Chapter 357: I Can Fit Into Your World

Wang Tian De's gaze had just landed on Zhao Yuyan's face when his steps abruptly halted, his whole body freezing in place—

The woman before him wore a black dress, her demeanor cold and striking with an oppressive aura; the contour of her brows and eyes inexplicably felt familiar, yet he couldn't recall where he had seen her.

He frowned, staring at Zhao Yuyan's brows and eyes, repeatedly sizing her up, his mind racing through memories: Was it a banquet on the road? Or a headquarters meeting? Hmm? Why does this woman seem so familiar?

Zhao Yuyan was also looking at Wang Tian De; her gaze swept over the dragon tattoo on his forearm, then landed on the Nine Heaven Nightclub badge pinned to his chest, her eyebrows slightly raising.

His attire and insignia gave him a sense of familiarity, as if he were some person in charge under Nine Honors International.

Before Wang Tian De could figure it out, Zhao Yuyan spoke first, the corner of her mouth curling into a cold arc, her voice tinged with undisguised mockery: "Oh, so it's you, Wang Tian De."

She took half a step forward, her black stiletto heels clicking on the ground, her voice icy as ice: "Did you not even recognize Miss?"

With a "buzz," it felt as if thunder exploded in Wang Tian De's mind; the three words "Miss" instantly matched the figure in his memory.

Isn't this woman Zhao Yuyan, the Eldest Miss of Nine Honors International!

Holy shit!

Wang Tian De's mind went completely blank!

His body shuddered violently, cold sweat instantly beading on his back; the previous ferocious aura vanished, his legs went weak, and with a "thud" he fell straight to his knees, his head nearly touching the ground, not daring to breathe.

Beside him, his cousin Wang Lei was utterly stunned, unable to help but lift his head and widen his eyes—

What's going on? Just moments ago, his elder cousin was furious, wanting to avenge himself, yet now he suddenly knelt before this woman?

The henchmen who had followed also panicked, several steel pipes clattering to the ground with a "crackling" sound.

These henchmen also recognized Zhao Yuyan's identity as the Eldest Miss.

One after another, the henchmen all knelt down on the ground, the scene truly shocking.

Wang Lei watched his elder cousin kneeling on the ground, then glanced at the terrified henchmen around him who dared not move; he was completely bewildered, his lips trembling, his voice choked with tears and confusion:

"Elder cousin, what… what are you doing kneeling? Weren't we here to rescue me?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Tian De trembled with rage throughout his body!

Wang Tian De scraped his knees on the ground as he crawled forward two steps, then grabbed Wang Lei's collar and swung left and right!

"Pa-pa-pa"

Several sharp slaps landed on Wang Lei's face, instantly reddening and swelling his cheeks.

"Rescue you? I think you're trying to get me killed! Trying to get the brothers of Nine Honors International killed!"

Wang Tian De roared, spit flying onto Wang Lei's face, his eyes full of exasperated fury: "You dare offend even our Miss Zhao—are you tired of living?"

Wang Lei, dazed and ringing in the ears, clutched his burning cheeks, his mind blank, instinctively retorting: "Miss Zhao? What Miss Zhao? I… I don't know her!"

"You still dare to say you don't know her?" Wang Tian De, furious and about to strike again, was held back by his own reason; he instead pointed at Zhao Yuyan, his voice full of reverence:

"This is the Eldest Miss of our Nine Honors International, Zhao Yuyan, Miss Zhao! You've swallowed a leopard's gall, daring to bring people to block Miss Zhao and Mr. Lin, and even dare to say you'll 'take care of' Miss Zhao?!"

Upon hearing the words "Eldest Miss of Nine Honors International," Wang Lei's pupils contracted sharply, as if struck by lightning, freezing him in place!

Only then did Wang Lei fully realize the magnitude of the person he had provoked! This woman was actually the renowned Eldest Miss of Nine Honors International?!

No wonder she had a gun on her!

This woman is truly a gangster's heiress!!

Wang Lei trembled as he kowtowed, tears and snot streaming down: "Miss Zhao! I was wrong! I really was wrong! Please spare me!"

Zhao Yuyan's lips curled into a amused cold smile, her fingertips lightly twirling the hair behind her ear: "The elder cousin you claimed could back you up turns out to be my subordinate? Hah, this world really is small, a coincidence bordering on the ridiculous."

Hearing this, Elder Cousin Wang Tian De broke out in a cold sweat on his back, sprang up from the ground, seized Wang Lei's collar, and swung his hand to strike his face—

"Pa! Pa! Pa!"

The sharp slap sounds echoed in the parking lot, each delivered with full force.

"You blind fool! Dare to provoke Miss Zhao—I see you're tired of living!" Wang Tian De shouted while striking, his fists repeatedly pounding Wang Lei's back, beating him until he grimaced.

Wang Lei, beaten into a daze, tears mixed with nasal blood streaming down, curled up on the ground in pain… breaking down and begging for mercy.

Wang Lei was beaten half to death by his elder cousin, his face covered in blood, miserable beyond compare.

