Chapter 82 Live with Me

The rear seat space wasn't cramped, but it was filled with an overly scorching heat.

Ruan Yi turned to the side, trying countless times to push away the head in the crook of her neck, but failed each time. The man's warm breath kept sweeping over her sensitive skin.

"I'm hot!" She was tired after pushing for a long time.

Ruan Yi pressed her fingertips against his strong shoulder, feeling the taut muscle lines beneath his shirt.

Gu Zhi seemed not to hear her, burying his face deeper into her neck, his voice deliberately softened and hoarse, with a hint of grievance at the end.

"Sister, I miss you so much."

He nuzzled her neck, his nose almost touching her collar.

"It's been so long since I've seen you, sister... seems to have a different scent now."

Ruan Yi's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively wanted to retort, but he stopped her with his next words.

"Sister, do you really think it's safe to live with Fu Jingchen?" The man's tone became more serious, but his breath still lingered around her neck.

"I really don't trust his character, since he's alone with a woman."

Ruan Yi clicked her tongue, thinking that even if Fu Jingchen was wicked, he wouldn't be so bad as to do something to her.

"It can't be that bad, he shouldn't be that kind of person."

But Ruan Yi didn't seem to have much confidence when she said this.

It's possible that it's unsafe, but the unsafe one is... Fu Jingchen.

After all, she was the one who initiated the kiss with Fu Jingchen, and she almost couldn't control herself and pounced on him.

The man beside her seemed to see through her wavering, and gently pinched her waist with his fingertips, speaking in a coaxing tone.

"I know my sister thinks I'm making a mountain out of a molehill, but what if?" He paused, then his voice softened.

"My sister is soft-hearted and easily taken advantage of."

“I’ve booked an apartment here, and it’s more convenient for commuting than his place. Would you like to live with me, sister?”

"I only feel at ease when I see my sister."

Ruan Yi was annoyed by his words, and coupled with her inexplicable fear of Fu Jingchen, she nodded as if possessed.

The girl didn't see the darkness that flashed in her eyes, buried in the crook of her neck, the instant she nodded.

It's definitely safer to be under Fu Jingchen's nose than to be under Fu Jingchen's nose.

"Safety is paramount; escape is impossible."

As the two entered the villa, two pairs of eyes in the living room immediately turned towards them.

Fu Jingchen sat in the center of the sofa, his profile cold and hard. Just by looking at his lips pressed into a straight line, you could tell that he was in an extremely bad mood.

Pei Lian, standing next to him, leisurely swirled the glass in his hand, the ice cubes clinking softly.

The man's hair shimmered softly under the overhead light.

But when those smiling eyes swept over, they carried an emotion that was hard to describe.

Both men's gazes were fixed on the girl, like lurking predators. Although their postures were different, they both exuded the same sense of aggression.

Ruan Yi felt a chill run down her spine from the stare and subconsciously took a small step back, only to bump into Gu Zhi's chest behind her.

Pei Lian gripped the glass tightly in his hand, narrowed his eyes slightly, and suppressed the curve of his lips.

When Fu Jingchen's gaze passed over Ruan Yi and landed on the figure that suddenly appeared behind her, his brows furrowed instantly, and the oppressive atmosphere around him almost froze.

Gu Zhi acted as if he hadn't seen her, put his arm around Ruan Yi's shoulder, and smiled wickedly and provocatively at the two people in the living room.

"Mr. Fu, Dr. Pei, it's been a long time."

The air remained quiet for a long time.

Gu Zhi's greeting landed lightly in the living room, as if the two men on the sofa hadn't heard it.

He received no response whatsoever.

Gu Zhi didn't seem to care at all; instead, he smiled, his eyes darkening further.

This deliberate neglect...

Isn't that the most obvious way to break through defenses?

Feeling awkward in the tense atmosphere, Ruan Yi quickly tried to break the silence by talking to Pei Lian.

"Pei Lian, what are you doing here?"

The man's eyes then curved into a smile again, though the smile didn't reach his eyes.

“There happens to be a tricky psychosurgery case in the US, and they asked me to come and consult.”

His tone was relaxed, as if the awkward silence that no one had responded to Gu Zhi in the space just now was just an illusion.

Ruan Yi nodded in response, feeling slightly relieved. She then turned to Fu Jingchen, her tone unconsciously becoming somewhat wary.

"Mr. Fu, I'm back to pack my things."

“I have a new place to live, which is closer to NovaVoy, so it’s more convenient for me. I won’t stay here and will trouble you.”

