Chapter 297: Liu Ruyan: Just wait for me!
"Shen Anyu, I've noted this grudge. You just wait and see!"
Liu Ruyan's voice was filled with a mix of exhaustion and indignation as she glared at the man leaning against the doorframe.
Her legs felt weak, trembling slightly under the silk of her nightgown, and her body ached in places she wouldn't dare mention aloud—a soreness that was both humiliating and undeniable proof of her defeat.
Her pride, usually standing tall as a Grandmaster of the Imperial Capital, was shattered into a thousand pieces scattered across the floor like the moonlight. Yet, she still tried to maintain the last shred of her dignity, tilting her chin up in a defiant, albeit shaky, gesture.
Shen Anyu smiled, his eyes sweeping over her disheveled appearance with unmasked appreciation. He crossed his arms over his chest, the muscles shifting under his shirt, looking every bit like a satisfied predator who had just finished a hearty, exquisite meal and was now lazily watching his prey try to scurry away.
"Welcome to take revenge anytime, my dear Yan'er. Remember to wear a cheongsam next time; it suits your figure very well. I look forward to your 'attack' with bated breath."
"You... shameless!"
Liu Ruyan choked on her anger, her face flushing crimson all the way to the tips of her ears. She wanted to say something vicious, to unleash her Grandmaster aura, but her dantian felt sluggish, and her body betrayed her with a soft shiver.
She stomped her foot—a childish gesture she hadn't done in years—turned around, and fled down the hallway, stumbling slightly as her knees nearly gave out.
Shen Anyu's expression was pleasant, bordering on euphoric. He watched Liu Ruyan stumble away, her silhouette disappearing around the corner, and a deep, guttural chuckle escaped his throat.
The morning sun filtered through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air, matching his light mood. The air smelled faintly of her unique fragrance mixed with the musk of their night together—a scent of conquest.
[Ding! Detected destined heroine Liu Ruyan's favorability +1, plundering +3000 destiny value!]
[Ding! Detected destined heroine Liu Ruyan's favorability +1, plundering +3000 destiny value!]
[Ding! Detected destined heroine Liu Ruyan's favorability +1, plundering +3000 destiny value!]
…
After a night of "intense cultivation" and "soul-deep communication," Liu Ruyan's total favorability had quietly climbed to sixty-nine.
Clearly, Liu Ruyan wasn't as annoyed as she appeared; she should have been quite satisfied deep down. The body is often more honest than the mouth, especially for a powerful martial artist whose senses are amplified a hundredfold.
The friction, the suppression, the overwhelming dominance—it had left a mark on her soul that no amount of denial could erase.
Shen Anyu turned back into the room, washed up, and tidied himself. He looked in the full-length mirror, adjusting his collar with precise movements. The handsome face staring back at him was radiant, his skin glowing with vitality.
He exuded an aura of nobility and dominance that seemed to have grown stronger overnight, a tangible charisma that could bend wills. He leisurely stepped out of his room, his expression quite smug, humming a low tune as he descended the grand staircase.
Downstairs, the living room was bathed in golden sunlight pouring through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The aroma of premium Longjing tea wafted through the air, mixing with the sweet, buttery scent of fresh pastries prepared by the Michelin-star chefs of the estate.
Aunt An Zhiyue had already finished breakfast and was elegantly sipping tea. She sat by the window, the sunlight highlighting her graceful profile and the gentle curve of her neck.
She looked like a painting of a classical beauty, serene and untouched by the chaos of the world. Seeing Shen Anyu emerge, she put down her delicate porcelain teacup, her phoenix eyes lighting up with a teasing, knowing glint.
"An'yu, you're good! You actually managed to win over Ruyan. You truly are my good nephew! I didn't expect you to be so efficient. Truly, the waves behind drive on those before."
Originally, she hadn't expected Shen Anyu to win over her best friend Liu Ruyan so quickly. She knew Liu Ruyan better than anyone—the Ice Queen of the Imperial Capital, proud, aloof, and notoriously difficult to please.
With An Zhiyue's intelligence and understanding of her friend, she thought the relationship between Shen Anyu and Liu Ruyan hadn't progressed to that extent yet. She expected a long tug-of-war, a slow melting of ice, perhaps taking months or even years.
