn¡¯t wait to see her shed off her emotional baggage and fully embrace the powerful woman that she already is.

    He had dug deep into her background, enough to know that the true brains behind the brilliant business ns that boosted Zheng Corporation into another level. Aside from that, he had been informed on the means she had used in making sure that every single one of those socialites was under her control. It truly was unfathomable how one man was able to push her to this state.

    "You sessfully evaded your way out of eating." He quietly chuckled upon realizing she wasn¡¯t going to eat dinner again. He sighed and decided that tomorrow morning, he would cook her a hearty breakfast.

    She was technically still standing, albeit asleep in his embrace, so he struggled with picking her up bridal style. After a few futile attempts, he decided to just lift her up and carry her like a child. WIth her facefortably resting on his shoulder, she snuggled closer to him in her sleep. He had one hand resting underneath her bottom and the other pressing her back into his chest.

    "You¡¯re so spoiled." He fondly said out loud upon realizing what he was doing to her. Even as she was asleep, her brain still wanted to argue with him. She mumbled something and he could only understand one phrase from it.

    "I¡¯m not..." She unconsciously said, even though she was deep in her sleep.

    Heughed at whatever dream she was having for her to speak it out loud.

    "That¡¯s alright. Be spoiled rotten by me. So much that no other man can ever rece me in your life." He fondly told her, walking her into her room. Immediately, the rose scent flooded his nose, teasing it, and clouding his mind.

    "I¡¯ll turn you into a spoiled brat so that even if you want to run away from me, no one can ever go above the level of pampering I gave you." He said to her as he set her down on the bed and tucked her in. He smiled when he realized that he had done this same routine with herst night. Would he be carrying her again to bed tomorrow night? That¡¯s a great idea.

    "Pampered..." She repeated after him, lost in a blissful dream.

    He pulled the nkets up to her chin. "Yes, pampered." He adjusted the pillows so that she was in a veryfortable position. After making sure she was securely wrapped in nkets, he got up to leave but then, she reached out again.

    "I¡¯m cold." She suddenly blurted out, despite the fact that her eyes were closed. He wondered if she avidly spoke in her sleep.

    Yang Feng checked the temperature in the room and saw it was warmer than usual. That would exin why his tie felt more suffocating than usual. He took off his suit jacket and his tie before casually tossing it to the floor as he walked back to the bed.

    "It¡¯s not cold in here." He replied to her, but she didn¡¯t say anything back. He looked at the sleeping woman¡¯s stray arm that hade out of the nket.

    When he tried to put the arm back into the nket, he was surprised when her hand grabbed a few of his fingers.

    "You really don¡¯t want me to leave, do you?" He teased her, pinching her cheeks. She didn¡¯t say anything, but he couldn¡¯t bring it within himself to leave her.

    He tried to push her hand away, but it was firmly holding onto him, refusing to let go. "Don¡¯t punch me in the morning for this." He mumbled before climbing into her bed and going under the nket himself. Instantly, she inched towards the incredible warmth radiating from beside her.

    "I don¡¯t understand why you like being this warm so much, it¡¯s unbearable." He mumbled, opening his arm and pulling her closer to him. Despite hisints and dislike towards the warmer climate, he still obliged by her wishes.

    In her dream, she was in the antarctic where the wind was biting cold. Suddenly, an igloo popped up and what came with it was a heater. When she thought she was walking to the heater in her dream, she was actually attempting to snuggle onto Yang Feng.

    He bit his lips in amusement before fully embracing her. It made his chest swell with happiness to see her so willing to be around him, even if she was just dreaming. "Good night, darling." He whispered to her, closing his eyes and falling into a blissful sleep ¡ª one that he didn¡¯t have in a very long time.

 Chapter 64: There Was A Man On Her Bed!

    Yang Ruqin pouted when she saw her nk screen. After spamming Feifei¡¯s phone with messages and attempting to call her multiple times, she wasn¡¯t responding! Knowing her, she¡¯s still holed up in her bed with no ns to wake up untilte in the afternoon.

    "Why does she sleep for long? It¡¯s not like she needs any beauty sleep!" Yang Ruqin fumed, climbing out of the luxurious ck van made for top celebrities.

    She put on her huge ck sunsses just as the wind picked up, causing her hair to flutter.

    The people on the streets stared at her with their mouth agape. As expected of a world-renowned supermodel. Even in her daily life while going through her usual routine, she looked like she was shooting for an advertisement.

    Yang Ruqin pursed her lips, pushed a few strands of hair back while she grabbed her phone to text Feifei again.

    She walked into the Sky Arc Complex and signed her name in the guest registry. She tapped her foot impatiently on the ground and immediately walked into the elevator after the receptionist gave her the ¡¯okay¡¯.

    She hadn¡¯t seen her Feifei for an entire week and the first thing she did when she got back was check up on her. She had a tight schedule, yet still came around to visit her.

    Yang Ruqin felt her blood boil with annoyance. She was out of the city for a week because of her job and even came back lugging an entire small suitcase filled with souvenirs just dedicated to her Feifei. And the woman in question wasn¡¯t even picking up her phone!

    Struggling with the heavy suitcase down the hallways of the top floors of the Sky Arc Complex, Yang Ruqin keyed in the password to Zhao Lifei¡¯s apartment door.

    When the keypad said it was incorrect, her eyes flickered with surprise. Did Zhao Lifei change the password?

    But why? Did she go to the wrong apartment...?

    She checked the number te and just as predicted, it was correct. But why wasn¡¯t the door unlocking itself?

    Yang Ruqin frowned and called Zhao Lifei but she still was not picking up. Now, Ruqin grew really worried. Her anger washed away and panic settled in.

    Did something happen again? Was she going to disappear without warning again? She tried hard to think whether there had been any more terrible news about Zhao Lifei recently because of Zheng Tianyi. However, all she could remember were the ones she couldn¡¯t care less about.

    No wait...she suddenly remembered seeing the news of Yang Feng and an unknown woman that her mother had been pestering her about!

    She nervously chewed on her finger and typed in the password again. It showed the same "error" message.

    Her anxiety had started to rise, as she remembered how Zhao Lifei vanished for two years. At the time, she wasn¡¯t there to physically support Feifei. Although Yang Ruqin had rushed back as soon as possible, she was toote, her Feifei was gone.

    Yang Ruqin couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty for not being able to support Feifei during the toughest time of her life.

    They had spent two years without contact and she had spent that time wondering how Feifei is doing and when they¡¯ll be able to meet again.

    She even had to use some of her family¡¯s underworld connections to try and find her only, but all of her attempts were futile.

    She only stopped after Zhao Moyao¡¯s interference. It seemed the only person that knew of her whereabouts during that time was none other than her grandfather.

    She shook her head at the daydream that was about to kick in. Right now was not the time for that!

    After a few seconds of standing in the hallway, she finally decided to use her fingerprint and go through the extensive process of unlocking the door.

    Yang Ruqin pressed her fingerprint onto the scanner, then bent down for it to scan her eyes.

    She then typed in answers to the hard questions and did the final step of scanning her entire face.

    The door finally clicked open.

    She hated having to do this, but it was the only way if one didn¡¯t know the password. If there was the slightest error from any of the procedure, the police would be notified ASAP.

    She walked into Zhao Lifei¡¯s condo and noticed her jacket was tossed on the couch. The piano chair was pulled out, and even her purse was sitting on the counter beside the door. It showed signs that at the very least, Lifei came home.

    Yang Ruqin saw the door to Zhao Lifei¡¯s bedroom was shut and blew out a small sigh of relief. So she didn¡¯t disappear again...

    But Yang Ruqin thought it was strange the curtains were still drawn open. Usually, her Feifei would close them before she goes to bed to block out the ring sunlight rays from having her house so high up in the air the next morning.

    Not wanting to wake Feifei up, Yang Ruqin slowly opened the door.

    Her jaw dropped to the floor and her eyes bulged at the scene in front of her.

    A man!

    There was a man on her bed!

    Her eyes quickly scanned the room for discarded clothes and when she saw the tossed tie and suit jacket on the floor, she panicked.

    Oh my freaking God! Her Feifei brought a man home and it looked like they slept together!

    This was big news!

    After so many failed attempts at blind dates, her Feifei finally found a man! This was a piece of celebratory news because it meant she finally moved on from that dirty scum Zheng Tianyi.

    Swooning in happiness for her friend, Yang Ruqin nearly squealed in glee. But she didn¡¯t dare to make any noises and wake up the loving couple.

    His wide and muscr back was the only thing visible about him from the distance.

    Yang Ruqin walked closer and noticed the man seemed to be spooning her Feifei with an arm wrapped securely around her. She could tell from a nce that the clothes on the floor were of high quality and that the stance of the man was protective of Lifei even while he was sleeping.

    It seems her Feifei didn¡¯t need her help in finding a catch after all!

    But there was something about this man...Why did he look so familiar?

    She felt confused and wondered if she should look closer. What if she walked to the other side of the bed and caught a glimpse of Zhao Lifei¡¯s naked body?

    "Oh well, we¡¯re both girls. There¡¯s nothing to be surprised over." Ruqin whispered to herself, tiptoeing to the edge of the bed.

    This time, her previous shock was overshadowed as her purse slipped off her shoulders andnded with a loud thud.

    She stood there, stifled and frozen at the sight before her. She sucked in nervous gasps of air, subconsciously taking horrified steps backward, while pressing her hands to her mouth in shock.

    No.

    Freaking.

    Way!

    Laying in Zhao Lifei¡¯s bed was none other than her brother, Yang Feng ¡ª the king of the underworld! Her cold brother, a man who rarely smiled andughed, he was actually lying on her bed!

    Yang Ruqin couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing.

    No, no, no, this must be a dream! Harshly pinching herself, she thought maybe she had fallen asleep in the car and this was just a vivid dream!

    But even after giving herself painful pinches, she didn¡¯t wake up. Yang Ruqin breathed out in shock, not able to believe the sight before her.

    H-how was this possible?!

    Her brother and her Feifei together? What alternate universe has she stumbled upon?

    ¡¯B-b-but I thought Feng-ge hated Feifei?¡¯ She was so confused at this sudden turn of events, she nearly stumbled over the furniture.

    Not believing what she was seeing, Yang Ruqin looked around the room for any signs of what happened before she got here.

    She breathed out a sigh of relief upon seeing that aside from the suit jacket and his tie, there were no other items of clothing on the floor.

    Wait, they didn¡¯t have sex? Why were they snuggled together so tightly in her bed then?

    Is it a one night stand or a romantic rtionship?

    Her head was spinning with all of these questions.

    Walking closer to the sleeping couple, a part of her was very conflicted.

    When she thought about what type of man her Feifei would end up with, she never expected it to be Yang Feng.

    She loved her brother dearly, almost as much as she loves Feifei, but this pairing...It was not something she would havee up with.

    Biting her bottom lip, she didn¡¯t know what to do.

    To Ruqin, Zhao Lifei deserved the best in the world. While Yang Feng deserves the same, she can¡¯t help but be more biased towards her Feifei. Because her brother was terrifyingly powerful and wealthy, she was scared for Feifei.

    Yang Feng¡¯s dealings in the underworld and ruthless decisions as a CEO had gotten him into a lot of hit lists. He had many enemies, all of them would love to find a weakness to exploit.

    She knew from the bottom of her heart that if they were truly in a romantic rtionship, Zhao Lifei would surely be used against him.

    There had been too many attempts on her life during her time as the future Madam Zheng. And Yang Feng ranked way higher than Zheng Tianyi, which meant this time, the assassins would be of higher quality. Moreover, the price on her head would be higher as well...

    The image of her tied up, beaten, bruised, and tortured was painful for Yang Ruqin to even think about. Her Feifei shouldn¡¯t go through any more suffering in this lifetime or the next! Not after what Zheng Tianyi did to her heart...

    "Oh Feifei, what type of mess have you gotten yourself entangled into..." Yang Ruqin painfully said, reaching out to stroke Zhao Lifei¡¯s hair, but a hand reached out at terrifying speed to roughly seize hers.

 Chapter 65: Are You Threatening Me?

    "Who dares-" Yang Feng¡¯s frightening growl instantly subdued upon seeing that it was just his younger sister.

    Yang Ruqin was shocked to see his blood-freezing re directed towards her. Like a brutal storm filled with crackling thunder, his eyes were a terrifying sight to witness. It had a murderous edge to it, promising torture and agonizing death.

    She had never seen him like this. While he often liked to scold her and Yulong, she had still always felt doted on by both her brothers. But still, Yang Feng had always been aloof with everyone, seeing him possessive beyond words was surprising.

    With one arm securely wrapped around Zhao Lifei, pressing her body and face to his muscr chest, and his face pulled into a dark scowl, he was a very scary sight to witness. It seemed like he was protecting the woman in his arms from a predator.

    "Feng-ge, let me go." She eyed his tight grip that was beginning to bruise her wrist.

    He immediately released her hand and pulled it back.

    "Sorry." He sighed, running a tired hand through his hair. He had woken up right when Yang Ruqin walked into the room but kept his eyes closed. He didn¡¯t know who was in the room but had felt a presence, therefore, his first instinct was to protect Zhao Lifei.

    "Ruqin, you shouldn¡¯t sneak up on people." He scolded her while shifting into a morefortable position on the bed. His arm was sore and he could barely feel it from an entire night of holding Zhao Lifei close to him.

    She was able to sleep through the shift in position and the earliermotion, for her eyes were shut tight and her breath was stilling out steadily.

    At the sight of her sleeping face, his face softened and warmed up. He didn¡¯t want to disturb her sleep or make her posture ufortable, but he knew he needed to deal with his meddlesome sister.

    He gently rolled her upper body off his chest and ced her head onto the pillow. The way he adjusted her body was like a jewelry craftsman dealing with his most precious diamond.

    After making sure she wasfortable, he leaned on the headboard. With one arm still wrapped around her,fortably patting her back, he pulled the nket up to her chin.

    For the third time today, Yang Ruqin felt her jaw drop to the floor. Her brother, known for never caring about women, was actually being nice to one!

    No wait, it was more than nice ¡ª he was incredibly doting and pampering! Since when was her Feng-ge like this?

    She didn¡¯t think he was the type of man to shower his lover with adoration! He didn¡¯t even treat her, his younger sister, with the type of love he was treating Feifei!

    She pouted, ¡¯That¡¯s so unfair.¡¯ She thought to herself.

    "What are you looking at?" He sniped, ring at her when she stared at them for too long.

    Yang Ruqin narrowed her eyes at his attitude. She ced her hands on her hips, ring at him. "Don¡¯t talk to me like that!"

    "Or else what?" He rolled his eyes at how childish she was acting.

    From beside his legs, Zhao Lifei let out a small noise, her eyebrows slightlying together to form a crease on her forehead.

    Yang Feng¡¯s gaze darkened. "Keep your voice down. She¡¯s still sleeping." He hissed at Ruqin.

    His harsh tone didn¡¯t match his actions. He was still adoringly running his hand on Zhao Lifei¡¯s back, in hopes offorting her back to sleep.

    Yang Ruqin stood there, opening and closing her mouth like a fish. She couldn¡¯t believe his behavior. He was such a pampering boyfriend.

    What the hell?

    "Listen here-"

    "Raise your voice again and I¡¯ll send you back to the main mansion for another lecture." Yang Feng¡¯s lips became a thin line.

    Yang Ruqin felt her entire body itch with annoyance. She red at him butplied by whispering instead.

    "If you bully me, I¡¯llin to Feifei." She childishly said, crossing her arms like a brat spoiled by her mother. In this case, her Feifei was the mother who¡¯d go beyond expectations to protect her.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes narrowed onto his annoying little sister. "Are you threatening me?"

    "Hmph! Maybe I am!" She said, grabbing her phone and subtly started voice recording.

    Yang Feng was quick to pick up what she was trying to do.

    "Don¡¯t test me, Ruqin." His re was hair-raising scary and Yang Ruqin felt a chill pass through her.

    It was as if she opened a window to Antarctica, because the temperature around them dropped to sub-zero, despite the fact that the heaters were turned on.

    Not liking his tone, Ruqin¡¯s finger pressed on her phone¡¯s screen a few more times. Yang Feng eyed her, unsure of what she was going to do.

    Without warning, a loud ring noise yed, immediately shaking Zhao Lifei out of her sleep. In just a second, she had pulled on an inconspicuouspartment within the headboard to wield out a pistol.

    Everyone was startled when she suddenly lifted the ck Glock,pletely taking everyone by surprise.

    For someone who was still sleeping less than a minute ago, the dangerous glint in her eyes and the ready intent to kill was a p of reality for Yang Ruqin and an rming sight for Yang Feng.

    Both Yang siblings were beyond shocked at the weapon in her hands.

    Zhao Lifei blinked in surprise when she saw she wasn¡¯t in any danger.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s phone slipped out of her hand in shock, tumbling onto the floor.

    "O-oh, good morning." Zhao Lifei hesitantly said, cing the gun down and climbing out of the bed to turn off Ruqin¡¯s phone. The constant noise was beginning to give her a headache.

    "Uhm, Feifei, why do you have a gun?" Yang Ruqin eyed the meticulously cleaned weapon.

    Zhao Lifei tried to y it off with a smile. "It¡¯s not real. It¡¯s a prop." She pressed her hand on the trigger but the gun only made a clicking noise.

    "See? It¡¯s harmless." She tantly lied to Yang Ruqin. In order to use it, she would have to unlock the trigger guard. Luckily, Yang Ruqin didn¡¯t know a lot about guns, so she easily fell for the lie.

    "Really? Can I see it?" Yang Ruqin curiously asked, reaching out for the gun.

    Zhao Lifei shook her head with a teasing smile. "Everything bes a weapon for you, Qinqin. Remember thest time you used a toothbrush as a weapon?" Sheughed, expertly guiding Qinqin¡¯s mind to something else.

    "It was one time!" Yang Ruqin cried out,pletely embarrassed.

    "One time is too many." Zhao Lifei snorted, rolling her eyes while walking back towards her bed and opening the bedside drawer to ce the gun inside.

    "But-"

    "Actually, it¡¯s not even one time. It was at least two."

    "No it wasn¡¯t!"

    "The first time was with a toothbrush, the second was with a carrot. I will never forget the time you were able to beat a man with a carrot. Who does that?" Zhao Lifei added, chuckling at the memory of a man brutally smacked with a carrot.

    She doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s the ruthless underworld blood running in her veins, but her Qinqin really had a knack for hurting people with random objects.

    "In my defense, the carrot was freshly harvested and very hard!" Yang Ruqin pouted because she couldn¡¯t find a good way to defend herself.

    "Sure it was." Zhao Lifei chuckled, patting Qinqin on the head. After the mood went back to normal, Zhao Lifei finally felt the pressing eyes boring a hole through her head.

    She gulped, knowing exactly who it was. Zhao Lifei might¡¯ve been able to fool her naive Qinqin, but she knew she would never be able to fool Yang Feng who tantly knew the gun was real and very dangerous.

 Chapter 66: Someone Would Get Hurt

    Zhao Lifei turned around and was surprised to see the anger in his eyes. It burned like a me, one that she didn¡¯t shy away from. He looked as if he wanted to interrogate her there and then on how and why she owned a gun. But who was he to care whether she had one or not? She knew he owned the XIX pistol, which was quite unheard of within the country.

    She was the first to break their staringpetition and when she did, she noticed something odd. He was sitting on her bed, his suit jacket and tie gone while his crinkled shirt was half open, revealing part of his muscr chest. His legs were still tucked into the same nket she had previously been wrapped with.

    "What are you doing in my bed?" She frowned, subconsciously ncing down to make sure her undergarments were still intact. She was terrified that something might have happened while she was inebriated.

    "I¡¯m tidying up the nkets." He lied, grabbing the ends and performing a horrible attempt at folding it.

    Zhao Lifei narrowed her eyes, using him. "Why would you need to be sitting on the bed to fold the nket?" She crossed her arms while she red at him. She faintly remembered their phone call, her being drunk out of her mind, and him showing up to her doorstep. Whatever happened after the door opened, she couldn¡¯t remember...

    "Everyone has their own method of tidying the nket. Don¡¯t judge mine." Yang Feng shamelessly said, despite the fact that he obviously has never folded anything before.

    "If you¡¯re going to lie, at least pick a better one." She scowled, debating the idea of calling security. But a big part of her didn¡¯t want him to leave.

    Zhao Lifei had noticed that during their frequent encounters, her heart would instantly calm and a feeling of security would wash over her the moment she senses his presence. Even Zheng Tianyi was not able to evoke the feeling of having someone to rely on when the world bes too hard to handle.

    The way her heart stirs whenever their eyes meet had started to terrify her. She had a gut feeling that if she lets herself give in, she would fall for him at an rming rate. Lifei was scared of falling in love again, she knew that she wasn¡¯t emotionally stable yet and another heartbreak mightpletely ruin her.

    Despite that, she couldn¡¯t bring it in herself to push him away. She pressed her lips together, eyes shing with uncertainty.

    "It¡¯s the truth, you just overthink too much." He refused to back down and ced the sloppily folded nket onto the corner of her bed.

    Zhao Lifei let out a heavy sigh. It didn¡¯t seem this shameless man would relent to his horrible excuses, so she decided to ignore it. Besides, it¡¯s not like this is the first time they have slept in the same room.

    Her privacy was obviously breached, but she knew he was a trustworthy man. He hadn¡¯t done anything to her every single time she was unconscious and she didn¡¯t think he would start anytime soon.

    She just found it confusing that he would stay in the same bed as her until she realized that she also found herself in his bed the night before. She had always kept the guest bedroom locked so he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep there, but why didn¡¯t he just leave after tucking her in? However, it doesn¡¯t matter now since she had obviously slept well.

    "Why would you fold the nket?" She mused, walking towards the now oddly shaped nket.

    Yang Feng blinked, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. "Why not?" He asked her, though it was a bit embarrassing to see such a capable man not even able to do something as simple as folding nkets.

    "Because I will need to use itter tonight." She rolled her eyes, opening it andying it t onto the bed. She fixed the edges so that her bed was more presentable.

    Turning towards Ruqin, she noticed how oddly quiet the girl had be. It was nearly impossible for her not to start rambling because she was typically energetic and filled with things to say and talk about.

    "What is it?" Lifei asked while she arranged the pillows.

    Yang Ruqin was at a loss for words with how her brother was acting. He was never this...well-behaved. No, that wasn¡¯t the word for it. He was always the domineering type, forcing people to cater to his every whim.

    Above all, he would never show people an ounce of kindness. Even as he doted on her in his own way, it was far from how he was pampering her Feifei. Since when was her brother capable of such tender eyes and actions? It was hard to believe he was the same man from a month ago...

    When she made eye contact with Yang Feng, he sends her a warning look. She pressed her lips together in annoyance at his threatening eyes, but in the end, she waspletely defenseless against him.

    Not wanting to put her Feifei into an awkward predicament, she decided to change the topic. "Nothing, I¡¯m just thinking what I forgot, hmm..." She pressed a finger to her chin and suddenly a light bulb went off.

    "Oh my goodness, I just remembered why I came here! I got you souvenirs from when I went out of the country. Hold up, let me grab it." Yang Ruqin hurriedly left the room, eager to be away from her older brother.

    She didn¡¯t like the way he always roughly talked to her, unlike how he treated Feifei...Maybe, just maybe, if the two got together, she could secretlyin to her Feifei and then she can straighten out her brother!

    Yang Ruqin felt like patting herself in the back foring up with such a good n. But then she paused upon thinking of the consequences.

    She knew her brother was a very dangerous man. His head was worth billions and anything that revealed his weakness would be worth just as much. Being a tyrant, it was no surprise there were so many people after him.

    The crimes he hadmitted, the legacies he had destroyed, and the territories he had seized, ensured that everyone in both the underworld and the business world knew how to fear him. Any opportunity to get rid of the Yang family¡¯s influence would benefit a lot of people.

    Her eyes filled with worry when the same image of Zhao Lifei being kidnapped and tortured for information shed in her mind once again. If Zhao Lifei is submerged into the world of darkness, would she drown? She knew how strong she was, but her Feifei doesn¡¯t deserve that at all.

    She nced back into the room. There, she saw a carefree Yang Feng who was teasing her Feifei. Despite the fact that Lifei seemed to always argue against him, he seemed very happy and content with her.

    Yang Ruqin felt her heart torn in conflict. On one hand, she wanted Zhao Lifei to be happy with her brother. And it seems that her brother had truly fallen for her. It was so hard to see him genuinely smile without revealing any trace of malice. He was rarely in a good mood and his idea of happiness was nonexistent. She loved both of them very dearly, but knew in the end, someone would get hurt and above all, she didn¡¯t want it to be her Feifei...

 Chapter 67: A Sense of Familiarity

    Suddenly, a sound so familiar, yet so painfully new was heard. It was throaty, warm, and filled with life.

    Startled at the sound, Yang Ruqin was quickly pulled back from her thoughts in shock. She thought her ears were ying tricks on her when she heard the sound of hisughter. It wasn¡¯t the taunting and cold one he uses on his enemy, it was a genuine one ¡ª a sound she hadn¡¯t heard in a very long time.

    Thest time she heard it was right before he left to attend some prestigious school overseas. As a matter of fact, thest time she heard such a sound was right before he boarded the airne and Feifei was a sobbing mess. He hadughed at how foolish she looked, but he ended upforting her and it was the first time he publically showed affection for the child.

    Yang Ruqin wanted to know if the sound she heard was real or not, so she took a few steps back to peer into Feifei¡¯s room.

    Standing in the room, Yang Feng hadughed at something Zhao Lifei said or did. She was smiling,pletely unaware of the astonished eyes staring at them. She was so oblivious to the fact that he only seemed to smile andugh around her. From her point of view, this was how carefree Yang Feng had always been around her.

    Yang Ruqin felt the struggle in her mind settle down. Maybe, just maybe, having those two together wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea...Her Feifei had not been this happy in a very long time, even while she was engaged to that scum of a person. The smile she had on her face wasn¡¯t the insincere and feigned smile that Ruqin couldn¡¯t properly decipher to be real or not at times.

    Breathing in deeply, she decided to support them on when they finally decide to make it official...

    - - - - -

    "You brought me the limited edition rice cakes from Hedong? Thank you, Qinqin!" Zhao Lifei squealed in glee at the gift box in her hand, pulling Yang Ruqin into a tight hug.

    "And you say I¡¯m a glutton." Yang Ruqin giggled at Lifei¡¯s bright excitement that resembled a child opening her Christmas gift. The gift box wasn¡¯t that expensive, but it was the thought that counted. It was very rare for a person to get their hands on these rice cakes because the store only made ten boxes per day. It would take a very long time just to reserve a spot. Despite its rarity, it wasn¡¯t very expensive and was actually moderately priced.

    Yang Feng sat at the couch, eyeing the box in confusion. He had given her priceless gifts, each worth millions and something that the average people could never dream of seeing or touching. Jewels, essories, a limited edition purse, and even a luxurious penthouse, yet this woman became ecstatic at a gift that anyone could buy?

    He blinked at her strange behavior. It was just...food. What was so special about it for her to be so excited?

    He felt bitter at the fact that his little sister was getting so much attention and praise for a simple gift while he racked his head for something to give her. Yet, here she was, smiling and squealing over a simple box of rice cakes.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes narrowed onto the store name branded onto the box and picked up his phone to text Chen Gaonan. She wanted rice cakes? He¡¯ll buy out the entire store!

    His eyes shed with a mischievous glint as he had just found a winning present for their ongoing gift war. She better smile and tightly hug him just like she did with his sister!

    He didn¡¯t know why the rice cakes held so much significance in her heart, but he was willing to go above and beyond expectations just to make her happy. It was just rice cakes, but this astute businesswoman acted as if she was rewarded with the majority of thepany shares.

    ¡¯This girl is really weird...¡¯ He thought to himself when he took into ount her bright eyes as she opened more boxes. His eyes widened a bit when he saw it was all food? He quickly scanned over the boxes and once again, neither of them looked expensive or hand-crafted by a professional Michelin-star pastry chef!

    Was this what it took to win her over? Food?!

    He couldn¡¯t believe the sight before him. Never in a millennium would he have thought that someone who used to rule the socialite circle, the woman who had hundreds of heiresses at her beck and call, and Zhao Corporation¡¯s hidden weapon would be so happy over low-priced gifts.

    It seemed he really didn¡¯t know anything about a woman. The way to her heart wasn¡¯t money, it was food!

    Yang Feng was originally upset with Yang Ruqin¡¯s presence, but seeing that she was able to make Zhao Lifei so happy, he could forgive her for disturbing the best sleep he has ever had. Yesterday, she seemed so upset and heart-wrenchingly broken that it made his chest swell with pain. He was d to see she had returned back to normal.

 Chapter 68: Force Her to Remember

    "Hey hey, you have to share! Don¡¯t be stingy and hog all of the food. I brought you a lot of boxes, the least you can do is share a piece with me!" Yang Ruqin huffed when Zhao Lifei held the box away from her, hugging it to her body like it was a precious baby.

    "Oh please, we all know one piece will be two, and then the entire box will be gone! You¡¯re a supermodel, think of your figure!" Zhao Lifei teased just when Yang Ruqin attempted to pounce at her for the delectable pastry. Upon seeing the pout from her Qinqin, sheughed and ced the box in front of her.

    She shook her head when Ruqin proved her right by taking two more pieces out of the box, eating it two at a time and nearly choking because it was so sticky in her throat. She opened her mouth to speak but immediately closed it when she saw her older brother giving her a warning re.

    Yang Ruqin rolled her eyes at him. He was always worried about her public image due to her job, but even so, he always did as he pleased without caring about his public image! Sheined in her head about how much of a hypocrite he was. Just because he was born four years ahead of her, he always scolded her like he was the parent instead of the brother!

    After swallowing the food, she finally spoke up. "I¡¯m a natural in losing weight, just a few more pieces wouldn¡¯t hurt!" Yang Ruqin protested, reaching over and seizing a few more, stuffing it into her mouth before Feifei could hunt her down.

    "Alright, alright. But if your manageres to me for your weight gain, I¡¯m ming it on you." Zhao Lifei stuck out her tongue, knowing very well that Yang Ruqin¡¯s manager was very strict over her diet because Qinqin always ate more food than her stomach could hold.

    She grabbed a rice cake and bit into it, marveling at the way it melted in her mouth. The rice cake was slightly sweet, but the red bean in the middle gave it the perfect amount of sweetness. It was slightly creamy and sticky, which made her think back to a childhood memory of an unknown boy handing her a rice cake.

    Yang Feng couldn¡¯t help but be amused by the banter before him. Who knew these two incredibly wealthy women with their skinny figures would be so stingy when ites to food and snacks?

    Was this what their friendship was built upon? Being petty and childish gluttons?

    After finishing an entire box of sweets and a hearty breakfast, Yang Ruqin had to leave for another photo shoot again. But before her departure, she set up a date when she could sleep over at her Feifei¡¯s home in order to catch up on the things she missed while being out of the city.

    Now that she had made the decision to support their rtionship, she had turned giddy at the thought of finding out how her best friend had managed to get her Demon King of a brother into her bed.

    When Zhao Lifei bid Ruqin goodbye, she knew it was time to face the elephant in the room. She could practically feel Yang Feng¡¯s curious stare creating a hole in her soul. He had been studying her so intently from the moment she woke up that she wondered if he could read her mind at this point.

    Closing the door, she was reluctant to turn around and face the intimidating man sitting on her couch. Even now as she stood facing her door, she knew he was still looking at her.

    Yang Feng was the first to speak up. "Don¡¯t try to dy this conversation." His voice wasn¡¯t the one she had gotten ustomed to. It wasn¡¯t overly warm or weing, instead, it sounded remote and indifferent. It was ice cold as if he was doing a business transaction or dealing with his subordinates.

    For some reason, she disliked the way he spoke to her. But why did this voice sound so familiar? Why did she feel like she¡¯s experiencing a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu [1] and that once upon a time, he used to speak to her in such a detached and unsympathetic voice?

    She remembered their conversation in the hospital. His voice there was filled with annoyance, but it had been tinged with worry and care. Even at the banquet, when she brought up Yang Yulong, there wasn¡¯t this sense of aloofness in his tone.

    Blinking slowly, she felt a tug at her heart. She never realized it until now, but something about him brought back a sense of familiarity. It was as if her mind wanted to reminisce but the memory she wanted to pull out was kept out of her grasp. But what was it? What was her brain trying to force her to remember?

    When she tried to think about what it was, her heart began to pound in pain as it always would. It felt as if her own memories were locked away from her, by something or someone...And she couldn¡¯t figure out why it was hidden away from her.

 Chapter 69: Take A Picture, Itll Last Longer

    "Standing by the door does not dy this conversation." Yang Feng spoke up upon noticing she was rooted to the ground. She had not moved an inch within the past few seconds. He wondered if something was amiss?

    "Really? I was hoping an hour would¡¯ve passed in the time I stood here and for you to finally realize you have overextended your wee." Zhao Lifei replied, turning around and crossing her arms. She frowned at his confident posture. He leaned and sat in her couch like she was the guest and he was the owner of this condo.

    With one leg crossed over the other, an arm slung on the couch, and the other resting on his thigh, it was hard to deny his charisma. The couch was wide, yet his presence upied the entire couch. Added with the morning light from the gleaming windows, he seemed to glow like a magnificent Emperor seated upon his throne.

    Did he have to look so clean-cut and suave? No one would even think that he¡¯s the ruthless king of the underworld. She hated how he seemed so photogenic from every angle without even trying. Anything and everything he did made him look incredibly graceful. The Yang genes truly held wonders.

    "Haha, very funny." He dryly replied, nearly rolling his eyes at how she was behaving. He knew she was clearly attempting to stall for time.

    "Thank you, I find myself very funny as well." She snorted, replying to his mocking remark with one of her own.

    The edge of his lips twitched in amusement. She just wouldn¡¯t back down from a fight, would she? Her stubbornness had no limits. She knew of the fact that he could easily pummel a woman like her. Yet, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to ruin her.

    The idea of harming something so delightful and refreshingly different scared him, but what scared him even more, was his realization that he was surprisingly very attached to this small woman.

    The attachment he had felt towards her had gone beyond his initial curiosity. Now, he had found himself constantly yearning for her presence and acknowledgment.

    While it was terrifying to feel this way, he epted the emotions that were running through him wholeheartedly. If there was any woman who was worthy of his feelings, it was this stubborn woman in front of him. Yet, the woman in question didn¡¯t seem to realize her feelings for him.

    He stared at her and wondered where she even got her haughty confidence from. It was impressive how well she hid her overbearing attitude. And yet it seems that she always failed in hiding it from him though and for some odd reason, he liked it. This was a side she would only show to him...

    Staring at her current stance was like looking at a tigress baring its fangs and raising its front paws to strike. Regardless if the person in front of her was a dragon, she would still unhesitatingly strike. That was how daringly bold she is.

    In the past, he would never tolerate disrespect in spite of whoever it came from. Regardless of her influential background, getting rid of someone like her was very easy. If Yang Feng decided to set his thirst for blood into action, no one could stop him. Not even the Head of the Yang family, his grandfather, could do so.

    But when it came to her, every part of him screamed to never hurt her. Instead, all he wanted to do was treasure her as if every inch of her was worth billions. Such a brilliant and precious woman such as herself should be handled with care ¡ª something that has never happened to her before.

    She noticed how long he was looking at her for. "Take a picture, it¡¯llst longer." She repeated the same words he had once thrown her in the hospital room.

    At her words, Yang Feng couldn¡¯t restrain his half-smile anymore. Every time he thought he had her figured out, she would always throw in something new to amuse him.

    "Well then, if you don¡¯t mind me, I will." Within the blink of an eye, he had taken out his phone and took a picture.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s smirk slipped as she gasped, running to him in an attempt to take his phone, but it was toote as he had already ced it back into his pocket.

    "You can¡¯t do that-"

    "Well, you already gave me permission, so I definitely can." Yang Feng chuckled at her hands which reached for his pocket while he easily blocked off her attempts.

    "You, you-"

    "Incredibly handsome man." He finished the sentence for her, his eyes glimmering with amusement.

    Did she not realize the intimacy of their position? She had one knee on the couch and with how stubbornly she was reaching for him, she had forgotten about her loose top and her cleavage was slightly revealed. He had felt his body heat up at the sight and he had to control the urge to yank her down while she was defenseless and wrap his arms around her.

    "Handsome? Oh please, I¡¯ve seen a dog that looked better than you!" She snorted, tantly spitting out lies despite the fact that every fiber in her body thought he was gorgeous beyond words.

    Instead of getting offended at the simple insult, Yang Feng chuckled and decided to y rough with her. She gasped when he suddenly reached out to pull the hand she had been using with her attempt to get his phone. He did it with enough force and fluidity that she easily toppled over. The other leg gave in, and her other knee fell onto the couch that she ended up straddling him.

 Chapter 70: Coal From Diamond

    Zhao Lifei suddenly felt breathless as she looked down at him. The expression in his eyes resemble the fiery depths of hell, passionately sinful and filled with forbidden desire. His lips tugged upwards into a mischievous smirk with how intently he was looking at her.

    She felt a burning sensation of desire beginning to bloom deep within her. Her cheeks were slightly flushed with how deep his stare was. He looked at her, a heated expression on his face as he reached up to cup one side of her cheek.

    Yang Feng momentarily lost his focus. He was so enchanted by her, he couldn¡¯t think properly for a few seconds.

    Her long hair fell around both of them like curtains, the smell she exuded was so intoxicating to him, he nearly lost hisposure. Her startled expression, slightly parted lips, and the fact that she is now sitting on a delicate area of his body forced him to restrain himself, or else he might really lose to his primal urges.

    He was supposed to be seducing her, not the other way around! And she wasn¡¯t even trying to seduce him!

    He dryly thought that if she actually tried to seduce him, she wouldn¡¯t even have to exert a lot of effort. Her allure was simply too hard to ignore.

    He wondered if Zheng Tianyi was a true fool to have thrown her away for a simplemoner that happened to spill scalding hot coffee onto him. Seriously, who was that dumb to fall for someone so ipetent and talentless?

    "My dear, you¡¯re drooling." He taunted her, using his thumb to close her soft, parted lips. It was distracting as thoughts of how that lips would feel against his shed in his mind. It was so soft beneath his rough finger, he thought he was touching a freshly bloomed flower petal.

    Unconsciously, she touched the corner of her lips and suppressed the urge to hit him. "Will you stop telling me I am drooling when I am not?!!" She seethed, ring down at him.

    Heughed, his chest rumbling with each beat. "Well, if you stopped looking at me like a fat kid eyeing a piece of cake, I would stop." He mused, brushing a few strands of her hair behind her ear to reveal more of her face.

    A fondness passed by him at the smooth action and how she slightly leaned closer to him. He felt as if it was d¨¦j¨¤ vu, because once upon a time when they were simply children, he had done the same thing to her numerous times.

    When they were children, she stubbornly chased after him with her stubby and short little legs that could never catch up to him. Even when she would trip and scrape her knee, she would still quickly stand up to continue running after him.

    While he refused to talk, she was content to sit there beside him and drink tea together. He remembered she would always arrive at the Yang Main Mansion properly dressed to perfection but would step out of it a dirty and sweaty mess from an entire day of chasing after him.

    In the end, he finally relented to her and began to walk slower so that she was able to match his pace. Though he first took baby steps so that she wouldn¡¯t notice it and jump to any foolish conclusions.

    It did not take long for him to start expecting her regr visits to the Yang mansion where she would leave Yang Ruqin to spend time with him.

    He couldn¡¯t help but feel amused by how the tables had turned.

    The feeling of mirth died down when he suddenly remembered how fast she moved on from him. He had stayed overseas for less than three years and her childhood infatuation with him had transferred to someone else.

    Zheng Tianyi.

    That name brought a rolling wave of animosity within him, causing his eyes to identally darken in anger. In the three years they were apart, he had thought about her a lot.

    Even though he was cold to her, she still diligently clung to him. He had refused to ask about her while he was gone, knowing how his mother would probably meddle and arrange something like a child betrothal if he shows any semnce of interest.

    Yet, when he came back and decided to reciprocate her crush, he found out that she had already slipped through his fingers. She had fallen right into the hands of a man who couldn¡¯t differentiate a piece of coal from a diamond.

    He thought it was strange that aftering back, she had seen him as a stranger and reverted to a lifeless shell.

    She didn¡¯t visit the mansion anymore in her childhood and had opted to meet his younger sister elsewhere. The moment he got on that ne to leave, all contact between them had ceased until that fateful day in the hospital.

    It seems she had easily forgotten him as if he was dust blown away by the smallest breath of wind. He would never forget her detached gaze that looked right past him as if she had never met him in her life before. It was quite odd...

    "A penny for your thoughts?" She teased, tilting her head to look down at his dazed expression. She didn¡¯t think a man had ever looked at her like that ¡ª as if he had beenpletely allured by her. She thought it was only her who was mesmerized by him.

    When he didn¡¯t answer her, she reached out to pinch one side of his cheek. As expected, his skin was soft and perfect.

    "Hm?" He responded, moving one of his hands away from her cheek to grip her wrist, smiling up at her.

    "Do you realize our position?" He teased her, chuckling in amusement, his eyes dancing with a bright glimmer that only seemed to shine for her.

    "Huh?" She said, her head tilting down and her eyes grew wide in shock.

    Zhao Lifei finally became aware of their position. With one of his arms slithered around her waist, the other holding her wrist in ce, her disheveled top revealed a generous amount of skin. She was on top of him with her knees and his arms holding her up for support.

    Her cheeks became as red as a ripe tomato upon realizing how intimate their position was.

 Chapter 71: And If I Say No?

    Abruptly, she tried to yank back but was surprised by his strength. H-how was this possible? She used to train for a very long period of time to build stamina and muscle for fighting. She blinked at her loss of strength. Was it because she had stopped going to the gym for a while? Perhaps so, for she hasn¡¯t trained in a while due to her dislike towards the gym.

    She knew from Yang Feng¡¯s muscr build that he regrly works out, even now she can feel his muscr body against hers. Even so, she thought he should not easily be able to hold her in ce.

    She had ced all of her weight into that tug, but he didn¡¯t budge from his position. As a matter of fact, he was unfazed to the harsh force acting against him.

    His expression didn¡¯t change and he looked as if he didn¡¯t feel the sharp tug. She frowned at this and tried again to pull back. Once again, her attempts were futile.

    "Stop struggling." He told her, brushing back a few strands of her fringe. His grip was incredibly strong and surprisingly, it didn¡¯t hurt her.

    She wondered why it was like this. In the past, whenever Zheng Tianyi had any physical contact with her, he wouldn¡¯t use a lot of strength but she would always end up being hurt in some way.

    A small voice at the back of her mind proposed a foolish idea. ¡¯Maybe it¡¯s because Yang Feng actually treasures you and is sincerely interested in you, unlike Zheng Tianyi who doesn¡¯t care about you one bit.¡¯

    At the inviting thought, she immediately shook her head. Yang Feng treasured her? She can tell he was interested in her, but why would he treat her so gently as if she was his woman?

    "Let go of me." She told him.

    "And if I say no?" He teasingly asked, ying with her silky long hair.

    Her eyes narrowed, her knees inching closer to his treasured body part. "I¡¯ll make sure you won¡¯t be able to walk for days on end."

    Yang Fengughed at her tiny threat, pushing a few strands of hair behind her ear once again. Like it always does, her hair would skip from behind her ears.

    Suddenly and without warning, he yanked her down so that their lips were merely inches apart. Her eyes flickered with surprise, growing wide at their proximity.

    He brushed his warm and soft lips against her ears, the warm breath of air tickling her. "My dear, I have another idea of getting that result. Except, it will be you who can¡¯t walk--" Before he could even finish his sentence, she had mmed her forehead onto his.

    Immediately, he released her, grabbing his forehead in pain. She fell beside him on the couch, crying out in pain, as she clutched and grabbed her forehead. "Ow!" She groaned, despite the fact that she was the one who attacked him.

    "You can¡¯t say ¡¯ow¡¯ when you¡¯re the one who got yourself into the situation." He pettily said while rubbing his forehead.

    "Well, if you had released me and wasn¡¯t so adamant on being stubborn-"

    "Me, stubborn? Why, I believe that is your role in the rtionship."

    "My role in the rtionship?!" Her voice shrill at the end, ring at him for his usations.

    He chuckled at her expression, before pulling her closer and gently rubbing her forehead.

    He was pleased that she had not denied that they indeed had a rtionship. Although what that rtionship was is apletely different matter altogether.

    Despite the fact that his own head was hurting and she was the one who caused this upon the both of them, he still prioritized her first. "There, there." He softly said, using his thumb to rub it.

    Zhao Lifei felt a pleasant warmth spread throughout her chest at the way he was treating her. Her stomach fluttered at his actions, but she remained stubborn and continued to glower at him.

    She had kept her focus on how warm his hand is on her skin without realizing that once again, she had been pulled back into Yang Feng¡¯s arms.

    Upon looking at her scowl and the daggers shooting from her eyes, Yang Feng was once again reminded of a little kitty flexing her tiny ws. ¡¯How cute, she thinks she can do damage.¡¯

    In order to add fuel to her mes, he decided to speak up. "Once again, I would like to say you are incredibly stubborn and-" She suddenly decided mid-sentence to hit him with one of the pillows on the couch but with his incredibly fast reflexes, he dodged it.

    Heughed at her bad temperament. "Now now, that¡¯s not nice." He hummed, releasing her and allowing her to stand up.

    Zhao Lifei red at him as her blood began to boil at the sight of his amused face. She wished she could just wipe that smirk off of it!

    "Speaking of things that are not nice, your gun is one of them." He became serious now, the mirth no longer swirling within his dark eyes that always resembled a shallow pool of ink, tainting everything that it touched.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s anger drained from her body instantly. She bit her bottom lip and avoided his stare. Instead, she opted to re at the couch. All of a sudden, it looked like the most interesting thing in the world.

    "Why do you have one? You do know it¡¯s illegal to possess one." He watched her, wondering with each passing second how a woman like her was able to get her hand on something so dangerous and extremely regted by the government.

    He knew she had her connections, but one that would be able to provide her an unregistered gun even Chen Gaonan wasn¡¯t able to sniff out from all the investigation he had done, is worth pondering over.

    The security around guns was excruciatingly tight, making it hard even for established ck market operators to smuggle them into the country. On top of that, in order to get one that was untraceable, the person must have a connection to the military or underworld. And from what he knew, only Zhao Moyao was involved in anything that would have ess to a gun.

    If she was part of the underworld, he would¡¯ve known. There was no way a face and presence like hers would go by undetected. He thought back to the day of the banquet where she seemed well-educated over different types of guns and how she also had a small dagger in her possession at all times. He thought she was an expert in guns and knives, but never in a hundred years would he expect her to own one.

 Chapter 72: Grieving For Her Loss

    "The gun is for protection." She quietly said, hugging her stomach and continuing to avoid his pressuring gaze.

    "Protection? You can get arrested and go to jail if you¡¯re caught with it-"

    "I won¡¯t." She finally lifted her gaze to look at him. He was surprised to see the fierce determination within her eyes. It was clear she wasn¡¯t afraid of being caught.

    Yang Feng thought back to Zhao Moyao¡¯s military influences. That¡¯s right, she had the power of her grandfather backing her up. What was she scared of? But something felt off...she had wielded the gun as if she had used it before. The thirst for blood in her eyes, her lightning-quick speed, and theck of sympathy told him she wasn¡¯t afraid to kill or shoot people on the site.

    "Just who exactly are you?" The question came out before he could stop himself. It had confirmed his lingering suspicion that the background check Chen Gaonan did had barely scratched the surface.

    Chen Gaonan had always been able to not leave any stone unturned whenever he performed an investigation on someone. While he had been able to unearth rtively unknown facts about her such as her one year stint in Zheng Corps or the ways she had subdued other socialites to rule over them, there were still gaps in the report that they couldn¡¯t fill in.

    When he had Chen Gaonan check on the two years of her disappearance, nothing came up. Not a single detail or evidence was left behind. It was like she disappeared from the face of Earth, never to be found.

    "You already know the answer to that." She looked out the window and stared at the afternoon sky filled with fluffy clouds.

    He stared at her defensive position as she avoided his gaze by facing the window. Ever since he found her drunk and vulnerablest night, he saw her in a much better light. Instead of the confident and daring woman he was used to seeing, he saw something much more ¡ª a woman who hid her pain behind a dazzling smile and a strong facade. Her walls looked sturdy and high, but there were cracks that had been haphazardly filled in. Hidden underneath that smile was a girl grieving for her loss and her broken heart.

    "I know more than what others already know about you." He waited for a shift in emotion. He waited for her outburst that he had dug into her background without her permission. The clock ticked on the wall, seconds passed, and she remained quiet.

    He figured she wouldn¡¯t say anything without being triggered, so he thought of a pressing question. "Tell me what happened in the two years of your disappearance."

    Zhao Lifei turned to him, one hand grabbing her other elbow, as she stared at him.

    She instantly became guarded and her concrete walls became solid metal. Her eyes, once an open book to him, was cold and her emotions were suddenly hidden behind a mask. At her swiftness to do so, he knew it was a move she had mastered through the years.

    At the mention of her past, Yang Feng noticed how rigid she had be. He knew the two years was a very private matter, but curiosity got the best of him.

    Two years ago, when she was just twenty-one years old, she was notorious for her bad temper and thin patience.

    She was once the "future Madam Zheng", with a tongue as sharp as a knife, eyes as daunting as a predator, and words that seemed likew, she used to be the ¡¯Queen of the Socialites¡¯. She didn¡¯t need to resort to violence, her words were enough to bring someone down. She had earned herself an endless list of enemies who had eagerly awaited for her downfall.

    To her, everyone was a disposable pawn on her cruel chess board. No one dared to offend her.

    That is, until Zheng Tianyi turned the predator into the prey, and dered her powerless. Immediately, everyone including her family turned against her, ruining every part of her until she was nothing but the shell of the woman she used to be.

    Yang Feng felt more and more intrigued each time he looked at her. What was her redemption to these horrible sins she hasmitted? What influence was so strong and powerful enough to turn a powerful woman into the one she was today? Which version of her is the real Zhao Lifei?

    Pushed into a corner by her parents, ignored by her younger sister, loved by no one, and taught to be heartless, Yang Feng realized where her bad temperament stemmed from.

    She was just a desperate child seeking love and attention.

    She was the same child who had eagerly poured him tea and followed him around until she had gotten his quiet eptance. Even now, as she stood rooted in her spot with a faraway look in her eyes, she was still that little girl seeking shelter andfort within someone.

    Her heart was too wounded to ept the idea, but he knew better than anyone else, she just wanted someone to love her without restrictions or wanting something in return. Someone to love her for who she is and everything she brings with her -- her outstanding abilities, her cruel and vicious ways, and her horrible past.

    "I left the city to be a better person." She said after a while. Without waiting for his reply or reaction, she turned her back to him and walked to the kitchen to clean up the dishes from this morning.

    Because of his position on the couch, Yang Feng could see the perfect view of Zhao Lifei doing the dishes. He was surprised to see her personally clean the tes instead of cing them into the dishwasher. He knew she had one, every modern apartment does. So why wasn¡¯t she using hers?

    On top of that, she didn¡¯t seem bothered by the fact that her hand might be rough from doing so many chores. He realized that the report he had on her also mentions that there were no servants nor any cleaning service that had passed through her apartment door since she came back.

    Looking at her now, he couldn¡¯t help but think back to her words. Did she disappear for two years just to be a better person? Did she think he was stupid and ignorant?

    She was clearly hiding something, but he had no excuse to pressure her. In her eyes, their rtionship was only at the beginning stage. To her, he was nothing more than a simple acquaintance, and a friend if she was in a good mood.

    At the thought of her only seeing him as a friendlypanion who didn¡¯t have the privilege to go beyond simple hugs, his aura has turned chilly. His mood soured and the air around him suddenly mimicked the North Pole in the Arctic.

    He didn¡¯t want to just be her friend. He wanted so much more than that. When he found out that she had been betrothed, he forced his childhood crush to die. But it seems that the universe had other ns, and they were now back on track.

    Tapping his fingers onto the armrest beside him, one finger at a time, he thought about a n to win her over. This time, she¡¯s going to end up in his arms and he would never let her go.

 Chapter 73: Honorable Guest

    Zhao Lifei could feel his asional nces when she was washing the dishes. She knew what they were suggesting. The chemistry between them was hard to ignore, especially when he always looked at her with the warmest and adoring gaze. She wasn¡¯t oblivious to his endless pampering, but she was fearful of the idea of love. The first time she decided to give her heart to a man, he returned it to her broken and stomped into fine dust.

    Lost in her daydream, she didn¡¯t realize Yang Feng had gotten up from the couch to walk towards her.

    She stiffened when she felt his warm hand on her lower back.

    He was standing very close to her, to the point where she caught wafts of his intoxicating scent. Surprisingly, the familiar shower gel gave off theforting scent of freshly peeled tangerine tangled with a refreshing oceanic smell that she had gotten ustomed to.

    She gulped, trying her best to focus on the task at hand, despite the fact that her brain was beginning to be muddled by his scent and the warm hand on her back.

    "What are you doing afterward?" He asked her, deliberately initiating physical contact and leaning closer to her. He was pleased that she had made no effort to swat his hand away or distance herself from his touch. They had truly progressed more than he thought.

    "I¡¯m not sure yet." She answered him as she continued wiping the dishes dry, ignoring his intense stare and the hand on her lower back. She enjoyed hisforting touch.

    "Mm, then go somewhere with me." He smiled at her empty schedule.

    "Go somewhere? Where?" She curiously asked him, never once lifting her head to make eye contact. For an odd reason, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at him. She felt like she was back to her adolescence and was too shy to look at her crush.

    "Do you have a ce in mind?" He asked her, willing to take her as far as the ends of the Earth.

    Zhao Lifei tilted her head at his words, thinking to herself for a while. She thought about a ce she hadn¡¯t visited before.

    Was this a date? Is he asking her out? What kind of ce should she pick? She didn¡¯t want to go somewhere in and boring like a fancy restaurant. The movies didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea, but there wasn¡¯t anything avable that she was interested in seeing.

    "The amusement park...?" She suggested, not sure where her sudden desire came from. Her mind just drifted to that idea because she had never visited one before.

    It was a silly idea because many people would go to one when they were kids. But her childhood was marred by the indifference and hatred from her parents. On top of that, the endless training to be the perfect youngdy and a future matriarch left her little to no break time. The privilege to enjoy her childhood was not something she had.

    "The amusement park?" Yang Feng repeated, surprised at the idea.

    Speaking of the amusement park, he had also never been to one. In his childhood, he didn¡¯t have time to spend it on something as foolish as riding things that would give him an adrenaline rush.

    His schedule was always filled with private tutoring lessons, learning how to handle Yang Enterprise, apanying his grandfather to the underworld, and honing his "hobbies".

    He smiled at the unique idea. "Sure, let¡¯s go there." He pulled out his phone to text Chen Gaonan to clear his entire schedule for the rest of the day.

    Back in Yang Enterprise, Chen Gaonan was pacing back and forth outside of his boss¡¯s office, anxiously biting his nails as he awaited the arrival of his boss.

    CEO Yang had been extremelyte to the office two days in a row which was very much unlike him! His boss had always been punctual and always came to the office to spend most of his day buried in paperwork like a true workaholic. There were even times where Chen Gaonan had to drag his boss out of the office just so he could stop terrorizing the employees who were too scared to leave before he did!

    His phone notified him of an iing message and when he nced at the message, his eyebrows shot up and his eyes widened to a big fraction.

    Cancel the entire schedule for the day?! Was he crazy?!

    Today was a very important day where Zheng Tianyi woulde in person to negotiate about a proposal!

    Canceling a meeting with Zheng Corporation which was touted as one of the country¡¯s "Big Five"panies was hard as it was.

    Canceling a direct meeting with the CEO that made headlines for ushering his family¡¯s legacy within the past three years was nearly mission impossible!

    Chen Gaonan wondered if his boss ate the wrong medicine this morning. CEO Zheng was known for his atrocious temper, and while Yang Feng was one of the few people who can afford to offend him, Chen Gaonan did not want to be the one who tells the man that his meeting is canceled.

    Who knows, Zheng Tianyi might just shoot the messenger!

    "Boss, what the hell?!" Chen Gaonan frustratedly ranted, contemting whether he should call Yang Feng¡¯s personal driver or someone from his security detail to find out if something had happened to the boss for him to decide to skip work today. He walked towards his desk and picked up the contract and proposal n.

    From digging around Zhao Lifei¡¯s past as well as Xia Mengxi¡¯s, he knew that while CEO Zheng was pursuing his private secretary, it was the Zhao heiress that had been the brains behind the previous coboration between Zheng Corporation and Yang Enterprise.

    By working for Yang Feng, he was no stranger to business proposals and this one seemed almost ideal. It seems CEO Zheng can still push out business ideas without that woman.

    This time around, Zheng Corporation is proposing to open a resort in the undeveloped city of Nanjian in hopes of bringing tourism and revenue to the small, but flourishing city.

    Beneficial to both sides, it would bring in billions in revenue if the partnership went as nned. However, he thought it was odd that Zheng Corporation would approach Yang Enterprise instead of Zhao Corporation which was known for its enormous hotel empire.

    Just as Chen Gaonan lifted his phone to call his boss for confirmation, the tel on his desk buzzed. He pressed a button and a voice spoke through.

    "Mr. Chen, the honorable guest, CEO Zheng, has been sent into the private elevator. As we speak, he is on his way to our boss¡¯s office." The front desk receptionist said, her voice filled with worry. Being the person who first greeted everyone that entered the building, she was aware that her boss hasn¡¯t shown up yet!

    Chen Gaonan felt panic settle into him at how fast time was running out. But even with the pressure and stress weighing him down, he reminded himself to remain cool and level-headed.

    "Alright, I will escort him into the private waiting room and notify the boss." Chen Gaonan responded, quickly firing a text message to his Boss.

    [Chen Gaonan: Sir, with all due respect, please take into the ount that I would usually never go against your words. But I want to remind you, CEO Zheng has personallye to the office with regards to the proposal.]

    Chen Gaonan looked at his message and cringed. He didn¡¯t mean to sound so excruciatingly nagging, given the fact that he had known his boss since his high school years. But he was so terrified at the idea of going against Yang Feng¡¯s order, his panic had taken over him.

    [Yama King: Tell him to see me tomorrow. I¡¯m busy.]

    Seeing the text, Chen Gaonan nearly cried tears of blood. Busy? What could make him too busy to brush off another CEO they had a partnership with?!

    Zheng Tianyi, like many men of his title, was known to not restrain himself when ites to reprimanding an employee. It seems Chen Gaonan¡¯s luck had beenpromised as it just so happens, Chen Gaonan will be the first in line to receive his punishment!

 Chapter 74: Dont Jump To Conclusions

    Chen Gaonan furiously typed on his mobile phone but kept his anger reigned in. While he could be considered as one of Yang Feng¡¯s people, it would still not be beneficial to him to offend this Demon King in favor of someone like Zheng Tianyi.

    [Sir, CEO Zheng has already arrived and is waiting for you in the meeting room. It is toote to cancel it.]

    When Yang Feng¡¯s phone received another notification from his personal secretary, he looked at it and frowned.

    So what if he had already arrived? The scum could be standing in front of him and he wouldn¡¯t bat an eye while pushing him aside.

    After treating Zhao Lifei so badly and tantly iming credit for the sess of his business as if he was the true brains behind the amazing proposals, he still had the face to demand to see him? What a joke.

    [Yama King: I don¡¯t care.]

    Chen Gaonan felt his jaw nearly dropped to the floor as he angrily ran a hand through his hair. His boss had always been aggravating and demanding, but he was a workaholic who always prioritized work over anything. For such a man to suddenly change his attitude and work ethic, Chen Gaonan was clueless about what could have happened.

    Pressing his lips together, Chen Gaonan continued to pester his boss to arrive at the meeting. He knew it was a death wish to immediately go against his boss¡¯s words, but this proposal and meeting were really important to both parties.

    Meanwhile, Zhao Lifei had finished washing the dishes and noticed Yang Feng heavily invested in his phone. She curiously looked at the screen and faintly made out the contact to be Chen Gaonan, his private secretary.

    Her brow raised when she saw the secretary was pestering his boss to hurry up and show up at a meeting.

    Was he busy today? Then why did he readily ept the idea of going to an amusement park? She thought it was strange that he was willing to put aside a meeting just to hang out with her.

    "You should attend the meeting. We can go to the amusement park next time." She spoke up, giving his shoulder a pat before walking to the living room and tying her hair up.

    Yang Feng¡¯s head snapped to her so fast, he was surprised he didn¡¯t get whish from the lightning speed. His brows drew closer, forming creases on his forehead. She was fine that he would be canceling their ns for work? He didn¡¯t think she was THIS reasonable...

    Often, his mother and younger sister would be infuriated when he ced work over them. They reasoned that as important people in his life, he should carve out time away from work and spend time with them.

    The other women who had the audacity to think they held even a tiny bit of importance in his life just because they spent a night together thought the same. He felt no hesitation in quashing their foolish ideas for good.

    The realization that she didn¡¯t reason with the same belief made him unhappy. By not being angry, didn¡¯t that mean she didn¡¯t care about him and what was supposed to be their first date?

    He stared at her retreating back and frowned. Did she see it as a date? He hoped she did. But with her current reaction, he knew she thought of it as a friendly outing between friends.

    The thought soured his mood further.

    "You¡¯re fine with me just leaving?" He asked her, narrowing his eyes.

    Zhao Lifei turned around when she noticed the edge in his voice and the deadly aura chasing after her. She sighed at how easily angered he was.

    "Don¡¯t jump to conclusions so quickly. Overthinking is bad for you." She said while crossing her arms. A part of her wished she hadn¡¯t said that because overthinking practically ran in her blood, thus, making her sound hypocritical.

    "I wasn¡¯t." He stubbornly muttered, even though he did just that.

    "You¡¯re the CEO of yourpany, of course, they need you. It¡¯s unfair for me to ask you to take a day off so we could have fun when you already have a packed schedule." She reasonably said, surprising him with her independence yet again.

    She wasn¡¯t clingy with him like his mother, his younger sister, or the other women he knew in his life. Instead, she seemed very understanding that he had his responsibilities. On the other hand, he knew it was because she was afraid of being a nuisance.

    From his sources, he knew Zhao Lifei used to pester Zheng Tianyi about his work schedule ¡ª she wanted to make sure he was well taken care of by forcing him to leave the office to rest or to eat, and that they get to spend quality time together outside of work.

    With Zheng Tianyi¡¯ secret lover, quick temper, and proclivity for violence, he could only imagine what Zhao Lifei had endured.

    Yang Feng knew she didn¡¯t want the past to repeat itself.

    The idea that she believes that he would be of the same mold as Zheng Tianyi has further ruined his mood.

    Why can¡¯t she just voice out what she truly wanted? Does she not realize how pampering he was of her?

    He wanted her to cling to him and to be ¡¯unreasonable¡¯ by asking more of his time from him. If she wanted him to drop everything in his schedule and run off with her for a year-long vacation, he¡¯d do so in a heartbeat.

    But with her current state, he knew that would be an impossible dream. He found it hard to believe that such a wealthy heiress would have trouble telling people what she wanted.

    A woman like her should¡¯ve been heavily treasured and doted on by her family, but she was taught since birth that her parents didn¡¯t love her, so doing something like that would be hard for her.

    "Besides, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m your wife or girlfriend to even dare ask for your time." She added, clearly drawing a line between them. She looked away when she said it because every fiber of her body was screaming at her.

    Her heart yearned for him, her brain kept telling her that it was logical for her to be with him, but she was too terrified at the idea of being in love again.

    She had fallen helplessly in love once, and the brutal humiliation that resulted from that was enough to scar her for life.

    Anger washed over Yang Feng at her prickling words. He opened his mouth and was prepared to furiously scold her, but paused and breathed in deeply.

    Right now, their rtionship was too unstable for him to treat her harshly. If he unleashed his ruthless personality on her, she¡¯d flinch away from him and the walls around her would be higher than ever.

    If he was as foolish and domineering as he was with all other aspects of his life, they would be on their way to the marriage registration office whether she liked it or not!

    He wanted to tie her to him for the rest of their lives and make her live as Madam Yang. He could easily force her to his wishes, bending her to his will as he liked. He could force her to never distance herself from him and force her to ask things from him, but he didn¡¯t dare do that to her.

    Yang Feng was scared one wrong movement was enough to push her away, so he decided this time, he would y the push-and-pull game on her.

    "Fine. It¡¯s just as you say." He gritted his teeth, grabbed his jacket and put on his shoes to leave.

    Zhao Lifei was taken aback by his temper and frowned. Despite the fact that she knew she was in the wrong, she didn¡¯t think he would actually leave instead of confronting her. Her sudden anger and pettiness red from the fact that she saw Zheng Tianyi¡¯s name on the phone screen.

    Yang Feng knew Zheng Tianyi was her public enemy, yet he had a scheduled meeting with him?! Why would he side with her enemy? She scowled at the idea.

    Angrily, he mmed the door behind him, walking out without a second nce or word.

    "Hmph! Whatever, see if I care!" She stubbornly turned her head away from the door, crossing her arms and deciding to not think about him the entire time. She walked to her couch and mindlessly watched TV, then proceeded to lounge around her house in boredom.

 Chapter 75: Make A Mess

    After a few hours of doing nothing but wasting her time away, Zhao Lifei thought about what to do. Her schedule was practically free and she had nothing else nned for the night. Her Qinqin was out of town, and she earned enough without having to do so much work now.

    Suddenly, she thought back to the wine she had drunk the night before and decided to tell her grandfather before one of the people assigned to monitor her snitches on her.

    She also knew that the matter of her spending the night with Yang Feng for two consecutive nights would quickly reach her grandfather¡¯s ears.

    Picking up the phone, she called him and he answered on the second ring, which nearly made her chuckle.

    "That was quick, grandfather." She mused, referring to how fast he picked up the phone.

    "I just happened to be on my phone the same time you called me." He nonchntly said,pletely ignoring her teasing tone.

    Li Xuan who was also in the car raised a brow at his boss¡¯s words. On the phone? Yeah, right.

    Zhao Moyao was busy looking at his contracts to even think about lifting his phone. The only reason why he picked up at lightning speed was that he specifically programmed a different ring tone for Zhao Lifei.

    Sheughed at his words, a fond smile on her face. "Well, I hope I wasn¡¯t disturbing you?"

    Zhao Moyao tiredly said, "I was looking at a few contracts, so yes, you did disturb me."

    If it had been anyone else who wasn¡¯t used to his cold shoulder, like his other grandkids, they would¡¯ve felt insulted or hurt by his tant words. But Zhao Lifei who was used to his prickling tone shrugged it off and didn¡¯t feel offended by it.

    "I won¡¯t keep you for long, grandfather, don¡¯t worry. I just wanted to tell you something." She replied, nervously chewing on her bottom lip. She was anxious about his reaction to finding out she had given in to her desires and rpsed after being sober for a while.

    After two years of intensive therapy, she can now admit that she had been dependent on alcohol and antidepressants at a very young age. She mimicked her mother¡¯s unpleasant behaviors, started drinking and taking pills as young as sixteen.

    The pressure had taken a toll on her and she had found that drinking herself to oblivion numbed all her unpleasant feelings. Furthermore, her drunken state also ces her in a vulnerable position that her enemies can take advantage of.

    When she was drunk, she would ramble and reveal too much about herself which ced her in a bad predicament. For these very reason, Zhao Moyao specifically advised her to not drink for her health and also for her protection.

    "Hm, what is it?" He asked her, cing his pen down to focus solely on her.

    His granddaughter would often see him in person if she had something to say. However, since she had decided to tell him over the phone, he knew this was something big.

    If it was a small matter, she would have no problem talking to him in person. But if it was something bad, he knew she would rather not see the disappointment in his face when he finds out.

    "I-I drank wine." She spoke like a sullen child who was caught red-handed stealing from the cookie jar. Her voice grew tiny and wasced with guilt for breaking a promise.

    Zhao Moyao paused whatever he was doing and thought about his next approach.

    On one hand, he was angered that she had broken her promise. But on the other, he was d she told him personally ¡ª even if she knew that someone would eventually send a report.

    It meant at the least, she tried to keep her word and attempted to be honest with him which was his most favorable trait about a person.

    He pressed his lips together and thought about what to say. After a few seconds of thinking, he decided not to harshly scold her but questioned her further.

    "Why did you do it?" He asked, his voice neutral. It hid his emotions, which made Zhao Lifei feel as if she was a small child being interrogated by her parents.

    "I didn¡¯t mean to, but in my hazed state, I just grabbed whatever drink was in the fridge. And it just happened to be the wine." She said, her voice growing smaller and smaller with each word.

    The guilt was beginning to creep on her, nearly binding her tongue in ce. Even though he didn¡¯t sound disappointed in her, she couldn¡¯t help but doubt herself.

    Will she always disappoint the people who are important to her? Will she never be able to let go of her past tendencies?

    Zhao Moyao raised a brow upon hearing that. Hazed state? Did something happen to her?

    He turned towards Li Xuan and wrote down on a piece of paper to investigate what happened to herst night.

    Nodding at hismand, Li Xuan quickly grabbed his phone to call Sky Arc Complex and see if anyone visited her yesterday.

    "How much did you drink?" Zhao Moyao asked, unsure if he wants to find out the answer.

    "An entire bottle..." She trailed off, scared of what he would say.

    Zhao Moyao felt his lips tug down into a frown.

    An entire bottle? Of course, it was hard for her to not drink it all, she used to be an alcoholic. He had personally witnessed it himself.

    She was at a banquet and was drunk out of her mind, causing a hysterical scene. At the time, Zheng Tianyi had publicly announced Xia Mengxi to be the love of his life and that the bond between him and Lifei was nothing more than ink on paper.

    Heartbroken and thinking irrationally, she had told him she was willing to do anything to get him back. In a cruel trick against her, he had dared her to drink an entire bottle of wine on the spot if she wanted him to stay with her.

    Like an obedientpdog, she did as she was told. She had grabbed thergest bottle of wine and drank it within a matter of minutes, causing her to be so intoxicated, she could barely walk or speak properly.

    Seeing that his intention had been fulfilled, Zheng Tianyi then proceeded to walk out and she had stumbled over her feet in an attempt to run after him.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s carefully cultivated image within the socialite circle had been ruined the moment she made a mess out of herself by chasing after him. She had stumbled over her heels causing her to harshly fall onto the floor. On top of it, because she was such an emotional drunk, she had cried like a child. Mascara had ran down her face, her make up had melted off, and she was a mess.

    After a while, he spoke up again. "Will you do it again?" He asked her. He knew she could easily lie to him and say no, but he had enough trust in her to believe she wouldn¡¯t attempt to break another promise.

    "I can¡¯t say I never will. But I will try my hardest not to drink any alcohol unless I¡¯m under the supervision of someone I can trust." She truthfully said, not wanting to make another promise she couldn¡¯t uphold.

    At her words, Zhao Moyao felt his lips twitch. She didn¡¯t lie to him, nor did she promise him anything. That was what he expected of her. "Do you remember what you did when you were drunk?"

    Zhao Lifei paused at his words, thinking back to her hazy memories. She faintly remembered babbling to Yang Feng about her feelings and hisforting embrace.

    The words he had used to soothe her from her self-deprecating thoughts had been imprinted on her mind, despite her drunken state.

    Unfortunately, thinking about Yang Feng reminded her of what happened this morning which brought another rolling wave of guilt to settle into her.

    "Yang Feng stayed with me until I sobered up..." She mumbled, her voice as quiet as a mouse. She prayed he didn¡¯t hear her, but Zhao Moyao heard each syble clear as day.

    "You were with Yang Heng?" He was surprised to hear this news. He knew the man was clearly charmed by his granddaughter, and aside from the blind Zheng brat, who wouldn¡¯t be? My granddaughter is the best, any man would¡¯ve been either stupid or blind to not fall for her!

    "Sir, it¡¯s Yang Feng..." Li Xuan whispered to him, but Zhao Moyao waved his hand at him.

    Zhao Moyao held his phone away from his ear to reply to his secretary. "Whatever his name is, I don¡¯t care." With a loud "hmph!" Zhao Moyao turned away from his startled secretary.

    Whatever his name was? Yang Feng wasn¡¯t just a nobody! Li Xuan couldn¡¯t help but sigh at how stubborn his boss was. It was clear to him where Zhao Lifei got her stubborn behavior. Both of them were unrelenting and incredibly hard-headed, making them very difficult to deal with.

    "Yes, I was-"

    "Did he do something to you?" Zhao Moyao cut straight to the chase. He was one finger away from typing into his second phone to send the military after Yang Feng if he had taken advantage of his granddaughter in herpromised state.

    "No, I believe he didn¡¯t. Actually, I think he treated me really well-"

    "Oh, that¡¯s good." Zhao Moyao ced his second phone away, his mood brightening. He knew he was smart to trust Yang Feng.

    That boy might have a bad background and be involved with things that weren¡¯t exactly legal, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t raised right. As long as he makes sure to treat Lifei with the respect she deserves, then they won¡¯t have any problem.

    She blinked at the sudden shift of her grandfather¡¯s tone. He didn¡¯t seem to be angry anymore, and if her intuition was correct, he seemed happy...?

 Chapter 76: Get Ready

    "Does that mean you¡¯re not mad at me, grandfather?" She asked him, her voice filled with high hopes that she would escape from his scolding.

    "I will let you off this time because you were under the supervision of someone trustworthy." Zhao Moyao couldn¡¯t help but relent.

    Hearing her happy voice and seeing how diligently she followed the promise for one year, it was safe to say he wasn¡¯t really angry at her anymore. Besides, he knew it was unrealistic to force a grown woman to stop drinking. He just wanted her to be able to control herself.

    "I knew you would eventually break the promise sooner orter. I know it¡¯s an impossible dream to force you to never drink, but I hope you will do it in moderate amounts and be around a friend who¡¯ll take care of you when you drink." He continued to nag her, despite the fact that he wasn¡¯t mad at her. He couldn¡¯t help it.

    Even if Zhao Moyao was an outstanding man who was a ruthless military Sergeant Major turned businessman, he cared for only a small number of people.

    "I will lift my ban on alcohol but you cannot drink yourself stupid like you used to do." He did not want history to repeat itself. And above all, he didn¡¯t want to see her passed out in her living room, surrounded by empty bottles of wine after drinking and crying herself to sleep at thetest news of some scum¡¯s despicable love affair.

    Seeing her in such a pathetic state brought him immense pain, especially because she was such an outstanding woman with high potential.

    She shouldn¡¯t have to lower herself for a wretched man like Zheng Tianyi, much less cry a river for him.

    Zhao Lifei was surprised to hear this. "Alright, but rest assured grandfather, I won¡¯t drink unless it¡¯s necessary."

    Zhao Moyao smiled at her words. Instead of readily jumping on board with his words, proving she was still addicted to alcohol, she had impressed him yet again by always knowing the right things to say to him.

    In all honesty, had she happily replied to him or even think about thanking him for erasing the ban, she might¡¯ve lost some of his affection.

    "I will hold you to your words, Xiao Fei." He warmly told her, his voice finally sounding like a man his age.

    Sheughed and said, "Then again, I am human so I cannot make sure that I can forever uphold this promise. But I will promise you I will try my hardest." She didn¡¯t want to give him any false hope so she decided to give him a realistic expectation.

    "Of course and I expect nothing less than that." Zhao Moyao mused.

    "Moving on from the topic, have you eaten dinner yet?" And there it was, the doting grandfather yet again. He would never admit he loved her or discuss anything that concerns feelings as it wasn¡¯t in his style to do so.

    Grandparents like him show their affection by asking if their kin had eaten yet and perform tiny acts like cutting fruit for them. And since he would never do thetter, it was always making sure she was well-fed, protected, and her wallet was brimming with endless cash.

    Some people would call it spoiling her rotten, but he liked to justify that it was his duty to cherish her when her parents couldn¡¯t do so.

    Zhao Lifei looked at the clock and realized it was the ideal time for an early dinner.

    It was barely six in the evening, but she was pretty hungry after not eating anything since breakfast.

    When she remembered how Yang Feng had cheerfully cooked her breakfast in her own kitchen, her mood slightly soured.

    Not wanting to think about him any longer, she pushed thoughts of him aside, but her anguished heart refused to easily let her off for what she did.

    She felt a prickle of pain at the way he had treated her, coldly ignoring her the entire time he collected his things to leave. He did not even look back when he walked out of her apartment.

    She bit her bottom lip and cast her eyes downward, knowing she was in the wrong for foolishly and stubbornlyshing out at him.

    "I haven¡¯t had dinner yet, grandfather." She answered him, wanting somepany for dinner.

    Zhao Moyao felt his mood lift at her words and immediately seized the chance. "Come and have dinner with me, I have a reservation at a restaurant not far from your house."

    "A reservation? Is someone else joining you-"

    "I¡¯ll have Li Xuan send a car for you. Get ready within thirty minutes." And without giving her the chance to question him and potentially decline his offer, he hung up the phone.

    Zhao Lifei frowned as she stared at the nk screen. For some reason, he sounded a bit suspicious for not disclosing who they would be dining with.

    She hoped he wasn¡¯t setting her up for a blind date like what Yang Ruqin loved to do.

    "Eh, it¡¯s probably just Wu Yuntai or a close friend." She shrugged off her suspicions and decided to get ready.

    All of the restaurants around Sky Arc were luxury ones so she knew it was best to dress formally.

    Her grandfather doted on her but not to the point of where he¡¯ll pardon her for embarrassing him if he was having dinner with an important person or close friend. Because of this, she decided to settle on a dress with a ssic silhouette that didn¡¯t reveal too much skin.

    She looked at the array of modest dresses and finally drained it down to two choices: a ck dress and a white one.

    After a few seconds, she decided to wear the white one. The ck one looked like it was suitable for a funeral more than a dinner.

    Slipping on the white dress that stopped a bit above her knees and had sleeves that ended on her elbows, she was happy with how well it fit her. It was a bit tight around her waist, showcasing her lean body, but that was the only thing it revealed about her.

    The neckline hid her corbone, leaving a perfect spot to wear a simple ne. She was toozy to put on any makeup, so she only fixed her eyebrows and ced a bit of blush on.

    She had gotten a notification while she was spraying her signature scent after hurriedly fixing her hair. It was a text from Li Xuan letting her know the driver was downstairs.

    Without watching which purse she grabbed, she ced her phone and other necessities into an unused limited edition purse. Slipping on low heels, she walked out the door and ensured it was locked before rushing into the elevator.

    "Good evening, ma¡¯am!" The cheerful and usual elevator hostess greeted Zhao Lifei with a smile.

    "Good evening. It has been a while since I¡¯vest seen you." Zhao Lifei exchanged pleasantries with her as they engaged in small talk.

    "I remember hearing that you just had your birthday. Here¡¯s a small gift from me." She faintly remembered hearing the receptionists talk to each other about holding a surprise birthday gift for the elevator hostess, Han Weiwei, so she had gone out of her way to get a makeup palette.

    "Oh my, you shouldn¡¯t have! Thank you so much!" Han Weiwei gratefully said, taking the gift with two hands. She was mesmerized by the fact that she was now holding a Chanel paper bag containing a ck box with their logo. For her to even afford something as expensive as that, she would have to work additional hours!

    "I just wanted to give you something for your services." Zhao Lifei warmly said, knowing it was really important to treat the workers of the apartmentplex that you¡¯re living in really well.

    After all, these were the people who knew where you lived and who you¡¯re entering the building with, so it was best to treat them with respect.

    Just then, the door opened, signaling them it was time for her to leave. "I¡¯ll see youter, alright?" Zhao Lifei waved her goodbye just as Han Weiwei readily nodded, bowing when Zhao Lifei left the elevator.

    Holding the nicely-wrapped makeup palette close to her, Han Weiwei watched with happy eyes as Zhao Lifei slipped into the ck lowkey car waiting for her.

    She vowed right then and there to remain loyal to her and always try her hardest to block off people like her parents. She had remembered how crazy and horrible they were, thus, made a mental note to her friends at the front desk to tighten the security whenever they try to enter the building.

 Chapter 77: What If He Doesnt Care About You Anymore

    Seeing as her grandfather had ordered a very luxurious car for her, she knew this wasn¡¯t just a simple dinner with him. She was thankful that her intuition told her to modestly dress well for tonight or else she would have embarrassed him.

    Zhao Lifei stared out the car window, watching the city lights pass by her in a blur. The city of Shenbei was truly prosperous and filled with attractions. In the day time, one could see the magnificent and modern skyscrapers, beautiful structures, and scenic locations. But at night time is when the city truly shines ¡ª literally.

    The city seemed to never sleep because even at night, it was lit up with brilliant colors. Millions of shimmering lights caused the dense skyscrapers and beautiful attractions to dance and glitter beneath the night sky. Stars were rarely visible as they hid behind the clouds, letting the magnificent city do its own work. On the surface, the scenic backdrop of Shenbei against the bustling crowd seemed harmonious. It was the perfect illusion for the destructive underworld.

    Everything seems to remind her about Yang Feng. Along with thoughts of the underworld are shes of his onyx eyes adoringly gazing into hers and how his muscr build always seem to protect her frail body.

    Her mood soured once again when she remembered how outstanding yet distant he looked when he turned his back to her. Her apartment felt deste when he showed no hesitation in leaving her aside at that moment.

    Without warning, she felt a pang of fear shake her heart. The idea of him closing himself to her and permanently leaving her life brought an unprecedented sense of desperation into her. It caused her heart to quiver in pain that spread to the rest of her body.

    She realized she might¡¯ve gone too far in this push-and-pull game. If her heart had never been broken before and she had never gone through what she did with Zheng Tianyi, maybe she could have fallen for him faster than the speed of light.

    Her head is telling her she could trust him, and that with him, she would never be stripped of her clothes and her dignity against her will again. But she was held back by the idea that once upon a time, the people she had trusted wholeheartedly had already betrayed her.

    A tiny voice in the back of her mind spoke to her like a small child terrified of being abandoned by the world once again.

    ¡¯What if he truly decides to leave you?¡¯

    ¡¯What if he doesn¡¯t care about you anymore?¡¯

    ¡¯What if he decides to shower that same affection and doting behavior onto another woman?¡¯

    ¡¯You¡¯re right. You are nothing to him. Not his girlfriend. Not his wife. Not even an ambiguous lover. Your parents do not want you. Your sister hates you. You can¡¯t even keep your fiance even with everything you have to offer. Why would someone like Yang Feng wait for you until you¡¯re ready?¡¯

    She sucked in a panicked breath at the taunting voice, her heart suddenly building up momentum and drumming fiercely in fear.

    The image of Zheng Tianyi walking away from her with Xia Mengxi securely tucked into his arms haunted her like a broken record on repeat. She could never forget the memory of being a heartbroken sobbing woman on her knees, begging him toe back to her.

    The idea of Yang Feng doing the same brought a sense of anxiety within her. Her hands turned mmy as she thought about his strong arms wrapped around another woman¡¯s waist while he smiles down at her with the same warmth and expressions he had always shown her.

    Unknowingly, her face became pale and her brain couldn¡¯t think properly. There were a million scenarios running through her head. She was scared at the idea that no matter how hard she tried to control it, she seemed to be helplessly falling in love with him in such a short time.

    The feeling was totally differentpared to the one she felt for Zheng Tianyi. At the time, it has been nurtured over the years and had been borne from their supposed lifetime together. There was an irrational sense of relief bubbling through her at the thought that she¡¯s quickly moving on from him.

    "Young Miss, are you alright?" The driver gently asked upon seeing her ghostlyplexion in the rearview mirror.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s usual pale skin had turned even more translucent, almost resembling a piece of paper.

    The voice of the driver brought her back to reality as she took in an unsteady breath of air to calm herself. "Y-yes, I¡¯m fine. Thank you." She briefly said, looking out the window once again.

    She blinked and chided herself for falling so easily into darkness the same way she used to when she used to drink herself to sleep. She knew she was reverting back to her old ways, where her overthinking and self-doubt creates a paralyzing nightmare for her.

    She suddenly thought back to the past two nights and howfortably she had slept. Without any nightmares tearing her sanity down, she actually had some decent sleep. Thinking back to this morning, she remembered how refreshed andforted she had felt. Another voice whispered in the back of her mind, "Maybe it was because Yang Feng was there..."

    The second voice was immediately silenced by the first one that doubted herself. "What if he forgets about us and does the same to another woman..." The devil whispered to her, sitting on her shoulders and teasing her.

    Zhao Lifei painfully bit her bottom lip as fear instantly shrouded her again like a heavy nket. ¡¯No, no, think positive.¡¯ She whispered in her head, furiously shaking the negative thoughts away from her.

    Instead of letting her unhealthy thoughts take over, she decided to focus her mind elsewhere. She thought of a n to reach out to Yang Feng without making it seem like she was deliberately trying to see him.

    Suddenly, her brain thought back to the email she had received from Lu Minhong a few days ago. An idea popped into her mind and it had everything to do with the gift war that was unknowingly ced on hold.

    A small smile slowly spread on her lips at her perfect n. She would send him the man envelope with the documents on Lu Minhong¡¯s findings. Although she was a bit doubtful of her idea since Yang Feng might¡¯ve already sought out the rat that dared toe after the dragon. But nheless, she decided it would still be a good attempt at talking to him instead of her just randomly texting him.

 Chapter 78: The Storm Becomes A Calamity

    The moment Zhao Lifei stepped out of the car, she was immediately ushered into the restaurant¡¯s best table since it had the finest view of the city.

    She became extremely suspicious of her grandfather.

    As it turns out, her intuition was proven correct when she stood before the table filled with the four influential men of Zhao Corporation, including her father whose spiteful eyes was enough to set the room on fire.

    Even though this restaurant was extremely private and was used to seeing very impressive guests, everyone couldn¡¯t help but stare at her table. It was surprising to see Zhao Moyao in person but what was more impressive was seeing him with two of his sons together.

    It was known within the business circle that while Zhao Moyao had given all his children small shares to thepany, only two of them were able to maintain an actual position in thepany. They were her eldest uncle and father.

    The public didn¡¯t think it was really weird that Zhao Moyao would¡¯ve picked an outsider to be one of his sessors.

    Almost everyone knew he favored capable people over his kin.

    When the news was first announced who his Vice President would be, it was like a p to all of his children. Despite the fact that they had shares to thepany, it wasn¡¯t significant enough for them to have any say on the position of their Vice President.

    On top of that, neither of them were able to argue against Wu Yuntai whose performance outshined all of Zhao Moyao¡¯s children.

    Zhao Moyao only gave his children 3% shares of thepany, enough for them to livefortably, but not enough for them to overthrow him even if his sons and daughtersbined their shares together.

    Zhao Lifei stared at her eldest uncle, her father, Wu Yuntai, and her grandfather. It seemed that the only people acknowledged by Zhao Moyao as a family had been invited.

    She turned to make her escape but was immediately blocked by the hostess and two burly bodyguards who stopped her in her path and practically dragged her to a seat. She had then been ced in the empty seat beside her father.

    Her lips thinned in anger and annoyance at the way she was cornered and had to have dinner with someone who was currently out for her blood.

    She could feel her fingers itch to hit something to relieve her frustration. She wanted to say something irrational, but reminded herself that she was in public and with every customer¡¯s eyes on the table, she could only bite on her tongue and remain quiet. She didn¡¯t want to cause a scene in public, especially when her reputation wasn¡¯t at its finest.

    She opened the menu and ordered her food. The entire time, she ignored the rest of the table while they waited for their orders to arrive.

    She didn¡¯t think it would be beneficial to talk to the father who hated her or her scheming eldest uncle. Anything else she had to say to Zhao Moyao or Wu Yuntai would have to wait until the other two was not around.

    When Zhao Wenjin saw his daughter was purposely ignoring them, he grew annoyed. The frustration from yesterday came back and he began to lecture her. "Where are the manners I¡¯ve taught you?" Zhao Wenjin sniped, roughly cing down his cup of water.

    Zhao Lifei raised her head, her eyes deadly and piercing. Zhao Wenjin wasn¡¯t surprised by this fierce behavior. After all, even if he did not have a hand in raising her, she was still his daughter who had inherited his arrogance and haughtiness.

    "You¡¯ve taught me something? When?" Her tone was mocking and her words were like a sharp knife digging into his pride.

    "You insolent brat-"

    "Watch yournguage, father. We¡¯re in public." She sweetly smiled, her eyes twinkling. The longer she sat here, the more her blood boiled with anger. Her fingers curled into a tight fist and it took every ounce of her self-control to notsh out at him.

    Zhao Wenjin mmed his hand onto the table, the water on his cup swishing from the momentum.

    He red at his daughter with so much intensity, one would think she killed his firstborn. "It seems I haven¡¯t disciplined you well enough. To talk back to your father and even dare to interrupt me, it seems you haven¡¯t learned your lesson."

    "I¡¯ve raised a brat like you for twenty-three years, and this is what I get in return? A disappointment of a daughter and a failure of a woman. No wonder your fiance abandoned you. Disrespectful and rude, you sure have a lot of guts." He seethed, each word going through Zhao Lifei¡¯s ear and out the next.

    She looked at him, bored. "I¡¯m d you know." She said, crossing her arms. Despite the prickling pain in her heart, her face remained haughty and passive-aggressive. She would never show him that he had seeded in offending and hurting her.

 Chapter 79: Get Out

    Zhao Wenjin became so angry, his face turned a dark shade of red. His hand became fists that were so tight, it began to shake. He harshly turned towards his bodyguards, signaling them toe forward.

    She rolled her eyes upon seeing him whisper something to them. She already knew what his n was: to drag her home and give her a thorough beating.

    There was a reason why she didn¡¯t dine with any of her family members. It always ended in an argument or fight. Right now, the food hadn¡¯t even arrived and there was already an argument brewing.

    Zhao Lifei knew she shouldn¡¯t have provoked her father and pretended to be a good and obedient daughter to give him face in front of her eldest uncle. But she was long past trying to please her parents in the hopes of getting the same familial love that Linhua is showered with.

    After her humiliation, he had thrown her out of the family home, luggage waiting for her at the front door, and all of her credit cards had been canceled.

    To distance themselves from her and that scandal, he was willing to let her starve and live on the streets. If she hadn¡¯t been taught by her grandfather to make sure she always had a backup n, she really would have been left with nothing.

    What kind of cruel father does that to their own flesh and blood?

    Zhao Moyao also knew what his son had in mind. "You will do no such thing. My granddaughter will never step foot back in your house and if she does, you can expect to see zeros across all of your bank ounts."

    His eyes scanned over the equally annoyed father and daughter. "If you¡¯re going to continue this disrespect, get out."

    "dy, grandfather." Zhao Lifei attempted to stand up but a firm hand grabbed hers from across the table, forcing her to sit back down.

    Shocked and angered at who would dare go against her wishes yet again, she roughly turned around. She was surprised to see it was none other than Wu Yuntai holding her back.

    "Xiao Fei, don¡¯t be stubborn. I was talking to your father." Zhao Moyao turned towards his son, a disapproving frown on his face. He was finally able to coerce his favorite granddaughter to have dinner with him and the first thing his son does is to reprimand and insult his daughter.

    He already knew of his son and his wife visiting Lifei the previous day. He had an idea of why his ambitious son would make a visit with all the recent news of CEO Yang doting on his granddaughter. He also understood why Lifei would suddenly rpse after a year of sobriety.

    Zhao Moyao had hoped his son would¡¯ve been smart enough to not offend his granddaughter, knowing she had the favor of Yang Feng. But he knew it was an impossible wish, for his son always acted on his emotions instead of rationally thinking straight.

    Zhao Moyao knew his detached method of allowing nannies to raise his sons was a bad choice, as both of them turned out to be horrible fathers just like him. But Zhao Moyao knew the damage was done and there was no way of reversing it.

    Baffled at his father¡¯s words, Zhao Wenjin turned towards him. "Father, you can¡¯t be serious-"

    "Think of where we are and the eyes on us. Restrain yourself." Zhao Moyao snarled, his eyes dancing with mes. The threat in his eyes was evident. To him, disowning a son ¡ª especially one that had been quietly amassing power ¡ª was as easy as snapping his finger.

    Zhao Wenjin looked around and saw that a lot of people were staring at him. He gritted his teeth and decided to remain peaceful the entire dinner.

    Even though his face was calm, his eyes clearly weren¡¯t. There was a storm within it and he clearly hadn¡¯t forgotten the humiliation he suffered yesterday. Now that another one was added, the storm was bing a cmity ready to rain hell upon Zhao Lifei.

    The tension was thick in the air, almost suffocating that Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t help but poke and y with her food when it arrived. Using her fork and knife, she rolled the peas around andpletely lost her appetite. The usual mouth-watering steak looked nd to her and she couldn¡¯t bring herself to stomach it.

    Zhao Moyao noticed how sullen and upset his prized granddaughter had be. Her shoulders were slightly hunched over and with the dim lighting, she looked pale and lonely. Despite the fact that she was surrounded by people, the more he looked at her, the more he realized how depressing this dinner was.

    He knew he should¡¯ve warned her in advance that her family would be at the table, but he knew she would immediately refuse toe.

    He hadn¡¯t seen her in a couple of days and after everything that had happened, wanted to personally see how she was doing.

    He couldn¡¯t help but sigh at how ironic this situation was.

    Whenever any of his children or grandchildren yearned for his attention and acknowledgment, he didn¡¯t spare them a second nce. But when it came to this specific granddaughter, he was the one who was always initiating for her toe to him.

    She rarely visited him and he knew it was because she was fearful of appearing too clingy.

    As a child, whenever she asked to see her parents or have them join her for dinner, she was always rejected. And when she continued to ask them, they had harshlyshed out at her that she was too annoying and a thorn in their side. Hearing such painful words at a young age, it had traumatized her, thus, forced her to never tell people what she wanted.

 Chapter 80: An Enemy Of His Woman

    A few hours earlier at Yang Enterprise...

    Yang Feng strolled down the hallway, each of his steps rough and loud. His eyes were set aze with frustration as he thought about her words.

    She was right, she was neither his girlfriend or his wife. But how could she tantly say it without any hesitation? Didn¡¯t she see he was actively chasing her in hopes that she would eventually be thetter?

    While he had experience with women, he had never been interested in engaging in anything that would be called a romantic rtionship.

    Zhao Lifei was the only one to have made it into his house. Not only was she pampered beyond words, but she was spoiled rotten by him.

    Ever since he met her, he had stopped seeing any of the women he used to satisfy his physical urges and had solely focused all of his attention onto her. Did that not mean anything? It was infuriating that the only woman he had decided to pursue was such a stubborn one.

    He knew that by deliberately ignoring her and furiously walking out of her apartment while mming the door behind him had the potential to jeopardize their budding friendship. But at that moment, he was so blinded by her words, he didn¡¯t care anymore.

    She wanted to be incredibly stubborn without reason? Fine. He¡¯ll let her do as she pleased. She was not the only one who had a bad temper.

    When he got to Yang Enterprise, the atmosphere around him had stifled everyone. The people immediately lined up upon seeing him and simultaneously bowed to greet their CEO, despite the fact that he was four hourster than usual.

    "Greetings to CEO Yang!" Everyone bowed as low as their stomach would allow them.

    A few people gulped and swallowed in fear when they felt the murderous aura that always seemed to follow their boss. Some were used to it, but this time it was more intense than usual that a few of them was beginning to shake.

    All of the workers wondered who dared to anger their boss to this extent. Through secretive nces, one could easily notice his tightly clenched fist shaking in fury. If his eyes can set things aze, the entire building would¡¯ve been burnt to ashes.

    Chen Gaonan paced back and forth in Yang Feng¡¯s office when suddenly the door mmed open with a loud bang. Startled, he jumped and turned around to see his fearsome boss whose usual grouchiness was even worse.

    He physically gulped. "B-Boss, you came-"

    "Where is he? Where is that bastard?" Yang Feng seethed through clenched teeth, his jaw locked so tight with annoyance that Chen Gaonan was scared his teeth might break.

    "Wait, you can¡¯t go see him in this state. You¡¯re angry and-"

    "You rush me here and now you don¡¯t want me to see him?" Yang Feng snarled at his secretary, glowering at the poor man who only wanted to get his job done.

    "All these years of experience and you decide to be ipetent today?" He hissed, angrily storming into the room.

    Chen Gaonan was taken aback by his harsh words, nearly flinching at how much it had hurt. He had been with Yang Feng even before he had taken over Yang Enterprise, but this was the angriest he had seen him. He immediately regretted rushing and pestering his boss toe here.

    "He¡¯s in the private meeting room." Chen Gaonan breathed out, running a tired hand through his hair as he looked at Yang Feng through the frame of his sses.

    Without another word, Yang Feng turned on his heels and strutted to the room with Chen Gaonan following closely behind him. When Yang Feng¡¯s team saw him at the entrance, they straightened up. One of thewyers opened his mouth but quickly closed it when he saw Chen Gaonan motion him to be quiet.

    Yang Feng¡¯s workers finally saw the fury within their boss¡¯s face and all of them decided against speaking unless spoken to.

    Zheng Tianyi was saying something to Xia Mengxi when Yang Feng walked in. Completely oblivious to the frightening aura that desired his death, Zheng Tianyi had been gently rubbing Xia Mengxi¡¯s cheek and softly kissing the other. Chen Gaonan loudly cleared his throat which quickly separated the loving couple.

    Upon seeing his friend, Zheng Tianyi¡¯s lips tilted up to a pleasant smile. "Yang Feng, you¡¯re here." He greeted, happily walking up to him to shake hands but one of Yang Feng¡¯s security detail came forward to prevent any contact.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s eyes twitched at the disrespect as he ruthlessly scanned the men in his path. "What is going on?"

    Yang Feng ignored his question and brushed past his men. He disdainfully eyed Xia Mengxi who was sitting on the couch with her legs crossed. Her off-shoulder silk top was low and revealed too much cleavage and she was wearing a short skirt.

    Chen Gaonan was also surprised by her unprofessional attire. His boss had also ordered him to dig into her past, and though he quickly realized that she had zero notable talents, she had also been CEO Zheng¡¯s private secretary for six months. This was a professional meeting regarding a contract worth hundreds of millions, yet she decided today would be the perfect day to wear casual attires?

    "You brought your woman with you?" Yang Feng scowled at her presence.

    With her ensemble of gaudy expensive clothing that barely covered anything, anyone who came from money could tell she got nouveau riche by climbing someone¡¯s bed. Even the perfume she was wearing did not suit someone who was supposed to be a powerful CEO¡¯s fiancee, rather a woman who is intent on seducing wealthy men.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s eyes trailed to his lover and his smile died down a bit at the way she was sitting. Her long, slender legs were clearly disyed and with the way she sat, it gave every man in the room the perfect view of her assets.

    Upon noticing his gaze on her, Xia Mengxi sat up straighter. She awkwardly tucked her hair behind her ear in a very shy manner that made it seem she was apologetic for sitting like that.

    "Yes, this is my fiancee, Xia Mengxi. I didn¡¯t have time to properly introduce her to you at Zhao Linhua¡¯s banquet." Zheng Tianyi walked over to her, helped her to her feet and wrapped a protective arm around her. He looked very possessive over her as if introducing her to other men would make them covet his little treasure.

    "CEO Zheng, this is a professional meeting to discuss your proposal." Yang Feng deadpanned, not even bothering to look at Xia Mengxi.

    "Yes it is, but-"

    "I don¡¯t have time to waste on meeting unimportant people, especially a mistress." Yang Feng crossed his hand together, sitting on the enormous leather chair like a King. With his posture and the way he stared Zheng Tianyi down, everyone could see his obvious dislike towards the couple.

    Everyone present couldn¡¯t help but wonder why. CEO Yang had an exemry work ethic and would not target anyone on a whim. What was so wrong with her that caused a man like him to dislike her? Didn¡¯t wealthy and influential men like CEO Zheng prefer demure and docile girls that they can easily bully?

    While the members of Yang Feng¡¯s team were curious, Chen Gaonan knew the real reason why. Xia Mengxi and Zheng Tianyi may not have directly did anything bad to him, but they had repeatedly hurt Zhao Lifei. And to Yang Feng, an enemy of his woman was an enemy to him as well.

 Chapter 81: A Friend

    Xia Mengxi was surprised to hear Yang Feng¡¯s words. She had been used to men, regardless of their status, fawn over her. This was why she was taken aback by Yang Feng¡¯s cold temperament.

    She knew she was beautiful and had always pretended like she didn¡¯t, which enhanced the pure aura that always surrounded her. She had learned early on that this was something she can use.

    Even a powerful man like Zheng Tianyi was hooked by her charm, despite the fact that his previous fiancee was someone of outstanding background.

    She thought that the incident at the banquet with him insulting her dress was a simple misunderstanding. Now that she saw him again in all of his magnificent glory and blinding charisma that rivaled her Zheng Tianyi, she could safely confirm he truly didn¡¯t like her.

    A part of her already knew why. He seemed to heavily dote upon Zhao Lifei and that woman probably manipted him to make her seem like a bad woman. Xia Mengxi nearly scoffed.

    Xia Mengxi thought back to how pathetic Zhao Lifei was. When she first realized Zheng Tianyi was showing interest in her, she was surprised that it did not take a lot of effort on her part.

    He was engaged to the touted ¡¯Queen of Socialites¡¯. She knew how hard that woman worked for Zheng Corporation and how formidable her background is simply from listening to the other secretaries.

    She remembered seeing the fallen Queen beg on her knees in public with tears streaming down her face, hoping that Zheng Tianyi wouldn¡¯t leave her. And what did he do? He had grabbed her and left without looking back as Zhao Lifei screamed and cried for him.

    The moment Zhao Lifei has found out about Xia Mengxi¡¯s liaison with her fiance, she had no qualms threatening her with her past.

    It was no surprise that she would now try to coerce Yang Feng onto her side. That was probably the only thing Zhao Lifei knew how to do ¡ª cry alligator tears,mit horrendous acts of violence against other women, and then try to make herself look like the victim.

    "Yang Feng, what is wrong with you today? I thought we were friends." Zheng Tianyi frowned, his browsing together to form creases on his forehead. Not only did his friend tantly ignore his fiancee, but he had also insulted her by calling her a mistress.

    "A friend? CEO Zheng, it seemed you have misread our rtionship. We are nothing but acquaintances who happened to have coborated on one project." Yang Feng heartlessly said and emphasized that they only had one project together, knowing that it was his woman who had worked on that proposal. He did not bother to give Zheng Tianyi face about the fact that they had known each other since their college days.

    Zheng Tianyi nearly flinched at the harsh p to his face. Even after Yang Feng clearly drew a line to their rtionship, Zheng Tianyi still didn¡¯t me him. Instead, he med that damned Zhao Lifei.

    ¡¯That crazy vixen did it again! Not only is she trying to sabotage my Mengxi, but now she dared to talk smack about me behind my back. She must¡¯ve told something to Yang Feng and that¡¯s why he¡¯s refusing to acknowledge our friendship.¡¯ Zheng Tianyi grounded his teeth in anger. Once again, she was ying with fire, forgetting the fact that she had been burned many times before. He made a mental note to have a thorough "discussion" with her.

    "Yang Feng, my fiancee is not a mistress-"

    "Any woman who would act on her feelings for an engaged man is a mistress. And she did just that, did she not?" Yang Feng said with a very indifferent tone. He eyed Xia Mengxi with disgust as if he couldn¡¯t believe she was even in the same room as him, breathing the same air.

    Xia Mengxi flinched at his harsh words, tears building up in her eyes. She had always hated the fact that she did note from a background that could match Zheng Tianyi.

    It had been almost three years, and his parents still treat her as a gold digger who ruined their only heir¡¯s perfect engagement.

    She didn¡¯t think of herself as a mistress. Zheng Tianyi came onto her first and he ignored all of her protests!

    Why did she have to look like the bad guy when all she did was help him escape a loveless marriage? So what if that crazy woman was in love with her Tianyi? Did he have to love everyone that loved him?! He willingly proposed to her and not to that woman!

    "Yes, but she¡¯s only a mistress if she was the other woman in my current rtionship-"

    "She was the other woman in your previous one." Yang Feng boredly said.

    "She¡¯s also an eyesore. If you want to discuss business, get her out of here." Yang Feng added the final blow, motioning security to step forward.

    It took every fiber within Zheng Tianyi¡¯s body to prevent his jaw from dropping to the floor at his buddy¡¯s insult.

    "And her perfume stinks." Yang Feng muttered under his breath, loud enough for only Zheng Tianyi and Xia Mengxi to hear.

    "Tianyi, I¡¯ll go...I-I didn¡¯t mean to cause a scene." Xia Mengxi pitifully spoke up, her voice cracking in the end. While she knew it was futile, she had hoped that her tears would work on Yang Feng.

    "Sweetheart, it¡¯s alright. It¡¯s my fault for bringing you here when it¡¯s such an important meeting. Go with Chen Xing. I¡¯ll make up to youter after this meeting. Okay?" He gently said to her, cing a hand on her shoulder and guiding her toward his private secretary.

    Chen Gaonan was surprised to see his half-sister. He didn¡¯t even realize Chen Xing was present until Zheng Tianyi had brought up her name. He hadn¡¯t seen her in the five years that she had run away from home. And now look at where she ended up, a trusted secretary of one of this country¡¯s most powerful men.

    Chen Xing ignored her half-brother¡¯s curious stares and decided to focus on the weeping woman. Xia Mengxi¡¯s quiet sniffs didn¡¯t evoke any sympathy from her.

    The tears might work on men, but Chen Xing had long known this woman¡¯s true colors and she nearly rolled her eyes. Once again, she couldn¡¯t handle the sticks and stones tossed at her. Weak by nature and too soft-hearted, the smallest prick was enough to make her cry. Why end up with such a wealthy man if you can¡¯t handle the obstacles that came with it?

    Serves her right, she really was a mistress. She had apuded CEO Yang in her heart the moment he called her out. What was she thinking bying into this private meeting? It¡¯s not like she knows anything beneficial that will help them close this deal. Zheng Tianyi might¡¯ve deliberately invited her toe here, but she should¡¯ve been wise and rejected the offer.

    Chen Xing wasn¡¯t surprised that Zheng Tianyi didn¡¯t go against Yang Feng¡¯s orders. She nearlyughed to herself at how fast Xia Mengxi was abandoned.

    In the end, her boss was still an intelligent businessman who valued money over a woman¡¯s feelings. This project was really important to thepany so, at the very least, Chen Xing had to give Xia Mengxi some props for leaving without protest.

    Guiding the crying woman out of the door, Chen Xing turned back to see that Yang Feng and her boss have finally sat down to discuss the newly revised proposal. They had used the notes made by the infamous consultant and Zheng Tianyi ordered the team who drafted it to quickly fix it.

    No one knew this except for her but he was actually very impressed by this consultant. He or she had pointed out even the smallest w that no one was able to detect.

    Chen Xing could not help but remember how Zhao Lifei used to do the same thing. Even though the criticism was harsh and brutal, it was the honest truth. The only downside was that the consultant couldn¡¯t be found no matter how hard Zheng Tianyi ordered the people to search.

 Chapter 82: Who Told Him?

    The meeting room waspletely quiet and nothing could be heard except for the asional ticking of the clock and shuffling paper.

    The atmosphere was suffocating for everyone else but the two young CEOs. With two overbearing powerful men in the same room, their auras werepeting with each other for dominance. It would be a surprise if the people huddled in the corner wasn¡¯t wary.

    With each passing second, Zheng Tianyi felt his mood begin to soar higher and higher. Yang Feng was looking over his proposal earnestly and seeing as he didn¡¯t make a displeased expression, it meant the proposal might get approved.

    Zheng Tianyi was d he fixed the proposal packet before handing it to Yang Feng. Whoever that consultant was, they did a very good job at correcting the ws and pointing out all the wrong calctions.

    Though it was off by just a few digits, Zheng Tianyi was still very impressed by that person. While that person¡¯s identity waspletely hidden by Zhao Moyao, he had been able to get a little information from the tight-lipped members of the board that was present during that meeting.

    He heard the person didn¡¯t even need a calctor to figure out that the calctions were incorrect. As a matter of fact, they revised all the proposals up for deliberation on the spot. No stone was left unturned for the proposal now seemed very idealistic and perfect.

    A few minutes had gone by as Zheng Tianyi anxiously looked forward to Yang Feng¡¯s response. Tapping his fingers onto the table, slightly shaking one of his legs, and eagerly awaiting for Yang Feng¡¯s approval, Zheng Tianyi looked like a child waiting to get his birthday present.

    Flipping to thest page, Yang Feng finally ced down the unusually heavy metal pen that reminded him he couldpletely ruin an entirepany or make hispany wealthier just by simply signing his name onto a piece of paper.

    Zheng Tianyi smiled to himself at the perfected draft. "Well, Yang Feng, what do you think about the proposal?"

    "This is a proposal for a resort in Nianjian. Why are you approaching Yang Enterprise instead of Zhao Corporation?" Yang Feng lifted his head, a listless expression on his face.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s smile faltered a bit at the blunt question. Why else? Zhao Corporation had already rejected him! "Zheng Corporation currently does not have a good rtionship with Zhao Corporation at the moment."

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t need him to say it because he already knew the truth. But to him, it was satisfying to know that even Zheng Tianyi knew he screwed up. Zheng Tianyi should¡¯ve just left his stubborn little kitten alone after breaking the engagement. Instead, he crossed the line and went as far as to humiliate and embarrass her further.

    "But that is not the only reason why this proposal was rejected in the first ce." Yang Feng secretly smirked when he saw Zheng Tianyi¡¯s baffled expression.

    ¡¯How did he know it was rejected once? Who told him?!¡¯ Zheng Tianyi pondered as he was taken by surprise that Yang Feng had heard of the rejection. He thought he paid the people well enough to keep their mouth shut, but s, nothing could ever get past Yang Feng¡¯s keen ears and eyes.

    "You proposed to open a big tourist attraction in Nianjian by opening a resort. There was an idea like this in the past but it was rejected because thepany didn¡¯t do enough research on thend." Yang Feng stood up, not wanting to say more on this foolish idea.

    Open a resort in Nianjian? With what clean water? The government had issued a statement about the water in Nianjian to be too severely polluted by chemicals to even fathom the idea of a resort.

    "But the proposal is perfect-"

    "The draft is perfect, not the idea itself." Yang Feng chillingly said, his eyes tearing the man in front of him down. He couldn¡¯t believe this weak-minded man was the CEO of such an outstandingpany. It was no wonder thepany was suffering. With such a stupid CEO, what did they expect?

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s biggest mistake was following his manhood instead of his brain. When he broke off his engagement, he should have tried to remain in a tonic rtionship with Zhao Lifei whose capabilities was able to lift thepany far beyond anyone¡¯s wildest expectations.

    Ever since she had secretly helped him, thepany¡¯s stock had doubled and the annual profit increased by at least 200%.

    But instead of treating her well, he had let his ego take over by wanting to show his useless fiancee that he can break off his engagement for her.

    Yang Feng stood up to leave by in a rush, Zheng Tianyi stopped in his path. "I will do better. Please think about it again, Yang Feng. This is a really important project to mypany-"

    "And why should that concern me?" Yang Feng raised a perfect blow, his face disinterested.

    "Yang Feng, please." Zheng Tianyi whispered, his face paling in fear. He was growing very desperate. This was his first ever personally drafted proposal. If it was rejected by two majorpanies, the media would make aughing stock out of him!

    "Please consider the years that we¡¯ve known each other¡ª"

    "The proposal has already been rejected. Don¡¯t beg and grovel, it¡¯s pathetic." Yang Feng loudly said, his words a p to Zheng Tianyi¡¯s face.

    Zheng Tianyi flinched, as if he had been visibly hit by Yang Feng. With all of his personal team present in the room, it was humiliating for Yang Feng to utter his actions so loudly. It was one thing to be insulted by someone like Yang Feng, but to be insulted in front of your employees was something else...This was simply too embarrassing for Zheng Tianyi.

    On top of it, Yang Feng¡¯s employees were also present. They weren¡¯t scared of snickering and talking bad behind Zheng Tianyi¡¯s back. Once, his ipetence and failure leaks into the media, his reputation would be tarnished. To beg like this, what a shameless man!

    "Do more research the next time you try to contact me." Yang Feng didn¡¯t look back when he walked out of the door followed by his people. Chen Gaonan stayed behind, as usual, to remind them about CEO Yang¡¯s regtions.

    "Mr. Zheng, following Yang Enterprise¡¯s protocol, once a proposal has been rejected by our CEO, there is no second chances for it. However, you are free to submit another idea." Chen Gaonan briskly said, his face aloof and stoic. He stood tall like an unwavering tree bracing an icy storm.

    "There are no second chances for otherpanies, but our CEO is not just from a simplepany!" Chen Xing sniped at her half-brother, hating how indifferent he was acting despite the fact that she shared half of his blood. How could he not even greet or acknowledge her presence?

    "This is Zheng Tianyi you¡¯re talking about. Show some respect¡ª"

    "With all due respect, why is a secretary attempting to argue withpany policy? It¡¯s not my problem you can¡¯t read the protocol." Chen Gaonan was not fazed at the idea of insulting the woman he had grown up with. His work has even taken precedence over his own wife and perhaps that was why people thought of him as an unbudging Ice King.

    "How much?" Zheng Tianyi seethed, his nails digging into his skin so tightly that his skin was beginning to turn pale at the harsh impact.

    "Pardon?" Chen Gaonan could feel the temperature dim as the warmth dispersed.

    Most people would¡¯ve cowered back in fear upon facing a rage-filled Zheng Tianyi. He had heard multiple ounts of employees that were bullied to tears when facing his fury. However, being Yang Feng¡¯s secretary for years had exposed him to rage that was far more terrifying than his.

    "How much will it cost for you to ce the proposal onto his desk again?" Zheng Tianyi was unwilling to part with the proposal because it was something that he has spent his blood, sweat, and tears into drafting.

    He couldn¡¯t believe that after all their research, he forgot the most crucial detail about Nianjian. The waters were recently tested to be severely polluted, how could he forget such a simple detail?!

    Heforted himself with the belief that changing the city would change Yang Feng¡¯s mind. He was too stubborn to realize that Yang Feng¡¯s words are unchangeable.

    "No amount of money can buy my loyalty to my boss." Chen Gaonan disdainfully said, sizing Zheng Tianyi up and down. He could not help but wonder why his boss would fall for a woman who had once fallen in love with this kind of man. What does it say about her taste? And his boss¡¯s preference?!

    Chen Xing handed over Zheng Tianyi¡¯s checkbook and he wrote down a check for ten million. He waved it in front of Chen Gaonan who seemed unfazed by the seven zeros.

    "Ten million."

    Chen Gaonan turned on his heels and was about to open the door when Chen Xing stepped in front of it, blocking the exit.

    "Twenty million." Zheng Tianyi doubled the amount without hesitation. Ten million or twenty million meant nothing to him because if the proposal gets approved, Zheng Corps would be raking in at least a few billion annually!

    "Tell your secretary to step aside or else brute force would have to be used." Chen Gaonan nced down at the petite woman in front of him.

    Chen Xing felt her back stiffen and her body clenched in fear when she looked into her older half-brother¡¯s lifeless eyes. She was reminded of his capabilities. She remembered when they were children and he was practicing martial arts. Chen Gaonan at the age of five had tossed a man six times his age and ten times his build onto the ground without breaking a sweat.

 Chapter 83: Gracious Offer

    Zheng Tianyi let out a burst of humorlessughter. Of course, the people around the Demon King was also icy and terrifying, what had he expected?

    When hisughter died down, his expression turned deadly serious. A simple secretary was rejecting his generous offer? Not only had Zheng Tianyi been insulted by Yang Feng in front of strangers, but now, this incapable secretary thinks he can do the same?

    "I suggest you curb that temper of yours. It won¡¯t be hard for me to throw your entire family in jail and force them to rot there." Zheng Tianyi¡¯s polished shoes clicked on the floor, each sound echoing through the quiet room. As expected of a domineering CEO, his presence was hard to miss or defy. With each step that he took, the deadly aura was getting stronger.

    Chen Gaonan¡¯s chest shook as if he was refraining himself fromughing. He was the assistant to the future Head of the Yang family. These threats were not new to him. But Zheng Tianyi saw it differently and thought he was thoroughly scared.

    "The workers around Yang Feng are very intelligent andpetent. I hope you put your brain to use and ept my offer." Zheng Tianyi¡¯s smile was ruthless, like a predator stalking his prey.

    The smile dropped when Chen Gaonan¡¯sughter filled the quiet and suffocating room. The sound mirrored Zheng Tianyi¡¯s. Eerily dull, it was enough to freeze Chen Xing¡¯s blood and force her to hold her breath.

    "Throw my entire family into prison? CEO Zheng, don¡¯t make threats you can¡¯t uphold." Chen Gaonan turned around, revealing the smile of a fox. His eyes curled into half-crescent moons when he smiled and the crystal sses he wore seemed to have caught the light on the ceiling. Slightly turning his head, his eyes had a re that nearly blinded Chen Xing.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s gaze darkened at the challenge within Chen Gaonan¡¯s voice.

    Chen Gaonan revealed a friendly smile. "CEO Zheng, if there is nothing else, I will be excusing myself." He bent his back and did a respectful bow before attempting to walk out of the room. This time, Zheng Tianyi¡¯s bodyguards came forward to form a human barrier.

    "You can attempt to leave but you won¡¯t do so unscathed." Zheng Tianyi spoke up from behind Chen Gaonan.

    "If you want to leave untouched, I suggest you ept my gracious offer." Zheng Tianyi added, clearly not knowing who he was messing with.

    Chen Gaonan sighed before turning around, a nonchnt expression on his stoic face. "Threats and violence like this are punishable byw, CEO Zheng. Especially with the cameras surrounding this area, you can be charged in court." He lifted his index finger to point towards the security camera directly on top of them.

    "Thew?" Zheng Tianyi humorlesslyughed. The mild expression slipped off of his face, revealing the hidden darkness.

    "I can bend those useless words until it snaps beneath my hands." Thew? Punishable and charged in court? He was amused.

    Something as simple as that can never touch him, especially when his family was built upon a long generation of ties with the police department and the government. Who would dare to arrest the great Zheng Tianyi?

    Chen Gaonan tiredly sighed before taking off his tinum-rimmed sses. He folded it and ced it into his suit pocket. "A pity really, I really didn¡¯t feel like exercising today." He said and without warning, struck out his fist at a lightning fast speed.

    Chen Xing blinked once and the bodyguard was knocked out cold. She blinked again and the second man was mmed onto the ground. All the while, Chen Gaonan stood confidently tall, unscathed, and in the same position as before.

    With how unwavering he stood, one would¡¯ve never thought he was the man who struck out Zheng Tianyi¡¯s well-trained bodyguards. His speed was incredibly fast and could barely be seen by the naked eye.

    Zheng Tianyi was taken back, his haughty expressionpletely slipped off of his face. His eyes were wild with disbelief and the arrogance he exuded was gone.

    "Oh my, what happened to these fine gentlemen here? It seems your bodyguards are sick on the job, CEO Zheng." Chen Gaonan feigned confusion, ced his sses back on and turned his head to give Zheng Tianyi onest look. As always, he kept on a very professional mask despite the ice storm he was directing towards them.

    "If there is nothing else, CEO Zheng, please excuse me." With a polite nod of his head, Chen Gaonan walked down the corridor unbothered by anyone. Even though the hallway was still lined with Zheng Tianyi¡¯s men, none of them dared to touch him. They had seen how fast Chen Gaonan had incapacitated their colleagues and neither of them wanted to suffer the same horrific fate.

    - - - -

    "What took you so long?" Yang Feng seethed in his office when Chen Gaonan strolled in.

    "I apologize, boss, something came up." It was as if a switch had been flickered within Chen Gaonan¡¯s brain because, at the sight of his boss, he was no longer the fearsome man who mocked CEO Zheng and beat up his bodyguards. In his ce was a respectful and loyal secretary who was willing to risk his life for his boss.

    Yang Feng raised a brow and nced at Chen Gaonan¡¯s appearance. Not a single hair was out of ce, but he saw his slightly scratched knuckle and already knew what had happened. "I hope that giant pest was taken care of?"

    "I¡¯m afraid not. Those weren¡¯t my orders so I only took care of the underlings of the scum." Chen Gaonan apologetically said, his shoulders slightly hunched over in disappointment. Boss wanted him to hurt Zheng Tianyi? Why didn¡¯t he say so sooner?

    "Mm, that¡¯s alright. Dealing with them head-on would be swift and easy, but the consequences will be harsher. We¡¯ll do it indirectly." Yang Feng stood up and gave his secretary a good pat on the back.

    "Boss, I¡¯ve failed-"

    "I didn¡¯t give any orders." These simple words from Yang Feng were enough to lift Chen Gaonan¡¯s mood. He technically couldn¡¯t have failed any orders if none was made.

    "What else is on my schedule?"

    Chen Gaonan quickly pulled out the tablet. "As you have predicted, Weiqi¡¯s increase in stocks was an under-the-table deal and everyone who invested in them have lost a lot of money. Because we invested in Ling Conglomerate when their stocks were the cheapest, we¡¯ve greatly profited from it now that their stocks are on the rise again."

    "Hm, Ling Fulei has not failed me before. This is just another example of hispetence." Yang Fengmented, sitting down on one of the ck plush couches in his office.

    "Of course, but there is anotherpany who is currently rising at an rming rate. It¡¯s the newly-founded Feili. This investmentpany has only been around for three years, but all the projects they invest in have been highly profitable."

    Yang Feng slightly turned his head. Feili? He felt as if he had heard that name somewhere before.

    "Currently, they seem to be attempting to branch out. They don¡¯t seem to have any intentions to approach Yang Enterprise but I have done an initial investigation on thispany, and while they have a squeaky clean background, there seems to be a coverup on who the real owner is." Chen Gaonan reported. He also thought the name sounded oddly familiar, but he couldn¡¯t ce a finger on where he had heard it before.

    "Is that so? Continue to monitor them for a few weeks." Yang Feng was slightly intrigued by thepany seeing how hard it was to rise through the ranks, especially for a young independentpany with no powerful backer.

    "There isn¡¯t much to report on today but your schedule is filled to the brim after lunch." Chen Gaonan flipped to a different tab and began to list off the long schedule awaiting him.

    On the surface, Yang Feng seemed to be diligently listening to whatever Chen Gaonan was rambling about. In reality, he was slightly distracted with thoughts of Zhao Lifei. He wondered if he was too harsh on her this morning and was beginning to feel slight remorse for his words. But he needed to work through his doubts if he wanted to find out if she could have a breakthrough with her feelings and reciprocate his. If this does not work, he¡¯ll have to find out another way then.

 Chapter 84: I Wouldve Taken You Home

    After the nd and awkward dinner, Zhao Lifei walked out of the restaurant without looking back. The chilly air of Shenbei mmed onto her with heavy force the minute she opened the door. She shivered at the cold and hugged her shoulders, cursing herself for not bringing a jacket along. She was never good at dealing with the cold so she couldn¡¯t help but tremble in her heels.

    Just then, a warm jacket was wrapped around her shoulder and a pair of arms came out to button the suit jacket.

    Surprised at the action, she raised her head to see it was Wu Yuntai. "Thank you." She gratefully smiled at her grandfather¡¯s Vice President.

    She rarely talked to him but all of their exchanges were always very pleasant. She didn¡¯t know much about him except that he came from a humble background but garnered Zhao Moyao¡¯s attention and support through his extremely high IQ and groundbreaking ideas.

    "It¡¯s rare to see you without a jacket." Hemented, noticing herck of protective outerwear.

    "I was in a rush so I had forgotten to grab one." She said while she held her purse and allowed Wu Yuntai to secure the jacket on her.

    Unknowingly, there was a paparazzi not far from the two who had instantaneously snapped pictures of their seemingly intimate moment of a man making sure his lover wasfortable.

    The paparazzi had gotten photos from when Wu Yuntai had ced his suit jacket from behind and the look of surprise on her face at the gesture, as well as her sincere smile as he buttoned the suit jacket.

    "Forgetful as always." He chuckled, taking a polite step back after ensuring the suit would stay in ce and she would remain warm.

    "I only forgot the meeting time once and now you¡¯ll hold it against me forever?" She sulked, remembering a time where she waste to a meeting that had already finished by the time she had arrived. Wu Yuntai had stayed behind to clean up and was the only one to witness her disheveled state.

    "Of course, that¡¯s the only w I¡¯ve seen so far so I must keep it close to me." He teased, lightly tapping her forehead with his finger, unknowingly adding to the collection of intimate snapshots of them and Zhao Lifei. Just then, Zhao Moyao and his sons strolled out of the restaurant.

    Zhao Lifei turned her head and the smile slipped off her face when she saw the unpleasant expression on her father¡¯s face, the intrigued look of her eldest uncle, and the disapproving look on her grandfather¡¯s face for attempting to run away so early.

    "Once again, you remain disrespectful by leaving before the adults do." Zhao Wenjin¡¯s words were colder than the night wind but she was already used to his harsh blows.

    She had grown up listening to his cruel words and it had made her severely immune to insults. A small part of her was d that this rough treatment had made her more formidable, or else she would have not been able to survive the cutthroat world of backstabbing socialites and ruthless businessmen.

    "If you had behaved during the dinner and actually ate the food instead of wasting your grandfather¡¯s money, I would¡¯ve taken you home." He mocked her just as his driver pulled up.

    In his eyes, this useless daughter can only rely on his father¡¯s backing and had been living her life as a freeloader. He had tried to dig around to check her rtionship with the future head of the Yang family, but it seems that her friendship with the Young Miss Yang is their only connection.

    This daughter of his is truly useless!

    The edge of Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips turned up into a sardonic smile. "Home? And where is home?" She asked him, referring to the fact that she had been disowned and tossed out of their house right after her she had been humiliated and her engagement had been dissolved.

    "Don¡¯t try to sass me." He narrowed his eyes, ring at her with the same eyes that she had inherited from him.

    It was a pity really.

    If she had remained obedient and followed his wishes of continuing to y the piano and making sure she ended up as Madam Zheng, he would¡¯ve at least doted on her to some extent. Given the fact that her face mirrored his very well, he used to take pride in that she looked almost exactly like him.

    "You see it as sass, I see it as a genuine question." She shrugged, much to his dismay.

    "Besides, you¡¯ve never helped me before in the past. Why start now?" She said, turning her back to him and walking away to hail down a cab. Before she had the chance to do so, Wu Yuntai stepped up.

    "I¡¯ll drive you home." He was obviously worried about her. It was alreadyte at night and she had already experienced enough trouble.

    Getting into a taxi right now would be very dangerous, especially for a woman who looked like she can easily be overpowered. She might¡¯ve been taller than the average woman, but her frame was still pretty frail. He had also heard Zhao Moyao worry over her health over the years due to an incident that had urred in the past.

    Zhao Lifei looked at him with surprise once again but quickly recovered and slowly nodded her head. "Okay." She nodded.

    She turned around, ignored her fuming father and paid attention to her eldest uncle and grandfather.

    "Grandfather, First Uncle, I hope you have a good night." She politely said despite the fact that she wanted to re at her grandfather for the stunt he had pulled today.

    Zhao Moyao saw her ring temperament and chuckled in amusement. Stubborn and bratty as always, he didn¡¯t expect any less than that. At least she was wise enough to conceal it seeing as they were in public.

    He walked forward to warmly pat her cheeks. "Get home safely, Xiao Fei." He seemed to be talking to her, but there was an underlying threat directed towards Wu Yuntai who couldn¡¯t meet the pressing gaze of his boss.

    "And you, Wu Yuntai, I expect to see you bright and early in the morning as always." Zhao Moyao nodded to his Vice President.

    "Of course, Sir." Wu Yuntai¡¯s arms stiffly remained by his side while he did a respectful deep bow towards the men of the Zhao family.

    Without another word, he walked off with Zhao Lifei, maintaining a close distance without any physical contact as he guided her to his car. More photos of the both of them from a certain angle were taken until Wu Yuntai had driven off.

 Chapter 85: It Would Be Weird

    After Wu Yuntai drove her home, he waited for her to go into the building before taking his own leave.

    Zhao Lifei walked into her apartment and flicked the light switch on. She tied up her long hair into a messy bun and decided to take a shower before going to sleep. Just as she was about to take off her clothes, she had noticed that she was still wearing the suit jacket that Wu Yuntai had offered her.

    She took it off, neatly folded it, and ced it on the couch so that she would not forget to have it dry-cleaned before returning it back to him.

    After showering, she tiredly copsed onto her bed. She let out a content sigh upon feeling the soft mattress underneath her. While her bed was stillfortable, a certain warmth seemed to be missing from her room tonight and she had to adjust the temperature to make it warmer...

    Slipping under the nket, she was reminded of how well she slept when Yang Feng was around.

    After a while, she decided not to dwell on those thoughts as she needed to sleep for her eventful day tomorrow. She would be delivering her present to resume the gift war that had been in hiatus.

    The next morning, she woke up bright and early to send the man envelope filled with evidence through the post office. But she found an unpleasant surprise for her there.

    A ¡¯Closed¡¯ sign was hanging on the door due to an internal event. She couldn¡¯t help but angrily rant under her breath about her horrible luck. Of all the days for them to take a break in operations, it just had to be today!

    She groaned in annoyance and stomped her way to the sidewalk to hail down a cab. Just great, she had set multiple rms just to get here early and it was all for nothing!

    Suddenly she thought of a simple but foolish n.

    What if, just what if, she hand-delivered this to him in person...?

    She wondered if it would be weird to directly stroll into the Yang Enterprise building to deliver something to their CEO.

    She had previously gotten someone to deliver her presents straight to his office by shamelessly using Yang Ruqin¡¯s connections. However, she didn¡¯t want Qinqin to get any more absurd ideas by asking for her help again.

    A definite voice in the back of her mind was quick to speak up and reprimand her for being so dumb. "Yes, idiot. It would be weird." She said to herself, ming her delirious thoughts on the fact that she hadn¡¯t had breakfast yet.

    After a few seconds of walking back and forth while deciding on what she should do next, she made up her mind to just go and see him. The post office was very close to Yang Enterprise. As a matter of fact, it was only a short twenty-minute walk.

    As she began walking towards his building, she wondered how she could get the envelope delivered to him. It¡¯s not like she could stroll to the front desk and ask for it to be personally delivered to him. She didn¡¯t have an appointment or an actual rtionship with the CEO. What could a simple woman like her do to even see him?

    She knew the receptionist would never let her step a foot beyond the lobby without a scheduled meeting or a proper reason. She could already imagine their bewildered expression and the possibility of his security to escort her out if she walked up to the reception and said "Oh yeah, I¡¯m just a random woman here to deliver this envelope to your great and benevolent boss that you¡¯ve probably never talked to. And uh, can I, a random stranger with no proper appointment or rank, have the private elevator key card to see him please?"

    She rolled her eyes at how dumb that would sound. If she was the receptionist, she would¡¯ve called security on herself.

    A part of her knew she could call him but that would ruin the surprise. But a small part of her was terrified that he would ignore her if she called him. What if he was still angry at her?

    While she argued with herself, she had unknowingly walked straight into the front entrance of the impressive Yang Enterprise building. It was really impressive.

    There was an abstract water fountain in the front and a well-designedndscape that wees people to the sky-high headquarter of Yang Enterprise. With the bright morning sun shining gloriously upon the ss skyscraper, this ce eluded a magnificent aura that rivaled a castle rather than an office.

    Breathing in deeply, Zhao Lifei remind herself that she had been trained to appear strong and confident as if she had every right to be here.

    ¡¯Fake it, until you make it.¡¯ She thought to herself, squaring her shoulders back and raising her chin to look like the arrogant woman that she was.

    Holding the limited edition ck purse that he had bought for her, she walked inside with her head high.

    Since she wasn¡¯t nning on seeing him in person or actually making the trip to his office building, she had been dressed in her usual outfit while running errands. She had left her hair loose and unstyled, her face bare, and worn an off-shoulder top paired with fitted ripped jeans.

    She knew her casual appearance was not the best outfit for such an uptight and rigid setting like Yang Enterprise. Her thoughts were confirmed when she walked into the building and stood out like a sore thumb amongst the men and women dressed to the nines. Men in full suits walked around, while women wore zer, pencil skirts and dress pants that matched, with their hair in a tidy updo.

    In contrast to them, Zhao Lifei¡¯s casual elegance in a sea of business attires garnered attention. Ignoring the curious and judgmental stares she was receiving, she walked up to the front desk.

    "Good morning, ma¡¯am. How can we help you?" One of the receptionists politely spoke up. She was taught by herpany to not judge a person by their appearance. With apany as prosperous as Yang Enterprise, you never know which of the guests were influential. With her experience, she also knew that even disheveled clothes would never be able to hide a person¡¯s incredible aura. This casually dressed woman seemed to fit that example very well.

    Even though Zhao Lifei¡¯s appearance was street casual, her purse most certainly wasn¡¯t. The receptionist¡¯s hawk-like eyes had quickly recognized the limited edition CH purse that even wealthy women would die to get their hands on.

    "This is going to be a really weird question but is there any way you guys can deliver this to CEO Yang?" Zhao Lifei decided to take a leap of faith and bluntly stated her purpose. She showed the receptionists the t and harmless envelope in her hand.

    "I apologize, ma¡¯am, but that is beyond my capabilities." The receptionist gently said, keeping her voice polite and airy.

    Zhao Lifei was pleasantly surprised by the woman¡¯s good work ethic. It seemed the people working in thispany were all well-trained and capable, as expected of Yang Feng. Hispany was one of the most sought out ces to work for by employees due to their great benefits and generous sry range. Working here could be said to be a dreame true, hence, the hiring process is also quitepetitive.

    "Mm, then can I speak with someone who can get it delivered?"

    "I¡¯m afraid that is not possible due to ourpany¡¯s security protocol." The receptionist replied, remaining as firm as ever.

    No matter what a person said or bribed her with, she was taught by her manager to never waver. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like she had the power to be in direct contact with their big boss or anyone in else in his team. At most, she would only see him from the distance whenever he enters and exits the building.

 Chapter 86: Dragons Treasured Pearl

    Zhao Lifei was aware that like most bigpanies, the structure of Yang Enterprise would be simr to the one in her grandfather¡¯spany. The higher one¡¯s office was located in the building, the more powerful and outstanding their position was. Aside from the people from the security team, only the receptionists were on the ground floor and they were usually rankless.

    She knew that if anyone adhered to her request, it would result in their immediate expulsion and they can also be possibly cklisted.

    Zhao Lifei knew it would be pointless to continue pestering the receptionist and saw the obvious relief on the receptionist¡¯s face when she politely thanked her without making any unreasonable demands.

    With a heavy sigh, she could only walk away and think of an alternative. But she didn¡¯t want all her effort to be in vain, so she pulled out her phone and see if there was anyone she could call that wasn¡¯t Yang Feng.

    Without watching where she was going, she had roughly collided with someone and heard the sound of papers falling to the ground. Silence descends on the bustling lobby and it turned so quiet that not even a single pin drop could be heard.

    Confused at what just happened, she raised her head to see Chen Gaonan staring down at her with a group of seemingly important men following behind him. Her eyes scanned the environment and deducted that he had dropped his files on the floor when she bumped against him.

    "I¡¯m sorry-" She hurriedly said and was about to bend down to help pick them up but he suddenly grabbed her.

    "Leave that to someone else. What are you doing here?" He asked her while he gestured towards an employee who scrambled to pick up all of the papers.

    "At least let me help her. I was in the fault as well." She frowned, eyeing his hand which immediately released her.

    "Indeed, you¡¯re also at fault. But there is a man upstairs who will have my head to see your fingers touch the floor." Chen Gaonan said, his expression stoic and stony. She could see why Yang Ruqin oftenined about her brother¡¯s secretary and called him the ¡¯Ice King¡¯.

    "A man who will have your head?" She dumbfoundedly repeated his analogy, eyeing him like he had gone crazy.

    "Yes and I¡¯m sure you already know who." Chen Gaonan scrutinized her as he sized her up. This was only the second time that he had seen her in person, but he knew too much about her because of all the in-depth investigation he had to do on her background. He knew she had a high IQ. She even graduated from Harvard Business School early. But it seems that just like his boss, this genius of a woman wascking in EQ.

    "Putting that thought aside, what are you doing at thepany? Does he know you¡¯re here?" Chen Gaonan purposely decided to not name his boss here. Right now, even if they were inside Yang Feng¡¯s territory, they were still in the least secure part of the building. It would do no good for him to reveal this woman¡¯s connection to the boss, especially with the ruthless executives standing behind him.

    "I wanted to deliver something but the post office was closed. Since you¡¯re here, can you deliver it?" She asked him while handing him the envelope in her hand. She quickly caught on to what he was attempting to do and decided to obedientlyply with it.

    Chen Gaonan¡¯s impression of her had slightly improved. It seems that this woman truly was quick-witted. When theyst met, even if he saw how she had taken care of Yang Feng, he also knew of themotion that had happened while she was there. This time around, it seemed that she wasn¡¯t as foolish as he originally thought.

    "I can but wouldn¡¯t it be better if you personally handed this to him?" He refused to make any move to take the envelope from her outstretched hand.

    "No, I can¡¯t. I¡¯m busy today."

    "Doesn¡¯t seem like you are." He deadpanned, gesturing to her casual clothes.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyebrows knitted together at his behavior. She disliked how he was trying to persuade her to go upstairs to personally see Yang Feng. She was worried he would still be in a bad mood.

    She knew it was cowardly of her to refuse to face him, but she did not want to be rejected yet again. Her heart had undergone too many rejections, and she was not sure if she could take it if ites from him as well.

    "Well I am and-"

    "I¡¯m sure you can spare a few minutes to personally see him. Follow me. I¡¯m on a tight schedule here." He said, gesturing to the men waiting behind him who was curiously looking at her, trying to guess who she was for the CEO¡¯s right hand to be this amodating.

    Zhao Lifei looked at the executives who seemed to be impatiently hurrying her up with their gazes to stop wasting their time. She sighed and reluctantly followed Chen Gaonan with a sullen expression.

    He turned his face away from her, secretly smirking. He had sneakily asked the boss¡¯s security detail yesterday and found out that the boss had spent the night at Sky Arc Complex.

    When he learned of the truth, he realized that he had ruined the boss¡¯s quality time with his woman which exined why his boss was in a grim mood throughout all of the meetings.

    But Chen Gaonan refused to ept the fact it was his fault for ruining the day. His boss had always made it clear that work was a priority and he wouldn¡¯t even spend the entire night with any of the women he previously had rtions with.

    Because of his unhappiness, the entirepany was on edge and no one in his team dared to leave the office before their CEO. Forcing Yang Feng to leave the office when he was in such a horrid state was a job for anyone who had a death wish.

    He was silently cheering inside, knowing he might get a bonus for making sure that the Dragon¡¯s treasured pearl was delivered to his side. Maybe he can finally ask for vacation leave to spend time with his wife! He hoped her sudden visit would curb the anger and frustration the boss was feeling when he had delivered the photographs that came in this morning.

 Chapter 87: The Boss Favors You

    Yang Enterprise, Top Floor

    "Where is the report that the boss wanted this morning?"

    "It¡¯s being photocopied right now and will take two more minutes-"

    "We can¡¯t afford those two minutes. He wants it now!"

    "It¡¯s not like I can rush the machine!"

    "Well, do something about it!"

    The employees on the top floor scrambled to get all of their paperwork done as soon as possible. The usually quiet and organized office was inplete chaos. Since yesterday, their boss had be more demanding and unpredictable. Everyone was kept on their toes at the idea that they would suddenly get fired.

    "Why is the coffee machine not working today out of all days. The boss wants his coffee and he wants it now!" A secretary cried out in panic, unable to work with the stress and pressure on her shoulders. The separate room for Yang Feng¡¯s personal team was doubly chaotic with people fighting over who gets to use the copy machine first, and people walking back and forth topile files from their report.

    "Where is the draft of the project that he wanted by this afternoon?"

    "Draft due by this afternoon? But it was supposed to be due tomorrow!" A man wailed back, grabbing his hair in frustration before going back to hurriedly typing on hisputer.

    "I know, but the deadline was moved up for some reason."

    "Boss is in an even worse mood today than yesterday, we can¡¯t afford to piss him off further!" Another voice spoke out, pushing the man aside to see which part he was working on.

    "I¡¯llplete the second half, just hurry up and work on the first one."

    "Okay, what about the presentation slides? Is that finished yet?" A different voice piped up, hurriedly grabbing the copies that were finally done.

    "Presentation slides? Wasn¡¯t that also due tomorrow?!" Someone yelled out, nearly mming their head onto the table.

    "Well it WAS due tomorrow but everything is being rushed to be delivered today!" A different voice replied, sharing the same frustration. Ever since their boss came in bright and early this morning, he had been working his people to the ground. They can usually handle their boss¡¯s demanding ways, but something has pissed him off so badly that his temper was through the roof. Some of the members of his team had even cried for the first time.

    They didn¡¯t know what happened to infuriate their boss, but whatever it was, they hoped it would pass soon. They were all very experienced people who usually could work well under pressure, but when the boss seemed ready to fire anyone who looked at him the wrong way, the anxiety was finally getting to them.

    They had to stayte the previous day and had to go to work two hours earlier today. Theck of sleep and poor morale was slowly driving them up the walls.

    Just then, the sound of high heels clicking on the floor could be heard. Following it was the signature scent that brought cries of relief from the team. The sound of heels that they usually found obnoxious now sounded like angels singing!

    "Su Meixiu has finally arrived!" The people nearly cheered when they saw the private female secretary of their boss. She was always good at curbing his frustration, the people almost cried in joy thinking that their savior has finally arrived.

    Su Meixiu took off her morous sunsses, revealing her beautiful feline eyes that were always effective in luring men in. With her hourss figure and very seductive pair of lips, one would understand why she was so good at her job.

    She was good at dealing with CEOs andpany representatives of the opposite gender and always had a way to make themply. Perhaps it was because her refreshing and approachable beauty that was theplete opposite of the CEO¡¯s right hand, the ¡¯Ice King¡¯, or it was because she double majored in Psychology and Business, but she was usually really good at reading people and adhering to their emotions.

    "What¡¯s wrong? Why is the office in such a mess early in the morning?" Her pleasant voice was as light as the cloud on a warm summer day but sweet like honey. She scanned the anxious employees in front of her. It had been a while since she had seen them so stressed like this.

    "It¡¯s the boss! He has been infuriated since yesterday! Today we were called in two hours earlier than usual. Howe you didn¡¯t arrive at the same time as us?" Someone asked, noticing she arrived at the usual start of their working hours.

    Su Meixiu blinked. "Two hours earlier? I didn¡¯t get that message." She said, scrolling down her phone and sure enough, there wasn¡¯t one sent to her.

    "Haha, it must be because the boss favors you, Meixiu, so he didn¡¯t call you in early." A worker warmly chuckled, giving her a pat on the back. They weren¡¯t surprised to see she was favored. With a woman so beautiful, who wouldn¡¯t like her? Not only was Su Meixiu beautiful beyond words but her heart was also made of solid gold. She was kind and patient with all of her colleagues, making her the ideal woman. On top of that, everyone was sure she never got scolded by their boss before.

    "Don¡¯t joke like that, Xiao Wen. You know that¡¯s not true. They probably just forgot to send me the message." Su Meixiuughed, waving her hand to disagree.

    "You don¡¯t have to be so humble, Meixiu-"

    "The draft is done! Can anyone bring it to him?" A voice spoke up. Suddenly, the entire office quieted down. Neither of them wanted to directly face the wrath of their boss, so none of them dared to personally go inside his office.

    Just then, every pair of eyes shuffled to Su Meixiu. She sighed upon seeing their pleading eyes before slowly nodding her head. "Alright alright, I¡¯ll give it to him. Is there anything else you want me to bring in?" She asked, grabbing the draft packet.

    Immediately, voices spoke up and everyone rushed to her with reports, his coffee, and other papers that needed to be on his desk. Soon, her hands were filled with things to turn in.

    "You guys are abusing my generosity." She chuckled while juggling the items.

    "Thank you future Madam Yang!" They gleefullyughed, happy that the hardest part was handed to someone else. This was one of the reasons why they absolutely adored Su Meixiu. They wouldn¡¯t be surprised if their big boss fell in love with her. Who wouldn¡¯t?! Beauty, brains, and background, she had it all!

    "Ohe on, guys. Stop joking around!" She rolled her eyes, shaking her head at theirments. While she halfheartedly tried to shrug off theirpliments, a smile bloomed on her face.

    "But it¡¯s true, Meixiu!" They egged her on as she walked towards CEO Yang¡¯s office that was a few meters away from the chaotic mess.

    The small hallway leading there was surrounded by ss windows that took up the entire wall. Everyone walking through here will have a perfect view of the buildings that Yang Feng owned or had major shares in. A fond smile fell on her face when she remembered what they had said about her being the "Future Madam Yang". She couldn¡¯t help but feel it has a nice ring to it.

 Chapter 88: 8 Billion Instead of 800 Million

    Su Meixiu politely nodded her head at the other secretaries and sweetly greeted them before knocking on the door.

    "Ah, be careful Meixiu. The boss isn¡¯t in a good mood this morning." One of the other secretaries warned her, to which she slowly nodded.

    "I know."

    Just then, a gruff voice can be heard from inside the room. "Come in."

    She pushed the door open while bncing a stack of paper on one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

    Sitting behind the ck oakwood desk and typing away on theputer was no other than the man of her dreams. As always, he was wearing sses while working. It was obvious that he had run his fingers through his hair a lot with the way it¡¯s swept back with a few strands framing the right side of his face.

    The tinted ss walls let in enough sunlight to enhance his lightly tanned skin. She was at a loss at his suave appearance while he concentrated on work, his rough and calloused hands furiously typing away. She was sure he was the most handsome man she had everid eyes on.

    Not only was he incredibly good-looking but he also treated her very well. It was pure luck on her part that she had been hired to be a part of his team of secretaries right when she graduated from college. It was her first work experience and she used to make a lot of mistakes.

    Her boss was not a man who gave out second chances but he had surprisingly given her plenty. Whenever she made mistakes, he would remain patient with her because she¡¯s a beginner. She had strived to improve herself in the hopes that she would someday be worthy of Yang Feng¡¯s attention.

    While Yang Feng liked every member of his team to bepetent, he also knew the value of honing someone¡¯s skills and helping them grow as a person. Personally rearing beginners into talented subordinates would ultimately gain their loyalty.

    To him, Su Meixiu was the perfect example of that. The only reason why he didn¡¯t dispose of her is that he needed people he can trust and he saw potential as she genuinely tried to perfect the craft.

    Besides, her diligence and persistence used to remind him of someone...in particr, a pestering little girl that used to follow him around.

    "Are you just going to stand by the door?" He lifted his head to look at her and his voice was irked from what he saw this morning.

    Her warm smile would have hypnotized other men, but with the number of beautiful women who had tried and failed to climb up his bed, he has long been desensitized by these trivial things. Only one woman¡¯s smile could make him stop in his tracks...

    "I apologize, CEO Yang." She sheepishly said. She approached his desk and gently ced the coffee mug down.

    "Here¡¯s your coffee. One teaspoon of sugar, and two spoonfuls of cream, just as you like it." She told him before setting down the papers and neatly organizing it on his desk. She had purposely said it as if she makes his coffee every morning instead of simply handing it over.

    "This is the report that you wanted this morning with regards to the profit and revenue of Imperial Mall in the past month. Here is a draft of the timeline from Zhao Corporation, along with the signed proposal. This is the USB with a copy of the presentation for the board meetingter, and right here are the other reports about the stock market." She pointed out the relevant papers as she exined.

    Yang Feng pleasantly hummed in response as he sipped his coffee. His mood slightly lifted upon seeing thepetence of his employees and how fast they had worked, despite the immense stress and pressure ced upon them.

    "Is there anything else, CEO Yang?" She gently asked him while tucking her hands in front of her to stand in a verydylike manner.

    "Check with Chen Gaonan on the other reports I¡¯ve requested." He spoke up while taking another sip of coffee.

    She nodded her head. Before she left, she silently watched as he began to examine the contract. Her keen eye picked up a small detail on the contract and spoke up.

    "Sir, there¡¯s an error there." She said, pointing to the page that he was currently on.

    "Where?" He frowned as he went over the same page in the contract again. He didn¡¯t notice any visible errors in the paper.

    Su Meixiu walked behind the desk and stood right beside him while cing a hand on his enormous leather chair as she pointed out the figure she was referring to.

    "There¡¯s an extra zero here which would give them the budget of 8 billion, instead of 800 million." She was confused at how he didn¡¯t see the ring error.

    Yang Feng barely paid any attention to the documents he had been signing. He had stayed up all night, reminiscing on the past and how disappointed he was at the anticlimactic ending of his childhood affection.

    He had managed to tune out snippets of her life that his sister would asionally mention during dinner at the main mansion. He only stepped in when Zhao Moyao had decided to sever all ties with the Zheng family.

    Their unnned reconnection after years of no contact had enlightened him. It was a pleasant surprise to see that she had evolved into an outstanding woman, and his forgotten feelings hade surging back in full force.

    His head kept reying the memory of her taunting words. After all of his attempts to pursue her, she still had the audacity to say something like that? He gritted his teeth when he thought back to her words that were like a harsh p to his face.

    Being the king of both the business world and the underworld, he had made sure that everything thates out of the media about him passes through Chen Gaonan. All the previous headlines about him and his ¡¯mystery¡¯ woman had his approval after all. In fact, he has kept a copy of all their stolen photos together.

    His right-hand man had been intuitive enough to add news about Zhao Lifei to their watch list. This is how he had gotten a pile of unsavory photographs to look at the moment he got to the office this morning. It was enough to send his blood boiling and his fingers itching to hurt something. Preferably, to beat that man down to a pulp.

    "Sir?" Su Meixiu called out to him, perplexed to see him spacing out. Her boss rarely did that...It seemed he was really strange today.

    Yang Feng angrily pinched the spot between his brows, his jaw clenching in annoyance. The more he thought about Lifei, the more he grew annoyed. That foolish, stubborn, stupid woman! He wished he could stop thinking about her already.

    "What is it?" He seethed, forgetting why Su Meixiu was even behind his desk. He was so distracted by the thought of Lifei that he didn¡¯t realize how close she was standing to him.

    "There¡¯s an error here." She repeated with her hand still on the paper.

    Yang Feng looked down and sure enough, there was an extra zero. How did he not catch that? This was the most important page and he barely gave it a thought when he signed it.

    Letting out a tired sigh, he ran a hand through his hair. He barely slept a winkst night, thus, he was forced to function on just two hours of sleep.

    Su Meixiu snuck a nce at her handsome boss. She always thought it was strange how he treated her better than most of his employees. Her colleagues had all pointed it out before. They would tease her that it was because he liked her since she was never in danger of being fired or harshly scolded. Not even the Ice King, Chen Gaonan, had disciplined her before!

    Unknowingly to her, Chen Gaonan had only ignored her mistakes because he knew his boss¡¯s n of organically growing his own subordinates.

    Yang Feng only favored her a bit more than the rest of his secretaries because her behavior and attitude truly resemble that stubborn child from the past...

    Su Meixiu bent down a bit to properly examine the contract. "Oh, there¡¯s another one here." She said, pointing to the top of the page. Her hair fell beside her face, and she pushed it back, revealing her tiny face and sharp jawline. With her neckline revealed, a soft and sweet scent exuded from her, but Yang Feng didn¡¯t even notice it.

    Yang Feng tilted his head to look at where she was pointing at and sure enough, there was another one. He didn¡¯t realize that by leaning to get a better look at the paper, their proximity seemed intimate. She was basically hovering over him but his brain was too cloudy to even realize that.

    Just when Yang Feng saw the error, the door to his office opened and what greeted him was the sound of something hitting the floor.

    He turned his head and his eyes flickered with surprise upon seeing who had just arrived. He stared at her, mouth slightly parted. He had never seen her in casual clothes, but not surprisingly, she looked beautiful in it. The purse hanging on her shoulders particrly suited her. It was the one he had gotten for her that she stubbornly tried to return to him. It was the first shot that started their gift war.

    He was once again, awestruck by her. But she wasn¡¯t looking at him. Her face turned stone cold, her eyes reflected a sense of betrayal at the familiar scene before her. A painful memory shed across her mind quickly followed by many more, and soon, she was reminded of something she desperately wanted to forget...

 Chapter 89: Do You Really Want To Find Out?

    Zhao Lifei stood there as memories of the past flooded her mind, washing over her like a tsunami, and nearly drowning her as it did when she drank herself to sleep.

    She thought back to the time she walked into Zheng Tianyi¡¯s officete at night. He was sitting on his big leather chair, simr to the one that Yang Feng was sitting on.

    Zheng Tianyi had his hands around Xia Mengxi¡¯s tiny frame, holding her in ce as she practically straddled him with her hands resting on his shoulder for support. Their scene was more intimate than the one she was currently looking at, but to her, it was very familiar.

    A secretary and a man she favored, she hated to see this again.

    From her perspective, the woman, who seemed like his secretary based on her attire, and Yang Feng were leaning towards each other while looking at the paper on his hand.

    The distance between their faces was almost negligible, so little to the point of where one wrong turn of the head and they would¡¯ve locked lips. It was not a position one would be in while in the office if they didn¡¯t have an intimate rtionship.

    ¡¯So he was like this to other women as well...I wasn¡¯t the special one.¡¯ She muttered to herself.

    She blinked as she became angry and frustrated at how she had let her heart and mind get ahead of herself.

    She felt her walls resurface. The bricks that he had been pulling piece by piece apart slowly was quicklying back together, building up the walls higher than ever.

    Zhao Lifei bit her tongue to hold back fromshing out. The words "It¡¯s not like I¡¯m your girlfriend or wife" rang in her head, taunting and mocking her. Yes, it seems she had no right to be angry at him. Based on how quickly he had moved on, she realized he had listened to it very well.

    Yang Feng was surprised to see the sh of pain and betrayal on her face which disappeared as fast as it hade. Her face turned nk, like an empty piece of paper.

    He had previously been distracted and was then pleasantly surprised that she came by. Seeing her sudden aloofness and her rigid expression, it was when he realized how this scene may have looked like to her. And upon seeing her not make a fuss, his expression darkened.

    Back at Zheng Corporation, she used to make a scene in the office whenever Xia Mengxi was involved. Was his standing in her life truly lower than Zheng Tianyi¡¯s?

    "I apologize, Mr. Yang. It seems as if I was interrupting something." She spoke up, her voice distant and unsympathetic as if she was speaking to a stranger. She bent down to pick up the fallen man envelope while his eyes followed her every move.

    She clenched her hand on the envelope, a small crinkling sound escaping from it. She gritted her teeth and said, "I wille back some other day-"

    "Sit down." His reply seemed like a heavymand she was not allowed to refuse. He watched her pretty little eyes narrowed into slits as she glowered at him.

    "I have better things to do. Have a good day, Mr. Yang." She nearly snarled at him. Before she can make a move, the door shut tightly behind her. She turned around and pushed at the metal handles but found it was not budging. He had locked her in, or more importantly, Chen Gaonan had locked her in.

    "Open the door-"

    "It wasn¡¯t a suggestion." He stood up to his full glory and released his unrelenting aura.

    The puzzled Su Meixiu sized Zhao Lifei from head to toe.

    What was this strange and unfamiliar woman doing here? Su Meixiu felt the edges of her lips tug down at the casual attire the woman was wearing. Moreover, she couldn¡¯t believe someone dared to speak to Yang Feng with such a haughty and arrogant tone.

    How disrespectful.

    Nobody should be talking like that to the powerful CEO Yang. She was sure this visit was not scheduled, so why was this woman even personally escorted by Chen Gaonan to the boss¡¯s office?

    Zhao Lifei red at him, her eyes shing with an intent to kill. Her blood boiled upon seeing the secretary had not moved an inch. "I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s a suggestion or amand. Open the door." Her voice was deathly calm, hiding the storm within her.

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t remove his gaze from her.

    As a matter of fact, even Su Meixiu noticed he hadn¡¯t looked away ever since that woman set foot in the room.

    "Meixiu, you¡¯re excused. Close and lock the door behind you." Yang Feng didn¡¯t look at her as he spoke. Instead, his eyes zing with fierce intensity focused on no one else but Zhao Lifei.

    "Yes, sir." She obediently said, scrambling to the entrance of the room. She texted Chen Gaonan to let her out.

    When the door opened, Zhao Lifei also tried to leave but her path was blocked by Chen Gaonan.

    "Miss, please stay in there." He told her, lightly pushing her back into the room. Before she could retaliate, he closed the door again, leaving her in the den with the Dragon.

    "Chen Gaonan, I¡¯ll kill you!" She cursed under her breath, harshly ring at the door as if her eyes could shoot outsers and kill him from the other side.

    "Turn around." Yang Feng ordered, his dominating and cold voice surprising her.

    Who the hell did he think he was tomand her as he pleased? She angrily turned around to give him a piece of her mind but jumped when she saw how close he was to her now. He was just a couple of steps away from her. When did he move?

    The look that he was giving her was beginning to cause butterflies to dance in her stomach. It fluttered at how scary he looked. The auraing from him was like a foggy shadow reaching over to grab her throat. His face was fiercer than usual and his eyes had darkened with malice. She had never seen him like this.

    "You think you¡¯re the only one that can re? I can do it too!" She said, like the petty woman she was.

    She was beginning to grow annoyed at how he was looking at her like a dangerous beast ready to shred her into pieces. The devil on her shoulder whispered, ¡¯Or shred your clothes into pieces...¡¯ At the naughty thought, a small blush started creeping up her back.

    It was quickly pushed down by the frustration that washed over her. While she was worrying and overthinking everything about him, from his reaction, to what he thought of her, he was here ying hooky with a secretary!

    ¡¯Why did it have to be the secretary?! It was always the secretary!¡¯

    The back of her eyes stung when she remembered pretty little Xia Mengxi hovering over Zheng Tianyi who was clearly captivated by her allure as if she was the female lead.

    "Curb your anger, my dear." He slowly walked closer and her body stiffened in anticipation on what he would do to her.

    His eyes were ake of ink that seemed to reach out and pull her in, tugging at her heart, and attempting to drown her. She was sucked into them once again.

    Her blood froze and her toes curled from how he looked. He looked like the men her nannies warned her about. The dangerous and mysterious kind whose face was heavenly, but whose soul is darker than the devil.

    Even so, she wasn¡¯t scared of him. Her eyes mirrored his, except to him, she looked like a little kitty who thought she was a lioness.

    She blurted out, "And if I don¡¯t?"

    Her shoulders tensed when he was just a breath away from her. He was standing so close that she could feel her brain go hazy at his intoxicating scent. She rapidly blinked as she unknowingly stepped back and she found herself trapped between him and the door.

    He bent down, his hands tucked into his front pockets. He was incredibly close but this time, he didn¡¯t seem to have any ns of touching her. She stared up at him, her mind alternated between danger and desire at his alluringly seductive stance.

    He brought his lips to her ears and whispered. "My dear, do you really want to find out?"

    She shivered at how dangerous, yet enticing his voice was. She didn¡¯t think he would ever intimidate her. As a matter of fact, she would never in a million years think he had this side to him. Sure, she had heard of the sinister rumors dancing around him, but he had never shown it to her until today. She didn¡¯t think he would use any of his cruel tricks on her. Perhaps she had truly been too spoiled by him...

    - - - - -

    Author¡¯s Note (Was ced in the story because it couldn¡¯t fit the author¡¯s note section lol):

    As some of you guys may know, I¡¯ve been contracted by , thus, this story will go premium on April 23. The prices are already set by WN, so I will not have control over it.

    Their rates are 200 words = 1SS. My chapters are quite lengthy, so the story will cost 6-8 SS. It¡¯s higher than most novels, but it prevents abrupt ending of chapters and will be more satisfying!

    This story was contracted in order to fund my college tuition and allow for double updates (as I would be quitting my parttime job).

    I hope you guys can continue to support this novel ? Thank you!

 Chapter 90: There Is A Limit To My Patience

    Yang Feng understood the expression on her face all too well. The proximity between their faces gave him a clear view of the look in her eyes. He could practically see the gears turning in her head as she started overthinking.

    "Look at me." He ordered, not wanting her to jump to conclusions anymore.

    She refused to listen and dared to look away from him, making a loud "Hmph!"

    His eyes narrowed when he saw how stubborn and childish she was behaving.

    "There is a limit to my patience." He warned her, despite the fact that his brain was screaming at him for saying something so foolish. Was there a limit to his patience? Yes. But was there a limit when it came to this daring girl in front of him? There was none.

    A simple rejection like this was enough to cause a sharp stabbing pain to spread in his chest. But regardless of his frustration, the overwhelming affection he had for her was enough to suppress his anger.

    The moment she had stepped foot in his office, it seemed that the sleepless night he had endured with her running through his mind had vanished. It was then that he realized just how much of a tight grip she had on his heart.

    "I don¡¯t care about your stupid patience. Let me out!" She demanded, refusing to meet his gaze. She gasped when he suddenly mmed his palm against the door while his other hand harshly grabbed her chin to hold her in ce.

    "That hurt!" She half-lied, purposely making him feel bad. It worked and he immediately loosened his grip.

    "I hurt you? Let me see." He roughly asked her, but the cier in his eyes had slightly thawed out. He wanted to rub his thumb over the chin he was holding, but she pulled away from him.

    "Why do you care?" She stubbornly replied, deliberately pressing all of his buttons. She knew she was being incredibly irrational right now, childish even, but she was still hurt from the familiar scene she had just witnessed. It made her not care about the consequences anymore.

    At her bratty tone and words, the cier in his eyes got even colder. His free hand gripped her arm tightly this time, causing her to wince.

    Yang Feng stared down at her, analyzing her guarded face. "Why are you so angry today?"

    "I¡¯m not angry." She red back at him like he was the at the top of her kill-list.

    "I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be the type to hurriedly jump to conclusions. It¡¯s as if everything I have done is not enough for you to trust me." His voice was filled with disdain towards her, each syble digging into her heart.

    He thought back to the photographs he had gotten this morning of Wu Yuntai and Zhao Lifei together. He is aware that the paparazzi purposely manipte the way they take photos, but the smile she had on her face directed towards some other man had driven away his rationality. While he had been agonizing over her words, she had the gall to be wrapped around in another man¡¯s clothing!

    "Why do I always have to be the one to chase after you?" He voiced his thoughts out in a whisper only she could hear. He was angry at their circumstances which caused him to lose control of his temper.

    She rapidly blinked at his words that were like a p to her face. Her heartbeat started racing and an ache was building up in her chest.

    "Then don¡¯t chase after me! You should¡¯ve just left me on the ground of the banquet! You should¡¯ve just let me faint on the ground and walked away when you had the chance! You should have gone home instead of staying the night with me!"

    He looked at her, crestfallen that she would even think something like that.

    "Is that what you truly think I should¡¯ve done? Do you think I would¡¯ve been foolish enough to let a woman like you slip out of my fingers?" He released her as if he was tired of the chase, as if he was ready to give up on her right then and there.

    "In your eyes, what do you see me as?" He whispered to her, this time, his gaze softening. When he reached out to brush a few strands of hair covering her eyes, she flinched as if she thought he was going to strike her.

    "You thought I would hit you?!" He harshly asked her, his angering back again.

    She refused to meet his gaze. Her body would flinch out of instinct when a man raises his hand while he¡¯s angry. It seems that her body still remembers how she had been pped by Zheng Tianyi both in private and in public when he loses his temper. She also couldn¡¯t forget the times her father used to p her around when she was younger for making the simplest mistakes or for aggravating her sister.

    "Don¡¯t do that. I don¡¯t like it when you look away from me." He gripped her chin again, turning her face to look into his.

    He maintained eye contact with her eyes that shined like the universe. Every time he looks into her eyes, he would be immediately sucked in. Her iris was a reflection of the gxy¡¯s nebe. He had never fallen in love with anyone else before. Do people in love usually feel this helpless?

    "So now you can hold your tongue? Are you going to just stand there without speaking? Don¡¯t make me the viin when you¡¯re the one who started it." He took a few steps back, as he waited for her to respond.

    Zhao Lifei blinked at his words, guilt momentarily passing by her. The distance between them made her instantly miss the warmth he provided.

    Her heart was aching, the burning pain a torture for her. It spread from her chest and felt as if someone was twisting a knife into it.

    She hugged her stomach and bit on her bottom lip. He had been there when she wasst hit by Zheng Tianyi, and she knew he would understand why she would flinch. But truthfully, she wasn¡¯t scared of him. She was scared of what he might do to her poor heart.

    As he looked at her with disinterest and his lips slightly curled back, she couldn¡¯t find the right words to say.

    The sound of his coldughter sent shivers down her spine. "It seems I¡¯ve spoiled you too much for you to be angry just because I¡¯m in the same room as another woman. As you said, you¡¯re neither my wife or my girlfriend. You¡¯re not my woman. You have no right to be angry."

    Each word he said to her was a painful jab to her heart, so much that her face nearly crumbled. Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t handle the prickling feeling in her heart anymore.

    She ignored her years of therapy and finally allowed her anger to get the best of her. She saw red and her fingers curled around the envelope she was holding.

    "You know what, you bastard? You¡¯re right, I¡¯m not your girlfriend or your wife and that¡¯s why I don¡¯t care! You can go f*ck all your secretaries and it won¡¯t affect me!" In her rage, she did not realize that she had rushed to him while screaming, and had proceeded to hit him with the man envelope again and again.

    He didn¡¯t even flinch from her beating. He grabbed her tiny wrists to force her to stop hitting him but that wasn¡¯t enough to stop her crazy temperament. She roughly kicked him, taking him byplete surprise.

    "Then why are you so angry?" He wanted to force her to realize her emotions, and above all, force her to finally face the truth.

    "I don¡¯t know!" She screamed at him, the back of her eyes burning as she became overwhelmed with emotions.

    "You don¡¯t know?" He loudly repeated, his eyes red at her words. With both her wrists in his hand, he towered over her knowing she can¡¯t escape from him.

    "I don¡¯t know!" She confirmed. She had wanted to raise her voice louder than him, that her face was beginning to flush from the volume.

    "Then I¡¯ll tell you why." And without waiting for a reply, his lips crashed down to hers.

 Chapter 91 Ill Let Your Imagination Figure It Ou

    Her eyes grew wide with the sudden intrusion on her personal space. While the way he did it was rough and unexpected, his lips on hers were soft and warm. He released her wrists to wrap one arm on her waist while his other hand shifted to her nape.

    He tilted her head until their frenzied lips fit together perfectly. Despite the fact that the kiss was forced upon her without any warning, she couldn¡¯t bring it within herself to reject it.

    She couldn¡¯t help but close her eyes as her lips responded to his and he took that as her giving him permission. His embrace tightened and he had pulled her so close that he could feel almost every inch of her.

    For odd reasons, he tasted sweet...

    She let out a low moan when he squeezed her waist, and the sudden noise had further fueled the desire in his heart.

    She tried to speak, pulling back for a breath of air. "Y-Yang Feng, wait-" When her eyes fluttered open for a second, it was met by the hunger in his.

    He cut her off mid-sentence and pressed their lips together yet again. He kissed her passionately, leaving no room for objections.

    He skillfully alternated between sucking and biting her lips, that she ended up swallowing what she was about to say as her brain turned to mush.

    She gasped when he suddenly squeezed her waist again, and he seized the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. He easily dominated her mouth, swirling his tongue and tasting every part of it.

    It was a kiss that felt like a romantic confession. As if all the words that were left unsaid can be ryed through this kiss instead. It was gentle but demanding and greedy, and nothing like she had ever experienced. It made her feel that all the kisses she had experienced in the past paled inparison and was now irrelevant.

    He didn¡¯t pull back until she began tapping him on his chest, begging for air. His scorching gaze was on her as he let her breathe, while he kept the distance between them just enough to do so. Their chests puffed up and down simultaneously as if they were one. She couldn¡¯t help but shiver at what just happened. His hot breath was fanning her face, as her body tingled from the lust in his eyes.

    Just when she thought it was over, Yang Feng lifted her chin to capture her into another passionate kiss. This time around, there was a drastic difference from the loving kiss they had earlier. Instead, it was filled with anger and frustration.

    His grip at the back of her neck angled her head to a better position so that their lips perfectly mended together. His lips roughly moved over hers, biting, sucking, and pulling at it. She moaned, a tingling sensation building up in her body.

    His kiss was ferocious as if he was venting all his past grievances against her. Instead of pushing him away, she couldn¡¯t help but want to reassure him and attempted to follow his incredible pace.

    They broke apart for a few seconds to breathe, only for them to quickly resume their kiss. He desperately kissed her, as if scared she would disappear at any moment. He kissed her as if he had not had a drop of water and she was the oasis in the middle of a dry desert. He kissed her as if she was breathing life to him.

    It did not matter that they were in his office and she was in the middle of hitting him. It did not matter how angry she had felt, or how demanding he was being. She was left with no chance to overthink things and her instincts had long taken over as she kissed him back with the same ferocity.

    The sensation of having her chest pressed against his to the point where he could practically feel her erratic heartbeat made him want to see how she looked like right now. He gave in to the temptation to take a peek, and he was greeted with the view of her with her eyes closed and flushed face as she kissed him back. A slow smile spread on his lips, for this was the confirmation he needed that she shared the same feelings as him.

    With the intensity of their kiss, Zhao Lifei had to suppress the urge to keep moaning against his lips. But it seemed she no longer had any control over her body as the sound still came out.

    Hearing the noises she was making, Yang Feng decided that they needed to stop before they both lose control of their urges. When he finally pulled back, he could clearly see how her eyes were still zed. He proudly smiled at the fact that he was the one who brought her to this state.

    "Do you know now?" He quietly asked her after giving her a short peck on the lips.

    "H-Huh?" She was still in a daze and couldn¡¯t fathom his question.

    "Do you know now?" He repeated the question, the anger in his voice now gone. His eyes twinkled with glee as his hands shifted her so that her cheeks were leaning on his chest as he led her to his leather chair. He positioned her on hisp and watched as she slowly starteding back to reality.

    "I-I-I-"

    "Hm?" Using one hand, he pressed her closer to him, while the other rested on her lower back to keep her in ce.

    "Don¡¯t smirk at me like that." She finally said, refusing to look at him. The way he was mischievously smirking at her kept the butterflies in her stomach flurrying and hastened her heart beat. She nervously twiddled her fingers, her eyes traveling around his office without actually seeing anything.

    "Why not?" His smirk grew wider upon seeing how docile she had be. His grumpy little kitten can actually be tamed by a kiss!

    "No reason." She childishly said while stubbornly crossing her arms.

    "Then I¡¯ll continue to do so." He teased her as he lightly grabbed her chin to get her to look at him. She still refused to make eye contact and she stared at his shoulders as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

    "So adorable." He whispered to her, gently cupping her cheeks and using his thumbs to rub them.

    "No, I¡¯m not-"

    "So beautiful." He hummed, lifting her fingers to press gentle kisses upon each one of them as she watched him do so.

    "Stop that-"

    She had tried to stop him but he continued touching her as he pleased while pointing out all of her perfections that she deemed ws.

    "Do you know, my dear, that you¡¯re the only one allowed to talk to me like that? You can yell at me, disagree with me, hit me with that envelop, and even throw your money at my face. If you want to be jealous, you¡¯re the only one allowed to do so." He brushed her stray hair away to reveal her tiny face. He cupped her cheeks as he looked at her with a soft and gentle expression on his face.

    She blinked at his words. No one has ever looked at her with so much kindness, adoration, and love. Never in her life would she have imagined that she¡¯d end up in Yang Feng¡¯sp as he murmured sweet nothings. Her heart was beginning to build up rhythm once again, and unconsciously, she reached out to gently rub the dark circles underneath his eyes.

    "Why¡¯s that?" She softly asked him, watching as his eyes fluttered closed and his face leaned closer to her hands.

    "I¡¯ll let your imagination figure it out." He replied, moving his hands to wrap his arms around her. She didn¡¯t push him away, instead, she leaned on him and let him hug her. The past, the present, and the future had blurred over. At this moment, it seemed that nothing else exists except for the person in their embrace.

 Chapter 92 He Didnt Let Her Go

    "Do you know now?" They had no idea how much time they had spent wrapped in each other¡¯s arms in silence. Instead of ruining the moment, Yang Feng¡¯s whispered question actually made it more intimate.

    She did.

    At the implication, her heartbeat quickened and her stomach fluttered. She knew this feeling all too well. Even as she got more and morefortable sitting in hisp while in his embrace, she refused to voice her realization out loud.

    "Well?"

    He tilted his head down to look at her in the eyes. When he saw her resting her face on his chest, snuggling against it as if she was made for the spot, his gaze softened. He caressed her cheek with his thumb, her skin as smooth as it looked.

    Zhao Lifei knew what he wanted to hear, but she couldn¡¯t say it because in reality, as much as her heart wanted him, she knew she wasn¡¯t ready.

    "I need time." She quietly whispered.

    Yang Feng felt his heart drop at her words. It was the opposite of what he expected her to say.

    He let out a tired sigh and ran a hand through his hair. While it was not ideal, he knew that the fact that she was willing to give their rtionship a try was already a huge step for her.

    He looked down at her. She was staring into nothingness, but the fact that she was resting on him was more than enough for him.

    "You want me to wait for you."

    Zhao Lifei slowly nodded her head.

    "J-just a bit longer." She was filled with anxiety at the thought that there was a chance he would reject her and reveal his impatience. Who would want to wait for a woman like her?

    His gaze softened upon seeing the hesitancy and fear in her expression. She was scared he would leave her, and her simple fear was enough to warm his chest. This meant at the very least, she still cared for him.

    "Only a bit longer." He told her. He ced his lips on the crown of her head to give her a quick reassuring kiss. When he pulled back, he saw a hopeful smile bloom on her face. Agreeing to wait for her to finally ept him may not be as bad as he had thought.

    "I will wait for you, but you¡¯re not allowed to push me away again. I need you to trust that I will stay by your side, no matter what." He firmly said, leaving no room for any arguments. If she wanted one condition, he also wanted one.

    She thought about it for a while and nodded. "I can only promise to try."

    A pleasant feeling bloomed in her heart at his sincerity. Her resolve to keep her word strengthened.

    His arms looped around her waist, securing his hold on her. "And you¡¯re only allowed to date me."

    She let out a burst of tinyughter upon hearing his words. "Alright." She mused, a small smile on her face.

    Now that their feelings are clear, he wanted to make sure to stake his im on her. He wanted to let her know that he would crush any man who daresy a finger on her. The photos from this morning were still fresh in his memory.

    Seeing she had epted his condition, he decided to change the topic to something else in hopes of lightening up the mood once again.

    "You came in with an envelope. What did you want to show me?" He asked her, pulling back a bit to finally give her some space. But he didn¡¯t let her go very far and kept her securely seated on hisp.

    "Let go of me first. We can talk on the couch." She told him as she awkwardly squirmed on hisp, wanting to sit on her own. She tugged at his arms that had caged her in and kept her from moving.

    His gaze darkened as desire filled him. Did she not realize that she was sitting on a delicate part of his body?

    After that intense makeout session and the way she rubbed against it, he was getting more aroused by her. He ground his teeth, his jaws clenching at the true test of his self-control.

    While he struggled to maintain hisposure, she waspletely oblivious to his friend that was hardening with every one of her struggles. He tightened his hold on her waist, not allowing her to squirm any further.

    He decided that he would endure it by keeping her still. And besides, he didn¡¯t want to let her go when it felt so right to have her in his arms.

    "Don¡¯t be stubborn." She added on. That¡¯s strange, there¡¯s something hard pressing on her thighs-

    "You can tell me what it is right here." He said to her, refusing to let go.

    "How can you read like this?" She rolled her eyes as she referred to their position, leaving almost no room for anything toe in between. When she moved again, he nearly lost control.

    "Fine."

    She sighed in relief. Finally, she was going to be let down--

    He didn¡¯t let her go.

    Instead, he only adjusted their position so that she was fully seated on hisp with her back against his chest and his chin resting on her shoulder. With one hand wrapped around her waist making sure she went nowhere, he grabbed the envelope with his other hand.

    She turned her head sideways to re at him and nearly grabbed the nearest object to whack his head with it. How can he be this stubborn?! What was wrong with him today?

    "Why are you so clingy today-"

    He ignored her. "What is this?" He asked her, pulling out the papers and ncing at the USB drive.

    Was it a proposal idea from Zhao Corporation? Did that sneaky Zhao Moyao already figure out that he would agree to any of his business proposals if it meant he can keep this feisty little consultant in his arms?

    A mischievous grin graced his face when he realized how great it would be if he could negotiate with Zhao Moyao to keep his granddaughter here where they can spend all their time together.

    That old man and his granddaughter would also probably try to use their guns on him at this proposal, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try right?

    She reluctantly sighed, knowing he would not let her go, thus, she finally epted her situation.

    "I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ve already found the culprit behind the assassination, but I did." She knew he wouldn¡¯t release her anytime soon, so decided that she might as well make herself morefortable.

    While she was shifting her butt into a better position on hisp, she had noticed the pressing thing underneath her had gotten incredibly harder. When she looked up at him and saw his eyes burning with lust, her face heated up. She immediately decided to remain still until she can finally run away from this deviant pervert.

 Chapter 93 Run For The Hills

    ¡¯Assassination?¡¯

    Yang Feng remembered the phone call he had picked up from a certain Lu Minhong. He remembered how intimate Lu Minhong sounded when talking to Lifei over the phone. It seems he had to swat away a lot of insects buzzing around his woman...

    But wait, she had looked into his assassination? His heart warmed at the thought. Was this what they were referring to? He wasn¡¯t scared of dying or assassinations.

    At this point, he was used to being a target. As a matter of fact, right before the previous car ident, he had survived a shooting a couple days prior to the car crash. This one was just more sessful than the others.

    To him, assassins was inevitable, but his thorough screenings and generouspensations to everyone in his security detail ensured he wouldn¡¯t die easily. Anyone that got past them would truly be apetent assassin.

    But he wanted to listen to her speak, so he continued to pay attention to her.

    "I had a friend look into it." She opened the envelope and pulled out a small USB. "This USB drive contains almost everything you need to know about who attempted to kill you. There¡¯s surveince footage, which by the way, was apparently very hard to acquire since the assassins wiped out almost everything."

    Since they were sitting behind his desk, hisptop was within her reach. Without even asking for his permission, she grabbed it and inserted the USB drive into one of the ports.

    She suddenly realized what she had just done and took a secretive peek at him, curious about his reaction. Would he scold her for touching something that contained hispany¡¯s secrets? Would he yell at her for messing with his files? Would he get so angry at her, he¡¯ll finally release her?

    The edge of her lips twitched when she saw he wasn¡¯t even close to mad. As a matter of fact, he looked like a lovestruck fool with his tender eyes and adoring smile. He was ying with strands of her hair, absentmindedly twirling it around his finger.

    She pressed her lips together in annoyance.

    "Did you even hear what I said?" She asked, to which he smiled and pulled her closer to him, so much that her back was aligned on his chest. She didn¡¯t realize it before, but it was rock solid and strong like a brick wall.

    "You said the surveince footage is very hard to find and the USB contains clips on who tried to kill me. Don¡¯t get mad so easily. I always listen to every single word you say." He teased her, tapping her nose with his long finger.

    He smiled when she retreated her ws and looked away from him, a satisfied expression on her face.

    "Whatever." She huffed, turning back on hisptop and essing the files.

    She showed him the surveince video of two cars crashing straight into a ck Maybach. Within seconds, yellow res erupted, signaling a gunfight had started. She didn¡¯t even blink as men started dropping like flies from the gunshots. She stayed heavily focused on the scene because it was also her first time seeing it.

    "Did you see that?" She asked him, pointing towards the screen.

    "Hm, see what?" He was distracted by her concentrated expression, the way her brow knit together as she dissected the film bit by bit.

    He couldn¡¯t help but marvel how charismatic and beautiful she was when she was in charge. The way her eyes would sharpen and her delectable lips would press together as she focused. For him, the best part about it was that she behaved this way because she wanted to help him!

    She turned around and fiercely red at him. She looked agitated with him and her voice mirrored her annoyance.

    "Were you just watching me the entire time?" She fumed, attempting to get off hisp, but his grip was like an iron bar around her, refusing to let her leave.

    "I was." He told her, not liking the way she roughly struggled in his arms. She was purposely elbowing his abdomen in hopes he¡¯d release her, but her tiny elbows didn¡¯t hurt him. Instead, he grabbed her wrist, trailing his fingers to hers.

    "You¡¯re so riled up today." He chuckled, leaning his head on her shoulder.

    "Because this is a very serious matter! It concerns the life you almost lost!" She exasperated, growing more and more irked by him with each passing second. However, her voice was clearly tinged with concern.

    When his smile widened at her words, she wanted to wipe that stupid smirk off of his face. He was always looking at her with a gaze filled with pure admiration, she was beginning to wish he would stop looking at her like that. She had never been smoldered by so much adoration before, thus, her only reaction was to run from it.

    Seeing her annoyed expression that resembled a tiny little kitten ready to maul him with her small ws, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    She shivered when she felt the powerful rumble on her back. He leaned closer to her, his lips hovering near her ears, sending warm tickles throughout her entire body.

    "Do you want to know something?" He whispered to her, eyes twinkling at the way she was subtly reaching for her purse. He felt his chest swell with happiness and pride that she was using the one he had gotten for her.

    "What is it?" She impatiently said, wanting to grab the pepper spray in her purse to force him into submission.

    He lifted his hand and used his long fingers to gently grip her chin so she can look back at hisptop¡¯s screen. The video was paused right at the moment you see silhouettes of men in ck hiding behind a car.

    "Every man you saw in this video who dared to take my life are writhing in a cell, chained to the walls, and beaten into submission. They¡¯ve been so brutally tortured and mutted, they¡¯d prefer a lifetime in hell than where they¡¯re being held." He didn¡¯t mean to sound so sinister but the voice naturally came out, as if he was taunting an enemy.

    The way he said such horrid words without flinching must¡¯ve made him look like a bloodthirsty serial killer. The fact that he still had his loving expression as he talked about it would make any other woman run for the hills. All the women in the past who had dared demand something more than physical rtions from him had gotten the same treatment and they all trembled with fear on what he could do.

    To add the final blow, he quickly opened an application on hisptop. The screen shed ck as if it had died. He pressed his thumb to the fingerprint scanner and the screen changed to disy multiple surveince videos of dark depressing cells.

    He zoomed into one of the cells which were upied. In the middle of the room were two men, but their bodies were so horrid, it looked more like balls of flesh dripping blood than men.

    The floor and the walls were decorated with strange stains, torture devices, and random body limbs. The scene was horrible to witness and most people would¡¯ve gagged or thrown up at something like that.

    Yang Feng was deliberately testing her. He didn¡¯t want her hands to be unnecessarily stained with blood, but he also did not want to hide the fact that he was the king of the underworld. While she had her connections, being with him would mean exposing her to the entirety of this dark, dark world he was heavily invested in.

    Not only was he testing her, but he was also warning her of what the consequences would be if she ever betrayed him. He thought back to the photographs from this morning. He knew she had not seen it and she never would. He had paid the paparazzi a hefty sum of money to keep his mouth shut and the SD card destroyed.

    If Wu Yuntai knows what¡¯s good for him, he would keep his filthy paws away from his woman.

    He waited for her reaction. This wasn¡¯t even the full extent of his vicious ways. What he did to those assassins barely scratched the surface of what he could do.

 Chapter 94 Why Did You Forget?

    He knew she was horrified since she was deathly still in hisp. He saw his reflection on the thickyer of ss over his polished ck wood desk and realized he had a sadistic expression on his face.

    ¡¯Well?¡¯ He thought to himself, preparing to see the pale and frightened face of Zhao Lifei.

    The women in his past all trembled, even if some tried to tamp it down.

    He was curious. With her unique personality, will she dare to move even when scared? Will showing her such an atrocious scene curb her temper and change her personality around him? Will she treat him better or will she run away from him? Will the woman he fell for still be the same when she sees this side of him?

    When he looked at her, he was surprised. He didn¡¯t see ghostly pale skin, cold sweat, or a fumbling woman. Never in a billion years would he ever have prepared for the expression he was going to witness from her.

    Instead of the petrified expression he had expected, there was a curious glimmer within her eyes. Her lips were parted as if in awe and her head was tilted, lost in thought. Perhaps it was the lighting, but she looked intrigued at the video on theptop.

    "How did you do that?" She curiously asked, turning her head to properly look at him.

    He looked down at her, the childlike wonder she had in her eyes was hard to miss. With the natural sunlight shining upon her, her eyes were a beautiful amber color, resembling the rare topaz she had once gifted him as a child. After spending time with her, his intuition told him she didn¡¯t remember a single thing.

    She naively smiled at him, tilting her head like a curious bunny, awaiting his response. She jumped when he suddenly patted her head, his gaze distant and far away, his mind running down memoryne.

    "Yang Feng?" She poked his chest before pinching his cheeks. His face was originally really sinister, but she had no qualms about touching it. When he looked at her, she realized how soft his expression had be.

    "Why did you forget about me?" He quietly asked, his voice so low that she almost didn¡¯t catch what he said.

    "What do you mean?" She leaned back to look at him.

    He stared down at her, and unconsciously, he brushed her hair back. He had done this before when they were children, with the summer sun bleeding beautifully into them as their backdrop.

    It was the hottest day of summer but despite the dazzling sun, she was still running after him. He had heard a rough plop from behind and when he turned around, he saw she had fallen.

    The idea of her in harm¡¯s way made him panic. He had immediately walked back to help her. Seeing this, she began to grin, her hair sticking to her forehead, and her eyes twinkling with innocence.

    He scolded her for being stubborn while brushing back her adorable little fringe, but nheless, she still followed him, calling out "Feng Feng!"

    "Yang Feng? Hello? Is your brain working? Did the engines malfunction?" She knocked on his forehead then yed with his cheeks by pinching them and marveling at how it was smooth like stretchable marble.

    He snapped back to reality, grabbing her wrist and leaning closer.

    "The engines are working perfectly fine." He chuckled at her strange sense of humor. He teases her back by pinching her cheeks as well. Unlike his which was firm, hers were soft and very malleable.

    "You spaced out and said some gibberish." She said, recalling his strange question. She has forgotten him? When? She didn¡¯t recount a time she had met him before their first encounter in the hospital room. She only heard about him whenever Qinqin wouldin about how her brothers bully her, yet he seemed to have known her before that.

    "Did I? Just ignore it." He hummed, not recalling what he said.

    "Oh, okay." She nodded at his words before turning back to the gruesome surveince footage.

    She wasn¡¯t going to lie. The scene freaked her out and had awakened her hidden fears, but not for the reasons Yang Feng thought.

    When she felt the goosebumps on her skin, the familiar shiver down her spine, and her mind clouding, she understood her fear. She purposely pushed her emotions away. She wasn¡¯t that scaredy-cat anymore. She had already turned over a new leaf.

    "What kind of application is that? How did you switch screens with just your fingerprint? Is it secure? Can you tell me how this program works?" She asked him, pointing towards the screen and the surveince videos that needed his fingerprint to be essible.

    "Why do you want to know? What do you want to hide?" He teased her, simultaneously noticing that she had paled a little and her hands were mmy. So, she was scared. But for whatever the reason, she hid it pretty well.

    "I think it woulde in handy one day." She said, thinking back to all the encrypted files on herputer about different people and organizations. She also obtained a lot of information about Zheng Corporation¡¯s under-the-table dealings...

    "Alright, I¡¯lle over to your house tonight and help you." He tapped her forehead to which she brightly nodded, missing his suggestivement.

    "Okay." She grinned and took him by surprise since it was one of the rarest moments that he has ever seen her smile like that.

    Seizing the chance with his momentary infatuation, she quickly slipped off of hisp.

    "Come back here-"

    "Doesn¡¯t your leg feel sore? I¡¯m sure it fell asleep by now." Sheughed, walking to the opposite side of his desk.

    He stood up to his full glory, towering over her once again, despite the fact that she was taller than the average woman.

    "Does it look like my legs have fallen asleep?" He chuckled, quickly crossing the distance between them. He grabbed her by the waist and tugged her towards him. She barely weighed anything on hisp and it made him realize he should take her to eat out sometime soon.

    She ced her hands on his chest to create distance between them. She noticed how big his hands were inparison to her waist. His long fingers almost reached the ones from the opposite hand. She dryly thought back to a joke Yang Ruqin had told her, "The bigger the hands, the bigger the D~¡¯, and she flushed as she resisted the urge to...look down there.

    Upon noticing her wary expression, Yang Feng leaned down to her ears.

    "What are you thinking about?" His breath tickled her, forcing her to shiver and involuntarily clench her hands on his clean-cut silk button-up.

    "Stop doing that." She pushed his face away, but he grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss into her palm while maintaining eye contact. It was unbelievably sensual and with her already lewd thoughts, she couldn¡¯t help that her mouth opened and closed like a fish desperate for water.

    He was too enchanting. His eyes were a bottomless ocean of mischief to which she was beginning to drown in. He passionately stared back at her with a fire that burned only for her.

    Her heart raised its rhythm, each beat like a hammer against her chest.

    He was outstandingly handsome in every right and she found it hard to believe that a man like him was treating her with so much adoration.

    "What am I doing?" He teased her, pressing another kiss to her palm before moving to do the same to her fingertips to which he held with care.

    Her heart was pounding so loudly for him, she wondered if he could hear it.

    "Stop doing whatever you¡¯re doing right now." She breathed out, not liking the way he was sending flutters down her chest and a warmth that¡¯s pooling beneath her stomach.

    He chuckled at her expression, the breathy voiceing out from her hid nothing about how she was currently feeling. He was about to swoop in for another round of passionate kissing when suddenly, a knock echoed throughout the room, breaking the trance they were in.

 Chapter 95 I Tried to Seduce You

    She jumped in surprise when she heard the knock and attempted to push him away. Her eyes grew wide as she struggled to leave his arms.

    "Rx, it''s alright." Yang Feng gently ran a hand through her hair in hopes of calming her down.

    She ignored his hand and examined his appearance. With their disheveled appearance, it would be easy for anyone to find out how intimate they had been in his office. She attempted to fix his crooked tie even if she had no idea how to, making it messier as her panic grew.

    "You''re doing it all wrong." He chuckled, watching her struggle and scramble to adjust it. He sped his hand over hers, guiding her fingers to properly fix it.

    "What are you so afraid of?" He asked her, watching as she attempted to smoothen out his slightly wrinkled clothes.

    "I don''t want rumors to get out about us doing dirty things in your office. People might think I seduced you into coborating on a project with Zhao Corporation!" She said, referring to the fact that she walked into Yang Enterprise without an appointment and even asked the receptionist to deliver an envelope to the CEO.

    "I will fire anyone who dares to badmouth you. But I quite like the idea of you seducing me to ept proposals. How about we start now?" He wrapped his arms around her waist, tugging her to him with a mischievous grin on his face. He bent down for onest kiss but she roughly pressed her palm to his lips and pushed his face away.

    "Let go of me and let the employee in. It must be something urgent." She said and pushed his chest for distance.

    "It better be." He grumbled something under his breath. He looked like a spoiled brat who has finally been told ''no'' for the first time in his life.

    "I hope you know you''re the only one who dares to treat me like that." He sulked as he released her.

    "You''ve already told me that." She chuckled at his childish behavior, before tiptoeing to give his head a light pat and ruffle his hair. "You''re so spoiled." She teased, picking up her purse as he walked her to the door.

    But before she could grab the handle, he suddenly hugged her from behind. She nearly groaned in annoyance at how clingy he was. "Yang Feng, don''t keep your employee waiting-"

    "I can''t wait to see you after work." He rested his chin in the spot where her neck met her shoulders. She could feel his incredibly soft and silky hair brush against her face.

    Her eyes softened at his voice. He sounded like a child neglected by his mother. "Okay, I''ll see you then." She fondly said, a tiny smile on her face.

    Upon receiving her confirmation, he finally released her. She opened the door to the sight of Su Meixiu, impatiently tapping her foot on the floor as she held piles of papers in her hand. On top of her pile was a binder that looked as if it would slip any moment now.

    When Zhao Lifei made eye contact with the secretary, she suddenly remembered the scene she had witnessed earlier. Although she knew Yang Feng''s feelings towards her were sincere, this secretary was looking like a white lotus. She held the piles as if it would fall any minute without the amazing support of the male lead.

    Zhao Lifei''s dislike for his secretary increased.

    Su Meixiu wasn''t surprised to see her. During her early days as Yang Feng''s secretary, she used to burn up with jealousy during the rare times Chen Gaonan discreetly brought women into the CEO''s office. But after so many women, she became used to it.

    In order to survive in his world, she was wise enough to not mix her personal emotions with work. She would mask her jealousy with a polite smile and bury the animosity in her eyes with a nonchnt stare.

    To her, this woman was just another fling for her boss.

    She didn''t know why he decided to start doing seeing women in his office again. This urrence used to only happen duringte nights at the office, not in broad daylight and during work hours! On top of it, the women that came and went were always impably dressed, whereas this woman, was dressed too casually!

    A sense of possessiveness washed over Zhao Lifei when she noticed the secretary take a sneaky nce at Yang Feng. Blinded by her emotions, she suddenly turned around, grabbed Yang Feng''s tie, tugged his face to her height, and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

    "Darling, I almost forgot our goodbye kiss." She said, her actions and words catching him by surprise.

    He nked out, a dazed expression on his face.

    She immediately regretted her actions when she saw that he didn''t look particrly angry, but he also didn''t look happy. What if he got turned off by this petty possessive side of her?

    Feeling dejected at his response, she hurriedly said, "I''ll see youter¡ª" She took one step forward, but yelped in surprise when he suddenly yanked her back to him. He lifted her chin with one finger and pressed a butterfly kiss upon her lips.

    "I''ll see youter, my dear." He confirmed, bringing his lips to her ear and squeezing her waist. "For sure." He whispered, kissing the spot behind her ears.

    A tiny and fond smile bloomed on her face at his words. "Okay." She responded, hurriedly leaving the room before he changed his mind on letting her go.

    Su Meixiu kept a professional and rigidposure, even when her heart prickled with pain. Her facade never dropped. She smiled and politely bowed her head when the woman stumbled past her in a rush to leave.

    She knew for a fact that while Yang Feng slept with women, he would rarely see them again. On top of that, he made them swore secrecy and would never allow them to voluntarily kiss him. How could she freely kiss him without consequences and do so with his office door wide open?!

    Her eyes flickered when she remembered something. Was this the same woman who had appeared in the recent headlines with him?

    "President Yang, these were the reports you requested from this morning." She said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her. Her lips twitched in disappointment when she noticed he was slightly dazed and staring at the door,pletely ignoring her.

    "President Yang¡­?" She repeated, calling for his name again. Her heart ached when he continued to ignore her, but she remained professional and kept her voice neutral.

    Yang Feng finally came back to reality when Su Meixiu blocked the door with her body, using it as a distraction. "ce the reports on my desk." He coldly said.

    "Yes, sir." She took a few steps forward and struggled in her brand new heels. She didn''t have the chance to break into it yet and nearly stumbled over her footing just as the papers and binder in her arms were able to fall onto the floor.

    "I''m so sorry¡ª"

    Without looking at her, Yang Feng wordlessly grabbed the heavy binder and a few packets from the pile.

    "Thank you." She warmly smiled, despite the fact that he had turned around. Staring at his retreating back, wide and firm, she felt her heart skip a beat for him. Even when he didn''t bother to look at her, she still naively loved him.

    When nearly every man in the office would kiss the floor she walked on, trip and fight over themselves to help her, and do everything for her attention, he refused to even look at her longer than needed. It was one of the reasons why her heart rapidly beats for him ¡ª he was technicolor in a world of ck and white. The one man who was different from the rest.

 Chapter 96 We Already Have A Good Relationship

    Just as Zhao Lifei left Yang Feng¡¯s office, she received a phone call from her grandfather. She checked the date and realized that a couple of days had already passed and he might be calling her to assume her role as a consultant.

    She picked up the call but before she could even greet him, he had already started speaking.

    "What are you doing at Yang Enterprise?" He didn¡¯t bother beating around the bush and decided to confront her on the most pressing issue.

    Zhao Lifei frowned at his words. She couldn¡¯t help but look around for his people, but s, they were well-hidden. She figured one of her hidden bodyguards reported to him but she didn¡¯t think they would move this fast.

    "You always seem to skip the greetings, grandfather. That¡¯s not polite." She said, walking down the long path leading to the sidewalks. Once she reached the main road, she hailed down a cab. The street was bustling with cars and people walking.

    "Greetings are pointless phrases to establish a good rtionship. We already have one, why establish it further?" He told her, his words an obvious stab to Li Xuan who always greeted him. The poor secretary could do nothing but look away in shame.

    "Now answer my question. What were you doing there? Were you consulting for that Yang Heng?" Zhao Moyao was lenient when it came to his grandchildren and didn¡¯t really care where they used their skills, but Zhao Lifei was someone very useful to him.

    As much as he liked Yang Feng, it wasn¡¯t enough for him to allow her to use her skills to help Yang Enterprise. He wouldn¡¯t let anyone use his granddaughter the same way that Zheng scum did. He had harnessed her skill for years, he wasn¡¯t going to let his star pupil slip away from him again.

    Li Xuan sighed upon hearing the same mispronunciation of Yang Feng¡¯s name. It seemed his stubborn boss would continue using that nickname, regardless of the consequences...He wanted to correct it, but seeing how adamant Zhao Moyao was on doing so, he figured there was no need in attempting to fix it.

    Zhao Lifei raised a brow at his words. "Why do men always jump to conclusions?" She voiced her thoughts out loud.

    "Don¡¯t change the topic." Zhao Moyao told her with a frown.

    "I was not consulting for Yang Feng."

    "Then what were you doing there?" He suspiciously asked her, thinking back to the envelope she had been holding that his men had reported to him.

    "I had something to give him." She vaguely said just as a cab pulled up in front of her. She climbed in, ced her phone away from her ears, and gave the driver her desired location.

    "What did you give him?" He continued to interrogate her.

    Wu Yuntai, who was currently sitting in the same room as Zhao Moyao, thought this grandfather was too protective of her. He understood Zhao Moyao had intentions of keeping her skills to himself but did his boss really have to go to such extent on asking this many questions?

    "Just a few files with regards to his hospitalization." She faintly said. She didn¡¯t want to tell him that she had contacted Lu Minhong to dig into Yang Feng¡¯s assassination.

    For some reason, her grandfather never liked him. Their first encounter had been terrible because it was the exact moment that Zhao Lifei gave Lu Minhong a thick wad of money. And because Zhao Moyao had checked Lu Minhong¡¯s background, he discovered the young man was from a very impoverished background. Thus, he thought Lu Minhong was only friends with Zhao Lifei for money.

    Even after her grandfather¡¯s constant pestering, she still remained friends with the boy.

    "That¡¯s all?" Zhao Moyao felt his anger die down at her words. She rarely lied to him and he took it as the truth.

    "Yes, that is all." She confirmed, nodding her head despite the fact that he couldn¡¯t see her.

    She added on, "Did you only call to interrogate me? There must be better reasons as to why a big CEO is calling me." She chuckled and decided to change the topic to something else. The more he asked her about Yang Feng, the more she would be inclined to spill the truth. She always had a hard time when ites to lying to her grandfather...

    "There is. Come to my office. I have something to discuss with you." He curtly told her. He kept his voice very inconspicuous and neutral to make sure that she does not be suspicious of him. His granddaughter can be stubborn and this was something he needed her cooperation with.

    "I¡¯m already on my way there. What is it?" She asked him, looking out the window and realizing she was five minutes away from the headquarters.

    "You¡¯ll know when you get here." He answered. He didn¡¯t want to reveal anything to her.

    He was nning to ask her something he knew she wouldn¡¯t agree to. If she heard it through the phone and not in person, she would easily reject his offer and avoid him for a few days. But if she was here to listen to it personally, he could pressure her into saying yes.

    Zhao Lifei frowned at his words. Her eyebrows came together in confusion, forming creases between it. "Why can¡¯t you tell me over the phone¡ª"

    "No."

    "But¡ª"

    "I will tell youter."

    "But¡ª"

    "You have to be patient child, for patience is¡ª"

    "Virtue. I know." She repeated the same phrase he always said to her.

    "I dislike when you finish my sentences for me."

    "Don¡¯t lie, I know you¡¯re proud of it." She lightlyughed. She had thoroughly listened to his lectures so much as a child, that she could easily recite them word by word.

    When the cab finally reached the Zhao Corporation¡¯s building, she paid the driver, left behind a hefty tip as usual, and climbed out of the car.

    "Sure, I am." He sarcastically replied, even though it was the tant truth.

    She smiled at his stubbornness but didn¡¯t decide toment about it. "I¡¯ve arrived at thepany, grandfather." She informed him, swiping the private employee card and entering the elevator.

    "Good. I¡¯m in my office, I will see you in here." He ended the call before she could say anything else. The warmth left his eyes, and his cold stoic face immediately came back. He lifted his gaze to look at the men he trusted the most in this world.

    Wu Yuntai was seated on the couch, wistfully staring at an invitation card with disinterest. Li Xuan was standing to the sidelines, pretending he wasn¡¯t eavesdropping but Zhao Moyao knew he heard the conversation.

    Seeing his boss was done with the phone call, Li Xuan stood up straighter. He turned to Zhao Moyao, awaiting his orders.

    "Get the files ready." He gestured to Li Xuan who nodded his head and left to go fetch the papers.

 Chapter 97 Troublemaker

    Once again, Zhao Lifei regretted wearing casual attire. She had already been criticized at Yang Enterprise for wearing ripped jeans and could already feel judgment oozing out of her grandfather¡¯s employees.

    She saw the employees disdainful stares as they wondered who in the world would dare stroll into Zhao Corporation donning street clothes.

    It didn¡¯t help that her low heels were particrly loud this morning, garnering a lot of attention with each step she took. Nevertheless, she kept her chin up, pushed her shoulders back, and strutted like she owned this ce. She technically did, since she had a major share of thepany.

    With 10% worth of shares, she had twice the amount of sharespared to any other Zhao family members. But no one knew that except for her grandfather, Wu Yuntai, and a handful of people he trusts to handle his paperwork.

    When she turned the corner and walked down the corridor leading to her grandfather¡¯s office, the door was already opened and waiting for her.

    Li Xuan already prepared arge stack of papers and Wu Yuntai stood up the second she walked into the room.

    "Good morning, gentlemen." She smiled, giving each of them a nod.

    She ced her purse onto the coffee table and sat down onto the couch, crossing her legs and leaning back. She looked confident sitting there with her elegant posture and calctive expression.

    Zhao Moyao proudly smiled. She was nothing like the woman that she was two years ago and that thought made him very happy.

    The aura of these people in the room was hard to miss and when ced together, the room was suffocating. If a normal person walked into the office at this very moment, they would be intimidated. Three fierce men, each with their own fearsome expression, and a powerful woman whose sweet smile could kill, this room was brimming with the proper qualities of prosperity and power.

    "How many contracts or proposals do we have today?" She asked, watching Li Xuan ce the stack of paper in front of her.

    "Actually, you won¡¯t be looking at proposals. We need you to check thetest report from some of our projects." He said.

    "That¡¯s all?" She asked, taking the file while checking the small stack.

    Li Xuan nodded. "That¡¯s all."

    She flipped through the reports, pulling out a pen as she began to thoroughly scan the pages. She marked the paper whenever she noticed any errors and wrote tiny notes all over the reports.

    After what felt like a long time, she ced her pen down and let out a tired sigh. Today¡¯s reports were boring as usual. Even though there wasn¡¯t a lot of ring errors, she was still diligently focused on them. She pried through every number and sentence to make sure nothing was amiss.

    She was about to pick up her purse and leave when she suddenly remembered what he said this morning. She turned to him with a hopeful expression.

    Zhao Moyao raised a brow at her face. "It¡¯s not a reward or a bonus." He chuckled, knowing what she was hoping for.

    "Then what is it?"

    "You epted a proposal a while back with Ling Conglomerate that allowed for the expansion of Imperial Star Mall. It was very sessful."

    Zhao Lifei remembered seeing that on the news but she didn¡¯t see why her grandfather was telling her about this.

    "They¡¯re very pleased by our coboration." He pulled out an elegantly designed envelope.

    "We have sessfully helped them climb back to power. When their stocks plummeted, we were one of the fewpanies who decided to work with them. In order to celebrate, they¡¯re hosting a banquet to formally introduce the new CEO of Ling Conmorate. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of him before. He used to attend the same high school as you."

    The high school that Zhao Lifei attended was precisely for the children of the wealthy and the powerful. The school housed hundreds of future politicians, heirs, heiresses, and even royalty from different countries. There were only a handful of people that were awarded the schrship to enter the school in order to boost their "moral" status and Lu Minhong was one of them.

    "Ling Fulei." The infamous name immediately left her mouth.

    Of course, she remembered him. He was a troublemaker notorious for angering the teachers and bullying the students with poorer backgrounds. Because his father was one of the major donors of the school, the administration turned a blind eye to him.

    She was the ss president and her duty was to keep her ssmates in control when the teacher wasn¡¯t around, but his troublesome ways made her duties hard. He was high on her hit-list.

    He also ced a target on Lu Minhong¡¯s back, thus, she had nothing but horrible memories of Ling Fulei.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t even have to wait for her grandfather to finish speaking to know what he was asking her to do. She opened her mouth and immediately rejected him. "Absolutely not."

    She picked up her handbag but two very sturdy and persistent men stood in her way. Wu Yuntai and Li Xuan stood in front of the door, each with polite smiles.

    "Out of my way." She glowered at them. She knew she should¡¯ve been cautious when these two men didn¡¯t leave the room the entire time!

    Zhao Moyao sat behind his desk, his hands folded over each other like the esteemed man he was. The ring sun behind him made it hard to look him in the eye.

    He opened his mouth to speak. His tone sounded more like a frightening CEO than an adoring grandfather. "Sit down." Hemanded her.

    "I¡¯m not going to the banquet, grandfather." She seethed, not relenting. She didn¡¯t care if he could drag her there screaming and kicking to the banquet. She refused to go.

    Attending that damn banquet was a p to Lu Minhong¡¯s face! She wasn¡¯t going to risk their friendship for a simple banquet that¡¯s not beneficial to her. She may have loved banquets in the past, but now it was just a gathering spot for all the hateful people she never wants to socialize with again.

    "I never said you have a choice." His voice was solemn and deep. The warm tinge he had for her was gone.

    He saw her temper had started to re up. Her eyes became defensive and cold. He knew it was unwise to fight fire with fire so he decided to approach her differently.

    "You don¡¯t own me, grandfather. And I still haven¡¯t forgiven you for the dinner you put me throughst night." She warned him.

    He walked to her and raised his hand.

    Zhao Lifei flinched as if expecting him to hit her, but he surprised her by gently patting the top of her head. He used to pat her head when she was still a child clinging onto his leg.

    His expression became gentle and the cier within his eyes melted. His cool facade was dropped to reveal a doting grandfather.

    "Xiao Fei." His voice was ripe with old age, reminding her that he wasn¡¯t as powerful as she thought he was. He knew she hated it, but he needed to expose her back to these banquets. She can¡¯t stay as his consultant forever. She would need towork and build connections within the business world.

    "Be a good girl and attend the banquet." He affectionately patted her head.

    The feeling brought back a sense of nostalgia. It also reminded her of the things he had done for her. When everyone decided to abandon her, he was the first one toe to her aid.

    Zhao Lifei felt her anger wash away when she looked at him. For once, she was able to clearly see his age. His stern face was speckled with wrinkles and his white beard had be more prominent. It told her that he was indeed, an old man ¡ª one that wasn¡¯t suitable for energetic banquets. She let out a tired sigh.

    "I know what you¡¯re doing." She told him, referring to the fact that he just manipted her into agreeing.

    He chuckled. "I didn¡¯t expect any less than that." He told her and handed over the invitation to her.

    She pressed her lips together in annoyance and reluctantly epted the envelope, the royal blue color mocking her.

 Chapter 98 Spending Only A Million A Day

    NOTE: This chapter was published 1 chapter too early on April 25, thus, it was reposted here. The contents of chapter 97 have been changed to where Zhao Lifei meets her grandfather. In order to clear up the confusion and jump in events, please reread chapter 97 before you read this chapter. I¡¯m really really sorry for the mistake and confusion!

    - - - - -

    The first thing that Zhao Lifei did when she left the office was to call Lu Minhong. She¡¯d prefer to tell him the truth first because he would surely find out through third-party sources.

    He picked up on the first ring but what greeted her was the sound of loud explosions and gunshots.

    "A squad ising in from Northwest. Let¡¯s just stay in this house and snipe." He shouted into his headset, distracted by the challenge set before him.

    She raised a brow. Why would he pick up if he was going to continue ying the game?

    "Aw man! I¡¯m knocked out,e and pick me up, hey, hey where are you going?!" He angrily shouted through his headset. He nearly mmed his keyboard in annoyance when his teammates suddenly abandoned him, forcing him to die.

    "Goddamnit, I was only five kills away from winning!" He cursed and hit the table.

    "Is this a bad time to call you?" Zhao Lifei hesitantly asked. She didn¡¯t want to tell him the bad news when he was already angry too begin with.

    "Depends on what you¡¯re calling me for." He grumbled and threw his headset onto his bed. He sighed and leaned back in his chair, annoyed at losing another game. He had yed five matches before this one and in all of them, he had lost terribly.

    "Well..." Zhao Lifei trailed off, not sure if she should tell him the bad news or not.

    She thought of a better approach and an idea came into mind. "Are you busy tomorrow? Want to go out to eat? It¡¯ll be my treat." She offered. She knew the best way to put him in a good mood was to make sure his stomach was full and that his wallet remained as fat as it was.

    "Why?" Lu Minhong became suspicious at her offer, his eyes narrowing. He knew she had a hidden motive to suddenly offer to treat him to a meal.

    She chuckled. "Do I need a reason to invite a longtime friend to eat? Don¡¯t be so skeptical of me." She reasoned over the phone while sticking her arm out to hail a cab.

    "It¡¯s skeptical if ites out of nowhere." He said, just as his stomach decided to grumble for food. He tilted his head to look at the empty ramen cups that littered his desk and wondered whether he should maybe eat something healthier.

    "What? Two friends can¡¯t suddenly enjoy a good meal together?" She sounded suspicious, even to her own ears. "I just wanted to treat you because we haven¡¯t seen each other in a while. Plus, you did a really good job on the task I gave you, so you deserve it."

    "Hm, I don¡¯t know about this." He said while getting up from his desk and walking to the fridge.

    "It¡¯s free omakase [1], you sure you don¡¯t want toe?" She bribed him by using his favorite food to her advantage. If there was one thing that can move him aside from money and games, it would be his obsession with sushi.

    Lu Minhong opened his fridge and became disappointed when he saw how empty it was. There was a single package of tofu in it and when he pulled it out to examine it, he saw it was expired. Aside from random sauces, nothing was edible. He sighed, omakase sounded really nice right now...

    "Which restaurant?"

    "Your favorite one." She answered in a heartbeat, quickly seizing the opportunity before her.

    "What time?"

    "6:30 PM. Right before your live stream starts."

    Lu Minhong raised a brow. She had everything nned out perfectly. "You know me too well." He pulled out a ramen cup from under his cupboard and filled it with warm water.

    "Of course." She chuckled. But she frowned upon hearing the sound of sloshing water.

    "You¡¯re eating ramen again? That¡¯s not good for you." She chided him like an older sister. She had practically watched him flourish into the amazing young man he was today, thus, felt a sense of responsibility in making sure he stays that way.

    "It¡¯s better than nothing." He closed the lid and waited for it to fully cook.

    "At least add an egg for nutrition." She continued to nag just as a cab pulled up right in front of her. She climbed in and told the man her address.

    "There¡¯s nothing in the fridge." He grumbled, picking up the cup and bringing it into his room.

    "Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? I¡¯m going grocery shopping right now. Want me to pick something up for you?" She lied, ready to tell the cab to turn the car around.

    Lu Minhong uncapped the ramen, breathing in the heavenly smell of it. "No need. I¡¯m already eating as we speak." He told her just as he loudly slurped up the noodles, nearly burning his tongue in the process.

    She sighed. "Tomorrow, you¡¯re going grocery shopping with me. You need some nutrition in your body." She scolded and thought of his tall but incredibly lean frame. He was very skinny and pale.

    "Going to the grocery is so much work-"

    "I¡¯ll pay you to go with me." She said, looking out the window. She tilted her head upon seeing the unfamiliar street they were driving by. Maybe this was a quick route home?

    "Really? How much?" He gleefully asked, his eyes lighting up at the idea of making money.

    She chuckled at his enthusiasm. "How does a couple thousand sound?" There was a fond smile on her face as she teased him.

    "Pft! Just a couple thousand? I¡¯m pretty sure you use a couple thousand as your toilet paper! How about something in the hundred thousand?"

    Sheughed at his greedy words. "If I want to remain rich, I need to be frugal with my spending."

    "As if you ever need to be frugal! Your definition of frugal must be spending only a million a day!"

    "Hey, hey, in my defense, I¡¯m paying for your dinner. And on top of that, I¡¯m doing grocery shopping for you. I think my kindness should make up for my cheapness." She joked, leaning her head onto the window just as a pounding headache kicked in. The scent in this car was really weird...

    "Twenty thousand and then I¡¯ll go with you." He negotiated, knowing twenty thousand was probably like twenty cents to her.

    She sighed at his greed for money, her eyes tiredly fluttering close. "Alright, fine. Twenty thousand, but you better notin or whine about the vegetables I pick for you!" Even with her eyes closed, she was already nning out a list of healthy greens for him.

    "You¡¯re the best!" He happily said and immediately hung up first so that she couldn¡¯t change her mind.

    Zhao Lifei tried to sit up but she had be incredibly dizzy. She pressed a hand onto the seat in her attempt but the tiny action of moving her hand drained her energy. She squinted and noticed the air in the car looked foggy...

    "Hey, Mister, can you roll down the window?" Her words were slurry as she tried to open the window herself.

    Her heart drummed in fear when she found her body unable to move. She struggled to open her eyes, only to see a strange dispenser near the air conditioner vent. She looked at the rear view mirror and felt her heart drop when she saw the gas mask on the cab driver.

    ¡¯What the hell was going on?¡¯ She thought to herself.

    He turned the air conditioner to the highest setting which caused more wind to circte around the car and the strange dispenser blew out more gas.

    Her eyes grew hazier and within the next few seconds, ck dots began to taint her vision. She tried to fight it, but when she blinked, everything turned to ck.

 Chapter 99 How ClichÃ©

    Zhao Lifei woke up to an extremely blurry vision. She blinked a few times to clear her vision as memories of what happened before she lost consciousness flooded in, giving her a pounding headache.

    She groaned while reaching up to rub her forehead but found her hands were tightly bound. As her vision finally cleared, she registered her environment. She was in an empty warehouse with her hands tied behind a chair, judging by the empty crates in the corner and metal structure.

    "How clich¨¦." She muttered and rolled her eyes at this scene. She could already guess what was going to happen to her. She had already experienced being kidnapped multiple times before. It was the price that came with being Zhao Moyao¡¯s prized granddaughter and in the past, the future Madam Zheng.

    To test the strength and expertise of the kidnappers, she yanked her wrists and found out that it was perfectly knotted where each jerk or motion would only tighten it.

    "Just great." She sighed, leaning back in her chair to await her kidnappers¡¯ conditions. What was it this time? Money? Humiliation? Secrets?

    She pondered over the options and wondered if she had a checkbook in her purse to buy them out. If these men can be bought with money and not loyalty, it should be easy to swindle them out as long as she was able to triple the rate they were paid with.

    She looked at the tin roof and saw there was a window up there. The sky was dark which meant night time hade. A smile fell on her face. These men have screwed up.

    Yang Feng would already be on his way to her house or he was already there and discovered her absence. She was sure that if anyone could find her, it would be him. Or maybe her grandfather had already made his move, since her shadow bodyguards would have reported something to him.

    Her eyes scanned the environment once again, this time carefully assessing her surroundings. Aside from the empty crates she first saw, she now noticed that there were sturdy wooden crates that had dirty stic covers haphazardly thrown over it. Her eyes squinted to read the "handle with care"bels on the boxes.

    What was in them? This obviously wasn¡¯t a simple warehouse. She leaned to her right to check out the box closest to her but it was at least a few feet away.

    If she squinted hard enough, she can tell that the items inside were still wrapped with brown paper. Whatever was in these cargo boxes must¡¯ve been important for it to be so well-protected.

    Her purse was nowhere in sight. If they rummaged through it, she was sure the dagger she always carried in her person had already been discarded by now.

    When she finally started showing herself in public again, Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t bother to walk around with any security detail to the disbelief of her grandfather.

    Her rtionship with Zheng Tianyi had been publically severed. Not only that, in the process of doing so, he announced his greatest weakness. Now, the enemies of Zheng Tianyi had an actual target in mind and it was none other than the woman he pranced around with in public.

    After a few minutes of utter boredom, while her mind produced zero escape routes, she grew tired of waiting for her kidnappers to show up. Seriously, shouldn¡¯t someone be in here with her to monitor her? It seems these people are quite confident with their skills. For all they know, she could¡¯ve been nning a grand escape by now!

    Just as that thought crossed her mind, she heard something outside. It sounded like multiple cars rapidly pulling up. Within seconds, the door to the warehouse opened and several men walked in.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes turned sharp and focused as she watched them enter. She counted at least thirty men all dressed in ck.

    While their faces were covered, she noticed all of them had a symbol tattooed on their hand. It was clear from the way they carried the weapons on their hands and the formation they were getting in that they meant business.

    "Good evening, gentlemen. What a fine day it is." She greeted them with an amused smile on her face. To show them fear was to show them a weakness.

    She decided to act nonchnt despite the fact that she was growing wary. The weapons they had with them were to inflict a lot of pain, but not enough to immediately kill. If they were going scare her to intimidate her, she knew she¡¯d survive. But if they were nning on murdering her, they nned on doing so through an immense amount of torture.

    "To what pleasure do I owe your presence?" She added while surveying the masked men in front of her.

    A man who seemed like the leader of the group stepped forward. He was the only one not wearing a mask.

    She was surprised to see someone so young be the leader of a gang. Unlike his burlyrades, he was lean and does not seem like someone who beat people up for a living. His appearance was well-kept and he was actually wearing a ck suit. But his eyes were apletely different story. She saw the bloodlust within it. It made her very wary of him. She knew from experience that it was the ones who hid their crazy that was the most dangerous.

    "Good evening, youngdy." He greeted her with a sinister smile spreading on his face. How interesting. This was the first time a woman didn¡¯t scream bloody murder or beg for them to let her go. This one seemed smart.

    "I hope you don¡¯t take this too personally." He gestured to her bound wrist and ankles.

    Zhao Lifei chuckled. "None taken. It¡¯s your job. I get it." She shrugged, deciding to y into the little game.

    "So, what is it that you want to get out of me? Money, information, or is it just a simple beating as a warning?" She tilted her head, pretending toply with them.

    She wondered if they still had her purse. Inside her phone and wallet were trackers that her grandfather had installed in case something like this happened to her.

    They might have been smart enough to destroy their phone but no one would guess there was a small button on her wallet that functioned as a tracker.

    The leader felt his smile spread at her words.

    It seemed she was already used to kidnappings which were fun and boring at the same time. Boring because she already knew the protocol and he wouldn¡¯t be able to sense fear radiate from her.

    That was usually the best part of these kidnappings! But it was fun because her reactions would be extremely refreshing and unexpected, which made him look forward to dealing with her.

    "A beating." He answered her, nodding his head to his men that stepped forward.

    She raised a brow. Just a beating? Nothing else? "And how much were you paid?" Her eyes scanned the different array of weapons in front of her.

    It didn¡¯t look too shabby, but it did look clean which meant they were either new or they were just cleaned really well. She hoped it was the former.

    "Now that, youngdy, is private information." He mused, watching her eyes scan his men. Despite seeing the metal bats, knives, and brass knuckles, she didn¡¯t seem to shake or cringe back in fear.

    This was getting really interesting.

    "Hm, I assume you were requested to keep the exact number private. But can I get an approximate amount?" She was hoping to dy time or at least buy them out.

    "I¡¯m afraid your little n won¡¯t work on me." The leader chuckled and made a two finger gesture. That was all it took for the first strike tond on her stomach.

 Chapter 100 A Puddle of Blood

    Zhao Lifei gasped for air as excruciating pain spread throughout her entire body. She was d that she had not had a bite to eat the whole day so she wouldn¡¯t vomit from the hit. The man had punched her right in the stomach with so much force, his pointed brass knuckle tore right into her clothes and ripped it.

    She panted as her body braced for another hit. Her body clenched tightly in self-defense. She knew exactly what they wanted to hear and see. In a situation like this, the torturer would only hit her harder in order to see her break if she acted strong.

    When the next hit came straight for her stomach again, she let out a cry of pain.

    It wasn¡¯t that hard really, especially when it actually hurt. She felt something wet trickle down her stomach and knew immediately her skin had broke.

    Her head dropped as she struggled to breathe properly and her vision became extremely hazy. The pain in her stomach was burning now.

    She squeezed her eyes shut as she felt her own blood pool down to her belly button. Simply bleeding brings back memories that she never wanted to remember. Images shed in her mind. Finding a puddle of blood beneath her, soaking her white skirt and turning the pure satin material a crimson color. She rapidly blinked, refusing to let that memory resurface.

    Without warning, someone had grabbed her hair and yanked her whole body with it. Once again, she let out another cry of pain. The sharp pain caused her to wince which hurt her more because of the stinging in her stomach.

    "How disappointing. I thought you¡¯d put up more of a fight." The leader said, sighing in boredom. When he had seen her act of serenity in such a dire situation, he thought she would be different. He thought she wouldn¡¯t submit so easily.

    "It¡¯s a pity, really. If you hadn¡¯t offended him, your beautiful body would not be ruined like this." He cooed while feeling her cheeks with the back of his hand, the cold and rough leather of his gloves taunting her, sending goosebumps up her spine.

    If she was foolish or stupid, she would have already spat at him and bitten his hand, but she knew better than angering him further. He talked too much, that was for sure. He had already given away the gender of the person that wanted to harm her. Now, she only needed a name.

    "W...whatever...he paid you, I...I will double it." She heaved. The simple task of breathing was difficult. Every time she moved, a sharp tingle would shoot up her body, which she had no choice but to ignore.

    "Hm, he said you would." The leader said while twirling the butterfly knife in his hand.

    She watched his long fingers y with the dangerous de and just then, an idea came to mind. She knew her ankles were tied together, but that didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t move them. They were not bounded to the chair.

    "But you see, sweetheart, wait, I can call you that right?" He asked her, chuckling at her pathetic state.

    When he firstid eyes on her, he found her to be incredibly beautiful. Albeit too confident for his taste, it didn¡¯t diminish her appearance.

    "Whatever you want." Zhao Lifei warily answered, her eyes scanning the men. She could easily tackle the weakest link right in front of her. But with thirty men to fight against at the same time, that would be quite hard.

    "Your purse was emptied and let me tell you, there¡¯s nothing in there that could go beyond what he had paid us." He told her, lifting a hand for one of his men to bring the purse to her.

    "I can...wire you more." She breathed out, staring into the empty bag.

    Her wallet was nowhere in sight and she could only pray that they didn¡¯t toss it out the window of their car after taking out the handful of cash she usually carried.

    There was a high possibility that they¡¯ve rummaged through her purse when they were transporting her here. Her wallet and purse may already be rotting on a dirt road somewhere.

    "Tsk tsk, I was hoping you¡¯d be smarter than that." He wagged a finger in front of her face, like a father scolding his daughter.

    "If I let you get more money, your precious grandfather would be after us the minute you have any bank activity. Isn¡¯t that right?" He asked her, pulling out her wallet from his pocket.

    She silently cheered in her head. So he hadn¡¯t thrown it out the window! Her hopes died down when he opened the wallet to reveal the crushed button.

    "What era do you think we live in? It¡¯s so easy to scan this trash with our machine and find the tracker." He scoffed, insulted that such a cheap trick was pulled on him.

    Zhao Lifei had gotten her second hint. The man who hired him must have some sort of power or connection to extremely advanced technology that wasn¡¯t released to the public yet.

    The tracker was of the highest technology and was something manufactured by the military. A simple scanner would not be able to detect it, no matter how advanced one¡¯s machine was. This meant the leader was lying.

    "Oh and don¡¯t think we¡¯re that dumb either. This thing was long destroyed on the road." He shrugged, tossing it behind his shoulders. She jumped when he suddenly pped his hands, the sound echoing around the warehouse, taunting and scaring her at the same time.

    Heughed at her expression, amusement dancing on his face. "Now, now, don¡¯t be so frightened. What happened to that confident woman from before?" He taunted her and ced a gloved hand on her shoulder.

    She stiffened under his touch, her lips turned into a scowl. "What do you want? What is your purpose for kidnapping me?" She asked him, eyeing his hand with disdain. Although he appeared calm and collected, the crazy look in his eyes had unsettled her.

    All of a sudden, a hand struck her face so hard it had given her whish. She gasped at the stinging pain. The smack took her byplete surprise.

    "Don¡¯t re at me like that, wh*re." He hissed, offended that she had looked at him the wrong way. Theughter disappeared from his face and it turned chillingly cruel.

    Her cheeks burned in pain and a bruise had begun to form. She opened and closed her mouth, attempting to loosen the jaw that had locked upon getting hit.

    She winced when he roughly grabbed her jaw and painfully squeezed it which caused more agony.

    "Just because I¡¯m nice to you for one second doesn¡¯t mean you have the right to look at me with those beady little eyes of yours." He seethed and without warning, punched her stomach again.

    With the force of the punch, she convulsed and bent over, as if she was going to throw up. He immediately took a step back, not wanting to get dirty because of her.

    She seized this chance to suddenly surge her foot forward, driving her heels right into his shin.

    "Son of a bit-"

    She doesn¡¯t wait for his reaction before suddenly standing up. The chair weighed down her back, causing her to hunch forward.

    "Crazy motherfuc-"

    Using her entire body, she swung her back and the heavy chair mmed right into the man on her right. She heard the chair crack and when she felt a presence draw closer to her, she used her entire body weight to jam the chair right into the man. By heaven¡¯s luck, it happened tond straight at his chest.

    CLUNK!

    She knew the chair was close to breaking. Her eyes saw momentary hope that she was close to winning when suddenly, a bloodcurdlingughter rang throughout the air.

 Chapter 101 An Exchange

    What followed after theughter was loud pping sounds from the men surrounding them, but she didn¡¯t waste any time. She knew it was to momentarily distract her so that the men could all pounce at her.

    She didn¡¯t care about the noise as she swung her body again. This time, the chair connected with something else. Instead of another body, a hand had grabbed the leg of the chair, forcing her to remain in ce.

    Because she was slightly hunched over, she couldn¡¯t see anything else other than the long legs of her captors.

    "You¡¯ve put up quite a good fight." Someone spoke to her, his voice different from the leader. It was gruff and deep, highly simr to the men she knew who had been smoking two packs of cigarette a day.

    "Huh?" She feigned confusion, pretending to rx her body and finally surrender. Right when she felt the grip on the chair loosen the slightest bit, she attempted to jump back andunch a surprise attack against him.

    Did the n work? No.

    The man¡¯s grip instantly tightened on the chair again, so much that she barely budged an inch. At lightning speed, a punchnded right into her abdomen. She choked at the pain that spread throughout her entire body.

    "Is that...the best you can do?" She heaved. She wanted to taunt him to rile him up so that he would be so blinded by anger that he would do something to her.

    In her mind, the best case scenario would be that he would toss her onto the ground and the impact would be able to break the chair. The worst case scenario is that he would pummel her into submission.

    It was thetter because right after she said that, he had roughly shoved her face into the floor, her forehead crashing against the hard surface.

    A pounding headache kicked in, and her vision became hazy. ck dots tainted her vision as everything spun before her eyes.

    She was surprised she was still conscious after having been hit in the head so hard just now. Just then, a n came to mind.

    ¡¯Fake it till you make it¡¯, She thought to herself.

    She decided to taunt him more. "Pathetic, that didn¡¯t even hurt¡ª "

    He mmed her head onto the ground again. This time, she could barely think straight from the pain and forced every inch of her to concentrate on her n.

    She needed to anger him further.

    "I guess you guys did not cost that much because that was weak¡ª"

    Enraged, he let out a roar and flung her body to the side, the chair mming into one of the crates, causing a loud bang that echoed within the warehouse. The sound of wood shattering into bits and pieces followed as the chair had nowpletely broken. Zhao Lifei ended up lying in the midst of various sizes of wooden shards, some of them sticking onto her skin.

    She forced her body to go limp as her eyes mmed shut. She pretended the force had knocked her unconscious. Her heart was pounding so erratically, the only thing she could hear was the loud thumping of her heartbeat. She could barely hear the conversation going on.

    "You overdid it again. Now she¡¯s knocked out." The leader sighed, his mood waspletely ruined by the oue of events.

    At first, he was really impressed that she could switch between different facades. She started off confident, then meek when she received the first blow, but suddenly attempted to put up a good fight with his men. It was really amusing to see her attempt to fight off thirty men ¡ª she barely harmed any of them. The sight was hrious until his right-hand man ruined the fun.

    "She wouldn¡¯t shut up." His burly friend replied, his voice as rough as ever. He disdainfully eyed the woman whose face had be ghostly white.

    Even if parts of her face are covered with the blood that had dripped from the wound on her forehead, her lips were busted, and a bruise had formed on one of her cheeks, her alluring face still shone. She¡¯s still a beauty even after being beaten up that he couldn¡¯t help but internally chide her for being in this circumstance.

    If only she had been smart and kept her mouth shut, she wouldn¡¯t have brought this upon herself.

    "Boss said not to damage her face. Look at her. It¡¯s her best asset. He needed it for an exchange." The leader frowned, shaking his head in disappointment. He knew he shouldn¡¯t have brought Ma Hong while dealing with her. He was simply too rough when it came to women.

    "An exchange? What for?"

    The leader shrugged. "It¡¯s a woman, what else could it be for?" He walked over to her, his ominous footsteps getting louder and louder as he approached Zhao Lifei.

    ¡¯An exchange?¡¯ Zhao Lifei became worried.

    It seems she¡¯s the bargaining chip for something, but for what? She thought about possible scenarios but the only thing that she could think of was human-trafficking. But they would definitely not go to this extent in beating her up if it was for that purpose.

    She pushed this thought aside and listened to his footsteps. Her anxiety level was rapidly increasing as he approached her. She could already tell what he was nning to do. She clenched her stomach, and just as she thought, he kicked her. He was checking to see if she was truly unconscious.

    It was extremely hard to ignore the pain that was pulsating through the entirety of her body. Every inch of her brimmed with agonizing pain, so much that she could barely think properly. Breathing had already been hard for her and his fierce kick had made it even harder.

    "Hm, no reaction. She¡¯s knocked out for good." The leader tilted his head to his friend. "How do you want to wake her up? Cold water to the face or torturing her to the point where her own pain wakes her up?" With how casual and bored he sounded, one would think he was simply discussing the weather.

    "What do you think about the limb-cutter?" A voice answered, followed by another pair of footsteps.

    "Boss forbade anything that would permanently disfigure her. He just wanted her to be brutally beaten up to be taught a lesson. We have three days to make sure that stubborn brain of hers won¡¯t work again." The leader replied, turning his head to his people.

    "Bring the electric chair and crank it up to full intensity." He added, pping his hands in glee at the idea of using histest toy.

    The man who paid for her to be kidnapped and tortured had sent him the gift that he always wanted but never got around to buying because of how expensive it was. Now that he had finally got what he wanted, he couldn¡¯t wait to test it out on her!

    Terrified at the idea of being tortured to the point of no return, Zhao Lifei knew she needed to leave this as soon as possible.

 Chapter 102 Youre Awake

    Zhao Lifei concentrated on her environment.

    Only a handful of people knew that she hadbat training and the circumstances of how she got it. None of those people would let this fact leak, and she was confident that whoever had nned on having her beaten into submission is not aware of that.

    Part of that training was being taught how to detect the presence around her. She counted at least 20 pairs of unique footsteps walking out of the room she was in. Their steps were generally heavier than the leader¡¯s and she knew that the burly ones are all used to straightforward beating, unlike the leader¡¯s more creative and brutal ways of torture. She faintly remembered that there were at least 30 men who had entered the warehouse which meant that around 10 people had been left behind to guard her.

    Peeling her eyes open by the tiniest crack, she saw there was no one within her vicinity. They had left her lying on the floor, seemingly believing that she was truly unconscious. Although she was very close to losing her vision, her will to fight and survive was enough to push her body to stay awake.

    The ropes on her wrists and ankles had gotten uncontrobly tight from being tossed around. However, that didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t try to cut her way out of it.

    Without the chair as an obstacle, she finally had ess to her waistband.

    These morons must¡¯ve been really stupid to not have conducted a full body check on her. But then again, she couldn¡¯t me them because the location where she hid her little weapon was too hidden. All of her clothing had a small t de hidden within it, and this pair of jeans was no exception.

    She strained her fingers just so she could reach the little opening near the leatherbel of her jeans. Thebel was at the back of her waist line which made it harder to reach for. The task was incredibly strenuous since every little movement she made, the rope kept getting tighter and tighter. She was sure her fingers would lose cirction within the next three minutes if she didn¡¯t act fast.

    She kept her eyes closed as she spent the next minute attempting to grab the de. She nearly sighed in relief upon feeling the cold metal against her fingers. Two minutes left. She attempted to cut the ropes but the de had been dull from all of the months of not being used.

    ¡¯Come on...¡¯ She muttered internally as she struggled to cut the rope.

    She felt time starting to run out for her, for her fingers were beginning to feel numb now. She knew there was only a few seconds left before her hands werepletely unable to move any further.

    The time ticked and she could no longer feel her fingers. She wriggled her arms a bit and finished cutting thest piece of the rope, and instantly, blood was pumped into her fingers.

    The moment she had gotten her hands free, she knew she had to work fast on her ankles. However, she was not in a position where doing so will not catch any attention.

    She took a deep undetectable breath and opened her eyes a bit. With the timing, she chanced upon the warehouse door opening as a heavy green chair was brought in, along with several men hauling in some sort of machine to power it.

    The leader pped his hand in glee, his eyes lighting up at the sight of his dream torture weapon. "Wonderful! It¡¯s as beautiful as I¡¯ve imagined!" He happily said as he walked over to run his hand over the material.

    "Hurry up and connect it! Bring in the rest of the machines!" He ordered, quickly reminding his men to grab the remaining supplies from the truck.

    He was about to follow them out of the warehouse but then remembered why the chair was brought back in the first ce.

    He started walking with them to exit the warehouse but he suddenly did a quick turn to see if she was still unconscious.

    Zhao Lifei was thankful for her quick reflexes which enabled her to immediately close her eyes the minute she saw he was about to turn around. Her arms remained in the same position as before. From a faraway distance, she looked as if she had not moved a single inch.

    But the leader felt something seemed off. He grabbed one of the subordinates he saw and pointed towards her, leaning closer to instruct him. "Go and take a good look at her. I think the b*tch is awake."

    "Yes, sir." The man had started walking but then paused in his steps. "And if she¡¯s awake?"

    "Knock her out or keep her in ce. She¡¯s a feisty one, so use this." The leader handed him the nearest weapon he could get his hands on and it just happened to be the same butterfly knife that he was ying with earlier.

    He was still unfamiliar with this subordinate because this was the first mission this neer had joined and he had not yet proven himself. The leader didn¡¯t trust him enough to allow the man to handle a gun, so at best, he gave him his dagger.

    "Scare her with the knife, but make sure not to leave any permanent marks on her. We need that pretty little face of hers to remain unharmed." With onest pat, the leader excitedly walked out of the warehouse, lured by the idea of quickly testing out his new toy.

    The man eyed the useless butterfly dagger in his hand. Although the weapon was sharp and light, it was too small to do any proper damage.

    Releasing an aggravated sigh, he knew it was better to just take the knife instead ofining about it. It was only his fifth day on the job, he didn¡¯t want to be kicked out so quickly, especially when this was his first well-paid job.

    Zhao Lifei wasn¡¯t able to hear the exchange but she did hear the sound of approaching footsteps. She was surprised to hear that this time around, only man wasing nearer.

    It seemed the Heavens really favored her tonight...

    She waited until he was standing close enough to see the broken ropes before she suddenly pounced up, catching him byplete surprise. She quickly covered his mouth, muffling his panicked cry.

    She narrowly avoided the uing knife attack and saw her chance of sess. She kept her eyes on the entrance and saw that the warehouse was practically empty as most of them went out to collect the supplies.

    Her temporary distraction gave him the chance to tackle her and he nearly flipped her over his shoulder.

    ¡¯So he¡¯s a judo practitioner.¡¯ She thought to herself, immediately anticipating the moves he was about to make and quickly sidestepping them.

    "Sorry about this, bud." She whispered to him as she repeatedly jammed her razor de into strategic areas in his body. She could feel his struggle in her arms, but she didn¡¯t care anymore. At this point, it was his life or hers.

    She saw crimson stains start blooming on his white shirt and her mind was flooded with memories. She blinked and within seconds, she saw red. Without warning, she continued to jab her razor de against his skin.

    Within seconds, he had copsed onto the ground, bleeding all over the ce. His bright red blood only triggered her further.

    She snatched the butterfly knife from his hand and used it to quickly cut the rope tying her ankles. Right as the rope fell, she heard a whirring sound flying straight to her head. She swiftly ducked to the right.

    THUD!

    The knife struck the wall behind her. She breathed out in shock at the near-death experience and raised her head to see the leader with a furious expression on his face.

    Standing behind him were his men, this time they were armed with guns.

    "Well, well, just as I¡¯ve predicted. You¡¯re awake." He bellowed with anger. His face was distorted in fury, but his countenance was still calm for some reason.

    "You will pay for killing one of my men with your own blood." He started to close the distance between them and chuckled at the way she held the dagger in front of her as if such a puny thing could do any harm to him. It seems she had forgotten that they were surrounded by his men that were armed with firearms.

    "If you ce the knife down and be a good girl, I¡¯ll think about showing you some mercy." He thought back to what his boss had told him. They just needed to beat her up, but she needed to be kept alive.

    He had been informed that she knew basic self-defense. However, her current stance highly suggested that she was ready to kill whoever dared to get in her way of escaping this situation.

    He didn¡¯t want to risk more of his men getting injured because that would require medical attention. None of his men would step foot into a hospital knowing that the authorities would be notified instantly if they saw knife or gun wounds. He just needed to make sure she would submit to him in order to prepare her for the exchange.

 Chapter 103 A Frenzied Monster

    "Mercy? What kind?" She pretended to ponder over the idea when in reality, her eyes were scanning the men advancing towards her.

    Just then, she realized the weird stance they were in and the expression they were trying to hide. Although it was barely noticeable, she saw some of the men¡¯s eyes flicker between her and the boxes that surrounded her. Was that why they were so wary? In the corner of her eye, she deduced that the lids on the crates were only ced haphazardly and that from where she was standing, she could easily reach out to get the contents.

    "I¡¯ll have less of my men share you." While he answered her, he gestured to his men to spread out and approach her from all sides. Capturing a woman was usually easy, but this woman was unpredictable and slippery.

    "Really? That¡¯s the best you got?" She asked and suddenly ced her hand into the crate.

    He panicked upon seeing that and screamed, "Grab her!"

    He was not aware whether she knew how to use a gun, but those crates were definitely not empty. It was still filled with unused firearms.

    Zhao Lifei felt the familiar hard stic graze her fingers and she immediately knew what it was. She roughly yanked it out as shredded paper fillings fell on the floor.

    A slow and dangerous smile spread on her lips upon seeing the Mark XIX pistol. She marveled at the beautiful gun before her, breathing out in astonishment. She ran her fingers over the beautiful metal piece.

    A dark chuckle left her lips. This fight hasn¡¯t even started and she already won.

    But one gun wasn¡¯t enough. While they all rushed to grab her, she had felt around the crate and realized it was filled with an assortment of firearms. Judging from the gun she had pulled out, most were probably fully stocked with ammo. Wonderful.

    She sumbed to the darkness she had grown ustomed to fighting. She was now on autopilot. Her eyes zed over the minute her finger unlocked the trigger, and she allowed the beast within her to take over.

    WHOOSH!

    Her left ear twitched, picking up the sound of a bullet flying straight towards her. At thest second, she had managed to tilt enough that the bullet only grazed her skin before going right through the thin metal wall behind her.

    Her foot moved on her own, guiding her away from the bullets that were headed towards her. Closing her eyes, she breathed in deeply before firing the first shot. She felt as if her entire body was a machine in itself, dodging every bullet and weapon while she aimed at them.

    BANG!

    Screams reverberated throughout the warehouse. One of the men grabbed his leg in pure agony, copsing onto his knee and while his guard was down, a bullet flew into his forehead. A clean and instantaneous kill.

    It took merely ten minutes for the entire warehouse to light up with sparks, the smell of gunpowder permeated the air. The men who were previously surrounding her dropped like flies. More bullets pierced through the air, each shot a straightforward kill that left no room for mercy.

    Duck. Shoot. Duck. Duck. Shoot.

    BANG!

    Duck.

    BANG!

    Like a frenzied monster freed from her chains, Zhao Lifei shot without hesitation. Each bullet was able tond perfectly on the target.

    The bloodlust in her eyes was terrifying.

    One would think she was a trained killer instead of the wealthy and frail heiress she was previously known for.

    Her aim and speed were incredible and although she never strayed far from the gun-filled crate, not a single movement has gone to waste. Thebination of her footwork and marksmanship was incredibly deadly. They had never seen a woman wield a gun and truly turn it into a weapon for mass murder by herself.

    "Pistol at five o¡¯clock. Sniper at two." She muttered to herself.

    A bullet whirred past her once again, missing her body. She was ready to st the Mark XIX on her hand towards five o¡¯clock, but the gun only made clicking noises.

    No more bullets.

    She had been pulling out loaded Mark XIX pistols from the crate while tossing the empty ones at the side. This time around, she managed to pull out an assault rifle. Unlike the Mark XIX that was easier to use for precise shots, she had less control over assault rifles. It uses up bullets too quickly and if one couldn¡¯t match the intensity of the different rounds of bullets fired all at once, they would be blown backward due to the recoil of the gun.

    She dug her foot into the ground and hid behind the wooden crate. She breathed in deeply and exhaled through her mouth just as she took the daring decision to begin firing randomly.

    The first bullet grazed past the leader who dodged in time but that didn¡¯t mean the bullet had stopped moving. It struck the man right behind him.

    "MA HONG!" The leader roared, turning around to face his fallen brother. His knees wobbled at the sight of blood pooling around his lifeless brother. He was the same man that had mmed Zhao Lifei¡¯s forehead into the floor repeatedly.

    "BROTHER HONG!" The sniper was distracted by the death of his longtime partner and this was his first mistake. The second was leaving his defenses wide open. Before he could even start grieving, a bullet flew straight into his skull,ing out the other side.

    Twenty-eight down. Two more to go. She thought to herself and aimed her assault rifle to where the pistol wielder was at. But he was gone. When she shifted around, she realized she too had let her guard down.

    BANG!

    A bullet flew towards her, seconds away fromnding into her skull. She gasped. Although she hurriedly dodged, the bullet still managed to deeply graze the side of her neck, blood instantly flowing from the wound.

    She had been moving too fast which had caused the earlier wounds from her body to bleed profusely. Her adrenaline has started to die down, and her vision began to spin from the blood loss.

    She gritted her teeth and knew she couldn¡¯t afford to lose focus. Another round of shots was fired at her, but it felt like her eyes saw the bullets in slow motion. The fire spark came from three o¡¯clock.

    BANG!

    She had managed to dodge and shoot another headshot. The man copsed onto the ground and instantaneously a pool of blood formed around him.

    The entire warehouse floor was covered with the blood of the fallen. The mixture of gunpowder smell and iron were pungent enough to clog her nose. Her eyes were apathetic and hazy as she nonchntly nced at the dead bodies littering the room. To her, they were nothing but sacks of flesh and bones. This scene felt all too familiar. It was something she had gotten used to witnessing on a daily basis for two years of her life.

    "Ma Hong..." The leader sniffed, falling onto his knees as he cradled the head of his lifeless brother.

    "Twenty-nine down." She muttered under her breath. She had entirely sumbed to her hidden beast. She stalked the pathetic leader who was threatening her earlier.

    "One more to go." Her voice was airy and cold. Her own voice didn¡¯t sound familiar to her. And this wasn¡¯t her, but the demon she had kept hidden at the back of her mind. Now the demon had been let out, and she doesn¡¯t know if she can contain it again.

    She lifted her assault rifle, her finger hovered over the trigger as she ced the barrel a few inches in front of the crying man.

    Before she got around to killing him, tens of men flooded into the warehouse, each one of them wearing protective gear. They were led by men holding bulletproof shields followed by the others who wielded a variety of weapons.

    Helicopters whirred in the air just as the entire warehouse was surrounded by cars, more armed men climbing out of it. The car headlights from outside had filtered inside the warehouse, as well as the helicopter light through the window on the roof. The sudden st of light forced her to cover her eyes.

    Despite the chaotic sound of hundreds of footstepsing from all directions, one pair of footsteps stood out in particr. This one was heavier than the others. She felt his overwhelming and authoritative presence before she saw his face.

    She felt her heart drum in anticipation of the familiar aura that was stalking closer and closer to her. She removed her hand and her heart skipped a beat when she saw him.

    Walking in his full glory, long legs that seemed to stretch for miles, his suit jacket blowing in the wind, hair swept to the side, was the man she had fallen in love with ¡ª the same one who refused to leave her brain at any given second. Her heart calmed. With him here, she felt safe.

 Chapter 104 Send The Entire Army After Him

    Standing in front of her, with his hands tucked in his front pockets, was a man whose face and aura would put the Gods to shame. He was just that enticingly handsome.

    "Yang Feng...?" She whispered, blinking in confusion while the dark shadow that covered her consciousness gradually disappeared. As the demon that had taken full control of her faded into the background, the bloodlust in her eyes slowly receded as well.

    She rapidly blinked. It was then she finally regained herposure. Her eyes scanned the hundreds of men that swarmed into the room, their guns pointed straight at her.

    She looked around and saw the lifeless bodies on the floor. The pungent smell caused her nose to crinkle in disgust. She swallowed, knowing exactly who caused this mess.

    Yang Feng was at loss for words. He had a hard time connecting this bloodthirsty woman to the frail one who had been securely tucked in his arms earlier in the day.

    When he was just a few distance away, he had heard multiple gunshots being fired. He feared he had arrived toote. And when the gunshots slowed down, his sense of urgency further heightened.

    He had expected to see her naked body on the floor, covered in blood. He had expected to see her lifeless eyes, blue lips, and disfigured body covered in bullet wounds.

    Relief flooded his heart when he fully realized that she was alive and not the one covered in bullet holes. The pressure gripping his heart had loosened now that he saw she was safe.

    He looked at the dead bodies on the floor and noticed some men only had a bullet wound on their forehead. It was a one-shot kill. He stared at the assault rifle in her hand, trailing it to her finger that was positioned over the trigger. She was the one firing the gun.

    Zhao Lifei saw his heavy gaze centered on the rifle in her hand. He had just seen what she had always wanted to hide. At the fear of being judged by him, she instantaneously dropped the gun, the loud ck echoing through the quiet warehouse.

    He had shown her how vicious he is with his enemies and she responded by not showing fear towards him. But he looked as if he couldn¡¯t do the same. With his brooding stare, she was not sure if he could ept the monster inside her and how messed up she is.

    He would not ept her, the way she did for him. Her heart ached at the idea, her face crumbling with each passing second. She felt a chill run through the warehouse and hugged her stomach as anxiety kicked in. She took a few steps backward to create distance between them.

    "I-I-I-" She didn¡¯t know where to begin and it didn¡¯t take long for her to nearly stumble over her own feet.

    Her bloodthirst is now long gone, and all she could feel was prickling pain at the thought of his rejection. The dangerous woman from before was nowhere in sight and what reced her was a hesitant and frail-looking doll that looked as if she might break any minute.

    Yang Feng saw her attempt to create further distance between them. His eyes took in her messy appearance. She had a wounded forehead, one of her cheeks were swollen, and blood was trickling from her neck. He can¡¯t even tell where else she was bleeding from anymore.

    His eyes darkened at the realization, anger shed across his face. Who did it? Who was foolish enough to harm his woman?

    When she saw his displeased expression as he looked at her, she felt her world crumble into fine dust. Tears burned at the back of her eyes, threatening to fall as a lump formed in her throat.

    She prepared her heart for the hurtful things she was sure he was about to say. Her heart was hammering so fast against her chest, she thought it would burst.

    She wasn¡¯t scared of his burning anger or the insanity hidden within his heart. She wasn¡¯t scared of his fury that burnt hot and fast, turning everything in its path into ashes. She was scared of what came after the anger.

    She was terrified of the ice-cold demeanor he used on strangers, and that he could give her the same treatment. To be rejected by him would be worse than experiencing the harshest frostbite on the coldest day of winter.

    She sniffled and braced herself for the pain that would soone. She felt dizzy and her feet wobbled. It was unknown whether she was shaking from fear or the loss of blood. Her face looked like a wounded kitten who was forced to lick her own wounds.

    "Say something..." She whispered though she knew he couldn¡¯t hear her. When he still didn¡¯t move or change his expression, what little self-esteem she had left disappeared, like insignificant dust blown away by a single breath of air.

    She attempted to blink away her tears, refusing to let it trickle in front of so many people. Hugging her stomach tighter, she cast her eyes downwards so that he¡¯s no longer in her view. The longer she looked at him, the more her heart felt like it was being torn into pieces.

    Yang Yulong saw his brother¡¯s frozen expression while he just stared at the woman before him. He can¡¯t believe how low his older brother¡¯s EQ is. He had mobilized a lot of their resources just to find his woman and when he finally does, he just stands there instead of running towards her and sweeping her into his arms. Did he really send so many people here just to have a staringpetition?! Has he always been this dense?!

    He frowned, turning to look at the poor woman hurting because of his brother¡¯s low EQ. He saw her be teary-eyed when she saw his brother¡¯s murderous aura. If his idiotic brother didn¡¯t do something, she might really cry!

    This woman is still Zhao Moyao¡¯s granddaughter! What if she cried to her grandfather? Zhao Moyao might send the entire army after Yang Feng!

    Yang Yulong gathered his courage and prayed to be saved from the consequences. Roughly, he nudged his older brother and hissed, "Don¡¯t just stand there like a fool! Go get your woman! Don¡¯t you see she¡¯s injured?"

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t even budge despite the strong push at his shoulders. But that tiny push was all he needed to start walking towards her. He was too caught up with ideas of torture for those who inflicted pain upon her to realize his silence was breaking her.

    His footsteps were slow at first, steadily increasing until he found himself speed walking towards her.

    "Lifei." He breathed out, taking off hisrge suit jacket, and swung it in the air like a magnificent cape. It fluttered in the wind as he ced it upon her shoulders. Immediately after, he pulled her into his arms in a tight hug that nearly crushed her bones.

    "You¡¯re safe. I¡¯m here." His first sentence was from the relief of finding her alive. The next was an apology of arriving toote and putting her in this state. He didn¡¯t know what else to say, for what could be said at this moment?

    shes of her expertly ying with a dagger at the banquet and pulling out a gun in her bedroom danced across his mind. He should¡¯ve known better. Even with the recollection, he was still bewildered to see her in action. The lifeless bodies on the floor. Her finger on the trigger. Her bloodthirsty eyes. Just who was his woman?

    Zhao Lifei was surprised by his hug and could barely register the warm gesture in her mind. Her arms were still wrapped around her stomach. The familiar feeling of being enveloped in his arms had calmed her heart. Her eyes tiredly fluttered close. Slowly, softly, she became unconscious in his arms.

    Faint screaming could be heard in the background, the voice she always wanted to hear kept telling her to stay awake. But the sound was getting farther and farther until her entire world of ck became quiet.

 Chapter 105 Never Forge

    A week trickled by and Zhao Lifei was still unconscious.

    ¡¯Why hasn¡¯t she woken up?!¡¯

    Yang Feng was growing impatient at theck of progress. He anxiously paced back and forth in her hospital room. He had walked this same path repeatedly day and night during the past seven days.

    He gritted his teeth and his jaw tightened. He hated this ce. He hated the familiar smell of the hospital disinfectant. This ce reminded him of thest time she was hospitalized.

    Two times. He had arrived toote two times. And both times, someone had been able to harm her.

    He had run his hand enough through his hair out of frustration that it had remained perpetually disheveled. He had always had a hard time falling asleep, and with Lifei¡¯s current condition, he had spent almost every minute of the past week awake.

    Theposed, domineering, and calctive CEO image he was known for was nowhere in sight. Yang Feng was beyond exhausted. His dark circles had gotten worse and there were heavy bags under his eyes. Even he felt like he had aged a decade, waiting for her to wake up.

    He lifted his head to nce at the motionless woman on the bed, his heart prickling when he saw her beautiful eyelids were still shut. He couldn¡¯t help but think back to the night he had found her in the warehouse.

    The relief he had felt to have her alive in his arms was immediately reced by terror when she became unconscious and no matter how much he tried to wake her up, her lids were tightly closed. He had never felt so terrified of losing someone until that night. When he had reluctantly released her, he found himself covered in her blood.

    It was the second time she fainted before him, but this was the first time he thought he might actually lose her.

    That night, she had been frighteningly pale and her fingers had started to turn blue.

    Because of her excessive blood loss and bruised body, he was horrified when he watched a new team of doctors enter the surgery room mid-operation. The injuries she sustained on her head, neck, and abdomen ced her in critical condition.

    As he anxiously waited outside the operating room, memories of the night shed by his mind. He would never forget the way his heart stopped beating when her eyes rolled back and her body slumped against his. He would never forget how she looked at him, heartbroken with his rejection, as his feet remained glued to the spot.

    He had spent thest seven nights lying awake on the extra bed he had them arrange in Lifei¡¯s hospital room, regretting all of his decisions. He regretteding sote and not reacting in time tofort her. Her distraught expression at his initialck of action was one that would scar him for the rest of his life.

    - - - -

    Two weekster.

    Beep.

    Beep.

    Beep.

    Zhao Lifei groaned, growing more and more agitated at the obnoxious sound. Why can¡¯t it shut up?! Just as she moved her hand, she winced in pain. She felt as if her body has been run over by a truck. Everything hurts, especially her head.

    She heard a loud crash in the background. Something huge seemed to have broken from the impact. What followed after were shuffling of clothes and a thud on the wall, as if a body was shoved onto it.

    "It¡¯s been two weeks and you still haven¡¯t stabilized her condition? How ipetent and useless." A familiar voice roared, resembling a provoked predator.

    "Feng-ge, you have to calm down¡ª"

    "S-sir, please calm down¡ª"

    BAM! Something roughly collided on the wall, it sounded as if someone had punched it.

    "Feng-ge! Stop it! The doctor can¡¯t rush the healing process¡ª"

    "Shut up." He snarled and roughly shoved his younger sister away from him. She yelped, stumbling over her high heels. Yang Yulong who was standing quietly at the side helped stabilize her as his eyes narrowed at their brother.

    "Feng-ge, you¡¯re going too far." Yang Yulong frowned at the barbaric behavior of his older brother. They had encountered so many problems in both Yang Enterprise and the Underworld, yet, this was the first time he saw his older brother lose hisposure like this. Bloodshot eyes, disheveled hair, and crooked suit, Yang Feng looked like a mess.

    For as long as Yang Yulong remembered, his older brother was the calm before the storm, the deadly silence before the disaster. Even as a kid, he had remained stoic through anything.

    "Ipetent doctors shouldn¡¯t work at First Hospital. Gaonan, have this bastard¡¯s license revoked¡ª"

    A quiet voice spoke out. "That¡¯s...not necessary..." She could barely speak properly, her voice timid due to her scratchy throat from an entire week of dehydration.

    Every head in the room snapped to the hospital bed, where Zhao Lifei barely had her eyes opened.

    Zhao Lifei tilted her to head to look at the Yang siblings, their simr appearances had varying expressions on them. Yang Ruqin looked as if she was on the verge of tears as her hands came up to cover her mouth in disbelief. Yang Yulong wore a nonchnt, nearly bored, expression as if he didn¡¯t care if she woke up or not.

    Yang Feng, on the other hand, had apletely different expression from his younger siblings.

    She had lost weight from having to rely on infusions to keep her hydrated. Her face was no longer swollen but she still had a deathlike pallor on, while her forehead and neck had been bandaged. Her hair was an oily mess from not being washed for two weeks.

    Despite her wed appearance, Yang Feng looked at her like she was an angel who descended from Heaven. He looked awestruck by her.

    On the other hand, Zhao Lifei was surprised to see his appearance. He was still handsome, but gone was the polished man she knew. His perfect suit was wrinkled, his hair was all over the ce, and his eyes looked distraught. It was obvious he had been deeply upset for a long time.

    Zhao Lifei shuffled in her position. She awkwardly eyed the brute that was on the verge of strangling the poor doctor.

    "G-good morning." She croaked out, reminding them that she was real.

    "Oh Feifei..." Yang Ruqin sniffed, nearly sobbing on the spot as she began to walk towards her Feifei, arms spread for a hug. "It¡¯s two in the afternoon." She added, overwhelmed by emotions.

    "I¡¯m so d you¡¯re awake¡ª OW!¡¯ She cried out when Yang Feng shoved her aside, rushing to Zhao Lifei.

    Before anyone could move, he had wrapped his arms around her.

    Zhao Lifei stiffened in surprise, her armsying limp on her side. He was hunched over, hugging her as if she was the only thing that mattered in the world. Her ear was pressed to his chest and she could hear his erratic heartbeat. She felt his arms quiver and tighten around her, refusing to let her go.

    Her eyes softened. He was scared of losing her, just as much as she was scared of losing him.

    "Yang Feng..." Her voice muffled by his bear hug.

    "I¡¯m not letting you go." He said, already guessing what she would say.

    "But I¡¯m thirsty." She softly coaxed him until he finally relented.

    "Thirsty for that D." Yang Ruqin grumbled under her breath, earning a smack on the shoulder by Yang Yulong who couldn¡¯t believe his younger sister¡¯s dirty mind.

    "Seriously, where did you learn to harbor such bad thoughts?" He hissed at her as she red back at him.

    "None of your business!" She responded, crossing her arms.

    Yang Feng moved to sit by her bedside while shifting his arms to loosely wrap it around Lifei¡¯s waist, giving her space to breath. He then tilted his head to look at his obnoxious siblings.

    "You heard her. She wants water." He instructed his wealthy siblings as if they were one of his maids.

    Yang Yulongzily turned to Yang Ruqin. "You heard him. Go get your best friend some water."

    Her jaw dropped at his words. "No, stupid, he was talking to you! My Feifei needs her best friend and boyfriend here! You can leave!" She refused to walk out, not until she got a proper exnation. Neither of the men in the room wanted to tell her what happened to her best friend for her to sustain such horrible wounds.

    Yang Yulong rolled his eyes, staring down at her who was half a head shorter than him. "I¡¯m older than you, Xiao Qin. Regardless if he told me to fetch it or not, you still have to go." He was a proud senior bullying his junior.

    Yang Ruqin red at him, refusing to back down. She remained stubbornly rooted to her spot.

    Chen Gaonan sighed. He decided to be the bigger person here. It was time to put an end to their childish games. Did they not realize the boss¡¯s woman just woke up?

    "I¡¯ll get it." He walked out to fetch the damn cup of water that started the entire argument.

    He came back in less than a few seconds and handed the cup of water to Yang Feng. "The water dispenser was literally outside of the door." Chen Gaonan resisted the urge to roll his eyes. With the way theyined, one would think it was on the other side of the world.

 Chapter 106 Her Body Was Pushed To The Limi

    Yang Feng took the water and gently handed it to the precious woman in his arms. "Be careful, it might be too hot¡ª "

    She ignored him and snatched the cup off his hand, finishing it all in one gulp.

    Yang Feng took the cup back and handed it to his secretary for him to refill. Chen Gaonan frowned at his new job as a water boy, but nheless, went to fetch the water.

    "Does it hurt anywhere?" Yang Feng asked, brushing away her messy fringe to reveal the thick white bandage on her forehead. Seeing it, his lips tilted into a frown.

    "No." Zhao Lifei curtly answered, pushing him away and casting her eyes downwards. She remembered his expression when he saw the bloodshed. Sitting here, she was waiting for him to tell her he didn¡¯t want a woman as crazy and uncontroble like her.

    Yang Feng saw her lower her gaze and sighed. His arms felt empty without her in it. She had reverted back to distancing herself. He knew it was also his fault, but he knew he had gotten her to lower her walls before. It wouldn¡¯t be hard to do it again.

    "Where did you learn to wield a gun like that?" He wanted the truth this time. Keeping his voice gentle and his eyes adoringly warm for her and no one else, he hoped it would beckon her to open up.

    It shocked his younger siblings who couldn¡¯t believe they were personally witnessing this side of him. Even though Ruqin had already witnessed her henpecked brother¡¯s treatment of Lifei, seeing it again still surprised her.

    Yang Yulong eyed his brother. He didn¡¯t think the man was even capable of such fondness! Who would¡¯ve known he was a pampering lover?!

    "Don¡¯t try to hide the truth. I can¡¯t protect you if you don¡¯t tell me everything. You¡¯re not allowed to keep me in the dark." He demanded, leaving no room for objections.

    Yang Yulong looked at his brother incredulously. H-Hey buddy, I don¡¯t think we should provoke this crazy woman who killed 29 men in the span of one night!

    She raised her head to look at him, before eyeing the other Yang siblings and Chen Gaonan who stood by the door with the cup of water. When she heard his words, she knew she couldn¡¯t dy the truth anymore.

    Sighing, she gestured her hand to the couch in the expansive hospital room suitable for royalties. "Sit down, it¡¯s a long story." She muttered.

    Yang Feng adjusted her hospital bed so she canfortably sit, before making himselffortable beside her. He hovered over like an overprotective husband and she didn¡¯t know how to react to it.

    Chen Gaonan sensed this would be private information, so he made sure that the security detail outside knows that no one is allowed near the room as he himself stood by the locked door to guard it.

    Yang Ruqin had been awfully surprised to know that her Feifei can wield a gun. They had grown up together, and as heiresses, they knew basic self-defense. For her brother to ask about her Feifei¡¯s ability with a gun, it would seem it was remarkable. Was this rted to the time when she disappeared?

    She was beyond curious about where her Feifei has mysteriously vanished for two years without leaving a single note or word behind. She just went up and left, taking none of her belongings ¡ª not even a wallet or cellphone.

    Zhao Lifei looked to the tinted ss window as her Qinqin and her other brother moved to the couch. She saw her haggard reflection, the white bandages on her head, and her cheeks that had became incredibly hollow.

    Yang Yulong was the first to eagerly sit down, his ears excited to listen to this crazydy. He was now incredibly wary of her due to her abilities. Most of her kills were clean shots that resulted in instant deaths!

    This type of woman was suitable for the underworld. He had been embroiled in it for a long time but he had never seen someone that seemed inexperienced go on a ruthless rampage. But with how possessive and overprotective his brother was of this woman, he doubted Yang Feng would ever allow her to take even a single step towards any kind of danger.

    He doesn¡¯t know much about her aside from what Qinqin had told them, and his brother has made sure early on that no one in the family, even him, can get a background check on her. Even if she¡¯s acknowledged by Zhao Moyao, there were other women who are qualified to be his brother¡¯s woman. And they all had a better reputation than her.

    To him, there weren¡¯t any benefits to Zhao Lifei aside from her pretty face.

    "Two years ago, I reached the brink of my sanity. My life was a never-ending cycle of alcohol, antidepressants, and plotting the downfall of Xia Mengxi. I was a mess." Her voice was low and hesitant. She didn¡¯t want to remember her past, but the more she ignored it, the more it came back to her. She knew that it was better to embrace it than push it away.

    "I lost sight of who I was. I lost sight of the confident woman that my foundation was built upon." She lifted her head and stared out the window. The sky was beautiful and seemed picturesque, which was a stark contrast to her tainted and gloomy past.

    "I needed a way to escape everything that has happened and the things I¡¯ve done. I didn¡¯t want to be here anymore, I needed change." She thought back to the memory of the confrontation she had with her grandfather. She had misused her skills, her power, and authority tomit sins he didn¡¯t approve of.

    "So I left."

    She remembered climbing into the discreet ck van without anything except the clothes on her back. "I wasn¡¯t thinking properly. I didn¡¯t care where I went, what I did, I just wanted to escape ¡ª to leave Shenbei and never look back."

    She remembered how she came to that decision. One day, she had looked at the mirror and saw how haunting she looked, nothing like the woman she had always seen herself as. Her lifeless eyes barely concealed defeat. She had always been skinny, but she lost so much weight that all her clothing was too big on her. The mental and physical exhaustion from chasing after Zheng Tianyi had slowly turned her crazy.

    "At first, I didn¡¯t know where to go. So I simply went with grandfather¡¯s arrangement."

    The Yang siblings sat in quiet anticipation as they waited to find out what happened to her for two years.

    "Grandfather knew I was in a precarious situation. The Zheng private army is formidable, and I needed to be somewhere safe while I heal. He used some of his connections and kept me hidden where no hackers, assassins, mercenaries or any of my enemies can track me down. I was securely tucked away in the military, strengthening my mind and my body."

    Because she had so many demons within herself to fight, she had gone through intensive training. Memories of how her body was pushed to the limit by loud drill sergeants shed by. With her state of mind, the day she had picked up her first gun, she had unwittingly be the perfect weapon ¡ª she killed without hesitation.

    "And for the next two years, I stayed in the military. I flourished without having to rely on my identity or background. Grandfather¡¯s military influence is unrivaled, and I did not want to stand out. Only the people with ess to the highest level of security clearance knew who I truly am."

    "I didn¡¯t n oning back to Shenbei. I nned on staying there for as long as I wanted, and simply work on the missions I get."

    She remembered telling her grandfather about not wanting toe back, and him storming to the militarypound the next day to take her back to the city. He tore into the higher-ups who were brainwashing her just so they can continue utilizing her exceptional skills.

    She had grown to use the same ruthless strategies she had learned in the business world as war tactics. Combined with her marksmanship, she would have gone far if she pursued a military career. Although they calmly released her, they knew her leaving was not the end of it.

    "But you came back. Why?" Yang Ruqin asked as she remembered the day she got a phone call from an unknown number.

    She had taken a leap of faith that day and picked it up to discover it was her one and only Feifei. But what surprised her next was the sound of her voice. It sounded so chillingly different that it scared her. What happened to that childish and outgoing woman?

    "Grandfather wanted me back as a consultant." Zhao Lifei responded and avoided any kind of eye contact. That wasn¡¯t the only reason why she came back, but it was the major one.

    Yang Feng could tell that she had still kept part of her reason a secret. However, she had already taken baby steps in sharing her secrets. That was enough for now. It would be better to talk more about this in private when none of his annoying siblings were around.

    Yang Ruqin and Yang Yulong did not pick up on this as they were both preupied in putting the pieces together in their minds.

 Chapter 107 I Would Fight To The Death

    Yang Yulong wanted to ask a few questions, but he hesitated. After a few seconds of careful thinking, he finally did so.

    "Do you have ns on going back to the military? What do you mean by flourish? Have you established yourwork there?" He was curious to see what other benefits she might bring in, aside from being simply Zhao Moyao¡¯s "favored granddaughter". Even if he had known her as a child, he was still unconvinced she was worthy of being the future Madam Yang.

    Zhao Lifei wasn¡¯t surprised by his question but Yang Ruqin whacked him on the shoulder for it.

    "Are you implying my Feifei is not worthy of bing part of our family without connections?! She¡¯s good as it is!" She fumed, upset that her brother is belittling the most important person in her life.

    "I did." Zhao Lifei curtly replied.

    Yang Yulong smirked. So she wasn¡¯t as useless as he thought she was.

    "How powerful are your connections? What¡¯s their military rank?" Yang Yulong pressed her, curious to see if they could utilize her resources.

    The Yangs are a powerful family, and they had nurtured deep connections within powerful ces for decades. However, having a strong military backing would make them almost untouchable.

    Zhao Lifei could guess his thought process. She turned to him with a cold expression.

    "I will not use them for unjustly things." She firmly said, refusing to budge while Yang Yulong scrutinized her.

    Yang Yulong narrowed his eyes as his easygoing smile dropped. Not use them for unjustly things? Hey, hey, just who do you think we are? You businessmen also do unjust things!

    "Don¡¯t you like my brother? Shouldn¡¯t you do things for him as he had done things for you?" He asked her, wondering if she was even worth Yang Feng¡¯s time and energy. She wasn¡¯t willing to help out the family business? Then what¡¯s the point in marrying her?

    "My feelings for Yang Feng has nothing to do with you or your family."

    "Who exhausted our family¡¯s resources just to find you? Whose family¡¯s people did you think cleaned up the mess you made? Which family¡¯s secret base do you think your kidnapper is being kept? We vitedws just for you!" Yang Yulong furiously said, not believing how slow her brain was.

    They were the Yangs and no one can mess with them, so he admittedly exaggerated a little. But still, he couldn¡¯t help but get angry. Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be smart? Why is she as dense as my brother?!

    Zhao Lifei blinked in surprise, turning to Yang Feng with her mouth parted. He did that for her?

    While the kidnapping would be ssified self-defense and she would walk away with nothing but a lengthy investigation that would go nowhere, she had expected to require her grandfather¡¯s help to make all of this disappear. But Yang Feng had already done that and much more.

    "What? Did you think I¡¯d leave you to the cops?" Yang Feng mused, finding her perplexed expression amusing. Did she seriously think that?

    At his words, Zhao Lifei immediately felt guilty for what she said previously. But it was toote, what¡¯s done has been done. She could only attempt to fix it.

    "Well? What do you think about helping us out in the future? We¡¯ll also help you out." Yang Yulong had noticed how the mood changed between the annoying couple. He decided that it was time to test the waters again and see if she had changed her mind. Besides, he had seen her grow up, thus, knew that her reputation isn¡¯t exactly truthful.

    "None of the connections I made in the military can be utilized right now as they¡¯re not that powerful yet. I¡¯m also acquainted with the sons and daughters of most of the government officials. While I do have material to leverage with them, we¡¯ll have to wait until they inherit the position if we want to pull some strings." Zhao Lifei relented. Thinking about it now, her connections weren¡¯t worth much help to Yang Feng.

    She looked at Yang Feng who seemed rxed as if he didn¡¯t care she couldn¡¯t help bail him out if something ever came up. However, she saw something flicker in his eyes and thought it was uncertainty.

    "But if ever something happens to you, I-I-"...would fight to the death for you.

    A blush traveled to her cheeks at what she was about to say next. It sounded so good in her head, but it was embarrassing to make this deration out loud. She didn¡¯t want to say it in a room filled with people.

    When she had suddenly decided to reveal her connections for his use, he felt something bubbling up his chest, as if ready to surge out. He did not expect for her to look into his eyes, and almost reveal her feelings.

    He already knew what she was going to say, thus, the edge of his lips tilted up in a smirk. While they sat together, he had kept his hands to himself. But now he ced an arm around her shoulder and gently tugged her closer. She didn¡¯t budge and remained firm in her spot. He chuckled at her reluctance.

    "I know what you¡¯re going to say. It¡¯s fine, these simple fools don¡¯t have to hear it." He smoothly assured her, happy that she even had such thoughts. Their rtionship was really progressing after so long! The thought made him very giddy inside. He felt like he had just received the best present of his life.

    Because she wasn¡¯t willing to move closer, he decided to be the one to move. Leaning close to her, he whispered, "But I want to hear it. What did you want to say?"

    She shivered, his warm breath tickled her. She looked away, refusing to answer his question. His smile widened at her suddenly obedient behavior. So she¡¯s only like this when embarrassed... ¡¯Guess I should make her blush more.¡¯ He thought to himself, maintaining the fond smile on his face.

    "I¡¯m not telling you." She stubbornly said with her arms crossed as she refused to look at him while her blush further intensified.

    Seeing his elder brother was happy regardless of what she said, Yang Yulong couldn¡¯t help but sigh in defeat. With how henpecked his older brother was, he knew she would inevitably going to be his sister-inw.

    He figured he might as well support them and make sure she stayed by Yang Feng¡¯s side. Even if she couldn¡¯t contribute much, at the least, she was making him very happy and that was a priceless benefit they can¡¯t get from anyone else.

    All of a sudden, the words Yang Feng said clicked in his brain. "Hey! Who are you calling a simple fool?!" He argued, feeling wronged by the nickname. He was trying to fight for his brother¡¯s benefit, yet he insulted him!

    "Obviously, he¡¯s referring to you, Yu-ge." Yang Ruqin rolled her eyes as she seized every opportunity to be petty and childish.

    "Last time I checked, Xiao Qin, I wasn¡¯t a mirror." Yang Yulong snorted, equally as petty as her. Sometimes he wondered where they got these traits from. Perhaps it was because they had been able to enjoy their childhood being spoiled by their parents while Yang Feng had to shoulder the responsibilities of being the eldest...

    "Thank goodness you¡¯re not. I¡¯m sure you would¡¯ve cracked upon seeing the sight of your own reflection." Yang Ruqin resorted, not willing to back down from the argument.

    Just as Yang Yulong opened his mouth to argue back, one of the members of the security team knocked on the door. Chen Gaonan informed them that doctors came to check on Zhao Lifei now that she¡¯s finally awake, and since their conversation is already over, Yang Feng gestured for him to let them in.

    The door opened and a team of high profile doctors walked in. The heads of neurology and gastroenterology were also present since they were also the ones who operated on her.

    Yang Ruqin stiffened in fear as her mouth parted in shock. Included in the group that just entered was a very familiar doctor that could get her in a lot of trouble with Yang Feng.

 Chapter 108 Your Woman

    Han Wuting who was standing behind the head of the neurology department was the first person in line to speak, thus, his attention was on the clipboard on his hand with the patient¡¯s files in it.

    Working with VVIPs in First Hospital for a long time, he was ustomed to treating "anonymous" patients, and only had details of their medical record while the management withholds their identity.

    When he heard a gasp of shock, he looked up and his eyes flickered with surprise.

    So these were the people causing a ruckus in the VVIP floor by making sure even the hospital staff can¡¯t approach the room without clearance... The infamous Yang siblings. His eyes zoned in on one person in particr ¡ª Yang Ruqin who had set him up for a failed blind date. He still hadn¡¯t forgiven her for that.

    When she asked him if he was interested in going on a blind date with her friend, he agreed. He knew the Yangs vetted the people in their circle, and a friend she talked affectionately about would have definitely surpassed the Yang family¡¯s standards. All she told him was that she came from a wealthy background, had a good job, and was very beautiful.

    He had been busy pursuing his medical career and rarely spent time immersing himself within the socialite circle, much to his parents¡¯ chagrin. When Yang Ruqin informed him that it was Zhao Lifei, he vaguely remembered about her reputation as the alcoholic ex-fiance of Zheng Tianyi, but decided to humor Ruqin¡¯s idea.

    When they finally met, he was pleasantly surprised to see she was nothing like the reputation that preceded her. He had been excited to get in touch with her, only toter find out that she purposely gave him a wrong number. The embarrassment from that realization had truly given his self-esteem a hit.

    "Han Wuting, it¡¯s been a while." Yang Ruqin spoke up, nervously ncing at her older brother and Feifei. She prayed the former wouldn¡¯t understand why she was so anxious.

    "Yes, indeed it has. We haven¡¯t seen each other since the blind date you¡¯ve set up for me. I really liked her but she gave me..." His eyes trailed to the woman on the bed. He was dazed to see Zhao Lifei. When he had performed surgery on her, he was simply too worried about the almost fatal state of her head injury that he didn¡¯t realize her identity.

    "We meet again, Zhao Lifei." He revealed an amiable smile.

    "About that, can we speak about it in private?" Yang Ruqin hesitantly asked while praying that the stoic expression on her brother¡¯s face didn¡¯t mean he understood the situation.

    Han Wuting raised a brow at her nervousness. What was she so scared about? Where did that supermodel confidence and allure go?

    "No. I have a patient to tend to." He chuckled at Yang Ruqin before looking back to Zhao Lifei. "I didn¡¯t expect this would be how we meet again." He wasn¡¯t surprised by her horrible appearance. Being a doctor, he had seen worse. This didn¡¯t even faze him.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes darkened when he finally pieced two and two together. The blind date that Yang Ruqin had dared to pair him up with was none other than with his Zhao Lifei. He suddenly remembered the long list of blind dates his sister had his woman go on. He intensely stared at his sister as the temperature dropped below freezing point. His expression was not one that people wanted to trifle with, especially when he looked as if ready to murder someone.

    Yang Ruqin paled in fear when she saw her brother¡¯s expression. "F-Feng-ge, I can exin-"

    "Chen Gaonan, send her to the main mansion. I¡¯ll deal with herter." Yang Feng ordered. Immediately, his secretary stepped forward with Yang Feng¡¯s personal bodyguards.

    "Wait, Feng-ge, hear me out first! You know if I go back, they¡¯ll keep me there for a long time! Mother has been nagging me about my career and bringing a man home. I¡¯m really in for an earful¡ª"

    Yang Feng turned his back to her while flicking his wrist. The men came forward to surround her. This was not the first time that Yang Ruqin had gotten in trouble with her brothers due to her unruly ways. The guards already had a long protocol on how to deal with her without hurting her. The Yang brothers strictly forbid rough treatment against their sister even while forcing her toe home. They could only surround her on all sides, and coerce her to walk.

    Zhao Lifei frowned upon seeing Qinqin¡¯s frightened expression. When they made eye contact, she was pleading for help. She was familiar with Qinqin¡¯s mother¡¯s nagging ways. She knew she would suffer along as Qinqin never fails to run to her side and vent after getting a scolding.

    She turned to Yang Feng but he wasn¡¯t looking at her. He was ring at Han Wuting, sizing the man up and down. It was clear who the winner of this battle was, for Han Wuting immediately averted his eyes and bowed his head in fear.

    "Mr. Yang, I didn¡¯t know she was your woman." Han Wuting truthfully said, terrified of provoking the man before him. He didn¡¯t think poking the rabbit would involuntarily awaken the slumbering dragon.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t know why Yang Feng was so angry in the first ce. She grabbed his sleeve in an attempt to get his attention, but he was busy intimidating Han Wuting. Growing annoyed, she tugged on the cuff of his shirt and jumped in surprise when he sped his warm, calloused hands over her tiny ones. He looked down at her, the cier within his eyes thawing out.

    "What¡¯s wrong? Does it hurt somewhere?" He asked while looking down at her with a worried expression.

    "Qinqin didn¡¯t do anything wrong, why is she being sent back to the main mansion? He did a good job on the surgery. I¡¯m alive and well¡ª"

    "That¡¯s not why I¡¯m mad." He frowned.

    She put two and two together. "You¡¯re mad over a blind date? That¡¯s so petty!" She couldn¡¯t believe he was this childish!

    "We didn¡¯t even know each other back then." She added, her brows drawing together in frustration.

    Her statementpletely shocked the Yang siblings except for Yang Feng who already knew she didn¡¯t remember him. Yang Yulong looked at her incredulously. She didn¡¯t know his older brother? What kind of bullsh*t was that! She used to hover around him like an obnoxious fly that wouldn¡¯t go away no matter how many times you swatted at it!

    Yang Ruqin also looked disturbed by this. She remembered there was a point in their childhood that her Feifei suddenly stopped visiting the Yang Main Mansion. She had cried to her parents but even they couldn¡¯t get any answer from the Zhaos. It took one month for her to finally get in contact with her best friend. From then on, there was a shift in Lifei¡¯s personality.

    Everyone in the Yang household was surprised. She stopped visiting the Main Mansion and opted to meet up somewhere else. She stopped nagging Yulong for any news of Yang Feng. Even Madam Yang noticed her absence since she used to ask her to pass on letters to Yang Feng. It was really strange, but Yang Ruqin figured it was simply because she wanted to move on from the painful parting.

    Not long after, an engagement between the Zhao family and the Zheng family were announced to the public.

    "Hey, hey, little girl, what do you mean you don¡¯t know my¡ª"

    "That¡¯s enough." Yang Feng interjected, not wanting this to be heard in front of strangers. The longer he thought about it, the more it irked him. How could she easily forget about him?

    He remembered running into her at a banquet when she was twelve or thirteen, but she had ran right past him as if he was just a stranger. To add salt to the wound, she had been chasing after Zheng Tianyi holding a te with a slice of cake in it. The cake just happened to be the same one that Yang Feng liked, and they had shared between them so many times before.

    "But brother¡ª"

    The brooding stare from Yang Feng was so chilling, even Yang Yulong who had experienced hell and back, was paralyzed in fear.

    Yang Yulong decided to drop the subject. His brother was right. This wasn¡¯t the best time and ce to speak about such crucial information.

    "I¡¯ll bring Xiao Qin back to the main mansion¡ª"

    "You will do no such thing. Ruqin will remain with me and keep mepany." Zhao Lifei interjected, frowning as she watched the scene unfold before her.

    "Lifei, Ruqin needs to be taught a lesson-"

    "For what? Helping me move on?" Zhao Lifei angrily asked in disbelief.

    Yang Feng fiercely glowered at her, "Moving on with what? Useless rebounds that would only waste your time?"

    She narrowed her eyes to re at him. "She was just trying to help!" She tried to yank her hand out of his, but instead, he tugged her towards him. His pull was so strong, she would have fallen off the bed if he didn¡¯t haul her to his chest.

    Even when he stared down at her, she wasn¡¯t scared of him. A staringpetition between the blizzard in his eyes and the raging fire in hers had started. At that moment, none of them nned to yield.

 Chapter 109 Freaky In Bed

    "Stubborn little thing." He muttered under his breath. He expected this sort of fearless behavior from her but didn¡¯t think she would dare to disagree with him in public.

    She raised her finger and poked his iron chest with each word. "You. Will. Release. Qinqin. Is. That. Clear?" Because of their height difference, she needed to look up to him while doing so and she couldn¡¯t help but feel it was such a disadvantageous position. She didn¡¯t like it one bit.

    Not only was she daring enough to disagree with him in public but she was arrogant enough to make demands? Seriously, this woman didn¡¯t fear death. All the women he used to mess around with had an unhealthy amount of fear for him and would not dare do anything to displease him. Who knew he would meet his match one day in a woman with the same level of stubbornness?

    He wondered how she would react if he taught her a rough lesson. He harshly grabbed her fingers, slightly bending it to a painful angle. Instead of crying out in pain, she caught him by surprise yet again when she used her other hand to p his chest.

    "Do you think that would hurt me?" She scoffed, despite the fact that her watery eyes had already betrayed the pain she had been suppressing. She definitely would not back down!

    Yang Feng sighed, knowing she wouldn¡¯t budge. He eventually released her fingers to gently massage it. Stupid woman, just say it hurt.

    "Ruqin needs to head back to the main mansion. My parents are looking for her." That damn brat hadn¡¯t been home since she had been scolded for having a scandal with a novice model. Having a boy toy instead of finding a reputable man to take home was simply uneptable to her parents.

    "But I did nothing wrong!" Yang Ruqin wailed, despite the fact that she knew exactly what she did. It truly was just a simple fling. It wasn¡¯t like she was going to marry that guy! Howe Yu-ge can sleep with countless women while I get in trouble for having fun with one guy?!

    Her family was initially against her modeling career when she decided to first pursue it, but they eventually relented when she persisted.

    She just didn¡¯t want to face the wrath and disappointment of her mother and father for being involved in a scandal like that. She was also too scared to go back home, in fear that she would be cornered by her fearsome grandfather. Even thinking about him was enough to give her goosebumps.

    "Qinqin is an adult. She can go home by herself." Zhao Lifei defended Yang Ruqin the same way she used to during their younger years. She always covered up for her Qinqin, regardless of the circumstances.

    Yang Feng turned to her. "If you continue to dote on her like this, you¡¯ll spoil her rotten-"

    "Oh, please. Don¡¯t act like you haven¡¯t spoiled her rotten either!" Zhao Lifei scoffed, rolling her eyes at him.

    Everyone in the Yang family doted on Yang Ruqin the second she was born. She was the ideal daughter of a wealthy family with her incredible beauty, perfect charisma and personality. No one would even imagine someone as kind, innocent and naive as Ruqin woulde from a family that had gotten their power through the underworld. Until someone provokes the Yang blood lying dormant in her veins, then hell hath no fury like a scorned Yang Ruqin. It was always the kindest woman that dealt the most damage.

    "At least I don¡¯t cover for her every time she does something wrong! She needs to face the consequences of her actions, or else she won¡¯t learn!" Yang Feng can¡¯t help but pettily argue back as she glowered at him.

    "Don¡¯t say it as if you haven¡¯t covered for her multiple times! Qinqin is naive. She¡¯s always prone to scandals, and I know you hide the majority of it."

    Although Yang Ruqin was tightly protected, she always manages to attract trouble. Instead of her brothers, she would often run to Zhao Lifei to cry in fear that her career would be over and how her family would force her to quit. But she knew best that the Yang brothers may outwardly bully their sister, but they would always protect her. There were some major scandals such as her beating a man up with a carrot that threatened to leak out but never did. Of all the idiotic things that her Qinqin did, she had an inkling that it was her siblings that kept a tight lid on it.

    "Hey! I¡¯m not that naive!"

    "You followed the textbook definition of a sketchy man just because he promised to show you a dozen puppies!" Zhao Lifei incredulously told her. She had been woken up by her Qinqin¡¯s security detail when the woman sneaked out in the middle of the night without her bodyguards just so she can see some damn puppies!

    "T-that was one time-"

    "Oh, don¡¯t get me started on the carrot incident either." She sighed, tiredly rubbing her forehead, only to realize it was still covered in a thickyer of gauze. Oh right, she was still in the hospital. She raised her head to the medical staff who awkwardly had to stand and listen in to their conversation.

    ¡¯Was this how all wealthy people acted? Who would think they would be so...abnormal?¡¯

    Yang Yulong remained seated in the couch, using everything in his willpower to keep himself fromughing out loud. Watching his older brother argue with that woman was like watching a married couple argue about how to raise their pampered daughter.

    "Oh right, I was supposed to have a check-up." Zhao Lifei turned to them with a polite smile on her face. The smile slipped a bit upon seeing Han Wuting but she remained respectful.

    Yang Feng seized her momentary distraction to lift his hand off of her waist to signal his men to send his sister out the door. Before he could gesture for them to cover Yang Ruqin¡¯s mouth to keep her from making any noise, Zhao Lifei had already turned to re at him.

    "Absolutely not. She¡¯s staying here with me."

    "For thest time, Ruqin is going back to the main mansion-"

    "You, mister, have a multi-billionpany to run. Have you ever gone back to thepany while I was unconscious? Hurry along now." She ced her palms against his chest to push him away and went back to her previous position on the hospital bed.

    He watched her with a scowl on his face. Screw thepany, he¡¯d rather be here with her instead! "I can stay here and-"

    "Qinqin will stay here. We have a lot of things to catch up on. You have thousands of employees waiting for you, meetings to attend, contracts to look at, reports to check, and an entire team of people at your beck and call. Yang Enterprise needs you more than I do." Her dejected voiceing out as she tried to coax him into leaving.

    Yang Ruqin hid her victorious smirk. Of course, it was always her Feifeiing to her rescue! When ites to getting her out of trouble, only Feifei would excel in that! Hah, take that Feng-ge, I¡¯ve just found my ultimate shield against you!

    Yang Feng walked to her bed and sighed at the fact that she just woke up, and she¡¯s already had an eventful afternoon. He fluffed the pillow for her and helped her adjust to a morefortable position. In a low voice that only they could hear, he said, "I¡¯d feel safer knowing I¡¯m here with you." He tucked the lower half of her body into the nket.

    Zhao Lifei chuckled at his sullen state. "I already know you have your top bodyguards out there. Trust your men. I know they would protect me." She softly reassured him before giving his cheek a pat. When she was about to pull back her hand, he grabbed it, hisrge, warm hands covering her tiny ones.

    Because his shoulders were so broad, it hid their intimate moment. No one saw their exchange. "Once I¡¯m done with work, I¡¯lle here as fast as I can. Until then, stay put." He said, referring to the incident in the past where she refused to reside in the hospital and even pulled out her own IV drips.

    "Behave, alright?" He patted her head as if she was a kid.

    "And if I don¡¯t?" She challenged him.

    His eyes darkened, a mischievous smile on his face. Using his thumb, he caressed her cheek. "There are a lot of ways a man can punish his lover." He whispered to her.

    "And I can promise you, my love, it will have you screaming for mercy." Warmth spread throughout her body at his words. She stiffened, already knowing what he was referring to. This perverted bastard-

    "So behave and I will award you well-"

    "What if I like that type of pain?" She blurted out, her words taking him byplete surprise. She smirked at his dumbfounded expression. Two can y this game.

    "Then I¡¯ll use something else on you-"

    "And if I like that as well?"

    "Are you that freaky in bed?" He teased her while tapping her cute button nose with his index finger. He knew she was lying by the way her cheeks suddenly heated up. But if she answered yes, then he couldn¡¯t wait for the fun nights ahead of them.

 Chapter 110 When Am I Expecting?

    "Perhaps I am, perhaps I¡¯m not." She shrugged as her lips tilted upwards.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s sweet smile immediately mesmerized him. He looked at her like a lovestruck fool,pletely caught up by her smile.

    He was originally green with envy that someone else had taken her on a date before he ever got the chance. How could Ruqin betray him like this? She clearly knew they had a history together, but not only did she pair her up with multiple men, he was not even considered to be one of her blind dates!

    "Now go back to yourpany and make more money." She gave his chest a light push in hopes of encouraging him to walk out the door.

    He had a foolish smile on his face, and at that moment he looked just like an overly pampering husband. He grabbed her dainty fingers and gently kissed it. The more he looked at her bright smile, the more his frustration washed away. She was rarely this nice to him and he wanted the moment tost.

    "Alright, I will go and make more money for us." He teased before cupping her cheeks and pressing a soft kiss upon her forehead. He made sure to shift his angle so that everyone in the room had a full view of his intimate action, making a possessive im. She was his and no one else¡¯s.

    "Be good, alright?" He thought about kissing her until they were both breathless, but there were too many people in here. She wouldn¡¯t like that one bit.

    "I already nned to behave." She rolled her eyes at his constant insistence for her to stay.

    With a nod, he strolled towards the door, apanied by the bodyguards surrounding Yang Ruqin. Walking behind him, the bodyguards looked like thugs instead of simple men. Yang Yulong and Chen Gaonan went to exit the room as well.

    Yang Feng paused at the door, turning back to give his sister a warning re. "Behave. Don¡¯t stress her out. If you do, even she wouldn¡¯t be able to stop me from bringing you back home." He threatened her. Not caring for her reply, he walked out of the door.

    Yang Ruqin watched her brother¡¯s silhouette disappear down the hall and stuck her tongue out at him. "Bully!" She cursed at him in an extremely quiet voice, in fear that he would hear her and consequently change his mind.

    She stomped to Lifei¡¯s bedside with a soft pout on her face. "Feifei, I don¡¯t understand what you see in such a stubborn man!"

    Zhao Lifeiughed at her best friend. "That¡¯s your brother. I¡¯m d you know stubbornness runs in your veins." She was happy to see Yang Ruqin¡¯s bubbly personality after such a long time. It felt as if she hadn¡¯t seen her in forever.

    Yang Ruqin gasped, her mouth opening and closing. She was at a loss for words and could only deepen her pout. "Feifei! I¡¯m not stubborn!" Her fingers itched to loop itself around Lifei¡¯s arm to shake it like she always does. But her Feifei is currently injured so she restrained herself.

    Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right."

    "If you keep on rolling your eyes, it will permanently stay that way..." Yang Ruqin huffed, then stomped her foot on the ground and glowered at Lifei.

    "Stubborn and childish, you know guys really like that trait." Zhao Lifei teased her. Deciding to save the argument forter, she turned towards the waiting doctors to indicate she was ready for them.

    Han Wuting stepped forward along with his team of doctors. After probing her, asking thorough questions, and performing a full check-up, they didn¡¯t take note of anything of concern aside from her malnourished body.

    Zhao Lifei noticed how professional Han Wuting was despite the intimidation he had gotten from Yang Feng. She had an inkling suspicion he wouldn¡¯t be her primary doctor very soon...Her intuition was proven correct when Han Wuting was ushered out of the room after finishing the check-up.

    Right when he left, a bodyguard came in carrying at least four bags of food. Before she could even register what had happened, a table was propped on her bed and a feast wasid out for her.

    "Enjoy your meal, Madam." The bodyguard said, bowing and leaving as fast as he hade.

    Zhao Lifei was surprised to see so many dishes in front of her. All of the dishes are the ones that are cooked to feed people who are recovering their health.

    "Qinqin, did you order this?" She noticed that the meticulously packaged food boxes had the restaurant name, "Golden Inn." She was confused to see this luxury restaurant allow a takeout order. They were known to be extremely strict about only having their food eaten at the restaurant to keep it fresh and would only serve five guests a day.

    "No...But I¡¯m sure my stubborn brother has something to do with this." Yang Ruqin pulled up a chair and began to eat with Zhao Lifei.

    "Golden Inn doesn¡¯t do take outs. I can¡¯t even make a reservation there as a supermodel!" Yang Ruqin and Zhao Lifei were equally confused on how Yang Feng was able to pull this off.

    "That poor manager..." Zhao Lifei muttered, already guessing Yang Feng used his brute influence to have the chefs prepare something like this. Vegetable and chicken porridge, stir-fried spinach and eggs, ginseng chicken soup. Almost everything here was nutritious and meant to keep someone healthy.

    After stuffing her stomach to the brim, Zhao Lifeiid back on her bed, drowsy from her fooda. When she was about to doze off, Yang Ruqin shook her shoulders to wake her up.

    She groaned in annoyance as she turned her head to look at her obnoxious friend.

    "What is it?" She asked, staring incredulously at Ruqin¡¯s expectant expression.

    "You haven¡¯t told me anything about you and Feng-ge! I want to know everything! Like did you guys have your first kiss yet ¡ª wait, you guys probably did since he can barely keep his hands off of you!" Yang Ruqin babbled on and on, not leaving Zhao Lifei any room to answer the questions.

    "Ooo, tell me about when you knew you liked him! Has he confessed to you yet? Was it romantic? Also, did you guys have s*x yet? When am I expecting an adorable niece or nephew?! Oh my god, my parents would be so happy to hear this news! What names do you have in mind?" She paused to breath.

    "Wait, you need to get married first. When¡¯s the wedding? Where¡¯s the wedding? Who do you n on inviting and will I be your maid-of-honor? I better be! Oh my god, we¡¯re finally going to be real sisters¡ª"

    "Alright, alright. One question at a time." Zhao Lifei sighed, pinching the spot between her brows. She was beginning to get a headache at how fast Ruqin was speaking.

    "Sorry, sorry. I¡¯m just really excited! It¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve got yourself such a good man! Not just good, but really great marriage material! I know my brother is really obnoxious, stubborn, mean, and selfish, sometimes even ugly too in the morning. He¡¯s really dense too and¡ª"

    "Qinqin do you want to speak or do you want me to answer questions?" Zhao Lifei chuckled at Yang Ruqin¡¯s childlike wonder. Her eyes were wide and it sparkled with curiosity as she thought about the questions to ask and things to say.

    "Okay okay, sorry again. I¡¯ll let you speak. Answer all of my questions!" Yang Ruqin excitedly said, awaiting all the juicy gossip.

    "I won¡¯t answer all of them but I will tell you everything from the beginning." Zhao Lifei sighed, summarizing everything from the day he sent over the purse, to the gift war, to the day he showed up as her date to the banquet, and all the nights they had spent together. She only briefly mentioned that he agreed to wait for her, but the prelude to that conversation was totally omitted.

    By the time she finished, Yang Ruqin¡¯s jaw had long dropped to the floor. She couldn¡¯t believe her brooding brother could be so...so...so loving!

    She never imagined he had any romantic bone in his body. But then she remembered that even as kids, his attitude had always been better with Feifei around.

    He doesn¡¯t even pamper his little sister, yet here he was, acting like a henpecked husband! She thought it was strange seeing him act so adoringly towards Feifei in her apartment, but it was like that from the very beginning!

    Yang Ruqin threw herself on top of Zhao Lifei. "Oh Feifei, I truly admire how fearless you are!" She said, her voice light and airy, like a dramatic damsel who couldn¡¯t believe the situation she was in.

    "What do you mean?" Zhao Lifei shifted her body to support Yang Ruqin so that she didn¡¯t copse right into the mattress with her.

    "Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve forgotten you throwing money on his face! And just now, you even argued with him. You¡¯re so awesome that you can keep him on a tight leash! It¡¯s honestly amazing." Yang Ruqin eximed before sitting properly on her seat again.

    She giddily pped her hands, happy that her best friend is being treated very well by her brother. But the best thing about it is that after all these years, there was someone that can finally protect her from her brother¡¯s wrath ¡ª it was none other than her best friend!

 Chapter 111 Its The Truth

    Zhao Lifei suspiciously eyed her giddy expression.

    "Qinqin, we¡¯re adults now." She chided her, already guessing the n.

    "H-huh? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about." Yang Ruqin sheepishly smiled, innocently batting her eyes even though she was pretty much caught red-handed.

    "I will not always argue for you ¡ª especially if you¡¯re in the wrong." Zhao Lifei chuckled when Ruqin pouted, her eyes growing wide as she put on her best puppy look.

    "But Feifei!" She whined like a clingy child, which she pretty much was.

    Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes with an amused smile on her lips. "Besides, I can¡¯t always go against your brother¡¯s words. It¡¯s not like he¡¯ll listen to me forever¡ª"

    "I know for a fact that he will! He looks at you like a lovestruck fool. I¡¯m sure if you told him to jump off a building, he¡¯ll ask you if you want to see any cool tricks!" Yang Ruqin exasperatedly sped her hands together, already envisioning the things that Feifei could do for her. Maybe if she begged enough, Feifei would convince her overbearing brother to not drag her back to the main mansion anymore...

    "Cool tricks?" Zhao Lifei repeated, raising a curious brow.

    "Yeah!" She lowered her voice to speak deeper and rougher in an attempt to imitate her brother, "Want me to backflip over this building instead?"

    Zhao Lifei let out a peal ofughter upon seeing the poor imitation of Yang Feng. "Stop it, Qinqin. Your brother will never do that." She rolled her eyes in disbelief at how dramatic Yang Ruqin could be.

    "But it¡¯s true!" Yang Ruqin was unhappy that she doesn¡¯t believe her. Just as she opened her mouth to speak again, her phone went off. She nced down and her face paled. It was her manager.

    She hadpletely forgotten that she had rescheduled a lot of her appointments to stay with her Feifei as much as she could! Her eyes flew to the time and she nearly cried on the spot. She had one for tonight that she just couldn¡¯t cancel...

    Zhao Lifei also saw who was calling and chuckled. She knew Yang Ruqin was going to be in for an earful. She may not have been scolded by her parents today, but her manager would most definitely reprimand her.

    "Go to the shoot now. It¡¯s only five in the afternoon. You can still make it." Zhao Lifei shooed her out of the room just as Yang Ruqin picked up the call. Before Yang Ruqin could even speak, a loud voice had already started berating her, forcing the poor woman to cringe back and hold the phone at a safe distance.

    Zhao Lifei watched in amusement as Yang Ruqin walked out of the room, not daring to speak a single word as her manager berated her again and again.

    Since she finally had some time to herself, she decided to finally check up on her phone. A sharp tingling sensation shot up from her stomach as she attempted to reach for it on the nightstand. It seems the wound was too deep that it had not yet healed even with all this time.

    ¡¯This wound is nothingpared to what you¡¯ve suffered before...¡¯ She thought to herself, climbing out of thefortable bed to grab her phone. Once she had gotten it, she waddled back to her bed and climbed in again.

    She was surprised her phone was even intact. She had expected it to be broken beyond repair. How did her phone even get returned? Did Yang Feng find it on the way to the warehouse?

    She ran her finger over the smooth ss screen, a soft expression on her face when she thought about Yang Feng. She thought his affections would disappear after seeing what she was able to do...She didn¡¯t expect him to stay and behave the same way he always did around her, as if that night was a mere dream. In fact, their rtionship seems much closer now...

    She turned on her phone and dozens of notifications popped up. Her eyes widened in shock upon seeing all the missed calls from Lu Minhong. From reading his text messages, she could tell he was angry that she promised him free food and groceries but never showed up. His messages transitioned from rage to concern then back to anger as the days passed by.

    Surprisingly, her grandfather didn¡¯t call her as many times as Lu Minhong did. He only called her excessively from the time she had been kidnapped up to around the time that she had been rescued. She had an inkling that Yang Feng probably told him so that he wouldn¡¯t worry about her.

    After thinking for a while, Zhao Lifei decided it was best to call Lu Minhong. She nervously chewed on her fingernails, waiting for him to pick up but he never did. She called again, but this time, it rang once and went straight to voicemail.

    She frowned. He was truly infuriated by her. She texted him and sighed in relief when she saw the ¡¯read¡¯ icon. But ten minutes passed and he still refused to respond to her...

    "Well, it¡¯s official. He¡¯s really mad at me." She muttered to herself, deciding to visit him once she was better. She had the great idea to cook him his favorite dishes before visiting him, in hopes that food would cheer the sullen man up.

    Next, she decided to call her grandfather. He picked up on the second ring. "Grandfather, I can exin¡ª"

    "Xiao Fei, I already heard the story from Yang Feng." He cut straight to the chase. Two weeks ago, he received an urgent report that his granddaughter had been abducted. Before he could even mobilize his own resources, Yang Feng had already reached out to tell him that he was working on rescuing his granddaughter. Within three hours, Yang Feng had brought her to the hospital. He was surprised the brat wasn¡¯t shocked to see her kill so many men.

    "You are not allowed to take public transportation anymore, nor will you move back to your previous apartmentplex."

    Zhao Lifei understood why her grandfather wanted her to move. Whoever had ordered for her kidnapping would surely know her address, and if they didn¡¯t, they do now that she told the seemingly innocent cab driver.

    "Okay, I will look to buy a car¡ª"

    "Actually, that¡¯s not necessary." Zhao Moyao lightlyughed.

    He had nned on assigning a personal driver for Zhao Lifei but an overbearing man beat him to the chase.

    Yang Feng had not only dispatched his most loyal driver, but the security and car that he had gotten for Zhao Lifei were top notch. On top of getting her a personal driver, Yang Feng had gotten her two additional cars for her security detail, treating her like she was the most important person in this country. He had also been informed that there was a penthouse that was already in Zhao Lifei¡¯s name that she could move into.

    "Your dear Yang Heng had already made arrangements for your transportation. He also said there¡¯s a secure penthouse you can live in once you¡¯re out of the hospital. He tied it back to this little, what was it again...hm..." He trailed off.

    Li Xuan who was in his boss¡¯s office couldn¡¯t help but sigh in disappointment. It seemed that horrible habit of his boss won¡¯t be changing anytime soon... He just hoped his boss won¡¯t actually call CEO Yang with this "nickname".

    Zhao Lifei knew what her grandfather was referring to. Their gift war. At this point, she was not sure who was in the lead anymore.

    "Yes, it¡¯s a gift exchange thing. It¡¯s sort of an inside joke." She seemed to be in a daze as she internally started backtracking on whost gave a gift.

    She always thought she¡¯d be winning by now since she had saved his life and even found evidence to trace back the assassination. However, that USB drive does not seem to be too useful. Plus, he saved her life by bringing her to the hospital. And by securing her safety, he was technically in the lead!

    ¡¯Damn it, I have to think of something else!¡¯ She thought to herself, racking her brain for sentimental gifts to turn him into a love-struck fool. Hah!

    "Hm, is that so." Zhao Moyao answered with a fond smile on his face. He was happy to know they had gotten closer. He remembered the incident back at the office where she refused to even look or speak to him unless necessary! Hearing the way she spoke about him now, he was d their rtionship had progressed to the point of where they even had an inside joke.

    Zhao Lifei thought back to Yang Yulong¡¯s words. "Grandfather...How much did Yang Feng tell you?" She wondered whether he had already told her grandfather the gruesome details.

    "Enough to know he buried the dead bodies." Zhao Moyao lightly answered, as if he wasmenting on the weather instead of talking about mass murder.

    Yang Feng was very experienced in dealing with those sorts of things since the Underworld frequentlymitted unsaid crimes. And with Zhao Moyao¡¯s cooperation and government connections, this will soon be a distant memory for all of them.

 Chapter 112 For The Rest of Your Life

    After a few seconds offortable silence, Zhao Moyao finally decided to speak up again, this time, his voice was heavy.

    "Xiao Fei, there will be no legal repercussions." He ced the pen and contract he was looking at down. "But the military had somehow caught wind of this. They have contacted me and although they refused to even hint how they found out, they¡¯re impressed to know your skills have not deteriorated." If anyone else told her this, Zhao Lifei would¡¯ve thought it was apliment. However, it hade from the same military higher-ups who were keen to get their hands on her...

    She was once in many militarymanders¡¯ and sergeants¡¯ radar for her excellent marksmanship and ability to easily adapt and learn. She had been poached by many to join their squadron, but refused and just went along with who her grandfather assigned her with.

    A lot of the higher-ups believed she would soar higher than everyone else if she stayed in the military, but that was an impossible dream ¡ª especially when there¡¯s a very formidable person waiting for her back in the battlefield...

    "They want me toe back." She finished his thought for him, her heartbeat picking up speed and drumming in fear.

    She refused to go back. Even if they attempt to force her, they would have to drag her kicking and screaming. There was a time where she wanted to be a part of the battlefield and fight for her country. But now, she just wanted to live a peaceful life somewhere in the countryside, spending her days drinking tea and staying far away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

    In the quiet hospital room, she could only hear her frantic heart thumping against her chest.

    "Yes, they do." Zhao Moyao¡¯s face turned ck when he remembered the request his long term friend had asked of him. He refused outright without any hesitations, but that didn¡¯t stop them from pestering him. They tried to personally contact her, but he squashed any attempts of that.

    "Grandfather, I don¡¯t want to go back there¡ª"

    "And you won¡¯t." He was firm in this and left no room for arguments. He would never allow her in there, as long as that man was still a Sergeant General...

    "The security around you will be tighter than before. Yang Heng and I have already agreed on increasing your security detail. I know you don¡¯t like it but you need to get used to it." Zhao Moyao knew how cunning his old friends were. If they wanted a soldier, they would use any means necessary to obtain her.

    "Okay." She softly agreed, thinking back to thest time the military tried to bring her back.

    They initially invited her to a nice chat, but as time passed, their peaceful conversation has slowly turned threatening. When the threats became violent, Zhao Moyao¡¯s bodyguards were quick to call back up.

    "If you see anything suspicious, even if it seems like nothing, I want you to contact me or Li Xuan immediately. Is that clear?"

    "Yes, grandfather." She responded, slightly distracted.

    What if they really came for her again? She could take down regr thugs who are people blinded by greed and was only doing their jobs for the money. However, hurting a soldier who was just following orders went against her morals. She had been normalrades with them and know how life in the military is. And besides, if she hurts a soldier, no amount of connections would be able to cover it up.

    "Xiao Fei, do you know when you will be discharged from the hospital?" He asked her.

    "The doctors said they would need to run more tests and monitor my condition for a few days before I can get discharged. Why?"

    Zhao Moyao checked the calendar. "The banquet will be held in three weeks. Your attendance is still mandatory." He told her, not relenting to her missing the event, regardless of her condition.

    Besides, he was confident she would heal fast enough to attend the banquet. Elder Ling had even called him a few days ago to personally confirm her attendance at this important banquet. He couldn¡¯t go back to his words now.

    To him, it would be a good opportunity for her to make new connections and improve herwork. She had changed a lot within two years. This new personality of hers would be good for fixing her tarnished reputation.

    Zhao Lifei sighed. "I was hoping you would forget that."

    He chuckled at her depressed tone. "Lighten up Xiao Fei, you won¡¯t go there alone. Yang Heng will also be there. Maybe you can even take him as your date."

    Zhao Lifei chuckled at the way he worded it. Shouldn¡¯t it be the other way around?

    "Will you continue to mispronounce his name?" She teased, realizing he rarely called the king of the Underworld by his correct name.

    "Yes."

    "Even in front of him?"

    "If I feel petty enough." Heughed at the idea, the sound hearty and warm.

    His response startling and terrifying Li Xuan at the same time. ¡¯Dear boss, please don¡¯t tarnish your reputation for petty games!¡¯ Li Xuan wailed inside of his head, fearing for the day that his boss actually calls the Yama, "Yang Heng". He was terrified that all hell would let loose and the flourishing CEO would be severely insulted.

    "Hm, then I suppose you will call him that for the rest of your life." Sheughed, the sound was like a symphony to her grandfather. She didn¡¯t even realize that she implied that Yang Feng would be in their lives for a long time.

    Seeing her in such a good mood, Zhao Moyao couldn¡¯t help but bask in her radiance. It seemed that her short stint in the militarybined with intensive therapy really paid off, though the former had too many strings attached...

    "Perhaps." He nodded to himself, enjoying the idea. "Send me your room number and I will visit you once I get off of work today." He motioned for Li Xuan to prepare arge bouquet they would be bringingter.

    "T-today?" She asked, remembering that Yang Feng would be visiting her once he got off of work as well. The thought that he would do so right away made her very giddy, as her heart skipped a beat.

    "Yes, today. Why? Is there something wrong?" Zhao Moyao taunted, even though he already knew why she was hesitating. It seemed the flies really don¡¯t disappear, no matter how much he tried to swat them away and keep this precious granddaughter safe.

    "W-well, there¡¯s uh..." Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t know why she felt so embarrassed about this. This was her first time to proudly announce that her lover would being over and she didn¡¯t know how to properly exin that.

    "There¡¯s what?" Zhao Moyao continued to tease his granddaughter. He couldn¡¯t help it, the more frantic she sounded, the more enjoyment he got out of it.

    "There¡¯s a friend visiting me today at the same time you¡¯re going to be here and¡ª"

    "Well, your friend can get the amazing opportunity of talking to a very influential and prominent CEO. What¡¯s wrong with that?" He asked her, continuing the fun banter. A person that left the office at the same time as him? Only one persones to mind...

    "There¡¯s nothing wrong with it but¡ª"

    "Then I see no problem in going there as well." Zhao Moyao interjected, waiting for her to spill the truth. It was so amusing to hear her panic and struggle, especially with her stoic and rigid personality. Who knew this granddaughter can also get flustered like other women her age?

    Li Xuan decided toe to his Young Miss¡¯s aid. "Sir, I think Miss Lifei is trying to say¡ª"

    Zhao Moyao held the phone away from his ears. "I know what she is trying to say. It¡¯s fun to tease and poke at her, don¡¯t you think so?" He didn¡¯t wait for his secretary¡¯s response before cing the phone back onto his ear.

    "Grandfather, I heard what you said!" She cried out in frustration, not believing he could y such a cruel joke on her. She didn¡¯t think he enjoyed bullying her that much!

    Zhao Moyao chuckled. "Is that so?" He signaled for Li Xuan to postpone the flowers for tomorrow.

    "Then I mustpliment your hearing and I hope yourpanion also has an amazing hearing¡ª"

    "Grandpa!" She reached the brink of her patience, her voice rose to a higher volume that only made Zhao Moyaough more. Zhao Lifei was so embarrassed, she didn¡¯t know if she should cry orugh on the spot! She didn¡¯t even realize she had dropped the formal address!

    At the way she addressed him, Zhao Moyao couldn¡¯t help but smile. It had been a very long time since she called him that. Ever since she started puberty, the adorable child stopped using this familiar nickname.

    "Alright, alright, Xiao Fei. I¡¯ll stop bullying you for the time being."

    Zhao Lifei breathed a sigh of relief. Finally!

    "But I expect to see that little Yang Heng of yours out of the hospital room when I visit bright and early in the morning. He will not stay the night in your room. Is that clear?" He was not nning on taking "no" for an answer.

    "Yes, sir." She jokingly said although she wasn¡¯t sure if she could uphold the promise. Yang Feng was especially charismatic in getting what he wanted...

 Chapter 113 Does That Feel Better?

    After the call with her grandfather, a few more doctors came in to examine her. The nurses gave her a few medications to take, switched out her IV drip, and even offered to help her shower. Zhao Lifei profusely denied thetter, hence, they patiently told her how to properly care for her wound when washing herself. Since she still had bandages on both her forehead and stomach, she would not be able to take a proper shower.

    She did not have a choice but to ept assistance with washing her hair. Once that was done, she was left on her own to clean the rest of her body. She meticulously washed her body with a towel and scrubbed her skin squeaky clean. Even so, she couldn¡¯t help but dislike the smell of the hospital soap. Sure, it was of higher quality since this was the VVIP room, but she preferred her usual floral scented body washes.

    When she finally walked out of the bathroom and changed into a new hospital gown, it was already dark outside and she can see the twinkling city lights.

    She wasn¡¯t surprised to see feel the hospital gown¡¯s material was a lot softer and decent looking than the normal ones. Every time she had unwillingly stayed in the hospital, her grandfather always made sure she gets the best treatment. However, it seemed Yang Feng ensured her arrangement was better than ever.

    When she walked back to her bed, the covers and nkets had been changed, but the person changing it must have shifted the bed in the process because the bed was positioned much higher than before. It made it very hard for her to climb up.

    She lifted her knee to climb onto the bed but winced when a shooting pain traveled from her abdomen to the rest of her body. She bent over, clutching her stomach as tears stung her eyes. She didn¡¯t think she would ever experience such a horrible sensation in her stomach again.

    Even though it really hurt for her to climb up the bed that didn¡¯t stop her stubborn persistence in doing so without any help. She was too busy in attempting to shift the bed to hear the sound of the door opening and closing.

    Randomly poking and pressing all of the buttons, she cursed when the bed was positioned into a worse angle than before. "Damn it!"

    "Stupid bed!" Her face scrunched into a displeased scowl.

    She jumped when arms suddenly came around her from behind, wrapping itself just a few inches above of her abdomen, expertly avoiding her injury.

    Her body stiffened and she was prepared to elbow the living daylights out of the intruder until she felt the familiar tickle of soft, luscious hair. She instantly lowered her guard when she smelled the intoxicating scent of freshly peeled oranges and the ocean...

    "For someone who had just woken up from aa, you sure have a lot of energy." He buried his head at the spot where her shoulder met her neck. He breathed her scent in, a soft smile on his lips.

    "You smell different." He muttered against her neck, pressing a tiny kiss upon the delectable skin that shined like a freshly harvested pearl.

    Zhao Lifei unconsciously ced her hand over his, reveling in the warmth he always provided. She wasn¡¯t even aware that she had leaned closer to him, desiring more of his unlimited heat.

    "If you don¡¯t like it, don¡¯t hug me." She teased. She could feel the low rumble of his solid chest when he chuckled.

    Yang Feng¡¯s arms tightened around her, squishing her body against his. He held her as if he wanted to merge their bodies together, it was practically impossible to push her dainty body any closer to his strong and firm chest.

    "I never said I didn¡¯t like it." He nuzzled his face into her shoulder, enjoying her skin which was strangely always cold, despite the warm temperature in the room. It was such a refreshing feeling.

    Usually, he despised hugging people or even initiating any physical contact with anyone because of how warm their skin was. He was prone to getting hot very easily, thus, hated the extrayer of heat provided by other people¡¯s bodies. That was particrly the reason why he always kicked out all the women he had rtions with once he had fulfilled his sexual needs.

    But she was different. Touching her always soothed his burning temperature and no matter how much he hugged her, her skin never seemed to get warm. It remained cold to the touch. She was his little ice cube.

    "Well, you hinted like you did." She mumbled, her voice sullen and no longer angry. Her eyes fluttered when she felt another affectionate kiss on her shoulder.

    "You shouldn¡¯t overthink so much, it¡¯s not good for you." He smiled against her skin after kissing her once again.

    He wanted to do nothing more than capture her lips with his, but she said she wanted him to wait, and he will. Not unless she instigated it, he wouldn¡¯t give her anything more than adoring kisses. If she wanted more, she would have to get it herself...It was his cruel way of forcing her to want him more and more.

    "Overthinking is good because that¡¯s how I can point out all of the ws¡ª"

    "And jump to foolish conclusions that are most likely not true." He chided her, pulling his head back to look at her. She was stubbornly ring at the nket, her eyes looked as if she wanted to set the poor material on fire.

    "I¡¯d like to focus on the brighter side of the picture." She did not even realize he was staring at her until his warm fingers gently gripped her chin to tilt it upwards so that she was directly looking into his smoldering warm eyes.

    She was lost in his eyes that was ck like the neverending abyss, yet, it reflected love, adoration, and affection. She didn¡¯t know how to react to it. No one has ever looked at her like that. Her heart skipped a beat when the edge of his lips slightly lifted into a tiny smirk.

    She noticed the heavy bags under his eyes. "You have dark circles." She lifted her fingers it, gently smoothing it out. The position they were in was bing ufortable, so she turned around to face him but the minute she did so, he released her.

    She cringed, offended by his action. Did he dislike it when she turned around...? But why? Was her hollow face too hard to look at? Was it because he didn¡¯t want to directly touch her hair or¡ª

    "Ow!" She mumbled, clutching her forehead when he suddenly flicked it.

    "You¡¯re overthinking again." He chuckled, a mirth-filled smile on his face. "Don¡¯t be so dramatic, I barely used any pressure when I flicked you." He liked the way she roughly red at him, like a grumpy little kitten who was forcefully woken up from her slumber. The angrier she looked, the cuter she seemed.

    "That really hurt!" She lied, wanting him to feel guilt and pain, but it never shed across his face. Instead, his eyes seemed to dance with amusement, a stupid smirk on his attractive face.

    "Really now?" He teased before lifting her chin so that he could get a better look at her forehead, but it was covered in white bandages, confirming his suspicion that the flick didn¡¯t even hurt. With such a think bandage, how would that hurt?

    "Such a dramatic crybaby." He teased her, earning him a rough kick to the shin. Heughed, the sound bright and joyful. He barely felt the kick.

    "There, there, little kitty, retract your ws." He mused, bending down to kiss her forehead.

    "I kissed the pain away, does that feel better?" He continued to taunt her, despite the fact that she was practically glowering at him, a murderous look on her face.

    "It feels worse because you kissed it!"

    He didn¡¯t know why she loved to argue with him on everything, but he just found it more and more amusing each time she did so. Her responses were always so unpredictable and he just loved that about her.

    "Really now?" He stalked towards her, forcing her to take a step back until she was cornered between him and the bed. His arms came out, caging her to the spot, a mischievous smirk on his face.

    Zhao Lifei blinked at the dangerous expression on his face before lifting her palm to push it away. "Don¡¯t try to seduce me, it won¡¯t work¡ª"

    "Who said I was trying to seduce you?" He grabbed the hand that was roughly pushing his face back. He kissed her fingers and then her palms, each tender kiss causing her stomach to giddily flutter. He raised his head and snickered upon seeing that she looked even more agitated than before.

