This massive compensation amount, if it really came to that, would spell mortal danger for Haiqing Group!
"Of course, I am not a cold and unfeeling person either." Seeing Lin Qingrou's pale face, Zhao Chuanping felt an immense surge of satisfaction and triumph. "After all, Uncle and Aunt have always treated me well. If our two families become one, then as for these losses, whether they get compensated or not really doesn't matter, don't you agree?"
So he had been waiting right here for her!
Lin Qingrou clenched her fists tightly.
Taking advantage of the accident at the construction site to coerce her into submitting to him—what kind of eldest young master of the Zhao family was this? He was nothing more than a local hoodlum and ruffian!
"President Lin, how about it? Do you need to think it over?" Zhao Chuanping wore the smug expression of a petty villain who had achieved his ambitions. The way he looked at Lin Qingrou was even more unbridled, as if he couldn't wait to devour her body and soul right then and there.
Lin Qingrou was silent for a moment before a sudden thought struck her.
Where was Ye Nan?
Why wasn't he saying anything, and why couldn't she hear his inner voice anymore?
She hurriedly raised her head and looked around, only to see that at some point, Ye Nan had walked all the way to the center of the construction site by himself, already four or five hundred meters away from her.
Could it be that hearing inner voices had a distance limit?
Lin Qingrou pondered for a moment. Ignoring Zhao Chuanping, she walked straight toward Ye Nan.
When she got to within about fifty meters of him, the familiar inner voice sounded in Lin Qingrou's mind once again.
[Hmm...]
[Oh...]
[Fine, then...]
[Geez...]
Lin Qingrou: ???
Why were they all just modal particles?! What on earth was this jerk thinking?
Lin Qingrou walked up to Ye Nan and demanded irritably, "What are you wandering around for?"
Ye Nan turned back to look at her, seemed to hesitate with what he wanted to say, then shook his head. "Nothing, just looking around. Is the situation really that serious right now?"
With a grave expression, Lin Qingrou nodded and said anxiously, "If this can't be resolved, we'll have to pay an astronomical compensation to the Zhao family. But the situation with this plot of land is something even Feng Shui grandmasters can't fix! What are we supposed to do..."
[Huh? Well, this... is a bit awkward then...]
Ye Nan furrowed his brows deeply, letting out long, heavy sighs with an utterly worried expression.
Lin Qingrou gave a bitter smile. This was far beyond just awkward.
If she wasn't careful, the Lin family was going to go bankrupt!
Unless she was willing to marry Zhao Chuanping.
Seeing Ye Nan's furrowed brow, Lin Qingrou felt a slight sense of comfort in her heart. "Don't overthink it. This is my own affair and has nothing to do with you, so stop worrying."
[Not worry? How could I not worry!]
Ye Nan rolled his eyes.
A stir went through Lin Qingrou's heart, and she looked at him with a complex gaze.
Didn't he not want to marry into her family as a kept man?
Whether the Lin family went bankrupt this time or she married Zhao Chuanping, either outcome would let him get his wish.
Could it be... that he actually cared about her?
Oh no, she actually felt a tiny flicker of being touched!
[So useless! She can't even handle such a tiny, pathetic mess—how could I not worry!]
The very next inner voice instantly blew Lin Qingrou's touched feeling away without a trace...
???
Useless? A tiny, pathetic mess?!?!
[It's so obvious she's been set up by someone, a Gathering Yin Formation has been laid out!]
[Three hundred and twenty-seven ways to break it popped into my head in just one single second!]
[No, wait! Three hundred and twenty-eight! Damn it, another one just popped up! No way, there are way too fucking many, my head is such a mess!]
[And that's it? You're telling me the situation is extremely urgent??]
Lin Qingrou was left speechless, fluttering helplessly in the wind...
Chapter 6: Being Fed Rice Grown in the Soft Lap Until You're Stuffed to Death!
This jerk Ye Nan actually knew Feng Shui?!
Earlier, Lin Qingrou might have still had some doubts, but everything that had happened since they met left Lin Qingrou with zero doubt about Ye Nan's inner voice.
Yet this was simply too unscientific!
This guy was only in his early twenties!
We're both in our twenties, so why is it that I, a female CEO, look like a mere vase standing in front of you, a stinky security guard?!
