Chapter 3: I'm Really Pissed Off Right Now
The atmosphere in the dining room turned quiet. A heavy, unspoken tension lingered between the two of them.
Ling Yun clasped her hand, his grip tightening slightly, not enough to hurt but enough to show his dissatisfaction.
"You're engaged? When were you planning to tell me?"
Ye Hui saw how much it bothered him and quickly replied, "That's why I came to the Imperial Capital. I don't want to marry him."
She was from Shanghai. Although Shanghai was a shade beneath the Imperial Capital in terms of prestige, it still ranked near the top across the entire Dragon Country. People from Shanghai didn't usually relocate here for work unless the opportunity was exceptional.
The cost of living wasn't that different, and the job she had didn't justify moving over a thousand kilometers. Unless, of course, she was running away from something—like a marriage.
Ye Hui wasn't someone Bai Shuyou had deliberately hired through a domestic service agency. It just so happened that Bai Shuyou was signing a contract at Ye Hui's previous company. When she went downstairs, she saw Ye Hui being scolded by her female manager. T
he two hit it off at first sight, and Bai Shuyou helped her out of the situation. After a few more interactions, they became familiar.
When Bai Shuyou's housemaid left to care for her ailing parent, Ye Hui offered to help. She ended her lease and started living here.
"If you didn't want to marry, why not just say so? What, they were going to tie you up and force you?"
"Young master Ling... I'm from Shanyue, a rural part of Shanghai. In my hometown, girls don't get to decide their own marriages. If I stayed there, I really might've been thrown into a wedding car and sent off to marry a man who's much older than me."
Ling Yun laced their fingers together, his strong fingers sliding between her delicate ones.
"SIster Xiao Hui, sorry. I didn't know how things were where you're from. But you don't have to be afraid anymore. Here in the Imperial Capital, in my house, no one touches you unless I allow it."
A faint blush crept across Ye Hui's face. If Ling Yun's eyes weren't so sharp, he might have missed it. Her anxious thoughts began to fade under the warmth of his grip.
She gave a slight nod.
They held hands in quiet understanding, chatted a little longer, then Ling Yun reluctantly let go of her and returned to his meal.
"By the way, Sister Xiao Hui, what's that guy's name?"
"He's Guan Feipeng. I only met him once. Our parents are close. His mother got pregnant first and said if she gave birth to a son and my mom had a daughter, they'd make the engagement right then." Her expression soured just from mentioning the name.
"He's already thirty and doesn't even have a proper job. All he does is loaf around. I really don't know what my parents were thinking, still clinging to outdated traditions."
Ling Yun smiled but didn't respond. Ye Hui didn't know yet—Guan Feipeng was one of those future crooked-mouth Dragon Kings. Not that it mattered.
She possessed a special trait called Eternal Heart, which meant once she chose someone, her heart would never change.
And he had a natural advantage.
After the meal, Ye Hui began collecting the dishes, while Ling Yun got up to take a shower and think through his next steps. He already confirmed one of the Dragon King "Protagonists" had appeared.
If this were in Shanghai, things might get messy. But this was the Imperial Capital—home turf of the Bai family. After years of spreading their roots, even a dragon crossing the river would have to coil up here.
As he washed, a thought crossed his mind. Could he check his own stats?
He looked down at his hands and silently muttered in his heart: Insight.
[Name: Ling Yun]
[Stats: 183☆]
[Affection: 60]
[Combat Power: 16]
[Special Trait: Insight (Red)]
[Identity: Villain (Unique)]
[Fate Value: MAX]
His panel was simple. The ☆ was self-explanatory—he was still single, his "purity" intact. It wasn't because he couldn't find someone. He just didn't want to end up like the other second gens in the Imperial Capital, getting sick from fooling around too much.
His Combat Power reached 16 purely due to his tall, well-built physique. In a real fight, two or three regular guys wouldn't be able to get near him.
"Xiao Xi, my Fate Value is really this high?"
