“Madam, President Ji has been kneeling in the rain outside the Lu residence for three hours. Could something happen to him?”
The Old Butler was pouring tea for Grandma Lu, but he became so engrossed in the gossip that he kept pouring even after the teacup had overflowed.
“Are you trying to flood the Lu residence?” Grandma Lu glanced at the spilled tea on the table.
The Old Butler put away the teapot and replied with a straight face, “I recall that Madam knows how to swim.”
Grandma Lu picked up the teacup but had no mood to drink, setting it down again with a furrowed brow.
“This could indeed lead to trouble.”
“Then I’ll go invite President Ji inside right away…”
Before the Old Butler could finish his sentence, Grandma Lu continued with a worried tone.
“Xiao Zhiyi has a kind heart, but that Ji boy is cunning! He comes kneeling in the heavy rain at our Lu residence, insisting on seeing Xiao Zhiyi and refusing to leave no matter what.”
“What if Xiao Zhiyi genuinely softens her heart?”
Grandma Lu turned to look at Lu Junyue, who was sitting nearby with his legs crossed.
“You go out and kneel in the rain too.”
“?”
Lu Junyue decided that he would find time another day to take a paternity test with the old lady.
……
The door of the Lu residence opened.
Warm light spilled out from inside, and in the rainy darkness, a figure emerged holding an umbrella.
“Zhiyi…”
Ji Yanli’s voice was hoarse, his eyes filled with regret.
The black umbrella tilted upward slightly, revealing Lu Junyue’s face.
“Ji Yanli, I told you before—delayed affection is cheaper than grass.”
“Lu Junyue, didn’t you always want the government project in the northern part of the city? I’ll give it to you, I’ll give you everything. Just return Shen Zhiyi to me.”
At this moment, Ji Yanli only wanted to take Shen Zhiyi away from the Lu residence.
Lu Junyue curved his thin lips slightly. “It’s too late for regrets now. Shen Zhiyi is mine.”
Ji Yanli seemed provoked by these words. He staggered to his feet and grabbed Lu Junyue by the collar.
“Stop with the high-sounding talk! Didn’t you get close to Shen Zhiyi just to get back at me?”
“Shen Zhiyi loves me! She’s just throwing a tantrum because she’s upset right now!”
Lu Junyue looked at him calmly, his noble bone structure exuding coldness in the rainy night.
“Now, she loves me.”
“Hah… Lu Junyue, you’ve opposed me at every turn. I understand you hate me. But what makes you think Shen Zhiyi loves you?”
Ji Yanli sneered, “You’ve only known each other for half a month. She and I have been together for eight years.”
“What makes you think your half a month can compare to our eight years?”
Boom—
Thunder rumbled, and the flash of lightning briefly illuminated the confronting gazes of Lu Junyue and Ji Yanli.
After a long silence, Lu Junyue spoke again.
“Ji Yanli, Shen Zhiyi is not just my secretary. She is also my… wife.”
The word “wife” pierced Ji Yanli’s ears more sharply than the thunder.
“Impossible!”
“She stayed with me for eight years, from when I was an illegitimate child to becoming the Ji family heir. How could she marry you?”
As if triggered, he shouted Shen Zhiyi’s name.
“Shen Zhiyi! Come down and see me, I’m begging you…”
“Just come down and look at me once, just once is enough!”
Upstairs.
Shen Zhiyi coldly watched the two men confronting each other in the rain, her heart completely unmoved.
His regret and affection, eight years too late, were like dog shit—disgusting just to look at.
The system’s voice rang in her mind.
The system excitedly: [Ding—detected change in Ji Yanli’s Heartbeat Value: 90!]
[Ding—Detected change in Lu Junyue’s Heartbeat Value: 20.]
Shen Zhiyi drew the curtains shut and turned back to the desk, where she noticed a thick stack of papers.
It was the Book of Male Virtues, handwritten by Lu Junyue.
Surprisingly, for someone with such a twisted and volatile nature as this crazy villain, his handwriting was exceptionally elegant.
The first line of the Book of Male Virtues read: [“Respect your wife as the foundation, serve your wife as your master.”]
[“Remain chaste when outside, dress neatly without flashiness, report your return home after outings, always apologize first in arguments…”]
The System chimed in excitedly: [Wow, host baby! So the Lu family really does have a Book of Male Virtues!]
