Chapter 16 The Domineering CEO

The wind that swept across the fields rustled the golden rice.

The wind also ruffled the stray hairs on the man's forehead, fully revealing his sharp eyebrows.

Yan Chen's dark eyes were focused, and his cold personality and appearance made him seem somewhat indifferent, but the palm of his hand holding Qing Ran's wrist was hot.

In contrast, Qingran usually appears to be full of passionate emotions, but her skin temperature remains cool and gentle even in the sweltering summer.

“I don’t mean to blame you,” Yan Chen said to Qing Ran seriously. “I’m just worried that you might run into danger if you continue to act this way.”

There are clearly better ways to handle this. Find another time and place where there aren't so many people around, or at the very least, confront them privately today. That would be better than provoking them in public.

Those present today are all the other party's relatives and friends.

Fortunately, the other side chose to back down this time because they didn't want to escalate the situation, and he was also present.

What if he's not around, and Qingran happens to encounter someone who acts impulsively and doesn't consider the consequences?

Are you going to fight against everyone all by yourself?

Upon closer reflection, Yan Chen realized that Qing Ran also acted without considering the consequences.

This recklessness doesn't mean Qingran is impulsive, but rather that he shows a lack of concern for potential dangers.

"Qingran, I know your past experiences have made you prone to acting on your whims, but I still hope you can prioritize your own safety."

Qingran gazed intently at the person before her, and through those starry eyes, she seemed to see herself struggling to survive on the other side of the river of time.

It was never the original body that acted according to its own whims, but the later Qingran.

“I accept that explanation,” he said calmly.

Yan Chen breathed a sigh of relief: "It's not enough to just accept it, you also have to keep it in mind."

Qingran pretended not to hear, broke free of her grasped hand, and snorted: "There's another matter I haven't explained yet."

The man, who had never been troubled by anything before, suddenly felt a headache coming on: "..."

Apologizing and promising never to do it again is undoubtedly the most direct and effective approach.

But after much deliberation, Yan Chen's desire to understand the root of the conflict ultimately prevailed.

"I really don't blame you," Momo stated first, then carefully chose her words, "I'm just looking at it from an objective perspective—"

Qingran interrupted him: "Anyone can be objective, except you."

Yan Chen suddenly understood why his lover was angry.

"Ah Chen, there may be people in the world who can tolerate their lovers being objective and fair, but I am definitely not such a reasonable person."

Qingran reached out and stroked the man's cheek, her eyes gentle as water, but her voice held a hint of danger as she whispered, "I want your irrational favoritism."

Yan Chen, however, did not think that the statement was unreasonable.

On the contrary, at this moment he seemed to vaguely see through his lover's beautiful and dazzling appearance to the deeper, more real and cold heart.

"..." He raised his hand to grasp the hand beside his face, his thoughts were a little chaotic, but the heartbeat in his chest became clearer and clearer.

"But I understand what you mean, and I'm not angry anymore."

The sense of danger was fleeting, like an illusion, and Qingran playfully scratched his face as soon as she returned to normal.

Yan Chen opened his mouth and said, "I'm sorry."

Qingran: "Another apology? I've heard quite a few apologies lately."

“Of course I should apologize for making a mistake,” Yan Chen said. “It won’t happen again.”

He took Qingran's hand by the side of her face, kissed it on the lips, and pulled her forward.

The ridges separating the rice paddies were rather narrow, and the two walked along them one after the other, amidst the warm summer breeze and the fragrant aroma of rice.

The rice paddies on both sides rippled in the wind, startling the dragonflies that had been resting on the slender, yellowish leaves.

Dragonflies flap their wings and take flight, their thin, transparent wings reflecting dappled sunlight. They fly over rice paddies, over the ridges, and into lush cornfields, landing on newly sprouting flower buds.

Qingran gazed at the dragonfly's fluttering wings.

