On the way to Manor No. 1, the two of them tacitly stopped talking. Xing Shu knew Cheng Lang did not do that out of pity or love. He stood at the top of the food chain. At the age of 17, he made a name for himself in the cutthroat dog-eat-dog world of Wall Street. He single-handedly orchestrated the largest corporate merger and acquisition back then—the Goliath deal that affected half of the world's business map. His path to fame was built on a pyramid of bodies; such a man was hard-hearted.
Xing Shu suddenly felt cold and sneezed. A clean blanket was thrown over. She looked up and saw Cheng Lang with one hand on his knee—reading documents—with nary a glance at her.
"Thank you, Young Uncle." Xing Shu picked up the blanket and wiped her wet hair.
They arrived at Manor No. 1 soon after. The gates of the manor slowly opened. Xing Shu was still drawn by the scenery inside despite her worldliness.
The car eventually stopped at the entrance of the manor. Jian Yaochuan got out of the car from the front seat and opened the door respectfully. The cold wind gave Xing Shu had goosebumps. She lightly jogged after Cheng Lang and asked smugly, "Young Uncle, am I the first woman to step into this place?
Cheng Lang suddenly stopped, and Xing Shu accidentally bumped into him. Cheng Lang's eyes were smiling as he pointed at the maid in the distance who was cleaning up the rainwater. "No."
Xing Shu persisted. "Then, am I the first woman to share your bed?" Cheng Lang lifted her chin, forcing her to raise her head. When she met Cheng Lang's eyes, Xing Shu felt a shot of inexplicable panic. She may have been the one who started this game of revenge, but was she ever in control?
"Yes," Cheng Lang answered frankly. Xing Shu's mind went blank and she was at a loss for words. When she recovered from her trance, Cheng Lang had already walked far away.
Xing Shu took a deep breath—composed herself—and followed him. She braced herself and asked, "Then, will Young Uncle protect me on account of being a bed partner?"
Cheng Lang had already entered the hall of the villa. He loosened the tie around his neck with one hand, and the black Buddhist bracelet that flashed past dazzled her eyes. "Depends on your performance."
Does this mean he wants to make this a permanent thing? The tiny shred of regret in Xing Shu's heart instantly disappeared at the thought of Cheng Xingyang's disgusting face. Cheng Xingyang found her boring; Cheng Xingyang's mother said that she was educated and sensible. The Xing family thought that she was meek and easy to control. But they were all wrong—she was a lunatic at her core.
"Young Uncle, don't worry. I will definitely service you well," Xing Shu said with a smile.
Cheng Lang raised his eyebrows, his dark eyes filled with indifference. He unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and princess carried Xing Shu. "I'll protect you until I get tired of you."
Xing Shu asked, "Young Uncle doesn't mind that I'm a dead fish in bed?" She still bore a grudge against him for his words earlier.
The lights in Cheng Lang's master bedroom were off. He pressed Xing Shu against the door. "No, you just lie down will do."
For the first time, Xing Shu was thankful for her beauty. She did not have much time for her thoughts before she was engulfed by Cheng Lang's onslaught. Their bodies were incomparably close and intimate; but their souls were far apart.
Xing Shu knew all too well that Cheng Lang was a wolf in sheep's clothing. If she provoked Cheng Xingyang, she could still escape unscathed. However, if she messed with Cheng Lang, she would really be dead meat.
…
Xing Shu stayed overnight at Manor No. 1. She returned to her apartment in the morning to freshen up before heading to the office. There were countless missed calls on her cell phone. A few were from the Xing family; while others were from Cheng Xingyang's mother—Chen Ru.
The family banquet last night was obviously canceled due to Cheng Lang's absence. However, as the future daughter-in-law of the Cheng family, it was very impolite for Xing Shu not to appear.
Xing Shu called Chen Ru back. Before she could speak, Chen Ru's questioning voice emanated from the phone. "Didn't I tell you to take care of Xingyang? The people at the office said today that he hasn't been to the office for more than half a month. Xing Shu, what kind of wife are you?"
Standing at the entrance of the office, Xing Shu looked up at the towering Cheng Corporation Group building. "Aunt, Cheng Xingyang isn't answering my call either."
Chen Ru said, "Don't you know to look for him if he doesn't answer the phone? Xing Shu, I thought you were a smart girl. I arranged for you to be in Cheng Corporation Group because I wanted you to look after Xingyang. Now that his uncle is back, there will definitely be turmoil in the Cheng family. As an elite finance major from Beijing University, you should know what this means."