Liu Ruyan had been single for so many years, rejecting countless suitors from top families, dismissing young masters and prodigies alike as if they were dust. It was clearly not that easy to enter her heart.
Yet, her good nephew Shen Anyu actually managed to do it in one night. This greatly surprised her and filled her with a sense of pride. 'As expected of the Shen Family bloodline! When we set our sights on something, we capture it.'
Shen Anyu walked over and sat down opposite her, his movements fluid and relaxed. He picked up a piece of osmanthus cake, the sweetness melting on his tongue. He had a mysterious smile on his face and said ambiguously:
"Thanks to Aunt's assistance, otherwise it wouldn't have been so easy. Your presence... gave me the courage I needed."
He wasn't lying. If not for An Zhiyue sleeping next door, acting as the ultimate deterrent and pressure point, it would have been difficult for Shen Anyu to succeed so quickly.
Liu Ruyan would most likely have resisted fiercely, or even fought back with her Grandmaster strength, tearing down the villa in the process. The fear of being exposed to An Zhiyue was the chain that bound her, the gag that silenced her, and ultimately, the catalyst that pushed her into his arms.
An Zhiyue, however, misunderstood completely. She thought that her arrangement for Shen Anyu and Liu Ruyan to stay together in the same room—her "laissez-faire" attitude—was the successful assist. She immediately beamed, her eyes curving into beautiful crescents.
"Doesn't Aunt dote on you? I knew you two just needed a little push. Sometimes, a thin layer of window paper just needs to be poked through. If you two get married in the future, remember to give me a big red envelope! I want to be the matchmaker!"
"Absolutely, absolutely! A huge red envelope for my dearest Aunt. You deserve all the credit."
Shen Anyu responded with a smile, though in his heart he chuckled at the absurdity of it. Marriage? Unlikely. He wasn't the type to be tied down to one woman, no matter how exceptional. But he would certainly take responsibility for his "conquests" in his own way.
Bang!
Just then, the sound of a door slamming came from upstairs. It was loud, angry, and vibrated through the floorboards, shattering the peaceful morning atmosphere.
Shen Anyu raised an eyebrow, glancing at the ceiling with a calm expression.
An Zhiyue's eyes curved even more, her phoenix-like eyes full of amusement and a misunderstanding that ran deep.
"Go quickly and comfort Ruyan. She must be shy. You know how thin-skinned she is despite her strong appearance. This is when a woman is vulnerable, and also when favorability is most likely to increase. Don't let her sulk. Go on, be a good boyfriend. Coax her a little."
Shen Anyu wiped his mouth with a napkin, stood up, and laughed, shaking his head:
"Aunt, you know so much about relationships? I thought you were... purely focused on martial arts."
He trailed off, but the implication was clear.
An Zhiyue gave Shen Anyu a sidelong glance, pretending to be annoyed but unable to hide the doting smile on her lips.
"Are you implying that Aunt is a single dog who knows nothing? Brat, I read novels too! Do you think I spend all my time meditating?"
At this point, An Zhiyue waved her phone triumphantly and said:
"You can find anything online. I've been reading 'The Domineering CEO's 99 Runaway Brides' and 'The Sweet Wife of the War God' all morning to give you tips! The internet says that after the first night, the woman is usually emotional and needs reassurance."
Shen Anyu's gaze swept over the screen, and the search terms were somewhat astonishing. [How to help nephew chase wife], [What to do after the first night], [Foods to replenish energy for men], [Liu Ruyan personality analysis]...
An Zhiyue's face flushed a charming shade of pink when she saw him looking at her search history. She quickly locked the screen, coughed lightly to hide her embarrassment, and pushed Shen Anyu towards the stairs, spitting:
"Go quickly and comfort Ruyan, don't look at random things! Go, go, go! Don't make her wait!"
Shen Anyu had a strange expression as he walked towards Liu Ruyan's guest room on the second floor. His aunt was truly... cute. Her genuine care for him was touching, even if her understanding of the situation was completely inverted.
He ascended the stairs, his footsteps steady. He arrived at the door. It wasn't locked—or perhaps, the lock had been broken earlier in a fit of rage.
