Chapter 329: Liu Ruyan called! Zhong Lingyin panicked!
Shen Anyu did not make any excessive moves at this time, despite his inner joy. He knew when to push and when to let the atmosphere do the work. He simply held her, his hand resting reassuringly on her back, radiating warmth and safety.
The atmosphere in the car instantly turned quiet and warm, a stark contrast to the violence and chaos they had just escaped. The engine purred softly, a low hum that vibrated through the seats. Outside, the city lights blurred past, but inside, it felt like a secluded world of their own.
At this moment, Zhong Lingyin did not struggle or resist in the slightest. The adrenaline crash left her feeling vulnerable and soft. She leaned against his chest, listening to the steady, powerful rhythm of his heartbeat. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. It was a hypnotic sound.
Subconsciously, she felt this might be their last hug, a stolen moment before reality came crashing back down. So, she allowed herself this indulgence. She even unconsciously pressed closer, her body molding to his.
Her beautiful eyes closed, her long eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks like resting butterflies. Her delicate nose slightly flared as she inhaled deeply. She seemed to want to feel more of Shen Anyu's scent—a intoxicating mix of cool mint, masculine musk, and the faint metallic tang of ozone from his power. It was a scent that made her dizzy.
[Ding! Detected destiny value +3 from the destined heroine Zhong Lingyin, plundering +9000 destiny value!]
Shen Anyu smiled, his fingers idly playing with a strand of her silky hair. He was enjoying the moment, the feeling of conquest.
Ding-a-ling-ling!
Just then, a sudden, shrill phone ring broke the quiet and warm atmosphere. It was like a shard of glass shattering the peaceful silence.
Zhong Lingyin jumped as if she had been electrocuted. She immediately opened her beautiful eyes, her pupils constricting with alarm. She fumbled for her bag, her hands shaking.
When her gaze swept over the caller ID on the lit-up screen, the blood drained from her face instantly. Her complexion turned pale, as if she had seen a ghost.
"It's... it's a call from Second Senior Sister!"
Her voice trembled, barely a whisper. The name "Second Senior Sister" hung in the air like an accusation.
Zhong Lingyin looked at Shen Anyu with a panicked expression, flustered and at a loss. She looked like a child caught stealing candy, or rather, a woman caught stealing her sister's husband. Guilt, shame, and fear washed over her in a tidal wave.
"What do I do? What do I do?" she whispered frantically, staring at the ringing phone as if it were a bomb. "If I answer... she'll hear... she'll know..."
"Don't worry," Shen Anyu calmly comforted Zhong Lingyin. His voice was steady, an anchor in her storm. He reached out and took the phone from her trembling hands.
He had always had extensive experience with such matters. A villain's life was full of juggling secrets and lies; this was child's play to him.
Shen Anyu looked at the screen. The name "Sister Ruyan" flashed urgently.
He handed it back to her, his eyes locking onto hers with a commanding calmness. "Answer it. If you don't answer, she will only worry more. Don't worry, Liu Ruyan doesn't know about us. Act natural."
As Shen Anyu's words fell, Zhong Lingyin took the phone, her fingers cold.
Even the good-tempered Zhong Lingyin couldn't help but roll her eyes at Shen Anyu in exasperation. Act natural? How can I act natural when I'm in your arms, after what we just did?
And why did his reassurance sound so... practiced? Like a scoundrel used to cheating?
But she had no choice. The phone kept ringing, demanding attention.
Zhong Lingyin took several deep breaths, trying to steady her racing heart. She cleared her throat, forcing a normal tone, and swiped to answer.
"Second Senior Sister... what's wrong?" she asked, her voice slightly higher than usual.
"Lingyin! Thank god you answered!" Liu Ruyan's voice came through the speaker, loud and anxious. "I received news that someone has put a one-billion-dollar bounty on your kidnapping! It's all over the dark web!"
"In the international Dark World, countless assassins and mercenaries are going crazy because of it. It's a bloodbath waiting to happen!"
"Your Fourth Senior Sister has already rushed to save you, and I'm also setting out from the company right now. Where are you? Are you safe?"
"You find a safe place to stay for now; don't think about the concert, okay? Cancel it! Safety comes first..."
Listening to Second Senior Sister Liu Ruyan's worried, frantic words, Zhong Lingyin felt a pang in her chest. Her eyes welled up with tears.
She felt both touched and incredibly guilty.
Second Senior Sister Liu Ruyan cared about her so much. She was dropping everything, putting herself in danger, just to ensure Zhong Lingyin's safety. She was the best sister in the world.
