After the Arranged Marriage, I Was Pampered by the Powerful Tycoon - Chapter 16

Luo Mingzhi was currently standing at the door, his tall and slender figure reflected against the glass. Seeing no movement from Cheng Ruan, he knocked again: “Cheng Ruan, are you alright?”

With eyes rimmed red, Cheng Ruan lifted his head. His lips were bitten raw, and a thin layer of cold sweat coated his palms. He tried to stand up to respond to Luo Mingzhi, but his legs felt soft and weak; no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get up.

Another flash of lightning streaked across the sky. Cheng Ruan closed his eyes and cried out: “Luo Mingzhi!”

Luo Mingzhi asked: “Can I come in?”

A second later, the doorknob turned. Luo Mingzhi entered from outside and immediately caught sight of Cheng Ruan huddled in the corner.

Luo Mingzhi walked over quickly. Seeing Cheng Ruan curled into a ball, a strange emotion suddenly welled up in his heart.

In his eyes, Cheng Ruan always seemed innocent yet arrogant, living a life of luxury and acting willfully. He never seemed to have moments of wretchedness, nor did he ever allow himself to lose the upper hand.

Yet now, he was hiding helplessly in a corner. His usually rosy lips were pale, and his long eyelashes were damp.

Luo Mingzhi leaned down to meet Cheng Ruan’s gaze: “What happened?”

Rumble—

The thunder roared again. Cheng Ruan shivered and instinctively threw himself into the arms of the man before him, pressing his face against his chest.

Luo Mingzhi hadn’t expected Cheng Ruan to pounce into his embrace. His fingers hovered in the air for a moment before slowly coming down to rest on Cheng Ruan’s back.

“It’s okay,” he heard himself say. “I’m here. Don’t be afraid.”

Cheng Ruan wrapped both arms around Luo Mingzhi’s waist, his fingertips gripping the fabric of his bathrobe. Luo Mingzhi patted Cheng Ruan’s back and said: “Shall we go out first?”

Cheng Ruan held on even tighter, shaking his head: “I’m not going. Don’t leave.”

Luo Mingzhi was helpless. He lowered his eyes and said: “I won’t leave.”

Cheng Ruan was stubborn: “No.”

Luo Mingzhi sighed. Exerting strength in his wrists, he picked Cheng Ruan up.

“Luo Mingzhi!” Cheng Ruan grabbed Luo Mingzhi’s neck in fear, crying out in a panic, “What are you doing! Put me down!”

Luo Mingzhi ignored Cheng Ruan’s request and carried him straight out, placing him on the bed in the guest bedroom.

Luo Mingzhi asked: “Afraid of thunder?”

Cheng Ruan had regained a bit of his logic by now. He shook his head in denial: “I… I’m not afraid.”

Luo Mingzhi glanced at Cheng Ruan, whose hair was sticking up at the ends, and raised an eyebrow: “Oh.”

Hearing the skepticism in his tone, Cheng Ruan forced himself to say: “Don’t overthink it. I’m definitely not afraid, it’s just…”

“Just…?” He hadn’t thought of an excuse yet.

Luo Mingzhi walked over to close the window and drew the curtains. Turning back, he asked: “Just what?”

Cheng Ruan froze: “Just…” He pursed his lips and fell silent.

Luo Mingzhi shook his head and started to walk toward the door. Cheng Ruan instinctively reached out and grabbed the corner of Luo Mingzhi’s clothes: “Wait a minute!”

Luo Mingzhi looked down at the hand that had turned slightly red from the force: “Hmm?”

Cheng Ruan looked at Luo Mingzhi, then at the window. Steeling himself, he said: “Didn’t you agree to be my bed partner?”

Luo Mingzhi didn’t answer.

Cheng Ruan pulled on him anxiously: “Sleep with me tonight, okay?”

Luo Mingzhi paused for several seconds, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. But soon, he walked back toward Cheng Ruan, his expression and movements full of a sense of pressure.

Cheng Ruan’s Adam’s apple bobbed: “Luo Mingzhi…”

Luo Mingzhi walked to his side, turned his back to him, and untied his bathrobe, revealing his lean, muscular chest.

“Uh…” Cheng Ruan felt like slapping himself. He tried to say, “Luo Mingzhi, can we… do it next time?”

With a wave of his hand, Luo Mingzhi set the bathrobe aside, lifted the covers, and looked at Cheng Ruan.

Cheng Ruan shrank back, but hearing the thunder, he scurried back toward Luo Mingzhi’s side.

However, Luo Mingzhi made no further moves. He simply pulled the covers naturally and lay down on his side.

Cheng Ruan was stunned for a moment.

