Fang Youning took a step back, eyeing the man warily.
The man spoke calmly, “Miss Fang, don’t you remember me? My surname is Chen, Chen Shu.”
“I know,” Fang Youning replied, remembering him.
“Please get in the car. My boss wants to see you,” Chen Shu said.
Fang Youning stood still, unmoving. It was precisely because she knew who he was that she had taken a step back.
Chen Shu wasn’t in a hurry, patiently waiting for her to make a decision.
After a few minutes, Fang Youning finally stepped forward, opened the car door, and got in.
As the car window slowly rolled up, Chen Shu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had been genuinely worried she would refuse to get in, just like before.
“Where are we going?”
Fang Youning shivered as she sat in the car. The air conditioning was on full blast, which wasn’t ideal for someone who had been running around all day with sweat-soaked clothes.
Chen Shu was quite attentive. Noticing her discomfort in the rearview mirror, he said, “Miss Fang, there’s a blanket in the back. If you’re cold, you can wrap it around yourself.”
“You still haven’t answered my question.”
Fang Youning picked up the blanket and draped it over herself. She wasn’t about to make things harder for her own body.
She was already poor enough; falling sick would only add to her troubles.
The more miserable she was, the more she suffered, the happier the Fang family would be. She couldn’t let them have their way.
“The same café as last time. My boss is waiting for you there,” Chen Shu answered.
Fang Youning scoffed. He really was persistent—falling down in one place and getting back up in the same spot. No wonder he was a big boss.
Closing her eyes, she recalled the last time she had met him.
Back then, he wasn’t Shen Yunhai’s uncle yet.
He was just a successful businessman she had met while working a temporary job. The way they met was rather dramatic—a stand at an event suddenly collapsed, and as a hostess standing nearby, she reacted quickly, pulling the man away and saving him from being injured.
Technically, this should have been part of her job. Even though rescuing someone wasn’t in her job description, as a temporary worker, she had to be prepared to do anything.
It was only later that she heard from others that the man she had saved was no ordinary person. His name was He Zhenting, the head of the He family, the wealthiest family in Rongcheng.
At the time, she had been thrilled, thinking her luck had finally turned.
Even if he didn’t give her a reward, if he could just arrange a job for her at the He Group, she wouldn’t have to worry about finding work for the rest of the year.
But who would have thought that when he invited her to the café, it wasn’t to give her a reward but to hand her a Marriage Proposal Plan?
“If you’re willing, we can go get our marriage certificate today.”
“Are you… repaying kindness with malice?”
She had been so angry she was speechless. Repaying kindness with malice couldn’t possibly mean this, so she had angrily tossed out those words and stormed off.
If he had given her money, she would have gladly accepted it—who would turn down money?
But marrying him… he was a wealthy tycoon, and she was a struggling student. Just because she had helped him once, he wanted to marry her?
Did he think she was a fool?
This wasn’t some idol drama. Unwarranted kindness always had ulterior motives.
Besides, she already had a boyfriend.
She had thought that by rejecting him like that, he would never appear again. But who knew it wouldn’t be long before he showed up once more.
This time, however, he appeared as Shen Yunhai’s uncle. He didn’t even glance at her, and with just one sentence, he made Shen Yunhai return to the He family.
“Miss Fang, we’re here.”
Chen Shu thought she had fallen asleep and gently woke her.
Fang Youning opened her eyes, her gaze clear and alert.
She was about to face the big boss—how could she possibly fall asleep?
Of course, it was about staying alert at all times, ready to engage in a battle of wits with the great demon king.
The café was filled with melodious music, just like last time, and aside from them, there were no other customers.
Fang Youning was still wrapped in the blanket from the car—there was no other choice, as the café’s air conditioning was just as effective, making the temperature almost identical to that in the car.
He Zhenting was seated in the same spot as before, a man in his thirties who exuded maturity and steadiness.
Moreover, he had a handsome face, with features as delicate as a painting, and eyes that were cool and profound. Even when he sat there elegantly without speaking, the commanding presence of someone in a position of power was so overwhelming it inspired fear.
She didn’t know whether the absence of other customers in the shop was because he had cleared the place or because they had been scared away.
“Turn up the temperature.”
Seeing her wrapped in the blanket, the man gestured with his finger, and soon a server approached. He gave the instruction to the server.
The server nodded and quickly adjusted the air conditioning to a higher temperature, making Fang Youning feel less cold.
Who would have thought that a big boss like him could be so considerate and attentive? No wonder his assistant was also thoughtful and meticulous.
“Did you ask me here because you found out Shen Yunhai and I broke up, and you wanted to laugh at me? You must have been very angry when I rejected you last time! So you made him a rich second-generation heir, let him see a broader world, and made me the girlfriend he felt was unworthy of him. Your revenge was very successful—go ahead and laugh if you want!”
“You think I met with you to mock you?” the man said slowly.
“Isn’t that the case?” Fang Youning retorted with a cold laugh.
She was filled with resentment now, ready to snap at anyone she met.
Even though she knew his status was extraordinary, the moment she remembered he was Shen Yunhai’s uncle, she couldn’t control her words.
“You’re overthinking it,” the man said calmly. “I’m not that idle, nor am I that bored. Besides, it’s not that you’re unworthy of him—it’s that he’s unworthy of you. Two years ago, I sent people to look for his whereabouts, and it was only when I got news of him that I learned about your relationship with him. However, your background surprised me even more. I called you here today to discuss the matter of marriage again. My proposal from last time is still valid, and you can reconsider.”
“Rejected,” Fang Youning said without hesitation. “My current situation is indeed difficult, but marrying you—who knows if that might be another tiger’s den?”
The man wasn’t angered by her rejection. He had long passed the age where emotions were easily stirred and thoughts were written all over his face.
He looked calmly at her, who was like a little hedgehog, and there was even a hint of gentleness in his eyes.
After patiently waiting for her to finish speaking, he slowly said, “Perhaps my place is a tiger’s den, but what you’re facing now is a pack of vicious wolves. The Fang family is more complicated than you imagine. If it weren’t for my people protecting you in secret, you would likely be lying in a hospital bed for many reasons by now. A daughter who runs around disobediently and a daughter lying motionless in a hospital bed—clearly, the Fang family would prefer the latter.”
“You’re saying they… would harm me?”
Fang Youning was shocked!
She thought the Fang family had already stooped to their lowest by preventing her from finding a job and renting a place, forcing her to compromise.
Who would have thought there could be even lower behavior?
“One week. Give me your answer.”
The man glanced at his wristwatch, stood up, and left.
The Marriage Proposal Plan from last time was still on the table. He hadn’t taken it with him, clearly confident that she would read it this time.
After he left, Fang Youning did indeed pick it up and put it in her bag.
As soon as she stepped out of the café, she saw Fang Mingzhu parking her car by the roadside and getting out.
“Fang Youning, I never expected you to be so shameless. You’re dating Yunhai while seducing another man on the side. Tell me, who is the man helping you? If you have the guts, say his name.”
Fang Mingzhu rushed up to her, angrily demanding answers.
Fang Youning smiled bitterly. She had initially doubted whether He Zhenting was lying to her, but now it seemed everything he said was true.
They truly were heartless enough to want her injured and hospitalized.
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Mingzhu, we’re sisters, after all. How can you be so cruel? How could you stand by and watch our parents bully me?”
She squeezed out two tears, her expression pitiful and heart-wrenching!
Having worked as an extra to earn money, she did have some acting skills.