[Of course, big brother. You're the one and only Villain. If your stats weren't higher than the 'Protagonists,' how would you be worthy to carry the destiny of punishing them?]
"Fair point."
The system was a good thing. But if it had landed on a regular person, forget fighting Protagonists—even the fierce old aunties in the neighborhood would be a problem.
After showering, he rubbed his wet hair dry with a towel, put on some shorts, and pushed open the bathroom door.
Ye Hui stood outside, face flushed.
When she saw him come out, she ignored the steamy air and hurried in to grab the dirty laundry basket.
Ling Yun glanced down at her figure as she passed him. That familiar urge—the one laced with possessiveness and raw desire—began to build inside his chest.
He reached out, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her into his embrace with a startled yelp coming out of her lips.
"Ah!"
Ye Hui tilted her head up, startled. Ling Yun's tall, muscular frame towered over her, his face radiating masculine heat, his chest firm and hot beneath his damp skin.
Her maid uniform stuck to him, wet with condensation.
"Young master Ling, I… I'll go wash your clothes first…"
"No rush."
"But… but…"
Her voice grew smaller and smaller as he leaned in. Eventually, she closed her eyes like she'd given up.
Her lips were soft, tender like biting into jelly.
His kissing technique was clumsy and inexperienced, but she immediately knew—this was his first kiss.
The laundry dropped from her arms onto the floor. One of his hands held her waist, the other pressed against her back, locking her tightly in his embrace. She couldn't move at all.
His breath, hot and heavy, tickled her nose. She felt lightheaded, her body starting to burn from the inside.
Her body in his arms turned hotter by the second. Ling Yun pulled back just enough to let her breathe.
"Sister Xiao Hui, don't go back to Shanghai. Stay with me."
"Mm~"
Her answer was a soft, barely audible murmur. She slipped from his embrace, her face red as she picked up the clothes, her steps unsteady as she rushed toward the laundry room.
Ling Yun stood there, gently brushing his lips. The sweetness still lingered, like she left her mark there, making him reluctant to let go.
[Big brother, if you'd been a little more assertive just now, your chances of hitting a home run were at 99%!]
"Forget it. Some things need to happen gradually. I didn't even confess to her. Doing too much would scare her off."
[Big brother, don't tell me you were scared your first time wouldn't go well?]
"Cough, cough! What nonsense are you spouting… huh?"
[Ding ding! Congratulations, big brother, you've triggered your first Easter Egg — 'Stolen Her First Kiss'! Reward: Red-Grade Trait[Villainous Charm]!]
[With Villainous Charm, your attractiveness to the opposite sex increases dramatically. Upon first meeting, women will not feel any wariness or hostility toward you (Affection: 60↑). And once they experience intimacy with you, they'll be devoted to you for life.]
This trait was outrageously overpowered. Combined with his natural looks and aura, it made him lethal to any heroines.
Satisfied, he returned to his room, lay back on his bed, and scrolled through some short videos. He exited the app and checked his class group chat.
In the short time it took to eat dinner, the group messages had already hit 99+. He applied for day-study privileges, so he didn't share a tiny dorm with the others. No lining up to use the toilet or shower.
He also didn't tell anyone at school about his identity. As far as his classmates were concerned, he was just another local from the Imperial Capital with a bit of money. Nothing more.
In this city, even a falling brick could hit a millionaire. No one was surprised by anything anymore.
He skimmed through their small talk, closed the app, rolled over, and decided to sleep early. Tomorrow, he planned to check out the campus. Maybe there were more Protagonists or Heroines waiting to be discovered.
After all, in so many urban novels, the Protagonist's rise often started from school—face-slapping and destiny-changing alike.
Just as he turned off the light and closed his eyes, the doorknob twisted softly.
Ling Yun turned over instantly, eyes alert. In the dim moonlight through the window, he recognized Ye Hui's silhouette.
"Young master, are you asleep?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Not yet."
He sat up and was about to turn on the lamp, but she walked up and stopped his hand.