No time to think about all that!
Lin Qingrou took a deep breath, staring fixedly at Ye Nan with burning eyes, and was just about to speak when she heard his inner voice again.
[No way!]
[If I say I can fix it right now, she definitely won't believe me and will probably just sneer at me!]
[This old woman is arrogant to the extreme, she won't even look people straight in the eye, and it's 'stinky security guard' this, 'stinky security guard' that!]
[I'd better keep my mouth shut and save myself the humiliation.]
In an instant, Lin Qingrou felt like crying tears that wouldn't come.
The heart that she had just put down instantly clenched up tight all over again!
Big Brother, you are my own dear brother!
I believe you!
I really do believe you!
Just hurry up and say it!
As long as you speak up, won't it be enough if I immediately believe you instantly using three different postures?!
"Ahem, why aren't you saying anything?" Lin Qingrou gave a fake cough and couldn't help probing.
Ye Nan glanced at her and parted his lips...
Before ultimately closing them again.
Lin Qingrou was so mad her chest ached!
[Whatever, it's broad daylight and there are too many people around, it wouldn't be convenient for me to make a move directly. Better keep quiet for now.]
[Besides, we've only just met; it's normal for her not to believe me if I tell her. I'll wait until we're a bit more familiar with each other.]
Lin Qingrou almost vomited blood.
We are literally going to get married, how much more familiar do you want to get?
Does she really need to lie down and let you sleep with her tonight for you to consider us familiar?!
Yet, however anxious Lin Qingrou was, there was nothing she could do. She couldn't just interrogate Ye Nan directly—wouldn't that expose the fact that she had been eavesdropping on his inner voice?!
After turning it over in her mind, Lin Qingrou decided to head back first.
Since she now knew the solution lay with Ye Nan, at least her target was locked down.
Didn't he want to get familiar?
Couldn't she, her ladyship here, go ahead and butter him up?!
"Let's go!" Lin Qingrou cast one deep look at Ye Nan, then turned and walked back.
Ye Nan followed closely behind.
"President Lin, is a loser security guard really worth you going over there yourself?"
Zhao Chuanping had somehow followed over as well and was standing at the edge of the construction site.
"Have you figured it out yet? Are you going to pay up, or are you going to hand yourself over?"
With a cigarette clamped between his lips, perhaps feeling that victory was already in his grasp, Zhao Chuanping didn't even bother to keep up pretenses. His arrogant posture was plastered all over his face as he shot a leering smile at Lin Qingrou.
"Within three days, I'll give you an answer." Feeling that even glancing at him was sickening, Lin Qingrou said coldly.
"Alright then!" Zhao Chuanping blew out a ring of smoke and laughed loudly. "I'd love to see what kind of tricks our little Qingrou can pull off in three days!"
With that, this bastard took a step forward, extending a greasy hand to stroke Lin Qingrou's face. "Actually, why put yourself through this? As long as Qingrou just says the word, my heart aches for you too much already—how could I ever bear to make you pay for the losses!"
Startled, Lin Qingrou hurriedly stepped back to dodge his wandering hand, glaring at him with blazing eyes. "Zhao Chuanping, show some respect!"
Pushing his advantage, Zhao Chuanping let out a wicked laugh. "Why resist so much? Three days from now, won't you still be mine anyway? Do you really think your grandfather, your dad, and your mom would accept paying an astronomical compensation just to watch Haiqing Group go bankrupt?"
"Be a good girl, stop making a fuss, let big brother give you a hug and everything will be in the past!"
Shaking with rage, her pretty face flushed crimson, Lin Qingrou couldn't help but want to step forward and slap him across the face!
Yet just as she took a step, his inner voice rang out.
[Damn it, trying to flirt with my wife right in front of me—do they think I'm dead?!]
[It's just that it's broad daylight and it's inconvenient to commit murder! Damn it, if I let you off easy today, my last name isn't Ye!]
Startled, and terrified that Ye Nan might act rashly and do something irrational, Lin Qingrou hastily turned to look.
However, Ye Nan merely gave a casual wave of his hands.
Only the rhythm and trajectory of his arm movements were somewhat unusual, but aside from that, there was no other action.
If Lin Qingrou hadn't heard his inner voice beforehand, she wouldn't have noticed this little movement at all under normal circumstances.