 Chapter 114 What Have You Done To Me?

    "You are trying to seduce me, don¡¯t lie!" She grew flustered at the way he looked at her with an alluring glint in his eyes. The more she stared into his eyes, the more she felt herself loss within it. When his lips curved into a tiny smirk, her heart skipped a beat.

    "Even if I was, we can¡¯t do anything. Not in your current condition." He leaned down as if he was going to kiss her. She closed her eyes in eager anticipation of what was toe. She waited one second, then two, and then a few seconds passed, but nothing ever touched her.

    He bit his bottom lips in amusement, resisting the temptation ofughing at her. She looked so adorable, her eyes closed, lips slightly puckered. When he saw her eyebrows slightlye together, he wanted to tease her more.

    He pinched her nose. "What were you waiting for?"

    Her eyes flew open in annoyance. There was a slight blush to her cheeks at being caught by him. "I wasn¡¯t waiting for anything." She huffed, turning her face slightly away from him. She hoped her long hair would hide her embarrassment.

    "Then why did you close your eyes?"

    "You look so ugly up close, I didn¡¯t want to look at you any longer."

    He let out a burst of throatyughter. His rareugh was as warm as the first day of summer. Her chest swelled at how charismatic he looked when heughed, his eyes turning into crescent moons. Even his teeth were perfect! Seriously, is there any w on his face aside from his dark circles?! She couldn¡¯t help but feel annoyed that if heughed more often, his female fans would increase.

    "Really now?" He asked her, tracing her bottom lip with his thumb, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

    "Yes, really. Now go away, you¡¯re ruining my eyesight with your ugliness." She tried to turn her head away from him, but his fingers held her chin firmly.

    She gulped in surprise when he suddenly leaned in, his appealing lips hovering close to her ear, his breath tickling her ears. She felt her fingers curl around his arm, clenching it. "Hm, that¡¯s funny. You always look at me as if you¡¯re undressing me with your eyes." His voice had be husky and seductive, making her shiver and her toes curl.

    "That¡¯s how you look at me. Don¡¯t get it mixed up." She retorted, despite the fact that she sounded breathless.

    He internally cheered at the effect he had on her. He moved his hand from her chin to gently cup her cheek, his thumb caressing the smooth, soft skin beneath it. She leaned into his touch,pletely bewitched. "At least I don¡¯t deny it, unlike thedy in question." He whispered, kissing the back of her ear.

    Her hand slid on the bed, identally brushing against his. Before she could move it away, he quickly grabbed it, releasing her cheek and shifting his weight onto his other arm.

    "I¡¯m denying it because it¡¯s not true¡ª mmph!"

    He swooped in to capture her lips in a passionate kiss. His hand slid to the back of her neck, angling it so her lips fit against his perfectly, allowing him ess to kiss her deeper and harder. He sucked and tugged at her lips, his mouth expertly moved, forcing out a tiny moan from her. Her legs had turned weak and wobbly, but his arms held her up.

    When her fingers began to trail up his spine, her touch feather soft, he was beginning to lose his mind.

    "Ah!" She gasped when he suddenly bit her bottom lips and he seized that opportunity to thrust his slick and hot tongue into her mouth. His kiss felt demanding, rough, and a bit...desperate? It was as if he was trying to make up for the past two weeks where he hadn¡¯t been able to touch her.

    Breathless, they pulled apart, gasping for air. She felt his fingers curl tighter around her waist, squeezing the side. Lifting her hazy eyes, her face heated when she saw his slightly bruised lips. She felt her body be warmer when she looked into his eyes. It was filled with lust and desire for her as if his entire body was set aze. He looked as if he wanted to take her right then and there.

    Unconsciously, she pressed her body to him, allowing him to feel every curve of her tempting body. Instantly, he felt the friend down there harden for her. She tilted her head, her bright red lips curving into a tiny smile. "Yang Feng¡ª"

    "Wait, don¡¯t talk." His voice was gruff and tight.

    Zhao Lifei felt something solid press against her stomach. She squirmed at the ufortable feeling, but at the tiniest movement, it became rock hard. She blinked his surprise, her lips slightly parted in shock.

    Oh.

    Yang Feng gritted his teeth. "Don¡¯t move so much. You¡¯ll make me lose control." He could barely speak properly due to the desire that¡¯s surging through his body. He squeezed her waist in an attempt of holding himself back, but the more he looked at her dazed expression, flushed cheeks, and inviting ruby lips, the more he was willing to throw any logic out of the window.

    He had promised her he would wait, and he thought he would be able to stay away from her lips until she initiates things on her own. But having tasted those delectable lips once, how can he keep himself froming back?

    He didn¡¯t think a woman would ever make him this crazy. The way her body reacted to him, her breathless moans, the way her lips molded perfectly against his, and how she tried to match his pace...Everything about her made it hard for him to think about anything else aside from her.

    Every part of him wanted her, yet, he knew that she may not be able to enjoy his intensity. He only used to care about fulfilling his needs in the past, but with her, he wanted to be careful. She deserves the best.

    "What have you done to me?" He muttered, looking down at her. She tilted her head, confused at his words.

    "You¡¯vee into my life and messed with my heart and brain. I can barely think rationally and properly when I kiss you."

    Her heart pounded against her chest at his words.

    "I worry about you and what you think of me. From dawn to dusk, my mind is always upied by you. I think I¡¯m going crazy." He cupped both her cheeks as he pressed his forehead against hers, watching as she stared into his eyes. He saw his reflection within her eyes, clear and sharp.

    "You should take some responsibility for doing this to me."

    "You think you¡¯re the only one like this?" She mused, remembering the day that he stormed out of her apartment and she had to practically force her brain to think about something else. But no matter what she tried to do, he was always at the back of her mind, his face was an image engraved within her brain.

    "You should also take responsibility." She could still feel the prickling pain in her heart when he left her, never once looking back.

    The fear of losing him was strong, so much that she was scared of her own heart. How can one be so infatuated with a person to this extent? She knew she loved too deeply, but she didn¡¯t expect herself topletely fall in love with him like this.

    She wondered when it started. Her brain was telling her that perhaps it started when he saved her from the banquet, but there was a whisper from her heart that seemed like it had been there for an extremely long time. He was overbearing and insufferable, yet she liked that part of him. Although it was not the main reason, being genuinely pursued by someone as sincere as Yang Feng felt extremelyforting to her...there was actually someone out there that wanted her as much as she wanted him.

    "I suppose we should both take responsibility." He could feel his heart soar with her words.

    She also couldn¡¯t get him out of her mind? Didn¡¯t that mean that their rtionship had progressed far beyond his expectations? Did it mean she liked him back? He couldn¡¯t help but react like an inexperienced teenage boy whose first love has finally reciprocated his feelings.

    A slow, beautiful smile graced her face. For once, she did not disagree with him.

    Seeing that tender smile on her face, he felt his heart swell with happiness. He suddenly let go of her face to wrap his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace.

    He was scared this was just a dream and that he had made it all up in his head. The more their rtionship improves, the more he was scared of losing her. He didn¡¯t think someone would be able to sway him this much.

    Since when did he start to feel like this? When did his irrational fear and emotions begin to develop for her? He thought back to their first encounter as a child, where she happily greeted him despite the displeased scowl that was always on his face and his eyes that illuminated a murderous chill.

    All the other kids were too scared to interact with him, but she was the first to present him with a smile as blinding as the sun and as pure as snow. He now know...even after the years of separation, his feelings for her had always remained within him, no matter how much he tried to push it away.

 Chapter 115 In The Future

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t know how and when she fell asleep in his arms, but she did. And she only discovered it when a piercing sound ripped through the air, startling the loving couple from their slumber.

    HONK!

    HONK!

    She almost fell off the bed in fright upon hearing the ring horn being sted from Yang Feng¡¯s side. It was annoying and unbearably loud. If it came closer, it could pop their eardrums.

    CLUNK!

    The noise stopped when the beast that was previously wrapped around her roughly smacked the loud horn out of the perpetrator¡¯s hand, the device falling onto the floor with a heavy thud.

    Yang Feng had quickly sat up and reacted to the noise, using his entire body to shield his woman on instinct. He has bed hair and his silk button-up was crinkled and messy, but his eyes were incredibly deadly.

    "You have a lot of nerve to do that." Yang Feng sneered at the startled Li Xuan that had never seen Yang Feng¡¯s handing. Yang Feng¡¯s speed and stealth were simply way too fast to be detected even by trained men.

    His rigid posture and broad shoulderspletely hid Zhao Lifei from any harm.

    Li Xuan cradled his hand, his skin burning with pain. When he was bold enough to look up, he immediately trained his eyes down to the floor. The murderous aura from Yang Feng was hard to miss. A shiver crawled up his spine and his forehead broke out into a cold sweat. W-why was it so cold in here?

    She lifted her head and her heart thudded in fear upon seeing the deep scowl on her grandfather¡¯s face.

    "G-grandfather." She breathed out in shock, surprised to see his face brimming with disappointment.

    "Xiao Fei." His voice contained animosity. He was very displeased at the scene in front of him.

    Zhao Lifei realized where she went wrong. Immediately, she tried to scramble out of the bed, but Yang Feng refused to let her leave his arms and kept her in ce.

    "I forced her to allow me to stay the night." He spoke up, his voice thick and rigid like a cold b of obsidian. Despite his current appearance, his aura was still as frightening as ever. He climbed out of the bed and stood up to his full height that towered over Zhao Moyao.

    "Don¡¯t try to intimidate me, boy." He spat out thest word as if it was poison on his tongue. Youngsters these days were getting bolder by the minute.

    "I wasn¡¯t." Yang Feng¡¯s tall and wide frame was able to perfectly hide the frail woman behind him. He knew she ced her grandfather in high regard and was nervous at how this morning has turned out.

    "Not only was it leaked that my granddaughter is currently confined here, but you also entered through the front entrance of this hospital like aplete fool. You should know by now the media is going crazy." Zhao Moyao tilted his head to Li Xuan.

    Li Xuan respectfully showed the CEO the tabloid headlines using two hands to pass it along to Yang Feng. His actual instructions from his boss were to chuck the magazines at Yang Feng, but something like that was beyond his capabilities. He didn¡¯t want to die so young!

    The magazines had headlines swirling around their rtionship. Although in varying words, the main point was the same: CEO Yang, the man who had not been linked with anyone until Zhao Linhua¡¯s banquet has been spotted numerous times canoodling with the same woman. Unexpectedly, it was Zheng Tianyi¡¯s ex-fiancee and the fallen Queen of the socialite circle, Zhao Lifei.

    There were pictures attached of him walking into the hospital entrance, surrounded by men, but his tall structure and perfectly sculptured face were easy to be spotted. There were sidements made about how he spent the night at the hospital to take care of her, but the wording hinted something else.

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t take the magazines nor did he look at the secretary. His sole attention was on Zhao Moyao.

    "I allowed them to." He coldly said in a sharp voice.

    Zhao Lifei shivered at the drop in temperature. Her grandfather¡¯s wrath was not something to be ignored. People described him to be a coy fox when in reality, he was more of a majestic lion. He pretended to be calm and listless while biding his time when he could strike a head off with a flick of his wrist.

    "You allowed them to?! She barely survived a kidnapping! And now you have the press on her? Have you lost your damn mind¡ª"

    "The world ought to know who she belongs to." Yang Feng¡¯s sharp eyes turned towards the door where a particr VP was standing still. He would not forget the images that the paparazzi gave him. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a misunderstanding or one-sided, even him just thinking of his woman is simply uneptable.

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s face turned ashen, his eyes darkening with fury at Yang Feng¡¯s smug deration! His granddaughter is his treasured jewel, his prized star. She is the child he personally nurtured! Her business potential was fully developed because of him! She belonged to no one except herself.

    "I will not have my granddaughter¡¯s reputation to be further ruined by you! You im she¡¯s your lover? Then who is that pesky secretary that¡¯s always around you? Don¡¯t think that just because you¡¯re from the Yang family I wouldn¡¯t look into your background! She has quite a famous reputation in your office." Zhao Moyao felt his face redden with anger. How dare he keep a mistress while staking a im on his granddaughter?! Did he truly lose his mind?!

    "You let your employees call her your ¡¯Future Madam Yang¡¯! What kind of nonsense is that?!" He snarled, throwing his report directly onto Yang Feng¡¯s chest. The moment that brat had shown interest in his granddaughter, he had people investigate into Yang Feng. Theprehensive report only came this morning, and he stormed here to warn his granddaughter.

    "It¡¯s mere office gossip. Mr. Zhao, I expected better credentials than that." Yang Feng didn¡¯t flinch when the thick stack of paper was mmed against his chest. If it wasn¡¯t for the woman behind him who was obviously trying to nervously soothe his anger by holding on to him, he would not let anyone berate him this way.

    "You¡¯re referring to Su Meixiu. She¡¯s been my secretary for a very long time."

    Zhao Lifei frowned at this. They called that woman future Madam Yang?! And he lets them do that? Why is there another white lotus in the picture?! Ugh, give me a break!

    Why was his EQ as low as hers?!

    Angered by his response, she resolutely tried to take her hand back from touching him. But the moment she tried to do so, his fingers came around hers and hepletely engulfed her tiny hand with his enormous one.

    "You can rest assured there is nothing more between us aside from a tonic employer and employee rtionship. If that woman takes even an inch beyond professional boundaries, she would already be long gone." Yang Feng¡¯s tone became harsher. He had felt more infuriated that she had wanted to tug her hand back once his secretary¡¯s name was mentioned. Did she not trust him? He tightened his hand around hers to force her to stay still.

    Zhao Moyao saw the exchange very clearly. "Release my granddaughter, Yang Heng."

    Was he always this brute and forceful? Even with their conflicting line of work, he had a good rtionship with the current head of the Yang family, Yang Feng¡¯s grandfather. He had watched Yang Feng evolve from a young boy to the aloof man that he is today. However, it seems that with his granddaughter, this usually detached man can¡¯t wait to attach himself.

    "Her hands are cold. I¡¯m warming it up for her." He shamelessly answered within the blink of an eye.

    "Yang Feng, my grandfather means a lot to me. Be more respectful." Zhao Lifei whispered, frowning at the way he was treating her only family.

    Yang Feng turned his head to her, his gaze softening. "Alright." He whispered back. This stubborn woman refused to ask him for anything, and now that she did, he instantly agreed. He decided to change the tone of his voice when he talked to Zhao Moyao again.

    "Xiao Fei, don¡¯t hide behind this birdbrain brute." Even in his rage, Zhao Moyao noticed how protective this man was of his granddaughter. While it was a good and notable trait, having another woman in his life iming to be his future wife negates all that.

    Li Xuan nearly cried tears of blood when he heard the insult. B-birdbrain brute?! His anxiety was skyrocketing out the rooftop with his boss¡¯s stubborn temperament and rude behavior!

    "Elder Zhao, she¡¯s injured. It would be hard for her to move." Yang Feng tried to soften his voice to make it sound more polite, but it didn¡¯t make a lot of difference. His grandfather had harshly instilled in him while he was growing up that he should always exude a powerful aura. His grandfather¡¯s motto was to make sure people always fear you first, for respect was something that coulde after.

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s eyes became sharper. "Elder Zhao? I didn¡¯t permit you to call me by such formal titles reserved for¡ª"

    "Oh? Should I refer to you as grandfather then?"

    "Disdainful brat, how dare you¡ª"

    "Lifei is going to be my wife in the future. I suppose I should start familiarizing myself with calling you grandfather." Yang Feng purposely referred to marriage to show howmitted he was in this rtionship.

    It was known that all the families who had dared to approach the Yangs to offer up their daughters to him for marriage had been vehemently rejected, the insistent ones even suffered great losses. It was also one of the reasons how he had never been publicly linked with any woman. Hearing such a thinge out from his mouth was a shocking matter.

    Zhao Moyao was caught off-guard by Yang Feng¡¯s confession. He paused, eyeing the man from head to toe. "You truly n to marry my granddaughter?"

    "I don¡¯t just n to marry her and make her my one and only wife. I n on starting a family with her. The bigger, the better." Yang Feng bluntly said as the edge of his lips pulled up into a small smile. It rendered everyone in the room speechless. The smile, though tiny, looked very sincere when paired up with his suddenly adoring gaze as he thought about his bright future with Zhao Lifei.

 Chapter 116 All Night Long

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips parted in shock. They had barely established their rtionship and he was already thinking of marriage?! She was baffled to hear him talk about marriage so easily.

    "My granddaughter is not someone you can marry as you please." Zhao Moyao¡¯s initial anger began to trickle away with each passing second. Marriage with the next head of the Yang family? It was more than he could ever ask for. His prized granddaughter deserved the best of the best. Within their circle, who else could rival Yang Feng?

    "Indeed, she is not. But it will happen. I can assure you no one else can pamper and dote on her the same way I do. Even when she bes spoiled beyond return, I¡¯ll continue to do so." Yang Feng dered, his eyes determined and a rare sh of passion was seen on his usually serious, calcting face. He treated this as a serious matter.

    Zhao Moyao was pleased by this response. The edge of his lips curved into a favorable smile. "Very well, I will entrust my granddaughter into your hands."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s face was filled with bewilderment as she looked at both men in front of her. Had they forgotten she was right there? Marriage? Family? Leaving his granddaughter into Yang Feng¡¯s hands?! What about her opinion on this important matter?

    They talked as if Yang Feng had already asked for her hand in marriage and her grandfather had agreed, making sure their marriage was set in stone! What type of nonsense was this? She could¡¯ve sworn her grandfather was much stricter than this!

    Completely unknown to her, Zhao Moyao had nned to summon Yang Feng for a formal talk muchter on...

    "Wait a minute, all this talk about marriage is too soon. We haven¡¯t actually established our rtionship." Zhao Lifei spoke up, her head peeking from behind Yang Feng to directly face her grandfather.

    She turned to Yang Feng, tugging her hands away from his. "You haven¡¯t formally asked me out, thus, we¡¯re nothing beyond friends. Marriage is out of the question as of the moment." She ignored his usatory gaze.

    So what if he was angry? While the thought of marrying him is nice, he still managed to irk her with his words! Did he think she was an easy woman? Call her old-fashioned, but she preferred to be courted the regr way. After her horrible experience with Zheng Tianyi, she wanted to experience being in a regr romantic rtionship...

    "Friends?" His eyes narrowing at the word. Friends?! After spending all those nights entangled in each others¡¯ arms and sharing all those passionate kisses, she thought they were friends?! He refused to rot away in the friendzone.

    "Yes, friends." She emphasized thest part without faltering at his intimidating re. His rigid stare was as cold as the harshest nights of winter and as dark as the monsters that lurked in the depths of hell. She could clearly see his whirlwind of emotions, the dark ink swirling with annoyance and dissatisfaction.

    The customary warmth she was used to was still there, but the warmth wasn¡¯t the type that gently brushed against her skin, washing away all of her worries. It was smoldering and it seemed to want to burn her alive.

    Yet, she was rooted in the bed, unflinchingly ring back at him.

    Yang Feng scowled. "Do friends share¡ª "

    "Keep your private details private." Zhao Moyao spoke up. He didn¡¯t want to hear anything that happened behind closed doors. He went here to check on his granddaughter¡¯s wellbeing, but he was being ignored. If these youngsters want to settle something between them, then they better do it on their own time without intruding on his already tight schedule. He needed to go back to his office soon.

    He roughly pushed Yang Feng aside without a care in the world. "Xiao Fei, how are your wounds?"

    Although Yang Feng remained unfazed by the shove, Li Xuan was terrified.

    The poor secretary apologized profusely, bowing between every word of his panicked apology. He couldn¡¯t believe his boss was daring enough to shove aside such a menacing man! It was like asking for a death wish, one that coulde as swift as the flick of a wrist!

    The edge of Yang Feng¡¯s lips twitched. He finally saw where she got her daring behavior. So it was from none other than her grandfather...

    "My wounds are fine but the bandages need to be changed." She raised a finger to run her hand over the slightly damp bandages on her forehead. The soft material reminded her of what she had done. Her eyes turned hazy as she cast it downwards.

    Zhao Moyao was quick to pick up on her sudden shift of emotions. She was close to losing herself in her daydreams again. "Then call a nurse in. I¡¯m surprised they didn¡¯t wake you up at random hours of the hospital to check up on you."

    "I think they did but they left as fast as they came..." She trailed off, faintly remembering a smallmotion in her sleep that immediately stopped when she mumbled something. She was barely awake when she heard the shuffling of footsteps before it went back to dead silence. Along with this memory was a sensation she thought came from the dream that she was wrapped in something warm andfortable...

    "Is that so..." Zhao Moyao tilted his head to Yang Feng who stood by the side.

    He pretended to be disinterested and oblivious to her words.

    Zhao Moyao raised a brow. It seemed this fearsome man had chased away everyone who wanted to check up on her condition. He realized Yang Feng was simply too possessive of his granddaughter.

    To ensure she could catch a few more hours of sleep, he was willing to create a mess.

    "Yes, it was really weird, but I¡¯m fine." She paused and abruptly touched her forehead. "I think the bandages had been changed..." She sharply turned towards Yang Feng, only to see the tiny smirk on his face.

    "What is it? Are the bandages loose?" He asked her as he stuffed his hands into his front pocket. His stance made him look very enigmatic and beguiling dangerous. She bitterly thought it was inhumane to be this attractive.

    "Did you change my bandages?" She seethed. She hated it when people intrude on her privacy. It was fine if he changed the ones on her forehead, but the one on her abdomen was absolutely off-limits!

    He didn¡¯t say anything and instead, continued to stare at her, a mischievous smirk dangling on his lips. His eyes crinkled when she began to re at him.

    "The lights were turned off." His subtle attempt of coaxing and teasing her at the same time was enough for her to confirm her suspicions.

    Angered at what he had done, she picked up the nearest pillow and roughly chucked it at him but he caught it with lightning speed. He clicked his tongue and walked to her. Her eyes followed him, scrutinizing his every move. She watched as he gingerly ced the pillow back onto the bed. She jumped when he suddenly flicked her on the forehead, the pain leaving as fast as it came.

    "It¡¯s not good to throw things. I thought we¡¯ve already established that." He gently cupped her cheeks, rubbing her delicate skin with his thumb as he raised her head to examine the bandages.

    "This will need to be changed again, as well as the one on your stomach." Hepletely ignored her fuming expression, as his thumbs continued to stroke her cheeks.

    He nced at her, a smile threatening to break out. Her cheeks were slightly squished. This look on her seemed to be inviting him to kiss her. But he knew she would smack him senseless if he dared do something like that in front of Zhao Moyao.

    "Don¡¯t touch me!" She tried to push him away. He responded by smiling and pinching her cheeks like a child.

    "But darling¡ª" He bent down so that hisrge frame was closer to her. He whispered into her ears so that only she could hear his words. "You were touching me all night long, your fingers couldn¡¯t get enough of my chest so much that¡ª"

    "Shut up! I would never!" She yelled, her face turning bright red. ¡¯Did I? Did I really do that?!¡¯ A part of her truly believing she did touch him... She clearly remembers dreaming about an incredibly fluffy and soft pillow that she constantly ran her fingers over because of how nice the material was.

    Zhao Moyao heaved a tired sigh upon seeing the loving duo. They hadpletely disregarded him as if he wasn¡¯t even in the room...He nced down at his watch and realized it was time to go back to the office.

    "Xiao Fei, it¡¯s time for me to return to thepany. I wille backter tonight." His eyes turned to Yang Feng. "And I expect you to be sleeping alone tonight." Without another word, he turned his back and left, Li Xuan and Wu Yuntai quickly following after him.

    Even with his ripe old age, the aura of Zhao Moyao was hard to miss. The people in the hallway quickly scurried to the side, allowing a pathway for the Emperor to strut down the halls, his footsteps echoing down the corridor.

 Chapter 117 I Didnt!

    Yang Feng waited for Zhao Moyao''s footsteps to disappear down the hall before further advancing onto the stubborn woman. She was so adorable looking like she was on the brink of losing her sanity with his continuous teasing.

    "My love, it''s okay to admit you were touching me all night long¡ª"

    "I didn''t!"

    "I worked very hard for this body. I''m d my hard work is paying off¡ª"

    "Shut up!"

    "You can touch me all you want because I really enjoyed your fingers running across it-"

    "Shut up! Shut up!" She screamed at him, unable to handle his teasing anymore. Her face burned crimson with embarrassment. She wanted to dig herself a hole to crawl into and just rot in there! It would be better than dealing with this incredibly insufferable man!

    Yang Feng snickered at how his confident little kitten had grown flustered once again. Whatever frustration or indignation he had felt beforepletely melted away the more he looked at her distraught face.

    It was one of the rare moments he was able to rile her up and see a different side to her. "Darling, you don''t have to be embarrassed by the truth. We all have guilty pleasures and if yours is feeling up my body in your sleep then I will always be of service¡ª"

    "Yang Feng!" She shouted, hoping he''d stop talking. Her ears would probably start bleeding if he continued!

    He grinned upon seeing her raise the white g. Her eyes were still wide with panic and her lips were mouthing words as if she wanted to exin her mistake.

    "What is it, darling?" He asked as one hand moved from her cheek to the back of her neck. He started massaging it to soothe any soreness she felt from having to constantly crane her neck just to look at him.

    "I didn''t do it¡ª"

    "Whatever helps you sleep at night. Even if it''s my body." He truly enjoyed seeing her agitated expression. The more she argued with him, the guiltier she looked. She did run her fingers over his chest, but that was it. Much to his disappointment, she only kept her fingers on his solid chest and nowhere else. He had hoped her hands would have roamed somewhere else to help him extinguish the fire she ignited¡­

    "I really didn''t!"

    "Whatever helps you sleep at night, darling." He grinned, bending his legs so that her neck could catch a break. He was scared she would hurt herself by constantly straining it. He squatted a bit so that she was now looking down at him, and he was looking up to her.

    ''This little kitten is trying to seduce me again.'' He couldn''t help but think as he looked up and saw her soft pout. Her rosy lips were jutted out, her eyebrows knitted together, coupled with her vulnerable eyes, was enough to send his body in turmoil once again.

    He saw the wetness of her eyes and bit down on his bottom lips to prevent himself from smiling. Aww, did he tease her too much?

    He reached out with his long arms to run a thumb over her lips, the softness of it nearly driving him insane. He wanted to do nothing more than im her lips with his once again, but he was scared kissing her would lead to something else and she wasn''t fully healed yet. If she continued to look at him like that, he might really rip her clothes off¡­

    "Don''t pout like that." He hoarsely whispered to her, his voice thick with desire.

    "Why not?" She decided it was her turn to tease him now. He had flustered her beyond words, so it was time for payback!

    She shivered when his gaze darkened. She could see his self-control was slipping. The beast within him wanted to get out, the very one that wanted to roughly push her onto the bed and take her right then and there. His eyes were dark as night as lust swirled within them.

    "Do you really want to know?" His fingers itched to curl itself around her arms and merge their bodies into one.

    She sweetly smiled down at him while running her hands through his hair and then caressing his face. The passion in his eyes burned into hers, as he dug his fingers tightly into the palm of his hand in an attempt to keep his self-control intact.

    She trailed her fingers over his incredibly smooth skin, her touch as soft as a feather, leaving every spot tingling with sensation. She was purposely teasing him to test his patience and self-control. And she could tell he was very close to having none.

    She leaned closer and seductively whispered, "Maybe I do."

    And with these three words, he lost it. He roughly shoved her onto the bed and before she could even register what had happened, he crushed his lips onto hers.

    His lips were frenzied as he passionately kissed her, leaving no room for argument. He ran his hands over her body, further familiarizing himself with it. Hepletely dominated her lips as he sucked and bit on them. His tongue started exploring every inch of her mouth. Soon, she was nothing but a breathless mess.

    "Y-Yang-ah!" He cut her off by biting her lower lip as she emitted a soft cry at the gesture. He used his tongue to soothe the pain before continuing topletely devour her. She let her guard down as she felt her body slowly heat up from the kiss. She felt a significant part of her body start to be moist at his ministrations.

    Her lips moved against his, as she tried to catch up to his fast pace. He tasted as sweet as she had always remembered. The kiss was hot, wet, and left her crazy and wanting more.

    "Lifei." He muttered, his lips hovered closely over hers as he stared into her eyes. "I will have you. All of you." His warm breath fanned over her face with their proximity.

    He didn''t wait for her reply before iming her lips again. This time, their kiss turned unbridled. She moaned against his lips as her hands explored his body on her own ord. He growled at the unexpected sensation and his fingers tightened around her waist, digging into her skin.

    Their lips moved together instinctively, his beckoning hers, and hers allowing him entry. The way his tongue dominated in a battle against hers had made her feel like she was on the verge of something great. She leaned closer to him,pletely seduced. Her mind went hazy as she desperately clung onto him, not wanting this feeling to end. She couldn''t think as all her attention was focused on how amazing she felt right now.

    He always made her feel so good, but she didn''t think he could drive her as crazy as she was at this moment. His lips, his tongue, everything was hot and wet, turning her mind into a puddle as their lips moved together in sync.

    His hands slowly reached the hem of her hospital gown. He intentionally slowed down to check if she would put up resistance. Seeing that she did not stop him, his hand trailed underneath it and went upwards. As his hands reached her thighs, her body tensed in anticipation at what was about toe.

    A loud knock echoed through the room.

    Frightened at the intrusion, she panicked and tried to push him away.

    "Shh, it''s alright." He hoarsely whispered to her, shifting his lower body to avoid an extremely aroused part of his body from making any contact between her parted legs.

    "T-the door¡ª"

    "Rx, my love." He told her before bending down to press a sincere kiss onto her forehead. She attempted to create as much distance between them as possible.

    "L-let go of me, what if they see¡ª"

    "They won''t." He continued to calm her down, peppering her face with gentle kisses. Her body was still very tense and he knew she would stumble over her words if she tried to see anyone right now.

    "Get off of me."

    He reluctantly followed her words.

    Her shoulders sagged in relief, but it didn''tst long when he suddenly scooped her into his arms, cing her on hisp.

    "Yang Feng¡ª"

    "Your bandages. I need to know your wound didn''t reopen." He said, gently feeling her bandages to check for any damp spots.

    "Does it hurt anywhere?" He immediately regretted touching her so much during their intense make-out session. He couldn''t help it. The way her body reacted to him as she moaned and amodated his body with hers had shred away any pretense of self-control.

    "A bit." She stiffened when he suddenly massaged the side of her stomach he had roughly dug his fingers into earlier. "What are you doing?"

    "Does it ease the pain?" He asked her, leaning his head onto the side of her face. A mellow smile was on his lips when she didn''t pull away, and instead, inched closer to him.

    "A little..." She obediently sat still in hisp as he gently rubbed the pain away. With her position, she could feel his hard friend that was only a fewyers of clothing away.

    Another round of knocks came. She remembered what broke them apart in the first ce, and could not help but feel a tinge of disappointment.

 Chapter 118 Touch Me In Your Sleep

    "Yang Feng, there''s someone outside." She tried to get up, but his arms caged around her again, but not so tight to the point of where it would put pressure on her stomach.

    "I don''t care." He buried his head into her neck, breathing in her intoxicating and calming scent that smelled like abination of Jasmine and Lavender. He couldn''t get enough of her, especially after two long and torturous weeks of not being able to properly touch and hold her like this. Last night was simply too short and he felt as if he didn''t have enough time with her¡­

    "Mr. Yang and Ms. Zhao, the bandages need to be changed as soon as possible." The nurse spoke up from behind the door, despite the fact the three very intimidating bodyguards glowering down at her.

    "It wasn''t changedst night, so it might be infected if it''s not changed right now." She continued even though her voice shook and trembled, just like her hands that were holding the tray.

    Zhao Lifei sharply turned towards the spoiled puppy hugging her, "It''s a nurse. Release me."

    "No." He solemnly told her, nudging his head into the side of her slender, swan neck.

    "Stop acting like a clingy child. What if my wounds be infected? Will you take responsibility when it does?!" She frowned.

    "It was changed four hours ago, must it need to be changed again?" He exasperated. He didn''t want her to go anywhere.

    "So you do admit to changing it for me!" She scowled, taking him byplete surprise when she suddenly dug her fingers into his skin, causing his arms to loosen. She seized the chance and quickly climbed out of hisp.

    Yang Feng quickly stood up to grab her again. "I needed to or else it might cause you difort."

    "I didn''t allow you to touch me¡ª"

    "Neither did I let you touch me in your sleep, but you still did so."

    "For thest time, I didn''t!"

    "You also drooled on me." He pointed to the slightly wet mark on his messy white button-up.

    She blushed when she saw that his white button-up does have a slightly wet mark on his left chest. "I-I-" Her mouth opened and closed but she can''t think of anything else to say.

    "You did it when you groped my chest." He couldn''t help butugh at her expression. She was simply too adorable.

    "I didn''t do anything aside from changing your bandages. The lights were turned off, so I didn''t see anything as well." He walked to her, tucking strands of hair behind her ears to fully see her face.

    "If I wanted to do something to you, I would''ve done it a long time ago." He added on, gesturing to the nights where she was asleep around him.

    Zhao Lifei sighed. He was right. She was drunk thest time and he could''ve easily done something to her and she wouldn''t be able to remember it. She lifted her head to look at him. He looked so serious, she knew he was sincere with his words.

    "Don''t do it again." She mumbled, even though a part of her was screaming for his touch.

    He walked to her, cupping her cheeks, enjoying her delicate skin against his rough hands. "Do you really mean that?"

    She looked away from him, biting down on her tongue before she said something irrational. Her stupid heart was begging her to open her mouth and say no.

    "Let the nurse in." She mumbled, not wanting to answer his question. She shivered when she felt his chest rumble when heughed at her.

    "Alright." He mused, tilting his head to the door. "Come in."

    The nurse outside sighed in relief upon hearing the two words. She threw a smug expression towards the bodyguards who reluctantly opened the door for her.

    She shivered in fear when his expression became rigid and stony upon seeing her. His eyes, ringly dark and filled with malice, scared her.

    "Mr. Yang, Miss Zhao, I''m here to change the bandages." She stammered. It was unnerving to be in the same room as them, in particr, the tycoon who swept this country by storm. So this was what they meant when they said the top 1%''s aura was significantly different...it was suffocatingly rming.

    Yang Feng scowled upon seeing the nurse.

    Sensing his discontent and irritation, Zhao Lifei gave his hand a squeeze, using her body to hide the gesture.

    His chest was filled with warmth at herforting action. The iciness of his eyes thawed out, reced with a gentleness that was only for her.

    Without warning, he kissed her on the forehead. "Be good, I wille backter on today to see you."

    Not wanting to sound needy and clingy, she reluctantly nodded at his words. "Okay." She quietly mumbled, looking down with a tiny pout on her lips.

    Seeing her upset expression, his gaze softened, Guilt filled him, causing tiny prickles of pain to spread on his chest.

    He pulled her into a loving embrace, turning her around to hug her properly. One arm was securely around her waist, while the other was at the back of her head, pressing her cheek to his chest. "There are pressing matters that I have to handle, but I''ll be back before you know it." He gave her head a quick kiss.

    "Be good and stay put here. Okay?" He was worried she might attempt to leave the hospital as she did in the past. He couldn''t allow that to happen again, especially when she really needed to stay in this room and recuperate.

    "Okay." She softly said, even though she was intending to go against these words very soon.

    When she heard an awkward cough from the nurse, she decided it was really time for him to leave. She unwillingly stepped out of his arms. "Now, go to work." She pushed him towards the door, but he frowned at her.

    "What is it?" She tilted her head, confused at his sudden unhappiness.

    "Where''s my goodbye kiss?" He asked her.

    "Friends don''t give each other goodbye kisses." She stubbornly said, not liking his question. He didn''t even properly ask her out yet! And here he was, shamelessly asking for kisses. But then again, she was also at fault for allowing him to kiss her a few moments ago¡­

    Yang Feng scowled at her words, reaching his hand to roughly grab her. She narrowly dodged his hands.

    "Go to work." She gave him a final shove towards the door, ignoring his aggravated expression.

    "We''ll talk about thister." He firmly said, storming out the door, loudly mming the door behind him in frustration. He was beyond angered to know she continued to think of him as a friend!

    She sighed at his temperament. She partly med herself for using the wrong words, but she wanted to hint at him that he hadn''t even asked her out yet.

    Seeing the intimidating man was gone, the nurse finally spoke up. "Miss Zhao, may we begin?"

    Zhao Lifei nodded her head. "Let''s get started on my bandages." She muttered to which the nurse took a step forward and began to do so.

 Chapter 119 Do You Like It?

    Underworld Base

    Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop. The sound of liquid dripping onto the cement floor could be heard throughout the entire underground.

    The air was thick, almost suffocating, a heavy stench of blood and death lingering in the atmosphere. There was a thick film of undistinguishable grime on the walls, dark red blots on the metal bars, and a thickyer of dust in every corner. asionally, moans and groans of pain bounced off of the walls. If one was to listen closely, muffled screams of agony could be hearding from the opposite end of a long hallway drowned in darkness.

    When two men strolled through the entrance, the people trembled and shivered in fear. The temperature dropped lower than it was before and each step they took echoed down the hallways, silencing the prisoners who¡¯d rather hold back their pained cries than offend the man.

    When the men passed through the few cells in the room, the people in them scrambled to the corners of their cells, huddling and shaking. They held their haggard breath and could barely swallow their own saliva due to how much they were shaking.

    The people here would much rather prefer death than stay in their cells for another day. They¡¯d rather suffer in the Eighteen Layers of Diyu [1] than breathe another second here. Eachyer of Diyu brimmed with pain, and with each lower level, it would only get worse. But at least, that ce was better than the unpredictable suffering they had to endure here.

    It wasn¡¯t like these people didn¡¯t deserve it. The people locked away in the Underworld base were the worst of the worst. They were monsters who hadmitted crimes so unspeakable, their only option was to rot in here, forever taunted by the stench of their dying jail mates.

    The people let out a terrified shriek when someone spoke. Their hearts thumped rapidly within their chests in fear that they would be dragged back into the torture room.

    "Boss, Mr. Chen, you¡¯re here." A man dressed in ck clothes from head to toe bowed his head in respect.

    Yang Feng apathetically looked at his subordinate in front of him, his eyes a swirling pool of icy darkness. Staring into his eyes was like staring into a ck hole. No life or soul could be found within it. His stony face was rigid and unreadable.

    "After two weeks, the man has finally decided he will confess." The man informed Yang Feng of thetest details.

    Yang Feng wordlessly nodded. He turned his body and walked down the long hallway that led to the torture room. Two armed men were guarding it, their eyes and bodies on high alert. Upon seeing their leader, they respectfully bent their heads.

    "Boss," They greeted him, opening the thick iron door for Yang Feng. Suddenly, the disgusting smell of blood and human waste wafted through. The guards shuddered at the smell, but Yang Feng stood therepletely unfazed by it.

    The room was horrific and covered in blood and some indistinguishable substance. There was a man tied up by his hands in the middle of the room. His body so mutted, it was hard to even think he was human. Different tools of torturey at his feet, but there were many more sprawled out on a table in front of him.

    A young man, no more than twenty-two, turned around at the sound of the door opening. He was originally dressed in a bright mustard hoodie, but the cloth was now so stained by blood, one would think he walked in here with a maroon one. His eyes were crazy, but his face was surprisingly very handsome. He looked much younger than his age due to his short and lean stature.

    "Big Boss, Mr. Chen, you¡¯re here!" He hopped over to Yang Feng, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

    He pointed towards the jumble of flesh in the middle of the room. "Big Boss, do you like it? Do you like my masterpiece?" His voice had a higher pitch than most men, and he sounded too young to be an adult.

    "This one was really fun to y with," He giddly spoke up, a crazed and sinister grin on his face. When the light shone upon him, even the guards outside the door trembled in fear.

    This man, Guo Sheng, wasn¡¯t someone people could trifle with. He was insane and wouldn¡¯t hesitate at the idea of skinning a man alive or brutally mutting them. As long as it made Yang Feng happy, he would do it.

    Yang Feng examined Guo Sheng¡¯s work on the human scum that dared to capture his woman. Bits of his skin was missing, most likely from Guo Sheng¡¯s obsession with cutting perfect squares out of human skin. There were stab marks all over his body. Three of the man¡¯s fingers were on the floor, apanied by the torn off nails.

    "Well, Big Boss, do you like it? Do you?" He gleefully asked Yang Feng again. Guo Sheng behaved like a child awaiting the praise of his parent. If there was anyone that could keep this crazy man in control, it was the King of the Underworld himself.

    "Do you?" He continued to pester and ask, like a dog wagging his tail at his owner.

    "That depends." Yang Feng turned to him, easily towering over Guo Sheng. "Is he willing to talk?"

    Guo Sheng eagerly nodded his head. "Yes, he is! He¡¯ll say anything you want!" He picked up a screwdriver and pointed it at the man, which made him shriek in fear.

    "W-w-what w-would you l-like me t-to say?" The man stammered, shaking so much on the spot, his chains were rattling.

    "Haha! Big Boss, do you see that? Just pointing something at him will make him confess!" Guo Sheng was still waiting for Yang Feng¡¯spliment. It was all he wanted in this world ¡ª acknowledgment from the man that saved him from Hell and brought him to Guo Sheng¡¯s idea of "Heaven."

    "So, do you like it?"

    Yang Feng took off his heavy fur coat and handed it to Chen Gaonan, who respectfully took it. With his ck leather gloves on, Yang Feng picked up another tool. It was the same butterfly dagger they tried to use on his woman.

    "Depends on the result," Yang Feng muttered.

    Guo Sheng glowered at the dangling man. That useless pest, he better do as his Big Boss says! If this vermin made him look bad, Guo Sheng would make sure the man would be fingerless.

    Yang Feng twirled the de in his hand. Without warning, he tossed it at the man, sending him screaming in fear even though the knife barely grazed his skin.

    "I-I¡¯ll confess! I¡¯ll s-say a-anything y-you want me to!" He wailed, voice still hoarse from screaming in agony the entire time he was down here.

    "P-please!" He was shaking so much that Guo Sheng couldn¡¯t help but giggle. What a pathetic sight. When he was dragged in here, he was so confident and stubborn. But look at him now! A crying mess!

    Yang Feng¡¯s chilling smirk was enough to send the man shivering on the spot. "If you cooperate properly, I will ensure a swift death. If not..." He tilted his head to Guo Sheng. "Well, I¡¯m sure you already know the oue." He chuckled, the sound blood-curdling and hair-raising dark.

    Chen Gaonan immediately pushed a clean chair into the room, a few feet away from the hanging man. Yang Feng sat down and crossed one leg over the other, leaning his cheek on one propped up arm. "Let¡¯s get started."

    He picked up a dart, swirling it in his hand. "Why did you kidnap my woman?" He asked, his eyes growing darker by the second when he remembered the bruises found on her body. For that alone, his fingers itched to pummel the man onto the ground.

    "W-w-we¡¯re o-only supposed to beat her! Nothing else! Just beat her!" The man stumbled over his words, sounding frantic and fearful.

    "Why were you sent to beat her?"

    "B-because someone hired us to!"

    "Who?"

    "I-I don¡¯t k-know-" Wrong answer.

    Unhappy at the response, Yang Feng frowned. Seeing his Big Boss displeased, Guo Sheng¡¯s expression turned dark. The childish smile on his face fell. That piece of sh*t! He¡¯s really in for it now!

 Chapter 120 Ill Be Good

    Guo Sheng gritted his teeth in anger, his eyes dangerously shing as he picked up the knife from the table and stalked towards the man. "Big Boss asked you a question," He snarled, and without warning, stabbed the man on the thigh.

    The mangled man screamed and writhed in pain, the sound enough to cause any normal person¡¯s ears to bleed.

    "Answer him!" Guo Sheng screamed, his eyes crazed with malicious intent. He twisted the knife, digging it deeper into the man.

    "I-I r-really don¡¯t know!" The man wailed all of a sudden, tears streaming down his face.

    But Guo Sheng didn¡¯t care. He tilted his head. "You don¡¯t know huh?" he repeated and with lightning speed, sliced the man on the cheek, forcing another blood-curdling sound to erupt from him.

    "A-all of o-our clients¡¯ identities a-are h-hidden! Only the h-higher ups know who i-it is!"

    Yang Feng raised a brow. Higher ups? So this wasn¡¯t a regr small gang. "Who are the higher ups?"

    Chen Gaonan turned his head to look at his frightening boss whose face was so deathly calm, it seemed as if he was watching a movie. Whoever the higher-ups were, they surely were retarded. Who dared to have the guts toe after his boss¡¯ woman? Who dared to offend not only one, but two powerhouses? Didn¡¯t they know Zhao Moyao, though old, still had the military behind him?

    "I-I d-don¡¯t k-know¡ªNO! WAIT! PLEASE!" He cried out when Guo Sheng raised his arm to stop him again, but one word from Yang Feng was enough to halt him.

    "Stop."

    Guo Sheng immediately dropped the knife in his hand. He innocently turned to Yang Feng, awaiting his next orders.

    Seeing a chance of redeeming himself, the man quickly stammered out, "T-t-the highers-up are hidden from us! We¡¯re-only a small gang. T-they¡¯re p-part of a b-bigger organization!" This was enough to interest Yang Feng. A bigger organization? There was only a few that came to mind.

    "What is the bigger organization?"

    "M-my gang, B-bleeding Gun i-is under the Silver Crown n!" He stuttered.

    Yang Feng was not surprised to hear which foolish n was behind their n.

    Silver Crown was an organization filled with people willing to take any job they could get. They were in charge of a lot of smaller gangs that did the dirty work for them. Most of them were petty crimes like robbery, kidnapping, and scare tactics. They weren¡¯t a big threat to the Yangs, so Yang Feng wasn¡¯t bothered by them.

    He turned his head to Chen Gaonan who was already contacting the man in charge of Silver Crown.

    Silver Crown...They must have a death wish to target someone from the Zhao family and on top of it, his woman. Yang Feng stood up and was about to walk out of the room when he suddenly remembered the sullen child awaiting hispliment.

    He turned to Guo Sheng who sulked in the corner, a disappointed pout on his face. He walked to the boy and gave him a pat on the head. "You did good," Was the only thing he said before walking out of the room.

    He didn¡¯t see the cheerful expression on Guo Sheng¡¯s face, but he didn¡¯t need to, for he already knew the boy was probably brimming with happiness.

    "Really Big Boss? I really did a good job?" Even the way he spoke resembled a child. Always repeating his words, always asking for reassurance.

    No one could me him though.

    He grew up in an insane asylum and when Yang Feng discovered him, it was already toote. Guo Sheng was beyond repair, but his crazed brain was put to good use in the Underworld. Yang Feng needed men like him who didn¡¯t flinch or gag at the idea of torture beyond words.

    Guo Sheng followed Yang Feng out of the room, excitedly trailing after him like apdog. The guard closed the heavy door behind him, locking the disgusting smell within the room.

    "Yeah." Yang Feng answered, slipping on his coat.

    Guo Sheng was smiling from ear-to-ear, his eyes bright as the sun. He followed Yang Feng all the way out of the Underworld base.

    Every time someone passed them, they all bowed, more in particr, to Yang Feng. Even when he was out of sight, the people continued to bow.

    Everyone respected and feared Yang Feng at the same time. He was a strict boss, but he rewarded his people generously as long as they could repay it with loyalty andpetence.

    Yang Feng was nothing like his grandfather who behaved more like a tyrannical dictator than a leader.

    "Big Boss, where are you going now?" Guo Sheng didn¡¯t want Yang Feng to leave so quickly. He wanted to hear more praises.

    "The office." He answered, just as Hu Wei drove up to them.

    "Oh." Guo Sheng¡¯s shoulder sagged in disappointment, his eyes cast to the ground. His Big Boss barely stayed for thirty minutes...

    Yang Feng was about to climb into the car but paused when he saw the boy¡¯s unhappy expression. He tiredly sighed. "I¡¯ll return to the base tomorrow," He said just as Guo Sheng¡¯s head snapped upwards.

    "Really?! You will?" His mood took a 360-degree turn at Yang Feng¡¯s words.

    Yang Feng nodded and when he was about to enter the car, Guo Sheng sniffed the air.

    "Big Boss, why do you smell weird? Like disinfectants..." Guo Sheng had a particrly sharp nose for chemicals due to his background at the asylum filled with drugs.

    He scratched the back of his head. "Did you visit a hospital?." Guo Sheng furrowed his brows. Why would his Big Boss smell like the hospital? Was he injured? But he didn¡¯t look like he was! Instantly, he grew worried.

    Yang Feng stiffened, his eyes bing more guarded than before. "You¡¯re thinking too much," He said, entering the car. Just as he was about to close the door, Guo Sheng grasped it.

    "Big Boss, why were you at the hospital?" Guo Sheng was always curious about everything.

    Yang Feng¡¯s lips thinned. Whenever Guo Sheng was intrigued by something, he wouldn¡¯t stop asking questions until he got to the definite truth.

    "Someone important to me was hospitalized."

    "Who?"

    "No one you know."

    "Why was she in the hospital?"

    The question surprised Yang Feng who turned to look at Guo Sheng. She? He sighed. Of course, he probably had some of Zhao Lifei¡¯s lingering floral scent on him. Nothing ever passed Guo Sheng¡¯s bloodhound nose.

    "Because she was injured."

    "Why was she injured?"

    "Because she¡¯s clumsy."

    "Why is she clumsy?"

    Yang Feng¡¯s lips thinned at the endless questions. He turned to Guo Sheng. "Xiao Sheng, I have work. I don¡¯t have time today to answer your questions."

    Guo Sheng pouted, "But-"

    Yang Feng gave him a warning re and stopped rambling.

    "Alright, Big Boss...I¡¯ll stop asking questions..." Guo Sheng became sullen again, like a neglected child yearning for his mother¡¯s love. "For now." He grumbled under his breath, pouting to himself.

    Chen Gaonan took that as his signal to close the door of the ck Maybach. Just as Yang Feng rolled up the window, Guo Sheng stuck his fingers into the tiny crack. He didn¡¯t even cry in pain when his finger was tightly pinched and almost crushed by the window.

    "That¡¯s dangerous." Yang Feng frowned, rolling down the windows. He knew Guo Sheng was practically immune to physical pain, but Guo Sheng¡¯s hands were too useful to be damaged.

    "You promise you¡¯lle tomorrow?" Guo Sheng eagerly asked, hopeful for a confirmation.

    Yang Feng slowly nodded.

    "When?"

    "In the morning." He usually came to the base at night when he got off of work, but he didn¡¯t want to dy the time he would spend with Lifei so he decided mornings would be better.

    "In the morning...? But I sleep until the afternoon..." Guo Sheng trailed off, unhappy at his own sleep schedule.

    "I¡¯ll send men to wake you up."

    "Okay!"

    "But, you can¡¯t hurt them." Yang Feng scowled at an old memory of his bloodied and bruised bodyguards that scrambled to him for help when Guo Sheng lost his temper for being awoken earlier than usual.

    "O-okay..."

    "Xiao Sheng, I¡¯m serious." Yang Feng sternly said, not leaving any room for disagreements. None of his men wanted to approach the crazy boy and it was all because of his violent tendencies. Even Chen Gaonan was wary to be alone in the same room as him!

    "Okay..."

    "If you do something to my men, I won¡¯t see you."

    At the possibility of that, Guo Sheng immediately straightened up. "I¡¯ll be good!" He quickly replied in fear that Yang Feng actually won¡¯te.

    Wordlessly, Yang Feng motioned Hu Wei to start the car and drive towards the office. Guo Sheng brightly waved goodbye, even when the ck car was out of sight.

 Chapter 121 A Face To Their Brand

    Yang Enterprise.

    It felt as if time was put on hold, despite the loud ticking of the clock. The presenters held their breath in anticipation. No one dared to make a single sound, except for the asional nervous gulps.

    Yang Feng scanned the paper in front of him that proposed the very unique idea of opening amunity suitable for the elderly that didn¡¯t treat them as if they were in a nursing home.

    The n was to build multiple apartmentplexes that catered to the elderly and have 24/7 staff care. Each elder would be able to live in their own independent apartments with functioning kitchens and have the freedom to do things they please without feeling restricted by the rules of a nursing home. Staff will always be on call for emergencies.

    It was a good idea and an experimental trend in other cities. It was currently on the rise, but only a few bigpanies were looking into it since the results were still unstable.

    The only issue was it required a significantly higher cost and had a huge risk of failing. The project needed to be properly executed with the right funding to ensure everything went as nned. The presenters were hoping for hundreds of millions to start-up the project.

    Yang Feng scowled. For the cost, the failure rate was too high. In order to make this project happen, he would need to partner with an investment firm.

    Yang Enterprise had coborated with a handful of them, and he was rarely satisfied with any of them.

    This proposal would need more consulting and time to think over.

    Everyone watched his every move from the moment he flipped thest page to the second he lifted his head. He picked up the packet and wordlessly stood up. "Meeting adjourned."

    No one dared to ask a single question about whether or not he was going to ept the proposal. Everyone stood up and bowed as low as their body would allow it.

    "Thank you for your time, President Yang," They simultaneously said, remaining in their bow even after he left the room, with Chen Gaonan following shortly after him.

    Once he was gone, the people blew out a sigh of relief. But it was shortsting. Everyone had a pressing question in mind and it was their Boss¡¯ response. He had a displeased expression on his face as he was looking over the papers, which meant he didn¡¯t like it. But he personally took the paper, so didn¡¯t that mean he liked it? They were confused about the status of the proposal. The presenters nervously stood at their positions as they debated whether or not the infamous CEO would ept their idea.

    "So was that a yes or no?" Someone popped up, equally as confused as everyone in the room.

    "Well, he didn¡¯t deny it."

    "But he didn¡¯t ept it either."

    "He didn¡¯t look too pleased with us."

    "Yes, but he took the paper. Isn¡¯t that a good sign?"

    Different voices spoke up at once and soon the meeting room was filled with bustling conversations. None of them could settle on a definite answer, but the presenters were at least very hopeful. If the CEO personally took the packet, it meant he would be taking more time to think it over before epting it.

    - - - -

    Yang Feng sat down at his office desk and ced the paper in front of him. Indeed, if it was sessful, it would rake in a lot of money. But the idea was too costly and uncertain of sess. He ced his hands on his desk and leaned his face on it, debating the idea.

    Chen Gaonan patiently stood by the sidelines, awaiting his next order. After a few minutes, Yang Feng spoke up. "Look into our coborator investment firms."

    "Is there anything else, Sir?" Chen Gaonan asked, typing the request into his tablet.

    "What are the reports on Feili?" Yang Feng remembered thepany as it was also an investment firm.

    Chen Gaonan read off the notes on his tablet. "We¡¯ve been monitoring them for two weeks now and their performance has been quite steady. But for two weeks, they haven¡¯t made a move." He thought it was strange that apany rising so fast would suddenly stop in its tracks. What happened?

    "What are the past projects they¡¯ve invested in?"

    Chen Gaonan wasn¡¯t the one who looked into it, for he passed the task onto Su Meixiu. So, when he read off the reports, he was slightly surprised at how many rtions it had with Zhao Corporation. "They¡¯ve invested into Imperial Star Mall, Zhao Tropical Resort in Huxian, the coboration between Ling Conglomerate and Zhao Corporation, Cerebus Technology which is a sub-branch developed by Zhao Corporation in response to VP Wu Yuntai¡¯s desire of having thepany diverse into different fields."

    Yang Feng felt his eyes narrow. So many projects were aligned with Zhao Corporation. Was Feili a secret firm of theirs?

    "Any news on who the founder is?"

    "None. Thepany is very tight-lipped about it, however, there are rumors that he or she will be making a debut soon."

    "Making a debut soon? Why?"

    Chen Gaonan scrolled down on the table. "Thepany didn¡¯t mention the reason in their public announcement. But my guess is that there has been a lot of pressure from the media and coboratingpanies. None of them have personally seen the face of the CEO and they probably need a face for their brand."

    "Do they have any shady businesses? Any malpractices or under-the-table deals?" Yang Feng was beginning to grow more intrigued about thepany¡¯s background. It was pretty new and came out of nowhere, yet it is able to continually climb higher and at an elerated rate.

    "I¡¯ve checked with both the business and Underworld sources. As of right now, thepany is squeaky clean," Chen Gaonan reported.

    Yang Feng thought about his next n and after a few seconds, he finally spoke up. "Contact them. I want a meeting with the CEO personally."

    Chen Gaonan hesitated. Feili had a specific policy where their CEO wouldn¡¯t meet with anyone, regardless of whichpany was targeting them. They didn¡¯t flinch at the idea of dropping deals worth hundreds of millions just to keep the identity of the higher-ups hidden.

    But then again, no one has ever rejected the personal request of Yang Feng. Whoever dared to would see theirpany drop within the month until their stock was practically worth nothing.

    Even so, Chen Gaonan was nervous at failing his Boss. "Sir, they have a strict policy¡ª"

    "Find a way to bypass it." Yang Feng wanted to meet the CEO in person.

    He wanted to test and see if they were a valuable asset to coborate with. Personally seeing the CEO would allow him to judge the character of him or her, as people usually had a very hard time lying to him face-to-face.

    Yang Feng excelled in reading through people if they were foolish enough to lie to him. Besides, it wouldn¡¯t be bad for Feili to coborate with Yang Enterprise since it was the dream of manypanies, regardless of their rank.

    Chen Gaonan slightly frowned at his boss¡¯s stubbornness. It seems he would need to exert a lot of his time and power into this request...

    "Yes, Sir." He glumly replied, reluctantly typing the order into his tablet.

    Yang Feng looked at his overworked secretary and thought back to a couple of weeks ago when Chen Gaonan was smart enough to lock the little kitty in the office. "For yourpetence a couple of weeks ago, I¡¯ll raise your bonus for this month and the next one." He coolly said.

    "Really?" Chen Gaonan asked, delighted at the news. His eyes twinkled with excitement at the things he could do and buy with the bonus.

    "Did I stutter?" Yang Feng queried, opening hisptop and shifting his attention to the screen.

    Chen Gaonan cleared his throat, quickly fixing hisposure. He decided to show his excitement and happinesster on. "Thank you very much." He bowed.

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t respond and instead began to type away on hisputer, entering his workaholic stage.

    Chen Gaonan secretly grinned and excused himself to tell his wife the good news. Maybe she would finally stop sleeping so early! She always went to bed right when he came home because she was tired of staying up for him, but now that he had a good reason, he thought about using it to make another baby. An adorable little girl that resembled his feisty wife would be a lovely idea...

 Chapter 122 Youre Not The Boss Of Me

    First Hospital.

    After the nurse finished changing the bandages, more doctors came in to examine Zhao Lifei and check up her condition. Surprisingly, Han Wuting was nowhere in sight. After asking about it, she discovered he was switched with another doctor and, not surprisingly, it was a female one.

    She already had a feeling that Yang Feng was behind the switch.

    She could only sigh upon hearing the news. He was the best neurosurgeon in the entire hospital, yet that overly jealous Yang Feng swapped him for someone else. Besides, it¡¯s not like their blind date went anywhere since neither of them kept in contact nor did they seemed intrigued with each other.

    Zhao Lifei boredly lounged around in her hospital room the entire day and when she noticed that the sun has already set, she began to grow aggravated. Staying at the hospital was boring and lonely. It was one of the main reasons why she hated hospitals. There was nothing to do here except sleep, watch TV, be bothered by nurses every few hours, and then sleep! She didn¡¯t have anypany nor did she have the freedom to walk around as she pleased.

    Even though the room had a scented humidifier, she could still smell the underlying chemical ¡ª the same one from her past.

    Deciding she had enough of her suffocating room, she unhooked her IV drip and walked to the closet to see if there were clothes she could wear. She sighed when she saw that there was only a fresh hospital gown. Not wanting to walk out in a hospital gown, she thought about calling Yang Ruqin to pick up a few sets of clothes, but then decided against it. She knew Yang Ruqin would only advise her to go back to bed.

    Zhao Lifei originally wanted to take a walk in the public park built inside First Hospital, but knew it would be too chilly to simply walk outside in a thin hospital gown. She was prone to getting cold, even in warmer temperatures, so the biting cold outside now wouldn¡¯t do her any good, but she still didn¡¯t want to remain in this hospital room.

    "Maybe taking a walk in the halls wouldn¡¯t be that bad..." She muttered to herself, deciding to at least try and exercise her legs. She changed her hospital gown to the cleaner one she found in the closet and opened the door.

    Instantly, she was greeted with by very broad backs covered in a ck suit. Her lips thinned in annoyance. Of course she would have bodyguards outside!

    "Uhm, excuse me, I want to be let out." She told them, but they remained still. She shrugged and took one step forward but a gruff and deep voice spoke up.

    "I apologize Ma¡¯am, but our orders were to keep you in this room. You cannot leave without our Boss¡¯s permission."

    Without permission?! She¡¯s not a child! Why did a grown adult like her need constant supervision like this? Grounding her teeth, she seethed, "Who is your Boss?"

    They didn¡¯t respond.

    "Is it my grandfather?"

    "..."

    She scowled at theirck of response. "Is it Zhao Moyao?"

    "..."

    "Is it Li Xuan?"

    "..."

    Zhao Lifei resisted the urge to chuck something at them. Their silence was beginning to irk her more and more by the second.

    "Alright then, is it Chen Gaonan?"

    Still no response.

    "Okay, gentlemen, at least give me a surname to work with." She sighed, pinching the spot between her brow. She thought about it and found the perfect response. If they were loyal to Yang Feng, they wouldn¡¯t handle disrespect to their Boss¡¯s name lightly.

    "Is it your incredibly ugly, stubborn, and freakingly annoying boss, Yang Feng?"

    "Our boss is not¡ª" The bodyguard immediately stopped, nearly cursing at himself for being foolish enough to fall into her trap.

    She smirked. "Aha! So it is Yang Feng!" She quickly walked to her purse and pulled out her phone, calling the man in question. He picked up within the first ring.

    "Lifei, you should be resting¡ª"

    "Tell your men to step aside."

    Yang Feng frowned at her words. She wanted them to step aside? She was out of her hospital bed?!

    "Get back into your bed right now¡ª"

    "You¡¯re not the Boss of me. Tell your men to step aside." She was growing annoyed at his dominating ways. Who did he think he was?! Why were the men in her life always so controlling of her? It¡¯s not like she was some damsel-in-distress! She was a grown adult capable of taking care of herself!

    "Lifei, get back into bed right now. Why are you standing up? You¡¯re not fully recovered."

    "I feel perfectly fine! I don¡¯t want to go back to my bed¡ª"

    "Get back to your bed, now." Yang Feng angrily stood up, his chair roughly mming into the ss window behind him with how fast he stood up. Luckily, the ss was really thick and double-sided, so regardless of any snipers, they couldn¡¯t see him.

    "What is wrong with you?! I said I don¡¯t want to! I want to take a walk outside so you better tell your men to move, or I swear to God I will smack them with the IV drip pole!" She said as she unhooked the IV bags to prepare her weapon.

    The bodyguards stiffened at her threat and turned around to see her getting her weapon ready. They exchanged nervous nces with each other, for all of them knew how capable this woman was.

    If she was good with a gun, she must be good at using other weapons too! Besides, their orders were to specifically not touch her, regardless of what she did to them. Neither of them wanted to suffer a beating for just doing their job!

    Yang Feng¡¯s gaze darkened at her stubborn ways. "Zhao Lifei, my patience for your stubbornness is limitless, but when ites to your well-being and health, I will not tolerate it!" He stormed out of his office, startling the secretaries that were sitting behind the desks that were outside of the office.

    Chen Gaonan, being the main secretary, was the first to stand up, ready to obey any request given to him.

    She ignored the fact that he used her full name which showed he was really angry. So what if he was angry?! "Who do you think you are?" She seethed while twisting the metal pole to dislocate it from its wheels.

    "Your man," He instantly replied, his response taking the entire office by surprise. But she was so angry at him, she didn¡¯t even register his words.

    Her anger didn¡¯t subdue with his words, instead, it red even more. Did he think it was a joke? "I¡¯m fighting my way out of this hospital room one way or another. If you don¡¯t want your men injured, I rmend you to tell them to move¡ª"

    "Injure as many as you want, but I must warn you, such action will not go unpunished."

    She red at the wall in front her, throwing daggers into the poor wall. "Oh please, bite me!" She shouted into the phone, earning an angry growl.

    "You¡ª "

    She hung up the phone.

    Zhao Lifei tested the weight of the metal pole in her hands. It was really light which meant it wouldn¡¯t do a lot of damage, but it would move really fast. She had experience fighting with wooden sticks in her days in the military.

    She turned to the men, a dark scowl on her face.

    "I¡¯m sure every single one of you heard the conversation with your boss." She took a step forward, metal pole in hand.

    "Unless you want to get hurt, I really rmend stepping aside." None of them budged, but they had turned around to properly face her now. However, by now, more had crowded the entrance, creating a human barrier before her.

 Chapter 123 Rot In Hell

    She positioned her body to charge and strike. Just as she was about to take her first step, her phone buzzed. She turned around and saw that it was Yang Feng calling her. Angrily, she muted her phone and blocked him.

    No less than a secondter, one of the bodyguards¡¯ phones rang. She turned her head and the man picked it up.

    "Hello, Boss? Yes, she has the weapon ready. It¡¯s the metal pole of the UV drip... Yes, she¡¯s in a fighting stance. No, we didn¡¯t n on touching her...Yes, we¡¯re in the barrier stance. Boss-" He didn¡¯t get to finish his sentence when Zhao Lifei roughly jabbed the first man in the front. He clutched his stomach, groaning in pain.

    "Boss, she has begun attacking!" The bodyguard practically yelled, watching as she was about to lift her hand to bring down the final blow.

    "H-hand the phone to her? A-are you sure-- No, I¡¯m not doubting yourmand." The bodyguard was terrified at the threat he had just heard and readily handed his phone to hisrades who passed it along until it was held up in front of her face.

    She didn¡¯t take the phone and chose to re at it. "Tell your stupid boss, I don¡¯t want to talk to him."

    The poor messenger holding the phone nervously looked at his friends, but none of them dared to take the phone. He cried on the inside and braced himself for the hail storming his way. Oh Gods above, please spare me...He cried to himself, hesitatingly cing the phone to his ear.

    He immediately regretted doing so because his ear felt as if they were frozen on the spot. Even through the phone, he could feel his boss¡¯ terrifying temperament!

    "B-Boss¡ª"

    "HAND THE PHONE BACK TO HER!" He snarled, his voice rumbling like that of a fearsome monster.

    The bodyguard dropped to his knees and trembled in fear. "Y-y-yes, sir." With two hands, he offered the phone to Zhao Lifei, which she looked at it with disdain.

    "L-Lady Boss, p-p-please spare me and take the phone." He whispered to Zhao Lifei, his voice is shaky as his form. He was a well-trained soldier from the main sector of the Yang n who had years of experience, but even so, upon hearing the frighteningly terrifying voice of his boss, he was too scared to do anything.

    "You can tell your Boss to rot in hell¡ª"

    "P-please, Ldy Boss!" The bodyguard pleaded, resorting to the petty form of groveling for mercy.

    "I have a wife, kids, and a family to feed¡ª" He rambled on, continuing to lie about his nonexistent wife and children.

    "And a dog named Xiao Bai¡ª"

    Zhao Lifei gritted her teeth in annoyance and snatched the phone from his hand. "What do you want?!" She fumed, annoyed at Yang Feng. She knew he was purposely stalling for time until he got here to personally discipline her.

    The bodyguards flinched in fear. They truly apuded her for her boldness, but they also feared for the poor woman¡¯s head! It would really fly if she continued talking to their boss like that!

    Yang Feng breathed in through in his nose and breathed out through his mouth to calm himself down. He couldn¡¯t lose his temper with her, not now, especially when she finally decided to talk to him. "Get back to your hospital bed¡ª"

    "For the 100th time, I don¡¯t want to."

    "Why are you so damn stubborn?!" He hissed through the phone, turning to Hu Wei and motioning for him to speed up the car. Hu Wei immediately stepped on the gas, driving the car to its limits. His boss had covered the expense in the past when he zoomed to Zhao Lifei¡¯s house, so Hu Wei knew he would do it again.

    "Because the hospital room is boring! I slept so much, I¡¯m tired of sleeping! It¡¯s lonely and boring in here, and the smell is bothering me¡ª"

    "I¡¯m on my way there to keep youpany if it¡¯s lonely and boring." His voice became slightly softer. He had forgotten she only had one friend she could talk to, and Yang Ruqin must¡¯ve been busy the entire day. He thought back to the night she had gotten drunk and how alone she was.

    "I don¡¯t want yourpany, you¡¯re so overbearing¡ª"

    "Well, too bad. Because of your stubbornness, you¡¯ve forced me to go there and be yourpany."

    "Well, I hope you know I won¡¯t be in my room when youe." She frowned, hanging up the phone. She tossed it at the men and without warning, swung her way through. They didn¡¯t dare to directly touch her to stop her from hitting them. The men tried their best to dodge her, but it was futile as she did really bad damage on them. She saw the phone ringing again and the bodyguard immediately picked up.

    All of the bodyguards eagerly turned to that man and waited for the orders of forcefully apprehending her. "Sir? Yes, she¡¯s swinging her way through. You¡¯ve arrived? Yes, we¡¯ll hold her off longer¡ª"

    Seizing their momentary distraction, Zhao Lifei broke through the tiny clearing she saw and sprinted down the halls, startling the men.

    "Hey! You can¡¯t run¡ª"

    It was toote, she was already winding down the hallways. She turned back and saw they were chasing her, so she turned a corner and decided against running further. Her stomach was really hurting her, which meant her wound might¡¯ve reopened. She looked left and right, and saw one of the hospital doors was left ajar. Without thinking her action through, she opened the door and slipped in, locking it behind her.

    Her heart hammered in fear when she heard the nearing footsteps. She held her breath and hid under the door as the footsteps were getting louder and louder.

    A quiet and soft voice spoke up. "Hello."

    Zhao Lifei jumped in fear and turned around to see a young girl sitting on the hospital bed. Surrounding her were dozens of vases of flowers resulting in an almost overwhelmingly cloying scent. The floor around her bed was piled with gifts.

    "Hello." Zhao Lifei was surprised to see her. She looked no more than eight years old and was a very pretty child who would undoubtedly be a beauty when she grew older. But something about her resembled a boy she used to know.

    "What¡¯s your name?" She asked her just as the footsteps outside became louder.

    "You¡¯re running from people." The girl pointed out.

    "Yes I am¡ª"

    "Quick! Look for her before Boss gets upstairs!" The voice was loud which meant they were very close.

    Zhao Lifei panicked as she looked left and right in hopes of finding a ce to hide or escape from the bodyguards.

 Chapter 124 Mangled Appearance

    "You can hide under my bed if you want. My uncles wille back soon and they¡¯ll kick them out." She motioned to her bed.

    "Thank you." Zhao Lifei pushed the gifts to the side and climbed under the bed, which wasn¡¯t that hard to do. The enormous gifts easily hid her from the naked eye. Just as she crawled underneath the bed, the door to the room opened.

    Her heart drummed in fear at the idea of being caught.

    "Pardon our intrusion, youngdy¡ª"

    "This intrusion is not pardoned. Get out." Her face turned frigid. "You have no right to enter my room. Security has already been called and my bodyguards areing any second now." The little girl¡¯s voice and manner didn¡¯t suit her age. She spoke with poise andmanded the attention of the men in the room.

    "We mean no harm¡ª"

    "Then close the door and walk out. There are ten men in here against one frail girl. I feel very harmed and threatened by your presence." The way she eloquently spoke to these men surprised Zhao Lifei. It reminded her of when she was a child forced to grow up too early.

    "As much as we respect your wishes, we also have a job toplete. Have you seen a young woman run past here? She¡¯s a bit above the average height, wears a hospital gown and¡ª"

    "I¡¯m sorry, but I fail to see how that concerns me." Her voice was so chilly, it surprised the men. Were children capable of such emotions and behavior? She spoke like an adult rather than a child. She was young, but her eyes looked as if they had experienced a century of hardships.

    "It concerns you because the woman is dangerous¡ª" Just then, a few pairs of footsteps could be heard approaching. They stopped in front of the door.

    "Gentlemen, you are disturbing our Young Miss¡¯s rest. I must ask you to leave."

    Zhao Lifei heard an altercation in the background followed by the sound of clothes shuffling and a body being mmed against the wall. The room went deathly quiet and a few murmured exchanges could be heard. She strained her ears to hear the conversation, but it seemed the conversation had died down.

    "We apologize for this disturbance," Yang Feng¡¯s bodyguard¡¯s muttered, obviously annoyed that they couldn¡¯t search the room. Reluctantly, they left and another voice spoke up.

    "Young Miss, did these men disturb you?"

    "Yes, they did. I don¡¯t want to see them ever again. Tighten the security around this room andin to the Chairman of the hospital. This is the VVIP floor, it¡¯s despicable and tantly disrespectful that they were able to gain entrance to my room." Her tone was calm, but the threat behind it was deadly.

    "We will report this matter to Master and Madam. The head chairman will be contacted as well."

    "Good. Now get out."

    The men didn¡¯t need to be told twice. They opened the door and were about to step out when she spoke up again. "I want this room secured. No one shall enter without my permission. No one shall look inside this room or the window."

    "Right away, Young Miss." They closed the door and stood in front of it, theirrge frames covering any wandering eyes that dared to nce through the tiny rectangle window on the side of the door.

    "You cane out now." The little girl spoke up just as Zhao Lifei moved the gifts aside toe out from under the bed.

    Zhao Lifei was surprised to see the child¡¯s nonchnt face. Her eyes were lifeless and cold. It didn¡¯t have that childlike innocence and spark.

    "Why were those men after you? Who are you?" The little girl scrutinized the woman¡¯s appearance. Her hair and clothes were messy, but her appearance was not enough to mask the prominent aura she had. A royalty could be dressed in rags, but nothing could hide their elegance.

    Zhao Lifei noticed the little girl was analyzing her and decided to test the waters instead of giving a straight response. She slowly smiled. "Who do you think I am?"

    "You¡¯re clearly not a simple patient."

    "Oh? Why¡¯s that?"

    "This is the VVIP floor which can¡¯t be essed without a private key-card. The gown you¡¯re wearing is made of high quality cotton, the same one used for VVIP patients."

    "I could¡¯ve stolen the key-card and clothes¡ª"

    "Despite your mangled appearance, you carry yourself with grace and elegance. Judging by the way you carry yourself and your haughty stare, you don¡¯te from golden wealth, youe from the tinum ones."

    The little girl scanned Zhao Lifei¡¯s appearance again. "You¡¯re wearing thetest edition Valentino slippers. Only a handful were sold in the world. For you to have one shows you are not a simple woman. Why do you think I treated you well and covered for you? I wouldn¡¯t do so if I didn¡¯t know you were an important person."

    Zhao Lifei smiled. "Now that¡¯s your first w. From where I stood before, you shouldn¡¯t have been able to see my feet. I was in too much of a panicked state to even act elegant. You didn¡¯t have time to judge me." Her face softened.

    This girl really reminded her of herself when she was younger. Too analytical and calctive for her age. Her parents used to hate those qualities about her. They thought it was abnormal for a child to be so smart and have such keen eyes.

    "Which meant you acted on instinct." She tilted her head and took a step closer to the child sitting on the bed. "You don¡¯t have to lie about why you helped me."

    The little girl looked at her with parted lips. This was the first adult who hadn¡¯t chastised her for being overly talkative.

    All of her rtives disliked her because her sharp eyes always pointed out too much. She would point out the ws that people desperately tried to hide, the lies thrown out by her rtives, and because of these abilities of hers, the adults disliked her. She was from an extremely wealthy family who preferred a docile and demure daughter ¡ª not one that babbled for days on end.

    "I-I¡ª"

    "It¡¯s alright. We all have our reasons for lying." Zhao Lifei¡¯s smile became gentle in hopes of soothing the child¡¯s panic.

    "What¡¯s your name?" She was curious about this young girl. The people that entered the room addressed her with extreme respect and even referred to her as "Young Miss," which meant she was definitely from a very outstanding family, which was to be expected as this was the VVIP area.

    The little girl debated her answer. "For safety reasons, I will not disclose my surname. But you can call me Xiao Nai."

    Zhao Lifei chuckled at the girl¡¯s smart response. "Alright Xiao Nai, my name is Lifei. But if you¡¯d like, you can call Feifei since it might be awkward for you due to the difference in age."

    Xiao Nai¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise. Lifei? As in Zhao Lifei? Her eyes scanned the woman before her. From past rumors, they described the former Queen to be haughty, bratty, arrogant, rude, and spoiled rotten. This woman standing before her seemed to be the pr opposite of that. She had a very friendly smile, the kind that drew kids to her.

    ¡¯It¡¯s probably just a coincidence with the name. This woman is nothing like the rumors,¡¯ She thought to herself, brushing the idea aside.

 Chapter 125 Because They Hate Me

    "So, Xiao Nai, tell me a bit about yourself. What happened to you for you to end up in this hospital room?" Her eyes scanned the room and Zhao Lifei pulled a chair up to the bed.

    "I caught a fever a few days ago," Xiao Nai glumly responded. It was just a simple fever, yet she ended up spending an entire week in the hospital room. She waspletely healed, but her parents still wanted her to remain here.

    "I¡¯m fine now. Nothing hurts. I want to go home, but they¡¯re not letting me." Xiao Nai bitterly said. She remembered calling her parents, asking to go home, but they forced her to stay here instead of taking her home. She knew it was because they loathed her and her big mouth.

    "Why not?"

    "Because they hate me."

    Zhao Lifei was taken back by her words. She looked at the little girl one more time. How could someone else¡¯s life resemble hers that much?

    "And don¡¯t try to convince me otherwise." Xiao Nai sniped, hating the pitiful stares of her peers when she told them the truth. They always tried tofort her, which made it worse.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes softened. Talking to this girl was like talking to a mirror image of herself from the past. She didn¡¯t want to push the boundaries, but she also didn¡¯t want this girl to suffer the same fate as her. Growing up without your parents¡¯ love was pure torture.

    "I didn¡¯t n to coerce you into thinking your parents do love you in their own sick and twisted way. My parents also hate me." She leaned back in her chair, thinking back to the day her drunk mother threw a wine ss at her for requesting a bedtime story. The ss broke and a shard had cut her cheek, leaving it a bloodied mess. It took an entire team of doctors and stic surgeons to ensure a scar didn¡¯t form.

    Xiao Nai lifted her head. "Really?" She asked, her guard slowly chipping away by the minute.

    "Really." Zhao Lifei confirmed.

    "Why?"

    "Because I wasn¡¯t supposed to be born. Because I was an utter disappointment." Zhao Lifei¡¯s voice became gentle and quiet as she reminisced about the past.

    She remembered the time she asked why her parents treated Linhua differently and it was the first time her father had struck her in the face. He had screamed at her that she didn¡¯t know how hard Linhua had it. Because Linhua was so innocent, she was constantly bullied by her cousins. Zhao Moyao didn¡¯t acknowledge her presence, her rtives made her aughing stock, and she was constantlypared to her older sister.

    But Zhao Lifei saw it all as foolish excuses. Zhao Linhua could easily be a stronger person, but she was so sheltered by her parents¡¯ affection, she didn¡¯t learn how to be independent and break out of her perfect shell. Perhaps, that was her biggest w.

    "Mother and father think I¡¯m a disappointment as well. They think I¡¯m a failure of a daughter because I talk too much." Xiao Nai muttered, a soft frown tugging on her face.

    Zhao Lifei looked at the young girl. "It¡¯s alright to talk a lot. That doesn¡¯t make you a failure. Instead, it helps build your character and improves your conversational skills. Talkative people are easier to approach, but I understand why parents would say that." She stared out the window and watched as the clouds floated across the fading blue sky. Sunset was approaching soon.

    "Daughters of high society are supposed to follow that stupid stereotype of being demure, perfect, obedient, and soft-spoken. It¡¯s stupid and a very old tradition thinking." She muttered, hating it. These were also the other reasons why her father hated her. In his eyes, she wasn¡¯t the "perfect daughter."

    Xiao Nai smiled at Zhao Lifei¡¯s words. Finally! Someone who shared the same mindset as her!

    "My parents were beyond infuriated when they found out I wouldn¡¯t fit that description. I picked business over the piano, pen over brush, and guns over flutes. Everything I did was the pr opposite of what they wanted." Zhao Lifei bitterly thought back to the day her father threw his teacup at her when she dered she wasn¡¯t majoring in the arts, but business instead.

    She had narrowly dodged the teacup, but he was in such a fit of rage that he rushed to her and smacked her senseless. The resulting bruise was so bad, she had to stay home for an entire week. She hadpletely missed her Harvard orientation, but that didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t daring enough to sneak out of the house and board the private jet to go overseas.

    "Did I care what I thought about their stereotypes? No. I packed my bags and left to chase after my dreams." She turned to Xiao Nai, whose face was like an open book now. The girl wanted to do the same.

    "But, I only did it when I was a grown adult legal enough to make my own choices. My n wasn¡¯t perfect nor did it work in pleasing my parents, but then again, why should I continue to please them when they were never parents to me in the first ce?" She thought back to the deste and empty Zhao mansion. She thought back to the empty dining room, the quietness of the haunting mansion filled with rooms but not enough people to fill them. She thought back to all the nights she cried herself to sleep, begging her parents for the same treatment that Linhua received.

    "Xiao Nai, right now, you¡¯re too young. Don¡¯t even think about running away like I did. Instead, focus on improving the mask you wear around them." This got Xiao Nai very curious. Improve her mask?

    Zhao Lifei smiled. "From experience, constantly arguing with my parents didn¡¯t work out. As a matter of fact, nothing did. But, pretending to go along with their ns did work out. Do the things you want, just not in front of them. When you¡¯re angered by their words, don¡¯tsh out. Instead, remain quiet and pretend to listen, even if you have to daydream." She figured that if Xiao Nai was really like her as a child, then these were the best ns she could use for herself.

    "I always have this motto, fake it until you make it." She turned to Xiao Nai, a smile on her face.

    "You¡¯re a smart girl, I¡¯m sure you know what I¡¯m implying?" Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t want to deliberately tell the little girl everything that she should do. She wanted her to figure it out herself so that she can learn to determine her own path, but in the end, Lifei still wanted the girl to have somewhere to start off from and, thus, gave her this tiny ounce of knowledge.

    For once, Xiao Nai¡¯s eyes brightened. Her eyes danced with curiosity as endless ideas came into mind. Fake it until I make it! Why didn¡¯t I think of that sooner?!

    She excitedly turned towards Zhao Lifei, a happy grin on her face. "Yes, I do!" She gleefully said, her eyes shining as bright as the stars, revealing the beautiful hazel color of her eyes. It was warm like a freshly steamed chestnut and brought back the life in it.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s smile grew wider at her enthusiasm. "Good. You should always keep that in mind." She looked out the window and saw the sun had long since set. It was time for her to go back to her room.

    Xiao Nai followed her gaze and saw it was night time. "Do you have to go now? But it¡¯s so soon." She mumbled thest part of her words. She didn¡¯t think talking to an adult would be so fun to the point where time flew by before she knew it.

    Zhao Lifei nodded, standing up. "Yes, I have to return back to my room or else my peers will worry about me."

    "Oh..." Xiao Nai pouted, her eyes became crestfallen as her shoulders sagged in disappointment.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s face softened upon seeing her unhappy expression. She warmly ced a hand on the child¡¯s head, gently rubbing the top. "I¡¯ll be back tomorrow." She said to the child, which made XIao Nai quickly raise her head.

    "Really?" She asked, revealing this childish side of her. Children always sought after confirmations, even if they were false ones.

    "Yes, really."

    "Promise?"

    "Promise."

    "Pinky promise?" Xiao Nai stuck out her pinky, which made Zhao Lifei let out a burst of lightughter.

    "Pinky promise."

 Chapter 126 The Irrational Lover

    After bidding Xiao Nai goodbye and promising her onest time that she would return tomorrow, Zhao Lifei left the room with a happy smile. She naively walked down the halls, humming to herself now that she had found apanion to talk to the entire day. The nice girl even gave her some snacks to carry back to her room, which was a bonus!

    She happily hummed thetest song from her favorite singer, hands full with snacks,pletely unaware of the indignant dragon waiting for her. "The moon is high, the tides pass by, the battlefield is soaked in red.." She sang to herself, walking to her room. She looked down and wondered if Qinqin would like these snacks.

    "The snow falls as I raise a cup to the war casualties." A quiet voice finished the next part for her.

    "Oh, you know the song too¡ª" Her voice died down when she realized exactly who finished the lyrics for her. The snacks slipped from her hands, loudly ttering onto the floor.

    Sitting by the window of her eerily dark room was none other than Yang Feng. The moonlight falling on his face added a ghostly tint to his tanplexion. She clearly saw his perfectly sculptured features.

    He was eerily cid.

    She swallowed.

    His eyes were calm as waters before a storm and his indifferent face didn¡¯t have a hint of anger. But when she looked closely, his sharp jaw was clenched.

    She shivered when his eyes fell upon her. Staring at him was like standing naked in a blizzard storm where the snow felt like ice shards digging into her skin. She didn¡¯t like the way he looked at her, the usual warmth and adoration he had in his eyes for her had evaporated faster than the sun behind thunder clouds.

    She wanted to take a step back and run out of the room, but his eyes were so intimidating, they kept her paralyzed on the spot. A chill ran down her back at the way he looked at her. It was rming to see him like this, especially when he always treated her so well.

    She swallowed nervously, her eyes shaking when he stood up. His hands were tucked in his front pocket and his lips were pulled into a thin line. Even with the distance between them, she could still feel the murderous intent surrounding him.

    Her blood drained as he began to slowly stride towards her. Her heart thumped erratically within her chest, building up speed with each passing second.

    She turned around, ready to run, but the door behind her was suddenly mmed shut, locking her inside this hauntingly dark room. Why were the lights turned off?!

    With nothing but the moonlight as her guide, Zhao Lifei could barely see her surroundings. The only thing she could see was Yang Feng stalking towards her, as a predator would to their prey. She couldn¡¯t think straight with how fast her heart was pounding.

    "You sure have a lot of guts causing harm to my men, making them run in circles, leaving this room, and not returning the entire day. You also missed your daily medicine." His deathly calm voice was beginning to scare her. She felt the hair on her skin rise at his tone of voice. It was so sinister that she finally understood why he ruled the Underworld. His aura, his presence, itmanded your obedience.

    "You don¡¯t understand, I hate the hospital¡ª"

    "¡¯Bite me.¡¯ You said those words, did you not?"

    "You have no right to be angry with me." She nervously looked at him.

    He was just an arm¡¯s distance away from her. She could see his eyes more clearly now. His lethal stare was piercing, as if he could see right through her soul. He was furious.

    "Your provocations will not go unpunished." There was a stillness to the way he enunciated each word.

    Her heart beated faster. She swallowed back whatever snarky replies she wanted to toss at him. She didn¡¯t want to provoke him further or else this dragon might really gobble her up. She needed a way of calming this fury of his and she already had the perfect n in mind.

    "Tell me, how would you like to be bitten? Perhaps I should start with¡ª" He was interrupted when she suddenly crossed the distance between them, wrapping her tiny arms around his body. He stiffened, her actions taking him byplete surprise.

    He blinked. "What are you doing¡ª"

    "Yang Feng..." She adoringly said, her voice light and sweet as honey. It was soft, like summer rain, but airy as the clouds. The way she said his name filled his chest with warmth, his anger faltering.

    "This little n of yours isn¡¯t going to work¡ª"

    "Yang Feng, I¡¯m cold." She muttered, her voice bing tiny and quiet like a child. She buried her face into his chest, rubbing her cheeks against the silk material. She could feel his chest muscles contract when fingers curled into fists.

    "You think this will work?"

    "Won¡¯t you hug me?" She whispered, lifting her head to look up at him. Her heart skipped a beat when she looked into his soulless eyes. She opened her eyes wider, her bottom lips slightly jutting out to resemble a tiny pout.

    "Won¡¯t you?" She pestered him, squeezing her arms in emphasis. His eyes narrowed into slits as he glowered down at her.

    Seeing that her n wasn¡¯t going as she had hoped for, she deepened her pout and widened her eyes further. "I¡¯m really, really cold. Why aren¡¯t you hugging me?"

    When he didn¡¯t move his arms, she decided to change to n B: the irrational lover. "Fine. Let me freeze to death, catch a cold, and then cough myself to death."

    "You won¡¯t get sick, it¡¯s above room temperature in here¡ª"

    "But I¡¯m so cold, I¡¯ll definitely get sick. When I¡¯m on my deathbed from the illness I catch, will you take responsibility?" She saw his anger converting into confusion.

    "Don¡¯t be so dramatic. You won¡¯t die from a simple cold." He said, rolling his eyes at her stupid words. Die from a cold? Not on my watch!

    "Fine, I guess I should put that theory into use and take an ice bath to catch hypothermia!" She angrily said, dropping her arms as she swiftly turned her back and stomp her way into the bathroom.

    Seeing her tiny back determined to walk away, Yang Feng panicked. He could see all of his hard work crumbling in a sh before his eyes.

    She was the type to never look back once she made up her mind. He was scared she would slip through his hands and coldy regard him as a stranger.

    Instantly, he pulled her into his embrace, her back crashing against his chest as his arms wrapped itself tightly around her. He was anxious that if he ever let go, she would disappear in the air like dust. He was worried she would never speak to him again.

    She was struggling in his arms which confirmed his fear. He hugged her tighter, pressing her entire body onto his, leaving no room between them.

    "Let go of me!" She frowned.

    Zhao Lifei knew she was taking a gamble by pretending to be angry, but she needed him to be distracted or else he might be furious again.

    His chest prickled with pain at her reaction, his heart dropping at her words. "Don¡¯t go, I¡¯m not mad anymore." He hurriedly said, burying his head into the crook of her neck.

    She wriggled and pushed at his arms which only prompted him to hug her tighter than ever.

    "I¡¯m sorry."

    She immediately stopped struggling. D-did she hear herself correctly? D-did the almighty Yang Feng just apologize?!

    She tested the waters, her voice doubtful. "Sorry for what?"

    Seeing her no longer struggle in his arms, he rxed. "For everything." He pressed his lips to the crown of her head.

    "What¡¯s everything?"

    "For getting mad at you, preventing you from leaving this room and not hugging you back." He readily said, eager to please her. He didn¡¯t think he was this type of lover, but she always brought out this side of him. Surprisingly, he loved it. Despite the fact that she was stubborn beyond words, he loved that part of her.

    Zhao Lifei blinked at his words. Wow, did she really henpeck him enough for him to forget about his anger so quickly? She didn¡¯t think her n would actually work! Who knew the oue would be so perfect!

    "I¡¯m sorry, so don¡¯t go. Don¡¯t leave me." He hurriedly said, fear gripping his heart, painfully squeezing it. He was terrified she would leave him again, as she once did in the past. He had agonizingly gotten over her once, he wasn¡¯t sure if he would be able to do that again...

 Chapter 127 A Hypocrite

    Zhao Lifei felt her heart melt at his voice, which was so tiny and meek, like a terrified child. She felt her heart prickle at his behavior. Her brain chastised her for going so far, and her heart screamed tofort him and ease his fears.

    "Will you do it again?" She quietly asked, rubbing circles on hisrge and rough hands. Immediately, his fingers grabbed hers,pletely entwining the fingers together, so that they were holding hands. Her heart skipped a beat at his action, a tiny smile on her face.

    "I can¡¯t promise you a definite no, but I will try my hardest to be lenient." He snuggled his head on her shoulder, breathing in her lovely smell. It clouded his brain, the soft Jasmine scent teasing him.

    She was quiet for a moment which prompted him to give her a squeeze.

    "Are you still mad at me?" She asked him to which he shook his head.

    "No."

    She smiled, happy that she was finally able to tame his anger, even if it was through hical measures. She turned her head so that her cheek was resting on the crown of his soft hair. "Good, because I¡¯m not mad at you anymore either." She teased.

    He breathed a sigh of relief which surprised him soon afterward. Since when was he so in love with her that soothing her anger would cause such a pure sensation of relief to flood through him?

    "Then hug me again." He demanded, wanting to feel her arms around him again. It brought him reassurance and confirmation that she truly wasn¡¯t going to leave him.

    Zhao Lifei was surprised by his sudden request. In her confused state, she turned around and lightly hugged him. She yelped when he hugged her tighter, crushing her face to his chest. "Uhm Yang Feng--"

    "Don¡¯t walk away from me like that. I hate it." He ground his teeth, remembering the past when he came back to the country to catch up on things with her. He spotted her at a banquet and tried to approach her, but she freaked out and ran away, her reaction leaving himpletely heartbroken.

    "Yang Feng," She began, lifting her head to look at him. Her throat dried when she saw his perfect features. His face puts the gods to shame. "I won¡¯t walk away, as long as you don¡¯t try to tie me down." When she saw his softened gaze hardened, she reached up to gently caress his face.

    "I don¡¯t like it when you¡¯re overly domineering. I don¡¯t like it when you¡¯re so bent on confining me like this." She watched his stare intensify further. He wasn¡¯t pleased to hear her words, but she didn¡¯t care. She needed to draw the boundaries if they were going to enter a rtionship.

    "I have so many scars from my past, I¡¯m trying to move on, but it¡¯s so hard. I¡¯ve been controlled by my parents in the past, I-I don¡¯t want a rtionship like that." Her voice became shaky when she thought back to the dark days where her parents dictated her every move. Each note she misyed on the piano was a p to the back of her knees. There were days where she wanted to experience her childhood, but her parents forced her back onto the piano chair.

    The fear of being controlled like a puppet scared her. All she ever wanted was freedom. She understood her push-and-pull behavior in this rtionship wasn¡¯t healthy, but neither was his domineering behavior.

    Yang Feng pressed his lips together, her words echoing in his mind. She thought his caring behavior was confinement?! The idea angered him. "I can¡¯t make any promises. It¡¯s in my nature."

    "Well, neither can I promise to not run. The more you tie me down, the more I want to leave." How could she promise him when he couldn¡¯t do the same?

    He scowled at her words, ready to open his mouth and give her a piece of his mind but decided against it. If he said the wrong words, she might push him away and stop hugging him. He quite liked having her body against his. Her skin was always cold for some odd reason, and to him who gets hot easily, hugging her was extremelyforting for his overly warm skin.

    "I know you don¡¯t like the hospital, but you have to understand, staying in here and resting is for your own good. You¡¯re too stubborn to ask for help, so I have to intervene and do it for you."

    Did he view her as a child? Why was he so persistent on keeping her here? She could recuperate somewhere else with a personal doctor ¡ª anything was fine, as long as it wasn¡¯t this chemical-filled location brimming with painful memories.

    Her voice turned bitter. "I don¡¯t need your intervention."

    His eyes became grim which made him look more intimidating than ever. "Don¡¯t be stubborn¡ª"

    "You¡¯re a hypocrite." She deadpanned, but inwardly cursed herself because she too, to some extent, was also hypocritical.

    "You demand me to not be stubborn, but here you are again, also being stubborn. Why can¡¯t you respect my wishes and my words?" She paused, thinking back to the way she reacted when he rejected her request prior in the day. "All I wanted to do was take a stroll in the gardens. I could¡¯ve asked nicely, but you wouldn¡¯t allow me to do so regardless."

    His frown deepened. She was right. He wouldn¡¯t have allowed her to leave regardless of how she asked him.

    "I¡¯m not a child, Yang Feng, I can take care of myself. I don¡¯t need you to constantly hover over me like a watchdog." She added on, not sensing the warning bells.

    His pupils becamepletely ck, the color was darker than night itself. Lifeless and arctic, his eyes emitted an intent to kill. His fingers dug into his palm and his jaw tightened at her words. It was one thing to call him stubborn, but to outright insult him by calling him a hypocrite was something that couldn¡¯t go by unpunished.

    All he wanted to do was care for her, to protect her, to keep her safe, to make sure she properly healed, yet here she was, tantly ignoring everything he was doing for her.

    He angrily ground his teeth, his eyes dangerously shing. The darkness was creeping in on her, the shadows around him were like wispy ghosts of hell, surrounding him, ready tosh out at her. His eyes became emotionless, his expression hard to read. She had her guard up, but his was higher.

    "Fine, do it your own way." Without another nce in her direction, he stormed to the door.

    The door mmed open with so much intensity, the wall behind it cracked.

    BANG!

    She jumped when the door mmed shut, the force shaking the walls. It sounded louder than a gunshot. The power he used to m the door shook her heart, sending it trembling in fear. But she was equally, if not, more stubborn than he was and perhaps that was their biggest w.

    "Stubborn brute," She muttered under her breath. She ignored the prickling pain in her chest, the yearning of her heart to chase after him.

    She felt her heart was being torn to pieces as thousands of needles rained upon it. The pain was suffocating her, the pure agony of it enraged and frustrated her. She wanted to ignore it, she wanted to forget it, but she couldn¡¯t.

    She tried to remain confident by arrogantly raising her chin in the air, but she couldn¡¯t do so. Her eyes prickled with pain, burning as something threatened to spill.

    She grabbed the closest thing she could find and tossed it at the door, which so happened to be a priceless vase. The porcin shattered, frightening the men outside.

    She refused to cry. She refused to give him the knowledge that he had hurt her. She breathed in deeply and practiced the tricks taught by her therapist. It didn¡¯t take long for her eyes to dry up. She refused to cry for him.

    Walking to the door, she flicked on the light, but something caught her by surprise. There were a few bags on the floor near the couch and coffee table. When she took a few steps towards it, a delicious scent wafted over to her. Her nose tingled at the familiar scent of her favorite dishes. Her mouth watered when she saw the massive array of dishesid out on the coffee table.

    He had wanted to eat with her. Her chest prickled with guilt and for the slightest second, she hesitated.

    But her frustration came back when she saw the shattered vase. She reluctantly packed it all up, took the bags, and brought it outside to the bodyguards. They were surprised when the door flew open. Instantly, they formed a human barrier, one thicker and stronger than the previous.

    "You guys must be hungry standing outside. I¡¯m too full to stomach these foods, please, have some." She passed the bags of luxury dishes to the astonished men who looked at her in bewilderment. Even a fool would recognize the quality of the signature restaurant called La Roche! A simple appetizer there was worth a few hundred and from the size of the bag itself, the food must¡¯ve cost at least a few tens of thousands!

    "Uhm, Lady Boss, are you sure-"

    "If you don¡¯t want the food, toss it. I can¡¯t stomach food in my current state." She briskly said, not in the mood to stand here and convince them. Wordlessly, she closed the door and flicked the lights back off.

    The bodyguards exchanged nces with each other. "It¡¯s too expensive to go to waste." Someone said which earned chimes of agreement. Half reluctantly and half excitedly, they began to eat the dishes.

    Zhao Lifei waited a few minutes before going to her bed and stuffing the pillows under the nkets. She seized the bodyguard¡¯s momentary distraction to quickly grab her phone, go to the corner of her hospital room, and call someone she didn¡¯t think she would ever contact again.

 Chapter 128 Youll Dirty Your Hands

    Chen Gaonan anxiously waited inside the car, his face pale with worry. His Boss had stormed out of a very important meeting just to go to the hospital, but it had been a few hours already and there still wasn¡¯t any response from him. He had sent a message to his boss several times, but each text wasn¡¯t read. The poor things were left delivered.

    "Mr. Chen, Boss ising out now." Hu Wei spoke up, noticing a very prominent and tall figure strolling out of the hospital, catching all attention with each step he took. The passersby paused in their steps just to admire him, men and women alike. They couldn¡¯t believe such a fine specimen was walking in front of them!

    When Chen Gaonan saw the disastrous fury on his Boss¡¯ face, he nearly wailed in fright. What had happened inside?!

    Angry eyes were just the beginning, then came the powerful strides, the mming of the car door and themand to turn the car back around and head straight to the Underworld base.

    After reaching the base, Chen Gaonan quickly scrambled out of the car to open the door for his raging boss. He was thankful for the partition he had raised up, for he was too fearful of making eye contact with his boss in the rearview mirror.

    The minute he stepped out of the car, he shivered from the cold surroundings. But when he opened the car door, he suddenly felt as if he was plunged into the icy waters of Antarctica! The frigid temperament of his Boss was even colder than the actual air itself.

    Wordlessly, Yang Feng stormed down the halls where they held that pathetic man. Guo Sheng was polishing his daggers when he received word that Yang Feng was on his way here. His eyes lit up with glee at how early Yang Feng had arrived, despite saying he woulde tomorrow! He eagerly walked up the stairs to greet his Big Boss.

    "Big Boss¡ª" He paused in his steps when he saw the displeased expression on Yang Feng¡¯s face.

    Guo Sheng was used to his boss¡¯ reserved and apathetic behavior, but he was not used to seeing such a hauntingly dark expression on Yang Feng¡¯s face. Even Chen Gaonan seemed to be sweating buckets as his eyes darted to him.

    Yang Feng wordlessly stalked down the stairs, a heavy air of death around him. Guo Sheng and Chen Gaonan could only helplessly follow after Yang Feng, nervously holding their breaths in fear that one wrong movement would tick off the bomb.

    Yang Feng walked straight into the room, ignoring the people that greeted him along the way. His eyes were a storm that swallowed the entire ce whole, raining down hell upon whoever was daring enough to cross his path.

    That stupid, foolish, stubborn woman! He inwardly cursed in everynguage he knew.

    How could she call him a hypocrite? How could she treat him so roughly and crudely when all he wanted to do was help her?! She waited until now to point out how much she hated his demanding and controlling ways? She should¡¯ve known better for he was always like this in the past! Why was she so angry at it now?

    He ground his teeth, his jaw tightening in frustration. Did she not understand how worried he was for her? He cared about her so damn much and yet she dared to use his kindness against her. Never again, he thought to himself, this time refusing to yield and be the first one to chase after her.

    He chastised himself for allowing her to run rampant and do as she pleased. His patience for her was supposedly limitless, but when it came to such important matters that concerned her life, it was very thin. He could only tolerate so much.

    When he sauntered into the room filled with a smell so revolting that the guards outside nearly gagged, Yang Feng¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise. He didn¡¯t even realize where he was going, but this was perfect. He could vent his anger on the bastard here.

    He swiftly turned towards Chen Gaonan. "Reports on Silver Crown?"

    Chen Gaonan felt his brows tug together. "Boss, you didn¡¯t ask for a report..." His voice trailed off when he was met with a blood-curdling re that was much scarier than facing death itself. He felt his entire body paralyzed by the menacing stare. "I-I¡¯ll work on it right away." Without waiting for Yang Feng¡¯s reply, he hurriedly left the room to fulfill the order.

    Yang Feng strolled towards the table filled with a different array of weapons. Guo Sheng noticed his hands were bare of any leather gloves. He was perplexed to see this. His Boss always came here in gloves, what made it so different this time?

    Just as Yang Feng was about to touch one of the daggers, Guo Sheng stopped him. "Wait! Big Boss, you¡¯ll dirty your hands." He rushed over, but Yang Feng ignored his warning and just picked up the closest knife he could find.

    He pressed a button on the table that immediately sshed boiling hot water down on the man who had fallen asleep. "AHHHH!" He screamed as the scalding hot water burned his entire body. He violently convulsed, the chains he was being suspended from ttering loudly.

    "W-w-why did you d-do that?!" The man shrieked, his voice resembling that of a pig before ughter.

    Yang Feng twirled the dagger in his hand. "What is the purpose of kidnapping her?" His stare was bone chilling and out for blood. The man cowered back in fear, his eyes shaking as he bit down on his tongue to prevent himself from stuttering so much.

    "W-w-we¡¯re only s-supposed to beat her!"

    "Why?"

    "T-to be used as an exchange."

    An exchange? If Yang Feng was surprised by the news he had just heard, he didn¡¯t show it.

    "What kind of exchange?"

    "W-w-we¡¯re supposed to beat her into oblivion-AHHH!" He screamed in pain when Yang Feng suddenly chucked a knife straight through the man¡¯s shoulder des, tearing the muscle and skin. It was excruciatingly painful for him since he was hanging by his wrists, which ced incredible pressure to his shoulders.

    When he saw Yang Feng ready to toss another knife, he hurriedly spoke up. "Wait! I have more to say!" He wailed, his brain clearly broken to the point of no return.

    "W-we were supposed to beat her so that she will be submissive when the exchange ces. W-whoever wanted h-her kidnapped had ns to sell her off!"

    Yang Feng thought over his words. Sell her off? That was impossible. With Zhao Moyao¡¯s iron grip on his granddaughter, not a soul would be spared if she went missing. And if she was sold through underworld means, he would immediately intercept. What a stupid idea.

    "B-but that¡¯s not the end of it! W-whoever was nning this w-wanted her to be sold out of this country for marriage to a p-ce w-where h-her face would be unrecognizable!"

    The temperature in the room suddenly dropped upon the mention of the word ¡¯marriage¡¯. It felt as if a gust of freezing northern wind swept throughout the room, freezing everyone¡¯s spine. No one dared to move or make a single sound when they noticed how ck Yang Feng¡¯s face had be with rage.

    "Who is the partner?"

    "T-the highest bidder..." The man coughed and with no way of covering his mouth, blood dribbled down his lips. He was very close to death.

    "Which auction ring?"

    The man opened his mouth to speak when, suddenly, a loudmotion could be heard outside the room. When Yang Feng turned around, he saw gunshots being fired. And right when he drew his own gun, a bullet flew into the room, piercing the hanging man right through the skull, a clean and effortless kill. Seconds after, the assassin had killed himself.

 Chapter 129 Take A Guess

    The room turned deadly still. Not a single sound could be heard. The temperature dropped and the air turned chilly. A frigid and emotionless look was on Yang Feng¡¯s face. None of the people knew what their Boss was thinking and quite frankly, everyone was too scared to speak up. They could only hold their breath and wait for his nextmand.

    Guo Sheng looked at the dead body, a small pout on his face. His toy was ruined now.

    That¡¯s fine, Big Boss will bring me another one!

    After what felt like a decade of silence but was, in reality, just a few seconds, Yang Feng¡¯s somber voice spoke up. "Clean this mess." He walked out of the room, closely followed by Guo Sheng.

    "Yes, Sir!" His men replied as they hurried to fulfill his order.

    Chen Gaonan was furiously typing away on theputer, attempting to finish the report when the door mmed open. He jumped in fright and turned around to see a stoic Boss. Uh-oh...The calmer he was, the angrier he was. This wasn¡¯t a storm anymore, it was a typhoon!

    He hurriedly stood up, nervously gulping. "Boss¡ª"

    "Where¡¯s the report?"

    Chen Gaonan nearly cried inside. He was only halfway done with it! Why did the investigation end so quickly?! "It¡¯s notplete yet..." When Yang Feng¡¯s soul-piercing eyesnded on him, he panicked. "I just need ten more minutes and I¡¯ll be done soon!"

    "Nevermind the report. We¡¯re heading to their base." Yang Feng wasn¡¯t in the mood to sit here and read papers. He¡¯ll personally visit Silver Crown.

    Wordlessly, he walked out of the door, Chen Gaonan hurriedly chasing after him.

    Yang Feng got into the car and told Hu Wei the location.

    Hu Wei nervously nced at his Boss, noticing theck of people apanying them to Silver Crown. He knew Chen Gaonan and that crazy Guo Sheng were apanying them, but that¡¯s it? Silver Crown might¡¯ve been a mediocre n, but with only three subordinates, he was worried for his Boss¡¯s safety.

    Not daring to speak up, he could only press the gas. Yang Feng grabbed his phone, sent out a message, and then ced it down shortly after.

    - - - - -

    In an enormous room were several men with a silver tattoo on one of their wrists. There was loud chatter everyone. Alcohol was being passed around and frequently, there was the sound of people clicking ss with each other. The air was heavy with cigarette smoke, burning liquor, cheap perfume, and sweat.

    Loud music boomed in the background as curvy and willowy women danced on poles, their hourss-shaped bodies perfectly swaying to the beat of the song. A few other women were securely sitting in theps of burly men, trying their best to satisfy their every whim and wishes. Dressed in outfits that left little to the imagination, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess what they were.

    "Boss, I heard the mission two weeks ago was a failure."

    "Bah! So what if it¡¯s a failure? We still got our money!" The chubby man with an enormous beer bellyughed. He had a thick cigar hanging from the side of his mouth and his two arms were both securely wrapped around the tiny waists ofdies the same age as his daughter.

    "Man, that bastard sure had a thick wallet. He cashed out two million like it was nothing." Someone else spoke up, gesturing to the enormous stack of money on the table. Whoevermissioned them was surely new at handling these type of businesses. Who gives out the full payment without knowing if the operation was going to be sessful or not?

    "It¡¯s always the rich f*cks who are crazy." The boss, Ren Xiong,mented, taking a long drag from his cigar and then blowing it into the faces of the women by his side, who tried their best to not cringe back.

    "This is why businessmen aren¡¯t to be trusted. They¡¯re secretly more crazy than us."

    "She was a pretty one too. Dazzling face, sexy body, tch, what a waste." Ren Xiong shook his head in disappointment. When he got a picture of her, he was thinking of dealing with the woman himself and having some fun with her first. He had never tasted expensive, clean-cut women like her. He was even thinking of sharing her with his men before ruining that brain of hers.

    Instead, his foolish subordinates suggested he let the retarded Bleeding Gun handle it. Not only did they fail the mission, but they were stupid enough to let the women get away. Luckily, it had been two weeks since then and nothing bad had happened to them yet. The tiny gang was immediately wiped out by Silver Crown.

    Right as Ren Xiong was reaching over to take a sip of his expensive XO, the door the room mmed open. Before any of the men could react, redser dots were aimed throughout the entire room, freezing everyone on the spot.

    Ren Xiong was unfazed by theser. Who had the balls to target them? He continued to drink his XO and right when he was about to ce the ss down, a bullet shot through it. This pissed him off. This damn alcohol had sshed onto his limited edition Gi shoes!

    "Youngsters these days are so f*cking bold." He sighed, reaching into his waistband and suddenly pulled out a pistol.

    Seeing the lethal weapon, the women in his arms instantly scurried out away, frightened by it. They weren¡¯t women who worked for the n, instead, they were just simple escorts and prostitutes called in to please these big-shots.

    "Put away the damnser, you think that¡¯ll scare the great Ren Xiong?!" He snarled.

    He flicked two fingers and instantly his men were armed with guns.

    "Which dumbf*ck sent you?" He stood up, irked that his fun was ruined like this.

    Yang Feng¡¯s men immediately stepped aside, creating a path as Yang Feng strode in, the coat hanging off his shoulder fluttering with each menacing step he took. The minute he entered, hands tucked into his front pockets, eyes lifeless, and a face cold as stone, the temperature in the room plummeted. The air turned stifling and suffocatingly heavy.

    Ren Xiong shuddered upon seeing who it was. The gun ttered out of his hand. One deadly nce from Yang Feng was enough to terrify Ren Xiong.

    Ren Xiong turned towards his people. "Fools, drop your guns!" He hissed at his men who were too frozen on the spot, to move.

    Yang Feng¡¯s emotionless eyes scanned the room, his very presence was overwhelming to Ren Xiong who was beginning to sweat buckets. His palm grew mmy in dread as he nervously rubbed it on his trousers, his confident voice gone.

    "Mr. Yang, how may Silver Crown help you today?" He asked, his eyes scanning the men he brought.

    On his way here, Yang Feng had mobilized the entire Imperial Team just to storm this ce to the ground. He had an endless variety of underlings and resources spread throughout the country, some even prating foreignnds.

    Each mission was handled by different squadrons, starting from Rank B all the way to SSS. The Imperial Team wasprised of the best of the best, each person¡¯s identity perfectly hidden. Many of the people of the underworld thought the Imperial Team was just a myth passed down through generations to keep the people in check, when, in reality, the Imperial Team had always been active, hidden in the shadows and ready to pounce like the beast of midnight.

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t speak, instead, he pulled out a gun, turning it around and examining it, a crude expression on his face.

    Chen Gaonan who walked in together with Yang Feng was the first to open his mouth. He did the talking when it came to these things. The Big Boss didn¡¯t need to waste his energy or breath on conversing with these useless pests. "Take a guess."

    Ren Xiong anxiously swallowed the lump in his throat when his eyesnded on the deadly weapon. He was no stranger to guns, but the one that Yang Feng had wasn¡¯t a simple one. Judging from its intricate design, it must¡¯ve been a custom-made one. It looked like an overpowered version of the Mark XIX, but this one would hurt a lot more.

    Gun wounds always hurt like hell, but the ones made by the gun that Yang Feng had were perfectly deadly. Once they pierced a person, the bullet would actually shatter within the body and instantly release a chemical that would melt organic surfaces. It was an acid that burned through everything until the pearly white bone was exposed. That pain alone would have people begging for death over mercy.

 Chapter 130 Wrong Woman

    "Mr. Yang, I¡¯m not sure of the purpose of your visit. S-silver Crown hasn¡¯t interfered with the Yang n¡¯s business¡ª"

    "Bleeding Gun." Yang Feng spoke up, his icy eyesnding on the pathetic man in front of him.

    Ren Xiong paled upon hearing the name of the small gang he wiped out. Of course, he knows of them, but what do they have to do with this?! What did those bastards do to offend Yang Feng and even make him mobilize his elite team of people?!

    "Yes, they were a small gang working under us." Ren Xiong stammered. He cursed in his brain. F*cking hell, I¡¯m older than him, why do I have to show respect to this little junior?! But he didn¡¯t dare to voice this thought out loud. He was ruthlessly crazy, but Yang Feng was on apletely different level of insane.

    "If they¡¯ve offended you in any way, Mr. Yang, Silver Crown haspletely wiped them out already!" Ren Xiong was, in all honesty, immensely terrified of offending the great Yang n who could wipe them out at the flick of a wrist. Destroying Silver Crown would be child¡¯s y to someone like Yang Feng.

    "That is exactly where you offended us, Ren Xiong." Chen Gaonan shook his head, like a father reprimanding a child. It was a funny sight to witness. Such an enormous and older manas Ren Xiong was so petrified of someone half his age. "But of course, that¡¯s only a small part of it." His eyes scanned the room,nding on therge sum of money on the coffee table.

    Ren Xiong followed his gaze that was on the cash. "Mr. Chen, here, you can have it all!" He hurriedly gestured for his men to ce the money into suitcases. "Why, if it¡¯s just money, I have plenty more that I can give¡ª"

    "You think weck money?" Chen Gaonan sneered. With Yang n¡¯s works, they could rake in hundreds of millions in just three days. That small pile of cash could be used as tissues for all they cared.

    Ren Xiong took a nce at Yang Feng who seemed displeased and that was enough to send him trembling on the spot. "No, I would never...please, have a seat. Let¡¯s talk about this over some alcohol, there¡¯s no need to be so tense." He awkwardlyughed. He felt if he stood here any longer, he would copse from fear.

    Chen Gaonan disdainfully nced at the couch. "I hope you don¡¯t expect us to sit on..." He eyed the plush couch worth thousands. "That?" He spat out the word as if it was dirty.

    Ren Xiong was immediately taken aback by his words. He spent at least one hundred grand on that couch! But he pushed his frustration back and tried to uphold his appeasing behavior. "Of course not. We have better chairs if you would juste upstairs with us¡ª"

    Yang Feng was growing impatient. He didn¡¯t have all the time in the world to waste with inferior people like this.

    Chen Gaonan sensed his temperamental boss¡¯ annoyance and decided it was time to finish the conversation, but Guo Sheng beat him to it when he walked into the room with a restless expression on his face.

    "Hey, Mr. Piggy, can you shut up? Your squealing is pissing me off." Guo Sheng scowled, twirling the sleek switchde with his fingers.

    Ren Xiong felt his brows furrow upon seeing another disrespectful youngster. Kids these days really deserved a beating! How could they treat their senior like this?!

    Besides, wasn¡¯t this one way too young to even be here? He was dressed naively young, like a baby chick with his bright yellow hoodie and ripped blue jeans.

    "Hey, human waste." Guo Sheng¡¯s airy expression instantly turned sinister. His eyes turned crazy and his face darkened as if a shadow was starting to cover his face. "Don¡¯t look at me." He snarled, throwing the knife right at Ren Xiong, who screeched in fear, turning his body to narrowly avoid it. However, the knife still nced past and sliced the side of his neck. Blood immediately spurted out.

    Upon seeing their boss injured, Silver Crown¡¯s men immediately lifted their guns again, but they didn¡¯t dare to point it towards Yang Feng. Instead, it was directed at Guo Sheng who looked at the guns in boredom.

    "Big Boss, can I blow them up?" Guo Sheng naively asked, tilting his head to Yang Feng. "No wait, I want to cut off the piggy¡¯s tongue first. He¡¯s annoying. What do you think about taking his eyes out? It¡¯d be a nice treat for our bloodhounds."

    At his threat, the men shuddered. Had anyone else said it, they would think of it as an empty excuse. But Guo Sheng said it with nonchnce as if he¡¯d done it many times in the past.

    Even though he was injured, Ren Xiong still didn¡¯t dare to get offended or mad. He could only grit his teeth in anger and fear and allow one of his men to step forward with some bandages. "I apologize, young man¡ª"

    "Did I say you can speak?" Guo Sheng scowled, his face became twisted with displeasure. He reached into his pocket and pulled out another knife.

    "Put it away." Yang Feng finally spoke up. His voice, deep and devoid of any emotion,bined with his grim eyes, was enough to make Ren Xiong quiver in his shoes. That voice of his was lethally calm.

    Guo Sheng pouted and shoved the de into the pocket of his hoodie. I just wanted a new dartboard... He looked at his watch and saw it was almost the designated time he usually went to sleep. I want to go home already.

    "In case your birdbrain still can¡¯t figure it out, you dumbf*cks messed with the wrong woman." Guo Sheng bluntly said. He too also wanted to rush the process. He had already missed his favorite cartoon bying here!

    Guo Sheng heard a brief gist of why they came here when the uptight Chen Gaonan lectured him about it on the car ride here. Apparently, a woman really important to Big Boss got injured by Silver Crown. Chen Gaonan didn¡¯t disclose who it was, so Guo Sheng thought it was his Big Boss¡¯ younger sister, Miss Yang Ruqin.

    "Wrong woman?" Ren Xiong was momentarily confused but then his eyes flickered. It couldn¡¯t be that woman, right? No, it couldn¡¯t be...F*ck! It can¡¯t be her!

    The businessman whomissioned them told them that aside from her influential grandfather, she shouldn¡¯t have any connections to the Underworld! Besides that, her grandfather was supposed to only have military influence, not ties to the infamous Yang n!

    "Y-you don¡¯t mean¡ª"

    "Oh, you know who it is? That¡¯s great!" Guo Sheng pped his hands together. He might be able to go home early! "So, whomissioned to have her harmed?" He couldn¡¯t understand why someone would try to hurt the Young Miss. She was so kind and sweet, why would people want to do that to her?

    "I¡¯m afraid that information is private." Ren Xiong carefully said. He immediately regretted his words when Guo Sheng¡¯s giddy expression darkened.

    "Would it still be private if I cut off your fingers one by one?" Guo Sheng innocently asked, his words sounded like a genuine innocent question.

    Ren Xiong nervously swallowed, his beady eyes shaking.

    Yang Feng was growing tired of this confrontation. "Take him to the base." He muttered, turning his back and swiftly walking out. Instantly, at his words, everyone from Silver Crown became guarded. But they couldn¡¯t react fast enough when the lights turned off and the doors mmed shut. Chaos erupted and within two minutes, the door opened again. The lights flickered on and the only men remaining conscious were all Yang Feng¡¯s men.

 Chapter 131 Devil And Angel

    First Hospital.

    Zhao Lifei stared at the contact on her phone and after a few seconds of debating, pressed the button to make a call. She waited as it rang. After a few seconds, it went to voicemail. She sighed, tried calling again, but to no avail. Her only way out of this hospital isn¡¯t picking up the call.

    Her shoulders drooped in disappointment. She knew it was practically impossible to leave this hospital. Her grandfather would go berserk if she left in an injured state. She thought about convincing him to let her recuperate somewhere else besides the hospital. She remembered in the past when she got sick, her grandfather would always hire private doctors instead of taking her to the hospital, but those were usually simple colds and not enormous wounds...

    She was about to close her list of contacts but paused when her eyes fell on a familiar phone number. Subconsciously, her fingers hovered over the name, her eyes softening. Yang Feng.

    Biting her bottom lip, she felt guilt enter her. ying back theirst conversation in her mind, she realized she was slightly in the wrong. She thought her stubbornness was normal. What right did he have to intrude into her life and force her to do something?

    The tiny devil on her shoulder whispered to her. ¡¯He¡¯s a control freak, don¡¯t go back to him.¡¯ But the angel told her, ¡¯He did it because he cares for your health and safety.¡¯

    Zhao Lifei thought back to his scorned expression. She had crossed a line.

    The angel continued to coerce her. ¡¯He wouldn¡¯t have stepped in if he didn¡¯t care for you. Think about it. Why do you think he was so angry? You¡¯ve constantly fought against his words and even dared to insult him. But he allowed you to do so and rarely got angry. Why would he be so infuriated out of nowhere? It¡¯s obviously because you misunderstood his intentions.¡¯

    Even the devil on her shoulder turned against her. ¡¯The stupid angel is right. You really screwed up this time. He¡¯s tolerated your bad temper for a while already. Why would he suddenlysh out like that?¡¯

    After what felt like a really long time, she grew tired of listening to the debate. She flicked both imaginary characters off her. This conversation was beginning to bother her because deep down, she knew they were right.

    He was too controlling of her, but his intentions this time were right. She wanted to have a proper conversation with him to exin the parts she disliked about him, and he could do the same in return. Communication should be key in a rtionship.

    Her phone dinged and she hastily looked down, thinking it might be a message from Yang Feng, but it was just a random email. Her shoulders unconsciously sagged in disappointment.

    Staring at the contact list, her eyes couldn¡¯t leave Yang Feng¡¯s name. Without even thinking her actions through, she pressed the call button. It rang once and went straight through to voicemail. Stunned at the response, she called again. The same thing happened.

    He was ignoring her.

    With a frown, she decided to shut off her phone and go to sleep, but that was another mistake. The second she fell asleep, she was plunged into a nightmare. In her dream, she was walking barefooted in an abyss of nothingness.

    Every time she took a step forward, it hurt her as if she were walking on thorns, each step bringing a jab of pain. Then suddenly, there was a light at the end of what seemed to be a long tunnel. Wanting a way out of this world of darkness, her slow steps quickly turned into a sprint towards the light. When she got closer, her heart dropped.

    In her dream was a man with the same build as Yang Feng, but she couldn¡¯t see his face. His back was turned to her, but she could tell by the way the man had one hand inside of his pocket, that it was, of course, Yang Feng.

    The man was walking away from her and leaving with him was the light. Unconsciously, she trailed after him, not wanting such a bright light to disappear from her vision. And right when she was close to him, something emerged from the corner of her eyes.

    Zhao Lifei turned her head and was taken aback to see the beautiful outline of a woman. Her outfit, the sway of her steps, and the breathtaking face, she felt her lips curl into a scowl. What was that secretary of Yang Feng doing in her dreams?

    She tried to grab Yang Feng, but a force held her back. It felt as if something was grabbing her ankle, holding her in ce. She tried to speak, but nothing came out. Envy burned within her when she saw the man walk to the woman, grab her by the waist and then bury his head into her neck, the same way he always did with her. It felt as if a knife was twisting its way into her heart because, in the next moment, the man lifted his head to gently guide the secretary¡¯s chin and tilt her face upwards.

    She refused to see it. She refused to see them lock lips together. But, even when she tried to close her eyes, she couldn¡¯t do so. A force was holding her head in ce, refusing to let her look away.

    In the background, there was someone speaking. "...L...i...fe...i!" She stiffened when something touched her, but she didn¡¯t know what it was.

    "....Li..fei!" A voice called out.

    Yang Ruqin scowled in annoyance when she saw her Feifei was still deep in dreand. "Hey, Sleeping Beauty! Wake up!" She screamed, continuing to shake her stubborn friend awake. Calling her name was of no use, so she had to resort to harsher means of waking her up.

    "Stop sleeping already. It¡¯s already two in the afternoon!" Yang Ruqin whined, continuing to shake her awake with so much force, the Birkin shoulder bag was beginning to slip off of her. Growing irritated at Lifei¡¯sck of response, she pressed her lips together, threw off her shoulder bag, and then using all of her strength, tugged the nket off of Zhao Lifei.

    Zhao Lifei groaned, her eyes slowly peeling open. She squinted, her vision blurry with exhaustion. Tiredly, she rubbed her eyes. "Qinqin...?" She mumbled in confusion.

    "Ugh, finally!" Yang Ruqin let out a heavy sigh, cing the nket back onto the poor woman¡¯s shivering body. She felt guilty for pulling the nket off of a sick person, especially one that was prone to easily getting cold.

    "Qinqin, what are you doing here?" Zhao Lifei sat up in her bed with the help of her dear Ruqin.

    "To talk some sense into you." Yang Ruqin pressed her lips together as she ced the pillow behind Lifei.

    Originally, she was nning to rest after the exhausting photo shoot that ran fromte in the afternoon of yesterday until noon today. Her infuriating manager had worked her to the ground! But her desire to sleep in the rest of the day was put to a screeching halt after she heard about the dispute between the budding couple whose rtionship was too unstable to have a fight. If it wasn¡¯t for her good friend, who was one of the men guarding outside the hospital room, she wouldn¡¯t have known an argument urred.

    Yang Ruqin was always one to side with her Feifei and vice versa. But this time, she couldn¡¯t take her side ¡ª especially after she heard the crazy woman was bold enough to escape the room, and ce her health on the line.

    Yang Ruqin pulled a chair up to the bed and sat down, crossing her arms like a disappointed mother. Her lips tugged down in a disapproving frown as she gave Zhao Lifei the stink eye.

    Zhao Lifei took in the appearance of her best friend and sighed. "Did Yang Feng send you?"

    Yang Ruqin was slightly shocked the hear the bitterness in Zhao Lifei¡¯s voice. Was the fight really that bad...? Her bodyguard friend said Feng-ge left in a fit of rage, mming the door so loudly, it could be heard down the hallway. "No, he didn¡¯t. I came here myself after secretly hearing what happened yesterday night."

    Zhao Lifei analyzed Yang Ruqin¡¯s posture. Her lips didn¡¯t twitch and neither was she nervously ying with her clothes. She wasn¡¯t lying. Yang Feng really didn¡¯t send her.

    "Before I judge the story, I want to hear your perspective first." Yang Ruqin didn¡¯t want to rashly make a conclusion and ce the me on anyone first. She trusted her Feifei would tell the truth, even if it was hard to speak it.

    Zhao Lifei hung her head and nervously yed with her fingers. She didn¡¯t want to tell Ruqin anything. It was hard to do so because a big part of her knew she was definitely in the wrong. The nightmare she had earlier served as a warning to her that Yang Feng could only deal with her conflicting ways for so long. One day he might really leave her if he gets pushed into a corner.

    Yang Ruqin felt her eyes be gentle upon seeing the state of her friend. "I can wait. You don¡¯t have to speak up now." Her voice was faint and calm, her initial annoyance dispersed.

    After a few seconds offortable silence, Zhao Lifei slowly nodded her head. The movement was so tiny, Yang Ruqin barely caught it. "Did you apologize to my brother yet?" She checked the time and saw it was now three in the afternoon. She figured it was a dumb question, seeing as Zhao Lifei had just woken up.

    "No..."

    "I texted Chen Gaonan before I got here. Yang Feng doesn¡¯t have a meeting until four o¡¯clock. He¡¯s most likely in his office doing some paperwork. I¡¯m sure if you call him now, he will have time to speak to you." Yang Ruqin wanted them to fix this issue as soon as possible. Their rtionship had barely started, yet there was already a rift between them.

    "I tried to call him earlier."

    Yang Ruqin was surprised to hear this. If she called him earlier, why didn¡¯t Yang Feng visit the hospital room? Her bodyguard friend didn¡¯t mention anything about seeing Yang Feng.

 Chapter 132 Happiest Around Each Other

    "But he didn¡¯t pick up...I called him twice."

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s beautifully shaped brows drew together upon hearing the defeat in her friend¡¯s voice. Hey, hey, the battle hasn¡¯t started yet, don¡¯t give up so quickly!

    "It went straight to voicemail after the first ring."

    "What time did you call him?"

    Zhao Lifei checked the phone. "Around one in the morning."

    Yang Ruqin became worried. One in the morning was the exact time her brother arrived home yesterday. She knew because the Old Butler looking over Yang Feng¡¯s mansion always reported to her mother the time he woulde home.

    This realization upsetted her. Feng-ge was stubbornly ignoring Zhao Lifei.

    It was surprising for her to hear about this. Her brother was always patient around Feifei and tolerated almost all of her disrespect. Was the situation this serious now? Was he truly offended by her words?

    "I¡¯ll call him¡ª"

    "No!" Zhao Lifei yelled. When she saw the confused expression on Yang Ruqin¡¯s face, she added on, "I created this mess, so I should be the one to fix it."

    "Alright then." Yang Ruqin firmly nodded, agreeing with her approach. "Before you do anything, tell me where you think you screwed up at." She wanted to make sure Lifei had everything sorted out before heading into the battle.

    Zhao Lifei awkwardly scratched the back of her head. "My stubbornness?"

    Yang Ruqin slowly shook her head. "Your stubbornness was not the issue here. From my perspective, Feng-ge doesn¡¯t seem to mind your spoiled temperament." She leaned into the chair, resting her face on her propped up arm. Even this simple pose made her look good, like a picture-perfect heiress.

    "Well, he shouldn¡¯t mind it in the first ce, since he¡¯s the one who encourages your behavior." She drily said, remembering the moments she witnessed her brother doting on Feifei.

    "Think harder to the moment the fight started."

    Zhao Lifei thought about the argument, deeply thinking about her refusal to stay in the bed. He was worried over her health, but she stubbornly pushed him away.

    "He¡¯s mad because I insulted him when all he wanted to do was care for me...?" Zhao Lifei sighed. They had both screwed up here. "His intentions came from a good ce, but his approach did not."

    Yang Ruqin slowly nodded, her face stern like a headmistress acknowledging a troubled student. "You¡¯re absolutely right, he¡¯s also in the wrong. But you have to understand, Feifei, my brother tries his hardest to chase after you. It¡¯s okay to y hard to get or struggle to open up to him."

    "My brother is used to having things always go his way. It¡¯s in his nature." Her older brother was spoiled by both sides of the family for being the eldest and a son. Something like that was expected of him. "He doesn¡¯t know how to properly take care of others, hence the reason why his approach is so overbearing. He was trying to keep you safe in the best way he knew: by locking you in a room. The same thing has happened to me in the past when a rough scandal broke out"

    "I don¡¯t want to justify his behavior, but I just want you to understand why he does it." Yang Ruqin frowned. "However, both of you guys have abnormally high egos that constantly sh with each other."

    Yang Ruqin wanted to side with Zhao Lifei, but she also had an obligation to Yang Feng. In the end, she wanted both of them to be happy, and from her perspective, they were the happiest around each other.

    "Your stubbornness will sh with his, and that¡¯spletely understandable, but I rmend talking about it with my brother. Try toe up with a solution where instead of you guys rashlyshing out at each other, you guys can try sitting down and having a civilized conversation."

    "Do you understand what I¡¯m trying to say?" Yang Ruqin paused to give Zhao Lifei some thinking time. "My brother likes you very much and he does not want to lose you, but you¡¯re constantly pushing him away. Because of that, he¡¯s more inclined to think that all of his approaches aren¡¯t working, thus, he gets frustrated." She continued to ramble, pausing every few seconds to breathe.

    "Feifei, how do you feel about my brother? Your desire to enact action or not all depends on it. Think about it carefully."

    Zhao Lifei was lost in her daydream while she pondered over Yang Ruqin¡¯s words. After a moment of silence, her face clicked with recognition.

    Yang Feng had done his part in chasing her, it was now her turn to do the same. At this point of their entwining path, it wasn¡¯t a matter of pride or ego. What was most important was understanding how she felt for him and she already knew the answer to that question. Every part of her wanted him, hell, her heart was the craziest whenever she was with him!

    It was finally time for her to run after a man who would actually treat her well without fail.

    "¡¯Yeah, I understand." Zhao Lifei nodded, ready to climb out of the bed and go to his office.

    "Woah there, youngdy! Where do you think you¡¯re going?!" Yang Ruqin quickly blocked Zhao Lifei¡¯s attempt of leaving the bed. She hurriedly grabbed the nkets and tucked the crazy woman inside.

    "To personally see Yang Feng?" Zhao Lifei responded, like a lost and confused child who couldn¡¯t see her wrongdoings. If he wasn¡¯t going to pick up the phone, the only way to contact him would be to go and see him personally.

    "Nuh-uh, you¡¯re not going to personally see him. I¡¯ll bring him here." Yang Ruqin said, shaking her head at the way Zhao Lifei¡¯s brain worked. How could she not prioritize her body?

    "No, Qinqin, I should be the one doing the chasing this time. On his way here, he¡¯ll think too much and begin to expect things from me¡ª hey! Put away the phone!" Zhao Lifei grabbed Yang Ruqin who had taken out her phone to call Chen Gaonan.

    "Stop it, Qinqin¡ª" In her attempt of grabbing the phone, Zhao Lifei had identally forced Yang Ruqin¡¯s finger to press on the call key. It rang once, twice, and on the third time, a deep voice spoke up.

    "Good afternoon, Miss Yang. How may I help you today?" Chen Gaonan politely spoke up, a slight noise in the background.

    Yang Ruqin triumphantly smirked. "What is my brother doing right now?"

    She stuck her tongue out at Zhao Lifei who looked infuriated on the bed, but didn¡¯t dare to speak up now that the call was ced on speaker.

    "Boss is currently on his way to a meeting¡ª"

    "Can the meeting be postponed?" Yang Ruqin cut straight to the chase, her shameless question took Chen Gaonan by surprise.

    "I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible¡ª"

    "He has tons of meetings, I¡¯m sure he can ce this one on hold."

    Chen Gaonan slightly frowned but kept his voice respectful and firm. He knew the Yang women were very persistent when it came to cing family over work. This request was not umon, for it had happened many times before in the past.

    "He has already boarded the airne to the meeting. It¡¯s on the other side of the country and the flight will take at least four hours." Chen Gaonan dered, his response stunning the women in the room.

 Chapter 133 Unreasonable

    "Didn¡¯t you say he was in his office!"

    "Yes, Boss was previously preparing himself for the meeting."

    "Ugh. When does hee back then? What is he doing right now? Is he busy?"

    Chen Gaonan turned his head to the other leather couch chair at the other side of the luxurious private jet. He looked at his Boss who was furiously typing on hisptop. With his sses hanging on the bridge of his nose, his Boss was very concentrated on the task at hand. It would not be wise to interrupt his workaholic mood.

    "Yes, he¡¯s busy¡ª"

    "Can¡¯t he spare just a few minutes on the phone then? I¡¯d like to talk to him about urgent issues."

    "I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s not in the best condition to speak." Chen Gaonan continued to remain staunch. He hoped Yang Ruqin would be sympathetic and understand his Boss¡¯ value waspletely different from hers. He was her brother, thus, she should know by now that once the Boss has entered his workaholic mode, there was no turning back. To interrupt him was to ask for a death wish.

    "But, it¡¯s really really important and it concerns his future!"

    Zhao Lifei understood the situation at hand. "If he can¡¯t talk, don¡¯t pester him about it. I can wait." She quietly whispered, so that only Yang Ruqin could hear her.

    Seeing as he had his obligations to work, Zhao Lifei did not want to sound clingy. In the past, Zheng Tianyi had scorned her many times for being so clingy, she didn¡¯t want the same thing to happen with Yang Feng. She didn¡¯t want to be a burden again.

    Chen Gaonan pinched the spot between his brows, his patience running low. "I¡¯m afraid not, Miss Yang." Everyone on the private jet was busy preparing for an excruciatingly important meeting that would cost thepany at least one billion. With that price tag alone, everyone was on high alert.

    Chen Gaonan unconsciously looked in Su Meixiu¡¯s direction. She had already finished creating the presentation and was on her way to memorizing it.

    All these years of strict training from their Boss truly paid off. In just fifteen minutes, she had finished the presentation, written a n, and even had the script prepared.

    She was quiet and rarely unreasonable. Why can¡¯t all women be like her? Or more in particr, why can¡¯t Yang Ruqin behave like that?!

    "But, it¡¯s matters concerning Zhao Lifei! I¡¯m sure Feng-ge will spare a few minutes to speak to her." Yang Ruqin refused to back down. She didn¡¯t care if she sounded irritably annoying. She was a rich heiress, this behavior was expected of her!

    Growing up, everyone waited upon her requests. She was dearly loved by both sides of her family, doted on by her parents, and pampered like a porcin doll by her older brothers. All these years have cultivated a fine, but demanding young woman whose motto was always "it¡¯s either my way or no way at all."

    Chen Gaonan frowned. Miss Ruqin¡¯s persistence was because of Zhao Lifei?

    His opinion of the young woman soured. At first, he had mild respect for her because of herpetence and seemingly valuable abilities. But who would¡¯ve known, behind that facade was another clingy woman?

    He let out an exasperated sigh. Why were the women in his Boss¡¯ life so obnoxious?

    "At least ask for his opinion on the matter before downright rejecting me! I want to hear what Feng-ge has to say." Yang Ruqin knew Chen Gaonan¡¯s role as the secretary was to answer for his boss, but she was his younger sister!

    She wanted to personally call Yang Feng earlier, but knowing her brother¡¯s temperament and extreme dedication his work, he would not even nce at his phone if he was busy doing something.

    Chen Gaonan¡¯s disapproving frown deepened when he saw how long they¡¯d talked for.

    It was time to go back to his pile of work before his Boss reprimanded him for not utilizing his time properly. Every second on this airne counted.

    "I shall pass the phone to him now." He finally relented, gesturing for a flight attendant to step forward. She passed the phone to Yang Feng who didn¡¯t even look up when the beautiful and charming woman walked to him.

    "President Yang, pardon my intrusion, but Mr. Chen¡ª"

    "I¡¯m busy." Yang Feng muttered, never once lifting his eyes from hisptop. He was glued to it, reading the reports and typing on it like a madman.

    The flight attendant turned to Chen Gaonan who made a gesture. Be more persistent.

    She hesitated and right when she opened her mouth to speak again, a loud voice spoke through the phone.

    "FENG-GE!" Yang Ruqin screamed into the phone, in hopes of catching his attention.

    The flight attendant was surprised to hear such a loud voice, nearly dropping the phone in the process. She took a secretive nce at it and was shocked to see it was not on speaker mode! Whichdy could be this loud?!

    Yang Feng¡¯s lips dipped low into a scowl. He reluctantly ced his sses down and took the phone without sparing the flight attendant a single nce.

    "What is it? Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m busy right now?" Yang Feng continued to analyze the documents on hisptop.

    "When are youing back from the trip? There¡¯s someone that wants to see you¡ª"

    "I don¡¯t have the time or interest to entertain your model friends." His lips thinned, the air around him became suffocating. She pestered his secretary and forced him to pick up the phone just for this stupid reason? He was one second away from calling his parents to pick up this annoying sister of his!

    "No, it¡¯s not my friend. Wait, it is, but she¡¯s more of a sister than a friend. You know, like sisters from another mother¡ª"

    "Get to the point." Yang Feng sent out a message to his guards in Shenbei to go and fetch her. It was time she faced their parent¡¯s wrath.

    "Uhm, can you wrap up the meeting really quickly? I was thinking you shoulde and visit Feifei, she has something to say¡ª" He hung up the phone.

    Yang Ruqin parted her lips in shock, ncing at the nk screen, her mouth opening, and closing. She couldn¡¯t believe he hung up the phone on her! Fuming, she called again, but it went straight to voicemail without any ring. He had blocked her.

    She was too scared to turn around and see her Feifei¡¯s reaction...The situation was a lot worse than expected! Oh lord, what am I supposed to do now?!

    Yang Feng tossed the phone onto the floor after blocking Yang Ruqin¡¯s number. He threw it so hard, the screen immediately cracked on impact.

    Chen Gaonan winced upon seeing his damaged phone. Because of his Boss¡¯ unhappiness, the entire atmosphere in the airne became unbearable. It was hard to breathe...especially with the murderous chill hanging in the air.

 Chapter 134 Thunder

    Yang Ruqin refused to give up. She called her brother again, but he didn¡¯t pick up. She frowned and attempted to do it again, but before she could, her mother called her first. Her face became visibly pale upon seeing the picture of her mother sh on her phone. She swallowed the lump in her throat and nervously looked at Zhao Lifei.

    "M-my mom is calling..." She whispered as if she was scared of getting caught for doing something bad.

    "Pick it up then." Zhao Lifei said, knowing the more Ruqin made her mother wait, the more Madam Yang would be infuriated.

    Yang Ruqin looked at her nervously. "Can you pick it up for me¡ª" The phone stopped ringing. She let out a sigh of relief, only to panic again when her father¡¯s contact shed.

    "Oh my god, its my dad!" She yelped, nearly tossing the phone to the other side of the room.

    "Just pick it up Ruqin, they¡¯ll continue to call if you don¡¯t." Zhao Lifei said.

    Missed calls from both of her parents would not look good for her if she¡¯s taken back to the Yang Mansion. She could stop Yang Feng, but she knew she couldn¡¯t stop Mr. and Mrs. Yang if they brought their people to pick up their daughter.

    "A-alright..." Yang Ruqin whispered. She walked to the corner of the room and talked in hushed voices with her parents.

    Zhao Lifei patiently waited for the phone call to end. Sheid down on the bed, stared at the ceiling, and sighed. I really hate this ce.

    The hospital ceiling was boring, the scent from the humidifier was beginning to annoy her, the smell of chemicals and disinfectants was beginning to trickle back haunting memories, and she despised every second spent in here.

    She reached for her phone and debated the idea of calling her grandfather. She wanted to coerce him into allowing her to leave the hospital and recuperate somewhere else ¡ª anywhere was fine, as long as it wasn¡¯t in a hospital.

    Just then, she remembered Xiao Nai who was probably waiting for her. Sitting up in her bed, she was about to climb out and get ready for the day, when Yang Ruqin walked back to her with a distraught expression.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Zhao Lifei immediately asked.

    "My parents want me to return home. The chauffeur is already waiting for me downstairs." Yang Ruqin grimly said. She didn¡¯t want to go back home because she knew they would bombard her with questions the second she stepped into the house, or it was about marrying some rich heir to improve the family connection.

    She kicked the chair beside her, a pout on her face. "Stupid Feng-ge, he¡¯s always doing this!" Not only was he controlling of Feifei, but he¡¯s also controlling over me! What type of brother is he?!

    "Just because he¡¯s the eldest, it doesn¡¯t mean he has the right to interfere with my life!" Yang Ruqin added on, frustrated that her own brother would sell her out.

    Zhao Lifei sighed. "Guess we¡¯re in the same boat." She rolled her eyes, not understanding why he always had to be in control all the time. Why couldn¡¯t he rx and just let fate y its course?

    "Sometimes I really want to hit him¡ª" The phone rang again. Yang Ruqin pressed her lips together and groaned when she saw it was her father calling her.

    Zhao Lifei also saw the contact name. "Go home, I¡¯ll be fine." She said, shooing the young woman out of the door.

    A few minutes after she left, the nurse came in to change her bandages and IV bag. Soon after, a female doctor walked in to check on her condition.

    After a series of questions, Zhao Lifei surprisingly got permission to walk around a bit to get her joints moving again. Once the doctor left, she carefully took a shower, changed into a fresh set of hospital wear, and then opened the door of her room.

    Once again, a group of men was blocking it. She already knew who they were. "The doctor said I can walk around a bit." She spoke up, but they didn¡¯t budge.

    "I¡¯m going to another patient¡¯s room for a small chat." She added on. After a few seconds of awkward silence where she thought her request was rejected, they finally stepped aside.

    "The Boss has instructed us to apany you wherever you go. You muste back as soon as the doctor or nurses arrive with the daily medicine." One of them gruffly said, to which Zhao Lifei reluctantly nodded. It was better than nothing.

    She wordlessly walked down the hall to Xiao Nai¡¯s room and to her absolute surprise, the girl was gone. The room was freshly cleaned and all of the gifts were gone.

    Xiao Nai had gone home.

    This was strange to Zhao Lifei because she thought the child would be eager to stay because of their promise.

    With a reluctant sigh, she closed the door and walked down the halls.

    When she heard a sharp cry behind her, she jumped in fright. Her heart pounded a million beats per second at the sudden outbreak of noise in the quiet hallways.

    Zhao Lifei turned back and saw it was just a mother with her newly born child. They were an adoring pair.

    The mother looked young, but that didn¡¯t prevent the motherly expression on her face. She softlyforted the crying baby, whispering gentle words and lightly swaying her body. Behind the woman was a big window that looked outside. The skies were dark and grey, it was going to rain soon and judging from the rumbling skies, it might even thunder.

    She hurriedly went back to her room right as the first sound of thunder rumbled the skies. BOOM! She cried out in fear, flicking off the lights and hurriedly running back into her bed. She didn¡¯t know where her fear of thunder came from, but she developed it some time in her childhood. Shaking in her nket, her body went stiff. Her fingers dug into her skin, pain spreading from the area.

    Memories of the past came flooding back, forcing her to bury herself deeper into her bed, as if it could provide somefort and shelter from the terrifying sounds outside.

    - - - -

    Zhao Moyao had just finished a meeting when the first p of thunder. He looked at the enormous window overlooking Shenbei and his face turned dark. "Prepare the car right away." He instructed Li Xuan who quickly called the driver over. Not wasting a single second, he hurriedly rushed into the hospital and straight to his granddaughter¡¯s room.

    The bodyguards stepped aside upon seeing Zhao Moyao. When he pushed the door open, his heart dropped a bit.

    The lights were turned off, but he could clearly see the pitiful silhouette of a trembling body hiding beneath a white nket. He turned on the light and walked to her. "Xiao Fei." He called to her, but she didn¡¯t respond.

    Li Xuan didn¡¯t dare to enter the room. He could only close the door and wait patiently outside for results. Checking the weather reports, he sighed. It was going to rain and thunder all night long.

    There was only so muchfort his boss could do in the hospital room in just the short span of time he had before he had to go home. The hatred for hospitals must run deep in the Zhao family¡¯s veins. Despite his boss¡¯ old age, the man would never visit a hospital even if he was faced with serious health issues.

    "Xiao Fei, it¡¯s merely thunder." Zhao Moyao said, but she remained quiet. He frowned at this but reminded himself to be patient. Ever since her childhood days, she was always scared of thunder. He was used to this scene of her buried under her nkets, shaking and whimpering in fear. He didn¡¯t understand what was so scary about thunder, for it was merely a sound.

    "Xiao Fei,e out from under the nket." Zhao Moyao was not good at handling these types of situations. It was often left up to the nannies or caretakers of the house who always came in tofort her, while he would anxiously watch from the sidelines in fear that something would go wrong.

 Chapter 135 You Dont Know Her

    Li Xuan was patiently waiting outside of the room when he received a notification. He nced down at his phone and felt his mood dampen. In his boss¡¯s rush to leave the office, the two forgot there was an important meeting with a CEO from a foreign countrying up soon. They wanted to build a hotel in Qiaofu, a city who was rapidly growing because of a sharp increase in tourism. This meeting was crucial, for this was the day the final proposal contracts were to be signed and the transfer of funds was tomence.

    He paced for a few seconds, debating what he should do. In his line of work as a secretary, he was supposed to separate his emotions from his duties. But at this moment, he was more worried about the young woman who was once notorious for her unstable behavior and temper.

    She was very unpredictable, thus, he was worried about what might happen to her if she were left alone. However, he also had to take into ount the importance of this meeting.

    Li Xuan sighed. It was time to ce business over emotions. He knocked on the door and opened it slowly. Zhao Moyao turned his head to Li Xuan with a disapproving scowl. "What is it?!" He impatiently asked, displeased at the interruption.

    "Sir, the meeting regarding the hotel in Qiaofu is about to start soon. We have to head back now." Li Xuan worriedly looked at Zhao Lifei. Even from the door, he could see her bodypletely wrapped in a nket up to her head. Every few seconds, he could hear a sniffle. Was she crying? Was thunder this scary? He looked out the window and was unfazed by the heavy rain.

    BOOM!

    Neither of the men jumped, but Zhao Lifei did. She let out a terrified shriek, the sound desperate and defeated.

    Zhao Moyao was faced with a dilemma. He couldn¡¯t leave her here unattended like this, nor could he miss the meeting. An idea came into his mind. It was rash, but it was the only thing he could do in this case. If he couldn¡¯t remain here andfort her, there were people in the Main Mansion who could, starting from Old Butler Tang.

    "Have her escorted to the Main Mansion." He looked around the hospital room, his nose wrinkling. The smell of the eucalyptus essential oil was too strong and when mixed with the slightest smell of chemicals, made him nauseated. This room, despite its size, was stuffy and ufortable.

    "But what about her wounds¡ª"

    "When the storm dies down, call for Doctor Song." Doctor Song had taken care of Zhao Lifei ever since she was a child. He was the one who treated her for the smallest paper cuts to high fevers and was also one of the few selected people she allowed to get close to her when she was younger.

    - - - -

    On their way back to the office, Li Xuan nced at his boss from the rearview mirror.

    Zhao Moyao was lost in thought as he stared out the window, his eyes unclear and filled with worry. He didn¡¯t want her to leave the hospital this soon, especially since she had just awoken, but the environment was not good for her.

    If there was one thing that her therapist had told him, it was the fact that she was easily triggered. Her mental state had immensely improved within these past two years of her treatment, but it was still very easy for her to revert back to her old self if she was faced with the slightest trauma. The thunder,bined with her irrational fear of hospitals, was a dangerous concoction and a risk he was not willing to take.

    "Sir, I hate to pry, but will Miss Lifei be sent back to the hospital for further treatment?"

    "Not unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary. I will send her there for check-ups, but she will not reside there." Zhao Moyao already knew he had made a mistake when he didn¡¯t have her leave the hospital earlier. He had already heard of her crazy attempt of forcibly leaving the hospital room. He already knew the reason for her behavior.

    While Zhao Moyao was lost in his thoughts, his phone rang. He nced at the t device with disdain. Yang Feng was calling him. That brute had probably heard of his n of moving her out of the hospital. He picked up the phone. "What is it, boy?"

    "Why did you let her leave the hospital?" Yang Feng¡¯s voice was lifeless, but Zhao Moyao heard the destructive anger within this cid man¡¯s tone.

    "She¡¯s my granddaughter. I don¡¯t have to give you any reason for my decision."

    "She needs the treatment. The First Hospital offers the best that this country has ever seen¡ª"

    "For thest time, she is my granddaughter. I¡¯ve taken care of her for an enormous fraction of her life, and I will continue to do so." Zhao Moyao could not believe how gutsy this man was, but he should¡¯ve expected it. All this young man cared about was his granddaughter and her well-being. Everything else must¡¯ve been a blur to him.

    "She¡¯s stubborn when ites to her own health. Taking her out of the very ce that can provide it to her is a dangerous gamble just because she dislikes the room¡ª"

    "It seems you don¡¯t know her as well as you originally thought you did." Zhao Moyao¡¯s words were like a p and rude awakening to Yang Feng whose irritable presence could even be felt over the phone. His voice, deep and rough, was demanding.

    Zhao Moyao was not surprised to see why Elder Yang had decided to pick this boy as his sessor to the Underworld. His aura, his behavior, everything about this boy was unfathomably perfect with the right amount of authority. Too bad this boy was too damn stubborn ¡ª just like his granddaughter. How can two hard-headed people even enter into a rtionship without fiercely shing? It was certainly one way of having sparks fly.

    "Xiao Fei is fearful of the hospital. It ties back to her past, something she desperately wants to forget. Keeping her there might be good for her physical well being, but her brain will deteriorate in that room." He thought back to her escape. "You¡¯ve seen it too, I assume. She has always been stubborn, but when you conversed with her in that hospital room, did you realize how irrational she had be?"

    Yang Feng scowled. Irrational? She has always been that way. He didn¡¯t pick up drastic changes except for her sudden shift in emotions that changed too quickly for it to be normal. One minute she was calm, the next she was at his throat.

    "I will not disclose much of her history, for I already know you will dig into. The only thing I can tell you is to continue being patient with her." He was worried about their rtionship. This man was already disying very possessive behavior over her. The oue would not be pleasant if it continued.

    "There are some things she does that are unexinable. I¡¯m sure you want answers to them, but you must not force it from her. If she doesn¡¯t want to open up, don¡¯t force her to do so, for she will just mp down harder than before." Zhao Moyao knew how dense this man was. He could only hope his words would get through Yang Feng.

    "I know you have been patient with her for a while. You may feel like you take one step forward, but two steps backward when arguing with her, but that¡¯s not the real case."

    The car had arrived at Zhao Corporation, so he knew he needed to end the conversation soon. "This is a very selfish request from me, but I rmend that you continue your patience. When the time is right, she will open up to you."

    Zhao Moyao wondered if his granddaughter would finally ce her ego aside and open up to him. "If she reaches out to you, see it as a sign that she is changing." Zhao Moyao hung up the phone and stepped out of the car.

    Yang Feng wordlessly listened to the words of this elder. There were times he wanted toment and argue, but he remained respectful, for this man knew her the best.

    Just then, his phone dinged, which made him nce down and see it was a message from his mother. But his brows furrowed upon reading it.

    ¡¯Don¡¯t be mad at Feifei anymore, Feng-ge. Just return her calls. Listen to what she has to say.¡¯ -Yang Ruqin

    He scowled upon seeing she had used his mother¡¯s phone just to contact him. How could she be this persistent? It was no wonder Zhao Lifei was so protective of his younger sister, their loyalty for each other wasmendable.

 Chapter 136 Source of Happiness

    When Zhao Lifei arrived at the main mansion, she surprised the new servants who weren¡¯t used to seeing such a grown woman be afraid of thunder, but Old Butler Tang knew what to do. He led her to her bedroom, ordered for warm milk with honey, and had the curtains shut tight.

    The windows were locked, the lights were turned on, and Old Butler Tang took further precautions by ying soothing but loud piano music that blocked out the noise. He then instructed some of the staff to bring a noise canceling machine and had it set up. Once she was done with her warm milk, he fluffed the pillows and was able to coerce her to sleep.

    Old Butler Tang let out a sigh of relief upon seeing her finally, blissfully asleep. But the serenity on her face was only a facade that hid her chaotic nightmare filled with blood and hospital gowns.

    By the time Zhao Moyao got home from work, he was exhausted. The meeting ran longer than nned and manyplications arose, but he was finally home.

    Seeing the Master was home, Old Butler Tang immediately went downstairs to greet him.

    "Wee home, Master Zhao." Old Butler Tang respectively said, taking the heavy coat from him draped it over his arm.

    "How is Xiao Fei?" Zhao Moyao tilted his head toward the grand stairs leading upstairs.

    "She has fallen asleep."

    Zhao Moyao let out a tiny sigh of relief. Good. She was able to sleep the storm away. "Doctor Song will be here tomorrow. Have the supplies ready. Get one of the maids to change her bandage tomorrow morning."

    "Understood." Old Butler Tang regally bowed his head as Zhao Moyao walked past him and into his office.

    - - - -

    Yang Feng pondered about his next move. He wanted her to do the chasing this time, but with an injured body, he knew she could not leave the Zhao Mansion to personally visit him. He didn¡¯t have the patience to wait for two more weeks for her condition to stabilize either. It was hard for him to get a good night sleep whenever he was worried about something. He had also already gotten ustomed to sleeping with her in his arms. The only way he felt reassured that she was safe at night was when she slept in his embrace, perfectly tucked next to him.

    He could easily talk to her over the phone, but he wanted to see her in person.

    He pressed his lips together and phoned Chen Gaonan who was FaceTiming his wife when the Yama called him. Reluctantly, Chen Gaonan answered the call. "Yes, Boss?"

    "How long do I have to remain here?"

    Chen Gaonan scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. Did his Boss want to leave already? But they just got here! "At least three days until everything is finalized¡ª"

    "When is the meeting?"

    "Nine in the morning tomorrow."

    "What else is on the schedule?"

    "Well you have to tour the property, attend the banquet, and¡ª"

    "Prepare the private jet. I¡¯m heading back to Shenbei tonight. I will return tomorrow morning."

    "But Boss¡ª"

    Yang Feng hung up the phone.

    Chen Gaonan frustratedly groaned. It was so difficult to work for this man! He has to worry about thepany¡¯s well being as well as cater to such a demanding person, who rarely listened to advice from others.

    His lips thinned, for he already knew who the Boss was returning to Shenbei for. It was all because of that needy and spoiled woman! He wished she could be of actual use to the Boss, instead of just being a source of happiness.

    Su Meixiu would be the perfect description for this. Not only was she extremelypetent, but she was beautiful inside and out. She was mature and would not need to constantly stick to the Boss¡¯s side, unlike that pesky Zhao Lifei.

    - - - - -

    Bright and early the next morning, Doctor Song came over to do a check-up on Zhao Lifei. He made sure her bandage was properly changed and dressed. After prescribing her medicine, he rmended some light exercises for her to do every day, such as taking walks in the garden.

    Zhao Moyao had ordered a set of IV bags to be sent from First Hospital as well as a drip pole for her so she could still receive the same treatment as in the hospital. No one dared to question his decision, for they were all too nervous of his authority.

    After making sure everything wasfortably set up for his pampered granddaughter, Zhao Moyao prepared to leave for work. He turned to his granddaughter who was lost in her own thoughts, her eyes hazy and spaced out. "Xiao Fei, I¡¯m off to work now." He told her, giving her head a gentle and warm pat.

    Slowly, her head tilted upwards to him. She quietly nodded, a soft smile on her face. "Have a good day at work." She said, bidding him goodbye and watching as he walked out of the room.

    She spent her entire afternoon in her old room, filled with decorations that had remained the same even after all the years she didn¡¯t spend in here. Not a single furniture was out of ce. Aside from some minor cleaning, the spacious and overly violet room was still the same.

    After reading a book, glumly browsing through the television, and taking her medication, the day passed by uneventfully.

    She wanted to contact Yang Feng on many asions but was too fearful the past would repeat itself. If she kept on calling him when he didn¡¯t want her to, she was scared ofing off as clingy.

    She learned the more she clung onto someone, the more they were inclined to leave and every fiber within her didn¡¯t want him to. Despite their stubborn arguments and petty bickering, a big part of her still yearned for him. It was tough to sleep without hisfort. The nightmare she had during the rain storm was an evident example of that.

    She ate her dinner in her room, with a propped up table on her bed while watching television. Her grandfather was out on a business dinner today and couldn¡¯t join her, but she didn¡¯t mind. This room was all that she needed for a big fraction of her life was spent alone. She could bear with it a bit longer...

    After the maids came in to properly change her bandages, give her the medication, and change the IV drip bag, she fell into another destructive nightmare. But this time, it was one that would haunt her for the rest of her life.

 Chapter 137 It Hurts

    Three in the morning.

    Yang Feng wordlessly strolled down the dim and winding hallways of the Zhao Mansion. He was impressed by the top-notch security ced around this mansion. It was extremely hard for him to break in past the electrified fences, the guard-dogs just a few yards away from the main door, and theser beams hidden in the hallways, but nothing was impossible for Yang Feng.

    He walked down the hallways, wondering which room she was in. It was a full moon tonight so there was enough moonlight seeping through the windows to guide him a pale path down the corridors. After a few minutes of walking, he finally came across a door with a golden te that had her name on it.

    He pushed the door open, locking it behind him. His footsteps were very quiet, so much that it didn¡¯t create a single noise, so when he heard a cry, he stiffened. His head snapped to the right where there was a bed with muslin curtains hanging down from the top.

    "No...I¡¯m sorry..."

    Yang Feng felt as if his heart was being ripped into pieces. Her soft cries, the sniffles, everything was like a merciless jab to his heart. He rubbed his chest in hopes of soothing the shooting pain. He walked towards the bed and lifted the curtains, his heart breaking on the spot when he saw her state.

    Her eyes were squeezed shut, her dark, silky hair cascading around her. His eyes trailed to her softly parted lips, the enticing color drawing him closer.

    She was clenching the white nket so tightly, her delicate fingers were ghostly pale, nearly blending into her nket. There were droplets of cold sweat on her forehead, causing her fringe to stick to it. Tears were continuously rolling down her cheeks silently apanied by intermittent soft cries and sobs.

    "Oh, love..." He hoarsely whispered upon seeing her state, immediately wiping her tears away.

    He stiffened when she suddenly cried out. "NO! Don¡¯t touch me!" She shrieked in her sleep, her words rming him. Hearing those words, the temperature around them turned into a murderous chill.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes became darker than night, the color resembling an endless abyss. Who was touching her? Which bastard dared to cause her to have nightmares like this?!

    "Please..." She wept, her voice so broken, it instantly beckoned him towards her like a moth attracted to a me. He saw she was still asleep, but her grip on the nket had further tightened. More tears poured from her eyes, like an endless waterfall.

    Yang Feng felt as if his heart was being continuously shredded. Quickly, but gently, he pulled her into his warm embrace, prying the nket out of her fingers. The minute he seeded, she roughly grabbed his fingers instead.

    "Stop it! It hurts!" She wailed, struggling in his arms, clearly not understanding reality. Her dreams were mocked by the sound of clothes being ripped and a frantically struggling woman.

    "Shh, shh...It¡¯s alright." He gentlyforted her, pressing her head to his shoulders, gently pulling his finger out of her tiny hand. Quickly, it seized onto something else ¡ª his white shirt. He ignored the fact that she was bunching up the expensive silk worth thousands. If itforted her to hold something, he¡¯d rather have it be him.

    "It hurts! Make it stop, it hurts!" She sobbed, each word painfully slicing his heart. He didn¡¯t know what nightmare she was experiencing, but he could only hope it would quickly pass.

    "It¡¯ll stop soon, don¡¯t think about it..." He continued to mummer reassuring words into her ears, gently cuddling her in his arms, continuously rubbing his calloused hands gently up and down her back, as he soothingly patted the back of her head.

    "It¡¯s going to be alright soon." He whispered, continuing to console her. asionally, he would press kisses upon her head, his lips lingering there while he beckoned her withforting phrases.

    Soon, she stopped struggling in his arms and instead snuggled into it. He gently wiped her tears away, handling her with care. He leaned his head on top of hers, continuing to soothe her. When he saw that she had calmed down, he still held her for god knows how long.

    He didn¡¯t know why he came here, but his legs just brought him here. A tiny part of him knew it was because he couldn¡¯t sleep properly without knowing whether or not she was safe. Even if she was in her grandfather¡¯s house, he still worried about her health. After seeing her previous state, he decided it was a good thing to havee here.

    She mumbled something in her sleep that he couldn¡¯t properly understand. He pulled back a bit to listen to what she was saying, but the hand scrunching his silk button-up gripped tighter and roughly yanked him back to her, continuing to rest her head right below his shoulder. He stared at her in astonishment before a smile slowly spread on his lips.

    "...Fe...ng..." She mumbled in her sleep.

    Startled at her word, he looked at her and saw her eyes were still shut, but her eyebrows were now pulled together, and her lips were tugged downwards. He anxiously waited to hear what she would say about him.

    "I...I..." She grumbled some gibberish, suddenly the arm wrapped around his shoulders tightened. Yang Feng sighed at the anticlimactic ending as she went on to say something else that waspletely unintelligible. He raised his hand to smooth out the lines between her forehead but paused when she spoke up again.

    "...you..." He frowned, not catching the first part of her speech.

    "You¡¯re a tease, even in your sleep." He quietly said, adjusting the nkets and then gently cing her back onto the bed. He had a hard time getting her to properlyy down because of the arm that was tightly holding onto his shoulder for dear life.

    It took every ounce of his patience and self-control not to throw his logic out the window and just climb into the bed with her. He knew it was already viting their trust bying to her room unannounced and he didn¡¯t want to cross the line further.

    "I¡¯m sorry." He whispered to her, apologizing for what he did to her previously and also for forcibly prying her arm away from him.

    She kicked her nket in her sleep. He chuckled at her behavior, pressing butterfly kisses on her dainty fingers, desperately wishing it was her lips instead. But he didn¡¯t dare to do so, in fear that she would wake up. He gently ced her arms into the nkets before expertly tucking her in, ensuring every part of her was secured and tightly wrapped in it.

    He sat up straighter, ready to leave, but paused when he looked at her face. He hesitated to leave. Bending down, he pressed a final kiss on her forehead, his lips lingering there for a few seconds before reluctantly pulling away.

    Using his thumb, he caressed her cheeks. They were as soft and smooth as hest remembered. With onest kiss on her nose, he stood up to leave.

    Zhao Lifei woke up the second he forcibly detached her arm from around him. Without warning, she climbed out of the bed, her feet making tiny patters on the cold marble ground and before Yang Feng could even react or turn around, she had wrapped her arms around his waist, taking him by surprise.

    "Don¡¯t go." She whispered, holding onto him tightly, burying her face into the back of his perfectly ironed suit. She was terrified he would push her away or leave her as he had done before. "Please." She felt her fingers nervously shake.

    Yang Feng was awfully quiet for a while. His silence scared her and she could do nothing else but hug him tighter, pressing her entire body into his back, to the point where she could feel the muscles of his back contracting.

    "Can we talk it out?" She added on, her voice barely above a whisper. The longer he stayed quiet, the more her fear of him leaving wrapped around her. Unknowingly, her walls were beginning to crumble until her heart was fully exposed to him. If he pushed her away now, her entire world would crumble into nothingness.

 Chapter 138 Pathetic

    "There¡¯s nothing to talk about." His words shattered her. She felt as if her heart was being ripped to pieces, the agonizing pain swelling within her chest.

    "Yang Feng, I¡ª"

    "Get off of me." He sharply said. His voice was deep and gruff, the irritation heavy in his voice.

    Zhao Lifei felt like her heart was stomped to dust. She opened and closed her mouth, unable to form words. Her eyes prickled and burned, her lips wobbled, and she was trying her best to suppress a sniffle. She wanted to win him over with her words, not her tears.

    "No." She replied, her voice cracking. When he grabbed her arm in an attempt to shove it away, she locked it together with great difficulty because of how tiny and short her arms were.

    "Why can¡¯t we talk it out?" She hoarsely whispered, trying her best to suppress the welting hot tears that pooled in her eyes, threatening to fall at any given second.

    "I¡¯ve chased you long enough." He muttered, slowly prying her fingers open one by one, his expression hidden away by the shadows.

    "Don¡¯t touch me." He sounded angry, but his eyes were dancing with happiness. She was chasing him, she was finally chasing after him!

    "Yang Feng, at least let¡¯s talk about it. A rtionship withoutmunication cannot work¡ª"

    "Oh, we¡¯re in a rtionship? I could¡¯ve sworn we were friends." He responded, roughly grabbing her wrists in a false attempt of getting her to move it. He made sure to gently handle the fragile little thing so that she wasn¡¯t harmed by his tight grip.

    "We are friends, but we¡ª"

    "Then the discussiones to an end now." Yang Feng scowled. She was back to the foolish talks about being a friend. Do friends share intense make-out sessions? Share the bed together,fortably in each other¡¯s arms? Do friends talk about marriage?! Damn it, what will get her to change her mind about their rtionship?!

    "That was barely a discussion." She felt a lump rising through her throat and in her slightest hesitation, Yang Feng had unraveled her arms around him. His long legs easily carried him to the door faster than she could chase after him.

    He opened the door, ready to step out, but a thin pale arm stretched out and mmed it shut. "You¡ª"

    "I like you!" She blurted out, irrationally saying the only thing she could think of.

    He paused, his heart racing a million beats per second. Did he hear her correctly? Did she finally profess her feelings for him?

    "I don¡¯t." He lied, testing her reaction.

    And just like that, Zhao Lifei¡¯s face went nk. The dam within her eyes broke loose, tears rolling out in heavy droplets enough to fill an entire ocean.

    She felt tongue-tied. There was a lump in her throat. She couldn¡¯t breathe, nor could she think properly. In her hazy state, she let out a sniffle, then a hup, and it didn¡¯t take long for her entire face to scrunch up and crumble, her body swaying on the spot.

    She took swift steps backward, pressing a hand to her aching chest. "I-I-..." The first sob came out and that was enough for Yang Feng to realize he had gone too far.

    He swiftly turned around. The sight he witnessed was like a stab to his chest. This was the first time he had witnessed her cry because of him and it was not a pleasant feeling. It wrecked his heart and made his brain lose all sorts of senses and logic. All he wanted to do was hug andfort her.

    Her glistening eyes, the one that always shimmered like the brilliant stars, were wet, the tears flowing nonstop. He walked to her, but she took steps back to create distance.

    He immediately regret pushing her too far past her boundaries. He only wanted to test her a little but didn¡¯t realize he would hurt her like this. Guilt and remorse wrapped around him like a heavy nket as he looked at her.

    "Look away from me..." She didn¡¯t want him to see her cry like this. Tears were pathetic. They were for the weak.

    She refused to win him over with tears, but she couldn¡¯t control her emotions anymore. It was the first time she had cried in a really long time, the feeling almost foreign to her. She swore she would never cry over a man as she had done with Zheng Tianyi in the past.

    "I¡¯ll stop bothering you, I-I¡¯ll stop showing up in front of you." She babbled, hurriedly wiping her tears away, but the more she wiped, the more they flowed out. Every few seconds, an uncontroble hup would rise. She knew she must look like a mess right now. She was too embarrassed to even look at him.

    Her head dropped in shame. She took a few more steps backward, until her shoulders collided with the ss window.

    It only took a few long strides for him to close the distance. "If you don¡¯t show up in front of me, I¡¯ll kidnap you and force you to bother me." He scowled, harshly grabbing her by the wrist, mming her frail body to him. His thick arms wrapped around her thin waist, pressing her body to him. Her lithe body molded against his perfectly, her face resting on his chest.

    "I don¡¯t like you, stubborn woman, I think I¡¯m in love with you." He breathed out, embracing her tighter. It was the only thing he could do to stop the stabbing pain in his chest. He didn¡¯t think tears would ever be his weakness. But seeing her cry like that, he was willing to toss all logic out the window.

    "You only care because I¡¯m being pathetic by crying in front of you and¡ª"

    "Crying does not make you pathetic. In the end, we¡¯re only human." He gently whispered to her, moving his hand to caress the back of her head soothingly.

    "I don¡¯t want to win you over with tears¡ª"

    "You already won me over the second you hugged me." He confessed, squeezing her tighter, bending down to press a loving kiss on the crown of her head.

    All of his anger for her had washed away the minute she climbed out of the bed to hug him. Her simple gesture was enough to disperse the dark cloud looming over him. Hearing her sudden confession was like hearing wedding bells.

    "Then why did you tell me to let go?" She naively asked, staring up at him as if he had wronged her.

    He let out a burst of lightughter at her adorable expression. Her eyes were trembling, her brows slightly tucked together, and her lips slightly jutting out. Her cute button nose was a bit red from the tears, and her cheeks were damp. How can someone look so breathtakingly beautiful after crying?

    "I wanted you to chase after me." He smiled down at her, using one hand to brush away her fringe and the messy strands of hair framing her face. He used this thumb to wipe the wetness on her cheeks away.

    "It wasn¡¯t right." She croaked, sniffling and burying her face back into his chest. She furiously rubbed her face against his silk shirt, not caring if she was ruining the expensive clothing. With how tightly he was holding her, she couldn¡¯t move her arms to wipe her tears away, and could only do it on his shirt.

    "It wasn¡¯t right for you to insult me like that." He patiently told her while patting the back of her head, asionally running his hands through her hair.

    "You caged me inside the room as if I was a prisoner. I didn¡¯t like that." She was worried they would start another fight, but she needed to fix theirmunication issue. It was not healthy for him to continue this overly protective behavior. Sometimes, it was nice, but this time, it was too much for her.

    "I was trying to keep you safe¡ª"

    "You could¡¯ve done it differently. I understand I was in the wrong for arguing with you so quickly and letting my temper get the best of me, but I will not apologize for fighting for my freedom. Being too controlling in a rtionship, though it might be hard for you to change, is not something I desire to have." She looked up at him and shivered upon seeing the coldness in his eyes.

    His grip on her had loosened, allowing her to tiptoe and reach up to cup his cheeks. She had to stand on the tips of her toes just to do so, but she still rubbed her thumbs gently over his incredibly smooth, marble skin in hopes of soothing that temper of his.

    "I¡¯ll admit, we both overreacted. However, you cannot justify that domineering behavior of yours by saying you¡¯re ¡¯keeping me safe¡¯ or that you¡¯re doing it because you like me. I¡¯ve already experienced so many controlling men in my life, I don¡¯t want the burden of having another one." She firmly said, leaving no room for discussion. "A rtionship is made up ofpromises. Not everything can go your way."

 Chapter 139 Not Ready

    She brought his face down to her height so that she didn¡¯t have to tip-toe so much, but he had a better idea. She yelped when he suddenly lifted her up, once again, his posture of holding her was incorrect. But she figured it was just his little quirk, thus, decided tofortably rest her head on his shoulder.

    He carried her to the couch and sat down, setting her body on hisp. He continued to have his arms tightly wrapped around her waist, despite the burning frustration he felt upon hearing her words.

    "I like you, Yang Feng," She raised her head to directly look at him in the eye. "I really, really do." Her words were enough to quell his anger that immediately dispersed into thin air as if it was never there in the first ce.

    "But if you want this rtionship to work, you have to understand my boundaries. I hate being confined, I hate having my freedom taken away from me just because you worry about my health. I don¡¯t want our rtionship to be a toxic one." She whispered thetter part, bringing his face down to ce her forehead against his.

    She softly smiled, leaning in to swiftly kiss him on the lips. His eyes darkened the second she pulled back. He tried to lock her lips into a deeper kiss, but she quickly moved her head back.

    "In our rtionship, I want propermunications. Don¡¯t storm out just because of an argument. Stay behind and let¡¯s talk about it. I understand there are moments of extreme frustration, but in the end, I wish for us to have a proper conversation so that we can peacefully resolve it." She paused to make sure he was fully listening to what she was saying.

    Seeing he was diligently hearing her out, she continued, "Having so many misunderstandings in our rtionship is not healthy, especially when our rtionship had barely begun." She needed him to thoroughly listen to her words. If he wanted to kiss her, then he would need to abide by the boundaries she set up.

    "I¡¯ll ept your conditions, but I also have rules of my own." He brushed her stray hair aside, bringing it behind her ears.

    "Don¡¯t push me away after a small rift. Don¡¯t shut me out. Don¡¯t keep your unhappy thoughts to yourself. Voice it to me, tell me how you¡¯re feeling. Don¡¯t walk away and expect me to clearly understand what¡¯s wrong. I can read your body, but not your brain." He caressed the back of her head.

    "I¡¯ll be less controlling, as long as you properlymunicate with me about what you dislike about my behavior. You tend to not voice your desire and opinions in fear ofing off as clingy. Don¡¯t do that anymore. Tell me everything you have to say. I¡¯ll take the good, just as I will take the bad."

    She took his terms into careful consideration before nodding her head. "Okay, I¡¯ll try." She dered and that was all he needed to hear before lifting his head to kiss her.

    The kiss started off slow, soft, and gentle until he angled the back of her neck so that their lips were molded perfectly. Then he went in for a more passionate, deeper kiss, and without warning, he bit down on her bottom lips. She gasped and he seized the chance to dive his tongue into her mouth, tasting every part of her. As always, she tasted sweet to him, intoxicating even, and her tiny whimpers were driving him insane.

    She pulled back in an attempt to catch her breath. "Y-Yang Feng," She breathlessly called for him, his eyes darkened with lust as his member hardened. His fingers dug to the side of her waist while her fingers became entwined within his hair, clinging on to him.

    His lips sealed tightly over her lips and tongue, before diving in his warm tongue into her mouth, tangling it with his, sucking and biting. His fingers slipped under her shirt, enjoying the sensation of her soft, smooth skin against his hands. As the kiss grew rougher, her body became hum and her brain went hazy. She could feel warmth travel throughout her body, specifically heat pooling in her lower regions.

    When his fingers climbed higher, the kiss became more passionate. He sucked at her bottom lips, capturing it, and then biting it before soothing the pain with his tongue. His fingers climbed higher and right when it was about to graze her breast, she pushed him away. "No!" She yelped, and that was all it took for his hand to immediatelye out from her shirt.

    Her heart raced in fear and panic, her eyes no longer cloudy with desire. It was wide, terrified even as she stammered out, "I-I¡¯m not ready¡ª"

    "Shh, it¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to exin anything." Yang Feng sensed something was wrong, but he continued to soothe her anxiety. Pressing her head to his shoulders, with one arm wrapped around her waist, and the other gently patting the back of her head, he could practically hear her erratic heartbeat.

    "Rx, my dear." He muttered, continuing to whisper sweet andforting words to her. Every few seconds, he would kiss the crown of her head.

    She buried her face into his shoulder, her hand curled around his shoulder, clinging onto him. The memories of the past were attempting to rush over her, but his soothing words suppressed it before she had the first panic attack after a very long time.

    Her eyes were beginning to tiredly drop, but she tried her hardest to fight the sleep. "Yang Feng..." She whispered, her voice thick with exhaustion.

    "Go to sleep." He rubbed her back, his warm hands traveling up and down in an attempt to coerce her into falling asleep.

    She slowly closed her eyes. "I really, really..." She breathed in, "like you..." She mumbled, her voice airy and light. Just like that, she fell asleep.

    Yang Feng looked at her with an adoring smile on his face. He stared at her longshes, the way it gently framed her lovely eyes and at her pouted, rosy lips. Her beautiful dark raven hair cascaded down her back, a few strands covering her pale cheek.

    "I like you more." He whispered, kissing her cheek and carrying her back to bed.

    He wanted to stay the night, but he knew he couldn¡¯t. Not that he cared, but Zhao Moyao would raise all living hell if he found out that Yang Feng had snuck into his house and shared the bed with his granddaughter again. He also had his obligations to work. The helicopter was parked a good few miles away from the Zhao Mansion, but he would still need to head back.

    "A lot more." He added on, tucking her into the bed and adjusting the pillow so that she was morefortable. He leaned down to kiss her lips onest time. He paused and thought it wasn¡¯t enough, so he then peppered her entire face with kisses.

    She mumbled something in her sleep, causing him to chuckle. An amused smile fell on his lips when he saw her swat her hands as if she was shooting flies away.

    "Good night, my love." He hummed, brushing her hair away, and quietly slipping into the shadows of the night.

 Chapter 140 A Dead End

    When Zhao Lifei woke up the next day, she was disappointed to see the other side of her bed was empty and cold. He didn¡¯t stay the night, but she understood he had his reasons. He had rushed from his workst night just to see her, and that was more than she could¡¯ve ever asked of him.

    She tilted her head and was about to climb out of the bed to freshen up when she saw a small bottle sitting on the nightstand. She picked up the note next to it and raised a brow. "For the scars." -YF

    She unscrewed the top and saw it was an ointment. She examined the minimalistic and small porcin bottle. There was a light watercolor painting on the bottle, to which she faintly made out the characters of the oldnguage, which was harder to read. She didn¡¯t think much of it and settled the bottle back down, not knowing it was something that money could not buy.

    Doctor Song came over again to check her current status and when she showed the bottle to him out of curiosity, he was disinterested at first but kept his face neutral. "There is plenty of anti-scarring ointment on the market." Hemented, unscrewing the top. When he took a waft of it, his eyes widened. He looked at the bottle again, his lips parting in shock upon seeing the painting. He ced his sses on and sure enough, there was a tiny signature painted beside a tree.

    "This...! How did you get your hands on it, youngdy?" His voice was filled with astonishment. Wasn¡¯t this the sacred ointment rumored to have been passed down from the Imperial family?! The form should¡¯ve been lost long ago, burnt in a mysterious fire! So how was it, that this bottle had the same aroma and signature as the legendary herbalist who was able to miraculously heal an entire vige riddled with an incurable illness?!

    He thought this smooth, translucent cerulean brush marks looked familiar, but he didn¡¯t think it was the same kind he saw in textbooks! The rich truly was something else.

    "It was a gift." Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t understand his bewildered expression. It was just an ointment, why was he overreacting?

    "A gift? Youngdy, whoever your friendships must be, I would advise you to thank them heavily. This is not an average cream." Doctor Song ced the jar back onto the nightstand. When he saw she was still confused, he exined the backstory of it. After his exnation, he took his leave.

    Zhao Lifei was surprised to hear about the value of the bottle before she let out an exasperated sigh. He was winning by a milestone in their gift war, how could she ever get back at him for it? She spent the rest of her day worrying about what to give him and in the end, she still couldn¡¯te up with a good idea.

    - - - - -

    After Yang Feng finished his business, he hurriedly rushed back to Shenbei, not wasting a single minute. The touring and meeting had taken longer than expected, going deep into the night, but he was still persistent on leaving the city. When his entire team wanted to stay the night and rest, before going back early in the morning, Yang Feng was the first to leave. And seeing their Boss leave, the people were more inclined to follow him and do the same.

    On the way back, Yang Feng had questioned Chen Gaonan on their progress with Feili Investment Firm, but to no avail, the poor secretary couldn¡¯t show significant or sessful results.

    "Sir, thepany has continued to remain tight-lipped about who their CEO is." When it came to executing orders from his boss, Chen Gaonan was more persistent than Yang Ruqin. For the past few days, he had contacted Feili nonstop. And on one asion, he nearly made the poor representative cry when he diligently pursued thepany, never once relenting.

    "Continue to pester them." Yang Feng frowned. The longest time apany could withstand against the Yang force was less than three days. Everyone would eventually crack from the pressure and give in to Yang Enterprise¡¯s request. The people were too fearful of offending the deeply-rooted old-money family who could easily bankrupt a business overnight.

    "Yes, Sir." Chen Gaonan firmly nodded, alreadying up with different ns of contacting thepany. If they continue to ignore his advances through phone, he would personally visit the ce. Their headquarters was also coincidentally in Shenbei, not far from Zhao Corporation. It would be a quick and easy trip to get there.

    "The reports in regards to Silver Crown?"

    "So far, most of the men have woken up. We¡¯ve managed to capture Ren Xiong, who imed to be the leader of the n, but there was, in fact, someone else in the higher position." Chen Gaonan tried to not cringe when he saw the pictures that the men had sent in.

    The Imperial Team, within the short span of three minutes, hadpletely annihted those people. Their body was disfigured in many ces, their limbs bent to odd angles, and there was a lot of internal bleeding as most of the team practiced a very advanced level of martial arts that not only did external damage but also internal. Their skills were truly frightening.

    "The identity of the person remains unknown, however, our men are working on it." Chen Gaonan concluded, scrolling on his tablet. "So far, they have given us information on the appearance of the man whomissioned them. A name was not mentioned or given, for the person did not provide one. Because the payment was paid in half cash and half credit, our team tried to track down thetter but came to a dead end. It was a fake bank ount created under a false alias and identity."

    Yang Feng slowly raised a brow. A dead end? It must¡¯ve been someone experienced in this line of work. To create a false alias and identity, one must have ess to the government¡¯s database or connections to banking corporates.

    "Investigate further. There should be no stones unturned." Yang Feng muttered, just as the private jetnded in Shenbei.

    "Yes, Boss." Chen Gaonan nodded, typing in the orders. He watched his Boss exit the jet and onto the walkway. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Su Meixiu¡¯s awestruck expression. Though she was trying her best to hide it, Chen Gaonan¡¯s skillful eyes caught onto it.

    Su Meixiu couldn¡¯t help but feel her throat run dry when she saw her Boss with the ne light shining upon his back. His tall and slender body walked without a care in the world, his long ck scarf blowing in the wind. The trench coat highlighted his biceps, and one could tell just from looking at his back, he was a very dangerous man. The light shing upon his back added an ethereal glow to him, making him look immortal and a being higher than the rest of them.

    Her heart skipped a beat when Yang Feng looked back, his eyes slightly squinting because of the light. Her heart rapidly thumped against her chest when his eyes briefly connected with hers before looking away and settling on Chen Gaonan.

    "Drive home. I won¡¯t need guards apanying me home tonight." Yang Feng walked off into the distance,pletely ignoring Su Meixiu¡¯s stares, not that he ever cared for it in the first ce. He was already used to the gawking stares from people that marveled his perfect features.

    Su Meixiu felt her brows tug together in confusion at his words. He would not need guards for tonight? Did that mean he wasn¡¯t going home? If so, where would he go? It certainly wasn¡¯t the Main Mansion, for she knew the overly protective Yang parents would be disappointed if they saw Yang Feng walk in without any guards, so where else would he go?

    She tilted her head curiously, her brain wandering to something else. Was he visiting a mistress? But it¡¯s been so long since his one-night stand tendencies. She wanted to turn around and ask Chen Gaonan about it but didn¡¯t dare to, in fear of ruining her image. The only thing she could do was bite down on her tongue and scornfully overthink everything.

 Chapter 141 Gifts

    After parting with his assistants at the airport, Yang Feng rushed to the Zhao Mansion. At first, he debated the idea of simply sneaking into Zhao Lifei¡¯s room, but ruled out the idea for being too foolish. He was the great Yang Feng, why should he sneak around?

    Thus, he found himself at the doorsteps of the Zhao Mansion with a heavy wooden box consisting of the exquisite Da Hong Pao [1] tea worth a million per gram, and expertly crafted teapots made from the highly valuable emerald jade that was once used by the Imperial Family. By buying these expensive gifts, Yang Feng hoped to appease Zhao Moyao,

    When Old Butler Tang opened the door, he was surprised to see Yang Feng, but quickly fixed hisposure by offering a bow. "Good evening, President Yang." He greeted, opening the door for Yang Feng who strolled in. Zhao Moyao was waiting for him inside and the minute the door was shut, the atmosphere was tense.

    "Good evening...grandfather." Yang Feng coyly said, the edge of his lips tilting upwards in an attempt of an amicable smile. Despite the fact it came out dry, it didn¡¯t diminish the blindly perfect features of his.

    Zhao Moyao narrowed his eyes at the name. "Good evening...Yang Heng." Two could y the game of foolish nicknames.

    "I have prepared a few gifts as a thank you for allowing me into your house." Yang Feng passed the handcrafted wooden box to the Old Butler who showed it to Zhao Moyao.

    "Hm, Da Hong Pao tea and an emerald jade tea set crafted by the Great Master Ren Cong." Zhao Moyao, despite the slight excitement he had, did not make moves of touching the gifts. Instead, he focused his sharp and deste gaze on the young man in front of him. Hmph, did he think his precious granddaughter¡¯s hand in marriage could be brought with such gifts?

    Though it came as fast as it left, Yang Feng was able to catch the slightest spark of approval from Zhao Moyao¡¯s eyes. "If these are not up to par with your expectations, would you like Master Fan Min¡¯stest Calligraphy work? There¡¯s an auction taking ce in a couple of days, I can bid for one."

    Zhao Moyao chuckled, this silly boy. Master Fan Min only made one piece of calligraphy painting a year, thus, his insightful calligraphy was valued in the high millions, nearly reaching one billion per piece. To what extent was he willing to spend just to have his approval?

    Yang Feng took out his phone to contact Chen Gaonan to prepare another auction ticket when a delightfully honey-sweet voice, clear as day and soft as the clouds, spoke up. "Grandfather, the dinner is getting cold¡ª" She paused upon seeing Yang Feng, whose devilishly handsome face was twisted into a mischievous smirk when he saw her.

    "Yang Feng, what are you doing here?" She tilted her head, walking to him, but he quickly crossed the distance between them and ced both hands on either side of her waist.

    "What are you doing out of bed?" He asked her, supporting her body weight.

    "The doctor said I should have some light exercises, so it¡¯s fine for me to walk around." She carefully said, resting her hands on his firm chest.

    One of his arm slipped around her waist whereas the other reached to brush her hair away to reveal her gentle expression, her eyes that shimmered like gold underneath the crystal chandelier, and her tiny smile blindly beautiful, he didn¡¯t realize he was awestruck by her until her eyes crinkled while she naively smiled up at him,pletely unaware of his gawking.

    "Don¡¯t overexert the light exercise," He finally said, pulling her closer to him, bending his head in an attempt to capture her delectable lips but she was swift to dodge it, the kissnding on her adorably squishy cheeks. She slowly nodded her head, her innocent smile twisting into a teasing one.

    She reached up to her tippy toes and tapped his nose. "Take a picture, it¡¯llst longer." She winked, reciting the words for the second time, causing a peal of lowughter from Yang Feng who adjusted her body so that she was standing on his shoes, instead of straining her body to reach his height.

    "Will you promise to not attack me if I do?" He hummed, gesturing back to the time she pinned him onto the couch just because he had snapped one picture of her. He wondered what her reaction would be if she discovered he had not only saved the picture onto hisputer, but also backed it up with multiple sh drives and disks, then had a version printed out,mented, and stored away in an indestructible safe.

    Zhao Moyao didn¡¯t want to look at their loving scene any longer, for if he did, he feared he might puke blood.

    How could these youngsters tantly ignore him? His irritation slightly thawed out when he saw the serene and genuinely happy expression on his granddaughter¡¯s face. It was the first time ever since she had gotten here from the hospital did she smile like that. The anxiety he felt for her was put to ease upon seeing her bright expression. Perhaps letting this Yang Heng into the house wasn¡¯t so bad after all...

    "Ahem!" He cleared his throat, clearly catching their attention. "The dishes are getting cold." He pointed out, walking to the dining hall, apanied by Zhao Lifei who managed to break away from Yang Feng¡¯s grip.

    An unhappy expression fell on Yang Feng¡¯s face when he saw how eager his woman was at leaving him, but his grim expression lightened when he realized she was being a filial granddaughter by supporting Zhao Moyao, despite the fact that the Elder clearly didn¡¯t need help, but pretended to just so he could have his granddaughter worry over him.

    At the dinner table, Yang Feng felt neglected. While Zhao Lifei was busy deboning the chicken and peeling the shrimp for her grandfather, Yang Feng¡¯s bowl of rice was empty. She tended to her grandfather, while Yang Feng continued to pile dishes onto her te.

    "My dear, you also have to eat." He said, his lips tugging down into a slight scowl. His eyes swirled with aggravation upon seeing she had barely touched her food the entire night. She was already too skinny as it is.

    Zhao Lifei paused and noticed her bowl was filled with dishes to the brim, ranging from all sorts of protein and vegetables to the perfectly deboned fish. She chuckled upon hearing his sullen tone. He looked like an abandoned and lonely child in desperate need of love.

    "I¡¯ll eat, I¡¯ll eat. Don¡¯t get mad over something like this." She mused, picking up the chopsticks and digging into the food.

    "Take bigger bites." He instructed. "Here, you should have more of the ginger-boiled quail eggs. The sea cucumber, abalone, and Japanese flower mushroom soup is very nutritious. Drink some." He poured her a hot bowl of soup, continuing to hover over her like an obnoxious pest that wouldn¡¯t go away.

    He saw her take small, elegant bites and continued to nag, "We¡¯re not in public, you don¡¯t have to worry about your image." He ranted while cing cauliflower and bok choy into her bowl, the mountain of dishes piling up.

    "Yang Feng!" She exasperated, her eyes going dizzy at the food he was trying to force her to eat. "I can¡¯t eat that much." She sighed, picking up the spoon to drink the soup just so that he could stop boring a hole into her head.

    "Then, eat the healthiest items first. The soup is packed with¡ª"

    "Yeah, yeah, nutrition. I know." She mumbled, finishing the bowl of soup and then attempting to tackle the food mountain in front of her. She warily stared at it.

    "You don¡¯t have to finish it all." He said, patiently waiting for her to start eating the vegetables to which she finally relented and did. "But at least eat a big portion of it."

    After eating for a while, she noticed he didn¡¯t touch most of his food. "You¡¯re not going to eat?"

    "I¡¯ll eat after you finish your bowl." He firmly said, his words shocking her to the core.

    He was the Yang family¡¯s Young Master, the treasure of their family! To say he would eatstly scared her. This man probably grew up sitting at the head of the table and enjoying the first bite of everything delicious, yet here he was, willing to eat the leftovers for her!

    "You have to eat as well." She shook her head, cing down her chopsticks which earned a fierce re from Yang Feng¡¯s direction.

    As he had done for her, she deboned the ginseng poached chicken, perfectly peeled the shrimps for him, and scooped fish into his bowl. She concentrated on cing the best of the best onto his te.

    She waspletely unaware of the delight within Yang Feng¡¯s eyes. His lips twitched, a grin threatening to break out upon seeing her pamper him. It was as if the sun was shining upon him because the overwhelming happiness he had in his eyes was hard to miss.

    Even Zhao Moyao couldn¡¯t help but snicker upon seeing this. This poor boy was so neglected by his granddaughter to the point of where simply cing food into his bowl was enough to make him this happy. He had to admit, his granddaughter was good at making Yang Feng work for her. This granddaughter of his was truly remarkable.

 Chapter 142 Ill Take I

    The days trickled by harmoniously without much drastic change in her life. Soon, Zhao Lifei found herself moderately healed enough to do more than just simply walking around the mansion. Her wounds were beginning to close and because she had been religiously applying the ointment given by Yang Feng, there seemed to be little to no scarring left behind.

    The banquet was quickly approaching with less than seven days remaining, so Zhao Lifei decided it would be about time to shop for a dress to wear.

    Her grandfather had strictly sent her to Imperial Star Mall to show the Ling family some face. It was also because the service they directed towards her was always filled with the utmost respect, for no one dared to offend the granddaughter of Zhao Moyao, who was not only a business mogul but also owned arge fraction of shares and stocks in the mall.

    Since she was simply shopping, Zhao Lifei decided to wear in gym clothes that were easy to move in and take off for instances when she might want to try some clothes on.

    When it came to shopping, Zhao Lifei was not very frugal with her spending. Given her background and her no-limit credit cards, it was typical for her to impulsively buy something without even ncing at its price.

    Whichever store she went to, she would always buy something and leave behind a hefty tip for the store¡¯s sales associate who always anticipated her arrival. There were two sales representatives trailing after her while she walked, holding a wide variety of shopping bags filled with her purchases that ranged from designer purses to gifts for her grandfather.

    As she passed by the endless array of ss window disys, a particr store caught her attention. One of the sales associates saw her slight interest in the store and quickly spoke up, an amiable smile on her face. "Miss Zhao, this is a newly opened store in the mall, renowned for its highly-value cultured and custom-designed dresses, and ever since its opening, it has been a frequent hotspot for many socialites."

    Zhao Lifei hummed in reply. She decided it would be a good idea to shop here and find a dress for herself. She recognized the brand too. Their design was often praised in the media and worn by highly sought after A-List celebrities.

    She turned her head to the two representatives and said. "I can enter this store by myself. We¡¯ve shopped for a while now, so you guys must be tired by now. You¡¯re wee to take a break." She opened her purse and offered them each a handkerchief after seeing the sweat on their foreheads. The sales representatives graciously looked at her.

    "Thank you, Miss Zhao!" They enthusiastically replied, bowing their heads and walking to the nearest bench. Usually, the socialites would shop until these associates dropped! Rarely were any of them was as kind as Zhao Lifei, who had not only given them a rest but had also given them handkerchiefs! Upon closer inspection, their eyes nearly bulged. It was made of vicuna wool! This was valued in the high thousands! They didn¡¯t dare to use it and tried to give it back, but Zhao Lifei had already disappeared into the store.

    Zhao Lifei noticed a well-designed mahogany box table in the middle of the store and decided to walk towards it, her eyes flickering with surprise when she saw the suit cuffs and ties. Wasn¡¯t this store known to only cater to women? Since when had they decided to sell male items?

    One of the store associates immediately recognized Zhao Lifei and hurried over to curry favor with her. "Good evening Miss Zhao, wee to Merveille." The store associate cheerfully greeted.

    "Merveille has begun selling suit cuffs and ties?" Zhao Lifei curiously asked, remembering Merveille, a couple of weeks ago, exclusively catered to females, from clothing to essories, with no items for males.

    The store representative nodded. "Yes, Merveille has decided to expand their design to a broader audience." With her gloved hands, she picked up a luxurious pair of ck suit cuffs. "Each of the cuffs are handmade and crafted from the best of the best materials."

    Zhao Lifei began to zone out as the store associate rambled on and on about the high-end brand. Her eyes focused in particr on a square obsidian ck suit cuff. It was very chic and stylish, the darkness of it would be just the perfect touch for a very overbearing man that she knew.

    While she marveled at the suit cuffs, a voice spoke up from beside her, "I¡¯ll take it." At this voice, Zhao Lifei furiously turned around.

    Her eyes flickered with surprise when she saw it was none other than the shining and beautiful Xia Mengxi herself. Her naive-looking sweet face was pulled into a friendly smile, which made her look like an angel.

    It didn¡¯t help that she was standing directly below the crystal chandelier, the morous lights setting off an ethereal glow to her, like an angel who had descended from the Heavens. Her saint-like white aura was blinding to look at. Paired with her wide, doe-shaped eyes, she was a sight to behold. As expected of a female lead, the aura she had was blinding.

    Zhao Lifei felt her lips curl in disdain. She remembered this familiar scene all too well, for she had once done it to Xia Mengxi in the past. Two years ago, when they had run into each other in a store, Zhao Lifei was heavily interested in a clothing top, just the same time Xia Mengxi was.

    In her foolish years, Zhao Lifei had outbid Xia Mengxi for the top, which was an embarrassing sight for thetter who was publicly humiliated in front of a crowd for not being able to outbid Zhao Lifei¡¯s five hundred thousand.

    "I saw it first." Zhao Lifei deadpanned, her lips tugging into a scowl.

    "Miss Zhao, we¡¯re grown adults, not children. Who sees it first doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m the one who offered to buy it first." Xia Mengxi slowly said, as if she was talking to a child, but despite that, her voice was still light and gentle, like a patient teacher.

    Zhao Lifei sighed inside of her head. So she really wanted payback for the humiliation I caused upon her two years ago. The scene happened a long time ago, and she still held onto that grudge? What about all of the times she used Zheng Tianyi to face-smack me?

    "Besides, how could this suit cuff be of any use to you seeing as you don¡¯t have any malepanions in your life?" Xia Mengxi naively asked, tilting her head like a curious little bunny. Even with her sniping words, she still looked heavily innocent. With her smile and eye-pleasing face, the people mistook her words to be ignorant instead of an insult.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips twitched. This female lead really likes to stir up trouble, huh? By tantly saying that, it was clear she was mocking her for the fact that not many wealthy heirs dared to approach Zhao Lifei because of her bad reputation.

    The sales associate saw Zhao Lifei¡¯s displeased expression and were about to speak up, until the manager walked over, noticing the tension in the air. The manager had years of experience, but she was newly transferred to this mall only recently, thus, didn¡¯t know which of the two women was wealthier, however, she made a quick judgment based on the fact that Xia Mengxi was wearing more expensive clothes.

    "What seems to be the problem here?"

    Xia Mengxi turned around and her wronged expression was evident for the manager to see.

    Wait a minute, this youngdy, wasn¡¯t she Zheng Tianyi¡¯s fianc¨¦e?! She remembered hearing the other socialites gossip about her nonstop, thus had researched who the supposed future "Madam Zheng" was.

    The manager, Xiao Wen, remembered Xia Mengxi¡¯s face in particr because she was so awestruck by the beautiful woman she saw on the inte. Instantaneously, Xiao Wen picked Xia Mengxi¡¯s side.

    "I want the suit cuffs, I saw it first." Zhao Lifei was growing irked by the passing second.

    "I apologize Ma¡¯am, but it seems this youngdy has decided to purchase it first." The manager urged the sales associate standing with Xia Mengxi to quickly wrap up the present before it was toote. Not wanting to disobey her boss, the associate hurriedly brought the items to the checkout counter.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s brows knitted together in displeasure upon hearing this. "I was going to purchase it¡ª"

    "Please don¡¯t be unreasonable and unruly about it ma¡¯am." The manager looked at Zhao Lifei¡¯s outfit and nearly scoffed. What was this woman thinking? Dressed in in ck leggings and a hoodie, she looked too poor to even touch an item in this store. "I¡¯m sure there are others that will catch your eye, perhaps you can try the discounted suit stores on the lower level."

    Zhao Lifei chuckled. First, they were calling her unruly and now they were thinking she was poor? Was the management at this store here really this bad?

 Chapter 143 Easily Provoked

    Xia Mengxi didn¡¯t bother sparing Zhao Lifei another nce as she walked to the checkout counter, but Zhao Lifei decided to stay around just a bit longer to watch the scene unfold. If she remembered correctly, Xia Mengxi was actually very frugal when it came to spending.

    The sales associate spoke up. "Ma¡¯am, the total bill is five million dors. Would you like to pay with debit or credit?"

    Xia Mengxi hesitated at the price, her haughty eyes suddenly filling with uneasiness. Her credit card max limit was only one hundred thousand and she didn¡¯t want to use the money given by Zheng Tianyi, especially because she was getting the tie and suit cuffs for him as a gift. What was the point of getting him a gift if his own money was used?

    She could use her debit card, but was it really worth five million just to face-p the vixen? "T-then, without the tailored dress and jewelry, how much would the price be?" She asked in a quiet voice, to which the sales associate sneered at the question.

    "Ma¡¯am, you do realize we are Merveille right?" The sales associate scrutinized Xia Mengxi¡¯s outfit which looked shabby and horribly paired. It was clear Xia Mengxi wasn¡¯t made of old-money wealth. She looked like she just brought the most expensive pieces of items and randomly threw them on together.

    "Yes, I do¡ª"

    "Then I hope you understand that our simplest ties are valued at one hundred thousand, at the bare minimum." The sales associate pressed her lips together in pure disdain. "The tie in your hand is worth three hundred thousand because it is made with mulberry silk with gold threads woven through it. Your personally tailored couture dress is worth 2 million, with the ne, thates down to a total of four million. The suit cuff, because of the rare materials used, is worth one million, thus, a total of five million."

    Xia Mengxi couldn¡¯t help but wince at the hefty price. This was way more than she had thought it to originally be...Five million...Only the credit card given by Zheng Tianyi would work.

    By now, there was already a crowd of socialites gathering to look at the scene. They were surprised to see the future Madam Zheng here, with a distraught and helpless expression, as she worried about the price. Why was she hesitating over a measly five million? That was like five dors to Zheng Tianyi.

    "Of course, how could we forget, Miss Xia was once amoner." One socialite quietly whispered to the other, snickering upon seeing this. How embarrassing. Even with the money that Zheng Tianyi had graciously given to her, Xia Meng Xi was still unwilling to spend it? As expected of an exmoner... She was simply too frugal.

    "Tsk tsk, she¡¯s used to making limited money choices and buying discounted clothes, of course, this price tag probably scares her."

    "But what about the clothes she¡¯s wearing...oh my god, what¡¯s with that style?"

    "Hm, thetest season Valentino neon pink dress, id Burberry shoes...yikes. The clothes are pricey, but what¡¯s with that awful color choice and thatbination?"

    Xia Mengxi felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment upon hearing the whispers. She didn¡¯t think there would be so many socialites present today but then remembered, they were nothing but spoiled heiresses who would never need to work a single day in their life.

    Zhao Lifei shook her head. Of course, Xia Mengxi would hesitate to use Zheng Tianyi¡¯s credit card. Given her behavior, it was evident she was very ufortable with the idea of spending Zheng Tianyi¡¯s money since she thought it would make her look like a gold digger.

    "What? Are the cuffs too expensive for you?" Zhao Lifei snorted, walking up to the cashier and pulling out her wallet.

    Xia Mengxi¡¯s expression darkened at the provocation, her eyes shing and fingers itching to do something to wipe that annoying smirk off that witch¡¯s face. What was she bragging about? So what if she had money? In the end, she had Zheng Tianyi whose wealth could buy out all of this horrible woman¡¯s assets!

    The manager scowled upon hearing Zhao Lifei¡¯s words. "Miss, please don¡¯t make a scene. We¡¯re going to have to ask you to leave." She grabbed a walkie-talkie and called for security.

    By now, the socialites were close to grabbing the popcorn. This scene was simply too entertaining!

    Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes upon seeing this and focused her attention back to Xia Mengxi. She could worry about the securityyer. "I¡¯m sure Zheng Tianyi has given you a ck card. Why not put it to use? Don¡¯t try to be humble now." She chuckled, deliberately throwing out the fact that the money Xia Mengxi possessed was not hers, to begin with. She had married into wealth and was not born into it.

    The socialites understood her message very well. Xia Mengxi can try to deny it as much as she wanted to, but in the end, the woman was a gold-digger who had seduced her way into fame.

    Xia Mengxi, who was easily provoked and fueled by the past disdain she felt for Zhao Lifei, instantly took the bait. "Your credit cards were also given by someone else." She said, rolling her eyes.

    Zhao Lifei pulled out a shiny and familiar ck card, the same one Xia Mengxi possessed but didn¡¯t dare to use.

    "I apologize Miss Xia, but I actually make my own money. This ck card has my name on it." Zhao Lifei smiled, holding the card long enough for the socialites to see the gold etching of her name, but as fast as they caught onto thest character, the card was handed to the sales associate.

    The socialites whispered among themselves. Once again, Xia Mengxi¡¯s background was brought up. She was just a poormoner who utilized what¡¯s between her legs to earn money. Everything she had was given to her by Zheng Tianyi. How embarrassing to have one¡¯s dirtyundry be brought out into the public again.

    "What are you doing?!" Xia Mengxi shouted when she saw the sales associate epting the card.

    "Buying something you can¡¯t afford. Miss Xia, please don¡¯t cause a scene." Zhao Lifei chuckled, making sure to keep the card hidden from the manager¡¯s line of sight. The more ignorant that woman remained, the more amusing it would beter on.

    "Who said I can¡¯t afford it?!" Xia Mengxi fumed, rashly taking out the ck card with Zheng Tianyi¡¯s name engraved onto it. She had fallen right into the trap. By pulling out the card with his name, all of the socialist saw it, confirming their statement that Xia Mengxi was just a gold-digger who had to rely on her fianc¨¦¡¯s money. Tsk, at least be more shameless about it.

    "U-uhm, Ma¡¯am, to use this card, you must have verification from Mr. Zheng." The sales associates spoke up, remembering thepany¡¯s policy.

    Xia Mengxi felt even more infuriated to hear this. Zheng Tianyi was in a very important meeting right now with an executive that might be able to sneak his revised proposal back onto Yang Feng¡¯s desk! They had gotten into an argument this morning about a close male friend, she didn¡¯t want to irritate him further.

    "I¡¯m his fiance¨¦, do I still need verification just to swipe a card?"

    "Unfortunately Ma¡¯am, we would still need a verification regardless if you¡¯re his fiance¨¦."

    The manager also couldn¡¯t argue against this policy because it was one heavily emphasized by the Head Manager of the mall. Just then, the security team finally arrived in a group of five. Her eyes lit up upon seeing them and she hurriedly called them over.

    "Mrs. Wen, what seems to be the matter here?" The head of the team, Mr. Mu, spoke up, his eyes scanning the crowd of dazzling beautiful socialites and the two blindingly stunning women standing by the cashier.

    One looked like an innocuous angel with the perfect golden halo over her head, whereas the other woman was more charming and had a charismatic aura eluding from her. Despite being dressed in casual and in clothes, he could tell she was of a rich upbringing.

    "Thank goodness you¡¯re here, Mr. Mu! This youngdy here is causing a disastrous scene! She¡¯s disturbing and insulting a customer as well! It¡¯s terrible how she behaves." The manager put on a very pitiful and distressed expression on her face, her arrogant eyes suddenly reflecting a sense of distraught.

    Mr. Mu felt something was off and decided it would be wiser to shut the rambling manager up first, but Mrs. Wen ignored his expression and continued to babble on. "I mean, can you believe the poormoners these days? Simply shameless! She thinks the clothes here are cheap and even tried to bring a fake ck card here to show off." She rolled her eyes, ignoring the way his expression darkened when she said "poormoner," for she had forgotten Mr. Mu came from a very humble upbringing and despised tant disrespect just because of a person¡¯s wealth standing.

    "What do you think? Shouldn¡¯t the police be called for fraud and public disturbance?" Mrs. Wen motioned for Mr. Mu to hurry and apprehend the woman. Because he was quickly growing annoyed of her nasal voice, he wanted to quickly put an end to the woman¡¯s rant by going along with her wishes.

    He stepped forward, apanied by his team of men. But the minute he stepped closer, he was taken by surprise. Because of his poor eyesight, he couldn¡¯t see thedy properly from afar, but now that he had walked closer, he saw her face very clearly.

    She was the type of woman that poets died to write about, the dreams of many writers, and the muse that artists would dedicate their entire life to. Her eyes were sharp, clear, and beguiling ¡ª the pr opposite of the other woman whom, despite her angelic appearance, had very clouded eyes. He remembered where he had seen such an appealing face before! She was none other than Zhao Lifei!

    Goodness, gracious! That manager has truly offended someone she shouldn¡¯t! He cursed himself. He should¡¯ve recognized her the second he walked into the room, for she was there when the ribbon to the mall was cut, the perfect woman standing at the front of the line.

    Instantly, his side switched. "Miss Zhao, are these people causing you any trouble?" Mr. Mu hastily asked, ring at the manager and sales associate.

    Miss Zhao?! As in Zhao Lifei?! The manager nearly fainted on the spot! How could I be so stupid to not have recognized the face of the woman whose grandfather owned a hefty amount of shares of this mall?!

 Chapter 144 Keep Your Promise

    "It¡¯s alright, Mr. Mu, I can handle the problem with a few receable employees." She revealed a tonic smile, which scared and surprised Mr. Mu at the same time.

    He understood the underlying message and immediately worked hard to please her. "As the head of the security team, it is within my duties to get rid of annoying pests for you. You do not need to tire yourself over the likes of these people." He was terrified of being fired from this extremely well-paid job. He knew how fickle these wealthy socialites could be and despite this woman¡¯s calm posture, who¡¯s to say she won¡¯t retaliate against him?

    The sales associate paled upon hearing the threat, her face bing paperwhite in fear. She broke out in cold sweat and stumbled over her words when she tried to form proper sentences, "M-ma¡¯am, would y-you still like to purchase the suit cuffs? I¡¯ll wrap it up right away and offer a bonus¡ª"

    "Forget the bonus. Just swipe the card." Zhao Lifei examined her nails,pletely unfazed by themotion she had caused. She ignored the fuming Xia Mengxi who mmed down the polished ck card.

    "I said the cuff link is mine!" She could not believe she had lost twice in a row! This cunning vixen! Just wait until I report this to Zheng Tianyi!

    Through her irrationality, Xia Mengxi forgot who she was ¡ª the proud and unwavering heroine of her Cindere dream. She shouldn¡¯t have to overwork herself with the back scheming likes of Zhao Lifei who didn¡¯t know how to do anything else aside from stirring up trouble.

    "I doubt you can make it yours with your low credit." Zhao Lifei snorted, flipping her hair over her shoulders and signing her name on the check. She grabbed the small bag and pulled out the silver box then stared at the cuffs with disinterest.

    "It was only a million. What was the fuss about?" She chuckled, closing the box and cing it back onto the counter. "You can keep it. I have no use for something so cheap."

    Her words cut deep into Xia Mengxi who could never escape her background...

    The socialites sighed. As expected of the former Queen. Despite the fact that she had lost her crown, she didn¡¯t lose her thorns.

    "Tch, Xia Mengxi cried over a million like it was a billion."

    "How embarrassing. Even the poorest socialite can afford something as inexpensive as that."

    "Isn¡¯t she also belittling Zheng Tianyi by not swiping his card, to begin with? Makes him look like a stingy lover." One of the socialites casually spoke up, her statement immediately causing a buzz of conversation that did not dare to point fingers at Zheng Tianyi himself, but instead, med Xia Mengxi for making her pampering husband look bad.

    "Aside from a pretty face, what else does she have?"

    "Zheng Tianyi really lost out by marrying her."

    "How could she imply she was poor when she has Zheng Tianyi backing her up? Isn¡¯t that trying too hard to be humble?"

    Xia Mengxi gritted her teeth, her nails digging into her skin. "I don¡¯t want it anymore¡ª"

    "Don¡¯t be so prideful and childish. Just see it as my charity work for the day." Zhao Lifei chuckled. It was amusing to see Xia Mengxi so riddled up.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s confidence nearly faltered when she thought about what Zheng Tianyi would do to her. But she immediately dismissed the thought. If Xia Mengxi cried to Zheng Tianyi, Zhao Lifei can also cry to Yang Feng, but she preferred not to be the damsel-in-distress.

    Zhao Lifei turned to the man in front of her. "I hope you keep your promise, Mr. Mu." She firmly said before sauntering out of the store, the mischievous glimmer in her eyes disappearing the second she stepped foot outside.

    How tiring.

    She was d she was no longer the Queen. Creating drama left and right was too exhausting for her.

    She walked to the store associates holding her shopping bags. They were so fatigued from the shopping, neither of them had noticed or paid any mind to therge crowd that had gathered inside the store. She couldn¡¯t me them because they couldn¡¯t see much from where they sat.

    "Please have the items delivered back to the Zhao Mansion." She paused and decided despite the argument she just had earlier, she still wanted to shop for a present. "You guys are free to go after having the items delivered. Thank you for today."

    The store associates¡¯ head immediately snapped up in utter shock upon hearing thetter statement. "N-no, please don¡¯t thank us!" They hurriedly stood up, tucked their hands in front of their stomach, and performed a solid 90-degree bow while Zhao Lifei walked off in search of another gift.

    Zhao Lifei walked into many different stores in desperate search of a gift worthy enough. After a while, she reached thest store of the mall, one that was tucked into the corner. She tilted her head and saw it was an inconspicuousbel called YRQ.

    She realized it was thebel of the anonymous designer who has recently been taking the fashion industry by storm. Every single piece of clothing made by her was an instant sess, so much so that the media could not stop praising the mysterious prodigy behind the brand. She had to admit, the media did not lie. The style, coloring, and materials of the clothing pieces were all topnotch, very unique, and aligned with the times.

    The only thing that she found strange was the fact that such a popr store was ced all the way in the corner of the highest floor. Shouldn¡¯t a popr brand such as this one be located right in front of the esctor perhaps?

    A young woman stepped forward, dressed in a sales associate¡¯s clothes, but her face and posture gave off the impression that she was a wealthy heiress instead of a simple employee. She was absolutely stunning with her refreshingly chic appearance.

    "Good afternoon Ma¡¯am, how may I help you today?" The woman asked, her voice friendly, but with a tinge of frigidness.

    "I¡¯m just looking around." Zhao Lifei replied, walking to the disys and inauspiciously picked out a top and a jacket. As she walked past the clothes, a small box caught her eye. She walked to it and was surprised to see it was a full-ss disy ranging from watches to handkerchieves. But in the corner was a sole pair of suit cuffs that immediately screamed Yang Feng¡¯s name.

    It was a rectangle-cut red gem encrusted with small crystals. She picked it up and examined the way it felt cold on her hands, despite the fact that the cuffs were under the ring lights.

    The woman saw this and walked over to exin the item.

    "This gem... It can¡¯t be a red diamond, right?" Zhao Lifei knew how rare this jewel was!

    "Indeed it is. This red diamond is valued at thirty thousand dors per carat due to their naturally ck surroundings with has a lovely dark crimson hue in the center. It is exquisitely hand-made by the designer herself, thus, the value of this cuff is higher than all of the ones found on the table. The crystals encrusted by the side of the red diamond are not regr ones, for they are ck opals valued at a couple thousand per carat."

    Zhao Lifei immediately brightened. Inparison to the obsidian one that she was keen on buying, this one was a lot better and would suit Yang Feng a lot more. "I¡¯ll take it, please wrap it up for me." She cheerfully said, apanying the woman to the cashier.

    "Right away." The employee¡¯s voice, for some reason, had a very calming and soothing effect on Zhao Lifei. It was gentle, like the warm breeze on a hot summer day.

    She wondered why this store didn¡¯t seem to have many customers, considering the staff was so polite. Plus, this was the famed YRQ brand. Perhaps they wanted to stay hidden so that only those who wandered off the intended path would find it? Regardless, she decided not to probe.

    The cuffs racked up quite the bill, but she remained unfazed by it and swiped the card without hesitation.

    Feili was doing exceedingly well, thus, her pocket was filled to the brim. She was quite proud of her little aplishment. She didn¡¯t know her small investment would start such a sessful firm that was vastly expanding across the country, the name catching the eyes of many otherpanies.

    Because of her always correct opinion and eyes that were quick to spot shady deals and errors, Feili¡¯s reputation and image were squeaky-clean. Not a single w, aside from theck of their CEO¡¯s appearance, was found in thepany.

    She remembered about her standing CEO contacting her regarding Yang Enterprise¡¯s persistent secretary who insisted on a personal and face-to-face meeting, but she quickly shot down the idea and ordered her right-hand man to reject as many times as he had too.

 Chapter 145 Plump Backside

    Yang Enterprise.

    In the deadly silent room, a nervous and sweaty man sat in front of a regal dragon whose lethally emotionless expression was scarier than facing a serial killer.

    Time trickled by extremely slow, where a minute felt like an hour. The room was also precariously cold. The man thought he was sitting in front of a snow-covered mountain, instead of a brooding man.

    "B-Boss..." The executive tried to ignite a conversation, but his voice was too meek and pathetic for Yang Feng to even bother with the talk.

    "You¡¯re fired." Yang Feng pressed a button and in rushed the security team.

    The executive wailed upon hearing the two most dreadful words in the world. He squealed like a pig being ughtered. "No, wait, Boss please! Give me another chance! I swear I won¡¯t be bribed again¡ª" Toote. He was dragged out of the room, screaming, kicking, and begging for mercy, his grating voice bouncing off the hallways, causing the employees to cringe upon hearing the deafening sound.

    Chen Gaonan walked in immediately afterward. "Boss, your next order?"

    "Have all of his work and personal history checked." Yang Feng paused before saying, "Bankrupt him." He disdainfully said.

    "I expect to see the stocks of Zheng Corporation drastically plummet by the crack of dawn."

    "Right away, Boss." Chen Gaonan nodded, bowed his head, and excused himself. When he was out of the office and the door was closed, he sighed in disappointment.

    What a foolish man.

    Just a few minutes ago, the executive had miraculously talked his way into having a personal meeting with the President and instead of eventfully utilizing every second he spent with the CEO, the man passed along the failed proposal from Zheng Corporation.

    To work at Yang Enterprise was the greatest honor that any office employee could achieve and to touch a position higher than the regr worker was something that many people would die for. Why throw it away for a quick buck? How stupid.

    At the very least, someonepletely useless was thrown off the team and would soon be reced by someone a lot morepetent and, hopefully, refreshing enough to bring new ideas to thepany.

    Back at his desk, Chen Gaonan focused on the tasks given by his Boss. He knew his Boss had always wanted to destroy Zheng Corporation, but was waiting for the right moment and reason to do so. If he irrationally did it without a proper exnation, it would not look good in the eyes of the media.

    True to his Boss¡¯ words, the second the sunset in the west and rose in the east, Zheng Corporation was thrown into chaos.

    The prices of their stocks drastically and disastrously fell, as severalpanies simultaneously pulled their partnerships with Zheng Corporation. The revenue lost was at least eight hundred million dors, nearly reaching a billion by the time the sun had fully risen high in the sky.

    The good weather was aplete contrast to the disarray of Zheng Corporation. They couldn¡¯t do anything but panic in their chairs, for who would they dare cry to?

    If they had the guts to approach the media and offer their side of the story, Yang Enterprise would only shoot them down further with evidence of their under-the-table deal made with the executive.

    Zheng Corporation was cornered.

    They could only sit and wait for the storm to pass while attempting to pacify the great titan they had offended. Throughout the entire morning, the Zhengs attempted to contact the Yangs. It started with Mother Zheng contacting Madam Yang to Father Zheng contacting Mr. Yang and finally, Elder Zheng attempting to get in touch with Elder Yang. None of them prevailed or ever thought about going against Yang Feng¡¯s decision.

    Zheng Tianyi was a furious and rampaging beast. He had smashed, kicked, broken, and destroyed everything in his office. The ss desk was flipped over, the bookshelves pushed to the ground, the coffee table shattered, and the crystal CEO te with his name engraved with gold was on the floor, a heavy crack running through it.

    "Damn it!" He snarled, picking up the nearest object and hurled it across the room, the object shattering upon impact.

    He never thought he would ever undergo such a humiliating stock drop again. It only happened once when Zhao Corporation decided to withdraw their stocks just because that shrew of a woman decided to act on her emotions rather than from a business standpoint. Had she been smart enough, she should¡¯ve stayed in thepany! Even if he wasn¡¯t her fiance, she would still be paid well here.

    Chen Xing didn¡¯t dare to enter the office that was filled with crashing noises. But Zheng Hechong himself wasing to the office and he needed to warn his Boss beforehand. She breathed in deeply, momentarily gathered the tiniest ounce of courage, then knocked on the door.

    "Sir, your father is arriving here in less than thirty minutes." Chen Xing hurriedly exined. Her Boss did not respond, but there was silence in his office now, which meant he had stopped the tantrum

    A minute passed by until Zheng Tianyi gruffly responded, "Send him in."

    Chen Xing sighed in relief, her shoulders dropping. The boulder weighing her down miraculously disappeared into thin air. She could not believe how well she was able to survive this storm!

    On her way back to her desk, her tablet dinged. Her Boss requested for her to enter his office

    With an uneasy and grimaced expression on her face, she reluctantly walked back to the door. She didn¡¯t want to face his wrath head on! With unwillingness and a gut telling her to run for the hills, she timidly opened the door and slipped in, her eyes sweeping over the broken objects in the room.

    "President Zheng, you called for me?" Her palms were getting mmier by the second. She kept her eyes trained on the floor, head slightly bent, and shoulders caved in.

    Zheng Tianyi sat down on his desk chair, taking a slow drag of his cigarette, the taste doing very little to calm his nerves down. Through the hazy smoke, he saw how feeble his secretary was. She was trembling in front of him, like a rabbit in front of a lion.

    He wondered why the people in the office had never made a move on her. When she was not in front of him, she was a confident and appealing woman. A simple smile from her was enough to coerce any man into her bidding.

    She was not as beautiful as his delicate Xia Mengxi, the two women werepletely different in their mor and appearance.

    Xia Mengxi carried herself like a dainty princess. Her sincere expression, naive eyes that resemble a baby fawn, and gentle smile was enough to evoke the most-protective senses in men.

    There were so many men after her because she was just so damn friendly, they have always mistaken her kindness for love. Zheng Tianyi was growing frustrated for constantly having to fend off all of the suitors who line up at her steps, despite the big fat diamond ring sitting on her finger.

    Chen Xing, in contrast, was affable and chummy with everyone she knew but was good at establishing a boundary line with her friendships. For as far as Zheng Tianyi knew, none of her male coworkers had the guts to profess their feelings yet.

    "U-uhm, Boss?" Chen Xing noticed he had been spacing out for quite a while.

    She couldn¡¯t deny the appeal of her worldly boss whose face resembled the statues tucked away in museums. His face was the pr opposite of his personality. His clean-cut appearance was amplified by the fact that he was smoking.

    In the dim room where the cigarette smoke was more prominent, his eyes were slightly squinted, sharp jaw clenched, and ruffled hair giving off a very dangerous type of man ¡ª the kind you wanted to convert into good.

    "Clean my office." Zheng Tianyi flicked the ashes off of his cigarette.

    He had been fighting with Xia Mengxi nonstop the past few days with this morning being their worst...Today was not a good day for him.

    "I¡¯ll contact the Janitor right away¡ª"

    "I don¡¯t have the time to wait for the janitor. Do it yourself." Hemanded her, his tone not leaving any room for discussion.

    Disgruntled at his request, but with no option to disobey it, Chen Xing could only grit her teeth and get to work right away. The entire time, she did not notice her Boss¡¯ heavy gaze on her, in particr, her plump backside.

    Zheng Tianyi took another drag of his cigarette, his eyes darkening by the second. Was she intentionally seducing him? She was bent over picking up the broken objects on the floor, her curvy bottom on full disy. It would asionally wiggle and move as she moved.

    He didn¡¯t think not sleeping with Xia Mengxi for two weeks would make him so prone to temptation. Or was it simply because Chen Xing¡¯s body was a lot curvier than Xia Mengxi? His beloved was always conscious of her body and would asionally go on a diet, thus, she was not as full as she was when she still worked as a secretary. He knew it was because the poor woman was subjected to the criticism of his mother who refused to ept Mengxi into the family.

 Chapter 146 Precious Babies

    Just as Zheng Tianyi pondered the idea of Chen Xing, a quiet ding ran throughout the room. Chen Xing was close to finishing the clean-up when she received the message that Zheng Hechong had arrived at thepany.

    Disgruntled upon being interrupted by his own father, Zheng Tianyi sighed and stood up from the chair. "Direct him to a private meeting room."

    Chen Xing was confused when she saw the slightly ignited desire in his eyes but tried to not think much of it. Perhaps it was just a trick of the light...

    She typed into her tablet and lead her Boss to the private meeting room. Along the way there, she could feel a heavy stare on her bottom and she felt a blush creep up her neck. She was wearing a tight pencil-skirt today, the dress enhancing her silhouette.

    Zheng Hechong was already waiting for his son inside of the meeting room, his expression a mixture of rage and exhaustion.

    Without another nce towards Chen Xing, Zheng Tianyi strolled into the room as she closed it behind him.

    She stood outside, unable to hear a single thing being discussed by the enraged Zheng Hechong and equally upset Zheng Tianyi. She could tell through the window on the door they were originally bickering, most likely about Xia Mengxi beingpletely useless to the family. The conversation had then changed to more serious matters ¡ª the drop in stocks and revenue. Seeing as their faces were not as dark and glum as before, she knew they were probably discussing solutions and ways of mending this rift.

    The only thing that Chen Xing could do was stand outside and pray that whatever n they came up with would seed.

    - - - - -

    The next day, Zhao Lifei decided to resolve her conflict with Lu Minhong. Early in the morning, she ordered the private kitchen to be cleaned and set up for her to use. As the kitchen was being prepared for her, Zhao Lifei went to the greenhouse located not far from the garden to handpick some of the fresh, organically grown vegetables.

    She spent a majority of her morning cooking all of Lu Minhong¡¯s favorite foods. She packed it in well-insted containers and delicately ced them into a lunch bag. Afterward, she cleaned herself up and changed into a new set of clothes.

    Holding the lunch bag close to her, Zhao Lifei looked left and right down the hallways. There was no servant in sight. Perfect.

    She sneakily went downstairs using the hidden passage. She walked with stealth and expertly kept herself hidden from the servants.

    She was d this path was only known by the Old Butler, her grandfather, and Li Xuan, so none of the servants could disturb her here. Once she got to the garage, her eyes lit up in glee when she saw the multiple lines of cars. Her grandfather was an avid collector of vintage cars and the garage was filled with them.

    However, she knew he would have her head if she touched any of his precious babies without permission, and so, she chose to settle with a different car in the far back. She thought it¡¯s strange he would own thetest model of a Bugatti, but figured it was probably a gift to him.

    She walked to a specific panel on the wall that was expertly hidden. The b blended into the wall, and if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that she used to sneak out of the house a lot when she was in high school, she wouldn¡¯t have known where it was.

    She knocked on it exactly four times. A click sound could be heard before the panel slide to the side, revealing a medium-sized safe. After typing the twenty letter password, scanning her fingerprints and eyes, then answering a few questions, the safe finally opened to reveal multiple car keys. She peered in and grabbed the key with an intricate B.

    She heard a bit ofmotion upstairs and knew the servants had discovered she was not in her room. If her luck didn¡¯t run out, they would think she was in the kitchen.

    Not wanting to waste time, she hurriedly climbed into the car and drove it out of the garage. She pressed on the gas and drove onto the main pavement that led to the front entrance of the mansion. It was a five-minute drive from the mansion¡¯s main entrance to the gated entrance down the hill.

    She slowed the car down and popped her head out the window. "Open the gates." She nodded to the guard, praying the message hadn¡¯t spread that fast yet. The security guards exchanged nces, but after a stern re from her, they reluctantly entered abination that opened the gates.

    When it opened, she saw theputer in the personal guard¡¯s room sh red. She already knew the message. Without warning, she stepped on the elerator, and the car roared to life. She sped down the street and drove the wheels to their limits. Once she was on public streets, she slowed down the car, knowing it was toote for them toe after her.

    After a few seconds on the main road, the Bluetooth shed and she sighed. Her grandfather was already calling her. She picked up the call. "Grandfather."

    "Xiao Fei." His voice was disappointed, irked even. She could already picture a deep, disapproving scowl on his face.

    "I¡¯ve obediently rested in the house for two weeks now. It¡¯s so boring in there. Doctor Sun said I¡¯m healed." She quickly said, stopping the car at a red light.

    "You left without permission. There better not be a single scratch on my vintage cars." He recalled the Doctor did indeed give him the green light that she had properly healed. Nheless, he was still worried about her condition. She was still too thin and he was concerned she might injure herself again.

    "I didn¡¯te within a meter of them." She chuckled, not daring to touch his precious babies. Sometimes she thought he liked the cars more than he loved his blood-rted rtives. Seeing her grandfather¡¯s apathetic treatment towards her father, her uncles, and aunts, she knew that theory had a high chance of being true.

    "I took your least favorite one, the Bugatti." She knew her grandfather disliked modern cars, especially one that stood out too much. The car she was driving wasst year¡¯s newest edition. The person probably thought her grandfather loved any type of car, when in reality, he only liked the older kind with their antique charm.

    "Hmph, at least you didn¡¯t lose a few brain cells from the injury." He said, pleasantly surprised at her words.

    He had forgotten about that car. It was a gift from his foolish grandson, the youngest one that didn¡¯t know a single thing about him. This insincere gift brought the poor kid to the bottom of his acknowledgment list.

    Zhao Lifei chuckled at his crude remark. "Of course not."

    "Where are you going?" He asked her, viewing her location on his tablet. He had personally attached trackers to all of the cars.

    "To visit a friend. I¡¯ll talk to youter grandfather, I¡¯m still driving." She vaguely said, not daring to mention Lu Minhong¡¯s name.

    "Fine. We¡¯ll talk about this issue during dinner." He hummed, hanging up the phone. He turned towards Li Xuan.

    "Find out where she¡¯s going. Send the bodyguards there. Tighten the security this time. History cannot repeat itself." He sternly ordered.

    "Yes, sir." Li Xuan bowed and excused himself to fulfill themand.

 Chapter 147 Pushed Over The Rooftop

    When the pristine and stealthy as night Bugatti pulled up in front of the apartmentplex, it attracted a lot of attention. Because the people living here were all middle-ss families, they were all surprised to see such a luxury car. Who could be driving such a thing?

    The door opened and with one leg before the other, Zhao Lifei elegantly climbed out of the car, the wind picking up her hair, sending it fluttering.

    The people astonishingly stared at her, their mouths nearly dropping to the floor. Everyone had expected a man to step out, not such a beautiful young woman!

    Silky locks that fell in waves, piercing feline eyes, lips that resembled hearts, and clear, porcin skin, she was a sight to behold. From her charismatic aura, it wasn¡¯t hard for the people staring to know she was of higher status.

    Zhao Lifei grabbed her phone and called Lu Minhong, ignoring all of the eyes on her. When he didn¡¯t pick up the call, she grew worried. Was he really ignoring her? She knew he wasn¡¯t the type to hold a grudge.

    Sighing to herself, she walked into the gatedmunity, wrote her name on the guest log and waited for the security guard to allow her entry. Once done, she walked into the neighborhood. It was a group of different apartmentplexes all contained behind one gate. It was a niceplex with a yground and a park built within it. She walked down the stone pavement and looked around for his apartment building.

    Was it seventy or eighty building...? She pressed her lips together and went with a lucky guess, went in, took the elevator and knocked on the door. Soon enough, Lu Minhong came into sight, his eyes droopy and tired. His exhausted expression sharpened upon seeing her. His lips curled downwards into a displeased scowl. Right when he was about to m the door shut, she stuck her foot out and stopped him.

    "Ow!" She purposely lied, in hopes of making him feel guilty. If he felt any remorse, he didn¡¯t show it. Uh-oh, he really was mad...

    "What do you want?" He tried to close the door, but she yanked it open. He jumped at her strength. Since when was she this strong?! He slightly nced at his thin arms and sighed in his head. He barely did any exercise aside from flexing his wrist. It¡¯s no wonder he had no strength.

    "I came to apologize and make sure you¡¯re well fed." She held up the lunch bags filled with dishes and greeted him with a bright smile.

    Lu Minhong red at her. "I don¡¯t want it."

    "Are you sure?" She unzipped the bags a bit and instantly, the delectable aroma of his favorite dishes came out. Fried pork ribs, seafood fried rice, seven treasure chicken, his favorite garlic and oyster sauce green beans, as well as beef bone soup, she really went all out for him.

    Upon smelling the food, Lu Minhong¡¯s mouth watered. He simply couldn¡¯t resist. After a few seconds of eyeing her brightly-lit face and the food, he reluctantly stepped aside to let her in.

    Zhao Lifei wasn¡¯t sure what the primary reason for his anger was. Originally, she thought it was because she stood him up on their dinner, but figured he wasn¡¯t that petty. After thinking about it for a while, she came to the conclusion that someone must¡¯ve told him she was attending Ling Fulei¡¯s banquet.

    "It was freshly made just a few minutes ago, but just in case, I¡¯ll heat it up for you." She told him, taking out the dishes and cing them into the microwave. She turned on the stovetop and poured the soup into a pan.

    "Or you can just put the food there and leave." He frowned, leaning on the wall and watching her nimble body move back and forth from the kitchen counter to the oven and stove.

    She turned around at his words, her eyes growing soft. "I¡¯m sorry, Minmin, I really didn¡¯t mean to stand you up. As for the Ling Banquet, I had no choice. My grandfather is forcing me to go, and you know him. He¡¯ll never take no for an answer." She quietly stirred the soup, waiting for it to boil.

    Lu Minhong didn¡¯t speak up. "You could¡¯ve told me sooner about the Ling Banquet."

    "I wanted to tell you over dinner, but something came up."

    "What did?"

    She sighed, cing down thedle and turning to face him. "Sit down, it¡¯s a long story." She gestured to the stool in front of the kitchen counter. After all these years, he still hadn¡¯t changed it. He got this apartment the day he turned eighteen, and it¡¯s been five years since she picked out the furniture for him. The leather was cracking, but he insisted on keeping the stool.

    Zhao Lifeiid out the dishes for Lu Minhong first before she began her story. She knew the best way to lift his mood was through food. She recounted the taxi incident, her kidnapping, and her two-weeka.

    By the end of her story, Lu Minhong finally had a face of understanding. He sat there, pondering her words for a long time, asionally taking a bit of the food, savoring the taste of her amazing cooking.

    "Did Ling Fulei insist you have to go to the banquet? Or is it your grandfather?" He was curious as to why the powerful man couldn¡¯t go himself. Sure he was getting old, but didn¡¯t he recently attend a banquet just two months ago? Why the sudden change now?

    Zhao Lifei was taken back by the question. She never thought about it and just like him, found it odd that her grandfather was insisting she must attend the banquet.

    "Now that you mention it, I¡¯m not too sure." She said, taking a bite of the food and then drinking the soup.

    Lu Minhong was silent for a while, lost in his own thoughts and theories. He looked at Zhao Lifei, the woman who was oblivious to his stares and was instead, focused on filling her stomach.

    Even with her stuffing her face with food, she was still very elegant in her manner. Her hair, resembling the color of an empty night sky, was naturally wavy and tied up while she ate, her smooth, pale skin the color of snow seemed to be as beautiful as white jade, pure and perfect. Her eyes were framed by perfectly longshes that made the shimmering hazel look even lighter. He admired her from a friend¡¯s perspective.

    Even during her high school years, she was able to effortlessly capture the hearts and attention of many men. Many had confessed their undying love to her, but she always prevailed and remained loyal to Zheng Tianyi, but that didn¡¯t stop any of them from constantly chasing after her.

    There was even a rumor that the infamous troublemaker, Ling Fulei, had a crush on her... But that spection was crushed as fast as it came because everyone knew Zhao Lifei cherished her friends dearly. To bully one, was to bully her and that was exactly what Ling Fulei did. He bullied Lu Minhong like a madman, constantly making his life a living hell. With such a horrendous treatment, Ling Fulei made it very clear that he did not like Zhao Lifei.

    "Why aren¡¯t you eating? Here, have some Kobe beef. I spent a lot of time and energy into making these dishes, you have to finish them all!" Zhao Lifei dered. "Try the shiitake mushroom stir-fried with spinach and cauliflower, it¡¯s delicious and good for your malnourished body." She smiled, treating him more like a younger brother than a friend.

    Lu Minhong dug into his food andughed. "You were hogging the food so much, I was too scared to snatch food from the beast."

    She gasped. "Who are you calling a beast?!" Why, this twat!

    "Who else." He rolled his eyes. "You and Yang Ruqin are both predators when ites to eating. I won¡¯t forget the day Yang Ruqin tried to push me off the school rooftop just because I took one piece of fried chicken from her." He snorted, remembering the day he saw his life sh before his eyes when Yang Ruqin jumped him, the two nearly tumbling over the fence-less roof.

    "She was just really hungry¡ª"

    "And the time you kicked me in the shin for eating thest piece of chocte cake." Lu Minhong retorted, feeling bitter for the horrible treatment he got. Now that he thought about it, those two women loved to bully him in their younger days as well! Though it was always mere jokes between friends, he still felt like a poor younger brother that was constantly teased by his older and invincible sisters!

    "Okay, but my cycle had just started that time¡ª"

    Lu Minhong rolled his eyes. "That doesn¡¯t justify anything." He scowled, which made Zhao Lifei sigh in defeat, for she had nothing else better to say. Even she knew how possessive she and Yang Ruqin were over food. They rarely disyed it in public for fear of damaging their images, but deep down, both of them knew about their irrational tendencies.

 Chapter 148 Our Intimate Moments

    After finishing her meal with Lu Minhong, Zhao Lifei was nning to drive home but realized it was still bright and early in the afternoon. She recalled her grandfather¡¯s words from the hospital that Yang Feng had bought her a property. Curiously, she wondered if she should ask Yang Feng about it and after careful consideration, called him. He picked up on the first ring.

    "Are you alright? Is something wrong?" Was the first thing Yang Feng said, his words taking the senior executives in the meeting room byplete surprise. It was the first time they had seen their boss disregard his work environment just to pick up a call. Usually, his phone was ced as far away from him as possible, but recently, it was always in front of him.

    "I was just wondering about the location of the apartment you bought for me..." She trailed off, realizing how shameless she sounded. "I really appreciate the gift and¡ª"

    "Your question was perfectly fine, don¡¯t overthink your own words." He chuckled, already knowing she convinced herself of something. "The vi is located in Cerulean Water Pavilions, it¡¯s the second biggest property."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s mouth dropped open in shock. She didn¡¯t know whether to cry orugh at his words. Was he serious? The cheapest property at Cerulean Water Pavilions is priced at one hundred million dors! The highly prestigious gatedmunity was known to house only the most opulent personages. Even if one had money, they could not simply purchasend or housing there, it was simply an impossible dream. She remembered the waitlist just to tour or even dream of cing a bid on any of the houses was at least half a decade long!

    She was really losing in this gift war, dang it!

    Hearing her silence, Yang Feng grew doubtful of the gift. "You don¡¯t like it? It¡¯s alright, I will have another one purchased for you." His words made the executives gag with blood. Who exactly was he speaking to?! Which sane person in this world would see a Cerulean Water Pavillion vi as unworthy?!

    "No, no, it¡¯s fine¡ª"

    "Just fine? You don¡¯t have to force yourself to like it for my sake. I¡¯ll have a new property under your name by tonight¡ª"

    "Hey, hey, I¡¯m the only one allowed to overthink in our rtionship! Don¡¯t mirror my bad attributes." She hurriedly said, typing the GPS into the car to drive her way to themunity, but found out it wasn¡¯t registered in the map. Of course, it wasn¡¯t, the location was so well-hidden, not just anyone could know where it was!

    The edge of Yang Feng¡¯s lips twitched, threatening to break out into a smile at her words. She said ¡¯our rtionship,¡¯ did that mean she acknowledged they were a couple? The idea made his heart skip a beat, the action surprising him. "Okay." He readily agreed with her words. With how ted he was, he was willing to oblige any of her demands ¡ª even if it was asking for the world to kneel before her!

    Zhao Lifei blew out a sigh of relief, her shoulders rxing. "Where is the address? It¡¯s not popping up on the map."

    Still, in a good mood, Yang Feng responded in a fond voice, "I¡¯ll take you there tomorrow."

    She grew antsy at his words. Was it right to drag him away from his work? She was worried what other people would think of her, in particr, that secretary of his that she knew did not like her very well. "I-it¡¯s fine, I can go there myself. I don¡¯t want to pull you away from your work¡ª"

    "It¡¯s our first marital house, I want to help you tour it." He smoothly said, his words causing a shocked air of silence into the meeting room.

    The people in there were astounded at his words, some even spurted out the water had just sipped, while the others had their mouths drop so wide an emu egg could have been ced inside and fit well!

    D-did they hear him correctly?! Their emotionless and ruthlessly cold Boss not only used an affectionate voice, warm as the sun on a winter day, but also mention marriage?!

    He was married?!

    Since when?

    Where was the wedding band?

    Howe they¡¯d never heard of this?

    Most importantly, who was the wife? Billions of questions surfaced in their minds, but not a single one was uttered out loud, for they were all too terrified of their Boss¡¯ wrath to ask any questions.

    A few of the female employees, in the room who stood by the sides to record the notes, exchanged nces.

    There was already a Madam Yang?

    Could it be Su Meixiu?

    Was that why their Boss went on a sudden emergency meeting?

    Was it even a meeting at all?

    Was it simply the couple eloping off?!

    Zhao Lifei frowned at his words. There he went again, assuming their rtionship when he had barely asked her out! She wanted him to, at the very least, formally ask her out the traditional way, instead of dering their rtionship after just a couple of kisses. But she was too stubborn and prideful to tell him that and was hoping he was smart enough to figure that out himself, with the handful of "friend" hints she kept on dropping. Sure enough, Yang Feng was exactly like her: high IQ, but low EQ...

    "Who said we were married?" She argued, clutching her forehead, already knowing another argument might erupt sooner orter.

    "We will get married soon, why not acknowledge the status early?"

    Married soon?! What kind of delusion was he living in? "We¡¯re not even girlfriend or boyfriend! How can you talk about marriage already?" She blurted out, to which Yang Feng¡¯s bright mood immediately dropped.

    His tender face turned hard as stone, the bliss in his eyes bing blizzards that swept across the entire meeting room, sending chills down people¡¯s spines. He stormed out of the meeting room, his sudden departure startled Chen Gaonan who was waiting outside.

    "Boss, what¡¯s wrong¡ª" The goosebumps on his arms stood up when his Boss walked past him, a murderous expression on his face as if he was speaking to someone that owed him a lifetime of debt...

    "After all of our intimate moments, you see me as a friend?" His voice was destructively calm, not a hint of anger to be discovered.

    Zhao Lifei knew one wrong word and there would be another temper tantrum. She sighed, her lips tugging into a frown. "Read between the lines ande to me afterward." She said, hanging up the phone before he could say anything else.

    Yang Feng scowled. Read between the lines? What the hell was she talking about?! He glowered at the phone as if it had wronged him and without warning, he mmed the phone to the ground, the device instantly shattering upon the harsh impact.

    Chen Gaonan sighed, reaching into his briefcase to pull out another ready-to-use phone with all of the previous information from the other ones. "Is something the matter, Boss?" He slowly said the words, carefully treading as if he was on the thin ice, while he handed the new phone to his Boss with two hands.

    Yang Feng breathed in through his nose and out of his mouth in an attempt to calm his raging senses. He understood why she hung up. She didn¡¯t want to start another fight, especially when they just had one so recently.

    Yang Feng, who had no knowledge of rtionships or even how they worked, sharply turned to Chen Gaonan with a scowl on his perfectly-sculptured face. "How¡¯s your rtionship with your wife?"

    Chen Gaonan was baffled by the question, his usuallyposed face went nk in confusion. He rapidly blinked and scratched the back of his head,pletely at a loss for words. Huh, that¡¯s weird, I just heard Boss ask me about my personal life..."Pardon my ipetence, can you repeat the question?" He wanted to make sure he was hearing it right.

    Yang Feng wasn¡¯t in the mood to deal with his secretary anymore, and instead, walked down the opposite direction and straight into his office with Chen Gaonan tailing behind him. "Wait, Boss, I thought I misheard it! Don¡¯t get mad, I¡¯ll speak, I¡¯ll speak!" He cried out, following his Boss all the way into the cold and deste office room, the ck furniture perfectly matching with his aloof Boss.

    Yang Feng sat down on his office chair, elegantly crossing one leg over the other, his posture giving him the appearance of a King rather than a modern man. "Speak."

    Chen Gaonan began to sweat buckets, nervously wiping a handkerchief on his forehead. He was so used toplicated questions, that such a simple one was enough to turn his head into a nk space of nothingness...

 Chapter 149 She Shouldve Said So Sooner

    "W-well, my marital rtionship is safely sailing, but because work sote into the night, she¡¯s usually half-asleep when I get home¡ª" Chen Gaonan rambled, purposely hinting to Yang Feng to lessen the massive workload on him.

    "Useless." Yang Feng interjected, his words hurting Chen Gaonan deeply.

    "W-wasn¡¯t that what you wanted to hear?" Chen Gaonan was confused. His Boss wanted to know about the rtionship with his wife, so he said it, but why was the Big Boss unsatisfied?!

    "Find me an expert in rtionship advice." Yang Feng opened hisptop and tried to get to work, but was struggling to do so. His mind was heavily upied by Zhao Lifei¡¯s words. What did she mean to read between the lines?!

    Chen Gaonan realized the issue was about Zhao Lifei. A displeased frown overcame his face. The woman was distracting the Big Boss from his work again?!

    Yang Feng saw the expression on his secretary¡¯s face, and spoke up, "What? You have a problem?" His delivery was smooth and cid, but the underlying message was dangerous.

    Chen Gaonan immediately shook his head. "No, I¡¯d never¡ª" He was cut-off by the distinct ringtone of none other than Yang Ruqin. He looked at his phone, then at his irked Big Boss.

    Miss Yang, this is not the right time to piss your brother off any further! But he didn¡¯t dare to hang up and leave the affluent woman on voicemail, and reluctantly spoke up again. "Boss, Miss Yang is calling¡ª"

    "Ignore it." Yang Feng muttered,pletely distracted, until his eyes sharpened and an idea came to mind. "Actually, pick it up." Why consult a rtionship expert when he had his younger sister, the ultimate information book?

    "Right away, Sir." Chen Gaonan said, picking up the call right as it was about to enter voicemail. He hurriedly handed the phone to Yang Feng and immediately, the pitiful voice of Yang Ruqin ranged out.

    "Feng-ge, do you hate me?" She cried, her voice filled with sorrow. "Why must you confine me at home and snitch on me?! How can you forsake me like this?" She sobbed.

    For the past five days, she was locked in her room with no connections to the outside world! She had finally managed to convince her parents to give her the phone, for she couldn¡¯t stand this lockdown anymore! Her manager was going to release all the wrath of hell upon her, and her reputation and work life were really suffering from her brother¡¯s tyrannical ways!

    "I¡¯ve been such a good younger sister! I was the one who convinced Feifei intoing around and stop being so stubborn¡ª"

    "I¡¯ll let you out of the house."

    "Wait, really?!" Yang Ruqin shrieked, her mncholic tone quickly shifting into an overly-excited one. Wow, that was quick! Usually, she would have to scream, throw a tantrum, and threaten to hold her breath until she turned blue to get her older brother to relent.

    "On one condition." Yang Feng was impressed to hear his younger sister¡¯s aplishments. If there was anyone he was close to that knew Zhao Lifei the best, it would be his obnoxious sister.

    "What is it? Is it the boy toy? Don¡¯t worry, I kicked him to the curb a long time ago!" Yang Ruqin wagged her tail, ready to agree to anything her brother asked her to do.

    "Have you spoken to Lifei recently?"

    His question took her by surprise. She nearly responded with, ¡¯Of course not! You had my phone taken away, how could I contact my precious Feifei?!¡¯ But she did not have the guts like her Feifei to say something like this, thus, said, "No. Why?"

    "Nevermind. You¡¯re useless too." He muttered, ready to hang up the call, but she quickly responded, "It¡¯s because you took away my phone!"

    She thought about it for a few seconds and hurriedly added on, "I¡¯ll speak to her right away after this call. Is there something you want me to discuss with her? Feng-ge, you know I¡¯m verypetent when ites to Feifei right? Have some faith in me!" She rushed to make her point, in fear that he would hang up and she would lose her only means of escaping this prison cell known as her house.

    "Convince her to see me as more than a friend."

    Yang Ruqin blinked, her mouth opening and closing. B-but, Feifei already sees you more than just a friend! What¡¯s going on?!

    "What do you mean? Feifei is madly in love with you, she already sees you more than that." She threw in subtle boot-licking in hopes of quelling his frustration.

    It worked the slightest bit because Yang Feng¡¯s patience for her arose. "That¡¯s not what she just said a few minutes ago."

    "Oh." Yang Ruqin tilted her head and thought about why her Feifei would say something like that.

    "Did you make the rtionship very clear with her? Like, did you ask her out and everything? Believe it or not, our Feifei is very old-tradition when ites to love. She used to read a lot of romance novels in high school."

    "Every woman wants to be treated like a Princess, Feng-ge. Though Feifei always shows her strong side to you, the one that always argues back and dares to match your temper, at heart, she wants to be treated properly."

    "The pile of poo, known as Zheng Tianyi, never treated her like a woman. He didn¡¯t bother sparing her any affection, nor did he acknowledges their rtionship, or announced it at school! There were tons of guys that asked her out in high school, but she never liked them back."

    Yang Ruqin remembered asking Zhao Lifei why she rejected all of the advances ced on her when Zheng Tianyi never bothered with her. An adolescent, but wise Zhao Lifei responded it was because hearing those words from a stranger was like hearing them chat about the weather ¡ª insincere and nd.

    "She¡¯s waiting for the day that someone who shares the same feelings as her will finally ask her out." Yang Ruqin concluded her long rant. Her brother¡¯s silence scared her. Did she say something wrong? Was it not good enough for him? She began to fret over her words.

    A minute passed by, then two, until five came along. "Uh, Feng-ge, are you still there?"

    "Lifei is not yours. Don¡¯t refer her as ¡¯ours.¡¯ She¡¯s mine and only mine." Yang Feng finally said after a heavy and long silence.

    His shameless words infuriated Yang Ruqin who was not used to sharing her beloved best friend.

    He¡¯s so greedy! She cursed in her head. She believed her brother should be grateful she even said ¡¯ours¡¯ instead of ¡¯my¡¯ Feifei!

    "You¡¯re released." Yang Feng hung up the phone, tossed it back to Chen Gaonan and stood up to his full height, a determined look on his face.

    She wanted to be wooed the old-fashioned way? She should¡¯ve said so sooner! He was bad at sappy-romances, but for her, he was willing to try and change his ways. By the time the sun had set in the sky and arise the next day, his n was put into motion.

 Chapter 150 Dream On

    The next day, Zhao Lifei had just finished her breakfast when a newly hired maid timidly walked into the room, her footsteps light but frantic and rushed. She walked up to Zhao Lifei with her head bowed and said, "Young Miss, there¡¯s a man outside of the front entrance requesting your presence."

    Zhao Lifei tilted her head in confusion and looked at the pendulum clock hanging on the wall. It was ten in the morning, every single one of her acquaintances should be busy doing something by now. Not everyone shared the samezy schedule as her.

    "Are you sure it¡¯s for me and not my grandfather?" She asked, wiping her mouth and standing up gracefully. The maid was momentarily awestruck at her Young Miss¡¯ natural elegance.

    "Yes, Young Miss, he specifically asked for you." The maid said, trailing behind her Young Miss with hands sped in front of her stomach.

    Zhao Lifei simply hummed in reply. When she got to the staircase, her eyes widened in surprise. Standing not far from the grand entrance of the Zhao Mansion was a tall and lean man whose wless figure was enhanced by his casual clothing.

    "Yang Feng...?" His name left her mouth before she could even think it through. When he turned around, holding a pastel blue box in his hand and a charming smirk on his face, her heart skipped a beat. She felt her throat run dry upon the sight of him.

    She had never seen him in casual clothing before, but he looked too good to be real. He was wearing a clean-cut white button-up shirt with sleeves rolled up and ck pants. His outfit greatlyplemented his body, making him look perfectly proportional. She noticed his outfit matched her white top and ck jeans.

    She cursed inside her head, did he always have to look this handsome?!

    Yang Feng felt the edge of his lips tug up higher upon seeing her mesmerized expression. Her rosy lips were slightly parted. Her eyes, resembling a vast sea of stars, were wider than usual. "It¡¯s rude to not greet your guests." He teased, his deep and smooth voice filled with mirth.

    Zhao Lifei blinked, her braining back to reality. "You..." She paused, thinking her response through before speaking. "You¡¯re not mad at me?" She was nervous about his response. The entire night, she couldn¡¯t sleep properly because she overthought the scenario yesterday.

    "Yesterday, I was." Her heart dropped at his words.

    "But I¡¯m not anymore." He added on, watching the light return in her eyes. As always, she was good at keeping her emotions in check.

    "You broke your promise." He chided her, deciding if she was too unsure to move, he would be the first to close their distance.

    "My promise?" She repeated, watching as he confidently walked to her. She was surprised when he suddenly lifted her closer to him by grabbing her waist.

    "You¡¯re keeping your emotions to yourself again." He mused, cing the box onto her hands so he can properly touch her. When he used his rough thumb to gently soothe her dark circles, her eyes fluttered closed as she leaned into him, basking in the warmth he always provided. His other hand caressed the back of her head, causing her to rest it on his chest.

    "What do you mean?" She was trying to understand his hint, but with his distracting hands, she couldn¡¯t think properly.

    Yang Feng decided to not say anything. He knew if he did so, the surprise would be ruined. "Open the box, it¡¯s a present." He enjoyed the way she always sought to be closer to him. Unlike the previous women in his life, she was not scared of touching him as she pleased.

    Zhao Lifei pulled back a bit to open the gift, but the clingy man shifted his arm to wrap it around her waist and tugged her to him again. She rolled her eyes. "If you want me to open the present, you have to give me some room to do so."

    As if to annoy her, he crashed her body into his, tightly embracing her to the point where not even a piece of paper could be wedged between them. "Yang Feng!" She exasperated, despite the happiness that shimmered within her eyes and the smile threatening to break out.

    "I quite prefer it if you shout my name like that in bed." He teased.

    Instead of blushing, like he had expected her to do, she gave him a refreshing response by scoffing, her face filled with disinterest.

    "Dream on." She bluntly said, her sharp reply causing him tough, his rock-hard chest rumbling. The sound, deep and warm, made her heart skip another beat.

    She looked up at his smiling face, his eyes slightly crinkled, the sunlight from the ss window behind him made his body glow as if he was an immortal god who had descended to this realm.

    She scowled. This was so unfair! Why was he so good-looking whatever he did?!

    "Dreams almost alwayse true." He grinned, pinching her cheeks so she puffed them up to prevent him from doing it again.

    "Whatever." With a loud hmph, she turned and opened the light blue box with silver detailing on the front. Her eyes widened when she saw her favorite dessert in the entire world.

    "Rice cakes from Hedong?" Her face broke out into a fond smile, the simple movement instantly capturing Yang Feng¡¯s heart again. Seeing her smile, with happiness swirling deep in her eyes, he felt his poor heart being squeezed.

    "There¡¯s more in the car." He muttered distractedly, hooking her chin to turn her face so that he could see her expression properly.

    Completely unaware of his expression, she excitedly eximed, "Really?!" She closed the box and grabbed his hand, pulling him to the sleek and midnight ck Ferrari parked in front. But she didn¡¯t care about the car, instead, she walked straight to the tinted window and tried to peer inside.

    Yang Feng became quiet at seeing how happy she was from receiving the simplest gift of boxes of inexpensive rice cakes. He had gifted her so many things, but she never seemed to be as happy as she was when it came to receiving food!

    When he opened the door to reveal the different pastel colored boxes with assorted vors of rice cakes, she squealed in delight and gave him a hug that caught him off-guard. His frigid face melted into pure adoration and tenderness for the woman in his arms. But before he could even hug her back, she had already pulled away. He frowned at this and right when she was about to climb into the car to retrieve the gifts, hisrge hands came out and he hugged her from behind.

    "Hug me longer." He demanded, like a needy child. She could practically imagine his wagging tail waiting for her to finally do something to him. She turned around to hug the sullen child, giving his wide back a few firm pats, as if reassuring him she wasn¡¯t going anywhere.

    "There, there, is that better now?" Sheughed when he responded by tightening his arms around her. He buried his face into the crook of her slender, swan-like neck and kissed the delicate white as snow skin.

    "Not good enough." He responded, breathing in her mellow and sweet scent before pulling back with an expectant expression.

    She quirked her brow at this. "How can I make it better then?" She teased, just to humor him, but he took it seriously and shamelessly said, "I want a kiss." She choked and looked at him, an incredulous expression on her face. She didn¡¯t think he would take her word literally!

    Seeing his heavy gaze and eager expression, a mixture of anticipation and seriousness, she resisted the urge tough. It was such a funny sight to see Big Boss Yang Feng so excited for a simple kiss. Standing on tiptoes, she pressed a swift kiss to his lips and stood back down before he could do anything.

    He slightly frowned. "That¡¯s not a proper kiss."

    She snorted and daringly said, "Then show me one."

    The second she said that, he crashed his lips down onto hers, passionately capturing it, one of his handsing up to softly touch her cheek, the other tilting her neck. His lips were hot and sucked and tugged on her lips, before molding it perfectly over hers, greedily kissing her as if he wanted to devour her whole.

    Her entire body buzzed as warmth entered her, a light moan escaping. At that sound, he let out a low growl and kissed her harder, desire-ridden as he pressed her body onto the car, trapping her and leaving her without much room to run. He made sure to keep that hardening friend of his away from her, fearing that it would scare her.

    After what felt like an eternity lost in passion, with tiny breaks of air in between, the two finally broke apart. Zhao Lifei¡¯s chest moved up and down as she tried to catch her breath, her eyespletely dazed and unfocused.

    Yang Feng smirked when he saw her bruised lips, ruby red flushed cheeks, and eyes ignited with lust for him. He lifted her chin and kissed the corner of her lips, enjoying the way her chest was pressed against him. He could feel every one of her desperate attempts to catch air. "That, my dear, is how you give a proper kiss."

 Chapter 151 Empress

    Zhao Lifei tried to push him away, only for him to crash her body back into his solid chest, hard as a wall. "I don¡¯t have enough experience to do that." She snorted, averting her embarrassed gaze. She was good at so many things, but kissing was not one of them.

    At her words, he felt a sense of possessiveness wash over him. "You don¡¯t need experience. I¡¯ll teach you." He firmly dered, his eyes filled with the utmost devotion.

    She thought he was joking, but when she saw the burning fire within his eyes, she knew he wasn¡¯t. "Alright, have it your way." She mused.

    Seeing her so willinglyply, his contented expression brightened just like his mood.

    - - - - -

    After climbing into the passenger seat while happily munching away on her food, Zhao Lifei finally noticed they were getting further away from the city. She looked at the serious Yang Feng who was seemingly concentrated on driving, but she knew he had snuck nces at her face every few seconds. She only prayed she did not look like a hamster stuffing her cheeks when she ate the rice cake, but judging by the way the corner of his lips were twitching, she knew she did, indeed, looked like that.

    "Where are we going?"

    "You¡¯ll know when you get there." He looked at her for the slightest second and made a ¡¯pft¡¯ noise.

    "What?" She confusedly questioned.

    "You have powder on your face." He grinned, grabbing a wet wipe to clean her face.

    She swatted his hand away and stubbornly wiped the powder off herself. She looked away, a blush threatening to break out at the incredibly embarrassing moment. "I¡¯d rather it have been your lips instead." She mumbled under her breath, purposely teasing him. She yelped when the car came to a screeching halt and was driven to the side of the highway.

    "What¡ª" She didn¡¯t get to speak when he roughly grabbed her chin and kissed her hard. She instantly melted when his expert lips went to work, her senses disappearing as his fiery mouth dominated every part of her.

    "Ah!" She gasped when he suddenly bit her bottom lips, his tongue diving inside to taste her before dominating her tongue into submission. Another erotic sound left her mouth without warning or control and right when she leaned in, begging for more, he pulled back.

    She greedily wanted more and frustratedly pouted.

    "That¡¯s what you get for being such a tease." He hoarsely said, his voice ignited with passion. He started the car again, but his knuckles were tightly clenched on the steering wheel.

    She was confused by his actions until she saw therge camp in his pants and squirmed in her seat. "T-then don¡¯t be so handsome all the time." She blurted, pushing all of the me on him.

    He dly took it all, a cheeky smile on his face. "You think I¡¯m handsome?" He wanted to hear her say it again. Even when the entire world ttered him on his heaven forbidding looks and the women threw themselves at his feet, the onlypliment that mattered was the one leaving her precious lips.

    Regretting her words, she decided to remain quiet and opted to look out the window, a slight blush covering her face.

    He momentarily nced at her and chuckled upon seeing her flustered expression. He decided to stop teasing her, or else she might resort to brute force and hit him, not that he minded, for she barely did any damage to him.

    - - - - -

    When the car pulled into the amusement park, Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes brightened like a child on Christmas. Her eyes rapidly bounced around, gleefully taking in her surroundings. Ever since she was a child, she always wanted toe to one, but never had the chance to. Being a child at heart, this ce was like heaven for her.

    She was so busy looking out of the windows to even realize Yang Feng had climbed out of the car, thus, when he opened the car door, she was surprised, but fixed herposure instantly.

    "Let¡¯s go." He stretched out hisrge hand and offered it to her. She sped her hand over his without hesitation, his warmth quickly melting her icy fingertips.

    "The park is crowded, so keep close." He said, wrapping a protective arm around her waist to make sure she wasn¡¯t touched by the crowds of people. With hisrge stature and intimidating aura, no one dared to evene within meters from them. His bodyguards were also disguised to blend into the crowd, making sure their Lady Boss was perfectly kept away from harm¡¯s way.

    Everywhere they went, they garnered attention. Men and women paused every few seconds or took double-nces back at them,pletely fascinated by the extremely eye-pleasing couple. Despite the fact that the suave and towering man was leading her, she did not look lost or weak. Instead, her eyes were sharp and her face was neutrally calm, taking in everything in her surroundings. Their aurabined was overwhelming, a heavy air of royalty exuding from both of them. A true power couple.

    "Oh my gosh, he¡¯s so handsome!" A woman whispered to her friend, "I wonder if he¡¯s a model or an actor." She looked at him again, heartsing out of her eyes.

    In a hypnotic daze upon seeing someone so blindly charismatic, she said, "No, he¡¯s an immortal."

    "Pft! Yaoyao, you¡¯ve been watching too many historical dramas!"

    "No, he really looks like a heavenly god blessing us with his presence!"

    Another womanmented, "If he enters showbiz, I would be the happiest person in the world. His features are so defining and his dark eyes, ugh, so mysterious!"

    A couple paused to look at them, more in particr, the girlfriend pulled her boyfriend to a halt. "His jaw is so sharp, his lips are so sexy..."

    "Hey, your boyfriend is standing right here!" He fumed, despite the fact that he was bewitched by the woman¡¯s charismatic and chic appearance. She was ten levels above his league, her features so breathtaking, he was sure if this was the historic world, she would be the Emperor¡¯s favorite concubine, if not, the Empress.

    "Yeah well, your girlfriend is standing right here, so stop looking at her!" The girlfriend bickered, but her eyes were still heavily glued onto the man.

    Zhao Lifei was so expectedly protected by Yang Feng, she waspletely oblivious to the onlookers¡¯ attention on them. Instead, she was naively looking around the amusement park, her sparkling eyes were filled with interest. She was so excited to try everything there, but didn¡¯t know where to start until her eye caught something interesting.

    She brightly turned towards Yang Feng, "Let¡¯s go to the haunted house!" Without waiting for his reply, she practically dragged him there. Because her back was turned towards him, she didn¡¯t see his stiffened expression.

    "It¡¯s going to be fun." She smiled back at him, still oblivious to what he was feeling towards the haunted house. But seeing her so happy, Yang Feng could only keep his mouth shut and obliged to whatever the Empress wanted.

    "Oh, the line is quite long." She soberly said after turning a corner.

    Despite the fact that Yang Feng wanted to bolt to the other side of the park, far away from the haunted house, he still guided her towards the front.

    "I bought the annual FastPass for us." He informed her, finally receiving the chance to grasp the yellow band over her wrist. He saw how skinny she still was, but was d to see the slightest improvement and in a low voice said, "Let¡¯s get you some food afterward."

    Zhao Lifei noticed the slight cold-sweat he had and the way his brows were knitted, forming creases on his forehead. Was he scared? She saw his usual golden skin was slightly paler than usual.

    Yang Feng walked to the front of the line and showed the employees their bands and they were ushered inside.

    "Are you scared?" She teased him.

    His rigid expression became frostier at the truth. "No." He muttered, his voice was confident, but his eyes swirled with dread and wariness.

    He could handle the pungent smell of rotting bodies, the horrific sight of brutally tortured humans, causing widespread massacre and violence with the flick of his wrists, but haunted houses were battles he could not conquer.

    Zhao Lifei was stunned to see her suspicion was true, but her shock evolved into disbelief and amusement. It seemed this wless man finally had an imperfection aside from his stubbornness...!

 Chapter 152 Ghosts and Monsters

    "Don¡¯t worry, Big Boss, if you¡¯re scared, you can hide behind my back!" Zhao Lifei decided it was her turn to finally turn the tables and tease him! When she saw Yang Feng¡¯s displeased scowl, she giggled. The sound was like music to his ears, his expression slightly cracking.

    "Here, you can squeeze my hand too. Don¡¯t worry, dear princess, I will protect you." She added on, offering her hand to him and was momentarily caught off guard when he instantly held it and roughly tugged her to him.

    "Such teasing... won¡¯t go unpunished." He whispered into her ears, his warm breath fanning her face.

    "Not after I punish you first in this house." She grinned, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach from his action. She was surprised that even though he was scared, he still had the guts to try and trifle with her. Hah, just you wait, Mr. Tycoon, I¡¯ll show you who¡¯s the real Boss today!

    An employee, dressed in bright yellow clothes, finally came up to them. He respectively bent his head, which surprised Zhao Lifei. "Honorable guests, Mr. Yang and Ms. Zhao, the haunted house has been cleared. You may proceed."

    Zhao Lifei frowned at the extravagant treatment and turned to Yang Feng, then lifted their entwined hands, pointing to their wrists. "These aren¡¯t FastPass bracelets, are they?" She scowled, not happy that she wasn¡¯t living the full amusement park experience.

    "They are." Technically...

    The wristband on her most certainly allowed people to skip the lines, but it was also only given out to the very selective VIP members of the amusement park. It just so happens the Yangs were a major stockholder of the park ever since it was built.

    "Don¡¯t frown like that, you¡¯ll have wrinkles." He tried to change the topic and touch her face, but she turned it away from him with a loud ¡¯hmph!¡¯ He sighed at her treatment, his hand dropping.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll change the way they treat us after this tour. Don¡¯t be mad at me." He muttered, using his hand to pull her head closer so he could kiss her forehead. There was a great force acting against him, but he still managed to squeeze a quick peck in there.

    Zhao Lifei was gloomily avoiding his action, but her strength was nowhereparable to his. "You promise?" She asked him, looking up to meet his eyes, an ocean of fine ink.

    "Of course." He instantly replied. Anything she wanted, he would dly fulfill...even if it meant lowering himself to be treated like a regr person.

    Only after inspecting his face for sincerity did her face finally open up again with a carefree smile. She nodded her head and pulled him towards the door that began the long journey.

    With each step, she could feel the weight in her hand get heavier and heavier as Yang Feng dreadfully tried to not dig his feet into the ground. With great reluctance, he apanied her into the stupid, sweaty, and musty haunted house.

    Zhao Lifei remainedpletely unfazed by the ghosts and monsters. Instead, she looked intriguingly at them and evenplimented a few on their design. Her nd expressions disappointed the actors.

    Yang Feng waspletely the pr opposite of her. His entire body was tensed up in fear and anticipation, his thin lips pulled into a t line, his eyes on high alert, and his face pale as the ghosts looming along the path. Despite the multiple jumpscares of monsters, he didn¡¯t scream. Instead, his body would jolt and on several asions, he nearly punched the actors.

    "Don¡¯t threaten them." She chuckled when she saw a monster cower into the corner when Yang Feng threw it a murderous re.

    "It¡¯s only their job." She was having the greatest delight in seeing Yang Feng¡¯s stance and behavior. He waspletely different from the domineering man she always knew. He was indeed still a fearsome presence, but it was amusing that he was constantly on high alert and would flinch at the smallest jumpscares.

    "This must be so fun to you." He scowled, his racing heart finally rxing when he saw the entrance was right up ahead.

    "Hm, it is¡ªBOO!" She suddenly screamed, scaring him witless. Sheughed when she saw his grimacing face. His eyebrows were knitted together, his eyes still shaking. He scowled upon seeing she was so happy at making his heart skyrocket. He looked like a spoiled child overly bullied by the adults...

    "Pft, you should¡¯ve seen your face!" She wheezed,ughing so hard, she was struggling to breathe. When she took another nce at Yang Feng¡¯s posture and felt her hand was being squeezed more than before, sheughed louder, her stomach hurting.

    "Just you wait, little kitty, I¡¯ll get you back for this." He grumbled under his breath, a gloomy cloud hanging over him, a wronged expression on his face.

    She smiled up at him, standing on her tippy toes and brought his face down. "Don¡¯t be mad, Yang Feng." She giggled, giving him a quick peck on the lips and then on his cheek.

    "I¡¯m going to kiss you senseless." He frowned, but couldn¡¯t maintain it, for she kissed his lips again. He wanted to properly cherish this moment, but with the foolish ghosts and monsters looming here, he couldn¡¯t do so.

    "I can¡¯t wait then." She winked, further provoking him and making his eyes darken. She gasped when he roughly yanked her to him and pushed her to the wall, forgetting all his fears the minute she said those words.

    He kissed her roughly and harshly, biting and tugging at her lips, forcefully prying her mouth open topletely taste her sweetness. Despite the harsh and rugged kiss, she still felt her body begin to warm up with desire, her lower region building up with heat.

    She let out a yelp when he suddenly bit her bottom lips, only for him to soothe the pain with his tongue. He unexpectedly kissed her and, as he promised, her mind wentpletely nk. His hand reached behind and gave her butt a light squeeze, causing her to gasp.

    The sharp sound made his brain tingle further as he continued to cruelly kiss her without pause, until her lips were raw. Her knees had long given up on her, but he supported her and proceeded topletely mark her lips. He broke apart to let her breathe, but continued trailing hot, open mouth kisses down her neck, stopping at the crooks, before sucking, biting, and kissing the spot.

    "Ah!" She was a moaning mess by then,pletely melted in his arms. He furthered his assault to the middle of her neck, nipping the soft and tender skin, sucking and kissing it as he did before. She was so lost in the pleasure, she didn¡¯t realize he was purposely marking her skin.

    When he finally pulled back, she would¡¯ve nearly copsed, if not for the quick reflexes that pulled her body to him, allowing her to rest on him. He could hear her sharp pants of air very clearly, the sound nearly driving him madder than the moans that constantly left her mouth.

    By now, his friend was beyond hard, it demanded to take her right then and there, but he would never do it in such a dirty ce and when she wasn¡¯t ready. A woman like her was meant to bevished and handled with the highest treatment and not taken in such a dingy ce.

    "Do you still want to tease me?" His voice was dripping with heavy lust, the sound making her heart flutter. It was dangerously close to losing control, so she made careful ns not to further provoke him.

    "No..." She lied, knowing full well, the minute he calmed down, she would continue to poke at him.

    She wrapped her arms around him and tried to stabilize herself, but in the process, her lower abdomen brushed against something really hard. In confusion, she was about to move it away, thinking it was probably a concealed gun poking out, but he seized her hand.

    "Don¡¯t tempt me further, Lifei...or I¡¯d really lose control." His voice was so tight and hoarse, she felt bad, but also heavily lost. What did he mean by that?

    She was about to look down, but he grabbed her chin and forced her to look up. When her eyes connected with the heat in his eyes, she fiercely blushed.

    Oh.

    OH.

    "Behave, don¡¯t tease me further today." He said, bending down to quickly kiss her forehead before engulfing her arm and tugging her down the tunnel.

    "W-wait, what about yourrge¡ªI mean, your member¡ªno, your friend¡ª" She embarrassingly stumbled over her words, covering her face as it became heated again. Damn it, damn it!

    When he let out a smoothughter that echoed down the haunted house, capturing the hearts of the ghosts and actors alike, she felt her heart swell at the lovely sound.

    "Simply too cute." Hemented, shaking his head. He always knew beyond her tough exterior was an adorable woman in need of love, but the more he unraveled about her, the more he fell in love with her.

 Chapter 153 I Want To Ride I

    After the haunted house, Zhao Lifei dragged him to multiple rides, from roller coasters to swings hanging off from towers, and even a few made for kids. For her sake, Yang Feng endured the stupid long lines underneath the zing sun. He thought it was fine getting a regr FastPass, but who would¡¯ve thought she actually wanted to live like amoner!

    He noticed her cheeks were slightly red from the heat and her eyes looked a bit droopy. He flicked his wrist and the guards came forward with a hat. "Get iced drinks." He instructed them, cing the hat onto her.

    "Fool, you¡¯re overexerting your body like this." He sighed, grabbing the handkerchief and daintily wiping the sweat on her forehead.

    "But it¡¯s fun..." She mumbled, grabbing his arm which he dodged. Her heart dropped when he did so, but it soared when he adjusted it so their fingers were entwined. He tugged her out of the line to which she instantly protested.

    "I want to ride it¡ª"

    "We¡¯ll do itter, once you¡¯ve fully rested." He said, guiding her towards a secluded seating area where his men were already waiting for him. A few minutes ago, he had texted them to clear this area. There was already a massive umbre prepared for them that provided a hefty amount of shade.

    Right when he sat his woman down, the drinks came. "Here, have some. You need to cool down your body before you suffer a heatstroke." He ced the slushy in front of her and began to fan her.

    "Don¡¯t drink too fast though, you might upset your stomach." He nagged, while continuing to fan her.

    She looked at him sheepishly. This treatment was simply too much for her. Not only was the merciless business magnate spoiling her with drinks and shade, but he was even personally fanning her! She wondered what she did to have a man like him...

    "Where¡¯s your drink? Aren¡¯t you hot as well?" She asked him, knowing he was more sensitive to heat than her.

    Yang Feng cleared his throat. "I¡¯m fine." He lied, continuing to fan her. The sun was setting, but it was still quite hot outside. He cursed the weather to hell. This was supposed to be a fun day for the two of them, not one where they had to hide under arge umbre!

    Zhao Lifei frowned a bit, then passed the drink to Yang Feng and urged him to take a sip. "It¡¯s good and refreshing. Have some." She said, watching him with herrge eyes that he could never resist.

    The corners of Yang Feng¡¯s lips curled up when he took a sip, not because the drink was refreshing or sweet, but it was because she was eagerly egging him on without realizing they had just shared an indirect kiss.

    "It¡¯s good, right?" She smiled at him,pletely unaware that he took her words differently.

    "Yeah." He responded, leaning closer to kiss her, but she instantly pulled back much to his dismay. "What¡¯s wrong?" He asked, reaching over to cup her cheek in an attempt to kiss her again.

    "We¡¯re in public." She said, her eyes nervously trailing to her environment. The seating area waspletely empty and the bodyguards were forming a circle around them with their backs turned, but she still didn¡¯t like to kiss in public. It felt weird for her and made her ufortable.

    "No one will see. Your sun hat will cover everything." He chuckled, but pulled back after seeing the clear hesitation in her eyes. He stood up and made sure she was holding the drink, before taking her hand and guiding her elsewhere.

    When she saw they were walking towards the exit of the park, she spoke up. "Where are we going?" She sounded disappointed.

    "I¡¯m taking you somewhere to eat, my love. We¡¯ve yed the entire day, you must be tired and hungry by now." He didn¡¯t like dragging her so he changed the position of his hand so that it was securely resting on her hips.

    "Oh. Okay..." She glumly said.

    She wanted to stay and y more, but was too fearful of voicing her opinion. She knew she made a promise to try and talk about her unhappiness more, but it was hard for her to do so.

    She grew up her entire life being told to keep a mask on and that she would be too bothersome if she continued to show her emotions orin.

    The words of her parents had left a deep scar on her, a wound that would take years of practice and patience to heal. The only problem was, she didn¡¯t know Yang Feng was willing to be patient and wait as long as needed for that to happen... even if it meant an eternity.

    "Don¡¯t pout, love. We¡¯lle here again, next time." He squeezed her waist after seeing she was upset at hearing his words. He leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the cheeks and when she responded by inching closer to him, his lips curled into a content smile.

    Along the way, Zhao Lifei noticed she was garnering attention left and right, more than usual. She thought it was strange when a few people were eyeing her neck, but now more people were doing it. She began to feel self-conscious and weird.

    She touched her neck and looked up at Yang Feng. "Is there something on my neck?" She naively asked, forgetting the moment they shared in the haunted house where he bit and sucked on her neck, leaving two ring red hickies.

    He smirked, enjoying the mark on her neck. She was so ignorant to it the entire time, it was quite amusing. "No."

    Her eyes narrowed at his words.

    The bodyguards sighed in their head. Oh, Boss, you shouldn¡¯t have said that... Women¡¯s intuitions are too good!

    She pulled out her phone and turned on the front camera. When she saw the marks, a gasp left her mouth and she immediately hit him on the arm. Yang Feng burst outughing at her expression, a mixture of distress and anger.

    "You...you...!" She couldn¡¯t even speak. Oh my goodness! Was it there the entire time?! Was that why people kept on looking at me?

    "It¡¯s not funny!" She scowled, continuing to hit him, but this time, using her purse so that she didn¡¯t hurt her hands anymore.

    "If it makes you happy, you can leave some on me too." He teased, winking in her way. She responded by hitting him more, but he was too busy being entertained by her adorable expression to care. The idea of her leaving a mark on him excited him too much, leaving his eyes shimmering with high hopes.

    "You wish!" She hissed, instantly shattering his dreams to which he smirked.

    "Be careful of what you wish for." He let out a lowugh, the sound deep and smooth like milk chocte. It garnered the attention of women who dreamily stared at him, not believing such a fine specimen was so close to them!

    She huffed, turning her head away from him. She used her long hair in an attempt of covering the marks, but the sneaky Yang Feng had ced it in areas where it was practically impossible to hide!

    "Don¡¯t be mad, it looks good on you." He continued the banter, biting his bottom lips to prevent the smile threatening to break out. When she turned around, ring daggers at him, he couldn¡¯t help but want to tease her more. When her reaction was this cute, it was hard for him to resist. But he decided not to bully her anymore for the time being or she might really beat him to the ground.

    He opened the car door for her to climb in and the two drove back to the city. Along the way, Zhao Lifei fell asleep,pletely unaware where their next location would be. Yang Feng had a soft expression on his face when he parked the car on the side of the road, draped his jacket over her slender body, tucked the sides, and then continued to drive. Because his frame was wide, the jacket covered her perfectly.

    When the two finally reached their destination, Yang Feng climbed out of the car first to make sure everything was in order. Afterward, he opened the passenger seat door and tried to wake up his sleeping beauty. She grumbled in her sleep, nearly smacking him in the process of not wanting to be disturbed. He cracked a wry smile and tried to coerce her into waking up.

    "Mm...what is it?" She groggily said, still half-asleep as she tiredly rubbed her eyes. She blinked a couple of times until her vision finally cleared out. She looked around and saw their location was absolutely dark, not a single thing could be seen and if not for Yang Feng being with her, she would¡¯ve been scared.

    "Cover your eyes." When she looked at him with confusion, sleepiness still within her hazel eyes, he chuckled and lifted her hands for her.

    "Keep them covered, I have a surprise for you." He helped her out of the car and gently, he guided her wobbly body down the road.

    When Yang Feng moved away, Zhao Lifei immediately missed the warmth he provided. She wanted to protest and tell him toe back because of how chilly the night was, but figured he would have a good reason to leave.

 Chapter 154 A House Divided

    "Okay, now remove your hands."

    Zhao Lifei did so and blinked in confusion when she was still standing in utter darkness. It was so dark, she could barely see Yang Feng ahead of her.

    "What¡¯s going on¡ª"

    She gasped when Yang Feng clicked a button and immediately, the darkness turned into brilliant shimmers of lights.

    The scenery was absolutely surreal and breathtakingly beautiful. Majestic archways covered with a dazzling array of lights. There were rows upon rows of intricately crafted white-metal work upon the arches. Exquisite and dainty flowers interspersed with fairy lights, the exquisite and colorful flowers patches stretched on for miles toe. ented by string lights twinkling from above, this ce was beyond magical.

    The biggest thing that stood out for her was the strikingly colorful carpet of white, red, and pink roses on the floor, hundreds of them were fashioned into a cliche heart shape, candles artfully strewn throughout the arrangements.

    Zhao Lifei felt her eyes tear up, clearly overwhelmed by her emotions. Yang Feng walked to her with an enormous edible bouquet that brought a delightedugh from her. He really knew her well... Instead of flowers, he¡¯d gotten her fruits, all cut into different designs!

    He handed her the gift and then wrapped his arms around her waist, turning her body to the side where she could oversee the city of Shenbei, which seemed darker than usual. The brilliant lights she had grown up to were nowhere to be found, only the lights of a few office buildings were still on in the distance.

    Then, without warning, a st of light flew out of nowhere and shot into the sky, exploding into fiery sparks that lit up the night sky, shining brighter than the stars. The fireworks shot out color in every direction, sparkling, tumbling, and shing. It was a spectacr sight to witness, the iridescent rays bursting through the limitless night sky. In the blink of an eye, the once empty and in darkness was lit up with color, just like the way Yang Feng brought the light of hope and love back into her colorless world.

    Zhao Lifei was at a loss for words. So choked by emotions, she couldn¡¯t even form a sentence. Just then, a different type of firework flew into the sky. It spelled out, "Say Yes." She turned around in confusion.

    Revealing his most charming smile, he asked, "Will you be my woman?" He refused to say girlfriend, for the word was so outdated and meaningless to him. He wanted to do nothing more but say wife, but knew that would send her running for the hills. Just as she wanted to, he would take it slow with her.

    The question sounded like a demand, one that she knew her heart will never let her reject.

    "O-of course I will, stupid." She sniffed, rapidly nodding her head. His smile became a grin stretching to his ears as he yanked her into his arms, crashing her body against his.

    "Good, because I wasn¡¯t going to take a no." With that said, he crashed his lips down to hers. It was sweet and slow as he savored every part of her mouth, his lips painstakingly iming everything, pulling her lips into his mouth to suck and lick before lightly biting it and thrusting his tongue into her mouth to taste her. Delectable and sweet as always, he knew he could never get enough of her. When she ran her hand up his back, her fingers airy light, he shivered and held her tighter until not a single inch was left between them.

    He pulled back to let her breathe and using one hand, pressed the back of her head so that she was resting her face on his chest.

    "You can¡¯t run anymore, Lifei, you¡¯re my woman now." He dered, even though there wasn¡¯t a band on her finger or their names on a marriage certificate.

    She shivered at his words, so definite and sure of himself. He was so confident that she would remain with him for the rest of their lives and for some odd reason, she loved it. He was firm in his decision and she knew he was the type that would keep her by his side, even if it meant running to the other side of the world just to take her back...

    "I never intended to run in the first ce." She answered, her words made his heart skip a beat. Those words, so sweet and a blessing to hear, he nearly kissed her again, but restrained himself from doing so. He could only tighten his arms around her.

    - - - - -

    The next day, pictures of the couple blew up in the media. Numerous paparazzi shots were taken during their day at the amusement park and every single one of them showed a loving couple. Yang Feng¡¯s arms were always around her, protectively holding her against his body, while Zhao Lifei gazed at him, a smile on her face,pletely unaware photos were being taken.

    The media were frenziedly writing about them, branding them as the ultimate Power Couple. None of the newspanies dared to offend Yang Feng¡¯s woman by bringing up her dark past. Just to bootlick him, they only wrote praises andpliments.

    Of course, there were a few that were foolish enough to bring up the fact that she was Zheng Tianyi¡¯s ex-fiancee and even pulled up humiliating pictures of her from years back. This did not settle well with Yang Feng, who then had thesepanies wiped out. For the people involved with it, they were not only cklisted but also bankrupted. The malicious pictures were deleted and became practically untraceable.

    It was a clear warning to the media that anything harmful to Zhao Lifei¡¯s reputation would not be tolerated. Yang Feng himself made sure of it.

    Everything had happened so quickly, that by the time Zhao Lifei woke up in the afternoon, she realized there were multiple missed calls and text messages. Most of it came from her parents and rtives that she forgot the names of and wondered how they even had her number in the first ce.

    Because she woke up sote, she didn¡¯t see anything on the media and didn¡¯t bother to, until she read the majority of the messages

    [Mother]: Ungrateful little thing! Why didn¡¯t you tell us you were dating Yang Feng? What? Were you scared we would bad-mouth you in front of him? I¡¯ve painstakingly raised you with my own blood, sweat, and tears! At the least, you could¡¯ve given us a heads-up. Do you know how embarrassed I was when I showed up to the weekly gathering and they showed me the pictures?!

    [Father]: I¡¯ve seen the news. Is it true? This is one of the rare times you¡¯ve made me proud. Don¡¯t let it go to waste. I want the connections to him immediately. Message me his phone number, his address, and his personal email. How far have you gone with him? You can restore your grace with me by bearing his son and marrying into the Yang family. It¡¯s the least you can do to pay us back for the resources we¡¯ve lost from your pathetic humiliation.

    [Linhua]: Jie-Jie, how are you these days? I haven¡¯t talked to you in a while, we should set a date to catch-up. I¡¯ve convinced dad toe around andmunicate with you again. I know mom and dad have been very rough and strict with you in the past few years, but we are still family. A house divided against itself cannot stand... Pleasee home soon.

    [Fourth Aunt]: Ah-Fei, I¡¯ve seen the good news, the Yang family is a very respectable and formidable family... But please ce more emphasis on your health. You look very thin and frail in the pictures, have you been eating well? Would you like toe and stop by auntie¡¯s house? Your maternal grandmother has not seen you in a very long time. She misses you dearly. What do you think abouting back during her seventh birthday?

    Zhao Lifei immediately responded to her fourth aunt, Wang Huixi¡¯s, message. She was a very loving woman and one of the two people from her mother¡¯s side that genuinely cared for her. But because her fourth aunt and her maternal grandmother lived on the other side of the country, it was hard to visit them. She made a mental note to book a ticket to their city very soon.

    [Auntie, I¡¯ve been eating very well recently, but I was on a small diet a few weeks ago, so I appear skinnier. Please do not fret, I have gone back to my usual routine! And have been eating lots I will visit you and grandmother very soon, perhaps within the next two weeks~]

    For her parents, she tried very hard to note off as rude and disrespectful, fighting fire with fire would not have good results.

    [I apologize Mother, but you¡¯ve never reached out to ask me anything, so I thought this information would be too irrelevant for your busy life.]

    [Father, in order to pass on Yang Feng¡¯s personal contact, I would need to inform him first, but I would like to warn you, he is not the most approachable person.]

    When it came to drafting a message for her younger sister, Zhao Lifei frowned. Convinced their father toe around? Yeah right! More likeing around only because it was beneficial to him!

    [My dearest little sister, where actually is home? I hope it¡¯s not the ce you reside in. Have you forgotten there is no room for me there after you im my previous one as your closet?]

    After responding to a majority of the messages she deemed important and ignoring those who never spoke to her until now, Zhao Lifei hurriedly climbed out of bed to get dressed and freshen up. After eating her lunch, she decided it was finally time to pick out the dress that she would wear to the Ling Conglome banquet.

 Chapter 155 Granse

    Zhao Lifei was panicking. All of the dresses in her closet were beautiful and of the highest quality, but none of them fit her properly! She bought all these before the two-weeka so they were now too loose for her.

    She anxiously paced back and forth in her room, her eyes filled with worry and dread. The banquet was tomorrow!

    She did not have the time to contact a designer to specifically have a dress styled to her body size. She tried to call the tailors she knew best, but all of them had been booked weeks in advance and she had an inkling suspicion that it was because many of the socialites would be gathered at the banquet, hence, all of the tailors¡¯ schedules were jam-packed.

    She contemted the idea of bailing out in thest minute but knew her grandfather would never allow it. Copsing onto her bed, she let out a loud groan filled with irritation.

    - - - - -

    The Underworld.

    Yang Feng took a sip of his wine, swirling the dark crimson drink in the ss, his eyes cold as ice and his face as emotionless as a mask. He was casually sitting in a chair, one leg crossed over the other, leaning his forehead on a propped up arm. With his rxed posture and bored reaction, one would think he was sitting on a throne having a chat about the weather, instead of watching the live torture of a man.

    Ren Xiong was struggling to breathe, much less even talk. His body was so mutted and expertly sliced enough to cause tremendous pain but not death. The man looked more like a butchered animal than a human.

    Guo Sheng twirled the knife in his hands, his entire body soaked in blood from head to toe, the only thing protected was his face, clean and pale as jade. He had managed to torture a good handful of information from this man, but there was one crucial item that Ren Xiong couldn¡¯t answer.

    "Big Boss, I think this pig can¡¯t speak anymore." Guo Sheng pouted, raising a leg to kick the man in the face, stomping and grinding the bottom of his shoe onto the man who was in so much pain, but couldn¡¯t voice it out.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes trailed to Ren Xiong¡¯s hands whose fingers were intact only in one hand. "Get him a paper and pen then." Right after he said that, Chen Gaonan strolled forward with them and passed it to Ren Xiong, whose eyes were so crazy from the torture, his simple brain couldn¡¯t even register what was being handed to him.

    "Proceed." Yang Feng took a sip of the wine as Guo Sheng threateningly raised his knife again when Ren Xiong didn¡¯t want to grab the paper. Through his muffled screams, Ren Xiong hurriedly grabbed the pen, his bloodied arms visibly shaking.

    Guo Sheng paused and waited for the man to write something and just then, a sharp ringtone sliced through the suffocating atmosphere.

    Yang Feng already knew who was calling by the ringtone. "Continue." He muttered, grabbing the phone and walking out of the room, his heavy footsteps echoing down the silent hallways.

    "Lifei, did you just wake up?" He said, his voice filled with warmth, the cier within his eyes melting as if it was summer.

    "I woke up an hour ago." She replied, her voice slightly panicked which immediately made him worry for her.

    "Is everything alright? Are you hurt anywhere? Did something happen? I¡¯m on my way to you." Yang Feng picked up his pace and rushed to the car.

    "I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry. But I have a bit of a dilemma..."

    This made the overly-protective Yang Feng panic even more as he climbed into the car and made Hu Wei speed to her house.

    "The Ling banquet is tomorrow, are you going with anyone?" She paused and then said, "Do you want to be my date?" She didn¡¯t realize how rude she sounded by implying he was to be her date and not the other way around. Usually, very prominent and affluent men like him would never be the date, it was always the other way around!

    "Wait, I don¡¯t mean it in a disrespectful¡ª"

    "Sure." He calmly replied, even though his eyes were lit up in delight. He was thrilled she was the first to offer the invite. Their rtionship was sailing smoother than he nned and he was delighted to have that.

    "Oh." She blinked. "Then what color tie or handkerchief are you wearing. Maybe we can match the colors..."She trailed off, nearly smacking her forehead. Same colors? How cheesy and foolish of her!

    "Any color is fine with me. What dress are you wearing?"

    "About that... I don¡¯t have a dress yet." Her voice became quiet. She tilted her head to the chaotic walk-in closet where clothes were strewn about in her frantess to find a dress that actually fit.

    Yang Feng¡¯s lips curled upwards at the opportunity to go on a date with her again. "I¡¯ll take you to get one."

    "No, wait, I don¡¯t mean that¡ª"

    "Get ready. I¡¯m ten minutes away from your house." Yang Feng didn¡¯t give her a chance to protest before hanging up the phone and then texting Chen Gaonan to contact the best designer in town.

    After reaching her house, Yang Feng practically dragged the hesitant Zhao Lifei into his car and had Hu Wei drive to the opposite side of the city to visit a close friend of Yang Feng. When Zhao Lifei saw the Granse logo, her eyes widened.

    "This is Granse. It¡¯s owned by a friend. The store has extremely high security and confidentiality. There is only one of each dress in the entire world." He said, sping his hand into hers and pulling her into the store.

    Zhao Lifei looked at him in confusion. "But the waitlist for a dress here is at least a year. Nothing here is ready to wear." She said, remembering that during her socialite years, she had exhausted all of her resources just to get a dress from here, only for it to be ruined by Zheng Tianyi, who pushed her and caused her to stumble into the dessert table, making her aughing stock.

    "The waitlist does not apply to me." He confidently told her, pushing the door open and causing the store representatives to immediately rush forward.

    "Sir, Madam, we apologize. The store is fully booked¡ª"

    Yang Feng walked past them without a care in the world. He did not even spare them a single look.

    The store associates were about to call security when they saw the man was apanied by a long line of guards whose builds and auras felt more like trained assassins than regr bodyguards.

 Chapter 156 Carelessness

    "Fengfeng, you¡¯re here!" A shrill voice spoke up, high pitched like a girl.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes sharpened and her expression became fierce as she glowered up at Yang Feng. Oh, so the friend was ady. What a wonderful surprise.

    "I¡¯ve been waiting for you!" A beautiful woman strolled into the room, seductively swaying her hips side-to-side as she practically ran towards Yang Feng.

    Zhao Lifei was about to speak up, when Yang Feng said, "Take off the wig and makeup. You¡¯re going to cause a misunderstanding." He scowled, sidestepping his friend. He could already feel his woman ring daggers at him, demanding an exnation for this. He tightened his hold on her hands to prevent her from wriggling out of it.

    The woman pouted, batting her longshes at Yang Feng. She had high cheekbones, a squarish, almost rough jawline, but she worked it perfectly with her makeup. "Fengfeng, you¡¯re no fun!" She tried to grab his arm, but he easily pushed her away, his eyes aze.

    "Wu Subing, stop joking around." Yang Feng was close to yanking the damn wig off of his friend. His woman was really close to dumping him on the second day of their rtionship!

    "Ugh, fine." Wu Subing stopped imitating a woman¡¯s voice and took off the wig, revealing short and wavy hair.

    Zhao Lifei blinked in surprise, taken back by both the change in tone. He was a guy all along? Wu Subing shifted his gaze to the fierce woman standing beside Yang Feng, scrutinizing her in the process. He walked to her and was about to lift her chin to properly examine her face before Yang Feng swatted his hands away.

    "Don¡¯t touch her." Yang Feng scowled, which made Wu Subing roll his eyes.

    "Rx, I¡¯m not even into her." Wu Subing scoffed, but just to piss Yang Feng off, he reached out his hand to give her a polite handshake.

    "What¡¯s your name?" He already knew who she was. Zhao Lifei, the previous reigning Queen of Shenbei, one would need to be a fool not to know her. He also had a slight grudge towards her for thest time she ruined his dress. He was pestered to make a dress for her and what did the youngdy do with it? Have it covered in desserts and god knows what!

    Zhao Lifei epted his handshake, revealing an amicable smile. "Zhao Lifei, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you."

    "Hm, yes, I remember you clearly." He decided today would be a good day to avenge his poor dress, but when Yang Feng gave him a threatening look, Wu Subing could only bite his tongue and restrain his annoyance.

    Zhao Lifei understood which incident he was referring to. "The dress you made for me that night was beautiful, a vision to behold...but it was ruined by my carelessness. I truly apologize for it." She paused and carefully thought over her next few words. "As an apology, I will owe you a favor." It was one thing for a woman of her status to sincerely apologize, but even giving him a favor was another.

    Even Wu Subing, who didn¡¯t grow up in wealth, understood the importance of her words. She owed him a favor. And with her background, the things he could ask were limitless... This quelled his anger the slightest bit. He wondered how far her connections and money could get him.

    "I¡¯ll take your word for it then." He nodded, guiding her into the back room where all of the ready-made dresses were on full disy.

    When Zhao Lifei saw them, her eyes widened in shock. This room was easily worth millions, but that was not what caught her eyes. Standing in the room were three mannequins of the most stunning dresses she had ever seen.

    The cut, the style, the material, everything about these dresses were perfect, and each of them had their own charm. The first had the feel of a fairy descending from heaven to mingle with the humans, the second was a fiery red, passionate dress that would perfectly hug the wearer, highlighting every curve ¡ª even if there were none. But what truly had her attention was thest gown.

    As if she was bewitched by it, Zhao Lifei walked to the dress and when she was about to touch it, Wu Subing smacked her hand away. "Don¡¯t touch it without sanitizing your hand first..." He trailed off when he felt a lethal stare at his back. He gulped, not daring to turn around and face the wrath of the demon.

    "You dare to hit her." Yang Feng scowled, his eyes darker than night, the fury burning within it was scarier than the ones found in the Netherworld. The air around him turned icy cold, like standing in a blizzard, his stare a sharp icicle piercing through Wu Subing.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t have time for his frustration, instead, she wrapped her arms around his bicep as a way of soothing his anger. She ced her head on his arm, then looked up at him with a giant smile. "Yang Feng, I want that dress." She tried to distract him, pointing towards the third dress that was calling her name.

    "We¡¯ll get it after I beat some sense into this fool¡ª"

    "He¡¯ll need his hands to tailor the dress to my size."

    "Fine, then I¡¯ll take a leg for a hand¡ª"

    "He¡¯ll need his legs to walk around while fixing the dress." Zhao Lifei reached one curled arm down to hold his hand and when he was least expecting it, she locked their fingers together.

    "It doesn¡¯t hurt, don¡¯t be mad." She cooed, lifting her head to peer into his eyes. The intensity of his glower should¡¯ve sent most people begging on their knees for mercy, but she didn¡¯t even flinch or blink upon seeing it. "Let¡¯s get the dress and then we can go eat. How does that sound?"

    When he didn¡¯t respond and was about to turn his face towards Wu Subing again, she used her other arm to grab his chin and force him to look at her. "I¡¯ll cook for you." She added on. His lips twitched before an appeased smile formed on his lips.

    "Okay." Heplied. It was the first time she would cook for him and he was already looking forward to the food... Even if she made him poisonous garbage, he would still eat it, for she was the one to cook it.

    - - - - -

    Wu Subing did not dare to touch Zhao Lifei anymore. He had known Yang Feng for many years now and had personally witnessed how terrifying his temper was. He enjoyed poking the bear, but not the consequences that came after it...

    Instead of personally measuring her size, he had his female assistants do it. After being threatened by Yang Feng to finish tailoring the dress by tomorrow morning, Wu Subing cried his way into the drawing room.

    The bill was hefty, but Yang Feng made sure to hide it from his woman. He knew the minute she saw the price tag, she would try to pay for it herself and he had no doubt she could easily buy the dress, but he wanted to spoil her rotten, pamper her to the point of no return. Only then, would she never try to find another man, for no one would ever be able to live up to his expectations and the standards that he was helping her raise.

    Yang Feng walked Zhao Lifei out of the store, an arm securely wrapped around her hip. As they neared the car, a loud masculine voice called out, "Xiao Li!"

    At the familiarity of the way her name was being addressed, Yang Feng sharply turned around, his face chilly.

    Zhao Lifei paused and looked to the right, her eyes brightening upon seeing who it was. "Wei Hantao!" Her eyes flickered with surprise, but that didn¡¯t stop her from walking to him. When they were a few feet apart, Wei Hantao crossed the distance and pulled her into a tight embrace.

    "I haven¡¯t heard from you in a month now! What happened?" His full lips curved into a friendly smile, pulling back from the hug, his arms loosely on her waist.

    "Nothing much, I was just busy." Zhao Lifei lied. She didn¡¯t want him to worry by mentioning her hospitalization, for this worrywart would most likely stress over the wounds too much.

    "Well, you¡¯re lucky thepany has such apetent man as me." He grinned, his eyes running over her face and body to check for any visible injuries. He heard a rumor that she was hospitalized, but seeing she was glowing as always, he decided it was just false gossip.

    Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes. "There¡¯s a reason why I hired you as my stand-in CEO, stupid." She mused, shaking her head. Just as he had done to her, she also scanned his appearance. There was a slight scar on his eyebrow, adding a rugged touch to his appearance. An elegant nose of royalty, a jawline so sharp it could cut ss, and thin, proportional lips, she understood why he was the school prince of their high school days.

    Aside from their asional phone calls, they rarely saw each other and so eventually developed the habit of making sure they were physically healthy.

    She tilted her head upon seeing the new feature on his eyebrows. It wasn¡¯t there previously... She wondered what happened to him for it to exist. Out of pure instincts, she raised her hand to touch the scar, but before she could ce her finger upon it, a sharp tug from her upper abdomen sent her nearly falling into the man behind her.

    She raised her head and wished she didn¡¯t do so. Yang Feng¡¯s face was a mixture of lethal calmness and frigid sharpness. His eyes were particrly focused,posed, and analytical of the man that dared to touch his woman without his permission.

 Chapter 157 Unnecessary Eyes Following Her

    The affable smile on Wei Hantao wavered the slightest bit, the enthusiasm in his eyes dying out. It was reced with subtle irritation.

    His eyes flickered to the arm wrapped around Zhao Lifei¡¯s waist. With speed swift as light, he grabbed Zhao Lifei and tugged her in his direction, but Yang Feng¡¯s grip on her was tighter than it appeared to be. She didn¡¯t move an inch.

    Zhao Lifei looked back and forth, her brows knitted in confusion. She could practically feel the crackle of electricity in the air as the two alphas had a stare down. Despite standing on a public sidewalk, the air around them was suffocating her. It turned stuffy and the more they red at each other, the more annoyed she got.

    "Let go of her." Wei Hantao seethed, his heart filled with animosity for the man that was holding her as if she belonged to him.

    In the blink of an eye, Yang Feng grabbed the hand that dared to attempt to snatch his woman away. He pressed enough pressure that would break the man¡¯s wrist, but didn¡¯t actually do so. He knew Zhao Lifei would not let him off for harming her friend.

    Wei Hantao¡¯s face remained as nk as ever, but his eyes shed with pain. Damn this man! His strength was incredible and with no other choice, he reluctantly let go of her wrist.

    Wei Hantao silently cursed inside his head, trying his best not to wince or cry out in pain. He would need to get his wrist checked at the hospital tomorrow.

    Instead of directing his attention onto the man, Wei Hantao shifted his eyes to Zhao Lifei. "Xiao Li, is he hurting you?" He took a step forward, worried for her. He knew how tightly this man was holding her. He feared the brute was digging his fingers into her precious skin.

    Zhao Lifei softly shook her head, her hand sping over Yang Feng¡¯s hand that was cing immense pressure upon Wei Hantao¡¯s wrist. "Let go." She whispered to him and he immediately did so. He took that hand and entwined their fingers, holding it close to him.

    She didn¡¯t know why they were so hostile to each other, but figured it was best to pacify her man first. "No, it doesn¡¯t hurt." She squeezed Yang Feng¡¯s hand. "Don¡¯t worry Hantao, Yang Feng wouldn¡¯t harm me."

    Seeing her so close with the man, enough to allow him to touch her and even for her to do the same, Wei Hantao knew he had finally met his match. But who would¡¯ve known, his rival was none other than the infamous magnate that ruled over businesses with an iron fist.

    "Still, it was quite rude of him to grab you. I know you¡¯re¡ª" He cleared his throat, his face changing into one filled with sympathy. He nearly allowed himself to slip.

    Zhao Lifei gave him a warning re and he returned it with a reassuring wink.

    "You¡¯re prone to getting bruises." He finished, a tiny smile on his face upon seeing her attention was directed back to him, like how it should¡¯ve been from the start.

    When she felt her waist being squeezed, she looked up to see Yang Feng was still intently glowering at Wei Hantao. "Oh right, I should introduce you guys." She nodded her head, her low EQpletely misunderstanding what he was implying.

    "Wei Hantao, this is Yang Feng, and Yang Feng, this is Wei Hantao." She expected them to shake hands or at least acknowledge each other, but neither of them made a move. Her smile twitched when the tension grew worse.

    She prayed for something distracting toe up, and the gods above must¡¯ve heard her, because in the next moment, her phone rang. She hurriedly fetched it out of her purse. Upon seeing it was her grandfather, she heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing her escape route.

    "Xiao Fei, it¡¯s getting dark out. Are youing home for dinner? The chef has prepared your favorite dishes tonight." Zhao Moyao had gotten off work earlier than usual just to apany her for dinner.

    When Li Xuan reported back to him that she had visited Lu Minhong two days before, he was initially displeased, but seeing as there was no transaction made on her bank ounts, he brushed past that detail.

    "Yes, I¡¯m heading home for dinner right now." She said, thanking the gods above for the amazing opportunity to escape this awkward scenario.

    "Alright, I expect you toe home within thirty minutes." Zhao Moyao left little room for her to object. "Oh, and tell Yang Heng it¡¯s time to head home. I hope you do not bring him over."

    Yang Feng, standing so close to her, felt amused by his words. So this was where she got her behavior from. "Tell grandfather not to worry. I already have ns to visit my family tonight."

    Zhao Moyao heard his words crystal clear. He scowled. "And tell Yang Heng, if he calls me grandfather one more time, I will serve his tongue on a silver tter¡ª"

    "I¡¯ll see you at home, grandfather!" She quickly interjected, hanging up the call and cing the phone into her purse.

    Yang Feng stared at her, his eyes a mixture of emotions. He didn¡¯t want her to go so soon, he¡¯d barely seen her today and here she was, so eager to escape off into the night.

    A slight frown made its way to the spoiled brat¡¯s face while he continued to look like a moping dog.

    Stay.

    She understood his silent message and gave him a reassuring pat on his chest. She leaned in so that only he could hear her words. "I said I¡¯ll cook for you, didn¡¯t I?"

    Yang Feng gazed deep within her eyes, his intense stare made her feel as if he was looking into her soul, searching for something, perhaps reassurance. "Cook me dinner." He finally said after a short pause.

    He knew she always woke up in the afternoon, so breakfast was ruled out and by the time she woke up, lunch would be her first meal of the day. He didn¡¯t want her to do tasks on an empty stomach, even if it was just cooking. Dinner was his best option. He even had ns on coercing her into staying the night. For her, he was willing to oversleep and bear the wrath of Zhao Moyao.

    "Okay, but it can¡¯t be tonight. Perhaps another day." She quietly said, knowing she could not avoid her grandfather¡¯s request to dine with him.

    Yang Feng wanted to move her into Cerulean Water Pavillion as soon as possible. He would rece Zhao Moyao¡¯s security with his own, so there wouldn¡¯t be so many unnecessary eyes following her movements.

    His bodyguards were more experienced than the ones Zhao Moyao hired.

    Yang Feng¡¯s men were from his triad. They were people who have experienced ughtering hundreds without blinking an eye. They weren¡¯t like the ones Zhao Moyao hired.

    Yang Feng knew he should¡¯ve assigned his men to her the second he realized she took public taxis to travel, but the risk of being discovered was too high and there was a possibility she might resent him for cing such tight security around her without reason.

    Now that she was his woman and even experienced a recent kidnapping, he had all the reasons he needed to ce heavy security around her. If he could have it his way, he would lock her in his mansion, never allowing her to roam further than the high walls around hisnd. But this approach would only cause more resentment. He could not afford for her to hate him.

    Zhao Lifei turned to Wei Hantao and offered him a polite smile. "I¡¯ll see you in the office soon."

    Her words made a major impact on Wei Hantao whose eyes widened in surprise. Ever since she had appointed him as the stand-in CEO of Feili, she had only stepped foot in that office building once and it was only to finalize everything.

    He took a second nce at the woman he had only talked to, but never seen in thest two months. She had changed. The depressing air of mncholy was no longer surrounding her. Her eyes had the light she once possessed before Zheng Tianyi left her, perhaps it was even shining brighter than before. She seemed more confident, her back more straight than ever, and she was practically glowing with the same glory as the day she was crowned the Queen.

    Upon seeing such drastic improvements, Wei Hantao was highly suspicious of the reason, but kept his mouth shut. He decided to consult her about this matter in private. "Alright, I will see you then." He grinned, revealing his pearly white teeth.

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t bother sparing Wei Hantao another nce as he turned to guide Zhao Lifei away, but she ced a hand on his chest.

    "It¡¯s alright, I can get home myself."

    He opened his mouth, ready to reject her, but just then, a sleek and well-tinted Bentley pulled up to the pavement. A lean man in histe-forties stepped out, bowed his head, and opened the door for Zhao Lifei. She recognized him as her grandfather¡¯s chauffeur. She chuckled, her grandfather was really bent on having her arrive home safely and alone.

    "Have a good night, Yang Feng." She wanted to do more than say goodbye, but with so many eyes on her, she didn¡¯t dare to do something else.

    Yang Feng watch her car drive off into the distance, and he continued to do so, even after the car was long gone. The more she hurriedly tried to leave him, the more he wanted to chase after her...

 Chapter 158 Not A Simple Person

    When Zhao Lifei got home, her grandfather was already waiting for her. A maid pulled out her chair and she sat down, her posture full of grace as she addressed her grandfather with a bright smile in hopes of soothing his annoyance. "I apologize for the dy grandfather, I hope I didn¡¯t make you wait too long?" She arrived home fifteen minutes earlier than promised, but decided it was best to apologize for it.

    "Yes, you did." Zhao Moyao bluntly said, his words prickly, but she sat beside him,pletely unaffected by his treatment. Growing up by his side, she had gotten ustomed to his behavior and even developed one that mirrored his.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes skimmed the dishes and saw there was still steam rising from them, which meant they were freshly cooked less than a while ago.

    Despite seeing fault in his words, she quietly said, "I¡¯m sorry." She knew he valued the time spent with family, especially dining.

    Zhao Moyao picked up his chopsticks and ced a piece of lotus root in her rice bowl. "What¡¯s there to apologize for?" He questioned, cing more food onto her bowl ¡ª urging her to eat.

    He knew she was being respectful and following the old traditions of ensuring the eldest at the table got the first bite before anyone else. But how could she forget, rules didn¡¯t apply to her? If it was anyone else, he would instantly snap back at them for breaking etiquette rules, but when it came to her, he would keep quiet and instead, offer her more food.

    "For making you wait¡ª"

    "Xiao Fei, you are a Zhao. Apologies should not fall so easily from your mouth." Zhao Moyao reminded her, raising his keen eyes to pierce into her.

    He had taught her all her life to never express gratitude unless it was absolutely necessary. He preached to her that her rank in this society was an unreachable dream.

    She was the Phoenix among the canaries, the dragon¡¯s pearl amongst oysters¡¯, and the diamond amongst pebbles. To him, she was special.

    Cruel but coy, arrogant but charming, calctive but quiet, everything she had ever known, he had taught her. She was his ultimate weapon, his champion, the one who shall seed far beyond her peers. It was something he promised to himself the day she chased after him when all other kids ran away from him.

    "Yes, grandfather." Her tone was not pitiful, nor did she look sullen upon being scolded. Instead, she kept her head high like he had taught her, and leveled her voice to be distant and frigid.

    The corners of his mouth slightly curved into a proud and satisfied smile upon seeing her expression. Slowly but surely, his little Phoenix was rising from the ashes again. And he had a suspicion who the man behind it was...

    - - - - -

    The next morning.

    Following the pictures of Zhao Lifei and Yang Feng were pictures from yesterday. An anonymous source posted a picture of Zhao Lifei and Wei Hantao¡¯s hug online, then pictures of Yang Feng intervening, and the next was a clear shot of Wei Hantao grabbing Zhao Lifei while Yang Feng clutched her tightly. The images caused widespread gossip to surface about her. The astonishing headlines from yesterday were gone and reced by maliciousments made about her.

    "What a shameless sl*t!"

    "It seems she already had a man on the side before going out with President Yang!"

    "As expected of a tainted woman, she¡¯s still desperate totch onto another big-thigh."

    "Caught double-timing? Pft, how embarrassing."

    "Tsk, CEO Yang deserves a lot better than this wh*re who only knows how to open her legs."

    "She¡¯s settling the problem in public too. How humiliating..."

    "I pity the other man, it¡¯s clear they have history. Knowing her scheming ways from the past, she must¡¯ve yed with both of them at once!"

    "Wow, just how far is she willing to go toe back into the spotlight? I heard she bullied Xia Mengxi again at Imperial Star Mall. Just when will she stop? It¡¯s pathetic."

    The hate piled upon Zhao Lifei was as tall as a mountain. Zhao Moyao immediately worked to have thements deleted, but it was toote. She had already seen all of them.

    Yang Feng had called her early in the morning to check up on her condition and when she talked to him, her voice calm and steady. Her words soothed his angst, but not his indignation and wrath. The people behind suchments and false images all had a target on their backs, specifically, the untraceable person who posted the images.

    When Zhao Lifei went to pick up the gown from Granse, people whispered about her from the minute she walked out of the car and up to the store¡¯s entrance. Because the store was located in a neighborhood many socialites frequented, many were able to easily recognize her.

    A group of women stood by the entrance, purposely bad mouthing her.

    "Ew, look at what the cat dragged in. Seeing such a shameless person is really ruining my appetite!"

    "Yikes, she still has the guts to show her face in public? Hah, she¡¯s truly an audacious woman!"

    "If I were her, I would not even walk out the door for a month. No wonder the rumor about her parents abandoning her surfaced... What a disappointing daughter."

    "Pft, so retarded of her to cheat on President Yang and then get caught the next day."

    Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes upon hearing the words. "Are you done?" She asked, her face nonchnt while she examined her nails. Her eyes were filled with boredom, for she didn¡¯t even have to lift a finger to destroy these lower ss socialites.

    She could tell they were newly debuted ones. They were probably the underdogs of someone much higher up... She only needed to find out who it was and it would be over for that person.

    Her personality might¡¯ve changed throughout the years, but her pettiness did not die down. She was not a white lotus that would swallow the words and cry about itter. She was the type to squash the people on the spot without batting an eye towards their begging and groveling.

    "Wow, the wanton is actually talking to me."

    "Mei-mei, did you hear that? I think I heard an annoying fly buzzing in my ears!"

    Zhao Lifei lifted her eyes from her perfectly manicured fingers to nce at the women. The confident haughtiness in her eyes was hard to miss and so was the growing smirk. The more she stared at them, the more thesedies felt a shiver crawl up their spine. Why was her gaze so scary? She looked like a tiger toying with her meal before devouring it.

    "Get lost." Her quiet and mellow voice was oddly enough to make them shudder. She didn¡¯t look particrly angry upon hearing the insulting words, but the emotions within her eyes said otherwise. When her words were not threatening them, her eyes were.

    "Or else what?"

    Zhao Lifei tilted her head, her perfectly curled hair blowing in the wind. She remembered where she saw these familiar features. Two of the women were fraternal twins whose appearance starkly differentiated from each other, but their features strongly resembled their parents. "If I remember correctly, the Bai family has recently risen to wealth." She watched as the twins in front of her paled upon the mention of their family.

    "The fact that they can drop faster than they rose amuses me." Zhao Lifei chuckled, the threat standing strong. "I wonder how new money can survive in a world ruled by the old money whose connections have been deeply rooted for generations." She clicked her tongue.

    The Bai twins could not afford to lose their newly attained wealth. Once their lives were exposed to the affluent lifestyle, they would never be able to tolerate living like amoner.

    This was a battle they could not win. Trembling, they grabbed their friends and hurriedly left the scene. While they left, one of them snuck a secretive smirk in her direction, her face filled with mischief.

    It was too easy defeating them. Zhao Lifei knew there would be another surprise awaiting her. With how confident they seemed, despite the threats, she knew, whoever was backing them was not a simple person.

 Chapter 159 Your Future

    Zhao Lifei pushed the thought to the back of her mind as she opened the door to Granse. She had expected the sales representatives to greet her once she stepped a foot inside, but they did not do so. Their faces were filled with mockery and one of them even had a tiny sneer on her face.

    "We apologize Ma¡¯am, but the dress you havemissioned is unavable now. It was purchased by a woman who didn¡¯t need the dress to be tailored at such short notice." One of the sales representatives spoke up. She was an older woman in herte thirties whose face was beginning to form wrinkles. Her mocking smirk was very prominent, filled with confidence.

    Zhao Lifei realized, this woman, too, had a strong backer to dare offend her. It truly seemed she was too lenient nowadays. Everyone seemed to think they would get away with insulting her. She decided it was time to revert back to her old ways.

    "The dress was already purchased yesterday." Zhao Lifei deadpanned.

    "Oh, don¡¯t worry. The money has already been wired back to your ount." A younger sales representative spoke up. She appeared to be in her early twenties and had the "fresh out of college" vibe. Her lips were curled into a disgusted frown. As expected of a woman who relied on a wealthy man for resources. In the end, this woman only seemed to care about money! The media really portrayed her well!

    Zhao Lifei pressed her lips together. "Where is the designer, Wu Subing?" She didn¡¯t have time to chit chat with these useless associates whose only objective was to stand in her way.

    The sales associates exchanged knowing nces, their lips pulled into a sneer. "Our designer does not mingle himself with low-lives and women of low morals. It would damage Granse¡¯s reputation"

    Zhao Lifei took a threatening step forward, her eyes ring in warning. "I suggest you watch your tongue if you don¡¯t want to lose it." She softly said, her words barely above a whisper.

    In her haste, she¡¯d forgotten to personally bring bodyguards, but she knew the ones her grandfather assigned to her were not that far away. All she had to do was send him a text and they woulde barging in, ready to apprehend anyone shemanded them to.

    When they became as white as paper, Zhao Lifei strutted past them and was about to walk to the room she remembered, when the sales associate pressed an rm. The sound red through the air, ear-piercing and incredibly loud. It was the siren indicating that they had called the police on her.

    Zhao Lifei felt her patience reach its limits. With the sound also came bodyguards who rushed into the store, their builds wide and burly. They didn¡¯t possess any visible weapons but with how their arms were positioned, one could already guess what they were holding.

    Zhao Lifei looked at the men, a perplexed expression on her face. These weren¡¯t her grandfather¡¯s men. None of them wore the small badge near the breast pocket of their suits. Upon seeing these were the same men that restrained her in the hospital, she knew they were Yang Feng¡¯s men.

    Upon seeing such terrifying men whose auras were much scarier than their muscr appearances, the sales associate paled in fear. They trembled on the spot, visibly nervous and fearful.

    "Madam, how would you like us to deal with them?"

