But where are you now? If you never show up, your belongings will always belong to someone else...
"Young Madam, what’s wrong with you?" Lin Xinlan didn’t know how long she had been standing there, until the voice of the servant snapped her back to reality.
"Young Madam, there’s a Mr. Qiao outside who says he wants to see you. Shall I let him in?"
Lin Xinlan’s eyes flickered slightly, and she remained silent, not responding.
"Young Madam, shall I let him in?" Seeing no reaction from her, the servant asked again.
"No need, I’ll go out and meet him myself."
Lin Xinlan walked out of the old mansion and, sure enough, saw Qiao Yiyang’s car.
As the man saw her coming out, he got out of the car and walked up to her, his black eyes intensely gazing at her, while he revealed a faintly warm smile.
"I thought you wouldn’t see me." He spoke slowly, his voice slightly hoarse, tinged with nasality, as if he had caught a cold.
Lin Xinlan looked at him and said indifferently, "I didn’t answer your calls because I don’t want to associate with you. Qiao Yiyang, I thought I made myself clear."
He smiled nonchalantly, "I know what you mean, but your rejection is only temporary. I believe one day you’ll be moved by me and fall in love with me."
"You’re too confident, to the point of arrogance. I’ve told you..."
"I know, you said you wouldn’t fall in love with anyone. Xinlan, do you think I would believe such an excuse? In this world, no one can escape love. It’s just a matter of having met or not. I’ve met you, and I will prove that the person you’re meant to meet is me."
Lin Xinlan furrowed her brows, growing impatient, "No matter what you say, I won’t fall in love with you. Leave, and don’t look for me again in the future."
She turned to leave, but Qiao Yiyang quickly grabbed her wrist.
"Wait... cough, cough..." He felt an itchy throat and pressed his fist to his mouth, coughing softly a few times.
"Sorry, I’ve caught a bit of a cold." He apologized with a smile before adding, "I’ve asked you out several times, you should at least agree to have a meal with me. Don’t worry, it’s just a meal, nothing more."
She dared not have a meal with him.
Last time she agreed, he forced a kiss on her. Who knows what he might do this time.
Lin Xinlan was no naive girl; Qiao Yiyang’s behavior last time made it clear to her that he was not as gentle and kind as he seemed on the surface.
He was actually a ruthless man.
She remembered how he fought with Rong Shaoze, that fierceness, all charged with blatant killing intent.
Being Mafia, he definitely was not one of the kind-hearted.
He was merely pretending to show a gentle side in her presence all along.
Indifferently withdrawing her hand, she said coldly, "Qiao Yiyang, I’m not interested in you, and I’m not interested in having dinner with you. How many times do I need to say it? Leave, and don’t appear before me again!"
The man’s expression darkened instantly, his eyes brooding. He stared at her without blinking, giving off a dangerous vibe.
He grabbed her wrist again, his hold firm yet not too forceful, but she definitely couldn’t break free.
Without a trace of emotion, he spoke to her, his tone cold, tinged with a hint of threat:
"Xinlan, you could actually try to get along with me instead of behaving like a hedgehog, always on the defensive. Rest assured, I just want to invite you to dinner, I won’t force you into anything. If you won’t even agree to this request, it would be quite disrespectful to me."