Reinhardt quietly withdrew the water mirror.
Fu Laiying, seeing Cheng Zhili and Reinhardt sitting across from each other, chatting and laughing, furrowed his brow ever so slightly. Instinctively, he sat down beside Cheng Zhili, resting his weary head on his shoulder, and said, “I’m hungry.” Perhaps still a bit tipsy, his voice carried a nasal tone, almost as if he were whining.
Cheng Zhili felt a bit uncomfortable.
Fu Laiying’s usual demeanor towards him was one of cold resistance, yet now he seemed like a tamed lamb, whining at him. This contrast filled Cheng Zhili with a sense of satisfaction.
Noticing there was still food left on the table, Cheng Zhili said, “I’ll get you some rice.”
“Okay,” Fu Laiying replied softly, releasing him.
Cheng Zhili got up and went to the kitchen.
As soon as he left, Fu Laiying’s expression turned cold, his gaze like a sharp sword directed at Reinhardt.
Reinhardt was a bit bewildered.
What was going on?
Then, Fu Laiying declared, “Cheng Zhili is my partner!”
Reinhardt: ???
It took him a moment to realize—Fu Laiying was jealous! And the General Manager himself probably didn’t even realize he was jealous!
Thinking this, Reinhardt found it amusing.
This General Manager, who once harbored such resentment towards Cheng Zhili, now turned into a possessive wolf cub just because he saw them chatting and laughing. That possessiveness… tsk tsk!
Reinhardt couldn’t help but say, “Cheng Zhili is my best friend.”
Fu Laiying looked at him silently.
Reinhardt continued, “So, I can’t tolerate my friend being unhappy.”
Fu Laiying’s expression shifted slightly: “You think I’m making him unhappy?”
“Aren’t you?” Reinhardt retorted.
Fu Laiying fell silent immediately.
Just then, Cheng Zhili returned with a bowl of rice.
He sensed the odd atmosphere in the room.
“What’s going on?” he asked casually.
“Nothing,” Fu Laiying replied, expressionless.
Reinhardt winked teasingly.
Cheng Zhili raised an eyebrow and silently placed the bowl and chopsticks on the table.
Fu Laiying picked up the chopsticks and asked, as if unintentionally, “Do you want to come to the office with me tomorrow?”
“Huh?” Cheng Zhili was taken aback.
Previously, when he had insisted on visiting Fu Laiying’s company, he had strongly opposed it. Why the sudden change?
After a moment’s thought, Cheng Zhili smiled and said, “No, I’ve been quite busy lately.”
“Alright…” Fu Laiying didn’t insist, but his gaze noticeably dimmed.
Cheng Zhili noticed but said nothing.
After that, they all ate in silence.
*
Cheng Family.
The afternoon sun was scorching hot.
Cheng Zhixia sat on the bed in his bedroom like a puppet, staring blankly into space.
Zhao Chao entered without knocking and, seeing the one he loved in such a state, felt a pang in his heart. He knelt beside Cheng Zhixia, holding his hand, and asked with concern, “Zhixia, what’s wrong?”
Cheng Zhixia took a while to come to his senses.
He turned to Zhao Chao, his eyes filled with emotion, and said, choking up, “Zhao Chao, my dad wants me to marry the second son of the Li Family!”
“Which Li Family?” Zhao Chao instinctively frowned.
He liked Cheng Zhixia and didn’t want him to become someone else’s man.
“The Li Family in City E.” Cheng Zhixia’s face was ashen.
At this, Zhao Chao’s expression changed instantly.
City E was right next to D City, and the family at the top of the pyramid there was the Li Family. The Li Corporation was a real estate company, currently led by the eldest son, Li Songcheng. Li Songcheng was young and accomplished, on par with Fu Laiying. Notably, the two of them had millions of fans online, with endless debates about who was the “national husband” lasting from New Year’s Day to the next New Year’s Eve. Fans argued passionately, neither side willing to concede, yet unable to determine a winner.
However, Cheng Zhixia was to marry the second son, Li Songwen.
Unlike his brother, Li Songwen was a complete wastrel! Not only was he uneducated, but he also had a flawed personality, taking pleasure in violence!
According to Cheng Zhixia, Li Songwen had recently led a gang fight, nearly turning a second-generation heir into a vegetable. Consequently, his family had to send him to his grandfather’s house in D City to avoid trouble. The Fu Family’s wedding invited all the notable figures, and naturally, this second son of the Li Family was no exception. Fortunately, he knew that D City wasn’t within his family’s sphere of influence, so he behaved relatively restrained at the wedding. Who would have thought he’d fall in love at first sight with the groomsman, Cheng Zhixia, who attended the wedding!
And so, he started causing a fuss again.
The Li Family’s indulgence of their youngest had reached a frenzied level, and they were unwilling to let him marry a man as a wife. Unfortunately, the more they opposed, the more determined Li Songwen became, even going directly to Cheng Wenbin, promising that if he handed over Cheng Zhixia, he would back the Cheng Family!
Coincidentally, the Li Family was planning to enter the D City real estate market.
Their company’s business spanned almost the entire country, except for D City, where the real estate industry was essentially monopolized by the Fu Family.
So, Li Songcheng made an offer—
If the Cheng Family sold all the properties owned by the Zheng Family in D City to the Li Corporation at a low price, the Li Corporation would agree to Li Songwen marrying Cheng Zhixia and protect the Cheng Family.