    "Turn off the rm and tell the police to head back first." Zhao Lifei instructed and sure enough, one man stepped forward and within seconds, disengaged it. Another called the police department using Yang Feng¡¯s name, whereas the rest stood rooted on the spot, awaiting her orders.

    When the sales associates heard Yang Feng¡¯s name, they became so pale, one would think they were ghosts instead of live, breathing humans. Whatever this woman said from now on was not simply a threat, it was an order.

    "Regarding these women," She scanned their petrified faces. "Fire them. I expect to never see them work a sales job again in their life."

    Zhao Lifei was not nice. She rarely was. That was not her reputation or position. Whoever was foolish enough to challenge her, she was the type to mercilessly stomp them to pieces. She usually got angry at petty things, but when she was truly tested, her grudge had no limits.

    Upon hearing her words, the women instantly got on their knees to beg and grovel for forgiveness. "Miss, we apologize for the way we behaved, it will never happen again¡ª"

    Zhao Lifei scoffed at their words. They did not feel remorse or regret, it was simply fear that drove their apology. Swiftly, she turned around and was prepared to leave the scene when suddenly, one of them woman grabbed her leg. It was the younger one, but instead of an expression filled with guilt, it was filled with fierce hatred.

    "You think you¡¯re so amazing just because you have money?!" She snarled, standing up. She decided if she was going to go down, she might as well have thest say.

    "You couldn¡¯t even protect your own dress. How embarrassing!" She shouted, reaching out to grab Zhao Lifei¡¯s arm, but this time, the bodyguards were quick to push the woman back onto the ground before she could even touch a hair on Zhao Lifei.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯sposed and bored expression infuriated the woman even more. But before she could say something, Zhao Lifei scoffed. "It¡¯s less embarrassing than your future." After that, she swiftly turned around and walked out of the store, having thest say in this foolish argument.

    Once she and the bodyguards were a short distance away from Granse, she turned to the men. "This is an order." Her eyes scanned the frightening tall and muscr men in front of her who looked more like professional gangsters rather than regr bodyguards. "Keep this incident from Yang Feng."

    "With all due respect, we only listen to orders from our Boss¡ª"

    "And your Boss has assigned you to me." Her words struck a chord within them. She tried a different approach. "I am your Boss from now on. What I say goes." She crossed her arms, an intimidating expression on her face. When they saw how fierce she was, her expression unwavering despite the cruel and deathly aura emanating from them, they understood why their Boss favored this woman so much.

    "This incident will not reach Yang Feng. It¡¯s an order, not a suggestion." She paused. "And if I find out any of you guys leaked it..." She saw them stiffen the slightest bit when she was able to make direct eye contact with them despite the thickly tinted sunsses they had on.

    She revealed a sickly sweet smile. "Trust me, it¡¯s not a good idea to piss me off." She turned around and walked away, leaving the men dumbfounded as they stared at her back, so small and dainty, yet strong enough to threaten trained killers like them without any hint of fear.

    Never judge a book by its cover. This phrase fit her perfectly. An exquisitely beautiful face and an even deadlier hand. The warning was clear. She was not one to be messed with.

 Chapter 160 Ready For War

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t know why, but her wandering led her back to Imperial Star Mall. She ran a hand through her hair in frustration, deciding to walk out, but paused. She needed a gown for tomorrow. Reluctantly, she walked towards the elevator. When the store representatives came forward, bowing, she waved them off.

    "I can handle it by myself today."

    They bowed again and excused themselves. When the elevator door slid open, Zhao Lifei strolled inside and by reflex, pressed the highest floor of the mall.

    Without much motivation or any stores in mind, Zhao Lifei walked wherever her feet took her. Not long after, she stopped right in front of YRQ. She was surprised to find herself there, but she was even more surprised to see a familiar striking supermodel chatting with a store employee.

    "Qinqin?" She called out, surprised to see her.

    Yang Ruqin paused and turned around, a cold expression on her face ¡ª the same one her brother always had. Who was stupid enough to call her the nickname reserved only for her Feifei?!

    Upon seeing who it was, a switch was flipped. "Feifei!" Yang Ruqin¡¯s attitudepletely changed. Genuine happiness spread over her face as she practically ran to hug Zhao Lifei.

    "What are you doing here?" Zhao Lifeiughed as Yang Ruqin enveloped her into a crushing hug. After spending so much time overseas, Yang Ruqin had picked up several customs of foreigners, which wasn¡¯t a surprise to Zhao Lifei.

    "Wait, don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re the designer behind YRQ?" Zhao Lifei gasped, nearly smacking herself for not realizing this sooner.

    "Yep, was it a big shock?" Yang Ruqin bobbed her head,tching onto Zhao Lifei¡¯s arm and guiding her into the store. She instructed the female employee to lock the doors. With Feifei here, the entire store was closed out so she could have all the time in the world to look around here undisturbed.

    Yang Ruqin wanted to rush to Zhao Lifei right away when she saw the scandal in the media, but she wasn¡¯t home and none of the employees back at the Zhao Mansion knew where she had gone.

    "Well yeah. No one told me anything." Zhao Lifei snorted, sitting down on the plush couch as she took in Yang Ruqin¡¯s appearance. She was dressed from head-to-toe in mour, but unlike her usual casual attire, she was sporting very professional clothing.

    "I wanted to keep it a secret from everyone." Yang Ruqin had a fond expression on her face. "I didn¡¯t want to use my supermodel fame to gain exposure for the brand. It should seed on its own."

    Fashion designing had been a dream of hers ever since she was a child, but instead of being handed a brush and paper, she was handed a violin. And when the violin was abandoned, she was handed a modeling contract. With all of her hard-earned money from her career, she decided to finally turn her dreams into reality.

    "Please don¡¯t tell Feng-ge or my parents... They don¡¯t know about this yet." Yang Ruqin added on, worried they might force her to give up her dream career. Her parents were always against the idea of her working, modeling was supposed to only be a hobby for her. If they discovered she wanted to be a lifelong designer and devote herself to the profession, there would be too much unnecessary conflicts.

    Zhao Lifei bobbed her head. "Of course." She firmly said, her lips locked.

    Yang Ruqin blew out a sigh of relief. If it was anyone else that said it, she would not believe them. From being constantly tricked because of her naivety, Yang Ruqin often had a problem trusting people. In this world, there was only a handful she dared to consult with and Zhao Lifei was the main person she trusted.

    "By the way, Qinqin, you don¡¯t happen to have a spare dress on hand, right?" Zhao Lifei tried her best to keep her voice from sounding too hopeful for fear of burdening Yang Ruqin.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s eyes lit up. She pped her hands and turned to Zhao Lifei, "Actually I do!" She squealed, happy the dress would finally be put to good use!

    This morning, she had gotten into a dispute with the model that was supposed to wear this dress for a photo shoot, but after the horrible woman naivelyined and insulted Feifei in front of her, Yang Ruqin kicked her to the curb. Hmph, so what if she had a pretty face? Feifei would definitely suit that dress better and with her elegance, make it shine brighter than the stars!

    - - - - -

    The next day.

    There was loud chatter within the socialite circle as they gossiped about the next big banquet held by Ling Conglomerate. Not only were the affluent and wealthy invited, but so were celebrities and renowned magazine editors. Ever since it was announced, the banquet had been the talk of the city. The invitations were limited and many were desperate to get their hands on one.

    Socialites persuaded their boyfriends, daughters pleaded with their mothers, sons consulted their fathers, but it was not so simple to get into the banquet, no matter what connection one had. The security was tight and the reporters all fought for the best spot in the front to capture the best pictures.

    At the most respectable and high-end hotel in all of Shenbei, a ruby red carpet wasid out from the pavement leading into the banquet hall. Security guards were equally spaced at the edge of the velvet ropes. Helicopters swirled in the air, drones spun about, and multiple police cars were on sight to ensure the security of the people.

    Whenever a car pulled up to the sidewalk, the clicks and shes went off faster than water falling into scalding oil. Because so many celebrities wereing, fans lined up outside the entire block, enough to wrap a full circle around the hotel. Ear-deafening screams were heard whenever a celebrity stepped out.

    "Are you nervous?" Yang Ruqin asked Zhao Lifei who was sitting opposite her inside the Lincoln Limousine. She had received word at thest minute that her brother would be runningte to the banquet, thus, she rushed to apany Zhao Lifei for fear that something might happen.

    "No, it¡¯s just a banquet." Zhao Lifei nonchntly answered, lifting her eyes from the ck window and shifting it to Qinqin, a rxed smile on her face.

    Upon seeing how calm Feifei was, Yang Ruqin felt reassured.

    Being a world-renowned supermodel whose fame stretched overseas, Yang Ruqin frequented red carpet events. Posing at the perfect angle, not cracking under the pressure of the blinding lights, and walking with elegance before an enormous crowd just waiting to point out every w, she was practically immune to the pressure at red carpet events and, for a period of time, so was Zhao Lifei. But it had been two years since she attended such a major gathering, thus, Yang Ruqin was worried for Zhao Lifei.

    "Yes," Yang Ruqin mused, "It¡¯s just a banquet." She echoed, a pleased smile on her face.

    "Speaking of which, that tramp duo would also be there. Are you worried?"

    "They¡¯re insignificant people in my life, what¡¯s there to worry about?" Zhao Lifei mused. She refused to allow a repeat of what happened at Zhao Linhua¡¯s banquet. This time, she came prepared for war, and her weapons were already sharpened for the battle.

    Upon seeing this haughty side of her beloved Feifei, Yang Ruqin couldn¡¯t help but squeal like a fangirl witnessing her favorite celebrity conquering a big fight.

    "You¡¯re so cool, Feifei!" She cheered, scooting to the other side of the limousine, just so she could hug Zhao Lifei¡¯s arm the way she used to.

    Zhao Lifei gently patted Yang Ruqin, a chuckle emerging. "It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve clung onto me like this."

    Yang Ruqin pouted as she quickly seized this opportunity toin about her oldest brother. "It¡¯s all Feng-ge¡¯s fault! With him hovering around you, I can¡¯t hug you like this! He¡¯s so controlling andst time when you guys got into an argument, he bullied me by locking me at home! He¡¯s so mean to me Feifei." By the end of her rant, her puppy-eyes were on full disy for Zhao Lifei who looked at her with an amused expression.

    "Oh Feifei, you have to do something about his controlling behavior! Please tell him not to irrationally punish me anymore. He¡¯s my brother, not my father!" Yang Ruqin whined, shaking her savior¡¯s arm, continuing to act like a spoiled brat.

    "Alright, alright, I¡¯ll try to pacify him, but I can¡¯t make any promises." Zhao Lifeiughed. She felt like a mother protecting her daughter from her strict husband.

    Right when Yang Ruqin was about to respond, the driver spoke up. "Young Misses, we have arrived."

    "Open the doors. We¡¯re ready." Zhao Lifei spoke up right as Yang Ruqin unwrapped her arms and soothed her hair.

    Yang Ruqin turned to her best friend, a mischievous smile on her face. "Ready for war?"

    "Of course."

    The door opened, blinding shes greeting them, followed by the loud screams and noisy chatter. Breathing in deeply, Zhao Lifei closed her eyes, counted to three, and reopened them, different emotions hiding within the deep hazel hues: arrogance and determination.

 Chapter 161 Sea of Gold

    The reporters held their breaths in anticipation, onlookers anxiously awaited the next big-shot to step out of their car, and fans clutched their phones. Loud chatter filled the air, abination of chants and shouts from reporters to socialites, asking them to strike a pose.

    A ck Lincoln Limousine pulled up to the carpet.

    Suddenly, time seemed to stop as one long and smooth elegant leg climbed out of the car, followed by another. When the woman d in gold emerged from the car, an uproar was heard.

    "It¡¯s Zhao Lifei, the previous Queen!"

    "Oh my goodness, Yang Feng¡¯s woman has arrived to the banquet!"

    "Is she here to personally represent Zhao Corporation?"

    "That dress...woah...."

    "Isn¡¯t that the highly anticipated dress from YQR?! I thought it hasn¡¯te out yet!"

    "As expected, her crown might be taken, but her wealth hasn¡¯t!"

    "Why isn¡¯t she here with Yang Feng?" Thisment was purposely thrown out to pour dirt onto Zhao Lifei. The woman who made thisment quickly slipped out of the crowd, a cruel smirk on her face.

    Her words were the spark that started the fire. Soon, whispers of what happened the previous day could be heard.

    "Hah! Of course, it must be because he was furious after discovering she had a side-man the entire time!"

    "She still has the guts to show up to this banquet knowing he might also attend! How shameless."

    "As expected of a vile socialite."

    "Get ready guys, there¡¯s going to be a humiliation scene again tonight! Starring Zhao Lifei as the main heroine, or should I say the viin!"

    Zhao Lifei ignored the stares and shouts as she slightly tilted her head to Yang Ruqin who urged her to go first. She would not steal her limelight. It was time for her Feifei to shine brighter than the stars!

    When Zhao Lifei took a confident step forward, it was followed by another, until she strutted with poise to the center of the red carpet, her dazzling dress awing the masses.

    Donning an off-shoulder A-line dress withced yellow cuffs hanging low on her shoulders, the dress hugged her body in all of the right ces. Threads made from solid gold wrapped itself around the dress, the magnificentce made her look like royalty.

    The actual gown stopped a few inches above her knee, but there was anotheryer of ingeniously folded silken fabric draping from the left of her waist, and to the right was a see-through fabric with exquisite golden details at the hem. With each sway, it was like a sea of gold was surrounding her. She was a vision to behold and with the shes, the dress shone and glittered, shining brightly [1].

    The people were left speechless upon seeing how well this dressplemented her. Was she truly a fallen Queen? Are you sure she wasn¡¯t the Empress?!

    Everyone was left stunned by her impable beauty. Longshes that framed her unbelievably sharp and clear eyes, high bridged nose of royalty, lips as rosy as a freshly fallen petal, and skin as translucent as fair as snow, she was nothing like the humiliated woman that the people once remembered her as.

    Even the celebrities sharing the carpet with her were blown away by her appearance. Despite having their spotlight stolen by her, they were notpletely aware of it, and instead, concentrated on staring at her, their mouths agape.

    A few of the notable female celebrities looked at her with envy. The dress she was wearing was one that many women lined up and begged to attain, but there it was, worn by one of the most infamous women of Shenbei. The bitter ones thought she didn¡¯t do the dress justice, but deep down, they knew there was no one else on this more suitable for that dress than Zhao Lifei.

    "Miss Zhao, Miss Zhao, any word orment on the most recent pictures with President Yang of Yang Enterprise?"

    "Yes, pleasement on your rtionship! Is it recent? How long have you guys been dating so far?"

    "Who was that man in the photograph posted yesterday? Was he the main or the side?"

    "Are you cheating on CEO Yang?"

    The questions about her rtionship with Yang Feng and Wei Hantao were unstoppable. Reporters fired each question faster than a loaded bullet. They expected her to crack under pressure because, after all, she had experienced a hard fall two years ago. It should not be so easy getting back up, even with the time that has passed.

    "Is President Yang your next big-thigh?"

    At this insulting question, Zhao Lifei sharply turned around. The reporters were hyped up, expecting to see her throw a tantrum and outrageously insult the person like she would¡¯ve done in the past.

    But when they saw her cid face was nonchntly cold, they shivered. Her eyes were as calm as thezy clouds in the sky and as clear as an undisturbed crystal pond. Her elegant posture and serene expression was a surprising sight to many.

    "Why would I need one, when I am a big-thigh myself?" She revealed a dignified smile, her chic response struck the core of many people, earning her multiple fans instantly.

    A lot of people praised her behavior and words.

    Everyone understood her meaning.

    She was Zhao Lifei.

    Her name alone was enough to prove her worth and her overwhelming aura solidified it. It was one thing to buy an ethereal dress, but a decent and impressive presence was hard toe by. She did not need the support of a man for money. The second she was born, there was already enough money in her trust fund tost an entire lifetime and beyond.

    A few reporters wanted to naively cause drama as they asked another risky question, "But Miss Zhao, was Zheng Tianyi not your previous big-thigh? Without the previous branding of ¡¯Future Madam Zheng,¡¯ many people thought you would not get to where you were in the past! It was only with this bestowed title that you were Queen¡ª"

    Zhao Lifei tilted her head, her serene eyes suddenly shifting into one that was icy and piercing, resembling an eagle staring at its prey.

    "Hm, it makes me curious, who exactly was the one clutching the big-thigh." Her eyes connected with the foolish reporter who dared to say such a stupid question.

    "Without the Zhaos, I wonder, how exactly Zheng Corporation would climb so high." She hinted, before turning her head and walking off.

    Her response left a wave of silence for the slightest second, before it built into a loud mummer. Her few words were precise enough for them to understand the message.

    How could the world forget? It was not the Zhao¡¯s who reached out for a marriage contract first, it was the Zheng¡¯s.

    There was a rumor in the business industry that consisted of a genius VP that skyrocketed Zheng Corporation¡¯s worth within a short span of two years... and the one behind it was none other than Zhao Lifei.

    In the past, there was an image being spread around of a woman resembling her features sitting behind a desk,te at night. Outside the window behind her was the scenery seen from Zheng Corporation¡¯s office.

    There had been various reports from ex-employees of multiple sightings of Zhao Lifei signing papers and proposals, working as a fine consultant within thepany. On top of it, with the support of Zhao Corporation behind her back, Zheng Corporation¡¯s value skyrocketed.

    The words, "Who exactly was the one clutching the big-thigh" echoed in the brains of the people present, their perception of her beginning to change for the better. Did this mean, it was Zheng Tianyi all along who was benefiting from their rtionship the most?

    Manymended Zhao Lifei for her wise responses. She did not say much, yet, it was these simple words that left the heaviest ripple upon the calm tides.

    Yang Ruqin sat inside the car, an impressed expression on her dazzling face. Not only was Zhao Lifei able to fight off the haters, but she even uplifted herself from the dark shadows of the past! She was really restored to her former self. The confidence Feifei had was as blinding as during her glorious days and the glow around her now was amazing, perhaps even outshining that bright woman in the past...

 Chapter 162 Blame Herself

    Zhao Lifei was about to walk up the grand staircase leading into the entrance of the banquet hall, when even more shouting could be heard. She gritted her teeth at the irritable questions, but kept her face nk.

    Silence is a virtue. She reminded herself of the words her grandfather once drilled into her. When she was younger and a lot more naive, constantly acting on impulse and anger, her grandfather told her that sometimes, the besteback was not replying at all.

    "Miss Zhao, please make ament! Are you truly cheating on President Yang or not?"

    "Is one man not enough? Why have two?"

    "Who came first? CEO Yang or the mysterious man?!"

    "The media has branded you a reckless wh*re who dared to cheat on President Yang, any responses to that?"

    "Why are you cheating when you already have the nation¡¯s husband in your clutches?"

    "Does your grandfather know about this?"

    Zhao Lifei pressed her lips together and took a step up the stairs, but her path was blocked by a B-list model who was so insignificant to her, Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t even bother remembering her name.

    "Oops, I apologize for getting in your way Miss Zhao. But I just thought you should settle the uproar." The model sneered, her eyes scanning the socialite¡¯s feature. Tch, what did President Yang see in this woman? She was just like the other pretty flowers in the garden, perhaps blooming a bit more than the rest, but there was nothing special about her features.

    "It¡¯s not fair you know. So many celebrities are here and you¡¯re stealing their spotlight with your ridiculous scandal." The woman rambled on, cing her hands on her hips, revealing a silver charm bracelet.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes sharpened upon seeing it. She recognized it. Zhao Linhua was given this very type of bracelet, though with different charms, by Xia Mengxi. Was this model sent by Xia Mengxi? But why? Why was the shining female lead targeting her, the antagonist of her Cindere story? Was it for the cuffs? Shouldn¡¯t it be the viin plotting against the female lead and not the other way around?

    Zhao Lifei thought this was highly suspicious. Is Xia Mengxi not as innocent as she portrayed herself to be? Or was she smart enough to fool everyone? Her eyes flickered. That¡¯s right, in most romance novels she read, the female lead was the shining heroine, but her poor background often had dark secrets attached. How could she forget this crucial detail? Perhaps there was more than what meets the eyes.

    "Such a shameless sl*t..." The woman snorted.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t bother to address the insult and was about to side-step the woman when she suddenly blurted out, "What? Are you pretending to be deaf now that you¡¯re confronted?" The model added on. "You should apologize to the celebrities who actually need the attention on them to earn money. They¡¯re not freeloaders like you, leeching off of your parents¡¯ sess¡ª"

    "Like you¡¯re one to talk." Zhao Lifei smiled, finally remembering where she had seen this woman before. Yang Ruqin had frustratedly ranted to her a few months ago about a B-list model that was bold enough to step out of line and attempt to snatch her ambassador title from anotherpany. But this model had overestimated her abilities and was not only humiliated with rejection, but was also embarrassed by Yang Ruqin who was known to hold a grudge.

    So this pesky model was too scared of directly attacking the Queen... Did she think attacking the adviser would be easier?

    "If I remember correctly, there was a recent scandal about you climbing into the bed of a judge just to win apetition, which by the way, you still lost." Zhao Lifei¡¯s words cut deep, a harsh p to the model who was fumbling to respond.

    The crowd made an "ooooh" as they snickered at the shameless model. How thick-skinned does one have to be to call someone else a shameless sl*t when she was one herself? Tsk, she was a hypocrite.

    "I suppose you should apologize to your parents as well." Zhao Lifei sneered. "They spent so many resources on you, only for it all to go to waste."

    The people understood her message very clearly. She was calling this woman an unfilial daughter. The crowd cheered her on, enjoying the live entertainment. As expected of a scorned ex-Queen, her words were still ruthless even when under pressure!

    "Don¡¯t try to push all the attention back onto me just because you want to divert the topic from your scandal¡ª"

    "Oh my, I apologize. Wasn¡¯t attention what you wanted in the first ce?" Zhao Lifei innocently tilted her head.

    Zhao Lifei was not going to let this woman go. For daring to insult Yang Ruqin and even attempting to steal a job from her, Zhao Lifei was willing to be petty for Qinqin. An attack on her friend was an attack on Zhao Lifei.

    The woman became red with anger, irrationally screeching, "Is it fun insulting me, you two-timing wh*re!"

    Upon having the topic brought back again, talks about the scandal was about to arise again. Yang Ruqin knew it was time for her toe out and distract the crowd. Yang Feng paid her very well toe here and even promised her that if she seeded in protecting Feifei until he personally arrived, she will not be bullied by him anymore.

    "AHH! It¡¯s the supermodel Yang Ruqin!" Her fans went crazy upon seeing their Goddess climb out of the car. Men and women alike attempted to push their way to the front of the gates, in hopes of showing off the posters they made for her. A few waved around hand-made fan signs with Yang Ruqin¡¯s faces. Many of them were trying to get her autograph and a few luckily did.

    The reporters went wild as well, their fingers clicking their cameras so much, it was a wonder none of the fingers were heavily injured by the swiftness. Despite her soaring fame, Yang Ruqin rarely attended social gatherings ¡ª mainly because of her hectic schedule, hence whenever she did, it was always an uproar.

    There were virtually no bad scandals about her, thus she was in almost everyone¡¯s good graces. Even if a bad rumor was about to arise, they would instantly be squashed before it even reached the public.

    Unlike the supermodels who relied on an outstanding lover to back them up, Yang Ruqin relied on herself. The people thought she used her family¡¯s money to climb to where she was right now, but that idea was quickly crushed away when her pictures were published. She was wless in all of them, perfectly showing the right emotions in different outfits and backgrounds. Every time she posed, there were no visible ws.

    Her professionalism and behavior were alwaysplimented by photographers and people in the fashion industry. Unlike many of the bratty divas in the industry who also had reputable families backing them up, Yang Ruqin¡¯s gentle and aloof behavior was a refreshing sight to many.

    "Yang Ruqin, please smile here!"

    "How about a pose for Buntro Magazines?"

    "Look this way Yang Ruqin!"

    "Good, good, that¡¯s the perfect pose!"

    "A smile in this direction as well please!"

    The paparazzi hounded her, greedy to take more and more pictures of the stunning woman. Reporters swarmed to the front, desperate to ask questions.

    "Yang Ruqin, to what do you owe your sess?"

    "Anyment about the scandal involving your brother and Zhao Lifei?"

    "I heard you¡¯re great friends with the woman in question. You guys even arrived in the same car! Does that mean the problem is already soothed?"

    "Has President Yang reconciled with Zhao Lifei?"

    "Do you know the mysterious man in the photo?"

    "Please leave us a reply!"

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s smile nearly wavered upon the question. She nervously made eye-contact with Zhao Lifei. Her n of keeping Feifei safe was desperately failing and she med no one else but herself.

 Chapter 163 Did I Stutter

    The questions were getting louder and bing more and more unbearable. Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t want to reveal the identity of Wei Hantao because if the people looked into him, there might be a few who could uncover his connection with Feili. This would vite what was written in their contract.

    Pressing her lips together, she could only try her best to ignore it, but with the ridiculous model in front of her, the scrutinizing gazes of the reporters, and Yang Ruqin being bombarded with questions, she knew it was time she made her statement.

    "Miss Zhao, is the mystery man in the photo an ex-lover, a boy toy, or is he someone you had been seeing before President Yang came into the picture¡ª"

    Zhao Lifei lifted her head and looked at the reporters. They expected to see an infuriated expression, but when they saw the slow smile spread on her face, they were momentarily captured by her.

    She looked into the eyes of the camera, her hazel gaze piercing through the lens, sending goosebumps to rise on everyone watching her. "I do not have any romantic affiliation with the mystery man." She enunciated each word perfectly, clear as day. Without waiting for their response, she continued to climb up the stairs.

    She brushed past the fuming model, whispering, "You offended two great households. I hope you¡¯re ready for the consequences."

    Zhao Lifei did not spare the model another nce, nor did she linger long enough for the reporters to see she had threatened the model. Instead, she continued to walk up the stairs, her dress swaying and capturing the light, blinding everyone that looked at her. With the face of a goddess and posture of an Empress, she has effortlessly glidden up the stairs, there was an air of nobility surrounding her. Like an untouchable star lighting up the night sky, the people could not do anything but stare at her, as if they were spellbound.

    Yang Ruqin proudly smiled as she watched Zhao Lifei walk up the stairs, unbothered by the people around her. She truly did her gown justice...

    Yang Ruqin knew by the end of this banquet, YQR¡¯s designs would once again make a wave in the media, and soon, she would have to confront her parents about it. But she kept her hopes high, for she had Zhao Lifei on her side now. With the help of Feifei, Yang Ruqin hoped her best friend would be able to pacify Yang Feng.

    - - - - -

    Inside the banquet was as loud as the red carpets. Each time a person arrived, there was an announcer to state their name and affiliations. The minute Zhao Lifei¡¯s name was revealed, the room went into a hush silence before loud chatter erupted again. She knew she was the center of everyone¡¯s attention by then.

    There were mixtures of eyes upon her. Some were filled with curiosity, others were filled with disdain, and a few were even filled with envy.

    Instead of cowering back upon seeing so many pairs of eyes on her, Zhao Lifei raised her chin and strode into the room, her eyes on high alert. When a waiter walked past her with a ss of champagne, she instinctively grabbed it in hopes of easing her nerves

    Her fingers curled around the thin ss stem while she walked into the center of the room, her eyes searching for something, but she didn¡¯t know exactly what. She knew the people were expecting her to walk to the corner and hide, but would not give them the satisfaction. She took a sip of the champagne, the sweet carbonated taste lingering on her tongue.

    So many familiar faces surrounded her...so many of them filled with contempt for her. She understood their reasoning. Like the rumors, she was once a vile b*tch that people only put up with because they had no other option.

    Memories of her horrible past surfaced, the sound of sses shattering while she threw a tantrum over thetest scandal, the look of horror on women¡¯s faces when she unleashed her wrath upon them.

    All of it wasing back.

    The faces before her morphed from flesh and skin to nk silhouettes whose eyes were gleaming red with mockery and lips abnormally curving upwards like that of a clown¡¯s. A chill crept up her spine upon seeing the dark shadows that surrounded them, simr to the ones she saw in her childhood.

    She took another sip of the champagne, but instead of easing her anxiety, it ramped it up higher. Suddenly, the grand ballroom felt stuffy. She could not breathe properly. Without looking at where she was walking, she turned around and bumped into someone, the champagne nearly spilling over the other person if it wasn¡¯t for their fast reflexes.

    "To harm my woman, are you insane?" There it was. That husky, mellow voice. It was annoyed at her, it always was.

    Zheng Tianyi scoffed upon seeing Zhao Lifei. Of course, it was this b*tch. Who else would touch Xia Mengxi so freely when he was present? "Why are you standing in front of me? Scram." He hissed at her, pushing her back while wrapping a protective arm around Xia Mengxi¡¯s body.

    Zhao Lifei blinked in surprise, her eyes slightly hazy. She finally registered who was standing in front of her.

    "You¡¯re still here? Are you that desperate for my attention, you have to do it by bumping into Mengxi?" Zheng Tianyi loudly said, his words capturing the attention of a few onlookers.

    Businessmen turned their heads to get a proper look at the pitiful woman foolish enough to offend an enormous powerhouse like Zheng Tianyi. Women batted their longshes, peering at her with amusement.

    "Get lost. Your appalling face is bothering my wife¡ª"

    "Wife? Since when did the honorable Zheng family eptmoners into their bloodline?" Zhao Lifei mused, tilting her head towards Xia Mengxi who was glowering at her.

    "What a despicable woman you are." Zheng Tianyi spat out, his nonchnt expression turning cold. "You¡¯ve already been tossed to the trash by me, yet you¡¯re still clinging onto my leg. Don¡¯t you have any morals?"

    Zhao Lifei ran a slender finger over the rim of her ss, her face incredibly calm. "President Zheng, you should not be talking about morals here." She let out a low chuckle, lifting her head from the ss to reveal her calctive eyes.

    "What did you just say?" Zheng Tianyi seethed, releasing Xia Mengxi and taking a threatening step in Zhao Lifei¡¯s direction. The people trembled upon facing the great cmity known as Zheng Tianyi¡¯s wrath. Everyone knew how ruthless he could be when angered. The beast does not spare mercy.

    "What? Did I stutter?"

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s words were the breaking point of his patience. He raised a heavy hand, ready to smack the life out of her, but a hand grabbed his wrists, cing pressure on the weakest point of the joint.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes red as she caught Zheng Tianyi¡¯s hand. "What a violent little thing you are." She scoffed, digging her fingers deeper into the spot. She was grateful that for once, she did not let her guards down when encountering him. All the time he had tossed her around like a ragdoll, the humiliation from being publicly beaten by him, she would not feel that ever again.

    Zheng Tianyi let out augh, his body rxing and without using much of his strength, harshly pushed Zhao Lifei away. He had to admit, her self-defense was on point. She had pressed into a very sensitive area and if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that his immunity for pain was quite high, he might¡¯ve cried out in pain.

    Zhao Lifei thought that would be the end of it and she could leave now. With her guards down, she turned her back ¡ª ready to walk off ¡ª when suddenly a hand grabbed her shoulder. She turned around and in her peripheral vision she saw a handing her way, but it was toote for her to dodge. The only thing she could do was squeeze her eyes and brace the pain.

    PAK!

    The sound rang throughout the room, but what followed after it was a loud silence. The people held their breaths, their eyes going wide at the sight in front of them.

 Chapter 164 Tyrannical King

    The people swallowed hard, a few tugging at the cor of their tops. It was suffocating in here, yet the air was colder than the North. What was scary about this scene was not the smack that rang throughout the room, but the strikingly tall, lean, and charismatic man blocking it.

    Nothing was more terrifying than seeing his dangerous cid expression. It was hard to read his emotions when his eyes were so lifeless. Publicly disying anger was one thing, but acting so calm was another. Looking at the man¡¯s ashen face while he held Zheng Tianyi¡¯s hand was like looking at Yama himself. The people could practically see the wispy ghosts swirling around the man as a heavy air of cruel death hanged around him.

    "Yang Feng..." Zhao Lifei breathed out in shock. He had pulled her back from the blow, one arm tightly wrapped around her waist, pressing her lithe body into his perfectly tailored dress. The other had blocked the smack and was now holding Zheng Tianyi¡¯s wrist, bending it in an unruly matter.

    His lethal and deadly stare was centered on the imbecile in front of him. "I should break your wrist right now." Yang Feng muttered, enough for Zheng Tianyi to hear the threat, but quiet enough where the crowd did not.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s face was morphed into shock. He had been so busy with trying to uplift Zheng Corporation, he did not have enough time to pay attention to the news about Yang Feng and Zhao Lifei¡¯s rtionship. He thought the incident at the banquetst time was just a random gesture of kindness towards a pitiful and pathetic woman. Why was the scene repeating itself again?

    "Yang Feng, you¡¯re hurting me." Zheng Tianyi scowled, yanking his hand back but Yang Feng twisted it further, a dark look on his face.

    Zheng Tianyi bit hard on his tongue to prevent a painful cry from escaping. The pain was so intense, he was beginning to break out in a cold sweat. He did not want to embarrass himself in front of Xia Mengxi and Zhao Lifei. That would hurt his pride more than it would harm his body.

    "If cklisting you was not enough, I could do much more than that." Yang Feng released Zheng Tianyi, shoving him back.

    He knew if he wanted to hurt the human waste in front of him, the best way to do so was attacking thepany and then capturing himter on.

    This was a celebration banquet with hundreds of pairs of eyes trained on them, it would be too messy and problematic to deal with him in public.

    "I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re attending tonight¡¯s banquet Mr. Zheng, especially when you have a failingpany to worry about." Yang Feng nonchntly added on.

    Everyone was suddenly reminded of the enormous stock drop of Zheng Corporation. Major partnerships pulled out, thepany¡¯s value was decreasing, and the projects they had in mind were halted. Shouldn¡¯t the CEO be ving his life away at thepany, instead of mingling at a banquet with his lover?

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s right eye twitched. He ground his teeth, his hands itching to punch something. Damn you, Yang Feng! It wasn¡¯t enough that you had to plummet mypany, but you also had to humiliate me in public like this?!

    Zheng Tianyi stopped his delusion of seeing Yang Feng as a friend. It was clear thetter drew a line a long time ago, but Zheng Tianyi had just seen it.

    He opened his mouth, ready to say aeback, but was reminded of who exactly Yang Feng was. This man can end him without lifting a finger. The Zheng was one of the most powerful family in Shenbei, but the Yang influence did not stop in this city alone. Their power stretched beyond Shenbei and all the way across the seas.

    Even if Zheng Tianyi was to mobilize his men, they were not strong enough to oppose two households ¡ª if Zhao Moyao decided to join in. Without a doubt, Zheng Tianyi knew he would.

    This would be a losing battle. He was utterly cornered.

    "What? Cat got your tongue?" Yang Feng mused at the silence, his eyes belittling the trash in front of him. "Pathetic." He shook his head, the insult ringing across the room.

    People eager to get on Yang Feng¡¯s good side quickly chimed in agreement.

    "Hah, he was so confidently insulting the future Madam Yang, now he¡¯s as quiet as a falling feather!"

    "My board of directors was advising me to pull out of Zheng Corporation, seeing his state now, I guess I should."

    "Tsk, this isn¡¯t the first time he tried to hit a woman. And he even attempted to p Zhao Lifei. What a fool."

    Zheng Tianyi felt himself tremble with angst, his eyes burning, as the back of his neck flushed from how angered he was. He saw red.

    Xia Mengxi ced a hand on his chest when he took a step forward, as if he was going to strike Yang Feng. "Sweetheart, don¡¯t do it." She gently whispered, like an angel singing in his ears. "It¡¯s not worth it." She cooed, patting his chest.

    Zheng Tianyi squeezed her waist in an attempt to calm down. He remembered his purpose here. It was to broaden hiswork and improve his connections. He did note here to embarrass himself.

    "President Yang, let us settle this dispute privately. If you¡¯d like, we can have a chat¡ª"

    "You¡¯re not worth my time." Five simple words were enough to end Zheng Tianyi¡¯s crumbling reputation. If he wasn¡¯t worth Yang Feng¡¯s time, he should not be worth the time of other CEOs.

    Swiftly, Yang Feng strolled off with Zhao Lifei in his arms. Everyone¡¯s eyes were trained on them until they disappeared down the halls, then the gazes shifted to the embarrassing couple.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s face became nk as a canvas. He was dumbfounded by the response, his mouth agape and at loss for words yet again.

    "Well, there goes the end of Zheng Corporation."

    "Hey, Second Young Master Li, you should advise your father to stop trading with Zheng Corporation before its toote."

    "Mypany was thinking of epting theirtest coboration project, luckily, this happened before I signed any papers."

    "Five generations of wealth was ruined by one person. What a family disappointment. If I was Mr. and Mrs. Zheng, I would¡¯ve disowned him long ago."

    "He made a fool out of himself for choosing amoner over a wealthy heiress, and now he¡¯s reaping what he sowed."

    "This is what happens when you think with a d*ck and not a brain."

    The people sneered at Zheng Tianyi, turning their backs to him the same way they did to Zhao Lifei. The wealthy society was like a spinning wheel, everyone was always fighting to be the very top, eager to drag and push everyone to the bottom if they could soar high.

    Their humiliating words became swords that impaled Zheng Tianyi from left to right to the point where his face became ashen and pale.

    Everyone was eager to push him down and kick him harder now that he was. It was all that they were waiting for ¡ª the downfall of the tyrannical King.

    Phone calls were being made in the background as heirs consulted their fathers, executives informing the board of directors, and with each passing second, the Zheng stocks were plummeting.

    Zheng Tianyi felt himself crumble, his eyes in a daze. Was it truly over for him? Was thepany his ancestors worked so hard to buildpletely destroyed within the span of a week?

 Chapter 165 Its Not A Gun

    Xia Mengxi saw the defeat within Zheng Tianyi¡¯s eyes and frowned. He looked like a Commander deserted by his soldiers, a lone man standing on a sandy battlefield whose armor was cracked, sword was destroyed, and the sole standing thing was a pathetic white g.

    She refused to see him like this. She refused to acknowledge he had truly fallen to the bottom. He was a Zheng for christ¡¯s sake! Why was his ego this easily destroyed? So what if he was insulted by Yang Feng, so many people in this world also suffered the same thing!

    An indistinguishable emotion shed before her eyes, a thunderous expression overtaking her fair face. This was not the end of the Zheng Empire.

    Once a King has fallen, they can still stand back up. Her fingers curled into a fist. She grabbed Zheng Tianyi¡¯s hand to lead him away from the taunting crowd. She was nning on consulting everyone she knew. It was time to stop pretending to be a useless damsel-in-distress. It was time she put her title as the female lead to use.

    She ignored all of the insults thrown at them and instead, used it as fuel.

    "Haha, look at them fleeing into the night!"

    "I feel so sorry for the Zheng family. Their long-built legacy was destroyed by a single person. Imagine building an Empire for five generations only for it toe crumbling down like this..."

    "Tsk, if I was him, I would kowtow before my family and ancestors until my knees bled!"

    "Zheng Corporation will suffer for sure in his leadership."

    "Oh, didn¡¯t you hear, Young Master Hong, ever since Zheng Tianyi seeded the chairman seat and tossed Zhao Lifei to the curb, he had not drawn a sessful proposal with major corporations?"

    "I heard those rumors as well. He was rejected from Yang Enterprise and on top of that, even tried to beg and grovel his way into a second chance!"

    "Wow, he actually begged Yang Feng?" Laughter erupted throughout the room, the sound traveling through the ears of Xia Mengxi and Zheng Tianyi, who, despite walking so far, was still paranoid enough to hear the mocking sounds.

    "I know right! It was a pathetic sight to witness. He did it in front of his personal assistants and bodyguards!"

    "Wow, imagine embarrassing yourself like that in front of your subordinates."

    "Pft, I feel bad for the employees. They had to see their boss in such a sorry state. If the leader is weak, imagine the condition of the staffs!"

    Many people joined the insulting spree. When he was still in control, prancing around as if he was the true ringleader, everyone was simply too terrified to speak up against him. But now that Yang Feng had entered the scene and showed who the real ruler was, the people suddenly gained the courage to trash-talk.

    - - - - -

    In the hallways of the banquet.

    Zhao Lifei stumbled over her footing and nearly fell if it wasn¡¯t for Yang Feng¡¯s hand. She felt dizzy for some reason and in her attempt to stabilize herself, the champagne ss slipped from her fingers.

    CRASH!

    The sound of ss shattering rang throughout the corridor.

    "You were drinking?" Yang Feng¡¯s gruff voice filled with displeasure made her shrink back a bit.

    She didn¡¯t like it when someone sounded so disappointed in her. She already had a fair share of her parents shunning her for her failure, she didn¡¯t need someone else to join the line.

    "It was barely a ss." She snapped back, defensive because of his words.

    Yang Feng paused to look at her face and saw how gloomy she looked. He took her into the closest room he saw and locked the door behind him. He flickered on the lights and saw it was a guest room of some sort.

    "Rx, I¡¯m not going against it." He said, cupping her face like she was the only thing that mattered in this world. He wanted to check her temperature to ensure a fever did not ur.

    He leaned his forehead onto hers, forcing her eyes to flutter shut, as if waiting for something. He smirked at her automatic reflex before pulling back his face to see her slightly puckered lips.

    He resisted the urge tough at the sight and instead, settled by wrapping his arms around her lower back. "You can open your eyes now."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s face twisted into a rough glower, her cheeks slightly flushed. How embarrassing!

    He pinched her fluffy cheeks. "Aw, was the little kitty waiting for a kiss?" He cooed, earning a rough stomp on his toes. He let out a smoothughter at her feisty reaction. The sound only prompted more smacking from her, but he was too busyughing to care.

    "It¡¯s not funny!" She crossed her arms and turned her face away from him, her eyes slightly watery from all of his teasing. Hisughter was always music to her ears, but now it was like hearing the cackle of a demon!

    She growled when hisughter still didn¡¯t die down. She pushed him off of her and was about to storm out of the door when he suddenly grabbed her waist, pushed her into the door, and enveloped her in a backward hug.

    "Don¡¯t...get mad so easily." His loudughter subdued to tiny chuckles that rumbled his chest. She felt every vibration and when he shifted his body closer to her, she could feel each of his perfect muscles clearly.

    "I¡¯m not mad."

    "Sure, you¡¯re not." He readily agreed with her, a tiny smile on his face when he saw her face was still scrunched into a scowl. Like an angry little kitten who thought she was a tiger, her eyes were boring a hole through the wall.

    "I was checking to see if you had a fever, my love. I was not trying to kiss you¡ª"

    "Shut up!" Zhao Lifei whined, her childish tendenciesing out the more he poked and probed at her.

    She scolded herself for being so easy and allowing him to touch her as he pleased, but an enormous part of her loved it when he instigated physical contact. The warmth he provided, his strong and muscr arms, made her feel a sense of security. She felt safe when she was settled in his tight embrace. It was the only time she was truly rxed andfortable...

    "It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re back to normal." For a second there, he thought someone might¡¯ve drugged her drink again.

    Yang Feng leaned his head on her shoulders, one arm wrapped around her waist, the other coiling over her corbone.

    She had nowhere to run.

    With how thoroughly he was hugging her, he was ensured she had no way of leaving him. He loved how soft she was. Hugging her was like hugging a pillow and with her heavenly sweet scent, he felt as if he was in paradise whenever he was around her.

    "I¡¯m always normal." She argued, to which he eagerly nodded his head in agreement.

    He did everything to pacify her, his tail wagging so high in the air, Zhao Lifei could practically hear the swoosh of the wind. He nuzzled his face into her neck, his soft hair tickling her skin causing a tiny giggle to erupt.

    "That tickles." Sheughed, the sound driving him insane.

    She gasped when he suddenly turned her around, sealing his lips over hers, hungrily devouring her. He was instantly aroused when he saw her beautiful body in the dress that perfectly enhanced her curves in all of the right ces, starting from her tiny waist to her ample backside. He knew she was self-conscious of her breasts, but he never minded them. All of the things she thought were ws, he saw it as utter perfection.

    She moaned when he pressed her harder into the door, closing all of the distance between them. One hand crept up her spine, his fingers spread out as he pressed her upper body to him. He kissed her so hard, her body was slightly bent for him, her breast pushed against his chest, while she felt her intimate area pressed against something incredibly stiff. Her body tingled and became heated when he licked her bottom lips before taking it into his mouth, sucking on it, and then thrusting his slick tongue into the sweet heaven known as her mouth, savoring the lovely taste of champagne.

    "Y-Yang Feng..." She mumbled against his lips when she felt the thing touching her growing harder by the second. Her hand traveled down his body in a torturing pace. "C-can you move the gun¡ª"

    "It¡¯s not a gun, my dear." He hoarsely replied, his jaw clenching when her fingers were just a short distance away from brushing against his hardening friend. There was a heavy tent down there and he knew if he didn¡¯t stop her wandering hands, he might shred her clothes and take her right then and there, until she waspletely filled with him.

 Chapter 166 Try To Be Better Next Time

    "Are you sure? It¡¯s solid and really hard¡ª"

    "Please stop talking." He replied, his voice raspy and filled with heavy desire for her.

    When her eyes, wide and so naively clear, looked up at him with a curious expression on her face, he inwardly cursed all the foul words known to mankind. She waspletely ignorant to the effects she had on men and that aggravated him even more.

    "Why?" She innocently asked, tilting her head, her hair following the small action. Her hair was loose and cascaded down her back, perfect for men to run their fingers through. Such a vision evoked his possessiveness as he roughly reached out to grab the back of her neck, but then paused and his hand became gentle when it touched her precious skin.

    He bent down, tugging her face closer until his lips were practically hovering over her ears. "Because I might do something we¡¯ll both regret."

    "Like?" She ced a hand on his chest, drawing tiny circles with her slender fingers. A low grunt came from his mouth as he seized her fingers, reaching the brink of his control.

    "Like taking you against this door, muffling your cries with my mouth." His daring words caused her eyes to widen in shock as she instantly leaned back, but had nowhere to go because of the door.

    "Pervert¡ª"

    "You¡¯re the bigger pervert for asking." He scoffed, shifting the camp in his briefs far away from her flower. The more her body was pressed against his, the more it throbbed.

    "It was a genuine question with good intent!" Zhao Lifei cried out, feeling dirty to have even asked. When she saw the mischievous glint in his eyes, she felt even more ashamed of herself. She was the one setting the boundary line, yet it was always her who crossed it first, tugging him to do the same!

    "Are you sure?" He taunted her, leaning down as if he was going to kiss her again. She trembled, her eyes slightly flickering, her body tensed while she awaited his pleasurable lips. Itnded on anywhere but her begging lips.

    He skimmed her jaw teasingly, in an agonizingly slow pace, with the desire to torment her control just as she had tested his. He kissed everywhere but the spot she desperately wanted him to. His hand traveled from her corbone to her neck, slightly curling before its feather-soft touch trailed to her chin, teasing her sensitive area.

    Zhao Lifei felt her body clench on reflex, going stiff, as her lower region pooled with warmth. She was anticipating his kiss so much, she was slowly going insane. He was barely touching her, yet she still felt assaulted by her overwhelming senses of desire for him. "J-just kiss me already..." Her voice trailed off when she saw the haughty glimmer in his dark eyes. He was enjoying this torturous treatment!

    He scooped in, causing her heart to skip a beat thinking it was a proper kiss, but he pressed his lips to the corner of hers, narrowly dodging it. She let out a frustrated cry, the sound further depleting his self-control. In a throaty voice, he asked, "What happened to your good intentions?"

    "Out the window!" She hissed, snatching his tie and yanking his face to her level before she greedily kissed him, the same way he had always done to her. Yang Feng was caught off-guard by this but rapidly responded to her passion by kissing her back, their warm lips melting together perfectly. He allowed her to take the reigns, even if it was causing him immense agony. His member was so stiff now, it was hurting him.

    Irrationally, he picked her up while maintaining their locked lips. Her legs wrapped around his waist, allowing him to carry her. She tried her best to kiss him properly, feeling self-doubt, but when he let out a pleasured grunt, she continued whatever she was doing.

    She licked and bit, their lips performing a dance as old as time. When she felt the soft mattress beneath her back, she realized Yang Feng was standing between her legs, his hand dangerously close to her female region, she knew it was time to stop, but the sound couldn¡¯te out.

    His hand dove under the see-through material, inching closer and closer to the actual gown. The feeling of her plump and silky flesh against his rough fingers only amplified his desires for her.

    She stiffened, her throat bing dry all of a sudden. Her lips stopped moving, her entire body petrified. She didn¡¯t want to go further from here, but felt too ridden with guilt to voice it.

    Yang Feng sensed something was wrong and instantly, he pulled his hand away. He got off of her and saw the grimace on her face. Remorse shed within those lovely amber eyes of hers, prickling pain erupting on his chest.

    "Don¡¯t feel guilty. Don¡¯t you dare me yourself." He instructed, climbing off the bed, the action only increased her fear.

    She thought he was leaving her because she was too scared to go any further. Her panicked eyes watched as he stood to his full height and turned his back to her. She felt a burst of pain in her heart.

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t want her to see the tent on his pants, thus turned around to adjust his tie. But he didn¡¯t realize this tiny action was doing cruel things to her heart. When he heard the sound of shuffling feet pounding against the floor, he was about to turn around in confusion, but something soft crashed against his back, followed by creamy pale arms tightly wrapping around his waist.

    "I-I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll try to be better next time..." Zhao Lifei thought he was angry at her. She thought he was going to leave her because she was so weak for not being able to sleep with him.

    Zheng Tianyi was like this in the past when he tried to cave her into sleeping with him when they were simply in high school. She was not ready then, for she was too scared of the consequences to allow her heart to take over. He saw her hesitation as an insult to his ego. In his fury, he had tossed her to the floor and stormed off, never speaking to her for weeks.

    She didn¡¯t want the same thing to happen with Yang Feng. Even the thought of it severely pained her, as hundreds of needles stabbed into her doubtful and weak heart. "S-so...please don¡¯t be mad at me..."

    Yang Feng felt his heart drop at her words, instantly turning around to engulf her into a body-crushing hug. "Foolish little thing." He muttered, tightening his arms around her, if that was even possible.

    "I know I am, so please¡ª"

    "Listen to me very clearly Zhao Lifei," He used one hand to cup her cheek, while the other continued to crush her body into his. "You never have to apologize for not making love." He stared intently into her teary eyes, the lovely hue of brown glistening like thousands of stars.

    "Never, ever think you are inclined to give me your body." He lifted her chin, forcing her to look deeply into him.

    "Heed my words very clearly." His voice became softer, "I will always be patient when ites to these things, my love. If you do not want to do it, I won¡¯t be mad at you." When he saw her bottom lips quivered, he ran his thumb over it.

    "As long as you tell me or give me signs that you want me to stop, I will." Staring into those pained eyes of hers, whose color looked as if it captured all the lights in the world, was like staring into heaven itself. "This, my dear, I will swear to you."

    "Promise?" She hoarsely said, a lump at the back of her throat.

    His words were one of the nicest things she had ever heard in all twenty-three years of her life. It was soothing her fears, but at the same time, made her overwhelmed with emotions. How could he be this loving? How could he be so utterly perfect to the point where it left her speechless? What exactly did I do to deserve a man like this?

    "Cross my heart and swear to die." He promised her, individually kissing her eyes to keep the tears away, before peppering her entire face with small kisses, until her sullen mood was uplifted and she finally returned to her usual self.

    In a daze, she suddenly said, "Don¡¯t ever leave me, Yang Feng..."

    He felt as if his heart was being squeezed to pieces by her words. More enchanting than the songs of sirens, more lovely than heaven itself, these were the words that sent his heart beating like crazy. He did not think he could ever fall in love, but hearing those words from her sweet lips, he knew, from the bottom of his heart, this woman was the only one he would ever love this hard in all of his lifetimes.

    "My dear," He breathed in. "I don¡¯t think I can ever leave you, even if I tried."

 Chapter 167 Slander My Name

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s heart shook at his fierce deration. His eyes always seemed to look right through her soul. Her heart stopped upon peering into his onyx eyes, which was reputable for being lifeless and cold, but were so warm and filled with love whenever he looked at her. She reached up to touch his face and he leaned into her hand on reflex, never drawing his eyes away from her.

    He ced arge and engulfing hand over her tiny ones, maintaining eye contact while he slowly said, "Even if you try to leave me, Zhao Lifei, I will never let you go."

    She realized his feelings for her was like a double-edged sword. He was loving and kind, but possessive and overbearing. Even so, she felt herself falling harder and harder for him. The sense of belonging she felt from him, security that he won¡¯t ever cheat on her, she didn¡¯t want it all to go.

    "I know." She smiled.

    His lips curve into a very satisfied smile at her words. "Good." He pulled her in for another hug and finally registered her dress. His brows crinkled upon seeing it waspletely different to the one he purchased for her. Why did she suddenly change her mind?

    Zhao Lifei noticed his eyes and spoke up. "Someone outbid the one from Granse..."

    Yang Feng nced up, a vexed expression on his face. "I¡¯ll look into it." He dered, his stormy eyes sweeping over the gown once again. He did not mind the change in her gown. She looked stunning in her current one and each time she moved, she radiated like the sun.

    He was more worried about the events that unfolded than the dress itself.

    "Did the store clerks give you any hard time?" The bodyguards assigned to her didn¡¯t say anything, but his extrayer of security ¡ª a group of his men watching from a distance ¡ª mentioned an rm going off.

    Zhao Lifei studied his expression, wondering which one of them snitched on her. "They did, but don¡¯t worry, I already handled it." She calmly responded, watching as he brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

    "I had no doubt you didn¡¯t." He mused, fixing her appearance for her so that she wouldn¡¯tin that he had ruined her hairstyle. She was an independent and strong woman who knew how to fight her own battles and he loved that part of her.

    "I¡¯ve seen the rumors. The images are all wiped from the media, but it was toote. You were subjected to a lot of hate, I apologize." His private intel informed him toote, for the pictures were posted in the middle of the night, when half the city was asleep ¡ª but the country was not.

    Overnight, her reputation was dragged through the dirt again. The people stupid enough to leak those pictures were currently rotting away in the Underworld and their banks were drained dry. He thought cklisting and bankrupting one mediapany would set a warning, but who would¡¯ve thought individuals would do it?

    "It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m used to having people nder my name." This was not the first time she suffered a bacsh from the media and she has no doubt, it would not be thest time.

    Now that she was publicly known as Yang Feng¡¯s woman, all of the eyes would be on her again. She knew if she wanted to be the Queen of the Socialites again, she could, but currently, she did not desire such a tiring position.

    "Well, don¡¯t get used to it anymore. From now on, I¡¯ll destroy anyone that tries to abuse you, this I can swear to you." He could not stop the people from talking about her, but he would most certainly unleash hell upon whoever was stupid enough to do so.

    - - - - -

    Afterward, the two went back to the banquet where eyes were trained on them everywhere they went. Zhao Lifei recounted her grandfather¡¯s words. He did not want her to hide in the corner of the room. Instead, she should beworking, making more connections, and finding potential partnershippanies for Feili. She knew there would be a day where she had to introduced herself as the true mastermind behind the flourishingpany.

    Yang Feng noticed her wandering eyes, curiously analyzing everyone she saw. He realized what she was doing and decided to help pave the way for her. He didn¡¯t have to walk up to anyone, for the people hurriedly went up to greet him wherever he went.

    Zhao Lifei waspletely aware of what Yang Feng was doing for her. She wanted to make these connections herself, not borrow the one he had, but realized with her current standing, it was best to rely on the ones he had before she started branching out on her own. She paid attention to the interactions,ughed at the right moment as multiple people came to them.

    She knew it was no surprise so many people came up to them.

    Yang Feng was a very prominent figure in the country and upper society. Whatever he says goes. All he had to do was lift a finger and multiple families would tremble on the spot.

    With his perfectly chiseled features and mysterious persona, women always tried to draw closer to him, intentionally or unintentionally. He had the type of cold persona that made people want to try their best just to see the slightest uplift of his lips.

    She realized he rarely smiled unless he was looking or talking to her. In all of his exchanges, his face remained stoic, unwavering, and neutral. Though he did not look pleased, he also did not look particrly happy. His posture and stance made him look too powerful to even entertain these people, but she knew he was doing it for her sake.

    "Zhao Lifei was it?" A man spoke up, in histe twenties, sporting a ss of deep red wine in his hands. "President Yang is quite kind to introduce you to his people." She understood what his words were instigating. She was leeching off of his authority.

    "I never asked for his help." Her curt response shocked the crowd, a wave of silence passing by.

    They could not believe she spouted this bold and daring response. Was she crazy? It was normal for socialites to be arrogant, but in front of the great Yang Feng, she dared to put him down like this?

    The women smirked inside, she was done for. Many of them had known Yang Feng for a while, even though he did not acquaint himself with them, and all of them knew he disliked women who were too contemptuous for their own good. Now that this woman had offended Yang Feng, it would surely be the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back!

    Everyone knew Yang Feng, whom, despite his mild and calm persona, had the shortest and worst temper than all the other rich heirs or CEOs. His wrath knew no limits and the word mercy did not exist in his dictionary.

    The crowd was blown away when a serene smile lit up Yang Feng¡¯s face, the tiny uplift of his lips was enough for the women to swoon and blindly gawk at his beauty.

    "Of course," The arm loosely wrapped around her became tighter as he tugged her to him, but she did not budge. "Even without my help, you can still make a lot of connections." He looked at her, a rxed expression on his face, but generous tenderness in his eyes.

    At how fast he was tamed, the people nearly coughed up blood. They were so shocked by the scene, none of them were able to mask their surprised expression. This man, instead of tossing her to the curb, actually fixed his tone of voice and temperament just to suit her needs? How could this be?! It was always the women catering to his every whim, not the other way around!

    Zhao Lifei did not respond nor did she look upset, but Yang Feng knew her best. He could already see her temper ring, her eyes brewing a cmity waiting to befall on him.

    His eyes briefly nced at the foolish third-heir of the Ming family that dared say such a thing to her. He made a mental note to contact the Mings and ensure this buffoon never touched his family¡¯s wealth or fortune again, much less fathom the idea of being the CEO of his family¡¯s legacy.

    When Yang Feng¡¯s icy stare shifted to the third Young Master of the Ming family, he shivered. His confident posture shrank as his shoulders caved in and his head dropped, as if apologizing for his words. "I apologize, I didn¡¯t mean to offend Miss Zhao¡ª"

    "Get lost." Yang Feng scowled, his face filled with contempt.

    The young man flinched at the words, as if he had been harshly pped by it. "R-right away..." He muttered,pletely defeated even before he had a chance to defend himself. He knew he had lost what little good grace he had with Yang Feng and walked off, moping to himself in the corner of the banquet.

    Zhao Lifei wordlessly peered at Yang Feng through her thickshes. He was fulfilling the promise he made to her early in the day and a warm, fuzzy feeling spread through her chest upon realizing it.

 Chapter 168 Too Paranoid

    When the crowd finally dispersed and everyone finished greeting them, Zhao Lifei was finally able to take a breather. Her eyes wandered around the banquet, seeking for Yang Ruqin who she had not seen the entire night.

    Zhao Lifei was surprised when she saw Yang Ruqin standing in a very secluded area by the corner of the banquet sipping wine next to a statue. She appeared to be alone, but right beside the statue was a man.

    Zhao Lifei realized he was the rising actor Mu Ting who recently won an award for his leading role in Yang Ruqin¡¯s proimed "current favorite movie." She squinted to get a better look at them and saw their lips were slowly moving. Were they having a conversation with each other?

    "What are you looking at?" Yang Feng tried to follow the direction of her eyes but she quickly averted it and turned her head towards him.

    "Nothing in particr." Zhao Lifei nonchntly said, her face as nk as a piece of paper.

    She understood what was happening between Yang Ruqin and Mu Ting. Both of them were incredibly famous celebrities. If a dating scandal were to break out, it would tarnish their reputation and branding.

    Zhao Lifei could not bear the idea of Yang Ruqin¡¯s name being dragged through the mud and decided to keep this a secret from everyone, including Yang Feng.

    Yang Feng narrowed his eyes onto her suspicious expression and was about to question her, but she spoke up first.

    "He¡¯s right, you know." She took a sip of the grape juice he personally grabbed for her. Ensuring she didn¡¯t touch any alcohol or unsupervised drinks, Yang Feng had one of his assistants travel ten minutes from the banquet just to pick up a drink for her.

    "Who?"

    "Whoever you told to scram."

    Yang Feng frowned when he pieced the puzzle together. "Don¡¯t believe him¡ª"

    "I was using your influence too much tonight. It¡¯s not good for either of us if I keep on leaning on you like this¡ª"

    "I want you to do so." He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

    When she saw the dangerous mes in his eyes, she was confused. Why was he angry?

    "Rely on me as much as you want, use me as you¡¯d like, I don¡¯t care about all of it. If you be solely dependent on me, that would be even better." He affirmed, his obsidian eyes shing with her light auburn ones.

    "Are you that scared I¡¯m going to run off?" Her words sounded as if she was trying to start a fight and Yang Feng would¡¯ve thought that was her motive, but her gentle tone said otherwise.

    She saw his fear as clear as day. Why was he so terrified she would leave him? He acted as if she had done that to him before...

    "You¡¯re so unpredictable at times¡ª"

    "And you¡¯re too paranoid." She mused, reaching up to caress his face, his velvety skin made her envious of him.

    Her fingers traced his dark circles, a worried expression on her face. She decided it was better to change the topic. "Have you been sleeping well? The bags under your eyes are heavy."

    "I can¡¯t sleep properly without you." He answered in a heartbeat, his words taking her by surprise.

    Since when was he so flirtatious? "I¡ª"

    He bent down, curving her body towards him. "I worry over your safety, worry over whether or not you will still be in this city when I open my eyes the next day."

    She was perplexed by this fear of his. "Have I left before in the past for you to be this traumatized?" The words left her mouth before she could even think straight.

    Yes.

    Yang Feng did not voice the truth. He would not confront her on her selective amnesia, not unless he finished his digging of what happened in the past for her to easily forget him.

    He would never tell her this, but when she was in First Hospital, he had the doctors perform an MRI scan on her. The doctors noticed there was strong activity in the hippocampus [1] of her brain, as if she was trying to constantly block some parts of her memories. But why was she doing it? Was she even aware of her actions? Unless...there was someone else that might¡¯ve done something to her.

    "I¡¯m just worried." He answered her after a long silence.

    "Well, you shouldn¡¯t." She beamed up at him, shaking her head at his foolish fears.

    Yang Feng wordlessly stared at her, a conflicted expression on his face. She could give him all the reassurances in the world, yet his heart would noty still, for he knew, there might truly be a day where she might leave without a word.

    He had an inkling suspicion of who was behind her initial amnesia, but the thought of it made him uneasy, for that man could do it again if he¡¯d like, but this time, Yang Feng would not allow it without a fight.

    This woman, her entire being, despite their arguments, was the primary source of his happiness. She had walked into his dark world, a gleaming white light, and when she suddenly left during her youthful years, the shadows came back again. He could not afford to lose her once more.

    The crowd became a hushed whisper when someone emerged from the top of a staircase, a stunning tall man with a lean figure. He walked with the confidence of a King. He had aidback smile on his face which made him look very rxed, but Zhao Lifei noticed the guarded expression tucked behind his eyes. His facial features were symmetrical, paired with outstanding high cheekbones, and high-arched nose.

    Zhao Lifei could feel disdain to swarm her eyes upon seeing the man.

    Ling Fulei. The star of tonight¡¯s show, the new CEO of Ling Conglomerate, the sworn enemy of her good friend, Lu Minhong.

    He looked so carefree,pletely ignorant to all of the people¡¯s lives he had ruined in his adolescent years where tormenting people was a game for him to see which one of his chess pieces would break the fastest.

    She could still remember the pain-stricken face of Lu Minhong when he barely managed to escape from a beating initiated by Ling Fulei¡¯s little underlings. Given, Ling Fulei was not present to witness it, but Lu Minhong had still greatly suffered. Though, she remembered hearing a rumor that Ling Fulei¡¯s subordinates faced a wrath worse than hell when he discovered his men acted without permission, it did not excuse the fact that Lu Minhong had bruises on his body for a week.

    It was strange though, Lu Minhong,pared to other students, usually got the better end of the stick and was one of the selected few who did not get beaten or forced into humiliating things...

    "Thank you,dies and gentlemen, for attending tonight¡¯s debuting banquet of mine." Ling Fulei announced, his voice steady and self-assured he would seed.

    Zhao Lifei zoned out while he continued to speak. Her eyes bounced around the room,pletely unaware of three pairs of eyes trained onto her.

    While she was dozing off into La La Land, Yang Feng looked at no one else except for her. The world was a blur whenever she was present and right now, she was the only thing he saw in his line of sight, despite the many people that surrounded him.

    Ling Fulei was delivering his well-nned out speech, but his eyes were momentarily centered on Zhao Lifei. So that old man really did get her toe after all...

    Xiao Nai, who was hiding at the top of the staircase where Ling Fulei had just walked down from, was able to easily spot Zhao Lifei. Even when so many people were present, and a tiny handful of women was sporting yellow gowns, Xiao Nai realized Zhao Lifei¡¯s presence and beauty was simply too hard to ignore. She was surprised to see the woman in the hospital was Zhao Lifei after all... Wasn¡¯t the rumors about her all stained with sins? Why was she so kind that day... Unless, they were simply falsified rumors created by the media?

 Chapter 169 Its Rude

    After his speech, Ling Fulei began to mingle with the crowd, a friendly, but coy as a fox expression on his face. He looked soid back andpanionable, many people found it easy to chat with him. His temper was very good, and he seemed to be the type of person that would always try to prevent a fight.

    Zhao Lifei was surprised to see him behave like this. It seemed this young man has really changed throughout the years. This transformation was not a rare urrence. She, too, had changed drastically within two years, but that was with the massive help of therapy and strict regimen in the military. What exactly happened to him for his easily-angered behavior to disappear into the air? Perhaps adulthood had truly changed him, but she highly doubted that.

    Her eyes shifted to Yang Feng who was listening intently to another man. His arm was still loosely wrapped around her waist and every few minutes, he would gently caress her sides while speaking. She found their conversation boring and gave his hand a light pat before walking to the food table.

    Along the way, someone very familiar caught her eyes.

    "Oh my, Xiao Nai, you¡¯re dress is very lovely! Is this part of Versace¡¯s new Spring collection?"

    "This light pink, as soft as a freshly bloomed cherry blossom flower, suits your paleplexion perfectly!"

    "Xiao Nai, I heard you were hospitalized a while back. Are you alright now?"

    Xia Mengxi smiled at the small child in front of her, who despite her very young age, had a major say in Ling Conglomerate.

    If there was anyone in this world who Ling Fulei valued, it would be his younger sister, Ling Yunai. She was a prodigy whose academic skills got her very far in life. Even though she was just eight years old, Ling Yunai was already attending middle school with kids four years her senior, but exceedingly more intelligent than them.

    Xia Mengxi¡¯s calctive eyes skimmed over the boring socialites in front of her who was trying their best to appease Ling Yunai. She understood why they were doing this.

    Ling Fulei recently rose to his title as CEO, but there was not a single dating rumor about him. His wealth was practically endless and even if Ling Conglomerate suffered a fall a while back, they were still filthy rich and seeing as Ling Fulei made thepany wealthier than before their fall, it was clear to many people just how outstanding this man was.

    Many of the socialites wanted to date Ling Fulei, or even better yet, be the next Madam Ling. And who else would be better at appeasing the man aside from his highly treasured Ling Yunai, famously known for curbing her brother¡¯s tempers?

    Rumors had it Ling Fulei might¡¯ve had good rtions with his parents, but only love and care for Ling Yunai. Ever since she was born, he was always the one handling her celebration dinners and parties. His gift always outranked everybody else¡¯s. Whatever Ling Yunai wanted, her older brother would get for her.

    Xia Mengxiughed inside her head. These women, they were all useless and stupid. Their emptypliments was not making Ling Yunai happy, instead, it was the other way around. This girl practically grew up in wealth, hearingpliments about her appearance was a daily urrence for her.

    Xia Mengxi decided to outshine all of these socialites in her way of making Ling Yunai happy. She looked down at Ling Yunai and said, "Xiao Nai, I heard you did very well on the delivery of your speech in English."

    At this, Ling Yunai¡¯s nonchnt expression changed. The boredom once upying her eyes was beginning to disperse. "Oh, what about it?"

    Xia Mengxi gently smiled, one that was filled with love, the same one that many kids loved to see. "The teachers gave you high praises, that much was clear. But I loved how you used English metaphors instead of solely sticking to our idioms. They came harmoniously together."

    Ling Yunai¡¯s eyes brightened. She tilted her head up, disliking how she was so short, but pushed the thought aside and said, "Which metaphor did you like the most?"

    Xia Mengxi felt her lips twitch. In reality, she had not heard Xiao Nai¡¯s speech, but overhead Chen Xingplimenting the young girl to Zheng Tianyi and advising him that it would be good to consult Ling Conglomerate.

    She was not like these socialites who grew up with English on their belts because of their expensive tutors, thus, Xia Mengxi did not understand English. It was embarrassing to admit, but she was trying her best to learn it, however, was failing...

    When she was quiet for a while, Ling Yunai¡¯s previous happy expression was turning sour. So this woman was just lying to me all along? Why are adults all like this? They always use me to get close to Lei-ge!

    Xia Mengxi saw the thunderous expression forming on the girl¡¯s face and quickly tried to make up an excuse. "Uh well, you see¡ª"

    "Don¡¯t throw out emptypliments if you can¡¯t back it up." Zhao Lifei cut to the chase, entering the scene with a slice of tripleyer chocte cake on her te. She remembered seeing all of the snacks that Xiao Nai gave her had some variety of chocte in it and figured the child must¡¯ve enjoyed it.

    Ling Yunai¡¯s soured face turned pleasant again, a childish glimmer lighting up her eyes. She was happy upon spotting the chocte cake she desperately wanted to eat, but was prevented by these annoying crowd of societies who came up to her before she could even get her hands on a slice.

    Xia Mengxi internally frowned. Why was this woman here again? Why was she always going against every little thing I say or do? All I did was help Zheng Tianyi escape from a loveless marriage! Just for this very reason, she has to make my life hell? She¡¯s already clutching another big-thigh, so what was she doing here again? Can¡¯t you just leave me be?

    "I was talking to her, it¡¯s rude to interrupt people." Xia Mengxi kept her temper in check. She was in front of too many socialites and people that treat her with respect for being the current Queen of the Socialites. Not wanting her reputation and image to crack just because of a simple woman, she figured it was best to not snap at Zhao Lifei. Besides, why should I be petty like her and use anger to win people over?

    "I assumed you were going to waste Xiao Nai¡¯s time with a gibberish excuse for why you can¡¯t remember the metaphors she used and decided to save both of you guys the hassle." Zhao Lifei folded her dress a bit so that she could bend down to Xiao Nai¡¯s height so the child didn¡¯t have to cram her neck so much.

    She saw Xiao Nai eying the chocte cake in her hand and let out a smallugh. "Here, Xiao Nai, I got this for you." She handed the cake to Ling Yunai whose entire eyes lit up as she gratefully took the cake.

    Zhao Lifei watched Ling Yunai devouring the cake with a tiny smile on her face. So she was, after all, just a child...Even with the endless array of aplishments and intelligence, every kid in the end, still wanted to be a child.

    "Don¡¯t eat so quickly, I¡¯ll get you more." Zhao Lifei mused, brushing a stray hair on Xiao Nai¡¯s bangs aside.

    The socialites smirked to themselves, expecting Ling Yunai tosh out at her for touching her hair. Everyone knew she harbored great hatred for people that randomly patted her head or touched her without permission. She was known for throwing a tantrum or smacking people for doing it.

    "But Lei-ge said it¡¯s not good to eat so much chocte." Xiao Nai rxed around Zhao Lifei, for she knew the woman meant no harm.

    At her reaction, the socialites¡¯ scheming smiles fell. They werepletely blown away to see Xiao Nai wasn¡¯t furious or even the slightest bit mad! Their eyes snapped back to Zhao Lifei, their gaze filled with bitter envy. Of course, the previous Queen would be good at handling people she wanted to befriend. She always was!

    "Indeed, it is not. But a little bit more won¡¯t hurt." Zhao Lifei winked before standing up to grab another slice of cake and then passed it to her before bending down to Xiao Nai¡¯s height again.

    Seeing her behavior, Xiao Nai began to like this woman more and more. First, she gave her a cake and now, she was nice enough to always leverage their height...

    "Quite frankly, Xiao Nai, instead of the speech delivered in front of the entire school, I liked the one you broadcasted on television more." Zhao Lifei mused, remembering the time she was browsing on television and saw the little girl giving a speech on the importance of children¡¯s mental health. She was surprised to see the young girl was a Ling, but figured, it shouldn¡¯t have been a shock to her, for the Ling was known to have a prodigy hiding in their house.

    Xiao Nai¡¯s head snapped up. That speech was not as widely epted than the one she delivered at school because it was such a controversial topic. Her parents had heavily scolded her for delivering it...

 Chapter 170 Generic Complimen

    "Why do you like the speech?" Xiao Nai asked, testing Zhao Lifei to see if she was bluffing like Xia Mengxi.

    "Because it¡¯s a topic at the back of everyone¡¯s mind, but not many people have the courage to speak up against it. It¡¯s very controversial in a society bent on creating the perfect and most intelligent children for parents to show off to their peers." Zhao Lifei, who grew up with extremely strict tiger parents, would know it very well.

    Too much stress and pressure on a child was never good, even if it produced the "smartest" children. It could deteriorate their brains, or even worse, they could develop depression. Many people viewed it as a mental illness, instead of addressing the dire condition.

    For Ling Yunai, a very intelligent kid, to speak up about the issue, added a lot of credibility on her part. It also made adults realize that if a child her age was able to realize it, they should also be mindful of how they treat their kids.

    "Your tone was very confident and had the right air of sympathy when speaking which appeals to emotions very well. On top of it, you were representing the children poption, thus brought more awareness to the problem. I truly apud you for that."

    Xia Mengxi scoffed inside of her head. What a genericpliment! Everyone can make that one up on the spot. She was about to speak up, but stiffened when she saw a figure approaching from behind Zhao Lifei.

    Xiao Nai felt her entire world shine at this woman¡¯s refreshing words. Could she get so much more perfect in my eyes?! She felt herself beginning to like Zhao Lifei more and more, so much that she unconsciously took steps towards her ¡ª a sudden desire to hug her.

    Just then, a voice spoke up, "Xiao Nai, is that your second slice of chocte cake?" Ling Fulei mused, his voice filled withughter, but there was a hint of parental authority within it, like a father catching his daughter sneaking a cookie from a jar.

    "N-no..." She mumbled, picking up the fork, but her older brother easily grabbed the te from her hands.

    "Hey!" She argued, jumping for it, but he set it down on the table. He bent down and picked her up so that she wouldn¡¯t grab it.

    "Didn¡¯t I say too much chocte is bad for you?" He teased, giving her nose a light tap. He ignored the desperate gazes from the women surrounding them.

    "But recently, I¡¯ve been really good! I only had one chocte bar this week, shouldn¡¯t I deserve more cake?" She pouted, her eyes growing wide.

    Ling Fulei smiled at her adorable expression before squeezing her round, squishy cheeks. "Alright, you get to eat one more slice."

    "How do you know it wasn¡¯t my first?" She crossed her arm, hoping to argue her way into another one.

    "Because you have a chocte stain on the side of your lips." He rolled his eyes, bncing her on one arm while using the other to grab a handkerchief to wipe the chocte from her lips.

    "No I don¡¯t¡ª" She quieted down upon seeing the dark brown spot on the white cloth, a sullen expression on her face. She had stopped eating chocte for a week just to sneak at least three slices today, but it seemed her ns were spoiled...

    "Two is enough for today. I¡¯ll have the patissier make you another cake tomorrow." He said, caressing the back of her head, petting her like a pet.

    The women swooned. On top of being handsome and having the best temper, he was even good with children! Could this man get any more perfect?

    Many of them greedily sought after Yang Feng, but a handful of them had already backed off, for they were simply too terrified of going against the man. He was hard to approach, but his enigmatic personality drawled the people to him even more... So many of them wanted to see a smile solely dedicated to them. He was a rough man, but he seemed like a really good lover from the way he treated Zhao Lifei...

    Xiao Nai happily bobbed her head at the news. "I¡¯ll hold you to that promise!"

    Her parents never seemed to care about her enough to even order her favorite cake. She wondered if they even knew what her favorite food was... Speaking of them, she turned her head back to Zhao Lifei.

    "What you told me back in the hos¡ª" She cleared her throat, "¡ªRoom, worked really well!" Xiao Nai wasn¡¯t sure if anyone has heard of her hospitalization, but figured it would be best to not disclose it, especially in front of so many socialites that seemed to despise her.

    "Really? That¡¯s good to hear." Zhao Lifei tried her best to not re daggers at Ling Fulei who was watching her for quite some time now.

    "It has been a while since I¡¯vest seen you, Miss Goody-Two-Shoes." Ling Fulei chuckled at the nickname he always called her. Even now, he could remember a girl chasing after him with a feather-duster for getting her in trouble again with the homeroom teacher.

    "How¡¯s Lu Minhong?"

    Zhao Lifei stiffened at the question, her eyes furiously zing over to him. But what surprised her was the fond look on his face. She had expected to see mockery or some hint of malice towards her friend, not such a tender look! She eyed him like he was crazy.

    Before she could speak up, Yang Feng came up from behind her and ced an arm around her hip. He gave a nod of acknowledgment to Ling Fulei, but kept his eyes guarded as always. He deliberately pulled Zhao Lifei closer to him, which nearly made her roll her eyes.

    "Yang Feng, it¡¯s so good to see you!" Ling Fulei¡¯s expression changed upon seeing his close friend. "I saw what Yang Enterprise did, I really appreciated that." He revealed a genuine grin stretching to his ears.

    "Hm, it¡¯s expected of a friend to step in." Yang Feng casually replied, his mellow response made Ling Fulei grin even more if that was possible.

    Yang Feng¡¯s detached nature was what made Ling Fulei like the man so much. The more Yang Feng seemed bored, the more the people tried to chat with him in hopes of gaining recognition.

    Zhao Lifei was shocked to hear they were this close, but she kept her mouth shut. They seemed particrly close and she didn¡¯t want to be the type of girlfriend who¡¯d force a friendship apart.

    "Well, whatever the case, I¡¯m grateful for it!" Ling Fulei heartily eximed before he noticed Yang Feng¡¯s possessive stance on Zhao Lifei and raised a brow. "I was quite surprised to see you were dating Zhao Lifei. She had quite a reputation in school."

    Zhao Lifei gave him a dirty look, wondering what he would expose about her. Yang Feng¡¯s face remained stoic, but his eyes were mildly interested. He had dug into her background to the day she was born. Any reputation she had, he most likely already knew.

    "Because she was such a teachers¡¯ pet, she would always chase me down for thetest assignments. I have to owe her props though, it really helped me a lot."

    Ling Fulei¡¯s response shocked Zhao Lifei who did not expect this turn of events. She suspiciously stared at him, doubting his words. What was he nning here?

    "Throughout the entire school years we¡¯ve spent together, I noticed she¡¯s very loyal to those she holds dear to her." Ling Fulei made sure to not mention the forbidden name of Zheng Tianyi. If he had said she was fully devoted to that man, Ling Fulei was sure Yang Feng would have his head.

    "So, she¡¯s a keeper." He concluded, throwing good points towards Zhao Lifei who continued to stare at him, with a doubtful expression on her face. What? Was it so hard to believe I¡¯ve changed?

    "I know." Yang Feng¡¯s quiet voice made the people think he was offended, but in reality, he was pleased by Ling Fulei¡¯s response. Even so, Yang Feng still felt restless when it came to her. She was just so stunningly perfect to him, for odd reasons, even with his title and rank, he still felt as if he was not good enough for her. But then again, he wondered, if there was anyone in this world that was truly good enough for her?

 Chapter 171 Suffer A Hundredfold

    Yang Feng felt a particr pair of eyes glowering on his woman. When he saw it was Xia Mengxi, his gaze became cold, threatening her without words.

    Xia Mengxi began to shake when her eyes met with Yang Feng¡¯s. She was overwhelmed by his presence and authority. All he had to do was lightly stomp his feet and the Zheng¡¯s would start trembling in their shoes... He was not a man she dared to offend.

    "G-good evening, Mr. Yang." She nervously responded, not sure what she should do. Was he angry that she did not address him? She realized many of the women also didn¡¯t do so, but Ling Fulei did, and she figured it was all that mattered.

    "Did I say you have the right to utter my name?"

    At his words, she felt a bucket of cold water ssh onto her. Without the protection of Zheng Tianyi, she couldn¡¯t stand her ground. Even if he was here, she realized, they would never be able to match his presence...

    An idea came into her mind. She debated it and decided against it, for it would be too suspicious if she suddenly changed her character. She figured it would be best to please him discreetly and take it slow, as she had done with Zheng Tianyi.

    "I-I apologize..." At her sugar-sweet voice, beckoningly smooth as the gentlest wind of spring, and wronged-expression, many of the men turning their head towards the conversation could feel a tug at their heart. Hearing such a pitiful yet enticingly adorable voice, any normal man would want to help her, especially when it wasbined with her distressed expression, the way her lovely brows became furrowed, she easily captured the heart of the people.

    Yang Feng looked at her with disgust. "Then scram." He seethed, hating these types of women the most.

    So weak and demure, what was the point of them? After protecting a woman so much, a man would eventually get tired of pathetic white lotuses like her.

    Xia Mengxi was stunned to the core. She had put her best foot forward, the same way she had done with Zheng Tianyi. She blinked and realized how wrong her behavior was. I-I, was I acting like a white lotus just now?

    She paused, cing hate on herself for behaving like the type of woman she strived hard not to be. She didn¡¯t want to be a white lotus, but when one was so poor in front of the wealthy, that behavior of hers just came out naturally.

    "You¡¯ve already seduced Zheng Tianyi, do you need to do the same to Yang Feng now?" Zhao Lifei finally spoke up, her words causing a light hum in the air.

    The crowd sided with her. Many of the socialites felt as if Xia Mengxi did not deserve her title. Just because she was much kinder and less problematic than Zhao Lifei¡¯s own reign, this woman was unable to stand her ground. If she could not shoulder the burden that came with being the center of attention, the very woman that every socialite weighted her words on, why should she rule over them?

    "Did I really seduce Tianyi when all I did was save him from a loveless marriage?" Xia Mengxi¡¯s sharp tongue earned her a few agreements.

    Many of the men here could not pursuit who they loved because their parents constantly forced marriage contracts upon them. There was a few who fell in love with women, but because her status was not up to par and because they were too weak to defy the power of the elders, not many heirs got their happy-ever-afters.

    "Is this how you justify your scheming ways?" Zhao Lifei paused, "But I do have to thank you. Because you snatched the coal, I was able to gain a diamond." She grabbed Yang Feng¡¯s hand, but he surprised her by releasing it, only to sp their fingers together.

    Yang Feng was overwhelmed with happiness at her words. She thought he was a diamond? A small, tranquil smile settled onto his lips. His grumpy expression easily changed at her words. He resisted the urge to suddenly hug her and ask for a kiss like a spoilt brat.

    Xia Mengxi narrowed her eyes. A coal? You dare topare my husband to a piece of burnt firewood?! She fumed on the inside, but did not dare to insult her in public, especially when Yang Feng was standing right beside her. This man only had to tilt his head and her entire family would disappear in the blink of an eye!

    "It¡¯s not polite to insult people..." She had intentions of scolding Zhao Lifei, but with her calm delivery, one would think she was simply voicing her opinion.

    "The truth hurts, get over it." Zhao Lifei¡¯s arrogant reply did not surprise the people. They were used to this behavior of hers, but they were taken back by Xia Mengxi¡¯s sudden desire to argue with Zhao Lifei.

    Wasn¡¯t Xia Mengxi too passive and the type to end arguments, not join or start them? Everyone¡¯s perspective and opinion of her was beginning to change.

    Ling Fulei took a sip of his wine, amused and impressed at how she carried herself. He knew the goody-two-shoes always had a re in her, but he had never witnessed it in its full glory.

    When she was in high school, she was always too bold for her own good and he figured it was because she was simply following the teacher¡¯s orders. But who would¡¯ve known, she was actually a spitball filled withebacks?

    When he saw another crowd was slowly beginning to form, he decided to break up the conversation. He motioned to his men who started the fireworks. When the first burst rose into the sky, the people¡¯s attention was quickly diverted to it. They marveled its beauty, pping, and celebrating under the bright lights.

    Xia Mengxi could no longer stand this banquet and took the chance of the distracted crowd to pick up her bag and leave. Tonight was beyond embarrassing for her, but she vowed to one day take revenge.

    Afterward, the crowd dispersed and the banquet went back as usual. The people freely chattered,pletely unbothered by what had just happened. Lively talks reurred as the air was, once again, easy to breathe in and filled with light conversation. Laughters could be heard while Ling Fulei mingled around, people eager to speak to him.

    Zhao Lifei gave Xiao Nai a good pat on the head before bidding the child goodbye.

    Ling Yunai was reluctant to leave but with her brother dragging her away to meet her curfew, she had no choice.

    Zhao Lifei was about to end the night as well, until something caught her gaze in the corner of her eyes. She turned, her eyes growing wide.

    She was surprised to see it was Song Qiuyu who had mysteriously disappeared for quite some time. Herplex was ghostly ill and she was incredibly skinny, her cheekbones standing out so much, she looked like a walking skeleton. There were a few bald spots on her head that she tried to desperately cover with her hairstyle, but it was clear as day.

    The woman, however, was not dressed in a fancy gown nor was she sporting thetest essories. She was walking around with her shoulders hunched over, dressed in the same outfit as the employees walking around with trays of drinks or finger food.

    "Don¡¯t spend your time looking at vile things." Yang Feng¡¯s somber voice startled her. She was so lost staring at Song Qiuyu, shepletely forgot he was standing with her.

    "Did you do this?" She whispered, raising her head to look at him and found he was staring at her the entire time, his eyes never leaving her.

    Zhao Lifei had heard reports that Song Qiuyu was the one who sent her the replica blue dress at Linhua¡¯s banquet, but she didn¡¯t think the woman¡¯s consequence would be this harsh.

    "Yes." Yang Feng answered, attempting to guide her out of the banquet, but she was rooted to the ground.

    "Why?"

    His eyes narrowed at the question. What did she mean why? That woman did horrible things to her and she was feeling guilty now? Did she not know, being kind to your enemies was betraying yourself.

    "She was the reason for your humiliation at your younger sister¡¯s banquet. Not only did she send you that hideous gown, but she had her little subordinates poison your drink. You ended up at the hospital because of her."

    "She was the one who poisoned me...?" Zhao Lifei was surprised to hear this. She always knew Song Qiuyu was a scheming woman but didn¡¯t think she would go out of her way just to ruin her life. Why couldn¡¯t she let go of the past? What point was there in holding grudges? The more one would hold onto the pain, the worse it would harm them.

    She also remembered hearing the downfall of the Song Empire a couple of days after Linhua¡¯s banquet. Her head snapped back to Yang Feng, wondering if he had a say in it.

    He actually figured what she was going to ask of him and said, "I was not the primary cause for their bankruptcy."

    The Song Family was caught for bribing the police and on top of it, was exploiting the poor workers in their factories by overworking them, but never paying them for the extra hours. When this was revealed to the media, thepany greatly suffered and with a little push from Yang Feng, the castle of cards all came tumbling down.

    Yang Feng¡¯s team was in charge of ensuring the family was specifically mocked in the media that one tiny conflict was enough to end their legacy. How weak was their foundation for it to be easily destroyed?

    Zhao Lifei remained quiet, her eyes shifting to Song Qiuyu who despite her current state, appeared to still boss around the workers by roughly shoving them.

    Yang Feng bent his head and grabbed her cheek, pressing a slow kiss to it. "This is only the beginning of the downfall for the people who have harmed you..." He pressed a soft kiss to her cheek again. "From now on, they will suffer a hundredfold more than the pain they¡¯ve caused upon you."

 Chapter 172 Empty and Lonely

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s heart started beating erratically at his words. She saw how dark with hatred his eyes were. Shadows danced and flickered in his eyes, swallowing the light, leaving it an empty void. He held her gaze for a very long time, even when she wanted to tear it again, she couldn¡¯t find the power to do so.

    She did not know how to respond to his words other than nodding her head, "Okay."

    - - - - -

    A few minutes before the banquet ended, Yang Feng escorted her to his car and had nned on driving her to his house in hopes of spending the night with her, but a grouchy grandfather beat him to the chase.

    Right when Zhao Lifei entered the car, her phone went off. Yang Feng, who was still holding the door for her, frowned at the ringtone and when he saw the contact, his face darkened. The old man was butting in again!

    Yang Feng looked around and sure enough, there was a man hiding in the shadows, not far from the back entrance of the banquet. He was expertly tucked away, but Yang Feng¡¯s keen eyes were able to easily spot him.

    When she spoke into the phone, Yang Feng¡¯s mood worsened further.

    "Yes, grandfather I¡¯m leaving the banquet... I¡¯ve made quite a few connections... Uh, I¡¯m heading home? No, not Yang Feng¡¯s¡ª Yes, yes, I know there will be more rumors if I apany him home, but I¡ª"

    Yang Feng snatched the phone from her and spoke directly to Zhao Moyao. "She will be perfectly safe with me."

    "Hand the phone back to my granddaughter, boy." Zhao Moyao taunted the young man with his usual childish nickname, emphasizing it with a cruel manner, but Yang Feng ignored it.

    "She¡¯s leaving through the back entrance. There¡¯s no paparazzi in sight."

    "She¡¯sing home."

    "She¡¯s twenty-three, I¡¯m sure she can make decisions herself."

    Zhao Lifei sighed at their banter, bickering back and forth about her when she was sitting right here! "I¡¯m going home, Yang Feng." She reached for the phone, but he grabbed her hand, his face morphing into a sullen child, a small pout on his face.

    He ced the phone onto his suit and in a pitiful voice mumbled, "But I can¡¯t sleep without you."

    Zhao Lifei felt her heart skip a beat, then two before thumping loudly again. She eyed him, a suspicious expression on her face. She hated to admit it, but his puppy face was very effective.

    Hu Wei had to use all of his will power to not barf up blood at the sight of the tant flirting. He was also bothered by seeing his usual demonic boss so tamed and ready to beg for her. Was this what they called a henpecked husband?!

    Zhao Moyao nearly mmed his hand on the table upon hearing Yang Feng¡¯s words. That boy thought he was being slick by muffling the phone, but he heard every word perfectly clear! Sleep with her? Not on my watch!

    Li Xuan, who was forced to work overnight again, looked up from his desk. The two were still at the office and was currently the only light that was turned on in the office. Why was his boss so adamant on sending her home if she was going to be alone there?

    "S-sir, I hate to voice my opinion in this dire situation, but we might have to stay at this office a bit longer. If Miss Zhao goes home right now, it will be empty and lonely there." Li Xuan did not know the full background of Zhao Lifei, but even he knew how depressing it must¡¯ve been to go home alone where the silence and emptiness of such an enormous mansion would surely make her feel isted.

    Zhao Moyao sighed as he checked the time. It was nine o¡¯clock. They were close to finishing the work, but it would take another hour or so. He was stubborn when it came to the advice of others, but when it concerned his granddaughter, he was all ears.

    She was personally raised by him and he knew he had not done his best in doing so. She grew up too detached from her emotions, too fearful of voicing her opinions, too quiet and fearful of many things.

    Zhao Moyao spoke up again. "Yang Heng."

    Yang Feng felt his nose twitch at the awful and purposeful mispronunciation of his name, but kept his voice courteous for he was still speaking to an elder. "Yes, grandfather?" He emphasized the nickname, just to spite him back. No one said anything about not allowing pettiness...

    Zhao Moyao resisted the urge to go to the banquet and smack the boy silly for saying such a title. You want to call me grandfather?! First, show me the ring and then give me great grandkids before you even think about that title!

    "You may take her to your house, however, it is only for tonight. If I find out you¡¯ve done something you shouldn¡¯t have to her, I will personally see to it that you are castrated. Do you understand?"

    Li Xuan nearly wailed in despair at his boss¡¯ words. Sir, how could you speak to him like that?! You, out of everyone else, should know how scary this man was!

    With President Yang¡¯s Underworld lineage, a painless ughter would be considered mercy! No wait, does that man even know what mercy means?!

    Li Xuan¡¯s face was seized with terror, pale as the moon, as his entire body was drenched in cold-sweat, while he awaited the execution order.

    Yang Feng was entertained by his words and briefly looked towards Zhao Lifei. They truly shared the same remarkable fearless trait. "Understood." He ended the call.

    Li Xuan heaved a sigh of relief when he studied his boss¡¯ expression and saw the outturn of events must¡¯ve been positive...So it seems I get to live another day as his secretary.

    Yang Feng easily glided into the car, a cheeky smile on his face.

    "What is it?" She let out a tired sigh when he suddenly grabbed her again, hauling her body to him as he always does.

    "You¡¯re staying with me tonight." He happily said, his expression lit up like a spoiled crown prince who finally got his way.

    He motioned for Hu Wei to start the car before cing the partition up. In the split second that it did, he fluidly picked Zhao Lifei up as if she didn¡¯t weigh anything and settled her on hisp.

    "You¡ª" Before she even finished her sentence, he already rested his head on her shoulder, his arms wounding around her, embracing her as if she was a teddy bear.

    "Yang Feng...?" When he didn¡¯t respond, she looked down and was amazed to see he had fallen asleep on her. She raised a hand to hesitantly touch his face, before her fingers started to explore, tracing the heavy eye bags and dark circles.

    Cracking a wry smile, she mumbled, "If you were that tired, you should¡¯ve told me earlier..." She ran her fingers through his jet ck locks, his hair was softer than anything she had ever touched. She continued caressing it, observing his soundly-asleep face.

    She wondered how long it had been since he had gotten a decent amount of sleep. Judging from how fast he fell asleep on her, she knew it must¡¯ve been a while.

 Chapter 173 Dont Run

    Zhao Lifei slept by Yang Feng¡¯s bedside,pletely unaware of the dream he was having. She dozed off to La La Land, whereas Yang Feng was whisked to a dream of the past...

    - - - - -

    It was a sunny day where the koi fish pond clearly reflected the serene morning sky, small puffs of clouds stretching behind a light blue canvas.

    Below, cheerful giggles could be heard as a small child ran through a grassy-green maze, the sun beating down on her back. Protecting her face was a chiffon ribbon sun hat that did not budge from her head even when she dashed with a teacup in her hand, eager to deliver it to someone she held dear to her heart.

    "Fengfeng!" Her voice, so pure and delightful, rang throughout the secluded garden.

    Flowers were nted in every corner, creating a wonderful world of colors. They weren¡¯t there previously, but after the little girl said she was fond of flowers, the very next day, the garden was filled with them. Butterflies fluttered in the air, dancing upon the petals, as the lively birds sang their choirs.

    Sitting with poise, a detached and unsympathetic expression on his youthful face, was a boy no more than the age of nine. He was safely tucked away by the sun due to the massive umbre attached to the porcin white table where books were sprawled out. Despite finishing all of his homework, he was still diligently studying.

    "Fengfeng, look, I brought you tea!" The little girl shouted, voice sweeter than honey, floated to his ears, a fuzzy feeling spread through his chest.

    Yang Feng lifted his head from the book to look at the child, her eyes, too naive for her own good, looked up at him.

    When all of the kids ran away from him because of the shadows that clung to him, the death lingering in his eyes, and his forever solemn expression, she was the special one that always chased after him. Even when those harmless eyes of hers were exposed to the cruelty he could unleash, she still did not run away from him. To the pr opposite, she seemed to cherish him even more.

    "How many times do I have to tell you, don¡¯t run with things in your hand." His voice, sharp and cold, did not scare her. Even when he looked so annoyed by her, his eyes were still tender for this child, and only her.

    "But, but...The tea would get cold." She pouted, walking to him with both of her stubby hands holding the cup.

    "Nevermind the tea, you should worry about yourself instead!" When he suddenly stood up, she yelped and took steps backward to prevent the scalding hot drink fromnding onto his clothes, but itnded on her skin instead.

    "Ow!" She cried out and that was enough for the young Yang Feng to be on high alert. His scorned expression disappeared, filled with wholesome concern.

    "Where does it hurt?" He pushed the teacup out of her hand, hurriedly grabbing her arm to examine it.

    "T-the teacup...Mommy said it¡¯s expensive..." She huped, her beady eyes swelling with pain, not because of the burn from the drink, but because she was horrifyingly terrified of her parents...

    "Forget about the cup, you¡¯re more important." He went to grab the iced drink on the table, but when he turned around, the girl was gone.

    He panicked. Where did she go?! She was just here a few seconds ago!

    "Little twat, where are you?" He called out, before noticing a small hat at the start of the maze. It was the same one he gifted her a few days ago and ever since then, she refused to part with it. She would throw tantrums whenever someone would try to take it out of her sight and knowing her horrible temper, no one dared to go against her orders.

    Seeing the straw hat was abandoned scared him further. Did someone enter the premise when he was not present?!

    He picked up the hat, a terrifyingly darkened expression on his face at the idea that she was taken from his clutches. He ensured whoever stupid enough to do this would surely suffer.

    He entered the winding maze, which used to be so easy for him to navigate, but now increasingly hard the more he searched and walked. The tall, green bushes seemed to be moving by itself, changing the destined paths, and warping around the young boy.

    "Damn it!" Yang Feng snarled, ready to burn down the entire maze until he heard the familiar sound of her voice. She wasughing, the bubbly sound so contagious it often made him smile, was echoing through the left side of the maze.

    Without wasting a single second, Yang Feng dashed in that direction. When he witnessed the scene before him, the iced drinks in his hand slipped out of his clutches, ttering onto the ground.

    The girl was happily giggling with another boy, simr to his age. She had an arm wrapped around him, desperately seeking his attention to which the boy was giving her. He smiled down at her, brushing her bangs aside, but when he saw it was sticky with sweat, cringed back in disgust.

    Infuriated at seeing her so chummy with another boy, Yang Feng snarled, "Xiao Lili,e back here." His heart skipped a beat when she suddenly turned around, the happy expression on her face changing to confusion before annoyance ¡ª something she had never shown in front of him.

    Her next words would be one that would haunt him for a very long time, and never forgotten, even when he entered adulthood and was close to forgetting about her.

    "I¡¯m sorry, but who are you?" She coldly responded, her face filled with pure animosity wand with a loud ¡¯hmph,¡¯ she turned her head from him, her twin pigtails flying.

    Yang Feng felt his entire world crash upon hearing those words as he took a step forward to yank her back.

    She can¡¯t leave him, no, he could never bear the pain of her departure. In this entire world filled with bleak darkness, she was the light that brought hope back into him.

    Hurriedly, he chased after her, but he was rooted to the ground, a force holding him back. "Xiao Lili!" He shouted, the sound resembling an enraged beast, the sound too inhumane and abnormal from a young boy like him.

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng shot up from the bed, his entire body drenched in sweat. His chest heaved up and down while he struggled to breathe. He felt something constraining his throat and when he looked at his neck, he saw it was just his tie that had be loose, coiling around his neck, nearly suffocating him.

    He was confused.

    Why was he wearing a suit? He usually slept naked, with nothing but his briefs. Memories of what happened a few hours flooded to him. Torturing the people who caused his woman harm, interrogating Ren Xiong and reaching the brink of a conclusion, the banquet, all of it wasing back now.

    Zhao Lifei.

    His heart pounded harder. She was with him in the car! Where was she now?! Frantically and feverishly, with his brain out of focus from the nightmare, he sought for her. He needed to see her and he needed to do so now. He needed to know she was safe and by his side,pletely his and no one else¡¯s.

    When he got up and did not see her in his room, his heart dropped in disappointment. He was about to rush downstairs to look for her in the middle of the night, until a tiny sneeze came from his bed.

    His head snapped to it so fast, it was a miracle that he did not get whish from it. Curled up with her head resting on the bed and her body on the floor, was the very woman responsible for his constant nightmares and fears.

    She was here.

    She did not leave him.

 Chapter 174 Dont Reject Them

    Yang Feng walked to her and seeing that she was still soundly asleep, a tranquil expression on her captivating face, he heaved a sigh of relief. It was as if a mountain was lifted off his shoulders when he saw that she did not run off into the night.

    But his happiness was short-lived when he realized her position. Her body was on the floor, without a source of warmth or a nket to cover her, and not in a proper sleeping posture.

    He let out a low growl of anger. This fool. Why did she not kick him out of the bed and sleep on that instead?

    Grumbling to himself about how dumb she was, he bent down and picked her up. With great care, he ced her onto the bed, and, in the dim room where he could barely see her properly, he took off her dress and slipped one of his tops over her body before tucking her into the nket.

    He climbed back into the bed and tightly wrapped his arms around her until she was buried against his chest. With his previous fear of her disappearing right before him, he could not bear to take any more risk of losing her.

    He stiffened when she stirred in his arms.

    "...Yang... Feng?" Zhao Lifei groggily mumbled, wanting to rub her eyes, but something strong was binding her arms in ce. She could feelforting heat radiating in front of her and did nothing but snuggle closer to it, burying her face into the solid chest.

    "Shh, go back to sleep, love." He patted her head, caressing her hair. He felt his heart swell when she nuzzled her face against him, clinging onto him, even if it was to leech the warmth off of him. He wondered if she could hear his pounding heart.

    While she peacefully slept in his arms, Yang Feng stared up at the ceiling, recalling the nightmare. The scenes were from different timelines merged into one and the end result was always the words, "I¡¯m sorry, but who are you?"

    "Mm just...one more rice cake." She talked in her sleep, her small rambling amusing him. He pulled the nket up more until it covered her chin.

    Seeing her now in his arms and not a different man¡¯s, Yang Feng could feel the slightest bit of relief. He needed it to remain that way, he needed her to belong to him and only him.

    His heart stirred with uncertainty. He did not know how or why she forgot about him. She might¡¯ve been young when he left for overseas, but he did not leave long enough for her to easily forget him like that.

    Something must¡¯ve happened within the two years that he left and Yang Feng was determined to get to the bottom of it.

    - - - - -

    The next morning, Yang Feng woke up to a pleasant surprise. There were feather-light touches trailing a path on his face, going from his longshes to his chin. A tiny giggle could be heard beside him when his nose twitched. The sound was music to his ears, the small note that lead to a symphony.

    She yelped when he abruptly captured her fingers, his swift movement startling her.

    Zhao Lifei was so busy watching his face scrunching up with her teasing touches to realize he was truly awake. When he opened his eyes, blinked, andzily tilted his head in her direction, a low smirk hanging on his face, she felt her heart thump faster than normal.

    His perfectly chiseled face was still handsome in the morning, even though he had just woken up. "Good morning." His voice, thicker than usual from sleep, did unruly things to her heart.

    He lifted his other arm to gently graze her face, rubbing circles on her silky smooth cheeks. He didn¡¯t want to get up yet and only wanted to savor this moment.

    "Good morning..." She tiredly mumbled, feeling warm upon hearing his deep and hoarse morning voice. She was shocked to have woken up in his bed, securely wrapped against him, but figured he must¡¯ve been the cause of it. She only hoped he did not see anything when he changed her into one of his shirts.

    "What time is it?" He grabbed his phone, his brows slightly furrowing together at the overflooding messages. It was mainly from his parents and a few were from his grandmother. His groggy eyes became tense when he saw one of them was from his grandfather. They had all seen the news of his rtionship.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Zhao Lifei asked when she saw the sudden irritation and anger on his face. Was it because they overslept?

    She tried to reach her purse to grab her phone, but his arm was wrapped so protectively around her, she couldn¡¯t shift her body. Sighing to herself, she had no choice but toy her head on his chest again, but because of their proximity, she finally saw the messages bothering him. His family wanted to see her.

    "Don¡¯t reject, I don¡¯t mind visiting them." She could see the urgency in his parent¡¯s desire to seeing her. She understood why. His son was rarely seen with women and there had not been a dating scandal in all of his twenty-seven years of living. By now, they¡¯re probably assuming his taste in lovers had nothing to do with women.

    "Are you sure?" He didn¡¯t want to pressure her into meeting her inws. His mother tended to be overbearing and dramatic whereas his father was brooding, but very persistent of having grandchildren.

    "Of course. My schedule is always free, I have practically nothing to do every day." She thought back to the days spent in her grandfather¡¯s home watching television andzing around.

    asionally, she would review Feili¡¯s situation, make ns for them, and inform Wei Hantao of what to do, or she would consult her grandfather from home. Lately, he had not been allowing her to go to his office and she figured it was because he was worried something might happen again.

    "You don¡¯t have to feel obligated to go."

    "Don¡¯t overthink it, I can go anytime you¡¯re free." She teased, pinching his nose, noticing how tender and loving his gaze had be.

    "Then let¡¯s visit them today." He dered, eager to show her off to his family. Her eyes widened and she immediately shook her head.

    "What¡¯s wrong?"

    "I need to buy them presents before I visit and I have to change my clothes. We can go tomorrow¡ª"

    "I¡¯ll take you to buy the gifts. As for clothes, Ruqin has left a lot here." He was afraid she might spend unnecessary money on his parents. All she had to do was show up and he would¡¯ve been fine.

    "No, I¡¯ll buy it with my own money." She saw he was momentarily distracted from the conversation, causing his arm to loosen around her waist. She easily maneuvered out of his arms, ready to climb out of the enormous bed, but in the split second her foot brushed the floor, she already felt a heavy force tugging her back onto the bed.

    She groaned, "I have to get ready and go home." She huffed when he responded to her request by tightening his arms around her waist, yanking her back to him.

    "So soon? Don¡¯t we have to shop for gifts?" He didn¡¯t want her to leave this quickly. He wanted to spend more time with her, but she always seemed eager to run off somewhere.

    "No, I can shop by myself. If youe with me, you won¡¯t let me use my money."

    "I know my parent¡¯s best. I can offer you tips and advice on the way there."

    She pouted at the truth. She didn¡¯t know anything about his parents. She thought it might be a good idea to ask Yang Ruqin, but seeing she had a rtionship to worry about and her schedule was always booked with gigs, promotions, photo shoots, being the ambassador to several brands, as well as worrying about her new job as a fashion designer, the poor girl didn¡¯t even have the time to entertain sleep, much less shopping.

    "Don¡¯t pout, I¡¯ll gobble you up." He ran a thumb over her jutted bottom lips.

    "I¡¯m not pouting." She argued, biting his thumb in annoyance to which he let out a bark ofughter.

    "What? Was that supposed to hurt?"

    She scowled and elbowed him, but he flexed his abdomen and she could practically feel the rippling hard eight-pack from here.

    "Fine,e shopping with me. But you better not swipe your card." She mumbled, waving the white g. She could practically feel Yang Feng brimming with happiness at her words.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll have the car ready. We¡¯ll go as soon as you eat breakfast." Yang Feng eagerly said before leaning over to swiftly kiss each of her cheeks.

 Chapter 175 The Rumor

    While the two ate breakfast, Yang Feng notified Su Meixiu beforehand to get a pair of female clothing. She was confused at the request and the exact sizing, but figured Miss Yang Ruqin was probably sleeping over at his house.

    "Miss Su, Young Master Yang has been expecting you." The housekeeper said when she walked up to the front door.

    Su Meixiu nodded her head and apanied the middle-aged woman into the house. Her nose twitched when she smelled the delicious scent of breakfast. She hadn¡¯t eaten anything this entire morning because she was rushing to get the clothes her boss requested.

    To her, Miss Yang Ruqin was a very kind woman who often forgot about the rules of hierarchy. Knowing her behavior, Su Meixiu knew she would probably be invited for breakfast.

    Just then, a muffled giggle broke the silence, which was apanied by a very familiar voice. Su Meixiu paused by the entryway of the dining hall, debating where she had heard it before.

    "Miss Su?" The housekeeper called out. Was something wrong?

    Su Meixiu blinked before stiffly smiling. "Sorry." She said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ears. Thatugh, it did not belong to Yang Ruqin.

    The housekeeper was puzzled by her behavior. She was usually well-rounded and poised, always on high-alert. It was very unlikely of her to behave so dazed and confused, but she figured it might¡¯ve been because the young woman hadn¡¯t had breakfast yet.

    "You can open the door now." Su Meixiu confidently strolled towards the door as if she owned this ce

    The housekeeper did notment about her behavior, for she was used to it. Su Meixiu was one of the rare women who had the rare opportunity to enter his home.

    The housekeeper knocked on the door and when she heard a reply, she pushed it open. It revealed an enormous dining room with ceiling-high windows overlooking the city, modern and abstract lighting, and a white granite table in the center of the room.

    But these were not the first thing that caught Su Meixiu¡¯s eye. It was the woman sitting at the head of the table, the spot where Yang Feng should¡¯ve sat.

    Su Meixiu was astonished. Her lips were parted open in shock when she saw who it was. It was the same woman she spotted in President Yang¡¯s office a while back.

    She had recently heard of a dating scandal between her boss and the infamous socialite, Zhao Lifei. She thought it was just baseless rumors caused by the mediapanies courting death...but seeing her sitting there, in the same spot her boss should¡¯ve upied, Su Meixiu was at a loss for words. She did not know the woman in his boss¡¯ office previously was the same Zhao Lifei whose name was tainted with a horrendous reputation.

    How could such a shameless and thick-faced woman climb into her boss¡¯ bed like this...

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s smile wavered when she saw Su Meixiu¡¯s scrutinizing stares. She remembered what her grandfather said about Su Meixiu¡¯s nickname in thepany, "Future Madam Yang."

    Su Meixiu hurriedly fixed herposure when she saw Yang Feng¡¯s warning re. "Good morning President Yang and Miss Zhao." She bowed her head in acknowledgment towards Yang Feng¡¯s direction, but did not bother to do the same to Zhao Lifei.

    "President Yang, these were the clothes you asked me to purchase¡ª"

    "Where are your manners?" Yang Feng was not the one to let a disrespectful behavior slide, especially when it came from the very employee he took under his wings and personally trained to be one of the best secretaries around.

    Su Meixiu blinked, her smile dropped the slightest bit. Her eyes surveyed her boss¡¯ nk expression. She saw the anger burning bright in his eyes, scalding her with his re.

    "P-pardon?"

    When his gaze became darker and a shadow covered his face, she trembled, her blood running cold. Even though it was bright and sunny outside, inside this room, it felt as if she was suffering a storm filled with crackling thunder. She gulped, swallowing hard, and racking her brain for where she went wrong.

    Was it because she did not bow her head towards Zhao Lifei? But why...? That woman was not her superior or boss, why should she greet her?

    Nheless, Su Meixiu swallowed her pride and offered Zhao Lifei a beaming smile. "I apologize, Miss Zhao, I seem to have forgotten to greet you." She bowed her head in a courteous manner.

    "It¡¯s Mrs. Yang from now on." Yang Feng spoke up, his response startling both women in the room.

    Zhao Lifei nearly choked on her tea whereas Su Meixiu looked as if someone had punched her stomach and pped her.

    "Yang Feng¡ª"

    "President Yang¡ª"

    Both women spoke up at the same time, but Su Meixiu was the one to continue. "I don¡¯t think Madam and Master Yang would approve of this¡ª"

    BAM!

    She jumped in fear, her eyes wide in horror when he mmed his hands onto the table, the loud bang sounding like a gunshot. Her body shivered when his gaze became so murderous, she was sure today was her death day. "I-I-I¡¯m sorry¡ª"

    "It seems I¡¯ve been too lenient with you." Yang Feng did not raise his voice. It was as soft as a whisper, but that was all he needed to have Su Meixiu groveling for forgiveness.

    "I¡¯m really sorry, President Yang, it was an honest mistake. I won¡¯t do it again." She quickly bent forward in a deep bow, her palms growing mmy.

    Damn it! She cursed herself for panicking so quickly. There were so many women hanging around her boss in the past and a few even seeded in entering his office, but none of them had ever made her feel this threatened of her position.

    Zhao Lifei did not like the secretary since the day she interrupted her in the office and she still did not like her even now. However, she swallowed her pride and ego for Yang Feng¡¯s sake.

    This secretary, no matter how much both women despised each other, Zhao Lifei found out she was verypetent and someone valuable to hispany. She, on the other hand, was just a source of happiness for him. She had no right to interfere in his business life.

    "Pardon her. I wasn¡¯t offended." Zhao Lifei said, a rxed expression on her face when she took a slow sip of her tea, giving off the appearance of a wealthy aristocrat from the European era. With her longshes, naturally wavy hair, and slender fingers holding the teacup in a perfect position, she looked untouchable and unbothered by Su Meixiu. The sunshine streaming through the window added an ethereal glow to her small frame.

    Su Meixiu¡¯s left eye twitched at her words, but she was smart enough to keep her anger in check. "Thank you so much, Miss..." She cleared her throat. "...Mrs. Yang."

    Fine. She would acknowledge her now, only because Yang Feng was in the room.

    Yang Feng looked over to his woman¡¯s expression, so beautifully serene, she looked like a spoiled princess. He reached over and cupped her cheek, rubbing his thumb on her milky white skin, smooth as silk, soft as velvet.

    She was angry. He could see it in her eyes. When the entire world admired her beauty, he would be the first to see her emotions.

    When her eyes, lighter than most women he had ever encountered, lifted to his, a hurricane was brewing within it.

    He worked fast to amend her anger. "What¡¯s wrong?" He asked her, his voice quiet enough where only she heard him.

    Zhao Lifei debated the idea of being petty. She was that by nature, a behavior inherited from her grandfather. She settled down the teacup and quietly said, "The rumor."

    Without another word, she picked up her spoon and continued eating, her indifferent expression confusing him.

 Chapter 176 Future Madam Yang

    Yang Feng¡¯s brows came together, creasing his perfectly fine forehead. The rumor? What rumor? His eyes trailed back to Su Meixiu who was waiting patiently at the door, standing tall and pristine, the same way she always confidently stood when she was around him.

    Just then, he remembered the word of Zhao Moyao at the hospital. Her nickname in the office was Future Madam Yang. Was this the rumor bothering Zhao Lifei? He turned his head to her, watching as she snobbily ate her congee with a spoilt expression on her face. She was so passive aggressive, it amused him.

    He caressed the back of her head. "I¡¯ll address it." He said, leaning in to kiss her forehead, but she resisted and pushed him away. Seeing her like this, he quickly texted Chen Gaonan and his other assistants to clear up the rumor. Such a stupid rumor...he ensured it would never happen again.

    Su Meixiu was confused at what he was doing until her phone dinged. She snuck a secretive nce and saw he was distracted with cing the most nutritious food onto Zhao Lifei¡¯s te.

    She silently grabbed her phone out of her purse which was flooded with messages from her coworkers.

    [Meixiu, dire news! Chen Gaonan announced that any talks about you as the Future Madam Yang is banned!]

    [Oh my god, Meixiu! Is it true? President Yang has an official girlfriend? Chen Gaonan dispelled the rumors in the office about our boss being a monk or that you would one day be his wife!]

    She lifted her eyes from the screen to see her boss urging Zhao Lifei to eat more. She ignored him, as if his words were air passing through her ears. She gave him the cold shoulder, but peeled the prawns for him and even deshelled the crabs. He reacted with a happy smile and would try to kiss her, which she reacted by pushing him far back before his lips couldnd onto hers.

    Looking at this scene, Su Meixiu felt numb inside. It was the same one she had witnessed in the past. All of these women always purposely showed off their love in front of her in hopes of exerting dominance or cing some sort of territorial im over President Yang. If only these women knew, in the end, the person who stood by his side the longest was none other than herself.

    A doubtful voice whispered at the back of her mind, ¡¯But none of these women came close to receiving the amount of affection Zhao Lifei was getting from Yang Feng...¡¯

    Su Meixiu felt her throat run dry the more she stared at them, for indeed, the voice was right. The love being showered upon Zhao Lifei was astonishing. In all her years working with Yang Feng, she had never witnessed him in this state.

    Zhao Lifei did not pay attention to the bewildered woman standing near the dining table filled with breakfast foods, sourced from as many countries as possible, nor did she spare Yang Feng a lot of her time.

    She found it amusing sometimes that the more she pulled back from him, the more he pushed and clung to her for attention. The less she gave, the more he wanted, but the more she gave, the more spoiled he became, taking a mile from an inch.

    She had finished peeling thest prawn, cing it onto Yang Feng¡¯s dish. He gobbled it down, savoring it like it was the best thing he had ever tasted in this world. He then looked at her, his eyes filled with high hopes that she would peel him another shrimp.

    "There¡¯s no more." She said, shaking her head at him.

    Yang Feng looked at the empty te and waved one of the maids forward, but she stopped him in time.

    "Eating too much seafood in one day is not good for you." She stood up, cleaning her hands with the wet wipe provided by a maid who stepped forward the second she climbed out of her seat.

    Yang Feng shot up as well, his eyes trailing after her and it wasn¡¯t until she passed him did he grab her. "Where are you going?"

    "I¡¯m full, I need to change for our shopping trip." She mused, covering his hand with hers and slowly prying it away.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes skimmed the partially emptied tes of touched food and then to her silverware where she had two bowls of congee and a few bites of the other dishes. He deemed she ate enough. Pleased, he patted her head like a pet, to which she red at him, raising an arm to hit him like a stubborn little kitten, but he caught her fist and with his eyes gleaming with mischief, he kissed it.

    "Behave, little one." He chuckled and with one fluid tug, she copsed against his chest. His arms snaked around her as he bent down to press onest kiss to her forehead.

    "Change quickly." He added on.

    "In order to look as good as I usually do, it takes time." She snorted, cing her hand on his chest to create some distance between them. They hadpany in this room and she did not want to overdo the public disy of affection.

    "I think you honestly look fine like this." Yang Feng snorted. He honestly couldn¡¯t care less if she walked out in nothing but his shirt and barely brushed hair, or if she was to strut the streets in top-of-the-line fashion. She could be in the ugliest outfit possible, paint her face with clown makeup, and in the end, he would still view her as the most beautiful woman in this world.

    - - - - -

    After taking the bag from Su Meixiu and changing her clothes, Zhao Lifei had to admit, the secretary had good taste. The flowy white dress she brought was very modest with loose bellowed out sleeves reaching to the elbows and stopping a few inches above the knee. It hugged her in the right ces, emphasizing her waistline and at the same time, it didn¡¯t reveal too much. The outfit made her look youthful but mature.

    After digging through Yang Ruqin¡¯s room and not finding a single hair tool, she decided to just brush up her hair and leave it in a ponytail. Applying a lightyer of make-up, she did a double look in the mirror before hurriedly rushing down the halls and down the wide staircase where Yang Feng was already waiting for her outside.

    Su Meixiu was nowhere in sight and Zhao Lifei figured the woman probably left.

    "All set?" Yang Feng prompted while stealing Hu Wei¡¯s job and opening the door for her.

    She nodded and climbed into the car. He got in after her, shutting the door and giving Hu Wei the signal to start driving.

    "We¡¯re not going to Imperial Star Mall?" She questioned when the car entered an unfamiliar highway.

    "No, we¡¯re going to a mall my mother frequents." Yang Feng had his men look into where she usually shopped and from the knowledge of the material things she loved, he already had a broad idea of what to get her in mind.

    He turned his head to Zhao Lifei who was busy researching on her phone. He had a wless view of her from there, her lean swan neck on full disy. Lazily leaning his head on a propped up arm, he was about to release her hair so that it hid everything she had to hide, but she sensed what he was going to do and grabbed his fingers.

    "Stop it." She warned him, like a mother scolding her naughty child. She never looked up from her phone, for she was too immersed and concentrated on getting the ideal gift to even think the perfect answer was right beside her.

    "If you kiss me, I¡¯ll tell you what my parents¡¯ ideal gifts are." Yang Feng spoke up, a devilish smile appearing on his lips when she stiffened and slowly looked up from the phone. She looked at him, her eyes filled with heavy suspicion.

    "My dear, if you continue to look at me like that, I¡¯ll feel inclined to ask for more." His sly words prompted her to roll her eyes.

    "Continue to negotiate and I might not even kiss you."

    Hu Wei felt his cheeks flush from their flirtatious words. He thought this would be an easy job, but who would¡¯ve thought he¡¯d have to be the one to forcefully swallow this dog food and listen until his ears bled!

 Chapter 177 Youre Crazy

    "So you¡¯re saying I do have a chance to kiss you after all?" Yang Feng mused, leaning closer to her, awaiting the taste of her sweet lips against his. He ced the partition up when the slightest hint of hesitation shed in her eyes.

    "Dream on¡ª"

    He swooped in, capturing her lips, one hand at the back of her neck, bringing her closer to him and keeping her head in ce, whereas the other grabbed her waist, yanking her to hisp. He licked her bottom lip and when she refused to give him entry, he squeezed her waist, coaxing her lips, forcing it open and thrusting his hot tongue into her mouth. She let out a soft gasp of surprise when their tongues met, himpletely dominating over hers, leaving no room for argument.

    Slowly, the hand at her waist traveled to her lower back, his fingers spread out. A low grunt came from the back of his throat when her fingers, feather-soft, trailed up his back, teasing him. His other hand became entangled in her flowy hair when he nipped her lips gently with his teeth, before giving her bruised and swollen lips a final peck.

    He pulled back, breathing heavily, his eyes hooded while he watched her struggle to catch gasps of air, her chest slowly rising, giving him the perfect view of her. His hands settled on both sides of her waist, holding her properly while she straddled him, in fear that she might slip.

    When she leaned in for another kiss, he grabbed her chin and kissed her cheek. "I think we should stop now." His voice was beyond husky,ced with thick desire for her. She was sitting dangerously close to his hardened crotch where one movement of her hips would drive him insane. If they continued and she squirmed during the kiss, he would lose his mind.

    Sheughed, "Really? Are you certain?" She teased, referring to the burning passion in his eyes, the way his fingers dug into her skin in an attempt to seize control of himself. She wiggled in hisp to get into a morefortable position, but he held her still.

    "Regretfully so." He groaned, wanting nothing more than having the car to turn around so he could take her the second she entered his bedroom.

    - - - - -

    When the ck Maybach pulled up to the mall, there was a bright red carpetid out for them. Velvet ropes guarded it as the employees lined up, hands folded in front of their stomach. When Zhao Lifei and Yang Feng stepped out of the car, a loud and long greeting was said. "Good morning President Yang and Miss Zhao!"

    Zhao Lifei turned to Yang Feng who didn¡¯t even blink at this enormous greeting. He ced a hand on her back, then changed his mind and decided to curve it around her waist.

    "Let me guess, you own major shares to thispany?"

    There were so many people gawking at them with eyes filled with a mixture of envy, curiosity, and surprise.

    "Maybe." Yang Feng answered, guiding her inside the mall where a group of people was already waiting for his arrival.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t respond, for she could not find a way to scold him for taking her here. She also owned a generous amount of shares at Imperial Star Mall. At this point, it was a matter of who the store clerks would listen to, and currently, it was Yang Feng. They all swarmed to him, weighing on his words with hands and knees.

    "Mr. Yang, this is thetest collection of cologne imported from France. Sir Jacquen would be delighted to see you wear his fragrance, he said it was inspired by your chic and breathtaking appearance!"

    "President Yang, these fruits were grown in Japan from the highest quality of fertilizers, they¡¯re beyond sweet and fresh. Please, do try some while you shop."

    "CEO Yang, here is a cup of ourpany¡¯s most exquisite tea leaves, naturally grown in the high mountains covered in snow, yet it eludes a slightly sweet while mature taste!"

    Everyone was crowding him, for he rarely came here. In particr, female employees of all shapes and sizes but equally strikingly beautiful faces, were talking to him more. A lot of the people looked at him with gazes filled with bitter jealousy.

    Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes at this and walked out of his arms, heading in the direction of a jewelry store. Yang Feng hurriedly followed after her, but she picked up her pace in a desire to avoid him.

    She wanted to quickly buy an item without his help, knowing if he came to her, she would be forced to use his card. However, Yang Feng misinterpreted her reason for leaving him. He looked at her back, so confident yet small, storm off to the distance. He silently walked after her, and the store employees followed him.

    Once they got to the store, Yang Feng felt his patience run thin. In a low, deep voice that caused the women to squirm with delight, he said, "The person to bootlick is not me, it¡¯s her." He pointed to his woman,pletely oblivious to his words, who was looking at a specific set of pearl nes.

    Every pair of eyes trained onto the woman. The store employees recognized her as the infamous Zhao Lifei, who was currently his girlfriend. They thought this was not a serious rtionship, thus, did not badger her, but hearing his words changed their perspectives. Instantly, the employees rushed to her.

    "Make sure she doesn¡¯t use her card." Yang Feng added on, his words fully traveling through their ears and into their brains.

    "Understood!" They responded, hurriedly sucking up to Zhao Lifei.

    Yang Feng watched from the corner in amusement as the swarm of employees catered to her from every direction. He expected to see her panic and breakdown with the items being rmended to her, maybe enough for him toe swooping in with his card, but she did not give him that satisfaction.

    Instead, she remained calm, rejecting many of the requests and products. When she lifted her head and red at him, he winked back in response, his hands resting inside of his pant pocket while he casually strolled to her.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" He teased upon seeing her grouchy stares resembling a small kitten ready to pounce on him.

    She gave him a pointed look, gesturing to the female employees who finally stopped talking because Yang Feng had spoken up.

    "They¡¯re just trying to help." He watched as she pressed her pouty lips together, displeased at his words.

    "I can do just fine without help." She said, walking out of the store, abandoning the clerks who finally stopped hounding her.

    Yang Feng easily caught up to her side, resisting the urge tough. She was speed walking in an attempt to leave him in the dust, but didn¡¯t know that this was his usual pace. He apanied her while she browsed through a variety of stores.

    Zhao Lifei stopped touching things once she realized everything her fingers grazed was bought without her consent. There were already a few employees trailing after them, bags in tow, from all of the things Yang Feng bought for her.

    He seemed disappointed once she stopped touching everything, a glum expression on her face. "Touch some more." He instructed her, eager to buy out this entire mall if she wanted to.

    "You¡¯re spoiling me too much." She was afraid his treatment towards her would corrupt her behavior. Showering her with love and adoration whereas she did the pr opposite. His indulging behavior was going to spoil her rotten.

    "It¡¯s expected."

    "What if I be ill-tempered in the future and throw tantrums if you suddenly stopped buying me things?"

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes lit up at her words. "The worse tempered you are, the happier I¡¯ll be." His n was to get her to solely rely on him, to trap her down, so that no matter which man crossed her path, they would never be able to match the level of pampering he gave her.

    She looked at him as if he had grown three heads. Hey Mister, which Korean Drama did you walk out of? How can you say things like this? "You¡¯re crazy."

    "Only for you."

 Chapter 178 Family Meant Nothing

    Even after shopping in many different boutiques rmended by Yang Feng, Zhao Lifei still believed the gifts were not good enough. They were also personally purchased with Yang Feng¡¯s money which caused an inclination for her to explore more so that she could buy the gifts with her own money.

    She went to other stores and when they went to the cashier, she would push Yang Feng aside and fight through his hand that was desperately trying to shove his limitless ck card into the machine. As, she prevailed and was able to purchase things with her own credit card.

    If there was one thing her mother ever taught her, it was to not rely on a man for money, for there woulde a day when he would stop giving the sufficient amount. She suspected Yang Feng would not end up like those men, but who¡¯s to say, his current treatment towards her was not the effects of the puppy-love stage of their rtionship?

    Zhao Lifei was studying a highly sought after ginseng and jujube gift-set when Yang Feng¡¯s phone suddenly went off. She shooed him away to pick up the call, while her¡¯s also dinged a few secondster.

    Yang Feng saw the call was from Guo Sheng. The long-awaited answer hade. Guo Sheng finally tortured the information from Ren Xiong.

    He walked outside of the store and towards a secluded corner to pick up the call. Even from where he stood, he had a perfect view of his woman.

    "Big Boss! Good news, can you guess what it is?!" Guo Sheng squealed in delight, the sound scaring the men in the room. They were cleaning up his bloody mess, the limbs and intestines on the floor was a gruesome sight to witness, but it was pretty much a daily urrence for them since Guo Sheng was known for getting messy.

    Even as he stood, covered head-to-toe in blood, with some even sttered on his sickly pale skin, and with a crazed look in his eyes, Guo Sheng still had the guts to grin like a madman.

    "Who is it?" Yang Feng did not beat around the bush. He wanted to get it over with and return back to his woman already.

    "Boo, you¡¯re no fun." Guo Sheng pouted, wanting to engage in a guessing game just so he could drag out this conversation.

    "..."

    "Alright, I¡¯ll tell you!" Guo Sheng eximed, his eyes ditsy as he happily skipped out of the room.

    Yang Feng raised his head to look at his woman again, who was still engrossed in her phone. He noticed she was rapidly typing on it, presumably deep in conversation, or having an argument.

    "Hurry up, Xiao Sheng."

    "Okay so it was super hard to extract the name from Ren Xiong, but after I threatened him with his daughter, who by the way, is fugly beyond words, and even had the men drag his wife here¡ª"

    "Xiao Sheng." Yang Feng snarled, his temper not at its finest. He already had a suspicion of who it was. Kin and flesh. The man behind the kidnapping was someone rted to Zhao Lifei. His heart hurt for her. Even her own family plotted against her.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Big Boss..." Guo Sheng¡¯s cheery mood dropped. He paused in the hallway, squatting down and hugging his knees while he drew dusty circles on the floor, giving off an extremely pitiful image to the onlooker. One would look at his face and think he was being emotionally abused!

    "I¡¯m not mad. Just spit out the name." Yang Feng knew how bipr this child was. He could already picture Guo Sheng¡¯s signature pose to evoke sympathy from him. By now, he was pretty sure the entire floor was cleaned from the number of circles Guo Sheng was drawing on the floor with his fingers.

    "It¡¯s Zhao Moyao¡¯s eldest son, Zhao Junkai."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eldest uncle.

    Yang Feng was perplexed by this turn of events. What would that man gain from selling off his niece to an arranged marriage? Some quick cash? This did not make sense to him.

    Did Zhao Lifei have dirt against him? Was that it? He could¡¯ve sworn the two had a very tonic rtionship. Suddenly, Yang Feng remembered something.

    Zhao Moyao had one rule. He would not give the CEO position to someone just because they were family. In the end, the one with an intelligent brain, a wise hand, andpetence would be the next CEO of Zhao Corporations.

    Did Zhao Junkai view his eldest niece as a threat? It was very likely.

    If there was one person in this world that Zhao Moyao cherished and listened to, it would be Zhao Lifei. She might¡¯ve been his granddaughter, but that was not the only reason why he thought she would be a good candidate.

    She did not know this but Zhao Moyao only allowed her to work as Vice President of Zheng Corporation to test if she was truly qualified as the position of a CEO. Seeing how fast Zheng Corporation was able to seed because of her, it was needless to say, she passed with flying colors.

    "Big Boss? Are you still there? Did...I do a good job?"

    "You did a good job, Xiao Sheng." Yang Feng responded. He decided to investigate more into this matter to prevent making the wrong move.

    He debated if he should tell Zhao Moyao of this or not. If the rumors spoke the truth and he truly did not care about his children, it would be good to inform him of this.

    To Yang Feng, taking down Zhao Junkai was as easy as flicking his fingers, but taking him down without permission from Zhao Moyao and Zhao Lifei would be much harder.

    He knew Zhao Lifei and Zhao Junkai did not have a close rtionship. They were simply uncle and niece by name.

    Yang Feng recounted an incident in the past when Zhao Lifei was over at his house and a girl her age apanied her. It was clear the little girl was sent by her parents in the hope of approaching Yang Feng as a friend, but she was too weak-hearted and ran away the second he red at her.

    Guo Sheng was happy at thepliment and hurriedly stood up from his crouching position, eager to be rewarded. "Then, Big Boss, the reward..."

    "Will be delivered tomorrow."

    Guo Sheng happily pped his hands. "Okie!" He hung up the phone before Yang Feng could take back his words.

    Yang Feng eyed his phone for a few seconds before he sent a text to Chen Gaonan asking for a full report of Zhao Junkai.

    After receiving the confirmation that the report woulde before the end of his shift, Yang Feng walked back into the store. His stealthy steps concealed any sounds being made by his leather shoes. He snuck up behind Zhao Lifei to see who she was texting.

    Zhao Junkai.

    He squinted to read the message.

    [Eldest Uncle, I understand you want to meet Yang Feng, but he is a busy man. I¡¯ve rejected a simr request made by father, the same treatment applies to you.]

    She was about to hit send when he grabbed her phone, a surprised gasp leaving her lips.

    "Hey!" She frowned, angered that he was spying on her and even had the audacity to take her phone.

    "I¡¯ll meet him." Yang Feng deleted her initial message and typed in a different one.

    "Are you sure?" Zhao Lifei was confused that he suddenly wanted to meet her uncle.

    "Yeah." Yang Feng slipped the phone back into her purse, hiding the devious look in his eyes.

    "Have you decided on what to get my parents?" He changed the topic and when she had an expression that refused to back down, he turned her face towards the two grand gift sets on the crystal-ss counter.

    "I¡¯ll get both, they¡¯re for your mother." Zhao Lifei heard from Yang Feng thattely, his mother had a fondness towards traditional herbs linked to Chinese medicine. After careful consideration, Zhao Lifei had bought a wide variety of highly-sought after herbs beneficial to an aging woman.

    "She¡¯ll like these." Yang Feng nodded in approval, knowing his mother would already be ecstatic that he willingly brought a woman home, but seeing that his woman was so thoughtful enough to buy gifts, his mother¡¯s happiness would surely increase by ten folds.

    He figured his mother should still remember Zhao Lifei from the childhood years she had spent with Yang Ruqin, but had warned his parents in advance to not bring up topics from the past or else he would note home with her.

    "Go pick out a color for the boxes." Yang Feng pushed her in the direction of a store employee who was already on the sidelines awaiting her next order.

    Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes at his weak attempt to drift her attention elsewhere. "Thanks, but no thanks." She retorted, pulling out the sleek ck card with three sole characters etched into it.

    She pushed Yang Feng aside and handed the card to the cashier. When he made moves to take the card from her fingers, she dodged it and practically shoved the card into the machine, watching the screen load and then a check mark came up. The transaction went through.

    Smiling in triumph, she childishly stuck her tongue out at him, taking the bag herself. He shook his head at her behavior, a small grin on his lips.

 Chapter 179 Slip Of The Tongue

    Zhao Lifei learned Yang Feng¡¯s father had a fondness towards pens and traveled to the other side of the city just to visit a famed engraved pen store. She picked out the finest crafted fountain pen with a ck barrel. It had a coiling dragon climbing up the pen with a jade ornament in its mouth. The golden nib had a design of a crest, sharp designs that were woven around the entire metal piece, forming two acute sparrow wings. After paying for it, she had all of her gifts in check.

    When the two walked out of the store, Chen Gaonan was waiting for them outside. Seeing the woman with bags in tow, he figured his boss probably indulged in her shopping spree, a bad taste on his tongue when he saw the other bags in the trunk of his car. This woman, she really knew how to spend money!

    Zhao Lifei caught Chen Gaonan¡¯s dubious nces her way, especially the bags she carried. She could practically envision him branding a "gold digger" sticker on her forehead, the ring red ink standing out against her fair skin.

    She knew he did not like her since their first encounter. Cavalier by nature with the heart of a woman who did not care for the opinions of those insignificant to her, Zhao Lifei did not spare him a second nce. So what if he disliked her? It¡¯s not like she owed him anything.

    However, the little angel on her shoulders scolded her for this behavior. As much as she hated to admit it, having his iceberg of a man on her side would heavily benefit her. He was Yang Feng¡¯s right-hand man, the most trusted person he knew. Chen Gaonan was here to stay. She should not sh with him further one in her life.

    Yang Feng took the gifts from her hand and ced it into the car. He saw she was deep in thought and decided not to question it. He helped her into the car before shutting the door.

    "You¡¯re dismissed for today." Yang Feng said to Chen Gaonan. It was not rare for his secretary to always know where he was, it was part of his job.

    Chen Gaonan specifically came here to deliver the files that his Boss wanted, but also because he heard an rming message from Su Meixiu. "The reports are finished, this is a physical copy¡ª"

    "Send it to my email."

    Chen Gaonan nodded, pulling out his tablet to send it on the spot. Oncepleted, his eyes trailed to the tinted window where he could not see a single thing. "Boss, are you heading home?"

    "It¡¯s time to bring her to visit my parents."

    At this, Chen Gaonan¡¯s collectedposure cracked. Professionalism tossed aside, his eyes grew wide. He was beyond incredulous upon hearing the news and could not help but blurt out, "You¡¯re taking her back to the Yang Main Mansion?"

    W-was he going to take her to visit Old Master Yang?! The Elder was a fearsome man whose presence was even more overwhelming than Yang Feng.

    In Old Master Yang¡¯s previous rule over the underworld, the man was a tyrannical dictator. Anyone that went against his words would lose their head. With the people he had ughtered, it would be enough to create a human mountain of skeletons and skulls. The figurative throne he forged was made of iron and blood, a crimson river flowing from the foot of it. He was not a person that just anyone could visit!

    Yang Feng glowered Chen Gaonan, displeased at his foolish question. He knew what his secretary was implying. Not bothering to answer the question, he was about to get inside the car when Chen Gaonan spoke up.

    "Boss, it would be dangerous to bring a random woman to visit Old Master Yang, the consequences that would fall on you will be dire¡ª"

    "A random woman?" Yang Feng snapped his head to Chen Gaonan, belittling the man with his eyes.

    Chen Gaonan flinched, his legs trembling on the spot. He realized his mistake, but in the heat of the moment, he had blurted out the first thing that came into mind. He was so frightened by Yang Feng¡¯s lethal stare, his soul left his body.

    "B-Boss, I-I apologize, it was a slip of the tongue¡ª"

    "Will it still slip if I slice it off?"

    Chen Gaonan resisted the urge to wipe the sweat off of his forehead. "N-No...Wait, I mean yes¡ª"

    "Silence."

    Chen Gaonan¡¯s entire body shook like a brittle leaf in the wind, awaiting the wrath of Yang Feng.

    "First was that foolish rumor; second was Su Meixiu...now it¡¯s you." Yang Feng¡¯s swift and calm delivery scared his secretary even more. "I wonder what I should do with you fools." He leaned on the car, his arms crossed, his dark eyes looking up towards the sky.

    Chen Gaonan sucked in an unsteady breath and nearly copsed onto the floor to beg for his mercy, but could not swallow his pride to ept the position. If it was for his other mistake, he would dly grovel for forgiveness, but his mistake was just calling Zhao Lifei by a suitable nickname! What was wrong with that?!

    "Boss, I was wrong¡ª"

    "Your days-off for the next three months are revoked. You will start working earlier and endter for the next three months. Handwrite a one hundred page apology letter. I expect to see it on my desk tomorrow morning"

    Chen Gaonan would rather face a physical punishment than this psychological one. At least the physical one would hurt for a few weeks and he could heal from it, but thetter could not. His rtionship with his wife might suffer and he would get less sleep, which meant he would always have to be on his toes.

    He wanted to protest, but knew it was one of Yang Feng¡¯s more lenient punishments. Three months was showing mercy.

    Previously, Chen Gaonan had made a greater offense and the consequence was dragged out for half a year that drained his entire body and soul. It was absolute torture for him to be sleep-deprived, haggling with an angry wife, while juggling his overly demanding boss. At the least, his pay was not getting cut, but with how much he was overworked, it might as well have been!

    Nevertheless, Chen Gaonan bowed his head in respect. "Understood."

    Yang Feng wordlessly turned around and opened the car door where an anxious Zhao Lifei was waiting inside. She was wringing her fingers together, her nails digging into her precious flesh while she wrestled the doubtful demon inside of her mind.

    "They¡¯ll love you, rx my dear." He motioned for Hu Wei to start the car, leaving Chen Gaonan in the dust, standing there to repent on his mistakes and regretting every second of it.

    "But what if I say the wrong thing or I answer their questions wrong¡ª"

    "You won¡¯t." He reassured her, patting her head, guiding it to lean on his shoulder, but she was so overly energetic, her nerves skyrocketing out the roof, she refused to rest.

    "But there are always what ifs¡ª"

    "There are positive ones as well. What if they love you to bits, what if they demand grandchildren, what if they want you to hurry up and set the wedding date, and so on."

    Zhao Lifei peered at him, a doubtful face. She heard Mrs. and Mr. Yang were hard people to please. With everything they could ever want in this world, there was nothing theycked. Kicking his son¡¯s lover to the curb would be as easy as taking a sip of tea.

    "You¡¯ll do fine." He continued to soothe her fears, content that she did not object to his talks about their near-future. Perhaps it was because she was too busy overthinking, or perhaps she had finally epted the idea that he was hers forever, but she was very obedient in the car and she was listening to his every word, not once objecting it.

 Chapter 180 Scars Ran Deep

    When the car pulled up in front of the enormous Main Mansion that spread for acres beyond, with the sunset directly behind it, adding an orange glow to the exterior, Zhao Lifei felt her anxiety reached its peak.

    She nervously licked her bottom lip, squirming in her seat as her heart pounded rapidly. Throughout her long friendship with Yang Ruqin, she rarely met Madam and Master Yang. She remembered the majority of their childhood was spent in the Zhao Mansion, and not in Yang Ruqin¡¯s house. She was not sure why, but as a child, she was too terrified to enter this ce.

    Seeing it now, she was confused about her fears. This ce was as majestic as a grand castle, resembling the Buckingham Pce in Europe. Windows that stretched for miles, heavily protective gates, lush trees lining the road leading up to the house, and armed security guards spread out by a few feet, it was surreal toe here.

    What was so scary about this ce in the best for her to refuseing here...?

    "You¡¯ll do fine." Yang Feng reassured her when he opened the door for her, offering her a helping hand. When she gratefully epted it, a wry smile on her face, Yang Feng brushed back a few loose strands of hair that framed her heart-shaped face.

    "Don¡¯t dwell on the negative thoughts. The more you do, the more you¡¯ll end up believing the nonsense." Yang Feng ced his hand on her small back, his fingers spread while he guided her towards the trunk of the car where she took out the neatly wrapped gifts.

    "Ruqin is also apanying us for tonight¡¯s dinner." He specifically arranged for his younger sister toe back home, knowing how rxed and calm she was around her. At times like this, Ruqin was very useful.

    "Okay." Zhao Lifei bobbed her head, feeling the slightest bit rxed. She turned to Yang Feng, smoothing out the non-existent creases on her gown. She took extra care of her outfit today, making sure to not damage or dirty it.

    "Do I look okay? Is my hair messy? What about my dress? Oh, is my makeup smudged¡ª"

    "You look amazing." He automatically responded, his arms snaking around her to tug her for a quick kiss but she pressed her hand on his chest.

    "No, you¡¯ll ruin the lipstick." She had reapplied ayer in the car and knew with his intense kisses, it would be smudged, and her brain would be too muddled.

    "You can reapply it." He muttered, bending his head and lifting her chin, but she firmly used her palms to block his intoxicating lips.

    He responded by holding her hand and kissing her individual fingers. "Then, I want two kissester." He muttered, greedy for more.

    The entire day, she refused to kiss him, except the one this morning and he was growing more impatient as the day went on.

    She nodded, her mind not fullyprehending his words. She was too upied at the idea of meeting his parents.

    Little did she know, Madam and Master Yang had seen everything from the window.

    "Did you see that? She was able to keep my son in check and denied him the kiss!" Fan Jin, Yang Feng¡¯s mother, nudged her husband, not believing the scene in front of her.

    No one in this world dared to reject his requests. Her little Emperor always got what he wanted! But here he was, curbing that short-temper of his to listen to Zhao Lifei. When she heard his girlfriend was the same woman that Yang Ruqin treasured since childhood, she was slightly happy, for she remembered how polite and lovely the woman was as a child.

    The Zhaos were a very reputable and respected family with good lineage and hefty wealth that nearly matched theirs. Having a military connection would bring the Yangs heavy benefits when it came to Underworld issues.

    Zhao Lifei was beautiful and without a doubt, their grandchildren would have the best gics. She also came from a very solid background. There was practically no w to her, except for that horrendous reputation of hers...

    Fan Jin knew if this woman was to marry into the family, they would have economic andwork gains, but her precious son¡¯s reputation might suffer.

    "It¡¯s because he¡¯s smitten by her like all men are at the beginning of a rtionship." Yang Qianlu responded, sharing a simr deep sounding voice as his eldest son.

    "She better fix that reputation of hers before she joins the family. I will not risk our name just because shees from a good background." He added on, his arms folded behind his back while he observed their exchange.

    "Daddy, don¡¯t hate on Feifei just because of her current reputation! It can be changed!" Yang Ruqin overheard her parents¡¯ conversation and decided to butt in.

    She rarely called her father by the sweet nickname, except when she wanted something. Being a daddy¡¯s little girl by heart, she knew the things that made him happy. She wistfully skipped to him, looping her arm around his muscr arms that were still firm despite being in his early fifties.

    "Hmph! She better change it quick then!" He responded, looking displeased by her words, but internally, he was shining brighter than the sun for his lovely daughter was clinging onto him again, the same way she always did when she was younger.

    "But daddy¡ª"

    "Don¡¯t talk back." He chided her, sounding stern, but lord knows his eyes were too tender to look angry.

    Fan Jin rolled her eyes at the pair, missing her daughter¡¯s neediness.

    Fan Jin, at times, felt sympathetic towards Yang Feng who had all of his parents¡¯ love in the world, but could not stick to them like his younger siblings. That was why she always catered to his requests, for she knew this boy needed more love than the rest of his siblings. The world he grew up in was drastically different and the suffering he had in his childhood left scars that ran deep within him.

    "They¡¯reing in!" Yang Ruqin rushed towards the door, dragging her father with her while the entrance opened, revealing the stunning and show-stopping couple.

    Zhao Lifei was beyond nervous at the meeting, yet forced her face to remain calm, but her eyes were a different story.

    "Mother, Father, this is Zhao Lifei." Yang Feng grasped her hand, squeezing it in reassurance.

    "It has been a while, Mr. and Mrs. Yang." She greeted them, her voice firm and unwavering. She respectfully bowed her head a bit.

    Yang Feng spoke up, "She has brought you all gifts."

    Zhao Lifei walked forward with the neatly wrapped presents. Yang Qianlu looked at it with disinterest whereas Fan Jin was a bit excited upon seeing the Treasures of Green Hill brand known for their rich history of supplying the best-sourced and wildly grown herbs found in the mountains. Even with the changing time, this child was still very thoughtful...

    Yang Qianlu made no moves of touching the gifts, instead, he motioned for a maid to step forward and take it.

    Zhao Lifei was a bit dejected that he did not bother sparing it a second nce, Did he not like it?

    Was it the brand? She was sure the store she went to was a ce many calligraphy artists frequented...

    Yang Ruqin saw her dad¡¯s behavior and resisted the urge to frown. She stopped the maid in her tracks and took the gift, taking it out of the bag and examining it.

    "It¡¯s a fountain pen." Zhao Lifei piped up, her eyes subconsciously trailing to Yang Feng out of nervousness. "Yang Feng said you were looking for a very sturdy one. I did a bit of research into multiple stores and brands until I found this one."

    "Hm, a fountain pen eh?" A small dosage of interest shed across his face while he grabbed the wrapped item. The pen was ced inside of a well-made sandalwood box which had a subtle forestry smell to it, something he found to be pleasant.

    When he uncapped the box, he was slightly impressed at the detailed design of the slithering dragon who was holding a jade ornament in his mouth. He could see the design was extremely well drawn. The pen had a nice weight in his hands, not too light, nor excessively heavy and was also cold to the touch.

    He examined it a bit more before cing it back into the box and then handing it back to the maid.

    Zhao Lifei watched the scene unfold before her, her eyes darting back and forth.

    "ce it in my private study." Yang Qianlu spoke up, his heart beginning to warm up to her. She did a good job in selecting his gift. Even as a child, she was a people pleaser and it was clear to see not much has changed.

    At his words, Yang Feng¡¯s stoic and lifeless expression shifted a bit, the corner of his lips twitching.

    Zhao Lifei felt her heart leap, a massive weight lifted off of her shoulders at his words. The gift was not outrightly rejected, like she was worried it might be!

 Chapter 181 Its Good

    "Well, let¡¯s not dwell too long by the door." Fan Jin spoke up, her motherly tone easilying out when she saw Yang Feng¡¯s change in emotions.

    His expressions at home were always as stiff as a rock, as cold as an iceberg, and as lifeless as the Dead Sea. However, with Zhao Lifei¡¯s presence, she dared to say there was a hue of tenderness in his eyes.

    "Mommy, Feifei was the one who hired a hacker to look into the previous assassination attempt a while back." Yang Ruqin knew Zhao Lifei was too humble to bring up her good deeds and therefore, rambled about it in her ce. She was always known to be a talkative little thing and this babbling mouth of hers was a frequent thing in the household.

    Yang Qianlu paused at his daughter¡¯s words. He recounted a while back, he and his wife were panicking as they tried to seek after the bastard that dared to take a hit at their son¡¯s life and god forbid, nearly seeded in doing so.

    "Is that so." He pleasantly responded, not dwelling on the information any longer.

    "Also, she donated a lot of blood for Feng-ge! It was so much, she nearly passed out!"

    Fan Jin brightened at the news. This girl not only looked into his assassin but also donated blood to save her son! It seemed this woman was not that bad after all...

    "Hm, that¡¯s good." Yang Qianlu nodded.

    Yang Ruqin thought his reaction was too nd and was about to speak up until she saw the approval in her father¡¯s eyes. It was barely there, but it was better than nothing.

    Fan Jin sighed at her husband¡¯s behavior, he was always like this to strangers, even though Zhao Lifei should not be considered as one. Given her extremely influential background, she should¡¯ve been weed into the house by him, but because she was not his first choice in the marriage arrangement, he was behaving like this.

    Fan Jin was different. Regardless of Zhao Lifei¡¯s tainted reputation, she made up her mind to support this woman. It was the first time her son ever brought home a woman so willingly, furthermore, he also seemed smitten by her. Ever since he entered this house, his eyes were trained on her and no one else. It seemed like the entire world was a blur to him when she was present.

    Additionally, Zhao Lifei seemed very caring of her son. Her reputation might be bad, but it¡¯s something that could easily be changed!

    All five of them sat down for dinner and all the dishes were served, but Zhao Lifei did not pick up her chopsticks until Yang Qianlu, the eldest at the table, had his first bite. Yang Qianlu was extremely impressed by this courteous behavior of hers as it showed that she was well-raised and in a traditional manner too.

    Fan Jin was attentively watching Zhao Lifei as well, scrutinizing everything from the way she sat to the way she ate.

    Fan Jin decided it would be a good time to start firing questions while they ate in hopes of getting to know her behavior better. In the past, she was painted to be a very irrational woman who let her temper get the best of her. She wondered if that ill-temper of hers still existed.

    "I heard you graduated from Harvard at the top of your sses. What are you currently doing with your business degree?" It was a genuine question, but Yang Qianlu paid more attention to it than his wife.

    Zhao Lifei paused at the question, carefully thinking her response through before replying. "I used to be a consultant for one of the top fivepanies." She deliberately left out the names and the fact that she was still doing it for her grandfather. If word got out that she was his consultant, there would be too many people attempting to poach her.

    "You¡¯re unemployed now?" Fan Jin was eager to know the answer to this question. She preferred her daughters-inw to not have a job and instead, stay at home to be a housewife who would cater to her husband¡¯s parents.

    She blinked. "I suppose so¡ª"

    "What do you think about having kids in the future?"

    At this, Zhao Lifei stiffened. Her brain nked out, buzzing slightly, her heart beating faster than usual. She suddenly lost her appetite, but did not dare to say anything.

    Yang Feng answered instead, "A daughter." Was his curt response, but Fan Jin took it as a sign that they were nning on having one in the future.

    "A daughter would be good, but it would be better to have a son first."

    Zhao Lifei felt her throat run dry, tongue-tied and unable to properly respond. She could only slowly nod her head while averting her eyes.

    Yang Feng saw her hesitation clear as day. He was disappointed to see she was this scared of having kids, especially when he wanted an entire football team of daughters that would be the spitting image of her...

    Zhao Lifei could practically sense his unhappiness and decided to do something about it. She deboned the steamed fish and ced it onto his te. Just then, the entire table went quiet.

    Fan Jin frowned the slightest bit. So this girl did not know her son well enough... How could she not know, he hated it when people ced food onto his te with used chopsticks?

    Thest time one of the socialites she invited over was foolish enough to do such a thing, they faced his wrath. He had abruptly stopped eating, pushed his food away in disgust and had a butler burn it to ashes before storming out of the door, an infuriated expression on his face.

    She sighed. This woman would notst long in his life, even with her current rtionship with Yang Ruqin. She had hoped the child would apply some knowledge from her childhood to the way she treated Yang Feng now...

    Yang Qianlu was also disappointed by her behavior, seeing her unfit for the position as Yang Feng¡¯s¡¯ wife. It was basic knowledge that his son does not like it when others ce food into his bowl¡ª

    Yang Feng ate the food.

    He did not hesitate or look bothered by her behavior. As a matter of fact, he looked... happy.

    Fan Jin and Yang Qianlu blinked once, both of them taken back, a stunned expression on their faces. How...How could this be? It was the first time they had seen him sopliant and cid at the gesture. They rarely saw him smile, much less see a good expression on his face. It was painful for them to admit this, but they did not know what could make their son happy.

    If there was one thing Fan Jin regretted in her entire life, it would be allowing her father-inw, Yang Feng¡¯s grandfather, to take care of her son. She was not the Yang family¡¯s first choice either and thought at the very least, she could secure her son as the favorite of the elders.

    She knew his grandfather was a cruel man by nature, often described to be heartless, but she thought he would treat his oldest grandson differently. She thought he would treasure her oldest son, for it was known in most families, the elder always preferred the eldest son, but who would¡¯ve known the man would work her son to the ground?

    Mountains of assignments, endless arrays of training sses, and unexined frequent visits to the Underworld, Yang Feng was returned to her the shell of the boy he used to be. Before meeting his grandfather at the young age of three, the boy was actually quite energetic with an easygoing attitude like Yang Yulong, but all of that changed after being influenced by his grandfather.

    "The shrimp." Yang Feng muttered to her, waiting for her to pay attention to him again. She pressed her lips together, the shrimp would dirty her fingers and she would not look the most elegant while peeling it.

    "You¡¯ve had enough shrimp for the week, have some bitter melon, it¡¯s more beneficial to your body." She instructed him, cing his least favorite food into his rice bowl.

    Fan Jin and Yang Qianlu held their breaths, curious to see their son¡¯s reaction. They expected him to throw a fit, or worse, leave the dinner table, repulsed by her ignorance.

    Yang Feng eyed the ugly piece of melon on his rice bowl, poking it with unhappiness written all over his face. He looked like a child picking at his vegetables.

    "Come now, don¡¯t be stubborn." She chided him, nudging for him to eat.

    "It¡¯s not going to poison you." She added on when he red at it, reluctant to eat.

    "Feifei, Feng-ge does not like bitter melons¡ª"

    Yang Feng ate it.

    Fan Jin felt her eyes bulge in utter shock. Yang Qianlu was at a loss for words, blown away like his wife.

    Yang Feng actually ate it.

    This...this woman, was she a miracle worker?! Was this how smitten their son was for her? To the point of where he would pardon his biggest taboo and even eat his most-hated food in the world?

    Their eyes snapped to their son who was glumly chewing the melon and with reluctance, swallowed it.

    "How was it?" She asked him, her face morphing into a tiny smile, her eyes, so wide andrge, shining with ambitions for receiving a good response.

    Yang Feng could not bring himself to let her down by saying it tasted vile, the worst thing his tongue has ever touched. The more he stared into those eyes of hers, the more he found himself sucked into the swirling pool of molten copper, mesmerized by her ardent expression. He felt something tug at his heart with each passing second.

    "It¡¯s good." He finally responded, his answer blowing everyone, except for Zhao Lifei, away.

 Chapter 182 Warning

    The more they talked to Zhao Lifei and the more they got to know her, the more Fan Jin warmed up to the idea of having her in the family. Both of them were not the Yang¡¯s first choice when it came to marriage, but Zhao Lifei was obviously unaware of this information.

    There was much more to Zhao Lifei than what the media painted of her. The only things written about her were what happened in the past. It included her clinginess towards Zheng Tianyi, ruining herself just to obtain him back, and the lengthy measures she took in an attempt to separate Xia Mengxi from him. These were all of the things that happened in the past. Recently, the only things written about her was her rtionship with Yang Feng and aside from that, there was not much.

    However, seeing her in person, interacting with her, and finally receiving a chance to personally speak to her, they realized, Zhao Lifei was not as bad as they thought. If something could be done about that reputation of hers, then she would make quite a suitable candidate for marriage.

    "Son, your grandfather¡¯s birthday ising up very soon." Fan Jin began, wondering if this woman was about to appease the grand monarch of this household. "Remember to prepare the gifts in advance."

    Yang Feng wordlessly nodded, picking up some matsutake mushrooms and cing it in Zhao Lifei¡¯s rice bowl.

    "I rmend bringing Su Meixiu with you. Old Master Yang is quite fond of the girl." Yang Qianlu spoke up, his words creating a stifling silence in the room.

    Zhao Lifei, who was midway in eating, paused for a split second before cing the food into her mouth. If she was angered by his words, she did not show and ate like it was nobody¡¯s business.

    Yang Qianlu was studying her reaction, expecting her tosh out due to her bad-temper, but she did not.

    Yang Feng stopped eating altogether, his rxed expression darkening. He ced the rice bowl and chopsticks down.

    He stood up, startling Fan Jin who had not seen her son in a while. Was he leaving already?! "Son, you barely ate, sit down and have some more¡ª"

    "I¡¯m done." He made moves of grabbing Zhao Lifei but Yang Qianlu spoke up first.

    "It was a suggestion, you reacted as if it were amand."

    "It might as well had been one." Yang Feng muttered, grabbing Zhao Lifei¡¯s purse so that the two could leave without turning back.

    "I¡¯m warning you right now, this woman will not impress your grandfather." Yang Qianlu also stood up, mming his hand onto the table, scaring his wife and daughter.

    "We are a Yang with an endless supply of money and connections. Just because one has a wealthy background does not mean they will be suitable as the next madam of this household!"

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s silence was beginning to bother Yang Feng. She was eerily calm. When he saw how guarded her eyes were, he knew she was hiding her emotions.

    Yang Qianlu continued on, "She needs to be able to benefit the Underworld if she even wants to dream of bing your wife."

    Yang Feng pressed his lips together. Enough was enough. "She can be my wife by tomorrow if I want her to."

    "Do you not care about blessings?!"

    "We don¡¯t need to rely on blessings for a happy marriage." And without another word, Yang Feng grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet, ready to take her out of this house. It was a mistake ining here.

    She did not stand up. Instead, she grabbed the hand on her wrist and tugged at him to sit back down. "I¡¯m not offended." Her voice, light and airy like cotton, soothed Yang Feng¡¯s anger by the tiniest fraction.

    She was lying, he could see it in the way her brows were creased the slightest bit.

    Zhao Lifei believed in Yang Qianlu¡¯s words, for he should know his father best. With the state that she was in, there was nothing beneficial about marrying her.

    Her name was tainted, she was not favored by the media, she was bad at making friends with others, and even if Yang Feng was to marry her, what would he inherit? The money she had could not rival the Yangs, but with her grandfather¡¯s help, it could. However, she did not want to solely rely on her grandfather¡¯s power and the title he bestowed upon her.

    It was time to take Feili to another level. They were doing exceedingly well right now, but Zhao Lifei knew, if she fully concentrated her time and invested it into thepany, she could make it rise as fast as Zheng Corporation did.

    It would not be easy, given her fear of sitting behind an office desk, pen in hand, overworking her body to its limits, but she knew this silly fear of hers needed to end soon and the only way of doing it was confronting it head-on.

    Yang Feng saw the shift in her emotions. It went from depressing defeat to fierce determination in the blink of an eye. He thought back to the words Yang Yulong once told him in secret, "We¡¯ve got a fighter on our hands." She was determined to not lose this battle.

    "Sit down, let¡¯s enjoy this dinner in peace. Alright?" She beckoned him, her fingers wrapping themselves around his forearm, the same way he was wrapped around her pinky.

    Yang Feng stared deep into her eyes, crystal clear, sharp and confident, the tiny shimmers of gold tucked within the hazel folds. He always found it intriguing that her eyes were this the color of topaz, instead of the typical ck that most women in this country had.

    "Alright." He sighed, sitting back down, but not touching the food.

    Yang Qianlu, for the third time tonight, was blown away by her. Quelling his son¡¯s anger was no easy feat, especially when his mind was set on something. Yang Feng storming out of this house was not a rare urrence.

    The father and son always butted heads without hesitation, it was known in the family, but hidden from the public. The primary reason was because Yang Qianlu could not find a way to properlymunicate with this stubborn son of his, who rarely spoke unless spoken to.

    To him, talking to Yang Feng was like talking to a wall at times due to their shing values, the difference in the way they were raised, and the triad Yang Qianlu never bothered to familiarize himself with. Their way of thinking was very different.

    - - - - -

    After the dinner, Zhao Lifei received a call from her grandfather to go home. Yang Ruqin did not want her to leave so quickly, but knew her Feifei did not feelfortable in this house. Standing by the doorway, she pulled Feifei into a hug, whispering, "My parents are tough critics and my dad might act mean, but believe me, they only want the best for Yang Feng. Dad doesn¡¯t care who he has to toss aside so that Feng-ge could prevail and seed."

    She pulled back, adding on, "Please don¡¯t give up or take my father¡¯s words to heart."

    "I never intended to give up. Good things don¡¯te easily."

    Yang Ruqin beamed at her response, quickly nodding her head in agreement. "That¡¯s the spirit!"

    She pulled Zhao Lifei closer and whispered, "Grandpa is very hard to please and he greatly favors Su Meixiu for her family¡¯s background." She rambled on, "The Su family specializes in training the best fighters this country has ever seen." The only reason they did not rise to exceeding wealth was because the current monarch did not care for money, they only cared about preserving their ancient fighting techniques.

    "I, by all means, see you as the perfect woman to stand by Feng-ge¡¯s side, but if you want to impress my grandfather, you will need to find something that can top that."

    The Yang influence stretched beyond the seas, their triad was practically unstoppable even when shing with thew.

    "I know." Zhao Lifei responded, azy smile on her face. She had yet to ce her best cards down and already knew which one to show Old Master Yang.

    Yang Ruqin scanned Feifei¡¯s face, concern written all over her eyes, but when she saw how self-assured her best friend was, she was finally at ease. It seems her Feifei would not go down without a fight...

 Chapter 183 A Little Birdy

    After the dinner, Yang Feng nned on bringing her into his home, but Zhao Moyao¡¯s frequent phone calls made it nearly impossible to do anything with her. He made up his mind to move her into Cerulean Water Pavillion as soon as possible.

    When the two got near the house, Zhao Lifei was fast asleep already. She wasfortably nestled in his arms, sitting on hisp, and driving him insane without realizing it.

    With her face resting on his shoulders, her rosy lips that were slightly parted, her warm breath tickling his neck. It was pure torture for him. He wanted to do nothing but kiss her silly but she was fast asleep.

    Hu Wei noticed his boss¡¯ obvious irritation and tried his best to not burst outughing every time he looked in the rearview mirror. His boss was staring out of the window and towards the blinding night lights of Shenbei, but it was very easy to see his lips were thinned and his eyebrows were scrunched together. He was trying to control himself which was a very difficult task for any man.

    He sighed for his pitiful boss, shaking his head and continuing the drive there. As they drove, the Lady Boss¡¯ phone went off for the fifth time tonight. It seemed her grandfather was simply too overprotective of her...

    Yang Feng fished the phone out of her purse and when he saw it was Zhao Moyao, he let out a tired sigh and picked up the phone.

    "Xiao Fei, where are you now? It¡¯s ten at night, why are you still not home?" He pestered, thest time he called was thirty minutes ago. He was usually not like this when she lived by herself, but now that she was in his care, he behaved like a helicopter parent instead of a grandfather.

    "We¡¯re ten minutes away from your house. She has fallen asleep." Yang Feng spoke for her, adjusting her body a bit so that she was morefortable.

    Zhao Lifei mumbled something incoherent in her sleep before burying her face into his neck, her soft lips brushing his neck, causing his entire body to stiffen. His fingers curled into fists, his nails digging into his skin, as he tried his best to restrain himself.

    "You seem very annoyed Yang Heng, is it because of me?" Zhao Moyao provoked, a slight teasing tone in his voice. He was purposely calling them again and again just to irk Yang Feng and hearing the anger in the man¡¯s voice, he knew he was seeding.

    Yang Feng scowled, resisting the urge to smash the phone against the window. "No."

    "Are you sure? You know, Yang Heng, my granddaughter doesn¡¯t like men who disrespect their elders." Zhao Moyao leaned his head on a propped up arm, a cunning smile on his face while he imagined the hrious scene of Yang Feng¡¯s agitated face.

    Yang Feng¡¯s frown deepened, his fingers tightening around the phone, grinding out, "Yes, I¡¯m sure."

    This old man has a death wish. If it was anyone else but his woman¡¯s grandfather, regardless if he was a wrinkling elder, he would still inflict harm. But he was Zhao Lifei¡¯s precious family and he would never do anything that would hurt her.

    Zhao Moyao snickered before his face became more serious. "Well, Yang Heng, I hope you get used to these calls when taking my granddaughter out for the night."

    Yang Feng grunted in reply. He was determined to move her into Cerulean Water Pavilion by tomorrow. This would finally get the old man off of his back.

    "A little birdy told me you brought Xiao Fei to visit your parents. Care to exin?"

    "I don¡¯t talk to birds." He muttered, not wanting to say anything.

    He knew she was disappointed that his parents did not seem that fond of her, especially when Su Meixiu was brought up. She was very patient with him, too scared of voicing her opinion that she did not like Su Meixiu. Keeping all of her emotions bottled up, he knew it would not be good for her. Using a long and curled finger, he gently caressed her cheek, leaning down to kiss it.

    "What was your parent¡¯s impression of her?"

    "Neutral."

    "Really now?" Zhao Moyao did not believe his words. He did not know Yang Qianlu personally, but he had dug enough into the man to know he would not be pleased to see that Zhao Lifei had a bad reputation.

    "I assume that little secretary of yours was brought up during the conversation." Zhao Moyao¡¯s rxed expression became dark, shadows covering his face, his eyes bing deadly still.

    "The rumor in the office has been dealt with."

    "That secretary has wormed her way into the hearts of too many people that are close to you." Zhao Moyao had dug more into Su Meixiu and was disturbed by what he found out about her.

    She was Yang Feng¡¯s secretary for quite some time now and had been a part of his life ever since he took over the CEO position from his father. She was a very useless and clumsy girl when she started off, but eventually with the help of her peers and Yang Feng¡¯s surprising patience with her, she was able to flourish into the woman she is today.

    That was not the thing that astonished Zhao Moyao. It was her background. She was from a well-off middle-ss family whose history dated back for many generations.

    "It¡¯s part of her nature."

    BAM!

    Zhao Moyao mmed his hand onto his desk, an infuriated expression on his face. "Yang Heng, don¡¯t you dare make excuses for her in front of my face!" He snarled, his voice resembling a provoked lion.

    "I will not have my granddaughter embarrassed again just because her man could not remain loyal!" He snarled, his voice growing more lethal as he dered, "If you n on fooling around with Su Meixiu, I do not care if you¡¯re a Yang, I will ruin you."

    Yang Feng did not flinch at Zhao Moyao¡¯s threat.

    The arms loosely around Zhao Lifei¡¯s body tightened, hauling her body closer to his, leaving no room in between them. He would never allow her to go, even if Zhao Moyao were to take her by force. If it happened, kidnapping her would be an easy feat for him.

    "If I wanted to do something with Su Meixiu, I would¡¯ve long done it in the past. I¡¯m not blind, I could see her advances."

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s face became red with anger now. "Bastard! You¡¯re allowing a woman who¡¯s in love with you to stay by your side?!"

    "Su Meixiu is a very professional employee. She would never mix her feelings with her work, this I have made sure of¡ª"

    "Do you think I¡¯ve be too old and senile enough for you to think I would pardon those words?" Zhao Moyao stood up when he saw the car driving up the pavement leading to the front entrance. He walked downstairs just as the car pulled up to the door.

    Yang Feng pressed his lips together when the car door was practically flung open. Hu Wei stepped out, armed with a gun, on high-alert from the intrusion.

    Zhao Moyao did note unprepared. Apanying him was Old Butler Tang who despite his old age, was once the country¡¯s leading Commander, skilled in weapons andbat. Even as he stood now, tall and refined, there were two guns hidden inside of his tailcoat.

    "Release my granddaughter."

    Yang Feng held her closer, his eyes, darker than night, became piercingly fierce. A heavy air of death lingered around him, sending the temperature around him plummeting. There was an eerily still expression on his face, the epitome of calm before the cmity.

    "Do not keep her from me." His voice, low and mellow, hid a threat. If Zhao Moyao were to prevent her from seeing him, without a doubt, Yang Feng would forcibly take her, lock her away, and never allow anyone to dare have the thought of separating the two.

    "I can do whatever I please if it concerns my granddaughter¡¯s well-being!" Zhao Moyao hissed, waving his fingers as swarms of men came out of the shadows, surrounding the car.

    Yang Feng was not at all disturbed or frightened by the crowd of armed people, for his men were not far behind. Hu Wei could easily take down ten men in a span of a minute. If he was to set off a signal, the Zhao Mansion would instantly be a warzone ¡ª the sole victor would be Yang Feng alone.

 Chapter 184 Not Faithful

    With all of themotion, Zhao Lifei stirred and woke up. She tiredly rubbed her eyes, a small pout on her face while she rubbed her face against Yang Feng¡¯s chest. "It¡¯s loud..." She mumbled, unaware of where she was. She felt her body melt against his when he rubbed circles on the side of her waist.

    "Xiao Fei, it¡¯s time to go home." Zhao Moyao did not miss their little exchange, but he kept that to himself. His granddaughter was in a very critical position and with how fierce this beast was, he knew it was only minutes before Yang Feng turned the car around and took her to god knows where.

    Zhao Lifei jumped at his voice, turning around in her position to see a very grumpy grandfather. She looked out the car window and saw it waspletely surrounded by men, but they could not see inside because of the tinted windows. Only Old Butler Tang and her grandfather could see her.

    "What¡¯s wrong? Why are there so many men?" She hurriedly tried to climb off of Yang Feng¡¯sp, but he held her in ce.

    She pushed at his arms, confused at his sudden iron-grip over her body, like a cage. "Let me go." She grumbled, turning her head to directly look at him, but when she saw how abnormally dark his eyes were, her brows knitted together. What exactly was going on?

    He bent his head, his lips hovering over ears. "Tell me you¡¯ll see me tomorrow."

    Her heart thumped faster at their close proximity, jumping in delight when his hot breath tickled her ears.

    "No matter what you hear tonight, swear to me you¡¯ll see me tomorrow." He murmured, refusing to release her until she promised him.

    She didn¡¯t think too much of his behavior and figured it was his fear of losing her that prompted him to say such things. She reached up and gently cupped his cheek, "Okay, I will."

    Yang Feng pulled back to study her expression.

    She wasn¡¯t sure what he was seeking, but when he stared deep into her eyes and rxed, she knew he had the answer he wanted. Reassurance. That was all he needed.

    "Now, be good and let go." She gave his arm a pat and only then did he unwillingly unwrap his arms from around her.

    Zhao Moyao did not know what Yang Feng said to her, but for the sake of his granddaughter, he curbed his temper for now. Once she got inside, he would lecture her about her leniency towards the people surrounding Yang Feng.

    Zhao Lifei was about to exit the car, but he pulled her back before her foot even brushed the ground. Her eyes widened when he forcibly grabbed her chin, pressing his lips over hers, iming them and before she could even respond, his lips were gone. She felt dazed, her fingers pressing her lips as she stepped out of the car.

    "Don¡¯t forget." Yang Feng instructed her. A ghost of a smile showing on his face when he saw how flushed she was at their small kiss. When she nodded, he finally rxed.

    "Do not keep her from me." Yang Feng warned Zhao Moyao before closing the car door. Hu Wei went back inside the car and started it, driving it off into the distance.

    - - - - -

    "The nerve of that boy!" Zhao Moyao snarled, angrily pacing back and forth in his study while Zhao Lifei sat on the couch, puzzled by the events that happened when she was asleep. She had been home for fifteen minutes now, but no one had told her what was going on.

    "¡¯Do not keep her from me.¡¯ Who does he think he is? I should go back and smack him on the head right now!" Zhao Moyao walked to his desk, opening his drawer to pull out the device that would signal all of the men under him.

    "Grandfather! Calm down." Zhao Lifei stood up, took the small device from him and put it back where it belonged.

    "What is going on right now? Why are you so angry?" She had her ways of amending his anger, hooking her arms around his and leading him towards the couch. She sat him down, poured a cup of tea for him, and handed it over.

    "This anger is not good for your blood pressure. Please have some chamomile tea, it¡¯ll calm your nerves." She gave his arm a pat, a worried expression on her face.

    "I want you to stop seeing that man right this instant." Zhao Moyao muttered, taking a sip of the tea, his body rxing when the warmth traveled to this chest.

    Zhao Lifei frowned. "No."

    "Xiao Fei¡ª"

    "He¡¯s not good with his words, but he treats me very well, grandfather." Never in her life did she have a man dote on her like Yang Feng. The amount of patience he had for her was beyond that of a normal man. Perhaps his n was finally working, for her heart could not bear being separated from him...

    "He is not faithful to you."

    Her heart dropped at those familiar words, her face nearly crumbling. Suddenly, it was hard for her to breath. The room was spacious, but the air was suffocating her.

    Did...did he cheat on me?

    Zhao Moyao was never one who was good at reading emotions so he continued on, "That female secretary of his¡ª"

    "He cheated on me with Su Meixiu?" Her voice cracked towards the end.

    Zhao Moyao still did not notice her behavior and went on to say, "No. He did not, but the chances of that happening are very likely. That prick defended her during the phone call, expecting me to ignore it!"

    Zhao Lifei frowned at his words. Phone call? What phone call?

    "Xiao Fei, I reckon you should thoroughly think about this rtionship with Yang Feng. I understand he is very loving towards you, but there are many men in this world who will do the same for you." Zhao Moyao ced down the teacup.

    "A man who defends another woman when his own is present is not a man who will be loyal to you forever. I know you like him, perhaps even love him, but there is a high possibility he will hurt you in the future."

    Zhao Moyao continued, "I understand you¡¯re too afraid ofing off as a clingy woman and that is why you keep your unhappiness bottled up. If you dislike someone that hangs around your lover, you should speak up about it. The more you ignore it, creating excuses for him and yourself, the more you¡¯ll end up hurting yourself."

    Zhao Moyao finally saw the broken expression on her face. It pained him to see her like this, so quiet and obedient, not once speaking up against him. He had seen her like this in the past when she discovered Zheng Tianyi had a woman on the side.

    Even so, he did not stop speaking, but this time, he decided to tackle the problem head-on. "Su Meixiu is a very tricky little thing. On one hand, she is a very useful secretary to Yang Feng, but on the other hand, she can and will try her best to threaten your rtionship with him."

    He continued on, "That girl, not only has she wormed her way into the hearts of his parents, but also into that of Old Master Yang, who deems her a very suitable candidate for marriage."

    At this, Zhao Lifei¡¯s head snapped up. She¡¯d known there was something more to Su Meixiu than what met the eyes and this was it. She had spread her roots to many enough people that it will not be easy to cut off.

    Zhao Moyao was surprised to hear the powerful deration. He turned to her and was amazed to see how fast her behavior had changed. The unhappiness and pain were no longer evident on her face. Recing it was the strong and confident woman he had honed her to be. There was a flicker of emotion in her eyes, burning like a phoenix in the dead of the night, refusing to give up this fight.

 Chapter 185 You Owe Me

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise. He finally saw her as a grown woman. In his eyes, she had always been that stubby child reaching her arms up for his hugs. Even when she became an adult, he still viewed her as a kid. He thought he would forever see her like that, but today, she proved him wrong.

    She was not that weak little girl anymore, crying herself to sleep, letting the words of her peers affect her. She was finally strong now, strong enough for her to fight her own battles.

    Zhao Lifei spoke up, "Old Master Yang has a fondness towards Su Meixiu because he believes her family¡¯s lineage will help train the men of the Underworld, but our lineage can keep them out of trouble shall they ever have a run-in with the government or police. He likes her because she¡¯s not a weak woman, she can defend herself."

    Zhao Moyao was shocked to see she had thought about the situation to this extent.

    Zhao Lifei added, "Yes, the Yangs are powerful enough to hold them off for a while, but they cannot do so forever."

    Zhao Lifei was lying when she told Yang Yulong and Yang Ruqin that she did not have ample connections in the military.

    She was there for two years and had spent the entire time surrounded by fellow soldiers, who had turned into good friends. Training alongside each other, facing the same hardships, crying together in frustration, practicing and celebrating when they finally grasped the concepts. These things made those two years of friendship feel like two decades.

    Zhao Moyao chuckled at her words. Indeed, she was right. The Zhao¡¯s could bring more to the table than the Su¡¯s could.

    "Of course, Xiao Fei. How could I forget?" Zhao Moyao revealed a proud smile.

    Su Meixiu was not the only one who could fight. This little granddaughter of his could do much more than that. She just never had the opportunity to properly shine and show off her capabilities.

    "Elder Yang¡¯s birthday ising up very soon." He began, thinking back to the invite he received a couple of days ago. "Every year, he arranges for his people to send out invitations, but every year, he also personally selects a few he hands a special invite to."

    Zhao Moyao had known the man since they were in middle school. The two might have not grown up together like Yang Ruqin and Zhao Lifei had, but their friendship went back decades before any of their grandchildren were even born.

    "This year, you will attend with me. Yang Feng will ask you to be his partner, but I want you to reject him and inform him of the change of ns." Zhao Moyaoid out what he had in mind.

    "It would be beneficial to attend with him and be formally introduced as his girlfriend, but I know Elder Yang. He behaves the same way I do. He does not value family enough to care who is being introduced if she is not Su Meixiu."

    "If you apany me, it will be easier for me to introduce you as my granddaughter. If he sees I have acknowledged you enough to personally bring you with me, his impression towards you will be better." Zhao Moyao himself would ensure the night would go as nned. Not a single w would ur. "Only after you have been introduced will Yang Feng and Yang Ruqin be allowed to get close to you."

    Su Meixiu might¡¯ve been an ideal candidate, but Elder Yang also valued the importance of family ¡ª as surprising as it sounds, for he was a man known to be strict and ruthless to his own kin, especially his grandchildren. He believed the useless ones who are good-for-nothings leeching off of the Yang family name should not be acknowledged, nor should they have a ce in his will.

    He had disregarded many of his grandchildren and even went as far as disowning a select few. They would beg, grovel, and kowtow for his mercy, but he would not care. All of them could be rotting off somewhere and if they were not one he deemed valuable, he would turn a blind eye to them as he would to a homeless person on the street.

    "To have two of his favorite grandchildren surround you will be very ideal. Seeing as Yang Ruqin will cling onto you as well as that stubborn brute, Old Man Yang will surely notice you."

    Zhao Lifei was not stunned to see her grandfather had already nned this far in advance. Even with his age, his brain was as sharp as it was in his youthful years.

    She hated the idea of relying on her grandfather again, but knew it would be best if she listened to him this time. She could try to enter the banquet by herself, but that would only make a mess if she did not have anyone backing her up as Su Meixiu did.

    "I understand." She obediently said, listening as he continued on.

    "Good, now go and rest. The banquet is a week from now, be sure to have a dress ready." He ushered her off to her room before sending the maids to arrange her bed and give her a warm cup of milk with honey ¡ª something that helped her to sleep as she often had nightmares...

    He knew he would need to do something for the nights filled with her screams. On many asions, he would be shaken awake by the sound of her desperate and heartbreaking wails...

    - - - - -

    The next day, Zhao Lifei barely finished her breakfast when one of the maids rushed into the breakfast room. Luckily, Zhao Moyao had left earlier than usual this morning, or else he would¡¯ve fired the woman on the spot.

    Zhao Lifei was morepassionate towards her, for she was the daughter of one of the older and retired maids that used to take care of her.

    "Y-young Miss, there¡¯s this incredibly handsome hunk¡ªn-no, wait, I mean¡ª"

    Zhao Lifei chuckled at how flustered the maid was. Her face was flushed and her innocent eyes were bouncing around the room, obviously distraught by the suave man she had seen so early in the morning.

    Zhao Lifei had a suspicion she was not the only maid who was baffled by who they saw. Without a doubt, she already knew who was waiting for her.

    "Invite him into this room. Tell him I have not finished my breakfast yet." She mused, taking a sip of the freshly-squeezed orange juice.

    The maid bobbed her head so fast, Zhao Lifei worried for her poor neck.

    A few minutester, the grand door was pushed open and in strolled Yang Feng in all his glory. His raven hair was naturally swept back, his eyes as soul-piercing as always, his tall stature made it hard to miss him. Dressed in all ck, except for his white button-up, both of his hands tucked into the front pockets of his well-fitted dress pants, he looked like a mafia boss turned businessman.

    "You¡¯re drooling." He smirked when he saw her staring for so long. He shouldn¡¯t have said that, for he too was studying her appearance. He never had a favorite color until he saw her dressed in a light pink top. The color resembled her skin after their kisses as that very shade of pink would spread across her chest, up her neck, and towards her cheeks. He felt his heart stir. From now on, it would be his favorite color.

    "Here¡¯s a napkin." She passed it to him.

    "What for?"

    "You¡¯re also drooling." She teased back, regretting it when he stopped in front of her, cing one arm towards the back of her chair and bent so their faces were on the same level. Using one finger, he hooked it under her chin, leaning closer to her, sending her heart off.

    She gulped at the stare he was giving her, filled with passion and a subtle hint of desire. She shivered, closing her eyes when he acted as if he was going to kiss her, but went for the corner of her lips instead. She let out an indistinguishable sound when his lips teasingly skimmed her jawline, traveling down towards her neck, towards his favorite spot.

    She could feel her body begin to hum with pleasure when he kissed the area only to bite it after, sending a gasp out of her lips before he soothed the pain by licking it and then sucking, before kissing it again. He continued tovish her neck with pleasurable bites and kisses that went everywhere but her lips.

    Zhao Lifei felt her brain turn to mush. She could not think properly with his traveling lips, igniting a warm path of heat wherever he touched or kissed.

    "You owe me." He mumbled against her skin, his hand skimming the area where her neck met her chest before going back to her chin.

    "H-huh?" She was so clouded by his pleasurable lips to even realize what he had said.

    "The two kisses. I want them from you now."

 Chapter 186 Other Side of the City

    Zhao Lifei gasped when he suddenly picked her up and without warning, carried her into her room, all in a matter of two minutes. She blinked and found herself on hisp, sitting on the bed.

    "Kiss me." He demanded, puzzling her. She tilted her head, wondering where his sudden desire came from.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" She asked him, bringing her hands up to cup his cheeks, marveling at his honey-toned skin. She saw the uneasiness in his eyes, the way his arms snaked around her, refusing to let her go.

    "What did your grandfather tell you?"

    "That I should leave you."

    In the next second, a snowstorm blew into the room, the wind colder than a blizzard. Apanying it was a surge of fearsome, murderous intent. His face was nk, but that did not stop the change in the atmosphere.

    She sighed at his temperament and when she felt that he was going to stand up, she pressed her entire body weight down on him to force him to sit back down.

    "Are you going to listen to him?" His protective arms suddenly became the very ones that caged her to him, pressing tight against her spine when he flexed them in an attempt to restrain his anger.

    "If I did, would I be here now?" She ran her hand through his hair, marveling at how thick and silky smooth it was. She needed to find out what brand of conditioner he was using...

    She could feel his body rxing the slightest bit beneath her.

    "You can¡¯t leave me, you¡¯re mine now." He muttered, his words surprising her.

    "Yang Feng¡ª"

    "I should take you to the marriage bureau right now." He added on, looking so adamant at his words that she felt her heart quiver and shake.

    "No one can call it kidnapping then." He mumbled, pulling her closer to him, changing her position so that she was straddling him.

    Zhao Lifei blinked when he rested his head on her chest, nestling it there. "U-uhm, Yang Feng..." She trailed off upon seeing he had dozed off, his eyes peacefully shut close. She breathed out in shock at how fast he had fallen asleep once again. Was he that tired?

    She tried to wiggle herself out of hisp in hopes of having him properlyy down on the bed, but it was practically impossible with the iron-grip he had around her. After struggling for what felt like an eternity, she was finally able to get him to lie down on the bed, given, they were on the same side, but it was better than nothing.

    She couldn¡¯t help but smile a bit at his sleeping face. He looked like an innocent little baby, so peaceful and calm,pletely contradictory to his true behavior. She changed their position again so that sheid t on the bed, but even so, he was still resting on her, his face resting slightly above her chest.

    "You¡¯re a big baby." She muttered, d his arms had loosened a bit in their struggle. Sheined a bit more, but continued to run her hand through his hair, her other arm giving his upper shoulder a pat every few minutes.

    Her eyelids were beginning to droop and soon, she also fell asleep This time, she was not gued with nightmares...

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng stirred, his brows slightly scrunched when he felt that the fabric on his face was different from his usual pillow. It was softer, bouncier, and a lot morefortable...

    He opened his eyes and saw a mound in his vision. He looked up and was surprised to see a slightly drooling Zhao Lifei who had fallen fast asleep. His lips lifted into a slight smirk while he sat up, closed her mouth and wiped the corners of it with the tissue by her nightstand.

    He ran a hand through his hair and noticed it was messier than usual. He realized theforting sensation during his sleep was probably due to her fingers and that made him smile a bit.

    Seeing she was still fast asleep, he nced out the window and saw that the sun was still high in the air. He checked the clock and realized it was only two in the afternoon, which meant they had slept for three hours. He heaved a tired sigh and pulled the nket higher and tucked her in.

    He did not expect himself to fall asleep against her, but he was so exhausted the previous night, it just happened without warning.

    He spent the majority of the night wondering if she would suddenly disappear the next day because Zhao Moyao shipped her off somewhere. He was scared she would be so brainwashed by her grandfather¡¯s words, she would not want to see him. He was d she did not pull away from him.

    Seeing as he couldn¡¯t sleep in the middle of the night, Yang Feng had finalized all of the documents and shipped it off to Chen Gaonan, just so he could clear up his morning schedule, but that was still not enough seeing as the pesky secretary was still sending him messages, constantly asking where he was.

    Yang Feng worked on his phone to finalize some reports and paperwork. He had all of his meetings changed to tomorrow just so he could dedicate today to Zhao Lifei.

    Zhao Lifei missed the warmth that once covered more than half of her body and because of it, she slowly woke up. Turning her head to the side, she tiredly blinked, rubbing her eyes. As the memories came back, she abruptly sat up in bed and let out a slight shriek when she saw Yang Feng sitting right beside her.

    "Y-you¡¯re awake." She mumbled, checking the time and sighing in relief. It would be a while before her grandfatheres home.

    Yang Feng nodded, brushing her messy hair away. He ced his phone down and asked, "Are you hungry?"

    Zhao Lifei shook her head and right afterward, her stomach made a loud noise resembling a whale¡¯s mating call. Her face became red in embarrassment.

    He let out a burst of loudughter, the sound warming her insides and sending butterflies to flutter in her stomach.

    "Let¡¯s get you some food." He grinned.

    "Okay..." She mumbled, turning away from him to hide the blush. She climbed out of the bed to get ready.

    Zhao Lifei brushed her teeth again, tied up her hair, ced on a smallyer of makeup, and then threw on a new pair of clothes before walking downstairs where Yang Feng was already waiting for her. She felt envious that despite falling asleep on the same bed as her, his outfit and appearance was on point ¡ª not a single w in ce.

    "Let¡¯s go." He entwined their hands together, pulling her out of the door and into the car where he drove her to a luxurious restaurant and practically ordered her half of the menu. She could barely finish all of it. In order for the food to not go to waste, she packed up the ones they did not touch.

    Yang Feng made sure she ate more than enough just so he could ensure she was not losing more weight than ever, even though it would be practically impossible with how much food he constantly had her eat...

    Afterward, Zhao Lifei expected him to drive her home, but to her surprise, he drove to the other side of the city, far from the Zhao Mansion.

    "Where are we going?" She curiously asked him, looking out the window to see they were quickly approaching a very nice gatedmunity. The path leading there was paved with neatly-trimmed trees, sparkling white and gold fences greeting her.

    "Cerulean Water Pavilions, your new home." He had already ced all of the finishing touches. The house was already furnished with furniture with all of the lights and other necessities running perfectly smooth. Everything required for afortable living was set up and the only thing she had to do was live there.

 Chapter 187 A Mistress

    "I¡¯m moving there today?" She was in a daze, bewildered that it was happening so soon. She noticed his hands tightening on the steering wheel, turning white. Reaching over, she was baffled to see his anger.

    "So no one can bother us anymore." When her hand touched him, he grabbed it and pressed a kiss to it, looking at her for a second before his eyes went back onto the road.

    "I have to let my grandfather know." Zhao Lifei said, pulling out her phone to call him.

    Yang Feng wanted to protest, but knew if she did not tell him, the old man would think she was kidnapped again. It was better to tell him now thanter.

    Zhao Moyao ced down his pen and picked up the phone. "Xiao Fei, who are you with?"

    Zhao Lifei nearly choked on the question. How did he find out so quickly?

    Her eyes nervously trailed towards Yang Feng, whose eyes were concentrated on the road, but ears fully open for the conversation. "I¡¯m with Yang Feng, he¡¯s taking me to the house he bought for me."

    "Are youing home tonight?"

    "I¡¯m not sure yet, I was thinking of moving into the house today." She deliberately left out the part that Yang Feng was the one who wanted her to move so quickly. He was already on her grandfather¡¯s bad side, she did not want him to get into any more trouble.

    "You¡¯re moving so soon?"

    Zhao Lifei could sense the doubt and disappointment in her grandfather¡¯s voice. He was doubtful she was the one who wanted to move and disappointed that it would be so quickly.

    "I didn¡¯t want to disturb you anymore."

    "You never did." Zhao Moyao responded. Her presence did not bother him, but theck of it did. Because she was in his care, he constantly worried about her well being and where she was.

    "I¡¯ll have my men go to your apartment in Sky Arc and move your closet and other sentimental things."

    Zhao Lifei stared out the window. Sentimental things? There were none.

    Perhaps a picture frame or two, but aside from that, the spacious apartment only had useful furniture.

    There were so many horrible memories that she wanted to abandon, so many trauma-induced nightmares spent in that ce... She did not want to spend another night there.

    She responded, "Okay, but just in case, I will be going back there to pick up a few things."

    Zhao Moyao felt his senses heighten at her words. He nced at Li Xuan who was intently paying attention to the conversation, waiting for an order.

    Zhao Moyao wrote down on a piece of paper, ¡¯Have the security there double-checked.¡¯ Whoever kidnapped her knew where she lived. He was ensuring they could not grab her again.

    "Bring someone with you if you go." Zhao Moyao wanted to tighten the security around the premises in case something happened.

    "Okay." She turned her head to Yang Feng and decided to take him there instead.

    "Will you be joining me for dinner?" He asked her, worried because he had a professional dinner to attend to.

    "If you have ns, then most likely not."

    "I do." He rxed a bit and continued, "I will talk to you tomorrow then." He hung up the phone.

    Zhao Moyao tiredly sighed, leaning back in his chair as he stared out the window overlooking the city.

    - - - - -

    The security around Cerulean Water Pavilions was better than Sky Arc Complex, that much was ensured by Yang Feng.

    In order to enter the area, one would have to show identification, type in their individual passcodes, and get checked by the security at the front gates. She heard there were also hidden guards in themunity...

    With the men that Yang Feng supplied to protect her, she was sure the possibility of something happening to her would be very low.

    Yang Feng got out of the car first and opened the door for her on the other side, offering her a hand. She graciously took it as he whisked her out of the car, settling his arms on her hips.

    "You sure like to grab my waist a lot." She mused when he twirled with the strings of her top.

    He squeezed the soft flesh. "It¡¯s reassuring."

    "How so?" She asked, walking with him into the massive two-story house. It was breathtaking on the outside, the yard done to perfection, with massive Greek-style columns in the front, an open and spacious concept where the house resembled a small castle [1].

    "It just does." He shrugged a bit. "Do you like it?" He asked her, happily waiting for her response while guiding her towards the house. He swiped the keycard, typed in a long password, scanned his fingerprints, and then answered two questions before entry was granted.

    "Yeah, but it¡¯s a bit too big for one person..." She trailed off, blown away by the enormous open foyer that overlooked a grand and modern living room.

    "You won¡¯t live here alone." Yang Feng made sure of that.

    "I¡¯ll visit you every day." Thismunity was not located too far from his house and it was only a short twenty-minute drive.

    "It feels like you¡¯re buying a house for a mistress." She blurted out. The idea sounded silly to her, but it came out regardless.

    Yang Feng quirked a brow when she crossed her arms. "Then move into my house." He cheekily responded. "I would like that more."

    His eyes lightened a bit at the words, practically hearing wedding bells. It was his original n. He wanted this house to be a decoy for Zhao Moyao and then once everything was settled here, he desired for her to not even sleep here, but at his ce instead.

    "How about we use this ce as a decoy and tomorrow you¡¯ll live with me." He looped his arms around her sides, settling his hands on her lower back, drawing her to him.

    "The security there is even better than here, the view is ideal, and you¡¯ll have people to wait on your every beck and call." He buried his face into the crook of her neck, deeply breathing in her scent, kissing the area before nuzzling his head there.

    "Hm, I¡¯m not sure¡ª"

    "You¡¯ll see me every morning and I¡¯ll even cook for you. I can assign workers to this house, but it¡¯ll still be lonely for you. Come with me and I¡¯ll keep youpany every day."

    "What about your work? Will your workaholic tendencies allow that?" She mused.

    "I¡¯ll work a normal schedule then."

    His entire staff team would be beyond thankful if he startedter in the day, around nine instead of seven, and ended earlier as well, perhaps six at night instead of nine or ten.

    "Hm, I¡¯ll think about it then." She teased, enjoying this push and pull game.

    Not happy at her words, he bit her neck, causing her to gasp and hit him in the back.

    "Yang Feng!" She huffed. "You¡¯re such a spoiled brat." She tried to wiggle her way out of his arms, but he refused to let her go.

    "I¡¯ll move in tomorrow." She rolled her eyes.

    He finally lifted his head from her shoulder, a satisfied smirk on his face. "Okay, I¡¯ll have my men move whatever items Zhao Moyao¡¯ men moved into this house."

 Chapter 188 Suit Jacke

    There were some things that Zhao Lifei wanted to personally check at Sky Arc Complex, more specifically, her piano. She had it ever since she was a child and it had been with her through thick and thin, even when she ceased her presence in the spotlight.

    Yang Feng drove her back there to ensure her security and luckily, Zhao Moyao¡¯s men were not there yet. Everywhere they went, they seemed to attract attention, or more, in particr, Yang Feng was.

    The female employees in the lobby couldn¡¯t help but pause and admire his god-like features.

    "Pst, pst, Xiao Rong, look at him!"

    "So handsome..."

    "Which Korean drama did he walk out of?"

    "Wooow..."

    Usually, when Yang Feng came here, he was always surrounded by his men holding off the security, but this time, he was finally apanied with Zhao Lifei, so there was no need for the security guards to step forward.

    Zhao Lifei was fully-aware of the whispers because of the oblivious hunk beside her. She nced up and her heart thumped in surprise when she saw he had been staring at her for a while now. As a matter of fact, he had not taken his eyes off of her for quite a while now.

    "What?"

    "What, what?"

    Zhao Lifei scowled at his cheeky response, turning her head back to the elevator. Soon, it dinged open and the two stepped in, pressed the button to their floor, and went upstairs. She performed the tiring and long entry routine and was finally able to unlock her door. She flickered on the lights and was about to walk to her room to grab a few things when she suddenly felt a heavy force on her sleeves.

    "Whose suit jacket is that?"

    Zhao Lifei could feel a chill crawl up her spine at his menacing voice. She warily turned around...

    His perilous expression was scarier than the eighteen torturousyers of hell [1]. His eyes were narrowed, rigid, and set aze. At that moment, she thought she was done for. He glowered at her as if she was the enemy. She had seen him give that stare to others, but never expected it tond on her. His murderous stare was painful and piercing, as if he was trying to tear her into pieces. It was using her of something.

    Zhao Lifei followed what he was looking at previously and saw it was a neatly folded suit jacket that belonged to Wu Yuntai. Speaking of which, she had to return it to him soon...Why was he so angry over a jacket?

    "It¡¯s none of your business." She rolled her eyes, turning her back to him and preparing to walk to her room but he roughly yanked her into him, crashing into his hard chest, feeling as if her brittle body was mmed into a wall.

    "You had another man over?" His fingers curled over her upper arm, digging into her flesh, squeezing it.

    "Let go of me!" She hissed, stomping on his foot, but he did not care.

    "Who is it?" His voice was barely above a whisper, but it held more threats than a scream.

    "No one stayed over, you possessive brute!" She wriggled, attempting to free herself.

    She gasped when he suddenly turned her around, holding both of her upper arms now. Her heart quivered upon seeing the dangerous beast lurking within the shadows of his onyx eyes, the shadows surrounding him reaching out to grab her neck, suffocating her.

    "Yang Feng, let me go." She frowned, disliking this side of him. He was allowed to have Su Meixiu at his side whenever he wanted! All she had was leave a suit jacket in the opening and here he was, being too rough on her.

    "Who is it?"

    She was growing annoyed at this foolish banter. "Why can¡¯t we talk this through normally?" She scowled.

    "Do not make me repeat myself."

    She scoffed at his words, resisting the urge to snipe out, ¡¯Oh please, bite me!¡¯

    "Annoying prick, It¡¯s Wu Yuntai." She red back at him with the same intensity, her daring behavior did not surprise him at all.

    "So the pictures were true?"

    "No, he did not kiss me." She sighed, already knowing which photoshop picture he was referring to. "It was cold that night and he gave me his jacket."

    Yang Feng stared at her for the longest time, scrutinizing her face, detecting for the slightest hint of a lie and he did not find any. His grip loosened and guilt shed over his eyes before it left as fast as it came.

    "Why did you have to be so rough?" She frowned, attempting to create distance between the two of them, but his arms had traveled to her lower back, gently guiding her to him.

    "I¡¯m sorry." He muttered, resting his head on her shoulder des, cursing himself for losing his calm so quickly. He never had the best temper and though he tried his hardest to hide it, it always surfaced at the wrong time. He felt guilt gnawing at his heart, prickling pain spreading through his chest.

    "You didn¡¯t have to get so angry." She mumbled, refusing to hug him back. She let her arms dangled by her sides and knew that was bothering him more than anything.

    "I know." He grumbled, breathing in her scent that swarmed his brain, a wave of serenity washing over him. He rxed with her in his arms, even if she was not responding. He was fearful that someone would whisk her away again, the agonizing emotion gripping at his heart faster than he could think properly.

    "Don¡¯t do it again, it¡¯s not healthy for either of us."

    "I¡¯ll try." He quietly responded. He was bad at love and being gentle. Growing up in such a violent world, it was hard for him to control his behavior when angered. Frustration mixed with possessive tendencies and fear, it was a dangerous concoction that sent his rationality out of the window.

    "Promise?"

    "Of course." He lifted his head off of her shoulders and once again, felt a jab at his heart when he saw how upset she looked. Her brows were scrunched together and he could tell she was trying her best to restrain her unhappiness.

    "Let¡¯s get your belongings now." His fingers hooked over hers, grasping it with the greatest care in the world. He looked like a bear attempting to behave like a teddy bear.

    After she grabbed a few of her personal belongings, arranging for the piano to be moved, the two finally settled back at Cerulean Water Pavilion.

    The next morning, Zhao Lifei practically pushed her way out of the door and kicked Yang Feng¡¯s chauffeur to the curb. She was d her grandfather was able to get one of her cars to be transported into the house, or else she wouldn¡¯t have easily dodged the vehicles of Yang Feng¡¯s men who were adamant on trailing her location.

 Chapter 189 A Flask On The Table

    Zhao Lifei made her way to Feili. It was located in the heart of the city, in an enormous skyscraper not big enough to rival the ones her grandfather and Yang Feng owned, but it was still very reputable given the fact that thepany just started two years ago.

    Dressed in white cks and a silk blue blouse, she meant business. Many of them had been looking at her, a few mouths agape, when she got out of a blood-red Ferrari, her hair fluttering in the wind. When she strutted into Feili and swiped her private key card, she was well aware of everyone¡¯s stares.

    Wei Hantao was working on a few documents for the uing senior executives meeting when the door to his office was pushed open without warning. He lifted his head, ready to bite the intruder¡¯s head off until his eyesnded on Zhao Lifei. His eyes bulged out of his head, his mouth opened in shock, a baffled expression on his face.

    "Close your mouth, Wei Hantao, you¡¯re not a codfish." She rolled her eyes, closing the door and walking to his desk.

    "You...how, huh...why...?" He could not form coherent sentences. She was actually in Feili and on her own ord too!

    "Don¡¯t ask questions, just give me the paperwork." She walked to the opposite side of his desk, picked up therge stack of papers, and hauled it to the coffee table.

    "Call in the secretary." She waved her hand at him as if he was a subordinate and Wei Hantao was too dazed to even care.

    He pressed the buzzer and less than a few secondster, a man walked into the room. He was lean, his legs stretching for miles, and had the face of a model. She eyed him, confused about what he was doing here instead of being on a runway. There was something about this man that sent shivers down her spine and she had no doubt, he would be good at intimidating others.

    She tilted her head. He looked somewhat familiar...

    "What happened to Long Xuebi?"

    "She¡¯s on paid-leave, dealing with personal issues."

    "Oh." She shrugged, turning back to the man who looked the same age as her. He had a very chic persona to him and when he smiled, he looked as coy and cunning as a fox. She could tell he was not a very simple man...

    "It¡¯s very nice to meet you, Miss Zhao Lifei. My name is Huo Qiudong." He did a slight bow while holding out his hand.

    Zhao Lifei shook it and did not pay much attention to him. Sure, he was very good looking, but when one had seen Yang Feng, not many could bepared to him.

    "I assume Yang Enterprise has been approaching you in regards to setting up a personal meeting with the CEO?" She asked, her eyes drifting to Wei Hantao who was ironically taking a sip of his coffee to calm his nerves.

    "Yes, Mr. Chen Gaonan, the exclusive private secretary of President Yang contacts ourpany at least three times a day to request a meeting."

    "Set up the meeting for tomorrow. I will attend as the face of Feili."

    Wei Hantao choked on his coffee, pounding at his chest. "What did you just say?"

    "It¡¯s time to show the mastermind behind Feili." Zhao Lifei lightly said, as if she was talking about the weather. She took out her pen and began working on the papers in front of her.

    "But I thought you said you wanted no part in Feili¡ª"

    "In the past, I didn¡¯t. Now, I do." She worked her way through the list ofpanies and circled a few potential ones they should reach out to.

    "We can¡¯t deny Yang Enterprise¡¯s request for the meeting any longer. As much as I hate to admit it, we¡¯re not strong enough to oppose one of the Big Five." She picked up the packet and ced it on his desk.

    She turned to Huo Qiudong. "Have they sent you a copy of the project they¡¯d like to coborate on?"

    Huo Qiudong nodded. He walked outside and came back in with a man folder and handed it to her. Zhao Lifei flipped through the pages, thoroughly examining all of the contents inside, as well as the numbers, and nearlyughed inside of her head.

    Not a single w in sight. As expected of Yang Enterprise, they never leave a stone unflipped. The shares of the retirementmunity that Feili would be getting was high and profitable. She was very confident their idea of an independent elderly housingmunity would seed given the rising poption of senior citizens in the country.

    "There are a few more terms and conditions I would like to negotiate beforehand." She internally groaned when she had to crane her neck to properly look at Huo Qiudong. He was too tall. "Contact Yang Enterprise, I expect to see them bright and early tomorrow morning."

    "Right away, Ma¡¯am." He bowed his head and excused himself.

    Huo Qiudong might¡¯ve been a fill-in for Long Xuebi, but he had been in thispany for longer than her. He never had time to properly shine with the Star Secretary present, thus, was forever hidden in the shadows.

    He wasn¡¯t even sure if Zhao Lifei remembered him, for she was the one who hired him in the first ce. He remembered the day very clearly because it was the day she practically saved his life.

    He did note from a wealthy background or, and his suit was a hand-me-down, but she saw potential in him and decided to hire him, saving him from a life of poverty.

    When he first met Zhao Lifei behind the enormous and long interview table, he was blown away by her, not in a good way. She looked tipsy, there was a sk beside her, and she looked bored to be there as if Wei Hantao had forcefully dragged her.

    Huo Qiudong knew better than anyone else to not judge a book by its cover. She might¡¯ve looked like a slob, but that brain of hers was incredible.

    He had heard rumors about her ability to nce at the stock market and predict which one would give the most profit and which one was estimated to drop. He had a feeling it was because she was highly immersed in the upper-circle where the smallest scandal of a family couldn¡¯t run past her ears.

    But that was not all.

    He had personally witnessed her breaking-down an interviewee that made a presentation about a proposal she had in mind.

    The interviewee was a student from a well-known and respectable college, top of her ss, whose presentation was wless and no one else except Zhao Lifei¡¯s keen eyes was able to point out the tiniest ws.

    She fired questions after questions until the interviewee broke down from pressure and could not handle it anymore. Him, on the other hand, even when a wave of questions was tossed at him, did not falter.

    He nced back towards the office door, where silence could be heard due to the soundproof walls. He was sure, even as he stood outside, she would be controlling the uptight Wei Hantao with a leash.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei walked to theputer in front of Wei Hantao. She ced a hand on his plush leather arm-chair to bend down and examine the stock-market that he was looking at.

    Wei Hantao stiffened when her floral scent invaded his senses, tingling his brain, and teasing his heart which skipped a beat whenever she was around. He found it sad and amusing that he was always chased by women, but could never get the one from his dreams. Even in high school, he could not make her turn her head towards him, for the ss president was too busy chasing after Zheng Tianyi.

    Wei Hantao thought he might¡¯ve finally had a chance with her, but he seized it toote. Yang Feng was already in the picture.

    Wei Hantao was wise enough to know he should not mess with the Young Master of the Yang family who could squash him like a bug, but he was not afraid of the consequences anymore. He had allowed her to slip out of his fingers once, he would not allow for it again.

 Chapter 190 Dont Wai

    Wei Hantao tried his best to not be distracted by their close proximity, but that was bing increasingly difficult when their fingers almost brushed against each other as she reached for theputer mouse.

    He swallowed hard, before stating, "Axion Technology stock is on the rise and there have been many investors looking into thepany ever since their newly announced program for high schoolers to prevent stress. It would be a goodpany to invest in¡ª"

    "Their stocks will drop."

    "Why?"

    "The program is very idealistic, but who¡¯s to say those high schoolers will even look at the program with their heads buried in books to study for their college entrance exams? Stress is a big factor in our current education system, but with the rise of tiger parents, they see it as normal behavior when pushing their child into the best colleges."

    Wei Hantao blinked. He never thought about that. He, himself, had looked at the colorless and nd program, believing it was quite idealistic with the calming images, words of encouragement, and mini-games to y.

    "Furthermore, the program is not selling for much too. We won¡¯t gain that much profit from it."

    "Then what about Pegasus Express? It¡¯s a newpany promising one-day delivery faster than the other ones¡ª"

    "95% of their deliveries came from one major tform with their own investments, ruling out about 80% of their shares. The remaining 10% was bought out by the smaller branches of the same tform."

    Wei Hantao incredulously stared at her, figuring out her game n. "Then should we invest in Wang Real Estate Company, their stocks are on the drop, and let me guess, you see potential¡ªow!" She whacked him with a notebook.

    "Don¡¯t sass me." She rolled her eyes. "That¡¯s not my gamen, stupid." She shook her head, scrolling down.

    "Feili is not a charity case. Just because Wang Real Estate Company¡¯s stock is dropping and there¡¯s potential in it rising again, does not mean I rmend investing in it." She muttered, her eyes lighting up when she saw it.

    YRQ Designs was steadily on the rise and she knew, without a doubt, once their new clothing line was pushed out in a few weeks, it would boost their stocks like crazy. The only reason they had not been propelled to extremes was because Yang Ruqin was too bombarded with her modeling career to properly release a new line aside from the small sprinkles here and there.

    "Buy shares from YRQ Designs. Reach out to them." Zhao Lifei knew she had a slight bias and upper hand here by being an acquaintance of Yang Ruqin, but in this dog eat dog world, she had to do everything to ensure survival.

    Yang Ruqin had unlimited wealth, but she was too stubborn to use it on her ownpany because the money she had was mainly from her parents. Qinqin was a tough cookie. She did not want to solely rely on her parents which was why she even pursued a modeling career in the first ce.

    "Isn¡¯t this the brand of your friend¡ª"

    "Regardless if it is, YRQ Designs will seed." She didn¡¯t say it on the basis ofplimenting Yang Ruqin, for the woman was not even present!

    Zhao Lifei genuinely believed thepany¡¯s sales would skyrocket, given the fact that their designs were worn at the highly publicized banquet of Shenbei. The images were all stered on the media and even now, many people were still discussing it, in particr, the golden dress she had sported.

    "You baby her too much." Wei Hantao chuckled before writing down YRQ on his notepad as well as a few others that she was beginning to list out. The more he wrote out, the less he began to question her decision. It was usually right and the oues were phenomenal.

    Afterward, Zhao Lifei went back to checking papers, preparing for the meeting with Yang Enterprise, and it wasn¡¯t long before the sun disappeared behind the clouds, making way for the moon. Nightfall hade and she knew it was time to go home, but where was home?

    She stared out the window, a glum expression on her face when she thought about Yang Feng. He was most likely at his office right now...with Su Meixiu. She scowled when the pretty face of the secretary popped up in her mind. She did not forget her grandfather¡¯s words. Yang Feng had defended Su Meixiu in her presence, given she was asleep, but he still did so.

    Fine.

    If he didn¡¯t want to dispose of her because she was so useful, she was willing to y into this little game of his. Tomorrow, she would walk into the meeting, armed with Wei Hantao and Huo Qiudong at her call.

    Hmph, let¡¯s see how he would react to that!

    - - - - -

    After bidding Wei Hantao a good night and finding his longing expression puzzling, Zhao Lifei walked into the parking lot basement and got into her car. Once inside and ensuring the door was locked, she called Yang Feng who picked up on thest ring.

    There was a slight noise in the background before he spoke up, "Are you going home now?"

    "Yeah, are you?"

    Chen Gaonan clicked his pen, twirling it with his fingers as he impatiently waited for his boss to get off the phone.

    His personal team was gathered in the private and soundproof meeting room to discuss thest-minute ns with Feili who miraculously epted their offer this morning. They didn¡¯t expect the date to be set early in the morning and the entire team was working very hard to ensure everything was perfectly drafted andpleted.

    "I will be heading homete tonight. Eat dinner first, don¡¯t wait for me."

    Chen Gaonan was actually very pleased to see his boss was staying behind instead of heading home to entertain that woman. He was also happy to know his persistence had paid off in the end. While they were in a battle in getting Feili to ept their offer for a private meeting, their value had significantly increased and when he checked a few hours ago. It seemed they had invested in a few stocks, some of them did not seem promising, but a few did.

    He wondered what the CEO was thinking until he checked it again and found his jaw dropping to the floor. The less promising ones were actually the ones whose value drastically increased.

    Su Meixiu was also astonished by the turn of events, for the fewpanies that she rmended were failures. She let her confidence in the market get the best of her and only checked the surface of thepanies without looking too much into it.

    She had gotten a thorough scolding by Chen Gaonan as well as the other members of President Yang¡¯s private team, butpared to the earful that other people got, hers was not surprisingly, very lenient.

    She didn¡¯t get any punishment as others would and this realization made her feel giddy inside. While she worked on the presentation, she constantly snuck secretive nces towards her boss, a tiny smile on her face.

    Zhao Lifei felt her dampened mood decrease further. It was already seven at night, yet he was still working? Lord knows what this workaholic was thinking!

    "Are you in a meeting?"

    "Yes."

    "When will it end?"

    "Not for a while."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s shoulders sagged in disappointment. What happened to returning earlier from work? What happened to keeping herpany?

    Chen Gaonan sighed, checking the time. It was gettingte now and he preferred to quickly finish this meeting so that he could go home. He was forced to stay behindter every night and could only leave once all of the other employees did. It ced a strain on his body and his rtionship with his wife who was giving him the silent treatment.

    Tonight, Yang Feng had told everyone to go home earlier than usual and all of the employees were more than happy to oblige themand.

    Su Meixiu proofread and edited the slides, cing the finishing touches on it before she finally rxed in her chair and said, "President Yang, the presentation is finished."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes sharpened at the voice. Su Meixiu was with him?!

 Chapter 191 In The Room Alone

    "Why does Su Meixiu¡¯s voice sound so close to you?" Zhao Lifei could not help it anymore. Her possessiveness got the best of her, just like Yang Feng¡¯s did at Sky Arc Complex.

    "She¡¯s my personal assistant. She has to be."

    Her mouth dropped at his words. "Okay, but she does she have to sit directly next to you?"

    "My dear, you have to calm down¡ª"

    "Or you could just not anger me every few seconds, then maybe I can finally be calm!" Zhao Lifei did not wait for his reply before hanging up the phone.

    She didn¡¯t bother going to Cerulean Water Pavillion or his house for the matter. She refused to go to a ce where he could easily find her. She also did not go to her grandfather¡¯s ce, for he would question her the split second she walked into the door.

    Zhao Lifei made a quick-stop at Sky Arc Complex, grabbing the clothes and essories she would wear tomorrow. She then hopped into her car and made a full detour around the city, nearly wasting all of her gas in an attempt to throw off anyone that was probably following her. Eventually, she drove to a five-star hotel, where she got a penthouse suite and copsed onto the bed.

    She could hear her phone buzz off every few seconds and she nned on ignoring it until the sound eventually got too tiring and she stood up to grab it. Turning it over, she rolled her eyes when she saw it was Yang Feng telling her he was willing to go home if she wanted him to. She ignored his text and focused on a few other ones.

    Her eldest uncle had texted her again, asking to have dinner at the same restaurant she had gone with him, her father, and grandfather a few weeks back. She remembered it was the same night she stormed off with Wu Yuntai, the same night her father¡¯s words cut her more than the words of her enemies. She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to remember his hateful phrases.

    [Lifei, Uncle is very happy you agreed. This sounds very impatient of me, but when do you n on giving me his contact? We can talk it out during lunch tomorrow.]

    Zhao Lifei typed back. [Uncle, there is no need for lunch. This is his contact.] She passed it off without much care in the world and just then, Yang Feng texted her again.

    [Where are you? The housekeepers of both Cerulean Waters Pavilion and my house said you did note home.]

    She scoffed, of course, he would keep tabs on her. [What? Is Su Meixiu boring you?] At this, he called her. She stared at it, debating if she wanted to pick up, but decided against it. If she heard Su Meixiu¡¯s voice in the background, she would truly lose her patience. She declined it. He called again. She declined again.

    She typed "Go back to work," and switched off the notifications of her phone, cing it face down on the nightstand.

    She felt her stomach grumble in hunger, but didn¡¯t bother to care. She took a shower and went to bed, ignoring the fact that her text message had ignited a zing trail of fury, the first people being burnt were Yang Feng¡¯s poor employees upon whom he unleashed his wrath.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei woke upter than nned. She cursed out loud, hurriedly taking a morning shower and cing her clothes on. She did a lightyer of makeup and thoroughly did her hair, curling it in a natural wave before tying it up and spritzing on some perfume, knowing it would drive Yang Feng crazy.

    She gave herself a final look in the mirror, satisfied with what she saw. She wore a loose and flowy white top tucked into a pastel pink pencil skirt that stopped a bit above her knees, giving her a slight hourss figure, paired with low heels.

    Her stomach screamed for food, but she did not have enough time to eat anything. She brewed herself a cup of tea from the tray of amenities and rushed downstairs to her car, nearly burning herself in the process.

    She checked the time and saw she had twenty minutes to get there, which was more than enough. Blowing out a sigh of relief, she felt the boulder on her shoulders finally lessen.

    Fifteen minutester, she reached Feili. There was another car that was pulling up behind her in the far back and when she saw the ck Maybach surrounded by a few other cars that blended into the background, she knew exactly which Young Master was in there.

    Needless to say, she ran to the elevator, repeatedly pressing the button. She could feel more stares on her and chose to ignore it.

    She blew out a puff of relief when the door finally dinged open. She could see peopleying out a grand carpet and the employees lining up to greet Yang Feng. The door opened in a very dramatic manner, slow-motion even, as if it was a movie, and in strolled the Emperor himself.

    Dashing as always, tall legs that stretched for miles, hands tucked into his pocket, eyes sharp and slightly narrowed, he gave off a mysterious persona that drew the women closer. The coat jacket hanging on his shoulders fluttered with each confident step of his. She understood why he was known as the Nation¡¯s Husband, beating out many A-list actors.

    She stopped ogling him when her eyes trailed behind him where Su Meixiu was not far from him, walking further than most of Yang Feng¡¯s private team, Chen Gaonan a step behind her. Her mood dampened again as she pressed the door to the elevator close and went to the highest floor of the building.

    She went to Wei Hantao¡¯s office and saw him inside whereas Huo Qiudong was most likely in the meeting room, setting everything up.

    "I¡¯m sure you already know of this, but Yang Fe¡ª ahem, I mean, President Yang has entered the building." She was not surprised that he was not going to attend the meeting. He was a very low key and private person who did not want to be in the eyes of the media.

    "Yes, and why are you not in the meeting room?" He ced his pen down and finally nced up from his paper. He immediately wished he didn¡¯t.

    She was breathtaking, his heart rapidly thumped at the sight of her. She sure knew how to drive a man crazy. Only her neck and legs were revealed, but that was enough for his heart to skip a beat. Her swan neck was out for everyone to see, adorned by the small frill cuff of her white top, and her slender, long legs, Wei Hantao did not know how to react.

    "What? Do I look weird?" She furrowed her brows, ncing down at her outfit upon seeing his prolonged stare.

    "No, you look amazing." He muttered, standing up, his fingers irking to release her hair from the ponytail she was sporting.

    "If you stay here any longer, you¡¯re gonna miss greeting President Yang." He walked to her, using all of his willpower to not touch her hair.

    "I know." She shrugged, preferring to make a dramatic entrance.

    "Are you going as the CEO, Vice President, or representative of Feili?" He asked her.

    "As the CEO." She said, without hesitation. "I know this request is sudden, but do you want toe with me as the Vice President?"

    When she saw his expression changed, she hurriedly said, "Your face won¡¯t be publicized if you go as Vice President since most of the attention will be on the CEO. I¡¯ll make sure you keep your privacy¡ª"

    "Let¡¯s go then." He mused, pressing a hand to her upper back, guiding her out of the door. He wanted to go to the meeting anyway. Yang Feng was there and he knew Huo Qiudong would be pardoned from the room. He¡¯d rather not have the two in the room alone.

 Chapter 192 She Is On Her Way

    In the meeting room.

    "30 seconds more and they would be consideredte." Chen Gaonan spoke up, his eyes trained on the wristwatch.

    He was impressed and very amused. Getting thispany to have a meeting with them was beyond difficult and now personally seeing them was bing a hard task as well. This was the first time in a very long time since anyone dared to make Yang Enterprise wait like this ¡ª especially when Yang Feng himself was present.

    Just as the clock ticked down to thest 5 seconds, Chen Gaonan was beginning to wonder who was gutsy enough to make them wait.

    He internally counted in his head,

    5,

    4,

    3,

    2,

    1¡ª A man strolled into the room, dressed in a light grey id suit that fitted his body type perfectly. He was a slender man whose charming features surprised the female employees in the room. He had the face of royalty as if he was mixed with a slight percentage of foreign blood. He was very tall and when he walked into the room,manded the authority of everyone there.

    Yang Feng stared at him with disinterest. He was the only one not overwhelmed by the man¡¯s presence.

    "I apologize for beingte, President Yang." The man had a slightly deep voice, a tinge of ent to it, perhaps a dialect.

    Yang Feng knew he was not a simple man. The men surrounding his littledy were indeed very powerful. It seemed this Wei Hantao, who dared to reach for Zhao Lifei in Yang Feng¡¯s presence, was the representative or perhaps CEO of Feili.

    It was a surprising turn of events, for he had checked the man¡¯s background and Feili was not mentioned anywhere. He came from a very respected background, his father being the highest shareholder of Weida Law Firm.

    "Pardon myte introduction, my name is Wei Hantao, the Vice President of Feili." He revealed a smile, his pearly-white teeth shining.

    Su Meixiu was impressed to see the Vice President was such a good looking man. It seems there has been a wave of young VPs and CEOs recently, Ling Fulei being one of them. Given, this man was very appealing with a face blessed by heaven itself, his face and presence could never rival her boss.

    "Mr. Wei, it was brought to my attention the CEO of Feili would be joining us, if I may ask, where is the man in question?" Chen Gaonan tactfully spoke up, his eyesnding on another man waiting by the doorway of the meeting room.

    Su Meixiu was amused to see another suave man enter the scene. He was slightly muscr and had a simr height to the Vice President, but his aura was not as formidable, which would be quite embarrassing if he was the CEO. To have a Vice President outshine the actual leader, that would be a joke.

    "SHE is on her way here as we speak." Wei Hantao responded, cing emphasis on "she." His grin curbed to one that resembled a calctive and conniving fox, his eyes folding into thin lines.

    Chen Gaonan was astonished. She? The CEO was a woman? That was quite the feat.

    He had expected a man to uplift Feili to the level it was today and as sexist as it sounds, the thought of a woman ruling over thepany never crossed his mind. Whoever it was, must¡¯ve been amazing. Not many women could survive in the higher positions of the cruel business world where men often don¡¯t take the words of a woman seriously.

    Chen Gaonan leaned back in his chair, waiting in anticipation on who could be in charge of Feili.

    Su Meixiu was also eagerly waiting, for she wanted to be of acquaintance to such an outstanding woman. She had never encountered a female CEO who built herpany from the ground up and did not inherit the position from her family or husband.

    Just then, the small click of heels could be heard, bursting on the floor like small fireworks, the sound echoing down the halls, an oddlyfortable and symmetric sound. Powerful and confident, that much could be heard.

    In the silent room, Yang Feng¡¯s team held their breath as the sound got louder with each passing second, a shadow passing onto the floor before a person was in sight. The outline showed a woman with a slender and hourss body, her small waist the first thing that stood out.

    Wei Hantao hid the mirth on his face at the visible curiosity of the people in front of him. When his eyes skimmed to Yang Feng, he was disappointed by what he saw. The man did not look interested at all.

    Hu Qiudong stepped away from the door when he saw Zhao Lifei approaching not far off. She walked like a Queen, chin up, shoulders back. The sunlight shined upon her, a gleaming light reflecting off her earrings, enhancing the lightness of her amber eyes, turning it into a molten color of gold. She had the eyes of an alpha tigress, glowing abnormally.

    His lips curved upwards in appreciation. She was everything a confident woman overseeing apany worth more than a billion dors should be.

    He bowed his head in respect and took another step back.

    "I have kept you waiting, gentlemen, for that, I apologize." When Zhao Lifei¡¯s voice rang throughout the room, it evoked a heavy silence. Not a single sound could be heard, not even a drop of the lightest feather.

    Chen Gaonan was stunned to the core, his body rooted to the chair, his brain in a daze. He was bewildered to the point of where he forgot to stand up and greet the woman, as all of Yang Feng¡¯s assistants had done so, except for him and Su Meixiu.

    Chen Gaonan opened and closed his mouth, at a loss for words. He had truly underestimated this Zhao Lifei. She was the CEO of Feili? He called himself a fool. Of course, Feili, Lifei, it was the characters of her name backward!

    Su Meixiu lost herposure. Her amicable smile slipped, a stunned expression on her petite face.

    She did not think Zhao Lifei would go that far in her rtionship with their boss, given as her private intel told her Mr. and Mrs. Yang did not seem that pleased to see Zhao Lifei. But with Feili backing her up, this woman would be harder to tackle down.

    Yang Feng felt his breath hitch upon seeing his woman standing at the doorway. He didn¡¯t have to, but he stood up in greetings, his eyes skimming every part of her before it went straight to her eyes.

    He was worried all night about where she was and after having his menb the entire city for her, he was able to figure out she was staying at a penthouse suite. He made sure that no other man was able to enter the room.

    "Lifei¡ª"

    "President Yang, I hope you do not forget professional protocols." She interrupted, her lips uplifting to a smile that did not reach her eyes. "The same way your secretaries have done so." Her eyesnded on Chen Gaonan and Su Meixiu whose expression amused her.

    Yang Feng stiffened, his eyes trailzing to them. "Do you have to be told twice?" There was a rough edge to his voice. They would be punished for this, that much was ensured.

    Chen Gaonan hurriedly stumbled to stand up, bowing his head in respect, his arms at his side. He could not believe he was shocked to the point of where all rationality flew out of the window. It was a basic procedure that everyone stood up when the CEO stepped in.

    Su Meixiu was the only one who did not stand. She stood out like a sore thumb, everyone¡¯s gazending upon her in disapproval. When she saw Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips tilt down in disdain and felt the pressure of her boss¡¯s eyesnd on her, she reluctantly did so.

    Even then, she did not bow.

    Zhao Lifei tilted her head at the secretary, her eyes filled with mockery. "Quite a disrespectful secretary you have there." She mused.

    Her eyes skimmed the rest of his private team, impressed to see there were two golden-tedwyers in front of her.

    Yang Feng sent a glowering stare towards Su Meixiu, a lethal chill entering the atmosphere. His entire team held their breath in fear that the slightest sound would set off the ticking time bomb. They shook in their shoes, their heart trembling and poor Su Meixiu who was the center of it, could not help but bow as low as her body would allow her to do so.

    "I-I apologize, Miss Zhao¡ª"

    "President Zhao to you." Wei Hantao spoke up, clicking his tongue and shaking his head at this foolish woman. One mistake after the other, it made him question why Yang Feng would even keep such a thing around.

    "Well then, let¡¯s get this meeting started, shall we?" Zhao Lifei mused, pleased to see the nervous and terrified expression on Su Meixiu¡¯s face, as well as the slightly irked one on Chen Gaonan.

    She motioned Huo Qiudong to close the door. He instantly did so, locking it, as Zhao Lifei took a seat directly opposite to Yang Feng. Wei Hantao sat on her right while Huo Qiudong sat on her left. She knew it was bothering Yang Feng whose gaze looked murderous enough to snap the heads of the two men beside her.

    She ignored it as Su Meixiu stepped forward with a man envelope containing a thick contract inside. She didn¡¯t bother thanking the secretary or even sparing her a nce before her eyes went straight to the proposal as she waved her hand to start the presentation.

 Chapter 193 She Can Handle Herself

    Su Meixiu spoke up, "Pardon me, Miss Zh-, I mean President Zhao, but will two employees be enough? Shouldn¡¯t there be a consultant..." She trailed off when Zhao Lifei did not bother to look at her. Her eyes twitched in annoyance.

    No one had ever ignored her in a meeting before, but then again, most older CEOs, Vice Presidents, orpany representatives were male and they were often mesmerized by her blinding beauty.

    Wei Hantao spoke up for her. "Our president here does not need a consultant or anyone else. She can handle herself."

    Yang Feng did not need further exnation to know what the inferior Vice President was referring to. Even though it happened a while back, he would never forget the excellency she demonstrated in Zhao Corporation, the way she was able to silence the people with her words. She, alone, will suffice.

    Chen Gaonan took it as a sign to begin the presentation. Su Meixiu was in charge of crafting it and he was often in charge of speaking about it.

    The lights were dimmed in the room and soon, everyone took their ce. He was the one in charge of speaking about the proposal, never once missing a single detail as he loudly and clearly enunciated his words,pletely unaware that his own boss was not paying attention to him, but was instead concentrating on the dashingdy sitting in front of him.

    Zhao Lifei was focused on the slides, her brows slightlying together, forming small wrinkles on her forehead as she listened with clear interest, jotting down small notes every few seconds. She lookedpletely serious and focused on the task at hand, improving Chen Gaonan¡¯s opinion of her. It seemed she was not all beauty and talk after all...

    Zhao Lifei thought this was quite an interesting idea. Yang Enterprise was proposing an independentmunity that housed the elderly. Instead of senior citizens being confined to their room where their freedom was stripped away in exchange for 24/7 care, they would be moved into their own individualized and normal apartments. There would be on-sight care, but the elderly would get to decide everything about their life and way of living, except for the medicine they would take.

    All of this seems idealized and if it was in a closedmunity with a wide variety of amenities, without a doubt, the idea would be quite sessful. The elderly poption was on the rise and most were reluctant to go to nursing homes and this would be a very good alternative to it.

    Zhao Lifei remembered, however, there was a simr idea like this overseas in the states, but the poprity of it was dwindling because of a ring issue: many smallpanies advertising the same thing but promising something else of lesser quality.

    Chen Gaonan finished his presentation and the lights turned back on. Not a single sound could be heard except for Zhao Lifei¡¯s pen scribbling on the paper.

    "This slide concludes the end of the presentation. Do you have any questions I can answer?" He was mainly directing this response to Zhao Lifei, testing to see if she was truly paying attention or just doodling on her paper.

    "Yes, I do." Zhao Lifei spoke up. "This idea was once poprized overseas, but has been dwindling for quite a while now. How do you n on addressing this issue?"

    Chen Gaonan raised a brow at the reasonable question. "Well, it has not been brought to our country yet, though there are a few smaller mock-ups. Every project ever started with Yang Enterprise has had a sess rate of 95%."

    Zhao Lifei did not look impressed. "Yes, Mr. Chen, I understand Yang Enterprise is a goodpany, but I need you to answer my question."

    Chen Gaonan felt stupefied at his own ipetence, not believing his said such a generic response. He med it on theck of sleep, from the punishment, and the hours ving away on the apology papers. He had given Yang Feng a draft only for the one-hundred page letter to be shredded in a machine and a new one to be requested.

    "I apologize, President Zhao." The title sounded foreign to his ears, but seeing her now, it was quite suitable for her. "Many of the ones in the states as well as this country have failed because they did not have the resources, funding, and connections to borate the idea to a scale asrge as ours. "

    He revealed a smile. "With a name asrge as Yang Enterprise backing up the project with Wang Real Estate as our coborating partner, the project is ensured sess. In terms of reputation, Yang Enterprise has always maintained a clean image and is heavily favored by the people."

    Zhao Lifei carefully thought over his words, her brows scrunching. Wang Real Estate was raising red gs for her.

    It was her maternal family¡¯spany. She may not speak to her parents or a lot of people from the maternal side of the family, but she was quite sure, there were shady practices happening.

    If her maternal rtives were nothing but scheming people who would turn against their own family, flesh and blood, turning against their own coborators would not be a surprise.

    "I rmend investigating further into Wang Real Estate before you decide to use them as a backer. There was a scandal that broke out two days ago, hence their current drop in stocks. It was covered up but there are a lot of loose strings." She hinted, not revealing much, but that was all Chen Gaonan needed to hear.

    He was surprised she was knowledgeable, but remembered her mother¡¯s surname was Wang. At least she was resourceful enough to know this much, but he wondered, what else did she know?

    "Then President Zhao, is there anypany you would rmend?" Chen Gaonan was testing her to see if she was gutsy enough to tantly advertise her grandfather¡¯spany that was known for their hotel empire.

    "That is up for you to decide, Mr. Chen." She chuckled, flipping the page of the long report.

    Chen Gaonan swallowed. He was attempting to trick her, but his n backfired. It was not the investment firm¡¯s ce to rmend apany.

    She flipped to the revenue and projected cost of the proposal. It was a hefty amount to pay, but the revenue would turn out greater. They were surprisingly offering 10% shares of thepany which was quite a normal number, but with the cost of it, she believed it should be higher.

    "This is quite an interesting idea, I do have to admit." She raised her head, a warm smile on her face.

    Chen Gaonan felt his hopes go high. It seemed she was going to ept the proposal after all.

    "However, if you would like Feili to shell out nearly a billion just to create the enormousmunity, we would need reassurance." She prepared to throw out a curveball that they would definitely reject, but she would counter with a "lowered"promised that would secretly benefit Feili more.

    "Thepany will ept the proposal given we receive 30% of shares instead of 10%."

    Chen Gaonan was baffled by this and immediately responded, "That¡¯s quite outrageous given you¡¯re only the investment firm."

    "Hm, it would seem so. Then 15% of the shares would suffice, but in return, we would like a 5% management fee, as well as 25% of the annual profits."

    Chen Gaonan swallowed hard, turning to his boss, who had been studying Zhao Lifei for the longest time. He felt like crying, for even while she made phenomenal demands, his boss was still staring at her as if she was some sort of goddess gracing the Earth!

    Chen Gaonan expected his boss to easily give in to her. Dejected at the idea, he could feel his shoulders slightly slump down.

    Yang Feng studied her for the longest time and said, "10% of the shares, the rest is reasonable."

    Zhao Lifei wondered if Yang Feng was simply dumb to realize her tactic, but then again, she learned the technique of haggling from the streets that normal people frequented, not the rich. It was foolish of her to use a haggling method, but who would¡¯ve thought he would actually go for it?

    "14%." She mused.

    "12%."

    "14.5% then." She shrugged, not bothered at all that Yang Enterprise could cklist them if they wanted to. She had no problem going against thepany and it would not even fazed her if she did not support thismunity.

    The money they wanted was quite high and only a handful of investment firms would even fancy the idea. She knew most businesses would rather work with people they were more familiar with since, at the least, they would be able to gouge if their acquaintances were shady or not.

    Yang Feng narrowed his eyes onto his woman, who was sitting there examining her nails without a care in the world. She was quite haughty. Too bold for her own good, too assured of her sess to even entertain failure. He liked that about her, a bit too much.

    "13.5%."

    "15%." She replied.

    Chen Gaonan began to nervously sweat as the rest of Yang Feng¡¯s personal team begin to shake in their chairs when a deadly aura could be felt from their boss. Their teeth chattered and their bodies quivered when the wind of the north blew into the room, sweeping over the normal temperature.

 Chapter 194 Prejudice

    Yang Feng opened his mouth, but Zhao Lifei beat him to the chase. "Please don¡¯t try to negotiate further, President Yang. 14% is my final offer, take it or leave it. It¡¯s already significantly lower than my previous 30%."

    Her eyes trailed over to Su Meixiu and Chen Gaonan. "And besides, it¡¯s the least you can do aspensation for the tant disrespect your people have shown me."

    Yang Feng found himself humored by the expression on her face, his sour mood bing a bit better. She was confident and powerful in her own right, it instantly drew him towards her more and more. He realized then, he had underestimated her abilities.

    His lips curved into a slight smirk, "It¡¯s a deal then."

    The twowyers he brought with him immediately pulled out aptop and revised the entire contract on the spot. Within less than five minutes, a new stack of papers was wirelessly printed in the room and handed to Huo Qiudong who personally handed it to his boss with two hands.

    Zhao Lifei flipped through it, examining every page with great interest and detail. The clock ticked on the wall, the only source of sound that could be heard in this spacious, but suffocating room.

    Nearly everyone was stunned to the core, blown away by this woman¡¯s ability. She was able to intimidate Su Meixiu, make Chen Gaonan falter, and ruthlessly negotiate with their boss without breaking out in tears.

    In the eyes of Yang Feng¡¯s people, she was an absolutely amazing woman. A majority of them already knew about her rtionship with their boss, but seeing as she was able to not mixing her personal life with her work, they could clearly see her professionalism.

    After a few minutes, she finally said, "It¡¯s a pleasure to work with you, President Yang."

    She signed her name on the dotted lines on every page and then stood up, reaching her hand out.

    Yang Feng gave a slight nod before firmly shaking her hand with the force that could crush her tiny ones, but she responded by giving an equally sturdy one.

    - - - - -

    Su Meixiu did not dare to utter a single word the entire walk to the elevator and down the office. Her head was kept low and tucked, her eyes trained to the floor.

    Yang Feng¡¯s team pitied her, for they all knew she was in for a lengthy lecture for the behavior she demonstrated in front of President Zhao. Speaking of her, many of them were wooed to the bone at such a strong, charismatic woman. She had the right amount of confidence to not flinch in front of so many judging eyes, the perfect level of professionalism to keep everyone in check. They had never seen a woman like her and knowing she had the potential to be their Lady Boss made them a lot happier.

    Chen Gaonan walked with a dumbfounded expression on his face. His usually strict and frigid face was nowhere to be found. He could feel his previous prejudice towards her crash and crumble onto the ground, smashed into fine dust, and blown away by the wind.

    She was not a typical woman relying on his boss¡¯ power and wealth, she was not a weak little thing, nor a pushover. Seeing her and the way she behaved today gave him a rude awakening, like a smack to his face.

    He insulted himself in everynguage he knew. Why was it that he judged her so soon?

    Was it because he personally viewed Su Meixiu as the only woman that should stand by his boss¡¯ side? He was ustomed with the idea, stupid enough to listen to the foolish rumors branding her as the "Future Madam Yang."

    Now that he had seen Zhao Lifei in a different light, he began to understand who really had the capacity to be with his boss and it was none other than the President of Feili.

    - - - - -

    Yang Enterprise.

    Su Meixiu stood in front of the now daunting desk of her boss, the very one she used to admire him from. Her shoulders were caved in an attempt to make herself as small as possible. Her body was shaking, her heart palpitating, and her eyes gazing down. If she could dig a hole and crawl into it, she would be the happiest woman in the world.

    The deafening silence was beginning to make her break out in a cold sweat. She could not find the courage to even breathe or utter a single sound, for that alone could set off her boss. She squeezed her eyes shut, hating how quiet it was in this room. There was not a single clock in here to evoke even the tiniest of sounds.

    Yang Feng stood by the window, his back turned to the woman a few meters away from him. He stared into the city, where Feili could distinctively be seen in the far distance, his eyes thinking back to Zhao Lifei, his heart thumping fast as the image of her lovely face shed across his mind. What was she doing now?

    His lips curled into a snarl when his brain painted the image of her sitting down, Wei Hantao to her right and the male secretary to her left. The foul memory was branded into his mind, reminding him that she could easily be whisked away by someone else if he was not careful enough. He was reminded that she had many options to choose from.

    "You¡¯re demoted."

    Those two single words were enough to break Su Meixiu¡¯s willpower as she nearly copsed onto the floor at his statement, her knees wobbling. "B-Boss, I won¡¯t do it again, I swear! I¡¯ll get better, I¡¯ll change¡ª"

    "You¡¯ve had too many chances."

    Su Meixiu pressed a hand to her lips in an attempt to block off the sob that was threatening toe out. She had been by his side for over nine years now, the decade anniversary approaching in a couple of months, but here she was, being thrown away for a mistake.

    "It was only one mistake¡ª"

    She silenced when Yang Feng swiftly turned around, his eyes so hauntingly bleak, she could not find the willpower to continue on. He did not need to speak up for her to realize where she went wrong.

    It was not one mistake, for she had made many in the past and he had always pardoned her for it. She had gotten toofortable in her position as his private assistant and secretary.

    She did not share the same fear as her fellow co-workers who worked diligently to ensure they would never be reced, for she always thought to herself that President Yang would always forgive her.

    She sniffled, biting hard on her bottom lip, her head dropping low as tears flowed from her eyes, dripping onto the floor. She hated crying. She hated tears. It reminded her of the past where she used to make mistakes in front of her father, her face flushing bright red when she couldn¡¯t master the moves being taught to her.

    Swallowing her pride, she uttered, "What...w-will be m-my position?"

    Yang Feng thought back to Zhao Lifei and the way she was willing to fight for him. She was willing to do so much, but he couldn¡¯t soothe her fear. She did not like Su Meixiu and neither did Zhao Moyao.

    Yang Feng knew her well enough to know she treasured the opinion of her grandfather, yet here she was, going against Zhao Moyao¡¯s desire for the two to break-up.

    "The furthest desk outside."

    Su Meixiu felt her heart drop at the title. She had expected to stop being his private assistant, but still be able to keep her position by his side or at the least, be able to converse with him.

    The furthest desk outside¡¯s only role in thepany was to receive calls and pass on messages to the other private secretaries who would inform Yang Feng. Aside from the tiny glimpses of him when he walked in and out of his office, she would never have the opportunity to speak to him again unless spoken to.

    She could not apany him to his meetings, be by his side to fulfill his private orders, see him off, talk to him, visit his family, and so forth. Everything that she was ustomed to in thest nine years, she would have to forget and never do again. All the while, she would have to witness another person perform the same deed, doing the routine she used to do every day. She would be forced to see someone else rece her position by his side.

    Her perfectly manicured fingers dug into her skin, her teeth grinding together, jaws ck, the light leaving her eyes.

 Chapter 195 Violen

    The day eventually came to an end for Zhao Lifei who left Feili once the sun began to set. She felt slightly dizzy from not having consumed anything the entire day except for a cup of tea.

    She tiredly rubbed her eyes as she walked to her car in the underground parking lot. She unlocked the door, opened it and blinked. It was locked again. Huh, didn¡¯t that mean she didn¡¯t unlock it the first time? She tilted her head and could¡¯ve sworn she did.

    Shrugging it off, she pressed the button again and unlocked the car door. Without looking, she climbed into the car, a scream leaving her lips when she saw a man sitting in the passenger seat.

    She would¡¯ve stabbed the man in the eye with her car keys if it wasn¡¯t for his quick reflexes. His rough, but warm arms easily grabbed her wrists, holding them still. "Rx there, little kitty."

    Yang Feng was amused and d that her first instinct was to go for the eyes of the "attacker," for that was usually their most vulnerable area, though he did not enjoy being surprised like this.

    "Such a violent little thing." He chuckled, releasing her wrists when she tugged at them.

    Zhao Lifei did not say anything when she ced a hand on her frightened heart. She did not know what to say or feel upon seeing him.

    "What? Cat got your tongue?" He reached over to pinch her nose but she backed away from him, pressing her body to the car door. His expression soured at her reaction. She did not look happy to see him.

    "What are you doing here?"

    The question was like a jab at him, a smack even. He rushed every meeting of the day and did all of his paperwork, even skipping lunch, just so he could end this early, but she did not seem a bit grateful for his gesture.

    "What do you mean?"

    Zhao Lifei checked the time and showed it to him. "I thought you would be staying overnight at your office again. You know, just to break another promise."

    Yang Feng stared at her for the longest time, his expression softening when he saw how guarded she looked, her eyes using him. He gently reached over to caress her cheek in an attempt to bring her closer, but she swatted at his hand.

    "I stayed over the other night because yourpany gave the notice for today¡¯s meeting veryte."

    "Don¡¯t push the me onto me."

    "Well, don¡¯t send out the eptance sote." He did not bring up the fact that otherpanies would have to wait weeks in advance just to get a meeting with Yang Enterprise. epting the invitation to see Feili today was practically a miracle in itself.

    Zhao Lifei did not respond. She turned her face away from him and ced on the seatbelt to start the car and just then, she saw the message that the gas was running extremely low. She scowled, remembering the previous night where she drove an entire circle and a half around therge city just to lose her grandfather or Yang Feng¡¯s men tracking her. However, this alone should not be able to drain her gas that much, unless¡ª

    "Did you drain the gas tank of my car?!" She hissed, turning around. She figured it was practically impossible to hijack her car ande inside, but who would¡¯ve thought, this devious man would deplete the gas tank!

    Yang Feng shrugged, "Maybe I did, maybe I didn¡¯t."

    "You¡ª ugh!" She unbuckled her seatbelt, opening the car door, mming it closed and making moves to storm upstairs, but before she could move two steps forward, arms came out from behind her, wrapping themselves around her body.

    "Let go of me." She struggled against his iron grip. He responded by embracing her tighter, leaning his head on the crown of hers.

    "You¡¯re mad at me." He pointed out, one arm around her waist, the other on her corbone. He deliberately made sure she could not drive her car just so she couldn¡¯t run away from him.

    "Really, Sherlock Holmes? I couldn¡¯t tell!" She scoffed, rolling her eyes.

    "Is it thete night meeting? I won¡¯t do it again, okay?" He made moves to kiss her cheek, but she responded by turning it the other way and when he tried to kiss the other side, she dodged it again.

    "You broke your promise one day after you made it and you even had the audacity to be with¡ª" She stopped rambling midway after she realized how clingy she sounded. She was reverting back to her old ways again, to the same woman she was two years ago.

    "With who? Su Meixiu?" His suspicions were confirmed when she responded by roughly jamming her heels on his feet. Too bad for her, the leather shoes he was wearing were made with the strongest and best quality leather, ensuring nothing could easily dent it.

    "If you don¡¯t let go of me, I¡¯ll scream bloody murder." She babbled, hating the way her heart pricked when the hateful name was brought up.

    She was beginning to feel annoyed at his behavior. He knew everything. He knew her fear of being cheated on, he knew of her traumatic past, and he knew she had a dislike towards female secretaries, especially one that was by the side of their boss 24/7!

    "Scream all you want, but let¡¯s do it in bed."

    "You¡ª"

    "She¡¯s not my private assistant anymore."

    Zhao Lifei froze. What did he say?

    Yang Feng saw her sudden obedience and smiled. He turned her around, one arm still snaked around her, while the other reached to cup her cheek, his thumb drawing small circles on her skin.

    "Why?"

    "You didn¡¯t like her." He easily responded, rxing a bit when the depressed look in her eyes faded. The pleasant light in her eyes returned, turning the dark brown to the shade of milk chocte.

    "Your family won¡¯t react well to that." She muttered, more to herself than him.

    "They¡¯ll have to get used to it." He cheekily responded, bending down for a kiss, his heart leaping in joy when she did not push him away, but turned her cheek so that the kissnded on the corner of her lips.

    "Lifei." He frowned, grabbing her chin for a proper kiss, but she shook her head.

    "I¡¯m still mad at you."

    "Why?"

    "You always treat her so well, pardoning her for every single mistake and¡ª"

    "Her demotion was the punishment for today¡¯s behavior." Yang Feng wanted to say the only reason he allowed Su Meixiu¡¯s mistakes to slide was because her diligence and clumsiness of hers really reminded him of a younger Zhao Lifei.

    There were so many times the tiny child hurt herself in the past chasing after him, yet she was still tenacious enough to continue doing so, or there were times where she constantly knocked things over or even tripped over air.

    "From now on, there will be no more second chances."

    Zhao Lifei examined his face, searching for the slightest hesitation that would prove his words to be a lie, but there was none and to her relief, the fear of him cheating was beginning to disperse.

 Chapter 196 Folded Ears

    Yang Feng brushed back a few strands of hair and tucked them behind her ears, a rxed expression on his face. "Still mad?" He asked, already knowing the answer to the question. He could tell her pride was too high to give a proper response, but he did not mind that.

    "Whatever." She mumbled, too stubborn to admit anything.

    He didn¡¯t mind this sullen behavior of hers, like a small child, and instead, he guided her in the direction of the ck Maybach parked outside. When he made eye contact with Hu Wei in the driver¡¯s seat, they shared a silent message as the car started.

    "Where are we going?" She curiously asked, watching the city street whir by. She was getting more dizzy and tired by the second, her stomach lightly grumbling.

    "You¡¯ll find out soon."

    Too exhausted to ask anything and too hungry to move, she leaned her head on the car window in an attempt to rest.

    He guided her head towards him, leaning down so that she was morefortable. She hummed in reply, snuggling into his arms in pure content, his warmth wrapped around her like a heavy nket.

    - - - - -

    When the two had arrived at their location, Yang Feng nced down and saw she was deep asleep. He lifted his head to look out to the streets and decided her sleep was more precious.

    He sent a quick text to Chen Gaonan so he could reschedule the nned meeting for today. To Yang Feng, making that man wait was what he deserved for the horrible treatment he rained upon his woman on such a crucial event.

    "Back to the house." Yang Feng muttered to Hu Wei who looked at the rearview mirror in confusion while starting the car again and driving in the opposite direction of this ce. When the car was a further off, he could see a man running outside, but the car was already too far to see who he was.

    Yang Feng readjusted her position so that she was morefortable. He even changed his position, making him sit in an awkward position, just so she did not have to suffer. He thought of something he heard a while back that if one wasfortable enough to fall asleep in one¡¯s arms, it meant the person trusted them explicitly.

    His face softened at the idea, curling one finger to touch her cheek before kissing the same spot. "Never again." He muttered, his arms winding tighter around her, an indescribable glint in his eyes, bleak and darker than a river of ink.

    Hu Wei peered at the rearview mirror again, his concentrated eyes dispersing into a cloud of mncholy upon seeing the loving couple. His boss had fallen asleep with his cheek resting upon her head and even when he slept, he refused to let the woman go.

    Hu Wei¡¯s eyes trailed back to the road, his face slightly pain stricken when he realized the couple¡¯s rocky future. The two had barely gotten over their tiny obstacles and in the near future, a bigger one woulde. It would have the force to shake their world and threaten the tiny foundation they¡¯ve built their love upon...

    Squeezing his eyes shut, he could only pray that the tides would pass by quickly and the storm would leave the two unscathed... His Boss had experienced enough torture, horror, and pain in his life, he did not need anymore.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei was awoken by the aromatic smell wafting through the room, her nose crinkling at the savoy scent that was making her stomach tingle with delight. She peeled her eyes open with heavy reluctance, giving into her stomach begging desire for food. She had not eaten anything since yesterday¡¯s lunch.

    She rolled over in the bed, burying her face into the silk pillow while her body slid into the nkets, refusing to get up, but that annoying stomach of hers wouldn¡¯t stop pestering her for food!

    Grumbling to herself, she sat up on the bed, a lost expression on her face, her hair cascading beside her. She looked around the familiar room, blinking multiple times to adjust her eyes to the darkness. She could see this was Yang Feng¡¯s room.

    Climbing out of the bed, she frowned upon seeing her outfit was changed into something more suitable for sleeping. She touched her wrist and was d to feel a hair tie, which she used to turn her hair into a bun.

    She was prepared to give Yang Feng an earful for changing her clothes without consent again, but she did not have time for that when her body automatically followed the trailing scent of mouthwatering food.

    She let her feet take her to the first floor where Yang Feng was cooking, his back turned to her. She walked a bit more just so she could get a better profile of his side and she hated to admit, but he looked tastier than any of the food on the table. His hair was swept back, perfectly parted from running his hand into it so many times, and his toned body was outlined by the dark grey v-neck he was sporting.

    "Like what you see?"

    "I¡¯ve seen better." She shrugged, her provoking words turning his face sour. He turned the heat down and walked to her but she had already sat down, a cheeky grin on her face.

    When she saw his glum expression, as the air turned cold enough to develop frostbite, she added on, "Don¡¯t be jealous, the truth hurts."

    Yang Feng raised a brow, reaching down to grab that little chin of hers, but she scooted away from him, grabbing the fork and digging into the western dishes he cooked.

    "Don¡¯t disturb me while eating." She used it as an excuse, slicing the filet mignon cooked just the way she liked it ¡ª medium rare.

    "Hey!"

    He had grabbed her wrist and ate a slice of meat that she had cut for herself, obnoxiously chewing on it just to make her angry. He watched as she cut another piece and tried to put it into her mouth, only for him to snatch it again.

    Her cheeks puffed out in anger and right when he thought she was going to cut another slice, she went for the vegetables, diving straight for the asparagus he hated, but cooked for her.

    "What? Don¡¯t want it anymore?" She smirked in triumph, making a grand gesture to ce it into his mouth, her arrogance faltering when he ate that as well.

    "You¡ª"

    "So who¡¯s the buffoon that looks better than me?" He nonchntly asked, resisting the urge to spit out the disgusting grassy taste of the asparagus even though it was smoldered in butter and roasted garlic.

    Zhao Lifei bit her bottom lip to notugh at this petty child. He was eating all of her food because she didn¡¯tpliment him?

    "Me."

    She picked up the fork and sliced another piece of meat, this time, cing it into her mouth at lightning speed.

    Yang Feng was caught off guard by her words, but quickly came back to bootlick her. "Yes, of course. How could I forget?"

    He continued to hover over her, watching as she ate the food. "Maybe you can jog my memory by showing me¡ª"

    "Sit down and eat your dinner." She snorted, practically seeing his wagging tail drop in disappointment, his perked ears now folded.

    With heavy reluctance, he sat down, sulking and mumbling gibberish to himself as he roughly stabbed his filet mignon as if it could relieve his anger. He vowed tonight, he would get the promised two kisses.

 Chapter 197 Something New

    (Warning: Not safe for work content ahead, view discretion is advised!)

    - - - - -

    After dinner and a heaping dessert of caramel mouse paired with chocte souffle to soothe that sweet tooth of hers, Zhao Lifei locked herself in a separate room before Yang Feng could attack her. She brushed her teeth, took a shower, and was lying on the bed, eyes closed with a cooling sheet mask on her face.

    Yang Feng crept into the room using the master key, his footsteps lighter than a feather, and presence like a shadow blending into the dark room where the only source of light was the moon shining through the window, the pale curtains fluttering from the gentle breeze of the night. The stars were out today, perfect for sitting in the garden, but here sheid,zy and ready to sleep when the night had barely started.

    He was greatly entertained that she thought a mere lock could separate them. This was his house, he knew it like the back of his hand. He leaned on the wall, arms crossed, watching as sheid still, guard too lowered for his liking.

    Through the bleak darkness of this room, the only visible part of him was his burning eyes, filled with desire for her. He hadn''t kissed her in a while and he missed the taste of her lips, the torturous sounds she made that drove him mad, and the way her body naturally reacted to his.

    He pressed a finger to her phone and saw the timer for the sheet mask was only ten seconds from ringing. He let it go off on its own and when she reached over to turn it off, her hand touched his. Her eyes were about to open, but he seized the chance to fluidly take off the mask, his lips covering over hers before she could react.

    Her lips moved against his, fighting for the upper hand, and for once, he finally gave it to her. He was surprised when she suddenly grabbed his cor, tugging him down to her as she greedily kissed him back, slowly sucking on his lips, licking her way through, biting even, every little motion driving him insane.

    His hands began to explore her body, trailing from her arms to her waist, one hand grasping it whereas the other was keeping his weight off of her body.

    The silk nightgown she wore hid very little and soon, his hand was near her midthigh, his thumb caressing the skin before it went towards her inner thigh, teasing the sensitive area, her legs closing in response.

    A tiny moan left those heavenly lips of hers when their position changed as Yang Feng settled himself in between her legs, kissing her harder, no longer able to control himself and experience the torture of her slow kisses. He wanted her to take the lead, he truly did, but with how much agony she was giving him, he was close to losing it. There was a familiar ache in his member when his hands began to explore her entire body, roaming everywhere but her breast, her breathy moans tossing his rationality out of the window as her body arched to meet his hands.

    "Careful, love." His voice, hoarse and thick with desire, sent shivers crawling up her spine, her fingers reaching to grasp his biceps when his tongue dove into her mouth, stifling her moan as a low growl came from the back of his throat at her taste, sweeter than ambrosia.

    His tongue explored her mouth, learning every crevice of it before kissing her deeply again, a gasp leaving her lips when he suddenly bit her bottom lip, only to soothe the area by blowing against it, the sudden exposure of cold air amongst the heat of her body, confusing her brain which was already covered by a heavy fog.

    "I''m going to try something new, if you do not like it, tell me." He whispered against her lips before his lips trailed to the corner of her mouth, going down, nibbling, kissing, sucking, along the way to her neck at a slow pace, her fingers crawling up his back, her nails slightly digging into it, a grunt of approval leaving his lips while he continued the path downwards, going towards her corbone, her ample breasts just a few kisses away.

    He could tell she was still lost in the passion as her fingers dug into him in anticipation, her tiny pants of air arousing his member while he dove down to kiss the top of her chest, teasing the area, biting, sucking, and licking it, leaving a few marks behind and right when her guards were down, he turned his attention to her breast, a sharp gasp leaving her lips.

    Her body arched in response when his hot mouth was against her breast and despite the thin clothing, a loud moan escaped before another came out as his hand fondled the other.

    Yang Feng saw the sound as his signal to continue and decided to unhook the straps, pulling her gown lower to expose the perky white flesh that he longed to taste. Not giving her a chance to overthink the scenario, he dove straight in, capturing an orb, swirling his tongue around it.

    She let out a cry, "Y-Yang F-Feng¡­" She could barely breathe as the pleasure took over, his mouth doing crazy things to her.

    She withered beneath him, pushing against his chest, moaning again when he sucked the rosy bud, only to swirl his tongue around it, as waves upon waves of pleasure washed over her, and right when she thought he was finished, he turned his attention to the other bud, perky and waiting for him. Her fingers ran through his hair as her body began to hum, more heat flushing her skin, an aching feeling building up in her lower stomach, begging to be soothed.

    Yang Feng could feel his lower region throb, fully hardened and burning with desire to enter her and fill her entire body as she screamed his name, but he could not do it now, especially when she was so reluctant at first. He pulled back before it got any further, if he heard another one of her heavenly cries, he would truly lose all control.

    She stared at him through her heavyshes, her eyes greatly zed over, fluttering as those lovely lips of hers were slightly parted to catch much-needed air.

    When he touched her cheeks, caressing the spot, and bent down to lovingly kiss it, she melted against him, her fingers grasping his bicep.

    "A-are we stopping?" She tiredly mumbled, closing her eyes when he kissed her forehead, a smile on his lips.

    "Regretfully so." He whispered, kissing her onest time before pulling the straps back up to her shoulders, making sure her bosoms were covered.

    "Did you like it?"

    "...Mmhm¡­" She mumbled, clearly exhausted from their steamy session. Her eyes were closed, just a few more seconds and she would fall asleep.

    Yang Feng felt rxed and reassured at her words. She was so frightenedst time, but seeing her so calm this time, it soothed his worries. For her, even if he was heavily reluctant to do so, he would take it slow. She was simply too precious for him to force his way through.

    He climbed under the nket, pulling her body to him, to which she responded byfortably nesting her face against his shoulders. He brought the nket up to her chin, covering herpletely, fearing she might catch a cold with such a thin and revealing nightgown.

    His entire body froze, his eyes dting when her legs identally brushed against his enraged member that had not calmed down yet. His breath hitched when her knees rubbed against it. He looked down and saw she was fast asleep, unaware of her actions.

    "Do you have to be a tease in your sleep as well?" He roughly grumbled, his voice tightened and jaw clenched.

    A groan made its way from the back of his throat when she was about to shift her body again, but this time, he turned her back towards his side and decided to just spoon her. His legs wrapped around her tiny ones, keeping it in ce before she could do something again.

 Chapter 198 Important Matters

    Zhao Lifei woke up infortable warmth, something she always sought for. She was cocooned within something hard, strong, safe... She tiredly opened her eyes, wanting to rub the sleepiness away, but found her arms trapped. She looked down and saw two thick, honey-toned skin biceps around her. She was fascinated by the muscles, wanting to poke it, but could not do so because of the brute who was hugging her too tight.

    She found it amusing that even when he slept, he still had the urge to touch and cradle her in his embrace, not that she minded, for he was like her personal heater.

    With great ordeal and a lot of wriggling, she was finally able to turn around to properly look at his sleeping face. He looked so innocent and peaceful when he slept, nothing like his awakened self. When she saw his dark circles had worsened, she wondered what types of nights he had for him to not get proper sleep, but then again, realized, she too, could not get a good sleep.

    She stared at his features for the longest time, so perfect, not a single w visible, it made her envy him. The Gods truly spent their sweet time designing his face, more appealing than Adonis himself. She always admired his jawline, sharp enough to cut through rocks, and those lips of his, slightly thin, but could do crazy wonders to hers.

    At the memory of their steamy night, her cheeks flushed bright red, feeling embarrassed even though she clearly enjoyed every part of it. She did not think she could get over her fear so quickly, even with the years of therapy, but being with him, who always remained patient with her even when he could easily overpower her, a giddy feeling spread through her chest.

    A word was pressing on the tip of her tongue, but she decided it was not the right time yet and she was not ready to say so. "Yang Feng," she whispered, "I like you..."

    "Not as much as I do."

    His reply made her heart skip a beat in fright. H-he was awake this entire time?! For how long now? Did he catch me ogling over his face, nearly drooling again?!

    Yang Feng slowly opened his eyes, a glint tucked within the folds of obsidian ck. "Good morning, my dear." He bent in for a kiss, but she turned her head,nding a peck upon her face.

    "Brush your teeth first." She mumbled, causing a peal of ripeughter to echo throughout the room, the sound carefree and sending tingles down her spine. It was the sort that came from the soul, pure and genuine.

    A silly smile lifted her lips as heid on his back, one arm still around her waist. She leaned her head on his strong and firm chest, enjoying the way it rises and rumbled as hisughter settled to a low chuckle.

    "I don¡¯t mind it."

    "I do."

    He pinched her nose, amused at the quirky little things about her. When she peered up at him with that goofy smile of hers, he couldn¡¯t help but also want to smile, one that reached his eyes.

    "If I get up right now, will you give me two more kisses?"

    "Why two?"

    "You only gave me one yesterday, plus the one you should give me today, it would be two."

    She scoffed. "You keep count?"

    "Of course."

    "Why?"

    Something shed in those mischievous eyes of his, "Because important matters should be properly regted."

    She rolled her eyes. "Sure it should." She sarcastically replied, but his thick skull and low EQ, smaller than hers it seemed, took it as the truth.

    He grinned in delight, "I¡¯ll hold you to that promise." He winked, sitting up in bed and kissing her onest time on the forehead before walking into the bathroom to hurriedly freshen himself up. When he eagerly got out, spraying his mouth, he was severely disappointed to see she was asleep again. This little temptress!

    She got out of another kiss!

    Yang Feng stormed to her, ready to shake her awake, but seeing that adorable face of hers fast asleep, he could not bring it in himself to disturb her. Groaning to himself, he could only give a slow kiss, lingering his lips on hers, before standing to his full height and begin getting ready for the day.

    He wanted to hear and see her send him off, but knew she needed this sleep more than anyone. After reassuring himself that they had a long future ahead of them to see each other off, he closed the door to the room, before pausing outside and entering the room again. He grabbed a note and wrote her a message, cing it beside the nightstand before bending down to kiss her forehead and leaving the room.

    - - - - -

    Words spread around the office very quickly of what happened to Su Meixiu. The goddess has finally fallen from cloud nine and for once in nine years, she received a punishment. No one would expect it to be so severe to the point of where she was demoted to a simple desk job as the messenger.

    Seeing that she had lost Yang Feng¡¯s good grace, many of the employees stopped catering to her. This was the problem with society. People only cared about someone when they were relevant, popr, and powerful.

    Su Meixiu faced a rude awakening this afternoon when she sat down with the usual employees for lunch who eventually all got up one by one with random "excuses." Later on, she was subjected to backstabbing talks and gossips, forcing her to realize, the people she once called friends, were only leechers.

    Her face contorted into that of malice, the friendliness gone from within. She suffered only a day, but that was enough for her to stop ying nice, for there was obviously no point in pretending so. The only thing she could do now was cing her best cards down...

    Chen Gaonan was more diligent in his apology letter. This time, he did not put in a quarter of care, instead, devoted his entire night and morning into the heartfelt letter. He poured his heart and what little emotions he had left into the writing and finally, it was not tossed into the shredder.

    While spending the night to write it, his wife was interested in meeting the woman who dared to steal the time she spent with her husband, but after hearing it was for a highly-potential Lady Boss, his wife was intrigued enough to desire a meeting between the two.

    And because Chen Gaonan was so henpecked by his wife, giving in to all of her wishes, he tried to n out a good way for the two to meet, but then he carefully thought over it. What if they meet up, and together, they bully him? The chances were very likely, given his wife¡¯s crazy behavior that was even able to keep the Ice King in check... He shivered at the terrible idea, deciding it was better to not mix together two ticking time bombs.

    Chen Gaonan knocked on the door to his boss¡¯ office and received a gruff reply to which he pushed the door open.

    "Boss, you¡¯ve called?"

    "The reports," Yang Feng muttered, his eyes glued to hisptop, his fingers flying effortlessly across the keys as the workaholicpletely immersed himself into today¡¯s documents.

    Chen Gaonan looked at his tablet and spoke up, "The project is currently flowing very smoothly. After Miss¡ª, no, President Zhao¡¯s suggestions, we switched to a different real estatepany." He was still impressed by her words that came true just this morning.

    Wang Real Estate had suffered another drastic and damaging ndering again, their stocks dropping even lower than before as the truth of the scandal immersed into the limelight. The CEO had performed a hit and run, killing an innocent passerby.

    "Since the funds are secured, we have sent out the proposal to the government and the response will most likelye before the end of the day." He continued his report, checking the progress, "Aside from that, there are no visible conflicts."

    Yang Feng hummed in reply, nodding his head in satisfaction, half-working, half-listening. "Grab the copies of tomorrow¡¯s presentation."

    Chen Gaonan bowed his head, excused himself, and walked back to his desk, his impable stature and chilling atmosphere wooing the employees. Many of them swooned at the way he carried himself, never caring for anyone else around him, so stand-offish and mysterious, it urged the women closer to him.

 Chapter 199 Hubby

    Zhao Lifei woke up in the afternoon, boggled and dazed, not believing she had slept for that long. All she remembered was telling Yang Feng to go brush his teeth and then lying back down on the bed. She didn¡¯t think that in just a blink of an eye, she would fall asleep.

    She texted Huo Qiudong for her schedule at Feili and he replied, [None.] She shrugged it off, understanding Wei Hantao probably took over the majority of what needs to be done in thepany. She figured the only times she would make her presence known would be during meetings and once she made her debut, her schedule would most likely be packed.

    When she noticed something in the corner of her eyes, she got out of the bed. Sitting on the ck nightstand was a crisp white note in the familiar and neat handwriting of Yang Feng.

    ¡¯I went to work, will be back before the sun sets. Remember to eat breakfast, I will know if you skip it.¡¯ -Hubby ?

    Her eyes widened at the way he addressed himself. Hubby? HUBBY?! She was further boggled by the messily scribbled heart. Shaking her head, she did not realize a tiny smile was beginning to form on her face.

    She ced the note down and got ready for the day. After brushing her teeth and taking a shower, she walked out of the bathroom, smelling like him. She wandered the halls in search of Yang Ruqin¡¯s closet. After a while of failed exploration, she finally stopped a maid in the hallway who guided her to a room that was not quite asrge as Yang Feng¡¯s. She could tell by the pastel pink andvender furniture that this was most definitely Qinqin¡¯s room.

    She walked into the closet, pulled out a random pair of clothes, ced them on and then breezed downstairs where the housekeeper was already waiting for her by the dining room.

    "Good afternoon, Miss Zhao!" She brightly greeted the woman, "Young Master Yang has instructed the chefs to begin cooking once you¡¯ve awoken. Please give us ten minutes and the food will be served." She humbly bowed her head before taking Zhao Lifei into therge dining room.

    Exactly ten minutester, a wide variety of dishes were ced in front of her ranging from prawn fried rice to spaghetti. She was overwhelmed by the different spices of the dishes and dug in regardless.

    She was already skinny as she was. She knew if she got any lighter, Yang Feng would throw a fit. After eating to her stomach¡¯s content, Zhao Lifei decided to go back to her grandfather¡¯s house. She grabbed the cuff links that she never had the chance to give him, ced it safely inside her purse, then made her way to do some light street shopping.

    Zhao Lifei did not know why, but her wandering took her to Granse. Her lips tugged downwards when she remembered the rude treatment she received. With shopping bags in hand, she was about to turn around and walk away before a girly voice called out.

    "Wait, don¡¯t go!" Wu Subing ran out of the store upon spotting the familiar woman by the window. He was in such a rush that he forgot to change his indoor slippers for proper shoes, for he did not want to miss the opportunity to apologize again. Yesterday, he had seen Yang Feng¡¯s ck Maybach pull up in front of the store, only for it to strangely drive away, missing the assigned appointment.

    Zhao Lifei paused and looked back to see a woman calling after her and upon closer inspection, she saw it was Wu Subing dressed in female clothing.

    "In regards to your dress, it was never bought out by anyone!" He hurriedly exined, running forward to grab her hands. "Someone paid my store representatives a hefty sum of money to lie to you. The situation has been dealt with and my entire store has a new set of employees¡ª"

    "Who paid them?" Zhao Lifei skeptically asked, wary of the man. She eyed him, her eyes filled with distrust and suspicion. She was never one to trust people so easily.

    "Well, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been trying to figure out for a while now. They contacted my representatives through a burner phone and I only found out about this the day after the banquet. It really was not my intention to do you dirty." He babbled on and on, his long speech reminding Zhao Lifei of Yang Ruqin when she was in trouble.

    "Think about it, why would I be stupid enough to go against Yang Feng¡¯s woman? I¡¯ve seen firsthand on how he dotes on you, the man is wrapped around your pinky. What would I gain from offending you?" Wu Subing was so nervous, he could not help his word vomit.

    "The day you tried to pick up the dress, I was not at the store, but the studio designing something else. Please, you have to believe me!"

    Zhao Lifei patiently listened to his childish rambling, for she was practically used to conversations like these. Whenever Yang Ruqin needed help, she would recite an entire speech just to reach the final conclusion.

    Wu Subing became antsy when she did not respond, her expression remaining the same. She neither looked happy nor did she look particrly upset. He continued on, "I¡¯ll make it up to you, okay? How about this, I heard Old Master Yang¡¯s birthday banquet ising up. I¡¯ll design a dress specifically for you? One of a kind, with only a single stock in the entire world!"

    Zhao Lifei looked at him incredulously, blinded by his enthusiasm to mend their rift. This poor man must¡¯ve suffered from Yang Feng¡¯s wrath. She wondered what misfortune befell on his shoulders for his behavior to change so quickly around her.

    Sighing, she said, "Do whatever you want."

    Wu Subing saw it as a chance of redemption, his heart soaring in relief, the mountain weighing down his shoulders finally gone. Oh my god, does this mean I get to live?!

    "Okay, let me get another measurement of your body then!"

    "Why?"

    "Just for safety measures."

    He grabbed her wrist, pulling her into the store, the bell dinging. True to his words, Zhao Lifei saw a new batch of employees, fresh-faced and young, yet the way they behaved made them look very experienced in the field. Upon seeing her, they bowed low, reverent smiles on their faces, properly greeting her with a "Good afternoon, wee to Granse!"

    She wondered if it was because their boss was practically dragging her into the store or if it was because they were truly this attentive. Brushing it off, she stood in the same room where she saw the mannequins, however, this time, it was empty except for a desk and a circr stand in the middle.

    "I have some dresses in the back that you can take before you leave. Just use it as uh, casual streetwear!" He waved his hands, a woman stepping forward with a tape measure. He remembered how nitpicky Yang Feng was when it came to the people that touched her body and assigned one of the female staff to measure her.

    Zhao Lifei nodded to herself. Yep, Yang Feng must¡¯ve threatened this man to his grave and beyond for him to be this courteous. "You know, you don¡¯t have to change so much just to please me. A simple apology would suffice."

    Wu Subing turned around, nervously scratching his wig, an awkwardughing out. "Haha I-I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about..." He went into the back room to pull out three dresses, too fancy for casual wear.

    Wu Subing thought she would still have the Diva attitude that she was notorious for in the past, smashing things when she was upset, and making people go beyond their limits just to apologize to her.

    He remembered an incident in the past where she made headlines for forcing a socialite to eat a literal cake made from mud just because the woman soiled her dress. He shuddered, thinking his punishment would be much worse, and with the threats made by Yang Feng breathing down his back, he thought he would be a goner!

    "You can keep your dresses as well, they¡¯re too fancy for streetwear."

    "But¡ª"

    "I don¡¯t like to attend social gatherings anymore, it¡¯s too tiring. The dresses will go to waste and most likely rot away in my closet."

    Maybe it was because she was standing on the circr tform with the lights ring down on her, but Wu Subing was beginning to see her in a different light. She did not seem as bad as the media portrayed her, nor did she still have that same horrendous behavior tying her down.

    Clearing his throat, he slowly nodded, "Okay."

 Chapter 200 Stop Nagging

    After the measurements wereplete and some questions in regards to the theme of the banquet were asked, Zhao Lifei walked out of the door with a few gifts given by Wu Subing, who despite the reassurance that she would not go for his neck, pestered her to ept. Because she did not ept the dresses, he gave her three entire outfits to wear.

    Zhao Lifei handed the bags to the private chauffeur who ced it in the trunk of the car. She was about to go home when she realized something. She had never cooked for Yang Feng before.

    As she was about to direct the car to an authentic market, her phone went off. She grabbed it and when she saw it was Yang Feng, a part of her doubtful conscious thought he was going to make an excuse for why he could not return home early again.

    She picked up the phone.

    "Where are you?" He asked her, a slight noise in the background before it disappeared.

    "I¡¯m on my way to a market."

    "A market? Which dish do you have in mind? I¡¯ll cook it for you when I get home."

    She happily smiled upon hearing his words. It seemed he was going to start fulfilling his promises after all. "Actually, I was thinking of cooking for you instead."

    Hearing her words was like hearing an angel¡¯s luby, it was music to his ears. He became excited at the idea of her in a little apron, cooking up a storm.

    "But I have to go to a market first¡ª"

    "I¡¯lle with you."

    Zhao Lifei stiffened, the idea of a local market quickly crossed off the list. She was sure he would have a fit if she took him to a ce like that. "How about this, you wait at home for me and I¡¯ll go there myself?"

    Yang Feng frowned. Was she hiding something? "Why?"

    "It¡¯s going to be crowded there. You won¡¯t like it¡ª"

    "It¡¯s a market, what could be so bad about it?"

    At his stubbornness, she reluctantly sighed. Fine then, I hope you suffer there! "Alright, I¡¯ll send you the address."

    She hung up and sent him the location which he then gave to Hu Wei. The chauffeur stared at the location in the GPS, a bit puzzled before starting the car and heading to the side of the city where most people frequented.

    As the two drove there, Hu Wei was beginning to grow more and more hesitant. He thought that perhaps he ced in the wrong address because right now, they were in downtown where a lot of the regr city workers frequented. It was far away from the skyscrapers, the upper-ss society, and their bubbles.

    "Boss, I apologize, it seems I drove to the wrong address¡ª" Hu Wei stopped talking when he saw another car pull up beside them, his hand reaching for the gun strapped on his waist pants.

    Through the tinted window, a man stepped out, opening the car door and blocking the figure of a woman. But when Hu Wei saw it was thedy boss, he hurriedly got out of the car as well to open the door for his boss.

    Yang Feng¡¯s nose wrinkled upon seeing this ce bustling with people and a weird smell in the air, his eyes centered on a suspicious and dingy gated-entrance to the far left. Nheless, he walked to Zhao Lifei, an arm instantly snaking its way to her lower waist.

    The people on the streets were in awe upon seeing two designer branded cars, the gleaming Ferrari and ck Maybach too much for their eyes. Looking at them was like looking at a treasure box of gold. Not many of the affluents frequented this area, their expensive cars standing out like a sore thumb.

    "Are you sure we¡¯re not at the wrong ce?" Yang Feng warily asked, hurriedly walking after Zhao Lifei when she ignored his pretentious stares and questions.

    "Wait, you can¡¯t enter without a face mask, there¡¯s a weird smelling from the ce. It might be harmful for you to consume it¡ª"

    "It¡¯s just the smell of the freshly caught seafood."

    "You might think that, wait, did you say freshly caught seafood? From where? You don¡¯t know if it¡¯s really fresh caught or farmed. Even worse, the fish might¡¯ve consumed a wide variety of chemicals¡ª"

    Zhao Lifei sharply turned around. "Stop nagging."

    Yang Feng did not stop. "My love, I heard you had a fondness for things grown or caught by the locals, but trust me, we have an enormous garden path behind the house¡ª" She walked off.

    Yang Feng sulked all the way to her, grabbing her hand to which she tried to swing off, but he grasped her fingers, holding it tight, entwining it with his. He motioned for Hu Wei to send men into the gates to secure the location at which Zhao Lifei scoffed.

    "Rx, I used to frequent this ce a lot." She shook her head, pulling him inside of the gates where tiny stalls could be seen.

    SPLASH!

    One of the fishes jumped in the tiny and shallow buckets, water going everywhere. It was a normal urrence but for Young Master Yang Feng, it was a rare sight. He eyed the dingy stalls and the things being sold. Why did this ce remind him of the ck market?

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes brightened when she saw the seafood she was looking for. It was being sold at the stall she always frequented, but instead of a granny, there was a woman in herte forties there. She figured it was probably the granny¡¯s daughter.

    "Eight abalones and one pound of the squid please." She said, walking up to her, Yang Feng trudging after her, ring at everything around him, disliking this ce.

    The stall owner nodded, reaching for the seafood, cing it in a bright red bag before weighing it on a scale to which Yang Feng¡¯s face became contorted. The scale was dripping wet, weird stains stuck onto it.

    "My dear, if you want seafood, I can have one of the butlers order it to be flown from¡ª" She muffled his words with her hand, a big smile on her face when the woman gave her a dirty look.

    "Sorry, my boyfriend here is used to being pampered." She awkwardly said, handing the money over while shooting Yang Feng a re. Damn it! If he didn¡¯t open his big mouth, I could¡¯ve tried to sweet talk her into giving me extras!

    As the bag was being handed over to Zhao Lifei, Yang Feng squeezed her hand, slightly shaking his head, silently telling her not to touch it. She blew out a big puff of air, annoyance written all over her face.

    "Your husband is quite a germ freak." The woman heartilymented, a harmless smile on her face. Despite his behavior, this man was dashing enough for her to pardon him.

    Yang Feng¡¯s sour mood rapidly changed upon hearing "husband." Did they look like a married couple? His heart was filled to the brim with happiness, pulling her closer. He ignored the insult, a cheeky smile on his face.

    Zhao Lifei resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his quickly changing behavior. "He¡¯s¡ª"

    "I assume you guys are newly married. Here, I¡¯ll throw in someplimentary oysters. It¡¯ll be helpful if your husband consumed it.." She winked, d they did not try to haggle for prices like most people here.

    Zhao Lifei blinked. She didn¡¯t even have to sweet talk this woman to get free stuff? They could get it by pretending to be husband and wife? All of a sudden, the idea did not seem so bad to her as she wrapped her arms around his biceps, leaning in his direction, surprising Yang Feng.

    "Thank you, we¡¯ll enjoy it." She happily replied, secretly nudging Yang Feng to go along, who would¡¯ve done so even without her warning.

    Yang Feng patted her head, a loving smile on his face. "The oysters will be quite helpful." His tone was light and conversational, but Zhao Lifei blushed at the hidden meaning, her face reddening without her control. This man would be the death of her!

 Chapter 201 Aggressive

    Zhao Lifei continued to pretend they were a newlywed couple which earned her a lot of freebies along the way. She saw it as a joke, but Yang Feng took it differently.

    He was wistfully whisked away by her words, his brain humming joyful tunes as if he was on cloud nine. He stoppedining and tugging her away from the stalls and was actually pulling her towards them just so she could continue whatever she was doing. He loved this side of her, with her arms wrapped around his biceps and a brilliant smile on that lovely face of hers.

    After shopping, Yang Feng was still happy andpliant, even when they got into the car and the items were ced in the trunk. He turned towards his "wife," a grin on his face. "So wifey, are we going toplete the final stage of our married life¡ª"

    "Maybe in your dreams," She chuckled, sitting as far as she could from him and his wandering hands. Yang Feng scooted to her just as she scooted away and soon, she was pressed against the car window with Yang Feng hovering over her like a moth drawn to a me.

    Yang Feng ced the soundproof partition up. "We can¡¯t disappoint the stall owners now..." He teased, leaning in for a kiss which she tried to dodge, but couldn¡¯t as she has nowhere to run.

    When their lips met, she stopped fighting against him as she tried to sync their lips. He greedily kissed her, his lips molding over hers, branding her as his, while she attempted to match his vigor.

    He pulled back to allow her to breathe for the slightest second before kissing her deeply again, one hand going behind her neck, angling her head, while the other began to travel up her waist to which her body arched against his when his fingers brushed close to her bosom.

    He began to ce small kisses trailing from her jaw to her neck, finding his favorite spot where he bit down, causing a gasp of shock to leave her lips while she pressed a hand to her lips, muffling her moan when he licked the same area, blowing on it to soothe the pain before sucking on it, leaving a mark behind.

    In a frenzy, he began to unbutton her top when she weakly squeaked out, "N-no..."

    That was all it took for him to draw back, breathing hard but giving her space. He marveled at his work, the ring red mark on her white as snow skin, her eyes slightly zed over, her mouth parted, her lips looking so inviting, he wanted to devour her again.

    She whispered, "N-not in the car..."

    Yang Feng readily nodded, slightly disappointed that the two had stopped, but a bit d that she had grown the courage to reject him instead of freezing on the spot and letting him have his way. He brushed the hair away from her face, the other hand settling on her cheek.

    "Does that mean we can continue in the house?" He teased, leaning in for a quick kiss on her forehead before he began to button up her blouse, fixing her appearance for her, knowing she was particrly sensitive of it.

    "Dream on."

    "I always do."

    He winked. She rolled her eyes.

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng sat on one of the kitchen counter stools, awestruck by the delightful scene before him. She looked so exquisite, so delectable, aplete temptation as she cooked for him. His eyes were glued to her, following every small movement of her body.

    When she turned around, pan in hand, a te in front of her, Yang Feng swallowed. Her face was slightly flushed, her hair a bit messy, sticking to her forehead while she cooked up a storm. She had unbuttoned her top a bit, revealing the dip of her breasts, teasing him, his eyes dting when she bent over a bit to ce the food onto the te. She was torturing him, arousing him without even trying.

    Yang Feng ground his teeth, his jaw going taut. Such a seductress this one was.

    "I can practically feel you burning a hole through me." She mused, sprinkling chopped chives onto the final dish before settling the pan down, untying her apron.

    "Stop looking at me and start eating your dinner."

    Yang Feng lowly grumbled, "I¡¯d rather eat you."

    "Hm?" She asked, not hearing he said.

    Yang Feng smirked, leaning closer, deciding to be mischievous and tease her as much as she had unknowingly done to him when her phone suddenly went off and she ran off to get it. Damnation! He cursed loudly inside of his head, ready to smash the device to pieces.

    When he heard "Grandfather," he frowned. Of course, the old man would be calling her at this time.

    "Yes, I have a dress picked out...Mhm, it suits the theme...Yes, I did go home today, but only for a short while¡ª Well, you were at work and I didn¡¯t want to disturb you¡ª Of course, of course, I know..."

    She continued the conversation, causing Yang Feng to sulk by himself while he angrily chewed his food and aggressively drinking his soup. Her cooking was incredible, vors exploding in his mouth. It was one of the most delicious things he ever ate, but he could not properly enjoy it because hisdy was too busy talking to someone other than him. Granted, she was being a good and filial granddaughter, but he was a clingy man and he wanted her attention on him, always.

    When he saw she was absentmindedly walking closer to him, he seized the chance to grab her waist, pulling her towards him. He wiped his mouth with a napkin, setting the utensil down to hug her. Because he was still seated and she was standing, he rested his head onto her body, like a needy child.

    Zhao Lifei paused whatever she was saying before running a hand through his hair in quiet reassurance. "Yes, Grandfather, I understand... No, he hasn¡¯t asked yet¡ª Huh, who told you? Yes, I did meet with Yang Enterprise¡ª I¡¯m nning on making the debut in a couple of weeks..."

    Yang Feng could not resist it anymore. He was about to grab her phone, but right then, she nodded her head.

    "Alright, have a good night grandfather." She ced the phone down, deciding it was time to address the clingy Yang Feng who had an upset expression that resembled a neglected puppy.

    "The food has gone cold." He snapped, like a housewife angrily waiting for her husband toe home.

    She chuckled at his behavior, running her fingers through his hair again, gently massaging his scalp, watching as the fire in his eyes slowly died out. "I¡¯ll reheat it¡ª"

    "It¡¯ll change the vor."

    "Then don¡¯tin," She retorted, sitting down beside him.

    "I have a new rule," He spoke up while attentively scooping the soup into a small bowl for her. "No phones on the dinner table from now on."

    "The same goes for you then."

    He grinned, cing the soup in front of her. "Of course."

    To him, it was a fair exchange. No one dared to send him work sote at night, given his grouchiness. Only Chen Gaonan was stupid enough to email him schedule reminders, but it was part of his job, so Yang Feng ignored it.

 Chapter 202 Burned

    After their dinner, Zhao Lifei walked to the fridge and pulled out her failed attempt at a custard pudding which had copsed and tasted bitter due to the burnt caramel. There were also too many bubbles on the sides of the pudding, indicating the temperature was uneven when it was being steamed. Overall, it was as unappetizing as it was ugly.

    Too embarrassed to show such a mess to Yang Feng, she was prepared to throw it in the trash, when Yang Feng came up from behind her, settling his head on her shoulders.

    "What is it?" He asked her, his eyes trailing to the dessert in front of him.

    "Nothing." She hurriedly said, covering it with her body, inching it towards the trash can.

    Yang Feng saw what she was about to do and grabbed the te, suppressing the urge tough at the pudding. "Let¡¯s leave the desserts to me next time."

    Zhao Lifei felt her cheeks be inmed, her eyes going anywhere but her own creation. She used to aspire perfection above all, specifically to be a wless housewife for Zheng Tianyi, but after what he had done to her, she no longer cared about the status. If there was anything in this world she could never tackle, aside from that stubbornness of hers, it was baking. Even if she followed the instructions to the tee, there was always a problem somehow.

    "Give it to me, I need to throw it out."

    Yang Feng quirked a brow, cing the te anywhere but in her hands. This was the first time she baked for him, he was not going to let it go to waste like this. "I don¡¯t think so."

    "You¡¯ll get food poisoning if you eat that." She reached for the te but he held it high above her head, way out of her reach. She jumped for it, grabbing onto his upper arm to stabilize herself, but he leaned his body away, making her walk in circles.

    "Love, give it up. You¡¯re never gonna touch it."

    "That¡¯s because you¡¯re toorge," She blurted out, not realizing the hidden meaning attached to such words.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes darkened at her words, resisting the urge to kiss her. If he did, he feared he would identally drop the te. The things her kisses did to him...

    He decided it was better to just deceive her with the oldest trick in the book, raising his head towards the door, a feigned surprise expression on his face. "Ruqin, what are you doing here?"

    Zhao Lifei perked up at the mention of Qinqin, her embarrassed face lighting up as she turned around, anticipating the presence of her best friend, only for her eyes tond on the modern andrge foyer.

    Her brows came together, forming slight creases on her forehead. She turned around. "Where did Qinqin go¡ª" She gasped when she saw he had gobbled at least half of the custard pudding, still in the midst of eating it. She reached for it, but he finished thest bite in one fell swoop.

    "Spit it out!" She hissed, reaching up to squeeze his cheeks but he grabbed her wrists, holding her in ce while he ate it and swallowed it like it was nothing.

    "You¡¯re gonna get sick from it, Yang Feng!"

    He bent down to peck her lips, "It was delicious."

    "It was undercooked and the caramel was overcooked!"

    "I like bitter things better."

    She recalled his disliking towards bitter melon and knew he was not being truthful. "Don¡¯t lie."

    He loosely hugged her, pressing her head to rest on his chest, a low chuckle rumbling from within. "It¡¯s the truth."

    Zhao Lifei did not believe him but was too content in the hug to even care. She buried her face further into his shirt, rubbing her cheeks on the incredibly soft material, melting into him when his hands ran up and down her back, theforting gesture soothing her.

    After a while offortable silence where the two just held each other, he spoke up. "My grandfather¡¯s birthday ising up very soon."

    Zhao Lifei already knew what he was going to ask of her. "I¡¯m not going with you," She bluntly put it.

    Yang Feng was a bit disappointed but masked it. "Alright, I¡¯ll spend the night with you."

    Zhao Lifei opened her mouth, wanting to tell him of her grandfather¡¯s n, but she did not want to spoil it. Her grandfather was a very low key man who did not like his secrets to be revealed. She wasn¡¯t sure if this was a secret, but just to be on the safer side, she decided to keep her mouth shut. "No, you should go."

    "But¡ª"

    "I¡¯ll be fine."

    Yang Feng looked at her, his eyes, ck like ash dancing in the wind, filled with worry and concern for her. He did not want to leave her alone, but he also could not miss his grandfather¡¯s birthday celebration. He wanted to formally introduce Zhao Lifei.

    "Are you sure?"

    Zhao Lifei felt guilty for misleading him and slowly nodded, "Positive."

    Yang Feng studied her face for a prolonged period, watching as something shed within her eyes before disappearing. "Alright."

    He cupped her face and tilted it up for a loving kiss. Her eyes fluttered closed, shivering when she tasted the bitter caramel upon his lips. Their kiss started off slow and sensual, cherishing each other before it became more heated, lust driven, while the majority of it was filled with love.

    He pulled her body flush against him, enjoying the soft curves of her body pressing against his firm one, hungrily kissing her, before his tongue dove into her mouth, hot and swirling, marking every corner of it as his.

    He leaned back to allow her to catch a breath of air while he kissed the corner of her mouth, moving to her jaw, nipping the area before kissing a path to the jugr of her neck, the same spot where his mark was. It was beginning to fade, so he ensured it didn¡¯t by sucking, licking, and biting the area, only to kiss it after.

    She tilted her head back to give him better ess, lost in the passion, pleasurable sounds escaping her lips, only for it to be muffled when his mouth crashed against hers again. He hooked his arms under her knees, picking her up, her legs on either side of him as he carried her up the stairs. Closing the door behind him, he tossed her onto the bed.

    He marveled the beautiful sight of her sprawled out raven locks, slightly hooded eyes, on cloud nine, as her lips were parted for him.

    He swooped down, kissing her deeper, harder than ever, swallowing her cries with his grunts of approval as her hand began to travel across his spine, her fingers studying his muscles that clenched beneath her touch until they settled on his upper back. She would be the death of him, that much he already knew.

    They kissed for a while until she was practically begging for air, which he finally gave her. He changed their position so that her headid on his suddenly bare chest as the shirt had been tossed elsewhere during their intense session.

    Yang Feng yed with the ends of her hair, watching as she struggled to fight the sleep taking over her eyes. She was being lulled to sleep by his rhythmic heartbeat and when he lovingly kissed her forehead, her eyes closed as she lost the fight.

    He pulled the nket to cover her small form that molded perfectly against his. After making sure she was as warm as she possibly could be, he rested his hand on her lower spine, the tenderness in his eyes was hard to miss in the dark room.

    Usually, he would easily fall asleep knowing she was safe in his arms, but for some reason, there was a heavy weight on his chest, a confession at the tip of his throat. In the dead of the night, where the entire city was asleep, the sky cold and lonely, the moon tucked behind thick veils of white smoke, he whispered, "I love you."

    He looked at her sleeping face, his eyes soft and nothing like the cruel man he was before his fate collided with hers. "Never leave me. I can not bear such terrifying thoughts," his other hand came to gently caress her cheek. "I¡¯ve always wondered, why is it that I can¡¯t keep my hands off of you? Your face, yourugh, the way your eyes crinkle when you smile, the very image of you is burned in my mind."

    "You...You make me feel alive, the happiest I¡¯ve ever been in ages. You have always been the one to make me the happiest ever since you tumbled your way into my life eighteen years ago... How could you leave without saying goodbye?"

    He stared at the ceiling. "I...I can¡¯t lose you again, never. No matter who dares toe in between us, I¡¯ll y them. Every one of them." He squeezed his eyes shut, knowing a horrible storm would soon rock their world, leaving a horrible scar behind.

    In a low and hoarse voice, he pleaded to her sleeping consciousness, "Stay with me and I will give you everything your heart desires. For you, my darling, I would part the mountains, split the sea, and cause havoc on Earth just to have you."

 Chapter 203 Marriage Bureau

    Zhao Lifei woke up the next day, in the same position she had slept in. She could¡¯ve sworn she heard something in her sleep, a confession of some sort, but a majority of what was being said sounded muffled to her. She brushed it off, believing it was just a dream.

    She stretched like azy cat before snuggling back into his arms, a tiny smile on her face. Throughout the nights she had spent with Yang Feng, she had never experienced a single nightmare. The idea was so cheesy and cliche to her, but she did not care. Being in his arms felt safe, reassuring,fortable, and everything alongside the word ¡¯good¡¯.

    She wondered if the rest of their mornings would be spent like this, forever and ever, entangled within each other¡¯s arms. It was an unbelievable dream to her, but she was determined to make it a reality.

    ncing up, she noticed Yang Feng was in deep sleep, his chest steadily rising. Sheid her head on it a while longer, before growing bored of marveling the eight, solid rigids on his abdomen, tough as rocks. Ever so slowly, she climbed out of his arms, gently cing it back down, her body freezing on the spot when he groaned, his arms reaching to grab something. She quickly ced a pillow in his arms, watching as he rxed, hugging the pillow, burying his head into it.

    She giggled at this scene, such a grown man like him, hugging the pillow like it was his precious teddy bear. She got out of bed and began to get ready for the day. She had finished showering and was tying the belt on the bathrobe when the door to the bathroom mmed open with a loud BANG! A frantic man was standing in the doorway, his eyes wide and crazed, in a panicked state until theynded on her.

    Zhao Lifei was confused by the suddenmotion. "What¡¯s wrong?"

    Yang Feng¡¯s heart was beating one hundred miles per second. He had woken up to find himself wrapped around a pillow and not his woman. He was instantly rmed and shot out of his bed in a frenzied state to search for her, so fearful that she had disappeared into the night.

    Wordlessly, he crossed the distance between them, taking four vast steps before yanking her flush against him, his head buried deep into her neck. He hugged her with so much desperation, that Zhao Lifei was taken aback by it. Her arms came around him, settling on his mid-back, patting the area in an attempt tofort him. She did not know what made him like this, but she knew that the first step was to calm him down.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" She repeated, this time her voice was more understanding, patient even.

    Yang Feng did not answer for a while. He continued to hug her until the tremors in his body finally calmed down. Her scent, sweet and floral, flooded his brain, soothing all of his worries.

    ¡¯She is here. She did not leave me. She is here. She did not leave me.¡¯ He repeated the same phrases again and again in his head, squeezing her.

    "Don¡¯t leave me."

    Zhao Lifei felt her heart melt into a puddle, swooning at this demand of his. No one had ever loved her to this extent so this sensation was foreign to her.

    Yang Feng¡¯s arms became incredibly tight around her small frame, nearly crushing her. She did not answer him. It made him antsier¡ª

    "Of course," She replied.

    Yang Feng breathed out in relief, his taut shoulders dropping. "I want it on paper."

    "What do you mean?"

    "Let¡¯s go to the marriage bureau."

    Zhao Lifei opened and closed her mouth, quickly blinking, a perplexed expression on her face.

    "Your family will kill you for doing this without their blessings."

    "We don¡¯t need blessings."

    She ran her hand up and down his back, reassuring him. She believed he was only saying these words out of his irrational fear, but she did not know his brain was no longer clogged. He was thinking properly. "Yang Feng, this is going too fast. You have to calm down."

    "I am calm," He pulled back to properly look at her. "Come with me to the marriage bureau."

    She thought he was joking and sarcastically retorted, "What happened to the old-fashioned bending the knee and proposing with a ring?"

    "All of it cane afterward. I¡¯ll prepare the grandest one for you, even better than when I asked you to be my woman, but all of it takes time and preparations. A marriage registry does not."

    Zhao Lifei slowly shook her head, refusing. "This is all too soon..." She worriedly whispered.

    When she saw anger morphing within those eyes of his, raising hell with each passing second, she knew he was upset at her words. The air around them dropped below freezing point, a chill entering the warm and steamy room.

    She sighed at his temper and this time, she was the one to instigate a hug. She embraced him tightly, her face resting on his chest, guiding his arm back to her hips, "I like you very, very much, Yang Feng. We¡¯ll get there eventually, but right now, we have to face the obstacles ahead of us. Hastily getting married will not do any good."

    She stood on her tippy-toes, holding onto him for support and tenderly pecked his lips, before one arm curved to the back of his neck, bringing his face closer to her as she kissed his five points: the forehead, the nose, both cheeks, his chin, andstly, his lips.

    At first, she wasn¡¯t sure if her method of appeasement was working, but when the air went back to normal, she knew she had seeded.

    "Do it again." He hoarsely whispered, enjoying every moment with her.

    Zhao Lifei did not object. She did it again, this time kissing each ce a bit longer than usual before slowly moving her lips against his, teasing him to which he obliged, never once forcing her to go faster. With hesitation and self-doubt weighing her down, she licked his bottom lip, seeking permission which he happily gave.

    She tried to mimic what he always did to her, moving her slick tongue against his, in a fight to dominate, and he finally allowed her to do so, a low growl rising from his throat as he grunted in approval, his fingers digging into her hips, his brain swirling with the idea of removing the annoying bathrobe separating him from her body.

    She pulled back, her face slightly flushed, the same light pink he hade to deeply love. "I¡¯m sorry if it¡¯s not as good as yours¡ª"

    "It was absolutely fantastic." He grinned, cupping her face and diving in for another heated session. But before they could go any further than a simple kiss, she leaned back, watching as his face became gloomy again.

    She took hisrge hands, admiring how itpletely covered hers. "I have a surprise for you." Guiding him outside the bathroom, she sat him on the bed before going to her purse and pulling out a small box. She walked back to him, allowing him to bring her to hisp. She was already used to this treatment and his constant desire to have her in his arms. Perhaps that was his way of feeling secure, just as hers was being in his arms.

    "What is it?" He curiously asked, leaning his head on hers.

    She opened the box, revealing the cuff links. "I brought these a while back, but couldn¡¯t find the chance to give it to you."

    She showed it to him, an antsy smile on her face. She was worried he might not like it. The red diamond was nearly ck, and in the center, there was a crimson hue to it. It was a small pop of color, very subtle and chic, but she knew he was always wearing dreary colors, where the darkest of red might seem like the brightest.

    "I¡¯ll treasure it." He gingerly took the cuff links from her, his heartwarming. He decided to wear it every day.

    It was as if she could read his mind as she piped up and said, "Oh and don¡¯t wear it every day. I¡¯ll get you more if you like it."

    "Wear it to the birthday celebration, I think it will look nice against your ck suit and coat."

    Yang Feng made a small, "En." He did not need words to express how much he enjoyed the gift. Instead, he responded by tilting her chin up to tenderly kiss her, cherishing every second of their loving kisses.

 Chapter 204 Easy Prey

    The days passed by uneventfully and the day of the birthday celebration finally arrived.

    After pondering over several ideas for days, Zhao Lifei had gotten Old Master Yang a gift that she thought would suit him. She was very meticulous in selecting the material, color, and various minor things about the gift. She had spent an entire afternoon wrapping it, only to unwrap it and rewrap it in several different ways until she finally found the perfect way of presenting it.

    As requested by Zhao Lifei, Wu Subing had sent the dress to the Zhao Mansion instead of Yang Feng¡¯s house.

    The banquet was starting in less than three hours and she finally decided to open the enormous ck box sitting by the edge of her bed. Standing by the doorway of the room were maids, ready to doll her up to perfection.

    When she opened the box, she was pleasantly surprised to see the fiery red dress and when she held it up, her eyes widened. It was beyond her wildest expectations. The theme of the celebration was oriental style and this dress ced an interesting twist in it. It was as expected of Wu Subing¡¯s famed expertise and designs that were always out of the box.

    The maids came forward to ce the dress on her, the material clinging onto her every curve, entuating areas that she did not know existed. The ruby redplimented her pale skin, the bright color standing out. She did not want to look weak in front of Old Master Yang, thus lighter colors were eliminated.

    Red most certainly suited the theme -- it was the color of luck and passion. During times of war, it would be viewed as a fighting spirit that embodied strength and power. It was all of the aforementioned qualities Old Master Yang would seek in the woman who should stand by Yang Feng¡¯s side.

    The dress had an oriental cuff design towards the top portion, a slightly see-through mesh withce flowers threading up to her neck, small red gems and pearls intertwining with the petals. The dress hugged her waist before billowing out into a small skirt stopping mid-thigh that was surrounded by partedyers of red reaching her ankle. She looked fierce, like a phoenix rising from the ashes. Her hair was pulled up into a loose bun, a few strands left out to frame her face, adding a touch of elegance to it.

    She paired it with low heels and a clutch, leaving her neck bare.

    It took her a while to get ready, the makeup and hair was the most time-consuming part. She checked the time and saw the banquet would be starting in less than an hour. It was time for her to go downstairs where her grandfather was most likely waiting for her. True to her suspicion, he was already standing by the entrance and Old Butler Tang was helping him with the coat.

    Upon hearing the clicking sound of heels, the two turned around to see the dazzling youngdy gliding down the stairs with her lips lifting into a natural smile, her guarded eyes set forward, chin up, and shoulders back.

    "Oh my, oh my, Young Miss..." Old Butler Tang was overwhelmed by emotions. He had not seen hisdy look this glorious and confident in a while now, nothing like the woman she was two years ago. There was that haughty twinkle in her eyes again, her body practically glowing, entuated by the glistening jewels on her dress.

    Zhao Moyao nodded approvingly, d she chose this color and design. It would surely look good in the eyes of that old man. "Xiao Fei, you¡¯ve done well in choosing this gown."

    Zhao Lifei rested her hand on the crook of his arms, "I didn¡¯t do much except for choosing a color and telling the designer the theme for tonight."

    Zhao Moyao did notment, but the prideful smile on his face was enough to let her know he was pleased by her decision.

    Zhao Lifei bid Old Butler Tang a goodnight as he handed her the gift she had wrapped.

    Zhao Moyao guided her outside with their private invitations in hand. Zhao Lifei stepped into the car after him.

    She did not feel nervous when buying the gift, did not falter when she was wearing the dress but now that the car was getting closer and closer to the celebration banquet, she was beginning to grow antsy, her heart thumping faster and faster.

    She looked out the window in hopes of soothing the uneasy feeling in her stomach.

    Zhao Moyao saw this and said, "Do not fret so much, Xiao Fei."

    He continued, "Remember the n. Do not approach Yang Feng until you have been formally introduced by me."

    Zhao Lifei obediently nodded her head, tearing her eyes away from the window to properly look at him. "I understand."

    "When you are introduced, do not shy away. He will not like that. You must carry yourself with the grace that was instilled within you ever since you were a child. Curb your temper, but not your determination."

    Zhao Moyao already had his nid out. The two would enter the celebration and with the private invitation, they could directly give the gifts to Elder Yang themselves instead of cing it on a table like most regr guests had to do. Later on, he would properly introduce Zhao Lifei as his granddaughter.

    When the car pulled up to the banquet, Zhao Lifei pressed a hand on her erratically beating heart that was refusing to calm down. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, collected her thoughts and calmed her mind, before opening them again, finally at ease.

    The door opened before her, earning many curious and discrete stares from the people climbing up the tall staircase leading into the hall. Families with too much wealth and power in their hands frequented the area so the security around here was set up to prevent any paparazzi from sneaking in. There was a stillness in the air. Unlike the highly publicized banquets, paparazzi were not allowed anywhere near the premises. It was a quiet climb up the stairs, too quiet for her liking. The atmosphere was filled with judgment as everyone looked for the tiniest w.

    Zhao Lifei would never forget the lessons of etiquette taught to her at a very young age. The years of practicing her walk with books on her head, the stern steel rod against her skin when she made a mistake, all of it were etched into every fiber of her being.

    One leg came out first, long and slender, apanied by the other. She delicately got out of the car, in the same manner as the other daughters of higher riches.

    Zhao Moyao came out of the car after her and even with her heels, she was not taller than him. He might¡¯ve been old, but he always exercised whenever he got a chance, ensuring his body never deteriorated with time.

    He bent one arm, offering it to her. She nimbly tucked her dainty hands into the crook, walking with him as their presencebined was enough to overwhelm the most influential of people who watched them like hawks. Eyes trained on their every move, breaths held, and waiting for a visible mistake.

    They could not find any.

    Any fool could spot them from miles away. It was the infamous Zhao Moyao. The people will never forget the day he took over the hotel empire ¡ª buying out his opponents or shutting down all of hispetitors along the way. He ruled over his house with an iron fist and a ruthless heart.

    Their eyes eventually trailed to Zhao Lifei, light hums in the air as they chatted about her.

    "Is that..."

    "She dared to show her face here... Tsk, rumor has it the Yangs did not approve of her because of that horrendous reputation of hers."

    "Why isn¡¯t she walking with Yang Feng?"

    "Shh Madam Sun... She probably lost his good grace."

    "Or he could not bear the embarrassment of bringing her along to such an important event¡ª" They stopped gossiping when they felt a chill crawl up their spine, goosebumps forming on their arms, their hairs standing up.

    They looked around in confusion at the sudden change of air until they realized whose eyes hadnded upon them. It was Zhao Moyao and he did not look pleased.

    Thedies quivered in their heels, holding onto their husbands for dear life. These women were daughters of powerful families whose husbands topped the food chain. They were people with enough power to destroypanies, but in the presence of Zhao Moyao, they were at the bottom of the chain ¡ª small and easily squashable preys.

 Chapter 205 Town Fool

    One nce towards their direction was enough to silence these women who then hurriedly bowed their heads, their eyes boring holes into the floor with their teeth chattering and fingers digging into the skin of their partners.

    Zhao Moyao already knew who they were, but decided to keep quiet. He¡¯ll deal with them when they were unaware of the tsunami that would crash over them and wreck everything in its way.

    When the two reached the top of the winding staircase, they showed the ck envelope with a single wax seal of Elder Yang Mujian. The man at the front bowed deeply, "Wee honorable guests, please allow this servant to guide you to Old Master Yang."

    He guided them inside, another man taking his ce while he escorted them. Soft chatter could be heard from within and when the door was pushed open with the announcement of their names, the talks died down. Once again, everyone paused what they were doing to look at them.

    Women dressed in body-hugging oriental dresses could be seen, some even in traditional hanfus or qipaos. There was traditional music ying in the room, a soothing melody of the Guqin and flute.

    Zhao Moyao gave his granddaughter a firm pat on her hand, reassuring her. Zhao Lifei cleared her mind of the thoughts that were weighing her down and ignored the whispers floating in the air. She took a step forward with her grandfather, then another until the two were strolling towards Elder Yang who was sitting on a chair that looked like a magnificent throne.

    Upon seeing his old friend, Zhao Moyao¡¯s usual gloomy and dreary face lightened up a bit, "Happy birthday, you old fool."

    Zhao Lifei tried her best to not be astonished by her grandfather¡¯s way of addressing this man. Her eyes trailed to Elder Yang Mujian whose serious and displeased expression was beginning to worry her.

    Why was it that when she looked at him, her stomach churned uneasily while fear began to crawl up her spine? Her fingers unconsciously dug into her grandfather¡¯s suit, her heart racing. She felt slightly dizzy in front of him, her brain beginning to tingle. She was growing profoundly confused by this sudden angst.

    "You¡¯re still alive? That¡¯s a surprise given your ancient age," Yang Mujian said with a low chuckle, highly entertained by the way they talk to each other. Decades of friendship was enough to form this close and rxing bond between the two.

    Zhao Moyao smiled the slightest bit, "Well, old fool, I expected an invitation to your funeral and not another birthday."

    Yang Mujian snorted, "I¡¯ll go down after you do."

    "As if you can ever outlive me."

    "Don¡¯t be so sure of yourself."

    They bickered like a pair of ancient turtles, their joking words made the people around them very nervous and concerned about the oue of their talk.

    Yang Mujian¡¯s eyes turned to the young woman standing beside Zhao Moyao, he instantly recognized who she was. He did not think the stubby child would grow up to such an extent. It was just like yesterday when he discovered her, the only little girl who did not shy away from his grandson. It amused him to see where she was standing today, back in the same position she was during her youth.

    Zhao Moyao saw it was time to introduce Zhao Lifei. "Old fart, this is the only one of my granddaughters I see potential in. I¡¯m sure..." He paused, "...you know of her by now."

    No one else picked up his change of tone, the way he changed his vocabry to something else.

    But Zhao Lifei did.

    When his eyes connected with hers, Zhao Lifei felt thunder striking her body, feeling a sense of dismay and dread. He was so cold. Staring at him was like peering into an abyss. So inhuman. There was not a single hint of light tucked within them.

    Cunning. Murderous. Just by making eye contact with him, she felt her blood turn cold and the hairs standing up on her arms. He terrified her. His very being intimidated her in ways she did not know was possible.

    She had taken so many lives, seen the brutality of the battlefield, but never in her twenty-three years of living did she ever feel this sense of fear. It was swallowing her alive, gnawing at her heart and it chipped away at her confidence.

    She unhooked her hand from her grandfather and slightly bowed her head to show respect, "Happy birthday, Master Yang, may the five blessings [1] prosper well, longevity and health evesting."

    Her greeting made Zhao Moyao very proud, practically making him brim with pride. ¡¯I have raised this one quite well...¡¯

    Yang Mujian was silent for a split second, something stirring within those eyes of his, so bleak, one could practically see the Gates of Hell from within. His lips curved into a smile that never reached his eyes and his fingers calctively counted the beads of his bracelet with each passing second.

    "I have heard of your fondness of writing with ink and brush." She began, her fingers clenching the slender box in her hand.

    Yang Mujian waved his hand, a man stepped forward to take the gift and passed it along to the Elder.

    Zhao Lifei knew he was giving her grandfather respect by not having the man deconstruct the gift on the spot to check and see if it was a ticking bomb.

    Yang Mujian opened the box, his eyesnding upon an ink b with the carving of mountains stretching beyond with a bamboo forest below and puffy clouds in the sky; overall, a harmonious image.

    The ink b had a grayish-blue tone to it and when ced in certain lighting it would have hues of purple or green, demonstrating it was made of high-quality material for it to bear so many different colors. He could tell by the weight and specific design of the ink b that it would have a deep, heavy sound to it and not the obnoxious one of lower grade products.

    He ced it onto the table to his left side, "I can see why you prize her."

    Zhao Moyao chuckled, recognizing the underlying message that no one but him understood. "Who would not?"

    "Who knows? There are few who believe the opposite. All that is gold... will it remain that way forever?" Yang Mujian chuckled lowly, the sound shaking her bones.

    Zhao Moyaoughed along, "The same can go for that grandson of yours."

    "He¡¯s quite the stubborn mule, isn¡¯t he?" Yang Mujianmented, which earned a lot of silent agreements but no one had the guts to agree out loud.

    "Stubborn was not the word I thought of when I see the rascal."

    Yang Mujian wholeheartedlyughed at this, a powerful boom bouncing off the walls, breaking the tension in the air.

    "Indeed, old man," Yang Mujian fondly shook his head, "Indeed."

    "And I believe that mule has his eyes set on your granddaughter." He took in her appearance. Her beauty hadn¡¯t diminished even with her name in the dirt. He knew she would grow up to be the grandest flower in this room but did not think the fate of his grandson would intertwine with hers again.

    "I do hope you will pardon him, the fool was never good at showing emotions." Yang Mujian spoke in a manner that portrayed him as a doting grandfather, but both men knew better.

    "At the least, you¡¯re able to admit that he¡¯s a fool." Zhao Moyao wished Yang Heng was here to hear the insult as it would make his night for sure.

    "All of my grandchildren are fools, only a selected few are not the town¡¯s fools."

    Zhao Lifei understood this was not a simple conversation. There were underlying messages that she could not decipher. They knew something that she didn¡¯t, that much was expected, but she felt as if she was included in the secret message.

    "A fool is still a fool." Zhao Moyao sniped, "It goes for my grandchildren as well."

    The two shared a goodugh at this, enjoying the idea of ridiculing their useless kin who did nothing but leeching off of the power and wealth they had painstakingly pushed to higher sess; a price that they paid with their sweat and blood.

    "I suppose it is time to entertain the others," Yang Mujian¡¯s voice was filled with deceitful humor, the same mocking one that Zhao Moyao had.

 Chapter 206 Relationships Are Fickle

    A woman came forward to help Elder Yang stand up while supporting his weight. She looked stunning and was dressed in a long, white body-hugging oriental skirt that had peach blossoms climbing up from the bottom, pairing it with pearls as her jewelry.

    Zhao Lifei kept her facade even in the presence of Su Meixiu who was helping Elder Yang as if she was the granddaughter-inw. How amusing.

    "That will be all, Xiao Xiu." Yang Mujian responded.

    Zhao Lifei found it strange that even though Su Meixiu was seen as a suitable candidate, Yang Mujian¡¯s tone towards her was the same as the one he used on her. Zhao Lifei bowed her head to pay respects and walked off with her grandfather, sitting down with him at the grand circr table in the center meant for the honorable guests.

    She poured her grandfather a cup of tea and quietly ced it in front of him. He took a sip out of the jade cup, not fazed by the expensive taste of the Da-Hong Pao tea.

    "You did well, Xiao Fei. Remember the n," he murmured while setting the cup down. "Do not panic at the sight of Su Meixiu."

    "I know." She curtly responded, while pouring herself a cup. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Elder Su chatting with Old Master Yang whose face was not as weing as it was when he chatted with her grandfather.

    A few people began walking to the table with the desire of bing acquainted with Zhao Moyao.

    A foreign man in histe fifties stepped forward and upon closer inspection, Zhao Lifei saw he was of mixed blood. Apanying him was a woman whose face had aged beautifully, like fine wine, a warm smile on her face.

    "Mr. Zhao, it has been a while." He spoke as the two men shook hands. "We have not seen each other since the charity auction that took cest year."

    "Indeed." Zhao Moyao muttered, remembering the auction was approaching very soon. It would ur around the same time as Zhao Lifei¡¯s birthday.

    Zhao Lifei recognized them. They were Nian Yijun and Liang Yunxi, the former being the current head of Nian Trading Inc.

    Liang Yunxi, a kind woman in her early fifties turned to Zhao Lifei, taken aback by such a beautiful and quiet woman. Sitting by herself while sipping tea and staring into the cup, she looked very picturesque. "And who might this youngdy be?"

    "Who does she look like?" Zhao Moyao chuckled, turning to Zhao Lifei who was pretending to not eavesdrop on the conversation. "She¡¯s my granddaughter."

    The Nians, like most people in the room, were shocked to hear the way he addressed her. This old man, too stoic and uncaring, had never introduced his eldest son with the same affection.

    "Your granddaughter?" Liang Yunxi repeated, her attitude changing. "Why, of course, I should¡¯ve known."

    She stepped forward and asked, "What is your name?"

    Zhao Lifei offered a polite handshake, a smile gracing her face. "Zhao Lifei, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Madam Nian."

    Liang Yunxi amicably held onto Zhao Lifei¡¯s hand, patting it. "Please, the pleasure is all mine." She briefly nced at her husband before adding on, "How old are you this year?"

    "Twenty-three." Zhao Moyao answered, already knowing what this conniving woman was nning, but did not bother to stop her.

    In order to be with Yang Feng, she would have to properly win the Yangs over. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if she married into a family that already loved her?

    "Why, my son is twenty-five this year. He will be taking over his father¡¯s position very soon." Liang Yunxi seized the chance to boost her son¡¯s image, "His name is William."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s smile did not change as she politely nodded her head.

    "I do pray that you¡¯re not seeing anyone right? Putting the opinion of a mother aside, I can vouch that he is very handsome." Liang Yunxi had been out of the country for the past month and had not seen the most recent headlines reporting Yang Feng and Zhao Lifei¡¯s rtionship.

    Zhao Lifei blinked, her low EQ finally understood the woman¡¯s intentions. She let out a softugh, unknowingly charming many of the onlookers, especially the men.

    "I¡ª"

    "Actually, it¡¯s alright if you are. As long as you¡¯re not married, I¡¯m sure my son will not mind."

    "Uhm¡ª"

    "Are you free tomorrow afternoon?"

    Zhao Lifei was getting ufortable when Liang Yunxi did not let go of her hand and instead, held onto it tighter.

    "Your son is not good enough for my granddaughter." Zhao Moyao¡¯s blunt protectiveness startled everyone. The eldest son of the Nians is not considered a good fit?! That man would be inheriting a multi-billion business with enough wealth to rival the Zhaos whose power stretched beyond the seas.

    Many people understood his reasoning. Yang Feng alone could take down the entire family, he was the waves in the ocean while the Nians were mere ripples.

    Liang Yunxi was always protective of her eldest son, the one she personally raised. "My son¡ª"

    "Don¡¯t worry, sweetheart, it¡¯s a joke." Nian Yijun stepped forward to calm his angered and offended wife.

    Everyone could see by Zhao Moyao¡¯s face that it was not. Liang Yunxi was even more insulted by this, her face bing slightly red.

    Zhao Lifei worked quickly to diffuse the situation. "Madam Nian, I truly appreciate the opportunity to meet your son, but I am currently in a rtionship with someone."

    "That¡¯s fine dear, rtionships are fickle. I will arrange for you to meet him tomorrow."

    When Nian Yijun saw Zhao Moyao¡¯s dangerous expression shifting into irritation, he spoke up, "Sweetheart, let¡¯s not pressure the young woman. She has her reasons."

    Liang Yunxi softly frowned, disappointed.

    An idea suddenly came to Zhao Lifei¡¯s mind. Yang Ruqin had always set her up on blind dates, it was time for payback...

    "Actually, Madam Nian, how about I introduce someone to your son?"

    "Oh? Who?" Liang Yunxi was extremely pleased to hear this.

    "Yang Ruqin."

    Liang Yunxi let out a quiet gasp. A high madam such as herself would be a fool to not know who the young woman was. She was the apple of Yang Qianlu¡¯s eye, the prized daughter spoiled by everyone in her family. She was gentle by nature, a bit too bubbly, but that was part of her charm.

    Even the tough critic, Elder Yang Mujian, severely doted on her and rumor had it, he catered to all of her wishes, treating her with the utmost care and love in the world. Having her as a daughter-inw, any family would cry tears of joy, for she had every Yang member wrapped around her fingers.

    Liang Yunxi pulled out a white card with a hint of rose water sshed upon it, "This is my contact information. Please contact me as soon as you can."

    Zhao Lifei deviouslyughed inside, knowing her Qinqin was doomed. The poor girl would not know what struck her. As a matter of fact, Zhao Lifei was petty enough to even invite Qinqin to La Roche- the same ce where Han Wuting was introduced to her.

    "Of course." She said, taking the card and cing it into her purse and ensuring it was safe.

 Chapter 207 Who Bullied You

    The lively chatter in the air died down faster than the speed of light. It was so sudden that Zhao Lifei was confused by it. It was as if these people knew something she did not.

    Everything seemed to happen in slow motion to most of the people. The enormous door was pushed open, apanied by a gust of winter air in the midst of spring. The room was so quiet that everyone could hear the small yet rough sound of footsteps approaching from not far off. He walked with the confidence of an Emperor towards his rightful throne, his tailored suit hugging his body wlessly, enhancing his impable figure. He looked at no one except his grandfather.