Her arm was suddenly pulled down, and then a handsome man leaned in and kissed her.

The kiss was somewhat urgent. The man gently cupped Qingran's cheek with one hand, while the other pulled him close to his waist. First, he tenderly traced the outline with his lips and tongue, then deliberately pried open his teeth and penetrated deeper...

The scorching breath exhaled and fell on Qingran's face, mingling with the summer breeze to tint the corners of his originally fair eyes with a rosy hue.

"Shhh~"

"Splash splash splash~"

"..."

The rice and corn swayed their leaves gently, providing cover for the lovers who couldn't contain their passion. The dragonfly, blushing with embarrassment, extended its proboscis to pluck the sweet nectar from the flower's heart.

Sudden.

"Crackling and popping..." A huge firecracker sound, like thunder, rang out.

Startled, the dragonfly flapped its wings and flew away. Immersed in the kiss, Yan Chen subconsciously pressed his lover against his chest.

After a few seconds, I relaxed and realized it was just firecrackers.

This also means that the wedding ceremony in the distance has officially begun.

Yan Chen took a moment to catch his breath before asking, "Really not going to eat?"

"I won't eat it, so that others won't see it and find it an eyesore," Qingran said lazily, resting her head on his shoulder.

She spoke sarcastically, but her hand remained hidden under the man's clothes.

Yan Chen pressed him down, feigning weakness: "I was wrong."

"Should I ask what I did wrong now?" Qingran asked with great interest, then added, "Never mind, I'm more curious about why you kissed me."

This is the first time I've seen him be so proactive.

"I want to kiss you," Yan Chen replied, without any particular reason. "Then let's go to the county town to eat. What do you want to eat?"

Qingran touched his incredibly soft abs one last time, stood up straight, and said with a smile, "I want to eat what you make."

The man straightened his clothes: "Are you sure?"

Going home from here and cooking would definitely make it at least two hours later, and besides, the food he makes... well, it might not suit Qingran's taste.

Qingran: "Unsure." He also dislikes self-torture.

He squinted at the person in front of him suspiciously. Why did Yan Chen seem more tolerant of him after their argument?

In the end, the two of them went to eat in the county.

Before leaving, Yan Chen asked Qing Ran if she needed him to find an opportunity to help her get back the money from her adoptive father.

Qingran flatly refused, saying she didn't want to waste her time on these people.

If it weren't for wanting to see Yan Chen's expression change, he wouldn't have even come to this wedding banquet. He didn't want to get involved with these people in the first place.

Yan Chen stared at him for a while, confirming that he truly didn't care about money.

In the afternoon, the two had planned to go house hunting.

However, when passing by the cinema, Qingran saw a promotional poster posted outside the cinema, which showed a foreign man and woman standing on the bow of a ship hugging each other from behind.

Remembering that she hadn't seen a movie since she transmigrated, Qingran changed her mind on the spot.

The movie ended around 4 PM, and it was already a bit late to go look at apartments then.

Qingran was thinking about what to do to kill time before going back after dinner when Wang Lei suddenly called.

—I've got it, I should buy Yan Chen a cell phone.

He answered the phone: "Finished work early today?" The fact that he could make a call meant that Wang Lei had at least come down the mountain.

They usually finish work in another hour, and it takes another hour to get down the mountain, which is usually around 6 p.m.

Hearing his question, Wang Lei's voice sounded weak on the other end: "Yes, I just came out after selling mushrooms."

Qingran casually asked, "How many did you sell?"

Wang Lei paused for a moment, then said, "...80."

Although 80 isn't a small amount, it's a story of someone who once earned over a thousand a day. As the saying goes, "Having seen the ocean, other waters seem insignificant; having beheld the clouds of Wushan, other clouds seem pale in comparison." Sigh!

[Hahahahahahahahahaha!] Unnoticed by anyone, the system laughed wildly.

Qingran: "...That's right, it's probably because it hasn't rained for several days, which has affected the mushroom yield."