Yet she, Zhong Lingyin, was doing that kind of thing with Second Senior Sister Liu Ruyan's man. She was betraying that love and trust in the worst possible way.
I am simply not human, she thought, hating herself. I am a bad woman.
She clenched her free hand into a fist, digging her nails into her palm to ground herself.
She absolutely couldn't make the same mistake twice; she must not have any more involvement with Second Brother-in-law in the future. This ends today.
Zhong Lingyin thought guiltily, resolving to cut ties the moment she was safe.
"Don't worry, Lingyin is fine and safe now," Shen Anyu suddenly said.
His voice was calm, loud enough to be picked up by the microphone.
Silence!
At this moment, whether inside the car or on the other end of the phone, a strange, heavy silence fell. The air seemed to freeze.
Zhong Lingyin's beautiful eyes widened to their limit, full of shock and disbelief. She looked at Shen Anyu, her mouth agape. She never expected him to speak out! Was he crazy?!
Does he want to kill me?
She couldn't imagine how heartbroken and furious Second Senior Sister would be if she knew about her and Shen Anyu being together like this. It would destroy their sisterhood!
Meanwhile, Liu Ruyan on the other end of the phone was also instantly stunned when she heard Shen Anyu's voice. That familiar, magnetic baritone... there was no mistaking it.
Shen Anyu?
How could Shen Anyu be with Fifth Junior Sister Zhong Lingyin? He was supposed to be in Modu!
What was going on?
"Shen Anyu?" Liu Ruyan's voice changed. It became sharp, suspicious. "How are you with my Fifth Junior Sister Zhong Lingyin? Why are you there?"
Liu Ruyan sounded a bit anxious, and a bit possessive.
Could it be that this scoundrel Shen Anyu wanted to harm her Fifth Junior Sister again? He was a playboy, a collector of beauties. Did he target Lingyin?
Shen Anyu smiled. He saw the sheer terror on Zhong Lingyin's face and winked at her, signaling her not to panic.
He calmly said into the phone, his tone relaxed and convincing, "I just arrived in Sakura Country for a business trip. Pure coincidence. I happened to be nearby and encountered Zhong Lingyin being pursued by some thugs."
"Seeing her looks, I actually thought it was you at first, Ruyan. I thought you had come to surprise me. So I rushed in to rescue her."
"With me by her side, no one can harm her. The assassins have been dealt with."
Hearing Shen Anyu's words, Liu Ruyan on the other end of the phone scoffed. Thought it was me? Smooth talker.
She secretly thought Shen Anyu was conceited and full of himself, trying to score points with her. But despite her annoyance, she also truly breathed a sigh of relief. The tension in her shoulders released.
She knew Shen Anyu's strength. She had seen the aftermath of the battle between Shen Anyu and Tian Yunzi that night—the shattered earth, the terrifying traces of power. He was a monster in human skin.
With Shen Anyu there, physically protecting her, Fifth Junior Sister Zhong Lingyin's safety was indeed not a problem. No assassin could touch her.
However, Liu Ruyan was very worried about another kind of safety.
She bit her lip. That man is a wolf.
She couldn't let Shen Anyu harm Fifth Junior Sister Zhong Lingyin. Lingyin was innocent, pure as a sheet of white paper. She wouldn't stand a chance against Shen Anyu's tricks.
Thinking of this, Liu Ruyan changed her tone. She made her voice sweet, sugary, but with a hidden warning.
"Good An'yu, thank you for saving my Fifth Junior Sister Zhong Lingyin. You are truly a hero saving the beauty."
"I'll reward you well when you come back," she purred, the implication clear.
Then, her voice sharpened slightly as she addressed her sister.
"Fifth Junior Sister, isn't your Second Brother-in-law great? Handsome, powerful, and rich!"
"But... you mustn't have any improper thoughts. He is your Second Brother-in-law after all. He belongs to me. Understood?"
In Liu Ruyan's opinion, as long as she reminded her of this boundary, with Fifth Junior Sister Zhong Lingyin's traditional character and gentle personality, she definitely wouldn't actively do anything with Shen Anyu. She would respect the relationship.
And based on her understanding of Shen Anyu, while he was a flirt, he wouldn't force himself on her sister if she resisted.
Zhong Lingyin, hearing this, felt like she had been slapped. The guilt intensified ten-fold.
"I... I know, Senior Sister," she stammered, her face burning. "I won't... I know."
Shen Anyu watched Zhong Lingyin squirm. Her distress was palpable, her face a lovely shade of crimson. It ignited a playful, sadistic streak in him.