    Everyone paled inparison to him, no other single man could match up to his fine physique. It was as if their body moved on a silentmand from him, people stepped back to allow a wider opening for the expressionless Yang Feng to walk through. When he passed by them, the people held their breath. They were overwhelmed by the majestic air around him that ced him on a higher pedestal as if he was an immortal from the heavensing down to bless the mere mortals with his presence.

    Yang Feng stopped before Elder Yang. "Grandfather," He nodded his head in acknowledgment, a gesture that themon people would never dare do. Everyone, no matter their age or position, always bowed before the old man. Yang Feng never did.

    "Where are my birthday wishes?" Yang Mujian¡¯s lips quirked into an amused smirk, highly entertained by his grandson¡¯s behavior. Aloof as always, the chilliness of his eyes resembled that of a never-melting cier.

    Yang Feng monotonously said, "May you live on with good health and prosperity."

    A sound rumbled its way up Yang Mujian¡¯s chest, traveling up his throat, a deep chuckle filled with fondness, before transforming into thunderousughter was heard, booming off the walls, scaring everyone.

    "Unenthusiastic as always."

    Yang Feng did not reply back.

    Zhao Lifei did not think their exchange would be so... unfamiliar, nothing like how a normal grandson and grandfather would interact. But, then again, was anything ever normal in the life of the rich?

    "The least you could do to convince me was cracking a smile." Yang Mujian chided. He became even more amused when Yang Feng did not follow his suggestion. If it was anyone else, that person would¡¯ve been shot dead on the spot, but this was his grandson, and the very boy he raised.

    To see Yang Feng was so heartless, even in front of his grandfather, Yang Mujian was proud and content with this behavior, for he was the one who instilled such a mindset into the man.

    Yang Mujian was d he exposed his grandson to things too gruesome for a child to witness, or else this man would not have such a heart of stone.

    "To fake a smile is to insult you." Yang Feng replied, his words a p to many people who wore fabricated expressions in front of the elder.

    Yang Mujian¡¯s frigid face became warm, filled with affection. "Of course, child. How could I forget?" Seeing that his grandson did not disappoint him, his mood improved as his eyes swept around him andnded on Zhao Lifei for the briefest second before his head tilted to the obedient woman standing beside him.

    "You¡¯ve yet to greet your secretary."

    "Since when do I lower myself to nce at insignificant things?"

    Yang Mujian was silent for a split second before he broke out into a fit of highly pleasedughter that was hearty and throaty. Truly this grandson of his was one of his finest masterpieces.

    Su Meixiu was deeply offended by Yang Feng¡¯s words. He was never this harsh to her in the past. She shrank back a bit when several pairs of eyes, filled with judgment,nded upon her, silently mocking her.

    "Good...good." Elder Yang quietly murmured to himself.

    "If that is all, grandfather, I will be excusing myself." Yang Feng walked off, not taking notice of his woman who suddenly turned her back towards him as if hiding from him.

    He made his way to his family who arrived a while ago. Yang Ruqin was nowhere in sight, but his younger brother most certainly was. Even as Yang Feng approached the table, Yang Yulong was flirting with a group of women that were intently listening to everything he was saying, their high-pitched giggles irritating Yang Feng.

    Seeing as it was their grandfather¡¯s birthday banquet, Yang Feng did not want Yang Yulong to make a fool out of himself.

    As Yang Feng passed by his younger brother, he grabbed the man by his cor and dragged him to his seat.

    Yang Yulong slumped into his chair, a small pout on his lips. "But Feng-ge, thosedies were totally attracted to me!" He huffed, "The prettiest one in the group was offering me her number!" He threw his hands up.

    "It¡¯s in the database." Yang Feng sat down, indifferent to his younger brother as well.

    Yang Yulong already knew he had more than enough connections to get the number of any woman on this. "But that ruins the fun of obtaining it! Some things are more entertaining when you work hard for it."

    "Only for you to discard themter on." Yang Fengzily replied.

    "Well, I never said I would keep them." Yang Yulong shrugged, "Toys are meant to be tossed away once you¡¯re done with them."

    He opened his mouth to speak again but yelped in pain when someone smacked him on the back of his head. He swirled around to see his obnoxious little sister preparing to swing her purse again, the darn gems nearly piercing his scalp. "Woah there tiger, let¡¯s put the weapon down, alright?"

    Yang Ruqin glowered at him, "You shouldn¡¯t talk about women like that."

    "And you¡ª" Yang Yulong paused when he noticed her make-up was slightly smudged, her eyes puffy, and her cheeks slightly damp. Instantly, the carefree and happy-go-lucky expression on his face morphed, in a snap of a finger. He was livid.

    "Who did it?!" He snarled, standing up. "Who bullied you?"

    Yang Feng pretended to not care about the issue while leisurely drinking the tea, but his ears were on high-alert. Would blood be spilled tonight? So soon? He guessed it was time to put his new gun to the test. Or perhaps the men in the Underworld base would like a new target to practice on.

    Yang Ruqin sniffed, her shoulders hunched over a bit as she sat down, not wanting to talk. "It¡¯s nothing."

    "I¡¯ll find out eventually. Just spit out the name." Yang Yulong pulled up a chair beside her and sat down, his murderous face had a tinge of worry to it. He tried to be gentle with her and whispered, "Don¡¯t worry, no harm wille your way if you tell me who it is."

    He patted her back, "Big brother will handle it, alright?"

    Yang Ruqin slowly nodded, yet her mouth was still mped shut. She did not want to reveal what happened as it was too painful to even think about it. She was yed yet again. It was always the same damn thing! Why couldn¡¯t people love her for who she is? Why do they only care about the benefits she could bring them? Fame, money, wealth, and power ¡ª these were just a handful of the selfish things that people wanted from her.

    "Don¡¯t pout, Xiao Qin, grandfather will worry if he sees you like this." Yang Yulong quietly whispered, his heart throbbing with pain at the sight of her defeated face, so broken that it was beginning to chip away at his heart.

    "Cheer up, alright? I¡¯ll deal with the problem." He tapped a long finger onto her nose. "And all you have to do is stand there and look pretty."

    Yang Ruqin quietly nodded, leaning her head on her brother¡¯s shoulder. There were times he was beyond irritating with his constant teasing, pranks, and bullying. The two always bickered like cats and dogs, but in the eyes of these siblings, only they could bully each other. No outsider could even dare attempt such a thing.

    An attack on Yang Ruqin was an attack on all of the siblings.

 Chapter 208 Take His Woman

    Yang Yulong continued tofort his younger sister, all the while plotting the gruesome murder of the person who made her like this. He had ordered a set of Arabian daggers a few days ago and they had finally arrived this morning. He supposed it was time to test out how fine their craftsmanship is.

    When Fan Jin and Yang Qianlu came back to the table after mingling and chatting with many other families, they were confused by the change of atmosphere. Their youngest son was patting the back of their daughter instead of wooing women and their other son was sitting as still as a rock.

    "What happened?" Yang Qianlu¡¯s voice was heavy, angered even, at the sight of his baby girl.

    "Nothing, papa." Yang Ruqin shook her head, her bottom lip slightly jutted out in a tiny pout with her brows pulled together.

    "Were you crying?"

    Yang Ruqin hurriedly shook her head. "No, I wasn¡¯t. Don¡¯t fret."

    "You seem like you were." Yang Qianlu stepped closer to his daughter to get a better look at her.

    "I¡¯m fine, really." Yang Ruqin raised her head, straining her face for a smile.

    Yang Qianlu looked heavily disappointed at her lie, his heart being weighed down by worry. He always felt uneasy whenever he saw his daughter this glum, his heart aching for her. "What happened? Daddy will fix it for you."

    Fan Jin sighed at the sidelines. The men in this family were all smitten by Yang Ruqin, who was always doted on like a little princess, and it was something she did not know if she shouldugh or cry over.

    Yang Ruqin opened her mouth when something caught her eye. There was a woman alone sitting not far from their table, her back turned towards them. She could only see the woman¡¯s slender neck and red cor from here, but that was enough for Yang Ruqin to abruptly stand up, surprising her father and brother. Without warning, she picked up the hem of her long dress and dashed to the woman, her heart soaring the closer she got and the more familiar the woman looked.

    "Feifei!" Yang Ruqin squealed in delight, her voice capturing the attention of many people.

    When Zhao Lifei turned around, a body had already crashed into hers, hugging her very tightly.

    "Why didn¡¯t you tell me you wereing?" Yang Ruqin gushed, pulling away, her sorrows long forgotten.

    Zhao Lifei opened her mouth to speak, but paused when she noticed the dull light within Yang Ruqin¡¯s usual bright eyes. "Did something happen?..." She trailed off then, understanding it was not the right time and ce to ask. She decided after the celebration she needs a girls¡¯ night with Yang Ruqin.

    "You never asked." She shrugged.

    Yang Ruqin let out a sigh of relief when her Feifei did not press her on the way her family members did.

    Zhao Lifei reached her hand out to fix Qinqin¡¯s sleeves that had ridden up in her frenzy to rush here. "Where were you? I didn¡¯t see you when I came in."

    "Oh...Well...Uh, I¡ªI was, you know..." She stammered, searching for excuses.

    Zhao Lifei saw this as a sign to change the topic, "I saw your favorite dessert."

    Yang Ruqin perked up again. "Really?! Where?"

    Zhao Lifeiughed, the melodic sound drawing men one step closer in her direction. "If I tell you, are you going to run off again?"

    "Hmm..." Yang Ruqin pretended to think, cing a finger on her chin.

    Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes. "I already know the answer is yes."

    "Hehe, don¡¯t be jealous Feifei, I love you as much as I love my strawberry shortcakes!"

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips tilted into a smile that reached her eyes. The sight awed many men, who despite knowing she was Yang Feng¡¯s woman, could not help but be drawn to her charisma like a moth flying dangerously close to the mes of death.

    "Who said I was jealous?"

    Yang Ruqin reached out to pinch her cheek, "Your face."

    Zhao Lifei shook her head, deeply amused, "Sure it did."

    Right as she said that, a shadow loomed over her. She could already tell by the presence that apanied him who was standing behind her.

    Yang Feng rested one hand on Zhao Lifei¡¯s shoulder while the other lifted her face to look up at him. When he saw who his younger sister was talking to different emotions washed over him, but the most prominent one was happiness. He was very pleased to see her here. Only when she was present would he revert to his normal self.

    "You didn¡¯t tell me you woulde, my dear." He did not like the fact that she was craning her neck just to see him. He wanted to pull her into hisp so that they were at least eye-leveled when speaking.

    "Did you not want me to?"

    "No." He answered in a heartbeat.

    Zhao Lifei smiled at the sh of panic in his eyes. "Sit down. My neck is getting tired from looking at you."

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes swept to the chair beside her where a name card was resting on a burgundy cloth. He flicked it away and sat down to her right.

    Yang Ruqin felt her cheeks puff out in anger that her brother would ruin her precious time with her Feifei. She also pulled a chair beside Lifei and sat down.

    Zhao Lifei eyed the siblings when she realized one of them had stolen her grandfather¡¯s seat.

    "So, Feifei," Yang Ruqin emphasized the nickname, "How has your life been? Anything interesting happened while I was gone?"

    "Well¡ª"

    "Lifei, the banquet is serving rice cakes from Hedong, let¡¯s grab some." Yang Feng did not like the fact that her attention was this easily diverted from him. He hooked his finger under her chin, turning her gaze so that she could only look at him.

    A thunder cloud cackled over Yang Ruqin¡¯s head as she grabbed Zhao Lifei¡¯s hands, sping over them. "Feifei, I know you like macarons more, let¡¯s go get some¡ª"

    "Don¡¯t touch her." Yang Feng hissed, tugging his woman to his side just as Yang Ruqin wrapped her arms around Lifei.

    "She¡¯s my best friend, I can touch her as I please."

    "She¡¯s my woman, you have no right to touch her."

    Yang Ruqin gasped. "I have every right to!" She turned to her best friend, "Right, Feifei?" She looked at her with the same puppy eyes she always used when she wanted something.

    Zhao Lifei felt like a mother split between her husband and child.

    "My brother is being very irrational and rude, don¡¯t you agree, Feifei? He¡¯s bullying me! I think we should get away from him."

    A low growl came out at his sister¡¯s words and Yang Feng tugged Lifei closer, very displeased that someone would try to take his woman away.

 Chapter 209 Donâ€™t Corrupt Her

    Zhao Lifei heaved an exhausted sigh at the bickering children on either side of her. She turned to Yang Ruqin and said, "Qinqin, the desserts are all on one table. We can go there together."

    Then, she turned towards Yang Feng and asked, "Are you wearing the cuff links?"

    Yang Feng readily nodded his head, proudly showing it to her. "The red diamond is a darker color of red, but we¡¯re still matching."

    Zhao Lifei was amused by his words. The rare red diamond¡¯s hue was practically ck in contrast to her zing red.

    Only this lovestruck fool would think they were matching.

    She brushed a stray hair that fell out of his slicked ck hair and reminded him, "Don¡¯t wear it everyday."

    "I know. I still have the box you gifted me a while back."

    Zhao Lifei finally remembered their little inside joke ¡ª the gift war. She had no clue who was in the lead now.

    Yang Ruqin saw Yang Feng had received a gift and frowned, her bottom lip sticking out in the process. "Feifei, where¡¯s my gift?"

    "At home. I¡¯ll give it to you when we have a girls¡¯ night." Zhao Lifei lied, making a note to buy a gift for Yang Ruqin.

    "Really? What is it?"

    Zhao Lifei smiled, pinching her cheek. "You¡¯ll find out when you receive it."

    "Don¡¯t waste money on Ruqin, she doesn¡¯t need gifts." Yang Fengzily drawled out, resting the side of his forehead on his propped up arm. He could see Zhao Lifei¡¯s face perfectly from this angle.

    Yang Ruqin gasped at this. "And you don¡¯t need them anymore than I do!"

    "I do."

    "Nuh-uh."

    "Don¡¯t make me repeat myself."

    Yang Ruqin glowered at her brother, having a strong urge to hit him with her clutch, however, she did not dare to, for courting death from her brother was not the wisest decision. She sulked to herself, crossing her arms.

    Zhao Lifei felt a pair of eyes boring a hole into the back of her head, but she did not look around. She had a feeling it was either Su Meixiu, Elder Yang, or her grandfather. But little did she know that it was someone else...

    "Come now, let¡¯s go get some desserts." Zhao Lifei said when her stomach grumbled a bit.

    Yang Ruqin hurriedly nodded, grabbing Zhao Lifei¡¯s arm before Yang Feng could ce a finger on her. This greatly displeased him. A malicious shadow covered his eyes when he stood up, reaching over to snatch her back, but then Zhao Lifei detached herself from the both of them.

    "Children, please be civilized." She chided, walking off without them and heading straight to the macarons with the Yang siblings hot on her trail.

    She jumped when they pushed past her only to realize they were speed walking straight to the macaron tower, Yang Feng reaching there first because of his long legs. He shoved Yang Ruqin away with his shoulder and turned to his woman, a triumphant smirk on his face.

    Zhao Lifei shook her head. Is it really that fun to bully your younger sister? At the thought of her own little sister, Zhao Lifei felt a pang of pain in her chest. She did not want to dwell on Zhao Linhua anymore.

    "Stop bullying Qinqin."

    Yang Ruqin smirked inwardly. Hmph, take that Feng-ge!

    "She¡¯s small and prone to getting hurt." Zhao Lifei added on, to make sure she was not taking any sides.

    It was Yang Feng¡¯s turn to smirk at the subtle insult.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s haughty smirk dropped, a small pout on her face. "I am not small, Feifei, we¡¯re of the same height!" She whined, instantly looping her arm around Zhao Lifei¡¯s lower arms, clinging onto her the same way she always did. It was a habit of hers to do this. Ever since they were children, Yang Ruqin would constantly either hold hands or have her arm around Zhao Lifei¡¯s.

    "But you¡¯re very prone to getting hurt." Zhao Lifei stood firm on her words, grabbing the te that Yang Feng gave her. She was pleasantly surprised to see he had selected her favorite vors of salted caramel and white chocte mocha.

    "Thank you," She warmly smiled at him, biting into the delicious finger food, nearly moaning at how good it was.

    Yang Feng was originally irked to see she was giving his annoying little sister her attention, but after receiving that award-winning smile from her, he felt his temper settle down.

    He reached over and ran his thumb over the corners of her mouth, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You have crumbs there."

    He was about to lick his fingers, but Zhao Lifei grabbed his hand and wiped it with a napkin while her cheek became heated.

    "There¡¯s a child here, don¡¯t corrupt her." She muttered, gingerly continuing to wipe his hand.

    Yang Ruqin huffed, feeling like a child stuck between her parents who showed too much PDA [1].

    "I¡¯m not a child." She argued.

    "Then stop acting like one." Yang Yulong said from behind her, giving her head a firm pat with a teasing smile on his face.

    He decided toe to the couple after he was abandoned at the table where his parents began to lecture him about his yboy behavior. He ran away and sought refuge with the trio.

    Many people were enviously ring at Zhao Lifei who was surrounded by all of the Yang siblings, particrly the women who were badmouthing her earlier. They were now burning with bitter jealousy. Anyone would die just to spend a few minutes with any of the children of the Yang n, but here she was receiving their attention without trying.

    There was also a handful of people that greatly admired her. She was able to keep the Demon King in check while soothing Yang Ruqin¡¯s childish behavior. She handled the two of them very well.

    Yang Mujian had been staring at her for an eternity now, ever since his delightful granddaughter ran towards the woman. He already knew the two had a very close rtionship, for he had personally witnessed it when they were simply children. He was d she did not remember him.

    Zhao Lifei.

    It was a tainted name, one that was ruined and tarnished by her own foolishness and horrible behavior. Seeing her now, he realized she had drastically changed. His sources told him it was because she enrolled in the military, only to abruptly leave because of her grandfather¡¯s request.

    His lips curved into a cunning smile. His fool of a grandson did not know the real reason why she practically fled from the base. Even as she stood now, surrounded by the few grandchildren he deeply cared for, she did not know the General was still looking for her...

 Chapter 210 Somewhere Private

    "Meixiu," Yang Mujian beckoned the woman forward.

    She had stood by his grandson¡¯s side for nine years now and the decade anniversary was just a few months away, but she was easily discarded like trash.

    It was heartless for Yang Mujian to think this, but he was impressed by Yang Feng¡¯s behavior. One would find it hard to abandon something they¡¯ve grown ustomed to, but his grandson did it within the blink of an eye. It showed Yang Feng was not one to be easily attached to something and that was a good sign for Elder Yang who prioritized having a heart of stone. The less Yang Feng felt anything, the better.

    Yang Mujian believed Yang Feng did not need to rule the Underworld with a heart, for emotions like pity led to cowardly antics. He¡¯d prefer his grandson to not even have a soul or good moralpass. All Yang Feng needed was an iron fist to mp down on the people.

    Su Meixiu was giddy at being called over, for she saw it as a sign that she was not truly tossed away. She inwardly smiled to herself. She knew she would never be abandoned by the Yangs. Her connection ran deep. Even as she approached Elder Yang, the head of the Su n was watching from afar, his eyes centered on her.

    "Yes, Master Yang?" Her usual airy and sweet as honey voice was curbed into a firmer tone, filled with deceitful nonchnce. She knew it was foolish to show weakness in front of him.

    "What do you think of that woman¡¯s rtionship with my grandson?"

    Su Meixiu easily replied, "The Young Master is heavily invested in her. I dare say..." She paused for a dramatic effect, "He¡¯s in love with her."

    The sinful word, love, triggered him, his face bing stormy. His fingers tightly clenched the teacup, cracking it from his pressure.

    Su Meixiu hid the smirk on her face when she saw his reaction. It was exactly what she wanted to see. Go on, Master Yang, destroy that woman, and ship her far away from your grandson!

    She might¡¯ve hidden the small curve on her lips, but Elder Yang still saw it perfectly. She¡¯s deliberately pressing the right buttons. He was entertained by this. He already knew she was quite a conniving woman, something he did not care for as long as she did not bite the hand of the one that fed her.

    Yang Mujian trusted his grandson. Yang Feng was the only kin Yang Mujian took under his wing and personally raised by him. He taught Yang Feng everything he knew: how to kill without flinching, how to mercilessly torture and torment a person, how to sit still in front of a massacre, and how to intimidate one¡¯s enemies.

    "Is that so..." Yang Mujian mused, taking a calming sip of the Da Hong Pao tea. He was not stupid enough to easily believe her words without proper investigation and confirmation. For his grandson, he was willing to give him a second chance to exin himself.

    Yang Mujian continued to watch the exchange of his grandchildren. The more he watched, the more he was impressed by her. She knew how to keep all three unruly children in check. From catering to Yang Feng¡¯s possessiveness to doting on Yang Ruqin and matching the teasing of Yang Yulong¡ª everything she did was a remarkable feat.

    He could see why Zhao Moyao treasured her out of the tens of grandchildren he had. This one was quite special.

    Yang Mujian had dug deeper into Zhao Lifei¡¯s current lifestyle, more than his grandson. It was enough for him to know she was her grandfather¡¯s consultant, which was not an easy aplishment, and as a matter of fact, it ced her on an extremely high pedestal without her knowledge.

    Yang Mujian realized the ancient fool was considering the idea of making her the next CEO of Zhao Corporation, something that would shake the business world. Learning of this, he knew he would have to tread carefully around her should he ever remove her position from his grandson¡¯s side in the future.

    He thought back to her short past in the military. Thepliments and formalmendations about her skills were enough to pile up into a mountain, all of them praising her diligence and ability to handle a gun better than a veteran who had decades of experience. He also heard of the massacre that happened in the warehouse ¡ª she single-handedly took down twenty-nine men.

    The more he learned about her, the more he began to like her. He did not care about her tarnished reputation, he cared more about the usefulness of a person.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei caught the eye of her grandfather a few meters away. He was surrounded by people. She wanted to approach him, but remembered the incident with Liang Yunxi and figured it was best to not do so with Yang Feng hovering over her.

    Yang Yulong looked around and when he spotted a beautiful group ofdies with bodies rivaling supermodels, his eyes lit up. When he was sure that no one was watching, he slipped away.

    Yang Feng bent his head to seductively whisper into her ear, "Let¡¯s go somewhere private."

    Zhao Lifei chuckled and gave his chest a firm pat. "I don¡¯t think so."

    She turned to Yang Ruqin and saw she was heavily invested in her phone, her fingers flying with incredible speed over the t surface. Who was she texting?

    But, before Zhao Lifei could speak up, Yang Mujian stood up to make a speech.

    "Good evening, wee to my banquet. I hope everyone is enjoying themselves tonight. I would like to thank you for attending." He nodded his head and walked off.

    His speech was short, but it was enough for the people who were happy by simply hearing one word from him. Many people respected him, but more feared him, for the things that he could do were simply too inhumane even for such an old man like himself.

    The dinner was going to start soon. Zhao Lifei nudged Yang Ruqin who nodded, her head still buried in the phone as she began to walk back to her table. Zhao Lifei worriedly watched her retreating back, so small and brittle.

    Zhao Lifei began to worry about what problem her dear friend had gotten herself into now.

 Chapter 211 Old

    Zhao Lifei looked for Yang Ruqin again and was shocked to see she was nowhere to be found.

    "Yang Feng, did you see where Qinqin walked off to?" Zhao Lifei worriedly asked, her eyes scanning the room in hopes of spotting a young woman in a jade green qipao.

    "No, but I¡¯ll have my men look for her."

    "I¡¯ll search for her myself. Maybe she went to the bathroom." Zhao Lifei tried to break away from him, but with his hand gripping on her hip, she could not.

    He pulled her closer and said, "If you do not find her within five minutes, hurry back. I¡¯ll deal with it."

    Zhao Lifei nodded.

    "I need to talk to your grandfather about something. You¡¯ll be able to find me by the balcony, okay?" He did not know her rtionship with her eldest uncle yet and did not want to hurt her with the truth about him. He had his men trail her eldest uncle, Zhao Junkai, for quite some time. Though there were a few shady meetings in clubs, the man was mainly entertaining himself with escorts.

    There were not nearly enough leads to point him out as the culprit. Since he was the eldest son of Zhao Moyao, Yang Feng knew he could not instantly bring him to the underworld. He nned on brutally beating, tormenting, and torturing him the man for even fathoming the idea of harming Zhao Lifei.

    Yang Feng needed to inform Zhao Moyao of the news before any actions were made.

    She nodded again. "Okay." And without another word, she hurried off to search for her best friend.

    Yang Feng watched her disappear into the distance. He made a hidden gesture for his people to follow after her. They did not need to be told twice as they silently trailed after her, easily blending into the crowd.

    After ensuring she was being monitored, Yang Feng made his way to Zhao Moyao.

    "Mr. Zhao, in regards to your proposal with Yang Enterprise, it was quite outstanding! It has only been a few months since the construction has beenpleted, but I heard the revenue was sky-high!" One manplimented, another quickly joining in.

    "I must praise you, President Zhao, you¡¯ve performed miraculously, yet again!"

    Zhao Moyao barely listened to their emptypliments, his mood souring. ¡¯Ignorant bastards,¡¯ he thought. If only they knew the true mastermind behind the sess was his granddaughter, whom he consulted with.

    Zhao Moyao remained quiet. He absentmindedly opened his ears to them while his eyes did a full sweep of the banquet in search of Zhao Lifei. She was nowhere to be seen.

    "Do not fret." Yang Feng¡¯s icy voice silenced the babbling businessmen. They all stepped back to make more room for him, watching as the suave man strolled towards them.

    "She is safe." Yang Feng added on, a ss of champagne in his hand.

    Zhao Moyao eyed the ss with disdain. He never liked alcohol, it caused too many problems.

    He turned to the bootlicking people, nodded his head and excused himself with Yang Feng to a more secluded area.

    "The balcony should suffice." Zhao Moyao said. He had a suspicion about the topic of discussion...

    Yang Feng wordlessly walked with him until the two were on the balcony overlooking the city of Shenbei.

    He set the curtains in ce and closed the door. No one at the banquet would be able to see or hear them.

    "What is it?" Zhao Moyao impatiently asked when Yang Feng took a sip of the champagne, the moon adding a ghostly pale glow to his honey-tanned skin. "It¡¯s cold tonight, so hurry up and spit it out."

    "Your eldest son hired the kidnappers." Yang Feng deadpanned.

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s suspicion was proven correct. He turned to look at the view before him as the celebration hall was on the outskirts of the city. "How do you know this?"

    "It¡¯s not entirely confirmed yet. My men tortured the information out of a scum."

    Zhao Moyao nced up at the sky. It was colorless and empty except for a crescent moon. There was never a time where he regretted the way he behaved around his children and grandchildren.

    He always believed one should earn their position. If one of his children wanted shares in thepany, a chair in the executive board, and so on, they would need to ve away for it. They were not so blessed to simply be born into a position. It was a cruel way of thinking befitting of the dog-eat-dog business world.

    He had personally witnessed, on many ounts, just how scheming his offspring, their wives and children were. No one in the family would hesitate to pull their own blood-rtive down if it meant they could be used as a stepping stool to climb higher. Between the Zhaos, water ran thicker than blood.

    His eldest son¡¯s behavior was expected. He found it strange when his eldest son wanted to have a get together at a restaurant and even asked for the invitation to be extended to Zhao Lifei. Now, Zhao Moyao saw his eldest son¡¯s true motives. He was a wild card.

    "And what do you n to do with this information?" Zhao Moyao curiously asked.

    "You know," Yang Feng began, his fingers subconsciously touching the red diamond of his cufflinks. "If it was not for the fact that he¡¯s her uncle, I would¡¯ve made him feel hell was a better ce than Earth."

    Zhao Moyao understood Yang Feng¡¯s message. He was only being lenient because he was worried about Zhao Lifei¡¯s emotions. She was a sensitive child, but not one to pardon backstabbing rtives.

    Zhao Moyao briefly spared Yang Feng a nce before looking back towards the city. "You¡¯ve changed."

    "Have I?"

    "You were never like this in the past. Before killing someone, you would never consult with others." Zhao Moyao muttered. "I remember a little boy, no more than the age of ten, so stoic and heartless; his eyes the most pitiful shade of ck I¡¯ve ever seen."

    "That little boy did not behave his age. He never smiled, neverughed, never did things a boy should do. He wielded a gun better than he wielded a toy, he killed faster than trained assassins."

    "He grew up to be a fearsome man whose very name was enough to instill terror upon a person. Destroying a legacy was child¡¯s y to him, bankrupting apany was as easy as flicking his fingers, and just one stomp of his boot was enough to make people shake in theirs."

    Yang Feng did not reply. He intently listened to Zhao Moyao, for he had always respected the man for his military aplishments.

    "Even now, his behavior remained the same. I have never witnessed a pleasant and genuine smile never to be found on his face. The only emotion he showed was the terrifying curve of his lips when he wanted to torment a person. People said staring into his eyes was like staring at death¡¯s door."

    Zhao Moyao fondly turned towards the young man, a tender expression on his face. He sympathized with Yang Feng, for both his granddaughter and this man were products of their grandparent¡¯s teachings which eventually dimmed the light within them.

    "But nowadays, he¡¯s able to freely smile, given, never in public, but in thefort of a woman."

    Yang Feng had long known Zhao Moyao was referring to him, but still, he did notment.

    "I have never seen you fathom the idea of mercy, the word so foreign, your dictionary does not contain it." Zhao Moyao chuckled to himself, the sound ripe with age.

    He was getting old and in just a few years, he nned to retire. There were already three potential and highly suitable candidates for his position so he did not need to fret anymore. Those people could continue his legacy and bring thepany to a higher level.

    "It¡¯s something she has taught me without trying." Yang Feng muttered, his rigid eyes softening at the thought of Zhao Lifei whose face gued his mind like a sweet nightmare. The thought of losing her was always at the back of his mind, grasping at his heart, but even so, he was not willing to spare Zhao Junkai.

 Chapter 212 People Pleaser

    "My granddaughter is quite amazing, is she not?" Zhao Moyao hummed, "She never sees that trait in herself. I me her parents for the horrid way they raised her that ruined her. Her childhood was rough, but I¡¯m sure you know that by now."

    "I suppose you would say that I should partially me myself. It was my cruel and detached behavior towards my son that made him a failure of a father."

    Despite his words, Zhao Moyao did not regret anything. He did not regret his treatment towards his children, he did not regret abandoning his grandchildren, and he did not regret all of the times he beat his kids.

    But the one thing he regretted, even if he would never admit it, was leaving Zhao Lifei in the hands of her parents. They had tarnished her beyond repair and even to this day, her scars ran deep, apanying her all the way to adulthood.

    That buffoon, Zheng Tianyi, and his little mistress¡¯s treatment towards her did not help Zhao Lifei at all. She was already a cracked shell when she was with Zheng Tianyi and after the bastard left her for a gold-digging tramp, that shell crumbled into nothingness.

    Zhao Moyao could see it clearly. What little light she had tucked within those amber eyes of hers was gone ¡ª stolen by people that never deserved it.

    Recently, he could practically shed tears of joy. The same she lost light had returned and this time, the brightness of it was enough to rival the stars. She was the happiest he had ever seen her.

    Her smile was more genuine now, so carefree and pure. She was different from the woman she used to be, the one that was broken by the fact that the man she was groomed to love was stolen in the blink of an eye, so easily and without warning.

    "There¡¯s always a saying where a grandfather will love their grandchild, but never as much as they love their actual kid. What bogus words." Zhao Moyao muttered.

    Yang Feng wondered what the conclusion of their conversation was, but when he saw the shift in emotion within Zhao Moyao, the way he seemed to be reminiscing about something, Yang Feng realized he was getting the permission to end Zhao Junkai once and for all.

    "Treasure my granddaughter well, Yang Heng. If not, I will personallye for you."

    If this was anyone but his woman¡¯s beloved grandfather, Yang Feng would¡¯ve taken Zhao Moyao¡¯s head for such threats, but he did not dare to, for such a thing would hurt his darling too much.

    "Of course."

    "Now, if you¡¯ll excuse this babbling old fool, the dinner is starting soon." Zhao Moyao walked off, not providing Yang Feng a direct answer, but his long speech was enough.

    Yang Feng messaged Chen Gaonan to set up a meeting with Zhao Junkai. It was time to set his n into action.

    Yang Feng took a final sip of his champagne before cing it back onto a passing waiter¡¯s tray. He made ways to seek his beloved out, but paused by the dessert table and grabbed a macaroon. This bewildered the people whose gaze continuouslytched onto him no matter what he did.

    Yang Feng ate the dessert in one bite to ensure she would not be able to taste the champagne. It had been more than five minutes and when he saw Zhao Lifei was not back yet, he became worried. Where did she wander off to?

    He made notes to lecture that little sister of his. How could she run off without telling Zhao Lifei anything? How dare she make his woman worry like this when all of her attention should be on him?

    Yang Feng growled and stalked off in the direction she had walked off in. He messaged the men trailing after her who instantly replied and gave him her current location: the women¡¯s bathroom.

    Yang Feng pressed his lips together as he walked there and sure enough, there was a group of inconspicuous people browsing the winding hallways. No one would¡¯ve noticed a single thing, except for Yang Feng who knew these were his men.

    The leader of the group looked around to ensure no one else was here, then he motioned his underlings to secure the area. He walked to Yang Feng, bowed low and greeted, "Boss, you¡¯re here."

    Yang Feng did not reply, his eyes settled on the white oak door with textured ss.

    "The Lady Boss and Young Miss have been in there for approximately ten minutes now. Shall I call forth a woman from the other team to check in on them?"

    Yang Feng nced at his watch. The dinner would be served in less than five minutes. He needed her to eat properly.

    Yang Feng nodded his head.

    That was all the man needed. His bow deepened, nodding his head before standing up to his full height and calling a female bodyguard. Less than two minutester, she arrived, bowed and greeted Yang Feng before turning towards the door.

    She gave it a light knock and stepped inside. Instantly, she was surprised to see the scene before her. Their Young Miss was crying in the arms of the Lady Boss, her sobs and loud sniffles bouncing off of the walls, but because this room was soundproof, no one outside heard a single thing.

    "Feifei, it was horrible!" Yang Ruqin wailed, welting hot tears flowing out of her eyes, her face red, her hair slightly messy, and her body shaking with asional hups.

    "A-all they d-do is use me!" She choked, barely able to speak well with the sobs that shook her body.

    "P-people only l-like me because I-I¡ª" She said something incoherent before crying louder, hugging Feifei for dear life.

    Zhao Lifei felt her heart being torn with each passing second. The more her Qinqin cried, the more intense the prickling in her chest was. She swore whoever did this would suffer her wrath.

    "There, there, Qinqin, it¡¯s going to be alright." Zhao Lifeiforted Yang Ruqin by patting her quivering back while she whimpered and hugged her tighter.

    "W-why can¡¯t people like me for who I am?!"

    "Because most humans are greedy and power hungry by nature." Zhao Lifei replied, gently running her hand up and down Yang Ruqin¡¯s back. "Do not let one horrible person ruin you like this. Do not give them the satisfaction."

    "Fight back, Qinqin. If they insult you once, insult them back with twice the cruelness. You must fight fire with fire."

    Yang Ruqin bobbed her head at the advice, continuing to bury herself within Zhao Lifei¡¯s shoulders. "But what if¡ª"

    "I have to be honest. Not everyone in this world will like you. As your fame soars beyond the clouds, so will the insulting words, but do not let them pull you down."

    "To all of the hands desperately grasping at your feet ¡ª whether it¡¯s to leech fame, wealth, and power off of you, or just to tug you down, kick them all off. Trample their fingers, but do it with dignity and virtue. Do not be physical with them, instead, you should verbally destroy them tenfold the times they have done to you."

    Yang Ruqin was too kind. There were times she wouldsh out upon people, but she was a people-pleaser since she was young, she often curbed such behavior. They said the kindest people should be the most feared for their anger would be a hundred times harsher than others; that much was true for her.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s cries were subduing now, her brain fully absorbing Zhao Lifei¡¯s words.

    Zhao Lifei sensed she had stopped crying, thus pulled back. She pulled out a handkerchief from her clutch and wiped Qinqin¡¯s damp cheeks before brushing back the messy strands of hair. "You are as strong as you are kind." She whispered, cleaning the smudged makeup off of her.

    Yang Ruqin sniffed and slowly nodded her head, fully believing all of Feifei¡¯s words. They had never wronged her in the past and she was sure it would remain that way for a very long time.

 Chapter 213 All The Wealth In The World

    Because the door was slightly ajar, Yang Feng could hear their muffled conversation and make out small bits of what was being said. He could see she wasforting his younger sister, something both he and Yang Yulong had great trouble doing.

    While Zhao Lifeiforted Yang Ruqin, he came to the conclusion that she would make a fantastic mother ¡ª something he nned on ensuring.

    - - - - -

    The dinner had officially started. Yang Mujian sat at the enormous table in the center of the room, surrounded by a majority of his family members who were doing their very best to kiss up to him; unfortunately, two of his three favorite grandchildren were absent.

    Everyone wasplimenting the first dish of the seven-course meal, but Yang Mujian sat with a glum face that was darker than his usual one. His sour mood worsened when the birds¡¯ nest soup was served and his grandchildren were still not present. Although the rambling fool of a grandson, Yang Yulong, was chatting up a storm beside him, Yang Mujian would not be satisfied until he saw all three of his favorite grandchildren together.

    As he was about to signal his people to look for the other two, they walked back into the banquet hall, Yang Feng leading the trio with Yang Ruqin and Zhao Lifei right behind him. Yang Mujian narrowed his eyes.

    ¡¯Those two rascals! They better have a good exnation!¡¯ He fumed to himself, especially when he saw Zhao Lifei. ¡¯Did she need something from them? Is that why they¡¯re sote to dinner? What could be so damn important for Yang Ruqin and Yang Feng to both be absent during the most crucial bonding moment?!¡¯

    Su Meixiu was one of the selected three that were allowed to sit at his table. She saw his displeasure and quietly whispered, "Young Master Feng was spotted searching for Miss Zhao. I suppose that was what took him a while."

    Yang Mujian did not respond, but her words did add fuel to the fire. His grandson personally searched for her? What for? All he had to do was get his men to drag the woman back to the banquet hall and should she resist, a good p to the face was enough.

    Many of the people surrounding him were too indulged in the food to realize the three of them walking towards their seats.

    Zhao Lifei could feel the burning, glowering even, stare of Elder Yang and when she looked up, she immediately looked back down. The slightest second of eye contact with him was enough for an uneasy feeling to settle in her stomach, her face bing a bit paler.

    Yang Feng saw the small exchange. "Ruqin, go back to the table first. Exin to grandfather that you needed Lifei¡¯s help and it was not the other way around."

    Yang Ruqin was confused at why she needed to exin anything, but when she saw the using re of her grandfather, she finally understood why. "Okay." She nodded her head, walking back to her grandfather.

    Yang Feng settled his arm on her lower back, before grabbing her side and stepping closer to her. "Are you alright? You¡¯re pale." He quietly whispered while walking her back to her table which was to the right of theirs.

    "I¡¯m fine." She mumbled, not able to look him in the eyes. She could feel it again, those beady eyes set upon her. She felt a sense of D¨¦j¨¤ vu as if there was once a time she angered the Elder before, but it was strange to her that she didn¡¯t recall ever meeting him before...

    "Remember our promise."

    "I know, but I don¡¯t want to talk about it here..."

    Yang Feng took in their surroundings. Aside from the waiters bustling around with the next set of dishes, they were the only two guests standing. Everyone had a perfect view of them. He decided they needed time alone.

    When he was about to guide her off to somewhere secluded, they were within close enough proximity of Zhao Moyao¡¯s table that he was able to see them.

    "Let¡¯s go somewhere else then."

    Zhao Moyao spoke up, "Xiao Fei,e and sit down."

    The people seated at the table paused their bites midway, not believing such a stoic man was capable of affection. They had never witnessed the elder acting like this, even when he spoke to his own daughters. A few people exchanged nces, as if sharing the silent understanding. The best way to get on Zhao Moyao¡¯s good side was not by directly bootlicking him, but by bootlicking his notorious granddaughter.

    Yang Feng noticed there was only one open chair at the entire table. He frowned at this, ready to take out a nk check to buy the chair on the other side of her.

    "And you, young man, should return back to your grandfather¡¯s table. He has been waiting for you." Zhao Moyao¡¯s stern voice did not leave any room for argument.

    When Yang Feng¡¯s finger dug into her hips, she made an attempt to put his anger at bay. Zhao Lifei raised her head and ced a hand over his. "Go back." She whispered to him, to which he responded by squeezing her waist.

    "No."

    "Don¡¯t make it difficult." She whispered, before turning her face to him, her heart skipping a beat when she saw that his eyes had been on her the entire time.

    In a low voice that resembled a small murmur, she said, "I¡¯ll see you tonight anyway, so behave and go back. Alright?" She made sure no one else heard her.

    Yang Feng pressed his lips together and in an equally quiet voice, he rasped, "You better not fall asleep so quickly tonight."

    She could feel her cheeks flush. "Shut up."

    He smirked and released her waist. She thought that was the end of it so she jumped when he suddenly kissed her cheek and walked off, all in the blink of an eye. She was dazed, practically on cloud nine, that he did not hesitate to show public disys of affection. He was not scared to show her off and make his im.

    Zhao Moyao scowled, resisting the urge to throw a fork straight into the brat¡¯s head. Such a possessive brute that one was!

    He firmly turned to his granddaughter, ready to lecture her, but seeing as she was still stuck in her little bubble, even as she was sitting down, he fumed to himself. Talking to her in this state would be like talking to a wall.

    Yang Mujian did not miss their little exchange. His grandson was visibly smitten by the girl, as he once was in his youth. This was not good. The young man was reverting back to his old ways.

    "Grandfather, you haven¡¯t touched your sd." Yang Ruqin said in hopes of distracting him. "Father heard you really fancied this particr sd dressing so he had it specifically imported from the capital."

    Yang Qianlu felt himself brimming with pride at this daughter of his. Quite a sweet talker this one was...

    Yang Mujian hummed. "Worry about your own food, you¡¯ve skipped the first two courses." He briskly replied. His mood had gotten better after hearing the exnation that his granddaughter was facing a dilemma before the dinner and needed thefort of Zhao Lifei. At least that woman was not distracting her, but she was indeed, distracting his grandson...

    Yang Ruqin felt the subtle jab and hurriedly made amends. "My job does not allow me to eat too much. I have to maintain my figure."

    Yang Mujian slowly nodded in understanding. She was working hard to maintain her job, something that children born in wealth barely bothered to entertain. "Regardless of your work, I expect you to at least eat one good meal every day."

    "Of course, grandfather. Feng-ge has assigned a chef to me who follows a strict nutrition guide." She also made sure to earn some brownie points from her older brother, saying such things right when he arrived at the table.

    Yang Feng somberly said, "I apologize for myteness, grandfather."

    "You don¡¯t sound apologetic, besides, a simple apology is not enough."

    "Then what would you like instead?" Yang Feng¡¯s face became expressionless again, his eyes heavily guarded. He sat directly to the right of his grandfather, a seat that many envied.

    "A birthday gift would be adequate."

    "You have all the wealth in the world, grandfather. What more do you need?"

    Many of Yang Feng¡¯s rtives saw that as an ignorant response, but it was the exact one that Yang Mujian was looking for. It showed Yang Feng was apathetic enough to not care about the sincerity and thoughtfulness of a gift. Good. As the current leader, he does not need such feelings.

 Chapter 214 Her Screams

    One of Yang Feng¡¯s cousins spoke up, "Now, now, cousin, you should know it¡¯s the thought that counts. If you¡¯re going to be sitting beside grandfather, shouldn¡¯t you prove you deserve the favorable position? A gift is the least you do could."

    Yang Feng did not bother to waste his time or energy to respond. Instead, he picked up the fork and began to eat the sd.

    Yang Yulong was not that nice. "And who are you?"

    The young man was baffled by the ignorance of his uncle¡¯s family. "Your fifth cousin¡ª"

    "And what gives you the permission to speak out of turn?" Yang Yulongzily drawled out, a conniving smile on his face. His friendly appearance was aplete contrast to his eyes that were stormy and thunderous.

    "The same applies to you." The fifth cousin retorted, ignoring his father¡¯s warning stare and his mother¡¯s pinch.

    "Such a shame, really." Yang Yulong grinned, "You were given the blessing of being invited to this celebration and even a seat at this table, though it¡¯s furthest from grandfather. Instead of grasping this opportunity, you decided to waste it."

    The fifth cousin was bbergasted to hear such blunt insults, his face bing slightly red.

    Yang Ruqin scoffed to herself. What was this troublemaker even doing here? And to be stupid enough to speak up about her brother like that, his IQ must be lower than Feng-ge¡¯s EQ.

    Yang Feng was never one to tolerate disrespect. "Get out."

    It took two simple words for his men to step forward, forcibly yanking the man out of his seat, and covering his mouth before an enormous scene was caused. The entire table watched as he struggled, kicking and fighting back, but with one signal from Yang Feng, he was knocked out cold.

    A heavy silence fell over the table, everyone dreading his next move. Despite being family and rted by blood, everyone was too fearful of their position to even dare to speak up.

    "Fifth uncle, you¡¯ve raised quite a remarkable son." Yang Yulong said, harshly stabbing into a cherry tomato, the red juices sttering a bit. His grin became a smirk when he saw him flinch slightly.

    "Wasting the Yang resources on scum like that, I have tomend you." Yang Yulong shrugged, the underlying message was clear.

    Yang Mujian remained quiet the entire time even when his fifth son pleaded with his eyes for help.

    Yang Feng continued eating as if he did not just order for his rtive to be knocked out and tossed into a cell somewhere in the Underworld. He ate without a care, but his eyes would asionally drift to Zhao Lifei, even when his aunt and uncles were attempting to speak to him.

    She was not eating.

    She did not lift her fork to her mouth. The utensil was in her hand, but she was ying with her food, her mouth moving as she spoke to someone. He would¡¯ve been fine with conversations, but he saw she did not eat the entire time she was there.

    The main course was brought out and even then, she did not eat. She did cut the meat, but that was it. She asionally took sips of water in between. The more she drank and neglected her te, the more irked he became.

    Yang Feng began to stand up, but Yang Mujian coldly asked, "Where are you going?"

    Yang Feng caught the eye of Zhao Moyao who silently shook his head. "Nowhere." Yang Feng muttered, sitting back down when he saw Zhao Moyao whisper to Zhao Lifei and finally, she picked up the fork and ced the food into her mouth. He watched intently as she chewed, swallowed, and repeated the process again. Seeing this, his shoulders were finally able to rx.

    Yang Mujian already knew what the young man¡¯s objective was from the start. But seeing as he willinglyplied and sat down, he decided not to dwell on the issue any longer.

    "I expect to see you in my private study tomorrow morning."

    "That depends on my schedule."

    "Then change it. Nothing in this world is as important as me." Yang Mujian¡¯s words were light, but his tone was not. He meant business.

    Yang Feng already knew what his grandfather was going to ask of him. He honestly couldn¡¯t care less about the meetings he had in the morning. He only cared about waking up to Zhao Lifei¡¯s smile. His grandfather usually woke up at the crack of dawn, which is the same time he expects his grandson to be in his private study.

    Yang Feng scowled, he would not be able to see her awake in the morning.

    - - - - -

    As the desserts were being served, Zhao Lifei excused herself to the bathroom. She only got up when the waiters were bustling around. She did not want Yang Feng to see her sneak off. For some reason, even though she was sitting beside her grandfather, she did not feelfortable enough to stomach any food. She knew if she smelled one more dish, she might throw up out of nervousness.

    Zhao Lifei walked outside to the small garden and rxed when the cold breeze coursed around her, calming her tingling senses. She could still hear the chatter of the banquet back here because the windows on the balcony were slightly open. The lively talks mingled with the asional chirps of crickets, created a surprisingly harmonious piece.

    She sat down on the cold marble bench, leaning back to stare at the night sky. It was sad and lonely, not a single star present. She watched as an airne passed overhead, the flickering red, blue, and yellow lights disappearing into the horizon.

    "Come out. I know you¡¯re there." She quietly said.

    Sure enough, an older man, a simr age to her father, emerged from the darkness.

    Zhao Lifei turned her head the slightest bit, on high alert. "Good evening, Mr. Su."

    Su Boyuan raised his bushy brows. "I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve ever met before."

    "No, but I suppose you know me as well as I know you."

    He was intrigued by her words. ¡¯So it seems this youngdy had dug into my personal records, just as I have looked at hers...¡¯

    "I believe you know why I¡¯m here." He spoke up, watching as she sat up straighter and turned around to face him.

    "No, I do not." Zhao Lifei naturally kept one hand on the purse where her pepper spray was hidden. She gave off a very rxed posture when in reality, she was already seeking out the fastest escape route.

    "You shouldn¡¯t pretend to be ignorant." He took a step forward, a warm and friendly smile on his aging face.

    Zhao Lifei shared an equal smile, not reaching her eyes. "Or perhaps, I¡¯m simply that ignorant." She shrugged.

    Su Boyuanughed at her words, his face turning cold in an instant. "Now, now, let¡¯s not y games here."

    Zhao Lifei batted hershes, "What do you mean?" She was feeling particrly bored tonight and decided to entertain this man for the slightest bit. It was obvious he did not like her, given the way he stood to the sidelines, arms tucked behind him. She wondered if he had something hidden there.

    "You can rest assured, youngdy, there¡¯s nothing in my hands." He showed them to her, calloused and old, the skin hard from using so many training sticks.

    Zhao Lifei still did not ce her guard down. He might not have a weapon in his hand, but who¡¯s to say, he did not have one hidden somewhere in his clothing? Or perhaps, even as they spoke now, he was ordering people toe here? She was alone and presumably vulnerable. Most would think it would be easy to take advantage of her here, where one could hear her screams, but not be able to react in time.

 Chapter 215 Trust Me

    Zhao Lifei heard the slightest sound of rustling in the shadows of the garden, far beyond her prying eyes, and the sound nearly blending in with the voices from the banquet. "I hope you are wise enough, Mr. Su, to not directly attack me."

    "Oh, and what makes you think I would?"

    "Well, why else would youe here? Granted, it could be a normal conversation, but with your men advancing closer with each second, I assume not."

    Su Boyuan was not rmed to see her ears were so keen. He knew she was not a simple woman, even if she portrayed the very image. She was alone here,pletely vulnerable and not a weapon in sight. She was sitting in aid back posture, leaning on one arm, with an easygoing smile on her face. Her appearance did not hide those eyes of hers, abnormally glowing in the dead of night, so luminous and reflective, he could practically see the world mirrored within it.

    "You¡¯re a lot like your mother," He said out of the blue. "Ignorant and incredibly stupid."

    Zhao Lifei did not blink at his insulting words. Instead, her face became even more lightened, for she was highly entertained by his words. Zhao Lifei suddenlyughed then, tilting her head she said, "Don¡¯t you know? Women pretend to be said qualities to fool men like you."

    "Is that what you say tofort yourself?"

    Zhao Lifei raised a brow, so amused that such a grown man as himself was arguing back like a little kid.

    Seeing her suddenly be quiet, Su Boyuan added on, "If everything happens as nned, we do not have to get violent."

    She was not scared of his threat, even if this man could send his men after her. She could single-handedly take him down and perhaps a few more of his people, but that would be too tiring and she was sure Wu Subing would have a fit if he saw she ruined one of his dresses yet again.

    "How can you be so sure, Mr. Su, that the people approaching us are your men and not my grandfather¡¯s?"

    Su Boyuan stiffened the slightest bit before releasing a smallughter, mocking her. "One of my highly trained men can take down ten of your grandfather¡¯s. You should not underestimate the power of the human body."

    "I have no doubt your people are skillfully trained in martial arts, but I do wonder, can a bullet travel faster than a limb?"

    When his face became twisted, Zhao Lifei innocently batted hershes. "I truly rmend we end this discussion here. It¡¯s clear you do not like me." She stood up. "And, you have very threatening thoughts when ites to me."

    She took one step when he snarled, "Sit down, little girl."

    Zhao Lifei smiled, "I apologize, Mr. Su. Our discussion will need to be cut short. My grandfather is looking for me as we speak, dessert does not take that long to finish."

    Right when she walked past him, men dressed in ck came forward. Sure enough, they were neither her grandfather¡¯s people nor Yang Feng¡¯s.

    "I suggest you behave and follow my orders." Su Boyuan strolled to her, his arms tucked behind him. "My men are highly trained and though they uphold honor and chivalry, it does not stop them from harming a woman."

    Zhao Lifei kept the smile on her face, even if she was severely outnumbered. "If you wanted a civilized discussion, you shouldn¡¯t have brought so many men."

    Su Boyuan revealed a smile, matching the same tranquility she had. "Well, littledy, you nned on leaving and measures had to be taken."

    Su Boyuan realized this discussion was going nowhere and that he was being fooled by a little girl. She was good with her words, quickly derailing the topic. "I¡¯ll keep this short and brief."

    His smile dropped and an eerily threatening expression appeared on his face. "If you want to make it out of here alive," He reached out his hand and a man dressed in a suit walked forward with a mani envelope.

    Zhao Lifei took the folder, opened it, and was highly amused to see a contract and a non-disclosure agreement.

    "I expect to see my daughter back in her position by tomorrow morning."

    She humored at the idea, "And how do you expect me to do that?"

    "You¡¯ve pillow-talked President Yang once before. I¡¯m sure you can do it again."

    At this, Zhao Lifei let out a softughter. "Since when do I pillow-talk men?"

    "Don¡¯t act stupid, little girl. Rumour has it, you¡¯re quite a bed warmer. It started with Zheng Tianyi and then you moved your way into the bed of your grandfather¡¯s men. You followed that by going onto President Yang, and then to a mysterious man. You¡¯ve spread your legs so many times, god knows what diseases you have contracted."

    "Are you sure you¡¯re referring to me and not your daughter?"

    Su Boyuan¡¯s face became a bright shade of red and no amount of words could describe his anger. A vein popped on his face, his face distorted into a glower. "What did you just say?!"

    "You should have researched how your daughter even got a position within Yang Enterprise given her mediocre educational background." She had an inkling of suspicion that shady work was done to even get her folder into the rounds of selections.

    As cruel as it was, being one of the top five leadingpanies in the country, Yang Enterprise¡¯s selection of interns began by separating the applicants into two folders: one was a folder of those who came from prestigious universities while the other folder contained the ones that did not. Thetter was trashed without a second nce. It was the same procedure in her grandfather¡¯s and Zheng Tianyi¡¯spany.

    Su Boyuan opened his mouth to speak when a chilly voice sliced through the tension.

    "What is going on here?" Arctic and strangely calm, Yang Feng¡¯s lethal voice struck fear into Su Boyuan, whose eyes were as wide as a deer that was caught in headlights.

    "Good evening President Yang¡ª"

    He was ignored.

    Yang Feng brushed past Su Boyuan as if he was nothing. He stalked towards Zhao Lifei and surprised her by taking off his suit jacket and draping it over her shoulders. He used his suit jacket to tug her closer before buttoning it up. "Fool." He whispered to her, wrapping an arm around her.

    Zhao Lifei felt her body settle inside of his hug, the warmth of his suit jacket bringing thefort that only he could offer her; it was something she would never forget.

    Su Boyuan had always respected Yang Feng, despite the thirty year age gap. In the entire world, only Yang Feng was a suitable candidate as his daughter¡¯s husband, everyone else was just in trash.

    He opened his mouth and wisely closed it. If he wanted his daughter to remain in a favorable position, the first step was not angering the man in question. He carefully thought over his next few words.

    Yang Feng nced down at the woman in his arms. He worriedly cupped her left cheek, "Are you hurt?"

    Zhao Lifei grabbed his hand, shaking her head. "No."

    Su Boyuan decided it was time to speak up now. "Do not fret President Yang, we were merely having a simple discussion¡ª"

    Not caring about what the old goat was saying, he continued looking at Zhao Lifei. "Are you sure?" Yang Feng looked over her body for any visible injuries, but realized she was covered in his suit jacket, so he couldn¡¯t see anything.

    She responded by nodding her head.

    "Then close your eyes and cover your ears."

    Her brows creased, forming lines on her forehead. He ran a finger over them, ttening them down. "Just trust me." He guided her hands to cover her ears before warmly covering them with hisrger and warmer ones until her hearing waspletely muffled. He watched as her beautiful eyelids fluttered closed.

    Zhao Lifei did not know how much time passed, but she did know that there was a discussion going on. She could feel the vibration of his chest as he spoke up and when his hands were gone from over her hands, she saw it as a sign to uncover her ears as well.

    Peeling her eyes open, she was dumbfounded to see Su Boyuan¡¯s men on the floor, dead or alive, she did not know. The same spots that those men stood earlier now had different people upying them, theirbined presence changing the atmosphere.

    Su Boyuan himself looked as if he had aged a decade. His face was paler than hers, so white, that he resembled a shocked ghost. He was sweating buckets, his eyes wide, as if he had just heard his time of death was tomorrow.

    Zhao Lifei tilted her head, curious as to what Yang Feng did or said. She looked up at him, seeking answers and he responded by patting her head.

    In a low murmur, he said, "Let¡¯s go home."

 Chapter 216 Seductress

    Yang Feng guided Zhao Lifei towards the ck Maybach, using his body to shield her from any prying eyes. She paused by the door, "I didn¡¯t get to say goodbye to my grandfather as well as yours."

    Yang Feng grunted, "You don¡¯t need to." He tried to push her into the car, but she stopped him and was preparing to walk back into the banquet when he grabbed her, "Many people are leaving the banquet as we speak. The Elders will be busy seeing people off."

    "Then, at the very least, did you bid him goodbye?"

    "Of course." It was the first thing Yang Feng did when dessert was being served and he noticed her absence. He was never one to enjoy sweet food, so the Elder easily pardoned him.

    "Now, let¡¯s go home." He did not want to remain at this ce any longer. He helped her into the car before getting in himself. Hu Wei closed the door and started the car.

    After such an exhausting day, Zhao Lifei did not have the energy to fight off his hands. "I¡¯m tired." She mumbled when she saw the fire ignite in his eyes only to die out at her words. His face softened as he guided her body towards him so that she would be leaning in his embrace. Her eyes closed shut and it did not take long for her to fall asleep from exhaustion.

    Yang Feng kept one arm around her shoulder and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, a worried look buried within the abyss of his eyes.

    - - - - -

    In a tea room, there was a faint scent of herbal medicine.

    To preserve their tradition, the Su Family Mansion was built in a simr structure as the buildings from the Qing Dynasty. It spread out into a decent plot ofnd in an open concept that easily allowed the wind to pass through. There were wooden sliding doors, brackets of intertwining wood to create the frames and borders, and tiled roofs.

    Su Meixiu was anxiously waiting for her father to say something. She found it strange that his face was as pale as a ghost and that his eyes were disorientated. She thought he might¡¯ve had too much to drink, but that would have been impossible as he was always good at holding his liquor.

    "What happened, father?" She made sure to keep her tone respectful. She felt like she was speaking to a businessman and not her father. She envied her younger siblings who could talk freely around him.

    Su Boyuan¡¯s fingers dug into his palms as he ground his teeth. His jaw tightened and a vein popped out on his forehead. Yang Feng actually dared to threaten him!

    "You were right, Meixiu. That vixen pillow-talked him and clouded his brain!"

    CRASH!

    In one fell swoop, Su Boyuan had swept everything off the table. Teacups tumbled onto the floor and a century-old ink b broke into four fragments causing the bamboo floor to be ruined by ck stains.

    Su Meixiu flinched, her eyes lowering onto the floor. She could feel her hands shake when the memories of her father¡¯s brutal beatings shed through her mind. The dreadful tone he was using now was the same one from her childhood.

    "He actually had the guts to threaten me." Su Boyuan let out mockingughter before sitting down on his chair, a calctive look in his eyes. "That wench has wormed her way into his heart like the annoying pest that she is."

    Su Meixiu was tongue-tied. She agreed with her father but feared if she opened her mouth, she would suffer his wrath.

    "You stayed by his side for nine years, wasting the precious years of your adulthood on him and what does he do? Demote you for the smallest mistake!" Su Boyuan heard the full story from his daughter. Zhao Lifei was the president of Feili, a rising investment firm. It was a very valuable piece of information that he could use to his advantage. He was simply waiting for the right time to reveal it and nned on doing so when thepany suffer a fall.

    "Do you know what he said to me tonight, Meixiu, when I simply wanted to chat with his temptress?" Su Boyuan flicked his wrist as a maid dressed in a hanfu attire walked forward, her hands shaking when she passed him the cup of tea. In her careless mistake, a tiny dropletnded on the floor and that alone was enough for him to take the teacup and toss the scalding drink on her.

    She shrieked in pain and bit down on her lips, bowing low, "I-I-I a-apologize M-master Su." Her entire body was trembling now, bracing her body as a sharp kick was sent her way. She was blown back and felt as if her body was shattered by the force. Even so, she crawled to her feet and kowtowed.

    "T-this servant deserves to be punished." She said, her forehead touching the floor.

    "Get another cup, you worthless minx!" Su Boyuan snarled, sending the woman scurrying out the door and, in less than one minute, returned with a fresh cup of tea. This time, she was meticulous enough to keep her tremors at bay.

    Su Boyuan calmed down with the familiar taste of chestnut from the Tieguanyin tea. His shoulders rxing a bit.

    Su Meixiu felt her heart beating one hundred miles per second, her clenched hands shaking. Seeing her father¡¯s treatment towards the maid reminded her of his treatment towards her the day she told her father she was demoted.

    "The Sus have served the Yangs for eight generations now." Su Boyuan began, "We have always been loyal to them. Never once have we thought about overthrowing them!"

    His face became red. "And what does Yang Feng do?!" He mmed his teacup onto the wooden table, "He threatened to perform an eight generation extermination upon us! He was willing to ruin us all because of a single girl!"

    Su Boyuan would never forget what happened today. He would never forget the menacing and deadly expression on Yang Feng¡¯s face. Knowing the brute¡¯s temper, Su Boyuan knew that such a ruthless devil never made threats; he made promises.

    Su Boyuan gritted his teeth so hard, it was a miracle the pearly whites did not crack. He stood up and began to pace back and forth, arms tucked behind him.

    "T-then what shall we do, father?"

    Su Boyuan looked at his daughter for the briefest moment. If it was not for the fact that she was able to stay by Yang Feng¡¯s side for nine years, he would¡¯ve beaten her for speaking out of turn at that moment, but he could not do that. He needed her face to remain that pretty, the same one as her mother, his current mistress.

    "Stay quiet for now. Do not make any sudden movements until I give you orders." Su Boyuan would consult the Elders tomorrow morning.

    In the eight generations that the Sus have stayed by the Yangs side, none of them ever fathomed the idea of joining the two families together until Su Meixiu was born.

    They gave birth to warriors, not princesses. None of the daughters born in the family were as beautiful as Su Meixiu. They usually had angr features, too sharp and rough. Their bodies were strong and burly, perfectly shaped for fighting, but Su Meixiu was different.

    On the day of her birth, her cries didn¡¯t cause one¡¯s ears to bleed; they were softer, quieter, more demure. She had the most innocuous pair of eyes, reflecting the sky, and as she grew older, her face bloomed into that of an angel.

    The Elders seized the rare opportunity. They kept her hidden for the majority of her life, secretly training her in martial arts and homeschooling her. In order to keep her further hidden, she could not go to a prestigious college and was made to attend a normal one.

    The Su family did not want her to meet Yang Feng so quickly. They nned for her to be a wild card and when she miraculously passed the selection process at Yang Enterprise, they thought her future was bright. The idea was supported by Yang Feng¡¯s favorable behavior towards her. Who would¡¯ve thought that all of their hard work woulde tumbling down because of a single woman?

    Su Boyuan would not ept defeat so quickly. Even if Zhao Lifei was a formidable enemy, whose family name and backing was too superior for her to be considered a mistress, Su Boyuan still viewed her as one.

    Though Yang Feng and Su Meixiu were not officially a couple nor did they have any hidden marriage contract, Su Boyuan believed in her. If the rumors rang true and Elder Yang truly considered Su Meixiu as a marriage candidate, it meant, at the very least, Su Meixiu and Yang Feng had a rtionship that could point to a promising future.

 Chapter 217 Other Men

    Yang Feng sighed to himself. She promised to not fall asleep as quickly tonight, but the second she got into the car, she was knocked out. He carried her into the house, holding her very close to him, even though no one would dare to snatch or touch her in his presence.

    He gently ced her onto the bed, taking off his suit jacket, just then something slipped out. He did not notice it before and it should be considered a miracle that it had not fallen out when he was carrying her. Laying on her chest was a mani envelope. He reached out to grab it, but when his finger brushed her chest by ident, her eyes shot open and she abruptly sat up.

    "What time is it?" She mumbled, roughly rubbing her eyes to stay awake, causing Yang Feng to grab her fingers.

    "You''ll hurt yourself if you use that much force." He sat down on the bed, pushing her fingers away and gently rubbing her eyes for her.

    She hummed, leaning towards him. "How long was I asleep for?"

    "Not long. We just came home." He brought her closer to him until she wasfortably nestled in his arms.

    "If that''s the case, let me change out of my dress. It''s ufortable." She said, standing up.

    Yang Feng nodded, "Come here. I''ll help with the zipper."

    Zhao Lifei swallowed hard, shaking her head. "I-I can do it." She stammered, walking into the bathroom and taking the mani envelope with her.

    Yang Feng was a bit offended by her behavior but reminded himself that he had to be patient with her.

    Zhao Lifei struggled to get out of the dress. She was never a flexible person and tonight it was proven true when the zipper got stuck. Her arms were getting sore now as she angrily puffed out.

    Her hair was a mess. She had been in the bathroom for ten minutes now, trying to get this dress off of her. The back top part of the dress had buttons and that alone took five minutes. The mid and bottom part had zippers which were barelying down.

    She wiggled in her dress, growing ufortable with the fabric as it became itchy when she began to sweat due to her struggle to get out of this dress. Finally, she gave up. She stored the envelope away to look at itter.

    Walking out of the bathroom, she saw that Yang Feng had already showered in one of the guest bathrooms. He was on the bed, leaning on the headboard while reading a document. The lights were turned off, but the nightstandmp was still on.

    She felt her throat run dry at the sight of him. He was too handsome to be true. She could see his perfect biceps flexing, the muscles contracting when he flipped the page, with a pair of sses hanging low on his nose bridge. He was wearing a well-fitted short-sleeved shirt and it hugged his body wlessly.

    Yang Feng could practically feel her ogling him from a distance while he pretended to read the report. He was originally reading it, but now he was just purposefully unting himself to her in hopes that she would be inclined enough to let him have some action tonight.

    "Yang Feng¡­" She trailed off, her beckoning voice causing his heart to beat faster. He nced up, his lips quirking into a teasing smirk.

    "What''s wrong, love?"

    "The dress." She stomped her way to him, angry that she was proven wrong.

    "What happened to doing it alone?"

    "Don''t bully me." She scowled, sitting down on the bed, her back facing him.

    "Sorry, my dear, I''m busy with the reports right now. You should''ve taken my advice sooner." He decided to tease her a bit more. It was fun poking her and seeing her react like a little kitty who thought she was a tigress.

    "Fine, I suppose I''ll ask one of your men to do it for me." She shrugged, "I think they''ll like that. Don''t you think so?" She stood up, took one step forward and gasped when his fingers curled around her wrist, yanking her back onto the bed. She felt her heart thump harder when she wasid t on the bed, Yang Feng on top of her.

    "If you want them dead, you should''ve said so." He sciously said. She shivered when he brought one finger to her chin, lifting it so that she was directly staring into the burning mes of his eyes.

    "You love teasing me don''t you?" He hummed, his finger trailing down her neck at an incredibly slow and torturous pace, teasing the skin with his feather light touches.

    "As much as you love to." She retorted, trying her hardest to not fall for his temptations, a giddy feeling building up in her chest when she saw his eyes darken.

    "You didn''t want to spare me your attention now, so why shouldn''t I seek after other men to give me attention instead?" She provoked him, enjoying the way he was growing frustrated by her words.

    He narrowed his eyes, his jawline clenching before he suddenly flipped her over so that her back was revealed to him.

    Zhao Lifei sucked in a breath when she felt his body being lowered down to hers, her heart thumping faster and faster in anticipation. It was weird to admit, but she kinda liked it when he was a bit rough¡­

    "Trust me, my love. After tonight, you won''t need any other man''s attention." He unzipped her dress easily, peeling the red, seductive fabric off of her back to reveal the creamy white flesh only toe to a realization that she was not wearing a bra. He could feel his member growing hard at the smallest reveal of skin and when he abruptly kissed her on her lower back, she gasped.

    "What are you doing?" She whispered, her voice slightly hoarse and muffled by a pillow on the bed.

    "Giving you attention." He muttered, his lips trailing kisses up her spine, causing her body to arch into the bed, her fingers bunching the nkets. He continued tovish her back with seductive kisses, making sure to keep his manhood far away from her derriere, in fear of scaring her. Her quiet and muffled moans were driving him to the brink of insanity.

    He turned her back around, disappointed to see the dress did not slip off because of her short sleeves. When he saw the fog in her distracted eyes, her parted lips, and slightly flushed cheeks, he could not resist anymore.

    He dipped down and captured her lips, her body instantly responding by wrapping an arm around his neck, bringing him down to her. He kissed her like a starved man, greedy to taste her lips and every inch of her mouth with his tongue diving in, capturing her by surprise. His hands moved on their own ord. They caressed her back, spreading out to feel her soft flesh, cold as always, but easily changing to the heat of his hands.

    A cry left her mouth when he suddenly bit her bottom lip, only to suck and lick it before tilting her head to a better angle. He brutally kissed her, leaving her lips swollen and bright red, teasing and biting the tender flesh, as if punishing her for her words. She refused to sumb to him and kissed him back with equal passion, not once backing down. Their kisses were rough, her fingers weaving themselves into his hair, bringing him closer to her.

    "You learn quite fast." He hastily whispered against her lips before crashing upon them yet again. She moaned low in her throat, her fingers grasping his hair, tugging it, causing him to kiss her even harder.

    "Because I learned from the best." She responded when he pulled back to let her breathe, her chest heaving up and down against his. He smiled at her words, momentarily forgetting about his frustration.

    "Really now?" He ran a finger over her swollen and bruised lips, regret and guilt filling him.

    "Don''t look so sad, it doesn''t hurt." She lied, her eyes closing when he bent down to press a tender kiss upon her lips and suddenly, the warmth left her.

    Her eyes opened as she felt her body being lowered onto the bed. She sat up and watched as he went into the bathroom and came out with a wet towel. She tilted her head in confusion until he sat down beside her and pressed the towel to her lips, the coldness of it easing the pain.

    "It''s a clean towel." He said, brushing her hair away. She nodded and kept it there until the pain subdued.

    "Let me see." He gently grasped her chin between his fingers, lifting her face to properly examine her. Seeing it was back to normal, he smiled and leaned in for another kiss, this time, a lot softer and slower as he cherished every second with her.

 Chapter 218 Let Me Go

    Zhao Lifei was the first to break away from the kiss. She needed topletely change out of her dress first, but Yang Feng held onto her wrist until she finally kissed him back. She pecked his lips and scurried off, leaving him far too amused. She was as shy as ever, aplete contrast to her temperament.

    She came out of the bathroom forty minutester, freshly showered and sporting one of his shirts, which seemed like a scandalous dress instead. She paired it with shorts of her own and even in the simple attire, Yang Feng thought she was a fairy from the immortal realm gracing his presence.

    "Stop drooling over me." Sheughed at his intense stare, the one that never left her regardless of where she walked in the room.

    "You should heed your own advice." He smirked, opening his arms for her to climb into.

    "Right after you heed it." She trudged to him, feigning reluctance in going to him, even though she dove straight into his arms, making herselffortable in his embrace with her headying on his chest, her ear pressed against his heart.

    Yang Feng rxed with her around, his shoulder bing less tense. He used one arm to support her body while the other lovingly touched her face. "What¡¯s in the envelope?"

    "Well, that depends... What did you hear?"

    Yang Feng nced at her, but he could only see the crown of her head to which he tenderly patted. "Enough to hear your insult towards her." His fingers curled into fists, leaving out the part where Su Boyuan had called her a whore. He ensured the man would pay for it tomorrow and the first step was cutting off all of the training supplies that were sent to the house every week.

    "But not enough to hear the contents of the envelope." The first thing he heard was the part where she warmed the bed of many men. A foolish rumor that alone was enough to send his blood boiling. The training supplies would be a warning, should they breach it, the next would be the ruin of the Su family and no one in this world would be able to stop him ¡ª not even Elder Yang himself.

    "It¡¯s nothing important. You don¡¯t have to worry about it."

    "Let me see it then." Yang Feng knew she hid it somewhere in the bathroom and it would be very easy for him to find it if he truly decided to search.

    "You wouldn¡¯t like the contents." She mumbled, using her finger to draw random shapes on his chest which felt as hard as a brick wall instead of flesh.

    "Show it to me first and I¡¯ll decide if I like it or not." The hand resting on the curve of her waist trailed to y with the ends of her hair, twirling the silky strands in his fingers.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll let you see it tomorrow morning." She quietly said, her eyes fluttering shut.

    Yang Feng used his thumb to stroke her cheek, soothing her into a blissful sleep. "I have a meeting with my grandfather early in the morning."

    "Mm...Okay..." She trailed off, attempting to fight the sleep overtaking her.

    "I might not make it back in the morning, but I¡¯ll try my best. If it doesn¡¯t work as nned, I¡¯ll see you once Ie home from work." He already gave notice to the kitchen staff beforehand to cook her a very hearty breakfast. If she lounged at home, the same would apply for lunch.

    "Or, if you¡¯d like, we can have lunch together every day. You can pick out a restaurant."

    She hummed in reply, tiredly nodding her head. "Are you...sure I won¡¯t disturb you?" She yawned, her eyes drooping more and more with each passing second.

    "Never." He firmly said and it made her smile, her eyes closing for good while she drifted off to sleep.

    Yang Feng continued to y with the tips of her hair while asionally rubbing his hand up and down her spine tofort her as he stayed awake, contemting what would happen tomorrow morning. He worriedly looked at her before hitching her body up a bit so that he could properly nt a kiss on her forehead.

    He already knew what would be asked tomorrow morning. Nothing made him more nervous than the idea of her being in harm¡¯s way and that is exactly what would happen if the truth was revealed. He gritted his teeth as he contemted revealing the truth to protect her heart or utter a lie to protect her life.

    - - - - -

    It was thundering outside. The howling winds swayed the frail trees outside, blowing the leaves off the branches. Rain pelted down, staining the windows. There was so much rain that it was practically a waterfall outside.

    Blinding bright shes of lightning danced across the sky, apanied by rumbles of thunder. Gloomy gray clouds hung over an ever-expanding mansion, whose gleaming glory was overshadowed by the horrific storm inside and outside of the house.

    Wails could be heard, the desperate pleas and screams of a little girl. "Let me go!" She cried out, her tiny body struggling against the grabbing hands whose grip was firmer than her wildest dreams. She was sobbing, kicking, wing, and biting at the people forcefully dragging her out of her room.

    "Grandpa!" She screeched for the help of the man who never came. Her screams were ear-shattering and when mixed with the booming of the thunder, sent tremors through the hearts of the people grasping her arms.

    "Let me go!" She repeated, wildly iling around, managing to escape their hands for the briefest second before she was captured again.

    In her panic, she could not see the faces of the people attempting to grab her. Her room, as dull as her eyes, was pitch ck. The only source of light wasing from her slightly opened doorway. It was not enough for her to see properly.

    She was never afraid of thunder. It was not until tonight that her fear began.

    "GRANDPA!" She screamed in vain, her innocuous voice sounding like a banshee more than human. She did not know why these people were forcefully taking her out of her room, she did not know what she did wrong.

    "F-¡ª¡ª¡ª" She wailed the name of someone else, the characters familiar on her tongue, but nk to her mind.

    She was so fearful, she even cried out for her parents even though she knew they would nevere and save her. "Mama! Papa! Please! A-anyone!" The people had yanked her to the doorway by now and before she could see their faces, a ck bag was thrown over her face.

    She screamed, cried, did everything in her power to fight back, but with such tiny arms and legs, what could she do? She was only a child. Hot, welting tears slipped from her eyes as violent hups shook her body. She heard muffled voices in the background, stern and rough. Those voices¡ª she could not think straight as something pricked her skin and within seconds, she was sedated, calm, and asleep, slumping in the arms of her captors.

    She woke up again, strapped down to a surgery table, the surgical light bleeding into her eyes, further making it difficult for her to see properly. She was in a daze, her vision extremely blurry. She could see people hovering over her, voices that were a mixture of a foreignnguage but familiar tone.

    "Who..." She opened and closed her eyes, slipping in and out of consciousness.

    "Are you certain it will work?"

    "Trust me... it will."

    The little girl felt a loud beeping, screeching noise in her ears as the name of the person who did this to her was mentioned. Why could she not hear it? Who was muffling the voices? Why can¡¯t I see properly?

    "If it does not work and she suffered all of that for nothing, there will be consequences."

    "O-of course."

    Silence was heard in the background. The child tilted her head in hopes of seeing who it was, but all she saw was blurry figures in white... grey... ck... and soon, she slipped into unconsciousness again.

 Chapter 219 Just A Dream

    Zhao Lifei shot out of the bed, panting and wing at her throat, tears filling her eyes. It was that nightmare again.

    After dreaming it so many times, she had gathered the gist that the little girl was presumably her and that the dream might¡¯ve been a memory of the past, but she did not remember such a horrific night, especially one so traumatic. But it was so vivid... the details, the sounds, everything about it was too realistic to be fake.

    She ced a hand on her racing heart, her eyes scanning the room. Yang Feng was nowhere in sight and perhaps that was why she abruptly had a nightmare. Even so, she did not expect to have the same dream again, especially because it hadn¡¯t surfaced for a while.

    In that nightmare, there was always a name she uttered that did not belong to her grandfather nor her parents. The name was at the tip of her tongue, but whenever the voice came out, her mind went nk. Who was it?

    Swallowing hard, she ran a shaky hand through her hair. She attempted to correct her haggard breathing and panicked heart. It took ten minutes of steady breathing exercises for her to finally calm down.

    It was just a dream. Only a dream. Nothing more.

    Zhao Lifei painfully shut her eyes beforeying back down on the bed. After a while of silently lying on the bed, in failed attempts of falling asleep again, she finally got back up and checked the time. It was ten in the morning.

    She saw a flood of messages, in particr, from Wei Hantao who had called her multiple times. At the least, Huo Qiudong was civilized and only called her two times, whereas Wei Hantao called her 25 times before finally giving up.

    She stared out the window, letting her phone drop onto the bed. She could see the garden from here, the luscious greens that this mansion was built upon. The sun had risen high in the horizon. There were birds chirping, the warm sunlight bleeding onto the floor, and the sky was a sea of blue. It was a good day today. Too good to stay inside.

    Her phone buzzed again. She nkly looked down, her shaky fingers grabbing the device, puzzled to see it was an unknown number. Out of curiosity, the same that killed the cat, she opened the text and saw it was a recording of some sorts.

    She pressed it and the voices came to life.

    - - - - -

    Five hours ago.

    Yang Feng woke up with something soft pressing against his side. In his daze, he saw their position was changed and her face was now resting upon his shoulder instead of his chest. He could not feel his arm because she had slept on it the entire night, but he did not care. As long as she was safe in his arms, he was willing to sacrifice everything.

    "Good morning, my love." He whispered, his voice thick with sleep. She did not respond, her eyes peacefully shut.

    Using his thumb, he caressed her cheek before pressing a kiss upon the area. He decided it was not enough and continued to pepper her face with kisses. He brushed the strands of hair sticking to her face with a fond smile on his lips. She was so beautiful even when she was asleep.

    He slowly detangled himself from her. She mumbled something as her arms reached out to search for the heat source. He bit down on his bottom lip to hide his smirk before grabbing a pillow for her to hug, the same one she made him hug. She hummed in approval, her body entwining around the pillow, something he longed to have wrapped around his body instead.

    "Sleep well, my dear." He whispered, climbing out of bed and pressing a kiss upon her forehead before walking into the bathroom to get ready for the day. In the dead of the night, when the sun was barely rising in the air, the obsidian ck sky was turning into a midnight blue.

    Hu Wei was already awake and stationed at the car. He nced out the window and at exactly 5:30 in the morning, his boss strolled out of the front door. He was adjusting his cuffs. His lean figure could have him easily mistaken as a male model.

    Hu Wei got out of the car, opened the door for his boss, closed it, and then he climbed back in.

    "To the Elder¡¯s house." Yang Feng muttered, opening hisptop and beginning to work even though it did not start until three hourster.

    "Yes, sir." Hu Wei started the car and drove towards Old Master Yang¡¯s house. It did not take long for the car to leave the premises of his boss¡¯s house, onto the streets where the city was barely waking up, and then through a lush thick forest whose smooth path leads straight to the gates of hell.

    Old Master Yang Mujian¡¯s house was the very definition of what a King should live in. It stretched for acres, thend filled with life and greenery. Theyout of the house was very historic, due to his fondness towards ancient times. Even so, it did not diminish the beauty of the house that was greatly admired by historians to be a replica of the Imperial Pce.

    Hu Wei was always impressed whenever he came here. Everything about this house was perfect: the extremely detailed wooden furniture, the koi pond by the entrance and the bamboo shoot decorations. It was a harmonious blend of nature and historic architecture.

    An elderly man stepped forward, his face warm when he opened the door to reveal Yang Feng. He had not seen the Young Master for a while now, but every time his eyesnded upon him, he was happy.

    "Wee home, Young Master."

    Home? This ce was not home for Yang Feng, it was the very epitome of what hell wasprised of.

    Yang Feng wordlessly walked ahead of the old butler and down the hallway that he was too familiar with. The hallway did not have walls, but it was still secure and protective enough where a sniper would never be able to see into. To his left were multiple folding doors and to his right was a Zen garden with aligned pebbles going from light to dark and then repeating. There was a small bamboo row hovering right beside a pond.

    This ce had remained the same as he hadst remembered. The air smelled like nature as if one was walking through the freshly-rained bamboo stalk forest instead of a house.

    The butler was about to knock but Yang Feng did not care for such formalities. He opened the door and stepped right in, leaving his shoes outside.

    "Grandfather." Yang Feng greeted, his eyesnding on the older man behind the mahogany desk. The window behind him was open, to let in some air.

    "Xiao Feng." Yang Mujian did not raise his head to look at Yang Feng. He was concentrated on the letter at hand. "You should learn to knock, it¡¯s basic courtesy."

    Yang Feng did notment. He stood in the center of the room, arms tucked behind him, his piercing eyes resembled a hawk.

    "You¡¯re awfully quiet today." Yang Mujian began, holding onto his long sleeve while writing with a brush dipped in ink.

    "What is there to say?"

    Yang Mujian ground the ink upon the b given to him by Su Meixiu a while ago.

    Yang Feng¡¯s brooding eyesnded on the item with disdain. He heard Zhao Lifei had given his grandfather an ink b, why was the old man not using it?

    "I suppose you¡¯re right," Yang Mujian chuckled, "I was the one who invited you here to talk." He hummed, raising his head to fully look at the grandson he raised.

    Without warning, a knife shot through the open window, purposefully missing Yang Mujian¡¯s neck. It aimed straight for Yang Feng¡¯s skull, but nevernded close to it. With inhuman speed, Yang Feng had caught it with two fingers.

    "I see you still enjoy this distasteful joke." Yang Feng muttered, tossing the knife onto the floor.

    "And I see you¡¯re still as sharp as ever." Yang Mujian¡¯s pleasant expression changed. It was time to get serious.

 Chapter 220 My Future Wife

    "This woman of yours, what do you see her as?" Yang Mujian tilted his head, his face feigning a look of serenity.

    Yang Feng knew that the discussion would dive straight into this topic. "My future wife." He effortlessly replied.

    At his words, Yang Mujian raised a brow, highly intrigued that his grandson had thought so far into their future. The two had never discussed the topic of marriage together, though there were talks about why he had remained single for so long. The reason Yang Feng always gave was that he did not need a distraction in his life, but it seems this grandson of his was a hypocrite.

    Yang Mujian¡¯s sources had reported to him that it was Yang Feng himself who did the chasing. Yang Feng dered he did not want a girlfriend, for it was too much of a distraction, but he ended up running after the very thing.

    "Why?"

    "The purpose of dating is to get married."

    Yang Mujian loudlyughed at his direct words, the sound echoing off of the walls. "Indeed it is, but I¡¯m sure you know that is not the answer I am looking for."

    "..."

    "What good do you see in that woman?"

    Yang Feng¡¯s face remained nonchnt. "Everything."

    Yang Mujian¡¯s smiling face twisted into a slight sneer. "You¡¯re smitten by her." What a disdainful behavior. Itpletely contradicted his beliefs and ideals. It went against the very foundations he had groomed Yang Feng to have.

    "There is nothing wrong with that." Yang Fengzily replied, "It has never interfered with my work before."

    "I suppose all the days where you¡¯ve skipped your morning meetings and changed your schedules weren¡¯t caused by her." Yang Mujian sarcastically drawled out, his brooding eyesnding upon his grandson.

    "I¡¯ve spent my entire life being a workaholic. Sleeping longer every now and then should not be a problem."

    "Hm, I suppose so." Yang Mujian feigned understanding. "It wouldn¡¯t have been a problem if you didn¡¯t do so just to entertain a woman."

    The walls have ears.

    Yang Feng concluded that there was a spy amongst his men and he already had an inkling of who the mole was. It seemed he would be calling forth an exterminator in the form of Guo Sheng.

    "I¡¯ve taught you so many things and all of it has seemed to go to waste in just the blink of an eye." Yang Mujian¡¯s lips tilted down in disdain. His ruthless face was one that would send people to their knees begging for mercy, but it did not affect Yang Feng. Not even as the atmosphere turned deadly and the wails of the people his grandfather had ughtered could be heard in the distance.

    Yang Feng never faltered, even when staring into the eyes of hell. He stood there, broodingly tall, arrogant, nonchnt, and everything chaotically evil. "You taught me how to be a weapon, such skills have not gone to waste."

    Yang Mujian had enough of the small talk. "Do you love Zhao Lifei?"

    There it was.

    The deciding question that would seal the fate of Zhao Lifei.

    The answer was at the tip of Yang Feng¡¯s tongue. It was a definite yes.

    The idea of love used to be very foreign to him, something he did not know his heart was capable of feeling. It was not until she tumbled into his life eighteen years ago that he even fathomed such a crazy idea; until she was ruefully snatched from his clutches, and from thereon, he forgot about the emotion.

    But then she came back, in the same surprising manner as she had done in the past, roughly entering his life without permission. She always found herself in afortable spot within his heart of stone, drilling through the walls he set up and using the rubble to build herself a small house within it.

    Yang Feng wanted to proim his love for her in every form andnguage possible, until her heart was his, just as his was hers.

    He could not lose her again. He had done it once and a second time would truly ruin him for good.

    "Never." Yang Feng decided to utter the lie that would hurt her heart, but keep her safe. It pained him to even say such a foolish thing. He felt pain within his heart like a dagger was being twisted into it, digging deeper and deeper.

    Yang Mujian was silent for what seemed like an eternity. He observed Yang Feng, thunder crackling in the background as neither man broke their stares.

    "Why should I believe you?"

    "Have I ever lied to you?"

    No.

    Yang Mujian was sure of it himself. This boy, regardless of his age, even if he was nine or ny years old, the only thing he would fear in this world would be his grandfather.

    Completely unbeknownst to Yang Mujian, Yang Feng was not afraid of him. He had not been for the longest time. The only reason he even entertained the idea was because this man held a very adequate amount of shares within Yang Enterprise and still had a hefty influence in the Underworld ¡ª something Yang Feng would slowly drain from him.

    "Very well then." Yang Mujian smiled, revealing the fine wrinkle by his eyes. "If you do not love her, why bother staying with her? Why risk losing a person such as Su Meixiu just so you can obtain her?"

    "She is Zhao Moyao¡¯s granddaughter, is she not?" Yang Feng chuckled, a cunning smile on his face, calctive and filled with deceit. There was greed in his eyes, something he made sure his grandfather saw.

    "She has the support of the military, something beneficial to us." Yang Feng took a seat, crossing his one long leg over the other. "She has the perfect qualifications to stand by my side."

    "Oh? And what would that be?" Yang Mujian already knew what his grandson was going to say.

    "She has been trained to be the perfect matriarch, her presence is superb, she can wield a gun and a knife just as good as she can wield a pan." Yang Feng¡¯s lip tug into a malicious smile, "Her fortunes are endless. She will benefit our family."

    Yang Mujian was quiet for a while before a low rumble traveled from his chest to his throat until the room was filled with proudughter. "That¡¯s my boy."

    A sly smile lit up Yang Mujian¡¯s aging face marred with dark spots and wrinkles. "For a second, you had me fooled. I thought you were deeply in love with her." Hisugh subdued to small fits ofughter. "If you had intended to use her from the start, you should¡¯ve consulted me sooner."

    "I would¡¯ve epted her a lot quicker." Yang Mujian added on. He was no fool when it came to seeing which fruit was the sweetest of them all.

    In the field of fruit trees, there were only a few fruits that caught his eye and Zhao Lifei was one of them. From all of the reports he has received, he came to the conclusion that she would be a formidable candidate, skilled in everything that Su Meixiu excelled at and even more. This race would¡¯ve ended as almost a tie if it was not for the fact that Zhao Lifei had Zhao Moyao backing her up along with her military ties.

    The Sus was a loyal family that has served the Yangs for many generations and Yang Mujian wanted to preserve such traditions, but there were other ways of doing so. He had more than one grandson, more than one grandchild he cherished, and so did the Sus.

    Su Meixiu does not need to marry Yang Feng, she could marry someone else from the Yangs. The only thing those senile fools desire is to have Su Meixiu be impregnated with a child whose surname would be Yang, but they have never specified which one it had to be.

 Chapter 221 I Can Handle I

    "Zhao Lifei¡¯s wealth, has without a doubt, umted throughout the years. On her eighteenth birthday, as a special gift for her, the old fool Zhao had given her a favorable amount of shares within Zhao Corporation." Yang Mujian began the n.

    "You will secure it by marrying her."

    Yang Feng¡¯s face did not change. It remained cunning and fraudulent, everything that a man willing to scam his lover was supposed to be. He was d his grandfather was getting old and his brain was deteriorating with each passing year.

    Marriage was exactly what Yang Feng sought after. But he and his grandfather shared two pr reasonings for it.

    "You will have my blessings." Yang Mujian leaned his chin on his arm, a fond smile on his face. To join families with the Zhaos and merging the fortune of a wealthy heiress would be killing two birds with one stone.

    "It is up to you to decide how to convince your parents. Your father is quite fond of Su Meixiu."

    "That can be easily changed." Yang Feng chuckled low. He stood up to his full-height, nodded his head and excused himself. "Have a good day, grandfather."

    Yang Mujian hummed in reply, his smile slipping the second the door closed. He turned to face the window, arms tucked, a shadow passing over his face as the sun was covered by a cloud.

    He heard something outside and went to investigate it. As he left the room, a person dressed in a worker¡¯s outfit slipped inside.

    - - - - -

    The present.

    Zhao Lifei was numb. She was at a loss for words, her mind going nk. The phone slipped from her hand, roughly thumping onto the bed. The chirping of the birds outside was beginning to sound like they were mocking her, the sunlight too bright for her eyes. This room, practically the size of her apartment, felt cramped. It was stuffy. She did not like the atmosphere here.

    She was so pained by what she had heard, her heart no longer registered the agony spreading through her chest. She wanted to cry, to scream, and break everything in her sight but was too mentally exhausted to do so.

    "Do you love Zhao Lifei?"

    "Never."

    "Do you love Zhao Lifei?"

    "Never."

    The conversation yed in her head like a broken record.

    "Why bother staying with her?"

    "She will benefit our family."

    Zhao Lifei climbed out of the bed and in her daze, she felt her hand brush against something. The next thing she knew, she had violently jerked her arms.

    CRASH!

    The ssmp beside the nightstand ttered onto the floor. It broke into pieces, the colorful and jagged shards littered the floor. It caught the sunlight and soon, the floor glistened, shimmering with brilliant rainbow hues that Tiffanymps were known for.

    In her daze, Zhao Lifei reached for a shard just as a rough knock could be heard, followed by another urgent knock.

    "Madam? Is everything all right in there?!"

    Zhao Lifei ignored the frantic voice. The stained ss was beautiful, the light beckoning her forward. She touched it, blinking when her finger was suddenly pricked by the piece, blood dripping from her fingers. Why did beautiful things have to be so painful when touched?

    "Madam? Are you alright?"

    The housekeeper tried to open the door, but to no avail, as it was locked. The Young Master always valued his privacy. There was no master key in this house.

    "Please answer me!" She desperately shouted, pounding upon the door. She chewed on her fingers, her brows drawing together in fear that something might have happened in there. She debated calling the Old Butler forward to notify the Young Master that something had urred. Just as she was about to run down the halls, a dreary voice could be heard.

    "I¡¯m fine."

    "A-are you sure...?"

    "Yes, I apologize." The sound of the doors being unlocked could be heard. Zhao Lifei opened the door a bit, to reveal her face and half of her body. She made sure her bleeding finger and the bedroom was out of the housekeeper¡¯s line of sight.

    She wore an apologetic smile, "I dropped my makeup bag so the products fell out. I¡¯m sorry if it caused too much of a disturbance."

    The housekeeper rxed and let out a sigh of relief. "If that is the case, would you like me to send a maid up to clean the mess?"

    "Oh no, that¡¯s alright. I was already in the process of cleaning up."

    "You shouldn¡¯t get your hands dirty, the Young Master will have a fit if he hears of this."

    Zhao Lifei remained firm, her smile bing a bit forced now. The blood was trickling down the white shirt and if she did not do something, it will drip onto the floor.

    "A grown woman should know how to clean up after herself. Do not worry, I can handle it." Zhao Lifei paused, "Would you mind bringing a broom and a trash bag please?"

    "Of course." The housekeeper found it peculiar that such a wealthy heiress behaved like this, but she did not dwell on her suspicions anymore. She was pleasantly surprised to see that she was so well behaved and willing to clean up the house, unlike most snobby socialites.

    She bowed and excused herself.

    Zhao Lifei walked to the bathroom, washed off the blood, ignoring the painful stinging as it was no match for the brutal pain in her heart. She dug through the cupboards in search of a first aid kit and bandaged her finger up.

    She messaged Li Xuan to send a private chauffeur to Yang Feng¡¯s house. Less than a minuteter, he said the car was on its way.

    She tied up her hair, took a shower, and grabbed the clothes from the walk-in closet and ced them on.

    A light knock sounded throughout the room, followed by, "Madam, the supplies you¡¯ve requested are ready."

    Zhao Lifei replied, "Leave it outside. I¡¯ll fetch it in a few moments."

    The maid bowed even though she knew the Lady Boss would not be able to see her. "Alright, it will be ced right beside the door. If there is anything else, you¡¯re wee to ring the bell." She walked off toplete the rest of today¡¯s chores.

    Zhao Lifei opened the door, took the supplies and went to work. She meticulously cleaned up the ss shards to ensure none of the pieces were left behind. She dumped it in the trash bag, ced it by the door and went into Yang Feng¡¯s closet.

    Just recently, he had ordered for an entire wardrobe to be installed in there and for it to be filled with every piece of clothing that a woman would need. Some of her personal belongings were also moved into there. She took the ones that she bought with her own money, ced it inside the biggest purse she could find and picked up the trash bag.

    She was not in the right state of mind to think properly. Wordlessly, she walked out of the room, never once looking back, and went downstairs.

    "Madam, where are you going so early in the morning? You¡¯ve yet to have breakfast." The housekeeper hurriedly chased after her.

    "I¡¯m on my way to have brunch with a friend." Zhao Lifei easily lied with a smile on her face.

    "If I may ask, who is it?"

    Zhao Lifei felt this housekeeper was asking too many questions, but still replied, "Yang Ruqin."

    "Oh, if that¡¯s the case, let me help you get rid of the trash bag." The housekeeper reached for the ck bag but Zhao Lifei shifted her body a bit.

    "It¡¯s fine, I can throw it out. Thank you though." Without waiting for a response, Zhao Lifei opened the front entrance where the chauffeur ordered by Li Xuan was already waiting. Upon seeing her, a man stepped out and opened the door for Zhao Lifei.

    She wordlessly got in, ced the trash bag on the seat and gave a location two cities over.

 Chapter 222 Like Candy

    The car whisked through the road, weaving through the traffic and speeding down the highway. Zhao Lifei individually clicked her fingers together, lost in thought.

    She nced at the purse, the trash bag, and as the car was nearing the border of Shenbei. The car was slowly approaching the toll gates now.

    She debated the options at hand.

    In thest minute, she opened her mouth and asked, "Actually, can you drive me here?" She gave the driver a new GPS location. He patiently looked at it and nodded.

    "Right away, ma¡¯am." He turned the car around and entered a differentne.

    Zhao Lifei nced out the window, staring into space for a while. Going to the battlefield unarmed and without much reasoning or logic would not be the smartest thing she could do in this situation. For a second there, her temper almost got the best of her.

    After a while, she texted Yang Ruqin.

    When the car pulled into the driveway of the enormous skyscrapers, a few employees paused to admire the car. Seeing as it was thetest edition Aston Martin, the people had a suspicion that a CEO was going to step out of the car.

    The chauffeur opened the door and out stepped Zhao Lifei with a pair of sunsses on. They were surprised to see it was a woman. Most of the females walking in and out of thepany were employees and rarely would a woman be seen. On top of it, she came in a luxury car which made many people wonder who she was. Only a small handful recognized her as Zhao Lifei, more specifically, their futuredy boss.

    She strutted into the building, her head held high,rge purse in hand, and walked straight past the information desk. When she made her way to the private elevators, security came to stop her.

    "We apologize, but this elevator is off-limits¡ª"

    "Let her through." The icy voice of Chen Gaonan was enough for the men to step aside, their heads lowered.

    The edge of Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips quirked into a slight smirk, the haughtiness of an heiress was easy to tell. "I can see why they call you an Ice King." She chuckled, strolling past him and towards the elevators.

    Chen Gaonan did not respond. He pressed the elevator button and quietly stood a few inches behind her.

    "Does your boss know I¡¯m here?" She asked, entering the elevator, watching as Chen Gaonan swiped a private key card and used his fingerprint as identification before the keypad changed and a new floor was revealed.

    "No. As requested by Miss Ruqin, your presence is kept a secret for now." He politely replied in the same manner he treated well-respected CEOs.

    "Good, keep it that way." It amused her that his behavior changed so quickly after he found out who she was and what she was capable of.

    She peered at the ss walls of the elevator. As they traveled higher and higher, the entire city of Shenbei could be seen. She could see the downtown area from here as well as the endless rows of buildings, all of which were owned by Yang Enterprise in some shape or form, whether it was through major shares or stocks.

    When the door dinged, the two stepped out. The air on the highest floor of the building felt different from all the floors below. Thepetitive and utmost professional atmosphere here reminded her of Zhao Corporation, a ce she had not frequented for a while now.

    For unknown reasons, her grandfather had not called her to be a consultant anymore. She figured it was because he knew she had ns of debuting as the CEO of Feili soon and it would not look good if she was seen advising anotherpany.

    The few staff working on the highest floor were surprised beyond words to see a woman apanying Chen Gaonan. After taking a closer look, they realized it was the same woman from a while back! They were speechless to see the woman they criticized earlier was none other than their boss¡¯ girlfriend.

    Zhao Lifei could feel the judging eyes on her, but as always, she ignored them. After all these years, she had be immune to stares.

    "President Yang is currently in a meeting with a few senior directors of the board. He will be finished within the next ten minutes. In the meantime, you¡¯re wee to rx in the waiting area." Chen Gaonan said when they walked down a private hallway with ss panels to the left.

    "Your boss sure loves windows." She muttered when she saw it was still a view of the city from a different angle and perspective.

    Chen Gaonan stifled theugh threatening hisposure. He said the same thing when he entered this building for the very first time.

    For the briefest second, he nced at her. She looked different, but he couldn¡¯t ce a finger on what about her has changed. One thing was for sure that she was not weak. Even though her build was thin and fragile, her sharp tongue, piercing eyes, and presence were able to distort her appearance.

    After realizing he had been looking at her for too long, he hurriedly turned his eyes forward. He did not want to be caught admiring her, especially when his boss could gouge out his eyes.

    "I¡¯ll wait for him in his office." She mused when he was going to direct her to arge room right beside the area where Yang Feng¡¯s personal team sat.

    Right as she said that, his personal team nced at her, ready to judge and criticize whoever was dumb enough to say such things. However, when they saw who it was, all of them kept their mouths shut and did not even dare to think negative thoughts towards her. It was needless to say, they were easily subdued by her.

    "That is not allowed." Chen Gaonan easily responded. There had been many people in the past, even insignificant flings of his boss, who thought they were special enough to enter his office without permission. Such people were met with horrible dooms.

    "Don¡¯t you know, Mr. Chen?" She gave his chest a firm pat. "the rules don¡¯t apply to me." She chuckled, walking past him and straight towards the daunting ck door.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyesnded on Su Meixiu whose desk was the furthest away from the door. She was petty enough to be amused upon seeing her current position.

    Su Meixiu glowered at Zhao Lifei, her eyes were filled with so much hatred, it was a miracle Zhao Lifei was not six feet under. What was this woman doing here? Why wasn¡¯t she leaving President Yang after what had happened?

    "I rmend you re at someone else." Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes, her words cutting Su Meixiu who could feel the judgmentnd upon her.

    Chen Gaonan hurriedly spoke up in fear that she got offended. "We apologize. Ms. Su here is still getting ustomed to her new position."

    "Wow, I had no idea her previous position allowed her to glower at CEOs. How interesting!" She lightlyughed, her words cutting deep into Su Meixiu who was struggling to keep her calm.

    Chen Gaonan sighed inside of his head. If news got out of Su Meixiu¡¯s behavior, the boss would have her head. He did not realize all of her professionalism would crumble the second her position was changed.

    Zhao Lifei walked to the ck door and pulled the handles. It was locked.

    Su Meixiu smiled to herself, even when Chen Gaonan was shooting her warning nces. The boss always keeps the door locked with his personal passcode. This woman is trying to make a fool out of herself.

    Zhao Lifei was not fazed to see that the door did not budge. She had texted Yang Ruqin earlier to tell Chen Gaonan toe down and pick her up from the elevator, but had also asked her for the passcode to Yang Feng¡¯s office. Not surprisingly, the doting brother had given it to her a while back... oddly, it was around the same time when Zhao Lifei and him first shared a room together at Sky Arc Complex.

    Zhao Lifei could only hope the passcode did not change. She walked to the keypad, typed in the excruciatingly long passcode. The next step was fingerprinting. She bit her bottom lip and wondered if he was crazy enough to have her fingerprint stolen from somewhere and registered, and to her surprise, it worked.

    Crazy... he really was crazy. When and how did he even get her fingerprint?!

    Chen Gaonan was wondering the exact same thing. He could¡¯ve sworn thest time she came to the office, his boss did not put her in the system, so how was it that she was able to gain ess?! This boss of his...he was too trusting of her. The office contained important and confidential files that should never be essed by unauthorized people, but here he was, giving away ess like it was candy!

 Chapter 223 Cage

    Zhao Lifei curled her fingers around the tinum door handle, the cold metal matched the temperature of her body. She pulled the handle and opened the door. She did not need to look behind her to know everyone was baffled by what she had just done.

    She walked into the room and shut the door behind her before tossing the extremely heavy purse onto the couch. She walked around the office in curious wonder, exploring the enormous space that was the size of an apartment. Tucked beside a bookshelf and hidden from in sight was a door.

    She tilted her head and tested the knob, it was unlocked. She wondered if there were skeletons hidden in there and to her mundane disappointment, there were none. She saw it was a standard-sized bedroom and when she walked in, she saw the bathroom that had arge shower, sink, and toilet.

    As expected of a workaholic.

    He even had a bed and bathroom here just so he could stay at the office!

    She shook her head at this and concluded that he needed to take a short vacation from work. She wondered if he even understood the definition of a vacation.

    She walked out of the bedroom,pletely unaware that the purpose of the room was soon going to change.

    Zhao Lifei sat down on hisrge leather chair that was twice her size. She swung her legs and swiveled the chair so that she could look out the ss wall. She hoped that he was smart enough to use one-way ss; such that he could gaze outside, but the people could never see the inside.

    - - - - -

    "Meeting adjourned."

    The senior directors, who were old enough to be Yang Feng¡¯s grandfather, all stood up to pay their respects to him. They bowed their heads when he walked past them.

    Waiting outside the room was Chen Gaonan. Yang Feng wordlessly walked past him and right away, Chen Gaonan followed behind.

    "There is another meeting scheduled before lunch with CEO Zheng, then after that, President Ling is requesting a private talk with you. These are all the meetings for today. Awaiting on your desk are the files you¡¯ve requested..." Chen Gaonan inwardly cursed. He forgot about those until he saw them on his tablet. What if that woman was in there reading them right now? It was confidential information from the finance department!

    When his boss briefly shot him a re, Chen Gaonan visibly gulped and with a shaky voice, he read on, "I-in regards to uing events, Madam Yang¡¯s birthday is approaching in five weeks time, but we can begin the gift-selecting process now. And as requested, tomorrow you will have a meeting with Director Zhao Junkai."

    Yang Feng nkly listened to Chen Gaonan¡¯s ramble, but his mind was elsewhere. He nned on telling Zhao Lifei about what he said this morning to his grandfather. He needed to inform her of the lies he uttered in order to protect her.

    When he reached the area right outside his office, he felt something was off. His normally rigid expression changed a bit.

    Chen Gaonan swallowed hard. He was forced to choose from revealing the truth or staying by Yang Ruqin and Zhao Lifei¡¯s words.

    Yang Feng ignored his secretary¡¯s sicklyplexion and walked into his office, closing the door behind him. As he approached the desk, his chair turned around, but his hand was faster. He had already grabbed the gun that was tucked in his suit.

    Zhao Lifei let out a softughter at the chilling and murderous expression on his face. Any man that saw him would have copsed and begged for mercy.

    "What a proper greeting." She scoffed, standing up and watching as his eyes followed her every movement.

    Yang Feng¡¯s expression changed instantly. The cier in his eyes melted into spring, his face was filled with tender fondness towards her. He holstered the gun and walked towards her so fast that she was caught off-guard by his inhumane speed. She stiffened when he embraced her, his usuallyforting arms felt like a cage.

    "You should¡¯ve told me you were here. I would¡¯ve ended the meeting a lot earlier." Yang Feng buried his head into her neck, breathing in her heavenly scent. He hugged her tighter, enjoying the feeling of her in his arms.

    "I didn¡¯t do it for that exact reason." She replied, while her arms hung by her sides.

    Yang Feng felt the difference in her behavior and voice. He pulled back to examine her. "What¡¯s wrong?"

    "I don¡¯t know," She shrugged. "Why don¡¯t you tell me?"

    His brows drew together at her words. Did something happen?

    "I can¡¯t read your mind." He deadpanned, his arms loosening around her.

    "No, really?" She mockingly gasped, "I thought you could!"

    Yang Feng scowled at her tone. She was practically begging to start a fight. "What is wrong with you?"

    "I could ask you the same thing!" She pushed him away, but his arms stayed firm. He was not going to let her leave. "Is there something you want to tell me?" She hissed, jabbing his chest and hurting her fingers in the process. Poking him was like poking a wall.

    "Something along the lines of, ¡¯We should break up¡¯?"

    At her words, his face darkened and a rough growl left his mouth. "You¡¯re not leaving me." He picked her up, one arm under her butt while the other rested on her lower back.

    She was forced to hold onto him as she was afraid she might fall. "Let me go! What are you doing?!" She smacked him, struggling to separate them, but he was a lot stronger. Just his one arm alone was enough to prevent her from going anyway.

    "Yang Feng, I¡¯m serious!" She screamed, her eyes widening when she realized he was taking her into the bedroom. She yelped when he tossed her onto the bed and climbed on top of her, caging her in with his arms.

    Yang Feng was d his office was soundproof, or else his people would¡¯ve heard themotion, not that he cared, but he knew she would.

    "We¡¯re not breaking up." He growled, grabbing her chin to force her to look at him. His grip was tight, his fingers pressing into her jaw.

    "You¡¯re hurting me."

    And just like that, his grip loosened, his eyes softening the slightest. In an angry voice, but gentler tone, he grumbled, "Let me see."

    She pped his hand away, ring at him.

    At this, his eyes became frosty again, and just like that, the anger came back. This time, he grabbed her harsher than before, causing her to raise her leg in an attempt to kick him where it would hurt. His legs pinned her down and when she tried to smack him, he grabbed both of her wrists and pressed them onto the bed.

    "Stop struggling." Hemanded, pinning her harder into the bed. She continued to go against his words, wriggling and moving around.

    "Lifei." He snarled, but she would not listen.

    "Stop it!" She screamed at him, she was ovee with frustration. "Stop ying with me! Let me go!" Her face was bing flushed with anger, something he did not like. He¡¯d rather her turn pink from his kisses.

    "Never." His reply was calm, like the small ripples of the waves before the hurricane hit. He released his grip on her, catching her by surprise, only for him to hug her tightly. "I¡¯m never letting you go." He firmly dered, the words ringing in her ears.

    She could feel herself crumble as her heart began to lose faith. He was the most greedy man she had ever met. Even though he did not love her, he was still unwilling to release her from the birdcage.

 Chapter 224 Swollen and Bruised

    "How can you be so unfair?!" She continued to verbally attack him with her words when her limbs could not.

    "If you did not have any good intentions towards me from the start, why can¡¯t you just let me go? Why can¡¯t you let me leave so that I can go to another who will properly cherish me!" She shrieked, continuing to fight against him, even when his iron grip was not letting her prevail.

    Yang Feng saw red. Another man? Like hell he would! The way she spoke provoked him. "There is no one on the face of this earth who will cherish you more than I do." He scowled, one arming loose to force her to look at him. "Who is it?!" He spat out the words like it was poison. "It seems you already have an escape n, a rebound in mind."

    Her breath hitched when it came in contact with his fury. He regarded her as if she was his greatest nemesis, the bringer of his misfortune. There was so much enmity in his eyes, he resembled a ferocious beast who was out for blood, to be more specific, hers. The toughest men in the world would drop to their knees if they ever came in contact with his re. His wrath and eyes alone could tame the wildest of creatures into submission.

    "You ugly, horrendous, hideous brute and buffoon of a man! Release me! Why do you even care if I go off with another man?!"

    He let out a cruel, spine-chillingughter. She shivered at the sound, as goosebumps formed on her arms. "You¡¯re bold aren¡¯t you?" He mocked, "Being spoiled to the bone, you must¡¯ve thought you could get away with such insults."

    She snarled, "You¡¯re the one who spoiled me rotten and now you¡¯re ming me for my behavior and words? Why don¡¯t you take some responsibility first?!"

    "I will take some when you begin taking responsibility for crashing into my life, muddling my brain, confusing my heart¡ª"

    "Don¡¯t use me, I did no such thing¡ªmmph!" He roughly captured her lips.

    He was forcing her into submission. He pressed their bodies together until he felt every curve of her body against his, with his hand holding her face in ce. He pried her mouth open with his tongue, diving in to taste her, even when her tongue stubbornly fought against him, he was able to dominate her. When he pulled back for air, she saw his eyes, hot and riddled with passion, but hostility was the most prominent emotion in them.

    He kissed her again, harsher and rougher than before, filled with pure acrimony while he bent her to his will, nipping and biting at her lips, causing her to cry out in pain, only for him to soothe the area with his lips that felt soft and warm, nothing like his current behavior. His lips sealed over hers, silencing her protest.

    Zhao Lifei could feel her body responding to him, even if her heart was unwilling. She could not think properly as her mind became consumed with the kiss, turning hazy and bing mush. She wanted to fight against his lips but did not have the power to resist his temptation and eventually sumbed to it, leaning into him and responding to him.

    He pulled back for the briefest second so that she could breathe and then he crashed his lips down to her, again and again, as if punishing her. Even then, she did not back down as her lips hungrily molded over his with the same passion and roughness.

    When he pulled back to let her properly take a gasp of air so that she would not pass out, he saw how swollen and bruised her lips were. Ruby red, it was a tempting color. When he realized how much force was used on her chin, he hurriedly loosened his grip in fear of leaving a bruise behind on her perfectplexion. He had hurt her and he regretted it more than ever.

    Zhao Lifei looked away from him, her head turning to the right as pure hatred filled her eyes. She despised him.

    "Look at me." He demanded.

    She did not. She continued to stare at the wall, her nk expression bothering him.

    Yang Feng felt stabs of pain spread through his chest upon seeing the side profile of her face. She looked so hollow, so broken, he could not find the words tofort her. His heart was hurting, something he did not know was possible until he met her. A knife was being twisted deep into his beating flesh.

    "Look at me." He repeated, this time, his voice was a lot softer. His fingers brushed against her chin, massaging the area that he had painfully held.

    He thought over their conversation carefully. He did not know why she was so angry and where her sudden determination to leave him came from. Regardless, his heart was still consumed by rage that she could even fathom such a horrible idea.

    He was a greedy and stubborn man.

    Once his heart was set on something, he would devote himself entirely to it and now it was devoted to her alone. Even if she wanted to leave, he would not allow it. His possessiveness towards her was unhealthy, but she brought that side out of him. It was cruel of him to think this but he could not help himself, he had fallen too deeply in love with her to let her go.

    Just then, he thought back to her original words. ¡¯Stop ying with me!¡¯ What did she mean by that? He was ying with her? Since when? The thought had never crossed his mind.

    Ever since heid his eyes upon her, he had only one intention towards her: marriage.

    He wanted to make her his wife, one that would be dearly loved for the rest of her life. He nned to shower her with all the love in the world, pamper and spoil her to no return, and when she would protest, he would continue to adore her.

    "I never intended to y with you."

    Her head sharply turned towards him, causing him to be fearful that she would get whish.

    "From the very beginning, I nned on having a future with you. I just want you to be the sole mother of my many children, the love of my life, and as horribly and utterly cheesy as it sounds, I want to grow old with you, sit by the seashore as we reminisce about our youth." He whispered, cupping her face as he leaned his forehead against hers, staring wholeheartedly into her eyes.

    "You¡¯re right. I am as unfair as I am greedy." He stroked her cheek, "I can never let you go, not after you became my only source of happiness. It pains me to even think about seeing you leave and if you do, I don¡¯t think I can humanly function anymore."

    He kissed her forehead, his heart thudding in fear that her sudden obedience to listen to him would disappear if he made the tiniest mistake. "I could never adore another as much as I adore you."

    "I love you Zhao Lifei, god damn it, why can¡¯t you see that? I love you so much, I¡¯m willing to turn the world into a battlefield if it means I can have you." He had never professed his feelings openly before, the action was very foreign to him. But when it came to her, all of it came out naturally.

    Zhao Lifei was stunned. ¡¯He... He loves me?¡¯

    If it was not for what she heard in the recording, she would¡¯ve believed him. She would¡¯ve convinced her foolish little heart to listen, but unfortunately, she did hear the recording and she did hear his true intentions towards her. However, a part of her did not want to believe in it. Audio maniption was a possibility, and it was something she had encountered it in the military. This was why she decided to give him a chance. She did not want to be a coward and run away from her problems.

    She opened her mouth to respond but he pressed a finger upon it.

    "I¡¯m not done yet, my dear." He breathed in deeply before saying, "This morning, I had a discussion with my grandfather."

    She blinked, surprised he was even going there. What was going on? What were his intentions here?

    "In order to keep you safe from his clutches, I lied to him." He brushed away the locks of hair covering her eyes, it had presumably be messy in her struggle against him. "I lied about my intentions towards you, I lied about how I felt, and I lied to keep you safe."

    It was all starting to make sense now. Zhao Lifei purposely neither hinted at the recording nor the discussion in fear that he would try to convince her otherwise. But right now, he did not know. He did not know why she was so angry, why she was bent on leaving him, or why she wanted to run from him. He did not know.

    He was speaking from his heart.

    "My grandfather is a ruthless man. Just to groom me into the perfect and cruel leader, he wanted me to be heartless. He never wanted me to fall in love, to experience emotions that he deemed to be weak." Yang Feng did not favor his grandfather¡¯s ideals, but he became the very definition of it. He could not help it anymore, it had be a part of his nature to be cold and brutal, even when his enemy was pleading for dear mercy.

    Yang Feng could not me his grandfather, for a part of him heavily knew, even without the influence of his grandfather, he would turn out to be the same way he currently is. He was a quiet child growing up, too detached from the world to care about emotions. His grandfather only amplified his behavior.

    "I thought I could do it. I thought it would be easy to not fall in love, but the second you crashed into my life, ruining my ns, and creating a spot within my heart, I knew I could never follow his wishes."

    His thumb brushed against her lips in hopes of easing any pain she felt. "I love you and because of that, I had to keep you safe."

    "And what did you say to him?" Zhao Lifei decided to test him. If he did not lie to her, she would stay. If he did, she would leave.

 Chapter 225 I Dont Care

    Yang Feng stared into her eyes that were glorious like gold and so abnormally bright, he wondered how she managed to seal the stars within them.

    "I told my grandfather that the only reason I am with you is because of your fortune and connections." He hurriedly added on, "But don¡¯t get angry. I also told him I nned on having you as my wife," Imagining her in a wedding dress caused a heartfelt smile to form on his face. She would look so beautiful, more than she already was.

    "I had to tell him a lie or else he would find ways to get rid of you. If he discovers I finally have a weakness, there will be a target on your head." His soft expression dimmed as it became overshadowed with indignation.

    "Do you..." Zhao Lifei hesitated and asked, "n on hiding the truth forever?" She understood where he wasing from. From her judgment and the rumors of what Elder Yang did when he was the Head of the Underworld, the man would not hesitate to brutally ughter her.

    Yang Feng immediately shook his head. "No."

    It was never his intention from the start, but he had to say it this morning. He needed more time to secure her safety and protection.

    "A few months from now, there will be an annual meeting with every major shareholder of thepany present. They wille together and decide if the current CEO should be kept or changed. This process usually urs in every five years." Yang Feng had already set his n into motion. Many of the highest shareholders had already been contacted by him and a few were already on his side.

    "You n on ousting him." Zhao Lifei felt her throat run dry uponing to this realization. She did not want him to do it. She did not want a rift between Elder Yang and Yang Feng.

    Elder Yang¡¯s methods and beliefs towards Yang Feng were brutal, but she, out of everyone else, saw how much the man adored this grandson. It was definitely tough love, but in the end, it was still love.

    "I do."

    "You shouldn¡¯t." She blurted out, her words taking him by surprise.

    "Lifei, he will kill you if I don¡¯t uproot his influences¡ª"

    "There has to be another way. Your grandfather might hate me, but he loves you. He only wants the best for you."

    "He doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s best for me." Yang Feng did not like the fact that out of all times, she had to be empathetic at this moment! It was not the right time for her to behave like this.

    Zhao Lifei shook her head. Her fondness towards the elderly, in particr, her grandfather and maternal grandmother prevented her from seeing the truth.

    Everyone loved differently. She could tell Elder Yang only wanted Yang Feng to prevail.

    She did not want to be the reason for a split to ur in a family. She had already ruined her own family by being born, she was scared of ruining another.

    "Don¡¯t do this to him, Yang Feng. He cares for you."

    "But he does not care for you, and that¡¯s all I give a damn about." He sat up, only for her to follow suit. She grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her.

    "Don¡¯t publicly dethrone him, not after all of the years and effort he has put forth in teaching you how to rule." Her voice was gentle, like the sympathetic granddaughter she was. If only she knew... the majority of the beatings that Yang Feng received in his life were from his grandfather.

    "That man does not love me. He only cares about keeping the power he has and having a formidable heir to continue his legacy." Yang Feng harshly replied, turning to her and immediately wishing he didn¡¯t. Her soft expression squeezed his heart.

    "My love," He wrapped his arms loosely around her hips, "Not everyone is like your grandfather. Yes, tough love is a form of love, but that could only be to a certain extent."

    "You do not know, my dear, the sinister things he has done." Yang Feng will show her one day, the secret he never showed anyone, the very thing he did not dare to reveal.

    "It is not tough love. As a matter of fact, there is no loveing from his heart at all. It¡¯s just a twisted emotion birthed from greed and selfishness." His fingers lovingly rubbed small circles on her face. "But because you do not want me to, I will not publicly dethrone him."

    "But you will still do it..." She trailed off.

    "Yes, I will. The n has already been set into motion and as we speak, what little influence he has over the Underworld, it is all being seized by me." He pressed a soft kiss against her face, but she drew back from him.

    "Don¡¯t be angry, my love. In a rtionship, we have topromise."

    "But he has yet to hurt me¡ª"

    "And he will do so once the truth is revealed." He grasped her chin, "If he gets his hands on you, death will be more favorable than living. I do not n on waiting until it is toote."

    He would never forget the day Yang Mujian tormented a mere puppy to death because he saw the affection Yang Feng was giving it.

    Yang Feng had cuddled the lost, severely starved, and abandoned puppy and raised it as his own, to be a loyal beast, only for the poor thing to be dragged into the yard in front of his eyes.

    Yang Feng was forced to watch, pressed down onto his knees, the torture inflicted upon the helpless animal.

    In front of the boy, who was no more than the age of eleven, the puppy was beaten, mauled, kicked, and brutally skinned alive. All the while, Yang Feng had to hear its gruesome and heart-piercing cries. At that point, what little faith he had in his grandfather had disappeared without a trace.

    Zhao Lifei was quiet for a while. She could not find the words to say because it was not her ce to do so. She never thought she would one day show kindness to her enemies. It was not part of her nature, but everyone had their weaknesses, and grandparents were hers. She was too ignorant... something Yang Feng could not bring himself to tell her.

    "Keep your promise then." She said, "Do not do it publicly."

    Yang Feng wouldn¡¯t call it a promise, but for her sake, he nodded his head.

    - - - - -

    "Why did you bring such arge purse with you today?" Yang Feng asked when the two left the bedroom to enter his office. He had received a call on his officendline when they were in the bedroom and she was adamant that he answer it. However, by the time the two came out, the call went to his voicemail.

    Zhao Lifei had forgotten about the purse and the trash bag. She opened her mouth, but Yang Feng beat her to it.

    "And why is your finger bandaged?" In his fit of rage, he did not see it before, however, he had calmed down now and could see it perfectly. He delicately held her hand, examining the well-tied bandage.

    "I¡¯m going to tell you, but you have to promise me you won¡¯t throw a tantrum."

    Yang Feng scowled, "I do not throw tantrums."

    "Yes and tomorrow, there will be a snowstorm." She sassed him, crossing her arms.

    "You know, I can always get enough machines to create one outside of our house¡ª"

    "You¡¯re rich, I get it." She scoffed, briskly walking away from him. He followed closely behind her and when she was near his desk, he grabbed her waist.

    "Fine, I promise to not be overly dramatic."

    "That must be hard for you." She said whilst cing a hand over her heart as she pretended to sympathize with him.

    Yang Fen pressed his lips together and childishly said, "As hard as it is for you."

    "Are you going to continue parroting everything I say?"

    "Yes." He cheekily dered, leaning down to quickly steal a kiss from her. He moved faster than she could push him away, and in the end, managed tond a kiss upon her lips.

    "We have to talk about your temper issues one day. Maybe even sign you up for anger management sses." She added in while they were in a good mood.

    He paused to incredulously look at her. "I¡¯m not going to anger management sses."

    "But it could be beneficial, I¡¯ll even wait for you outside." She turned around, standing on her tiptoes so that she could join her arms behind his neck, pulling him to her level.

    Yang Feng narrowed his eyes, his jaw going rigid. "I don¡¯t care."

    "It¡¯s not healthy if you continue tosh out every time I say something along the lines of leaving you."

    His eyes became stormy again.

    "See! You just got mad again!" She scowled, angrily pinching his cheek as if he was misbehaving and being a difficult child.

    "I¡¯m not going. That¡¯s final." He muttered, shaking his head. It was a definite answer. He was not going.

    Zhao Lifei pressed her lips together and decided to take him to a trial ss one day...Just to see how it would turn out, and from there on, if he did not want to go, she would not force him.

 Chapter 226 Assassins

    "And don¡¯t even think about fooling me by saying that we¡¯re going on a date only for you to drag me to some trial ss." He shut down her grand n.

    She was baffled at his words, sputtering, "Of course not..." She awkwardlyughed, giving his chest a stiff tap.

    "T-then, instead of anger management sses, how about you trust me more?"

    Yang Feng arched a brow. "I always trust you, but not when ites to you leaving me. You can give me all the reassurance in the world, but I¡ª" He halted mid-speech. He cursed himself. He almost blurted out her forgotten childhood. "But I am an insecure person at heart."

    He added on, "You also have to trust me more."

    She didn¡¯t know how to respond to hisst statement. Did she trust him? She looked deeply into his eyes. Their endless depth resembled a ck hole, sucking her in, and capturing all of her attention.

    She never thought the color ck would one day turn out to be this mesmerizing. There were so many secrets tucked within the depths of his inky night eyes, like the nebulous darkness of the Netherworld bounding countless souls of his victims within them, yet having all of them did not give him a soul of his own.

    She stopped trusting most men after Zheng Tianyi. Suddenly, it urred to her; why was she allowing herself to be tied down by the past? Why is she giving him the satisfaction that he had wounded her, that his actions then left scars on her heart?

    Why was she pushing away the very man that can help mend the wounds and heal the scars, just because one has hurt her so mortally? It was unfair.

    Something in her changed. The clinks of metal copsing onto the floor could be heard when the emotional and mental shackles fell away. She refused to be chained down by her past.

    "I¡¯ll try, but you have to as well." She murmured, slow and steady, showing the tiniest hints of hesitation to him, only for her eyes to be clear again, like the clouds parting after a storm.

    Yang Feng saw something was changing within her, but he could not ce a finger on what it was. "Of course." He agreed, bringing one hand to rub the back of her head. It takes two to make a rtionship work.

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng guided her towards the couch, where he pointed towards the purse. She was good at derailing the topic, something he made a mental note about. "You¡¯ve yet to tell me what¡¯s inside the envelope, the purse, and what made you so upset."

    Zhao Lifei sighed. She knew the topic was inevitable now. "I rmend you sit down for what I¡¯m about to say."

    He slowly nodded and sat down. She was about to do the same when he abruptly grabbed her, a gasp leaving her lips, and she tumbled onto hisp, straddling him.

    "You¡ª"

    "You never told me how I should be sitting down." He slyly said, a wolf of a grin on his lips. He was d she was wearing pants today, or else he would¡¯ve been tempted to run his hands over her legs that are smooth as silk.

    "You¡¯re unbearably annoying." She shook her head, even though a part of her liked the way he constantly wanted to touch her. It made her realize he wanted her as much as she wanted him... That this rtionship was two-sided and not one, unlike the kind she had with Zheng Tianyi.

    "You shouldn¡¯t say that if you¡¯re going to shift closer to me." He teased when she unconsciously ced her hands on his wide shoulders, her body automatically scooting closer to the warmth he provided.

    The AC was turned too high and she was growing cold. He was her personal heater, constantly radiating warmth. Sometimes she wondered, ¡¯How can he be so hot... Literally, of course... Eheh.¡¯

    "If you want to know the truth, stop trying to change the topic." She pinched his face, angrily pulling at it and to her utter annoyance, his skin was malleable enough where it did not hurt him and he made sure she knew.

    "What? Was that supposed to hurt?" He added fuel to her annoyance.

    She glowered at him and that made him want tough even more. So adorable, and she¡¯s all mine.

    "I can make something else hurt if you want me to." She huffed. "Now shut up and let me exin."

    She tried to climb out of hisp to grab the purse, but his arms slithered around her waist again, hugging her even more. He rested his head on top of hers and then scooted over to grab her purse, surprised by the weight of it.

    She angrily moved her head away from him, but he did not care. He shifted their position so that both of her legs rested on one side of the couch, and he could properly rest his head on the valley of her chest. To him, it was the mostfortable pillow in the world.

    She heaved an aggravated sigh, too tired and emotionally drained to argue with him. She opened the purse and showed him the clothing and jewelry she took.

    "I¡¯ll be frank and honest with you." She began, "Someone had sent me a recording of the conversation you had with your grandfather."

    At her words, he stiffened, his eyes turning murderous. Someone was purposely trying to sabotage their rtionship. Furthermore, someone had snuck into his grandfather¡¯s office.

    Yang Feng was sure his grandfather was not foolish enough to send the recording just to separate the couple. Especially not after he heard of the benefits the Yangs would reap from having Zhao Lifei join the family.

    "When I first heard it, I was not thinking straight. I nned on leaving you on the spot...I wanted to be a coward by running away without giving you the benefit of the doubt." She absentmindedly ran her hand through his silky smooth hair.

    "But you came back..." He muttered, as his heart began to soar.

    "Yes, I did." Sheughed. "When I reached the border of Shenbei, I realized it would be unfair to not listen to your side of the story. I didn¡¯t want you to convince me that everything in the recording was fabricated, which was why I did not mention it during our argument in hopes you would eventually reveal the truth."

    She smiled a bit, continuing to y with his luscious hair that was so enviously perfect that it was not fair. She knew he only used shampoo, so how could it be that his hair was always this wless?! She had to use such a lengthy process consisting of conditioner and hair masks just to get her hair to look good on a handful of days!

    "And you did not fail me." She hummed, "Had you lied, I would¡¯ve left without a second thought." She could tell he was restraining himself by the way his arms dug deep into her waist, embracing her tightly as if she would disappear on the spot.

    "Which phone number sent you the recording?"

    "It¡¯s an unknown number, but here," She pulled out her phone and showed it to him, "You¡¯re free to track it down." Yang Feng nodded, saving it onto his phone before slipping it away.

    "And the envelope?" He asked, raising his head to properly look at her.

    Zhao Lifei exined what happened, from sneaking out during dessert to Su Boyuan¡¯s insults, threats, and then the contents of the envelope. She talked about the contract that would bring Su Meixiu to her original position.

    By the end of the discussion, Yang Feng¡¯s eyes were darker than usual, as he began to n the destruction of the Sus. It was time that the Yangs began to cut ties with the Sus. Enough was enough. They had overestimated their capabilities and standing within the Yang n, thinking their martial art lineage was enough.

    The contract and non-disclosure agreement would be one of the vital evidence against Su Boyuan and Su Meixiu.

    "I¡¯ll deal with it." He firmly said, not leaving any room for objections.

    "I¡¯m going to join you."

    "No. It¡¯s too risky, you will get hurt¡ª"

    "I¡¯ll be more hurt if you leave me out of it, hiding me in your shadow." She argued, refusing to back down. "This problem started because of me. I will be the one to end it."

    Yang Feng was reluctant to do so, but he did not want to argue with her anymore. He decided to negotiate with her, "Fine, but in return, you have to abide by my conditions."

    "Depends on what they are."

    "You cannot go directly to the Sus unless you inform me first. You will be apanied by more people if you enter their house. There will be more security around you, but not enough topromise your privacy."

    His men had a way of keeping themselves hidden, but within a range where even if there were to be any suspicious activity, all of them could spring into action.

    Zhao Lifei did not know this, but there were asionally people trailing her and hits ced on her, but Yang Feng¡¯s men had all of them eliminated before she could even register the dangers around her.

    Zhao Lifei nodded. "Alright, sounds fair to me."

 Chapter 227 Arm-Candy

    A knock sounded throughout the room.

    "Let me go. One of your employees is trying toe in." She pushed the hands that were holding her in ce. She was trying to escape from hisp, but he would not let her.

    "Let them see." He nonchntly shrugged.

    "Stop being so persistent." She groaned, resorting to the childish side of her that liked pinching his cheeks.

    "You should find better ways to physically hurt me." He shook his head, releasing her and watching as she stood up to fix her shirt.

    "There¡¯s one very effective way, but it¡¯d be hard for you to be able to make babies afterward."

    A small pout was formed on his face as Yang Feng grumbled, "How can you do that to our future children?"

    She was bbergasted by his words, opening and closing her mouth in disbelief. Why was this man always thinking ahead of himself?! "Who said I will give birth to your kids?"

    "What? You don¡¯t want to?" He stood up, adjusting the cor of her satin white blouse. "I do think children would be nice, but the process would be better." He winked, stealing a kiss before he pressed a button near his desk.

    Chen Gaonan was impatiently waiting outside the door, tapping his foot on the floor, waiting for Yang Feng¡¯s permission to enter. For some reason, his boss had the office altered a few weeks ago to make it soundproof, so the only way to know that he¡¯s allowed to enter was when the light turned green.

    It finally did.

    He prayed to the Heavens that he would not be walking into an intimate scene and thank goodness he did not. On the contrary, the atmosphere in the room was a bit awkward as if he had interrupted something.

    "Good afternoon, Boss." He nodded his head before turning to Zhao Lifei, "And good afternoon to you as well, President Zhao." He smiled, revealing his pearly whites.

    Zhao Lifei eyed him like he had three heads. Yang Feng sure was good at taming his people...

    "Look any longer and I¡¯ll gouge out your eyes." Yang Feng muttered, sitting down in his chair.

    Chen Gaonan visibly gulped, hurriedly looking up at the ceiling and everywhere else besides her. It might¡¯ve sounded like an empty threat, but he knew better than that. Regardless, his eyes eventually trailed back to Zhao Lifei, worried that she might hear some sensitive information if they continued to speak in her presence.

    Zhao Lifei leisurely grabbed a folder, sat down on the couch and began to read it.

    Her actions mortified Chen Gaonan who looked like he was on the brink of a mental breakdown. "Boss! That¡¯s the folder from the finance department forst month¡ª"

    "Let her read it." Yang Feng easily replied, leaning one side of his head on a propped up arm. He trusted her enough to know that she would not do anything careless with the information.

    Chen Gaonan wanted to cry on the spot. He was being force-fed dog food while his heart was being sent into overdrive because of this carefree boss of his! The folder she was reading had everything to do with thepany¡¯s earnings, spending, and so forth, but he easily gave her ess!

    "But..." He was stressed by this issue, however, he was more terrified of his boss who was giving him a scathing re.

    Chen Gaonan mped his mouth shut. He decided to speak up about another pressing issue. "Boss, the meeting with President Zheng is going to start in ten minutes and as we speak, his car is five minutes away from our building."

    Chen Gaonan briefly nced at the woman sitting on the couch. If she was affected by his words, she did not show it.

    Yang Feng peered at her through his thickshes, watching as her fingers went down the page, scanning and memorizing the numbers. She could easily ruin him by using the information in the folder, but he did not care.

    Yang Feng checked the clock and said, "Cancel it."

    "Okay, I will invite President Zheng upstairs¡ª wait, what?" Chen Gaonan was caught off-guard by the sudden turn of events. He half expected it, since his boss never favored the man, however, he did not think the rejection woulde so fast!

    "It¡¯s 12 PM" Yang Feng stood up and adjusted his sterling tie clip.

    "Yes, I have already ordered the food and it shoulde within the next¡ª"

    "It¡¯s break time." He repeated, walking over to Zhao Lifei and helping her to her feet. She was puzzled by his actions.

    "And my beloved here is hungry." Yang Feng wrapped an arm around Zhao Lifei¡¯s waist and guided her out the door.

    Chen Gaonan stared incredulously at the back of his boss. He...He¡¯s going to skip an important meeting for lunch? For food?!

    "What shall I tell Mr. Zheng and President Ling then?" Chen Gaonan hurriedly chased after his boss whose long legs were already carrying them towards the private elevator.

    Every employee working on the top floor had their eyes glued to their boss, in particr, the exceptionally beautiful woman in his arms. They looked good together and if they dare say so themselves, the two had the appearance of a power couple.

    It was not rare for their boss toe to the cubicle area since the private elevator was just a few steps away from the ce; however, it was extremely rare for him to be spotted with a woman.

    There were a few insignificant flings in the past that wanted to get close to him, thinking that the bed they shared together was all the connection they needed. But none had ever found a spot within his arms.

    Many of the employees knew it was for the sake of his reputation that he avoided being seen with any woman. But when all of them were women who could put the beauty of the nation¡¯s actresses to shame, how could he not want to be seen with them? They would¡¯ve made great arm-candy... Now, the majority of his subordinates had realized, his arms were only reserved for her.

    Yang Feng shot Chen Gaonan a disdainful nce. He did not need to speak up for Chen Gaonan to realize his boss was disappointed with his stupid question.

    "I-I apologize." He bowed his head as he called the people downstairs to prevent Zheng Tianyi from boarding the elevator to the meeting room.

    Yang Feng did not give a damn that he had just turned away the CEO of one of the big fivepanies. He was never the type to care about such insignificant things. Instead, he worked his way to his woman¡¯s good side.

    "What are you craving for lunch today?" He eagerly asked, taking her into the elevator.

    She kept her eyes forward and her arms crossed, sporting the same indifferent expression on her face. This made him work harder to gain her attention, "I heard from the housekeeper that you did not eat your breakfast this morning and lied about going to brunch."

    Zhao Lifei could practically see his tail wagging and her ears twitching as he anticipated a favorable response.

    "What do you think about hotpot?" He yed with the fabric of her shirt, "If not, we can go elsewhere. Ruqin told me that you enjoy Korean barbeques."

    Zhao Lifei turned to him, waiting as his eyes lit up. "Hotpot and barbeque will leave a smell on your suit and you still have toe back to workter." She pointed out, shaking her head that he was so willing to please her while disregarding his own needs.

    "I want Chinese food." She said, to which Yang Feng hurriedly nodded.

    "There¡¯s a ce that prepares each dish of the course like a feast for an Emperor. It¡¯s newly opened, I¡¯ll take you there."

    Zhao Lifei slowly nodded her head, "Alright. Let¡¯s go then."

 Chapter 228 Another Mans Leftovers

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s long legs stepped out of the car first, followed by his impable stature that made the female employees downstairs swoon. He was so charismatically handsome, they envied his fianc¨¦e. His short and slightly wavy hair was slightly parted to the side, and his eyes, sharp as a knife, were piercing through the heart of women. If they had not seen how incredibly suave their own boss was, they would think Zheng Tianyi was the most handsome man on this earth.

    A carpet wasid out for Zheng Tianyi to walk on as the employees all began to line up to properly greet him ¡ª per thepany¡¯s protocols. As they formed a path, they suddenly received a message from Chen Gaonan in their group chat.

    [Ice King: Send the CEO back into his car. The meeting is canceled.]

    All of the employees here were not afraid of offending him. They were personally ordered by the Ice King himself, which meant they were guaranteed protection by thepany.

    The representative of the ground floor employees spoke up, "Yang Enterprise heavily apologizes for the sudden change of ns, Mr. Zheng, but the meeting has been canceled."

    The corner of Zheng Tianyi¡¯s lips dipped into a malicious scowl. Chen Xing was incredibly shocked that her boss, the great Zheng Tianyi, was denied entry like this. "What do you mean it¡¯s canceled? That¡¯s impossible, there must¡¯ve been an error."

    "Yang Enterprise never makes mistakes. It¡¯s a confirmed canction. I¡¯m afraid we have to ask you to leave the premises." The representative solemnly spoke up, his voice firm and confident of himself.

    Chen Xing pursed her lips together in displeasure. Zheng Tianyi muttered something to her and she spoke up, "Our president would like to speak to CEO Yang about this matter. To suddenly cancel on a meeting that was scheduled weeks in advance is uneptable!" She switched the tablet to a different hand as she tried to call her half-brother.

    "Our boss traveled for thirty minutes to arrive just to be turned back. Yang Enterprise must not have manners." She sniped, angrily typing in Chen Gaonan¡¯s phone number. He did not answer her. He never did.

    Zheng Tianyi was already in a foul mood from the argument he had this morning. His little Mengxi was spotted texting her "friend" again, the same one he explicitly banned her from seeing. She was too innocent to see that her childhood friend was deeply in love with her. But Zheng Tianyi was a man and he saw the "friend¡¯s" affections as clear as day.

    "Step aside. I don¡¯t have time for this." He snarled, taking a step forward only for the representative to block his path.

    "For thest time, Mr. Zheng, the meeting is canceled and¡ª"

    "You¡¯re fired." Zheng Tianyi moved two fingers and his men came forward to grab the representative and without warning, hauled the man to the side.

    He was baffled by this, "Mr. Zheng, this behavior is unbefitting of a CEO!"

    Zheng Tianyi ignored him and ced a foot on the carpet. The employees rushed forward to prevent him from taking another step.

    He scowled. His father was urgently pressing him for this meeting and the Elders were losing their patience. If he did not act fast, there would be hell to pay.

    Chen Xing opened her mouth to say something and paused. She spotted two people in the distance. The man was hard to miss, especially when his features were so striking. His face was heaven-defying, the magnum opus of the gods, and the very thing that sculptors would die for if they could just have their eyes gaze upon his face for the slightest second. She swallowed hard. Every time she saw him, she was blown away by how handsome this man was.

    President Yang was approaching them and he was with a woman. From the looks of it, he was trying to get her attention, but the woman was stand-offish and ying hard to get. Something she was seeding at. The more she ignored him, the more he vied to get her attention.

    Just as his secretary saw the couple so did Zheng Tianyi, but his eyes dove straight to Zhao Lifei first. His sour mood dampened further. Seeing that prissy woman only drove his madness to the edge and all he saw was red.

    ¡¯This bitch is the reason Yang Feng is not going to see me?!¡¯ He snarled inside of his head. ¡¯What? Was warming his bed at night not enough? Now she wanted to do so in the afternoon as well? What a despicable little thing she is.¡¯

    He was d he dumped her when he had the chance.

    He roughly shoved past the employees and when they tried to stop him in his path, Zheng Tianyi¡¯s bodyguards suppressed them all. He walked straight to Yang Feng.

    "President Yang." He spoke up, but Yang Feng acted as if he did not hear him.

    "My love, after we eat, let¡¯s go somewhere. We haven¡¯t been on a date since the amusement park." Yang Feng rubbed tiny circles on her hip when he saw she was suddenly unhappy and he already knew the reason why.

    "Yang Feng, why did you cancel the meeting? It¡¯spletely unprofessional¡ª"

    "I don¡¯t believe I gave you permission to use my name." Yang Feng¡¯s cold-hearted words were like a p to Zheng Tianyi who had spent half of his life coveting after the stoic man.

    He still did not forget the embarrassment he suffered at Ling Banquet but was willing to look past that.

    "Nothing is more unprofessional than your way of speech." Yang Feng spat out, walking ahead of the stupefied Zheng Tianyi who finally came to his senses when he saw Yang Feng was leaving.

    "Do not get me started on that." Zheng Tianyi growled, only to be ignored.

    He continued on, "What? You¡¯re just going to abandon the meeting because of a woman?" Zheng Tianyi let out a tauntingughter.

    "You should learn how to separate business from personal life. Besides, she¡¯s another man¡¯s leftovers. A piece of trash dumped on the sidewalk."

    Silence.

    The lobby that was always frequented by people and constantly filled with loud chatter from opening hours to closing suddenly went quiet. The shuffling of footsteps as people rushed to their stations was nowhere to be found.

    Everyone had stopped moving, talking, and even breathing at Zheng Tianyi¡¯s insults.

    Yang Feng stopped walking. The corner of his lips quirked up, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "To chase after me, even when rejected, then scornfully insult my woman when you¡¯re too terrified to insult me is the most pathetic thing I¡¯ve ever witnessed." He spat out the words, dumping cold buckets of water upon Zheng Tianyi.

    "Have some dignity." Yang Feng said, "Stop begging and groveling for my attention." With that said, he turned around and walked off with Zhao Lifei in his wake. Today the Zheng Corporation will experience another downfall and it would be directly caused by Yang Enterprise.

    The employees snickered at Zheng Tianyi, whose face had be white as paper. Once again, he was utterly humiliated in front of so many people. It was even worse that his subordinates were there to hear it for it caused them to start losing respect for their boss one by one. As the seconds trickled by they began to hang their heads in shame.

    Their boss waspletely done for. Not only had he caused a public scene, but he had also insulted President Yang and Zhao Lifei... The future was not looking bright for them.

 Chapter 229 Not The One Marrying Her

    Once they got into the car, Yang Feng absentmindedly asked her, "Shall I make their stock worth nothing or bankrupt thepany overall?"

    "Why not both?" She responded in an apathetic manner as she stared out the window. It was strange. When she saw Zheng Tianyi today, she did not feel anything. She was not scared to see him nor did her heart feel a painful jab.

    "Okay." He easily said, surprising her.

    She thought he was joking. "Don¡¯t do both. It¡¯ll be suspicious." She said, turning to face him. She saw that he was already on his phone to send out the orders.

    "Drop the value of their stock. You can bankrupt him when there is a valid enough reason. If not, the public will severely criticize you." She wisely advised him.

    "The mediapanies will not dare to report this, but Zheng Tianyi will have his way and use smaller sources to broadcast what happened. When he does, it will not look good for Yang Enterprise." She worriedly said, grabbing his phone, something he could¡¯ve easily prevented her from doing. He wanted her to give him attention and it seemed this little n of his worked.

    "Okay, I¡¯llpletely ruin him once the reason is valid enough." He smiled the slightest bit upon seeing the panic in her eyes. It warmed his heart to see her be so fearful about the public¡¯s opinion of Yang Enterprise.

    - - - - -

    By the time the two finished their delightfully aromatic and delicious meal, word of what happened at Yang Enterprise had spread like wildfire. With Yang Feng paying out the mediapanies and journalists to amplify the mes, it did not take long for Zheng Corporation to suffer another fall. The public criticized Zheng Tianyi for his behavior and many more even mocking him.

    Of course, Zhao Lifei¡¯s name waspletely left out of it ¡ª something Yang Feng wholeheartedly ensured. There were even a few people that spoke about how they sympathized with her because she had spent years chasing after such a worthless man.

    Back home, Yang Feng had just entered the master bedroom when he realized something was missing from his nightstand. He loosened his tie and tossed it on the couch, unbuttoning the top half of his dress shirt to reveal the slightest sliver of his muscr chest.

    He smirked when he saw her staring at it, then quickly averting her eyes upon being caught. "What happened to themp?" He asked her while unbuttoning the rest of his dress shirt, then taking off his suit.

    "I broke it." She mumbled, like a sullen child who was caught red-handed trying to steal from the cookie jar.

    "Why?"

    "I don¡¯t know." She responded, cing down her purse and walking into the closet to put everything back where it belonged. She chastised herself for this morning¡¯s behavior and prayed she would not repeat it. But then again, it was not a guarantee, for she was the type to not think clearly when angered and hurt.

    "Is that how you hurt your finger?" He gently asked, following after her and hugging her from behind, one arming over her stomach and the other holding her delicate fingers.

    "Yeah..." She trailed off, her body easing into his. She could feel the muscles in his chest contract when he hugged her tighter.

    "I¡¯m sorry, I should¡¯ve told you about my n sooner." He sighed, kissing the side of her head.

    She felt her heart skip a beat at his gestures. He was so kind to her, she did not know how to respond to it...

    "Themp must¡¯ve been expensive." She turned around and took him by surprise when she hugged him back. "It was really beautiful too." She added on, raising her head to look at him.

    "There is an auctioning up soon. I¡¯ll see if they¡¯re auctioning a stained-ssmp." Themp itself was extremely expensive as it was beautiful, but to Zhao Lifei, nothing in this world was pricey. All of it boiled down to how easily obtainable it was. And currently, themp was hard to get.

    "You don¡¯t have to." He brushed a few strands of her hair to the side, "I¡¯ll get one by tomorrow."

    Zhao Lifei sighed at his doting behavior before pinching his nose. "I broke it, so I¡¯ll pay for it." When he opened his mouth, she stood on her toes and kissed it. "Stop arguing with me."

    Dazed by the short kiss, he nodded and tightened his arms around her. "Kiss me again and I¡¯ll think about it."

    Zhao Lifeiughed at his words before saying, "You¡¯re too tall." She tried to leave his arms, but he would not let her.

    "Yang Feng!" She gasped when he suddenly picked her up again, for the second time today, and took her to the enormous bed fit for five people. He gingerly ced her down and climbed on top of her, but ced all of his weight on his arms.

    "Now I¡¯m not." He leaned his face down, waiting for her kisses.

    "Fine, close your eyes." She said, watching as he obediently did so. Then sheid back down on the bed, watching as his brows furrowed together when the seconds passed and she still did not kiss him.

    When his eyes flew open in anger, she giggled. He felt his heart being squeezed upon hearing herughter, sweet and gentle, warming his entire body.

    "Ha. Ha. Very funny." He sarcastically replied, shaking his head. Just then, his phone rang.

    She pushed his chest. "Go answer it." She watched as he reluctantly stood up, answered the phone, and then sat back down on the bed. His back, wide and tense, his daunting muscles visible from being freed from the shirt. She admired his shoulder des, the way it moved when he shifted the phone to his other ear.

    "I¡¯ll be there, mother." He nonchntly answered, his voice rigid and professional, as it always was. It was hard for him to be warm around his parents or anyone in general. He never opened his heart up to anyone aside from Zhao Lifei...perhaps that could change in the future if there were mini-hers running around the house.

    Fan Jin nced around her to make sure her husband was nowhere in sight, then she said, "Will you bring that woman of yours?"

    "Her name is Zhao Lifei."

    "Yes, yes, of course, my dear son. Will you be bringing Zhao Lifei?"

    "Are you going to antagonize her?"

    "You should worry about your father instead!" Fan Jin did not like the way her son criticized her. "I am actually quite fond of her. Both of us were not..." She paused mid-sentence. She did not want to even fathom that hateful thought anymore. "Your father still does not like her."

    "He doesn¡¯t have to. He¡¯s not the one marrying her."

    Zhao Lifei blinked, finally realizing he was talking about her. She leaned on his shoulders, feeling his body be tense before rxing when she wrapped her arms around him.

    "Don¡¯t sass me, young man." Fan Jin frowned, "It¡¯s not good to have that mentality. You youngsters these days are so bold. The blessing of your family when ites to marriage is very crucial. It is the basic principles of¡ª"

    "Grandfather has given his blessings."

    Fan Jin was stunned to the core. She was tongue-tied. That incredibly hard-to-please man did what?!

    Even when she got married to Yang Qianlu, it took a while for her to get Elder Yang¡¯s blessing. In the end, they had to get married without it. Even so, it took years for him to eventually see her as Madam Yang, and that alone was not an easy feat. She had to sacrifice her firstborn son to get the title.

 Chapter 230 Alcohol and Cigarettes

    "If that is the case, I do not see it being hard for her to receive your father¡¯s blessings."

    Zhao Lifei could faintly hear the discussion. When she heard Madam Yang say such words, she felt guilty, for the blessing was not earned through her own means, but because of Yang Feng¡¯s help. She did not like leeching off of him like this. She was determined to get Yang Qianlu and Elder Yang¡¯s blessings on her own.

    "Yang Feng, do not get angry when I ask this of you, but¡ª"

    "No." He easily shot her down, already knowing what she would say.

    "Yang Feng, you should not interrupt your mother like this!" She huffed, turning to her younger son who was stuffing his face with her home cooked food. She silently shook her head at him. He resembled a piglet, and a very cute one at that... She fondly smiled, her expression bing tender.

    "Your father wants her there."

    "It¡¯s your birthday." Yang Feng drawled out, "Why should you care about what he wants?"

    Fan Jin blinked. The thought never came to her. She had spent her entire life attempting to please people, she almost forgot about herself. "Because he is my husband." She did not believe in her own excuses.

    Yang Feng frowned at her words. "If she shows up, I¡¯m noting." And without another word, he hung up.

    Zhao Lifei sensed the tension in the air and said, "Don¡¯t be rude to your mother, she raised you." She continued to rest her face on his shoulder while he stroked the back of her hands.

    "She gave me to my grandfather." He muttered, not believing she would choose to side with the very people after her head. What was wrong with her today? Why was she choosing to bepassionate today out of all days?!

    "When do you have to go see your mother?"

    "In five weeks time. Her birthday is approaching."

    Zhao Lifei slowly nodded her head. She did not know it wasing up so soon. She would need to go shopping for a gift soon, but this time, discreetly, and hopefully with the help of Yang Ruqin. Speaking of Qinqin, Zhao Lifei realized she had yet to contact her.

    "Do you want toe with me to visit my maternal grandmother next week? Her birthday is alsoing up." There were honestly too many birthdays she had to remember now. First, it was Elder Yang, then her grandmother, and Madam Yang.

    Yang Feng smiled at her words. Did she want to introduce him to more family members? He was ecstatic at the idea. "Of course. You didn¡¯t even have to ask."

    Zhao Lifei grinned at his words, eager to bring him to the only elderly woman in her life that she cared for.

    "I will be staying there for three days or so, until the celebration dies down. Because of work, would it be hard to take off three days?"

    "Three days or three years, I can take as much time off of work as you want." He replied, turning around with the desire to properly hug her. She slipped away from him before he could grab her.

    "You spoil me too much."

    "There¡¯s nothing wrong with that." He watched as she stood up, his eyes following her every move.

    Zhao Lifei shook her head, a silly smile on her face. "Stupid." She said before suddenly kissing him. He was momentarily stunned, but quickly recovered by wrapping his arms around her waist and letting her take control.

    Her kisses were soft, shy, and slow. It was agonizing to him as he wanted to do nothing more than drawing her onto the bed, but for her sake, he did not. She hesitantly brought her hand to his face while the other went to the back of his neck. She was nervous, he could tell. She shouldn¡¯t have to be, for one kiss from her, and he was already hard.

    He let out a groan when she pulled back for air, "More." He demanded, his arms seeking her waist and wanting to talk with his hands.

    She ran off to the bathroom in a small fit ofughter, leaving him to deal with his frustrated member.

    He scowled when he heard the sound of water running. He swore he would get back at her for being a tease.

    - - - - -

    Bright and early the next day, Zhao Lifei made her way to Yang Ruqin¡¯s house. It amused Zhao Lifei that this ce was far, far away from Yang Ruqin¡¯s parent¡¯s house. This ce was also swarming with socialites, which was not a surprise. Most celebrities had apartments in the massive five-buildingplex and the security here was the best this city has seen.

    Gliding Cloud Complex waspletely fenced off, gatedmunity where there were guards at every outpost. If a person was in danger, there was a system known as "blue-light," where residents can press a button and in less than a minute, a group of guards would show up.

    Zhao Lifei could smell the money in the air and, if Lu Minhong was with her, all of this would make his radar go bonkers.

    Zhao Lifei pulled up to the entrance gates in a ruby-red sports car and handed the people at the front desk with her entrance card, which they scanned through the system, asked her brief questions, and she was finally let in.

    She parked her car in the enormous parking lot that was also littered with thetest edition luxury cars. This ce was a car hijacker¡¯s dream.

    Her eyes scanned the lush greenery in front of her. There was arge fountain surrounded by tall flower hedges, white benches in between with goldmp posts. There were trees nted everywhere, giving a secluded, but scenic touch to the area. The air here also felt a lot nicer, mainly due to the wide array of nts in every corner of this ce.

    Zhao Lifei made her way to Yang Ruqin¡¯s apartment which so happened to be a three-floor penthouse. Just as Yang Ruqin had the passcode to Sky Arc, Zhao Lifei had the passcode to her apartment.

    She was extremely amused to see the curtains were drawn shut, giving the room a chilly and eerily dark feel. It was bright and sunny outside, but with the heavy ck curtains in this room, one would think it was still night time.

    There was a weird smell in the air...oddly familiar, but very pungent.

    "Wakey wakey, little birdy." Zhao Lifei sang as she ced down the keys and her purse. She walked to the living room curtains and in one fell swoop, drew it open. She was mortified by what she saw.

    Bottles on bottles of green ss littered the floor, enough to fill up an entire bar. There were also beer cans, whiskey bottles, vodka skulls, and the list went on. It was enough for Yang Ruqin to open up a liquor store of her own!

    "Oh. My. God." Zhao Lifei breathed out in shock, stepping over the ss, worried it might make too much noise. Her eyes zoomed in on the cigarette butts on the floor. Just what exactly happened here?!

    Just then, the door to the bedroom was opened and out stepped a man. Zhao Lifei was immediately on high alert. She regretted wearing a dress today. It was hard for her to move in, and she could not conceal a weapon. Besides, she didn¡¯t think she needed a weapon since she would be spending the entire day with Yang Ruqin.

    The man had a sturdy build, his hair was messy from sleep, his eyes barely open, but his face was very appealing. He had a bushy set of brows, thin lips, high nose, sharp chin, overall, he was everything that the country¡¯s rising actor should be.

    Zhao Lifei remembered spotting this man, Mu Ting, standing by the statue with Yang Ruqin at the Ling Banquet, but did not think their rtionship had progressed to the point where they would share a room together.

 Chapter 231 Torn

    Mu Ting yawned as he rubbed his eyes, not aware of the woman standing a few meters away from him. He had just woken up and wanted to grab something to drink until the light blinded him and it was then he realized someone was in his home.

    His guard went up and upon seeing it was a woman, his lips thinned. "Who are you?" God damn it, was it a stalker fan?! How did she break in?!

    He gave her a look over and was actually impressed by what he saw. She was on the thinner side, but the dress she was wearing did wonders to her small curves. Dressed in a long-sleeved, body hugging little ck dress which enhanced her long legs, petite frame, and the mature vibe she eluded. He liked what he saw.

    "I should be asking you that." She ced a hand on her hips, ring at him.

    Mu Ting blinked. What a feisty little thing.

    This was the first time someone did not recognize him, or perhaps she did, but was pretending not to. His eyes lingered on her exposed legs, the white flesh beckoning his touch. She was beautiful in a very independent-type of way. A strong woman who would give him a challenge. He licked his lips. It would be fun chasing her.

    "Me? Well, darling, I¡¯m Mr. Right." He winked, running a hand through his hair, his handsome face shed with mischief as a smirk danced on his lips.

    Zhao Lifei curled her lips in disgust. What a sleaze bag. She could not believe Yang Ruqin invited such trash into her home. Besides, was this man not afraid she would go to the media and reveal his disgusting ways?

    "How stupid are you?" She scoffed, crossing her arms and dropping it when his eyes flew straight to her propped-up chest.

    "Look any longer and I¡¯ll¡ª"

    "What? Gouge out my eyes? Stab them? I¡¯ve heard it all before, sweetcheeks." Just as he took a step closer to her, she bent down, grabbed a bottle and broke it on the coffee table, creating a weapon.

    "Alright, listen here buddy, you have five seconds to scram before blood is spilled." She did not have time for games. She needed to know what happened to her Qinqin.

    This alcoholic behavior was very unusual, especially because Qinqin was horrible at holding her liquor, much less have lungs strong enough to smoke. She was a sickly child growing up and was diagnosed with asthma. To this day, she had not healed from it.

    Mu Ting held his hands up in a joking manner. He was seriously intrigued by this girl. Hot and badass, he liked that.

    "Woah there, cupcake, calm down."

    "Where¡¯s Yang Ruqin?" She pressed her lips together, inching her way towards the front door. She could tell he was watching her every move.

    "Ruqin? You know her?" His brows furrowed together, a shadow recing his friendly face. "She¡¯s...asleep right now."

    Zhao Lifei did not know why but the way he said those words gave her the shivers. Asleep? It was twelve in the afternoon, her Qinqin would never sleep that long. She knew something was off when the curtains were closed so tightly, especially when she was an early bird.

    Zhao Lifei had made her way to her purse where she grabbed her phone.

    "What are you doing? If you take a picture, I swear¡ª"

    Zhao Lifei called Yang Ruqin. Three seconds pass and the familiar ringtone could be faintly heard in the bedroom. She was home.

    "Out of my way, bastard." She snarled, taking her bag and ss bottle with her as she stormed her way into Yang Ruqin¡¯s bedroom.

    "Hey, hey, I don¡¯t think so." He blocked her path, his face bing more serious now.

    "Who the hell do you think you are?" She hissed, angered that he evenid his hands on her.

    "Her boyfriend. Now get the fuck out before I call security." He snarled, grabbing her wrist when she swung the bottle at him. "If I were you, I¡¯d leave while I¡¯m still being nice."

    When she suddenlyughed, he was surprised. Herughter was cruel, cold-blooded, and a little bit crazy.

    "News sh, asshole, I¡¯m her best friend." She snarled and in a sh, brought her knees up to his groin, kneeing him hard. He sputtered, copsing onto the floor, grabbing his precious gems.

    Zhao Lifei swung open the door to Yang Ruqin¡¯s room and turned on the light. A thirst for blood had risen.

    Slumped on the floor,pletely unconscious was Yang Ruqin, whose wildly messy hair covered her face. But that was not the part that angered her. It was her outfit. It was shredded and torn, demonstrating there was obvious signs of a struggle.

    This scene, it was all too familiar.

    Zhao Lifei could feel her world crashing before her, her body shaking with how angry she was. There were bruises on Yang Ruqin, going from her legs all the way to her arms. She was green, blue, purple, and all shades of damaged. Someone had hurt her Qinqin, and that someone would pay.

    She swung around, just as Mu Ting grabbed her. "How dare you¡ª"

    "I¡¯m going to kill you." She seethed and with lightning speed, swung her fist only for it to be caught.

    "A feisty one aren¡¯t you?" He hissed before yanking her forward with the fist caught in his arms. He raised his arms to smack her, but she was faster. She kicked at his groin again, but he side-stepped her.

    "I don¡¯t think so." He tutted at her, before bringing his hand down.

    PAK!

    The sound rang throughout the room.

    THUD!

    Mu Ting had hook punched her in the face in an attempt to daze her, sending her face flying to the right. She grabbed her cheek, stunned for a half second before her body moved on its own.

    Originally, he didn¡¯t take her too seriously, thus, did not use a lot of strength to hit her. He thought the two rough hits would be enough to subdue this wild cat and momentarily dropped his guard. This was his first mistake, for she rallied back faster than anticipated.

    Abruptly, she took the arm grabbing her shoulder and in a swift and precise motion as she entered a flow state, twisted it behind his back, her body swiveling around before his other arm could grab her.

    "Fuck!" He hissed when his arm was suddenly twisted into an unruly position. He screamed when she pressed harder.

    CRACK!

    She broke his arm, but she did not stop there. He was weak.

    It took one broken arm for him to lose the desire to battle. She expected more from him. She sent a rough kick into the back of his right knee to send him to the floor, grabbing the closest thing she could find and then swinging it hard into his upper legs and thighs.

    Another scream left his mouth, resembling that of a pig being ughtered.

    "Not the face¡ª" Toote. She then repeatedly smashed it down onto his face until she finally heard the satisfying crack of his broken nose.

    She grabbed his hair, yanking it back to reveal his neck as her hand reached for the broken bottle on the floor. All of this took less than three minutes.

 Chapter 232 Under The Table

    Zhao Lifei did not realize his state until she demanded, "I¡¯ll ask you once and it better be the truth, what the hell did you do to Yang Ruqin?!"

    He did not respond.

    She frowned and tilted his head forward a bit. He was knocked out cold.

    Zhao Lifei scoffed. That was all it took to subdue him? How pitiful.

    She let his pathetic body slump onto the floor. She made sure to take pictures of his ruined state, ensuring that his face could be clearly seen. It would not be long before he waspletely ruined.

    Who would¡¯ve thought the nation¡¯s rising actor was an abuser and rapist? He was famed on television as a romantic at heart and was always portrayed as the shining male lead who whisked the damsel-in-distress away. What an ironic facade.

    Zhao Lifei went into Yang Ruqin¡¯s closet and took out three belts. She tied one around his ankles, his wrists, and then his arms for extra reassurance.

    After that, she made her way towards Yang Ruqin.

    Even though she had seen the damage from afar, Zhao Lifei was still not prepared.

    When she turned Yang Ruqin onto her back and brushed the strands of hair away from her face, Zhao Lifei felt her heart sink to her stomach. Bruises. There were so many cuts and bruises on her face. It had only been one day since she hadst seen Yang Ruqin, yet the damage on her body said otherwise.

    She felt her hands shake. How did this happen? Her eyes trailed back to the alcohol and cigarettes. It was impossible that only two people drank that much. She breathed out in shock, praying to every single god she knew that Yang Ruqin had not been vited.

    Zhao Lifei had to take her to the hospital. There was no other option. She gingerlyid Yang Ruqin back onto the ground, covered her in a nket and called the ambnce. Afterward, she called Yang Feng, but for the first time, he did not answer.

    She nervously drummed her fingers on the table and called him again. Yet again, he did not answer. What was going on?!

    - - - - -

    Go?t d¨¦licieux.

    In the upscale and posh French restaurant where the faint sound of piano and violin could be heard in the background, two men could be seen sitting in front of a white-clothed square table.

    One of the men sat like the ruler of a fine regime. He was the very definition of a pureblood aristocrat with undeniably wless features. Well-defined and prominent, he gave off a different vibe than all of the wealthy people frequenting this restaurant. Men and women alike would steal nces his way, drawn to his appeal.

    "President Yang, thank you for taking the time to join me today." Zhao Junkai took a small sip of his red wine. He was thrilled to see the young man in front of him. As one of the directors in his father¡¯spany, he knew all too well how difficult it was to see this man. People had to wait months on end just to have a conversation with Yang Feng, but with the strings his little niece pulled, he was able to see Yang Feng within a few days!

    Yang Feng apathetically nodded his head. He did not touch his food.

    "You have no idea how much this means to me." Zhao Junkai eagerly said, cing down his ss and lifting his fork. "When I first received word that you agreed to see me, it truly made my day."

    "I never thought I would get this opportunity to see you in person, seeing as you¡¯re usually very busy." He babbled on, "My wife and kids would be ecstatic if they can meet you. I have a daughter, she¡¯s only a few years younger than you, and in a couple of months, she will turn eighteen." He dug into his sd.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes hardened in disgust towards the man. Who sells off their own daughter like this?

    "I would like to formally introduce myself to you, President Yang, My name is Zhao Junkai." When he saw the man¡¯s face did not change, he continued, "I¡¯ve worked diligently at my father¡¯spany for as long as I can remember. I graduated from TH University, the best college in our nation, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of this since you also graduated from there and well... many more colleges." He let out augh.

    Zhao Junkai was very impressed by Yang Feng¡¯s academic background. He had graduated at the top of his sses, seizing every valedictorian position, and even finished his Masters and PhD across seas all the while mastering fivenguages.

    Yang Feng nced at his wrist, where a sterling Philippe Patek watch was snuggly wrapped. This man talked too much. He did not want to waste any more time here.

    Zhao Junkai could feel his eyes widen in admiration upon seeing the mesmerizing piece. Any avid collector of watches could tell what brand it was and how incredibly rare such a thing was. "President Yang, that is quite an amazing watch you have there."

    Yang Feng¡¯s frigid expression shifted the slightest bit, but not enough for Zhao Junkai to pick up on it. Zhao Lifei had given it to him a while back and it was the very object thatunched their Gift War. He had an endless array of watches, many of which outweighed the price of her gift, but none of them held a single cent to the value of this one.

    "Dare I ask, where did you get your hands on it? It¡¯s embarrassing to admit, but I sought for it far and wide! I wasted a lot of resources to track it down in the past. When I finally found thest remaining piece in the world, a few years back, it was impossible to obtain!"

    Yang Feng took a sip of his lemon water. In a detached and dull voice, he replied, "Zhao Lifei gifted it to me."

    Zhao Junkai choked on his sd. That lying wench! He should¡¯ve known better. When his people were finally able to track it down, it was said the collector refused to sell it off. After digging deeper into him, Zhao Junkai realized the man was close acquaintances with Zhao Lifei. When he approached his niece, she denied any involvement or connection with the collector on multiple ounts.

    "I-is that so." Zhao Junkai struggled to keep hisposure, his hand shaking. He decided to direct his mind to a different topic. "I suppose we should get down to business now. I do not want to take up too much of your time."

    ¡¯You already are.¡¯ Yang Feng thought to himself. This lethargic conversation was boring him to sleep.

    "I am approaching you in hopes that we can be close coborating partners in the future." Zhao Junkai slyly smiled, his eyes curving into crescent moons, resembling Zhao Moyao¡¯s coy smiles. "I¡¯m sure you know this by now, but my father is growing old and he has begun pondering the thought of who should inherit his position."

    Yang Feng listened on with a lifeless and uncaring expression on his face. Inherit was quite a funny and misused word here. In Zhao Moyao¡¯s handful of selections, only three out of his six candidates were rted to him by blood.

    "Unfortunately, I hold only 3% shares in thepany and with thebined total partners, it boils down to 5% while my father has 20%."

    It was originally more, but on her eighteenth birthday, Zhao Moyao had gifted Zhao Lifei the priciest present in the world: 10% shares of Zhao Corporation. A mere 1% was equivalent to winning five mega lotteries. It was clear where his heart lies, for she was practically set for life.

    Yang Feng twirled the ss of lemon water by its thin stem, watching as the drink gracefully danced. Abined total of 5%, it¡¯s a pitiful reality, given the fact that he was Zhao Moyao¡¯s first and eldest son.

    "But with your generous support, I would have exactly 20%." Zhao Junkai greedily said as he stopped eating his sd. The second highest shareholder of Zhao Corporation was not people of the monarch, but Yang Feng himself who stood proudly with 15%, Zhao Lifeiing third, and Zhao Junkai¡¯s other niece being the fourth.

    Zhao Junkai believed his victory was ensured, for hisbined shares would significantly outweigh Zhao Lifei which ced him on a higher-standing than her. The only thing left was to convince the board of directors and other partners of Zhao Corporation.

    Yang Feng clicked his fingers on the table. ¡¯If I give my darling my shares, she will have 25%.¡¯ He was thrilled with the idea.

    President of Zhao Corporation and Founder of Feili, she would have magnificent titles ced upon her, like a crown smelted from the finest metal and bejeweled with the rarest gems this world has ever witnessed.

    With an expressionless face, Yang Feng questioned, "What would I gain from this?"

    The more aloof he behaved, the more Zhao Junkai attempted to earn his attention. He felt worthless in the eyes of Yang Feng, who was half his age but had quadruple his influence. "Well, for starters, I will ensure every idea from Yang Enterprise will be guaranteed 100% eptance within the board." He leaned in and quietly said, "I will also have my people alter the numbers so that the government does not see the massive transactions."

    He was hinting an under-the-table business.

    If Yang Feng understood the underlying message, his face did not reveal it.

    Yang Feng shifted his eyes from the window behind Zhao Junkai to the man himself. His eyes shed with dissatisfaction, a murderous chill entering the atmosphere. He fixed his gaze dangerously upon Zhao Junkai who was beginning to sweat buckets, his hands trembling at the stare he was receiving.

    Zhao Junkai finally understood why this man was so feared and well-respected at the same time...Just one nce and he could already see himself kneeling for mercy.

 Chapter 233 Dirty Things

    "I-I-I..." Zhao Junkai stammered. He was finding it excruciatingly hard to find the appropriate things to say with Yang Feng¡¯s haunting stare. It was as if a shadow had reached out to forcibly seize his throat, mping down on it, crushing his flesh, for Zhao Junkai could not find the strength in him to say anything more.

    "P-please do not be angry, President Yang, there are a lot more benefits!" Zhao Junkai pleaded, his voice raising a level, capturing the eyes of the people at the table near them. He was embarrassed by his unruly behavior and lightly dropped his head a bit.

    "How about this?" He wryly said, rubbing his hands together. "If there¡¯s any other rtives in the family, aside from her grandfather, that my niece does not have bad-blood with, it¡¯s me." He had heard rumors about how much of a damn prude Zhao Lifei was.

    Zhao Junkai nced over his shoulder and then whispered, "It¡¯s a little rumor that circtes in the family, especially after... Well, nevermind. My niece is quite the prude and because of that, she most likely rejects any sexual advances her way. If this is the case for you, I can invite her into my house, give her a small dose of...haha, I¡¯m sure you know what it is. Then, I¡¯ll send her on her merry way to the presidential suite of Grand Wynsterin Hotel."

    At his words, the temperature around them dropped to below freezing point. There were practically icicles forming on the ceiling and it felt like a snow storm wasing.

    Zhao Junkai was so frightened, he felt his soul left his body, disappearing into the depths of hell. He visibly trembled, repeatedly swallowing hard, his teeth chattering against each other. He felt like he was staring at Yama himself, while wispy ghosts shrouded from Yang Feng. His breathing became shallow when his heart started beating furiously. The deadly chill that was previously in the air had developed into something that hell itself feared...

    Yang Feng did not need to move or say anything to show his extreme disdain for the scum sitting in front of him. Just then, Chen Gaonan came running to him with a phone, but when he felt the throat-slitting atmosphere, he looked in the other direction, paused midway and cried to himself.

    ¡¯Dear God! Why do I have to deliver this now?!¡¯ He sobbed his entire trudge back to his boss who was not out for a simple blood spill. He was in a conversation with his wife a few minutes ago and did not realize someone was contacting his boss¡¯s phone.

    "B-b-boss..." Chen Gaonan¡¯s bottom lip quivered, his hands experiencing multiple tremors.

    "P-pres... no, I mean Z-Z-Zh¡ª" He could not even bring himself to properly speak or stand with the bloodcurdling air. He was so frightened, his knees were about to give out at any second.

    He did not need to finish his sentence for Yang Feng to abruptly stand up, the chair screeching a bit.

    Chen Gaonan let out a tiny yelp and jumped back two meters in fear that he would be brutally ughtered on the spot.

    Yang Feng snatched the phone from his secretary and boarded the elevator. When he saw the two missed calls, his pupils dted while his horrible mood continued turning sour with each passing event. He¡¯ll have Chen Gaonan¡¯s head as a wall essory and Zhao Junkai¡¯s as pig feed.

    Zhao Junkai was rooted to the ground. He could feel his heart pumping at a distressing speed. He panted and tried to control his breathing to prevent the heart attack that was ready to kick in from how nervous he previously was. He felt like half a century was shaved from his lifespan and that he would just die on the spot.

    Chen Gaonan felt the same way. With trembling hands, he wiped the sweat off his forehead. It took two minutes ofplete and utter silence for Chen Gaonan to regain hisposure. It was time to set the n into motion.

    "Director Zhao, I apologize for the sudden departure of our president. A very important call came through."

    Zhao Junkai felt his brows furrow. His face that was once healthy and tanned was ghostly pale. He had the appearance of a sick man on his deathbed. This encounter with Yang Feng... He finally saw why everyone would rather slit their own throat than offend him.

    Zhao Junkai could¡¯ve sworn he heard the first syble of Zhao or was it Zheng? He felt his nose tick. Did his unfilial niece interrupt their conversation?! That attention-whore, how dare she pretend to be a good niece and give away the contact information but then have the audacity to butt in?

    "Unfortunately, this lunch hase to an end." Chen Gaonan had a friendly, but professional smile on his face. "However, because you are an honored person, President Yang has invited you to have a talk in his office instead. This restaurant is too...public." He concluded while his eyes scanned the people.

    Zhao Junkai recognized what the secretary was implying. "Of course. Let us go then." He stood up without offering to pay the tab.

    Chen Gaonan sneered inside. He took out a ck card, paying for the meal that his boss never touched, but the manpletely devoured. For security purposes, Chen Gaonan made sure to give a 500% tip. The staff hurriedly understood his intentions of keeping everything private and underlock.

    Zhao Junkai was merrily humming a tune in the elevator, whilst checking his reflection in the elevator¡¯s mirror. He adjusted his tie, slicked back his hair, and smiled to himself. President Zhao Junkai of Zhao Corporation. What a splendid and well-deserved title. He let out a looseugh, crazed and frenzied, that his lifetime dream was finally being fulfilled.

    Chen Gaonan nced at the surveince camera in the elevator as he tucked his hand into his pocket, pressed a radio device, and just like that, the camera connection was cut off. The footage in the restaurant, the elevator, and any camera within a twenty-mile radius from this ce would all be wiped out by the Underworld very soon.

    "So Mr. Chen, when will I see President Yang¡ª"

    THUD!

    Zhao Junkai slumped onto the ground, knocked out cold.

    Chen Gaonan took out a wet wipe and cleaned his hand, even though there was no blood on it. He disdained touching dirty things.

    - - - - -

    When Yang Feng received word that Zhao Lifei was in the hospital, he felt his world crash and burn. She sounded frantic over the phone, nervously jumbling over her words. All she said was, "I¡¯m at First...Hospital. Ce quick." And hung up.

    He tried to call her back once, twice, until there were ten miscalls and he was a worried wreck. Hu Wei had sped all the way to First Hospital in less than ten minutes even though the usual journey should¡¯ve taken at least half an hour.

    Yang Feng stormed into the hospital, ready to rain hell upon any doctors who would fail to heal his beloved. The nurses at the front desk were so overwhelmed by his presence, they couldn¡¯t help but stutter and frantically rush to cater to his needs.

    After having a mental breakdown from the stress of not finding a woman named Zhao Lifei in their list of patients, they finally gave him an answer. It was not Zhao Lifei that was admitted in the hospital, it was the supermodel that shook the fashion industry ¡ª Yang Ruqin.

    Yang Feng was stiff with shock. He did not expect this turn of events.

    Just as he was about to walk away from the information desk, another man bulldozed through the door with a distraught look on his face. He wore a casual outfit that was very messy as if he had haphazardly thrown them on.

    "Where is she?!" Yang Yulong was so frantic, he did not see his older brother a meter away from him. He reached over, grabbing a nurse, behaving nothing like his public image. "Where is my younger sister?!"

    "In room 1101." Yang Feng calmly responded, cing a hand on his younger brother whose head snapped up to him.

    "Get your filthy hands off of me!" Yang Yulong swiveled around. "Oh." He finally gained some senses back upon seeing Yang Feng. He felt his fear subdued, only for it to be overwhelmed again when his eyes connected with Yang Feng¡¯s.

    "Release the nurse. We do not need a public scandal right now." Yang Feng muttered, walking towards the elevator, Yang Yulong hot on his trail.

    The poor nurse copsed into her chair, tiredly wiping her forehead. Her shift had barely even started, yet so much had already happened! Her head rolled to the side, where her friends were staring into space, awestruck that their eyes were blessed to haveid themselves upon the most handsome men they had ever seen.

 Chapter 234 Do I Make Myself Clear?

    Zhao Lifei paced back and forth in the hospital room, her brain going haywire with fear and panic. Even with the aromatic diffuser sending out mists of calmingvender she could not rx. The sound of her heels clicking on the polished floor was no match for the constantly beeping machine. She was frantic while pondering the possibilities.

    Finally, the door to the room opened and in walked a female doctor. She was stunning, her feline eyesnding upon Zhao Lifei. A seductive face by nature paired with a curvy hourss figure. It was strange to see her walking in a hospital instead of a runway.

    "Good afternoon, Miss Zhao. My name is Bai Xingyao, the current doctor in charge of Miss Yang. It¡¯s an honor to meet you, ma¡¯am." She was newly transferred to the hospital a few weeks ago after receiving a grand promotion.

    Zhao Lifei did not have time for introductions, "Did the resultse out? Was...she vited?" She whispered thest part.

    Bai Xingyao revealed a small smile, shaking her head. "No, Miss Yang was not." She made sure to conduct more than one test. This was Yang Ruqin they were talking about, the younger sister of her husband¡¯s boss. She handled the case with the utmost care, ensuring not a single mistake was made.

    "In regards to the bruises on her body, there are signs of immense tissue trauma on the head, arms, and legs. From my understanding, it looks like she was repeatedly pushed onto a hard surface and badly beaten with not only fists but also with rough objects."

    As she was telling Lifei about the diagnosis, the door to the room had been opened allowing both men to hear her every word.

    Yang Yulong was trembling, his fingers clenching into fists so tight, his honey-tanned skin turned white. His nails dug into his palms, creating deep indents. He had a sudden urge to punch something. At this point, bloodshed would be mere child¡¯s y. Even the massacre of the abuser¡¯s entire family would not do his younger sister justice.

    For as long as he could remember, his darling sister had never been hit or injured. Even her own father didn¡¯t hit her, so how dare a random strangery their filthy hands on her and ruin their precious Xiao Qin?

    Yang Feng was as furious as his younger brother, but he was more level headed in this situation. The media was not stupid. Everyone in Shenbei and beyond knew who Yang Ruqin was. They knew her backings consisted of none other than Yang Yulong and Yang Feng whose overprotective nature was no secret. Who could be retarded enough to injure his younger sister?

    There had to be an ulterior motive to this.

    Yang Yulong tried to keep his voice calm andposed, but his words came out like a lethal poison, "Who did this to her?" At this moment, he did not care who Zhao Lifei was when he stormed to her and roughly mped his hands onto her shoulders.

    "Who did it?!" He snarled while shaking her, and that alone was enough to send Yang Feng¡¯s fury into overdrive. With one rough shove, he separated Yang Yulong from Zhao Lifei and yanked her into his arms.

    "Do that again and I¡¯ll cut your arms off." Yang Feng protectively wrapped one muscr arm around Zhao Lifei¡¯s corbone while the other went over her waist as he embraced her from behind.

    "Mu Ting, the rising actor did it. She was spotted with him at the Ling Banquet, but I did not think he would do something like that to her."

    Yang Yulong¡¯s gaze became vicious, "You knew she had a rtionship with that man and did not speak up about it?!"

    "He¡¯s a famed actor, I did not think he would risk his reputation like this. His public image was¡ª" She stopped babbling.

    She should¡¯ve been wise enough to know that one can never trust a person¡¯s public image. Even if he was an A-list celebrity who constantly yed the charming male lead, she shouldn¡¯t have been fooled by it. Zheng Tianyi was once recognized as the only male lead in her life and look at where that stupid belief got her?

    "I didn¡¯t know..." She hoarsely whispered as guilt began to gnaw at her heart, tearing it. She felt pain prick her chest, like thousands of needles piercing her skin.

    Yang Yulong harshly glowered at her, "And where is he now?" He wanted to reprimand her more, but with Yang Feng present and ready to tear his head off if she cried, he was too afraid to do anything.

    "At the police station near Gliding Cloud Complex."

    That was all Yang Yulong needed to know as he turned around and made a quick call. "Chief, it¡¯s me."

    Yang Feng could sense she was unnecessarily overthinking everything. He turned her around and upon seeing the pain-stricken expression, he knew he was right. He pressed her face to his chest while the other rested on her lower back. "It¡¯s not your fault. Do not me it on yourself."

    Zhao Lifei gritted her teeth, "I should¡¯ve done a lot more. I should¡¯ve killed him on the spot instead of only breaking his arm and destroying his face."

    Yang Feng was astonished by her violent words. He had expected her to cry, breakdown, or have tears silently trailing down her face. He expected her to be soft and weak in his arms, not wishing she had inflicted more pain and damage upon the abuser. He felt his heart swell with pride at this littledy of his, so fierce and amazing.

    "If you had killed him on the spot, you would have blood on your hands. It¡¯s hard to wash off." He rubbed his hands up and down her back to calm her down. "Besides, if you had killed him, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to get our hands on him in order to torture everything out of him."

    He already knew who would have the best time torturing the scum. Guo Sheng would go berserk if he heard Yang Ruqin was injured. The young man was fond of her, mainly because she always brought him food from any city she traveled to.

    She buried her face lovingly into his chest. "I want to be a part of it..." Her voice was muffled, but he heard every word perfectly.

    "No." He immediately said, leaving no room for arguments. He would never bring her into that environment, it was too risky and unsuitable for her.

    When he felt her lean back in anger, he nced down and quickly regretted doing so. His mouth ran dry, his throat constricting at the look she was giving him.

    Puppy-eyes and a tiny pout, that was all it took for him to toss all his rationality out the window. Her copper eyes were widened, revealing the gold folds of her eyes; her lips, plump and pink like freshly watered peonies, were jutted outwards. He could not resist her. She knew it too.

    "Please?" She pressed her body into his, her arms slowly sliding up his broad body.

    "No."

    Her hand nestled on the side of his neck, her fingers grazing the skin, teasing it. While she started a feather-soft trail up towards his face, his fingers started digging deeper into her waist. He was losing focus. She stood on her toes and when he thought she would go for his lips, she teased him by aiming for the corner of his mouth.

    He let out a frustrated growl, "You¡ª"

    "I want to be there," She whispered to him, her voice low, seductive, and sultry. Her lips began to trail down his chin, lightly nipping at the skin. She purposely shifted her body a bit, enough toe in contact with his intimate area that easily tensed under the slightest touch.

    "Fine." He hoarsely whispered, grabbing her arms before she did anything else. And just like that, her sexual approaches disappeared and the agony of arousal he felt began to disperse. He let out a sigh of relief. Suddenly, his body became tense again. Did...did his little kitty just seduce him?

    She was truly getting better and better at ying him ¡ª not that he minded.

    "You know, Mr. Yang," Zhao Lifei teased, pinching his cheek. "I could¡¯ve gone there myself without asking for your permission."

    "I¡¯m sure you could." He muttered under his breath, already knowing how sneaky this one was.

    Yang Yulong finished the conversation. "The bastard is awake in his cell. Let¡¯s go and interrogate him."

    "Aren¡¯t you going to make sure Qinqin is alright first?" Zhao Lifei asked, frowning at where his priorities were.

    He didn¡¯t seem as angry as before, the fire finally dying down a bit. Now that his victim was secured with no way out, he was not as frantic as before. "She has you, does she not?"

    Zhao Lifei slowly nodded. This man, regardless of his treatment towards her previously, had trust in her. "Of course."

    Yang Yulong nced at his older brother who looked so whipped by the woman in his arms, his eyes were practically glued to her. They shared a silent message: Zhao Lifei will not enter the Underworld.

    "Stay here and keep my sisterpany. She will need you when she wakes up."

    Zhao Lifei suspiciously narrowed her eyes, roughly pushing Yang Feng away. "I¡¯m going to stay here." She said to their relief. "But that does not mean you will keep me here for long." She turned around to face Yang Feng, her handtching onto his tie and without warning, harshly yanked him to her height.

    "When she wakes up and is in a secure ce and all is well you WILL take me to the Underworld base." She snarled, "Do I make myself clear?"

    Yang Feng cleared his throat, his hands gingerly holding hers that was grasping his tie. "My dear¡ª"

    She tightened her grip on his tie, her re bing fiercer. "Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?" She enunciated each syble.

    Yang Feng, who was never intimidated by anything in his entire life, not even his grandfather, felt overwhelmed by her presence. Standing before him was not a mischievous little kitten, it was a tigress who could easily bite his head off with a smile.

    "Yes, ma¡¯am." He obediently replied, resisting the urge to salute.

    Zhao Lifei studied his face, seeking out the smallest hint of deceit. She found none. She released his tie, straightened her shirt and firmly nodded her head. "Good."

 Chapter 235 Disciplined

    Afterward, the two brothers left to deal with Mu Ting, leaving Zhao Lifei and the forgotten Bai Xingyao in the room.

    Zhao Lifei awkwardly scratched her head and turned to the doctor. "I¡¯m sorry you had to see that."

    Bai Xingyao was on cloud nine, her eyes wide with admiration for Zhao Lifei. She had a frail and tiny body frame where a strong wind could knock her off her feet, but the air around her and the way shemanded the presence of one of the fiercest men in this country was overwhelmingly amazing.

    "No...Not at all." She breathed out as she gained a profound new respect for the young woman. She walked to her, sping her hands over Zhao Lifei, "I should¡¯ve said this earlier, but my husband actually works for President Yang as his private secretary. I¡¯m sure you know of him by now, his name is Chen Gaonan."

    Zhao Lifei was surprised by this sudden news. She did not expect such a charismatic and beautiful woman to be the wife of the grouchy Chen Gaonan.

    "My husband has caused you a lot of problems and for that, I apologize. But do not worry, I thoroughly disciplined him for it." She waved her hand and eagerly said, "I think we would make a great team in tormenting our lovers. Don¡¯t you think so? They deserve to be knocked down a few notches sometimes."

    She amicablyughed. Her husband needed to get off his high-horse and so did President Yang who had the audacity to refuse Zhao Lifei¡¯s request.

    Zhao Lifei smiled, "I believe you have yourself arade in battle." She said while offering a hand to Bai Xingyao who easily took it and gave a firm handshake.

    - - - - -

    Before Bai Xingyao left to answer another patient¡¯s call on the other side of the hospital, the two shared contacts and promised to stay in touch.

    Zhao Lifei made her way to Yang Ruqin who still hadn¡¯t woken up yet. She pulled a chair beside the sleeping woman and quietly sat down. She gingerly brushed strands of hair away from Yang Ruqin¡¯s face.

    "Oh, Qinqin..." She whispered, "How much have you suffered in one night?" Her voice cracked towards the end when she envisioned the brutality that unfairly fell on her shoulders.

    Zhao Lifei pulled the nket higher so that it covered all the way to her chin as guilt swarmed her. She was the one who gave Ruqin the advice to fight back. Seeing the result of it, Zhao Lifei could not help but feel a sense of responsibility for what had happened.

    She did not know how long she was in this room for, patiently waiting for Yang Ruqin to wake up. When the nurses came in to check every few hours, she would always ask about her condition, even though only a short span of time had passed.

    Her heart would not settle until Yang Ruqin was awake, so she waited, and waited, until the sunset in the east, making way for the moon. Even when the stars came out to y, lighting up the benevolent skies, she still stayed by the hospital bed.

    Eventually, sleep and fatigue had taken a toll on her body and despite her fight to stay awake, Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyelids finally closed. Soon, she was slumped on the edge of the bed, one hand holding Yang Ruqin¡¯s while the other was settled on the nket.

    At night, the only sounds that could be heard in the hospital were the beeping of the machines, the janitors cleaning up the hallways, and the tiny chatter of the nurses downstairs, a pair of authoritative footsteps could be heard approaching the hospital room.

    Yang Mujian strolled down the hallway with his people in tow. His most-trusted subordinate, Jing Caoxiao apanied him a few steps behind, like the rest of his people.

    When he had received word of what happened to his precious granddaughter, he wanted to rush here as soon as possible, but he had a very busy day and could note untilte at night when all of his work waspleted.

    He stopped in front of the door, cane in hand. Jing Caoxiao opened the door for him, stepping inside to properly do it, and ensuring there was no visible threat. It was dark in this room, something Yang Mujian noted, but the lights from the hallway were enough to illuminate a small path leading towards the hospital bed.

    His eyes fell upon a young woman, asleep, with her head tucked in her arms. She was visibly off-guard.

    He took a step into the room, his cane making the slightest thud on the ground from how quiet the room was, except for the asional beeps.

    "Master, I have checked the hospital logs, it seems this person has not checked out ever since she brought Young Miss into the hospital." Jing Caoxiaomented.

    Yang Mujian¡¯s face shifted, his glum expression bing a bit softer. "How long has it been since?"

    "Ten hours."

    Yang Mujian arched his bushy, grey and white brow. That was quite a long time.

    He strolled towards the hospital bed and when he saw who it was, he was slightly surprised. He had wondered who exactly had badly beaten the perpetrator bloody, tied him up, and delivered him to the police like an expertly-wrapped present. He wanted to know who it was that saved his granddaughter but he did not expect that it would be Zhao Lifei.

    "Interesting, very interesting." He muttered to no one in particr.

    He hated to admit it, but he was very grateful towards this woman. If it was not for her, only heaven knows how much more his granddaughter would have had to suffer. If it was not for Zhao Lifei, his granddaughter might not have even made it out alive.

    Yang Ruqin was always a defenseless child, too kind by heart and nature to physically hurt someone. It was one of his biggest regrets in his life that he did not teach her any form of self-defense. He never thought that she would need it. His eldest son was not exposed to the dangers of the Underworld and also believed the mere bodyguards they ced around her was enough.

    Yang Mujian could see why his eldest grandson believed this woman to bepetent enough to stand by his side. It seemed her fighting skills were as superior as the reports had said. Funny enough, Mu Ting was actually a very reputable fighter trained by the Su family a long time ago and was one of their star pupils. For her to had pummeled his face and break his arm, it was not an easy aplishment.

    "Where are my grandsons as we speak?"

    "Answering your question, both first and second Young Master are still in the Underworld¡¯s ck room. They have not left since."

    The edge of Yang Mujian¡¯s lips curved upwards the tiniest bit, a smile so small, one would have to look closely to even see it. "The same for my eldest?"

    "Yes, sir."

    Yang Mujian let out aughter, emotionless and detached. It seemed this grandson of his truly did not care for the young woman. If he was as smitten by her as Su Meixiu imed, he would¡¯ve not left her in the hospital by herself in the dead of the night.

    Yang Mujian was prepared to turn back and leave, now that he had seen Yang Ruqin was alright. His grandfatherly instincts, however, saw that her nket had slipped to her chest, revealing her neck. He handed his cane to Jing Caoxiao who respectfully took it with two hands.

    Yang Mujian took a step closer, leaned down and ced his hands on the nket when something roughly snatched his hand, gripping tightly onto it.

    "Who are you?" Zhao Lifei snarled whilst her eyes tried to be familiar with the darkness. She was deep asleep until she felt a presence reach out to touch Yang Ruqin and that alone was enough to shake her awake.

    Yang Mujian was bewildered by her sharp instincts. Was she awake the entire time? No, that was not possible. He was sure of it.

    "Do I need your permission to tuck my granddaughter into bed?" His deep, powerful voice was like the rumble of thunder to Zhao Lifei whose entire body became tense as a rock.

    She released his hand as if she was burned by it. Her body shot out of the chair, abruptly standing up and nearly tumbling over the cable wires beside the bed. "Good evening, Elder Yang." She greeted, bowing her head the slightest bit.

    Yang Mujian was entertained by her reaction that resembled a frantic tomcat. "Why are you so frightened by me, child?" His delivery was gentle, like that of a doting grandfather, but Zhao Lifei saw past his facade.

    "Elder Yang, I was not frightened by your presence. I was merely surprised to see you. I apologize for rudely grabbing you. I mistook you as someone that would hurt Ruqin."

    Yang Mujian analyzed her expression. Even though it was quite dark in the room, he could see her face perfectly. Bright amber eyes that seemed to glow like the stars in a canvas of ck, they were crystal clear. They were pure, like the spring waters that ran deep in the mountains of Hedong. It was the first time in a while that he had seen eyes like hers, so definite, and filled with good intentions.

 Chapter 236 Distracting

    "My granddaughter... you are quite protective of her." Yang Mujian pointed out, watching as Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes became more sentimental.

    "Yes... She has always looked out for me, the same way I do for her." Apassionate smile graced her lips, reaching her eyes.

    Yang Mujian studied the changes in her behavior very carefully. If she was putting on an act in front of him, she was a damn good actress, for he was convinced by her genuity.

    He remembered the reports of her connection to his granddaughter. It was needless to say, the two were practically inseparable, something he had also noted the first time he encountered her.

    She was an ambitious child. Even after facing his fierce and terrifying face that was warped into a permanent disapproving and disappointed scowl, she was not scared. Perhaps it was because she had encountered a simr expression on Zhao Moyao¡¯s face.

    "I imagine it must be quite hard to look out for my granddaughter. She was quite the troublemaker in her youth."

    Jing Caoxiao pulled a chair from the other side of the room and ced it behind Yang Mujian who sat down with grace and the regalness of a resigned King.

    Zhao Lifei let out the tiniestughter at his words. Her heart was still paralyzed with fear being in his presence alone andpletely unguarded. However, she wisely stood her ground. It would be the stupidest thing to show him weakness now, especially when he was testing her, analyzing every single action.

    "Yes, she was." Zhao Lifei did not bother to decline the truth just to get on his good side by praising his star granddaughter.

    Yang Mujian motioned her to take a seat, something she followed immediately. He watched as she folded her dress, sat down with poise and elegance, cing her arms in front of her. She certainly demonstrated the appearance of ady.

    "But it was not hard work, as a matter of fact, I must say, I enjoyed it." She piped up, "Getting her out of trouble created a lot of memorable moments that I hold dear even to this day."

    Yang Mujian tilted his head at her words. "It seems you two had quite the adventure. It would please me to hear of the tales you have shared with her."

    Zhao Lifei swallowed. She wished she didn¡¯t babble so much, for she had gotten herself into a very sticky situation. "Of course, I would be honored to tell you many."

    A gruff and icy voice cut through the air, "But not tonight."

    Yang Feng stood by the door of the hospital room, standing in the direct way of the light. From her position, it looked like he was glowing, but the shadows of the room made his features a lot more sinister and eerie. With his presence, the room became noticeably colder and the air was harder to breathe.

    His eyes were deste, even after seeing Zhao Lifei sitting in the darkness with the very man who would not hesitate to slit her throat. He was furious that she was leisurely sitting here as if she was drinking tea on a summer afternoon.

    Yang Mujian spoke up, "The least you could do is knock. Where are your manners?" He stood up with the help of Jing Caoxiao.

    "The door was open, what¡¯s the point of knocking?" Yang Feng replied, stepping into the room, hands tucked in front of him like the triad leader he was.

    "Talking back is not how I raised you to be."

    "You asked a question. I answered it." Yang Fengzily drawled out, flickering on the lights, his eyes nevernding upon Zhao Lifei even once.

    He disregarded her as if she was air, something his grandfather noted and thoroughly approved.

    "Cheeky rascal, you deserve a beating." Yang Mujian disapprovingly shook his head. He looked like he was disappointed in the way that Yang Feng was behaving, even though he was the very person who raised him like that.

    He took the cane from Jing Caoxiao, trudged towards his grandson, and waved the stick around, tapping Yang Feng on the shoulder. It looked like it hurt terribly, especially with the loud thud, but it did not faze Yang Feng, for he knew it was a teasing tap.

    "Is the matter taken care of?" Yang Mujian quietly asked.

    "Not quite, but we¡¯re almost there."

    "What¡¯s the hold up for?"

    Yang Feng¡¯s lips tilted into a scowl, annoyed at his younger brother and Guo Sheng. "They went overboard with the torture."

    Yang Mujian had no doubt Yang Yulong would avenge his younger sister in the most gruesome manner. "Keep a leash on him."

    "I know."

    "Take your woman home. It¡¯s toote." Yang Mujian left without looking back, his words leaving a heavy impact on Zhao Lifei.

    She sat down, puzzled. Was...he showing concern for her?

    Yang Feng stood by the door, arms folded in front of him in a menacing stance. He did not move until he heard the sound of the elevator door closing and he continued to stand there for the briefest minute. When he was sure his grandfather was gone from the premise, he waved his hand for his men tob the hallways to make sure there was no straggler. Next, he closed the door, locking it in the process.

    Even with his scrutinizing stares, heavy and filled with judgment, she did not ufortably squirm. She locked eyes with him, never once backing down. It was fire against water, dog against cat, they shared a silent argument through their eyes.

    "Why didn¡¯t you go home?" He finally broke the silence. He was furious when he had gotten the call from the housekeeper stating Zhao Lifei had yet to arrive home.

    "Did you even eat today?" He continued to fire questions at her, "What were you doing alone with my grandfather? Why did you go to Ruqin¡¯s house without guards? What were you thinking? And for god¡¯s sake, why is your dress distracting me?!"

    Zhao Lifei blinked at hisst question that caught both of them off-guard. She nced down at her outfit, and then back to him. "Huh?"

    Yang Feng looked everywhere but her. He could not believe he let thest question slip out like that.

    Zhao Lifei smirked in triumph, "What¡¯s wrong, President Yang?" She stood up, watching as his eyes lingered on her exposed legs before he tilted them upwards. "Is the dress too short?" She teased, sashaying her way towards him, swinging her hips along the way.

    "Don¡¯t you know?" She asked him, wrapping her arms around his waist, enjoying the way his hardened muscles tensed under her touch. "I should be the wife, but dress like the mistress."

    Yang Feng rested his hand on her lower back, drawing her closer as he leaned towards her, his mouth hovering over her ears. He huskily whispered, "Would you like to know what I have heard?"

    Zhao Lifei shivered, her body tingling in delight. His warm breath was tickling her, causing goosebumps to rise.

    "A perfect man should treat hisdy like a queen during the day and a mistress during the night."

    She jumped when he suddenly nipped her ears, her cheeks beginning to burn a bright scarlet.

    "Would you like me to show you?" He smirked before his lips trailed downwards, pressing open-mouth kisses down her neck, slow and sensual, taking his sweet time with her. She grasped at his shirt and could feel her body be heated when his hands and mouth simultaneously traveled lower. His hands gave her hips a firm squeeze before hovering close to her derriere. Her body acted on its own, arching herself against him when he slowly and steadily grabbed it, a gasp leaving her lips.

    "Tell me to stop." He whispered, his mouth getting closer and closer to her corbone.

    Zhao Lifei could feel her heart and body screaming to say no, but her rationality told her it was neither the time nor ce for this.

    "We should stop." She reluctantly said and just like that, he stopped everything he was doing. His hands locked themselves around her hips, a safe distance from her intimate areas.

    "Alright, let¡¯s go home now." He said with a slight smile as he guided her out of the door, gently closing it behind him.

    "Aren¡¯t you going to check on Ruqin?" She asked him, her head turning towards the door.

    "There¡¯s no need, you were with her the entire time." He trusted her more than himself when it came to Yang Ruqin. He knew without a doubt that she did a good job when it came to guarding the hospital room.

    "Then who will stay with her now?" She nced towards the door like an overly worried mother-hen who refused to part with her children.

    "My people." As he said that, a group of people gathered in front of the door, standing protectively in front of it.

    Her eyes stayed train of them, watching as female bodyguards walked into the room to personally look after Yang Ruqin.

    By not watching where she was going, Zhao Lifei tripped over her heels, nearly spraining her ankle in the process.

    Wordlessly, she grabbed onto Yang Feng¡¯s bicep and took off the heels, deciding to just walk barefoot and call it a day. However, the second her foot graced the ground, she found them dangling off of Yang Feng¡¯s arms as he scooped her into his arms.

    "Don¡¯t walk barefoot." He chuckled, carrying her towards the elevator. She snuggly rested her head on his shoulders, her body starting to rx. She was a bit tired from staying with Yang Ruqin for so long and the sudden encounter with Elder Yang drained what little energy she had remaining.

    "Your parents are not going to visit her?"

    "They¡¯reing here as we speak."

    "But it¡¯s sote." She tiredly mumbled, her eyes growing heavier by the second.

    "They were out of the city this morning and did not receive the news untilte in the afternoon. The ne back here took a while."

    She hummed in reply, nodding her head as she dozed off.

 Chapter 237 Adultery

    The sound of ss and porcin shattering onto the marbled tiles could be heard, apanied by loud arguments. Tables were upturned, curtains yanked onto the floor, hundred-year-old vases were broken into pieces, and a frame with a couple¡¯s picture tumbled onto the floor and cracked.

    "So what if I did?!" A shrill voice pierced through the air, aplete contrast to the angelic voice she was known for. Tears streamed down her face, apanied by ck streaks of mascara. Her throat was hoarse from all of the screaming she had done in the past couple hours, but she still did not relent ¡ª something she had always done when it came to him.

    "He¡¯s only a friend! Why can¡¯t you trust me?" Xia Mengxi erratically wailed, the sound clenching at Zheng Tianyi¡¯s heart. She sounded so heartbroken yet it frustrated him that he could only react to it in anger.

    "All we did was meet up, that was it!" She screamed, picking up the nearest object and tossing it towards his head, missing as she always did. The priceless picture frame shattered onto the floor causing the ss shards to fly everywhere.

    She was panting, her eyes rimmed red like her cheek which had been violently struck. The mark remained there and, even if it faded, would leave a permanent scar on her heart.

    Zheng Tianyi did not believe her. He could not find it within himself to do so. His Mengxi was found on the outskirts of town with a man she swore was only a friend, but it was so evident he did not see her as one. He had forbade her from seeing him on multiple ounts, but she continued to do so, provoking his possessive and brutal behavior towards her.

    "I made it clear you were not to see him, EVER!" He snarled, storming over to her and manhandling her when he mmed her against the wall, his arms painfully gripping her frail arms. They were so thin, it was practically like skin and bones. Her wlessly white skin, like the first touch of snow, was beginning to turn into a shade of dark green from his harsh pressure.

    "And what did you do?!" He hissed, angrily grabbing her chin, forcing her to look at him, "You went behind my back to meet up with him. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know?" His voice boomed off the walls. He was so loud, it resembled the almighty roar of a lion.

    "Did you think I was stupid?" He asked, "DID YOU?!" He raised his hand, punching the wall, just mere inches away from her head.

    Xia Mengxi flinched, fearing for her dear life. Her entire body was trembling, her sobs racking her body.

    "You have to calm down." She whispered, her voice cracking towards the end as her quivering eyes connected with his. She nearly lost all control back there, allowing her true nature toe out.

    "Why was there an enormous withdrawal from the bank? Were you nning on running away with him?!"

    "Please." She begged him, cing one hand over his rough, calloused ones that were digging into her skin, leaving behind an ugly mark. "You have to listen to me."

    "Listen to you?! Why should I?" He hissed, tossing her back against the wall again as he released her. His eyes were filled with pure animosity as he red at her, using her of adultery that she dare notmit, but he had convinced himself into doing so with the pictures brought to him by Chen Xing.

    After the embarrassment back at Yang Enterprise, he had stormed to Zheng Corporation only for those promiscuous pictures tond upon his desk thirty minutester. And all of it showed Xia Mengxi in the arms of another man who was hugging her for dear life. His little Mengxi was not responding to the hug and it looked like she was walking away from him, but the stubborn man had hugged her as hisst effort to prevent her from leaving.

    Of course, how could she be a female lead if she didn¡¯t have strings attached to her? Naive by nature, too kind for her own good, she left behind a line of men willing to wait upon her, a line long enough to wrap around Shenbei at least once.

    She wore her damn heart on a sleeve, did not know how to reject the advances of men, or even be wise enough to differentiate amicable friendliness from one that wanted to start an intimate rtionship.

    "Because I did not do anything with him aside from having a talk." She meekly whispered, struggling to stand up as her entire body burned from the harsh impact. She always knew he was a violent man seeing as he never hesitated when he struck Zhao Lifei, but never in a billion years would she expect him to hurt her like this.

    "I know I shouldn¡¯t have, sweetheart, but I needed to have that talk." She hobbled her way towards him, purposely stepping hard so that her body would involuntarily wince in pain, something he quickly noticed.

    His eyes softened at her state, so pitiful, he could feel his heart being squeezed to bits.

    "He wouldn¡¯t leave me alone." She whispered. When she was close enough, she hugged him, burying her face into his chest, holding onto him for dear life. "I-I had to tell him in person."

    Zheng Tianyi was beginning toe around to her words.

    "He wouldn¡¯t listen if I simply texted him or wrote him a letter. He was not willing to stop until he got his response." She let out a pained cry when he wrapped his arms around her body, the sound stabbing straight into Zheng Tianyi¡¯s chest that was bing riddled with guilt that he had hurt her ¡ª something he swore to never do.

    "I told him my heart is true to you and that no one in this world would be able to shake that up or convince me otherwise." She raised her head to peer up at him, her eyes moist with unshed tears. They glistened when the champagne-gold chandelier lights shone down on them, reminding him that he was the one who drove her to this point.

    "I did not go there with any intention to cheat. It did not cross my mind and it never will." She grasped his face, forcing him to look at her. "I have always and will continue to be faithful to you, Zheng Tianyi, until death do us apart." She whispered, bringing his forehead to hers, "Just as the vows we swear to utter in the future, nothing will separate us. Nothing."

    Zheng Tianyi was silent for the longest time until he finally said, "You better stay true to your words." He threatened before pulling his face back and mming her to his body in a bone-crushing hug that terrified and delighted her at the same time.

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng gently ced the sleepingdy onto the bed, bending his body to an ufortable position just so he would not wake her up. He walked into the bathroom and came out with a wet towel to clean her feet and legs before tucking her into the bed.

    He went back into the bathroom and spent the next ten minutes in search of the weird cotton wipes she always used on her face to wipe off the make-up.

    The entire bathroom was tossed upside down into a horrendous mess just so he could find the damn things to clean her face. And after searching for what felt like an eternity, but was in reality, just thirty minutes, he found it and brought it with him outside.

    He helped her take off her make-up before finally taking off his clothes, taking a shower and then stepping outside in his pajamas which finally consisted of a shirt for her sake.

    She was sleeping on her side, her back facing towards him when he strolled towards the bed. He did not want to disturb her sleep and did not n on pulling her into his arms.

    When he climbed into bed, it dipped and when he settled in his position, she suddenly rolled her body towards him. It was an automated response. She tossed one leg over him and buried her body into his sides, one arm hugging him like a teddy bear, whilst her headid on his chest, her ear pressed against his fiercely thumping heart.

    Yang Feng could feel his entire body buzz with euphoric bliss. He tenderly kissed her upon the head, whispering sweet and loving words to her before he fell asleep. As the two were enjoying a blissful sleep in the arms of each other, a couple on the other side of the city was beginning to tear apart.

 Chapter 238 Nursery Rhyme

    Warning: There are depictions of graphic violence taking ce in this chapter that are not rmended for younger audiences.

    - - - - -

    In the outskirts of the city.

    Nothing could be heard except for the soothing chirps of crickets and the rustling of grass when the cold air blew by. The pale moon was ominously covered by thick and rippling clouds, shrouding the entire ground in utter darkness.

    Tucked deep within the forest was the Underworld base, ruled by the Yangs for generations toe. Some floors were buzzing with conversation, others were quiet. Various people walked in and out of the Underworld base, each person being heavily monitored to ensure their identity was true.

    CRUNCH!

    Guo Sheng walked down the staircase munching on a bag of honey-butter chips, the bright yellow bag matched his overworn hoodie with a baby chick patched onto the chest pocket. To make the sweater even cuter, there was an orange beak and eyes sewn on the hoodie. This was his favorite hoodie, Miss Ruqin had given it to him a couple of months ago for his birthday and ever since then, he could not part with it.

    He really liked Miss Ruqin. Even after discovering his horrendous past and what he could do, she remained kind to him and patient with him. She was one of the few people who taught him life and moral lessons.

    In his eyes, she could do no wrong. Everything about her was perfect, from the way she calmly smiled when he said something bizarre to the way she chided him when he had negative thoughts. He could not understand what went wrong and why people wanted to hurt her.

    Guo Sheng made his way down the winding hallway that lead to the ck room. It was an eerie ce where the smell of iron constantly lingered in the air apanied by drips of blood sttering onto the floor each time the tiny window on the door was opened.

    He liked this ce. It reminded him of his past where he would help the doctors change bad people into good weapons. He skipped his way down the hallway, his light pink sneakers making tiny thudding noises down the quiet hallway. His shoes were originally white and sparkly clean, but after so many days spent in the room, it became pastel with dingey browns and pinks.

    "Ring around the rosy, a pocket full of posies." He happily sang, "Ashes, ashes, we all fall down!" He giggled to himself when he reached the door.

    A chill crawled up the doctor¡¯s spine. His entire body went cold from the bizarre and creepy song of the young man who was way too old to be singing nursery rhymes in the first ce.

    He would usually be upstairs tending to the injured members of the Triad, but there were rare moments like this when he was summoned downstairs to patch up the tortured victims whose bodies were so mutted and beaten that they could not wake up ¡ª regardless of the painful methods used upon them.

    The doctor had just finished cing his final touches on the man when Guo Sheng physically hopped his way into the room,nding in a puddle of blood, sshing the sanguine liquid as he went.

    A few dropletsnded on the doctor¡¯s white coat. He let out a tired sigh and in a weary voice, he spoke up, "Guo Sheng, you should not jump in puddles of blood." He calmly said.

    If it was anyone else, Guo Sheng would¡¯ve stabbed the man¡¯s eyes out for reprimanding him. But seeing as this was one of Big Boss¡¯s valued people, he kept his hands to himself.

    "Now, young man, I spent a lot of time healing this one. Do not force him to wake up. His body needs to recuperate so that you can continue getting the information out of him." The doctor picked up his medical bags and gave Guo Sheng a pat on the shoulders.

    "But Mister, I¡¯m not the one you should be telling this to." Guo Sheng innocently replied, tilting his head.

    If the man did not know of Guo Sheng¡¯s inhumane past he would¡¯ve thought the tiny gesture was cute. "And why¡¯s that?"

    "Because Longlong was the one who did the most damage." Guo Sheng revealed a wicked grin which startled the doctor. "Well, he can¡¯t get all the credit though!"

    Guo Sheng began to go up and down as he swayed on the balls and heels of his feet, eager to brag about what he did. "Big Boss said I shouldn¡¯t hurt this man too much."

    The doctor warily looked at the brutalized man on the floor whose face was so ruined that it was unrecognizable with the fractured bones under the mangled flesh. This was his "shouldn¡¯t hurt too much?"

    "So I only slipped razor des under his nails, pushing them deeper the more he sang. Oh, and you¡¯re gonna love this!... I was the one in charge of drilling into his nails! Haha, get it?!" Guo Sheng pped his hands as he giggled, the bag of chips falling on the floor with the gesture. The chips began soaking up the blood, resembling the spilled guts of Mu Ting.

    The doctor awkwardlyughed, "Yes, child, I get it." He made his way to leave the room, but Guo Sheng wanted to brag more so he stepped into his path to block his way out.

    "But that¡¯s not enough for me. Do you know what I mean? So, my next step was peeling the skin from his foot alllllll the way to his knees! Then I forced him to kneel on the searing hot stones and¡ª"

    "Doctor, is he fixed?" Yang Yulong curtly asked, stepping into the room, his eyesnding upon Mu Ting.

    "Not quite, he would need at least 24-hours to heal and after that¡ª"

    "Is it possible for him to regain consciousness?" Yang Yulong strolled to the table of weapons, his fingers lightly skimming over all of them until it stopped on his favorite tool.

    "Yes, but like I said, he needs at least 24-hours."

    "He can make do without it." Yang Yulong chuckled. He picked up the hose and tossed it to the ground. He stalked his way to Mu Ting¡¯s unconscious body that was lying on the floor like the human trash he was.

    "Sir, what are you doing?!"

    Yang Yulong turned on the hose and instantly, boiling hot water was pumped out. Mu Ting woke up with an ear-piercing scream so loud, it could have popped eardrums. He tried to sit up, but that motion only caused excruciating pain that overwhelmed his senses.

    "W-w-w-why d-did you d-do that?!" Mu Ting pathetically wailed, his entire body trembling upon seeing Yang Yulong.

    "The f*ck are you looking at?" Yang Yulong snarled as he sent a sweeping kick right against Mu Ting¡¯s chest, sending the man flying backward. Even then, Mu Ting attempted to crawl onto his knees to beg for mercy ¡ª something Yang Yulong was not familiar with.

    Yang Yulong took his sweet time walking to the man with a bone crusher in his hands. "I-I¡¯m s-so sorry¡ªAHH!" Mu Ting screeched like a squabbling bird when Yang Yulong mmed the weapon right into Mu Ting¡¯s face.

    Guo Sheng pouted, "Longlong, I wanna join too! Don¡¯t hog all the fun!" He huffed, stomping his way to the weapon table. He peered at the weapons as if he was choosing a toy.

    "Doctor, doctor, quick, help me pick something!"

    The man let out a tired sigh. ¡¯God damn it, now I have to spend another few hours in this room again!¡¯ He hateding down here. "I don¡¯t know, just pick the scalpel or something."

    Guo Sheng gleefully listened. "Ohhh, you¡¯re right! I can use this to y off the rest of his skin. Thanks, doctor, you¡¯re the best!"

    He merrily hopped over to Yang Yulong, who had thrown aside the old weapon, and wore brass knuckles to personally beat the man into a pulp.

    The doctor could not bear to watch any longer. He had to leave before he puked all over the floor. "I-if that is all, I will be excusing myself." He turned around to hurriedly leave these two crazy men until he suddenly remembered something his boss said.

    "And, Sir, as requested by Boss, please remember to obtain information out of the man instead of simply torturing him."

    Yang Yulong momentarily paused in his beating and nced up. "Oh, right." He muttered under his breath before standing up to grab something more practical when it came to drilling the information out of Mu Ting¡¯s mouth.

 Chapter 239 Predict The Future

    Warning: There are depictions of graphic violence taking ce that is not rmended for younger audiences.

    - - - - -

    In just a few hours, a lump of skin, meat, and bones was on the floor, heaving and praying to just die. He¡¯d rather suffer the Thirteen Torturous levels of the Netherworld and spend his sweet time there rather than remain on Earth in the hands of such people.

    Yang Yulong and Guo Sheng had finally gotten the information they wanted out of Mu Ting. It was exactly as Yang Feng had told his younger brother; there must¡¯ve been an ulterior motive to this incident. After all, one wouldn¡¯t have been stupid enough to go after Yang Ruqin knowing full-well who exactly was backing her up.

    "Longlong, what should we do with him now? We have all that we need to know." Guo Sheng watched as the man washed the blood off of his hands. His eyes drifted to the man on the ground with multiple whip marks, missing several nails and one eye, chopped off fingers, and half his body skinned. That was not all the damage that had been done.

    Guo Sheng looked at the metal pot and portable burner near the table. He saw this method in movies and wanted to try it on Mu Ting. A couple of hours into the torturing, he had chopped the man¡¯s little friend off, cooked it, and force fed it to him.

    "Tell the doctor toe in and keep him alive." Yang Yulong instructed Guo Sheng who pouted.

    "But he¡¯s all the way upstairs and I don¡¯t want to walk that much!"

    Yang Yulong walked to Guo Sheng and patted the boy on the head. Guo Sheng was sitting on the table, swinging his legs back and forth while ying with something that Yang Yulong assumed was Mu Ting¡¯s missing eyeball, in his gloved hand.

    "It¡¯s an order."

    Guo Sheng¡¯s pout dipped into a scowl, his brows deeplying together causing his face to be scrunched up. "I only take orders from Big Boss."

    Yang Yulong chuckled. ¡¯He¡¯s such an obedient and loyal follower¡¯ "Alright then. I guess I¡¯llin to your Big Boss that you were reluctant to¡ª"

    Without letting him finish, Guo Sheng made a beeline to the door, running faster than he ever had. Yang Yulong let out anotherugh before running a hand through his hair then frowning when he realized some specks of blood had gotten into the thick strands.

    ¡¯Great, just great.¡¯ Now he had to wash his hands again and his hairter on.

    He walked back to the sink, whistling a tune, before his eyes caught Mu Ting¡¯s reflection in the mirror who was weakly moving around on the ground. He nced back to marvel at his fine work.

    The slightest nce from Yang Yulong was enough to evoke the fear that had been instilled in Mu Ting during the multiple torture sessions. It caused him to let out a terrified shriek before mming his head into the messy floor.

    "Good boy." Yang Yulong mused before turning off the water. He was prepared to leave the room when he suddenly said, "You must be lonely down here."

    Mu Ting¡¯s entire body was trembling in pain and fear. He was trying his best not to rock back and forth like a baby, in fear that the more he moved, the more his body would hurt.

    "Don¡¯t worry, yourpanions will join you soon." Yang Yulong taunted as he walked out of the room, mming the door in the process.

    - - - - -

    In a spacious and well-lit room, there was an elongated mahogany wooden table. There were a few elderly men frequenting a few of the seats while the other seats had men and women ranging fromte forties to sixties.

    It was oddly quiet in the room, except for the asional puffs of cigarettes. Every important member of the Su family was gathered before the table. It was rare for them to all gather in one ce. The rarity was to avoid the outbursts of family feuds and petty arguments.

    Some time had passed and finally, someone spoke up. "Is it true? One of our older disciples was seized by the Yangs for allegedly harming Yang Ruqin?"

    All eyes shifted to Su Xueying who was Su Meixiu¡¯s second aunt.

    "It would be a disgrace to call him one of our students, especially after what he had done!" Su Boyuan interjected while passively shaking his head in disapproval. "He was known as the best fighter of his time, but he lost to a girl half his size!"

    "And how do you know of this?" Su Xueying curiously asked her younger brother.

    "Unless you were living under a rock, you would definitely know what happened yesterday." The eldest Su sibling spoke up, his deep hum of a voice piercing through Su Meixiu whose entire body stiffened upon hearing him speak.

    Su Meixiu obediently sat beside her father. She tried to leisurely sip her tea, but with her eldest uncle leering at her, she could not. Her fingers were shaking, causing the scalding tea to swish about, dropletsnding upon her pencil skirt. She was too distracted by her fear to register the pain.

    "What shall we do then?" Su Xueying sighed. She pinched the bridge of her nose when her head began to throb. A headache was kicking in, all because she was so stressed about the sticky situation.

    "Why should we do anything? It¡¯s not like we owe the Yangs an exnation! He was simply a student here." Someone chimed in and his words were followed by agreements.

    "Exactly. How can we predict the future and what our pupils would do with their skills?"

    "I reckon we shouldy low so the storm can easily pass by."

    "Lay low and not do anything?! Are you out of your mind?!" Su Xueying angrily said, mming her hand on the table. Her palms turned pink from the impact and she felt a tingling sensation in her hand.

    "What?" Someone scoffed. "You have a better solution?"

    Su Renxu who was Su Meixiu¡¯s third aunt spoke up. "We better not apologize to the Yangs. We did nothing wrong here. To say we¡¯re sorry is to admit to the wrongdoing that was notmitted by us!"

    "We did nothing wrong here? How daft are you, Su Renxu! Mu Ting was a disciple raised and taught by us. That alone ties the incident back to our family!"

    "It¡¯s not like we told him to do anything! Stop screaming at us as if we had anything to do with the entire ordeal."

    Everyone began to bicker like a bunch of children on a yground, arguing for their supposed innocence. Hands were mmed onto the table and teacups were tossed around as boisterous and angry screams erupted in the air. It was chaotic.

    Su Meixiu shrank back in her chair and wished she could escape. Anywhere was better than here. Her eyes drifted to her grandfather who sat tall and proud, unwavering in the eyes of his screaming children, nieces, and nephews.

    Su Meixiu saw her father was mimicking Elder Su¡¯s posture. Both of them were very calm and neither desired to take part in the ongoing arguments. It was strange to see her father like this, especially when he was known to be a very violent and selfish man by nature. He was usually leading the discussions, arguing and debunking everyone¡¯s opinion, whether they were right or wrong. Today, he was oddly quiet. Perhaps it was because he was lost in his thoughts. It must¡¯ve been hard to gather all of her aunts, uncles, cousins, and distant rtives into one ce.

 Chapter 240 Possession

    When the argument finally settled down, Su Boyuan saw it was the perfect chance for him to speak up and give his own two cents about this issue. "The longer we dy the process, the more suspicious we will appear to be."

    Su Meixiu attentively listened to her father as he spoke. She was looking at him, absorbing everything that was being said.

    Someone chimed in. "Suspicious? What is there to be suspicious about?! We¡¯re clearly innocent here. I believe we should not apologize at all."

    And just like that, another round of arguments erupted.

    "Fifth brother, you¡¯ve be dumber with each passing day! Spending all this time by the beach, yourst brain cells must¡¯ve been washed away! The Yangs have every right to be suspicious of us. Only a fool would not know how prized Mu Ting was back then!"

    "Fifth brother, seventh sister is right. If Mu Ting never pursued an acting career, he could¡¯ve be a well-respected instructor here."

    Another person said, "I heard he was even scouted a while back by local triads who saw potential in him! But all of us fended them off because he was the possession of the Sus and we would be the ones to decide what to do with him!"

    "Ugh, you¡¯re not understanding the gist here! You¡¯ve always had a soft spot for him because he¡¯s a popr actor and I know you want your daughter to be matched with him. Stopplimenting him and kissing his ass when he¡¯s not even here. We have to make a n-of-action here!"

    Su Meixiu felt left out of the conversation. There was so much that she wanted to say. She couldn¡¯t find the courage to speak up. Her opinions were never prioritized at this table and if she ever said anything, her father would quickly shut her up or she would be tantly ignored.

    The arguments were beginning to give her a headache. She finally had enough.

    She roughly jammed the leg of her chair into the floor, then rudely pushed it back. It caused a loud and obnoxious screech which captured everyone¡¯s attention.

    The room finally quieted down.

    Su Meixiu stered an apologetic expression on her face. "I¡¯m really sorry for the disrespectful way I tried to grab your attention." She began, her eyes swirling around the room, taking in the unpleasant looks on her rtives¡¯ faces.

    "There will be many who disagree with what I am about to say, but please, at least hear me out." She snuck a nce towards her father whose face was cidly nk. He was seated like before, his eyes wandering off to La La Land.

    "I¡¯ve been by President Yang¡¯s side for nine years now. If there is anyone in this room who is more qualified to speak, it should be me."

    At her words, more chaos came about, but with one warning re from Elder Su, everyone shut their mouths.

    "I know him the best. Yang Ruqin is someone he treasures and dotes upon and regardless of who hurt her, he, alongside with Yang Yulong, will cut anyone down."

    Su Meixiu will never forget the first time she witnessed Yang Yulong in his full glory. There was a punk who had the audacity to stalk and follow Yang Ruqin whose modeling career was just taking off.

    Yang Yulong dragged the man to a dark alleyway. Despite not knowing that the stalker had called forth a small gang of twenty men, all armed with all sorts of dangerous weapons, Yang Yulong had single-handedly taken on all of them, using their own weapons against them.

    The only reason Su Meixiu witnessed this scene was because she was the one who spoke up about the stalker after hearing reports from Yang Ruqin¡¯s bodyguard. That was her first encounter with Yang Yulong, but she was able to sessfully leave a good impression on him.

    He trusted her, just like how Yang Feng trusted her.

    "Even if Mu Ting does not have any ties or connection to us, aside from that of being a student, the Yangs will still find fault in that." She began to slowly sit back down now that she had everyone¡¯s attention. There was no point in standing up anymore. She didn¡¯t want to be the lone person standing up.

    "I rmend we should exin to them that Mu Ting had not been instructed by us to do what he did. We merely trained him and that¡¯s the only connection we have with him. Exining our side of the story should not hurt us in any way because there is no fault ining forward first."

    "The longer we dy our action and the more we continue to act as if this did not ur, the angrier the Yangs will be. By now, I am sure everyone has heard the news of what happened to Yang Ruqin. She is a stupid girl, very naive and ignorant, but that does not belittle her position in everyone¡¯s hearts." Su Meixiu anxiously tapped her foot on the floor. She needed something to distract her before she backed out of her own decision at thest minute.

    "Old Master Yang cares for her in ways you can never imagineing from a man like him. We should not offend him and damage the rtionship we have with him just because of our stubbornness."

    Su Boyuan took a long drag of his cigarette, his eyes crinkling when the smoke burned his eyes. The entire time his daughter was speaking, he was ignoring her. He did not believe or think she had the capability to control the attention of the table, so when she did, he was pleasantly surprised by it. However, it was short-lived because the second she finished her speech, it was pried apart by everyone.

    "What do you mean there¡¯s no con?! There are plenty!"

    "Fourth brother is right! What if the Yangs are not even after us, but because of our exnation, they realize we had a family discussion about the issue. It¡¯ll make us look very suspicious!"

    Su Meixiu opened her mouth and said, "But, the pros outweigh the cons¡ª"

    "Meixiu." Su Boyuan warned.

    Su Meixiu immediately mped her mouth shut.

    The tone her father was using meant he was not in the mood to listen to her worthless talks. She remembered thest time she disobeyed him by continuing to voice her opinion. When it happened, he pped her so hard, there was a bruise tainting her cheeks for weeks.

    Elder Su individually looked at all of his kin ¡ª even the worthless ones who did not contribute much to the family, but still had the audacity to voice their opinions.

    In a low, somber voiceced with obvious fatigue from all the years of shouldering the problems that arose, Elder Su said, "We shall listen to Xiao Xiu¡¯s n."

    Su Meixiu did not remember her grandfather¡¯s voice being this...brittle and weak. Thest time she heard him speak, it was filled with vigor and loudness, something he was known for. But today, he sounded sickly and she noticed he would asionally grip his white handkerchief, suppressing a cough. His face would get red, turn back to normal, then be red a few secondster.

    Seeing as Elder Su himself agreed to the n, no one else dared to share their opinion or object. It was finalized: the Sus would apologize to the Yangs.

    Su Meixiu sat bitterly in her chair, resisting the urge tough. Even after she gave a long speech and provided valid reasoning, they did not believe in her words. Some were not even listening to her speak. It was a n that had been at the top of her head for the entire day, but her opinions did not matter to any of them. They never did.

 Chapter 241 Undress Me

    Once the issue was finalized, Su Boyuan began to address another problem. "In regards to the contract that will ce Su Meixiu back into her original position, it was handed to Zhao Lifei the night of the birthday banquet."

    Su Meixiu scrunched her brows at this news. She didn¡¯t know such a contract existed.

    She shrank back in her seat again when she suddenly remembered her grandfather¡¯s reaction to the news of her demotion. In a fit of rage, he had nearly struck her in the face, but luckily, the servants held him back. A p to her face would have damaged it. Since he could not physically punish her, he did it in different ways; her inheritance in his will was cut in half.

    Her head dropped and her shoulders slumped forward when she thought how penniless she would be in the future. If she was not able to marry Yang Feng, the oue would be disastrous.

    "Well? Did she sign it?" Su Xueying eagerly asked, her eyes wide with anticipation.

    Su Boyuan¡¯s face became ashen ck when he thought about Yang Feng¡¯s brutal warning and promise. "No."

    "Why not?"

    "Yang Feng intervened before anything could¡¯ve happened. He also promised to end our family with eight-generation extermination! Can you believe that?!" Su Boyuan angrily bit out, mming his hand onto the table, ignoring the flinch of his daughter who began to shake in her seat. What a wimp she was. He always despised how weak-minded she was. The tiniest noise startled her. How pathetic.

    "What? He really said that?" Su Xueying copsed in her chair. She ced a hand over her shaking heart while her face became a lighterplexion.

    "Yes, and it¡¯s all because of that seductress who warms his bed!" Su Boyuan bellowed with a reddening face. The thought of that wench in Yang Feng¡¯s arms, instead of his daughter just makes his blood boil in anger.

    In a deep and resonating voice, Elder Su asked, "Repeat what you just said, Boyuan. What did he threaten us with?"

    Su Boyuan could not understand where the direction of this discussion was heading to, nheless, he repeated his words. "I said thed threatened to end our entire family with a massacre¡ª"

    "He cares for that woman." Elder Su sharply pointed out, his wrinkled eyes finally opening a bit more.

    "Yes, father, that much is evident from the way he treats her¡ª"

    "Are you stupid, son? Did you not hear what I just said?!" Elder Su loudly scolded his son in front of the entire family which embarrassed Su Boyuan.

    Elder Su had enough of these squabbling children. With the help of his servant, he stood up. "All of you here disappoint me." He turned his back to them and walked out of the door with a new n in mind.

    - - - - -

    The next morning.

    Zhao Lifei was cing on her rose gold earrings when Yang Feng walked out of the bathroom, freshly showered, his masculine scent swarming her senses.

    "That shirt is too low." He chided her when he saw the mirror and the dip of her chest were revealed.

    "That¡¯s none of your business." She hummed while cing on her other earring.

    When he walked closer to her, she could feel her body stiffening in anticipation. Through the mirror reflection, she saw the towel was hanging dangerously low on his hips, revealing the very sharp, enticing, and seductive v-line. Her eyes drank in the fine sight of his body, lingering on the eight, firm lines on his abdomen. His muscles were firm and well-defined, the rough edges were beckoning her fingers to graze over them.

    When her eyes trailed upwards to his pecks, she swallowed hard. She continued making her way up his body until their eyes suddenly met in the reflection and her face went stark red. She fumbled with her damn earrings and in her haste, dropped it. It bounced far away from her.

    Yang Feng was deeply entertained by her flushed face upon being caught ogling him. He walked to the earrings, bent down and picked it up. He took his sweet time walking towards her, allowing her eyes to roam over his body.

    "Are you hungry, my dear?" He suddenly asked her, watching as her brows pulled together.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Because you¡¯re eyeing me the same way a fat kid eyes a slice of cake."

    Her face became a brighter shade of red as she swiveled around, only for her eyes tond directly upon his chest. She did not realize he had already gotten this close to her. "I wasn¡¯t." She scoffed, crossing her arms.

    "Hm, are you sure?" He ced his hands on both sides of her, caging her against the vanity. His eyes trailed to her lips, then her throat when she visibly gulped. He locked eyes with her before bending in, at an excruciatingly slow speed.

    "I¡¯m positive." She hoarsely whispered whilst shrinking her body back, only for him to lean closer again.

    She waspletely trapped with nowhere to run. Her eyes darted to his arms, muscr and well-toned. She looked lower and saw the thick veins climbing up his forearms which were a quality she liked in a man.

    "You¡¯re doing it again." He teased, his voice low and enticing. She shivered at the way it made her feel.

    "Doing what?"

    "Undressing me with your eyes." He hummed while leaning in for a kiss.

    "But you¡¯re already undressed..." She pointed out, closing her eyes. She waited for the toe-curling kisses he always gave her. She had never felt something as pleasurable as kissing him. She did not know she was addicted to them, just as he was to hers.

    Yang Feng smirked at her expression, eyes shut, lips slightly puckered. Just as he had teased her so many times before, he decided to do the same. He kissed the corner of her lips, causing her eyes to impatiently fly open.

    "Yang Feng..." She softly pouted, his eyes snapping to the jutted bottom lip, pink and dewy.

    "What is it, love?" He murmured against her skin whilst kissing a path down to her chin, nibbling and peppering every spot except her lips. Heter began to press open-mouth kisses against her creamy skin. When he reached her neck, he took his sweet time with her.

    She pressed her body against his, wanting more of him. "Don¡¯t act stupid." Her eyes fluttered at the attention he was giving to her. Unknowingly, she tilted her head to give him better ess to her neck, but he stopped his kisses the second she did so.

    Zhao Lifei was bing impatient now, especially when he was not giving her what she longed for.

    "What do you mean, my dear?" He cocked his head, feigning ignorance to her wishes.

    "The kiss." She demanded, her blunt words catching him off-guard, like her arms that wound around his body.

    "If you want it, you¡¯re going to have to get it yourself." He huskily whispered before removing his arms around her. This time, he would not touch her, nor would he instigate the kiss. It was up to her to decide.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s face became glum and in a quiet voice, barely above a whisper, she said, "But I don¡¯t know how to kiss properly..."

    Yang Feng resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Did she just say she did not know how to kiss?! Especially after driving him insane every time she did it? He could not believe how stupid she was.

    "Are you sure you don¡¯t?" He arched his perfect brows.

    She slowly nodded her head. "I really don¡¯t."

    Yang Fengzily smiled, the sight causing Zhao Lifei¡¯s heart to skip a beat. He was fully aware of the effect he had on her, the way her heart fluttered for him and no one else. He brought his hand to her face, gently cupping it before his hands trailed lower. He drew circles upon her exposed skin, running it low until his hands stopped on her corbone.

    "Alright then, close your eyes." He decided to y a little game with her, one that he was sure she was going to respond well to.

 Chapter 242 Come and Get I

    Zhao Lifei shut her eyes. She shuffled her feet while waiting for his lips. She waited. And waited. Then waited longer, until she was bing impatient, her soft brows drawing together to form creases on her forehead.

    "I believe we should get ready for our day."

    Her eyes flew open at his words. He was at the other side of the room, his towel gone and reced with one of his well-fitted ck cks.

    He...He...Did he really just do that?!

    Angrily, she took off one sandal and chucked it at him, only for him to easily catch it without looking. He turned around, a prominent smirk on his smug face.

    ¡¯Why, that little devil!¡¯ She fumed inside of her head.

    "What¡¯s wrong, sweetheart?" He provoked her, watching the little kitty extend her ws. He made a grand show of putting on his ck button ups whilst flexing his muscles at the same time, continuing to tease her.

    "You tricked me!" She adorably stomped her foot like the cute, but incredibly spoiled child that she was.

    "If you want a kiss, you have toe and get it yourself." He repeated his previous words, taking the sweetest time buttoning his cuffs. He turned around to grab his tie and right when he was about to ce it on and button his clothes, something soft collided against his back.

    Without warning, she swiveled his body to face her and then yanked his neck down, her lips sealing over his.

    Her lips moved hesitatingly against his before she became a bit more confident by nipping his bottom lip, licking it and asking for entrance. He did not give it to her. Angry at this, she forcibly pried it open and thrust her tongue into his enticing and heavenly sweet mouth.

    Yang Feng kept his lips shut, even when he wanted to kiss her back with equal passion. His fingers itched to touch her, to pull her body against his, but he did not act upon his desires yet. He remained silent while blissfully enjoying the feeling of her soft, warm lips against his. She was doing wonders to his body without even trying to.

    Zhao Lifei saw he was holding back and intentionally not responding to her kisses. She smirked a bit. ¡¯We¡¯ll see about that.¡¯

    She took him byplete surprise when her hand brushed against his intimate area before she pressed her hand close to his v-line sliding her way up, feeling every crevice of his muscles, her finger running along his abs.

    His entire body shuddered at the cold sensation against his overly-warm body.

    Zhao Lifei could feel his muscles clench and tighten beneath her hands, hardening in the same way his member did. Her hand continued to explore his body, teasing him whilst testing his limits and control.

    Yang Feng could not hold himself back anymore.

    His arms snaked around her waist, dragging her to him just as she pulled back to breathe before her lipstched onto his again. When he was about to respond to her lips, ready to kiss the daylights out of her, enough to toss her onto the bed and have his way with her body, until she was writhing beneath him, begging for mercy, everything stopped. She literally stopped.

    Zhao Lifei pulled back from the kiss and pushed his hands away.

    Yang Feng¡¯s mind could not register what had just happened. One minute she was kissing him, driving him to the brink of sanity, and the next, she was gone.

    He was frustrated, his member was frustrated, every inch of him was burning with passion ¡ª ready to take their rtionship to a whole new level. But it didn¡¯t happen. And that bothered him more than he thought it would.

    "Where are you going?" He rushed towards her, ready to hungrily kiss her and finally respond to her lips.

    "To finish getting dressed. Why do you ask?" She innocently questioned him as she opened her jewelry box.

    Yang Feng became silent.

    "I...You..." He was at a loss for words. His eyes became dark and without warning, he yanked her to him, mming her back against his chest.

    "Aw, what¡¯s wrong, sweetheart?" Sheughed while cing her hand upon his flexed arms.

    "You know exactly what¡¯s wrong." He growled as he pulled her entire body even closer to his so that she could feel the obvious tent in his pants. She could feel it pressing into her derriere.

    "Hm, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about."

    Two could y this game. Yang Feng bent his head to hotly whisper in her ears, "Are you sure?"

    His hands began to travel around her body the same way hers had. Her entire body stiffened, entering into a pleasant shock when he suddenly ced a hand over her intimate area, then began to grind his hips against hers. A gasp left her mouth just as her entire body began to heat up, starting from where he touched her.

    He turned her around and then pressed a kiss upon her jugr, her eyes fluttering shut. Hevished her neck and the valley of her chest with his kisses, sucking and nibbling on some areas until there were visible marks. He quite liked this shirt on her, it revealed the dip of her chest and hugged her at the right ces. Too bad he did not like her wearing it in public.

    "More." She quietly whispered when he suddenly pulled back, stopping his assault.

    "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about." He taunted, using her own words against her. Her eyes opened as she glowered at him.

    "You know exactly¡ª"

    "Oh and my dear, don¡¯t forget to change your shirt." He winked and without looking back, left the room.

    Zhao Lifei was confused by what he meant until she turned around and her eyes became as wide as saucers. That...That perverted, sex-hungry brute! There were love bites all around her corbone and the area above her breast. There was even one at the spot where her neck met her shoulders.

    "Bastard!" She hissed, mming her hands on the table which caused one of her perfumes to roll off the surface.

    Yang Feng was buttoning his shirt outside when he heard the sound of something crashing upon the floor, a smirk making its way to his lips. She had seen his marks.

    That was the only reaction he needed to hear before making his way downstairs.

    Zhao Lifei huffed and puffed all she wanted before finally stomping her way into the closet to pick out a different shirt. She did not think he would be this conniving to trick her into wearing something else.

    She had to meet Wei Hantao for lunch today. She¡¯d rather die than let him see the bites on her body. It would be too embarrassing.

    Zhao Lifei was forced to wear a white turtle-neck shirt that reached the middle of her neck. She decided to anger him even more by wearing a khaki-id tight skirt that stopped on her mid-thigh then paired it with a zer that was the same length as the skirt. Her legs were revealed and when she grabbed the stilettos, she knew her legs would look even longer in them.

    She walked to the staircase, buckled her heels and made her way downstairs.

    The sound of her heels against the dazzling and shimmering marble-tiled floor with gold linings was soothing but loud at the same time. It was like tiny firecrackers. The closer she came to him, the more his heart sped up in anticipation.

    And when his eyes finallynded upon her, his gaze sharpened. Daring little thing. She was provoking him. Her beautiful legs, stretching for miles, pale and silky smooth, were exposed. He wanted to do nothing but run his hands upon them.

    She made eye-contact with him, her golden mes shing against his obsidian ones. She could see the fury in his eyes, the way his defined eyebrows twitched and his fingers curl into fists. His face was fierce, his nostrils ring. She watched him clench and unclench his fists while his jaw tightened.

    Zhao Lifei winked.

    Yang Feng scowled.

    She had the audacity to wink at a time like this?! He abruptly stood up, causing her to open the door and like the teasing little kitty she was, she blew him a kiss.

    "Have a good day, Mr. Yang~"

    And then she walked out of the door.

    By the time he stormed his way to the entrance, she was gone, leaving a puff of dust behind. His eyes squinted upon the ruby-red car flying off into the distance, mocking him.

 Chapter 243 You Dont Own Me

    Zhao Lifei prioritized Yang Ruqin¡¯s status in the hospital so she drove there before her lunch with Wei Hantao. At the First Hospital, she wrote her name in the visitors¡¯ log and went upstairs.

    When she got near Yang Ruqin¡¯s room, she gave the people guarding outside a nod. They responded by bowing their head and stepping to the side. She pushed the door open and realized there were signs of other visitors here. She guessed it was Mr. and Mrs. Yang who might havee to visitst night.

    cing her purse down, Zhao Lifei checked to make sure everything was running smoothly. She changed the water tank in the humidifier, added in droplets ofvender essential oil, and then made sure Yang Ruqin was properly tucked in.

    In her haste, she did not realize two people were standing by the door, watching her every move.

    Fan Jin had just arrived at the door of the VVIP room when she saw Zhao Lifei moving around.

    Fan Jin always knew Zhao Lifei was looking out for her daughter. It had been that way since they were merely children. Even to this day, she fondly remembered a little girl passing her favorite dessert to Yang Ruqin, despite wanting to eat it herself.

    Seeing Zhao Lifei in the hospital room while making herself useful, Fan Jin felt her impression drastically improve. Even with a tainted name and reputation, it did not belittle Zhao Lifei¡¯s characteristics. Times have changed and so has her behavior.

    Yang Qianlu warily nced at the woman tucking his daughter into bed. He refused to believe someone would be this kind and giving without asking for something in return. He continued to watch as her slim fingers delicately ced the nket up to Yang Ruqin¡¯s chin, brushed her hair away, adjusted the settings on the humidifier, and then checked the IV drip.

    All of her actions, they seem natural...As if she did it on instincts. He certainly did not miss the reports of what had happened. She was the one who discovered his Xiao Qin in such a horrid state and was the one who pummeled Mu Ting.

    Even so, he could not find it within himself to fully ept her like his wife had secretly done. He favored Su Meixiu greatly for all of the things she had done for his son. Remaining by his side for nine years was not an easy job. She had suffered a great ordeal to get to where she stood today, only for it to alle crumbling down because of a single woman.

    "I¡¯ll be heading back now, Qinqin." Zhao Lifei gently whispered to the sleeping woman. She felt a pang of guilt hit her when she realized it had been two days already and her Qinqin has yet to wake up.

    Zhao Lifei did not want to imagine or even entertain the idea of what would have happened if she had discovered Yang Ruqin toote. The results would be disastrous.

    Zhao Lifei picked up her purse and it was then she felt two pairs of eyes on her. She instantly turned around to see Mr. and Mrs. Yang standing by the door.

    She held her purse in front of her body and bowed a bit. "Good morning."

    Yang Qianlu grumbled under his breath, "It was a good one until I saw you."

    Fan Jin roughly elbowed her husband, slightly ring at him. Did he want his eldest son to hate him? Besides, what was so wrong with Zhao Lifei? Reputations can easily be changed!

    "Good morning, Lifei. I did not expect to see you here this early." Fan Jin warmly smiled, slipping her hand through her husband¡¯s elbow and dragging him into the room.

    "I was worried about Ruqin and decided it was best toe here early in case she wakes up." Zhao Lifei calmly responded, her mouth lifting into a tiny, graceful smile.

    Fan Jin could already imagine how beautiful her grandchildren would be. Both her son and Zhao Lifei had very favorable features that would certainly mix well together.

    "Beforeing to this room, we consulted the doctor in charge of her." Fan Jin felt a squeeze on her arm, a warning from her husband to not speak anymore. For the first time in a while, she ignored him.

    "The doctor reported Xiao Qin¡¯s condition is very stable, thus, she would wake up very soon." Fan Jin could feel her husband shooting daggers with his eyes, angered that she had disobeyed him. She coldly glowered at him, her eyes boring a hole through his skull.

    Her message was clear: You don¡¯t own me.

    They were husband and wife, which meant they were on equal footing.

    Zhao Lifei felt her heart soar at the good news. Her face became visibly brighter, her eyes shining more. "Is that so? That¡¯s wonderful to hear."

    Fan Jin felt her heart softened when she saw the happiness on Zhao Lifei¡¯s face.

    - - - - - -

    After the brief run-in with Yang Feng¡¯s parents, Zhao Lifei made her way to Feili¡¯s headquarters. She walked upstairs and when she was right outside of Wei Hantao¡¯s doors, Huo Qiudong spoke up from his desk, "President, Mr. Wei is not in his office right now."

    Zhao Lifei paused and checked the time. Their lunch would begin in approximately two hours. Where was he? "That¡¯s fine, prepare the documents that must be looked over and signed today. As well as this week¡¯s report."

    "Mr. Wei has already checked over everything yesterday as well as this morning."

    "Even the ones for today...?"

    "Yes, Ma¡¯am."

    Zhao Lifei always knew Wei Hantao was a hardworking man, ever since their high school years. Even though he was the school¡¯s Prince Charming and could ask any straight-A student to do his homework, he did not seize the chance. He did everything on his own and after finishing the assignments for the entire month, he¡¯dplete workbooks too advanced for his age.

    Wei Hantao was trained to be the next CEO of his father¡¯spany like all of his siblings. However, when the selection year came along, his eldest brother was effortlessly chosen to be the sessor, whereas Wei Hantao was forced to stand on the sidelines. He was the second son of the family and despite the title, was not bestowed the name of Vice President.

    Zhao Lifei remembered stumbling upon his drunken body at a nightclub two years ago. He had drunk half the bar dry, was basically crying in the ample chests of a woman, and babbling about his pathetic state. Luckily for him, she was able to step in before any paparazzi photos were taken.

 Chapter 244 Invitation To War

    "Then, do you know where he is?" She checked her phone, "I had a lot of miscalls a few days ago as well."

    Huo Qiudong checked the schedule and was equally as confused as her. "Well, President, I¡¯m afraid to say I do not know. When he left the office, I thought he was simply going to grab something."

    "And the miscalls?"

    "There was an emergency that came up." Huo Qiudong did not want to be the messenger being shot. The news he was about to deliver would not make the woman in front of him happy.

    "The meeting with Yang Enterprise spread like wildfire and many otherpanies would like to have a private meeting with you."

    "And what¡¯s the problem with that?"

    "Ma¡¯am, they want a face-to-face meeting with the CEO and not a representative of ourpany."

    "Well, that¡¯s a natural reaction. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that." Zhao Lifei soothed his worries,pletely oblivious to the truth bomb that would be dropped today.

    "You didn¡¯t let me finish. The problem with the request for these meetings is that¡ª"

    "Xiao Li, you should¡¯ve told me you were at the office." Wei Hantao interrupted Huo Qiudong before any sensitive information was leaked without his permission. He red at the secretary who bowed his head and excused himself back to his desk.

    "I wasn¡¯t aware that I needed to tell you that." She snapped, angry at the interruption. They were getting to the crucial part of the conversation and he just had to interrupt her.

    Wei Hantao gently patted her head. "It was a greeting, not an invitation to war." He clicked his tongue before cing a hand on her back and guiding her to the elevators.

    "I didn¡¯t think you would be able to wake up this early, especially on a weekday." He teased her while pressing the elevator button.

    All eyes were on them. Many of the employees working at Feili recognized this woman to be Zhao Lifei, the infamous girlfriend of Yang Feng, but what was she doing here with their CEO, in an intimate position?

    They have never seen Wei Hantao touch or return the smile of a woman, much less, be seen together with one. Wait, there was a picture that blew up a while back!

    A few of the employees exchanged nces whilst the majority kept their eyes glued to the pair even when they had boarded the elevator and the doors closed.

    Huo Qiudong walked outside to grab a few papers from the file room when he realized the atmosphere in the air. "Don¡¯t get any foolish ideas." He announced to the employees. "For each rumor that starts, everyone¡¯s sry here will be cut by 10%." His hazel eyes scanned the pale faces of his subordinates, a menacing look on his face.

    He would not tolerate any disrespect directed towards Zhao Lifei. He wanted to desperately announce who she was, but could not. Only a handful of people knew who Zhao Lifei truly was, but the majority of the employees saw Wei Hantao as their CEO. They did not know of the private meeting that took ce a while back.

    "Understood?"

    "Yes, sir." They answered.

    Huo Qiudong narrowed his eyes, "You guys better have."

    - - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes surveyed her surroundings with curiosity. They were sitting by the best view in the restaurant that was overlooking the enormous Qiping river that wrapped around Shenbei. It was a refreshing view, given the fact that she usually saw the skyscraping cities in most of the windows she nced out of.

    There was a secluded atmosphere in the air with massive spacing between the red-clothed tables. Smooth jazz music was ying in the background by a choir of well-dressed people. It was strangeing here, especially when a majority of the customers here appeared to be couples.

    The candlelight in front of her reminded her of a romantic dinner, but that would be a far stretch, given the fact that it was lunch time and she practically saw Wei Hantao as a good friend, not some lover. She was also underdressed for this ce, no thanks to Wei Hantao, who did not inform her of the dress code here ¡ª not that the restaurant owners minded.

    The second the manager¡¯s eyesnded upon her, he ushered her inside. No one was stupid enough to not recognize Zhao Lifei whose family was arge investor of the restaurant.

    Zhao Lifei remembered this restaurant was the bigger branch of the one found in a handful of her grandfather¡¯s hotels.

    "It¡¯s honestly too early for lunch." She shifted her eyes from the window to Wei Hantao.

    He was staring at her with the corners of his lips quirked up in his signature smile that always wooed the girls. Back in high school, he never failed to capture the heart of any girl whenever he used that smile.

    She could still remember storming into the hallway, ready to smack him silly for making his group of fangirls scream in the middle of lunch. Even though he was the School Prince, he was as mischievous as the notorious troublemaker, Ling Fulei, and would always cause problems for her. She hated being the ss President, it was such a stressful and tiring position, especially when her life was already riddled with the exhausting lessons on how to be a proper matriarch.

    "Then I suppose we¡¯re having brunch." Hemented just when the waiter walked over with the menu.

    The waiter seemed to be their age, early twenties. Wei Hantao briskly red at the man when he stared at Zhao Lifei for too long. He was obviously awestruck by the incredibly beautiful woman in front of him.

    When Zhao Lifei nced up to take the menu, the waiter felt his mouth run dry. He had never seen a woman with eyes as bright as hers. They glistened like a pair of well-cut topaz and when she turned her face, the rays of the sun turned it into a brilliant golden color.

    Needless to say, he was smitten.

    There were many wealthy women frequenting this restaurant, as well as famous A-list celebrities, but none of them had evere close to her beauty. He could¡¯ve sworn he recognized her somewhere. Perhaps she was a patron here a few years ago. He always had a good memory and could remember the faces of many women customers.

    "Hm, brunch doesn¡¯t sound bad. I was craving Eggs Benedict." Zhao Lifei brieflymented while skimming the menu.

    "Would you like to pair it with a ss of Moscato?" Wei Hantao suggested when he saw the sparkling wine in the drinks section. "They have a passion fruit vor that would be suitable for women."

    "I don¡¯t drink anymore." Zhao Lifei let out a peal of softughter, the sound capturing the heart of the poor waiter who did not know what wasing for him.

    "I know, that¡¯s why I suggested Moscato. It has an extremely low alcohol content inparison to most wines."

    Zhao Lifei did not relent. She nced at the waiter and said, "Just lemon water for me please."

    Wei Hantao realized he was treading on dangerous territory and decided to back off. He turned to the waiter said, "I¡¯ll have a farmer¡¯s omelet with arug sd."

    The waiter bowed his head and took the menu, walking off to get their orders.

 Chapter 245 Gift From Hell

    When the food arrived and Zhao Lifei began digging in, she felt her mood drastically improve. Perhaps she was just too hangry [1] before.

    "You know," She began while cing down her chopsticks. "This ce is quite fancy and romantic for a brunch setting."

    Wei Hantao paused for the briefest second before he raised his head, a wolf grin resting on his lips. "How so?"

    "Well, for starters, a lot of couples are frequenting here." Zhao Lifei looked around her and then her eyes settled on a lit candle in front of her. "It¡¯s not even dinner time yet still there¡¯s a candle in front of us and, might I add, there¡¯s also a rose next to it."

    Wei Hantao¡¯s long and slender fingers grabbed the rose and handed it to Zhao Lifei. "You should take it then. It would be a nice pop of color to your outfit."

    "And how would I wear this?" She scoffed at his words, a loose smile hanging from her lips.

    Wei Hantao flicked his finger, telling her to lean closer. She would¡¯ve done so but realized it would be too weird. They were friends, nothing more.

    "Nevermind, I already know what you¡¯re thinking of doing." Zhao Lifei straightened up her posture, took the flower, ced it down beside her te, and began to eat again.

    Wei Hantaoughed. "Well the least you could do was y along with it."

    Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes. "That would be so cheesy and weird."

    Wei Hantao¡¯s smile wavered at her words. Weird? Why? He wanted to ask her the questions but, at thest minute, decided against it. "Alright then, I guess we should get to the real reason as to why I invited you to lunch."

    Zhao Lifei stopped eating and took a sip of the lemon water so that she could properly pay attention to what he was going to say. She saw his eyes nervously darted around, his tongue lightly licking his bottom lip.

    "After news got out that Feili was finally epting private face-to-face meetings, manypanies have approached us desiring the same treatment."

    "Yes, Huo Qiudong have told me this already." Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t understand why he looked so nervous. "I don¡¯t see the problem with that. We can always reject it."

    "Well...about that..." Wei Hantao awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "I epted a few of them on your behalf."

    Zhao Lifei nearly chucked the water at him. "You epted them without my consent?"

    "Yes, but they¡¯re set in a few weeks from now. We¡¯ll have enough time to do your debut banquet¡ª"

    "Don¡¯t you mean OUR debut banquet?"

    Wei Hantao was baffled at what she said. "Huh?"

    "Well, Mr. Wei, if you¡¯re deciding things on my behalf, that involves my personal appearance, I suppose I should also decide on things for you." She revealed a sickly sweet smile.

    Wei Hantao was frustrated at her words. He didn¡¯t want to be in the public limelight.

    Zhao Lifei waved down the waiter and asked for the bill. She continued the conversation and said, "I will be out for three days next week for my grandmother¡¯s birthday. We can have the banquet a week after that."

    The waiter came back with the bill and respectively handed it towards Wei Hantao, who made an attempt to take it, but Zhao Lifei interjected and snatched it. "The meal is on me." She paid in cash and stormed out of the restaurant, leaving a bewildered Wei Hantao in his seat.

    Zhao Lifei made her way back to Feili, took the stack of papers that Wei Hantao was supposed to look at today, and then went to an unupied meeting room to do some light work.

    - - - - -

    Everyone is going to die today.

    Well, everyone in the office at least.

    No one dared to enter the dragon¡¯s den, especially when thest person that went in there nearly got his head chewed off. President Yang arrived in the office with a terrible mood and it only worsened throughout the day.

    No one knew why, except for Chen Gaonan who was the one that delivered the pictures.

    Yang Feng glowered at the pictures in front of him. He had wondered why she was so eager to wear revealing clothing today and now he finally realized why.

    Sitting on his desk were the pictures of Zhao Lifei¡¯s smiling andughing face while she conversed with Wei Hantao. The one picture that especially pissed him off was the one where she epted the pathetic and cheap rose, the same color as her car that sped off this morning. Huh, was that why she was in a rush? Did she want to see her side piece so quickly in the morning?

    When the atmosphere suddenly worsened, Chen Gaonan began to cry to the heavens for mercy. It was barely 12 in the afternoon, yet his boss already desired a massacre to happen! He knew he shouldn¡¯t have delivered the photos when they were mysteriously dropped onto his desk without warning.

    He did not know where they came from and who delivered them. He went to grab his boss¡¯ second serving of coffee and when he came back, the pictures were sitting on his desk in a neatly wrapped box, pretending to be a gift. With his boss¡¯ reaction, Chen Gaonan concluded it was a gift from hell.

    "Find out who took and delivered the pictures." Yang Feng seethed, abruptly standing up to grab his suit jacket.

    "Boss, where are you going? President Ling is going to arrive here any minute now!" Chen Gaonan knew he would be the first to die today based on his next set of actions. He scrambled to the door, blocking it with his body. "Sir, you¡¯ve already rejected the meeting with Zheng Tianyi. If you skip out on this meeting, your reputation will be damaged!"

    Chen Gaonan felt his knees go weak when he dared to look into his boss¡¯s eyes. Pitch ck, like the deepest pit of the Netherworld, they were promising a slow and merciless death. They were too deep and solemn to properly decipher, but the warning was clear.

    With his menacing ck aura that was swirling around him, Chen Gaonan could¡¯ve sworn he saw the grim reaper right behind Yang Feng.

    "Boss, please, you must think of thepany before you rashly storm out of here." Chen Gaonan¡¯s voice trembled like his body. He was worried for his life, but he was more worried about his boss¡¯ reputation.

    "She will still be in Shenbei when youe back from the meeting, but President Ling will not. I was informed he has a scheduled flight three hours from now and will be gone for at least a week. We need the details on the coboration to be finalized!"

    "He has ten minutes." Yang Feng snarled. He shoved Chen Gaonan aside, the force pushing the man to the ground.

    Chen Gaonan always knew of his boss¡¯s brute strength. Even though he was trained his entire life to be one of the best fighters, Chen Gaonan could never beat his boss in sparring. It was 99 losses and 0 wins.

 Chapter 246 Are You Crazy?

    Ling Fulei was escorted to the meeting room and right when he sat down, an angry dragon stormed into the room.

    "Ten minutes, bastard." Yang Feng muttered when he sat down on the big leather chair. With his frame and height, the kingsize chair looked like a child¡¯s tea party set.

    "Geez, what got your panties in a twist?" Ling Fulei asked while pulling out a cigarette.

    "The clock is ticking." Yang Feng leaned back in his chair, an indifferent expression on his wless face. His appearance alone could blind someone. Even Ling Fulei could not help but be drawn towards his best friend.

    "I don¡¯t see why you¡¯re only dating one woman." Ling Fulei sighed, "What a waste of your good features." He passed the cigarette box to Yang Feng.

    "All the women in the worldbined would not be worth a single strand of her hair." Yang Fengzily drawled out, picking up the box only for him to ce it down. He remembered the reports about Zhao Lifei mentioned she did not like smokers. If he wanted a kiss from her after the fight, it¡¯s best if he didn¡¯t smoke.

    Ling Fulei¡¯s face scrunched up in disdain. "Man, you¡¯re so whipped for her." He hated this sudden assault of dog food being shoved in his face. To ease his frustration, he lit his cigarette and took a slow, rxing drag of the addictive toxins.

    "I still remember the days where your little secretary used to sneak women into your officete at night just so you can get a release from being a workaholic."

    "Everyone is stupid in their youth." Yang Feng wished he didn¡¯t waste his time with those women who could never satisfy him. They were a bore, nothing like Zhao Lifei.

    Ling Fulei scoffed. "Stupid? Dude, you were banging one of the hottest women in this country¡ª"

    "You have three minutes left." Yang Feng didn¡¯t want to be reminded of those women. He usually did not make a lot of mistakes, but those were his ring ones. He could not wash his hands of his past, no matter how much he tried.

    "Fine, fine, I suppose we should get down to business." Ling Fulei stubbed his cigarette out and ced the confidential envelope onto the desk.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei finished her papers in record time and handed it to Huo Qiudong. When she ced the paper on the desk, Wei Hantao had already returned to his office. She did not know he was searching for her until the door of the meeting room opened without warning.

    She eyed him in disdain and turned around, ready to saunter off when he suddenly grabbed her wrist.

    "Are you mad at me?" Wei Hantao worriedly asked. He felt a pang of guilt his heart when her face turned to look at him. She wore a nk expression, her eyes reprimanding him like a headmaster. Her lips were pulled into a thin line.

    "I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. I just thought you would¡¯ve epted the private meetings anyways, so I just..." Wei Hantao awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "I¡¯m sorry, okay?"

    Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes and yanked her wrist back, but he was much stronger than her. Wei Hantao refused to let her go.

    "Don¡¯t walk off. Let¡¯s sit down and talk about it."

    Huo Qiudong sensed a private discussion was starting soon. He waved his hands and cleared out the employees working in front of the meeting room doors. Then he personally left.

    Zhao Lifei was not in the mood to converse right now. She tugged her arms again, warning him to release her. Once again, he didn¡¯t.

    "Talk to me, please. You know I hate this silent treatment." Wei Hantao frustratedly ran a hand through his hair.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips curled in disgust, her eyes belittling him without words. She took one foot forward, ready to leave, but was stunned when he suddenly yanked her into his arms, tightly embracing her from behind.

    She struggled in his arms, "Are you crazy? Let go of me!"

    "How about this? I¡¯ll cancel the meetings for you and attend them myself. Or we can go together." Wei Hantao realized that he was fanning the fire and not quelling it. He added on, "I was wrong for epting it without consulting or asking you first. I won¡¯t do it again, okay?"

    Zhao Lifei felt her anger settle a bit.

    "So, please stop being mad at me. Next time, I¡¯ll ask you before I do anything stupid." Wei Hantao sagged his shoulders in relief when he looked down and realized the enmity clouding her eyes dispersed. "But you need to pick up my phone calls. It¡¯s the only way¡ª"

    Wei Hantao stopped talking when a man emerged from the hallways. He was dressed in a figure-hugging ck shirt that made his frame a lot bigger and more intimidating. He walked in as if he owned the ce and the world was his ything. High and mighty, he looked like an Emperor, beyond the reach ofmon people like Wei Hantao.

    Zhao Lifei tilted her head, "Yang Feng? What are you doing here?" She felt a chill crawl up her spine when his lifeless eyes shed with hers. They were out for blood.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" She took a step forward but realized she couldn¡¯t. Wei Hantao¡¯s arms were still wrapped around her. She realized howpromising their position was. "It¡¯s not what it looks like."

    "Famous words of a cheater."

    Zhao Lifei watched as Chen Gaonan scrambled to grab a chair. Yang Feng sat down, one leg crossed over the other. It was blinding to look at him, the angrier he looked, the sexier he was. Her eyes followed his long, slender fingers that pulled out a pack of cigarettes. She felt her nose crinkle when he lit it and ced it in his mouth.

    She didn¡¯t think he was a smoker. Was he deliberately smoking to anger her?

    "Do you have to jump to conclusions?" She bit out, stomping hard on Wei Hantao¡¯s feet, digging the heels of her stilettos into the leather. He howled in pain and in his distraction, she broke free from his arms.

    Yang Feng did not answer her. He originally declined the cigarette from Ling Fulei for her sake. Seeing her now, he decided it was fine to light one.

    She watched as the cigarette¡¯s ember went from ck to orange when he breathed in the smoke again, only to breath it out in a perfect circle.

    Her heart lurched when his intense gaze swept to her eyes. She felt herself frozen to the spot, her legs rooted to the ground. Red gs were being raised in the distance when she saw the dangerous glimmer in his eyes. He did not look happy. She was too prideful to care.

    "What should I do with you?" He pondered the idea, his head tilting to the side while his eyes tore her apart.

    "Nothing. You¡¯re overthinking it." Zhao Lifei folded her arms and dropped them when his eyes shed with hers again.

    His presence was like a blood-covered hand with sharp nails that yanked her heart, squeezing it, piercing the sensitive organs. Their mere eye-contact was enough for her to feel a sense of dread as if she was going to die. She could not feel the customary warmth he reserved just for her. He regarded her as if she was his enemy. May the gods have mercy upon whoever he despised for they were all buried six-feet under.

    Wei Hantao saw herplexion be lighter than usual. He was worried for her, especially when she stood there unmoving. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him, blocking her from Yang Feng¡¯s gaze. That was his first mistake.

    Yang Feng¡¯s thin patience snapped.

 Chapter 247 Rely on Appearances

    Wei Hantao had never in his life encountered someone like Yang Feng whose eyes alone could cause uncontroble fear. His eyes resembled a savage beast ready to tear the poor man in half. Even so, Wei Hantao did not back down. He tried to match the same level of intensity in Yang Feng¡¯s eyes.

    Zhao Lifei did not have time for this stupid banter. She could see the stormy background of a lion against a dragon, a swarm of fire behind Wei Hantao and a thunderstorm behind Yang Feng.

    "Ladies,dies, you¡¯re both beautiful. Now can we get to a civilized discussion?" She scoffed, pushing Wei Hantao aside and breaking their intense staredown.

    Chen Gaonan admired how fearless she was, but could not get past how stupid she was. Her actions and words resembled a drunk soldier running into the battlefield without his armor and weapons. What could she possibly do here?

    Zhao Lifei tried to sound and appear confident, even when her knees wobbled from the look Yang Feng was giving her. She wondered if it was because she was scared of him or if she was scared of what he might do to her.

    "Let me guess, somepromising picturesnded on your desk right after my meal with Wei Hantao?" Zhao Lifei was not stupid. She had used the same tactic in the past where she hired people to take pictures of Xia Mengxi with her childhood friend then photoshopped them into promiscuous positions.

    "Well, whatever you saw, was not real." She ced her hand on her hips, then changed her mind. "Actually, it might be half the truth, but like I said, it¡¯s only 50% of it and not the entire ordeal."

    Zhao Lifei stuck out her hand, palms open. "Let me see the pictures."

    Yang Feng did not move or entertain her idea.

    She wiggled her fingers, "Come on now. Don¡¯t be stubborn."

    Yang Feng red at her. Even at a time like this, she was not careful when treading over thin ice. She was stomping on it, waiting for it to crack and break beneath her feet.

    Seeing as he was unresponsive, Zhao Lifei opened her mouth and sniped, "Stop dragging out this stupid fight. I can exin every picture and if you want proof, go check the security cameras at the restaurant."

    Yang Feng could feel his heart stir at her words. She was confident that she did not do anything wrong.

    Right on cue, a ringtone interrupted the atmosphere. Zhao Lifei recognized that it was her phone. She fished it out of her purse and picked it up.

    "Good afternoon Ma¡¯am, this is First Hospital. May I ask if I am speaking to Zhao Lifei?"

    "Yes, you are."

    "I have wonderful news, ma¡¯am. The patient has woken up and is ready for visitors."

    Zhao Lifei did not need to hear anything else. Her Qinqin was awake! She pped her hands, her face brightening. "Thank you, I will head there right now!" She hung up the phone and took one step forward when Yang Feng stood up. His long legs made him take his sweet time carrying himself to her. He towered over her, his hands tucked into his front pockets.

    "And where do you think you¡¯re going?"

    "Oh, now you want to talk to me?" She flipped her hair over her shoulders and shoved past him. She tried to walk down the hallways, but her path was blocked by the same group of burly men who prevented her escape from the hospital.

    "Listen here, buds. I don¡¯t have an IV pole with me this time, but I do have this fine and dandy¡ª"

    "Stop threatening my men." Yang Feng muttered, walking up to her and forcefully taking off her zer.

    "What are you doing?"

    He tossed it to Chen Gaonan who threw it in the trash can before pulling out a hand sanitizer.

    She was confused by his behavior. He then took her wrist, grabbed the hand sanitizer and ced some on her wrist before vigorously wiping. Was he cleaning everything that Wei Hantao touched? He made it seem like the man was dirty.

    "I¡¯ll help you wash your hair tonight." Yang Feng threw the materials back to Chen Gaonan before wrapping an arm around her upper arm.

    Zhao Lifei felt like her time was wasted by the brute. Seriously, she could not believe him. Heaving a tired sigh, she said, "You¡¯re so dramatic."

    She shrugged his arm off and walked down the hallway, leaving everyone behind.

    Wei Hantao stood in his spot, dumbfounded that she did not reject Yang Feng¡¯s behavior and actions. His fingers became fists. The light in his eyes was instantly reced with a desire to conquer. It seemed he had underestimated her love for Yang Feng. He thought the man was a mere rebound, but his predictions were proven wrong.

    - - - - -

    A woman was dragged into the ck room by her long, ck hair. She was screaming and kicking, her shrill shrieks mimicked a chicken being ughtered. "What are you doing?! Are you crazy? Let go of me! Do you know who I am?!"

    Guo Sheng leisurely tossed the woman onto the floor. "No, you fugly hoe, I don¡¯t."

    Yang Yulong sat in his wooden chair while examining the de in his hand. He rhythmically tapped his finger on the pointy edge of the knife and raised his head to look at the woman. She was a B-list model, the same one that bothered Zhao Lifei on the red carpet of the Ling banquet.

    He remembered her. She had deliberately tried to sabotage Xiao Qin a while back in regards to a contract for the ambassador title of a perfumepany. Yang Ruqin had already released her wrath upon this woman, but it seemed like she was not thoroughly burned ¡ª Yang Yulong ensured that she would today.

    He stood up and stalked to the woman.

    Lu Nuoshui felt her heart skyrocket at the sight of Yang Yulong. Even in this horrific scenario and the blood on his hands, she could not prevent herself from ogling the handsome man. When he bent down to examine her, she wished she did not swoon. He was the man of every woman¡¯s dream,ing second to his older brother.

    Yang Yulong revealed a panty-dropping smile that hid the murderous intent in his eyes. He pressed the de close to her face, her main selling point.

    He leaned closer and utilized the effect he had on her. In a low and seductive voice, he said, "Let me ask you a question, Lu Nuoshui."

    Lu Nuoshui was so fascinated by his beauty, she did not realize that death was knocking on her door. This room was terrifying, with the different array of weapons on the wall, the blood on the floor, and the groaning man in the corner. Yet, she sat on the grimy floor, her eyes fixed on the mouthwatering man in front of her.

    With his intoxicating cologne and masculine smell, her brain was bing clouded."A-ask me anything and I¡¯ll answer truthfully." She breathlessly said. The first three buttons of his shirt were let loose to reveal his rippling chest. Just a little bit more, she would be able to feel the flesh.

    "Really now?" Yang Yulongughed, amused at her behavior. She was in a life and death situation, yet here she was, spreading her legs as she always did so.

    "Of course. If it pleases you, I will do it." She shyly said with a smile, while tucking a lock of hair behind her right ear in hopes ofing off as a youthful and innocent woman.

    "Then, riddle me this, why did you seduce Mu Ting?" He tilted his head, "Why did you want to hurt my little sister?"

    Lu Nuoshui snapped out of her daze, her ditzy smile dropping. What did he just say? It was then she remembered the situation she was in. "I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about." She began to tremble when the cold de was pressed to her face.

    "It¡¯s very easy to break a woman, especially one who relies on her appearance for money." Yang Yulong darkly chuckled, a crazed look in his eyes.

    "So, I will ask you one more time, why did you want to hurt my little sister?"

    Lu Nuoshui shrieked when the knife cut her face the slightest bit as he flicked his wrist. It was a minor cut, not deep enough to leave a scar. It was her first warning and when she opened her mouth, there would be no more. The money wired into her ount would set her family for life. She did not care what would happen to her face, or so she thought.

    "Why should I tell you?" She blurted out and just like that, she sealed her fate.

 Chapter 248 One Day I Will Beat You

    When the car arrived at the hospital, Zhao Lifei did not wait for Hu Wei to open the door. She sprang out of the car, running up the hospital path like she was being chased by a pack of wild dogs. No one could match her speed. She reached the hospital room in no time.

    Panting by the door, she held onto the door frame to catch her breath before opening it to reveal Yang Ruqin sitting by the window. She was motionless and did not move even when the door was opened.

    "Qinqin." Zhao Lifei walked into the room. When Yang Ruqin was unresponsive and continued to look out the window, she felt something was off.

    Zhao Lifei ced a hand on Yang Ruqin¡¯s shoulder and turned her around. What she saw broke her heart.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s eyes had lost the light. Dull and bleak, there was no hope within them. Mu Ting had not only broken her body, but also her soul.

    Zhao Lifei embraced her in a tight hug, holding onto the woman for dear life. Yang Ruqin¡¯s arms hung by her side for the smallest second before she slowly raised them and hugged her back. It did not take long for sobs to echo in the room, as the fragile woman broke down for the first time since she had woken up. She clung onto her Feifei, crying all of her heart out, the sound was wretched and tore Zhao Lifei¡¯s heart into pieces.

    Yang Feng had finally caught up to his woman, but when he saw the scene before him, he left the room to give them space. He would never forget that sight for the rest of his life.

    "It¡¯s going to be alright. Everything is going to be just fine." Zhao Lifei tenderly whispered, rubbing her hand on Yang Ruqin¡¯s back. "You¡¯re safe now." She stroked her hair and hugged her tighter.

    "I¡¯m...so weak." Yang Ruqin choked out, burying her head into Zhao Lifei¡¯s body, refusing to let go.

    "You are not weak."

    "I-Ie f-from the family t-that rules the Underworld b-but I couldn¡¯t e-even defend myself!"

    "It¡¯s not your fault." Zhao Lifei firmly said, pulling back to cup Yang Ruqin¡¯s face. "It¡¯s not your fault." She repeated. "Do not me yourself for the things that could not be prevented."

    She brushed away the stray tears. "No one knew you would be hurt like this. Everyone believed the security around you was enough."

    "Everyone treats me like a damn princess and because of that, I-I didn¡¯t want to learn how to d-defend myself." Yang Ruqin began to wipe her own tears away, something she never did before. It was usually someone else doing it for her.

    Zhao Lifei saw the small glimmer within Yang Ruqin.

    "I¡¯m going to stop being a pathetic coward from now on." Yang Ruqin suddenly said. She was determined to change. It was time to stop ying the sheltered damsel-in-distress card. It was time for her to own up to her lineage.

    "I¡¯ve let so many people take advantage of my kindness, it¡¯s going to stop from now on." Yang Ruqin dered. She lifted her head and there was a new spark in her eyes. They shined like the sun with a heat that burned anyone who dared to get close to it.

    All her life, Yang Ruqin was sheltered and protected, in one form or another. First was her parents, the second was her brothers, and the third was Zhao Lifei. "I¡¯m going to stop relying on others to save me."

    Zhao Lifei felt like a mother watching her child grow up. Her heart swelled with pride, happy at the change. "Very well." She whispered, taking a step back to allow Yang Ruqin to stand up. And she did so, with the poise of a high-societal woman, but the eyes of a fighter.

    Yang Ruqin abruptly yanked out the IV needle, which startled Zhao Lifei. "Woah there, let¡¯s do this one step at a time." She hurriedly grabbed Yang Ruqin¡¯s wrist before she did something else. "We have to get you all healed before you can do anything." She guided her back to the hospital bed and pressed the button beside the bed.

    "Why can¡¯t I start now?" Yang Ruqin whined, then paused and nced at her fingers. "S-sorry, I promise to be stronger, but here I am, stillining."

    Zhao Lifei shook her head. "It¡¯s fine to desire empowering yourself, but you do not have to force yourself to change so much. I quite like this behavior of yours, it¡¯s more natural." She smiled.

    "It¡¯s alright to be stronger physically and mentally, but preserving the original you is also very important." Zhao Lifei fluffed the pillow so that Yang Ruqin could sit upright. "Besides, you can use your current behavior to your advantage. No one ever suspects the innocent and childish type."

    Yang Ruqin felt relieved at her words. She only wanted to be a less brittle pushover. It would be incredibly hard for her to change her habits, especially because she liked them so much.

    "Okay," She grinned and just like that, reverted back to her usual ways by wrapping her arms around Zhao Lifei.

    "Feifei, will you stay with me and hold my hand when the nursees in to attach the needle?" She widened her eyes, causing Zhao Lifei to pinch her cheek.

    "Of cour¡ª"

    "Absolutely not." Yang Feng scowled, storming into the room to take back his woman. His eyes narrowed upon Yang Ruqin¡¯s pale arms that were entwined around Zhao Lifei¡¯s hand.

    "Feng-ge, she¡¯s my best friend. I can touch her however I like." Yang Ruqin stuck out her tongue. "Besides, are you going to threaten and hurt an injured woman? Especially your sister? Are you really going to?" She egged him on.

    Yang Feng was taken aback by her tone and behavior. She was always a crybaby and a scaredy cat that would never dream of talking back and threatening him like this. What happened to her?

    "Yes, I am." He shamelessly said, pulling Zhao Lifei back and forcefully detached the two of them.

    Right on cue, the nurse walked in with the needle. Yang Ruqin glowered at her brother, her eyes shooting daggers through his skull. Just you wait, Feng-ge, one day I will beat you and have Feifei all to myself!

    Yang Ruqin braced her fear of the needle by herself. She viewed it as her first step of change. Instead of looking away from it and shrinking back, she stared at it and watched as the needle entered her skin, moving like butter.

    "This is why I can never be a doctor or a nurse." She voiced her thoughts out loud.

    Zhao Lifeiughed, "Same here."

    Yang Feng grumbled, "It¡¯s not even funny."

    Yang Ruqin rolled her eyes, "You¡¯re just jealous I can make Feifei happy."

    Yang Feng took a threatening step forward, only for Zhao Lifei to ce a hand on his chest. The billionaire tyrant and the A-list supermodel, they were all children to her. Bickering, little, kindergarten children.

    She sighed and prayed that her children in the future will not mimic their father and aunt¡¯s behavior. She then blinked upon realizing what she had just thought. Children. With Yang Feng. The thought never crossed her mind until today.

    Zhao Lifei raised her head to examine the man beside her. He was continuing the re-off with Yang Ruqin, but even through his petty banter, he was still a very handsome man. She admired his features, his chiseled jaw, fierce and full eyebrows, thin and delectable lips, and his high-bridged nose.

    Upon feeling her stares, he turned to her, a tiny smile on his face. He brought his hand up to caress her face with his thumb. "What is it, my love?" He whispered, leaning in to kiss her forehead.

    Zhao Lifei could feel butterflies in her stomach at his loving gesture, She ced a hand over his and slowly shook her head. "Nothing." She was still angered at how fast he jumped to conclusions this morning, but decided to talk it out once they got home today.

 Chapter 249 How Was This Possible?

    In a house on the outskirts of the city, tucked in a secluded area, a man was holding his long white sleeves while he crushed the ink. It was grounded perfectly on the b so, when he dipped the calligraphy brush, the ink had a good streak to it. The birds chirped outside and a light breeze wafted in from the gardens, carrying a pleasant floral smell.

    The man was in a very good mood today, especially when he discovered that his father was going to have a thorough talk with Elder Yang. He did not realize it yesterday, but, as he now sat in a secluded, peaceful area, his brain was finally able to think properly.

    Zhao Lifei was Yang Feng¡¯s weakness. His sole weakness, might he add. It would be the lovers¡¯ greatest downfall, for it would not take long for Elder Yang to be notified of this news. And when it does happen, she wille tumbling down, literally.

    Su Boyuan could not wait for the day she would crash after flying so high. The higher she flew, the harder she would fall. He let out a haughtyughter at the idea.

    Elder Yang was a merciless man when it came to ensuring that his grandson was the perfect ruler. Anything that could jeopardize Yang Feng¡¯s reputation and muddle his brain would be exterminated. To a man as capable and potent as Elder Yang, killing Zhao Lifei would be like squashing a bug. Zhao Moyao could protest all he wanted, but in the end, he had other favorable grandchildren. Losing one should not hurt that much.

    Su Boyuan was fully aware that his daughter would enter a loveless marriage, but he did not care. As long as she bore the Yang family a son and secured her position in the family, a broken heart and eternity of suffering were fine with him.

    He smirked at the idea of how useful she would be in the future. He wondered if he should ask Elder Yang to pardon Zhao Lifei from dying, just so he could get his hands on that woman and ruin her further before she died.

    The thundering sound of a frantic servant rushing down the hallways could be heard. "M-master Su..." She squeaked at the door.

    Su Boyuan scowled at her mistake. "Come in."

    The servant, no more than the age of eighteen, because Su Boyuan liked them young, hesitantly stepped into the room. The second she did so, something was hurled at her head. She yelped and dodged the flying jar, dropping to her knees to beg for forgiveness.

    "Useless little thing, how dare you run and cause a ruckus?!" Su Boyuan snarled, standing up.

    "T-t-this servant a-apologizes for her mistake..." She cried out, bowing her head to the wooden floor. "But there is urgent news sent from the training center that must be addressed immediately."

    "What is it?" Su Boyuan put down the stick that he was going to beat her with.

    "T-t-today¡¯s training supplies did not arrive. Also, three of our top instructors handed in their resignation letters this morning!"

    Su Boyuan felt his entire world crash at her words. No, that can¡¯t be possible. To lose one instructor without notice is like a starving farmer dropping his sole bag of rice in the sewers. And to lose three at once was like dooming him to hell. There are only five instructors in this ce, with two remaining, everything will be chaotic. To add to the problem, without the supplies, this ce could not properly function.

    Today was evaluation day, where recruiters wereing in to evaluate the students and the training center. It was an important day for them, both in terms of money and reputation.

    "What do you mean there are no supplies and instructors?! Order the other servants to go out and buy some now! Who the hell let the instructors resign? Go and have people find them, threaten them toe back and if they do not, tell them the Su family will not take the matter lightly!"

    "Master, we¡¯ve tried. Many of us went out to buy materials, but all of the closest suppliers said they would not sell to us or take our money, no matter how much we offer them! In regards to the instructors, they disappeared without a trace!"

    Su Boyuan copsed onto the ground, his face dumbfounded. How was this possible?

    - - - - -

    Yang Ruqin watched as thest drop of IV entered her system. The nurse removed the needle, stuck a bandaid on her hand and ced everything on the metal tray.

    "When can I leave this hospital?" She asked Bai Xingyao who checked a tablet.

    "We need to run a few tests on you to ensure no major internal damage was done. If everything goes smoothly from here, I believe you can be discharged within three days." Usually, patients could leave early, but Bai Xingyao knew how protective President Yang and Zhao Lifei was of this woman. She concluded it would be appropriate to have Yang Ruqin rest longer, just so she could sooth the worries of the overthinkers.

    "That¡¯s not fast enough." Yang Ruqin¡¯s lips dipped into a small, disapproving frown. "Aside from the bruises, nothing is hurting me. I¡¯m a bit sore from lying in bed for so long. I don¡¯t think three days is necessary."

    "It is. You need to rest, Qinqin." Zhao Lifei interjected.

    "I¡¯ve rested long enough." Yang Ruqin stubbornly shook her head. She turned to the nurse and said, "Perform the tests today. I want to leave as early as a few hours or tomorrow morning."

    "Why are you in a rush to leave?" Zhao Lifei worriedly said.

    "I want to go to the Underworld to beat some sense into Mu Ting."

    "Absolutely not."

    "Absolutely not."

    Both Yang Feng and Zhao Lifei said at the same time. They behaved like authoritative and overly-protective parents.

    Yang Ruqin eyed the two of them. She loved them dearly, but sometimes, she wondered if they viewed her as a sibling and friend or as a child. "With all due respect, I can do whatever I want."

    "Sure you can." Yang Feng sarcastically replied, leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs. He slung his arms on the couch, sitting like azy and defiant crowned prince.

    Yang Ruqin knew what her brother was implying. With him in control, he could have her tossed out of that ce for all he cared. "You do realize, I¡¯m also a Yang." She could easily storm into the base and snatch everything. No one could stop her. Only brain dead people would. Everyone knew how loved she was by both the Big Boss and Second-in-Command. No one was willing to go against her in the headquarters.

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t respond. He slid his arms down a bit to y with Zhao Lifei¡¯s hair, twirling the silky strands in his hands.

    Yang Ruqin stuck out her tongue at her brother, angry that he didn¡¯t reply. He always did this. Refusing to speak to his family, but willingly babbled to Zhao Lifei. She huffed, crossed her arms, and stubbornly red at the floor.

    Zhao Lifei was worried for Yang Ruqin if she entered the Underworld. She knew, without a doubt, that Mu Ting¡¯s brutalized body would not be a pretty sight for the sheltered princess, but a part of her knew it would be better to expose her to the cruel reality sooner orter.

 Chapter 250 Bark For You

    Zhao Junkai groaned in his cell. He felt like his head was run over with a truck and then bashed with a hammer. The headache was making him dizzy and he could barely see straight, much less think about where he was.

    He blinked a couple of times and rubbed his eyes, only for him to see nothing but darkness. He could only hear the sound of water dripping.

    His nose wrinkled when an indescribably disgusting smell entered his nose, clogging his brain. He choked at how pungent it was. It was like a mixture of rotting flesh, blood, and maybe even human waste. This ce was horrendous. He did not know how he arrived here.

    "Hello, is anyone there?" He called out, grabbing the back of his head in pain.

    He tried to recall what had happened prior. Snippets of his memory came back, in disordered bits and pieces. He copsed on the ground, using his hand to support his body. The pain in his head was too excruciating, nheless, he finally registered what had happened. One minute he was entering the elevator with President Yang¡¯s secretary and the next, he was unconscious.

    Kidnapped. He understood he was kidnapped, but by whom? Was it the secretary? For what purposes though?

    "Hello...I need help! My head is bleeding!" He hoarsely cried out, standing up again and trying to feel his way into the darkness when his hand touched something cold and metallic. He wrapped his fingers around it and felt his heart drop upon understanding that it was a metal pole. There wasn¡¯t one, but tens of it. He was locked in a cage.

    "Oh, it seems he¡¯s awake now." A man said from down the hallways. He nudged his buddy who went upstairs to report the discovery.

    Yang Yulong had just finished cleaning his hand when a man knocked outside of the ck Room. "Come in." He gruffly responded, tossing the knife aside to clean his hands.

    The man opened the door and stiffened when he saw the motionless woman on the floor with half her head shaved, her hair mangled and face bruised. He then nced at his expressionless second-inmand and the young man sitting in the chair.

    Guo Sheng was tapping away on his Gameboy with the volume set on the highest setting. The cheerful music was an eerie contrast to the state of this grimy room.

    "Sir, the man captured by Chen Gaonan has awaken. Should we notify the Big Boss?"

    Yang Yulong paused what he was doing. "Who did he capture?"

    "A man named Zhao Junkai."

    Yang Yulong raised a brow. Wasn¡¯t that Zhao Lifei¡¯s eldest uncle? What was he doing here? Was he rted to her kidnapping case? "Yes, inform him."

    Guo Sheng raised his head at the mention of the big boss. Was heing here?! He hadn¡¯t seen him in a while now and missed him dearly. He also wantedpliments from the big boss on how well he had done with Mu Ting and Lu Nuoshui.

    - - - - -

    The test ran smoothly and nothing wrong could be found within Yang Ruqin except for her bruises.

    Zhao Lifei warily watched Yang Ruqin put on the clothes brought in by Chen Gaonan. She finished dressing in record time and was in a rush to get somewhere.

    Yang Feng sat leisurely on the chair, one hand on Zhao Lifei¡¯s thigh, the other typing on his phone. His brows were knitted together and he did not look happy by what he was reading.

    Yang Ruqin tied up her hair and said, "Okay. I¡¯m ready!" She pped her hands and walked to Zhao Lifei.

    "Ready for what?" Zhao Lifei asked, standing up to adjust the cor of Yang Ruqin¡¯s shirt.

    "The Underworld, of course. I¡¯ve been there a handful of times, but it¡¯s usually upstairs and far away from the ¡¯bad guys¡¯. Today, I want to go to the ck Room." Yang Ruqin was rarely allowed entry to the base, especially by Yang Feng who refused to let her within 1 meter of the vicinity. It was hard to ask for Yang Feng¡¯s permission, but getting Yang Yulong¡¯s was very easy. He could never say no to her, especially when she used her puppy-face.

    Zhao Lifei knew she would not be able to change Yang Ruqin¡¯s mind once she made it up. "Alright, since you¡¯re going, I guess I¡¯ll go with you."

    At this, Yang Feng¡¯s head snapped up. He red at his younger sister, using her of being a bad influence.

    Yang Ruqin shrank back at the ferociousness in his eyes. She usually had the guts to talk back, but at times like this, she could not find the courage. Seeing the murderous intent in her elder brother¡¯s eyes, she thought she was done for.

    "Well, are you taking us there or not?" Zhao Lifei ced a hand on her hips, impatiently tapping her foot on the floor.

    Yang Feng refused to stand up. His eyes, cold and hostile, pierced hers. "No one is going." He said it like amand instead of a suggestion. His voice was deeper than usual, resembling the growl of an animal.

    "It¡¯s dangerous."

    Yang Ruqin nudged Zhao Lifei to do something.

    Zhao Lifei quirked her brow and shrugged. "Fine, we¡¯ll go by ourselves." She looped her arms through Yang Ruqin¡¯s hand and walked two steps when she felt something heavy holding her back.

    Yang Feng sped his hand on her shoulders. "I¡¯m serious."

    "And so are we." She shrugged off his hand, but with his iron grip, she could not. He held her in ce.

    "Just because you¡¯re preventing us from entering there today, does not mean you can stop us tomorrow, the day after that, next week, or next month." She turned around.

    Yang Feng noticed when his littledy was angry, her eyes would turn from hazel to gold. Her eyes were vicious, tearing him down without trying to. He didn¡¯t think it was possible for a woman to ever intimidate him, especially one with such a smaller frame. To him, she looked fragile and petite.

    "If I do not permit it, you¡¯ll never set foot in the Underworld."

    Zhao Lifei let out augh. "Is that what you think?" She patted his chest, shaking her head in sympathy. "You have overestimated yourself, Yang Feng."

    Yang Feng snatched the hand resting on his chest, clenching hard onto it. He could shatter her bones without a second thought, but his heart would never allow himself to do such a thing. He knew he was hurting her, he could see it in her eyes, but he needed her to obey him. She can not enter such a dangerous ce, he would not allow for it.

    "Your guard is always down, my dear. If I want, I can lock you up this instant. You won¡¯t be able to go anywhere."

    Zhao Lifei stared into his vehement eyes. She could see her reflection in them, as well as the tormented souls of the people he brutally in. Nothing in this world could stop him if he wanted something. She knew it too. His words were not a threat, they were a promise. If he chained her into a room, she would not have the physical strength to fight back.

    "What am I? A dog?" Her lips tilted into a frown. "Should I bark for you?"

    Yang Feng narrowed his eyes. "You¡¯re overreacting."

    "And you¡¯re overly controlling."

    Yang Feng¡¯s lips thinned into a straight line at her words. "I¡¯m only trying to keep you safe."

    "From what? The people there?" She tugged her hand back and he released it. "Have faith in your people. Why would they hurt me?"

    "My grandfather still has his people there. If word gets out that you were there¡ª"

    "Your grandfather wants a woman who can handle both the business and triad side of things. What¡¯s wrong with me entering there?"

    Yang Feng became silent. She was right, of course. He was too prideful and stubborn to admit it. There were other reasons he did not want her to go to such a dangerous ce. There were people who did unspeakable crimes locked in the underground cells and though the possibility of them escaping was extremely unlikely, there was still a chance that they¡¯ll break free. Her eldest uncle was also being held there and he had just received a notification that the man had finally woken up.

    He ground his teeth, his jaw going ck. "You better not wander off." He harshly grabbed her, forcefully separating her from Yang Ruqin before mping his hand onto her waist.

    Yang Ruqin squealed in delight. She knew her Feifei could do it! "Hey, wait up! Don¡¯t leave me behind." She caught up to them and together, they made their way downstairs and into Hu Wei¡¯s car.

    The chauffeur was mortified to discover that bothdies would be going to the headquarters. He made eye contact with his boss and saw that the man was displeased by the idea as well. Both men were upset at the decision. Only Yang Ruqin and Zhao Lifei were in a good mood.

 Chapter 251 Grand Adventure

    When word got out that their Big Boss was to arrive, many people came out to personally greet him. It was a sight to behold. So many burly men with bulging muscles, tattoos, and scars were all uniformly lined up, apanied by the selected and small handful of women who were also a part of the base.

    A few seconds passed and a ck Maybach pulled up on the highly camouged and hidden entrance.

    Zhao Lifei was in awe by the security here. She did not know that the base was so far out of the city and deep into the forest. Hidden by thick trees, it was impossible to spot this area from helicopters or airnes, and with the painting of the exterior, it blended in perfectly.

    Within a ten mile radius of the building, there were high towers that seemed rtively harmless, but they operated the lines of electricity coursing through the underground and formed an invisible fencing barrier. One step too close and a person would be electrocuted to death.

    Chen Gaonan stepped out from a separate car and opened the door for his boss. His eyes became asrge as the moon when he saw the twodies sitting inside the car. They shed him a smug smile and waved.

    His eyes snapped towards his boss and saw that the man was already in a sour mood. He sighed. This must¡¯ve been their idea and their boss had no choice but to ept it. He already knew who exactly would have been in charge of convincing the Big Boss.

    Chen Gaonan stepped aside. Yang Feng came out of the car first. The people immediately bowed before him, "Wee back, Young Master." Their greetings were in unison and thunderous, the sound drilling into Zhao Lifei¡¯s brain.

    Yang Feng did not spare them any more than an inattentive nce. He stood tall and proud, untouchable to all, like the almighty ruler he was. People rarely had the courage to meet his gaze, much less look at him for too long.

    His aura was iparable and when his eyes scanned the crowd, everyone gulped. A few broke out in a cold sweat, even though they did nothing wrong. His presence always made people want to confess every sin they¡¯vemitted. Those who lied to him all suffered unimaginable fate.

    Yang Ruqin came out next, her bubbly personality was like a sigh of relief to many. The men respectfully kept their eyes to themselves and a few others kept it trained to the floor. Everyone here knows how important she was to both their Big Boss and Second-In-Command.

    And then, out came another stunning woman, one who blew them all away. First came her slim, milky legs, then her body, andstly, her presence. She was as beautiful as she was fierce. Her eyes swept around the forest,nding upon everyone. She looked around as if she owned this ce. She ced a hand on her hips, giving off a very haughty and self-assured persona.

    The men could not help themselves but direct their eyes directly towards her. She did not have luscious curves like Su Meixiu, but she was gorgeous in her own right. She gave off a very mature and independent appeal which made her seem like a very hard conquest.

    "What are you looking at?" Five words from their boss were enough to send everyone¡¯s gaze anywhere but at her. A few looked at the sky as if it was the most interesting thing they have ever witnessed. Some cleared their throat and studied the dirt and all the wonders it offered.

    Zhao Lifei chuckled at Yang Feng¡¯s words and when she was close enough, he yanked her to his side, keeping a very possessive hold over her. She shook her head at his behavior. She wondered how a man like him became a yandere.

    Zhao Lifei apanied him into the building, her eyes curiously observing her surroundings. She was blown away by this ce. It was huge but very orderly at the same time.

    When she thought of the Underworld, she imagined a dark warehouse with sketchy interior but this ce waspletely different from that. It was squeaky clean here, brightly lit, and when she walked with Yang Feng into different floors, she could see state of the art technology. When they got to the control room, her eyes grew wide. Many of the equipments here were ones found deep within the military bases!

    Yang Feng guided her to a waiting room and sat her down along with Yang Ruqin. "Stay here and behave. I will be back in fifteen minutes."

    Zhao Lifei opened her mouth, but it was toote. He was already storming out of the room, closing the door behind him. She stood up and sat right back down when she heard the loud click of the lock.

    Yang Ruqin waited three minutes before she said, "Okay. Let¡¯s find a way out of here."

    Zhao Lifei stood up and reached her hand into her hair to pull out a bobby pin. "Good call, let¡¯s go." She went to the door and paused, her confidence washed down the drain. There was no door handle. And upon closer examination, she realized there was a metal b with the outline of a circr knob that seemed to retract itself when the door was locked.

    "Maybe we can try breaking the windows?" Yang Ruqin suggested, her eyes trailing to the window.

    "I can already tell its shatterproof." Zhao Lifei huffed, stomping back to the couch where she slumped down and obediently followed his orders to sit here and "behave." She thought she could be like those female leads in movies who always managed to find a way to escape, but it seemed not.

    She nced up at the air vents, an idea popping into her mind, but it was shot down in less than a second. How stupid would it be if she tried climbing into the air vent where there would most likely be an enormous fan preventing their path? She was sure it would not be big enough to fit a person anyways.

    "So, you¡¯re telling me, we can¡¯t pull a dumb female lead card and escape from this room, explore the area, get caught, and then cry our way out of the situation?" Yang Ruqin sat down beside Zhao Lifei.

    "Nope." Zhao Lifei leaned her head on the couch and red at the security cameras in the corner of the room. "Besides, I guess there¡¯s no harm in waiting until Yang Feng gets back."

    Yang Ruqin wanted to go on a grand adventure and explore this ce all by herself. Every time she was here, she was always apanied by way too many people who prevented her from going in certain ces and rooms. All she saw was the bright surface of this area and not the things that made this ce hell.

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng took a pleasant sip of the century-old wine in his ss. Hezily sat on his chair, resting his head on a propped up arm, as if he was enjoying tea on a fine morning. Except, he was not. He was currently watching a man being tortured to death for information that he did not know.

    "P-please, y-you have the wrong g-guy!" Zhao Junkai pleaded through mouthfuls of blood. He could barely keep his eyes open. One was severely bruised and ck, whereas the other had to blink through the trail of blood dripping from his head.

    "T-t-the credit c-card used is mine, b-but I really didn¡¯t o-order people to kidnap her!" Guo Sheng twirled the screwdriver in his fingers and without warning, jammed it into Zhao Junkai¡¯s thigh.

    A bloodcurdling scream filled the air. Zhao Junkai tried to grab his injured thigh but could not do so. His wrists were bound while his body dangled from the air.

    Yang Yulong checked the time. Ten minutes have passed and Zhao Junkai had barely given them a satisfactory response. People usually broke down within the first five minutes. Why was this man taking so long to speak? Unless he really was innocent?

    Guo Sheng dropped the screwdriver after deeming it too boring. He skipped over to his toy box and began fumbling through it. He picked up a knife dedicated to skinning people but tossed it aside. Too boring. He dug deeper until he found the nail pryer.

    Zhao Junkai whimpered at the sight of the device. "W-wait, I-I think I remember something!"

    Guo Sheng pouted. ¡¯A man! I was so close to using it! Oh well, I¡¯ll just have to wait and see what he has to confess.¡¯

    "T-the card was s-stolen a long time ago! Y-you can check with my bank."

    Yang Feng was intrigued by his words. He turned to Chen Gaonan andmanded, "Get the bank files."

    "Yes, sir." Chen Gaonan bowed his head and walked off.

    Yang Feng checked the time. Fourteen minutes have passed. It was time to go back to his woman. He stood up and waved Guo Sheng over. "Clean his wounds."

    Zhao Junkai rxed upon hearing it. ¡¯D-does that mean he would be let go? Thank goodness¡ª¡¯

    SPLASH!

    Boiling hot water was dumped onto his body, as an inhumane and beastly scream sliced the tension. His body wriggled, causing the chains to rattle while he howled and screeched in pain.

    Guo Sheng pped his hands at the sound, a manic and crazed look in his eyes.

 Chapter 252 Tainted With Sins

    When Yang Feng unlocked the door, he was relieved to see that Zhao Lifei was still sitting on the couch. Even though she was ring daggers at him for being locked in there, it was better than having her roam about this ce unattended.

    In all honesty, he expected the two partners in crime to run off somewhere which was why he specifically led them to this escape-proof room.

    He rubbed the top of her head, a small smile on his face. "Let me take you on a tour." He offered her a hand which she pped away while she stood up on her own.

    She let out a loud "Hmph," and wrapped her hand around Yang Ruqin¡¯s arm. Both of them sauntered out of the room, leaving behind a group of disgruntled men.

    Yang Yulong disliked seeing his younger sister in this ce, even if she would be safe here. The environment here was malicious and he did not want her innocent eyes to be tainted with the sinsmitted in the basement. He supposed this was the very belief that got her injured in the first ce. If his family wasn¡¯t so overprotective of her, perhaps she could¡¯ve learned how to defend herself properly.

    Yang Feng took Zhao Lifei on a tour of the first few levels. She saw the equipment, the operation rooms, boards with missions, and so on, but nothing interested her. She did not nce at the things he showed her for more than a few seconds.

    Yang Feng saw how glum she looked during the entire tour, preferring to look at her nails. "What¡¯s wrong?" He relented, cing a hand on the top of her head, trailing it lower to rest on her upper back.

    "I want to see interesting things. All of this, I already expected it." Zhao Lifei deliberately brushed his hand away. "I want to see the infamous ck Room." She ced a hand on his chest and drew circles on the spot.

    "No."

    "Fine, I¡¯ll go myself." She grabbed Yang Ruqin and stomped towards the elevator.

    Yang Feng trailed after her, an arrogant smile on his face. He let her into the polished and squeaky clean elevator and waited for her to press a button. He saw her struggle between the various symbols there. Little did this fool know, essing the ck Room was going to be a lot harder than she thought.

    Zhao Lifei looked at the different symbols on the buttons, resembling the ones found on poker cards. "This is stupidly easy."

    Yang Feng quirked a brow. Oh?

    "The heart most likely rtes to medicine, the diamond ties back to money, the club is for training rooms, and the spade, well, is the basement where the rooms are located." Zhao Lifei pressed the spade button and right on cue, the elevator went on a lockdown mode. She opened her palms and revealed the card she had stolen from Yang Feng.

    At the sight of the familiar key card, Yang Feng ced a hand on his chest while going through his suit jacket. It was gone. His head snapped to the perpetrator beside him, his eyes ignited with a dangerous me out to burn people, starting with the dashing woman who loved to y with fire.

    Yang Yulong and Yang Ruqin exchanged brief nces, equally blown away that she managed to steal something from the dragon. In this entire world, only she would be able to get away with that.

    "You should update your symbols. They¡¯re so easy to guess, a five-year-old would know how to navigate this ce."

    Zhao Lifei turned to Yang Feng and pressed her body into his arm, looping one dainty hand around his bicep. "Darling," She sweetly beckoned him, her fingers sliding down to his hand. He acted on reflex and grabbed it.

    She leaned up to him, "You¡¯re so easy to trick." She pressed a swift kiss to his cheek, easily distracting him. He opened his mouth but she sealed her lips over it. She utilized the hand that was holding hers, turned it towards the elevator screen and pressed his fingerprints on it.

    All of it happened in less than a minute. She pulled back from the kiss, winked, and pointed towards the elevator screen that showed the descending flights.

    Yang Feng¡¯s face became ck. He foully cursed himself for being so easily distracted by her. She was his weakness and whenever she did something, he could never heartfully reject it.

    Yang Ruqin let out a contented sigh, sping her hand over her heart. She looked at Zhao Lifei as if the woman was a goddess descending from the heavens. She had never seen anyone trick her brother as good as Zhao Lifei had.

    ¡¯Oh Feng-ge, you love-sick fool...¡¯ She thought to herself, right when Yang Yulong thought, ¡¯Yang Feng, you henpecked idiot!¡¯

    "You won¡¯t get away with this the next time." Yang Feng warned her when the elevator door opened.

    Zhao Lifei innocently turned towards him, batting her longshes. "What do you mean?" She continued hugging his arm, resting her head upon it.

    "Stop ying dumb."

    "What if I said I wasn¡¯t ying?" When they passed by the stoic men stationed in the hallways, Zhao Lifei detached herself from him. She did not want him to be seen as weak by having a woman clinging to his arm.

    Yang Feng saw her sudden hesitation and wrapped an arm around her, leaning down to kiss the side of her head. "If you¡¯re dumb, then I must be the town fool."

    "I¡¯m d you know." Zhao Lifei could feel her heart rx at his behavior. He was not afraid of showing her off and publicly disying his love for her, something she always valued in a man.

    Yang Feng let out a small chuckle, deep and resonating down the hallways. It was warm like summer, rich as chocte; the sound touched her heart, squeezing it. The only thing she could do was look up at him, awestruck by the sight of hisughing face. She doubted she would ever stop questioning how he could be so inhumanly handsome. How did she ever get so lucky to get a man like him? Did she save an entire country in her past life?

    Yang Feng could feel her eyes settle on his face. He looked down and with a long slender finger, he tapped her nose. The edge of his lips was lifted the slightest bit. It was barely a smile, but to her, that was enough.

    "What are you looking at?"

    "The ugliest thing to have graced this Earth." Zhao Lifei did not want to stroke his already inted ego.

    Her words surprised him. No one would be so bold to insult him like this and that was why he loved her so much. He could never predict her reactions and responses. It could be witty one second, then the next, sweet and adoring.

    "I wonder why you¡¯re staying with the ugliest thing then." He said, just to entertain her.

    Zhao Lifei grinned. "To do my fair share of charity cases."

    Yang Feng scowled, his handsing up to roughly pinch her cheek, tugging it. She yelped in pain, smacking him on the shoulders and nipping at his fingers.

    Yang Feng bit his bottom lip to contain theughter threatening to break out. She reacted the same way he expected an angry and bullied little kitty to react. "It¡¯s not good to bite people."

    "Nor is it nice to assault someone¡¯s cheeks." She huffed, rubbing the bright pink area. She angrily pushed Yang Feng¡¯s fingers away when he tried to soothe the area.

    "Says the one who did the same thing in my office room."

    Zhao Lifei felt her entire face flush at his words. She turned her face to the side, in hopes of hiding the light pink blush. "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about."

    "Hm, sure you don¡¯t." He teased her, holding her just a bit closer to him.

 Chapter 253 Lady Boss

    Zhao Lifei was utterly and beyond disappointed by what she saw. Huddling, shaking, and balled up in the corner of the room was an injured Mu Ting, whose entire body looked beyond repair ¡ª just like his disturbed brain. She anticipated the injuries on him but did not think he would be damaged to this extent. She wanted to beat a sensible man who can at least register the abuse. What satisfaction would there be in hitting a man who¡¯s already in this state?

    Yang Ruqin shared the same thoughts. She swiftly turned to Yang Yulong, using him with her eyes. "Did you always have to take the fun out of everything?" She smacked his shoulders when he had the audacity to sh her a brazen smile, innocently blinking his eyes.

    "What do you mean, my beloved sister?"

    "Ew, don¡¯t call me that. I will puke on your shoes."

    "Hey! These are from thetest season collection of Prada, I will skin you alive if you get them dirty!"

    Guo Sheng was walking down the halls when he heard his favorite phrase "Skin you alive." He rounded the corner and blurted out, "But that¡¯s my job!"

    Yang Ruqin jumped at the sudden interruption. She turned around, her eyes brightening upon seeing her favorite manchild. Before she could even say anything, the ball of energy was already sprinting to her.

    "Miss Ruqin!" He shouted in delight, like a child on Christmas Eve. He lifted her into a tight embrace, twirling her around in the air, hugging onto her for dear life.

    Yang Ruqin let out a squeal of delight,ughing at his usual greeting. "I¡¯m always surprised by how you can pick me up with your frail arms."

    Guo Sheng tightened his arms around her, setting her down on her feet as he buried his head into her hair. "You¡¯re as light as newly ripped skin, so that¡¯s alright."

    Yang Ruqin blinked at the weirdparison. "Xiao Sheng...Remember what I saidst time?"

    Guo Sheng pouted, "I should use civilized words..."

    "It¡¯s only a reminder. Don¡¯t sulk on my shoulders." Yang Ruqin let out a quietughter, running her hand through his light brown hair. "You can use it in the Underworld, but in public, you shouldn¡¯t."

    She gave the big baby a pat on his back and pulled back from the hug, but he continued to hold onto her.

    "I-I heard you were injured..." Guo Sheng worriedly whispered, finally releasing her. He looked like he was on the verge of tears at the very thought. He physically examined her from head to toe.

    Yang Ruqin was d she was wearing a long-sleeved turtleneck paired with skinny jeans that covered all of the bruises. If he saw the smallest discoloration, she was worried about how violent he would be.

    "Yes, I was, but I¡¯m fine now. Don¡¯t worry about it." She reached her hand up to stroke his head, but he was too tall for her, even in her heels.

    Guo Sheng saw her struggle and bent his head to her height, eagerly waiting for the pat. She ruffled his hair, a big smile on her face.

    Guo Sheng was in awe of her blinding beauty, his fingers reaching up on his own to poke the dip in her cheeks. "You¡¯re so pretty, Miss Ruqin..." He wistfully said, cing both his fingers into her dimples.

    Yang Ruqin chuckled at his reaction, her hands sped over his fingers. "I know."

    Zhao Lifei carefully observed the pair. She wondered if low EQ traits ran deep in the Yang bloodline because it was very obvious this young man, dressed in an overly bright yellow shirt, was madly in love with Yang Ruqin.

    She nced at Yang Yulong who also did not notice a single thing out of ce. She then looked at Yang Feng who also seemed rxed. ¡¯Yep, low EQ definitely runs in the family.¡¯ She paused and shook her head. ¡¯I should not judge them, I share an equally low EQ too.¡¯

    Guo Sheng sensed someone was looking at him. His head snapped to the observer, his eyes narrowing upon the hand resting on her hip. Who was she? Why is she standing next to Big Boss? He thought that was Su Meixiu¡¯s role, speaking of which, he hasn¡¯t seen that rigid and uptight woman in a while... He shuddered at the thought of her. She was strict and reminded him of the nurses in the asylum.

    Yang Feng cleared his throat.

    Guo Sheng was easily on high-alert with his undivided attention set on his Big Boss.

    "Guo Sheng, this is yourdy-boss from now on. Treat her better than how you treat me." Yang Fengmanded.

    Guo Sheng warily stared at her nk expression. He hoped she was not like Su Meixiu.

    Zhao Lifei roughly elbowed Yang Feng for his words. Such an odd request, she wouldn¡¯t be surprised if red gs were raised and Elder Yang discovers the truth.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s face softened into a tiny smile that brightens her face. She had an unapproachable-resting face without her smile, something she tried desperately to fix, but to no avail. "It¡¯s nice to meet you, Guo Sheng."

    Guo Sheng perked up after he saw her smile. She looked as friendly as Miss Ruqin...

    "Big Boss¡¯ family calls me Xiao Sheng." His eyes bounced to his Big Boss, "Lady-boss..." He addressed her by the formal title.

    Zhao Lifei waved her hands. "Just Lifei is fine. Lady boss makes me sound old." She wrinkled her nose.

    Yang Feng was silently listening. Lady boss sounds old? Then Big Boss makes him sound ancient... He debated if he should have his men address him differently.

    "She¡¯s my best friend, Xiao Sheng. You have to treat her nicely, okay?" Yang Ruqin added on, afraid he might be hostile. She heard rumors thest time he was introduced to one of her uncles, he became violent and threw a knife at her poor uncle¡¯s throat. It was needless to say that he was not kind to strangers.

    Guo Sheng slowly nodded his head. "She seems nice." He announced, turning to Yang Ruqin. "And she¡¯s big boss¡¯ girlfriend. I¡¯ll be good. I won¡¯t throw...knives at her."

    "She¡¯s not my girlfriend, she¡¯s going to be my future wi¡ª" Zhao Lifei mped a hand over Yang Feng¡¯s mouth, sending him a warning re. He was the one who wanted to seem detached in their rtionship, but he was also the first to p his chest and dere her as his.

    Guo Sheng adorably blinked, tilting his head in confusion. He scratched his ears and turned to Yang Ruqin for rification. She chuckled, "Don¡¯t worry about it."

    Guo Sheng was too caught up by the angelic sound she made to even care about what she said. He obediently nodded his head.

    Mu Ting overheard the entire conversation. His brain was mentally not there and he couldn¡¯t stop shivering and whimpering in pain. Nheless, he was able to eavesdrop on their conversation and understand the gist of it. If he made it out alive, he would surely cry to his ring leader.

    Zhao Lifei realized the utterance of pain and difort had stopped from the man. Her eyes flickered to Mu Ting and in a low voice, she whispered to Yang Feng, "Where are the other people that were in the apartment?"

    "There were others?"

    "Yeah, I suppose there should be. There were a lot of alcohol bottles and cigarette buttsying on the ground. One man could not possibly drink all of that."

    Yang Feng was pensive while thinking over her words. He did not have Yang Ruqin¡¯s apartment searched, which was a crucial mistake. He texted Chen Gaonan, "Check the surveince camera of Yang Ruqin¡¯s apartment. Bring every visitor to the base for questioning."

    Zhao Lifei snuck a peek at his text and said, "Or we can ask Qinqin herself about those who were present."

    Yang Feng shook his head. "It¡¯s best if she does not think about the event."

    Zhao Lifei glimpsed at Yang Ruqin¡¯s smiling and carefree expression. She shivered when she thought back to Yang Ruqin¡¯s expression in the hospital room. She agreed with Yang Feng. It would be better if she didn¡¯t ask Yang Ruqin unless it was absolutely necessary.

 Chapter 254 Non-Existent Trus

    After protests from all of the men present and an unrelenting Yang Ruqin, bothdies stepped foot into the ck Room.

    Zhao Lifei wondered which medieval castle this room was inspired from. The walls were made of grey stone, obviously soundproof with very dim lighting. There were all sorts of devices, weapons, and other things present. She could see that it was recently cleaned, but nothing could get rid of the blood stains on the walls and floors. She wondered how much the janitors get paid here. Cleaning up the mess in this room must¡¯ve been a difficult task to do.

    Zhao Lifei was worried about Yang Ruqin who had never punched anyone in her life. She was being coached by Guo Sheng on how to do a proper beatdown.

    "You can¡¯t put your thumb inside the fist, you will break it." Guo Sheng grabbed her thumb and ced it outside her fist. He then excitedly led her towards his "toy box" filled with various tools and weapons.

    "This one is perfect for breaking his bones, oh and this one can make your punches hurt a lot more. But you¡¯ll dirty your hands if you directly use this one, hm, the arabian dagger is too bloody for you. What do you think about the baseball bat?" Guo Sheng fumbled through the box, taking out things and then tossing it to the side.

    Yang Ruqin patiently listened to his rambling and bent down to search the box together.

    Zhao Lifei walked around the room and noticed a button. She pressed it resulting in chains falling from the air. She pressed another button and this time there were leather restraints.

    Yang Ruqin turned around at themotion and her perverted mind thought straight to BDSM. Her eyes met Zhao Lifei¡¯s curious ones and she winked.

    Zhao Lifei was confused at what Yang Ruqin was pointing at and before her brain could be corrupt, Yang Feng stood in her line of sight. "Don¡¯t press random buttons. There is one that will activate a pit."

    "Where does the pit lead to?"

    Yang Feng pinched her cheek. "Don¡¯t worry about it." He attempted to guide her out of the room by cing a hand on her lower back while leading her towards the door.

    Zhao Lifei dug her feet into the ground and said, "You¡¯re not taking me anywhere." She walked in the opposite side of the room and sat down on a chair, not knowing it was specifically reserved for Yang Feng.

    Guo Sheng was the only one who said anything. "Uhm,dy boss, only Big Boss¡ª"

    "Let her be." Yang Feng trained his eyes on her. She crossed her slender legs, one over the other and leaned her head on the chair.

    Mu Ting was brought into the room, quivering and trembling in the hands of the men who shoved him onto the floor. Loud shouts could be heard outside and it did not take long for more people to tumble into the room, tripping over their feet.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s pupils dted when she saw the other men that took their sweet time beating her in her own apartment. They had stolen her credit card that night to buy an excessive amount of alcohol and cigarettes.

    Zhao Lifei examined her nails and wondered if she would break one in the process. She shrugged it off and stood up, deciding today would be a good way to train her skills. It had been a while since she had a good workout with sparring partners.

    Yang Feng noticed she was still in heels and a skirt. He flicked his hand and a woman clothed in a ck suit and dress pants stepped forward.

    "Sir, you called?"

    "Get yourdy-boss a training outfit."

    The woman bowed her head and left to fetch the clothes. In less than five minutes, she returned with a set of neatly folded clothing with a pair of clean, new sneakers resting on the top of it. He took it and walked towards Zhao Lifei. "Wear this. It¡¯ll be morefortable."

    Zhao Lifei swept the room and asked, "Where am I going to change?"

    Yang Feng was brightened by the sudden opportunity to be alone with her. Perhaps he could distract her long enough for Yang Ruqin to pummel these men to the ground so that she didn¡¯t have to break a nail.

    "I¡¯ll take you somewhere." Yang Feng happily guided her upstairs where they breezed through a long and quiet hallway lined by guards. He took her into a room, switched on the lights, and then quietly locked the door behind him.

    Zhao Lifei was amazed to see it was arge bedroom furnished with everything required to make a manfortable. There was a king sized bed pushed to the wall on the left, arge window, coffee table and couch to the right, as well as a TV. There were two doors, one on the left, and one on the right.

    "Where¡¯s the bathroom?" Zhao Lifei queried as she took the clothes from his hand. She yelped when he suddenly settled his hand on her hips and bent his head to press a kiss to her forehead. Her eyes fluttered when he kissed her lids, then her cheek, trailing to the corner of her mouth before scooping her up into his arms and carrying her towards the bed.

    He hovered over her, supporting his weight on his arms. His hand cautiously caressed her face, a tiny smile settled on his lips. He leaned in for a kiss, but she ced a hand on his mouth.

    "I don¡¯t want to kiss you."

    Yang Feng was a bit offended by her words, a sh of dignation passing through his eyes. "Why not?" He gruffly asked her, kissing her fingers along the way. If she was not going to let him touch her lips, he would kiss everywhere until she could not stop herself from begging him.

    "You had a cigarette this afternoon. I hate smokers." She yanked her hand back before he could press his lips onto it again.

    "I¡¯ll brush my teeth."

    "I don¡¯t care." Without warning, Zhao Lifei flipped their position. Yang Feng¡¯s back came in contact with the bed, his face passive, but his eyes widened the slightest bit.

    "You don¡¯t trust me." She added on, hovering over him the same way he did.

    Yang Feng came back to his consciousness and wrapped an arm around her waist. His entire body went rigid when she suddenly plopped herself onto him, her breast pressed against his chest that always felt like a wall instead of flesh.

    "It was just a small brunch and you got angry at me for it." Zhao Lifei sat up when he tried to hug her. She ced the clothes to her side and could hear shuffling before he got up as well.

    "You jumped straight to conclusions and thought I cheated on you." She pointed out, raising her head to look at him. Her face was nk, but Yang Feng could tell she was hurt by his actions.

    "I get jealous easily." Yang Feng was seated beside her, his legs spread a bit so that it touched hers. She moved her leg away, not wanting to touch him.

