Yang Ling meticulously groomed his appearance, putting on his favorite suit, adjusting his tie, and then looking at himself in the mirror with satisfaction. Today was his first official date with Liu Wan, and he wanted to leave a perfect impression on her, hoping to boost her affection for him tonight. Taking the prepared bouquet of roses, he set off for the upscale restaurant they had arranged.
Liu Wan was already waiting in the restaurant. She wore a red evening dress, its tight fit accentuating her graceful curves, and her fair skin appeared even more alluring under the dim candlelight. She took a light sip of red wine, her gaze occasionally sweeping towards the restaurant entrance, her heart filled with both anticipation and a hint of nervousness.
The moment Yang Ling walked in, he saw Liu Wan, her seductive figure immediately capturing his attention. He took a deep breath, mentally encouraging himself, and then, gathering his courage, he walked towards her with a confident and warm smile on his face. "Liu Wan, long time no see." He bowed slightly, handing her the bouquet of roses.
Liu Wan smiled charmingly as she accepted the flowers, softly saying, "Yang Ling, you're becoming more and more gentlemanly." Her voice was as soft as a feather, brushing against Yang Ling's ear and sending a tingling sensation through him.
Yang Ling pulled out a chair for Liu Wan to sit and then took his seat opposite her. They ordered their meal and began a relaxed conversation. Yang Ling gently and attentively inquired about Liu Wan's recent activities, occasionally pouring her wine or handing her a napkin, his actions showing his care and thoughtfulness. If one ignored Yang Ling's slightly flushed ears, one might even mistake him for an expert in romance.
"Yang Ling..." Liu Wan asked gently, seeing her slightly hesitant expression, her eyes shimmering with emotion as she looked at him.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
"My family… they hope that you…" Liu Wan's voice grew softer, her hand covering her forehead as she rested it on the table, unable to continue her sentence.
"The plot of land on 12th Street, right? I know it's important to your family. Don't worry, I've already given it to you. The bidding invitation should have already been sent to the Liu family by now." Yang Ling took a sip of red wine, as if it was a trivial matter.
Liu Wan breathed a sigh of relief, her heart warming with gratitude. "So, he knew what I was going to ask for from the beginning?" she thought, feeling a bit embarrassed. "This is so shameful. I didn't want to bring it up during our date," she muttered to herself, feeling slightly anxious.
She began to overthink, "Will he think I'm just interested in his resources and that I'm materialistic?" she worried. However, as her thoughts wandered, she started to imagine more positive scenarios. "But he knows about my situation. Has he been paying attention to me all along?" Her mood gradually lifted, a smile spreading across her face. "Does he…?" Her heart raced with excitement, her face flushing with warmth.
"Ding dong, Liu Wan's affection for the host has increased by 30 points. Affection level is now 60 (good friends)."
"Ding dong, detecting a fluctuation in the female lead's affection for the host. Skill [Charisma Aura] activated. Liu Wan's affection for the host increased by 30 points. Affection level is now 90 (secretly in love)."
"Ding dong, detecting a significant increase in the heroine's affection for the host. Liu Wan's luck value -9000, Chen Fan's luck value -9000, host's villain point+1800."
Yang Ling was unaware of Liu Wan's internal monologue, only noticing that her affection level was skyrocketing on his panel. He was a bit surprised, thinking, "Why is she suddenly so fond of me?" He then glanced at his villain value, confirming that targeting the heroine was indeed the right strategy. Tonight's decision to go on this date was proving to be beneficial.
"Yang Ling, you know, I've always thought you were special." Liu Wan twirled her fingers around her wine glass, looking at Yang Ling with a loving gaze. Her voice was low and magnetic, carrying a kind of magic that made it hard for Yang Ling to look away.
"Oh? Why do you say that?" Yang Ling smiled, feeling a flutter in his heart.
Liu Wan leaned slightly forward, the distance between them closing until they could feel each other's breath. Her voice was soft and gentle, with a slight tremor, "Because you always make me feel at ease and happy." Her eyes were filled with tenderness, as clear and captivating as spring water, seeming to pierce through to the depths of Yang Ling's soul.
Every word Liu Wan spoke was sincere. Over the past few days, she had been messaging Yang Ling almost daily, always initiating conversations in an attempt to build a deeper connection. Yang Ling's responses were always just right, neither too enthusiastic nor too aloof. This perfect balance made Liu Wan feel an unprecedented sense of comfort.
Their conversation had no specific purpose; they simply exchanged their thoughts and feelings with each other. This pure communication made Lina develop even more attraction to Yang Ling. She found herself increasingly looking forward to chatting with him and eagerly anticipating hearing his voice.
"I got scolded by a client again today. I feel so unfairly treated."
"Don't be upset. They don't understand your hard work. You're doing your best."
"It's so exhausting running the company alone, and my grandfather doesn't support me."
"Then you have to prove yourself to them. I believe you can do it."
"My grandfather even assigned Chen Fan to be around me. It's so annoying!"
"Haha, maybe he just wants to protect you? But if you don't like it, just tell him."
In this way, their relationship grew closer. Yang Ling always understood Lina's feelings and gave her the warmest care and comfort. Lina gradually discovered that besides her family, there was someone in this world who understood and cared for her. Her feelings for Yang Ling evolved from admiration to deep dependence.
Yang Ling felt his cheeks warming up. He took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions and not appear too excited. In his mind, he thought, "What's this? Is she confessing? We've only known each other for less than a week."
