A moment later, he suddenly stood up, his steps steady as he walked around the dining table toward Cheng Youyi. Each step seemed to land on her heart, intensifying the sense of pressure.
Not knowing what he intended to do made Cheng Youyi uneasy. She instinctively retreated until Gong Ming’s tall figure loomed over her delicate frame.
The man extended his hand, offering a handshake. “Miss Cheng, we meet again.”
These words sent a chill down Cheng Youyi’s spine. She stiffly raised her head, meeting Gong Ming’s smiling eyes.
The man wore gold-rimmed glasses and smiled with an air of refined elegance. Had she not spent the night with him, she would have been completely deceived by his handsome appearance.
Staring at this dangerous and deceptive man before her, Cheng Youyi felt her breath catch in her throat.
She glanced at his outstretched hand, then at Grandpa’s expression, before reluctantly lifting her small hand and lightly placing it in his large palm. Forcing a smile that looked worse than tears, she stammered, “Y-yes.”
His broad hand enveloped her slender, soft one, their fingertips brushing and sending an electric shock through Cheng Youyi.
The familiar touch was overwhelming. Her mind flooded with memories of the explicit scenes from that night in the car with Gong Ming, yet here he stood, exuding an aura of noble composure.
This was a far cry from the man she had encountered the previous night. She couldn’t reconcile the two—the man from last night and the elegant, refined gentleman before her now.
They were like two completely different people!
This man was terrifying, intensifying the fear in Cheng Youyi’s heart.
She tried to subtly pull her hand back from his firm grip, but he held it tightly, unmoving. The sensation sent shivers down her spine, and a wave of intense fear washed over her. What did this man want?
“Miss Cheng’s hands are still so cold,” he remarked deliberately, setting off alarm bells in Cheng Youyi’s mind. She widened her eyes, looking at him in panic, her gaze pleading. “Uncle…”
Her tone seemed to beg him not to reveal what had happened that night.
Grandpa Cheng, along with Father and Mother Cheng, watched the scene in confusion, wondering if You You had somehow offended him. They never imagined the truth.
After all, there was a ten-year age gap between them, and he was the uncle of You You’s intended marriage partner—her elder. Coupled with Gong Ming’s esteemed status, they couldn’t possibly connect it to anything else.
The atmosphere grew tense until Father Cheng coughed twice, breaking the awkward silence. “Mr. Gong, You You is young and impulsive. If she has offended you in any way, please forgive her. We will discipline her properly.”
As he spoke, he shot a sharp glare at Mother Cheng, thinking to himself: How useless, unable to handle even such a trivial matter.
But Mother Cheng was equally frustrated.
Throughout the meal, everyone continued to vie for Gong Ming’s favor.
Only Cheng Youyi kept her head down the entire time, silently eating her meal. She finished the fastest and, before everyone could turn the conversation to her, quickly made an excuse and slipped back to the backyard of her room.
In the yard, Cheng Youyi sat on a chair beside the doghouse, holding food in her hand to call the little white dog. The little white dog loved being close to her; as soon as she approached, it wagged its tail and circled around her.
But Cheng Youyi was in no mood for this now. Thinking back to everything that happened last night, she felt deeply annoyed. Hadn’t she already told him that they might not see each other again in the future? Wasn’t that clearly a rejection?
Could it be that he didn’t understand human language? How dare he come directly to her home?
“Xiao Bai, don’t you think he’s shameless? Who takes advantage of someone and then has the nerve to come and threaten them? You didn’t see it—he held my hand and wouldn’t let go, saying all those things. Was he afraid Grandpa, Dad, and Mom wouldn’t suspect something between us?” Cheng Youyi grew more aggrieved as she spoke. She had never experienced anything like this before and, in her panic, had no idea how to handle it.
“Awoo~” Xiao Bai let out a whimper, as if comforting her or helping her think of a way to escape this predicament.
“Xiao Bai, what should I do? I don’t want to get married, but Dad, Mom, and Grandpa won’t listen to me.” Cheng Youyi hugged Xiao Bai’s neck, resting her chin on its furry head and rubbing gently. Her eyes grew slightly moist.
She muttered unhappily, “And last night, I foolishly gave myself away… to someone who’s completely impossible for me. What should I do? I’m doomed.”
“Marry me, and I’ll solve your problems.”
Suddenly, Gong Ming’s voice rang out, startling Cheng Youyi so much that she jumped to her feet, her cheeks flushed bright red. “H-how did you get in?”
She remembered clearly locking the door.
Gong Ming raised an eyebrow and replied unhurriedly, “Just because it’s locked, does that mean I can’t come in?”
He took a step forward, slowly approaching her. Cheng Youyi was bewildered by his demeanor and instinctively took a step back.
“I-I’m telling you, the engagement hasn’t been called off yet. I’m still your future niece-in-law in name. Y-you can’t do anything reckless!” She glared at the man warily, afraid he would bully her again.
A faint smile played at the corner of Gong Ming’s lips, and his deep, mesmerizing dark eyes sparkled with interest. Was he actually being looked down upon?
The man took another step closer. “I can’t do anything reckless?”
“Y-yes, if you dare do anything reckless, I’ll… I’ll…” Cheng Youyi stammered, unsure how to threaten the man before her.
“You’ll what?” Gong Ming asked patiently.
He wanted to see what kind of astonishing move this delicate little girl could make.
Seeing the man’s smug expression, she lifted her chin and straightened her posture, saying, “I’ll go complain to both Grandpas and have them teach you a lesson!”
Hearing this, Gong Ming didn’t get angry but instead chuckled softly, murmuring, “Complain. Complain about what?”
“J-just… complain that you bullied me.” Cheng Youyi said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. But as soon as the words left her mouth, she realized something was off. Oh no, why did that sound so ambiguous?
Just as she was about to correct herself, the man closed in on her. His tall frame pressed against her slender body, and his thin lips parted slightly. “How did I bully you? Tell me.”
Now, it was her turn to be dumbfounded.
Is she hoisting herself with her own petard?
She opened her mouth, only to find her mind blank, unable to summon a single word.