    "That shouldn¡¯t be an excuse." She crossed her arms and tilted her face away from him. She looked anywhere but him.

    Yang Feng did not like that. He grabbed her small chin, forcing her to properly face him. She kept her eyes trained on his shoulders.

    "Your non-existent trust in me hurts."

    "You didn¡¯t trust me with Su Meixiu." Yang Feng¡¯s blunt words caused her to instantly re at him.

    "That¡¯s because I knew she had feelings for you!" Zhao Lifei threw her hands up, not believing he was going to bring her up during this fight. Her eyes shed with enmity and hostility, turning the gentle amber into a raging copper.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes narrowed when he red at her, "I can say the same thing for that pesky friend of yours."

    Zhao Lifei scoffed, "Wei Hantao does not have feelings for me."

    Yang Feng gritted his teeth, his jaw clenching and unclenching. "I know you¡¯re incredibly dense, but at the least, you should be able to recognize when a man is in love with you!"

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s fingers itched to p him at his insult. "Oh? I¡¯m dense? What does that say about you?!" She stood up and decided to not entertain this aggravating banter any longer.

    Yang Feng brutally grabbed her upperarms, his nails digging into her sensitive skin. "You know, my love, I have been patient when ites to him because he¡¯s actually useful to you."

    Zhao Lifei struggled in his arms, wriggling and pushing at his chest. "Let go of me!"

    "How blind are you to not be able to see the way he looks at you? Like some lovesick puppy wagging his tail¡ª"

    She raised her hand, in the seeming action she was going to p him for his insulting words, but in thest moment of hesitation, she mped it over his mouth. "I¡¯ve had enough of you for today."

    Something in Yang Feng changed. Where the love and tenderness for her once stood was overtaken with a state of emptiness, reced with raw anger.

 Chapter 255 Tell Me The Truth

    She did not flinch, shout, or push at him. She remained in his hold, her eyes guarded and her face impassive. In a calm and collected voice, she said, "Let go of me." Her voice sounded foreign to him. Her walls were up and as the seconds trickled by, she became more level headed.

    Yang Feng could not decipher what she was thinking or nning. He could only follow her words, releasing her. He watched as she stormed out of the room and mmed the door behind her.

    He refused to chase after her. Not after her stubbornness. Not every rtionship was perfect and theirs most certainly was not.

    Zhao Lifei did not know where she was going and where she should go. She went wherever her legs took her. She needed fresh air and she got it when she found herself at the entrance of the base.

    There were armed men and women everywhere, some were guarding the ce, others were walking to their destination. She needed a ce to clear her mind. Somewhere quiet and secluded.

    She ced one foot outside, then another, and eventually, she was able to take a couple of steps out when a voice spoke from behind her.

    "Lady boss, it¡¯s best if you do not leave the premises unattended. This ce is surrounded by wild animals, traps, andndmines set up to discourage intruders. It¡¯s very dangerous."

    Zhao Lifei nced at the woman who spoke up. She was the same one who brought her the clothes.

    Zhao Lifei was not thinking rationally. Who could do so in a state of anger? Even so, she forced herself to try and be level headed. "Take me to the waiting room."

    The woman nodded. "Of course, please follow me."

    Zhao Lifei apanied the woman upstairs to the waiting room where her purse still remained on the couch. She then realized that she could lock the door from the inside as well.

    "That is all, you may leave."

    The woman bowed her head and opened the door, but Zhao Lifei spoke up. "If your boss asks where I am, tell him, I needed a ce to think rationally."

    The woman hesitated. She could not lie to her boss, but technically, hermands were not a lie. She was informed this would be theirdy-boss, however, she did not have much confirmation about the details. Nheless, she nodded her head and left.

    Zhao Lifei walked back to the door, locked it and then slumped down on the couch. She let out a sigh she never knew she was holding in. Sheid down on her back and stared up at the boring ceiling.

    Wei Hantao had feelings for her? She did not want to believe something like that. She also did not want to force herself into believing the pr opposite of it. It would be unfair to Yang Feng if she forced him to push Su Meixiu away, but could not do the same for Wei Hantao. However, both people were very different. One was a disposable private secretary and the other was an extremely important Vice President.

    Zhao Lifei grabbed her phone and sent out a text to Wei Hantao.

    [Xiao Li: Hey, are you free right now?]

    Wei Hantao was midway in a meeting when he received the text. His phone buzzed on the table, interrupting the presenters.

    "Continue." He instructed them. They continued exining the presentation, with him intently listening on.

    Zhao Lifei swung her legs back and forth, awaiting a reply. Seeing as it had already been five minutes and he wasn¡¯t replying, she concluded that he was busy. She sent a text to Huo Qiudong.

    [President Zhao: Is Wei Hantao in a meeting?]

    Huo Qiudong could feel his phone vibrate in his hand which was luckily quieter than Wei Hantao¡¯s phone. He discreetly turned it over and saw who the text was from. He nced back at the man in question.

    [Huo Qiudong: Yes, Ma¡¯am. Mr. Wei is currently in a meeting which willst for another thirty minutes.]

    Zhao Lifei nced at the time. Thirty minutes? That was a long time.

    Huo Qiudong believed the previous notification that interrupted the meeting was also sent from Zhao Lifei. He inched closer to his Boss and whispered, "Sir, President Zhao has sent you a message."

    Wei Hantao instantaneously flipped his phone over to see the text. He excused himself from the meeting right away. "Take down notes." He said to Huo Qiudong before stepping outside and calling her.

    Zhao Lifei was anxiously tapping her finger on the table when her phone suddenly rang. She saw the caller ID and picked up. "I want you to tell me the truth." She skipped the greetings and got straight to the point.

    Wei Hantao gulped. Did she find out about the meeting with Zheng Tianyi?! Damn it, who told her? Was it Huo Qiudong?! Neither of the men had the authority to reject a meeting with Zheng Corporation, especially with Wei Hantao¡¯s father breathing down his back. Zheng Tianyi was one of the major shareholders of Weida Law Firm, rejecting Zheng Corporation would be a p to his father.

    "What is it?" Wei Hantao nervously asked her, ncing back to the zed meeting room windows. He could not see the details inside but could make out the blurry silhouette of Huo Qiudong.

    "Do you¡ª Ahem, actually, will you be free in an hour?" Zhao Lifei decided at thest minute to ask him the important question in person. If it was through the phone, she would not be able to analyze his expression or bodynguage ande to a conclusion. It was harder to lie face-to-face.

    Wei Hantao checked the time and joked, "Wow. I guess we¡¯re going to meet up at an actual lunchtime instead of brunch."

    Zhao Lifeiughed. "I suppose so. I¡¯ll meet you at the coffee shop in front of our building?"

    "We¡¯re only going to have coffee? What about lunch?"

    Zhao Lifei thought about a spot that would not look as romantic as the restaurant this morning. "There¡¯s a traditional restaurant known for their tea a couple of blocks down from Feili. I¡¯ll treat you. How about it?"

    Wei Hantao agreed. "Alright, I¡¯ll see you there." He hung up the phone and made an advanced call to the restaurant, booked an appointment using his family name as a backing and tool to skip the line. He informed them of his credit card number so that the bill would be on him. He did not want to repeat what happened this morning. Letting ady pay was beyond the behavior of a gentleman.

 Chapter 256 The Men Around Her

    Zhao Lifei did not want this location to be revealed to her personal driver. She went back to the "ck Room" and was chilled by what she saw. Her eyes scanned the room, where the bodies of half-alive men could be found and a very much blood-coated Guo Sheng stood near them. Her eyes centered on Yang Ruqin who was sweating and evidently had changed into training clothes.

    The bodies were tortured beyond words. They were even worse than the international spies caught by the military. The smell in the air was disgusting and she had to cover her nose to prevent herself from gagging.

    Yang Ruqin relieved all of her pent up anger and frustration upon these men who had done the same to her. She was only a part of the brutal beating, but did not join Guo Sheng in his so-called "y time." She always knew there were one or two loose screws in his brain and did not realize the full extent of his capabilities. It was just today that she witnessed why he was always in this room and why he often smelled like iron.

    Zhao Lifei did not want to step into the room. The blood on the floor reminded her of something she saw beneath her when she woke up in an office room.

    "Qinqin, are you done? Do you want to go home now?" Zhao Lifei stood by the doorway. She watched as a group of janitors made their way down the halls, heading their way.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s head snapped up, a few splotches of blood covered her face. She took off the training hoodie, dumped it in the trash and walked out of the room. "I need to change my clothes and take a shower. Then we can leave together." She cheerfully smiled, a relieved look in her eyes when she saw that Zhao Lifei did not cringe back from her.

    Zhao Lifei took out a napkin from her purse and wiped off the small dots of blood on Yang Ruqin¡¯s face. "You seem relieved." Shemented, watching as Yang Ruqin kicked off her sneakers and picked them up.

    "It was really satisfying, beating them up." She took onest look at the men in the room and then turned to Yang Yulong. "Will you need them for interrogation?"

    Yang Yulong nodded his head. "Yes. The doctors will keep them alive." His eyes lingered on Zhao Lifei. Where did his brother go? Why weren¡¯t they together?

    "Okay, will you get Hu Wei ready? I¡¯ll be up in fifteen minutes. I want to go..." Yang Ruqin trailed off. She didn¡¯t want to go back to her apartmentplex, even if there was a heavy possibility the ce was already cleaned up. She also did not want to go back to the Main Mansion. She had other real estates spread throughout the country, but there was only one in Shenbei.

    Speaking of the main mansion, Yang Ruqin remembered the phone call with her parents midway into the beating. They had frantically called her when she was nowhere to be found in the hospital. After constant reassuring that she was fine and a promise she would visit them sometime tomorrow, they left her off the hook.

    Zhao Lifei thought about where they should go. Cerulean Water Pavillion came to mind. Yang Feng would be notified if she went there, but she decided it was fine. It¡¯s not like she was running away from him. She just needed time off to collect the truth.

    "Come with me to Cerulean Water Pavilions. Yang Feng bought me a house there." Zhao Lifei piped up, the neighborhood easily registering in the Yang siblings¡¯ mind.

    Yang Yulong nodded his head in approval. As expected of his brother. The houses there were heavily guarded, in a well-off and secluded area with good environment and nature at their backdoors.

    Yang Ruqin swiveled around. "What?! Feng-ge got you a house there? I¡¯ve been bothering him to buy me one for ages. It was the same situation as the purse. Ugh, howe he pampers you but not his own sister?"

    Zhao Lifeiughed. "You have your entire family and Yang Yulong doting upon you. One less person won¡¯t hurt."

    "But he¡¯s the one who can do the most!" Yang Ruqin pouted but relented in the end. Her Feifei deserves all the pampering in the world and only Feng-ge would suffice.

    Yang Yulong shook his head at his younger sister. Such a spoiled little princess she was...

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng watched from the window as his woman and Yang Ruqin boarded the ck Maybach. In his hand was a ss of wine to calm his anger, his fingers gripping the thin stem tightly when he heard the reports. She was going to see Wei Hantao. Luckily, she did not storm outside of the headquarters without a guard. It would be too dangerous for her to roam the area. She was smart enough not to call her private chauffeur.

    He thought back to her words. He did not trust her? More like he could not trust the men around her.

    Yang Feng turned back to the woman who reported everything that had happened in thest twenty minutes. Second to Su Meixiu was Lu Shanshan who had been by his side in the Underworld for a while now. She was always present in the shadows here and rarely apanied him outside. He grew up with her in middle school and from then on, the two have watched each other flourish.

    Yang Feng decided it was time to bring her into the light. She would not pose a threat to his littledy, for Lu Shanshan was already married to a loving husband and they had a son together. She was only older than Yang Feng by a year, yet she had already aplished everything Yang Feng wanted in a family. He wanted a wife and more than one kid... Preferably all girls who resembled their mother.

    Yang Feng reyed the recordings of the waiting room. Zhao Lifei was going to a tea room with Wei Hantao, presumably to ask him something. Yang Feng could already guess what it was.

    "Big Boss, should we have someone tail thedy-boss into the restaurant?" Lu Shanshan asked, her eyes lingering upon the woman in the video.

    In her eyes, Zhao Lifei truly was a dashing beauty, one that could capture the heart of any passerby. Silky hair, resembling the dusk of midnight and eyes that shine like the stars on the mountainsides. Drop-dead gorgeous would be an understatement for her. It was no wonder that their boss was so captured by this woman.

    Lu Shanshan thought, ¡¯If I was a man, I would surely do the same thing.¡¯

    "No need." Yang Feng closed the tablet and went back to his desk. He would give her three days to exin herself. If she did not, he would lose his trust in her right then and there.

    Lu Shanshan slowly nodded her head. "Also, it seems Miss Ruqin and the Lady Boss will be staying elsewhere. I have just received word that it will be at a property in Cerulean Waters Pavilion."

    If Yang Feng was affected by the announcement, he did not show it. Instead, he took a rxed andnguid sip of his wine, watching as the red tides swirl in the crystal ss. His eyes, unconcerned and guarded, did not show signs of anger like most men would when they heard their woman left their home. Technically, she was still going home, it would just be their second one.

    "Notify the housekeeper of their arrival." He ced the ss down and popped a piece of gum into his mouth, casually chewing it and getting rid of the taste of alcohol from his tongue. Speaking of which, he also needed to brush his teeth. If she came home today, he wouldvish her greatly, more than he did thest time.

    Lu Shanshan readily nodded her head.

    Yang Feng opened hisptop and got to work. Lu Shanshan saw that as a sign for her to be excused. She sped her hands to her side, did a half-body bow and left.

 Chapter 257 Seize Him

    Yang Feng ced his pen down right when a knock echoed in the office room. He pressed a button and in walked Chen Gaonan with a ghastly expression on his face. Beads of cold-sweat could be seen on his forehead. Today was a day of betrayal.

    "President Yang, the files you¡¯ve requested from the bank have been discovered. Hackers tried to destroy the evidence, but our team managed to retrieve it." Chen Gaonan gulped. His fingers clenched the envelope because this would determine his boss¡¯ fate with Zhao Lifei.

    "Who is it?" Yang Feng got back to work. He did not n on paying a lot of attention to his secretary. There were a lot of documents which needed to be looked over by him.

    "It¡¯s her father."

    The silence was deafening.

    Chen Gaonan trembled in his shoes when the air around the room became destructive. He repeatedly wiped the cold-sweat off from his forehead with a handkerchief.

    CRACK!

    Chen Gaonan let out a tiny yelp when the pen in his boss¡¯s hand broke in two. He gulped.

    "Seize him." Yang Feng tossed the pen into the trash can. "Contact Zhao Moyao immediately." He crossed his hand in front of him, resting his face upon it. He was lost in thought. What kind of sick and twisted father would do that to his own daughter?

    Yang Feng worried for his woman. An uncle was disposable, but a father was not. "Keep Zhao Lifei¡¯s family members far away from my woman." He was sure Wang Nuoli and her youngest daughter would be the first to panic when Zhao Wenjin disappears.

    "Kidnap him discreetly." Yang Fengmanded.

    Chen Gaonan bowed his head, "Yes, Sir." He would make the kidnapping look like an ident. No one would ever know who the real perpetrator was. The tracks could easily be erased and no policeman nor private detective could ever find out the truth. He would make sure of it.

    - - - - -

    When the ck Maybach drove through the gates at Cerulean Water Pavilions, the servants in the house were notified. After word was received that the woman in question had moved to President Yang¡¯s house, many workers were sent to work elsewhere.

    The employees made two rows in front of the entrance. A car rolled up to the pavement and a chauffeur dressed in all ck came out.

    He went to the door, opened it and stepped aside to let Zhao Lifei and Yang Ruqin step out of the car.

    "Wee home, Madam and Young Miss Ruqin." They greeted in unison, with their hands tucked either in front of them or to their side. They followed the protocol and bent their body to perform an exact ny-degree bow.

    An elderly man and woman in theirte fifties stepped forward, ready for any orders.

    "Prepare a bath and a change of clothes for Yang Ruqin." Zhao Lifei notified them as she approached the two. Then she walked off with Yang Ruqin in tow.

    Hu Wei saw their entire exchange and was not surprised by it. Her indifferent behavior was expected, just like that of a wealthy heiress, especially the one who was taught from a young age how to be a perfect matriarch. He waited for both thedies to be out of his sight before climbing into the car and driving back to the headquarters.

    Yang Ruqin apanied the maids upstairs while Zhao Lifei explored the enormous house suitable for arge family. She wondered if this could be her children¡¯s second home. Her foot stopped by the staircase. There it was again. The same thought about children. She was so upied by Yang Feng, she had forgotten her old habit of cing a hand upon her stomach.

    Zhao Lifei finally found the master bedroom where her items were stored. There were lots of clothes in the closet and the majority of them were newly purchased by Yang Feng. She grabbed the closest thing she could find which was a loose cream-colored dress with sleeves that reached her elbow. It was silky smooth and she wore it with ease. The dress stopped a few inches above her knees and was modest enough to not reveal too much ¡ª which was very suitable for the restaurant.

    Zhao Lifei sent a quick text to her private driver. She sat down on the vanity, opened the jewelry box and as expected, it was lined with priceless essories. She shook her head. He truly knew how to spoil his lover.

    Zhao Lifei ced the finishing touches on her outfit and walked down the stairs. She could see from the foyer that a car was parked outside.

    "Oh, Feifei, where are you going?" Yang Ruqin asked from the top of the staircase.

    "I have a business lunch to attend. I will be back before you know it." Zhao Lifei bid her goodbye and stepped out. The driver came out to open the car door for her, she got in and gave him the location of the restaurant.

 Chapter 258 Snatching The Pheonix

    Wei Hantao was the first to arrive at the restaurant as he hade ten minutes in advance. The owner of the restaurant immediately walked out to greet him, for he was the son of Wei Zhongrong.

    "It is an honor to serve you today, Mr. Wei." The owner, a gentle grandfather with mild features, stepped near the entrance where the young man stood. He was a charming sight as the sun shone upon him and many of the passersby kept their eyes glued to him. The owner personally believed that out of all the sons of Wei Zhongrong, only this one was able to inherit his eyes.

    Wei Hantao took off his sunsses and smiled. "Thank you for epting my reservation on ate notice, especially when you¡¯re jam-packed today."

    "Nonsense. Please do not thank me, Mr. Wei. Nothing pleases us more than to have you here."

    Wei Hantao¡¯s smile widened at his words as he nodded his head. A discreet car stopped by the sidewalk right beside him. On cue, the driver came out, opened the door, and out stepped the woman guing his mind day and night. She was enthralling in a cream-colored dress. Her small shes of skin made him wonder what could be beneath the flowy fabric. She was dressed very elegantly today, like a treasured and hidden daughter of a noble family. Her hair was let loose and looked slightly wavy.

    "You arrived earlier than expected." Zhao Lifeimented when she walked up to him.

    The owner¡¯s eyes widened when he saw her. This was Zhao Moyao¡¯s granddaughter! He hurriedly signaled the employees here to be on their best behavior. With family members of two powerhouses here, a single mistake could mean the end of his family¡¯s legacy.

    The owner waved down a manager to guide them to a private room. It was spacious and suitable for a big party. A waiter helped them to get seated and a waitress dressed in a white and gold qipao approached them with the menu.

    Wei Hantao ordered a freshly brewed pot of chrysanthemum tea and an assortment of small dishes. The waitress turned towards Zhao Lifei who shook her head, "That will be all." The waitress nodded her head and left the room. No less than five minutester, she came back with a purple y teapot that had a lovely hue when the light shined upon it.

    Wei Hantao poured the tea himself, passing the first cup to Zhao Lifei while taking the second one.

    Zhao Lifei did not n on staying there for long, thus, did not order anything to eat. "I¡¯m going to cut to the chase of today¡¯s lunch discussion."

    Wei Hantao beckoned her to continue. He lifted the teacup with two hands and took a sip.

    "Do you see me as a woman or a friend?"

    PFT!

    Wei Hantao almost spat out the tea in surprise. He tapped his chest and grabbed the nearest napkin. Out of all of the things or questions he expected her to ask, it was not this one. He put down the teacup and let out augh, but it soon died down when he saw how serious she was.

    "I see you as a woman." He quietly said, sping his hands in front of him. Sitting by the wooden-framed window with interlining brackets and thin-paper coverings, the sunlight enhanced his features.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s gaze dropped to her cup of tea. Yang Feng was right. Her fingers dug into her palms when guilt settled into her.

    "When did you n on telling me this?"

    Wei Hantao wished she did not look so upset by this news. It was a p to his face, especially after having a crush on her for so long. He was patient when she was Zheng Tianyi¡¯s fiancee, and he continued to be patient when she became Yang Feng¡¯s woman. He wanted to find the perfect chance, but somewhere along the way, he had lost the opportunity.

    "When you were single."

    Zhao Lifei bitterly nced at him. "I was single for half a year when I came back to Shenbei."

    "Yes, but I was stabilizing Feili."

    Zhao Lifei saw that he was lying and chose not toment on it. "Wei Hantao, we¡¯ve known each other for a while now. I treasure our friendship and do not wish to break it just because of some one-sided crush."

    Wei Hantao bit his bottom lip, "Is it going to remain one-sided forever?"

    They were grown adults. It was time to settle this through a proper conversation. He wanted to fight for her, to force her to love him and see him in the same light he was seeing her. But he knew, deep down, something like that would be impossible. She was a strong woman. Tying her down would be like snatching the phoenix from the sky and forcing her into a cage.

    "Yes." Zhao Lifei answered in a heartbeat. If he had asked her this question six months ago, before her path ever collided with Yang Feng, perhaps he would¡¯ve had the smallest sliver of a chance. However, it was toote now, and her heart was set on someone else ¡ª an overbearing, possessive, and protective man that she could not help but fall hopelessly in love with.

    Wei Hantao let out a tired sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Did I ever have a chance from the start?"

    "Only a small one, but all of that is in the past now." Zhao Lifei sipped her tea.

    Wei Hantao smiled, though it came out as a wince. "Are you happy with him?"

    "Very."

    Wei Hantao felt like his heart was being stabbed to death when love filled her eyes, love for another man that was not him. Her usually cryptic face was soft and warm, as she reminisced a man he could not rival. He realized he had lost the right to stand by her side a long time ago. Was this what they called losing at the starting line?

    "I suppose this is goodbye then?" He quietly asked.

    Zhao Lifei shook her head. "I would like to remain good friends with you." She knew it was a selfish request and that was why she left it so open-ended. He could reject her if he wanted to.

    Wei Hantao let out a heartbrokenughter. "Friends huh..."

    "Hey, hey, being friend zoned is a lot better than being brother zoned alright?" Zhao Lifei joked in hopes of fixing the gloomy atmosphere. Just then, the door slid open and the dishes were brought in, one by one. All of them were her favorites.

    Wei Hantao chuckled. He felt a bit of pressure relieved from his shoulders. "I guess." He picked up his chopsticks. "Dig in." He told her, watching as she slowly picked up her utensils.

    He cleared his throat a bit when he felt a wave of emotion wash over him. His heart was hurting, well, whatever was left of it after being crumbled to bits by her unwavering rejection. A small part of him was d that they could end on good terms like this. At the least, she would still be in his life and together, they could watch each other grow and flourish.

    - - - - -

    After the meal, Zhao Lifei excused herself to the bathroom. In reality, she was trying to steal the opportunity to pay the bill. Walking up to the front desk with her purse ready, she told them her table.

    The manager smiled and shook his head. "I apologize, but it seems the bill was already paid beforehand."

    Zhao Lifei blinked with her card in hand.

    Wei Hantao came up from behind her and loosely wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He then rubbed the top of her head, the same way an older brother would do for their younger sister. "The bill is on me."

    He turned to the manager and requested the receipt where he signed a hefty tip before guiding her out of the restaurant. "I can¡¯t believe you used the oldest trick in the book to pay the bill. You should be smart like me and call in advance next time."

    Zhao Lifei scoffed. "Yeah, yeah. I¡¯ll keep that in mind." She stopped in front of her car where the chauffeur was already waiting for her.

    Wei Hantao gave her head onest pat. "I¡¯ll see you in Feili?"

    Zhao Lifei smiled. "Yeah." She climbed into the car with Wei Hantao hovering his hand over her head in fear that she might bump it. He closed the door for her and watched as the silver car drove off.

    He nced at the sky and sighed. "I need a drink." He muttered to himself before walking to the nearest bar to drink away his sorrows.

    - - - - -

    Author¡¯s Note: Is being posted in the chapter because there seems to be a bug o.o

    Here are 3 SS codes~ It can only be used once, and after it has been imed by 1 user, the code will expire.

    To be fair to readers who cannot immediately ess the chapters, pleasement the time that this story is released for you, so that I can think of something. The novel is updated at 5 AM EST.

    Codes: To the lucky three users, please DO NOT im more than one code.

    YWAACMQSWRHTDXCY

    YWAACMASYNQTXYJH

    YWAACMFEWWXBAWGT

    To im these codes, you would have to be on the APP version of . Open the app, go to profile, and below your username, it should say, "Redeem Gift Cards." Click on that and then enter ONE of the three codes at the top.

 Chapter 259 Beast In The Sheets

    Zhao Lifei nced out the car when she noticed someone very familiar. "Stop the car." She instructed. The chauffeur parked by a sidewalk and Zhao Lifei rushed out of the door.

    "Bing Qiaoyi?!" Zhao Lifei called out to the petite woman walking off in the distance, apanied by an equally familiar man. They turned around, their faces filled with confusion until theynded on Zhao Lifei.

    "Oh my gosh, Zhao Lifei?!" Bing Qiaoyi gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth. She shoved all of her shopping bags onto the man and practically ran to hug the woman whom she had not seen in half a year.

    "It really is you!" Bing Qiaoyiughed, pulling Zhao Lifei into a quick hug before kissing both of her cheeks. She spent the majority of her life overseas and adapted their culture of greeting, which Zhao Lifei had gotten familiar with during their time together in the military.

    "How are you?" Bing Qiaoyi kept Zhao Lifei at arm¡¯s length, a bright smile on her face. "Wow, what¡¯s your skin care routine? You¡¯re glowing!"

    "Xiao Yi, don¡¯t push all of these bags on me! They¡¯re so heavy." Dai Langined, setting the bags down beside him.

    Zhao Lifeiughed. "You¡¯re still sozy, Dai Lang. All these years in the military and you have the audacity to cry over the weight of some shopping bags?" She rolled her eyes.

    Dai Lang smirked. "I¡¯m a soldier on the battlefield, azy man in the streets, and a beast in the sheets¡ª OW!" He yelped when Bing Qiaoyi whacked him in the head.

    Bing Qiaoyi muttered insults under her breath for her godforsaken boyfriend. "We¡¯re in public."

    "So?" Dai Lang scoffed.

    An amused smile rested on Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips as she watched the loving couple bicker back and forth. They were always like this, even in the military. Their petty arguments often got them scolded by the higher-ups and it was not a rare sight to see them on the track fields or doing punishment push-ups.

    Bing Qiaoyi decided to ignore her boyfriend for now. "So, Xiao Li, what have you been up to? I saw on the news that you were going out with the infamous Yang Feng?"

    Zhao Lifei did not realize the worried look on Dai Lang¡¯s face when Yang Feng¡¯s name was brought up. "Hm, aside fromzing around most of the time, I haven¡¯t been doing much. And yes, I am."

    Bing Qiaoyi nervously nced at her boyfriend before she pulled Zhao Lifei closer and in an extremely low voice, she whispered, "H-he knows."

    Zhao Lifei tilted her head in confusion. "Dai Lang knows? Yeah, I think half the country does." She retorted.

    "No, Xiao Li, I¡¯m talking about...well, you know who."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s carefree face morphed into confusion before it became sickly pale as if she had encountered a ghost. The very idea of him terrified her. Her blood went cold.

    "H-how much does he know?" Zhao Lifei quietly asked, her entire body began to tremble a bit.

    Dai Lang answered for Bing Qiaoyi since he knew the man a lot better than his girlfriend. "Everything. From the day you were announced as his girlfriend to all of the public events you¡¯ve attended with Yang Feng."

    "Xiao Li, I was just dispatched a couple of days ago." Bing Qiaoyi gulped. "You should¡¯ve seen his face when the news came to him." She shuddered at the memory of watching her fellow soldiers being punished for things they did notmit, just because their General was furious. That man, he truly was brutal...

    All of the poor underlings had to run the entire day and even when they were sore, they were forced to do other exercises. If any of them asked for a break, they would be brutally beaten by the General. With his father being a Major General and his mother holding an extremely high position in the government, he was untouchable. The only thing people could do was grit their teeth and obey him, bowing down before his dictatorship.

    Dai Lang saw how shaken up Zhao Lifei was and roughly nudged Bing Qiaoyi to stop it. "Anyways, you should steer away from the military from now on. Don¡¯t even think about going back there, no matter how much you crave the thrill of the battlefield."

    Bing Qiaoyi readily nodded. "I think you should inform your grandfather about this."

    Dai Lang added on, "He¡¯s really furious this time, Xiao Li. I heard he has sent many officers to your grandfather in hopes of poaching you back legally." He let out a tired sigh, remembering the day his father was approached to call Zhao Moyao into a private meeting in hopes of convincing Zhao Lifei toe back to the military.

    "My grandfather will never let me go back there." Zhao Lifei felt an unsettling feeling in her stomach. She was visibly shaking, her eyes darting elsewhere. Cold-sweat gathered on her forehead and her palms became mmy.

    Bing Qiaoyi nodded. "Good. For now, I rmend you have more security around you. Once he finds out that all of the legal approaches were rejected, he will go through any lengths, even if its a vition of the military codes and honor, orw, just to obtain you."

    Dai Lang sighed at his girlfriend¡¯s crude approach. The more she opened her mouth, the more she was beginning to scare the poor woman. His phone buzzed and he nced down to see it was a text from his father. He opened his WeChat and saw it was a message requesting him toe home for lunch.

    Dai Lang ced a hand on Zhao Lifei¡¯s shoulder. "Try not to overthink it, okay?¡¯

    Zhao Lifei merely nodded her head. She could try, but it would be to no avail. She was scared. For the first time in a long time, she was worried for her life.

    Bing Qiaoyi felt guilty when she saw Zhao Lifei¡¯s expression. Her heart was prickling in pain. "I¡¯m sorry, Xiao Li. I didn¡¯t mean to scare you."

    "It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m not scared." Zhao Lifei lied with a wry smile on her face.

    Dai Lang turned back to the private car Zhao Lifei had stepped out of. "You should get home now. Go and sleep off your worries. It¡¯s going to be fine."

    Bing Qiaoyi bobbed her head as she guided Zhao Lifei towards the car. "Don¡¯t be so anxious. You have Yang Feng on your side, remember? I¡¯m sure a man as elite and influential as him won¡¯t let any harme your way."

    Yang Feng. Just the thought of him eased her worries the slightest bit.

    Dai Lang noticed this and said, "How about this. Why don¡¯t you go and see him?"

    "I think he¡¯s still working right now." Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t want to see him. She was too prideful to admit her mistakes that indeed, he was right. Wei Hantao did have feelings for her.

    "Well, go to his workce then." Dai Lang opened the car door for her and helped her get in.

    Bing Qiaoyi brushed away Zhao Lifei¡¯s stray hairs. "It¡¯s going to be alright. As Dai Lang said, don¡¯t overthink it."

    Dai Lang jogged to the driver¡¯s window and knocked on it. The chauffeur rolled down his window.

    "Drive her to her boyfriend¡¯s ce."

    The chauffeur hesitated. He did not take orders from random people. But upon seeing the state of his Young Miss, he knew he had no choice but to oblige. He nodded his head, the gesture so small, Dai Lang almost missed it.

    Bing Qiaoyi helped Zhao Lifei put on her seatbelt and closed the door. Dai Lang stepped back and allowed the car to drive off. All the while, the couple stared at the vehicle. Their eyes were filled with worry for the young woman who will not be prepared for the tornadoing her way.

 Chapter 260 Let Go Of Me

    The chauffeur drove Zhao Lifei to Yang Feng¡¯s house instead of Yang Enterprise. She was not in her best state of mind to enter there. At the very least, she could wait for him at home.

    Zhao Lifei was still in too much of a daze to realize where she was. Her head was a boggled mess.

    The housekeeper, Mrs. Jiang, was already outside ready to greet the Madam. She was a bit worried when Zhao Lifei stumbled out of the car, her face white as a sheet. She looked like she was about to throw up any moment from now.

    Mrs. Jiang rushed to Zhao Lifei to help her make the small walk to the front entrance. "Wee home, Madam. Are you alright?"

    Zhao Lifei brushed past the housekeeper with an absentminded expression on her face, as if she did not realize there was even a person next to her asking her a question.

    "Madam?" The housekeeper walked after Zhao Lifei, guiding her up the stairs and into the bedroom of their Young Master.

    Zhao Lifei still did not respond. She kicked off her shoes and climbed into the bed, her body curled into a ball. She was visibly shaken and was whimpering in the bed like a wounded kitty. It did not take long for small sniffles to sound throughout the spacious room. The lights were flickered off, making the atmosphere in the room even more depressing.

    The housekeeper was riddled with uneasiness. She had never seen Zhao Lifei in such a state, especially when she was renowned for being cold and confident.

    Mrs. Jiang closed the door behind her and ran downstairs to report this to the Old Butler. The Old Butler did not waste any time to inform Chen Gaonan.

    Chen Gaonan had just walked out of the ck Room when he received a call. He peered back into the room where an unconscious Zhao Wenjin wasying on the ground, blindfolded and bound by all sorts of ropes withplicated knots.

    Chen Gaonan picked up his phone when he saw it was the Old Butler calling. "Yes, the President is with me... He¡¯s currently finishing up today¡¯s paperwork. What?! Alright, I¡¯ll notify him right away."

    The Old Butler purposely made the story more dramatic and dire than it truly was in hopes that the Young Master would rush home.

    The Old Butler knew his Young Master¡¯s temperament, mainly because he had raised the boy and watched him grow. It was known that Yang Feng did not give two damns when it came to women. He had personally witnessed the Young Master refuse a hospital visitation to one of his past flings who had a high fever. Even though the Old Butler had seen the way Yang Feng treated Zhao Lifei, he could not help himself from worrying that the young man would not return home.

    His worry was all put to rest when in less than twenty minutes, a ck Maybach drove through the front gates, speeding up the hill path, and out came the dashing and suave young man whose face put the gods to shame.

    Yang Feng did not waste any time bolting up the stairs and into his bedroom. His eyes easily adjusted to the darkness. With the lights that rushed in from the hallway, he could see the silhouette of a woman on his bed.

    He felt his entire heart being ripped into pieces, stomped on, and ground into dust at the soundsing from the bed. Her tiny whimpers and sniffles, they were all breaking him.

    "My love..." He hoarsely replied, closing the door behind him, shutting them into darkness. The only source of light was from the windows, but the heavy curtains blocked any sunlight from entering.

    Yang Feng¡¯s long legs easily crossed the distance between him and Zhao Lifei. He flung the nkets off of her, a protesting wail erupting.

    "No!" She cried out, a sob following afterward.

    Yang Feng panicked. His heart skipped a beat, drumming one hundred beats per second. He kicked off his shoes and climbed into the bed, scooping her into his arms.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s entire body stiffened before her struggle began. "Let me go! I promise not to run, so please!" She became delusional, believing the person embracing her was the man that had gued her nightmares for the longest time.

    Yang Feng hugged her tighter, pulling her onto hisp. He kept one arm on her back, pressing her into him, while the other came to grab her face. "It¡¯s me, my love. It¡¯s Yang Feng." He leaned his forehead onto hers, watching as the insanity in her eyes was beginning to wash away, tears tumbling down them.

    "Yang...Feng?" She croaked, sniffling as she tried to roughly wipe away her tears. Seeing his stormy eyes bore into hers, she was slowlying back to her senses. Without waiting for his reply, she crashed her body onto his, changing their position so that she could hold onto him for dear life.

    Pain spread throughout Yang Feng¡¯s chest at her automatic reaction. Her legs rested on his sides, as her arms tangled themselves around his back, her entire body shaking.

    "Yes, my love." He whispered, hugging her with equal intensity. He turned his face to kiss the side of her head, one arm caressing her back, while the other stroked her hair. He did not know what had shaken her up to this extent, but if Wei Hantao was the man behind it, friend or not, he would brutally torture him, then burn him alive, until not a single remnant of him could be found.

    "Don¡¯t leave me." She blurted out without thinking.

    "I won¡¯t, not even if you beg me to. You¡¯re mine until death do us apart, and even when it does, I will seek you out in our next life." He dered, his arms tightening around her. He was sure of it. Nothing in this world could separate him from her. He was too deeply in love with her to even fathom the idea of leaving her.

    Zhao Lifei buried her face into his shoulders, breathing in his scent. It made her brain tingle with reassurance,fort wrapped around her. In his arms, she felt safe and protected. Her unsettled heart finally calmed down.

    Yang Feng continued tovish her with kisses, whether it was on the crown of her head, her hair, or her shoulders. He closed his eyes as he savored their hug, for nothing in this world could ever rece the feeling of having her so close and in his arms. She was his for this lifetime and the ones after that.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei had fallen asleep on his shoulders.

    Yang Feng realized it when her breaths became steady and her body was rhythmically rising up and down against his. He gingerly ced her on the bed, and because of her inseparable arms that refused to detach from his body, he came down with her. He grabbed the nket and covered her with it, pulling it up to her chin. It was the middle of the day and he still had a lot of work to do, but none of it mattered to him. The only thing he cared about was the woman in his arms.

    He threw his legs over her body and hugged her dearly,pletely spooning her. Even as she slept, he continued to monitor her condition. Every few minutes, he would pepper her face with kisses, and when the smallest of creases formed on her forehead, he rushed to soothe it.

    It did not take long for the two of them to be tangled in each other¡¯s arms, fast asleep.

 Chapter 261 Call The Police

    Elder Su had been to Yang Mujian¡¯s house many times, but he was still amazed by theyout of this rustic house that was as grand as the Imperial Pces. Stepping into this ce was like stepping into nature. Everywhere he looked, there were scenic and strategically ced garden filled with bamboo shoots, bonsai trees, koi fishes, and so on. Everywhere he went, there were different things to set his eyes upon. It was a never-ending harmony of the refreshing mother nature.

    Yang Mujian was sitting in one of his favorite gardens, Millenium Orchids, trimming histest bonsai tree when Elder Su approached him.

    Elder Su cupped his hands in front of him and bowed when he saw Yang Mujian. "It has been a while, Master Yang."

    Yang Mujian hummed in reply while continuing to tend to the nt. Never once did he raise his head to address the man eagerly awaiting his attention.

    "In regards to the incident with one of our past pupils, I would like to apologize on behalf of the entire Su family. We did not expect him to turn against your family." Elder Su waved his hand and his servants came forward with a thick and heavy scroll. "You¡¯ve always said you admired Master Hexin¡¯s calligraphy scrolls. As a way of apologizing, I hope you ept this gift."

    Yang Mujian cut off a small stem hindering the growth of the tree. Perhaps it would one day benefit the bonsai tree, but currently, it was ugly and useless.

    "Is that all you came here for?" Yang Mujian ced down the pot and began working on another one. Ever since he handed the majority of his position over to Yang Feng, he had upied himself by tending to the gardens. Aside from a handful of meetings he had to attend each week, his schedule was pretty much empty. His belief and trust in his grandson¡¯s capabilities allowed him to peacefully retire.

    Elder Su Guang shook his head. Though he was offended by Yang Mujian¡¯sck of attention, he understood it was because the man was perhaps still upset over the incident.

    "No, I havee forth with even dire news."

    Yang Mujian shaped the top of theyered bonsai trees, admiring it from a distance before cutting down the stray ends.

    "First Young Master has developed a weakness."

    Yang Mujian¡¯s hand froze for the briefest second before he went back to caring for his tree, tilting his head to see it from a different angle.

    "You mean my grandson has a lover that is not your granddaughter. This upsets you?" Yang Mujian voiced it as a question. The true intention was to test Su Guang.

    "By all means, I am as happy as you are that the Young Master has found a very capable woman with a refined background. But that is not what rms me." Elder Su Guang kept his anger in reign, even when Yang Mujian paid more attention to a mere nt rather than him.

    "At your birthday banquet, my son, Su Boyuan identally encountered Zhao Lifei in the gardens." Su Guang tested the water and when Yang Mujian¡¯s behavior did not change, he continued his exnation. "The First Young Master was displeased by this and even threatened eight-generation extermination upon my family."

    Yang Mujian mused, "And what¡¯s the problem with that? From my perspective, that woman makes him more ruthless." He ced down his scissors and turned to the sorry-excuse of a Family Monarch beside him. With each trickling day, the Su family was beginning to disappoint him more and more. First, it was Mu Ting, the second was their failure on the evaluation day where they made a fool out of themselves, and now they have gained the courage to insult Yang Feng.

    "...Do you not see it?" Su Guang was careful with his words and when he saw the sharp re of Yang Mujian, he hurriedly exined, "The fact that he threatened my son this way reveals how much he cares for that woman, which shows signs of him being in love with her."

    Yang Mujian understood his viewpoint, but he was not the type of man to tantly go against his own grandson for an unfavorable and untrustful person. Even if his grandson was in the wrong, he would defend him until the end. "Any man would want to protect their future wife, especially when she is a valuable pawn in his chess game."

    Yang Mujian took off his gardening gloves and cupped his hands behind his back.

    Su Guang was confused by the turn of events. He expected the heartless man to be furious when news traveled of how brittle his grandson¡¯s heart had be.

    "It¡¯s alright to be protective to a certain extent; however, he was jeopardizing our family¡¯s connection with such a heavy warning. It will benefit him in the short run, but would harm him in the long run."

    Yang Mujian agreed with Su Guang¡¯s words. He kept his thoughts to himself and decided to confront Yang Fengter. "If eight generations of friendship are easily tarnished by an empty threat, were our ties ever genuine?"

    Su Guang gulped. He understood the hidden message. Yang Mujian was beginning to have less and less trust in the Su family¡¯s loyalty.

    "But your words intrigue me. Come back next time with proper evidence." Yang Mujian did not wait for Su Guang¡¯s reply before he stepped on the mini-steps that lead to the hallways and disappeared into the distance.

    A butler came out from the shadows. "Please follow me, Master Su. I will lead you to the entrance."

    "No need, I know the way." Su Guang bitterly said, angrily leaving the house and climbing into his car. He phoned his private detectives to keep a close eye on the couple.

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng blissfully woke up with something cold pressed to his side. He thought it was strange that no matter how much warmth he provided to Zhao Lifei, her skin was always icy cold. He did not mind it. His body temperature was always too hot for his liking and he was very prone to the heat. Having someone like her was a blessing in disguise.

    Their positions had changed in their sleep. He wasying on his back now, one armzily wrapped over her hips while she had her head resting on his chest, right where his heart pounded furiously for her. Hezily yed with her hair, enjoying the feeling of the silky strands.

    He wanted to interrogate her on her meeting with Wei Hantao, but seeing his Queen was peacefully asleep, he did not dare to disrupt her. And so heid on his bed with his arms losing cirction with each passing minute. She let out a tiny sneeze and that sound alone was enough to send his heart skyrocketing with worry. He pulled the nket to cover her body even more so that she was practically smothered by heat.

    "What should I do with you?" He quietly whispered, a faint smile on his face when he saw her snuggle closer into his body. She sought after him, whether for warmth orfort, he did not know.

    "I¡¯ve yet to hear you tell me you love me... Even though I¡¯ve already proimed my love for you." He said in a hushed voice while leisurely twirling strands of her hair in his finger. "But because it¡¯s you, I will remain patient and wait for the day you¡¯re ready to respond."

    Zhao Lifei could hear faint talking in the background, the voice sounding familiar. She groggily woke up, yawning and stretching like a cat.

    She buried her face into the abnormally warm pillow and nuzzled against the soft, cashmere fabric. She wondered where this pillow was purchased from. Her hands roamed over its hard surface. She was confused. How can a pillow feel soft to the touch, but hard when she pressed on it?

    Yang Feng bit his bottom lip to hold back hisughter while she repeatedly groped his chest. What was she searching for?

    "I should call the police on you for sexual assault." Yang Feng huskily whispered into her ear, causing the woman in his arms to let out a startled cry, abruptly sitting up in her position. Her hair resembled a bird¡¯s nest and even though she was shocked, her eyes were barely opened. He could tell she was tired. Even with her messy appearance, he still saw her as the most beautiful woman to ever grace the Earth.

    "Why am I here?" Zhao Lifei wondered out loud. She faintly remembered going home but did not know exactly where home was. Who would¡¯ve thought her brain registered his house as "home."

    "To sleep." Yang Feng deadpanned, squinting up at her. Theughter evaporated from his eyes. His expressionless and stern face bothered her more than she liked.

    Zhao Lifei nervously yed with her fingers, resembling a small child who had recognized her wrongdoings.

 Chapter 262 Leaving Him

    Yang Feng studied her face with rigid eyes.

    Zhao Lifei raised her head and dropped it when she saw his expression. He did not look pleased with her. She nervously bit her bottom lip, not realizing the small action stirred his heart.

    She did not know how to quell his anger. She was too prideful to suddenly apologize. Without warning, she threw herself on top of him,pletely surprising the man beneath her.

    Yang Feng utilized all of his willpower to not hug her back. It was excruciatingly hard to resist the temptation, especially when she buried her face under his chin, just a few inches away from his Adam¡¯s apple. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stayed in her position for a very long time. Perhaps she was rallying the courage she needed, or perhaps this was her way of apologizing. Regardless of the reasoning, it was slightly effective.

    Yang Feng nearly lost control when she abruptly kissed his neck and then buried her face into his shoulder. He was always an impatient person, where one second felt like a minute. He was notoriously known forshing out when people made him wait. But when ites to the petite woman resting on his chest, he had all the patience in the world. If she wanted him to wait for all of eternity, he would swallow his protest and oblige.

    A tiny voice, sweet and calming, whispered into his skin. "I was wrong."

    Yang Feng¡¯s lips twitched. "What was that?" He asked, cupping his ears.

    Her voice grew even quieter. "I said I was wrong."

    "I can¡¯t hear you."

    Anger washed over Zhao Lifei whose head shot up. "I said I was wrong." She sat up from her position to re at him.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes darkened with desire. She did not realize her straddling position, but he most certainly did. Had she sat further back, he would¡¯ve pushed her onto the bed and captured her lips.

    Zhao Lifei fumed on top of him, her hazel eyes burning. Sparks of amber shed in her eyes. "I know you heard me."

    "Yes, but I did not hear an apology."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s frustration settled a bit when she realized she was supposed to be apologetic and not angry. She drew circles on his chest with her fingers. In a voice so quiet, it could barely pass as a whisper, she muttered, "I¡¯m sorry."

    Yang Feng had a slight smile on his face. It was barely there. "I¡¯m sorry as well." He brought his hands and rested them on her hips, holding her in ce so that she would not tumble over.

    All of Zhao Lifei¡¯s anger and guilt washed away. A faint smile graced her lips as she leaned down and rested her body on top of him again.

    Yang Feng let out a contented sigh upon having her peacefully in his arms. He patted her back and buried his face into her hair.

    "Yesterday I went to see Wei Hantao again." She said against his shoulders. "We talked it out like responsible adults."

    "Did you now?" Yang Feng listened to her exnation with open ears.

    "Mmhm. In the end, we will remain friends."

    Yang Feng was upset by her words and opened his mouth to protest, but she unknowingly interrupted him.

    "I need him as my Vice President. Trust me, once he has been rejected, he will not pursue any further."

    "And how can you be so sure?"

    "Because I¡¯ve known him for a very long time. Besides, I see him as a brother, so you can have my word that I will never see him as a romantic partner."

    Yang Feng¡¯s arm hardened over her body, resembling an iron cage holding her to him. They fell into afortable silence.

    He wanted to ask her what happened yesterday for her to return home in shambles. The men he assigned to tail her had reported she was fine when she left the restaurant, but after running into a man and a woman on the streets, she became visibly shaken up. His reports identified the people as Bing Qiaoyi and Dai Lang who, like most of Zhao Lifei¡¯s acquaintances, came from very wealthy families with way too much power in their hands.

    Zhao Lifei always wanted to say the next three words to him, ever since she heard him say it. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to reciprocate his words, but today she could. In the smallest voice possible, she said, "I love you."

    Yang Feng thought he was hearing things and that hisck of food was making him hallucinate. "What did you say?"

    Zhao Lifei hid the smile threatening to break out on her lips. She leaned back and repeated every syble, "I love you."

    Yang Feng heard the wedding bells before he heard her words. He could die the happiest man alive right now. "Do you know how long I¡¯ve waited to hear you say that?" He grinned, pulling her closer.

    "Silly girl, I love you more." He whispered before bringing her head down to lock her lips. Their kiss was soft and sweet at first before it became more passionate and lustful. His suckling on her lips sent tingles down her body and when he licked it, she opened her mouth to give him more ess. Their tongues tangled in a dance as old as time.

    No matter how many times she kissed him, she could not get over how soft his lips were and how sweet he tasted. His kisses were intoxicating and it gave her a euphoria she never knew existed. Her body melted against his and before they could proceed any further, Yang Feng switched their positions so that she was pinned beneath him.

    "Let¡¯s stop before it¡¯s toote." He whispered against her lips, pecking it, and then climbing off of her.

    He sat at the edge of the bed, his broad and muscr back turned to her when he checked his phone as a way of distracting himself from her. Suddenly, something soft collided against his back. She rested her head on his shoulders and drew circles on his back, marveling the way his muscles clenched at her tiny movements.

    "Let¡¯s go to the marriage bureau." Zhao Lifei had made up her mind just as she finally realized who her heart was set on for the rest of her life.

    Yang Feng¡¯s phone fell out of his hands. He was so shocked at her words, it did not process in his brain until three secondster. He turned around and pulled her into a hug, their bodies crashing onto the bed.

    Herughter stroked his heart, a sound he would never get tired of hearing. He buried his head into her shoulder, barely able to hide the grin threatening to break out. "Are you sure?"

    "Of course."

    "Then let¡¯s go." Yang Feng pulled her out of the bed and towards the door. She grabbed his arm to stop him.

    "We have to get ready first. I¡¯ll go take a shower and freshen up." Zhao Lifei chuckled at his expression. He looked as if he had just won the jackpot lottery. She walked into the bathroom, brushed her teeth, took a shower, and came out in a white towel.

    Yang Feng was nowhere to be found, but she assumed he went to the bathroom in a different room. She walked into the closet and grabbed a simple blue top, pairing it with white ripped jeans. She grabbed a different purse that matched the outfit and ced all of the important documents into it.

    By the time she made her way downstairs, Yang Feng was already waiting for her. He was adjusting the button on his cuff. To no one¡¯s surprise, he was already wearing a suit.

    When he saw her, he eagerly took her hand, looping their fingers together whilst pulling her out of the door. He was in a rush, for he was scared she might back outst minute.

    "Rx." She mused when she got into the car. She ced a hand on his thigh and forced him to look at her. "You¡¯re looking at me as if I would run for the hills in any second now."

    "I¡¯m worried you would change your mind." Yang Feng cupped her face and pressed a soft kiss to her nose and then her forehead.

    "I won¡¯t, silly." Sheughed and shook her head. Did she really scare him that much before? He was always worried about her leaving him.

    Yang Feng hummed in reply. He ced one final kiss on her cheek and turned towards Hu Wei. "Drive to the marriage bureau."

    Hu Wei choked on his spit. Luckily for him, he regained his posture a second after. "Yes, sir." He began to drive, all the while, a smile on his face. He was ecstatic that his boss was finally going to tie the knot and it was with a woman he truly loved.

    - - - - - -

    Author¡¯s Note: An extra chapter today, woohoo!

    The author¡¯s posted in the chapter because there¡¯s currently a bug where coding of

    is being shown T_T.

    Here are the next 3 SS codes:

    YWAACMQDFSVWFOVH

    YWAACMTTYFVEIMDG

    YWAACMLMCCBHDHEI

    A friendly reminder: For the three lucky users, please redeem only ONE code!

    Since this novel updates really early for those on the Western Hemisphere, I will be releasing 3 additional codes at 2PM EST at the bottom of the chapter! In order to see it, please refresh the app, or go to ¡¯s website!

    - - - - -

    NEW CODES (2PM EST) for readers whose timezone is midnight at 5AM EST:

    YWAACMFEQMBEZZRM

    YWAACMSIXDWKYUSE

    YWAACMLWIXVMGAAN

 Chapter 263 Surprises

    Yang Feng and Zhao Lifei walked in and out of the marriage bureau in less than thirty minutes with a marriage license and proper documentation that certified them as husband and wife. In order to protect their security, Chen Gaonan was notified in advance to bring thewyers who made everyone present at the office sign a nondisclosure agreement.

    If news of this were to travel, there would be an uproar. It was a risky move by going to the marriage bureau without the blessings of either of their parents. But in Yang Feng¡¯s eyes, all of that was unnecessary. What was the point of a blessing when both families had unstable marriages? There were frequent arguments between Yang Qianlu and Fan Jin even though the two married for love. On Zhao Lifei¡¯s side of the family, her parents¡¯ marriage was forced and contracted.

    "Go to your office." Zhao Lifei told Yang Feng once they entered the ck Maybach. "I also need to head to Feili to sort out some meetings."

    Yang Feng nodded his head. "Alright, then." He instructed Hu Wei to drive to Feili first.

    Zhao Lifei tried her best to keep herposure from cracking. She was giddy at what had just happened. She still could not believe that she and Yang Feng were now registered in the system. In her purse was a copy of the documents and license, whereas the original one was being sent home by Chen Gaonan who¡¯d rather lose his head than let the news leak.

    When the car reached Feili, Zhao Lifei was about to open the door when a pair of muscr arms snaked around her waist. She could feel Yang Feng¡¯sforting warmth radiating from his body due to their close proximity. She shivered when the heat from his breath tickled her ears.

    In a low, seductive voice, he whispered, "I¡¯ll see you tonight."

    She felt her body buzz with anticipation when he kissed the spot behind her ear. His lips trailed down further in open-mouthed kisses until he found a spot on her neck. She let out a quiet sound of pleasure when he suckled the area, bit it, and then soothed the pain with his tongue before his lipstched onto it again.

    Zhao Lifei could feel her body beginning to warm up and right when she thought he would turn her around and kiss her, everything ended.

    She let out a disgruntled sound that was apanied by his fondughter. He adjusted her cor and ensured that the mark was safely hidden. Then, he pressed onest kiss on the side of her head.

    "Have a good day at work, my love." He bid her goodbye, watching with a mischievous smile as she glided out of the car, ring at him in the process before mming the door shut. He shook his head. Silly girl. If she wanted something much more, all she had to do was ask. He¡¯d happily oblige.

    Zhao Lifei continued to pull her cor higher in fear that the mark would be easily revealed. She swiped her private keycard, boarded the elevator, and went straight to the top floor. She went down a discreet hallway where none of the employees could see her. She decided once she made her debut as the official CEO, she would build herself an office here.

    When she neared the area where Wei Hantao and Huo Qiudong were, she could hear a smallmotioning out from the door. She decided to soundproof her future office. Stepping closer to the door, she was about to ce her hand on the handle when she heard something.

    "The meeting was pushed up by a week? That¡¯s tomorrow!" Wei Hantao paced back and forth in his office, all the while Huo Qiudong watched with a troubled expression.

    "That¡¯s not enough time for me to beg and plead for her forgiveness." Wei Hantao added on, nibbling on his nails as he trieding up with a solution.

    Zhao Lifei realized who they were referring to. Without warning, she opened the door and stepped in. "What happened?"

    Wei Hantao jumped faster than his heart did at the sight of her. He did not expect her toe to the office today. He gulped. "...Promise you won¡¯t kill me?"

    "I don¡¯t make empty promises." Zhao Lifei chuckled. She walked to the couch. Hertest season Louboutin Red Bottoms clicking upon the ck-tiled floors. With each step, she sounded more and more intimidating. Plopping herself down on the couch, she crossed her legs, resting one arm on her thigh as the other was propped on her knees. She rested her chin upon her fist.

    Huo Qiudong could tell a chaotic argument was on the rise. He wanted to step out of the room and let his Vice President suffer her wrath, but he could not abandon his bro code.

    "Well, in regards to the private meetings..." Wei Hantao trailed off, his eyes darting around the room. He nervously licked his lips. All of a sudden his throat felt dry and hoarse, mimicking the Sahara desert. He took a big gulp of his morning coffee. "OneofthemiswithZhengTianyi." He rushed out.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s face became expressionless. Her auburn eyes darkened. "What did you just say?"

    "H-hear me out, okay¡ª"

    "When is the meeting?"

    "T-tomorrow afternoon at 2 PM sharp." Wei Hantao clenched the desk behind him. His knees felt weak when her eagle eyes pierced right through him. She was frightening. When she stood up, he felt like he was staring into the eyes of a tigress out for fresh blood. She could easily snap his neck if she wanted to.

    Zhao Lifei gritted her teeth. She did not want to proceed with the meeting and sh with the very man who ruined her life. But she had no choice. This was business and in such a harsh world, one must learn how to separate their personal life from their work life.

    If Zheng Tianyi himself wasing, it would only make sense if the CEO of Feili was also present.

    "What does he want from us?"

    "He nned on starting a subsidiary focused on the entertainment industry. In order for him to kickstart the smallpany, he needs our investment. From the proposal, he ns on buying out well-known actors and actresses into his entertainmentpany."

    "Helping celebrities terminate their contracts will be extremely pricey." Zhao Lifei thought out loud. "Does he already have a building in mind? Or does he want to construct one?"

    She could¡¯ve sworn Zheng Corporation¡¯s worth was in the mid-billions, well, at least, that was what she remembered from two years ago. It shouldn¡¯t be that hard to shell out a couple million, or perhaps a billion or two, if he wanted to start his own entertainmentpany. To poach A-list celebrities would be very expensive. She knew him best. He always strived to obtain the best of the best, so the celebrities, instructors, managers, and other employees would all be topnotch. That alone could cost a fortune.

    "He already has a building in mind, but he would like our funding to begin hiring employees."

    "Let me see the proposal he has sent us."

    Huo Qiudong handed her the thick folder.

    Zhao Lifei opened it and thoroughly examined the contents. She raised a brow. Did he hire an entirely new department or team to draft this? It was practically wless, so much so, that it was suspicious to her. She took everything into great detail and read every word of the document.

    The clock ticked on the wall, time passing extremely slowly for the men, but fast for her.

    She carefully looked over the percentages. Taking out a calctor, she began to analyze and predict how much they would earn from this. In the end, the final numbers were unsatisfying.

    "I¡¯ll be present tomorrow." Zhao Lifei ced her pen down. "However, I will most likely negotiate the numbers with them. They¡¯re too low." She said, standing up and cing the file back into Huo Qiudong¡¯s hands.

    Wei Hantao carefully studied her face. Everything about her was guarded, starting from her eyes to her facial expressions. He could not predict what was going on in her head.

    "Are there any more surprises I should know about?" Zhao Lifei sniped, her prickly words causing Wei Hantao to flinch.

    "Aside from the private meetings, there are none." He informed her.

    Zhao Lifei nodded her head. "The debut banquet will be one week from now. I expect you to be in charge of nning." Without waiting for his protest, she turned on her heels and walked out of the room.

    Wei Hantao slumped in his chair, letting out a huge sigh of relief. He passed the first obstacle, now it was time to face the mountain.

    "Contact the nners and decorators. Begin the preparation of the banquet." He instructed Huo Qiudong who nodded his head and left to carry out the orders.

 Chapter 264 River Of Blood

    Yang Enterprise.

    The presence of two powerful men shed in the spacious room. It felt cramped in here, as every inch of the atmosphere was overtaken by them. Piping hot tea was served on the coffee table, but both cups were untouched and as time passed by, they became cold and stale. Not a single sound could be heard, except for the asional ticks from the clock on the wall.

    Zhao Moyao was seated directly in front of Yang Feng whose posture had not changed ever since he sat down. He always found it hard to understand what Yang Feng was thinking, especially since the young man was practically born with a poker face.

    "You¡¯ve captured my son." Zhao Moyao began the conversation after he was tired of the silence. "What for?" He flicked his wrist and another teapot along with a pair of cups were brought out.

    Li Xuan poured his boss a cup of tea and then poured one for Yang Feng, recing the previous one in front of him.

    "He kidnapped your granddaughter." Yang Feng solemnly said. "He nned on erasing her memories and selling her off to a foreign marriage for profit."

    "Was it pointless to torture my eldest then?" Zhao Moyao took a sip of his Wuyi Oolong tea. When he was contacted for this meeting, he was first informed of what had happened yesterday.

    "He nned on bringing Zhao Corporation into ruins." Yang Feng shrugged. He did not feel remorse for all of the innocent lives he had to sacrifice just to keep Zhao Lifei safe. "Furthermore, he had thoughts of drugging my woman."

    Zhao Moyao always found it intriguing how Yang Feng could maintain a nonchnt expression on his face and not lose a wink of sleep over crimes like this. "And what if her father was not the one behind the kidnapping?"

    "All leads tie back to him."

    "But how can you be so sure?"

    "I trust my people." Yang Feng coldly replied. He did not like it when his authority was questioned, but for the sake of Zhao Lifei, he kept his temper to himself. He already treaded in dangerous waters by capturing two of her rtives. To harm her grandfather would be a sin he could never wash his hands of.

    "What will you do with him?"

    "What do you think I should do?" Yang Feng picked up his cup of tea and leisurely took a sip of it. He nned on giving the man a fate worse than death.

    "You¡¯re leaving me in a very tough predicament." Zhao Moyao let out small, cunningughter. A fox smile rested on his face, as fake as the smile of Wang Nuoli. "You¡¯ve already captured two of my sons, what shall I do when it¡¯s time to select heirs?"

    "Easy. Choose Zhao Lifei."

    At this, Zhao Moyao let out aughter that boomed off the walls. Hearty and very amused, he could barely keep the smile off of his face. "It¡¯s nice to see you have my granddaughter¡¯s best intentions at heart, but you must realize, she is already upied with Feili."

    "She can manage both." Yang Feng had absolute trust in her capabilities. If she needed help, he would dly drop everything and go to her.

    "Hm, but that would be unfair to my other grandchildren who are eagerly waiting for my retirement."

    "Give them major shares, but no more than Zhao Lifei¡¯s."

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s lips were stretched into a smile that reached his crafty eyes. It seems there is no limit to this boy¡¯s pampering and he did not know if he should cry orugh at the news. "You¡¯re smitten by her. Does your grandfather know of this?"

    "No." Yang Feng deliberately left out the lies he said that day. Zhao Lifei could understand him, but there was a high possibility Zhao Moyao would be offended.

    "Your grandfather is not a senile old fool with a deteriorating brain. He will eventually discover the truth."

    "And I¡¯ll be here when he does." Yang Feng confidently replied. He was not fazed at such a harmless idea. His men were ready. The security around Zhao Lifei was ready. Nothing could take or hurt her, not on his watch.

    Zhao Moyao studied Yang Feng¡¯s face. How does one man be so stoic? His eyes were as lifeless and bleak as he had always remembered, even though a ball of light tumbled into his life. He wondered, exactly how many people this man has killed with the very hand which he offered to his granddaughter. How many lives has he ruined? How much has he suffered to be like this? For odd reasons, he could not shake off the memory of a young boy in bloodied clothes assembling a gun faster than an assassin. It was a race. The first person that constructed the gun got to shoot the other person. Yang Feng evidently won, shooting the man nkly in the head.

    "I see you have gotten rid of that secretary. Something you should¡¯ve done long ago."

    "Yes, she was upsetting my woman."

    Zhao Moyao chuckled. "She was always upsetting my granddaughter. You have just realized?"

    Yang Feng chose not toment.

    "If you take my son, who shall provide for his wife and children?"

    "The wife is a Wang and the daughter is a Zhao." Yang Feng scoffed, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. With such powerful names, they would never starve.

    Zhao Moyao threw his head back andughed. "Yes, they are. I suppose they will never suffer any misfortune if they keep their heads down and live peacefully."

    "Unless they¡¯re involved in the kidnapping as well." Yang Feng easily responded, resting the side of his head on his fist. If they were involved, he did not care how long the river of blood would be stretched. Every rat must be exterminated.

    "And how will you exin things to my granddaughter when she discovers that you¡¯ve kidnapped her father and have ns to massacre her entire family?"

    Yang Feng raised a brow. "She does not need those lowlives. Our future family will suffice."

    Zhao Moyao could not believe how cheeky and arrogant this boy was. There was something about the way he spoke regarding their future as if he was so sure it was already set in stone. Unless..."Did you get a marriage license with my granddaughter?!"

    Yang Feng did notment. He kept his eyes forward, shing with Zhao Moyao¡¯s.

    "Yang Heng, you sneaky, scheming punk."

    "What makes you think I did?" Yang Feng asked, the edge of his lip tilted into a slight smirk. "And what makes you think I didn¡¯t?"

    "Do not speak in riddles with me, if I go to my granddaughter right now, she will give me the definite truth. So spit it out, did you go to the marriage bureau with her?" Zhao Moyao mmed down his teacup. This was not good news. Especially with a crazy General hunting her down, a man who would kill to get her back in his clutches.

    "Why don¡¯t you go ask her then?" Yang Feng stood up just as Chen Gaonan walked in.

    "President Yang, pardon my intrusion, but the meeting with Anxion Technology will begin in ten minutes."

    Zhao Moyao stayed in his position and flicked his hand. Li Xuan came over. "Notify Anxion Technology that the meeting has been pushed to thirty minutester. My discussion with Yang Heng is not finished."

    Yang Feng¡¯s deadly eyes settled upon Zhao Moyao. "You¡¯ve gotten very bold, old man."

    "Likewise, you brat." Zhao Moyao grunted out.

    "The meeting with Anxion Technology will proceed as nned." Yang Feng stormed out of his office, but the men stationed outside did not let him take a single step forward.

    Yang Feng scoffed. One snap of his fingers and armed men stepped out from the shadows, guns pointed, red dotsers set in ce.

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s men were clearly intimidated, but none of them showed it. They held their ground, even though five of them could not be able to take down one of Yang Feng¡¯s highly-trained men. The people assigned to protect him were the best among the best this country has ever witnessed. And, without a doubt, the ones around Zhao Lifei were even better.

    Zhao Moyao stepped near Yang Feng and in a hushed but stern and rough voice, asked, "Did you or did you not marry my granddaughter?" No one else heard him except for Yang Feng.

    Yang Feng ignored his question and left the room. When he did so, no one could hold him back anymore. He did as he pleased.

    Zhao Moyao glowered at the back of the young man, tall and wide, disappearing down the hallways, apanied by his private team and bodyguards who were nowhere in sight, but still present.

    Zhao Moyao gritted his teeth and turned to Li Xuan. "Prepare the car, we¡¯re heading to Cerulean Water Pavilions."

 Chapter 265 Send You Overseas

    Zhao Lifei decided it would be a good time for her to go back to Cerulean Waters Pavilion; since she did not visit it the night before. She climbed into her private car and gave the chauffeur the destination.

    Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the town, a nervous woman was shrinking back into the couch at the presence of an older man, whose overbearing presence greatly resembled her grandfather.

    Yang Ruqin did not know where Zhao Lifei was. Yesterday, Feifei mentioned something about a business meeting and she hadn¡¯t returned since. With each passing second, her silence was irking Zhao Moyao.

    "I¡¯ll ask this for the final time, where is my granddaughter?"

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s eyes darted to the door as she tried toe up with a good excuse. She had a feeling Zhao Lifei went to Feng-ge¡¯s house. Not wanting to reveal the secret, she kept her mouth closed about it.

    "I¡¯m not sure, she didn¡¯t tell me where she was going this morning."

    "This morning?" Zhao Moyao inquired, his eyes narrowing upon her.

    The way he repeated her words made Yang Ruqin nervous. Did he see past the lie? His face was filled with disappointment which made her believe he doubted her. Little did she know, Zhao Moyao was ying a trick on her to see if she would ramble. From what he remembered, this youngdy was very talkative. She was quiet during their interrogations which proved she was either a stupid friend who did not know where Zhao Lifei was, or she was a loyal one who would not snitch on her good friend. He believed it was thetter.

    Yang Ruqin squirmed in the plush couch, her eyes centered on the door. The Gods above must¡¯ve heard her desperate calling, for the door was pushed open and in walked the woman in question.

    Zhao Lifei handed her coat to the housekeeper waiting by the door. Her eyes fell on Zhao Moyao and Yang Ruqin, neither of them looked happy.

    "What happened?" Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes met with Yang Ruqin and the two shared a silent message.

    "Where were you this morning?" Zhao Moyao asked her when she sat down beside Yang Ruqin.

    "I was at..." Zhao Lifei trailed off when she realized Yang Ruqin was present. "An investment firm."

    Zhao Moyao knew she was referring to Feili. He insightfully nodded at her words and then dropped another dangerous question, "And where were you for the duration that you were supposed to be living in this house?"

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s smile twitched. "What do you mean?"

    "None of my men has seen you walk in and out of this premise ever since you moved out of my house."

    "You have people watching over this house?" Zhao Lifei tried to divert the topic. She felt Yang Ruqin¡¯s hand tightly grip hers before she got up and scrambled up the stairs, far away from this scary man downstairs.

    Zhao Lifei chuckled at Yang Ruqin¡¯s behavior that resembled a frightened little mouse. She had Elder Yang as her grandfather and she was not scared of him. What was so scary about Zhao Moyao?

    "Yes, it¡¯s for your own safety." Zhao Moyao picked up his cup of tea. "I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard by now. The General is looking for you."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s smilepletely dropped. "Yes. I was informed yesterday."

    "What will you do?" Zhao Moyao took a whiff of the tea and ced it down. He did not like floral teas such as this sunflower one.

    "What can I do? It¡¯s not like I can flee from Shenbei, where all of my obligations are." Zhao Lifei sighed. The only thing she could do was confront him head-on. It was an impossible dream, especially when she was so fearful of him. In the military, he had always pursued after her, his brain in the clouds, filled with delusions. And every time he was present, her body would stiffen with pure horror.

    "I can arrange a private flight that will send you overseas until all of the problems are settled."

    Zhao Lifei shook her head. "No. I have Feili to worry about."

    "Is that the only reason why?" Zhao Moyao raised one brow, his face oveing with pleasantries that hid the warning in his tone.

    "You already know my other reason." Zhao Lifei let out a faintughter.

    "Yes, speaking of that punk, he dismissed me from our meeting today. I should give him a good beating for that. He needs to be disciplined for badly treating his elders." Zhao Moyao snarled.

    "You should see the way he talks about his grandfather." Zhao Lifei grumbled, shaking her head.

    "Oh, I already know. And his grandfather speaks the same way about him." Zhao Moyao scoffed. Neither grandson nor grandfather have a healthy rtionship, but at least, there was mutual respect between them, or so he thought.

    "Xiao Fei, I¡¯m going to ask you a question and I want you to answer me truthfully." Zhao Moyao twisted the ring on his finger. Even after his wife died a very long time ago, he still wore the ring. He could not bear to part with it... As Yang Mujian always told him, his wife was the one thing that made him weak and though he could never deny the truth, Zhao Moyao believed it was part of the human nature to have weaknesses.

    "Did you go to the marriage bureau with Yang Feng?"

    Zhao Lifei swallowed hard. She could not lie to her grandfather, well, it was more that she did not want to. "Will you be mad at either answer?"

    Zhao Moyao became quiet. He most certainly would feel a rush of anger if she said yes. Even so, he knew this step in their rtionship was inevitable. Yang Feng was smitten by her, obsessed even. Marriage woulde sooner orter in their rtionship. He only wished it would beter until all of the problems and troubles have passed.

    "No."

    Zhao Lifei studied her grandfather¡¯s expression. She remembered a lot of people used topliment her by saying she had her father¡¯s eyes, but in reality, it had a closer resemnce to Zhao Moyao. Nothing could ever get past them.

    "Yes." She quietly whispered.

    "Why?"

    "It felt right."

    Zhao Moyao could see something in her had changed. His heart stirred when a tiny, demure smile graced her lips. Her eyes were soft and tender at the idea of marriage. She was very happy with the decision and in the end, that was all that mattered to him. He only wished she would never regret it in the future when the troubles became too hard and she would have the sudden urge to run away.

    "Do you love him?"

    Zhao Lifei leaned her head on the couch, staring up at the ceiling where a champagne-gold chandelier hung over her. "To the point that I¡¯ve started dreaming of our children."

    Zhao Moyao sucked in a deep breath of air. She truly has changed. And for the better. "Very well." He quietly said. "As you already know, Xiao Fei, you have my blessings."

    Zhao Lifei tilted her head to look at her grandfather, a rxed smile on her face. "I know."

    In the beginning, Zhao Moyao was very reluctant to tell her such words, especially with that little minx running around Yang Feng. But seeing she was so happy with the man and how much she had positively changed, Zhao Moyao did not want to deny her of her own happiness. The only thing he could do was silently stand in the back, secretly supporting her. It was the least he could do after the mistakes he had made.

    - - - - -

    Author¡¯s Note: As promised, here are the six codes for today. Once again, please remember it¡¯s ONE per user. Please do not use two or three and so on.

    For the fans in different timezones, I will be releasing one at 5 PM EST (it¡¯s 3 hourster than the usual one, mainly because tomorrow will be a really hectic day of packing for me T_T). Like the previous one, it will be updated at the end of this chapter at exactly 5 PM EST.

    Codes:

    YWAACMEJOJCQTPLS

    YWAACMAYDVFBWJZR

    YWAACMIQGIZQQUJD

    YWAACMKWCPDPMSKX

    YWAACMYVKVZXBOFC

    YWAACMXUWMTSDKKV

 Chapter 266 Perverted

    Zhao Moyao already had a suspicion that Zhao Lifei was living with Yang Feng. He just hoped she would one day tell him the truth herself, instead of hiding it, with the fear that he would be angered by the news.

    In the end, Zhao Moyao knew staying by Yang Feng¡¯s side was much safer than being in this house. Everyone employed in Yang Feng¡¯s house was skilled in fighting either with guns, or knives; in one form or another. He knew should anything happen, their first priority was to always protect Zhao Lifei.

    "Do you n on telling Yang Heng about the General?" Zhao Moyao asked her.

    Zhao Lifei nibbled on her bottom lip. She did not want to. She knew how barbaric Yang Feng would be if he discovered someone was after her and how that someone would go through all sorts of means just to drag her back to his den. She did not want to endanger Yang Feng. If there was truly someone in this world who could rival Yang Feng, it would be the General.

    "If you do not tell him, I will."

    "No!" Zhao Lifei blurted out, panicking at the idea. "If anyone is going to tell him, it has to be me." It would not look good if he discovered the truth from someone else.

    She quietly added, "I¡¯ll tell him eventually, but I need some time to collect my thoughts."

    "What are you so worried about?"

    "I don¡¯t want to make him worry over me. He already has apany and the triad to run¡ª"

    "Why do you ce insignificant things before you?" Zhao Moyao tilted his head. "In his life, you should be his only priority. The others are only misceneous hobbies."

    Zhao Lifei also wondered why she did it. In the past, she was ill-tempered, selfish, and self-centered; where everything had to be about her. She forced her way into Zheng Tianyi¡¯s life even though he did not want her. She did not want Yang Feng to leave her if she was suddenly demanding his attention.

    "You¡¯re legally his wife. You can steal all of his attention and demand his entire world to be about you. I doubt he would protest, especially in this blissful and happy-go-lucky stage of your rtionship." Zhao Moyao coyly suggested with a sly smile on his face. She had every good card in her hand, yet refused to utilize it. Such a foolish thing and it went against everything he had taught her.

    "I know." Zhao Lifei muttered. "But it¡¯s not going to be fair¡ª"

    "He¡¯s not Zheng Tianyi." Zhao Moyao deadpanned, seeing right through her. Even though there were so many things that differentiate that Zheng prick from Yang Heng, he knew she was still terrified. It would be hard to brush off the wounds from the past, especially when they ran deeper than it should have.

    "Unlike the bastard who could not differentiate coal from gold, Yang Feng will not push you away. From my viewpoint, he would do the exact opposite. The less you give him to work with, the more he¡¯ll pry." Zhao Moyao sighed inside of his head. Young love. What a nice thing to have.

    Zhao Moyao checked the time. "Talk it out with him, Xiao Fei. He will, without a doubt, understand your problems if you tell him personally."

    Zhao Lifei slowly nodded her head. "Alright."

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s grumpy face morphed into a smile. He got up and gave her cheek a pat. "Do not worry about insignificant things." He reminded her and walked out of the house, closing the door behind him.

    - - - - -

    Yang Ruqin heard the sound of the door closing and hopped her way downstairs. "Where were you yesterday?" She asked, sitting down right beside Zhao Lifei on the couch.

    "I went to a business lunch and uh, spent the night elsewhere."

    Yang Ruqin let out a burst of teasingughter, "Well? Am I going to get an adorable niece or nephew anytime soon? Say, nine months from now?" She nudged Feifei, watching as a bright red blush traveled from her cheek to her ears.

    Yang Ruqin gasped, "No way! Really?!"

    Zhao Lifei shook her head, "No, you¡¯re not going to get one anytime soon."

    Yang Ruqin pouted, "Why not?"

    "Because you can¡¯t take care of one." Zhao Lifei teased, pinching Yang Ruqin¡¯s nose before she went down the hallway and towards the kitchen. She was hungry after not eating much the entire day.

    "Wait, so if I learn how to, you¡¯ll give me a niece?!" Yang Ruqin chased after her best friend, grabbing her elbow as the two walked towards the kitchen together.

    "Nope." Zhao Lifei tapped Yang Ruqin on the nose just as she began to pull a pan out of a cab. But sure enough, the housekeeper came forward.

    "What would you like to eat, Madam?"

    "Just a light lunch." Zhao Lifei said.

    "We¡¯ll have two heavy lunches, thank you!" Yang Ruqin butted in before dragging Zhao Lifei out of the kitchen.

    "I still have to eat dinner you know."

    "Or my brother." Yang Ruqin muttered under her breath.

    "What was that?" Zhao Lifei asked, genuinely not hearing what her perverted friend said.

    "Nothing, nothing! Don¡¯t worry about it." Yang Ruqin winked as she dragged Zhao Lifei to the foyer. They were close to making it upstairs when Yang Ruqin¡¯s phone rang and together, they saw the daunting name, "Manager From Hell."

    "Ugh!" Yang Ruqin let out a tired groan before declining the call.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Zhao Lifei asked, guiding Yang Ruqin to the couch to have a thorough conversation. They haven¡¯t had one in a long time now.

    "Well, you know I started YRQ right?" Yang Ruqin started off. She fiddled with her fingers, anxious at what she was about to say. "I thought it would be better to focus on the brand instead of modeling."

    Zhao Lifei put two and two together. "You¡¯re going to stop modeling?"

    "Yeah... It¡¯s really tiring and draining." Yang Ruqin had debated whether or not she should hand in her resignation letter for a while now. It was on her desk at all times and because of it, her manager caught sight of it one day.

    "Did you make an official statement yet, or... ?"

    "I was thinking of handing in my resignation letter before the entire Mu Ting incident... It was also why we fought." She mumbled. "Before my grandfather¡¯s banquet, we had been getting into a lot of arguments...and on the night of it, I broke up with him not knowing he was in my house with a surprise."

    Yang Ruqin could still remember flickering the lights on in her house, only to see a group of people in it. Needless to say, one argument after the other, mingled with alcohol, everything went out of hand.

    "He only wanted to date someone famous and well... here I am." Yang Ruqin rested her head on Zhao Lifei¡¯s shoulders.

    "Modeling was something I enjoyed for a while, but like most of my hobbies, I got bored with it. It put a strain on me mentally and physically." Yang Ruqin never wanted to tell anyone this, but there was a day she copsed from exhaustion. She made her manager and entire team swear to never tell anyone of the hospitalization, for it was not only exhaustion she was fighting, but it was also ack of food. It was hard being a model, especially when one was a foodie, but was forced to be mindful of everything she consumed.

    "Whatever you do, Qinqin, I will support you every step of the way. Think over your decisions carefully and whatever you choose, make sure you don¡¯t have any regrets, okay?"

    "Okay, I will." Yang Ruqin quietly smiled, gradually her eyes fluttering shut as she fell asleep.

    Zhao Lifei waited a few minutes before she slowly eased Yang Ruqin¡¯s body onto the couch, went upstairs to grab a nket and draped it over her sleeping body. She needed all the rest that she could get and Zhao Lifei would not interrupt it.

 Chapter 267 All Of My Fortune

    Chen Gaonan walked into the room with a tablet in hand. "Sir, it is just as you have predicted. There was a mole in our team." He turned on the video recording of a man being captured. "He was working for Master Yang and would frequently report things back to him. However, he was doing it in intervals, so before anything was about to be fully sent out, we have intercepted and edited everything."

    Yang Feng paused his typing and nodded, before going back to his work. "Get rid of him."

    Chen Gaonan already understood the method that his boss was referring to. He nodded his head. "Our men have fabricated a resignation letter and will wipe any traces of him off of our hands."

    Yang Feng hummed in reply as his pen flew over the documents, going back and forth from hisputers to the paperwork.

    "Based on yourmand, we have also annihted everyone else tailing you and thedy-boss. Especially the private detective sent by Elder Su."

    Yang Feng nodded his head. "I want their bones to be untraceable."

    "Yes, sir." Chen Gaonan went through the list and notes on his tablet to double-check he did not miss anything. "In regards to the kidnapping of Zhao Wenjin, Wang Nuoli has contacted a team of private detectives."

    "Buy out their loyalty." Yang Feng ced his pen down and took off his sses. This news was actually important since it concerned Zhao Lifei. "Make sure none of Zhao Lifei¡¯s family members contact her about this."

    "Yes, boss." Chen Gaonan nodded. "Zhao Wenjin is conscious now. Shall I prepare a car to go there?"

    Yang Feng looked over his paperwork. They were pretty much all finished, except for one or two pieces of paper he had to look over. "Yes."

    Chen Gaonan bowed and left the room.

    Yang Feng finished the remaining papers and went to the private garage downstairs. He got into the car and Hu Wei began to drive in the direction of the Underworld. Today, he would finally get to the bottom of everything.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Wenjin tried to fight against the restraints on his wrists and ankles. He was slightly cooperative when he was conscious, but the minute he was shoved into the ck Room, he began to panic. The weapons on the walls and tables, the nauseating scent of iron mixed with something rotting, everything there was driving his anxiety off the walls.

    The metal door clicked.

    His entire body froze.

    In walked a man, someone he never expected to see in that ce. "P-President Yang?" Zhao Wenjin breathed out in shock. Happiness washed over him. Thank goodness it was this man! "Are you here to save me? Quick, help me untie the ropes on my wrist and ankles. I can¡¯t move."

    Yang Feng flicked his wrist and Yang Yulong came forward to oblige the man¡¯s request. It was always fun ying with the victim and giving them the smallest dose of ease before the pain came.

    More men shuffled into the room, ready to start the interrogation. Guo Sheng was actually nowhere in sight today after catching the flu. He usually caught it once a year, on the exact date as the previous one.

    Zhao Wenjin stood up and rubbed out his sore wrist. "I am so pleased to see you, President Yang. My unfilial daughter has constantly rejected all of my requests to contact you. You should¡¯ve seen the struggle she gave me." He sighed, shaking his head. He did not understand why there was an increase in the people here but figured it was for extra security.

    "She¡¯s bad-tempered like her mother and very spoiled. After all the years I have spent raising her, she repays me by leaving the house, using me of disowning her." Zhao Wenjin shook his head.

    "I believe my youngest daughter would be more suitable for you. She¡¯s quiet, polite, and everything a woman should be." Zhao Wenjin smiled. "Also, she ys the piano...Which," Heughed, "I¡¯m sure you know what she will be good at."

    He was too busy rambling to realize the shift of emotion in Yang Feng¡¯s deep, obsidian eyes.

    "May I have a bottle of water, please? My throat is parched."

    Yang Feng motioned for his men to grab a bottle of water. Yang Yulong took it, uncapped the bottle, and seemingly was about to pass it to Zhao Wenjin, but at thest minute, sshed the water into his face.

    Zhao Wenjin let out an angered cry, "Mr. Yulong, what was that for?! Hey, what are you guys doing?!" Several men came forward to grab his wrist and restrain him.

    Yang Feng pressed a button and down fell the chains. The men got to work and in less than a minute, Zhao Wenjin found himself bounded again, but this time, it was to a chair.

    "President Yang, what is going on?! What is the meaning of this?!" Zhao Wenjin grounded out. "Is it because I mentioned my younger daughter? Listen, if you do not like her, that is fine. But I think it would be good if you met her, and then perhaps you can keep Zhao Lifei as a mistress!"

    "I will be passing all of my fortunes to my youngest, not a single dime will be left for Zhao Lifei¡ª OW!" Yang Yulong struck him in the face.

    Yang Feng never did the dirty work. He was way too high for that.

    Chen Gaonan ced a chair in the room and Yang Feng sat down on it. He poured himself a ss of millennium wine that had been aged in his private cer.

    "Begin the interrogation." Three words were all it took for Zhao Wenjin to experience all thirteenyers of hell.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei ordered the servants not to disturb Yang Ruqin¡¯s rest. Later, she decided it would be a good time to go shopping for some groceries. The sun was setting and dinner time would start soon. She figured she might as well burn time and cook Yang Feng something.

    On her route to the grocery store, she passed by First Hospital. The car was stopped, waiting for the red light to end, when Zhao Lifei saw the same granny selling vegetables outside. It was a pretty smart ce to sell vegetables since the street she was on is known for having small mom-and-pop restaurants.

    "Drive to the sidewalk." Zhao Lifei instructed her driver right when the light turned green. He obeyed her orders and parked the car near the sidewalk and away from the passing vehicles.

    Zhao Lifei got out of the car and made her way to the granny. She wondered if the old woman still remembered her.

    "Good afternoon." Zhao Lifei greeted with a smile, watching as recognition flickered in the woman¡¯s eyes.

    "Hoho, it¡¯s a very good afternoon. I have not seen you in a long time now, youngdy." The granny smiled, dimples forming on her aged face.

    "Yes, I don¡¯t live around here so I do not frequent this street very often." Zhao Lifei said as she picked out the majority of the vegetables. She was happy to see the cart was not as filled as it was before.

    "Business has been very goodtely...It¡¯s very nice to see so many people buying from me. I worked very hard to grow these vegetables." The granny had a contented smile on her face. She truly enjoyed the farmwork, even if it contradicted with her background.

    "No wonder these vegetables are so fresh and good." Zhao Lifeiplimented, cing the ones she picked out into the scale.

    "You¡¯re buying a lot this time as well?" The granny asked as she weighed the items.

    "Ah, yes I am." Zhao Lifei smiled, deciding to stash these in the fridge. She remembered their quality was really good thest time she cooked it for her grandfather.

    "Hoho, you must have a big family. How big are your children? Green beans and broli are good for children and help with their growth spurt." The granny ced everything in three bags filled to the brim.

    Zhao Lifei let out an awkwardugh. "It¡¯s only me and my hus¡ªboyfriend." She smiled, taking the bags from the granny and then handing the money over.

    "Oh...I see. Well, it¡¯s good to see youngsters like you eat your vegetables." The granny nodded. She most certainly did not miss the subtle change in the way Zhao Lifei addressed her significant other.

    A man came to the stall and picked up a bunch of spring onions. "How much are these?" He asked.

    Zhao Lifei did not want to disturb the granny¡¯s business any longer. "Have a good day!" She bid the granny goodbye and walked back to her car, deciding she did not need to go to the supermarket after all.

    - - - - - -

    Codes (Released at 5PM EST):

    YWAACMDJCRJXECAR

    YWAACMEOQLGAOQSA

    YWAACMKGCAKYKDND

    YWAACMEUANXSNPGK

    YWAACMQNKYXPFAKA

    YWAACMMBNRMHKNKZ

 Chapter 268 Succumbing To Him

    Zhao Wenjin was a weak-minded man who easily blurted everything out. Though, it did take a while with few missing body parts and a severely beaten body.

    Yang Feng had everything he needed. Zhao Wenjin kidnapped Zhao Lifei due to the public humiliation he faced. He could not keep his daughter in control and wanted to do it through different means, but after he caught word that there was a man looking for her, offering an enormous sum of money just to obtain her, Zhao Wenjin decided to kill two birds with one stone.

    After endless torturing, Zhao Wenjin finally concluded that he did not know the identity of the man looking for his eldest daughter. He did not know if the man was a dangerous person, a pervert, or a sick freak, yet he did not hesitate at the idea of selling her.

    Yang Feng decided he had extracted all of the information he needed from Zhao Wenjin. The next step was to ponder on what he should do with the pathetic, squabbling man in front of him.

    He turned to Chen Gaonan, "Go search for that man."

    ¡¯The moon is high, the tides pass by, the battlefield is soaked in red...¡¯

    ¡¯The snow falls as I raise a cup to the war casualties.¡¯

    Chen Gaonan blinked at the ring tone. He recognized this song, as his wife constantly hummed it when it was newly released. Coincidentally, it was Zhao Lifei¡¯s favorite song.

    Yang Feng¡¯s deste eyesnded on Chen Gaonan who quickly scrambled out of the door to fulfill the order.

    Yang Feng studied Zhao Wenjin¡¯s pitiful and sorry state for a while before he wordlessly stood up and left the room without turning back. What¡¯s done is done. The only thing left for him to do was to search for the mysterious man now.

    He picked up his phone and the melody known as her voice came through.

    "Yang Feng, are youing home for dinner tonight? I...I cooked tonight." Zhao Lifei said while adding in the soy sauce and tasting the vors.

    Yang Feng¡¯s heart melted, "Of course." He wondered if he would frequentlye home to her cooking now that they¡¯re married. The idea ofing home to a table filled with food, surrounded by his children and his lovely wife, was a fantasy that he wanted toe true.

    Growing up, he was apanied by his grandfather but most of his dinners were spent eating alone. He lived in his grandfather¡¯s enormous estate, where he often ate in his room. Nothing was more depressing than the clicks of the chopsticks, the servants waiting upon him in the corner of the room, and the food that was decently cooked, but nd and tasteless to him. Even with the different arrays of meat, vegetables, and seafood, turning the table into a world of colors, to him, it was all a grey mush.

    "I will finish cooking within thirty minutes. Don¡¯te home toote, okay?" Zhao Lifei went to prepare the vegetable stir-fry where she added in some oyster sauce, fish sauce, garlic, and then a tiny sprinkle of sugar to bnce the saltiness.

    "I¡¯m already on my way home." Yang Feng had nned to stay here till a bitter to finalize everything, but now that he knew his wife was already home, he was eager to return back to her.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei gulped when she saw the ckened dessert. How can one burn milk pudding to this extent?! She expected to see a wless bowl of white, silky smooth and soft pudding, not this lump of coal.

    The sound of a car pulling to the front entrance startled her. She grabbed the metal grab without the oven mittens and burned herself in the process.

    CLANK!

    The metal tray fell out of her hands, loudly falling onto the floor.

    Yang Feng was midway taking off his coat when he heard themotion in the public kitchen. His heart was drumming in fear when he dashed for the swinging door, only to see a woman huddled over spilt...ink? He watched as she poked it before letting out a cry of frustration before picking up the paper towel.

    "Don¡¯t touch it." Yang Feng grabbed her fingers before it touched the floor. "Leave it to the servants." He told her, whisking her out of the kitchen and into the dining hall where all of the dishes seemingly glistened. The savory aroma flooded his senses as he swallowed hard. Everything looked absolutely delicious.

    "The milk pudding..." Zhao Lifei grumbled, turning her head back to see that the maids were already working on cleaning up her mess.

    "You want milk pudding? I¡¯ll make it for you." Yang Feng let out a lightugh. "Next time, leave the desserts to me." He wondered how every part of her could be so sweet, yet she failed to bake sweets. He shook his head at the irony.

    Zhao Lifei recognized this d¨¦j¨¤ vu situation, a warm feeling spreading across her chest. "I need to learn how to bake sooner orter. What if our..."¡ªChildren wanted cookies? Her face turned bright pink at the idea. They¡¯ve yet to make love and here she was, constantly thinking about having his children. She did not think her fear would disperse that quickly. Was it the effect of being madly in love with someone?

    "If what?" He asked her as he pulled out a chair for her. She sat down and he pushed her in. He grabbed the table cloth, set it down on herp, kissed her cheek and went to sit on the opposite side of her.

    "Nothing. The food is getting cold. Hurry up and eat." She responded, ignoring his coy smile.

    "If our children wanted cookies in the future, I will make it for them." He easily read her mind, his smile bing a teasing one when her blush traveled to her ears and chest.

    "Worry about yourself. They¡¯ll enjoy my hockey pucks."

    Yang Feng warmlyughed. He did not want his kids to go through the pain of eating their mother¡¯s burnt cookies.

    - - - - -

    Laying in bed and entangled in each other¡¯s arms, Zhao Lifei could feel the rumble of Yang Feng¡¯s chest as he spoke to her in a low voice, smooth as chocte. "When will we hold our ceremony?"

    Zhao Lifei ran her fingers over his chest, burying her head into it. "When we get our blessings."

    "We already have the ones from the most important people."

    "I want to earn it myself." Zhao Lifei knew he was referring to Elder Yang and Zhao Moyao. The only reason why she got Elder Yang¡¯s blessings was because Yang Feng lied for her sake. She wanted to acquire it with the truth this time.

    "Our marriage will be prosperous and harmonious even without blessings." He stubbornly said while his one hand yed with the silky strands of her dark hair. He twirled some in his fingers before kissing the top of her head. If he could have it his way, he wouldn¡¯t mind getting married at the end of the week.

    "Yes, but traditions are important."

    "Tradition is peer pressure from the dead."

    "Don¡¯t steal lines from books." She scoffed, rolling her eyes."Besides, there¡¯s so much that needs to be done. I¡¯ve yet to introduce you to my grandmother." She smiled up at him, not noticing the way his heart skipped a beat upon seeing her.

    Suddenly, she found herself lying on her back, Yang Feng hovering over her. "What is it?" She whispered when she saw the way his eyes mischievously glistened in the dark.

    She gasped when his lips crashed against hers in a fiery and passionate kiss. He nipped her bottom lip, tugging and sucking at it. He tasted faintly of honey and oranges, a taste that was too sweet and addicting. His soft suctioning while their lips feverishly molded against each other turned her mind into mush. One hand traveled to her waist, while the other teasingly grazed the top of her breast. Without warning, he massaged one, a gasp leaving her mouth, just as he dove his tongue into it. Their tongues met and she could not fight against his dominance, eventually sumbing to him.

    Her fingers entwined themselves into his hair, angling it for a deeper kiss. She let out a quiet moan, the sound evoking a low growl from him.

    Her body hummed and she could feel something warm and hot pooling in her lower body.

    "Yang Feng..." She breathed out against his lips, pulling back from the kiss. His eyes were darkened and zing with a strange emotion.

    "Wai-" He didn¡¯t listen. Instead, he kissed her again. This time harder than before. His kiss was suddenly rough then sweet and back to lustful again. It left her brain hazy and confused. She could not bring herself to resist him and together, their lips mated. She glued her body against his, arching her back, whilst her nimble and hot tongue hungrily traced his.

    Yang Feng was losing himself to the little seductress in his arms. He could feel his shaft grow hard and stiff within seconds. All he could think about was her and filling her body with him.

    He pulled back from the kiss to let her breath. She let out a tiny moan inint, the sound prompting him to kiss her again. But he resisted it and trailed his lips down her small chin to her neck,vishing the area with suckling kisses that would leave bright red marks behind.

    Zhao Lifei could feel something hard andrge poking her lower stomach and she finally realized this session would go too far if she did not stop now. The thought flew out the window when he began to pull her shirt down. Her breath hitched in anticipation, and she nced down to see his eyes were staring at her all along, never once breaking away from her gaze. She felt her heart at her throat. Seeing the intense desire he had for her and the way his eyes seemed to burn in the dark, her body tingled. She could not look away from him. She expected his mouth to trail lower as it had done before. She wanted him to do it again. The sensation fromst time was explosive and addicting, something she had never felt before.

    "Let¡¯s stop here." He whispered, after noticing both of their eyes were ignited with a dangerous me. He could not afford to lose control here, despite the fact that his member was begging him to enter and explore the world she had down there.

    Zhao Lifei wanted to protest but when he pressed his hips against hers, the same thing poking her again, she knew they had to stop. She bobbed her head, her body shaking a bit when she realized something. ¡¯Why...Why was it sorge?¡¯

    Yang Fengid back down onto the bed. Automatically, Zhao Lifei nestled herself in his arm, using him as a body pillow. She slung her leg over him and wisely kept it away from his...friend. It did not take long for her to fall into a blissful sleep that was not gued with nightmares, as long as he was holding her.

 Chapter 269 Im Not An Intern

    Zhao Lifei made her way towards Feili at exactly 1 PM the next day. She was dressed for sess with her white blouse, ck zer, and pencil skirt. With her charisma and her ability to easilymand a crowd, she was the perfect definition of a businesswoman. Strolling into Feili without a care in the world, Zhao Lifei scanned her private key card.

    Wei Hantao was already waiting for her upstairs. And unknowingly, so was Zheng Tianyi, who was engrossed with Xia Mengxi in the private meeting room.

    Zhao Lifei made her way to Wei Hantao¡¯s office which she surprisingly found empty. Luckily, Huo Qiudong was present and waiting for her. "The meeting was pushed forward by thirty minutes because President Zheng arrived earlier than expected."

    "Should we head there now?" He asked her.

    "No, we will make them wait." Zhao Lifei said while taking a seat on the couch. "Just because they came early does not mean we will oblige their request. There could¡¯ve been other meetings going on before their arrival."

    Huo Qiudong hid his agreeing smile. "Yes, ma¡¯am." He told her, sitting back down before his desk to finish printing copies of the proposal.

    "Where is that idiotic Vice President of mine?" Zhao Lifei asked while grabbing the nearest magazine.

    Huo Qiudong already knew Wei Hantao was screwed the minute he became Zheng Tianyi¡¯spdog in this entire ordeal. The man could not go against his father and that very reason would soon be the reason for his downfall. "He¡¯s...already in the meeting room."

    Zhao Lifei paused for the briefest second, then went back to flipping the magazine pages. ¡¯Oh look, a new Birkin design came out this season.¡¯

    "He went in there without his CEO?" If Zhao Lifei was bothered by this news, she didn¡¯t show it on her face. She remained calm and collected whilst her eyes were engrossed in the magazine. YRQ released a new line of dresses? Dang, her Qinqin worked very quickly.

    Huo Qiudong truly admired how she was able to keep her anger in check, even when the news of the meeting was announced the day before. It was unfavorable to mix personal life with work life. She was maintaining the bnce very well, too well, might he add.

    "Yes, to pacify them in case you arrived at exactly 2 PM."

    "Hm, well, call him back and tell him his boss is here. Also, tell him to grab me a cup of coffee." Zhao Lifei decided to assign him the job of a private assistant since he liked to bootlick so much.

    "A coffee...? As your secretary, I believe I can grab one for you." Huo Qiudong said while pressing the button that leads to Wei Hantao¡¯s personal phone.

    "No, leave it to the Vice President who kindly went behind my back." Zhao Lifei¡¯s sickeningly sweet smile sent shivers down Huo Qiudong¡¯s back. He remembered seeing Zhao Moyao on a magazine cover once, and even though it was only a picture, he was deeply intimidated by the man¡¯s gaze. It seemed this youngdy took after her grandfather exceptionally well.

    "Oh, and tell him if I don¡¯t get my coffee within five minutes, he¡¯s fired." She briskly said, her smile deepening. It was enough to freeze Huo Qiudong¡¯s blood.

    She wasn¡¯t petty? He decided to never get on her bad side...

    "Y-yes, ma¡¯am..." Huo Qiudong trailed off while he phoned Wei Hantao. The man did not pick up. He gulped and without waiting for Zhao Lifei to give him themand, he scurried off to the meeting room to tell him the news in person.

    Zhao Lifei watched him disappear down the hallway. She clicked her tongue before going back to the magazine.

    - - - - -

    Zheng Tianyi was browsing through the presentation slides, checking for any errors before it started. He checked the time and saw that it was already 1:30 PM. ¡¯Where was the CEO? What was taking him so damn long? The great Zheng Tianyi has arrived. They should be honored he even came this early, especially for a low-tierpany like Feili. How unprofessional. Didn¡¯t the Vice President say they would adjust the meeting time?¡¯

    Chen Xing was impatiently tapping her foot in the corner of the room when she spoke up, "Mr. Wei, where is your CEO? This is Zheng Tianyi we¡¯re talking about. Our time here is very precious."

    "We arrived early so that you guys do not have to wait until 2 PM just to see our CEO. The fact that your CEO is even ten secondste is uneptable." She added on, ring daggers at Wei Hantao.

    Wei Hantao strained his pleasant smile. "I apologize, our CEO did not get the notification that you have arrived until five minutes ago..." He lied.

    He was in all honesty too fearful to tell Zhao Lifei that Zheng Tianyi had arrived in the office already. It was a miracle that she epted this meeting without throwing a fight. If he told her toe earlier than nned, he was sure she would have a fit.

    "Well, tell them to hurry up." Chen Xing coldly sniped. "President Zheng does not have all day here." She snarled.

    Wei Hantao nodded his head and pretended to type on his phone.

    Zheng Tianyi raised his head and turned it to Wei Hantao. "I¡¯m parched. Get me a cup of coffee."

    "R-right away." Wei Hantao muttered under his breath, running out of the room to get the man his damn cup of coffee. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that the Zhengs were great friends with Wei Hantao¡¯s father, he would not have be an errand boy.

    He came back in less than three minutes with a fresh cup of coffee in his hands. He respectfully handed it to Zheng Tianyi with two hands. The CEO did not drink or touch the coffee.

    Zheng Tianyi was midway into reading thest page when he received a notification. He paused what he was doing and checked his phone, his eyes widening a bit. One billion was withdrawn from his ount, by the authorized user known as Xia Mengxi.

    His eyes flew to his lover across the room, whose lips were still bruised after his punishing kiss. She was pitifully staring at the floor with her eyes and head down. His heart ached upon seeing her state and he decided not to question her about the enormous sum of money until tonight...when they were all alone and she could not run from him.

    Wei Hantao sat down in a chair when Huo Qiudong walked in, a bit out of breath. In order to not embarrass him, Huo Qiudong quietly said, "The President asked you to get a cup of coffee. It has to be delivered within five minutes. If not, you¡¯re fired. Currently, three minutes have passed."

    Wei Hantao¡¯s head snapped up. "Why can¡¯t you get the coffee? Aren¡¯t you the secretary? What am I? An errand boy?" He hissed back, his voice loud enough for the people in the meeting room to hear everything.

    Huo Qiudong opened his mouth but closed it when he smelled something in the air. His eyesnded on the coffee beside Zheng Tianyi. He instantly recognized the cup as one of the ones from the break room. Unless someone worked here, they would not be able to know where the employee¡¯s break room was.

    Chen Xing could not locate the break room. This was her first timeing here. Who could¡¯ve gotten that new cup of coffee? His eyes shifted back to Wei Hantao.

    "Mr. Wei, the clock is ticking. You have one and a half minutes from now. Please don¡¯t make this hard on yourself. The President is furious that you changed the meeting time without warning or a text." Huo Qiudong kept his voice respectfully low. No one was able to hear his words except for the Vice President.

    Wei Hantao scowled. "I¡¯m not an intern. I¡¯m the Vice President of thispany. Why should I get another cup of coffee?"

    Another cup? Huo Qiudong¡¯s eyes narrowed. He was willing to get Zheng Tianyi a cup of coffee, but not their own President?!

    "Very well, I will inform the President." Huo Qiudong straightened out his suit from having to bend down to reach Wei Hantao¡¯s seated body.

    "Tell the President to not be so petty...I thought we were friends?" Wei Hantao was clearly referring to Zhao Lifei but Huo Qiudong misunderstood him.

    "We¡¯re merely acquaintances." Huo Qiudong breezily said and walked out of the room, no longer pitying Wei Hantao. Instead, he felt a burning rage. How could this man not sense the dire situation here?

    Huo Qiudong had heard rumors of Zhao Moyao¡¯s infamous dog-eat-dog mentality in hispany. Being one of the big five, they had so many people applying to theirpany, it was easy to dispose of someone if they made frequent mistakes.

    He wondered if Zhao Lifei would be like that, or perhaps harsher... He would find out very soon.

 Chapter 270 The Most Pathetic Heiress

    When only one pair of polished leather shoes echoed down the hallways, leisurely taking their time, she could only assume the position of Vice President would soon be empty. If Wei Hantao wasing here, his footsteps would be frantic, as he would be rushing to keep his position.

    Huo Qiudong came around the corner with a cup of coffee in his hands.

    Zhao Lifei hid the smile threatening to break out. At least someone from her personal team was adequate enough. She understood the underlying message behind Huo Qiudong¡¯s cup of coffee. By bringing it to her personally, he was stepping up to fill in the vacant position. But she did not voice her thoughts.

    Huo Qiudong carefully handed the coffee to her, worried that she might burn her hands. He watched as she took a sip of the coffee, her brows raising a bit. She enjoyed it.

    "I¡¯m surprised." Zhao Lifei began. "This is the first time I requested Wei Hantao to get me a cup of coffee and he already knows my preference." She decided to test Huo Qiudong. If he allowed Wei Hantao to easily take the credit, it would mean he would not be suitable for thispetitive world.

    "The coffee was made by me." Huo Qiudong let out a breath he did not know he was holding in. Seeing as she was enjoying the coffee unlike the untouched one beside Zheng Tianyi, he safely assumed her anger was quelled a bit.

    "And why did Wei Hantao not make it for me?" She asked, cing down the magazine and checking the time.

    Huo Qiudong hesitated. He did not want to sell out the man he worked for so quickly, but he would be willing to do so if it meant he could climb higher in his position.

    Unlike Wei Hantao who had an obligation to his father, Huo Qiudong had none. He would not be fearful of rejecting enormouspanies, as they have done it multiple times in the past. For the sake of his family¡¯s connection, Wei Hantao easily epted Zheng Tianyi¡¯s request for a meeting. This was a crucial mistake, for it showed where one¡¯s true loyalty lies.

    "He was busy bootlicking President Zheng. It seems he was exhausted after getting President Zheng a cup of coffee."

    Zhao Lifei let out a smallugh, highly entertained at how quickly Huo Qiudong was able to sell out his Vice President. "I hope you understand what you have done."

    "Yes, and I will fully embrace the consequences of this betrayal."

    Zhao Lifei tilted her head, an unreadable smile on her face. "Who said anything about the consequences of betrayal?"

    Huo Qiudong¡¯s lips twitched. He wisely chose not to respond.

    "I do like your cup of coffee though, it¡¯s absolutely perfect for my taste." Zhao Lifei muttered before taking another sip of the creamy but bitter, like her heart, coffee.

    "I will always go out of my way to get it for you." Huo Qiudong honestly said. Unlike Wei Hantao whose position as Vice President was easily handed to him because of his connection to Zhao Lifei, Huo Qiudong had worked his way up from being an intern to a secretary. He understood how to lower himself when needed.

    Zhao Lifei hid the smile behind the coffee. "Is that so..." She stood up after checking the time. It was five minutes past 2 PM.

    She brushed past him. "I didn¡¯t think a Vice President would do such demeaning things for a job."

    Huo Qiudong blinked. It took him five seconds for him to register what she had just said. By the time he did so, she was already down the halls. He immediately chased after her, but halfway, bolted back to his desk for a copy of the proposal, and then dead-ran to her again ¡ª catching up to her in the nick of time.

    "We¡¯rete." He whispered to her when they were just a few steps away from the meeting room.

    "A Queen is neverte. Everyone else is simply early." She quoted, a smirk on her face. "Also, reach out to our IT admin. Shut down Wei Hantao¡¯s ess to every single file." She paused and said, "Contact ourwyers to prepare non-disclosure agreements, the nonpete contracts [1], and severance package [2]."

    She examined her nails and decided to get it painted soon. "Lock him down."

    "Yes, ma¡¯am." Huo Qiudong smiled as he watched her saunter off into the distance. She was not dressed for sess, she was dressed to kill.

    - - - - -

    By the time 2:10 came around, Zheng Tianyi¡¯s face was darkened with fury. The irritating CEO made him wait for forty minutes. He was already cursing her inside his head. "What an intolerable and disrespectful CEO you have here. No wonder thispany is barely making profits." He snarled to Wei Hantao.

    Wei Hantao raised a brow. Not making revenue? Hey buddy, our value is in the billions here! We¡¯re one of the leading investment firms of our generation! "I-I¡¯m sure there is a mix-up here. Please, don¡¯t worry¡ª"

    "My father will hear of this disrespect." Zheng Tianyi snarled. "You said you texted her. Were you lying?" He seethed, stalking to Wei Hantao.

    "Who do you guys think you are?" Zheng Tianyi mmed his hand onto the table. "Thispany has no basic etiquette. You¡¯ll never make it with such a horrible mentality, especially when the CEO leading one of the big fivepanies is here!" Zheng Tianyi had reached the brink of his patience.

    "We went out of our way toe here early to show respect to Weida Law Firm." He hissed. "And this is how you and your pathetic CEO treat me?"

    "I hope thispany falls to ruins. You people are utter trash." He snarled, picking up the proposal and threatening to smash it across Wei Hantao¡¯s face.

    "There are multiple investment firms located throughout the city. I can easily go to another one whose CEO woulde to me the second I arrive!"

    "Then, with all due respect, please, go to another one." A feminine voice rang throughout the room. It was beautiful and enchanting, like that of a siren luring pirates to their death. A sweet smile entered the room just as she did.

    Chen Xing¡¯s clipboard fell out of her hand, her jaw dropped wide open. No. Freaking. Way.

    Standing by the doorway of the room was none other than Zhao Lifei herself. It seemed her appearance was constantly improving each time they met. She was stunning today and the healthy glow around her clearly outshone the pitiful Xia Mengxi, whose confidence was stripped away by Zheng Tianyi¡¯s belittling words during their arguments.

    Xia Mengxi used to shine like a thirty-five-carat diamond. She was innocent and pure when she collided with Zheng Tianyi. Like a refreshing breath of spring, she swayed into his life, with the wings of an angel and the face of a fairy from heaven.

    Chen Xing used to think Zhao Lifei was the most pathetic heiress she had ever encountered.

    When she saw how much the woman begged and grovel for her President, her impression towards her worsened. She still remembered a woman, thin and fragile, with unhealthy grey skin from all the sleepless nights. The slur of her voice, the way her body copsed before Zheng Tianyi¡¯s feet and the bloodshot eyes of an alcoholic were hard to miss. The wails of a betrayed, ill-tempered heiress were a mockery to Chen Xing¡¯s ears on that cold winter night when Zhao Lifei was stripped naked before the Zheng Mansion. It was night time and the wind hallowed louder than her broken heart, the paparazzi were barely able to take a picture of her. Thinning hair fromck of sleep and food, pale lips that were parched from screaming, and a brittle temperament, she was the epitome of a scorned lover.

 Chapter 271 Own Up Right Now

    Who was this woman before Chen Xing? She had only seen Zhao Lifei a handful of times ever since the wealthy heiress came back to the city, but now that she saw her up close and not in the arms of President Yang, Chen Xing was blown away.

    Luscious silky hair, gleaming like freshly harvested chestnuts under the autumn sun, burning eyes of melting gold, a body meant for photoshoots with high-end magazines, and plump lips that resembled rubies harvested from the deepest mines: she was a vision to behold.

    Chen Xing did not know what overcame her when she bowed her head in respect. Zhao Lifei had oncemanded the Zheng Board of Directors. Without a doubt, she could do the same even now, if not better.

    Zheng Tianyi had forgotten the woman Zhao Lifei used to be. He had forgotten about the tossed away trash, left out to rot. When he had seen her in the arms of Yang Feng, she looked like a simple eye-candy. Who would¡¯ve guessed, up close and personal, she would be so...elegant? When his eyes trailed over her body, lingering upon her breast and then tiny hips, he felt a pair of eyes burning a hole through the side of his head.

    His eyes snapped back to Xia Mengxi and he finally remembered all of Zhao Lifei was not worth an inch of his woman. But why was it that his heart ached with remorse and regret?

    Xia Mengxi ground her teeth, her delicate jaw tightened when she saw Zheng Tianyi¡¯s clouded eyes. That look...it was all too familiar. She remembered seeing those leering eyes on her sleazy father who paid more attention to his whores than his wife. She hated thinking about that man, especially when he disappeared, only toe tumbling back into their lives.

    Xia Mengxi quietly cleared her throat. It did not get Zheng Tianyi¡¯s attention. She walked up to him and possessively wrapped her arms about his biceps.

    Zheng Tianyi regained his consciousness. His momentarily awed expression disappeared. His face was twisted into a scowl, "What is a servant doing here?"

    Zhao Lifei bit down on her bottom lip to hide the smirk threatening to break out.

    "Where¡¯s your mop and bucket?" His eyes raked over her again. "Tsk, with an outfit like that, you¡¯re still attempting to climb into more beds?"

    "Are you referring to me or Xia Mengxi?" Zhao Lifei mused.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s face darkened. He took a threatening step forward but Huo Qiudong beat him to it. "I apologize for thete introduction, Mr. Zheng, but you¡¯re currently speaking to the President of Feili."

    Zheng Tianyi did not care. He decided to attack another part of her. "If you¡¯re going to bete, at least dress better."

    "tantly disrespectful. I let you work in mypany for two years, you¡¯ve ought to have learned something from me. I see you¡¯re still as brain dead and foolish as you were two years ago. Not much has changed."

    "You should¡¯ve been grateful I offered you a seat in mypany. This is how you repay me? By showing upte and wasting my time? I spent my precious time teaching you the proper behavior of an employee while you were at Zheng Corporation."

    Zheng Tianyi killed her with his daggered eyes. "People would die before my feet, sacrificing everything they have just to learn from me. I taught you for free, you should owe up right now and apologize for your unruly and horrendous behavior in the office."

    "Is this how people from yourpany treat one of the big five? Let me tell you, you will not make it far with such mentality. Worthless little thing you are. No wonder you were disowned by your parents. No one would want a daughter like you."

    Zhao Lifei kept the amicable smile on her face, mocking him with her serene temperament. Did he teach her something? When?

    What a joke. How delusional was this man?

    She wanted to kick herself for falling hopelessly in love with a man like him. But who wouldn¡¯t in their naive youth?

    He used to be the Prince Charming of her fairytale until she realized she was the wicked witch and Xia Mengxi was the actual Princess. It seemed the story unraveled pretty nicely though... One was a mere Princess struggling with a crown that was not hers, while the other was a Queen whose crown was made for her.

    Her silence angered him further. "Who wants to stay at this shittypany anyways?" He snarled, tossing the cup of coffee onto the floor.

    "If I recall, this meeting room is more advanced than Zheng Corporation¡¯s 1980s shabby rooms." Zhao Lifei chuckled and took a step aside. "With all due respect, feel free to leave then. Oh, and don¡¯t forget the take the trash out with you." Her eyes lingered on Xia Mengxi before they turned to his entire private team.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s face darkened. "What did you just say?"

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s smile grew. "Must I repeat myself again?" Without waiting for his reply, she strolled out of the room. It was needless to say who won this argument with the least amount of words. In the end, the one who kept their calm will triumph overall.

    - - - - -

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s eyes snapped to Wei Hantao, who was frozen to the ground. What did he expect the Vice President to do? Drag their CEO back into the room?

    When Wei Hantao did not move, Zheng Tianyi pulled out his phone and called his father on the spot. The two exchanged brief words before a couple of minutes passed and Wei Hantao received a phone call from his own father.

    "Unfilial bastard! I should disown you on the spot! All these years I¡¯ve spent raising you and this is how you decide to treat our family legacy? You useless fool! What did you do? Why are the Zhengs calling me, threatening to end our connections because of you? Fix this issue RIGHT NOW!"

    Wei Hantao flinched at the almighty roar of his father who hung up before he could reply. He did not need another warning to run out of the door in search of Zhao Lifei, who was at the end of the hallway.

    He ran to her and grabbed her wrist, only for her to roughly shake it off. "Don¡¯t get angry, Xiao Li, President Zheng was merely angry that you werete for the meeting." Her back was turned to him. He did not see her stormy expression.

    "Don¡¯t be petty, okay? It¡¯s not like you to behave this way. Come on, let¡¯s go back to the meeting room. This proposal is really important for Feili¡ª"

    "More like Weida Law Firm." She scoffed at his horrible excuses.

    "You know it¡¯s not like that. I always have thispany¡¯s best interest at heart, which is why I ran it for two years in your absence¡ª"

    "If I had note back earlier, you would¡¯ve run thispany to the ground." Zhao Lifei turned around, and for the first time, Wei Hantao realized she was not a force to be trifled with. He rarely took her anger seriously, but today, he saw the full extent of his actions. She did not see him as a friend. She saw him as a traitor.

    "You think I didn¡¯t know you were secretly plotting these meetings behind my back?"

    To Wei Hantao, her golden eyes resembled a tigress out for blood. He waspletely captured in her powerful jaws, unable to move, for the tiniest action could snap his neck.

    "Try me again and I will slit your throat with the knife you left in my back." She snarled. Not bothering to stay long enough to see his baffled expression, she stormed off, leaving in her wake the horrified Wei Hantao.

    His face was as white as a ghost. How much did she know? He was too terrified to ask her.

 Chapter 272 Shattered and Discarded

    No one dared to speak of the incident that happened in Feili. None of the employees except for Wei Hantao and Huo Qiudong knew what had happened in the meeting room. No one knew why Wei Hantao never showed up at the office anymore or why his card was shattered in half and publically discarded in the trash.

    The very next day, an entirepany meeting was called. From the janitor to the board of directors and executives, everyone had to show up in a grand hall in the outskirts of the town that could house hundreds of people.

    "What is going on?"

    "Did you see the card? The one made out of pure crystal and embroidered with gold? I saw pieces of it..."

    "I heard our real CEO is going to be introduced today. Apparently, there will be a debut banquet very soon."

    "Real CEO? So you¡¯re saying Wei Hantao was not the actual CEO? Wasn¡¯t he going around saying that he was...?"

    "Yeah, I thought he was it too. But he was just the Vice President!"

    "What? That¡¯s insane."

    "Supposedly, our actual CEO is the true mastermind behind Feili and he has been ruling from behind a curtain! [1]"

    "What do you mean he? It¡¯s a she!"

    "I heard she¡¯s the one who managed to convince Yang Enterprise of changing the numbers around on the contract!"

    "Yang Enterprise?! But thatpany never adheres to anyone!"

    "I know!"

    "Why do I feel like she usurped the throne or something?"

    "Why was she absent for two years if she was the true CEO? How could she discard Wei Hantao like that?"

    "It¡¯s so messed up."

    "He was loyal to ourpany and even worked in her stead."

    "I heard she¡¯s a wealthy heiress. In those two years, she was probably running off vacationing somewhere."

    "Hah, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she was."

    Excited murmurs and curious chatter filled therge, crowded room. It was so loud, the buzz could be heard within a one-mile radius. Then all of the talks quieted down when a woman walked onto the stage with her blinding presence that outshined the theatre lights above her. She was dressed in a white top, crisp navy zer, and ck dress pants. She rocked the stunning attire with the confidence of a businesswoman.

    A screen was being slowly let down from behind her.

    Zhao Lifei stepped up to the stage and sped her hands in front of her. "Good morningdies and gentlemen. Thank you foring here on such short notice." As she began speaking, she made eye contact with everyone in the room, not once missing a single person. "As many of you already know by now, the true founder and CEO of Feili is the woman standing before you at this moment."

    The lights dimmed and the presentation began. Behind Zhao Lifei were multiple pictures, documents, certificates, registration papers, everything. And one thing was repetitive in them all: her signature.

    Everyone understood her message perfectly. She was the true mastermind behind Feili.

    "I was not personally present at the office, but my presence was there. I assigned the previous Vice President to be in charge of Feili, for I believed he had the potential to handle a position he could not obtain with his standing at that time. Never once did I think he would take his title for granted."

    "With my guidance and consultation, Feili was able to rise from the ground up, and it will continue to rise until it touches the sky, much further than thepanies before us!"

    "From now on, I will be at the office every day and will work alongside everyone here to achieve that dream rather than working remotely. Even in my absence, I was always watching over thispany, day and night." She revealed a confident smile.

    "Do not fret, for the person to be working as my right-hand will be someone you are all familiar with." She turned to her right and through the darkness, one lone man¡¯s footsteps echoed throughout the room.

    Huo Qiudong appeared on stage, dazzling as always, his rxed posture easing the fear of a few people. When his full lips tugged into a confident smile that reached his eyes, the people let out a sigh of relief to see someone so familiar.

    "I would like to formally introduce to you the new Vice President of Feili, Huo Qiudong, who worked as an intern at ourpany before he diligently worked hard to achieve the post he is standing on today."

    Huo Qiudong bowed his head before standing up straight again, standing alongside Zhao Lifei.

    "Today,dies and gentlemen, marks a new day for Feili and the start of something phenomenal."

    Silence. It was deafening. It started with one p, tiny and meek, then became more confident. Within the span of a few seconds, thundering ps, cheers, and whistles could be heard. They had not heard such confident words in a very long time. It was a skill that only the CEO could muster.

    Zhao Lifei was announced as the true mastermind behind Feili. No one dared to object when the statistics were shown, and her signature found on nearly all of the documents from two years ago.

    A new era was beginning for Feili and it would all start with a woman named Zhao Lifei.

    - - - - -

    The people left the banquet awestruck and in a daze. No one could stop talking about it. They got into their cars and drove back to thepany. When they reached there, they suddenly realized something. Why was Wei Hantao dismissed from his position?

    It was the talk of the office until Huo Qiudong arrived and the people swarmed to him like a flock of bees in a dying meadow with a single flower.

    "Congrattions on your position as the new Vice President!"

    "Wow, I knew you would seed one day!"

    "Mr. Huo, can you tell us why Wei Hantao was dismissed?"

    "Was it because he was no longer needed anymore?"

    "Did President Zhao feel threatened by Wei Hantao¡¯s position?"

    So many questions andpliments were fired at him all at once. It was beginning to give him a headache. He loudly coughed and cleared his throat. "President Zhao did not want any of you to lose faith in a man you once trusted. She did not want to nder him and respectfully kept the reasoning private. But I am not so kind."

    He could see Zhao Lifei in the distance. She was surrounded by people, but unlike her grandfather who ignored everyone, she had a tiny smile on her face. She even waved at the janitors and made a few small talks.

    His eyes flickered. Someone that would treat the janitor the same as they would treat the president, it was an intriguing thing to witness. She would, without a doubt, make a just CEO.

    Their eyes met and her smile grew brighter before she went back to the employees eager to get her attention and talk to her.

    Huo Qiudong watched her all the way, as she went into the public elevators with people trailing after her. She was certainly good at making first impressions...

    "Wei Hantao schemed behind our President¡¯s back and made deals with apany to benefit his own family that could have put ourpany at risk. Such a man can not be trusted." While the information and underlying message sunk in, Huo Qiudong sneaked off to the private elevator to avoid any more questions for the day.

    All the while, on the other side of the city, a man was drunk in a bar, drinking his sorrows and regrets away. He was surrounded by beautiful women with bountiful assets, all hugged by tight dresses. Something dangerously shed in his eyes before he stumbled to his feet, dodging all of the grabbing hands of the women eager to drain his wallet. He disappeared into the shadows.

 Chapter 273 Knock Him Down

    After an entire day spent at Feili, Zhao Lifei crashed onto the bed, burying her face into the soft material. She dropped her purse at the foot of the bed and wanted to do nothing more but curl up in the nkets and fall asleep.

    She kept Yang Feng in the dark this entire time. She was thankful and d that he was patient with her, never once forcing her to speak about what happened. She closed her eyes for the briefest second and unknowingly fell asleep, resting on her stomach.

    - - - - -

    The screams of a woman could be heard in the distance. She was on her stomach, struggling against a force. It was dark and through her mangled hair, she could not see anything except for a pair of arms, clothed in forest green.

    Zhao Lifei shot out of bed, startling Yang Feng who had juste home to discover that she was fast asleep on her stomach. He had barely reached out to caress her cheek when she abruptly sat up, her eyes wide and frantic.

    She pressed a hand to her chest, gasping for air. Yang Feng wasted no time to haul her into his arms. "I¡¯m fine." She promptly said. Regardless, she hugged him and rested her head on his shoulders, staring at the headrest.

    "I still want to hug you." He quietly said, rubbing his hands up and down her back while he pressed tiny kisses to her head. "Will you ever talk to me about your nightmares?" He gently asked her, caressing her hair.

    "Which one?" She calmly asked, continuing to rest her head upon him. She relished in his warmth and thefort he provided. She touched her cheek and was d that she was not crying. Just because she was good at being independent, it did not mean that there weren¡¯t times where she liked to be cherished and cuddled like a teddy bear.

    Yang Feng hummed as he thought over their choices. "How about we start with the one you just had?"

    Zhao Lifei drew circles on his back. "That¡¯s a very long one." She nuzzled her face into his shoulders, breathing in his intoxicating scent that was a mixture of sweet tangerines and the calming ocean shores.

    "We have all the time in the world." Yang Feng pressed a kiss to the side of her head before leaning his head upon hers. With each circle she drew, his body rxed at least tenfold.

    "That will be a story for another time..." She trailed off, pulling back from their endearing embrace. She cupped his face and decided it was time to talk about the General.

    "But I will introduce to you the person who has caused half of my nightmares." She murmured to him.

    Yang Feng slowly nodded his head. He was d she was going to unravel more about her past. In order to respect her personal space, he did not dig much deeper into her than needed. He wanted her to open up by herself.

    Zhao Lifei breathed in deeply and began to exin the story of General Jiang Zihui.

    - - - - -

    Two years ago.

    A young woman ran through the barracks, dressed in her training uniform, a mischievous smile on her youthful face.

    "Hey, get back here! You did not finish your remaining eighty push-ups!" An older drill instructor yelled from behind her. He had a bit of belly from all the years of staying in the bases and never entering the battlefield since his glory days as he barely passed the physical standards.

    He was one of the more lenient instructors of thepany¡¯s training cadre and if anyone could outrun him, he would most likely not chase them for too long since he saw it as a waste of time. If they weren¡¯t an officer, he¡¯d get themter anyhow.

    "I don¡¯t need it!" She shouted back.

    Zhao Lifei giggled upon seeing he could not catch up to her nimble feet. She was running away from the frequent training that would help her pass the physical fitness tests.

    Dashing underneath the pleating summer sun, she could feel the sweat gathering on her forehead. After running for another ten minutes and ensuring he was far out of sight, Zhao Lifei decided to take cover under an enormous tree.

    She slumped against the wooden bark, her chest heaving with each heavy gasp of air. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and rested her head on the tree, relishing the shade provided by its enormous branches and ample leaves. She closed her eyes.

    In the distance, she could hear the loud chants of her fellow soldiers diligently training. It mingled with the sound of cicadas who could not stand the sun and decided to pester the people with their screaming.

    A gentle breeze drifted through the air, carrying with it the sound of something ominous. Jeers and insults were exchanged between a group of men and women to a smallnky soldier who was presumably new, judging by how skinny he was. Most men here bulked up fast, due to the frequent training and exercising.

    "Hah, look at them struggling to do ten sit-ups!"

    "What a joke." They sighed.

    "Tch, why join when you can barely do the minimum requirements?"

    "Aw, look, he¡¯s about to cry!"

    "Are you missing your mommy?"

    Tauntingughter erupted in the air, filled with more teasing. It was tough-love. Harsh scoldings were sometimes used to motivate the soldiers into bing better fighters. Some say it was too overbearing, but many saw the sess in it.

    Zhao Lifei tried to ignore it whilst she attempted to catch up on some sleep.

    A bead of sweat trickled down the side of her head. The heat was getting to her and with each passing second, she was growing more and more annoyed by their jeers to train the man. All she wanted to do was take a restful nap beneath the tree. She regretfully could not do so.

    One minute passed by, then two, and finally three. Zhao Lifei grounded her teeth and got up to her feet, dusting off her long pants. She tied up her hair and folded her sleeves up to her elbows. She decided to teach those who interrupted her precious sleep, a lesson.

    Storming into the training fields, Zhao Lifei was determined to shut them up for the remainder of the day. That way, she could truly enjoy her day under the tree.

    She rounded the corner where a group of soldiers was huddled around a man, tall but thin. He looked fragile and brittle. His fair skin clung to his bones and there was no meat or fat on him. Just a puff of air could knock him down.

    Zhao Lifei could see why he was being teased. He was the very definition of a perfect and easy victim.

    "How annoying." She called out, her lips twisted into a scowl.

    At her provoking words, all eyes snapped to her.

    A man, she assumed was the leader of the group, narrowed his eyes at her. Perhaps it was because of the ring sun that he had to squint to see her properly. His eyes flickered to the insignias on her shoulders. Two stars. She was a First Lieutenant.

    "Can you take this somewhere else?" She pointed to the tree she was resting on. "I¡¯m trying to take a nap over here. Your childish squabbling is disturbing my sleep."

 Chapter 274 Tails Tucked Between Legs

    "What did you just say?" The man, whom she recognized as Ma Murong, hopped off the metal box he was sitting on. His muscles were hugged by the short-sleeved shirt he was wearing, making them seem bigger than normal.

    "What? Are you deaf?" She scoffed, crossing her arms.

    His followers decided to turn their taunting onto her instead. This woman was truly screwed today and if she provoked them more, it would go both ways.

    No one saw her rank yet. Zhao Lifei undid her hair and hid her shoulders with it. None of them knew she severely outranked everyone here.

    "Aiyah, look at this little girl. She thinks she¡¯s so tough."

    "She thinks just because she has a pretty face, she can get away with anything." They clearly did not see her patches.

    "Hey, hey, why don¡¯t youe and sit on big brother¡¯sp? If you¡¯re good, I¡¯ll treat you well."

    Zhao Lifei ignored their remarks and bent down to pick up a pebble, tossing it up and down in her hands. At her action, everyoneughed.

    "Oh my goodness, she¡¯s way too cute. What are you going to do with a pebble?"

    "Aw, I think she¡¯s ying house." One of them said, licking his lips and leering at her. He was cheered on by his fellow buddies who pped his shoulders andughed.

    Zhao Lifei studied the jagged rock in her hands, her fingers running over the rough edges. A smirk dangled on her lips. "On the battlefield, you have to be resourceful." She recounted the words of her drill instructor.

    "A pebble can be a bullet if you use it good enough." She raised her head. The edge of her lips quirked into a daunting smile, a glint in her eyes.

    "Who do you think you are? A philo¡ªARGH!" A scream sliced through the air, the cheery atmosphere instantly dying down at the sudden spill of blood. It silenced everyone.

    A soldier grabbed his eye, the very one that was mmed by the pebble. She threw the rock straight at his eye.

    "Little bitch, you¡¯ll pay for that." Ma Murong snarled, stepping forward and pushing his second-inmand behind him.

    Zhao Lifei picked up another rock. "Try me."

    He bolted at her, but she easily sidestepped him. Before he had the time to turn his body and attack her, she grabbed his shoulder and crossed their legs, easily judo flipping him onto his back. She stole the tucked away razor from his waistline and pressed her knee on his chest, pinning him to the ground.

    "What a lovely pair of eyes you have." She let out a crazedughter. Chills passed through his followers who have never seen their legendary boss on his back, bested and beaten by a girl half his size.

    "It¡¯d be a shame, really. If you lose both of them at once." She yed with the razor, resting it onto the side of his face.

    "You wouldn¡¯t¡ª"

    WHOOSH!

    The air swooshed when she suddenly flicked her wrist and seemingly cut both his eyes at once.

    Ma Murong let out a terrified shriek when he saw the knife was just a hair¡¯s breadth away from piercing his eyes.

    "Are you crazy?!" Someone spoke up.

    "You think you¡¯ll get away with this? Don¡¯t you know who Ma Murong is?"

    Chimes of agreement erupted.

    "His father is a powerful politician! Once a word of this gets out, they¡¯ll bankrupt your family and toss all of you fucks into jail!"

    "Nah, bankrupting her would be too easy. They¡¯ll toss her into the slums and have people vite her in all positions."

    "You¡¯ll never get away with this!"

    Suddenly,ughter filled the air. It was eerie, twisted, and filled with sickening madness. "Bankrupt? Who? Me?" Zhao Lifei tossed her head back as she wiped away a tear. She could get them all terminated from this ce without lifting a finger. Insubordination to a higher-ranking officer with their threats of violence ¡ª this could result in severe punishments.

    "I¡¯d like to see you puny foolse after me." She tilted her head, her amber eyes crazed and thirsty for blood.

    "I¡¯ll shoot you right now¡ª"

    "Wait."

    Someone emerged from the crowd. A pair of sses rested on his high-bridged nose. When his eyes scanned her features, in particr, the smudge expression on her face, he felt his heart drop to his stomach.

    He pushed his friends forward. "Run."

    "Huh, Second brother, what did you say¡ª"

    "RuN! It¡¯s Zhao Lifei, you idiots!" He snarled, pushing all of his friends towards the escape route.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes widened in horror. Zhao Lifei? As in THE Zhao Lifei?!

    You¡¯d have to either live under a rock or be retarded to not know who she was. Her surname alone was powerful, but everyone knew who her true backer was. Zhao Moyao himself. Even with the forces of their family influencesbined, none of them could rival Zhao Moyao¡¯s smallest finger.

    And everyone remembered she was awarded her position as a First Lieutenant a couple of weeks ago. She could end them all.

    Instantly, the people bolted out of there, deserting their boss without a second thought. They feared Ma Murong, but not as much as they feared Zhao Moyao.

    Ma Murong¡¯s entire body trembled. So what if his father was a politician? The Zhaos could easily toss him out of that position and force the family to be beggars on the street, digging through trash.

    Zhao Lifei noticed that the crowd had dispersed.

    "P-please, I-I d-didn¡¯t know who you w-were." Ma Murong stammered, terrified at the thought of his father¡¯s wrath if he discovered that the boy had offended a Zhao.

    Seeing him admit defeat so easily, Zhao Lifei let out a scoff. What a pathetic man. All bark and no bite.

    "I-I¡¯ll stay out o-of your way, I swear!" Ma Murong added on, cing his palms together in a pleading posture. He deeply bowed, arms tucked to his side, "Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m really sorry."

    Zhao Lifei was disappointed by his reaction. She wanted to torment him further but decided it was too hot for that. If she wanted to safely return back to her tree, she would have to get off of him.

    "Scram."

    Ma Murong did not need to be told twice. He bolted off in the same direction as his friends with his tail tucked between his legs.

 Chapter 275 They Better Be Edible

    Zhao Lifei ced the razor into her jacket¡¯s pocket and was about to walk off when she felt someone grab the edges of her pants. She nced down and saw thenky boy from earlier.

    "What do you want?" She snapped, her ill-tempered selfing out. She checked her wristwatch and groaned. She waste for her therapy session.

    "T-thank you for s-saving me..." The boy whispered, hurriedly releasing her leg and scrambling to his feet.

    "You can thank me by leaving me alone." She muttered when randomly, a bottle of ice-cold soda was thrust in front of her face. She blinked. Where did he get that from?

    "And it¡¯s not called saving. More like giving you a break. You should learn how to do the minimum standard push-ups and sit-ups if you want to give back to your country." She reprimanded him, cing her hand on her hips.

    "I-I¡¯m sorry...I¡¯ll practice more from now on." He diligently said.

    Zhao Lifei nodded her head.

    "U-uhm I was running back from the office, no, wait, I meant the cafeteria, no wait...I... Well, forget it. I was saving this for myself, b-but you can have it. As gratitude for saving me."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s throat felt parched. The soda, dripping wet with condensed water looked really weing right now.

    She did not move to take it, but he grabbed her hand. "What are you doing?!" She snapped and tried to yank it back, her eyes opening a bit when she realized she could not move her hand. What was going on? How strong was this kid? She was pretty sure she used a lot of force.

    If his grip was this powerful, howe he could not do the sit-ups? It was too suspicious to her...

    "Take it. It¡¯s the least I can do." He smiled, cing the bottle into her hand and when their fingers brushed against each other, a light blush traveled up his neck. He shyly nced down at his feet in a harmless gesture.

    Zhao Lifei realized her treatment towards him was too rough. After all, he was just an innocuous bullied-victim. She let out a sigh. "Whatever."

    She twisted the cap open and took a much-needed gulp of the soda. It instantly quenched her thirst, the cold liquid soothing her rising temperature.

    "O-oh right, I never introduced myself." He sheepishly said.

    Zhao Lifei capped the drink. She eyed him up and down.

    "I can always get you more drinks from now on. I-I can sneak in more snacks too..." He whispered to her, sticking out his hand. "I hope we can be good friends in the future."

    The rules here were strict and outside food was never permitted in the base unless you were an authoritative person who could bend thew.

    Zhao Lifei still remembered the day her luggage was searched and all of her favorite snacks were discarded into the trash. She had been in the military for a year now and dearly missed the crunchy and savory chips, candy bars, and an endless array of creamy choctes.

    Currently, she did not view him as a threat and that would her first mistake. Her second mistake was not questioning the weirdness of the situation here: how could a simple soldier like him able to ess the main office?

    Zhao Lifei stared at his hand. "I like chips, candy, and chocte. If you want to be friends, I want a handful of them every day."

    The soldier bobbed his head, a bright and cheery smile on his face.

    Zhao Lifei thought to herself, ¡¯Hey, he looked pretty cute when he smiled.¡¯

    Now that she had a better look at him, she realized how handsome he looked. Stormy eyes, well-defined eyebrows, slightly-crooked nose, and high cheekbones, he looked like a Prince Charming who had stepped right out of a fairytale. It was the kind of face that would stop someone in their tracks. Was this why he was bullied? He could easily pass as the most handsome person in the entire military base...

    "My name is Jiang..."

    Zhao Lifei furrowed her brows. "Just Jiang?"

    "N-no...Jiang is my surname. My actual name is Jiang Zihui." He revealed a grin, showing off his pearly white teeth.

    If Zhao Lifei was not so distrustful of men, her stomach would¡¯ve fluttered. Such a good-looking smile he has..."Nice to meet you then." She muttered while shaking his hand with a tiny smile on her face.

    Her smile was innocent and pure, unlike the next couple of months, where her true torment would begin. At this moment, she did not know, her life would be ending from this day onwards.

    - - - - -

    Almost every three days, Jiang Zihui would randomly show up with snacks in his hands. She didn¡¯t think he would seriously follow out with his words, but he kept this routine up for months on end.

    She pitied his state and out of gratitude, she taught him many techniques that she knew. It did not take long for him to fully develop his body, mind, and skills.

    As the days passed by, he became stronger and stronger, until the pupil out mastered the teacher, in this case, Zhao Lifei. With him putting on a healthy amount of weight, mainly in the form of muscles, his features were even more defined and roguish now. He soon became the star of the camp, for his looks and background.

    On the ceremonial day when he was awarded the title of a General, his family lineage, previous real rank, and background were revealed. The people then swarmed to him like flies, everyone except Zhao Lifei who kept to herself and her usual group of friends.

    Days passed and they no longer met up as student and teacher.

    "Xiao Li, he¡¯s doing it again." Bai Jinshuang whispered to Zhao Lifei while ncing over her shoulders where a sturdy General was seen leaning against a tree. His arms were folded in front of him, making his biceps more intimidating. A man walked to him with a bouquet of flowers and that was when he started approaching them.

    "Leave him be." Zhao Lifei said as she examined the equipment she would be using today.

    Ever since Jiang Zihui was given the title of a General, he stopped approaching her with snacks. She did not mind it until he came back with teddy bears and flowers. She was dense at first but eventually understood the message: he was courting her.

    "He¡¯sing over with roses this time."

    "They better be edible." Zhao Lifei muttered, cing the ammo into the assault rifle and zeroing the scope for uracy. When something tapped her shoulders, she swiveled around with the gun still in her hand.

    To point a loaded gun at yourmanding officer was a massive offense that could¡¯ve gotten her expelled from the military.

    Jiang Zihui did not mind. In the blink of an eye, the gun was yanked from her hands and tossed onto the floor.

    Bai Jinshuang jumped, terrified the trigger would go off. It was very dangerous to throw a loaded gun. As the General, he should know this by now.

    Instead of a gun in Zhao Lifei¡¯s hands, a bouquet of ruby-red roses with little drops of dew resting upon the petals was ced into them.

    "My break ising up in ten minutes. Come with me to the city?" Jiang Zihui asked her, watching as she nced down at the flowers with a disinterested expression.

    "No thanks." She muttered, cing the bouquet back into his hand. "What has gotten into you? Go back to your station." She bent down to pick up the gun but he grabbed her wrist.

    "You¡¯ll dirty yourself if you touch the ground." He bent down and picked it up, then went to the small table andid it out in front of her. He grabbed a towel and wiped it off before handing it back to her. "Sorry about that. It was a reflex."

    "It¡¯s fine. Go back to your station, the other officers are looking at me again." She ced the assault rifle down, her eyes flickering to the crowd in the distance.

    "You¡¯re doing it again."

    "Doing what?" She snapped, tying up her hair into a high bun so that it was out of the way. When it was nice and set, she turned back to the table, ignoring Bai Jinshuang¡¯s knowing expression.

    "You shouldn¡¯t worry so much about what others think of you." Jiang Zihui whispered to her. While she was examining the other supplies, he took out a pocket knife and made a clean-cut through the hair-tie, her long hair cascading down her back.

    "Jerk! What was that for?!" She snarled, angered that he had not only broken her hair-tie but ruined the bun. It was piping hot in the city of Leinan that was renowned for its four-seasons long Summer temperatures.

    "Everyone could see your neck." He strained a smile, a dangerous look on his face.

    Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes. "So?" She turned her left/right wrist where another hair-tie was resting. When her fingersnded upon it, he grabbed her wrist.

    "Tie it up again and I¡¯ll force you to wear a scarf for the remainder of this month." His rxed voice dropped an octave, bing rougher and moremanding.

    This was one of the reasons why she refused to speak to him or even entertain his courting. He viewed her as someone lower than him, a person easily tossed around like a toy.

    Zhao Lifei felt her body stiffen when her eyes shed with his. She was stubborn enough to continue reaching for her hair-tie, until he yanked her to him, their chests colliding. Her breath hitched when he lowered his head and whispered to her, "Do not test me."

    She gritted her teeth, ready to snap back until her eyesnded upon the gleaming stars on his shoulder which reminded her that they were worlds apart in this ce. "You¡¯ve changed." She muttered, clearly upset as she pushed him away and walked back to the Officers Quarters¡¯plex.

    Jiang Zihui watched her figure disappear into the distance before letting out a sigh and scratched the back of his neck. Damn it, he thought to himself. ¡¯My anger got the best of me again.¡¯

 Chapter 276 Ill Take Responsiblity

    Bai Qingyi was in themon area folding her clothes when Zhao Lifei mmed the door open and in came her younger sister, Bai Jinshuang.

    Bai Qingyi nced at Bai Jinshuang who shook her head. Zhao Lifei waited approximately five minutes in silence before she walked out of theplex and towards the fields again. It was as if she had an argument with herself.

    "What happened?" Bai Qingyi asked when Zhao Lifei was out of sight.

    "It¡¯s General Jiang Zihui again."

    "Ugh, him again? How many times has it been already? Five times this week? And it¡¯s only Tuesday!" Bai Qingyi sighed, cing her neatly folded clothes into the basket behind her to be taken to her quarters.

    "He¡¯s smitten by our Xiao Li and she barely acknowledges him anymore!" She added on, standing up and ready to search for Dai Lang.

    "He has gotten way too arrogant ever since he became the General. I heard he abandoned everything Xiao Li taught him back then. How ungrateful." Bai Jinshuang said, copsing onto a couch and watching as Bai Qingyi adjusted her hair before opening the door.

    "And it¡¯s not like we can do anything about it. He¡¯s ranked far above us." Bai Qingyi bid her younger sister goodbye and left the room.

    Bai Jinshuang did not like being alone in the Officer Quartersplex and decided to finally attend her afternoon sses.

    Zhao Lifei nced behind her shoulders and after ensuring Jiang Zihui was off the premises, she tied up her hair and began to practice. She released her anger by shooting targets again and again until she ran through the allotted nk bullets and the sun was beginning to set. With her tinted goggles on, she did not realize how much time had passed until there was no more ammo for her to use. She took off her goggles, cleaned her weapon, put the gun back into the locked arms room, and then jogged back to the Officer¡¯splex, taking off her jacket in the process.

    She saw a lot of the lights were off in the other rooms in the hallway and checked the time. Hm, that¡¯s strange. There haven¡¯t been a lights out since Officer training school. She shrugged it off.

    A Physical Fitness Assessment wasing up and they could be exhausted from training so she went to her room. Seeing as the light was also off in themon area, she figured the Bai sisters were not back yet.

    She went and opened the door to her bedroom and stepped inside, her nose wrinkling when she smelled something odd. She tried to switch on the lights but found that it was not working. She rapidly blinked and saw arge figure sitting on her bed.

    "Are you crazy? I¡¯m going to report you for this!" She hissed, turning on her heels to open the door, but she saw that it was locked. She heard the sound of disappearing footsteps and her heart dropped.

    "What is going on? Unlock the door now." She snarled, swiveling around, her back mmed against the metal door when she realized the man was way too close for her liking. When did he get up from the bed?

    "Why...do you not like me...?" He slurred his words, his breath reeked of alcohol.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s nose wrinkled in disgust, as she waved her hand in front of her. At first, she did not know who it was until she heard his voice. Was this ... Jiang Zihui? Because it was so dark, she was not sure, but she had an inkling suspicion that it was him.

    "Gross. You stink. Get away from me Zihui."

    The man was quiet for a second, almost as if he was processing her words.

    "I-its because of my bad breath...? I¡¯ll brush my teeth three times a day...then." He huped his face beet red from the usual Asian glow [1]. When she tried to side-step him, he mmed his arms on either side of her head.

    "W-where are you going?" He sheepishly asked.

    Zhao Lifei knew she was doomed. Even if he was drunk, he could easily overpower her. Not many people here could do that. "Go back to your quarters and sleep it off. Drink some water too or else you¡¯ll get a hangover." She coaxed him, hoping he would just scram already. He was stinking up her room!

    "N-no..." He lowered his head and whispered into her ear, "I want to spend the night with you today."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s body shriveled in disgust, "Over my dead body!"

    "That can be a-arranged." He let out augh before he forcibly grabbed her chin.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes widened when he suddenly sealed his lips over hers, moving against her stiff ones. She pressed her lips together and tried to fight against his grip, but it was not working. "Mmph!" She tried to kick him in his most sensitive part, but he crossed his leg over hers and pinned her against the wall.

    When he pulled back to breathe, she pushed her head back and mmed it against his forehead.

    His grip loosened and she seized that chance to raise her hand.

    PAK!

    Zhao Lifei had smacked him, his face whishing to the side. "Go back! You¡¯re drunk!" She screamed, attempting to escape when he abruptly picked her up, hoisted her over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes and then walked to her bed, tossing her onto it.

    "You screwed up." He snarled at her. "The p just woke me up." He hissed, pinning her onto the bed and taking off his belt to tie her wrists. She bit and kicked at him, refusing to allow him to hold her wrists together.

    "Are you crazy?! What are you doing? Is this how you repay me for all the months I¡¯ve spent training you?" She screamed, her body fighting against his, but he was so strong, she could barely move an inch. It did not take long for her wrists to be bounded.

    In two easy tugs, her shirt was ripped off of her, revealing her creamy skin and the sports bra she was wearing. Her body stiffened, her eyes going wide. Memories were flooding back to her. He flipped her to her stomach, pressing her deep into the bed.

    "Don¡¯t do it." She meekly whispered when he bent his head and pressed a soft kiss upon her cheek.

    "It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m going to be gentle. I¡¯ll marry you after this. I¡¯ll take responsibility okay?" He did not mean to be rough with her. It just came out that way. She was too feisty.

    "Rx."

    "Why does it have to be like this?" She cried out when one hand went to her waist and the other inched close to her body.

    "Women like you will only behave once your innocence has been robbed." He muttered, his eyes fixating upon her hair. "Didn¡¯t I tell you not to tie it up? This is what happens when you reveal your neck." He snarled, pressing his mouth against her neck and harshly suckling upon the area, then biting deep into it. She let out a pained cry, struggling against his arms, tears filling her eyes.

    "I¡¯m going to kill you."

    He began to tug down her pants.

    "You¡¯re going too far with this, stop it!" She shrieked, kicking at his arms but he easily dodged it. When the lines of herced undergarments were revealed, her eyes widened more and tears began to flow.

    BANG! BANG! BANG!

    "Xiao Li?! What¡¯s going on? Why is your door locked?!" Bai Qingyi pounded on the door with Bai Jinshuang right beside her.

    Bai Jinshuang bent to the floor and tried to peer through the crack beneath the door. She could distinctly see the tiny green cloth. "I can see your jacket on the floor, I know you¡¯re in there! Open up. Are you okay? Why are you yelling?"

 Chapter 277 Hope To Die

    He could see that he took the joke too far. He finally snapped back to his senses when he saw her tears. He had never seen her cry like this since he first met her. Guilt filled him as he tugged her pants back up and helped her sit up, pulling her into a hug. "I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry." He whispered as her entire body began to shake and tremble. He could only hug her tighter and bury his head into her shoulders.

    "I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t do it again. Okay?" He pulled back and cupped her face, his heart breaking into pieces when he felt her wet cheeks. "Don¡¯t cry, I swear it was only a joke. I only wanted to scare you a bit." He mumbled. He only wanted to scare her a bit but after she had roughly pped him, he lost it.

    "Please, I¡¯m sorry. I really won¡¯t do it again."

    Her silence was deafening. He cradled her head to his chest, embracing her tightly. "I won¡¯t bother you again after this. I-I heard...no, I mean, I remember you like snacks, right? How about I bring you a box of chocte pies and that weird tomato chips that I know you like to eat. I¡¯ll even send someone out to get a box of rice cakes."

    With no one else to lean on, Zhao Lifei could only nod her head numbly. She was too terrified to go against his words, scared that this bipr monster would violently react again if she broke one eggshell. When he reached his hand to touch her cheek again, she flinched back from him and trembled.

    He was pained by her reaction as he ced a chaste hand on her face, leaned in to kiss her forehead, but paused. "Catch up on some sleep." He whispered to her, taking off the belt on her wrists and then helping her into the bed. He counted to three before standing up and walking to the edge of the door, pressing his body to the spot where the door will open.

    He unlocked it and instantly, two women rushed into the room. "Xiao Li?" Bai Qingyi and Bai Jinshuang rushed over towards Zhao Lifei but paused halfway into the room. Wait, if the door was locked before and Zhao Lifei was huddled into the bed, who unlocked the door from the inside?

    They did not get their answer because, by the time they turned around, the perpetrator was gone.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei did not speak or move the entire night. Sheid in her bed and would nkly stare at the wall. Even when Bai Qingyi and Bai Jinshuang tried to block her line of sight, she did not lookup.

    In the end, they decided to let her be.

    In the middle of the night, Zhao Lifei called her grandfather. He obviously did not pick-up, but she did leave a voicemail with a single cry, "Help...me."

    Zhao Lifei fell asleep shortly after that. By the time she woke up, she found herself in a moving vehicle. She would¡¯ve panicked if it was not for theforting hand on her head, patting her back to sleep.

    "Sleep, my child. Everything will be alright." Zhao Moyao quietly said as he tucked the nkets over her shivering body.

    A few minutes ago, Zhao Moyao entered the base with permission and the two left with Zhao Lifei. Only Li Xuan went into the room to pick up Zhao Lifei, while Zhao Moyao stood outside. They were as quick as the night and as stealth as the wind. Not a single person detected their presence. Whether or not she was permitted an official leave, Zhao Moyao did not care.

    Bai Qingyi did not disturb Zhao Lifei the entire night, for she thought a good rest would change her mind. Perhaps she could speak tomorrow morning. But she never did.

    When Bai Qingyi woke up the next morning, she saw an empty bed in front of her. Zhao lifei¡¯s nkets were neatly folded at the edge of the bed, her belongings were gone, and sitting on the cold, white mattress was a letter. She had departed from this ce, would never return back, and the office would receive her military discharge paperwork.

    She did not say where she was going, but they all had a brief idea. It was back to her hometown of Shenbei, where she would be safely hidden in the bustling city and far away from the clutches of Jiang Zihui.

    Bai Qingyi and Bai Jinshuang did not need to know what happened. They had a suspicion about the event that took ce when they found the dirtied boot prints that could only belong to a man.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei did not reveal what happened until three monthster. Every day she went to therapy, and every day she would numbly sit in the boring room where the only sound that could be heard was the clock ticking on the wall.

    The therapist was patient with her. She sat with her tablet, legs crossed, and watching Zhao Lifei as she stared at the blue walls and pictures with soft, soothing music ying in the background. The cycle repeated until the end of each of their sessions.

    Day by day, it was the same routine, until one day, Zhao Lifei finally said one word. "General." Then, the next day, she gave a surname, "Jiang." And the very next, "Zihui." As the days passed by, the story began to unravel. Every day, she spoke one or two words, then became quiet. It took a while for the therapist to gather the full story of what took ce that night. And after she did, she did not tell anyone, not unless Zhao Lifei herself was ready to share.

    Zhao Moyao only learned the truth after those three months. By then, he was ready to hunt down the man butter found out such a thing would be impossible. He was deeply rooted in his position, highly-praised by the people around him and connected to other powerful people for support. There was no footage of him entering her quarters, no evidence of his presence in theirmon area. The boot prints on the floor could¡¯ve belonged to any pair of male boots since it was the standard one used by almost everyone in the base.

    Even with the influence of the Zhaos, they could not derank Jiang Zihui without evidence. They could not hurt or touch him, not when his father was a Major General and had other family members in high ranking positions as well. Sure, Zhao Moyao had a hand in the military, but his strings could not beat Major Jiang¡¯s thick ropes.

    - - - - -

    Present.

    Zhao Lifei did not reveal the near-rape encounter. In the entire world, only two people knew of this. She only spoke of the delusional pursuit of Jiang Zihui and how desperate he was to obtain her.

    She tried to speak of what happened that night. She truly wanted to tell him, but when she opened her mouth, the words would note out. It was the same as when she was in the therapy room.

    She was tongue-tied, for she truly had never recovered from that moment. It would take a while before she could speak of the incident ever again. She only hoped and prayed it would not be like the therapy sessions where she could only speak one or two words a day.

    Yang Feng knew that was not the full story. He could see it in the way her eyes flooded with panic and the way she opened and closed her mouth, again and again, as if she wanted to say something more, but could not do so.

    Yang Feng embraced her tightly, "It¡¯s okay. I can wait." His arms engulfed her tightly. "You will never be near him. I swear."

    Zhao Lifei trembled in his arms, burying her face into his shoulders, breathing in his scent. It clogged her brain, calming her down. She cursed herself for being weak. She cursed herself for not being strong enough to speak of that night. She cursed herself from the bottom of her heart.

    "He¡¯ll have to cross over my dead body before he ever touches a hair on you." He whispered to her, holding her tighter when she pressed her body into his.

    "Promise?"

    "Cross my heart and hope to die."

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng gingerly tucked her into bed, watching as her chest rose and fell with each steady breath. His thumb softly touched her cheek, his heart clenched for the pain that she had suffered. He could not bear to part with her, especially when he knew she could not sleep well without him. He climbed into the bed, hoisting her body onto his chest. She easily snuggled into his side.

    Yang Feng wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her closer to him. He would not let her go, not without a fight. He understood the severity of the issue then because she had finally spoken up about it.

    He reached over and grabbed his phone, calling Chen Gaonan who groggily picked up on the third ring. "Good evening, Boss."

    "The man we¡¯re looking for is General Jiang Zihui. Go and find out everything there is to know about him."

    "Yes, sir."

    "Get out of bed. I want the report by tomorrow morning." Yang Feng did not give Chen Gaonan time to object by hanging up the phone.

 Chapter 278 Not Enough

    Chen Gaonan¡¯s report barely scratched the surface about Jiang Zihui. In an attempt to dig deeper, he stumbled across aplicated code.

    Yang Feng received the first half of the report and decided to be the one who would work on cracking the code.

    - - - - -

    The days passed by uneventfully and soon the birthday of Hua Yuxi, Zhao Lifei¡¯s maternal grandmother, approached. After discovering how close Zhao Lifei was with the woman, Yang Feng brought an entire trunkload of gifts including camel-wool jackets, ginseng, abalone, a matching set of jade bracelets and earrings, porcin teacups, and everything else an elderly woman would need.

    Zhao Lifei nced out the window, her eyes warilynding upon the two additional cars behind them. There were usually discreetly following cars filled with Yang Feng¡¯s private team and bodyguards trailing them, but today, there were more because of the gifts.

    She nced back at Yang Feng who was concentratingpletely on hisptop, working diligently even on his off-day. His brows were creased while his fingers danced away on the keyboard, the speed reminding her of when she used to y the piano. Speaking of the instrument, she had not been able to y it in a while due to her busy schedule.

    Zhao Lifei admired Yang Feng whilst he was focusing hard at work. Her eyes lingered on his sses, hanging off the bridge of his auspicious nose. With his light grey cardigan and white shirt that hugged his body splendidly, she could practically feel herself drool.

    "What are you working on?" She asked him. She tried to keep quiet and let him work, but she was soon bored with browsing through her phone and staring out of the window. There was nothing but an endless array of highways and trees in front of her, all of which, looked the same.

    "Not much." He absentmindedly responded, not realizing how neglected she was feeling.

    Zhao Lifei pressed her lips together and sulked at his reply. She leaned over and decided to find out what was more important than her. Everything was in a foreignnguage, well, not really. It was coding, but she didn¡¯t understand what it was for.

    "This is...?" She tilted her head.

    "Work." He vaguely said, shutting down hisptop and cing it beside him.

    Zhao Lifei blinked. "Oh. Okay." She went back to her phone.

    Yang Feng sighed. Such a passive and aggressive thing she was. He ced a hand on her shoulder, she shrugged his handoff. His lips twitched. He poked her cheek and she nearly bit his handoff.

    "Don¡¯t sulk. The coding doesn¡¯t affect you, so you do not need to worry about it." Yang Feng chuckled when she glumly looked up.

    "You didn¡¯t talk to me the entire hour we¡¯ve been in the car."

    Some would it as being needy, but he saw it as progress. "You didn¡¯t tell me you wanted to talk." He teased, watching as her eyes narrowed at him before they went back to her phone. "You wanted to talk, I made time for you. And now you don¡¯t want it?"

    Zhao Lifei thought about it for a few seconds. She was being irrational right now. "Well, what should we talk about?"

    Yang Fengughed again. She felt her heart getting warm at the melody that was deep like the ocean and smooth as silk. "How about who is going to be at the banquet?"

    "It¡¯s not a banquet per se, more of a family gathering."

    Yang Feng made sure that Wang Nuoli and her little spawn would not attend the birthday. Well, not that they wanted to anyways. Wang Nuoli was being a diligent wife by looking for her husband, but it seemed she was doing it elsewhere. Zhao Linhua had some performance overseas and did not bother with her maternal grandmother.

    From his reports, Wang Nuoli did not have a good rtionship with her mother. The big dispute was over her treatment towards Zhao Lifei. Hua Yuxi noticed the significant differences between the younger and elder grand-daughters¡¯ upbringing.

    After an argument that took ce a while back where Hua Yuxi practically banned Wang Nuoli from the household, the two never made up.

    "Well, who¡¯s going to be there?"

    "I¡¯m not sure yet. Usually, many rtives woulde. The majority of them, I can barely remember the names of." Zhao Lifei vaguely said, her eyes drifting to the leather seat. She did not want to admit to Yang Feng that she never had a good rtionship with her rtives. It was very rare that they spoke to her without the thought of using her for their own benefit. There were only a handful of people she actually cared about.

    Yang Feng¡¯s finger grazed her cheek, before sliding down to her chin and turning it to him. "We do not have to talk to them." His thumb brushed against her bottom lip, his eyes darkening a bit when she leaned forward. "Insignificant things are not worth your time."

    He brought his lips down for a heated kiss that would match the burning summer sun of Menguo. As their lips were mere inches apart, a knock came from the heavily tinted windows.

    He did not care but knew that she would. This entire morning, she was too busy checking over the gifts to spare some time for him. He did not get a kiss the entire day. He brought a hand behind her neck but was toote. She had turned her face to look at the window while his lipsnded on her cheek. He resourcefully ced tiny pecks, trailing to her lips, sealing it with his.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes widened for a brief second before they fluttered shut. He tilted her neck to a better angle, perfectly aligning their open-mouthed kiss. He kissed her until she was breathless and on the verge of growing unconscious. In a husked and ragged voice, he muttered, "We will continueter."

    Zhao Lifei barely registered his words and if it wasn¡¯t for the hand behind her neck, she would¡¯ve slumped onto the window.

    Yang Feng bit his bottom lip, highly pleased by the effect he had on her. Then his possessive brain wondered if there was anyone else who made her feel this way. His eyes ignited at the idea and without warning, he crashed their lips together.

    She let out a small moan, her body arching towards his. His arm slithered around her, resting on her lower back, molding her lithe body into his. This kiss was rougher, a bit punishing, but too pleasurable for her to wonder why he was giving it to her.

    If there was anything addicting in this world, it would be her spontaneous kisses, sometimes it was shy, tiny nibbles in response, and sometimes it was bold, daring, and matched his frivolous pace. Regardless of the type, he could never get enough of her.

    She let out a quiet, pleasured sound. He made a growl deep in his throat, holding her to him until he felt every curve of her body. She tapped on his firm chest, begging him for air. He finally responded by pulling back only to trail kisses down her neck, slow and torturous, igniting a burning sensation low in her stomach.

    "W-what..." She breathed out, confused while tilting her head to give him more ess. She was too pleased to even realize the bright red marks he was creating with his nibbles, soft yet intoxicatingly warm open-mouth kisses, and the suckling that followed afterward.

    "Yang Feng, I-I can¡¯t think straight..." She said in a daze, her fingers nestling into his hair.

    "That¡¯s the purpose." He whispered against her jade-like skin. His lips trailed upwards, desiring another kiss.

    THUD! THUD!

    Another knock sounded outside the window, startling Zhao Lifei and breaking her trance. Frightened at being discovered in such apromising position, especially in front of her family, her body jumped. Her eyes widened and her heart raced. Even though she knew no one could see inside the car, she was still panicking.

    Yang Feng¡¯s hand traveled to the back of her head, pressing her face into his chest while the other caressed her tiny shoulders. "Rx." He whispered, when her breathing became a bit haggard. He could never understand why she was so scared of being discovered. Everyone already knew she was his, and he was hers. What was there to be worried about?

    Regardless of the reason, he ced soft pecks at the crown of her hair, whisperingforting words to her until she finally calmed down, her body melting against his. He wanted to kiss her again, but the rude knocking continued. He thought that it would be a good idea to cut off the culprit¡¯s hand. The idea was going to be a reality, for his anger aroused when she untangled herself from him. He hasn¡¯t had enough of her delightful lips, soft and sweet, like a drug from which he could never abstain.

 Chapter 279 Do It Now

    Zhao Lifei was about to open the car door but found it locked. She took down the partition and nced at Hu Wei in confusion.

    "Would you like the car door to be opened now, madam?" He gently asked her, his eyes flickering to the bites on her neck. His face became a bit heated and he quickly averted them. His boss was truly too much.

    "No." Yang Feng grunted, but Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes. "Yes, please do it now."

    The corner of Yang Feng¡¯s lips quirked into a devious smirk. "How would you like it?"

    "Huh?" Zhao Lifei confusedly asked, watching as he moved her hair and used it to cover her neck. He then adjusted her cor, understanding she had a fear of being seen. If he could have it his way, he would force her to show it to the world. But she did not like that, and thus, he would not.

    Yang Feng bent his head near her ear, his warm breath tickling it and sending pleasurable shivers down her spine. In a low, husky, and seductive voice, he rasped, "How would you like to do it?"

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s body heated up at the way he spoke. She did not understand his words, but their close proximity was enough for her to unknowingly desire him. "I don¡¯t understand..."

    "Would you like to do it on these leather seats...or perhaps in our house on the bed, or maybe the kitchen counter? Or if you¡¯d like, we can do it beneath the stars."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s face became red as a tomato as she pushed him off of her, embarrassed after she finally understood his meaning. "None of those ces!" She hissed, turning her face away from him to hide the blush.

    Yang Feng could not help but let out a loudughter that wormed its way to her heart. Even if she tried to hide her face, he could still see the pink flush on her chest. "What about our future kids? How else would they be made?" He mused, reaching his fingers over to y with her hair. She swatted his hand and turned to the door, attempting to open it but found it still locked.

    Yang Feng decided Hu Wei deserved a raise for this. A wolfish grin settled on his lips as his arms snaked around her body, locking themselves in front of her stomach.

    "What are you¡ª"

    "You¡¯re still red, let me cool you off." He lied, turning her hair to the side and ready tovish her neck again.

    "Yang Feng, we¡¯re blocking the cars behind us." She wriggled away from him which made him kiss her cheek.

    "Alright, my love. Anything you want." He adjusted her hair again, ensuring she was fully covered.

    Hu Wei saw it as a sign to unlock the doors.

    Zhao Lifei pped Yang Feng¡¯s hand and he finally unsped it from her. She climbed out of the car with a light blush on her face and saw the long line of impatient cars behind her. It was a wonder that they did not angrily beep their horns. Her eyesnded on the person knocking on her door. She realized he must¡¯ve been a newly hired servant of the house, given his young age. She was confused by his dazed stare.

    Yang Feng stepped out of the car shortly after, his scathing re was enough to send the servant¡¯s eyes over anything except her. He possessively wrapped his arms around Zhao Lifei which made her roll her eyes. ¡¯Men.¡¯

    "Why were you so angry back there?" She quietly asked him, a hand resting on top of the one clenching her hip.

    Yang Feng cleared his throat. "I wasn¡¯t."

    "What? Did you have an internal argument with yourself?" She teased, not knowing she had hit the bullseye.

    Yang Feng let out a rough, "No."

    "Sure you didn¡¯t." She giggled, a bright smile resting on her lips.

    She did not notice an elderly woman watching her from a distance, studying the pair. "What a dashing young man he is." Shemented to the woman standing beside her.

    "His background is even more dashing." The woman responded, breathless upon seeing him. His entire being was a force to be reckoned with. His prominently charismatic features were guarded and emotionless. He gave off a very unapproachable aura that rivaled with that of a King, or perhaps, an Emperor was a more suitableparison. He disregarded all of the desperate and awestruck expressions of the other women there, eagerly drinking in his appearance. The entire time, he only looked at Zhao Lifei as he walked up to the small flight of stone stairs.

    Wang Chunyao, like everyone here, knew exactly who that man was. When your face was stered as the "Most Desirable Man in The Country" on various magazines every month, you¡¯d have to live under a rock to not know who he was. She could not believe her niece¡¯s luck when she snatched a catch like him, but because it was Zhao Lifei, she would support their rtionship.

    "Yes, he is a Yang..." Hua Yuxi calmly replied, hiding the doubt in her voice. Her heavy heart worried for her little granddaughter. She would be treading in dangerous waters if she married into the Yang family. If she could, she wanted Zhao Lifei to marry someone more lowkey, equally wealthy, but able to give her a life filled with peace.

    "She¡¯s very happy." Wang Chunyao¡¯s shoulder dropped in relief. When she caught wind that Lifei¡¯s boyfriend was none other than Yang Feng, she became anxious that Zhao Lifei was perhaps forced into the rtionship. It was not rare for the Elders to forge contracted marriages.

    "And that is all that matters." Hua Yuxi rested her finely aged hand on the cane. Wang Chunyao came forward to help the aging woman to her feet, behaving like the filial daughter she always was.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes scanned the perimeter, in search of her beloved grandmother. She was always hidden underneath a tree somewhere, preferring to observe everyone from a distance.

    "What are you looking at?" Yang Feng curiously asked, his eyes following the direction she was looking for. Zhao Lifei saw a group of elderly women, but Yang Feng saw the group of men beside them.

    "Your man is right here." He sulked.

    "My man is unnecessarily possessive." She retorted.

    "I didn¡¯t do anything yet."

    "But you thought about it." She teased, ncing up at him, her heart skipping a beat when she saw he was looking at her the entire time.

    "Only once or twice."

    "Only?" Sheughed, reaching up to give the child a pat on his cheek. Love truly makes you a weird person. She found this side of him endearing.

    "You shouldn¡¯t worry so much. It¡¯s not good for you, and our rtionship. I¡¯m not going anywhere." She gently said, turning her body so that she could sp her arms around his waist.

    Yang Feng¡¯s frigid and icy expression melted at her gesture. He instantly hugged her back. "I know." He said, even though a part of him was still fearful. He was still worried that he would wake up one day and she would be gone, like a midsummer dream. At the horrendous idea, his hands clenched, thus, harshly squeezing her waist.

    She sighed. "Why do I have a feeling that you overthink more than I do?"

    "It¡¯s good to overthink."

    "Oh, really now? I thought you said it was not good for me."

    "It¡¯s only good when I do it." He cheekily said, grinning down at her.

    Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes. "How biased."

    "Only because it¡¯s you." He hummed, bending down to ce a chaste kiss on her cheek until he saw someone approaching them from the corner of his eyes. Seeing that it was an elderly woman dressed in burgundy, he straightened himself and pulled away before his lipsnded on her.

    "Wow, that¡¯s a first." She chuckled, turning around after realizing his eyes were set elsewhere. Her eyesnded on her petite cousin. His eyesnded on a couple of approaching women.

    "I assume that¡¯s your grandmother." Yang Feng whispered.

    Zhao Lifei was confused. "No, that¡¯s my¡ª Oh." She coughed a bit, her face bing red again. When her eyes finallynded upon her grandmother and aunt, her eyes turned a lighter shade of amber. She easily maneuvered her body away from his and rushed to her grandmother.

    "Wai-po [1]!" She squealed, stopping herself just a small inch before their bodies collided. She collected herself and reached over to hug one of the two women in this world that raised her.

    "Ah-Fei, it warms my heart to see you." Hua Yuxi¡¯s voice was as adoring and tender as Zhao Lifei always remembered it to be.

    "I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯te back that much."

    "All that matters is that you are here." Hua Yuxi smiled and it reached her eyes withugh lines beside them.

    When Yang Feng approached the three, a shadow covered over them. He awkwardly cleared his throat, "Happy birthday."

    Zhao Lifei blinked. She had never heard him sound so ufortable... was that nervousness? She swiveled around and sure enough, his deep, obsidian eyes, unreadable to everyone except her, were unceasingly swirling. He was nervous, but he hid it very well.

    "Young man, my birthday is tomorrow."

    "Pft." Zhao Lifei tried to hide herughter when she saw the panic that arose in Yang Feng¡¯s eyes.

    He cleared his throat. "Happy early birthday." His voice was as unyielding and cold as ever. He could never adjust it the way he wanted to. It only softened when he spoke to Zhao Lifei.

    "Wai-po, you shouldn¡¯t tease him. He tends to overthink like me." Zhao Lifei grinned. "It is your birthday today."

    Hua Yuxi¡¯s smile widened as she innocently tilted her head, the way Zhao Lifei always did. She cupped her ears, "Hm, child? I can¡¯t hear you. I¡¯m growing old, you see, my hearing is deteriorating." Then her eyes shifted to Yang Feng. "My brain is also rotting away. I think I said it was tomorrow, I meant today. Phew, when you¡¯re as old as me, you sometimes get your dates mixed up."

    Yang Feng swallowed. His eyes drifted to Zhao Lifei who was far too amused by the teasing. "I see." He robotically replied.

    Why was it that both of her cherished grandparents always teased him? First, it was Zhao Moyao and now it was her grandmother...

 Chapter 280 Missing Ring

    Hua Yuxi¡¯s eyes lingered on the wide array of hidden men that mingled in the crowd. So many guards...

    When Yang Feng flicked his wrist, a few guards came forward carrying grand gifts. "I wasn¡¯t sure what you preferred."

    Hua Yuxi nced at them with disinterest, "I prefer great-grandchildren."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes became as wide as saucers, "Wai-po!"

    "How many?" Yang Feng calmly responded, the left corner of his lips tilted into a pleased smirk.

    "How many can you give me?" Hua Yuxi happily questioned, a fond smile on her face. Great-grandchildren... How lovely. It was a dream of hers to live long enough to see them.

    "As many as she can healthily bear."

    Zhao Lifei pinched his arm, warning him to not speak anymore. The more he did, the more false hope he was giving her Wai-po. She only wanted two or three kids, despite the policy going on. As long as one had money, they can give birth to as many as they¡¯d like.

    "Oh, goody!" Hua Yuxi gleefully pped her hands, her smile deepening, revealing the fine lines on her weathered-out face. She reached one hand out, soft from all the years of never using it for hard work.

    Yang Feng grabbed it and was a bit surprised when she yanked him forward with great strength. Even so, he only moved ahead for a small step or two.

    "Auspicious nose and eyes." She muttered before turning his hand over to trace the lines on his palm. "Hm..."

    Zhao Lifei knew her grandmother had a lot of interest in palm reading. It was something Hua Yuxi practiced in her spare time and when one was as old as her, she had plenty of free time.

    Hua Yuxi¡¯s eyes narrowed when she saw the fine lines on Yang Feng¡¯s palm. She dropped it. An air of disapproval surrounded her. "Where is that Wei Hantao boy? He had favorable lines."

    The air became chilly, even though it was 37 degrees celsius today. Yang Feng was giving off a murderous vibe, the calm tides in his eyes became a violent storm.

    "He¡¯s...elsewhere." Zhao Lifei strained a smile. "Wai-po, look over Yang Feng¡¯s lines again. Perhaps it¡¯s the sun..."

    "Problems in marriage and a shallow Ring of Saturn [1] on his palms. Hmph. Unfavorable." Hua Yuxi frowned, upset that her granddaughter was born with great lines, yet her partner was not. "I like the Wei boy better."

    Zhao Lifei wrapped her arms around Yang Feng¡¯s biceps when she could feel his thirst for blood. "Wai-po, he is not a good man."

    Hua Yuxi heaved a sigh. No man is good. Some are better at hiding it than others. "Ah-Fei,e here."

    Zhao Lifei nced upwards at Yang Feng whose gaze was so icy, it turned this ce into Antarctica. She sighed and slowly untangled her arms from him.

    Hua Yuxi grabbed her lovely granddaughter¡¯s wrist and then showed her hand to Yang Feng. "You see this palm, young man? It¡¯s too good for you to ruin it."

    "It¡¯s missing a ring." Yang Feng bit out, ready to snatch her hand back.

    "Hmph, a ring? How about you worry about your own marriage line." Hua Yuxi kept Zhao Lifei by her side. She did not like this man.

    Yang Feng finally understood what it was like to be an unfavorable candidate. She must¡¯ve felt this sort of rejection by Yang Mujian. His eyes flickered to his woman. "A positive and a negative can bnce each other out."

    "A positive and a positive is double the goodness." Hua Yuxi bitterly replied, turning her head to the side and walking off with Zhao Lifei in tow. She dragged the young woman behind her, refusing to let go of her wrist.

    "Wai-po...His lines are not bad." Zhao Lifei quietly whispered, ncing back to see Yang Feng was apanying them every step of the way. His porcin smooth fingers were curled into fists, turning his honey-toned skin a pale, white color.

    "They¡¯re not good enough for you." Hua Yuxi patiently replied before stopping in front of a good friend of hers.

    "Ah-Fei, meet Madam Ren. She has a son who¡¯s currently the leading Vice President of his father¡¯s toypany. I¡¯m sure you remember ying with Tiantian dolls right? They manufacture it."

    Madam Ren Xiaoting¡¯s eyes brightened at the sight of Zhao Lifei¡¯s petite face and extremely ttering features. Paired with her background, Ren Xiaoting could die happy if a Zhao became her daughter-inw. "My son is turning twenty-eight this year. Having a toypany will be beneficial when you have children." Sheughed, grabbing Zhao Lifei¡¯s hands.

    Madam Fan also came in for the kill. "If second-son Vice President is not to your taste, my son is an entrepreneur who has started his ownpany. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of it, Anion Technology."

    "Yang Enterprise owns major shares in Ren Toy Inc. Anion Technology¡¯s proposals are weak and boring. They will notst long." Yang Feng coldly said, yanking his woman back into his arms, angered that she was snatched right in front of him.

    Every family here was a joke to him. He could squash them like a bug. Pathetic. No one here was worthy enough of Zhao Lifei.

    Hua Yuxi frowned at the boy¡¯s possessiveness. She sharply turned to her granddaughter and was disappointed to see the woman did not mind the treatment.

    Everyone became quiet when he stepped into the scene. No one was stupid enough to directly go against him, even if he was significantly younger than everyone here. His charisma and fearsome reputation were enough to erase the lines of superiority.

    "At the least, their lines are better." Hua Yuxi bit out.

    ¡¯Damned lines, they were simply creases on one¡¯s skin, formed at birth. Such a pointless thing.¡¯ Yang Feng gritted his teeth, his jaw clenching and unclenching. His fingers dug into her skin, whilst his grasp on her hip became unbearably rough.

    Zhao Lifei grabbed his hand and decided to lock their fingers together. "Yang Feng¡¯s eight characters of birth time are very favorable. Do not worry so much about the unwritten future, Wai-po. It is not good for your health."

    When she saw her Wai-po¡¯s lips dip into a disapproving frown, she quickly added on, "I¡¯m sure our children would love to y with their maternal great-grandmother. You have to maintain your health to match their unruliness."

    Hua Yuxi¡¯s eyes brightened again. Great-grandchildren... With the face of her darling Ah-Fei, what a dream it would be. "You¡¯ll bring them to me?"

    "As long as you allow it, of course." Zhao Lifei gently said, smiling a bit.

    "Come and visit me at least once a month. Have someone bring the children once a week. It¡¯s lonely in this house."

    Zhao Lifei tried not tough. The house was indeedrge, but there was always liveliness inside of it. She was pretty sure her other cousins had given her Wai-po many great-grandchildren who frequented the house. "I will."

    Yang Feng¡¯s anger was softened by her words. He wanted children as soon as possible, but he did not want to pressure her. Speaking of which, he was always the one stopping their intimate interactions from going too far... He wondered if ever he did not control himself, would she allow them to take their rtionship to another level?

    - - - - -

    [1] Ring of Saturn: An inauspicious line on the palm that symbolizes imprisonment, constraint, difficulty, obstacle, frustration, and etc. Often live a hard-life and are prone to hot-tempers. Shallow lines indicate a person is umunicative. Broken lines indicate serious influences and a probability there will not be a tough future ahead.

 Chapter 281 My Youth

    "Ah-Fei,e and apany me to our table." Hua Yuxi did not wait for her granddaughter to reply. She grabbed Zhao Lifei¡¯s hand, pulling her away from Yang Feng for the third time today.

    Unlike many of the grandmothers eyeing the young man in hopes of introducing their granddaughters, Hua Yuxi did not like Yang Feng a bit. A rtionship with that man would be simply too dangerous ¡ª she knew of his background. Ruling over the Wangs from behind the curtains was none other than this Matriarch, who refused to let anythinge in harm¡¯s way of her grandchildren ¡ª especially Zhao Lifei.

    "Wai-po, where is Yang Feng going to sit?" Zhao Lifei questioned upon realizing the chair beside her was upied. That was strange. She had informed her grandmother in advance that Yang Feng would being. Howe there was not a seat reserved for him? Unless, she did not like him even before the meeting...

    "Oh him? He can sit at the table in the corner." And far away from you. Hua Yuxi thought to herself, hiding the smile on her face.

    She ignored the chilly air from behind her, turning summer into winter. She was not daft. He was a Yang and any inch of disrespect towards them would not be tolerated ¡ª no matter who they were, unless, it was Zhao Lifei. For her, Yang Feng was willing to bend all sorts of rules as long as she could remain nestled in his arms and within his reach. She seated him in a ce that was far from the main table, but still in a respectable area surrounded by esteemed guests.

    "Wai-po." Zhao Lifei squeezed Hua Yuxi¡¯s hand to grab her attention when she was seated down. "Who is sitting beside me?"

    "You¡¯ll find out soon enough." Hua Yuxi gently stroked Zhao Lifei¡¯s cheek before she allowed herself to be whisked away by the other guests.

    Yang Feng ced his hand behind Zhao Lifei¡¯s chair, standing in front of her. "She does not like me."

    Zhao Lifei strained her smile as she grabbed the one hand resting on his side. His rough, calloused skin met hers and she gripped his hand tighter. "Just a bit, but she¡¯ll warm up to you. Don¡¯t be angry."

    Yang Feng¡¯s thumb brushed her chin, stroking her soft skin. He was irked and displeased at the old woman¡¯s treatment towards him. No one was that audacious and bold to tantly disrespect him. He could see where Zhao Lifei got her behavior from,bined from the one she learned from Zhao Moyao, Zhao Lifei was quite a fearless little thing.

    Captivated by her eyes, with lightened hues because of the crystal chandelier above her and her skin that glistened in a healthy glow, he could see the love she had for him tucked between the folds of her eyes. He was at a loss for words.

    She loosely wrapped her arms around him, resting her head upon his body. She could feel her grandmother¡¯s dissatisfied stares,bined with the envious and scheming ones of others. She did not pay attention to thetter.

    Yang Feng¡¯s heart melted at her gesture. He caressed her hair before he nodded his head. In a mellow and calm voice, he whispered, "Alright, my love." He bent down and kissed the top of her head, gave the area a pat, and then stood to his full height to y with her hair. He was mindful of the people¡¯s curious and nosy eyes upon him, but as long as she did not care, he did not either.

    - - - - -

    The dinner had started.

    Zhao Lifei sat down on her chair with the desire of personally speaking to her grandmother, but the minute she sat down, the gossiping aunties struck up a conversation with her. She was ced just one seat away from her grandmother, but with how talkative these women were, she knew she would have no way into the conversation.

    The seat beside her was pulled out and down sat a man. She sighed. So her grandmother truly was attempting to set her up with another man.

    "It¡¯s very nice to meet you, Zhao Lifei." He began, turning around to charm her with a thousand-watt smile. "I¡¯m sure my mother must have already introduced me, but I am the Vice President of Ren Toy Inc."

    A tall presence approached him from behind whose murderous chill was like a hand that strangled his throat.

    "Scram." Yang Feng snarled, hands tucked inside of his pockets, with the appearance of a triad leader. His soulless eyesnded upon the man and he did not need to be told twice.

    He left his seat and went elsewhere, presumably towards his mother.

    Hua Yuxi nced up, a disapproving frown on her face, but Yang Feng surprised her by pushing the chair into the table. He did not n on sitting down beside her.

    Hua Yuxi felt a bit nervous when Yang Feng¡¯s dark, sinister eyes pierced hers as if warning her to back off. He then bent down to give Zhao Lifei a peck on her cheek and walked back to his table, leaving a heavy silence in the atmosphere.

    The seat next to her remained empty the entire dinner.

    Soon, the lively chatter resumed when waiters came out with tes of food.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei approached her grandmother with a single question, "Putting the lines aside, there are other reasons you do not like him. Am I right?"

    Hua Yuxi turned around to face her granddaughter whose piercing stare resembled Zhao Moyao.

    "Take a stroll with me through the gardens." Hua Yuxi¡¯s voice sounded older to Zhao Lifei. In her years of absence, she did not realize just how old her grandmother was getting. She did not want such a thing to happen, but time was running out faster than she could chase it.

    Zhao Lifei nced back where Yang Feng was standing in a corner, watching her like a hawk. Rarely touching his food during dinner and never indulging in the conversations people tried to strike up with him; all of his attention was dedicated to her. No matter where she went, she was within his line of sight.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s head tilted to therge french doors that lead to the gardens. Then she folded her elbows and allowed Hua Yuxi to ce a hand on the nook of her bent arm. Together the two strolled down the Millenium Path Garden, a ce she frequented in her youth. The peach blossoms had yet to shed their petals, presenting a wondrous world of pink and white, a tranquil and breathtaking scenery to witness when the wind picked up.

    "In the viewpoint of a bachelorette, Yang Feng is a well-sought out one. Many would kiss the ground he walked on." Hua Yuxi started off. Her fingers brushed against a petal that softly fell off a leaf. "But you are not like that. You do not cling onto him nor do you chase him. He likes that because you are different."

    She sharply turned around. "But what about your other characteristics? What happens when this push-and-pull game ends? What shall happen to your rtionship then? " She answered her questions for Zhao Lifei. "He will grow old of this game. He will grow old of your feistiness." She spoke from experience.

    In her youth, her behavior greatly resembled Zhao Lifei¡¯s. The Head of the Wang Monarch was deeply infatuated by her because she was different from the rest. When women did everything to please him, she did everything to annoy him.

    He chased after her, tripping over his legs, and when he finally conquered her, he soon became bored with her. The game was, after all, over. The chase was done. What was still left to do?

    His feelings towards her were intrigued that a woman half his size could have that much confidence bottled up inside of her.

    He did not love her.

    He loved the idea of conquering a stubborn little thing like her. And look at where itnded her; a marriage tainted with affairs. After cing Hua Yuxi in his house, like a trophy, he sought after other trophies who would also give him a hard time. In order to secure her position, Hua Yuxi birthed him many children.

    "You can tell me all you want that he is a different man from my husband." Hua Yuxi did not hide a lot of secrets from Zhao Lifei. When Zhao Lifei was younger, Hua Yuxi had already told her everything there was to know about her rtionship with Patriarch Wang.

    Zhao Lifei knew what her grandmother was referring to. Even now, her maternal grandfather was nowhere in sight. It was his wife¡¯s birthday, but he was trying to conceive another¡¯s birthday. "He loves me and I love him."

    "Love... what a wonderful yet tainted word. A person¡¯s heart can be changed like a light switch. Once he sees someone who gives him a harder time than you, will his heart remain true? You are beginning to relent to him because of your feelings. You¡¯ve been acquired by him."

    "Do not make the same mistakes that I have made, child." Hua Yuxi gave Zhao Lifei¡¯s hand a gentle pat. "I do not want to see you bear the same pain and frustration I did in my youth."

 Chapter 282 Come Alone

    "Love always fades as time goes by." Zhao Lifei responded. "When people be more familiar andfortable with each other, passion often fades faster between couples that have been together for two months inparison to two decades."

    It was the inevitable truth. Sometimes there will be lucky ones who love each other to their veryst breath, but those were quite rare. For example, the love between Zhao Moyao and his wife. Even after her death, he still wore his wedding ring.

    "At the very least, you¡¯re able to recognize the stage of your rtionship now is only the beginning. It¡¯s just puppy-love. Once you pass through this stage, everything will be harder for you and your rtionship." Hua Yuxi sighed. "Ah-Fei, I always have your best interests at heart." She fondly brushed away the strands of hair irritating Zhao Lifei¡¯s face.

    "Find someone who loves you for who you are, not because you give him a hard time and are ¡¯different from the rest.¡¯ Once you do, he¡¯ll fall for the real you, not the one you portray."

    Zhao Lifei kept her mouth shut. The real her? Yang Feng saw all of it and yet, he continued to embrace her. Even when she pushed him away, he¡¯d hug her tighter. It was a double-edged sword. He was heavily infatuated with her and because of it, she could never love another. She was pretty sure that there would be dead bodies piled up in front of her front door before she could even think about entering a rtionship with another man.

    "And who¡¯s to say, those men also won¡¯t get tired of me once they have unraveled the mystery of discovering who I am?"

    Hua Yuxi¡¯s lips curved upwards. "Indeed, there is also that problem."

    When her grandmother was not looking, Zhao Lifei nced over her shoulder. Leaning by a wide and ancient tree was Yang Feng whose arms were folded over his chest. When their eyes met, her heart fluttered. He winked. She smiled.

    "In the end, I want you to consider my words. Be wary of men like him, especially the one so powerful, from whom you could never escape." Hua Yuxi said. "If you n to leave, leave now and never look back. Run while you still can."

    Escape? Run? Did she even want to do any of that? Once all of the problems were resolved, she nned on settling down with him and having children. Starting a family of her own was something she always wanted, but her previous fear of having children got in the way. Meeting Yang Feng had changed that about her.

    Zhao Lifei did not want to talk back. She could only nod her head and listen on.

    - - - - -

    "Are you leaving so soon? Why not stay the night? Your cousins are staying here, it would be a good opportunity to see them while you can."

    ¡¯I don¡¯t want to see any of them.¡¯ Zhao Lifei kept her thoughts to herself.

    "I have work tomorrow." Zhao Lifei said while standing by the car with Yang Feng right beside her. She had originally nned on staying a bit longer, but that was before she announced herself as the CEO of Feili to her employees.

    "It¡¯s always work, work, work with youngsters. If not work, it¡¯s busy vacationing in Mn and shopping till you drop." Hua Yuxi bitterly said.

    "Wai-po, I wille and visit you again soon. Do not worry." Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips quirked into an amused smile. "My job is never more important than you, but I have to work hard in order to save up for a family. Children are very costly to raise."

    "Hmph, if that¡¯s the case, I expect frequent phone calls and a visit every month. Preferably, I would like you toe alone." Hua Yuxi briskly said, never once sparing a nce towards Yang Feng, not that he cared. For Zhao Lifei¡¯s sake, he remained calm and collected, a rigid and an unbreakable expression on his face.

    "You¡¯ll see me every time shees." Yang Feng spoke up, earning a re from Hua Yuxi.

    Zhao Lifei chuckled, patting his chest. "He has work."

    "Not when you¡¯re involved." Yang Feng wrapped his fingers around her hand, pressing a kiss to her fingertips, thencing her fingers with his. He tugged her a bit closer.

    Hua Yuxi glowered at him with her upper lip curled in disdain. Smitten puppy.

    - - - - -

    Yang Enterprise, the next day.

    "Boss, your code worked. We got through the security. Everything about him, beyond the surface, has been recovered." Chen Gaonan informed Yang Feng. Originally, he had sent in a brief report about General Jiang Zihui because not much was known about him. All of his files and background information were deeply hidden and when Chen Gaonan was able to hack into a system, he discovered a code. It was extremelyplicated and only his Boss was able to crack it so quickly.

    Yang Feng opened the report and intently absorbed every detail. By the end of it, the sides of the paper were crumpled from how tightly he clenched it. "Tighten the security around Zhao Lifei immediately. If she wants to go somewhere, have everything within a ten-mile radius monitored." Hemanded. He did not think Jiang Zihui would be a very powerful opponent until the details were all revealed today.

    "Yes, sir." Chen Gaonan typed themand into his tablet and less than five minutester, more people joined the forces set to ensure her safety. There were always people apanying her and nearly all of them were out of sight. Combined with the people that Zhao Moyao assigned to trail her, she was, without a doubt, one of the most heavily protected women in this country.

    Yang Feng knew she was the type of woman who was too stubborn to be apanied by physical bodyguards by her side. That was why he specifically made sure they were kept hidden and would only appear when needed. She wanted her freedom and he was trying his best to give her that. The only thing he could never give her was distance from him.

    "Elder Su will want to see my grandfather with evidence. Make sure he never does."

    Chen Gaonan obediently nodded his head. "Sir, we have found the culprit that sent the voice recordings and spied on Elder Yang. What shall we do with him?"

    "Find out how long he has been spying on Elder Yang for and what he has heard. Then dispose of him."

    "Yes, sir." Chen Gaonan typed into the tablet again.

    "Also, in regards to Young Miss Ruqin¡¯s issue, we have found a bank ount. It showed a record of significant amounts of money being wired into separate ounts, most likely paying everyone involved. However, we have not tracked down the owner of the ount yet."

    "You have a week." Yang Feng responded, picking up his pen to begin working.

    KNOCK!

    KNOCK!

    KNOCK!

    Chen Gaonan paused what he was doing and briefly nced at the door then back to his boss. He was confused. People rarely knocked on his door since not many were allowed entry here except for his private assistants, which currently only consisted of him. Su Meixiu was part of the team, but she was removed, so it was mainly Chen Gaonan knocking.

    Yang Feng pressed a button and in strolled Lu Shanshan dded in a ck zer, white top, and ck dress pants.

    Chen Gaonan was a bit taken back by her presence, but he figured it was time for a new secretary to be introduced. It was more efficient to have two people as it would allow for a check and bnce system.

    "Show Lu Shanshan around the office." Yang Fengmanded without looking up from his papers. He could easily pass the work onto trustful employees like Chen Gaonan, but he preferred to do it himself. That way, he was deeply immersed in thepany¡¯s affairs and knew everything that was there to know.

 Chapter 283 Candidate

    "Sell Feili to me." Zhao Moyao dered. He was currently in his office with Zhao Lifei sitting in front of him. He called her in early in the morning and to his surprise, she actually came. He expected her to whine and groan about the time, but here she was, sitting in front of him.

    "Why?" Zhao Lifei decided to indulge him, but in the end, she would never relent.

    "It¡¯s rising exceedingly fast. The value will shoot off the roof soon, a discount would be nice."

    "You speak like I am going to sell it." She teased, cing down the cup of coffee handed to her by Li Xuan. Though he was an expert in getting coffee for her grandfather, it seemed he did not know her preferences. She did not mind it though. Her taste would constantly change based on the weather.

    "You do not need to fret yourself over apany when your bank ounts already have sufficient amount of zeroes." Zhao Moyao countered her, watching as her lips pulled into a smile.

    "One can never have enough money." She said, tilting her head to study him. "What¡¯s your offer?" She asked out of curiosity.

    "Ten billion."

    "So low." Shemented, her words causing him to raise a brow.

    "What makes it higher?"

    "The proposal I¡¯ve signed with Yang Enterprise, as well as the ones I¡¯ve recently signed. The money has note in yet, but when calcted, it boosts our worth. Also, many investors and stock buyers havee forward. We have also signed partnerships with otherpanies and sold out a small number of shares." Shezily drawled out.

    With her in the office, she was able to regte every single proposal that came through. In just a week leading up to her Wai-po¡¯s birthday, she had single-handedly raised thepany¡¯s value. She calcted that if she wholly dedicated herself to thepany, the same way that she had done to Zheng Corporation, it would not take long for history to be made.

    "Fifteen billion then."

    "Hm..." Zhao Lifei ced a finger to her chin, thinking over the number before shaking her head.

    "Twenty billion, it¡¯s my final offer." Zhao Moyao chuckled when he saw her eyes light up at the number. He turned to Li Xuan, "Get the paperwork for wire transfers."

    Zhao Lifei watched in amusement as Li Xuan pulled out the checkbook. She was suddenly reminded of the days when Yang Feng¡¯s silly brain thought he could get her to do things for his money. The good ole¡¯ days... She wondered if he still carried nk checks in his pockets. That would be quite an interesting idea.

    "Now, now, grandfather, who said I am willing to sell Feili?" Zhao Lifei chuckled when her grandfather sent her a scathing re.

    "You¡¯ve wasted my time."

    "Yes, but it did benefit me. I can see what number I should go up from when others propose the same idea. But of course, I will continue to not sell Feili for a very long time." Zhao Lifei cheekily said, a smallugh leaving her lips. She rested her chin on her hand and stared out towards the window behind her grandfather. So many skyscrapers... So many buildings she will soon have major stocks in.

    "You n on starting your own legacy?" Zhao Moyao questioned her with intrigue, watching as those calctive hazel eyes lit up at the idea.

    "Yes." Her lips quipped upwards, brightening her entire face. The idea of starting her own legacy, one that she could pass down to her future children, would be a dream to her. She preferred to have her own money andpany rather than inheriting one.

    "And what about Zhao Corporation? You are one of the leading candidates." Zhao Moyao studied her carefully. He did not know what he was searching for in her, but taking in her appearance, there was a sense of satisfaction that passed through him. Finally, all his years spent teaching her had paid off so greatly.

    Feili was skyrocketing through the markets at an incredible and unbelievable speed, catching the eyes of many people in the business world. It will not be long before she¡¯sunched into thepetitive world where she would surelye out victorious, leaving a pile of defeated ventures behind her.

    He believed she would forge her throne as viciously as he had done in the past.

    In the past, Zhao Moyao was very cruel to hispetitors and every one of them was now bankrupted or was suffering in a strugglingpany. He used every method he knew to push everyone down. Using them as steppingdders, he would individually kick them all down to climb higher and higher, earning his current position. So manypanies had fallen before him, onto their knees, begging for mercy - something he never gave.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s silent eyes shifted to Wu Yuntai stationed on the couch, going through paperwork. Her eyes then moved to Li Xuan who stood beside Zhao Moyao, arms tucked to the side, just like an obedient soldier. "You have a lot more candidates other than me, grandfather."

    "It is not like you to be selfless. When you were a little girl, you¡¯d tell me you¡¯d like to sit in the chair I always upied. What made you change your mind?"

    "It was the simple whim of a child." Zhao Lifei easily lied.

    Truthfully, she did not want to go through the messy troubles of a family feud. It was too tiring to argue with family about inheritances and she had seen first-hand ounts about how tough it could be. She used to relish in the scheming life, but that took a toll on her mentally. Everyone in her family was vicious and they all hid it behind their perfectly charming faces with smiles that resembled a fox¡¯s.

    "You¡¯re giving up on the starting line? That¡¯s a very cowardly move."

    "If you want me to be the CEO, just say so." Zhao Lifei chuckled, wholly amused by his childish tricks. What was his purpose here? Why was he so keen on changing her mind? She was pretty sure many people would willingly fight to the death for such a respectful and highly sought-after position. But she was not one of them. She had her ownpany to worry and care for.

    She made a promise to her employees. She was not the type to break them.

    Zhao Moyao did not want to lie to himself or anyone. He truly considered Zhao Lifei as his strongest candidate, for he was the one who taught her everything there was to know.

    Her method of ruling was simr to his, except hers was a bit more gentle than he liked. He knew she had a change of mindset from the therapy.

    He did not like how soft-hearted she had be. He disliked the fact that she treated everyone equally. Perhaps he was too old-fashioned, like Yang Mujian, but he believed there should always be an unbreakable hierarchy in thepany.

    Treating the janitor the same way you treated the CEO was a foolish idea. Sure, you would gain the public¡¯s support, but in the eyes of apetitor, they would deem you weak-minded, badly raised, and an easy opponent.

    "I never said I wanted you as my CEO."

    "But you heavily implied it, grandfather." Zhao Lifei mused.

    "More like you over-thought my words. Do not get so far ahead of yourself." He grunted, disliking how cheeky and smug his little granddaughter was. Even though his brain said he did not like this side of her, his heart most certainly did.

    "Your treatment towards your staff is not good for your image." He decided to change the topic since she was very close to treading on the line of truth. He was always a biased man since birth. This much was evident when he refused to hand his position to any of his sons and even dared to hand the valuable position of the Vice President to Wu Yuntai, who did not share any of his blood or lineage.

    "In the eyes of yourpetitors, you are an easy target. Weak and too kind-hearted."

    "What¡¯s wrong with letting them think that?" Zhao Lifei mischievously smirked. "It¡¯s going to be very amusing to see them underestimate me and then realize their wrongdoingster on."

    Zhao Moyao was proud of her with each passing second. Indeed, he had never thought about it that way. "Until it bites you in the asster."

    "How so?"

    "It takes one person to reveal the truth. Once word gets out you¡¯re not as weak as they have predicted, their approach towards you will be harsher, more cunning, and filled with schemes to pull Feili down. No one likes a newbiepany rising faster than they did in their glory days."

    "Well, they¡¯re going to have to get used to it. Feili is here to stay whether they like it or not." Zhao Lifei let out a tiny giggle. "Besides, grandfather, do you think I¡¯m that easy to take down? I wee every scheme thates my way." Theughter left her eyes, turning it deadly and cold. The shimmering tides of amber swirled into a whirlpool, sucking everything into her mesmerizing pupils. "For every strike they deliver, I will give back ten times the pain." Then she revealed a smile, wicked and sickly-sweet.

 Chapter 284 Audacious and Sinful

    Zhao Moyao wanted to believe that he was disappointed in her desire to not inherit hispany, but such a thought could not be fathomed. He was reluctant to admit it, out of pure stubbornness, but he was beyond proud of Zhao Lifei¡¯s aplishments.

    Starting apany all by herself was not easy and managing it was an even harder feat. He was d she did not face any major bacshes or scandals so far, but with that Wei Hantao boy running around the city, he was certain something was bound to break out. He knew, without a doubt, that boy would have something against thepany. That was exactly why he sent people to trail after Wei Hantao.

    The people that Zhao Moyao sent out to watch over his granddaughter would frequently send back reports of what¡¯s happening in her life. Though they had left out the part that she was living with Yang Feng, for which they¡¯ve been thoroughly punished, with severe ie cuts for that specific month, Zhao Moyao surprisingly still trusted his men. He was typically the type of man who never tolerated mistakes nor gave second chances, but these people have stuck by Zhao Lifei¡¯s side ever since she was a child and had never done anything to harm her. For now, they still had his trust. Should it change, their heads would fly,

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s eyes shifted to his little granddaughter who was suddenly engrossed in her phone, a tiny smile settled on her lips. His eyes narrowed on the ckened-out screen, from her tinted privacy-protector.

    Seeing her so happy-go-lucky, he could only assume it was Yang Heng. Hmph. That punk was quite needy wasn¡¯t he? Smitten. Whipped. Lovesick fool. All of these were friendly ways of referring to that little rascal.

    "I assume you visited your maternal grandmother yesterday." Zhao Moyao absentmindedly said while opening hisptop.

    "Yes, I brought Yang Feng with me." She nced up from her phone and realized it was impolite to be so invested in it during a conversation. She ced it down and decided to fully focus her attention on her grandfather. Yang Feng could wait.

    "Without a doubt, that superstition-crazed woman did not like him. What was it that she likes to base her judgement on..."

    "Palm reading." Zhao Lifei finished for him.

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s nose wrinkled in disdain. "Such a bogus thing. She should value the Eight Characters of Destiny [1] more."

    Zhao Lifei resisted the urge to smile. It seemed her grandfather did not know how good Yang Feng¡¯s Eight Characters were. "Can I assume you deem Yang Feng as a favorable person then?"

    "When did I ever say such an audacious and sinful thing?!" Zhao Moyao eximed. He was taken aback by her sudden deration. Did she forget her medicine? He decided it would be a good idea to book her a quick appointment with the psychiatrist. What a stupid thing to say! Yang Heng, a favorable person? Hah. If that was true, tomorrow there would be a blizzard in the middle of summer! Forget the blizzard, it would be hail central!

    "Well, Yang Feng¡¯s eight charaters are¡ª"

    "Hmph, did I say Eight Characters? You have misheard me. I said no such thing. Nothing in this world is effective in reading a person¡¯s future. Enough of this conversation." Zhao Moyao bitterly said after realizing where he went wrong. Dang it, for a second there, it seemed he was actually happy to have that pesky, difficult, and overbearing punk in his life. Nothing would make Zhao Moyao happier than having that kid out of his life.

    Deep, deep down, in a spot unidentifiable by most, Zhao Moyao was actually d that out of all the elites in this country, Zhao Lifei had chosen Yang Feng. To Zhao Moyao, Yang Feng was too domineering and arrogant, but in the end, his love for Zhao Lifei triumphed everything. In his hands, she was beyond safe, loved, and cherished.

    Zhao Moyao knew without a doubt, Zhao Lifei would be thoroughly cared for and that would be for a very, very long time. He only hoped that once the truth was revealed to Yang Mujian, nothing woulde between the loving couple, but that was unrealistic.

    Zhao Lifei sighed at her grandfather¡¯s stubbornness. She wondered if he truly disliked Yang Feng or if it was because he disliked people in general. She hoped it was thetter, but knowing her grandfather, it was very likely that it could be the former.

    - - - - -

    The next day.

    Elder Su Guang was leisurely enjoying his lunch and tea in front of his scenic Zen garden. There was a gentle breeze that brought in a rxing earthy scent mingled with mint and eucalyptus. The sun was not too hot and the asional plop of the koi fishes in the pond were in harmony with the small buzz of crickets. Everything about this ce was a pleasure, especially with the serene and tranquil atmosphere right there. White stones wereid on the ground, forming small spirals.

    He took a sip of his freshly brewed tea and let out a contented sigh upon the woody taste of it. Such a good day it was...

    THUD!

    KNOCK!

    KNOCK!

    Elder Su Guang¡¯s brow twitched in annoyance upon hearing the interruption. "What is it?!" He spoke up, roughly mming the cup back onto the small, modest wooden table in front of him. Small droplets of tea sshed onto his green and silver changshan. He fouly cursed under his breath. This was high-quality silk! It cannot be washed unless you wanted the entire clothing to be ruined. His temper dampened significantly and he was ready tosh out on the servant.

    "Are you daft?!" He screamed, standing to his feet as silence followed after his words. A harsh wind blew into the room, surprising him. It was frosty and nothing like the small breeze from before. An ominous air wrapped around him as the wind whistled and howled in the background.

    Elder Su Guang had a bad feeling about this. Nevertheless, he approached the door. He told himself that there was nothing to worry about. There were guards littering the entire hallways and the majority of them were top students from their dojo.

    As he opened the door, his eyes grew wide, his mouth agape, and his body stiffened in shock. Lying dead, barely recognizable, and with hundreds of wounds on him was a man in front of his door.

    Elder Su Guang could feel his lunch threatening toe back up. It was a horrid sight to see. How could such a vile thing be delivered to his front door? Where were the precautions?! How useless and daft were his people?

    He poked his head out and his eyes widened when he saw the entire hallway was a bloodbath. Dead guards lingered through the halls, their bodies bent in odd and abnormal angles, bright red stters on the walls. Not a single guard in this hallway wing was alive. He wondered, how could he not have heard such amotion?

    He copsed onto his knees, stricken with horror at the sight before him. His eyes snapped to the specific body getting in the way of his door. With a shaky hand, he covered his mouth with a handkerchief and then used a single finger to poke the man, causing him to slump onto his back, motionless.

    Elder Su Guang¡¯s throat ran dry. It was the investigator he had sent to trail Zhao Lifei and Yang Feng. He knew. But the question was, how much did he know?!

    "Master, Master, there are dead soldiers¡ªoh my goodness!" A servant yelped when she saw more gruesome soldiers in the hallways.

    "Have the servants...clean up this mess." Elder Su Guang snarled, finallying to his senses as he got back onto his feet. "Fetch the driver and inform him we will be heading to Elder Yang¡¯s house."

    The servants bowed their heads and got to work. One of them ran off to convey the news and pass on the message.

    Elder Su Guang took a hesitant step outside and that was when he realized something. There were different pairs of footprints in the hallways. Every guard here wore the same type of shoes, handed to them by the dojo, which meant, the messy footprints in the hallways did not belong to only one person. There were definitely more than one assassin, however, it was strange. Why did they escape in different directions? And why was one bloody footprint significantly darker than the others...? Were there more than two people here?

 Chapter 285 Eyes Of Your Children

    A man dressed in a in navy and grey changsan [1] walked down the open corridor. Small wooden pirs held up the well-crafted rooftop. He blended with the wind, nimble and quick, but invisible and silent.

    He gently slid the screened door open. Bowing before the esteemed guest, he opened his mouth and in a respectful voice, spoke, "Honorable guest, Master Yang is ready to see you now."

    Elder Su Guang got up from his sitting position on the bamboo mats. He rarely came to the waiting room, since Elder Yang Mujian was usually not that busy, maybe because he had passed on the majority of his workload to Yang Feng.

    Elder Su Guang wondered who his predecessor was. As he apanied the Head Butler, through the corner of his eye, he could see a tall and muscr man clothed in forest green. The corridor was wrapped around arge and expansive garden, thus, by the time Elder Su Guang turned his head to observe the man on the other side, he was gone.

    The Head Butler saw Su Guang¡¯s curious nces at the corner where the man in dark green clothing disappeared. He picked up his pace, forcing the man beside him to walk faster. Pausing before the looming wooden door with carvings of a bamboo forest underneath a breezy spring morning with puffy clouds and a sun rising in the east, the Head Butler waited three seconds before knocking on the door.

    "Come in." Yang Mujian¡¯s gruff voice responded. He was inside his private study, holding a thick agreement contract that was missing his signature. It was an interesting idea, one that he would contemte for a while. When his door opened, he had already ced the paper into a locked drawer.

    Unfortunately for him, Su Guang was able to see him close the drawer when he entered. He pretended to not have witnessed such an important thing. "Good morning, Master Yang." He respectively greeted, cupping his fists and bowing low.

    "There¡¯s nothing good about such a hot, zing day." Yang Mujian responded, ncing towards his garden.

    "I suppose so..." Su Guang muttered, stepping into the room. He waited until the Head Butler closed the door and walked down the hallway. Only after the man was gone, did he finally voice his displeasures.

    "What brings you here today?"

    "Your grandson... No, I meant Young Master Yang Feng, had ordered his people to break into my house, murder my soldiers, and toss the detect¡ª ahem, someone important to me, in front of my tea room." Elder Su Guang angrily bit out. He was half angry that he nearly spit the truth out about the detective, whereas the other anger was directed towards the tyrannical young man.

    Yang Mujian¡¯s sharp ears did not miss the change in his sentence. "Someone important, as in your detective?" He chuckled, turning around to finally set his eyes on the man before him. He disdainfully skimmed over the changsan before turning his eyes away.

    Su Guang paused. He debated whether or not he should lie. "Yes, my detective. I¡¯ve always used him to find out information about mypetitors and enemies."

    ¡¯Competitors and enemies.¡¯ Yang Mujian thought to himself, highly amused. "I didn¡¯t think you considered us in that category." He coldly said.

    Su Guang¡¯s face was horrified by the sudden change in events. He came here toin about Yang Feng¡¯s unruliness and the way he abused his powers. He did note here to reveal all of his secrets! "Why, I¡¯d never¡ª"

    "You use the detective to scoop out information about enemies andpetitors, yet you sent the same man to trail after Yang Feng. Am I wrong?" Yang Mujian retorted, a shadow looming over his face. He was notified a few hours ago by his grandson. He had to admit, the timing was perfect, and because of it, he knew who the man behind the brutal murder was.

    "No, wait, I meant yes! I did not ask him to trail after Yang Feng, it was only to keep an eye on Zhao Lifei." Su Guang tried to divert his attention. "I wanted to see if she has pure intentions towards the Young Master. With so many gold diggers leeching around the Young Master, I fear she is one of them."

    "I suggest you worry more about that granddaughter of yours." Yang Mujian thoughtfully replied, a judging expression on his face.

    He was beginning to warm up to the idea of Zhao Lifei, especially because she was Zhao Moyao¡¯s granddaughter. If she proved to be a beneficial woman with heavy pockets, rather than a distraction to his grandson, she would be the most ideal candidate. Reputation did not matter much to Yang Mujian whose own reputation, in his youth, was not the best.

    Elder Su Guang¡¯s face became a fiery shade of red, while he suppressed his anger at the insult. His granddaughter-a gold digger? That would be the highest insult for her! "I believe we should worry about the Young Master¡¯s newfound temperament now that he is smitten by that woman."

    "Smitten?" Yang Mujian repeated. He was intrigued by what other delusional words Elder Su Guang would spew out.

    "Yes, he¡¯s wrapped around her little fingers, wagging his tail, like a lovesick fool! It has been reported she brought him to visit her maternal grandmother, Hua Yuxi, where the two were practically inseparable! He risked offending the Vice President of Ren Toy Inc just because the poord wanted to strike up a conversation with Zhao Lifei. That possessiveness is not good for him."

    Yang Mujian raised a brow. He was quite proud that his grandson staked a domain over the woman. She was a useful pawn with a heavy pocket. Letting the world know whose possession she was did not seem like a bad idea. Letting other men approach the pawn would be a sign of weakness. His grandson did a good job of keeping his im. However, he did not voice such thoughts.

    "These pictures were given to me by close friends who attended the birthday party." Elder Su Guang was d his connections ran deep. All of the men he sent to spy on them came back dead. Nothing useful was acquired from them.

    He ced down the photos that showed Yang Feng intimidating the Vice President, a kiss between the couple, the way he could not keep his hands off of her, all of the pictures were revealed. With so many photos on the desk, it might as well have been a video.

    Yang Mujian took the picture into careful consideration, picking a few up to thoroughly examine them. These were most certainly useful evidence, but it was not enough. "That¡¯s it?" He scoffed. " You had a week to search for evidence, and this is what you bring me? How disappointing."

    "T-this is only the beginning.... I am currently digging up more as we speak." Elder Su Guang nervously said.

    Yang Mujian¡¯s upper lip curled back in disgust. "You¡¯ve gotten weak and stupid. I rmend you giving a thought to transferring your power to one of your sessors." He spat out, throwing the pictures back onto the table. "Go and seek out more. The next time you make bogus statements with brittle evidence like this will be thest time you¡¯re granted an audience with me. Do not waste my time."

    Elder Su Guang was silenced due to such insulting words, he could do nothing but nod his head like a broken bob-toy. "I apologize." He gritted through his teeth.

    Su Guang thought it would be a good idea to change the subject now. "I heard Young Miss Ruqin would like to learn self-defense to ensure history does not repeat itself."

    Yang Mujian smiled to himself, a rough glint in his eyes. "Yes, my dear granddaughter has been taking lessons on improving her frame."

    Su Guang¡¯s eyes brightened at the opportunity to earn back the good grace of Yang Mujian. He smiled and asked, "Which instructor is she under? I can have her transferred to the best of the best, if she does not already have him."

    "She is being trained by the head instructor of the Lian family. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of them?"

    Su Guang¡¯s smile dropped. The Lian family...? Of course, he had heard of them! For the longest time now, they were rivals of the Sus. Whereas the Su pride themselves in the techniques passed on from generations to generations, the Lian family had always adapted to the changing generations. They specialized in mixed martial arts and because there was not an exact tradition being passed down, the Sus often looked down upon them. One who does not honor their ancestors is not worthy of respect.

    It was the biggest p to Su Guang for Yang Ruqin to train with theirpetitors. It showed Yang Mujian¡¯s trust in them was fading. The eight generations of friendship were deteriorating...

    "If I may, Master Yang, it would be better if Miss Ruqin trained with us¡ª"

    "It has been brought to my attention three of your finest instructors have resigned. Seeing as you have made no ns on bringing new ones in, I¡¯m sure your men already have their hands full with the current pupils."

    "But Master¡ª"

    "Leave."

    Yang Mujian turned his back to the man, preferring to look at his expansive garden rather than his subordinate.

    Nheless, Elder Su Guang swallowed back hisints, cupped his fists and bowed. "I will be excusing myself now. Have a good day, Master Yang." He ground his teeth, his eyes shing dangerously at the wide back of the aging man. How he wished to plunge a knife¡ª

    "Su Guang." Yang Mujian suddenly said, prompting the man to lift his head.

    "Yes, Master Yang?"

    "If you spy on my family one more time, I will ensure you¡¯re fed with the eyes of your children."

    A shiver passed through Su Guang¡¯s frail frame. "Y-yes, Master."

    Yang Mujian¡¯s expression changed, although Su Guang couldn¡¯t see it. It was originally a simple threat but, seeing as the man readily agreed to it without much thought, Yang Mujian discovered his suspicion was true. This bastard had been spying on his family. It would not go by unpunished.

 Chapter 286 Scheming

    At how fast the headlines broke out, Zhao Lifei felt as if she did not need to hold a banquet anymore. stered on multiple magazines were headlines that spoiled the purpose of the dinner in the first ce.

    "Founder of the rising investment firm, Feili, is none other than socialite Zhao Lifei!"

    "The investment firm taking the country by storm, Feili¡¯s CEO is Zhao Lifei!"

    "Hidden CEO of Feili has been discovered to be Zhao Lifei."

    "Socialite turned CEO: Zhao Lifei."

    "Following the footsteps of her CEO grandfather, socialite Zhao Lifei reported as CEO."

    Oddly enough, the magazine headlines were all very positive. None of them stated anything rtively bad about her, nor did they mention her past with Zheng Tianyi. Zhao Lifei had a feeling about who forcefully filtered the magazine headlines.

    In her newly renovated office, she was seated on arge andfortable cushion leather chair. Swiveling around, she flipped through the magazine with an entertained expression on her face. These journalismpanies must¡¯ve been too terrified to go against Yang Feng, especially when he did not hesitate at the idea of bankrupting previous newspanies.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s phone was blowing up with messages ever since her morning with her grandfather. She did not pay attention to any of her shameless rtives who only made themselves known today. The people that used to heavily criticize her, the aunts and uncles who backstabbed her, and the cousins who chose Zheng Tianyi and Xia Mengxi¡¯s side ¡ª everyone was approaching her now. There was so much bootlicking going on, her endless array of shoes was as good as new.

    Her eyes scanned the spacious office in front of her. She gave Wei Hantao¡¯s office to Huo Qiudong who had redecorated the room, tossed out everything owned by Wei Hantao, and expanded it.

    Speaking of the former secretary, Zhao Lifei realized it would be a good idea to begin interviewing people to fill in the position. She had not heard from Long Xuebi, Wei Hantao¡¯s previous secretary, for a while now. Even after texting and emailing her, the woman was a no show. It would not be a bad idea though... Who knows if she was in cahoots with Wei Hantao and his schemes. She had not heard from him ever since she tossed him into the trash. He must¡¯ve disappeared somewhere, or perhaps he was lurking in the shadows. Either way, she was on high alert.

    Shaking her head to get rid of him, Zhao Lifei decided to start on the mountain of paperwork before her. Her nose wrinkled in boredom as she picked up the first packet and a pen. Aside from paperwork, her schedule was jam-packed with meetings scheduled by Wei Hantao a while back. It did not take long for the sun to set in the west, and the moon to appear.

    After cing her jacket on and grabbing her purse, Zhao Lifei made her way to Huo Qiudong¡¯s office. She did not bother knocking when she waltzed through the door and saw that he was still working hard. He was concentrating too hard on hisputer to even realize the soft click of the door. His brows were scrunched together, lines creasing on his forehead, and his fingers were flying across the keyboard at an impressive pace.

    Zhao Lifei stood by the door, watching the workaholic in the making. She checked the clock on the wall and saw it was seven o¡¯clock. She felt her throat run dry at the time and checked on her phone. She had set it on "do not disturb" this morning so that she was not disturbed by the notifications from her obnoxious rtives. Sure enough, she saw the missed calls from Yang Feng.

    ¡¯Uh-oh.¡¯

    "You should head home now. Almost everyone has left the office." Zhao Lifei piped up, slipping her phone into her purse.

    Huo Qiudong¡¯s head snapped up, his shoulders jumping a bit. He did not expect to see her here, sote at night. He expected her to be one of the first employees to head home. "I was just finishing the management reports for tomorrow."

    Zhao Lifei walked over to hisrge oakwood desk and picked up a paper beside him. "You didn¡¯t do any of your paperwork?"

    "No, I already finished the ones for today and tomorrow. These are for the day after tomorrow."

    Zhao Lifei blinked. Definitely a workaholic in the making. "Why are you so hardworking?" She incredulously asked, cing the paper into ce. She stepped to the coathanger. "Don¡¯t answer that." She said, grabbing the grey trench coat and briefcase.

    "When do you usually leave the office?" She questioned, cing the briefcase beside him and ushering him to stand.

    Huo Qiudong felt awkward that she was dressing him like a mother. He gently took the coat from her hand and ced it on himself, buttoning it up. "On average, around 9 PM." He reluctantly picked up his briefcase and ced it on his desk. He began to ce the paperwork into the bag.

    Zhao Lifei was taken aback by his words. "Won¡¯t your girlfriend feel lonely if you return sote every night?" She pped his hand away and took out the paperwork he nned on bringing home. "You can do these tomorrow! Stop being such an overachiever." She huffed, zipping up the bag and shoving it into his arm. She pushed him towards the door.

    "I don¡¯t have a girlfriend." Huo Qiudong curtly replied, opening the door and stepping outside. He wondered why she was behaving more like an older sister than a CEO. He knew she was friendly, but he did not think it would be to such an extent.

    "Oh, is that so." Zhao Lifei suspiciously replied, smiling as they walked to the elevators. "Is there anyone you have your eyes set upon?"

    Huo Qiudong nearly tripped over his feet. He coughed and scratched the back of his head, awkwardly ncing at the stunning woman beside him. Even her side profile was perfect. Was she implying something...? He gulped. Not wanting to suffer the wrath of Yang Feng, he blurted out, "I-I don¡¯t want to be a sideman."

    Zhao Lifei froze before she let out a burst ofughter. "I¡¯m not courting you!" She chuckled, pping him on the shoulder. "Besides, you¡¯re not my type." She mused, pressing the elevator button and then stepping inside.

    "O-oh." He flushed, the light pink blush spreading to his ears. He felt like beating himself up for thinking so weirdly. Of course, she was not asking him to be the other man. With Yang Feng¡¯s bipr personalities, he was pretty sure she had her hands full with him.

    He thought about her words. "Well then, I prefer quiet women¡ª"

    "But you¡¯re so quiet as well." Zhao Lifei interrupted, confused at his words. Two quiet people? She wondered if they would even have a conversation.

    "I prefer someone like me." Huo Qiudong hated to admit it, but aside from the two girls he dated in his youth, he had never considered any other woman. He was too busy immersing himself into his work to even bother with anything else.

    "Is that so..." Zhao Lifei trailed off, lost in her thoughts while she got into the elevator. The two remained quiet while she contemted something inside of her head.

    Huo Qiudong did not bother striking up another conversation with her, especially because of that scheming smile on her face.

 Chapter 287 Cold Dinner

    Zhao Lifei soon reached home. Her stomach growled in anticipation when she caught a whiff of the delicious scent in the air. She breathed in deeply and waltzed straight into the dining room where a wide array of tes were set out before her. She took a secret bite of the food and nearly dropped it when a frosty voice sniped, "You¡¯rete."

    She turned around and was met with a thin-lipped, fire-breathing dragon with burning eyes. His wless profile, resembling a fine piece of art, was twisted into a disgruntled expression. Upon seeing the food in her mouth, he added, "How¡¯s the food?"

    "Oh, it¡¯s delicious¡ª"

    "It¡¯s cold." He snapped, like an angry housewife.

    Zhao Lifei blinked. She turned to look at the food and could see the tiny puffs of air that indicated warmth. She chewed the food in her mouth and swallowed. "Really? It¡¯s perfectly fine for me." She said, not understanding why he was so angry.

    "I ved away in the kitchen and youe homete, wasting all of my hard work."

    Zhao Lifei paused. Why did she feel like a husband who always came homete without notifying his housewife? It was as if she strolled through the door, briefcase in hand, while the other loosened her tie.

    "I¡¯m sorry...?" She confusedly said, cing her coat down and wandering to him. She stood in front of him, waiting for him to do something. When his icy eyesnded upon her, it became frostier. She sighed at her temperamental lover. "I just saw your text. My rtives were blowing up my phone, so I had it on silent." She wrapped her arms around him, a loose grin on her face.

    "Did you miss me that much, wifey?" She teased, reaching up to pinch his nose but he roughly grabbed her fingers.

    "Wifey?" He seethed, the temperature around them dropping.

    "Yes, you behave like one." She grabbed the hand holding her fingers hostage. "It hurts."

    He released them without a second thought. "Maybe you can use the cold food as an ice pack." He pettily responded.

    Zhao Lifei resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him. Such a drama queen he was. "How can I make it up to you then?" She scoffed, turning back to the food and ready to saunter off when suddenly, an arm wrapped around her waist, yanking her into his chest.

    He buried his head into thefortable spot where her shoulder met her neck. His other arm came around to hug her shoulders, holding her tightly.

    Zhao Lifei wondered if man-periods were a thing. If it is, he definitely had it with how fast his mood changed. One minute he was scolding her for the cold food and the next he was demanding cuddles. She held herint inside and decided to stay still while he breathed her in deeply.

    "Come home early next time." He mumbled into her smooth skin, pressing a kiss on the spot and nuzzling her head.

    He always felt at ease when she was present. Her euphoric scent was his calming pill and only when she was locked in his embrace did he feel reassured. He loved hugging her, enjoying the way her soft body molded against his. He never thought he would ever love skinship until he met her. Perfect in every way, even if she did not see that in herself. That was fine with him. He would thoroughly show her how wless she was.

    "You rarelye home on a set time. If you tell me one, I wille home before then." She responded, her hands resting on the one that was wrapped around her waist. He caught her fingers and entwined them, resting it on her hips.

    Yang Feng debated a suitable time. She began work in the early morning andtely, it was the same schedule as his. "Six."

    "Only six? Are you sure your workaholic behavior can handle that?" She joked, her eyes flickering to the food. If they didn¡¯t eat it now, it would truly be cold. Her stomach made its presence known by performing the loudest whale mating call known to man. Her face flushed all shades of red, spreading to her neck.

    "Pft." Yang Fengughed against her skin, his chest rumbling behind her back.

    Zhao Lifei could feel her stomach flutter at the throaty and warm sound. So lovely, so tender... She decided hisughter would be her favorite symphony. "My hunger is not funny."

    "It sure isn¡¯t." His lips morphed into a happy grin. With his arms still around her, he waddled their body, like a penguin, towards the table. "And for the record, I am not a workaholic."

    Zhao Lifei snorted. "Yeah, and I¡¯m a beaver." She sarcastically remarked, lightly patting his hand as a way of telling him to release her.

    The food looked heavenly and tonight¡¯s theme seemed to be French food. There was mouthwatering onion soup with fire-broiled cheese and beef served with toasted garlic bread, miche with cheese and vegetables, beef bourguignon, and so much more. If every night¡¯s cooking was as appetizing as this, she was sure she would nevere homete again.

    "Whatever you say." Yang Feng nonchntly replied, the corner of his lips quipped in a slight smirk. She was awestruck by his cooking and the more she ogled at it, the more she stroked his enormous ego. He pulled out a chair for her. She sat down and he stole the butler¡¯s job by pushing her in. He bent down, pecked her on the cheek and sat down across from her.

    "I want a rice bowl." Zhao Lifei said to a passing maid who readily nodded her head.

    "Yes, ma¡¯am."

    Yang Feng chuckled. "Rice with French food?"

    "You can never go wrong with rice." She teased, picking up her bamboo chopsticks. She enjoyed the carving of it and the small painting towards the top. It depicted a scenic crystal-blueke that reflected the mountains and sun behind it.

    "You would make your ancestors proud." Yang Feng jokingly remarked, watching as she picked up the miche with a chopstick and took a happy bite of it. Then she went to the appetizer sd consisting of kale, nuts, and chopped fruit.

    "I already do." She happily replied whilst enjoying her food without a second thought. In contrary to his petty words, all of the dishes were still hot. None of them were cold. Everything there was seasoned and cooked to perfection, especially the garlic-butter and rosemary scallops. She wondered how it was humanly possible to harbor so many skills at once. Her eyes trailed to the well-mannered gentleman in front of her. Even when he ate, he looked poised and graceful but eluded a heavy aura of masculinity.

    Zhao Lifei was too busy eyeing the snack in front of her to realize the maid had fetched her a bowl of rice. It was not until Yang Feng lifted his head that she immediately averted her eyes as if she was caught watching something very naughty. And with the way she was previously staring at him, it might as well have been.

 Chapter 288 Master and Servan

    While dessert was being served, which was the same milk pudding that Zhao Lifei managed to burn a while back, the housekeeper walked in with a medium-sized cardboard delivery box. "Madam, this was delivered to our house this morning. It has your name printed on the top, but there¡¯s no return address."

    She found it was strange that this box got through their security without a return address. Usually, every package sent to the house would undergo an intensive search to ensure nothing harmful was inside.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s head turned to Yang Feng who was in the kitchen behind her. He was cing the tiny mint onto the milk pudding. It was a funny sight to witness. Suchrge fingers handling something so delicate... Her cheeks flushed when something incredibly dirty shed in her mind. She roughly shook her head, pped her cheeks, and then turned towards the housekeeper.

    "Let me see it." Zhao Lifei took the box, set it onto the table and grabbed the closest knife to her, which happened to be the bread-cutting one. She sliced through the tape and opened the box, only to find another one inside. Surrounded by styrofoam peanuts was a sky-blue polka dot box. She tilted her head. Huh, whoever sent the box must¡¯ve known her favorite color.

    Zhao Lifei picked up the smaller box and ced the bigger one onto the floor. She undid the ribbon and when the lid was opened, her eyes flew open in surprise. Sitting in the box were chips, candies, and choctes,ying on top of each other.

    THUD!

    The box fell from her hands, her face sickly pale. Her knees gave out as she copsed on the ground, trembling and shaking. Her pupils dted, a ringing sound distorting her hearing, and her arms wrapped themselves around her body.

    Yang Feng had finally managed to meticulously ce the small spearmint in the center of the milk pudding when his concentration was broken by a loud thud sound. His head snapped up, confused by the noise. When he saw Zhao Lifei kneeling on the floor, clutching her body, he dropped everything and raced to her in one fell swoop.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" He worriedly asked, bending down to her height. She was fine just a moment ago. Now her healthy skin was as white as ice and she looked like she encountered a ghost. "My love?" He called out, cing both hands onto her shoulders and giving her a light shake. He saw that she was not looking at him, but her eyes were fixed on the box in front of her.

    Yang Feng frowned and blocked her line of sight. He pulled her into his embrace and to his surprise, she immediately responded by clinging onto him for dear life. Even in his arms, she was quivering like a freezing kitten soaked in icy water. It did not take long for her breathing to be erratic as she sucked in panicked breaths of air.

    "Get rid of the box." Hemanded the housekeeper, who ced all of the snacks back into the box, picked it up, and then took it elsewhere. She knew the Boss would want to examine itter, thus, she left it by the door of his locked, private study.

    Yang Feng scooped Zhao Lifei into his arms and whisked her upstairs, whisperingforting words to her along the way. "Breathe, my love, just breathe." He opened the door and settled her down on the bed.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" He quietly asked her, his heart squeezed to bits when she refused to untangle herself from him and together, theyid on the bed. He settled her body on top of him and continued caressing her small back. She held onto him tightly, face buried into his neck, thin arms shaking.

    Zhao Lifei was ready to respond with, "Nothing," and keep quiet about her troubles for the rest of her life. But she made a promise to him about speaking up more. "T-the box..." she began, her fingers grasping onto the hemline of his merino wool-cashmere cardigan. She could feel the tremor of her fingers, the way it matched her erratic heartbeats.

    "H-he knows..." She stammered, burying her face deep against his skin.

    Yang Feng gently patted her upper back, patiently waiting for her to speak of the problems. He preferred progress over perfection. "Who does?"

    "J-Jiang Zihui... the box, t-they were the snacks he used to sneak in for me. They were ced on top of each other in the exact order I said to him the first time we met."

    Yang Feng¡¯s cid expression hardened. This house was no longer safe. "We¡¯ll move." He concluded to her. He would not take rejection as an answer and it seemed she epted his words, for she tightened her arms around his neck and made a meek nod. His fingers curled around her waist, an unreadable expression on his face.

    Seeing the General has made his move, Yang Feng decided to put his defense and counterattack into action. Every day, he would take her to work ande pick her up. There will never be a day where she was not within the sight of at least twenty of his men. Her safety was his priority. He would never let her go now, especially with her name on a certificate beside his.

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng waited until her breathing became steady and tiny puffs of air could be felt on the side of his neck. She was deep asleep on top of him, their position remaining the same. He waited exactly five minutes before rolling her onto the bed and tucking her into the nkets. He fluffed the pillows underneath her neck and ensured she was in the mostfortable position. He ced her hands onto the top of the nkets to ensure she was not smothered to death, but with her low tolerance to cold, he doubted she would.

    He was prepared to head to his private study to makest-minute phone calls, but after ncing at her sleeping face, serene and breathtaking perfection, he decided to stay. Sitting by the edge of the bed, his back to her, but one hand ced on top of hers.

    Yang Feng rang a man he had not spoken to for a while now. Even so, their friendship and brotherhood remained true and unbreakable.

    On the other side of the country, a manid sprawled on the bed, stomach down, face tucked to the side. His arms were resting upon the curvy backs of bed warmers who climbed in with the hopes of leaving with a diamond ring on their finger ¡ª a foolish dream, for his heart was set upon a woman that would never nce his way.

    He snored loudly on the bed, tucked under a heavy fur nket from his recent hunt in the safari jungles. The only thing visible was his prominent, muscr and tanned back resembling a professional swimmer. Slightly wavy chestnut curls could be seen on the silk pillows, hiding the face blessed by the heavens above.

    "I bend my knees to the keepers of Hell, to the King who I plea for mercy..."

    He let out a tired groan and buried his face deeper into the pillow. He instantly recognized the ringtone of the Demon King known as Yang Feng.

    He waited approximately a few seconds before tapping his right hand onto the smooth flesh to signal for her to get the phone.

    A naked woman climbed out of his bed, sashaying her round hips, presenting him her delectable behind. His eyes flickered with lust before it settled into boredom. During their intense session, she mainlyid there like a dead fish. The woman to his left, though, was a wild and unpredictable little thing.

    The woman, whose name he had forgotten, rushed back to the bed. She presented it to him with a smile and in a low, sultry voice, said, "Master Yu, your phone."

    Yu Pingluozily grabbed the phone and sat up in bed, the fur nket slipping to his waist where a solid eight-pack was found.

    "Bastard, you kept me waiting." Yang Feng snarled, his tone dark and rough from the start.

    "Well, good evening to you as well." Yu Pingluozily drawled out. "It¡¯s a quarter to eleven as well. Unlike you, normal human beings need their sleep."

    "Well get the hell up. I have a task for you."

    Yu Pingluo did not need to be told twice since he was already sitting. But the main reason was because of the rigid tone of his Boss. Despite being friends since their youth, there was always a level of hierarchy between them ¡ª no matter how much the two tried to blur it. When ones¡¯ family served the Yang for generations, it was hard to not establish who the Master and Servant were.

 Chapter 289 Freshly Steamed Buns

    "What¡¯s the task?" Yu Pingluo curiously asked, running a hand through his messy hair.

    When one of the women reached over to tease him, he stood up in his naked glory and made his way to the bar counter of his presidential suite of a hotel owned by none other than Zhao Corporation. He must admit, their hotels always had the best hospitality, security, and services.

    Speaking of the Zhaos, he recalled Yang Feng¡¯s new lover was Zhao Lifei, who was rumored to be the most likely candidate for inheriting the majority of Zhao Moyao¡¯s fortune and position. She was also the closest friend of the woman whose face ran through his mind like a broken record, day and night. Just the thought of her was enough to break his heart, forcing him to swagger his way to the Russian Vodka selection.

    "Scope out high-security houses."

    Yu Pingluo nearly dropped the skull bottle of vodka in his hand. Did his boss just send him, one of the best assassins known to the Underworld, on a mission to look for houses? "Uh, Boss, I¡¯m sure your secretary, what was his name, Chen... Well, whatever it is, I¡¯m sure he would be better at seeking out houses."

    "He¡¯s handling another task."

    Yu Pingluo opened his mouth to object, but Yang Feng had already hung up the phone. He let out an irritated groan. "The boys are gonna get augh out of this." He muttered to himself. "An SS-ss assassin taking the job of a real estate agent." He scoffed, chugging the burning hard-liquor straight from the bottle instead of using a shot ss.

    He relished the burning sensation that traveled down from his throat to his chest. It numbed the stabbing pain in his chest and sent him on a euphoric high, suitable for having a couple more rounds with the exotic beauties in his bed.

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng connected the charging cord to his phone and then set it down on his nightstand. He turned back to Zhao Lifei who was still sound asleep. His frigid and cial expression melted upon seeing she had inched closer to him in her sleep. He gently rubbed her cheeks and bent down to press a loving kiss to the marshmallow-like surface.

    "Goodnight, my love." He whispered, climbing under the nkets. His lips twitched when she abruptly changed her position. With her back facing him, she was curled into a small ball.

    He shook his head in amusement and reached over to pull her back. He proceeded to cage her within his arms, spooning her gently. She let out a small noise of protest, but in the end, relished and melted in his arms, scooting back a bit.

    "...Feng..." She mumbled in her sleep, startling him.

    "Yes, my love?" He sat up a bit to see if she was awake, but her eyes were still gently shut. With her brows slightly furrowed, she was deep asleep.

    "Feng...Feng..."

    Yang Feng¡¯s curious expression shifted. He was taken aback by the familiar nickname she used to utter in her past. What was she dreaming about? He watched her lips move as if she was having a conversation with someone, but nothing came out.

    His heart drummed in anticipation. Was she beginning to remember her past? Speaking of which, he had yet to discover the reason for her amnesia. He thought he might¡¯ve concluded, but after attempting to dig deeper, he stumbled across dead-ends in the form of murdered scientists and doctors. Not a single trace was left behind, forcing him to have a very particr person in mind.

    - - - - -

    Dreand.

    Everywhere Zhao Lifei nced, she could only see heavy, white fog. She could feel herself walking and walking, but did not know where her legs were taking her. Eventually, she stumbled upon a fuzzy portal of some sort. When she took a better look, she realized it was a blurry garden... For odd reasons, it gave a feeling of deja vu, as if she had stumbled across it before. She jumped when something clothed in light pink dashed before her.

    She walked closer to the portal and blinked. She was startled to find herself in the very garden, her feet rooted to the ground. She could not move, much less take a step forward to explore this ce.

    A little girl ran past her, squealing and giggling with a straw hat in her hand. There was an adorable ribbon wrapped around the hat. Dressed in an airy pink dress, she had features resembling a porcin doll, the kind you¡¯d beg your mothers to have.

    Zhao Lifei easily recognized this girl. It was her younger self. Seeing the youthful glimmer in the bright-eyed child whose entire being glowed with innocence, Zhao Lifei felt her heart tear in two. This event must¡¯ve taken ce before she was corrupted by society and tossed into a world of scheming rtives who preferred your death than your birthday.

    "Fengfeng!" The little girl excitedly called out a name, tumbling out of a maze. She expected to see the usually gloomy boy sitting beneath a parasol with a book or pen in hand. He was usually rooted to the chair, enjoying the breeze and calming scent of the garden, but today, he was nowhere to be found.

    The young girl¡¯s happy smile slipped. Where did he go? He was always here... Be it rain or shine, he was always doing something out here. "Fengfeng?" She confusedly called out, a tiny pout resting on her lips. She nced around the maze.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s heart jumped when she made eye contact with the little girl who ran straight towards her. She expected the child to collide into her body, but instead, she dashed right out of her.

    "Fengfeng, where are you?" The little girl hugged the straw hat closer to her, tears welting in her eyes when she was met with silence. "Y-you promised to tell me something today..." She kicked a pebble close to her. She sniffled and her bottom lip quivered.

    She ran towards the garden doors in hopes of finding him there but found it was locked.

    Zhao Lifei cocked her head. Fengfeng. Who exactly was she referring to? It sounded like a nickname suitable for Yang Feng, but then again, it could be someone else. It was too strange for her to have known Yang Feng in her youth, for she had no recollection of him.

    Just then, a shrill voice broke through the clearing. "Lifei, get back here! Little wench, didn¡¯t I tell you to not run off without me?!" Wang Nuoli angrily screeched, stumbling to the naughty little girl. Damn it! These were her new Jimmy Choos! And now she was staining the white shoes from the grass and soil in the gardens.

    The small Zhao Lifei stiffened at the sound of her mother¡¯s angry voice. She sullenly walked back to Wang Nuoli, but apparently, she was not walking fast enough. In the next second, Wang Nuoli had angrily snatched the child by her stubby little hands.

    "Ow! Mommy, you¡¯re hurting me!" The little girl cried out in pain when she was roughly yanked by her arms, nearly detaching the limb from her body.

    "Shut up! I told you to not run off and what did you do?! The exact opposite! I went through so much trouble to have you, the least you can do is not stress me out. Why must you misbehave so much? Don¡¯t you know these are my new shoes?!" Wang Nuoli rambled, ignoring the fact that she was leaving a bruise on the child¡¯s flesh.

    "Useless, I tell you, you¡¯re useless! How dare you run from the piano teacher? Madam Yang was gracious enough to introduce us to a good friend of hers, and you just had to embarrass me."

    "B-but I-I wanted to see Fengfeng..." The little girl sniffed, stumbling over her feet. "Ow!" She yelped when she fell over, scraping her knees, but Wang Nuoli did not care. She continued to drag the child behind her, even when the rough grass was damaging her legs.

    "I hate children! So annoying." She hissed, turning around to see how much of a clumsy mess her daughter was. "Why do you always have to cause me trouble? Can¡¯t you walk properly?!"

    "I-I¡¯m sorry mommy..." The little girl dropped her head, hiding the tears that streamed down her chubby cheeks, resembling freshly steamed buns. No one ever wiped away her tears, except Fengfeng...

    "M-mommy, where is Fengfeng? He promised to see me today."

    Wang Nuoli became quiet. She always hated the fact that this girl was so good at speaking, despite her young age. She pronounced most words nearly perfectly and was branded a prodigy by many people. But such titles were annoying and she¡¯d prefer Zhao Lifei to be known for something else.

    She opened her mouth and closed it. Grounding her teeth, she hated the fact that she had to answer to someone else. This morning, she was notified to keep her mouth shut about the entire ordeal. And because the people instructing her to do so had the power to destroy her, she could do nothing but oblige. "I do not know where he is." She lied.

    The little girl frowned. "B-but I thought adults knew everything..."

    "Well, they don¡¯t. Now, shut up and stop talking back before I smack you again. We don¡¯t want that now, do we?" Wang Nuoli scowled when she saw the scrapes and cuts on Zhao Lifei¡¯s legs. Ugh, what a dirty child she was. "What happened to your dress and legs?"

    "W-well you were pulling me a bit too hard¡ª"

    PAK!

    A loud p rang throughout the gardens. The little girl fell on her buttocks, grasping her bruising cheek. Tears trickled down her eyes, but she bit her bottom lip and kept her cries inside. She knew she would only get smacked harder if she cried out.

    "What did I say about talking back?! How dare you me me for something I didn¡¯t do? Pulling you too hard? You think that can give you scrapes?!" She screamed, her face turning different shades of red from the false usation.

    "Just wait until your father gets home." She snarled, yanking the child to her feet before dragging her out of the garden and tossing her into a car. She mmed the door shut and then climbed into a different car of higher luxury than the one her daughter was in.

    "Drive back to the main mansion." She hissed at the driver who nodded his head, his eyesnding where the Young Miss was seated, through the rearview mirror.

    He could not see the little girl¡¯s tiny head, which was always visible wherever she was sitting. His heart wrenched in pain. She must¡¯ve been lying down on the leather chair, crying by herself. Such a bright and cheerful child...He truly feared for her. With how horrible her parents were, he wondered how long it would take for that gleaming light to disappear from her eyes... He held back the sigh threatening to leave his mouth. Wordlessly, he started the car.

 Chapter 290 Courting Death

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes flew open in shock. Such a strange dream it was... Fengfeng? Who was that? She tried to rack her brain for any memories of him, but could not find any. The more she tried to remember, the more her head would hurt.

    "What were you dreaming about?"

    Zhao Lifei almost screamed bloody murder at the sudden whisper beside her ear. She turned around and instantly rxed when she saw it was Yang Feng. "You scared me." She stammered, cing a hand on her racing heart.

    "Did I now?" He patiently responded, his stormy eyes shing against hers. So many emotions ran through the pools of ink, all of them, dedicated to her. "So, what did you dream about?"

    "I-I don¡¯t...ow..." She ced a hand on the side of her head, wincing in pain when a pounding headache mmed her. "I-I can¡¯t..." The more she tried to recount what happened, the more her head hurt. She felt like she stumbled across a stubborn wall in her brain.

    Yang Feng¡¯s forehead creased in worry. He wanted to know if she remembered something, but her health was more important than the truth. "It¡¯s fine, let¡¯s not think so much of it." He helped hery back onto the bed.

    "Let¡¯s go back to sleep." He slithered his arms around her again, lulling her to sleep, in hopes that she would find herself in the same dreand, and maybe just maybe, she could see it as more than just a dream.

    - - - - -

    Over the next few days, Zhao Lifei¡¯s schedule was packed with moving and decorating their new house. She quite liked the new ce, since it was not as gloomy as Yang Feng¡¯s dreadfully empty mansion where the color scheme only consisted of monotone colors. It was modern and extremely high-tech, but very lifeless.

    She hoped to liven up the current house, which was less modern, but more high-tech. Recing the minimalistic design of his previous house, this one was a lot homier. She ensured the color scheme here was bright and inviting, especially with the flower vases she set up and small trinkets here and there. It was also a suitable ce to raise children, especially with the extremely high security she always passed by. With the number of guards, electric fences, sniper towers, and so forth, you¡¯d think this was where the leader of the country lived.

    Running back and forth from Feili was a hassle, but she managed to juggle it better than expected. Her eyes scanned the living room, a satisfied smile blooming on her face.

    There was afortable andrge leather couch in the center of the room with a colorful antique rug beneath it. She walked to the enormous French door and set the heavy white curtains into ce. It was a nice contrast to this slightly modern and humble living room. Sunlight flushed into the room from the windows that overlooked the city. Upon hearing a car pull up, she opened the door with bamboo-tree ss, paired with a light-colored oak framing.

    She shook her head upon realizing this door lead to the small garden beside the living room instead of a balcony.

    Thinking Yang Feng came home early, she rushed to the front entrance only to see a different man enter. She blinked upon seeing his appearance, shining like a white knight. He had roguish-features and prominent eyebrows with a slight scar on the right one. His face was very appealing and paired with the loose smile on his face, he seemed friendlier than most of the people surrounding Yang Feng.

    "Where¡¯s the Boss?" His voice was airy and smooth. There was a slight ent to it, perhaps a dialect from his hometown. He was speaking to the butler who took his coat and folded it over his arm.

    "The Young Master is currently on his way home. In the meantime, the Madam is home."

    "The Madam?" He repeated, highly intrigued. Was it Zhao Lifei? Or was it Ice Queen, Fan Jin? He shuddered when her stern and forever displeased expression shed through his mind. She was a very beautiful and refined woman who didn¡¯t look her age, but no matter how many times he had encountered her, he was still scared of her. She reminded him of his mother, who rarely smiled at him.

    "That would be me." Zhao Lifei mused, running her hand over her creaseless tiffany blue dress. It suited her perfectly, hugging her in the right ces, but modest enough to reach a few inches above her knees whereas the sleeves covered her elbows.

    Yu Pingluo¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise. Why, she was a spitting image of her grandfather... Or maybe it was just her eyes throwing him off. They were abnormally hazel and when she stepped closer, the sunlight from the foyer beamed upon them, it became a world of gold.

    His eyes raked over her appearance. Flesh like ice, bones of jade, eyes of gold, and face of a fairy from heaven, he let out a smallugh. Now he understood why Yang Feng was so in love with her. It seemed the rumors were true. Their Lady Boss was too beautiful for the cruel Underworld.

    "Zhao Lifei, was it?" He said with an enlightened, almost amused, tone. He stuck out a hand to which she took it and gave him a firm handshake.

    "And you must be?"

    "Yu Pingluo, at your service." He retracted his hand, folding it over his chest and performing a grand bow for her, resembling something out of a historic European movie. His yful nature always came out in the presence of breathtaking women like her. Not that there were many in this world...

    Zhao Lifei quirked a brow. She recognized that name. Particrly because Yang Ruqin used toin about this man in the past, however, she could not recount what exactly the young woman would be rambling about. That night, bothdies were highly intoxicated with finely-aged baijiu [1] and were giggling like hyenas during the majority of their conversations.

    Yu Pingluo could hear the sound of a car approaching the front entrance. Judging by the way everyone rushed outside to greet him, the employees all lining up at the door, he already knew who it was.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes brightened as she made her way to the door, brushing past Yu Pingluo, only for him to lightly grab her wrist just as the hauntinglyrge door opened. In a loud voice, he said, "My deardy, if you ever grow bored of the Big Boss, my arms are always open."

    Dead silence.

    The servants were so shocked by his words, all of them momentarily forgot to greet their Boss. They exchanged nervous nces and nearly cried on the spot when winter air flooded the room, instead of the humid summer breeze. Icicles formed on the ceilings, crystal sharp, ready to stab the man in the head. Oh my, was that a pr bear?

    Zhao Lifei blinked before letting out a smallugh. "I see you¡¯re fond of courting death."

    "I¡¯m more fond of you." He winked, bubbling with excitement at the idea of riling up his Boss. He swiveled around, ready to be faced with a fire-breathing dragon, but to his extreme disappointment, his Boss¡¯s lips were curved into a wicked smile.

    "Pingluo."

    "Yes, Boss?" Yu Pingluo excitedly responded. His lips tugged into a million-watt smile.

    "The ck Room needs cleaning. Go."

    Yu Pingluo frowned. This was not the reaction he was waiting for! He wanted to anger his boss, piss him off to the highest point. He saw it as a payback for the stupid mission he was assigned to.

    He purposefully found a very pricey, but extremely-well protected house that met his Boss¡¯s expectations and beyond. He hoped the staggering price would frustrate his boss, but the man did not even blink at the unfathomable amount of zeros. Rumor has it, the Lady-Boss was very pleased with the house, therefore, it was bought without a second thought.

    Must be nice being a woman, especially when they were naturally armed with two very powerful weapons: their tears and womanhood. But he was sure hisdy boss did not use either to get them, seeing as she was very wealthy as well.

    He was d she was not some gold-digger found on the street, as most cliche romance novels went. A poor girl and a rich guy, that was such an unprecedented event. There would also be too many conflicts that would arise from it, like the infamous partnership between Zheng Tianyi and Xia Mengxi.

    "I was just at the ck Room a couple of hours ago, it was squeaky clean." Yu Pingluo cheekily responded.

    "Oh? Is that so?"

    Thinking he was off the hook, Yu Pingluo let out a sigh of relief.

    "Then go and be Guo Sheng¡¯s doll."

    "P-pardon?" Yu Pingluo squeaked. Be that lunatic¡¯s doll? Hell no! He remembered thest time he was one. He left a brightly-colored room, extremely suitable to children, with his entire body wrapped in bandages from all of the cuts he got. On that particr day, the maniac wanted his "toy" to look like a voodoo doll, and well...the rest was history.

    "Don¡¯t make me repeat myself."

    Yu Pingluo let out an entertainedugh, "I-I just remembered there was a mission I didn¡¯t finish." And in the next moment, he was gone. Hopping into his Ferrari, he drove off with his tail tucked between his legs.

 Chapter 291 My Money Is Your Money

    "Stay away from that idiot." Yang Feng muttered to her, closing the distance between them while whisking her off her feet. She let out a surprised squeal, holding onto his shoulders when he suddenly picked her up and swished her around.

    "He seems...interesting." Zhao Lifei was ced in a good mood by his unusual and unfamiliar greeting. She liked it very much. It was like something out of a movie. "Does he happen to know Qinqin? His name sounds very familiar."

    Yang Feng¡¯s face changed a bit. "Yes, he does, but that¡¯s a story for another time." He preferred not to remember the image of his best assassin wagging his tail to his younger sister. It was a peculiar sight, one that ended up very disastrously. Needless to say, the man was not allowed to be near Yang Ruqin, not that she would want to be with him either.

    Zhao Lifei hummed in reply, her eyes ncing towards the spot where the Ferrari previously stood. She made up her mind to ask Yang Ruqin about him.

    - - - - -

    "My mother¡¯s birthday is approaching in a week." Yang Feng began while slicing the filet mignon cooked in butter and rosemary. After thoroughly cutting it into bite-size pieces, he switched the te with Zhao Lifei¡¯s half-cut steak.

    "She wants us to attend, but of course, if you do not want to, we do not have to step foot in that ce." He surveyed her unfazed expression and could see the engines in her head. Preferably, he did not want to attend such a boring asion, since the banquet was usually too extravagant and noisy to his liking. He preferred to see his mother a day or so before the birthday banquet to give her the gifts and greetings.

    Zhao Lifei was not a fan of banquets anymore, but for the sake of Madam Yang, she reluctantly nodded her head. "I do not see a problem in attending."

    Yang Feng¡¯s lips twitched, his brows creasing together. "Do not feel pressured to attend just for the sake of giving face. You do not need my parents¡¯ or for that matter anyone else¡¯s eptance."

    ¡¯Well, I don¡¯t want to be Xia Mengxi.¡¯ She thought to herself. To this day, the young woman still refused to step a foot in the Zheng Main Mansion, where Madam and Master Zheng resided. After so many failed attempts of gaining their favor, the female lead learned the harsh way that she would never be epted, for her background would never be good enough. After all, she was whisked into wealth, not born into it.

    "It¡¯s fine, I want to attend." She lied through her teeth, her lips blooming into a pleasant smile.

    Yang Feng saw right past her. "Are you sure?"

    "Yes. Now stop distracting me from this perfectly cooked meal." She chided him, averting her gaze. She was not a fan of banquets, especially one as grand as the one Fan Jin would throw. However, she needed allies on her side, and Fan Jin seemed to be the perfect one.

    Halfway through their meal, Zhao Lifei¡¯s phone buzzed. She checked and saw it was a message from Zhao Moyao.

    [Grumpy Gramps: The Annual Ning Auction will be held in five days. Are you going to attend?]

    Zhao Lifei thought about it. She nced at Yang Feng whose eyes were intently staring at her. When their eyes met, he smirked a bit before going back to his meal. She could feel her stomach flutter at the mischievously handsome expression on his face. She contemted asking him to attend with her but then decided against it. If he went with her, he would buy everything she gave the smallest nce at.

    [Xiao Fei: Is this the charity one?]

    [Grumpy Gramps: Yes.]

    [Xiao Fei: Alright, I¡¯ll be there.]

    Zhao Lifei decided it would be a good chance to grab a gift for Fan Jin there. The Auction would be showcasing everything ranging from antique paintings from the medieval era to finely-crafted pieces of jewelry that women would die over.

    "Our project for the retirement homes is going smoothly." Yang Feng stated when he believed she was too engrossed in that stupid phone of hers. Damn it, it was stealing their precious time together. Seeing that discreet smile on her face, he wanted to chuck the thing out the window.

    "Don¡¯t forget the rates we concluded." She mused, revealing a dimple-smile when his face soured at the event of being cornered by her.

    "Of course, how could I forget such a defeat?" He roughly stabbed the steak and aggressively chewed it.

    "A defeat?" She chuckled, "Who said you had a chance to begin with?" She quirked a brow, highly amused at his words. When his eyes narrowed, ring daggers at her, the smile widened. "Aw, don¡¯t be such a sore loser."

    "My money is your money." He pettily said, slicing through his meat as if it were butter.

    Zhao Lifei wrinkled her nose. "You can keep your money to yourself. I don¡¯t want it."

    "Well, sucks to tell you, but it¡¯s yours now." Yang Feng let out a peal of warmughter, throaty and genuine. Deep like the ocean, calm as the tides on a morning, it softened her expressions.

    He thought back to the face she made at the marriage bureau when it was announced to her how much money was in his bank ount. She refused to even touch a penny of his money, even when he offered to give everyst drop of it to her. The fortune he possessed was enough to buy out arge kingdom and all the treasures it had to offer. Too bad for her though, it was all hers now.

    - - - - -

    WARNING: NSFW content ahead. It does not contain major plot details, so if you feel ufortable with sexual content, please skip!

    Since both of their schedules were beyond-free today, they spent the rest of their day lounging throughout the house. Soon, night approached and Zhao Lifei was prepared to go to bed. She stepped out of the shower and found him on the bed, reading a book, freshly showered like her.

    She climbed onto the bed andid on her side, expecting to sleep, but Yang Feng had different ns. It began with him trailing his fingers gently over her exposed arms, sending shivers down her spine. Then his feather-soft fingers were reced with his lips that pressed soft kisses against her skin.

    He turned her onto her back and without warning, collided their lips together. Her eyes widened in shock before they slowly shut themselves, heavily immersed in his warm and addicting lips. He kissed her deeply and then trailed his lips down a path to the cranny of her neck, licking the area before sucking upon it, biting the spot, leaving a bright red mark. While he created another mark on the other side of her neck, his hands slid up her waist and gently cupped her breast, waiting for her to reject his advances.

    Her breath hitched and after three seconds when she did not push him away, he gave it a firm squeeze. She let out a gasp when his fingers inched its way to the straps of her nightgown, tugging it down to reveal her assets.

    He peppered kisses upon the valley of her chest and suddenly, his mouthtched onto her nipple, flicking it with his tongue, a loud pleasurable moan escaped her lips. Her fingers entwined into his hair when he teased her nipple with his teeth before opening his slick, hot mouth andtching upon it, sucking it hard, causing her to cry out in pleasure.

    She tugged at his hair while the othertched upon his strong shoulder des, feeling his muscles clench when he moved. She thought of pushing him away, but when his mouth moved to her other breast and sucked hard upon the nipple, she clung onto him tighter.

    The sucking and his hot wet tongue smothered any sound of protest as shepletely withered in pleasure underneath him. Her uneven breathing, resembling small pants, only heightened his passion.

    "Y-Yang Feng..." She quietly moaned, tugging at his hair.

    His eyes darkened incredibly and without warning, the skimpy dress was tugged all the way down, stopping just an inch or two above her womanhood. He raised his head andtched his mouth against her lips, muffling her cries when their tongues shed against each other. She tried to wrestle against his tongue that explored every part of her mouth, but to no avail, she waspletely dominated by him.

    He pulled back a bit and in a hoarse, thick voice, said, "I¡¯m going to try something new." He pushed her hair back, to reveal more of her face. "If you do not like it, tell me to stop immediately. Okay?" He gently said, watching as her eyes widened in confusion.

    "Answer me." He whispered against her lips, pecking it and waiting for her to reply. He did not want to forcefully intrude her, even though his rod desperately wanted to explore the pink heaven beneath.

    "Okay." She whispered, unsure about what he would do. However, she trusted him and because of that, she was willing to try it.

    With her permission, he initiated a new stage of their rtionship. He maintained eye contact with her as he pulled the dress even lower, slipping it off of her. She was trembling and shaking, mainly in anticipation and nervousness.

    He tossed the clothing aside and still kept his eyes leveled with hers. When his fingers rested upon her hips, right upon theced underwear, her legs mped shut, but with him nestled between them, she could not do so fully.

    "Do you want me to stop?" He asked her upon sensing her hesitation. He was worried, especially when he sensed this could be an extremely sensitive topic.

    She shyly shook her head, her cheeks ming at the same time, especially when her eyes came in contact with his hungry ones that could devour her whole.

    The hand on his shoulder moved to the nkets, clenching it tightly. He did not like that and instead, grabbed the hand, preventing her from holding onto something. He wanted her to dive straight into the pleasure, not try to fight against it. With nothing to hold onto, she could only clench her fingers and sumb to what he will do next.

 Chapter 292 Grab Her Bags and Leave

    WARNING: NSFW content continued. Once you encounter the second - - - - -, the sexual content will end. After that, there will be details important to plot c:

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng began to kiss a path starting from the dip of her breast to her stomach, causing her entire body to clench in anticipation. She could feel a fire burning within her, starting from her womanhood, and when his rough, calloused finger teased her inner thigh, her back arched off of the bed.

    Everywhere he touched or kissed, she could feel tingles. She could feel something hard identally brush her legs before it disappeared. Judging by his heavily hooded eyes, the evident passion, she could tell exactly what it was, her burning cheeks glowing another shade of red.

    She let out a gasp when his mouth dived straight down, without warning, against the petals of her flower. Her head tilted back, eyes fluttering shut, whilst his tongue swept against the slits and then caressing the pearl in soft, slow circles.

    She was overwhelmed with pleasure, unable to control the lewd sounds that escaped from her lips. His fingers grazed her inner thighs, teasing the sensitive skin. He let out a low growl at the sounds she made and suddenly pursued his lips against the pearl, sucking the area, earning another round of sweet cries that drove him insane.

    "Ah! W-wait-ah!" She loudly moaned when he suddenly began top his tongue upon her womanhood, exploring the world of pink flesh, and swirling his tongue as if she was a lollipop.

    When she finally raised her head to look at him a bit, their eyes met. He had been looking at her the entire time, watching her pleasured expression with hisrge, dark eyes staring deeply into hers, filled with tender love, absolute devotion, and dangerous lust.

    She could feel something building up within her, picking up its pace, like her pants for air. He buried his tongue deeper into her and that was when she truly felt it, an immense wave of pleasure, stronger than the one she was currently drowning in. Her muscles tightened as she began to climb to a greater ecstasy, building up higher and higher, until she felt like she was reaching the peak.

    And she did.

    "Y-Yang Feng!" She arched her back, a delirious effect passing over her as she released something she did not realize she was holding in. Her body shuddered and hummed as a rough tremor coursed through her. She eventually copsed onto the bed, her chest rising up and down in an attempt to catch her breathing.

    "Ah, w-what-!" She moaned when he began top his tongue again, greedily drinking everything in. She melted against the pillows, her fingers reaching to grasp something.

    During their passion, he had shifted his hand to hold her open. She tightly clenched the nket in hopes of distracting herself from the immense pleasure, but he was having none of it, grabbing her hand and tangling their fingers. He thoroughly cleaned her up with his tongue.

    Her eyelids were bing heavier now, dropping a bit. She could feel her heart skip a beat, a blush traveling from her chest to her cheeks when he licked his lips, "Delicious." He seductively whispered in a hoarse, rough voice that was forcing her to feel all sorts of haywire emotions.

    "Tired already? That was only the beginning." He let out a darkughter, sending pleasurable shivers down his spine.

    He wanted to go for another round, one that involved more than just his wild tongue, but he could tell she was beyond exhausted. That was fine with him. From now on, he nned on training her stamina until she could fully take him in. With her condition right now, she would break with the force he had nned to roughly enter her.

    - - - - - NSFW CONTENT END - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei shrank back a bit when he suddenly got off the bed and disappeared. She sat up, a bit confused and hurt at how fast he left. Where did he go? Her eyes flickered with surprise when he suddenly came back with a hot towel in hand and one of his t-shirts in the other.

    "Lay back down, my love." He cooed to her which she obediently followed. He began to wipe her body clean so that she would be morefortableter on. He did not notice the slightly-worried expression on her face.

    "Yang Feng..." She began, her voice filled with exhaustion. He hummed in reply, cing the towel down after he was done. Next, he helped her into his t-shirt which reached a bit higher than her mid-thigh. The more he pampered her, the more she felt the guilt coursing through her. She believed a woman should not feel guilty when ites to such an important topic, especially when the idea of it was so ancient, traditional, and dumb.

    "Yes?" He lifted their nket and climbed underneath it, his arms resting on her hips. She turned to face him, nervously wrying her fingers together.

    "I...I¡¯m not..." She mumbled something incoherent. He scooted closer and shifted their position so that he wasying on his back and she had her head resting on his chest, her ear pressed against his heart.

    "You¡¯re not what?" He asked, caressing her arm and ying with the edges of her hair.

    In a voice barely above a whisper, she muttered, "I¡¯m not a virgin."

    Yang Feng went quiet at the sudden change in subject. He thought about his next approach.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s anxiety drastically increased with each passing second. His arm loosened around her, which forced her to overthink the situation. Her heart dropped at his silence.

    She did not think he was such an old-traditional type of man who prized a woman¡¯s virginity above all. What happened to thinking tradition as peer-pressure from the dead? She sat up from the bed and upon seeing his nk, almost judging expression, she could feel the prickling pain of her broken heart traveling to her chest. She tried to get off the bed, but before her foot even graced the ground, he grabbed her.

    "Where are you going?" His voice was gruff, almost as if he was angry.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s nails dug into her palms, painfully creating ridges. "I wanted to grab a ss of water." More like grab her bags and leave.

    Yang Feng slowly released his hold on her, deciding it must¡¯ve been a hard topic for her to discuss and perhaps water would help. But in thest minute when she stood up, he followed after her. When she took one step, he loosely wrapped his arms over her waist, not allowing her to leave if she wanted to. "Who took it?"

    "I...don¡¯t want to talk about it."

    "Why?"

    She turned around, hate clouding her eyes. "You¡¯d kill him."

    Yang Feng¡¯s lips twitched, she knew him so well. "Never."

    "And pigs fly."

    "We¡¯ve had this conversation before, my love. If you chuck it in the air, it will."

    Zhao Lifei glowered at him. In such a serious conversation, he still had the time to sit around and joke about the past?

 Chapter 293 Setting The Bar Too High

    "Silly little thing." He whispered, pulling her closer to press a soft kiss upon her hairs. "I do not care for trifling little things like that. It¡¯s the twenty-first century, I didn¡¯t expect you to be a virgin." He gently smiled, turning her around, entertained by the surprised expression on her face. Parted lips and widened eyes, she looked at him as if he had three heads.

    "You...you¡¯re not mad?" She skeptically asked, wary of how eerily calm he was. She expected him tosh out, throw a tantrum, push her away, or look at her with disgust, but he did not.

    He found her expression intriguing. Seeing her speechless expression and doubting eyes, he resisted the urge to pinch her cheek.

    He admitted, "I was angry the first second I heard it." He pushed back her hair to reveal her face, using one hand to cup it. "But I¡¯vee to realize it¡¯s a selfish thing to expect and care about, especially when I¡¯m also not one."

    Zhao Lifei felt a mountain lifting off of her shoulders. His face was filled with tranquil eptance ¡ª something she long dreamed of but did not think would actually find in a man. He was such a possessive person, where a simple nce from another man ignited his anger. She thought he would push her away while ring at her with hateful eyes filled with disgust. She was prepared for their rtionship to end on the spot with a shattered heart that could never recover or open up again.

    "Besides, it¡¯s such a foolish concept. It¡¯s the twenty-first century fueled by a new generation with updated beliefs and mindsets. The traditional idea of virginity is so stupid. What is the point of it?" He voiced his thoughts out loud, her stupefied expression further entertaining him. Her delectable lips were parted in disbelief.

    "You¡¯re setting the bar too high for other men."

    His face became dark, a shadow looming over his eyes. "What other men?" His voice held a dangerous edge at the image of her wrapped in another man¡¯s arms. If such a thing were to happen, there would be an armless man roaming Hell.

    "The poor, single and lonely fishes in the sea that are still searching for their mates." She responded, not understanding where the sudden frosty chill came from. She shivered as if she was standing on the ice in the North Pole.

    "There will be no more fishes in the sea if someone covets what¡¯s mine." He seethed, yanking her to him.

    She stood on her tippy-toes and gave both sides of his face a pat. "Were you always this possessive or did it start because of me?" She tiredly sighed at this temperamental husband of hers. "I wasn¡¯t referring to the idea of cheating on you. You¡¯re such an overthinker." She chuckled, attempting to stretch the cheeks of the sullen child.

    "It started because of you." He mumbled under his breath. For as long as he could remember, no one dared to take or touch what was his.

    He never fathomed the idea of being so in love and infatuated with a woman to even fear her departure. So many things shifted and changed within him when Zhao Lifei stepped back into his world.

    Now it was his life¡¯s mission to ensure she did not disappear again. And it all starts with finding the root of why she forgot about him in the first ce. But that was a story for another time, one that would revolve around painstaking, backstabbing and murder.

    "Well, start ending it because I am not going anywhere." She innocentlyughed,pletely unaware of the massacre he was willing tomit just to keep her close to him.

    Her eyes twinkled when she nced up at him, squeezing his frosty heart. His fingers tightened around her hips. He wondered how it was possible that such a simple thing could shine brighter than the stars. Diamonds, crystals, gems, nothing in this world couldpare to her eyes ¡ª the very things that used to haunt his nightmares for a short period of his childhood.

    He could not forget the memories of a little girl chasing after him, that bubbly voice that called out "Fengfeng." He could never forget the girl who showed him the light, the purity in this world, and the girl who took it all when she left.

    "Good, because I¡¯ll kidnap you if you do."

    Her heart skipped a beat at his threat that seemed more like a promise. "Silly boy, why would I ever leave?"

    His eyes flickered. He could list a billion reasons to her, but that would take a lifetime. He responded by crashing her body to his, hugging her tightly, pressing her face to his chest, right to his heart, where the only thing she could hear was its erratic beating.

    - - - - -

    Yang Enterprise, the next day.

    "Boss, the person who delivered the box has been taken into custody, but when we found him in the cell this morning, he had killed himself. There was a cyanide tooth that he broke in his mouth." Chen Gaonan reported.

    Yang Feng thought over the options. If the delivery man had a cyanide tooth, then he already knew he would die by torture. "Has the rat been exterminated?"

    "In the most brutal way possible." Chen Gaonan easily answered. There was a mole in their house who allowed the box to easily pass through security. It was practically impossible to deliver anything to Yang Feng¡¯s front door, especially when it required a specific keycard.

    Chen Gaonan decided to change the topic. "Also, the Lady Boss¡¯ family has been attempting to contact her for a while now. Our block on their calls and text messages is still up and effective." When Zhao Wenjin was captured, Chen Gaonan was ordered to contact Zhao Lifei¡¯s cell phone carrierpany to prevent calls and messages from specific numbers. For added security, when Zhao Lifei left her phone unmonitored at home, Yang Feng had blocked her family¡¯s phone numbers.

    "Maintain the block. Extend it to any of her scheming rtives as well." Yang Feng disdainfully said. He did not forget what she said a couple of days ago when her phone was blowing up with leeching and backstabbing rtives attempting to ride on the coattails of her sess.

    "Yes, sir." Chen Gaonan noted down onto his tablet and checked for anything else. "Aside from the schedule, that is all for today."

    Yang Feng nodded his head and went back to the reports in front of him, meticulously checking over all of the details. Chen Gaonan excused himself and walked out of the office. His eyes briefly came in contact with Su Meixiu, who averted her gaze in less than a second, and tilted it to Lu Shanshan whose private assistant desk was directly in her line of sight.

    - - - - -

    "Meeting adjourned." Zhao Lifei dered as she stood up, allowing everyone to catch a sigh of relief.

    The atmosphere between the board of directors was stiff, especially with the unimpressed expression on their boss¡¯ face. She was not happy with what she had heard today and many of them were thoroughly reprimanded.

    A good handful of them was toofortable with Wei Hantao¡¯sid back attitude that the sudden shift of leadership did not sit well with them. It was clear many of them rarely did any work in thepany.

    Huo Qiudong¡¯s cold eyes swept across the room, giving them a clear warning of professional protocol. It wasn¡¯t until the directors exchanged nces that they all stood up and bowed their heads. "Thank you for your time." They said with voicesced with false appreciation. Many of them couldn¡¯t wait to go home.

    Zhao Lifei silently nodded her head and left the room without ncing back. Huo Qiudong grabbed the files and folders before storming out of the room, a few steps behind his boss. He walked faster to catch up to her.

    Zhao Lifei passed him a slip of folded paper and pressed her lips together in annoyance. "Fire them."

    Huo Qiudong unraveled the paper, his eyes raking over the long-list of names. "This is 90% of our heads of department."

    "Oh?" Zhao Lifei feigned surprise.

    Huo Qiudong nodded, thinking she was going to take out a few names on the list.

    "My mistake, here is another slip." She handed him another note.

    He took the paper and nearly choked on the air. "T-this is 99% of the team... Only one of them is staying?" He hesitantly asked.

    "Yes. Except for the female director in herte twenties, all of them are useless. Most of them are money-grabbing people with nice resumes, but horrible leadership. They pass their responsibilities onto other employees and their mindsets are terrible. Get the major shareholders to sign off on this." Zhao Lifei turned around the corner and walked straight to her office.

    "Begin setting up the interview process for the secretaries and private assistants, then after that, you won¡¯t have to weigh on me that much." She said, a small smile resting on her lips. "You¡¯re the Vice President now. You will also need people to help you."

    Huo Qiudong was taken aback by her words. He was so used to being the secretary that he did not mind helping her do such tasks. "I have already advertised it and have received thousands of applications. Should I trash the ones that do not meet requirements?"

    Zhao Lifei shook her head. "Set aside time in my schedule to interview all of them."

    Huo Qiudong tripped over his own feet. "A-all of them?! Boss, we have received over two thousand resumes!"

    "It¡¯ll be a group interview to get through the process quicker." Zhao Lifei did not give him a chance to doubt her decision anymore. She walked into her office and closed the door, leaving a dumbfounded and baffled man outside.

    Huo Qiudong scratched his head. It seemed someone else was aiming for his title as an overachiever. The next few days will be insane with them juggling so many interviews at once.

 Chapter 294 One Night Stands

    Today¡¯s work ended quite early for Zhao Lifei who finished everything on her schedule, including the paperwork for the day. Seeing as she had a few hours to burn, she made her way to Cerulean Water Pavillions in hopes of checking upon Yang Ruqin, but to her dismay, the young woman was nowhere to be found. After contacting her, she discovered it was because Yang Ruqin was still at the studio designing her next fashion line. Thus, she made her way to the studio, a ce she had not been to before.

    Zhao Lifei took off her sunsses and admired theyout of the simplistic and small building at the edge of the city, which was a short walk from the seaport.

    It was a cute little ce that was five-stories high and had a nice little rooftop that overlooked the floral gardens which were a frequent tourist spot. She could see why Yang Ruqin would choose this location to be her studio. With an endless array of colors, beckoned by the garden of flowers to the left, and the calm seashore to the right, it was a harmoniousbination.

    The outside of the building was painted white, with a nice little cafe at the bottom, frequented by the locals there. A pleasant aroma of coffee could be smelled from down the block, small ck chairs and tables wereid out in the front to add a vintage minimalist appearance.

    Small pots of nts added a ssh of color to the white building. The fourth-floor had a window that took up the entire wall, revealing the studio, but because it was so high up, not many people knew what was going on inside. Besides, with the curtains always drawn, no one could look in anyways.

    Zhao Lifei checked the text again. It seemed Yang Ruqin¡¯s studio upied three floors in total.

    She went into the cafe, grabbed an americano for herself and then an extra sweet carameltte for Yang Ruqin who always had a sweet tooth when it came to coffee. Then, she made her way upstairs. Stopping in front of a cute pastel door, she ced down the coffee cups on the small table next to the door. Then, she typed in a passcode and walked into the studio.

    Instantly, she spotted Yang Ruqin by the oakwood table. She was standing up and hunched over it, her hand moving at an incredible pace while she drew something.

    "Wow, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually seeing the genius at work." Zhao Lifei teased, closing the door behind her with her legs as she attempted to juggle the drinks and her purse that dangled between her arm and elbow.

    "I can¡¯t recount thest time I¡¯ve seen you so focused over a table." She added on, cing the cup oftte beside Yang Ruqin.

    "Oh please, don¡¯t act like you¡¯ve ever seen me work in the first ce. I barely did anything on the desk at school, except using it as a pillow for me to nap on." Yang Ruqin chuckled, raising her head and settling the pencil down.

    "Of course, how can I forget? As the ss president, I always had to reprimand you." Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes. "It also didn¡¯t help that you sat right beside me and in the front of the ss where the teacher could have the perfect view of you snoring as you wandered off to La Land." She scoffed.

    "Hey, for the record, the teacher got a free show that he should appreciate! In my glory days, people would die just toy their eyes on the Supermodel Ruqin!"

    "Yeah, the appreciative view of you drooling." Zhao Lifei snorted, taking a sip of her coffee and peering over Qinqin¡¯s shoulders. She was in the process of designing...gym clothes? It was interesting to see the athletic clothing drawn to be so stylistic.

    "Gasp! I do not drool!" Yang Ruqin argued, even though she did wake up with a wet sleeve...but that was only one time!

    "Sure you don¡¯t." Zhao Lifei grinned, dodging the rolled-up canvas paper tossed at her head.

    "Ugh, can we just change the topic?" Yang Ruqin pouted, hating the fact that she was always wrong. From beating people with carrots to drooling, she could not believe she was such a weirdo.

    "Fine, fine, I suppose we should." Zhao Lifei took a sip of her Americano and nced around the surprisingly tidy studio.

    Seeking praise from one of her favorite people in the world, Yang Ruqin wrapped her arms around Zhao Lifei. "Feifei, I clean up my studio all by myself! I organize it at least five times a month. Aren¡¯t you proud of me?" She gleefully showed off the meticulously clean studio.

    "Wow, you¡¯re finally being an adult. Of course, I am very proud of you." Zhao Lifeiughed, her eyesnding upon the sofa and coffee table in the far left of the room, right beside therge window that overlooked the street. She walked to it, Qinqin in tow, and decided to open the curtains a bit and let in the sunlight. To her pleasant surprise, there were twoyers to the curtain, a heavyyer and a thin one. She adjusted the heavyyer to the side and allowed the thin, flowyyer to remain in ce.

    "I know right! It was so tiring at first, but I prefer to know where everything is, so that¡¯s why I clean up the studio all by myself! If I hire other people to do it, they might misce my putty eraser or put my design and notebooks elsewhere. It would be a disaster." Yang Ruqin babbled, setting her carameltte onto the coffee table and sitting down on the heavenlyfortable turquoise couch. There was a yellowforter slung over it, paired with matching throw pillows that had...prints of baby chicks in eggs?

    "So Feifei, what brings you here today?"

    Zhao Lifei took onest sip of her americano before also cing it on the table. She sat down beside Yang Ruqin and turned to face her. "Actually, yes. I was wondering if you¡¯d like to have brunch this Sunday."

    "Just brunch? Well, you could¡¯ve asked me this over text and save yourself some gas, but of course, I would love to have brunch." Yang Ruqin happily replied. Margaritas sound amazing right now.

    "I mean, I could, but I also wanted to discuss something else with you." Zhao Lifei quickly changed the topic. "I know you mentioned him in the past before, but we were stupid drunk back then, so I don¡¯t remember much." She began. "What is your rtionship with Yu Pingluo?"

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s cheerful expression turned sour. "What about him? How do you know him? Why? Did he ask about me?"

    Zhao Lifei was taken back. "No, he didn¡¯t¡ª"

    "Because I swear if he did, I¡¯m going to ask Feng-ge to give him a thorough beating the next time he sees him. Yu Pingluo promised he would leave me alone, but damn it, I should¡¯ve known! He never keeps his promises, and because of that, we always¡ª anyways, nevermind." Yang Ruqin cut her rambling short, which was a very unusual quality for her.

    Zhao Lifei was quick to catch onto the strange pause as well. "What did you guys always do?"

    "Nothing, don¡¯t worry about it. Let¡¯s go back to the topic of brunch, okay? So, I was thinking La Roche would be nice, but if you want a change of pace, we should head to Bellovaurd where I have a membership¡ª"

    "Don¡¯t try to change the topic on me, youngdy. What did you guys always do?" Zhao Lifei pestered on. She paused, her brain thinking abnormally wrong. "Wait, did you guys always sleep together as in have one night stands a lot?!"

    "What?! Oh goodness no! Feng-ge would chop off his manberries if we did!" Yang Ruqin had a horrified expression on her face. "I meant we were always arguing a lot! Like the couple-fights... well shit." Yang Ruqin pped a hand over her mouth, letting out a groan. She hated having such a big mouth that always babbled in front of her Feifei.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes widened. "You guys dated?! Howe I didn¡¯t know about this?"

    "Ugh, can we not talk about it? He¡¯s the one mistake in my life that I want to forget. Okay?"

    "Wait wait, just one more question. Is he the reason why you refuse to have a serious rtionship?"

    Yang Ruqin responded by downing the rest of her carameltte as if it was a shot of vodka at some shy club. She drank all of it and then shotssed the Americano as well. "I¡¯d kill for a rum right now." She muttered under her breath. "I can¡¯t do this sober."

    "Well, who said we can¡¯t get drunk and stupid?" Zhao Lifei found the story too juicy to ignore. "I saw a local bar down the street. Let¡¯s go." She grabbed her wallet, ready to bounce but Yang Ruqin profusely shook her head.

    "Alcohol at five in the afternoon? Are you crazy?"

    "Hey, at least it¡¯s not ten in the morning like how I used to be." Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes.

    "I thought you quit drinking?"

    "I did. I was just nning on watching you drink and hopefully go on a rant." Zhao Lifei sat back down, cing the wallet down after seeing Yang Ruqin deeply rooted to the couch. "Will you tell me about Yu Pingluo one day?"

    Yang Ruqin nced at her nails, seemingly finding it to be the most interesting thing in the world. "Maybe...But today is not that day."

 Chapter 295 Lonely

    On Sunday morning, bright and early, when there were only a handful of people on the top floor, Zhao Lifei strolled out of the private elevator. It was quiet in the building today, mainly because it was an off day for many people, but many of the newer employees in the lower floors still came in anyway.

    Zhao Lifei came into thepany with a purpose. She walked down the hall leading to Huo Qiudong¡¯s office, a sneaky little smile on her face.

    She was dressed in a yellow summer dress that hugged her waist and flowed out from thereon. It stopped two or three inches above her ankles, revealing the stars and moon anklet she found in her jewelry box. Lately, there have been many random little essories popping up here and there. It was strange, but she already knew who was behind it. Yang Feng always gave her gifts in secret so that she could not reject it on the spot.

    She didn¡¯t bother knocking when she mmed the door of his office open, surprising the man behind the enormous mahogany desk. His fingers finally got a break when he jumped. His head snapped up so quickly, she worried if he got a whish or not.

    "Good morning, boss." Huo Qiudong warily said, an edge to his voice. He was not happy with the dramatic entrance. "Next time, can you please open the door a little gentler and not give me a heart attack?"

    "I¡¯m just trying to keep you on your feet." Zhao Lifei teased as she sauntered into the room, her marigold dress fluttering with each step. He stared at it before averting his gaze. Her lips broke into a grin, "Yes, I know this is not an outfit appropriate for the office."

    Huo Qiudong cleared his throat, a light blush traveling to his ears. "I would never dare to badmouth the boss."

    "Yeah, yeah and tomorrow it will snow." She rolled her eyes, setting down her tiny bag.

    "Anyways, I¡¯m not dressed in office attire because I do not n on staying here today." She walked to the edge of his desk and confiscated theptop, closing it shut.

    "Boss, I still have next Wednesday¡¯s presentation to do¡ª"

    "Did you finish today and tomorrow¡¯s work already?"

    "Yes, but¡ª"

    "Then you have time to have some breakfast with me." Zhao Lifei grabbed his hand and yanked him to his feet, tugging the reluctant man out of her door.

    "But Boss, next Wednesday¡¯s presentation¡ª"

    "Can wait until Tuesday approaches, Mr. Workaholic." Zhao Lifei sang her reply, turning back to give him a wink. "And as your Boss, I give you permission to ck off for one day."

    "I can¡¯t afford to ck off¡ª"

    "Sucks to suck." She shrugged, pressing the door to the private elevator and tugging him inside.

    If Huo Qiudong was trying to hide his sulking and displeasure, he was not doing a very good job. His eyes were stormy and gloomy, his lips tucked into a thin line.

    "How about this? I¡¯ll give you a bonus for apanying your poor boss to breakfast. It¡¯s so lonely to eat by myself."

    "It¡¯s eleven in the morning, I believe it¡¯s brunch now." He snorted, adjusting his suit by flicking his wrist and tugging it down a bit.

    Zhao Lifei absentmindedly nodded her head. "In the end, it¡¯s still a meal isn¡¯t it?"

    Huo Qiudong was left speechless by this shameless woman who also happened to be his boss. "It sure is." He huffed under his breath.

    - - - - -

    Huo Qiudong¡¯s eyes flickered with disbelief when he found himself at the well-decorated doorsteps of Bellovaurd.

    It was an unsuspecting ck door with a tinted window and nothing on it except the characters of the restaurant of this ce. Entering here was nearly impossible and if you even dare to set foot here without a membership, you can find yourself behind bars. That was only the surface of how well-connected the owner of this ce was.

    The membership here was not something bought with money or fame. If someone even showed the slightest hint of interest in the restaurant, the possibility of gaining entrance was zero.

    His eyesnded on his unassuming boss who had a loose smile on her face. She pulled out a ck card that resembled the limitless credit card she possessed, but the only difference was that this one waspletely ck, no design or number. The only thing visible was the small carving, in silver letters, spelling out "Diamond Member ¡ª Zhao Lifei."

    Zhao Lifei scanned her card, opened the door and waited for Huo Qiudong to walk inside before she apanied after him. They boarded a vintage elevator with hues of orange and red. The door opened and all eyes set onto her and Huo Qiudong.

    The top socialites, gossipers, elites, and so forth, of this country, seemed like they were all engrossed in their conversations, but they were secretly scrutinizing the two neers.

    "Wee to Bellovaurd, may I have the liberty to see your membership please?" A host behind a tall booth asked, his voice tinged with a foreign ent.

    Zhao Lifei silently handed it to him, not bothering to spare him eye contact as she turned to Huo Qiudong, worried that he might run back into the elevator at any given second. She grew up with judging stares, but this man did not.

    Her shoulders rxed a bit upon seeing his expressionless, nonchnt face. His stormy eyes were set upon the exotic nt beside him. He looked so bored by this ce, she was impressed by it.

    Not many people could remain so firm in a crowd of piranhas waiting for you to make a mistake. Acting as if you did not want to be in this ce was the biggest unsaid rule here. And so far, both of them were ster examples of that.

    The host¡¯s eyes widened upon seeing who she was. Goodness, gracious! He repeatedly jammed his fingers, as discreetly as possible, against the manager button underneath the booth. No less than a secondter, a man stepped forward, dressed in a perfectly tailored grey suit.

    "Miss Zhao, you should¡¯ve told me you wereing. I would¡¯ve personally greeted you in front of the door." Tang Chen said, his voiceced with astonishment.

    Everyone was taken back by his treatment towards the two new guests, but seeing her being ced on such a high pedestal, the socialites stopped their hidden stares. From far away, they could not realize Zhao Lifei had entered, until her surname was used.

    "That would be too much for me." Zhao Lifei mused. It was so interesting to see that both Tang brothers were managers of world-renowned restaurants. The Tangs have always had a great rtionship with the Zhaos and the majority of them usually served thetter, for example, Old butler Tang.

    "Well, only the best treatment would be suitable for you." Tang Chen let out a smoothugh before ushering her beyond the velvet ropes. "I already have the perfect table in mind for you."

    "Actually, a friend of mine booked a private room for me." Zhao Lifei leaned closer and whispered the name. Tang Chen¡¯s eyes flickered with recognition as he readily nodded his head.

    "I deeply apologize, I should¡¯ve known earlier. I will guide you there right away." He changed their path and directed them towards a private room.

 Chapter 296 Hostages

    Zhao Lifei turned towards Huo Qiudong and said, "Can you enter two minutes after me?"

    Her strange request severely confused him, inclining him to quirk up his brows. He turned to face the ck sliding door with design works resembling the gates found in Buckingham Pce. There were the same orange and red hues that were also present back at the elevator.

    "Sure?" Huo Qiudong¡¯s response came out more like a question.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t care about his hesitation. "Alright, perfect. I¡¯ll enter first." She opened the door by the tiniest crack, stepped in, and closed the door shut behind her.

    Yang Ruqin was sipping on a gradient yellow and orange mimosa when Zhao Lifei came in. She had already had two sses, making her tipsy too early in the morning. "Hey, I was wondering where you were. You¡¯re ten minuteste."

    "Well, you certainly found a way to entertain yourself in those ten minutes." Zhao Lifei warily nced at the empty ss beside Qinqin.

    Before Yang Ruqin took another sip, it was snatched out of her hand, earning a loud protest, "Hey! I was trying to finish that!"

    "It¡¯s too early to get drunk." Zhao Lifei chuckled a bit, setting the mimosa elsewhere, causing Yang Ruqin to pout. The mimosa tasted too good to go to waste.

    "It¡¯s not like I have anything to do..." Yang Ruqin trailed off when the door slid open and in walked a tall, handsome man. Her eyes widened a bit. Wow, he could pass as an A-list male model! If her manager was here, she¡¯d probably go crazy and convince him to sign with the agency. A face like that... it would be a shame for it to go to waste.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s amazement died down when she realized the turn of events. "Who are you? You have the wrong room. Please leave." She deadpanned, her voice suddenly brisk, resembling her older brothers¡¯ arctic voices.

    Huo Qiudong was equally surprised and unhappy to see the presence of a stranger. This woman was stunning beyond words, but he was not blind nor was he stupid. He recognized her as the supermodel whose sudden departure from fashion industry shocked the world. She was at her peak when she left the scene of fame.

    What was Yang Ruqin doing here? An idea came into his mind. His throat was suddenly parched. Is this a blind date?!

    Zhao Lifei coughed to get their attention. The air was a lot more awkward than she had anticipated..."Well, now that everyone is here, let¡¯s all sit down and order brunch!" She happily said, pping her hands.

    Both of them tore their eyes away from each other to re at Zhao Lifei. Both of them had realized they¡¯ve been set up.

    "I heard their toast menu is delicious! There is one that has smoked king salmonyered upon cream cheese made from Nakazawa milk from Japan! It¡¯s also topped with chives, Mexican honey tomatoes, and¡ª"

    "I just remembered, an important client ising into our office today." Huo Qiudong interrupted her, turning to face the door. He attempted to slide it open, but instead, found himself to be locked inside. Upon closer inspection, he saw the tiny key slot.

    "Sorry, none of you guys are going to leave this room until the end of brunch." Zhao Lifei dangled the keys in front of them. She smiled and sat down, picking up the small menu.

    She briefly nced at Huo Qiudong and said, "Also, I checked your schedule, you¡¯re not expecting anyone."

    "Feifei, what are you doing?" Yang Ruqin frowned, asionally ncing at the stranger in the room. No matter how handsome he was, she was still cautious of him. When her eyes met his stormy ones, she immediately looked away. She was surprised by her behavior. Since when was she this demure? Taking the chance, she looked up at him again, but quickly averted her eyes when he turned his head.

    "Setting you fools on a blind date, what else does it look like I¡¯m doing?" Zhao Lifei scoffed, setting down her menu after deciding what she wanted to eat.

    "A blind date? Are you crazy?!" Yang Ruqin shrieked, mming her hand down onto the table.

    "Why, Qinqin, I thought we have already established that I am very crazy." Zhao Lifeiughed, turning to her unhappy vice president.

    "I¡¯m not looking for a girlfriend." He snapped like his thin patience. He usually respected his boss, especially because she was the one who hired him, but today, her behavior was too outrageous. He wondered if she took the wrong medicine this morning.

    "Yes, you are. You¡¯re twenty-seven and aside from the two girlfriends you¡¯ve had in your youth, your love life is as dead as my will to argue with both of you guys." Zhao Lifei shrugged her shoulders. She turned to Yang Ruqin, "Payback hurts, huh?"

    It finally clicked to Yang Ruqin. Her Feifei was still petty enough to be angry about the blind dates she set up in the past! She groaned. "I was just trying to help you in the past! It was so sad to see you in such a pitiful and single state."

    "It¡¯s also so sad for me to see you in such a pitiful and single state." Zhao Lifei monotonically replied, giving her a pointed look. She was fully prepared to spend her time here and argue with both of them since they were equally stubborn people.

    "Now, can we please just all sit down and order something off the menu? I¡¯m really hungry."

    "The door is locked. How do you expect the waiter toe in?" Huo Qiudong deadpanned. He nned on escaping the moment the waiteres in.

    "I can just text Tang Chen what we all want to eat. You see that small window over there?" She pointed to the wall where a small opening was seen. "Well, that is where the food is going to be delivered from." Zhao Lifei revealed a wicked smile, resting her chin upon her two propped-up hands. She looked like an evil mastermind, nning to end the world.

    "Now, let¡¯s be like civilized people and sit down please." She pointed to the chairs in front of her, using the voice of a reprimanding mother.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s stomach grumbled for food. With nothing else to do aside fromining and feeling betrayed, she pulled out a chair and sat down. Huo Qiudong followed suit, both of them admitting defeat to the crazydy in front of them.

    They chose their food in silence and passed it along to Zhao Lifei who sent out a text to Tang Chen. When the food arrived, there was a light knock on the window. Zhao Lifei brought the food to the table and instigated the conversation. "Alright, let¡¯s start with 20 questions¡ª"

    BUZZ!

    Zhao Lifei nced down and saw it was a phone call from her grandfather. She grabbed the key in her purse, got up, made a dash to the door with her phone and in less than a second, unlocked the door, then mmed it shut behind her. It all happened so quickly, neither of her "hostages" were able to escape.

    Zhao Lifei poked her head through the window. "I¡¯ll quickly answer this call from grandfather. In the meantime, please have a civilized conversation and try to not miss me too much!"

    "Hey, let us out¡ª"

    BAM! She slid the window shut, walking down the hall to pick up the phone on thest ring.

 Chapter 297 Oh Dear.

    Zhao Lifei answered Zhao Moyao¡¯s call which was just a brief conversation confirming whether she would show up at the auction tomorrow night.

    She thought it was odd that such an important event would be held on a Monday night, when most people would be too exhausted from work to attend it, but then remembered the majority of these people probably do not mind taking days off ¡ª since they were mainly the CEOs, CFOs, or Vice Presidents of theirpanies, or in a position too high up for anyone to object to their departure.

    Zhao Lifei debated the idea of returning to the private room. She thought it would be nice to initiate the conversation because Huo Qiudong seemed like the silent type.

    In the end, she snuck her way to the small window, opened the tiniest crack, and tried to eavesdrop on their conversation. She could hear the distinctughtering from Qinqin, who seemed to be rambling her mouth off. She expected Qinqin to lead the conversation given her bubbly behavior and extroverted tendencies.

    Zhao Lifei poked her head further in and was pleasantly surprised to see Huo Qiudong with a smooth, easygoing smile on his face. He was intently listening to whatever Qinqin was excitedly talking about.

    ¡¯Dare I say he¡¯s awestruck?¡¯ She thought to herself. He didn¡¯t take his eyes off of her throughout their entire conversation, even when he used his knife and fork to cut the breakfast quiche in front of him.

    Zhao Lifei made a mental note to ask Yang Ruqin about her thoughts on Huo Qiudong. If she did not prefer the silent type, there was always William Ning.

    Not wanting to disturb the two potential lovebirds, Zhao Lifei made her way to the people guarding the door. She wiggled her manicured finger and walked down the halls,manding everyone to follow after her.

    She sighed at the number of bodyguards she had, from both her grandfather and Yang Feng. She knew if sheined, it would fall on deaf ears because both of them only cared about one thing: her safety.

    - - - - -

    A discreet ck car pulled to the curb and out stepped the private chauffeur. Zhao Lifei was too engrossed in her phone to realize who the driver was. She climbed into the car. Shefortably nestled herself on the leather seats with her eyes still glued on the phone. She was looking at the stock markets¡¯ changing trend and debating whichpanies would be good to invest in too. She shivered a bit at the drop of temperature in the car but continued to refresh the stock market screen.

    "Can you turn the AC lower?" She asked the driver with her head still tucked down.

    "Lady Boss, the AC is not on..." He replied, nervously ncing at the mirror where the demon king was seated with his legs crossed.

    "But it¡¯s so cold in here..." Zhao Lifei huffed. "Turn on the heater please."

    Suddenly, arge hand came out and snatched the phone out of her hands, chucking it into the passenger seat. He mmed the partition up, preventing her from even looking at it.

    "What the hell¡ª oh dear." Zhao Lifei gulped upon seeing the fiercely angered ice block in front of her. He shot daggers out of his eyes, daring her to break the thin ice she was now treading upon.

    "Wifey." She nervously said, reaching her hands out to pacify the neglected man in front of her.

    Yang Feng pped her hands away as if she was dirty. "Don¡¯t touch me." He snapped, temperamental as always. "What is so important that you¡¯re always on your phely?"

    "I didn¡¯t know you were in the car." She carefully said, "If I did, I would¡¯ve thrown it away like you did." She lied, hoping to ease his anger. His eyes changed a bit and she seized the chance to throw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and climbing into hisp.

    "You¡¯re so nice and warm." She let out a contented sigh, ignoring the fact that he did not wrap his arms around her like he usually did. "What? No hugs today?" She scooted back a bit, ready to climb off hisp. He soon responded by grabbing her waist and yanking her back to him.

    "Oh, now you want to hug me?" She left her arms limp at her side, enjoying this pull and push game he always seemed to lose.

    "If you want to appease me, sit still and put your arms back into ce." His voice was lethal and cold.

    Zhao Lifeiughed, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head upon his shoulder like a ko. She snuggled into his warmth, loving the portable heater she had with her.

    "If you were so cold, you shouldn¡¯t have worn this dress." He nagged, referring to her short-sleeved dress. "It looks great on you, but you get cold easily."

    Zhao Lifei was left speechless by him. The only reason why she was cold was because his anger got the best of him before! "Just start the car." She muttered, burying her face into his neck, toozy to argue with him.

    Yang Feng yed with the ends of her curled hair. "Drive back home." He instructed Hu Wei who turned the car on and began to drive.

    "I thought you had work." She hummed against his crisp ck suit, his refreshing scent tickled her nose.

    "I only went in to grab some reports." Yang Feng easily lied to her, distracted by her silky strands of hair. He originally had an entire schedule set out for today, but he wanted to ensure she was safely taken home. With the General running around this ce, he was not willing to take any chances. The only way to calm his fear was to personally see her set foot in their house.

    "Will you return to the office then? I know you have a full schedule."

    "Do you want to get rid of me that quickly?"

    "Preferably, yes." She teased him, grinning at his discontented expression. He was not expecting a blunt response like that.

    He retaliated by harshly tugging the edges of her hair, causing her to yelp out in pain. Like the child she was, she yanked his hair as well. "That hurts!" Sheined to him, even though she hurt him more.

    "I didn¡¯t pull that hard." He somberly told her, lifting his hand to roughly pinch the cheek of the mischievous child.

    "Well, it still hurts!"

    "Says the one who almost ripped my hair out."

    "You have too much hair anyways." She snapped back, not realizing how childish they were being.

    Hu Wei struggled to keep hisposure. He had to think of very sad thoughts to distract himself from theughter threatening to break free. Both of his bosses were arguing like squabbling children on the yground. He hoped their days would always remain this loving and carefree. But with the next twist and turn being tossed their way, he wondered how long these peaceful days wouldst.

    - - - - -

    Yang Enterprise.

    Chen Gaonan wished his boss just stayed home instead ofing back to the office with a gloomy expression and grumpy atmosphere lingering around him. He could tell his boss wanted to spend the day with thedy-boss but was most likely kicked out of the house to return to work.

    "Boss... I forgot to mention this sooner..." Chen Gaonan started his conversation. He did not realize he missed this piece of news until he brushed back to his tablet.

    "What is it?" Yang Feng snapped, roughly opening hisptop and nearly bending the screen in half with the force he used. He was in a great mood until Zhao Lifei practically kicked him out of the house just so he could attend the stupid and boring meetings guing his schedule.

    "We have exterminated the guard, in our security team, who allowed the folder of pictures to slip through and enter the highest floor."

    Yang Feng continued typing as if it was nothing. "Make sure an incident like this never happens again."

    Chen Gaonan bowed his head, "Yes, sir!" He was thankful he got off without any consequences. Fearful that his boss would change his mind, he speed-walked out of the door and gently closed it behind him.

 Chapter 298 Better Safe Than Sorry

    The Ning Annual Auction was a highly private event closed off to the public and away from the prying eyes of the paparazzi.

    There was a quiet hum in the air from small conversations that were filled with faux smiles, judging eyes, andpetitive behavior. There were rumors that a newly uncovered painting from the medieval era was going to be auctioned here tonight. The painting was done by someone highlyplimented by Van Gogh himself. The artist himself never signed his name on any of his paintings, but great art connoisseurs could spot his drawings from a mile away due to his style.

    The Nings were making their rounds, champagne sses in their hands. They mingled with the crowd, exchanging brief talks and ensuring everyone had their little bidding g.

    The banquet hall was a world of yellow and white with a stage in the far center where the items would be auctioned off. The thick and enormous yellow curtains were let down to ensure no one could see inside. It was a shame though, the wisteria outside was in full bloom today. The security here was top of the country, generously given by Madam Liang Yunxi¡¯s brother.

    Many socialites were gathered around a stunning trio whose blindingly beautiful appearances looked straight out of a magazine¡¯s photoshoot. With Xia Mengxi¡¯s angelic features, it made Zheng Tianyi seem a lot less fearsome and unapproachable.

    Standing next to the gorgeous woman was someone of equal, if not, more beauty than Xia Mengxi herself: Zhao Linhua. She held the g with both hands tucked in front of her waist.

    She was the epitome of grace and innocence, with herrge dewy eyes inherited from her mother, an adorable button nose, and small lips resembling freshly watered roses. She had garnered attention ever since she stepped into the room with her modest pastel blue Yves Saint Lauren dress. Currently, she was the source of envy to other socialites.

    With her prodigious and world-renowned piano skills, she was constantly mingling with the right crowd. Being the closest friend of Xia Mengxi also helped. Speaking of which, Zhao Linhua received a strange message from Xia Mengxi the other day in regards to some bank transaction. After a brief talk, she understood the Queen had sent out the text to the wrong person.

    When the door opened again, every pair of eyes discreetly turned towards it, ready to judge thepetitors.

    The pieces sold at Ning Annual Auction were always the top of the line items that were highly sought out by everyone. From the jewelry to the rugs, everything here was too valuable to slip out of their hands. People always wondered how well connected the Nings were toe into possession of such items.

    Everyone sucked in a breath when Zhao Moyao, dressed in a steel-cut grey three-piece suit, strolled in like he owned the ce and everyone here was his servant.

    A soft gasp could be heard throughout the room when a woman strolled in after him, and instantly, her attractive features garnered the attention of people. Every woman here was in a dress of some sort to enhance their features, but here she was, in white trousers tailored perfectly for her long legs. She paired it with a navy blue silk top and a dangling earring that had a single teardrop pearl.

    Zhao Linhua¡¯s eyes widened upon seeing her elder sister who has been ignoring all of her mother¡¯s phone calls. She watched as Zhao Lifei walked in proudly, like an untouchable goddess, and perhaps she truly was, because there were at least twenty bodyguards that trailed in after her, all on high-alert.

    Sporting matching ck-suits, equally burly and muscr bodies, the guards looked like something that walked out of a cliche movie about a spoiled and self-centered heiress. ¡¯Which is exactly what she is,¡¯ Zhao Linhua bitterly thought to herself. What kind of daughter would choose to ignore their mother¡¯s dire phone calls? Especially when their father has been missing for weeks now!

    Zhao Linhua attempted to contact Zhao Moyao in hopes that he had news on the whereabouts of his son, but as usual, he sent his assistants to let her know that she was to never step foot in his house. She despised him with a burning passion. All she did was cry once in her childhood and because of her silly tears, he did not like her.

    Children cry all the time!

    ¡¯Zhao Lifei was a crybaby in her childhood too! Why was she epted and I wasn¡¯t?!¡¯ Zhao Linhua screamed inside her head, her fingers tightly grasping the thin ss stem of her champagne cup.

    "It¡¯s so good to see you again, Mr. Zhao." Ning Yijun warmly greeted the elderly man with a weing smile on his gracefully-aged face. His pepper and salt hair was neatlybed back with the help of a little gel.

    ¡¯Wish I can say the same.¡¯ Zhao Moyao muttered inside of his head. Instead, he amicably replied with a brief, "Likewise."

    He was not a big fan of events like these, especially when they were held on Monday nights when people like him had to work the next day. Then again, he could always stay home and finally take a day off, but he preferred to do things that would keep him upied. When he was alone for too long, he would think too much of the painful past.

    Madam Liang Yunxi¡¯s eyes lit up at the presence of Zhao Lifei who was quietly observing everything around her. A smile graced her lips but slipped a bit when she saw the number of bodyguards around the young woman. There were ten people on each side of her, and when Liang Yunxi was close enough to Zhao Lifei, their interactions would be hidden from the public¡¯s prying eyes.

    "It¡¯s such a pleasure that you¡¯ve alsoe to this auction." She pulled Zhao Lifei closer for a quick hug.

    Zhao Lifei nodded her head. "Yes, thank you for extending the invitation out to me." She leaned in closer and whispered, "Yang Ruqin is currently very single. I¡¯m ready for the blind date as soon as William is ready."

    Liang Yunxi¡¯s smile deepened drastically, "If you give me your business card, I can have it settled very quickly."

    She was originally unhappy that Zhao Lifei had not contacted her ever since Yang Mujian¡¯s banquet but seeing as Zhao Lifei was so eager to bring up the topic, Liang Yunxi¡¯s perspective of her improved a bit.

    Zhao Lifei took out a business card from her pants pocket and handed it to Liang Yunxi. She had a discreet smile on her face. "Yang Ruqin will be in the city for a while now, so virtually, any time works for her."

    Liang Yunxi gave a small nod of her head. "I will get in contact as soon as possible."

    Zhao Moyao saw the entire exchange, his face brightening up in amusement. This granddaughter of his was really petty... Something she inherited from him and he could not be more proud of it.

    "If I remember correctly, Miss Zhao, you¡¯re currently the CEO of the rising investment firm, Feili." Ning Yijun was quick to jump boats and direct his attention to Zhao Lifei. He would much rather prefer if his son, William Ning, was introduced to her, instead of Yang Ruqin. With Yang Feng roaming so close to her, ready to destroy any man that looks at her for longer than a second, Ning Yijun knew that would be a gamble too dangerous to even fathom.

    Zhao Lifei gently nodded her head. ¡¯Huh, in the end, it seems I do not need a debuting banquet... Not that I mind, I didn¡¯t want to go through the hassle anyway.¡¯ She nced at her grandfather whose stern stares were making her think otherwise.

    Ning Yijun pulled out his business card. "The construction for my new project has finally finished and the red-ribbon ceremony is beginning soon. However, one of our agreements with anotherpany fell through and we are short on investments. If you¡¯d like to discuss in private, please contact me." He handed it to her with a pleasant smile on his face.

    Zhao Lifei found his words a bit suspicious. Nheless, she took the card with a gracious smile. "I will get back to you very soon." She nned on having Huo Qiudong investigate why the agreements fell through before signing anything with him. Though, she did recall Ning Trading Inc. always had a very good reputation and had never done any shady deals. But it was always better to be safe than sorry.

 Chapter 299 Cry Himself To Sleep

    One of the women surrounding Xia Mengxi and Zhao Linhua spoke up. "I see they have the Red Parlor Grand Piano on disy right now." She turned towards the shining white piano with a pop of crimson red underneath the cover. "Linhua, we haven¡¯t seen you perform for some time now, why don¡¯t you y a piece on it?"

    Zhao Linhua¡¯s face transformed into a calm smile, like the small ripples on ake during a soft drizzle. "I¡¯m not sure about this... Isn¡¯t the piano going to be auctioned off?"

    "Well, even if it is, you would only add value to it. Having a world-ss prodigy y it would be a dreame true. I¡¯m sure Madam Ning will not mind."

    Right on cue, Liang Yunxi walked past them with Zhao Lifei in tow, ready to introduce her to a group of women.

    Xia Mengxi, whose entire week was gued with fatigue, truly wanted to hear the soothing melody of her friend¡¯s magic touch. "Madam Ning, would you mind allowing Linhua to y the piano? I think it would be a nice way to start the auction."

    Madam Liang Yunxi tilted her head a bit. She wanted to object since the choir she hired was already providing enough entertainment and the piano was supposed to be an auction piece. Then, she saw Zheng Tianyi¡¯s gloomy expression. When their eyes met, he glowered at her and that was enough to make her unwillingly nod her head. "I suppose so."

    Zhao Lifei remained quiet and never once did she look at her younger sister. Instead, her eyes trailed to Xia Mengxi¡¯s wrist where a silver charm bracelet dangledfortably. That design... She had seen it somewhere. She tilted her head, lost in thought.

    Zheng Tianyi stood protectively in front of his lover, his stormy eyes ring daggers at Zhao Lifei. If she was not apanied by Zhao Moyao himself, Zheng Tianyi would¡¯veshed out at her. But currently, she was with the Head Monarch of the Zhao Regime, and doing such a thing would be extremely disadvantageous for him.

    Zhao Linhua¡¯s smile grew a bit. "Thank you for offering the opportunity." She gracefully turned to the piano and with fairy-light steps, made her way towards the stage.

    Liang Yunxi gestured for the employees to get everything prepared. In less than five minutes, the stage was set up for Zhao Linhua. The lights were dimmed and shone solely upon the stage where a young woman brushed up the stairs, her face and gestures capturing the eyes of nearly every man in the room.

    From the first melody, Zhao Lifei already recognized the magnificent piece that was going to be yed. La Campene by Listz, one of the hardest piano pieces to y in the world. From the gentle note that it starts off as, it transformed into a faster tempo. It was perhaps not that suitable to start an auction. But it was most definitely the best way to capture the audience, for almost every music fanatic would know howplicated it was to y this piece. What made it so difficult was the fact that one had to perform enormous jumps from the right hand that would need to y the piano at an ufortably fast tempo.

    Not a single beat was missed. Everyone stood up to give her a thundering round of apuse, paired with a standing ovation.

    "Wow, we saw the genius at work!"

    "One of the best pianists of her generation."

    "Madam Wang Nuoli must be so proud of her daughter. Beautiful and talented, what more could a mother ask for?"

    "I can see why she¡¯s so treasured by Zhao Wenjin. If I had a daughter like that, I would boast of her for days toe!"

    Compliments afterpliments poured out for the youngdy.

    Zhao Lifei was thoroughly impressed by her younger sister, as she always was in the past. She could still recount the days a little girl sat beside her on an enormous cushion bench and together, the two ying symphonies that could bring an entire auditorium down.

    "If you¡¯re thinking about forgiving her, do not even consider such a stupid idea." Zhao Moyao¡¯s quiet voice rang in her ears. He could tell she was reminiscing of the past that could never be changed. "That child has betrayed you by choosing the side of the mistress."

    "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer." Zhao Lifei muttered under her voice, turning to face her grandfather. "I never considered the idea of forgiving her."

    "Are you sure?"

    "Of course." She kept her hands loosely tucked behind her back with her chin held high whilst she observed everything in the room.

    "You seemed hesitant."

    "I was never that nice to consider forgiveness." She turned to the direction of their seats. "Let¡¯s get over with this auction. I¡¯m tired."

    Zhao Moyao let out a heavy sigh of relief or perhaps, true fatigue. She could not decipher which one it was. "Alright then."

    Zhao Lifei walked with Zhao Moyao towards their seat which was near the front, closer to the stage. She dutifully helped her grandfather into his seat first before she fathomed the idea of sitting down herself. Once Zhao Moyao wasfortably seated, she pulled back her chair and sat down.

    Ning Yijun took his position on the stage and started his speech. "Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for attending tonight¡¯s dinner auction. I appreciate every effort contributed to fundraising the Ning Charity. Like every year, all of the proceeds will be fully donated to help keep children in third-world countries in school."

    Zhao Lifei zoned out whilst he made a long speech. After five minutes, he raised his ss in the air and took a sip, followed by everyone else. She did the same, but instead of wine, she drank lemon water. She ignored the sniggering of her grandfather when she made a face.

    "What is it?" She asked him, setting the wine ss down.

    "How is your lemon water?"

    "Fantastic, thanks for asking." She snorted, turning her attention to the te of sd being set in front of her.

    "I see you¡¯ve kept our promise."

    "I didn¡¯t drank any alcohol since the time I confessed to you." She honestly said, taking a sip of her lemon water again and setting the ss down. Perhaps she should grab some sort of soda because this drink was beginning to bore her.

    "You know, it¡¯s alright to drink a healthy amount. I will only be angered if you drink yourself stupid and make a mess out of yourself." Zhao Moyao truthfully told her. He picked up his fork and poked at the sd before setting his utensils down. He began to look forward to the other entrees more than this boring sd built for a rabbit.

    "Well, that¡¯s quite hard. When ites to wine, I sometimes don¡¯t know when to stop myself." Zhao Lifei teased him, meaning it as a joke, but who knew this old man would take it so seriously?

    "If you¡¯re going to be an idiot, then do it when that imbecile is present." He thoughtfully said, preferring not to say that man¡¯s sinful name.

    "Imbecile... You mean Yang Feng?" She queried, confused at the nickname.

    "Who else?"

    Zhao Lifei sat still for a second before letting out a smallugh. "Grandfather, do you trust him that much?"

    "Given the fact that I¡¯ve yet to see a grandchild, yes, I do trust him." He grumpily replied, half-wishing they would just announce their marriage already.

    "What if I told you I didn¡¯t want to have children?"

    "Then go and adopt one." He sniped, not giving a damn if the child had their blood or not. All he wanted was a small child to y with, though, he would like it a bit more if the kid had his mother¡¯s features.

    Zhao Lifei became quiet. Her grandfather¡¯s reply was too good for her tobat. She kept her mouth shut and poked the sd. She set down her fork and waited for the next entree. The sd looked very appetizing but there were too many leafy greens and carrots.

    Was Yang Feng that trustworthy in her grandfather¡¯s eyes? He never took advantage of her or forced her to do things that she did not want to. In bed, he was fairly patient with her and never once did he push her beyond her boundaries. On the other hand, he was very overbearing and borderline ¡¯too possessive.¡¯ In the end, she deemed him a very trustworthy man. She was vulnerable in front of him so many times, yet he never did anything to her except cuddling her to death.

    "Why are you looking at the sd like that?" Zhao Moyao scoffed. She had set down her fork, yet she was staring at the te like it was the love of her damn life. He thought she disliked carrots, so why was she eyeing it with so much adoration?

    "Huh? Like what?" She snapped back to reality, turning her head to her grandfather whose sour face was beginning to wilt the sd. Luckily for both of them, the first course finally ended and out came the next entree: French Onion soup.

    "Were you daydreaming about that rascal? If you ask me, there¡¯s nothing good thates into my mind when I think about him."

    "I can¡¯t agree more." She let out aughter, airy and sweet, tickling the heart of the men around her. In particr, a man who had been watching her ever since she stepped foot in this room.

    "He¡¯ll cry himself to sleep if he hears of this."

    "I¡¯d pay good money to see that." She chuckled. She tried to picture something as hrious as that, but her mind was nk because the possibility of it happening was close to zero.

 Chapter 300 Good Friend

    The auction finally started towards the end of the meal. Dessert and drinks were being served and the lights were dimmed a bit to hide everyone¡¯s identity. Though, it wasn¡¯t exactly working.

    A gorgeous woman in a body-tight ruby red dress strutted onto the stage, apanied by the announcer. One by one, the items were being showcased, the majority of it was priceless pieces of jewelry that women went crazy for. From the pearl essories and jade bracelets with flecks of gold worn by Empress Cixi to the naturally vivid red diamonds worn by Queen Elizabeth the First, each essory here was special.

    Zhao Lifei was bored by all of the pieces being sold, thus, her g never raised in the air. Seeing as his granddaughter did not show interest in anything being auctioned off, he did not bother raising his g as well. He only came here to buy her things and maybe get one or two items for himself. He tended to dabble in calligraphy pieces or scroll paintings by unknown artists that would catch his eye because of their age and style.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s breath was caught in her throat when an instrument was rolled up the stage. Her eyes remained fixated on the mesmerizing piano. It was translucent, crafted in 2008, and made entirely of crystals that glistened like ss and allowed everything to be seen-through.

    "This fine piano will start with 500,000!"

    Zhao Lifei did not raise her g until the bidding started to get intense. It was lead by Zhao Linhua whose g went up every time someone countered her. Within the next minute, it reached one million dors.

    "Two million." Zhao Linhua easily replied.

    "Three million." A person to the right countered.

    "Five million." A person in the back said. Whispers erupted at the exceedingly high price, but to Zhao Linhua, it was tissue-money.

    "Eight million." She calmly said.

    "Fifteen million." Someone beat her to it, the price terrifying many people. It was down to two people now, Zhao Linhua and another person.

    Zhao Lifei was growing tired of this bidding game. For the first time since the banquet started, her g was raised in the air. "Thirty million."

    No one dared to raise their gs anymore. A thundering silence fell upon the crowd that was so surprised, they were all at a loss for words. Thirty million?! For a mere piano?!

    The Nings¡¯ hearts were beating excitedly, their eyes wide with appreciation. Oh my, oh my! They did not expect the highest valued item would be a piano! But the night was still young and the possibilities were endless.

    Zhao Linhua gritted her teeth. ¡¯Why does she always have topete with me?!¡¯ The hatred she had for her older sister ran deeper than the roots of century-old peach blossom trees.

    The only thing she could do was seethe in anger, inside of her head and silently gloat in happiness at the misfortune that had befallen her older sister a while back... And it was all because of her good friend, Xia Mengxi.

    Zhao Linhua much rather preferred Xia Mengxi to be her older sister instead. Xia Mengxi was much more gracious and unlike Zhao Lifei who wanted to shelter her younger sister from the harsh reality of the upper society, Xia Mengxi helped Zhao Linhua make her grand entrance that turned the ugly duckling into a soaring swan.

    Zhao Linhua did not understand what Zhao Lifei was even attempting to protect her from. Every wealthy person she¡¯s had the fortune toe across was very kind and weing to her. Many of them praised her for her piano skills and thoroughly valued her friendship.

    Besides, why did Zhao Lifei even want a piano? It¡¯s not like she can y it in the first ce!

    "Thirty-five million." Zhao Linhua could not afford to spend too much, especially when her father was missing and her mother was going through the money like it was bread.

    Just then, another person spoke up. His voice was gruff, dark, and rough. It was mighty like the God of War, but rich and smooth like roasted Blue Mountain coffee. There was a tinge of Leinan [1] ent. "Fifty million."

    Zhao Lifei countered it, "Sixty million." She was highly unwilling to let such a beautiful piano go.

    "Sixty-five million." Thepetitor replied, his lips quirking into a smirk.

    "Seventy-five million." She replied, earning sharp gasps from everyone in the room.

    "Eighty million." His voice became yful now. Like her, he was not fazed by the delirious price. At this point, it was a game to him.

    "One hundred million."

    The man opened his mouth, ready to offer his price, when suddenly, Zhao Moyao raised a g in the air, tired of this childish battle. "Three hundred million." Not a single sound was made. The air was turning suffocating and everyone was too blown away by the instantaneous tripling of the price to speak.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s heart dropped. Dang it! Now her grandfather wanted the piano as well?!

    The man¡¯s smile slipped the slightest bit, his dangerously dark eyes turning to Zhao Moyao. Of course, the former Colonel would bid for his granddaughter with such a ridiculously high price. "Four hundred million."

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s face morphed into amusement. Which youngster dared to challenge him like this? He wanted a face to the voice but when he tried to look in the direction of the voice, he could not properly see the man¡¯s features. Seated in the back, not a single person could decipher who he was.

    "With all due respect, Mr. Zhao, I can go all night long. The sky¡¯s the limit." The man let out a smallugh, cold and lifeless.

    "Funny that you have a limit in the first ce." Zhao Moyao mused. He saw how deeply interested Zhao Lifei was. There was no way he was going to give up so quickly. "Whatever price you say, I will top it."

    The man became quiet. "You¡¯re quite an old man, Mr. Zhao. For what purpose would you possibly want the piano for? To disy it in the corner of the living room, never to be touched. That would be such a shame."

    "Anything my granddaughter desires, she shall get it." Zhao Moyao¡¯s response blew everyone away.

    No one dared to breathe in the wrong way.

