The phone buzzed and wiggled on the nightstand.
In the dim light of the floor lamp, Luo Ying closed her eyes and tried to reach out her arm. Her consciousness was half submerged in a dream and half awake in the air.
She did not actually hear the phone vibrate. She could not tell which part of her consciousness sensed it. She slowly opened her sleepy eyes. She met the dark eyes of the man who was staring at her intently.
Thin light and shadows created an ambiguous atmosphere between them. They shared the same air. They were very close.
Their gazes intertwined for a moment. Perhaps it was a long time. Finally, a hint of intoxication appeared in the eyes of the man. Luo Ying looked away in a panic. She reached out from under the silk quilt and grabbed the phone on the nightstand.
The screen was bright. She saw the name on it. It was Jiang Yuqing. She was the fiancée of the man beside her. They were currently preparing for their engagement ceremony.
Luo Ying glanced at the man. She swiped the screen with one hand and put the phone to her ear.
"Yingzi, come buy an engagement dress with me. We can go shopping and drink coffee. Let us have a wild day!"
Luo Ying did not speak yet. Jiang Yuqing spoke first. "Do not use classes as an excuse. It is the weekend! The weekend! Your tutor cannot possibly be giving you extra lessons today!"
"Okay."
Luo Ying had a raspy voice. She had just woken up. Jiang Yuqing cried out. "Yingzi, are you still in bed? Does a top student like you sleep in? The sun must have risen from the west today!"
Her voice leaked out from the phone. It was very loud in the quiet room.
The gaze of the man became more intense. Luo Ying felt the space between them getting smaller. She confirmed the time and place with Jiang Yuqing. She hung up the phone quickly.
She looked back into the eyes of the man. He did not look away. He did not look guilty at all.
The man curled his lips. He gave her a meaningful smirk. He slowly pressed down on Luo Ying. His breath was as hot as a flame.
Luo Ying closed her eyes in despair. She endured his sudden storm.
It felt like a thin line divided her in two. One half was in ice water. The other half melted in fire.
Her bones felt broken. They were scattered across the bed.
The pressure suddenly vanished. She gasped for air. She slowly gathered strength back into her body.
The heavy curtains were pulled open with a loud sound. The sunlight rushed in. It bothered her closed eyes. Luo Ying frowned.
She blinked her eyes. She saw the tall silhouette of the man standing by the window. He looked down at the city buildings. He looked satisfied and relaxed.
He was one hundred and eighty-seven centimeters tall. He blocked most of the sunlight. One side of him was bright. The other side was dark.
Luo Ying realized it was late.
She was going to be late for her meeting with Jiang Yuqing.
Her body was sore. It was difficult to even lift a finger. Her body was not working properly yet.
She heard the sound of clothes. Luo Ying opened her eyes again. The man was already dressed. He looked dignified and proper again.
He wore a blue double-breasted plaid suit. It was well made. It fit his muscular body perfectly. He had a printed silk scarf in his pocket. He also wore a long wool coat. He looked steady and elegant.
He turned around suddenly. Luo Ying closed her eyes. She avoided his dangerous gaze.
After a moment, she no longer felt his stare. She heard the door open and close.
She felt relieved. She opened her eyes. She whispered four words. 'Beast in a suit.'
Her legs felt weak when she stepped on the carpet. Luo Ying wanted to go to the bathroom. The phone buzzed again.
Jiang Yuqing was rushing her. "Yingzi, have you left yet? Where are you? Hurry up! You are a top student who usually wakes up before the rooster. How can you sleep until noon? I need to post this news in our class group!"
Luo Ying replied weakly. "Wait a moment. I will be there in thirty minutes."
The other side wailed. "What? Another thirty minutes? Hurry up! I will not wait a second longer!"
Luo Ying ignored the mess on the bed. She washed up as fast as possible. She used cold water. She let the cool water wash over her hot body.
Chapter 1 Third Sister's Date with Her Real Fiancée (2/2)
Those deep eyes staring at her like a hungry wolf appeared before her. A bitter smile touched her lips. She stopped moving. Her heart trembled.
She wanted to call and cancel the meeting with Jiang Yuqing. At the same time, she instinctively resisted speaking to her.
'How can a mistress have the nerve to face the legitimate fiancée?'
