Chapter 14: Make Others Envious!
"Qin Ningbing? Which Qin Ningbing?"
The inmates in the neighboring cells curiously asked Xia Liu, who was shouting loudly, clutching the cold iron bars with hands that had turned white from the strain.
Originally, they were all enjoying the show, watching how the impossibly burly, muscular man, Wu Gui, would bully Xia Liu. The entertainment in this dull, gray hell was scarce, and watching a fresh piece of meat squirm under the gaze of the cell block's beast was a rare treat.
But now, hearing Xia Liu's frantic, broken shouts echoing off the concrete walls, everyone became curious.
Because that name—Qin Ningbing—was very familiar to them. It was a name that appeared on financial news, on magazine covers, and in the dreams of countless men in Magic City.
Xia Liu said in a collapsing voice, his throat hoarse from screaming:
"Which Qin Ningbing could it be? Qin Ningbing, the beautiful CEO of Magic City Renxin Hall Pharmaceutical Company! I'm her fiancé through a pre-arranged marriage. I'm her fiancé! Tell her to come save me, save me and get me out of here…"
The despair in his voice was palpable. Originally, Xia Liu hadn't intended to reveal this matter or ask Qin Ningbing for help. He was the protagonist of his own story, a Divine Doctor destined to slap faces and rise to the top. To call for a woman's help while sitting in a jail cell for unlicensed medical practice and sexual harassment? That was too embarrassing.
Didn't Xia Liu care about his reputation? He had planned to meet her as a conquering hero, not a desperate prisoner. How could he let his fiancée know about such a humiliating thing?
But now, looking back at the cackling muscular man Wu Gui sitting on the bunk behind him, Xia Liu was trembling all over. His lips were quivering uncontrollably, and his face had turned a sickly, ashen pale.
Large beads of cold sweat, the size of soybeans, were seeping from his forehead, sliding down his face and stinging his eyes.
He was scared! He was terrified to his very core.
It was still daytime, and the sunlight filtering through the high, barred windows offered a sliver of safety. But if it were night... with the two of them locked in the same cell, with the lights out and the guards gone... the consequences were unimaginable. The look in Wu Gui's eyes was not one of aggression, but of a perverse hunger that made Xia Liu's skin crawl.
He had to get out!
Even if it meant losing Face, even if it meant destroying his first impression and letting his fiancée Qin Ningbing know he was a criminal, he had to get out!
However, his desperate plea was met with silence, followed by an eruption of laughter.
"What? Qin Ningbing, the beautiful CEO of Magic City Renxin Hall Pharmaceutical Company, is your fiancée through a pre-arranged marriage?"
A scarred inmate in the next cell spat on the floor and guffawed. "Impossible, how could that be? Qin Ningbing is one of the Four Great Beauties of Modu, in charge of a pharmaceutical group worth tens of billions. She is a phoenix in the sky! How could she be the fiancée of a lewd and despicable guy like you?"
"That's hilarious, this kid must be daydreaming, talking nonsense!"
"I think this kid has gone crazy. If I were locked up with a big guy like Wu Gui, I'd go crazy too! He's hallucinating to escape reality!"
"..."
After being startled by the absurdity of the claim, the people in the surrounding cells all shook their heads, scoffing and gloating. The jeers echoed through the block, a cacophony of mockery.
They didn't believe Xia Liu's words. Not for a second.
Qin Ningbing was one of the Four Great Beauties of Modu, a legendary figure in the business world, in charge of Magic City Renxin Hall Pharmaceutical Company, a century-old brand worth over ten billion Yuan.
Both her status and beauty were unapproachable, existing in a stratosphere that people like them could only look up to. Such a woman was a goddess among goddesses, icy and untouchable.
And Xia Liu? He looked like a sharp-faced monkey, with shifty eyes and a wretched demeanor. He had been arrested for unlicensed medical practice and harassing women on the street. He was the lowest of the low. How could he possibly be Qin Ningbing's fiancée? It was like a toad claiming to be the husband of a swan.
No one would believe it!
They only felt that Xia Liu was talking in his sleep, daydreaming to comfort his pathetic soul.
Xia Liu cried. He really cried. He slumped against the bars, sliding down to the cold concrete floor.
Tears flowed down his face, mixing with the grime and sweat.
"Qin Ningbing, she really is my fiancée… why won't anyone believe me?"
[Location: Su Family Villa – Magic City]
While Xia Liu was experiencing his personal hell, Shen Anyu was in paradise.
The morning's martial arts lesson had concluded after several hours. Of course, calling it a "lesson" was a generous description. It had been more of an intimate, tactile exploration of the human body's limits, disguised as teaching [Hunyuan Tai Chi].
