Lin Xihe froze on the spot, her face turning deathly pale. Her lips trembled as she managed to squeeze out a few words: "You... how did you get here..."
Mu Ruoyan stood there, exuding a chilling aura, her eyes, as cold as a deep pool, fixed on Lin Xihe: "What? Can't I come?"
Lin Xihe felt an invisible pressure pressing down on her, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.
She tried to straighten her back and appear calm: "No, that's not what I meant."
"Come in."
Mu Ruoyan stepped aside to make way for her, his thin lips parted slightly, and his voice was as cold as the wind on a cold night, making Lin Xihe's heart tremble.
Lin Xihe clearly felt Mu Ruoyan's anger, which was like a sharp blade, making her shudder.
She instinctively clenched her hands tightly in her sleeves, her feet seemingly nailed to the spot, unable to move an inch.
She had never been so afraid of anyone before. She knew Mu Ruoyan's identity and methods; she was not someone to be trifled with.
When he let her go, he made her promise not to have anything to do with others for three months, but she failed to do so.
"What? Don't you understand what I'm saying?" Mu Ruoyan's voice grew increasingly gloomy, like a low, muffled rumble before a storm.
"If you have something to say, just say it here."
Lin Xihe's voice was so soft it was like a mosquito's buzz, her tone full of cautious negotiation.
How could she dare to go into the house with Mu Ruoyan? In her eyes, the house was like a huge cage.
Mu Ruoyan raised an eyebrow, a mocking sneer playing on her lips: "Shall we talk about it on the street? At the home of that lackey? Or in your Great Hao Imperial Palace?"
Every word Mu Ruoyan spoke was like a sharp thorn, making Lin Xihe feel flustered.
Upon hearing this, Lin Xihe bit her lower lip tightly until it turned bluish-white.
She knew all too well that Mu Ruoyan was capable of such things, and her heart was filled with despair and helplessness.
Finally, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and walk into the house step by step.
She hoped in her heart that Xu Qi was in the house. As long as there was someone there, even if it was a stranger, it would make her feel a little more at ease. At least Mu Ruoyan wouldn't do anything to her in front of others.
However, the room was deathly silent, and there was no sign of Xu Qi.
With a loud bang, the door slammed shut. Lin Xihe trembled in fright and instinctively took a few steps into the room before freezing in place, her legs feeling as heavy as lead.
Today, Mu Ruoyan was dressed in a dark black robe, his hair tied up with a jade crown. Compared to his cool and gentle appearance when they first met, he now exuded a more imposing aura, making people afraid to look him in the eye.
He strode to the soft couch not far away, sat down calmly, poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, but his gaze never left Lin Xihe, and he remained silent.
Then, he began to tap his fingers lightly on the table.
"Thump, thump, thump," each sound seemed to strike Lin Xihe's heart, throwing her into disarray time and time again.
Lin Xihe felt suffocated by the oppressive atmosphere, but she understood that Mu Ruoyan was waiting for her to speak first.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, and slowly turned to walk towards Mu Ruoyan: "Young Master Mu... what brings you to Da Hao?"
Mu Ruoyan simply looked at her quietly, his deep eyes as calm as a lake, yet it was impossible to guess what kind of undercurrents were hidden beneath.
The more he acted like this, the more flustered Lin Xihe became.
She always hated it when people remained silent and only used their eyes to intimidate her, but at this moment, she could only muster her courage and continue, "Um, I haven't congratulated you yet, you..."
Lin Xihe stopped abruptly before she could finish speaking.
Many thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant: Should she kneel down and shout "Long live the Emperor!" three times?
But he wasn't the emperor of his own country.
However, congratulating someone on ascending the throne as emperor just sounds odd no matter how you look at it...
Seeing Lin Xihe's expression, Mu Ruoyan's impatience grew stronger, and she coldly said:
"come over."
Lin Xihe hesitated for a moment, but still took a few steps forward.
Mu Ruoyan frowned slightly as he watched her actions, clearly dissatisfied, and then waved his hand again.
Lin Xihe thought to herself: Is she determined to remain silent today?
However, he remained expressionless and obediently walked up to Mu Ruoyan.
Mu Ruoyan stared at her, but the tenderness in his eyes when he looked at her had vanished without a trace.
As Lin Xihe approached, he suddenly noticed the ambiguous hickeys on her neck.
In an instant, his gaze turned icy cold. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye.
Lin Xihe immediately felt a chill run from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, sending shivers down her spine, and her breath caught in her throat for a moment.
Mu Ruoyan gently turned her small face with her slender fingers, carefully examining the marks on her neck, and then spoke. Although her voice was calm, it contained an uncontrollable chill: "Lin Xihe, you're quite capable."
Lin Xihe subconsciously took a step back, trying to break free from his hold and want to get away from him.
But Mu Ruoyan not only didn't let go, but instead increased the strength in her hand, clamping her chin tightly.
A sharp pain shot through her, and Lin Xihe couldn't help but cry out. She pushed Mu Ruoyan's hand away forcefully, shouting urgently, "Let go... let go!"
Mu Ruoyan remained unmoved, her grip tightening in the slightest. Her gaze grew even more sinister as she coldly asked, "Have you kept your promise to me?"
Lin Xihe winced in pain, her grip on Mu Ruoyan faltering as the sudden question caused her to pause.
"Did you manage to do it in three months?"
Mu Ruoyan asked again, his voice growing lower and lower, his eyes filled with a sinister glint that seemed to devour Lin Xihe.
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