    They were all stunned by his endearing words. They have never heard him utter such sweet words about someone. Not even when his eldest son was born, or when his youngest son graduated from TH University at the top of his sses. The people knew Zhao Lifei was an acknowledged and treasured granddaughter, but only tonight, did they realize just how deep his adoration for hery.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s head snapped to her grandfather. She did not expect him to be so doting tonight. He rarely gave her gifts.

    The man wanted to say, "I see we¡¯re both vying to get on her good side," but that response was too cheesy for him. Instead, he opened his mouth and said, "Seeing as you¡¯re such a doting grandfather, I suppose I should back off for now."

    The way he sounded. Zhao Lifei bit her bottom lip. Her eyebrows etched together while she was lost in thought. Why did he sound so...familiar? Maybe it was his Leinan ent that she had heard so many times before.

    "As if you had a chance to counter me." Zhao Moyao muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Four hundred and fifty million."

    The announcer exchanged looks with Ning Yijun. He cleared his throat and in a loud, booming voice, excitedly announced, "Four hundred and fifty million going once...twice...and sold to Mr. Zhao Moyao!" Everyone loudly pped, cheering that such an enormous amount would be donated to charity. No one was happier than the Nings who could shed tears of happiness that the money could go towards an amazing cause.

 Chapter 301 His Wrongdoings

    Zhao Lifei turned to face her grandfather who was sipping on his tea without a care in the world. He looked like he was in his zen garden, where the glorious flowers were in full bloom and the birds were chirping in the background. He was too calm for a man that easily dropped four hundred and fifty million dors on a single instrument.

    Seeing her antsy and eager to speak, Zhao Moyao slowlyid down his cup. Now, that was a well-brewed cup of tea. In an unsuspecting voice, he asked her, "What is it?"

    "The piano...I can¡¯t possibly ept it." She whispered, feeling guilt settle into her. She did not like to rely on his money or enjoy the idea of having anyone splurge on her like this. She made sure to keep her voice low so that the people around them could not overhear her.

    "Alright then, I¡¯ll have it trashed."

    "What?! No, you can¡¯t do that!" She kept her voice low like a quiet hush, but it raised an octave out of panic. How could he simply throw away four hundred and fifty million dors?! She knew they were filthy rich and could use the money as tissues, but that didn¡¯t mean it was good to toss money like that.

    "Take it or trash it. Your pick." Zhao Moyao purposely cornered her. He could see the trouble brewing in her indecisive brain. He sighed to himself. Did he not pamper her enough? Why was she afraid of epting a small gift? He pitied Yang Heng. Giving her gifts must be quite the chore. Well, whatever the circumstance, that prick better shower his granddaughter with gifts for days toe!

    "See it as an early birthday gift."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s head snapped up. ¡¯My birthday?¡¯

    "It¡¯s your birthday in three days. Don¡¯t tell me you forgot."

    "I-it never crossed my mind." She quietly said, turning her face away from him.

    Zhao Moyao was saddened at her pitiful response, but he kept his thoughts to himself. He could only me himself. In the past, he was too busy with work to even throw her a proper birthday party.

    She was one of the wealthiest heiresses of this country, yet no one serenaded the day she was born. He felt a sudden rush of guilt and remorse that he was never there for her at such an important moment.

    If he had told her "Happy Birthday," even once in her lifetime, would she have valued herself a lot more? Sitting in the plush chair he realized his wrongdoings, however, it was toote to change the past now. The only thing he could do was to look towards the future and make ns to save her before she could truly drown in her dark thoughts.

    "You didn¡¯t have to give me such a pricey gift." She leaned back in her seat, her eyes turning to the stage where a painting was being auctioned off.

    "Nonsense, you deserve everything given to you." He snapped, nearly mming his hand on the table in anger. Why did she hate herself more than her haters do?!

    "And if that stupid Yang Heng has not drilled such a thought into you, he is failing as your lover." He added on.

    "One shouldn¡¯t rely on their lover to learn how to love themselves." Zhao Lifei replied. She swiveled the ss, watching it catch the light. She wished she could have some wine right now.

    "And one shouldn¡¯t fall in love until they have learned to love themselves, but we have long skipped that part. Have we not?" He scoffed.

    "Sure." She replied to him, raising her head to give him a small smile. She did not want to get into an argument with him, thus she chose the easiest response to appease him.

    Zhao Moyao studied his stupidly-humble and modest granddaughter. He also heard of the way she kindly treats all of her workers, even the janitors.

    Viin turned hero was an underestimation for her. He never raised her to be like this, so how did she turn out like this? Was all of his teaching going down the drain? No, it was not. She was still seeding, far more than he ever anticipated. For the first time in a very long time, a swarm of fear and anxiety attacked him. He just could not point out why.

    A chill raised the hairs on his arms. Without warning, his head snapped to the back. He could¡¯ve sworn¡ª

    "Grandfather, Mr. Ning is trying to get your attention." Zhao Lifei piped up when Ning Yijun discreetly waved at him.

    Zhao Moyao sighed. "What does that geezer want?"

    "I don¡¯t know. Why don¡¯t you go and ask him?" She dryly said, pointing out the obvious.

    She picked up the proper spoon for the french onion soup and dug in. After having a couple of bites, she set the utensil back down. It wasn¡¯t as good as the one Yang Feng made her a few days ago... Speaking of him, it was quite hard to get him off of her trail. He kept on questioning where she was going and she was pretty sure his men had already reported the location to him by now. She insisted she wanted to go alone, but did not let him know it was going to be an auction. It took a lot of convincing on her end that she could get home perfectly safe and sound without needing him to pick her up. That damn brute. He was always terrified someone would kidnap her or something.

    "You¡¯re getting sassier with each passing day." Zhao Moyao scowled, standing up to make his way to Ning Yijun. "You¡¯re lucky I trained you to be like that." He grumpily told her.

    "I was born like this." She revealed her cheeky grin, earning a rough pinch on her nose. "Grandfather, is it alright if I head home now?" She asked him, bored with the food and the items being sold. The four hundred and fifty million should be enough for the night.

    "Inform the lovesick puppy his master will be heading home now." He instructed her before staggering off to the other patriarch.

    Zhao Lifeiughed to herself at the fearless way her grandfather always referred to Yang Feng. If the man himself was present, it would be disastrous. She was about to stand up and leave when she suddenly realized she forgot to get Fan Jin a birthday gift. Nothing here was to her interest, so she decided to leave and perhaps find something else another time.

    She checked the time and saw it was already half-past nine. It was toote to disturb Yang Feng and she was too prideful to face his smug expression when he rolled up in a car.

    She arrived at this ce with her grandfather and his private chauffeur, which meant she had no way of getting home except for public transportation like taxis or buses. Both options were immediately crossed off from her list.

    Zhao Lifei wondered how far this ce was from Feili. She parked a spare car in the underground private parking space she owned.

    Since she was horrible at directions, she had to pull out her phone and check one of the map apps she had. To her luck, Feili was only a short ten-minute walk. Smiling to herself, she left the dining room and walked down the hallway leading to the front entrance.

    She turned a corner and overheard a conversation.

    "I can¡¯t believe she would do that to me! Just because I bidded on something, she just had to top it. Why can¡¯t she be satisfied with her current position? Why is she petty enough to go after my piano?!" Zhao Linhua ranted to a sympathetic Xia Mengxi.

    "Just because mommy and daddy love me more than her, she has to steal my things. You know, when we were younger, she tried to steal my parent¡¯s attention. When that didn¡¯t work, she retaliated against me, iming that I had the audacity to steal their adoration!"

    Zhao Linhua scoffed. "It¡¯s not my fault mommy and daddy don¡¯t love her. What is there to love in the first ce?" She continued rambling, her fingers twirling the charms on the silver bracelet. Xia Mengxi had given it to her and on many asions, the two would get each other various new Pandora charms.

    "A-and..." She sniffed, her broken heart crumbling into bits. "She had to steal him from me. I was so in love with him, and my damn sister knew it too! I always talked about him to my parents, you know, and she was always present whenever I babbled about him."

    Xia Mengxi was shocked by the turn of events. Him? Was she talking about Yang Feng? Oho, this was quite an interesting scoop.

 Chapter 302 Qiuqiu

    "He doesn¡¯t remember me though..." Zhao Linhua muttered to herself, deciding to change the topic. "A-at my birthday banquet... I was looking for him ever since I saw hime in." She dropped her head, her eyes welting up at the memories.

    The birthday gift she requested from her parents was to have Yang Feng present. He was invited many times and each time, he did not reply. But to her surprise, he actually showed up, walking into the room with the presence and appearance that would put a Prince Charming to shame.

    In that moment, she felt her entire world brighten. She had never felt happier at that moment, for it was the first time he personally came to one of her events. "I wanted to cry tears of happiness when he attended... So imagine my surprise and pain when he went straight towards Zhao Lifei!" Her nails dug into her palm at the horrific memory.

    "The entire night, ever since he disappeared with my pathetic and a sorry excuse for a sister in tow, I was looking for him..." [1]

    Xia Mengxi kept her mouth mped shut. She knew exactly where Yang Feng was, for she was there to personally witness him walk after Zhao Lifei, who did not spare her any time of the day. She could¡¯ve easily reported back to Zhao Linhua where Yang Feng was. However, she did not.

    Zhao Linhua hupped, angrily rubbing her eyes when she felt it be moistened with unshed tears. "I-I¡¯m sorry for ranting so much tonight. I didn¡¯t mean to, but I was just so angry because of tonight."

    Without warning, she pulled Xia Mengxi into a tight hug. "Thank you so much, Mengxi, for inviting me here tonight to get my mind off of the problems going on at home... It really means a lot to me." Her voice became a bit quieter. She was seizing control of her emotions that were all over the ce. She didn¡¯t know why she wanted to rant so much tonight, but seeing her older sister¡¯s face for the first time in a while, all of the bottled-up anger just came out.

    Xia Mengxi¡¯s face softened, genuinely worrying for her good friend. Zhao Linhua was the only woman in the enormous socialite group who was loyal to her. She knew it was because she invited the young woman into the circle and exposed her to the high society and because of this, the stupid girl was too grateful beyond words. Whatever the reason was, loyalty was loyalty, and in such a tough society, it was a valued trait.

    "No need to thank me, I am only doing what a friend should." Xia Mengxi gently said, giving Zhao Linhua a small pat on the back. She expertly rubbed the area after perfecting the concept offorting a person.

    She used tofort her crying mother a lot in the past because of her drunkard of a dad that had left them. Thinking of the days she spent in that shack, her lips curled up in disgust. If only her mother was more hardworking, perhaps they could have afforded a decent ce! Xia Mengxi most certainly did not miss the days in the past when she had to juggle three part-time jobs just to provide a sufficient living environment.

    She could not thank the heavens more for the day she identally spilled coffee on Zheng Tianyi. Because of such a stupid incident, she was able tond herself one of the most powerful men in this country. She was displeased at how hard it was to acquire him, especially with the horrendous Zhao Lifei attempting to take back her fiance.

    Thinking about that vengeful woman, Xia Mengxi¡¯s mood soured. She will not forget the humiliation that took ce at the Ling Banquet and the insults thrown at her friend, Lu Nuoshui. Speaking of the model, she had not seen her in a while now... Well, no matter what happens to her, Xia Mengxi finally got her revenge. An eye for an eye.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s throat ran dry. Originally, she was overwhelmed with anger that her sister dared to badmouth her like this. She even thought about storming in to discipline her, but after hearing the confession, she did not know how to react. Zhao Linhua was in love with Yang Feng? But why? She did remember a moment in the past when her younger sister would happily talk about some older boy she met, but she could not ce a finger on how they met. Something about a garden...?

    Zhao Lifei left without a word. She did not feel remorse or regret towards her younger sister. ¡¯I took Yang Feng from her? What a joke!¡¯ She scoffed to herself. Yang Feng belonged to no one, for no woman in this world would be able to control a man like him.

    It was strange though. She wondered what Zhao Linhua meant when she said Yang Feng did not remember her. Did something happen in the past?

    In the end, she shrugged it off because it did not concern her. She wondered what type of rtionship she would have with Yang Feng if she met him sooner, perhaps when they were children. She always met up with Yang Ruqin a lot, but never visited the Yang Mansion due to an unexinable fear towards that ce.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei was d that Shenbei was still lively, even though it was night time. There were neon lights still glowing brightly on the top of buildings, amazing LED shows on billboards, and many shops were still open. Cars whizzed by and the concrete floor had warm and cold hues, depending on where she stepped. The street was bustling with life and because of that, she was able to rx and walk down the streets. She knew her bodyguards were watching her from a small distance. It had always been this way and she preferred if it stayed that way.

    Following the guide on her phone, Zhao Lifei reached Feili in exactly ten minutes. She hoped Huo Qiudong had gone home by now. She debated whether or not to check upon him. Sending him a quick text about his whereabouts, she made her way to the back of the building, boarded a discreet elevator and went down to the private parking lot where a single, locked car was parked.

    [Boss: What time did you get off of work today?]

    [Qiuqiu the Workaholic: I haven¡¯t left the building yet.]

    Zhao Lifei gasped as she checked the time. It was almost ten at night now! If this continued, she might get reported for abusing her employees!

    [Boss: Are you crazy?! Go home right this instant! I made a new rule for you: if you stay in the office past seven, I will deduct your ie.]

    Huo Qiudong shut down hisptop and took off the thin-framed sses, setting it back into the case. He ced everything in his briefcase. Once done, he picked up his phone and replied to his boss.

    [Qiuqiu The Workaholic: I was packing up and getting ready to go home. There is a lot of work that needs to be done. Leaving before seven will cause a problem.]

    Zhao Lifei paused walking mid-way to narrow her eyes. This stubborn child!

    [Boss: You are going to overwork yourself at this rate. We do not need to be three days ahead if it means you have to work this hard! Do you know I barely have anything to do in the office, aside from attending meetings, because you keep on stealing my work?!]

    [Qiuqiu The Workaholic: Actually, we are five days ahead. I just finished the work for the weekend.]

    Huo Qiudong grabbed his coat and made his way to the elevator. Not a single light was turned on in the cubicles and except for the janitors and security guards, there was no one left in the building.

    [Boss: Ugh! You¡¯re unbelievable. I know it takes you thirty minutes to get home. I¡¯ll give you thirty-five minutes to take a selfie in your living room holding up four fingers.]

    Huo Qiudong¡¯s lips twitched.

    [Qiuqiu The Workaholic: You nag more than my mother.]

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips quirked into a smile as she walked to her car with her head tucked down.

    [Boss: Aw thanks, you tter me~]

    She absentmindedly opened her car door and got in without using the keys. She closed the door shut and locked it, waiting for his next reply.

    [Qiuqiu The Workaholic: It¡¯s not something to be proud of.]

    Zhao Lifei let out a quietugh and shook her head. She had every right to be proud, it felt nice being an older sister to someone!

 Chapter 303 Wretched Souls

    Suddenly, a thought dawned on Zhao Lifei: the car key was not in her hand. The door was previously locked. A bloodcurdling chill passed through her at the terrifying realization. There was a familiar chill in the air, the silence of the empty parking lot bothered her more than she anticipated.

    "You¡¯ve let your guard down." A man breathed into her ear, the same voice as the mysterious bidder from the banquet.

    Zhao Lifei reached for her waist pants only for a pair of rough, calloused hand to grip her wrists, holding her in ce. She screamed, struggling to fight back. Where were her bodyguards?! And why was this man so strong?

    "Calm down, it¡¯s me." Jiang Zihui gently cooed, worried that she might hit her back against the car window and hurt herself.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes became unbelievably wide. Because it was him, she panicked even more. "Let me go! Please!" She shrieked, kicking and yanking her wrists back, tears filling up her eyes. She could feel prickling pain in her chest with fear weighing her down like a heavy and soaked nket. She was so overwhelmed with fear, she could not breathe.

    "I will let you go, but you have to rx, little butterfly." Jiang Zihui was perplexed by her fear towards him. All he did was track her down and corner her so that she could not run. Was this why she was violently reacting?

    Zhao Lifei had no choice but to oblige. She was visibly shaken, her eyes jumping anywhere but him. She was beyond terrified, with her heart beating a million beats per second, and she greedily gasped for air, choking on her own breath at times.

    "Why are you doing this?! Why can¡¯t you ept the fact that I want nothing to do with you!" She shrieked, yanking her wrists back, begging, pleading that someone coulde and rescue her. She could not move her legs which felt numb and weak. The very sight of his face caused a sh of memories to resurface, all of which was dragging her into the pits of despair.

    "I¡ª"

    "Haven¡¯t you done enough damage already?! Tracking me down to this extent, sending boxes of snacks, do you realize how insane you seem? Why can¡¯t you leave me alone?! Do you want to see me beg and grovel before you be the bane of my existence?!"

    It came out. All the frustration she felt because of him, left her mouth like a waterfall after a heavy day of rain. It resembled the rivers of her eyes, where tears were freely falling.

    Jiang Zihui was speechless. He had never seen her cry like this. She was alwaysposed in front of him with those indifferent pair of eyes that never looked at him. All he wanted to do was see her smile the same way she used to do when he was her student. He missed herughter which tickled his heart and could put him in cardiac arrest.

    "I just wanted to see you again." He slowly said, torn by her teary face. She rapidly shook her head, shaking and weeping like an injured and frightened bunny. The more pained she looked, the more agony he felt in his heart.

    "Well, I don¡¯t want to see you. Let me go. Leave me alone. Don¡¯t ever show up in front of me again." She snarled, her free hand reaching for the door. She found it locked. Her eyes widened in surprise as she nced out the windows. There were men outside, but none of them were hers.

    "Leave you alone?" He let out a burst of dark and harshughter. She flinched, her feeble body shrinking into her seat.

    "Never." He hissed, grabbing her by her shoulders. "Do you understand how much you have tormented me? Do you understand how much I¡¯ve longed to see you day and night? You gue my damn mind from sunrise to sunset. You¡¯re the very source of my nightmares, yet the heroine of my blissful dreams. Do you really think I¡¯m going to let you go just like that?!" He gave her body a gentle shake, his eyes burning with devotion.

    If shemanded him to, he would kill for her. Any obstacle that stood in her way would disappear in a blink of an eye. He was willing tomit the most atrocious sins in this world if it meant she would be by his side, a ring on her finger, and their names on a certificate.

    Zhao Lifei shook her head like a rabid dog. She refused to believe his words, refused to believe he cares for her to such an extent.

    "Why do you hate me so much?" His voice cracked towards the end, like his broken heart. Hebed through every corner of the country for her, leaping in glee when he finally found her in Shenbei. Even though it was in the arms of another man, but that could easily change.

    "Why do I hate you so much?! Are you stupid or perhaps you have lost your damn mind!" Her voice raised an octave, her eyes going wide with anger.

    She continued her rant, "After what you did to me, you still dare to say such a thing?! Did that nightpletely fly over your pea-sized brain? You¡¯re a piece of shit, you know that? I wish I had never met you, wished I never stumbled across that pitiful soldier!" She pushed his arms away, her petrified tears turning into pure resentment.

    Her voice lowered into a hushed whisper, "Do you understand how many sleepless nights I¡¯ve had because of you? Do you understand how many hours I had to spend in therapy?"

    He was confused by her statement. That night? What night? Thest time he saw her was when she stormed off to her sleeping quarters after he ordered her not to tie her hair up. He shook his head. "What are you talking about?"

    "Screw you." She snarled, disgusted at him. Of course, he would forget that night. He must¡¯ve done it to so many other women that the thought flew past his head. Nothing in this world could match the pure acrimony she felt for this trash in front of her.

    Jiang Zihui would¡¯ve violently reacted to her insults. No one had ever spoken to him that way in a long time, no one. Especially not after he was crowned with the reputable title of General. But she was Zhao Lifei and he could never bring himself to lift his hand to her. She was too precious. To leave a mark on that porcin skin of hers was the greatest sin anyone couldmit.

    "My little butterfly, I truly do not understand what you¡¯re talking about."

    Zhao Lifei saw red.

    PAK!

    The sound echoed in the car, the sound of skin against skin, palm against face.

    Jiang Zihui¡¯s face whished to the side, his eyes filled with disbelief. It¡¯s been ages since he was ever hit that hard. Not even his parents had hit him like that. "You¡¯re lucky I love you so damn much." He snarled, suppressing his rage. His fingers curled into fists, the skin turning white. He clenched and unclenched his jaw, the sharp line bing very prominent. If it was anyone else that pped him like this, he would¡¯ve broken their fingers or hand or both.

    "Just because you were drunk, it does not excuse the fact that you nearly...nearly..." She dared not say the word. Even when she tried to, her throat would constrict itself, like a tube being tied into a knot.

    "Drunk? I do not drink." He concluded for her, not understanding what she was referring to. In an entire year, he never drank more than a shot ss. It was something his friends andrades alwaysined about when they went out to clubs and parties.

    Zhao Lifei opened her mouth, ready to argue again. However, she saw that he was extremely serious and stoic. He was not lying. As the realization sunk in, her face morphed from anger to confusion, to pure horror.

    This entire time, she was so terrified of him, having nightmares of his face imnted on the man who nearly raped her that night. The entire time, she painted him as the most viinous man in her life. If he did not drink, then who exactly was in her room?

    Jiang Zihui¡¯s face grew more frigid. What was it? Why did she look so petrified...was that remorse? What happened to her? "What are you thinking of?"

    He would pay a good amount of money just to read what¡¯s inside that pretty little head of hers. Her fair skin was sickly pale. She looked like she had encountered a ghost or went through hell and back. Her lovely, doey eyes were wide and her body was shaking like a brittle leaf on an autumn night.

    "T-that man...H-he was not you?" She whispered to no one in particr. She spoke as if she was voicing broken bits of her thoughts. Her brain was in a jumble right now, too much to fathom the people approaching the underground parking lot.

    There was amotion outside of her car which caused her toe back to consciousness. The sound of thundering footsteps could be heard when people entered the spacious parking lot. It was a swarm of ck and white, armed men pointing their loaded weapons towards each other.

    The King of the Underworld had arrived and he was out for wretched souls, beginning with Jiang Zihui who was holding his Queen hostage.

 Chapter 304 My Man

    It was a perilous standoff between people of the Underworld and the people under Jiang Zihui. Everyone was on high alert and ready to turn the area into a battlefield given themand of their respective leaders. It would only take the swift movement of a wrist for bullets to fly and the war to start. There would be countless casualties and the country would descend into chaos if the Underworld collided with the surface.

    No one dared to breathe. It was silent to the point that the sound of a falling feather would be the most evident thing. Trained fighters and shooters were ready on standby.

    Zhao Lifei turned to the car window behind her. She could not see properly because of the men surrounding the car. Through the crack, she was able to make out a very distinctive figure whose heavenly face could be spotted from miles away.

    Yang Feng.

    Her heart leaped in joy, her chestnut eyes morphing into a swirling pool of amber, igniting with happiness at the sight of him. She had never felt more relieved to see him until tonight.

    Zhao Lifei tried to open the door again, only to find that it was still locked. She figured one of the men outside her car must¡¯ve done something to it long ago. She was in the driver¡¯s seat and repeatedly pressing the button to unlock the car. It was not working.

    "Let me out."

    "Sure, when hell freezes over." He scoffed at the stupid request.

    "My man will bring you hell if you don¡¯t." She blurted out without any thought. His eyes, the color of freshly cooked chestnuts, stared deeply into hers. She grinded her teeth and stood her ground when she felt the rolling tides of rage emanating from his whole being.

    He was livid upon hearing ¡¯My man.¡¯ He never wanted those words to leave her precious lips unless they were for addressing him. And now look where she stood, securely in the arms of another man. Not for long though... He would make her his one day, whether she liked it or not. With or without her consent, she will belong to him, and him alone.

    "Your man, huh." He let out an eerieughter that could freeze hell altogether. "My little butterfly, it seems I have let you escape my clutches for far too long. I should cut off those wings of yours..."

    "This is exactly why I never liked you in the first ce." She countered him, her voice growing fiercer with every word. Now that she had discovered he was not the perpetrator that night, her fear towards him was slowly disappearing into thin air. "You think you own me, like some trophy on a bookshelf."

    "And does he not think the same?" Jiang Zihui¡¯s lips twisted into a cruel smirk. "Such double standards that you have...How can you be so unfair?"

    "Because he will never hurt me."

    "Is that what you think? Silly little thing, he has done much more than that to you in the past." Jiang Zihui slowly shook his head at her, as if she was a stubborn child who refused to listen to him.

    "Being linked to him, the price on your head is astronomical. Do you know that?" He reached over to brush a stray strand of hair covering her eyes. She scampered deeper into her seat, flinching away from his hand, her back colliding with the cold, ss window.

    "Don¡¯t touch me!" She snapped at him. She was on high alert and defense. Even if he was not the one present that night, it did not mean she trusted him to be anywhere near her. He was a seemingly bipr man and she was wary of him in general. If she allowed him to touch her, she knew he would be delusional enough to overread the tiny action as her consent.

    Jiang Zihui¡¯s hand stilled in midair. His fingers curled into a fist, a pained look shed across his face. It disappeared as fast as it came and was reced by a mask of emptiness. "You let him, someone who destroyed your childhood, to touch you and not me?"

    "My childhood? What are you talking about?" There it was again, her childhood. She suspected something must¡¯ve happened in her youth, yet, no matter how hard she tried to recollect the memories, nothing surfaced. If she tried to think harder, a massive headache would m her and then she could only grasp her head as she writhed in unbelievable pain.

    Jiang Zihui let out thunderingughter that made her flinch and hug her stomach in fear. "Oh my, did he not tell you what he did to you in the past?" He wiped his eyes even though they were drier than the desert. "Of course he did not. And I¡¯m pretty sure it will remain that way forever."

    He knew Zhao Lifei more than she thought he did. In an attempt to track her down, he had also dug deep, deep into her buried past. At first, he did not find anything interesting, until, he dug a little bit more and encountered heavily covered up tracks of a forbidden incident. And when he continued to probe, he found a gold mine of information, one that she would never discover. It was filled with sins and a plethora amount of mistakes. He found it extremely ironic that the ones she trusted and loved the most were withholding the worst secrets from her.

    "You¡¯re lying."

    Jiang Zihui shed her a pained smile, hurt that she would think he would lie to her. "Am I, my little butterfly, am I really?" He ced a hand on his chest and not giving her the chance to ask more, he opened the car door and stepped out. He pulled out a small, t and rectangr device, pressed it, and then she heard the click of the door behind her.

    Zhao Lifei scrambled out of the car like it was on fire. Her back collided with something hard and when she turned around, she saw it was the people blocking the door. She opened her mouth, ready to tell them to scram, but Jiang Zihui beat her to it.

    "At ease." Hemanded them. In abnormal unison, the men all saluted him and parted a path for Zhao Lifei, leading straight to the border known as Yang Feng¡¯s men.

    "I truly wanted to get you a gift for your birthday in three days but it seems I was outbid by your grandfather. You seem to treasure him and because of that, I did not argue back with him, unlike a certain someone."

    Zhao Lifei knew Yang Feng heard him. She did not bother to respond. Turning her back to him, she stormed off to the other side and never once did she look back.

    Jiang Zihui watched with an amused smile on his face as his little butterfly flew off to another man. He continued watching even when the people parted for her, then went back into formation. She was out of sight, presumably with her current lover. He reminded himself that the man was not here to stay and it would only be a temporary lover.

    ¡¯Soon...my little butterfly, you will be mine forever.¡¯ He thought to himself, turning around, and walking off.

    Yang Feng¡¯s dark, looming eyes were glued to the man disappearing into the distance. His expression was hard, cold, and lifeless. No one could fathom what was running through his head. The two men did not exchange any words, but the silence around them was enough to know neither of them was up to any good.

    When Zhao Lifei broke through the clearing and was visible, he stormed to her, yanked her into his arms, and crushed her to him. Her eyes widened at how fast he hauled her into an embrace, but she rxed and hugged him back, relishing in his warmth. She could feel her heart melt when his arms hardened and he hugged her tighter.

    "Do you want me to kill him?"

    His question sent a shiver down her spine and her heart nearly stopped. She could envision the chaos if Jiang Zihui was shot dead. The military would be after Yang Feng and no amount of connections could get him out of trouble. Imagining Yang Feng behind bars and not being able to touch, see, and be with him was a world she did not want to live in.

    Zhao Lifei furiously shook her head. "No!" She shouted out, her voice filled with panic. She choked when the arms became unbearably rough, as his anger mmed her in the face. He was furious. More so than when he received the message from his men that theirdy boss was unreachable and out of sight.

    "Do you care about him that much?" His question was menacing. His voice was gruff with barely contained enmity, resembling the growl of a beast. If she was not hugging him back with her face buried into his chest, he would¡¯ve hurt someone on the spot. Her sweet, floral scent was the only thing keeping him afloat.

 Chapter 305 Come For Me

    Zhao Lifei quickly tried exining herself. "If you try to kill him, you could get yourself in a lot of trouble. I know you¡¯re big and powerful," Her cheeks flushed when she envisioned something else. "-but if he¡¯s dead, lots of people wille after you. His father is a Major General and his mother is extremely well-connected, more than you can ever imagine." She rambled on.

    "I don¡¯t want to see you through a stupid ss window or hear your voice through a crackly phone. What if I wanted to touch you and the only way to do so is through heavily monitored¡ªwait, nevermind, forget about that part." She shed him a nervous and hesitant smile.

    "Can¡¯t do anything?" He echoed with a tiny, devious smirk. He bent his head, his lips hovering a few inches above hers. "What type of things?" He huskily whispered in a throaty, hoarse voice that only she could hear.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s face became beet red, traveling all the way to her ears. She wanted to pacify his anger, not turn him on! "Well, uh, I, uhm..." She licked her lips, growing redder when his eyes became darker with the tiny action. "The type of things that are rated PG-13 and below..."

    "Are you sure it¡¯s not rated PG-18 and above?" He teased her, watching her eyes grow incrediblyrger.

    "No?" She replied, her eyes darting to his shoulders. She could not stare into his eyes when he looked so...so hungry... like a starving beast ready to devour her. She shuddered, a tingling sensation traveling throughout her body.

    "No?" He repeated, suppressing the smile threatening to break out. She was simply too adorable for her own good. He wondered how she could be such a perfect blend of a daring, stubborn, feisty, and independent woman while being a demure and shy deer at the same time.

    Zhao Lifei refused to respond any longer and embarrass herself with another jumbled reply, thus, she buried her head into his shirt, hiding against the firm wall of his chest.

    She wondered how insane his exercise regime must be if he was always this fit. Speaking of which, there was a private gym built in their house, in one of the endless rooms and she had yet to step foot in. Exercising was not her favorite thing to do because of how sweaty and sticky she always got. Though, she did enjoy practicing martial arts in the past, especially sparring with opponents ¡ª it was a great stress reliever.

    Yang Feng had the fondest smile on his face, filled with tender adoration for her, so much so that it shocked Chen Gaonan who was quietly standing a few meters from his boss.

    Chen Gaonan always knew his boss was deeply, utterly, and stupidly in love with the woman, but every time he witnessed such a gentle expression he was always blown away. In the past, the Boss¡¯ expression rarely changed and a smile was as rare as snowfall in the smoldering summer.

    Chen Gaonan cast his eyes downwards to give his boss some privacy. No one here dared to witness such an intimate scene which was why they already had their backs turned as they parted for theirdy boss to walk through. It would¡¯ve been considered extremely disrespectful, but it was amand of their boss, and there was never a single person to go against an order ¡ª especially when it came from Yang Feng himself.

    "Let¡¯s go home, I¡¯m tired." She said against his shirt, her voiceing out very muffled. He heard her perfectly. Rubbing her back with hisrge hand, he nodded his head but did not pull back from their embrace.

    "Uhm, Yang Feng, I think this is the part where you let me go." She awkwardly said, giving his enormous back a solid pat.

    He responded by burying his face into her shoulder, breathing in her scent and kissing the small patch of exposed skin. He nuzzled his head into the spot, his soft, silky hair tickling the side of her face. She released a heavy sigh at the man-child in her arms and gave his back a few more pats of reassurance.

    Yang Feng was discouraged to release her because he had nearly lost her tonight. The fear still lingered within him, even if she was in his embrace.

    "We can spoon all night, so can we head home now?" Zhao Lifei offered him.

    Yang Feng silently contemted the suggestion.

    After a second or so, he gave her a solid, satisfied nod of his head and pulled back to reveal an impudent grin, a twinkle in his eyes, something she was awestruck by. Her stomach fluttered, her eyes shut when he gave her a soft kiss on the forehead and entwined their fingers together.

    "Let¡¯s head home now." He told her, guiding her out of the private parking lot, all the while, surveying his surroundings. He made eye contact with Chen Gaonan and the two shared a heavy silent conversation before the right-hand man disappeared into the shadows, ready to fulfill his boss¡¯ orders.

    - - - - - -

    Jiang Zihui sat in the backseat of his car, watching from far away as a group of men stepped out of the private parking lot. Heavily guarded by the best fighters the Underworld has ever witnessed, he could already guess who was being escorted out. Well, also because it was the private parking lot and no one else was in there besides them.

    He wished he could catch onest glimpse of his woman, but it seems Lady Luck was not on his side tonight. Though, he already had enough run with luck to have guessed she was heading to her own car. Tonight, he nned on giving her a nice little surprise after watching her eyes light up in the auction. It was a mere piano yet she marveled at it like it was the great jewel of the ocean.

    The group was dispersed and filled with people, he could not decipher which car Zhao Lifei got into. It was a good strategy to conceal where the most important person was hiding. The cars drove off into the distance, whirring down the streets.

    Jiang Zihui grabbed his phone and called a number he was too familiar with. "It¡¯s me. I need you to look into the night Zhao Lifei left the military. Investigate what happened to her."

    When she left the grounds, it was toote for him to intervene. He was deep asleep and was not aware that she had ran off until the next morning. He tried to look for the reason as to why she left and went as far as interrogating the Bai sisters, but neither of them knew why she had truly left.

    He thought it was because she had enough of the training or was growing annoyed by his frequent pursuits. He did not fathom something important had gone down the night of her departure, but now that the truth was brought to the surface, he would thoroughly investigate it.

    "You have three days." He hung up the phone and copsed onto the leather seats of his car. He closed his eyes and tried to envision which bastard he would have to destroy once the truth was uncovered.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t know a storm was brewing within Yang Feng until the two got home and he mmed the door shut on his way in.

    BANG!

    She jumped at the loud thud, her heart skipping a beat. She swiveled around and let out a small yelp, tripping over her feet when she saw he was less than an inch away from her. He caught her before she fell, forcing her to stare into his dark, inhuman eyes. He was livid. His jaw ticked, clenching and unclenching whilst he figured out what he should do with this stubborn woman.

    Zhao Lifei was confused at his indignation. She thought everything was fine and dandy, that they were okay. She did not understand everything unfolding before her. A shadow loomed over his face, his burning eyes causing her to shrink back a bit. His hands traveled to her upper arm, holding her in ce, his fingers digging into her soft skin.

    "What were you thinking?" He seethed, his eyes shing with fury. His voice was gruff and unpleasant to her ears.

    "You knew that crazy bastard wasbing the entire city for you. Yet, you dropped your guards to take a damn walk ALONE to a DESERTED parking lot. Why didn¡¯t you call me? My number was only a dial away." He was not screaming at her and that scared her more than anything. His voice was calm and tranquil as if they were engaging in a simple conversation about the weather. It only made her more nervous.

    "I¡ª"

    "Did you want to be kidnapped by him? What would¡¯ve happened if I didn¡¯t arrive on time? What would¡¯ve happened to you? You could¡¯ve been drugged, kidnapped, and I wouldn¡¯t be able to see you¡ª"

    Realization clicked inside of her. He was terrified of losing her. "But you¡¯lle for me." She slowly said.

    Zhao Lifei wanted to fight back against him. She wanted to shout, yell, and even throw a tantrum for the way he roughly spoke to her and handled her, but in the end, she realized, he was only behaving like this because he was extremely worried about her. She could see it, buried deep within those unrelenting tides known as his eyes, there wereyers uponyers of fear, anxiety, and worry.

 Chapter 306 Other Women

    Something flickered in Yang Feng¡¯s face. "Yes, I would¡¯ve stille for you-"

    "And that is all that matters." She gently said, taking a step closer and softly wrapping her arms around him, settling her hands on his back whilst she nestled her face into his chest, feeling the safety andfort she always received from him. A smile spread across her lips when she felt his tense muscles rx under her touch and his body bing less taut.

    "I love you." She whispered against his shirt, burying her face upon the silky smooth material. She breathed in deeply and could smell that intoxicating pine and tangerine scent she hade to love.

    Yang Feng could feel his heart stop at her words. "Stupid woman." He grumbled under his breath, wrapping his arms around her. He crashed their bodies together in an inseparable embrace. "I love you more." He paused after a few seconds of contemtion, "Exceedingly more." He added on.

    Zhao Lifei let out a small giggle and remained quiet. She knew she would not be able to win against his words. A light breeze blew through the slightly opened window, the white curtains fluttering in the wind. She could feel his fingers balling the material of her top, his hands shaking.

    "I can¡¯t lose you, Lifei. I really can¡¯t fathom such a thing."

    Her breath hitched in her throat, tears stinging her eyes when she heard how broken and defeated he sounded.

    She pulled her head back to clearly look at him, but he surprised her by whisking her onto the couch, plopping her onto hisp and burying his face into her shoulder des.

    "Tonight was a close call. I nearly lost you today, just three days before your birthday." He quietly said, his fingers digging into her waist. "Don¡¯t do it again. Don¡¯t wander the streets at night without me, don¡¯t go to deserted areas like the private parking lot. Don¡¯tmand my men to not follow you unless it¡¯s the bathroom, and even if it is, bring one of the female bodyguards with you."

    Zhao Lifei felt her throat run dry. Before she delivered her words, she wanted to ensure he would not snap at her words. She ran her long, slender fingers through his silky soft hair. She was surprised to see it was slightly parted as if he had run his hands through it multiple times tonight. He reacted to her touches by holding her tighter and pulling her closer.

    "Don¡¯t do this, don¡¯t do that, I am not a doll for you to order around." She felt the pressure of his head that was trying to raise itself from her shoulders, but she pushed it back down. "I hate the idea of giving up my independence and freedom just because of a ring that might serve as a priceless and pretty cor, but for the sake of this situation, I am willing to listen." She leaned her face against his head, "However, once we get over this obstacle, I expect that will be the end of your controlling possessiveness."

    Yang Feng did not agree. He kept his mouth shut and remained silent.

    Zhao Lifei sighed at the stubborn puppy in her arms. This guy...really...he was too much at times. "A rtionship is made up of two people who are willing topromise for each other." She yelped when he suddenly nipped her neck. He truly was a puppy!

    "Fine."

    A grin broke out on her face. "Really?"

    "Don¡¯t make me repeat myself." He snapped, pulling his head back, a gloomy expression on his face. She squealed a bit and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, one hand sliding up to pat the back of his head.

    Yang Feng¡¯s frosty expression instantly melted.

    "Aw, I¡¯m so proud of my little pup, he¡¯s learning how topromise."

    His face toughened. "What did you just call me?"

    "Oh nevermind." She rolled her eyes, ready to climb out of hisp, but he held her captive. Her breath hitched when he came closer to her, her back leaning on his broad, firm chest. When he moved his head forward, she could feel the clench of his muscles, which in return, caused her body to stiffen in anticipation.

    "A pup? You see me as a dog?" His breath tickled her ears, causing her to shudder in his arms.

    "Well every time you look at me, it¡¯s like you¡¯re a dog in heat, hence the nickname." She bravely dered, not letting herself be clouded by his words. For a second there, she nearly drowned in his deep, velvety voice that sent her stomach fluttering.

    Yang Feng chuckled, his chest rumbling. "Your fearlessness knows no bounds."

    She had a cheeky smile on her face, "I know." She turned around a bit, taken aback when her lips brushed against his face. He was really close. "Does that anger you?" She teased, referring to her behavior.

    "If it was any other woman, yes, but since it¡¯s you, never." He grumbled, much to her absolute delight. Her eyes lit up because of the dimple-smile on his face. Then it dropped.

    "How many other women have you been with then?" Her cheery and sweet voice became using and distant. She scrutinized him and when he averted his gaze, she grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her. She shifted their position so that her legs were resting on either side of him. She pressed him into the couch, where the only thing in his line of sight would be her and her alone -- not that he minded.

    "Why don¡¯t you tell me how many men you have been with first?"

    "I asked you the question first." She snapped at him. Her fiery eyes narrowed like a detective questioning the criminal. "So how many other women have you been with?"

    Yang Feng saw the loophole in her question, "None other than you." He gently smiled and took strands of her hair, twirling it around his finger.

    Zhao Lifei raised a brow at his response. She also saw the loophole in the question. "Oh really? Does that include sexual partners?"

    He coughed at the direct hit. "I¡¯ve never made love to anyone other than you." He cheekily responded, making direct eye contact as he kissed the strands of hair, tugging her closer.

    Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes and ced her hands on his firm chest to create distance between them. She knew she could be easily distracted by him if she allowed him to do anything. "Okay, how about I rephrase it. How many women did you fuck?"

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes widened a bit at the usage of such a dirty word. Who was corrupting his woman? He had a feeling it was that younger sister of his who was always up to no good.

    "You shouldn¡¯t curse like that¡ª"

    "Stop avoiding the question."

    Yang Feng stared at her a bit longer. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Up until two years ago, it was just four."

    Zhao Lifei was left speechless. With his irresistibly charming features and heavy pockets, she expected a double-digit number, not something as low as four. She tilted her head and concluded that his low EQ was the cause of it.

    "Just four?" She skeptically asked, her hands reaching out to pinch his cheeks but he caught her hand mid-air and looped their fingers together, a serene smile on his face. She was breathless, in awe at his smile, gentle like the spring breeze and warm like the summer sun. She was always drawn to his smile that left her in a trance.

    "Perhaps three, but none of them matter now." He truthfully said, releasing one of her hands so that he could loosely grip her waist. He yed with the ends of her blue top, rolling the soft material between his fingertips.

    "Will you tell me who it is?" She asked him in a curious voice. His eyes clouded with boredom while he tried to recount the names of the women.

    "They were too insignificant for me to remember." He told her, his voice thick with honesty.

    She gave him a wry smile, "Are you sure?"

    "Cross my heart and hope to die." He chuckled, his chest rumbling a bit at the deep and rich sound.

    "That¡¯s so cheesy." She remarked, a fond smile hanging on her lips whilst she leaned forward to rest her hand upon his wide, strong shoulder. He responded by wrapping one arm around her waist and the other upon her upper arm, like a strong vine holding her in ce.

    Wrapped in a cocoon offort, she could feel her eyelids growing heavy. Her breathing was bing steady, fanning the side of his tanned, honey-toned neck.

    He turned his face and softly kissed the top of her head. "Only for you."

    Zhao Lifei felt like his voice was very far away, but perhaps that was because she was sucked into a blissful dream. Her eyes fluttered shut and thest thing she heard was, "I love you."

 Chapter 307 That Is the Limit of My Kindness

    The next day, Zhao Lifei headed out early in the afternoon to select a gift for Fan Jin. She had personally contacted a friend of hers who ys a major role in the jewelry business. To be exact, artifacts worn by famed women of history.

    The private chauffeur opened the door of the shining, but lowkey ck Bugatti. When Zhao Lifei¡¯s foot graced the ground, the visible bodyguards assigned for her also got out from the cars behind hers.

    Her lips twitched.

    This morning, she had woken up to an unfortunate surprise in the form of three men in suits and three women in dress pants, all of which were going to be her 24/7 bodyguards. They were to apany her at all times, regardless if she tried to send them away or make them wait outside for her. In the near distance, there were also Yang Feng¡¯s people watching her from afar and a few others blended into the crowd.

    "Wow, your entrance has gotten very shy." Sun Renjunmented from the entrance of the stunningly tall skyscraper that resembled the kinds found in New York City. After their renovation, the entire building¡¯s design and appeal relied upon their endless array of windows that caught the sunlight, which made the building gleam and glisten.

    "I can only me the brute." Zhao Lifei glumly replied. She walked over to the lean-framed man whose amused eyes were hidden behind a pair of thin-framed sses.

    "All men, by nature, are protective of their women. It just so happens, your man is overly possessive of you as well. How cute." He teased her, a grin resting on his lips.

    "Is that your excuse when your wife asks about the high-security fencing around the house?" Zhao Lifei retorted with a disdainful expression on her face.

    "That is indeed one of my excuses." Sun Renjunughed at her expression, ruffling the head of his junior. The silver ring on his finger caught her eye, but she nced away a moment after.

    "Men." She scoffed, rolling her eyes whilst she swatted his hand away.

    Sun Renjun¡¯s amused smile grew wider at her reaction. He guided her into the building and gave a nod of acknowledgment to the security guards stationed by the entrance. Swiping a keycard, they went through multiple levels of heavy security. Soon, they were five levels underground in a heavily guarded basement where the most priceless artifacts were found.

    "I¡¯m surprised that museums haven¡¯t chased you down yet to acquire these earrings." Zhao Lifeimented when she walked past a pair of earrings on disy. The pair had pearls the size of marbles with sapphires attached to the bottom and then a gold leaf right below it. She nced at the name tag below, "Earrings Worn by Queen Elizabeth The First On Her Second Painting."

    "Mypany was nice enough to donate a majority of our artifacts. That is the limit of my kindness." Sun Renjun walked to one of the walls and did an entire hand and face scan. Finally, a panel opened right beside him, revealing his favorite collection from ancient China.

    Zhao Lifei slowly nodded her head. She knew thepany usually sold its pieces of jewelry and other priceless items to private collectors and people with enough money to cover all traces of them.

    Sun Renjun ced on a pair of ck gloves that clung to his skin. He carefully took out something from the panel and then shut it. "As requested by you, this is the hairpin you were talking about." Sun Renjun ced the hairpin upon a box with a cushioned, white pillow in it.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes widened upon the gorgeous piece in front of her. It was beyond her wildest expectations. The base was an elegant silver color, but it was decorated with strings of pearls that entwined with the gilding kingfisher feathers. Small beads of coral jadeites hung from the pearls, and the main attraction of the hairpin was tourmaline [1] gems arranged in the shape of arge peony surrounded by diamonds and lined with silver to make the petals more prominent.

    "You really have a keen eye for these types of things. This was worn by¡ª"

    "Empress Ma." Zhao Lifei breathlessly said, inplete awe at the fine piece in front of her.

    Empress Ma [2] was one of her favorite historical figures because of her virtue, modesty, intelligence, and benevolence. She married her husband when he was a simple soldier and together they rose into establishing and founded the Ming Dynasty. Even when she was the Queen of the country, she still did her own sewing and cooking, as well as teaching her kids to be humble and diligent. She was a wise helper to her husband and helped save countless lives from demise.

    "Because it was worn by her, the value of this hairpin is tenfold the items in this room¡ª"

    "I¡¯ll take it." She said in a heartbeat, pulling out the nk cheque in her purse. She handed Sun Renjun a pen. "Write down whatever amount you want."

    "I can see why Lu Minhong is so fond of you." Sun Renjun warmly chuckled. He ced the cheque in the drawer to worry aboutter. Next, he went to the corner of the room to grab a suitable box for the hairpin as well as the paperwork she would need to fill out. Sun Renjun became great friends with Zhao Lifei after she had helped him in a hacking crisis that urred in hispany.

    Zhao Lifei rarely helped others without a future goal or n in mind. She was never kind-hearted enough to hand out favors for "goodwill" beliefs. Everything she did was strategically nned out to ensure, that one day, the person will pay back the favor, one way or another.

    "He¡¯s fond of everyone who has money." Zhao Lifei remarked, picking up the discreet navy blue box ced in front of her. The hairpin was securely resting in the box thanks to the nearly invisible strings holding it in ce.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei ced the box onto the vanity, then paused, and decided it would be better if she store it somewhere safer. She was worried she might knock the box onto the floor. She ced it in one of the drawers and checked the time. It was a quarter past five ¡ª a suitable time to start preparing dinner.

    She sent a quick text to Yang Ruqin about buying one of the tailored dresses from YRQ. Later, she was prepared to get ready to cook dinner when her phone buzzed. It was a text from Yang Feng.

    [Wifey: We¡¯re heading out for dinner.]

    She raised a brow at how cold his message was. She was prepared to respond but stopped when three vibrating bubbles popped up. He was in the process of typing something. A secondter, the bubble disappeared, but then popped up again.

    She was confused. What was he typing and deleting?

    [Wifey: ?]

    She blinked at the heart emoticon before a smile bloomed on her face. She wanted to tease him. Was he nervous that his first message gave off the wrong impression? That¡¯s adorable.

    [Xiao Lili: Casual or dressed-up?]

    [Wifey: Anything you like.]

    Zhao Lifei huffed. How else am I going to choose an outfit then?! She set down her phone and decided to wear a simple ck dress that would be suitable for any asion. She paired it with light and natural make-up then a few pieces of minimalistic jewelry. Lastly, she went downstairs to wait for Yang Feng.

    The housekeeper walked towards her with a respectful smile, her hands folded over her apron. She did a small bow and said, "Madam, there is a car waiting for you outside."

    Zhao Lifei slowly nodded her head and stood up. She made her way towards the door where the housekeeper opened to reveal the car sitting on the smooth pavement.

    When Zhao Lifei approached the car, the chauffeur came out and opened the door for her. She got into the car and curiously nced out the window. It seemed he will be meeting her there. She originally thought it was strange that he did not send her the address to the restaurant, but it seems he already had something nned out.

 Chapter 308 Perfection

    Two hours prior.

    Chen Gaonan was exasperatingly ncing back from his tablet to the scene in front of him. He was breaking out in a cold-sweat that could fill up buckets toe.

    The Lady Boss was arriving in the next two hours and this ce was near itspletion. Even so, he could not stop stressing and worrying over the tiniest details.

    His frosty and demonic boss was a few meters away, watching everything unfold in heavy silence. His lips were pulled into a thin line whilst his eyes scrutinized every little detail. He only epted perfection. Anything other than that was trash.

    Decorators scrambled around the ce, handling every meticulous detail with high concentration. Some ensured the bamboo leaves were resting at the perfect angle and direction while a few others were on their hands and knees ensuring the fake grass looked more real than authentic ones.

    Professional engineers were on the scene just to program and monitor the transparent and fake candles on the floor. Originally, real candles were supposed to be used, but the Satanic Boss was worried it might burn the guest, thus, faux ones were ced down instead. All of the candles¡¯ temperature was double-checked so that their temperature would not be overly warm, should the guest identally graze their skin upon the surface.

    The architects were measuring the distance between the hanging lights to the table. It had to be the perfect distance where the light would glow beautifully but also not touch or mess up the guest¡¯s hair. The light sculpture was newly designed with threeyers of cloth, all of which was suspended on top of each other.

    Florists were hovering over the heart-shaped arrangement on the floor, stressing over the petals whose color was just a little off from the Boss¡¯ orders. Nheless, they meticulously arranged every petal to perfection, forming the perfect shape.

    Yang Feng raised a brow. Chen Gaonan came flying over like an obedient dog ready to please his master.

    Wordlessly, the Demon King nced at the ground, then towards the small bamboo trees, and the flower petals arranged in the shape of a heart.

    Chen Gaonan inspected the grass and pointed towards a small, barely noticeable mistake. "That patch is not as green as the rest. Fix it." He snapped at the decorator who hurriedly ran over to fix the issue.

    He looked over the bamboo leaves. "These two are dead." He grunted and people came over to address it right away.

    He then walked over to the heart-shaped flower arrangement and snapped, "They¡¯re supposed to be Cerise Pink, not G Pink. Change it immediately." The two shades of color were only a hair different from each other, yet his hawk-like eyes were able to scope out the mistake.

    The florists nearly cried tears of annoyance. But with how much they were being paid, they kept their mouth shut. Even though they spent thest hour or so arranging the petals, they dumped all of it into the trash.

    Chen Gaonan took out his phone and spoke directly to the supplierpany¡¯s Vice President in a demanding tone, "Have the Cerise Pink flower petals delivered CORRECTLY this time. You have less than ten minutes." All sorts of formalities can be forgotten for now. His boss would deal with itter.

    He pulled out the stopwatch and stared at it. When five seconds remained on the timer, a group of people came forward with boxes of the newly ordered petals.

    Never in his wildest dreams did Chen Gaonan fathom the idea that he would be berating people over the color of damn flower petals. It was all because of the man in the simple chair. With his boss, you would think its an Emperor on his throne.

    The Boss was particrly moody and fussy today, more than he usually was, about the details of this location.

    At the crack of dawn, this morning, the poor secretary was hauled off of his bed by his Boss¡¯ ringtone. He was handed a piece of paper with a scenic location personally drawn out by his Boss whose art skills were astronomically and abnormally good.

    Chen Gaonan referred back to the sketches again just to double-check that everything was going as his boss wanted. Yep, it was 200% what his boss had in mind.

    Chen Gaonan could feel his stomach grumble in irritating hunger when he caught a whiff of the food that the Michelin Starred Chefs were preparing. In charge of all of the highly-awarded chefs was a British man seen on almost every Western TV show.

    The delectable smell in the air was making everyone quietly salivate and none of them would ever be able to taste the heavenly dishes being served tonight ¡ª Chen Gaonan included.

    Letting out a saddened and pitiful sigh at the realization, the secretary retired back to his post. No less than a minuteter, he began to tour the area just to triple-check everything. He could not rest for even a second. He was too antsy and worried to do so.

    - - - - -

    Two hours had passed and thedy boss was on her way. Chen Gaonan was silently panicking even if everything here was as perfect as anything could ever get, perhaps even more perfect than his wildest expectations.

    "The car will pull up in less than ten minutes. Are the flower petal pathsid out?"

    They had beenid out ten minutes ago. "Check." Someone responded into the walkie talkie in Chen Gaonan¡¯s hand.

    "And the food?"

    "Will be finished the minute she sits down." One of the chefs responded.

    "The candles?"

    "Slightly dimmed and will be brighter upon her entrance." An engineer said. He nced down at his monitor just for safety measures.

    "The flower arrangements?"

    "The Wisteria is in full bloom and the Cerise Pink petals are allid out as requested." A florist said, getting up from her position to leave out the backdoor like everyone else was beginning to do.

    "And the measurements of everything?"

    "Down to the exact millimeter." An architect said whilst others worked to ce the calipers, rulers, and retractable measuring tapes away.

    Chen Gaonan let out a sigh of relief. Everything was going ording to n. He could finally rx. In the corner of his eye, he saw his Boss was leaving and heading in the direction of the flower paths.

    Chen Gaonan checked his time and didn¡¯t know if he shouldugh or cry. There was still eight minutes till the arrival of the guest but his boss was already heading out to greet her, ready to stand and wait. Usually, it would always be people bending backward and on their hands and knees ready to please the Boss, not the other way around.

    Chen Gaonan could only shake his head and ce his walkie talkie away. He did a sweep of the premises. Everyone, except the chefs, had left and gone home. He decided to stay behind until thedy boss arrived, to ensure nothing goes wrong. It would never go wrong, but he was a worrywart and would not be calm unless he saw for it himself.

    His phone dinged.

    [Yama King: You¡¯re excused for the night. Expect a bonus.]

    Chen Gaonan¡¯s eyes widened in glee, nearly jumping up and down in happiness. He did not. Instead, he cleared his throat, adjusted his tie, and pretended like nothing happened. Deep down, he was brimming with glee. Perhaps tonight, he could finally get the daughter he always wanted!

 Chapter 309 Deserted Road

    Zhao Lifei was confused when the car rolled into apletely darkened area. It was bleak and empty outside, not a single soul or restaurant in sight. Did the chauffeur drive to the wrong location? She thought it was strange when they were driving out of the city and heading to a remote ce filled with scenic trees.

    Her instincts kicked in a bit, her eyes on high alert about the possibility that this was a setup by the General. She stared intently at the driver, her hand reaching into her purse to pull out the random weapon she chucked in there.

    "Madam, you can rx. This is the correct location that the Boss has instructed me to drive you." The chauffeur piped up with a small smile, climbing out of the car and jogged over to the door where he opened it to help her get out of the car.

    "And where is the Boss?" Zhao Lifei skeptically said, staring at his hand and refusing to take it. If she left the car, who knew what could jump at her? Like Yang Feng had instructed her, she was beginning to pay more attention to her surroundings, more so than she usually did. Her eyes trailed to the back of the car where she could see the other car with her bodyguards. Surprisingly, they did not ride with her this time, which she found odd, but apparently, it was their boss¡¯ orders.

    "He is waiting for you."

    Zhao Lifei secured the small taser in her hand that resembled a lipstick. She wrapped her fingers around it and exited the car with the help of the chauffeur. Next, he got back into the car and drove off, leaving her standing on a deserted road. Her nose twitched. There was a gentle scent of floral in the air, but she could not pinpoint exactly what type it was. She was pretty positive it was not the type to grow in the wild like this.

    "Yang Feng?" She called out into the darkness, growing more and more wary of the silence. She could hear crickets in the distance, the rustle of the grassy fields, and the sound of approaching footsteps. She bit her bottom lip and turned to face the cars that her bodyguards exited. None of them were in sight.

    Her face hardened and she uncapped the "lipstick," preparing her weapon. She clicked on the button and watched electricity crack in the darkness, emitting a small glow. Perfect. The batteries were still working.

    "Rx." A voice spoke from the bleak abyss of ck.

    In the blink of an eye, the entire world lit up before her, a soft gasp leaving her lips. She was blown away by the beauty of this ce. There was a path of pink magnolia petals surrounded by beds of gravel with off-white pebbles ced on top of it to form small inds and mountains. The garden was racked so that it resembled the ripple of water. There was greenery sprouting from some ces, adding the finishing touch to the beautiful location. There were also candles strategically ced to light up the area and add a warm hue to the scene.

    Standing at the end of the pink magnolia path was a tall and scrumptious man. Behind him was a wall made of thin bamboo with woodennterns hanging from it. Thenterns resembled the ones she would see in historic dramas of imperial pces.

    "Do you like it?" Yang Feng asked her, his voice deep and mellifluous to her ears. It was rich like finely tempered chocte being churned in a mill.

    "Of course." Zhao Lifei breathed out, her eyes twinkling like a child on Christmas morning.

    Her lips were parted while she took in everything. Her head moved around curiously with childlike wonder. "How did you get all of this done?"

    "That¡¯s not the important part." Yang Feng mused whilst he walked over to her with a bouquet. She expected to see the traditional flowers, but to her absolute delight, it was actually rice cakes carved and molded into the shape of carnations, gardenias, lilies, and leaves! Sheughed delightfully, pping her hands a bit.

    "You know me best!" She was bouncing on her heels in excitement, eagerly epting the bouquet with both hands.

    "It¡¯s from Hedong." He added the final blow, causing her eyes to light up even more. A thousand-watt smile broke out on her face as sheunched herself at him, hugging him with all of her might while carefully handling the bouquet of rice cakes. She smiled up at him with so much happiness, it was contagious.

    He was starstruck by her, as he always was. When she innocently tilted her head, he felt his heart stop. She was just so damn beautiful, there were not enough words in this world to describe it. He wondered how it was possible for her to capture the universe in those tiny gems of hers. Nothing mattered to him when she smiled, for the world was nothing but a blur, and she was the center of his eyes.

    "I love it!" She happily replied, wrapping one arm around his neck, standing on her tippy-toes to press a kiss to his cheek.

    Yang Feng finally snapped back to reality, responding by resting his hands on her lower back, tugging her to him. "I love it too." He whispered under his breath, referring to her smile and not the rice cakes.

    "Hm, what was that?" She asked, not quite catching what he said.

    Did he say he love something? What was it? She wanted to find out so that she, too, can give it to him ¡ª the same way he always showered her with love and gifts. A bubble of guilt aroused in her when she thought about all of the times she was the cause of his white hairs, but it was pushed down when he lifted a hand and brushed the hair covering her eyes.

    "Nothing, my love." He responded, a dazed expression on his face. His eyes were clouded and captured by something, but she did not realize it, for her face was too engrossed in nibbling on the rice cakes.

    Yang Feng guided her down the pink magnolia petal path, adjusting his pace so that he could match hers. Because of his long legs, he always walked faster than her by at least five steps. However, ever since he met her, he has been slowing it down so that she could catch up to him.

    "This is only the beginning." He informed her, watching her bite down on a rice cake and pulling her head back a bit, stretching the gluteus pastry. She thoroughly chewed it and swallowed, his eyes flickering to her lips and then her neck. He could give her something else to swallow. He awkwardly coughed a bit at the idea and chided himself for thinking something so dirty when she was barely ready to take their sexual rtionship to another level.

    "Oh? What else did you prepare?" She asked, watching him stretch his long, firm arms hidden by the crisp and well-tailored suit. He slid the screen-door to the side and took her into another world of wonder.

    For the second time tonight, she was left speechless by the view in front of her, and she wasn¡¯t talking about Yang Feng. It was as if she stepped into apletely different world.

    Bamboo trees lined the walls, each leaf was a healthy forest-green color, with LED lights installed in the floor to make it glow. Candles dotted the grassy floor, a contrast to the gravel and dirt road outside.

    In a secluded area towards the center of the ce was arge structureprised of ropes, forming a pyramid. Because of the evenly spaced out ropes, she could catch a glimpse of everything around them. An interesting and intricate threeyer canopy light hung from the top of the rope structure. There was a table underneath it, with two white-clothed chairs, a light green ribbon wrapped around each. Ranunculus petals littered the floor, surrounding the tables, adding soft tones of white, pastel pink, baby yellow, peachy orange, and sunset red. Surrounding the table was arge heart-shaped arrangement with candle lights outlining the area.

    He stood behind her, hugging her stomach. He curved his head and whispered to her, "Do you like it?"

    Zhao Lifei nced at Yang Feng and instantaneously replied, "Yes. I love it." She was referring to both him and the location. It was beyond her wildest dreams, for she had never been to a ce as beautiful as this.

    When she breathed in, she could smell something savory and delicious. Her hungry stomach made itself known by performing a sound that would put a whale¡¯s mating call to shame. She hesitantly peered at Yang Feng and hoped he did not catch the embarrassing sound. He did, but luckily, he kept his mouth shut.

    "You don¡¯t have to hide it, I know you¡¯re trying to notugh at me." Zhao Lifei grabbed his hand and tried to drag him towards the table. She was eager to sit down and eat, but it seemed he had other ns, for he remained in his position.

 Chapter 310 Saved a Country

    Yang Feng stayed firmly rooted to his spot and gently grabbed her hand, holding it like the treasure it was. He breathed in deeply and released it, only to settle his hand onto her lower back. It seemed to be his favorite spot for his fingers could feel the firm dip of her spine. He kept a tiny, half an arm distance between them.

    His other hand reached into the pocket inside of his suit where he pulled out something from her wildest dreams, her eyes growing wider than the moon. She recognized it, her throat running dry and her head spinning in circles. He breathed in deeply and in a loving, tender voice, began his message to her.

    "I never got the chance to ask you this or even had the honor to present this gift to you, but I will do it today." His thumb rubbed over the velvet of the small, ck box with a single engraving of an infinity symbol on top of it.

    "Marry me, my love. I will take away all of your sadness and give you my happiness. Shall you desire the world, I will conquer it and bring it to your knees. Whatever you desire, whatever makes you happy, you shall obtain it without anyplications, this I can assure you." A small smile rested on his lips, something shed in his eyes.

    Was it nervousness? Was it anxiety and dismay? She could not tell.

    "Not a second goes by where you do not gue my thoughts. When I close my eyes, all I see is you, and when I wake up in the morning, all I want is to see you. You¡¯vefortably created a ce within my heart and made a home there, a structure that I will carefully tend to." He could see her eyes moisten a bit. She pressed her lips together to control her emotions.

    "When I look into your eyes, I see a future between us, a future filled with love,ughter, and a growing family. I know there will be bumps in our entwining paths and there will always be people out to break us apart, but I swear to you, my love, I will put my life on the line to keep you safely tucked by my side. If you disappear, I will chase you to the end of this world. All of those who stand in my way will drop dead and this entire world will be destroyed if it means I can see you again."

    Zhao Lifei could feel the waterworks begin. She sniffled, the river dam had broken and something wet trickled down her cheeks.

    "My dear, as long as there are stars in the sky and water in the ocean, I will love you. Even when death does us apart, I will chase you into the next lifetime and the rest toe."

    He kneeled and opened the box, revealing a set of rings. The first was shaped like a hearth made of golden leaves holding up a sole marquise-cut emerald. It was an interesting design that resembled a simple, yet elegant crown. The star of the show was the actual wedding ring. It was one of thergest emeralds she had ever seen, but it was not traditionally ced in the center. It shared its limelight with the crystal-encrusted olive leaf. Linking the two pieces together was an externally wless diamond that she read about in magazines, but never had the chance to ever see for it herself.

    "I couldn¡¯t decide which one looked better, so I went with both." Yang Feng exined. He originally wanted to give her a family heirloom ring that his grandmother possessed. Traditionally, it was supposed to be given to the wife of the eldest son who happened to be Fan Jin. She was not the Yang Matriarch¡¯s first candidate in marriage and because Yang Qianlu went against his mother¡¯s wishes, Madam Yang never even got a glimpse of the ring.

    No one dared to speak about Matriarch Yang and her whereabouts were unknown. No one knew whether she was dead or alive, not even Elder Yang Mujian himself. The ring was untraceable, but if Zhao Lifei voiced a desire about possessing it, Yang Feng was willing to utilize every resource possible to find the ring.

    "I would give you a reply, but I¡¯m pretty sure you already know what it is." She cracked a small smile, watching as he lifted her hand and slipped on the two rings that fit snugly on her finger.

    "I didn¡¯t even pop the question yet." He teased her, his lips breaking out into one of the happiest smiles she had ever seen on his face. It reached his eyes and warmed her entire body.

    She let out a surprisedugh when he suddenly whisked her off of her feet, his arms securely wrapped around her waist as he spun them around, holding herfortably to him. She could feel her heart erratically pounding, an unbeknownst smile on her face. She had never felt this happy in a very long time.

    "I still can¡¯t believe we¡¯re married."

    "Speaking of marriage," She hooked her arms around his neck. "When shall we hold a ceremony?"

    "I¡¯ll hold the ceremony anytime you want. It doesn¡¯t have to be a day or two long, we can prolong it to a month¡ª"

    "That¡¯s an absurdly outrageous length of time for a marriage ceremony. Don¡¯t you mean the celebration?" She decided it would be better to hold the ceremony once all of their troubles died down.

    "Whatever makes you happy, it shall be done." He hummed, setting her down onto her feet.

    Zhao Lifei wondered out loud, "My goodness, which country did I save in my past life to get a man like you?" She leaned her head against his chest, her entire body rxing when one of his hands began to lovingly caress the back of her head. The other was cupped over her hip, his thumb rubbing circles upon the area.

    She hugged him tight when guilt bubbled in her stomach, causing aching pains in her heart. He was always giving and giving, rarely taking, but she could not find ways to respond to it. She was not used to people taking care of her or worrying about her safety. She was independent her entire life and the only person that seemed to directly lookout for her was herself. Burying her face into his chest, she knew she would have to start changing her ways soon, and only hoped it was not toote.

    "Or perhaps you¡¯ve saved my world." The words left his mouth without a second thought towards it. It seems his low EQ was slowly making itself less and less prominent...

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s heart clenched at his loving words. She sniffed the air. "Do you smell that?"

    "Smell what?" Yang Feng surveyed the area, his eyes lingering upon the bamboo screen in the far back where the chefs were preparing the dishes. Was she hungry? He guessed he should direct her to the table now. A hungry wife equals an unhappy life.

    "I smell cheese." She teased him about his cheesy words. She escaped his arms and happily glided to the table where she was the first to be seated. It happened so quickly, the waitress on standby was caught off guard and panicked when the youngdy pulled out her own chair and sat down.

    Yang Feng was initially perplexed by her words. Cheese? But none of the chefs were cooking with cheese tonight...

    Ah, there goes his low EQ, making itself evident yet again.

    It took a second for her words to register. He let out a burst of richughter that caused her stomach to excitedly flutter.

    Half a year ago, if someone told him he would find himself in the position he was now, he wouldugh at them and toss them into the ck room where he¡¯ll personally brainwash the stupid idea out of that person. He was usually a man of very few words, especially in the presence of women. Many desired to flock to him and none dared to step out of line in fear of being heavily scathed by him. Lovey-dovey words and actions were never a part of his dictionary until she stormed through those hospital doors and wrote all of the definitions herself.

    "Prepare your stomach and nose then." He confidently walked to her, his long legs easily carrying their way to her. He struggled to suppress his smile when he saw she was practically ogling his body. He pushed the chair in for her and bent down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. Next, he retired to his seat. "There¡¯s a lot more cheesy contenting your way."

    The waitress saw it was time to serve the first dish of the night which was the aperitif [1] consisting of a spring sd with slices of strawberries and sprinkles of fresh basil, grape tomatoes, the smallest tip of caviar, and truffle oil on top of an Italian bruschetta. It was served with a side of non-alcoholic sparkling blood orange cider.

    Yang Feng had made sure it was non-alcoholic. If anything needed to be cooked with wine or any other liquor, the alcohol must be evaporated before it was served.

    Zhao Lifei cupped her hands in front of her, a small grin on her face. "Well then, I look forward to seeing what your exquisitely...slow EQ conjures up."

    "My slow EQ?" He echoed her words, his brows raising. "I could¡¯ve sworn our levels were on equal standing."

    Zhao Lifei was baffled by his words, a dramatic sharp gasp leaving her lips. "Of course they¡¯re not on the same level."

    He firmly nodded his head, agreeing with her. "You¡¯re right, mine is exceedingly higher than yours. Do not fret, my love, I will make up for your..." He paused to search for the right term. "...slow EQ with mine."

    Zhao Lifei could not believe he was so good withebacks. She wanted to indulge herself into this childish argument longer. All thoughts left her mouth when she saw the waitress approaching them from a distance with tter and ss dome upon it. "You¡¯re lucky the food is here, or else I would¡¯ve roasted you alive with my wittyebacks."

    Yang Feng watched as her eyes made a beeline straight towards the oing dish. "Excuses, excuses." He chided her but his words fell on deaf ears, for she was too concentrated on the dish set in front of them. He felt himself burning with envy and jealousy, even though the enemy was just a stupid tter of bread.

 Chapter 311 Ride All Night Long

    The marriage proposal, or perhaps a birthday celebration... Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t find the proper words to describe tonight. In the end, she settled with both.

    All seven courses of dinner were served and their night wasing to a close, or so she thought. Her stomach was stuffed ¡ª something he ensured and she definitely did not mind. Later, they got into a car and she assumed they were heading home.

    Zhao Lifei gently leaned her head upon his shoulder and surprised him by grabbing his hand first, holding it with both of her tiny ones.

    Yang Feng watched her y with his long fingers. She had a silly smile on her face, oblivious to the tender look on his. Using one of her fingers, she poked his thumb, then smiled up at him, her eyes crinkling. Her dimples were very prominent and he wanted to pinch her cheek.

    "Pst, pst, I have a secret to tell you." She whispered to him, urging him to lean his head down so that she could ess his ears.

    Yang Feng was highly intrigued by what she had to say and willingly obliged. "Hm? What is it?"

    Like a schoolgirl, she excitedly reached up, cupped his ears with her hands, and whispered: "I love you." She sat back down with a grin. Her words and actions struck a chord in his heart and she delivered the final blow by suddenly grabbing his upper arm, tugging him down and sealing her lips over his in a quick kiss.

    "As you already know, I¡¯m very stubborn, spoiled at times, and a little bit crazy, I hope you know what you¡¯re getting yourself into." She whispered to him, her eyes dropping on the rings resting on her right hand. She ran a finger over it, her heart hammering against her chest.

    The thought of being hiswfully married wife was still a very surreal dream to her. Sometimes she would catch herself pinching her arm to wake herself up from this euphoric dream. Every time she did not, she would get a bit emotional. This was her heavenly reality.

    "Throw your worst at me and I¡¯ll turn it into the best." Yang Feng raised his hand and cupped the back of her head, bringing her face towards him more. Her quick kiss ignited the mes within him, one that he thought she could relinquish when he kissed her, but instead, she seemed to be fanning it.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes fluttered closed as they shared a soft, slow kiss that eventually turned more steamy than she anticipated. She could feel herself scooting backward, and he followed her until she was pressed against the window. One of his arms snaked around her waist, yanking her onto hisp, molding her lithe body against his. His other hand slipped behind her head, angling her lips to align it with his whilst the kiss deepened.

    Zhao Lifei could feel something hard press against her thigh and when she tried to adjust her legs, a growl left Yang Feng¡¯s lips. Her eyes widened when the arm around her waist snapped to her thigh, holding it in ce.

    He pulled back and in a rough, hoarse voice, grunted, "Don¡¯t move it."

    Not giving her the chance to respond, he captured her lips again. The more he kissed or touched her, the more he wanted it, and it was an addiction he would never give up. She let out a quiet moan, sending him off the edge. He wanted to gently kiss her since it was a special day for her. But she was squirming on hisp and releasing small moans that sent his control spiraling.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s hands slid up his chest, gliding on his neck, and reaching both sides of his face where she rested them. She could feel herself getting light-headed, as his kisses always did to her, and with nothing to hold on to, she could only sumb to it.

    Something warm pooled in her lower stomach, the same sensation she felt when he explored the world down there with his mouth. The feeling intensified when one hand traveled to her breast, grazing the sensitive area. Without warning, he roughly grabbed it, squeezing it, her back arching whilst a pleasured sound traveled out of her mouth.

    "This is mine." He muttered to her, yanking her to him until not a single slip of paper could get through their bodies. His hand slipped to her waist, squeezing it. "This is also mine." He growled, his lips trailing a kiss upon her neck. "And this." He went lower, enjoying the fact that her dress gave him ess to everything he wanted. His hands were beginning to slip lower now, reaching the edge of her little ck dress.

    She was the first to pull back, gasping for air, her eyespletely clouded and out of focus. She did not realize the sight of her slightly panting only turned him on more and when she met his fiery gaze, she shivered. He looked like he was ready to take her right then and there. His nces dropped to her slightly swollen and moisten lips. He decided the ruby-red would be his second favorite color, aside from the pink flush of her skin when she reacted to him.

    When he leaned forward, ready for round two, she blurted out, "We should continue when we get home. I-I don¡¯t want to do it in a car."

    Yang Feng stiffened, reality crashing down upon him. He was so entangled and distracted by her, he had forgotten where they were. Luckily, the partition was ced up a very long time ago. He let out a smooth chuckle and kept his hands a safe distance from any intimate areas. "We¡¯re not heading home just yet."

    Like a boggled baby deer, she tilted her head to the side, her hair cascading like a waterfall. "Where are we going then?"

    Yang Feng deemed it was too dangerous to have her on hisp in a moving car. He ced her back onto her seat.

    "Somewhere we have both been to once." He lifted his head to look out the window where the car was finally rolling up to their destination. Through her thick and longshes, she peered out with him and was bewildered to see weirdly shaped, pitch-ck buildings.

    The car came to a halt and Yang Feng was the first to exit the car. He came to the other side and opened the door for her, offering hisrge, rough hand to hers. She was skeptical of the location. Because he was here and she, without a doubt, trusted him from the bottom of her heart, she ced her hand into his. With him present, she did not get the jitters when she stepped out of the car.

    Yang Feng snapped his fingers and the world came into life. Hundreds of lights, of different colors, were being emitted from the rides of the amusement park. At night, it was apletely different scene. It was bewitchingly beautiful, the beguiling lights called out to her and she was eager to try everything here.

    "I rented out the amusement park for us." He took her hand and guided her through the entrance. With childlike wonder, she was excitedly surveying her surroundings, her head moving with her eyes. Her lips were parted and she was practically bouncing on her feet with excitement.

    "We can get on the rides all night long¡ª"

    "I love it so much, thank you!" She jumped onto him, hugging him tightly like a teddy bear.

    Before he could recover from the shock, she grabbed his hand and dragged in towards the rollercoaster that greeted them at the entrance. "Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go! Can we ride that one, pleaseee?" She was practically begging him, pointing towards the death trap in front of him.

    His face paled a bit. It was one of the rides they never got onto thest time they came here. He purposely detoured her from it for a reason. It was the fastest rollercoaster here with the worst and craziest loops, spins, and all sorts of jumble things.

    ¡¯At least it was better than the haunted house...¡¯ He begrudginglyforted himself.

    For the sake of the bubbly child hanging on his arm, staring up at him with her puppy-eyes, he hurriedly nodded his head.

    "Let¡¯s go then." His voice was a bit constricted for his body was beginning to shut down and be stiff as a rock. Unaware of his reaction, she squealed and began to drag him towards the ride. It was one of the first times she was able to overpower him. From her barely contained excitement, she did not realize she had superhuman strength to be able to drag the frozen statue behind her.

    All staff were ready and on standby for the couple, so when Zhao Lifei and Yang Feng got onto the tform, all of them were prepared to greet them. "Good evening, Mrs. Zhao and Mr. Yang. Wee¡ª"

    "Strap us in." Yang Feng snapped, not in the mood for formalities or greetings. The only thing keeping him sane and not bolting off of the tform was the energy bunny beside him.

    "Let¡¯s sit in the front, Yang Feng! The view is the best from there."

    The front?! Why not the back? He wanted toin about this abuse but she was so happy about it, the words left his brain and he could not think properly. "Of course. To the front, we go." He replied in a robotic voice, marching and walking like the robot he was.

 Chapter 312 Barge In

    When they sat down and Yang Feng found his legs dangling, his heart plummeted to his stomach.

    The safety harness was perfectly set up. To him, it did not feel like it since the straps were too loose than his liking. "Tighten this." Yang Fengmanded the confused worker, pointing towards the safety bars that went over his body.

    "I apologize Mr. Yang. The safety harness here is already fastened and secure. However, it will automatically sp tighter once the ride begins." The worker replied in a respectful manner.

    "I don¡¯t care, it¡¯s not fastened enough." Yang Feng growled.

    The worker could not do anything about it. For the worker¡¯s record, it was as safe as this belt could get.

    "Are you scared Yang Feng?" Zhao Lifei piped up from beside him. His jaw was ticked and he was clenching his fist. The skin on his hand was paler than the moon.

    "We don¡¯t have to ride it if you don¡¯t feel safe." She cared about his boundaries. If the Big Boss is afraid of rollercoasters, she did not want to push him to ride it. Though, he did seem fine the first time they came to the amusement park. Then again, they were in the back and it wasn¡¯t the most taunting ride of this park.

    Yang Feng was touched by her gesture. He knew how much she wanted to ride it. He did not want to break her heart ¡ª which wouldn¡¯t happen regardless of his words.

    "Start the ride." He ordered the worker who was more than happy to oblige.

    "Right away, Mr. Yang!" The worker ran behind the box. He gave the okay signal to another worker that was standing a few meters from the seats.

    Just like that, the ride slowly took off, climbing up the railing. Yang Feng still had a handful of his sanity intact. When the rollercoaster peaked and he was facing his doom, all of the rationality flew out the window. Holy shi¡ª

    The rollercoaster dropped.

    Zhao Lifei let out an excited scream, her eyes wide open and taking everything in.

    Yang Feng¡¯s soul left his body.

    His eyes were mped shut, his lips pressing tightly together. He was as hard as a rock. His body was tense.

    From a distance, one would think it was a mannequin on the ride and not a human. He did not move for the remainder of the ride.

    All he could hear was Zhao Lifei¡¯s excited, maniacalughter. She had a gigantic smile on her face. When the ride came to an end, she pped her hands and shouted, "Again! Again!"

    She turned to Yang Feng and burst into fits of giggles. Yang Feng still had his eyes closed and he looked like he went through hell and back.

    "Fengfeng, you can open your eyes now." She said the nickname without a second thought. Her eyes widened when something shed inside of her brain.

    She gasped, theughter dispersing from her face. She grabbed her head when it began to throb. The pain was bing evident now.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes flew open. He never expected himself to ever hear that nickname again. His head spun to her so fast, he nearly got whished.

    She was no longer staring at him.

    "Mrs. Zhao?" The worker worriedly asked.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s body was hunched over. Her eyes were tightly shut and she was heavily breathing, continuing to hold her head. She cried out when a sudden shock of pain mmed her head.

    It was hurting.

    Everything was hurting.

    She felt like she was stuck with thunder. The ce that hurt the most was her head. It felt like someone was drilling a hole into her skull and turning her brain into mush. The agony was too much for her to deal with.

    Yang Feng became troubled by her dismay. He threw off the safety harness and ran to the other side of the tform. He pushed the worker aside. "My love? What¡¯s wrong?" He questioned her.

    All of a sudden, her body went limp.

    A horror-stricken emotion shed by his face. He swiftly undid her safety harness. He caught her before she copsed onto the rollercoaster tracks.

    His heart hammered against his chest. The only thing he could hear was his pounding heartbeat. He lifted her into his arms and took off in the speed of light.

    He threw the car door open, startling Hu Wei. He was halfway taking a sip of water when something in ck whizzed by the window of the passenger seat. He didn¡¯t know it was his boss.

    "To First Hospital. NOW!" He snarled, sounding like a ferocious beast out for blood.

    With the seething, chilly expression on his face, Hu Wei did not need to be told twice.

    He stepped on the gas and the car sped down the road, driving faster than an ambnce. Fortunately, it waste at night, so there was not a lot of cars. The problem was the hefty distance from the amusement park to First Hospital. It would take fifteen minutes of speeding down the highway to get there.

    Hu Wei only nced at his boss once. It was enough to strike dread and uneasiness into him. He had never seen his boss with such a distraught and worrisome expression on his face.

    Yang Feng¡¯s hands were shaking, but he didn¡¯t care about it. Nothing mattered more to him than the unconscious Zhao Lifei. What happened? What went wrong?! She was fine a second ago!

    He attempted to get a reign on his jumbled thoughts. It was impossible. All he could think of was the worst-case scenarios. He was petrified and he did not like it one bit. It reminded him of the first time she fainted around him. It was at the birthday banquet of some woman he couldn¡¯t remember the name of.

    Helpless.

    This was what he felt.

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t know what to do or say. He hugged her body to him. His body trembled when he thought of the things that could go wrong. He didn¡¯t want to lose her, no, he could not lose her. If it happened, he would not have a conscience or a heart, for she had thetter in her palms. If she was gone, his heart would go with her.

    He knew he was being silly. Death should not be the first thing on his mind, but it was. He could not control that.

    Using all of the willpower he had, Yang Feng forced himself to think of something else. He tried to recount thest thing that happened before she passed out.

    Fengfeng.

    She had called him by the nickname she had used as a child. It was just a nickname, so why did it impact her so much? He could not ponder the possibilities any longer. The car hade to a screeching halt.

    Even though it was ten at night, the hospital was still heavily lit up. Yang Feng bolted up the path leading to the hospital and ran into the emergency care center.

    "Sir, you cannot just barge in like that..." The head nurse trailed off when she saw who it was. Her eyes widened a fraction.

    "Get the keys of the VVIP ward." Hemanded her.

    She scrambled out of her seat to grab the key card and nearly facepalmed herself. It was strung around her neck. "Should I prepare a stretcher or bed to wheel the youngdy upstairs¡ª"

    "Just lead the damn way." He seethed.

    The head nurse vigorously nodded her head and took them upstairs. She unlocked the door with her keycard and opened the door for them.

    Yang Feng set Zhao Lifei onto the bed and draped the nkets over her. Next, he pulled out his phone to call the hospital¡¯s chairman. "It¡¯s me. Get the best doctors on standby."

    The chairman was barely awake on his bed. His wife was still deep asleep next to him.

    The thing that woke him up was the specific ringtone he set for CEO Yang. He snapped to conscious right away.

    The chairman opened his mouth to reply but Yang Feng had already hung up the phone. He wasted no time phoning the doctors on duty. Just to be safe, he also called the ones who retired home for the day. From the doctors dealing in neurology to the gynecologist, he contacted them all.

 Chapter 313 Just Tell Her

    Once the doctors arrived, they asked Yang Feng a few questions regarding what had happened. Yang Feng briefly answered but did not give a lot of details. Later, he was asked to leave the room whilst they checked her body. He didn¡¯t leave until he demanded all of the male doctors to be excused.

    The female doctors then confirmed that there was no visible injury anywhere, especially her head, but Zhao Lifei¡¯s temperatures were a bit rming and continually increasing. She had a small fever and would progressively worsen throughout the night.

    The doctors instructed the nurses to prepare the IV drips. Then they requested for a previous record of her in the system. A nurse went off to get the files.

    Next, they wheeled her into a room to perform an MRI scan of her brain and it was there that they discovered something odd. The frontal lobe of her brain seemed a bit off and was showing heavy signs of activity even though she was in aatose state. The temporal lobe in charge of emotions was also showing signs of activity.

    As the doctors looked over the results of the scan, a nurse came in with the files on her. After checking it, he was not surprised to see one of her previous conditions were selective amnesia.

    The doctors discussed the possibility and eventually came to a conclusion lead by Han Wuting who specialized in neurology. Because the male doctors were not permitted near Zhao Lifei, one of the female doctors left the room to bring Yang Feng the diagnosis.

    When she walked into the room, she was touched to see his position. She was also very amused by it.

    With a chair pulled up to the bed, he was holding the patient¡¯s hand, staring intently at her. He looked at her as if she was going to die.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s condition was only a reaction to the trauma or memories attempting or beginning to resurface from her selective amnesia. It was not a fatal injury.

    She cleared her throat, "Good evening Mr. Yang."

    Yang Feng raised his head, his eyes flickering with recognition. Well, how could he not? Chen Gaonan used to brag about his "beautiful wife" every chance he could get. Yang Feng thoroughly told him to shut the hell up.

    Bai Xingyao revealed a smile, "It has been a while." She remembered thest time she ran into her husband¡¯s boss was for Miss Yang Ruqin¡¯s hospitalization.

    "Skip the formalities." Yang Feng responded. He didn¡¯t have the patience to converse with her.

    "I apologize." Bai Xingyao¡¯s smile did not waver. She was used to this frosty behavior of his.

    She turned to her clipboard and flipped a page. "I¡¯m sure you are already aware of this, Mr. Yang, but I will remind you in case it slipped from your mind." She walked to Zhao Lifei¡¯s bedside and ensured the IV was dripping properly.

    "Miss Zhao¡ª"

    Yang Feng resisted the urge to correct it to Mrs.

    "¡ªHas selective amnesia. I am unsure when it began or started. Given her condition, I can assume something traumatic must¡¯ve happened for the brain to violently react and force her to shut down." She nced at her clipboard again. "You mentioned she said a nickname from her past. For something as simple as that to trigger her body to shut down from pain, it¡¯s a very serious issue."

    She added, "If you consent, we rmend corrective therapy and if all else fails, hypnotization, to see if she can regain the memories. Perhaps¡ª"

    "She doesn¡¯t know she has selective amnesia." Yang Feng cut her off, his lips in a displeased scowl, creases on his forehead forming. He was torn about whether or not he should tell her they were once childhood...acquaintances? Friends? He could not pinpoint a word for what they were, though, he could convince himself childhood sweethearts would be a better phrase.

    Bai Xingyao wanted to state the obvious and say, "Well. Why not just tell her?" She wasn¡¯t stupid enough to say that. Judging by his expression, she could tell he was contemting something. For her to say that, it would be like telling a drowning person to just swim.

    She kept quiet and waited for him to say something. He didn¡¯t.

    Bai Xingyao wanted to offer words of advice. She was sure Zhao Lifei would¡¯ve preferred the truth a lot more than being kept in the dark.

    Bai Xingyao did not want to cross boundaries, especially when her husband was his subordinate. Besides, Yang Feng was not the type of man who would ept advice from a stranger. And given his high IQ, he probably had thought of her solution already.

    She decided to change the topic to something else and let him ponder the solutionter on, but he beat her to it. "When will she wake up?"

    Bai Xingyao¡¯s smile slipped a bit. "Seeing as she was unresponsive to stimuli that should shake her out of sleep, it indicates she is currently in aatose state. Thus, we can not predict a specific date."

    A shadow passed over his face and the temperature dropped. She could see why her husband was so terrified of this man. She hugged her arm and tried to not shiver in the abnormal coldness.

    "I will monitor her for now and see if there are any improvements. If so, it might be possible to predict, though, it will not be 100% urate." Bai Xingyao truthfully told him.

    Yang Feng believed fate must¡¯ve been ying a sick joke on him. The timing was horrible and fate had a horrible sense of humor. He wished it was a real person so that he could beat and torture the life out of it.

    Today he proposed to her and she ended up with aa on the same night.

    He breathed through his nose and tried to remain calm.

    Don¡¯t shoot the messenger.

    He wanted to desperately pull out the Mark XIX tucked in his waist. Just thinking of that damn gun angered him more. Zhao Lifei liked that gun and he never had the chance to show her his collection.

    He was sure her reaction would be something worthwhile. Once she woke up, he promised to take her on a tour of the underground room where a majority of his weapons were stored. She did not know of this, but one of the paintings in their shared room was a hidden space and a safe was inside of it. The safe contained all of his favorite weapons.

    "Do you have any questions for me, Mr. Yang?" Bai Xingyao slowly said, her eyes flickering to Zhao Lifei.

    Yang Feng barely nced at her. He sat down and adjusted Zhao Lifei¡¯s nket.

    "No." His voice was hard, yet his actions were that of a doting lover.

    He slightly raised Zhao Lifei¡¯s head and fluffed the pillow for her. Then, he delicately set her head back down. Next, he went to the humidifier on top of her hospital bed and checked the remaining water level. Seeing it was still full, he walked to the temperature adjuster. He saw that it was a bit colder than her liking and adjusted it to a higher temperature.

    Bai Xingyao was reminded of the time she saw him on a magazine cover branding him as the nation¡¯s husband. She thought the title was too low for him, for he behaved like a man who walked straight out of the Korean dramas she forced her husband to binge-watch with her.

    "If that is all then, please excuse me." Bai Xingyao bowed, even though he did not pay her any mind.

    She was about to close the door behind her when she thought about taking onest nce at him. He was by Zhao Lifei¡¯s bedside, intently staring at her again. It was as if he was trying to carve every detail of her face into his memory.

    She shook her head with a small smile. He was a henpecked husband, that was for sure.

    Without another word, she left the room and retired for the night. She was about to finally indulge her husband in his desire to have a child tonight but was interrupted by the ringing of her work phone. The next thing she knew, she was pulling the same stunts as her husband and disappearing off into the night to answer the call. Hah, now he has had a taste of his own medicine!

    Fortunately for First Hospital, it was one of the mostpetitive hospitals to get into as a doctor because of their higher than average pay rate, better amenities, top of the line technology that was constantly updating, trust from the government, and being one of the best hospitals in this country. Working here was the dream of every doctor and every year, they would get countless applications. They were never short on doctors and because they only got the cream of the crop [1], Bai Xingyao rarely got called in after she left work unless it was an absolute emergency.

 Chapter 314 Tiantian

    The past.

    CRASH!

    "Where is she?" A boy seethed. His rigid eyes were filled with acrimony and disgust for the shaking servants in front of him. He had finally returned home from his abrupt study abroad session. The first thing he did was sought after Zhao Lifei. He did not expect the message that followed after his request.

    Yang Feng had trashed one of his mother¡¯s ancient European vases. It was worth a mansion or two. The cracked porcin littered the ground; apanying it was other pieces of furniture, decorative pieces, and paintings.

    The damage he umted should¡¯ve earned him a solid beating. No one had the guts to discipline the Young Master himself. If they wanted their limbs intact and family members alive, the servants were required to keep their mouths shut.

    When none of the quivering maids with tucked heads spoke up, he stormed to his dagger collection. He picked out the sharpest one, twirling it in his hand.

    "Young Master, please calm down¡ª"

    WHOOSH!

    The knife whirled by one of the maids, a terrified shriek filled the room. It nicked the cor of her dress, cutting straight through the fabric. It sliced the side of her neck, causing blood to dribble out.

    "This is me being calm." He warned her, turning to the drawer and taking out the unassembled gun with the parts neatly organized. In less than thirty seconds, the gun was assembled. He swiveled around and pointed the gun straight towards their heads, standing from a distance, "Now, repeat what you just said."

    The maid¡¯s knees gave out before him, copsing onto the floor when she saw the bloodlust in his inhumanely dark, soulless eyes. She felt like a serpent caught in the ws of a dragon who could squeeze her to death without trying.

    Ever since she was a child, she was trained to be a skilled fighter that could protect the members of this household. She had felt so intimate until today. Staring into the ck abyss of his eyes, she held her breath. He was not going to simply kill her. He was going to kill everyone she knew. She could see it. Her Young Master was no longer a child, no, his eyes did not hold such innocence.

    She swallowed hard. Her lips were shaking when she repeated her words, "Young Miss Zhao is refusing to step foot in this house¡ª"

    Click.

    Yang Feng unlocked the trigger of his gun.

    She panicked. "You have to believe me! Young Master, what benefit would I get out of this by lying to you?" The maid cried out, her voice erratic and her eyes wide, bristling with unshed tears. She was shaking harder than a leaf on a windy night.

    BANG!

    Yang Feng¡¯s finger went through the trigger hole and he would¡¯ve shot the maid nk in the head if it was not for the door that mmed open.

    "ENOUGH." Yang Qianlu stormed into the room with a ferocious voice. He had never raised his voice to any of his children except for his eldest. It was not because Yang Feng drove him insane. He wanted to toughen the future man of the house.

    Yang Qianlu¡¯s attempts were futile. His oldest son was already as tough as a rock. The thundering voice did not affect his son whose eyes did not lift from the defeated maid. "She speaks the truth. Zhao Lifei has denied your audience."

    "Lies." Yang Feng growled, ready to turn the gun to his father for the sake of the girl who stole his heart and was now not returning it.

    Buried deep within his heart, Yang Qianlu felt remorse. He regretted allowing his wife to send his son off to Yang Mujian.

    In hopes of appeasing the father-inw who would never ept her, Fan Jin sacrificed and offered her eldest son. In the process of seeking approval, she lost her firstborn son, and it was the gravest mistake she would ever make.

    Yang Feng felt nothing for his family. Perhaps there was slight adoration for his younger sister whose bubbly behavior resembled his Xiao Lili, but that was about it. The only thing keeping him sane was the image of Xiao Lili¡¯s chubby cheeks, the small giggles she made when she attempted to catch up to his winding legs, and the foolish, bright, and gigantic smile on her face when he finally looked her way.

    "She has a fiance now. She has no purpose for you." Yang Qianlu was brave enough to believe his son would not shoot him.

    Yang Qianlu spoiled his son too much. He did not care if his son shot the messenger and killed every servant in this household on his rampage of a temper tantrum. He did, however, care for the priceless antiques in the house and the hell his wife would give him when she returns home from her shopping.

    ¡¯Damn brat.¡¯ He grumbled inside of his head.

    Half the things Yang Feng ruined belonged to his mother. It was killing two birds with one stone. His mother could never bring herself to discipline him and would turn her anger towards her husband.

    "No purpose for me?" Yang Feng echoed his father¡¯s words with augh.

    Yang Qianlu could feel the hairs rise on his arms. Thatugh, how could it be so lifeless and bleak? Was he truly an adolescent?! Yang Feng did not behave like one. His eyes mirrored a ck hole, swallowing the light, but never absorbing it, leaving it an empty nothingness.

    Yang Qianlu remembered the only time he saw a hint of happiness on his son¡¯s face was in the presence of Zhao Lifei. It was an unprecedented sight rarer than a blue moon.

    "Don¡¯t make meugh." Yang Feng scoffed. "I¡¯m the only purpose she has." He deadpanned but stiffened when he saw his grandfather behind Yang Qianlu

    Yang Mujian stealthily entered the room without anyone¡¯s detection. Only his grandson noticed him, his son did not.

    Yang Mujian spoke up, "You humor yourself. She is still a little girl. Two years is a very long time for a child. She doesn¡¯t care for you anymore. She has moved on."

    Yang Qianlu jumped when he heard his father¡¯s voice. He bowed his head to show respect.

    Yang Mujian ignored his son and kept his eyes on the tantrum-throwing child in front of him. Though, it was weird to call Yang Feng a child since he was a lot taller than the average boy his age. "Zhao Moyao¡¯s granddaughter has found another boy to chase after. She is promised to another." His fingers ticked when Yang Feng¡¯s fingers curled into fists.

    Yang Mujian added on, "Do not go around stealing someone else¡¯s future wife." It sounded like amand instead of a suggestion.

    Yang Feng narrowed his eyes. "Who is it?" He sounded very calm, like a young man enjoying a leisure walk under the sunlight.

    Yang Qianlu let out a sigh of relief too early for Yang Mujian¡¯s liking.

    Yang Mujian knew better than anyone else in this room that Yang Feng was anything but calm. Yang Feng was the tranquil and slow tides before the storm. "Zheng Tianyi, the heir of Zheng Corporation."

    Yang Feng grabbed the ammunition from the drawer and loaded the bullets. "Zheng Hechong will need a new heir once I am done with this Zheng Tianyi." He didn¡¯t bother with honorifics when it came to Zheng Tianyi¡¯s father. He rarely used hierarchical titles for anyone.

    Yang Mujian humored himself by being proud of his grandson at the wrong moment. At least this brat was good at getting what he wants. "Indeed, Zheng Tianyi is no match for you, but that Xiao Lili of yours is exquisitely fond of him."

    Yang Feng stiffened, his eyes turning frostier.

    "If you hurt him, Zhao Moyao¡¯s granddaughter would resent you for the rest of her life. And you don¡¯t want that, do you?" Yang Mujian flicked his wrist and Jing Caoxiao came forward with a tablet. He nodded his head to his grandson and Jing Caoxiao understood the message.

    Jing Caoxiao emotionlessly trudged to the Young Master and presented him the video, pressing y for him. A childish, whiney voice sliced through the thick and unbreathable atmosphere.

    Xiao Lili.

    Yang Feng knew who it was before his eyes evenid on the video.

    "Tiantian ge-ge [1], wait for me!" Zhao Lifei passed by the hidden camera. She was racing down the hallways for a boy who was walking too fast for her. She was out of breath, panting, and on the verge of falling onto the floor, but the boy did not care.

    Yang Feng¡¯s face darkened instantaneously. He knew Zhao Lifei had tiny legs that could not run far, so even if he was teasing her by leaving, he always slowed down his pace so that she would not overexert her body like this.

 Chapter 315 A Mirror Reflection

    "Tiantian ge-ge, please wait!" Zhao Lifei huffed, crossing her arms.

    "Ow!" She yelped when she tripped over her feet and fell knee-first onto the marble floor with a loud THUD! She had scraped her knees a bit.

    Zheng Tianyi let out a frustrated growl. He turned around to throw the obnoxious child a hateful re. "Didn¡¯t I tell you to leave me alone?" He stomped to her and grabbed her by the cor of her frilly yellow dress. "I hope you know you¡¯re obnoxiously annoying."

    Because the video was recorded from a hidden camera positioned a few meters back, it could not capture Zhao Lifei¡¯s face properly, but Yang Feng could hear her sniffles. "I-I¡¯m sorry Tiantian ge-ge...I-I just wanted to y with you a bit more¡ª"

    "I¡¯ve already yed long enough with you." He groaned, dropping her back down. His ears perked up when he saw his mother down the hallways.

    ¡¯Damn it.¡¯ He could not afford to show his mother that he made the heiress cry. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to smile.

    In a hushed, nearly reprimanding voice, he whispered, "But if you wipe away your tears, stand up like a big girl, and promise not to tell your grandfather about this, then I will y with you for a while."

    Zhao Lifei brightened up at his words. "Really?! When?"

    Zheng Tianyi was struggling to maintain his smile that was beginning to resemble a grimace. His mother was approaching them now. "Once I am done with my assignments." He gritted his teeth.

    Zhao Lifei bobbed her head and harshly rubbed her tears away. She blinked a bit and felt a wave of deja vu, but she was too young to know what that was.

    Something shed before her eyes. She saw a confusing image of a blurry face and the distorted voice of an older boy scolding her, "Don¡¯t rub your eyes so hard! You¡¯ll hurt yourself." She blinked again but the image was gone. She tilted her head, confused at who the boy was. He sounded like Zheng Tianyi...but not really...

    "Rub faster." Zheng Tianyi hissed at her to which she slowly obliged.

    "Ugh, nevermind." He sighed, grabbed his handkerchief and then did it himself. When he saw his mother was not far off, he panicked and did it much rougher than she wanted him to.

    "Now smile and tell me you love me." He quietly instructed her once his mother was within hearing distance.

    That was easy for Zhao Lifei. She grinned and jumped onto him, hugging him tightly, "I love you very much Tiantian ge-ge!"

    The video ended.

    The part, "Now smile and tell me you love me," was too low for Yang Feng to have heard it. All he witnessed was his Xiao Lili dering her stupid love for the stupid punk.

    "Do you realize it now, Yang Feng?" Yang Mujian asked him.

    Jing Caoxiao bowed his head and retreated to his Master¡¯s side.

    Yang Mujian continued, "For that child to move on so quickly, it means her feelings for you were never genuine, to begin with. When you left, she easily clung onto another heir. She is exactly like every other person in this world. She only cares about your wealth. When you could not protect her, she found someone else to. When you could not give her gifts, she found someone else to."

    "Do you understand now?" Yang Mujian questioned his silent grandson.

    Yang Feng monotonously replied, "Yes." Even though he did not understand it until he saw it for himself. But it was not time yet. Not today, not tomorrow, not next week. To defy his grandfather, he knew he would need to improve himself first. And from then on, he pushed his body above and beyond his limits, all to see a certain girl.

    - - - - -

    Three yearster.

    Timeline: Still set in the past.

    THUD!

    Wang Nuoli mmed her teacup onto the small, painted porcin te in front of her. "What do you mean Young Master Yang is on his way here?" She rashly stood up, causing her chair to fall backward onto the floor with a loud bang.

    Zhao Linhua nced up from the uneaten strawberry shortcake. Beside her was a finished te of strawberry and rhubarb fruit tart, the one her older sister really liked. She gloated to herself. ¡¯Jie-Jie [1] can never eat it from now on because she gave up the piano. The fruit tarts are all mine from now on!¡¯

    For a child her age, Zhao Linhua was very tall and looked at least three years older than her actual age. Instead of being mad at the quick growth spurt, Wang Nuoli was ecstatic because it meant the young girl would be the perfect height in the future; unlike Zhao Lifei who was still very short, despite being the eldest daughter.

    "Zhao Linhua is not ready to see him! The training started less than a month ago." Wang Nuoli vented to the maid who brought the message. Unlike Zhao Lifei, Zhao Linhua sadly did not inherit any traits from her father who was very good at learning things.

    "Damn it. We don¡¯t have a lot of time." Wang Nuoli turned to Zhao Linhua and allowed the child to get one bite of the strawberry shortcake. She reached forward and softly grabbed her daughter¡¯s wrist.

    "My little flower [2], go with the maid and change your dress okay?" Her voice was loving and tender.

    Zhao Linhua, being the obedient child she was, nodded her head. "Okay."

    Wang Nuoli¡¯s shoulder sagged in relief, a warm smile lighting up her beautiful face. "You¡¯re such a good girl, mommy loves you very much." She pulled her daughter into a quick hug and soothed out the nonexistent creases of her dress.

    "Now, do remember the lessons that Nanny Wenwen has taught you?" Wang Nuoli asked.

    Zhao Linhua nodded her head. Nanny Wenwen was training and teaching her to behave like a younger version of Zhao Lifei. She was even overfed just so she can resemble the child version of her older sister. And because Zhao Linhua was too young, she did not understand the reasoning for it. She didn¡¯t know she was going to be a recement for Zhao Lifei.

    "Well, today, I want you to show mommy how much you have learned from Nanny Wenwen." Wang Nuoli patiently exined. She brushed Zhao Linhua¡¯s full bangs aside. "The boy from the lessons is finally showing up today. I want you to call him Fengfeng and behave the same way Nanny Wenwen taught you."

    Zhao Linhua was eager to please her mommy, so she rapidly nodded her head. "Anything to make you happy mommy!" She said in a cheerful and naively-sweet voice.

    Wang Nuoli felt like the luckiest mother in the world. Her daughter was so obedient and perfect! Her heart could burst from happiness."Good girl." She stood up and motioned the maid to take Zhao Linhua to get dressed.

    Wang Nuoli instructed, "Do it quickly. He should be less than twenty minutes away from our house." Her voice went back to normal.

    The maid bowed, "Yes, Madam." Then she walked off with Zhao Linhua in tow.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Linhua was trying her best to not bounce with excitement. It¡¯s finally happening! It¡¯s finally happening! She was beyond excited that her dreams wereing true.

    Today, she would meet the very handsome and good looking boy from the photographs that Nanny Wenwen showed her. Ever since she started the lessons, she wanted to meet him. She could not wait any longer.

    "Hurry up and finish dressing me already!" Zhao Linhua impatiently screamed. She raised her legs and kicked the maid.

    "I-I apologize, Young Miss." The maid winced in pain. Usually, a kick was not that bad, but today, Zhao Linhua was wearing pointed shoes and it hurt a lot more than the maid anticipated. Fortunately for Zhao Linhua, the maid was already used to the child¡¯s spoiled behavior.

    "If you don¡¯t hurry up, I¡¯m going to throw a tantrum andin to mommy. I heard your family is very poor and this is the only job that pays you well. You wouldn¡¯t want to lose it, right?" Zhao Linhua enjoyed taunting the maids who could not fight back. It was her favorite way of releasing any pent-up anger or frustration.

    "N-no, Young Miss. I¡¯m very sorry." The maid wanted to bash the spoiled brat¡¯s head onto the wall or push her off of a balcony. She controlled her manic urges by grabbing the chiffon ribbon sun hat. She remembered the day Zhao Lifei came running home, excited about this present she received from the First Young Master of the Yang Family.

    The maid kept her mouth shut and ced the hat onto Zhao Linhua. She checked the photograph in her hand, taken the day Zhao Lifei was wearing the same hat.

    A mirror reflection.

    Young Miss Linhua resembled her older sister in every way possible. With the way Zhao Linhua was dressed to mimic Zhao Lifei, no one could tell them apart from the girl in the photograph. The make-up and hairstyle also helped.

    The maid let out a sigh of relief. Through the open window, she heard a car pull up to the front entrance of their house.

    Zhao Linhua hated the dress and hat. It was so ugly and too...childish for her taste. But it would make Nanny Wenwen and her mommy happy, so she kept her mouth shut. Her ears twitched when she heard a car. "He¡¯s here!" She gasped, dashing out of her room and down the stairs to greet the boy of her dreams.

 Chapter 316 Broken Facade

    "What is thatmotion?" Zhao Lifei wondered to herself. She raised her head from theputer desk. She was finishing the homework Zhao Moyao had assigned to her yesterday.

    Through the balcony window, loud chatter could be heard. Out of pure curiosity and the desire to shut the french doors, she mbered off the chair and approached the balcony. She looked down and her eyes brightened at the sight of a luxury car. Was her grandfathering earlier than nned?

    To her disappointment, the door opened and revealed a young boy. He seemed to be four or five years older than her.

    She wished it was Zheng Tianyi. It had been a couple of days since she hadst seen her Tiantian ge-ge. Two years ago, he hated the nickname that she gave him, but it finally grew on him and he reluctantly epted it.

    Zhao Lifei could see all of the servants of her household lined up to greet the boy. She wanted to catch a glimpse of his face, but it seemed he was intently distracted by something.

    "Wee honorable guest, Young Master Yang!" All of the butlers and maids greeted him in unison, bowing as low as their bodies would allow them.

    "What a fancy greeting. He must be important." She said to herself. She wanted to look longer, but then heard the voice of her younger sister.

    "Fengfeng!"

    A pang of pain rushed over Zhao Lifei, causing her knees to wobble. She would¡¯ve fallen to the floor if she did not grab the balcony fence. The name brought a stabbing pain to her heart, forcing her to grasp her chest, gasping for air. The wind blew past her and she shivered. It was getting cold and too noisy for her liking. She hobbled back to her room and tightly shut the door behind her, closing the curtains.

    Zhao Linhua ran through therge doors that opened slowly for her. She ran outside, her breath caught in her throat when she saw Yang Feng in person. He...he was a lot better looking than the photos! They did not do him justice. She had never seen someone so handsome. It was enough for her to go weak in her knees. Her heart soared to the skies when he raised his head from the present box in his hands.

    The sun was too bright today. Yang Feng hated the light, especially the ring heat beating down on him. He shielded his eyes. Through his squint, he saw the girl of his dreams.

    Xiao Lili. She was a short distance away, dressed in the same hat he had gifted her a while back. She kept it? It warmed his heart and made him smile a bit. So it seems she did not forget him after all.

    Zhao Linhua felt her heart at the back of her throat, erratically thumping. He was suave, chic, and very mature ¡ª it was everything she ever wanted.

    Staring at his smooth, slightly-tanned skin that looked softer than silk and his piercing eyes, her heart skipped a beat. What killed her was his loving smile. It was as if cupid shot an arrow at her. She had seen him for less than a minute and was already head-over-heels in love with him.

    "Xiao Lili, I¡¯ve made you wait long." Yang Feng could not see her face properly, but that hat of hers was the distinctive sign for him. He thought it was strange.

    Five years have passed and she was still into frilly,cy dresses like those? He believed she would prefer something with less decoration, but he did not mind her current style. It reminded him of how she used to dress back then.

    He decided to send her another gift tomorrow, this time, with dresses simr to the one she was wearing. In his hand was a handcrafted music box and in the trunk, there were many more gifts toe. They were all dresses, hats, shoes, and pieces of jewelry that girls her age would like, but he deemed it would be better if he brought her more dresses.

    Yang Feng motioned for the chauffeur to open the trunk. The man obediently did so and took out the many presents, handing it all off to the servants. He ensured none of them touched the ground. His Young Master would have his head if the youngdy dirtied her hands.

    "I brought you gifts." Yang Feng warmly said, his smile growing wider when she took a step forward. Was she shy? Or was she showing she had ss and etiquette by not running straight towards him when she had the chance to? He wished she forgot about the rules and came to him.

    Usually, he despised little girls who stepped out of line and were not mindful of their manners. There were many times he reprimanded spoiled little brats who didn¡¯t know their ces. All of them ran off after his scathing re and equally scornful words. No one could match up to his Xiao Lili who would innocently smile even when he gave her the cold-shoulder.

    "I didn¡¯t know you were still intocy dresses and did not buy you any. It¡¯s a mistake. Do not fret, I will bring more tomorrow." Yang Feng watched her stay rooted to the ground from a distance. His lips twitched. He wished she woulde closer. He was waiting for her to take the first step.

    Zhao Linhua was too busy drooling over his face and appearance to realize she was standing there like a fool. She demurely clutched her dress and nced down in a very innocent manner.

    "That¡¯s alright, a-anything from Fengfeng will be deeply treasured by me." She purposely made her voice sweeter than usual, so that it resembled her older sister.

    Yang Feng was finding her behavior odd. His Xiao Lili never nced at the ground. She was taught to always look up and jut her chin in the air. He tried to brush it off. It¡¯s been five years, of course, she would change.

    "Open the gifts. I hope you like them." Yang Feng took a step closer to her, his hand itching to pat her on the head. He had not done that for a while now.

    Zhao Linhua took two steps backward like a frightened bunny. She averted her gaze, her cheeks bursting with redness. She turned towards one of the servants who handed her the first box which so happened to contain jewelry.

    When she opened the box, her eyes widened. It was a matching set including a ne, earrings, bracelets, and so on. The thing that caught her eyes was the set of rings. It was just a simple gift and nothing more. There were many more sets of jewelry down the line of servants, but she was too fixated on the current box in front of her.

    Yang Feng saw her silence as displeasure. He grew antsy. "If you do not like pink diamonds, there are also sapphires, pearls, and¡ª"

    "No! I like pink diamonds!" Zhao Linhua was so excited, she forgot to change her voice. Her heart was pounding with excitement, her fingers shaking to put the ring on. It was just a ring, but to a naive child like her, she saw it as a promise ring for their future. She could die happy right now.

    Nanny Wenwen said the Yang family was one of the richest families in the country. She did not believe it until the older woman showed her hundreds of pictures of beautiful, scenic properties, boats, yachts, helicopters, and private inds. Nanny Wenwen also told her Yang Feng¡¯s estimated trust fund and the fortune he was rumored to inherit when he turned eighteen. Everything her Nanny showed her belonged to Yang Feng.

    Zhao Linhua was brimming with uncontainable happiness. ¡¯My future husband is going to be loaded and he¡¯s more handsome than prince charming!¡¯ She thought to herself.

    Yang Feng¡¯s face darkened. She looked greedy.

    She did not sound like his Xiao Lili.

    The facade broke.

    Whilst the little girl was distracted by the jewelry in front of her, he stormed over to her. With force, he yanked the chiffon ribbon hat off of her head.

    Zhao Linhua¡¯s startled head snapped up, her body flinching. No one had ever roughly handled her like that before.

    "Who are you?" The warmth evaporated from his eyes, disappearing into thin air. His face was devoid of a smile and it was frighteningly dark. His lips were curled in disgust. However, that was not what terrified her. It was his eyes.

    Beastly, vicious, like they could snap her body in half if she looked at them long enough. She didn¡¯t. She averted her eyes, her shoulders shaking.

    "Lifei! There you are. Why did you run off without mommy?" Wang Nuoli came running down the stairs and out onto the pavement of her front entrance. Her smile was forced and it turned nervous when she felt how tense the air was.

    Zhao Linhua was shaking and trembling. She wanted to get out of there. Her prince charming¡¯s cruel and menacing stare was boring a hole in her.

 Chapter 317 Despicable

    Yang Feng ignored the woman that entered the scene. Her words only enraged him further. Did these retards think he was as dumb as them? Calling this imposter "Lifei"? The Zhaos were stupidly bold.

    "I asked you a question." He snarled, grabbing Zhao Linhua by the neck. He would not mind squeezing the daylight out of her neck if she lied to him. Breaking it would be child¡¯s¡¯ y.

    Zhao Linhua could see her life sh before her eyes. She stared at him, wide-eyed and pale. She tried to talk and exin herself. The constriction against her throat was preventing her from doing so, her eyes blurred with tears.

    "Y-young Master Yang, what are you doing? You¡¯re hurting our Zhao Lifei!" Wang Nuoli stepped forward with her hands raised in an attempt to grab her daughter. One cutthroat re from Yang Feng was enough to freeze her in her path.

    Tears flowed from Zhao Linhua¡¯s face. She thought it was her fault. She believed that because she had messed up on her "test," that this was her punishment.

    "I¡¯m sorry¡ª!" She cried out in pain when he tossed her onto the ground like she was trash. She scraped her knees, blood flowing from the deep wounds. Sparks of pain traveled throughout her body.

    Yang Feng turned to his butler who came over with a hot towel and handkerchief. He wiped his hands as if she was dirty. His aloof face shed with disgust, staring at the failure before him. "I should have you shot to death for lying to me." He threw the towel at her, causing her to flinch and shrink back in fear, whimpering like a pathetic mole.

    Wang Nuoli paled. "Young Master Yang¡ª"

    "Did I give you permission to call me that?" His words were a p to her face. It was a bucket of cold water dumped onto her. No one had ever disrespected her like this. Well, at least, not directly in her face.

    "Where is Zhao Lifei?" Yang Feng cut straight to the chase.

    When Wang Nuoli¡¯s troubled face filled with guilt, she dropped her head and looked to the ground. The pavement was very interesting today. She wished she could bury herself in a hole. If she could tell him the truth, she would, but she was ced under strict orders to not let Zhao Lifeie near Yang Feng.

    Click.

    Wang Nuoli¡¯s horrified face snapped up at the sound of a gun. She was faced with one of the most terrorizing scenes she witnessed. A gun. A gun was being pointed at her precious Zhao Linhua¡¯s head! Her face was red with anger and she could not do anything about it.

    "It seems the Yangs have been too lenient upon you fools." Yang Feng unlocked the trigger guard, his eyes ncing towards the top of the house where he saw a body previously. It was gone.

    "You have one chance to answer me." Yang Feng positioned the gun, pressing it against Zhao Linhua¡¯s temple. She was frightened, her life shing before her eyes. Suddenly, her eyes rolled to the back of her head. She had fainted.

    Yang Feng was irritated. He wanted to see the life leave the eyes of the deceitful little wench.

    "My baby!" Wang Nuoli shrieked, taking a bold step forward, then another. She ran to her unconscious daughter, only for her forehead to roughly collide with something. Her head snapped up and she was rmed to see a wall of men blocking her path.

    "What are you doing? Get out of my way!" She screamed, "Don¡¯t you know who I am?! I am the wife of Zhao Wenjin! He will not stand for this!"

    The loudmotion reached Zhao Lifei¡¯s thin windows. She mmed her pen down onto the desk, her face flushing with annoyance. What exactly was going on down there?! She could hardly concentrate with all of the noises!

    She pushed her swivelingputer chair back and stood to her feet. She walked to one of the windows and yanked the curtains back, revealing the chaos outside.

    When Zhao Lifei saw the gun pointed at Zhao Linhua, her heart plummeted to her stomach. Her heart hammered against her chest. She flung herself out of her room, racing down the stairs, her steps thundering against the wood. She ran all the way downstairs and pushed the front door open.

    "No, First Miss, you can¡¯t go outside¡ª" The maids and butlers tried to grab her. She dodged all of their hands and broke through the clearing.

    "Put that gun down!" Her melodic voice was a knife that sliced the heavy tension. She was huffing and puffing from the intense exercise of running from the fourth floor down.

    Yang Feng¡¯s head snapped to her. He could not believe his eyes. She was here. Her face matured a bit and she was slightly taller now. His eyes searched her body for any visible injuries. Her outfit caught his attention. It was a light summer dress whose style was simr to the ones he had anticipated she would wear. So he hadn¡¯t guessed wrong after all. She was no longer into frilly and over-the-top dresses.

    "Xiao¡ª"

    "Are you crazy?! Did you not hear what I said?" Zhao Lifei ced her hand on her hips and stomped her way to the boy. She felt her heart throb when her eyesid upon him and she could see his features clearer now. If he wasn¡¯t the one threatening the life of her younger sister, she would¡¯ve been knocked out of breath by how unbelievably attractive he was. His eyes were the best part of his features. They were a prominent, obsidian ck. It flowed like a river of finely grated ink.

    Yang Feng was astonished to see her tone of voice towards him had changed from admiration to indignation. When she was younger, she was never like this. Her speech towards him was not this bold. In these five years, how could she change so much? What happened to the light in her eyes? He heard she was introduced to the elite society a year ago...did it take such a heavy toll on her for her to look like this? She had lost weight ¡ª a distressing amount for a growing child her age.

    He dropped the gun.

    Yang Feng staggered towards her, his thin lips parted a bit.

    When he began to approach her, Zhao Lifei took steps backward, then forward after remembering what she came downstairs for. She might¡¯ve disliked the fact that Zhao Linhua stole all of their parents¡¯ attention, but that did not mean she would leave her younger sister to rot on the floor like this.

    "Get away from me! Don¡¯t touch me!" She pped his hand away, the sound echoing through the empty fields.

    Everyone was quiet, holding their breath. The servants sniggered inside. The First Miss had just sealed her fate. No one talked back to Young Master Yang the way she did. That was because the people that did never lived to tell the tale. For her to disrespect him and touch him without permission, she would surely lose a hand or even worse, her head.

    Yang Feng retracted his hand, boggled at her violent reaction. Did she not remember him? "Xiao Lili, what are you doing? It¡¯s me, Yang Feng." Even though she had hit him, he was not infuriated at her. He just...couldn¡¯t believe that she would change this much.

    "Okay and?" She rolled her eyes. "You think you can scare me with your name? News sh, my name is Zhao Lifei. You don¡¯t scare me."

    Yang Feng was shocked by her bratty voice. She had never shown this side to him. Granted, when she was younger, she needed all of his attention and at times, she would whine to get it. But it was never this. She never spoke to him like that. What happened?

    "Xiao Lili¡ª"

    "Stop calling me that!" Zhao Lifei hated the way her head hurt when he called her that. It was strange. One minute her head was pounding and the next, it stopped. She rubbed her chest, attempting to numb the prickling pain that spread there.

    In a way of distracting herself, she bent down to check Zhao Linhua¡¯s pulse and let out a sigh of relief upon feeling a very strong one. That meant nothing big happened to her. "And get off ourwn." She could hardly call this ce awn. Her house wasrge and thewn had rows upon rows of grass littered with nicely-trimmed trees and three fountains that were spaced out.

    Yang Feng opened his mouth to protest and was roughly interrupted by the sound of his phone going off. He peered down, his face bing stormy when he saw it was his grandfather.

    "We are not done with this discussion." He calmly told her before turning back to his car. He paused and turned around, "You will see me again."

    "Over my dead body." She retorted, her eyes ring daggers into his wless face.

    He stiffened at her words and opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it.

    "Don¡¯te back here. I don¡¯t want to see you ever again." She snarled at him, hugging Zhao Linhua close whilst kicking the gun away. Itnded beside Yang Feng. He didn¡¯t spare it a single nce. He was too busy standing like a statue, frozen with shock at her words.

    "You¡¯re despicable." She added the finishing blow, watching as his fingers curled into cramped fists that turned paler than her skin. He was furious.

    Yang Feng gritted his teeth and stormed into his car, mming the door behind him and ordering the chauffeur to drive to the Underworld.

    He never came back again.

 Chapter 318 Another Nightmare

    Strung across the night sky, covering the stars were nkets of rolling grey clouds. A silhouette of the moon could be seen, lighting up the paths of lost wanderers. Distorting the light was the ominous rain pelting onto the cement ground, drenching the city of Shenbei. The breeze was damp and wet, howling a whistling tone. Thunder turned the clouds into a white, pearly color.

    Yang Feng was undisturbed by the storm roaring outside of the hospital windows. He was lost in a maze of his jumbled thoughts. Staring out the window, the bright sh ominously lit up his face. A shadow curved the outline of his sharp, prominent features.

    Yang Feng was stuck in a crossroad of truths and deceptions. To tell her, or not to tell her. She had a right to know the truth, but was she ready for it?

    While he was drowning in his thoughts, a woman stirred in the bed. It started with the twitching of her long, pale fingers and then the creasing of her soft brows. Her eyes fluttered, slowly peeling open in confusion. Her chin tilted to the side. She attempted to ess her surroundings through a blurry vision.

    Zhao Lifei weakly lifted her hand and grasped her neck. She wanted to soothe her dry throat and parched lips. Moving as slow as time, she tried to sit up.

    The rustle of her nkets snapped Yang Feng out of his thoughts. It was a rope that yanked him out of the pool of indecisiveness. He whirled around, his eyes widening. Struggling and shaking was the woman haunting his dreams for three consecutive nights. She was finally awake. He wasted no time to cross the distance between them.

    "W-what¡ª" She was cut off when he engulfed her in a bone-crushing hug. His strong arms crashed her on his body, slightly lifting her off of the bed.

    He buried his head onto her shoulders and held her like she was the only thing that mattered to him. She might as well have been, for her scent was the air that filled his lungs and herughter was the beat of his heart.

    Zhao Lifei could feel his desperation through the hug. Her eyes softened, turning moist when he clenched her. She wanted to give this big teddy bear a giant pat on the back and tell him all was well but she could not move a limb. His arms had an iron grip caging her to him.

    Yang Feng only pulled back to lean his head against the side of her head, his eyes squeezed shut.

    "You big baby." She weakly said to him. Even after waking up from a four-daya, she still had the energy to make fun of him. It was her way of showing her affection towards him.

    Yang Feng let out a burst of relievedughter, choked with emotions. "How about you give me a big baby to apany me?"

    "I just woke up and you want kids already?" Zhao Lifei wryly said. She turned her face and kissed the side of his head. "You can let me go now."

    "No."

    She groaned in pain when he abruptly lowered them onto the bed, squishing her into the plush mattress. "Why not?"

    "Because you might disappear if I do."

    Her heart melted, like thest droplet of snow which marked the beginning of Spring. She could die happy right here, but she kept that thought to herself. If she joked about death at this moment, she knew she would break his heart to pieces. "Idiot. That will not happen."

    "It happened in my nightmare."

    Okay, so her heart broke. Just a bit. That was a lie. It shattered. She wanted to clutch her aching heart and give him a hug, reassuring him that she was real. "Well, this is reality. Something like that will never happen."

    "You said that in my nightmare too." Yang Feng breathed out, his heart dropping with her words. Was this another dream? Will he wake up soon and discover she was still unresponsive? He braced himself for the pain.

    "Well, what did I not say in your nightmares?" She asked him, wriggling in his arms, asking for some sort of release. She let out a tiny sigh when he loosened the hold enough for her to pull her arms out.

    One of her hands caressed his powerful, rippling back. His muscles clenched under her gentle fingertips. His heart skipped a beat when she began to rub her hand from the top of his spine to the bottom. The other hand immersed itself into his silky locks of midnight-colored hair. Bit by bit, she was able to soothe the statue in her arms, turning the tense body into a human yet again. Well, as human as this robot could get.

    "You didn¡¯t say you would spend all of the money in our bank ount." He slyly told her. "You can reassure me first by saying you will finally touch the money I earned for you."

    Zhao Lifeiughed. She suppressed the desire to yank his hair. What a crafty husband she had..."Then I must bring myself to tell you and believe me, it hurts me to say this, but this is just another nightmare."

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t like her response. He roughly nipped her ears, causing her body to jolt out of surprise. "What¡¯s wrong with spending my money?" He grumbled. She yanked his hair out of retaliation. It didn¡¯t hurt him. Nheless, for her sake, he let out a monotoned, "Ow."

    Sheughed at his boring response to her attack. A robot had more life than him. "Because I didn¡¯t earn it, I don¡¯t want to waste it."

    "I earned it for you."

    "Is that so, Fengfeng?"

    Yang Feng¡¯s body tensed at her words. He pulled back, supporting himself with his arms as he hovered over her body. She had a tiny smile on her face, the very one that drove him insane with love.

    Zhao Lifei brought her hands behind his neck and in a small voice, she whispered, "I-I saw something when I was asleep." Remembered would be a better term, but she was unsure about the word. She didn¡¯t know if it was a memory of the past or something her delusional brain made up.

    "What did you see?" He anxiously asked her, his heart drumming with anticipation. She looped her hands together.

    "A little version of me running through a garden with a teacup in hand. The garden was very beautiful and it reminded me of the one I saw in Qinqin¡¯s house...which happens to be your previous house as well."

    Zhao Lifei saw his eyes flicker with recognition. So it was a memory after all. But how was this possible? For all of her life, her childhood was a blur to her. She could not remember a thing but the resentment her parents had for her.

    Whenever she tried to think of the things that happened as a kid, she felt like her conscious was submerged underwater. The voices were distorted and the words were hard to decipher. Faces and appearances were muddled and she could not make out a single person. There were times when she would get a mind-boggling headaches if she tried to think of the past. After a while, she stopped trying.

    "And did she fall?" Yang Feng¡¯s voice was cid and mild. It concealed the turmoil inside of his head.

    "Yes, she did! How did you know?" Zhao Lifei astonishingly said. "Wait, that¡¯s a dumb question because you were also there... Sitting in a chair, reading a book. I was always bad at running, so I would fall a lot." Her heart sped up. "Y-you were in my memory. A mini version of you helped me get back on my feet and then wiped away my tears, scolding me for crying over something so stupid." She pushed him off of her, sitting up on the bed with his help.

    She turned towards him with a torn expression. "How...How is that possible? Why were you in the memories of my childhood? D-did we know each other before our first encounter in the hospital?" She was in a rush to voice her thoughts and tripped over a few words.

    Yang Feng knew that this conversation would happen one day. He just never thought it would be so soon. What else did she remember? He cupped her face, his thumb drawing circles upon her soft, creamy cheek. In an impassive voice, he whispered, "Yes, we did."

 Chapter 319 Four Decades

    To say the least, Zhao Lifei was stunned. Her face was frozen with disbelief. She stared at him like he was a stranger, her lips opening and closing. Her brain was messier than strings of tangled yarns. "What...but...how...that¡¯s impossible, h-huh?" Was the only thing she could say after a few seconds of awkward silence.

    Yang Feng was d to see this reaction instead of something filled with violence and screaming. Seeing as she couldn¡¯t form proper sentences to voice her thoughts, he changed the subject. "How much do you remember?"

    "Not much." Zhao Lifei curtly replied, her lips pressing together. She averted her gaze. She remembered him up to the part where he told her to meet up in the garden, but he never showed up that day. She was mauled through thewn by her mother and spent the rest of the day in her room, wondering why her "Fengfeng" never showed up.

    "You¡¯re lying." Yang Feng reached his hand out and gripped her small chin, forcing her to look at him. She stared at his shoulders with a nk and dull expression. He didn¡¯t like that.

    "What else are you not telling me?" His voice was angrier than expected. He didn¡¯t like it when people kept secrets from him. She was his wife now. There shouldn¡¯t be a boundary between them.

    Yang Feng sighed inside of his head. He had no right to talk about boundaries when he, himself, was keeping many things from her, beginning with her father and uncle who were rotting in jail.

    During hera, he received word that the "foreign" man seeking to buy Zhao Lifei was none other than Jiang Zihui. This only triggered him more and in no less than an hour, a mass search was sent out for the General. It was too dangerous for her to remain in this city and if he could have it his way, he would move her out of it as soon as possible. However, Shenbei wasrge and the surrounding city would take two to three hours by car.

    "You left me." Zhao Lifei tore her eyes away from his navy suit. She could see his expression perfectly and realized how haggard he looked. There were bags under his eyes and when she peered closer, she saw the exhaustion buried beneath the bitter displeasure. When was thest time he had a proper sleep?

    "You stood me up." Zhao Lifei red at him, "Even as a child, you had yer tendencies." She harshly poked him with her finger, jabbing it at his chest. "Why did you do it? Why did you tell me toe to the garden if you weren¡¯t going to show up!"

    Yang Feng winced at her blow. The pokes didn¡¯t hurt him, but her words did. He grabbed her fingers and press a kiss to the delicate flesh. "I didn¡¯t mean to." He muttered, holding both of her hands in case she wanted to attack him. "The Elder summoned me for a supposed ¡¯quick chat¡¯ that would not take longer than five minutes. The next thing I knew, I was stripped of my hidden weapons and tossed onto a ne heading straight overseas."

    Zhao Lifei opened her mouth but he squished her cheek together, forcing her mouth to pucker out.

    "Let me finish, my love." He wanted tough at how ridiculous and hrious she looked. He breathed in deeply and told her the truth of what happened that day.

    He told her about the day he stopped before the doors of his grandfather¡¯s study and was instructed to ce all of his concealed weapons onto a tray. It was strange to him, but he figured it was just his paranoid grandfather taking safety measures.

    He remembered walking into the study where the windows were all shut. His grandfather was sitting behind a desk with a gas mask on and the next thing Yang Feng knew, gas-filled the room.

    He woke up in a foreignnd with a letter that revoked all of his rights back into the country. His passport was seized and his bank ount had enough money to survive, but never enough to buy a helicopter back into the country. He could not return home until the two years abroad were up.

    Zhao Lifei was quiet as she absorbed the information bomb that was dropped on top of her. Two years... She tried to remember what happened in the two years that he was gone. Nothing came to mind and when she tried to think about it more, her head began to ache again.

    "I told you the truth. Now, will you tell me what else you remember?" Yang Feng¡¯s voice was alluring and beckoningly sweet. He was very good at convincing her. The sincere look on his face wasn¡¯t helping her in resisting him.

    "I was nning on telling you the truth regardless." Zhao Lifei truthfully said. She didn¡¯t break away from his intense stare. He could tell she was not lying.

    "I remember the day we met, how much of a meanie you were." Zhao Lifei really wanted to give the young Yang Feng a good kick to the shin. The first day they met was when she was exploring the house and got lost in the maze that led to the garden. When she saw him, the wind was knocked out of her. She had never seen a boy more handsome than the person reading a book under a parasol. If only his behavior matched his face.

    Yang Feng awkwardly scratched the back of his head, an apologetic expression on his face. He, too, remembered giving her his most menacing expression because he was experiencing a horrendous day after receiving a thorough scolding from the Elder after incorrectly answering one question on the homework. He didn¡¯t have the patience to deal with a lost bunny, nor did he know how to handle something as naive as her.

    "I remember it all until you stood me up. Whatever happened after that, it¡¯s all a blur. Nothinges up. I know there should be something there." She dropped her head and sighed. "I¡¯ll try harder to remember."

    "Don¡¯t!" Yang Feng shouted, panicked that she would push herself. What if she fainted like this again?! He could not risk that.

    She jumped at the unanticipatedly loud voice, her head snapping up. She met his frantic expression, the dread, and hysteria in his eyes.

    "You can try to, but the second your head hurts, I want you to stop it. Even if the pain is subtle, I still want you to stop. Do you understand?" Yang Feng gripped her shoulders, shaking it when she did not respond to him. She was looking at him like a befuddled little bunny.

    "Do you understand?" He exasperated, his shoulders and body tensing up with dismay. She slowly nodded her head.

    "I do." Zhao Lifei lifted her hand and with two fingers, she smoothed out the crease lines on his forehead. She grabbed his face, cupping it in her hand and brought his head down so that she could press a light kiss that made his stomach feel odd.

    "Now, rx. You¡¯re stressing yourself out." Zhao Lifei gave his cheek a quick peck. He tried to turn his head so that her lipsnded elsewhere, but she was faster than him.

    "I already knew you were going to do that." She pinched his face, hating how there was only skin for her to grab. Where was the fat? She was jealous.

    "It¡¯s better to try than give up on the finish line." He tried to keep her in ce so that he could engage her in a lengthy kiss. Toote. She already sat down and was keeping her hands to herself.

    "How long was I asleep for?" She asked him, her eyes sweeping over the hospital room. She was surprised to see the dying bouquets on the nightstand beside her. She wanted to grab the white card in each of the bouquets, but a certain block of rock was in her way.

    Yang Feng was greedy and he wanted all of her attention on him. He blocked her line of sight and reached his hand out to hug her but she pped it away. She scooted back and said, "Give me some distance and answer my question. You¡¯ve hugged and touched me for long enough."

    He was a disobedient dog who knew how to get under his master¡¯s skin. Right after she finished speaking, he poked her cheek, testing her patience. Her brow ticked. This kid deserves a good pinch.

    "You were asleep for four days."

    "It was only four days? You were hugging me as if I slept for four decades or something."

    "That¡¯s because it felt like four decades." Yang Feng huffed under his breath. His words were air to her ears because she was not paying attention to him. She was lost in her own thoughts.

    Zhao Lifei let out a sigh of relief. Four days. That¡¯s not bad¡ªwait a minute! Feili! She was so screwed. Huo Qiudong is going to kill her!

 Chapter 320 Sharp V

    Seeing the distress on her face, Yang Feng figured it must have been about Feili or her grandfather. "Don¡¯t worry. If it¡¯s about Feili, I¡¯ve already contacted your new Vice President in advance."

    He left out the part where he told Zhao Moyao that she was in the hospital. The ancient turtle stormed to the hospital, demanding for Yang Feng to kneel and beg for forgiveness. All was well when Yang Feng exined why she fainted. The elder thought it was because Yang Feng did not take proper care of her. Then Zhao Moyao left after calling Yang Feng by the wrong name. He also threw in nicknames like "Prick, rascal, punk, bastard," and so forth.

    "Oh." Zhao Lifei rxed, then tensed up. "So what if you told him?!" She groaned, facepalming herself for sleeping so damn long.

    She knew Huo Qiudong¡¯s character. On the outside, he will smile and politely nod his head at what Yang Feng told him. He might even y it off that he waspletely fine with the CEO being absent for four days. Then, when she returns, there will be a long lecture and he will thoroughly pile the work onto her desk.

    "I¡¯m so screwed!" She pitifully cried, wiping away her nonexistent tears.

    "Yeah, screwed by me soon."

    She thought it was a joke, but he sounded too serious. She peeked at him through her hands and saw how solemn his face was. "Now is not the time to joke, Yang Feng!" She huffed. She jumped when he suddenly came closer to her, pushing her onto the bed. Her breath hitched when she saw a sh of passionate fervor in his eyes.

    In a low, sultry voice, he whispered, "You think it¡¯s a joke? Wait until I¡¯m done with you tonight."

    She shivered at how seductive he sounded. Her body clenched when he began to press open-mouth kisses starting from the back of her ears down to the dip of her neck. His hands began to explore lower and lower until they impatiently pushed her hospital gown up and that was when she came back to Earth.

    "Wait!"

    He froze, pulling his hands back. "Okay." He reluctantly said in a slightly hoarse voice. Luckily, they stopped there before his buddy got excited. Nevermind. Toote now. Tonight would probably be the 99th cold shower that he had.

    "No, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m not ready." She blurted out without warning, her face heating up. Great, just great. She had sessfully embarrassed herself again.

    He was mindblown at her words and she didn¡¯t give him the chance to respond. "It¡¯s just... I haven¡¯t brushed my teeth for like four days and I haven¡¯t taken a shower."

    She babbled on, her nerves taking over. "My breath probably stinks and I reek, but you¡¯re too nice to tell me that. Well, you¡¯re not really nice to other people, which you should work on. Just don¡¯t be too nice to women alright? Especially if they¡¯re prettier than me. But if they¡¯re business partners, that¡¯s another story. Wait, scratch that, I sound too possessive. Okay, maybe you can talk to some beautiful women, but you better note home with another leash around your neck because I swear, I have a sharp knife ready for you."

    Screw my life. She wanted to dig a hole and bury herself into it. Who the hell has a word vomit that damn long? She was pretty sure she had beaten Qinqin¡¯s record by now.

    ¡¯This is fantastic. Way to go, Lifei. He probably thinks you¡¯re either delusional or belong in a mental hospital, or maybe even both!¡¯ She said to herself.

    Yang Feng opened his mouth, but she cut him off and said, "Just forget everything I said."

    "My love¡ª"

    "Alright, fine, fine. You can make fun of me for that. But only once okay? I¡¯m sensitive. Well, not really. It¡¯s just I¡¯m so embarrassed, I¡¯ll probably be redder than a potato. No, I mean tomatoes." She spoke so fast, everything might¡¯ve been one word.

    "My dear, listen to me¡ª"

    "Once is actually too much. Let¡¯s not even talk about it, okay? Wait, is that too controlling? Uhm, then maybe just half a joke? Like a really small one...not too much, though." That¡¯s it. Where¡¯s the nearest open window? She wanted to fling herself out of it right now.

    Yang Feng waited for her to say something else. A secondter, he broke out into a loudughter that caused her face to be inmed.

    "It¡¯s not funny!" She cried out, tearing up a bit. Even though her heart skipped a beat and her stomach¡¯s dragon came to life at the sound of hisughter, she still wanted to cry.

    When he turned towards her with that knee-wobbling smile, she thought, ¡¯Wow. He might as well have shot me right there because I think my heart stopped. Why is he so handsome?! Damn it! Howe he doesn¡¯t have one bad angle to him?¡¯

    "Silly girl." He shook his head whilst pulling her into his arms. "You smell perfectly fine. And there is no one else in this world that¡¯s prettier than you, you little fool¡ª"

    "Technically, you have to say that since you are my husband." Zhao Lifei wrinkled her nose at him. He chuckled and patted her head.

    "Fine, I guess the truth has been exposed."

    Zhao Lifei gasped, her eyes as wide as her gaping mouth. This..this...bastard! She didn¡¯t think he would t out p her with the truth. "I hope you enjoy the couch from now on!" She kicked him off of her, jamming her leg into his stomach like a kid.

    "Aren¡¯t you going to ask who it is?" He was greatly entertained by her violent reactions. It seemed grabbing her hands was not the best idea since she could also use her legs. It took only one leg for him to mp down on hers, forcing it in ce.

    "I don¡¯t care." She snapped, crossing her arms. She was angry that he was able to easily subdue her leg. She guessed it was time to hit the gym and try to strength-train.

    "Is that pout I see?" He continued to bully her by reaching his hand out to pinch her squishable cheeks. With a loud "Hmph!" she turned her head away from him. A mirthful smile graced his face. He hugged her from behind while resting his chin on her head. He ignored her elbow jabs that felt like pokes.

    "The only person who has a chance of rivaling you will be our future daughter." He twirled the ends of her hair, curling it around one of his fingers.

    Zhao Lifei stopped struggling and in a quiet voice, she said, "You¡¯re very annoying. You know that right?" Despite her words, she couldn¡¯t keep the smile off her face.

    "Likewise." He hummed in reply, pinching the strands of her hair with two fingers. He didn¡¯t know why, but ying with it gave him some sort offort.

    Zhao Lifei silentlyid there with him. Somehow, their position changed. She was resting her head on his chest whilst his hand was continuously ying with some parts of her hair. She could hear his steady heartbeat and she was very close to falling back asleep. She found it strange how rxed her body felt when his arms were around her. The safety andfort he provided were unrivaled to anyone else in this world.

    Before Zhao Lifei fell asleep, she raised her head and sat up. One of his arms were slung loosely around her hip.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" He asked her, expecting her to fall asleep. He would never admit this, but he wanted to cuddle with her. It has been four days since he had not held her whilst he slept. And those nights were gruesome. He would toss and turn on the separate hospital bed provided by one of the nurses. Without her presence, he felt uneasy. When he finally caught a wink of sleep, he would wake up two or three hourster, drenched in sweat from a damn nightmare.

    Her hospital bed was huge enough to fit both of them together with enough room to spare. When she was unconscious, he refused to get into the bed with her. He didn¡¯t want to identally touch her in his sleep and mess with the needles or hooks attached to her. There were too many risks.

    "I¡¯m going to take a shower first. I feel sticky." Zhao Lifei yawned, which caused him to yawn a bit because of how intently he was staring at her. Yawns are contagious.

    "Come back quickly." Yang Feng instructed her when she hopped off the bed without his help.

    He pressed the call button for a nurse and a minuteter, one walked in. After examining the empty IV drip bag, the nurse took out the needles and ced pressure onto the skin with a cotton ball. Next, she ced on a band-aid and left the room.

    "You don¡¯t need to take one?" She curiously asked him while walking to the closet in hopes of finding a towel. It was stocked with fluffy, white ones.

    "I took one this morning." He told her which made her disappointingly nod her head. She wanted to see a wet Yang Feng with only a towel hanging dangerously low on his waist and water droplets rolling down the sharp v-line... She rapidly shook her head at the image and ran into the bathroom before he could ask her what¡¯s wrong.

 Chapter 321 Dont Call Him Tha

    The next day, on the outskirts of Leinan.

    "Did you think I wouldn¡¯t find out?" An arctic voice began. Destructive eyes that could bring down a storm were directed into a piercing re. Calloused hands, from all of his victorious battles, were holding a piece of crumpled paper.

    Lying in a bloody mess on the floor was a man he once regarded as arade, a good friend, and maybe even a brother. One eye was swollen shut and bruised and the other could barely keep itself open from the blood dripping down his forehead.

    "I told you, I was framed!" The man screamed, groaning in pain when it ced too much of a strain on his injured body. He was ambushed on his way back into the city.

    Jiang Zihui¡¯s lips were curled into a scowl, his eyes deadly. "I¡¯ve known you for three years now. You think I wouldn¡¯t know when you¡¯re lying?" He bent his knee and with a gloved hand, grabbed his colleague by the cor. "F*cking bastard, you watched me desperately search for her when you were the damn reason she left." Without warning, he raised his hand and punched the man in the face.

    "You...think you will get away with this?" Each breath of air caused his chest to heave and that, in return, brought him indescribable pain.

    Jiang Zihui tossed his head back andughed. "You¡¯ve been my friend for the longest time and have witnessed what I can do." His face snapped back to seriousness. "Your family¡¯s legacy ends with you." He picked up the piece of paper and shoved it to the man¡¯s face.

    Forcibly removed from the squadron. He was forbidden entry into any of the bases and would be trialed by the military for his sexual misconduct.

    "Utilizing my resources to wipe the camera recordings and using my underlings as your aplices." Jiang Zihui disapprovingly shook his head. "You should¡¯ve covered your tracks better."

    The man¡¯s face dropped. If his General does not kill him, his family and his father would have been using more cruel methods. It was better to die at the hands of an ex-friend than a father who valued reputation more than his own blood. "Just kill me already." He ground his teeth.

    "You delivered me the f*cking flowers and watched my interaction with her then used it as leverage to frame me. You think I¡¯m going to simply kill you? Don¡¯t make meugh." Jiang Zihui whistled. From the shadows came his men.

    "Once I am done with you, you will be delivered straight to the courts for a harsher sentence. And once that is done, you will never be able to live a day free in prison. My men will take their sweet time ripping you apart."

    Jiang Zihui¡¯s eyes tilted to the ones already present. Before the man could beg and grovel for mercy, the General was gone and out of sight. He left behind a wake of horrifying screams that could awaken all of the beasts in the forest.

    - - - - -

    Jiang Zihui mindlessly yed with the broken hair-tie with two fingers, his eyes staring into the distance. Trees whirled by him, a world of evergreen. His driver nced at him in the mirror but kept his mouth shut after seeing the thoughtful expression on the General¡¯s face.

    "I changed my mind. Do not take me back to Shenbei. Take me home." Jiang Zihui carefully ced the hair-tie into a detailed wooden box that he hand made in his free time. He treated the broken rubber and fabric like it was the great heirloom of his family.

    The driver nodded his head and turned the car around. He was perplexed by the drastic change of ns since they were brimming the outskirts of Shenbei. Nheless, he kept quiet and began to head in the direction of Madam Jiang¡¯s house.

    Jiang Zihui¡¯s eyes were clear and sharp. He was thinking level headedly about his decision to finally get the Jiang family ring from her. His mother was the first candidate that Matriarch Jiang had in mind for marriage, so naturally, when the first child was a son, the family ring was passed down onto Madam Jiang without hesitation.

    Jiang Zihui never told his parents about Zhao Lifei, nor did he mention having feelings for any woman. He was rarely friendly or seen with other women and this made his parents very fearful that their son was into men and not women. At this point of their desperation, they were willing to ept any woman he introduced to them ¡ª as long as she came from a good background.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei waited until Yang Feng left the room to pick up a call. When he was gone, she climbed out of bed and made her way to the bouquets. They were wilting by now and she deemed it would be best to ce them in a vase or something. She doubted Yang Feng would want dying flowers around her.

    She grabbed the white cards, a tiny smile appeared on her face when she saw that three of the bouquets were from Yang Ruqin.

    Card One: Please get well soon, I miss you, even though it has only been like one day - Qinqin.

    Card Two: Come on, sleeping beauty, I know you do not need to get any prettier! Today is also your birthday... I wanted to celebrate it with you. -Qinqin.

    Card Three: Are you trying to apply to a modeling agency? Because you should wake up and stop having your beauty rest! I miss you... Please call me as soon as you see this card. I know my stupid brother will not tell me anything. -Qinqin

    The first thing that Zhao Lifei did was call Yang Ruqin. She was briefly surprised by all of the emails and text messages. Usually, she only got a handful of birthday messages. Oddly enough, her rtives were beginning to send her congrattions. She ignored all of them. It was toote for them to begin bootlicking her.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s shoulder sagged while she slouched into thefortable chair. She ced her color pencils down to observe the new line of dresses she was making. Her face scrunched up in dissatisfaction. She picked up the paper and loudly ripped it into smaller pieces that she tossed in the trash.

    Today, she looked nothing like the magazines. A mop of hair waszily slung into a bun on top of her head. It was messy enough for birds toy their eggs in it. She was wearing a denim overall that had questionable stains on it. She was in distress. The deadlines for designs were approaching in two days and she had yet to draw anything satisfyingly eye-pleasing to her.

    Just then, her phone buzzed and she nearly cried in relief. Finally, something to distract herself with! She weed this procrastination opportunity.

    Flying out of her chair, she ran to get the ringing phone on the other side of the paper-littered studio.

    "Hello?" Yang Ruqin didn¡¯t bother to look at the caller.

    "Qinqin? It¡¯s me."

    Yang Ruqin gasped. The gloomy, grey clouds in her eyes scattered, making way for fluffy white clouds found on sunny days. "Feifei! You¡¯re awake."

    "Yeah, thank you for pointing out the obvious."

    "Yay, your brain is working! Happy bted birthday!" Yang Ruqin squealed, wishing she could just bury herself in Feifei¡¯s arms. She could use some hugs and words of encouragement right now. She blinked. Wait. That¡¯s not a bad idea. ¡¯I can just visit her at the hospital!¡¯

    "Thank you. I just saw the bouquets you¡¯ve bought for me. Some flowers are dying because your brother didn¡¯t bother to put them in vases." Zhao Lifei aimlessly hobbled around the hospital room. She didn¡¯t know why but she always needed to be upied with something when she was engaged in a phone call. Besides, minimal exercising would be good for her body to recover faster.

    This morning, Bai Xingyao came in to tell them the good news that Zhao Lifei can be discharged tomorrow or the day after tomorrow if she shows signs of improvement. Of course, Yang Feng shot the good news down and demanded she needed at least a week¡¯s rest.

    "Ugh! I specifically told him to put them in vases so that you can wake up to something fresh and beautiful! Of course, he never listens to me. Every time I tell him something, my words are empty air going through one ear and out the other." Yang Ruqin grabbed her keys and purse, then left the studio.

    "But I¡¯m d he didn¡¯t go through with his original idea of just tossing it in the trash. He said something about my flowers not being edible. He evenined about how ugly the flower arrangements were, even though he knew I was the one who handpicked everything and painstakingly crafted it together!" Yang Ruqin ranted about her frustration while hailing down a cab. She told the driver the destination.

    "On the brighter side, he¡¯s outside and can listen to you reprimand him for the next hour or so before I kick him out." Zhao Lifei plopped herself down onto the couch, one legzily hanging off the edge.

    "What? Reprimand him? He¡¯ll kill me before I finish my sentences!" Yang Ruqin purposely used a pitiful voice. "Oh Feifei, you have to talk some sense into him for me."

    "I just woke up from aa yesterday night and you already want me to yell at my adoring husband?"

    "E don¡¯t call him that, I¡¯m gonna puke. And on another note, you woke up yesterday and didn¡¯t even bother to tell me about it?!"

    Zhao Lifei opened her mouth to respond but Yang Feng entered the room and when he saw she was out of bed, his face darkened. "Why are you on the couch?" He stomped to her and she gasped when he took the phone from her, his eyes growing stormy when he saw it was his obnoxious little sister.

    "Stop disturbing my wife from her rest." He growled into the phone, hanging up and then chucking it to the other couch.

    "I was on a call!" She groaned, sitting up straighter.

    He was still wearing the suit fromst night and it was creased from sleeping in it. She didn¡¯t want to remember the incident from this morning where he used her of groping his chest in her sleep. He tried to use that as an excuse to fondle her breast out of boredom.

    "Well, now you¡¯re not."

    She was left stunned and speechless by his behavior.

 Chapter 322 Babysitter

    "If you continue pouting, I¡¯ll kiss you."

    She sucked her bottom lip back in. "I didn¡¯t know I was pouting." She huffed. "What¡ªhey!" She was startled when he suddenly bent down and picked her up.

    "What are you doing?" She asked him, her heart lurching when he briefly nced down at her and she saw how dark it seemed.

    "Finishing what I was supposed to dost night." He grunted, tossing her onto the bed and climbing in after her.

    "Are you crazy? Not on the hospital bed!" She hissed at him, her fingers pointing towards the door. "There are people outside, they will hear us." She turned her head to the door where the small rectangle window could be found. She couldn¡¯t look outside because there was a wall of ck suits in the form of bodyguards.

    "Hear us do what?" Yang Feng quirked a brow while he began to pull the nket up to her chin.

    "Uh..." Zhao Lifei trailed off when he suddenly began to tuck her into bed instead of tucking something else into something... My goodness, who is the one influencing her dirty-mind?!

    Yang Feng was struggling to maintain a serious face while he made sure the nkets were fully covering her body. From the start, he knew what she was referring to. When her shoulders seemed to dejectedly drop, he bent down and in a husky voice, whispered, "Don¡¯t worry, my dear. I will thoroughly take my sweet time with you once we get home."

    Her face heated him at his suggestive words. "I wasn¡¯t implying that¡ª"

    "Implying what?" He innocently asked her, curling a finger and caressing her smooth cheek.

    "You¡ª"

    "Oh Feifei! I have arrived with gifts!" Yang Ruqin skipped into the room with white stic bags filled with all sorts of takeout food from the local restaurant down the street. Originally she wasn¡¯t supposed to buy too much food, but in the end, she was salivating over everything on the menu and decided to order half of it.

    "Oh." Yang Ruqin awkwardly set the bags down when she saw thepromising position they were in. Her Feifei was attempting to make herself as small as possible, inching into the bed, whereas Yang Feng hovered over her.

    "Are you guys going to start making pretty nieces that I can dress up? If so, I can leave." Yang Ruqin pointed her thumb back to the door, a suggestive smile on her face. When Zhao Lifei made eye contact with her, Yang Ruqin wriggled her brows and winked.

    "We are. So leave."

    "Huh?! No, we¡¯re not! Don¡¯t go anywhere!" Zhao Lifei sat up too fast for Yang Feng to react and the two heads bumped each other. "My brain cells!" She cried out, clutching her forehead in pain.

    Yang Feng¡¯s jaw ticked in pain while he rubbed his aching forehead. "It hurts." She groaned, her lips tugged into the pout that always drives him insane. Using one hand to rub his, he used the other to soothe her forehead.

    "Idiot." He grumbled under his breath, but she heard him loud and clear. She threw him an using re.

    "Says the one with low EQ." She snapped at him, rolling her eyes. Despite her disgruntled actions, her heart swelled with warmth at how much he seemed to care for her. He had stopped clutching his forehead now and was centered on fixing hers.

    "My love, I believe yours is lower than mine." He responded whilst rubbing his thumbs in circles, pressing a kiss upon her temple.

    Yang Ruqin could puke up blood right now. What is with the lovey-dovey with imaginary roses in the background! Get a room you horny bunnies! ¡¯I don¡¯t want to eat dog food.¡¯ She cried to herself, ready to pick up the bags of food and leave.

    "For the record," She piped up, "Both of you guys have low EQs. I don¡¯t think anyone of you guys should be arguing about it.."

    "Come back to me when you have a high IQ." Yang Feng responded to her, glowering along the way. His eyes flickered a bit when he saw his younger sister was gaining a bit of healthy weight. There was finally some meat on her bones.

    "Y-yeah well, at least I-I-..." Yang Ruqin stuttered and scrambled to find something she was better at doing. Her brother could cook better than her, was smarter than her, and was running the Underworld alongside the business world. Aha! "Well...well at least I have Feifei¡¯s baby pictures! And a lot more friends than you because my EQ is very good!"

    "I have pictures of my love from the day of her birth to every year of her birthday." He smoothly said. He left out the part where he did intensive research about her a couple of months ago. He was unaware of the mortified expression on her face. "Quality over quantity." He added on.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s face scrunched into an angry scowl. She stomped her foot on the ground like the tantrum-throwing child she was. "That¡¯s because I¡¯m not creepy like you!"

    "You¡¯re just jealous." Yang Feng hummed, climbing off of the bed when he saw Zhao Lifei¡¯s hands reaching for his ears. He already predicted what she was going to do.

    "You have photos of me when I was younger? That¡¯s so creepy!" Zhao Lifei groaned whilst facepalming herself. My goodness, what have I gotten myself into? She knew he stalked her a bit and perhaps read into her past, but she didn¡¯t think he would hoard photos!

    "How else will I show our future kids how cute their mother was when she was younger? We can evenpare the simrity between our daughter and you as a kid. Wouldn¡¯t that be cute?"

    Zhao Lifei wondered who was the husband and wife in their rtionship. His words were something a wife would say to her husband as an excuse for robbing his photo albums. She was speechless by how shameless he could get.

    "Can you not shove dog food down my throat like that? That¡¯s gross." Yang Ruqin didn¡¯t like being neglected. She didn¡¯t like not having Feifei to herself. No one understood her like Feifei.

    Whenever Yang Ruqin had problems, she would always run to Zhao Lifei because thetter would never judge her or anything. Zhao Lifei would sit down with open ears and a calm mind, ready to give out the best advice she could think of. All her life, Yang Ruqin was used to having Zhao Lifei all to herself with no oneing in between them. Just like Yang Feng, she did not know how to share.

    "Do you want a niece or not?" Yang Feng growled, grabbing Zhao Lifei¡¯s waist when Yang Ruqin approached with the white bags of food.

    "I do! But don¡¯t do it in front of me! I think I¡¯m going to be traumatized by it for the rest of my life." Yang Ruqin ced the bags of food down and fiddled with the buttons beside the bed. She had spent a long time in a different VVIP room. It was long enough for her to know there was a built-in table on the bed that allowed the patients to enjoy their meals. The ones in the VVIP room wererger, sturdier, and made from the best quality possible.

    Yang Feng¡¯s face became darker and darker with each item that Yang Ruqin pulled out of the bag. It was all greasy food packed with fat and little nutrients, but tons of vor that would stimte Zhao Lifei¡¯s taste buds. He didn¡¯t know a majority of these dishes were something Zhao Lifei and Yang Ruqin used to secretly eat after sses.

    "She can¡¯t eat this...trash." He grunted, closing every lid she opened them. "And it¡¯s cold. Do you want her to have a stomach ache?" He snapped at her. He was dissatisfied by everything there. "Wooden chopsticks? Have you lost your mind? She could get a splinter from these! And stic? Do you know how many chemicals are in these? Are you trying to poison my wife?!" He snarled, cing everything back into the bag.

    "Yang Feng, it¡¯s fine, I like these dishes." Zhao Lifei truthfully told him, grabbing his wrist.

    "No, you¡¯ll get sick if you eat these. You need real food made with real vegetables and herbs that will help you get better." Right on cue, a knock sounded throughout the room.

    "Come in." Yang Feng said and in walked Chen Gaonan who stood out like a sore thumb in his steel cut grey suit. He was dressed like a professional businessman but was carrying enough take-out bags to be the delivery man.

    "Sir, these are the dishes the chefs at home has prepared for thedy boss." Chen Gaonan would¡¯ve been annoyed to be the delivery man if it were not for the fact that he could see his wifeter when he was excused. He was hoping to have lunch with her...but when he saw the tension in the room and the two siblings ready to rip each other head off, he sighed. Guess it was time to y the babysitter.

 Chapter 323 War of Two Households

    Chen Gaonan could sense the high tension in the room. He carefully organized his boss¡¯s dishes onto the table while Yang Ruqin did the same. Cracks of electricity could be heard in the background from the fierce staredown between the siblings. Not wanting to be stuck in the crossroad, he quietly retreated into the background.

    Zhao Lifei wanted to cry. The number of dishes piled up on her table was simply too much for her. It was split down the middle where the ones on the left belonged to Yang Ruqin and the ones on the right belonged to Yang Feng. They were intently staring at her, waiting for her to take a bite. It was like they were saying, "Well? Which one will you eat first?"

    In the end, she said, "Dig in, guys. I¡¯m sure none of you have had your meals yet."

    "I¡¯m full."

    "Eat."

    Yang Ruqin and Yang Feng said at the same time, individually shooting each other dirty looks for interrupting the other.

    Zhao Lifei sighed. They were waiting to see whose side she would take a bite out of first. She picked up her chopsticks, took something from Yang Ruqin¡¯s side where she said, "AHA! I told you these were her favorite dishes." Then Zhao Lifei took some leafy greens from Yang Feng¡¯s side, ced both dishes into her rice bowl and ate them together.

    "Technically, I ate both of your food first." Zhao Lifei said once she was finished with chewing. She could feel Yang Feng¡¯s brooding re and when she turned to him, his stare was darker. He had never lost to anyone before. For it to be his younger sister, he was enraged.

    "You didn¡¯t lose." She patted his cheek and turned to Yang Ruqin, "You didn¡¯t win either. So stop standing around like children. Eat your food." She wondered how Madam Yang dealt with these two. It must¡¯ve been hard raising them. All they seemed to do was argue.

    Speaking of Fan Jin, her birthday was less than four days from now. Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t start eating again until both siblings had picked up their chopsticks and grudgingly ate beside her. She felt like a boulder was lifted off of her shoulders. Atst, she could enjoy her meal in peace.

    Her eyes wandered around the room and realized something. In the corner, by the windows, and nearly hidden by curtains, were boxes of gifts that she had not seen before. She had to strain her eyes to even realize they were presents. Strange. How did they get there?

    Yang Ruqin followed her gaze and gasped. "My present for you is in that pile there! Wait, why is it by the window collecting dust?!" She mmed her chopsticks down after emptying the rice in her bowl.

    Zhao Lifei sharply turned to Yang Feng who was in the middle of deboning fish for his dear wife. He ced the best parts into her bowl. "Fish is high in omega. It¡¯s good for you." He had barely touched his food and was now working on peeling the shrimp for her. He was struggling. The shrimp was always peeled for him and as the Young Master, he never got his fingers dirty with tedious chores like this.

    "Don¡¯t just stare at me. Eat your food.." He hummed, cing the shrimp into her bowl.

    Zhao Lifei felt her anger wash away with his gestures. He was getting better and better at pacifying her. "Why did you leave the presents in the corner of the room?"

    "Because they¡¯re all trash inparison to mine." Yang Feng told her, lifting his head and giving her a smug little smile. She wished she could wipe it off his face with a good twist of his ears. "If I had shown them to you earlier, you would¡¯ve opened them without opening mine first."

    Zhao Lifei became speechless. She was dumbfounded and stared at him like he was crazy. He might as well have been. Who thinks like that?! "Well, where is your gift then?" She picked up her chopsticks and began to eat when he peered at her through his longshes.

    "At home." Yang Feng stood up and stuck his hand out. Chen Gaonan was already on standby with a hot towel and wet wipes. He cleaned his fingers with both items then dried it with a silk handkerchief custom-made for him. It was ck like his soul with simple silver borders.

    "You¡¯re not going to eat...?" Zhao Lifei was stuffed. Together, she and Yang Ruqin had pretty much demolished the majority of the dishes. Even after she was full, she was craving desserts. It was as if her stomach always created a designated area where the dessert could squeeze itself in.

    "I already ate when you were sleeping this morning." Yang Feng had to wake up earlier than her and his speed matched the rising sun. He had gotten up early to get some work done before Chen Gaonan cried about the neglected pile of work.

    If his pesky little sister hadn¡¯t barged into the room, Yang Feng wanted to feed her. Damn brat. She was such a cute kid, what happened to her? He watched his sister attempt to wrestle therge box buried underneath the other ones. When Yang Ruqin was still distracted, Yang Feng turned back to Chen Gaonan, "Clear the tables."

    Chen Gaonan obediently took the job as the janitor, even though he was supposed to be a full-time secretary. He was hoping for another bonus. His wife was ecstatic when he got the previous one and they finally had the chance to make a child two days into Zhao Lifei¡¯sa. He nted the bread in the oven and could only hope it would rise.

    In the blink of an eye, he had organized everything into a recycled pile and andfill one. Next, he ced the items into their designated location, wiped the table clean, and set everything back into ce. He was done in less than five minutes.

    "We should hire him as the maid instead. He¡¯d make a good one." Zhao Lifei teased Chen Gaonan who nearly dropped dead at the suggestion.

    Chen Gaonan¡¯s indifferent expression shed with consternation and dread. He would rather kill himself than be caught in a dress.

    ¡¯B-boss...You wouldn¡¯t!¡¯ He turned to the man that sealed his fate.

    Yang Feng indulged in his wife¡¯s teasing. "Yes, I suppose he would." He grabbed a napkin and wiped Zhao Lifei¡¯s mouth. "But we would have to bother a tailor to correct the dress into arger size for him."

    Chen Gaonan looked like a deer caught in a headlight. Terror was too simple to describe the expression on his face. "B-boss..." He whispered, knowing if his boss ordered him to, he would put himself in a maid outfit.

    "Thedy-boss has made up her mind. What are you looking at me for?" Yang Feng tossed the napkin into the trash can. He didn¡¯t pay his secretary any attention. While Chen Gaonan was debating all the methods of running away, Yang Feng pulled out a picture tucked into his suit.

    "Have you seen this bracelet before?" He asked her in a low murmur.

    Zhao Lifei was confused at the question and took the photograph from his hands. Huh, a silver charm bracelet. It was extremely familiar. "Why do you ask?" She questioned.

    Yang Feng could practically see the gears move in her head while she tried to think where she had seen the bracelet before. "It was found on the model who was linked to Mu Ting." He didn¡¯t want to keep any secrets from her, especially when Yang Ruqin was involved.

    "Model...?" Zhao Lifei scratched her head. She did not see the bracelet on the model¡¯s hand, but she did see it somewhere else! Her eyes widened when the thought mmed her like a speeding truck. No. Way.

    Her breath hitched at the turn of events. H-how was this possible? It can¡¯t be. Was that woman this petty to get back at her through the means of harming Yang Ruqin?! She should¡¯ve known.

    "What is it?" Yang Feng could tell she knew something, but he did not like the expression on her face. Disbelief. Bewilderment.

    "What are you going to do when I tell you who has the same bracelet?" Zhao Lifei breathed out in shock, pressing a hand to her chest. The web of the elites was more tangled and messy than she had originally wished it to be.

    "I¡¯ll leave him or her in the hands of Guo Sheng. If Yang Ruqin is up for it, she can join." Yang Feng pinched her chin, turning it so that she was directly looking at him.

    "If you go after her, there will be a war between two major households." She said to herself, shaking her head in disbelief.

    "Who is it?" He patiently asked. Two major households? War? What was she talking about?

    "Xia Mengxi." The name slipped out of Zhao Lifei¡¯s mouth. "She has the same bracelet as the model."

 Chapter 324 Split Into Three

    "Xia Mengxi?" Yang Feng repeated the name, equally surprised as Chen Gaonan whose ears perked up at the name. That was Zheng Tianyi¡¯s mistress.

    "I didn¡¯t think she would be petty enough to hold such a long grudge against me." Zhao Lifei wanted tough and cry at the same time.

    "It¡¯s not your fault¡ª"

    "I didn¡¯t say it was." Zhao Lifei was too prideful to admit her wrongdoings. She knew karma would bite her in the ass one day. What goes around,es around. But why did karma bite the wrong people? What benefit could she gain from hurting Yang Ruqin and not Zhao Lifei?!

    "I knew the bracelet looked familiar when I saw it on my way up the stairway to the Ling Banquet. It was the same model that pestered me to answer stupid questions." Zhao Lifei dropped back onto the bed and tiredly covered her eyes. "Xia Mengxi must¡¯ve done that to Qinqin as payback for something I did in the past. And don¡¯t ask me what it is, Imitted too many sins for me to list out."

    "Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll handle it." Yang Feng grabbed her wrist and dragged it away from her eyes, revealing the distress on her face. She was overthinking it again.

    "No, you don¡¯t get it." She shook her head. "I tried to go after Xia Mengxi before. The result is not that pretty¡ª"

    "That was before you met me." Yang Feng interrupted her.

    Yang Ruqin ran to them with a box.

    "Aha! I got it out!" Yang Ruqin set the box onto the nightstand. ¡¯Am I interrupting something?¡¯ She thought to herself when she saw the bleak expression on Feifei¡¯s face. "The wrapping has scratches, but it should be fine since you¡¯re going to tear it apart."

    Yang Feng gave Zhao Lifei a look that said, ¡¯We¡¯ll talk about this another time.¡¯ She silently nodded her head.

    Yang Ruqin looked left and right in confusion. Why did she feel like a child caught between a secret conversation between parents? "What is it?" She asked, crossing her arms.

    "Nothing."

    "Nothing."

    Zhao Lifei and Yang Feng said at the same time. Wanting a way to distract Yang Ruqin, Zhao Lifei asked, "What did you buy for me?" This question was supposed to distract Yang Ruqin and it worked out sessfully. In no time, the young woman began to ramble about the adventure she went on before obtaining the gift.

    - - - - -

    A woman walked down the corridor, staring at the paper in her hands. It didn¡¯t make sense. One billion dors was split into three ounts. One-third of it remained in Xia Mengxi¡¯s bank ount. The other two-thirds were transitioned off to mysterious ount numbers.

    Chen Xing had contacted the bank in regards to the address of the ount, but that was confidential information. Even when names and connections were dropped, none of the bank informants dared to snitch.

    This was exactly why Chen Xing took the paper as evidence. It was hard enough as it was to get the evidence of what Xia Mengxi did with the money. For her to pass this to her boss without him shooting the messenger would be harder.

    She held in a sigh. Looming over her were the daunting, ck doors leading to Zheng Tianyi¡¯s office. He was not going to be happy about this. The maids reported to her that Xia Mengxi and Zheng Tianyi had gotten into another argument this morning when she was seen smiling at her phone. She said it was a text from her mother and when he snatched the phone, he saw the contact name was "Mom."

    The only problem was that Xia Mengxi blew the action out of disproportion and argued about how controlling he was. This prompted Zheng Tianyi to bring up her past and it snowballed into a gigantic fight.

    Chen Xing bit her bottom lip and wondered if she should personally give this to her boss. It would be too risky... Lately, he had been staring at her weirdly and it was the type of look she witnessed in her pleasurable dreams. She shook her head and tried to tell herself it was only a figment of her imagination.

    She sucked in a breath and knocked on the door. Oh right, he made his office soundproof a couple of days ago. She nearly forgot about the incident of his tantrum being heard. She walked to her desk where she made eye-contact with one of the private assistants.

    "Tough day?" The woman asked, looking up from herputer. She pushed her slim sses back up, her diamond ring dancing in the light.

    "Very, very tough day." Chen Xing sighed, pressing the button beside her desk. A minute passed before he granted her entry. "Well, I¡¯ll see youter ¡ª if I make it back from Hell." Her tone was sarcastic. She put her big-girl shoes on and sashayed to the door, opening it and stepping inside. The door automatically locked behind her.

    Chen Xing wondered if she was drooling. Her boss looked heavenly behind the enormous oakwood desk. His fingers danced upon the keyboard and he was heavily concentrated at the draft he was making. His forehead was creased with lines with diligence.

    "Good afternoon, Boss." She started confidently. When he lifted his head, she felt her throat run dry. Her confidence left like the wind.

    He was exhausted and his midnight-ck hair was messy in a good way. He must¡¯ve repeatedly ran his hand through his silky locks. There it was again. That glint in his irresistible eyes.

    "A-as you have requested, I went to the bank this morning." He watched her every move, especially the small shake of her curvy hips when she elegantly walked up to him. "It seems the one billion that the Madam withdrew from your bank was split into three ounts."

    Zheng Tianyi closed hisptop and motioned for her to ce the paper onto his desk. She did so with two arms, her bodying down a bit. His eyes darkened. He felt a familiar tightness in his cks. When she had bent down, she had unknowingly shed to him the parted gap between the buttons of her blouse that couldn¡¯t contain her breasts.

    "The Madam kept one-third of it and some of it seems to have been made into investments." Chen Xing pointed to the bottom of the paper. She tried her best to brush off the look President Zheng was giving her. She was growing tingly when he never nced at the papers and kept his eyes locked upon her.

    "The remaining two-thirds were sent to mysterious parties. The bank informants will not tell me the location of the two ounts, even after I told them I was sent by you..." She trailed off, gulping when her boss tilted his head and motioned for her toe closer to him.

    "Show me the two ount numbers." His voice had dropped an octave and it sounded dangerous. She felt like a shakingmb presented before a hungry lion. "Yes, sir..." She whispered, walking to his side and directly pointing towards the two numbers in the middle of the page.

    "I-I think it¡¯s best if you contact the CEO of the bank." Her voice was growing quieter by the second. Why did he look like he was ready to devour her alive? She was frightened when he abruptly grabbed her wrist.

    "How long have you worked for me?" Zheng Tianyi asked her out of the blue. He could not keep his eyes off of her now that he had caught a whiff of her vani-scented perfume. She smelled just like Xia Mengxi. Thinking of her made his blood boil. The past month has been riddled with nothing but fights and door mming. He had not touched her for a month and a half now. He could always force himself upon her, but he was not into such a thing... Not after the incident in the past.

    "For two and a half years now. Ever since the Madam quit the job."

    "How much do you value this job of yours?"

    Chen Xing did not understand his question. Did she act ungrateful in front of him? Did she do something wrong? Was she going to get fired?! Her heart dropped at thest thought. She can¡¯t afford to be fired. She would be homeless if she did! This was the only job that paid her well enough to live afortable life!

    "As much as I value my life." She responded to him. "S-sir, am I being fired?"

    "Depends on your reaction from here on." He told her, standing to his full height.

    Chen Xing did not understand what he meant until he grabbed her elbow and began dragging her in the direction of a hidden door. She didn¡¯t know how to react, for it was the same room she had always seen Xia Mengxi and Zheng Tianyi escape into.

 Chapter 325 Open Windows

    Chen Xing watch her Boss open the door leading to a simple bedroom. There was arge, spacious bed pushed against a wall, a closet, and a door leading to a bathroom. Her eyes swept to the untouched bed then moved towards the nightstand where the drawer was opened a bit. This was wrong. It was wrong. rms went off in her head, red gs were waving in the distance.

    He guided her to the bed and pushed her down onto it. ¡¯This is wrong.¡¯ Her brain screamed at her, while her heart yearned for her boss¡¯ touch. He began to unbutton her shirt.

    ¡¯Zheng Tianyi is your boss. If you sleep with your boss once, he will take advantage of you again and again.¡¯

    Chen Xing¡¯s eyes closed when his lipstched upon her neck. The angel on her shoulder was whispering the painful truth to her. This will not be a simple one nightstand.

    His hands were slipping lower now and just like her, he was having second thoughts on this. This woman was his secretary and though she was not the best one, she stuck to his side throughout all of his temper tantrums.

    An image of Xia Mengxi shed across his mind, tears pooling in those doey eyes of hers. A sh of pain mmed his heart.

    "This is wrong." She blurted out. It was right when he decided it was time to stop whatever this might escte to.

    "For once, you said something smart." Zheng Tianyi climbed off of her, adjusting his tie. He could not look her in the eye, not after what he had done.

    Chen Xing was bewildered by the turn of events. She sat up and buttoned her blouse again, adjusting her top even though they did not engage in much.

    Click.

    She blinked. Her head snapped to Zheng Tianyi but he did not react to anything. He was too fixated on soothing out the non-existent creases on his suit. She awkwardly scratched her head. Perhaps her ears were ying tricks on her.

    - - - - -

    "Ruqin, whatever you have on your schedule today, cancel it." Yang Feng ordered his younger sister when he saw what time it was. Chen Gaonan was impatiently tapping his foot, anxiously chewing his nails. Time was ticking and many meetings were approaching. He did his best to push them after lunch. Lunchtime wasing to an end. His boss had to return to thepany now.

    "And my love," He turned to Zhao Lifei who was distracted by the gorgeous dress in her hands. It was the color of midnight-blue and depending on the angle that light shines upon it, a slightly lighter shade would be revealed. Diamonds were sewn onto it where the tiniest movements would create an illusion of light.

    "Behave yourself." Yang Feng rested his hand at the back of her head, keeping it in ce while he bent his head to give her a goodbye kiss on the forehead. Much to his disliking, he kept it PG-13. "Please." He exasperated when she raised her head to sh him a smile. An arrow pierced his heart, straight from cupid¡¯s bow. If Chen Gaonan was not hovering behind him, he would¡¯ve stolen her lips just as she had stolen his heart.

    "I will." She reassured him. "With your people here, where could I go?"

    "My men have not forgotten the IV pole incident. Do not repeat it." Yang Feng sternly said. He kept his eyes leveled with hers while he reached for the remote control on the nightstand. "The TV here has ess to every channel you can think of. There¡¯s no advertisement in any of them. I had the staff set up movies as well." He took her delicate hand and ced the remote onto her open palm.

    "Shall I also bark for you?"

    "Lifei." He gave her a warning stare. He was not going to take ¡¯no¡¯ for an answer. Not with that maniac lurking in the corners of the city.

    "I¡¯ll be good. Okay? I promise." She reached up and used two fingers to smooth the creases on his forehead. She was worried he was going to get wrinkles early and it was all going to be because of her.

    She stuck out a pinky to him. "Here, I¡¯ll even pinky promise."

    "You¡¯re such a kid." He sighed, shaking his head. Nheless, he hooked their pinkies together and sealed the promise with their thumb.

    "Alright, mother hen, it¡¯s time to leave." Yang Ruqin piped up from behind Yang Feng. She was eager to tell Zhao Lifei everything that happened in the past four days, especially the blind date.

    Yang Feng shot Yang Ruqin a dirty look that made her skin crawl. She dropped her gaze. He turned back to Zhao Lifei, "I love you."

    Yang Ruqin made a gagging face behind her brother¡¯s back.

    "I love you more. Now off you go." She shooed him off with her hand. He gave her onest kiss on the forehead and trudged to the door. Opening it halfway, he turned around one more time, shot her a mischievous wink and panty-dropping smirk. Then he left.

    "Finally!" Yang Ruqin slouched her shoulders and tossed herself onto the bed, her back hitting the soft mattress first. "I thought he would never leave." She turned her head to Feifei, shooting her a dirty re.

    "Just you wait, Feifei, I will make you pay one day."

    "For what?" Zhao Lifei mused, raising her hand and pinching Yang Ruqin¡¯s nose. She wiggled it and Yang Ruqin swatted the hand.

    "For the blind date! How can you ambush me like that?"

    "You did the same to me. It was only one blind date inparisons to the twenty-four you set me up for." Zhao Lifei kicked off the nket and walked to the humidifier. She decided it was time to change the essential oil being used.

    "But that¡¯s because I knew you didn¡¯t have any suitable partners in your life! There are some in mine!" Yang Ruqin raised her head and mmed it onto the bed repeatedly. One person, in particr, saw her leave the private dining room with Huo Qiudong. Needless to say, she had to block at least five new phone numbers. She would block one, and the persistent Yu Pingluo would use another person¡¯s phone!

    "Someone in your life? Like who?" Zhao Lifei dropped in a blood orange scent and instantly, the sweet, citrus smell filled the room. She walked to one of the windows that seemed to be pushed open. She closed it so that the humidified air would not be overwhelmed by the city air.

    "That¡¯s not important¡ª"

    "I believe it is the most important topic of today." Zhao Lifei ced the essential oil¡¯s bottle down and maneuvered her way back onto the bed, rolling Yang Ruqin out of the way. "Does it have something to do with Yu Pingluo?"

    "Don¡¯t say his name! What if you jinx it and he¡¯s watching us from somewhere?!" Yang Ruqin shot out of bed, her eyes frantic.

    "Oh please, where can he see us from? The doors are guarded." Zhao Lifei poured herself a ss of water and offered one to Yang Ruqin who shook her head.

    "You don¡¯t understand! He¡¯s an assassin¡ªdamn it." Yang Ruqin pped a hand onto her mouth. She wanted to p herself and that big mouth of hers!

    "He¡¯s an assassin?" Zhao Lifei quipped a brow. Woah, where did Yang Ruqin find such a scary ex-lover? She thought Yang Yulong would be the overprotective type that would not let such a dangerous man near his younger sister... She had a theory they must¡¯ve met in the Underworld or something. It was a far-stretch assumption, given the fact that Yang Ruqin was always heavily monitored when she was in the headquarters.

    "Yes. He specializes in killing from afar¡ªOh my god." Yang Ruqin scrambled out of the bed and her foot slipped on the nket. Her fast reflexes came in and she did a flip forward before she slipped.

    The window! What if he was looking into the hospital room from a distance? With a sniper! She ran to the window and paranoidly looked at the buildings in front of them. She didn¡¯t spot anything. To be better safe than sorry, she closed all of the curtains.

    Zhao Lifei wanted to p her hand at Yang Ruqin¡¯s flip. That was very impressive. It seems the training was paying off! She felt like a proud mother watching her child finally mature and grow up.

 Chapter 326 How Dumb.

    "Why are you staring at me like that?" Yang Ruqin groaned. Curiosity was written all over Zhao Lifei¡¯s face in bold, red letters. She didn¡¯t like that look.

    "My sweet Qinqin, I think it¡¯s storytime." Zhao Lifei patted the space beside her. Yang Ruqin¡¯s fiery re could burn a hole through the pure linen fabric. She sniffed, was that burnt cloth she smelled?

    "Storytime about what?" Yang Ruqin tried to stall as much as possible. She took tiny steps to Zhao Lifei. A minute passed and she had not crossed a meter yet.

    Zhao Lifei impatiently climbed out of the bed and grabbed Yang Ruqin¡¯s wrist. Then she hauled the young woman onto it. "Story about you and the assassin!" She forced her Qinqin to sit down on the bed.

    "How about we talk about something else? Like how the blind date went¡ª"

    "I saw how the blind date went. You guys seemed genuinely happy and there was no bad blood. What else do I need to know?" Zhao Lifei shrugged. "Seeing as Huo Qiudong has not hunted me down for it, I can safely assume he was not unhappy with the arrangements."

    "Really? He didn¡¯t seem unhappy?"

    "If you¡¯re referring to the private room¡¯s first reaction, he was unhappy, but after I left, he seemed pretty...normal. If you¡¯re referring to the present, my words were a mere guess. All of the text he has sent me was about work-rted stuff. So, we can infer that he was not upset." Zhao Lifei exined. She sped her hands together, "Alright. I answered your question. Now, it¡¯s time for you to tell me about Yu Pingluo and you."

    Yang Ruqin tried to divert the topic again, "Are you and Yang Feng married? Did you guys elope in secret? I heard the way you guys addressed each other."

    Zhao Lifeipletely forgot about keeping this a secret from Yang Ruqin. Nervously, she began to twirl the rings on her right hand. Naturally, Yang Ruqin¡¯s eyes dropped down before turning around.

    "A-are those wedding rings?! So you guys did get married!" Yang Ruqin pped a hand over her gaping mouth. She didn¡¯t want flies toe in. "Who else knows about this? What about my parents and grandfather? Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this?!" She shot questions faster than a gun could release bullets.

    "A small handful of people, including my grandfather. And now, you too. " Zhao Lifei breathed in through her nose and released a heavy sigh. "I didn¡¯t want to tell you because I was worried you might tell your parents."

    Yang Ruqin feigned an offended expression. She dramatically ced a hand to her heart and pretended she was taken aback by the words. "Why, I would never¡ª"

    "Qinqin! I¡¯m serious. You can¡¯t tell them yet. Not until everything is settled and I finally gain everyone¡¯s approval myself!" Zhao Lifei grabbed Qinqin¡¯s shoulders. She didn¡¯t expect to see it had gotten firmer, stronger, and more secure. Wow, it seems the training paid off!

    Yang Ruqin nodded her head like a broken bobble-doll [1]. She made a gesture of sealing her lips and then tossing the imaginary key over her shoulders. "I swear I won¡¯t tell anyone. You¡¯ve kept all of my secrets. It¡¯s my turn now to keep yours."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s shoulder sagged in relief. The angst in her eyes dispelled and she could finally breathe properly again. "Alright, now that we have gotten the marriage talk over with, will you finally tell me the story about Yu Pingluo?"

    Yang Ruqin yed with the fabric of the nket. She wrinkled her nose at the boring burgundy color of the deluxe nket. White and burgundy. How boring. Another ssh of color, perhaps something white and unexpected, would really liven this ce up. "Do I have to?"

    Zhao Lifei paused and thought about her words. "Only if you feelfortable telling me." Her voice dropped an octave to be gentler and more understanding. "If you¡¯re not ready yet, I won¡¯t force you."

    Yang Ruqin nodded her head, "I¡¯m not ready." She raised her head, "At. All." She added on.

    Zhao Lifei was severely disappointed by the news, but she kept her thoughts to herself. Not wanting to cross the boundaries and pressure Yang Ruqin even more, she said, "Alright then. We can always talk about it another time." She grabbed the TV remote and handed it to Yang Ruqin. She hoped browsing through the channels would distract her from any negative thoughts.

    "If you ever want to talk about him, or anything else for that matter, please remember my ears are always open. I¡¯m only one call away." Zhao Lifei gave Yang Ruqin endearing pats on the head.

    Yang Ruqin paused her channel surfing. A relieved smile made her angelic features softer, "I know." Her voice wasn¡¯t the typically bubbly one she had. It sounded a lot more mature.

    When Zhao Lifei saw the faraway look on Yang Ruqin¡¯s face, she realized how much she has changed. Leaving Yang Ruqin alone, she flopped back onto the bed. Like Yang Feng wanted her to, she spent the majority of her day watching television and movies with Yang Ruqin.

    - - - - -

    Chen Gaonan¡¯s eyes briefed over themand on his tablet. Her name was highlighted and underlined. It was a very risky mission. Like thedy-boss had said, there would be a war between two households if Xia Mengxi mysteriously disappeared off the face of the Earth. It would not take long before Zheng Tianyi discovers what happened and who took his precious fiancee.

    Chen Gaonan knew it was not his ce to question his boss¡¯ decision. He knew how smart and tactical his boss was. I mean, just look at his unbelievable aplishments as the President of Yang Enterprise and triad leader of the Yang n. No one ruled both the surface and ground better than him. His achievements were steadily outranking Yang Mujian and the man still had a very long life ahead of him.

    Chen Gaonan had been staring at the new mission for a while now. He was supposed to be advising Lu Shanshan on one of her slip-ups, but he was too busy debating whether or not he should speak up about this matter. His job was simple. All he had to do was send out the mission and assign the members responsible for it. He was one button away from finishing the task. Yet, for some reason, his fingers could not move.

    There were going to be so many consequences to this decision. At this moment, he knew his only choice was to send out the message.

    If his boss does not make a move, Yang Yulong will. Everyone knew how much the Second Young Master cooed over the Young Miss.

    Apparently, when they were children, Yang Yulong had a massive sweet tooth and he would always charm the maids into giving him another piece of chocte. Unfortunately for him, Yang Ruqin loved chocte more than she loved her life. Yang Yulong would hide his chocte from Yang Ruqin and he would always find it gone the next day. Even though he knew Yang Ruqin had discovered the secret location, he never moved it. He allowed her to take all of the extra pieces of choctes that he desperately wanted to devour for himself.

    "What are you contemting about? I¡¯m getting stressed out just looking at you." Lu Shanshan ced the binder and notebooks on top of her neatly-organized desk. Aside from a family portrait of her husband, son, and her, there was no other personal belongings on it. Everyday, she would take the picture home and routinely clean it like the neat-freak she was.

    "This mission that boss wants me to send out." Chen Gaonan showed Lu Shanshan the message.

    "Oh, that¡¯s easy." Lu Shanshan pressed the button for him and just like that, the mission was sent out.

    "What the hell?! Are you crazy?! Have you lost your damn mind?!" Chen Gaonan mmed his tablet onto his desk, cracking the surface. His face was turning red, the anger spreading to his ears.

    "What?" Lu Shanshan gave him an equally scathing re. Her lips were pressed into thin lips. She ced a hand on her hip, ready to dish it out with him if she had to.

    "How can you not think of the consequences and the things that will happen to the Yangs if they touched something that belonged to the Zhengs?!" Chen Gaonan blew up. All of his bottled emotions poured out like an overfilled rain sewer.

    Lu Shanshan quirked a brow. That was what he was mad at? How dumb.

 Chapter 327 In Control

    Lu Shanshan disliked how Chen Gaonan towered over her with a hostile stance, clenched jaw, and squinted eyes that belittled her. His hands were balled into whitening fists and with his height, he appeared very intimidating. She knew he was not the type of man to strike a woman, but he was the type that would use words as weapons.

    "I knew I should¡¯ve objected when Boss invited a knife to rece a pen." Chen Gaonan gritted his teeth, the edge of his nose wrinkling.

    Lu Shanshan rolled her eyes and dropped her guard. Her body went ck and she sat down, facing her desk. It was a waste of time to crane her neck at him. "Do you have that little trust in our boss? Do you think that the Zhengs can do anything to us?"

    "You can¡¯t just look at the small picture, you have to think outside of the box and think of the worst-case scenarios."

    "No thanks. I¡¯d rather not get white hairs and wrinkles by the time I¡¯m thirty." Lu Shanshan started her PC and plugged in the sh drive. "Besides, no one in the Zheng family likes Xia Mengxi. They all view her as a Cindere gold-digger who slept her way into a wedding ring." She gave him a side-nce and typed in the password of herputer. He was contemting over her words with a thoughtful expression on his face. He was no longer a ticking time bomb.

    "Sure, Zheng Tianyi might be the CEO of Zheng Corporation for now. Perhaps he could pull some strings and cause a drop in the stock market for Yang Enterprise. Even worse, he might have connections to our major stockholders, investors, and so forth, but you also have to know that no one has the guts to go against the Yangs." Lu Shanshan turned her body and crossed her legs so that she was facing him.

    "Why else do you think the Yang n¡¯s legacy has been around for generations? Everything that can be capitalized, we have a hand in. Deep-rooted friendships in this country and even some families overseas, no one can truly keep us underwater. There will be anticipated consequences, but none will be longsting enough to affect our Boss."

    Lu Shanshan sped her hands and waited for Chen Gaonan to absorb the information. Surely, he must¡¯ve thought of this already, so what was he so worried about?

    "There will not be longsting mary issues," Chen Gaonan scooted closer to Lu Shanshan. In a low voice that only the two could hear, he whispered, "But Master Yang will discover this."

    "So what if he does? The Boss can justify the move as asserting his power over everyone by directly targeting one of the big five. It can also be seen as him protecting the Young Miss."

    "No, you don¡¯t understand." Chen Gaonan pinched the spot between his brows and sighed. Did this secretary even look at theplicated report about Zhao Lifei¡¯s tainted past and the web of issues connected to her?!

    Lu Shanshan rolled her pretty little eyes. "Well, why don¡¯t you tell me then? It¡¯s not like I can read your brain."

    "How about you read the reports I¡¯ve sent you in regards to thedy boss!" He hissed at her, keeping his voice at a low volume.

    Lu Shanshan¡¯s face became more serious. "I did read it. I just prefer to not judge someone based on their past. She seems like a fine youngdy who makes her own money, runs her own empire, and can establish a legacy for her daughters. She makes our boss happy and nurtures him. I don¡¯t see anything wrong with her. You¡¯re just delusional because you had a bias to Su Meixiu in the beginning." She bluntlyid out the facts with her sharp tongue.

    "My biases have changed!"

    "Well, it doesn¡¯t seem like it." Lu Shanshan scoffed, leaning back in her chair. She discreetly looked around and saw Su Meixiu dropping her head.

    "What are you looking at?!" Lu Shanshan was never a silent and passive type. She stood up and pointed at Su Meixiu, "Don¡¯t you know, eavesdropping will result in a grave punishment? Especially eavesdropping on your superiors?"

    Su Meixiu stiffened at the low-blow. Her fingers twitched, her lips pulled into a thin line. Superior? That was only in title, for she had the seniority. All she wanted to do was dutifully serve the Boss and people left and right was creatingplications for her.

    "I merely nced your way. Must you blow everything out of proportion?" Her voice was calm and steady, low and soft. "We¡¯re in an office setting where people are working instead of having conversations. Please keep your voice down."

    Lu Shanshan took a threatening step closer and Chen Gaonan immediately stood up to intervene. "That¡¯s enough. Both of you."

    "Don¡¯t touch me." She snarled at him, shrugging his hand off of her. "Remember your words." She stormed off to the break room, her fingers itching to p something. "Unloyal bastard." She muttered under her breath.

    When she walked by Su Meixiu, she said, "You better watch yourself. Not everyone is as nice as me." She roughly bumped her in the shoulder and marched to grab a cup of coffee.

    Su Meixiu¡¯s face was flushed pink with anger, her hands shaking. She dug her nails into her palms. Ever since she was demoted to the lowest position on this floor, everyone here has been viewing her as a punching bag.

    - - - - -

    "That was not nice." Chen Gaonan sauntered into the break room.

    Lu Shanshan was angrily jamming her finger against the advanced espresso machine.

    "That is also not how you make coffee here." He sighed, softly brushing her aside to pour the coffee beans into a grinder then cramming it into a small, t cup. Then he grabbed the mug she was using, ced it under the faucet, inserted the t cup and a few secondster, coffee poured out. He began to pour creamer into a tiny, steel jug that would whip the milk.

    "Kindness will not help youst in the Underworld." Lu Shanshan kept her anger in reign, mainly because he was being polite to her by making the coffee. It had been a couple of weeks since she was here and she pretty much was excelling at the high-paying job. One of her biggest ws and pet peeves was the damn coffee machine.

    "But it willst you on the surface." Chen Gaonan tilted the half-filled mug so that he could pour in the milk foam. He made a fancy swirl at the top and set the coffee in front of Lu Shanshan.

    "Don¡¯t you have a son? Howe you¡¯re able to remain calm in front of him, but can¡¯t learn to keep your emotions in check."

    "Do you want to start a fight?" She raised the cup and took a sip, her body rxing.

    "I want to remind you, I am not picking a side, especially not after the wedding ring on thedy boss¡¯s finger. But you need to monitor the way Su Meixiu behaves."

    That¡¯s it. Lu Shanshan reached to the pocket of her salmon dress pants.

    "If you point a weapon at me, my reflexes will kick faster than you can use it." Chen Gaonan warned her while beginning to prepare the coffee for the boss. "Now, adding on to what I was going to say earlier, Su Meixiu might¡¯ve made many mistakes in the past, but she was always good at hiding her emotions. Bottling them up and concealing any hatred or anger that would offend the other party."

    He raised his head to look at her. She was leaning against the counter beside the coffee machine and ncing into the mug. At the least, she was paying attention, even though she was trying hard to pretend she wasn¡¯t. "Su Meixiu hates you. You know that already. But did you see how she was able to control her voice and face until you bumped into her? She¡¯s an expert at putting on a mask." He added the milk and sugar to his boss¡¯ preference.

    "That is what makes her very dangerous. Sometimes you won¡¯t know what she¡¯s thinking, and sometimes you think you might. She¡¯s in control of her face and will reveal whatever she wants you to believe. It¡¯s like an open book where you have to read in between the lines."

    Lu Shanshan diligently listened to everything he was telling her. She was easily riddled up at times, but that didn¡¯t mean she was stubborn enough to not ept free advice.

    "You¡¯ve been by the boss¡¯s side for longer than me. I get it, I really do. You always have his best interest at heart and might not think about the other parts because he¡¯s the only one you truly worry over." Chen Gaonan raised his head so their eyes were leveled. Aposed smileid his face. With the thin-framed sses resting on his high-bridged nose and the simple grey suit, he gave off a very defenseless vibe.

    Lu Shanshan understood how people would drop their guards around him. He always looked...friendly. He was like the next-door neighbor who kept a distance but would still watch over your house in your absence. He was the type who wouldn¡¯t hesitate to give you sugar, but also remind you to be responsible. She couldn¡¯t put a finger on him. She could tell, behind that warm smile was a cunning fox that could snap a neck in half.

    "You also have to worry about yourself. No one can be perfect in this world, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t fake it until you make it, or in most cases,e near it." The coffee for his boss was getting cold now.

    "To survive in this dog-eat-dog business world, you need to learn how to keep your emotions in check. The more you hate someone, the more you should smile and remain level-headed. Never let anyone know what you¡¯re truly thinking." Chen Gaonan gave her onest smile before exiting the break room to speedily deliver the coffee before it truly cooled down.

 Chapter 328 A Memory Or A Dream?

    "The mission was sent outte by one minute." Yang Feng did not raise his head when Chen Gaonan walked in with a cup of coffee.

    Chen Gaonan carefully ced it onto the clean and organized desk. "I¡¯m sorry, Boss. I hesitated." When he saw the steam blowing off the coffee was bing small wisps, he broke out in cold sweat. Damn it, the coffee would taste drastically different.

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t touch the coffee nor spared his secretary his attention. He was busy signing off documents and overseeing the progress of projects that required his scrutiny.

    "Boss, if I mayment about the mission..." Chen Gaonan did not want toe off as rude or stepping out of line. Even so, he was willing to ce his boss¡¯ safety over his own life.

    "Go on." Yang Fengmanded with his head buried into the paperwork. He was cking off a recently. Currently, he was on his way topleting all of the paperwork for this week and the next.

    Usually, he would work from sunrise to midnight. However, with the desire to bake many buns, he beganing to workter and leaving earlier than usual. This ced a dent in his workaholic routine. At least, he was getting the proper rest he needed to function.

    With him out of the office very early, the employees could take a breather. All of them were too diligent to leave before their boss did. There would be some overachievers that tried to stay aste as their boss, but no one ever came close and would eventually just go home.

    "I understand you will use the Young Miss as a cover-up for why you¡¯re nning to abduct Xia Mengxi, but I think this might raise suspicion."

    "I know." Yang Feng already predicted Yang Mujian¡¯s reaction. While other people will view it as getting revenge for Yang Ruqin, the old man would be smart enough to see past the lies. If there was anyone smart enough to make the connections, it would be Yang Mujian.

    Getting rid of Xia Mengxi would be like killing two birds with one stone. A thorn will be leaving Zhao Lifei¡¯s side and she would finally have her payback. He did not realize the reality of the picture. Holding petty grudges that leads to nowhere but self-destruction was not something Zhao Lifei desired to do. The longer she held onto the ropes of her past, the more it would hurt her.

    Yang Mujian will think his grandson was getting too weak by going after amoner, and a woman at that. She was the easiest target around. Going after her was like a dragon chasing after a rabbit he could easily outrun.

    "There will be a change of ns." Yang Feng leisurely said. He predicted Chen Gaonan would speak up about this issue. If Yang Mujian became suspicious, the first thing he would do is point fingers at Zhao Lifei. "Call the men back." He ordered Chen Gaonan who nodded his head. "Next, put a bounty out for the mistress¡¯s head." Chen Gaonan noted everything inside of his brain.

    If they were going to put out a target, he already had the ns of contacting a smaller gang to do it ¡ª one that would have zero affiliations with the Yang triad. The money would never be an issue, however, they cannot raise the prices too high or else it would be suspicious. Why would a small gang have that much money?

    "Understood, sir." Chen Gaonan bowed and waited for anothermand.

    "That is all." Yang Feng gruffly said, all the while still focused on the work in front of him. He checked the time and decided to speed up his work. He wanted to visit Zhao Lifei sooner and maybe take her home. He remembered she didn¡¯t like hospital settings and decided the best idea would be taking her home. Nurturing over her would be the private doctor of the Yang family.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei stirred on the bed, dazed and disheveled. She groggily rolled over, her body aching from sleeping in an odd position. A sneeze and then a snore shook her away. She regained her conscience and finally remembered what happened before the nap.

    Her and Yang Ruqin were watching marathons after marathons of movies, so much so, that they were lulled to sleep with a movie ying as background noise. Popcorn littered the bed and floor, small kernels digging into her sides.

    Zhao Lifei sat up and stretched her stiffened body, letting out a loud, long yawn. She looked to her right where Yang Ruqin was snuggled into the bed, her body curled into a ball.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips twitched, trembling when a smile was breaking loose. Yang Ruqin was hugging a half-filled bowl of popcorn like it was a teddy bear. Even in her sleep, she had something to do with food.

    "Little piglet." Zhao Lifei poked Yang Ruqin¡¯s nose. Her smile slipped when she saw Yang Ruqin¡¯s tightly clenched eyes and a grimace on her face. Was she experiencing a nightmare?

    "No..." Yang Ruqin whimpered in her dream, a sole tear slipping out of her eyes. "You don¡¯t... love me." She struggled to speak, choking out the words. "You did it again... Being an alcoholic isn¡¯t an excuse..." Tears freely rolled down her cheeks, dripping onto the mattress.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes grew wider. The unexpected turn of events kicked her body into action. She ced a hand on Yang Ruqin¡¯s forearm and began to shake her awake. "Qinqin, wake up." Her brows knitted together. Desperation sank in when Yang Ruqin remained unresponsive.

    "It¡¯s just a dream,e on." Zhao Lifei¡¯s small shakes became frequent and rougher. She treated Yang Ruqin¡¯s unresponsive body like an old rag doll with loose limbs.

    Eventually, Yang Ruqin groggily woke up. "H-huh...?" She made another noise, indescribable and disorientated. "What... happened?" She hummed, using her hand to brush away the wetness of her cheek.

    Yang Ruqin recounted the dream she just had. She wished it was just a dream and not a figment of the past. She dropped her gaze and stared at her hands. It doesn¡¯t hurt. Her heart doesn¡¯t hurt. She continued to pester her brain, lying to herself about the aching in her chest.

    "You were crying in your dream." Zhao Lifei casuallymented, hoping her words would prompt a story of some sort. She was at ease and constantly lying on the bed, careful of the popcorn bits. Some were digging into her back, but the memory-foam cushioned the irritation.

    "Y-yeah." Yang Ruqin poked at one of the perfectly cooked popcorn that was miraculously not crushed by any of their weight. She was nkly staring at the fluffy white popcorn that reminded her of the clouds on the day of the break-up. She was attempting to make as little eye contact as possible with Zhao Lifei who wasfortably settled in her position with both arms crossed under her head.

    "Was it a memory or a dream?"

    "..." Yang Ruqin lowered her creased eyebrows, a sad smile dangling on her face. "A memory." Her voice was barely above a whisper. She flicked the popcorn away. The past was in the past. Why dwell on it any longer?

    "Of?"

    "I think you already know." Yang Ruqin¡¯s guard was lowered bit by bit.

    "Hm," Zhao Lifei thought about the choices. There was only one. She was not going to mention his name. She paused to think about her next response. In the end, she settled with a simple, "I see."

    "You¡¯re not going to ask about him?" Yang Ruqin touched her neck, rubbing her fingers on the smooth flesh. She threw her Feifei a sideways nce and saw the genuine smile on her lips.

    "Little one, you wanted time. I will give you as long as you need." Even if Zhao Lifei was not a patient person by heart, she did not mind waiting for Yang Ruqin. Opening up about a rtionship takes a lot of time and preparation. As someone with a horrible rtionship in the past, she understood Yang Ruqin the most.

    To Yang Ruqin, Zhao Lifei¡¯s tranquil voice resembled that of aforting older sister whom you could always rely on. Her other friends would pressure her for juicy gossip, but Zhao Life was never like that. Their friendship did not revolve around gossip, but more on boundaries and understanding of one another.

    They sat infortable silence whilst staring into space. After the longest time, Yang Ruqin finally said, "It was about Yu Pingluo."

 Chapter 329 Hanging Off The Radio Tower

    Zhao Lifei listened with open ears and a patient smile, waiting for Yang Ruqin to speak again. Ever since the name was mentioned, there was a long pause. She turned to her side and rested her face upon her hands. She could see Yang Ruqin¡¯s conflicted expression, moist eyes rimmed with red. She had a vacant stare.

    Zhao Lifei spoke up, "You don¡¯t have to talk about it if you do not want to."

    "The first step of moving on is to acknowledge it." Yang Ruqin responded. She breathed in through her nose and let it out through her mouth. Breathe in. Breathe out. The words of her therapist rang inside of her thick skull. No one knew about this, not even Zhao Lifei, but Yang Ruqin had signed herself up for therapy when she began to realize the dark thoughts manifesting and harboring themselves into her head.

    "We...we weren¡¯t supposed to ever run into each other." Yang Ruqin could feel her heartstrings being tugged when she remembered the day of their first encounter. She could recount the brief conversation they shared, the awestruck expression on both of their faces. Love at first sight was an understatement.

    "He¡¯s one of Feng-ge¡¯s most trusted men. I am the younger sister he babied." She grimaced at how cringey that sounded, but it was true. She opened her mouth and began to recount brief snippets of her rtionship with Yu Pingluo.

    When they bumped into each other in the hallway, he asked, "A-aren¡¯t you Boss¡¯s baby sister?" When she nodded her head, he surprised her by dropping onto one knee and bowing like that of a knight.

    He was so cute back then, with his profuse apology and stammering. Where did it all go wrong? When did alcohol and cigarettese into the picture? Was it because her modeling career that was kicking off and she was beginning to get gigs with male models? This part did not make sense to her. She had brought up the topic on many ounts and told him that if he wanted her to, she would stop posing with men. She was willing to put her career to a screeching halt for him.

    He reassured her by telling her it was fine. One minute he was calm, the next he was angry, and before she could register what had happened, he was back to normal. His rapid mood swings should¡¯ve been the first warning sign. When her brain had waved a red g, her color-blinded heart saw a green colored one.

    One thing happened to another and the lovey-dovey trance in their rtionship shattered. Arguments after arguments, endless arrays of smashed furniture. Screaming that woke up the neighbors, red and blue light of police officers, and cheating usations. A messy break-up and an eternity of loathing. These were only the beginning of their self-destructive stages.

    Then it happened.

    usations turned into reality.

    He was in the shower after getting into a heated argument and his phone buzzed on the nightstand. It wasn¡¯t a cliche "I miss you inside of me" text. It was a mission that required his immediate presence back to the headquarters.

    She didn¡¯t think much of it and ced the phone back down. Shortly after he came out of the shower, he saw the text, and left without a word, disappearing into the night. They were too prideful to speak to each other.

    Then, she received a text. From an unknown number.

    Yang Ruqin was already in her bed by then, ready to sleep, buried in the scent of Yu Pingluo¡¯s nkets when she saw him entangled in another nket. The picture seemed to be taken in the angle of a cracked-open door, but she could see the features perfectly. The ripple of his muscles, the ck tattoo creeping to his forearm, she knew exactly who it was. His face was beet red, a sign that he had been drinking.

    A drunk mind speaks a sober heart.

    That was her argument when she confronted him the very next day, when he came home, exhausted from his "mission." He didn¡¯t even seem apologetic. He waltzed through the door, ready to start a new day. He had the audacity to say, "Hey babe, I missed youst night. I¡¯ll tell your brothers to stop assigning me things in the middle of the night."

    Missions? Was his mission being a f*ckboy?

    Yang Ruqin didn¡¯t want to argue in the house. She didn¡¯t want to argue in front of their adopted puppy, because it was the equivalent of arguing in front of their child. She took him outside, to the backyard of their cute, little house. She was eerily calm about the ordeal and had he told her the truth instead of using alcohol as an excuse, perhaps that sunny morning, she wouldn¡¯t have snapped. Perhaps she wouldn¡¯t have pped him, perhaps she wouldn¡¯t have stormed out.

    He tried to stop her from leaving by blocking the front entrance and seizing her wallet. She couldn¡¯t go anywhere. "You¡¯re not leaving." He dangerously growled, grabbing her thin wrist. If he wanted to, he could break it on the spot. His eyes shed with warning when she persistently tried to push him away. "We¡¯ve brought a house, got a dog, and I n on starting a family with you. You¡¯re mine now."

    He had underestimated her. She remembered the arrogant words of a spoiled brat, "Who do you think I am? If I want to leave, I can go anywhere I desire. So what if you take my credit cards? I have helicopters, private jets, yachts, and luxury cars at my beck-and-call. You cannot prevent me from leaving." She let out a cruelughter. "I¡¯m yours? Since when? You never popped the question, never gave me a ring. Hell, you never even asked me out! You assumed we were together and perhaps we were. But now we¡¯re not."

    Remorse. Guilt. Regret.

    Agony. Heart-break. Deceit.

    These were simple adjectives to describe the ending of her world and blissful dream.

    "You¡¯re not leaving." Hemanded her.

    "On what grounds?" Her face twisted into a sickening smile. She finished the final blow by drawing the clear boundaries between them, "I am a Yang. You are a Yu. Now obey the words of your Master and step aside." When the words rolled off of her tongue, she wanted to yank it back. She didn¡¯t mean it. She had pped her hand to her mouth, her eyes wide in horror, "No. I take it back."

    He left.

    She stayed.

    The irony of the situation was ring red, double-underlined. For his sake, she swallowed her pride and stayed in the house, taking care of it. She tried to be good and attempted to ce a hiatus on her job. Cold dinners. Hours of sitting in the dining table chair, waiting for his return. Many nights, she would find herself asleep on the table and home alone with the untouched dinners.

    When he never returned, she saw it as a sign that he had moved on. And when he finally regretted leaving, she was long gone.

    - - - - -

    "Man, you¡¯re he creepy." Yu Shiyan grumbled from beside his older brother that was watching a hospital window through a sniper rifle. "How long have we been here anyway?" He checked his imaginary watch.

    "I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re using a thermal vision scope just because she closed the curtains on you. That¡¯s an abuse of power and resources." Yu Shiyuan continuedining. He was slumped on the rooftops of a fairway building after breaking into the office. Boredly fiddling with the knife in his hand, twirling it for the thousandth time, he pleadingly nced at his older brother.

    Yu Pingluo didn¡¯t respond to his younger brother¡¯s stupidints. "I can¡¯t see her. Thedy-boss is in the way."

    "You¡¯re watching thedy-boss too?! Our Boss will kill you!" Yu Shiyan hopped to his feet. He felt a shudder passed through his body and something crawling up his spine. He was that paranoid.

    "The Big Boss always assigns people to watch her."

    "It¡¯s to watch OVER her, not watch her like the stalker you¡¯re being." Yu Shiyan rubbed his arm. He felt goosebumps rise all of a sudden and a chill passed through the air. He was breaking out in a cold sweat...This sensation... It was too scary for his preference.

    "It¡¯s been two years and you¡¯re still like this. Why can¡¯t you move on? I understand she¡¯s one of the most beautiful women¡ªWOAH THERE!" Yu Shiyan held up his hands in defeat when Yu Pingluo whished to his direction with a pistol, the gun cocked and loaded. He flicked the safety off.

    "I-I meant beautiful in a sister-inw way okay? I-I do not see her as a woman, okay?" Yu Shiyan hurriedly exined himself.

    Yu Pingluo rxed, put the safety back on and holstered his weapon. Then, he went back to observing Yang Ruqin. "Don¡¯t use any adjectives to describe her anymore. Or else I¡¯ll shoot you."

    "Aw,e on, I¡¯m the only brother you have¡ª"

    "I don¡¯t need a brother." Yu Pingluo scoffed. The sudden movement caused the scope to be a bit blurry. He began to slowly adjust the scope¡¯s focus.

    Oh hell no.

    Yu Shiyuan finally saw it. He finally understood why his senses were on high alert. Red dots. FREAKING RED DOTS. As inser dot of a sniper.

    "Brother, brother¡ª"

    "Shut up, I¡¯m trying to adjust the scope."

    "N-no, listen to me." Yu Shiyuan tried to act calm, but when you have a red dot directly pointed at your forehead, how can one remain calm?

    "What is it?" Yu Pingluo snapped, raising his head. Something shed in his eyes. Oh. A red dot. "It¡¯s just a red dot, idiot. Why are you scared of that? They¡¯re at ten o¡¯clock. Hanging off of the radio tower. I saw him a long time ago."

    A-a long time ago?! And he only said this now?! Yu Shiyan wondered if it was possible to disown an older brother.

 Chapter 330 Die Happy Right Now

    "Well, aren¡¯t you going to do something about it?" Yu Shiyan asked when he saw Yu Pingluo¡¯s bored expression. "What if we get shot?"

    "If he wanted to kill us, he would¡¯ve done it a long time ago. If he can see our foreheads through the scope, he can see our faces. That man is probably one of our boss¡¯ people." Yu Pingluo was growing irritated by the scope.

    "I guess you¡¯re right, but wouldn¡¯t boss kill you for doing this?"

    "He¡¯s already killing me on the inside." Yu Pingluo remarked, recalling the day he walked back into the base after pretending to be a real estate agent for them. Everyone made a joke out of him and some even walked around with the stupid name tag attached to the suit jacket.

    "But what purpose do you have to watch over the Young Miss and Lady-Boss like this?" Yu Shiyan wanted to go home already. The sun was setting and he was getting hungry.

    "I just want to make sure she¡¯s safe." Yu Pingluo curtly responded.

    "She? The Young Miss or Lady Boss?"

    "Whatever floats your boat." Yu Pingluo dodged the question. He was mainly here to ensure she doesn¡¯t do something dumb. For example, running into the Vice President of Feili. He ground his teeth when a friend of his snapped the photo of them leaving the restaurant together.

    Yu Pingluo did not know the person setting them up was Zhao Lifei herself. No one knew how he would react if that was the case.

    Yu Pingluo decided to use a different scope and try it out. He ced it into the holder and then looked through it.

    Yu Shiyan disappointingly shook his head. "Hey, I see Boss¡¯ car rolling up to the front entrance. We should go now. You know how good he is at spotting people¡ªah sh*t." Their Boss had exited the car. His face was very far away, but both of them could tell he was directly looking at them.

    Yu Pingluo¡¯s heart skipped a beat and he let out a girly shriek. He just made direct eye contact with his boss through the lens of the scope. "My goodness, that gave me a fright." He ced the gun down and in less than a minute, a message was sent.

    [Demon King - Plz Spare Me: Get down from there. Now.]

    Yu Pingluo¡¯s hand was shaking when he typed his reply.

    [Idiot With Good Eyes: I was dutifully watching thedy-boss to make sure all was well ;) Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s as safe as she can get

    "Dude, you¡¯re trying to get yourself killed." Yu Shiyan sighed when he saw the provocative message towards the end.

    [Demon King - Plz Spare Me: See me tomorrow morning.]

    "Hah, sucks to be you." Yu Shiyan gave his brother a hard pat on the back, an arrogant and smug smile on his face. It was basically saying, "I told you so," without words.

    Yu Pingluo grumbled something under his breath and packed up his things. "I hope you know, you¡¯re an aplice in this; you¡¯re alsoing with me." He picked up the bags and left the scene with a fumbling Yu Shiyan trailing after him.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei had an understanding expression on her face while sheforted Yang Ruqin. "Everyone is at fault here. The mystery number, the picture incident, him demanding for you to not leave, and you justifying your pain with hurtful words."

    Yang Ruqin knew she was at fault. She had med and beat herself up for it multiple times, but at a certain point, she stopped doing so.

    "I rmend having Yang Yulong track down who sent you the message in the first ce. Maybe it wasn¡¯t what it seemed."

    "Huh?" Yang Ruqin blinked. The thought never crossed her mind. She felt so betrayed that day, she never fathomed the other options. "He can track it down for you. I¡¯m sure of it."

    "Long-ge knew I dated Yu Pingluo, but he did not know the reason why we broke up. If he found out about the pictures, then Yu Pingluo will be in danger." Yang Ruqin cursed her traitorous heart. Even to this day, the image of him being brutalized was heartbreaking. She could not get over him or the stabbing pain in her chest. She wished she never met him, but that would be a lie.

    Zhao Lifei rubbed her chin while she thought about the other options. She was right. Yang Yulong would go ballistic if he discovered the truth. Violence was something she was trying to avoid. A man popped into her mind, sitting in front of his desk, slurping down nuclear ramen noodles.

    Zhao Lifei snapped her fingers with an "I got it!" expression. "Hm, how about you contact Lu Minhong then? You have his number anyway. I cane with you and all three of us can have a meal while we catch up." She pped her hands together and smiled brightly.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s glum face brightened. It was like the grey clouds parting for a bright, sunny day. Her eyes glistened, "Oh my! Feifei, you¡¯re a genius!"

    "Heh, I know. You don¡¯t have to tell me." Zhao Lifei shamelessly said, a small grin resting on her lips. She giggled when Yang Ruqin jumped her and enveloped her into a bone-crushing hug. Oof. She did not think Yang Ruqin would get this strong.

    "I see the training has thoroughly paid off. You¡¯re developing some muscles now." Zhao Lifeimented which resulted in Yang Ruqin scooting back a bit. She rolled up the sleeves of her top and flexed her tiny arms, where a fine, rigid line could be seen.

    "Woah!" Zhao Lifei pped her hands. She resembled a proud mother exaggerating her expression for the young daughter that drew something to be hung on the fridge.

    "I got this baby a couple of weeks into my sparring lessons! Taekwondo is really fun, so is Tai Chi!" Yang Ruqin excitedly babbled on about her many lessons and the hot, muscr guys she got to see every day. Given, they were dded in robes sometimes, but usually, after the training, they would get changed and the majority of them came out in body-hugging shirts. Every day, she got to witness drool-worthy eye-candy.

    Yang Feng was speechless when he strutted into the hospital room. Popcorn bits and kernels were everywhere. What were they watching? Horror movies? It would exin the upturned bowl on the ground and the one on the bed. Nheless, he kept his mouth shut about it and let it be. He¡¯ll order one of his men to get the custodian. Besides, she will not be staying here another night.

    "That¡¯s amazing!" Zhao Lifei pped her hands again, giggling with a gigantic smile on her face. Her eyes were crinkled, dimples showing.

    It was needless to say, the wind was knocked out of Yang Feng. He was mystified by her cheery expression, his heart drumming in anticipation. He wanted to see that smile again. He wanted her to show it only around him. No one else.

    "I have bigger muscles." He made his presence known. He finished his work early in the office, but his attention was required in the Underworld and he headed there beforeing here. He didn¡¯t realize he still had his gloves on.

    Yang Feng took off his suit jacket, ready to show off so that she could smile like that at him.

    "I know you do. No need to brag." Zhao Lifei shook her head with a silly smile on her face. She was going to pat the space next to her as a gesture for him to sit down. One nce at the popcorn-filled bed and she changed her mind the next moment.

    He sulked, a scowl on his face. Why didn¡¯t she want to see his? Why didn¡¯t she want to p for him? He didn¡¯t know she would kill to see his body.

    His gaze followed hers. "Get dressed, my love. I¡¯m taking you home." His heart stopped.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s entire face lit up, shining brighter than the lone star on an ominous, empty night sky. Gorgeous. Alluring. Goddess. Enthralling. So many words could be used to describe her and none would equate to the level of her beauty. Her chestnut eyes transformed into a flowing river of shimmering honey.

    "Really?" She asked, unknowingly sping her hands together at the terrific news.

    Yang Feng collected himself. In a hoarse and breathless voice, he said, "Really." He walked over to her and picked her up without warning, causing her to gasp and wrap her arms around his neck. He could not see her on a dirty bed like this. She deserved better. "You don¡¯t have to get dressed." He hugged her tighter to him, ready to whisk her out of here and into their house.

    She squealed, cupping his face and peppering kisses everywhere but his lips. He was dazed and stupefied with a goofy smile on his face. Was this heaven? He could die happy right now.

 Chapter 331 Throne

    Yang Ruqin wondered what sort of delusional reality she was living in. She had known her brother for all of her life and had never seen him this happy before. She had never witnessed such a smile on his face. He only shows it around Zhao Lifei. This tiny woman was the source of his happiness.

    She wondered if she could ever find someone to hold and love her the same way her brother did for her best friend. Yu Pingluo¡¯s face popped into her mind. Then, the most mind-boggling thing happened. Another man¡¯s face shed before her eyes. Frozen to the bed, she was bbergasted. What just happened?

    "Are you just going to leave me alone like this?" She pitifully said, her bottom lip jutting out, like an abandoned puppy. She perfected her act by poking her fingers together, looking up from the bed, and then looking down. "I-I¡¯m lonely..." Truthfully, she didn¡¯t want to return to the studio. The deadlines were approaching and so was the Summer Fashion Week.

    Yang Feng was not buying her stupid act. "The main mansion will keep you upied." He turned his back to her and ignored the gasp.

    "You big meanie!" Yang Ruqin felt like she was getting bullied by him. She tried to catch Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes. It was already toote. Yang Feng had already distracted her by whispering loving words into her ears.

    Yang Ruqin fumed by herself. Why were both of her loved ones so easily distracted?! She huffed, crossing her arms and pouting to herself on the bed. She knew she couldn¡¯tment on that question because she was the most distracted person out of everyone she knew.

    - - - - -

    "You remembered." Zhao Lifeimented when they got into the car. They received strange looks when she was carried out of the hospital and into the waiting ck car. One earth-shattering re from Yang Feng was enough to send everyone¡¯s eyes to anywhere but her. He made her wait in the car for a brief minute so that he could officially check her out.

    "Hm, remembered what?" Yang Feng motioned for Hu Wei to start the car. Then, he ced up the partition and turned his undivided attention to the love of his life. He used his fingers to push away the hair framing her face. He gently cupped her face, lightly squeezing the skin beneath it.

    "That I didn¡¯t like hospitals." She answered. Her eyes fluttered shut when he leaned forward to press a tender kiss on her forehead. He replied with a hum and continued caressing her face by moving his thumb upon her skin.

    "Will you ever tell me why you do not like it?" He asked her out of the blue.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s smile slipped a bit and she averted her eyes. "It brings back a lot of bad memories." She said, shifting her eyes back to him when he gave her a small squeeze.

    "Is that so?" He said, pulling back his hands.

    Zhao Lei immediately missed his warmth. It was a cocoon that wrapped around her, reassuring her that everything was fine in this world. His touch kept her calm. When he kept his hands to himself, she thought he was angry at her. She turned to face the window, watching the world go by in a blur.

    Yang Feng realized the misunderstanding that would erupt if he did not do something about it. She was not going to say anything, and her nk face bothered him more than he desired. He ced a hand over hers and said, "I¡¯m not mad."

    She turned to face him, her face a bit hopeful.

    A small, uneasyugh left his mouth. Did she think he was this petty? "My love, I will respect your boundaries. If you are notfortable to tell me this right now, I will wait until you are. And if the day neveres, that is also alright."

    He tucked strands of hair behind her ears and wrapped his arms around her waist. She ced her hands t on his chest, staring up at him like he was the most interesting thing in this world. To her, he was. She had never met a man as patient and loving as him. Her past experiences were enough to scar her for life. If it was not for Yang Feng, she wondered if she would ever heal from them.

    "I love you." She blurted out, her hands sliding up his chest and settling behind his neck. She clung onto him, climbing onto hisp. He did not mind it at all and hugged her back with equal desperation.

    The walls around Yang Feng were nonexistent. He used to have them as a defense mechanism to prevent himself from ever being hurt like he was in his youth. She knocked the barriers down with three simple words and action. His arm pressed her body to him. One of his hands rested behind her head, kneading her scalp and using it as a method to hug her tighter.

    "I will continue to love you until myst breath." He responded, bending his head to press a kiss onto the temple of her head. He wondered if she could hear his loud, pounding heartbeats. Little did he know, she had the same rhythm.

    - - - - -

    After returning home, Zhao Lifei ate a delicious, freshly-cooked dinner by Yang Feng. When he asked her if she wanted desserts, the only thought that came to mind was, ¡¯I thought you were the dessert?¡¯ She kept thatment to herself.

    Later, she took a shower and was currently lying on her bed, scrolling through the emails. She wondered what happened to the gifts left in the hospital. She hoped he had it delivered home. Her phone buzzed and she picked it up on the first ring.

    "Did I need the news delivered to me by my men? You had twenty hours to notify me that you were awake. Yet, you did not. Do you enjoy stressing out your old, aging grandfather with too many white hairs to count?" Zhao Moyao¡¯s disappointed voice was the first thing she heard. There was no greeting. He did not care about a trivial and insignificant exchange of words.

    "I¡¯m sorry, grandfather. I thought you would have known by now. Next time, I will call you right away¡ª"

    "Next time?! You mean to say you will get hospitalized again? What type of person curses their fate? If your body is this weak, eat more. You¡¯re too skinny. Ginseng and red dates will help. I¡¯ll have Li Xuan order you a set of health-conscious food and dried things that should be boiled and consumed." By the time Zhao Moyao finished his words, he had already sent out the message to his secretary.

    "Also, I did not get to wish you a happy birthday. It¡¯s bted, so I will not bother with it. Just wait until next year. Next time, do not put yourself under that much stress." His heart was heavy as he said thest part.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips quirked into a barely noticeable smile. His words were so typical of him. "I will keep everything in mind."

    "Nevermind, you will forget my instructions. I will consult our doctor and have him write a note for you on the food to consume. The most important thing is that you are being fed well. Did you eat dinner yet?"

    "Yes, I have."

    "Good. Desserts should not be sweets. After your meal, you should always eat fruits with natural sugar." He nagged on without realizing it. If someone had told him a while ago that he would spend the majority of his time stressing over the wellbeing of a grandchild, he would¡¯veughed in their face and send them to a mental institution. Zhao Moyao did not care for just anyone.

    "Yes, grandfather."

    "Also, did Yang Heng consult a Feng Shui master for theyout of your furniture?"

    "I believe so."

    "Bah, I will visit and ensure everything is correctlyid out."

    "But you don¡¯t know the new address¡ª"

    "You think I can¡¯t get this information out of your puppy? He told me when you were still in youra. You¡¯re lucky I did not beat him with a cane for getting you into a situation like that." Zhao Moyao bit out. It wasn¡¯t easy extracting the address from Yang Heng. Damn brat. He behaved like he was never disciplined once in his life.

    "Who are you talking to?" Yang Feng¡¯s frosty voice traveled to Zhao Lifei who nced up from herputer. She salivated. He came out freshly showered wearing a towel hanging dangerously low on his hips. Her eyes wandered from his rock-hard chest to the unbelievably carved abs, and then they lingered on the striking and prominent v-line resting on his hips. She gulped.

    "My eyes are up here." He pointed to his face to which she absentmindedly nodded with a small "mmhm." Her eyes were glued to his body that looked like it was created by the best sculpture known to man.

    "G-grandfather, it¡¯s getting veryte. Why have you not gone to bed yet? It¡¯s not good for your body. Please rest well." Zhao Lifei breathed in and hoped she was not caught drooling. She discreetly checked.

    "I¡¯ll go to bed right after you sleep. Was that Yang Heng in the background? Make sure to give him a thorough smack on the head. The boy needs it." Zhao Moyao wondered why Yang Mujian never ced a cor on this rabid dog. Seeing how hard it was to control Yang Feng, he knew exactly why. The odds were beginning to turn against Yang Mujian¡¯s favor. His influence was beginning to dwindle a bit because of the shift in Masters. Yang Mujian did not see the problem with this, since it was very expected. A King can never sit on his throne for too long.

 Chapter 332 Taking Off Her Dress

    "What did he do this time, grandfather?" Zhao Lifei¡¯s voice was filled with amusement.

    "Why don¡¯t you ask him?" He deadpanned. She responded with silence and a brief look towards Yang Feng¡¯s direction. He gave her an innocuous, sheepish smile while disappearing off into their closet. She was disappointed when he came out fully clothed.

    Zhao Moyao grumbled, "Good night."

    "Grandfather¡ª"

    "I said good night." He snapped, hanging up the phone. After a few seconds of contemtion, he sent her a text.

    [Grumpy Grandpa: Sweet dreams.]

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips parted. She blinked and then a tiny smile bloomed on her face. Before she could reply, he sent her another text.

    [Grumpy Grandpa: Do not forget to smack him.]

    [Xiao Fei: Good night and sweet dreams, grandfather. Please go to bed early and do not work on other documents. Your health is very important.]

    Zhao Moyao finished thest sip of his chamomile tea. It helped him rx and sleep better at night. Without it, he would toss and turn all night long until the sun finally rose. He saw her message and unbeknownst to him, he smiled a bit. This granddaughter of his truly had a way with her words... He ced his phone down and grabbed the cane by his desk. He tried to not use it in public, but he was growing older now. His body wasn¡¯t working as he wished it would and it began with his legs.

    - - - - -

    Lying on the bed and entangled in each other¡¯s arms, Zhao Lifei was beyondfortable. He didn¡¯t make any advances towards her and was satisfied with just cuddling her. Their position was different than the usual one where she was lying on his chest. This time, theyid on their sides and Zhao Lifei was hugging Yang Feng. His arms were securely resting on her hips while she yed with his hair. She wondered if she could steal his shampoo or conditioner. His hair always seemed so healthy, soft, silky, and everything good.

    Zhao Lifei kept one of her hands in his hair and her other hand began to knead his tense muscles. "What¡¯s wrong?" She quietly asked him, wondering if he had fallen asleep or not. He responded by hugging her tighter.

    "Nothing."

    "You¡¯re very tense." She began to unknot the muscles on his shoulder, thoroughly enjoying the way he rxed around her. Her other hand continued to mindlessly caress his head.

    "I¡¯m just tired." He groggily responded, with a low grunt of approval leaving his mouth. He was satisfied with whatever she was doing to him. So much so that he was beginning to fall into afortable sleep.

    "Then sleep. I¡¯ll be here in the morning." Zhao Lifei hummed, bending down and pressing a kiss to the crown of his head. She could get used to this lovey-dovey snuggling. There was a heavy air offort and happiness around them. It didn¡¯t need to be stimted by passionate pleasure.

    "You...promise?" He hesitantly asked, his heart drumming. His grip was like iron, caging her into him.

    "I¡¯ll swallow a thousand needles if ever I break it." She responded. His body rxed and he let out a sigh of relief. The heavyweight on his chest was lifted.

    When she said that, Yang Feng finally closed his eyes. He let the sleep take over. Averaging three hours of sleep this week had ced a toll on him. His body willingly shut down, his guard dropping around her. If she wanted to do something to him, she could. Usually, when he slept, he was half-awake and would rarely catch a proper night of sleep. With her around, he was oddly at ease and could not describe how she was able to work a miracle like this.

    Zhao Lifei decided it was her turn to spoil him. She pulled the nket higher and ensured he was fully covered. She began to softly, gently pat his back, the same way a mother would do to her child. It was tiring after a while, but she continued doing so. Timidly and peacefully, she too, drifted to sleep, with her arms tightly mped around him.

    The two lovers blissfully fell asleep, unaware and not caring for the events urring on the other side of the city.

    - - - - -

    Huo Qiudong was prepared to go to bed when he heard a rude, loud knock on the door. He paused and was in the process of taking off his thin-rimmed tinum reading sses. He checked the clock and saw it was a quarter past ten. Who could be disturbing him at thiste hour? He wondered if he should pretend to not have heard the noise.

    KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

    His lips thinned, his brows twitching in annoyance. All he wanted to do was get a good night¡¯s rest before he gave his President a lecture tomorrow morning. Besides, this was the twenty-first century. They had bells for a reason. There was no need to ce a dent on the door of his new apartment located high up in an overpriced apartmentplex.

    The security system here was amazing. One press of a button and the police would show up in less than five minutes. He wondered which rascal dared toe here sote.

    KNOCK! KNOCK!

    "Damn it. I¡¯ming!" Huo Qiudong sighed as he ced his sses back on and turned on the lights to his living room. He walked to the monitor located near his door. The person on the other side would not be able to know if he was checking the monitor or not.

    Huo Qiudong wondered if he was seeing things. What the hell was going on right now? On the tscreen monitor was a dazzlingly beautiful woman with a ditzy smile on her face. How did she find out his address? She was wobbling on her feet, high heels dangling off of her painted fingers. She looked drunk out of her mind and ready to topple over at any given second. He didn¡¯t think the woman haunting his dreams every night would show up unannounced like this.

    He pinched the bridge of his nose and opened the door. "You¡¯re crazy." Was the first thing that left his mouth. He squinted a bit, not ready for the blinding lights in the hallway. And because of his narrowed eyes, the woman took it the wrong way.

    "Are...are you mad at me?" Her voice was pitiful and she sounded like her heart was being ripped into two. She sniffled a bit, like the emotional drunk she was.

    Huo Qiudong¡¯s lips thinned. He breathed in through his nose and let out a sigh. He was irritated by her unannounced presence. But no, he was not mad at her. With wobbling lips and wide, tender eyes like that, how could he bring himself to be infuriated by her?

    "No, I am not." He cleared his throat. "Why are you here? How did you find my address? I hope you know this is considered stalking."

    "I-I know...but, it¡¯s just...I have nowhere to go." Her puppy eyes dropped to the ground. She stared at her bare feet and wriggled her painted-toes.

    "You¡¯re President Yang¡¯s younger sister. Any hotel would dly bend their backs to amodate you. I hardly believe you truly have nowhere to go." Huo Qiudong followed her gaze and let out another sigh.

    He ushered her inside. She stumbled over her own footing and would¡¯ve fallen if it was not for his fast reflexes. They were incredibly close and his breath was stolen away. He was mesmerized by the beauty of her eyes and the depth they held.

    Yang Ruqin was equally in awe by him. Maybe it was because she was stupid-drunk, but she suddenly pulled the courage to wrap her arms around his neck. "Pick me up." She demanded like a spoiled brat, dropping her high heels onto the floor. She was joking, so when he actually did it, she was caught off guard.

    "W-wait, I think I might throw up." She groaned. She was not ready for her head to be moved that quickly. She gagged and that made Huo Qiudong panic. He shut the door behind him and ushered her into the bathroom where she emptied her contents.

    He held her hair and patted her back. "Why did you drink this much if you were going to behave like this? How did you get here in the first ce? Do you know how dangerous it is for ady like you to wander the streets at night?! Especially dressed like that!" He began his lecture.

    Yang Ruqin moaned and groaned over the toilet. She took the napkin from his hands. She looked up at him with a wronged expression. His heart broke. He could not find it within him to continue his nagging.

    "It¡¯s fine." he finally said. "Stay here." He left to fetch her a ss of water and a clean, white towel. On top of the towel was a set of clothes. "Drink up and take it with this pill." He set the showering supplies onto the bathroom counter. "Afterwards, go and take a shower. Don¡¯t worry, the towel has never been used and the clothes belong to my cousin."

    Yang Ruqin nodded like an obedient puppet. She took the pill and gulped down the water. She began to take off her dress right in front of him.

 Chapter 333 Something Unfair

    "What are you doing?! Stop it!" He was mortified, his face bursting red. He had never met a woman as brave and bold as this one. "You can¡¯t just change in front of a guy! Do you do this often?"

    "N-no..." Yang Ruqin sniffled, her eyes welling with tears. Oh goodness, herees the waterworks. A drunk Yang Ruqin was a crybaby. "I-I¡¯m sensitive...Don¡¯t yell at me."

    Huo Qiudong panicked. The only thing he could do was engulfing her in his arms. He soothingly rubbed his hands on her back.

    "I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t yell again, I promise. You can take off your clothes all you want and I won¡¯t mind. Rob my house and take my dignity too, I also won¡¯t care. Just... just don¡¯t cry on me, okay?" He shakily breathed out. Tears. Tears were his only weakness. He couldn¡¯t stand it when he saw a woman cry. He didn¡¯t know the proper way to react.

    Yang Ruqin calmed down. She hugged him back tightly. She needed this hug, more than anything, especially after she ran into Yu Pingluo at the club. He was in the VIP room and she was on her way back from the bathroom. He didn¡¯t see her, but she saw him. He was surrounded by friends but was drinking by himself. Even with women frequently appearing by his side, desperately seeking his attention, he did not spare them any nces.

    She had not seen him for years. When she saw him without warning, the pain came back. The only way she knew how to deal with the pain was something she learned from movies: drinking herself stupid.

    After Yang Feng and Zhao Lifei had left, Yang Ruqin was left alone. The thought of Yu Pingluo still lingered in her mind. She wanted to distract herself so she went to Cerulean Water Pavilion, changed her clothes, and headed to the club. She didn¡¯t think he would be there.

    "Will you wait for me to finish showering?" Her voice was quiet and soft, like a hesitant child asking to sleep with her parents after experiencing a nightmare. She was the kid hiding behind the door.

    "Of course. Anything for you," he said without too much thought. The words naturally left his mouth and by the time he regretted it, it was toote. He only hoped she would wake up tomorrow and forget all about this. After all, she was still drunk.

    "Now, go and take a shower alright? I¡¯ll be outside when you¡¯re done." He detangled his arms around her and let her do her thing.

    She began to take off her clothes again.

    Huo Qiudong turned around fast enough for him to only see her toss her clothes aside. Like the gentleman he was, he left without taking a nce or fantasizing about her supermodel body. He closed the door behind him and slumped onto the couch.

    What. A. Night.

    He wondered if he should tell his Boss about this. Yang Ruqin was Zhao Lifei¡¯s best friend. But what if she didn¡¯t want the President to know? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to tell the truth?

    The Angel and Devil on his shoulders argued back and forth about what to do. In the end, he gave up on what to do by the time it was morning. He made his way to the guest bedroom and began to change the nkets and mattress covers. By the time he was done cing the pillows, she had finally stepped out of the shower.

    Huo Qiudong tried not to gulp at the sight of her. So maybe it was a bad idea to give her shorts. He could see her legs, stretching for miles long. They were healthy and well-toned, but still very feminine and eye-catching. He looked away before she realized anything.

    "We¡¯re not sleeping together?"

    Huo Qiudong choked on his spit. "N-no. We are not." he coughed, pounding on his chest for air. He tried to not think about the quote, "A drunk mind speaks a sober heart."

    "Oh." Yang Ruqin became sad again for no apparent reason.

    Huo Qiudong nned to not give in to her. "Little fawn, you¡¯re a grown adult. You can¡¯t go around sleeping with strange men," he chided her, walking to her and guiding her towards the freshly-organized bed. He opened the nket and allowed her to climb in, then he tucked her in.

    "Little fawn...?" She tiredly asked, yawning and stretching, smiling up at him like a fool. He didn¡¯t know where this nickname came from. To him, she looked like an adorable baby deer, harmless and dainty, but too good for this world.

    His blush traveled to his ears. He had not been this flustered in a long time. "C-close your eyes and sleep." He stammered, bringing hisrge hands to cover her eyes.

    She hummed and closed them. "You know... "she trailed off, growing sleepier and sleepier. "Big hands..."

    "What?" He asked her, confused and flustered that she was still speaking. He wished he could bury himself into a hole after the nickname he just gave her.

    "Big hands....big..." She fell asleep, leaving him confused and bewildered at whatever she was going to say next.

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng was the first one to wake up in the morning ¡ª as he usually does. He felt something in his hair and resting on his back. Blinking and squinting, he finally registered the soft pillow he wasying on. He swallowed and tried his best to keep the morning wood at bay, especially when he wasying upon two...hills. Detangling himself from her arms, he let out a lethargic sigh. Day 109 of cold morning showers.

    "Mm, good morning wifey." Zhao Lifei let out a small yawn and groaned in pain. Her breast felt sore from the ufortable sleeping position. She was toozy to open her eyes and kept them closed. Tossing one leg over the nket, she hugged it like a pillow.

    Yang Feng¡¯s nonchnt face toughened. "Wifey?"

    "Yes, the nickname is going to stay." She shivered at the cold. Usually, she woke up warm because of his body heat. This morning was particrly freezing. Where was her personal heater?

    "What does that make you? The hubby?" He sarcastically said, his lips thinning into a straight line for her. She kept her eyes closed and waved at him, "What¡¯s wrong with that?"

    "I¡¯m not a wife."

    "But you behave like one." She cheekily said, opening her eyes and presenting him with a grin. She widely opened her arms. "I wanted a hug."

    Yang Feng narrowed his eyes. Regardless of his attitude, he hugged her. Robotically, he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a peck on the cheek.

    "Well, I¡¯m not." He coldly said.

    Zhao Lifei hummed in reply, relishing in his heat. She snuggled into his arms and by doing so, sessfully dragged him back into bed with her.

    She threw her leg over his body and hugged him. "Yes, yes, you¡¯re not." She readily said just so he could stay in bed with her all day long. Truthfully, she didn¡¯t want to head to work today, especially not with an angry Vice President ready to greet her with a passive-aggressive smile.

    "And you¡¯ll stop calling me that."

    "Hm, yes, yes, I will."

    "And you¡¯ll behave when the doctores."

    "I always behave."

    "And you¡¯ll spend my money."

    "No, no, I won¡¯t do that." Zhao Lifei giggled, burying her face into his neck and snuggling deeper into his arms. "That trick is never going to work."

    "Technically, you¡¯re already using the money since our ounts have been joint." Yang Feng hummed in reply. He was distracted by the strands of hair he lifted and rolled in his fingers.

    As long as she continued to hug him like her life depended on it, he was willing to spend the entire morning with her. Little did he know, she was just a cold-blooded animal seeking the warmth of the lightmp.

    "And technically, I¡¯m using my own money from a separate ount I made." Zhao Lifei shrugged her shoulders. She knew something like this would happen, thus, made preparations in advance.

    "Perfect, thank you for notifying me of your n."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes widened. Thezy expression on her face melted off. She opened her mouth to tell him off and rapidly, the warm pillow left her. He was gone before she knew it. "You can¡¯t do that!"

    "You make it sound like I¡¯m doing something unfair." He scoffed, poking his head out from the bathroom and then sticking it back in to brush his teeth and freshen up.

    "B-but..." Zhao Lifei sputtered. She felt like she was doing something unfair by wasting his money, even though it was practically their money. She didn¡¯t like to rely on her husband¡¯s money and preferred to use her own. Too bad for her, though, the overly-giving wifey would not allow that.

 Chapter 334 A Lot More

    After Yang Feng came out of the bathroom, freshly cleaned and showered, he began to get dressed. Seeing that his wife was nowhere to be found, he was a bit glum. He noticed that one of the drawers of their nightstand was ajar and walked to it. Sitting in the drawer was a man envelope containing the contract that she never showed him. He took it out and read through the contents, his brows raising with each line.

    Zhao Lifei finished showering in another bathroom. She saw Yang Feng¡¯s wide back and guessed that he was probably reading through his email. Not wanting to disturb him, she discreetly went into the closet and got dressed for the day. She wore a sleeveless white top that was tucked into chic ck dress pants. She paired it with her ring and a white hand clutch.

    She sat down at the vanity outside of the room and dabbed on a little bit of make-up. She wore a tinted lip-balm that added a bit of color to her lips. Then she tied her hair into a loose bun with a few curled strands framing her face. She waspletely unaware of the contract being slipped into Yang Feng¡¯s suit.

    Yang Feng watched her check herself out in the mirror. His eyes centered on her pale, swan neck whose translucent skin was too inviting for his liking. He walked behind her and pulled her into a loose hug from behind, nuzzling his face into her neck. She jumped when he abruptly bit her neck, her eyes widening. "W-what are you doing?"

    "Your smell was so inviting, I had to take a bite." He whispered, soothing the area with his tongue and a kiss. Unconsciously, she began to shift closer to him, angling herself to give him more room to continue.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes glistened mischievously. She had no idea what wasing for her. Eyes wistfully closed, she was too lost in the moment. He trailed light, soft and open-mouthed kisses onto her neck, beginning from the back of her ears down her throat and her jugr.

    Zhao Lifei felt her lower muscles clench, a familiar pool of warmth gathering in her lower stomach.

    "It¡¯s too cold to wear this top." He whispered into her ear, his warm breath tickling it. She shivered and clutched his arm.

    "N-not really..." She didn¡¯t understand where he was going with his words. She gasped when he bit the area where her neck met her shoulders, suckling on the area. She let out a small whimper when he kissed the spot and nipped it again, creating a mark.

    His lips brushed against the sensitive area, "It is." His feather-soft lips were teasing her. She was growing dizzy and could barely hold up her own body. Her legs wobbled, but his firm arms held her in ce. His torturous seduction was doing things to her that she did not know was possible.

    "I-it¡¯s summer..." She gasped when he grasped her breast without warning, squeezing it. Her body melted and her knees gave out, but he held her up. He moved his lips higher up and settled on the side of her neck,vishing the area with his attention. He licked the area and then pressed a gentle kiss upon it. She let out a quiet, pleased moan, his fingers digging into her waist.

    He turned her around and she automatically pressed her body against his chest. His pupils dted when he felt every curve of her body. He was supposed to be seducing her, but he felt it was the other way around. "More." She whispered, standing on her tippy-toes, wanting a kiss.

    "Will you change your shirt?" He bent his head as if he was about to kiss her lips. He didn¡¯t. His lipsnded on her cheek, trailing a path to the edge of her soft lips. She was going insane, her hands traveling up his chest and clutching his shoulders.

    "No." She sharply breathed in when he squeezed her behind. He was not ying fair and he knew it too. A devilish smirk was on his face when she attempted to move her face for a kiss, but he moved his mouth first.

    "Will you change?"

    Through her drowsy eyes, she slowly nodded her head. His eyes shed. Caught off guard, he crashed his lips onto hers, one hand traveling behind her neck to angle it better. Their lips feverishly met in a passionate, lustful kiss. She moaned against his mouth, opening her lips for his tongue to dive in and explore every nook and cranny. He pulled back to let her breath and continued to kiss her closed eyelids, starting from the left to the right. He peppered her face with gentle kisses as her hands tugged at the ends of his hair. She was driving him equally crazy. He wanted her, every part of him did, but it was morning and toote to consummate their marriage. He needed to know if she was ready and if she was, he nned to do it by the end of this week.

    Zhao Lifei rested her head upon his chest while she struggled to catch her breath. A glint of revenge passed by her face as she stood on her tippy-toes. He thought she was going to kiss his neck when her lips just brushed against the spot. But she dodged the area and pressed her lips against the cor of his crisp, white button-up.

    He was confused and she seized the moment to escape his arms and step back to marvel at her work. He didn¡¯t know what had hit him until he nced into the mirror and saw the pink lipstick mark on his shirt. He raised a brow.

    "Change." She demanded at him, smiling like a devil disguised as an angel.

    "I quite like this mark. It adds a nice touch of color."

    Her smile dropped when her n backfired on her. He didn¡¯t care about his public image and if she wanted him to walk into the office with lipstick marks, he couldn¡¯t care less.

    "No, you can¡¯t go out like that." She was mortified at what people might think of her.

    "I don¡¯t see why not." Yang Feng shrugged, walking towards the door. She grabbed his wrist and prevented him from walking out of their room.

    "You have to change."

    Yang Feng tucked his hands into his front pocket, purposely ensuring she would not grab his hand to pull him into the closet. She saw his action and hugged his arm. "Don¡¯t make it difficult." She groaned, tugging him to the direction of the closet.

    "It¡¯s something you gave me. I can¡¯t return it like that." He was teasing her and she was too panicked to realize that. She rested her chin on his arm and gave him her best reenactment of a puppy face. Her eyes widened, and her lips jutted out.

    His lips twitched. If she thinks she can bat her cute littleshes at him and get whatever she wanted, then she was absolutely right. He was not going to tell her that. The card would be too advantageous. "What¡¯s wrong with your eyes and mouth?"

    Her face turned sour. "Fine, I guess I¡¯m not changing either."

    "Fine with me." He suppressed his smile by pressing his lips together. She let out an aggravated sigh and without warning, dragged him by his tie. He was forced to follow her or else he would be faced with strangtion.

    "And what makes you think you can force me to change my clothes too?" She huffed, yanking him into the closet and picking out a shirt for him. He didn¡¯t respond and proceeded to rest his chin upon her head, loosely hugging her. He wondered how could she be so cute and oblivious. There were ring red marks on her neck and she didn¡¯t even know.

    He could not wait to see her reaction. "I think this one would look nice with the suit. Don¡¯t you think so?" She turned their bodies to the closet and held up the tailored shirt. It didn¡¯t look that different from the one that he had one now ¡ª except for the ck spade on the cor.

    "Sure." He nonchntly said. For her sake, he was willing to wear anything. It could be the ugliest chiffon pink shirt in the world and he would still wear it if his precious little wife picked it out for him.

    "Okay, then change¡ª" She stopped speaking. Her eyes zoomed on her reflection in the mirror where she saw the marks on her neck. Her face darkened. His lit up.

    "You, you, you¡ª" She was too irritated to form sentences. "How could you!" She finally said something, turning around to use him with her eyes. He gave her a stomach fluttering smile and kissed the tip of her nose.

    "You will catch a cold with this sleeveless top. The AC in your office is very strong." That was partially the truth. The main reason he wanted her to change was that she was showing too much of her neck. By leaving a mark there, she would be forced to wear a higher-cored shirt and leave her hair down.

    Her lips moved left and right like she was debating on what she should say.

    "I will change shirts and so will you. We¡¯re even now." He pacified her, bending down to lovingly kiss either side of her cheek and then her forehead. "Don¡¯t be angry, my little phoenix, it¡¯s an equal exchange."

    She continued sulking and he continued kissing her. He peppered her face with kisses until she could not maintain the scowl on her face. "Heh, stop it." She giggled when it be ticklish. His heart warmed at the melodic sound, so gentle and pure, it could turn winter into spring.

    He caught her off-guard by turning her around and hugging her very tightly. He let out a content sigh and rested his face upon her head. "I love you beyond words." He told her, forcing her heart to skip a beat.

    "I-idiot..." She replied her face bright red. She leaned her head upon his rigid face and in a quiet voice, whispered, "I love you more... A lot more."

 Chapter 335 Who Else Were You Expecting

    A change of clothester, the two finally made their way downstairs where Lu Shanshan was waiting for them at the foyer. Her eyes widened when she saw that smile on her leader¡¯s face. She dropped her gaze to the floor, rubbed her eyes, and then looked back up. She was not seeing things. Her Boss was genuinely smiling! She had forgotten how he looked when he smiled.

    "This shirt pairs much better with my suit than the one prior. Why don¡¯t you pick out my clothes for me every morning?" Yang Feng was working very hard to earn a pat from his owner¡¯s head. He wagged his tail for her and she ignored him with an annoyed expression on her face.

    She knew the real reason why he wanted her to change was not that she would get cold, but it was because he didn¡¯t want her to show her neck to anyone else. And here she walked down, in a high-cored blouse. She could¡¯ve been wearing a zer with her previous top, but he had left marks on her neck that would not go away for at least the next couple of days.

    Fan Jin¡¯s banquet was approaching soon, and she didn¡¯t want anything that would prevent her from wearing the dress Yang Ruqin had designed for her.

    Yang Feng smiled wider for her; even when she proceeded to swat at the hand reaching to cup her face. "Babe, you look even cuter when you¡¯re angry. Silent treatments do not work on me." He truthfully told her, his eyes crinkling from hisrge smile.

    Don¡¯t do it. Don¡¯t look at him. God damn it. She couldn¡¯t resist it anymore. She just had to sneak a peek his way. She loved his smile. It warmed her entire body and caused her heart to beat erratically. She thought the world would stop whenever he smiled. And perhaps it did because all of his smiles were show-stopping.

    It was just her luck that her small nce made eye contact with him. Seeing his words were paying off, his eyes brightened. "Such an adorable little thing you are." He grabbed her dainty hand and kissed the top of it, causing her face to flush red.

    "Stop that!" She hissed, pulling her hand back but he only wrapped his arms around her. She pretended she didn¡¯t like it, but her eyes said otherwise.

    He could feel the happiness oozing from her. He wanted to be yful and begin kissing other ces, but her attention was no longer on him. He saw her eyes scanning the woman standing by theirrge door.

    Lu Shanshan saw herdy boss curious stare. She smiled and politely bowed her head. "It¡¯s an honor to see you early in the morning,dy-boss. My name is Lu Shanshan and I am President Yang¡¯s personal assistant."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips quirked up a bit. Seeing her smile for the first time since their little... struggle upstairs, Yang Feng was ecstatic. He was going to give Lu Shanshan a bonus.

    "You¡¯re married?" Zhao Lifei curiously asked when she saw the diamond ring resting on Lu Shanshan¡¯s hand. It was paired with a simple tinum band that seemed to have etchings of roman numerals.

    "Yes, I have a son as well." Lu Shanshan responded, her eyes brightening at the mention of her adorable little bun.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips lifted upwards. A son huh? She touched her stomach, an unrecognizable expression on her face. She briefly nced at her red shoes and turned to Yang Feng whose eyes were trained on her the entire time.

    "I want a daughter." He said to her with a serious expression. "No, one is not enough. Give me as many as you healthily can." His humorless face made her nervouslyugh.

    "Why don¡¯t you give birth to her instead? Then you¡¯ll see how painful it is." She scoffed, crossing her arms. "Two or three is enough for us."

    ¡¯What about my ser team of children?¡¯ Yang Feng asked himself with a disappointed expression.

    Lu Shanshan wondered if there was a blizzard in the middle of summer. The gentle expression on her Boss face was something she had never witnessed before. She didn¡¯t even think he was capable of having such tenderness like that. Soft smiles, a face full of devotion...He was bing more and more human-like.

    She subconsciously searched for the source of it and her eyesnded upon Zhao Lifei.

    Lu Shanshan began to feel more respect for herdy boss. Truly, she was an amazing woman.

    Lu Shanshan did not understand why everyone seemed to be so hesitant about her.

    "You should head to work now. I also have to get going." Zhao Lifei ced one hand on his upper arm and used it as a leverage to stand higher. She rested her hand on his cheek and kissed it. "I¡¯ll see youter."

    Yang Feng grabbed her small waist and yanked her back to him. "That was not a proper goodbye kiss". He kissed her on the lips. He would¡¯ve deepened but she kept her lips firmly closed.

    "Greedy." She mumbled against his lips; giving it a final peck and then leaving, purposefully giving him a show by swinging her hips. She turned her head back, blew him a kiss and swaggered off.

    ¡¯What a woman!¡¯

    Yang Feng stared at her retreating form with hooded eyes. ¡¯Damn it. Why did it have to be so early in the morning?¡¯ If he could have it his way, he would¡¯ve dragged that cute little butt back to bed and take his time with her.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei was prepared for a lecture. She dreadfully stared at the opening elevator doors that signaled her fate. She stepped out and lifted her chin. Every time she passed an employee, they would stop whatever they were doing, stand up, and bow to formally greet their President.

    "Good morning."

    "Wee back."

    "I hope your morning has gone well."

    These were just a handful of the responses she received from her employees. She would respond with a nod of acknowledgment or a small smile.

    Rounding the corner and pushing the door to Huo Qiudong¡¯s office open, she said, "First of all, I have zero control over myatose. It¡¯s not like I wanted to sleep for four days..." She stopped talking.

    Huo Qiudong was nowhere to be found. The empty and untouched chair was a peculiar sight. Usually, he was the first one in the office and thest one to leave. Where did he go?

    Zhao Lifei wondered why the door was left unlocked and nearly facepalmed herself. The doorknob had an automatic sensor that would unlock for certain fingerprints. She was one of them.

    "Whew, that means I can escape from him for the remainder of the day." She said out loud, shifting her clutch to her other hand. She began to walk out of the room when the door opened again. Like a deer caught in the headlights, her body was frozen to the ground.

    Huo Qiudong looked like he was run over by a truck. His ruly and ungelled hair gave an edge to his appearance. Some areas of his hair were parted from running his fingers through it. His tie was crooked, the first two buttons of his shirt were undone, and the zipper of his briefcase was half-shut. Overall, he was a mess.

    Zhao Lifei wondered what happened to him. "Good morning. You look like you need a cup of coffee ASAP."

    He jumped, his poor heart frightened by her voice. "B-boss, I didn¡¯t expect to see you here so early."

    "Well? Who else were you expecting?" She curiously asked. "Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? You look... different."

    Huo Qiudong¡¯s drained expression toughened up when he remembered what had happened this morning.

 Chapter 336 Manners

    Two hours prior.

    Huo Qiudong woke up to the pleasant sunlight washing over his tiled floor. It sprawled over his rug, turning it from white into a yellow hue. Surprisingly, he had a very pleasant sleep. The sound of Chapin¡¯s piano piece filled the spacious room. He spent five minutes stretching before rolling out of his bed and shutting off the tiny piano rm clock by his nightstand. He stretched a bit more before opening his white, linen curtains, allowing more sunshine to seep into the room. He closed his eyes and basked in the warmth. My, what a good morning¡ª

    AHHHHH!

    ¡ªOr not.

    He was shaken by the obnoxious shrill cries in his apartment. If he hadn¡¯t known better, he would have thought someone was being murdered next door. What exactly was going on?! He wondered if he should make a noiseint to the neighbor. Then it dawned on him. He didn¡¯t have a next-door neighbor. There were only two apartments on every floor. That was howrge his apartment was.

    ¡¯I screwed up. Big time.¡¯ He thought to himself, grabbing a robe and storming to the guest bedroom. He swung the door open and there she was, in all of her screaming glory.

    "Wh-who?! Y-you?? W-what? H-h-how?!" Yang Ruqin stammered. She was a fumbling mess and was holding onto her nket like a dress. She acted like she woke up naked when in reality it was just a different set of clothes.

    "D-did we...?" She trailed off, her eyes falling to the floor in horror. Stupid, stupid, stupid! She wanted to fling herself out of the inviting window. It was better than facing this...this predicament!

    "What? Made love?"

    "Don¡¯t say it like that! You make it sound like we¡¯re in love." She buried her face into her hands. ¡¯My God, why did I have to drink so much?! What happenedst night?¡¯ It was a blur. She didn¡¯t know how she got here or what prompted her toe here.

    Huo Qiudong was offended. Her words cut deeper than he anticipated. He kept his mouth tightly shut. The rolling clouds in his eyes were an understatement for how enraged he was by her words. He considered her more than a friend, even saw her as a woman.

    Love was still a far stretch, but he knew his heartfelt something for the little fawn on his bed. He didn¡¯t give out nicknames or invite people to sleep in his house to just anyone. He didn¡¯t allow her inside just because she was his boss¡¯ best friend or President Yang¡¯s younger sister. He invited her inside because he actually cared about her. And unlike his incredibly dense boss, he knew what it meant when his heart sped up at the sight of a person.

    "If you¡¯re done with this self-argument, I have to get ready for the day and head off to work. Feel free to make yourself at home and leave whenever you like. The front door locks behind you."

    Yang Ruqin shuddered. The iciness of his voice could freeze the whole ocean. His voice reminded her of Yang Feng, except it had its own unique edge. She felt like she was reprimanded by a Headmaster.

    Guilt swarmed her. "Did...Did I offend you?"

    Yes.

    "No." Huo Qiudong left without looking back. He would¡¯ve dramatically mmed the door, but his door didn¡¯t have that capability. The door, no matter how hard you m it, would always close with a soft "click." It was designed to be that way since he didn¡¯t like loud noises. At this moment, he wished it didn¡¯t behave so perfectly.

    "I definitely offended him." Yang Ruqin huffed under her breath, climbing out of the bed, groaning in pain at the massive headache that kicked in. She took an eternity to hobble out of the bedroom, but Huo Qiudong was nowhere to be found. She sat on top of the stool tucked below the kitchen counter. Shezily swung her legs and her eyes lit up when Huo Qiudong finally came out of his room, freshly dressed, but very disheveled? Was he lost in thought while getting dressed?

    "What?" He asked her, settling his briefcase on top of the kitchen counter.

    "I-I¡¯m hungry." She sheepishly said with a tiny smile, batting hershes at him.

    His eyes narrowed. She knew her charm, that was for sure. "I can¡¯t cook."

    Yu Pingluo could. The thought shed in her mind faster than she could think twice. Her smile slipped. She didn¡¯t want to remember their mornings in the house. Filled withughter, aromatics, and love, she desperately wanted to go back to those days.

    Huo Qiudong didn¡¯t know how to react to her glum expression. "Trust me, if I knew how to cook, I would cook for you." He gestured to the practically unused kitchen stove. "See, brand new and untouched."

    "Fine. Give me some painkillers and water please." She curtly said.

    His lips twitched. Weren¡¯t wealthy people supposed to be well-mannered? He saw a spoiled brat sitting in front of him.

    "Please." He told her.

    "What?"

    "You have to say please and ask. It¡¯s the least respectful thing you can do if you want something."

    Why this¡ª Yang Ruqin cursed him out inside of her head. She was used to having everything handed to her on a golden tter. "Please give me a painkiller and a ss of water."

    "Where¡¯s the ask part?"

    "I¡¯ll get Feifei to fire you, you jerk!"

    "On whatint?" His lips curved into a tiny smile that she didn¡¯t realize. This little pup thought she was a German Shepard.

    "You¡¯re bullying me."

    Huo Qiudong wondered what he got himself into. "I¡¯m teaching you manners."

    "I do have manners!" Yang Ruqin found him insufferable. Their blind date went well, but the more she got to know him, the more she was growing annoyed by him. She was constantly teased by Yang Yulong, she did not want another bully.

    His eyes skimmed over her perfect posture. "You have etiquette. Not manners." He sighed and checked the clock. His eyes widened at how fast time had slipped from his hands. He was going to bete if he continued arguing with her.

    Yang Ruqin opened her mouth, ready to argue but he turned his back to her and disappeared. He came back a minuteter with a pack of painkillers. He grabbed a clean ss cup, filled it with lukewarm water from the dispenser and then settled it in front of her.

    "I¡¯m going to be nice right now because I am going to bete for work." He swiveled around and was prepared to walk to the shoe cab when he felt something tugging at the back of his suit.

    He breathed in through his nose and willed himself to be patient with this woman. He was ready for her to say another remark, like, opening the packet of painkillers for her.

    "Thank you..." She whispered, her hand clutching the suit tighter.

    Huo Qiudong¡¯s tense posture rxed. "You¡¯re wee."

    "And I¡¯m sorry about that. I didn¡¯t mean to sound bratty."

    Maybe it was because Huo Qiudong was too kind-hearted, for he easily forgave her. She sounded very apologetic. It was not every day a woman like her knew how to apologize. He faced her and gave her a gentle pat on the head. "Everyone makes mistakes." He said.

    It was three simple words that anyone could have told her. Oddly enough, hearing him say it mattered a lot. Yang Ruqin pondered his words and stared at her hands. Everyone makes mistakes...? She bit her bottom lip as a wave of emotions rolled over her timid frame.

    Huo Qiudong grabbed his suitcase, slipped on his freshly polished leather shoes, and left before she could respond. He was in a hurry to get to the office and forgot to take a second nce in the mirror.

 Chapter 337 Out of Respec

    Feili.

    Zhao Lifei tried to digest the story being told to her. She didn¡¯t know if this was a good or bad sign that Yang Ruqin sought Huo Qiudong¡¯sfort out of every other friend she had.

    "Well, did you do anything inappropriate to her?" Zhao Lifei asked after a long, heavy silence. She wanted tough at Huo Qiudong¡¯s sloppy appearance. It was too funny for her to resist and not tease him about. This was the first time she had ever seen this calm and collected man look so...chaotic.

    "No, of course not." Huo Qiudong frowned, his eyes narrowing. Did he seem like the type of guy to do something untoward to women? He was not a sleazeball. Unless there was a connection, he rarely touched people of the opposite sex.

    "Then, we don¡¯t have a problem." Zhao Lifei shrugged. She had trust in Yang Ruqin¡¯s newfound training. She hoped the young woman would be able to kick ass and get herself out of sticky situations. On the other hand, she had a desire to give Qinqin a thorough lecture about drinking alone.

    "You¡¯re not mad...?" Huo Qiudong expected his Boss to throw a fit about his treatment towards Yang Ruqin. He had to admit, he did go overboard with this morning¡¯s argument about manners. He also made her cry. Why wasn¡¯t his boss yelling at him for that?

    "No, of course not. Why would I be mad?" Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes at him. She expected him to be mad at her for not showing up to work.

    She didn¡¯t want to give him the opportunity to give her a lecture. "Now that we have ovee our obstacles, let¡¯s get back to work, shall we? When will we begin to interview the applicants?"

    "Whenever you¡¯d like." Huo Qiudong scratched his head. He felt like he was forgetting something...

    "Maybe next week." She opened the door to his office. "Oh, and I rmend checking yourself in the mirror." With a final wink, she disappeared out the door, speed walking down the halls.

    - - - - -

    The days trickled by quickly and soon, Madam Fan Jin¡¯s banquet approached. Esteemed families from across the country were invited to her luxurious birthday celebration. Award-winning chefs were cooking up a storm in the back gardens. A legendary choir, that only performed once a year, wasfortably nestled in the corner, creating quiet symphonies. Only the best of the best waiters and waitresses were given the honor to serve at tonight¡¯s banquets.

    People would kill to get their hands upon an invitation. Even when strings were pulled thin, no one was able to get in if they weren¡¯t originally considered. Once the invitation list was finalized, there would be no changes. Not even A-list celebrities were considered on the list and some of the country¡¯s most leading elites were also not invited. Only the top 1% of the 0.1% wealthy poption were considered. It was an exclusive banquet, but luckily for some, the guests were allowed to bring a plus one.

    Women clung onto their men and everyone was dressed in very low-key designer clothes. Every woman here was mindful of the dress code. They were dressed to secretly impress. None of these elites would be caught dead in a "famous" designer that only themonwealth knew.

    "My, doesn¡¯t Madam Yang look more stunning than usual today?"

    "I wonder what serum she uses on her face. She does not look a day over thirty!"

    "You must tell us, Madam Yang. I do not see a single blemish or wrinkle. What is your secret?"

    "Gasp, is that an exclusive design by Eileen Sabe? The sequins, the Tiffany blue, and my goodness, just look at thiscework! If you flipped to the word elegant on the dictionary, everyone would see an image of you! It¡¯s stunning."

    Women gushed around Madam Fan Jin as if they were all high school girls again. Every woman here would rather drop dead than miss a chance to get on Fan Jin¡¯s good side.

    Fan Jin was not the type of woman who enjoyed flowerypliments like these. It was boring and she was already used to their words. Nheless, she kept a weing smile on her face and exchanged pleasantries with the piranhas in front of her. She pretended to pay attention to everything being fed to her. In reality, she was seeking for her eldest son who had yet to arrive.

    Her eyes trailed over to a stunning woman standing very close to an elderly man. Her smile stiffened and she quickly looked away before anyone had caught her staring.

    "Mother."

    Everyone around Fan Jin quieted down. The woman in question was so startled by the new presence that she nearly lost grip of the century-old wine in her hands. The conversation was as lively as ever, but everyone had their eyes glued to the stunning scene-stealer of the night.

    His perfectly-sculptured face was aloof. It would be a miracle to understand what he was thinking. His cold, distant eyes were focused on his mother, but asionally, it would nce at the woman beside him. Everyone felt uneasy around him, too scared to breathe the wrong way. Even so, no one could tear their eyes away from him.

    Fan Jin¡¯s dull eyes bloomed with tion. Her rigid shoulders dropped in ease, her tiny smile widening to reach her eyes. For the first time tonight, she appeared genuinely delighted. "I¡¯m so d you made it tonight with Zhao Lifei."

    He didn¡¯t reply to her. Particrly because his mood was already as low as it could get. He was livid. The ck, willow wisps around him reflected his desire for blood. His chiseled jaw was clenched.

    Fan Jin¡¯s high spirits dropped. She knew why he was behaving like this. Her brows furrowed and the youthful light in her eyes died down.

    Zhao Lifei inched closer to Yang Feng. Her arms brushed against his. When she walked into the dinner, she didn¡¯t want them to be physically touching. But after they stepped foot in here, his mood plunged after seeing someone. She didn¡¯t understand it, for she could not see as far as him.

    "Thank you for inviting me, Madam Yang." Her melodic voice thinned the thick atmosphere. Her soft, plump lips curled into a sincere smile.

    Fan Jin saw her as a ticket to Yang Feng¡¯s happiness. "The pleasure is all mine. I hope the ride here was not too difficult for you?" Her heart remained stuck in her throat as she watched her husband walk towards them with a woman behind him.

    "It¡¯s your birthday celebration. Even if I traveled to the other side of the world, it wouldn¡¯t be an inconvenience to me." Zhao Lifei kindly said.

    Fan Jin¡¯s heart sped up. She needed something to distract both her son and future daughter-inw. "This dress that you are wearing, it is quite lovely. May I ask who designed it? The hues of sapphire are such a lovely contrast to your fair skin." She reached her hands out and cordially grabbed Zhao Lifei¡¯s smooth hands.

    Tiny whispers started in the back. Everyone could tell Fan Jin¡¯s obvious disy of affection towards Zhao Lifei. Fan Jin did not touch just anyone, nor was she kind enough to givepliments out of the blue. This sparked instant debates about Zhao Lifei¡¯s rtionship with Fan Jin. Was the young heiress considered a marriage candidate now?

    Zhao Lifei did not dare to wear the emerald ring in public. She wore the smaller one, shaped like a leaf-crown, on a ne. It was her way ofpromising with Yang Feng.

    "Please, Madam Yang, you tter me too much. I was actually hoping to learn about your designer as well. It¡¯s such a wise choice they included this belt."

    Fan Jin¡¯s heart was touched by her words. The belt was not included with the dress, she styled it herself with the help of Yang Ruqin.

    Zhao Lifei nced at Yang Feng, as if waiting for him to say something. Her stern look forced the words out of his mouth. "It¡¯s beautiful." He curtly said, his eyes trained on Zhao Lifei.

    The hundreds ofpliments given to her could not equate to the simple two words said by her son. It was the only one that mattered.

    For as long as Fan Jin could remember, her son was emotionless around her. He only called her "mother," in name and out of respect. She med herself for his standoffish behavior and reserved words. She could not recount a moment where he had everplimented her on anything. She was growing a bit teary-eyed, her heart soaring to the heavens and thanking the gods above.

    In front of him, she smiled the brightest. "I am d to hear that from you, son."

    If this was the old Yang Feng, the one that never encountered Zhao Lifei, he wouldn¡¯t have felt anything for her. Even now, he didn¡¯t feel much. He responded by giving her a blunt nod of acknowledgment.

 Chapter 338 Special Treatmen

    Everyone kept their eyes zoomed in the young woman in deep hues of blue. Her dress was dazzling in a discreet manner, like the twilight skies whose stars could only be seen by wandering souls. Every small movement would result in the unraveling of a different shade of the night. The ball gown hugged her waist and flowed like a curved waterfall. Only a small group of avid fans of YRQ were able to distinguish the style of folds.

    Not many people were focused on her stunning dress. They were all centered upon the interaction she shared with Fan Jin. Everyone always had to amodate to the Madam, not the other way around. It was as clear as day that Fan Jin saw Zhao Lifei in a favorable light.

    "I know this might not be much, but happy birthday, Madam Yang." Zhao Lifei took the discrete ck box out of her silver clutch with sprinkles of gold kes. The box was rectangr-shaped whose white ribbon had the embroidery of Sun Trading.

    Fan Jin was an avid collector of priceless artifacts. Her house was decorated with vases that adored the flowers from the Pce of Versailles and there were a few hand-picked white porcin and jade decorations from the Tang dynasty.

    Without missing a beat, she could tell whichpany the gift came from. It was an unwritten rule that the presents must go to the gift table where they were being regted by the staff and bodyguards.

    The people snickered amongst themselves. Zhao Lifei was going to be embarrassed yet again.

    "See, this is why Yang Qianlu prefers Su Meixiu more than Zhao Lifei. At the very least, she¡¯s able to figure out the general rule."

    "I told you there will be a show tonight. There always is one."

    "Hey, where¡¯s the alcohol? You think we can make her drink herself stupid like two years ago?"

    "Of course, but we would have to wait for Zheng Tianyi to show up first."

    "Such a small box. What a stingy gift. It¡¯s probably something stupid like a ne. Madam Yang has enough of those."

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes did not miss a single person that dared to bad-mouth his wife. His chilly, piercing stare made everyone ufortably shift in their shoes. All he had to do was lift a finger and everypany here could fall like a domino chain.

    "My, this is..." Fan Jin felt the wind knocked out of her stomach. Her hands were trembling and she had to force her fingers to remain still. No, even so, she could not bring herself to leave an oil smudge on the breathtaking hairpin. It was easily the most gorgeous thing her eyes had everid upon. She was going to treasure it for the rest of her life. It was a beauty to behold and whoever had the opportunity toy their eyes on it should be honored.

    "H-how did you get your hands on this?" She raised her head and sped the box shut, fearing the exposure to the air would dirty the hairpin.

    "I have my ways." Zhao Lifei mused.

    The chestnut hue of her eyes became dark like bitter chocte when Yang Qianlu entered the scene with a lithe woman beside him.

    "There you are." Yang Qianlu said when he saw his wife. "And son, you came. That¡¯s always a pleasant sight to see." He didn¡¯t bother to acknowledge Zhao Lifei.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s smile remained unfazed. She felt Yang Feng¡¯s hands brushing against her fingertips. She folded her arms.

    Yang Feng kept his eyes on Su Meixiu, daring her to open her mouth. She cast her eyes to the ground and couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at him without permission.

    Zhao Lifei was not afraid of losing Yang Feng. She was confident in herself that she would not lose to the likes of Su Meixiu. That was why she did not bother to cling onto him for dear life. She didn¡¯t have to.

    Su Meixiu knew she shouldn¡¯t havee here. She didn¡¯t want to be here. Her grandfather and father pressured her intoing. She shuffled her feet and awkwardly yed with the sleeves of her gown. She didn¡¯t know why her family was so adamant in having her here. Even today, she wondered whether she truly liked the President because of who he was or if it was because he was different than the rest. She bit her bottom lip, her fingers digging into her palms. For the past week, she was in turmoil about her feelings.

    "It seems you¡¯ve received a gift. How thoughtful." Yang Qianlu took the box from Fan Jin¡¯s desperate hands. "I¡¯ll have one of the waiters ce it on the table like the rest of the gifts."

    Fan Jin didn¡¯t like to be belittled like this. It was her birthday and here he was, taking control of everything. "I¡¯ll hold onto it."

    "Don¡¯t be stubborn. Su Meixiu also prepared a gift for you. It¡¯s waiting at the table like how it should be." His taunting words created an insufferable atmosphere. He deliberately ignored the arctic expression on his son¡¯s face. Icicles dangled from the walls, the wind of the north circted in the room, and everyone was beginning to freeze to death.

    Yang Feng¡¯s indifferent face scared the people more. They wanted him tosh out or lose his control, but seeing his stealthily concealed emotions, no one knew how to react.

    Fan Jin¡¯s expression hardened. She dropped her voice to a whisper, "Is this your birthday or mine?"

    "What? It¡¯s yours of course¡ª"

    "Then what are you doing?"

    "Pardon?" Yang Qianlu was baffled by the woman in front of him. What happened to his quiet wife? She never talked back like this.

    "And what is she doing here? I never invited her." Fan Jin kept her voice on the low. She didn¡¯t want to embarrass anyone.

    Yang Qianlu stepped closer to his wife, warningly grabbed her wrist, and in an equally low voice, said, "I extended the invitation to her. The Sus have worked alongside my family for centuries. Even as we speak, Elder Su is in cahoots with the Patriarch. It¡¯s a polite and respectful thing to have her here."

    No one else heard their exchange of conversation. They only saw mouths moving.

    Fan Jin¡¯s eyes undoubtedly went to Zhao Lifei¡¯s unreadable face.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s smile widened in a friendly manner when she caught Fan Jin¡¯s dismayed eyes. It was her way of telling the Madam that all was right. She did not mind Su Meixiu¡¯s presence. It¡¯s not like the woman would dare to wreak havoc when Yang Feng was present.

    Fan Jin was perplexed when a surge of confidence filled her defeated soul. Maybe it stemmed from the fact that neither of them was the family¡¯s first choice. She regained the determination to talk back to her husband. "Since you¡¯re so in love with unsaid rules, Su Meixiu¡¯s gifts will be opened at the same time I open everyone else¡¯s. She does not deserve any special treatment." She ced a hand onto his and pried it off of her.

    "You always seem to forget you don¡¯t own me. Even after all these years of marriage, you¡¯re stillmanding me to do this and that." Fan Jin seized the ck box from her husband¡¯s hands. She turned to Zhao Lifei and grabbed the young woman¡¯s hands again, "Thank you for this lovely gift. It suits my dress perfectly. Would you do me the honor of cing it into my hair?"

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s shoulders lifted like her eyes. "Of course." She stood on her tippy-toes and slipped the hairpin into the sides of the elegant updo. The strings of pearls and various jewels dangling off the side of the head added the finishing touch to Fan Jin¡¯s appearances.

    "Sweet child, I believe we have a lot to talk about." Fan Jin said, stroking the top of Zhao Lifei¡¯s hands. Her eyesnded on the ring for the briefest second before she shed her a smile and walked off with her grumbling husband.

 Chapter 339 First Place

    "We¡¯re leaving." Yang Feng said the second his parents disappeared out of sight. He wrapped his fingers around her thin wrist. His patience had reached its limit and he could not tolerate anyone here.

    "Why?" Zhao Lifei allowed herself to be dragged by him, however, she quickened her steps to match his so that no one else could see she was being forced to walk closer to the exit.

    "Yang Feng, wait." She changed their course of direction and pushed his hands off of her. His vicious eyes became even more threatening by her behavior. Then it calmed down when she took the same hand and entwined their fingers. She pulled him to a quiet hallway.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" She saw how upset he was when everyone else was too busy attempting to read his nonchnt expression. Everyone always sensed his murderous intent but never the reasons behind it.

    "One job. They had one job and they couldn¡¯t properly execute it." Yang Feng cornered her into the wall, her back touching the wallpaper. She could distinctly hear ssical music traveling from the banquet to the far right.

    "I¡¯m not bothered by it. You shouldn¡¯t be as well." She brought his head down and cupped his face. "If we leave like that, we¡¯re letting them win."

    "But you¡¯re not happy¡ª"

    "I¡¯ve be ustomed to her presence. It does not anger me as it once did in the past." She drew circles on his face, her touches light as a feather. The tender smile on her face made his heart flutter. "I¡¯ve realized there¡¯s nothing to fear, as long as I have trust in you."

    Yang Feng was ted by her words. He once told himself that he would anticipate seeing the woman she would flourish into. And look at what she had be. A strong and confident woman.

    "I will speak to my father and grandfather. The Sus will no longer have any connections to us. I will sever all ties with them." Yang Feng brought his head down and leaned his forehead onto hers. "No one will disrespect you like this anymore."

    He sealed his words with his mouth. Their kiss started slow and gentle, treasuring the moment. His hand slipped to the back of her neck and one of hers slid down to rest on his face, the other cupping his face. He hid her with his body, one arm settling onto her lower back, pushing their bodies together. He could feel her curves and breasts against him, his friend hardening. Their lips tangled together, gentle as if they were slow dancing to the romantic songs ying outside.

    Then their kiss deepened. Devotion turned into wistful, ardent where he licked her bottom lip to seek entrance. She opened up for him, the same way her legs will also do very soon. She let out a small moan when his tongue moved in, and the hand resting on her back squeezed her behind.

    He kissed her furiously until she was breathless and on the verge of copsing. He released her lips, allowing her to catch much-needed air. In the meantime, he kissed her closed eyelids, her longshes, her smooth cheeks, small forehead, adorable nose, her chin, and then moved his way to the back of her ears. He showered the sides of her neck with thorough attention.

    Eventually, his teasing lips ended up on the same spot where he created his first mark. It had not faded yet. She had expertly hidden it withyers of color-correcting concealer and foundation. No one could see it unless they were standing as close to her as he was.

    He licked his thumb, ready to wipe it off, but she pushed him away before he could do so. "Don¡¯t." She whispered to him, her ears turning red when she noticed how hungry he was. He looked like he could eat her alive. His eyes were practically undressing her and taking her up on a bed.

    "We¡¯re in public and I don¡¯t want your parents to see."

    "Why?" He bluntly and shamelessly asked her, even though he already knew why. He enjoyed seeing her flustered behavior and the lovable ramble she sometimes went on. A ghost of a smile rested on his lips when he saw she was already in the process of having a mental breakdown.

    She opened and closed her mouth, stumbling over her words. She groaned out of frustration and red up at him.

    He patted her head. "There, there. It¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to tell me." He cheekily grinned, wrapping his arms around her, one hand grasping the back of her head and the other protectively around her body.

    "You¡¯re mean."

    Yang Feng had a wry expression on his face. She had no idea that she was the biggest bully in their rtionship. Day and night, she teased him. Every time she smiled at him, his heart would uncontrobly race. Kissing her was torturous, for he had to endure his excited member. He could not wait for the day she would finally grant him entrance, for the minute the gates opened, they would never close again.

    - - - - -

    Yang Mujian was surrounded by people but kept to himself. Yang Ruqin was attempting to engage in a conversation with him and usually, he would respond to his granddaughter. But today, he was not in the best of moods to entertain her.

    Yang Ruqin pretended she wasn¡¯t ignored. She could feel theughing eyes of her cousins who were eagerly waiting for her to make a mistake and lose the Patriarch¡¯s good favor. Everyone here was a wolf in the disguise of amb. Their exaggeratedpliments and ingenuine smiles bothered her. She didn¡¯t like it and could not stomach the food with them around.

    "Grandfather tends to be quiet. Why are you upset by it? I thought you knew grandfather well enough."

    "You¡¯re his favorite, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll talk to you soon."

    "I think it¡¯s because you stopped being a model. The people are talking about your unannounced and abrupt departure."

    "Oh my, I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time. I heard about the incident with Mu Ting, I hope you¡¯re alright? It¡¯s such a shame that your older brothers are involved in the Underworld, but you don¡¯t even know self-defense."

    That was a low blow, everyone could see it. Yang Ruqin¡¯s entire body stiffened, bing as hard as a rock. She would never forget the helplessness she felt. Her eyes prickled with tears of frustration. She wanted tosh out, she truly did. But with the heavy scrutiny on her, she did not open her mouth.

    "Says the one with twenty bodyguards. What do you need them for?" Zhao Lifei appeared behind the gossiping cousins. Through the corner of her eyes, she could see Yang Ruqin¡¯s nonchnt expression.

    Zhao Lifei took a brief overview of the beautiful woman dded in scarlet red. "It¡¯s not like you¡¯re important in the first ce."

    Originally, Zhao Lifei did not want to sit at this table, since it seemed to be reserved specifically for the Yang family. She knew exactly why the Fan n was not present. Neither of them approved of Yang Qianlu and Fan Jin¡¯s marriage, especially when thetter was promised to another.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t voice her difort or thoughts to Yang Feng, but it seemed he already noticed it in advance when he steered her far away from the table.

    Yang Ruqin was originally going to keep her mouth shut and beat her cousins when the family was not watching. She wasn¡¯t aware she was tightly clenching her hand cloth until it slipped to the ground in a wrinkled, rumpled mess.

    Yang Xiaojing¡¯s face turned beet red at the insult directed her way. She could feel the eyes of her cousins, waiting for her to reply. "And who invited you to this conversation?" She scoffed, turning around to face the fool that said this to her.

    "I did. Do you have a problem with that?" Zhao Lifei¡¯s smile deepened, crossing her arms. No one bullies Qinqin without her permission.

    Yang Xiaojing¡¯s haughty expressions deepened. "Wow, you¡¯re shameless. It seems the rumors are true." She didn¡¯t see the looming grim reaper behind Zhao Lifei.

    Yang Feng was briefly engaged in a conversation with Chen Gaonan about ending the legacies of a few families. His ears twitched when he heard the hurl of insult towards his wife.

    "It¡¯s quite sad and pathetic when you can¡¯t find a better insult, so you have to dig through the past." Zhao Lifei boredly yawned, her eyes skimming over the name card. Yang Xiaojing. Huh, so she did have the surname to back her up.

    Yang Xiaojing opened her mouth and then closed it. Her arrogance disappeared faster than a deer being chased. Standing behind Zhao Lifei was a heavily intimidating man with his hands signature tucked in his pockets, the same pose as a local thug, but the way he sported it, made him look like the mob¡¯s boss instead.

 Chapter 340 Xiao Fei

    Yang Xiaojing kept her mouth shut and stared at the floor. She bowed her head in a sort of defeat and made herself as small as possible.

    Yang Feng ced a warm hand onto Zhao Lifei¡¯s lower back. He did not need words to intimidate insignificant things like Yang Xiaojing. Her meager shares in thepany and a brief mention in Yang Mujian¡¯s will was enough to provide her social standing in the family.

    Zhao Lifei saw there was only one empty chair at the table, reserved solely for Yang Feng. She found this indirect insult very amusing. She stared straight at Yang Qianlu who took a leisurely sip of his tea. He was engaged in a conversation with Yang Yulong. It seemed the only person who heard the smack-talking was Yang Ruqin and Zhao Lifei.

    Yang Feng noticed theck of a chair for her and was prepared to go home. He had spent less than an hour here and he was already fuming on the inside. No one would leave this ce unscathed. While he stood there, Chen Gaonan and a team of people were already on their way tanking the stock market for certainpanies. Investors will begin pulling out soon. They would never know what hit them.

    He briefly nced at Zhao Lifei and saw her willingness to stay here and tolerate this madness. There was only one seat open and he was not going to allow her to fend off the piranhas by herself. His bitter eyes shifted to Yang Xiaojing.

    "Scram." He growled.

    "P-pardon?" Yang Xiaojing squeaked out like a mouse, her eyes going wide.

    It was at this moment that Yang Qianlu finally spoke up. "Ah, Xiao Xiu, you have returned." He saw the woman approaching and nced around the table in search of an open chair. His eyes wandered over to Yang Xiaojing.

    "Xiao Xiao, your aunt seems to be calling you." He pointed to the table beside them, forcing her to read in-between the lines: Get up and give the seat to Su Meixiu.

    Yang Feng¡¯s gentle clutch tightened into an unbearable grip. "Do not test my patience." He seethed, a rumbling noiseing from his chest.

    Yang Mujian enjoyed the show with a ss of wine. He wondered how territorial Yang Feng could get. He couldn¡¯t figure out if it was a good or bad thing. Currently, it was dwarfed to a negative perspective. When he discovered the mission to target Xia Mengxi, he briefly thought it was vengeance for Yang Ruqin. That is until Su Boyuan brought up Xia Mengxi and Zhao Lifei¡¯s unpleasant past.

    "I am your father, do you think you can hurt me?" Yang Qianlu¡¯s patient words held a perilous edge to it.

    A shadow covered Yang Feng¡¯s face, turning everything around him ghastly and stiff. The atmosphere became unbearable. A strong breeze circted around the area, willowy ghosts mbering from the Netherworlds. It came to the surface, hiding behind his threatening frame. "I have my ways."

    Su Meixiu could not feel any more ufortable than she already was. She knew it was a mistake toe here. All she wanted to do was go home and snuggle into thefort of her bed.

    It was already embarrassing as it was to show up here when she didn¡¯t hold any impressive position by Yang Feng¡¯s side anymore. For some reason, whether it was by chance or force, all of her previous aplishments were flushed down the drain.

    No one seemed to care or acknowledge the fact that she used to be his private assistant and one of the most loyal members of his team. It was also because everyone here was wealthier than the other, and her family was at the bottom of the food chain. The Sus were well-off but their money was a joke to these people.

    Over the past few weeks, she was forced to think about her life. Everything she did was always set up by her family. When had she truly lived for herself? Did she like Yang Feng because her heart wanted her to, or was it because she was programmed to behave like that?

    "You always seem to forget who¡¯s in charge now." For the sake of respect, Yang Feng left out the part where Yang Qianlu never stepped foot in the Underworld.

    Being the eldest, Yang Qianlu should¡¯ve been the first to volunteer. Instead, he turned his back to his designated path and went down the good route for ¡¯clean money.¡¯ He had forgotten where his roots stemmed from and that there was no such thing as clean money in this world. Everything was handed to him on a golden tter, he never worked for it. Whatever position he presumed was because Yang Mujian nted him there to be useful.

    Yang Feng was different, not because he wanted to, but because it was forced upon him. Yang Mujian made sure of that.

    Yang Mujian hid his entertained smile behind a sip of his tea. It was bitter and tasted woody on his tongue. This show was simply too entertaining for him toment on. A face-off between son and father.

    It was foolish of Yang Qianlu to pick Su Meixiu¡¯s side over Zhao Lifei. He knew it was because his oldest son still thought his father favored the former.

    Fan Jin knew she had to put an end to this before they began to garner unnecessary attention. She opened her mouth to say something but her husband interrupted her.

    "This is not how I raised you to behave. You¡¯re bringing shame to the family." Like everyone else in his family, Yang Qianlu was good at upholding a poker face. No one could understand what he was thinking. It was a facade that every one of the Yangs tried to cultivate. When half of your rtives were as backstabbing as the Yangs, it was the smartest thing to learn.

    "You never raised me." Yang Feng unsympathetically replied. Shame to the family? Was he describing himself?

    Yang Qianlu¡¯s clenched jaw ticked. He didn¡¯t need to be reminded that he abandoned his son. He didn¡¯t need to remember he was a coward for not being able to go against Yang Mujian. That was why he was very thorough in the way he raised Yang Yulong. He wanted to show his father that his way of teaching was equally correct in raising a spitball of a weapon.

    Yang Mujian saw it was time to end this discussion. Pairs of unwanted eyes had begun to travel to the quiet dispute. "Xiao Fei."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s spine stiffened. When her grandfather called her that, she became warm-hearted because it was the same name he used to call her as a child. But, something about the way Elder Yang said her name made her ufortable. The hairs on her arms raised, goosebumps forming. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

    She didn¡¯t have a chance to reply.

    "Come and sit down beside my granddaughter." He gestured toward Yang Xiaojing¡¯s upied chair.

    ¡¯Father, she is not family.¡¯ Yang Qianlu desperately wanted to say. But he wisely did not. If he had done so, Yang Mujian would¡¯ve severely roasted him with words.

    Su Meixiu didn¡¯t know what had happened to her prowess and confidence. Usually, she could find a way to sink her nails into the hearts of people and get things done her way. Her greatest weapon was her words and the way she could manipte everyone around her. Tonight was different. She had been a ball of jumbled words, stuttering sentences, and dry replies all night long.

    Yang Xiaojing desperately looked at her mother for help. The woman jutted her chin to the other table, requesting for her daughter to stand the hell up. ¡¯What are you waiting for?!¡¯ Her mother seemed to scream with her eyes.

    With no choice but to abandon her chair, she slowly stood up. She had the decency to politely nod her head at Yang Mujian and scurry off to the other table where her aunt already had an empty chair prepared for her.

    Su Meixiu did not miss the dirty look Yang Xiaojing tossed at Zhao Lifei.

    Yang Feng considered gouging Yang Xiaojing¡¯s eyes out. He was sure she didn¡¯t need them anymore, especially after ring at his woman.

    Zhao Lifei seemed to have read his mind. "Don¡¯t."

    "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about."

    "You considered it." She gave him a pointed look. A ghost of a smile lifted at the corner of his lips. She knew him too well.

 Chapter 341 Then Whats The Problem?

    The first thing Yang Mujian noticed was how well Zhao Lifei could keep his grandson in control. He honestly couldn¡¯t care less what happened to the insignificant flies reaching for gold. However, seeing Zhao Lifei¡¯s effective way of maneuvering Yang Feng¡¯s bloodthirst, gravely dismayed him.

    Fan Jin made up her mind to have a thorough discussion with Zhao Lifei before the one she would have with her husband. Su Meixiu was a good girl who didn¡¯t deserve the embarrassing predicament but she overstepped her boundaries just because someone offered her a hand to cross it. It was already clear who was in Yang Feng¡¯s heart, yet Su Meixiu still had the decency to show up to this banquet.

    Yang Ruqin patted the seat beside her with a gigantic smile. She felt like a damsel being saved by her knight in shining armor. "Feifei, sit here. I have so much to talk to you about." Her eyes twinkled and reflected the light of the champagne-colored chandelier ceilings above her.

    There was no empty seat beside Zhao Lifei. Thest empty chair was on the other side of Yang Ruqin.

    Yang Feng¡¯s mood dampened.

    Yang Ruqin scooted to the empty chair on the other side of her, so that she was sitting directly beside her grandfather who didn¡¯t mind the switch. Her face said it all. ¡¯There, happy now?¡¯

    Yang Feng decided not to send her back to the main mansion for a while. It seems she finally developed a brain.

    He guided Zhao Lifei to one of the chairs and pulled it out for her. She shed him a thankful smile and sat down where he pushed it in for her. Then she realized something but it was already toote for Yang Feng had already plotted himself right between her and Yang Ruqin. No one was going to steal her attention tonight.

    Yang Ruqin was bbergasted. She couldn¡¯t believe her brother would do something like this! She had even deliberately moved, but her brother still forced her to maintain a distance with her Feifei! She tearfully turned to her mother, then to the shaking Yang Yulong who was struggling to hold back hisughter.

    Zhao Lifei sighed. She leaned closer to him, "Must you behave like this?" He responded by cing a hand on her thigh discreetly, squeezing it with a wolfish smirk. "Of course."

    "I like Qinqin¡¯spany. She makes me feelfortable."

    "I don¡¯t make you feelfortable?" Yang Feng¡¯s mood switched on her. She gave his hand a gentle pat and resisted the urge to squeeze his cheek.

    "You do¡ª"

    "Then what¡¯s the problem?" He grasped her hand and held it underneath the table.

    Zhao Lifei wished her heart didn¡¯t skip a beat like that. His tiny actions made her feel giddy and overly excited. She wanted to retort with a reply, but he stole the words from her mouth by cing a chastise kiss on her cheek. Her eyes fluttered shut before she knew it and his lips were gone the next second.

    "You can¡¯t use my tricks against me." Her smile said otherwise. She wanted to wipe that arrogant smirk off of his face.

    "I believe I just did."

    "Well, it wasn¡¯t effective." She lied. The butterflies in her stomach betrayed her. She hoped he didn¡¯t see the flicker of adoration in her eyes.

    "Really now? I have other means." He cupped one side of her face, lovingly stroking the skin. "I tried to not do it here because you would dislike it."

    Her face heated at his words. She had perverted thoughts about what he would do to her. His smirk deepened. "My love, what are you thinking about?"

    "None of your concern." She snapped, turning her attention to the turquoise-rimmed, white porcin tter in front of her. The linen cloth was folded into the shape of a resting lily.

    Yang Feng couldn¡¯t stop smiling because of her tsundere behavior. She was so adorable, he wanted to just gobble her up. The waiters were finally serving the first course of their meal after Fan Jin motioned for the start of the dinner. She had already given her speech, but it was during Yang Feng and Zhao Lifei¡¯s small discussion in the hallways.

    "Alright, my dear. Whatever you say." He took the linen cloth and ced it on herp for her. He smoothed the creases and ensured it covered moderate amounts of her dress.

    Wine and champagne were the main drinks at tonight¡¯s celebration. He did not like that. When the drink staff came forward, he turned the man away with a scathing re for offering a ss of wine to Zhao Lifei.

    "I was going to tell him what I wanted to drink."

    "You will not be drinking alcohol."

    "Says the one with a ss of wine." She huffed, turning to her first dish of the day. It was peeled shrimps that were cooked on a hotbed of coarse, pink Himyan salt with bay leaves, rosemary, and lemon zest. It rested upon ayer of creamy sauce made from toasted pine nuts, creme fraiche, lemon, and crushed pistachios. Underneath it was shaved sd toasted in olive oil and vinegar to add a tartness that would bnce the meal.

    He leaned closer to her, "You can have a taste from my lips." Her face turned as pink as the perfectly cooked shrimp.

    "Shut up."

    "I thought you wanted some wine?"

    "How about I beat you like a grape?" She picked up the sd knife and fork.

    "I can give you something else to¡ª"

    "Don¡¯t you dare finish that sentence." Her face was bing as red as the beets being served in the next course.

    "¡ªto drink." He concluded, shing her an overly confident smirk. "For example, fruit juices or kombucha." She sputtered over what else to say and ended up ring a hole into her te. "What else did you think I was going to say?"

    "Shut up and eat your food. It¡¯s getting cold."

    "It¡¯s a sd. It¡¯s supposed to be cold." He cheekily said. This childish argument of theirs brightened his entire mood. Seeing her flustered and irritated was such an amusing sight. He had already finished his meal by the time she was beginning with hers.

    "Keep on going and I¡¯ll have you enjoy a cold shower tonight." She sliced through the shrimp in an even clean cut. He unintentionally winced a bit, though it was barely noticeable.

    "Only if you will take it with me." A waiter passed by them and Yang Feng instructed him to bring a cold ss of Densuke watermelon juice.

    Zhao Lifei knew the longer she argued back with him, the longer this banter would go. It was a losing fight, so she stopped replying to him and focused on the dish instead. He did not like her fleeing attention. She jolted and nearly dropped her utensils when he ced a hand inches away from her womanhood. Because of how close they sat, no one could see hispromising hand.

    "What are you doing?"

    "Hm, what do you mean?" He was hoping for a frantic reaction. She was tooposed for his liking. He liked how fast she jumped, but not how fast she calmed down right afterward.

    "I¡¯m trying to eat."

    "Me too." His hooded eyesnded on her lips, then he briefly looked down, and returned to her eyes.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s face could not get any redder. His bluntness was too much for her to handle and she raised the small, white g by setting down her utensils. "Later." She whispered to him, her words whisking him straight to the heavens whereupon hended on cloud nine.

 Chapter 342 Someone Has To Pay

    After the dinner was served, Yang Feng hovered over Zhao Lifei like a fly. He was incredibly protective of his little wife and made sure everyone she spoke to was on their side. He never left her alone and always had a hand resting on some part of her body, ranging from her hips to her shoulders and then her lower back. His im over her was clear for everyone to see. She was his.

    Fan Jin was attempting to find an opportunity to detach her son from her potential daughter-inw. She wanted to talk about the ring she saw and give her blessings. Her husband might¡¯ve disapproved of the marriage, but she knew he would eventuallye around. The worst-case scenario was that it might take a grandchild or two before he did.

    She heaved a sigh. During the entire dinner, he refused to speak to her and was throwing a temper tantrum with his passive-aggressive silent treatment. That was fine with her. He needed her more than she needed him. She knew everything about him from his diet to where he misced his things.

    Finally, she saw an opening when Yang Feng was called to privately converse with Elder Yang. She watched him bend his head, whispering something into her ears, giving her a gentle kiss on the cheek and walked off.

    Other people began to approach Zhao Lifei now that her guard dog was gone. Fan Jin skimmed through the banquet where everyone parted for her. "Lifei."

    Zhao Lifei raised her head and turned around to see Fan Jin approaching with intent in her eyes. "Madam Yang." Her lips curled into a smile.

    "Come and take a walk with me in the garden." Fan Jin offered her the curve of her arm to Zhao Lifei, who graciously ced her hand onto it. Never exchanging any more words, the two approached the garden, leaving everyone wondering what they would chat about.

    - - - - -

    "What is your intention on targeting Xia Mengxi?" Yang Mujian cut straight to the chase. He rested his palms on the golden cane that was also an unsheathed sword. He was sitting on the grand couch of a room in the hallway.

    Yang Feng did not make any moves of sitting down. He nned on returning to Zhao Lifei as soon as possible. "Someone has to pay for Yang Ruqin¡¯s trauma."

    "Someone already did pay." Yang Mujian referred to Mu Ting and the nameless model.

    Yang Feng nonchntly nced at his grandfather. Were two people enough for the bloodshed of his favorite granddaughter?

    Yang Mujian already knew what Yang Feng was thinking. "In most circumstances, I do not care who you target. You sank Zheng Tianyi¡¯s stock for being disrespectful. That was fine with me. You wanted to marry Zhao Lifei. That was fine with me. But when your heart wavers for her happiness, it¡¯s not okay."

    "Have I lost power and my ruthlessness after meeting her?" Yang Feng slowly asked.

    Yang Mujian¡¯s lips twitched. Everyone knew the answer to that. Ever since Yang Feng encountered Zhao Lifei again, he became more merciless. "I¡¯ll ask for thest time, are you in love with her?"

    "Is a King in love with his disposable pawns?" Yang Feng retorted without missing a heartbeat.

    "Then why do you abuse your power for the sake of a forgotten grudge?"

    "So you¡¯ll allow amoner toy their dirty fingers on Yang Ruqin and get away with it?" Yang Feng¡¯s words also implied a different message. Yang Mujian was getting weak. He was beginning to care about misceneous opinions and consequences.

    Yang Feng took out the contract from his suit. He ced it onto the marble coffee table that was designed to mimic the ones found in Buckingham Pce. "Xia Mengxi will not be the only thing I end."

    Yang Mujian picked up the contract and read through the thick packet. The only noise that could be heard was the sound of pages being turned and the ticks of the grandfather clock by the firece. After a few minutes, he settled the contract onto the table. "You n on cutting off one of my major supporters. Is it because the five-year meeting is approaching?"

    "When a dog walks ahead of his master, he should be thoroughly disciplined." Yang Feng recited the phrase Yang Mujian had uttered in the past when the puppy was brutally beaten to death.

    Yang Mujian was quiet for the longest time. He contemted his grandson¡¯s words. The reasoning was there and should anyone raise any objections, this contract would be proof. "I hope your decisions were not influenced by Zhao Lifei."

    "Do I seem like the type to be influenced by a woman?"

    Yang Mujian had a knowing look in his eyes. He was on the thick side of the ice and did not want to tread over the thinyer. "Fine then."

    "Ruining Xia Mengxi will also have the Zheng¡¯s grateful to us. A change of CEO is always possible." He didn¡¯t bother to take back the copy of the contract and left without another nce towards his grandfather. He was allowing the words to marinate.

    It was true Xia Mengxi was trying her hardest to have everyone like her. With the charm of a dashing female lead, she was slowly turning over the stones one by one. But she was going for the pebbles and not the boulders. None of it mattered now.

    An extensive background check of Xia Mengxi came in a few days ago. He knew her biggest secret and it was one that would tarnish her reputation beyond repair. Her ss castle woulde shattering down. It was a small price to pay for hurting his Xiao Lili.

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng walked back to the banquet. His sour mood worsened when his woman was nowhere in sight. ¡¯Who stole her from him?¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to ponder over this thought anymore.

    He took out his phone and easily located where the bodyguards were stationed. He turned around and headed in the direction of the garden, but a familiar raven-haired head stopped him.

    "President Yang, forgive me for speaking out of line, but may I¡ª"

    Yang Feng brushed past Su Meixiu without ncing her way. She was practically air to him.

    Su Meixiu knew she would suffer his wrath sooner orter. She preferred to get it done as soon as possible. She had finally concluded her indecisive heart.

    She mustered up all of her courage and grabbed his sleeves, forcing him to stop walking. He shook her off, fury written all over his face. He then dusted his sleeves as if she had dirtied it.

    "Please! I just need five minutes to exin myself."

    "How pathetic can you get?"

    His words pped her in the face. She was stunned to the core, her heart aching and tears building up in her eyes. All she wanted to do was talk and nothing more. Did he have to react like that? All she did was not stand up in a meeting and she was severely punished like this.

    "Get out of my face. You disgust me." He spat out the words, turning his back to her.

    Zhao Lifei was quietly watching the conversation unfold. Something about the way Yang Feng spoke to Su Meixiu rubbed her the wrong way. It was like witnessing herself in the past, the nightmare she had a few months ago when she still lived in Sky Arc Complex [1].

    "Five minutes is all you have." Zhao Lifei turned the corner, her words surprising Fan Jin.

    Fan Jin had expected Zhao Lifei to storm into the scene and make a possessive im over Yang Feng. By not doing so, she was demonstrating how much she had matured and changed from the woman she was two years ago. If this was the previous Zhao Lifei, she would¡¯ve pped Su Meixiu in the face and used her of attempting to covet Yang Feng.

    Yang Feng swiveled around with a startled expression. He didn¡¯t expect her to be lurking and eavesdropping on the conversation. ¡¯How long has she been standing there?¡¯ He nced down at his phone and saw the positions of the bodyguards had changed to their current location.

    Su Meixiu¡¯s throat ran dry. She felt like scum, for Zhao Lifei had just killed her with kindness. She tried so hard to sabotage the young woman in Elder Yang¡¯s eyes. Yet today, Zhao Lifei showed who was the adult in this one-sided dispute.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes connected with Zhao Lifei¡¯s. The two shared a silent conversation. In the end, she left to give them some space.

 Chapter 343 Another Mistake

    Su Meixiu wrung her hands together, lifting her head to stare at her boss. When his stormy, obsidian ck eyes shed against her mellow folds of hazel, she hurriedly averted her gaze. Even though she highly admired him, she was still terrified of going against him. She was intimidated and fearful of what he could and would do to her. She gulped.

    "Four minutes remaining." Yang Feng was aggravated by her behavior. He didn¡¯t realize how weak and feeble she was until now. She could barely look him in the eyes without wanting to bury herself into a hole.

    "I-I apologize for my behavior that day." Su Meixiu started, finally raising her eyes to look him in the face. Her heart sped up in fear when he raised a brow. "My behavior was uncalled for. I¡¯ve made a lot of mistakes in the past and I didn¡¯t realize you were giving me so many chances."

    Yang Feng found the timing of this apology too coincidental. Did she know her family¡¯s legacy was going to end? He viewed her words as a final plea for mercy.

    "So, if you can give me one more chance to redeem myself, I swear I won¡¯t make the same mistakes again. I-I won¡¯t dare toe between you and the future Madam anymore."

    Did that mean she had the guts to do it before? Yang Feng¡¯s face darkened. He should just throw her in the ck room and call it a day. His fingers clenched into fists.

    "Why do you want to stay?"

    ¡¯Because my father wants me to.¡¯ Was the first thought that shed in her mind. She ced a hand to her beating heart and stared up at him again. His onyx eyes swirled with malicious intent. She had never seen light flood into the ck abyss until now. Nothingsts long enough to stay. Her heart raced again. This time she thought about why it raced. ¡¯Was it because she was excited? Or was it because she was scared of him?¡¯

    Her nails dug into her chest, rolling her bottom lip into her mouth. She already knew the answer. Her brain had known it a long time ago, but her heart tricked her into thinking it was something else. She admired him in every aspect. He had never looked her way, not even once. In her frantic chase to get his attention, she had mistaken her feelings. What she felt for him was artificial love pressured into her by her peers and family.

    "Because I¡¯m very good atmunicating with our clients and¡ª"

    "Just like how you¡¯re specialized inmunicating with your father?"

    Her mouth mped shut. Nervous beads of sweat dribbled down her forehead, her eyes watering. It wasn¡¯t like she wanted to talk to her father. She didn¡¯t want anything to do with him, but what could she do about it? He controlled everything about her life. She was his puppet. He pulled strings for her just like how he pulled her strings to obey.

    She knew nothing could redeem her from what she had done.

    Yang Feng¡¯s emotionless gaze only broke her more. Why couldn¡¯t he smile at her the same way he did with Zhao Lifei? Why couldn¡¯t he wrap his arms around her and reassure her that everything was going to be alright?

    "President, I¡¯m in love with you." She choked out, her words were strained with emotions. Tears poured out of her eyes like a never-ending waterfall. She hugged her quivering shoulders when the air turned deadly.

    Yang Feng felt nothing for her. He didn¡¯t even blink.

    "Another mistake." He abandoned her in the hallway, leaving behind a crying woman whose legs gave out from underneath her. Wretched cries of disappointment could be heard. It mixed with the sounds of his disappearing footsteps, bouncing off the walls.

    "No." She whispered. "That is where you¡¯re wrong." She dropped her head, moistened dots dripping onto the burgundy rug. "There were two mistakes." She let out a cackle ofughter. His rejection provided her with the rough p that she needed. In the end, what she felt for him was admiration, not love. She was programmed to believe it was thetter. The water of her tears was enough to malfunction the programming.

    - - - - -

    "I¡¯ve said it before, my love, it¡¯s not good to eavesdrop." Yang Feng rounded the corner and grabbed the waist of Zhao Lifei who was attempting to escape down the hallways. He smiled when she jabbed her elbows against his chest. He turned her around and enveloped her in his arms, swaying her to the music flowing from the banquet.

    Zhao Lifei silently stared up at him, observing his chiseled features. He raised his well-defined brow, leaning his face down so that she could observe it better.

    "What is it?" He asked her, kissing her forehead and hugging her closely. He didn¡¯t like the look on her face. She looked like she was trying to remember his face. He curved his head and kissed the side of her neck, then rested his head upon her shoulder. His tensed posture finally softened when her hands slid up his spine.

    "I¡¯m just jealous about how perfect your brows are. Who do you get it waxed with?"

    "It¡¯s naturally that wless."

    "That¡¯s not fair."

    "Nothing in life is fair." Yang Feng chuckled, his chest rumbling with the gentle force. He squeezed her waist and kissed her onest time on the side of her neck.

    "The banquet is ending." He added on, after noticing the music slowly dying down in the background. The frequent chatter was now a murmur. "Let¡¯s head home." He stroked the back of her head, pressing a kiss on her perky little nose.

    She nodded her head and he began to guide her towards the back exit where it would be easier to slip by unnoticed. She dug her foot to the ground. "I want to say goodbye to your parents."

    "Only acknowledge my mother." Yang Feng instructed her as he changed their course of direction. "I will speak to my father privately."

    "No, don¡¯t." Zhao Lifei, as much as she tried to deny it, enjoyed his pampering, but there were some things in this world that she had to obtain herself. It would be boring if everything was handed out to her.

    "Don¡¯t force your family to like me. I¡¯ll change their views by myself."

    Yang Feng was worried about her. He was conflicted on how he should feel. When he looked at her, he felt all of the uneasiness wash away. A pair of sharp, defining eyes were staring up at him. She had an easygoing smile on her face, free of dismay. She was confident she would seed.

    He lifted his hand and rubbed the top of her head. "That¡¯s my girl."

    - - - - -

    Fan Jin stood at the exit to give the final goodbyes and to wish everyone a good night. She was so used to these customary things that her face had stopped hurting a long time ago. When she first did this, she would be sore from smiling so much, but now, she didn¡¯t mind it at all. Yang Qianlu apanied her, sharing an equally friendly smile. They were a picture-perfect couple. Not a single w in sight. In reality, both of them were ready to argue when they got home.

    Fan Jin straightened up when she saw Zhao Life and Yang Feng making their way towards them. Her eyes gleamed with pride at the sight of them. Both of them matched each other superbly. Charismatic and self-assured, their children would surely be splendidly dazzling.

    "Thank you for inviting me to this banquet, Madam." Zhao Lifei presented her best smile, the one that reached her eyes and showed off her dimples. The small action easily pierced Fan Jin¡¯s heart.

    "Please, just call me mother-inw."

    Yang Qianlu had to do a double-take at his wife. ¡¯When did this happen?!¡¯ He was not prepared for the drastic shift of events. He cleared his throat, his eyes straying to the other guests behind them. "Darling¡ª"

    "Or even better, mother." Fan Jin added the finishing blow with a tender smile, the same one she always showed towards Yang Yulong and Yang Ruqin.

    Zhao Lifei, who was unfamiliar with a motherly touch, did not realize the meaning behind Fan Jin¡¯s smile. The topic of mothers was hard for her to fathom. She slowly nodded her head, processing the words in her mind.

 Chapter 344 Burned

    Once they got home, Zhao Lifei did not walk straight to their bed or the bathroom. She, instead, made her way to the terrace that overlooked their garden. She could see the rose arches from there, the fountain, ghastly pale from the moonlight casting over it. Thick, trimmed bushes added a scenic feel to the main garden, and sshed throughout were different abundances of flowers that created an ever-winding world of colors. It brought life to this ce, something she deeply appreciated.

    Her eyes traveled beyond the arches. In the distance, she could see the arches of the bridges, whose railing was painted in red. It led to a gazebo resting on a small ind. asionally, ripples would form on the water, created by the assortment of fish living in the pond.

    "My love, it¡¯s cold outside." Yang Feng approached her from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist. He rested his face on her shoulder. She leaned her head upon his while cing her palm over his hands. She melted into their embrace, relishing in his natural heat.

    "You changed your suit jacket?" She asked, confused by the different shade of sleeves. The previous one he wore could be mistaken for a dark, midnight blue, but this one waspletely ck.

    "Yes. I had the previous one burned." He hummed, kissing the edge of her shoulders, softly and tenderly. He frowned. Her skin was as cold as ice. "Let¡¯s head inside, my dear. You¡¯ll get sick from the breeze."

    "We¡¯ve never slow danced before." She said out of the blue.

    Yang Feng hugged her tighter in hopes of warming her up more. He turned her around and took off the new suit jacket, then draped it over her dress.

    She took it off.

    His eyes darkened, his lips thinning into a line. Then she surprised him by actually wearing it.

    Yang Feng¡¯s chilly gaze became the first sunlight of Spring. He had a small smile resting on his lips. His heart skipped a beat at this sight. She should wear more of his clothes. He responded by bringing her body impossibly closer to him. Nothing coulde between them, literally and figuratively.

    "Then let¡¯s do it now." He told her, bringing his head down to tenderly kiss her forehead, then her left cheek, the right, her nose, her chin, andstly, her lips. He made it a point to kiss the six points of her face every day.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes flutter closed when he gently kissed her. Slowly, their mouths moved together, savoring one another. One hand rested on his shoulder, while the other cupped his face. She leaned into his body, her heart racing at his teasing kiss. She could hear the butterflies in her stomache to life, fluttering like the petals when a gentle breeze bristled by. To her, his kisses were an intoxicating drug that eased all of her worries. So lost in his kiss, she couldn¡¯t open her eyes. She wondered how it was possible that their lips could mold against each other so perfectly. It was as if it was meant to be like that from the very start of their lives.

    She felt safe in the strong arms around her, as if nothing bad could happen to her when she was with him.

    Their lips moved together in sync, sensual and calm, neither of them hinting a different message. Then he pulled back and she rested her face upon his chest, breathing in deeply and calming the roaring tides of her heart. She wondered what was so loud until she pressed her ears closer and realized it was just his rapid heartbeat. Through his chest, she could hear the powerful rhythm of his heart.

    "That wasn¡¯t slow dancing." She sheepishly said against his shirt. She could feel his hands caressing the back of her head and the rumble of his chest when he said, "I know." He responded.

    Zhao Lifei felt his hand gliding down until it rested firmly on the middle of her back. He extended his other arm to the side, offering his palm to her. She stared at his palm and realized how reliable, trustworthy, and safe it was.

    A small smile graced her lips. She ced her hand in his palm and his fingers curled over it, holding her in ce. She gasped when he swiftly pulled her to him until they were just a breath away. In her panic, she had her other arm at the side of his shoulder.

    He brushed his nose against hers and smiled, kissing her on the lips and then pulling back to give her some room. He could see her features very clearly. From the speckle of gold in her eyes, their color was like a river of freshly harvested honey, to her lips that were as plump as flower petals.

    Nothing in this world could equate to her. When she rested her face upon his shoulder, he endearingly kissed the side of her head, right upon her velvety, soft hair. He treated her like she was delicate. He was scared she might break in his arms. He would never let her go. He knew this the day she stumbled across him in the gardens, a very long time ago.

    "I love you." She whispered to him, staring up at him. Her eyes were the very resemnce of autumn¡¯s brown hues. They sparkled like polished topaz underneath the morning sun. Filled with joviality, they were shimmering all the hues of brown and gold.

    Yang Feng wondered how something could be so beautiful. He was always in a trance when he stared into her eyes. He was mesmerized and intoxicated by her. The only salvation to his addiction was her.

    "Silly woman, I have loved you since day one." He breathed out, his lips pressing against her forehead.

    His words made her tingle, her heart skipping a beat.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t know she was losing herself in his eyes. His rigid, obsidian eyes were burning like moltenva, seductive and tempting, but loving and tender at the same time. She had learned all sorts of partner dances [1] from a young age, but when dancing with him, she felt like a beginner.

    He moved their bodies with expertise, never once missing a step while their bodies glided through the terrace. They danced without music and neither of them seemed to mind or realize it. His eyes held her captive and she continued to be beckoned by them ¡ª like he was to hers.

    With her heart in his hands, she trusted he would not break it.

    - - - - -

    Their dance hade to an end and he was leading her into the bedroom, shutting the french doors behind them. He pulled the curtains shut and flickered on the lights.

    Zhao Lifei took off his jacket and draped it over the coathanger. "Can you help me with my dress?" She innocently asked him, revealing her back to him. His eyes did not wander over her inappropriately as he stepped forward. She shivered when his fingers grazed her spine as he began to unzip her dress, revealing the straplessce bra and her creamy, smooth skin.

    Yang Feng swallowed hard. Her body was trembling and he didn¡¯t know why. The only thing he could do was lovingly kiss her shoulders. He took his sweet time memorizing every inch of her until his lips settled at the back of her ear. "I want you." He whispered against her skin, his ragged breath tickling her ear.

    "Then make me yours."

    His eyes flickered with surprise. In one swift movement, he turned her around. His lips crashed upon hers, engaging in a passionate and scorching hot kiss. Their lips feverishly met against each other and all of her thoughts flew out the window. Her body ignited like the mes in his eyes. He angled her head, deepening the kiss. He was bing more and more dominant, controlling, inching her towards the bed. He came down with her, never once separating their lips to give her room. She had tempted him with her words and now he was punishing her for it.

    Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t bring herself to pull away from him. She was lost in the kiss and did not care about finding the right path. She moaned when he teasingly sucked her bottom lip, a pool of warmth gathered beneath her. She opened her mouth for him and their tongues met in a dance as old as time. Her body was loosening, melting, and she waspletely defenseless against him. He pulled back to let her breathe. She whimpered at the loss of his lips, wanting more than what he nned on offering her.

    Yang Feng was on the brink of losing his sanity. He could feel her delectable breasts pressed against him, rising and lowering while she panted and tried to catch gasps of air. He couldn¡¯t resist her anymore. Something hard was pressing against her thighs. Even so, his actions betrayed him. He affectionately kissed her on the lips, just a small peck, in an attempt to satisfy the beast within him.

 Chapter 345 This Was Only The Beginning

    WARNING: MATURE CONTENTS ATTEND THAT ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR 18 AND UNDER. There will not be any major plots being mentioned and this chapter can be skipped if you are notfortable with M-rated content. Please read at your discretion.

    - - - - -

    Not wanting to trespass her boundaries, he began to detach himself from her, rising to his full height. Suddenly, she grabbed his arm and said, "I¡¯m ready."

    His eyes uncontrobly darkened. He retraced back to her and cupped the back of her neck, lightly brushing his lips against hers. She groaned in annoyance at his teasing and made the first move in their kiss. She thought she was going to lead it until he pushed her onto the bed and kissed her firmly. He propped himself up with one muscr arm and deepened their kiss. Slowly, he lowered himself on top of her until their chests pressed against each other. She was trapped.

    Every time they kissed, Zhao Lifei would lose herself. She could never bring herself to resist his intoxicating lips. Her hands glided up his chest hesitantly, whilst her mouth mimicked his actions.

    He grunted in approval. The hand behind her neck traveled down to her hips where he squeezed it, causing her to let out a sharp gasp. His tongue shoved into her mouth. She whimpered at the invasion and the sensation of their tongues colliding. She clenched the muscles she didn¡¯t know she had. Her hands found themselves sliding up his back, hugging him.

    Then he pulled back.

    She let out a cry at his loss, one that fanned his member a little too much.

    "Are you sure?" His voice was huskier and deeper than shest remembered. There it was again. Something pressing against her thigh, so close to her female parts.

    Zhao Lifei stared deeply into his eyes, her heart racing. Her breathing wasbored, just like his. She wondered how one could have eyes dark as midnight. She could see her reflection in his eyes. Tenderly, she reached her hand up and touched his face. He brought his hands over hers and leaned his face into her palm.

    Butterflies, or was it dragons at this point, fluttered in her stomach. She was nervous about the oue, but she was very certain that she was ready. She gave a small nod of her head.

    "My love, express it through words." Yang Feng kissed her palm like it was her lips. She thought that was the end of it until he began to trail kisses down her slender wrist, teasingly, while maintaining eye contact with her. She could feel her toes curl when she stared him in the eyes. Lust. Adoration. Desire. So many things could be used to describe his raven eyes.

    "I¡¯m sure."

    Slowly, he helped her out of the dress. Once the zippers were fully undone, the gown slid onto the floor in a crumpled mess. "It¡¯s going to be wrinkled." She mumbled when he bent down and kissed her shoulders.

    "I¡¯ll get you as many couture gowns as you¡¯d like." He slowly lowered her back onto the bed.

    Zhao Lifei felt like she was melting when he kissed her most sensitive spot, suckling on the area. She let out a cry when he bit down without warning and soothed the area with his warm tongue. She held her breath when he began to kiss lower and lower until he was a breath away from her bra.