Seeing Yang Ling slightly embarrassed, Lina's eyes flashed with a hint of amusement. She gently held Yang Ling's hand in return, her fingers lightly tracing over the back of his hand, sending shivers down his spine. She whispered softly, "Yang Ling, do you know? Tonight, I really want to get close to you and feel your warmth."
Yang Ling's heart raced. His throat felt dry. He quickly withdrew his hand, his face slightly flushed. He couldn't handle Lina teasing him like this, and he wasn't sure what she was up to tonight.
Seeing Yang Ling pull away his hand, Lina didn't say anything either. She smiled softly at him, thinking to herself, "It's cute when he's shy. Don't worry, one day I'll make you madly fall in love with me, Yang Ling."
Dinner continued in an ambiguous and sweet atmosphere, with the two of them occasionally whispering and exchanging smiles. Yang Ling could feel Liu Wan's attraction and gradually let down his guard, starting to enjoy this rare "peaceful" time.
Just then, out of the corner of his eye, Yang Ling caught sight of Chen Fan's shadow. He smirked inwardly, "When I was looking for you, I couldn't find a trace. But now, you're showing up while I'm on a date with Liu Wan." At this moment, Chen Fan, standing outside the restaurant, saw Liu Wan dining with Yang Ling, his fists clenched tightly as jealousy and resentment burned in his eyes. The jealousy in his heart was like a raging fire, impossible to extinguish. Watching Liu Wan and Yang Ling chatting intimately inside the restaurant only fueled his envy and bitterness.
"It's just a meal, Liu Wan doesn't really like that arrogant killer!" he kept telling himself, knowing that barging in now would be inappropriate. He could only crouch in the bushes, trying to remain unnoticed. However, what Chen Fan didn't realize was that not only Yang Ling, but also Liu Wan had noticed his sneaky presence outside.
"Ding dong, Chen Fan feels jealous of the host, Chen Fan's fortune -300, congratulations to the host for gaining +30 villain points!"
"Who's that sneaky person?" Liu Wan asked, slightly annoyed.
"Chen Fan," Yang Ling replied calmly, cutting a small piece of steak and slowly bringing it to his mouth after uttering those two words.
"Him again! Is he stalking me?" Liu Wan began to feel disgusted and annoyed by Chen Fan's behavior. It wasn't the first time she had caught him following her. Every time she confronted him, Chen Fan always used the excuse of protecting her and even threatened her with her grandfather. Suddenly, a brilliant idea came to Liu Wan's mind—a perfect way to make Chen Fan stop bothering her. To her, Chen Fan was no different from other persistent suitors, and the best way to get rid of such pursuers was...
"What's wrong? Why are you staring at me?" Yang Ling asked, feeling a bit uneasy under Liu Wan's gaze.
"Nothing, just wondering what to do about Chen Fan."
"What else? Ignore him. As long as I'm here, he won't dare to bother you," Yang Ling shrugged, enjoying the opportunity to drain Chen Fan's fortune.
Liu Wan smiled without saying much. Knowing that Chen Fan was watching, neither of them felt like eating anymore. After paying the bill, Yang Ling was about to bid Liu Wan goodbye when she suddenly grabbed his arm. Yang Ling instantly felt a soft warmth pressure against his arm as Liu Wan's voice, soft and sweet, whispered, "Honey, I'm feeling dizzy. Can you take me home, please?"
Yang Ling, unable to resist Liu Wan's coquettish request, was about to pull his arm away when he saw Chen Fan standing in front of them, his face filled with anger.
Liu Wan's eyes narrowed slightly, a faint smile playing at her lips as she lightly hooked her fingers around Yang Ling's clothes. Her eyes were filled with a seductive charm. Her voice, like a purring kitten, whispered in Yang Ling's ear, "Honey, take me home. I'm so dizzy."
Her lips curved upward with a hint of mischief, as if to say, "Can you refuse me?" Meanwhile, the jealousy in Chen Fan's heart gnawed at him like a venomous snake, unable to bear the sight of Liu Wan and Yang Ling together. His world seemed to be collapsing, filled with jealousy toward Yang Ling, whom he felt had stolen everything from him.
Images of Liu Wan and Yang Ling together kept flashing in his mind, and his jealousy and resentment made him lose his reason. He rushed in, shouting loudly:
"Liu Wan, let go of him, he's no good!" His eyes were filled with anger and jealousy as he pointed at Yang Ling, ready to fight. "Tell me! What kind of potion did you give Liu Wan? I warn you, stay away from her, or else!"
Chen Fan seemed to have forgotten how he was utterly defeated by Yang Ling in their last encounter. He pointed at Yang Ling, his face full of rage, ready to fight.
"Chen Fan, what are you doing! I don't need you to tell me what to do. You're just a bodyguard! You don't get to control my actions!" Liu Wan then held Yang Ling even tighter and, without waiting for Chen Fan's response, dragged Yang Ling towards his car.
"Yang Ling, I'll tear you apart!!!" Chen Fan roared, like a mad beast, his anger and jealousy completely overwhelming his reason.
In the past, Yang Ling might have turned around and mouthed "idiot" to provoke Chen Fan, but now his mind was blank.
Feeling the warmth of the softness against his arm, he was still in a daze even after getting into the driver's seat. It wasn't until Liu Wan gently reminded him that he came back to his senses.
On the way to Liu Wan's home, Yang Ling didn't say anything, and Liu Wan, afraid of scaring him with her boldness, also kept silent. Thus, the two of them shared a quiet, taciturn ride.