Elder Cousin Wang Tian De caught his breath, then grabbed Wang Lei again, forcibly pressing him to the ground toward Zhao Yuyan and Lin Yuan's direction:

"Kneel properly! Hurry up and kowtow to apologize to Miss Zhao and Mr. Lin! If you show the slightest insincerity, I'll cripple you today!"

Wang Lei's knees ached from being pressed down, yet he dared not resist; he could only kowtow tremblingly, his forehead hitting the ground with a "thud-thud" sound!

Wang Lei kept pleading: "Miss Zhao! Mr. Lin! I was wrong! I truly know I was wrong! Please, be magnanimous and spare me this once!"

Lin Yuan stood to the side, watching the farce before him, his brows slightly furrowed.

Zhao Yuyan watched Wang Tian De scold his cousin.

Seeing Wang Lei beaten so miserably he was almost knocked unconscious,

she then stepped forward, her black stiletto heels stopping in front of Wang Lei.

Zhao Yuyan looked down at him, her tone suddenly turning cold: "You're Wang Lei, right? Will you still dare to cause trouble for Lin Yuan in the future?"

Wang Lei shrank back in fear, kowtowing even harder, his forehead splitting open with blood, crying out:

"I dare not! Absolutely not! From now on, when I see Mr. Lin I'll detour, and I'll never again harbor any ill intentions! Please spare my life, Miss Zhao!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuyan gave a slight nod, her tone carrying an undeniable authority:

"Remember your words—Lin Yuan is my man, Zhao Yuyan. Today, if you entertained thoughts you shouldn't have, you're opposing me and all of Nine Honors International; this time, out of respect for Wang Tian De, I'll spare your life."

Wang Tian De hastily pulled his cousin and thanked Zhao Yuyan.

"Thank you, Miss Zhao! I will surely discipline this good-for-nothing cousin!" Wang Tian De said, bowing tremblingly.

"Alright, don't disturb my date—hurry up and get lost?" Zhao Yuyan said coldly.

Wang Tian De then pulled his cousin to leave.

Zhao Yuyan suddenly said, "Didn't you hear me clearly? I said, 'Get lost'! Roll from here to the front of your van—don't let me see you stand up and take a single step."

Zhao Yuyan deliberately emphasized the word "roll"!

Wang Lei dared not resist in the slightest, quickly curling his body into a ball and rolling on the ground!

The concrete ground rubbed his arms and knees raw, yet he didn't dare utter a groan, rolling all the way to the van before he could brace himself against the vehicle and slowly climb up, not daring to lift his head to look even once throughout the ordeal.

Zhao Yuyan had dealt with Wang Lei, then turned her gaze to Wang Tian De, who was still kneeling on the ground, her voice devoid of any warmth.

"You're no different; as my subordinate, you failed to keep your cousin in check and even let him provoke my people—so get out of here crawling."

Wang Tian De's face turned ashen; he didn't dare utter even half a sentence of defense, quickly imitating Wang Lei by flopping onto the ground and rolling toward his own car, his suit coated in dust, the former arrogance he once had on the road completely gone, leaving only embarrassment and fear.

When Wang Tian De and Wang Lei rolled to the side of the van, both of their arms and knees were rubbed raw and bleeding.

Wang Tian De leaned on the car door, staggering as he climbed in, but not forgetting to glare back at Wang Lei, his voice hoarse as he shouted: "What are you standing there for? Get in the van! How long do you want to embarrass yourself here?"

Wang Lei gritted his teeth, enduring the pain all over his body, using both hands and feet to crawl into the van…

Finally, several vans sped away from the scene…

Zhao Yuyan watched the convoy disappear, let out a light scoff, turned to Lin Yuan, her tone instantly softening with a touch of playfulness: "Alright, the annoying flies are gone; let's continue our date."

She paused, her eyes filled with nostalgia: "But the food at outside restaurants always seems lacking in flavor; your last braised pork was delicious—how about we go to your place for a meal, and you cook it for me?"

Lin Yuan instinctively frowned and quickly waved his hands in refusal: "No, I don't have any vegetables at home, nothing prepared—I can't cook."

"What's there to fear about no vegetables?" Zhao Yuyan grabbed Lin Yuan's wrist directly, her fingertips cool, her tone leaving no room for refusal: "Let's go buy vegetables at the market right now—it's conveniently close."

Lin Yuan wanted to say more, but Zhao Yuyan had already pulled him toward the roadside, her black stiletto heels clicking lightly on the sidewalk as she walked briskly.

He could only follow helplessly, a strange feeling rising in his heart.

As soon as the two entered the vegetable market, the noisy clamor of people and vendors' shouts hit them, the fresh scent of vegetables mingling with the fishy smell of the meat stalls, full of everyday life.

Zhao Yuyan didn't mind at all, dragging Lin Yuan straight to the vegetable stall, she picked up a bunch of greens and examined it carefully, then haggled with the vendor: "Boss, how much for this greens? Two fifty per jin is too expensive—make it cheaper, two yuan and I'll take the whole lot."