"What the fuck! What the hell is that?!"
Suddenly, Zhao Chuanping let out a scream beside them, his voice completely cracking.
"Ahhh!!!"
The company subordinates and the construction site manager who had been following Zhao Chuanping also screamed as they leaped backward, scrambling far away from him.
In the patch of earth where Zhao Chuanping had been standing just a moment before, seven or eight large dark-green snakes had suddenly emerged, every single one of them half a meter long and as thick as a hemp rope!
Several of the green snakes slithered straight up Zhao Chuanping's legs, darting out their scarlet forked tongues—a scene more terrifying than anything imaginable!
Turning pale with fright herself, Lin Qingrou instinctively grabbed the sleeve of the man beside her, pressing tightly against Ye Nan.
Of all things, girls feared snakes the most.
"Don't be afraid, it's fine. These snakes aren't poisonous." Ye Nan offered a faint smile and uttered a comforting word.
"Ahhh!!! Someone help me!!! Get the fuck over here right now!!"
Having already been bitten a couple of times, Zhao Chuanping was scared out of his wits, frantically lifting his legs and shaking them wildly in an effort to fling the snakes off.
Yet the green snakes were coiled tightly around him, completely motionless, until suddenly one of them lunged its head forward with all its might and drove a bite straight into Zhao Chuanping's crotch...
"Awooo!!!!"
Zhao Chuanping leaped three feet into the air, letting out a roar from his throat that sounded uncannily like a Tibetan Mastiff.
Chaos instantly erupted across the construction site.
"President Lin, shall we get going?" Ye Nan appeared the calmest of all, smiling as he looked at Lin Qingrou. "Or were you hoping to hold onto me for a little longer?"
Coming back to her senses, Lin Qingrou immediately released Ye Nan's arm, her pretty face blushing slightly.
"What... what just happened to him?"
Once the two of them were back inside the car, Lin Qingrou asked.
"How would I know?" Leaning back against the backrest, Ye Nan closed his eyes to rest once more.
[Modified the focal point of the Gathering Yin Formation to concentrate the Yin energy that snakes love right under Zhao Chuanping's feet.]
[Just a little trick, something I was already done playing with by the time I was five!]
[Back in the day, that old bastard peeked at the widows washing clothes down the mountain, and I used this exact trick to scare him so bad he couldn't get it up for three days!]
[Sigh, back in big brother's childhood, I was still such a pure, righteous little lad.]
Once again left speechless, Lin Qingrou didn't even have the energy left to roll her eyes.
Ha, pure, righteous...
People play with snakes at age five, while she was playing with Barbie dolls at age five—you tell me if that isn't infuriating!
After a brief silence, Lin Qingrou started the car.
"What... what kind of clothes do you like? I'll go buy you some."
With the little interlude behind them, Lin Qingrou hadn't forgotten her previous goal and decided to immediately launch her "Project to Please Ye Nan."
Making the first move to show goodwill to someone else, her speech came out quite unnaturally, her delicate face flushed a bright red.
"Huh?" Opening his eyes, Ye Nan looked at her in confusion. "Why?"
"You're practically... about to marry into my family, aren't I supposed to be responsible for you?" Reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, Lin Qingrou forced herself to look composed. "Whenever you need anything in the future, just tell me. I can afford to support you."
Ye Nan's eyes widened instantly, his mouth gaping wide enough to swallow a duck egg.
A sense of triumph welled up in Lin Qingrou's heart.
Hmph, when a fairy-like wealthy woman like yours truly takes the initiative to show goodwill to you, how could you not fall head over heels for me?
Be moved, stinky security guard, let yourself be moved to your heart's content for her ladyship!
As long as it gets you to grow closer to me, her ladyship will feed you this kept-man's rice until you burst!
Watching Ye Nan's shocked and complex expression, Lin Qingrou felt immensely proud of herself.
Truly, I am amazing!
However, the very next moment...
[There's a conspiracy afoot!]
[Is this really that same old woman who looked down on stinky security guards?!]
[Hey, do you even know your character persona has completely collapsed?!]
[Could it be that she's plotting against my handsome looks and youthful body??]
[Or... has a tumor in her breasts metastasized to her brain?!]
The smug expression froze completely on Lin Qingrou's face.
