Chapter 18: Only Three Times

Lu Beiyuan approached, clad in a black windbreaker, his aura as chilling as the biting March wind.

His sharp eyes fell coldly on the scene of Shen Linyang holding Shi Ran’s hand. With a sudden pull, he drew Shi Ran into his embrace, his other hand pulling out a tissue from his pocket to repeatedly wipe the girl’s hands.

He felt his temples throb, a dull ache in his heart.

“I warned you, don’t provoke her, or the consequences will be more than you can bear,” Lu Beiyuan said to Shen Linyang, each word gritted through his teeth.

Shen Linyang glared back at the mature, powerful man.

“Sister likes me, she won’t break up with me! You must have used illegal means to force Ranran to stay by your side. Give her back to me!”

A young and impetuous lad, he was initially unwilling to accept reality.

He always believed that with his stubbornness, things would eventually turn around.

He always thought it was just a joke played by fate; as long as he didn’t believe it, it wasn’t real.

“Sister? Who allows you to call her that!” Lu Beiyuan roared.

Perhaps the pressure from the man was too great, Shen Linyang unconsciously took a step back, his expression momentarily softening.

How could his sister get involved with such a man!

“That’s our private matter! You wouldn’t understand, old man!”

Afei, standing behind, heard the audacious young man’s arrogant words and silently sweated for him.

He probably didn’t know what kind of person stood before him.

Old man?

When the man was his age, he was already a legendary figure in the business world, while he was still playing in the mud.

Now, this man was the undisputed king of the business world, someone even his father wouldn’t dare to offend, and yet he was playing with fire.

The Shen family was going to be ruined by him.

Lu Beiyuan chuckled coldly, spitting out two words: “Private matter?”

Afei, standing behind, shivered. Knowing the CEO, this demeanor meant he was extremely angry.

He turned around, nearly scaring Afei to death, who stumbled backward.

“Do you know what to do?”

Sure enough, the Shen family was finished.

He nodded, respectfully saying, “Yes, CEO. Please rest assured.”

Lu Beiyuan glanced coldly at the boy in a white shirt; he had guts, but dared to steal his woman.

He held Shi Ran and walked towards the car.

Shen Linyang went crazy. He ran over, but was stopped by two tall, burly bodyguards who suddenly appeared.

No matter how hard he struggled, he was no match for them.

Even when beaten bloody, he relentlessly shouted, “Damn it, let her go, let her go, come at me, let her go…”

His voice was heart-wrenching.

Shi Ran felt sorry for the gentle, little puppy; she didn’t want this flower grown in a greenhouse to suffer such a blow.

But she was helpless, wanting only to glance back at him, but her eyes were covered by a large hand.

“Lu Beiyuan…” she began to plead, but was interrupted.

“You better not speak. I might still spare him.”

“But…”

“Shut up!”

What would he do to him? Shi Ran had heard of Lu Beiyuan’s ruthlessness and methods.

The facts proved that Lu Beiyuan’s methods never disappointed.

In less than an hour, the Shen family declared bankruptcy, the company was shorted, financial losses, accounting crises, all leading to its downfall.

In that same hour, Shen Linyang was taken home by several strong bodyguards hired by his enraged father.

When the bodyguards found him, he was covered in wounds, yet his stubborn mouth kept repeating, “Sister, sister…”

Shen’s father suffered a stroke.

The remaining Shen mother, accustomed to a life of luxury, called a doctor for both of them.

That night, the Shen family was in chaos, experiencing a catastrophic ordeal.

On the other hand, at the Xishan villa.

After Lu Beiyuan got into the car with Shi Ran, they remained silent, locked in a cold war.

Shi Ran sensed Lu Beiyuan’s anger. He even got jealous of her going out with Tang Ji, let alone the scene of her ex-boyfriend returning and their lingering farewell playing out in front of him.

Just when she thought the man wouldn’t pay attention to her for a while.

When they got out of the car, he held her hand and hurried to the second-floor bedroom.

He went straight to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and placed her hand under the running water, adding a lot of hand soap, rubbing her hands thoroughly.

Soon, Shi Ran’s hands were red.

“Enough! If you’re angry, just vent it! Why take it out on my hands!”

When she thought Lu Beiyuan, this enduring lion, was about to explode, he remained calm.

“Ranran, does it hurt? Let’s stop. Did he touch you anywhere else? No?”

He spoke as if to himself, bringing the girl’s hand to his mouth, gently blowing on it.

“Blow on it, and it won’t hurt anymore.”

Whether he touched other places, Shi Ran felt he knew better than her, after all, he had two bodyguards following her closely.

Otherwise, Shen Linyang wouldn’t have appeared there less than ten minutes after he did.

“Come, Ranran, I brought you a gift.”

He pulled Shi Ran to the bedroom, took a wrapped rectangular gift box from the table, and unwrapped the ribbon.

A famous painting. A recent work by her goddess, Afeiso.

Afeiso, a renowned painter, mainly specializing in oil paintings, known for producing one painting every three years. Now thirty-six years old, including this month’s new painting, she only has three works.

The painting style is unrestrained and wild, yet full of artistic conception.

This recent piece depicts a vast forest, a lonely little girl facing a fierce beast. The girl’s eyes show fear mixed with cunning, while the beast’s eyes are fierce yet tender.

Just like them.

Both trapped in this forest, one wanting to escape, the other wanting to keep the only playmate in the forest.

And they, one wanting to run, the other wanting to be trapped with the only person who could enter their world.

“Do you like it?”

He stroked the girl’s head, seeing that she liked it.

Shi Ran nodded. Of course, she liked it; she really liked it!

“Is it a genuine piece?” The style looked genuine; if it was a copy, the skill was remarkable.

“Of course!”

“How did you get it?”

There’s only one of this painting in the world; it can’t be bought with money.

“As long as Ranran likes it, what can’t I get?” Lu Beiyuan hugged her, burying his head in her neck and kissing her.

Kissing her gently, like a precious treasure, cherished for many years.

Shi Ran felt the usual Lu Beiyuan was back, the one who spoiled her, constantly trying to please her, scheming against her, and finding ways to get into her bed.

“Okay, here you go.”

Lu Beiyuan kissed her lips from behind, gently nibbling, as if he had endured a long time of restraint.

“Really?” He panted, as if he had endured too much for too long.

“Hmm, he suddenly came to find me today, and I thought you were angry. It’s good that you’re not. But let’s agree, only three times.” Shi Ran said.

“Three times isn’t enough, how about four?”

“Okay, no more than that.”