《Beware the Appearing Cute Wife!》 Chapter 1 - 1 1 ?1: 1. Please, does it have to be so melodramatic? 1: 1. Please, does it have to be so melodramatic? On a summer evening, tranquil and leisurely, with occasional breezes that sweep away the slight irritability and bring a touch of coolness. An Xiaoyu had just finished organizing the design drawings for the competition and felt completely relaxed. She hopped on her bicycle and headed for her favorite dessert shop to buy bread. However, today this street... seemed unusually quiet, not quite like usual. ¡°Bang...¡± The sudden burst of gunfire shattered the peace of the summer evening. Without thinking, An Xiaoyu dropped her bike and hid behind a sedan parked by the side of the road. Why so unlucky? Luckily she hid quickly, or she might have met God. The gunfire grew more intense, and the sparse shadows on the street vanished in an instant. Suddenly, someone bumped hard into her back, and she fell face-first onto the ground. Ouch! An Xiaoyu touched her bruised knee, turned around angrily, but saw a tall figure crouching beside her, taking the spot she had just occupied. Who is this person? Don¡¯t they understand the concept of first-come, first-served? Why did he just shove himself in and steal her spot? An Xiaoyu was about to argue but then saw a shiny metal object in his hand ¨C it was unmistakably a gun! Seriously? Could this get any more cliche?? Whatever she feared was happening! Please, she still had her whole life ahead of her, waiting to see her brother Zixiao after graduation; she didn¡¯t want to lay her precious life to rest here! Although she couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s face, her intuition told her that he was trouble. If she couldn¡¯t afford to offend him, could she not at least avoid him? So, she crawled on all fours like a creature, trying to make her way to the car in front to hide. Soon, as she poked her head out, just a bit more effort and she¡¯d be free, she was secretly pleased, when suddenly her ankle was grabbed tightly. ¡°Ah...¡± She was just about to kick away when the person increased their grip, yanking her back violently, and at the same time, a bullet exploded right where she was about to crawl. An Xiaoyu was stunned. If he hadn¡¯t grabbed her ankle, she¡¯d have crawled out already, and that shot would have blown her head off! Good lord! Did this man just save her life? The man coldly dropped a sentence: ¡°If you want to live, don¡¯t run around!¡± An Xiaoyu abruptly turned to look at the man before her, met his gaze, but found that the man was so handsome it was hard to take her eyes off him! His black short hair was rebellious, his face extraordinarily stern, his eyes jet black and unfathomable, exuding brilliance of intelligence and cold detachment, akin to the most perfect creation of the Maker. He wore a black shirt and black trousers, his solid build concealed beneath, highlighting the masculine beauty of a man. At this moment, the man was also staring at her, and An Xiaoyu felt his gaze sharp and icy like a leopard in the dark night, giving her no place to hide. An Xiaoyu took a deep breath. This man indeed had the looks to bewitch a woman. But that was it. Despite his handsome appearance, he was nothing but Plague God. This sudden danger must have been brought by him! All at once, An Xiaoyu realized that her ankle was still in the man¡¯s grasp, her face instantly heated up, and she raised her foot to kick him away. ¡°Let go!¡± Her foot was released, and the next second, a cold handgun was pressed against her temple, the chill piercing her skin. Chapter 2 - 2 Do you want to die ?2: Do you want to die? 2: Do you want to die? An Xiaoyu was taken aback and stood up straight to argue with him, forgetting her own perilous situation. ¡°Bang.¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s arm was yanked fiercely, causing her to fall onto his body, and just then, a bullet whizzed over her head. ¡°Idiot, are you trying to get yourself killed?¡± An Xiaoyu was somewhat panicked by his shout. But within just a short minute, he had saved her twice, stirring complex feelings within her. ¡°You drive the car!¡± Survival is paramount! An Xiaoyu bent down low as she crawled into the car, but her knees were very painful, so her movements were slow. The next second, a pair of strong hands grabbed her and pushed her forward. An Xiaoyu¡¯s body stiffened. She was just about to resist when she heard him say in a low voice, ¡°Move faster!¡± ¡°Jerk, how can I drive without the keys!¡± She was infuriated! Was this outright theft? She had never done anything like stealing or sneaking in her entire life! The man suddenly turned his head to look at her, his piercing gaze almost freezing the blood in her body. After a few seconds, his arm suddenly swung over. This can¡¯t be good, he couldn¡¯t possibly be thinking of silencing her by killing her! Terrified, she hurriedly closed her eyes, but without feeling any pain, she heard the sound of something shattering, followed by the roaring sound of the engine starting. Is it started already? ¡°Drive!¡± An Xiaoyu heard the sound of a bullet being chambered, and a cold sensation again at her temple. Knowing better, she stepped on the accelerator. Bullets hit the back of the car, the clanging sound was terrifying. Fortunately, racing the car wasn¡¯t a problem for her, and finally, they shook off the people behind them. An Xiaoyu turned her head and noticed that the gun previously held at her temple had already been withdrawn. The man leaned back in his seat, eyes closed, utterly silent. She was startled and wondered... Is he dead? Instinctively, she stopped the car and reached out to touch his body, but he suddenly opened his eyes, his grip nearly breaking her hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Ouch! Go easy! I just wanted to...¡± ¡°Wanted to see if I was dead? Are you that eager to see me dead?¡± The man¡¯s face was somewhat pale, with blood seeping from his forehead, and his palm felt sticky and clammy. ¡°You¡¯re hurt! We need to get to a hospital. You¡¯re bleeding so much; you could die!¡± ¡°Busybody!¡± ¡°Biting the hand that helps!¡± An Xiaoyu said huffily. To think that she had gone through so much trouble to rescue him from a hail of bullets, and yet this guy was nothing but ungrateful. ¡°Since you¡¯re alright, then I should leave!¡± With that, An Xiaoyu attempted to get out of the car. Please, this car was stolen; she had to get out first to dissociate herself from it. Otherwise, she might save her own life but could not avoid a jail sentence! Just as she opened the door, her arm was firmly grabbed again. An Xiaoyu¡¯s heart leapt to her throat. This is bad; is this guy thinking of killing her to silence her? Chapter 3 - 3 3 ?3: 3. Dried shrimp? Is this the rhythm of a kidnapping? 3: 3. Dried shrimp? Is this the rhythm of a kidnapping? ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± An Xiaoyu was taken aback, squinted her eyes, and stared at him, ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°Nothing much, I just don¡¯t want to owe anyone favors. You saved my life; it¡¯s only right that I repay you!¡± The man in front of her, though outrageously handsome to a fault, was a dangerous character. She definitely didn¡¯t want to get involved with someone like that and hurriedly waved her hands. ¡°Forget about it! You just saved me too, so we¡¯re even now, no debts owed! Since you¡¯re fine, I should be going!¡± Just as An Xiaoyu was about to get out of the car, two black sedans blocked her way. Shortly after, several men in black stepped out of the cars and surrounded them. Oh no, could it be those people from before... have caught up?! ¡°Hey, what should we do now? Those people have caught up again!¡± Saving one¡¯s life is more meritorious than creating a seven-tiered pagoda. She had barely escaped death by a thread of luck, managing to carve out a bloody path from a hail of bullets to save this man. And now, she¡¯s fallen into a pit of fire again? But the man next to her was already injured, his combat effectiveness must be nearly zero now! This is the end, this time he¡¯s surely meeting God! At that moment, those few men opened the passenger door and bowed deeply and respectfully towards the man inside the car. ¡°Brother Feng...¡± An Xiaoyu blinked and let out a sigh of relief, ¡°So they¡¯re your men.¡± Suddenly, the man raised his deep, dark eyes. His cold and piercing gaze shot towards her aggressively. It was like a sharp scalpel, dissecting her inch by inch, sending shivers down the spine. An Xiaoyu felt a chill. The gaze of this stranger... made her uncomfortable, very uncomfortable. Only at this moment did Shen Yufeng take a good look at the woman before him. Her lips were red, her teeth were white, and her glossy black hair was tied up high. Her beige shirt paired with a simple A-line skirt made her look crisp and tidy. She just sat there quietly, the night gathering around her like a mist drifting through the forest, and her clear, sparkling eyes were enchanting, inadvertently drawing people into a boundless allure. In that instant, Shen Yufeng felt an unusual sensation welling up inside him, a certain part of his body even starting to rise unconsciously. He had never felt this way before. Subconsciously, he reached out and grabbed her wrist again. ¡°You haven¡¯t answered me yet. What¡¯s your name!¡± An Xiaoyu frowned, ¡°Why are you, a grown man, being so naggy? If I say it¡¯s unnecessary, then it¡¯s unnecessary!¡± As long as this man never appeared in front of her again, that would be the best repayment she could ask for! Then, she turned to those men in black and said, ¡°He¡¯s hurt. You need to get him to the hospital quickly, or if it¡¯s too late, he might... bleed too much, and then...¡± She didn¡¯t finish her sentence, but the underlings immediately tensed up and hurried to check his injuries. ¡°Brother Feng, we must hurry to the hospital!¡± An Xiaoyu took the opportunity to break free from his restraint and was about to leave but was blocked by one of the underlings. ¡°Miss, you cannot leave right now!¡± What the heck? Is this the prelude to a kidnapping? She turned to Shen Yufeng and said, ¡°Hey, are you just going to stand by and watch as your men treat your lifesaver like this?¡± Shen Yufeng coldly waved his hand. ¡°Let her go!¡± The underlings obediently moved aside. An Xiaoyu left with great fanfare and quickly hailed a taxi to leave. Shen Yufeng, however, instructed, ¡°Follow her, but don¡¯t let her notice!¡± Chapter 4 - 4 4 ?4: 4. The taste of betrayal 4: 4. The taste of betrayal The next morning, Shen Yufeng lay on the hospital bed, flipping through a stack of documents brought by his subordinate, a faint, playful, and lazy smile appearing on his cold, proud face. So... that woman¡¯s name is An Xiaoyu! * An Xiaoyu had never imagined that she would encounter betrayal in her life, and such a thorough one at that. When she first arrived in the US, she didn¡¯t have a single friend by her side, but Linda, who also came from China, gradually became her best friend. They shared everything with each other without the slightest guard. Yet, unexpectedly, the design she had worked so hard on for a competition before graduation was swapped out by Linda, who even ended up winning the award with it. Looking at Linda on the awards stage and her own design being displayed on the big screen, An Xiaoyu was completely stunned. At that moment, she felt the world spinning around her, and everything seemed to shatter. A month ago, she had narrowly escaped death amidst gunfire and was feeling unwell the next morning. It was Linda who volunteered to submit her competition design. Xiaoyu didn¡¯t suspect a thing and was immensely grateful to Linda, but little did she know... Linda had replaced her name with her own on Xiaoyu¡¯s design! To be deceived by the person she trusted most was truly... an indescribable agony. Facing her silent questioning, Linda, with tears in her eyes, held her hand: ¡°Xiaoyu, I¡¯m sorry, but I really need this honor. You¡¯re a rich girl; you have everything and don¡¯t lack opportunities for success... You¡¯ll never understand how much harder people like me, without a background or power, have to work to succeed... I really had no choice...¡± ¡°Enough!¡± An Xiaoyu turned away coldly. ¡°Linda, you better live with it. From now on, you are no longer my friend.¡± But no one knew that when she turned around, her eyes were already brimming with tears. Who knew how much hardship and effort she had put into that design, even skipping meals and losing sleep, causing sores in her mouth? What¡¯s more ridiculous was that her hard work seemed meaningless to others... Was it because An Xiaoyu was a rich girl from a wealthy family that Linda had the audacity to take Xiaoyu¡¯s design as her own? Heh... At that moment, she really missed home, missed her brother Zixiao. So, she dialed Qin Zixiao¡¯s number. It must be evening back home at this time. Now, all she wanted was to talk to brother Zixiao, to seek some comfort. The moment the call connected, she called out expectantly, ¡°Brother Zixiao...¡± ¡°Zixiao is taking a shower. Is there anything I can help with? I can let him know.¡± A bucket of cold water was poured over her head, and An Xiaoyu felt completely petrified. The tender and mellow voice on the phone belonged to a young girl. At such a late hour, she was together with brother Zixiao... and Zixiao was taking a shower... All sorts of ambiguous images flashed through her mind in an instant, and her heart tightened abruptly, gasping in pain. ¡°May I ask... who are you?¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s voice trembled slightly, as if desperately suppressing something. The woman on the other end seemed to sense the crisis and began to claim her territory in a high tone. ¡°Me? I¡¯m Zixiao¡¯s girlfriend! And who are you?¡± An Xiaoyu did not respond; she simply hung up the phone. Her body stiffened as the words ¡°girlfriend¡± echoed in her mind... lingering for a long time. She remembered, before she left for the US, she had said to Qin Zixiao, ¡°Brother Zixiao, you must wait for me to come back!¡± At that time, Qin Zixiao had teased her nose with his hand, smiling, ¡°Sure, sure, I¡¯ll wait for you!¡± But he broke his promise! * When An Xiaoyu stumbled out of the bar, the sky had darkened. She staggered away, even forgetting the dangers as she began to cross the street, and accidentally fell to the ground. Suddenly, the sharp sound of brakes rang out, and a white BMW stopped in front of her. An Xiaoyu looked up and saw a man getting out of the car. Chapter 5 - 5 I paved this road, I planted this tree ?5: I paved this road, I planted this tree 5: I paved this road, I planted this tree The man who walked out of the car was none other than Shen Yufeng, the CEO of the interstellar multinational conglomerate, a highly sought-after bachelor coveted by numerous socialites, and a king-like figure without a crown. Shen Yufeng approached at an unhurried pace, his handsome frame enclosed in a black shirt, his expensive black suit lending an air of arrogance and pride to him, and every movement he made exuded a cold, noble aura, so striking that one glance was hard to forget. This man... looks somewhat familiar! But the drunken An Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t remember where she had seen him before. When Shen Yufeng saw the woman¡¯s face clearly, a hint of barely noticeable surprise flashed across his eyes. An Xiaoya¡¯s gaze drifted past Shen Yufeng, carefully observing the car close at hand, and she couldn¡¯t help but let out a light chuckle. Shen Yufeng squatted down in front of her, intending to check whether she was injured, but he heard three words instead. ¡°Don¡¯t¡ªtouch¡ªme!¡± The three words successfully stopped the hand Shen Yufeng had originally reached towards her. ¡°What did you say?¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s face turned dark in an instant. ¡°I said, don¡¯t¡ªtouch¡ªme! That that that, your car... B-M-W, isn¡¯t that what it means?¡± An Xiaoyu pointed at his car, laughing to herself. Shen Yufeng¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Have you been drinking?¡± His words carried a sharp edge of interrogation. ¡°None of your business!¡± An Xiaoyu waved her hand impatiently, trying to stand up, but her legs lacked strength. After struggling for a bit, she collapsed again. At this moment, a chorus of car horns rang out from behind. It seemed if the car didn¡¯t move soon, it would cause a traffic jam. Ignoring whatever reaction the drunken woman might have, he promptly picked her up and stuffed her into the back seat. ¡°Sit tight, don¡¯t move¡ªI¡¯ll take you home now!¡± ¡°Let me go, help, kidnapping!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°My mouth is on my face; I¡¯ll speak if I want!¡± Shen Yufeng felt somewhat of a headache and spoke as if to soothe a child: ¡°An Xiaoyu, I¡¯m not a bad guy!¡± ¡°How do you know my name? But do bad guys necessarily have it written on their faces? Does driving a BMW definitely make someone a good person?¡± Shen Yufeng was speechless; you really can¡¯t reason with a drunken woman! He stopped An Xiaoyu¡¯s flailing, and with a stern face, he instructed the driver, ¡°Drive!¡± An Xiaoyu was indeed drunk, and she started singing loudly. ¡°Calabash Brothers, Calabash Brothers, seven flowers on a single vine... Unafraid of wind and rain... La la la la... Ding dang dang dong dong dang dang, Calabash Brothers... Ding dang dang dong dong dang dang... Amazing prowess... La la la la...¡± The driver Su Zenan was beyond speechless, yet dared not express any opinion. My goodness... Did their CEO just pick up a treasure trove on the roadside? But wait... This woman looks familiar! Could it be the very same woman that the CEO had instructed to be investigated last time, bumping into each other on the street! Good heavens! Their CEO had never before allowed any woman to ride in his car, yet just now, he had personally carried this woman into the vehicle... Truly an unprecedented event, it¡¯s like a rain of red blossoms from the sky... Having endured the woman¡¯s noisy babble the whole way, they finally reached their destination. Shen Yufeng got out of the car and immediately carried her out. ¡°Let me go, I can walk on my own!¡± Upon touching the ground with her feet, An Xiaoyu looked around and, realizing she was at the apartment building where she lived, twisted her body and headed inside. After exiting the elevator, An Xiaoyu found that he was still following her, and she stretched out her hand to block his path. ¡°STOP, this is Yufeng territory, no strangers allowed.¡± Shen Yufeng lifted his eyes and glanced at her indifferently. ¡°This is a public corridor. You¡¯re allowed to pass but I¡¯m not? Aren¡¯t you being a bit too domineering!¡± Shen Yufeng hadn¡¯t mentioned it, but once he did, An Xiaoyu immediately went full tomboy, hands on hips, exuding authority: ¡°Hey, handsome, I am domineering indeed, here to rob you. This road was opened by me, this tree was planted by me, to pass this way, leave behind the road fee!¡± Chapter 6 - 6 6, Dizzy, dizzy ?6: 6, Dizzy, dizzy 6: 6, Dizzy, dizzy Her face slightly flushed, her expression a bit hazy, but those clear black eyes were pure and translucent, as if they penetrated his heart, stirring a faint ripple in an instant. Shen Yufeng¡¯s lips curved slightly, and then suddenly he moved closer, trapping An Xiaoyu against the wall leaving her no escape. ¡°Money, I have none. How about... offering myself instead?¡± An Xiaoyu was completely dumbfounded. The man in front of her was so close she could almost feel his breath. That sharply chiseled face, the cold sharpness between his brows like a blade, those eyes bright as stars, his firm nose, and those thin, sexy lips... Although An Xiaoyu was used to seeing handsome men, she had to admit that the man before her was a prime example of top-tier attraction. Looking at him, An Xiaoyu even had an impulse to make him into a specimen, to treasure and look at him a thousand times a day! But... wait, she seemed to have overlooked something... ¡°What... did you just say?¡± She was somewhat bewildered, and even more at a loss, like a deer lost in the woods, chased by a Hunter. Shen Yufeng saw her confused yet charming appearance and suddenly felt a tightness in his heart, as if electrified. If the last time was an accident, this time... With such thoughts, he couldn¡¯t help but become more playful and decided to tease her further. He chuckled softly, whispering in her ear. ¡°I said, no money, how about offering myself instead? What do you think?¡± This time, An Xiaoyu was completely dumbfounded. Damn, handsome guy, please don¡¯t look at me so tenderly, I won¡¯t be able to restrain myself! Dizzy, dizzy... An Xiaoyu shook her head. ¡°You... stop looking at me like that, my heart is already taken! So, you¡¯re too late!¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s face instantly darkened. ¡°You said... you have a boyfriend?¡± That aggressive, intense gaze almost seemed to bore two holes into An Xiaoyu. Just then, An Xiaoyu suddenly remembered something¡ªBrother Zixiao already had a girlfriend! In an instant, tears of sorrow fell. ¡°Go away, I don¡¯t need you to handle this... I hate you!¡± This time, Shen Yufeng was like a Monk puzzled by how she suddenly started crying. ¡°Hey, An Xiaoyu...¡± He tried to comfort her, but her crying only grew louder. Suddenly, a door opened and an elderly lady with white hair came out: ¡°Young people, what can¡¯t you resolve at home? A girl needs to be properly pampered!¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll take her home now!¡± Saying so, Shen Yufeng picked up An Xiaoyu, reached into her trouser pocket for the house key, opened the door, and went inside. ... In the middle of the night, An Xiaoyu became thirsty and groggily got up to find some water to drink. But turning around, she suddenly found an extra man in her bed. What¡¯s worse, he was half-naked! ¡°Ah...¡± She screamed in fright, jumped out of the bed, looked around and not finding anything to defend herself with, simply grabbed a lamp. ¡°Who are you, and why are you in my bed?¡± At that moment, the man in the bed leisurely opened his eyes. Chapter 7 - 7 7 ?7: 7. Shriveled Bean Sprouts 7: 7. Shriveled Bean Sprouts When An Xiaoyu saw that familiar face, her memory instantly snapped back. ¡°Plague God?¡± How could it be him? ¡°What did you say?¡± Shen Yufeng squinted his eyes, his piercing gaze filled with a hint of chill. Plague God? So this is the impression he left in her heart? An Xiaoyu ignored his words, her gaze fixed on Shen Yufeng. This man¡¯s appearance really was top-notch; not only was his face incredibly captivating, but the build of this man was superb! But, wait, this wasn¡¯t what she should be focusing on. An Xiaoyu looked at herself, wearing pajamas, her entire little face downtrodden. ¡°Hey, why are you in my house, sleeping in my bed? Also, what did you do to me?¡± Her aggressive questioning immediately soured Shen Yufeng¡¯s mood. This woman... He elegantly stood up, taking steps one by one towards An Xiaoyu. ¡°Stop!¡± When he was just a step away from her, An Xiaoyu stretched out her finger and held it in front of him, saying: ¡°You stand right there, don¡¯t come any closer! I¡¯m not used to it!¡± Seeing her slightly shy expression, Shen Yufeng¡¯s mood improved a lot. ¡°Last night, as I was driving on the road, a drunkard recklessly came up to hit my car. In light of our past acquaintance... I had no choice but to reluctantly bring you home. You should be thankful that it was me you encountered last night; otherwise, you¡¯d be either at the police station or in the hospital right now!¡± An Xiaoyu blinked, not believing a word he said. ¡°Hit your car?¡± She pointed to her nose, ¡°Me? You must be joking!¡± Please, she was educated from childhood to be a five-virtues, four-beauties student, so such things as hitting a car could never happen to her. ¡°I have a dash cam in my car, do you want to see for yourself?¡± An Xiaoyu quickly waved her hands. Last night, she was totally drunk, blacked out... ¡°Fine, even if that¡¯s the case. But why didn¡¯t you leave after you brought me home?¡± ¡°Leave? Someone threw up all over me, and I had no clothes to wear, how could I go out? Just leave... naked?¡± ¡°...¡± Was it her fault again? ¡°And as for why I ended up sleeping in your bed...¡± Shen Yufeng looked at her meaningfully, ¡°That¡¯s because your couch is too small, it simply couldn¡¯t fit me. I did a good deed this time, I couldn¡¯t mistreat myself!¡± ¡°Then my clothes...¡± An Xiaoyu was dumbfounded, could it really be that this man had helped her change? Shen Yufeng glanced at her, saying coldly, ¡°Your clothes were dirty, I could only help you change them. But don¡¯t worry, a skinny bean sprout like you, I¡¯m not interested!¡± ¡°You!¡± An Xiaoyu was furious. ¡°You¡¯re the skinny bean sprout!¡± As soon as the words left her mouth, An Xiaoyu immediately wanted to find a crack to crawl into. What was more infuriating was that man, looking over her chest with a doubtful, scrutinizing gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t look!¡± She threw down the lamp, covering her chest with both hands. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t look.¡± Shen Yufeng calmly lay back down on the bed, ¡°Now that I¡¯ve explained myself, can I go to sleep now?¡± An Xiaoyu was once again speechless. Could this man¡¯s skin be any thicker? Chapter 8 - 8 8 ?8: 8. Indeed, it is a Plague God. 8: 8. Indeed, it is a Plague God. Seeing him lying so leisurely on her bed, An Xiaoyu felt all kinds of tumult inside. This man really doesn¡¯t consider himself an outsider. Is this what they call inviting a wolf into one¡¯s home? But now, this man is sticking around like a piece of gum, and she can¡¯t get rid of him. She probably won¡¯t get any sleep tonight. ¡°Pla... hey...¡± ¡°My name is not ¡®hey¡¯, you can call me Shen Yufeng!¡± ¡°Alright, Mr. Shen. I¡¯m very thankful that you brought me home. I will buy you new clothes.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Shen Yufeng slightly lifted his eyelids and snorted, considering that his response. An Xiaoyu looked at his arrogant face, looking like he owns the place, and really wanted to scratch him a couple of times, but then she thought... if she scratched and ruined it... that¡¯d actually be a pity. Indeed, he¡¯s a Plague God; nothing good happens when he¡¯s around. However, upon second thought, she felt lucky it was him who brought her home because otherwise, who knows what could have happened. Feeling hungry, An Xiaoyu remembered she hadn¡¯t eaten at all, so she put on a coat and went to the kitchen to cook, leaving the bedroom to that man. In the kitchen were some dragon whisker noodles she bought from the supermarket. An Xiaoyu decided to cook some hot and sour noodle soup. While the water was boiling, she had already prepared chopped green onions with dried shrimps, seaweed, oil and vinegar, and chili oil in a big bowl. As the water boiled, she quickly poached an egg. Finally, the fragrant noodles were ready. ¡°Smells good!¡± Shen Yufeng suddenly appeared by her side, startling An Xiaoyu. However, he nonchalantly took the chopsticks right out of the astonished An Xiaoyu¡¯s hands and, with ease, also took the bowl of noodles away. ¡°Thank you!¡± An Xiaoyu opened her mouth. ¡°Hey, those are mine!¡± But Shen Yufeng was already sitting at the table eating away, calm and composed, quite elegantly. ¡°I missed dinner last night because I was bringing you home, so you should compensate me with this meal.¡± ¡°...¡± An Xiaoyu was instantly defeated. Well, it¡¯s just a bowl of noodles! She¡¯ll just cook another portion! Soon, she had prepared another portion and brought it to the table to eat. Just as she was finishing, she heard Shen Yufeng casually critique: ¡°It¡¯s a bit sour! Use less vinegar next time!¡± Upon hearing this, An Xiaoyu¡¯s face instantly darkened. ¡°I didn¡¯t beg you to eat, and you¡¯re still picky, eat it or not!¡± As she said that, she pretended to snatch Shen Yufeng¡¯s bowl of noodles but ended up touching his hand instead. Shen Yufeng lifted his head and looked at her, his eyes carrying a hint of amusement and mischief, which made An Xiaoyu feel awkward, and she quickly withdrew her hand. Her heart was a bit of a mess; this inexplicable feeling that suddenly emerged made her feel uneasy. The man in front of her, she can¡¯t even face him directly... Forget it, once he leaves, there wouldn¡¯t be any interaction anyway. Out of sight, out of mind! But then, out of the blue, Shen Yufeng spoke up. ¡°Zixiao brother... who is that?¡± ¡°Cough cough...¡± An Xiaoyu choked all of a sudden. How does Shen Yufeng know about brother Zixiao? She never mentioned him! Shen Yufeng seemed to have anticipated her thoughts; he raised his eyes to meet hers and said with a light laugh: ¡°Hm, you kept shouting this person¡¯s name when you were drunk... and you sounded quite angry! What, is he your enemy?¡± An Xiaoyu finally understood, the man in front of her was deliberately teasing her! All her ridiculous drunken behaviors had been witnessed by him... how embarrassing! ¡°None of your business!¡± Chapter 9 - 9 9, Sorry, I forgot to knock on the door ?9: 9, Sorry, I forgot to knock on the door. 9: 9, Sorry, I forgot to knock on the door. ¡°Oh! Okay then! By the way, last night, Brother Zixiao gave you a call, and you were so drunk that you were unconscious, so I answered it for you...¡± ¡°What?¡± An Xiaoyu instantly bristled, but deep down, she was even more nervous, ¡°What... what did you tell him?¡± ¡°Want to know?¡± Shen Yufeng smiled, teasing her like he would a pet. ¡°Hurry up and tell me!¡± If she could, she really wanted to grab him by the collar, but unfortunately, the man in front of her wasn¡¯t wearing a shirt, so she had to look away. Shen Yufeng elegantly pulled out a tissue and wiped his mouth, ¡°I told him you were sleeping and to call back tomorrow morning!¡± In an instant, An Xiaoyu felt as if the whole world had turned dark. Is this man a clown sent by God to torture her? ¡°Shen Yufeng...¡± An Xiaoyu slammed the table. This time, she was truly grinding her teeth. ¡°Telling the truth, is that wrong now?¡± Shen Yufeng looked indifferent, but a faint smile flickered in his eyes. An Xiaoyu stared fiercely at Shen Yufeng for a few seconds, finally, her clenched fists loosened, she took a deep breath, restrained the fury on her face, and collapsed weakly on the table, looking utterly dejected. Yes, what does it matter if there was a misunderstanding? Brother Zixiao has a girlfriend now... Boo hoo hoo... Has her love life ended before it even started? Shen Yufeng no longer spoke, his deep gaze resting on the back of her head. He initially wanted to reach out and touch her hair. Although he could easily do so, he cautiously withdrew his hand just as he was about to touch her, turned around, and went back to the bedroom, leaving An Xiaoyu lying there alone. He thought, he perhaps understood why she got drunk alone! It was because of Qin Zixiao! His deep eyes narrowed intensely. * As dawn broke, An Xiaoyu knocked on the bedroom door. ¡°Hey, tell me your clothing size! And, what style do you like?¡± Actually, she didn¡¯t really need Shen Yufeng to tell her his size, she could roughly guess it herself. After all, with such a physique in front of her, he was like a walking clothes hanger; anything randomly picked from a store would look good on him. Shen Yufeng chuckled, ¡°You decide!¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Him saying that made her even more uncertain about what to do. ¡°I trust your taste!¡± These gentle words made An Xiaoyu¡¯s heart tremble slightly. He actually said he trusted her taste! Alright! Then she would just go and buy something! An hour later, An Xiaoyu returned home excitedly, directly pushing open the room door. ¡°Shen Yu...¡± Damn, a handsome man fresh out of the bath! And she just had to walk in on him. An Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes widened. A few seconds later, An Xiaoyu quickly turned around. ¡°Sorry, I forgot to knock!¡± Shen Yufeng chuckled lightly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I forgot to lock the door. Wait a moment, I¡¯ll put on some clothes!¡± He certainly didn¡¯t want such an awkward scene to scare her away. Saying so, Shen Yufeng reached for his trousers on the bed, but then heard An Xiaoyu shout: ¡°Wait!¡± This time, it was Shen Yufeng¡¯s turn to be astonished. This little woman, what does she mean? What is she trying to do? Shen Yufeng didn¡¯t expect An Xiaoyu to make such a request, his expression visibly stiffened, but then he turned around and saw that she was still facing away from him, which made him smirk. ¡°It¡¯s just, I¡¯ve already bought the new clothes for you, you can just put them on, it¡¯s easier! Well, I¡¯ll leave the clothes here, quickly put them on!¡± Chapter 10 - 10 10 ?10: 10. Do you have any other orders? 10: 10. Do you have any other orders? ¡°Well, I¡¯ve bought the new clothes for you. You can wear them directly; it saves trouble! So, I¡¯ll leave the clothes here, hurry up and put them on!¡± After saying that, An Xiaoyu quickly made herself scarce and even locked the bedroom door, finally catching her breath. Fortunately, although temptation was right in front of her, she still managed to keep her composure! Soon, the bedroom door opened, and Shen Yufeng came out. An Xiaoyu was dumbfounded. Heaven really isn¡¯t fair. Even if it was just a rag, he would make it look stylish! And the man in front of her was absolutely a top-notch gem. At that moment, Shen Yufeng¡¯s phone rang. He turned to answer it, and An Xiaoyu went straight to the bathroom, sighing at the sight of the suit in the bamboo basket. Truly, the misery one brings on oneself is the hardest to bear! At this moment, Shen Yufeng walked to the bathroom door. ¡°An Xiaoyu, the clothes fit well, thank you. I have to leave now for some other business. As for the dirty clothes... you wash and keep them for me, I¡¯ll come by another day to pick them up.¡± After he spoke, Shen Yufeng put on his leather shoes and left. The door lock clicked, and An Xiaoyu came back to her senses. Shen Yufeng¡¯s last words... He said he would come by another day to pick them up... He¡¯s coming back again? No way!! An Xiaoyu hastily chased after him, but the elevator doors were slowly closing, and she saw him sending her a smile. Such a smile made An Xiaoyu feel like a needle in her back, as if she were prey eyed by a wolf. She hastily shook her head, banishing the thought from her mind. Joking, An Xiaoyu is certainly no helpless bunny to be slaughtered! Suddenly, her phone rang, a strange number calling. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°What¡¯s up? Did you leave something behind again?¡± An Xiaoyu was puzzled. ¡°No, I just wanted to tell you that this is my number, remember to save it, don¡¯t forget!¡± After finishing, Shen Yufeng hung up the phone. An Xiaoyu scoffed. This guy, so arrogant, who does he think he is, ordering her around like that, expecting her to just obey and save his number! Despite thinking this way, An Xiaoyu still saved the number, but as for the name... An Xiaoyu curled her lips slightly, her nimble fingers typing two characters¡ª¡±Plague God¡±. Just as she got home, the phone rang again. An Xiaoyu answered, ¡°What other instructions do you have?¡± ¡°Xiaoyu?¡± An Xiaoyu blinked her eyes, why was it Zixiao¡¯s voice? When she checked the caller ID, it indeed was him. Her heart instantly felt uneasy. ¡°Xiaoyu, are you listening?¡± ¡°Yes, Zixiao, I¡¯m listening!¡± Qin Zixiao paused briefly, then asked in a deep voice, ¡°Who answered the phone last night... Is he your boyfriend?¡± His question carried a hint of hesitation. An Xiaoyu quickly clarified, ¡°No, Zixiao, you misunderstood, he¡¯s not my boyfriend, really not. Last night was just an accident...¡± The more she tried to explain, the messier it got... On the other side, Qin Zixiao chuckled. ¡°Xiaoyu, you¡¯ve grown up, there are some things you don¡¯t need to explain to me. By the way, you¡¯re graduating in half a month, come attend my engagement ceremony after you get back!¡± Engagement? An Xiaoyu stiffened, her mind going blank. Qin Zixiao is getting engaged, so what does that make her...? Until An Xiaoyu graduated, Shen Yufeng had not appeared again, as if he had vanished, without any news at all. She had his number in her phone, had even called him once before leaving, but his phone was switched off. Chapter 11 - 11 11 ?11: 11. Insignificant Little Girl 11: 11. Insignificant Little Girl Could it be... that something unexpected happened? Whenever An Xiaoyu thought about the scene of gunfire and bullet showers that day, she felt somewhat panicked and hoped that... he was safe and sound. Although she called him ¡°Plague God,¡± deep down... she still didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen to him. Before returning to the country, An Xiaoyu slowly packed her luggage, looked at the black suit jacket and white shirt hanging in the closet, hesitated for a moment, but still took them down and put them into her suitcase. Who knows, maybe one day Shen Yufeng will call and ask for his clothes back! So... it¡¯s better to keep them! * The plane finally landed safely, and An Xiaoyu¡¯s heart gradually settled down. Abroad, she could continue to evade, but returning to the country... she must face what had to be faced eventually. After collecting her suitcase and walking to the exit, she saw a familiar figure... Gentle like jade, magnificent in bearing, especially the smile on his face¡ªso sunny, so warm. He stood there waving at her, and that image softly crashed into her heart, bringing bursts of warmth. Zixiao, he really did come to pick her up. An Xiaoyu really wanted to throw herself into his arms like she did when she was little, but in the end... she restrained herself. ¡°Zixiao brother.