The nights during this season were somewhat chilly, and the dim yellow light cast upon the two figures added a touch of tranquility to the serene night.
However, this peace was completely shattered by the unwillingness of a certain tagalong behind them.
She trailed behind the man, continuously making mischievous little gestures—like stepping on his shadow, making faces at him, and so on.
Yet, the young girl seemed unaware that the shadow of her antics had long been noticed.
“Just you wait for bullying me. I curse you to have no water when you shower tonight, choke on your food, get drunk to death, trip and fall while walking…” she muttered under her breath as she walked, wishing she could poke a thousand holes in the man to vent her anger.
Even without turning around, Gong Ming could guess her actions. He simply shook his head with a helpless smile, though he secretly slowed his pace.
The young girl behind him kept her head down, muttering to herself, completely unaware that Gong Ming, who had already slowed his steps, had turned around and was now standing right in front of her.
Her steps didn’t stop, and she wasn’t looking ahead, so—
“Ouch, that hurts!” Her high, straight nose collided hard with the man’s sturdy chest, turning red in an instant. The next moment, her bright, clear eyes began to glisten with a faint mist.
Gong Ming looked down at her reaction and couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “Little thing, do you not watch where you’re going?”
Cheng Youyi looked up, her dark, sparkling eyes now brimming with tears as she glared at him accusingly. “You did that on purpose, hmph!”
After saying this, she turned and walked away, feeling deeply frustrated. Why was her luck always so terrible? Was it really some kind of ill-fated connection that she kept clashing with this man again and again?
“Wait.” Gong Ming reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her petite body into his embrace.
“What do you want?” Cheng Youyi struggled to break free from his hold, but her strength was too weak to escape his grasp.
Instantly, she lashed out at him like a bristling cat. “Uncle, I’ve always respected you as an elder, but that doesn’t mean you can keep pushing your luck over and over. I’m really angry this time, and I don’t care anymore that you’re an elder. Let me go!”
With that, she lifted her foot and kicked at his knee, trying to use the momentum to break free from his hold.
But her feeble strength was like a tickle to Gong Ming, having no effect whatsoever. In fact, her words only angered him further.
He narrowed his eyes, his tone carrying a dangerous warning. “Elder? Who?”
“You!” Cheng Youyi replied, as if it were the most obvious answer.
The man fell silent for a moment, his deep, dark eyes fixed intently on her small face. His thin lips parted slightly as he spoke. “Listen carefully. Given our future relationship, you can no longer call me ‘uncle.’ Also, considering our age difference, there’s no need to use terms like ‘elder.’”
“I… I already said I don’t agree,” Cheng Youyi gritted her teeth, glaring at him with the ferocity of a provoked little wildcat.
The more stubborn she was, the more amused Gong Ming felt. He hooked his finger under her delicate chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Have you thought it through? I’ll give you one more chance.”
Cheng Youyi met his gaze defiantly, her eyes blazing with stubborn determination.
“Since you show no remorse, I’ll help you along.” The man abruptly wrapped his arm around her waist, then leaned down to seal her small mouth.
“Mmm…” Cheng Youyi struggled fiercely, pounding his shoulders with all her might.
His lips were warm, carrying a faint scent of tobacco, dominating her, acting recklessly.
Gong Ming was clearly not satisfied with just this. He lifted her into the air and strode toward the direction of the garage.
His steps were hurried as he tossed the young girl in his arms into the back seat of his car.
Cheng Youyi opened her wide, watery eyes in panic, staring at the handsome face so close to hers.
Breathing lightly, her cheeks flushed with an alluring pink, she whispered her accusation, “You… what are you trying to do?! This is my home, you… you can’t just act recklessly.”
Hearing this, Gong Ming leaned over, covering her petite body.
His voice was hoarse, his words clear: “Baby, what do you think would happen if we did it here?”
“You… no, you can’t, are you crazy?” Cheng Youyi pushed against his solid chest in terror, her face pale, her body trembling violently.
This was her family’s garage? Was he insane?!
“No, Gong Ming, if you do this, I’ll really get angry!!”
She didn’t dare look at his expression, nor did she dare glance at their surroundings. She was truly terrified, utterly panicked!
This different form of address made Gong Ming freeze for a moment, then the curve of his lips gradually widened. “What did you call me?”
“I… didn’t, didn’t call you anything.” Cheng Youyi turned her head away, trying hard to calm herself down.
She had only called him by his name out of desperation earlier; she didn’t want any ambiguous relationship with him.
Gong Ming’s gaze darkened. Was he really so disliked by this little thing? She wouldn’t even call his name willingly?
The man remained leaning over her, motionless and silent for a long time.
Feeling his scorching, hot breath spray against her neck, Cheng Youyi couldn’t help but shiver.
Time seemed to stand still at that moment.
It wasn’t until a conversation echoed from within the garage that the eerie atmosphere was broken.
Cheng Youyi’s attention shifted toward the source of the voices. Discovering that the newcomers were actually her second uncle Cheng Yuyan and her younger brother Cheng Youheng, her face instantly turned deathly pale.
As their voices drew closer, Cheng Youyi’s heart rose to her throat, terrified they might be seen.
And Gong Ming? He remained in that position, staring at her intently without any sign of retreating.
“Second Uncle, I heard someone from my sister’s husband’s family came tonight? The whole family was fawning over them; it seems they’re quite influential. Do you think someone of his status really needs to actively befriend and show goodwill to my dad?” Cheng Youheng said as he handed Cheng Yuyan a cigarette.
Cheng Yuyan glanced at him, naturally taking the cigarette and lighting it. “You’re still young; there’s much you don’t understand. Think about it—his status may be high, but to secure stability in the capital, wouldn’t he need to solidify his position? Build good relations with various families?”
“This…” Cheng Youheng scratched his head, half-understanding. “But with his status, logically, he shouldn’t need to rely on our Cheng Family, right?”
Cheng Yuyan took a drag of his cigarette and said leisurely, “Your generation probably doesn’t know yet, right? This gentleman is actually Old Master Gong’s illegitimate son from his later years. He was only recognized and brought back after the other Gong family members proved useless. But even with this status, he’s always been looked down upon by the various families.”
“But as luck would have it, the Gong family managed to turn things around precisely because of this illegitimate son. Think about it—once your sister marries into their family, the combined power of the Gong and Cheng families will be a force to be reckoned with in the capital’s future!”
“So even if he’s incredibly capable, he’s still standing alone. There are plenty of enemies eyeing him, and he has to start winning people over, or his position might not be secure in the future.”
Cheng Youheng rubbed his chin thoughtfully upon hearing this. “So you mean, he came tonight to win over my dad and pave the way for his own future? But that doesn’t make sense—my sister isn’t marrying him.”
“Silly child, it’s precisely because she isn’t marrying him that he has to do this.” Cheng Yuyan flicked the ash from his cigarette. “Besides, this gentleman’s mother passed away early, and his identity isn’t something to be proud of. Doesn’t he need to build good relations with influential families?”
“You’ll understand when you’re older. Your sister marrying into the Gong family is, to put it bluntly, also paving the way for your future and bringing benefits to the entire Cheng family. With the two families joining forces, the path ahead becomes much smoother. Relying solely on oneself is always difficult.”
“I see.” Cheng Youheng nodded thoughtfully.
As the two conversed, they completely failed to notice that there were others in the garage, simply walking further inside without a second thought.