Chapter 146: You don't actually like that man, do you?

Upon hearing a low chuckle, Ruan Cha watched as Cheng Xiuyan slowly approached.

He was dressed with a wild, untamed flair today. A tight, low-cut T-shirt accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist, while his straight, long legs were encased in ink-colored trousers cinched by a pitch-black belt. He wore a pair of short boots on his feet.

His messy, chestnut-brown hair was pulled back by a headband, though a few rebellious strands hung over his forehead. He exuded a roguish, untamed aura—a presence that signaled he was not to be trifled with.

"Little Cha, you look absolutely stunning today. I didn't see clearly at first and thought a fairy had descended from the heavens, striking my lowly, mortal heart with quite a blow..."

As soon as Cheng Xiuyan entered, he showered Ruan Cha with a barrage of glib, effortless flattery. His voice was husky and alluring, carrying a hint of uninhibited playfulness.

Gu Zhenzhi, having clearly seen Cheng Xiuyan’s face and now his back, realized he was the exact same man who had left with Ruan Cha that day. His jaw tightened, and his gaze grew increasingly dark and unfathomable. His aura plummeted to its lowest point, and he shot a cold, piercing glare at Cheng Xiuyan.

"Little Cha, aren't you going to... introduce me?" Sensing Gu Zhenzhi’s gaze, Cheng Xiuyan turned and met the man’s icy stare head-on, a faint smile still playing on his lips.

Ruan Cha stood up from the sofa. Without even glancing at Gu Zhenzhi, she grabbed Cheng Xiuyan’s arm. "He’s an irrelevant person. Let’s go; let’s head out for breakfast."

As Cheng Xiuyan was pulled along, he looked back over his shoulder and winked at Gu Zhenzhi, saying with a helpless, doting tone, "We’ll be off then! See you around!"

The moment the words "irrelevant person" fell from the girl’s lips, Gu Zhenzhi’s eyes darkened. He was then met with Cheng Xiuyan’s overtly provocative look. A torrent of fury nearly consumed him. He strode quickly to the balcony. Before long, he watched as Ruan Cha and Cheng Xiuyan walked out of the apartment building side by side.

The man’s cold eyes grew even more vicious, his gaze swirling with a dark, intense aura that felt nearly impossible to contain.

Downstairs, just as Ruan Cha prepared to release Cheng Xiuyan’s arm, the man draped his arm around her shoulders. His voice was lazy and carefree. "Don't move. Gu Zhenzhi is still watching from upstairs."

Ruan Cha instantly froze.

Cheng Xiuyan’s eyes flickered. "Little Cha, you don't actually like that man, do you? Looking at your reaction just now, it was clearly the way a young couple acts when they’re in the middle of a cold war."

Ruan Cha replied, "..."

She pressed her lips together and remained silent, offering only a chilly, side-eyed glance. Yet, the girl’s silence pierced straight into the depths of Cheng Xiuyan’s heart.

The smile on his lips turned slightly bitter. Sometimes, silence is an answer in itself.

Cheng Xiuyan drove Ruan Cha to the hotel where Wang Fengqin was staying. Upon arrival, they went straight to the reserved private dining room. Five minutes later, Wang Fengqin arrived with her daughter.

Wang Fengqin had sharp features, a sallow complexion, and long, narrow eyes. She wore a floral shirt and black trousers. Behind her followed her daughter, Wang Qingqing. Unlike her mother’s overbearing presence, the girl kept her head slightly bowed. When she saw Ruan Cha and Cheng Xiuyan sitting side by side in the room, her eyes widened. Especially when Cheng Xiuyan smiled, a deep flush crept from Wang Qingqing’s earlobes all the way down to her cheeks.

"I heard Aunt Li insisted on seeing me?" Ruan Cha’s lips curled into a faint, shallow arc. Her gaze was cool, and as she sat there poised and upright, her demeanor was aloof and indifferent.