¡± An Xiaoyu hurried forward, giving Qin Zixiao a sweet smile. ¡°I knew you¡¯d come to pick me up.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve seen each other, you¡¯ve grown up!¡± Qin Zixiao took the suitcase from An Xiaoyu¡¯s hands and headed towards the parking lot. An Xiaoyu turned her head and looked around, smiling sadly. Only Qin Zixiao, her family... simply didn¡¯t come to pick her up. Even though she had informed her mother of her itinerary before returning home, her mother also hadn¡¯t come. In that home, no one cared about her... So, she shouldn¡¯t have harbored any expectations, should she? Qin Zixiao drove a white Mercedes, modest and restrained. He pressed the key, opened the trunk, and placed An Xiaoyu¡¯s suitcase inside. ¡°Get in the car!¡± An Xiaoyu nodded and sat in the passenger seat. ¡°Buckle your seatbelt!¡± Qin Zixiao carefully instructed. An Xiaoyu nodded and obediently buckled her seatbelt. The car had just started moving when suddenly a black Range Rover cut across their path, blocking their way, and Qin Zixiao quickly hit the brakes. An Xiaoyu was startled. Immediately after, she saw a man dressed in a jewel-blue shirt and black trousers jump out of the black Range Rover, walk up to Qin Zixiao¡¯s car, lean lazily against it, and knock on the window while sporting a fierce and wild smile. ¡°Mr. Qin, we really do have fate! Even picking someone up at the airport can lead to a meeting.¡± He was clearly speaking to Qin Zixiao, but his gaze was fixed directly on An Xiaoyu. An Xiaoyu¡¯s body trembled, and she tightly pursed her lips, turning her face away. Qin Zixiao smiled faintly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that the young master of the Chu family would also come to pick someone up at the airport. I wonder which famous lady has caught Young Master Chu¡¯s favor to warrant a personal pickup?¡± ¡°Haha, she¡¯s not some famous lady, just an insignificant little girl. However, no matter how insignificant, she¡¯s still one of the Chu family, so... Mr. Qin need not worry.¡± After finishing speaking, Chu Mucheng pulled open the car door and said coldly: ¡°An Xiaoyu, get out of the car!¡± Chapter 12 - 12 12 ?12: 12. From now on, you are not allowed to bully her. 12: 12. From now on, you are not allowed to bully her. An Xiaoyu looked up at Chu Mucheng. He leaned arrogantly against the car door, his indifferent expression carrying a touch of laziness. Seeing An Xiaoyu not moving, he let out a light snort. ¡°An Xiaoyu, don¡¯t make me repeat myself a second time.¡± An Xiaoyu still ignored him, and Chu Mucheng¡¯s expression turned even more sullen. He reached out to her shoulder, attempting to unbuckle her seat belt. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself!¡± An Xiaoyu refused his touch and turned to look at Qin Zixiao, her eyes glistening. ¡°Zixiao brother, thank you for coming to pick me up, I¡¯m really happy!¡± Qin Zixiao understood what An Xiaoyu meant; she was going to leave with Chu Mucheng. ¡°Xiaoyu...¡± An Xiaoyu shook her head, understanding Qin Zixiao¡¯s concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry! Him picking me up... it¡¯s all the same, I have to go home anyway!¡± After saying this, An Xiaoyu got out of the car, took her luggage from the trunk, and placed it in Chu Mucheng¡¯s vehicle. ¡°Zixiao brother, see you later!¡± * The Range Rover sped down the highway, swerving and overtaking continuously at such a breakneck pace that it seemed like a death wish, making An Xiaoyu¡¯s heart pound with the illusion that her soul might fly out. She felt terrible. ¡°Chu Mucheng, slow down!¡± She actually got carsick and felt like throwing up. ¡°Chu Mucheng, I feel awful!¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s complexion slowly turned waxen, and cold sweat began to seep from the back of her neck, along with a clammy forehead. Finally, as the car slowed down, An Xiaoyu started to feel a bit better. ¡°Tch, what a scaredy-cat, just like when you were a kid!¡± Chu Mucheng coldly threw out that remark, and An Xiaoyu remained silent. She didn¡¯t want to say a word now. Look, she had just returned, and Chu Mucheng had started to torment her already! She knew that Chu Mucheng had always disliked her, ever since she stepped through the doors of the Chu Family, he had seen her as a thorn in his side. It had always been like this, since childhood. Back then, Su Linxue took her hand and step by step entered the opulent villa to meet a distinguished-looking middle-aged man. She knew that this man was Chu Yihong, her mother¡¯s current husband, her... stepfather. ¡°Yihong, this is Xiaoyu!¡± Chu Yihong nodded, smiled at An Xiaoyu, then crouched down and beckoned An Xiaoyu over. ¡°Xiaoyu, come here!¡± Su Linxue patted An Xiaoyu¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Xiaoyu, call him dad quickly!¡± An Xiaoyu stood by Su Linxue¡¯s side, unmoved. The man before her had a warm smile, yet she felt a resistance. Because he wasn¡¯t her dad, her dad... was already dead! She bit her lip, feeling suddenly like crying. Just then, she heard the angry voice of a boy. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare call him dad, he¡¯s my dad, not yours!¡± An Xiaoyu looked in the direction of the voice and saw a tall and thin boy standing at the top of the stairs. His facial features were well-defined and profound, his eyes dark and deep, but his face was covered in an icy coldness. And beside the boy stood a beautiful girl in a fluffy dress, looking like a Barbie doll. She then heard Chu Yihong scold: ¡°Mucheng, don¡¯t talk nonsense! From today on, Xiaoyu is part of our family, your sister, understand? From now on, no bullying her!¡± Chu Mucheng snorted. ¡°Tch, I only have one sister, and that¡¯s Chu Mushan. Her... what is she?¡± * Suddenly, the car jerked to a halt, and due to inertia, An Xiaoyu¡¯s body lunged forward and was pulled back by the seat belt, hitting the seatback hard. Then, her chin was gripped tightly, and she looked up into Chu Mucheng¡¯s cold eyes. ¡°An Xiaoyu, are you still thinking about Qin Zixiao? Stop dreaming! Qin Zixiao... is getting engaged soon!¡± An Xiaoyu brushed away Chu Mucheng¡¯s hand, ¡°I know Zixiao brother is getting engaged, so you don¡¯t need to remind me!¡± Chapter 13 - 13 13 ?13: 13. Sometimes... I really want to strangle you to death! 13: 13. Sometimes... I really want to strangle you to death! Chu Mucheng snorted, but his gaze remained locked on An Xiaoyu¡¯s face as if he was trying to detect any falter in her eyes. Then, he turned away. ¡°An Xiaoyu, I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t you dare think about Qin Zixiao anymore. Also, don¡¯t even think about doing anything out of line. Our Chu Family... cannot afford to lose face!¡± Chu Mucheng¡¯s tone was somewhat vile, even somewhat coercive. An Xiaoyu ignored him. ¡°An Xiaoyu, did you hear me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t think about Qin Zixiao.¡± She would keep Qin Zixiao in her heart. Whether he was getting engaged or married, as long as he was happy, no matter how much pain it caused her... she would still wholeheartedly wish him well! ¡°Hmph, that¡¯s more like it. Even if Qin Zixiao treats you well, what makes you think people from a family like the Qin Family would fancy someone like you...¡± Chu Mucheng continued cruelly, his words piercing painfully into An Xiaoyu¡¯s heart. ¡°Yes, indeed, the Qin Family could never accept someone like me. Moreover, I¡¯m nothing but a burden, merely basking in the light of your Chu Family, preventing me from being thrown onto the streets. It¡¯s also thanks to your Chu Family that I can have the life I now live. I should be grateful, shouldn¡¯t I?¡± As soon as An Xiaoyu spoke out, Chu Mucheng¡¯s expression suddenly turned ugly, with an abrupt stop. ¡°Chu Mucheng, have you lost your mind? This is a highway!¡± Chu Mucheng¡¯s expression turned dark and gloomy, as if a storm was approaching. He clenched his fists, stared at An Xiaoyu¡¯s face, and said fiercely, ¡°An Xiaoyu, do you know... sometimes, I really want to strangle you!¡± ¡°Indeed, from childhood to now, if it weren¡¯t for Young Master Chu¡¯s grace, I, An Xiaoyu, would have died many times over!¡± At this moment, An Xiaoyu was in a terrible mood, truly terrible. She had been incredibly patient, but she had her temper too, didn¡¯t she? She had just gotten back, and this was how Chu Mucheng treated her! Look, these are her... family members. Perhaps in their eyes, she was nothing more than an outsider, completely insignificant! ¡°Young Master Chu, I¡¯m still young, and I¡¯m not keen on suffering an abrupt disaster on the highway. So please, drive on.¡± ¡°What, don¡¯t you feel honored to have the chance to die alongside me?¡± ¡°Better to live a disgraceful life than die a glorious death. My life is still long, the future is promising. If Young Master Chu wishes to die, please find someone else to take your place. I, An Xiaoyu, will not accompany you.¡± ¡°Hehe, An Xiaoyu, we haven¡¯t seen each other for years... You¡¯ve become quite sharp-tongued!¡± ¡°Thank you. One has to go out and explore to gain more experience.¡± An Xiaoyu snorted, ¡°I know you can¡¯t stand the sight of me. If you refuse to drive, then I might as well get out of the car!¡± As she spoke, An Xiaoyu attempted to open the door, but Chu Mucheng put the car in gear, slammed on the accelerator, and the car sped off with a whoosh. An Xiaoyu knew she had thoroughly infuriated Chu Mucheng this time, because he now seemed to have gone mad, driving at a speed that terrified her. Finally, when they arrived at the Chu Family¡¯s residence, the first thing An Xiaoyu did after getting out of the car was rush straight to the bathroom and vomit until she was dizzy and the world turned dark. Outside the bathroom, Chu Mucheng stood leisurely, his voice cold as he said, ¡°You had it coming!¡± Chapter 14 - 14 14 ?14: 14. I like my name 14: 14. I like my name When An Xiaoyu was ready to leave, Chu Mucheng was still standing there, leaning against the doorframe, one foot raised and resting on the opposite side of the doorframe, blocking her way out. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Chu Mucheng¡¯s lips slightly tightened, ¡°I don¡¯t really want to do anything. I just want to see how embarrassed you look.¡± An Xiaoyu felt somewhat helpless. Wasn¡¯t it enough that he had been tormenting her along the way? Couldn¡¯t he give her a break? ¡°Now that you¡¯ve seen, are you satisfied?¡± ¡°Hmm, barely enough! Remember, don¡¯t make me angry again, otherwise...¡± Chu Mucheng didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but his sharp gaze was clearly a warning to her. An Xiaoyu snorted. She never intended to anger him, but ever since she was young, he had always disliked her, finding all sorts of reasons to torment her as if torturing her was his greatest joy in life. During the years she studied abroad, she finally escaped from him and had a few years of peace. Now, as soon as she returned, it seemed... things were becoming unsettled again. ¡°Xiaoyu, where are you?¡± At that moment, Su Linxue¡¯s voice came from the entrance of the living room. Chu Mucheng frowned and finally withdrew his leg, allowing An Xiaoyu to step out of the restroom. Just as she had taken a few steps, Chu Mucheng grabbed her wrist and said in a low voice, ¡°An Xiaoyu, remember this¡ªin the Chu Family, you must follow the Chu Family¡¯s rules!¡± The Chu Family¡¯s rules, huh? Perhaps, she should move out of here sooner rather than later. An Xiaoyu shook off Chu Mucheng¡¯s hand, just as she reached the living room, Su Linxue swiftly approached and held her hand. ¡°Let mom take a good look at you, my, you¡¯ve lost quite a bit of weight over the years!¡± An Xiaoyu forced a smile and remained silent. As Su Linxue embraced her, An Xiaoyu also saw Chu Yihong standing in the middle of the living room, his expression gentle. ¡°Xiaoyu, you¡¯re back!¡± An Xiaoyu nodded and gave him a smile. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m back.¡± Yes, after being away for four years, she had returned to the Chu Family¡¯s home. But soon, she would move out. * Before long, Chu Mushan also returned and didn¡¯t show much enthusiasm upon seeing An Xiaoyu. ¡°Sister is back!¡± After a brief greeting, she didn¡¯t say anything more to An Xiaoyu. An Xiaoyu was already used to this, so she didn¡¯t mind. At lunch that day, Chu Yihong said, ¡°Come, let¡¯s raise our glasses and welcome Xiaoyu home!¡± Everyone lifted their glasses, but Chu Mucheng didn¡¯t move. Not until Chu Yihong shot him a warning glance did Chu Mucheng lazily lift his glass, ¡°An Xiaoyu, welcome home!¡± The emphasis Chu Mucheng placed on the name ¡°An¡± was very heavy, as if he was deliberately stressing it. At that moment, An Xiaoyu¡¯s spine stiffened. Yes, Su Xuelin and them... they were the real family. And she, she was just an outsider. She remembered that scene from years ago. That day, also at the dining table, Su Linxue proposed that she change her surname, to drop the ¡°An¡± and take on the ¡°Chu¡± surname. Chu Yihong nodded in agreement, but Chu Mucheng stood up. The handsome young boy, with his cool gaze and thin lips slightly parted, slowly said, ¡°Why should she? I don¡¯t agree!¡± The boy¡¯s gaze firmly fixed on An Xiaoyu, sharp as a knife. ¡°Hey, are you sure... you want to change your surname to Chu?¡± An Xiaoyu slowly lifted her eyes, meeting his gaze, she paused for a moment, turned to look at Chu Yihong, and softly said, ¡°Uncle, I like my name!¡± Chapter 15 - 15 15, Are you wishing for my early death ?15: 15, Are you wishing for my early death? 15: 15, Are you wishing for my early death? An Xiaoyu knew that Chu Mucheng didn¡¯t like her, and even if she changed her surname, he would not accept her. So, why should she do something against her will? Despite her young age, she had her own convictions, her own dignity, and pride. ¡°Alright, Xiaoyu, I respect your decision.¡± At that moment, Chu Yihong¡¯s expression was calm, and he smiled at An Xiaoyu, seemingly to comfort her. On the other hand, Su Linxue... her face looked very unpleasant. That day, she moved into the Chu Family¡¯s home. A room had already been prepared for her; it was warm, comfortable, and beautiful, just like a princess¡¯s room. But to her, it felt like a dream... so unreal. That evening, Su Linxue came to her, chastised her for insisting on not changing her surname. After Su Linxue left, An Xiaoyu hugged her toy bear and cried for a long time. She missed home... missed Dad... but Dad would never come back again. Her dad, An Zhiyu, was a police officer who was always busy with work, but every time he came home, he would hold her, play with her, keep her company in games, and tell her stories. But in her memory, her mom always quarreled with her dad, complaining that he was too busy, his salary was too low, and he didn¡¯t have time to take care of the family. Latter, Su Linxue divorced An Zhiyu and left the family... and also abandoned her. When Su Linxue left, she cried and said, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t go, Xiaoyu will be good!¡± But Su Linxue still left without looking back. That year, An Xiaoyu was four years old. However, she never imagined that later, her dad would sacrifice his life during a police operation, that year, she had just turned nine. It was after An Zhiyu¡¯s sacrifice that Su Linxue suddenly appeared, bringing her to the Chu Family. However, for An Xiaoyu, her mother was a stranger, the Chu Family was strange, everything... was unfamiliar. Chu Mucheng was two years older than her; she had to call him brother. And Chu Mushan was three months younger than her, so... she now had a younger sister. However, Chu Mucheng¡¯s hostile attitude towards her made her feel like she was walking on thin ice in the Chu Family. She cried a lot that night. The next morning when she woke up, she discovered that her little bear was gone. It was a birthday gift from her father when she was five years old. An Xiaoyu searched everywhere and finally found the teddy bear in the trash can. She hugged the dirty teddy bear to her chest and wept until she was reduced to tears. But then, sneering voices reached her ears. ¡°Crying over a broken bear like that, how shameful!¡± She looked up, her eyes brimming with tears, her gaze firm. ¡°This is... a gift from my dad!¡± She said the word ¡°dad¡± very loudly. After speaking, she held the bear and went back to her room, unaware that the expression in Chu Mucheng¡¯s eyes turned icy cold behind her. * An Xiaoyu was lost in her memories until Su Linxue called her name, snapping her back to reality. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a bit tired. Haven¡¯t gotten over the jet lag yet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Xiaoyu. If you¡¯re tired, you should go back to your room to rest!¡± The speaker was Chu Yihong. An Xiaoyu nodded and returned to her room. * Opening her suitcase, she saw the neatly pressed suits and white shirts, and the image of Shen Yufeng flashed in her mind. She was back in the country. Shen Yufeng... how was he now? Clutching her phone, An Xiaoyu flipped through her contacts to find Shen Yufeng¡¯s number and belatedly realized that she had memorized this string of numbers without knowing when. To call or not to call? What if it went to voicemail like last time? Forget it, better not to call! No news... is good news, right? Just then, her phone suddenly rang, startling her. She looked at the caller ID, and it was¡ªPlague God!!! An Xiaoyu was dumbfounded! He, he... actually called? An Xiaoyu hurriedly answered the phone, asking anxiously: ¡°Hello, Shen Yufeng, is it really you? Are you still alive?¡± A deep voice with a faint smile came through. ¡°What, An Xiaoyu, are you wishing me an early death?¡± Chapter 16 - 16 16, be good, wait for me ?16: 16, be good, wait for me 16: 16, be good, wait for me ¡°Uh... that¡¯s not what I meant!¡± An Xiaoyu hastily explained. Actually, hearing his voice in that moment made her feel much more at ease. She had just been considering whether to call him; who would have thought he¡¯d call first? Was this what they call a telepathic connection? ¡°You¡¯re back in the country?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± An Xiaoyu was a bit shocked. Did that guy have Clairvoyance or what? ¡°I¡¯m currently standing outside the apartment someone used to live in, but the main door is shut tight, and someone has taken off without a word! After all, we know each other, how could you leave without even saying goodbye?¡± An Xiaoyu nearly choked on his words. ¡°I did call, but your phone was off! However, I brought your clothes back in my suitcase. Maybe you could give me your address, and I¡¯ll send them to you!¡± On the other end, Shen Yufeng was silent for a moment, then said faintly, ¡°No need, return them to me the next time we meet!¡± An Xiaoyu frowned slightly. The next time they met? She was in China and he was abroad; who knew when they might see each other again! ¡°I might not go to M country ever again! So...¡± ¡°No worries, we¡¯ll meet again soon!¡± Shen Yufeng said meaningfully, ¡°Be good, wait for me!¡± Before An Xiaoyu could even respond, Shen Yufeng hung up the call. An Xiaoyu held her phone, unsure of what to say. He didn¡¯t even know where she lived, yet claimed they would meet soon! What a baffling guy! Just as An Xiaoyu put her phone down, another call came in. It was Qin Zixiao. ¡°Hello, Zixiao brother, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Xiaoyu, is everything okay? Has Chu Mucheng been giving you a hard time?¡± Concern imbued Qin Zixiao¡¯s voice. An Xiaoyu smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m no longer the crybaby who used to get upset over trivial things when we were kids!¡± Now, she had the ability to protect herself! ¡°That¡¯s great to hear!¡± After a few more exchanges with Qin Zixiao, An Xiaoyu hung up, feeling warmth in her heart. She tossed her phone aside and lay down on the bed to sleep off the jet lag. * She slept deeply and when she awoke, it was already deep into the night. She was a little hungry but felt too weak to move. Perhaps, she should downstairs to the kitchen for something to eat. She tiptoed downstairs, not wanting to wake anyone up, only to find the light on in the kitchen and Chu Mucheng sitting at the bar, holding a glass of red wine. An Xiaoyu stood at the doorway, hesitating whether to enter or to leave. Chu Mucheng had already heard her and looked up, his gaze landing on her face with a half-smile. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, afraid to come in? Or are you... afraid of me?¡± Chu Mucheng¡¯s provocation was effective, An Xiaoyu gave him a glance and walked straight into the kitchen. She took a container of yogurt and a piece of cake from the fridge. After shutting the fridge door, she had just turned around when someone fiercely pushed her shoulder; her back slammed against the fridge, and the cake she was holding fell to the floor with a splat. Looking up, she met Chu Mucheng¡¯s piercing eyes, he was very close to her, his breath discernible. An Xiaoyu could smell the alcohol on Chu Mucheng, causing her to frown. ¡°Chu Mucheng, what are you going crazy about now?¡± Was causing trouble on the way back today not enough, now he must create a scene late at night? Couldn¡¯t she just quietly eat something? Chapter 17 - 17 17 ?17: 17. Let go, don¡¯t force me to get physical with you! 17: 17. Let go, don¡¯t force me to get physical with you! An Xiaoyu reached out, trying to push Chu Mucheng away, but it was futile. ¡°Let go, or don¡¯t force me to get rough with you!¡± However, Chu Mucheng still didn¡¯t move, he just stared at An Xiaoyu, his eyes slightly narrowed. Get rough? He really wanted to see how she would go about doing that! After four years, she really had changed a lot. Now, she was even more beautiful than when she was younger. If back then she was an unpolished gemstone, now she... was stunningly beautiful to the point of being startling. Four years had worn away her childishness but had adorned her with maturity and elegance. Even more importantly, she was no longer the little girl who would take his bullying and still keep her silence; she had become more confident, livelier, and more nimble, and towards him... more distant. He knew that a big reason why she hadn¡¯t returned home during her years of studying abroad was because of him; she was deliberately avoiding him, hiding from him. But An Xiaoyu, you can hide from the first day, but not the fifteenth! In the end... you still came back to this home! Chu Mucheng smiled gently, at that moment, his smile was like a torn sunset, imbued with a sinister flavor, and just as he leaned down to assault An Xiaoyu¡¯s lips, An Xiaoyu dodged her head without hesitation and immediately raised her leg, kneeing upward fiercely. Chu Mucheng was caught off guard, he dodged subconsciously but still got hit in the stomach. A flash of anger swept across his face instantly. ¡°An Xiaoyu, you dare...¡± ¡°Dare to fight back against you, right? Chairman Mao said, ¡®I do not attack unless I am attacked; if I am attacked, I will certainly counterattack.¡¯ This is also my attitude.¡± An Xiaoyu looked at him, her face also showing an icy expression, sneering coldly, she bent down to pick up the cake from the ground. ¡°What a pity, such a good cake...¡± Chu Mucheng watched her, observing her icy expression, his eyes darkening. ¡°Chu Mucheng, if you¡¯re drunk, better go back to your room to rest early and stop throwing a temper tantrum here.¡± This late-night encounter had completely spoiled her appetite, An Xiaoyu threw the cake into the trash can and left the kitchen. As she went upstairs, the image of Shen Yufeng suddenly flashed through her mind. Back then, when she was drunk, Shen Yufeng didn¡¯t do anything to her, now looking back... tsk tsk, Shen Yufeng was really manly! Indeed, without comparison, there is no harm! * Chu Mucheng watched An Xiaoyu¡¯s retreating figure, a trace of a smile suddenly appearing on his grim face. He raised his hand, looking at the spot on his wrist where there was a scar, which at that moment seemed to throb faintly. Interesting, the obedient bunny turned into a little wild cat! This must be the real her! Perhaps, he had really underestimated her before! Unexpectedly, his heart filled with anticipation! An Xiaoyu, you want to compete with me! Let¡¯s see who will be the ultimate victor, we shall wait and see! * After two days of adjusting, An Xiaoyu felt much better. That day at the dinner table, Chu Yihong spoke up. ¡°Xiaoyu, since you have returned, you should work at the headquarters of Hong¡¯an Group!¡± The Chu¡¯s Hong¡¯an Group was involved in multiple industries such as real estate and finance, Chu Yihong¡¯s suggestion that An Xiaoyu work at the headquarters of Hong¡¯an Group also fully demonstrated his care for her, and of course... his love for Su Linxue. Su Linxue¡¯s face showed a hint of joy, but she kept silent. ¡°Dad!¡± Chu Mushan spoke up, ¡°As the Chief Designer of Hong¡¯an Group, one of me is enough!¡± After Chu Mushan finished speaking, she elegantly picked up a napkin and wiped the corner of her mouth, her gaze leisurely falling onto An Xiaoyu, carrying a hint of provocation. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t you think?¡± Chapter 18 - 18 18 ?18: 18. Is this the rhythm of a horror movie about to unfold? 18: 18. Is this the rhythm of a horror movie about to unfold? An Xiaoyu laughed, and with composure, she picked up the juice in front of her and took a sip. ¡°Mushan, your worries are unnecessary. I had already signed a contract with Guohe Group before coming back to the country. I will officially report for duty next Monday.¡± Not only was Chu Mushan stunned, but everyone present was incredibly surprised. Guohe Group is a dark horse that has emerged in the construction industry in recent years. Although it has not been established for long, it has been very successful and should not be underestimated. The recruitment standards of Guohe Group are also quite demanding. The fact that An Xiaoyu signed a contract with Guohe Group so quickly, and all on her own, is indeed impressive. An Xiaoyu automatically ignored everyone¡¯s surprised gazes, ¡°Also, my workplace is quite far from home. For convenience in getting to work, I¡¯m thinking about moving out!¡± * More than half a month later. Lunch break. In the office of the Design Department at Guohe Group, An Xiaoyu was propping her chin with her left hand, while her right hand was holding a drawing pen, doodling on the design drawing. There, a group of girls hugged the latest entertainment magazine and huddled together, chirping and discussing excitedly. ¡°Young Master Feng is really so handsome!¡± Gu Xiaobei exclaimed with emotion. ¡°Exactly, exactly.¡± Yu Zimo, from Project Planning, agreed in confirmation, her face full of admiration as she struck a giddy pose, ¡°If I had the chance to meet him in person, I¡¯d be willing to do anything!¡± ¡°A bunch of fangirls!¡± Ling Zenan, who was nearby, pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose and snorted dismissively, ¡°Such a man is just all looks. Without his family¡¯s backing, how could he possibly achieve such great success? In plain terms, he¡¯s someone who was born with a golden spoon in his mouth; he¡¯s had at least twenty years less of struggling compared to others.¡± ¡°Pfft, you¡¯re just sour because you can¡¯t get what you want.¡± ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s outright defamation!¡± Even the usually quiet Mo Qianqian joined the conversation. ¡°Young Master Feng is talented, it¡¯s true. Although Interstellar Group has been passed down from the Shen Family ancestors, it only took three years in Young Master Feng¡¯s hands to expand into a multinational corporation. What does this tell you? Young Master Feng is absolutely a talent! He¡¯s really got the skills!¡± At this moment, Xu Jiahui put his feet up on the table, slided his chair over to Ling Zenan, and patted his shoulder, ¡°Brother, I feel for you!¡± Being ganged up on by a group of women... is not a pleasant experience! Gu Xiaobei sighed deeply, his voice full of wistful longing as he said, ¡°Men like Young Master Feng are truly the dream lover of all women, be it in terms of appearance, power, or status... they are considered perfect!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, speaking of which... I¡¯m a bit curious. These years, there¡¯s not been a woman by Young Master Feng¡¯s side! Such purity and restraint... he¡¯s practically like a Monk! It¡¯s really abnormal!¡± ¡°Oh please, what¡¯s so abnormal about that? Young Master Feng is just being cautious and self-respecting. He¡¯s not like some rich scions, changing girlfriends as if changing clothes. But then those Internet celebrity faces really do make it hard to tell apart!¡± ¡°Maybe Young Master Feng is just very secretive, not wanting to expose his significant other to the press. Otherwise... imagine, today a scandal breaks, tomorrow a divorce, tsk tsk... how can anyone live like that?¡± While everyone was in a heated discussion, they suddenly noticed An Xiaoyu still nestled in her corner, doodling. ¡°An Xiaoyu, it¡¯s rest time, could you please put the design drawing aside?¡± An Xiaoyu put down her pen and flashed a smile at them. ¡°This Young Master Feng you guys are talking about, I have no idea who he is, okay? So, how could I contribute to the conversation?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been studying abroad all this time, it¡¯s understandable you don¡¯t know who Young Master Feng is! Here, have a look!¡± Gu Xiaobei walked over and laid the magazine in front of her. ¡°This man, isn¡¯t he dashing!¡± An Xiaoyu was drinking water, looking at fangirlish Gu Xiaobei with amusement, shaking her head, then her gaze fell on the magazine. She widened her eyes in surprise and involuntarily spat out a mouthful of water. What the heck is going on? The man on the magazine! The gorgeously handsome, knockout, heart-stealing Young Master Feng they were talking about, turned out to be that Plague God Shen Yufeng! Is this the setup for a horror movie or what? Chapter 19 - 19 19 ?19: 19. Plague God = God? 19: 19. Plague God = God? ¡°Ah!¡± Gu Xiaobei snatched the magazine over, carefully checking for any water droplets, cherishing it as though the magazine itself was her male god incarnate, afraid that the water sprayed out by An Xiaoyu would besmirch it. ¡°An Xiaoyu, what¡¯s with that look of seeing a ghost? Don¡¯t tell me you know Young Master Feng?¡± An Xiaoyu coughed dramatically; she couldn¡¯t possibly answer Gu Xiaobei¡¯s question and quickly waved her hand. Know him? That¡¯s an understatement! She had once been through gunfire and bullets with him, a matter of life and death... She had slept in the same bed with him and had meals with him... She had bought clothes for him and even seen his handsome figure fresh out of the bath... Even now, there were his suit jackets and shirts in her wardrobe... Could she say all this? No way! She would never confess such things! Wasn¡¯t this all just asking for trouble? Seeing An Xiaoyu¡¯s pained expression, Gu Xiaobei assumed she was smitten by Shen Yufeng¡¯s charm and said with a smile: ¡°What, just the sight of Young Master Feng makes even you lose your composure, huh!¡± Lose her composure? Could she even afford to? ¡°Ah, if only our company could collaborate with Star International... then we might have the chance to get close to Young Master Feng. Just the thought of it is so exciting!¡± Gu Xiaobei had a dreamy look on her face. Xu Jiahui shook his head, teasingly said with a laugh: ¡°Close contact with Young Master Feng? And then? Get noticed by Young Master Feng and from then on marry into wealth, living a life of luxury?¡± Gu Xiaobei¡¯s cheeks flushed red, and she picked up a cushion from behind the chair to throw at Xu Jiahui, ¡°Mind your own business!¡± Laughter spread throughout the office. Only An Xiaoyu wasn¡¯t laughing. If she could laugh... that would be nothing short of a miracle! Good heavens... So it turns out that Plague God is actually of God-level status! Plague God = God? An Xiaoyu looked at her office sisters, sighed, and doodled circles with a pen on paper... Shen Yufeng... Shen Yufeng... He had said that he would see her again after some time! ¡°Be good, wait for me!¡± Those three words, utterly fresh in An Xiaoyu¡¯s memory. Because the tone Shen Yufeng used when he said those words, was just like a lover¡¯s whisper... so gentle it could squeeze out water! Thinking of this, An Xiaoyu shivered. How could it be! How could such a high and mighty, cool and aloof CEO have any interest in a plain and ordinary girl like her? Who was it that said he wasn¡¯t interested in someone as plain as her? SO... she must be overthinking it! * Before leaving work, Qin Zixiao called her, saying she¡¯d been back in the country for over half a month and they hadn¡¯t had a proper catch-up, so he wanted to invite her for a meal. An Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment, but still agreed. In truth, she wanted to ask him, do you think your girlfriend knows you¡¯re asking me out to dinner? But then she thought about it¡ªQin Zixiao didn¡¯t know how she felt about him. Over the years, Qin Zixiao might have just seen her as a little sister, so in Qin Zixiao¡¯s eyes, it was just an ordinary dinner. Why bother making a fuss? Perhaps, this was also going to be their last meal alone before his wedding. Cherish it while it lasts! After work, she returned to her rented apartment, took off her work attire, and slipped into a light blue round-neck dress with three-quarter sleeves and a gardenia pattern¡ªsimple yet elegant. Once she was all spruced up and grabbed her purse to leave, she saw a person standing at the door, their sharp gaze scanning over her, their cold voice demanding, ¡°Who are you... going on a date with?¡± Chapter 20 - 20 You cant escape the palm of my hand ?20: You can¡¯t escape the palm of my hand. 20: You can¡¯t escape the palm of my hand. The man blocking the doorway was none other than Chu Mucheng. An Xiaoyu felt a headache coming on. ¡°Chu Mucheng, don¡¯t you think... you¡¯re meddling too much?¡± All she did was have a normal meal with Qin Zixiao, so how did it turn into a date? ¡°An Xiaoyu, you actually moved out while I was on a business trip! Who allowed you to move out and live elsewhere, huh?¡± Chu Mucheng¡¯s tone was very unfriendly. An Xiaoyu had moved out the day before yesterday, precisely when Chu Mucheng happened to be away on a business trip. Upon his return, he was shocked to find that An Xiaoyu had already left, which infuriated him immensely. An Xiaoyu shrugged her shoulders, ¡°I¡¯m not a prisoner, and you are not a jailer. Do I really need to report my whereabouts to you?¡± She was puzzled. She had already moved out, so why did Chu Mucheng still deliberately come to find fault with her? ¡°An Xiaoyu, don¡¯t think that by moving out you can escape from me! I¡¯ve told you before, you can¡¯t escape from the palm of my hand!¡± As Chu Mucheng spoke, his tone was cold, and a chilly curve formed at the corners of his mouth. An Xiaoyu looked at him, and was silent. This silence was like a wall, soundless yet standing between them, making it difficult for them to get close. She didn¡¯t understand, Chu Mucheng clearly despised her, yet why... why couldn¡¯t he let her go. Her gaze fell on Chu Mucheng¡¯s face, but her mind drifted to past events. It was an evening, a month after her arrival at the Chu Family¡¯s house, when she came home from school to find everyone acting strangely. It turned out that Chu Mucheng had lost something¡ªan expensive, diamond-studded watch. The servants of Chu Family had searched everywhere but couldn¡¯t find it. When An Xiaoyu entered the house, Chu Mucheng said, ¡°Maybe, she secretly took my watch!¡± An Xiaoyu was stunned and instinctively retorted, ¡°I didn¡¯t take it!¡± ¡°You say you didn¡¯t take it, then do you dare let me check your schoolbag?¡± Chu Mucheng¡¯s lips curved into a smirk, but that kind of smile... made An Xiaoyu feel terrified. Her intuition told her that Chu Mucheng must be scheming something, but before she could say more, her schoolbag was snatched away by Chu Mucheng. She stood there, watching as Chu Mucheng emptied everything out of her schoolbag¡ªbooks, stationery scattered all over the floor, and then he quickly unzipped a hidden compartment inside the bag and took out a watch. ¡°Look, if it wasn¡¯t you who took it, then who was it?¡± Chu Mucheng held up the watch, boasting in the pose of a victor, ¡°Now, with clear evidence, you still want to deny it?¡± An Xiaoyu instantly froze. She had no idea how Chu Mucheng¡¯s watch ended up in her schoolbag; her face turned pale instantly. At that moment, the only person she could rely on, the only one she could turn to... was Su Linxue, so she turned to Su Linxue, her voice trembling, ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t take his watch, it really wasn¡¯t me!