She finished washing up mechanically. The bathroom led directly to the walk-in closet. She pulled open the wardrobe. Her arm stayed suspended in the air for a moment before she decisively closed the door. Instead, she took a suitcase from a nearby storage cabinet. She took out a black sweater and a pair of jeans to wear. She put an old beige trench coat over them.
She pulled her long, straight hair back with a clip. She applied light makeup. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a black card lying on the coffee table. He had left it behind.
Luo Ying ignored it. Her gaze did not linger on it for even a second. She left in a hurry and took a taxi to a cafe near the commercial street.
Jiang Yuqing sat in a window seat. She waved vigorously from a distance.
Luo Ying entered and sat down. She ordered a black coffee and a plate with a croissant.
Jiang Yuqing frowned as she looked Luo Ying up and down. "Yingzi, you are already a first-year graduate student," Jiang Yuqing said with displeasure. "Why are you dressed like a high school student?"
Luo Ying did not answer her. Her gaze fell on Jiang Yuqing instead. Jiang Yuqing wore a moon-white turtleneck sweater and deep brown trousers that showed off the shape of her legs. She wore black pointed heels with diamonds. A cherry-red wool coat hung on the back of the chair next to her.
Long, soft waves of hair draped over her shoulders. Her makeup was exquisite. A pair of long tassel earrings swayed with her movements. Jiang Yuqing stayed fashionable and beautiful even when she slept. They had been roommates in college. Luo Ying had never seen her with messy hair.
"This will not do," Jiang Yuqing said while blinking playfully. "I must take you to buy a proper outfit first. Otherwise, standing next to me will make you look like a country girl. I would feel too embarrassed."
"There is no need," Luo Ying replied. "I dressed like this on purpose to make you, the bride-to-be, look better." Even as she spoke, the guilt in her heart did not lessen.
She took a fresh croissant and ate it slowly. Her physical strength was completely exhausted. She worried she would faint from low blood sugar if she did not eat something.
"What bride-to-be! It is only an engagement," Jiang Yuqing said as she took a sip of her coffee. An unidentifiable dark light flashed through her dark eyes. "Did you stay up late again last night?" Jiang Yuqing asked while studying her. "Your face is as pale as a ghost."
Luo Ying did not confirm or deny the statement. She silently chewed her bread and drank her coffee. As her stomach filled up, her strength gradually returned.
"Sigh, you know that I had no choice," Jiang Yuqing sighed. Her tone was full of sadness. "I do not want to get engaged. Cheng Ji is a complete playboy. He has a good face, but his head is full of straw!"
"But my father is forcing me to marry him!" Jiang Yuqing said as her cheeks puffed out with anger. "I do not understand. Their family business is already failing. It is clearly worse than mine. Why do we still need a marriage alliance?"
Luo Ying looked up at her. "Is their business doing poorly?"
"Yes," Jiang Yuqing said while pouting her red lips. "Everyone knows the furniture industry has been declining for the past two years. The real estate market is not doing well. How can the furniture business stay safe? Even though my family works in real estate, we are a large company. Minor economic fluctuations cannot affect us! I wonder if my father was tricked into being an idiot by them."
Luo Ying frowned slightly. "You... do you not like Cheng Ji?" she asked hesitantly.
"Of course I do not like him! Do you even need to ask?" Jiang Yuqing rolled her eyes. "But I cannot win against my parents. I really do not understand. It is obvious their family needs ours for a blood transfusion. Why must I be sacrificed?"
Luo Ying felt a sense of relief. "There might be other business dealings or projects for cooperation," she said with uncertainty. "If you do not like it, just tell your parents clearly. Arranged marriages do not exist anymore."
Luo Ying had been unable to feel at ease in front of Jiang Yuqing since she learned about the alliance. Now that she understood Jiang Yuqing's feelings, the heavy stone pressing on her heart was removed. As long as they did not get engaged, she was not a mistress. She had not betrayed her friend.
"Sigh, you do not understand..." The light in Jiang Yuqing's eyes dimmed. Her brow was clouded with worry. A moment later, she lowered her voice and asked with interest, "Yingzi, have you seen Lu Liangchen? Which company is he working at now?"
Luo Ying's expression suddenly froze. The bitterness of the coffee filled her mouth.