After the Arranged Marriage, I Was Pampered by the Powerful Tycoon - Chapter 21

Cheng Ruan looked around, his first reaction being one of relief that the person chosen wasn’t him.

To allow the audience to better feel the stimulating atmosphere of the “battle,” Cheng Ruan deliberately pulled his dining chair back a few steps, making it easier for the two men on either side of him to exchange words at any time.

As for anything else… it was none of his business.

Hu Chuyang looked toward Luo Mingzhi and took the lead to open the floor: “Mr. Luo, I have heard of you for a long time.”

Luo Mingzhi nodded slightly: “Hello, Teacher Hu.”

Lu Ling had just sent over a block design blueprint. Seeing that the game was on track, Cheng Ruan was preparing to detach himself and study the drawings properly when he suddenly heard someone mention his name.

When it was Hu Chuyang’s turn, the gaze of the entire room fell upon this popular top-tier idol. Hu Chuyang smiled, his tone as gentle as ever: “I have something Mr. Luo doesn’t… Xiao Ruan has come to see my performances before. I wonder if Mr. Luo has had such an experience?”

Cheng Ruan almost spat out a mouthful of lemon water.

This, this, this—how did this end up being dragged onto him?

He looked nervously at Luo Mingzhi. Luo Mingzhi’s expression hadn’t changed at all; he calmly bent his thumb under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

Wu Zhou’s eyes darted back and forth: “Next is Mr. Luo.”

Luo Mingzhi gave a half-smile as his eyes swept over Cheng Ruan behind him before meeting Hu Chuyang’s gaze: “I am already married.”

“Oh—!” Wu Zhou was so excited he looked ready to punch a hole through the table. The audience began to clap and jeer, and the atmosphere of the game was instantly pushed to its peak.

Hu Chuyang avoided Luo Mingzhi’s gaze and silently bent his thumb.

“Xiao Ruan and I have attended a banquet together.”

Luo Mingzhi smiled: “Unlucky for you, I have as well.”

A girl nearby started clutching her chest: “Ahhh, crap! Why does this feel like a ‘shura field’ (love rival battlefield)? The way the big star and Mr. Luo are looking at each other seems a bit unfriendly???”

“Is that so?” Wu Zhou leaned into her ear with a shifty look, covering his mouth with his hand: “I think so too.”

After more than a dozen indecipherable gazes landed on him, Cheng Ruan successfully stiffened. He was forced to turn off his phone screen and participate in watching the battle with a forced smile.

Finally, it was Luo Mingzhi’s turn. Everyone expected him to say some other experience to strike back at Hu Chuyang, but unexpectedly, Luo Mingzhi only smiled without speaking. He slowly extended his left hand; the ring on his ring finger emitted an unignorable glow under the lights.

Cheng Ruan clenched his fists: “…”

Are these two just purely bored because they ate too much?

Cheng Ruan spent the rest of the party with a fake smile plastered on his face. Originally, there was a late-night session planned, but Cheng Ruan really couldn’t stay any longer. He found an excuse to say goodbye to everyone and left.

“Xiao Ruan.” Hu Chuyang, whose face was slightly flushed from drinking, called out to him.

Cheng Ruan turned back at the sound: “What is it, Senior?”

“You…” Hu Chuyang hesitated for a moment before asking, “Are you going back now?”

“Do you want a ride?”

“No need, thank you, Senior.” Cheng Ruan smiled and shook his head, saying, “Senior, you’ve had three drinks yourself, how could you take me?”

Hu Chuyang looked embarrassed, but he still insisted: “I… my assistant and manager are outside. If you need, they can take you.”

“It’s really fine, Senior.” Cheng Ruan glanced at Luo Mingzhi not far away. “I’ll just drive myself back.”

Hu Chuyang followed his gaze; the light in his eyes dimmed for a moment before quickly returning to normal.

“Alright, be careful on the road. Let’s meet again when you have time.”

“Okay, goodbye Senior.” Cheng Ruan turned away.

Cheng Ruan didn’t say hello to Luo Mingzhi. He drove his sports car all the way down the mountain, but several times when turning, he could see a black Maybach following behind him through the rearview mirror.

It was tailing him quite closely.

Cheng Ruan tried to turn left to change lanes; sure enough, the Maybach also changed lanes, maintaining a subtle distance behind his car.

“What kind of tricks is he playing?” Cheng Ruan stepped on the gas and dove into the main artery leading to the city center.

Although it was late at night, it was the weekend, and this was the most prosperous and lively part of the city. The road was not deserted. While waiting for a red light, Cheng Ruan glanced at the mirror; that car was indeed still behind him.

Cheng Ruan remained silent for a moment, then picked up his phone to call Luo Mingzhi.

Luo Mingzhi answered very quickly. Cheng Ruan couldn’t help but vent: “Luo Mingzhi, why are you following me so closely?”

“Oh?” Luo Mingzhi’s voice was as calm as ever. “I just happen to be going home too.”

“Give me a break.” Cheng Ruan felt a headache coming on. “You’re having your driver follow me on such a long detour just to go home?”

Luo Mingzhi said leisurely: “It just so happens I changed my route today.”

“…You’re the boss.” Cheng Ruan hung up the phone through gritted teeth.

Fine, so he wouldn’t admit it?

The turn signal blinked. Cheng Ruan turned the steering wheel and changed his route.

Half an hour later, Cheng Ruan finally stopped circling and drove back to the central villa district. Luo Mingzhi’s car stopped five minutes later.

Seeing that Luo Mingzhi was finally willing to get out of the car, Cheng Ruan raised an eyebrow: “Mr. Luo is finally done following me?”

Luo Mingzhi looked at him with an expression that said it was only natural.

Cheng Ruan angrily left Luo Mingzhi behind and entered the villa.

Back in his bedroom, Cheng Ruan flopped onto the bed and began to recall the “darkest moments” of the night.

He wasn’t an idiot. Anyone could tell the atmosphere earlier was off, but he never expected Luo Mingzhi to take it so seriously and make things difficult for Hu Chuyang.

Thinking of this, Cheng Ruan looked at the ring on his finger, reached out, and took it off.

“It’s clearly a fake marriage, yet he acts like he’s announcing it to the whole world…” Cheng Ruan grumbled as he poked the wedding ring. Luo Mingzhi’s final move inexplicably surfaced in his mind.

Under the gaze of the crowd, Luo Mingzhi had calmly raised his left hand. He said nothing, yet it was enough to declare everything he wanted to say.

“Is he sick in the head!” Cheng Ruan’s face turned bright red as he punched the ring in front of him.

Just as he was feeling frustrated, a crisp knock suddenly came from the door.

“Coming!” Cheng Ruan sat up quickly, touched his face with his hand, and went to open the door.

It was Luo Mingzhi.

Cheng Ruan looked puzzled: “Is something the matter?”

Luo Mingzhi’s shirt sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, the veins beneath his skin clearly visible. He looked at Cheng Ruan and spoke in a normal tone: “I saw a box downstairs. I don’t know if it’s yours.”

“A box?” Cheng Ruan frowned. “What does it look like?”

Luo Mingzhi turned to head downstairs: “Why don’t you come and see for yourself?”

Cheng Ruan followed Luo Mingzhi downstairs without any defenses. It wasn’t until they walked into Luo’s bedroom and the sound of the door locking echoed that Cheng Ruan realized something was wrong.

Cheng Ruan’s gaze fell toward the door: “Where’s the box?”

Luo Mingzhi still wore an indifferent expression. He pointed his chin toward the desk next to Cheng Ruan, where a delicate little box sat.

Cheng Ruan felt a sense of relief upon seeing it: “This one? It doesn’t look like mine.”

Luo Mingzhi suddenly smiled: “Don’t want to open it and see?”

“Maybe you’ll be interested in what’s inside.”

“What could possibly be inside…” Full of suspicion, Cheng Ruan picked up the small box. The moment he opened it, he immediately slammed the lid shut.

“Luo Mingzhi, you’re being a pervert!”

Cheng Ruan’s face was completely red as he looked at Luo Mingzhi, who was only a step away: “You went through all the trouble of coming upstairs to trick me down here just for this?!”

Luo Mingzhi raised an eyebrow: “Is it not allowed? Tonight will happen anyway…”

“Fine, you’re really going to make me die of anger!” Cheng Ruan pushed past Luo Mingzhi on his own and went to open the door. “I thought you were such a serious person, but it turns out your head is just full of that!”

Luo Mingzhi followed him, leaning against the door: “You said you wanted me to keep my promise. Am I not keeping the promise of being bed partners right now?”

“That’s not what I meant!” Cheng Ruan reached out to grab the doorknob. “Why did you… mmm!”

The lights suddenly went out. A warm sensation pressed against his lips. Cheng Ruan was held by the waist and pinned firmly behind the door. The person opposite him continued to demand one long kiss after another.

Cheng Ruan struggled, trying to push the man off him, but his hands were pinned by Luo Mingzhi as the kiss deepened.

“Bastard, let me go…” Cheng Ruan’s legs gradually went weak. He cursed Luo Mingzhi incoherently. A thread of silver escaped from the corner of his mouth, and the darkness was filled with the scent and sounds of ambiguity.

Taking advantage of the gap when the man pulled back to breathe, Cheng Ruan finally used all his strength to push Luo Mingzhi away. He reached out his arm and flipped the switch in the entryway back on. The light flared up, and the two finally returned to the light of day.

Cheng Ruan’s mouth was now red and swollen, with glistening fluid at the corner of his lips. He wiped his mouth fiercely and looked up to question Luo Mingzhi: “Are you sick?”

Seeing that Luo Mingzhi showed no remorse, Cheng Ruan’s eyes turned slightly red: “Did you take the wrong medicine today, Luo Mingzhi? You popped out of nowhere for a mixer tonight, then made things so difficult for Senior. A game is just a game, why use me as a comparison?”

“It’s clearly a fake marriage. Everyone knows we’re together for profit, yet you act like you care so much about me! I am not your trophy!”

Hearing Cheng Ruan’s last sentence, Luo Mingzhi’s eyes darkened.

“What did you say?”

Cheng Ruan steeled his heart and repeated to Luo Mingzhi: “I said, don’t act like you care so much about me. We are just in a partnership. I don’t interfere in your business, so stay out of mine from now on!”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the door that Cheng Ruan had pulled halfway open was heavily slammed shut again. Luo Mingzhi approached Cheng Ruan with an overwhelming sense of pressure, pinching his chin: “Are you serious?”

Cheng Ruan struggled to break free from Luo Mingzhi: “I’m serious! From now on, we won’t interfere with each other!”

“I’m sorry.” Luo Mingzhi let go of him, re-buttoned his shirt, and stepped back several paces.

“Huh?” Cheng Ruan looked at him with some surprise.

Luo Mingzhi opened the room door for him, his voice calm: “I overstepped. My apologies.”

Cheng Ruan walked out the door half-doubtingly. He couldn’t help but look back at Luo Mingzhi once; seeing that the man indeed had no other reaction, he walked back upstairs feeling bewildered.

How did he just… suddenly apologize?

This was indeed a turn of events that Cheng Ruan had not expected.

After the commotion with Luo Mingzhi, Cheng Ruan had no desire to sleep. After washing up and walking to the window, a bolt of snowy-white lightning suddenly streaked across the sky without warning.

“Crap!” Cheng Ruan cursed, quickly covering his ears and crouching into a corner in one smooth motion.

A dozen seconds later, the thunder arrived as scheduled.

“BOOM—!”

Cheng Ruan shuddered. He looked at the caller ID on his phone showing Wu Zhou, hesitating whether to answer.

“CRACK!” Another bolt of lightning exploded right outside the window.