He pushed the door open.
At this moment, Liu Ruyan was sitting in front of the dressing table. The morning light poured in, illuminating her silhouette. She was styling her hair and touching up her makeup, trying to mask the signs of the previous night's ravishment.
Liu Ruyan, who was already a top-tier beauty with her charming and languid demeanor, now exuded an astonishing allure between her brows after last night. It was the "afterglow"—a subtle change in her complexion, a softness in her eyes that betrayed her internal turmoil.
Her skin was glowing with a rosy tint, appearing translucent and tender like a peeled lychee. Her entire being seemed to have blossomed like a flower watered by spring rain, radiating a unique, mature charm that was suffocatingly attractive.
However, the atmosphere in the room was frosty.
Behind the door, there was a mahogany comb lying on the floor, broken in half. This was clearly what had slammed against the door and made the loud sound earlier. It was a testament to her turbulent emotions—shame, anger, confusion, and a lingering, unwanted pleasure.
"So angry? Breaking things isn't a good habit, Yan'er. It causes wrinkles."
Shen Anyu smiled, his voice low and intimate, closing the door behind him with a soft click. He walked over slowly, his eyes locked on her reflection in the mirror. He prepared to embrace Liu Ruyan from behind, to nuzzle her neck and smell that intoxicating scent again.
But then, Liu Ruyan's icy voice sounded in his ear, cutting through the warm atmosphere like a blade.
"Shen Anyu, don't touch me!"
Liu Ruyan turned her head sharply. Her pretty face was frozen, her charm replaced by a cold elegance that reminded him of her reputation as the Ice Queen of the Capital. Her eyes were sharp, devoid of the mistiness from the night before.
She stood up, facing him, her chest heaving slightly. She took a deep breath, trying to regain the upper hand.
She said word by word, her voice trembling slightly with suppressed emotion but carrying a newfound determination:
"Shen Anyu, you wouldn't want me to tell your Aunt what happened last night, would you?"
"If your Aunt An Zhiyue knew you succeeded because of a leverage, because you threatened me with my secret... she definitely wouldn't forgive you! She is a woman of principle! She would be disgusted by your despicable means!"
Waking up from the unspeakable atmosphere of last night and the exhaustion of the morning, Liu Ruyan's mind had finally cleared. The fog of lust and fear had receded, leaving behind a tactical clarity. She realized that the tables had turned.
Although Shen Anyu had her secret (her crush on An Zhiyue), she also had a bigger secret of Shen Anyu's now.
If An Zhiyue knew that Shen Anyu succeeded because of threats and coercion, forcing himself on her best friend, she definitely wouldn't forgive Shen Anyu. An Zhiyue was a righteous person, a hero of the country who despised bullies. She would beat this unfilial nephew to death! Or at least, she would be severely disappointed, which might be worse for him.
After all, no matter what, they still had twenty years of best friend affection. That bond was unbreakable. Liu Ruyan was confident in her place in An Zhiyue's heart.
Thinking of this, beneath Liu Ruyan's cold and elegant exterior, she felt a hint of triumph. A spark of hope ignited in her eyes.
From the moment she arrived in the Magic City and met Shen Anyu, she had always been at a disadvantage, repeatedly suffering losses in front of him. She was suppressed by his strength, his background, and his shamelessness. She had been played like a fiddle.
Last night, she suffered the greatest loss—her body and soul were claimed by him, her dignity stripped away layer by layer.
Now, finally, it was her turn to control Shen Anyu. She held his weakness! She had the "Nuclear Button"!
But Liu Ruyan was too naive. She underestimated the depth of Shen Anyu's darkness, and she overestimated the leverage of "morality" on a villain.
Shen Anyu didn't look scared. He didn't panic. Instead, his smile widened, becoming predatory, amused, and dangerously dark.
He took a step forward, closing the distance instantly. His tall figure cast a shadow over her, engulfing her newfound confidence.
"Shen Anyu, you, you... it's daytime now! Aunt is downstairs!"
Liu Ruyan's bravado crumbled instantly as his shadow fell over her. Her voice shook, losing all its threatening power, reverting to the panicked prey she was the night before.
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