    Yang Feng raised his eyes to look at her while he slipped off the bras of her breast. He waited for any noise of protest before reaching a hand behind and unsping her bra. He tossed it aside and never once did he break eye contact. "Are you sure?" He asked again, unbuttoning his shirt and tossing it aside.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes flickered to the rigid lines on his abdomen, forming a solid eight pack. Her eyes wandered lower until she saw the prominent v-line. When she looked lower, her entire face inmed. There was arge tent.

    She swallowed, nodded her head, and turned her face to the side.

    He quirked a brow. He gripped her chin with his fingers. He growled low, "What did I say before?"

    She shivered at the rough tone of his voice. She didn¡¯t know why, but hearing his dominating voice made her even more excited than before.

    "I¡¯m sure." The second these words left her mouth, he was back on top of her, capturing her lips. "Mmm!" She moaned against his mouth when he grabbed her breast, squeezing it, before kneading the soft flesh. His palm covered it whole, the roughness of his hand against her smooth, velvety skin made her shiver.

    She let out a tiny whimper when he began to kiss and lick a path to her breast, capturing the orbs of the neglected one. She gasped, her back arching, pressing her body against him when he teasingly flicked his tongue over the standing pearl. One hand dug into his shoulder de, holding him to her whereas the other traveled up his spine, igniting sparks as she went. He grunted in approval, his entire body heating up alongside hers.

    "Ah!" She moaned when his tongue swirled around her nipples, waves of desire crashing over hers. "I-I can¡¯t..." She urgently whimpered, pushing at his chest, the pleasure too intense for her to withstand. He didn¡¯t stop. The more she let out tiny sounds, the more his mouth roamed about her breast. She withered beneath him, begging him to continue, but also stop at the same time. Her brain was a mess and after he was done with her left, he moved to her right, leaving the bud perky and hard.

    She could barely speak when he captured her other nipple and rolled it with his tongue, his hand showing attention to her left. She clung onto him, her head tossed back, eyes sensually closed. "Mm...t-this...I-I..." She tried to speak, but when he began to suck on her rosy bud, she lost all control of her senses.

    She gave in to him.

    Yang Feng began to kiss lower and lower until it settled below her belly button. She had been ready the entire night. He could tell by her matching set ofcy undergarments. "Truly sure?" He asked her, his fingers looping onto the sides of the thin, flimsy fabric.

    "Please..." She whimpered, her eyes still shut. He wanted to gently take off her undergarments, but when he heard the noise she had just made, he couldn¡¯t help himself ripped it off in one motion. She gasped at his sudden movement and attempted to close her legs. It was toote now, for he was already in between them.

    He felt her body tense a bit and nced into her eyes. His hands began to soothingly run from her knees to her inner thighs, his fingers feather-soft and teasing her sensitive skin.

    "How can you be so beautiful?" He rasped, staring deeply into her bright, glistening eyes, moist with passion, just like the pink world down under. Her chest was flushed and she snuck a peek at him.

    Zhao Lifei was shaking, her legs trembling. She was ready, but even so, she couldn¡¯t stop quivering. F-from his tent, he seemed...huge. She didn¡¯t know how to react except look at him with wonder.

    "Don¡¯t be scared, my love. I¡¯ll be gentle." He tenderly kissed her on the cheek, one hand holding her hips in ce whereas the other brushed the stray hairs away.

    "I¡¯m not scared. It¡¯s just..." She nervously bit her lip, unknowingly turning him on even more. "I don¡¯t want to disappoint you."

    Yang Feng let out a dark, seductive chuckle. "Never." He firmly dered, leaving no room for arguments. She slowly nodded her head and his hands trailed lower until it held each of her legs in ce. His fingers dug into her inner thigh.

    She let out a sharp gasp when he suddenly descended upon her most sensitive area, taking the orb of the oyster into his mouth.

    "A-ah!" She loudly moaned when he sucked on it, her back arching and her hips attempting to move. His rough hands did not allow her to move her legs one bit. With no way to free herself from the pleasurable assault, she could only sumb to the pleasure and beg for release. A rush of heat engulfed her while she reached the brink of her ecstasy. Then he stopped and she rxed. Her relief onlysted a second before his tongue began top at her pink world, drawing the alphabet upon it.

    "A-ah, n-no, p-please!!" She loudly moaned, grabbing a fistful of his hair, her eyes squeezed shut. She felt something building up within her and when he continued his assault, she felt her body begin to spasm. He was doing wicked things to her and she could only react by gasping for air, panting, and digging her fingers into his hair.

    Yang Feng knew she was near. Perhaps just three more flicks of his tongue and she would find her release. He took off his pants and briefs in record¡¯s time, ready to ce it inside of her the second she came. It would distract her from any pain.

    He pulled back his mouth and began to y with the pink bead using his forefinger and thumb. She couldn¡¯t handle it anymore, her stomach clenching. She couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. She was at her peak.

    "Y-Yang Feng!" She cried out when a pounding wave of pleasure repeatedly mmed into her body, turning it ck as she burst. Her body was drained of strength, turningpletely limp. She rolled her face to the side, her chest rising with rapid breaths.

    Through her hazy eyes, she saw him bring his fingers to his lips and licked it. "Delicious." He rasped before going back down. "N-no!" She moaned, her legs attempting to close themselves when he began to drink her juices. She wasn¡¯t ready for another round of insatiable pleasure. But little did she know, that this was only the beginning.

 Chapter 346 How Much You Mean To Me

    WARNING: MATURE CONTENT CONTINUES.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei was melting, her entire body dded with pleasure that weighed her down. His tongue continued to attack her, licking her clean. Her body was still trembling and while she was at the highest peak of pleasure, Yang Feng seized his chance.

    "I love you, so, so much." He whispered. He groaned, "This will hurt." Before she could register what he meant, he slid his thick, hard member into her. She screamed and pushed at his chest, her eyes tightly mped.

    "I¡¯m sorry...I¡¯m so sorry, my love." He repeated over and over again. She didn¡¯t know she was crying until he wiped the tears away from her eyes. It hurt to even move. She had to steadily hold her hips in ce, tears burning at the back of her eyes. She was prepared, but not this prepared

    "I-it hurts..." She struggled to said. Even breathing was hard. She dug her fingers into the muscles on his arm, her eyes tightly squeezed shut.

    "I know, my love. I know." He hoarsely whispered, bending down to kiss her on the cheeks.

    She could feel hisrge, hot friend pulsating inside of her. It was torturous and he had to dig his fingers into her thighs to prevent himself from pounding deeply into her. He was waiting, waiting for her to be ustomed to it. His brows creased and he forced himself to be patient.

    He was going to love her senseless tonight. "Did I tell you how radiant you looked in that dress?" He pressed his lips upon her cheek, careful to not hurt her anymore.

    Zhao Lifei knew she was not a virgin, but after two years of nothing ever prating that area, it had be tighter than anticipated. She remembered how painful her first time was and how rough the man had handled her. All he cared about was himself and no one else.

    But Yang Feng was different. They were worlds apart. It was horrible topare them, especially when her first was not even close to Yang Feng¡¯s current standing. "I¡¯m fine now." She whispered, staring into his eyes with certainty.

    "So beautiful..." He whispered, slowly rolling his hips so that she would be ustomed to it first. "So mine." His lips curled into a devilish smirk that made her stomach clench and her toes-curl. He looked like he was ready to devour her.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t want to lie on the bed like a dead fish. She rolled her hips, earning a sharp hiss from him. "Don¡¯t." He warningly grunted, nearly losing the reigns of his beast. She innocently tilted her head and teasingly did it again, his eyes bing the darkest shade of ck she had ever seen.

    "My dear, my love, little phoenix, cupcake," He said every nickname he could patiently give her. "If you want to take this slow, I need you to not move."

    "What if I want it fast and rough?"

    Her response stunned him. His eyes narrowing, "Is that what you want or what you think I want?" He wanted to make tonight all about her. No one else. It was their first time together and he wasn¡¯t willing to be so selfish towards her.

    She shrank into the bed, "B-both?"

    He let out a peal of harshughter. She must¡¯ve enjoyed torturing him like this.

    Zhao Lifei let out a cry when he pulled himself out, then gently pushed it back in. She was greedy, her fingers digging into his shoulders whilst her legs wrapped around his lower waist without warning.

    A growl of approval surfaced from the back of his throat. One hand held her hips in ce and the other grabbed her hand, entwining their fingers together. She will not be able to find salvation or distraction from the pleasure he nned on giving her. She would be forced to only rely on him and he thoroughly loved that fact.

    He began to rock his hips, slow and sensual at first, testing her waters. "F-faster." She groaned, throwing her head back, eyes shut while she lost herself in his pleasure.

    "dly." He grunted, pulling it out and then pounding deeply into her, earning an unexpected cry from her end. She didn¡¯t know sexual intercourse was this pleasurable until he thrust his hips, harder and faster, driving her insane.

    Zhao Lifei covered her mouth in an attempt to hold back the sounds threatening to leave her mouth. He did not like that, pinning the hand down onto the bed, sping their fingers together. She had nowhere to escape now and had nothing to hold onto except for him. He was forcing her to feel every rhythm and wave of pleasure.

    She was a moaning mess as lewd sounds continuously flowed out of her mouth. "A-ah! P-please!" She cried out, when he picked up his pace, suddenly jamming into a spot that made her scream, "R-right there!" She panted; pleasure, heat, and passion coursing through her. Her hips rose to meet his, though she could barely keep up with his incredible speed.

    Found it. There was no turning back now. He could tell she was very near her climax point. She was wildly panting and each sharp gasp added kindling to his mes. Her moans, cries, and soft whimpers were music to his ears. She released one of his hands, her fingers grasping strands of his hair.

    Through her hazy eyes, she could see his hands move to cup her breast, her back arching, thinking he would do something to it. "This is mine." His voice was husky and rough, whilst one hand traveled down her stomach, cing a hand over the top of her womanhood. "This is also mine." He growled before mming into her, hitting her jackpot.

    "A-ah! Y-Yang Feng!" She screamed his name while she released herself upon him, her body shaking and trembling. He let out a string of curses, burying his face into her neck while exploding inside of her. His thrusts came to a gentle luby as he waited for her breathing to calm down.

    She felt beyond weak and exhausted. Barely able to move her legs, she forced herself to move her arms, wounding them around his broad, tense shoulder des. She could feel his rippling muscles clench and pulsate beneath her hands while he rested on top of her. She didn¡¯t feel ufortable at all, for he didn¡¯t transfer any of his weight into her. He didn¡¯t move from inside of her until she took everyst bit of him.

    "Why are you this perfect?" He said after a while. He kissed her shoulder des, then her neck and rested his face there.

    "S-someone once told me to never trust what a man says during pillow talk." She hesitantly told him, his body going rigid at her words. She continued to y with his hair, her eyeszily opened.

    "It seems I haven¡¯t made it clear how much you mean to me, my dear. I¡¯ll be sure to keep that in mind from now on." He murmured upon her skin, teasing her. "I mean what I said, my dear. You are truly mesmerizing beyond words."

    He couldn¡¯t bring himself to be angry with her, not when she was working magic into his scalp and turning his body soft as a feather. She always knew what to do to quash his temper and he wondered whether she did it on purpose or not.

    "Sometimes I don¡¯t know what I did to deserve a woman like you." He sighed contently, nudging her shoulder and kissing any exposed spot he could find. "You don¡¯t understand, my dear, how much I love you." He released her hand and embraced her. Even though they were naked and he could feel every single one of her curves, he kept his hands and thoughts appropriate.

    "I¡¯m not saying this because we made love¡ª"

    "Made love...?" She didn¡¯t think he was the type to refer to sexual intercourse as something so...innocent and heartwarming.

    "Yes, made love." He firmly said.

    "I-it¡¯s not s¨¦x?"

    "No. Never." He lifted his head so that he could stare into the depths of her eyes. "No matter how rough we do it, enough to break the bed, or how gentle we do it, it will always be making love. It will never be just sex with you. Not now. Not tomorrow. Not ever."

    Her eyes watered with her overwhelming emotions, sniffling. "And you say I¡¯m perfect? My god, what am I supposed to describe you then?"

    Yang Feng let out a warmughter that made her stomach churn and her heart race. Such an endearing sound. She wanted to wake up to it every morning and hear it before she went to bed. "Describe me as yours." He kissed her forehead, "Just as you are mine."

    Zhao Lifei had to use every bit of willpower she possessed to not cry on the spot. A lump formed in her throat. The only thing she could do was rapidly nod her head and hug him tighter.

 Chapter 347 - Gone.

    Warning: Mature content continues.

    "How tired are you, my love?" He whispered to her while they were entangled in each other¡¯s arms. She didn¡¯t understand the purpose of his question and hugged him tighter in response. He took that as a sign that she still had energy in her to continue. A wolfish smile appeared on his face. Herzily opened eyes widened when he began to move his hips again. She yelped, biting on her bottom lip to contain the moans that were threatening to break out.

    "Now, my dear, what did I say about holding it in?" He husked, prying her hands to her side, exposing her body to him. He maintained eye level with her while his hips continued to rock her world, doing wild things that left her mind in a boggled mess. His gaze trailed lower, marveling at the fine sculpture known as her body. "Why are you so beautiful?" He groaned.

    "Ah!" She let out a cry when he rammed deeper into her. She could barely breathe, lost in the heavy waves of passion. Her eyes were zed over, but she could still see the hunger in his eyes as they raked over her body, face, and then finally came to a stop at her eyes.

    - - - - - MATURE CONTENT ENDS - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei panted upon the bed, her body beyond weak and exhausted. She thought it would only be another round, but who would¡¯ve thought two would be five, then eight, andstly, ten. How did he have so much stamina to keep on going? And each time she reached her climax, he would soon follow after. Never once did he pull out. He continued to fill her body, the same way you ced a bun into an oven.

    She could feel her body shaking a bit. She couldn¡¯t feel her muscles or even lift a limb, and it seemed that was his purpose, for he had the audacity to smile down upon her

    "B-brute..." She groaned at him, staring up at the ceiling. Despite herints and pain, she loved every second of Heaven that he gave her. She wanted to repay him the favor many times, but each time she tried, he would only pound deeper into her, dering that tonight was going to be all about her.

    Her body was filled with love bites, courtesy of him, and his back was filled with the marks of her nails. He couldn¡¯t care less about what she did to him.

    Then he left.

    Her eyes widened at the loss of his presence. Her heart raced and filled with fear. Was he the type of man to load and bolt? "Where are you going?" She weakly asked him, but by the time she turned her head to the side, he was gone. She wasying underneath the nket, cocooned by artificial warmth. She was cold. It was the type of cold that could only be satisfied by his natural heat.

    He was gone.

    She tried to sit up in bed and failed to do so. Her arms couldn¡¯t support her body and she couldn¡¯t even move a limb. "Yang Feng?"

    "Shh, I¡¯m here, my love." Yang Feng soothed her worries. He was swarmed with guilt. He didn¡¯t think he was taking a long time until she red at him with usation. He presented her with a soft smile, something white in his hands.

    Then he parted her legs again.

    Her eyes widened, her body warming up unknowingly. "I-I¡¯m tired!" She yelped, only for her face to flush a secondter when she realized what he was doing. He came back with a hot, white towel to clean her off.

    "I love your blush, my dear." He sneakily said, a taunting smirk on his face.

    She desperately wished she could wipe that arrogant smirk off of his stupidly handsome face!

    Yang Fengughed at her adorable re. It was an endearing sight for him. He bent down and kissed her nose.

    "Y-you¡¯re mean." She mumbled to him, shrinking further into the bed as he stood in between her legs.

    "I know, my love." He hummed, pressing a chastise kiss upon her cheek. "The hot towel will help with your soreness tomorrow morning." He wiped her thoroughly clean and ensured not a single spot went unnoticed. His eyes were heated upon seeing the love bites he left on her. He smirked to himself. She wouldn¡¯t be able to leave the bed tomorrow morning.

    After thinking about something, Yang Feng disappeared again. She didn¡¯t mind anymore and knew he was probably off to do something else. Her eyes were drowsy and she could barely keep them awake.

    Yang Feng returned a few minutester to see she was close to falling asleep. "Now, now, don¡¯t fall asleep so quickly." He hovered over her body, kissing her on the side of her neck.

    He reached down and scooped her into his arms. "Hm...what are you doing?" She asked, yawning and snuggling into his honey-tanned body. She could vaguely feel him kiss the top of her head. It seemed he had gotten good at picking her up now.

    "Helping you take a warm bath. The heat will encourage blood cirction." He told her as he lowered her into therge bathtub in the center of the room. It could fit five people in total.

    "Mmm, it feels good." She let out a contented sigh, her taut muscles rxing.

    "Does it?" He asked her with a tiny smile nestled on his face. He climbed in afterward, surprising her. "I addedvender petals and essential oil into here. It should soothe you even more." He tenderly kissed the spot behind her ears, bringing her body close to his. He hugged her from behind and began to massage her, beginning with her shoulders before traveling down to her arms. Everywhere he touched, her muscles would rx, and soon, she fell asleep in the bathtub.

    After massaging her body, he helped her clean it with a loofah. He ensured there would be as minimal difort as possible tomorrow morning. Lastly, he patted her body dried and lifted her to their bed. The sheets were freshly changed and clean. During their bath, he had called forth the trusted Old Butler to do it ¡ª no other servants except for the Old Butler was allowed entry into his room.

    Laying her onto the bed, he resembled a master craftsman cing his finest masterpiece into a cushioned box. He handled her with as much care as possible. He exited to the closet and grabbed something for her to wear whilst slipping on a pair of boxers so that he didn¡¯t scare her with his member.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei woke up feeling the best she had ever felt in a really long time. She felt a soft, breathable material on her body and realized it was one of Yang Feng¡¯s incredibly silky smooth cupro-fabric shirts. She was lying on his chest and one of his arms were loosely wrapped around her waist with his fingers spread across her lower back.

    True to what he predicted, she woke up very sore, but it was less than what she anticipated. It seemed the hot towel, massage, and bath really helped after all. She sat up a bit straighter and was breathless by how suave he looked in the morning. She felt that nothing in this world could rival his sculptured features.

    Her eyes examined his face with awe and fascination. The front part of his unkempt ck hair, tousled from her fingers and a good night of sleep, cast a gentle shadow over his smooth forehead. She raised a finger and lightly traced over his straight nose then towards his cheeks where she gently cupped it and used her thumb to caress it. When her eyes lingered to his sinful lips, her face reddened again. He let out a small chuckle as she buried her face into his chest, smiling on his skin.

    "I can get used to this every morning." Yang Feng¡¯s deep morning voice startled her. He was innocently ying with the ends of her slightly wavy andyered hair.

    "Good morning." She cooed, a tender smile on her face.

    Yang Feng¡¯s heart raced at the sight of her. Waking up to her every morning was like staring at a Goddess who descended from the Heaven to bless the mere mortals with her beauty. Her long hair cascaded down her back like a gentle waterfall, some parts resting over her shoulders. A few stray strands framed her heart-shaped face. Her eyes contained all of the wonders of the universe and no jewel in this world could rival her.

    His heart swelled with adoration.

    In a swift movement, he had pushed her onto the bed, enveloping her in a crushing hug. "Goodness gracious, I love you so much." He groaned, burying his face into her hair and breathing in her intoxicating scent. She was beginning to smell like him but in a very feminine and gentle way. He could smell yesterday¡¯svender on her along with different floral scents mingled with his pine and citrus smell. What a delectable little thing she was.

 Chapter 348 - Do It Properly

    "Did you sleep well? Are you hungry? Are you sore? Shall I call for an Eastern Medicine doctor and have him prepare some concoction for you? Do you feel little kicks? How is our bun? Is it rising, baking, or just t?" He asked her a series of questions with a straight and serious expression.

    Zhao Lifei paused. Then she burst outughing at how adorable he was behaving. She squeezed her arms out of his iron-grip and used them to wrap her hands behind his head. "You¡¯re so cute, my nagging wife." She blissfully said. "I slept too good for it to be real, what about you?"

    "My sleep doesn¡¯t matter, yours does. How¡¯s your hunger level? Does it hurt anywhere? Shall I have someone schedule an appointment with an OB-GYN? Nevermind, you shouldn¡¯t go anywhere. I¡¯ll bring them to you."

    "Pft!" Zhao Lifei tried her hardest to notugh at his words. "You¡¯re so sweet, I love you so much." She squeezed his cheek when he lifted his head to look at her in dismay, eagerly waiting for her to answer his question. "For the record, your sleep does matter. You have so many dark circles under your eyes, the panda called and wants them back." She pinched his cheek again. "As for your other questions, I am indeed sore and hungry. It has been one night since we¡¯ve consummated our marriage, so the chances of a baby are very low right now. Come back in three weeks and we¡¯ll see."

    Yang Feng nodded his head and made a mental note to have an OB-GYN visit her in three weeks. "How sore?"

    "A bit, but not as unbearable as I thought it would be." She innocently said, unaware that his hands were slipping under her shirt to grab her hips.

    "In that case..." He smirked, tossing his boxers aside. Her eyes widened. She opened her mouth to say something, but he sealed the words inside and kissed her as if his life depended on it. Her tense body rxed as she melted against him. Their bodies were intimately pressed against each other and he could feel her perfectly through the thin shirt she wore.

    - - - - -

    "H-how many days do you n on confining me to our bed?" Zhao Lifei groaned. She was lethargic, for one round turned into three so early in the morning. She had repeatedly screamed and whimpered his name as he filled herpletely. He didn¡¯t even seem apologetic about it when she begged for mercy from the incredible pleasure he was giving her.

    "As long as possible." He grinned, buttoning his shirt and sleeves while sitting on the edge of their bed. He was sporting a pair of her cuff links that she had given him a while back. She wanted to pout and wish he would stay in bed with her all day, but that wouldn¡¯t be fair to him and his packed schedule. She knew all she had to do was ask and he would stay without a second thought. However, she kept her opinion to herself and resorted to lying on her side and watching him get ready.

    "I also have work, you know." She huffed, attempting to sit up, but he pushed her back down and brought the nkets back up to her chin.

    "You, my love, need some rest. Forget about your work for now." Yang Feng seldomly ordered her, but when he did, he left no room for any arguments. After their passionate and loud love-making, he had wiped her clean and helped her change into another one of his shirts.

    Zhao Lifei checked the minimalist wooden clock on her nightstand and saw that it was still early in the morning, eight o¡¯clock to be exact. She supposed she could sleep an hour or more. When he left for work, she would have the freedom to do as she pleased. For example, tackling the mountain of work she had yet to finish.

    "I know what you¡¯re thinking." He told her, knocking on her forehead. "You¡¯re not sneaking off to work today. You need to rest." Hemanded in a stern voice. But his actions contrasted against his words, for he was tucking her into bed like a henpecked husband.

    "But I¡¯m not that tired." She huffed, missing the way his eyes darkened.

    "Really now?" His voice dropped an octave, dripping with lust and seduction. He grabbed the top of his tie and took it off, flinging it onto the floor.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes widened, her body heating up in anticipation of what he would do to her. "It seems I have not loved you enough this morning." He huskily said, unbuttoning his shirt and taking off the cuff links.

    "Don¡¯t worry, my love. I¡¯ll do it properly this time." She yelped when he slipped into the nkets and grabbed her waist. His lips crashed upon hers, thrusting his tongue into her mouth, and sealing any surprised gasps. She moaned when his hands inched lower, his powerful fingers spreading her legs apart as his thumb pressed into the sensitive and ticklish skin of her inner thighs.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei was deep asleep after their very thorough and pleasurable morning. They had gone for an additional round and that seemed to have worked like a charm for she fell asleep right after reaching her climax.

    Yang Feng fluffed her pillow with a satisfied expression on his face. Thinking about her exquisite expression: eyes squeezed shut and her appetizing lips that parted to let out her cries of pleasure, he was instantly turned on again, arge tent gathering in front of him. He cleared his throat and decided to take a cold shower after all. He thought he wouldn¡¯t need another cold morning shower after connecting their bodies, but it seemed his excited friend had different ideas in mind.

    Trudging into the shower, he did his thing and came out freshly showered. He changed into a different set of clothes, but still wore one of her cuff-links. Just like he did for her, she was secretly and sneakily slipping different pairs of cuff-links into his wardrobe asionally. Every week, he would find himself with at least fourteen assortments of it.

    He smiled to himself and shook his head at his attentive little wife. He wished time would stand still and that he could enjoy these happy moments a little bit longer.

    Yang Feng made his way downstairs, his gait powerful as usual, his framerge and refined. His long legs easily maneuvered towards the entrance where the servants were already lined up, ready to greet him off.

    "Have an amazing day, Master." They all said in unison, bowing as low as they could whilst still standing.

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t acknowledge any of them or spare them a nce. The Old Butler opened the door and he was prepared to step out, but paused. "Ensure the Madam does not leave the mansion. She is to stay in bed. A walk in the garden is fine, but she must be apanied by a nket and maid."

    "Yes, Master." The Old Butler attentively said with a ripping, aged voice. He had a very friendly and gentle face, the same ones that almost all elderly people possessed. It was a good facade to hide his murderous abilities. In his youth, he was a famed fighter and assassin who had actively served the Yangs, just like his ancestors had done.

    - - - - -

    A woman sat down on the living room couch, a Swarovski ss filled with wine in her hands. She took a sip of the sweet, but bitter alcohol that mimicked her heart. In her other hand was a picture of a couple in apromising picture. She expected this behavior from him, but even so, her heart was clouded with evil intents. Her innocent eyes were ignited with the desire to kill.

    Once a cheater always a cheater. The words of Zhao Lifei rang through her mind. Xia Mengxi could still recount the day Zhao Lifei cursed her to hell and back with these words.

    A bubble of delirious giggles escaped from Xia Mengxi¡¯s smudged lipstick mouth. Was it from the ss or was it from a man? One couldn¡¯t tell from the empty bottles that sat beside her feet. She realized why Zhao Lifei used to drink herself stupid. Alcohol could make one forget their pain and sorrow, even if it was just for a fleeting moment.

    Xia Mengxi knew she would one day face her demise if she could not please Zheng Tianyi long enough. She wondered why exactly he fell in love with her. Was it because she was good at the push and pull game? Or was it because she used to be the source of every woman¡¯s envy?

    To many men, her innocence and seemingly little-to-no desire to scheme was something that was thoroughly appreciated in the upper-ss society. Her easy-going and demure behavior lowered the guard of men who always found themselves rxed and at ease around her. This was exactly what happened to Zheng Tianyi. Because she was a meremoner, she did not pose any potential threats to anyone, thus, Zheng Tianyi was free to be his true self around her.

    Xia Mengxi gritted her teeth and smiled. She was not going to be foolish like every housewife who found their husband in apromising position with their man-robbing secretary. She stared at the picture of Chen Xing and Zheng Tianyi. She stood up and tossed the picture into the firece, watching it burn into crisps.

    She vowed to never behave like her mother. Unlike other women, Xia Mengxi would not make a mess or throw a tantrum. It would only push Zheng Tianyi further away.

    Her eyes trailed around the unfamiliar house with its unfamiliar windows, curtains, door, and bedrooms. She was unustomed to this house, but it was as equally grand as the one she and Zheng Tianyi had lived in. Her eyes lingered near the doorway, lingering on the leather dress shoes and arge coat hanging by the foyer. She smiled to herself and grabbed her phone, deciding it was time to ce her best card down.

 Chapter 349 - Have Some Dignity

    "Young Miss, I¡¯m afraid to say this, but the Master has forbidden us to grant anyone¡¯s entry to the Madam¡¯s sleeping corridors. She is currently obtaining much-needed rest." The maid bowed her head apologetically.

    Stationed in front of the entrance were the servants of the household, all ready to greet the Young Miss but also send her off at the same time.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s usually cheerful face was stormy and cold when she looked onto the servants. In some sort of way, her standoffish behavior resembled that of her older brothers.

    "I¡¯m not just ¡¯anyone.¡¯" She frowned, the edges of her lips dipping down. Her arms were crossed and she impatiently tapped her foot.

    The servants nervously exchanged a nce. They were not only familiar with their Young Miss¡¯s angelic face, but also her bad temper. When she didn¡¯t get what she wanted, many people would suffer. It was one of the reasons why Yang Feng always sent her back to the Main Mansion for discipline. She was too spoiled and the only ones that could keep her in control were her parents. Zhao Lifei was a rare exception because only in her presence would Yang Ruqin behave like an angel.

    "Step aside." She tilted her head towards her security team. "I don¡¯t want blood to shed on my brother¡¯s property."

    From the distance, an elderly man was approaching with a frantic servant directing him towards the front entrance. The Old Butler gently stepped forward, shielding the young maid. "It¡¯s always a fine morning when you¡¯re present, Young Miss. You have gotten radiant and healthier since I¡¯vest seen you." He bent his arm and bowed his head.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s frosty expression changed, her eyes brightening. "Yes, I¡¯ve gained some weight and there¡¯s finally some meat on my bones." Like Yang Feng, she, too, was raised by the old man.

    "To what honor do I owe your presence, Young Miss? If it¡¯s to visit our Madam, then I¡¯m afraid it is a wish we cannot grant." His wrinkled forehead creased into deep-rooted folds. His bushy eyebrows, white as cotton, made him look older than what he truly was.

    "B-but I have something to tell her. I¡¯ve been meaning to do so since yesterday night, but then Feng-ge had to sit between us. I tried to call her yesterday night and she didn¡¯t pick up her phone the entire night." Yang Ruqin cried out, feeling wronged at his reaction towards her.

    She was very used to having everyone, especially the Old Butler, taking her side.

    "Ipletely understand where you areing from, Young Miss. However, the instructions were given to us directly by the First Young Master¡ª"

    "I¡¯m also ady of the house, am I not? Who¡¯s to say his words affect me?" Yang Ruqin was getting impatient now.

    She wanted to see her Feifei and she wanted to do it now! There were so many things she wanted to tell her and no one else understood her as Zhao Lifei did. Her Feifei never judged or criticized her for anything she did, and because of that, Yang Ruqin always sought thefort of her best friend. In such a scheming society, where a secret was a trading card, Zhao Lifei¡¯s loyalty was a prized gem.

    The Old Butler was taken aback by his Young Miss¡¯s sudden change of tone. Growing up, she had always been a timid little child who rarelymanded the servants to do her bidding. Of course, they still did whatever she wanted them to, but she had never raised her voice like this. She sounded very authoritative and was now behaving like a proper Heiress.

    "Please step aside." Yang Ruqin easily maneuvered through the servants.

    The servants all turned towards the Old Butler. They were waiting for his order. They were not simple maids and butlers. Everyone here was good at some sort of defense whether it was guns, knives,bat, and so forth. Yang Feng did not just employ anyone off the streets. Each servant in the new house was hand-picked by him.

    The servants exchanged nces again. They couldn¡¯t raise their weapons at the Young Miss. Everyone knew how protective the Yang brothers were of their sister. If there was so much as a scratch on her skin, all hell would break loose. Besides, they¡¯ve also heard the Madam¡¯s fondness towards the Young Miss.

    Yang Ruqin was too deeply rooted in the hearts of their Masters for any harm toe her way.

    - - - - -

    Yang Ruqin elegantly stormed up the first flight of stairs thaty in the center of the enormous foyer. She looked around to see if there were any servants. None. Her eyes lit up and she abandoned her prestige to bolt up the stairs like a little girl on Christmas morning. She had so much to say!

    This was her first time in the house, but Yang Ruqin didn¡¯t care. She went through every room and every hallway until she found the right one. She stopped in front of an enormous door and eagerly pushed it open.

    Yang Ruqin felt a sense of deja vu when she stepped into the room. The heavy curtains were drawn shut. Not an inch of sunlight was able to shine in. The enormous room could¡¯ve been a fancy apartment by itself.

    "Wow, Feifei. My brother really pampers you." She mumbled under her breath, flickering on the lights. She walked to the curtains and pushed them open,pletely unaware of the cars in the distance.

    Yang Ruqin rushed to Zhao Lifei¡¯s bed. She hovered over the young woman and was amused by what she saw.

    Zhao Lifei was securely tucked into the bed, the nkets covered over her mouth. Her small head was sunk into therge, fluffy pillows. She almost blended into the bed. Only her head was popping out, but it was barely visible from the distance.

    "Come on, babe, wake up, wake up!" Yang Ruqin shook the unresponsive Zhao Lifei. "Feifei!" She dragged out thest syble and desperately tried to wake Zhao Lifei up.

    Yang Ruqin pressed her lips together and ced her hands onto the nket. She harshly tugged on the nkets, mauling it like a tigress. "Please wake up! I have so much to tell you!"

    "Hmm, five more minutes..." Zhao Lifei croaked, burying her face into the pillow, folding the edges over her face.

    In one harsh tug, Yang Ruqin yanked off the nkets, earning a loud cry of protest from Zhao Lifei whose body curled into a ball.

    "It¡¯s too early for this!" Zhao Lifei huffed into the nket, hugging her shivering body.

    "Oh." Yang Ruqin awkwardly coughed when she saw Zhao Lifei¡¯s naked form. "I-I didn¡¯t know..." She sheepishly said, cing the nkets back over Feifei¡¯s body.

    "Know what?" Zhao Lifei was still half-asleep.

    "That you were naked..." Yang Ruqin trailed off to which Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes widened in horror.

    "Tell me you didn¡¯t see me!" Zhao Lifei groaned, turning around to face Yang Ruqin. She was still lying on the bed, but this time, with a secure hold over the nkets.

    "O-oh, if you mean the marks that my brother left on your entire body, then no, of course not. I didn¡¯t see a thing." Yang Ruqin giggled, hopping onto the bed with Zhao Lifei. "Was that your first time together? Will I expect a niece or nephew very soon? Hopefully, it¡¯s a cute little nephew for me to y with!"

    "Please be quiet." Zhao Lifei whispered, her face flushed red.

    "Oh my god, so it is your first time together! Wow, that¡¯s amazing! With the way my brother looks at you, I thought you guys would¡¯ve done it within the first week. He eyes you the same way I look at a slice of chocte cake." Yang Ruqin pped her hands andughed. It was very endearing to see Zhao Lifei so flustered.

    "Stop it, he doesn¡¯t look at me like that." Zhao Lifei knew Yang Ruqin was telling the truth, but it was just awkward to hear it being said to her.

    "No, I¡¯m serious! He does! I mean, any man would look at you like that. You have a body to die for, and your butt is all nice and perky¡ª"

    "Okay, that¡¯s just weird."

    "Pft, we¡¯re all girls here. Besides, I¡¯m a designer, so seeing models in their bikinis or birthday suits is an everyday urrence for me." Yang Ruqin waved her hand. "Would it make you happy if I said your butt looked the best out of everyone¡¯s I¡¯ve seen?"

    "Qinqin!" Zhao Lifei exasperated with a reddening face.

    "Yes, my beloved Feifei?"

    "Have some dignity!"

    "Huh, what¡¯s that? I¡¯m sorry, that word doesn¡¯t exist in my dictionary." Yang Ruqin giggled, patting Zhao Lifei on the head.

 Chapter 350 - Whats Wrong?

    Zhao Lifei sighed at the eager look on Yang Ruqin¡¯s face. "Just give me ten minutes to get ready and then my ears are all yours." She said as she sat up on the bed, pressing a nket to her chest to ensure it didn¡¯t slip off.

    Yang Ruqin happily nodded her head, pping her hands in glee. "Hurry! Hurry!"

    "Why are you telling my wife to hurry up?" Yang Feng snarled, storming into the room with a furious expression. A shadow covered his face, his fists clenched tightly. He had finished a meeting when he received word that his trespassing sister had pushed her way through the security.

    "Yang Feng." Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes widened. She was perplexed by his sudden entry. Her eyes drifted to the clock and she saw that it was a quarter to eleven. "What are you doing here?"

    Yang Feng crossed the distance to her with his lips thinned. He cupped her face, kissed her on the forehead, and hugged her to his stomach. He covered her ears for what he was going to say next. "If you don¡¯t leave, I will have you tossed out of the house and in a car straight to the main mansion."

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s nostrils red. "She¡¯s my best friend and sister-inw! What rights do you have to prevent her from talking to me?" Her voice grew quieter towards the end when Yang Feng gave her a scathing re.

    "My wife needs her rest and you¡¯re disturbing it."

    Yang Ruqin hated it when he used passive-aggressive ways of dealing with her. Even though he was infuriated by her, his voice was still calm. He kept hisposure, a frosted mask over his face. The only way she knew he was angry was by the glint in his eyes.

    Zhao Lifei knew a conversation was happening, but she didn¡¯t know what they were saying. Raising her head, she stared at him with curiosity. She touched the hands on both sides of her face. It caught his attention instantaneously. He caressed her cheek and nced down at her, releasing her ears a bit.

    "What¡¯s wrong, my love? Are you tired? It¡¯s okay, she¡¯ll be gone soon." Yang Feng cooed, his expression softening by a fraction. A barely-noticeable smile was on his face. His eyes were tender and he kissed her forehead again.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s brows knitted together in worry, forming creases on her forehead. She didn¡¯t want to be the cause of the siblings¡¯ rift. She could tell they were getting more and more distant whenever she was present.

    "You shouldn¡¯t talk to your sister like that. Qinqin did nothing wrong. She only wanted to have a conversation with me. We could¡¯ve had it yesterday night but you just had to sit down between us."

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes shed with an unreadable emotion. His fingers tightened around her face, squeezing it. "I only want your attention on me at all times. Only me. No one else."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s heart drummed. She didn¡¯t know if she shouldugh or cry at his words. It warmed her heart, but it made her uneasy at the same time. She shook her head, "But I need my alone time as well. Qinqin keeps me sane and she¡¯s one of my closest friends."

    Yang Feng resorted to stroking her face, deep in thought. "Will it make you happy if I allow her to stay?"

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t know she was frowning until his thumb brushed against the corner of her lips. He released a side of her cheek to soothe the lines on her forehead. She slowly nodded her head. "I would be very happy."

    Zhao Lifei pinpointed the beginning of his sullen behavior. She wrapped her arms around her man-child and rested her face upon his stomach. He always towered over her, but now that she was sitting down, his face seemed unreachable. "You get to see me every day, but Qinqin doesn¡¯t. I dearly miss her presence and the conversations we¡¯ve always shared."

    Yang Feng¡¯s lips twitched. He could never remain angry at her, especially when she freely spoke her thoughts and shared what was bothering her. He let out a reluctant sigh, his arms hugging her shoulders. "Alright then." He grabbed the nkets and wrapped it around her entire body like a dress. He then lifted her and went into their walk-in closet.

    "Does your body still hurt?" He worriedly asked, setting her onto a chair in therge closet. He grabbed a dress for her to easily move around in.

    "A bit..." She lied. The truth was, everything hurt, especially her thighs.

    "I had a tonic prescribed for you. It¡¯s being prepared by the servants. Drink it while it¡¯s warm." Yang Feng told her, taking off the nket and helping her into a millennial pink dress. Seeing as it was a bit windy today, he made her wear a loose, wool cardigan.

    "Is it bitter?" Zhao Lifei¡¯s nose crinkled at the idea.

    Yang Feng let out a hearty chuckle, bending down onto one knee. "Yes, but you will have a sweet and dried plum to suck on while you drink it." He carefully grabbed her ankle and slipped on a pair of tennis shoes for her. He treated her like she was fragile and would break in a second.

    "Y-you didn¡¯t have to..." She shyly said, referring to how he was helping her put on her shoes. For a Young Master like him to do something so below him, she felt guilty. He raised his head and she felt the cupid¡¯s arrow pierce through her heart again.

    "I want to."

    She jumped when he kissed her pale knee before standing up to his full height. She felt so bad, she began to think of ways to repay him.

    "Besides, when you¡¯re in the process of giving me my ser team of children, you won¡¯t be able to tie or put on your shoes. The belly might get in the way. It¡¯s a good way for me to start practicing now." Yang Feng cupped her face and kissed her on the forehead. Her eyes fluttered shut when he kissed hershes, her nose, both sides of her face, and then her chin. One of her hands was clenching his upper arm and the other unknowinglytched onto his tie.

    "Where¡¯s the kiss for my lips?" She pouted, batting her pretty littleshes at him.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes hungrily darkened. His fingers curled around her chin and he bent his head to thoroughly kiss her.

    "Feifei! Feng-ge! What¡¯s taking you guys so long? Don¡¯t start making babies in the closet, okay?!" Yang Ruqin shouted out.

    Zhao Lifei let out a surprised cry. The trance was broken and she was in a panic, pushing him away.

    "I hope she enjoys her lectures back at the mansion." He growled, wrapping his arms around her. Hefortingly rubbed her back and kissed her on the side of her head.

    "I-it¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t brush my teeth yet."

    "I would¡¯ve still kissed you." He deadpanned, walking over to the closet door and ready to m it shut. It was sound-proof here once the doors were closed.

    Zhao Lifei opened her arms wide, looking at him with a puppy face. "Carry me to the bathroom please?"

    Yang Feng bit his bottom lip. Goodness, what was he going to do about his rapidly thumping heart? He originally wanted to kiss her silly here, but now that she was behaving so lovable, he couldn¡¯t do all of the dirty things he wanted to do to her. "You don¡¯t even have to ask." He strolled to her and bent down to lift her. He carried her like a child, her legs dangling on both sides of him.

    Zhao Lifei buried her face into his shoulder des with a silly smile on her face. "I like it when you hug and carry me." She babbled, sighing in content.

    Yang Feng nearly missed a step at her words. "Good. I¡¯ll never keep my hands off of you then." He walked out of the closet and straight towards the bathroom.

    Yang Ruqin angrily punched the pillow when she saw the loving couple. Her brother was whispering sweet nothings into her Feifei¡¯s ears again!

    ¡¯Now I can¡¯t distract her!¡¯ Sheined inside of her head. Of course, he would have a strategy in carrying her. He was deliberately making sure Zhao Lifei¡¯s face was on the other side and neither of the women could see each other properly.

 Chapter 351 - Hear Me Out

    "Alright, fill me in on the details." Zhao Lifei picked up her cup of lemongrass tea. After brushing her teeth and eating a quick breakfast, she was finally seated in the garden with Yang Ruqin. There was a nket over her legs, and she was itching to chuck it as far away as possible.

    Yang Feng was nowhere to be seen and she hoped he went back to work. She felt guilty that he had to rush home so quickly. The only way she could soothe his worries was by promising she would not overexert herself or head off to work.

    Yang Ruqin took a sip of her tea and looked around. Originally, she was eager to tell Zhao Lifei everything, but now that the time has arrived to spill some tea [1], she couldn¡¯t find the right words for it.

    "Well?" Zhao Lifei asked, setting the cup down. She raised her fork and sliced through the strawberry shortcake. Her eyeszily scanned the serene and secluded environment. They were sitting underneath a white gazebo, catching shade from the sunlight, and enjoying the good weather at the same time.

    "U-uhm..." Yang Ruqin licked her lips and yed with the hem of her dress. "I-I..." She stammered, picking up the cup of tea and downing it in a few gulps. "IranintoYuPingluo!" She haphazardly rushed out her words, merging it into a sentence.

    "Huh?" Zhao Life had a stupefied expression on her face.

    "I...I might¡¯ve run into Yu Pingluo." Yang Ruqin whispered, "Well, run isn¡¯t the proper term for it. More like he showed up to my house, well your house, but still."

    "What?!" Zhao Lifei gasped, her fork ttering onto the grass. A maid immediately walked forward with a new fork. "Thank you." She muttered under her breath, surprising the maid who nearly lost her footing.

    The maid¡¯s eyes shook and her only reaction was to bow and scurry off. It was the first time someone expressed words of gratitude towards her.

    "My goodness, Qinqin. You need to spill out the whole story right now!" Zhao Lifei exasperated, her eyes glued on Yang Ruqin who picked up her empty cup of tea, expecting for something to drink.

    Usually, it was the maids¡¯ job to refill the cups, but Zhao Lifei was just so eager to hear the rest of the story, she picked up the teapot and filled it for Yang Ruqin.

    "Alright, here goes nothing..." Yang Ruqin trailed off.

    - - - - -

    A few days ago.

    RING! RING! RING!

    "Oh, for the love of everything holy, will you shut up?!" Yang Ruqin screamed from the top of the stairs, her eyes wide with rage. She was sporting her crayon shin-chan pajamas and birds nest hair. It was Saturday morning, a day where she was supposed to sleep until the afternoon. It was barely six in the morning and someone was already blowing up the bell at the front door. Even the servants had note to work yet!

    RING! RING!

    "Oh my god, I¡¯ming already!" Yang Ruqin growled. She was ready to side-kick and judo flip whoever it was at the door. She was never an early bird and after so many sleepless nights, she was on the verge of insanity.

    She swung the door open. "Do you want to get shot? Because that¡¯s how you get shot by my bodyguards¡ª"

    Her rationality flew out the window, just like her soul currently drifting to Heaven. Her groggy eyes widened a fraction. She was rudely pped awake by the presence of a man she never thought she would see again.

    Yu Pingluo let out a burst of wryughter. "Well, good morning to you too. For the record, I see bullets in slow motion¡ª"

    BANG!

    Yang Ruqin had mmed the door shut. She rubbed her eyes. "Ugh, I hate it when nightmares resemble reality." She yawned and turned back to the stairs, pinching herself to wake up.

    A few secondster, the door opened and closed. Yu Pingluo casually strolled into the house.

    Yang Ruqin swiveled around. She was on high-alert and her eyes sought after the closest weapon. "What the hell? How did you get through the door?"

    "You didn¡¯t lock it when you mmed it in my face." Yu Pingluo shrugged his shoulders, his hands tucked into his jacket. His face was as cheerful and friendly as she hadst remembered. Except, the usual light in his eyes was gone. There were heavy bags under his eyes and his smile looked strained.

    Yang Ruqin took two steps back when he took one step forward. "What are you doing here?" Now that she knew this wasn¡¯t a dream, her confidence dwindled. Her heart was racing at the sight of his mesmerizing face. Wind-swept hair, effortless smile, and eyes that bore into her soul, it was needless to say, the memories were beginning to flood back to her. So many rebounds...and none of them could equate to a strand of his hair.

    She ufortably rubbed her chest when a prickling pain spread through it.

    Yu Pingluo¡¯s arrogant smile softened at the way she was behaving. Even though her appearance was disheveled, he still thought of her as the most beautiful woman in the world. He nced at the floor, his haughty demeanor cracking down. "I missed you."

    "Don¡¯t." Yang Ruqin¡¯s voice cracked, her eyes watering. She had longed to hear those words out of his mouth, but it was toote now. She waited two years for him to say that. At that time, she was building indestructible, steel walls around her heart. She thought nothing could ever break nor prate it, but who would¡¯ve thought, his words could still affect her? He was like the burning sun and his words were the heat that melted the steel.

    "Baby girl¡ª"

    "Shut up." She snarled, her vulnerable eyes hardening. "You don¡¯t miss me, nor do you still love me. Stop it. Stop trying to ruin me! I¡¯m finally healing. I don¡¯t need your negativity in my life." She pointed towards the door. "Get out."

    Yu Pingluo took a sharp breath. She had changed. He didn¡¯t know if it was for the best or the worst. "Please, just let me exin..." He walked towards her again and she panicked, taking a few steps back. In her anxious state, she tripped over her feet and was about to fall onto the floor. In one swift motion, he caught her.

    This only caused her to freak out even more. "Don¡¯t touch me!" She shrieked, pushing him away. He did not let her go. Amidst her struggling and kicking, he held onto her and hugged her for dear life. He braced all of her painful punches and scratches.

    "Stop it! Let me go!" She wailed, tears dripping down her cheeks.

    In the end, he never did.

    He continued to hold her like his life depended on it. Her futile attempts at resisting finally calmed down, and she eventually epted the fact that he wouldn¡¯t release her anytime soon.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s eyes were rimmed red with tears of frustration. "Feng-ge will hear about this. Long-ge will hear about this too. You¡¯ll pay for trespassing into my house and touching me."

    Yu Pingluo wanted tough and cry at the same time. ¡¯It seemed she hadn¡¯t changed that much.¡¯

    "Drag me to the ck Room and back, I don¡¯t care." He would¡¯ve said Hell, but to him, Hell was on Earth. It was a world where she was not his. And he knew it was going to be a reality very soon.

    "Why are you even here? Why show up now? You had two years. TWO DAMN YEARS!" She lost her patience again, this time, kicking him right in his groin. He buckled and grabbed his jewels whilst mming a hand on the floor to catch his weight.

    Yang Ruqin scrambled off the floor and ran to the nearest phone line. It was just a few steps away and all she had to do was press a button for her entire team of bodyguards to swarm into the house.

    "Please...you have to hear me out...first." He heaved whilst trying his best to not groan in pain. ¡¯Damn, when did she get so good at fighting and kicking? This waspletely unlike her.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know if he loved or hated the new change, but so far, it was leaning towards love.

 Chapter 352 - Attempting to Snoop

    "Why are you here? Why now? Where were you when... when..." Yang Ruqin couldn¡¯t say it. Her eyes reddened as she harshly wiped her tears away. She wanted to ask where he was when the incident with Mu Ting went down, but of course, that was a foolish question. She already knew where he was ¡ª warming the bed of other women. She bitterlyughed at herself for feeling so emotional yet so angry towards him. ¡¯When was he not entertaining other women?¡¯

    Yu Pingluo swallowed hard and hung his head low in shame. He had only shown up because he felt that his presence in her life was being threatened. He felt their future was being threatened by another man.

    He wanted to give her time and space to heal, but in the process, he was also attempting to mend his broken heart. It was through unorthodox methods of drinking liquor like water and finding himself with a new arm candy every night but not a single woman could rece Yang Ruqin.

    "Did you hear about the blind date? Is that it?" Yang Ruqin red at him as if he was scum. Her pounding heart was screaming at her to shut the hell up and hug him. Her brain knew better. She refused to allow herself to get hurt again.

    She realized he was still holding her. Using all of her might, she pushed him away and stood on her own two feet, creating distance between the two of them.

    "Will you just let me exin what happened that night?" Yu Pingluo pleaded with a desperate look in his eyes. He had a haggard look to him, his tense shoulders dropping.

    Yang Ruqin had never seen him beg like this. He was always a proud man whose ego often got the better of him. He knew he was beneath her in terms of rank, but he would never let that idea get to him. Perhaps that was why she was so in love with him. He was different from all of the other men she encountered. In the world of elites, many men were disgruntled to hear their woman was clearly out of their league financially and status-wise.

    Yu Pingluo took her silence as a ¡¯yes.¡¯"That night, I indeed had a mission to go to and it was one that would go against your morals and boundaries." He ran a hand through his hair and kept his eyes on the rug.

    "My mission was to seduce and sleep with that woman, so we can lure her husband by using a photo that we took of her. The picture was taken on purpose. He would then storm into the hotel in a fit of rage knowing that his wife was cheating on him in the very hotel he owned."

    His voice changed a bit. "I didn¡¯t sleep with her." He licked his lips and scratched the back of his head. "Yes, my clothes were off. Yes, hers were also off. But we never slept together. It was only y-acting in bed." He began to find the patterns on the rugs to be more interesting than ever.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s face turned cold. She might¡¯ve behaved like a ditz for half of her life, but she actually graduated with a degree in Psychology at the top of her ss. Her research paper for a Ph.D. was framed in the University that she attended and she even received awards for the paper she wrote. Did this fool think he could easily trick her like this?

    The first sign of a liar was their inability to make eye-contact. The second was that he was giving too many details. He would¡¯ve kept it simple. Granted, he could be nervous, but she knew when he was lying. He was good at fooling others, but when it came to her, he could never get anything past her.

    "Get out."

    "What?" Yu Pingluo¡¯s head snapped up. "Do you still don¡¯t believe me? I didn¡¯t sleep with her!"

    "Really now?" Yang Ruqin¡¯s fingers dug into her palm.

    She ground her teeth. "You had a final chance to tell me the truth today and you chose to lie to me? Do you think I¡¯m that stupid?" She harshly said, "tantly lying to my face and not admitting it is the most disrespect anyone can give me."

    She pointed towards the door. "Leave. I don¡¯t want to see you ever again."

    Yu Pingluo¡¯s heart shattered. "You¡¯ve changed."

    "I have always been like this." She crossed her arms, her eyes darkening. "You just never realized it because you were too caught up in your little fantasy to care."

    ¡¯No, no, no.¡¯ Her heart was telling her to shut up but her brain was egging her to go on.

    "I want you to think loud and clear about what truly happened that day. Then maybe you can tell me the truth. But even if you do, we¡¯ll never be the same. We will never get back together. We will never start that picture-perfect happy family you¡¯ve always wanted. You will never get to see me in a white dress, walking down the aisle towards you." She pitied him with her sympathetic smile.

    "You had your final chance today. And you ruined it." Yang Ruqin slowly shook her head, disappointed in him and herself.

    "I was drunk."

    "I know." She quietly said. "A drunk heart speaks a sober mind." She took a final look towards him and nced at the button on herndline. "I believe it¡¯s time for you to go." Her voice was soft and gentle. "Do not, under any circumstances,e between me and my future. Who I chose to date will have nothing to do with you. If I find you have been spying on me like you did when I was at the hospital, there will be severe consequences."

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei sat in silence. She tried to digest the events that Yang Ruqin told her. "Wow." Was the only thing she could say. "That just emphasizes how amazing you are." She said, grabbing Yang Ruqin¡¯s hand. "I¡¯m so proud of you, Qinqin."

    Yang Ruqin sucked in a breath of air and stared down at their hands. No one had ever told her that they were proud of her. Tears pricked her eyes and she bobbed her head, feeling emotional all of the sudden. "Really?" She squeaked out, wanting to throw herself onto her Feifei.

    "Yes, of course." Zhao Lifei answered in a heartbeat. "You need someone that will truly treasure you Qinqin. Every part of you." She whispered thest part, tucking strands of hair behind Yang Ruqin¡¯s ears.

    "He was a mistake I should¡¯ve never made." Yang Ruqin bit out, angrily ring at the ground.

    "Some of the harshest mistakes are the greatest lessons." Zhao Lifei responded with a calm smile on her face. Her words struck a chord in Yang Ruqin¡¯s broken heartstrings. Instead of building another wall around it, she began to pick up the pieces and learn to mend them herself...

    - - - - -

    Instead of going home to take a break and sleep off her emotions, Yang Ruqin went back to her studio. Zhao Lifei saw her off at the front entrance, then made her way up the stairs in an incredibly slow speed.

    "Stupid rabbit in heat." Zhao Lifei mumbled to herself, hating how every step bothered her extremely sore thighs. She finally made her way upstairs and copsed on her bed, her eyes slowly closing and soon, she fell asleep again.

    The hours trickled by and eventually, working hours were slowly ending. At exactly six-thirty, Yang Feng came home from an exhausting day of work. He bristled past the employees lined up outside. He sped-walked up the stairs, eager and excited to see his woman.

    Yang Feng sighed in relief when he saw she was lying in their bed, asleep. Then he frowned. She was curled up in a ball and was simply on top of the nkets. Foolish woman.

    Why did she fall asleep in that position? She could have caught a cold. What if the lowered temperature interfered with the chances of a bun rising?

    He trudged to her and helped her under the nkets. She stirred in her sleep, her eyes opening the slightest bit. "Hm...Yang Feng?" Her voice was thick with exhaustion. She was very groggy and her body felt heavy.

    Yang Feng¡¯s frown lifted into the smallest smile. He curled his finger and stroked her face. "Sleep a little longer, my love." He whispered, cing an arm on the bed and kissing her on the forehead. "I¡¯ll wake you up after I finish cooking dinner."

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t need to be told twice. She closed her eyes and pretended to sleep while he began to undress. He ced his phone on the nightstand and changed his clothes into something morefortable. Then he went downstairs to cook her a nutritious dinner to help her heal better.

    No less than five minutes after he was gone, she sat up and took his phone from the nightstand. Locked. Of course, it was. She nervously bit her bottom lip and decided essing it without his permission would be rude. But she wanted to meet that person in secret without his knowledge... she nned on telling him about it afterward.

    "What is it?"

    She shrieked, cing a hand on her shaking heart. My goodness, that freaked her out.

    Yang Feng hade back upstairs after realizing he left his phone on the nightstand. To his surprise, he found his lovely wife wide awake and attempting to snoop on his phone.

 Chapter 353 - Grow Up

    "I wasn¡¯t trying to spy on you." Zhao Lifei just wanted to make it clear first. She truly had no intention of snooping on his phone. It was just...she wanted to get the phone number of someone.

    Yang Feng silently approached her, closing the door behind him. He stared into her eyes and ced his forefinger onto the button, unlocking the phone for her. "Care to tell me what you were up to?"

    Zhao Lifei shook her head. "I¡¯ll tell you once I¡¯m done."

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t respond to her.

    "I know we shouldn¡¯t keep any secrets between us, but I am unsure about the oue of what I¡¯m about to do. You might force it to work out, so that¡¯s why I won¡¯t tell you anything until I am finished with it."

    Yang Feng wished her hopeful expression wasn¡¯t so blinding. He finally said, "Will you get yourself in harm¡¯s way?"

    "No, of course not. I actually value my life, you know."

    "Doesn¡¯t seem like it, you stubborn woman." He said under his breath. Then, he gave her a gentle pat on the head and pulled her closer. "I¡¯ll hold you ountable to your words. There better not be a single scratch on you."

    Zhao Lifei beamed at him with a megawatt smile. "I won¡¯t. Promise." She held out her pinky to him.

    He stared at the standing finger and shook his head. "What are you? A child?" He scoffed, but hooked his pinky and shook on it.

    - - - - -

    After dinner, the twoid on the bed in afortable stillness. Neither of them spoke and neither of them felt the need to. Zhao Lifei was resting her head on his arm while he held her body to him. She was lost in thought, pondering if she should bring up the topic or not. She yed with the edges of his v-neck and stared at the grey material.

    "Will you ever tell me who took it?" Yang Feng calmly asked her a question, his fingers curled into her hair. Why was it so fun ying with it?

    Zhao Lifei wondered if he could read minds because she was thinking about the same thing. Should she tell him? It would be a very risky thing to do, especially because the oue was horrible and that it was a long story in and of itself.

    She swore to herself she would never acknowledge that foolish night where everything went haywire. One thing lead to another and she eventually found herself in the hospital. She was running from her mistake, from her past, and the truth. She always saw herself as a coward for doing so. "It¡¯s a very long story..."

    Yang Feng hummed in reply, keeping quiet. Then theyid there for another five minutes in peaceful silence. His chest was steadily rising up and down while she conflictingly yed with her fingers.

    "Yang Feng...?" Her voice was meek and small, like a child waking her parents up in the middle of the night after experiencing a nightmare. "W-will you still love me if I tell you the entire story? The truth and nothing but the tant truth..."

    "Of course." He earnestly said to her. He would never judge her for the past that had already urred and could not be changed. Except, he never predicted his reaction towards it...

    Zhao Lifei deeply breathed in through her nose and held it for five seconds, then breathed out through her mouth. She raised her head to look at him and he instantly shifted his head so that he could stare into her shimmering eyes.

    "Before we begin, how about we start from the beginning? When I turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism..."

    - - - - -

    Nearly three years ago.

    Tremorous rain cascaded down the enormous window overlooking the city. The clear ss took up the entire wall and in front of it was a white couch. Slumped over the enormous furniture was a woman whose haggard appearance didn¡¯t do her beauty any justice. Olive green bottles, so dark they could¡¯ve been mistaken for ck,id at her feet. There was enough wine to fill an entire shelf of a liquor store.

    The lights were dimmed and the only sound in the entire house was the downpour outside. The atmosphere was dreadful and depressing. The spacious apartment with its three bedrooms didn¡¯t add a warm touch to the mncholic air. What was the point of owning such arge condo if only one person was going to upy it?

    Zhao Lifei stared at the broken wine ss on the floor. She didn¡¯t know when nor how it fell, but she was mesmerized by the shards of ss, pointy sharp and inviting. She had no one. No family by her side, no lover to keep her safe, no name to herself anymore, no crown, no friends...alone. She was all alone. Everything she had built for herself hade tumbling down when Xia Mengxi made herself known.

    Thinking of the female lead, her expression changed. Her lips curled into a snarl.

    CRASH!

    She had smashed a bottle of wine on top of her coffee table. She wanted to scream. She wanted to kill. She wanted blood to spill. A rush of anger clouded her eyes, her face flushed red. She was so furious with herself.

    Her head was hurting. She believed it was because of the eight empty bottles of wine at her feet. Or maybe it was because of her anger. She didn¡¯t care. The only thing guing her mind was the idea of ruining Xia Mengxi just as the mistress had done to her.

    Tonight, Zhao Lifei nearly broke the Cindere.

    Zhao Lifei could feel satisfaction coursing through her veins. She saw Xia Mengxi cry. It was the first time she had seen that brittle woman break down and it was the most satisfying thing to her. She lied to the naive woman and told her the only reason Zheng Tianyi was with her because he wanted to have some fun with amoner before he married Zhao Lifei.

    KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

    Zhao Lifei was startled by the unexpected sound. Her head snapped to the door. The person outside was pounding it so loudly, the poor thing might as well have fallen off its hinges.

    Slowly and hesitantly, she rose from the couch and edged towards the door. Defenseless and home alone, anything could happen to her. She couldn¡¯t think properly and the world seemed to spin. She huped and caught a glimpse of herself from the mirror. Her face was flushed red and she was stumbling over her own two feet.

    She was drunk.

    "I-I¡¯ming." She slurred, wobbling her way to the monitor. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was. She rubbed her eyes as if sand got into them. Was the alcohol making her hallucinate?

    Not wanting to miss the opportunity, her handtched onto the doorknob and she turned it. Her arms were shaking. ¡¯This is a dream. It must be a dream.¡¯ She could die happy right now.

    Zhao Lifei swung open the door.

    Standing underneath the warm glow was the suave man of her dreams. Dark tousled hair, eyes that reflected the stormy skies, full lips, and tall nose, he was everything she could ever imagine. Her heart pathetically skipped a beat at the sight of him. He had ruined her life and destroyed everything she had worked hard for, yet she continued to be infatuated by him. When would she learn? When will she grow up? Tonight, she would find out.

 Chapter 354 - My Woman

    "Z-Zheng Tianyi...?"

    He didn¡¯t respond. Because of that, she thought this was another hallucination of hers. Her vision was blurred and she couldn¡¯t hold up her weight. She rested her body on the wall beside the door and watched him enter the apartment, his eyes scanning theyout. She couldn¡¯t read his bodynguage. She never could.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s nose crinkled at the heavy stench of liquor in this ce. It reeked of her smell. He hated it. The way her floral scent tickled his nose. If only she wasn¡¯t so pathetic, maybe he would¡¯ve considered her. But tonight, he brought himself here. Voluntarily. He needed her to stay by his side. His father forbade him from discarding her. Besides, she still held the position as his Vice President and he needed her to do all of his dirty work.

    She had handed in her resignation letter this afternoon. He was here to make sure she shredded the document. He was not going to let her leave. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. She was his possession whether she liked it or not. He might have despised her to the core, but he couldn¡¯t deny how helpful she was to thepany. With Zhao Moyao standing behind her, she was invincible and the deals she made were always superb.

    Zheng Tianyi loosened his tie and turned to her. "How badly do you want to stay by my side?" He spat out the words like it was venom on his tongue.

    Her lips parted. She didn¡¯t understand his question and the alcohol in her system was making it harder for her to think logically. "I-I don¡¯t understand...?"

    Zheng Tianyi took off his suit jacket and stormed towards her, flinging the piece of clothing to his side. He stalked towards her and fear got the best of her. She began to take meek steps backward until she found herself cornered against the wall.

    "Ow!" She yelped when he roughly gripped her chin, squeezing it, his eyes zing.

    "What did you tell my Mengxi?" He snarled, tightening his fingers around her tiny chin. She was attempting to push him away. Her eyes were burning and stinging from the pain that spurted from his rough touch.

    "I-I didn¡¯t¡ª"

    PAK!

    Her face flew to the side, her eyes widening in shock. Her trembling hands reached to touch her burning cheek. Hot, burning tears clouding her vision, tumbling down from her eyes.

    "Did you call her a mistress? Did you tell her she was just a y-thing?!" His voice was like a violent storm tearing her apart. She didn¡¯t realize she was shaking until he grabbed her shoulders. His booming loud voice reminded her of her father who used to use the same tone when she missed a beat on the piano.

    "Do you want to be a woman that desperately?" His words were humiliating and even so, the little moth was drawn to him, eager to burn in his mes.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t know what he was talking about. She didn¡¯t know what he was going to do to her. She pressed her hands against her chest and opened her mouth, "Yes."

    Zheng Tianyi let out a dark, cruel chuckle. She felt something crawl up her spine, whether it was her nerves or his hand, she didn¡¯t know.

    Fine. He¡¯ll give her exactly what she wanted and then humiliate her in the end. Xia Mengxi had cried to him today. She would pay for that.

    He ced a hand on her shoulder and begin to slip off the thin straps, her eyes widening in horror. She ced a hand on top of his, preventing him from doing anything more. "W-what are you doing?" She didn¡¯t know what he was doing to her. She didn¡¯t like it one bit.

    "Do you want me to marry you?" He smirked. Even if she was going to move on from this, at the least, she would leave with the memory that her first time was going to be vicious and humiliating.

    "Yes, of course¡ª"

    "Then take off your clothes."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s face morphed into confusion, understanding, and then horror. "This is not proper."

    "What? We¡¯re merely skipping the wedding part and moving onto the consumption." He grabbed strands of her hair and she thought he was going to gently stroke it, the same way he did to Xia Mengxi¡¯s hair. So imagine her surprise when his lips curled in disgust as he dropped his fingers then wiped his hands with a handkerchief. He treated her like she was dirty.

    "Well? Do you want to remain by my side or not?"

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s heart raced. She thought about the possibility of his words. If...if I embraced him tonight, will he think of me a little more? Will he love me a bit more? Will he look my way a little bit kinder?

    "Fine. I see you have made your decision." Zheng Tianyi ced a hand on the doorknob.

    Fear wrapped around her and pried her mouth open, "No! Please don¡¯t go...S-stay." She stumbled over her feet while she hugged him tightly, sealing her fate forever.

    - - - - -

    Torture. That was what it felt like. He humped and dumped, then left her on the bed, naked and disheveled, covered in substances she didn¡¯t know about. He had the audacity to toss her his wallet, treating her as a woman he got off the streets.

    Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t get out of bed the next day and she had to change her dirty sheets herself. When she requested a day off from Zheng Corporation, he threatened to fire her. And she was forced to go, hobbling her way up the office and nearly falling on her face every time she tried to walk. She could feel everyone¡¯s mocking eyes on her, almost as if they knew what had happened to her.

    "You¡¯rete." Zheng Tianyi seethed when he strolled into her tiny, cramped office and mmed a pile of documents onto her desk. "Do you know how much that cost me? Imagine my surprise when the damn Vice President wasn¡¯t at the mock-stockholder meeting! Do you know how embarrassing that is?!"

    He raised his hand as if he was going to p her, but in the less second, ced it down. Maybe it was because he saw how vulnerable she wasst night. Or maybe it was because she looked like she was on the verge of death tonight. He breathed in through his nose and pinched the spot in between his brows.

    "Just get started on the files." He stormed out of her office before she could ask about his promise.

    Zhao Lifei nced down at her shaking right hand. She ced her other hand over it in hopes of calming the tremor down. She couldn¡¯t. Her eyes dropped to the floor and she let out a chokedughter. H-he was changing... Maybe he was going to keep his words all along.

    Little did she know, ten weekster, she would get the biggest surprise of her life.

    - - - - -

    Late at night, when everyone except the janitor had left, the sound of the clicks of a keyboard echoed down the quiet, dark corridor. Amongst the closedptops, empty cubicles, and deste floor was a sole woman who ved away at theputer screen.

    A pen was tucked behind her messy and oily hair that was pulled into a loose bun. She was too busy draining her energy in the office to even care about herself. The self-neglect was very evident in her appearance, but she didn¡¯t care. All she cared about was benefiting Zheng Corporation in any way that she could. Whether it was spending extra hours at the office every night or averaging three hours of sleep a day, using alcohol as her only salvation. Because of the immense stress she was under, she began to drink more than usual. When that didn¡¯t work, she would mix it with her coffee and at least three shots of espresso.

    Lately, her stomach had been cramping and hurting a bit as well as her back, but she brushed it off as constipation and theck of nutrition in her diet. She was surviving off of liquor and caffeine with an asional bite of her smoked salmon bagel from this morning.

    A soft knock sounded at her door. She briefly nced up from the screen and then went back to herputer. "What is it?" She answered, yawning and stretching a bit. She nced at the clock and saw it was twelve in the morning. She winced when the stretching caused stabbing pains in her stomach. She breathed in and out, but suddenly, she felt dizzy.

    The local janitor poked his head in. "Ah, Ms. Vice President, you¡¯re still here? My team and I have finished cleaning. I will be closing down the office now. It¡¯s getting veryte and you always seem to be thest one here with us. Won¡¯t you head home now?"

    His words sounded far away to her ears. She was losing vision and his face blurred to her eyes. She tried to stand up and say something. She blinked and the next thing she knew, she was on the floor, ck dots tainting her vision.

    "Ms. Vice President?!" The janitor had the fright of his life when he saw the woman copsed onto the floor, her eyes fluttering before she was passed out cold. He rushed to her and tried to shake her awake, but it was to no avail. Then he saw something. Blood.

 Chapter 355 - Progress Over Perfection

    "Talk to me, Xiao Fei. What¡¯s wrong?" Zhao Moyao was seated in front of his granddaughter. She stared into the distance with a ditzy look in her eyes. She reacted as if she didn¡¯t know he was in the same room as her. She was unresponsive, her lips were parched, and she behaved like she was watching the most interesting thing ever. What was she looking at?

    He turned his head and saw it was just an empty, light blue wall with specks of clouds. What could be so interesting in a wall? This entire morning, he tried to speak to her, but she was unresponsive. He had rushed here first thing in the morning after hearing the news that she was hospitalized at midnight. He would¡¯vee here earlier, but no one had informed him of her arrival to the hospital until Li Xuan burst into the main mansion, out of breath and frantic.

    Zhao Moyao was here for the past three hours and she still hadn¡¯t looked his way or even acknowledged his presence. She acted like he was a gust of wind beside her ears. He didn¡¯t like her reaction. He didn¡¯t like it one bit. It reminded him of her past self. Deste and empty inside, with a stupified look on her face because of the surgery.

    He raised his head and stared at her with a displeased look on his face. She looked so distant...as if she wasn¡¯t a part of this world anymore. The light had fled from her eyes, leaving it a barren desert of nothingness. She looked like she had stayed up the entire night in the same position. And maybe she did, for when he walked in this morning, she was seated as she was now.

    "Xiao Fei, I can¡¯t help you if you don¡¯t tell me what¡¯s wrong. What has gotten into you?" He grabbed her shoulders and tried to force her to look at him. He wasn¡¯t used to this behavior of hers¡¯. Even if she was angry at him or something else, she would still look at him, or even show that she was listening.

    Zhao Moyao debated whether or not he should call a psychiatrist. Just then, a knock echoed throughout the room. He sighed and turned towards the door. "Come in." He gruffly responded, sitting back and cing his hands to himself.

    Li Xuan walked in and bowed his head. He was apanied by a doctor with a clipboard. "Good afternoon, President Zhao. It¡¯s an honor to meet you."

    "What is wrong with her?" Was the first thing Zhao Moyao asked. Usually, he couldn¡¯t care less about what happened to other people. His world revolves around himself and thepany. He was just too hard-headed to realize it was actually centered around Zhao Lifei and her alone.

    The doctor briefly nced at his clipboard and then at the spaced-out Zhao Lifei. "I rmend we speak about this outside." He was mindful of her current condition. Anything could trigger a patient, especially a woman as young as her. From his reports, he saw that she was only twenty-one.

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s face was always in a permanent scowl. His bushy and coarse eyebrows only made it worse. "Very well." He stood up from his chair and caressed the back of Zhao Lifei¡¯s head. "I will be back very soon, Xiao Fei. Try to not...stare so much." He apanied the doctor outside.

    Zhao Moyao could see a woman carrying a child from the corner of his eyes, but he paid the new mother no mind. "What is her current condition?"

    The doctor took off his sses and ced it into his pocket. When giving out bad news, he wanted to look at the family eye-to-eye with no interference. "My condolences, President Zhao. it is with great regret that I inform you, Miss Zhao has suffered a miscarriage."

    WAH! WAHH!

    The baby in the mother¡¯s arms began to cry, his loud screamings echoing down the hallways. The mother gently swayed the crying infant, but it only increased its volume.

    Suddenly, another sharp cry pierced the air. This time, it was a scream that froze Zhao Moyao¡¯s blood. A chill crawled up his spine as a cold sweat dribbled down his forehead. "Xiao Fei." He breathed out, swiveling around to the door of her room, flinging it open to see the heart rate monitor elerate.

    "NOOO!" She wailed, like a possessed spirit who couldn¡¯t keep their mouth shut. "STOP IT!" Her screech was like a banshee looming around at night and scaring off its prey. She was hyperventting on her bed, thrashing around and clutching her ears.

    "MAKE IT STOP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" She tossed herself onto the floor, the sound of her knees colliding with the cold tiles echoing through the room.

    "Li Xuan, I don¡¯t care how much you have to pay that mother, but move her from this floor this instant!" Zhao Moyaomanded Li Xuan who took out the checkbook in less than a second. The doctor rushed into the room and raced to the hospital bed where he mmed his finger on the emergency button.

    Zhao Moyao didn¡¯t know what to do. He had neverforted her before, nor had he ever witnessed her in such a horrid state. When he finally found the will to stagger forward and do something, nurses came rushing into the room.

    "NO! DON¡¯T TOUCH ME!" Zhao Lifei struggled and kicked at the hands grabbing her arm, lifting her from the floor and pushing her onto the bed.

    "DON¡¯T TOUCH ME! STOP IT! I SAID LET ME GO!" She screamed and screamed on the bed, raising her body off the soft surface.

    The nurses were having a hard time holding her down. Finally, one of them finished the preparation of the sedation syringe.

    "NO! GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!" She was forcibly injected. Soon, little by little, she began to calm down, her eyes rolling to the back of her head. "Please..." She sobbed, "Protect my baby." She was knocked out cold.

    The nurses all let out a collective sigh of relief, stepping back and catching a much-needed breath of air.

    Zhao Moyao was frozen to the ground. The weight of the word "miscarriage," finally sunk into him. He felt his world crumble to his feet, his face paling. His first great-grandchild. Gone. Just like that.

    "Sir, we have moved the mother into a different and upgraded ward. I have also cleared the entire floor of any mothers or babies." Li Xuan didn¡¯t read the atmosphere in the room from a distance until he finally walked in and realized how quiet it was.

    "Li Xuan." Zhao Moyao¡¯s voice sounded foreign to the secretary¡¯s ears.

    Li Xuan remembered thest time he heard his boss¡¯ voice sound so...cruel and inhumane. It was when the news broke out that Zheng Tianyi had a mistress on the side. "Y-yes, President?"

    "Call the shareholders immediately. Bring in the Zhengs. I demand an exnation."

    Li Xuan could see the world ending very soon. He bowed his head, "Understood."

    - - - - -

    The present.

    Yang Feng was so quiet that Zhao Lifei thought he had fallen asleep. She fidgeted and yed with her fingers, wondering when he would finally speak up. A second passed, then a minute, and then five minutes of pure silence fell between them. He didn¡¯t move a muscle, but the air got chilly. Not even the blizzards in Siberia could rival this below-freezing point temperature. He kept his intentions secret whilst absentmindedly twirling the strands of her hair and memorizing every inch of it with his fingers.

    "And how do you feel now?" He attentively asked her, lowering his head to study her face.

    Zhao Lifei sensed something was off in the way he spoke to her. He was as endearing as always, in fact, his voice was more affable than usual. She wished she knew what he was thinking. "After spending some time training and going through therapy, I felt a lot better. But it always lingers at the back of my mind." She subconsciously ced a hand on her stomach, something he finally realized she did a lot.

    He pressed his lips together. How could he not realize this? The reports about her didn¡¯t mention anything about a miscarriage. He could only assume Zhao Moyao sufficiently covered it up without any hesitation. But how was this possible? Nothing could get past his records and all of his men diligently drafted the report. ¡¯That crafty old fox... Of course, he would have something up his sleeve.¡¯

    Yang Feng knew how cunning that old man was. ¡¯What else had the ancient turtle buried?¡¯

    "I know it will never go away," She brushed her hands on the fabric of her sleeping gown. "But I¡¯m doing a lot better. Instead of denying the truth, I¡¯vee to ept and learn from it."

    Yang Feng¡¯s cid face bloomed into a serene smile. He shifted their position and tenderly touched her face, kissing her on the forehead. "Is that so?" He murmured, kissing her nose and then peppering her lips with short kisses. "I¡¯ll be more careful when I bring up the topic of having a child."

    "That¡¯s very kind of you, but you don¡¯t have to." Zhao Lifei easily smiled up at him, one that reached her eyes and revealed the deep dip of her dimples. Her eyes twinkled and even in the dark, he could see them glisten with color. She rested her hand on top of his, "I don¡¯t mind it if it¡¯s with you. I don¡¯t think anyone can ever heal from it fully, but I prefer progress over perfection."

    Mesmerized by her words, he gently nodded his head and rested his forehead upon hers. "I suppose I should strive for the same mentality." He murmured before locking their lips together.

 Chapter 356 - Three Heads

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes fluttered shut. Yang Feng was slowly kissing her and savoring every second of their interaction. Never once did his hands slip from her waist or elude a different meaning. He kissed her as if he was memorizing the taste of her lips, the way they were shaped, and how they molded perfectly against his greedy ones. He poured his emotions into the kiss, the ones he couldn¡¯t utter. Her fingers rested upon his cheek, almost understanding the meaning behind his gentle kiss. Loved. Cherished. These were thest emotions she felt before falling asleep in his arms.

    Yang Fengid in bed wide awake while she was cuddled into his side. He continued to pat her back, as one would do to a child. When she shared the story with him, he had to force himself to stay calm. His hands had itched to wrap themselves around Zheng Tianyi¡¯s neck and bring that man to ruins. His body was mellow like his reaction, but his mind was silently calcting and plotting the downfall of that man.

    "Hehe...Fengfeng..." Zhao Lifei wistfully babbled in her sleep with a serene cloud dangling over her. The moonlight added an ethereal glow to her. Even when she slept, she resembled a fairy fleeing from Heaven to mingle with the humans. "Hm...I love...you." She nearly punched him in the face by abruptly spreading her arms. "This much."

    His heart stopped beating.

    Even in her sleep, she enjoyed torturing him like this. How was that fair? Why did she have to be so damn adorable? He wanted to hug her to death.

    Reluctantly, he got out of bed. He turned to her and began to pull the nket to her chin and adjusting her head to a better sleeping position. Once he ensured she was sleeping on cloud nine, he made his way to the office.

    In the silence of the night, Yang Feng poured himself a ss of a century-old wine. Sitting in the enormous leather chair, from a distance, one would think that he was a King. The moonlight cast a ghastly glow over him, drawing all of the lost souls toward his regal figure. He stared out therge window overlooking the unmoving garden. Not a single creature was roaming at night, not even fireflies or crickets. It was as if the world already knew he was ready to unleash his anger.

    Never once did he take a sip of the wine. The face of a particr woman shed in his mind and before he knew it, the cup was settled back onto his desk. His airy steps made their way to the extremely small safe concealed in a hiddenpartment underneath a painting. It revealed a small button which he took and brought to the paper-weight on his desk. He ced the button into the hand of the knight who revealed a key.

    It was time to ruin Zheng Tianyi once and for all. This time, it was not through small provocations or jabs. Using the key, he unlocked a hidden drawer where a small device could be found. He turned it on and it revealed the changed number of a man he knew all too well.

    Yang Feng typed the number into his phone and in the first ring, a man picked up. "I never expected to see your number again. How long has it been since thest time you called me?"

    "Nearly a decade." Yang Feng¡¯s humorless voice made the man on the other line let out a smooth chuckle.

    "Tough as a rock, as always. So what¡¯s up? What happened?"

    "Gather the Imperial Team."

    Jing Yiren sat upon his chair. He abandoned the puzzle pieces he was currently assembling. His cheerful face was wiped of any emotion. "The entire team?" He asked, standing up and making his way to themunication room. There, he typed in a series ofplicated codesprised of solely digits.

    Yang Feng had an endless variety of Underlings and resources spread throughout the country. Some even prated foreignnds and upied his territory there.

    Each mission in the Underworld was handled by different squadrons, starting from the lowest Rank D to the supreme SS.

    The Imperial Team was simply too powerful to be ced on a scale. It wasprised of the most skilled people, so much so that their skills were beyond this world. Even to this day, everyone thought they were nothing but a child¡¯s fable made up to keep people in check. Nheless, it was still passed down from generation to generation and each mouth it went through, the team¡¯s description would be more vicious.

    Unbeknownst to everyone else, the Imperial Team was still active. A few of the members lived ordinary lives and blended perfectly in the crowd. Some lingered in the Underworld, pretending to be a mediocre member whilst others trained from morning to night without a break. No one would¡¯ve been able to distinguish their identity.

    All of them were always concealed in the shadows, roaming the darkness, waiting for the opportunity to pounce like the beast of twilight.

    There was a long pause before Yang Feng uttered, "The entire team."

    It was these three words that sent the entire Underground into chaos.

    - - - - -

    The next morning.

    Zhao Lifei woke up to a cold and empty bed. She touched the spot beside her and realized it had been unupied for a while now. ¡¯Where did he go?¡¯ She checked the clock and saw it was the time he would usually wake up. ¡¯That¡¯s strange, did he leave for work earlier today?¡¯

    She shrugged off the thought and climbed out of bed. She was d her body was not so sensitive and sore anymore, which allowed her to freely move around. Making her way to the bathroom, she brushed her teeth, took a shower, and then got dressed for the day. With a few minutes to spare, she opened the fridge and looked for anything to eat. Her eyes lit up when she saw a parfait in a mason ss jar with a yellow note attached to it.

    "Good morning, my love. I left for work earlier than usual. Make sure to eat something else besides this." - From your loving hubby, Fengfeng ?

    Zhao Lifei smiled at the note and decided to slip it into her wallet, hiding it behind her credit cards, then grabbed the parfait and a spoon. She passed by the trash can and noticed the crumpled balls of paper in there. Paying it no mind, she hurried out the door and got into her car.

    Strolling into Feili, Zhao Lifei ced her handbag in the office first before checking the time. The guest should be there by now. She made her way to the door only for it to swing open and in walked Huo Qiudong with a disgruntled look on his face.

    "President, you have a lot of work and reports to look over." He nodded his head towards the employees behind him who carried in a stack of neatly organized folders. Afterward, they all left. "I have finished all of the work for next week."

    Zhao Lifei chuckled at his words. "As expected of a workaholic."

    "So, that is why..." He awkwardly coughed, his ears reddening. "I...I would like to request the day off today."

    Zhao Lifei checked the time and saw it was only nine in the morning. "Well, I don¡¯t see why not." She shrugged, "Please enjoy your day off. You need it after working for so long." Patting his shoulder, she was prepared to leave him alone, but he grabbed her sleeves.

    "A-and I would like to ask about something."

    "Oh, what is it?" She turned around to face him. His nervousness was adorable. She wanted to tease him about his light blush, but she was also confused as to why he seemed so anxious.

    "Is Miss Ruqin free today?"

    Silence.

    Zhao Lifei did a double-take at his words and stared at him like he had grown three heads.

    "W-what is it?" He tried to sound tough but sounded like a kid instead.

    All of a sudden, Zhao Lifei pped her hands and loudlyughed. If she could, she would¡¯ve jumped up and down. "Oh my goodness, you¡¯re such a cutie!" She squealed, standing on her tippy-toes to pinch his cheek.

    "I¡¯m sure Qinqin has nothing on her schedule today." She rushed to the desk, scribbled something down on a piece of paper and then approached him again. "You probably already have it, but here is her contact information, her email, hell, here¡¯s her address as well. Have fun! Make sure to use protection!" Then she waltzed out of the room, leaving a dumbfounded and highly embarrassed man standing at her door.

 Chapter 357 - Unexpected Guest

    Yang Mujian held his sleeve in ce with one hand while the other was holding a paintbrush. The head was made of hair from hand-raised and specifically bred goats. The shaft of the brush was made entirely of jade with silver encrusted into it to enhance the marbling effect.

    He dipped the brush into the freshly grounded ink with the b that Zhao Lifei had gifted him. He originally thought nothing of it, but after testing it out once, he decided it would be the ink b he would be using from then on. For a woman without any knowledge of calligraphy, she certainly had a good eye for equipment.

    The breeze from the garden outside drifted into the room. There were hints of bamboo, eucalyptus, and the sweet scent of flowers. The asional plops of the fish mingled with the chirping of birds enhanced the serenity of this room.

    THUD! THUD! THUD!

    Yang Mujian¡¯s concentration broke. His pleasant face shriveled into a permanent scowl, yet again, but he paid the noise no attention.

    Someone was rushing down the hallways to see him, and that someone would pay for the disturbance.

    Yang Mujian knew no harm coulde to him. There were guards stationed everywhere around this room and the majority of them hid in the shadows. They were silent killers. But for the sake of disy and reputation, there are some outside the door as well.

    One of the servants outside hesitantly knocked on the wooden pir closest to the door. Because the room had a thin, paper bamboo door to mimic the ones used in the Imperial Pce, the servants all used the pirs. "Master, an unexpected guest is desperately seeking your attention. He goes by the name of Zheng Hechong."

    Yang Mujian hummed in reply. ¡¯Why, if it wasn¡¯t Zheng Tianyi¡¯s father. What an odd and unexpected guest indeed.¡¯ "Let him in." He didn¡¯t bother to lift his head when the door slid open.

    Zheng Tianyi resembled Zheng Hechong in many ways. The two could¡¯ve been a reflection of each other. It was clear to everyone that Zheng Hechong aged like fine wine. Despite being in histe forties, he did not look a day over thirty.

    "I apologize for my unannounced presence, however, the matter is extremely urgent and I couldn¡¯t wait another minute." Zheng Hechong was a bit out of breath from storming down the hallways to see Elder Yang.

    Yang Mujian lost the inspiration to draw any characters. He settled his brush down and proceeded to grind more ink. "Sit." Hemanded the middle-aged man who instantly sat down onto the mats.

    No one had the authority to go against Yang Mujian. Not even Zheng Hechong, the current Patriarch, himself. His eyes trailed to the ink b being used. As an avid calligrapher himself, he was thoroughly impressed by the quality of the te.

    After a few minutes, Yang Mujian finally spoke up. "What brings you in today?" He set everything aside. Another quiet knock echoed in the room. "Come in."

    "Clean up the materials." Yang Mujian instructed the servants who entered the room with their heads bent.

    Zheng Hechong was left speechless when everything was cleaned up and ced away in less than three minutes. Everyone moved efficiently and not a single action was wasted. Right after the materials were gone, a round table was ced between him and the Elder.

    Roasted green tea was served. A te of lotus-stamped mung bean cake, sweet potato cookies, and hardened tri-colored pudding was ced in the center of the table.

    Zheng Hechong held his breath. Even though he wanted to urgently speak of the matter troubling him, he still waited for Yang Mujian.

    Yang Mujian took his pleasant time lifting the teacup and taking a sip of it, then settling it back onto the table. "Now, you may speak." He told the man whilst lifting a small fork and slicing through the tricolored pudding as if it were butter.

    "Have we gravely offended you, Master Yang?" Zheng Hechong questioned with a gruff voice. He didn¡¯t bother to touch the tea or snacks, which was a sign of disrespect.

    "borate." Yang Mujian mused. His emotions were hidden behind a veil and even with Zheng Hechong sitting so closely, he couldn¡¯t decipher the emotions.

    "The price of my stocks have tanked and are practically worth nothing now. Shareholders and investors have been leaving left and right since midnight yesterday! On top of that, my son..." Zheng Hechong might as well have gotten a heart attack with how pale he was. "My son has gone missing."

    The amusement in Yang Mujian¡¯s eyes disappeared. What did this man just say?

    "Ever since he disappeared, it¡¯s been revealed there was a price ced on his mistress¡¯ head. I know my son loves that vixen to death, even so, he would not abandon his duties as the CEO. No one has seen him since midnight and he didn¡¯t show up at hispany!" Zheng Hechong gravely shook his head. "There is no one in this city who has the authority to make a man like my son disappear off the grid-like that. It¡¯s practically unheard of. Except, there is only one person who could do it."

    Yang Feng.

    Yang Mujian¡¯s face contorted into a staggering scowl. The first person that came into mind was his grandson. Who else would¡¯ve done it? Who else would¡¯ve personally benefited from this the most?

    "Master Yang, I hate to put you in a predicament like this; however, the Zhengs have been your avid supporter since the first day you were given the president que. The half-decade shareholder meeting is approaching very soon." Zheng Hechong ced down his best card. Even though the shares were divided amongst family members, together, the Zhengs have 10% shares whereas Yang Mujian had 15%.

    "I could care less about what happens to the mistress. It will be good if your grandson can get rid of her, but I want my son back. Yes, I have many and yes, I can easily find recements for a morepetent CEO. However, at the end of the day, he is still my firstborn child and son! I will not stand for this disrespect."

    Zheng Hechong was willing to sever all ties with Elder Yang who needed him more than ever. Without the support of major families, Yang Mujian¡¯s power would dwindle and he would have little to no control of what happens to Yang Enterprise.

    "A request for my grandson¡¯s attendance will be ced shortly." Yang Mujian stood up with a thunderous and unpredictable expression on his face. That weak-minded little prick! So many lessons were flushed down the drain, so many efforts were put to waste.

    A vein popped out on Yang Mujian¡¯s forehead. His grandson had gotten weaker than expected. And it was all because of some pillow talking from a woman.

    Zheng Hechong saw that his arguments had gotten through. He stood up, bowed his head, and then left without a second look.

    "Jing Caoxiao."

    A man stepped out from a hidden corner. His tense body was on high-alert and he was ready to fulfill any order given to him.

    "Contact the man in the navy green uniform." Yang Mujian stared at the lotus-stamped mung bean cake. "Whatever his name is, inform him I want him here as soon as possible."

    He walked to his drawer and fumbled through it until he found a business card with a symbol of two snakes slithered up a winged staff. "Call forth these people." He ced the card into Jing Caoxiao¡¯s awaiting hands.

    - - - - -

    "Grandfather." Yang Feng didn¡¯t bother to wait for the servant to knock. He effortlessly strolled through the doors unscathed. Of course, he was not touched. The men in this house belonged to him. Sure, they were loyal to Yang Mujian in the past, but their loyalty changed with each different Master. People would naturally follow the person with the most power. In this case, Yang Feng seemed to be winning.

    His cold, deserted eyes briefly nced at the small table in the room. A fresh pot of tea was brewed and the pastries were already set up. Everything looked freshly prepared. But he knew better. There was a guest before him and he already knew who it was.

    ZING!

    A knife whirred straight towards Yang Feng¡¯s face. In a speed too fast for the human eye to catch, Yang Feng had caught the letter knife between his fingers. "We¡¯re human, not savages. Even when angered, one should use words, not violence." He dropped the knife that ttered on the mats.

    "Unfilial, pathetic scum! Do you know what you have done?!" Yang Mujian snarled, turning around with burning eyes. "I remained patient when you targeted Zheng Tianyi once. I remained patient when you paraded around that minx around like a lovesick fool. I remained patient when you targeted that mistress, but this time, you have crossed the line!"

    "Do you wish to disappoint me that much? Do you wish to lose your position that quickly?! Do not forget, you despicable little bastard, that there is another person who would readily take your position." Yang Mujian seethed, mming his hands onto his desk. A deep crack formed on the mahogany.

    Yang Feng patiently listened to whatever gibberish his grandfather was saying. He absorbed his words but didn¡¯t let it get to him. So what if there was a recement? Heads can easily roll for those who tried to covet his throne.

    "I will not tolerate this any longer. You¡¯ve gotten deplorably weak."

    Yang Feng¡¯s nonchnt eyes hardened. It could freeze Hell and back. The air around him became deadly. "What did you just say?"

    "Get out of my sight." Yang Mujian snarled.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡¯dly.¡¯ He had a woman to return to and he nned on visiting her during lunch.

 Chapter 358 - Insult Me

    "I¡¯ve kept you waiting." Zhao Lifei walked into a frameless ss wall meeting room where she pressed a button and the ss became frosted for privacy. No one could see inside the meeting room and no one could see outside. It was pretty faulty in that sense and after thinking about it, she decided to make a mental note and contact an architect. Maybe a mirrored ss would be a lot better.

    Sitting in one of thefortable chairs was a woman who carried herself with ss and confidence. Her slender legs were crossed over one another and she was wearing a modest-length pencil skirt. It wasn¡¯t a surprise, seeing as she had to return to work after this.

    "No, I recently arrived less than a minute ago." Su Meixiu amicably said, standing up at the presence of Zhao Lifei. "Thank you for inviting me here, President."

    Zhao Lifei closed the ss door behind her and sat down in a chair opposite to Su Meixiu. "I¡¯m sure you¡¯re confused as to why I called you here." She folded her hands together. The reason why she went through Yang Feng¡¯s phone was to retrieve Su Meixiu¡¯s contact information. He didn¡¯t have her phone number, but she did find her work email.

    Su Meixiu was beginning to see this woman in a better light. When Zhao Lifei strolled into the room, the air changed. Power. ss. Arrogance. So many words could be used to describe the woman sitting across from her. Her presence overwhelmed the air.

    "I have an idea of what it might be."

    "Hm, is that so? Well, enlighten me." Zhao Lifei tilted her head, her lips drawing into a crafty smile.

    Su Meixiu¡¯s forehead creased. "Didn¡¯t you call for my presence to curse me for what happened that night at Madam Yang¡¯s birthday banquet?" When she received the message yesterday, she began to prepare herself for the worst oue possible. After all, hell hath no fury like a scorned woman.

    "Huh? What happened?" Zhao Lifei feigned ignorance. She knew Su Meixiu was testing her to see if she stayed behind to eavesdrop or not.

    "I...I confessed my feelings for President Yang." Su Meixiu said. She didn¡¯t drop her shoulders or avoid eye contact with Zhao Lifei. Both the women were too self-assured in themselves to look away. "But he shot me down without a second thought and I have moved on now." The delivery of her words was confident. She was stating the truth.

    "Is that so?" Zhao Lifei¡¯s smile deepened. "Well, I hate to admit it, but I did overhear the conversation between Yang Feng and you." She clicked her nails on the table. "You were partially right. I did call you in for that matter, but it¡¯s not to insult you. I want to have a proper conversation with you."

    Su Meixiu felt like she was wandering down the rabbit hole of confusion. ¡¯A proper conversation...? Then what is with all of the bodyguards she passed by earlier?¡¯ On her way to this room, there were already men stationed by the elevator.

    "Pardon me, but I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re trying to say." Su Meixiu stared at Zhao Lifei with a bewildered look in her eyes.

    "You know, Su Meixiu, you remind me of my former self." Zhao Lifei rested the side of her face on a propped up arm. "Neither of us had a choice in who we would fall in love with. We were both programmed by our family to think and behave in a certain way, so much so that our parents have already decided on whom we should get married to."

    Su Meixiu¡¯s lips parted in shock. At a loss for words, she could only sit and listen to what else Zhao Lifei would say. She never thought about how controlling her family was until today.

    "We have both worked diligently for thepany of the people we were programmed to love. And what did we get in return? A p in the face and a demotion." Zhao Lifei¡¯s smile softened and became more genuine. "I will not apologize for Yang Feng¡¯s behavior towards you, for you pursued a taken man without hesitation."

    "That¡¯s alright, I never expected an apology for the way I behaved. It was uneptable, I-I know. I rashly acted out of desperation." Su Meixiu held her breath as guilt weighed her down.

    "I can¡¯t make any excuses for Yang Feng, because he... well, you already know the kind of man he is." Zhao Lifei winced. "Seeing the way he treated you that night reminded me of my previous fiance, Zheng Tianyi. However, they¡¯re alsopletely different. Yang Feng has taught you many things in life and was gracious enough to train you into a wless personal assistant."

    Her words stabbed right through Su Meixiu¡¯s heart. "In the end, we are different. You got your happy ever after with a better man."

    "That doesn¡¯t mean your happy ever after will nevere." Zhao Lifei found it ironic that she went from hating Su Meixiu to offering herforting words. She believed it was because the simrity in their situation and love life was too identical to ignore.

    "You¡¯re a bright woman with a lot of potential and one heck of a resume. Having Yang Enterprise as apany you worked for is equivalent to striking the job lottery. Anypany you go to, they will hire you in a heartbeat."

    "Why are you so kind to me after all I¡¯ve done to you? I-I even tried to sabotage and disrespect you." Su Meixiu cried out, her chest heavy with guilt and prickly pain of remorse.

    "Because we are both women and you remind me of myself. I guess I am selfish for wanting to speak to you in hopes of severing the ties of my past. Guiding you relieves me for some odd reason." Zhao Lifei shook her head. "I hate it when women put women down, but that mentality also makes me a hypocrite because of the actions I¡¯ve done in the past."

    "And also because you have helped Yang Feng a great deal. I don¡¯t want to see potential wither away because of jealousy." Zhao Lifei knew her grandfather would be reprimanding her for even having this kind of conversation with Su Meixiu. But she wasn¡¯t her grandfather and she never will be.

    "I can see you¡¯re on the brink of losing it all, whether it¡¯s your sanity or your job and maybe even family. However, I do not see the problem in losing thetter if they were as cruel, abusive, and maniptive as my parents were." Zhao Lifei dished out her thoughts one after the other.

    "Do not make the same mistakes that I have done. Do not foolishly continue to chase after a man because your parents want you to. Do not let love ruin you like it had done to me in the past."

    Su Meixiu¡¯s gaze dropped to her hands. She didn¡¯t realize she was crying until hot droplets fell on her clenched hands. Guilt. Remorse. She was riddled with all of it. Her arms were shaking and she couldn¡¯t control the tiny sobs that left her mouth. Her whole life, no one had shown her the patience and kindness that Zhao Lifei offered her today. She regretted everything she had ever done against Zhao Lifei. She regretted hating that woman to the core. She regretted all of it. No amount of words could express her anguish.

    Insults and curses would¡¯ve been a lot better than how Zhao Lifei killed her with kindness. It was the most effective weapon of all, for physical wounds can easily heal, but mental ones like shame and guilt could never be forgotten.

    "Why... why are you so nice to me? It¡¯s unfair." Su Meixiu cried out, raising her head to reveal her reddened eyes.

    Even so, Zhao Lifei was not repulsed by the sight. "Life is unfair. I¡¯ll let karma take its course. Besides, good deeds are rewarded with equally good deeds." She shrugged, "Also, it gets rid of one less problem for me."

    This conversation would be one that Su Meixiu would remember for the rest of her life, whether she liked it or not. "I won¡¯t be able to repay you for what happened today."

    "I know." Zhao Lifei stared into the distance and towards the window. She couldn¡¯t believe how much time had changed her. She didn¡¯t know if it was for better or worse.

    The two sat in silence, with the ticks of the clock on the wall being the sole sound in the room. After a long pause, Su Meixiu finally gathered the courage to say, "I¡¯m sorry."

    "Actions speak louder than words. I hope you demonstrate that apology through different means." Zhao Lifei smiled.

    Su Meixiu slowly nodded her head. "Thank you. For everything. I really needed this conversation." She stood up and offered Zhao Lifei a hand.

    Zhao Lifei stared at it and said, "But that doesn¡¯t mean I forgive you." She shook it to which Su Meixiu nodded. "I didn¡¯t expect you to."

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei stayed behind because there was a meeting scheduled in that room. Su Meixiu grabbed her bags and walked out of the door, but was surprised to see how many bodyguards were lining the hallways. ¡¯It seemed the President truly treasured her...¡¯

    Su Meixiu was unfamiliar with their faces, which she found a bit odd since most of the bodyguards assigned to her were from the Underworld and she would¡¯ve known a majority of them. Then she realized some of them might be from Zhao Moyao¡¯s side as well. She shrugged and continued walking to the elevator. However, as the doors were sliding shut, she saw the bodyguards were making their way into the meeting room. ¡¯Did something happen?¡¯ Before she could do anything, the door mmed shut and the elevator began to descend.

 Chapter 359 - Red

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t hear the shuffling outside of the room. She was deeply engrossed in setting up the technical devices for the powerpoint and ensuring everything would run smoothly for the next meeting. Surprisingly, it was with Ling Conglomerate.

    She only noticed the changes when the door to the meeting room opened. Multiple pairs of shoes thumped on the ground. Turning around, her eyebrows quirked up. Who were these people? Dressed in homogenous ck suits with wires curling up to their ears, she understood they were bodyguards. What were they doing in here? She didn¡¯t give them an order.

    "What¡¯s going on?" Zhao Lifei edged closer and closer to the coathanger. None of these men looked familiar.

    Then the door mmed shut. Her eyes widened when they simultaneously ced on gas masks. She had to get out of here as soon as possible. These were not Yang Feng¡¯s nor her grandfather¡¯s men.

    PSH!

    Smoke grenades were tossed onto the floor and in five seconds, her instincts kicked in as did the hazy smoke. White clouds soon flooded the room. She barely took one step forward before her vision turned dizzy. Even so, sheunched herself at one of the men. She had just enough strength left to grab the pin on the chest pocket of his suit. But right after, she lost all strength and it fell onto the floor, just like her slumped body.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei woke up and found herself tied to a hard mattress. Her eyes stared up and she squeezed it shut when the surgical lighting blinded her. Shifting her head to the side, she tried to see what was going on. In the corner of the room, men and women dressed in whiteb gowns were discussing something. On the other side of the room, there were a group of nurses preparing what looked to be pieces of surgical equipment. Why did this give her a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu?

    "I reckon we should increase the dosage. The one we previously gave to her was suitable because she was a child at the time. Now, she¡¯s a grown adult."

    "But the first one was heavily monitored by a different boss than the one from today."

    "They¡¯re extremely close acquaintances. It will be fine."

    After a few more moments passed filled indistinct discussions, the doctors finally concluded to increase her dosage.

    Zhao Lifei opened her mouth, then realized it was duct-taped. Her tongue could taste a ball of something ced into her lips and her eyes widened in horror.

    Everything about this ce was familiar.

    She tried to wriggle in the bed and move her wrists but found they were chained on the bed with ropes and leather belts. This ce felt and looked like a mental institution that did unorthodox medical procedures on helpless victims.

    "She¡¯s awake." A male anesthesiologist said when he noticed her futile attempts to struggle out of her restraints.

    He prepared the sedation syringe on the side and began to calcte the appropriate level of anesthesia to give her. Even though she was brought here against her will, they were not inhumane. They had been specifically hired to do this and therge sum of money transferred to their ounts ensured that no harm was toe to her. None of them wanted to force this on her, but it seemed they had no other choice. They didn¡¯t have the power to go against their higher-ups.

    "Themissioner requested we can only sedate her as ast resort. Start the anesthesia process." One of the female doctors spoke up, tugging her surgical gloves higher up.

    At the sound of that, Zhao Lifei struggled even more. She tried to scream into the ball-gag. Her voice was muffled and resembled that of a squabbling chicken. The male anesthesiologist wheeled the machine towards her.

    "You will be fine. We¡¯re not taking out your organs or anything to sell on the ck market. This is only a procedure to...well, you don¡¯t have to know. Nheless, please rx. It will make this process a lot easier for you."

    Zhao Lifei stubbornly shook her head to which the man pursed his lips.

    "Then I will have to sedate you. It won¡¯t be good for your system. Everything will be fine after this surgery. Trust me. I have a decade of experience. None of the doctors here are unorthodox. We¡¯re all highly skilled. Now, please rx."

    Zhao Lifei wanted to refuse but the moment the oxygen mask was ced over her nose and mouth, she began to lose consciousness. She tried to fight against it, but her eyes were growing heavier with each passing second. In thirty seconds, her eyes fluttered shut and she slipped into a world of darkness.

    "Are you sure this will work? She had regained partial memory of her childhood." A hardened voice spoke through the speaker. A person was watching the procedure from the viewing room.

    "Please rest assured. The technology back then was 90% urate. We have been perfecting this method for over a decade now."

    The switch to all of the machines was then turned on and the doctors were fully prepared to go through the procedure. The lights in the background dimmed. All hands were on deck. A minute passed and the surgical sign was turned on.

    - - - - -

    In a quiet office, a man was leisurely taking a sip of lemon water as his eyes skimmed over the stock market. Today marked the fall of an Empire that should¡¯ve been dead a long time ago. Within twenty-four hours, the Zhengs have lost a major portion of their value, and within the next few hours, they will slowly lose everything.

    Yang Feng must thank Zhao Lifei. Just as she had gone on his phone, he had gone onto herptop when she was sleeping the night before. There, he easily bypassed her security questions and password.

    He figured the former Vice President of Zheng Corporation would have intel on everything there was to know about the enormouspany. Not to his surprise, he found jackpot in a heavily encrypted folder. He was finally able to crack it this morning. She was quite an intelligent woman. The folder contained one hundred mini-folders that opened up to even more folders. Every single one of them had passcodes, some were easy, some were too hard.

    His men had spent the entire night and morningbing through everything until he finally discovered the folder that contained all of Zheng Corporation¡¯s deepest, darkest secrets. From scandals to under-the-table business transactions.

    If the stock market did not drown them,w enforcement will mp down onto them. Fortunately, that was never Yang Feng¡¯s n. He preferred to go for a slow-torturous death over a swift one. He preferred to take his sweet time draining the blood instead of watching it all gush out at once.

    Zheng Corporation will soon be ruined forever and it would all be because of one man.

    He stared out of his window and smiled to himself. The sun was setting now. It was time to return home to his lovely wife. He could not wait to tell her the fantastic news. Setting the iced lemon water down onto the table, he shut off hisptop and grabbed his coat.

    - - - - -

    "What did you just say?!" Chen Gaonan¡¯s face was ash-white. He was on the verge of puking and his hands were shaking. If he wasn¡¯t sitting down, his knees would¡¯ve given out from underneath him. He broke out into buckets of cold sweat.

    Su Meixiu had returned to the office a long time ago. The loudmotion from the Head Secretary¡¯s desk confused her. She raised her head, her brows knitting together in worry. ¡¯Did something happen to their investment,panies, or projects?¡¯

    A single envelope was sitting on her desk. She had been debating the entire day on whether or not she should turn it in. It was a resignation letter. She had drafted it a long time ago and finalized it the night of her rejection, but never found the courage to hand it in.

    "That¡¯s impossible." Chen Gaonan wanted to cry and look for his mother. He was going to die today. He was going to die! His Boss was the exact type to shoot the messenger! mming his hand onto his desk, he struggled to keep hisposure.

    "The Lady-Boss is never allowed to go anywhere without her bodyguards and shadow men! How is it that all of them disappeared in just three hours?" Chen Gaonan ran a hand through his hair, tugging at it. Sh*t. Sh*t. Sh*t! This was not looking good.

    "New people were assigned to her? No, that shouldn¡¯t be possible... Wait what?! The transmission was hacked?! By whom?" The transmission was what regted the missions and tasks assigned to each member of the Underworld.

    "What is it?" Yang Feng came out of his office just in time to see his secretary on the verge of losing his mind.

    Chen Gaonan¡¯s entire body stiffened. A shiver ran down his spine. He was trembling like a dead leaf bracing the autumn wind. He was going to die today. Everyone was going to die today. Heads would roll. Blood would spill. This city would be painted crimson red.

    "S-sir..." Chen Gaonan¡¯s face was filled with anguish. "T-the Lady-Boss... S-she has been kidnapped."

    And then all hell broke loose.

 Chapter 360 - Torment Me

    "What? You rejected the proposal?! But you¡¯ve been dreaming about it day and night! Why are you backing out now that the other party has finally agreed to our terms?!" Jiang Yinan eximed, his face painted with sheer disbelief and horror. He was stomping his feet like the younger brother he was.

    "Because it¡¯s wrong, okay?!" Jiang Zihui retorted, turning to face his younger brother with a disgruntled expression. He was discharged from the military after requesting a few months off to sort through some problems. "She hates me. She¡¯s not going toe here willingly. Kidnapping her and then forcing her to stay is an impossible task. Besides, I don¡¯t want to treat her like that."

    Jiang Yinan wondered which dimension he woke up in. His cruel, older brother was being sincere towards a woman? What for? When did this happen?! "I thought you were keen on taking her one way or another? What made you change your mind?"

    "I¡¯ve hurt her before." Jiang Zihui sighed, running a tired hand through his hair. "I didn¡¯t do it directly, but my one of my men... You already know what he did. He was one of my closest friends. Don¡¯t his actions reflect what type of friends are around me?"

    "But you made him pay for his mistakes. Even to this day, he is living with the pain of what you have done to him." Jiang Yinan tried to not think about the scene he saw. Man, he had never seen something so freaking brutal. It was insane and went beyond the nature of humane.

    "I know." Jiang Zehui grounded his teeth. "What has happened has happened. She is traumatized by it. I don¡¯t want to force the ring onto her finger."

    "You¡¯ve seriously lost your mind." Jiang Yinan sighed, disappointedly shaking his head.

    Jiang Zihui grunted in reply and took a sip of his sparkling water.

    Jiang Yinan huffed at his older brother¡¯sck of reply. Fine then.

    Uninterested, he strolled over to the bookshelf of folders, wondering which one he should check out. Then a section, almost hidden, made his eyes go wide. "No way!" His knees buckled and he nearly bursts out loud. "Oh my goodness, are these books about courting women?" He fell onto his back and burst into roaringughter.

    "I need to post this on my private social media. Everyone needs to see this." He wheezed, wiping tears away from his eyes. He picked up one of the books and read the title out loud, "How To Make Your Crush Like You Back." His barkingughter infuriated Jiang Zihui who tossed his bottle of water towards the young man¡¯s head.

    Jiang Yinan easily dodged it, picking up another book. "101 Ways Of Charming Your Crush." He began to roll around on the floor, clutching his stomach, and letting out rounds ofughter.

    "You better contact mother and father." Jiang Zihui growled, standing up to his full height.

    "Huh, why?"

    "Because I¡¯m about to be the only son!" Jiang Zihui snarled, picking up the letter knife and stalking towards his younger brother who instantly stood up.

    "Mercy, please!" Jiang Yinan cried in a high-pitched, mocking voice. "Pft!" He had to prevent himself from breaking out into fits of giggles. "Gosh, what will the soldiers think of their General reading these girly, romance books?!"

    "That¡¯s it, you¡¯re going to die today." Jiang Zihui raised his hand and was a second away from tossing it when a rough knock interrupted him.

    Saved by the knock, Jiang Yinan let out a sigh of relief. It seemed he will live another night! He thanked his lucky Heavens and the Goddess of Mercy.

    "What is it?!" Jiang Zihui bit out. He ced the letter knife away and tucked it into his waist pants.

    Therge door was pushed open and in walked a butler in a tailcoat suit. His greying hair was neatlybed back, a pocket watch hanging from his vest. There was the Jiang Sigel sewn onto the cuff and cor of his suit.

    "I profusely apologize for interrupting." He bowed in respect to the two Young Masters. "There is an urgent matter that must be addressed."

    Jiang Yinan sobered up and patted off the non-existent dust on his clothes. What happened?

    "No less than five minutes ago, an unconscious woman was found at the edge of the mansion gates."

    "Dispose of her." Jiang Zihui answered without hesitation. Tch, it must be one of his friends ying a trick on him again. Ever since he devoted himself fully to Zhao Lifei, his friends pitied him and tried to toss women at him every chance they could get. Never once did Jiang Zihui falter. Hell, he had never even slept with a woman or intimately touched one.

    "Yes, that was my initial thought, however, there was this note in her hand." Butler Sima walked forward with a crumpled piece of unfolded paper.

    The note read, "She was wandering the streets alone, confused, and dressed in rags. Take some pity on this lost and abandoned puppy."

    Jiang Zihui scowled. His gut feeling was telling him there was something unique in the way this note was written. "Bring her to me."

    "Pardon me, Young Master, but she is still unconscious. We have moved her into one of the maids living corridor and ced people to watch over her. Shall I fetch her when she wakes up?"

    Jiang Zihui sensed something was skewed about this situation. "No. We¡¯ll go and see her right now. She could be a spy pretending to be asleep. We don¡¯t want to give her any chances of scoping around, even if our people are guarding her."

    Jiang Yinan pped his hands. Yay, free entertainment! His day was getting more intriguing now. How fun! "Well, lead the way, Butler Sima!"

    Butler Sima bowed his head and began to guide them down the long hallways of the Jade Mansion. The ce was enormous and thend went for acres upon acres. It was needless to say, the Jiangs were wealthy; however, the house has been passed down from generation to generation.

    Being the eldest son of the family, it was naturally given to Jiang Zihui in hopes that he would start a family there. His parents resided in the Main Mansion that was only a short fifty-minute drive from where the Jade Mansion stood.

    Jiang Yinan boredly whistled as he followed his brother and the Butler down the staircases. Soon, they found themselves in the servants¡¯ sleeping corridors. After unlocking the door that led to the maids¡¯ quarters, the three men all stopped in front of a decent-sized wooden door. Unlike many families who had bad living conditions for their workers, the Jiangs were generous with how they treated their servants. Every employee had an average-sized bedroom with ample room to walk around in.

    "We didn¡¯t want to dirty the bed with her rags. One of the maids changed clothes for her." Butler Sima exined, stepping aside to let both Young Masters into the room.

    Jiang Zihui should¡¯ve known something was wrong the second he heard ¡¯unconscious woman¡¯. He stepped closer to the sleeping body on the bed and he felt his entire body freeze. He could not believe his eyes and neither could Jiang Yinan.

    "What the f¡ª" Jiang Yinan sharply breathed in. He wisely made the move to not finish his sentence. His carefree eyes were as wide as the moon.

    Which realm did this little fairy escape from?! Even in her sleep, her beauty was undeniably awe-inspiring. Her healthy dark hair was like a halo and the white sleeping gown was the perfect touch to make both men think they stumbled across a fallen angel. Her longshes created small shadows on her petite face. From her button nose to her small, yet plump lips, everything about her was perfect. She did not have the appearance of amon peasant. Hell, she didn¡¯t even look like she was from this world! Even in her sleep, she looked beyond elegant. Whose heiress was this?!

    "Pinch me, brother." Jiang Yinan choked out. ¡¯Why does this woman look exactly like the one he saw on the battlefield?!¡¯

    "How about I punch you instead? Stop looking at her." Jiang Zihui blocked his younger brother¡¯s line of sight with hisrge body.

    "Seriously, how blessed can you be?" Jiang Yinan copsed onto a nearby chair. This was unbelievable. "The love of your life, the woman of your dreams, delivered to your doors just like that!"

    Jiang Zihui himself didn¡¯t believe it. He reached out a shaking hand and brushed the locks of her hair away to reveal more of her face. He retracted his hand right afterward. His heart was racing, begging him to touch her more than a simple caress.

    "Why are you here, Zhao Lifei? Are you here to torment me?" He hoarsely asked her, his eyes painfully shutting close. The thing he wanted the most was presented to him as easily as this. ¡¯Is there going to be a hurricane tomorrow?¡¯

 Chapter 361 - Ugly Dispute

    The chirping of the birds upon the blooming branch was what roused the sleeping woman on the bed. Weary, chestnut eyes swept across the spacious, yet tastefully decorated room. Flowy, muslin curtains flowed from the canopy bed, swaying to the tamed gust of air seeping through the cracks of the slightly ajar windows. She nced upwards and saw a contemporary chandelier that seemed to be a jumble ofrge rings encrusted in diamonds.

    She nced down at her hands, bending her fingers one by one, then unraveling it like a confused child. Her hand immersed itself over the thick, furforter.

    "Oh my." The maid¡¯s eyes widened in shock when she saw the conscious woman sitting upright on the bed with a dazed and curious expression. "Madam, you¡¯re awake."

    Zhao Lifei quirked her head and scanned the room again. ¡¯Madam? Where?¡¯

    The maid tucked her hands in front of her and deeply bowed. "Please pardon my manners. I didn¡¯t knock because I didn¡¯t expect you to be awake." ¡¯Oh dear, oh dear!¡¯ She was slightly panicking at her ruined first impression of this breathtaking woman.

    "Please excuse me. I will fetch for the Young Master right away!"

    Zhao Lifei reached her hand out her to stop her, "W-wait¡ª"

    Unfortunately, it was toote, the maid had already scurried off, in search of her so-called Young Master.

    Zhao Lifei dejectedly dropped her hand with distress written all over her face. She wanted to know where she was, who she was, and what she was doing here? Why was it that she couldn¡¯t recall anything? Her head was as nk as a canvas. This ce felt so unfamiliar and new to her.

    Not less than five minutester, the double-doors were flung open and a tall, brooding man entered. His hair was windswept as if he had run all the way here. His eyes were wide and rapidly searching the room for her.

    There she was. Sitting on the bed like a little princess.

    Not less than a secondter, another man walked into the room with features simr to the first one.

    Jiang Zihui took one hesitant step forward, waiting for her protest. But she didn¡¯t say or do anything aside from curiously staring at him. Why didn¡¯t she violently react and curse him to the deepest pits of hell? Then he walked another step and she tilted her head like a lost little bunny. His heart warmed at her actions. Simply too adorable.

    "Hello..." Zhao Lifei courteously said, sping her hands together. Was this the Young Master? Her head throbbed. By some miracle, she recognized his handsome face but didn¡¯t know where she had met or encountered him before.

    "Zhao Lifei, you¡¯re awake."

    "Zhao Lifei...?" She repeated the name, testing it on her tongue. Quiet and demure, she was as defenseless as a hunted rabbit. "Is that my name? "Why did he look so nervous about approaching her? Wasn¡¯t he the owner of this beautiful room?

    Jiang Zihui¡¯s heart pounded. Could it be? His breath was stuck in his throat and no matter what he told himself, he couldn¡¯t calm down. The possibilities here were endless. "Yes, my little butterfly. Why? What¡¯s wrong?" He had reached her bedside by now.

    Zhao Lifei wondered why he looked so eager to see her as if she was the bringer of light in this murky world. The pleading look in his eyes didn¡¯t help her confusion. His gloved hands twitched, almost as if he wanted to touch her, but couldn¡¯t bring himself to do so.

    "I-I don¡¯t..." She didn¡¯t know what she was trying to say. Her hand traveled up to her chest until it settled at her corbone. Her fingers brushed against the cold, metal ne. "I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me." Was her conclusion.

    "What do you mean?"

    "I-I..." Fear and panic darkened her eyes, "I don¡¯t remember who you are. I-I don¡¯t even remember myself..."

    Jiang Yinan¡¯s eyes widened at this sudden turn of events. His head snapped to his older brother, who stood there like a statue. Neither man moved and neither of them knew what to do.

    "W-who are you?" She finally asked. It was three simple words, yet its weight knew no bounds.

    The opportunities here were endless. Jiang Yinan knew this first. He nudged his brother to take advantage of this situation. However, Jiang Zihui was too muddled with shock to even think about fooling her.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s fingertched onto the ne that was securely lying underneath her dress, entering the dip of her chest. She pulled it out to reveal a warm, yellow ring. Her fingers enclosed around it and somehow, it made her feel safe and giddy inside.

    Finally, Jiang Yinan had enough of his slow-minded brother. "I¡¯m so d to see you awake, sister-inw. You gave us quite the fright when you rammed your head into themp poles outside the front gates." His warm smile made her feel uneasy.

    "Sister-inw?" She repeatedly blinked her eyes, then turned to look at the man beside him.

    "It can¡¯t be. Did you get amnesia like the doctors feared you would?" Jiang Yinan faked a gasp, covering his mouth. "This is why I always told you throwing a tantrum is not the best way to get what you want! Look at where your recent tantrum got you!" He turned to Jiang Zihui, "Oh my, brother what should we do?"

    Jiang Zihui wanted to strangle his younger brother to death. What kind of horrible acting was that?! He raised his head to look at her. For odd reasons, she was...buying into it? He red at Jiang Yinan who was digging a grave for both of them.

    "I will call the doctor." Jiang Zihui left his words open-ended without implying anything.

    Jiang Yinan¡¯s shoulders sagged in disappointment. Seriously, what had gotten into his brother?! Wasn¡¯t he forceful by nature and would do everything in his power to get Zhao Lifei? Now, she was literally under their roof, stupid, and suffering from amnesia. How could Zihui not do anything!? This was such a perfect chance to make her his once and for all!

    Jiang Zihui ignored the pointed looks that his brother was throwing him. He turned his back and stormed out of the room, leaving a confused Zhao Lifei behind.

    Jiang Yinan offered her a strained smile. "Please forgive him, sister-inw. My brother is only angry because you got yourself injured to this extent." He grabbed her hands, "Next time, please do not repeatedly head-bash themp post just because my brother didn¡¯t...uh, give you the purse you wanted."

    Head-bashing amp post? Zhao Lifei had to ask herself why she was this selfish. A purse? When was this? Was she that horrible? "Your brother? Then, is he my husband?"

    Jiang Yinan opened his mouth and closed it. Damn it. He couldn¡¯t say yes or no without his brother¡¯s permission. Currently, that bastard was nowhere to be found! "Boohoo, how can you ask a question like that? It hurts me, you know." He pouted, dropping her hand and standing up.

    "I¡¯ll let you answer that question yourself. In the meantime, I will look for my idiotic older brother. So, be good, and don¡¯t wander off." Jiang Yinan left her without waiting for a reply. His smile became murderous the minute he spotted Jiang Zihui down the hallways, pacing back and forth.

    "Bro, you know I care so much about you, but for the love of everything holy, how can you be this dumb?! Did Mother and Father not teach you anything? If they saw how you¡¯re recently behaving, Father would puke blood and beat you to a pulp. You¡¯re behaving like an indecisive woman!" Jiang Yinan bellowed, crossing his arms. "And because I care about you so damn much, I did all the talking for you!"

    Jiang Zihui¡¯s eyes darkened, "Fix that tone of yours. Do not forget who you are and who holds the most power in our family."

    Jiang Yinan gritted his teeth, his fingers curled into fists. He hated it when their power imbnce was brought up. It reminded him that he was forever living in his older brother¡¯s shadows. "I am only trying to help."

    "Trying to help? TRYING TO HELP?!" Jiang Zihui roared, "You¡¯ve made the situation worse! By calling her sister-inw, do you know what you¡¯re implying? You¡¯ve only dug a grave for both of us to rot and die in. How long do you think this act will keep up? How long will it be before she discovers the truth? I didn¡¯t want to lie to her from the start¡ª"

    "Then why don¡¯t you return her to her loverboy?" Jiang Yinan deadpanned. "First, you reject the proposal from Yang Mujian, and now you¡¯re refusing to ept this miraculous gift. Do you even want her anymore? Look, I¡¯ve alreadyid out the situation perfectly for you. All you have to do is y the part and fake it until you make it!"

    In the blink of an eye, Jiang Zihui grabbed his younger brother¡¯s cor and yanked the man closer. "Didn¡¯t I just tell you to watch your fvcking tone? Do you want to die that desperately?"

    "What¡¯s going on?" Zhao Lifei¡¯s nervous voice echoed down the halls. She was holding one of the doors and standing by the doorway of her room. Her face crumbling when she saw their ugly dispute.

    - - - - - - - <strong> IMPORTANT AUTHOR¡¯S NOTE/COMMENT: </strong> - - - - - - -

    I¡¯m writing what has been nned out from the very BEGINNING of this novel, way before it was published. No amount of ckmail, threats, and maliciousments will change my mind.

    If you, as my loyal and dear readers, want to ruin my mood with such ckmailing, then it pains me to say this, but no one is stopping you from leaving. I¡¯m fine if you want to temporarily leave to stockpile but stop with the hatements, its rude and extremely unnecessary to bash me and the story like this.

    I will not stand for this disrespect anymore. It¡¯s already stressful and tiring enough for me to write these chapters. I have other priorities in life and am putting a halt to many of them just to deliver chapters to everyone here. There were many moments where I wanted to stop writing altogether because life had be extremely hectic, but for the sake of readers, I didn¡¯t want to do so. I skipped social outing with friends to write, I skipped going to the doctors to write, I skipped much-needed rest and breaks to write.

    Now you may be asking why am I writing then? Why not just quit if I¡¯m that tired? It¡¯s because I write for loyal readers who actually appreciate this novel and my writing and doesn¡¯t leave when the slightest implication urs. It¡¯s because I am not that cruel to abandon this novel and make everyone wonder why I suddenly disappeared without warning or notice. I have contemted this idea, but in the end, the kind readers who appreciate my hard work drawned me back to writing andpleting this novel.

    Thements truly break my heart, especially the ones with curse words for me and this novel. I¡¯ve stayed quiet about this when it has urred in the past, but enough is enough.

    In addition, this arc is EXTREMELY CRUCIAL to the novel and will be the turning point of the plot. It will contain what many of you have been wanting to ur. Many major plot questions will be answered in this extremely necessary plot.

    Once again, nothing will change from the rude and maliciousments. Have a good day.

 Chapter 362 - Memories

    Jiang Zihui wished his heart didn¡¯t foolishly skip a beat. His anger was washed away by the fear in her tiny voice, like a terrified child without a guardian. She needed him. She needed someone to rely on and tell her everything was going to be okay.

    He released Jiang Yinan¡¯s cor and ran a hand through his hair. Breathing in deeply, he closed his stormy eyes. When it opened again, there was fondness within them. "Why are you out of your bed, little butterfly? And you¡¯re not wearing house-slippers either." He stalked towards her, with Jiang Yinan closely following behind him.

    "That is not how a proper youngdy should behave." Jiang Zihui stopped in front of her. His heart fluttered when she had to crane her neck to see his face. She curiously studied his features, herrge eyes wandering over every nook and cranny. What was she looking for?

    "Come now, I¡¯ll take you back to bed."

    "I don¡¯t want to rest. I¡¯m not tired." Zhao Lifei stubbornly replied, dodging the hand reaching for her shoulders. She was finally on the defense. With no knowledge of who he was, she couldn¡¯t trust him.

    Jiang Yinan pressed his lips together and gave his brother a knowing look. They seemed to have a conversation without words. ¡¯Just lie to her already!¡¯

    Jiang Zihui¡¯s eyes narrowed in annoyance. ¡¯I need time to think things over!¡¯

    Zhao Lifei grabbed her elbow and awkwardly stood around in ufortable silence. She dropped her gaze to the ne that was pulled out from her nightgown. Her eyes examined the golden ring with a sole emerald. It was so beautiful and oddly enough, it reassured the tremors of her heart. She was scared. Who was her enemy? Who was her friend?

    Luckily enough, when she caressed the emerald, something shed in her head. A man. His face was blurred, but she could tell he was beyond charismatic and suave. She rapidly blinked at the snippets of jumbled memories.

    "Do you know who gave me this ring?" Zhao Lifei finally asked, growing tired of their ongoing eye-conversation.

    Jiang Yinan glowered at Jiang Zihui who was stuck between the crossroad.

    After careful consideration, Jiang Zihui finally settled his mind on a decision: He was going to fake it until he make it. "I did."

    Her head snapped up to him.

    He desperately wished he knew what she was thinking. Her face used to be an open book for everyone to see. He was always good at figuring out what was inside that pretty little head of hers. Undoubtedly, at this moment, he wasn¡¯t able to do so.

    Zhao Lifei was skeptical of his words. His strong features did indeed look a bit simr to the blurred face, however, the distinction was in their lips and brows. Then she began to self-contradict herself.

    ¡¯What if the blurriness shifted the size of their lips and brows? Why would this man lie to me?¡¯

    "What is the meaning of this ring?" Zhao Lifei carefully asked him, wrapping her fingers around it. When he reached out for it, her eyes widened and she took multiple steps back, shaking her head. "What are you doing?"

    "There is no meaning behind the ring. I gave it to you when I wasn¡¯t as wealthy as I am now. Here, give it to me, my little butterfly. It¡¯s worthless and inexpensive." He didn¡¯t know if thetter was true or not, because the ring looked very custom-made. He didn¡¯t know about this particr piece of emerald, which had been cut from arge one discovered in a rainforest mine. He didn¡¯t know the pure green color should¡¯ve been the first distinction about the value of the emerald.

    "I am d you¡¯ve kept it all these years, though, I regretfully didn¡¯t know. You¡¯re now the Madam of this estate, you shouldn¡¯t be seen with such a puny little stone like that."Jiang Zihui didn¡¯t think he would be doing this earlier than nned. He reached into his suit jacket and brought out the velvet box he always carried. "This is the Jiang¡¯s heirloom for the next Matriarch. It is yours now."

    Jiang Yinan¡¯s bewildered face mirrored hers. ¡¯When the hell did he did get this ring?!¡¯ It was their grandmother¡¯s and the ring was supposed to be passed onto the wife of the eldest son. It was an extremely monumental ring that held too much importance to be easily given away like that.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips parted at the essory in the small box. The ring had a princess-cut ruby whose bright red color resembled hand-raised roses. It was embellished by melee diamonds that curled on both sides of the ruby before spiraling down the edges of the white gold band.

    Any normal heiress would¡¯ve squealed and instantly struck their left hand out to try on the ring. She didn¡¯t. Her eyes flickered. She suddenly remembered an image. Arge vanity with jewelry tost a lifetime. Then she rapidly blinked. Where was that vanity?

    "What¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t like it?" Jiang Zihui dejectedly asked her. "It¡¯s alright, I will have another handmade for you."

    "No, it¡¯s very beautiful. I was just surprised, that¡¯s all." Even so, she was still hesitant about epting the ring. Worried about his reaction, she nervously nced up at his face. He didn¡¯t seem mad or irked by her actions.

    Her eyes grew when he tenderly ced his hand behind her neck, stroking the skin leading to the ce where her neck met her shoulder. "That¡¯s alright, my little butterfly. I figured this wouldn¡¯t suit your taste."

    Zhao Lifei slowly nodded her head and forced herself to not fidget under his touch. She worked hard to ensure suspicion did not cover her face. She was suspicious that his family heirloom was ruby red, but the ring on the ne was emerald. Maybe she was thinking too much into it, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy around him. Even though he had never made any violent or harmful behaviors towards her...

    "This is such ate question, but who are you? I-I never got your name or what your position in my life."

    Jiang Zihui¡¯s finger stopped caressing her skin. He was hypnotized by his actions. He nced at Jiang Yinan for the briefest second before he said, "It pains me to see you¡¯ve lost your memories, but itpletely breaks me to know you¡¯vepletely forgotten about me."

    Guilt filled Zhao Lifei whose eyes say it all. "I-I¡¯m sorry..." She med herself for being such a selfish woman and ramming her head into...into themp post? Speaking of which, she didn¡¯t see it anywhere out of her window. In the distance, she could see the pearl white metal gates, but never once did she see themp post that the other man mentioned.

    Jiang Zihui sighed. "It¡¯s alright, my little butterfly. We will ovee the obstacle together, simr to how we¡¯ve done it in the past." He cupped her face and it almost seemed like he was going to kiss her forehead, but decided against it and kept his head where it was supposed to be.

    "I¡¯m your husband. My name is Jiang Zihui and the idiot standing there is your, uh brother-inw, Jiang Yinan."

    Zhao Lifei felt her entire world crumble out of pure shock. Her husband?! She rapidly blinked her eyes, a ghastly look was etched into her face. When he said his name, a snippet shed across her mind. A man in a navy green uniform undoing her hair. The location was so...strange. Why did it look like it could be a military base?

    Jiang Yinan gave her a small wave and smile. "What? You look like you have seen a ghost."

    "I¡¯m just a bit surprised." Zhao Lifei curtly said, brushing Jiang Zihui¡¯s hands away. She was slowly, but surely, regaining her memories.

    Neither of them knew it would just be a matter of time before she remembered everything.

    "T-then who am I?" She asked them to which they exchanged looks.

    "The daughter of a middle-ss family." Jiang Yinan blurted out. He needed to make sure she kept her self-esteem low so that she would be grateful for the extremely well-off and wealthy Jiangs. Although their wealth came nowhere close to the Zhaos, they still had a lot of influence and power.

    "And my parents? Where are they? Do I have siblings?" Zhao Lifei pestered on, confused from his words. Middle-ss family? Then did that mean therge vanity with essories belonged in this house?

    "Your parents mistreated you all your life. I ensured they would never harm you again." Jiang Zihui chilly answered for her.

    Zhao Lifei felt he was telling the partial truth. She did suddenly recount fragments of an older man who never looked her way and a mother that red at her with hatred.

    "In regards to siblings, you have a sister." Jiang Zihui didn¡¯t disclose anymore, for he just saw something that frightened him. For a second there, she looked like she recollected something.

 Chapter 363 - The World Was Ending Tonight

    A man stalked down the hallways of the Underworld, his facepletely unreadable. Just his presence alone was enough to indicate his fury and rage that could bring down the entire building. One stomp of his foot could make all of his enemies shake in their boots. No one was going toe out unscathed from his madness. Everyone will end up burning and whimpering in Hell. One way or another, blood would be spilled, and it would first be leached from a man that should¡¯ve died a long time ago.

    The hallway was lined with men whose bodies were dipped in a bow, arms tucked at their sides. Just the sound of his echoing footsteps was enough to make them break out in a cold sweat. Goosebumps rose and hairs stood up when he stalked past them. They didn¡¯t know how he did it, but the air around him was even tenser and unbreathable than usual. Everyone held their breath, for fear that the smallest noise would trigger the ticking bomb.

    Yang Feng coldly instructed Chen Gaonan, who was standing behind him, "This is amand. Everyone is to be present tonight."

    Chen Gaonan paused in his steps. "What?"

    Yang Feng¡¯s face became thunderous with rage. "Are you deaf?!" He growled like an untamed beast ready to rip his head off.

    Chen Gaonan dropped to one knee and bowed his head. Then in a lower voice, he asked, "Even the Imperial Team as well as Coiling Dragon?" He could barely make out the name of thest team whose name alone made his body stiffen in sheer fear.

    When he delivered the news in the office, he barely got off with a minor punch in the stomach for being the messenger. Well, if buckling on the floor in withering pain counted as minor then what else could this manhandle?

    "Yes."

    Chen Gaonan choked on his saliva. He rapidly nodded his head, "Understood." He firmly replied, standing up to his full height.

    Chen Gaonan never thought he would hear the day Coiling Dragon was going to be used again. How long was it since thest time they were mobilized? He wasn¡¯t sure if he was even with Yang Feng when it urred. The ultimate trump card in the entire world was the Coiling Dragon Squadron who made Imperial Team seem like a bunch of children.

    The world was ending tonight.

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng stood in the center of the room surrounded by men and women of all different sizes, but equally overwhelming presence. Needless to say, no one could breathe in here with everyone¡¯s aura contradicted with each other. Heavily armed and dressed in all ck with a sole thunder blue string differentiating them, their vibes were cruel and deadly.

    "I have always remained patient." Yang Feng slowly said. "I contributed back to this city and have helped it flourish. It has bit the hand that fed it." He slipped on his ck leather gloves.

    "I want this city conquered." His voice, rigid and unwavering, sent chills down the backs of the strongest people. He meant business.

    - - - - -

    No stones were left unturned, all except two. Yang Feng would personally deal with that one. Those that suffered the most were the other triads and ns who never suspected the sudden ambush and attack. With the Imperial Team and Coiling Dragon Squadron both on the move, not a single leader was spared. Prominent and esteemed bosses were forced to submit or have their entire n wiped out. A few even thought it was a joke and refused to bend their knee.

    Blood sttered on the floor and broken bodies were tossed onto it like decorations. They weren¡¯t dead nor could they be identified as alive. They were hanging by a thin thread and it was their gasps of air that proved their life-line was still beating.

    It had only taken one member from Coiling Dragon to take down an entire medium-sized triad who had been around for quite some time. They controlled the shipping ports where illegal supplies were smuggled into the country. Yang Feng took care of the ports. Their bodies were on the streets to set an example to the other ns. It would be removed tomorrow morning before any civilians could report about the injured bodies.

    While the Coiling Dragon Squadron was busy taking over the East Side of the city, the Imperial Team worked on the West. The team closed onto the people who ruled over the weapon infantry. They also stubbornly refused to pledge their allegiance to Yang Feng. Silly fools, Guo Sheng was with the certain team that came to them.

    "P-please...spare us." A man dry heaved, on the floor, panting for air.

    It was amazing how much a person¡¯s appearance could change in a matter of five minutes. Before the Imperial Team ambushed this location, the man was well-dressed like a wealthy, local thug. He was wearing an unbuttoned white shirt, whose original color was now dyed red by blood, making it seem as if crimson was the original color. There used to be a golden chain on his neck, but now it was being used as a searing temte after Guo Sheng dangled it over a fire. He held it just long enough to heat the authentic gold, but not melt it.

    Guo Sheng fiddled with his knife, tapping his finger on the sharpest point of the weapon. "Hm, let me think about it." He ced his best thinking face on, tapping his chin. "Because I am well-fed tonight and Big Boss is in a good mood, I suppose, I shall spare you."

    The leader let out a massive sigh of relief.

    "But!" Guo Sheng raised a finger into the air, "I want something in return." His lips curved into a devious smile that hid his true intentions. So many weapons came into mind...

    "A-anything! Take anything you like! T-the key to the safe is found under thergest rock outside of the warehouse."

    "Gasp! Really? Uncle, you¡¯re so nice." Guo Sheng pped his hands, watching the man¡¯s shoulders sag. He looked like ten years had been shaved off of his life, but regained twenty in return.

    "T-then please untie the ropes."

    "I have to make sure you¡¯re not lying, Uncle." Guo Sheng concluded, turning to one of the members of the Imperial Team who had already walked off to inspect thergest rock. Sure enough, there was a hidden key in a medicine bottle. Not less than two minutester, an assortment of different sharp-objects was brought out in a suitcase.

    "Aw, Lan you know me best!" Guo Sheng showed a toothy grin to the woman who handed him the unlocked suitcase. ¡¯Lan,¡¯ which wasn¡¯t even her real name, monotonically nodded her head like a robot and strode back to the group.

    "See, it¡¯s real! So, about the ropes¡ª"

    "Mmmmm..." Guo Sheng hummed, "I don¡¯t want to."

    "BUT WE HAD A PROMISE!" He wailed, his screeching resembling a pig ready to be ughtered.

    Guo Sheng¡¯s eyes wickedly lit up. He loved it when he toyed with his victims¡¯ emotions before ending them. Seeing the hope fill their eyes only to leave right after was so amusing to witness! "But Uncle, you¡¯ve given me so many weapons. It¡¯d be a shame if we didn¡¯t put it to use. Don¡¯t you think so?" His fingers skimmed over the variety of knives, daggers, and even a small sword.

    "The night is still young. Let¡¯s have some fun." He dropped the suitcase onto the floor like it was trash. His interest in it had faded when he selected a nicely carved Arabian Knife.

    - - - - -

    Chen Gaonan was seated in a different car from his boss, but even in the passenger seat of the car trailing behind the ck Maybach, he could feel his boss¡¯ wrath. There was a steady distance between the vehicles. Even so, the entire atmosphere was painted with lust for blood. Helicopters whirred in the distance as armored trucks apanied both cars from all four directions. His Boss meant business tonight.

    Chen Gaonan only hoped the next target would be ready. Yang Feng¡¯s n, aside from iming this city, was removing all of Yang Mujian¡¯s chess pieces. It started with the minor pawns that were wiped out with a snap of his fingers. Then he moved onto the "rookies" who put up a small fight but were still defeated in the end. The knight and bishops were next. Judging by the green scenery and unimpressive replica house in the distance, he already had an inkling on which family it would be.

 Chapter 364 - Old Tiger

    Su Meixiu knew he wasing soon. It wasn¡¯t because she was still his employee and had connections. He was the type of man who would violently retaliate when something happened to his woman. And currently, Zhao Lifei was nowhere to be found.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s existence seemed to be wiped off the surface of Earth. No one could track her down. No one knew what had happened in the office, all except for Su Meixiu. The security cameras in Feili had been off the entire day and no one knew about it until Chen Gaonan stepped forward to request the footages. Supposedly, it was an inside job, but no one has figured out who it was.

    Su Meixiu slowly rose from the floor and made her way to the broken vanity mirror. There was a massive crack running down the middle. Even so, she sat in front of it. Her shaky hands ran over the bruises on her face, the busted lip, and therge gash on her forehead. She was surprised she didn¡¯t die from the beating. She could never win against her father in a fight.

    Her room was in disarray. The bed was torn apart, curtains shed, tables flipped, and priceless jewelry pieces were on the floor. Pearl and jade beads were scattered throughout the entire room.

    Her eyes lifted to the mirror where the crack seemed to ironically split her face into two. She wanted tough at the message behind it. Shaking her head, she began to put on make-up to cover her marks. A guest wasing and she had to make herself presentable ¡ª even if no one knew he wasing, except for her.

    With the foundation cushion in one hand, and the other pulling her hair back, she realized how foolish it would be to put make-up on for Yang Feng. Her crazed eyes scanned the make-up on her vanity and in one fell swoop, it ttered onto the floor. The sound of bottles falling was music to her ears and watching all of the palettes go into ruins was like staring at a painting drawn by Leonardo Davinci.

    Everything there was not brought with her money nor was it at her will. Every piece of make-up she learned to apply was not taught for herself. Everything was given to her by her father. Her weapon was not supposed to be any guns or knives. It was her undeniable beauty and the flower between her thighs.

    Su Meixiu stood up and walked to gather her purse where she pulled out the wad of cash bound together by a yellow rubber band. The cash was offered to her this morning by a man she never expected to see. The irony of this situation was enough to make her feel disgusted to the core.

    Men were so quick to betray. He was wagging his tail for Zhao Lifei two months ago and now he was finding ways to bring her down.

    Su Meixiu shook her head and tied up her long hair with a rubber band. The messy bun on top of her head revealed her ruined face. She wore it like a trophy. Today was the first day she went against her father, and despite the battle scars, she felt proud of it all.

    Picking up the wad of cash, her lips tilted up into a smile. They were here.

    She opened the door and walked down the halls with her chin up and shoulders back. The servants didn¡¯t flinch at the sight of her battered face. It used to be a daily urrence. However, they were surprised to see the hits were on her face and not her body.

    Wasn¡¯t Su Meixiu¡¯s face her money-maker? It was the only thing Su Boyuan cared about when it came to his daughter. Now that it was ruined like this, what was he going to care about from now on?

    She could hear the sound of helicopters and cars rolling up near the front entrance. Servants rushed past her in a rush to greet the guest, but she went against the grain and continued walking towards her desired direction.

    "Father." Su Meixiu addressed when she opened the door without his permission. Her eyes scanned over the discarded clothes on the floor, the distinctive ck and white clothing of a servant amused her.

    Su Boyuan had finished his business when he heard themotion. He was currently getting dressed in a scramble, whereas the maid in the bed couldn¡¯t even move a muscle. He acted like he didn¡¯t even hear her as he continued to button up his clothes.

    Finally, he said, "I should¡¯ve broken your legs and sewn your mouth shut."

    In the past, these types of words would¡¯ve made her tremble on the spot. His eyes, fierce as a hawk, shed with her lifeless ones. Her smile deepened and that irked him more than necessary.

    "Useless wench, I should¡¯ve never given birth to you. I should¡¯ve left your mother to rot when she gave birth to a worthless girl like you."

    "You raped my mother, day and night, simr to the servant on the bed." She tilted her head. "I¡¯m not the one who needs to force my workers to sleep with me because others won¡¯t."

    "Why you¡ª"

    "You¡¯re going to die today." Su Meixiu was just dying time for Yang Feng. She wanted to permanently leave him without looking back. It was what she nned to do when drafting the resignation letter. But then Zhao Lifei contacted her and the rest was history.

    She stayed behind for the sake of Zhao Lifei, even if it meant Yang Feng might capture her and view her as a potential suspect because she was thest person Zhao Lifei was seen with.

    "What did you just say?" Su Boyuan¡¯s voice dropped, low and angered. His face was reddened with anger, a vein popping out of his forehead.

    Su Meixiu could hear it from where she was standing. She could hear the footsteps, even though they were light and stealthy, storming down the hallways. She nced down at stacks of cash in both of her hands and then smiled. "That¡¯s right, today will be your doomsday. The same day mother died."

    He was so shocked by her words and behavior that he did not register her crossing the distance and approaching the firece. She tossed the money worth an entire house into the pits, watching it burn and dance, as it turned into ash ck. Her false evidence was nted.

    The people were here. Thest thing she saw was Yang Feng¡¯s emotionless, detached face before the room turned chaotic.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s world was spiraling out of control. Kidnapped. Again. His well-aged face was showing signs of stress and dismay. The creases on his forehead became more prominent, his lips dipping into a disapproving scowl. It was gettingte now and was the usual time he went home. His legs were acting up again and Li Xuan had brought the cane with them into the car.

    "President, please, you have to take the medicine at least." Li Xuan desperately pleaded from the driver¡¯s seat. He watched with apprehension when Zhao Moyao continued to stare out of the window with a troublesome face.

    "How long have you worked for me?" Zhao Moyao queried, his hands resting on top of the golden lion head of his cane.

    "I am not sure of the exact date, but it was when you deemed I was useful enough to stay by your side." Li Xuan perplexedly answered, unsure of the reason for the random question. He didn¡¯t voice his thoughts and kept his eyes concentrated on the road.

    "Were you there when Xiao Fei was abandoned by Yang Heng?" Zhao Moyao knew his mistakes would one daye to haunt him again. He just wished it wasn¡¯t so soon.

    Zhao Moyao anticipated something malicious would happen to his granddaughter when Yang Mujian showed the first signs of disapproval, however, he had trusted his granddaughter¡¯s capabilities of pacifying that man. It was clear to him tonight that nothing could pacify the Elder, not even his grandson.

    "I¡ª"

    "Nevermind. Don¡¯t answer that question." Zhao Moyao interrupted and the two fell into silence again. "I have been passive for too long, don¡¯t you think so?" He was usually a man of very few words when it came to his secretary, but today was the day of reflection. It was time to stop running away from the past and to begin addressing all of his regrets and mistakes.

    Li Xuan nced at his President in the rearview mirror before looking back onto the road. Arge house was approaching in the distance. "You¡¯ve done the best you could to protect the Young Miss. No one had anticipated that the transmission hacking would affect our side as well."

    "I shouldn¡¯t have allowed her to go back to his side." Zhao Moyao listlessly replied. "It was already dangerous the first time Yang Mujian loomed over her. I should¡¯ve known. That old tiger, he never changed."

    ¡¯But you also have not changed. You¡¯ve continued to me yourself for the past three years about the unpredictable events.¡¯ Li Xuan replied inside his head, his grip tightened on the steering wheel. He wished his boss was not so hard on himself. He was already suffering from a few health conditions.

 Chapter 365 - Functioning Arm

    "It seems you have already anticipated my arrival." Zhao Moyao said when he walked into the study room where the tea and pastries were already set out. Then he realized something highly entertaining.

    The bitter oolong tea and unsweetened lotus seed cake were Yang Feng¡¯s favorite. Zhao Moyao only knew of this when he encountered the rascal when he was fifteen and apanying Yang Mujian in the study.

    "Or perhaps you were waiting for your dear grandson..."¡ªWho is currently after your head. Zhao Moyao wisely kept thestment to himself. He was not going to reveal and snitch on Yang Feng, though he was sure Yang Mujian would¡¯ve known by now. Yang Feng was making his rounds throughout the city and everywhere his eyes settled on, would surely be his.

    "I expected both of you would arrive." Yang Mujian shifted his head away from the window but kept his body facing the garden. It was the least dazzling one he owned and smaller than the rest, but it was his favorite because this was the spot Yang Feng used to frequent when he visited.

    "You should¡¯ve known by now. I don¡¯t tread lightly on those who have harmed my granddaughter." Zhao Moyao had brought his men today and kept them outside with Li Xuan. He didn¡¯t need outsiders to know of their conversation.

    "Then how did you punish yourself when you harmed her first?" Yang Mujian figured there was no need for friendly chatter anymore. He could sense the people outside, even so, he didn¡¯t seem to care. His life¡¯s mission was fulfilled tonight. Finally, his grandson had unleashed the beast that is chained within him. The only problem was, Yang Mujian didn¡¯t know Yang Feng was a lot worse when Zhao Lifei wasn¡¯t present.

    Yang Feng was so worried for her safety, he was willing to privately cut down anyone in her way. Yang Mujian didn¡¯t know the increase in skeletons after Zhao Lifei, he didn¡¯t know nor care that Yang Enterprise was brought to an even greater level after the investment with Feili. So many things that this old man didn¡¯t know...So why was he still worried about power?

    Yang Mujian could¡¯ve lived hisst few years in bliss and surrounded by the love of his grandchildren or even great-grandchildren; however, he chose to go down the worst path possible. Targeting the first granddaughter-inw who would provide him with great-grandchildren was the stupidest thing to do, especially when there was a dragon hovering over her like a mother hen.

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s face was twisted in a wicked and crafty smile to mask the pain in his eyes. The prick on his heart reminded him that even to this day, he had not healed from the mistakes in the past. That even to this day, he still cursed himself for indirectly bringing his granddaughter to ruins.

    "You took her back there. To a ce I swore I would never bring her to ever again." It was time to acknowledge the past and every atrocious sin he had evermitted, and the majority of it was rooted around Zhao Lifei. His eyes shed. He remembered her distant expression when the memories of Yang Feng werepletely wiped from her head. Then, she had to go back there to get her memories altered to be Zheng Tianyi rather than Yang Feng.

    "Didn¡¯t you hear yourself? You swore to not do so, I never swore on anything." A droplet of waternded on a leaf and soon, the rain started to pour down. Lightning loomed in the distance, shing, but silent, reminding him of Yang Feng.

    The wind howled like a wolf during a full moon. Grey clouds rolled across the sky in no particr pattern. He didn¡¯t know crows existed around his manor until he saw a murder of them ominously circling in the sky.

    Finally, Yang Mujian decided to sit down, gesturing for Zhao Moyao to do the same. For old times¡¯ sake, Zhao Moyao sat down with his cane still in hand. Because they had been close friends for so long, Yang Mujian would never go for a low-blow that targeted the Zhao Patriarch¡¯s aging body, for he too, was slowly deteriorating.

    "You can¡¯t ce the full me on me when you were the one who introduced me to the institution." Yang Mujian mused, pouring Zhao Moyao a cup of tea before pouring himself one as well.

    Zhao Moyao stared at the lone petal that had slipped out of the teapot. "The first time, I did it for her sake and protection. This time, you did it for your selfish gains." He grunted, leaving the teacup on the table.

    "Regardless of the reason, you still did it to her." Yang Mujian deeply chuckled, taking a sip of his tea and wrinkling his nose. The tea had gone cold.

    Zhao Moyao knew he would be forced toe into terms of what he had done in the past. It was going to bite him one day and it was finally today. If there was one thing he had ever regretted in his lifetime, it was not letting his wife go, it was destroying Zhao Lifei¡¯s adulthood and future before anyone else ever could.

    - - - - -

    Eighteen years ago.

    Yang Mujian had never intentionally wanted to harm the innocent little girl distracting his grandson¡¯s duties. He figured the abrupt separation between the two of them was enough, for she was just a child and didn¡¯t seem to pose any deliberate threat. Also, because she was the first-ever granddaughter that was fully acknowledged by Zhao Moyao. Cherished by the Hua¡¯s and Zhao¡¯s, should any harme her way, everything would go haywire.

    Jing Caoxiao knocked on the door and was greeted with a normal, "Come in." He opened the door, stepped into his Boss¡¯ private studies, and then bowed his head.

    "How are his studies doing so far?"

    Jing Caoxiao already knew who the Patriarch was referring to. "Young Master Feng¡¯s grades are still ster, however, it will be affected soon. On the most recent ethnic test, he scored 99/100 and for his Philosophy paper, he received a 98/100."

    Yang Mujian¡¯s face became stormy. It was the first time since that child was born to not have a perfect score. What happened?! The institution overseas was supposed to help him, not ruin him! "Prepare the jet."

    "Yes, Master."

    Half an hourter, Yang Mujian boarded the aircraft and traveled to the nearby country where he had sent Yang Feng. The Headmaster came out to greet Yang Mujian but he was blocked off by the forces and men of the Yang n.

    Jing Caoxiao silently apanied his Master up a flight of suspending staircases leading to the dormitory. Since this was an all-boys school, there was no need to worry about any other distraction the Young Master might get. So, how was it that his grades were slipping?

    No one had anticipated the abrupt arrival of Yang Mujian, thus, no one prepared to greet him. At this moment, none of this ipetence mattered. There were a few boys in the hallway who scrambled to the walls, standing up as straight as their postures would allow them. A few didn¡¯t know who he was, but those who paid attention to their parents¡¯ lessons and advice were familiar with the likes of Yang Mujian and the Yang n, who ruled over more than half of the country besides this one.

    Being the first Young Master of the Yangs, Yang Feng had his own room. This was a private institution swarming with elite and overly wealthy sons. Even so, everyone had to share a room, all except Yang Feng.

    The door to his dorm was busted open without warning. Yang Feng didn¡¯t flinch or jump, but he did show a flicker of emotion and Yang Mujian viewed it as the first sign of weakness. "What is the meaning of your imperfect score?" No greetings, no pleasantries, this was the treatment that Yang Feng was used to. Sure, the servants greeted him and treated him well, but he needed more than that. And Xiao Lili did exactly that. The little bundle of cherished innocence and naivety was all he needed to keep him afloat and sane.

    "I am studying." Yang Feng monotonically replied, standing up with his hands behind him. He put up a front that he was not panicking, but deep down he was a bit. His hands worked quickly to hide the white envelope lined with blue and red.

    "Really now?" Yang Mujian was quick to sense that something was off. The room was neatly organized and not a single thing was out of ce except for Yang Feng¡¯s desk. There was a stack of books on top of it, but that was not the suspicious part of it all.

    Yang Mujian tilted his head towards Yang Feng, and Jing Caoxiao stepped forward to examine the desk.

    "Touch my belongings and you won¡¯t have a functioning arm." Yang Feng¡¯s voice was cold and hard with an edge to it, his eyes ring and ring daggers at the assistant that seemed like ap dog to him.

 Chapter 366 - Wellbeing

    "Fine, then." Yang Mujian held up a hand and did the inspection himself to which Yang Feng¡¯s eyes darkened. "What? Do you have something to hide from me?"

    Yang Feng was already in a horrible mood from his test results this morning, not to mention, Yang Ruqin was not updating him on Xiao Lili¡¯s conditions. He was infuriated enough. He didn¡¯t need his grandfather to poke his nose in everything.

    "No."

    "Then, step aside. I only want to check if the textbook is suitable for the missed points." Yang Mujian didn¡¯t wait for Yang Feng¡¯s reply before he stepped up to the desk and peered at it. Sure enough, a textbook was opened with a notebook right beside it. In Yang Feng¡¯s abnormally perfect handwriting, there were resourceful notes. As expected of Yang Feng, he captured the most important points of every topic.

    The only problem was, the notebook page had a slight bulge to it. Yang Mujian could make the distinctions of a letter. "My, even during finals week, you still have the time to y penpals?"

    Yang Feng stiffened, his eyes bing stone. "Don¡¯t you dare¡ª"

    "Dare to do what? You think I would hurt a little girl?" Yang Mujian shook his head, "She reminds me of dear Xiao Qin. She is also Zhao Moyao and Hua Yuxi¡¯s granddaughter. I would nevery a hand on her."

    Yang Feng gritted his teeth, his fingers curled into a fist. If only he wasn¡¯t so young, if only he could grow up faster. He had never felt powerless until today. He couldn¡¯t protect her. He was thousands of kilometers away from her.

    "You have a week to fix this score." Yang Mujian stormed out of the room and not less than five minutester, he heard the sound of a piece of furniture crashing onto the floor. He chuckled, shaking his head while sauntering back to the private jet.

    "Zhao Moyao is currently at the capital for a meeting, isn¡¯t he?"

    Jing Caoxiao nodded his head. "Yes, Master. By car, his vacation home would be an hour away. From the reports, the meeting will end in exactly fifty minutes."

    "Good. Take me there."

    Jing Caoxiao opened the door for his Master and then went to the driver¡¯s seat to fulfill the request. Just as he had predicted, it was an hour drive and when the car rolled into the driveway, Zhao Moyao already knew who it was. Earlier, he had received word of an irritating tiger wandering around.

    "To what pleasure do I owe your presence?" Zhao Moyao mused, sitting on the couch.

    He checked the time and saw that it was going to be a few minutes before Zhao Lifei woke up. Thinking of her, his heart became heavy and he resisted the urge to sigh. The tantrums she was throwing these past few weeks ever since Yang Feng left were horrendous.

    She refused to eat, sleep, or do anything except whine and beg for her "Fengfeng." It had gotten so bad that she had begun to stop drinking water. The only reason she slept today out of her three-day strike was because one of the maids had to use chloroform.

    It pained him to see her like this, especially when she was under his care and in his own house. The smashed furniture, vases, picture frames, decoration pieces, and any item her devious little hands could grab, were not spared from her wrath.

    She was bing a shell of the little girl that he knew. On frequent ounts, she would break out into tears. Lately, she had stopped throwing tantrums but the calm was eerier than her rash temper. It was fine and dandy until he saw a horrific video footage of her staring at the wall, then attempt to bash her head into it as a rebellion. If it wasn¡¯t for the private maid watching over her, she would¡¯ve surely damaged that capable head of hers. Such a well-behaved child turned into a monster all in a week and it was all because of a boy.

    "You look very tired." Yang Mujian cackled,ughing at his friend¡¯s displeasure. It was true. There were dark circles and eyebags underneath Zhao Moyao¡¯s eyes.

    "Is that all? Unlike you, I have things to tend to." Zhao Moyao snapped with an unamused frown. He was not in the best mood today after recollecting memories of her crying face.

    He was even more disappointed in her when she threw herself at his feet, clunking into his leg and begging him to take her to her ¡¯Fengfeng.¡¯ It broke his heart. She had never lowered herself to that extent. His heart was already hurting for her, but when she reached her arms up for a hug, it shattered. He still remembered her sobbing and shaking in his arms, her small body trembling while she continued to pester for her "Fengfeng."

    "How about I take away all of your worries?" Yang Mujian knew he couldn¡¯t touch Zhao Lifei without this sly fox¡¯s permission. If anything were to happen to her, there would be too many conflicts that would arise.

    "What are you implying?" Zhao Moyao narrowed his eyes in suspicion. He knew Yang Mujian didn¡¯t offer help to just anyone without desiring something in return.

    "You¡¯re worried about your granddaughter. I am worried about my grandson. Why don¡¯t wee to an agreement?" Yang Mujian handed a business card to Zhao Moyao who grabbed and examined its contents. [1]

    "A memory altering facility?" Zhao Moyao was highly intrigued but equally doubtful of the horrible oues from this.

    "They have been perfecting their craft for years now. It¡¯s nearly perfect and there will be no side-effects to it." Yang Mujian knotted his fingers together. He could see the engines moving in Zhao Moyao¡¯s brain while he put two and two together.

    "Your granddaughter will heavily benefit from this. By wiping her memories of Yang Feng, she will not suffer from heartbreak, for how could she be in pain because of someone she didn¡¯t know?"

    Zhao Moyao looked doubtful, so Yang Mujian added on, "Yang Feng will not return from overseas anytime soon. He needs to be here but he wants to be there." Yang Mujian shook his head, "I don¡¯t want him in that foreignnd, but the stubborn mule thinks its best if he didn¡¯t have any distractions." He lied.

    Zhao Moyao would never admit it, but he was desperate for anything that could cure his Xiao Fei. The longer this goes on, the more she will be affected by it. "I know exactly what you¡¯re doing. Furthermore, what is wrong with my granddaughter marrying into your family?"

    "Of course there is nothing wrong with it. Nothing would benefit either of us more than joining families with our grandchildren as the bond. I can see Yang Feng matters to her more than she does to him." Yang Mujian had a way of words and speech. He was always good at twisting it around to make it seem it favored the other side and he was being a selfless man.

    "You¡¯re losing sleep because of her. Think about it. She¡¯s losing a lot more by having Yang Feng constantly on her mind."

    Zhao Moyao gritted his teeth at the painful truth. She was, indeed, very affected by Yang Feng¡¯s absence. So much so that he even contemted sending her to a private all-girls boarding school to straighten her out. But then that means she would be far away from him and that was not something he favored. "And what if there¡¯s a hole in her heart because someone once filled it before?"

    "This is where we bring in another boy simr to Yang Feng¡¯s temper."

    Zhao Moyao scoffed, "There is no boy in this country who shares Yang Feng¡¯s horrid behavior."

    Yang Mujian¡¯s lips twitched, curving into a ghost of a smile. Indeed, his grandson was very ill-tempered, but that was what made him so intriguing. "No there isn¡¯t; however, there¡¯s an eligible bachelor nearly as handsome and wealthy as my grandson."

    Yang Mujian came prepared to win.

    He stuck his hand out and Jing Caoxiao ced an envelope down. "Your family has been friends with the Zhengs for awhile now. As you know, we can be considered the Big Three." He took out a picture of a younger version of Zheng Tianyi.

    "This is their firstborn son who will one day inherit the Zheng Corporation. He¡¯s very friendly but standoffish to girls his age. Fortunately, I¡¯ve seen the way he interacts with his younger sister. Once he realizes the importance of someone in his life, especially a girl that will be his potential fianc¨¦, she will be the apple of his eye."

    Zhao Moyao had met Zheng Tianyi before. He had to admit, the brat was a bit simr to Yang Feng in that they were both like a closed-book. He had also seen on first ount the doting Zheng Tianyi gave his younger sister.

    "I know what you¡¯re thinking. There are more benefits in having Zhao Lifei marry Yang Feng, but her life will constantly be put at risk. Yang Feng will takeover the Underworld once hees to age. There will be countless assassination attacks and attempted kidnappings. If word gets out that such a young girl is the future leader¡¯s sole weakness, what do you think will happen to her? She would be the target of everyone. The best way to break a man is to ruin his woman."

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s heart dropped. ¡¯No, that could not happen. Xiao Fei must not be subjected to such dangerous things early on in her life.¡¯ And because she was so young and innocent, he couldn¡¯t see past the bigger picture that one day, she would change ande back as a killing machine. But this was the present and they were nowhere near the future.

    For the sake of Zhao Lifei¡¯s wellbeing, Zhao Moyao slowly nodded his head. "I¡¯ll bring her to the institution." He was not going to the one Yang Mujian rmended. It was going to be another one that would favor him a lot more.

 Chapter 367 - Eternal Flames

    The Present.

    Zhao Moyao med himself for everything that happened to Zhao Lifei [1]. He regretted allowing his Xiao Fei to be engaged to a man as scummy as Zheng Tianyi. Even to this day, he lived with that guilt. At night it was the worst. He would get nightmares and relied heavily on sleeping medicine. Wiping her memories was his decision and he did it forcibly. He never meant to do it without her permission, but one thing escted to another.

    Even when Zhao Lifei was a child, she knew how to read and write things beyond her age. When she arrived at the institution, she demanded to go home. She knew what the ce was from a brochure she took off the receptionist desk.

    When Zhao Moyao tried to make her behave, she threatened to annex him from her life and hold her breath until she turned blue. So, he took her back to her parents¡¯ house where for the first time, she felt safer than being at his house. He didn¡¯t mean to have people forcibly kidnap her on a stormy night, but it happened anyway. And now look at where his actions had gotten her, she was deathly afraid of thunder.

    Zhao Moyao might¡¯ve not directly contributed to the harsh humiliation and downfall from three years [2] ago, but he still yed a factor in pairing the two together. "Where is she?" His voice left for zero arguments.

    "Don¡¯t you want to test my grandson¡¯s loyalty for your granddaughter?" Yang Mujian queried, tilting his head. "It would be quite interesting to see his true intents towards her by the speed he finds her."

    "I don¡¯t have time for your games, god damn it, WHERE IS MY GRANDDAUGHTER?!" Zhao Moyao roared. In a fell swoop, he knocked everything onto the floor with a loud CRASH!

    "You¡¯re going to have to kill me to find out." Yang Mujian didn¡¯t blink or flinch at the dramatic tantrum Zhao Moyao was throwing. It seemed one of them was finally able to crack. "You see, this is why I despise caring for someone. Look at where she has gotten you. You¡¯ve lost your control so quickly just because a woman is involved. How pathetic."

    "Don¡¯t start that bullcrap with me." Zhao Moyao snarled, "You might¡¯ve tried your best to wipe this scene from existence, but I remember it as if it was yesterday." His voice became low and threatening, "I will never forget your reaction when your wife died."

    Yang Mujian¡¯s smug and arrogant look dropped. No one dared to mention thete Matriarch ¡ª not unless they wanted to suffer the worst death known to humanity. "Son of a bitc¡ª"

    "Pardon me, I meant your wife¡¯s disappearance." Zhao Moyao stood up with his cane. "What? Did you think that just because her body was never found, she¡¯s dead?" He tossed his head back and let out a burst of boomingughter, wiping his eyes of unshed tears.

    Yang Mujian¡¯s face morphed into sheer desperation. "Where is she?" He stood up with Zhao Moyao, not allowing this man to leave until he got his answers. He wanted to find her, no, he needed to find her. She was the only woman who loved him without any intent behind it. She never judged him and everything about her was just so...good. He could never forget her, the woman who risked her life on many ounts to save him.

    Zhao Moyao turned his back to Yang Mujian and strolled to the door with the tiger trailing behind him. When Zhao Moyao was close to sliding the door open, Yang Mujian grabbed his shoulders and snarled, "WHERE IS SHE?! Where the hell is my wife?"

    Zhao Moyao didn¡¯t bother looking at Yang Mujian. "Maybe when you have the conscience to tell me where my granddaughter is, I will give you the exact location of her house...or grave. It¡¯s all up to you."

    "Don¡¯t y with me, Zhao Moyao. I know where your granddaughter is and I will not hesitate to kill her."

    "That is fine with me. I have many more granddaughters and heirs, but you only have one wife. Don¡¯t you?" Zhao Moyao was bluffing, and he was confident that Yang Mujian wouldn¡¯t see past it. With how crazy this man was right now, there was no way he was rationally thinking.

    Besides, Zhao Moyao already had a suspicion about where she might be. The only thing left to do was personally contact Yang Feng. "You have until midnight to give me an answer. Until then, please know the location of your wife is hanging on a thin thread." Then he sauntered out of the room, leaving Yang Mujian in his demise.

    - - - - -

    It was thundering.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t know if anyone else in the house was awake, given howte it was already was. She didn¡¯t want to burden or cause inconvenience to anyone. Her only salvation was hiding under the covers of her bed, whimpering and shaking all by herself. When the first strike of thunder mmed the sky, she tossed her body into the pillow and screamed into it.

    BOOM!

    "NOOOO!" A bloodcurdling scream broke out, loud enough to shatter ss and wake up the man next door.

    BAM!

    The door mmed open and a disheveled Jiang Zihui bolted into the room with a frantic look on his face. "Where is it? I¡¯ll kill that person!" He came with a loaded gun, ready to ruin anyone thatid a hand on his precious butterfly.

    Then he realized there was no one else in the room. Just her. His guard dropped and he visibly rxed, letting out a sigh of relief. "What¡¯s wrong, my little butterfly? Did you have a nightmare?" He could see a tent on her bed where she was presumably sitting in a ball position.

    With one harsh tug, he yanked the nkets off her and sure enough, his prediction was right. When she peered up at him, her face filled with pain and tears made his heart crumble into millions of pieces. His heart went out for her and he dropped the gun in his hand. It loudly ttered onto the floor to which she made a nce. For odd reasons, she recognized the weapon as a Mark XIV pistol. H-how was that possible? Why did she know about guns?

    Jiang Zihui pressed his lips together at the whimpering woman. "What is it?" He pinched the spot between his brows and picked up the fallen gun. He tucked it in front of his waistband and waited for her to say something.

    Her hazel eyes were dark and moistened with unshed tears. Vulnerable and ignorant, he could take advantage of her right now. But he didn¡¯t. He stayed by the bedside and waited for her to calm down on her own. He was already regretting his decision to lie to her this morning, he didn¡¯t want to give her another reason for hating him. "It¡¯s just thunder. What is there to be afraid of? You¡¯re safe and in a house where a strike will never harm you."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes shook at his insensitive words. It spoke the truth, but she didn¡¯t want the truth. A part of her was yearning forfort just as the void in her heart was begging to be filled. Whenever she looked at him, she always felt like her heart was searching for something... or someone. His cruel words shook her back to reality without him touching her.

    "Are we really wife and husband?" She murmured, her eyes running up his chest and meeting his eyes. Uncertainty shed across his face, simr to the one in her heart.

    She was giving him a second chance. This was an astronomical thing that would onlye once in a lifetime for him. Jiang Zihui breathed out and ran a hand through his hair. "What makes you think we aren¡¯t?"

    "Even if I had forgotten my memories, I know I would never marry a man who couldn¡¯tfort me." Zhao Lifei knew she was taking a risk here. Everyone in this house was a foreign person of unknown background. Just as they had taken care of her, they could also harm her without hesitation. She was prepared to fight, even if it meant bolting out of this house in the middle of the night.

    "It¡¯s because you have never shown me this side of yours." Jiang Zihui lightly said and it was the truth. He didn¡¯t know about her abnormal fears of thunderstorms. If he had known earlier, he would¡¯ve done something to prevent the noise.

    "You don¡¯t seem like a bad guy." Zhao Lifei slowly said, "So, please, answer me honestly. Who are you?" For some reason, her eyes continued to sway back to the gun. She felt some sort of familiarity towards it.

    "I¡¯ve already told you, my name is Jiang Zihui and I am¡ª"

    "I¡¯m offering you a second chance here. Don¡¯t waste it."

    Jiang Zihui swallowed. Was she implying that she remembers something? He finally forced himself to stare into her eyes and he immediately wished he didn¡¯t. They glowed in the darkness. Like the eternal me of the Phoenix, they pierced right through him. "General Jiang Zihui of the Second Squadron. In your eyes, I am a friend turned foe, but I believe myself to still be a friend."

 Chapter 368 - Foggy Fields

    "W-what?" Zhao Lifei blinked and shook her head, attempting to wrap her brain around this astounding fact. She always felt as if his face was familiar, but his touch wasn¡¯t. There was a hole in her heart and she always sought for something that wasn¡¯t here. A part of her yearned for something, but she couldn¡¯t ce a finger on what it was.

    Jiang Zihui¡¯s throat constricted when her eyes darkened to be the color of her hair. He wondered what she was thinking and what her eyes were searching for, bouncing around the room, traveling over his features. What was she looking for? He received his answer when her slender fingers touched upon the ring dangling on her ne and a sh of understanding passed through him.

    "Why did you lie to me?" She didn¡¯t sound particrly mad or confused, rather, she didn¡¯t sound like anything at all. There was neither usation nor understanding to her tone. It was just nk, like that of a soulless human.

    Jiang Zihui also wondered why he lied to her. He could¡¯ve easily med it on Jiang Yinan¡¯s bbering big mouth, but he couldn¡¯t deny a part of him wanted to be selfish. He wanted to keep her here. He wanted to love her. He wanted her to spare him the brilliant smile and gentleughter she gave to other men, but never to him. He wanted to see her eyes light up like the stars and the adorable dip of her dimples. He wanted to see it all, what it would be like if she viewed him in a better light. Once upon a time, she did look at him like that and once he had a taste of the poison, he couldn¡¯t go back.

    His love for her was profound and couldn¡¯t be expressed through words. At some point, it became an unhealthy obsession. He wanted to know why she abruptly left without a word. And in the process of seeking her, he lost himself. He shattered the foundation that his life was built on and tossed away all rationality. Hell, if she wanted him to jump off a building, he would respond with, "Should I do a flip for you?"

    Her eyes sparkled like a pair of polished, golden topaz. Clear and captivating, it trapped his eyes and held his soul, just like how her hands were firmly grasped onto his heart. She could break or destroy him but didn¡¯t know she had the power to do so.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyebrows furrowed together when she saw a mixture of emotions travel across his face. He looked as if he was fighting his own battles and struggles, where his greatest nemesis was himself and only himself. Why did he look like that? Why did he look so heartbroken, as if she had stolen the only good thing in his life? He looked at her like his world was shattering, that his picture-perfect life was destroyed because of her.

    She realized they must¡¯ve had a history together, whether it was good or bad, it must¡¯ve deeply affected him. He mentioned he was a General. This would exin the military memory where he yanked off her hair-tie and threatened her. She didn¡¯t like that one bit. In her memories, he was intimidating and behaved like he could kill her with one finger. So why is it, that standing before her right now, the wind could knock him down? "We had a history together, didn¡¯t we?" She whispered, her fingers balling the nkets, waiting in anticipation for him to speak up.

    "Yes." He finally said, clearing his throat when a lump formed. He breathed in deeply to clear his thoughts, but one nce at her glistening eyes and he felt himself break all over again.

    "I can assume it¡¯s not a pleasant one?"

    "It was pleasant until we ran into misunderstandings after misunderstandings. You had lost all form of respect towards me and I had lost respect towards my own goals and ambitions." Jiang Zihui ran a hand through his hair, clutching the ends and meeting her eyes. Why did she have to look at him like that? Brows knitted together in worry, hindering the glow of her eyes and her tiny frown pricking his heart.

    "I never seemed to have forgiven you for it." Zhao Lifei concluded, the storm long forgotten. Speaking of which, it settled down now and was just a small drizzle of rain. She had gone to bed early today, a quarter before nine. She didn¡¯t realize the chaotic storm that fell onto a city, one hundred miles away, so far in the distance, but so close to her heart.

    "No, you haven¡¯t." Jiang Zihui curtly agreed with her. He would prefer if she didn¡¯t forgive him. It was out of her character to do so. And he didn¡¯t want the reassurance that her forgiveness would give him. He wanted to torment himself a little longer for socializing with a person like his previous second-inmand.

    "I don¡¯t think I ever will." She told him, her fingers wrapping around the ring. Even though it was exposed to the outside air, the ring felt oddly warm to the touch. It reassured her that everything in this world was going to be alright, that she would be safe and sound. "Who gave me this ring?"

    The momentary warmth on his face shriveled up like the flowers of spring transitioning into autumn chilliness. "A man I prefer not to talk about."

    "Why?"

    ¡¯Because I¡¯m not strong enough to admit that someone had sessfully stolen your heart.¡¯ He didn¡¯t tell her that. He opted to y the distant card by taking a step back, his hands clenched into fists. "You¡¯re better off not knowing who gave it to you."

    Zhao Lifei sharply narrowed her eyes, "That¡¯s not for you to decide."

    "No, but it¡¯s the best choice for you." Jiang Zihui concluded for her, stepping closer to her at which she stood her ground and continued to glower at him.

    "Says who?" She demanded, her nose ring like her threatening re.

    "Me."

    She should¡¯ve pped him right then and there. Perhaps that was her intention in stepping off the bed as if she wanted to do something to him.

    Jiang Zihui could feel the anger rolling off her like waves on a windy day, plundering everything it touched. The fire in her eyes left no one unscathed and he found himself lowering his face to her as if allowing her to do something to him. She kept his respect by not impulsively acting on her emotions.

    "What are you keeping from me? Why are you like this?" She grabbed his cor, yanking him to her so that they were at proximity and she could read his face better. For the slightest second, she was blown away by his beauty like that of a misunderstood man in heartbreaking romance movies.

    "Why do you behave like this? Why did you offer me protection and shelter? Who exactly are you to me? What do you feel towards me? What made you like this? Why...Why do you look at me like I ruined your life." Zhao Lifei was on the verge of losing her patience, her hands shaking.

    "Who exactly...am I?"

    "Someone is out for your life and he¡¯s rted to the person who gave you this ring." He gently ced a hand over hers, then wiped away the angry tears that slipped out of her eyes. "Don¡¯t cry. Please don¡¯t cry. I¡¯ll do anything, just, don¡¯t cry. Okay?" He hoarsely told her, unable to withstand any more pain.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t even know she was crying until he pointed it out and wiped her tears away. She pushed his hands away and roughly cleaned it up herself. Molten hot tears of frustration continued to pour and she couldn¡¯t deal with it anymore. She felt embarrassed to cry in front of a stranger and decided to turn her back to him. "I don¡¯t want to be here. I want to go home."

    "And where exactly is home?"

    His question struck her and she was left speechless. She didn¡¯t have an answer to his pressing question. She should have one, but she didn¡¯t. "Who is after me?"

    "I will take you to wherever you call ¡¯home¡¯ when you finally regain all of your memories. Only then will you be safe." The contract was still in Jiang Zihui¡¯s drawers, left untouched with a business card attached to the top of it. He didn¡¯t think anything of the contract and even contemted the idea of shredding it, but luckily decided against it. This contract will be the key weakness to bring down a Monarch that should¡¯ve died a long time ago.

    "Safe from what? Stop talking in circles just to sound mysterious. It¡¯s annoying." Zhao Lifei bit out. Her words made him chuckle, "I heard mysterious guys are more charming."

    "You want to know what else is charming? Telling the truth."

    "You¡¯re not ready for the truth."

    "You either tell me the truth or I will find it myself." Zhao Lifei swiveled around with a clean and dry face, all traces of her tears dispersing.

    "Good luck doing that when you don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re searching for, my dear."

    My dear. My love. Her eyes widened a man broke through the foggy clearing known of her memories. And then it all came back to her.

 Chapter 369 - Pity

    "Boss, if I may ask... Why are you continuing your pursuit instead of retrieving the Lady-Boss?" Chen Gaonan finally decided to ask his Boss when the entire city of Shenbei was under Yang Feng¡¯s control. Midnight hasn¡¯t even arrived yet, but every n or triad here had already submissively pledged their allegiance to the Yangs or had been wiped out.

    "The ring you had custom-made for her contains a tracker. Even now, it beeps in a location a few miles out of Leinan which is only a hundred miles away from Shenbei." Chen Gaonan queried from the passenger seat of the speeding ck Maybach.

    Yang Feng was calmly and quietly staring out of the window. "I have already sent people there to watch her." Was his reply. He didn¡¯t borate anymore and stared absentmindedly at the whirring trees. The Sus was brought back to the Underworld where all of them would undergo phases that broke their rationality. Once all of that was done, he would go and interrogate them at their worst states.

    She was safe and sound. Given, it was in a ce where Yang Mujian knew of and with a dangerous man foolish enough for attempting to covet her. But right now, with how much of a mess this city was, that was the safest ce for her. Five minutes after he had punched Chen Gaonan yesterday, he took out his phone to see where her location was pinned. It was in Leinan, where the damn General resided. And no less than a minuteter, men were immediately dispatched. Reports were given that no advances have been made on her and she was untouched.

    "But what if the General does something to her?"

    "Then Yu Pingluo will shoot him dead." Yang Feng said without hesitation. Stupid fools, who even lives in the forest at this day and age? It was so easy to imnt snipers into tall trees and have the grounds lurking with men.

    It was a stupid gamble that Yang Feng was willing to take. He wanted to bring her back here, but he knew something was off when the reports didn¡¯t show her fighting back and screaming hell in the house. His grandfather¡¯s power might¡¯ve been heavily weakened tonight, but it didn¡¯t mean all of his rats were exterminated.

    The house that Yang Feng nned on raising his children in was very safe, but his heart wouldn¡¯t be reassured if she was still in Shenbei. It was easier to drive up to the house than it would be to drive to Leinan. Yang Mujian had no way out of this city. The private jets were seized and any means of transportation was shut down for him.

    Yang Feng had men bust the tires of every car that the Elder possessed, as well as the one belonging to the servants. All of the gas had also been drained. Then, additional people were called in to monitor the cars. Helicopters¡¯ raptors were all unscrewed off. Yacht engines had been shattered and the radio towers surrounding Yang Mujian¡¯s residence were jammed. It would take forever for anything to be utilized and that was what he nned to do: trap his grandfather in this city with no way out.

    Chen Gaonan¡¯s tablet buzzed on hisp and he nced down to read the message. "Boss, there have been reports that Su Meixiu is demanding to see you. She says she has leads on what could¡¯ve happened to Zhao Lifei."

    "We already have leads." Yang Feng answered, clicking his fingers on hisp.

    "No, she has visual proof of who could¡¯ve done the kidnapping. The security camera was wiped, but she reportedly saw the badge on the men pretending to be her bodyguards. She won¡¯t say who it is until youe and see her."

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t respond. "Grant her audience after I finish the one with grandfather."

    Chen Gaonan nodded his head and ryed the message through the tablet. He stared out the window and sighed upon seeing the ominous clouds of grey. The storm had finally died down and the rain was bing small drizzles.

    - - - - -

    Helicopters whirling overhead and multiple pairs of cars showed up in the middle of the night when everyone was in deep slumber. Armed men in bulletproof vests strategically climbed out of the car, holding assault rifles and bulletproof shields. Not a single person had any good intentions in the slightest.

    Yang Mujian was the only one awake. He remained standing by the same window prior, but this time, with a haggard look on his face. His fingers absentmindedly rolled the wooden bead bracelet on his arms whilst murmuring something under his breath. This was the first gift that thete Matriarch had given him. She had carved the bracelet herself which nearly ruined the soft, tender hands that only a Young Lady of a prestigious family could possess. But wealth and fame was not something she desired.

    On the day of her disappearance, he swore to never see or touch the bracelet ever again. It was locked away in thest drawer of his desk and buried with her pictures, all of which were collecting dust. All except one. It was a loving photo of her holding Yang Feng as a baby and that was what started Yang Mujian¡¯s infatuation with his first grandson. It was from his wife¡¯s touch that he decided to take Yang Feng under his wing.

    Memories of her face came back to him, beautiful, but filled with tears. She didn¡¯t want a life of luxury. She wanted the life of a humblemoner whose upation was the least favorable for someone of her status.

    If he wanted to stay with her, he had to follow her to the rural vige side. He refused.

    She was the Matriarch of the Yangs, one of the most powerful women in this country. Everything was done for her. She didn¡¯t have to lift a finger and only needed to live a blissful life without worries. Because Yang Mujian loved her so much, he never allowed her to touch any paperwork in fear of cing pressure on her dainty little shoulders. A control freak was what she used to tease him with that half-smile of hers. He always thought that expression was her defining trait, but didn¡¯t realize that she could smile brighter than that. It wasn¡¯t until the day of her disappearance.

    She was the only thing keeping him sane. And when she disappeared, he went on a rampage that nearly cost him the Yang fortune, thepany, and even his position in the Underworld. Hard times always reveal true friends. He learned the hard way when everyone deserted him without hesitation. All of his friendships were in some shape or form, bought with money. It toughened his skin and created the foundation of the man that he is today.

    That was why he never wanted Yang Feng to have a weakness. The stabbing pain, unbearable nights of sleep, the fragments that reminded a man of his lost love, and the mind-games, it was all too much.

    "You¡¯re here." Yang Mujian settled the bracelet on the desk as he turned around with a half-smile. "I¡¯ve been expecting you, though you arrivedter than I had hoped. The oolong tea and unsweetened pastries have gone stale. Shall I prepare a new one for you?" His eyes trailed over Yang Feng¡¯s face, the same one his wife stroked with that typical lopsided smile of hers. Then it went lower and to the sterling silver gun in his hand.

    "Now, now, you know the rules of the house. Guests shouldn¡¯te into the study with a weapon." Despite his words, he made no moves of apprehending Yang Feng.

    "What are you standing by the door for? Come and sit down. I will have a maid fetch you a fresh set of tea and pastries. The chef has gone to bed now, but I¡¯m sure I can wake him up."

    Yang Feng remained by the door, his eyes lingering to the bracelet on the table before drifting back to his grandfather. Grandmother. A woman he thought he would only see in the photos. Who would¡¯ve thought he¡¯d see her again in his near-death experience? Nothing ever escaped past him. Sure, there were one or two times he waste, but he was only human in the end and we all made mistakes.

    Yang Mujian sighed and sat down on the couch where he always resided. "Before you kill me, at the least, can I not enjoy onest sip of tea with my grandson?"

    "You¡¯re not going to die tonight." A swift death was showing mercy. Yang Feng didn¡¯t n on dirtying his hands of blood. He had other ways of hurting his grandfather. Physical pain could heal, mental pain would take years.

    Yang Mujian¡¯s smile slipped. The hand reaching for the cold pot of tea stilled and he briefly nced up at his grandson. What did he say? "Why not?!" He demanded.

    He wanted to see his wife, but with all of the sins he hadmitted, he knew he would only see her in his dreams. "My, did your heart take pity in an aging old man like me?" He sneered, "Despicable. Absolutely despicable. Dirty." He muttered, "Once your pawns see this falter in your heart, what will they think? A pushover. That is what you are. A henpecked leader with a cor on his neck."

    "Yet, you still have yours." Yang Feng¡¯s voice was lifeless and bleak, but his eyes said it all. The bracelet on the desk was supposed to be untouched and locked away, so why was it so polished and cleaned?

    "I was only trying to help." Yang Mujian figured that if he was going to die, he might as well die knowing he had helped the only grandchild his wife had witnessed. "Why are you not going to kill me tonight?"

    "She pities you." Yang Feng was referring to Zhao Lifei, but Yang Mujian wasn¡¯t. She once told him to spare Yang Mujian mercy, that his actions were only out of tough-love. He only contemted mercy for the briefest moment, but now that she was gone, he didn¡¯t n on fulfilling that idea anymore. He was never going to spare Yang Mujian, he was going to ruin him.

 Chapter 370 - Apsolutely Not.

    The Elder was already on edge from his conversation with Zhao Moyao. Hearing Yang Feng¡¯s words only drove him to the borderline of madness. "So, she¡¯s alive?!"

    Yang Feng¡¯s face darkened and his presence became more violent than the previous storm. His hostility demanded blood to be spilled while his brain conjured up sinister thoughts. His brooding aura alone could destroy the city without leaving a trace behind.

    "You intend to kill my wife?" Yang Feng¡¯s eyes never showed a trace of humanity within them; resembling the eyes of the Devil, hopelessly ck.

    Yang Mujian settled down when he realized his grandson was not talking about thete Matriarch but about that wench instead. "Kill her? Do you think I¡¯ve be senile to the point where I can¡¯t distinguish between which neck can be touched and which can¡¯t?" He copsed back onto his seat and ran a hand over his face ¡ª an action that Yang Feng had never witnessed.

    "Hahaha!" Randomly, Yang Mujian broke into a fit of manicughter, the wisdom left his eyes and drifted far away, beyond the clutches of no return. "Pity me? That useless woman pities me? Don¡¯t make meugh."

    Yang Feng wasn¡¯t provoked by Yang Mujian¡¯s words. It was a tactic to get under his skin in hopes of enduring a swift death, but Yang Feng didn¡¯t give in to his burning anger. "No one will pity you more than grandmother herself." Then he turned his back to Yang Mujian who mbered to his feet in hopes of dragging his grandson back.

    First, it was Zhao Moyao, and now, it was Yang Feng. What did those two know about the disappearance of the Matriarch? "Shameless runt, get back here! Where is she?! Where is your grandmother?!" The roaring of his voice could be heard from behind the shut screen doors.

    Everywhere, this ce was swarmed with Yang Feng¡¯s people. No one could leave or enter this mansion without his permission. There were no means ofmunication in the house, especially since the phone line was cut, the wifi signal, jammed, and the radio towers within the vicinity, hijacked.

    Tomorrow is the half-decade stockholder meeting and subsequently, the day Yang Mujian will face his ultimate doom.

    - - - - -

    "Absolutely not." Jiang Zihui dered for the hundredth time. He was seated on the chaise couch, pinching his forehead, lips pressed into a straight line.

    "You don¡¯t own me. Even if you do, you have no rights over me. I behave as I please. I do as I please." Zhao Lifei returned to her previous self, her eyes piercing through Jiang Zihui. She had changed her clothes into the only female pants she could find in this house.

    "You lied to me. How long did you think that fake facade was going to hold up for? I should¡¯ve killed you with your gun. How could you?" Zhao Lifei watched him slowly remove the hand from his face to stare up at her with a helpless look. She hated that expression; it was calling her weak and powerless ¡ª a damsel in distress. Who the hell was the indecisive damsel here? Jiang Zihui? Yeah, that would be a decent description for this distraught man is was currently having an internal battle with himself.

    "Listen, I¡¯m doing this for your sake. Hell, there¡¯s a crazy senior citizen hell-bent on killing you in Shenbei! You have lost your mind if you think I¡¯m going to allow you to go back." Jiang Zihui sat up ramrod straight on the couch and let out a heavy sigh. "He might¡¯ve only wiped your memories this time, but who¡¯s to say he won¡¯t wipe your existence off this Earth? Listen to me. This is the safest ce for you right now."

    "I was caught off guard by the previous one. This time, I¡ª"

    "No. This is too much of a risk. You¡¯re staying in Leinan and that¡¯s final." Jiang Zihui was d he sent his younger brother home. The bbermouth would¡¯ve been too much for him to handle. "And I didn¡¯t mean to lie to you. It was in the heat of the moment and my idiot brother¡ª"

    "You mean to tell me that your YOUNGER brother was able to convince you to do something out of your character? Do you think I was born yesterday? How can you even give in to his peer pressure? As a General, you¡¯re supposed to think straight and¡ª"

    "You acknowledge me as your General?" Jiang Zihui¡¯s hopeful voice made her frown deepen.

    "Sure, I¡¯ve been disrespectful to you, but I¡¯m not one to deny ranks." She frowned. "Listen, I would love to chat with you, but I have a home to return to. I have problems to amend and I need to do it now¡ªargh!" Something traveled up her throat and her knees buckled, causing her to stumble over her footing.

    Jiang Zihui¡¯s eyes widened, panicking at the sudden change in her behavior. "What¡¯s wrong? What is it?!" He demanded, standing up and rushing to her side when she copsed to her knees, clutching her stomach and heaving.

    "DOCTOR! Someone call a doctor!" He roared to the servants outside the door. One of them opened it while the other ran off to fetch the local doctor.

    "Call in the chef. I¡¯m going to kill him." Jiang Zihui snarled, picking her up bridal style and rushing her to the nearest bedroom which happened to be his. He settled the groaning woman onto the ck sheets and worriedly ced a hand over her forehead, checking her temperature.

    "I...I feel sick." Zhao Lifei coughed, dry-heaving again, but nothing was going out.

    "You¡¯re going to be fine. It¡¯s probably food-poisoning and¡ª"

    "Oh my god." Zhao Lifei¡¯s face paled, her eyes briefly widening. "We didn¡¯t wear protection."

    "Protection? For what?" Jiang Zihui awkwardly scratched the back of his head, "Oh you mean protection as in uh...the ppy things or stick you use during the time of the month? I¡¯ll have one of the maids fetch it for you." He stood up,pletely misunderstanding her words.

    Zhao Lifei gritted her teeth. She couldn¡¯t tell him anything. Even if he hadn¡¯t harmed her once in his house, it didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t do it in the near future. If she revealed the truth, she didn¡¯t know how he would react to it. "Y-yeah, tell the maid to bring a thick and long pad. I don¡¯t like...the stick. Also, call off the doctor. I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just cramps. I get really bad cramps okay?" She lied, hoping he bought her bluff. His back was turned to her and she couldn¡¯t read his emotions.

    "Okay." He answered her, walking off without ncing back.

    Zhao Lifei let out a sigh of relief and copsed back onto the bed, her hands resting on her stomach. It wasn¡¯t the right time to have a child. There were so many obstacles that needed to be cleared first...

    - - - - -

    Jiang Zihui¡¯s fingers were tightly gripping the cup of freshly squeezed juice. The ss cracked under his immense pressure. He added the final blow by mming the cup onto the table, shattering the material that broke into shards that sliced his hands. Blood dripped into the spilled orange juice, turning it into a murky red that reminded him of wine.

    She¡¯s pregnant.

    She¡¯s pregnant and it¡¯s not with his child.

    She¡¯s pregnant with another man¡¯s child.

    She¡¯s pregnant.

    The thoughts coursed through his brain, mocking and taunting him that he hade to her toote. That she was no longer pure. That she was not a virgin. That she officially belonged to another man.

    He could kill the baby.

    He could kill the infant inside her by feeding her abortion pills without her knowledge.

    He could diffusevender into the room and have her eat foods that could trigger a miscarriage.

    He could kill the baby.

    Jiang Zihui¡¯s eyes squeezed shut. For the first time in the past few years, he finally staggered his way out of the door and down to the wine cer. It had been untouched for months, but even so, the servants kept the ce clean. He grabbed the first bottle he saw.

    He couldn¡¯t kill the baby.

    He would kill himself before he killed the baby.

    Whether he liked it or not, the baby might¡¯ve been another man¡¯s, but it contained traces of her within it.

    "DAMN IT!" He screamed, smashing the wine onto the cobble-stone ground and thrashing all of the fine liquor onto the floor.

    Why...? Why? WHY?!

    He wanted to destroy something and brutally beat something into a pulp. Words couldn¡¯t describe his unpredictable anger. Nothing could rival his whirlwind of emotions. The raging fire in his eyes masked the stabbing pain in his heart.

    ¡¯Why him? Why did I have toe sote? Why did I have to screw it all up? Why did I have to be so fvcking patient?!¡¯

    He ground his teeth, painfully squeezing his eyes shut. His well-maintained nails wed at his chest, right at the spot where his heart was supposed to be. Anguish filled his entire body, weighing him down until he copsed onto the broken shards of the shattered bottles on the floor But even so, the pain of his knees couldn¡¯t rival the pain in his heart.

    ¡¯Why...is it not me?¡¯

 Chapter 371 - Reign

    "Now, we shallmence the half-decade shareholder and board of director¡¯s meeting altogether."

    In the center of a spacious room was arge oval table enough to seat only the most prestigious people of the elites. Everyone there had a hand in Yang Enterprise, one way or another. It could be through high possession of shares or stocks or the sheer position they held in the departments and decisions of Yang Enterprise. The room was the size of a luxury apartmentplex, yet everyone¡¯s aura turned it into a shoebox apartment found in the most expensive city in the world.

    Currently, only the directors were present. The shareholders were nowhere to be seen or found and this intrigued Yang Mujian who was silently witnessing the scene as trouble brewed in front of him. How amusing. This meeting wouldn¡¯tst long. To begin without the shareholders, was the highest sign of disrespect. What was his idiotic grandson thinking? Oh right, he doesn¡¯t think about anything but himself.

    Yang Mujian sat at one end of the table, calm and collected,pletely different from his behavior yesterday. It had taken a whole lot of meditating and self-encouraging words to bring him out of his previous state. Now, he carried himself as a Monarch should. Neatlybed hair, cid face, analytical eyes, and lips firmly sealed. His dismissive nature made the people around him to inch away. It was as if the man from yesterday never existed. It was eerie how quickly he was able to fix himself up and this level of professionalism was harvested throughout his extensive years in the business field.

    "Thank you foring here,dies and gentlemen." Yang Feng sat on the opposite end of the table, facing his grandfather with an equally mellow behavior. His expressionless eyes surveyed the people in the room, his wlessly smooth face devoid of human emotions. "Today, the meeting will start with the retirement of the Head of Directors, Yang Mujian."

    Yang Mujian¡¯s lips twitched into a cunning smile. Did this brat think it was that easy to remove him from his position? The reason why he was able to still have control within Yang Enterprise and the Yang triad was because he held a significant amount of shares in both ces. Though it couldn¡¯t rival Yang Feng¡¯s, but whenbined with his partners, it could overthrow his grandson without a second thought.

    Yang Mujian was content with his people. He didn¡¯t treat any of them kindly, just as none of them had treated him kindly aside from faux words ofpliments. He was content that his influence will never be hindered, for everyone had already pledged loyalty to him. Everyone was as loyal to him as they had been ever since he took over the CEO position; it remained even when he handed it down to Yang Feng.

    No one was going to betray him. Half the men in this room belonged to his faction and he only temporarily gave Yang Feng to reign over them.

    "I refuse."

    Yang Feng ignored his grandfather¡¯s words, "Per protocol, all of those who agree, please raise your hand."

    Simultaneously, the hands of the other directors were peacefully raised, but never past their shoulders.

    Yang Mujian chuckled. He was entertained by this childsy of a meeting. It happened every half a decade, and Yang Feng was acting like an amateur here. "Child, you have forgotten our obligations to the stockholders." He tilted his head, "All of them hold respect for the current Head and have obligations to me as they have to you." His lips tugged into a cunning smile, "It will be very easy for them to override this decision¡ª"

    "Presented on the screen is a letter from the Head of Attorney over the shareholders with the most percentages. When collectively added together with President Yang, nothing can overturn the decision. They have collectively agreed to entrust the power to President Yang." Chen Gaonan ruthlessly spoke up, "Many have expressed words of ttery to everything you¡¯ve done for thepany; however, they were dissatisfied by your inhumane acts and crude methods."

    Yang Mujian¡¯s arrogance slipped. His eyes widened by the smallest inch, so little, no one had seen it. There was one name missing on the letter and it was the single person who could flip the table upon them. "Impudent child, you have no power over me. Zhao Moyao¡¯s signature is yet to be on the letter¡ª"

    The door opened and in walked a man and woman. The man wore a crisp grey suit whose dark shade mimicked his white and grey hairs, neatlybed back. Hismanding presence was hard to miss and no one dared to pass a chance to please him. Chairs scraped onto the floor as everyone rose to their feet, ready to greet Zhao Moyao but that was not it. They were also ready to greet the short, elderly woman that apanied him.

    Yang Mujian¡¯s breath hitched. He was dreaming. This was another nightmare. It was not possible. None of this should be possible.

    The woman was dressed in a ck wool zer with slightly bellowed out sleeves. Traditional knot buttons were imnted towards the top of the zer that elegantly parted in the middle, splitting the red blooming peony into halves. Underneath it, she wore a ck v-neck paired with a set of golden-toned pearl ne, earrings, and bracelets, all of which contained cuts of emerald and jade. Her face had gracefully aged with fine lines that illustrated her boundless pool of wisdom.

    "Wee, President Zhao and Matriarch Ge Yafan."

    Yang Mujian¡¯s entire body became as still as a statue. Never in a billion years would he expect to run into her again, especially since he hadn¡¯t seen her in what felt like an eternity. Standing before him, well and alive, was his smiling wife, as beautiful as he had remembered her to be. As a matter of fact, she was even prettier than before for there was a healthy and happy glow to her. Her lips were stretched into a smile that reached her eyes revealing the three lines beside it.

    "What is the meaning of this?" Yang Mujian shook his head, rubbing his eyes to make sure this was reality and not a dream. Why...why was his wife standing in front of him?! "You¡¯re not real! Are you here to haunt me?!" He snarled, standing up, mming his hands onto the table. "What sphemy! To find a look-alike, you son of a b*tch, how fvcking dare you?!" He pointed his finger towards Zhao Moyao who looked unbothered by this eruption of noise. "No one is going to take my position, no one is going to rece me! It¡¯s going to happen over my dead body!"

    "It¡¯s time for you to face the truth and your dead body is the wee mat to it." Zhao Moyao mused, shaking his head in mirth.

    "All of you are sick in the brain to even fathom this n¡ª"

    "If this was inhumane, then what shall we call the sins you¡¯vemitted?" Yang Feng finally spoke up for the first time since this meeting.

    "Why, you¡ª"

    "Your reign is long over. Why clutch onto a throne that doesn¡¯t belong to you?" Yang Feng waved his fingers and this small action was enough tomand the attention of the directors. "Meeting adjourned."

    - - - - -

    Nothing could destroy Yang Mujian more than knowing everything he had built up and given Yang Feng was the very thing that stabbed him in the backter on. The grandson that he raised with his blood and sweat was the ultimate betrayer of his life. The grandson who he beat senses into had abandoned and ruined him without a second thought.

    Everyone had deserted him.

    He was alone in the meeting room. No one bothered to leave the lights on for him as he sat in the office chair that suddenly looked foreign to an elderly man like him.

    Ge Yafan stood at the center of the entrance and finally said, "You were always a weak little man who needed the assertion of his position to give you confidence. It is what your self-worth was pathetically built on."

    Ge Yafan shook her head with a pitying look on her face, "You were a coward who couldn¡¯t go against your father, so you had to exert power over your grandson. Your excuses had always been inferior, invalid, and stupid. Nothing can justify your actions. It¡¯s time for you to reap what you have sown."

    Yang Mujian didn¡¯t know if he was hearing things. This was the first time his wife had insulted him like this. "You¡¯re not even real. You¡¯re only a figment of my imagination."

    "Just as the happiness I showed you were a figment of your imagination." She responded.

    "You...you never loved me?!" Yang Mujian shot out of his chair, turning around, but she was nowhere to be seen. Was... was he truly hallucinating and imagining things now?!

    And little did he know, Ge Yafan was hiding in the shadows, simr to how she had done when she faked her disappearance.

 Chapter 372 - The Meaning Of Your Actions

    The next day.

    The sun was rapidly setting and Zhao Lifei was growing antsy. She stared out of the window where a full moon could be seen and the night was speckled with nothingness. Thin clouds stretched across the skies, dimming the glow of the moonlight. The pale, lifeless glow emanating from the moon painted the pavement a silvery color, enhancing the eerie and ominous air.

    Zhao Lifei hadn¡¯t seen Jiang Zihui after yesterday¡¯s incident. This was always good news to her. Although he hadn¡¯t done anything to her besides lying, she was still doubtful of his intentions towards her. He was a whirlwind of emotions and she couldn¡¯t predict the next one. She didn¡¯t know how long she had been in Leinan for. Regardless of the days, it was time to head home. But how?

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t have a phone or any means ofmunication. She could always think of an escape n, but the entire ce was surrounded by forests where the next house was miles away. Without a car, she couldn¡¯t go anywhere.

    Earlier in the day, she attempted to wander around in hopes of finding a car, but all of them seemed to be privately and securely stored away. It was as if Jiang Zihui predicted she would escape through her own means.

    Growing impatient and annoyed of her environment, Zhao Lifei decided she wasn¡¯t going to y the waiting game anymore. She was going to leave, one way or another. She turned away from the window and marched her way down to Jiang Zihui¡¯s bedroom. The door was flung open.

    "You¡¯re supposed to knock." Jiang Zihui¡¯s wide back was turned to her and he seemed to be engrossed in doing something. She didn¡¯t know he was rebandaging his hands. His knees were looked at by a doctor who rmended him to rest and not put any strain on them. The shards didn¡¯t cup deep, so the stubborn General obviously didn¡¯t listen.

    Usually, his doors were locked. Anyone that entered without his permission would be severely punished. There were moments in the past where his friends had the guts to invite random women into the mansion but all of them were met with harsh ends. He was a lethal man who spared no mercy to anyone but Zhao Lifei. And because she was under the same roof as him, he kept it unlocked.

    "You¡¯re going to take me to Shenbei." Zhao Lifei firmly ordered, standing by the doorway.

    "Do you understand the meaning of your actions?" Jiang Zihui murmured, shutting the box and setting it on the nightstand.

    Zhao Lifei finally saw the first aid kit but didn¡¯t want to seem concerned for him, so pretended she didn¡¯t see the box. "If you mean entering without permission; I¡¯m technically not entering your room."

    "Coming to a man¡¯s room uninvited and at night," He turned around to survey her appearance and unluckily for him, she was modestly dressed. "Barging in without permission... Do you understand what you¡¯re implying?" He should curse whoever gave her that pair of jeans to wear. Although there was nothing promiscuous about her outfit, it did nothing to hide the curves of her body.

    "Oh please, get over yourself." Zhao Lifei sighed, running a hand through her hair, not realizing his eyes were following all of her actions. She opened her mouth to say something else but a group of people rushed down the hallways.

    "Young Master, we¡¯re surrounded by men bearing the Yang Triad Sigel." Butler Sima had spoken up, appearing calm when the other servants seemed to be thrown into disarray. No one had expected this sudden ambush, nor did anyone see anything approaching from the distance.

    Jiang Zihui¡¯s eyes lightened in excitement. Was it time for a face-off? He always knew Yang Feng possessed too many men for good but didn¡¯t expect him to bring an actual private army. Who gave him this much power? To think he deployed them to Leinan all for a woman...

    Jiang Zihui was severely outnumbered in terms of men. He was consistently on high-alert knowing that Yang Feng would barge in here one day, but even so, he was still not prepared for it. Apart of him wanted to fight and equally spar it out with the infamous triad leader but this was such a foolish thing considering that they were both grown men with better things to do.

    Jiang Zihui tried to ignore the prick on his heart when he saw Zhao Lifei¡¯s shift of expression. While conversing with him, she didn¡¯t seem bothered by his presence, although she did seem aggravated. But the mere mention that Yang Feng has arrived, her entire demeanor changed. She even seemed to be fixing her hair for him. He gritted his teeth. Maybe a fight to the death wouldn¡¯t be so bad after all...

    His eyes connected with his butler. They shared a silent conversation, "As expected." He walked to the door and without warning, roughly shoved Zhao Lifei into the room, catching her by surprise.

    "You bastard¡ª!"

    The door mmed shut, locking her inside.

    "How can you be this petty?!" She angrily kicked the door before hugging and running a hand through her hair. Her nostrils red while she surveyed the room. Idiot. His room was nicely decorated, and there were so many things which she could use to escape. For example, utilizing the bedsheet covers and turning it into a rope.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips quirked into a smirk while she began to explore the room in search of supplies and more importantly, a weapon.

    - - - - -

    In the open clearing behind the house, was a dozennded helicopters. Men stepped out of the grounded helicopters bearing weapons hidden in their suits. They uniformly lined up in a parallel position, creating a path for their leader.

    Slowly, another chopper began to descend into an empty spot. A tall, well-built man stepped out with his hands carelessly rxing in his pockets. The coat hanging off of his shoulder fluttered, blowing in the wind, adding an eerie touch to his impable appearance. He didn¡¯t bother approaching the vi and stood in his spot.

    Jiang Zihui would have to go to him.

    Jiang Zihui¡¯s men were no match for Yang Feng¡¯s, but even so, they still put up a fight by bearing weapons in hand and equipping themselves with bulletproof vests. Their faces were serious and they behaved like trained fighters. Unfortunately, nothing canpare with Yang Feng¡¯s men who had an untouchable air around them as if their very presence was a weapon in itself.

    "You seem to be a fan of extravagant entrances," Jiang Zihui humorously chuckled while stepping out fully dressed with a ck glove covering the bandages on his hand. Once their boss was in sight, the men tensed up and were visibly ready for a fight.

    No one moved. No one incorrectly breathed. They waited and waited for something to happen.

    "Where is my wife?"

    "I know you¡¯ve had your men watch over my house. I¡¯ve been in the military for long, it¡¯s easy to spot a sniper from far away. As we speak, he is being captured, and all of your men¡¯s dead bodies will be dragged here. For trespassing, you will pay for that."

    Or so he thought.

    All of the men had evacuated when the helicopters began to descend.

    "A minute," Yang Feng boredly responded, bending his arm and ncing down at the watch she gave him. It was the very one that ignited their little gift war, which has been consistently ongoing in the background, albeit very discreetly. It was always sneaking gifts into each other¡¯s essory desks, closets, and so forth. Neither of them seemed to back down, not that their bank statement minded.

    Jiang Zihui raised a perfectly-tailored brow. He had a minute to hand over Zhao Lifei, if not..."Well, let the countdown begin." Hisidback and carefreeposure was a stark contrast to his and Yang Feng¡¯s men. Both leaders seemed to not have a care in the world and were too rxed for there to be tension in the air.

    The clock ticked and with each passing second, more and more weapons were being revealed on both sides.

    Ten seconds left.

    This ce would soon turn into a warzone.

    Nine, eight, seven, six, five...

    "OW!" A voice broke through the clearing, soft and feminine butced with anger and annoyance. "So many bushes in the garden, but they can¡¯t put more behind the house? Tch, cheap!" She groaned, rubbing her back and standing up to her full height.

    She blinked at the tension in the air and the hundreds of pairs of eyes that went her way. Her startled expression shifted and her entire world lit up, "Yang Feng."

 Chapter 373 - Deal With It â€” [Arc Ends]

    Zhao Lifei was shocked to see the armed forces standing behind Yang Feng and the sheer amount of manpower he had. It was insane and felt like a high-budget action movie.

    It was a risk to transport so many men using helicopters to cause arge ruckus like this. She was touched by his actions but wanted to scold him afterward. What if the media caught wind of this and the officials were angered? Even so, she couldn¡¯t remain angry at him for long, for her rosy lips stretched into the brightest smile Jiang Zihui had ever seen.

    "Come here." Yang Feng demanded, his eyes burning the second he saw her. His blood was boiling when he saw her thinned figure and slightly hollow cheeks. She had lost weight. Were the Jiangs so poor they couldn¡¯t afford to feed her right?

    She pressed her lips together, not liking his tone. His eyes narrowed in warning. He did not look pleased.

    Finally, he relented to his stubborn woman. "Don¡¯t make me repeat myself." His voice was still rough and hard, but this time, it was just a tiny bit softer.

    Zhao Lifei shook her head at her little brute but couldn¡¯t suppress her smile. "The least you can do is ask politely." Even with the heavy air lingering around her with the promise of multiple deaths, she still had the time to joke and lessen the tension in the atmosphere.

    Jiang Zihui knew he could never possess her. He knew she was not his property, nor could he force her to be his. He could have his men fire shots, but he cared about his people as well. What was the point of diving into a meaningless fight when the victor was already dered? He could grab her and force her into an underground dungeon, but then he would only have her shell. Her heart was long in the clutches of another man who had no ns of letting it go.

    When Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t make any intentions of walking toward Yang Feng, his face darkened menacingly as he slowly raised his hand to scare her. He made it seem like he was going to have his men fire shots, and she didn¡¯t want to be caught in a crossfire or have one in the first ce. Her eyes widened and she dashed to him, colliding against his body whilst wrapping her arms around him.

    "I missed you."

    These were the three words he needed to hear for all of his angst and frustration to melt away as if it never existed. His entire world pieced itself back together, his arms automatically circling around her.

    "Very, very much." She let out a content sigh, snuggling deeper into hisforting body. It was exactly like how she remembered it to be. Her body melted against him, loving the way he seemed to perfectly fit against her body. Her arms were securely resting behind his back, her hands entwined. Nothing could pry her away from him and no one was stupid enough to do that, too ¡ª not when there¡¯s an angry demon king ready to bite their the heads off.

    "Who told you to stall then?" Yang Feng growled, hugging her tighter and cing a hand behind her head so that she waspletely squashed against him. His deste heart was whole again and the beast slowly retreated into the shadows. She was safe and in his arms. This was all that mattered to him.

    "I wanted to y another push-and-pull game..."

    "There will be consequences."

    Zhao Lifei bit her bottom lip to prevent herself fromughing at his words. She wanted to tease him right now. All she had to do was say, "Punish me in bed," and he would toss her into the helicopter without looking back.

    "Where are we going?" She asked when he turned her body towards a helicopter that was purposely smaller than the rest.

    "Home."

    Zhao Lifei blinked, her heart warming up at the idea. Home. It had finally be a word she loved to hear... Her face softened, "Yes. Let¡¯s go home." She snuggled into his side, but not before turning her head to nce at Jiang Zihui for the final time. His eyes never left her, ever since she fell onto the bushes from sliding down a make-shift rope using the nkets. When he caught her stare, the edges of his lips curved into a strained, defeated smile.

    Then she turned her head and directed it back to Yang Feng.

    "Young Master, are you sure about this?" Butler Sima¡¯s gentle voice erased any suggestions of ill-intent in his question. He watched his Young Master clear his throat and look away from the woman disappearing into the helicopter.

    "Her happiness is all that matters." Jiang Zihui muttered, turning around and heading back into his house.

    Butler Sima¡¯s face became kinder. He was reminded of the quote, ¡¯If you love someone, let them go. If it was meant to be, they will return.¡¯

    "Understood." Butler Sima responded, bowing his head towards Jiang Zihui¡¯s disappearing figure. Even though his Young Master¡¯s back was turned, he continued the bow.

    - - - - -

    Exhausted from crafting the rope from nkets, Zhao Lifei fell asleep in Yang Feng¡¯s arms. She didn¡¯t bother to marvel at the view from the helicopter. Instead, she was slumped beside him, her chest steadily rising and falling. As always, his fingers were ying with some part of her hair.

    "Idiot. How can you fall asleep so carelessly?" He murmured in a voice as soft as possible. He was careful to not wake her up. She hummed in reply, nuzzling her head against his arms. He couldn¡¯t resist her anymore and pulled her onto hisp, where shefortablyid her head on his shoulders and he leaned the side of his face on top of her head.

    There was no one else in this helicopter except for the couple and Hu Wei, who was behaving as the pilot.

    Finally, after the longest time, a gruff voice said, "I missed you too." His lips gently brushed against her forehead. Unbeknownst to him, a silly little smile spread across her face.

    The ride back to Shenbei wasn¡¯t long and they were home in the blink of an eye. The helicopternded on the helipad behind the house. He strolled into the house with her in his arms, hoisted a bit high as usual, but she didn¡¯t seem to mind. He wasn¡¯t sure if she was truly asleep or just pretending to do so for he could feel something soft fiddling the back of his hair. She seemed to be absentmindedly ying with his hair, tugging at the ends.

    "Are you asleep?" He asked her while slowly cing her onto the bed. Her eyes were still shut and her facial features didn¡¯t move.

    "You woke me up when you ced me down..." Zhao Lifei hummed, eyes shut and snuggling into the bed. "I¡¯m tired." Sheined when he began to take off her pants, earning augh from him.

    "I¡¯m helping you get dressed for bed. What did you think I was going to do?"

    "I was simply voicing my current state of mind." Her eyes opened, "What did you think I was implying?" She retorted, using his words against her, her lips tilting up, then back down. He looked exhausted. Beyond exhausted. She didn¡¯t realize it before, but he was sporting a major case of eye-bags.

    "When was thest time you slept?" She asked, sitting up to see him disappear into the closet and emerge back out with his shirt and one of her pajama shorts.

    "I slept." Was the only thing he told her before helping her take off her top, slipping his shirt over her head, and handing her shorts to which she also slipped on.

    "How long?" She pressed on, grabbing his arms so that he couldn¡¯t avoid the question.

    "An hour or two every night." Yang Feng tenderly ced a hand behind the back of her head, his fingers entwining themselves into her hair while he brought her face to his. She wanted an actual kiss, but he tiredly pressed his lips to her forehead.

    "That¡¯s not good." Zhao Lifei frowned, her fingers reaching over to him and unbuttoning his shirt, yanking it off before moving to his belt, her hands identally brushing against his crotch.

    "My love, if you do things like this, I will make love to you endlessly tonight." His voice was hoarse while he grabbed her prying hands. Great. Now he had to take a cold shower.

    "I just wanted you to undress faster..."

    That¡¯s it.

    Yang Feng was going to push her onto the bed and have his way with her, but she wrapped her arms around his bicep and said, "You have to sleep tonight. I mean it."

    "Then what are you going to do about my tent?" He groaned, grabbing her small chin with his fingers. He leaned in to kiss her lips, but decided against it at thest minute and kissed the corner of her mouth instead.

    "Deal with it...?" She squeaked out, watching him take off his pants where his excited friend was very visible.

    "You¡¯re going to be the death of me one day." He shook his head and disappeared into the closet, returning freshly changed. She let out a sigh of relief upon seeing he was prepared to sleep.

    "I¡¯d rather have you die by my hands than die from exhaustion." Zhao Lifei slipped under the nkets and patted the spot beside her. He didn¡¯t need to be told twice and effortlessly entered the bed, where he remained a safe distance from her.

    She frowned at this and asked, "We¡¯re not going to cuddle...?" Her voice seemed so meek and disappointed that he forced himself to bear with the torture. He originally wanted to big-spoon her to death, but that wouldn¡¯t do his friend any good. Seeing her like this, he made up his mind to endure it for her sake.

    Wordlessly, he yanked her to him, so that she wasying her head on his chest and her body was pressed to his side. "Don¡¯t, my love." He hissed when her leg was slung over his body, too close to his tent forfort.

    "S-sorry..." She sheepishly said before resting her ear at the exact spot where his rapidly beating heart could be heard.

    "I swear, you¡¯re going to kill me one day with this teasing." Yang Feng warned. Nheless, he allowed her leg to rest on his body. She hugged him as one would do to their pillow and if it made her happy, he was all for it. Besides, the only way he could peacefully sleep was by having skin-to-skin contact with her.

 Chapter 374 - Morning Hugs and Kisses

    Zhao Lifei woke up to an empty bed, her drowsy eyes scanned the area for her heater. He was gone and reced by arge body-pillow. She sat up, puzzled at where Yang Feng could¡¯ve went. It was a Sunday. Did he have to go off to work this early?

    Rubbing her eyes, she wasn¡¯t aware of the door opening and closing with a soft click.

    "Good morning, sweet child." A gentle, yet oddly familiar voice greeted her.

    "Hm...good morning." Half awake and half asleep, she copsed back onto the bed, but in less than a minuteter, shot out of it. Her eyes were on high-alert and she skeptically stared at the woman in front of her.

    W-wasn¡¯t this the vegetable stall granny?! Zhao Lifei had to do a double-take and rub her eyes again. That¡¯s strange. This woman had fewer wrinkles...? Or was it the makeup doing wonders to her skin? Perhaps her original features were also make-up. Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t tell.

    "Hi." Zhao Lifei curtly said, unsure as to why Ge Yafan was here. Did she wake up in the wrong house? What exactly is the identity of this woman?

    "Your husband is cooking breakfast with the vegetables I harvested this morning. Sweet girl, you should get ready for the day." Ge Yafan¡¯s voice was how Zhao Lifei remembered it to be.

    Freshly harvested vegetables?

    "Uhm, I don¡¯t mean to sound rude but may I know who you are?" Zhao Lifei felt vulnerable on the bed. There wasn¡¯t any weapon for her to grab. Her body could be used as a weapon, but she already ced it at risk by sliding down the nket-rope from yesterday. She was worried about the bun and unconsciously rested her hand upon it.

    "Oh dear, you are with a child?" Ge Yafan¡¯s eyes widened in delight, softly pping and sping her hands together. The thought of a great-grandchild was a dreame true!

    She knew Zhao Lifei¡¯s position in Yang Feng¡¯s life was permanent when the young woman stumbled across her the second time. To imagine her granddaughter-inw had a heart of gold, while her bank was filled with more, Ge Yafan was very satisfied with Yang Feng¡¯s selection. An auspicious nose... she couldn¡¯t wait to marvel over her great-grandchildren!

    Too bad Yang Mujian will never be sane enough to witness them ¡ª the one thing he desperately craved for. The man was rotting away in a senior citizen home where he was being "treated" for an unstable mental health condition. No one, except Yang Feng, Zhao Moyao, and her, knew that the elderly home was just a means of slowly torturing Yang Mujian.

    "Please don¡¯t avoid my questions." Zhao Lifei patiently responded. She was always fond of the elderly, especially because of her grandfather. Speaking of him, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder how he was or what he was up to. She decided it would be good to visit him after visiting a gynecologist.

    "My, you¡¯re very impatient." Ge Yafan teased, tilting her head, her clean-cut hair swaying with her. It was curled inwards at the ends and the hair framed her chin. "You seem to recognize me." She pointed out, cunningly smiling when Zhao Lifei squinted her eyes.

    "Yes, someone doese to my mind, but I don¡¯t want to make any assumptions." Zhao Lifei was confused by the turn of events. This granny had the same appearance as the vegetable-selling granny outside the hospital, yet they were dressedpletely differently. However, their behavior and voice were the same. This was odd.

    "Your assumptions are correct. You have indeed encountered me twice, both of which were at the hospital."

    Zhao Lifei was surprised. "But you look so different..."

    "A little make-up and a week of spa treatments can do wonders to your skin. You seem very tired from my grandson¡¯s needy temperament." Ge Yafan walked over and pinched Zhao Lifei¡¯s cheeks. "You could use some moisturizer. How about you apany me to the spa? We have a lot to talk about."

    Grandson...?

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes widened and she barely had enough time to scramble out of the bed. "I didn¡¯t know." She tried to find something more presentable to wear. She prayed to the Heavens that she wasn¡¯t sporting a birds nest on top of her head and that her clothes weren¡¯t as crumpled as she thought.

    "That¡¯s alright, I¡¯ve seen you when you¡¯re dressed up. There¡¯s no need to rush. You might hurt the baby."

    Zhao Lifei stiffened. "How did you know I was pregnant?" She nced down and saw there wasn¡¯t a visible bump.

    "I made a guess and you answered it just now." Ge Yafan brushed Zhao Lifei¡¯s loose strands of hair behind her perky little ears. How cute. "How far along are you?"

    Zhao Lifei awkwardly scratched the back of her head. She didn¡¯t know. "Well, I¡ª"

    "Why are you out of bed?" Yang Feng opened the door to see a disappointing sight. He didn¡¯t know where his grandmother had wandered off to until one of the maids informed him of her whereabouts. "You should be resting. You¡¯ve had a long past couple of days." He worriedly said, gently shutting the door behind him and cing an arm around her shoulders.

    "Grandmother, I didn¡¯t want anyone disturbing her." Yang Feng didn¡¯t sound angry or disappointed. His voice was neutral and mellow, unlike the way he spoke to Yang Ruqin. "She needs her rest."

    ¡¯Ho ho ho, henpecked.¡¯ Ge Yafanughed inside of her head, watching the First Young Master flip the nkets and guide Zhao Lifei into bed... Why did she feel like the young woman was being forced to sleep longer?

    "I think you¡¯re the one who needs more rest. You¡¯ve averaged 1 to 2 hours of sleep and you woke up ahead of me. I hope you weren¡¯t being a workaholic again. Putting so much strain on your body isn¡¯t good for you." Zhao Lifei brushed his hands away and tried to force him into the bed instead.

    "I was cooking breakfast." Yang Feng¡¯s emotionless face softened as he sat on the bed, resisting the pressure against his shoulders. She was trying to push him onto the mattress, but her tiny little body barely did him any damage. She could easily knock a normal man onto his back, but he was not a normal man. There was nothing normal about Yang Feng.

    Ge Yafan didn¡¯t realize she was smiling until her hand touched her lips.

    This was a healthy rtionship.

    It was nothing like the one she had with Yang Mujian. They met when she was barely of age

    Everyone was so happy for her, celebrating and congratting her. No one realized her fear and hesitation about marrying Yang Mujian. He was originally going to wait for her to at least turn twenty, but after being pressured by thete Yang Patriarch, Yang Mujian reluctantly married her the day after she turned eighteen.

    "The pen mark on your finger says otherwise." Zhao Lifei sniped, taking hisrge hand into her small, soft ones. "You shouldn¡¯t spoil me like this. I¡¯m already a pampered brat as it is," She sighed, dropping his hands. She reached towards his face, almost as if she was going to touch it, but decided against it at thest minute.

    Disappointed at her actions, he demanded, "Where are my morning hugs and kisses?"

    A light flush of pink-tinted her cheeks. "You¡¯re not getting any today." She was hoping to punish him for not getting enough sleep. Her hand dropped, but he grabbed it like a small child hesitant to reach for an adult¡¯s caress.

    "Why?" He sullenly asked, lips curled whilst his hands tugged her forward. She was amused by his tiny pulls until he abruptly yanked her hard. He almost seeded innding her onto hisp, but she rested her hand on his shoulder and stabilized herself.

    "That was dangerous!"

    "That was dangerous!"

    Ge Yafan and Zhao Lifei blurted out at the same time with equal panic in their voice and eyes. Yang Feng suspiciously raised a brow, "How so?"

    He was always careful with her body, therefore, didn¡¯t use a lot of force when he tried to pull her towards him. But seeing the upset look on both women¡¯s faces, he felt guilty and tried to make it up to her by lightly kissing her fingers. She tried to retract her hand, but he gripped it firmly and was adamant on peppering fluttery pecks onto each finger before ending at the top of her hand.

    "I could¡¯ve fallen and injured myself on you." Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t want to tell him about the pregnancy yet. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was actually pregnant...Her eyes zed over when she recounted her miscarriage. A secondter, she rapidly shook her head to clear the thought.

    "I would¡¯ve caught you." Yang Feng mumbled, his bottom lip jutted so slightly, it could barely pass as a pout. "You would¡¯ve never gotten hurt in my arms." All he wanted was to be closer to her and touch more than just her hand. He liked it when she sat on hisp, her legs on either side of him, whilst her fingerszily yed with his hair.

    "I know." Zhao Lifei said, brushing the hair away from his eyes. "We were just worried, that¡¯s all."

    Yang Feng slowly nodded his head and encircled his arms around her waist, guiding her towards his legs. He opened them slightly, to give her room to stand in between them. She smiled at his actions and wrapped her hands around his head. His face rested against her stomach and allowed him to lean against her.

    p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 24.0px Helvetica}

 Chapter 375 - Within Nine Months

    Ge Yafan felt like a lightbulb. The two lovebirds were in their little world. She shook her head with an amused smile and quietly left the room to give them some space. Who knows, maybe they¡¯ll confirm a little bun would being some time soon...If not, it could give them a good chance to start "baking" again.

    She went downstairs to monitor how breakfast was going so far. Luckily, it was a Sunday and there was still time for brunch. She might¡¯ve retreated to the peaceful countryside to live her days in peace, but that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t enjoy a good socialite-style breakfast.

    Grabbing a cast-iron pan, she decided to begin cooking some garlic truffle butter mushrooms. She saw her grandson had cooked all sorts of Asian cuisine breakfast filled with nutrition. He meticulously nned every dish, so that this would be a well-bnced meal.

    Ge Yafan wondered where her grandson could have learned to woo women like this. The saying, "The best way to a man¡¯s heart is through his stomach," can also be applied to women. And so far, he was seeding.

    - - - - -

    "Cuddle me." Yang Feng demanded when she was finally able to ce him to bed. She had tucked him into the bed and everything, but now he was asking for her to be his teddy bear.

    Zhao Lifei thought he was joking until she turned around and was met with his intense, burning stare. He was as serious as a person could get. "I thought you didn¡¯t like that because it bothered your tent."

    "Never." He grunted, reaching an arm out of the bed and using it as a leverage to haul her to him. He was never going to tell her this, but he only had good nights of sleep when she was around. There was something about her that put him at ease andfort. All of his worries and stress flew away when she was securely beside him, with her head resting upon his chest.

    "Are you sure?" She worriedly asked, sitting down on the bed.

    "I already had a cold shower this morning. I will be fine." He lied to her, knowing damn well that he was going to endure another one after he woke up from his nap.

    Zhao Lifei really couldn¡¯t resist teasing him. He looked so tortured by everything she did, she wondered how far she could push him to his limits. She bent down and in a sultry voice, whispered. "If you behave and get a decent power-nap, maybe you won¡¯t have a cold shower in the afternoon."

    His eyes rapidly closed.

    She blinked. Biting on her bottom lip, she had to use all of her willpower to notugh at his automatic reaction. Maybe she had truly teased him too much in the past.

    Zhao Lifei nned to keep him in the house for as long as possible. He needed his sleep, or else his immune system would be weak and in the worst-case scenario, he would catch a cold. She didn¡¯t want him to overexert his body, especially if he wanted a ser team of children... Idiot. That was too much for her to healthily handle. She decided to give him no more than three.

    She waited by his bedside for a while until his breathing finally stabilized. Even so, she continued to gently run her fingers through his hair for a little longer, until he was truly asleep. Then she bent down and kissed him on the forehead, as he always did to her. "Sleep well, Fengfeng." Pressing her lips onest time on his cheek, she raised from the bed and began to get ready for the day.

    - - - - -

    "I assume I am guaranteed a great-grandchild within nine months?" Ge Yafan said the minute Zhao Lifei came downstairs, fully showered and dressed. She was wearing a white top with a diagonal chiffonyer and loose, ck cks.

    Zhao Lifei suppressed the heat growing on her face, "Noment." She said, her eyes wandering over the dishes on the table. She was practically salivating. "Did you cook all of this? It looks divine."

    "Well, I only cooked toast and mushrooms. Your husband did all of the remaining work." Ge Yafan had a way of speaking that didn¡¯t make her sound too old-fashioned. She lived deep in the countryside for a while, all by herself and without the help of a servant. It was a wonder how she was able to behave as she did in her youth. Elegance was not a front for her, it ran in her blood.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s heart melted at his actions. "Did he eat breakfast yet?" She wondered out loud, beginning to eye-pick out his favorite dishes. He didn¡¯t like a lot of food and she was having a hard time deciding.

    "Yes, he did, but he eats too little, like most youngsters these days." Ge Yafan seemed to have the same ideas as Zhao Lifei. They could always have the servants cook up something once he wakes up, but he was very picky about everything he ate. Generally, he would cook for himself.

    "He cooked all of my favorite dishes." Zhao Lifei finally said after the two stood there for a minute, deciding on what to ce in the fridge. "I¡¯ll make him his favorite dishes once we¡¯re done eating." She wasn¡¯t sure what he liked to eat, but thest time she cooked for him, he seemed to thoroughly enjoy the food...he even ate her pathetic and sad little desserts. She shuddered at the memory and decided pancakes were off the list. No one wants to eat hockey pucks [1] for brunch.

    "Where are you heading to after this meal?" Ge Yafan approached the table and Zhao Lifei came forward, pulled the chair out and helped Ge Yafan sit down.

    "I was thinking of visiting the gynecologist." Zhao Lifei respectfully said, pushing the chair in for Ge Yafan.

    Silently, Ge Yafan could tell why Zhao Moyao spoke so highly of his trophy granddaughter. Aside from her messy-bed appearance, she was very good at being mindful of her manners. She supposed all those years of teaching didn¡¯t go to waste.

    Everything about how Zhao Lifei behaved, felt...genuine. Unlike the many spoiled princesses she had encountered, Zhao Lifei¡¯s behavior was refreshing. She did show signs of being doted upon, but Ge Yafan only had her grandson to me for.

    Ge Yafan didn¡¯t forget Zhao Lifei¡¯s kind gestures towards her when she was selling vegetables at the stand. It was nice ying the act of a typical vige-grandmother, but at times, she was lonely in her little vige.

    No one knew her previous background there and she kept it fully concealed. She always knew people were watching over her. In the beginning, when she escaped all by herself, Zhao Moyao came to her aid. He offered her a ce to live her days in peaceful silence, far away from the noisy city life.

    She wondered why he was so generous to her because after all, the fox didn¡¯t do favors out of the kindness of his heart. She finally got her response when he came knocking on her door a couple of days ago.

    Ge Yafan fumed inside of her head. He was indeed very sly and cunning, so much so, that he had already predicted the dethroning of Yang Mujian would¡¯ve urred sooner orter.

    She realized the only reason he helped her was that, legally, she still had shares in Yang Enterprise and they were stored with her attorney. Yang Mujian was too weak-hearted to give her shares to anyone else, thus, allowed her to keep it, without knowing whether she was alive or not.

    Ge Yafan guessed a part of him was desperately holding on to a sliver of hope that she was not dead...

    Ge Yafan still had the scarf that Zhao Lifei gave her a while ago. It was well taken care of and stored somewhere safe. Ever since her first encounter with Zhao Lifei, Ge Yafan knew exactly who this woman was. It was hard to miss Zhao Lifei¡¯s resemnce to Zhao Moyao. The only difference was that one of them knew how to be naturally kind, whereas thetter only knew artificial kindness.

    "Matriarch Ge...?" Zhao Lifei called out when she realized the grandmother was spacing out. Neither of them had touched their utensils yet.

    Ge Yafan blinked before picking up her chopsticks. She took a bite of the food and said, "Pardon me. I was just daydreaming." She watched Zhao Lifei finally pick up her chopsticks now that the eldest at the table had gotten the first bite.

    A well-bred child...indeed. Zhao Moyao raised her right. Speaking of him, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh inside her head. He had a lot of exining to do towards his granddaughter and she wasn¡¯t sure if Zhao Lifei could ever forgive him for his actions. When the truth was atst revealed, nothing could prevent the old fox from finally being caught in his own trap.

 Chapter 376 - Not Enough

    WARNING: MATURE CONTENT AHEAD. If you feel ufortable reading this scene, please feel free to skip it -- there are no major plot details included in this chapter.

    - - - - -

    After returning from the gynecologist, Zhao Lifei confirmed that she was pregnant. The only thing was the bad timing of it. There are so many things she has to do, for example, getting Yang Qianlu¡¯s blessing. She didn¡¯t want to use her baby as a way of negotiating with him. She wanted to earn his respect herself.

    By the time she came home, Yang Feng was already awake. She was surprised to see him sitting at the kitchen table, angrily stabbing away at the food she made for him. "You weren¡¯t there to fulfill your promise." He bit out, roughly slicing through the innocent burnt pancakes.

    "Heh, don¡¯t be so angry. I had somewhere to go." Zhao Lifei mused, wrapping her arms around him from behind. Then she stiffened, her eyes widening. "Where did you get those failure pancakes?!" She hissed, attempting to take his fork and knife away, but he moved his arms away.

    "It was on the kitchen counter."

    Zhao Lifei knew she was bad at cooking any sweet food, nheless, she still wanted to attempt cooking the pancakes. But it came out burnt as she had expected it to be. It seems she forgot to trash them when she was in a hurry to cook him something else.

    "Why are you like this?" She groaned, knocking her forehead onto his shoulder to which he rxed a bit.

    "You made it, so I¡¯ll eat it." Yang Feng replied, finishing thest piece of the pancake. The honey he poured over helped with the vor and so did the butter. He was obviously not going to tell her that. "I thought we decided to leave the pastries up to me." He ced the utensils down and caught her by surprise, literally. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hoisted her into the air so that she was easier to kiss. He pressed his lips to her forehead and then set her back onto her feet.

    "I hope you¡¯re not going back to work." Zhao Lifei fumed when he released her and began to adjust the tie that he was wearing. He was in the process of tightening it when she grabbed the ends of it, "How long did you sleep?"

    "An additional one hour." He told her, cing his warm hands over her bitterly cold fingertips. "It¡¯s almost Autumn now. Why didn¡¯t you wear anotheryer of clothes? You¡¯re freezing." He held her hand and squeezed it, warming it up for her.

    "Only an additional hour?" She frowned, "But that¡¯s not enough."

    "Power-naps shouldn¡¯t be more than three hours or else the body will feel more tired than it previously was." Yang Feng chided her, walking up the stairs with her in tow. He had forgotten to grab a coat.

    "Don¡¯t go to work, stay with me today." Zhao Lifei said when he walked into the closet and grabbed a pair of cufflinks and a ck coat. "And you need some color in your life." Shemented, her eyes scanning the monotoned dark colors. It was in all sorts of shades of ck and dark blue. She didn¡¯t think there were that many shades in the first ce.

    Yang Feng began to button his cuff links and she pouted, before emerging her head through his arms, forcing him to acknowledge her. His eyes darkened at her actions, but he continued to fix the links. Then she teasingly ran her hands from his rigid stomach up to his chest, settling one hand over his heart and the other resting on his shoulder. She stepped closer to him and deliberately pressed her body against his whilst innocently smiling up at him. "Stay with me."

    "I have work¡ª" He hissed when she abruptly brushed her body against the gun in his pants, her smile bing teasing and flirtatious. "Do you want to walk tomorrow?" He hoarsely asked her in a threatening tone to which she innocently tilted her head.

    "What do you mean?" She fluttered her littleshes at him and began to undo the buttons of his shirt to which he grabbed her hands.

    "If you continue this torture, I will have my way with you whether you like it or not." He growled, beginning to button his shirt again only for her to unbutton it.

    "Stop that." He told her, but his hands were already reaching for his tie, loosening it with hooded eyes.

    "Stop what?" She teased, her eyes glistening as his eyes became so dark, she couldn¡¯t see her reflection within them.

    The hand resting on his chest slipped downwards, teasing his abdomen before ¡¯identally¡¯ brushing against the sharp-dip. "Oops."

    "That¡¯s it."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes widened when he picked her up, her hands automatically grabbing his shoulders to stabilize herself. She was practically straddling him in mid-air, her legs dangling on either side of him. He wasted no time in tossing her onto the bed and sealing her lips with his eager ones. His hands slipped under her shirt, gently teasing her smooth skin, brushing against the edges of her hips before it slowly inched upwards. Her body tensed up in anticipation, waiting for him to do something, but he didn¡¯t. Just as she had tortured him before, he was going to do the same.

    She let out a soft, contented sigh when his lips inched along her jaw, then dipped down to the spot where her shoulder met her neck. Her fingers entwined into his silky locks, her hips subconsciously moving closer to him, wanting more of him. He teasingly nipped the most sensitive part of her neck, causing her back to arch, holding onto him. "You¡¯re such a tease..." She whispered when he didn¡¯t kiss the spot she desperately wanted his lips on.

    "Now you know how I feel." He hummed against her skin, his hands exploring over her body. Everywhere he touched ignited her skin. He was taking his own sweet time with her and she knew it too.

    "Mine wasn¡¯t on purpose..." She trailed off, eyes closing when he began to show her corbone attention. She wished she wasn¡¯t wearing such a modest shirt, for there was not enough skin for him to marvel.

    Her eyes opened when his hands left her body. "I believe we should take this off." He told her while resting his fingers at the edges of the white top. He waited for her to protest and when she didn¡¯t, he slipped the shirt off of her while staring deeply into her eyes.

    Zhao Lifei shrank into the bed when she realized she had provoked him too much. His onyx eyes were dripping with lust. His very gaze did wonders to her heating body, her lower region aching a bit when his rough hand handled her breast softly. She felt her heart skip a beat when he still had the patience to gently smile, "I believe I haven¡¯tplimented you enough." He murmured, "They¡¯re beautiful." She thought he was referring to her breasts, but he was staring at something else. "I used to own a telescope when I was younger," He leaned in and kissed each of her eyelids, "Yet, none of the stars I¡¯ve seen in my lifetime could ever rival yours."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s heart pounded against her chest, warming up at his words. His hands trailed up to her face, his fingers touching every inch of her features until they brushed against her lips. "Truly exquisite. Every part of you is perfect."

    "Funny enough, I think the same about you." She mumbled, unprepared for the sudden attack of overwhelming love.

    "Is that so?" He gently pressed his lips onto hers and before she could respond, he pulled back, earning a groan from her. "Are you going to torture me all day?" She asked him, watching as his hands trail down her sides. She shivered at his touch, her body wanting and waiting.

    "I quite like your impatience. Perhaps I will." His eyes twinkled with mischief, his hands stopping at the button of her ck cks. "Let¡¯s get rid of this, shall we?"

    Yang Feng was straddling her now, his powerful legs on either side of her body, giving her the perfect view of him. She gulped and rapidly nodded her head. He bent down and pressed a kiss just an inch under her navel, causing her to gasp while his fingers unbuttoned her pants and before she knew it, the piece of clothing was gone. The sensation of his skimming kisses left her wanting more, for the simple contact ignited the area around it.

    Then his lips went back onto her mouth, capturing it in a gentle kiss. He was slow and sensual,zily kissing her, allowing her to drown in his seduction. Then he applied pressure and kissed her deeper until it bes fervor and the room was filled with soft moans. His hands roamed over her body until it stopped right on her hips, where hercy underwear was resting. "Are you sure?" He rasped, although he had taken her multiple times before.

    "Always." She breathed out, a bit breathless from his intoxicating kisses. Then he slowly slipped off her undergarment and tossed it aside.

 Chapter 377 - The Rest of Our Lives

    WARNING: MATURE CONTENT CONTINUES.

    - - - - -

    Yang Feng¡¯s lips trailed down to her jugr before trailing towards her aching breasts, capturing one orb with his mouth, twirling his tongue around it. She gasped, her eyes squeezing shut while she melted against the pleasure. He suckled it softly and used his hand to show attention to her other pearl. Her one hand was buried into his hair while the other was digging her nails into his shoulder des, her body arching out of the bed, wanting more of him.

    Zhao Lifei could feel his arousal pressing into her thighs, throbbing and hot. "Y-your clothes..." She moaned when he turned his attention to the neglected pearl. She yelped when he suddenly bit it, only to soothe it with his tongue, and then blowing cool air upon the perky bead.

    His hands caressed her waist, then her thighs before he finally took off all of his clothes. Then he was back onto her a secondter, his calloused hands roaming over her body, teasing every part of her until she nervously wriggled beneath him. Gently, he parted her legs and got in between them, staring at her with hooded eyes. His hands brushed down her stomach, causing her to clench her muscles and bit her bottom lip. Then, he bent down to capture her lips, sealing in the moans and shrieks when he abruptly inserted two fingers into her without warning, quickening his pace. He could feel her feeble hands pushing at his chest, begging him to spare her from the torturous pleasure.

    Yang Feng pulled back to watch her shifting expression with desire pooling in his eyes. She was a beautiful sight as it was, but seeing her pleasured look drove him to a different edge. She writhed, trying to escape from the pleasure, but he grabbed her hips and held her in ce, forcing her to sumb to it all.

    "Mmmmm," She pressed a hand to her mouth to suppress her moans. He didn¡¯t like that.

    The hand resting on her hips grabbed both of her hands, pinning it above her head as he quickened the pace of his fingers, pumping faster and harder into her, earning erratic moans from her. With nothing to muffle her mouth, breathless moans and pleas filled the room. "Y-Yang Feng!" She whimpered, her muscles clenching when she found her release, her body tiredly sinking into the mattress.

    "You¡¯re so beautiful." He whispered to her, kissing the outline of her jaw and before she could reply, he thrust into her, causing her body to tense before rxing and giving in to his advances.

    "Nothing can ever match your allure." When his fingers were buried inside her, he was hoping to stretch her a bit before entering, but even so, she was tightly clutching onto him, driving him mad. He gritted his teeth while he gently rocked his hips so that she could be more adjusted to him.

    "Faster..." She begged and he dly obliged, mming into her with ferocity, a breathy gasp leaving her mouth. He moved in and out of her, harder, deeper until he was fully inside of her.

    "Yang Feng..."

    Her hands were tightly mped over his upper back, drawing her to him until there wasn¡¯t any space in between them anymore. Despite going for so many roundsst time, she could never get enough of him. She was slowly getting more and more addicted to making love to him. Harsh breathing was the only thing heard in the room, mingled with frequent grunts and moans.

    Yang Feng ensured she found a second release. Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes widened when he filled her entire body, "Yang Feng!" She shouted, feeling the warmth rush into her, swarming her senses. He didn¡¯t pull out until he ensured she had everyst drop that he was going to offer her in this round.

    Zhao Lifei tiredly copsed onto the bed, her chest rising while she gasped for air. He gently brushed the hair sticking to her forehead andzily smiled, "Tired?"

    "A-a bit..." She mumbled to which his eyes glinted with mischief.

    "Then I suppose we can go for a couple more rounds."

    "W-what¡ª!" Toote.

    Yang Feng had already begun moving inside of her again. He lifted her hips, holding it in ce and thrusting deeper inside of her, each thrust sending waves of ecstasy over her. The previous round was passionate, but gentle, for he feared he was hurting her. This time, he was rougher and pounded into her with a fervor that she greatly weed. She could barely breathe past her moans, whimpering every time he reached the perfect spot.

    She was getting louder and louder now, no doubt, close to her third release. He quickened his pace and bent down to kiss her on the lips, their tongues meeting before he kissed his way down to her throat, then behind her ear lobe. Her moans were music to his ears and every time she screamed his name, he was driven into pure ecstasy. Then he pulled his head back to marvel at her face while her body was filled with his entire member.

    "Look at me." He demanded, forcing her eyes to open, widening when he thrust harder, her eyes moistening a bit. Her walls tightened around him and it only inclined him to take her until the sun rose the next morning.

    "Please..." She whimpered, pleading and begging for more. His wicked eyes lit up, his lips curling into a smirk while he dly fulfilled her request.

    A few more thrustster, and she was ready to scream his name, "Yang Feng!" There it was, her third wave. She trembled beneath him, eyes shut, only to fly open when he too found his release inside of her. He jerked a bit and remained buried inside of her, filling her to the brim.

    "I love it when you call my name." He groaned, dropping his head to the nook of her neck, tenderly kissing the spot.

    "You¡¯re a beast." She whined when he was already in the process of picking up her body and shifting their bodies to try a different position.

    "Am I now?" He greedily said, kissing her shoulders before plunging inside once again.

    - - - - -

    Finally, after five or six rounds, Yang Feng was sedated. He was beyond satisfied by her and desired to go for a few more rounds, but she was beyond exhausted and he didn¡¯t want to put too much pressure on her. She was resting a leg over his abdomen while she leaned her face on his shoulders. "Do you want to take a bath?" He soothingly rubbed his hands up and down her spine, enjoying the dip of her lower back.

    She could barely keep her eyes open with how exhausted she was. A bath sounded really nice..."Yes." Her voice was lethargic and she was just a blink away from falling asleep.

    Yang Feng reluctantly detangled himself from her and ced the nkets over her, bending down to tenderly kiss her on the forehead. "I¡¯ll prepare the bath then." He straightened up and headed to the bathroom. While the bathtub was filling up with water, he rang for the Butler to clean the sheets again.

    Yang Feng walked out, wrapped a towel around his waist and then picked her up from the bed, unsure if he should just let her sleep or not. "Would you like to take a bath tomorrow morning instead? You seem very tired, my love." He worriedly asked her.

    "I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry about me." Zhao Lifei yawned, wrapping her arms around his shoulders,zily resting her head upon it.

    Yang Feng nodded, carrying her into the bathtub and shutting the door behind him with his foot. No less than a minuteter, the butler came in with fresh sheets and mattresses.

    "Are you sore?" He asked her, climbing into therge and expensive bathtub with her. It was the size of a mini-pool and could fit an entire family with a lot of room to spare. He turned to the t screen at the edge of the bathtub and turned on the whirlpool massage setting.

    Zhao Lifei contently sighed, leaning her back against his body, "A bit." He hugged her from behind, one arm around her naked waist while the other kneaded her neck.

    "I¡¯m surprised you still have this much stamina and strength." Zhao Lifeiined when he kissed her neck, intending to do more than just bathing.

    "Only because I can¡¯t get enough of you." He decided against his original intentions and kissed the top of her head.

    "I want to return the favor one day..." She trailed off, turning around to face him. His eyes flickered with surprise, a smile gracing his face. It did crazy things to her heart, spiking the rate. She wished he would continue to smile like this, forever and always. He looked bewitching when he smirked, but with a smile, the butterflies in her stomach couldn¡¯t stop fluttering. She reached her hands up and touched his face.

    "Well, my love, we have the rest of our lives to repay each other." His fingers cupped her small chin, bringing her closer. He pecked her lips and went back to constantly holding her in his arms.

 Chapter 378 - At My Lowest

    The next day, Zhao Lifei woke up bright and early, way before Yang Feng was set to wake up. He was still deep in slumber, sleeping on his side and hugging her close to him. They had spooned all night, but she felt the intent behind it was different from what she had in mind.

    Throughout the night, he would unconsciously hug her tighter with his brows creasing together. Even in his sleep, he could not rx. She had been taken from him twice, and twice, he couldn¡¯t prevent it. This time, he swore nothing would ever happen anymore. Thergest predator was eliminated, now all he had to do was trample the other pests that would try to touch her.

    Zhao Lifei marveled at his face,zily resting her head on one propped-up arm. He looked so innocent and harmless in his sleep. She was inclined to touch his face but knew that would wake him up. She intended to leave the house before he did for he might engage her in a few more rounds before she could escape.

    "Sleep well, Yang Feng." She whispered as she kissed his forehead before slipping out of his embrace. He grumbled something that made her body tensed up. She turned around to find his hands desperately searching the bed for her. She quickly grabbed a body-pillow from the foot of the bed and ced it beside his wandering hands. When they located the pillow, he grabbed it without mercy and hugged it.

    She let out a sigh of relief and climbed out of their spacious bed. Getting ready for the day, she wore a simple outfitprising of a light blue dress and low-heels. Purse and car keys in hand, she tip-toed out of the room and headed straight to the Zhao Mansion.

    There weren¡¯t that many cars on the road which was expected. It was still early in the morning and everyone else was too busy sleeping. Desk-jobs were yet to begin and it was currently six in the morning.

    Zhao Lifei left the house bright and early for one specific reason: to see her grandfather before he left for work. Through the rear-view mirror, she could see her eyes swarmed with disappointment. She wondered if it was by coincidence or purpose that her house was an hour away from Zhao Mansion. She guessed Yang Feng really didn¡¯t want anyone to intrude on them.

    "Oh my, good morning Young Miss. Please pardon this servant¡¯s behavior I didn¡¯t expect to see you today." Old Butler Tang said when the car rolled to the front entrance. Servants were rushing outside to greet her.

    "That¡¯s alright. I didn¡¯t inform my grandfather that I would be here in the first ce." Zhao Lifei passed the key to one of the employees who would drive it to the garage behind the house.

    "Speaking of which, where is my grandfather? I assume he should¡¯ve woken up an hour ago." She entered the house, taking off her white trench coat which the butler took with his hands.

    "The Master is currently dining in the breakfast hall. Please join us, he would be thrilled to see that you¡¯re here."

    "I¡¯m sure he would be." Zhao Lifei curtly replied while following the Old Butler towards a set of white, decorative doors. It opened to arge dining hall with plenty of windows to let in the sunlight.

    "Xiao Fei." Zhao Moyao greeted when he saw her, cing down the newspaper and a cup of coffee that he was enjoying. "What brings you here this morning?" He looked towards the empty space by her side, "And without your guard dog?"

    "I¡¯m sure you know why I came here, grandfather." Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t sit beside him like she usually would¡¯ve done so. She took her seat in a respectable distance, that is, on the other edge of the table directly facing him.

    Zhao Moyao waved a maid over, "Have the chefs prepare more breakfast." Then he turned to face his granddaughter with a masked expression. "Xiao Fei, you shouldn¡¯t speak in circles with me."

    "Why did you do it?" Zhao Lifei wired her fingers together, a sh of betrayal in her eyes.

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s eyes were momentarily clouded with confusion before it shifted to recollection, then horror, and finally... guilt. He knew exactly what she was referring to. "You were only a child. I wanted to protect you."

    "Protect me?" She calmly replied, shaking her head in disagreement. "You tossed me into the lion¡¯s den, grandfather."

    "Nobody can predict the future, Xiao Fei. No one expected Zheng Tianyi to be a cheating scum. I believed it was the best choice for you. You werepletely delirious when Yang Feng was sent to a boarding school."

    Zhao Lifei stared at him with a nk expression. When she finally regained her memories in Jiang Zihui¡¯s house, she had also recollected another memory of her past. It was after the first time she had been forcibly taken, and restrained on the hospital bed. A voice was speaking in the background, but one thing stood out the most: her grandfather¡¯s voice saying, "If it does not work and she suffered all of that for nothing, there will be consequences."

    She couldn¡¯t believe it at first and that was why she came here today. But who would¡¯ve thought, he would cut straight to the chase rather than speaking around in circles? She wished it was not the truth. She wished that it was only a misunderstanding and that he would never do something like that to her. Her expectations shattered when he went straight to exining himself instead of feigning confusion.

    "I was lied to throughout my entire childhood. I was raised to be the Matriarch of a man who never loved me. I suffered through the humiliation, and was drenched in all sorts ofughter and insults, all because you thought it was the best choice for me to get married to Zheng Tianyi."

    Her face turned vicious, "Why did you do it? Was it because merging with the Zhengs was more beneficial than merging with the Yangs? "

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s face turned sour. "You refused to eat. You refused to sleep. You cried from dawn to midnight and even when you had nothing to cry out anymore, you would scream bloody murder. Hell, you wrecked everything you touched. You threw yourself at my feet, begging to see him. You even went as far as bashing your head against the wall. What was I supposed to do?"

    Zhao Moyao seethed, "I adored you, Xiao Fei. You are the one and only granddaughter I truly cherished. I couldn¡¯t let you destroy yourself like that. What was I supposed to do?!" He repeated his question, the breakfast spread had been long forgotten.

    "You could¡¯ve brought me to see Yang Feng! I¡¯m sure you knew exactly where he was." Zhao Lifei¡¯s nostrils red, her eyes growing heated. The mellow sea of gold was drowned out by the pure hatred and anger.

    "You could¡¯ve told me the truth! You could¡¯ve reassured me that he was going toe back soon! All I wanted was the answer to where he was. Yes, I wanted to see him, but I have always been a patient child in your eyes! Had you exined everything to me, I would¡¯ve calmed down! But you didn¡¯t." She snarled, her face filled with rage.

    "Instead of sitting me down and informing me that Yang Feng was busy, you decided to ship me back to my parent¡¯s house, order men to kidnap me, bring me to a facility, and proceeded to watch me make a fool out of myself by devoting my entire heart to Zheng Tianyi! You tricked my brain into thinking that the person I loved was Zheng Tianyi, when my heart was craving for another man all along!"

    Her voice dropped an octave ."How could you have done this to me, grandfather?" She shook her head, "I trusted you. I trusted you would never harm me, that all of your decisions toward me came from a good ce in your heart. It seems I was wrong all along."

    "I was trying to protect you, Xiao Fei. Even when he was a child, Yang Heng already had a winding list of enemies! You were so young, so small and foolish, anyone could¡¯ve easily captured you and used you as coteral! You could¡¯ve been kidnapped, or worse, killed just because you were the only thing that mattered to the so-called heartless Yang Heng." Zhao Moyao mmed his hand on the table, his heart prickling with pain. She was staring at him like he was her worst enemy.

    "You failed to protect me when Zheng Tianyi continued to humiliate me. You failed to step in when I desperately needed you. You failed to protect me when the entire world was against me. Where were you when I was stripped naked? Where were you when I was faced with taunts and insults left and right? Where were you when I was at my lowest?!"

    Her words pped him on the face, but that was not the end of it. "Because of what you have done, you will never see your official first great-grandchild." He was stunned beyond belief mainly because he didn¡¯t expect the truth to hurt so much. He read in between the lines. Was...was she pregnant again?! He didn¡¯t have time to analyze the information, for she dropped another bomb.

    "You... betrayed me." She shook her head and then stood up. "You destroyed my life by giving my hand off to an emotionally and physically abusive man because you thought it was the best for me."

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s world crumbled when he saw her face. Anguish, betrayal, hurt, and so many things could be used to describe it. She looked as if she could never forgive him for his mistakes and that was exactly what he feared. "Xiao Fei,e back here." He demanded when she turned her back to him and stormed towards the door.

    "Goodbye, Elder Zhao. Have a good day." She raised her head and didn¡¯t look back even once when the door closed.

    "Xiao Fei!" He shouted, standing up and wincing in pain when he ced too much strain on his body. It had been acting up more than usualtely, and with his skyrocketing pressure, his body was aching in pain. "Xiao Fei!" He roared, reaching his hand out for his granddaughter who was long out of sight. Gone like the wind, she never once looked back.

 Chapter 379 - Reasonable Hour

    After her confrontation with Zhao Moyao, she made her way to Feili where Huo Qiudong was already anticipating her arrival. The people at the front desk had already informed him of the arrival of a young woman in blood-red Bugatti.

    He was impatiently tapping his foot, standing outside of her office door with a disgruntled expression. When the sound of heels greeted him, his eyes narrowed onto his apologetic boss. "What happened to you?" Was the first thing he asked her. No one informed him something happened until men in ck stormed into the office, demanding to see the security footage. When the entire office felt like it was relocated to Antarctica, he knew President Yang was behind it. Luckily enough, he was also there to encourage, well more like force, President Ling to reschedule the meeting date.

    "Something came up." Zhao Lifei sheepishly said. His permanent scowl deepened.

    "First, you went into aa, then, you disappeared for a couple of days. You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m such a hard-working man." He ran a tired hand through his hair, staring at her like she was the epitome of his demise.

    Zhao Lifei felt guilty for making him work this hard. She had promised to be more present in thepany but then disappeared too often. "Yes, yes, that¡¯s why you¡¯re going to get a lot of bonuses. Happy?" She leaned up and pinched his cheeks, treating him like a child. "You shouldn¡¯t scowl so much, you¡¯ll get wrinkles. Qinqin only dates cute, good looking guys."

    He stopped scowling.

    His automatic response provoked her to tease him some more. "So, how did your date with Qinqin go?"

    "We didn¡¯t go on a date." He snapped, stepped back and proceeded to leave but she grabbed his wrist before he could go anywhere.

    "What do you mean?" Zhao Lifei¡¯s brows etched together, lines dancing on her forehead. Did Yang Ruqin not like Huo Qiudong? It¡¯s weird to fathom that when the woman in question showed up drunk at his house. It was a miracle how she got there in the first ce, but at the least, her actions demonstrated that he was the first person in her head.

    "She said she was busy with releasing her new clothing line." Huo Qiudong didn¡¯t want to be reminded of the embarrassing and nearly traumatic event a couple of days ago. He had spent two hours at home, deciding on the outfit to ask her out for a cup of coffee. It took him an additional hour of pep-talk to gather the courage to send her a text. To his disappointment, she responded two hourster, turning down his proposal.

    "Oh." Zhao Lifei blinked. "Maybe she¡¯s just ying hard to get. Qinqin is like that, you know. How about I talk to her for you?"

    "No need. I¡¯ll woo her myself." Huo Qiudong said out of anger. He immediately regretted the words a secondter when he realized that he would need to do some intensive research on how to get a girl in the first ce. All of his rtionships started because the other party initiated the date first. It was never the other way around.

    "Are you sure?" Zhao Lifei prompted a brow, crossing her arms to scrutinize the helpless man in front of her. Judging by his nature, she could tell he was heavily inexperienced in what he just said. His looks could only get him so far ¡ª especially when Yang Ruqin constantly worked with A-list celebrities and runway models. The people around her were always stunning and whenever they would be seen with her, the air around them was much more different.

    "Yes." He curtly said, grabbing her hand and prying it from his wrist. He was worried about his physique when he had to apply extra force to remove her tight grip. She didn¡¯t look like she was straining herself to hold onto him. Why did she look like she was effortlessly holding him?! He couldn¡¯t get over how strong she was. Maybe it would be a good idea to go to the gym again...

    "Double sure?" She pressed on, letting go of his wrist and cing it on her hips. Wow, he was really weak.

    ¡¯I only used 50% of my strength!¡¯ Zhao Lifei wondered how he would be able to handle Yang Ruqin, especially now that she had begun strength training.

    "...Yes." Huo Qiudong was bing less and less confident about his capabilities, but he was too stubborn to tell her that.

    "Triple sure?"

    After a couple of seconds, he dropped his head in defeat. "No."

    Zhao Lifei smirked in triumph, "As a reward for covering my workload, I will personally teach you how to court the great Yang Ruqin!"

    - - - - -

    After writing down all of Yang Ruqin¡¯s likes and dislikes, Zhao Lifei sent Huo Qiudong on his merry way. She spent the majority of her day tackling documents, overseeing the management of operation and resources,municating with the directors, regting thepany decisions, and checking up on projects.

    Finally, the day came to an end. Careful to not repeat the mistakes of her past, she would take frequent twenty-minute breaks to surf the inte and generate ways of telling Yang Feng about her pregnancy. She couldn¡¯t find the proper way to announce it. After sitting down and thinking to herself for a while, she finally came up with the perfect method of surprising him.

    The workload for Feili reminded Zhao Lifei of all the workload she had to do as the Vice President of Zheng Corporation. Because of this, she was very used to the strenuous tasks and handle them without any difficulties. Speaking of thepany, she wondered what was happening with it. She had checked the media in the afternoon and saw that everything about thepany had tanked. They were on the verge of supposed bankruptcy and she didn¡¯t know why.

    Shaking her head from unwanted thoughts, Zhao Lifei grabbed her coat and purse, then walked out of the door. She was going to head straight to the elevator but decided to visit Huo Qiudong. Popping her head into his office, she was disappointed to see he was engrossed in reading a packet of paper. Then her eyes lit up upon realizing he was diligently studying the papers she had given to him this morning about Yang Ruqin.

    "Working hard, I see." Zhao Lifei stepped inside, her eyes scanning over the meticulously clean office space. Every folder was neatly organized on the bookshelves and the important documents were properly stored away. Unlike her office, his was very minimalistic, simple, and clean-cut. Even his pen and pencils were perfectly aligned beside him, with equal spacing between them. There was a lingering smell of peppermint and eucalyptus from the humidifier behind him. At least he was working on the moisture of his skin.

    "Yeah..." He trailed off, circling and underlining specific details about Yang Ruqin.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t borate on anything about Yang Ruqin¡¯s past and the rtionships she previously had. The information written in the packets were Yang Ruqin¡¯s current likes and dislikes, her pet peeves, and so on.

    "When are the interviews for a new secretary going to start?" Zhao Lifei asked, slipping on her coat.

    She noticed he was buried in the packet as if it were a textbook that deemed his sess or failure on a test. My goodness, he must¡¯ve been a ster student in school.

    "Whenever you¡¯re ready." Huo Qiudong murmured, finally lifting his head to acknowledge his boss. He gave her a nod then went back to the papers.

    "If you memorize everything, your interactions will be too artificial. Don¡¯t change yourself just because you want to suit her interests. Don¡¯t instantly agree with everything she does." Zhao Lifei ced her hands on the paper to distract him and catch his attention.

    "Since Yang Ruqin hasn¡¯t cried to me about how much she dislikes you, then you¡¯re in the clear. It indicates she likes you as you are. If you suddenly change your demeanor based on the information here, she will instantly notice it. Qinqin majored in Psychology, as indicated on line eight."

    Huo Qiudong blinked, then slowly nodded his head.

    "I only wrote the most basic information down, so that I didn¡¯t spoil the fun. You need to properly interact with her to bring out her real side. Trust me, she¡¯s a girl of many faces, but not in a bad way."

    Because Yang Ruqin had worked as a model, she was good at blending into any personality that she liked. She could be innocent and demure, wearing acy white dress one day, but fierce and sexy in a well-fitted ck dress the next. It was part of her charm.

    "Understood."

    "Good. Now, start packing up. Everyone is heading home now. Don¡¯t bother the janitor everyday by staying behind longer than he does." She crossed her arms and tapped her foot, almost begging him to get up from the desk. "Well? I¡¯m waiting." She said when he took out hisptop and proceeded to work.

    "I already have one workaholic to deal with and another in the making. I don¡¯t want another one on my hands." Zhao Lifei was referring to Yang Ruqin who was beginning to be more and more engrossed in her work. She waspletely fine with that for they were grown adults now with their own lives to worry about.

    "Fine." Huo Qiudong sighed and began to pack his belongings into a suitcase. Under the careful watch of his boss, he was able to leave thepany at a reasonable hour.

 Chapter 380 - Its Already Tarnished

    Zhao Lifei came home earlier than Yang Feng which was surprising because it was well past six o¡¯clock. She handed her coat to the housekeeper and walked to the open kitchen to her left where a basket of freshly harvested and cleaned vegetables was awaiting her.

    "That¡¯s odd. Our carrots have recently sprouted." She thought out loud, making her way to therge basket. Her fingers ran over the design of the weave which seemed like it was handmade. She recognized the material as something you could only find growing in the forest of the rural town a few miles out of Shenbei.

    She picked up the note attached to the basket:

    ¡¯I decided to stop selling vegetables and return to my family, but I have a lot of extra left in my inventory, so I hope these could be of use to you.

    PS. Please eat these and give me healthy great-grandchildren.

    Warmly,

    Grandmother¡¯

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s face heated at thest line, but settled the basket down and decided to thank the Matriarchter on. Since Yang Feng had always cooked for her, she decided to begin preparing dinner for tonight. But, first things first, she went to the pantry and took out flour, yeast, and eggs. After struggling for a while, she finally had a ball of dough. Painting it with egg wash, she ced the dough onto a parchment-lined baking tray and ced it in the heated oven.

    Then she began cooking dinner. By the time a car rolled to the entrance, it was already half-past seven and she had finished cing the garnish of sliced herbs onto the colorful tes of food. She had utilized a lot of the vegetables sent to her and tonight¡¯s dinner would be packed with nutrients.

    Zhao Lifei felt a bit nauseous looking at the food, cringing when she saw how much was on the table. ¡¯Maybe I cooked too much food?¡¯ She rubbed her stomach and nearly screamed bloody murder when arge hand was ced over hers and another wrapped itself over her corbone.

    "I missed you." Yang Feng whispered, kissing the side of her head and peering down at the dinner she made. He wasn¡¯t hungry when he was on his way home, but smelling her dishes made his stomach growl a bit. "Where were you this morning?" He curiously asked in a soft voice, leaning his head upon her soft hair. He was frightened to see her absence in bed with her side of the mattress stone-cold. He only rxed when he sent a message to his bodyguards who instantaneously reported that she was at her grandfather¡¯s house.

    "I had something to tend to..." Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes cast onto the floor. She was no longer worried about throwing up or feeling sick because she was too distracted by her emotions.

    Zhao Lifei was conflicted by her grandfather¡¯s decisions and was too angry to realize what he was trying to tell her. He didn¡¯t directly ruin her life, but his actions had caused it. However, she felt wrong for ming it all on him, when she was part of the me too. ¡¯If only I wasn¡¯t so clingy towards Zheng Tianyi... If only I realized how much he despised me.¡¯

    Seeing as she was at Zhao Moyao¡¯s house early in the morning, Yang Feng had a suspicion about the conversation that went down. He hugged her tighter and pecked her on the cheek. "It¡¯s going to be okay." He said to her, already understanding she was facing a turmoil inside of her head.

    Truth be told, Yang Feng had already figured out the primary suspect in her first amnesia. He just wished she didn¡¯t have to find out on her own. It must¡¯ve hurt her a lot more to discover the truth all by herself. He was always waiting and waiting for Zhao Moyao to inform his granddaughter, but it seemed that his patience was all for nothing.

    "You knew all along, didn¡¯t you?" Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t understand where her sudden surge of anger came from. She was overwhelmed by her own emotions and themotion inside of her head. She wondered if it was pregnancy mood-swings because if it was, then Yang Feng was about to greatly suffer in the next few months.

    "I had a suspicion that it was my grandfather for the first time, which was precisely why I was on edge whenever you were in his presence." Yang Feng spun her around so that he could read her face more carefully. If he felt anything towards her nk face, he didn¡¯t show it. "I had an inkling that your grandfather was also involved, but I couldn¡¯t confirm it in time."

    "Why didn¡¯t you tell me?"

    "Because I was unsure of my suspicions and I didn¡¯t want to tarnish your rtionship with him." Yang Feng patiently exined. Her hazel eyes went back to normal. She was no longer angry.

    "It¡¯s already tarnished." She deadpanned, frowning to herself. She wondered if she overreacted this morning. She was aware that Zhao Moyao had health issues, but didn¡¯t know the extent of it...

    Yang Feng was not going to dictate her actions. It was up to her to decide whether to mend their broken rtionship or not. Why was it that both of their families were dysfunctional? He caressed the side of her face and said, "Whatever you do, I will support you as long as it makes you happy. If you feel regret and remorse from your actions, I won¡¯t stand by the sidelines and watch you ruin yourself." He cupped her face, "If you ever want to talk about something with me, I am all ears for you."

    Zhao Lifei processed his words and slowly nodded her head.

    "Don¡¯t bottle up your emotions." His thumbs rubbed back and forth on her squishable cheeks, "Communication is very important, my dear."

    "Understood." Zhao Lifei wondered how the tables had turned on her. Originally, she was the one advocating formunication, but now it was time for him to do so. She was d her nagging had gotten through him, but she needed some time to gather her thoughts and n out her next move.

    "Now, let¡¯s eat dinner, my love. The food is getting cold." Yang Feng debated whether or not he should kiss her on the lips. Just a small taste of her kiss was enough to ignite his mes. He knew this better than anyone else, yet he couldn¡¯t resist the temptation, so he bent down and captured her lips. He only applied light pressure and didn¡¯t take it any further.

    Zhao Lifei nodded her head and was going to pull out her chair, but he gently brushed her hands away and did it for her. Right when she sat down, her eyes widened at her forgotten bread. "Yang Feng, there¡¯s a bun in the oven." She was hoping with his impressive IQ that he would read in-between the lines.

    "You baked? I thought we established baking and desserts will be my specialty." Yang Feng mused, pushing her chair into the table and straightening to his height.

    "Yes...but this bread is made with the help of you as well."

    "But I wasn¡¯t home to bake with you...?" He was intrigued by her words and pushed the double-doors leading to the open kitchen.

    Zhao Lifei turned around and eagerly watched as he opened the oven door. He put on the oven mitts and sure enough, a burnt loaf of bread was pulled out. Great. Just great. The symbolism of the burnt bread was a great start to her pregnancy reveal.

    Yang Feng stared at the bread and chuckled, "Don¡¯t worry, I will still eat this."

    "That¡¯s strange. My bun has not risen yet."

    "You weren¡¯t referring to this bun?" Yang Feng asked, cing the tray back onto the oven racks. He grabbed a wooden serving board and then ced the burned bread onto the surface.

    Zhao Lifei wanted to facepalm at her dense husband. Was it that hard to read in between the lines? "No, I¡¯m talking about our bun."

    "What bun?" He confusedly asked, turning to the other oven and opening it to see if she had baked another bread. She didn¡¯t.

    "Oh my goodness. Nevermind." Zhao Lifei huffed, deciding her n was too stupid to work.

    Yang Feng raised a brow at his moody wife. He turned back to face the oven, stared at the loaf of bread and tried to piece together what she was attempting to say. After a minute of standing there with a nk, thinking face, his eyes briefly widened. A bun in the oven. A bun they made.

    He stiffened. His expressionless face underwent different phases of emotions, starting from confusion to rity, then understanding, next shock, andstly euphoric happiness. His lips stretched into the biggest smile she had ever seen. The sight alone was enough to send her heart into overdrive and make her stomach do backflips. She had never witnessed a smile like that on his face and was momentarily caught off-guard by the sudden assault towards her heart. He was suave as it was, but when he smiled, the whole world seemed to stop for him.

    Without warning, he rushed to her, lifting her to her feet in a warm embrace. He couldn¡¯t stop his smile from deepening when she let out a small giggle.

    "You¡¯re pregnant?" His voice was filled with hope and disbelief. Fearful that he might hurt her, he hurriedly settled her down onto her feet. She didn¡¯t even confirm the truth and he was already worried about her stomach. He kept his body at a safe distance from it. Then he felt the smallest tinge of remorse for the way he handled herst night. Maybe five or six rounds was a bit too much...

    "I confirmed it yesterday." Zhao Lifei warmly smiled up at him, happy that his reaction was exactly as she had hoped for it to be. Her eyes widened when he began to pepper her face with kisses, ted at the news. He had never felt more happiness than at this moment.

    "Truly?" He breathed out, pulling her back, only to hug her again, pulled back and proceeded to kiss her face again. Sheughed at his treatment, "That tickles!"

    "I¡¯m going to be a father." He let out a burst of delightfulughter that made her body tingle.

    "I¡¯m going to be a father." He repeated again and again, his heart filled to the brim with hope and happiness.

    The gender wasn¡¯t revealed yet, but he was all set and ready to go shopping for cute little dresses. "If it¡¯s a daughter, I want her to look just like you. No, wait, a son that looks just like you is fine as well. I want all of them to look exactly like you." Picturing a ser team of tiny Zhao Lifei running around the house made his heart swell.

    Zhao Lifei could already see that he was thinking of the endless possibilities of their child and she shook her head with a silly smile on her face. He was surely the type of father to spoil their kids with love and gifts.

 Chapter 381 - What If

    Zhao Lifei always knew Yang Feng was very protective of her, but she didn¡¯t think there was a way to be even more overprotective. She was barely a few weeks along, but he was already heavily monitoring everything she did.

    Not wanting to put a strain on her body, he ordered an architect to build an elevator into their four-story house. She wasn¡¯t allowed to wear high-heels and it took an entire day of convincing for her to be allowed to wear at least one or two-inch heels.

    He took away her coffee and stored every caffeinated product away from her reach, prevented her from taking any hot baths and only allowed warm ones that didn¡¯t exceed 40 degrees Celsius [1].

    Yang Feng didn¡¯t want her to stand too long and even offered to carry her everywhere she went. It was cute at first, but by the end of the week, she was irked and longed for freedom. Some of his actions were fine, but carrying her was bing too excessive.

    He treated her like a porcin doll that could break with the wrong touch. It was ridiculous. On top of that, he hadn¡¯t touched her at all, not even once. She felt thetter was more frustrating than his other treatments...

    "My love, where are you headed towards?"

    "Our bedroom...?" Zhao Lifei answered, standing on the grand staircase and confused about his question. He rushed to the step she was on and began to lead her downstairs.

    "That¡¯s three flights up. You should take the elevator." He chided her, leading her toward their newly-renovated elevator. Not wanting to argue with him, she pressed her lips together and held in herint. He was worried about her, she understood that, but she was getting stressed out by his actions.

    "Yang Feng, darling..." Zhao Lifei trailed off, staring at his long finger that pressed the third-floor button.

    "Yes, my love?" Yang Feng tenderly answered her, his arms loosely resting on her hips whilst rubbing his thumb upon her stomach. He bent down and kissed the side of her head, before deciding it wasn¡¯t enough, and proceeded to kiss her forehead and then the corner of her lips.

    "You do realize that light exercise is good for pregnancies right?" Zhao Lifei asked with a gentle, patient tone in her voice. His brows creased together as he worriedly looked at her stomach. The reality of it was that she was barely showing a bump and the small change looked like she ate too much. However, in worrywart Yang Feng¡¯s eyes, she looked like she could give birth by tonight.

    "What if you fall on the staircase?"

    "And what if I trip and fall on the carpet?" She snorted, apanying him out of the elevator and to their bedroom.

    "The carpet?!" Yang Feng¡¯s eyes widened, "You¡¯re right. You can trip and fall. I¡¯ll have the architect implement soft cushioning underneath the carpets so that even if you fall, it will be upon soft surfaces."

    "No!" Zhao Lifei rapidly shook her head, "Goodness no. I will be extra careful."

    "We still have to take safety measures." Yang Feng told her, guiding her into the bedroom and forcing her to sit down on the bed. "Now, rest."

    "But I just took a nap two hours ago." Sheined, wrapping her arms around his, staring up at him with her puppy eyes. "If you count the night-sleep that we had with the nap, I had a total of ten hours of sleep. That¡¯s already over the rmended time."

    Yang Feng pondered over her words. "I would still like you to sit down. How about I bring something for you to do?"

    "Bring me myptop and documents. Since you¡¯re refusing to let me stay at the office until six, I missed out on a lot of work. Oh and I have to sit in on interviews for a new secretary, so I might be hometer than expected tomorrow."

    "Howte?" His eyes narrowed, his jaws going ck. He didn¡¯t look happy.

    "Six." She sighed, leaning her head onto his arm. "You¡¯re sometimes so cute when you¡¯re angry, but you¡¯re sometimes also very annoying... I still find you endearing though." She grinned up at him, revealing her small dimples.

    His face softened and his tense body rxed. He stroked the top of her head and hooked his finger under her chin to bring her face closer to his. Bending down, he innocently kissed her on the lips.

    Zhao Lifei frowned when he pulled back before the kiss could escte any further. "That¡¯s it?" She disappointedly asked, a bit frustrated since he hadn¡¯t given her a proper kiss ever since she told him she was pregnant.

    "My love, if you want more, you only have to ask."

    ¡¯Screw that.¡¯ Zhao Lifei thought to herself, grabbing him by his tie, yanking him down to her height. She didn¡¯t know where this sudden rush of confidence came from but she locked her lips with his in a hungry kiss. He couldn¡¯t resist her anymore. Slowly, gently, he inched her onto the bed, so that her back was resting upon the mattress. He rested his weight on one arm and the other angled her head to deepen the kiss. Kissing him felt so right that Zhao Lifei couldn¡¯t help but wrap her arms around his neck, bringing him closer. She led the kiss, licking his bottom lip to seek entrance to which he dly gave her. Her tongue explored the crevices of his mouth before she finally pushed him back a bit, catching much-needed gasps of air.

    Yang Feng enjoyed the sight of her slightly reddened face, the color spreading to her chest. Glistening red lips, like freshly watered roses, and zed eyes. He wanted to take her right then and there. Her kiss had ignited his desire, so much so, that a tent was already forming on his lower region. He groaned a bit when she moved her legs, brushing against his hardening member.

    "You know..." She whispered, wrapping one hand around his back, inclining him closer to her. "A little bit of fun in the bed won¡¯t hurt the baby, I promise." His eyes were filled with conflict while he contemted her words. She brought him closer and began to press open-mouthed kisses from his razor-sharp jaw down the side of his neck, earning a grunt of approval. With each kiss, she was slowly undoing the buttons of his shirt and he was beginning to loosen his tie. Her hands freely explored his body and everywhere she touched, a path of heat would follow.

    "You sure know your charm." He rasped in a throaty, restrained voice, grabbing her hands. He could feel her slight, mischievous smirk against his skin. "Lifei." He warningly growled when she abruptly brushed her hands upon the tent, then her fingers torturously traced the line on his hips.

    Leaning up, she whispered the three words that made him lose all rationality, "I want you."

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifeiid contently on her side with Yang Feng¡¯s naked arm underneath her neck, resting on her corbone, holding her close to him. His other arm was stroking her bare stomach while the twoid infortable silence after making love for the previous hour or so. He was gentle the first round, but after a bit of teasing, he went back to his usual pace. She enjoyed both types without fail.

    "Have you visited the doctor?" He asked her after a few minutes to which she slowly nodded her head, turning around to face him. His eyes didn¡¯t wander to her exposed breasts or anywhere else. He maintained eye contact with her, but that didn¡¯t stop his hands from conveying a different message by running them up her hips.

    "Yes. It was to confirm the pregnancy and make sure the baby is alright." Zhao Lifei scooted closer to him, relishing in his heat. She loved that about him and he didn¡¯t seem to mind her unusually cold body. She rested a hand on his face, caressing the skin, and leaning up to kiss his lips, but pulling back before he could deepen it.

    "I quite enjoy your kisses ¡ª the proper ones." He husked, leaning closer to her, his lips brushing against hers. When she attempted to draw away from him, he wrapped his arms tighter around her and stole her lips, in a slow, sensual kiss.

    Her body rxed while one hand slipped into his hair, she unknowingly clung onto him while he gently pried her mouth open as their tongues shed. He allowed her to win for once, allowing her to take over. Eventually, they broke apart, for her to take breaths of air, then he came closer and kissed her on the five points of her face: her forehead, both of her cheeks, nose, and thenstly, her lips.

    Slowly, but surely, she was lulled to sleep in his arms. Yang Feng¡¯s lips tugged into a small, rogue smirk, satisfied that he was able to get her to sleep in the end. He checked the time and decided it would be best if they remained in their position, so he hugged her tighter. With the steady rise of her chest, her cool breath of air fanning his neck, and the reassurance that she was here to stay for good, he finally fell asleep beside her.

 Chapter 382 - Only Human

    Zhao Lifei leisurely sat in the garden, sipping a cup of tea while marveling at how well the flowers had grown. On the table in front of her was her workptop and a pile of paperwork that she had to do.

    She decided to work from home today and personally read over the profiles of a few outstanding interviewees that caught Huo Qiudong¡¯s eyes. Sadly, she was never the type to be impressed by a simple resume and demanded he faxed all of the folders to her so that there were no biased judgments.

    A breeze waltzed past her, bringing with it the floral scent of the blooming flowers. A loose, white cardigan was resting on her shoulders, thanks to Yang Feng¡¯s nagging. She knew a few meters away from her, a maid was watching over her to ensure nothing went awry.

    Close to her and hidden somewhere else, were her bodyguards. She wondered what happened to the prior ones... she hadn¡¯t seen them ever since she was kidnapped.

    Her eyes dropped to the rosey-brown tea, praying they didn¡¯t suffer any major consequences. She remembered asking Yang Feng what happened to them and he responded that they were given extra training lessons. Chen Gaonan was with him at that time and even he stiffened, his face turning pale. By extra training lessons, she didn¡¯t know the extent of their strenuous exercise routine that only epted perfection and nothing else.

    Sighing to herself, she lifted her gaze from the teacup and looked around the garden before deciding to make a mental note to ask Yang Feng to lessen any consequences upon the bodyguards.

    Supposedly, their transmission was hacked, therefore, none of her usual people showed up. It wasn¡¯t the bodyguards¡¯ fault that their phone received the wrong message. She texted her thoughts to Yang Feng.

    [Hubby ?: If you miss them, you¡¯ll see them tomorrow.]

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips tilted upwards, only to drop a secondter when a maid ran into the garden with a disarrayed expression. She slowly turned her head towards the advancing woman that slowed down just before she reached the tall-bushes that separated this ce from the house.

    Zhao Lifei was impressed by how well the maidposed herself. Not a single detail was out of ce in her appearance.

    The maid rested one hand on top of the other, cing it on her stomach, dipping into a bow. "I deeply apologize for the intrusion, Madam. A guest is demanding to see you."

    "Who is it?" Zhao Lifei raised a brow.

    "The private secretary of President Zhao Moyao." Li Xuan.

    Zhao Lifei ced her teacup down. Her grandfather couldn¡¯te here himself and speak to her? She frowned at this idea, slightly offended by his actions. "Send him away."

    "Understood, Madam." The maid bowed and excused herself while Zhao Lifei turned to herputer. She opened it and attempted to begin her work, but a loudmotion could be heard. Her lips thinned like her patience. mming theptop shut, she ordered the maid to bring everything back to her private study room.

    "Sir, Madam does not want to see you. You can¡¯t trespass on the jurisdiction that you were sent by her grandfather." The maid calmly exined to Li Xuan who was adamant on seeing Zhao Lifei one way or another.

    Wu Yuntai impatiently tapped his foot, ncing at his watch. He had been working as a Vice President for Zhao Moyao for as long as he could remember, he had never witnessed Zhao Lifei denying an invitation to see her grandfather. He figured a fight might have urred between them for a rift this big to happen in their rtionship. Today¡¯s matter was urgent and her presence was direly needed.

    Li Xuan didn¡¯te unprepared. He had a group of menacing men behind him, ready to attack on his orders.

    "What is going on here?" Zhao Lifei demanded, storming to the front entrance where two businessmen behaved and stood like local thugs. She had never witnessed Li Xuan¡¯s angered, stormy face. It was vicious, as a loyalpdog like him should be. His eyes were filled with indignation as if he was triggered by her actions.

    Li Xuan wanted to ask why he was denied entrance into her home, but that was a personal question and he didn¡¯t have the time for that. "Something dire has happened to the President, please get into the car."

    Zhao Lifei crossed her arms, "I know this is just another tactic to make me see him. For thest time, I¡¯m not going to forgive him until¡ª"

    "I don¡¯t care what you want!" Li Xuan¡¯s calmposure snapped. The usually quiet, cold, yet tranquil and silent secretary had never once reprimanded her or dared to raise his voice towards her. He heavily respected her, not because she was Zhao Moyao¡¯s granddaughter, but because he too, had witnessed the great things she could do.

    "President Zhao, YOUR grandfather is in the hospital in critical condition! It¡¯s not about what you want at this point, it¡¯s about what needs to happen."

    Zhao Lifei was stunned at his action and behavior. She always knew her grandfather had some sort of health condition, but she was never exposed to the extent of it. As far as she knew, it was only a minor issue affecting his aching body.

    "The president has already been under a lot of stress and has been suffering from restless nights. Your stunt the other day only worsened his illness and he has spent the previous couple of days putting a mental strain on himself." Li Xuan scowled, "Take some responsibility, Miss Lifei."

    "Take some responsibility?!" She repeated in a shrill voice, "After what he has done to me, you expect me to ept all of the me? I¡¯m not the one¡ª" She stopped herself before she let loose her temper in front of unnecessary eyes. Breathing in deeply, she closed her eyes, counted to three and opened them again.

    "Take me to the hospital." Zhao Lifei bit out, walking towards the car. Wu Yuntai exchanged nces with Li Xuan before he opened the door for the spoiled heiress, waited for her to get in, and then closed the door behind her.

    Li Xuan¡¯s blood was still boiling with her temper, but at the least, was d that she was able to restrain her anger for now. A life was at risk. Engaging in a pointless argument was only going to waste more time. He got into the driver¡¯s seat and started the car while Wu Yuntai also entered his vehicle. The men that they brought also dispersed into three separate cars.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s gaze was lost out the window as she stared into space. She didn¡¯t want to admit it, but when the news of Zhao Moyao¡¯s hospitalization traveled through her ears and into her heart, it shook and trembled.

    She was terrified that something might¡¯ve happened to him and that it might be her fault. She couldn¡¯t help but rey the moment she stormed out of his house and heard the tter of a cane and chair tumbling over. He must¡¯ve struggled to stand to his feet, much less, attempt to grab her.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s heart was prickled with guilt, but even so, she refused to forgive him for what he had done to her. She knew she would never forgive him. Things like this can¡¯t be brushed under the rug.

    Li Xuan nced at her in the rearview mirror. "You can¡¯t me him for wanting to keep you safe." He spoke up with a neutral-toned voice. He was neither happy nor calm. "I understand his method of doing so was cruel and inhumane, but in the end, he had your best interest in mind. No one can predict the future. No one expected Zheng Tianyi to rashly behave like that."

    "You speak as if you know what my grandfather is thinking about." Zhao Lifei coldly said, "How long have you known this? Does everyone else know but me?"

    Li Xuan could see the hospital approaching in the distance. "The President has recently informed me of this. I don¡¯t know how many others he has told this too."

    "If you discovered the information so recent, then keep your mouth shut and continue driving. I don¡¯t need unnecessary opinions to weigh in." Zhao Lifei chillingly responded with a displeased look on her face.

    "Indeed, myck of knowledge should¡¯ve sealed my mouth, however, you must realize that you alsock knowledge of his decisions. I am constantly by the President¡¯s side, patiently listening to his grumbling and rants."

    "I have personally witnessed his struggles and the turmoil he faces. I was there to see how much he tortures himself for what has happened in the past. He heavily regrets his decisions, but you need to know, that he did it with your best interests in his heart. He would never intentionally hurt you, and you know that fact better than anyone else."

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t respond. She behaved like she didn¡¯t hear his words, that it was just wind passing by her ears. In reality, she heard him loud and clear but still chose not toment.

    Li Xuan continued, "The least you can do is hear him out. It¡¯s fine to feel hatred towards what he has done. It can be counted as betrayal, but in the end, no one could predict the future." Li Xuan¡¯s grip on the steering wheel tightened.

    "When you came to him, asking for help, he offered it to you without a second thought. You wanted to escape Shenbei, fine. He pulled strings and got you enlisted without anyplications and even had people look out for you in the military."

    He sighed, "I know you weren¡¯t aware of it, but he has worked very hard to get the officers off his back. A lot of them have constantly attempted to reach out to you, but Zhao Moyao kept them in check and even strained his rtionships with them to keep you from going back there."

    He continued his rant, "Madam Ge Yafan was supposed to be the President¡¯s trump card. He originally nned to use her as a means of obtaining shares from Yang Mujian, and once the Elder was dealt with, he nned on taking the shares that Ge Yafan possessed. This would immensely benefit him and the Zhao family in the long run. However, he abandoned the n just because your life was at stake."

    Li Xuan felt like he was rambling too much, thus, decided to conclude with a short and simple, "The President has always looked over you, one way or the other. Yes, he has ws, but you must remind yourself that in the end, we are only human."

 Chapter 383 - Freshly Bloomed Lilies

    Zhao Lifei wished she had prepared herself mentally and physically when she stepped through the boundary separating her from the hospital room. The faint smell of chemicals mixed with a healthy concoction of essential oils lingered in the room, swarming up her nose. Her senses tingled with the familiar, but unpleasant memories. Light, rhythmic beeping of a machine created a small white noise in the perfectly-cleaned and organized room.

    "Has anyone else been in here?" Zhao Lifei¡¯s hands felt empty. At a time like this, should she have brought flowers? Her eyes lifted to the small vases beside her grandfather.

    "Yes, your older cousin, Zhao Xingxing was the first to visit. She brought the freshly bloomed lilies. Apanying her is Zhao Jing came with a basket of fruit and a bouquet of carnations." Li Xuan answered in a heartbeat, ready to list on more names, but Zhao Lifei shook her head.

    "Get rid of the flowers."

    "Miss Zhao!" Li Xuan rmingly said, astonished by her words.

    "Grandfather will be offended if he wakes up to flowers. He¡¯ll think people are mourning for his death already." Zhao Lifei clicked her tongue, stalking to the flower, her hands brushing against the white lily petal. "Throw this one out first. Freshly bloomed lilies will have exposed pollens that might spark allergies. This is also the type of flower you¡¯d bring to a funeral."

    Li Xuan paused. The lilies were easily the most beautiful flowers in the room and its mellow pearl-white color was a nice bnce to the world of pink, yellow, and red. "The President will not mind the pollen. He¡¯s not allergic to it. If we get rid of the flowers without his permission, he will think none of his grandchildren visited him."

    "Grandfather is wise. He¡¯ll know everyone wille rushing into this hospital room to wait for his will. Besides, he was never the type of man to care about his children or grandchildren."

    ¡¯But he cared about you.¡¯ Wu Yuntai thought to himself. He kept his mouth shut and turned to Li Xuan whose full lips were pulled into a straight line. "We will leave that decision to the President."

    "Fine then. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you." Zhao Lifei murmured, stepping back from the flowers.

    She was attempting to find everything and anything that could distract her from the unconscious man lying on the hospital bed. She didn¡¯t want to look upon his grey, paling skin, or the needles stuck into his veins. He was always a healthy weight, but lying on the hospital bed now, she could see his skin clinging onto his body, exposing the veins underneath.

    "Did the doctors say when he will wake up?" Zhao Lifei shifted her head in the opposite direction of the bed, an action that neither of the men missed.

    "The doctors said he fainted due to stress and strain. It¡¯s unsure when he will wake up, but hopefully, it will be by tomorrow." Li Xuan didn¡¯t miss the opportunity to throw her a discreet nce when he mentioned the cause of the hospitalization.

    She caught onto his stare and re, "I hope you¡¯re not suggesting that I am the reason as to why he¡¯s hospitalized."

    "I¡¯m not implying anything." Li Xuan frowned, "The President was fine just a couple of days ago, up until¡ª"

    "Until I confronted him with the truth." Zhao Lifei finished for him, crossing her arms in defense. "We don¡¯t have time to y the me game." She nced at the calendar on the other side of the room. "I¡¯m sure you know what this means."

    Li Xuan wished he didn¡¯t have to think about the future. Although Zhao Moyao was very cold and aloof to him, behaving like a ruthless dictator at times, Li Xuan still felt a connection to his Boss. Zhao Moyao was like a harsh mentor, or maybe even a distant uncle, to him. It was the worst thing to do, but right now, they had to think about the worst-case-scenario. What if Zhao Moyao doesn¡¯t wake up?

    "What are you implying?" Li Xuan finally gathered the courage to ask her the question.

    "Exactly what you¡¯re thinking about." Zhao Lifei answered with a slight frown. "If my cousins have already made their move by visiting the hospital, it means words have gotten out to my other rtives that grandfather is sick."

    Wu Yuntai shared the same worried expression on his face. "Everyone is already nning on dethroning him."

    "Yes." Zhao Lifei pressed her lips together. This was exactly why Zhao Moyao despised his dysfunctional family. They only care about benefiting themselves, and never benefiting each other. Just because he was hospitalized, everyone was already making their move on seizing Zhao Corporation.

    "As we speak, I can assume my rtives are already dividing into separate teams. Maybe they¡¯ve already gotten past that stage and are currently plotting to backstab each other." Zhao Lifei was born long after her grandmother had died. But she had heard of the messy dispute that took ce to seize the meager 5% she held. At a time like this, every little share mattered ¡ª regardless of how big or small it was.

    "You don¡¯t have to assume any longer." Wu Yuntai said, holding up his phone with an amused expression. He wasn¡¯t even part of their family but received an invitation to dinner tonight. "You rich folks are so quick to betray."

    "You¡¯re also a rich folk because of the President." Li Xuan frowned.

    "Says the right-hand man." Wu Yuntai mused.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s phone vibrated and she nced down to see it was a message from one of her uncles inviting her to an exclusive dinner. Her eyebrows raised when he mentioned her as "the guest of honor." Of course, she was. The share she possessed was no joke and now that her rtionship with Yang Feng was aired, her rtives must¡¯ve assumed he would give her his shares. If she wanted to, she could easily be one of the most outstanding candidates for the CEO position at Zhao Corporation. But that was not her. She didn¡¯t want thepany. She had her own to worry about ¡ª one that she built from the ground-up.

    "Are you going?" Wu Yuntai didn¡¯t want to go, but he had to for the sake of being a spy.

    "No." Zhao Lifei slipped her phone into her pocket, "You will go there in my stead."

    "Then where will you be?"

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes shifted to the unconscious Zhao Moyao. He was partially the reason, but another was that she didn¡¯t want to see her annoying, backstabbing rtives. Besides, if she was there, they wouldn¡¯t talk as much trash as she wanted them to. If one was smart enough, anything said in there could be used as a weapon against them.

    Wu Yuntai¡¯s lips parted in understanding. For once, Li Xuan finally rxed a bit, the left corner of his mouth tilting up.

    "Don¡¯t go there empty-handed." Zhao Lifei pulled out her phone, sent a quick text, then slipped it back into her pocket. "I¡¯m sure they will never disrespect a rtive by doing a full-body scan to check for recording devices. However, they will utilize a technology whose sound waves can cancel the mics." She raised her head from the phone, "I¡¯m having special ones delivered right now. I expect you to wear them and wisely conceal it somewhere."

    Wu Yuntai nodded his head, "Sir, yes, sir." He joked, in hopes of brightening the tense atmosphere. He received res of warning from both Zhao Lifei and Li Xuan.

    Ten minutes passed by, then fifteen, and the door opened. Both men found themselves scrambling to their feet as if Zhao Moyao had walked in. The presence of the guest was powerful, overbearing. His familiar, chiseled features forced them to hold their breath. "Good afternoon, President Yang."

    Yang Feng gave a small nod of acknowledgment, but he mainly kept his eyes centered on the woman sitting by the couch, legs crossed. He wasted no time to cross the distance to her, whisking her to her feet.

    "I was surprised to receive your message." He informed her, a hand resting on her lower back and the other holding a small box. "What do you need these for?" He asked her to which she took the box, and uncapped it, revealing an inconspicuous white dot that could easily blend into any white button-up.

    The only person that Zhao Lifei could think of was Yang Feng. Knowing him, he could practically get his hands on anything and it was no surprise to her that he was able to get her this small and easily conceble mic. "Wu Yuntai will be heading to a family dinner. I need him mic-ed up." She exined, closing the box with a small smile.

    "Was it hard to acquire these?" She asked, standing on her tippy-toes to brush her hand against his face, sliding down to settle on his shoulders.

    "The base already had it in their possession." Yang Feng left out the part where he threatened to annihte an entire n if he didn¡¯t get his hands on this device within five minutes. Whatever his wife wanted, she shall get.

 Chapter 384 - Scorned Wife

    "You didn¡¯t have to personally deliver it to me, but thank you for doing so." Zhao Lifei warmly replied, leaning up to present him with a small kiss on his cheek. He was frozen with shock. He purposely didn¡¯t do anything to her in fear that she was still worried about public disys of affection. Seeing how she didn¡¯t seem to care anymore, he rxed. His index finger curled under her chin, grabbing it with his thumb. He leaned low, his breath fanning over her ears. In a low, seductive voice that only they could hear, he whispered, "Why don¡¯t you thank me in another way?"

    "I thought you said you didn¡¯t want to hurt the baby?" She replied in an equally quiet voice, staring at him with usations. His lips tilted upwards into a wolfish-smirk that did wild things to her lower stomach. "Did I now?" His hands traveled to her sides, squeezing it, "You must¡¯ve misheard me, my dear wife."

    "Hmm, I¡¯m pretty sure you also said we shouldn¡¯t do any strenuous activities." Zhao Lifei teased, purposely biting her bottom lip. She inwardly smirked in triumph when he wasted no time to stare at the small action before tearing his eyes away from her mouth.

    "Don¡¯t worry, there are other activities we can do that aren¡¯t strenuous..." Yang Feng responded, curling a finger and touching her cheek. "For example¡ª"

    "President, I hate to interrupt this moment, but the meeting with the Board of Directors will begin in fifteen minutes. It¡¯s best for us to head back now."

    Yang Feng debated the idea of shing Chen Gaonan¡¯s sry by half. He was so close to convincing his wife and the damn secretary just had to ruin the moment.

    Chen Gaonan resisted the urge to sneeze. Was someone thinking about him?

    "You have such an important meetinging up?! I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know." Zhao Lifei pushed him away from her, waving her hands at him and shooing him away. "Go on, don¡¯t let me distract you."

    Yang Feng gloomily scowled at her words. "You are never a distraction in my eyes." He sternly told her, grabbing her hand and brushing his thumb upon her knuckles. He stared at her as if he was departing on a long journey to the Pacific and that he may never return. All he needed was a boat and his wife waving a handkerchief at him.

    "Well then, please return to your office and continue to increase your ie." Zhao Lifei chuckled, squeezing his hand before taking her hand back.

    He sighed at her words, "It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll use the ie anyway." He sullenly said, grabbing her by the back of her head and tenderly kissing her on the cheek, his lips lingering for the briefest second. She touched her face, momentarily distracted by him while he disappeared out of the door, but not before taking onest nce at her. She realized he was beginning to have a habit of doing that, as if he was memorizing her features, etching them into his brain as a permanent painting. He was, yet again, terrified of losing her.

    - - - - -

    After thoroughly convincing, Zhao Lifei was finally able to push both Li Xuan and Wu Yuntai out of the hospital room, so that they could get some food. She didn¡¯t know they hadn¡¯t eaten the entire day while worrying about their President¡¯s condition. She needed them to be in their best condition, especially during a time like this. Thus, she kicked them both out and demanded them toe back two hourster.

    Now that she was alone in the room, she immediately wished she didn¡¯t encourage both of them to leave at the same time. She didn¡¯t know how to react or behave. What was she supposed to do? Sit there and wait for him to wake up?

    "You know, grandfather." She said, sitting by his bedside. "All I wanted was for you to admit your wrongdoings."

    Zhao Lifei raised her head to nce out of the window. "I didn¡¯t expect an apology from you, nor did I want one. It¡¯s out of your nature to give me such a thing. But at the least, I expected you to admit this n didn¡¯t go as expected. I didn¡¯t need an exnation." She pulled the nket up to his chin and ensured the temperature was to his liking.

    "I know you care about me... Your heart was in the right ce, but your head was not." She didn¡¯t understand why she was saying this when he was unconscious. It wasn¡¯t like he could hear her. Nheless, it brought her a sense of reassurance and encouraged her to speak more, "I resented you, so much so, that I allowed my soul to be tainted ck. I spent so many nights at the military, wondering why you never came to my aid."

    "I guess I had forgotten you wanted to teach me how to stand on my own two feet. I know you wanted me to pick myself up from the ground, as I should have done a long time ago."

    Zhao Lifei could still distinctly remember falling onto her knees where the only thing that was scraped was her leggings. She wasn¡¯t visibly hurt and nothing was hurting her. However, she was a needy kid, deprived of parental love, so she had to seek it in the form of Zhao Moyao¡¯s attention. He was walking right beside her and refused to help her stand up. She cried her lungs out until he finally relented, picked her up, wiped her tears away, then reprimanded her for the tantrum. He told her he had hoped she would understand the importance of standing up by herself.

    "It must¡¯ve been tough attempting to raise me without any experience." All of Zhao Moyao¡¯s children were passed to the nannies¡¯ care and when they outgrew them, he passed them along to private tutors. The Great Monarch did not lower himself for the sake of children. He didn¡¯t think he needed to until he met Zhao Lifei who mbered to him without hesitation.

    "You watched me grow, break down, whither away, then grow a bit more, and learn to water myself." She felt cheesy for using such a simple analogy, "But I just wished you would¡¯ve told me why you did it. Why you stood by the sidelines instead of offering your usual helping-hand. Maybe then, I wouldn¡¯t have resented you that much."

    Zhao Lifei yed with the ring dangling off her ne, her fingers stroking over the fine details. "I can never forgive you for what you have done, but I know you do not expect forgiveness."

    Zhao Lifei sat infortable silence, staring at the setting sun. The sky was painted in a beautiful hue of sunbathed orange, rosy pink, andvender purple with tinges of tiffany blue. The white specks of stretched clouds made it a very picturesque scenery.

    "Everyone deserves a second chance. You were the one who unintentionally taught me that by helping me search for ways of redemption. I truly appreciate what you have done for me and I know forgiveness will be a long stretch. But I suppose you can say we¡¯re even now, in terms of favors."

    Checking the time, she slowly rose to her feet. She adjusted his pillows, refilled the water in the humidifier, double-checked the temperature, then analyzed the stats on the machine. After her work was done, she timidly slipped away from the bed.

    "Sleep well, grandfather..." She opened the door and flickered off the light directly on top of his bed. The rest of the lights were turned on, but she wanted him to rest at ease. She was going to close the door, but then stood by it for a few seconds and finally said, "I will be back tomorrow." Then she left.

    Haggard eyes, weighed with bags fluttered open and close. A dry, heaving voice breathed out, "They...were...never...favors." A finger twitched, rough and deep breathing for air could be heard. His head slowly rolled to the side where Zhao Lifei had previously stood. "Xiao Fei... Don¡¯t fly away... from the nest... so quickly." [1]

    Then he slipped back into the abyss of ck, his taunt body finally rxing. Slowly, but surely, his body eased into afortable sleep.

    - - - - -

    Stepping out of the elevator, Zhao Lifei was surprised to bump into her cousins all together. Zhao Xingxing was apanied by Zhao Jing, which wasn¡¯t a surprise to her, considering that both of them had been close ever since they were children.

    "Lifei, I didn¡¯t expect to see you here sote." Zhao Xingxing was as elegantlyposed as Zhao Lifei hadst-remembered this woman to be. Fairy-like features, delicate shoulders, demure posture, and long, slender legs which could stretch for miles, and excelling height enhanced by the moderately-tall heels, Zhao Xingxing¡¯s beauty was out of this world. This was the exact reason why her suitors could form a line that wrapped around her enormous house.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes trailed to the fruit basket in Zhao Jing¡¯s hands. Seeing as he had already given their grandfather a fruit basket, she could only assume that he was holding it for Zhao Xingxing.

    "Yes, I was just leaving." She amicably smiled, polite and guarded as always.

    She consistently maintained a safe distance from her conniving rtives, but Zhao Xingxing and Zhao Jing were the only ones she didn¡¯t mind. So far, they had never given her a reason to not trust them. They wereid back people of the family and don¡¯t meddle in unnecessary affairs beneath them. All three of them were just trying to survive in their equally screwed up families. Entangling themselves in backstabbing was deemed all too tiring.

    "If that¡¯s the case, please take my coat. Now that the sun has set, it has gotten very cold." Zhao Xingxing slipped off the knitted white and pink shawl off her shoulders.

    Zhao Lifei politely declined it with a shake of her head. "You¡¯re wearing a dress shorter than me. You will be cold as well. Don¡¯t worry about me." She helped button the shawl for Zhao Xingxing.

    Zhao Xingxing red at Zhao Jing. Ugh, chivalry was so dead in this era of technology. Zhao Jing¡¯s brows creased in confusion before it finally clicked for him. "Oh, take my suit jacket¡ª"

    "Jeez, took you long enough." Zhao Xingxing scoffed, rolling her eyes at her dense older cousin. Sometimes it was hard to tell which one was the oldest based on how frequent she bullied him.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes widened a bit, "No, it¡¯s fine. Really¡ª"

    "Trust me, if I let you get sick on my watch, my mother will kill me." Zhao Jing didn¡¯t tell her why. He slipped off his jacket and shuddered when the cold nipped at his skin. That¡¯s strange, why did it feel much colder...

    Zhao Lifei, too, felt the drop in temperature. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was. Oh dear. There¡¯s a scorned wife drinking vinegar by himself.

 Chapter 385 - His Wallet and Reputation

    Zhao Jing turned to the direction in which Zhao Lifei was staring. If the Devil was a human, it would be the fearsome man approaching them. The tall, impressive figure with lethal air surrounding him, informed Zhao Jing of who this man was ¡ª Zhao Lifei¡¯s trump card, President Yang Feng himself. He did not look happy.

    "You¡¯re here," Zhao Lifei¡¯s tired eyes brightened, turning the dark chocte into the color of autumn. She was in a neutral, polite mood before their conversation. The sight of her husband was enough to lift her mood. "Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were going to pick me up?"

    Yang Feng¡¯s gaze skimmed over her for a brief second, lingering on her unarmed stomach before lifting it to stare into her eyes. A lot of willpower was utilized to ensure he wasn¡¯t hypnotized by the folds of gold.

    "I wanted to surprise you." He gruffly answered, shrugging off the coat hanging on his shoulder and securely slipping it onto her slender body. He tugged the zipper upwards and adjusted the buttons.

    Zhao Lifei felt tiny in his coat. It fitted him snuggly and would hug his body in the right ces. For her though, it hung off her shoulders, loose and toorge, like a dress that reached her knees. "Aw, you shouldn¡¯t have." Touched by his actions, her lips curled into a happy smile. She yed with his sleeves, finding it amusing that her fingertips were barely poking out of the ends.

    Zhao Xingxing thought she would only be able to see President Yang in magazines. If she was lucky, maybe from afar at any of the social dinners or banquets which he rarely attended. He was frequently invited to ces. To everyone¡¯s disappointment, he rarely showed up. Though, it wasn¡¯t surprising; since it has consistently urred in the past. For the fortunate ones, a rejection letter would arrive at their door, but to the random CEOs who wished to ride off of his tailcoat, they received nothing ¡ª not even a speck of dust.

    Zhao Xingxing thought her cousin had practically won the lottery when the news was announced of her rtionship with Yang Feng. For a brief moment, she, like many other socialites, had the same, foolish dream to end up in his arms. Fortunately, she had long forgotten about this foolish crush as she grew older and realized the important qualities of a man shouldn¡¯t depend entirely on his wallet and reputation ¡ª though, her parents would highly disagree.

    "I wanted to." Yang Feng murmured, easing her hair out of the heavy cors of his coat so that she would be morefortable. He adjusted her hair and ignored the desire to y with the ends. It wasn¡¯t a surprise that her hair was this soft, given the extensive amount of products she used.

    Zhao Jing exchanged nces with Zhao Xingxing who shared a simr idea: it would be in their best interest to be acquainted with their dear cousin¡¯s boyfriend.

    Zhao Lifei realized there was an audience. She cleared her throat and began the introduction. "Yang Feng, these are my cousins from my grandfather¡¯s side. This man is my eldest cousin, Zhao Jing and the woman is Zhao Xingxing."

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes skimmed over their faces, nced down at her hopeful expression, then decided an uninterested expression wasn¡¯t the best idea. He nodded his head in acknowledgment.

    "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, President Yang." Zhao Jing stuck his hand out in a handshake at which Yang Feng stared for a second and shook it.

    "Likewise."

    Zhao Jing wasn¡¯t offended by the curt replies and distant gestures. He heard this was prettymon for the ruthless President. It wasn¡¯t every day that anyone could be in his presence. This alone was enough to reassure him that maybe it wasn¡¯t so bad taking Zhao Lifei¡¯s side in the end. His mother and father had consistently reprimanded him for not betraying her in the past, but he continued to reassure them that it was better to remain neutral than to take sides. Indeed, tonight it was paying off.

    "Thank you for always looking out for my cousin." Zhao Xingxing revealed an adoring smile that reached her eyes and brought out the best features of her delicate face. "I appreciate it."

    Yang Feng nodded his head and nced towards Zhao Lifei who was staring up at him with a pointed look. It seemed she wanted him to behave like a person and not a robot. "Don¡¯t worry, she will be safe with me."

    Zhao Xingxing¡¯s eyes lit up at his long reply. She wanted to rub it all into Zhao Jing¡¯s face. Gloating to herself, her smile deepened. "I¡¯m d she has you." Her eyes shifted to Zhao Lifei, "Please continue to take care of her. I mean it." She grabbed her cousin¡¯s hand and gave it a small squeeze.

    Zhao Jing felt his phone buzz. He nced around and took it out of his pocket. "Xiao Xing, we have to head upstairs now. It¡¯s getting veryte."

    Zhao Xingxing¡¯s shoulders slumped in disappointment. She had just run into Zhao Lifei after such a long time and they barely had a conversation. "Alright then."

    "I¡¯ll see you next time?" She hopefully asked, waiting for Zhao Lifei¡¯s reply.

    "See youter, little one." Zhao Jing nodded his head.

    "Of course." Zhao Lifei smiled a bit, waving while the two rushed past her and into the elevator while maintaining their grace and dignity. Once they were out of sight, Yang Feng said, "I¡¯ll look into them."

    Zhao Lifei blinked at his words, a bit taken aback by his n. She wasn¡¯t the biggest fan of the idea but wasn¡¯t opposed to it too. She knew they were on the neutral side but the scale could easily tip to malice. Given the fact that Zhao Jing is Zhao Moyao¡¯s top candidate and on the same standing as her, she had always been very cautious of him. Zhao Xingxing was always a wild-card. It was hard to tell what she was thinking or what she wanted. Sometimes she pretended to be a slow-thinking ditz, but her actions and behavior proved just the opposite. That girl was smart and she knew how to use her charm.

    "That¡¯s not a bad idea." Zhao Lifei said, dodging the hand that was reaching for her back.

    His eyes darkened a bit at her actions. Was she angry? The thought dispersed when she slipped her tiny hands into hisrge ones, presenting him with a shy smile. He released her hands, watching her small shoulders sag, her smile dropping. Then he entwined their fingers, locking them together.

    He kissed her knuckles, "Now you know how I feel." He whispered, tugging her in the direction of the entrance where a ck Maybach was already waiting for them.

    - - - - -

    After heading home and taking a fresh shower, Zhao Lifei sat by the vanity with newly dried hair. She was applying on her nightly skincare products when Yang Feng emerged from the bathroom in all of his glory, disying his defined body for her eyes to feast on. "You should return the favor." He teased her, stepping to her and watching her pat her face with serum.

    "What favor?" She confusedly asked, cing the bottle down and then grabbing the moisturizer. Sometimes she wished she didn¡¯t invest herself in this eight-step routine. It was tiring to do and she was quite azy person. Sadly, she wasn¡¯t getting any younger and it was better to start doing this now than in herter years.

    "You had the perfect view of my body, I believe I should receive the same present." His fingers brushed onto the side of her neck, sending shivers down her spine. Slowly, they eased themselves onto the cors of her ck bathrobe. It used to smell exactly like him, but because she stole it so many times, her floral scent had mingled with the woody pine and citrus orange.

    Feeling bold and courageous, Zhao Lifei said, "How about I show you in bed?" His eyes dted, his fingers slowly easing the ck robes off her shoulders, revealing the beautiful valley of her breasts. He could see her reflection in the vanity mirror perfectly. The only thing separating them was his towel and her robe.

    "Are you sure about that, my love?" He huskily asked, bending his neck, his lips brushing onto her skin. She could feel the ghost of it linger wherever he touched. Her skin heated a bit as he teased her with his lips. She could feel her muscles clench when he pressed open-mouthed kisses down to her shoulders. His hands tugged her bathrobe lower and lower until it pooled at her stomach.

    "You already know the answer to that." She whispered, her restrained voice surprising her. She didn¡¯t realize she was waiting in anticipation with a tense body until his hands reached her shoulder des and slowly kneaded the skin, undoing the knots of her muscles.

    "Then I hope you¡¯ve recovered fromst night." He husked, picking her up and carrying her towards the bed.

 Chapter 386 - Rare Phenomenon

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t know why she was hesitating in front of the hospital door. She had been pacing outside for a good minute now, debating if she should just go home.

    It wasn¡¯t that she was fearful or nervous, but more of, she dreaded the conversation they would have. Letting out an aggravated sigh at her indecisiveness, she decided to suck it up and open the door. Once again, she was greeted by the spacious hospital room, this time, cleared of the flowers fromst night. She figured Zhao Xingxing must¡¯ve realized lilies were funeral flowers since the baskets of fruits were still sitting on a table.

    "Xiao Fei." Zhao Moyao had been watching his door ever since she was waiting outside. He wondered if she knew the sound of her pacing was loud. The small clicks of her high heels outside were like Chinese firecrackers. His eyes shifted to her t stomach. She had loosely tucked her satin navy top into her ck pants, hiding any bump from curious eyes.

    "Elder Zhao." She curtly said, her eyes coldlynding upon his upright figure. Sitting on the bed with pillows behind him as support, there was aptop propped onto the small table over the bed.

    "What a cold greeting." If she was any of his other grandchildren, he would¡¯ve called security on her for trespassing. Every time he stared at her, he was reminded of the little girl happily reaching for his hand.

    "I came to see if you had awoken. Seeing as you¡¯re fine, I will be heading out now." Zhao Lifei¡¯s aloof expression disappeared when she abruptly turned her back into him. Her job was done.

    "Cough!" Zhao Moyao forced himself to let out a heavy cough, faking a groan of pain. "I am far from fine, child. I think the date of my funeral is approaching soon."

    Zhao Lifei resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the dramatic man. "I have things to do."

    "Now, don¡¯t you want to know who will be my candidate for Chairman?"

    "Wu Yuntai or Zhao Jing will be high on your list. Evidently, you see me as a very eligible candidate but mark my words, I don¡¯t want your seat."

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s smile stiffened. He was biased enough to wish to see her in the CEO chair. "Why?"

    "I don¡¯t want anything to do with thepany that ruined your rtionship with every rtive that you have. I hope one day you¡¯re able to change the way you behave before you lose everyone and die alone. Once your position is given away, no one will turn their head towards you."

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s face softened. In the end, she still cared for him whether she knew it or not. "That¡¯s alright with me. I prefer my peace." His eyes met her emotionless ones. She stared at him as one does to a stranger. "Though, thepany of my great-grandchildren will be weed with open arms."

    "Great-grandchildren?" She raised a brow, "Which one? The one in Heaven or the one you¡¯ll never see?"

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s face was riddled with guilt as he closed hisptop and turned to face her. "Xiao Fei, what will it take for you to forgive me?"

    Zhao Lifei was speechless with disbelief. Her entire life, she always assumed her grandfather was too stubborn and egoistic to apologize. He had never apologized before, nor did he seek the forgiveness of someone. Even if he was in the wrong, he would refuse to admit it and force the other party to apologize instead.

    "I don¡¯t want an apology. Actions speak louder than words." Zhao Lifei frowned.

    "Then what shall I do for you to forgive me?"

    "Time and space away from you."

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s warmth shriveled up and died off. "Yes, it would take time for you to heal, but it can also be viewed as cowardly antics."

    "Funny enough, many years have passed by, yet you have not healed from the guilt." Zhao Lifei crossed her arms and stepped closer to the door. It was in her best interest to leave, as this conversation seemed to go nowhere.

    "I could never heal from my guilt because you could never forgive me."

    "Forgiveness?" Zhao Lifei repeated the foreign word on her tongue. "You are the one who has taught me that forgiveness is a weakness." The qualities that he had harbored her to have were making themselves known. He didn¡¯t know if he shouldugh or cry at the realization that he was being forced to eat his own words.

    "You were weak, to begin with. I should¡¯ve known that when you grew a thick skin to shelter yourself from the schemes of your rtives and hatred of your parents. But that was long after the contract was signed." Zhao Moyao wished she wouldn¡¯t behave so stubbornly, but he couldn¡¯t say that for he was equally as hard-headed as her.

    "Contrary to your belief, I was never fooled by Yang Mujian, nor was I blinded by the wealth and benefits that the Zhengs had to offer. I was merely thinking of the happiness that Zheng bastard could provide for you. It seems the pr opposite happened and for that, I apologize. It was my fault that I signed the contract, but I will not take the me for your growth and maturity." Zhao Moyao sternly told her, his voice a contrast to his frail, feeble body condition.

    "Without the humiliation you suffered, you would¡¯ve still behaved like an entitled, spoiled woman. You wouldn¡¯t have gainedbat and weaponry skills. You wouldn¡¯t have met the friends you made on the battlefield. And above all, you might¡¯ve never met Yang Feng ever again. Perhaps fate led you back to each other, but I was never one to believe such foolishness."

    "But I can say, Xiao Fei, that I am thoroughly sorry for what I have done to you. It is with my actions that sparked a chaotic path of destruction for you."

    Zhao Lifei was stunned speechless by his words. He had apologized twice in one day, a phenomenon as rare as snow in summer. Her throat constricted and she was tongue-tied. What was she supposed to do or say? She couldn¡¯t forgive him for what he had done. What can apologies do? It couldn¡¯t reverse time, but neither can she reverse the actions she had contributed towards her self-destruction. They were both equally at fault and only with time could they heal from it. But will they continue to see each other in the process of healing? Or would shepletely cut him off from her life?

    "I care for you, Xiao Fei. I love you more than I love any of my grandchildren. You were personally raised by me when I never thought of myself as a suitable parent or grandparent. To me, you¡¯re the perfect illusion that perhaps, I could¡¯ve been a better parent to my greedy children, but at this point, you and your child are all I ever need."

    "I know we both need time to heal from this, but please, it would bring me the greatest happiness to see you from time to time. I have lived a long, dutiful life where I witnessed your tremendous growth that fills my heart with pride, but I fear the day I die without you by my side."

    And then the waterworks came. She turned so that her back faced him and harshly wiped the tears away. She didn¡¯t want him to see this vulnerable side of her. Her body jumped, scared of its wits when a hand gently ced itself on her shoulder. He wiped her tears away and said, "I am d to see you are finally able to stand on your own two feet."

    She felt d¨¦j¨¤ vu from his actions, her heart prickling with pain at the memories of her past. "You speak as if you¡¯ll die so quickly."

    "Well, I always have to be prepared for the worst." Zhao Moyao chuckled, handing her a handkerchief to which she gratefully epted and dried thest part of her tears, turning to him with reddened eyes and nose. He wanted to tease her sullen expression, the small pout, and a face that reminded him of the crybaby she used to be. He missed that side of her, but then forced the thought from his head.

    "You won¡¯t see me from time to time."

    Zhao Moyao¡¯s smile saddened.

    "I will continue to see you as if nothing has ever happened, but that doesn¡¯t mean I will ever forgive you for your actions. Your actions were out of the kindness of your heart and, though it was poorly executed, I understand why you did what you did during a moment of desperation." Zhao Lifei interlocked her fingers together and stared at his astonished face that broke into a tiny, fond smile.

    "My, you seem to grow more and more with each passing second." He mused, his eyes zing over, moistening a bit at the thought of her finally growing up. Even with all of the aplishments she has racked up, in his eyes, she will forever be the little girl chasing after him with her childish pronunciation of "Gwandpa!"

 Chapter 387 - Cute

    Yang Ruqin was buried under a mountain of her halfpleted sketches. She had sent in the finalized drawings a couple of days ago and had worked very hard with her team to design the clothes as simr to the drawings as possible. Today, she was finally catching a break and it was in the form of sleeping like a dead body on a couch. Crumbled paper littered the floor, upying the areas on the couch that her body didn¡¯t touch. She was snoring in blissful oblivion when a rough knock at her door jolted her awake. Her heart drummed at the memory of waking up to Mu Ting¡¯s rash banging on her door. Even though it was in the past, her brain could never forget the terror she felt.