With his back to him, Luo Mingzhi asked: “Aren’t you sleeping yet?”

Cheng Ruan sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed and asked uncertainly: “Just… sleeping?”

“Otherwise?” Luo Mingzhi’s voice sounded inexplicably sexy. “Did you want to do something else?”

“No!” Cheng Ruan hurriedly lifted the covers, lay down next to Luo Mingzhi, and closed his eyes in a desperate attempt to cover his embarrassment.

Luo Mingzhi’s lips curled slightly. He said nothing more, though in the darkness, he could feel fingers gently tugging the corner of his clothes inward.

He turned his body slightly to look at Cheng Ruan. The younger man appeared to have fallen into a dreamland.

Outside, the thunderstorm gradually subsided. Cheng Ruan’s face was no longer as deathly pale as before, though he still mumbled: “Mama…”

“Don’t let it thunder anymore…”

Luo Mingzhi sighed, pulled the covers up for Cheng Ruan, and let the hand keep its grip on him.

Outside the window, the storm raged, but inside this room, there was peace.

“Ugh…” Cheng Ruan opened his eyes and woke up only to realize he had slept in Luo Mingzhi’s bedroom.

Last night…

Cheng Ruan got up, put on his slippers, and walked out. He didn’t see Luo Mingzhi anywhere. Looking around, he called out while heading downstairs: “Luo Mingzhi?”

No one answered.

“Did he go out for something?” Cheng Ruan looked up just in time to see Luo Mingzhi’s car pull up to the door through the floor-to-ceiling window. Then, Luo Mingzhi stepped out.

Cheng Ruan suddenly felt a bit nervous. He stood there watching Luo Mingzhi walk in, almost forgetting he was still standing on the bottom step of the stairs.

“Why are you standing on the stairs?” Luo Mingzhi’s voice rang out right in front of him.

Cheng Ruan was startled. Only then did he realize Luo Mingzhi was already right there. He tried to step down, but his foot slipped, and he began to fall forward.

Cheng Ruan instinctively closed his eyes, but he fell into a broad, warm embrace.

Just like last night.

He remained leaning against Luo Mingzhi in that falling posture, his mind blank, hearing nothing but the deafening sound of his own heartbeat.

Luo Mingzhi broke the silence: “Be careful.”

“Ah, sorry.” Belatedly, Cheng Ruan pulled away from Luo Mingzhi’s embrace. Standing straight, he thanked him: “Thank you, I almost fell just now.”

Luo Mingzhi looked down at Cheng Ruan, who clearly just woke up: “Stay safe.”

Cheng Ruan nodded. After a moment of hesitation, he added: “About last night… thank you. I…”

“Are you afraid of thunder?” Luo Mingzhi asked.

Cheng Ruan lowered his head and admitted: “Yes.”

He stared at the floor awkwardly: “Every time, I feel like the thunder is terrifying. it always makes me feel so anxious.”

Luo Mingzhi’s lips quirked slightly as he took off his suit jacket and sat on the sofa: “Fear is a human instinct.”

Cheng Ruan looked up at Luo Mingzhi, surprised by his words. He asked uncertainly: “Are you… comforting me?”

Luo Mingzhi glanced at him: “If it comforts you, then yes.”

Cheng Ruan choked slightly but walked over to sit opposite him: “Then do you have anything you’re afraid of?”

Luo Mingzhi replied: “No.”

Cheng Ruan looked at him skeptically: “Didn’t you just say every human has fears?”

Unless he wasn’t human!

Luo Mingzhi chuckled and said: “I certainly had things I feared in the past. But now, I have nothing left to lose, so naturally, I have no fear.”

“You…” Cheng Ruan realized he could understand the meaning behind Luo Mingzhi’s words—that feeling of “loss.”

He said to Luo Mingzhi: “Don’t be too pessimistic. Living in the moment is what’s most important.”

Luo Mingzhi looked at Cheng Ruan playfully: “Does that sentence apply to you as well?”

“…” Cheng Ruan sighed and shook his head. “It doesn’t apply to me.”

Seeing Luo Mingzhi raise an eyebrow, Cheng Ruan continued: “Grandpa fainted yesterday.”

“His health isn’t great. One of the reasons I used… such unscrupulous means to marry you was because I didn’t want him to worry anymore. I wanted him to know that whether it’s the Group or my marriage, I’m no longer that child who needs him to fix everything.”

Cheng Ruan covered his chest, his voice turning bitter: “I don’t want him to worry. Even though I know everyone has a day when they leave, just thinking about that moment makes me unable to stop the dread and fear.”

Luo Mingzhi looked at Cheng Ruan, who had his head buried. He suddenly felt an urge to reach out and pat his head. Before he could process the thought, he had already stood up, his palm resting on a soft head of hair.