Upon hearing this proposal, Cheng Wenbin would have agreed immediately if it weren’t for the fact that he couldn’t make the decision alone.
So, he rushed home to discuss it with Zheng Xue.
But when Cheng Zhixia heard about it, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
How could his father let him marry the Li Family’s second son? It was like pushing him into a pit! Moreover, if he were to marry, shouldn’t it be to the Li Family’s eldest, Li Songcheng? What was Li Songwen, anyway? Didn’t the Li Family have any sense of decency? How could they even suggest such a thing?
“Has Mr. Cheng gone mad?! How could someone like Li Songwen, who indulges in every vice, be worthy of you?!” Zhao Chao was furious.
Cheng Zhixia nodded repeatedly, tears streaming down his face as he looked at Zhao Chao, asking helplessly, “What should I do? I really don’t want to marry Li Songwen!”
Zhao Chao jumped up: “I’ll go talk to Mr. Cheng!”
“No!” Cheng Zhixia quickly stopped him, forcing a smile: “You’re just a bodyguard, Dad won’t listen to you.”
Hearing this, Zhao Chao felt a wave of helplessness: “Then what should we do?” He suddenly gripped Cheng Zhixia’s hand tightly, saying excitedly, “Zhixia, why don’t we elope?”
“Huh?” Cheng Zhixia’s breath caught, almost thinking he was joking.
However, Zhao Chao’s palm was already sweating from nervousness.
—Zhao Chao wasn’t joking.
Cheng Zhixia found it absurd.
A bodyguard daring to dream of being with him, the esteemed young master of the Cheng Family?
But at this moment, Zhao Chao was the only one willing to be used by him, so he couldn’t speak too harshly. Cheng Zhixia said, “No, if we leave, what about my parents?”
“After how they’ve treated you, why should you care about them?” Zhao Chao was visibly displeased.
Cheng Zhixia shook his head vigorously: “They’re still my parents, they raised me. They can betray me, but I can’t betray them!”
Zhao Chao was taken aback, then smiled bitterly and said softly, “That’s what I love about you…”
Cheng Zhixia suddenly gripped his hand tightly, saying, “But I also don’t want to marry Li Songwen.” He gritted his teeth and said, “Being a man and having to marry is already humiliating enough, and now they want me to marry someone like Li Songwen, I really can’t accept it! But if I don’t marry, the Cheng Family will be driven to ruin by the Fu Family! Ultimately, the key lies with the Fu Family. If only they would stop pursuing us… Unfortunately, I went to plead yesterday, and Fu Laiying… sigh! It’s like he’s been hypnotized by Cheng Zhili, he doesn’t even see me anymore!”
Zhao Chao remained silent.
Cheng Zhixia looked deeply at Zhao Chao: “Is there any way you can make the Fu Family change their mind?”
Zhao Chao continued to remain silent.
After a long pause, he suddenly gritted his teeth and said, “I’ll think of something!”
“What can you do?” Cheng Zhixia’s eyes lit up.
Zhao Chao didn’t answer.
He reached out to ruffle Cheng Zhixia’s hair, his expression gentle: “Don’t worry, although I can’t guarantee anything, I’ll do whatever it takes to save you!”
Cheng Zhixia understood immediately. He didn’t ask further, only tightened his grip on Zhao Chao’s hand: “Thank you, Zhao Chao! Really, you’re the only one, the only one who treats me well and won’t let me down!”
“Zhixia…” Zhao Chao was moved, leaning in and closing his eyes—
Cheng Zhixia’s expression twisted for a moment, but he still leaned in and placed a light kiss on his lips.
Zhao Chao wanted to continue, but Cheng Zhixia quickly stepped back, whispering, “My parents are still downstairs…”
“I was too forward!” Zhao Chao said excitedly, promising, “Don’t worry, I’ll arrange everything right away, and in a few days, we’ll have a solution!”
Cheng Zhixia lowered his eyes shyly: “I trust you!”
As he lowered his gaze, Zhao Chao’s face twisted into a malicious, fierce expression.
Fu Laiying? Cheng Zhili? Ha, they can keep each other company on the road to the afterlife, they won’t be lonely!
*
The next day.
It was late morning when Cheng Zhili lazily got out of bed.
His back ached, and he felt sore.
Upon leaving his room, he was greeted by Wenxiu’s knowing smile.
“Mom.” Cheng Zhili smiled slightly, looking very well-behaved.
Wenxiu chuckled, “Young people, I understand. But you still need to take it easy, don’t hurt yourself, alright?”
Cheng Zhili blushed inexplicably: “I know.” Though he said that, he had no intention of stopping.
Now that he could absorb energy, how could he easily give up?
He wouldn’t stop until he drained Fu Laiying dry.
Cheng Zhili smiled broadly.
Wenxiu noticed and her smile grew even wider: “You and Laiying are getting closer.”
“Are we?” Cheng Zhili blinked in confusion, then smiled: “He’s been in a good mood lately, more tolerant of me.”
“Seeing you two getting along well puts your father and me at ease! Speaking of which, you two haven’t gone on a honeymoon since getting married. How about letting your father manage the company for a few days while you take the opportunity to go on a honeymoon?” Wenxiu beamed.
“Well…” Cheng Zhili blinked in a bit of a dilemma.
His focus now was on getting revenge on the Cheng Family, where would he find the time for a honeymoon?