¡± But, Su Linxue just frowned, glanced at Chu Yihong, and remained silent. Chu Mucheng became even more triumphant then, saying, ¡°Still trying to argue! Hmph! By the way, isn¡¯t your dad a police officer? How did he end up having a thief as a daughter? Tsk, I think it¡¯s a case of ¡®like father, like daughter¡¯!¡± At that moment, An Xiaoyu charged at him like an enraged little lion. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare speak ill of my father!¡± Seeing An Xiaoyu lunging at him, Chu Mucheng quickly raised his hand to block, but An Xiaoyu grabbed his wrist and fiercely bit into it, immediately, the smell of blood wafted through the air. Chapter 21 - 21 21 ?21: 21. It was a mistake from the beginning 21: 21. It was a mistake from the beginning Chu Yihong and Su Linxue saw that things were looking bad and quickly stepped forward to separate the two of them. By the time An Xiaoyu let go, Chu Mucheng¡¯s wrist was already dripping with fresh blood. Facing Su Linxue¡¯s scolding, An Xiaoyu¡¯s heart was full of pain. Now, even her own biological mother... was standing on Chu Mucheng¡¯s side! No one cared about her! Yes! In this family, she was completely superfluous! Even if she was wronged, who cared? At that moment, An Xiaoyu¡¯s heart was full of anger, and she turned and ran out. It had completely darkened outside, and she had no idea where to go or where she could go. She sat by the lotus pond in the residential area and cried for a long time. She hadn¡¯t been as sad as she was now when Su Linxue left back then! She really missed her dad! If her dad were still here, he would definitely protect her and not let her be wronged! At that time, it was deep autumn, and the temperature at night was much lower than during the day. An Xiaoyu felt cold all over. But, she didn¡¯t want to go back to that home... yet she didn¡¯t know where else to go... At that moment, An Xiaoyu felt as if she had been abandoned by the entire world. Suddenly, a warm and pleasant voice came. ¡°Little sister, why are you crying here alone so sadly?¡± An Xiaoyu looked up at the sound and saw a boy squatting in front of her, looking at her at eye level. She wiped away her tears and took a clear look at his face. It was a very delicate face, his eyes and eyebrows exuding gentleness, and his lips curved up with a smile, that feeling... very warm. An Xiaoyu sobbed without making a sound. ¡°Let me guess, did you run out from home because you were wronged?¡± That sentence directly hit the most painful spot in An Xiaoyu¡¯s heart, and big tears fell again. ¡°I am not a thief!¡± While sobbing, she uttered these five words! ¡°En, I believe you!¡± Suddenly, An Xiaoyu was stunned. He actually said... he believed her? Even her own mother didn¡¯t believe her, yet this unfamiliar big brother... actually said he believed her! At that moment, An Xiaoyu¡¯s heart trembled immensely. ¡°Do you really... believe me?¡± ¡°Yes, I believe!¡± The boy suddenly conjured up a red apple as if performing a magic trick. ¡°Here, eat this! You haven¡¯t had dinner yet, right?¡± An Xiaoyu blinked but didn¡¯t take it. The boy chuckled and took An Xiaoyu¡¯s hand, placing the apple in her palm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this isn¡¯t a poisonous apple conjured by the wicked Empress with Magic! So... you won¡¯t get poisoned like the Princess!¡± This joke broke An Xiaoyu into a smile. Suddenly being cared for like this, she felt a warmth in her heart, like a stream of fresh spring flowing through, nourishing her weary body and soul. ¡°Thank you!¡± An Xiaoyu took a bite of the apple. It was really sweet, sweet to the core of her heart. ¡°Brother, my name is An Xiaoyu, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Qin Zixiao!¡± ¡°Zixiao brother, do you know, before you appeared, I felt... I was abandoned by the world! Even my mom didn¡¯t believe me!¡± Qin Zixiao patted An Xiaoyu¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Xiaoyu, as long as you are alive, the world will not abandon you. One day, you will have happiness of your own!¡± * An Xiaoyu¡¯s memories were summoned back, and she regained her focus. ¡°Chu Mucheng, I think, our meeting was a mistake from the very beginning!¡± Chapter 22 - 22 22, covered in mud specks ?22: 22, covered in mud specks 22: 22, covered in mud specks That day, when An Xiaoyu hurried to the restaurant where she had agreed to meet Qin Zixiao, she was already twenty minutes late. ¡°Sorry, Brother Zixiao, something came up last minute, so I¡¯m a bit late!¡± Qin Zixiao looked at her with a smile in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Are things taken care of?¡± An Xiaoyu nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if it was really taken care of, but after she said those words to Chu Mucheng, his face turned even uglier. However, he didn¡¯t continue to give her a hard time and instead left her with a cold remark: ¡°Even if it¡¯s a mistake, I want it to go on being a mistake! Also, a reminder, Qin Zixiao is getting engaged soon!¡± After saying that, Chu Mucheng turned and left. An Xiaoyu felt that this guy was incredibly unpredictable and somewhat baffling. Forget it, forget it, don¡¯t think about it anymore! This was a western restaurant located on the fifth floor of a mall, with a very elegant ambiance. They were sitting at a window seat, where a twist of the head allowed them to see the neon lights on the street, resembling a mottled and splendid river stretching endlessly as if there was no end. Soon, the waiter began to serve the dishes. An Xiaoyu looked at Qin Zixiao in front of her; he seemed the same as ever, but Xiaoyu keenly felt that they could never go back to the way things were before. Perhaps, today was their farewell dinner! He would soon be engaged, then married! Afterward, Brother Zixiao would no longer be her own Brother Zixiao, and she could no longer cling to him like she did in their childhood! ¡°Brother Zixiao, I haven¡¯t met your future sister-in-law yet, she must be very beautiful, right? Do you have a photo of her on your phone? Come on, let me see!¡± An Xiaoyu reached out her hand, asking for Qin Zixiao¡¯s phone. Qin Zixiao shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t have her photo on my phone. You¡¯ll meet her on the engagement day...¡± ¡°Oh, okay then!¡± An Xiaoyu withdrew her hand and started eating. Qin Zixiao watched her quiet and obedient demeanor, feeling somewhat bittersweet inside. He was reminded of times long past. It was over a decade ago, on the way home from school during summer, he saw a black Mercedes driving ahead of his family¡¯s car. It was the Chu Family¡¯s car, used specially to pick up and drop off Chu Mucheng for school. And Chu Mucheng... was his classmate. But halfway through the journey, the car suddenly stopped, and a little girl suddenly got out, her manner of exiting... looked like she was pushed out. It was raining outside, the girl had no umbrella, and amidst the curtain of rain, alone and determined, she walked forward without looking back. The Mercedes lingered for a moment and then sped off, splashing her with mud. That instant, Qin Zixiao frowned. ¡°Uncle Liu, who is that girl?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the Chu Family¡¯s stepdaughter, seems her name is An Xiaoyu. But from the looks of it, this girl isn¡¯t favored at the Chu Family! Tsk tsk... poor thing!¡± An Xiaoyu? This name! Ha... He rolled down the window, watching the girl walk in the rain, even humming a song. His home was located in the same villa complex as the Chu Family, and there was no direct bus service there, so when Chu Mucheng had abandoned her on the roadside, she had to walk back by herself, yet the road was still very long! ¡°Uncle Liu, drive slower!¡± As the car passed by, he got a clear view of the girl¡¯s face. She was a pretty girl, especially her eyes, clear and bright, full of spirit, and her small face was also filled with defiance. At that moment, his heart was slightly touched. ¡°Uncle Liu, let her ride with us back home!¡± ¡°Alright, Young Master!¡± So, the driver stopped the car, claiming to be a neighbor from the same complex as the Chu Family, offering her a ride, but she politely refused. ¡°Thank you, uncle, but my clothes are already dirty, I will dirty your car! I¡¯ll be home in a little while if I walk!¡± After saying that, she continued on her way alone. At that time, An Xiaoyu didn¡¯t know that he was sitting in the back seat of the car watching her. So later... when she ran away from home after being falsely accused by Chu Mucheng of being a thief, thinking it was her first time meeting him, in reality, he had already been paying attention to her for a long time. Chapter 23 - 23 23, Are you born in the year of the Dog ?23: 23, Are you born in the year of the Dog? 23: 23, Are you born in the year of the Dog? That night, he sent An Xiaoyu back home. After all, besides the Chu Family, she basically had nowhere else to go. However, that night after An Xiaoyu returned, Chu Yihong asked Chu Mucheng to apologize to her. Because Chu Yihong had already found out that the watch was clearly stashed away by Chu Mucheng beforehand, An Xiaoyu was completely unaware of it. Chu Mucheng refused, raising his bandaged wrist, and said, ¡°An Xiaoyu, are you a dog? You bite so hard! I¡¯ll apologize, but you have to say sorry first. What if my wrist ends up scarred?¡± Having her name cleared of the thief accusation, An Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes sparkled, but facing Chu Mucheng, she stubbornly glared at him, firmly refusing to apologize. Later, Su Linxue seeing the situation, meditated a few words, saying, ¡°Consider it even now. Let it be, it¡¯s getting late. The kids have school tomorrow, it¡¯s time to rest early.¡± An Xiaoyu went upstairs, and Chu Mucheng glanced at Qin Zixiao, his eyebrows slightly raised. ¡°Qin Zixiao, how come... you are together with her?¡± Qin Zixiao smiled. ¡°Picked her up by the lotus pond!¡± Chu Mucheng¡¯s expression turned even uglier. ¡°Stay away from that stinky girl in the future!¡± He knew that Chu Mucheng and An Xiaoyu didn¡¯t get along. After the watch incident erupted, Chu Mucheng and An Xiaoyu opposed each other even more, even often leaving her behind halfway through. Lately, An Xiaoyu simply bicycled to school, no matter how long the route or whatever the weather. Eventually, he started visiting the Chu Family more frequently. An Xiaoyu never called Chu Mucheng brother, but after he visited the Chu Family, An Xiaoyu always called him ¡°Brother Zixiao.¡± At that time, she was chatty like a little sparrow, always eager to share any new happenings with him. But at the same time, Chu Mucheng¡¯s expression grew even more sour. Latterly, he and Qin Zixiao both went abroad to study, and two years later, An Xiaoyu also studied overseas. But after returning to the country this time, she became distant from him! ¡°Xiaoyu, don¡¯t you... have anything to say to me?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± An Xiaoyu had just cut a piece of black pepper steak and put it in her mouth, blinking her eyes, ¡°Yes, the steak here is still as delicious as ever!¡± Qin Zixiao¡¯s eyes gradually darkened, but his face didn¡¯t show much expression. ¡°Hmm, if you like it, then eat more!¡± ¡°Yep, definitely.¡± During that meal, An Xiaoyu ate a lot. Perhaps, eating was the only way to keep her mouth busy. Speak less, eat more, that¡¯s what she should be doing now. But, the delicacy couldn¡¯t offset the bitterness in her heart, though her face still wore a carefree smile. An Xiaoyu had never thought that a simple meal... could be so tormenting. Finally, after the meal, she and Qin Zixiao left together. Just as she turned around, her gaze fell on a man sitting on her left rear side. That man was dressed in typical business elite attire, white shirt, black trousers, no tie with two buttons undone at the chest, looking somewhat lazy and casual. Wait, why does he look somewhat familiar? On a closer look, if it wasn¡¯t Shen Yufeng, then who was it? At this moment, Shen Yufeng¡¯s gaze also fell on her face. His elbows rested on the dining table, lifting a glass of red wine about to enter his mouth, he appeared to be about to speak to the man opposite him, but then suddenly turned his head, his gaze directly colliding with An Xiaoyu¡¯s. Those deep black eyes were calm and waveless, making it hard to guess whether his mood was good or bad. But soon, the corners of his lips slightly curled up in an upward curve. That smile sent chills down An Xiaoyu¡¯s spine, making her shiver instantly! Fuck, can you not smile at me like that? It¡¯s really too scary! Why does it feel like a wife on a date with another man getting caught by her husband? Chapter 24 - 24 24, oh, its your sister! ?24: 24, oh, it¡¯s your sister! 24: 24, oh, it¡¯s your sister! ¡°Xiaoyu, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Qin Zixiao noticed An Xiaoyu¡¯s unusual expression and followed her gaze, seeing Shen Yufeng sitting there. Shen Yufeng was just sitting quietly, yet he was enough to attract all eyes and become the center of attention. Qin Zixiao frowned. Such a person as Shen Yufeng, to appear here too? Actually, Qin Zixiao and Shen Yufeng weren¡¯t very familiar, but they had met on some occasions before, so naturally, he went over to greet him. ¡°President Shen, what a coincidence to meet you here!¡± An Xiaoyu was completely dumbfounded. So... it turns out that Brother Zixiao actually knows Shen Yufeng, this Plague God! She felt as if a multitude of ¡°grass mud horses¡± were galloping through her heart, somewhat unable to grasp the situation. Shen Yufeng swirled the red wine in his glass, the crimson liquid spinning and colliding against the sides, eventually settling into tranquility. ¡°Hmm. And who might this be by your side...¡± Shen Yufeng looked so elegant, so calm, his lips still curled in a smile, yet that smile seemed somewhat playful. An Xiaoyu narrowed her eyes. Is this guy pretending not to recognize her now? Qin Zixiao felt some doubts, Shen Yufeng directly asking about An Xiaoyu seemed somewhat strange. ¡°Her name is An Xiaoyu. She is a younger sister I have known since childhood!¡± ¡°Oh, so she¡¯s your sister!¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s tone lifted at the end, elongating the words ¡°your sister¡±. As soon as he finished speaking, the man sitting opposite him chuckled. ¡°Sorry, couldn¡¯t hold back!¡± An Xiaoyu frowned and glared fiercely at Shen Yufeng, muttering angrily inwardly: ¡°Your sister!¡± This guy, really... such a Plague God. She knew that nothing good ever happens when she encounters him! Shen Yufeng certainly did not miss the glare An Xiaoyu shot at him. He chuckled lightly and then said, ¡°But, the young lady is quite cute!¡± Upon hearing this, An Xiaoyu was instantly stunned. What exactly is this guy up to? Wasn¡¯t he just pretending not to recognize her? But now, he¡¯s actually praising her for being cute! An Xiaoyu blushed slightly, but her instincts told her that Shen Yufeng definitely had another trick up his sleeve. So, she quickly picked up the thread and said brazenly: ¡°Thank you for the compliment, President Shen! I¡¯ve been cute ever since I was little! Right, Brother Zixiao?¡± As she spoke, An Xiaoyu hooked her arm into Qin Zixiao¡¯s arm and shook it slightly. Qin Zixiao instantly understood, An Xiaoyu... wanted to leave! ¡°President Shen, then I won¡¯t disturb you any longer! Enjoy your meal!¡± Having said that, Qin Zixiao left with An Xiaoyu, but he didn¡¯t notice that behind them, Shen Yufeng¡¯s gaze became deep and mysterious. The enchanting man sitting opposite Shen Yufeng scoffed. ¡°Boss, what, lost your soul?¡± ¡°Mo Jinyu, eat your food!¡± Shen Yufeng gave him a cold glance. However, Mo Jinyu on the opposite side didn¡¯t back down but teased him even more. ¡°Wow wow, I¡¯m only caring a bit about you! Could it be that you¡¯ve taken a fancy to the young lady? Tsk tsk, it¡¯s not like you! But, I found out that her name¡¯s last character sounds the same as mine! Wouldn¡¯t that mean there¡¯s fate between us? What if I go after her...¡± Before Mo Jinyu could finish speaking, he saw a flash of cold light before him. He quickly turned his head, and a gleaming knife flew past his face. That was close! His most prized handsome face was almost ruined by Shen Yufeng¡¯s hand! Mo Jinyu patted his chest in fright. Whew... almost got disfigured just by eating a meal! Could their boss be any less humane! Chapter 25 - 25 25, Flatterers can get through where force will fail ?25: 25, Flatterers can get through where force will fail. 25: 25, Flatterers can get through where force will fail. Following Qin Zixiao out of the western restaurant¡¯s main door, An Xiaoyu quickly withdrew her hand. At that moment, Qin Zixiao inexplicably felt a sense of loss. Suddenly, he remembered something. That time he called Xiaoyu, and a man had answered the phone, the sound of the man¡¯s voice... seemed a bit like Shen Yufeng¡¯s. In an instant, it was as if a blow had struck his head, startling him. How is that possible? How could An Xiaoyu and Shen Yufeng have any intersection? Could it be that he was overthinking? After a moment of silence, Qin Zixiao suddenly asked, ¡°Xiaoyu, before you came back from the United States, when you called me, what did you originally want to say?¡± An Xiaoyu scratched her head, pretending it was nothing: ¡°Oh, that time? It was actually nothing. Just that my design was plagiarized and even won an award. I felt uncomfortable and wanted to talk to someone about it. But now it doesn¡¯t matter anymore. I have won plenty of awards anyway, so I don¡¯t miss that one!¡± ¡°Just that?¡± Qin Zixiao seemed to somewhat disbelieve her words. ¡°Of course. What else could it be?¡± The elevator reached the first floor, and they walked out of the mall¡¯s main entrance one after the other. Outside, a cool breeze was blowing, and An Xiaoyu felt much refreshed, walking down the steps. ¡°Xiaoyu, do you know Shen Yufeng?¡± This question caught An Xiaoyu off guard, her mind wandered for a split second, and as a result, she stepped wrongly and lost her balance. ¡°Ah!¡± Just as she was about to fall, Qin Zixiao grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. An Xiaoyu stumbled into Qin Zixiao¡¯s arms. At that moment, her faint fragrance wafted into his nose, leaving Qin Zixiao¡¯s mind in chaos. He didn¡¯t know what was going on, but tonight... something was not quite right with him. Especially when he saw Shen Yufeng making fun of An Xiaoyu, his mind churned with countless thoughts, feeling very uncomfortable. And now, he even felt as if An Xiaoyu was slowly drifting away from his world! That feeling was very foreign to him, yet it was like a needle, repeatedly pricking his heart. ¡°Zixiao brother, thank you, I¡¯m alright now!¡± An Xiaoyu subtly pushed away Qin Zixiao. I will never wear high heels again, they are truly harmful! ¡°Zixiao.¡± Suddenly, a gentle and sweet voice called out. An Xiaoyu looked towards the source of the voice and saw a woman with flowing long hair standing at the bottom of the steps, with bright eyes and white teeth, and fair skin ¨C indeed, a stunning beauty. Only, her expression seemed a bit upset. In an instant, Xiaoyu realized who this woman was. No way, this is so melodramatic... It¡¯s over, the scene from just now must have been misunderstood! ¡°Li Xin, what are you doing here?¡± Qin Zixiao was also a bit surprised. ¡°I was having a meal with friends across the street, and this person is...?¡± Before Qin Zixiao could reply, An Xiaoyu introduced herself. ¡°Sister-in-law, hello, I¡¯m An Xiaoyu, I just came back from the States a few days ago. Zixiao brother invited me for a meal, a welcome back treat of sorts! I heard you¡¯re getting engaged next month, congratulations!¡± The use of ¡°sister-in-law¡± seemed to considerably soften Li Xin¡¯s expression. ¡°You are An Xiaoyu?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s me! There was a time I called Zixiao brother, and you answered the phone. I recognized it was you just now by your voice. Sister-in-law is just as beautiful as I imagined!¡± Flattery will get you everywhere! She certainly didn¡¯t want the misunderstanding caused by what had just happened between Qin Zixiao and Li Xin to get any worse! That would be a huge misstep on her part! As expected, Li Xin was pleased and she stepped forward to link arms with Qin Zixiao. ¡°Zixiao has mentioned you before, he always treats you like his own sister and takes great care of you. When we get engaged, you must come!¡± After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Li Xin also offered to give her a ride home. An Xiaoyu quickly waved her off. ¡°No need to bother, it¡¯s very close to my home, I¡¯ll just walk back!¡± Chapter 26 - 26 26, dont distort the facts ?26: 26, don¡¯t distort the facts. 26: 26, don¡¯t distort the facts. It wasn¡¯t until Qin Zixiao drove off with Li Xin that An Xiaoyu bent down to rub her sore ankle. God damn, it¡¯s killing me! Just as expected, meeting Shen Yufeng never brings any good! That guy, he just pretended not to recognize her, and even made fun of her. Hmph! Like I care, who gives a damn about him! When I get home tonight, I am throwing his clothes into the trash! As soon as An Xiaoyu got home, the first thing she did was to take the suit jacket and shirt out of the closet, intending to throw them into the trash, but finally, she gave up. She threw the clothes onto the bed and stepped fiercely on them with her bare feet. Stepping you to death, stepping you to death! She couldn¡¯t vent her anger on Shen Yufeng in person, so she could only take it all out on his clothes. However, after stomping a few times, her ankle hurt even worse. An Xiaoyu lay powerlessly on the bed, sighing. Remembering the encounter in the western restaurant today, it really was... so frustrating! Shen Yufeng was teasing her, and to make things worse, the guy across from him was even laughing! Hmph! Truth be told, she had indeed imagined what it would be like to meet Shen Yufeng again, but she never expected it would turn out this way... The more she thought about it, the more depressing it felt! I hate it! Damn Shen Yufeng! An Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t fall asleep no matter what, so she got up again to wash her face. Forget it, it¡¯s pointless to be mad at Shen Yufeng, why punish myself for someone else¡¯s mistake? Since it¡¯s still early, I might as well put on a face mask to soothe myself! An Xiaoyu went to the kitchen, washed a cucumber, and picked up a knife, ready to slice it into thin pieces to put on her face¡ªa purely green, unpolluted natural face mask! But still feeling aggrieved, she angrily bit into the cucumber. Biting you to death, biting you to death! ¡°Ding-dong!¡± The doorbell suddenly rang. An Xiaoyu was startled for a moment. Who could it be at this late hour? Surely, it¡¯s not Chu Mucheng again! She walked to the door in her slippers and peered out through the peephole, her eyes widening instantly. The Plague God Shen Yufeng... he actually found his way here! What¡¯s going on! ¡°An Xiaoyu, I know you¡¯re at home!¡± The deep voice came through the crack of the door. An Xiaoyu cracked the door open and looked at him sideways. ¡°Hey handsome, do we know each other? You must have knocked on the wrong door!¡± An Xiaoyu still had an undigested piece of cucumber in her mouth, so her words were somewhat muffled, but clear enough for Shen Yufeng to understand. Playing dumb, who doesn¡¯t know how to do that? After saying that, An Xiaoyu pretended to close the door, but Shen Yufeng lifted his foot and wedged it in the door. ¡°After sleeping together, you still don¡¯t recognize me?¡± An Xiaoyu was instantly annoyed. ¡°Shen Yufeng, don¡¯t you distort the facts!¡± ¡°Oh, so what I said isn¡¯t true? Or maybe, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s misunderstanding?¡± ¡°...¡± Just as An Xiaoyu hesitated, Shen Yufeng pushed the door open and entered the hall. ¡°Hey, Shen Yufeng, I didn¡¯t invite you in.¡± An Xiaoyu blocked his path in frustration. She had already changed into a nightgown, which had a super cute SpongeBob on it, smiling with its mouth wide open. And right now, her little face was a bit red, but she stared at him with furrowed brows, arms spread out to block her path, like a little lobster with its claws outstretched. However, Shen Yufeng¡¯s gaze slowly trailed down her arms and settled on her hands. Suddenly, Shen Yufeng laughed. ¡°Is it tasty?¡± ¡°What?¡± An Xiaoyu blinked, only then noticing that Shen Yufeng¡¯s gaze was fixed on her hand. In her hand, she held a green cucumber, and on her head... it had just been bitten. Chapter 27 - 27 27, just kill you with pain! ?27: 27, just kill you with pain! 27: 27, just kill you with pain! Instantly, An Xiaoyu¡¯s mind exploded, her face turning red in a blink. Ahhh... An Xiaoyu hadn¡¯t figured out how to respond when Shen Yufeng continued, ¡°It looks fresh and succulent, should taste good!¡± The moment he finished speaking, he suddenly grabbed An Xiaoyu¡¯s hand, bringing the cucumber in her hand to his mouth and taking a bite. ¡°Mmm, it does taste rather good!¡± Shen Yufeng slightly smiled, then took another bite. After two bites, only the stub of the cucumber remained in An Xiaoyu¡¯s hand. An Xiaoyu was completely dumbfounded. The incredibly handsome man in front of her... was actually stealing her cucumber! No, no, no, that¡¯s not the most important thing. The most important thing is, she had already taken a bite from that cucumber! Oh my God! Isn¡¯t this... an indirect kiss? An Xiaoyu felt her blood pressure shoot up to over 200 instantly. ¡°Shen Yufeng!¡± An Xiaoyu gritted her teeth, about to explode, but Shen Yufeng casually walked into the kitchen. ¡°Is there anything else to eat? I¡¯m hungry!¡± An Xiaoyu was speechless. What¡¯s the deal with this guy? Did he come to her house just to find food? ¡°This is not a restaurant. Besides, haven¡¯t you already eaten?¡± ¡°That restaurant¡¯s food was too awful!¡± ¡°...¡± Please, the chef at that restaurant is one of the best locally, and it has a very good reputation, yet he disdainfully says it¡¯s awful? ¡°Make me a bowl of noodles then! The last one was fine, add two poached eggs!¡± An Xiaoyu felt like crying. This guy... really doesn¡¯t see himself as an outsider! But she had just moved here a few days ago and hadn¡¯t had time to buy a lot of ingredients. ¡°Is instant noodles okay?¡± she blurted out subconsciously. ¡°Mm!¡± He agreed quite readily. An Xiaoyu turned and entered the kitchen, but it hit her while she started cooking the noodles¡ªshe was once again obediently being ordered around by Shen Yufeng. Oh well, it¡¯s easy to invite the god but hard to send him away. Indeed, this ¡®God¡¯ is really peculiar, preferring instant noodles over fine dining from a Western restaurant! When she brought the cooked noodles to the living room, Shen Yufeng had already disappeared. Hey, where is he? She didn¡¯t hear him leave, so... he must be still in the house! An Xiaoyu turned her head and suddenly saw Shen Yufeng standing in her bedroom. Ahhh... she was going crazy! ¡°Shen Yufeng, get out!¡± She rushed into the bedroom, using both hands and feet to push Shen Yufeng out. Please, that¡¯s her private space! Shen Yufeng let her push him to the door, then suddenly turned around with a smile and asked, ¡°Why are my clothes laid on your bed? Are you sleeping with them at night?¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s face turned green. ¡°Who cares to sleep with your clothes! I was about to throw them in the trash! You just arrived before I could do that. Perfect, I¡¯ll pack your clothes and take them with you after eating!¡± Indeed, nothing good happens whenever she meets Shen Yufeng! An Xiaoyu huffed and picked up his clothes, stuffing them messily into his arms. ¡°My home is too small to accommodate a ¡®great god¡¯ like you. Hurry up and leave after eating!¡± After saying that, An Xiaoyu turned to leave. She had only taken a few steps when Shen Yufeng grabbed her wrist. An Xiaoyu, still furious, kicked back, only for Shen Yufeng to easily dodge it. An Xiaoyu¡¯s kick missed, and feeling indignant, she swiftly turned around and delivered another kick. This time, Shen Yufeng didn¡¯t dodge, but he countered her fierce kick, then grabbed her ankle, turned around, and pushed her back against the wall. ¡°You!¡± Why was it like this, were her years of training so useless against him? Dammit... this position was just utterly embarrassing! ¡°Shen Yufeng, you jerk, let go of me!¡± If he didn¡¯t let go soon, she was afraid her right leg would really be damaged! ¡°Let go, or I¡¯m going to start cursing!¡± An Xiaoyu was finding it hard to cope. Just then, Shen Yufeng gave a cold smile. ¡°What, is that all you¡¯ve got? You¡¯re still too green to fight me!¡± An Xiaoyu glared at Shen Yufeng, flames nearly shooting from her eyes. Suddenly, Shen Yufeng let go of one hand, pulled out a tube of ointment from his clothes, unscrewed it single-handedly, and applied it to her right ankle. An Xiaoyu was dumbfounded again. This man... was actually applying medicine for her? After the ointment was applied, Shen Yufeng put down An Xiaoyu¡¯s right leg and snorted. ¡°Serves you right to sprain your ankle! Hope it hurts like hell!¡± Chapter 28 - 28 In my house, my word is law ?28: In my house, my word is law. 28: In my house, my word is law. After Shen Yufeng finished speaking, he went straight to the restroom to wash his hands, and then sat down at the dining table to start eating noodles. An Xiaoyu froze in place, staring at Shen Yufeng¡¯s back, somewhat dumbfounded. This Plague God actually knew about her sprained ankle and even personally applied medicine for her? That¡¯s just too fantastical! Could it be... he saw it all? What¡¯s the situation? ¡°Cough cough.¡± An Xiaoyu coughed twice and walked to sit down at the dining table. ¡°How did you know I sprained my ankle? Don¡¯t tell me... you followed me?¡± Shen Yufeng glanced at her, ¡°Do I look like I have that much free time?¡± ¡°...¡± Indeed, that¡¯s true! But An Xiaoyu didn¡¯t say it out loud. ¡°I just happened to see it when you were leaving the restaurant,¡± he added coldly. Oh, so that was it. ¡°It seems that your ¡®brother¡¯ Zixiao is going to be engaged soon! His fiance?e is quite pretty and has a nice figure, unlike you, a skinny bean sprout with nothing much to look at!¡± ¡°Shen Yufeng, that¡¯s enough!¡± This guy, coming over here, is it just to rub salt in her wounds? ¡°Finish your meal and get out of here quickly!¡± An Xiaoyu turned around and went to sit on the sofa. The two of them stopped talking. The atmosphere in the room... suddenly became somewhat silent, as if enveloped by a low air pressure, making it hard for An Xiaoyu to breathe. Forget it, better turn on the TV, at least that way there will be some noise. She pressed the remote, and the TV screen quickly lit up, but the scene showing made An Xiaoyu want to bang her head against the wall. The channel was broadcasting a movie, and just perfectly it was the part of a steamy love scene, with hot and explosive visuals and breathy moaning sounds... What the heck! An Xiaoyu felt instantly awful. She grabbed the remote and frantically changed the channel, where a commercial was playing. ¡°Kidney weakness, sometimes after overexertion. Back and leg pain, lack of energy, feeling like the body is hollowed out, could it be kidney overdraw...?¡± A couple sweetly embracing, the wife smiling sweetly at the camera. ¡°Drink Huanyuan Kidney Treasure; good for him, good for me!¡± Damn! Can¡¯t one just watch TV peacefully! An Xiaoyu turned the TV off abruptly. From there, a low chuckle came. Undoubtedly, it was that guy Shen Yufeng laughing. An Xiaoyu turned her head and glared at him, huffing, ¡°Don¡¯t laugh!¡± ¡°What, is laughing illegal now?¡± ¡°In my house, my word is law. I said don¡¯t laugh, so don¡¯t laugh!¡± Shen Yufeng looked at her puffed-up little face and reined in the smile on his lips. ¡°OK, I won¡¯t laugh!¡± Patience for small matters keeps the big plans intact! But her angry expression... is really quite cute! Suddenly, An Xiaoyu¡¯s phone rang, and she quickly picked it up. It was Chu Mucheng¡¯s call. This late... what is he calling for? ¡°Is there something?¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s tone was indifferent. Honestly, Chu Mucheng lately has become more and more puzzling to her. ¡°Hello, may I ask... are you Miss An?¡± The voice of a strange man came through. An Xiaoyu was somewhat baffled. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. Who are you?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s like this. This is the Caesar Business Club, there is a gentleman here, he¡¯s drunk, could you come and take him home?¡± An Xiaoyu was instantly stunned. Chu Mucheng is drunk? The waiter calling her, asking her to take Chu Mucheng home? What¡¯s the situation? Chapter 29 - 29 30, a color of decadence ?29: 30, a color of decadence 29: 30, a color of decadence After hanging up the phone, An Xiaoyu glanced at Shen Yufeng. ¡°I have something to do. I need to go out.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Shen Yufeng lifted his lips, asking calmly. ¡°To pick someone up.¡± ¡°A man, or a woman? What¡¯s your relationship with them?¡± This time, Shen Yufeng¡¯s expression changed slightly. An Xiaoyu¡¯s eyelid twitched. She was not his wife, why did he care so much? Still, she answered truthfully: ¡°My stepfather¡¯s son!¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s gaze darkened further. After a moment, he spoke softly, ¡°It¡¯s unsafe for you to go out alone at night. I¡¯ll accompany you!¡± * A night bright with lights. The sound of an engine sped forth, accompanied by a silvery car silhouette, a sedan stopped at the entrance of Caesar Club. The pleasing engine sound wasn¡¯t enough; what¡¯s more, this car... was just too damn ostentatious! A vintage design, sleek bodywork, meticulously chosen materials, its texture like a piece of art, instantly attracted many gazes. ¡°Oh my, an Aston Martin Lagonda Taraf, over eight million... my God.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s this wealthy guy? We gotta see for ourselves...¡± Outside, the parking attendants busied themselves taking photos to send to their peers, while inside the car, An Xiaoyu said to Shen Yufeng, ¡°Thank you for driving me here, I can go in by myself.¡± Please, the car Shen Yufeng drove was already flashy and conspicuous, she didn¡¯t want to be the center of attention any further. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you outside!¡± Shen Yufeng insisted. An Xiaoyu sighed. Well, since Shen Yufeng was willing to act as a free chauffeur, why not take advantage of it? Following the address given by the waiter, An Xiaoyu found the private room where Chu Mucheng was located. Upon entering the room, An Xiaoyu almost choked. The room was filled with a strong smell of smoke and the heavy scent of alcohol, making it hard to breathe. Looking around secretly, An Xiaoyu finally spotted Chu Mucheng lying on the sofa. He seemed to have really gotten drunk, his entire body sprawled on the sofa, a few buttons of his shirt undone, revealing his toned chest, which under the dim lighting of the room, carried a bit of a decadent air. An Xiaoyu frowned as she got a clear view of Chu Mucheng¡¯s face. At this moment, his eyes were closed, as if he had sunk into a deep sleep. In this state, he lost the fierce look he usually had in her presence and the domineering aura he usually carried. He looked heavily burdened. Honestly speaking, Chu Mucheng was also... very good-looking, which is why so many girls liked him, comparable to moths drawn to flame. Since middle school, An Xiaoyu had witnessed Chu Mucheng¡¯s charm. Back then, many girls liked Chu Mucheng, and there were even those who asked her to deliver love letters to him. However, those letters that passed through her hands never got a glance from Chu Mucheng; he tore them apart immediately. Thus later on, when more girls asked her to deliver love letters, she could only firmly refuse. Knowing he was ruthless and fickle, changing girlfriends as if flipping through a book... yet so many girls still recklessly charged forward! Alas! An Xiaoyu sighed! Women always harbored dreams, thinking they could be the last woman for that man! Tsk tsk! Look at Chu Mucheng¡¯s current state! From her perspective, he appeared utterly debauched, but to those women who liked him... it definitely seemed pitiful! An Xiaoyu furrowed her brows, why did this guy get himself drunk to oblivion for no reason? ¡°Chu Mucheng, wake up!¡± An Xiaoyu kicked his leg, and Chu Mucheng lying on the sofa suddenly opened his eyes. ¡°Awake? Good. I came to take you home!¡± Instantly, those eyes clouded with haziness flashed a touch of brightness. Chapter 30 - 30 31 ?30: 31. Can¡¯t we just treat it as being bitten by a dog? 30: 31. Can¡¯t we just treat it as being bitten by a dog? ¡°Awake? Good, I¡¯ve come to take you home!¡± In an instant, her eyes, blurred with confusion, flashed with brightness. ¡°Give me a hand!¡± Chu Mucheng said, raising an arm. Perhaps due to drunkenness, his voice was somewhat hoarse. An Xiaoyu, seeing this, felt somewhat helpless. This guy, doesn¡¯t he even have the strength to get up? Forget it, one shouldn¡¯t quibble with a drunk, so she stepped forward, ready to give him a hand. Just as she grasped his hand, she was suddenly pulled with great force, An Xiaoyu hadn¡¯t even reacted before she toppled onto the sofa. Caught off guard, she fell head-first into the sofa, and even though it was a genuine, soft sofa, she was so unprepared that she still felt dazed. ¡°Chu Mucheng, you bastard!