Cheng Ruan looked up at Luo Mingzhi in shock, only to hear him say: “There was a feather on your head.”

“?” Was it his OCD acting up again?

Cheng Ruan sniffled: “Thank you.”

Luo Mingzhi withdrew his hand, the warmth of Cheng Ruan’s hair still lingering on his palm.

He said: “I have a gathering with friends tonight.”

Cheng Ruan gave an “Oh”: “Okay.”

Hearing Cheng Ruan’s response, Luo Mingzhi coughed. It seemed the reply was different from what he had imagined.

Cheng Ruan didn’t notice anything unusual. He said to himself: “Don’t worry, Luo Mingzhi. The incident with the photos last time was an accident. I’ve already told my people; they will never pry into your privacy again.”

“…” Luo Mingzhi felt that Cheng Ruan was sometimes so dense it was a headache.

Seeing Luo Mingzhi turn away with a cold face, Cheng Ruan was baffled, replaying his respectful and sincere tone in his mind.

Hmm? Was it not sincere enough?

Cheng Ruan went to the hospital again at noon.

The old man’s complexion was clearly much better today. Seeing him come in, he shook his head helplessly: “Isn’t the new project enough to keep you busy? Why are you here again?”

Cheng Ruan sat down by the hospital bed: “Grandpa, I was worried about you.”

“Stop right there.” The old man reached out to check him. “I’ve lived decades longer than you; what’s there to worry about?”

“On the other hand,” the old man shot him a glare, “I told you to get on good terms with Luo Mingzhi. Have you made any progress?”

Cheng Ruan pouted: “Since you like Luo Mingzhi so much, why don’t you just let him be your grandson?”

“Wasn’t this your own choice back then? I told you to marry into the Luo family, but I didn’t tell you to kidnap his adoptive father to the wedding.” The old man rolled his eyes at Cheng Ruan and added, “He came to see me early this morning.”

Cheng Ruan got anxious: “What kind of benefits did you give him exactly?”

“Benefits?” The old man laughed until he coughed. “Just based on the fact that he agreed to marry you, it wouldn’t be too much even if I gave him the entire Cheng family.”

“Grandpa!”

The old man took a sip of water handed over by the butler and smiled: “I’m just thinking, Xiao Ruan. Look, even though it’s an arranged marriage, it doesn’t mean you can’t develop feelings. If you don’t find it repulsive, you could try…”

“Okay, okay, okay.” Cheng Ruan interrupted him. “Seeing that you’ve mostly recovered, I’m relieved. I suddenly remembered some things I need to handle. I’ll head out first and pick you up from the hospital tomorrow.”

Seeing Cheng Ruan in a hurry to leave, the old man shook his head and smiled at the butler: “Really, now.”

“Forget it.” The old man’s eyes grew deep. “The affairs of the younger generation should be left to their own judgment.”

“I’m old. I’ll just watch as long as I can.”

As the night deepened, Cheng Ruan was sitting on a lounge chair by the pool, chatting with Wu Zhou on WeChat. Speaking about what happened last night, Cheng Ruan sighed: “I didn’t expect that Luo Mingzhi could actually… have a bit of warmth sometimes.”

Wu Zhou said mischievously: “Xiao Ruan, hearing those words come from your mouth personally has quite a unique flavor.”

“Is it that exaggerated?” Cheng Ruan leaned back and sent a voice message. “But how should I put it? People really are complicated. You know I’m afraid of thunder, right? He actually proactively comforted me today, saying it’s normal for humans to have fears.”

“Eww~” Wu Zhou on the other side gasped. “Not to be that guy, but that sounds kind of cheesy.”

“But Xiao Ruan, seeing the way things are going, I don’t think your next year or two will be that hard to endure. If you really develop feelings, you won’t even have to divorce. At that point, it’ll be a power couple merger—reigniting the glory! Wonderful!”

Cheng Ruan held down the voice button with his pinky and said: “I thank you so much.”

While they were joking, the audio suddenly disconnected, and a call came in.

Cheng Ruan picked up his phone. Seeing Luo Mingzhi’s name on the screen, he instantly furrowed his brows in tension.

Why would he call?

Cheng Ruan answered the call tentatively. Luo Mingzhi’s voice came through the receiver.

“At home?”

Cheng Ruan glanced around the pool and nodded: “Yeah, I’m here.”

Luo Mingzhi’s voice was very calm: “Cheng Ruan, I’m drunk.”

Cheng Ruan: “Huh?”

Luo Mingzhi stated the purpose of the call: “Can you come pick me up at the Guzhen Clubhouse?”