Volume One, Chapter Seventy-One: Release

Jiang Wan was trembling with fury. Yet Lu Wenzhou held her from behind, forcing his way to the end.

"Lu Wenzhou! You—" Jiang Wan tried to curse him, but before she could, Shen Xinghe’s voice came from not far away.

"Where did Jiang Wan go? Why hasn’t she come back after so long?"

On the stone path before the small cabin, Shen Xinghe and three other employees from the Jiang Corporation were approaching from a distance. Soon, they would be passing right by the cabin.

The words that had already risen to Jiang Wan’s throat were forcibly swallowed back. She bit her lip hard, stifling any sound.

"By the way, did she really get married? Do you guys know who her husband is?"

"Of course! The Gu family is a famous household in Rong City. Young Master Gu fell for our President Jiang at first sight and pursued her with such fervor that the whole city heard about it."

"Yes, we all witnessed their love. Young Master Gu treats President Jiang so well—he’s completely devoted, afraid she’ll break if he holds her too tightly, or melt if he speaks too sweetly."

"No way, seriously? Well, Jiang Wan is indeed amazing—her looks alone are out of this world."

Shen Xinghe and the others’ conversation was carried by the wind straight into the small cabin, falling clearly into the ears of the two inside.

The man, who had been motionless, suddenly seemed provoked. He acted with renewed intensity, as if determined to prove who she truly belonged to.

Caught off balance, Jiang Wan’s hands were forced against the wooden wall in front of her.

A faint, abrupt noise made Shen Xinghe stop in her tracks on the path outside.

"Did you hear something just now?"

"Hm? I didn’t hear anything."

Shen Xinghe glanced at the cabin. The decorative little building was narrow, its open door shrouded in darkness, set a few meters away in the woods—a chill seemed to seep out even from a distance.

"Let’s go, let’s go! Hurry up!" Shen Xinghe shivered suddenly. Not daring to investigate further, she hurriedly ushered the others away.

Soon, their figures disappeared from view.

But the atmosphere inside the cabin did not improve.

The man’s burning body and icy aura wrapped Jiang Wan in two opposing forces.

With his overwhelming strength, Lu Wenzhou once again took the upper hand. Jiang Wan was powerless to resist, left only to be thoroughly consumed by him.

At last, his face was grim, eyes tinged red. "You are mine."

Lu Wenzhou, behind her, spoke each word hoarsely, his voice low and rough. His long arms pulled her tightly into his embrace, as if he wished to fuse her into his own blood and flesh.

His intense possessiveness was undeniable. Yet Jiang Wan only gave a cold, mocking laugh.

"Yours? What exactly?" She faced away from him, her voice low and cutting. "Can’t have Lin Zhi, so you’re using me as your outlet?"

With a single sentence, Jiang Wan snuffed out the last embers of heat in the cabin, leaving only an onslaught of cold wind.

"Lu Wenzhou, it’s becoming ever clearer to me—you are nothing but an utter bastard." She ground out each word, every syllable laced with hatred. "I must have been blind, all those years ago, to fall for you."

At her words, the man behind her froze, and the atmosphere turned to ice.

Breaking free from his supposedly tender arms, Jiang Wan quickly straightened her clothes. Once she was sure no one was around, she returned to the lawn.

By the time she rejoined the group, the game had ended and the bonfire had died down. Only a few glowing embers remained, flickering weakly in the breeze.

"Hey? Jiang Wan?" Shen Xinghe looked puzzled when she saw her return. "Which restroom did you go to? We didn’t see you anywhere."

"I just wandered around a bit to clear my head," Jiang Wan replied offhandedly.

It was getting late. The event planner suggested returning to the resort to arrange rooms for the night. Everyone was talking about walking back to their lodging.

Before they could disperse, Lu Wenzhou appeared once more, his face dark and his suit slightly disheveled, his mood clearly sour.

"Why are you still here? I thought you’d gone to coax your girlfr—" Shen Xinghe’s sentence was cut short as Lu Wenzhou strode over, grabbed him by the back of his collar, and walked him in the opposite direction from the group.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Shen Xinghe protested, trying to wriggle free.

Everyone watched in confusion as Lu Wenzhou dragged Shen Xinghe off like a kitten.

"I’m taking you back," Lu Wenzhou said, leaving no room for argument.

"Who said I wanted to go? I’m with Jiang Wan’s team, I—"

"Shut up." The two words, impatient and full of menace, cut him off.

Faced with Lu Wenzhou’s cold authority, Shen Xinghe, though frowning in confusion, finally stopped struggling and allowed himself to be led away.

Eventually, under Lu Wenzhou’s direction, he was stuffed into the back seat of the Rolls-Royce.

"What’s your problem?" Shen Xinghe demanded as Lu Wenzhou let go, fixing him with a glare from inside the car.

Lu Wenzhou looked down at him, his expression so cold and grim it seemed he might destroy the world.

"What did I do to you? You’ve been targeting me all day. Still holding grudges like you did when we were kids," Shen Xinghe muttered.

Lu Wenzhou ignored him.

"Stay away from Jiang Wan," he ordered coldly. "Go back abroad. Mind your own business."

"Seriously?" Shen Xinghe protested. "Why? Is Rong City your private property? If you can stay, why can’t I? And even if it was your home—I’ve lived there before too!"

He spoke with conviction, showing no sign of cowing to Lu Wenzhou.

Determination flashed in his almond-shaped eyes, reflecting his resolve to stay.

Lu Wenzhou’s face grew darker, his presence turning chillier still. From inside the car, Shen Xinghe looked at him, suspicion narrowing his gaze at Lu Wenzhou’s shifting expression.

"Wenzhou, what are you really doing in Rong City?" Shen Xinghe’s tone grew serious, his usual levity replaced with concern. "And what about that so-called girlfriend? I don’t believe you’d ever like her. Is this a Lu family…"

Before he could finish, Lu Wenzhou cut him off, his face grim.

"The affairs of the Lu family are none of your concern."

With that, he shut the car door without a word and signaled Qi Mo to drive.

"Hey," Shen Xinghe called, lowering the window and poking his head out. "What’s really going on with your family? I heard your mother, two years ago…"

His words were lost in the distance as the Rolls-Royce drove away.

Lu Wenzhou stood where he was, watching the car recede. At Shen Xinghe’s mention, ice seemed to crust over in his eyes.

The air around him grew even darker, more oppressive.

Jaw clenched, his pitch-black gaze glinted with a cruel, blood-red light.