Volume One, Chapter 14: Are You Worried About Me?

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Lu Chaoxi, who had been momentarily dazed, instantly snapped back to clarity at the sharp growl. She opened the door, jumped out of the car, and asked, “Did Zhizheng tell you?”

The abrupt question made Wan Yan sense something was off. “What do you mean?”

After a brief exchange of glances, Lu Chaoxi glanced toward the driver’s seat, and Wan Yan immediately understood her implication. He grabbed her wrist firmly. “We just got married, and you can’t wait to betray me? Or do you think cheating during marriage is normal?”

Though it was all an act for others, Wan Yan’s anger truly radiated through his grip. Lu Chaoxi looked at him plaintively, about to bite his hand.

Before she could, Wan Yan flicked her forehead, interrupting her. “Lu Chaoxi, I’m not so pathetic as to prove myself by selling a woman.”

His tone was as emotionless as a robot reciting lines. Her already bruised forehead hurt sharply from the touch, and tears welled in her eyes. She continued the act, “Several uncles in the Lu family have deeply rooted power. Even my father couldn’t uproot them when he was alive. Compared to being isolated and helpless, you need strong allies more.”

Whenever Wan Yan saw her frustrated and stifled expression, he inexplicably felt comforted. That comfort had nothing to do with revenge but came from his intentional teasing. And Lu Chaoxi always reacted exactly as he wanted.

A faint, barely noticeable smile curled his lips as he pulled her into his car. “After all that talk, you still want to see him. Since you’re so eager, I’ll take you.”

The secretary, who witnessed the entire episode, had no choice but to report this unexpected development to his boss. Zhizheng was indifferent, saying only, “I just want Lu Chaoxi to appear before me. How she appears doesn’t matter.”

Meanwhile, once inside the car, Lu Chaoxi confessed all her suspicions and plans to Wan Yan. Seeing his calm demeanor, she curiously asked, “Did you realize something was wrong the moment Zhizheng’s secretary came to you?”

“Mm,” Wan Yan replied tersely, “He didn’t even negotiate conditions and was willing to spend millions to buy you for one night. As a normal man, I think that’s a terrible deal.”

Lu Chaoxi was defiant, head held high. “With my worth, his offer is clearly a loss!”

Besides, no woman should be openly tagged with a price, no matter her value. By now, Lu Chaoxi had utterly despised Zhizheng.

Wan Yan glanced at her, noting her indignant expression, and nodded calmly, “You’ve never used your brain, but you’re indeed valuable.”

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have driven away ten tutors in just one month.

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Lu Chaoxi’s bravado visibly diminished but she didn’t give up defending herself. “I’m just not good at studying, but in some areas, I’m very capable!”

She eagerly wished Wan Yan would ask which areas, but he remained silent.

Nine years of pursuit had already cemented his image of her: foolish, stubborn, and a carefree young lady.

Compared to other heiresses trained to excel in everything, the things Lu Chaoxi was proud of might not be impressive, but she would never belittle herself for that. It’s rare for a person to have even one quality worth pride.

The love she received from her family was enough to heal and give her confidence.

Suddenly, she resumed the topic interrupted earlier and speculated alone, “So Zhizheng was the one who lured you here? His goal was to make you misunderstand me?”

Wan Yan tightened his grip on the steering wheel, hiding the real truth. “Maybe.”

As night approached, the car finally stopped in front of a waterfront villa.

Wan Yan handed Lu Chaoxi a Bluetooth headset and instructed, “No matter what happens, don’t hang up the call.”

Her eyes sparkled with liveliness as she asked, “Are you really worried about me?”

He had chased after her by car and now showed concern—wasn’t this fear for her safety?

Wan Yan twitched the corner of his mouth and voiced his honest thought: “If you don’t come out alive, I can record it and provide the police with clues.”

The blunt truth sounded cold and heartless, instantly deflating Lu Chaoxi.

“Recordings can’t be used as evidence!” she snapped angrily before stepping out.

The moment the door closed, Wan Yan’s faint smile disappeared. A chest tightness suddenly gripped him.

Catching her slender figure pressing the doorbell in the rearview mirror, he felt shame for his scheming.

Indeed, he hated the Lu family and disliked Lu Chaoxi. Yet he never imagined he’d personally deliver his nominal wife to another man’s doorstep.

Wan Yan wondered if he had become just as unscrupulous as Lu Xianqing, who had once ruthlessly forced him to marry Lu Chaoxi.

Unable to probe further, he withdrew his gaze. His habitual cold-heartedness left no room for pity.

“Lu Chaoxi, tit for tat—you get what you deserve.”

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Whether he muttered to himself or reminded himself not to show mercy to Lu Chaoxi, Wan Yan said the words without guilt.

After a few rings, a foreign man with brown hair opened the door.

His eyes were a common pale blue seen in Western Europe, and surprisingly, he spoke fluent Chinese.

“Miss Lu? Mr. Zhi has been waiting for you for a long time.”

The man held the door open, gesturing politely for her to enter.

As he walked, he introduced himself, “I’m Mr. Zhi’s butler. You can call me Najee.”

That name...

Lu Chaoxi found it familiar but couldn’t recall where she had heard it.

The vast villa was eerily empty as they walked in.

She remained silent until she couldn’t hold back, asking, “Is it just you here? No one else?”

Najee smiled and shook his head. “Usually gardeners and maids maintain the villa, but today, knowing you would come, Mr. Zhi cleared everyone out.”

“Why?”

“He worried you might not like them.”

Hearing this, Lu Chaoxi was momentarily stunned.

In unfamiliar environments and around strangers, she tended to get anxious and lose temper, so she always had someone familiar by her side since childhood.

At home, it was her father; at school, it was Luo Ci.

No one—not even Wan Yan—knew about this quirk. How did Zhizheng find out?

Before she could piece it together, Najee stopped outside a room.

“This is the room Mr. Zhi prepared for you. He’s currently in a video conference that will end in ten minutes.”

Before she could say a word, he stepped back and left.

“Wan Yan?”

Left alone, she whispered his name anxiously, wanting to confirm he was still there.

Soon, a brief “Mm” came through the headset.

Lu Chaoxi’s tense heart instantly relaxed. “You didn’t say anything all along—I thought you hung up.”