The vendor looked at Zhao Yuyan's refined attire, then glanced at Lin Yuan beside her, and joked with a smile: "What good fortune, young man—your girlfriend is gorgeous and knows how to manage a household; two yuan it is, I'll give it to you."

Lin Yuan's face flushed instantly, and he hurriedly waved his hands to explain: "Boss, you've misunderstood—we're just friends, not a couple."

The vendor merely laughed and shook his head: "Friends aren't that close—look, the lady is still holding your hand; don't be shy."

Zhao Yuyan stood to the side, not refuting him; instead, she tilted her head to look at Lin Yuan, the corner of her mouth curling into a sly smile, her eyes full of teasing, as if she were enjoying his flustered state.

After buying the greens, they went to the meat stall; the vendor likewise misunderstood their relationship, and while slicing meat he said: "Miss, you have good taste—this young man looks reliable, he'll surely treat you well in the future."

This time Lin Yuan simply gave up explaining, let out a helpless sigh, watched Zhao Yuyan smirking on the side, feeling both annoyed and resigned.

The two bought two large bags full of vegetables, meat, and fruit; Zhao Yuyan carried one bag, Lin Yuan the other, and they headed toward Shidai Gongyu.

On the way, Zhao Yuyan suddenly remarked: "What those vendors said earlier wasn't wrong either—buying groceries together like this really does look like a couple."

Lin Yuan's steps faltered; he glanced sideways at her, but seeing Zhao Yuyan's eyes bright and earnest, he quickly looked away, his tone a bit unnatural: "Don't talk nonsense—we're just friends."

Zhao Yuyan noticed the redness at the tip of his ears, gave a light laugh, didn't pursue the topic further, but her steps unconsciously drifted closer to him, their arms occasionally brushing, bringing a faint warmth.

Soon they arrived at the building where Lin Yuan lived; Zhao Yuyan looked up at the apartment block, her tone eager: "Hurry up, I can't wait to taste your cooking."

Lin Yuan carried the bags, shook his head helplessly, could only lead Zhao Yuyan upstairs, while thinking to himself: "After this, it'll probably be even harder to draw a clear line between us."

Lin Yuan hauled the plastic bags full of vegetables, opened the apartment door, Zhao Yuyan followed behind, peeking in to survey the simple decor, her fingertip lightly touching the gray sofa in the living room: "Your place looks quite clean."

Lin Yuan put the vegetables in the kitchen, rolled up his shirt sleeves, turned to Zhao Yuyan and said: "Wait in the living room; I'll prepare the ingredients first—we'll be eating soon."

Zhao Yuyan didn't go to the living room; instead, she lingered at the kitchen doorway, watching Lin Yuan pull out a cutting board and knife, then voluntarily picked up a tomato: "Let me wash the tomato for you—I can't let you work alone."

As she washed the tomato, water droplets splashed onto the back of her hand; Lin Yuan caught a glimpse and instinctively handed her a kitchen paper towel, his tone slightly uneasy: "Be careful, don't get your clothes wet."

Zhao Yuyan took the paper towel, the corner of her mouth twitching into a secret smile, she watched Lin Yuan skillfully chop vegetables and drop them into the pot, oil sputtering in the pan, soon the aroma of stir-fried green pepper and shredded pork wafted out, her gaze gradually softening.

Forty minutes later, two dishes and a soup were set on the table—stir-fried green pepper with shredded pork, tomato scrambled eggs, and a bowl of seaweed egg flower soup—all homestyle flavors; Zhao Yuyan picked up her chopsticks, took a bite, and her eyes lit up: "Your cooking beats the chef I hired; if I'd known earlier, I'd be coming over for free meals all the time."

Lin Yuan didn't respond, took two bites of rice, set down his chopsticks, and spoke with a serious, somewhat stiff tone:

"Miss Zhao, I've actually wanted to tell you this for a while—I don't want to have too much involvement with you; I'm a member of the Divine Phoenix Group, so there's no possibility between us. Besides, I'm now focused solely on working and making money, so… could you please… let me go?"

Zhao Yuyan's chopsticks stalled mid-air, the smile on her face fading bit by bit; she fell silent for a few seconds, her eye sockets suddenly reddened, and large tears spilled out unbidden, striking the edge of the plate with a faint sound.

Lin Yuan panicked instantly—he had never seen Zhao Yuyan cry before—fumbling, he grabbed a few paper towels and thrust them at her, his voice also flustered: "Why are you crying?"

"Lin Yuan, am I really that hateful to you?" Zhao Yuyan wept tears like rain, her face a picture of sorrowful beauty.

Lin Yuan hurriedly explained: "I don't mean it that way—I just… I just feel that we're not from the same world… do you understand?"

Zhao Yuyan suddenly rose to her feet, both hands gripping Lin Yuan's arms, lifting her face to look at him, tears still hanging from her lashes.

"It doesn't matter if we're from different worlds—I can blend into yours… become yours…" She suddenly rose onto her tiptoes, her breathtaking red lips pressing against Lin Yuan's.