¡± This time, An Xiaoyu was truly angry. But Chu Mucheng paid no attention to An Xiaoyu¡¯s anger. He stared at the woman in his arms, holding her as if she were a pillow, as if at this moment, she had become his possession. Chu Mucheng brushed aside her hair, leaned close to her ear, his lips slightly curving into a smile, then whispered softly: ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t abandon me!¡± The smell of alcohol enveloped him, his intense drunkenness seemed to overtake his reason, almost using brute force to restrain her. Perhaps prompted by the alcohol, at this moment, Chu Mucheng¡¯s possessiveness was stronger than before. At this moment, with An Xiaoyu right before his eyes, Chu Mucheng reached out and pinched her chin. An Xiaoyu was utterly shocked. In his drunken state, Chu Mucheng was so strong, she couldn¡¯t break free at all. In her frantic confusion, suddenly, Chu Mucheng¡¯s head tilted, his head drooping down. An Xiaoyu opened her eyes and saw that devilish face. It was Shen Yufeng. This guy had actually followed her inside? An Xiaoyu realized, it was Shen Yufeng who had knocked Chu Mucheng out with a karate chop just now. Shen Yufeng¡¯s eyes flickered with intense flames. An Xiaoyu could tell, he seemed... angry. ¡°Absolutely useless!¡± Shen Yufeng said, snorting coldly, he dragged Chu Mucheng away and tossed him aside. An Xiaoyu regained her freedom, took a deep breath, quickly got up, and patted Shen Yufeng¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Thanks!¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s expression darkened even more. ¡°An Xiaoyu, if I hadn¡¯t come today, you wouldn¡¯t even know how you might have died!¡± An Xiaoyu felt somewhat guilty, but Shen Yufeng¡¯s savior-like attitude still slightly hurt her pride. The embarrassing scene witnessed by Shen Yufeng already made her feel humiliated, yet this guy even mocked her... An Xiaoyu¡¯s pride was a little bruised: ¡°It¡¯s just like being bitten by a dog, no big deal, right?¡± ¡°You...¡± Watching her dismissive attitude, Shen Yufeng¡¯s eyes became even more sharply intense, the profound darkness in his gaze like a gash through the murky night. Almost in an instant, he suddenly pulled An Xiaoyu into his arms, his lips coming down. An Xiaoyu was completely stunned. Because of the shock, her mind went blank, she instinctively tried to struggle, but her hands were restrained and her waist was encircled by his embrace. His arms dominantly and forcefully wrapped around her, confining her within his embrace, rendering her unable to move. She couldn¡¯t breathe... Chapter 31 - 31 No wonder ?31: No wonder 31: No wonder She felt the oxygen in her chest depleting, her whole body nearly at its last breath, and then, the force pressing on her finally vanished. ¡°Idiot, don¡¯t you know how to breathe?¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s entire little face was flushed red, she desperately gasped for air, like a fish that had been out of water for too long finally returning to it. She raised her eyes to look at Shen Yufeng, her face full of shock and bewilderment. ¡°Hey, how could you...¡± ¡°Could what?¡± An Xiaoyu was incredibly embarrassed and annoyed. But Shen Yufeng just hooked his lips into a smirk, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say kissing is no big deal?¡± An Xiaoyu clenched her fists, ready to explode. ¡°Bastard, that was my first kiss!¡± In that instant, Shen Yufeng felt a wave of joy suddenly swell in the depths of his heart. ¡°No wonder, I didn¡¯t taste anything special!¡± An Xiaoyu was really furious now, this guy truly knew how to act coy after gaining an advantage! She clenched her fists and charged towards Shen Yufeng. As Shen Yufeng parried, he casually said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re no match for me!¡± An Xiaoyu didn¡¯t care about that. After all, she was very angry. An Xiaoyu kept charging forward, while Shen Yufeng kept retreating, until he was cornered with nowhere else to go. He shook his head helplessly, sighed, and with a swift move, restrained her hands and feet. ¡°I told you, you¡¯re not my match!¡± Shen Yufeng looked at the little woman in front of him, her breathing rapid, her clear eyes filled with grievance and fury, and those cherry-soft lips in front of him, reminding him of the scene just before. Her lips were like poppies, indeed addictive. Just at that moment, the room¡¯s door was pushed open. ¡°Miss An, do you need any help...¡± It turned out to be the waiter who had called An Xiaoyu earlier, but he hadn¡¯t expected to see such a scene when he opened the door, and he instantly felt a bit embarrassed. ¡°Uh... sorry, carry on...¡± Shen Yufeng let go of An Xiaoyu and coldly said to the waiter: ¡°Wait a moment!¡± * The Aston Martin swiftly raced down the road, throwing off a beautiful curve. In the back seat lay Chu Mucheng, carried onto the car by the waiter. It seemed that Shen Yufeng had really hit him hard; otherwise, Chu Mucheng wouldn¡¯t still be unconscious. An Xiaoyu sat in the passenger seat, looking out the window, refusing to glance at Shen Yufeng. Right now, her mind was in turmoil, so confused... An Xiaoyu didn¡¯t speak throughout the journey, and neither did Shen Yufeng, making the atmosphere in the car tense and suffocating. An Xiaoyu felt extremely uncomfortable, like sitting on pins and needles. Her mind was filled with the image of Shen Yufeng kissing her! Ahhh... It was a complete blur! Why did he kiss her? Could it be that he likes her? This thought popped up, and like a game of whack-a-mole, An Xiaoyu immediately hammered it down. How could that be possible? Please, they are not even from the same world! The only explanation is that Shen Yufeng was bored and playing a trick on her! Such twisted fun! * The car soon arrived at Zilin Bay Villa District, An Xiaoyu called Housekeeper Xu, reporting that Chu Mucheng was drunk and asked him to send two people to the gate to pick Chu Mucheng up. At the gate of the Chu Family villa, the housekeeper was surprised to see An Xiaoyu step out of the Aston Martin. Chapter 32 - 32 33 ?32: 33. Just left the Chu Family and immediately clung to the thigh of a rich person! 32: 33. Just left the Chu Family and immediately clung to the thigh of a rich person! The car soon arrived at the Zilin Bay Villa District, where An Xiaoyu made a phone call to Housekeeper Xu, asking him to bring two people to the entrance to pick up Chu Mucheng, who was drunk. In front of the Chu Family mansion, the housekeeper was a bit surprised to see An Xiaoyu step out of the Aston Martin. An Xiaoyu deliberately ignored those probing gazes and opened the rear door of the car. After the two servants had taken Chu Mucheng away, Housekeeper Xu said, ¡°Xiaoyu, since you¡¯re at the doorstep, why not stay at home tonight?¡± An Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment. Staying at home... If Chu Mucheng woke up, it would mean a whole lot of trouble. But to go with Shen Yufeng... Tsk, tsk... that would be even more headache-inducing! She didn¡¯t even know how to face Shen Yufeng now. Thinking of this, An Xiaoyu felt annoyed. Shen Yufeng kissed her recklessly, but now, it seemed that she was the only one in distress, while that rascal seemed as if nothing had happened! Really, how unfair! As she was lost in thought, suddenly a blinding light approached, and a coffee-colored Beetle came driving up. ¡°Beep, beep...¡± The Beetle stopped at the Chu Family¡¯s front gate, the window rolled down, revealing a face with flaming red lips and glamorous makeup. Who else could it be but Chu Mushan? ¡°Oh my, look who¡¯s here. It¡¯s big sister, isn¡¯t it? Why on earth is big sister standing outside our home and not going in, especially in the dead of night?¡± Under the cover of night, Chu Mushan made no pretense. With neither Chu Yihong nor Su Linxue there, she didn¡¯t need to put on an act of sisterly affection, so her tone carried a hint of provocation. This family never had a place for An Xiaoyu; she was just an outsider. Yet, her arrival changed many previously established trajectories. After An Xiaoyu came, she not only snatched away her position as the top of her grade, but she even took the people around her. Whether it was Dad or her brother... Initially, she was the focus of their attention, but later on, An Xiaoyu stole it away. Their father cared for An Xiaoyu so much that he could even accept her not changing her surname; and her brother, whose eyes always seemed to revolve around An Xiaoyu; even brother Zixiao, whenever he came to the house, tended to chat happily with An Xiaoyu... She was meant to be the legitimate princess of this house, how could she possibly accept this? Therefore, the resentment towards An Xiaoyu accumulated day after day in her heart. Now that An Xiaoyu moved out, it was exactly what she wanted. Facing Chu Mushan¡¯s aggressive tone, An Xiaoyu said indifferently, ¡°I was merely helping out by sending Chu Mucheng back.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Chu Mushan¡¯s gaze fell on the Aston Martin, and she smirked knowingly. There was no way An Xiaoyu could afford such a luxury car. She sneered and said, ¡°Big sister is impressive, huh. Just after leaving the Chu Family, you¡¯ve already clung to a wealthy man¡¯s coattails! Congratulations!¡± Chapter 33 - 33 34 ?33: 34. What, do you dislike me? 33: 34. What, do you dislike me? Every word Chu Mushan said was laced with mockery. Just when An Xiaoyu was about to retort, she heard the sound of a car door opening behind her. Turning around, she saw Shen Yufeng had gotten out of the car, walking gracefully over to her side. He took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders before wrapping an arm around them. ¡°It¡¯s chilly outside, be careful not to catch a cold. Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ve dropped off the person, it¡¯s time to head home!¡± An Xiaoyu was utterly astonished. The tenderness he exuded could melt anyone¡¯s heart. She ignored Chu Mushan and obediently followed Shen Yufeng into the car. Meanwhile, Chu Mushan¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. That man... so incredibly handsome! Even the way he took off his coat was dashing! Since when did An Xiaoyu climb up the social ladder to snag such a striking man! Wait a minute! It seemed like she had seen this man somewhere before! An image flashed through Chu Mushan¡¯s mind. That man¡¯s face resembled Shen Yufeng, the CEO of the interstellar multinational conglomerate! Impossible! How could that man be Shen Yufeng? How could an utterly ordinary girl like An Xiaoyu have any connection with Shen Yufeng? ¡°Hey!¡± Chu Mushan shouted and hurriedly pursued them, but the engine of the Aston Martin roared to life, and the car swiftly sped away! Chu Mushan clenched her fists, her beautiful eyes wide with determination. An Xiaoyu, we¡¯ll see! * After the Aston Martin had driven off, it gradually slowed down. Shen Yufeng was the first to speak, ¡°It seems that you¡¯re not very welcomed at the Chu Family.¡± An Xiaoyu, resting her head against the pillow, closed her eyes wearily. ¡°As you can see!¡± Her situation at the Chu Family had always been like that: calm on the surface, but underneath, swords drawn and bows bent, amidst stormy seas. Chu Mucheng used to pick on her; now, Chu Mushan wasn¡¯t putting on an act! Thus, leaving the Chu Family, she could finally lead a peaceful life. Otherwise, she would have to keep playing ¡°The Disguiser¡± at home. They might not tire of it, but she certainly did! Shen Yufeng chuckled, then unexpectedly reached out and stroked her head. His touch was gentle, as if he were petting an animal. With this man¡¯s help, she hadn¡¯t been further entangled by Chu Mushan¡¯s cold remarks. In that moment, An Xiaoyu felt a trace of warmth. However, the next second, Shen Yufeng suddenly said: ¡°Actually, that woman¡¯s suggestion was pretty good! You might want to consider it.¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes snapped open, her gaze fixed on him. ¡°What do you mean?¡± There was a playful gleam in Shen Yufeng¡¯s eyes, but An Xiaoyu found it somewhat sinister, as if laced with scheming undertones. ¡°If you want to overpower them, why not find a more powerful ¡®big leg¡¯ to cling to? What do you think?¡± An Xiaoyu froze on the spot, as if all the gears in her brain had screeched to a halt. What did Shen Yufeng mean by that? Oh my God, she must have misheard!! Seeing An Xiaoyu¡¯s petrified state and the incredulous look in her eyes, Shen Yufeng kindly reminded her again: ¡°Look, how about me?¡± ¡°...¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s gaze slowly moved from his face downward. Did the God mean... to cling to his ¡®big leg¡¯? Ahhhh... is this really happening? ¡°What, you dislike me? Or do you think my ¡®legs¡¯ aren¡¯t thick enough?¡± Shen Yufeng left that thought-provoking comment in the air, a slight curve forming at his lips while his probing eyes settled on An Xiaoyu¡¯s face. But that gaze, it was beyond sharp. An Xiaoyu felt as if countless cold arrows were whizzing towards her from every direction. ¡°Cough cough...¡± Damn it, is Shen Yufeng trying to make life impossible for her! Chapter 34 - 34 35, Once a stranger, twice an acquaintance ?34: 35, Once a stranger, twice an acquaintance. 34: 35, Once a stranger, twice an acquaintance. An Xiaoyu quickly flattered, ¡°You¡¯re a God, how could your thighs not be thick? No one has thicker thighs than you!¡± After speaking, An Xiaoyu was again flustered by her own words. Why did that sound so suggestive? Shen Yufeng smiled contentedly, enjoying the feeling of being buttered up by this young woman... um, not bad. ¡°So, do you want to try a hug?¡± ¡°Uh... this...¡± An Xiaoyu scratched her hair, unsure how to answer this question. It was absolutely terrifying! ¡°Forget it! Just kidding! Look how scared you got! Your hair turned into a bird¡¯s nest!¡± As he spoke, Shen Yufeng kindly reached out to tidy up her messy hair. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, let¡¯s go home!¡± After saying that, the car suddenly accelerated. An Xiaoyu breathed a sigh of relief. Scared me to death! It was just a joke! Thank goodness! * The car stopped downstairs, An Xiaoyu got out of the car ready to go upstairs, but Shen Yufeng followed her. An Xiaoyu was puzzled, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Clothes...¡± An Xiaoyu suddenly realized. ¡°Sorry, I forgot!¡± Feeling embarrassed, she hastily tried to take off the clothes to return them to him, but Shen Yufeng shook his head, holding her hand. ¡°It¡¯s not that, I still have clothes upstairs!¡± ¡°...¡± Okay, they had left in such a hurry before that Shen Yufeng¡¯s two pieces of clothing were still at her place! The two of them entered the house one after the other, An Xiaoyu glanced at the clock on the wall, it was already one in the morning. The night had been too exhausting, and now that things had calmed down, her ankles started to pain again. As she was changing into slippers, she thought to herself that Shen Yufeng would take his clothes and leave, but when she turned around, she found him already lying on the couch. Uh... An Xiaoyu was stunned once again. ¡°Hey, Shen Yufeng, God, it¡¯s already one in the morning, it¡¯s very late!¡± Clearly, she was giving him the hint that it was late and he should go home. Shen Yufeng opened his eyes, glanced at her, and spoke leisurely: ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite late! So, I¡¯m going to sleep!¡± What? Sleep here? Please, this is her house, okay? As if she could sleep with him here. An Xiaoyu was going crazy, she paced around the room twice. ¡°Shen Yufeng, it¡¯s the middle of the night and you¡¯re not going home, don¡¯t your family worry about you? Also, sleeping here, alone with a woman in a room, aren¡¯t you afraid your wife would misunderstand?¡± Shen Yufeng suddenly laughed, his gaze lingering on An Xiaoyu¡¯s face, a bit intense, and soon enough he uttered four words. ¡°I don¡¯t have a wife!¡± That sentence choked An Xiaoyu up. ¡°Moreover, I drank half a glass of red wine tonight, as you know, one shouldn¡¯t drive after drinking! I can¡¯t break traffic laws.¡± Shen Yufeng looked very serious, making An Xiaoyu want to bang her head against the wall. What the hell! No driving after drinking? Then what about driving Chu Mucheng around before? Excuses! Pure excuses! ¡°An Xiaoyu, you can¡¯t repay kindness with ingratitude and kick me out at this hour! What if I get an accident because I¡¯m drunk, wouldn¡¯t you feel guilty?¡± An Xiaoyu didn¡¯t respond, and Shen Yufeng added another line. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not the first time we¡¯ve slept together, once bitten, twice shy! I think, you shouldn¡¯t mind, right!¡± An Xiaoyu almost wanted to burst into tears. God, you¡¯re really not shy! Can I say, I do mind? But there¡¯s no way, she can¡¯t overpower him! She had no choice but to accept her fate! Chapter 35 - 35 36, Otherwise, you sleep on the sofa, and I sleep on the bed ?35: 36, Otherwise, you sleep on the sofa, and I sleep on the bed? 35: 36, Otherwise, you sleep on the sofa, and I sleep on the bed? ¡°Are you sure you want to sleep on the sofa?¡± An Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t help but confirm once more. Shen Yufeng raised an eyebrow, a faint playful look crossing his face. ¡°Otherwise, you sleep on the sofa, and I take the bed?¡± An Xiaoyu hastily shook her head. Just kidding, she had no desire to torture herself! However, the sofa seemed a bit too short for Shen Yufeng to sleep on... it must be uncomfortable for him! An Xiaoyu moved a stool over to him, so at least he could rest his legs on it. Even though it was a bit of a stretch, this was the only thing she could do to help him. But, it was his own stubbornness to stay here and not her begging him, so why should she feel guilty? She certainly couldn¡¯t let him share a bed with her! An Xiaoyu consoled herself, then fetched a silken duvet from the wardrobe, along with a Winnie-the-Pooh pillow. The silk duvet was brand new, purchased just a couple of days ago and yet to be used; now, it had to be sacrificed for Shen Yufeng! Even though it was summer, what if he caught a cold without a blanket? ¡°Here, this is for you.¡± An Xiaoyu handed over the silk duvet, and Shen Yufeng unceremoniously wrapped it around him. An Xiaoyu wanted to take a shower. After all the commotion tonight, she had worked up quite a sweat. Without a shower, she¡¯d never make it through the night. However, with Shen Yufeng sprawled out in the living room, heading for a shower would really set minds wandering... Ah, never mind! This is her own home, and her comfort is what matters most! An Xiaoyu picked out a conservative top and bottom pajama set, slipped into slippers, entered the bathroom, and locked the door behind her. The sound of water murmured within; Shen Yufeng took a deep breath. An Xiaoyu... this girl trusts him quite a bit! He wasn¡¯t sure whether to cry or to laugh! After showering and dressing in pajamas, An Xiaoyu ensured her outfit was nothing short of decorous, perfectly fitting for a domestic woman, then she stepped out of the bathroom. ¡°Eh, you¡¯re not asleep yet?¡± The living room lights were still on, and Shen Yufeng was awake. His gaze fixed intently on her. An Xiaoyu¡¯s hair was pinned up in a bun on top of her head, with a few wet strands softly falling over her forehead. She wore no makeup, but the steam from the shower made her creamy skin blush with a moist pink hue, giving her the appearance of a bashful flower petal, ready to bloom after the rain. In that moment, Shen Yufeng¡¯s gaze darkened, as if a boundless night sky descended overwhelmingly. An Xiaoyu, of course, had no clue about what was going through Shen Yufeng¡¯s mind. She glanced at the clock on the wall once more. It was already half past one in the morning. ¡°Um... I¡¯m going to bed. You should turn off the lights yourself later, and get some rest too! Good night.¡± ¡°Good night!¡± Shen Yufeng watched An Xiaoyu¡¯s retreating back, his eyes as deep as the ocean. * An Xiaoyu lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. After all, there was a grown man outside, and this man had kissed her tonight! Now, he was sleeping on the living room sofa. All of this happened so abruptly today, so suddenly that she was caught off guard! Her thoughts were in tumult! Tossing and turning, flipping and flopping, she was eventually so exhausted that An Xiaoyu finally fell asleep, only to find herself plunged into a nightmare. Chapter 36 - 36 37, chop it up and feed it to the dog ?36: 37, chop it up and feed it to the dog 36: 37, chop it up and feed it to the dog In the dream, she returned to her childhood, went to the amusement park with her dad. Sitting on the carousel, eating cotton candy, she was having a wonderful time. Her dad stood below, giving her a slight smile, and she waved back at him with a smile too. But as the carousel made a turn and came back around, she shockingly discovered that the spot where her dad had been standing was now empty. ¡°Dad... Dad...¡± She was terrified and called out loudly, but there was no reply. ¡°Stop, I want to get off...¡± She wanted to get down, but the carousel just wouldn¡¯t stop no matter what. An Xiaoyu was overwhelmed by a splitting headache, filled with horror. Dad... She had finally seen her dad, but he disappeared just like that. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t go! Don¡¯t leave me alone!¡± As if in an instant, the world turned pitch black, and An Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t see a glimmer of light. A deep despair and fear slowly exploded in the bottom of her heart. ¡°Ah...¡± She let out a cry of despair and helplessness. ¡°An Xiaoyu, wake up... Wake up...¡± A strange yet familiar voice came to her ears. An Xiaoyu woke from the nightmare, tears streaming down her face, and she tried hard to open her eyes, seeing Shen Yufeng sitting by her side. In that moment, her anxious heart seemed to find its footing instantly, and she threw herself into Shen Yufeng¡¯s embrace, crying bitterly. ¡°I can¡¯t find my dad... He doesn¡¯t want me...¡± Shen Yufeng slightly furrowed his brows, and at last, tightened his arms, holding her closely. Just then, a ¡°rumble¡± came from outside the window. Lightning, accompanied by the massive sound of thunder, struck swiftly, shattering the entire Night sky, and a torrential downpour began. An Xiaoyu¡¯s body trembled in his arms, Shen Yufeng took a deep breath, gently patted her shoulder, and comforted her in a soft voice: ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here... Don¡¯t be scared... If he doesn¡¯t want you, I do!¡± Under his consolation, An Xiaoyu finally fell into a deep sleep again, but her face was burning hot. She seemed to have a fever! Shen Yufeng¡¯s eyes darkened, and he took out his phone, dialing Mo Jinyu¡¯s number. * The next day at noon. An Xiaoyu woke up in a warm embrace, feeling completely weak and with a terrible headache. But when she opened her eyes, she was instantly petrified. To her astonishment, she found herself sleeping in Shen Yufeng¡¯s arms. Oh my God... An Xiaoyu nearly leaped out of his embrace in one swift move, jumping off the bed, but she felt a piercing pain on the back of her hand and seemed to have hit something with her back, followed by a loud ¡°clang¡± and ¡°crash¡±. The person on the bed abruptly sat up, and the bedroom door was suddenly pushed open, a man dressed in a flamboyant floral shirt barged in. ¡°Oh my dear lady, you¡¯ve finally woken up!¡± The person lying in the bed was Shen Yufeng, and the one who barged in... was the guy who had dinner with Shen Yufeng last night, and who also mocked her. An Xiaoyu was utterly dumbfounded. What crashed to the ground were infusion bottles and a hanger, and her hand was still inserted with a needle, which was now causing the blood to flow back... What¡¯s going on? Mo Jinyu¡¯s face was a picture of grief: ¡°My dear lady, you¡¯ve finally woken up, you had a fever of 40 degrees last night. You think I have it easy? In the middle of the night, during thunder and rain, I came over to treat you. The thunder was so loud last night, I wasn¡¯t struck by lightning, but you almost scared me to death... The boss said that if you didn¡¯t wake up by noon today, to chop me up and feed me to the dogs!¡± Chapter 37 - 37 38 ?37: 38. That scene is simply too dazzling to the eyes. 37: 38. That scene is simply too dazzling to the eyes. An Xiaoyu was utterly astonished. Shen Yufeng was so violent! Ready to chop someone up and feed them to the dogs over one disagreement? So, it was all her fault, huh? Damn, it was just a fever, but why did it feel like the whole world had gone into chaos? But why on earth would Shen Yufeng call this flirtatious fool over? Could it be... ¡°You¡¯re a doctor?¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s face was filled with disbelief. In her mind, doctors were always meticulous and scrupulous, but this one in front of her... was really a bit too ostentatious! ¡°Oh, my little heart, it hurts so much!¡± Mo Jinyu feigned being deeply hurt, clutching his chest with a tearful face of anguish as he complained: ¡°Hey, that¡¯s really mean, how can you judge someone by their appearance? I graduated from Yale University Medical School, you know...¡± ¡°You¡¯re not needed here anymore, you can leave!¡± Mo Jinyu¡¯s eyes widened, and he sighed. ¡°Boss, you are so inhumane!¡± With the opposite sex present, humanity disappears; what an exact portrayal of the situation! As Mo Jinyu reached the door, he suddenly turned back and gave An Xiaoyu a bewitching smile, throwing her a flirtatious wink. ¡°Oh right, I haven¡¯t introduced myself yet, I am Mo Jinyu. ¡®Jinyu¡¯ from Zhou Gongjin and ¡®Jinyu¡¯ from Zhou Yu, don¡¯t you forget it!¡± An Xiaoyu, catching on, blurted out: ¡°Oh, so you are the one who was literally angered to death by Zhuge Liang!¡± Mo Jinyu felt like he was going to explode. ¡°Hey, that was a fictional account made up by later generations, fiction, do you understand? Historically, Zhou Yu died of illness, OK?¡± Suddenly, Mo Jinyu shivered. Why was there a feeling of an icy frost in June? Turning his head to look at Shen Yufeng, he realized that his face was already covered with frost. ¡°Mo Jinyu, I¡¯ll give you three seconds to disappear. Three... two...¡± Before ¡°one¡± could be uttered, Mo Jinyu slammed the bedroom door shut and made a hasty retreat. Shen Yufeng got up, went to An Xiaoyu, removed the needle from the back of her hand, and then picked her up and placed her on the bed. Right after, Shen Yufeng¡¯s big hand landed on her foot. An Xiaoyu, frightened, quickly withdrew her foot. ¡°Don¡¯t move, I¡¯m checking it.¡± She struggled slightly, but couldn¡¯t break free. Her foot was enveloped in his palm, and a warm current flowed directly from the sole of her foot. An Xiaoyu¡¯s face turned red instantly. A picture flashed through An Xiaoyu¡¯s mind: Shen Yufeng in a groom¡¯s attire, radiating distinguished charm, gracefully riding a tall horse to collect his bride, while she sat shyly in the bridal sedan, dressed in a phoenix crown, waiting for him to come and marry her. Oh my god... The scene was so cringeworthy, wasn¡¯t it? An Xiaoyu shivered all over, shocked by the thought. Shen Yufeng certainly had no clue what was running through An Xiaoyu¡¯s mind. He just wanted to check if her foot had been cut by the splashing glass shards. Luckily, it hadn¡¯t! When Shen Yufeng¡¯s gaze returned to An Xiaoyu¡¯s face, he found her cheeks were already a blazing red. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Chapter 38 - 38 39, Do you think a door can stop me ?38: 39, Do you think a door can stop me? 38: 39, Do you think a door can stop me? Watching her expression, Shen Yufeng knew she must be imagining some offbeat scenarios. An Xiaoyu quickly shook her head. ¡°Your head is shaking like a rattle, don¡¯t you feel dizzy?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± An Xiaoyu lowered her eyes, still feeling a bit awkward, so she started to talk about something else. Mo Jinyu said she had a fever of 40 degrees. Oh my, if Shen Yufeng hadn¡¯t found out, and it continued like this, wouldn¡¯t she have become an idiot? ¡°Um, thanks! But how did you know I had a fever? And...¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s voice became quieter, seemingly lacking confidence, ¡°how did you get in?¡± I clearly locked the door, okay? Shen Yufeng snorted. ¡°Do you think a door can stop me?¡± ¡°...¡± An Xiaoyu had nothing to say. ¡°It¡¯s true, you could even steal people¡¯s cars back then... you didn¡¯t need a key to start them...¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s mouth corners drooped, this woman! ¡°It was just borrowing, I¡¯ve already compensated the owner double! Enough for him to buy two new cars!¡± An Xiaoyu curled her lips. Hmph! Being rich is so great, huh! But wait... when she woke up this morning, she was sleeping in his arms! Thinking of this, An Xiaoyu felt unsettled again. ¡°Hey, Shen Yufeng, there¡¯s a sofa outside, why did you come and fight me for the bed?¡± Shen Yufeng looked at her with a smile that was not quite a smile. ¡°What, you got a fever once and don¡¯t remember anything?¡± An Xiaoyu blinked. What should she remember? ¡°It¡¯s not that I wanted to linger in your bed, but that you were holding onto me and wouldn¡¯t let go! Look, my clothes are all covered with your tears and drool!¡± Nani? Holding him and not letting go? How could that be possible! ¡°Mo Jinyu can testify. Should I call him in?¡± Shen Yufeng kindly reminded. She carefully recalled, and it seemed like she had indeed thrown herself into Shen Yufeng¡¯s arms, holding onto him and not letting go... An Xiaoyu instantly felt defeated and quickly waved her hand. ¡°No, no need!¡± It seems she really brought misfortune upon herself. But the Shen Yufeng in her memory... was actually so gentle... Was she dreaming? Nowadays, she really couldn¡¯t distinguish reality from dreams. But no matter what, she again slept with him in the same bed, that¡¯s an ironclad fact. Alone with a man in one room, cuddling and embracing... Oh my gosh... why does she feel like her affair with Shen Yufeng is getting more and more entangled? * Chu Family. Chu Mucheng finally woke up, his head throbbing badly, and his neck also feeling very uncomfortable, as if it had been severely struck. He sat up, squinted his eyes, touched his neck, and searched through the memories of last night. Last night, An Xiaoyu really did come to pick him up, and later he even held her in his arms, but he really couldn¡¯t remember what happened afterwards. Could it be that the girl knocked him out? Seems like he had underestimated her! Chu Mucheng walked out of his room, just in time to run into Chu Mushan. ¡°Brother, you finally woke up.¡± Chu Mucheng frowned, ¡°Why, do you need something?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, just want to know, who was the man that came home with An Xiaoyu last night?¡± A man? Was An Xiaoyu with another man last night? Chu Mucheng¡¯s gaze instantly turned icy cold. Chapter 39 - 39 40, Im a carnivore; youre making me eat grass, do you still want me to live ?39: 40, I¡¯m a carnivore; you¡¯re making me eat grass, do you still want me to live? 39: 40, I¡¯m a carnivore; you¡¯re making me eat grass, do you still want me to live? Rain is still falling outside, drizzling gently. Chu Mucheng stands in the corridor, watching the endless fine rain, his handsome face displays a hint of indifference, and his eyes, a touch of gloom. His heart feels just like the world outside, muddy and agitated by an indescribable feeling, an inexplicable oppression is upon him, mixed with a vague anger and a trace of pain. ¡°Brother, your face... Why do you look so awful?¡± Chu Mucheng withdrew his gaze and picked up the water cup. ¡°Really? It¡¯s probably because of the hangover!¡± ¡°By the way, what happened last night? How come An Xiaoyu was the one who brought you back? Don¡¯t tell me that was a coincidence!¡± Chu Mucheng didn¡¯t answer. Of course... it wasn¡¯t a coincidence! It¡¯s just that, everything exceeded his expectations. Chu Mushan hesitated for a moment and asked, ¡°Brother, you couldn¡¯t be... falling for her, could you?¡± Chu Mucheng suddenly turned his head, his deep black eyes meeting Chu Mushan¡¯s gaze. He scoffs and says coldly, ¡°Fall for her? That wild girl? You must be joking!¡± Chu Mushan seemed to exhale in relief, ¡°That¡¯s good then! I really don¡¯t want her to become my sister-in-law!¡± All of a sudden, Chu Mucheng feels a bit irritated. He turns and heads downstairs. ¡°I still have matters to attend to at the company, I¡¯m leaving first!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the weekend today!¡± Chu Mushan reminds him, but Chu Mucheng¡¯s figure has already disappeared at the stairwell. Chu Mushan is somewhat puzzled. He hasn¡¯t told her yet, who that man is! Forget it, if he won¡¯t say, she¡¯ll find out on her own! How many men in the entire A city can afford an Aston Martin? * An Xiaoyu doesn¡¯t know that the Caesar Business Club is actually part of Hong¡¯an Group, and that Chu Mucheng is its secret owner. After leaving home, Chu Mucheng goes straight to the club and has someone pull up the video surveillance from the lobby and the entrance. As expected, he sees An Xiaoyu getting out of an Aston Martin and entering the club. Shortly after, a man gets out of the car and enters the club unhurriedly. Later on, he is seen being helped out by the waitstaff, while An Xiaoyu followed that man out and they both got into the car one after the other. Indeed, she was together with another man, and that person wasn¡¯t Qin Zixiao. If he¡¯s not mistaken, that person... should be Shen Yufeng! How could she be together with Shen Yufeng? She was in such a hurry to leave the Chu Family, even wanting to draw a clear line with him. If it wasn¡¯t because of Qin Zixiao, could it be because of Shen Yufeng? Chu Mucheng clenches his fists, his handsome face overshadowed with a shade of gloom. An Xiaoyu, how daring of you! * ¡°Achoo! Achoo!¡± An Xiaoyu sneezes twice. They say sneezes come when you¡¯re thought of, cursed at, or talked about; she frowns, ¡°Who¡¯s cursing me?¡± At this moment, Mo Jinyu¡¯s excited voice comes from outside the door. ¡°Time to eat!¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s spirits instantly lift, she¡¯s so hungry! But when she gets to the dining table and sees several dishes laid out ¨C Braised Pork Belly, Stir-fried Chicken with Chestnut, Braised Prawns... Wow, they¡¯re all her favorites! ¡°Yes!¡± She eagerly picks up her chopsticks to start eating, but someone raps the back of her hand. Ouch! She looks up, glaring hard at the culprit. ¡°Shen Yufeng, what are you doing?¡± ¡°These are not for you, this is what you get!¡± Having said that, Shen Yufeng places a plate of greens and a bowl of porridge in front of her. An Xiaoyu explodes with ire, this is blatant bullying! She slams the table, ¡°Shen Yufeng, I¡¯m a carnivore and you¡¯re making me eat grass, are you trying to starve me to death?¡± Chapter 40 - 40 41 ?40: 41. Why am I always the one getting hurt...... 40: 41. Why am I always the one getting hurt...... Shen Yufeng completely ignored An Xiaoyu¡¯s indignant expression. ¡°You¡¯ve just recovered from a fever, you should eat something light, it¡¯s conducive to your recovery!¡± ¡°The boss is right!¡± Mo Jinyu quickly raised his thumb in approval, as if Shen Yufeng was the doctor and his words were the gospel truth. An Xiaoyu gave Mo Jinyu a glare. Hmph, this stinky goldfish, he¡¯s clearly in cahoots with Shen Yufeng! The two of them are ganging up and deliberately making things difficult for her! If everyone were eating veggies together, she wouldn¡¯t complain. But now, they¡¯re eating meat... and she doesn¡¯t even get to have the soup! But, she was really starving... An Xiaoyu ate her veggies with infinite resentment, vowing silently: Shen Yufeng, just you wait! You better hope you never fall into my hands, or I¡¯ll make sure you won¡¯t even get veggies! Soon, the meal was over, leaving behind only empty plates and bowls. The three people glanced at each other, their eyes falling on the dining table. Well... someone has to clean up the dishes! Seeing Mo Jinyu¡¯s gaze fall on her, An Xiaoyu shrugged her shoulders: ¡°I¡¯m still a patient! My body is still very weak!¡± They bullied her during the meal, and now, they want her to clean up the dishes? No way! Mo Jinyu then timidly looked at Shen Yufeng, only to meet his cold, blade-like gaze. ¡°What are you looking at me for? You want me to wash the dishes?¡± Mo Jinyu shivered, how could he dare to trouble Shen Yufeng? That would be a death wish! Having no choice, he scuttled off to wash the dishes. Alas, the heavens are unjust! He has to treat people, order takeout, and also wash dishes... tsk, he¡¯s practically become a housemaid! His hands, meant for holding surgical tools, are so precious, but now... they¡¯re wasted on washing dishes, how can he bear this indignity! Soon, from the kitchen came a mournful, slightly off-key singing¡ª ¡°Why am I always the one who gets hurt, what did I ever do wrong...¡± An Xiaoyu burst into laughter. Suddenly, she discovered that life had become much more enjoyable. But the next second, she felt a cold draft hit her face and looked up to see Shen Yufeng staring at her. ¡°So happy?