Chapter 9: Stop Playing Hard to Get

The man slowly turned his head. Amidst the brilliant light, his face was peerlessly handsome, his brow etched with a cold indifference. As he lifted his eyelids, his dark, gloomy eyes were deep and soul-stirring.

The tear mole beneath his eyelid added an exotic allure.

It was him!

The man who had forcibly kissed her that night!

Yun Ci’s pupils constricted. She suddenly gripped the small knife hidden in her sleeve, and as she recalled her stolen first kiss, a murderous intent surged to her head.

At this moment, Jun Siche was narrowing his long, slender eyes, observing her with interest. His thin lips curled slightly as he suddenly gave a playful smile: "My fiancée... is actually a little girl?"

He didn't recognize her?

Yun Ci furrowed her brows.

The man leaned lazily against the desk, toying with a fountain pen in his hand. He lifted his chin like a king looking down from above, and spoke in a slow, measured tone: "Since this is a marriage of convenience, I can give you everything you want, except..."

His voice suddenly turned cold, and his expression lost every trace of warmth: "Except for love."

A lunatic. Who wanted his love?!

Yun Ci had already lost her patience: "Are you done? If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving."

Jun Siche pursed his thin lips, seemingly dissatisfied with Yun Ci’s reaction. He beckoned to her with his finger, his tone overbearing: "Come here."

What did he want?

Yun Ci was on high alert. With a sharp gaze, she stared at the man and shuffled over slowly.

As soon as she got close, she stopped in her tracks. The man picked up a business card and tossed it into her arms.

He commanded: "Remember my number."

Yun Ci didn't even glance at it. She crumpled the card into a ball and threw it fiercely into the trash can: "Not interested."

Jun Siche’s eyes darkened. He stared intently at the prickly girl before him, and in the next second, he leaned in close and suddenly grabbed Yun Ci’s chin.

His thin lips curled into a cold, sinister smile, radiating a dangerous aura.

"Little thing, you are the first woman who has dared to refuse me. Put away your 'hard-to-get' act; don't dream that I will ever ask for your number again."

A flash of disgust crossed Yun Ci’s indifferent eyes: "Don't touch me."

She shook off the man’s hand, too lazy to waste any more breath on him, and turned to leave the study.

Butler Zou had been waiting outside. Seeing Yun Ci emerge, he immediately stepped forward: "I will have someone take you back."

Seeing the girl’s tense expression, he gave a dry laugh: "If Master Che said anything wrong, I hope you won't mind. You must have heard that Master Che was in a car accident two years ago. Since then, he has suffered from mild... delusions and cognitive bias, and his behavior has become different from ordinary people."

In other words, he was mentally ill?

Yun Ci remained cold and said nothing. She walked toward the main gate, but suddenly, as if remembering something, she stopped and turned back to ask: "Did your Master Che offend someone?"

She had to be clear; there was no need to wade into certain muddy waters.

Butler Zou looked confused: "What do you mean by that?"

"A few nights ago, I saw a group of people chasing him."

Hearing this, Butler Zou suddenly laughed: "So that’s what it was. You misunderstood. The people chasing him were actually the family bodyguards. Master Che suddenly went missing that night, and I was worried about his safety, so I sent people to look for him."

Yun Ci’s mouth twitched.

She had thought he was being hunted down.

It turned out to be a self-directed performance?

Sure enough... he was quite sick!

After sending Yun Ci away, Butler Zou returned to the study to find Jun Siche standing with his hands behind his back, his face gloomy. He said coldly: "Three minutes. Investigate that little thing's phone number for me."

"..."

Butler Zou was speechless.

He didn't want it when she was right here, but now that she was gone, he wanted to investigate it.

Wasn't he just asking for trouble?

——

After returning to the Ruan residence, Yun Ci went to the second-floor art studio.

She had noticed a few famous paintings hanging here earlier; their unique structure and vibrant colors had piqued her interest.

Just as she was about to admire them closely, a sharp voice shattered the silence.

"What are you doing!"

Ruan Feiyue rushed in, blocking the paintings with a look of territorial defiance.

Yun Ci gave her a cold glance, having no intention of responding.