Her hands gripped the steering wheel so hard that her knuckles turned white from the force.
You bastard!
Just you wait, her ladyship... will endure this!
Chapter 7: Scumbags Are Just Like Spoiled Brats—A Good Beating Fixes Everything Right Up!
Two hours later.
Lin Qingrou's Lamborghini was already stuffed to the brim with large and small shopping bags, all of them containing Ye Nan's new clothes.
Ye Nan finally got to witness how rich people went shopping.
Upon entering a store, Lin Qingrou would give a quick sweep around and then tyrannically point here and there: "This, this, and that... no! The rest, in his size, give me one of each!"
Just like that, she swept through three stores in a row.
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Ye Nan stopped Lin Qingrou, and the two of them headed to a beverage shop to rest their feet.
A news broadcast was playing on the large screen inside the beverage shop.
"The President of Yunxin Group has taken an extended leave of absence for personal reasons, and all operations of the group have been placed under the full charge of Vice President An."
"It is reported that Vice President An has just turned twenty, yet possesses extraordinary capabilities, winning the wholehearted devotion and submission of everyone across the group..."
[Yunxin Group? Sounds familiar... where have I heard that before...]
Sipping his beverage, Ye Nan thought to himself.
Hearing his inner voice, Lin Qingrou rolled her eyes.
The Lin family was merely a first-tier wealthy family in Jiangling.
The Zhao family, where Zhao Chuanping belonged, was the wealthiest family in Jiangling; standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Qi family, they were top-tier heavyweights in Jiangling.
Yet Jiangling was only a single city within Zhongzhou.
Yunxin Group, on the other hand, was the undisputed overlord of all Zhongzhou, with business operations spread across the entire province—a veritable super-colossus!
This Vice President An was currently the most sought-after and blazing-hot figure in all of Zhongzhou.
Recently, Vice President An had been visiting elite enterprises and powerful wealthy families in various cities, intending to select one primary partner and object of support in each city.
If they could be chosen by Yunxin Group, Haiqing Group would leap in a single bound to become the strongest force in Jiangling!
And Lin Qingrou would never again have to be threatened by her parents or forced into a marriage alliance with the Zhao family.
Regrettably, such a prospect was something Lin Qingrou could only dream about; with so many massive enterprises in Jiangling, for Haiqing to stand out from the crowd would be exceedingly difficult.
Only top-tier wealthy families like the Zhao and Qi families would have the capital to even give it a try.
After listening to Lin Qingrou's brief explanation, Ye Nan finally understood.
However, he felt not a shred of interest in such matters.
After resting for a while, the two returned to the car, and Lin Qingrou drove home.
Along the way, Ye Nan's phone suddenly rang.
"Who is this?" Seeing it was an unfamiliar number, Ye Nan answered lazily.
"Lord Dark Emperor!"
On the other end of the line, the voice sounded extremely agitated.
"This lowly one is Zhou Ruhai, President of the Zhongzhou Chamber of Commerce Alliance! Word came from above that Your Excellency is vacationing in Zhongzhou recently, and I have been specially commanded to come and attend to your needs!"
"This lowly one has long heard of the great prestige of Lord Dark Emperor, and to be able to vacation here in Zhongzhou this time is the utmost honor for this lowly one..."
Speechless, Ye Nan rolled his eyes.
Those old geezers in the Capital were always dabbling in such sycophantic, bootlicking behavior.
"Fine, fine, got it. I'll get in touch when I have time!"
Looking somewhat impatient, Ye Nan prepared to hang up the phone.
"Lord Dark Emperor! This lowly one has already prepared a mountain villa for you in Hidden Dragon Bay—District S, Villa Number 8, the absolute best location! Whenever you have time to go take a look in person, if you aren't satisfied, this lowly one will swap it for you immediately!" Zhou Ruhai said eagerly. "The villa entrance security code is 021219, Lord Dark Emperor..."
"Fine, fine, got it. I'll go take a look when I have time!"
Finding it truly unbearable, Ye Nan hung up directly.
[So annoying, can't even have some peace and quiet on vacation!]
[Sooner or later, I'm going to hang those old geezers in the Capital up by their feet and give them a thorough whipping!]
Lin Qingrou glanced at him.
So this guy was on vacation.
The Capital?
