Linda glanced sideways at Yu Yang, who sat in the passenger seat.
“Likable but not friendly?” Yu Yang asked coldly.
“I didn’t lie.”
“Indeed.” Yu Yang nodded.
“Very likable.”
A smile spread through his mind, though his face remained expressionless.
“So…” Linda said as she continued driving, “what are you going to do?”
“About what?”
“Sir, you and I both know she doesn’t have feelings for you at all. So how are you going to convince your family that she does? Especially Old Granny, who probably believes she’s after your wealth.”
Yu Yang frowned.
“I’ll handle that.”
*
Li Residence
Li Yeli stared at her reflection in the mirror, refusing to blink.
Her eyes remained fixed on the woman staring back at her, as though looking away for even a second would make everything disappear.
Minutes passed.
She continued staring.
She was beautiful.
Very beautiful.
And she knew it.
Li Yeli lifted a hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her gaze never leaving the mirror.
Suddenly, the bedroom door burst open.
The loud noise startled her.
She blinked.
Aecon Li strode into the room, his expression dark and impatient.
Without warning, he grabbed her by the throat.
His fingers tightened around her neck.
“No matter what you do,” he said coldly, “don’t mess this up for me.”
His grip tightened further.
“Or I’ll kill you myself.”
Kill you myself.
Kill you myself.
Kill you myself.
Those four words echoed endlessly in Li Yeli’s mind.
She met his gaze without fear and without anger.
Just indifference.
After all, Aecon Li’s threats, insults, and abuse were as common to her as breathing.
His fingers dug deeper into her skin.
He could practically feel the pulse beneath her neck.
Li Yeli struggled for breath before finally forcing out a sentence.
“Let go of me.”
Her voice was hoarse.
“I need to be alive if you want this wedding to happen.”
A faint mocking smile appeared on her face.
“Unless you expect him to marry a corpse.”
Aecon Li’s eyes darkened.
For a moment, his grip tightened even further.
Then he finally released her.
Red marks were already forming around her neck.
Her expression remained calm.
I will make this wedding happen.
No matter what.
As Aecon Li opened his mouth to speak, a knock sounded at the door.
“Sir, Mr. Yu has arrived.” The old butler’s respectful voice came from outside.
Aecon Li’s eyes lit up instantly.
He glanced at Li Yeli.
“Get rid of that miserable look and wear something decent.”
His gaze shifted to her neck.
“And cover those marks.” He frowned.
“No. A scarf will look suspicious.”
After thinking for a moment, he pointed at her.
“Wear a highneck.”
Without waiting for a response, he turned and followed the butler downstairs.
In the living room.
“Xiao Ye will be down shortly,” Aecon Li said with a warm smile that looked painfully fake.
“She’s changing.”
Seated across from him, Yu Yang merely nodded.
A maid carefully poured tea into his cup before quietly retreating from the room.
Aecon Li gestured toward the tea.
“It’s our finest tea. Please, have some.”
The Li Family and the Yu Family were worlds apart.
In terms of status, influence, and wealth, the Li’s could not even compare.
For someone like Yu Yang to be sitting in their living room was already a privilege most families could only dream of.
Yu Yang picked up the teacup.
The moment the aroma reached his nose, he calmly set it back down.
He had no intention of drinking it.
Mo Ruyi immediately noticed.
A flash of displeasure crossed her face.
She wanted to say something but stopped after receiving a warning glare from Aecon Li.
The truth was simple.
Yu Yang did not dislike the tea.
He simply refused to consume anything that came from the Li Family.
Being forced to sit under the same roof as them was already testing the limits of his patience.
Aecon Li laughed awkwardly, drawing Yu Yang’s cold gaze.
“What brings you all the way here, Mr. Yu?” Aecon Li asked, pretending to be gracious.
“Speak to me casually. It’ll be much better for me.”
Yu Yang paused briefly before continuing,
“I came to ask for your blessing to marry your daughter.”
“Which daughter?”
Mo Ruyi still refused to give up.
If she could somehow make Yu Yang marry her precious Li Yue, there would be no need for her to go to heaven.
That alone would be heaven to her.
Yu Yang gave her a sarcastic look.
Wasn’t it obvious which daughter he wanted to marry?
Wouldn’t the world be furious if he decided to marry Li Yue instead?
Mo Ruyi understood the meaning behind his look and immediately felt deeply embarrassed.
Aecon Li looked at Yu Yang.
“You want to marry Xiao Ye.”
It wasn’t a question.
“That’s right. And I’d like it to happen as soon as possible.”
Yu Yang’s gaze remained calm.
“What do you think? As her father.”
At that moment, Li Yeli descended the stairs.
She was dressed in a white turtleneck sweater and a high-waisted flowing red skirt.
And she happened to hear Yu Yang’s last sentence.
As her father…
The statement instantly gave Li Yeli a headache.
She felt an overwhelming urge to bash Yu Yang’s head.
“Xiao Ye! You’re finally here.”
Aecon Li immediately waved her over.
“Come, come. Sit here.”
He gestured for her to sit beside Yu Yang, acting like the considerate and loving father he had never been.
Li Yeli’s eye twitched.
How unbelievable.
Yu Yang looked up.
The moment he saw her, he nearly forgot to breathe.
She was too beautiful.
Mo Ruyi crossed her legs and deliberately looked away from Li Yeli.
Every reaction she had made since Yu Yang arrived had not escaped his notice.
He had seen every expression.
Every glance.
Every movement.
Thinking back to Yu Yang’s proposal, Aecon Li coughed lightly, trying to suppress his excitement.
“I think it’s a nice idea.”
Mo Ruyi could no longer keep quiet.
“Lao Li!”
She stood up abruptly.
“Marriage is not a joke!”
Aecon Li hissed at her.
“Keep your voice down. We have a guest here.”
His eyes narrowed dangerously.
If you ruin this for me, you can forget about our marriage too.
Then he turned back to Yu Yang.
“We’re all well aware that marriage isn’t a joke. Which is exactly why we don’t want to waste any more time.”
Mo Ruyi’s expression darkened immediately.
“Papa.” Li Yue tugged anxiously at her father’s sleeve.
“How can she get married before me? You promised me. Ever since that incident, you promised she wouldn’t get anything good before me. I even went to college and she—”
“Shut up.”
Aecon Li interrupted coldly.
Li Yeli quietly watched the scene unfold without saying a word.
Unable to endure it any longer, Li Yue suddenly snapped.
“How can this happen?! Papa, you can’t let this happen! You know what kind of person Sister is—”
“Behave yourself.” Aecon Li’s tone carried a clear warning.
“What kind of