Around noon, the aroma of gourmet food filled the luxurious villa.
Shen Anyu cooked again, utilizing his [Extraordinary Culinary Skill] to prepare a table full of delicious dishes. The spread was exquisite: Crystal Shrimp Dumplings that were translucent and bouncy, West Lake Beef Soup that was rich and savory, and Stir-fried Bamboo Shoots that were crisp and fresh.
Shen Anyu accompanied the quail-like Su Hongmian, enjoying a sweet lunch.
The usually arrogant young miss was now incredibly docile. She sat close to him, her cheeks still flushed from the morning's "exercise," picking at her food with a shy grace. Shen Anyu would occasionally pick up a piece of shrimp with his chopsticks and feed it to her, and she would open her small, cherry-red mouth to accept it obediently, her eyes shimmering with affection.
They were so affectionate, it made others envious!
If this scene were seen by the students of Modu University, they would probably be utterly disbelieving! Their jaws would hit the floor.
Su Hongmian was recognized as the coldest and most difficult to approach and pursue of the three campus belles of Modu University! She was the "Iceberg Tsundere," a prickly rose that pricked anyone who dared to come close.
Countless rich and handsome men had returned defeated, looking dejected after being scolded by her. Some had even been chased and violently beaten by Su Hongmian using her Karate skills, left with black eyes and swollen Faces, becoming laughingstocks of the campus.
Yet now, Su Hongmian was so docile and reliant, like a kitten that had been thoroughly petted and fed cream. She leaned against Shen Anyu, her sharp edges completely melted by his dominance and charm.
If Xia Liu were to see this scene, he would probably be even more tearful.
He was suffering in the detention center, facing the terror of Wu Gui and the mockery of inmates, while this dog couple was being so affectionate and sweet here—it was simply outrageous. The contrast between the protagonist's misery and the villain's bliss was stark.
If Xia Liu knew that the root of his current suffering was Shen Anyu, he would probably be even more resentful! He would likely vomit blood from sheer anger.
After the sweet lunch, the atmosphere in the villa was lazy and warm. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air.
Shen Anyu wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin, stood up, and adjusted his suit jacket. The fabric was smooth and cool, a custom-made piece that accentuated his broad shoulders.
He looked at Su Hongmian with deep and sincere eyes, his gaze intense enough to make her heart race, and said:
"Mianmian, I still have things to attend to, so I won't stay with you for now."
"When I have free time, I'll come to see you again."
Su Hongmian sat on the dining chair, her hands gripping the edge of the table. A flash of reluctance crossed her beautiful eyes. She didn't want him to go. She wanted him to stay, to hold her, to continue their "lessons."
But her pride wouldn't let her say that.
Su Hongmian let out a soft hum, turning her head away haughtily to hide the disappointment in her eyes, and saying:
"Who asked you to stay? I don't care. Go if you want. I have... I have things to do too!"
Shen Anyu smiled, seeing right through her tsundere facade. He walked over, tilted her chin up, and gently kissed Su Hongmian's fair forehead. The touch was warm and lingering.
"Good girl."
Then he waved his hand, preparing to leave.
"Next time, next time you come to find me, I will fulfill the bet and grant you one wish…"
However, just as Shen Anyu reached the door, Su Hongmian's soft, shy voice came from behind him.
It was so faint, like the buzzing of a mosquito, that if Shen Anyu's martial arts cultivation wasn't profound, sharpening his five senses, he probably wouldn't have heard it.
Shen Anyu turned his head, looking at Su Hongmian with a half-smile, his eyes teasing.
"What was that? I didn't quite catch it."
Su Hongmian's face burned. She bit her lip, looking at her toes, but managed to speak a little louder. "I said... next time you come, I will fulfill the bet."
Shen Anyu's smile widened. He slowly said:
"I've noted that, so don't try to go back on your word then! Prepare yourself, Mianmian."
Su Hongmian's small Face turned completely red, resembling a ripe tomato. She lowered her head, burying her chin in her chest, not daring to say another word or meet his gaze. The implications of fulfilling the "wish" of a man like Shen Anyu made her heart pound wildly in her chest—half in fear, half in anticipation.
Shen Anyu laughed heartily, the sound vibrant and confident, and stepped out the door.
And Su Hongmian raised her head, her beautiful eyes gazing wistfully at Shen Anyu's disappearing back. She watched him get into the red Lamborghini, watched the car drive away until it was just a speck in the distance. Only then did she retract her gaze, her fingers touching her forehead where he had kissed her, muttering with a red Face:
"I would never go back on my word… you bad guy."