    The person outside of the door only knocked once, yet it was urgent and loud enough to startle her from her sleep. She tiredly rubbed her eyes and looked towards the clock that indicated her two-hour nap became a full-blown twelve-hour sleep. Oh well. ¡¯Not like I have anything better to do with my life.¡¯ She carelessly thought to herself, yawning and stretching before trudging to the apartment door.

    Yang Ruqin wondered who it could¡¯ve been. This was her private apartment and not the one she would meet with her team to design clothes. No one should know this location except for Zhao Lifei. She hoped her Feifei was going to show up with an Americano or Iced Mhiato... Speaking of which, she knew she would need to catch up with Zhao Lifei about what recently happened to her.

    Yang Ruqin opened the door to Huo Qiudong holding a paper bag with a green circle logo of a famous coffee branch. "Good morning¡ª"

    She mmed the door shut.

    Yang Ruqin ced her hand over her heart. ¡¯My goodness, I must be dreaming again!¡¯ Her legs retracted to the mirror a few steps away and she wanted to dig herself a hole. Her appearance was far from perfect and she looked as if she went through hell and back. Dressed in herfy sweats and an oversized t-shirt with cartoon prints on it, she wondered if she should just jump out of the window and escape down the streets.

    Huo Qiudong awkwardly stood outside, scratching his head. Maybe good morning was too cheesy for her? He didn¡¯t know what else to say since this was the best thing he could think of. Beforeing here, he was practicing things to greet her with but in the end, settled with a good morning as the best idea. Seeing her immediate reaction, he began to chide himself for using such a nd greeting. Look at what it had done for him! It scared away his crush! He wanted to bang his head on the door for feeling so stupid, only, the door opened again, but by the smallest crack.

    "U-uhm...Do you mind waiting outside for... say, ten minutes?"

    "Is everything alright?" Huo Qiudong forced himself toe back to reality.

    "Yes, it is. But uhm... I don¡¯t look my best right now."

    "Really? You looked fine to me." Huo Qiudong was never the type topliment women in hopes of making them feel better. He did see her messy appearance, even if it was only for a second, but because it was her, he didn¡¯t mind. He was happy to say he had seen her in her best and also her worst.

    "That...I...." Yang Ruqin stammered, finding the right way to respond to him. As a previous supermodel, she was used topliments thrown at her from left and right to the point that ttery andpliments had be meaningless to her a long time ago ¡ª even if it was said by someone close to her. However, to her surprise, her heart skipped a beat at hispliment, her face flushed like that of a giggling schoolgirl.

    "T-thank you." Her flustered voice sounded foreign to her ears. She was always used to being confident in front of men with her blinding appearance. She knew her charm and the things she had to offer. Utilizing every bit of her appearance and yful behavior, charming men was not hard; yet, when faced with Huo Qiudong¡¯s nk expression and distant eyes, she found herself struggling to keep her act.

    "May Ie in?"

    "A-about that..." Yang Ruqin wanted to cry to the Heavens. She swore if she got up there, she would kick the butts of the people forcing her into this highly embarrassing situation.

    "What? Are you hiding a man in there?" Huo Qiudong joked, even though his eyes darkened at his own words. Great, just great. He angered himself because of his joke.

    "What?! No! Of course not!" Yang Ruqin panicked and in doing so, she flung the door open to show she wasn¡¯t lying. Huo Qiudong¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the messy apartment. His instincts to clean the ce kicked in.

    "Your office..."

    "Is messy, I know! Please don¡¯t look! I also look messy! But I promise I¡¯m not like this son a daily basis. You have to believe me." Yang Ruqin yelped, standing on her tippy-toe to cover his eyes.

    Huo Qiudong was momentarily shocked by her actions, his body stiffening at the attack of her feminine scent. It tickled his nose and prompted him to breathe in her sweet scent.

    Realizing what she had done and the proximity of her actions, Yang Ruqin jumped back and retracted her hands. "I-I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to intrude into your personal space." She brushed her strands of hair behind her ears and stared at her white cedar floors, wishing a hole would open up and swallow her.

    Huo Qiudong was awestruck by the adorable sight of her blush and the way she fidgeted under his gaze. He never realized his charm towards a woman until he saw her sneaked nces at him, only to look at the floor. Stepping into the apartment, he closed the door behind him and ced the cup of coffee down. "That¡¯s alright, I don¡¯t mind. Why don¡¯t you get ready for the day and I¡¯ll clean up your apartment?" He offered her, even though he was adamant on tidying this ce. His hands itched to organize the spacious apartment.

    "T-that would be perfect, thank you." Yang Ruqin wondered where her poise and confidence went. She couldn¡¯t help but behave like a childish girl in his presence.

    "Feel free to throw away the crumbled paper, but please leave my drawing and painting supplies where it is. As for the multiple opened sketchbooks, they can go onto the bookshelf." She pointed towards herbeled bookshelves before escaping into the bathroom in her apartment. Hurriedly, she brushed her teeth, washed her face, fixed her hair, and then ran to the closet. Subconsciously, she reached for the clothes that matched the color of his.

    Eventually, she found herself an ivory cashmere sweater that matched his shirt. It was loose and baggy to which she tucked it into a small, id skirt that emphasized her small waist. She tied the belt that it came with into a loose ribbon tumbling down her right side, adjusting the ck buttons so that she didn¡¯t identally sh him. She curled her hair in waves, threw on some decorative rings, wore minimal make-up that would bring out her natural features, then waltzed out of the room thirty-minutester.

    Her eyes widened at the sight of her clean apartment. It hadn¡¯t been this tidy and organized for a while now and she felt like she stepped into apletely different ce. Even the decorative throw-pillows were fluffed and neatly organized on the couch, albeit the position was a bit too perfect for her liking. She wondered why they seemed to be evenly spaced apart. Then she saw the ruler sitting beside Huo Qiudong who was upying himself on the couch.

    His stern expression but polite seating position made her want tough and tease him. "Did you use a ruler to organize the pillows?" She curiously asked him while lessening the distance between them.

    His head snapped up and for the second time today, he was blinded by her beauty. He thought she looked perfectly fine before, but now that she had gotten ready for the day, he found himself tongue-tied and unable to say anything. He did his best to not stare at her long, smooth legs. "I-is it weird?" The tables had turned on him and it was his turn to be flustered and stuttering. She was just so enticingly beautiful, he didn¡¯t know how to react to her presence. He gulped and held his breath when she sauntered to him, her fingers brushing onto the angled ruler.

    Huo Qiudong¡¯s rapidly beating heart felt like it could jump out of his chest at any given moment. He was particrly worried about her reaction toward his tendencies. He knew most people found it weird and some might even find it repulsing, by his desire to have small objects equally spaced out. His parents had always reprimanded him on his behavior, iming that no woman wanted an overbearing strait like his.

    "Nope. I think it¡¯s cute." Yang Ruqin ced the ruler onto herp, then seated herself beside him. Her fingers identally brushed against his, and the smallest touch was enough to make him stiffen.

    "Hm, you smell different thanst time. Is it cologne?" She asked, leaning closer to him in hopes of identifying the scent. It was a bit woody, but with tinges of a refreshing ocean breeze. She liked that scent and was inclined toe closer, not realizing he was going to die from a heart attack at any given moment.

    "No, I changed my body wash this morning." He was attempting to remain as still as possible, not daring to touch her more than needed. Now that he was sure he wanted to court her, he tried to remain as polite as possible. But with her constant movement and her scent clouding his senses, he felt his hand reaching up to brush rogue strands of hair out of her eyes.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s eyes widened at his actions, caught off-guard. She knew what she was doing to him. Her yful nature came out at how nervous he was behaving. She wanted to pinch his cheek and hug him. He was simply that cute! But now that he had turned the tables on her, gently lifting her chin to look at her better, it was her turn to nervously licked her lips.

    His eyes were focused on the small action, but then he lifted his eyes back to hers. He never realized this prior, but her eyes were truly lovely. They were oddly darker than his, but there was so much emotion buried within them that he found himself looking into the second most beautiful thing in the world ¡ª the first being her.

 Chapter 388 - Mere Acquaintances

    Huo Qiudong¡¯s thumb ran itself over her lips. He leaned closer as if he was going to do something. Her lips, soft and naturally pink like that of peony petals, beckoned him. He was drawn to them, like a captain to a siren.

    Staring deeply into her eyes didn¡¯t help his case. She was perfectly still for him, whether it was on purpose or not, he didn¡¯t know. When she batted hershes, it teased him far more than he would¡¯ve liked. Her dark hair came down on each side of her shoulders, the strands skimming over her chest.

    His heart lurched when she bit her lip. Huo Qiudong was a second close from kissing her. Her soft and sweet scent was yanking him back to her. With heavy regret and reluctance, he forced himself to pull back and release her chin.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s cheeks heated when she realized what had just happened. She scooted back a bit and looked away from him, with fear that he would catch the redness of her cheeks. She was never an easy woman. Obtaining her was a difficult feat that not many had achieved. Oddly enough, in his presence, she turned into mush and openly allowed him to do as he pleased. She couldn¡¯t believe her own behavior.

    The heated atmosphere prompted them to discreetly find each other. After a heavy silence, he spoke up, "I bought an Americano and a Carameltte for you. I wasn¡¯t sure if you were the type to prefer your drinks bitter or sweet, so I got both."

    Huo Qiudong didn¡¯t mention the fact that he studied the menu for twenty minutes, debated on all of the options and ten minutester, narrowed it down to two options. It took a long, five minute battle of indecision for him to finally choose both.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s eyes brightened at the mention of both drinks. Earlier, she needed an Americano to wake up her senses. But now that she had washed her face and brushed her teeth, she didn¡¯t desire an Americano anymore. "I like both, but I prefer the Carameltte more."

    Huo Qiudong¡¯s shoulder sagged in relief. He courteously wrapped the cold drink with a small napkin so that her fingers wouldn¡¯t get cold. He noticed the small rings on her finger and worried the temperature might transfer to the metal. Thus, he wrapped anotheryer of napkins onto the cold drink and handed it to her. Her eyes clouded with confusion. He exined, "Your fingers might get cold."

    "Oh, they¡¯re usually very cold. I¡¯m used to it." Yang Ruqin said, taking the drink with one hand. She nearly spilled it all over herself when he abruptly grabbed her finger, engulfing it in his warm ones.

    "It¡¯s very cold outside today. I rmend wearing a long coat. Judging by your outfit, perhaps a double-pocket trench or wool coat could work?" He made his actions seem like it was a gesture of warming her fingers. In reality, he wanted to hold her hand. The smallest exchange of skin made him feel odd... but not in a bad way.

    "Is that so?" Yang Ruqin nervously said, biting her lips out of habit.

    Yang Ruqin didn¡¯t miss how his gaze immediately shifted to it, then painfully brought it back to her face. Tilting her head, her lips mischievously lifted into a slight smirk. She bit her lip again, slowly, and seductively, widening her eyes a bit while staring into his eyes. It darkened as she had predicted it would.

    "Don¡¯t do that." The abrupt hardening of his deep, smooth voice beckoned her heart to miss a beat. Her stomach fluttered when his thumb touched her lips, indicating for her to release her lips.

    "I know what you¡¯re doing." Huo Qiudong told her, leaning closer and closer. She sucked in a breath of air at his taunting behavior. "I will not hesitate to kiss you on our first date."

    "Our first date?" She squeaked out, hating how bbergasted she felt when he pulled back a secondter, mirth dancing in his eyes. ¡¯Damn it, he yed me again!¡¯

    "Yes, we¡¯re going on a date today."

    "To where?"

    "Anywhere you like." Using the hand he grabbed, he whisked her onto her feet, pulling her closer. He realized she was a head shorter than him. Seeing her look up at him, he could see all of her features perfectly. He wished he didn¡¯t because it only made him want to kiss her more.

    "I-I¡¯ll go grab my coat then." Yang Ruqin stuttered, running into her bedroom to seek momentary shelter from him. Her body shuddered at the idea of what he could do to her. Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t be the best idea to tempt him... She thought he was a shy and easily teasable man, but his behavior and actions today proved her wrong; he could easily overpower her.

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei entered the office to begin the preparation for her meeting with Ling Conglomerate. She had given the day off to Huo Qiudong and even offered to give him at least three days to rest. He refused the additional days and said one was fine. She shrugged it off and didn¡¯t pay a lot of mind to it. Little did he know, she was nning on giving him a day off every week so that no one could start a rumor that she was an unfair boss.

    Sitting in herrgeputer chair, Zhao Lifei tediously looked through the files ced onto her desk this morning. Then, she began to diligently look over the contract, jotting down a few questions and pointers. Soon, the hours whizzed by and the meeting was approaching.

    She walked over to the meeting room. Her attorney was already present and waiting for her. She had hired him a long time ago when Feili was only an infant. Only recently did she contact him again.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t want to go to a meeting empty-handed without anyone apanying her. It would¡¯ve been fine to walk in with a secretary, but currently, she didn¡¯t have one. Since she gave the day off to Huo Qiudong, the attorney was her best bet.

    Nian Zewan stood outside of the ss meeting room with an easygoing expression. His lean physique, paired with the sleek grey suit, enhanced a chic appearance. The thin-framed tinum sses resting on his nose seemed to shine under the bright lights. His hair was partly gelled back and the other part was slicked to the side, covering his forehead a bit.

    He seemed rxed as if nothing in this world could affect him. It was part of his game to help others lower their guard around him. One would think a poker-facedwyer was the best bet, but being a bitidback was better, as it naturally angered the other team if they saw their subtle jabs didn¡¯t work on him.

    "President Zhao." He bowed his head, his arms straight beside him.

    Zhao Lifei nodded her head and shifted her gaze to the room where Ling Fulei was already seated. His shoulders were loose while he leisurely took a sip of the coffee offered to him. When he caught her stare, his lips quipped into a slight smirk. It reminded him of their youth when she would catch him skipping sses and he¡¯d toss her the smallest smirk. Like she had done in the past, she gave him a sickly-sweet smile ¡ª the same one she used to give before dragging him back to ss.

    "I see not much has changed." Ling Fulei started off the conversation, standing to his feet. "Well, except for the fact that you¡¯re the CEO of your ownpany."

    ncing out the window of the tall skyscraper building, he let out a small whistle. "Quite an impressive feat for apany that only started three years ago." His eyes traveled back to her confident and self-assured form. "It makes me wonder the magic you can work as CEO of Zhao Corporation."

    "You speak as if we¡¯re friends when we¡¯re mere acquaintances." Zhao Lifei chuckled coldly, walking to her chair, her low-heels clicking on the floor.

    "It would be reassuring to be acquainted with the CEO of Zhao Corporation."

    She knew what he was doing. He wanted to know if she was going to be eyeing that position. "Do you have so much time in the world to have useless discussions like this?" She quirked a brow, gesturing for him to take a seat while she did too.

    "Only when it involves you."

    Zhao Lifei gave him a pointed look, her eyes gesturing to the bodyguards outside, bearing the infamous Yang n pins on their cor. She was d to see them this morning, through the air around them felt very dark but not in a menacing way.

    Ling Fulei nced around the room. His entourage of assistants and secretaries were listening with open-ears. There was a question pressing at the tip of his tongue, threatening toe out. But it was not the best moment for that. ¡¯Whatever.¡¯ He thought to himself before asking, "How is you-know-who doing?"

    "Pardon?" Zhao Lifei skeptically looked at him like he was stupid. Who the hell was you-know-who? Was it Yang Feng? The chances of that were unlikely since they were close acquaintances.

    Then her brain clicked. Lu Minhong. Her face became chillier, shifting into an emotionless poker face. "That¡¯s none of your concern, is it?"

    Ling Fulei frowned. "I was just curious."

    "To know if he¡¯s up for a beating?" Zhao Lifei will never forgive him for what happened behind their school. It was one of the worst beatings she had seen Lu Minhong receive.

    "I severely punished those bastards without hesitation, you know that." Ling Fulei seethed through clenched teeth. His jaw ticked at the memory of his followers who acted without orders. He ensured all of them got the worst punishment he could fathom.

    "Why don¡¯t we begin the meeting, President Ling?" Zhao Lifei sniped out with a disapproving frown.

    Ling Fulei checked the time. He let out a sigh through his nose. "I went off-topic, I apologize." He muttered, gesturing for his secretary toe forth with the contract.

 Chapter 389 - Monkey Face

    Zhao Lifei was surprised to see that the questions and pointers she previously had were all answered in the new version of the contract. It was a bit strange that they revised itst minute, but she suspected Ling Fulei caught wind of her brutal questioning tactics.

    The room was filled with silence while she flipped through the pages, taking her time to read each use. "I have to say I¡¯m quite impressed with your terms." She finally said, raising her head and nodding to her attorney.

    Nian Zewan dutifully passed her Feili¡¯spany stamp. She wanted to be dramatic with the design of it and had it crafted to be like the ones that Emperors used. Made of solid gold, it was very heavy. The weight of it always made her reconsider her opinions before she signed a contract with anypany.

    "A little birdy told me you¡¯re an inhumane perfectionist who can spot the smallest of ws in contracts."

    "What is with you people and talking to birds." Zhao Lifei scoffed at hisme excuse whilst signing the pages that required her signature. She stamped her approval and slid the contract back to him. He had already signed it before her approval. Within the next five minutes, a copy of the contract was made and given to her for safekeeping.

    "It¡¯s a pleasure to work with you." Ling Fulei said, indicating a conclusion to the meeting.

    For the sake of professionalism and politeness, Zhao Lifei nodded her head and said, "Please, the pleasure is all mine."

    "I¡¯m d you chose mypany to invest in. We truly appreciate it." Ling Fulei stuck his hand out to which she firmly shook it. To an outsider¡¯s perspective, one would think this was just another amicable exchange when in reality, their words could be tranted into:

    Ling Fulei: "You took forever to read through the contract."

    Zhao Lifei: "Maybe if it wasn¡¯t so boring, I wouldn¡¯t have."

    Ling Fulei: "I appreciate wasting your time then."

    Both of them let out a couple of fakeughs, sharing equally passive-aggressive smiles. Their handshake felt like a test of their strength and endurance as both of them squeezed the living daylights out of the poor things.

    Nian Zewan could feel the high tension between them. He was pretty sure the other people in this room might¡¯ve felt it too. He cleared his throat, reminding them it was time to stop their hand-wrestling. Finally, the two let each other go, jutting their chins in the opposite direction with a small, "Hmph."

    Ling Fulei checked the time again and said, "It¡¯s lunchtime right now, President Zhao. Since our meeting was so sessful and we¡¯re partners from now on, I hope to treat you to a meaningful lunch."

    Zhao Lifei opened her mouth to reject, but Nian Zewan did it for her. "It¡¯s a very polite offer, President Ling; however, our President has guests for lunch today."

    ¡¯I do?¡¯ Zhao Lifei thought inside of her head.

    If she felt any doubt towards Nian Zewan¡¯s words, Ling Fulei couldn¡¯t see it on her face. He replied, "I¡¯m sure the guests will not mind the President of Ling Conglomerate attending."

    Zhao Lifei fumed inside of her head, ¡¯I don¡¯t want to see you any longer, you monkey-face, ugly sack of¡ª¡¯

    "I¡¯m afraid not. It¡¯s an exclusive lunch with a very high-profile client. We deeply apologize for this." Nian Zewan solemnly said with an apologetic smile. His face was mellow and peaceful, but his voice held no room for argument.

    Zhao Lifei was impressed by his behavior and made a note to contact himter on in the day.

    "If that¡¯s the case, I would like to invite you to tomorrow¡¯s lunch." Which roughly trantes to, ¡¯Tch, stop acting so high and mighty by hiding behind your attorney.¡¯

    Zhao Lifei let out a smallugh, "I¡¯m afraid my schedule is fully booked. I¡¯m sorry about this, but if a day frees up, you will be the first to be notified." In which, actually means, ¡¯Hmph, don¡¯t you have anything else better to do with your life? What? Are you so lonely, you can¡¯t eat lunch by yourself?¡¯

    "That¡¯s alright, lunch does not start for another thirty minutes. Why don¡¯t you sit down, so that I can exin more about how Feili will benefit from us."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips twitched. Why was he so damn persistent?! "If that¡¯s the case, you have fifteen minutes max." She grounded out, watching him motion for his team to leave. His eyesnded on her attorney.

    "Mywyer stays." She deadpanned, leaving no room for argument. Ling Fulei frowned a bit but ultimately kept his mouth shut.

    Once everyone had dispersed, she was freely allowed to re at him. She loathed him and wished she could smack the smugness out of his face. She was pretty sure he wasn¡¯t purposely acting smug, even so, she wanted to p him for hurting Lu Minhong.

    "I¡¯ll ask again....H-how is Lu Minhong?"

    Silence.

    Zhao Lifei blinked. Did this man just stutter? "Why do you want to know? It¡¯s not like you can do anything to contribute towards it."

    "I recently heard about an infamous hacker who ran into family issues and disappeared from the forums and hiring threads without warning."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s throat ran dry. "News sh, every hacker is infamous¡ª"

    "I know it¡¯s Lu Minhong. And before you ask how I know, all you need to know is that I have my ways." Ling Fulei reached into his pocket and pulled out a nk checkbook. Her pupils dted. What is with these rich men and carrying around checkbooks?! She remembered her encounter with Yang Feng and how he shamelessly gave her a cheque.

    Ling Fulei tore out an empty page with his signature. He slid it towards her, the t piece of paper irking her. "This will sound like I¡¯m bribing him to forgive me, but it¡¯s not. I just want him to live well."

    "Why are you doing this?" Zhao Lifei made a mental note to sit down with Lu Minhong ASAP.

    "Because..." The four-letter word was lingering on his tongue, but he dared not say it. "Because I feel guilty for treating him like that in the past. I wasn¡¯t aware of my¡ª nevermind." Ling Fulei stood up.

    "Please just deliver the cheque to him. For once, I¡¯m begging you okay?"

    Zhao Lifei scowled, "He will never ept it, regardless of who sent it to him. He doesn¡¯t believe in easy money. If you know so much about him, I¡¯m sure you know where he lives. Why don¡¯t you give this to him yourself? I¡¯m not going to sacrifice a friendship just because you begged me."

    She also stood up. "Stop being a coward. If you want to talk to him, do it yourself. I¡¯m not going to be your messenger." Then she walked out of the room, leaving him troubled and distraught.

    ¡¯Okay, so maybe it was a bad idea to piss off the ss-president...¡¯ He never thought he would regret the actions of his youth until today.

    - - - - -

    "Since when do I have a lunch meeting?" Zhao Lifei asked from the back seat of the car. She was surprised to see how smoothly Nian Zewan drove.

    "It was arranged this morning. The lunch was epted with your best interest at heart." Nian Zewan answered her. He wondered why he was going beyond the description of his job to help her. He told himself that it was because she paid him well...albeit too well for simply showing up to a meeting and authorizing her signature.

    "Who is it?"

    "You¡¯ll know when you get there."

 Chapter 390 - Only Two Inches

    Zhao Lifei exited the car and to no one¡¯s surprise, she found herself standing outside of a tall building. She boarded the elevator with Nian Zewan. She was greeted with a posh restaurant that had a chic yet mellow European theme to it.

    There were white-clothed tables with candles and small vases of flowers, ck chairs, andrge windows that provided an ample view of the beautiful city of Shenbei. Depending on where one was seated, they could see the city hall and therge scenic parks that Shenbei was known for. From some angles, they could see therge river and the enormous bridge connecting this city to the next. There were big pots of nts in porcin vases, ced on polished marble floors with cracks of ivory and silver.

    Withid back shoulders and an unimpressed face, Zhao Lifeizily strolled with Nian Zewan towards the reception desk. Even from the desk, many people could get a good view of her self-assured posture. Curious nces wandered towards her only to avert it a secondter when realization clicked. Her face was already known among the circle of elites, but now it was for a different reason: President of Feili.

    "Sir, Ma¡¯am, may I ask if you have a reservation?" The receptionist asked with a tinge of foreign ent. He was a man with an above-average face and good posture. This didn¡¯t surprise Zhao Lifei. Most expensive restaurants had hidden criteria for their workers¡¯ appearances. She boredly nced around the ce and allowed Nian Zewan to do the talking for her. All she had to do was stand there and look pretty, with an air of haughtiness around her.

    To most onlookers, she truly behaved the part of an untouchable heiress.

    "Yes, it¡¯s for the private and exclusive room with the best view." Nian Zewan answered, his words causing the receptionist to raise both of his brows in surprise.

    "I apologize, Sir, I didn¡¯t know. Please, allow me to call the manager and escort you there." The receptionist was already polite when they approached him, but now that their status was revealed, he was extra careful of his behavior.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes fell on a man sitting by a window table, which is hard to get without a six-month reservation in advance. Even so, it¡¯s not guaranteed they would get a seat here. Many influencers and celebrities had to strain every straw to book a seat here, for it solidified their ce on the socialdder. So why is it that Wei Hantao was sitting there?

    He was sitting with a smiling woman that seemed deeply engrossed in whatever he was saying. She sat cross-legged, revealing the perfect amount of skin to leer unfriendly nces towards her way. A beautiful posture, beautiful body, Zhao Lifei wandered the purpose of Su Meixiu¡¯s presence.

    From where Zhao Lifei stood, she could see Su Meixiu had caught wind of her presence. The secretary¡¯s smile deepened a bit, her eyes ncing towards the path leading to the private room before she nced back towards Wei Hantao.

    Ah, so that¡¯s what it was. Zhao Lifei hid her discreet little smirk and shifted her position so that her nimble body was hidden behind Nian Zewan. Wei Hantao didn¡¯t know she was here, but Su Meixiu most certainly did. Not wanting to ruin her n, Zhao Lifei decided it was best to avoid Wei Hantao for the time being.

    Soon enough, the manager, a short, pudgy man with a friendly face, greeted them. "It¡¯s an honor to serve you today. Please, follow me. I will lead you to the room." His voice was cheerful and bright, mirroring the light shining upon them.

    Zhao Lifei nced at Nian Zewan. "Who is it?" She asked, holding her clutch. She had found it in her closet this morning and judging from the unfamiliarity she felt from it, she concluded it was a gift from Yang Feng. The items in her closet alone could buy an enormous house, but he continued to send in gifts after gifts. It seems neither one of them wanted to put their gift war on hold, for she, too, had snuck a watch into his collection yesterday.

    "We¡¯re just a few steps away. I¡¯m sure you can wait a bit longer, Mrs. President." Nian Zewanughed a bit, smiling at the gloomy woman beside him.

    Zhao Lifei was going to reply, but the manager had already guided them towards the ck doors leading to the room. "I hope you enjoy your lunch with us. Please, if anything is not to your liking, inform me and I will fix it as you wish." He bowed his head and opened the door for them.

    A nonchnt man was looking out of the window with his back turned towards her. He had an impressive body suitable for any clothing. His midnight-ck three-piece suit hugged his body in the right ces and gave him the appearance of a model stepping out of a magazine.

    "Enjoy your meal, Mrs. President." Nian Zewan bowed before exiting the room, leaving her in there with a temperamental dragon.

    Zhao Lifei wouldn¡¯t have cared about his address, if it was not for the fact that he included a "Mrs." Her eyes widened a bit and she turned around, stunned at the title. Nian Zewan knew she was married.

    "Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s under me." A deep, velvety voice spoke from behind her, causing her body to tense, but then rx when he fondly pressed his lips towards the side of her head.

    "You should¡¯ve told me you wanted to have lunch together." Zhao Lifei leaned her body against his firm, sturdy one. His hands slid down to her sides, squeezing her waist before resting it over her stomach. With his fingers spread, he gently stroked and ran his hands over her tiny and barely noticeable bump.

    "But that would have ruined the surprise." He turned her around, his nonchnt face softening upon seeing her face. He curled his finger and stroked her cheek. "What did I tell you about heels?" He suddenly asked her with a disapproving frown. "I knew there was a reason why you ran out this morning."

    Zhao Lifei nced down at her ck rock stud garvani [1] heels. "They¡¯re only two inches."

    "The heel is very thin. You might hurt yourself." He brushed away the strands of hair framing her face. "I wouldn¡¯t mind it if the heels were thicker."

    Zhao Lifei narrowed her eyes, "Is that why my heel collection has suddenly disappeared?" She woke up this morning to find all of her favorite heels, specifically her red-bottoms, gone. They were reced with low-heeled pumps that were from the newest season, but she was still angered at the disappearance.

    When he unapologetically smiled at her and proceeded to kiss the five points of her face, she felt her anger wash away. Her lips twitched to maintain her pout when he pressed his lips against it for the briefest second before trailing small, open-mouthed kisses down her neck, ending up at her earlobe. Everywhere he kissed, she felt her skin tingle a bit, her anger lessening.

    "If you dislike the newer ones, I shall buy you whatever you like." Yang Feng enjoyed seeing her hair tied up with strands framing her heart-shaped face. It revealed her beautiful, swan neck, but he was a greedy man who wanted her all to himself. He hitched the cor of her shirt higher. He wasn¡¯t opposed to having her hair tied up and he wasn¡¯t inclined to take off the hair-tie. He just wished she was covering it with a turtle-neck. His own thoughts and actions confused him. Was he angry or not?

    "Maybe a few scarves to your collection would be great as well." He said to himself.

    "I don¡¯t like scarves." Zhao Lifei was confused by what he was attempting to do. She pped his hands away, "You¡¯re ruining the outfit."

    "Am I now?" He sighed, dropping his hands and running it through his hair. "I think the ne brings a lot of attention to your neck."

    "You¡¯re the one who gave it to me." She deadpanned.

    "Oh." Yang Feng blinked.

    "Did you invite me to lunch to criticize my outfit?"

    "No."

    "Then let¡¯s eat." She shed him a big smile, tugging him in the direction of the table. She was starving and the longer she waited, the angrier she was getting. She didn¡¯t think she was the type of woman to get angry when she was hungry, but at this point, she didn¡¯t care.

    "How about we go shopping after this?"

    "For?"

    "Shoes." Then in a lower voice, whispered, "And turtlenecks."

    Zhao Lifei paused. A devious n came into mind. She smirked, "Okay." Flipping open the menu, she ignored the man eagerly waiting for her to nce his way with a smile. She was well-aware of his stare that demanded a form of action from her, whether it was a small kiss, or holding hands. But she was hungry and didn¡¯t have time for him. Her eyes raked down the menu.

    "I¡¯m ready to order." She raised her head from the menu to which Yang Feng sulked. So she only looks at him when she wants food. He pressed a button on the table that notified the people outside it was fine to let the waiter in. Usually, the waiter would enter a minute or so after the guest was seated, but because Yang Feng didn¡¯t want anyone to disturb them, he made the person wait outside.

    "Good afternoon, Sir, Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s a pleasure to serve you today. May I start with the drinks?"

    Yang Feng nced at his wife whose lit up face made him quirk his brow.

    "We¡¯re ready to order the dishes as well. But first, let¡¯s start with a pitcher of the orange and mango juice."

    A-a pitcher? The waiter nced at her and nodded his head, jotting everything down with his memory.

    "Then, I would like everything from here to here." Zhao Lifei¡¯s finger raked down the small menu, stopping at thest dish with a small smile. The lunch menu always changed every day and each day, it was always a small selection with a varying length of five to ten selections. Today¡¯s happened to be ten.

    The waiter tried his hardest to not react to the number of dishes ordered. "W-will that be all?"

    "Oh, my partner hasn¡¯t ordered yet." Zhao Lifei turned to a bbergasted Yang Feng and smiled brightly at him.

    The waiter choked on air. T-ten dishes for one person?! He took a double-nce at her small frame and wondered where all of that food was going to fit!

 Chapter 391 - Big Appetite

    After Yang Feng ordered a normal portion which was one dish, he turned back to the excited Zhao Lifei. He was going to ask her if she was alright, but seeing her bubbly expression, the question left his thought. He was left to foolishly smile at his wife like the whipped husband he was.

    "Is our baby hungry?" He teased her, sping his hand over hers.

    She tilted her head, unsure of which baby he was referring to. Was it her or the actual baby? "I don¡¯t know. I just feel really hungry today."

    Unlike the expecting mother, Yang Feng¡¯s eyes lit up. A big appetite indicates signs of twins, doesn¡¯t it?! Maybe he could have his ser team early! "Really now?"

    Zhao Lifei nodded her head, "I also want desserts."

    Yang Feng shrugged, "I don¡¯t see why not. As long as it¡¯s not ice cream, you will be fine." He was already formting different girl names inside of his head for when his twins arrive. Their baby was barely the size of a blueberry, yet here he was, already getting ahead of himself by eight months.

    "I saw Su Meixiu at the restaurant." Zhao Lifei finally said to him. "Also, why is mywyer one of your men? I hired him when Feili was a brand-newpany. How did you get in touch with him?"

    "Su Meixiu was sent by me. During your disappearance, Wei Hantao had reached out to her for a coboration. Supposedly, he had evidence that could bring your downfall." Yang Feng answered her. A secondter, a knock sounded throughout the room and the food was brought in.

    The utensils were already in Zhao Lifei¡¯s hands when the first dish was ced in front of her. Soon, the table was filled with food. She cheekily grinned at him. His lips tilted upwards into an amused smile, "Dig in, my love."

    She didn¡¯t need to be told twice when she sliced through the roasted salmon vored with citrus and rosemary.

    "When it was revealed you were the owner of Feili, I researched who was working for you. Nian Zewan happened to be a good friend from college." He tested the water with the slow reveal of information. Seeing that she wasn¡¯t angry by his actions, he continued, "I needed to make sure the people working for you were loyal and honest."

    "And were they?"

    Yang Feng raised his head. It was impressive how she was able to sort the good from the bad. "I¡¯m sure you already know the answer to that since you single-handedly handled the hiring process yourself."

    Zhao Lifei still found it amusing that she had the time to hire so many people at once. Employees were crucial to apany and even if they were bound under a contract, she was still paranoid enough to personally look into all of them. The only problem was, she trusted Wei Hantao too much to look into his family¡¯s connection with the Zhengs.

    Speaking about the Zhengs, she thought back to Zheng Corporation. "Did you do something to Zheng Tianyi?"

    Yang Feng thought back to the frazzled man that previously upied the ck room. His body was so tortured and brutalized by Guo Sheng, words couldn¡¯t describe the action or the burly men that entered the room to further ruin Zheng Tianyi. He didn¡¯t want his wife to messy or dirty her hands. Even if she said she didn¡¯t want any remembrance of her petty past, Yang Feng was willing to be petty for her. Zheng Tianyi¡¯s actions will not go unpunished and even today, he was still suffering the consequences of what he had done. The pampered and spoiled CEO who was born with a golden spoon was currently suffering in a mental facility to recuperate before Yang Feng sent him off to Guo Sheng as a toy. "You don¡¯t have to worry about him."

    "Then what is going to happen to thepany? I heard they¡¯re attempting to rebuild themselves up, but this time, the President is Zheng Hechong¡¯s youngest son."

    Zhao Lifei felt something was off. She knew Zheng Hechong had five sons and the second was supposed to be the best candidate, so why was the fifth son in the CEO chair? Unless... Her head snapped up to Yang Feng. "Did you force Zheng Hechong to give Zheng Murong the position?"

    "Yes. Zheng Murong is a lot easier to control than his older brothers." Yang Feng easily responded. This was ssified information, but because it was his wife, he didn¡¯t mind answering her questions.

    "You handed him a position that he could only dream of." Zhao Lifei slowly said, "In return, you gain his loyalty." She shook her head. "It¡¯s a good choice. Although it would be nice to see the ruin of the Zheng family as a whole, there are still a lot of qualities in them that can benefit us."

    Yang Feng was going to have control of not only one, but two of the big threepanies in Shenbei. She had tomend him for his actions. He was too overpowered. No one could defy him now. No one could overturn his decisions. He was eliminating all of the dangers and enemies in this city.

    But why...?

    He could read her question on her face. "I did it for your protection. No one will be able to harm our family."

    "Our family?" She repeated, thinking about the Yangs and Zhaos.

    "Our, as in you, me, and our ser team." He answered her in a heartbeat. Deeply touched by his actions and words, she felt her heart race and her eyes water. Seriously, could he get any more perfect? Forget about saving a country in her past life, did she save the entire world or something?!

    - - - - -

    After their fulfilling lunch, Zhao Lifei entered the ck Maybach with Yang Feng. She was stuffed from all of the food she ate but felt guilty for not finishing all of it. Even though the leftover was just a few more bites, she wished she wore a looser pair of pants. The two entered afortable silence until she suddenly said, "Excluding substitutes, a ser team of children means eleven kids."

    "Only eleven?"

    "ONLY?!" She repeated, ring at him. "Just so you know, I¡¯m not giving you more than three or four."

    He sulked.

    She scowled.

    "Why don¡¯t you have the kids instead? Maybe then you¡¯ll know how much pain I will be going through to give birth." She huffed, crossing her arms. He leaned closer to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

    "I was merely joking." It was partially the truth, though. Yang Feng wanted as many children as he could healthily have with her. He didn¡¯t know why he wanted so many. All he wanted was to have as much living memories of their love as possible. "I will be beyond content and satisfied with one if it makes you happy, my love."

    "I was hoping to have a son and a daughter." Zhao Lifei answered him, her words bringing him joy. He pictured a smaller version of her, perhaps one that resembled his Xiao Lili...

    "Of course. Anything that pleases you, will please me." He tenderly kissed her forehead, desiring a passionate make-out session. However, with how easily he lost his control around her, he decided those were best reserved for the bedroom...unless she wanted to try different locations...

    Unfortunately for him, Hu Wei spoke up and said, "Sir, Madam, we have arrived at the Imperial Star Mall."

    Zhao Lifei straightened up after remembering her devious n.

    "Wait in the car." He whispered to her, exiting the car and walking to her side, opening the door for her. He offered her a hand to which she epted with a slight chuckle and smile.

    "I believe this is the first time you did this for me." She answered him, adjusting her clothes and slightly fixing his tie.

    "Really now?" He was taken back a bit, "I didn¡¯t know."

    Zhao Lifei tilted her head, "That¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t do it so frequently." She grabbed his hand and interlocked their fingers. She presented him with an innocent smile thatpletely fooled him on what she nned on doing next.

 Chapter 392 - Big Thigh

    When Zhao Lifei and Yang Feng strolled to the entrance, there was already a carpetid out for them, staff lining up on either side to formally greet them. They neatly bowed at their presence, earning the attention of the other socialites whose eyes widened. Many were confused by who was so important for carpets to beid out. Five minutes ago, store clerks ushered the customers out of the store while many ran down to greet the VIP guests.

    "Wee, Sir, Madam." Their bow deepened when Zhao Lifei and Yang Feng walked past them. Zhao Lifei was courteous enough to smile and nod her head in acknowledgment whereas Yang Feng walked past them like they were air. Only when she nudged him a bit did he slowly nod his head before whisking her into a store.

    His smallest action was worthy of a thousand words. The employees were shocked to see his behavior and only snapped back to reality a minuteter. After recollecting from the bafflement, they dispersed back into the stores.

    Zhao Lifei skimmed through the clothes, her fingers running along with the materialzily. Yang Feng was seated on the chair, watching her. She grabbed a revealing ck dress in hopes of irking him. Her n was simple. She was going to purchase a lot of expensive items, so much so, that he would hopefully be irked by her actions and stop pestering her to spend his card.

    "What do you think?" She hoped she was pressing his buttons by picking this revealing dress that she would most likely never wear in public unless it was in the house to tease him.

    Yang Feng raised a brow. "We¡¯ll take it."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

    He stood up with his hands tucked into his pockets, his lips quirked into a devious smirk. "Every hanger she touches, we¡¯ll buy it."

    The store clerk tried their hardest to mask the look of pure shock. None of them wasted any time to step forward and begin taking the clothing off the racks.

    "You¡¯ll regret that." Zhao Lifei frowned, disappointed that he was giving in so quickly.

    Yang Feng stepped forward and offered his elbow to her, "Will I now?" He wasn¡¯t going to tell her that every item she even spared a nce for longer than a second was being bought without her knowledge. She would only know the damage she had caused when she gets home.

    "Come now, we¡¯ve yet to look at the jewelry and shoes." He began to guide her towards the shoes first so that she could change into something else.

    Zhao Lifei kept her troubles to herself, deciding she was going to continue provoking him. Fine then, let¡¯s see what his limit is!

    - - - - -

    "Y-Yang Feng, I¡¯ll be good, okay?" Zhao Lifei pitifully said beside him.

    Five storester, she was defeated after he had countlessly bought everything her fingers touched. She realized if she had so much looked at an item with curiosity, he would buy it. Even the high-heels and revealing clothes that she thought would anger him. He had bought them all. She felt so guilty that she wanted to cry on the spot.

    "So, please... can this be thest store?" She pleaded, hugging his arms and staring up at him with an exasperated expression.

    Yang Feng paused and looked down at the puppy hanging on his arms. Her lips were jutted out and her eyes widened to reveal the stars she robbed from the sky. Such an adoring sight... which normal man could say no to that? Unfortunately for her, he wasn¡¯t a normal man.

    "My dear, I thought you had a n in mind? Why are you so quick in abandoning it?" He teased her, exiting the store and steering her in the direction of another jewelry store, this time,rger than the one they frequented.

    Her heart skyrocketed. She had changed into a different set of clothing after liking it so much. She tried a different approach, "F-fengfeng, I¡¯m hungry again. Let¡¯s go eat dinner and head home. Please?" She dug her low and thick-heels into the ground,ing to a screeching halt. Because her arms were still wrapped around him like a ko, he was able to easily pull her with him.

    "Even better, perhaps I should buy a restaurant in this mall so that you can eat."

    Her heart dropped to her stomach. "No!" Zhao Lifei yelped, gasping when he began to change their course towards the private elevators.

    "Lifei?" A frazzled voice spoke from behind them.

    Zhao Lifei paused her coercing and turned around to see the surprising sight of her mother and younger sister. She was surprised to see how haggard and exhausted her mother appeared. From months of neglect to her hair, the ck roots of Wang Nuoli¡¯s dyed hair were prominent.

    It was a strange sight to witness. Wang Nuoli always invested in herself, once a week, in unbelievably expensive hair treatments to make it look healthy, shiny, and youthful. What happened? The dress that she was wearing was also from thest season ¡ª something practically unheard of for a socialite like Wang Nuoli.

    Zhao Linhua was different. She still looked dolled up and decked in thetest season clothing, standing out like a bright, blooming tulip beside her mother who had the appearance of a dying, withered rose.

    "Mother." Zhao Lifei blinked, straightening up and changing her posture. She noticed Zhao Linhua¡¯s eyes lingered on Yang Feng with longing.

    "Jie-Jie, where were you for the past month? Do you even know what happened to dad¡ª" Zhao Linhua stepped forward, but was instantly blocked by a barrier of men.

    "Let¡¯s go. You¡¯ll ruin your appetite by looking at them." Yang Feng muttered as he ced a guiding hand behind Zhao Lifei when she remained rooted to the ground.

    "Step aside." Zhao Lifeimanded Yang Feng¡¯s people, brushing his hand away and stepping closer to Wang Nuoli and Zhao Linhua.

    "My love, you don¡¯t have to do this¡ª"

    "What do you mean by that?" Zhao Lifei questioned Zhao Linhua. She ignored the heavy pressure of Yang Feng¡¯s arm. "Stop that." She hissed at him, her eyes zing. His men exchanged looks before parting the way for their Lady Boss.

    That did not make Yang Feng happy. His calm expression became eerily dark, a shadow hovering over his eyes.

    Noticing the murderous air, Zhao Lifei quietly said, "Don¡¯t get angry. It was an order from me. Aren¡¯t we on equal footing?"

    Yang Feng pressed his lips together and slowly nodded his head. "We are," he grunted, stuffing his hand into his pocket, while his eyes looked like they were burning a hole into the ground. She sighed and decided to deal with his temperter.

    Zhao Linhua coldly looked at the couple with contempt and envy hidden in her eyes. ¡¯These men, those shopping bags, the special treatment, all of these, should¡¯ve belonged to me!¡¯ Her eyes swarmed with concealed malice. But because they were in public, she kept her angelic behavior up. In a tiny, wavering voice, she said, "You mean you don¡¯t know where he went?" Her face crumbled a bit as she stared at the ground with disappointment.

    "What are you talking about?" Zhao Lifei frowned. "And stop behaving like a white lotus. It¡¯s weird."

    "A white lotus?! How can you disrespect your sister like that?" Wang Nuoli fired back, her temper instantly rising again, and her unmanicured fingers dug into her skin. "First, you ignore my phone calls like the brat that you are, and now you¡¯re insulting your younger sister?" She scowled, "It¡¯s not my problem your poor piano skills were being outshined, but it¡¯s a problem when you still hold your sister ountable for it."

    "M-mother please..." Zhao Linhua weakly pleaded, grabbing her mother¡¯s arm. They were garnering attention and she was silently gloating in it. "Father has disappeared for a while now." She sniffled, "Why didn¡¯t you pick up your phone calls? Are you ignoring us now? Why did you abandon us...? Is it because you finally found a big thigh to hug [1], so now we don¡¯t matter to you?"

    "Big thigh? Where?" Zhao Lifei nced around then paused, "Oh, right. It¡¯s me." She rolled her eyes. "If you¡¯re going to insult me, find a better way of doing so." She grabbed her phone and showed Zhao Linhua the phone list. "None of you called me. I have never abandoned anyone, especially not my family."

    "Are we really your family? How dare you. This is why I should¡¯ve aborted you when I had the chance," Wang Nuoli hissed.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes raked over Zhao Linhua and Wang Nuoli. "Family doesn¡¯t abandon and disown each other without a second nce." Her cold, detached eyes connected with Wang Nuoli. The iciness of it was enough to lessen Wang Nuoli¡¯s anger.

    Wang Nuoli thought to herself, ¡¯S-since when did this child look so...inhumane?¡¯ She clenched her teeth, "Don¡¯t behave like a hypocrite, you unfilial and despicable vixen!"

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes turned deadly. He had forced himself to remain calm when Wang Nuoili had called his wife a brat when she was far from that. "What did you just say?" His voice was enough to silence the loud murmur of gossip that broke out in the crowd.

    The mall turned deathly quiet. Everyone held their breath.

 Chapter 393 - The Wind

    Yang Feng¡¯s deste eyes swept over the bugs in front of him. All he had to do was flick a finger and they would disappear off the face of the Earth. Such insignificant little things... What¡¯s the point of having them alive? His uncaring behavior thickened the air around him, a menacing dark aura eluding from his tall, impressive frame.

    Getting rid of Zhao Wenjin was easy. To handle these two babbling fools was childsy.

    Then he felt a small tug on his sleeves. A cold pair of eyes nced down at the frowning woman beside him. His eyes, obsolete and dark like freshly grated ink, shed with her molten copper eyes. Burning like a Phoenix whose mes ignited the night, she was unhappy with his behavior. When his eyes met hers, she could see her reflection within them. She stared at him as if she could understand what he was thinking. He didn¡¯t like that.

    Yang Feng tore his eyes away from Zhao Lifei. The longer he stared at her, the more he¡¯s inclined to follow her wishes. Being so used to their insults, she couldn¡¯t see the outlining threats behind it. If they had the guts to insult her in public, who knows what else they could do to her? On edge with everything and everyone, he was not willing to take any risks.

    His eyes met with Wang Nuoli who stiffened at the unexpected contact. A cold bead of sweat trickled down Wang Nuoli¡¯s spine, her fingers digging into her palm. She shuddered at the inhumane look in his eyes. He could tear her into pieces.

    Wang Nuoli visibly gulped, "P-President Yang..." She nearly fainted when his eyes darkened further, turning into a ck hole that could swallow everything in its path. She could practically see the Grim Reaper in the distance.

    His eyes belittled her without words, his perfectly sculpted lips forming a thin line.

    Zhao Linhua¡¯s using eyes snapped to her older sister. Of course, in a time like this, she was refusing to help her family members! How dare she have the audacity to use her family of abandoning her when she was the first to leave?! Useless, absolutely useless!

    "Jie-Jie, are you going to allow your boyfriend to treat mother like this?!"

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s impassive gazended on Zhao Linhua. She seemed bored with whatever her younger sister was saying. "I don¡¯t have a mother. I have an egg and a sperm donor. That is all."

    Wang Nuoli¡¯s face turned bright red. Snickers erupted at her quickeback.

    She opened her mouth, ready to retort, but with one nce at the man beside her daughter, she shut her mouth and bit down on her tongue. She wanted to speak, to yell, to reprimand her useless daughter. However, her mind went nk when she looked at the President. His intimidating stare made her anxious and she nervously licked her dry lips. At a loss for words, she could only grit her teeth and y the pitiful card. Because after all, a man¡¯s weakness was always a crying woman. Her eyes moistened, "My daughter, how could you¡ª," unconsciously, she nced at Yang Feng. She didn¡¯t know why, but she always seemed to seek his confirmation. Perhaps it was because he could easily ruin her, that she couldn¡¯t help but incline to see if she was angering him. Her eyes nervously met his only to drop the gaze a secondter.

    "Your father has gone missing," Wang Nuoli gritted her teeth, loud enough for Zhao Lifei and Yang Feng to hear, but for the crowd to be oblivious.

    Yang Feng stiffened, his handtching onto his wife, "I fail to see how that concerns us." With his hand grabbing her small hips, he was attempting to guide Zhao Lifei away from this mess.

    "Since when?" Zhao Lifei could feel the gentle pressure on her body from his attempt to tugging her elsewhere. He squeezed her hips when she refused to obey.

    "For a few weeks now.¡¯" Wang Nuoli scowled. "Maybe if you hade home early and answered our calls, you would¡¯ve known earlier! Where were you when we needed you?!"

    "The same ce you were when I also needed you." Zhao Lifei coldly responded, her eyes shing with contempt. Just as her parents had abandoned her, she had abandoned them. What point was there to hold onto these people that never loved or cared about her in the first ce? Only when she made a name for herself did they begin to acknowledge her. It was already toote. She viewed them as strangers.

    Wang Nuoli was stunned by her daughter¡¯s coldness. She was used to it but refused to ept it. She refused to ept that the little sparrow had learned to fly on her own, so high up, she might as well have been regarded as a Phoenix. How was it possible that a weak little bird, without the support or shelter of her parents, could have wings so big? Her eyesnded on Yang Feng, the wind who lifted her daughter up [1].

    "You¡ª"

    "Have a good day," Zhao Lifei bit out, turning her back and storming off, Yang Feng hot on her trail.

    "Jie-Jie, wait!" Zhao Linhua had another mission in mind when she stumbled across Zhao Lifei. She wanted to know where Xia Mengxi was. The dashing and beautiful woman had been ignoring her phone calls and messages for the past week or so now. There was no update on Xia Mengxi¡¯s social media ounts and none of the magazines were able to capture an image of her. It was as if shepletely disappeared from the face of this Earth!

    Her eyes nced at Yang Feng. "I just want to talk¡ª"

    Zhao Lifei never once looked back, even to the pleas of her desperate younger sister.

    The disappearing view of Zhao Lifei¡¯s nonchnt shoulders and confident strut would be forever branded into Zhao Linhua¡¯s mind. Once again, her older sister had abandoned her. Once again, she had lived a life that Zhao Linhua desperately wanted. Her eyes danced with indignation, desiring the downfall of Zhao Lifei more than anyone else in this world.

    If it meant Zhao Linhua could have Yang Feng look at her the same way he does to her older sister, then Zhao Linhua was willing to trade her parents¡¯ love and shelter. Screw that. She would give anything to be by his side. She was willing to sacrifice it all just to see the smile he had shown her in the past. Her perfectly manicured fingers dug into the plump, smooth flesh of her soft palms.

    If only she wasn¡¯t such a sheltered child, perhaps she could¡¯ve been more exposed to the dangerous, yet elite and prominent circle that only people like Yang Feng and Zhao Lifei were weed in. Xia Mengxi had brought her into the group, but Zhao Linhua wanted to have her own power. She didn¡¯t want to be known as Zhao Lifei¡¯s little sister or a piano prodigy. She wanted to be known as Zhao Linhua, the wife of Yang Feng.

    - - - - -

    The car ride home was silent. Zhao Lifei avoided all of Yang Feng¡¯s gentle touches. He tried to caress her hair, but she scooted away from him. He tried to hold her hand but she moved it away. He tried to rub her belly but she turned her body. Everything he tried was ignored. Eventually, he was equally annoyed as she was. He could only remain patient to her tantrums for so long. Glowering out of the window of the car, his eyes had the intensity to crack the bulletproof ss. The air in the car was heavy and suffocating. Hu Wei sped to the house, not wanting to spend another second with the passive-aggressive couple.

    When the car reached the front entrance, Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t bother to wait for Yang Feng. She opened the door herself, climbed out, and roughly mmed the door shut like a child throwing a tantrum. To her, her anger was justified. He knew. He knew all along. She felt like a fool. He knew her father had disappeared, yet he never told her.

    "Wee home." Their servants bowed as low as their stomach would allow them.

    Zhao Lifei shed them a gentle smile before storming to therge staircase in the living room. Yang Feng¡¯s eyes darkened warningly when he saw her determination to climb up the stairs in heels. He rushed to her and forcibly grabbed her elbow to which she pushed him off of her.

    "Lifei," he growled. "Stop it." Like the violent waves on a stormy day, his tone crashed over her. Instead of scaring her, it added fuel to her burning fire.

    "You¡¯re going to hurt yourself. I don¡¯t care if you throw tantrums, but I will not allow you to hurt our child."

    She paused and ced a hand on her stomach. Kicking off her heels, she grabbed it with her hand and proceeded to walk up the stairs. She acted like she was running a marathon. The doctor rmended light exercise. These flights of stairs were her daily exercise. For his sake, she gritted her teeth, pushed past him, stomped to the elevator and soon, they found themselves in thefort of their bedroom.

 Chapter 394 - Unworthy Heads

    "What did you do?" Zhao Lifei cut straight to the chase. The only reason she didn¡¯t argue with him in the car and downstairs was that she didn¡¯t want other people to be present during their arguments.

    Yang Feng had anticipated that this conversation would surface one day and he was prepared for it. However, staring into her eyes, his throat ran dry. Originally, he wanted to lie to her, but looking at her, face to face, he knew he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do so. "I disposed of him."

    "Why?"

    "The kidnapping from a few months ago was his doing."

    Silence.

    Zhao Lifei felt her world attempt to spiral out of control, but she firmly grasped it. Breathing in deeply, she closed her eyes and forced herself to rx. She knew her father would do something to her for her disrespectful behavior.

    "I told you before, my love, that anything or anyone that has or had intentions of harming you will suffer by my hands." Yang Feng crossed the distance to her and gently grabbed her hands with tender love. "He has harmed you beyond this kidnapping, starting from the day of your birth." Slowly, softly, he brought her hand to his lips.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t know how she should feel. She numbed by the news. She wondered if she truly cared about her father in the first ce.

    Had he shown her any fatherly affection, maybe guilt would have drowned her alive. But he didn¡¯t. Zhao Wenjin had emotionally and physically harmed her. There was no redemption for a man like him. He never loved her the same way he did with Zhao Linhua. The same goes for Wang Nuoli.

    Thinking about the loneliness of her absent parents and neglectful childhood, she had stopped viewing them as her parents.

    "Are you going to harm my mother and younger sister?"

    "That depends on if they want to continue behaving foolishly." Yang Feng answered. His hands itched to do something for how they behaved two hours ago.

    "I don¡¯t want them dead."

    "Then they won¡¯t be."

    Zhao Lifei tilted her head, "Then what are you going to do to them?"

    "Do you want blood to be shed?" Yang Feng gently asked her, cing a hand on her lower back and stepping closer to her.

    "..."

    "Alright then." Yang Feng chuckled at her silence. She didn¡¯t say or desire anything. It was up to him.

    "What happened to Zheng Tianyi?"

    "Do you want to know the truth?"

    Zhao Lifei shook her head, paused for a second before slowly, nodding her head.

    - - - - -

    A week ago.

    Drip. Drop. Drop. Drip. Unrhmythic and out of tune droplets of liquid trickled from somewhere. Whether it was water, blood, sweat, or other substances, no one could tell. An unidentified stench filled the air, unpleasant to the nose and when breathed in too deeply, caused a stinging sensation.

    A man struggled on the dirty floor, groggily waking up. His eyes fluttered as if he had slept for an eternity. His slumber made him drowsy and the pounding headache was negatively hurting his rationality.

    Zheng Tianyi groaned, grounding his teeth at how painful the headache was. When was thest time he experienced something like this?

    The Young Master was not used to pain. Whenever he felt it, it would be treated on the spot. Pain was foreign to him. Even when he drank himself stupid, the hangovers hadn¡¯t been as painful as this headache.

    "What the..." His blurry vision finally cleared, causing him to rapidly blink and look around the room. "Where the hell am I?" He coughed a bit, wheezing at the stench. His hands moved to cover his nose, but he found them bound behind him. The side of his face was pressed onto the dirty floor.

    "Yay, you¡¯re awake! I¡¯ve been waiting for SO long." Guo Sheng hopped off the table he was sitting on. For the delivery of his new toy, he had specifically changed into a nice set of clothes.

    "I heard you put up the biggest fight." Guo Sheng grinned, staring at the floor while he walked over to the man. Carefully, he made sure his shoes never touched the borders of the tiled-floor. He liked to pretend each tile was a rock and stepping on the lines was like stepping onva. It was his fun little game.

    "I like a challenge." Guo Sheng raised his head, his overgrown hair slightly hovering over his eyes.

    Zheng Tianyi patiently listened to the babbling man in front of him. He paid no mind to the taunting weapons on the walls and the equipment on the table.

    Nothing fazed him. Nothing scared him. Hispany was already tanked. His crown was passed on to unworthy heads that would roll when he came back. His father might¡¯ve been disappointed with him, but Zheng Tianyi held on to the assumption that his father woulde for him. He always did.

    ¡¯Regardless of the mistakes I¡¯ve made, I am still his oldest son.¡¯ Zheng Tianyi arrogantly thought to himself, his eyes burning. His blood boiled at the realization of what has happened to him.

    She will pay for this.

    He knew she had something to do with this. That sinful, tainted, and horrendous woman. He knew he should¡¯ve paid someone to kill her when he had the chance. But for once, he was kind. He showed her mercy because of what she had done for him.

    ¡¯That b*tch. Wait until I get my hands on her.¡¯ He growled inside his head.

    "Hey! I¡¯m talking to you. Are you even listening?!" Guo Sheng scowled and his easygoing face shed with a warning. "You¡¯re so rude, honestly."

    "Where the f*ck is your Boss, you pipsqueak son of a¡ª"

    The door opened and in came a gush of air from blistering cold Antarctica. Not a single sound could be heard except for the thud of polished leather shoes against the tiles. The intimidating sound echoed in the room.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s breath hitched, his arrogant eyes widening and morphing into disbelief. An impressive physique effortlessly sauntered into the room, his brood eyes at rest and shoulders at ease.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s face paled. Thunder struck his core, rendering him as still as wood. His fingertips went cold, his heart palpitating at what had befallen his shoulders. Betrayal.

    He never thought he would encounter such a thing. Even when Yang Feng made it clear they were nothing more than mere strangers, Zheng Tianyi still couldn¡¯t help but feel betrayed at the turn of events. All the years of coaxing and appeasement towards Yang Feng and this was what Zheng Tianyi got in return. Sure, they argued, but which friendship didn¡¯t have their ups and downs?

    "What is the meaning of this?" Zheng Tianyi was able to heave his body up into a sitting position. He didn¡¯t like it one bit. He had to crane his neck just to look up at Yang Feng.

    Yang Fengzily strolled to the clean chair that was facing the kneeling man. It was a simple chair, made of metal, but furnished with cushions to suit him. When the graceful man sat down upon the chair, it gave off the image of a heavily decorated throne. He rested the side of his face on the hand he propped on the armrest.

    "Are you really going to let a woman tarnish our friendship? Do you understand how pathetic that is?! There are so many women in the world, why throw everything away just for one?" Zheng Tianyi angrily bit out, his face flushed when the blood rushed to his head. His headache had been long forgotten, even though it was nudging and pestering him.

    After a long silence, Yang Feng turned his head to his secretary. Chen Gaonan stood beside the chair, arms tucked beside him. He behaved like the hand of the King and the great advisor of an Emperor. Upon receiving the message from his Boss, Chen Gaonan took out the photos from a folder and tossed it onto the floor for Zheng Tianyi to see.

    And for the second time today, his heart shattered. Another betrayal. One was worse than the other. Judging by his dark eyes, ck like the Grim Reaper¡¯s cloak, it was evident, the second affected him much more.

 Chapter 395 - Pain

    Questions flooded Zheng Tianyi¡¯s mind, but it was deafened by the overwhelming rage that washed over him. He had never felt a rush of anger as immense and uncontroble as this one. His nostrils red, his pupils dting.

    A memory flickered in his jumbled and short-circuited brain. Tiny white daisies tucked in her silky, long hair, so dark, it could be mistaken as a dark shade of glistening blue. Nothing couldpare to her smile that day, brighter than the summer sun, and gentler than the ripples in a pond.

    Xia Mengxi.

    "Even if your parents disapprove of me, even if they have ruined my mother in an attempt to separate us, even if they kill me, I do not mind it at all. As long as I can have you, I am willing to brace the thunder and storms." Her loving and tender words rang in his head. In that moment, her unforgettable smile was permanently imprinted onto his heart and brain. Who would¡¯ve known that the image would be ripped apart in his head, shredded into bits that disintegrated into fine dust blown away by the wind?

    An indescribable pain shed momentarily in his heart, shock trembling his entire form.

    Then it all went quiet. Nothing could be heard or felt, except for the chill that ran down his spine. Pressure filled his head, a lump in his throat. He was unable to convey the anguish he felt from the betrayal. Everything slowed down. His body turned cold. Bewilderment. Disbelief. Anguish.

    So many emotions coursed through him, all of which came to a screeching halt when another memory overcame his conscious.

    PAK! "Son of a bitch, what did you just say?!" Zheng Hechong snarled, baring his teeth like a snarling dog. He couldn¡¯t look at his despicable son. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to look at the failure of a man, or feel anything for this...this pile of garbage.

    His chest heaved with unrelenting anger, as his wife attempted to hold him back from beating Zheng Tianyi.

    "You wanted to call off the marriage with Zhao Lifei? Fine. I allowed you to rip that contract to shreds. You said it was because you have found true love. As a father, I only want my son to be happy. And this is what you bring to me?!" He snarled, pointing towards the peasant standing beside his son. "This disgusting, low-life whore from a dirty background and family? No father. A widowed mother. Stained reputation and zero wealth. You want to marry a woman of that sort?!"

    It was the first time Zheng Tianyi had ever gone against his father. He had never been struck by his parents. The feeling was foreign to him. So much so, that his face was whipped to the side, the long hair of his bangs covering over his eyes. A burning mark could be felt.

    "I am going to disown you, you piece of sh*t. This will be thest you hear of me. This will be thest time you have ties with the Zheng family!"

    Everything. For the sake of Xia Mengxi, Zheng Tianyi was willing to sacrifice it all. Whether it was his title as CEO or Zheng Hechong¡¯s favorite son, he was willing to abandon it all. As long as he could have Xia Mengxi by his side, Zheng Tianyi was willing to brace the obstacles that dragged him down.

    So why was it that his beloved Mengxi was wrapped in another man¡¯s arms? Why was it that his Mengxi was unclothed and in a foreign bed with her legs wrapped tightly around the firm waist of a man that was not him?

    In the next photo, her lips were locked with the same man, the corners of her mouth quipped upwards to form her signature smile. Another one showed her being hugged backward, caught off guard, but her smile was genuine and the brightest he had ever seen. Hell, he had never even seen her smile like that. It was only today he knew she could.

    Pictures of sinful adultery and pleasure.

    These were the images tossed before Zheng Tianyi, the images that broke him psychologically. All of the pain and obstacles that he had endured for the sake of Xia Mengxi, every single one of them was wasted. Nothing was more painful than this betrayal. No amount of physical torture could hurt him more than the realization that the heart of his lover did not truly belong to him.

    Yang Feng took azy sip from the crystal ss of whiskey. Seeing the raw emotions on Zheng Tianyi¡¯s face, the pure agony, all of it was amusing to him.

    While most people would think physical pain was the best type of way to break this man, Yang Feng thought of something else. What mattered to Zheng Tianyi more than his wealth and status? His woman. Like all men, their lovers were their weaknesses. Nothing shed the pride and ego of a dominant, possessive man more than the realization that their possession was being shared with another. And this was the very thing that broke Zheng Tianyi.

    If only the poor man knew, this was only the beginning.

    "Continue." Yang Feng humorlessly chuckled, his words allowing Chen Gaonan to pull out a tablet. As one would throw a bone to a starving beggar, Chen Gaonan tossed the tablet onto the floor where a video was ying.

    A giggle flooded the room, spiking Zheng Tianyi¡¯s heart rate. Yang Feng was repulsed by the sickly sweet sound. "Of course not, baby." Xia Mengxi mused. "I never loved him."

    A male voice, deeper than Zheng Tianyi, but strangely familiar, asked, "Loved who?"

    "Zheng Tianyi!" Xia Mengxiughed, shaking her head up at Zheng Murong, the true love of her life. She was at ease and with his presence, was the happiest she had been for the longest time.

    Yang Feng took another amused sip of his whiskey, his lips quipped into a smirk at the earth-shattering expression on Zheng Tianyi¡¯s further baffled face. If revenge was best served cold, then betrayal was an unswallowable dish.

    "Then why are you with him then?" Zheng Murong, who was only five years younger than Zheng Tianyi, purposely asked her. He knew the video was being recorded.

    "Baby," Xia Mengix whined. "Didn¡¯t I tell you already? It¡¯s so I can help you get your position as CEO!" She huffed with a tiny pout.

    Zheng Murong chuckled, his hand traveling to her tailbone before he began to unzip her skirt.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s eyes darkened even further. She was wearing the same outfit when she dered she was willing to sacrifice it all to have him.

    "This is fake." Zheng Tianyi¡¯s voice shook. He behaved as if he was attempting to convince himself more than Yang Feng.

    Yang Feng raised a brow, "The truth is always hard to swallow." His eyes shifted towards the door, and on the other side of it was a group of waiting men. Something else was going to be hard to swallow.

    "It¡¯s ironic, isn¡¯t it? The people you cherish the most betray you the quickest." Yang Feng tilted his head. Just then, his phone buzzed. Right on time.

    Zheng Tianyi¡¯s eyes zoomed onto the ringing device. For the briefest second, he could see the bright, white characters of "Zheng Murong."

    ¡¯No. No. No. This is impossible.¡¯

    Yang Feng turned on the speaker and in rang the easy-going, yet firm voice of Zheng Tianyi¡¯s treasured younger brother. "Hey, I¡¯m sorry to disturb you sote, but the bitch is finally asleep now. You¡¯d think with my sleazy older brother gone, she would be panicking."

    Zheng Murong detached himself from the woman on the bed. He shook his head at the sight of her naked body before tossing a nket over her. He had always lived in his older brother¡¯s shadows, so when Yang Feng approached him months ago with a shining opportunity, Zheng Murong took it in a heartbeat.

    "I called to let you know my father has visited your grandfather and threatened to pull out his support. It¡¯s just as you have predicted. Don¡¯t worry, I have everything under control. Mother finally told me the code to father¡¯s ounts." Zheng Murong began to ce his clothes on,pletely oblivious that Zheng Tianyi was listening to his conversation. Quite frankly, Zheng Murong couldn¡¯t care less. He was already fed up with his bragging older brother who was turning thepany into trash.

    "Murong, you bastard!" Zheng Tianyi roared loud enough for his younger brother to hear. Facing three betrayals all at once, his body couldn¡¯t stop trembling. His eyes were erratic and he looked as if he was on the verge of losing his sanity.

    Zheng Murong paused. "Oh, I see my oldest brother is awake. Luckily, I¡¯m not on speaker so I didn¡¯t wake up his fiancee. She would freak if she knew I was on your side." He mused, buttoning his shirt and grabbing his briefcase. "Not that I care, though." He didn¡¯t even bat an eye upon being caught red-handed.

    "Father seems to be fighting to get Zheng Tianyi back, but I¡¯m sure the phase won¡¯tst that long. He¡¯s quite useless. Once I get in contact with his attorney, I¡¯ll coerce father into giving me the shares." Zheng Murong was sure Zheng Tianyi would not being back alive or sane anytime soon.

    "Don¡¯t worry, President, you have the Zheng¡¯s full support." His phone began to buzz again, "My mother is calling. I¡¯ll catch up with youter."

    Yang Feng hung up the phone, satisfied at the pure anguish on Zheng Tianyi¡¯s face. Unluckily for him, they were just getting started.

    Seeing that the conversation had ended, Guo Sheng eagerly turned towards Yang Feng as if asking for permission.

    "Go ahead. Have your fun, but not too much. We still need his sanity intact for the next segment." Yang Feng nodded his head towards the unsuspecting door.

    Chen Gaonan flickered on the video recording and the rest was history.

 Chapter 396 - Pretty Nails

    <strong> WARNING </strong> : <strong> THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE AND DESCRIPTION IS HEAVILY NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. IF YOU GET EASILY DISTURBED BY TORTURE, PLEASE DO NOT READ. </strong>

    The psychological torture of betrayal was only the beginning of Yang Feng¡¯s ns. Fluidly, he settled the partially-sipped ss down beside him. Familiar with the taste of the liquor, it didn¡¯t burn his throat as it did to most people.

    His nk face and cid eyes were supposed to be out of ce for the setting of this room. The dark shadows slithering in the corner created uncertainty.

    What could be hiding in the bleak darkness where light couldn¡¯t prate? Many people feared death for a variety of reasons. Some felt the loss of life meant the loss of everything and others believed it was the uncertainty of whates after death that terrified them. Regardless of the reason, the fear associated with death all boiled down to one action: torture.

    What made the darkness so frightening? Was it the monsters that hid within it? Or was it the nothingness that forced the eyes topletely space out? t, bleak darkness swarming the vision, despite the open eyes that rapidly blinked to adjust to the soulless color. A fear of darkness often doesn¡¯t stem from theck of light, but the uncertainty of what could be dwelling in the ck void. Could it be an axe murder with blood sttered on the victim¡¯s tattered clothes? Or maybe it could be the demon lurking under the bed? Perhaps it was even the ghost hiding in the closet, giggling to herself, a cruel and unusual sound gurgling from her mouth.

    So many things could often spike the fear of someone.

    Raised in all sorts of environments unsuitable for a growing child, the young Yang Feng knew that best. Thrusted into everything that a person could be scared of, he was taught how to manipte the environment to provoke and rapidly increase the heart rate.

    Through his disorientated eyes that turned solid items into hazy doubles, Zheng Tianyi was only able to focus on one thing. For the sins he had piled at his feet, Zheng Tianyi didn¡¯t think he would meet the Devil so quickly.

    Even when the world was a blur, he could see Yang Feng¡¯s wless face. His golden tinted skin, smooth like newly polished marble, was a stark contrast to his surroundings and environment. He sat in that chair, moderate size with mediocre materials, but with the nonspecific appearance of a throne.

    Zheng Tianyi couldn¡¯t think straight. Even so, he could see it. The curve of Yang Feng¡¯s thin lips. The corners, sharp and prickly like the thorns of a forbidden rose, unruly tugged upwards in a sinister smirk. And that was thest thing he saw before the lights went out.

    Darkness.

    The dripping sound in the background ceased. The crippling and unnerving silence plunged Zheng Tianyi to a heightened state of uneasiness. He couldn¡¯tprehend the situation around him moments before, and now, he was blinded. His ears crinkled, straining, desperate, to hear a sound, any familiar sound, that could calm his racing heart. Thud. Thud. Thud. Something was pounding, growing louder with each passing second.

    Haggard breathing, panicked gasps of air that grew heavier and heavier. What was that sound? Where was iting from? It was so close to him. The senses were unfamiliar. And then he realized, it was him who was making all sorts of noises.

    Without warning, something whizzed past him, seemingly out of thin air.

    Zheng Tianyi jumped but kept his mouth shut. In an attempt to pacify his racing heart, he tried to think of the calm ocean tides of the tropical beach he had taken Xia Mengxi. But thinking about his cheating fianc¨¦e only drove his emotions to the edge. He was not in the right state of mind.

    Suddenly, Zheng Tianyi couldn¡¯t feel the binding ropes on him. He tried sticking his hands out, slowly, hoping to use his sense of touch to identify what was going on.

    At the brink of his sanity, he stammered, "T-that¡¯s enough, isn¡¯t it? You g-got what you wanted?"

    Zheng Tianyi heard a taunting chuckle from behind him and swiveled around with a speed that matched light. Believing there was an opening to fight back, he threw a punch. Nothing. His fist struck the air. The force of his own punch sent him straight to the icky floor below him.

    Just as he managed to pull himself up, he felt something forcefully grabbing his hand. Zheng Tianyi let out a startled scream and in a swift motion, something was yanked off. It happened so quickly, he didn¡¯t register it until all of his emotions drowned him at once. Agonizingly slow, sparks of pain spiking through the body, churning a person¡¯s insides, the pain so intense, it induced a splitting headache pounding at the corners of the forehead.

    A sharp, mangled scream shrouded the silence. It was the only sound upying the room. The sound spooked Zheng Tianyi, who couldn¡¯t register that it came from him until something elsetched onto his remaining four nails. Then there were three.

    "ARGH!" He bellowed, crippling with the pain that shocked his senses so hard, he dropped to his knees in hopes of alleviating the pain.

    An eerie, doll-like voice, dripping with honey sweetness,peted with his ear-splitting screams. "Pretty...pretty nails..." Giggles choked Zheng Tianyi on all four sides of him, yet when he crawled on the floor and reached his hands out to grab the feet of the people around him, he was only met with the cold, stone floor. That was strange...

    "S-stop it." He begged. Born with a golden spoon in his mouth, he never understood what pain was until today. He had never begged someone and the words sounded foreign on his tongue, but it was an automatic response. At his wit¡¯s end, rationality escaped past his head.

    His wandering fingers met something cold, but sticky. Shakily, he tried to bring his hands to his eyes to see what it was, only to realize he didn¡¯t know what it was. This only sent his brain into another turmoil.

    "What the¡ª stop it! Don¡¯t touch me!" He growled when two different fingers touched his face, each with different roughness upon the fingertips. One was oddly soft, like that of a woman. The other was a bit harsh, simr to the hands of a person who cleaned the dishes or did too many house chores.

    Zheng Tianyi attempted to force his nerves to rx. ¡¯S-so it was just women. T-that was fine.¡¯ None of them were going to be as cruel as a man. And little did he know, with all sorts of toolsid beside him, he was going to regret his words. Indeed, they had the hands of a woman, but everyone knew, the bulge from their leather boxers indicated a brutal night of pain in every crevice...

    - - - - -

    Guo Sheng thought that he was insane. Well, in some aspects, he sort of was. From pping his hands at gory torture to dipping his fingers into freshly dripped blood that was still warm, he had done everything that a person would witness from a horror movie.

    With his night vision goggles on, he could see the scenes perfectly. The contour of the man¡¯s body with unfathomably ufortable sweat sticking to the unrecognizable sh. Muffled shrieks and whimpers could be heard from the rag that was shoved into the man¡¯s mouth.

    Guo Sheng liked screaming. He loved it more than anything. In particr, he loved the style of Zheng Tianyi¡¯s tortured screams. It was animalistic, something you could only hear during a pig ughter. High-pitched, unveiling, body-crumpling, bone-shattering screams that forced shivers to crawl up the spine. Guo Sheng enjoyed the thrill of it, the goosebumps that formed on his skin. It was therapeutic. And they were only at the worst stages.

    His eyes wandered to his Big Boss who never moved from the chair. The Big Boss wasn¡¯t wearing night-vision sses, but his eyes were perfectly aligned with the gruesome torture. The men working on Zheng Tianyi were on thest nail of his right foot. His hands were pinned onto the ground with steel nails jammed into the exposed, fleshly and wrinkled skin hidden under the spot where his nails should¡¯ve been.

    How his Big Boss could see, or at least pretend to do so, without sses was mind-boggling. Judging from his unchanging expression and the smallest curve of his lips. Guo Sheng knew his Big Boss was registering everything that was unfolding a few feet away from him.

    Finally, Guo Sheng decided enough was enough. He wanted to see everything in full-color. He wanted to witness the semi-finished masterpiece before it waspleted with his personal finishing touches.

    He skipped to the table and picked up a ck blindfold whose materials shut out all forms of light. Like a wind traveling by Zheng Tianyi¡¯s writhing, shaking, and rocking body, the blindfold was easily slipped over Zheng Tianyi¡¯s eyes.

    "WHAT WAS THAT?!?!" Zheng Tianyi¡¯s voice, once smooth and deep like the ocean, was unpleasing to the ears. It was like the needles of a vinyl yer scratching over broken lines, creating unsettling screeches.

    "ARGH¡ª!" His screams were even more unsettling to hear. It resembled finely sharpened nails running down the chalkboard, scratching a screeching path. Shivers shook the body of many people witnessing the gruesome scene.

    Guo Sheng finally saw Zheng Tianyi¡¯s body. There was an animalistic dog-mask of some sorts covering over his mouth, turning his voice and screams into something much more unsettling.

    His eyes widened when he realized something was rolling on the ground. It was the chip that was supposed to suppress and alter the skin-crawling soundsing from Zheng Tianyi¡¯s mouth. My, oh my, Guo Sheng felt his brain enter into an entirely different thrill. It seemed the noisesing from Zheng Tianyi weren¡¯t altered or artificial! It was real! It was real!

    Guo Sheng¡¯s eyes greedily took in the unsettling scene in front of him. There was a white, bumpy, and shiny film covering Zheng Tianyi¡¯s disfigured body. The sheen substance was filled with small hills that resembled the bubbles of boiling water. asionally, his thick veins made it look like small, yellow maggots were squirming on the skin, due to the texture of the weird liquid coating his body. It appeared to be sticky and ufortable, like smoldering sweat clinging onto a person¡¯s body during the hottest day of summer.

    His foot moved on its own ord, swishing and skipping on the tiles, following the rhythm of Zheng Tianyi¡¯s screams, that now resembled a disturbed and abused beast. Guo Sheng began to polish his toys... He meticulously took his time. Finally, his fingers picked up the scalpel-like an artist would their brush. He dipped it into the paint ¡ª a chemical known for dissolving fat-tissues. Slowly, he stalked towards Zheng Tianyi and there, he carved and finished his masterpiece. It was bright red, raw, with so many jagged cuts and removed pieces, one would think it was a sculpture instead of an actual human.

 Chapter 397 - Please Me

    Yang Feng was careful to not disturb the innocent mind of his wife. His tender eyes fully mirrored his intentions and his mouth obliged with his brain. He only shared the parts of betrayal and never went beyond that. The torture and other actions inflicted by his men were deliberately left out. He was not going to corrupt his wife or put a disturbing image into her mind.

    Zhao Lifei felt doubtful her husband only inflicted psychological pain upon Zheng Tianyi. She could see it in his eyes. The folds of devious ck hidyers of malice, all of which, she knew she couldn¡¯t handle. She was grateful to not have morning sickness or frequent urges to throw up. Fearful that the full-story would make her stomach lurch on the spot, she didn¡¯t probe any longer.

    "I didn¡¯t know Xia Mengxi was cheating with Zheng Tianyi¡¯s younger brother." She finally said after a long silence. During their conversation, they had somehow moved onto the couch in their room. Her body sunk into the inviting cushion and her shoulders were at ease with him beside her.

    Zhao Lifei knew men were easily drawn and attached to Xia Mengxi. The faux, angelic allure tugged their heartstrings. It roped them into a long line of suitors. She had enough admirers and second male-leads to start a Korean drama of her own. Who would¡¯ve thought the person she truly fancied was the younger brother of her lover? It was a plot-twist that no one had expected.

    "Everyone has skeletons in their closet. Some hide it better than others." Yang Feng exined, reaching his hands out and resting it on her lower back. Instead of pulling her to him, he eased himself towards her.

    Slowly, he dropped his head to the side of her neck, his warm lips pressing open-mouth kisses upon her soft flesh. A soft, distinctive sound wandered into his ears when he found her favorite spot. A low, husky voice rasped, "I believe you took fancy in a lingerie store previously... Won¡¯t you show me the outfits you¡¯ve picked out?" He didn¡¯t give her a choice, for his hands were already helping her take off her clothes.

    - - - - -

    Fulfilled and satisfied, Zhao Lifei was proud to realize, for once, he was the first to fall asleep. His well-toned arms were slung over her hips, seeminglyzy and yful. His innocuous expression betrayed the strong, iron-grip he had over her naked body filled with his marks.

    When he was awake, his face was a daring wonder to behold. Nonchnt with hidden intentions, devious and mischievous, everything that described the devil, could be used to describe him. Yet, when his eyes were peacefully shut, his beauty shunned the angels.

    Her finger slowly traced over his sleeping features. She started from his thick, ravenousshes before trailing downwards over his rugged, prominent nose. Simr to the structure of blue-blood royals, there was not a feature amiss.

    Her feather-light touches could be mistaken for a wisp of an unnoticeable breeze. Her skin burned bright like the mes of her heart when her traveling fingers stopped at the corner of his mouth. She was bright-red from the vivid memory of the wicked things his tongue could do to her. The simple flick of it was enough to earn a breathy moan from her and his lips, nothing in the world was as sweet and delectable as they are.

    Then, her crimson skin calmed when she recounted how crazy she had driven him. She tempted him beyond return and forced him toply with her slow, strip-tease.

    Happy that she had tired him out, instead of the other way around, Zhao Lifei leaned up and gently kissed his lips. Slow, sensual her lips moved on its record. She kept it brief and pulled back when he slightly stirred.

    "Mmm... Lifei?" His voice, lethargic and thick with drowsiness, sent her heart skyrocketing. His eyes were slightly open and she ced her hand over it, blocking out the dim light from the nightmp behind her.

    "Go back to sleep." She whispered, keeping her hand in ce for a few seconds. The bed dipped and the nkets crinkled when he shuffled closer to her, engulfing her into his body. She could feel his calming warmth cover over the icy goosebumps lingering on her skin. Like his body, she rxed and melted against him. Finally, his taunt body eased.

    Hesitantly and slowly, she lifted her hand. Unknowingly, her lips quipped into a fond, little smile. "Goodnight, Yang Feng." Her heavy eyes closed. Silence ensued. After what felt like a minute or two, he responded, "Goodnight, my beloved."

    - - - - -

    WARNING: THE FOLLOWING CONTENT IS UNSUITABLE FOR READERS UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN. NSFW CONTENT IS UP AHEAD. IF YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE READING IT, PLEASE SKIP AS IT DOESN¡¯T CONTAIN MAJOR PLOT.

    The next morning, Zhao Lifei rose from the bed bright and early. Well, she attempted to do so but failed miserably. A heavyweight was forcing her body into the bed and regardless of how much she squirmed for escape, it didn¡¯t allow her to do so. Relenting to it, shezily opened her eyes. Her heart was caught in her throat when she was greeted with his breathtaking smile first thing in the morning.

    "You seemed like you¡¯ve slept well." Zhao Lifeimented, shifting her body into afortable position. His hands explored her small back before reaching the nape of her neck and pushing back her messy hair.

    "Believe me, I slept exceedingly well." He husked, scooting closer. Nothing could fit through their pressed bodies, not even a thin sheet of paper. Last night wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy his greedy hunger. He was careful with her and for once, made love at a human pace of two, long rounds.

    "W-wasn¡¯tst night enough to satisfy you?" Regardless of how many times they did it, she was still shy about it. Her actionsst night, and the tiny flicker of me in her eyes suggested otherwise.

    "You always satisfy me, in more ways than one." He drawled out, his voice deeper than the trenches of the ocean.

    "Then what are your hands doing?"

    His hands had unknowingly moved and one of them was slipping very close to her womanhood. Her voice was caught in her throat when his lips slowly tilted up, into a naughty smirk. "What do you mean?" He innocently asked her, settling his hands upon her hips.

    Their teasing took aplete 180 degree turn when she abruptly changed their position. His eyes briefly widened the slightest when he found her on top of him. He thought he would be seducing her this morning, not the other way around. His heart raced when she pressed her hand upon his firm chest and teasingly slide upwards. Her milky, white legs were slung on either side of him, straddling too close to his hardening rod. Everywhere her hands had grazed turn scalding hot, burning for more of her touch. She didn¡¯t do much to him and he was already lusting for her without question.

    "What are you doing?" His voice, restrained and hoarse, stroked her ego the same way he wished she would stroke his member. Her glistening eyes turned a shade darker, mirroring his desire-driven eyes.

    "I don¡¯t know, Mr. President, why don¡¯t you tell me?" Her sultry voice, dripping with sweetness, sent shivers down his spine. She was in full control of him. Whatever she desired to do to him, he would dly take it with open arms.

    His eyes darkened incredibly when she bent her body forward, purposefully giving him the perfect view of her breasts and the dip of it. He thought she was going to kiss him and the idea itself sent his heart lurching for more. Shrouded by her feminine scent, he was at a loss of what to do. Her lips were so close to his, that he held his breath in anticipation. She was so close now, he could practically taste her heavenly lips. She kissed the corner of his mouth. A dark, dangerous growl rumbled his chest, sending shivers down her spine. She could feel the clench of his muscles beneath her and the pooling warmth underneath her belly.

    "Lifei."

    "Yes, Yang Feng?" She responded, her voice dripping with innocence, a hand traveling up his neck, settling at the base of it, teasing the skin. Finally, he caved in to the temptation and gave her whatever she wanted.

    He swallowed, hard. In a restrained and desperate voice, he rasped, "Please."

    She ced a finger on her chin and batted her pretty littleshes at him. Pretending she was oblivious to his desires, she purposefully drove him insane.

    "How much do I have to beg¡ª"

    She answered his question with her body. Without warning and before he could prepare himself, she raised her hips and plunged her core over his throbbing member. He sucked in a sharp breath of air at the unexpected shock of pleasure. Enthralling and too pleasurable for him to grasp control of his restraints, he roughly grabbed her hips. Her soft hands, mirroring her tender flesh, rested upon his calloused knuckles, seemingly telling him to rx.

    She could feel his pulsing, hot rod twitch inside of her when she slowly moved her hips. It was her first time initiating a position like this and she didn¡¯t know what to do.

    Seemingly reading her mind, he whispered, "Whatever pleases you will please me."

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t need to be told twice. She moved her hips with confidence, slowly, surely, but firmly. Her breathing turned erratic, desperate when he began to guide her and raise his lower body up to meet her teasing. Soon, it became passionate and heated, as they lost themselves to intoxicating pleasure. Loud moans filled the room, mingling with asional grunts and groans. Together, they climbed the peak to pleasure, and together, they climaxed.

 Chapter 398 - Stern and Unforgiving

    Lying in bed again, slightly exhausted from their morning session, Zhao Lifei watched her husband get dressed. Regardless of how many times she had seen his body, her eyes still roamed all over the fine specimen in front of her. His naturally contoured body was eye-candy to her. The eight hard ridges on his abdomen were sharp enough to cut through stone. A very prominent and defined line dipped right below his finely-honed abs.

    Swallowing hard, she watched his long, strong fingers easily maneuvering the buttons of his ck silk shirt. The sleeves hugged his arms perfectly, his muscles slightly clenching with each movement. The color of the shirt made his body appear to be the perfect bnce of lean yet muscr.

    "If you keep on staring at me like that, I''ll be inclined to join you in bed again," Yang Feng teased with a teasing smirk on his face. She didn''t miss the way his eyes brightened to a stormy grey color, rimmed by ck. Though she rarely pointed it out, she loved the way his face lit up whenever he smiled.

    "Why don''t you?" Zhao Lifei asked, sitting up and letting the nkets covering her body pool at her waist. His eyes followed the fluid action before he forced himself to tear his eyes away from her. With the dirty thoughts guing his mind, even holy water couldn''t cleanse it.

    "You just love screwing with my head, don''t you?" he asked her, shaking his head in amusement. He had just finished showering with her but it seems as if he would need another one to cool the heat.

    "I love screwing with you in general," she said, her words pushing his buttons one by one. He swallowed hard, his Adam''s apple visibly bobbing up and down. The motion reminded her of something else¡­

    "Trust me, such teasing will not go by unpunished," Yang Feng warned her, his voice dropping an octave. Seeing that he''d already reached thest straw of his control, she decided to ease up on bullying him. Sliding out of bed, she slid one of his shirts from the hanger and slipped it over her body.

    Zhao Lifei could feel his scorching gaze upon her body when she attempted to button the overlyrge shirt that hung loosely from her shoulders. Her hands were hindered by the long sleeves, so after three buttons she simply gave up. She raised her arms which were lost in the folds of his white dress shirt. Hugging him from behind, she rested her face upon hisfortable back.

    "Have a good day at work," she mumbled into his shirt, feeling clingy all of a sudden. His taunt body immediately rxed.

    Yang Feng''s caught sight of their position reflected in the mirror. He felt as if his heart was being squeezed by how small and adorable she looked in his shirt. It stopped mid-thigh and barely covered her perky little butt. "Will you be going to yourpany today?" he asked her, turning around so that he could properly hold her. Not wanting her to crane her neck, he helped her step on his leather shoes to give her a small height boost.

    "I was thinking of visiting your parents today," Zhao Lifei said out of the blue, her words catching him by surprise.

    He worriedly nced down at her with a heavy heart but was pleasantly surprised to see her expression was devoided of hesitation. There was something about the way she carried herself that made him feel at ease. She was practically radiating inner happiness and her skin reflected this with its healthy glow.

    A gentle smile lifted the corners of his mouth. He ced a hand on her cheek, tenderly stroking the skin. "I''ll have the driver ready for you." No longer anxious at the oue, he decided to support her. She was a grown woman capable of making her own choices and decisions. He had little reason to doubt her intentions and actions¡­ unless it was one that would stubbornly put her in danger.

    "You can have the bodyguards waiting downstairs, but I think it would be best if they didn''t enter the house with me." Zhao Lifei deemed it would be rude to visit Yang Feng''s parents with so much security around her. It would send the wrong message. She already had the gifts prepared for this visit.

    "Alright." He nodded his head, his calloused fingers pushing back the hair that covered her face. He fully cupped her face, handling it as one would with an imperial treasure. Tenderly, he kissed her on the nose, then shifted to the remaining four points of her face. "I trust you''ll keep yourself safe?"

    "Of course," Zhao Lifei answered, her eyes shut as she waited for his kiss. She had expected it toe right after her words, but it never did. Disgruntled by theck of action, her eyes flew open. Then, unexpectedly, he sealed his lips over her mouth, trapping in anyints or protests. His lips were warm and gentle, locking with hers in perfect sync. It started slow and ended slow.

    "If you need anything, don''t hesitate to call me. Okay?"

    She nodded her head with a small smile. "Okay."

    - - - - -

    Zhao Lifei realized that she''d never had a proper conversation with Yang Feng''s parents alone. Sure, there were a handful of times when they engaged in small-talk, but it was hardly a conversation. Most of the time, Yang Feng was present and hovering over them like a guard-dog ready to bite their heads off. She didn''t like that. It would be an unhealthy environment for her future children.

    Without a mother and father on her side, Zhao Lifei wanted her children to have at least one set of functioning grandparents who would shower them with unconditional love. Her n to win them over was not her pregnancy. This news would onlye after she was done forming a good bond with them.

    It seemed Madam Fan Jin was already prepared for Zhao Lifei''s arrival. The front gates, which usually require proper identification to open, were already open for her. Therge and imposing sleek ck gates resembled those in castles, except these, were more modern and slightly less intimidating. When the gleaming ck car stopped at the entrance of the mansion, the Madam of the House was already outside and waiting.

    A woman dressed in a ck trouser suit with the obligatory white shirt opened the door for Zhao Lifei. There was an ear-piece attached to her ear and the stereotypical sunsses covered her eyes. On the cor of her white shirt was a barely noticeable symbol that indicated who she worked for: Yang Feng.

    "Lady Boss," the bodyguard said in greeting, holding out her hand to help her exit the car. Zhao Lifei gracefully epted the offered hand, and elegantly, she exited the car. There were two, small boxes in her hands. One was Chiffon Pink in color while the other was Tiffany Blue.

    "Good morning, Madam Fan," Zhao Lifei said warmly when she saw the elegantly-aged woman step forward with a man in tow whose face was pulled into a permanent scowl.

    "I will only ept the title of ''other,'' from you. No more, no less," Fan Jin sternly said with a pointed look. For a split second, Zhao Lifei was stunned silent, especially by the slightly less stern re emitted by Yang Qianlu.

    "Now, let''s start again. Good morning, my beloved daughter."

    "Good morning... Mother." Zhao Lifei was used to use the title in a disinterested matter. Using it with a warm and endearing tone of voice sounded foreign to her ears.

    Fan Jin''s stoic face instantly melted. Filled with warmth, she said, "It''s so good to see you again. Did you have breakfast? I heard unfortunate events have befallen upon you¡­ How is your body?" She paused, before adding on, "Are you recuperating? I''ll have the chefs prepare a nutritious meal for you. Come, follow me inside."

    Zhao Lifei felt a lump form in her throat at the sound of motherly warmth conveyed by Fan Jin''s voice. A pair of gentle andforting hands grabbed Zhao Lifei''s. This was the first time she had experienced this motherly love and she was unsure about how she should behave.

    "Oh my, I see you have brought presents with you. You shouldn''t have." Fan Jin waved a servant over. "Here, I''ll have the maid carry them to the living room. After breakfast, we can open them. How does that sound?"

    Zhao Lifei immediately nodded her head, "That would be perfect." Her eyes trailed to Yang Qianlu whose scrutinizing gaze never once left her. Oddly enough, it wasn''t as stern and unforgiving as it used to be.

 Chapter 399 - Dislike

    The three had breezed over to therge breakfast table when, all of a sudden, Fan Jielen said she was supposed to retrieve something from upstairs. She ushered her husband and daughter-inw to sit down first and then left the room with light and dainty footsteps.

    Despite being a dining room, the ce was meant to be shown off. White trimmings with scalloped gold edges framed the windows. Roman columns crafted from marble and limestone were adorned with leafy crowns. Satin curtains were circrly hung, creating evenly parted, yet naturally-appealing, folds. A rectangr chandelier with droplets ofrge crystals hung from above.

    Zhao Lifei was impressed and at awe with the beautiful design, to which she said, "This is quite a beautiful dining room." If she remembered correctly, thest time she came here for a meal, they were in the dining room meant for dinner. With the natural lighting that rushed through the enormous windows that overlooked a serene, neatly-trimmed garden, this room was solely for eating breakfast.

    "The stormy grey and snow-white marble with specks of gold is a nice touch." Shemented before walking to the seat and sitting in front of Yang Qianlu.

    Yang Qianlu momentarily paused, the action so small, she didn¡¯t notice it. "I suppose so." He dryly replied. He was the one who requested for the marble to be used instead of having the entire columns to be made of limestone. With a fondness towards architecture, he would¡¯ve pursued his dream had he been born into a normal family.

    Zhao Lifei nced at Yang Qianlu. "You dislike me." She addressed the elephant in the room ¡ª it was also the primary reason why she visited the Yangs.

    Her understanding voice, filled with patience, confused Yang Qianlu. He thought there should be an underlying tone of bitterness in her statement.

    Yang Qianlu cleared and throat and reached for the tea, and was astonished to see she had predicted his action. The tea was already poured for him without traces of its leaves.

    Grumbling to himself, he picked up his handmade teacup. With so much spare time on his hands, he had been bored one day and decided to indulge in pottery. Who would¡¯ve thought, a weekter, he would have made a set of four cups,plete with a pot. It was painted an earthy brown with tones of ck, but the silver branches sliced through the dark colors. The inside was painted a speckled, off-shaded white.

    "I¡¯m d to know that your brain and eyes are working perfectly," Yang Qianlu responded, taking a leisurely sip of the calming morning tea made from chamomile and white tea. "It¡¯s not that I dislike you." He added on, cing the cup down and watching her admire the drawing before she nced back up at him.

    Yang Qianlu wasn¡¯t lying. Aside from her horrendous past, there wasn¡¯t much to dislike about Zhao Lifei. It would be unfair to hold her ountable for something that happened so long ago and couldn¡¯t be changed. "It¡¯s more of, I didn¡¯t think you were a suitable candidate for my son. My methods were... nicely put by my wife, ¡¯very childish.¡¯ Though, I do have my reasons."

    "You see, I am unustomed to demonstrating affection to my children, especially the eldest. Call me crazy, but I believe my treatment towards Yang Feng is a lot better than the one I endured as a child. Every generation of parenting is simr to its predecessors, but also drastically different, for we never want our children to experience the same pain we felt from our parents."

    "I only wanted the best for my son. When he was at a suitable age for marriage, I chose the most likely candidate for him: a woman that has stuck by his side for years. Su Meixiu who, at the time, came from a reputable family that had served ours for generations. She has worked by him for very long and knew his preferences like the back of her hand, but that was her greatest w wasn¡¯t it?"

    Yang Qianlu had heavily reflected on his actions. His wife¡¯s behavior during the birthday party was a forceful awakening that his approach was beginning to mirror his father, a man he both hated and respected at the same time. "She knew him for too long, so much so, that he only saw her as a mere employee and nothing more."

    "Granted by how my son looks at you, I know you¡¯re more suitable for him than any other woman. However, this understanding didn¡¯t happen overnight."

    Zhao Lifei calmly listened to his words, letting it flow into her ears and be absorbed into her brain. She could see where he wasing from, and that was precisely why she didn¡¯t dislike him or his behavior. She was never offended by it, though there were times that he did go overboard.

    "I¡¯m sure you know that by now, I¡¯m a stubborn man raised from hard to change traditions."

    Zhao Lifei found it intriguing that the father and son hadpletely contradicting viewpoints. She could still remember Yang Feng¡¯s words, "Tradition is just peer pressure from the dead."

    "Su Meixiu is a good girl. She has her ws as everyone else does, but what she has done for my son can¡¯t be ignored just because of your presence." Yang Qianlu firmly said, leaving no room for ¡¯buts¡¯ or ¡¯ifs.¡¯

    "Luckily for you, my mindset has been gradually changing." Yang Qianlu left out the part where he was nagged by his wife about his bias towards Su Meixiu. "I want both Su Meixiu and my son to be happy and if neither of them can be each other¡¯s happiness, that is fine with me."

    Everyone craved familiarity and Yang Qianlu was no exception to it. He feltfortable around Su Meixiu because he had grown ustomed to the idea that she was perfect for Yang Feng. She was a homely woman who excelled in everything a housewife should but was also intelligent enough to hold business conversations. Well-rounded and good to her elders, albeit a little too submissive, she was practically perfect to a traditional man like Yang Qianlu.

    "Changes won¡¯t happen overnight. It¡¯s going to be hard for me to change my thinking. At least, I have be ustomed to your presence by my son¡¯s side."

    Regardless of how hard Yang Qianlu tried to hide it, Zhao Lifei could see past his tough-love facade towards Yang Feng. The father only wants what¡¯s best for his son, even if he didn¡¯t show any public affection towards the young man. His constant title of "my son" was enough to prove that.

    "That¡¯s understandable. It would be abnormal and unrealistic if you suddenly change your behavior out of the blue." Zhao Lifei responded before her lips formed a small, lopsided smile.

    Yang Qianlu raised a brow at her unexpected words. Maybe it was the unfair prejudice that he had towards her, but for odd reasons, today he began viewing her in a better light. Or maybe it was just the fact that the sunlight was glimmering directly behind her.

    He always thought her current behavior was just a facade to hide the malicious one that she used to possess. Today, he learned a little bit more about her nature... It would only be a matter of time before he grew ustomed to her. "I don¡¯t suppose you will expect an apology from me as well?"

    "Maybe when it snows tomorrow, perhaps there would be one." Zhao Lifei chuckled, shaking her head a bit. "Though, I do expect mutual respect."

    "That can be granted."

    Right on time, Fan Jin walked in with nothing in her hands. Through her knowing smile, Yang Qianlu knew his wife purposely left them alone to chat. He couldn¡¯t me her. No one wanted to be stuck at a crossroad of ufortable conflict.

    "There you are," Yang Qianlu mused, "You didn¡¯t have to change your clothes. What¡¯s wrong with your other one?"

    "I think new changes call for new clothes, don¡¯t you think so?" Fan Jin was also referring to the new wardrobe she nned on gettingter on in the day, but her oblivious husband didn¡¯t catch on to her message. One could truly tell where the low EQ stemmed from...

    "Whatever makes you happy." Yang Qianlu responded with a small, barely noticeable smile. He thought his wife was going to sit beside him and to his unpleasant surprise, she walked right past him and beside Zhao Lifei who stood up and pulled a chair out for her.

    "I¡¯m sure it will make me very happy..." Fan Jin said under her breath when she thought about the newest collections of clothes and products.

 Chapter 400 - This Is Unacceptable

    After an entire morning of keeping his head buried in next week¡¯s documents, Huo Qiudong turned his attention towards hisptop where he was going to browse through this week¡¯s meeting schedule. As requested by his boss, tomorrow will be the day they go through the interviews for many of the approved applicants.

    His phone buzzed, indicating it was time for lunch, but he turned it off and ignored the urge to eat. By his standards, there was still a lot to be done. For example, finalizing the presentation slides forter on. It was already Sunday, yet he was at the office, clearly ignoring his boss¡¯ orders to not work today.

    His phone began buzzing again and thinking it was an rm clock, he mindlessly clicked his phone without ncing at it. A few minutes passed and then amotion could be heard outside of his office.

    His left eye twitched, but he continued pressing the arrow button while reading the third presentation slide. "The projected revenue is..." He murmured to himself before a loud bang could be heard.

    "Please, you can¡¯t just trespass into the Vice President¡¯s hallway like this--"

    Another voice spoke up, "If you disturb him, the consequences will be grave!"

    Huo Qiudong grounded his teeth, mming hisptop shut and standing up. Who the hell was causing all this noise?!

    His stomach grumbled and his hand itched to grab a cup of coffee. He was always frustrated whenever he was hungry. Theck of caffeine in his system was also not helping, especially the withdrawal he had been experiencing for the past four hours since he had been in the office. He was trying toy off his reliance on coffee, but the slight headache he was experiencing made him second guess his decision.

    "You can¡¯t just have your bodyguards block us like this, even if you¡¯re the President¡¯s¡ª"

    "What is going on here?!" Huo Qiudong growled, mming his office door open to reveal his employees being blocked by a barrier of men. None of these well-built men appeared to be struggling against the feeble attempts of the employees attempting to grab a stunning young woman. Her well-treated hair, healthy and shiny, was tied up today, with a few strands curled to frame her perfectly-shaped face. Feline eyes rimmed with a natural eyeshadow and liner shifted to him. He could see the shade lighten up, like the smile that broke out on her face.

    "Qiuqiu!" Yang Ruqin widely smiled, hopping to him as if she didn¡¯t create havoc in his hallways. Innocently, she skipped over to his side, her expensive little purse swinging off her delicate hands.

    Any man would be overjoyed to see such a beautifuldy walking over to them, especially when she looked beyond excited at his presence.

    Huo Qiudong wasn¡¯t one of those men.

    His lips tugged downwards at her spoilt behavior, his face scrunched into a scowl. He was in a foul mood since this morning after she didn¡¯t return his calls. Being so inexperienced in rtionships, he didn¡¯t know she was ying a push-and-tug game to get him more interested in her. And little did the clutz know, he was already head-over-heels in love with her. Was it necessary to make him anxious and worry over her like this? She was simply too cruel. He swore the trait must¡¯ve run in the Yang family.

    "This behavior is uneptable." He barked at her, his arms defiantly crossed when she came over to his side.

    Yang Ruqin innocently tilted her head, her ponytail following the simple action. She widened her eyes and had the appearance of a puzzled little bunny. "What do you mean?" Batting her longshes, her bottom lip jutted out into a small pout.

    Huo Qiudong¡¯s throat ran dry at her actions, but he was determined to stand his ground. Someone needed to discipline this rebellious rabbit and he was giving himself the honorable responsibility.

    "It¡¯s rude to storm into the office building and then create such a loud disturbance here." He reprimanded her with a rough voice whilst disregarding the way his heart skipped when her pout deepened.

    "But, but... I didn¡¯t storm into the office building." She revealed the keycard in her pale, soft hand. "Feifei gave this to me. It grants special ess to the private elevator... It¡¯s just... these employees were bullying me."

    Her face turned glum and she might as well win an Oscar Award for her pitiful act. Staring at her feet as if he had wronged her, Huo Qiudong felt a twinge of guilt coarse through his veins. He felt using res and raised his head to see his employees giving him pointed stares... in particr the men.

    "What are you looking at? Get back to work!" Hemanded. Startled that his scolding was turned to them, all of them scrambled off.

    "And you, stop looking so pitiful." He pointed at Yang Ruqin who sniffled and reached out to grab the hemline of his suit, tugging at it.

    "Don¡¯t yell at me, I¡¯m sensitive..."

    Spoilt. This damn kid was spoiled rotten. Huo Qiudong began to understand why.

    She went in for the kill.

    Her head raised to reveal her moisten eyes that seemed to be shaking. She had the expression that the entire world had wronged her and there was no one on her side.

    Flustered by the unexpected disy of emotions, he awkwardly cleared his throat. "I-I¡¯m not mad. Don¡¯t cry."

    Yang Ruqin dropped her head to hide her devious little smirk before lifting two arms out for him. "Hug." She demanded and he easily gave in to her, enveloping her in his arms, giving her back small pats.

    ¡¯Young Miss... you¡¯re so cruel.¡¯ Her bodyguards thought to themselves, sharing nces. They had apanied her since she was a child and had watched her grow up to be the sneaky little woman she was today.

    "I saw that."

    "S-saw what?"

    He pulled back a bit from the hug and raised a hand. "The smirk." And without warning, flicked her on the forehead, earning a yell of protest.

    "That hurt!" Yang Ruqin huffed, ring daggers at him. She tried to ignore the hand that was stillying dormant on her back. She tried to ignore the rapid beating of her heart or the way his hand seemed to perfectly fit there.

    "Maybe if you didn¡¯t try to guilt-trip me, I wouldn¡¯t have flicked you."

    "W-well... I-I just wanted a hug."

    "You could¡¯ve politely asked."

    "But you¡¯d hug me tighter if I was crying."

    "..." Huo Qiudong¡¯s lips thinned at her words. Indeed, he hugged her extra tight this time because she behaved like she was on the verge of tears. "Don¡¯t do that again."

    "Do what?"

    "Act like a brat."

    "I am a brat." Yang Ruqin shamelessly said, smiling up at him like she did nothing wrong.

    Huo Qiudong knew he was getting himself into trouble by falling helplessly in love with a woman of her status. He tried to detach himself from her, but every time he tried to do so, he would find himself with a phone in hand, smiling like a fool when she texted him out of the blue.

    He raised his head and nced at the bodyguards whose murderous res could be felt through their tinted sunsses. Neither of them enjoyed the flick he gave to their Young Miss. He was surprised they didn¡¯t pull a gun on him for doing that.

    Unbeknownst to Huo Qiudong, Yang Ruqin had given them orders to never do anything to him.

    Not wanting so many prying eyes on them, Huo Qiudong grabbed her wrist and dragged her into his spacious office, mming the door on their faces and then locking it before they could enter.

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s head snapped to the door when she heard the click of the lock. "What are you doing--" She swirled her head around, jumping upon realizing how close he was to her. Her heart raced, picking up more speed than it previously did.

    Their faces were only inches apart. She could see the details of his piercing eyes, the sharp folds of onyx ck. They were as beautiful as obsidian gemstone, clear and overwhelming. He was not pleased.

    She found herself taking tiny steps backward until she felt the door on her back. He didn¡¯t give her a chance to escape before mming his hands on either side of her head, caging her in.

    "What are we?" He demanded in a rough,manding tone that made her anxious but excited for no apparent reason.

    Yang Ruqin gulped. He looked even more handsome when he was provoked like this. The shadow oveing his face highlighted his sharp features. When angered, his eyes turned an incredibly dark shade of ck, so beautiful, she could practically see herself within them.

 Chapter 401 - Mosquito Bites

    "I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re trying to say..." Yang Ruqin trailed off when he narrowed his eyes, diminishing the rity within it.

    "First you ignore my texts and calls for a week, then you randomly show up unannounced with the audacity to ask for a hug. What am I to you?" He harshly asked her, refusing to allow his heart be yed like an instrument. And she seemed like the exact type of woman who could crush it without blinking.

    Yang Ruqin bit her bottom lip, fiddling her fingers and ying with the decorative things every few seconds. He was fuming and she knew it. "F-friends?"

    "Friends?" Huo Qiudong coldly repeated, his eyes freezing over. The customary warmth he had for her was beginning to die out.

    Seeing the fleeting light and the shriveling respect he had for her, Yang Ruqin panicked. "Qiudong, wait--"

    He ignored her and stepped back, crossing his arms and drawing an invisible boundary line between them. "You must think I¡¯m easy to y and manipte, that I¡¯m a gullible little fool." His disappointed voice strung fear through her core. She didn¡¯t realize how invested she was until she felt overwhelming anxiety. Nervous that she might lose him altogether, she took a step forward, but he took two steps back.

    "That¡¯s enough." Huo Qiudong ignored the prickle of his heart when her face crumbled. She flinched as if she had been pped by his words. "Go home. I don¡¯t have time for games."

    He turned his back to her and began walking towards his desk when suddenly, he heard the loud clicks of her low heels. Without warning, small fists were pounding at his back and a burst of emotion came from her mouth. "Y-you big meanie! I hate you, I-I-" Her words died off in her throat when he turned around without warning, his eyes zing.

    "Is it fun?"

    "W-what is?"

    "To y with my heart like this." He snarled, clearly offended by her words and actions.

    Yang Ruqin was further hurt by his words and her expressive face showed it. "Oh my goodness, you¡¯re denser than my low EQ brother!" She shrieked, throwing her hands up in the air.

    "For the record, my EQ is exceptionally high¡ª" His words were trapped in his mouth when she abruptly sealed her lips over his. His eyes widenedrger than the moon as two pairs of hands brought his face even closer to hers. He wasted no time in grabbing her hips, yanking her closer to him. A hand traveled to the back of her head, angling it and deepening the kiss. Their lips were slightly off-sync, but the sparks spurring from it was enough to distract both of them. Greedily, they kissed each other as if both had been starved of affection.

    Nothing coulde in between their feverous lips, ignited with passion and hunger. Eventually, Yang Ruqin broke the kiss to breathe, but he didn¡¯t stop there, only giving her a second to catch her breath before mming his lips back down onto her. For someone who only dated two women, his skills were exceptional.

    Their lips engaged in a tangle as old as time when their bodies couldn¡¯t. With the heavy heat in between them, they might as well have been in a bedroom and not an office. There was enough desire to set the entire ce on fire and neither of them seemed to care.

    Finally, after a lifetime had coursed through them, did they finally break apart from the kiss. Yang Ruqin could feel her puffing chest and drumming heart. Her body was warm and her lips felt tingly.

    "Idiot. Fool. Buffoon. Stupid." She cursed at him, naming every insult she could find, but in the end, came up empty-handed.

    "How dense can you be to not realize my feelings for you? y with your heart? Why would I do that when you have mine wrapped around your damn pinky, which for the record, is abnormally long!" Her cheeks reddened when she was about to blurt out, ¡¯just like something else is long!¡¯

    Dazzled and bewildered by her words, Huo Qiudong¡¯s face turned nk. He blinked and stared at her as if she had discovered the secret to the universe. "H-huh?" Was the only reaction his nk mind could give her.

    "I¡¯m not saying that again." Highly embarrassed by her unexpected confession, Yang Ruqin turned on her heels and prepared to storm out of the room. She took one step when two, strong arms hauled her against a brick wall.

    "Is what you said true? Are you in love with me?"

    "Maybe if your EQ raised a bit, you would know!"

    Huo Qiudong¡¯s lips twitched while he attempted to suppress the face-splitting grin from breaking out. "Don¡¯t be angry, little one." Finally, a gentle smile graced his lips while he hugged her tighter. He really, really wished he could see her face right now. He could only see her reddened ears whose color must¡¯ve matched her burning cheeks.

    Yang Ruqin scoffed, "I¡¯m not angry."

    Her behavior reminded Huo Qiudong of a little kitty baring her adorable little ws at him. "If it makes you feel better, I like you too."

    "P-pft, who said anything about me liking you?" Yang Ruqin tried to y it off cool as if she hadn¡¯t just confessed her dying love for him a minute ago. She was just too embarrassed that her emotions got the best of her. It was the first time she made the first move and the feeling was oddly reassuring.

    "You did." He tilted his head, "If I remember correctly, you precisely said, ¡¯Why would I do that when you have mine wrapped around--" She pped a hand over his mouth, turning to face him with an embarrassed face.

    "S-shut it!" She stammered, her confidence flushed down the drain like her will to stay in this ce any longer. She wished a hole would open up and swallow her whole!

    Huo Qiudong¡¯s smile widened at her flustered expression. Oh, how the tables have turned on. He seized the opportunity to kiss her palm, earning a startled yelp from her. Her eyes widened at his unexpected actions, "What are you doing?!"

    "I don¡¯t know, why don¡¯t you tell me since my EQ is so low?"

    "Aha! So you admit it!"

    "You¡¯re such a mood-killer." Huo Qiudong¡¯s irritation washed away with a small chuckle.

    "Hm, what¡¯s that, Mr. Zero EQ?"

    Huo Qiudong rolled his eyes at the childish bunny in his arms. "How creative."

    She rubbed her nose with a smug smile, "Well, granted that I¡¯m a RISING designer taking over the fashion industry by storm and bing my own big-thigh, I can proudly say that I am indeed, very creative."

    Huo Qiudong gave her an incredulous look. Spoiled and with a big ego. She was surely going to be a handful to handle. "Luckily for you, I can tolerate yourrge ego."

    "Hey, I need to have arge ego in order to distract you from my t¡ª" She pped a hand over her mouth, groaning at how much of a babble mouth she was. ¡¯Now he knows I¡¯m an A cup, only on a good day. Fantastic. I can just die right here and right now.¡¯

    "It¡¯s okay. Sometimes, luck is not on your side, and it might look like a mosquito bite--OW!" He groaned when she smacked him on the forehead.

    "Shut up! It¡¯s a B-Cup!" Her face became as red as a tomato at her lie.

    "Violence is not the answer."

    "Well, too bad." Yang Ruqin crossed her arms with a re. "Are you going to ask me or not?" She scowled.

    "Ask what?"

    "Why are the men in my life so clueless, ugh--"

    Huo Qiudong chuckled, "Will you do me the honor of bing my girlfriend to whom I¡¯ll spoil and shower with love every day?"

    "T-that¡¯s so cheesy..." Yang Ruqin stuttered, her face betraying her words. She was brimming with happiness at his corny words. He raised a brow, giving her an using stare. Turning her tomato face away from him, she whispered, "W-well, since you so graciously asked me to, of course, I will."

    A second passed and he remained quiet.

    "What?" She red at him to which he let out a burst ofughter that sent fuzzy feelings down her spine. Her heart swelled at the bubbly sound, her face burning even more. At this point, she was pretty sure no shade of red could match the one on her face. "What is it?!" She groaned, burying her face in her hands.

    "I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s just... you¡¯re too freaking cute." He attempted to suppress hisughter, but when she buried her face deeper into her hands, he couldn¡¯t resist anymore. "Seriously, way too cute." His arms tightened around her, guiding her face and hands into his chest while he enveloped her in a bear hug.

 Chapter 402 - Signature

    The next day.

    "This is an odd... interview. I didn¡¯t think you were one of my candidates?" Zhao Lifei nced down at the profile in her hands and then back at the person sitting in front of her. Her lips trembled to hide the amused smile threatening to break her face. After going through multiple group interviews that spanned until two in the afternoon, she found herself hungry and ready to bite the next person¡¯s head off. She had ordered delivery and the food hadn¡¯t arrived for an hour now.

    "Well, here I am." Su Meixiu strained her smile, ncing around the room.

    "This is such a weird turn of events, I hope you know that." Zhao Lifei sighed, cing the folder down onto the ss table in front of her. She momentarily nced at Huo Qiudong with disdain. "Aren¡¯t you going to ask questions?"

    "This is a waste of time." He deadpanned, with the list of round two interviewees in his hands. Everyone was excused to go home to prepare for the next round.

    "Meanwhile, I¡¯m still waiting for my damn food." Zhao Lifei muttered, checking her watch. Right on time, the telephone buzzed and her eyes lit up. She ushered with her hands, as one would shoo someone away, for Huo Qiudong to pick up the call. Disgruntledly, he ced the folder down and walked to the phone, pressing a button.

    A stoic, but semi-chirpy voice spoke up, "President Zhao, your delivery has arrived. It¡¯s being sent upstairs as we speak¡ª"

    "Have the delivery man bring it up himself."

    Huo Qiudong nodded his head. "The President wants him toe up. And if he doesn¡¯tply, have the reinforcements ready."

    "Right away, Sir."

    Huo Qiudong checked his watch and then nced at the calendar on his phone. He wondered how his Boss was able to have the time to wait around for food toe first. He had seen her work miracles and because he trusted her abilities, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to question her.

    His gaze traveled back to the sophisticatedly-dressed woman on the couch. Something about her was different. He could see it in the way she carried herself with much more confidence than before. Her shoulders wereid back and she seemed very rxed in her environment.

    Huo Qiudong walked to the coffee table, ncing at the security cameras outside of the halls and the reflective mirror. He adjusted his cor and cleared his throat. "Herees your food."

    Zhao Lifei straightened up and Su Meixiu began to pull out the files from her purse. In walked a man dragged by multiple security guards. The ss door locked behind him and no matter how many times the delivery man kicked the door, it didn¡¯t react to him. Of course, it didn¡¯t. He was the one who ordered the ss to be bullet-proof.

    "Have a seat, why don¡¯t you, Wei Hantao." Zhao Lifei briefly nced at the ragged-appearance Wei Hantao. A dirty jacket with questionably ck stains covered the arms the way his well-tailored suits used to do. His shoulders were hunched and he didn¡¯t look like the man she was familiar with. A twinge of remembrance sliced through her heart when she thought back to their high school days. Where did it all go wrong?

    Her lips tilted into a frown as she let out a heavy sigh. She pitied and trusted him at the same time, prompting her decision to make him the Vice President. He had never done her wrong until recently. And maybe he could¡¯ve crawled back to her saving grace if he had just told her the truth. She understood it was hard to withstand a parent¡¯s pressure, especially when one couldn¡¯t live up to their expectations. His betrayal of siding with the enemy was something she could never understand.

    Wei Hantao¡¯s angered eyes snapped to Su Meixiu. "You conniving whore¡ª"

    "You¡¯re the one who wanted to coborate with a ¡¯conniving whore.¡¯" Su Meixiu shrugged her shoulders, crossing her arms. "I think it¡¯s best for you to beg and grovel instead of spurring out insults."

    "Beg and grovel?" He let out a bark ofughter, "Who the hell do you think I am?"

    "A delivery man." Su Meixiu deadpanned, "One whose about to get fired because he brought the food an hourte on purpose."

    Wei Hantao opened his mouth and then closed it. "You¡ª"

    "We¡¯re not here to exchange insults." Zhao Lifei coldly said, "Now sit down."

    Wei Hantao stiffened at hermanding voice, spinning on his heels to face the woman who saved his life and then ruined it. "Is this how you¡¯re going to treat me? After all I have done for you¡ª"

    "It¡¯s not my fault you decided to waste thepensation money on drugs, hookers, and alcohol." Zhao Lifei raised her brow.

    Wei Hantao flinched as if he had been pped in the face. Seeing her today, he questioned what he saw in this woman. She had be the type of woman he despised the most. She reminded him of his mother, who was stuck in crossroads of feelings until his father ced the ount books in her hands.

    At the end of the day, money talked. Wei Hantao believed Zhao Lifei only chose Yang Feng because thetter was considerably wealthier in all sorts of aspects. "Maybe if you hadn¡¯t fired me, I wouldn¡¯t have be like this¡ª"

    "I¡¯m not the one siding with the enemy." Zhao Lifei let out a disappointed sigh. "I would have forgiven you."

    His head snapped up, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Don¡¯t lie¡ª"

    "You¡¯ve been by my side for so long, enough for you to know I¡¯m quite a generous person. I help those who help me. And you, who presumed my position for two years, would¡¯ve received the most help I could¡¯ve given." Zhao Lifei sighed, "And maybe I can still forgive you if you own up to your mistakes."

    "My mistakes?! I was trying to help thepany¡ª"

    "By what? Funding a project doomed to fail? Or was it smuggling money out of Feili¡¯s funds so that it can help Weida Law? Wait wait, is it by doing under-the-table deals with Zheng Tianyi?"

    "You knew?" Wei Hantao¡¯s voice dropped an octave when he realized he was caught red-handed. He thought the reason why she fired him was only for a simple error and that maybe she¡¯d crawl back to him upon realizing she couldn¡¯t function without him.

    "Oh, trust me. I know a lot more than that." Zhao Lifei nced at the stacks of papers in Su Meixiu¡¯s hands. Taking it in her hand, she ced it in front of Wei Hantao. "I¡¯m sure you know what these are?"

    Wei Hantao¡¯s face nched at the papers in her hands. These could be used against him in every way possible. He would not be the only person going down.

    "You were trying to frame me for all of the crimes you did. Moneyundering, bribery, oh the list goes on. And just look at all of these NDAs..." She sighed, shaking her head. "Stealing from loan sharks isn¡¯t good you know, and then to snitch on them to the authorities, I hope you know the bounty on your head is quite high."

    "What the hell do you want?"

    "Nothing you can give." Zhao Lifei mused, "You¡¯re going to go to jail."

    "You think I¡¯m the only one going down?" He hissed, "Everything you have just used me of was not signed by me. They¡¯re not attached to my name at all. In fact, it¡¯s signed under your name with your signature¡ª"

    "You forged my signature?"

    "So what if I did? What are you going to do about it, huh? Take me to jail with documents that incriminate you? Yeah right. I¡¯d like to see you try."

    "You don¡¯t have to see me try. I¡¯m doing it right now." Zhao Lifei took the voice recording button from the leg of the coffee table. "Thanks for the confession."

 Chapter 403 - Dirty Laundry

    The headlines blew up the very next day and the newspapers wouldn¡¯t stop talking about the incident for a good few days. The fall of a major socialite family wasn¡¯t amon urrence and the abrupt one was mind-boggling.

    The Wei family¡¯s dirtyundry was aired into the public and Wei Hantao¡¯s actions were heavily written about. He was criticized in the media and was undergoing too much bacsh to handle. That and the fact that he would suffer in the hands of thew.

    "Handing him to thew is too painless." Yang Feng said when he noticed his wife disinterestedly ncing at a magazine. "You didn¡¯t have to turn him to the authorities so quickly."

    Zhao Lifei ced the magazine down and turned to face him on the couch. "He helped me for two years without anyints. Regardless of what he did, I was still grateful for his help."

    Yang Feng gave a small nod at her words, showing he had heard her but didn¡¯t agree with her.

    Zhao Lifei paused to examine Yang Feng. Something felt amiss, she couldn¡¯t quite put a finger on it. The newspaper usually didn¡¯t over publicize something like this... Did he have something to do with it?

    As if reading her thoughts, a mischievous smirk graced his lips. "Yes, I did." He smugly replied without any disy of remorse for his actions. If she didn¡¯t allow him near the culprit, at the least, he would ensure the entire Wei family got what they deserved.

    "Of course you did." She sighed, shaking her head at his behavior. She turned her attention to theck of papers near him and decided it would be a good time to converse with him about the idea of revealing her pregnancy to his family. Sooner orter she would begin showing and it would be better to tell them the truth, rather than wait it out.

    "What do you think about telling your parents about my pregnancy? I spoke to your father." She paused and grabbed his hand, giving him a reassuring squeeze at the topic. "The conversation ended amicably and peacefully."

    Yang Feng¡¯s tense body rxed at her words. "I don¡¯t see a problem with informing them. I¡¯m sure they would be ecstatic, but wouldn¡¯t it be best if we reveal our marriage first?"

    "Oh. Right." Zhao Lifei blinked. The thought hadpletely fled her mind. She was so used to their married life that she didn¡¯t realize other people around them were unaware of it... though, Fan Jin might have suspected it already.

    Yang Feng chuckled at her startled response. He grabbed one of her hands and pressed small kisses upon her fingers, his warm lips melting the icy tips. "And speaking of marriage, we¡¯ve yet to hold our wedding ceremony. When and where would you like it, my love?" Seeing as her hands were cold to the touch, he grabbed the remote, adjusted the temperature in this house, and then to liven the atmosphere, turned on the fake mes of the firece. If he wanted to, the firece could produce heat, but then it would be too hot in here.

    Zhao Lifei made a small noise while she contemted and weighed the options at hand. Afortable silence ensued where he had begun ying with her fingers before tangling it with his. "There are still other things we have to address before the wedding ceremony. For example, you never told me about Zheng Murong."

    "You¡¯re asking about another man in my presence?" He teased her, reaching over to give her soft cheek a pinch.

    Zhao Lifei swatted at his hand and rolled her eyes. "I¡¯m just curious." She answered him with a slight smile. She was relieved to see he didn¡¯t react with an outburst of anger. Speaking of which, she began to realize a lot has changed about them since they had first started.

    "Well, there¡¯s not much to discuss about him. If you ask me, he¡¯s pretty in."

    "Every man is in inparison to you." She dryly responded, giving him a pointed look. He definitely didn¡¯t miss the stroke towards his ego and before he could cheekily respond, she urged him to continue. "Are you sure he won¡¯t turn against you?"

    "He won¡¯t." Yang Feng softly reassured her in a low, calming voice that washed all of her worries away. "Zheng Murong might be easy to control, but he¡¯s not a fool. He would never bite the hand that fed him."

    "How did youe across him?"

    "Ling Fulei introduced me to him a while back."

    "Ling Fulei?" She repeated the name, her eyes zed over. He couldn¡¯t tell what she was thinking. "I¡¯m just curious, but for his sexual preference, does he bat for the other team?"

    Yang Feng opened his mouth to speak, but Zhao Lifei cut him off, "Actually. Don¡¯t answer that. I¡¯ll let him figure it out on his own." She realized how much she had neglected her good friend, Lu Minhong. When was thest time she spoke to him?

    Although Zhao Lifei¡¯s group of friends were close and small, she was very selective of the people she allowed into her life. To her, true friendship was when both parties remained close despite ack ofmunication. She understood everyone had their own problems in life and that it might get hectic at times. Most of her friends were the type who spoke to her the same, despite the weeks or months of minimalmunication. It was like this for Yang Ruqin and Lu Minhong, so she wasn¡¯t particrly worried. Despite that, she still made a mental note to visit Lu Minhong tomorrow.

    "What will Zheng Murong do with Xia Mengxi?"

    Yang Feng leaned closer to Zhao Lifei, "That depends. What would you like to do with her first?" He already had his nsid out and all of it lead to unimaginable consequences one way or another.

    Zhao Lifei had truthfully moved on from Xia Mengxi. She was no longer as immature as she was three years ago. If this question was prompted when she was younger, there would¡¯ve been a lot more ideas that came into mind. For odd reasons, when she thought about what she would do to Xia Mengxi, not much came into mind.

    The woman was unknowingly being yed by the love of her life who would probably discard her like a used tissue. Left on the streets, Xia Mengxi would still be able to defend herself. She was a smart woman who knew how to utilize her face and body to her advantage.

    "She was annoying." Was all Zhao Lifei said. It was only three simple words, yet they held more weight than anyone had expected. If he truly meant to uphold his promise of annihting anyone that had bothered or harmed her, he would know what she was implying.

    "What correct use of grammar." Yang Feng mused, brushing strands of hair behind her ears. She was giving him rein to do as he pleased and that idea alone was enough to create unfathomable consequences.

    For odd reasons, Zhao Lifei began to think about what she attempted to tell Zheng Tianyi three years ago: Xia Mengxi was the reason for her father¡¯s suicide. She had built her pity card from the fact that her father died before she could meet him.

    Xia Mengxi would preach day and night about the loneliness she felt from his absence and her desperate wish to see him. The truth was that her father was very much alive, it was just she refused to see him. He had attempted on numerous ounts to visit his daughter, but Xia Mengxi had coldly turned him away every time.

    The only time she ever went to see him was to demand money that he didn¡¯t have. For her sake, he borrowed money from loan sharks and with no way to repay it, he took his own life knowing Xia Mengxi would be safe. Despite his sacrifices, Xia Mengxi never acknowledged it. When he died, she didn¡¯t bother throwing a funeral for him. His body was cremated and the ashes were most likely disposed of.

    Zhao Lifei nced at Yang Feng and wondered if she should say something about this. He ced a warm hand on her cheek and said, "I will handle everything. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the scenery."

    cing a hand over his, she could feel the roughness of his knuckles. His hands were rough, but they¡¯ve always managed to handle her with all the care in the world. "Are you sure?"

    "Trust me, I am beyond sure." He firmly responded, his coaxing voice easing the worries at the back of her mind.

 Chapter 404 - Ticklish

    "Madam, there is a letter addressed to you." The housekeeper said the next morning when she caught Zhao Lifei walking down therge, double staircase leading to the entrance. She was dressed inly, and even so, the clothes didn¡¯t do her beauty justice.

    "It appears to be from Matriarch Ge Yafan." The housekeeper added on when Zhao Lifei gingerly took the crisp white envelope. There was a vintage wax seal upon it, with the symbol of "Ge."

    Opening the letter, Zhao Lifei found herself faced with a maroon-colored invitation rimmed with shimmery silver. Her eyebrows raised at each sentence:

    ¡¯Sweet child,

    Do younglings even send letters these days? Well, nevermind that response, I still enjoy sending out letters like this. I would love to formally invite you to a small banquet on Saturday afternoon. It would bring me the greatest happiness if you coulde. You do not have to respond to this invitation or RSVP.

    With warm regards,

    Ge Yafan¡¯

    "Please ce this on my vanity for safe-keeping." Zhao Lifei ced the invitation back into the envelope and passed it to the housekeeper.

    "Right away, Madam." The housekeeper nodded her head, her small curls bouncing with the tiny movement. She bowed a bit and retreated up the stairs.

    "Where are you heading to so early in the morning?" Yang Feng mused from the top of the staircase, adjusting his suit tie. He had finished dressing and expected for her to still be lounging in the bedroom, but when he came out, she was nowhere to be found.

    Zhao Lifei turned around slow enough for him to walk down the stairs. "I was hoping to check in on Lu Minhong and then head to work today."

    Yang Feng was standing close enough for her to grab him, but far enough to maintain a safe distance. "Were you nning on leaving without a goodbye kiss?" He asked her with a serious tone.

    The corners of her lips tug upwards at his words as she stepped closer to him. Her hands reached up and adjusted his tie to perfection.

    Yang Feng prepared himself for a sweet kiss from his adoring wife. She already had something to grab onto and tug him down. He easily allowed her to bring his face down to her.

    "Close your eyes." She whispered, her minty breath fanning his face. He easily obliged as her hands slowly detached themselves from his tie. A second passed, then two, and a small breeze of air passed by him.

    Yang Feng¡¯s brows tugged together impatiently when he felt the small pressure on his body disappearing with a gust of wind. By the time his eyes opened, she was already at the front doors of the entrance with a teasing smile.

    "Where¡¯s my kiss?" He shamelessly demanded again, storming to her, his long legs easily maneuvering to her. But she was quicker and had mmed the door right on his face. He opened it without hesitation, fast enough to rip the door off of his hinges. It was already toote and his daring wife had escaped down the stairs and was speed-walking to the car.

    She thought she was fast enough to avoid him and did a small dance without realizing how close he was to grabbing her arms. Sliding into the car, she was prepared to close it only for a hand to rudely grab the top of it.

    Zhao Lifei jumped at the forceful prying and it happened all too quickly for her toprehend. She blinked once and the devilishly handsome face of the demon king popped into her vision. Shivering at the heat in his eyes, ignited by her senseless teasing, she felt herself trapped.

    His thumb and forefinger pinched her small chin when he drew her face closer to his. His voice, soft like summer rain, send shivers down her spine. "Do you truly think you can outrun me, my sweet?" He taunted, slowly leaning forward.

    "I wasn¡¯t--"

    "I¡¯ve yet to punish you for your teasingst time." Yang Feng murmured, his lips only a breath away from her.

    Through her wide eyes, she could see the darkening of his eyes when she nervously licked her lips. His eyes swiftly followed the motion, as she swallowed. His temptation was too hard to resist. Being so close to him, she was flooded with his signature scent of citrus ocean mixed with hints of spice and earthiness. His scent was enticing her to draw closer to him.

    Courage rushed through her, prompting her mouth to say, "What are you going to do about it?"

    The second these words left her mouth, she found herself pinned beneath him, her back stretching over the car. The door mmed shut and she waspletely trapped inside. Her head snapped to the driver¡¯s seat and found it was empty. Without a doubt, the chauffeur left them a long time ago.

    Zhao Lifei attempted to squirm away from him, but he grabbed both of her hands and pinned it above her. His legs pinned hers down while his other hand began to teasingly trail up her right hip. "I¡¯ve never done it in a car before." His voice, dangerously seductive, forced her toes to curl in anticipation.

    "W-we have work." She tried to reason with him when his face drew closer to her. Her body betrayed her words when it heated from the slightest teasing of his hand. She didn¡¯t think his rough hands could be so soft and ticklish until one of them was creeping closer to the edges of her bra.

    "I think you should be more concerned about your ability to walk after this." He responded, bending his head. Her eyes fluttered shut, thinking he would kiss her. But his sweet lips never came close to it, instead, it opted for her exposed neck. He pressed a small, open-mouthed kiss upon it, suckling on the sensitive skin. She angled her face to the side to give him better ess, as sparks tingled from the simple kiss. She thought he would give her more, and when he didn¡¯t, she let out a sound of frustration.

    "Don¡¯t tease me."

    "This doesn¡¯t equate to a fraction of what you do to me." His husky voice forced her to open her eyes and she wished she didn¡¯t. Coming face to face with the burning fire of his eyes, she found herself inclined to let him do as he pleased with her. Slowly, he released her hands while one of it reached behind her, inching closer to the sp of her bra as one of his hands skimmed her thin underwear. Her heart raced, but the rationality in her brain terrorized her frozen body. If the car was parked elsewhere, perhaps she wouldn¡¯t have minded doing it inside. But it was parked right in front of their house, in broad daylight where the servants could easily see a shaking vehicle.

    "I¡¯ll be good." She blurted out, her words freezing his actions. He bit down on his lips, his hands determined in stripping her undergarments.

    "You tend to lie about these things." He teased her, his fingers grasping onto the thin materials of herce underwear. Testing her waters, he began to tug it down, his actions sending her into a frenzy of panic.

    His eyes briefly widened when she ced a hand behind his neck and brought his face down to hers. She locked their lips together in a feverous kiss that reminded them of the passionate nights they shared. A sh of an image went through her mind, where his hands and mouth were sweetly tormenting her body, unrelenting to her pleas.

    Zhao Lifei greedily kissed him, as if she was hungry for more of him. Their lips never ceased as he leaned down to press their bodies together. One of his hands cupped her face and the other angled her face, deepening their kiss. He licked her bottom lip and she granted him easy ess to her mouth. She quivered upon the stroke of his tongue. He broke away to give her space to breath, but his lips continued attacking her. He kissed the side of her neck, earning a breathless moan from her. Finding her most sensitive spot, he began to suckle upon the area, biting and licking the spot, sending a slight tremor of pain, only to relieve it with his reassuring kiss. It didn¡¯t take long for her to doubt the idea of not doing it in the car. Her body hummed in reply to his traveling hands that had snuck underneath her skirt and wandered around her thighs. Her breath hitched when his thumb grazed her inner thigh, so close to the pool of heat. Her heart picked up in beats, waiting for him to do something.

    And then it all ceased, forcing her eyes to snap open.

    "What--"

    "Have a good day at work, my love." He let out a dark, taunting chuckle before exiting the car, leaving her hot and bothered on the seats.

 Chapter 405 - Couldnt Escape

    Zhao Lifei fumed when she realized she had been yed by the Devil. The tables were turned against her and she didn¡¯t even realize it amidst his seduction. Right after he left, the driver entered the car. She was forced to mp her mouth shut and silently sulk in the car while vowing to get her revenge.

    Her sexual frustration finally died down by the time she arrived at Lu Minhong¡¯s apartmentplex. But that didn¡¯t mean she wouldn¡¯t torture and torment Yang Feng tonight.

    Zhao Lifei rang the bell outside of Lu Minhong¡¯s apartment door. It let out a small rhythm of dings before silence ensued the empty hallway. Frowning at theck of response, she pressed the doorbell again. Yet again, no one answered. She knew Lu Minhong rarely left the house. He was a very light sleeper and the slightest sound could wake him up. Worried that something might have happened to him, she began to type in the passcode to his door. To her pleasant surprise, the passcode hasn¡¯t changed in the past three years.

    It didn¡¯t take long for her to enter his spacious apartment that was covered in darkness. The lights were shut off, which didn¡¯t surprise her. The thick, ck curtains shut out any sunlight, even though he lived high up in theplex. She flickered on the light and was truly surprised to see how meticulously clean it was. There weren¡¯t any spare objectsying around and for once, the trash can wasn¡¯t brimming with cup noodles. It was like someone entirely new lived here.

    "Or maybe there is someone else..." She whispered to herself upon seeing an unfamiliarlyrge pair of shoes sitting by the doorway. She changed to the indoor slippers there and headed straight to Lu Minhong¡¯s bedroom.

    Nothing in a billion years would prepare her for the sight she witnessed. From the silhouette of the nkets, there were two bodies. And both of them had short hair. She did a double-take and rubbed her eyes.

    ¡¯Huh, I must be seeing things.¡¯ Closing the door to the room, she paused for five seconds, then opened it again. She saw the same thing.

    Letting out a quiet and awkwardugh, she closed the door again. Then opened it. Then closed it. And opened it onest time.

    "Damn, this must be the wrong house." She said out-loud, prepared to close the door again.

    A voice replied, "Oh. It¡¯s you."

    Zhao Lifei could feel her entire world shake at the familiar voice. Swirling around on her heels,plete bewilderment took over her face. She looked like she had seen a ghost. "Ling Fulei?!" She shrieked, dropping her handbag.

    At the loud voice, Lu Minhong shifted in his sleep and grumbled, "Who¡¯s there?" His voice was heavy with sleep and deeper than normal.

    "Oh my god. Pardon me, I walked into a parallel universe." Zhao Lifeiughed awkwardly, pping herself on the forehead. Right, right, this can¡¯t be real. She closed the door again.

    A minuteter, it opened again and out came Ling Fulei. He closed the door right behind him, his lips pursed. His hair was disheveled, as expected of bed-hair, but it was oddly parted as if a pair of hands had run through it yesterday. "You didn¡¯t see anything."

    "Where¡¯s my exnation?" She frowned, crossing her arms. Didn¡¯t see anything? You wish!

    "What¡¯s there to exin?" Ling Fulei kept a firm grasp on the door handle. He stood protectively in front of it, refraining her from walking inside.

    "There¡¯s everything to exin." She hissed, mindful of her voice so that she didn¡¯t wake Lu Minhong up. "For example, what the hell happened between you two?"

    "You said I should talk to him. So I did."

    "And then?"

    "And then we got to know each other a lot more. I exined to him and we talked about our..." He trailed off, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

    "This is not what I expected when I said you guys should talk it through." What they did was beyond talking...

    Zhao Lifei let out a tired sigh, walking to the couch and copsing down upon it. She wasn¡¯t sure how she should react to the news.

    A few secondster the door opened again, revealing a sloppily dressed Lu Minhong. The buttons to his pajamas were sloppily done, suggesting he had just worn it hastily. "I smell another rich person." The hacker mumbled, nearly tripping over his feet while walking with one eye open.

    "What does a rich person even smell like?" Zhao Lifei sighed, running a hand through her hair.

    Lu Minhong was shaken awake by her voice. His eyes widened at the sight of her and the only thing he could say was, "Overpriced perfume?"

    Zhao Lifei gave her good friend a deadpan expression. She didn¡¯t look humored by his words. "You have a lot of exining to do."

    "D-do I?" He asked, unnerved by the unexpected appearance of a woman who behaved like his older sister. Thinking about the idea of a sibling, his face became gloomy. It forced him to think about his broken family filled with half-siblings, ruled by an abusive father and a passive mother. He could still remember the days where his body was covered with all sorts of bruises. His family wasn¡¯t that well-off and the only reason Lu Minhong was able to enroll in Zhao Lifei¡¯s prestigious school was because of the schrship he won.

    "Yeah. You do." She pointed towards the smaller couch next to therger one she was sitting on.

    "When did this happen?" Despite the doubtful expression on her face, her voice was still patient and weing. It was originally curt but became a bit more understanding when Lu Minhong fiddled with the hemline of his shirt.

    "A few weeks ago." Lu Minhong answered, sitting down. Ling Fulei didn¡¯t seem pleased by the questioning, but he kept his mouth shut and sat beside Lu Minhong.

    "And you didn¡¯t bother to inform me about this?"

    "I-I thought you would be angry." Lu Minhong really felt like a younger brother being interrogated by his older sister.

    "I¡¯m only angry because Ling Fulei used to--" She cut herself off. Pressing her lips together, she breathed in through her nose and let out a heavy sigh. It wasn¡¯t her ce to judge them, but it was her ce to doubt Ling Fulei¡¯s intentions.

    Zhao Lifei turned her attention back to Ling Fulei. "Why did you do it? Why did you bully Lu Minhong in the past?"

    Ling Fulei shared nces with Lu Minhong before he finally confessed, "It was because I was confused with my emotions. I was just a stupid teenager who thought the best way to react to their feelings was through useless teasing."

    "Teasing?!" Zhao Lifei harshly repeated, "You called having your people beat him...teasing?!"

    "It was only one time!" Ling Fulei snarled, "AND it was against my orders. You should know by now that I¡¯ve had them severely punished."

    "And what about the insults and pranks?"

    "I was just..." Ling Fulei sunk into the couch. His voice, barely above a whisper, said, "...trying to get his attention."

    "Right." Zhao Lifei curtly said, with a slight frown. She turned to Lu Minhong, "Are you being forced to do this?" She raised a brow, "I can get you out of this situation." She blinked twice as if to signal him.

    "No, I¡¯m not. Don¡¯t worry about it." Lu Minhong cracked a lopsided, reassuring smile. "I¡¯m a big boy now, I can handle my own problems."

    Zhao Lifei bit her bottom lip. She was used to having him under her wing that she wasn¡¯t prepared for the day that the little bird flew out of its nest. Slowly, she nodded her head. "But if that crazy man does something horrible to you, you let me know. Okay?" She said thest part with a fierce re towards Ling Fulei¡¯s way.

    "Wouldn¡¯t dream of it." Ling Fulei responded.

    "Good, or else you¡¯ll wake up one day without an eggnt."

    Ling Fulei let out an awkwardughter that trailed off when he saw how solemnly serious this crazy woman was. Theughter died when he realized three important people in his life were attached to her" his lover, his younger sister Yunai, and Yang Feng. She was here to stay. He couldn¡¯t escape her even if he tried.

 Chapter 406 - What a Pity

    Zhao Lifei hadn¡¯t thought she would find herself at a social gathering so soon. She wasn¡¯t prepared to stumble upon so many familiar faces, but equally familiar intentions. When she mentioned a small banquet, Zhao Lifei assumed it would be a handful of people.

    The muslin silk curtains, open-garden, and adequate ssical music yed by a live choir indicated it was hardly a tiny banquet. The people here were meant to socialize and mingle. It was Autumn, but certain species of flowers were splendidly blooming, their petals dangling with gleaming dew.

    Arge and untouched piano sat upon an empty stage, presumably awaiting the genius who would bless the audience today.

    "Sweet child, you have arrived." Ge Yafan was dressed as graceful as Zhao Lifei remembered. A grey shawl made from merino wool was snuggly wrapped around her neck while her hands were draped with vintage jade and nothing less. Minimal make-up concealed some fine wrinkles, but she showed off the rest without shame. Her unwavering confidence towards the marks on her face was what made her so charming in the first ce. She was simple and dignified, even after years of farming had toughened her hands.

    "I apologize for ambushing you like this. I too had expected a small group of people, but my rubbish son dered it would be best to invite others. The more the merrier he ims, but I just think he¡¯s lonely and is in dire need of apanion." Ge Yafan flicked her wrist in a disapproving manner toward the direction of her son who was entertaining a group of leisurely dressed men. Their outfits weren¡¯t special, but Zhao Lifei knew better. The most important people were often ones who dressed as inly as possible, for there would be no consequence for their outfits.

    Yang Feng was the only exception, but that was because he was raised to be as rigid and upright as possible. He liked to dress his best and she certainly wasn¡¯t going to stop him from doing so. Anything he wore, even if it was a trash-bag, could be something seen during Paris Fashion Week.

    "How is the babying along? Perfectly safe I assume? I heard having a miscarriage can raise the chances of another one, but I hope nothing goes amiss with your dear pregnancy." Ge Yafan¡¯s unfiltered words startled Zhao Lifei whose eyes widened the slightest bit, so unnoticeable, one had to look closely to realize the fleeting light in her eyes.

    Zhao Lifei was d her heart didn¡¯t quiver at such words. She held her ground and gently smiled, "Don¡¯t worry, Matriarch Ge. All is well. Though the news has not been revealed to the public, it would be in our best interests to keep it private for now."

    "And who is ¡¯our¡¯?"

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s encouraging smile said it all. Ge Yafan was amused and highly entertained to see Zhao Lifei was not the type to bow down in the face of authority. She had purposely made her words taunting with the intent of sending small jabs towards the pregnant woman. It seemed Zhao Lifei was not as weak as she had previously expected her to be...

    "You have a way with words, don¡¯t you? I presume your sharp-tongued grandfather taught you that." Ge Yafan chuckled low, her smile hiding her intent of further questioning Zhao Lifei. Her method of getting to understand a person¡¯s intent was unorthodox in the way it went for a person¡¯s weak spots.

    "If you think he¡¯s sharp-tongued, you¡¯re clearly unfamiliar with me, Matriarch Ge."

    "Didn¡¯t I say I would appreciate it if you called me grandmother?"

    "You certainly don¡¯t treat me like your granddaughter." Zhao Lifei¡¯s face was dripping with kindness, as if she was chatting about the Matriarch¡¯s well-being, instead of having a slight face-off.

    Ge Yafan grabbed the nearest ceramic cup with spiraling ridges, made from an older technique of pottery. This child was simply too entertaining to talk to. "Such behavior can be deemed disrespectful. I thought you were taught to bow down to your elders?"

    "Only to those who deserve it." Zhao Lifei chuckled while halting a waitress and grabbing her own cup of oolong tea. The freshly brewed earthy and woody notes could be smelled from a simple waft.

    "You think I don¡¯t deserve it? Your words truly wound my poor... feeble heart." Ge Yafan ced a hand upon her heart as if she was experiencing unbearable pain.

    "Oh dear, perhaps I can rmend you a good heart doctor. I do remember my investment firm sponsoring a great hospital outside of the city." Zhao Lifei let out a peal of tinyughter that resembled trinkets of bells, pleasant to the ears, but sharp and attention-grabbing. Her words were meant to sound caring, but the threats were clear.

    "Such a generous little thing you are." Ge Yafan truly enjoyed a challenge and Zhao Lifei¡¯s inability to feel fear towards the aging woman was a bonus. "I can see why my grandson is fond of you, though your behavior beckons the grim side of others."

    "It wouldn¡¯t beckon it if one didn¡¯t poke the bear." Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes sharpened when she saw a small woman making her way across the gardens. She was apanied by a group of socialites who were morously dressed, but all of their appearances paled inparison to the ring leader.

    "Finally, the piano prodigy has arrived. I was waiting all morning for her to show up."

    Zhao Lifei noticed something was different about Zhao Linhua. Her hair was duller than usual and there seemed to be more make-up used to conceal her face. There were visible eye-bags under her eyes that had been expertly hidden with color-correcting concealers and foundation. Her shoulders were slightly hunched and she walked with the smallest limp, so tiny, Zhao Lifei had to strain her eyes to realize it. Even so, nothing could diminish the glow of her eyes when itnded upon the gleaming, grand piano coated in obsidian ck. Music was her passion, but not her dream. Even so, she behaved as if it was.

    "I¡¯m sure you¡¯re well acquainted with her, seeing as you¡¯re her older sister." Ge Yafan carefully analyzed Zhao Lifei¡¯s face. She was severely disappointed to find nothing had changed with Zhao Lifei¡¯s mellow and self-assured posture. Her shoulders wereid back as if nothing could ever faze the heiress.

    Zhao Lifei was surprised her sister was even standing up on the stage today. She thought Yang Feng had done something to her... And from theck of Wang Nuoli¡¯s presence, her suspicions were confirmed.

    Wang Nuoli didn¡¯t go anywhere without her treasured daughter. If Zhao Linhua¡¯s fingers so much as grazed a piano, Wang Nuoli would be present to boast and fan her daughter¡¯s confidence. So where was that supportive mother? Where was that small murmur in the background, modestly boasting of her younger daughter¡¯s achievements, as if she was an only child?

    "Every prodigy has to start somewhere." Zhao Lifei brieflymented, taking a small sip of the calming oolong tea. She didn¡¯t even blink at the tant jab towards her side. Her eyes boredly surveyed the highly-interested people in the room whose praises and whispers resembled the loud mor in world-renowned auditoriums where only genius¡¯ like Zhao Linhua were weed.

    "Oh my god, is that Zhao Linhua?"

    "It really is! I thought she was taking a long hiatus from performing? What is she doing here all of a sudden?"

    "Regardless of the reason, it¡¯s such a blessing to see her y!"

    Voices of agreements chimed in, the garden buzzing with new chatter in the air. Pairs of eyes were slowly gluing itself toward the self-made prodigy whose skills lined entire bookshelves worth of endless arrays of trophies.

    And then Zhao Lifei noticed something too startling for her to fathom. Zhao Linhua¡¯s arms, though covered with silky white sleeves that bellowed out towards the scalloped ends, were covered with bandages. All of her pale fingers were securely wrapped. What had happened?

    "Oh dear, it seems she¡¯s injured." Ge Yafanmented loud enough for people to hear and turn towards her direction. And because she drew attention to her, everyone¡¯s gaze naturally gravitated towards the stunning young woman beside her.

    "What a pity..." Ge Yafan spoke up, her words causing Zhao Linhua to slightly flinch on the stage. "The piano would greatly apany this colorful Autumn setting. Don¡¯t you think so, sweet child?" She turned towards Zhao Lifei, purposely cing her as the center of everyone¡¯s attention.

    Zhao Lifei could feel her heart grow heavy at the implied message. She knew what wasing next.

    "If I remember correctly, you used to also y the piano." Ge Yafan¡¯s smile was gentle and beckoning, but also a bit worried, for her reputation was on the line. She had promised the people a piano prodigy would y, but who would¡¯ve thought Zhao Linhua was injured to such a point? And she already had a suspicion on who caused this injury. Of course, that man didn¡¯t know Zhao Linhua was supposed to attend this social gathering.

 Chapter 407 - Wrapped in bandages

    Zhao Linhua could feel a chill crawl up her spine when the attention was all drawn to her older sister. Her hands couldn¡¯t stop quivering when she remembered the unbearable pain she had experienced a few days ago.

    She didn¡¯t know what happened or how it happened, but one thing escted to another, and she had found herself kidnapped. It must¡¯ve been a crazy fan or a creepy stalker because he first thing the kidnapper did was ruin her hands.

    It was a miracle that she was even found alive, but part of her believed it wasn¡¯t as simple as she hoped but rather, it was for a much more sinister reason. To have her die was too much of a paradise to her tormentors.

    Even when surrounded by powerful people with present bodyguards, Zhao Linhua felt unsafe. The security here was top-notch, but her skin was rising with goosebumps. Someone was watching her. It wasn¡¯t the type of gaze from an admiring fan, but more of people who desired for her blood to be shed.

    She couldn¡¯t remember thest time she had ever experienced fear as paralyzing as this one. "T-that¡¯s alright, Matriarch Ge. I couldn¡¯t possibly vite our promise. I can still y, do not worry." Her dubious voice prompted Ge Yafan¡¯s lips to tilt down in displeasure.

    "But my dear, your fingers are wrapped in bandages. Surely, it would be painful to move or function. I pity you. Who could do such a thing to you? I hope the assant will be found and jailed soon."

    Her words caused a murmur in the crowd. No one knew what happened to Zhao Linhua and only a few of them heard snippets of it. Not a single soul here knew the full story, but with Ge Yafan¡¯s wording, everyone could interpret what had happened to the young and budding genius.

    "It¡¯s so terrifying to think he¡¯s still roaming around the streets." Ge Yafan¡¯s face was ovee with worry. "I didn¡¯t know you were injured to such an extent. Had you inform me, I would¡¯ve advised you to stay at home and recuperate."

    Zhao Linhua¡¯s face froze over. She didn¡¯t realize it before, but somehow, this Matriarch¡¯s sympathetic voice sounded almost mocking to the ears, as if taunting her. She blinked once and her vision was surrounded by a terrifying sight. In the stead of faces were a void of swirling ck, painted like that of monsters. Anticipating eyes turned into sharp crescent moons, upside down, and hanging like that of a Joker mask. Lips made of the curve of daggers, the faces resembled antique masks in vintage opera shows. Giggles flood her ears and even though no one wasughing at her for her injury, she felt like the entire world was judging her. Her world began to spin, whether it was due to ack of nutrition or sleep, she did not know. Her breath quickened and her eyes dted. Fear grasped her heart, tightly squeezing the small courage out of her soul. The people¡¯s expecting eyes felt as if they were betraying her like jagged pebbles of a public stoning.

    "She¡¯s injured...? What a shame."

    "With an injury like that, how could someone even y the piano? You need delicate and strong fingers to even hit the good notes."

    "Tsk, was she nning on insulting the Matriarch by showing up injured like this?"

    "She¡¯s bringing shame to the Zhao¡¯s honorable name. Sigh. What a pity."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s ears heightened at thest statement.

    Before she was able to reply, a rough and deep voice spoke out, "A pity indeed. The dishonorable family legacy will live longer than yours." Smooth, like finely strained and aged-wine, but tremorous like the cackling thunder in the skies, his voice was one who shouldn¡¯t be trifled with.

    Pairs of eyes shifted to the regal man sitting upon an ivory-colored chair whose metalwork was twisting into spirals of peach blossom branches. His white and grey hair was crisply slicked back, while his permanent disapproving frown muttered away the wandering gaze of the onlookers. No one dared to stare at him longer than their allotted time.

    Grandfather.

    The word rested on the tip of Zhao Lifei¡¯s tongue. She didn¡¯t say it, but the melting of her cier eyes expressed her thoughts.

    Zhao Moyao leisurely said, "Dear friend, you¡¯ve recently made your return to the high society and you¡¯re already stirring up troubles like the olden days. Are you truly that bored?"

    The lines on Ge Yafan¡¯s face deepened when her lips raised into an amused smile. "Because I have be so old, I have grown fond of ssical music. It¡¯s such a delight that two of your granddaughters can y the piano so proficiently. Pardon my greed, but I do have a desire to see it yed before my eyes."

    "You can exploit the other child all you want, but my Xiao Fei¡¯s talent will not be wasted upon useless ears that can¡¯t distinguish a prodigy from a genius."

    The tension was so thick, not even a knife could sever it. Fierce electricity cackled in the background, a violent storm brewing between the two of them.

    Zhao Lifei ground her teeth. She didn¡¯t want an argument to break out. It was too early in the day for this and the weather was far too nice. Letting out a sigh through her nose, her sharp gaze fell upon Ge Yafan before it settled on her grandfather. Five words. That was all she had to say and Zhao Moyao would take her home, into the safe andforting arms of her temperamental husband. But unbeknownst to her and everyone here, the Devil himself had arrived. His chariot of death, disguised as a modern and sleek ck car, had rolled into the entrance less than a minute prior. Yet his powerful strides were able to reach the garden faster than anyone else. None of the servants dared to stop in his path. Unfortunately for him, nothing could match the speed of her words, "I do not need violins to apany me."

    Yang Feng¡¯s walk came to a halt. He had just arrived at the open french-doors where his wife stood less than two meters away. He couldn¡¯t see her expression, nor could he read her bodynguage. But he didn¡¯t need eyes to read such things. He could hear the turmoil in her voice.

    "You do not have to." Yang Feng¡¯s very presence was enough to cut off all deration of war. Neither of the elders spoke up at his words, none of them meddled with this young man whose murderous aura could be felt from miles away. An eerily calm shadow hung over his face, highlighting his chiseled features.

    Zhao Lifei could feel the dark presence of her husband standing behind her. Even without looking at him, she could feel the fury rolling off of his entire body. He was beyond the idea of anger. The slightest movement would trigger him. "I want to." Even if no one had the authority to force her to y the piano, she willed herself to desire it. It had been so long since she hadst graced her fingers upon the instrument.

    Yang Feng¡¯s fingers clenched into fists. Whoever suggested her to y would suffer by his hands. He had never heard her y the piano, and now, the first time he would hear it was going to be in front of an unwanted crowd.

    "I¡¯ll be fine." She quietly said before walking closer towards the stage.

    Zhao Linhua was still too lost in her little world to realize the events unfolding in front of her. Rooted to the ground, as if hands from the dead were gripping her ankles, she was frozen to the spot.

    "Are you going to step aside or not?" Zhao Lifei harshly whispered in a murmurer low enough for only the two of them to hear.

    Zhao Linhua jumped at the brutal voice of her sister. Her throat dried up and she felt herself tongue-tied by the presence of her older sister. The desire to fight and argue with her had long diminished when she recalled the horrendous fate of her mother. Shaking and trembling on the spot, with no familiar allies to protect her, she could only stumble to the side. Her head continued to spin as questions surfaced. She had not seen Xia Mengxi for the longest time now and all of her friends had deserted her when they realized she was no longer wealthy.

    "I-I can do it."

    "Sure you can." Zhao Lifei sarcastically replied in a reprimanding tone.

    "No, really, I can¡ª"

    "Don¡¯t make it worse. You¡¯ve already embarrassed yourself bying here injured." Zhao Lifei had long abandoned the bond of familiarity that tied her back to her younger sister. Hardened by her sister¡¯s betrayal, she would never look or treat Zhao Linhua in a gentle manner again.

    "You haven¡¯t touched a piano for so long, what makes you think you can y?!" Zhao Linhua harshly cried out, her words ringing through the silent fields. At her provoking words, Yang Feng¡¯s gaze turned chilling. It was enough to freeze the dew on the petals and the blood in Zhao Linhua. Even with the distance between the stage and the doors, she could still feel his overbearing presence weighing down on her.

    "I don¡¯t have to exin myself to the likes of you." Zhao Lifei coldly retorted before walking past Zhao Linhua and up towards the stage.

 Chapter 408 - A Prodigy and A Genius

    Zhao Lifei felt her heart slowly rise with familiarity when her eyesnded upon the sleek piano. It reminded her of the one she used to own in Sky Arc Complex. The older one was resting in Cerulean Water Pavilion and the one in her current house was the crystal piano gifted by her grandfather. With all of the momentous events spinning in her life, she hadn¡¯t found the opportunity to y the piano as of now. And thest time she yed... she was distracted from the pain of her heart.

    Every pair of eyes centered upon her. No one dared to negatively talk about her, not that they had any w to find in her rxed posture. When she folded the end of her dress and sat down, a few keen eyes took note of how fluid her actions were. It was as if she had done this numerous times before.

    Breathing in deeply, Zhao Lifei¡¯s ten fingers hovered over the piano for a couple of seconds. The song she nned on ying was often apanied by violins and a choir to bring the piece into a different level. She didn¡¯t need that.

    Zhao Lifei was confident in her ability to seed. She would never allow the music piece to be drowned out by other instruments.

    Yang Feng stared intently upon her, his eyes never missing a single detail. He could see her chest rising when she breathed in to calm her nerves. He could see the way her eyes nced at the keys. She was calm and in control. He had never seen her y the piano before and knew she could do so.

    No one, except the walls in Zhao Lifei¡¯s condo, had ever heard her y or touch the piano.

    Finally, four fingers mmed down upon the white keys and ck keys, the powerful sound stringing a chore within everyone¡¯s heart. The people trembled at the raw emotion from the dark and echoing sound.

    <i> Schubert¡¯s </i><i> Piano Sonata No.18 in G Major, D.894 </i>

    The beginning note started gentle, yet profound with slow rhythms like the soft fall of rain on a sunny day.

    Zhao Lifei could distinctly remember the day she first held Zhao Linhua in her small little arms, a baby whose face was graced by the angels. At that moment, nothing mattered more than her younger sister. She was devoted to protecting her from the dangers of her parents. She was unaware that her parents would treat this angel better than her.

    The notes began to build up in power as the tranquility fades into the background and the rhythm bes undefined. The soft drizzle of rain became heavier, drumming the hearts of the audience.

    Despite Zhao Lifei¡¯s closed eyes, one could see the pain painted over her face. From the knitted brows grimacing from the betrayal to the way, her fingers mmed upon the piano. The discorded sounds shook the ground.

    When her parents chose Zhao Linhua¡¯s side and ced Zhao Lifei in the shadows for the demons to grab, terror seized her heart.

    A moment of relief seemed to have washed upon her, when her hand slowed into a benign pace, gliding upon the ck and white keys. Like a beam of hope, a man whose face is not distorted by sinister intentions had approached the disregarded child. A colorless world where each day felt like survival. Every moment up until now had been lonely for Zhao Lifei, whose parents couldn¡¯t recognize her talents.

    In some aspects, she was relieved they didn¡¯t shelter her. By unknowingly pushing her into the corner, they had gifted her into the hands of a man who didn¡¯t put her capabilities to waste.

    "Xiao Fei, follow me." His hands, unruly and menacing, were offered to her. His face was gloomy and crumpled into a permanently disapproving scowl. His expression didn¡¯t drive her away. His eyes reflected tender affection, unrivaled to the emotions he felt with his other grandchildren.

    A meek voice asked, "Where are we going?" Her face was beautiful and innocent, like one of those porcin dolls meant to be shown off in sidewalk windows.

    Using his other hand, Zhao Moyao soothingly stroked the back of her head. "Your safe haven." Although the word that Zhao Lifei wished to finally hear was "home," she had still ced her tiny hand upon his. "Home." She had never understood this word, regardless of thevish houses she lived in.

    The moment was tender and sweet ¡ª it was a memory forever engraved into her. Despite that, the piano piece was powerful, as if there was an unveiledyer of agony that could not be expressed through words. The beautiful melody wasced with eerie undertones that caused the people¡¯s breath to hitch.

    Just as Zhao Lifei¡¯s life was bing better and better, it all crashing down again ¡ª like the unmatched and wild notes of the piano that continued to dance and dance. It slowed down, as if the dancer was tired, only for the shoes to pick up speed. The notes to crash upon the ears, violent like a tsunami. It forced the deafening silence to quiver under her force.

    Zhao Lifei had already faced betrayal from her family, thest betrayal she hadn¡¯t expected was from Zheng Tianyi. He had brought beauty into her world, only for it to be cruelly shattered. All of it was fake. Nothing he said or did came from his heart. The piano notes became even more dark, her face twisting to match the tormentful notes. Every note, despite its high or low octave, was strung perfectly together.

    Yang Feng.

    The ying ceased. The notes became more timid, barely recognizable from its previous swift and erratic pace. Slowly, the piece became louder with subtle hints of hesitation that could only stem from her uncertain heart. It was almost as if she was...scared. It wasn¡¯t of his character or behavior, but more of what he could do to her if she allowed him through the thick, unscble walls of her heart.

    Her ying became incredibly calm, yet each note was impactful, regardless of how small it was. She thought he would knock her walls down, forcibly and without warning. Like the gentle piano, he had patiently removed the bricks one by one.

    Each sound was heavy on the heart, regardless if it was heart-shakingly painful or mesmerizingly beautiful. It evoked some form of emotion from the audience who could only hold their breath and admire the genius before them.

    It was time to end.

    For the longest time, Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t know what she was moring to break free from. And today, she learned. It was time for her to move on. She shouldn¡¯t wallow in the past any longer.

    The small, barely noticeable strings that were always tied around her heart and throat were invisible at times. It was enough for her to believe she had truly moved on from the sorrow she had endured. Sadly, it wasn¡¯t as she believed. Up until this moment, it was still there.

    Thest note sliced through the atmosphere, as it did with the string. Whatever connection that tied her back to her past was severe. It didn¡¯t mean she had abandoned it. It just meant she was finally freed from it.

    Silence.

    No one could speak. No one could recover from the one woman symphony they had witnessed. Her movements were astronomical and none of it had gone to waste. A lone tear slid down from Zhao Moyao¡¯s eye to he wiped away before anyone had seen it. Like everyone upying the garden, he was shaken with unspeakable emotions.

    The piano piece was already emotion-evoking, but she was able to put a different tone and life into it. When Zhao Lifei vividly remembered a fond moment, Zhao Moyao didn¡¯t. He couldn¡¯t forgive himself for what had happened. He couldn¡¯t dare to reminisce all of their cherished moments.

    A memory shed before his eyes: in particr, the loud plea of his granddaughter while she fought against the captors dragging her to the memory altering facility. Twinges of pain shocked his body and senses. Grabbing his heart, he could feel it burning and heavy with guilt.

    Their eyes met and even with the distance between them, he could see the gentleness of her eyes, clear and sharp. It softened when she noticed the results of her actions. Everything happened in slow motion. Her lips parted to whisper something before it curved upwards into the kindest expression he had ever seen on her face.

    ¡¯Don¡¯t torture yourself.¡¯

    He could¡¯ve sworn that was what she was saying, and before he could catch her attention again, it was diverted.

    His body jolted when thunderous ps, loud cheering, and pleas of ¡¯Encore¡¯ rang through the gardens. Its force could shake the soil and force the grass to flee. So many people were choked with emotions, but everyone shared mutual respect towards Zhao Lifei. Today, they had seen the difference between a prodigy and a genius.

 Chapter 409 - Insane

    Zhao Lifei stood from the chair, bowed her head and then walked off the stage without a second nce towards the ck piano. As much as she had despised her younger sister, she was never inclined to outshine her in terms of artistic abilities.

    Nothing broke Zhao Linhua more than the realization that everything her life was built upon was fake. She was a prodigy, but how far could this title take her? She had always gloated and basked in her parent¡¯s affections. As the blinding gold or crystal trophies forged her throne in the music world, she forgot the real reason she yed the piano ¡ª¡ª because her parents wanted her to. They honed her skill, thinking it was the absolute best decision they have ever made in their life.

    Yet, here she stood, numbed to the core from their choices. All the strings and titles attached to Zhao Linhua¡¯s identity were the piano. It was thrust into her arms at a young age and her opinions were unfavorably ignored.

    A wave of remorse mmed her when she remembered the first time she was introduced to the piano. Running from her needy parents, she had found herself in front of a hauntinglyrge door. It was painted pearl white with swirling wood.

    Curious and mesmerized by the beautiful sound resonating from the room, Zhao Linhua had curiously wandered inside. The sound of Zhao Lifei¡¯s fingers upon the piano was the most attractive thing to have ever graced Zhao Linhua¡¯s ears. Her entire world was transformed by the smallest minute or so of Zhao Lifei¡¯s unforced notes. She yed the piano because she wanted to. She yed the piano because it was her passion. There were no puppet strings attached to her hand, forcing her to y. It was all with the will of her heart.

    Zhao Linhua didn¡¯t have the same luxury. Her parents invested too much love, care, and affection into her to realize the piano wasn¡¯t her passion.

    "Lifei..." Zhao Linhua¡¯s pleading voice sounded foreign to her. "Jie-Jie..." For once, she meant it. Her eyes turned ssy with an unleashed river of tears. A knot formed in her throat, turning her tongue-tied. Her tiny shoulders trembled more than the horrific memories of her kidnapping. She sniffled as tiny needles jabbed at her heart. A heavy pressure weighted upon her chest.

    Zhao Linhua could see Zhao Lifei approaching her. "Jie-Jie, I¡¯m sorry¡ª"

    Zhao Lifei walked past Zhao Linhua as if she didn¡¯t see or hear a single thing. Not once did she blink or falter. Not once did she nce at Zhao Linhua.

    Zhao Linhua swirled around, tears slipping from her quivering eyes. The small needles became knives, digging themselves deeper and deeper into her. Painfully, she copsed onto her knees, hugging her body. She had lost the only person who genuinely cared for her, without strings attached.

    - - - - -

    Ge Yafan, like many people in the crowd, was emotionally affected by the piano piece. She was drawn to the mesmerizing notes and nothing could tear her eyes away from Zhao Lifei. It was a miracle that she was able to slip away for the briefest second when Zhao Lifei was walking down the stage. She had returned with a box at hand.

    Yang Feng remained where he was standing. His hands were resting in his pockets. He was the only person here who didn¡¯t seem pained by the piece. Zhao Lifei was able to see past his emotionless facade. He was deeply touched by her ying.

    When she was less than a meter away, his posture straightened for her. The people parted for her. Just the tiny stomp of her footsteps was enough to make everyone tremble in their shoes.

    Yang Feng closed the distance between them faster than she could¡¯ve done. When she was near him, he delicately wrapped his fingers around her wrist, careful to not hurt her. Maneuvering her body to him, his powerful arms came around her body. With her in his arms, he turned his back and shielded their position from the wandering eyes. "Looked enough?" He growled.

    Everyone averted their gaze. The sky and ground looked particrly interesting today.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s arms embraced his body, hugging him with equal affection. She buried her small face into his chest and breathed in his scent. It clogged her senses but brought a euphoric calm over her. "Did you like it?"

    "I loved it." He responded in a heartbeat. "Only an insane man wouldn¡¯t."

    "Does that mean you don¡¯t love it?" She teased, purposely calling him crazy. Her heart fluttered when his chest rumbled with his humorful chuckle.

    "Cheeky fool." He moved a hand and pinched her face, earning a small squeal from her. Hiding her face in his body, she muffled her smallughter.

    "But you love this cheeky fool."

    "Trust me, my dear, my feelings for you are beyond that of love."

    And before she could ask him more, Ge Yafan cleared her throat. It drew people¡¯s attention to her and Zhao Lifei was inclined to follow.

    Zhao Lifei tapped upon Yang Feng¡¯s chest and he relented to her wishes. They broke apart from their embrace, but he still kept an arm securely on her hips. His fingers stroked her sides, drawing indistinguishable shapes.

    A medium-sized velvet box rested on Ge Yafan¡¯s sped fingers. "Darling child, in my absence, I was unable to bless you for this rtionship..." She trailed off, careful to not reveal the hidden marriage between Zhao Lifei and Yang Feng. "For that, I deeply apologize."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s behavior and performance tonight were enough to change Ge Yafan¡¯s view upon her. Today was a test and Zhao Lifei had passed with flying colors.

    "I am eternally grateful for the happiness you bring to my gloomy grandson." Her words earned a soft chatter ofughter that was quickly reced with sharp intakes of air and gasps. She had opened the box to reveal the Yang family heirloom.

    Zhao Lifei found herself staring at a jade bracelet. It was a pure forest-green, the colors saturated and brightly-toned. Even without showcase light, the bracelet shone beautifully. The shade of it matched the ring Yang Feng had given her. They seemed to be a matching set. The bangle was simple and alluring, even with theck of decorations.

    "Imperial emerald jade." Ge Yefan exined, "It has been polished and meticulously preserved throughout generations, stemming back to the eras of royalty. The Yangs have always been wealthy, regardless of what generation it was. But this was the only bracelet that mattered, for it was the first gift that an important Yang ancestor had given to his wife. She was wealthy enough to afford all the jewelry in the world, but this was the only bangle she had ever worn on her left hand."

    Ge Yafan¡¯s eyes zeroed onto the concealed ne hiding underneath the neckline of Zhao Lifei¡¯s dress. She found it highly intriguing that her grandson was able to get his hands on the intensely-colored emerald that was rumored to be lost and forgotten. Found deep in a mine, securely tucked into a forest, the emerald on Zhao Lifei¡¯s wedding ring was coincidentally a very simr shade to the jadeite bracelet.

    Yang Feng¡¯s pampering was unmatched. That much was clear.

    "Will you do me the honor of epting this heirloom?" Her question was in but very impactful. It indicated Zhao Lifei¡¯s importance in the Yang family. Receiving praises from the rigid and highly opinionated Ge Yafan was already a blessing. Bestowing her the heirloom right afterward was practically unheard of. None of the women in the Yang generation received this much honor.

    "Of course." Zhao Lifei finally answered. She was originally struggling to find the proper response to Ge Yafan¡¯s heartfelt words. "I am beyond honored by this privilege. Thank you."

    She noticed the slight hostility that Ge Yafan felt for her was beginning to disintegrate. Ge Yafan took out the jade bracelet and forced her grandson to hold the box in his other hand. She grabbed Zhao Lifei¡¯s hand and slipped it through her hand with a bnce of ease and difficulty. The slight difficulty assured both women the bracelet would not slip off the wrist.

    Once it was resting on Zhao Lifei¡¯s wrist, the bright jadeite bracelet became more appealing. Her pale skin, like the first fall of snow, was a lovely contrast to the forest-green. If she paired it with her emerald ring, nothing would shine more than her left hand.

 Chapter 410 - New Era

    "Let¡¯s head home now." Yang Feng guided her in the direction of the double French doors. A thin, flowy curtain attached on either side of it weightlessly blew. It was like an illusion, for the second the curtains rested, they were gone.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s wrist felt oddly warm. It wasn¡¯t a suffocating kind, but one that calmed the iciness of her fingertips. She nced down and realized there was nothing there except for the bracelet.

    "My grandmother failed to mention the jadeite used to make the bracelet was found in an eruptive volcano a long time ago. Due to how well it was preserved, it might feel warm to the touch. If you don¡¯t like that, we can have a protectiveyer of coating upon it."

    "No, it¡¯s fine. I like the warmth. My hands get cold easily."

    "It means you need more iron in your life." Yang Feng mused, slipping his hand over hers. rmed at the cold, he immediately took off his suit jacket and helped her into it. Originally, he thought she wanted to show off her outfit, thus, didn¡¯t make her wear a jacket. It wasn¡¯t that cold today, but he overestimated her tolerance to the cold.

    "Wear gloves tomorrow." He grabbed both of her hands, squeezing them and raising them to his mouth to gently blow hot air upon it.

    Zhao Lifei opened her mouth but closed it when she saw Zhao Moyao from the corner of her eyes. He was conversing with Ge Yafan with a smile.

    From a distance, people would think they were having a civilized conversation. She couldn¡¯t see Ge Yafan¡¯s expression but knew her grandfather well enough to know a passive-aggressive conversation with faux smiles were urring. He was not happy. The smile never reached his stony, rigid eyes.

    Yang Feng followed the direction of her curious gaze, "Are you still angered by him?"

    "Wouldn¡¯t you be angry at someone who altered your course of life?"

    Yang Feng thought over her words. "He had good intentions."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s head snapped to his direction. His brows tugged together, worried she might have a whish. "I thought you would be irritated by his actions?"

    "I used to be." He truthfully answered her. "But then, I pondered his reasoning and viewed everything from his perspective." He ced a hand on her cheek and brushed his thumb upon the surface of her skin. "Even in my youth, I had a list of enemies who¡¯d love to kill everything I held dear." An arm snaked behind her waist as he guided her body closer to his while being mindful of her stomach. The hand resting on her face slipped down to lovingly rub her stomach. The bodyguards around them prevented anyone from taking nosy nces their way. She was beginning to slowly show, but it looked more like she had too much to eat for breakfast.

    "If it¡¯ll guarantee your safety, I would¡¯ve done anything in the world. His approach was not the best, but his intentions derived from a good ce in his heart." Yang Feng bent his head and kissed her on the forehead. "Your grandfather wished to protect you. No one could¡¯ve predicted the future. None of the people expected the oues of his mistakes."

    "I know." Zhao Lifei murmured, her eyes ssy and staring into the distance. He was saying everything that she had been contemting for a long time now. A part of her still held a grudge for what he had done to her. She sighed through her nose and ced a hand on her stomach, resting it upon Yang Feng¡¯s roughened knuckles. "I won¡¯t deprive my child of their great-grandfather."

    "And will you deprive yourself of him?"

    Zhao Lifei became silent. She nced through the window of the hallway they were standing in. Her grandfather had stopped smiling.

    "The next time you pull a stunt like this, it will be thest time you ever see my granddaughter." Zhao Moyao harshly bit out, his eyes ring daggers into her skull. "I didn¡¯t bring you onto my team to betray me."

    "If your granddaughter couldn¡¯t handle this test, she would never be ready for Yang Feng¡¯s world¡ª"

    "She has already been exposed to the dangers of the Underworld." His eyes narrowed. "For the record, his world revolves around her."

    Ge Yafan¡¯s eyes widened at his unexpected words.

    None of the men in her life had cared for their wives or lovers. They regarded them as property and prized possessions that would further increase their wealth. It was the same for Yang Qianlu, who married his wife not only for love but also for convenience. The Fans were people with a good reputation and an ample amount of wealth.

    Yang Qianlu was a man that valued his emotions. Unfortunately, prosperity and priorities were his deciding factors. He wanted to choose a marriage partner based on a person of his choosing and it was just through his luck that he was able to fall in love with Fan Jin. She was obedient and bent herself to his will, up until recently when she began to defy his dominance. His world did not revolve around his wife. It was centered on his children.

    This was the same for Ge Yafan. Yang Mujian married her out of convenience and fragments of delusional love. She was a possession that he was mesmerized by her. He didn¡¯t care about her desires or wishes and ced his own above hers. It was suffocating. She loved him dearly, but in return, she was ced in a pretty little cage. Nothing made her more petrified than entering their bedroom, where the remnants of her identity were discarded at the door.

    "I¡ª"

    "If you hadn¡¯t given her the heirloom today, I would¡¯ve stormed out long after her performance." Zhao Moyao sniped, pressing his lips into a thin line before strolling off with his secretary, Li Xuan in tow.

    Ge Yafan slowly turned to the piano that was alone on stage. It was hauntingly beautiful. The spotlight was on it, but it didn¡¯t need the light to shine.

    - - - - -

    "Xiao Fei," Zhao Moyao¡¯s surprised voice tooted Zhao Lifei¡¯s footing. He was a few meters away from her when he saw the tiny back of his granddaughter.

    Li Xuan paused, his eyes rested on Zhao Lifei. As she slowly turned around with President Yang apanying her actions, he noticed the smallest bump from her well-fitted but flowy dress. His eyes nced towards his Boss whose eyes moistened at the sight.

    "How... is the child?"

    "You mean your great-grandchild?" Zhao Lifei calmly asked in a respectable tone.

    "M-my great-grandchild?" Zhao Moyao choked out through the lump in his throat. Astonished by her words, he continued to stammer, "O-of course. Who else would it be?" He seemed to be talking to himself, rather than her.

    Zhao Lifei wondered if she had been too harsh on him. Nheless, she said, "You shouldn¡¯t torture yourself, Grandfather. I don¡¯t think I can ever bring myself to forgive you; however, that doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t hold a special ce in my heart. I wee you to visit me and the child, but please do not expect forgiveness."

    "I never expected forgiveness. I never wanted forgiveness. Let me live with this guilt. It is by feeling this that I am reminded to survive." Zhao Moyao didn¡¯t know the most startling fact of his words was that his will to live was not because of guilt. She was his motivation to continue living.

    Zhao Lifei knew better. She could see it in his eyes that his real intentions of living were not because of guilt, but because of something else. "You have to realize, Grandfather, that perhaps without your actions, I might¡¯ve never changed. I would¡¯ve remained spoiled and unable to recognize my ws."

    "Don¡¯t try tofort me."

    Zhao Lifei chuckled, "Do I seem like the person to do such a thing? I am merely speaking the facts."

    "You¡¯re indulging in ¡¯hypothesis¡¯ and ¡¯what ifs¡¯."

    "But that does ease your worries doesn¡¯t it?"

    "..." Zhao Moyao scowled at his cheeky granddaughter and her smug little smile that consistently reached her eyes. "Whatever makes you happy." He grunted, shifting the cane from one hand to another.

    "I see you¡¯ve stopped hiding the cane from the public." Zhao Lifei stated as she raised her brows, curious at his reasoning. He never wanted to give the press something to nitpick at. It was a miracle that they haven¡¯t caught wind of it. Seeing as none of the news firms were publishing an article about it, she inferred today was the first day he was seen with the golden handled cane.

    "Yes. The half-decade meeting is approaching in a week." His words left room for implications.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s rxed posture didn¡¯t change even with the taunting pressure on her shoulders ¡ª he wanted her to be present at the meeting.

    "I will not take no for an answer. You are expected to be there promptly at nine in the morning. It is time for a new era." Zhao Moyao sharply told her, his words weighed heavily on her heart.

 Chapter 411 - It Takes Two To Cheat

    Sitting in a rolling car, driving safely on the highway, Yang Feng turned to face his wife. She was staring out of the window, a distant look on her face. She was physically with him, but her mind was elsewhere.

    "Are you going to attend the meeting?"

    "I¡¯m not sure." Zhao Lifei sped her fingers together, tearing her eyes away from the dull window. She could see the city from here and all of its shing lights. It was a spectacr sight. Shenbei was known for its beauty and because of it, many tourists were inclined to visit the shining city.

    "Your shares in thepany is quite high." Yang Feng leaned closer to her and drew her small chin in his direction so that he could have her undivided attention.

    Zhao Lifei felt her heart skip a beat at the understanding expression on his face. Even with a barely recognizable smile, he was still astonishingly handsome. His eyes were the darkest shade of ck she had ever seen. Yet, when he looked at her, her reflection was all that she could see.

    His thumb softly rubbed her chin, before giving it a light squeeze. "If you want to be the President of Zhao Corporation, I will support you."

    Zhao Lifei knew what he was implying. If she wanted it, she¡¯d get it. Nothing will stop him from giving her what she wanted. The real question was, did she want it? With his shares and her grandfather¡¯s favoritism towards her, she could easily take the throne. Like everything else, there would be disagreements and family rtions would be further strained¡ª not that she cared.

    "Well?"

    "I¡¯m not sure." Zhao Lifei let out a small puff of air. Her heart was heavy and leaned towards one side whereas her brain leaned to the pr opposite.

    "Whatever you desire to do, I will help you." He edged closer to her and pressed a lingering kiss upon her forehead. She didn¡¯t know she was creasing her brows until he kissed the spot again and soothed the lines with his finger. "If you want to be the President, I will give you my shares. If you don¡¯t want the position, I will not hold it against you."

    "There are a lot more people who have worked harder than me just to dream about the position." Zhao Lifei finally spoke out. "Yet, I do not feel sympathy for the majority of them. All of them have schemed against their kin and blood to acquire status and support."

    "As long as I am here, none of the schemes against you will be sessful." Unbeknownst to Zhao Lifei, there had been numerous attempts of assassination. Whether it was snipers cocked and loaded on the rooftop or people attempting to hijack her cars, all of it was unsessful. Yang Feng¡¯s men were always able to spot danger from miles away.

    Snipers were shot dead, hijackers were dragged to the Underworld, and anything else was deemed invalid. He had carefully kept her from scheming family members that attempted to poach and reach out to her. She didn¡¯t know it, but he had all of those uwful members blocked frommunicating with her. As long as their intentions were bad, even if it was the slightest bit, they would never reach her.

    "I know." Zhao Lifei fondly responded, lifting her head, the corners of her lips curving into a full smile. It reached her eyes as she ced a hand upon her stomach, feeling warmth spread through her fingers.

    Yang Feng¡¯s eyes briefly followed her action before looping his hands around her body, folding it in a knot behind her back. "Something will happen to Xia Mengxi. If you don¡¯t want any involvement with her, do not check the news the entirety of tomorrow."

    Zhao Lifei wondered why the quote, "It takes two to cheat," popped into her mind. Without knowing it, the words in her head had left her mouth, surprising Yang Feng.

    "Which is precisely why Zheng Tianyi also suffered." He leaned in and kissed her upon her jaw, trailing a path to the sensitive mark he had created yesterday. The red mark was hidden under concealer and foundation. With her hair let loose, no one could see it.

    "On equal footing?" She genuinely asked.

    "If that is what you desire." He drew back from her to read her expression. At times, he wished she was an open book where her emotions were easily predictable. Guarded behind her smile, he couldn¡¯t read her true intentions. "I¡¯m currently in the process of finalizing everything. If you would like her to suffer more or less, you¡¯re free to tell me."

    Zhao Lifei thought back to the moments where Zheng Tianyi furiously pursued Xia Mengxi, even when the woman was unrelenting to his seduction. Maybe it was the fame, money, and power that he offered to her, but for unspecified reasons, Xia Mengxi had finally given in to him.

    Why was it that women suffered more when they cheated? Men should also be held ountable for their actions. And in Zhao Lifei¡¯s case, she knew Zheng Tianyi had scarred her more than Xia Mengxi did. She was nothing but an irritating thorn in his side. However, Xia Mengxi was a special case. She had helped a man cheat, but also cheated on the cheater. Zheng Tianyi had his fair share of pain and even now, he was living in hell on Earth.

    "It¡¯s better to be fair." Zhao Lifei¡¯s single statement sealed Xia Mengxi¡¯s fate.

    - - - - -

    At a luxury mall, a woman leisurely swung her purse as she looked over the window disys with disinterest. She was used to all of the designer clothing presented here and nothing caught her fancy. Her finger touched the sleeves of her silky dress, long and white. It enhanced the silhouette of her body in the most modest way possible. From the nourishing hair treatment, she had a few hours ago, her hair was a healthy sheen.

    Lately, she was growing tired of all of the fancy clothes. Every time she wore something new, she would throw it out the next day. Her lips tugged into a sneer at the nagging from her mother a few days ago. Her mother had helped hernd the job as a secretary, and the filial daughter wanted nothing to do with her.

    The nagging from a few days ago was thest straw for Xia Mengxi. It was something about wasting money on clothes or wasting clothes, but whatever the reason was, Xia Mengxi was having none of it.

    Aggravated at the single mother who raised her, Xia Mengxi had purchased a house for her mother in the next city over, paid the entire mortgage on that house, and then shipped her there. She was tired of seeing her mother every single day.

    "Mom, can you put on some make-up today? You look haggard!"

    "Ugh, this is such an ugly dress on you. You have extra pounds on you and it makes your short legs look stubby!"

    "Please walk behind me or a bit further away. No, no it has nothing to do with your appearance today. Yeah, I know you spent three hours to look nice because you¡¯re going out with me. But it¡¯s just... I don¡¯t like it when someone cuts into my personal bubble."

    Xia Mengxi was embarrassed to walk with a woman who obviously looked like she was lifted to wealth and wasn¡¯t born into it. Because Xia Mengxi¡¯s mother only recently acquired wealth, she still dressed like she was new-money. And because she wasn¡¯t previously exposed to the expensive treatment that most women her age would¡¯ve gotten a long time ago, there were prominent wrinkles and speckles of blemishes scattered throughout her face. It was normal to have it, but Xia Mengxi was too repulsed and embarrassed to walk around with her mother.

    "You only drag me down!" Xia Mengxi had shouted at the woman in a fit of rage thest time she saw her mother.

    "Is that her?"

    "Oh my god, it is."

    Xia Mengxi sighed on the inside when she heard the usual whispers of the socialites browsing the mall. She was so tired of their fake smiles andpliments. ¡¯Unlike that stupid Zhao Lifei, I know how to navigate what is right and what is wrong.¡¯ She thought to herself, shaking her head at the idiotic woman. ¡¯She¡¯s rich and can have any man she wants. Why did she have to go for a loser like Zheng Tianyi? It speaks a lot about her preferences.¡¯

    "Yeah, she was crowned the Queen three years ago."

    "Look at her walking around in YRQ clothing. I heard it was all sold out within the first hour of itsunch."

    "Even with the mess going on, she still has the time to shop?"

    Xia Mengxi smiled a bit at their obviouspliments. She felt particrly pretty today in her newest edition clothes. It was hard to get her hands on these clothes, but after whining to Zheng Murong, he finally bought it for her. His people contacted someone, but she was toozy to care who it was.

    The hints wereid out before her but she was too naive and ignorant to see past the veil of her blissful life.

    "Those clothes cost a lot of money and she¡¯s already wasting the little bit of cash she has left. How stupid."

    "She must think she¡¯s so beautiful today. Look at her admiring herself in the mirror,pletely oblivious to what¡¯s happening to her."

    "Heh, don¡¯t worry about it. I already contacted Second Brother that she¡¯s at the mall right now. The news people wille any minute now."

    "Haha, she thought we wereplimenting her! How dumb!"

    "Well, she dide from a horrible education and a low-life. Of course, she would be this stupid."

    Xia Mengxi¡¯s smile dropped when she realized the previouspliments were of people taunting her. They weren¡¯t in awe when they saw her like she assumed they would be.

    Her eyes burned with fury, "What did you just say?" She turned around with an aggressive smile. Even in the face of backstabbing, she was able to maintain her reputation as a pure and innocent woman. Usually, the very sight of her would cause women to tremble in their high-top and gaudy heels. She had Zheng Tianyi as her backing and no one dared to offend her. All of that was going to change today.

 Chapter 412 - Scum

    "Pft, we knew you were daft, but since when did you go deaf?" One of the socialites, Ye Luoluo, replied while flipping her hair over her shoulders.

    Xia Mengxi recognized the woman as the rising model that used to bootlick her until her shoes were squeaky clean. Her lips curled when she realized the obvious betrayal. "Have you lost your mind¡ª"

    "No, but you¡¯re about to right now," Ye Luoluo retorted with a confident smirk on her naturally-contoured face. A friend standing beside her tossed the magazines onto the floor, as one would toss a coin towards a homeless person.

    Xia Mengxi struggled to keep her calm at the tant disrespect. She felt Deja Vu course through her veins for she had witnessed this embarrassing scene before. Except, she wasn¡¯t the victim but the bully. Her face remained neutral and even a bit pitiful with her eyebrows wounding together in disappointment. Her eyes were the window to her soul and they danced with resentment.

    Xia Mengxi spoke in a softer voice, dripping with fake kindness. "Luoluo, it¡¯s not polite to have your friends litter in this mall. It¡¯s going to make the janitor¡¯s life a lot harder."

    "Hah, the only litter I see here is you."

    "By janitor, do you mean your mother? I heard she pulled quite a good amount of strings tond you as a secretary. Oh right, did you forget about that? You¡¯re an employee who crawled into the bed of her employer to be a low-grade mistress."

    Xia Mengxi¡¯s face turned paler than the pearls adorning her wrist. She hadn¡¯t been directly insulted like this for a long time. Thest time was when Zheng Hechong caught sight of her in Zheng Tianyi¡¯s house. He had stared at her as if she was worse than the scum underneath his shoes.

    "And stop pretending to be a white-lotus. That act is SOst year," Ye Luoluo scoffed. Her high-pitched voice was beginning to receive chimes of agreements from therge crowd that had gathered.

    Without a heavyyer of make-up, Xia Mengxi¡¯s face burned bright red with embarrassment. She handled positive attention quite well. Because of Zheng Tianyi¡¯s support, she rarely faced negativements like this from the social circle. Naturally, her armor and weapons weren¡¯t sharpened for the brutal battlefield.

    Baffled by their words, her heart skyrocketed at the realization that the crowd was filled with familiar faces. She had always been good to these people. ¡¯They¡¯re going to support me for sure,¡¯ she gloated to herself.

    "Luoluo, let¡¯s be civilized about this." Xia Mengxi turned to her friends, waiting for them to respond. Her heart leaped when she saw a few exchange understanding smiles her way. Like them, she naturally smiled.

    "Luoluo, Mengxi is right." One of Xia Mengxi¡¯s friends, Hua Bihui spoke up. Her eyes mockingly nced at Xia Mengxi before she added on, "You shouldn¡¯t stoop down to her level."

    Xia Mengxi¡¯s smile dropped. "Hua Bihui, what are you saying¡ª"

    "I mean, look at her. She¡¯s dressed in wealth, not ss. She thinks buying expensive clothes will buy her grace." Hua Bihui sneered, her words humiliating Xia Mengxi even further. On top of it, everyone here was a mixture of her friends and strangers.

    "How dare you¡ª" Xia Mengxi couldn¡¯t finish her words when a swarm of reporters stormed through the front entrance. Their entry was unexpected and before the security guards were able to prevent them from entering, questions were thrust into her face.

    She thought her friends would push them all away, instead, they parted like the sea to allow the reporters through. pped with their betrayal, she was stunned quiet. The rapid assault of questions left and right turned her mind into a nk canvas.

    "Miss Xia, is it true you slept with your fiance¡¯s closest rtives?"

    "People are saying your mother was the reason why you could be a secretary."

    "Are you truly a Cindere, or are you a witch in disguise?"

    Xia Mengxi¡¯s mind swirled from their brutal questions. Her bodyguards stepped forward, pushing the people back. She was grateful for their protection. Thest thing she needed was people physically touching her.

    The questions were intense and she slowly felt like she was losing her sanity to them. Her lips be chapped and her throat felt parched. She was furious with their questions. One could tell by her scalding re that she was highly provoked by their questions ¡ª which was exactly what the reporters wanted.

    "Who is your newest big-thigh?"

    This question was the tipping point for her. "This is audacious! Do you people have no morals? How can you assault me with these questions? Don¡¯t you have anything better to do with your lives?"

    Everyone quieted down at her shrilling words.

    "Honestly, reporters and paparazzi are low-lives who earn money from ruining people¡¯s reputations. You shouldn¡¯t paint yourself like this." Xia Mengxi continued her rant, thinking she was safe under the influence of her bodyguards.

    A few of the reporters and paparazzi were angered by her words. Their questions became even more scandalous and targeting.

    "Apparently your father didn¡¯t abandon you with zero contact. Rumors are using you of influencing his suicide. We heard he borrowed from loan sharks because you needed the money. Is that true?"

    "Is it true you influenced Zheng Tianyi¡¯s decision when he wanted to humiliate Zhao Lifei? Some of your servants are saying you like to pillow talk [1] him."

    "Everyone is saying you should be jailed for your crimes against an innocent woman! The only reason Zhao Lifei retaliated against you was that you were sleeping with her fiance while he was still legally bound to her! Is that true? Can youment on this?"

    Xia Mengxi stood frozen in the mall. Harassing questions were tossed at her left and right, then something else came for her. It was bright red and sttered all over her dress. Gasps could be heard beforeughter erupted in the crowd. A low whistle was heard and all of a sudden, her bodyguards dispersed. Cameras shed on her face while something else was thrown at her, this time,nding perfectly on her head ¡ª a rotten egg. She shrieked when she felt the egg white running down her hair, tainting it with a pungent smell. Without bodyguards blocking her from everyone¡¯s view, her reaction and humiliation were left wide open for people to see.

    The furious reporters continued their harassment, this time, literally circling around her and preventing her from escaping.

    "Miss Xia, the public is using you of being a slut and a mistress. How are you going to respond to these usations? Are you truly fooling around with other men when Zheng Tianyi is nowhere to be found?"

    "Why did you cheat on your fiance? Is it because he was not giving you enough money?"

    "How do you feel about this recent scandal?"

    "Are you going to apologize to Zhao Lifei? Onlinements are calling you a hateful homewrecker who should be stripped naked on the streets. What do you want to say to these people?"

    Xia Mengxi¡¯s head was spinning. The continuous sh from the cameras capturing the worst moment of her life was beginning to blind her. She couldn¡¯t see that well, much less have the consciousness to respond to theirments. Under everyone¡¯s pressure, she couldn¡¯t think of a response. Her head spun left to right, a loud, "OW!" left her mouth when something else was tossed at her shoulder des. She nced down and to her horror, it was a thick stack of pictures showing her adulterous affair with Zheng Murong. Obviously, his face was blurred out with ck bars across his eyes. Before she could pick it up, the reporters snatched it.

    "Is this the man you were sleeping with while you were in a rtionship with Zheng Tianyi?"

    "Were you pillow talking both men?"

    Questions pped her face left and right. Her knees trembled and wobbled like her quivering lips. A sob left her mouth, then another, but all of it was drowned by a harsh thud at her head. An open water bottle hadnded on her from the second floor.

    "Cheating wh*ore!"

    "Why don¡¯t you crawl back to the disgusting gutters you came from!"

    "Shameless b*tch!"

    It didn¡¯t take long for the entire mall to enter into different stages of chaos. This was only the beginning of Xia Mengxi¡¯s downfall.

 Chapter 413 - Taken Man

    The reporters were relentless. Usually, they weren¡¯t this lethal in their approach but after her insults, none of them decided to hold back today.

    "Apparently, you¡¯re not as kind as people thought you to be. There are rumors that you paid a B-list model to harass Zhao Lifei in the past. Is that true?"

    "The evidence is that the people you¡¯re closest to are all wearing a simr charm bracelet! Is this your way of recruiting people to do your bidding?"

    Xia Mengxi¡¯s face went even paler as she turned into a sickly shade of green; she looked like she was on the verge of puking. Anxiety drove her on her edge as she blurted out, "That¡¯s not true. I would never do such a thing to Zhao Lifei! I¡¯m the nicest person you¡¯ll ever meet¡ª"

    Xia Mengxi¡¯s words died off in her throat when she saw a woman push to get through the crowd. Her hair, which was usually let down to mimic Xia Mengxi¡¯s style, was tied up today. It enhanced her heart-shaped face and brought out her high cheekbones.

    Relief flooded Xia Mengxi¡¯s trembling soul. Watching Zhao Linhua approach her was like seeing an angel amidst the chaos. At this very moment, Xia Mengxi felt the happiest she had ever been. For once, she appreciated Zhao Linhua¡¯s presence. "Ah-Lin, you¡¯re here! Please exin to them I didn¡¯t hire the model!"

    Zhao Linhua gently smiled at Xia Mengxi. Now that she finally had the upper hand for once, she was going to drag this woman through the dirt and back. "Mengmeng, don¡¯t worry. I will tell them the truth." She said loud enough for everyone to hear. Xia Mengxi finally rxed a bit in the presence of a trusted friend.

    Zhao Linhua¡¯s eyes shed with disgust when Xia Mengxi attempted to touch her shoulder as leverage of support. She stepped away, fearful of the weird substances dripping from the woman¡¯s body. Her nose crinkled. What was that awful smell?

    The reporters stared at Zhao Linhua, microphones thrust into her face. Even now, the shes of cameras were still going off like fireworks.

    Zhao Linhua nced at Xia Mengxi who rapidly nodded her head, urging her to speak the truth and nothing but the truth. "Xia Mengxi does give out friendship bracelets. She handpicks each charm." She held up the beautiful silver bracelet on her arms.

    "It¡¯s only for people who are as loyal to her as a dog would be to their master." Zhao Linhua¡¯s words caused a wave of murmurs. Everyone understood what she was implying.

    "Ah-Lin, what are you doing¡ª"

    "Xia Mengxi hired the model to nder my older sister¡¯s name in public. Both of them understood the consequences of going after Zhao Lifei and still took the risk like a fool." Zhao Linhua didn¡¯t bother to reveal the forgotten name of the insignificant model. Everyone knew who she was referring to. It wasn¡¯t every day that people tried to nder Zhao Lifei when it¡¯s publicly known whose woman she is.

    Xia Mengxi¡¯s horrified face was left for the camera to capture at every angle possible. How many times had she been betrayed today? "Zhao Linhua, you, you¡ª"

    "Save the insults for jail." Zhao Linhua chuckled, "That is," she lowered her voice and bent close to Xia Mengxi, "If President Yang lets you live after this."

    Zhao Linhua had finally abandoned her chase towards Zhao Lifei. The rude awakening from yesterday was enough for her to stop pursuing a taken man, especially when he had zero indications of abandoning Zhao Lifei.

    Xia Mengxi almost copsed until she finally saw her beacon of light. Leisurely, a man was strutting in the distance, approaching a store. She could only see the side profile of the tall and well-built body. He was surrounded by his team of people and security.

    "Zheng Murong!" Xia Mengxi cried out,pletely unaware that the bodyguard who abandoned her was working under his orders. At the mention of the new CEO of Zheng Corporation, the reporters were momentarily distracted.

    Like a madwoman, she pushed through the crowd of people that usually parted for her. It was through heavy resistance that she finally broke through the clearing, but not before her appearance was severely ruined. Tears were freely streaming down her face, ruining her mascara and make-up. She had a stench worse than a skunk [1] spray and her white dress was torn, splotchy, and covered in questionable stains.

    Her public image waspletely tarnished. Even when she was struggling to reach her big-thigh, she was being live-streamed. Some did it willingly, others were paid to do it. Drones were flying in the air, capturing her humiliation without fail. People were curious as to who owned the drones and why it came out at such good timing. No one knew that the Demon King himself was behind it.

    Zheng Murong paused briefly and nced with disinterest at the woman stopping in front of him. His group of people halted her in her path, but that didn¡¯t mean he missed the sight of her horrid appearance. His lips curled in disgust, stepping back and shielding the woman beside him. Because of his frame and the angle that Xia Mengxi stood from, she wasn¡¯t able to see the other woman hanging in his arms, tilting her head.

    "Murong, help me out of this. These people, look at what they have done to me!" Xia Mengxi sobbed, hugging her quivering shoulders that shook like a brittle leaf. Her tears have always worked on men. Her voice was dripping with sorrow. It was supposed to evoke the protective nature of men that caused them to pity her. It had always worked miraculously in the past.

    "And Linhua! That...that horrible woman!" She cried on, "She betrayed me and is attempting to spread lies about me. These good-for-nothing reporters are all targeting me now and other socialites are trying to drag me down." She attempted to step closer to the love of her life. Just the simple sight of him was enough to make her heart skip a beat. He was nothing like his older brother. His appearance could never match the King himself, but he was handsome in his own roguish way. When Zheng Tianyi shone like a Prince, Zheng Murong had the appearance of a mischievous knight.

    Zheng Murong raised a brow and stared at her with confusion. "I¡¯m sorry, but do I know you?"

    Her entire world crumbled instantly. The hope in her eyes died, like thest remaining light in her heart. Her crying and rambling ceased. "W-what do you mean¡ª"

    "I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever met you before..." He trailed off, then paused as if a lightbulb went off in his head before his face turned dark. "Wait, I know you."

    Her face lit up the slightest bit. "Stop ying jokes, of course, you know me! Remember all of our¡ª"

    "You¡¯re my brother¡¯s fiancee." He sneered, "You dare to cheat on him and thene to me for help? Absolutely shameless. Don¡¯t pretend you know me when we¡¯ve only met once or twice."

    Xia Mengxi was in shambles. She was stunned silent by his cruel and unforgettable words. Her heart shattered into millions of pieces. Everyone had betrayed her. Everyone had left her. None of the people in her life were genuine with her. Was this how Zhao Lifei felt? This feeling as if the world had ended and there was no way for her to crawl out of this hell-hole?

    "Stop it, we¡¯ve slept together so many times!" She shrieked, earning gasps from the people. Was he the man in the photos?!

    "Sleep with the likes of you? You think I would betray my older brother like that?" Zheng Murong scowled. He earned chimes of agreement. No one would be foolish or daring enough to snatch Zheng Tianyi¡¯s woman f. At least, that was what they thought.

    "Spreading tant lies and rumors. My attorneys will contact you for this."

    "Your attorney?! I have the proof right here that you¡¯re the one sleeping with me!" Xia Mengxi screamed. All of her rationality flew out of the window as she attempted to shove the photographs into his face, only for her to be furiously blocked by his bodyguards. Her face morphed into anger, then realization, confusion, and horror. All this time, the person that called back the bodyguards was none other than her lover.

    The reporters didn¡¯t miss the crucial detail she said that incriminated herself. She was publicly dering the woman in the scandalous photos was really her! There was no way she could im a rebuttal like, "Someone cropped my face into these photos!"

    Many of them wanted tough with glee. Gold! They had struck gold in this juicy gossip!

    "How can you nder my brother¡¯s name by proudly dering you have cheated on him? After all that he has done for you." Zheng Murong shook his head as if he was severely disappointed and offended by her words.

    "No, I¡ª"

    "Besides, I have a girlfriend." Zheng Murong nced at the woman in his arms. She stared at Xia Mengxi with discontent while surveying the woman up and down. In contrast to Xia Mengxi¡¯s mangled appearance, she was as beautiful as a fairy descending from the Heavens. One nce her way and the people instantly believed him over Xia Mengxi. When your girlfriend is that beautiful, who would want to cheat on her?!

    "As a woman, have you no shame?" The woman spoke up, her lips tilting down like a mother reprimanding her child. "Women should uplift each other, not disrespect themselves and the others around them. Please do stop spreading lies about my boyfriend."

    All eyes snapped to Xia Mengxi, waiting for a response. But she was silenced by the presence of Zheng Murong¡¯s supposed girlfriend. Pain spread throughout her entire body, starting from her shattered heart. Betrayed and tossed aside, her picture-perfect life cracked before her eyes. Unknowingly, she copsed onto her knees, utterly defeated by the oue.

 Chapter 414 - Desperate

    Zheng Murong threw a cold sneer her way before flicking his wrist and walked off with the woman still apanying him. His expression shifted when she spoke up to him, softening as a lover would do with their beloved.

    Xia Mengxi let out an inaudible sound of utter defeat. The words of his sweet nothingness shed through her brain, as it did with Zheng Tianyi when he realized the love of his life had betrayed him.

    "My sweet, there will never be a day I stop loving you. I want to have a family with you where each of our children will share your traits." His hands ran through her hair, teasing her lower back as sheid naked upon his chest.

    "Even when you draw yourst breath, my heart will continue beating for you and only you." He had whispered into her ears while unzipping her dress.

    A chill drenched her when she realized that the only times he spoke the words of a lovesick fool was when they were engaging in intercourse or when he desired to. Zheng Murong¡¯s love was not as real as the love Zheng Tianyi had for her.

    In this entire world, there was not a single man who would love her as much as Zheng Tianyi did. And she had betrayed him in more ways than one. Even if she crawled back to him, he would never look at her in the same way. Her vision blurred and thest thing she saw before losing her mind was the sight of Zheng Murong lovingly stroking the woman¡¯s cheek.

    - - - - -

    When they were out of the prying eyes of the public, the woman, Bai Rinuo dropped her act. She detangled herself from Zheng Murong¡¯s arm and threw him a scathing re. "This is thest time I¡¯m pretending to be your girlfriend." She had been great friends with him ever since they bonded during high school over the struggles of being their parents¡¯st choice for their leadership position.

    "Pft, don¡¯t act like you didn¡¯t enjoy being my girlfriend." He jokingly retorted, his lips curving into a fond smile at her infuriated and disgusted expression. The angrier she was, the cuter she was. And today, she was already in a particrly wretched mood when they met up.

    "That would be thest thing I enjoy." Bai Rinuo rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "You almost damaged my reputation there."

    "Did I? I think I improved it by having you as my woman. I¡¯m a CEO now, you know."

    "Yeah and I¡¯m the COO of my parent¡¯spany. Do you think I need you to boost my reputation?" Bai Rinuo teased him, leaning up to pinch his cheek as if he was a child. "And I got to my position faster than you did."

    "Well, mine is higher than yours. So how does that feel?" He grabbed her wrist, yanking her closer, the action startling her. "You shouldn¡¯t touch a man so freely and intimately."

    For a split second there, he seemed like he wasn¡¯t joking with his words. Bai Rinuo yanked her wrist back, surprised by his action. Her eyes dropped to the floor, afraid of the emotions she would see in his eyes. She was terrified that he would share mutual feelings. Every fiber in her was screaming he was not good for her. She had known him for a while now and had seen his yboy ways. Mingling with him would only break her heart, yet she idly indulged in his presence.

    Finally, after a long silence, she said, "I have less work as a COO."

    Zheng Murong wanted to ask about her conflicted expression. He could see the hesitation and pain in her eyes as if she was engaging in an argument with herself. "Nuonuo, I was joking¡ª" He cut himself off upon realizing he wasn¡¯t. He was as serious as a person could¡¯ve ever been. His grip on her wrist loosened.

    "I¡ª"

    "Take me home." Bai Rinuo tore her eyes from the floor to nce up at him with a gentle, understanding expression. "Please." She added on when he looked torn to part with her that quickly. "I have to get ready for Zhao Corporation¡¯s half-decade meeting in a few days. "

    "You¡¯re attending?" Zheng Murong asked her in disbelief. He had received an invite a while ago but didn¡¯t think she would have that many shares for her opinion to mean anything.

    "Yes, of course, I am. I¡¯ll be representing my father." Bai Rinuo answered, pulling her wrist back. "Next time you decide to mess with other women, please don¡¯t involve me in your messy breakups." She sighed.

    "I did it for Yang Feng this time. He helped me and it was the only way I could think of giving back to him." Zheng Murong ran a hand through his hair, the corner of his lips rising upwards.

    "I know." Bai Rinuo answered before turning her back to him and proceeding in the direction of the back entrance where a car was already waiting for her.

    - - - - -

    The following week, Zhao Corporation.

    The atmosphere within the spacious meeting room was tense. There was a row of elongated tables that was curved like a U. Everyone was able to get a good view of each other, specifically, the influential man at the center where the table was curved around. He was seated in the center with a stern face forever twisted into a scowl.

    Not many people could remember thest time they had seen him genuinely smile. Most of his expressions were humorless smiles, taunting nces, and cunning smiles. It was no wonder he was frequently referred to as a sly fox who yed his chess pieces perfectly. From all of the years in leadership, his heart had toughened into stone. He didn¡¯t tolerate failure or second chances. Nor did he appear to understand the idea of being kind.

    Zhao Xingxing could feel the mocking stares from her rtives as they belittled her with their eyes. What was a young woman doing here? Especially in a room of old, powerful men and rtives with years of experience above her head. Every smile here was faux and none of the people here had genuine expressions.

    The same applied to her long-term friend and dearest cousin, Zhao Jing. He was usually calm andforting, but today, he was the pr opposite of his easy-going smiles.

    Zhao Xingxing understood how desperate he was for the position as the new CEO.

    Her grandfather had finally started using a cane in public. The subtle action showed he was going to retire soon. The real question was, who would receive a favorable position? Many names came to her mind and every rtive pinpointed who it was: Zhao Lifei.

    The very name brought a bitter taste in everyone¡¯s mouth. It wasn¡¯t a secret that Zhao Moyaopletely doted on her. For christ¡¯s sake! He had raised her with his blood and sweat. She had stuck by his side for so long, learning the ins and outs of the business world too early in her life. By now, it was no surprise her own investment firm was doing so well.

    Zhao Xingxing wished she wasn¡¯t second to Zhao Lifei. As much as she respected her cousin, she wished she wouldn¡¯t walk in someone else¡¯s shadows. All of her aplishments were always insignificant in the eyes of her parents. A woman was meant to stay at home and take care of the house. She was expected to give birth to intelligent children and nourish the people in her life. Being a close friend to Zhao Jing, she should do everything in her power to assure he would be the CEO. And for some time, it was all she wanted to do.

    Zhao Xingxing stiffened when she felt a particr pair of eyes trail her way. Her head snapped up and she saw who was staring at her ¡ª Wu Yuntai, the Vice President of Zhao Corporation. He was a wild-card ever since his introduction as the Vice President. It was met with outrage but one re from Zhao Moyao was able to silence protests.

    She threw him a questioning re before averting her gaze.

    "Who were you looking at?" Zhao Jing curiously asked her in a low voice that only they could hear.

    "Just the Vice President."

    "Right." Zhao Jing curtly responded, taking a sip of the ice water in front of him. He nced at his grandfather and stiffened a bit upon making eye-contact. To both of their pleasant surprises, Zhao Jing didn¡¯t avert his gaze. He held it provokingly which earned the slightest smirk of approval from Zhao Moyao who nodded his head.

    When Zhao Moyao proceeded to scrutinize someone else, Zhao Jing let out a small puff of air that he didn¡¯t know he was holding in.

 Chapter 415 - Glowing

    "She¡¯ste." Zhao Jing murmured, taking another gulp of his water. For some reason, he was particrly parched today.

    "Technically, everyone is supposed to arrive at nine in the morning. Right now, it¡¯s barely half-past eight in the morning. She¡¯s not toote."

    "We¡¯re waiting for her." Zhao Jing groaned, wishing the meeting would just start already. Everyone had arrived here two hours earlier than the starting time.

    "Well, we¡¯re also waiting for President Yang. His entire decision can tip the scale." Zhao Xingxing calmly responded, twirling the pen in her hand.

    "Sometimes I want to know which country¡¯s history books will have a picture of Zhao Lifei. She must¡¯ve saved a country at some point in time. Maybe she¡¯s amander of an army in her past life." Zhao Jing said while making eye contact with one of his supporters. He offered his uncle a slight smile to which the man nodded in acknowledgment

    "Or maybe she¡¯s just genuinely a good person." Zhao Xingxing retorted, leaning her small face onto her hand.

    She found it amusing how everyone here seemed to underestimate her. Previously, before she entered the room, a few of her rtives had vented their frustration to her. Because of her naturally weing face, people always felt as if their secrets were safe with her and her understanding personality. Little did they know, Zhao Moyao was not the only fox in this room. It was just that, this one was better at pretending to be a rabbit than a predator.

    "I know she is...it¡¯s just, her luck is quite amazing. Don¡¯t you think so?"

    "I wouldn¡¯t call it luck, but sure." Zhao Xingxing realized her words hurt a lot more than she intended. She turned to face Zhao Jing and just as she had predicted, he looked a bit offended by her sarcasm. "She worked hard to get where she is now. Luck might¡¯ve been a factor, but there are a lot of other primary ones. For example¡ª"

    "Being born a girl destined to be doted on by grandfather because she was the first to reach out to him." Zhao Jing interrupted her with his blunt sarcasm. He wished his younger self wasn¡¯t so adored by his parents. Maybe then, like her, he wouldn¡¯t have been afraid of approaching Zhao Moyao.

    Zhao Xingxing was baffled by his words. What does gender have to do with this? "Jing-ge, you don¡¯t mean to say¡ª"

    "She¡¯s here." Zhao Jing turned to the door where Zhao Lifei strutted in as if she hadn¡¯t made everyone wait for her. If she had arrived early, the meeting would¡¯ve started early.

    Zhao Xingxing¡¯s eyes lit up the slightest bit when she saw Zhao Lifei. She was dressed in a ck cape-sleeved blouse with strings tied into a casual bow-knot and a pair of white trousers. Her white-strapped heels made her appear taller and more powerful than usual. There was something different about her... she was glowing in ways that Zhao Xingxing couldn¡¯t pinpoint.

    With her hands tucked into her pockets, Zhao Lifei was assertive and confident in every way possible. When her rtives had expected her toe in shambles from the news a few days ago, she behaved like she wasn¡¯t affected by it. And perhaps she truly wasn¡¯t, for she never bothered to check the news about Xia Mengxi¡¯s humiliation.

    The man apanying her was an equal match to her dominating presence. He was dressed in a formal three-piece suit as always, but this time, there was a light blue handkerchief tucked in the chest pocket. They matched and the thought couldn¡¯t help but make Zhao Xingxing smile. What a cute pair. She wished her future would be as fortunate as Zhao Lifei¡¯s current life.

    "Xiao Fei, you¡¯rete." Zhao Moyao interrupted everyone¡¯s thoughts. He ignored the mixture of nces thrown her way. Only a small percentage of the emotions were positive, the rest was too insignificant for him to care.

    "If I¡¯m correct, the meeting starts in fifteen minutes. I¡¯m actually early." Zhao Lifei chuckled, her eyes flickering to the empty seat to the left of her grandfather. Wu Yuntai was sitting to his right. And to no one¡¯s surprise, Yang Feng¡¯s seat was on the opposite side of the curved table, where he was facing her, but couldn¡¯t touch her. Even at a time like this, her grandfather chose to be petty with the seating.

    "Is that the correct way to speak to the President?" Zhao Moyao¡¯s voice seemed disapproving, almost as if he was reprimanding her.

    Zhao Lifei pursed her lips, suppressing the smile threatening to break out. "You seem to forget, President Zhao, I am also a CEO." She walked to her seat, ignoring the stares thrown her way.

    Yang Feng cleared his throat and everyone coughed before looking away. No one wanted to get on his bad side, especially when he had one of the highest shares in this room.

    "Arrogant as always." Zhao Moyao sighed, shaking his head.

    "I learned from the best." She smuglymented before sitting down.

    "I¡¯m sure you did." Zhao Moyao let out a bark ofughter that sliced the heavy atmosphere. People thought he wouldsh out from her constant talk-backs, but they didn¡¯t know that was what made her so special. Unlike the people who struggled to maintain theirposure under his intense stare, she still had the time to crack jokes and make small, harmless jabs.

    "I suppose the meeting should begin." Zhao Moyao nodded towards Li Xuan who shut the doors. He walked forward with the deciding papers in his hands. Previously, before everyone walked into the room, they had to vote on the most likely candidate for the position. In the end, the shares of each person voting would be added up, until eventually, one outweighs the other and a victor was crowned.

    Zhao Lifei looked around and saw a lot of familiar faces in the rows of people. Everything here was orderly and the seats were evenly spaced out. She could feel the heavy stares of people behind and in front of her. Everyone was quiet. She saw the gears in their heads move.

    "Since we don¡¯t have all day and I¡¯m not known to be a traditional man, let¡¯s cut to the chase." Zhao Moyao took the paper from Li Xuan. A projector was set up and there was a presentation behind him showing the numbers.

    "Usually, we¡¯re supposed to spare the lowest supported people a few cents of sympathy by going from lowest to highest." Zhao Moyao waved his hand towards the screen where the names were seen. "That¡¯s too much of a bore. Let¡¯s cut to the top three most likely candidates."

    Zhao Jing.

    Zhao Lifei.

    Wu Yuntai.

    No one here was surprised by the rank. If Zhao Lifei was upset or happy at the ranking, she didn¡¯t show it. Her eyes nced at Zhao Xingxing and she saw the pale woman¡¯s skin was paper-white. For the briefest second, she almost looked disappointed. Then it went away as she turned to Zhao Jing, ready to congratte him.

    "The votes aren¡¯t adding up. Who here has not voted?" Zhao Moyao chillingly asked, his eyes snapping to the new couple who just arrived.

    Yang Feng nced at Zhao Lifei. They had already spoken in the car.

    "Of course you two rascals would wait until thest minute." Zhao Moyao sighed, pinching his brows. He didn¡¯t admit that he was the one who voted for Zhao Lifei. No one here would publically voice who they voted for. And he certainly didn¡¯t want to show any more shameless bias.

    "Hurry up and write down your choices."

    Zhao Lifei stared at Yang Feng before nodding her head. She scribbled a name down on the paper and then handed it to Li Xuan who epted it and then walked to Yang Feng. With the two deciding papers in hand, he typed it into theputer, his brows rising.

    A new candidate was brought to the top and her name was none other than Zhao Xingxing.

 Chapter 416 - This is a Mess

    The silence in the room was deafening. No one had expected this oue. Wu Yuntai grimaced at Zhao Moyao¡¯s infuriated expression. His eyes snapped to Yang Feng as if he was waiting for him to do something.

    Zhao Xingxing felt her heart drop to her stomach when she saw her name wedged between Zhao Lifei and Zhao Jing. Her frightful eyes turned to Zhao Lifei as if pleading for her to change her vote.

    Zhao Lifei originally wanted to vote for Wu Yuntai. It had been like this since the very beginning but such a thing would be outrageous. He had already gotten quite far by bing the Vice President when his surname wasn¡¯t Zhao. Thepany had always been in the hands of a Zhao and there had not been a single CEO who didn¡¯t have the name.

    There would be an outcry if Wu Yuntai came out on top. His only w was that he wasn¡¯t born in the family. Zhao Moyao might¡¯ve desired for the young man to take over, especially when he had been by his side for a long time. But everyone knew such a thing would be impossible.

    Zhao Jing was favorable because he was a male who could continue the family name when his son was born. Zhao Xingxing¡¯s child was not going to inherit the powerful name¡ª that is, if she¡¯s not afraid of legally changing the name of her child.

    Li Xuan swallowed. "It¡¯s a tie between Zhao Jing and Zhao Xingxing."

    "Damn brat." Zhao Moyao ground his teeth, raising a hand midway to reveal the small, folded paper in his hand. Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes widened.

    "Grandfather¡ª"

    "That is enough." Zhao Moyao ced the paper into Li Xuan¡¯s hands who nced at it before typing in the calction. The presentation screen turned ck before it flickered white again.

    Zhao Lifei.

    Zhao Jing, Zhao Xingxing.

    Zhao Lifei frowned, "I have my ownpany to worry and manage over¡ª"

    "I have been training you to take this position your whole life. Your interests drifted to a differentpany and that is fine with me. You can do a merger or whatever else as you see fit." Zhao Moyao coldly responded. He wasn¡¯t speaking like a grandfather, but more of a President. His decision was final. Once a vote had been calcted, it couldn¡¯t be retracted.

    "Since Feili is on the rise and it¡¯s doing exceptionally well for a newly establishedpany, but you have to realize, it will take decades for it to reach the level of Zhao Corporation. You will do well here. You¡¯ve acted as my consultant, learned the ins and outs of running thispany, and you secretly worked here on your free time before it was consumed by Feili."

    "I will not abandon mypany." Zhao Lifei scowled, "For heaven¡¯s sake, it¡¯s my name backward!"

    "I never said you have to abandon it." Zhao Moyao briefly nced at Wu Yuntai who didn¡¯t seem surprised or bothered by the fact that he didn¡¯t be CEO. A man could only dream so far...

    "You can spend your free time in thatpany, but Zhao Corporation will be your top priority."

    Zhao Lifei bit her bottom lip. She knew nothing she would say or do can change his mind. A small murmur came from Wu Yuntai, so quiet, she thought it was the sound of the air-cond.

    "Think of your children." Wu Yuntai kept his voice barely audible. Only him, Zhao Moyao, and Zhao Lifei heard his words.

    "Your eldest will most likely inherit Yang Feng¡¯s position, your middle will inherit Feili, and what will be left for your youngest? Will they receive nothing?" Wu Yuntai wisely advised her, ncing at her stomach before raising his eyes to stare into her eyes. Their conversation was hushed and he was wise enough to keep it among the three of them.

    Zhao Lifei quietly said, "Who¡¯s to say I will have three kids¡ª"

    "Your husband is Yang Feng, of course, he¡¯ll want more than two." Wu Yuntai responded with a slight muse. He nced towards Yang Feng¡¯s way and realized the man was drinking vinegar with his venomous gaze. He straightened his suit and sat up taller.

    Zhao Lifei closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. When she opened it, a flicker of determination could be seen. She will be the President.

    "You can change your mind after five years, but I¡¯m certain you will enjoy this position." Zhao Moyao chuckled before turning to stare at the faces of each and every person in the room.

    "Any objections?"

    "Definitely." Zhao Jing stood up with a displeased expression. "I believe I would be more suitable¡ª"

    "Then find more supporters who would vote for you." Zhao Jing snapped his head to Zhao Xingxing as if he was waiting for her to speak up.

    She turned to Zhao Lifei and smiled. "It¡¯s time a woman finally assumes the position as CEO of Zhao Corporation. I¡¯m d it¡¯s you." She crumpled the paper in her hand, tore another piece and stood up, walking to Li Xuan and cing the slip into his hands.

    Zhao Moyao sighed at his rebellious granddaughters. Both of them decided to votete it seems. He couldn¡¯t say much, for he too, had done the same.

    "Thank you for having the trust to vote for me, but I am unsuitable for this position." Zhao Xingxing couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at her long term friend whose crestfallen face would fill her with guilt. All along, she had nned to vote for Zhao Lifei. Zhao Jing was a great candidate, but that was all that he was. He was right. Zhao Lifei was doted on by Zhao Moyao. She unfairly received more treatment and was allowed to learn everything from the Master himself, but that isn¡¯t to say, Zhao Jing also didn¡¯te from ster education. It was all about connections and supporters. In this case, Zhao Lifei has the majority on her side and she didn¡¯t even know who the remaining was.

    "I would like to respectfully withdraw my name from the list." Zhao Xingxing said, which indicated that her supporters could technically withdraw their shares and revote.

    "This is a mess, I demand a revote." Zhao Jing frowned, standing and turning to nce at his people.

    Zhao Moyao sighed. Maybe it wasn¡¯t the best idea to let his favorite grandchildren do whatever they pleased. "All those who support a revote, raise your hand."

    The majority of people held their hands up, but no more past their shoulders.

    "A revote it is."

    - - - - -

    Everyone dispersed into their private space to secretly contact each other. The family was too split toe to a decision, but the majority of them were against the idea of having Zhao Lifei on the seat. She was too hard to be controlled by them and none of them could gaslight or manipte her. Zhao Jing was mainly backed by the family; however, he wasn¡¯t supported by the outsiders thatprised of other shareholders that had zero familial ties with the Zhaos.

    In a private room where only two people were present, Zhao Lifei tore her eyes away from the paper in her hands. Her eyes widened a bit when she realized something. Before her and Yang Feng¡¯s vote, Zhao Xingxing was in fourth ce. Her name wasn¡¯t ced into the scoring board because she wasn¡¯t the top three. She had voted for Zhao Xingxing. It should be impossible for her to be on top of Zhao Xingxing if Yang Feng had voted for her as well. Unless...

    Her heart raced as she turned to Yang Feng. "You voted for me?!"

    Yang Feng¡¯s lips quipped into a slight smirk. "I thought we aren¡¯t allowed to discuss who we voted for. You know, to prevent controversy¡ª"

    "Did you vote for me?" Zhao Lifei asked in a demanding voice oozing with authority. When he remained silent, she got her answer.

    "Why?"

    "No one else deserves that position more than you do." Yang Feng answered, "I said I would support your decision, but I never said I would agree with it." He crossed the distance between them and gently patted her on the hair.

    "Wu Yuntai is crossed out because he is not a Zhao. This is apany run by generations of Zhao. It is not going to change anytime soon."

    "But Zhao Xingxing¡ª"

    "Do not lie to me." Yang Feng frowned, "She has zero training for the role. And don¡¯t bother bringing up Zhao Jing. He only immerses himself in the family shares that even whenbined can¡¯t make up half of thepany¡¯s shares. He was able to luckily receive a few from outside ties, but none of it are major holders."

    "You don¡¯t need to have any connection with your family to seed. They¡¯re greedy and will not have thepany¡¯s best interest at heart."

    Zhao Lifei ran a tired hand through her hair. "Who were the others that voted for me? My name was still high on the list before you or grandfather voted for me."

    "I didn¡¯t influence or pressure other people to vote for you." He truthfully answered, "But I can make a few predictions on who could be behind it."

    "You don¡¯t have to." A voice spoke up as therge, double-doors were pushed open and in walked people she had never expected to see.

    Ling Fulei strutted in with azy expression, Yang Yulong yawned before smirking, Yang Ruqin winked and waved, Zheng Murong politely nodded his head, and an unfamiliar woman walked in with a slight smile.

 Chapter 417 - Im Only Kidding

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s lips parted in shock. She had never expected them to be the ones supporting her.

    "You were groomed to assume your grandfather¡¯s position, why are you hesitant now that you¡¯ve finally received it?" Yang Feng gently asked her after he allowed her to recover from this unexpected turn of events.

    Zhao Lifei stared at the floor. The reason why she started Feili was that she wanted apany of her own, but that was because she feared the thought that she would never be the CEO of Zhao Corporation. She was her grandfather¡¯s prized candidate but didn¡¯t think she would receive the support of others. She hadn¡¯t thought that some of the people closest to her would be the ones that watched her the most.

    "My adorable Feifei," Yang Ruqin chuckled, skipping her way to the silent woman. "There is nothing wrong in taking over the position. You know it. We all know it. You don¡¯t have to worry about Feili. Huo Qiudong can handle it. Hasn¡¯t he been performing exceedingly well even throughout your frequent absences?"

    "Are you making fun of me?" Zhao Lifei scowed, flicking her on the forehead, earning a fake yelp of pain.

    "No, I¡¯m just stating the facts!" Yang Ruqin huffed, "You say you¡¯re interested in Feili, but please face the music. If you truly have a passion for the investment firm, you would find every reason to go against the excuses you create for yourself. You know it too. There have been particr reasons why you¡¯ve been running from thepany. Don¡¯t hide it. I can see it in your eyes."

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t think Yang Ruqin would know that much about her. "Qinqin¡ª"

    "And don¡¯t you dare try to lie to me. I might be an airhead at times, but I know you well, Feifei. You always made time to consult for your grandfather in the past. Why couldn¡¯t you make time to go to Feili? Certain circumstances can¡¯t be controlled, but there were also days that you could¡¯ve just shown up in thepany."

    Zhao Lifei sighed. So she was caught red-handed in the very end.

    "Besides, d-don¡¯t worry about Huo Qiudong ever betraying you. I-I-" Yang Ruqin¡¯s sudden burst of confidence died down. She leaned in and whispered, "I have him under control. Don¡¯t worry..." She sheepishly trailed off, her face bright red.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes widened, "Huh?! Wait, did anything happen between you two?!"

    "Wait what?! What happened? Between who?" Yang Yulong broke into their conversation, staring usingly at his younger sister. "A guy? Is it another lover? Who else do I have to threaten? Damn it, you little heartbreaker. Whose heart are you going to break this time?"

    "I¡¯m not going to break his heart!" Yang Ruqin huffed, "As long as he doesn¡¯t break mine..." She added on with a small "Hehe" at the end.

    Yang Yulong gagged, "Okay, I didn¡¯t need to hear that."

    "Oh shut up. Not everyone wants to be as single as you."

    "Hey, hey, I have my reasons." Yang Yulong shrugged, "If I wanted to find a woman, I could do so easily, but for now, I don¡¯t want to. Before I¡¯m tied down by a rtionship, I want to travel the world, be a workaholic like my brother, and pester him into making me the Vice President instead of the stupid COO position. A girlfriend is not a priority."

    "Your lucky mother is not here or else she would have a heart attack at what you just said." Yang Ruqin sighed.

    "Look, I would love to stay here, waste my time, and wait for you guys to engage in more sibling banter, but the time is ticking and we have to regroup in less than five minutes." Ling Fulei spoke up, turning to Zhao Lifei.

    "Well, do you want to be the President of Zhao Corporation or not?" It was the question that everyone wanted to ask, especially Bai Rinuo who was willing to change her mind if Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t want the position. It was a daunting task to be the leader of such argepany and it would ruin a person if they lose themselves to the schemes. He could see why she was such a suitable candidate. She was familiar with all sorts of hardships. He would understand how Zhao Moyao would view Feili as a test-trialpany to prove her capabilities. It had been three years now and when most newpanies were heavily in debt due to its start-up years, hers wasn¡¯t. He knew there was a reason why Zhao Moyao brought it up during the meeting. It would sway the supporters of Zhao Moyao who was hesitant about having a woman on-board. It would be the first time that any woman would assume a leadership role as high as hers.

    "Is that even a question?" Zhao Lifei finally smiled, "Of course I do."

    "Well, what are we waiting for then?" Ling Fulei scoffed, turned around and headed towards the door. He paused and nced back, "Yunai wants to see you. She has a lot to tell you."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s eyes brightened into brilliant shades of amber at the mention of the ambitious child. "I look forward to seeing her." She nced around the room and her eyesnded on Zheng Murong. The woman beside him must¡¯ve been his close acquaintance.

    "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you." Zheng Murong stuck out his hand to which Zhao Lifei firmly grasped it in a handshake. "Please, the pleasure is all mine." Despite being Zheng Tianyi¡¯s fiancee in the past, she had never met his acquaintance before. She figured it was because she was too busy focusing on Zheng Tianyi to look at anyone else.

    "This is a close acquaintance of mine, Bai Rinuo¡ª"

    "COO of Perfume Empire, Xiang Bai, I know." Zhao Lifei finished for him, sticking her hand out to Bai Rinuo who gave it a firm handshake.

    "You know of me?" Bai Rinuo raised a brow.

    "Of course. It¡¯s not every day that I hear about a female COO."

    "It¡¯ll be CEO soon." Bai Rinuo chuckled, withdrawing her hand afterward and ncing at Zheng Murong.

    Zhao Lifei quirked a brow. She could practically feel the sexual tension in the air from their heated stares. She wondered if she and Yang Feng was like that before engaging in a rtionship. He raised a brow when he caught her stare before giving her a wink that made her stomach flutter. He walked over, ced a hand upon her stomach and lovingly kissed her cheek. "If you¡¯re worried about the stress, I can help you handle it."

    "No, that¡¯s alright. I won¡¯t stress myself out." Zhao Lifei smiled in content when his warm hands caressed her belly a second longer before retracting his hand to prevent any suspicion. They thought they were secretive enough in their exchange, but everyone had seen it.

    "You¡¯re pregnant?!" Yang Ruqin gasped. She obviously didn¡¯t get the memo to be silent about the entire ordeal. Yang Yulong facepalmed at his oblivious sister. It¡¯s not a secret how dense everyone in this family was. He just hoped their children would hopefullye out better.

    Every pair of eyesnded on to Zhao Lifei who slowly nodded her head. "It was supposed to be a secret, but I guess not anymore."

    "Oh my god, I¡¯m going to be a godmother!" Yang Ruqin squealed, desiring to jump up and down, but that would literally shatter her ankles due to the red-bottom shoes adorning her feet. She rushed to Zhao Lifei and hugged her dearly, "Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?!"

    "I was hoping to n arge surprise, so please don¡¯t tell anyone yet." Zhao Lifei raised her head and looked around the room where she saw a mixture of surprise and amusement. "That goes for all of you." She sternly said.

    "Of course."

    "What could possibly go wrong?" Yang Yulong mused, crossing his arms and giving her a mischievous wink.

    "I swear¡ª"

    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m only kidding." Yang Yulong let out a bark ofughter before nervously ncing at his older brother who was giving him a death stare. So maybe it wasn¡¯t the best idea to piss off a pregnant woman and a grumpy alpha male...

 Chapter 418 - Disappearing Wife

    "Oncepleted, please ce your pens down." Li Xuan announced and right on cue, many of the pens were ced onto the table.

    He exchanged nces with Zhao Moyao who nodded his head.

    Once thest pen was ced down, he began to walk around and collect the papers individually. A team of people apanied him. One passed the notes along while another did the calctions and thest ced the information into the spreadsheet. Minutes trickled by and soon, they had reached thest person: Zhao Moyao.

    Zhao Moyao smiled upon seeing his determined granddaughter. He could see the turmoil inside her had finally settled down and she hade to a decision. He finished writing her name onto the paper before passing it to Li Xuan.

    Another minute passed by and the calctions wereplete. Li Xuan began to type everything into the powerpoint, his face nk and neutral. He had already expected this oue long before Zhao Lifei walked into the office.

    The screen flickered on and every pair of eyes snapped to it.

    1. Zhao Lifei

    2. Wu Yuntai

    3. Zhao Jing

    Zhao Jing opened and closed his mouth. He turned to Zhao Xingxing, expecting her to say something. "Jing-ge, it¡¯s going to be alright." She gentlyforted him, understanding it was in his nature to notsh out. When most of his family members were feeding himpliments, she was the only one who wasn¡¯t afraid of saying things as they were.

    "You knew this would be the oue. I told you to prepare for it. Please don¡¯t argue and embarrass yourself. Grandfather would be furious if you turn this ce into a mess."

    Zhao Jing let out a tired sigh. "Gee, thanks for rubbing it in my face that you¡¯re right yet again." He wanted to bury his head into his hands and hide in there for a while, but that was too cowardly.

    "You don¡¯t have any experience in the position. She does. You would only be a puppet to our rtives if you became the CEO." Zhao Xingxing didn¡¯t miss the chance to subtly hint that he was a mama¡¯s boy. His parents dictated his life and it was especially obvious when he chose to hurriedly return to his parents instead of visiting Zhao Moyao and gifting him more than just a fruit basket when he was at the hospital.

    "She will give justice to thepany. Our fortune is in good hands. And besides, your father has never wronged her before. She won¡¯t unjustly ruin you. Who knows, maybe she¡¯ll give you a position on the Board of Directors. I can tell she¡¯s going to change a lot of the older and borderline senile members." Zhao Xingxing gave his shoulders a firm pat.

    "Well, you¡¯ve seen the results. And since no one wants to stay in this suffocating, windowless room any longer, the meeting is adjourned." Zhao Moyao stood up with the help of his cane. He had lost a few pounds, further illustrating the effect of his illness on him. It was time for him to retire and he was d he did it at the right time.

    - - - - -

    Every family member crowded Zhao Lifei in hopes of congratting her and beginning the bootlicking stage early. For the sake of maintaining peace, she patiently listened to their congrattions. It was amusing because these were the very aunts and uncles who plotted to sabotage her so long ago. When she was disowned by her parents, none of them had offered her a helping hand, even when she swallowed her pride to reach out to them.

    The only ones missing were Zhao Jing and Zhao Xingxing. She calmly responded and thanked everyone for their "support" and time, before slowly making her escape from her backstabbing rtives. She didn¡¯t need them in her life.

    "Xiao Fei, apany me to the office." Zhao Moyao¡¯s thundering voice parted the crowd of rtives.

    "Father, how is your health recently?"

    "We heard of the hospitalization, are you alright now?"

    "Perhaps you would like a more sturdy person to help you with the cane?"

    A round of superficial questions were asked, but Zhao Moyao waved them all away with disinterest. He frowned as if he had tasted something bad.

    Zhao Lifei nodded her head and followed him down the hallways. She knew if she offered to support him instead of using a cane, he might¡¯ve hit her with the stick.

    "Is it a boy?" Zhao Moyao asked, turning to eye her stomach and then her heels, but chose not toment. He knew some bickering must¡¯ve urred, but in the end, they were able topromise. Her heels weren¡¯t that high and were more of a pump than a thin death-trap.

    "I would prefer if it was a girl." He added on, walking out of the elevator with her beside him. "And for the love of everything holy, I hope your genes are strong enough to beat Yang Heng¡¯s." He shuddered at the thought of seeing a miniature little girl running around with a brooding and eerily calm expression.

    "What if it was both?" Zhao Lifei casually said, ignoring the baffled look on her grandfather¡¯s face. She wondered if Fan Jin and Yang Qianlu had received the hint she had given themst time. At the visit, she brought two different colored boxes, both of which contained small presents. Inside the boxes, there was nothing that hinted of her pregnancy.

    "I-is it both?" Zhao Moyao¡¯s glum mood heightened at her hopeful words.

    "Well, my appetite is toorge for it to all go into one massive baby, so I guessed it might¡¯ve been two." Zhao Lifei answered, opening the office doors for him. Her eyes widened a bit when she saw how... empty it looked. It was as if he had already packed and resigned yesterday. "I n on having an ultrasound in the afternoon to confirm it before I inform Yang Feng¡¯s parents."

    "Are you going to have a wedding ceremony during the pregnancy or after?" Zhao Moyao asked her, watching as she shut the door behind her. He resisted the urge to smile at a mental image of Yang Feng panicking from the news of his disappearing wife.

    "It would be risky to wear my ideal wedding dress with a pregnant stomach. I think it would be nice if my children were present at the wedding. Perhaps they could be a flower girl and ring bearer, don¡¯t you think so?" Zhao Lifei nced at the only bookshelf which wasn¡¯t empty. She could tell they were files but must¡¯ve not been that important for it to have not been stored away already.

    Zhao Moyao paused at the idea before smiling. That would be an adorable idea to which he would heavily look forward to.

    From the corner of her eye, something caught Zhao Lifei¡¯s attention, "Grandfather, you forgot your desk que..." The words died in her throat when she walked closer and saw it was apletely different design.

    Arge Swarovski crystal desk que was resting at the edge of the desk. The backing was made of polished obsidian which made the golden letters "Zhao Lifei, President" pop even more.

    "You knew I was going to be President all along." Zhao Lifei let out a small chuckle. It would take at least a day or two to get this made and shipped. The decision was only made today.

    "I had no doubt you would." Zhao Moyao mused, walking to stand beside her. "I figured if I was going to give you a congrattory gift, it would be this."

    "Thank you..." Zhao Lifei murmured, "For everything."

    "Not quite everything." Zhao Moyao raised a hand and gently patted her on the shoulder. "There is no one more qualified for this position than you." He nced at the door where Li Xuan was presumably waiting outside.

    "However, I do hope you will not rece the current Vice President." Zhao Moyao chuckled, turning his head back to the desk. "And you will need a secretary, but it will not be Li Xuan."

    "Wu Yuntai is a suitable Vice President. Why would I ever have the need to rece him?" Zhao Lifei thought about her next words. "I have a secretary in mind, but I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re up for the position."

    Zhao Moyao scoffed, "then that person would be a fool."

    Zhao Lifei opened her mouth and closed it when her phone buzzed and a familiar name made its way onto the screen. "Perhaps not."

 Chapter 419 - Its a Promise

    A few dayster.

    A woman sat behind a newly furnished desk that was sent in a day or two ago. It was filled with little objects here and there in the drawers, but the surface contained a sole file organizer, pen holder, abstractmp, and aputer where hands consistently flew over its keyboard. Arge stack of documents was sitting a few inches away from theputer, all of which was read, circled, noted, and a few lucky ones were approved and signed by her. It had been a little over a week since she began her position here, but oddly enough, the tasks performed felt familiar. Perhaps it was because she used to frequently apany her grandfather as a consultant, but nothing felt new. It was like she took a break off of this job and then came back a few monthster.

    A soft knock sounded on her door and without ncing up from the screen, she said: "Come in." A pair of heels clicked upon the off-white grey tiles that were newly waxed when she had the entire ce redecorated. Her grandfather liked his office to be a nice blend of vintage and modernpromise, but she enjoyed an openyout n with subtle hints of contemporary furniture and decorations.

    "President Zhao, here is the afternoon decaffeinated tea that you¡¯ve requested." A slender hand ced down a coaster before resting the heat-insted mug on top of it. "The youngdy to whom you invited yesterday just arrived. She¡¯s currently waiting in the lounge room. Shall we have her sent to you?"

    Zhao Lifei was too immersed in her work to notice that a few hours had already passed. Her eyes strayed to the wooden block on her desk which was actually a clock and miniature calendar. It was well into the afternoon. How had she not realized this?

    "That¡¯s alright. She has alreadye a long way to reach here. I will go and see her." Zhao Lifei closed theptop and ced a hand upon the small pile of files she had separated from herrger stack.

    "These are the approved ones. Make sure it¡¯s run through with the attorney for a final look over." She turned to therger category, "These are the rejected ones. I wrote the suggestions and problems on the margins. Luckily, they have learned from their mistakesst time and didn¡¯t make the same ones, so it¡¯s only minor issues. Please send it to the departments, then have my personal team look at it before it¡¯s given to the Head Attorney, thenstly, me."

    Zhao Lifei stood up from her desk and walked with her secretary to the door. She had a stack of files in her hands. It was a miracle that her slender arms were able to hold so much paper without falling.

    Zhao Lifei took half of the stack and walked with her to the desk outside of the office, where the secretary sat. After cing it down, she was prepared to leave before pausing. "Has my next meeting been confirmed?"

    After cing her stack down as well, Su Meixiu raised her head and nodded, a bright smile on her face. "Yes, of course, President."

    "Good. My guest will apany me to today¡¯s meeting." Zhao Lifei said before heading in the direction of therge andfortable lounge room. A young girl was sitting on the couch, nibbling away on the cookies and tea brought out for her.

    "Yunai¡ª"

    Ling Yunai didn¡¯t wait for Zhao Lifei to finish her sentence before cing the cookies onto the te and hopping off the couch. She dashed Zhao Lifei and nearly collided into her. "I¡¯ve missed you!" The girl said and luckily for Zhao Lifei, her reflexes were quick enough to dodge the bear hug.

    "Careful or else you¡¯ll hurt yourself." Zhao Lifei chuckled, bending down and carefully hugging the child. "It has been a while, hasn¡¯t it?" She added on, ruffling the child¡¯s hair.

    "Ugh, too long for my liking." Ling Yunai spoke as if she was an adult and waved her hand like one as well. "I have exciting news to tell you." She added on, her eyes bright, dancing and flickering like the stars in the neb.

    "Oh? What is it?"

    "My brother had allowed me to shadow him after-school, but it won¡¯t be until next year ¡ª when my age finally bes double digits. Mother and father aren¡¯t taking it seriously as always, but I will prove them wrong with my diligence." Ling Yunai was usually a quiet, but fussy and spoiled child who showed no regards to adults.

    Zhao Lifei knew this much about her but was grateful that Yunai had trusted her enough to ramble without a second thought. It was very endearing and she was d the child didn¡¯t let the negative opinions affect her. "That¡¯s a lovely surprise to hear."

    Ling Yunai bobbed her head, grabbing Zhao Lifei¡¯s hands. "He said it¡¯s because he would like to see more women in charge in the business field and I agree with that. But it¡¯s so strange, he said that the day after you became the President."

    "Did he now?" Zhao Lifei smiled, walking with her towards the couch. Her brow raised in amusement when she realized only two cookies were remaining on therge te. It was a wonder how a girl her size was able to gobble all of it down so quickly.

    "Well, I have two surprises for you as well." Zhao Lifei adjusted Ling Yunai¡¯s bangs and wondered if her future daughter would be as adoring as she was. "How would you like toe over to my office more often and apany me in your spare time? We don¡¯t have to wait until next year."

    Ling Yunai let out a gasp of surprise before excitedly nodding her head. "I would like that."

    "That way, you can catch your older brother off-guard and wow him with the skills acquired here. As a matter of fact, I have a meeting that¡¯s going to start in thirty minutes. Would you like to sit and listen to me?" Seeing Ling Yunai behave this energetically was a lovely contrast to her in the hospital.

    "Of course." Ling Yunai answered in a heartbeat before asking, "What is the second surprise?"

    "What do you think about bing a leading flower girl in three years?" Zhao Lifei¡¯s question threw Ling Yunai off-guard. Her eyes briefly clouded with confusion before realization settled in.

    "You¡¯re getting married?" She asked, in awe that the most inspirational woman in her life was settling down.

    "You can¡¯t tell anyone I said this, but..." Zhao Lifei lowered her voice, "We¡¯ve been married for a while already. It¡¯s just, we haven¡¯t held our ceremony yet."

    "When will you hold it?" Ling Yunai excitedly asked, sping her hands together.

    "Hm, in three years when my children are capable of walking without tripping over their own two feet." Zhao Lifei answered, throwing another surprising curveball to Ling Yunai.

    "Hehe, I think your children will be really pretty." Ling Yunai childishly said, finally revealing her younger side. "If you were their mother, I¡¯m sure they would be raised well." Her eyes dropped to her hands before she sheepishly said, "You know... I don¡¯t consider my parents to be actual parents."

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s face softened as she reached a hand out to Ling Yunai. "I was once in your shoes. My parents showed favoritism towards my younger sibling and never gave me the time of their day. Sometimes I wished they would spare me their attention, even if it¡¯s the slightest bit."

    Ling Yunai slowly nodded her head. "I wish they would properly guide me towards the path I want, instead of changing the course of my life. They want me to behave, speak, and act a certain way, but I don¡¯t like that. It¡¯s like they¡¯re trying to shove a square into a hole meant for a circle."

    "But you have your older brother, don¡¯t you? He dotes on you." Zhao Lifei gently cupped Ling Yunai¡¯s cheeks and gave them a slight squeeze. "I¡¯m a really bad person to seek advice from, you know."

    She tapped her on the nose, "But I think if your parents be overwhelmingly overbearing, it would be nice to sit down with them and have a proper conversation. If the problem snowballs, perhaps you can consider living with Ling Fulei and his significant other."

    Zhao Lifei had received word a few days ago that Lu Minhong and Ling Fulei had taken their rtionship to a different level and the two had moved into arge penthouse together. It was surprising news, but she took it quite well.

    "Oh, I know him! Min-ge is really nice and he teaches me how to code!"

    Su Meixiu walked into the lounge room with a tablet in hand. "President Zhao, the meeting will begin in ten minutes. Would you like to go there now?"

    Zhao Lifei nced at Ling Yunai whose eyes widened in excitement. "Yes, we¡¯ll go there now." She stood up and helped Ling Yunai to her feet before whispering, "Don¡¯t forget our promise, okay?"

    "Our promise?" Ling Yunai asked, tilting her head.

    "Yes, silly." Zhao Lifei chuckled, "You¡¯re going to be the leading flower girl at my wedding, don¡¯t you remember?"

    "Wait, you were serious?" Ling Yunai happily grinned, her eyes twinkling with merit.

    "Yes, of course."

    "Then it¡¯s a promise, as long as you don¡¯t forget to invite me!" Ling Yunai stuck out her pinky.

    Zhao Lifei let out a smallugh and hooked her pinky around the smaller one. "It¡¯s a promise."

 Chapter 420 - Pamper Me

    Four yearster.

    Sitting upon a plush, velvet chair, a woman winced as she felt her hair being tugged in all sorts of directions. There were enough make-up supplies on the vanity tost a lifetime and maybe even open a cosmetic store.

    Women scrambled around in the room, all of whom were rushing to get the beautiful woman in white dressed up and ready.

    x"Where¡¯s Xiang Bai¡¯s new perfume? Yes, yes, the one that was endorsed by that celebrity¡ª" Bai Rinuo anxiously browsed through the metal case she brought with her.

    "We need the pin tailb, this is the fine-toothedb!" Yang Ruqin huffed while adding the hundredthyer of hair spray onto Zhao Lifei¡¯s hair.

    "Should we go with the golden leaf hairpin or the pearl one? Oh, maybe this white bouvardia would look better! It matches the bouquet she will be holdingter." Zhao Xingxing said while holding the ck satin box filled with hairpieces.

    "Oh for the love of everything holy, please do not put pearls on her hair, that¡¯s so old-fashioned!" Yang Ruqin retorted, tugging Zhao Lifei¡¯s hair in annoyance.

    "Oh, Qinqin, my hair¡ª"

    "Wait wait, speaking of old, do we have something new, something blue, something¡ª" Fan Jin spoke up, scrambling to find the pieces.

    "Okay, nobody panic, but I finally found the sapphire earrings that Feng-ge had gifted her during their petty gift war. Wait, isn¡¯t it still going on?" Yang Ruqin said, pointing to the discreet box that sat at the edge of the vanity.

    "Hm, from my tally, President Yang is in the lead¡ª" Su Meixiu began, ncing down at her tablet before cing it down and puffing the end of Zhao Lifei¡¯s long-train dress.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s wedding gown was a lovely shade of white ivory ¡ª clean and chic. It hugged her body, withce and satin decorating the off-shoulder dress. Embroidery of small features and crystals spread from the chest-line, curving around the sheer and loose sleeves that became more form-fitted once it got to the cuffs of her wrist. The dress billowed out from the waist down in tens ofyers that created an effortlessly long train. Lacey vines that were a mixture of silver flowers and leaves stemmed from her waist, blending perfectly into the fabric of her gown.

    Her neck was left bare, except for a speckle of highlighter that brought out her thin corbones, like a dove spreading her wings. Her hair was in a simple bun with slightly wavy strands framing her small forehead and revealing her milky white, swan neck.

    A pair of diamond and sapphire earrings dangled from her ears, the only pop of color that was in a loving contrast to her lips. It was lightly painted to mimic the color of peach blossoms that survived the long winter and the specks of pink flowers in her bouquet enhanced everything about her appearance. It was needless to say, all of the hard work from thedies in the room had paid off.

    "Mydy, you mustn¡¯t run in your newly tailored dress!" The voice of a frantic maid called from outside of the ravishing room. The sound of small pattering feet could be heard, followed by, "Young Master, please do not encourage the young miss to run!"

    The door was pushed open through the collision of two small bodies of simr height, stature, butpletely different appearances. A bright-eyed girl, whose features perfectly resembled her overbearing father, but with hints of graceful femininity, tumbled into the room.

    Her tiny burst of giggles jingled like finely made bells. It tickled the hearts of the people in the room. She dropped her woven basket of white and pink rose petals, all of which were tossed over her head when she nearly tripped but was caught by a boy. He was half a head taller than her, but his face resembled his mother, refined, but with the roguishness of his father. When standing side by side, the father and son were a devilishly handsome pair that drew attention with each step they took.

    "Mama!" Yang Rina squealed in delight, her face lit up as it did during Christmas morning. She didn¡¯t bother thanking her older brother for catching her before she fell upon the ground. Instead, her short legs carried her to the beautiful woman sitting by the vanity. In her naive eyes, she thought her mother must¡¯ve been the fairy queen stepping out of a magical forest. To her, no one was more beautiful than her doting mother.

    "Hug! Hug!" Yang Rina dodged the grabbing and panicking hands of her beloved aunt and grandmother.

    "No, Xiao Na, you can¡¯t hug your mother! You¡¯ll ruin her dress!" Fan Jin shrieked, horrified that the sitting masterpiece would be damaged.

    "A little hug never harmed anyone." Zhao Lifei let out an esctedughter when she reached down and attempted to pick her daughter up, but Yang Rina had diligently listened to her grandmother and decided it was better to admire her mother from afar.

    Zhao Lifei shook her head at her adorable daughter and folded the back of her dress before bending down. Her hand gently caressed the bangs of her daughter¡¯s silky smooth hair.

    Yang Wenxu stood by the doorway where his younger sister had made a fool out of herself. Scattered flower petals littered the floor and had he not caught her, the spoiled brat would¡¯ve surely thrown a temper tantrum. And everyone knew, when the great Yang Rina cried, all hell would let loose in the form of a brooding father.

    Yang Rina ced a small finger onto her chin and pretended to think about her response before cheekily saying, "Thanks, but no thanks, Wen-ge. I could¡¯ve caught myself from falling."

    Yang Wenxu scowled, crossing his arms, "Yeah right. Maybe when pigs fly, you can!"

    "Nuh-uh, mommy said pigs can fly if you throw it in the air." Yang Rina retorted, sticking out her tongue before darting behind her mother¡¯s skirt when Yang Wenxu glowered at her.

    "Why does this conversation seem so familiar?" A voice spoke up, mellow and smooth like melted chocte. A man attempted to enter the room only for a barricade of women to stop him in his path.

    "My daft son, you¡¯re breaking tradition! Get out!"

    "None of you mediocrely short women can stop my eyes from ncing at my wife¡ª" Yang Feng¡¯s words died off in his throat. A goddess. For heaven¡¯s sake, a goddess was standing in front of him and he didn¡¯t know how to react. His mouth opened and closed, at a loss for words. Nothing raced faster than his beating heart at the sight of his beautiful wife.

    "You should take a picture, itsts longer." Zhao Lifeiughed, shaking her head as the memories washed over her. She was brought back into the past where they bickered like petty children. Well, they still do, but it¡¯s more of teasing and slight bullying.

    "Trust me, my love, there are enough pictures to be passed around for centuries toe. I need all of our future generations to remember their beauty came from you." He stared deeply into her eyes, beautiful like a molten pool of gold. Even from afar, he could see the stars she had trapped within them. The things she did to his poor heart were inhumane. Even after all of these years, he was still madly in love with her. With each passing day, his love for her would only swell and grow. He was pretty sure nothing could stop the abnormal and startling growth.

    "You¡¯re so cheesy," Zhao Lifei wrinkled her nose, shaking her head. While she was lost in a conversation with him, Yang Rina had grabbed the bouquet off the vanity. In the process, her clumsy hands had nearly toppled over the cosmetic bottles.

    She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself from the tumbling bottles that would surely leave a bruise. But nothing came. Not even a speck of dustnded upon her.

    "What am I going to do you with?" Yang Wenxu sighed. He had unexpectedly caught the bottles in his hand and was in the process of cing them back onto the table. For a child his age, his vocabry was surprisingly extensive.

    "Well, for starters, you can pamper me a bit more and call me endearing nicknames¡ª"

    "Maybe when you behave like an endearing little sister, I will." Yang Wenxu turned his back to her, hiding the small smile that broke out from the sight of her slight pout. He could already imagine the puffing of her soft, squishable cheeks that resembled freshly steamed buns. Everyone in the family had a niceugh from squeezing her face.

 Chapter 421 - A Blank Cheque?

    "Where is she? Where did that little demon run off to?!" Yang Yulong¡¯s aggravated voice rang down the hallway as he stormed towards the dressing room with empty tes that had smudges of icing.

    Yang Wenxu didn¡¯t take the threatening tone lightly as his face darkened, simr to his father. Despite his constant chiding towards Yang Rina, he was too overprotective to let anything harmful touch her.

    "What did she do this time?" Zhao Lifei spoke up, chuckling when she saw it was more than just one te. Two tes were stacked on top of each other, bnced on both hands.

    "That, that glutton! She ate all of the small slices of cake reserved for me. Look at this!" Yang Yulong huffed, "Not even a speck of cake is left!" He tried to shove the te into Zhao Lifei¡¯s face but was met by an army of angry women that fussed about dirtying her hands or dress.

    "Hey, riceball, get over here!" Yang Yulong scowled when he spotted a pair of twin pigtails dangling from behind Yang Wenxu¡¯s shoulders. They moved as rabbit ears would before they lead the victim on a long, mysterious chase.

    "I see you, don¡¯t try to hide. How can you be so mischievous? Who did you inherit that trait from?!" Yang Yulong groaned when he saw her jump from behind Yang Wenxu¡¯s back. Before anyone could grab her, she was already running off with her little legs.

    "Ahah, so you¡¯re stupid too! That¡¯s right, run straight into the lion¡¯s den!" Yang Yulong let out a burst of viinousughter as he ced the tes onto the floor and spread his arms wide. And just as he predicted, the little fool ran straight into his arms.

    "Uncle, uncle, don¡¯t be mad at me." Yang Rina squealed when she was lifted high into the air until her little legs were dangling. She kicked them back and forth before reaching her arms out in an attempt to hug Yang Yulong.

    No one protested his act of holding her up in the air as one would do to a plush doll. Everyone knew this idiot was too wrapped around her little pinky to even fathom hurting her. The most he could do was give her a small nagging before abiding by her wishes. Less than a minute had passed before she found herself securely wrapped in his arms, "Uncle, uncle, I was merely tasting the cake for you."

    "Tasting it? Don¡¯t you mean gobbling it up like a sugar-high rabbit?"

    "No, no! You have it all wrong!" Yang Rinaughed, wrapping her arms around her doting uncle¡¯s neck. "I was just tasting the food to make sure it¡¯s not poisoned. For you, I volunteered my life. Shouldn¡¯t you be touched and happy at my actions?"

    "Oh. You have a point there." Like a baffled buffoon, Yang Yulong slowly nodded his head. The rest of the people wished to facepalm at how easily he trusted the child¡¯s stupid reasoning, but someone had to hand it to her, she was quite witty to make up an excuse on the spot.

    "Is the wedding going to start or are you going to wait until I¡¯m rotting at my funeral?" Zhao Moyao grumbled as he entered the room, dressed in a clean-cut suit.

    "Great-grandfather!" Yang Rina squirmed in Yang Yulong¡¯s arms, wanting to be freed and jump right into the arms of her great-grandfather, but someone had beat her to it.

    Yang Wenxu had whirled through the people, his stealthy body easily navigated the crowded room. He stopped an arm¡¯s distance away from Zhao Moyao as if expecting something.

    Zhao Moyao let out a hearty chuckle at his great-grandson. It was so amusing to hear his lethal tongue tearing apart the hearts of adults only for his actions to bepletely different. "There, there." He patted the young boy on top of the head, ruffling his slightly wavy hair.

    "Why do I feel like you enjoy doing this because I own a lot of shares?"

    "Shares? What shares?" Yang Wenxu innocently asked, as if he didn¡¯t understand what Zhao Moyao meant.

    Zhao Moyao sighed and shook his head in amusement, "Who raised you to be this cunning?"

    Yang Wenxu briefly nced at his mother before ncing at Zhao Moyao, "No one did."

    "Hm and I¡¯m sure my granddaughter didn¡¯t have any influence on your behavior." Zhao Moyao gave Yang Wenxu a firm pat on the head. "Your mother must be very proud to have a son as cheeky as you."

    "Oh, believe me, I am as proud as I can ever be." Zhao Lifei chuckled, reaching her hands out. She had barely finished doing so and Yang Wenxu was already at her side. He nced around and when no one was looking, he desperately clung onto her hands, refusing to let go.

    Zhao Lifei¡¯s gaze softened as she bent down and pressed a chaste kiss upon his forehead. "You¡¯re so adorable, my little bonbon." She teased him, tugging one hand out of his small one to pinch his cheek.

    "I¡¯m not a bonbon, nor am I adorable." He firmly said, although his ears had reddened. He obviously liked to pretend he didn¡¯t enjoy the attention she was showing him, but he was always a horrible liar in front of his mother.

    Zhao Lifei had begun calling him bonbon ever since he was a baby. His temper was always unpredictable, like a box of choctes. But to her, all of it was pleasant and the nickname, "bonbon" just stuck with her.

    "Really now?" Zhao Lifei grinned, giving her son a final pinch on the cheek. Herughter warmed his heart when he swatted at her hand, only for him to immediately regret the decision. A glum, sullen look shed across his face as he red at the floor.

    Zhao Lifei slowly shook her head with a small smile resting on her lips as she ignored all of the women¡¯s fuss about ruining her dress. She bent to his height and pulled him into her arms for a tight hug. "How can you be this adorable?"

    "I said I¡¯m not..." Yang Wenxu pretended he didn¡¯t enjoy her hugs, even though it was his favorite thing in the world, well aside from her, Yang Rina, and his father. He stood still for five seconds before finally giving in to his wishes. His arms wrapped themselves tightly around her shoulders, holding onto her for dear life.

    He nced around and when he thought no one was looking, his harsh voice finally softened. "Mama..."

    "Yes, my little bonbon?"

    "You look beautiful today."

    "Don¡¯t I look beautiful every day, sweetheart?"

    Yang Wenxu¡¯s face reddened at her quickeback. He was flustered at her question, despite being ustomed to her teasing. "You do¡ª" he didn¡¯t finish his sentence when he felt a pair of strong arms detangling him from her.

    "Dad." Yang Wenxu scowled when Yang Feng had settled him a short distance away from Zhao Lifei.

    "Call me daddy and I¡¯ll let you hug her a little more." Yang Feng bargained, wrapping an arm around Zhao Lifei. It was hard for him to maneuver over the fabric of her dress without stepping on it. Luckily, he didn¡¯t spoil any part of her beautiful dress. If he did, he would¡¯ve received the lengthiest nagging possible.

    "As if." Yang Wenxu frowned, crossing his arms. He had always called his mother by "mama," but usually, in the privacy of their home, it was always, "mommy." But when it came to his stubborn and attention-stealing father, it was always "dad," or when he was in a bad mood, "father," and when Yang Feng stole Zhao Lifei¡¯s attention, it was, "sperm-donor."

    "Fine, then I suppose I¡¯ll have your mother all to myself. That reminds me, I am going to be apanying her the entire wedding¡ª"

    "Don¡¯t bully our son." Zhao Lifei chuckled, shaking her head as she reached her arms out for Yang Wenxu to walk into. He threw his father a slight smirk before running straight into her arms.

    "Hah, you¡¯re too short to reach her cheek." Yang Feng mused, leaning into his wife to kiss her on the cheek, but she shrugged off his attempt.

    "This is why our son doesn¡¯t call you daddy." She shook her head while her hands continued to caress the back of Yang Wenxu¡¯s head.

    "He will, just you wait, my beloved wife." Yang Feng chuckled, reaching into the hidden pocket inside of his suit to pull out a folded piece of paper, waving it in front of his son¡¯s face.

    "Do you know what this is?"

    "A nk cheque?" Yang Wenxu pretended to be disinterested in the paper, but in reality, knew what it was.

    "You¡¯re bing more and more like your mother with each passing day."

    "Good. I don¡¯t want to be like you."

    "Why, you cheeky¡ª" Yang Feng ced the paper back into his suit to pinch the cheek of his son, only for the nimble boy to easily dodge his hand.

    "Mama, he¡¯s bullying me!"

    "Yang Feng, don¡¯t bully your son!"

    "I didn¡¯t." Yang Feng exasperated, displeased at how quickly she took their son¡¯s side. He red at his son who red back and the two let out a simultaneous, "Hmph!"

 Chapter 422 - Mother and CEO

    "Ma...Ma!" A toddler waddled into the room, barely the age of one. Despite that, he was always a ball of energy and insisted on walking without thepany of a helper.

    Ling Yunai, ever the worrywart when it came to children, was nervously trailing behind Yang Bincheng. Her arms were slightly out as if she was going to catch the child should he fall.

    "Little dumpling," Zhao Lifei let out a smallugh, bending down yet again to hug another child. The little dumpling¡¯s eyes lit up at her gesture as he picked up speed, charging towards his mother. He saw her dress as a cloud and something to cushion upon.

    However, before the poord coulde even remotelye close to her, he was scooped up by his father. A gurgling and small growl left his mouth as he futilely struggled against his dad¡¯s iron-grip. Tiny hands began to push at his face when Yang Feng attempted to kiss his cheek.

    "Donor! Donor!" Yang Bincheng babbled out, mimicking the words of his older brother.

    Yang Feng scowled at his words and to spite the child, squeezed him in a tight, bear hug. "Both of my sons are not adorable at all." He stuck his tongue out at Yang Wenxu who did the same before the two rolled their eyes and looked away.

    "Daddy! Daddy!" Yang Rina struggled in Yang Yulong¡¯s arms after running out of cheeky and wittyments. She reached for her father, but Yang Yulong turned his back before Yang Feng could see.

    "Aw, Xiao Na, are you bored of uncle already?"

    "Yes!" Yang Rina answered in a heartbeat, her words breaking Yang Yulong¡¯s heart. He faked a sob and wiped away an imaginary tear.

    "That¡¯s alright, everyone abandons me."

    "Nuh-uh! I alwayse to you after I grow less bored with you!"

    "Do you hear yourself, little troublemaker?" Yang Yulong retorted. Her temperament was just as bipr as her father. She was adorable and warm like summer rays whenever she felt like it, but cold and unbothered afterward. He could tell she would undoubtedly be a heartbreaker when she grew older.

    "Now let me down! I want daddy!" Yang Rina kicked her little legs in the air, but they were like small pokes to Yang Yulong who let out a mightyughter. "Make me," he childishly replied, squeezing her in his arms.

    "What are you doing to my princess?" Yang Feng growled, taking the child into his arms before Yang Yulong could protest. "She wanted to be let down."

    "Did she now? I didn¡¯t know," Yang Yulong responded, pretending to be blind when Yang Rina red at him. "Don¡¯t you know? I¡¯ve been growing old and deaf these days. My hearing has gotten worse."

    "I can attest to that. He still pretends to be a town fool when I ask for another daughter-inw!" Yang Qianlu snarkily said when he walked into the room.

    "But dad," Yang Yulong whined, "I said I don¡¯t want to be tied down so quickly. I still have things to do¡ª" Yang Ruqin¡¯s ears perked as her face scrunched into displeasure at the dirty thoughts that came up, "¡ªand ces to travel."

    "Besides, you already have three grandchildren and probably another fewing soon after Xiao Qin gets married next year!"

    Yang Ruqin¡¯s cheeks lit up at his words, "Shut up!"

    "What? Don¡¯t pretend to be innocent," Yang Yulong scoffed before throwing her a smug re to which she gave him a scathing one.

    "Just you wait! Once the kids are out of sight, I¡¯ll give you a beating!" Yang Ruqin huffed while angrily crossing her arms. She jumped when a figure hugged her from behind. Huo Qiudong rested his chin upon her head, "Now, little fawn, violence is not the answer," he calmly told her, behaving as the mediator between these two bickering children again.

    Yang Ruqin scrunched her nose, "It¡¯s always the answer for dimwits like him."

    "Why, you little brat¡ª"

    "Daddy, daddy, uncle said a bad word." Yang Rina innocently smiled up at her doting father before blinking her adorable littleshes at him.

    "But brat isn¡¯t a bad word if it describes you perfectly!" Yang Yulong stuck his tongue out, ignoring his brother¡¯s brooding stare.

    "That¡¯s why your uncle is going to be single for life." Yang Feng answered her, pressing a loving kiss upon her cheek. She merrily giggled before wrapping her arms around him but found that they couldn¡¯t go around his entire shoulder.

    "Remember, my little princess, you shouldn¡¯t date ugly and foul-mouthed guys like your uncle. Okay?" His heart was warmed by her small action as she snuggled deeper into his arms. This was exactly why having daughters was the best. He hugged her tighter. She was cuter than his sons for sure.

    "Mommy said I should date guys like daddy. Handsome, nice, and pampering!"

    "Yes, yes, mommy is right." Yang Feng couldn¡¯t wipe off the foolish smile on his face. Even a blind man could tell how much of a fool this father was for his daughter.

    "So is the wedding going to start or should I wait another year?" Zhao Moyao grumbled at theck of attention from his Xiao Ri. He was bitter that she didn¡¯t hug him like she usually did. Despite sharing the same features as her father, her behavior and cheekiness heavily resembled her mother. Not a day went by where he didn¡¯t love her a little bit more.

    - - - - -

    Everyone had left the room to take their respective ces outside of the wedding hall. Only Zhao Moyao remained in the room with Zhao Lifei, his eyes tearing up the longer he stared at her, dressed in white, something new, something old, and something blue. His heart swelled with pride upon seeing how much she had grown throughout the years.

    Nothing made him happier than seeing her happy, and she was practically brimming with happiness. Every day was filled withughter and every day, she genuinely smiled at least once.

    Like every marriage, she certainly had her ups and downs with Yang Feng and on very, very rare asions, there would be small fights and bickering. But in the end, she was still happy and content with her life.

    "Xiao Fei, have I ever told you how proud I am of you?" Zhao Moyao spoke up, his voice heavy with rippling emotions. He didn¡¯t know if he shouldugh with joy that she was going to walk down the aisle with him or cry with joy that she was living the blissful life that she deserved.

    In the past four years, she had dutifully performed her role as a loving mother and respectable CEO. It was just as he had predicted. She had uplifted Zhao Corporation in every aspect, whether it was improving the lives of the employees or doubling thepany¡¯s revenue. To this day, it still amazed him how well she was able to bnce and maintain her work and personal life. There were times he thought she would¡¯ve resigned and be a stay-at-home wife, but both of them knew, that such a life was not suited for her.

    None of her children suffered from their parents¡¯ work life. They came home at normal times and were always there to have breakfast and dinner with them. Zhao Lifei made it a priority that they share at least one meal a day. She swore she would never allow her children to suffer the same lonely meals she and Yang Feng had to endure as children. That was precisely why the house was filled withughter and glee. There wasn¡¯t any air of mncholy dangling in the house, for all of it was swept away by the energetic giggles of the children.

    "You don¡¯t have to tell me, grandfather." Zhao Lifei gently answered as she ced her hand onto the nook of his bent arm.

    He let out a ripe chuckle, deep and hearty. "You havee a long way, Xiao Fei."

    "No, grandfather. We both have."

    Zhao Moyao cleared his throat when a rock formed in it. He resisted the urge to cry in front of her, but undoubtedly, he knew he would cry today. Just the sight of her in the wedding dress was enough to dampen his eyes. But watching her walk down that aisle, ever so gracefully, he would cry tears of joy in silence, for his dream hade true: she had found her forever happiness.

 Chapter 423 - Naive and Weak

    As Huo Qiudong guided Yang Ruqin to her spot as the maid-of-honor, his eyes caught sight of a man he didn¡¯t think he would recognize. He had never met him, but he could tell by the way that man stared at Yang Ruqin that there was a history between them.

    Huo Qiudong nced at his fianc¨¦e whoserge diamond ring caught the light, dazzling and blinding anyone who admired it for too long. Yang Ruqin seemedpletely oblivious to the staring and he was surprised to see she was watching him the entire time with that goofy smile on her face.

    "What are you thinking about?"

    Huo Qiudong briefly nced at the man but was too slow for Yang Ruqin to not have missed the gaze. She turned her head in the direction he was originally looking at. Her smile slipped a bit before it settled into a gentle smile. Her eyes flickered with recognition.

    "Yu Pingluo." She spoke a name, confusing him before realization settled in. In the past four years, they have told each other everything there was to know about each other. The name Yu Pingluo was brought up only three times and each time, she had voluntarily did it.

    Huo Qiudong was not angered or bothered whenever she spoke of her past. Instead, he weed every little piece of knowledge he could gain about her. His mellow nature caused him to neversh out for the things she did in the past. He wasn¡¯t even irritated upon realizing she had lived in the same house as that man. In the end, she was with him and no one else. That was all that mattered. The past was unchangeable, but their future most certainly was.

    The wedding was going to start in ten minutes and Huo Qiudong could see Yu Pingluo was a groomsman.

    Yu Pingluo stared at Yang Ruqin, unable to tear his eyes away from her. Even with the four years that had passed, she looked as beautiful as ever. However, his heart didn¡¯t skip a beat as it used to. He seized the courage to approach her, whether it was with good or bad intentions, he didn¡¯t know.

    "Young Miss." His address towards her was familiar but distant. His feet never even went over the boundary line. In fact, it was at least two steps before it. "It has been a while."

    Yang Ruqin paused as she took her position before slowly nodding her head. She saw him briefly ncing at the hand that was folded in Huo Qiudong¡¯s bent arm.

    Yu Pingluo most definitely did not miss the diamond ring on her left hand or the way her eyes were calm and serene ¡ª content with her life. He didn¡¯t think he would see her this happy in a long time and when she nced at her lover, nothing could match the affection tucked within her eyes. She was happy. It wasn¡¯t the bipr happiness she had experienced during their rtionship. She was happy and her emotions were stable.

    Pain prickled his chest. It felt like thousands of little needles were taking turns pricking him. His heartfelt heavy and he didn¡¯t know what else to say. The thought that she had truly moved on had always passed through his mind, but it was a simple thought.

    "Yes, it has been a while." Yang Ruqin amicably said while keeping her distance from him through a slight smile that was no different from the one she showed to an acquaintance.

    "I¡¯m sorry." Yu Pingluo whispered. His words causing her brows to etch together in confusion.

    "For what?"

    "For cheating." Yu Pingluo finally admitted where he had gone wrong. Yes, he was drunk that night. Yes, it was a mission. No, it was not a staged photo. He had truly engaged himself with someone he shouldn¡¯t have and he regretted nothing more than letting a woman like Yang Ruqin slip from his hands.

    Had she been the naive and weak woman she was four years ago, perhaps Yang Ruqin would¡¯ve cried. Her entire world would have crumbled at the truth and she would¡¯vepletely shut down. But this was the present and she was not as feeble as before. The smallest twinge of pain struck her heart, but it was temporary and fleeting like light. It wasn¡¯t because she still loved him, but because the betrayal was something she had never expected from him.

    "Is that so?" Yang Ruqin responded, her words revealing nothing of how she felt. "Thank you for telling me."

    "You¡¯ve grown." Yu Pingluo blurted out. He thought she would violently react or shed a tear because of his words, but she didn¡¯t. She stood her ground and didn¡¯t even seem affected by his words.

    "Have I?" she mused, "I guess I did change, but for the better." Her eyes trailed to the patient man beside her who had taught her to let go of the past instead of continuously holding onto it. She didn¡¯t realize how much her hands were being cut by the rope she had desperately clung onto until Huo Qiudong came into her life and taught her how to willingly do so.

    "It¡¯s all because of him," Yang Ruqin dered, gesturing towards Huo Qiudong, "My fianc¨¦."

    Yu Pingluo smiled. Indeed, she had moved on. And indeed, she was happy. Even if her happiness was not with him, he still epted it because, in the end, he had loved her enough to let her go. He didn¡¯t necessarily ept their rtionship, but he had epted the consequences of his actions.

    "I would say it¡¯s a pleasure to meet your acquaintance but this is too awkward of a setting to say such a thing." Yu Pingluo chuckled as he stuck a hand out to Huo Qiudong.

    "I¡¯m d to see the feeling is mutual." Huo Qiudong gave him a firm handshake before the two released hands. There was a slight tension in the air, but that much was expected.

    "Do you drink?"

    "Socially."

    "What do you suppose we drink and talk it out after this wedding?" Yu Pingluo joked, but it was a real offer. He wanted to get to know the man that Yang Ruqin was going to spend her life with. "Of course, it is with respect and dignity that all gentlemen should possess."

    Huo Qiudong revealed an amused smile before nodding, "I suppose I wouldn¡¯t mind that."

    Yang Ruqin thought about intervening, but then stopped herself when she realized there wasn¡¯t any malice between the two of them. It was simple male dominance, except both of them were doing exceedingly well at masking it. She had always known Huo Qiudong as someone who was calm and rarelyshed out. It wasn¡¯t easy to anger him and he was always the type to soothe the unhappy emotions of others.

    "I hope I find neither of you men drunk in a corner and mistaking a phone pole to be a person." Yang Ruqinmented with a smile.

    Huo Qiudong and Yu Pingluo shared a nce before both of themughed.

    "Perhaps not a person, but most likely, it will be mistaken to be something." Yu Pingluo offered another joke, finally cracking a smile. The air between the three of them had lessened and there was less hostility in the air now that they had exchanged pleasantries.

    Yang Ruqin was d that at least, these two men were both responsible enough to not get into a brawl. She had known them well enough to believe their conversation would be respectful.

    It was going to be hard for Yu Pingluo to move on, but he had already taken the first few steps of eptance.

 Chapter 424 - The Vows

    The fallen flowers scatter in the sky,

    If love is a nightmare, I will dream it with you,

    What shall I do to take back your sigh?

    Step by step, hand in hand, everything remains true.

    A knot that ties the strings of fate,

    The fallen flowers that lead to you.

    Everyugh, every tear, an unknown path known only to us.

    As soft music began ying, the conversations died down. The breeze was slow, never once picking up the weight of air, or disturbing a thing it touched. Waves crashed in the distance and the distant church¡¯s wedding bell began to ring.

    The arches of wisteria turned the ce into a whirlwind ofvender, pearl pink, and shell white. The canopy of drapes was strung in the air, all of which weed the ring bearer and flower girls.

    Generously, Ling Yunai and Yang Rina scattered the flower petals upon the evergreen grass leading to the raised white tform. Yang Feng stood upon it, his hands at his side, a stoic expression on his face. He was apanied by Ling Fulei, Yu Pingluo, and Yang Yulong as his groomsmen and to the left were Yang Ruqin, Su Meixiu, and Bai Rinuo.

    A gold wedding band sat on Ling Fulei¡¯s finger and his eyes couldn¡¯t help but stray to Lu Minhong every few seconds, who was sitting on the other side of the front row seats. Their wedding announcement had shocked the Ling family and was met with many uproars, but in the end, they had conquered all of the obstacles.

    Arge white archwaypletely covered with white roses with multi-colored tipped petals turned the ce into a wondend of beauty. Despite it being an outdoor wedding, there was still a hanging garden above them, with string lights, ribbons, and silk merging it.

    Yang Feng¡¯s emotionless face dispersed when Yang Rina took her seat beside her grandmother. Yang Wenxu stood beside the groomsmen with a plump pillow holding two sterling silver bands. The smaller band had a sizeable diamond surrounded by smaller ones whereas therger band had a sole engraving upon it in the roman numerals of the day their rtionship started.

    Yang Feng¡¯s breath hitched when he caught sight of Zhao Lifei walking down the aisle with Zhao Moyao. Their eyes locked together. The world around them blurred into nothingness. A slow smile spread across her lips, revealing the dip of her dimples and reaching her eyes that was lit up in magnificent hues of amber and copper.

    Zhao Lifei could see the iciness of his face begin to melt. His facade was washed away at the sight of her dressed in white. Her heart picked up pace when his lips parted in awe, his roughened eyes softening. He lookedpletely and utterly in love with her as if nothing in this world could break them apart. Nothing coulde in between them.

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t notice she had reached the altar until Zhao Moyao squeezed her hand before parting from her to take his seat in the front row. When he saw Hua Yuxi, Zhao Lifei¡¯s grandmother from her mother¡¯s side, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle a bit. The vows weren¡¯t exchanged, but she looked as if she had already gone through a pile of tissues. Her eyes were puffy and moist. And then Zhao Moyao saw Jiang Zihui.

    Zhao Moyao was previously going to sit next to Hua Yuxi, but now, he decided it would be a great time to speak to the young Seargent. For Jiang Zihui to have been invited to the wedding and granted a seat in the first row, closest to the bride and groom, it meant all was well between him and the couple.

    "Young man," Zhao Moyao began but paused upon seeing the unfamiliar woman beside him. Indeed, Jiang Zihui had moved on and it was with a woman who looked and behaved nothing like Zhao Lifei.

    Perhaps it was by chance or purpose, but Yang Rina was sitting directly beside him. "Wow, uncle you¡¯re really handsome!" The thing about Yang Rina¡¯s bubbly behavior was that she didn¡¯t mind calling everyone uncle and aunties. As long as they treated her well, she would respond with the same kindness.

    Jiang Zihui paused and nced at the small child with features like her father, but the eyes of her mother. She was evidently Zhao Lifei and Yang Feng¡¯s child. His gaze softened. He had always been fond of children. "Thank you, little riceball. What is your name?"

    "Yang Rina! What about you?"

    "Jiang Zihui." He chuckled at her energetic behavior. From their small interaction alone, he could already feel the threatening eyes centered on him, daring him to do her wrong.

    "Oooh, I have heard about you! Mommy said you were originally a viin but then you became a good guy! She said you were an admirable soldier that she had trained side-by-side with!" Yang Rina¡¯s eyes widened with curiosity.

    "Yes, your mother¡¯s a great fighter. You should never anger her, she packs a mean punch." Jiang Zihui chuckled, patting her on the head. The temperature had dropped. He turned around, expecting to meet Yang Feng¡¯s glowering eyes, but came in contact with a boy who looked exactly like Zhao Lifei. The genes were strong with this family.

    Yang Rina opened her mouth to say something else but closed it when she saw that everyone had stopped talking and the wedding was about to begin.

    Zhao Lifei could feel every pair of eyesid upon her, but all that she could focus on was Yang Feng.

    "I love you." The words left her mouth before she could contain it. His eyes flickered with something that she could make out as tender adoration.

    "Forever and always, my beloved." He whispered, taking her hand in his, engulfing it with the customary warmth she had dearly loved about him. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it.

    "For you, my darling, I would part the mountains, split the sea, and cause havoc on Earth just to have you. I pledge to you, my love, that for as long as I live, and to the lifetimes beyond this, I will love you without boundaries and cherish every part of you. For all of the days of my life, I vow to hold andfort you, protect and shelter you, and give you my all."

    "Thank you for creating a home filled withughter,passion, and happiness. I will share your dreams and nightmares, stand beside you in the face of trouble which will never touch you, and share with you all of life¡¯s joy and difficulties. Together, let us live as many lifetimes as Heaven will grant us, and even beyond the foolish limit they dare to give us."

    Zhao Lifei didn¡¯t realize the hot tears that had slid down her cheek until he wiped it away from her. She couldn¡¯t help butugh at her tears of joy, her shoulders shaking a bit as she said her vow, "I swear to take you as you are, loving you until all of eternity, and ept who you¡¯ve yet to be. Even when I draw myst breath, this heart will beat only for you. I will celebrate your triumphs and withstand your losses as if they were my own."

    She squeezed his hand, "Thank you for filling my life with understanding, patience, love, and joy. It is with you that I understand what love is, it is with you that Iughed the most, and smile the biggest. Thank you for bringing the best three things that have ever happened to me."

    The officiator was blown away by their vows and confessions. Everyone shared the same profoundness as him and not many could resist the tears that broke out.

    "Do you, Yang Feng and Zhao Lifei pledge to be the partner who learn and grow together and to respect and love each other unconditionally? Do you swear to recognize each other¡¯s individuality and celebrate the strengths but guard the weaknesses while at the same time create a life of understanding, support, and motivation?"

    "I do." Yang Feng answered in a heartbeat whereas Zhao Lifei paused.

    Her silence terrified others, all except for him who was used to her mischievous behavior. "Hmm, do I?" She teased, tilting her head, he let out a gentleughter that caressed her heart.

    "Do you, my love?"

    Yang Feng dropped her hand and wrapped his arms around her waist, tugging her closer, despite her faux hesitation.

    Zhao Lifei stared deeply into his eyes and cupped the side of his face, and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "With every fiber in me," She whispered into his ears, "I do."

    "Bold as ever." Yang Feng ced a hand over the one resting on his cheek. He gently stroked the top of her hand before leaning in to kiss her on the forehead, the kiss lingering forever.

    "Mr. Tycoon," She teased, "If I wasn¡¯t so fearless, then how could I be your daring wife?"

    <i><strong> The end. </strong></i>

 Chapter 425 Side Story Part One

    Chapter 425 Side-Story Part One

    Four yearster...

    "Wait, wait, let me get this straight." Yang Yulong drew out with a bewildered look on his face, "You don''t think the white gold band is a pretty little cor?" He stared at his older brother as if the man walked out of an alien spaceship in a gray suit. Then his scrutinizing nce shifted to Chen Gaonan and Huo Qiudong, "You guys don''t think the same?"

    Huo Qiudong paused his meticulous stirring of the iced peach tea. For the briefest second, the ring sun nearly blinded Yang Yulong when he abruptly nced up and nodded towards the ck corporate tie Yang Yulong was wearing. "Isn''t that tie a cor to capitalism?"

    "And isn''t that Patek Philippe watch you''re wearing a cor to capitalism?" Yang Yulong snapped back, adjusting the annoying thing strangling his neck.

    "YOU''REa cor to capitalism."

    "Andyou''rea leash I''m going to tug."

    Huo Qiudong rolled his eyes and went back to stirring the peach tea as a small whirlpool formed in the tall ss. "A cor and a leash arepletely different things."

    "They function the same, don''t they?"

    "So basically you just disapproved of your previous point."

    "What?"

    "What?" Huo Qiudong repeated with a deadpan stare towards the second-inmand leader of the underworld. Thank the heavens that Yang Feng was still in charge. If not, the entire underworld would be a circus.

    Speaking of the king, he was lying on a beach chair with his eyes shut, as if he couldn''t believe he was even around these bickering fools.

    "You''re stupid!'' Huo Qiudong sighed as he annoyingly swished the metal straw back and forth. This damn ice cube, why wasn''t it melting?!

    "Says the idiot stirring a peach fuc¡ª" Yang Yulong nervously licked his lips when his scorching back suddenly turned cold. "¡ªfreaking, I meant freaking okay?"

    Yang Feng glowered at his younger brother with only one eye open before shutting it. He flicked his wrist, motioning the person beside him to fan faster while adjusting the sleeping cub in his arm.

    "Look, do you want to see your soon-to-be niece or what?" Huo Qiudong snapped, growing equally aggravated as Yang Feng by the presence of the still-bachelor Yang Yulong, who at this point, was most likely going to remain single for life.

    "Of course I do¡ª"

    "Yeah, well you won''t see her if you keep on yapping about my tea," Huo Qiudong scoffed, shaking his head as if he couldn''t believe his current condition right now. "The doctor said Ruqin can''t have anything cold during her pregnancy. And I''d be damned if a single ice cube puts her at risk."

    "If we''re speaking theoretically, even if the ice melted, the drink would still be cold," Chen Gaonan finally piqued up from the magazine he was reading. He seemed so nonchnt in his casual attire that if someone had told him eight years ago he''d be spending his spare weekend with the Yang siblings, Huo Qiudong, wives, and a bunch of screaming children running around, he''dugh and ce the person in a mental asylum.

    But this was the exact situation unfolding: A Saturday barbeque, as Yang Ruqin called it. Speaking of the heiress, she was currently waddling her way into the pool, something Huo Qiudong would have a heart attack seeing had she not been blocked by a group of women.

    "Qinqin, are you crazy? You can''t go into the pool!" A woman hissed, her voice as youthful as it was eight years ago. Her long hair was twisted into a messy bun on top of her head and she sported a white cap.

    In all honesty, with the money she had, she should''ve paid more attention to her presentation, especially when she could easily stomp on all of the rich housewives of her husband''s business partners. She was nothing like how her age and position expected her to be.

    Calcting but carefree, cunning but warm-hearted, she was also another person who couldn''t believe the oue of events. She had never expected to be happily married with three very, VERY clingy children who would not stop clinging onto her. Even as she was wrestling her best friend from the steps of the pool, a tiny ko was burying its face into the dip of her back.

    But Feifei! Just one dip, I promise! It''s so hot and the water is so crisp and refreshing¡ª"

    "What if the chlorine in the pool hurts the baby?"

    "Says the same woman who bickered with her husband through hell and back just to wear heels!" retorted Yang Ruqin who huffed and threw her hands up but this very action caused her best friend to freak out and step between her and the pooldder.

    "My god, Xingyao, you have to tell Qinqin that she''s crazy!" Zhao Lifei sighed and turned towards the country''s most renowned female doctor, Chen Gaonan''s wife.

    Bai Xingyao''s displeased face softened at the sight of the protective Zhao Lifei and grumbling Yang Ruqin. "Some studies have said it''s fine to swim, but some studies from back in the days said chlorine can harm the baby. Take your pick."

    Zhao Lifei opened her mouth to emphasize her point to Yang Ruqin, yet again, but her friend cut her to the chase and used her brother as a scapegoat, "Feifei shouldn''t you have something else to worry about?!"

    Zhao Lifei rolled her eyes, "Oh please. I''m fine. My kids are more responsible than you."

    "I''m referring to Feng-ge. Look at him, he''s abusing your baby!"

    Zhao Lifers head whished in the direction of Yang Feng as her impatient face transformed into a dark, thundering look. She was the very embodiment of a mama bear with her lips curled into a snarl at the scene that she saw.

    Her oldest son, such an adoring little ball of ice he was, was fanning his father. Yang Wenxu bore a scowl on his face, ruining his perfect features, while his hands worked the handheld fan. He grumbled all sorts of unpleasant words about his father under his breath. It was a miracle that Yang Feng even convinced Yang Wenxu into this position. And only the two boys knew the promise that was exchanged.

    "A little faster. I need to drown out Dumb and Dumber besides me." Yang Feng waved his hand the same way a king did towards his servants.

    Yang Wenxu opened his mouth, ready to p the sperm donor with aint until he saw something approaching them in the distance. His scowl slowly transformed into a devious little smile. Five...four...three...two--"I''m tired, dad."

    With his eyes still closed, Yang Feng let out a humorous chuckle, "Dad? Well, that''s a surprise. I see you want something."

    Yeah. For you to face the fury of a mama bear. "How can you see when your eyes are closed?" Yang Wenxu scoffed while rolling his eyes at his father.

    "I saw that. For the record, if you''ll continue to be this bratty, how about I withdraw our promis¡ª"

    A chilly and unamused voice interrupted him, "How about I snap you in two and you get blue balls for as many months as the minutes you made my precious son fan you?"

    "Mama." Yang Wenxu tossed his handheld fan to the ground and attached himself towards his mother, hugging her and purposely lifting his head to reveal the hair sticking to his sweaty forehead. He was only eight years old, but his growth spurt was insane. And it was all thanks to his "donor''s freakishly long legs."

    He momentarily nced behind his protective mother and nearly chuckled at the sight of his younger brother who had attached himself onto Zhao Lifei like an unrelenting ko. He must''ve waddled behind her when she stormed towards Yang Feng.

    Yang Bincheng is at the age of being a forever mommy''s boy, something Zhao Lifei wasn''t sure if she shouldugh or cry over. All of her children were so needy for attention, and they always got it in the most calctive manner.

    Yang Feng''s eyes snapped open as he immediately sat upright. A devilishly handsome grin graced his features. He spread his arms out and leaned towards Zhao Lifei, "My sweet, beautiful, darling wife¡ª"

    Zhao Lifei pressed her palm against his face and pushed him back, "Who''s your wife?" She scoffed, "I don''t have a child-bullying husband."

    But you do have a very, very handsome husband who showers our lovely daughter with so much love and adoration." Yang Feng grinned upon the little ball of energy tucked in his arms. Sheid beside him, lying on her side and in a deep, tranquil sleep.

    "My love, I was only making sure our darling daughter doesn''t experience difort." Yang Feng sweetly smiled towards his son and when Zhao Lifei nced down at Yang Wenxu, the older Yang had the audacity to stick his tongue out.

    "Mama, does that mean Rina will not feel difort at the expense of my own difort?" Yang Wenxu pitifully asked, burying his face into her oversized and unbuttoned t-shirt, before turning half of his face towards his father and shed him a cunning smile.

    Yang Feng narrowed his eyes, ''why that little brat¡ª'' He hissed in pain when Zhao Lifei grabbed his ear and tuted, "A grown man bickering with his son. Have you no shame?"

    "Yeah, dad, don''t you have any shame?"

    "Obviously not, since my son didn''t inherit any as well." Yang Feng retorted back as father and son glowered at each other for a solid five seconds as both boys rolled their eyes and looked away with a loud, "Tch."

 Chapter 426 Side Story Part Two

    Chapter 426 Side Story Part Two

    "Well, let''s ignore your brute of a father and enjoy the pool, shall we?" Zhao Lifei mused, reaching a hand out for her son to take.

    Yang Wenxu nodded, grabbing her hand to apany her in the direction of his pouting aunt and godmother, Yang Ruqin. When Zhao Lifei''s back was turned, Yang Wenxu nced back at his father, dragged down one eye bag and stuck his tongue out at his sperm donor.

    "Tch, that brat." Yang Feng scowled, throwing his son a scathing re. He stuck out a thumb and swiftly ran it over his neck, making a visible threat.

    Yang Wenxu presented his father with a sweet smile, inching closer to his mother, hugging her by the waist.

    Yang Feng watched through narrowed eyes as his wife paused and nced down, a cheerful smile on her face. Irritation boiled his blood. Why was his son so damn mischievous? Where did he learn it from?!

    He gawked with envy as Zhao Lifei gave both sides of Yang Wenxu''s face a gentle pat, hugging his shoulders. She whispered something to him, his eyes widening in disbelief. When he sulked to himself, she nced up, making eye contact with Yang Feng.

    "You boys never learn." She said to no one in particr, shing Yang Feng a smile. From the corner of her eyes, she had seen Yang Wenxu tease his father, thinking she wasn''t looking.

    Zhao Lifei sighed to herself. Sometimes she wondered if she was raising three sons, Yang Feng included.

    "Feifei, your other son is causing a mess again!" Yang Ruqin cried out from the other side of the pool, waddling her way towards a stubborn Yang Bincheng who had gotten his hands on the cupcakes. His fingers were sticky with cupcake icing and he was desperately smearing it on the ground, hoping to get it off.

    "No, not my marble tiles! It''s imported from Italy!" Yang Ruqin groaned, reaching down to grab the fiddling four year old.

    "Mama, he''s stupid." Yang Wenxu grumbled to his mother. The pool is right there. He could''ve just washed his hands in it."

    "Now, now, you can''t call your younger brother stupid. What if he didn''t want to dirty the pool?" Zhao Lifei chimed, flicking her son on the forehead.

    Yang Wenxu pouted to himself, crossing his arms. "He could''ve poured some water onto his hand then."

    "Perhaps he could''ve." Zhao Lifei shook her head, reaching for her son''s hand. Stubbornly, he kept his arms crossed and in a blink, began racing in the direction of Yang Bincheng.

    Yang Wenxu found his younger brother to be the most obnoxious thing in the world, yet, still enjoyed ying with him.

    Zhao Lifei could only smile in response as shezily strolled in the direction of her sons. She took a nce back, checking up on Yang Rina who was now slumped across her father''s chest. Sheid on her back, her mouth partly opened as she quietly snored.

    She watched as Yang Feng adjusted himself to make the little princess even morefortable. He reached behind him, grabbing a towel, draping it over her body. He didn''t want her to catch a cold.

    Everyone knew Yang Rina threw the worst tantrum when she was sick. The little princess hated medicine and the more bitter it was, the louder she cried.

    "This is a happy ending, isn''t it?" A voice spoke up from beside her.

    Zhao Lifei turned to her side. Su Meixiu stood beside her, one arm folded across her chest, and the other clutching a champagne ss.

    Zhao Lifei nced around her surroundings and fondly smiled. Almost all of her loved ones and friends were gathered here, except her grandfather who''d rather jump into his grave than die of heat near a swimming pool.

    "I never thought this would be my future." Zhao Lifei murmured.

    Zhao Lifei watched as Yang Ruqin squealed andughed with Yang Bincheng as she cleaned up his mess. Yang Wenxu was near the scene of the crime, standing there in disgust, but reluctantly handed his younger brother a wet wipe.

    "Sometimes, it feels like a dream." Zhao Lifei turned back where the men were gathered by the pool benches, enjoying the breeze and shade.

    "Some might call it naive and stupid, but this was what I wanted all along: To be surrounded by loved ones who genuinely cared for me." She nced at Su Meixiu who couldn''t help but smile.

    "I understand where you''reing from. Wealth can buy materialistic happiness, but at the end of the day, a happy ending with friends and family is all that matters."

    Zhao Lifei let out a quietugh. "Indeed."

    "How far along is Yang Ruqin again?" Chen Gaonan asked, weary watching her dance with little Yang Bincheng who had finally cleaned up the mess. Her pregnant belly was huge and she looked like she was ready to deliver any day now.

    His gaze slid over to his wife, Bai Xingyao who was too busy sipping mimosas and tanning. If she thought the dance was dangerous, she would''ve said something. He did see her asional nces towards the renowned fashion designer, just to double check that nothing dangerous was going on.

    ?

    "She''s going to be due in around two weeks." Huo Qiudong responded, turning his attention towards his wife.

    Unbeknownst to him, a tiny smile rested upon his face. She was yfully waltzing with Yang Bincheng, carefully helping him twirl. She had the biggest smile on her face when heughed and danced happily.

    "I never thought my stubborn sister would make a great mother." Yang Yulong snorted, watching his nephew and sister.

    "Speaking of bing a mother, do you want to hear a funny story?" Yang Yulong snickered, throwing a nce towards Yang Feng who was busy tending to Yang Rina to care about their conversation.

    "What is it?" Huo Qiudong asked, raising a brow.

    Yang Yulong lowered his voice in hopes that Yang Feng wouldn''t hear anything. "It''s about the first time Zhao Lifei gave birth."

    Chen Gaonan''s lips twitched. Yes, he remembered that day perfectly well. The day that Yang Wenxu was born and then something unexpected happened a few minutester. Another baby was delivered-Yang Rina.

 Chapter 427 Final Side Story Part One

    427 Final Side Story Part One

    Eight years ago.

    "Feifei, are you out of your mind?!" Yang Ruqin huffed as she watched her pregnant friend waddle up the staircase leading to the second floor of the library.

    "If my brother sees you like this, he''ll have a heart attack!" Yang Ruqin exasperated as she rushed up the Mahoney oak staircase.

    Standing in the corner of the second-floor library was a woman who could give birth any moment now. Yet, she handled herself with grace and idiotic stubbornness. She allowed people to do tasks for her, whether it was putting on her shoes or tying herces, but getting a book? She could handle that task on her own.

    "Rx, Qinqin," Zhao Lifei mused as she raised her head from therge history book in her hands. "Everything will be fine. You panic so much, that it feels like you''re the one giving birth''

    "I''d be a lot more responsible!'' Yang Ruqin angrily huffed. She crossed her arms and peered over her best friend''s elbow. In the meantime, she grabbed onto Zhao Lifei''s arms, in case the young woman needed any guidance.

    "What are you reading? Is it a picture book? Ooh, I just love it when a book has more drawing than words!" Yang Ruqin squealed. Her excitement quickly died down when she saw there was only a single picture surrounded by bodies of text.

    "Oh gosh, I''m getting dizzy looking at this educational stuff," Yang Ruqin grumbled. It was half the truth. In reality, she was toozy to read. On the other hand, she wanted her friend to be seated, and not standing.

    Zhao I gel shook her head in amusement. "I have to read these things to the baby. I heard they cane out smarter that way."

    "A history book is so boring!" Yang Ruqin huffed. "Come on, let''s sit. I''m tired of standing."

    Zhao Lifei''s lips curled into a fond smile. Sometimes she wondered if she was going to be taking care of her child''s godmother as well.

    Zhao Lifei finally relented to her best friend''s whining. She was certain that her overbearing husband had employed Qinqin to be a bodyguard.

    "Fine, fine,"

    Zhao Lifei said. She allowed herself to be gently tugged to the side where a plush couch awaited them.

    Yang Ruqin couldn''t help but fret over her best friend. Every little movement seemed more dangerous than the next. Slowly, she eased her friend onto the couch. "You know, Feifel, that belly is sorge, I''d think there were two babies inside!''

    Zhao Lifei let out augh. ''I didn''t ask the OB-GYN for any details about the gender. I also kicked Yang Feng out of the room. I only told her to mention the important health issues, and so far, there was none

    "But that''s so dangerous. Are you sure OB-GYNs are allowed to do that?" Yang Ruqin asked as she settled into the couch. She leaned against Zhao Lifei and offered her support.

    "I''m not sure, but she was a private doctor, so who knows?" Zhao Lifei shrugged. "If my baby is a girl, I hope she turns like this woman, she said whilst pointing to the book.

    Yang Ruqin squinted down at the page and read out a familiar name that every little girl knew of. "Li Xueyue the Wise," she read out loud. ''Wasn''t she uh.... some important woman in history?"

    Zhao Lifei pped her hands sarcastically. "Wow, Qinqin, for a student who viewed history ss as nap time, I''m impressed you know this stuff!"

    Yang Ruqin rubbed her nose and let out a small giggle. "Well, you know, Huo Qiudong likes smart woman, so I did a bit of research. This section of the book is called.:

    "The Rise of Xueyue," Zhao Lifei responded.

    "Yes, my favorite!" Yang Ruqin eximed. "Her origin was so interesting, it''s the only documentary I finished watching before falling asleep:''

    "Hmm, sounds a lot like deja vu," Zhao Lifei muttered under her breath.

    "Oh don''t act asif you''ve never slept in ss, Feifei," Yang Ruqin huffed. "Remember that one time you snored when the entire ss was quietly reading their book? And you were the ss President at the time. What do you have to say for yourself?"

    Zhao Lifei flushed at the memory. "What are you saying in front of your godchild? What if they turn out like their mother and godmother?!"

    "I hope theye out resembling me: Yang Ruqin said as she stuck her tongue out. "They''ll have the more superior Yang family gene. After all: she flipped her hair, ''I''m the best looking Yang!"

    "Where?" Zhao Lifei said as she frantically nced around the library. ''Do you see an attractive Yang member that I don''t know of? Where, where?"

    "Here!" Yang Ruqin whined as she grabbed onto her best friend''s shoulder. "You''re looking at the most beautiful Yang member right now!"

    "How disappointing..." Zhao Lifei pouted. "I don''t see them"

    "You bully," Yang Ruqin grumbled. "Just you wait. I''m going to tell your child all of the embarrassing stories of your past."

    "Hmph, then you better get your future children ready. You have more cringe-worthy stories than me."

    "No I don''t; Yang Ruqin said.

    "Oh, but you do!

    "No."

    "Yes."

    "No!" Yang Ruqin angrily bit out. She knew it was the truth, but refused to ept it.

    "Yes¡ª!" Zhao Lifei let out a gasp as she clutched her stomach.

    "Oh my god, Feifei, what''s wrong? What is it? Is it the baby?" Yang Ruqin shrieked as she got to her feet.

    "Feifei, did you pee yourself?!" Yang Ruqin gasped when she saw the puddle underneath her best friend.

    Yang Ruqin gulped as panic settled into her system. "Oh gosh, it''s okay. Stay calm. I''ll uh, never tell anyone this happened! The CEO of Zhao Corporation most definitely did not pee herself in herte twenties. I swear I won''t tell¡ª"

    Zhao Lifei moaned in pain as she struggled to sit up properly. "M-my water... it broke!"

    "0-oh," Yang Ruqin blinked. "Ahaha.... I-I knew that."

    Yang Ruqin gulped. What was she supposed to do? "I''ll call Su Meixiu inside and we''ll get you to the hospital."

    "Yang Feng..." Zhao Lifei huffed out as she wiped away a cold sweat. "He''s in a meeting¡ª"

    "It doesn''t matter!" Yang Ruqin said as she quickly forced her best friend to remain seated. She rushed to the balcony of the second floor and breathed in deeply.

    "ZHAO LIFEI IS GOING TO POP!" She screeched at the top of her lungs. The walls nearly shook at her thunderous voice, that sounded so simr to her older brother.

    The doors to the library burst open, revealing Su Meixiu. "President Zhao''s water broke?" she asked whilst frantically grabbing her phone. Oh gosh, oh gosh, Yang Feng was going to kill them.

    ''The baby isn''t supposed toe for another three weeks!" Su Meixiu cried out as she quickly dialed the hospital.

    "Hush, don''t say that now!'' Yang Ruqin responded. "Feng-ge said we should''ve put her in the hospital before her water broke and we didn''t. Now that he''s right, he''s going to murder us all!

    "N-no wait..! Zhao Lifei breathed out as her vision became a bit hazy. She reached a hand out for Yang Ruqin. "Qinqin... d-don''t get Yang Feng..."

    "It''s okay Feifei," Yang Ruqin said as she rushed back to her best friend. "We''ll endure the lecture with you. Don''t worry. All you have to do is shove the baby in his face and he''ll melt. That way, he''ll forget about scolding you''

    Yang Ruqin grasped onto her best friend''s hands as Zhao Lifei let out moans of pain. "Is it the contractions?" she yelped. "Oh my god, Meixiu where are the doctors? We have to get her to the hospital now!"

    Su Meixiu anxiously tapped her foot against the carpeted floors. At a time like this, someone had to remain calm. Seeing as the youngest Yang sibling couldn''t, she had to resume that responsibility. ''

    "They''reing as fast as they can, but this estate is so far out of the city," Su Meixiu exined. She nibbled at her nails and worriedly nced up at Zhao Lifei.

    "Should we move Feifei downstairs?" Yang Ruqin asked. "So that transporting her would be easier?"

    "No, we need to let the paramedics handle it,'' Su Meixiu responded. "In the meantime, I''ll try to get a hold of President Yang''s secretary, Chen Gaonan. He will inform the President of the situation."

    "Okay, sounds like a good n: Yang Ruqin said. She turned to Zhao Lifei and wiped away the sweat off of her best friend''s forehead. Zhao Lifei''s skin had turned pale and she was struggling to keep herposure.

    "It''s okay Feifei, you can squeeze my hand for relief¡ª"

    "The ambnce is here!" Su Meixiu shouted as she heard loud footsteps racing up the long staircase leading to the highest part of the building¡ªthe library.

    "Oh thank goodness," Yang Ruqin huffed as she helped Zhao Lifei into afortable seating position. She continued to dab and wipe the sweat off of her best friend''s face.

    Yang Ruqin turned around in time to see the paramedics with their stretcher ready.

    "W-what hospital are you taking her¡ª" Yang Ruqin didn''t get to finish her sentence as she was lightly pushed aside. Su Meixiu had rushed up the steps with the paramedics.

    "Wait, do we get to ride in the car?" Yang Ruqin asked as the paramedics loaded Zhao Lifei onto the stretcher. "My Feifei''s child isn''t due until three weeks from now! You have to treat her with care. Wait, why aren''t you telling me anything? If she okay, is she in a critical condition?!"

    Yang Ruqin couldn''t help but freak out. She was growing more anxious and worried with each passing second.

    "Shhh, it''s okay," Su Meixiu reassured. "The paramedics have it all handled. Let''s get into the sports cars. It''ll be able to match the speed of the zooming ambnce." Yang Ruqin wanted to argue, but couldn''t. Su Meixiu was right. Questions could be answeredter. First, they had to get Zhao Lifei to the hospital as soon as possible.

    Yang Ruqin and Su Mexiu hurriedly followed the paramedics downstairs. "Did Chen Gaonan pick up?"

    "Not yet, but I left him a message. If he cares about his life, he''ll do everything in his power to put a halt to the meeting," Su Meixiu said with a grimace. If President Yang found out that he missed the birth of his first child, all hell would let loose. No one would be safe from his wrath.

 Chapter 428 Finale

    428 Finale

    Chen Gaonan stood in the corner of the dimmed meeting room where a presentation had begun. His brows scrunched together upon feeling vibrations in his breast pocket, where his phone resided.

    Chen Gaonan took a secretive nce towards his Boss whose interested expression meant everything was going smoothly.

    Since his Boss was appeased, Chen Gaonan peered down on his phone, his brows shooting up in confusion at the amount of miscalls from Su Meixiu. On a different asion, he would''ve questioned the reason for receiving so many miscalls from Zhao Lifei''s secretary. That is, until he saw the text messages.

    Never had his heart sank so quickly with terror but rise with anticipation. Is it true? The President''s wife had entered intobor? His mouth went dry. Oh dear god, when was this messagest sent?! Ten minutes had passed, but the hospital was at least a twenty-minute drive. It was on the other side of the city.

    With shaky hands, Chen Gaonan nced from the otherpany''s representatives to Yang Feng who sat at the head of the table. What was he supposed to do in this situation? Was his Boss supposed to ce family over work? Was that like him?

    Chen Gaonan was unsure of his next decision. There had been many asions where Yang Feng had walked out of meetings for Zhao Lifei, but she always advised against it. His Boss couldn''t care less about rescheduling everything if it meant he could see her.

    Taking a leap of faith, Chen Gaonan breathed in through his nose. He quietly approached his Boss. "Sir?"

    Yang Feng kept his eyes focused on the presentation screen but slightly raised a brow, indicating he had heard his secretary.

    "President Zhao is inbor."

    Yang Feng shot out of his chair, which forced the presenter to nce at him in confusion. Every pair of eyes in the meeting room shifted to the most important man in question. They were perplexed to see his paled expression. The dimmed lights were transitioning back to its normal setting.

    What was going on? The otherpany''s representatives held their breaths, anticipating the response of President Yang. His decision mattered the most.

    Chen Gaonan opened his mouth, but it was toote. Yang Feng had already stormed out of the ss meeting room. The steps of his polished leather shoes echoed down the hallways before disappearing out of sight and sound.

    "We apologize," Chen Gaonan said with the bow of his head. "Um afraid well have to reschedule this meeting for another time. An urgent situation has urred. We apologize for any inconvenience this might''ve caused. To reschedule, please contact me in the same number as before''

    Chen Gaonan hurriedly shook the hand of every represenative and presentor. Then, he raced out of the room as if he was chased by demons. His speedwalk eventually broke into a mad dash towards the private elevator. He arrived just in time to see the private elevator doors nearly close.

    "President!" Chen Gaonan said in between pants as he struck a foot in between the closing doors. He let out a sigh of relief upon catching Yang Feng in time.

    "Hurry up and get in," Yang Feng barked.

    Chen Gaonan didn''t need to be told twice. He scrambled into the private elevator and began to contact the driver, Hu Wei. "The car will be waiting for us downstairs''

    For the first time in his life, Yang Feng began to anxiously tap his foot in the elevator. It had been a while since he hadst felt this type of panic in his life. His palms broke out in a cold sweat. His firstborn child wasing any minute now. The heir of hispany, the first child of Zhao Lifei. If he missed the birth, he''d pummel everyone involved. 8

    ----

    Chen Gaonan stumbled out of the car with a puckered expression. Hu Wei had broken all sorts of trafficws. With how quickly he sped down the road, you''d think Hu Wei was a race car driver, not a chaffuer!

    I''m going to barf, Chen Gaonan thought to himself. He reached over to open the door for his Boss, but Yang Feng had already mmed it open, not caring that he was going to damage the hinges in the progress.

    ''President, wait for me!'' Chen Gaonan cried out as he clutched his stomach and ran up the pavement with his Boss. He entered the sliding doors in time to see his Boss speedwalk to the other side of the hospital. It seemed his Boss had already gotten the directions from the nurses.

    "Sir!" Chen Gaonan exasperated when Yang Feng angrily mmed his fingers on the elevator buttons. None of the doors were opening and when they both nced upwards, it indicated the elevators wouldn''t being for a while.

    Whether or not Zhao Lifei was already in the process of giving birth, or being dted, Yang Feng didn''t care.

    Chen Gaonan had never seen his Boss in such a crazed rush. "No wait, President, you shouldn''t take the staircase, the delivery andbor floor is at one of the highest floors of this hospital! You won''t

    It was toote, Yang Feng had mmed the doors of the staircases open.

    Chen Gaonan''s jaw dropped. "Not everyone has the leg strength for that," he mumbled under his breath.

    Chen Gaonan continued pressing the elevator button, as if it would rush the damn thing. After what felt like forever, he finally boarded the elevator and exited. He nced down at his phone, where Zhao Lifei''s room number could be found.

    Chen Gaonan blinked in surprise when he saw a figure down the hallway. What?! The President hade up here faster than the elevator?!

    "Oh my god, oh my god, I can''t look at this," Yang Ruqin whimpered in the delivery room. She was the only one inside who could offer Zhao Lifei the moral support to push out the child. But when her grunts and groans were louder than Yang Ruqin''s anxiety, nothing could be done.

    "WAHHHH!"

    Yang Ruqin gasped when she heard the first cry. It was loud and powerful, as expected of a Yang.

    Yang Ruqin didn''t get a word in when a man pushed through security and rushed into the room. She turned her head only to be met with a whirlwind of chaos. Yang Feng had managed his way through the delivery room with much trouble from the security team.

    A nurse instantly came in his path. "Sir, you can''t be in here. Security!"

    "Get your ass over here, Yang Feng! You''rete!" Zhao Lifei gritted out in between pushes.

    Yang Ruqin blinked in surprise. Wait a minute. The baby was already out. Why was she still pushing? "But there''s already a baby in the nurse''s arms...?"

    "Twins," one of the doctors responded.

    "What?!" Zhao Lifei cried out as arge hand came to her side.

    Yang Fen''s gaze snapped from the baby in the nurse''s arms to Zhao Lifei whose entire face was painfully squeezed. "Hold my hand, my love," Yang Feng said, even though he was on the verge of passing out from seeing his own child. He wanted to desperately hold his child and have skin-to-skin, but the state of his wife was more important.

    "There you go¡ª!" Yang Feng grunted in pain. How was this possible? He couldn''t feel his other arm. His wife took the meaning of ''hold'' to apletely different level. She must''ve misunderstood ''hold'' as ''squeeze the living daylights out of my hand.''

    Yang Feng winced at her brute strength. He had to grab the bed railing for extra support. His jaw clenched at the force pressing into his poor hand. Was she deliberately trying to transfer the pain of childbirth onto him? Because it was definitely working!

    "The head is almost out, Mrs. Zhao, breath in, and just one more push!'' the doctor encouraged.

    "You got this Feifei!" Yang Ruqin eximed.

    ''Oh love, you look so beautiful right now, you can do it¡ª''

    ''Shut up!" Zhao Lifei bit out at him, ring up at him. A ser team of children? In his dreams!

    Yang Feng resisted the urge to sulk and mope around her. Well, he couldn''t do it if he wanted to. He was too busy trying to not show his pain. By now, he could no longer feel his other hand. But none of that mattered. He pushed away strands of hair that stuck to her forehead.

    Zhao Lifei cried out in pain as she squeezed her eyes shut and continued to push. She had never felt more agony than childbirth. But then, she heard it¡ªthe second cry. And just like, that she was¡®¡ª'' willing to go through the pain all over again.

    ''Congrattions Mrs. Zhao! You have healthy¡ª"

    "If this is my baby, who''s child is that?" Yang Feng questioned as he pointed to the nurse who was putting a baby into a rectangr bed. "Why is there another family''s child in my delivery room?"

    Zhao Lifei ignored her dense husband. "My babies... I want to hold them; she murmured whilst reaching tired hands out for her children.

    "Babies?" Yang Feng repeated in sheer shock. His entire body was numbed by the idea as his mind went nk.

    ''I-I have twin daughters?" Yang Feng breathed out in a blissful daze.

    Zhao Lifei paid him no mind. ''Oh precious.: she whispered when her clothes were shifted and the twins were ced onto her chest for skin-to-skin contact.

    Yang Feng was practically bouncing with excitement. His dark eyes were lit up with joy. He had never felt this much happiness in the world, except when she agreed to marry him and told him of her pregnancy.

    ''Two little Princesses.'' Yang Feng whispered as he peered over the bed, ignoring all of the mess. He felt his hardened heart soften on the spot. His daughters were so small... He lowered a hand down. His fingers trembled with the fear of hurting them.

    ''You mean, Princess, Zhao Lifei corrected as she shifted her body so that he could properly caress them.

    "W-what?"

    ''Prince and Princess, Zhao Lifei added on.

    "Your wife is correct Mr. Yang. Congrattions, your wife has given birth to a healthy boy and girl!" the doctor said as the nurses let cii''d small ps of approval.

    Yang Feng felt like the rug was yanked out of him. First, he was surprised by the fact that she had twins. And now, he discovered it wasn''t two daughters, like how he wanted it to be.

    "I hope they look like you; Zhao Lifei whispered as Yang Feng tenderly touched the cheek of his child.

    "T-this moment feels so surreal..." Yang Feng murmured. Just a year and a half ago, he was a heartless brute who saw no meaning in life. And in such a short span of time, he had everything he could ever ask for. His Xiao Lili was now his wife, he was a father, and ready to start a loving family.

    "Is it a dream?" Yang Feng questioned.

    "I volunteer to give you a pinch to wake you up!" Yang Ruqin gushed as she stepped near her best friend and brother. "Oh my goodness, why do they look so wrinkly? Like little gremlins?"

    Yang Ruqin let out a yelp when she felt the murderous re of her older brother.

    ''What did you just say?" he seethed.

    "A-angels! I meant angels!'' Yang Ruqin rushed out. "It''s just, they look nothing like the baby pictures I''ve seen online."

    ''Well, Miss Yang, those babies are usually weeks old. Newborns are a little blue and purple, but it''ll go away very soon," one of the nurses exined.

    "Mr. Yang, would you like to have skin-to-skin contact?" Yang Feng didn''t need to respond. He shrugged off his suit, yanked off his tie, and reached for a child wrapped in a blue nket.

    "That''s Yang Wenxu." Zhao Lifei said in a lethargic voice. "He''s so lovely, isn''t he?"

    "He has your eyes: Yang Feng fondly responded. He bent down and pressed a loving kiss upon her forehead. ''You''ve done well, my love! "Well i had no choice, Zhao Wei mused he continued to kiss the five points of her face. Smallughter erupted from her as she pushed at him.

    "What about your children?'' she teased.

    Yang Feng warmly kissed the top of his son''s head and then leaned low to kiss the little Princess. "Yang Rina," he said.

    "Rina huh?'' Zhao Lifei repeated with a tender smile. "What a pretty name!

    Yang Feng slowly nodded. He hugged his son to his exposed chest whilst gently lifting the nkets to cover the baby more.

    "We''ll be a big happy family, won''t we, Yang Feng?'' Zhao Lifei blissfully asked as she peered up at her husband. The white gold band on his ring finger glistened under the light.

    Yang Feng nodded. "Our ser team of children will grow up in a happy household!

    "Of course," Zhao Lifei finished. "Our kids will have a childhood that''s nothing like our crude upbringings!

    ''I''d expect no less from us, Yang Feng concluded. He leaned down and kissed her upon the lips. love you so, so much, my dear!

    "I love you a lot more, my dear husband! Yang Fengughed. ''That is impossible, my darling wife!

    The End.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!