Cheng Youyi was kissed until she felt dizzy, her head spinning so much that she could no longer make out what the people outside the door were saying.
All she could hear was the strong, steady heartbeat of the man, mingling with her own rapid, panting breaths.
Until the sound of a key turning in the lock came from outside the door.
“I think I heard You You crying. Hurry up and unlock the door—we mustn’t let anything happen to her,” Mother Cheng said anxiously.
“Look at you, always overreacting. What could possibly happen in our own home?” Father Cheng replied dismissively as he turned the key in the lock.
Cheng Youyi’s heart skipped a beat. She tilted her little face upward, blinking her long lashes as she looked at the man before her, pleading in a desperate tone, “Uncle, please…”
She was terrified that this man might reveal everything about that night. If he did, it would all be over.
Her pitiful expression finally softened Gong Ming’s resolve. He curved his lips slightly, leaned close to her ear, and warned in a hoarse voice, “I can help you, but… you owe me one.”
Cheng Youyi’s eyes flickered uncertainly. Finally, biting her pink lips, she reluctantly nodded, giving her grudging consent.
The next moment, as Father and Mother Cheng stepped inside, Gong Ming released Cheng Youyi. He lifted his chin, signaling for the girl to hide behind a nearby bush, before stepping out himself.
“President Gong? You… what are you…” Father Cheng was taken aback upon seeing Gong Ming emerge from inside. He wanted to ask why, but didn’t dare, especially since this was the backyard of his daughter’s room.
Mother Cheng’s expression also shifted unpredictably at the sight. For a moment, both parents felt awkward, but out of respect for the man’s status, neither dared to question him outright. They remained silent.
Meanwhile, Cheng Youyi hid behind the bush, watching as the man calmly stepped forward to exchange pleasantries with her parents.
Though his demeanor was neither submissive nor arrogant, Father and Mother Cheng still felt uneasy. After all, You You’s fiancé was his nephew, and the two families were about to formalize their engagement. For him to suddenly appear in their daughter’s backyard—anyone would read too much into it.
After a long pause, Father Cheng finally asked, “Um… is You You… not here?”
“Hmm,” the man replied simply, offering no further explanation.
“You You is still young and can be a bit mischievous at times. But surely she wouldn’t do anything inappropriate, right?” Father Cheng tried to hint at something, though his heart remained unsettled.
If his daughter were involved in some improper relationship with her fiancé’s uncle, the entire Cheng Family would become the laughingstock of the entire capital!
The thought made Father Cheng break out in a cold sweat. He stared at the dignified man before him but couldn’t detect the slightest hint of anything unusual.
Hidden away, Cheng Youyi listened to their conversation, growing more anxious by the second. She felt that the less Gong Ming said, the more her parents would misunderstand.
…
For a moment, even the air seemed to freeze.
Gong Ming glanced at Father and Mother Cheng, his eyes dark and unreadable. After a brief silence, he finally spoke thoughtfully, “I went out for a walk after dinner and ended up here. Somehow, the door ended up locked.”
Upon hearing this, Father Cheng immediately understood. It seemed he had gone for a stroll after dinner and unintentionally ended up here. As for the locked door, it must have been the mischief of his mischievous daughter again. Thinking this, Father Cheng couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, things weren’t as he had imagined.
“President Gong, we’re truly sorry. We’ve spoiled You You too much. This girl has been pampered since childhood and loves to fool around. She must have accidentally locked the door.” Mother Cheng apologized profusely, hoping Gong Ming wouldn’t take it to heart.
Gong Ming curled his lips slightly. “It’s no trouble.”
Mother Cheng sighed in relief, thinking the matter was now behind them.
Cheng Youyi, hiding in the bushes, also breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness her parents hadn’t thought too deeply about it.
…
After everyone came out, Gong Ming stayed in the living room chatting with the Cheng Family. Unfortunately, Elder Cheng wouldn’t let Cheng Youyi leave, so she had no choice but to sit awkwardly in a corner, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible while silently praying for the man to leave soon.
The atmosphere was truly stifling, and their conversation was so dull it nearly put her to sleep.
Cheng Youyi couldn’t help but complain inwardly. This wasn’t a casual chat at all—it was even more boring than the evening news.
What drove her even crazier was that the Cheng Family already had an abundance of rules. With the man’s presence, it felt even more like a high-level corporate meeting, with everyone treading carefully and not daring to speak too loudly.
As time passed, she began to doze off while sitting there, her little head swaying left and right as if it might drop to the floor at any moment.
All her little movements were noticed by Gong Ming. Observing her drowsy state, a faint, almost imperceptible smile flickered at the corner of his lips. This little thing could actually fall asleep like this.
“You You nodded, so it seems she agrees too. Then our family will gladly accept.” At that moment, Father Cheng’s abrupt remark startled Cheng Youyi awake.
She turned abruptly to look at her father, not understanding what he meant.
“Wh-what? Agree to what?” she stammered, a vague sense of unease rising within her.
“I’ll pick you up this weekend,” Gong Ming suddenly interjected, his gaze fixed gently on Cheng Youyi’s profile.
At this moment, he seemed like a completely different person from the one in the courtyard earlier.
Cheng Youyi felt as if a mushroom cloud had exploded over her head, plunging her world into darkness.
She stood up dumbfounded. “P-pick me up? Where to?”
Seeing her beloved daughter in a daze, Mother Cheng shook her head and sighed. “You You, Uncle Gong Ming has invited our family to visit his newly opened hot spring resort next weekend. Didn’t you just nod in agreement? Why do you look so absent-minded?”
What? Hot spring resort? What was that? She hadn’t been listening to their conversation at all—how could she have agreed?!
“Then it’s settled. I’ll send a car to pick up your family when the time comes.” Gong Ming stood up, elegantly straightening his shirt. “I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now.”
Seeing this, Mother Cheng and Father Cheng quickly rose to see him off. “Of course. Since you’re busy, we won’t keep you any longer. We’ll visit your home another time when the opportunity arises.”
Gong Ming gave a slight nod and turned to leave.
At that moment, Mother Cheng hurriedly tugged at her precious daughter, who was still standing there in a daze, and reminded her, “You You, hurry up and see your Uncle Gong Ming off. You need to build a good relationship with him. After all, when you marry into the family, you’ll all be one big family, and you might even need to rely on his help in the future.”
“Mom… I don’t want to go.” Cheng Youyi frowned in resistance, her entire body rejecting the idea. She had already inexplicably agreed to go to the hot springs earlier, and now she was supposed to see him off? Why should she? She just didn’t want to go!
Seeing this, Father Cheng also echoed his wife’s words, his face stern as he urged Cheng Youyi, “Hurry up, no arguments. Don’t dawdle.”
“Dad, you guys…” Cheng Youyi glared at them, feeling utterly aggrieved. Why were they forcing her like this? She had already said she didn’t want to go. It wasn’t like he was missing an arm or a leg—why did she have to personally see him out?
“Go on.” Mother Cheng grabbed Cheng Youyi’s wrist, practically dragging her outside and pushing her behind Gong Ming.
Cheng Youyi pressed her red lips tightly together. She was truly afraid of this demon, but with her parents acting like this, she had no right to refuse.
Thinking this, Cheng Youyi could only trudge slowly behind the man, treating it as a task to complete. She had no desire to walk side by side with him.
Meanwhile, the man who had long since grasped the situation was already calculating something in his mind…