His eyes held a mischievous smile as he suddenly spoke again, interrupting the sisterly warning.
"Liu Ruyan, I need to tell you something. Actually, Lingyin and I..."
He paused deliberately.
"We..."
Before Shen Anyu could finish his sentence, Zhong Lingyin's pretty face panicked completely. Her eyes widened in horror.
He's going to say it! He's going to tell her!
Panic overrode all reason. She couldn't let him speak.
She quickly reached out to grab the phone, her movements frantic. But Shen Anyu raised his hand effortlessly, keeping it out of reach.
In her desperation, she didn't think. She pounced on Shen Anyu, throwing her entire body weight at him to cover his mouth or snatch the device.
She pushed him back onto the driver's seat, straddling his lap in her haste, her hands clamping over his mouth.
"Mmph!"
"What's wrong?"
Liu Ruyan on the other end of the phone immediately sensed something was amiss. The sudden shuffling, the muffled sounds.
"Shen Anyu? Lingyin?"
As her words fell, Zhong Lingyin's movements instantly froze.
She realized her position. She was straddling him. Her hands were on his face. Their bodies were pressed together intimately in the confined space of the sports car.
Her beautiful eyes pleaded with Shen Anyu, shining with tears. She shook her head repeatedly, mouthing the word "Please." Signaling him not to reveal their secret. Please, don't destroy me.
"Shen Anyu, what's wrong with you and my Fifth Junior Sister Zhong Lingyin? Why did you stop talking?"
On the other end of the phone, Liu Ruyan's voice grew more urgent, suspicious. "Are you bullying her?"
Shen Anyu could clearly feel Zhong Lingyin's beautiful eyes instantly redden, on the verge of tears from anxiety. Her soft body was trembling against his. The scent of her fear and her perfume mixed into a heady fragrance.
At this moment, he realized with a dark thrill, if he asked Zhong Lingyin to do anything right now in exchange for his silence, she would probably be willing to do it.
Talking on the phone with the girlfriend while being intimate with the sister...
This classic anime trope gave a strong sense of déjà vu. It was tempting. Incredibly tempting.
But Shen Anyu was a "true gentleman" (at least in his own twisted code). He decided to show mercy—for now. The fear was enough seasoning.
Shen Anyu gently peeled her hand from his mouth. He held the phone to his ear, his other hand resting on her waist to steady her.
He smiled at her, a reassuring, conspiring smile.
"Nothing," he said into the phone, his voice steady. "Lingyin and I are just hungry. Her stomach growled."
"We've been chased for so long; we haven't had lunch yet, so we're about to go find a place to eat. The connection is a bit bad here."
Zhong Lingyin immediately breathed a massive sigh of relief upon hearing this. Her body went limp, collapsing against him. He didn't say it. He saved me.
Liu Ruyan on the other end of the phone was a bit suspicious. "Hungry? Alright. Take her to eat something good. Put it on my tab."
She trusted her Fifth Junior Sister Zhong Lingyin's character. And as for Shen Anyu's character? In Liu Ruyan's opinion, at least when it came to protecting women, he was reliable, even if he was a scoundrel otherwise.
After saying a few more words of caution, she hung up the phone.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The call ended.
Zhong Lingyin felt a great sense of relief, like surviving a catastrophe.
Then, reality rushed back in.
She looked down. She saw herself sitting on Shen Anyu's lap, her legs wrapped around his waist, her hands on his chest. Her skirt had ridden up.
Her pretty face immediately flushed a deep, beet red. It felt like steam was about to shoot out of her ears.
"Ah!"
She cried out softly and quickly tried to scramble off him. She moved back to the passenger seat, smoothing her dress frantically, fixing her hair, trying to regain some shred of dignity.
That phone call just now made her feel like she was sitting on pins and needles, wanting to find a crack in the floor of the car to crawl into and never come out.
Fortunately, Second Senior Sister Liu Ruyan didn't suspect anything. The secret was safe.
But the guilt remained.
She sat there, staring out the window, her chest heaving. After a long silence, she turned to him. Her expression was resolute, sad, and determined.
"Second Brother-in-law..."
"Thank you for not telling her. But..."
"Let's end things between us completely. Right here, right now."
Zhong Lingyin said to Shen Anyu, taking a deep breath to steady her voice.
"I don't want to hurt Second Senior Sister. I can't do this anymore. Please, respect my decision."
She looked at him, waiting for his agreement, waiting for him to let her go.
But Shen Anyu didn't speak. He just looked at her, his eyes dark and unreadable.
Suddenly, he moved.
"Ah!"
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