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± An Xiaoyu blinked her eyes, ¡°Mo Jinyu is so hilarious! With him around, I¡¯m sure to laugh non-stop every day, guaranteed to develop abs!¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s complexion turned visibly darker. ¡°You like him?¡± ¡°Ah? Like... or don¡¯t like?¡± An Xiaoyu felt awkward, looking at that gate god-like face, unsure of how to respond. At this moment, Mo Jinyu, having finished washing the dishes, walked out of the kitchen. He only heard the latter half of the conversation and asked nosily, ¡°Don¡¯t like what?¡± An Xiaoyu sighed, ¡°Your boss here was asking me if I liked you!¡± Mo Jinyu was instantly stunned, his mouth agape enough to fit an egg. He hastily waved his hands. ¡°Please don¡¯t like me, An Xiaoyu, madam! Otherwise, I¡¯ll die a miserable death! Please, please!¡± After speaking, Mo Jinyu even put his hands together and made a praying gesture. This time it was An Xiaoyu¡¯s turn to be surprised. She turned her head to look at Shen Yufeng, this idiot... He¡¯s that scared of him? Before An Xiaoyu could respond, the doorbell rang. Mo Jinyu, as if granted a reprieve, dashed off with a howl. ¡°I¡¯ll go check, see who it is!¡± Chapter 41 - 41 42, Boss, dont let go ?41: 42, Boss, don¡¯t let go 41: 42, Boss, don¡¯t let go Mo Jinyu opened the door and saw several women standing outside, dressed in the uniform of a certain mall, looking very professional, while several large boxes rested behind them. ¡°Excuse me, is Miss An Xiaoyu at home?¡± An Xiaoyu hurriedly got up and walked to the door. ¡°I¡¯m here, may I ask... what do you want with me?¡± ¡°These are the shoes you ordered, we¡¯ve delivered them to you!¡± After saying that, each of them carried a box into the house and quickly unpacked them, opening each one after another. An Xiaoyu was stunned. All the boxes were filled with brand-new shoes, each pair more gorgeous than the last, dazzling to the eyes. But soon, An Xiaoyu snapped out of her initial shock. ¡°Wait a minute, I didn¡¯t buy these, is there a mistake?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no mistake, the address is here! The name also matches! They are indeed yours!¡± Uh...An Xiaoyu was somewhat baffled, was this the kind of windfall that falls right out of the sky, landing on her head? Why did it feel so surreal? As if in a dream? At this moment, Shen Yufeng, standing behind An Xiaoyu, spoke indifferently. ¡°Don¡¯t be so surprised, I¡¯m the one who bought them!¡± An Xiaoyu whirled around to look at Shen Yufeng. Has he lost his mind? All these shoes are for women... can he, a grown man, even wear them? ¡°Does your ankle still hurt?¡± Shen Yufeng suddenly asked, prompting An Xiaoyu to look down at her foot. ¡°A lot better. It doesn¡¯t hurt that much anymore.¡± Thanks to the medicine he applied last night, otherwise, there was no way she could walk as comfortably as she did now. ¡°Hmm,¡± Shen Yufeng nodded, ¡°I bought you all these new shoes, don¡¯t wear high heels anymore.¡± An Xiaoyu was dumbfounded. All these shoes... It would take her ten to eight years to wear them all out! But why on earth did he buy her so many shoes? At that moment, Mo Jinyu stepped forward, grinning at An Xiaoyu, ¡°No worries, it¡¯s perfectly normal for our boss to buy shoes for his woman!¡± An Xiaoyu glared at him, ¡°What nonsense, who is his woman?¡± Mo Jinyu innocently touched his nose. ¡°If you aren¡¯t his woman, why is he so worried about you? Plus, you two slept in each other¡¯s arms last night, hugging so tightly...¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s face turned green in an instant. This guy, always bringing up the most awkward subjects, right? ¡°Stinky goldfish, are you asking for a beating?¡± As An Xiaoyu spoke, she moved to chase and hit Mo Jinyu, but after just a couple of steps, she was snagged by a large hand around the waist and fell into a solid, warm embrace, unable to break free. ¡°Hey, let me go!¡± Shen Yufeng, however, commented blandly, ¡°How about that, he spoke the truth, and you¡¯re upset?¡± An Xiaoyu snorted, ¡°He¡¯s slandering and defaming me!¡± ¡°Oh? So last night... you didn¡¯t hug me while sleeping?¡± The people who came to deliver the shoes were holding their laughs, taking them for a couple already. An Xiaoyu was even more embarrassed. ¡°Stop it, let go of me now!¡± ¡°Boss, don¡¯t let go, otherwise she will beat me up!¡± Mo Jinyu opportunely winked at Shen Yufeng. Haha, now seeing Shen Yufeng¡¯s mood clear up, Mo Jinyu relaxed. Please, where could you find such a perfect wingman like him? Suddenly, An Xiaoyu noticed that in the last box to be opened there were several pairs of men¡¯s leather shoes. ¡°Wait, those are...¡± ¡°Mine!¡± Shen Yufeng whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her, making An Xiaoyu¡¯s body shiver slightly. It tickled! The tickle spread from her skin straight to her heart. ¡°Wait, why are your shoes... being delivered here?¡± An Xiaoyu wondered. But Shen Yufeng smiled gently. ¡°Well, just in case... they are needed!¡± An Xiaoyu was shocked. Dammit... Was he actually planning to stay over at her place regularly? Chapter 42 - 42 43, Thats too exaggerated ?42: 43, That¡¯s too exaggerated. 42: 43, That¡¯s too exaggerated. An Xiaoyu could no longer keep calm; she struggled free from Shen Yufeng¡¯s embrace. ¡°Shen Yufeng, what on earth are you trying to do?¡± Shen Yufeng looked at her, his gaze as tranquil as still water. ¡°What, you¡¯re not satisfied with these shoes?¡± An Xiaoyu scratched her head. ¡°This is not a question of satisfaction, okay? Don¡¯t you think that this kind of behavior can easily be misunderstood?¡± ¡°Misunderstood as what?¡± An Xiaoyu glanced at him, opened her mouth, but didn¡¯t know how to say it¡ªmisunderstood that he liked her? How embarrassing, right? How could she possibly say it? ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s impossible to explain it to you!¡± Shen Yufeng looked at her extremely troubled expression, paused, and then said, ¡°With your intelligence, it¡¯s probably better not to explain.¡± An Xiaoyu turned around in annoyance, ignoring him. After sending those women away, An Xiaoyu began to organize the shoes. Flats, sneakers, Martens boots, and the somewhat ugly but cute duck boots. There were all types for all four seasons, each style different but all in her size. The only thing they had in common was that none of the heels were high. A sudden warmth filled An Xiaoyu¡¯s heart¡ªthis Shen Yufeng... he really did know how to show concern for people. It was just a bit too extravagant for her taste, and hard for her to accept! Right then, Shen Yufeng¡¯s phone rang. He turned and went to the balcony to take the call. After hanging up, he walked over to An Xiaoyu. ¡°I have to go out for a bit, are you going to be okay by yourself at home...?¡± ¡°Of course, no problem.¡± ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ll try to come back early tonight.¡± An Xiaoyu was petrified once more. God, could I ask you not to come back?! Shen Yufeng left, and Mo Jinyu followed him out. Please, if he still lingered around here, the boss would surely skin him alive! In a situation that invites suspicion, he still needed to be tactful! * Actually, the relationship between the Mo Family and the Shen Family has a long history. Back in the day, the Mo Family served as the servants for the Shen Family. Later on, the Mo Family produced a highly talented doctor. The old master of the Shen Family loved talents, so he used his connections to release him from servitude and sent him to the Imperial Hospital to become an imperial physician! It could be said that the Mo Family began to gain prominence from that moment on. Many people would willingly give up all they had for just one treatment from the Mo Family, yet such opportunities were hard to come by. However, for the Shen Family, it was always on call, immediately available. Although many years have passed and the world has changed drastically, the bond between the Mo and Shen families has continued. Now, with Shen Yufeng of the Shen Family and Mo Jinyu of the Mo Family, their relationship remains as strong as iron. As the two men walked downstairs, Mo Jinyu looked at Shen Yufeng¡¯s calm and serious face and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Boss, you can¡¯t seriously be... fixated on her, can you?¡± Shen Yufeng slightly turned his head and glanced at him. ¡°Why, is it not allowed?¡± Mo Jinyu narrowed his eyes. ¡°Of course not.¡± Shen Yufeng was an anomaly among their brothers, never indulging in the company of women. In the past, there were many women who tried to get close, but none could stir the slightest ripple in him. All those women were turned away at his door, and he would even throw away anything they had touched. Of course, Mo Jinyu, being a doctor, was the only one who knew about Shen Yufeng¡¯s condition. He had tried various methods to treat Shen Yufeng, but all ended in failure. He had sighed more than once, wondering if this was going to be Shen Yufeng¡¯s life from now on. But now, he had finally seen something new. That An Xiaoyu... geez, truly extraordinary. She actually managed to sleep snuggled up with the boss for so long! Chapter 43 - 43 44, at least make a sound ?43: 44, at least make a sound. 43: 44, at least make a sound. Shen Yufeng has never been this concerned about any woman before. An Xiaoyu... truly an exception. Mo Jinyu hesitated for a moment, but couldn¡¯t help asking: ¡°Boss, are you really into this woman? Can she... evoke a reaction from you?¡± Because he knew Shen Yufeng so well, he didn¡¯t need to consider using any slightly more obscure words, so he spoke quite straightforwardly. The footsteps of Shen Yufeng, which were originally moving forward, suddenly halted. What surfaced in his mind was that expressive little face, with the corners of the lips slightly raised. He didn¡¯t say anything, but Mo Jinyu instantly understood. He was truly astonished. So An Xiaoyu could actually elicit a reaction from their ascetic boss who usually shows no interest in women! OMG! It¡¯s like Mars colliding with Earth... And, judging from Shen Yufeng¡¯s attitude towards An Xiaoyu... oh my... There¡¯s definitely some good drama coming up! ¡°Boss, how did you meet her? Don¡¯t tell me you just met her last night, I¡¯m no three-year-old, so you can¡¯t lie to me. Tell me!¡± Mo Jinyu¡¯s curiosity bubbled up again, pestering Shen Yufeng non-stop. However, Shen Yufeng completely ignored him and continued walking forward, pressing a key to unlock the car door. Just as Shen Yufeng was about to get into the car, Mo Jinyu caught up. ¡°Boss, at least make a sound!¡± ¡°Squeak.¡± Then, Shen Yufeng closed the car door and drove away. Mo Jinyu stood there, his mouth twitching instantaneously. He couldn¡¯t help but reach out to his ear, was that an auditory hallucination just now? It must have been, otherwise, could that ¡°squeak¡± really have come from Shen Yufeng? Ahhh, that cold, aloof, proud, domineering Shen Yufeng, actually cracking a joke and acting cute, what is not possible now? Suddenly, Mo Jinyu felt like the world was starting to disintegrate! * ¡°Ding Dong.¡± An Xiaoyu had just lied down, and the doorbell rang again. She got up to answer the door, saying as she opened it: ¡°How come you¡¯re back so soon, did you forget something?¡± Upon seeing the person outside the door, An Xiaoyu was somewhat surprised, it was Chu Mucheng! ¡°Why is it you?¡± Chu Mucheng¡¯s expression was dark, he sneered. ¡°If not me, who were you expecting?¡± Just as Shen Yufeng¡¯s Aston Martin was driving out of the residential gate, Chu Mucheng was entering the complex in his Land Rover. At the sight of that car, Chu Mucheng felt as if he couldn¡¯t breathe, like his heart was being gripped by a pair of invisible hands, desperately tearing it, pain drilling into his bones. Sometimes, hearing from others is one thing, but seeing it with your own eyes... is another thing entirely. Now, he could no longer suppress the rage in his heart. An Xiaoyu, seeing the anger on Chu Mucheng¡¯s face, knew he must be here to confront her about knocking him out last night. ¡°Chu Mucheng, about last night, I...¡± Before she could finish her sentence, An Xiaoyu was suddenly shoved by Chu Mucheng, her back slamming against the wall, causing her to gasp in pain. ¡°Hey, what are you trying to do?¡± Chu Mucheng, his eyes already red, didn¡¯t listen to her, instead, his hands began to tear at her clothes. An Xiaoyu was stunned. ¡°Chu Mucheng, have you lost your mind?¡± Chapter 44 - 44 45, I must be crazy ?44: 45, I must be crazy... driven insane by you 44: 45, I must be crazy... driven insane by you Chu Mucheng¡¯s deep eyes flashed with piercing cold light, like a violent storm coming to tear Xiaoyu apart. How could this happen? All these years, she had always been his prey. She was always under his palm, to be played with whenever he wanted, teased and watched as she either suppressed or displayed her rage, giving him a unique sense of satisfaction. Mocking her had become a pleasure in his life, and he... was tireless in it. Even though she had been studying abroad these years, he knew that sooner or later she would return to the Chu Family, back under his control. But now, it seemed... he had been careless. Even worse, it¡¯s possible that she was already claimed by another man first. Just thinking of her leaving with Shen Yufeng made him uncontrollably angry. Yesterday evening, Xiaoyu was with Shen Yufeng... A man and a woman alone in a room, what else could they have done? And at this moment, he really felt he was going to lose his mind. ¡°Chu Mucheng, have you gone mad?¡± Xiaoyu glared at him angrily. Chu Mucheng snorted lightly, his eyes filled with mockery and also a sharp edge. ¡°I am mad... Mad because of the torment you¡¯ve put me through!¡± Suddenly, Chu Mucheng bent his head down sharply, his handsome face rapidly enlarging in front of her eyes. ¡°Mmm...¡± This move by Chu Mucheng caught Xiaoyu off guard. She pushed him away with all her might, instinctively reaching out her hand to slap his face hard. The sound of the slap was crisp and loud, as if it split open a crack in the stagnant air in an instant. Xiaoyu stared at Chu Mucheng with reddened eyes, her entire body trembling, and her palm felt a tingling soreness... Chu Mucheng, who was he to treat her like this? Time and again... She couldn¡¯t take it anymore! ¡°Chu Mucheng, I despise you!¡± An Xiaoya bit her teeth and said shakily, then turned and ran out. In the moment the elevator doors closed, her tears could no longer be held back and fell. * A burning pain spread across Chu Mucheng¡¯s left cheek, but the pain on his face was nothing compared to even a thousandth of the agony in his heart. She said... she despised him! He was bewitched to care for her so much, to be so obsessed with her. Chu Mucheng¡¯s eyes became bloodshot as he chased after her, but the elevator doors had already closed. He punched the wall fiercely. * Mo Jinyu was just about to start the car and leave, when suddenly he saw Xiaoyu running down from the upstairs in her slippers, making him dumbfounded instantly. She was running so fast, was she being chased by a ghost? He hurriedly called Shen Yufeng¡¯s phone. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s an emergency, your sister-in-law is in trouble!¡± Chapter 45 - 45 46, Stray kitten ?45: 46, Stray kitten 45: 46, Stray kitten Shen Yufeng listened to the phone, his stern face revealing a trace of gloom. After hanging up, he immediately called his assistant. ¡°Have Ling Moqing preside over this afternoon¡¯s meeting in my place!¡± * An Xiaoyu¡¯s apartment was on the sixteenth floor; by the time the next elevator arrived, it was already late. Chu Mucheng chased out of the neighborhood¡¯s gate, hesitated for a moment, then pursued toward the west. What he didn¡¯t know was that An Xiaoyu had run to the east side of the neighborhood where there was a narrow alley, inside was an abandoned factory, almost no one came and went, with only a recycling station run by an elderly couple, the ground covered with old newspapers, books, beer and soda bottles. An Xiaoyu squatted on the ground, her head buried in her knees, unwilling to let anyone see her tears. She really did not understand why Chu Mucheng always targeted her, even escalating his efforts, determined to humiliate her like this! She had already moved out of the Chu Family¡¯s place, isn¡¯t that enough? Will there ever be an end to this? She thought she would be strong, as she said that night, if you can¡¯t fight it off, it¡¯s like being bitten by a dog, but, she couldn¡¯t. * Following the address provided by Mo Jinyu, Shen Yufeng quickly located An Xiaoyu. He slightly knitted his brow, his obsidian-like pupils intensely fixed on her petite frame, then he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car. Though he couldn¡¯t hear the crying, he could see her shoulders trembling, her slender body inspiring a sense of pity. This was the third time he saw her cry. The first time, she cried over Qin Zixiao after getting drunk. The second time, it was after a fever, crying because she missed her father. And this time... who was it for? But no matter who it was for, it would never be for him! The thought of that stirred up some restlessness in Shen Yufeng¡¯s heart, along with some inexplicable emotions he couldn¡¯t quite discern. In any case, he did not like to see her cry; he liked to see her smile, even enjoyed watching her sharp-witted and eloquent when arguing with him. In the end, Shen Yufeng took steps towards her. When the handmade custom leather shoes came to a stop in front of An Xiaoyu, she had no reaction. Shen Yufeng sighed, slowly squatting down, not saying a word, just pulling An Xiaoyu into his arms. An Xiaoyu¡¯s body tensed up suddenly, and at that instant, the person she thought of... was Qin Zixiao. In the past, whenever she was wronged or bullied by Chu Mucheng, Qin Zixiao would show up beside her, accompanying her and telling jokes to cheer her up. She had become accustomed to the company and protection of Qin Zixiao. And now... The faint scent of mint was entirely different from Qin Zixiao¡¯s, but it was not unfamiliar to her; she didn¡¯t need to open her eyes to know that it was Shen Yufeng. Why was his embrace... also so warm? Neither spoke, and An Xiaoyu¡¯s initially tense body gradually relaxed. She took a deep breath, her body slowly relaxing in his arms, and in a muffled voice she asked: ¡°Shen Yufeng, why are you here?¡± ¡°Hmm, I saw a stray little wild cat in the garbage pile, so I specifically came to pick it up!¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s voice was deep but filled with comfort. An Xiaoyu pushed him away, ¡°You¡¯re the stray cat!¡± Although she said that, a wave of warmth slid through her heart, suddenly bringing peace. Shen Yufeng¡¯s lips curved, a thin smile hooking up, reaching the depths of his eyes, but when An Xiaoyu raised her head with her face covered in tear stains, Shen Yufeng¡¯s expression suddenly changed. There were traces of blood on the corner of her lips. Shen Yufeng¡¯s gaze turned icy, his fingertips touching her lips. ¡°What¡¯s... what happened here?¡± Chapter 46 - 46 47, ?46: 47, 46: 47, An Xiaoyu was taken aback, just realizing what Shen Yufeng was talking about. She quickly turned her face away, ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡± Shen Yufeng was almost furious. ¡°Is it... Chu Mucheng?¡± An Xiaoyu hung her head, ¡°Shen Yufeng, I feel so embarrassed. Can you please leave and stop minding my business?¡± She truly felt embarrassed. Why did he have to witness her at her most disheveled state? Shen Yufeng raised an eyebrow, ¡°What kind of ghost appearance have I not seen? This is nothing compared to those times!¡± An Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t help but feel aggrieved and questioned, ¡°When did I ever look like a ghost?¡± ¡°When you¡¯re drunk.¡± Shen Yufeng smiled and intentionally raised the pitch of his voice at the end, ¡°When you¡¯re drunk, aren¡¯t you just like a drunk ghost? A ghost-like appearance, right?¡± An Xiaoyu was embarrassed again. This guy... why does he always bring up the most awkward topics? ¡°Enough, don¡¯t mention that night again!¡± ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t mention it. So now, Miss Stray Cat, can I take you home?¡± An Xiaoyu shook her head; she was worried that Chu Mucheng was still around. She didn¡¯t want to see him at all right now. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back! Also, stop calling me Stray Cat, and don¡¯t call me Miss either.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t call you that. If you don¡¯t want to go home, let¡¯s go to my place!¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head. ¡°No. I want to go to my own home!¡± What a joke! Going to Shen Yufeng¡¯s house, did she still want to live? Shen Yufeng laughed and scooped her up in his arms. An Xiaoyu was entirely cradled within his arms, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck. In that moment, she felt her heart inexplicably throbbing. Why did Shen Yufeng¡¯s presence inexplicably make her feel safe? And this feeling... was unprecedented. ¡°That¡¯s right, escaping won¡¯t solve the problem!¡± Shen Yufeng looked down at the little woman in his arms, his face still stern, but a smile was spreading in his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ve got everything under control!¡± * Once they reached downstairs, An Xiaoyu unbuckled her seatbelt and suddenly sighed dismally. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring my keys!¡± ¡°No worries, I have them!¡± Shen Yufeng said, reaching out his hand, and in his palm, he held a shiny key. An Xiaoyu was stunned, angrily asking, ¡°How do you have my house keys?¡± Shen Yufeng shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m a man who believes in preparing ahead. Just in case you won¡¯t let me in someday, I can still get in.¡± An Xiaoyu became even more embarrassed, reaching out to snatch them. ¡°Give them back!¡± She lunged forward, but just at that moment, Shen Yufeng¡¯s car seat suddenly reclined back, catching An Xiaoyu off guard, causing her to fall directly into Shen Yufeng¡¯s arms. At such close proximity, she could clearly see the dazzling starlight in Shen Yufeng¡¯s eyes, shining like diamonds, so beautiful that one couldn¡¯t look away, and his deep eyes seemed to possess an endless Magic Power that captivated anyone with just one glance. An Xiaoyu had to admit, the man in front of her was truly mesmerizing. Her heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and she was somewhat lost in a daze. Shen Yufeng looked at her, his thin lips parting slightly, his voice was deep and husky, ¡°What, you¡¯re so eager to throw yourself at me?¡± The teasing voice resonated in her ear, making An Xiaoyu utterly embarrassed. She hurriedly scrambled up, only to hear Shen Yufeng grunt. An Xiaoyu was shocked. Chapter 47 - 47 48, ?47: 48, 47: 48, An Xiaoyu turned bright red with embarrassment and quickly took her hand away. ¡°Shen Yufeng, you have no shame!¡± She angrily jumped out of the car and walked briskly ahead. Shen Yufeng watched her receding figure with a light smile. It seems that shifting her attention at the right time is indeed a good method. Now, this little lady has come back to life fully charged under his provocation! He followed her into the elevator, and An Xiaoyu glared at him, then turned her face away, ignoring him. By the time they got out of the elevator and entered the home, An Xiaoyu stretched out her hand, asking him for the house keys. ¡°Mr. Shen, for my safety, it¡¯s best if I keep the keys to my house myself!¡± Shen Yufeng lowered his eyes as if pondering deeply before saying, ¡°For your safety, I think it¡¯s better I keep a copy of the key! Otherwise, if you faint again from a 40-degree fever, you might not be so lucky next time!¡± ¡°Ptui, ptui, ptui, curse of the crow¡¯s mouth!¡± Just then, her phone rang on the coffee table; indeed, it was her phone. An Xiaoyu frowned slightly, grabbed it and saw that the caller was indeed Chu Mucheng. She was just about to press the reject button, but Shen Yufeng snatched the phone away. ¡°Why are you grabbing my phone?¡± An Xiaoyu glared at him. Really, she was moved by Shen Yufeng¡¯s earlier intervention, but now, this guy... was practically driving her insane. ¡°Shh...¡± Shen Yufeng raised his index finger to his lips, making a silencing gesture. Then, An Xiaoyu saw him press the answer button. ¡°An Xiaoyu, where are you right now?¡± Shen Yufeng turned on the speakerphone, and Chu Mucheng¡¯s anxious and tense voice immediately came from the phone. At that moment, Shen Yufeng slowly spoke up: ¡°Mr. Chu Mucheng, is it?¡± Chu Mucheng obviously paused on the other end, ¡°Shen Yufeng?¡± That was a man¡¯s instinctual guess. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me!¡± Shen Yufeng said indifferently, not forgetting to glance at An Xiaoyu. An Xiaoyu was somewhat speechless, what exactly was he trying to do? ¡°Where is An Xiaoyu? Let her answer the phone!¡± Chu Mucheng¡¯s voice cooled down. Yet, there was a thought-provoking smile on the corner of Shen Yufeng¡¯s mouth. An Xiaoyu felt as if she had seen wrongly because, for a moment, there seemed to be a wickedly wild aura all over Shen Yufeng, and that smile on his face made her shudder. Intuition told her, the next words out of Shen Yufeng¡¯s mouth would be shocking! True enough, before Chu Mucheng¡¯s patience ran out, Shen Yufeng said hauntingly: ¡°Mr. Chu, my girlfriend is currently unavailable to talk on the phone, may I know what you need her for?¡± At that moment, An Xiaoyu was completely dumbfounded. Girl... girlfriend? What kind of international joke was this, since when had she become his girlfriend? On the other end, Chu Mucheng¡¯s breathing became rapid, but he still tried hard to restrain his imminent rage, and scoffed coldly: ¡°President Shen really knows how to joke!¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s deep, dark pupils fixated on An Xiaoyu as he spoke again, ¡°Does Mr. Chu think I¡¯m a person who likes to joke? If Xiaoyu is willing, I can marry her anytime.¡± Upon hearing this, An Xiaoyu was instantly dumbstruck, utterly thunderstruck! Chapter 48 - 48 49, Nima, is this the rhythm of forcing marriage ?48: 49, Nima, is this the rhythm of forcing marriage? 48: 49, Nima, is this the rhythm of forcing marriage? On the other side, Shen Yufeng was still on the call with Chu Mucheng. ¡°Mr. Chu, unless it¡¯s something urgent, please stop calling my girlfriend or meeting her in any other way, as it would make me very uncomfortable. Of course, your Chu Family has the grace of raising Xiaoyu. So, when I marry Xiaoyu, I would warmly welcome you to attend the wedding as a brother.¡± After finishing, Shen Yufeng confidently hung up the phone. An Xiaoyu could never have anticipated that after this call, she would suddenly become his so-called girlfriend. He even said that he could marry her anytime if she agreed! Shen Yufeng must be crazy! But that guy was even smiling at her! ¡°Shen Yufeng, where are your principles? When did I become your girlfriend? And what¡¯s this about marriage?¡± An Xiaoyu felt like she was going to explode. Shen Yufeng, however, casually sprawled himself on the sofa, looking utterly relaxed, but the air around him seemed to be filled with a commanding presence. ¡°What, is having me as your boyfriend so embarrassing?¡± An Xiaoyu shook her head, ¡°Of course not!¡± It wasn¡¯t just not embarrassing, it was actually quite prestigious and cool! ¡°So, marrying me... how about it?¡± An Xiaoyu was truly stunned. If it were any other man, she might have taken it as a casual comment, and if he were a bit more handsome, she might have even seen it as a romantic encounter. But who was this man in front of her? It was Shen Yufeng, Shen Yufeng himself! In terms of appearance, she felt she was quite attractive, and in the past... obviously, she had admirers. But who was Shen Yufeng, and what kind of women hadn¡¯t he seen? Now, he was talking about ¡°marrying him¡±, wasn¡¯t that just terrifying? But, wait a minute... ¡°Didn¡¯t you say before that I was just a dried-up bean sprout and you had absolutely no interest in me?¡± Shen Yufeng assessed her from head to toe, ¡°Hmm, people¡¯s tastes can change. A bit of plain congee and side dishes is not bad; what¡¯s more, it¡¯s beneficial for health!¡± Uh... what kind of logic is that? ¡°I can¡¯t afford such a joke!¡± ¡°An Xiaoyu, do you really think... I¡¯m just joking with you?¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s expression grew stern, making the entire room seem clouded with gloom. An Xiaoyu stared into his eyes. She and he were from completely different worlds. They hadn¡¯t known each other for long, nor understood much about each other. No matter what, she could never believe that someone like Shen Yufeng could fall in love with her. ¡°Give me a reason why you want to marry me. Could it be, because you pity me?¡± Shen Yufeng also stood up and walked towards An Xiaoyu. His height and commanding presence clearly overwhelmed her. ¡°An Xiaoyu, do you think I am someone who¡¯d be overly sympathetic?¡± If it were any other woman, she probably would have eagerly jumped at his proposal to marry him, but the woman in front of him treated him like a catastrophic flood! Consequently, Shen Yufeng¡¯s face grew increasingly unpleasant. An Xiaoyu felt defenseless. ¡°Shen Yufeng, I have a headache, I need some time to think, can you give me some time to consider?¡± Shen Yufeng narrowed his eyes. ¡°How long? Is three days enough?¡± An Xiaoyu was astounded. Damn, is this a forced marriage situation? Chapter 49 - 49 50, its nothing, just getting a stamp in advance ?49: 50, it¡¯s nothing, just getting a stamp in advance. 49: 50, it¡¯s nothing, just getting a stamp in advance. She felt that everything before her eyes was so unreal, just like a soap opera at prime time. The current situation was something she had never thought of, but no matter what, she couldn¡¯t just marry Shen Yufeng to avoid Chu Mucheng¡¯s entanglement, marrying herself off so carelessly. Even though the Shen Yufeng before her was very kind to her, she didn¡¯t really understand him. Moreover, in her heart... she was hiding feelings for someone else. Although that person, she could never truly have! ¡°Shen Yufeng, I think... we are not suited for each other!¡± She lifted her head, bravely meeting his eyes. ¡°Without trying, how would you know... we¡¯re not suited?¡± ¡°Shen Yufeng, marriage is not child¡¯s play. We¡¯ve only known each other for a short time. You probably don¡¯t understand me either. With everything that¡¯s happened these past few days, maybe...¡± ¡°What are you trying to say exactly?¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s expression was calm, but his tone turned cold. An Xiaoyu took a deep breath. ¡°Perhaps, for the next while... it¡¯s best we don¡¯t see each other!¡± She thought, she really needed some peace and quiet to think things through. Shen Yufeng fell silent for a moment. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give you time!¡± An Xiaoyu breathed a sigh of relief, but before she could finish her breath, her chin was grasped by him, followed by her lips being sealed. An Xiaoyu was stunned, even forgetting to resist. By the time a flash of clarity sparked in her mind and she came to her senses, Shen Yufeng had already released her. She glared at him furiously, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shen Yufeng smiled satisfyingly and said, ¡°Nothing much, just stamping a pre-approval! Exclusively Shen Yufeng¡¯s, others may not desecrate.¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s face flushed red. ¡°I¡¯m not your pet, marked with a stamp! Why don¡¯t you just get a gold collar and tether me up?¡± Shen Yufeng seemed to ponder her words carefully, nodding his head, ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s actually a pretty good idea! Worth considering!¡± An Xiaoyu was furious. ¡°Consider your sister!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t use foul language!¡± An Xiaoyu felt somewhat of a headache coming on. ¡°Shen Yufeng, don¡¯t you have things to do this afternoon? Hurry up and leave!¡± Shen Yufeng looked at her almost frantic appearance and smiled faintly. ¡°Okay. Call me if you need anything.¡± Too much is as bad as too little. He couldn¡¯t press too hard, otherwise it would backfire. * Shen Yufeng had left, and An Xiaoyu collapsed weakly onto the bed. Ahhh... Could he be any more shameless! This was already the second time he had kissed her! And he even said such things! How was she supposed to live with this? But why... she didn¡¯t hate it! Why was that? For that moment, her heartbeat actually became erratic! An Xiaoyu reached out to touch her lips, which seemed to still carry his warmth. He said, it was stamping a pre-approval! Exclusively Shen Yufeng¡¯s, others may not desecrate. Damn it, since when did she become Shen Yufeng¡¯s exclusive? But the latter part, ¡°others may not desecrate,¡± somehow warmed her heart a little. Why did Shen Yufeng talk about marrying her? Reading God¡¯s mind really is difficult... Chapter 50 - 50 I think ?50: I think... I¡¯ve fallen in love with him. 50: I think... I¡¯ve fallen in love with him. Chu Mucheng sat in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, staring at the distant Maple Forest, his expression profoundly gloomy, while his gaze... seemed to pierce through the layers of leaves, resting on some unknown place. He was enveloped in a haze of smoke, the cigarette in his hand burned down to the stub, the glowing red ember touching his fingers, yet he remained motionless, as if unable to feel the pain. At that moment, Zhan Yi walked over, his college classmate and close friend. Seeing Chu Mucheng looking so despondently lost as if his soul had departed, Zhan Yi couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. Today was the weekend, a rare moment to relax, in the thick of the afternoon, he was having a rendezvous with the God of Dreams, when suddenly a series of urgent doorbell rings woke him up. Opening the door, Chu Mucheng unexpectedly showed up. When Chu Mucheng came in, there was a red palm print on his left cheek, and his expression was so dazed. There was still a trace of blood on his lips, as if the skin was broken somewhere. This battered appearance... it was probably the work of a woman! This downhearted and depressed Chu Mucheng... was something Zhan Yi had never seen before. Clearly, it was a wound of love! From the moment he entered the door until now, Chu Mucheng hadn¡¯t said a word, just sitting by the window smoking, lost in thought. ¡°Here, apply this yourself!¡± Zhan Yi wrapped an ice pack in a towel and handed it to Chu Mucheng. Chu Mucheng turned his head, threw the cigarette butt to the ground, stamped it out ferociously, and then took the ice pack and applied it to his face. ¡°Tsk tsk, that slap was really fierce. Which woman was so blind to hit so hard, assaulting our dear Chu?¡± Zhan Yi¡¯s words carried a teasing tone. Over the years, there were not without women in Chu Mucheng¡¯s life, all shapes and sizes, none of whom stayed for very long. But, none had ever left him in such a disheveled state. Chu Mucheng remained silent and slowly closed his eyes. ¡°Just an ignorant woman, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve actually gone and fallen in love with her like a lovestruck fool?¡± A capable, well-backed man of good looks like Chu Mucheng, how many women rush to throw themselves at him? So, he couldn¡¯t believe that Chu Mucheng would really fall for a woman. As Zhan Yi¡¯s words finished, Chu Mucheng suddenly opened his eyes wide. Fallen in love with her? Chu Mushan had just asked him this question, but his answer was no. And now, Zhan Yi asked the question again, making him suddenly realize, his feelings for An Xiaoyu had exceeded his expectations. When Shen Yufeng said that An Xiaoyu was his girlfriend, even that he was going to marry An Xiaoyu, at that moment, he felt as if all his organs were painfully cramping, so painful he couldn¡¯t breathe. He chuckled mockingly, a painful sentiment revealing itself on his handsome face, slowly seeping into his bones and blood. ¡°Zhan Yi, you¡¯re right, I think... I have fallen in love with her!¡± Zhan Yi was greatly astonished. Chu Mucheng had always been spirited, even facing sly fox like opponents in the business field, he never flinched. He exhibited full confidence and hidden depth... However, the Chu Mucheng before him now, was weary in body and mind, his face filled with a pale sorrow, piercing his own heart as well as Zhan Yi¡¯s. ¡°Is it worth it?¡± Zhan Yi furrowed his brow. Chu Mucheng gave a bitter laugh. ¡°This feeling... you wouldn¡¯t understand!¡± It was a feeling of helplessness, wanting to hold on, but finding it impossible to grasp, like quicksand, the harder you squeeze, the faster it slips away... The uncertainty and helplessness left him unsure how to cope. Chu Mucheng had always been high-spirited and proud, when had he ever experienced such emotions in his life? Yet, he had experienced it with An Xiaoyu, and it was heart-wrenchingly painful. An Xiaoyu, what should I do with you...? Zhan Yi sighed, ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about it. Since you love her, why not just go for it, make her your woman, and that¡¯s that?¡± Chu Mucheng¡¯s eyes narrowed, his gaze became incredibly sharp. To make her his woman? Chapter 51 - 51 52, Has Gods brain gone waterlogged ?51: 52, Has God¡¯s brain gone waterlogged? 51: 52, Has God¡¯s brain gone waterlogged? This night, An Xiaoyu suffered from insomnia, tossing and turning in bed like flipping pancakes. Is it necessary to be like this... She got up to turn on the light and computer, then typed a line on a forum: ¡°If someone you¡¯ve only met a few times proposes to you, would you accept?¡± After that, she poured a glass of water and waited while drinking. Soon, she saw various replies from netizens. First floor: ¡°I don¡¯t see it ending well, there¡¯s a living example around me, my cousin had a flash marriage, and now they¡¯ve been separated for almost a year.¡± Second floor: ¡°Flash marriages are great, I don¡¯t like dragging one¡¯s feet in relationships.¡± Third floor: ¡°This is possible, I believe there¡¯s really such a thing as love at first sight in life.¡± After reading this, An Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Love at first sight? She didn¡¯t believe God would fall in love with her at first sight, so she could pass on these comments. Continuing to read... Fourth floor: ¡°Don¡¯t agree, flash marriages definitely lead toflash divorces.¡± Fifth floor: ¡°If you agree, it means either you are crazy or his brain is waterlogged.¡± Uh... Is God¡¯s brain waterlogged? He doesn¡¯t seem like it! Continuing to read... Sixth floor: ¡°If it¡¯s really meant to be, then it¡¯s okay!¡± Seventh floor: ¡°If you care about fairy tales and a fresh, romantic love, then by all means go for a flash marriage, it¡¯s so romantic O(¡É_¡É)O If you are being pragmatic, better not. Damn, reality is harsh.../(¨Òo¨Ò)/~~¡± An Xiaoyu sighed again. These words were as good as nothing! Continuing to read... Eighth floor: ¡°Marriage is actually a gamble, who knows who will win or lose until the very end?¡± Ninth floor: ¡°I once met someone who married a woman to get more housing in a relocation deal.¡± An Xiaoyu shuddered. More housing? Would someone at God¡¯s level like Shen Yufeng ever lack a house? This reason doesn¡¯t hold up! Continues flipping through... Tenth floor: ¡°Flash marriage? Be careful, there must be a plot!¡± Eleventh floor: ¡°Maybe, that person is doing it to complete a task, maybe he¡¯s GAY!¡± ¡°Pfft...¡± Upon reading the last comment, An Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t hold back. ¡°Cough cough...¡± Good heavens! This is too horrifying! Someone like the God, Shen Yufeng, definitely isn¡¯t. Having agonized for so long and still coming up with no answer, An Xiaoyu sighed resignedly, turned off the computer, and lay on her bed counting sheep. Suddenly, her phone rang with a message. When she saw the sender, she was utterly shocked. It was... Qin Zixiao. Looking at the time, it was already 1 AM, why would Qin Zixiao send a message at this time... what¡¯s the matter? She opened the message suspiciously. ¡°Xiaoyu, are you asleep?¡± An Xiaoyu quickly typed back two words. ¡°Not yet.¡± Then there was no more news from Qin Zixiao. Strange, what¡¯s going on with him...? Suddenly, the phone rang again, Qin Zixiao was calling her. ¡°Hello, Xiaoyu...¡± ¡°Zixiao brother, what¡¯s the matter? Has something happened?¡± Calling this late, it indeed couldn¡¯t help but make one suspicious. ¡°Hehe, nothing much, just wanted to hear your voice...¡± Qin Zixiao¡¯s voice was still so warm, but also a bit melancholic. An Xiaoyu was a bit puzzled, he called in the middle of the night just to hear her voice? For a moment, An Xiaoyu didn¡¯t know how to continue the conversation. ¡°Xiaoyu, I didn¡¯t disturb your rest, did I?¡± ¡°Oh, no, no, I couldn¡¯t sleep anyway.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on over there?¡± Qin Zixiao asked with concern. ¡°Nothing much!¡± Of course, the matter of Chu Mucheng coming to cause trouble... she¡¯d better not mention it! After all, she couldn¡¯t keep bothering Qin Zixiao with these issues! But now, what troubled her even more was God¡¯s marriage proposal! An Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment, then decided to ask: ¡°Let me ask you a question, from a man¡¯s perspective, please help analyze this. How likely is it for a man to suddenly propose to a woman he has only met a few times?¡± Chapter 52 - 52 53, I didnt have a fever tonight ?52: 53, I didn¡¯t have a fever tonight 52: 53, I didn¡¯t have a fever tonight Qin Zixiao furrowed his brows. ¡°Someone proposed to you?¡± An Xiaoyu was startled. How did Qin Zixiao guess it right immediately? ¡°No, not me. I just couldn¡¯t sleep and was browsing posts online, and came across many netizens discussing this topic, so I took the chance to ask you.¡± As soon as she spoke, An Xiaoyu felt a bit guilty. She lied to Qin Zixiao! On the other end, Qin Zixiao seemed to sigh in relief. ¡°Xiaoyu, the chances of that happening are really low, just like winning the lottery.¡± An Xiaoyu blinked rapidly. So, did she... hit the jackpot? ¡°Xiaoyu, are you listening?¡± ¡°Oh, yes, I am listening!¡± ¡°Next month, our company is going to need a design for a new studio, are you interested in trying?¡± An Xiaoyu immediately perked up. ¡°Yes, sure!¡± ¡°I will have someone contact you then!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, thank you Zixiao, you are so good to me!¡± This was a business opportunity delivered right to her doorstep! An Xiaoyu was truly overjoyed. Her happy laughter infected Qin Zixiao on the other side of the phone, and the corners of his lips slightly curled up. So, such small things could bring her this much happiness! And her happiness swept away the gloomy mood in his heart. ¡°Silly girl, is it worth being that happy! Get some rest early!¡± ¡°Okay, Zixiao, you rest early too, good night!¡± After finishing, An Xiaoyu hung up the phone, her whole being soaked in a wave of excitement. Tossing and turning and counting countless sheep, An Xiaoyu finally fell asleep. But in her dreams, it was as though she returned to those days in Country M. In her dream, she returned to the apartment she used to live in, pushed open the door, but heard the sound of water rushing in the bathroom. Through the frosted glass door, she could see the shape of a man, faintly visible amidst the steamy mist. Suddenly, the sound of water stopped, and right after, the bathroom door slid open, revealing Shen Yufeng stepping out. His dark, wet hair occasionally dripped, falling on his shoulder, tracing a curve. An Xiaoyu found this scene eerily familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere! But then, he walked towards her. She wanted to step back, but her feet felt as if they were fixed to the ground, utterly unable to move. Just as Shen Yufeng approached, he wrapped one arm around her waist and hooked her chin with the other, then gently bowed his head. An Xiaoyu was dumbfounded again. She wanted to speak, wanted to refuse, but found she couldn¡¯t make a sound, couldn¡¯t even move at all. An Xiaoyu knew she was dreaming, she desperately wanted to wake up, but she could still feel his lips clearly. So real... * The door quietly locked, Shen Yufeng silently walked out. In the hallway, Mo Jinyu was yawning, but quickly stifled it upon seeing Shen Yufeng come out. ¡°Boss, is sister-in-law okay?¡± Shen Yufeng gently shook his head. ¡°Mm, no fever tonight!¡± Chapter 53 - 53 54, Could it be that I was kicked out ?53: 54, Could it be that I was kicked out? 53: 54, Could it be that I was kicked out? ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± After saying that, Shen Yufeng turned and headed toward the elevator. ¡°Boss, why not stay here for the night? We¡¯ve already come, and we could...¡± Shen Yufeng stopped in his tracks, his icy gaze shooting over like sharp arrows, and Mo Jinyu quickly recoiled. Ni Ma... Surely he wasn¡¯t kicked out by his sister-in-law! Otherwise, why sneak over in the middle of the night to visit the sick? But just yesterday, as the divine assistant, he had already notified the boss at the critical moment to come to the rescue, creating such a perfect set of circumstances for them. How could the boss fail to win over his sister-in-law? Could it be that the boss¡¯s combat power wasn¡¯t strong enough? Ah ah ah... It¡¯s just incomprehensible. Mo Jinyu was utterly defeated by Shen Yufeng. In the dead of night, here he was, sleeping his beauty sleep, only to be summoned by Shen Yufeng... And, as it turned out, An Xiaoyu was perfectly fine! Just like that, he, the peerless healer, became Shen Yufeng¡¯s errand boy... Wailing... After these past two days, even he, as beautiful as a flower, had developed dark circles under his eyes, alright? Can he claim overtime pay, compensation for mental anguish? * The next day, An Xiaoyu was woken up by the phone. The call was from a bunch of people in the design studio, who invited her to go hiking with them. An Xiaoyu was still drowsy. ¡°You guys go ahead, count me out!¡± ¡°No way, the boss said if everyone isn¡¯t there, the dinner tonight is canceled!¡± ¡°...¡± With things having come to this point, how could she refuse? Otherwise, she would be the eternal sinner! Standing in front of the mirror, looking at her disheveled self with hair like a bird¡¯s nest and somewhat swollen eyes, her appearance... Suddenly, she remembered the dream from last night. Ni Ma, could it be any more vivid?! An Xiaoyu shivered. Why on earth did God even invade her dreams to harass her?! Ah ah ah ah... Not even letting her sleep in peace! But once she woke up, the question from yesterday resurfaced in her mind, and An Xiaoyu sighed. God¡¯s proposal... was utterly terrifying! * The first activity of the day was hiking. An Xiaoyu wanted to cry but had no tears. She had sprained her ankle the day before yesterday and it wasn¡¯t completely healed yet, so... ¡°You guys go ahead, I¡¯ll just enjoy the scenery at the foot of the mountain and take a few photos.¡± As An Xiaoyu was walking, she suddenly saw an old lady fall to the ground not far ahead, clutching her chest and gasping for air, her complexion turning deathly pale. People quickly gathered around, but no one dared to help. These days, not many people truly dare to step forward to help, after all, everyone is afraid of helping others only to be wrongly accused in return. An Xiaoyu directly made her way through the crowd and went forward. During her years of study abroad, she had taken medical nursing courses and understood some basic emergency care knowledge. Looking at the old lady¡¯s condition, it appeared very much like myocardial infarction symptoms. ¡°Call 120, quick.¡± While she spoke, she laid the old lady flat on the ground, elevating her legs slightly to increase blood flow. The old lady¡¯s breath grew weaker and it became more difficult for her to breathe, An Xiaoyu didn¡¯t have time to think too much, and quickly started doing chest compressions and artificial respiration for the elder. ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s okay, just hold on a little longer, the ambulance is on its way!¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s heart was strung tight, one minute, two minutes, three minutes... The old lady¡¯s complexion slowly improved a lot, and her breathing resumed. Fortunately, there was a medical station in the scenic area below the mountain, and the ambulance arrived quickly. The old lady was taken to the hospital. An Xiaoyu breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the ground. ¡°The young lady is quite impressive!¡± ¡°We owe you big time for this!¡± The people around praised her for a bit, then dispersed. An Xiaoyu sighed. Ni Ma, creating a thriller on a huge weekend! Thankfully, she saved her, or if she hadn¡¯t, wouldn¡¯t she have become a sinner! At that moment, an elegantly dressed old man came over, looking all rushed. ¡°Young lady, have you seen an old lady wearing a grey and white checkered top?¡± An Xiaoyu was stunned, grey and white checkered top? Wasn¡¯t that the old lady she had just saved? ¡°Uh... She¡¯s just been taken to the hospital!¡± Chapter 54 - 54 55, Im on medication, please let me go ?54: 55, I¡¯m on medication, please let me go. 54: 55, I¡¯m on medication, please let me go. The elderly gentleman became anxious as soon as he heard this, hurriedly pulling out his phone to make a call and then rushing off. As the old man was not yet far away, An Xiaoyu heard the phone connect, and the old man shouted out a name. ¡°Yufeng, your grandmother has been taken to the hospital...¡± For a moment, An Xiaoyu felt frozen in place. Why did she associate Shen Yufeng with a stranger making a phone call? Was she losing her mind? Had Shen Yufeng¡¯s influence infiltrated every aspect of her life? She couldn¡¯t stand this anymore... * When the daytime event ended, the group went out for a meal together at a prearranged hotel. As soon as An Xiaoyu walked in, she saw a familiar figure, Qin Zixiao! And by his side was a glamorous figure¡ªwho else could it be but his girlfriend? An Xiaoyu felt a tightness in her chest and was immediately overwhelmed by a sense of loss. Qin Zixiao saw her and took the initiative to greet her: ¡°Xiaoyu, you¡¯re here for dinner too?¡± An Xiaoyu managed a smile. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m out with my colleagues from the studio.¡± Conveniently, the design director Bai Mingxuan was high school classmates with Qin Zixiao, and they had collaborated in the past. Now that An Xiaoyu also knew Qin Zixiao, how could she not seize such a rare opportunity? So he hurriedly went up and said: ¡°Zixiao, why not honor us with your company for the meal?¡± Qin Zixiao glanced at An Xiaoyu, then turned his head and asked Li Xin with a smile. Li Xin seemed a bit reluctant but graciously said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave it up to you!¡± So, everyone entered a private dining room together. Bai Mingxuan and Qin Zixiao engaged in a lively conversation, repeatedly praising Li Xin for her beauty and grace. Qin Zixiao kept up a faint smile throughout, while Li Xin seemed rather pleased with the compliments. Soon, the server brought dish after dish to the table, and drinks and beverages were all served. Bai Mingxuan had the server open a bottle of red wine and suggested, ¡°It¡¯s rare for us all to gather like this; let¡¯s each have a couple of drinks today, shall we?¡± Everyone nodded in agreement, but An Xiaoyu quickly gestured to abstain. ¡°I can¡¯t, I¡¯ve been running a fever these past two days and I¡¯m on medication! Have mercy!¡± Qin Zixiao was taken aback, his eyebrows slightly raised. ¡°You have a fever? Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± You were fine on Friday... and you didn¡¯t mention it when you called last night, no wonder you were up so late! It was his oversight! An Xiaoyu gave a wry smile. ¡°Humans live on grains, who doesn¡¯t get sick?¡± Bai Mingxuan did not insist and replaced her drink with juice. ¡°I¡¯ll switch to juice as well! One of us has to drive back tonight!¡± After saying this, Li Xin helped Qin Zixiao with his food, placing it on his plate. Bai Mingxuan clicked his tongue twice, sighing: ¡°Sis-in-law, it¡¯s not fair to play like this, showing off your love here ¨C are you trying to kill us single folks with jealousy?¡± Li Xin¡¯s laugh was gentle and lovely, but her eyes kept falling on An Xiaoyu, intentionally or not. When An Xiaoyu mentioned she had a fever, Qin Zixiao clearly became anxious, and this realization made Li Xin uneasy. However, An Xiaoyu was oblivious to all this, chatting cheerfully with Gu Xiaobei and Mo Qianqian beside her. After a few rounds of drinks, everyone became more convivial, turning the dining room into a boisterous space. Bai Mingxuan proposed, ¡°It¡¯s still early, why don¡¯t we play a game?¡± Quickly, the server brought over three sets of Crystal Dice. Bai Mingxuan looked around with a smile and said, ¡°Since we¡¯re going to play, let¡¯s make it exciting! We¡¯ll roll the dice to see who gets the highest number. Whoever rolls the highest can command the lowest roller to answer a question or do something! How about it, dare to join?¡± Chapter 55 - 55 56, I like you, lets get married ?55: 56, I like you, let¡¯s get married. 55: 56, I like you, let¡¯s get married. An Xiaoyu finally understood that the game Bai Mingxuan mentioned was actually Truth or Dare. This game has really stood the test of time over the years! Now with everyone being so lively and the atmosphere just right, they all gathered around. The first round, Bai Mingxuan had the highest roll, Xu Jiahui the lowest. ¡°Tell the truth about your first time. No lies allowed!¡± Bai Mingxuan threw down a tough challenge with such a private question... Damn, so explosive, does he want to leave us alive... Xu Jiahui couldn¡¯t cope. ¡°I¡¯ll take the dare!¡± ¡°Alright then, flip open your phone¡¯s contact list, call the first woman on there and say: ¡®Actually, I am a pig.''¡± Xu Jiahui resignedly dialed the number on his phone, ¡°Actually, I am a pig!¡± A woman¡¯s voice came from the other side of the phone. ¡°Xu Jiahui, are you drunk and acting crazy?¡± Everyone in the room burst into laughter. The second round began, this time with Ling Zenan rolling the highest and Gu Xiaobei the lowest. Ling Zenan coughed lightly, ¡°What are your measurements?¡± Holy crap! Gu Xiaobei felt like hitting someone, this guy really knew how to hit a nerve! He was clearly mocking her figure! Gu Xiaobei¡¯s eyes were icy, ¡°You little brat, just wait, don¡¯t let me catch you later!¡± The third round started quickly. An Xiaoyu prayed that she would not roll the lowest. Luckily... this round, it was Gu Xiaobei who had the highest roll, and Ling Zenan the lowest. Ling Zenan looked to the heavens and sighed deeply, ¡°Heaven wants to destroy me!¡± Gu Xiaobei giggled maliciously, her expression terrifying to the extreme. Ling Zenan¡¯s face was downcast, ¡°Granny, can we change it up a bit?¡± In the end, Ling Zenan managed to catch Qiu Mingyuan, and under Qiu Mingyuan¡¯s rolling eyes, completed the task! The game quickly moved on to the next round, this time with Qin Zixiao rolling the lowest and Bai Mingxuan the highest. Bai Mingxuan coughed. ¡°Question: How far have you and my sister-in-law gone? First base, second base, or a home run?¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s heart raced, their supervisor was really too gossipy! Was he actually poking into other people¡¯s most intimate matters? Qin Zixiao¡¯s gaze darkened slightly, and without leaving a trace, he glanced at An Xiaoyu, who was staring at the ground. In that moment, for some reason, Qin Zixiao wanted to dodge the question and choose dare instead. At that moment, Li Xin hooked her arm around Qin Zixiao¡¯s arm and with a smile she said: ¡°Actually, the answer to this question is very simple. Zixiao and I are getting engaged next month, so... what do you think?¡± ¡°Oh~¡± Everyone seemed to understand. An Xiaoyu also tugged at the corner of her lips. In fact, she had guessed the answer to this question a long time ago. The game continued. But this time, somehow distracted, An Xiaoyu rolled the lowest, while... Li Xin rolled the highest. Li Xin looked at An Xiaoyu with a victorious glint in her eye. ¡°Little sister Xiaoyu, who was your first love? You have to tell the truth, okay?¡± An Xiaoyu was taken aback. ¡°I choose dare!¡± Li Xin smiled. ¡°Then, in that case, why not... you go stand at the entrance of the hallway, and the first man who comes by, you kiss him, and that will count as completing the punishment.¡± Suddenly, the atmosphere became somewhat tense. ¡°That¡¯s... maybe not so appropriate,¡± said Qin Zixiao, who spoke up with furrowed brows, his complexion looking a bit unpleasant. Li Xin said with a laugh, ¡°You have to accept the bet, but it¡¯s true, after all, Xiaoyu is a girl, so let¡¯s do this instead. Xiaoyu just has to say to the first man who comes upstairs, ¡®I like you, let¡¯s get married.¡¯ That¡¯s OK. What do you think?¡± Chapter 56 - 56 57, struck by lightning ?56: 57, struck by lightning 56: 57, struck by lightning In the room, everyone looked at each other in disbelief... This punishment was unexpectedly harsh! None of them had imagined that Li Xin, who seemed so gentle on the surface, would come up with such a tricky way to punish someone! ¡°Xiaoyu, my dear sister, I¡¯ve already compromised. What do you say? You¡¯re not going to be a sore loser, are you?¡± There was a hint of dissatisfaction in Li Xin¡¯s voice. At this moment, An Xiaoyu finally realized, albeit belatedly, that Li Xin was probably displeased with her. ¡°Of course not!¡± An Xiaoyu took a deep breath and turned to walk towards the door. ¡°Xiaoyu, I¡¯ll come with you!¡± Mo Qianqian followed her out. ¡°And me, and me!¡± Xu Jiahui also followed them out of the private room. The two sat on the chairs by the corridor next to the Lucky Bamboo, waiting, while An Xiaoyu stood at the corridor entrance, arms crossed, expressionlessly waiting for the elevator. However, after five minutes had passed, only a few women came in and out, with no men arriving. At that moment, Qin Zixiao came out from the inside, saw her waiting, stepped forward to grab her arm, and said, ¡°Xiaoyu, don¡¯t take Li Xin¡¯s words to heart. Come back inside with me!¡± An Xiaoyu didn¡¯t look at him but shook off his hand and continued to stare fixedly at the elevator doors. ¡°Zixiao, this is my own matter. I played the game, so I must have the courage to face the consequences.¡± Qin Zixiao opened his mouth as if to say something, but then he said nothing. Inside the room, when Li Xin asked An Xiaoyu that question, he suddenly felt his heartbeat accelerate. An Xiaoyu¡¯s first love... he wanted to know the answer himself. But An Xiaoyu didn¡¯t reveal it. His intuition told him that the person An Xiaoyu liked... was him. Because it was him, that was why she couldn¡¯t say it out loud and chose Truth or Dare! In that instant, a strong desire to protect her sprouted in his heart, but his current status made it painfully awkward. He couldn¡¯t be by her side as he used to be, and could only watch helplessly as she left the room alone, her slim figure lonely and small. Those five minutes... tormented him deeply. He couldn¡¯t imagine the kind of man he might encounter at the elevator, nor could he bear to imagine how she would look saying ¡°I like you¡± to that man. ¡°Xiaoyu, be a good girl, don¡¯t be so stubborn!¡± He knew that ever since she was a little girl, she was always stubborn and strong-willed. He admired that about her back then, but now, he somewhat hated her stubbornness. Yet, An Xiaoyu paid no heed to Qin Zixiao¡¯s words. Her face showed no emotion, and this indifferent Xiaoyu... was something Qin Zixiao had never seen before. This moment, An Xiaoyu would rather Qin Zixiao had not appeared. If the person proposing such a punishment tonight had been anyone other than Li Xin, An Xiaoyu wouldn¡¯t have felt so uncomfortable. At this point, she felt as if in front of Qin Zixiao... all her pretenses had been stripped away, leaving her feeling embarrassed and heartbroken, yet having to pretend as if nothing mattered. But, her heart ached. Once, Qin Zixiao was always the one protecting her, and now, the one bullying her was Qin Zixiao¡¯s fiance?e. Haha, really... what a joke! Suddenly, the elevator doors opened, and a striking man with an impressive bearing and a tall figure appeared in front of her. Qin Zixiao couldn¡¯t help but look up, and Mo Qianqian and Xu Jiahui also lifted their heads to gaze towards the elevator. In an instant, they were flabbergasted, as if struck by lightning. Oh my God! The man right before them... the man who appeared like a deity... How much did he resemble that someone? Shen Yufeng? No way! Xu Jiahui rubbed his eyes hard; the man from the magazine cover... had actually appeared right before him! An Xiaoyu was also stunned. How could it be him? Grinding her teeth, she quickly stepped forward, approaching Shen Yufeng, ready to cut to the chase. ¡°I like you, let¡¯s get married!¡± Chapter 57 - 57 58, What, using me ?57: 58, What, using me? 57: 58, What, using me? To tell the truth, the instant An Xiaoyu saw Shen Yufeng, she suddenly calmed down, no longer feeling as uncomfortable as before. Thus, she quickly stepped forward, appearing rather cheerful. Shen Yufeng raised an eyebrow, looking at An Xiaoyu in front of him, then at Qin Zixiao behind her, and even at the Lucky Bamboo to the side where a young man and woman stood. He seemed to have guessed what was going on in front of him. However, Shen Yufeng didn¡¯t step out of the elevator; instead, he pulled An Xiaoyu into it in one swift motion. An Xiaoyu, caught off guard, tumbled into his embrace, where he held her with one arm. When she looked up, her forehead brushed across his lips, and that warm sensation struck again, causing An Xiaoyu to shiver. Just as she was about to struggle free, she heard Shen Yufeng say in a voice so quiet only the two of them could hear, chuckling, ¡°What, using me?¡± An Xiaoyu blinked, ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m using you, what can you do about it?¡± Shen Yufeng narrowed his eyes with a low chuckle, his voice carrying a raspy undertone. ¡°Then you haven¡¯t used me thoroughly enough!¡± An Xiaoyu was stunned. Not thoroughly enough? What does that mean? Just as An Xiaoyu stood there, dumbfounded, Shen Yufeng suddenly lowered his head, and his kiss landed heavily, pressing against her lips. This all happened too quickly, almost without any warning, catching An Xiaoyu completely off guard. Outside the elevator, Qin Zixiao was astonished. Watching the scene of An Xiaoyu being held and kissed by Shen Yufeng, he felt a dull pain in his chest, as if someone had brutally stabbed him, an extreme agony! Meanwhile, Mo Qianqian and Xu Jiahui stood frozen in shock, their jaws almost hitting the floor. No way! Shen Yufeng... had actually kissed An Xiaoyu! Could they be dreaming? Right then, Shen Yufeng suddenly pressed a button on the elevator, and the doors slowly closed before rapidly descending. They were dumbfounded once again. An Xiaoyu... she was just taken away by Shen Yufeng? This is bad! There was only one elevator, and they were on the fifth floor; surely they couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch An Xiaoyu being taken away, right? What if there¡¯s danger? Mo Qianqian and Xu Jiahui exchanged glances before racing towards the stairwell, only to find that Qin Zixiao... had already outpaced them both. By the time they huffed and puffed to the bottom floor, there was no sign of An Xiaoyu or Shen Yufeng. * An Xiaoyu sat in the car, facing the silent and glowering Shen Yufeng, and she began to feel a bit uneasy. This guy... is he angry? Wasn¡¯t everything fine just a moment ago, and he even kissed her, so who is he giving the cold shoulder now? ¡°Shen Yufeng, stop the car; I want to get off!¡± Shen Yufeng snorted. ¡°Scared now?¡± ¡°Psh, who¡¯s scared!¡± An Xiaoyu was defiant verbally, but inside... she was indeed a little timid. After all, Shen Yufeng¡¯s expression was truly frightening. ¡°An Xiaoyu, you should keep your word as a person. I hope you were serious about what you just said!¡± An Xiaoyu froze and quickly waved her hands. ¡°That was just part of a game, not to be taken seriously!¡± Suddenly, the car screeched to a halt, and Shen Yufeng glared into her face. ¡°Just a game? If I hadn¡¯t come tonight, who were you planning to propose to, and how would you have ended this?¡± Suddenly, An Xiaoyu¡¯s phone rang, and it was from Qin Zixiao. An Xiaoyu¡¯s head suddenly throbbed with pain. She¡¯s really done it big this time! And now there¡¯s no way to end this mess! Chapter 58 - 58 59, Jumping into the Yellow River won鈥檛 wash away the stain ?58: 59, Jumping into the Yellow River won¡¯t wash away the stain. 58: 59, Jumping into the Yellow River won¡¯t wash away the stain. Suddenly, the phone was snatched away by Shen Yufeng, and then... ruthlessly turned off. ¡°Hey, Shen Yufeng, how can you do this!¡± If the phone is turned off... Doesn¡¯t that mean she¡¯s thrown into the Yellow River but still couldn¡¯t clear her name? Shen Yufeng snorted coldly. ¡°Your brother Zixiao can stand there and watch you make a fool of yourself. Oh, now you want a hero to come to your rescue? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit late?¡± ¡°...¡± An Xiaoyu opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words. Seeing her looking so despondent, Shen Yufeng got even more irritable. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, cat got your tongue? Not speaking up for your brother Zixiao now?¡± An Xiaoyu raised her head, ¡°Why are you always targeting him?¡± ¡°I am merely stating the facts! Also, yesterday you were as weak as a cooked shrimp, but today you¡¯re hopping around energetically! And even playing such mean pranks on others! Do you have a brain?¡± As Shen Yufeng fired off a series of comments, An Xiaoyu felt both angry and annoyed. ¡°Shen Yufeng, why are you being so fierce! I¡¯m not a child! Don¡¯t I even have the freedom to go out and play? Besides, I saved an old lady today! Do you know how dangerous the situation was? Do you know how much praise I received? Humph! I can¡¯t be bothered with you.¡± Having been bullied by Li Xin during the game tonight and now being scolded by Shen Yufeng, her mood was completely ruined. ¡°Open the door, I want to get off!¡± As An Xiaoyu spoke, she reached to unbuckle her seat belt, but Shen Yufeng grabbed her shoulder. ¡°You saved an old lady today? Where?¡± Shen Yufeng was very strong, and An Xiaoyu¡¯s shoulder started to hurt. ¡°Right at the foot of Fenglong Mountain! That old lady suddenly fainted... Fortunately, I had learned emergency rescue techniques previously, and today was the first time I used them. The effect was immediate!¡± She looked at Shen Yufeng, and suddenly noticed his gaze turning fervent, with even a hint of a smile on his face. ¡°Why are you laughing? What¡¯s so funny? You don¡¯t think I¡¯m lying, do you? Cut it out, Shen Yufeng, let me tell you, don¡¯t underestimate me! I...¡± Before she could finish speaking, Shen Yufeng suddenly cupped her face and planted a kiss. ¡°Good girl!¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s face turned red as she huffed, ¡°Hey, Shen Yufeng, can you not do this in the future?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°Without my permission, you¡¯re not allowed to kiss me!¡± Shen Yufeng chuckled softly: ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it!¡± ¡°...¡± An Xiaoyu felt defeated and turned her face away, ignoring him. Shen Yufeng fastened her seat belt for her and continued driving. ¡°Hey, where are you taking me?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m taking you home!¡± * Qin Zixiao tried calling An Xiaoyu¡¯s phone. At first, the call went through, but soon, a mechanical voice came from the phone: ¡°Hello, the user you are calling has turned off their phone.¡± An Xiaoyu not answering his calls, and even turning off her phone... Qin Zixiao¡¯s face became even more unpleasing. * Inside the private room, Mo Qianqian and Xu Jiahui pushed open the door, ¡°It¡¯s not good, An Xiaoyu was taken away by Shen Yufeng!¡± Everyone was stunned. ¡°What kind of joke is this, the male god took away An Xiaoyu? Is it for money or for something else?¡± Chapter 59 - 59 60, Become her boyfriend ?59: 60, Become her boyfriend 59: 60, Become her boyfriend It¡¯s like a thunderclap out of the blue! How can everyone believe it? ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. Xiaoyu was standing at the stairway waiting to complete her task, right? For the first few minutes, no man showed up. Then Yufeng appeared, and Xiaoyu said to him: ¡®I like you, let¡¯s get married!''¡± Gu Xiaobei excitedly stepped forward and grabbed Mo Qianqian¡¯s wrist. ¡°What, really? My male idol? Are you sure you didn¡¯t see it wrong? What did my male idol say?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything; he just hugged Xiaoyu right away and then kissed her! Then he took her away!¡± ¡°Ah ah ah ah...¡± Gu Xiaobei¡¯s face twisted instantly. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t this kind of good thing ever happen to me...boo hoo hoo...¡± Everyone looked at Gu Xiaobei¡¯s exaggerated expression and was speechless. However, Xiaoyu was taken away by a stranger... Should they call the police? Li Xin, who had been calmly standing aside drinking water, slightly raised her brows, suspicion flashing through her eyes. Yufeng taking Xiaoyu away? How could this be possible? ¡°You guys couldn¡¯t have seen it wrong!¡± Li Xin spoke indifferently, her face full of doubt. Just as Mo Qianqian was about to argue, Xu Jiahui tugged at her sleeve. ¡°Qianqian, maybe... we mistook the person! That person might not be Yufeng!¡± Mo Qianqian instantly understood. Forget it, forget it. Yufeng has never been involved in any scandals with women, and now they¡¯re saying Yufeng actually kissed Xiaoyu, who would believe it? At this moment, Qin Zixiao walked in, and Bai Mingxuan hurriedly asked: ¡°Zixiao, you were also outside just now, you saw it, right? Was Xiaoyu really taken away by Yufeng?¡± Qin Zixiao had overheard their conversation before entering and hesitated for a moment before saying: ¡°That person indeed looks a lot like Yufeng!¡± With one sentence, he denied that person was Yufeng. But, Xiaoyu was taken away just like that... ¡°Do we need to call the police?¡± Qin Zixiao shook his head. ¡°It looks like the two of them probably know each other!¡± Instantly, the room exploded into commotion again. ¡°Damn, Xiaoyu has such a handsome friend? They even kissed, could he be her boyfriend?!¡± ¡°Exactly, and she didn¡¯t even tell us.¡± ¡°Xiaoyu really hit the jackpot tonight! How is this even possible? It¡¯s too coincidental!¡± ¡°...¡± Mo Qianqian and Xu Jiahui exchanged glances, filled with confusion. Just looks very similar? Xiaoyu¡¯s friend? Could it be that they really got it wrong? * The car continued on its way. ¡°Give me back my phone!¡± ¡°To call Qin Zixiao?¡± Yufeng sounded somewhat displeased. Xiaoyu was speechless. ¡°Please, you just dragged me away like that, my colleagues must be so anxious! They might think you¡¯ve kidnapped me! I¡¯m just calling them to let them know I¡¯m safe!¡± Probably the bunch in the design studio are going crazy by now! ¡°Speakerphone!¡± Yufeng returned the phone to her, and she quickly called Mo Qianqian. ¡°Qianqian...¡± Before she could continue, people from the other end swarmed with endless questions. ¡°Xiaoyu, you finally called! We were even thinking about whether or not to call the police!¡± ¡°Who was that just now? Is he really your boyfriend? He¡¯s so handsome!¡± ¡°Xiaoyu, you¡¯re too unfair, having such a handsome boyfriend and secretly hiding him from us...¡± Xiaoyu was dumbfounded. How did it happen that in just a short while Yufeng turned into her boyfriend? ¡°Uh, he¡¯s not...¡± Just as Xiaoyu was about to deny it, she saw Yufeng narrowing his eyes, his sharp gaze as if threatening to strangle her if she denied it! Chapter 60 - 60 61 ?60: 61. Knocking him down is the main task. 60: 61. Knocking him down is the main task. Under Shen Yufeng¡¯s aggressive gaze, An Xiaoyu could only fabricate an excuse and said: ¡°He is still under evaluation. I need to assess him from various aspects, and only after he passes can he officially start!¡± As she spoke, she glanced at Shen Yufeng, only to find his expression clearing up instantly like the sky after a storm. This guy... his face changes faster than flipping a book! ¡°Wow, no way, I heard that extremely handsome guy looks a lot like my idol. You still need to evaluate him? You should seize the opportunity and sweep him off his feet¡ªthat¡¯s the main business! With such high-quality genes, any baby you two have would definitely be super beautiful!¡± Gu Xiaobei¡¯s excited voice echoed in the car, almost piercing through An Xiaoyu¡¯s eardrums. ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m hanging up now!¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s awkwardness was almost too much to handle. Nothing was even certain yet, and Gu Xiaobei was already planning out having kids for her. Looking up again, she noticed that Shen Yufeng was actually smiling, and his gaze was so tender. ¡°What are you laughing about?¡± ¡°Hmm, the children we¡¯d have together would indeed be beautiful! Your colleague makes a good point! I¡¯ll treat her to a meal someday!¡± An Xiaoyu was genuinely speechless. God, what are you trying to stir up now? Isn¡¯t it chaotic enough already? Invite Gu Xiaobei for a meal? If Gu Xiaobei saw Shen Yufeng, that scene... An Xiaoyu shuddered at the thought. Gosh, she¡¯d be lucky if Gu Xiaobei doesn¡¯t devour her! But wait... Didn¡¯t Gu Xiaobei previously say that the extremely handsome guy looked a lot like her idol? Damn, how is it just ¡®looks like¡¯? It¡¯s literally the same person, okay? What¡¯s going on? Have they not recognized him? Impossible, right? And Qin Zixiao is there! Even if Mo Qianqian and Xu Jiahui were mistaken, Qin Zixiao wouldn¡¯t be mistaken! An Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t figure it out no matter how she thought about it, and it gave her a headache! Going to work tomorrow, she might have to face their relentless probing again! Soon, the car steadily stopped under An Xiaoyu¡¯s apartment building. At that moment, it was already quite late, a few people were still cooling off near the flower beds at the foot of the building, and even the sounds of crickets chirping in the bushes added a bit of liveliness to the night. ¡°Thank you for driving me home! Goodbye!¡± An Xiaoyu unbuckled her seatbelt, about to get out of the car, feeling extremely guilty. At this point, she didn¡¯t know how to face Shen Yufeng anymore. But just as her right hand touched the door handle, her left wrist was grabbed by Shen Yufeng. She turned her head in surprise, but Shen Yufeng had already let go of her wrist and wrapped his arms around her waist. With a slight effort, he actually lifted her onto his lap. Although they were separated by clothes, such intimate contact was enough to make An Xiaoyu¡¯s heart flutter and her thoughts scatter. ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± Shen Yufeng just gazed at her intently, his eyes serene, but his face still smiling. ¡°When do I officially start working?¡± ¡°...¡± Her earlier talk of evaluation was just blurted out nonsense, and Shen Yufeng asking her like this caught her off guard. Shen Yufeng sighed, a knowing look on his face. ¡°I promised you three days to think it over, but now, I can¡¯t wait any longer.¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Can¡¯t wait any longer? What does he want to do? Chapter 61 - 61 62, Are you a Vampire ?61: 62, Are you a Vampire? 61: 62, Are you a Vampire? An Xiaoyu never expected that after Shen Yufeng said those words, he would just lean down. ¡°Beep...¡± It was unclear who accidentally honked the car horn, but that sound pulled both of them back to reality. An Xiaoyu, covering her neck, glared angrily: ¡°Shen Yufeng, are you a Vampire?¡± Shen Yufeng chuckled: ¡°If I were a Vampire, would you still be alive to talk to me?¡± ¡°...¡± An Xiaoyu glared at him and huffily broke free. ¡°I want to get out of the car!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just another stamp, don¡¯t be so stingy!¡± Damn it, another stamp? An Xiaoyu turned her head back in frustration. ¡°This is the second time already, where will it be next?¡± Shen Yufeng turned his head and looked at her intently, a gleam of light sparkling in his dark pupils. ¡°Next time? Hmm, I need to think about it. How about this, next time you choose a place?¡± An Xiaoyu really felt like hitting someone. Ah... can God be any more shameless? ¡°Rascal!¡± ¡°Kissing someone else¡¯s wife is what¡¯s rascally, kissing my own wife¡ªwhat crime is there in that?¡± ¡°You...¡± An Xiaoyu was dumbfounded, ¡°Who is your wife?¡± ¡°Tonight, didn¡¯t you just propose to me? And now, I have clearly told you, I accept. So, if you¡¯re not my wife, who is?¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s headache became even worse. ¡°I already said it was only a game!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. I am serious. You think you can back out?¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s temples throbbed. How could Shen Yufeng have caused such chaos in her world in just a few days? ¡°Shen Yufeng, Shen Handsome, have you ever heard the saying that a twisted melon never tastes sweet?¡± Shen Yufeng merely smiled brightly. ¡°No problem, bro likes bitter gourd! That¡¯s what makes it challenging!¡± An Xiaoyu was left speechless. However, this time Shen Yufeng didn¡¯t trouble her any further and said with a smile: ¡°It¡¯s getting late, I¡¯ll walk you upstairs.¡± ¡°No need, no need, I can go home by myself!¡± An Xiaoyu, like a frightened little rabbit, jumped out of the car, ran to the entrance of the building, stopped, looked back at him, and noticed that he still hadn¡¯t left. She stomped her foot and then disappeared. Shen Yufeng leaned against the car door, watching her panicked retreat with great amusement. * The next day, An Xiaoyu arrived at the studio with dark circles under her eyes and wearing a high-collared shirt. She had insomnia again for the first half of the last night. It was all Shen Yufeng¡¯s fault for saying all those nonsensical things to her. Seeing An Xiaoyu come in, Gu Xiaobei was the first to rush to her side. ¡°Xiaoyu, come clean, when did you meet that handsome guy? Qianqian says he looks like my idol, is it true?¡± An Xiaoyu could only nod. ¡°A little bit!¡± Gu Xiaobei, filled with envy, said, ¡°That¡¯s so not cool, not telling us! Hey, what¡¯s with your neck?¡± An Xiaoyu quickly went to cover it, but it was too late. ¡°Mosquito bite!¡± An Xiaoyu, extremely embarrassed, had to lie. ¡°Pfft!¡± Everyone responded with disbelief, ¡°Oh, sure, tell that to the ghosts!¡± Gu Xiaobei grinned mischievously, ¡°No wonder you¡¯re wearing a high-collared shirt, and those dark circles... Talking about a probationary period, I think it sounds more like a trial period, right?¡± An Xiaoyu collapsed weakly onto the desk. She felt more wronged than Dou E! It was all Shen Yufeng¡¯s doing on purpose... This guy is simply a scourge! Chapter 62 - 62 63, so, I have been sentenced to death by you ?62: 63, so, I have been sentenced to death by you? 62: 63, so, I have been sentenced to death by you? Suddenly¡ª ¡°Xiaoyu, come here!¡± The voice of the director Bai Mingxuan came. ¡°Oh, okay!¡± An Xiaoyu finally breathed a sigh of relief, having been freed from the scrutiny of those colleagues. Director¡¯s office. Bai Mingxuan sat in his executive chair, legs crossed, leisurely looking at An Xiaoyu. ¡°Oh, not bad! I heard your boyfriend is quite handsome!¡± An Xiaoyu was bewildered. ¡°Director Bai, please don¡¯t tease me!¡± ¡°Qianqian and Xu Jiahui mistook that man for Shen Yufeng, but Qin Zixiao said that person just looks very similar to Shen Yufeng. Xiaoyu, tell me the truth, that person, couldn¡¯t really be...¡± An Xiaoyu hurriedly waved her hands, chuckling awkwardly: ¡°How could I possibly know someone as legendary as Shen Yufeng!¡± Bai Mingxuan smiled, ¡°That¡¯s also true.¡± An Xiaoyu let out a sigh of relief, thankful that Qin Zixiao had helped her. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t expose the ¡®God¡¯! Otherwise, tsk tsk... unthinkable! ¡°Director Bai, did you call me here just for this?¡± ¡°Not just for this. Today Qin Zixiao called, saying he has a new studio that needs designing and decorating, and he specifically asked for you!¡± Bai Mingxuan looked at An Xiaoyu as if trying to find some clues on her face. Previously, he didn¡¯t know An Xiaoyu and Qin Zixiao knew each other, let alone that their relationship was so good. If it wasn¡¯t for Qin Zixiao¡¯s impending engagement with Li Xin, he really would have thought Qin Zixiao and An Xiaoyu were the couple. But last night, the way Li Xin treated An Xiaoyu, and Qin Zixiao¡¯s expression looked very unpleasant. Later when playing games with them, he was completely distracted. However, An Xiaoyu didn¡¯t see it. For a moment, Bai Mingxuan almost felt that the person Qin Zixiao truly cared about was actually An Xiaoyu. Now, Qin Zixiao has specifically requested An Xiaoyu for the design. Standing from a man¡¯s perspective, he couldn¡¯t help but consider a bit more. An Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment. If yesterday¡¯s incident hadn¡¯t happened, she might have readily accepted this case, but now... she wanted to turn it down. ¡°Director Bai, I...¡± ¡°Also, there¡¯s a duplex villa in Wutong Garden that needs decorating, and the client also specifically asked for you to take charge.¡± Wutong Garden is the newest property in the city, boasting of a high-end community with water views and scenic steps, hence the price is also very expensive. Only the rich and privileged could afford to buy there. An Xiaoyu was surprised that the client specifically asked for her to do the design. Bai Mingxuan¡¯s lips curled up, his handsome face carrying an inscrutable smile. ¡°An Xiaoyu, I didn¡¯t expect you to become so popular so soon after starting work, with many clients specifically requesting you to design for them, not bad!¡± ¡°You flatter me, Director Bai!¡± An Xiaoyu was somewhat embarrassed. ¡°An Xiaoyu, these two cases, do you want to take both or...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the one at Wutong Garden!¡± * Shortly after leaving the director¡¯s office, Qin Zixiao¡¯s call came through. An Xiaoyu walked to the outside balcony to answer the phone. ¡°Xiaoyu, didn¡¯t you promise earlier, why did you refuse?¡± Qin Zixiao¡¯s voice sounded a bit heavy, as if holding back anger. An Xiaoyu looked at the blue sky outside, took a deep breath, her eyes smiling. ¡°Zixiao brother, I think, there might be other designers who are more suitable than me!¡± Qin Zixiao was silent for a moment. ¡°Xiaoyu, is it because of... last night¡¯s incident, that you have sentenced me to death?¡± Chapter 63 - 63 64, as expected, I was disliked again ?63: 64, as expected, I was disliked again. 63: 64, as expected, I was disliked again. Shen Family Mansion. Shen Yufeng was holding an old lady¡¯s arm, ¡°Grandma, you were just discharged from the hospital a few days ago, the doctor advised you to rest well.¡± ¡°If you let me lie in bed any longer, my old bones will start to mold!¡± Old Madam Shen paused, ¡°Right, I owe a lot to that young girl last time. If it weren¡¯t for her, I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to stand here and talk! Right, I asked you to help look for that girl, did you find her?¡± Shen Yufeng raised his eyebrows slightly and smiled, ¡°Grandma, that¡¯s like looking for a needle in a haystack, where do you expect me to find her?¡± Old Master Shen came over. ¡°Don¡¯t make it hard on Yufeng!¡± Old Madam Shen sighed and turned her spearhead towards Old Master Shen. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, if it weren¡¯t for arguing with you that day, I wouldn¡¯t have fainted in anger!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, it¡¯s my fault!¡± Old Master Shen could only agree, but he muttered, ¡°At your age still playing hide and seek, causing me so much trouble finding you!¡± Old Madam Shen stopped paying attention to him and continued on her own, ¡°That young girl looked so adorable, with her sparkling big eyes, and a kind heart, whoever marries her will be lucky!¡± At this point, Old Madam Shen shifted her tone, ¡°Yufeng, I know you¡¯re usually very busy, but you¡¯re not getting any younger, you can¡¯t just focus on your career, you should think about personal matters too! Not to nag you, but Li Xin, the daughter of your cousin, is getting engaged next month, and here you are, her uncle, still hasn¡¯t even introduced us to a shadow of a woman. We are already one foot in the grave, how long do you expect us to wait?¡± Thinking about this grandson always made her anxious! ¡°Grandma, what are you waiting for again?¡± A clear voice came, followed quickly by a figure in a purple-red flashy outfit rushing in front of Old Madam Shen. It was none other than Shen Family¡¯s second young master, Shen Yufeng¡¯s younger brother, Shen Yunqing. ¡°You brat, not even giving a heads-up when you come back.¡± Old Master Shen snorted. Shen Yunqing hurriedly hugged Old Master Shen¡¯s shoulders, ¡°Ah, Grandpa, I wanted to give you a surprise!¡± After speaking, Shen Yunqing cast a sympathetic glance at Shen Yufeng, ¡°Bro, could it be... you¡¯re being nagged to marry, again! Geez, that¡¯s really sad!¡± Old Master Shen snorted. ¡°You still have the nerve to say? You two brothers, really worrying us to death. One never seen with a girl, the other from childhood to adulthood had endless girlfriends, how many now? Enough to fill a train cart! If only you could share half with your brother, we wouldn¡¯t have to worry so much!¡± ¡°STOP, Grandpa, I just got back and you¡¯re already scolding me! My little heart is hurt! It¡¯s them who chase after me, and even if I did share with my brother, would he even want them? There were plenty of girls chasing after him before, but he always puts on a ¡®keep off¡¯ cold and icy face, radiating endless murderous aura, who would dare approach?¡± Upon saying this, Shen Yunqing stepped forward, laid a hand on Shen Yufeng¡¯s left shoulder, and chuckled: ¡°Say, brother, you¡¯re not really planning to stay single forever, are you?¡± Shen Yufeng fluttered his eyelids, his cold gaze landing on his left shoulder. Shen Yunqing almost peed himself and quickly removed his hand. Indeed, got rejected again... Yet, Shen Yufeng ominously began. ¡°Who said that? One of these days, I¡¯ll bring her home to meet you all!¡± Shen Yunqing recoiled in shock, his brother having gone without a girlfriend for so many years, suddenly saying he¡¯ll bring someone home... It made him suspicious. After hesitating for a few seconds, he gathered his courage and asked: ¡°Bro, the person you mentioned... is it a woman or a man?¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s face turned frosty, grinding his teeth he spat out one word: ¡°Scram!¡± Chapter 64 - 64 65, do I need you to teach me ?64: 65, do I need you to teach me? 64: 65, do I need you to teach me? Old Madam Shen¡¯s face was filled with surprise. ¡°Yufeng, does this mean you have a girlfriend? Whose daughter is she, how old is she, what does she look like, what does she do, and why didn¡¯t you tell us anything!¡± ¡°The time isn¡¯t right yet.¡± Old Master Shen furrowed his brows. ¡°Not the right time... what do you mean?¡± Shen Yunqing interjected, ¡°It means he hasn¡¯t fully sealed the deal yet!¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s face darkened a bit. Upon hearing this, Old Master Shen got so mad his mustache bristled, ¡°Hmph, hasn¡¯t fully sealed the deal? Our Yufeng taking an interest in her is her good fortune! How dare she act all high and mighty and refuse!¡± Old Madam Shen quickly said, ¡°Old man, stop worrying over nothing! Courting a girl has to be taken slowly, it¡¯s all about the process! Isn¡¯t it all about romance for young people nowadays!¡± ¡°How can I not worry? Just think about it, their unreliable parents abandoned them to enjoy life abroad, leaving us old folks to worry about their major life decisions! Besides, with our Yufeng being such a catch, she doesn¡¯t see it? I bet she¡¯s just playing hard to get!¡± ¡°When we got married, you never courted me, and I still feel aggrieved about it. With your grumpy temper! Hmph, if it were now, I wouldn¡¯t marry you!¡± ¡°...¡± Shen Yunqing heaved a sigh while holding his forehead. Having an elder in the family is like having a treasure, and right now, they have not one, but two living treasures... They had barely exchanged a few words before the two started arguing again! If he¡¯d known, he wouldn¡¯t have intervened! Great, his meddling has caused this mess, and now he has to clean it up. ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, stop arguing, we still haven¡¯t gotten the full story yet! I think my brother has someone he likes, but given his icy expression, it¡¯s likely he scared the poor girl away! So...it¡¯s perfectly normal that he hasn¡¯t sealed the deal yet!¡± ¡°Hmm, that makes sense! After all these years, there haven¡¯t been any girls around Yufeng. While he¡¯s a sharp businessman, when it comes to chasing girls, he has no experience at all, definitely a block of wood! Yunqing, you must help your brother!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Shen Yunqing smiled proudly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, grandparents, leave it to me! I¡¯ll teach my brother all my lifetime master skills in picking up girls! Guarantee to succeed!¡± ¡°Silly boy, it¡¯s not about seducing girls, he needs to win her over and get her through the door as his wife!¡± * It took a while before Old Master Shen and Old Madam Shen finally went back to their room to rest, then Shen Yunqing moved closer to Shen Yufeng. ¡°Bro, my dear brother, who¡¯s the girl you¡¯re interested in? I practically know all the respectable and glamorous young ladies in our city. The one you mentioned... do I know her?¡± ¡°Those women can¡¯t be compared to her!¡± Shen Yunqing was utterly astonished, disbelief all over his face. It seems that this woman holds an extraordinary place in his brother¡¯s heart! ¡°Bro, are you sure, you¡¯re not just playing around, but seriously want to marry her?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s tone was very serious. Shen Yunqing took a deep breath. ¡°Bro, as your dearest younger brother, I¡¯ll take full charge of your marital affairs. Under the guidance of a God-level pick-up artist like me who¡¯s knowledgeable, wise, and irresistibly handsome, I guarantee you¡¯ll conquer all battles... By the way, bro, how far have you guys gone? I need to know where to start teaching!¡± Shen Yufeng gave him a meaningful look. ¡°We¡¯ve already shared a bed, what¡¯s left... do you still need to teach me?¡± The corners of Shen Yunqing¡¯s mouth twitched. Shen Yufeng picked up his jacket and turned towards the door. ¡°Bro, where are you going?¡± ¡°To pick up my wife from work!¡± Chapter 65 - 65 66 ?65: 66 65: 66 When it was nearly quitting time in the evening, An Xiaoyu¡¯s phone rang again. This time, the caller ID displayed ¡ª ¡°Plague God¡±. An Xiaoyu picked up the phone, answered it, and a deep voice came through. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you in the parking lot downstairs of your studio!¡± An Xiaoyu was taken aback. ¡°Waiting for me, for what?¡± ¡°To eat dinner!¡± An Xiaoyu weakly asked, ¡°I¡¯m very tired today, can I not go?¡± Shen Yufeng chuckled, ¡°Tired? Alright, then I¡¯ll just come up and get you.¡± An Xiaoyu quickly changed her tune. ¡°Never mind! Wait in the car for me, I¡¯ll be down in a moment!¡± After hanging up the phone, everyone started to tease her again. ¡°Xiaoyu, is your boyfriend picking you up from work?¡± ¡°Oh, once again flaunting in front of us single folks! An Xiaoyu, you¡¯re really too much!¡± An Xiaoyu felt helpless. Now, she¡¯s been labeled as taken... Can she ever shake that off? ¡°Xiaoyu, don¡¯t make your boyfriend wait too long!¡± Gu Xiaobei teased her with a smile, his suggestive glance drifting to her neck, causing An Xiaoyu to blush instantly. Having gathered her bag and reached the parking lot downstairs, the headlights of a Mercedes flashed at her. She immediately understood but still glanced back to make sure nobody else saw before she approached the car and got in. ¡°What, getting into my car is a disgrace, like you are a thief?¡± Shen Yufeng was somewhat displeased. An Xiaoyu felt awkward; right now, she really didn¡¯t want others to know that her so-called ¡°boyfriend¡± was Shen Yufeng! ¡°That, I just don¡¯t want others to know about our relationship yet!¡± Upon finishing her statement, Shen Yufeng¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°So, you¡¯re admitting our relationship now?¡± ¡°...¡± An Xiaoyu felt helpless. Suddenly, a large hand reached over and An Xiaoyu immediately looked up, her eyes filled with caution. Shen Yufeng couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, like I¡¯m some hungry wolf! I¡¯m just helping you with the seatbelt!¡± An Xiaoyu snorted. ¡°Aren¡¯t you? Otherwise, how did this mark appear on my neck? I got teased about it for a long time today, they even said I...¡± ¡°They said what?¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s nothing good anyway!¡± Shen Yufeng watched her shy expression and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle softly. This little lady... truly adorable! * Haojue Private Club. Upon pushing the door open, there were already several people seated in the private room. ¡°Boss, why are you so late? We¡¯ve been waiting for a long time!¡± An Xiaoyu was stunned; she thought it would just be her and Shen Yufeng, but unexpectedly... A man dressed in brown-grey camo approached with a glass of drink, smiling, ¡°Wow, this beautiful lady is...¡± Shen Yufeng wrapped his arm around her waist as if declaring sovereignty. ¡°Call her sister-in-law!¡± Uh... Sister-in-law! An Xiaoyu felt a headache coming on! Was she now caught in a situation she couldn¡¯t escape? Shen Yufeng¡¯s arm was wrapped so tightly around hers, like an iron wall, that she couldn¡¯t escape even if she wanted to. ¡°Let me introduce you, this is my friend Ye Qian.¡± The man named Ye Qian scrutinized An Xiaoyu with a smile, then stretched his hand out in front of her. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Ye Qian.¡± An Xiaoyu had no choice but to extend her hand. ¡°Hello.¡± As Ye Qian looked at An Xiaoyu, he teased, ¡°So, I should call you sister-in-law from now on!¡± An Xiaoyu, visibly annoyed, decisively rejected Ye Qian¡¯s suggestion: ¡°No, just call me An Xiaoyu!¡± Shen Yufeng smirked, ¡°Ye Qian, she¡¯s still young, don¡¯t take it personally!¡± An Xiaoyu glared at him, Chapter 66 - 66 67, my younger sister-in-law said that you almost crushed him to death ?66: 67, my younger sister-in-law said that you almost crushed him to death. 66: 67, my younger sister-in-law said that you almost crushed him to death. Shen Yufeng wrapped his arm around An Xiaoyu¡¯s waist and introduced her to each of his friends. Even though Shen Yufeng only mentioned their names without revealing any other identities, how could An Xiaoyu not know? And how could Shen Yufeng¡¯s friends be just ordinary people? ¡°This is Wen Nansheng!¡± ¡°This one, Chu Xici!¡± ¡°Fu Ziran!¡± Every time Shen Yufeng introduced someone, An Xiaoyu would hear a ¡°nice to meet you, sister-in-law,¡± making her scalp tingle. Finally, when the last one was introduced, An Xiaoyu saw that it was none other than Mo Jinyu. ¡°Stop, I know this one already, no need for introductions!¡± ¡°Sis...¡± Just as Mo Jinyu was about to speak, An Xiaoyu quickly waved him off. ¡°Mo Jinyu, could you not join the chorus, please?¡± Finally, after finishing the introduction around the table, everyone sat down and started the meal. Durting this meal, Shen Yufeng diligently served her food, causing the eyes of the several men beside them to pop. This was the first time Shen Yufeng had brought a woman to join their gatherings. And he was also tenderly serving her food! This was practically a fairy tale, wasn¡¯t it? Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, An Xiaoyu found herself having trouble digesting the food. If she had known it would be dinner with his group of friends, she would have died before coming! After eating for a while, An Xiaoyu put down her chopsticks. ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± ¡°Eat more, so you can put on some weight! You¡¯re as skinny as a rail; it¡¯s uncomfortable to hug you!¡± Shen Yufeng said unhurriedly, with a completely comfortable expression on his face, while all the men at the table struggled to hold back their laughter. An Xiaoyu¡¯s face turned into a giant red tomato. That jerk Shen Yufeng was too shameless! Finally, the meal was over. The group of men sat together, chatting up a storm, while An Xiaoyu simply ran off to sit on a sofa and play with her phone. Just then, the sofa beside her sank, and as An Xiaoyu turned her head, she found Fu Ziran sitting next to her, placing a tray on the table with several highball glasses filled with red, yellow, blue, and green liquids. Among the crowd today, Fu Ziran looked to be the youngest, and she had also learned during dinner conversation that he had attended the same high school as she did, only they hadn¡¯t known each other back then. ¡°Want a drink?¡± Fu Ziran asked with a smile. As it happened, she was also a bit thirsty, so An Xiaoyu picked out one that looked like orange juice with finely crushed ice that shimmered like twinkling diamonds, quite beautiful. ¡°Thank you!¡± Since they came from the same alma mater, they had quite a few topics in common and soon got to know each other better as they chatted. Half-jokingly, Fu Ziran asked, ¡°Xiaoyu, do you know how many women in A City regard the boss as a male god, dreaming that one day they can climb into his bed and become Mrs. Shen? Or even just a one-night stand with the boss would be an honor. And yet, for so many years, he¡¯s never had a woman by his side; you¡¯re the first. Hey, tell me, how did you end up together with the boss? It¡¯s like a huge, diamond-filled pie fell from the sky; the odds are brutally low! Xiaoyu, did you save the Galaxy in your last life?¡± An Xiaoyu tugged at the corner of her mouth and sighed wordlessly. ¡°Yeah, yeah, such a huge diamond pie, it almost killed me!¡± No sooner had An Xiaoyu finished speaking than Fu Ziran laughed and said to Shen Yufeng, ¡°Boss, you need to lose weight!¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s long brows furrowed slightly. Fu Ziran laughed again: ¡°Little sister-in-law says you nearly crushed her to death!¡± Chapter 67 - 67 68 ?67: 68. Is it not embarrassing to be rough with girls when others might find out? 67: 68. Is it not embarrassing to be rough with girls when others might find out? When Fu Ziran finished speaking, the entire room instantly got the hint and burst into laughter. An Xiaoyu finally realized what was going on, her face turning red like a cooked shrimp, and she hurriedly stood up and left. Do they have to be so shameless? An Xiaoyu hid in the restroom and washed her face, then patted her cheeks. Her cheeks were burning hot, and her head felt somewhat light. The corridors twisted and turned, making An Xiaoyu feel a bit dizzy. What was the room number of the private room? She hadn¡¯t paid attention when she entered. Relying on her memory, An Xiaoyu searched for a long time and finally found the private room. But when she pushed the door open, she immediately froze. This private room was more luxuriously decorated, yet she didn¡¯t recognize anyone there¡ª all strangers. However, they all seemed to be either rich or noble! ¡°Sorry, wrong room...¡± After apologizing, An Xiaoyu turned to leave but suddenly, a large hand grabbed her wrist, followed by a strong smell of alcohol. ¡°Hey, little sister, since you¡¯re here, it means we¡¯re fated. Why not stay for a drink!¡± The man was obese, with a protruding belly and his eyes shone with a cunning light. A burst of teasing laughter echoed around the room. ¡°Come on, this beautiful girl, hurry in!¡± The man¡¯s greasy hand gripped her wrist, making An Xiaoyu feel nauseous. She struggled, trying to shake off his hand, but felt too weak to muster any strength. ¡°I said I entered the wrong room! My friends are waiting for me!¡± The fat man¡¯s face darkened as An Xiaoyu openly defied him in front of everyone. ¡°Clearly you walked in here on purpose and now you¡¯re playing innocent! You should be grateful that I, your ancestor, am showing interest in you! Damn it, refusal of a toast only leads to a forced drink!¡± As he spoke, he swung his hand towards An Xiaoyu. Just at that moment, a chilling aura swept in, and someone caught the man¡¯s hand mid-air. An Xiaoyu felt someone grip her shoulder and pull her backward into a warm, solid embrace. Looking up, it was Shen Yufeng. ¡°Shen... President Shen...¡± After his initial shock, the fat man quickly recognized Shen Yufeng and immediately put on a sycophantic expression, ¡°What brings you here?¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s face was expressionless, but his piercing eyes revealed his emotions. ¡°President Tian, isn¡¯t it shameful to hit a woman? Aren¡¯t you afraid of being ridiculed?¡± The man known as President Tian quickly explained: ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a misunderstanding! Since President Shen you¡¯re also interested in this girl, you go first!¡± The crowd that was previously jeering and booing instantly changed their expressions. Who is Shen Yufeng? A single stomp from him could conjure a tornado in City A! Goodness, are they people Shen Yufeng can¡¯t afford to offend? But isn¡¯t Shen Yufeng known for regarding women as mere dirt? Even in business, he never has female companions by his side, yet now he¡¯s stepped into their room to defend a woman? What does this mean? Shen Yufeng looked around at the people sitting in the room, his icy gaze sending chills down their spines. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± he asked the girl in his arms in a soft voice. The people shivered. Was this the prelude to a confrontation? An Xiaoyu shook her head, feeling a warmth in her heart, thankful that he arrived just in time! ¡°Silly girl, went out for a while and you can¡¯t even find your room?¡± Everyone was stunned. Goodness, the girl really did walk into the wrong room! It seems that they really offended someone they shouldn¡¯t have! ¡°President Shen, this really was a misunderstanding, we didn¡¯t know she was one of yours...¡± The people hurriedly explained, but Shen Yufeng did not pay them any attention, carrying An Xiaoyu and turning to leave. An Xiaoyu nestled in his arms, feeling like a small boat rocking on the great sea with the rhythm of his steps. ¡°Shen Yufeng, slow down, I¡¯m feeling dizzy...¡± Chapter 68 - 68 69, really want ?68: 69, really want 68: 69, really want Shen Yufeng carried An Xiaoyu back to the private room to collect her things, preparing to leave. Before departing, he glanced at the coffee table next to the sofa, which had a few empty wine glasses on it. ¡°What did you give her to drink?¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s cool gaze fell on Fu Ziran. Fu Ziran shivered, ¡°She drank a cup of Scorpio Palace!¡± ¡°Just that?¡± ¡°Only that, nothing else.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll settle this next time!¡± Shen Yufeng drove An Xiaoyu home, with An Xiaoyu forcefully maintaining her spirits in the car. ¡°Shen Yufeng, thank you! If you hadn¡¯t come out, I wouldn¡¯t have known how to end the situation!¡± ¡°Be more careful in the future, and don¡¯t walk into the wrong room again! And, without my permission, you¡¯re not allowed to drink!¡± ¡°Got it, got it!¡± An Xiaoyu laughed hehe, ¡°You¡¯re even more controlling than my mom!¡± ¡°Write a reflective report after you get back!¡± Shen Yufeng ordered. An Xiaoyu waved her hand. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so sleepy, let me sleep for a while first!¡± After saying this, An Xiaoyu closed her eyes and soon fell asleep. Listening to her even breathing, Shen Yufeng couldn¡¯t help but smile. This time she was quite well-behaved and didn¡¯t cause any embarrassment like before. * As the car pulled up to the apartment building where An Xiaoyu lived, Shen Yufeng slowly stopped the vehicle, looking at An Xiaoyu, who was sleeping, leaning against the seatback. A hint of helplessness rose in his eyes, which resembled a deep night pond, soon followed by a faint smile at the corners. She¡¯s sleeping so soundly! He wanted to wake her up, but also wanted her to sleep a little longer. This conflicting feeling made him somewhat tangled. Eventually, he decided not to wake her up and carried her upstairs as she was. After Shen Yufeng carried An Xiaoyu into the elevator, her eyelashes on the little face leaning against his shoulder trembled. An Xiaoyu slowly opened her eyes. Her long eyelashes fluttered, and for a moment she was confused, not knowing where she was. However, upon opening her eyes, she could see Shen Yufeng¡¯s profile. Those long lashes, deep-set eyes, strong nose bridge, and the determined chin¡ªso handsome it defied reason! This man was a supreme beauty! Shen Yufeng simply looked like a character who had walked out of a manga, with a charming, wild aura, yet also powerful and domineering. If he were used as a model for a manga, it would certainly capture people¡¯s attention. An Xiaoyu¡¯s gaze was fixed on Shen Yufeng¡¯s face, staring intently. I really want to touch it! Normally, An Xiaoyu wouldn¡¯t have been so bold as to randomly touch Shen Yufeng. But now, she was under the influence of alcohol, and any remnants of rationality that had been clinging on were ruthlessly cast aside. As she thought this, her hand already began to move. She lifted her arm, gently stroking Shen Yufeng¡¯s face. ¡°Awake now!¡± Shen Yufeng had been looking straight ahead, but when her soft little hand touched his chin, he tilted his head slightly, looking down at her with his eyes. His eyes were filled with tenderness, layering around her softly and envelopingly. Just then, the elevator doors opened, and a strong smell of smoke assaulted their nostrils, causing An Xiaoyu to immediately start coughing. Shen Yufeng raised an eyebrow, seeing a figure leaning against the wall with a mess of cigarette butts at his feet. That was... Qin Zixiao! Chapter 69 - 69 70, feeling heartache ?69: 70, feeling heartache? 69: 70, feeling heartache? When the elevator door opened and he saw Shen Yufeng holding An Xiaoyu, both so intimately nestled together, Qin Zixiao narrowed his eyes, his gaze fluctuating. Today, Bai Mingxuan called and said An Xiaoyu had rejected his project. An inexplicable pain welled up in his heart, like a stabbing knife. He knew that last night, An Xiaoyu was hurt after all. And the person who hurt her was Li Xin, but really, what difference did it make to him? She must truly be disappointed in him. On the phone, he asked if he was already sentenced to death. But she laughed radiantly and said: ¡°Zixiao brother, when did you become a sentimental literary youth? I¡¯m really not used to you talking like this! Honestly talking, taking on two cases at once, I¡¯m really afraid of indigestion! Moreover, I don¡¯t have three heads and six arms, I can¡¯t clone myself, so weighing it out, I¡¯d rather offend you than the new client. After all, you won¡¯t hold it against me!¡± He wanted to say something else, but An Xiaoyu quickly said: ¡°Zixiao brother, it¡¯s working hours now, I won¡¯t chat with you any longer! Bye-bye!¡± The moment he hung up the phone, he just felt an emptiness inside, as if something was cruelly scooped out. Tonight there was originally a social engagement, but he canceled it, and subconsciously, he drove to An Xiaoyu¡¯s residence. Perhaps... he should talk properly with her. So, he went upstairs and knocked on the door, but no one responded. He tried calling, but her phone was switched off. Was she working overtime? Calling Bai Mingxuan to inquire, he found out An Xiaoyu had already left, and it was her boyfriend who personally came to pick her up from the office, everyone knew! Boyfriend, huh? Qin Zixiao¡¯s heart sank. Then, he just stood there, stubbornly waiting. He had so many things he wanted to tell An Xiaoyu. Who is Shen Yufeng? Could An Xiaoyu really afford to mess with him? Being with Shen Yufeng, it¡¯s only her who would get hurt in the end! How could he just watch her step into this pit of fire? He should have intervened in last night¡¯s incident in time, but he was a step too late and watched, helplessly, as An Xiaoyu was taken away by Shen Yufeng. Later, in front of everyone, he denied that it was Shen Yufeng, partly because he didn¡¯t want to bring unnecessary trouble to An Xiaoyu, and partly because deep down, he simply couldn¡¯t bear to admit it. The elevator went up and then down, after waiting for more than three hours, he finally saw her return, but she was in Shen Yufeng¡¯s arms! And her hand was caressing Shen Yufeng¡¯s chin, while Shen Yufeng also looked down at her and smiled. He even heard Shen Yufeng lightly chuckling, ¡°Let you touch enough later!¡± The two of them... were they already so intimate? At that moment, it felt like a hard slap on his face, the burning pain searing across his cheeks, even his eyes reddened. Suddenly, Qin Zixiao felt that him being there was simply like a jest. An Xiaoyu coughed but still noticed Qin Zixiao, she was incredibly surprised. ¡°Zixiao brother, why are you here?¡± She quickly got out of Shen Yufeng¡¯s arms, but her head was still dizzy; she didn¡¯t stand steady, and Shen Yufeng swiftly extended a long arm, pulling her back into his embrace. Qin Zixiao gave a cold smile. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve come at the wrong time!¡± Having said that, he walked straight into the elevator, pressed the close button. ¡°Zixiao brother...¡± An Xiaoyu hurriedly turned around, but the elevator doors were slowly closing, and she could only see Qin Zixiao¡¯s stern, pain-filled face. Shen Yufeng didn¡¯t move, his profound and deep eyes fixed straight on An Xiaoyu. ¡°What, feeling heartbroken? Want to go after him?¡± Chapter 70 - 70 71, this is your punishment ?70: 71, this is your punishment. 70: 71, this is your punishment. An Xiaoyu didn¡¯t make a sound, her mind somewhat muddled. How long had Qin Zixiao been waiting here? What did the litter of cigarette butts signify? Why couldn¡¯t she understand Qin Zixiao¡¯s attitude? In the past, she would share all her worries with Qin Zixiao, in front of him, she truly had no secrets. However, later on, she hid her affection for him deep within her heart, a girl¡¯s feelings... are still not so easily revealed. At that time, she naively believed that even without her confessing, Qin Zixiao would understand her feelings. But, she was wrong. Terribly wrong. During the years she was abroad for her studies, someone had already taken her place by Qin Zixiao¡¯s side, accompanying him to enjoy the scenery, and to walk through life hand in hand. Perhaps, from beginning to end, it was just her one-sided love. Qin Zixiao was tolerant, caring, and doting towards her, but... none of it was love. Chase after him? She never considered it. Even if she did, what would she say to Qin Zixiao? Suddenly, Shen Yufeng¡¯s long arms grasped An Xiaoyu¡¯s shoulders, turning her around. As she stood there dumbstruck, he lowered his head and captured her lips directly. Pain shot through her, and An Xiaoyu frowned, glaring at him. ¡°Shen Yufeng, are you a dog?¡± She wiped her mouth with her hand, thankfully there was no blood. Shen Yufeng narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze growing a bit shadowy. ¡°This is your punishment, for harboring thoughts of another man in front of me.¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s voice was husky. An Xiaoyu looked at him. The handsome man before her wore a touch of anger on his face, whereas just a moment ago when he stepped out of the elevator, he was smiling so gently. Could it be... jealousy? Impossible, right? Yet, recalling how he brought her to meet his friends tonight and even had them call her ¡®sister-in-law,¡¯ her head swelled even more. An Xiaoyu looked at Shen Yufeng, her mind a complete mess. ¡°The hallway reeks of smoke, not feeling choked anymore? Let¡¯s go home!¡± With that, Shen Yufeng scooped An Xiaoyu into his arms and walked towards the front door of the house. After all, An Xiaoyu was still somewhat drunk, collapsing on the bed, ready to sleep as soon as she reached her room. Shen Yufeng came over and looked at the small woman sprawled out on the bed, appearing somewhat helpless. ¡°Go take a shower and change your clothes before you sleep!¡± An Xiaoyu simply covered her head with the blanket. ¡°No, I¡¯m so sleepy!¡± Shen Yufeng leisurely sat on the edge of the bed, speaking in a somewhat roguish tone, ¡°I¡¯ll count to three, and if you¡¯re not up by then, I¡¯ll help you bathe!¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re so annoying!¡± ¡°An Xiaoyu, I¡¯m not joking with you, I¡¯m starting to count.¡± ¡°One¡ª¡ª¡± An Xiaoyu didn¡¯t budge. ¡°Two¡ª¡ª¡± An Xiaoyu continued to feign death on the bed. Hmph, who¡¯s she trying to scare! She wasn¡¯t raised to be frightened. Seeing that she still didn¡¯t move, Shen Yufeng¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed, the corners of his lips turned upwards, and a light smile instantly radiated. ¡°Three¡ª¡ª¡± An Xiaoyu didn¡¯t believe he would actually follow through, so she still ignored him. But just as this thought crossed her mind, a pair of hands reached straight into her blanket. ¡°Ah...¡± An Xiaoyu screamed aloud. Chapter 71 - 71 72, Is it useful to shout for help ?71: 72, Is it useful to shout for help? 71: 72, Is it useful to shout for help? An Xiaoyu never expected that this guy would actually launch a sneak attack on her, and tickle her to boot. An Xiaoyu dodged around, but under his devilish claws, she simply couldn¡¯t escape. ¡°Haha... Shen Yufeng, stop it... It¡¯s so ticklish...¡± Shen Yufeng snorted. ¡°Now you beg for mercy? Too late!¡± Nowadays, An Xiaoyu still had no immunity to Qin Zixiao. When Qin Zixiao left, the expression on her face was clearly one of loss. Just thinking about that scene at the elevator door, there seemed to be a thorn piercing Shen Yufeng¡¯s heart. But hearing her laughter, the anger that Shen Yufeng had been holding in his belly was instantly released in its entirety. And An Xiaoyu was still struggling and begging for mercy. Shen Yufeng¡¯s eyes instantly darkened like ink. ¡°Shen Yufeng, stop it... Don¡¯t mess around anymore... My stomach hurts.¡± Shen Yufeng suddenly grabbed her hand. An Xiaoyu was taken aback. ¡°You...¡± Her tongue was somewhat twisted, making it difficult for her to speak clearly. Yet Shen Yufeng laughed. ¡°I haven¡¯t settled today¡¯s score with you yet!¡± ¡°What score?¡± An Xiaoyu was somewhat puzzled; when had she provoked him again? ¡°Do I need to remind you what you said to Fu Ziran at the club before? You said, I almost crushed you to death.¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s memory instantly returned. So that¡¯s it, Shen Yufeng had been lying in wait for her here! ¡°I...¡± She was about to retort, but then she heard Shen Yufeng¡¯s low chuckle. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, ¡°You pinned such a huge frame on me, wouldn¡¯t I be badly wronged if I didn¡¯t?!¡± ¡°...¡± An Xiaoyu was truly dumbfounded. Fu Ziran, that guy, had deliberately twisted her words; she did not expect that he had dug a hole and buried her in it! ¡°If I don¡¯t make it real, how can I live up to the big frame you put on me?¡± An Xiaoyu was astonished, she looked up at Shen Yufeng, but saw the fiery-hot gaze in his eyes. In that moment, her heart thumped wildly, losing its rhythm. What does Shen Yufeng want to do? An Xiaoyu took a deep breath. ¡°I timidly ask, if I were to call for help, would it make any difference?¡± Chapter 72 - 72 73 ?72: 73. Who can be as magnanimous as him? 72: 73. Who can be as magnanimous as him? ¡°Guess...¡± Shen Yufeng looked at the charming and captivating little face in his arms, the inkiness in his eyes deepening further. ¡°If you¡¯re willing, go ahead and shout loudly to see if anyone comes to save you!¡± An Xiaoyu threw caution to the wind and screamed with all her might, ¡°Save¡ª¡± The word ¡°save¡± didn¡¯t get out. Finally, he let her go. An Xiaoyu gasped for breath desperately. ¡°STOP, enough is enough! Otherwise, I¡¯ll bite you to death!¡± If this went on, she was truly going to lose her mind! Shen Yufeng took a deep breath, his gaze intensely fixed on her. After all, he didn¡¯t want to be too brash and scare her! ¡°This time, I¡¯ll let you off! Don¡¯t test my patience again... I can¡¯t guarantee what I might do next time.¡± Who else could be so magnanimous to let go of prey that was already at his lips? An Xiaoyu finally breathed a sigh of relief. Yet, Shen Yufeng¡¯s large hands caressed her cheeks as he sighed almost imperceptibly. ¡°However, I have one condition!¡± An Xiaoyu glared at him. This guy... still had a trick up his sleeve! She knew he was a sly, crafty, and cunning big bad wolf. How could he let her off so easily? ¡°What condition?¡± ¡°Call me ¡®hubby¡¯, and I¡¯ll let you go!¡± An Xiaoyu was taken aback. Such an intimate term! Damn it! She¡¯d seen shameless people, but never someone as shameless as this. ¡°I¡¯m not even married to you yet!¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s lips curved into a small smile, ¡°You¡¯re going to marry me eventually, anyway!¡± ¡°You, shameless!¡± ¡°If I were shameless, I couldn¡¯t get a wife!¡± The smile on Shen Yufeng¡¯s face was so wickedly charismatic, that devilishly enchanting face truly made An Xiaoyu grind her teeth in anger. Could she just beat him up, pound him into a pig-headed fool? ¡°Can¡¯t we switch to another condition?¡± Shen Yufeng arched an eyebrow. ¡°Oh, bargaining? Fine, let¡¯s change it then, let me think... Hmm, how about this. You don¡¯t have to call me ¡®hubby¡¯, just say ¡®I love you¡¯!¡± An Xiaoyu collapsed! Oh my god, could she just get struck by lightning and die! Hubby? I love you? How did Shen Yufeng come up with this? ¡°Choose one, and the countdown begins now... three... two...¡± Before he could say ¡°one¡±, he saw An Xiaoyu close her eyes in utter despair. ¡°Hubby!¡± Chapter 73 - 73 74 ?73: 74. A gentleman can be killed, but cannot be humiliated? 73: 74. A gentleman can be killed, but cannot be humiliated? So embarrassing, am I right?! If there were a hole in the ground now, she would definitely jump in and bury herself! An Xiaoyu closed her eyes, not daring to look at the man before her, and awkwardly blurted out the word ¡°Hubby¡±. For a long time, Shen Yufeng had no reaction. An Xiaoyu felt puzzled inside and stealthily cracked open an eye, only to see Shen Yufeng expressionless. She was somewhat surprised and ended up fully opening both eyes. ¡°Tha-That-That, Shen Yufeng, you have to keep your word. I¡¯ve already called out, so you have to let me go!¡± Shen Yufeng, however, looked utterly confused. ¡°Oh? You called out just now? How come I didn¡¯t hear anything!¡± An Xiaoyu was frustrated. He¡¯s simply an unscrupulous person! Where¡¯s that cold and handsome, cool-faced big boss that we agreed upon? Could someone have secretly switched him with someone else?! ¡°Your voice was too soft! How about this, call it out one more time!¡± Shen Yufeng kindly gave the suggestion. An Xiaoyu really wanted to hang herself with a noodle then and there. When she called out the first time, she had mustered the greatest courage she could, but now, she no longer had the courage to shout a second time. What to choose? A lady may be killed, but not insulted? Or is it, a clever woman should not suffer losses right before her eyes? ¡°It¡¯s just a form of address, think of it as practice in advance. Is it really that hard?¡± Shen Yufeng said in a nonchalant and light manner. An Xiaoyu was angry. Practice in advance? Why should she be the only one practicing? ¡°Then you try calling out ¡®Wifey¡¯!¡± ¡°Wifey!¡± Shen Yufeng called out tenderly. His voice was so sweet it could drip water! An Xiaoyu stiffened. Good grief, playing for real! The two of them faced each other, close enough for their breaths to mingle. An Xiaoyu looked at his face, his eyes as deep as the ocean, seemingly capable of carelessly ensnaring one¡¯s soul within them. For a moment, An Xiaoyu felt her heart skip a beat again. ¡°Unwilling?¡± As Shen Yufeng¡¯s words fell, An Xiaoyu hurriedly shouted out: ¡°Hubby!¡± This ¡°Hubby¡± had a hint of coquetry, and also a touch of plaintiveness. An Xiaoyu felt awkward. Shen Yufeng was smiling, his hand stroking her head as if he was petting an animal. ¡°Such a good girl!¡± An Xiaoyu stiffened again. Was God finding all sorts of ways to take advantage of her? Just then, Shen Yufeng¡¯s phone suddenly rang. He frowned slightly, stood up and went outside to answer the call, and An Xiaoyu finally heaved a sigh of relief. Oh my goodness, this is sheer madness! Shen Yufeng came back in through the door, sat down beside her, and An Xiaoyu rolled away to the other side of the bed. Shen Yufeng smiled helplessly and resignedly. ¡°I¡¯m not going to eat you! I have an errand to run. Will you be scared on your own tonight?¡± ¡°Not scared, not scared at all! You go do your thing! Bye!¡± She¡¯s not scared on her own, it¡¯s his presence here that scares her like crazy! Shen Yufeng left, and An Xiaoyu lay in bed, but she could no longer fall asleep, her mind in utter chaos. Shen Yufeng really is her nemesis! What to do? * The next day, An Xiaoyu had a meeting with a client at the coffee shop, hoping to discuss remodeling preferences. But, it was still that client¡¯s assistant who came. ¡°Our boss said that as long as you design it, he¡¯ll like it!¡± An Xiaoyu was dumbfounded. What does this mean? Chapter 74 - 74 75, Im almost drowned in flowers! ?74: 75, I¡¯m almost drowned in flowers! 74: 75, I¡¯m almost drowned in flowers! An Xiaoyu had never experienced anything like this before. She asked the assistant for his boss¡¯s name, but the assistant refused to divulge it. ¡°Miss An, our boss has seen your previous design sketches and appreciates your style very much, so just go ahead and design boldly and confidently!¡± With the conversation reaching this point, An Xiaoyu stopped being pretentious and gladly accepted. * When she returned to the company and entered the office, all her colleagues winked at her. ¡°Xiaoyu, come here, come here.¡± Gu Xiaobei waved her over. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± An Xiaoyu walked over to Gu Xiaobei, puzzled. ¡°What day is it today?¡± An Xiaoyu was stunned. ¡°Today is Tuesday, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not asking you that. Is today a special day for you?¡± Gu Xiaobei smiled unambiguously. An Xiaoyu froze. Today... seemed to be her birthday! At that moment, Mo Qianqian also came over, laughing and draping an arm over An Xiaoyu¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Xiaoyu, how impressive. Women in love are so fortunate! Look at your desk! Such a big basket of champagne roses! Tsk tsk!¡± An Xiaoyu turned her head and, sure enough, it was there. On her desk was a gigantic bamboo basket filled with delicate, dewy roses, exuding a faint fragrance. Such a huge basket of champagne roses was an extreme show of extravagance. An Xiaoyu walked over and carefully examined the basket but found no card inside. The person who sent the flowers didn¡¯t even leave a name? ¡°Xiaoyu, stop looking! There¡¯s no card with this bouquet. Is it from your boyfriend?¡± This time it was Mo Qianqian who spoke. ¡°Who else but a boyfriend? A woman basking in love, truly is the happiest! I also really want to fall in love!¡± Yu Zimo also chimed in from the side. At that moment, someone knocked on the office door again. ¡°Excuse me, is An Xiaoyu in this office?¡± ¡°Xiaoyu, someone¡¯s looking for you again!¡± An Xiaoyu hurried to the office door only to see a delivery boy holding a huge bunch of red roses standing there. ¡°These are your flowers, please sign for them!¡± An Xiaoyu was taken aback. ¡°These flowers... who asked you to send them?¡± ¡°It was a very handsome gentleman, but he didn¡¯t leave his name!¡± An Xiaoyu frowned slightly, took the bouquet, but a big question mark formed in her mind. The office got even livelier. ¡°Oh my, Xiaoyu, your boyfriend is too romantic! Is this the rhythm of good news on the horizon?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so envious! If my boyfriend did the same for me, I¡¯d marry him on the spot!¡± At this time, Bai Mingxuan heard the commotion outside and came to look, plucked a rose from the bunch, and smelled it near his nose. ¡°An Xiaoyu, you¡¯re quite something!¡± An Xiaoyu smiled awkwardly. Please, she was the new employee, could she be any less ostentatious? She had just walked toward her desk with the flowers when yet another delivery boy arrived with more flowers. ¡°Is Miss An Xiaoyu here? Your flowers, please sign for them!¡± Again, there was no card. This time, it was Blue Demon. The office exploded into a frenzy. An Xiaoyu took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, and ran to the balcony to dial Shen Yufeng¡¯s number directly. ¡°Shen Yufeng, please, could you stop sending me flowers? I¡¯m about to be drowned in them!¡± On the other end, Shen Yufeng was silent for a moment before he coldly said: ¡°It¡¯s not me!¡± Chapter 75 - 75 76, murderous aura came through the phone ?75: 76, murderous aura came through the phone 75: 76, murderous aura came through the phone An Xiaoyu was momentarily stunned. ¡°Sorry for bothering you! I¡¯m going to hang up now!¡± After speaking, An Xiaoyu quickly hung up the phone. That was deadly! She felt as if she could literally sense Shen Yufeng¡¯s murderous aura seeping through the phone. Not Shen Yufeng? Then who could it be? Not many people knew her birthday. Qin Zixiao? Impossible! They had just had a falling out the night before! Besides, knowing Qin Zixiao¡¯s character, he wouldn¡¯t do something so outrageous! It was even more unlikely to be Su Linxue or Chu Yihong. Other people... Chu Mucheng? That figure flashed through her mind, but An Xiaoyu immediately dismissed the thought. How could Chu Mucheng possibly send her flowers? In this day and age, she would be grateful if he didn¡¯t go out of his way to pick on her! Moreover, she had slapped him that day! Every time she thought about what happened that day, An Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t help but feel a lingering fear. From now on, it¡¯s better for her to stay as far away from Chu Mucheng as possible! After all, the Chu Family had a debt of gratitude towards her, and even for the sake of Chu Yihong¡¯s face, she didn¡¯t want to completely fall out with Chu Mucheng and hurt the harmony. But who could the flower sender be? She really couldn¡¯t imagine! Headache! Upon returning to the office, she saw that everyone was still discussing it. ¡°Xiaoyu, was that your boyfriend you were just on the phone with? It¡¯s definitely him, right?¡± ¡°Exactly! That¡¯s such a sweet surprise!¡± ¡°Xiaoyu, my vase on the desk is still empty, can you give me a couple of roses?¡± An Xiaoyu quickly said: ¡°There are so many flowers, I can¡¯t carry them all, everyone is welcome to pick whatever they like, that would really help me out!¡± ¡°Yay!¡± All the girls were young, and none of them stood on ceremony with her. They each picked their favorite roses. Soon, the entire office turned into a sea of flowers. Suddenly, An Xiaoyu¡¯s cellphone rang. It was a call from Su Linxue. ¡°Mom...¡± ¡°Xiaoyu, today is your birthday, come home for dinner tonight!¡± Su Linxue¡¯s voice was pleasantly gentle as she smiled. Rarely, she remembered her birthday! An Xiaoyu felt warmth in her heart. ¡°Okay!¡± * On the other hand, Shen Yufeng was originally in a meeting, but when he saw the call was from An Xiaoyu, he paused the meeting and went to another room to answer her call. That girl... she never initiates a call to him, but today the sun must have risen from the west! In his mind, he remembered her shy and adorable demeanor from last night, and in his ears, it seemed like her sweetly whining voice when she called him ¡°husband¡± still echoed. He answered the phone with a smile, but heard her pleading with him huffily not to send her flowers again. In that moment, Shen Yufeng¡¯s heart went from floating on soft clouds to crashing into an abyss; his expression grew cold. In the scorching summer, this call... was indeed refreshingly cool! Where there is something abnormal, there must be a demon at work! Immediately, Shen Yufeng made a call, his tone was as cold as a gust of wind from a glacier. ¡°Ning Ze, help me investigate someone!¡± ¡°...¡± * After finishing work in the evening, An Xiaoyu prepared to return to the Chu Family¡¯s house. She walked to the roadside to hail a cab, but saw a black sedan parked in front of her. ¡°Miss Xiaoyu, please get in the car!¡± It was the driver sent by the Chu Family. An Xiaoyu opened the car door, bent over to get in, and sat down before realizing that a man was also sitting in the back seat, those deep, ink-like eyes, and the wicked smile at the corner of his lips. An Xiaoyu had a shiver in her heart. Chu Mucheng! Why was he also in the car? ¡°Happy Birthday! Did you like those roses?¡± Chapter 76 - 76 77, This joke is not funny at all ?76: 77, This joke is not funny at all. 76: 77, This joke is not funny at all. An Xiaoyu was startled upon hearing this. ¡°It was you?¡± ¡°What, can¡¯t it be me?¡± Chu Mucheng retorted. ¡°Then who did you think it was? Qin Zixiao? Or Shen Yufeng?¡± ¡°...¡± An Xiaoyu took a deep breath, ¡°Chu Mucheng, I don¡¯t want to argue with you! But please, don¡¯t do such childish things anymore! Otherwise, I will be very troubled!¡± Chu Mucheng¡¯s expression darkened a shade. ¡°An Xiaoyu, this is the first time in my life I¡¯ve given flowers to a woman!¡± An Xiaoyu was astounded once again. Chu Mucheng was famous for his many girlfriends, yet this was supposedly the first time he had given flowers to a woman? Ha, who would believe that! ¡°Chu Mucheng, please, this joke is not funny at all.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± Chu Mucheng¡¯s voice deepened. ¡°...¡± An Xiaoyu stayed silent, suddenly not knowing how to respond. Really? But what does that prove? An Xiaoyu didn¡¯t want to guess, preferring to be an ostrich burying its head in the sand. The two harbored their own thoughts, remaining silent all the way. Suddenly, the sedan braked harshly, and a mix of braking sounds rang out on the road, followed by a loud crash. After getting into the car, An Xiaoyu hadn¡¯t fastened her seatbelt. Due to inertia, she was thrown forward. At that moment, Chu Mucheng quickly extended his hand to encircle her waist and cupped her shoulder, pulling her into his arms and firmly protecting her. ¡°Xiaoyang, what happened?¡± Upon hearing Chu Mucheng¡¯s call, the young driver, Cheng Xiaoyang, turned his head in a panicked state, but upon seeing Chu Mucheng and An Xiaoyu embraced, he quickly turned his head back as if he had seen nothing. ¡°Young master, there was a motorcycle overtaking from the fast lane, causing several cars to brake suddenly! It looks like two cars ahead have collided!¡± A car accident? The sudden harsh braking really was too intense. An Xiaoyu¡¯s heart hung in suspense, and just as she came to her senses, she heard such bad news... Suddenly, she realized she was still held in Chu Mucheng¡¯s embrace, his breath enveloping her completely. She quickly struggled free and sat up straight. ¡°Thank you!¡± Despite feeling awkward, she still thanked him. Just now, if Chu Mucheng hadn¡¯t protected her, she guessed her entire face would have slammed into the seat in front of her... An Xiaoyu didn¡¯t dare to think about the consequence. ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± ¡°Young master, Miss Xiaoyu, it¡¯s congested ahead, we¡¯ll have to wait a bit longer!¡± ¡°No problem, no need to rush!¡± The speaker was Chu Mucheng. An Xiaoyu turned her face to look out of the window, no longer speaking to Chu Mucheng. Outside, on the road, due to the traffic jam, some people were growing impatient and began to honk their horns incessantly. Inside the car, with Chu Mucheng silent and An Xiaoyu silent, the driver, Cheng Xiaoyang, also didn¡¯t dare to speak too much. The atmosphere inside the car was slightly tense. All of a sudden, An Xiaoyu¡¯s phone rang again, breaking the silence in the car. This time, it was Shen Yufeng. ¡°Where are you now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the car, heading home!¡± An Xiaoyu told the truth. ¡°Going back to the Chu Family?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± An Xiaoyu nodded. ¡°Tonight, are you going to spend the night at the Chu Family?¡± Shen Yufeng¡¯s tone was somewhat plaintive. An Xiaoyu was startled for a moment. From his tone, why did it seem somewhat like a resentful woman in a palace drama? ¡°No! It¡¯s just dinner together.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up tonight! Don¡¯t stand me up!¡± After dropping that line, Shen Yufeng hung up the phone. Because the car was too quiet, Shen Yufeng¡¯s voice came straight through the earpiece, loud and clear, and Chu Mucheng heard every word, his expression growing uglier. Chapter 77 - 77 78, Took the wrong medicine ?77: 78, Took the wrong medicine? 77: 78, Took the wrong medicine? After about ten minutes, the traffic jam ahead was cleared by the traffic police, and the car continued forward, finally arriving at the Chu Family home. Su Linxue and Chu Yihong were already waiting for them, while Chu Mushan sat there with an unhappy face. ¡°Traffic jam on the road!¡± Chu Mucheng threw out these four words as an explanation. Everyone sat down. Su Linxue was seated between Chu Yihong on her left and An Xiaoyu on her right. To the left of Chu Yihong was Chu Mushan, while Chu Mucheng simply sat between An Xiaoyu and Chu Mushan. The servant began serving dishes. ¡°Xiaoyu, you¡¯ve been abroad for these past few years, so we haven¡¯t had a chance to celebrate your birthday. Today, with all of us together, let¡¯s celebrate your birthday!¡± An Xiaoyu said with a smile, ¡°Thank you, Uncle!¡± The dinner was very sumptuous. Meanwhile, Su Linxue served An Xiaoyu some dishes, placing them in her bowl. ¡°You¡¯ve lost weight recently, eat a bit more!¡± Although this warmth was a bit late, better late than never! ¡°Thank you, Mom!¡± ¡°Oh, no need to be so formal with mom!¡± Chu Mushan squinted her eyes and glared at An Xiaoyu, scoffing. After a while, as An Xiaoyu reached out with her chopsticks to pick up some bamboo shoots, it happened that Chu Mucheng¡¯s chopsticks were also on those bamboo shoots. At that moment, both of them withdrew their hands at the same time. An Xiaoyu pursed her lips, deciding to change direction and go for the braised lion¡¯s head nearby, but this time, her chopsticks encountered Chu Mucheng¡¯s again. Both retracted their hands simultaneously again. An Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment, then simply decided to pick up the broccoli in front of her! Chu Mucheng usually didn¡¯t eat broccoli, this time... surely they wouldn¡¯t clash again! But coincidentally, both of their chopsticks landed on the same piece of broccoli! Was this ... a narrow path for enemies? The movements of the two attracted the attention of everyone at the table, all eyes were on them. An Xiaoyu took a deep breath, looked up and glared at Chu Mucheng, questioning him with her eyes. ¡ª Why are you always competing with me for food? Chu Mucheng also turned his head, his eyebrows slightly raised, his dark eyes staring at her intently. ¡ª I¡¯m not competing with you, it¡¯s just that what you want to eat happens to be what I want to eat as well. An Xiaoyu snorted, withdrew her gaze, and gave up trying to pick food, just busying herself with eating. Unexpectedly, Chu Mucheng then made a move that stunned everyone at the table. He actually picked up that lion¡¯s head, bamboo shoot, and broccoli and put them all into An Xiaoyu¡¯s bowl. ¡°Here, all yours.¡± Chu Yihong frowned, looking puzzledly at his son. Su Linxue was also shocked, barely believing the scene unfolding before her eyes. Wasn¡¯t he always at odds with An Xiaoyu? Now he¡¯s actually helping An Xiaoyu to serve dishes! Even Chu Mushan was stumped. Chu Mucheng... actually helping An Xiaoyu to serve food! This was truly unprecedented since the beginning of the world! All the people around the table looked at each other, unable to believe that the one doing this was Chu Mucheng! An Xiaoyu was also stunned. Chu Mucheng, did you take the wrong medicine today? ¡°Brother, what¡¯s going on with you?¡± The one who spoke was Chu Mushan. She was puzzled by Chu Mucheng¡¯s behavior. Chu Mucheng casually picked up his chopsticks and continued serving dishes. ¡°I¡¯m just showing some care for today¡¯s birthday star. What, is that not allowed?¡± ¡°...¡± After speaking, he turned his head to look at An Xiaoyu. ¡°Why don¡¯t you eat?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± An Xiaoyu looked at her bowl, which was filled with the dishes Chu Mucheng had served her. Chu Mucheng¡¯s cold voice reached her ear. ¡°An Xiaoyu, you know the poem ¡®Sympathy for the Peasants¡¯, right? ¡®Little is known on the dining table, every grain bears arduous work.¡¯ It¡¯s not easy for the farmers to grow grains and vegetables, so... make sure not to waste any!¡± Chapter 78 - 78 79, is it appropriate for you to hold my wife like that ?78: 79, is it appropriate for you to hold my wife like that? 78: 79, is it appropriate for you to hold my wife like that? This dinner was bound to give An Xiaoyu indigestion. And sure enough... Su Linxue said, ¡°Xiaoyu, you don¡¯t have to leave tonight. Stay over at our home!¡± An Xiaoyu shook her head. ¡°No, I still have some things to attend to this evening.¡± ¡°What could be so important? Can¡¯t you spare some time this evening?¡± Chu Mushan huffed. ¡°Mom, she¡¯s clinging to some rich man now, no longer puts our family in her eyes anymore. In my opinion...¡± ¡°Shanshan!¡± Chu Mucheng interrupted her, his eyes flashing coldly. Chu Mushan¡¯s pretty face was full of displeasure as she pouted, ¡°Am I wrong? Brother, I find you are beginning to take sides against your own family!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± This time, it was Chu Yihong who spoke. ¡°Shanshan, today is your sister¡¯s birthday! Watch your words!¡± Chu Mushan abruptly stood up. ¡°Dad, why are you like brother, both scolding me? Who is your real daughter after all?¡± With a ¡°snap,¡± Chu Mushan threw her chopsticks down onto the table. ¡°I¡¯ve lost my appetite!¡± Chu Mushan stormed off angrily, leaving everyone at the table with unpleasant expressions. ¡°Xiaoyu... Shanshan is a bit thoughtless, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡± After so many years, I¡¯m used to it! Suddenly, a phrase came to mind: Dogs lick each other, people always act. Chu Mushan, in the presence of Chu Yihong and Su Linxue, used to pretend occasionally, but now she couldn¡¯t be bothered to act any longer, blatantly tearing off the facade. It¡¯s better this way... ¡°I¡¯m full too. Thank you all for celebrating my birthday. Well, I should be going now!¡± This time, neither Chu Yihong nor Su Linxue tried to keep her. An Xiaoyu quickly picked up her bag and left the Chu Family mansion. Just as she was exiting the gate, her wrist was tightly seized. ¡°Chu Mucheng, let go! I don¡¯t want to make things more awkward!¡± Chu Mucheng was staring at her, seemingly suppressing some indescribable emotions in his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect... things to turn out this way!¡± He always remembered An Xiaoyu¡¯s birthday, but the Chu Family seldom celebrated it for her, because... he did not allow it. He still remembered the time when An Xiaoyu first came to the Chu Family, he threw her teddy bear into the garbage heap. That time, An Xiaoyu cried so heartbrokenly, those tearful eyes flitted through his memory from time to time, causing his heart to ache inexplicably. That slap that day, made him see clearly his feelings for An Xiaoyu. Once, he was annoyed by her, angry with her, found her displeasing to the eye, thinking up every way to bully her ¨C in plain terms, he simply wanted her to submit. But he never expected to push her...further and further away from himself. And now, is it still possible for him to make amends? An Xiaoyu cast her eyes down, feeling a bitter sensation deep within, and laughed at herself mockingly. ¡°Coming back tonight was a mistake in itself!¡± If there is no hope, then there is no disappointment, right? Chu Mucheng fell silent for a moment, ¡°About that day, I¡¯m sorry!¡± An Xiaoyu¡¯s body trembled. All her life, Chu Mucheng had bullied her countless times, but he had never said ¡°sorry.¡± And now, Chu Mucheng actually apologized to her... An Xiaoyu did not respond. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to say ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Chu Mucheng¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he reached out, pulling An Xiaoyu into his arms urgently and said: ¡°I admit, what I did that day was indeed too much, but An Xiaoyu, Shen Yufeng is not someone you can provoke! Do you really think he will marry you? He¡¯s just playing with you, so...¡± ¡°Beep¡ª¡ª¡± Before Chu Mucheng could finish his words, a sharp honking sounded, followed by the blinding glare of headlights. Shen Yufeng, with his tall figure, stepped out of the car and coldly said, ¡°Mr. Chu, is it appropriate for you to hold my wife like this?¡± Chapter 79 - 79 80, In this lifetime, I am only certain about you ?79: 80, In this lifetime, I am only certain about you. 79: 80, In this lifetime, I am only certain about you. An Xiaoyu was taken aback. When did Shen Yufeng arrive? Chu Mucheng turned around, shielding An Xiaoyu behind him, his proud face full of disdain. ¡°Your wife? Mr. Shen, isn¡¯t it a bit premature to say that? She hasn¡¯t married you yet!¡± ¡°Whether you admit it or not doesn¡¯t matter, as long as she admits it!¡± Shen Yufeng laughed, looking at An Xiaoyu. ¡°Wife, I¡¯m here to take you home! What, aren¡¯t you getting in the car yet!¡± At that moment, Mo Jinyu also climbed out of the car, waving at An Xiaoyu with a cheeky grin. ¡°Sister-in-law, come on, get in the car, I¡¯m almost starving to death!¡± An Xiaoyu was dumbfounded. Shen Yufeng came here... and even brought that idiot Mo Jinyu. When did these two come here? They probably haven¡¯t even had dinner! Sighing, An Xiaoyu was about to step forward when Chu Mucheng stopped her. ¡°An Xiaoyu, don¡¯t forget what I just told you. If you go with him, you¡¯ll be completely devoured! He¡¯s not from the same world as you!¡± ¡°He¡¯s not from my world, neither are you. But, I understand one thing, from the time I knew him, he has never hurt me!¡± Having said that, An Xiaoyu walked towards Shen Yufeng. Shen Yufeng smiled and gazed at her. When she reached his side, he suddenly stretched out his hand, holding a red box in his palm. ¡°Happy Birthday!¡± An Xiaoyu was astonished; Shen Yufeng actually knew today was her birthday! ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Open it and see.¡± An Xiaoyu opened it to find a diamond ring, dazzlingly brilliant. In that instant, An Xiaoyu was completely flustered by the wind. Damn, who gives a diamond ring as a birthday present? ¡°What, not planning to wear it? Oh, I get it, you want me to put it on for you!¡± The voice, filled with laughter, reached her ears, and Shen Yufeng then took out the ring and held her hand. ¡°Wife, don¡¯t worry, in this life, I am only devoted to you, I will never let you down!¡± Shen Yufeng held her gaze, those deep, affectionate eyes making her irresistible. Uh... is this, a vow from Shen Yufeng to her? In that moment, An Xiaoyu felt like everything was a dream, almost like a fairy tale unfolding. Is she a princess? Of course not! She is just an ordinary girl. Even though she has won many design awards, in the eyes of the prestigious families, she remains an obscure figure. But in this moment, her heart was deeply moved by Shen Yufeng¡¯s words, feeling like a cherished princess, radiant and splendid. And all this, was from his affection for her! However, accepting this ring... means she would indeed be getting involved with Shen Yufeng, but she still knew so little about Shen Yufeng, and didn¡¯t know how to face everything that might come, so An Xiaoyu hesitated. Really... should she commit herself entirely like this? She could tell Shen Yufeng was serious, but because he was serious, it made her even more cautious. Her heart was beating chaotically, yet her mind was gradually clearing up. Should she and Shen Yufeng really be entangled for a lifetime? Were they... truly suitable for each other? As the ring almost touched the tip of her ring finger, An Xiaoyu¡¯s heart was incredibly tense, as if the entire world had paused at this moment. Suddenly, Chu Mucheng rushed forward, grabbed An Xiaoyu¡¯s shoulders, and pulled her back. ¡°She does not accept!¡± Chapter 80 - 80 81 ?80: 81. What should I do if I lose face? 80: 81. What should I do if I lose face? Chu Mucheng¡¯s hands tightly gripped An Xiaoyu¡¯s shoulders. Regarding Shen Yufeng¡¯s proposal, Chu Mucheng adhered to an attitude of resolute obstruction. Shen Yufeng wants to take An Xiaoyu away from him? No way! This time, Chu Mucheng really saw red. Shen Yufeng took back the ring, his handsome face suddenly became stern, he slightly smiled with furrowed brows, his demeanor stable yet so indifferent, so sharp. ¡°Mr. Chu, only she has the right to make the decision! Irrelevant people had better move aside, lest the innocent get hurt!¡± ¡°Mr. Shen, you surely wouldn¡¯t bully a naive little girl by overpowering the weak, would you! An Xiaoyu might be easily deceived by your sweet words because she¡¯s a bit naive, but I won¡¯t be!¡± Chu Mucheng tightly gripped An Xiaoyu, not allowing her to escape. His smile appeared gentle on his face, but it was actually icy cold. Despite knowing Shen Yufeng¡¯s status and influence, and that offending Shen Yufeng meant offending the entire business circle of City A, Mucheng was ready to pay any price for An Xiaoyu. That diamond ring... was truly too glaring! At that moment, he really wanted to destroy it! ¡°Mo Jinyu!¡± ¡°Boss, I¡¯m here!¡± ¡°Keep the ring safe for me!¡± Saying this, Shen Yufeng put the ring back in the box and tossed it towards Mo Jinyu. Mo Jinyu shuddered, quickly catching the box and gripping it tightly in his hand. Oh my god! This ring is basically a bomb! Shen Yufeng glared at Chu Mucheng, said coldly: ¡°Mr. Chu, actually, I really dislike violence. But, issues between men should be resolved in the men¡¯s way, what do you think?¡± Chu Mucheng also scoffed coldly. ¡°Happy to oblige!¡± An Xiaoyu was completely stunned. The men¡¯s way... Could it be, are these two going to fight? Indeed. Both had been holding back for too long, finally couldn¡¯t restrain themselves anymore, both dropped their composure and calm, instead using the greatest tool of mankind, their fists, to resolve the issue. At this time, some servants of the Chu Family, seeing the situation was not right, came outside to offer help, but Chu Mucheng drove them off. ¡°This is my matter, step aside and don¡¯t interfere!¡± An Xiaoyu furrowed her brows. Could it be, are they serious about this? She had seen and personally experienced Shen Yufeng¡¯s combat skills, which were not something ordinary people could handle. Although Chu Mucheng was also trained, by her instincts, Chu Mucheng was no match for Shen Yufeng. So... Was this Shen Yufeng overpowering the weak? In the moment she was dazed, Chu Mucheng had already taken off his coat and thrown it on the ground, then swung his fists charging towards Shen Yufeng, and the two began to exchange blows. Mo Jinyu moved close to An Xiaoyu. ¡°Hey, sister-in-law, the boss is fighting with someone, aren¡¯t you worried? What if the boss gets beaten to a pulp, what would we do if his face is ruined?¡± An Xiaoyu glanced at him. ¡°Don¡¯t I still have you?¡± ¡°Ah? Me?¡± Mo Jinyu was somewhat confused. ¡°Nonsense. You¡¯re a doctor! Why else would I bring you? To be a third wheel?¡± ¡°Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough...¡± Truth revealed! But having it pointed out directly, his little heart still hurt! ¡°Actually, the boss doesn¡¯t need me at all. But that Chu Mucheng... tsk tsk, going against the boss, he¡¯s definitely not getting any advantage!¡± Sure enough, during the fight, Shen Yufeng moved swiftly like a deity, his natural advantage apparent. Even though Chu Mucheng had a background in Taekwondo, he still ended up hurt and at a disadvantage. Anxious, a servant of the Chu Family said, ¡°Miss Xiaoyu, please make them stop fighting!¡± In this situation, they could see, only An Xiaoyu¡¯s words would work! An Xiaoyu sighed and took out her phone. ¡°Hello, I want to report a disturbance. There are two mentally ill patients here fighting each other, disturbing public order and causing panic among the residents, please come quickly to handle this!¡±