Shen Zhiyi’s fingertips gently traced over Lu Junyue’s handwriting on the pages, her lips curling into a faint smile.
“If I can tame Lu Junyue, he’ll become the most obedient and protective dog.”
And she loved nothing more than obedience.
…
Shen Zhiyi was drying her hair when a figure embraced her from behind, carrying the faint scent of damp rain.
Her slender, snow-white wrist was captured in the man’s palm, then her face was turned toward him as a burning, impatient kiss pressed against her lips.
Lu Junyue effortlessly lifted her from the vanity stool and settled her on his lap.
The towel wrapped around her slipped to the floor at his feet.
His kisses traveled from her lips to her neck, then downward past her collarbone…
Shen Zhiyi squirmed slightly from the tickling sensation, instinctively trying to pull away, but the domineering hand at her lower back pressed her firmly against him.
At the height of his passion, his hoarse voice murmured:
“I told Ji Yanli that you’re my wife.”
“I recall Mr. Lu saying we’re secretly married, and our marital status shouldn’t be disclosed.”
“That rule is now void.”
Fresh from her shower, she still carried the clean scent of bath products.
As Lu Junyue buried his face in her neck and moved to part her legs, Shen Zhiyi pushed him away, rejecting his advance.
“I haven’t been in the mood lately.”
“…”
Those words kept Lu Junyue awake all night.
Not in the mood? What did she mean not in the mood?
Before, she’d resort to any means to sleep with him—drugging him, forcing herself on him, even in the car!
What? Had she grown tired of him? Lost interest in his body?
…
When Shen Zhiyi woke up, the System delivered good news.
System: [Ding—Detected Lu Junyue’s Heartbeat Value +5, Current Heartbeat Value: 25!]
[Host baby, you’re amazing! Who knew abstinence could make Lu Junyue’s Heartbeat Value rise so fast! We’ve got to hold firm and not give him any meat at all!]
Shen Zhiyi sat before the mirror, examining her lower lip where Lu Junyue had bitten it.
It seemed her recent rejections had left Mr. Lu quite resentful.
“True dog training isn’t about using a collar and starving him into submission and dependence.”
“It’s about removing the collar and watching him become the most anxious, most reluctant to leave, even voluntarily putting the collar back on. That’s real dog training.”
“Appropriate starvation needs to be balanced with appropriate rewards—giving the little dog some ‘meat’ now and then.”
The System erupted in delighted screams: [Host baby, you’re killing me! I can’t wait to see the crazy villain become your dog!]
Shen Zhiyi changed clothes and went downstairs.
After resting for several days, she was returning to work at the Lu Corporation today.
When she descended, both Lu Junyue and Grandma Lu were waiting for her to join them for breakfast.
After the meal, she and Lu Junyue left for the company together.
Grandma Lu held her hand, still offering endless reminders.
“Don’t work too hard at the office. It’s our family company, just treat it like going out to play. If anyone upsets you, just fire them directly! Treat the company like your own home, and don’t hold yourself back at all.”
Lu Junyue followed behind, his brow furrowed tightly, still preoccupied with Shen Zhiyi’s rejection from the previous night.
Those words echoed like a curse, ringing incessantly in his mind.
I’m not interested lately.
Not interested.
Interested. ested…
“Han Ming, find me a few personal trainers. I want to start working out.”
“?”
Han Ming wondered if he had heard correctly. Seriously, Boss Lu, with your physique, you still need to work out? Aren’t eight-pack abs confident enough?
But the next moment, he heard his boss add another sentence.
“Make sure they’re male trainers.”
Shen Zhiyi chuckled lightly and patted Grandma Lu’s hand.
“Grandma, I’ve remembered everything. Don’t worry, I won’t let myself be wronged.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Ji Yanli’s hoarse voice came from behind.
“Zhiyi…”
Shen Zhiyi turned around and saw Ji Yanli, drenched from head to toe and looking utterly disheveled.
It had rained heavily in the capital last night, pouring throughout the entire night.
To her surprise, Ji Yanli had actually been standing outside the Lu residence, getting drenched all night.
“Zhiyi, I’m sorry…”
Ji Yanli weakly moved toward Shen Zhiyi, but before he could get close to her, his vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground, passing out.
Shen Zhiyi looked down, coldly gazing at Ji Yanli, who had fainted at her feet and was still tightly clutching her pale ankle.
“…”