Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The car was driving on the highway. Inside, Ruan Zeyan picked up a work phone call and his face had returned to its usual measured coldness. The person on the other end of the call spoke extremely carefully, because Ruan Zeyan was always dead serious when it came to work.
Ling Tianya looked at his hand that was holding the phone. Wide palm with long slender fingers. It was a powerful hand, a hand that could determine life or death.
The Ling Family mansion was located in an upper-class district, among other upscale mansions. Ling Tao’s neighbors were wealthy people with a similar net worth as him, who managed business of decent sizes and lived comfortable lives. They had made enough money to boss around service people wherever they went, but that was about the level of power they had, just enough to control their own fates. In contrast, Ruan Zeyan was someone who could control their fates with a twist of his hand. That was why Ling Tao didn’t dare to address Ruan Zeyan directly by his name even though he was about to become his father-in-law.
On the other hand, Ling Tianya was becoming increasingly stressed. The longer she spent time with Ruan Zeyan, the less she understood him. She still couldn’t figure out ‘his ways’ to make her want to marry him. What she did know was that the man was true to his words. He would not have said that if he didn’t already know he could do it. She was not feeling much else beyond the stress, because the worst-case scenario in her mind was getting roughed up by him again. She had been there before.
Noticing the woman’s gaze on him, Ruan Zeyan reached out his hand and touched Ling Tianya’s face with his cool fingers which made her jerk back a bit. He smiled dotingly as he hung up the work call, “What’s on your mind? You looked so focused.”
“What are you planning to do, really?” Ling Tianya asked. It just occurred to her that the question she kept asking Ruan Zeyan was what he planned to do.
Ruan Zeyan’s fingers danced around Ling Tianya’s face and he seemed to be in a great mood. “Don’t worry, I don’t bite.” Then he moved closer to her ear and whispered seductively, “Even if I do bite, I’m not going to do it here.”
Ling Tianya’s body shivered and she looked at him alertly.
In the restaurant, Ruan Zeyan and Ling Tianya were the only people dining. Looking at all the workers who were diligently serving the two of them, Ling Tianya felt a sense of indescribable disappointment. When she and Ruan Zeyan first started dating, she had no money and he was pretending to be a poor student. So, they would often go to some hole-in-the-wall diner and order one fried noodles to share. Things were sweet back then, so sweet… All Ling Tianya was thinking about back then was how to make more money to have a future of their own. Those were the days where everything was childish yet idealistic and passionate…
When Ling Tianya pondered the past, a mesmerizing smile blossomed on her face. The waiter who was standing by with the wine bottle couldn’t help but notice her smile. Then his eyes were met with Ruan Zeyan’s deadly stare, which scared him away.
“You like this place? I can buy it for you.” Ruan Zeyan interrupted Ling Tianya’s reminiscence.
The smile disappeared from her face, “What did you say?”
Ruan Zeyan finished the glass of wine and looked mildly irritated.
“Ruan Zeyan, let’s cut to the chase. What are you using to threaten me?”
Still in a weird mood, Ruan Zeyan took out his phone and found a photo. Then he placed the phone in front of Ling Tianya, looking straight at her and waiting for her to react.