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Seeing Xin Ling’s expression of shock and confusion, Auntie Li continued,
“Last night I asked you, didn’t I? Whether you wanted to seize this opportunity—since you were drunk, you could take the chance to be brave just once and get the young master into your hands.”
“You’re usually such a quiet little gourd. Clearly, you like him to death, but you never fight for it. Isn’t it all thanks to this engagement of yours…”
“You nodded your agreement at the time, which is why I sent you over.”
“…”
She had been drunk and muddle-headed then, probably thinking Auntie Li was asking if she wanted to be sent back to her room to sleep, so she nodded without defense.
She hadn’t expected such crossed wires between them to cause such a huge accident!
…Depressing.
Seeing Xin Ling’s gloomy expression, Auntie Li thought her plan had failed.
“It’s okay, Lingling, you can try harder next time.”
“If it really doesn’t work, and the young master still doesn’t like you, you could just change your engagement partner. I think that Fifth Master who just returned to the country isn’t bad at all.”
“He’s the old master’s son born late in life. Though he’s a few years older than you, older men know how to dote on people.”
“…”
Mm, he certainly knows how to ‘dote’ on people.
She had already fallen into his clutches.
“Auntie Li, let’s not do things like this in the future,” Xin Ling tugged at her sleeve, her face a little melancholy. “If we get found out, it would be very dangerous.”
“What are you afraid of? The old master has already verbally promised you to him. Before long, once the engagement banquet is held, it’ll be set in stone, won’t it?”
Everyone in the manor knew the old master doted on Xin Ling even more than on the young master.
It was only that the young master kept stalling, so the engagement hadn’t been finalized. Rumor had it that the young master already liked someone, but that person didn’t meet with the old master’s approval, so he refused to agree.
“Besides, even if you really did end up sleeping with him, it wouldn’t be your fault.”
Auntie Li’s filter for Xin Ling was incredibly thick—she could turn black into white.
“You’re just a delicate little girl who can’t even truss a chicken. Could you really force him to take off his pants?”
“Tell me, am I right or not?”
“Right!”
Xin Ling nodded quickly and firmly.
“So even if it didn’t work out, it doesn’t matter. And don’t be afraid of being found out.”
After a few more words of comfort, Auntie Li stood up, ready to leave.
“I’ve got something else to do, so I won’t stay and chat.”
“Okay.”
Xin Ling also got up to see her off at the door.
Just then, Auntie Li suddenly turned back and said,
“But I really mean it—if it truly doesn’t work, Lingling, then like someone else instead. Don’t hang yourself on a single tree.”
“I think Fifth Master is quite good.”
Xin Ling pulled out a perfunctory, child-placating smile, obedient and well-behaved, and nodded.
“I know~”
At long last, she managed to send Auntie Li away. Xin Ling was just about to step back into her room when a low chuckle drifted over from not far away.
The faintly hoarse voice carried deliberate restraint, laced with a teasing magnetism. It caught Xin Ling’s heart off guard and made it tremble.
Nice-sounding, yes—but familiar to the point that her scalp went numb.
When she looked up, sure enough, the man who looked refined and handsome on the outside but was pitch-black to the core stood right there.
Why was this man haunting her like a ghost?!
｡◔‸◔｡
“What are you laughing at? What’s so funny…”
Xin Ling muttered under her breath with a huff, confident he couldn’t hear her from that distance.
But instead, the man strode over at an unhurried pace, lowered his gaze into her eyes, and spoke in a calm tone,
“Fifth Master isn’t bad?”
“…”
“You know?”
Following the principle that friendly coexistence meant she could hide things longer, Xin Ling forced a fake smile.
“No, no, you misheard. I don’t know anything.”
“Am I good or not? Didn’t you already experience it this morning?”
The man reached out, tidied a few messy strands of hair by her cheek, then suddenly leaned in, murmuring against her ear.
“Or has just one or two hours passed and you’ve already forgotten? Do I need to take you back and refresh your memory properly?”
“…N-no need.”
Her waist was still sore, her legs still aching.
The girl’s visible fluster only deepened the man’s wicked amusement.
He took her dangling hand, pinched her slender fingertips suggestively, and let his sticky words brush her ear.
“Come to my room tonight.”
Huh?
Before she could react, Lu Jinzhi arched a brow and withdrew.
Xin Ling spent the entire afternoon sulking. She felt as though this shameless dog of a man had trapped her so tightly that she couldn’t even breathe.
On her phone screen lay two glaring messages that killed all her mood to play around.
He had only added her that morning. Apart from the default greeting when adding a contact, there were just these two messages—
【Lu Jinzhi: 9:30 p.m.】
【Lu Jinzhi: I trust, for the sake of that little fiancé of yours who’s been missing without a trace, Miss Xin Ling won’t forget. Right?】
Threats. Naked, blatant threats!
By the time it reached 8:30 p.m., Xin Ling felt doomed.
Just then, a sudden call came through.
“Xin Ling, Dream Flower Pavilion, Room 1406. Come over.”
The voice on the other end was a little unfamiliar, tinted with the hoarseness of drink and a lazy drawl, but Xin Ling had it noted down. It was the male lead—Lu Ziyao.
【Ding! Main task triggered: The host must immediately agree to Lu Ziyao’s request and set out at once for Dream Flower Pavilion.】
“Okay, I understand.”
“Remember to dress nicely. Don’t come over in something rustic and embarrassing again.” With that, the line was cut.
Xin Ling glanced at the time.
It was nearly nine o’clock already. Looked like she wouldn’t be able to make it to Lu Jinzhi’s side tonight…
No matter. The mission was most important!
She consoled herself, changed out of her pajamas, and grabbed her bag before heading out.
Dream Flower Pavilion, Room 1406.
When Xin Ling reached the door, colorful lights spilled out alongside bursts of laughter and rowdy teasing.
She was just about to push the door open when a few stray voices from inside drifted out—
“Didn’t you always hate that woman living in your house? Saying she’s leeched off the Lu family’s kindness for over ten years, calling her a vampire. So why are you suddenly engaged to her now?”
“You think I wanted to? Grandpa insisted. If she hadn’t nodded in agreement, how would this mess have fallen on me?”
“Yao, why her of all people? Why not someone else?”
“How would I know!”
“Maybe she just likes you~ After all, our Yao’s got so much charm!”
“Hahahaha, that might be true!”
“…”