He worked in the Capital?
Surely he wasn't doing gate-securing security work there too...
If Ye Nan had any inkling of what was passing through Lin Qingrou's mind right then, he probably would have been left between laughter and tears.
It was true enough that he guarded a gate, but the gate he guarded was called the "National Gate"!
Before long, they arrived back at the Lin family villa.
Carrying the large and small bags, Ye Nan followed Lin Qingrou inside.
The moment they stepped through the door, they could sense that the atmosphere inside the house was all wrong.
Naturally, Lin Li Jinlan was present, but sitting on the sofa was a stern-looking middle-aged man—none other than Lin's father, Lin Zhenghai.
Next to Lin Zhenghai sat a young man dressed in a tailored Western suit, who turned out to be none other than Zhao Chuanping, whom they had just seen earlier!
Ye Nan narrowed his eyes.
[Ah... the old woman is about to suffer again, time for a good show!]
Shooting him a lingering glare, Lin Qingrou ground her pearly white teeth audibly.
You bastard, you're just here to watch the fun, aren't you?
You think this has nothing to do with you, huh!
"Get your ass over here!" Lin Zhenghai rebuked in an icy tone.
After a brief moment of silence, Lin Qingrou reached out, took Ye Nan's hand, and walked right over.
The sight of this gesture made the faces of both Lin Zhenghai and Li Jinlan turn livid with anger.
As for Zhao Chuanping, a look of spite and jealousy crossed his face as he glared fiercely at Ye Nan.
"The marriage arranged for you by your grandfather is him?" Lin Zhenghai's expression was gloomy. "A lowly security guard?"
Ye Nan was speechless.
[I finally know where the old woman gets her stinky habit of looking down on people.]
The corners of Lin Qingrou's twitching mouth pulled back as she recalled her own disdainful attitude toward Ye Nan earlier—it was a carbon copy of Lin Zhenghai's current expression, making her feel somewhat flushed with embarrassment.
"He's not a security guard; he's my personal secretary." Lin Qingrou said expressionlessly.
"When did that happen?" Ye Nan was taken aback.
"While you were trying on clothes." Lin Qingrou replied calmly.
[Good grief, the old woman is planning to fully keep me as her toy boy!]
[They always say wealthy older women love keeping young studs, turns out it's true...]
[Could this be the legendary... seeking a child with heavy gold reward?!]
Lin Qingrou started grinding her teeth again.
You just wait, you jerk, her ladyship is keeping a tally of every single thing, and we'll settle accounts sooner or later!
"Absurd!" Lin Zhenghai flared up. "Any stray cat or dog can just waltz into my Lin family to beg for handouts now?! Kick him out immediately! Your mother and I have already discussed it—you and Chuanping are the true match made in heaven, and that's final!"
Nearby, Li Jinlan began fanning the flames as well. "Your father is right! Look at this shameless behavior of yours! Why can't you learn a thing or two from your younger sister, how much peace of mind she gives us, sigh..."
Clenching her fists, Lin Qingrou felt her rage threatening to burst out of bounds.
Learn from her? Learn how to loaf around all day? Learn how to hook up with men?!
At her age without even a proper job, just waiting around to usurp her Haiqing Group, and she still had the nerve?
Parental favoritism never bothered with reason.
"Uncle and Aunt, don't blame Qingrou; she was just confused for a moment, it's fine." Zhao Chuanping chimed in at the opportune moment, putting on the image of a reasonable, good-natured person.
"Look at how broad-minded Chuanping is!" Li Jinlan immediately chimed in. "Apologize to Chuanping right now! Are you deaf? Did you hear me?!"
Lin Zhenghai turned to Zhao Chuanping with a pleasant expression as well. "Chuanping, regarding the matter at the construction site, have a word with your dad and please let your Zhao family be accommodating! Rest assured, Qingrou's marriage—I call the shots!"
Lin Qingrou's heart grew colder and colder; the moment her company ran into the slightest trouble, her parents would sell her out without a second thought.
Sighing inwardly, Ye Nan shook his head.
Having grown up without parents under the care of the old bastard, he used to think orphans were the most miserable people in the world.
Little did he know, some people having parents was even worse than having none at all.
Yet the old woman was so proud and prickly that even when she was bullied, she couldn't bring herself to argue with people.