“Wait, sir, I have a question I want to ask you.” Realizing the situation was turning unfavorable, Lian Jue immediately changed the subject. “Why do you want to marry me? Why didn’t you like my older brother instead?”
Lian Jue wore a look of utter curiosity. To be completely honest, he only had this appearance going for him; Lian Cheng had better conditions than him in every single aspect.
If Chen Xingjian claimed it was love at first sight, he had better carefully plan out the angle at which he would intentionally tilt his head to feign shyness when the time came.
Meeting Lian Jue’s expectant gaze, Chen Xingjian’s eyes drifted downward inch by inch, landing squarely on his palm-width slender waist.
His waist was slender and supple, feeling like fine silk when stroked—once touched, one could never bear to let go.
There was a shallow dimple on each side of Lian Jue’s waist, and when holding him by the waist, a thumb would fall precisely into the waist dimple.
“Your waist is very slender.”
A low, hoarse voice rang out.
Chen Xingjian’s eyes narrowed slightly, desire bleeding through his gaze without the slightest bit of concealment as his thumb lightly kneaded Lian Jue’s waist dimple.
Lian Jue’s heart sank into dead ashes.
The price tag for love at first sight was worlds apart from lust at first sight.
If Chen Xingjian had told him it was love at first sight, he would have dared to climb right up the pole, pushing himself to sell a pitiful act and trick the mutton-fat jade bracelet off his wrist.
A faint, chilly coolness seeped out from his waist the mutton-fat jade bracelet had somehow pressed against his side, chilling him so much that he shrank back in a shiver.
“Such a delicate creature,” Chen Xingjian muttered with disdain.
Lian Jue was displeased. Stealthily and carefully, he batted away the hand pressing against his waist. “It’s just really cold, that’s all.”
“Go to sleep. Tomorrow you have work, so you’ll accompany me and come along.” Chen Xingjian turned sideways, bypassed Lian Jue entirely, and lay down at the edge of the bed with his eyes closed.
Left stranded in place, Lian Jue felt a sense of utter disbelief.
At a company interview, there was at least a half-day wait for notification results—what was wrong with Chen Xingjian? Not only was he exploiting him through the night, but he expected him to continue working for him tomorrow too?
He clenched his fists tight, as though he could already foresee a tragic future of endless overtime.
“There’s money to be made tomorrow, you…”
Before Chen Xingjian could finish speaking, Lian Jue lunged forward and flipped himself right into the quilt.
“Say no more, President Chen. Actually, the very first time I laid eyes on you, I gave you my heart, and I’m willing to do anything for you.”
Chen Xingjian chuckled softly. Even if he was an illegitimate son, he still came from a wealthy background why was he so desperate for money?
Autumn had already set in, and the weather was turning cold before long, so the suite had switched over to thick winter comforters quite a while ago.
Lian Jue was afraid of heat when he slept, yet he could never sit still, rolling this way and that until he tumbled right into Chen Xingjian’s arms.
Chen Xingjian felt a sudden weight as Lian Jue sprawled haphazardly against his chest.
If Lian Jue hadn’t kept his eyes tightly shut, he really would have thought it was a deliberate act of revenge.
A soft, squishy little face rubbed back and forth before finally coming to rest against the bracelet on Chen Xingjian’s wrist.
Items made of jadeite and stone carried a chilling coolness in weather like this, and the moment Lian Jue’s face touched the coldness, he instantly grew a lot more well-behaved.
Chen Xingjian’s face darkened. Reaching out to the bedside table, he casually grabbed a thermos cup and shoved it straight into Lian Jue’s arms.
Where on earth did this clingy, spoiled streak come from?
Wait—he had forgotten all about the fact that this kid had plotted against him and needed to be interrogated.
Chen Xingjian’s expression grew even darker.
“Chengcheng, I know you’re angry, but right now is not the time to be stubborn.”
“Chen Xingjian is not an easy master to serve; if you blindly throw yourself at him, you won’t reap any good benefits.”
Lian Qingfu lectured with earnest and well-meaning advice, practically chewing the words up and feeding them directly into Lian Cheng’s hands.
Yet Lian Cheng wore a ferocious expression, his palms pinched until blood seeped from the skin, looking nothing like someone who was taking the advice to heart.
In a fit of rage, Lian Cheng kicked over the small stool in front of him, feeling a surge of boiling fury at the mere thought of Chen Xingjian. “I won’t listen! You’re definitely just scared of offending Chen Xingjian, and that’s why you’re trying to pacify me!”
When the engagement was first brought up, Lian Qingfu’s face had practically split into a grin like a blooming flower. If this wasn’t a good deal, how could he possibly have been so happy?
Putting aside the Chen family’s vast wealth, just looking at Chen Xingjian’s face alone was enough to make anyone freeze in their tracks with a single glance.
Such an incredible man—how could he let him go to waste on that illegitimate son, Lian Jue?
Word had it that Lian Jue had spent his childhood hanging around floral lounges and drinking dens, so he must have mastered all sorts of despicable tricks to have seduced Chen Xingjian.
He was just like his mother, never knowing a moment of peace.
“Dad! How am I inferior to that illegitimate son?” Thinking of this, Lian Cheng grew even more incensed. “Send me to the floral lounge too! Whatever Lian Jue knows, I’ll learn it as well. I refuse to believe I’m any worse than him!”
“What kind of nonsense are you spouting?!” Lian Qingfu was driven frantic with rage.
Having already had his marriage stolen away today, Lian Cheng was now being yelled at by his own father. Grievance washing over him, he bit his lips and stormed toward the bedroom door.
“I knew it! You must still have feelings for that woman in your heart! I might as well not even have a father like you!”
Lian Qingfu’s temples throbbed violently, a sharp pain flaring in his chest until Li Yaofang rushed over to steady him.
“You unfilial wretch! I’ve simply spoiled you too rotten lately! I’ll tell you straight to your face today: the marriage between Lian Jue and Chen Xingjian is already set in stone, and nobody can change it. Stop harboring wild ideas!”
Li Yaofang hurried to Lian Qingfu’s side, patting his chest to help him catch his breath.
Having been married to Lian Qingfu for over a dozen years, this was the first time she had ever seen him fly into such a towering rage.
Could it really be that Chengcheng was right, that Lian Qingfu still harbored feelings for that woman, which was why he showed such extraordinary favoritism toward Lian Jue?
“They’ve gone mad, everyone’s gone mad.” Lian Qingfu collapsed heavily onto the edge of the sofa, his chest still pounding with panic. “Just because of a little past acquaintance, Chen Xingjian has been slightly polite to us do you really think he’s easy to deal with?”
No one had ever heard of anyone by Chen Xingjian’s side all these years, and nobody even knew whether he preferred men or women.
Rumor had it that someone had previously tried to cozy up to Chen Xingjian, but because Chen Xingjian found their perfume too foul, he had stripped them bare and tossed them straight into a public swimming pool.
When the humiliated party grew furious and threatened to call the police, they were dismissed with a paltry few thousand bucks, leaving them with nowhere to seek justice.
“For Lian Jue to latch onto Chen Xingjian is considered his own stroke of fortune. Either way, they’re both sons, and our family doesn’t lose out. You and Chengcheng must not do anything foolish!”
Li Yaofang nodded thoughtfully. “Don’t you worry. I’ll keep an eye on Chengcheng and make sure he doesn’t run around stirring up trouble these next few days.”
“That’s for the best.” Lian Qingfu let out a long breath, a wave of exhaustion washing over him. “Chengcheng can’t hold his temper; he won’t be able to get the upper hand against Lian Jue.”