The girl deliberately emphasized the word "President Fu," turning their already ambiguous relationship back into the coldest superior-subordinate dynamic.

The moment the words left his mouth, the air in the living room grew even heavier.

Fu Jingchen's already gloomy face was now covered with a layer of ice, his deep eyes churning as he tried to control his emotions.

It was shock, suppressed displeasure, and the hurt of being forcibly pushed away.

Just as he guessed.

As soon as Gu Zhiyi appeared, Ruan Yi's attitude towards her returned to square one, a state of extreme caution and wariness.

The man pursed his lips, and a crack appeared in his carefully maintained calm exterior.

Fu Jingchen didn't speak, but his eyes were fixed on Ruan Yi, as if he wanted to stare two holes into her face.

Pei Lian raised an eyebrow, glanced at Fu Jingchen's tense profile, and then subtly swept his gaze over Ruan Yi and Gu Zhi beside her.

"Ruan Yi, you've been staying here for the past few days?"

The man seemed to realize that his phone call had ruined something.

"Yes, but I won't stay any longer."

Ruan Yi's tone in response to Pei Lian was much gentler, a stark contrast to her earlier attitude when informing her superior that she was leaving.

Gu Zhi put his arm around Ruan Yi's shoulder at the right moment, his tone filled with the warm concern of a family member.

“As an employee, my sister has troubled her boss for so long, and my sister and I both feel bad about it.”

"My sister can stay with me from now on. I can help her move her things. As her boss, Mr. Fu, you can rest assured."

"Live with you?"

The two men spoke almost simultaneously, their eyes fixed on Gu Zhi.

The facade of peace in the living room seemed to have shattered completely.

Fu Jingchen's hands, which were resting on his knees, clenched suddenly, his knuckles tense to an alarming degree. His usually calm eyes were now churning with undisguised anger and vigilance.

Pei Lian's smile vanished completely, and his slightly upturned eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Yes, live with me."

The man even turned slightly to the side, naturally pulling Ruan Yi closer to him, and gave Fu Jingchen and Pei Lian a perfectly timed, slightly apologetic smile.

Several hungry wolves had their eyes on the same piece of meat, but at that moment, the soft and delicious meat obediently nestled next to one of the wolves.

The most wicked wolf, wearing the most docile skin, declares ownership with the most innocent demeanor.

How could the rest possibly be content with that?

Men know best what kind of creatures men are.

When hungry wolves and meat share a room.

The girl will be thoroughly devoured, leaving not even bones behind.

Fu Jingchen was already struggling to contain his emotions. He wanted to say something, to question, to stop them.

But the words stuck in his throat. Who was he?

Boss? Friend? Former professor?

It seems that none of them have the right to interfere with her decision.

Especially in the face of Gu Zhi's identity as his "younger brother," all his emotions became inappropriate overstepping of boundaries.

Gu Zhi's identity is the sharpest weapon in his hands.

He could openly get close to Ruan Yi, using concern as an excuse and dependence as a disguise. Even if his actions were too intimate, he could still silence all doubts.

In contrast, Fu Jingchen is the superior, while Pei Lian is just a friend he has known for a short time.

Any concern they showed that went too far would seem like ulterior motives, let alone preventing the girl from living with her "brother".

That would only make them seem like they have ulterior motives.

Fu Jingchen sat stiffly on the sofa, his fingertips digging deeply into his palms, but the pain was nothing compared to the sharp, suffocating feeling in his chest.

She watched helplessly as the man half-embraced the girl's shoulder, and the two walked towards the room on the second floor.

The image was like a dull knife, repeatedly cutting into his reason.

A surge of rage welled up in his chest, yet he couldn't utter a sound; he didn't even have the right to stop her from leaving.

He could only let the feeling of powerlessness overwhelm him, and the bloodshot in his eyes gradually spread.

A trapped beast struggles futilely in its cage, only to suffer wounds in return.

Pei Lian, standing next to him, was in no better shape.

The leisurely look on his face had vanished, replaced by a dark and gloomy expression. His fingertips unconsciously traced the inside of the glass.

The cool touch couldn't suppress the restlessness rising in my heart.

Something's not right.

The man said to himself.

He regarded Ruan Yi as a perfect work of art, admiring her appearance and body, and savoring her reactions.

Provided the artwork is undamaged.

We shouldn't sway collectors' emotions.

But now his thoughts are somewhat out of control.

Emotions are merely tools that can be manipulated, and incompetent emotions are the things that should be discarded most.

Losing control is the lowest and most basic reaction.

"He shouldn't have done that."