[Location: Riverside Luxury Mansion – Magic City]
Meanwhile, Shen Anyu had already driven the limited edition red Lamborghini back to his Riverside Luxury Mansion in Modu.
The mansion sat on the prime real estate along the riverbank, a sprawling estate that screamed wealth and power. The architecture was a blend of modern minimalism and classical grandeur, surrounded by manicured gardens that cost a fortune to maintain.
He parked the car in the underground garage, which was filled with other luxury vehicles—Rolls Royces, Bentleys, Ferraris—like a showroom.
Taking the private elevator up, he stepped into the main hall. The floor was made of imported Italian marble, cold and pristine.
"Young Master!"
A middle-aged woman in her forties respectfully came forward to greet him. She bowed deeply, her demeanor professional and submissive.
This was Shen Anyu's female housekeeper, He Ying, a trusted subordinate sent by his mother An Zhiyi to look after Shen Anyu.
He Ying was not an ordinary servant. Her ancestors, going back generations, had worked for the Yanxia Shen Family as house stewards. She was a "born servant" in the feudal sense, brainwashed from birth to be extremely loyal to the main family.
But she was also very capable. She held several doctoral degrees from top universities, proficient in management, law, economics, finance, and psychology. Before being assigned to Shen Anyu, she had served as the CEO of a listed company under the Shen Corporation, managing assets worth billions.
To use a former CEO as a personal housekeeper—this was the terrifying extravagance of the Shen Family.
With He Ying as the housekeeper, all of Shen Anyu's affairs, big and small, were handled meticulously and properly, which he found very thoughtful. The house was always spotless, the finances perfect, the staff disciplined.
Of course, her appearance and figure were ordinary. She wore a strict business suit, her hair tied back in a severe bun. At most, she had a gentle and approachable demeanor suitable for a maternal figure, but nothing that would stir a man's desire.
But Shen Anyu didn't care; he wasn't a pervert who got excited at the sight of any woman. He had standards.
Aside from top beauties, ordinary women were not his hunting targets.
And every destined heroine was a top beauty among top beauties, shining brightly from every pore under the keyboard's blessing of numerous authors1. They were the "chosen ones," possessing looks, luck, and temperaments that stood out from the masses.
Some even possessed unscientific, very mystical eternal attributes—like bodies that never gained weight, skin that never blemished, and a natural fragrance that perfumes couldn't replicate.
However, walking through his empty, grand mansion, Shen Anyu still felt a bit monotonous around him.
As a top Young Master, living in a palace worth billions, how could he not have some private little maids of varying figures and graceful postures around him? It was a matter of aesthetics and atmosphere. A villain's lair needed beautiful decorations.
He sat down on the leather sofa, crossing his legs. He Ying immediately brought him a cup of tea, the temperature perfect.
After thinking for a moment, Shen Anyu's eyes lit up with a cold, calculating light. He remembered the "Destined Child Positioning Card" results. Xia Liu had an associated heroine—a childhood sweetheart.
He instructed He Ying:
"He Ying. There's a little nurse named Ruan Lingshan at Shanghai First People's Hospital. Recruit her to be my private nurse."
This was also one of the associated heroines of Xia Liu, the Child of Destiny, the Country Divine Doctor. She was Xia Liu's childhood sweetheart and girl-next-door, who had been admitted to Modu Medical University and was now working as a nurse at Shanghai First People's Hospital2. She was the "pure" archetype, the innocent white flower that the protagonist would vow to protect.
Shen Anyu naturally wouldn't let her go. Stealing the protagonist's childhood sweetheart was the ultimate blow to his destiny and mental state.
"Yes, Young Master!"
He Ying responded softly, bowing her head. She didn't ask why. She didn't ask about qualifications.
Since Young Master Shen Anyu had given an order, no matter what, at any cost, it had to be fulfilled.
Even if it meant resorting to some dark methods. If Ruan Lingshan refused? Coercion. If she had a job? Get her fired. If she had debts? Buy them.
This was He Ying's awareness as a housekeeper. Her loyalty was absolute; morality was secondary to the Young Master's will.
Shen Anyu nodded in satisfaction. Any command he gave, no matter how excessive, He Ying would do her utmost to achieve. This was the comfort of power.
And with the power and foundation of the Shen and An families, there was almost nothing in this city—or this country—that couldn't be accomplished.
He took a sip of tea, savoring the bitterness turning into sweetness, and shifted his focus to business.
Shen Anyu casually asked:
"How did the matter I instructed you about last night turn out?"
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