Wang Lei asked expectantly, "Really?"

Qingran: "It's fake, I'm just trying to comfort you."

Wang Lei: "..."

System: [Hahahahahahahahahaha!]

“It’s okay, you can pick them up together tomorrow anyway,” Wang Lei said firmly. “You two are still having a feast at your relatives’ house.”

Qingran glanced at the man coming out of the print shop: "No, in the county town."

Wang Lei: "Then let's meet up."

The two agreed to meet at the ice jelly stall.

The three of them each ordered a bowl of ice jelly, which was crystal clear and topped with thick, brown sugar syrup.

Yan Chen added one spoonful, Wang Lei added three spoonfuls, and Qing Ran added five spoonfuls and still didn't stop.

Seeing that the sugar water in Qingran's bowl was almost overflowing, Yan Chen took away the spoon he was using to add sugar: "Eating too much sugar is bad for your health."

Wang Lei, who was slurping his ice jelly, felt a chill run down his spine. "Did I just get a static shock?"

He rubbed his arms and said, "Old Zhou, you said you two want to rent a place in the county town?"

"Hmm, but it seems I don't have time to look at houses."

The sweet and refreshing ice jelly melted in her mouth. Qingran squinted her eyes slightly as she drank it. Indeed, the best food is the kind that you don't have to do yourself.

Wang Lei: "This is simple. Meimei recently graduated but hasn't found a job yet. Tell me your requirements and I'll ask her to help me find one."

Then he'll secretly give his girlfriend a red envelope, saying it's from Lao Zhou. Meimei will definitely be willing to take on jobs to earn some pocket money.

Qingran thought for a moment and said, "That works too." Then she asked the man to state his conditions.

Yan Chen had just opened his mouth.

Wang Lei: "Wait a minute." He quickly took out his phone, found the recording function, and turned it on: "Okay, go ahead and say it."

After chatting and drinking ice jelly, the three of them had dinner together.

The restaurant was a home-style restaurant serving delicious and inexpensive dishes. This time, Wang Lei insisted on treating everyone and paid the bill.

"Consider it a thank you for helping your brother make money," he said.

Qingran didn't care who was paying: "It's up to you. Ah Chen and I have some things to do, so we'll be going now."

Wang Lei: "..."

Tch, you don't care about your brothers now that you have a girlfriend.

He waved his hand repeatedly, seemingly oblivious, saying, "Go, go, go quickly." He acted as if no one had a girlfriend.

"See you tomorrow." Yan Chen nodded slightly to him.

The two parties then parted ways.

As dusk fell, the entire county was enveloped in the descending twilight, the setting sun melting into gold, and the evening clouds merging into a perfect harmony.

A leaf swirled in the wind.

A man exuding a carefree air bent down to step on something, the afterglow of the setting sun outlining his silhouette. The scene was beautiful, like a faded photograph carrying precious memories.

Yan Chen felt a little regretful that he couldn't capture his lover's back view at this moment. After a while, he asked, "Is there anything else we need to do?"

Qingran gave up on the leaf, turned around and smiled: "Do you want to buy a cell phone? It'll be easier to keep in touch."

After careful consideration, Yan Chen declined: "There's no need. We're together most of the time, so finding you is the same as finding me."

Moreover, he had no one else to contact besides Qingran.

Qingran didn't insist: "Okay, I'll let you know as soon as the police station calls."

Finding that Qingran cared about this matter even more than he did, Yan Chen didn't want him to feel burdened: "It's okay if we don't get any news. We'll go to Beijing together once we've saved enough money."

"You're taking me with you?"

Sensing the surprise in his voice, the man's cold features softened in the twilight, revealing a gentler side.

He said, "If you'd like."

"Of course I'd like to." Qingran smiled, her eyes crinkling, her smile bright and unrestrained.

I'm afraid you'll regret it later.

A note from the author: