The Subtle Seduction of My Ex-Girlfriend’s Aunt - Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Tang Ran, I’m Not Asking For Nothing In Return…

Looking at the two lines of text on the screen, Tang Ran felt her anger flare up.

What was Song Zhixu playing at? She was the one who initiated the “serious consideration,” and now she was playing hard to get, telling Tang Ran to come to her if she wanted the answer?

What, did she look like a stupid rabbit that could be lured away by a single carrot? She wanted Tang Ran to go to her?

She absolutely wouldn’t!

Tang Ran angrily clicked off her phone and stuffed it back into her pocket.

The party didn’t end even by ten o’clock. Tang Ran dragged a tipsy Miao Tiantian back to their villa first. The Turtle Island Resort was a comprehensive leisure town. The center was filled with hotels, indoor playgrounds, and commercial streets. Beyond that, there were four themed areas: Golden Coast, Hot Spring Villa, Island Fishing Village, and Peninsula Campsite. Their villa was located in the Hot Spring Villa area halfway up the mountain.

Miao Tiantian had a bit too much to drink. As the sightseeing shuttle entered the villa area, she got inspired and insisted on singing at the top of her lungs. Tang Ran couldn’t stop her.

“Håll om mig… Släpp inte taget om mig…” (Hold me… don’t let go of me…)

The sensor lights in front of the villa gates all lit up because of her singing. The shuttle driver couldn’t help but steal a glance back.

“Är som förhäxad av dig… Och jag vill ha dig… Kom och håll om mig nu…”

Tang Ran buried her face in her hands. It was a blessing the resort wasn’t open yet, or she would have preferred jumping off the shuttle over sitting next to her. It was too embarrassing!

The shuttle came to a halt in front of their villa.

Pfft!

The laughter was all too familiar. Tang Ran looked toward the source. In front of the villa opposite theirs, Murong Yi stood with her arms crossed, watching them with great interest. Behind her stood Song Zhixu—the woman Tang Ran had been cursing in her head ten minutes ago.

Miao Tiantian’s singing stopped abruptly. She stared blankly at Murong Yi. The next second:

“Ugh—blegh!”

Miao Tiantian dry-heaved, clutched her mouth, and scrambled off the shuttle. Tang Ran hurried after her to pat her back. After a couple of dry heaves, Miao Tiantian pushed open the garden gate and ran inside without looking back. She moved so fast Tang Ran’s hand was left hanging in the air.

Was she drunk or sober? She looked like she was fleeing in panic. Who was she hiding from?

Tang Ran looked back. The smile on Murong Yi’s face had vanished. She looked away, brushed her long wavy hair back, and walked toward the villa next door.

A flash of insight hit Tang Ran. There was definitely something going on between those two! A big “something.”

Tang Ran paused for a second. She instinctively wanted to find someone to confirm her guess. Her eyes drifted toward Song Zhixu across the way. But before her gaze could settle, she jerked it back. Just like Miao Tiantian, she took a deep breath and marched into her yard. She wouldn’t fall for Song Zhixu’s trap!

The villa was small, with two bedrooms and two living rooms. Tang Ran entered to find Miao Tiantian already in her room. When Tang Ran knocked, Miao Tiantian just shouted that she was fine through the door. Hearing that she sounded relatively sober, Tang Ran let it be. She’d ask about Murong Yi later.

It was a detached island-style villa with a private hot spring in the yard. It was late, and Tang Ran wasn’t in the mood for a soak, so she showered and went to bed. Large floor-to-ceiling glass doors faced the courtyard, offering a view of the gate and the roof of the villa opposite.

Tang Ran closed her eyes. One minute… two minutes… ten minutes.

Frowning, she rolled over irritably, turning her back to the window. She could hear the faint sound of running water—either from her yard or the one across the street. She rolled over again and looked at the pool. The ripples reflected the moonlight, looking exactly like the pond from that day.

“The question you asked me last time… I’ve thought about it seriously.”

“If you want to know the answer, you can always come to me.”

Song Zhixu’s messages kept echoing in her head. So annoying! She closed her eyes and forced herself not to think, but sleep wouldn’t come.

Song Zhixu was so frustrating! Tang Ran grabbed her phone and opened a game.

Roar—!

A monster in the game killed her with one big move. Looking at the blood-red “YOU DIED” on the screen, Tang Ran was livid. Even a monster was bullying her!

The more she thought, the angrier she got. She kicked off the covers, slipped into her slippers, and slid open the glass door. She marched through the yard, out the gate, across the street, and rang the doorbell opposite. All in one breath.

It wasn’t until she heard soft footsteps from inside that she realized what she had done. Panic set in. She took a step back. Was it too late to run?

Song Zhixu opened the gate. Her eyes showed no surprise, only a brief, gentle scan of Tang Ran. A breeze blew through the courtyard. Tang Ran realized, too late, that it was cold.

She had climbed straight out of bed. She was wearing only a spaghetti-strap silk nightgown. And she was wearing nothing underneath.

!!!!

Despite shivering from the cold, a wave of heat rushed to Tang Ran’s face. God! What was she doing, acting on impulse again?!

“The seaside is cold; you should add a layer when you come out.” Song Zhixu unfolded the bath towel she was holding and draped it over Tang Ran’s shoulders.

Song Zhixu was wearing silk pajamas but had a robe over hers. Her hair was down, the damp ends leaving wet patches on her chest. Tang Ran’s face got even hotter. She quickly looked away.

The headlights of a shuttle appeared at the corner of the street. Startled, Tang Ran grabbed Song Zhixu and ducked behind the gate, kicking it shut. She heard her friends’ voices passing by. She let out a sigh of relief. Thank god she was fast.

“Tang Ran, you’re pressing against me.”

A warm breath hit her ear. Tang Ran froze. She realized she was pressed right against Song Zhixu, pinning her to the gate. One of her hands was gripping Song Zhixu’s wrist, while the heel of her other hand was pressed against the softness just below Song Zhixu’s collarbone.

The heat spread from her cheeks to her ears. A sudden gust of wind made the leaves rustle, and clouds covered the moon. Tang Ran scrambled back. Song Zhixu rubbed her chest, her brows knitting slightly.

Tang Ran wanted to help but felt it was inappropriate. “Does it hurt?” she asked dryly. She hadn’t realized her strength in the heat of the moment.

“I’m alright,” Song Zhixu said, her voice a bit lower than usual.

“Let’s go inside and check. Does the front desk have medicinal oil?” Tang Ran was worried she had bruised her. Then she realized—this was Song Zhixu’s villa, not hers. She hesitated, wondering if she should just leave.

“Okay.” The gentle voice broke the awkwardness. Song Zhixu smiled. “The wind is picking up. Let’s talk inside.”

Tang Ran remembered why she had run over in the first place. Judging by Song Zhixu’s expression, she clearly thought Tang Ran was here for the answer. Which was true.

Song Zhixu’s eyes curved into a gentle expression. Behind her, the villa was bathed in the warm, soft glow of crystal lights. Tang Ran had a premonition: once she stepped into this house with Song Zhixu, things would be completely different from her previous life. It would be a future she could no longer predict.

She hesitated. Song Zhixu didn’t rush her, just watched her quietly. The wind cleared the clouds, revealing a crescent moon that added a tranquil beauty to the house. Tang Ran took a deep breath and stepped inside.

“Wait for me a moment.” Song Zhixu told her to sit on the sofa while she went toward the bedroom. Tang Ran guessed she was checking the injury and nodded.

Vroom—Vroom—

Song Zhixu’s phone rang. It was a video call from Jiang Mei (her mother).

“Busy person, you finally have time to answer my call?” Jiang Mei teased.

“Mom,” Song Zhixu said softly, with a hint of helplessness. Tang Ran looked at her. So, even Song Zhixu was a bit afraid of her mother.

“Let’s get to business. I’m not trying to rush you, I’m just asking—have you been in touch with Xiao Lan lately?”

Hearing the name “Xiao Lan,” Tang Ran immediately remembered the classical beauty from the art exhibition. She watched Song Zhixu intently.

“Mom, we’re not a good fit,” Song Zhixu said bluntly. Tang Ran toyed with her phone, her mood brightening. Song Zhixu went into the bedroom. The villa was well-insulated; Tang Ran couldn’t hear the rest.

Time passed. The wind outside grew stronger. Tang Ran looked around at the decor, trying to distract herself, but she couldn’t help wondering what the coming conversation would be. What was Song Zhixu’s answer?

Finally, Song Zhixu came out. Tang Ran started to stand, but stopped.

“It’s nothing serious,” Song Zhixu smiled at her.

“Mm.” Tang Ran responded softly.

“The towel is a bit damp since I used it. Swap it for a shawl.” Song Zhixu handed her a silk shawl with a vintage pattern. It was clearly Song Zhixu’s personal item. Tang Ran hesitated but took it. Talking with a bath towel draped over her wasn’t exactly great for her “beautiful girl” image.

The scent of white tea filled her nose. Tang Ran felt thirsty. Seeing a bottle of water on the coffee table, she reached for it, but a warm glass was pressed into her palm instead.

“Drink some warm water first.” Song Zhixu held her own glass and looked at her with a smile.

“Thanks.” Tang Ran took a large gulp. Song Zhixu sat in an armchair nearby and took a small sip. Tang Ran gripped the glass, waiting for her to speak. She had already come over; she shouldn’t have to be the one to start.

Song Zhixu didn’t make her wait long, though her first words were: “Would you like another glass?”

Tang Ran: “…” “No thanks.” She set the glass down. Was she going to say it or not? If not, she was leaving.

“Tang Ran.” Song Zhixu put her glass down. Tang Ran looked up, her eyes showing clear impatience.

“Tang Ran, would you be willing to marry me?”

The question hit Tang Ran like a thunderbolt. She had come because she guessed Song Zhixu’s answer, and she had a plan. She thought she could strike a deal. She knew what would happen over the next three years; she could trade information for Song Zhixu’s help with the Tang Group. As for Song Zhixu’s feelings… they were both adults. Being with Song Zhixu wouldn’t be a bad thing. It would just be a “relationship” without the intent of marriage.

But Song Zhixu’s answer was completely unexpected. Given her status and conditions, Tang Ran never thought Song Zhixu actually wanted to replace the engagement partner with herself.

Tang Ran was speechless. This wasn’t in her script!

Song Zhixu watched her reaction. She leaned forward, closing the distance, her voice incredibly tender. “You should be able to tell that I like you.”

Conjecture was one thing, but hearing Song Zhixu admit it out loud made Tang Ran’s heart skip a beat. Joy bubbled up like carbonated water. Tang Ran looked down, trying to hide her smile.

Thinking Tang Ran was trying to avoid the topic, Song Zhixu closed the window against the sudden thunder and rain. When she returned, she picked up a tablet from the coffee table.

“This is a list of all my assets.” She placed the prepared file in front of Tang Ran.

Tang Ran didn’t understand. She looked at the screen. It was a detailed asset list: Song Zhixu’s shares in the Song Group, her investments in over a dozen other companies, real estate, deposits, jewelry… ordered by market value. It filled the whole screen and then some. Just the top few items far exceeded the total value of the Tang Group.

Tang Ran was stunned. Song Zhixu was far wealthier than she had imagined.

“We can sign a prenuptial agreement. After marriage, all my assets will be jointly owned with you. If you have a need, you can allocate them as you wish.”

What?! Tang Ran wondered if she was hallucinating. But after the initial shock, she frowned. She didn’t take the tablet. Instead, she stared at Song Zhixu, her voice sharp. “What do you mean? You want to make a deal?”

Talking about marriage and then laying out assets—this was right out of a “contract marriage” novel. Three years? Five years? Was she trying to buy her? Tang Ran wanted a deal, but she wanted to trade information, not sell herself. If Tang Ran were a cat, her fur would be standing on end.

Song Zhixu sat down beside her. Tang Ran bit her lip, looking at her stubbornly. She wasn’t going to be a canary in a cage.

“It’s not a deal,” Song Zhixu said seriously. “Tang Ran, you know I like you.”

Tang Ran waited for the rest.

“Last time you asked if I would always help you. This is my answer. Not because of our families’ relationship, not as the CEO of the Song Group, but as Song Zhixu. Even without the Song family, I can always help you. I’m showing you this so you know my promise isn’t an empty check.”

Before she knew Tang Ran had approached Xia Mo, Song Zhixu hadn’t intended to propose this way. She knew her father would help the Tangs out of respect for Tang Ran’s grandfather. But Tang Ran didn’t know that, or might not believe it. She didn’t want Tang Ran accepting Xia Mo’s help, and she knew she couldn’t convince Tang Ran with just “kindness.” Marriage was the fastest way to make Tang Ran trust her. Even if it broke her original plan.

Tang Ran lowered her head, digesting every word. Song Zhixu was proving herself. But it also meant Song Zhixu saw her insecurity. She offered joint assets just to put her mind at ease?

But why? She couldn’t convince herself it was just because of “liking.”

Song Zhixu rose and knelt on one knee in front of Tang Ran. Tang Ran looked at her, her expression complex.

“Tang Ran, I’m not using marriage to negotiate a deal. These aren’t bargaining chips. I just want you to believe that I can and will do what I promised. Of course, I can’t deny I have a selfish motive.” Song Zhixu paused with a hint of helplessness. “You saw earlier, my mother is a bit anxious. I have feelings for you, our families are close… marrying someone I like would also put my mother’s mind at ease. You asked why I would help you without asking for anything in return?”

“Tang Ran.” Song Zhixu called her name.

“I’m not asking for nothing. What I’m asking for is you. I’m asking for a marriage with you—a real marriage. Do you understand?”

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