Chapter 294: An Zhiyue Smiles from Ear to Ear!
"Auntie, Yan'er and I are together…"
Shen Anyu's voice was calm, steady, and filled with a warmth that sent shivers down Liu Ruyan's spine.
An Zhiyue's phoenix eyes widened at his words. The exhaustion from her mission and the worry from the recent battle vanished instantly, replaced by sheer shock.
She looked at Shen Anyu, then at the flushed and trembling Liu Ruyan, in disbelief. She never expected that her best friend of twenty years and her beloved nephew were actually together.
The silence in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Liu Ruyan was completely stunned! Her brain short-circuited.
She never expected Shen Anyu to expose this "lie"—which was actually a trap she set for herself—to An Zhiyue of all people. An Zhiyue was the white moonlight in her heart, the person she had secretly admired for many years.
It was already an impossible love, buried deep within her soul. Liu Ruyan didn't dare to say it, lest she lose her best friend forever.
But now? If An Zhiyue misunderstood her relationship with Shen Anyu, then there wouldn't even be a slim chance left. It would be a complete dead end!
Panic surged like a tidal wave. Liu Ruyan's face turned pale, and she hurriedly tried to explain, her hands waving frantically.
"Zhiyue, listen to me, it's not what you think! We are not—"
But before Liu Ruyan could finish her explanation, An Zhiyue interrupted her with a bright, understanding laugh.
"No need to explain, no need to explain! I understand, I understand!"
An Zhiyue recovered from her shock, her face beaming with smiles. It was the look of a mother who realized her foolish son had finally found a good wife, a relief that settled deep in her bones. She chuckled, stepping forward to hold Liu Ruyan's hands.
"Ruyan, it's okay! I don't object to you and An'yu being together. In fact, I support it a thousand percent! This is the best news I've heard all year!"
"I… I…"
Liu Ruyan was so anxious she almost cried. Her mouth seemed tied in knots; the more she wanted to explain, the more the words stuck in her throat. How could she explain? 'I don't like your nephew, I like you?' That would be social suicide!
An Zhiyue was a little puzzled by Liu Ruyan's extreme reaction—the pale face, the trembling lips. Then, she suddenly "understood." She patted Liu Ruyan's jade-like shoulder, her expression softening into gentle reassurance.
"Ruyan, you silly girl. Are you worried An'yu's parents won't agree because of the age gap? Or because of our friendship?"
"It's okay! Your Liu Family is also a prominent Family in the Imperial Capital, a perfect match for the Shen Family. Although you are a few years older than An'yu, a woman who is three years older than her husband brings good fortune! It's a golden brick!"
An Zhiyue's eyes sparkled with genuine happiness. "Our twenty years of friendship means I know you better than anyone. I know you are a very good person, kind, strong, and beautiful. Your Family background, strength, appearance, and character are all very well-matched with An'yu. Don't worry about my brother and sister-in-law. I will help you out! I'll talk to them!"
"I had originally wondered which lucky person would be able to marry such a good woman like you, Ruyan. I was even worried you'd stay single forever. But I never expected the lucky dog to be my own nephew! Fate is truly wonderful!"
Speaking of this, An Zhiyue winked at Shen Anyu, her eyes full of teasing smiles, as if saying, 'Good nephew, you're really something! You actually managed to win over the Ice Queen of the Imperial Capital. Auntie is proud of you!'
Shen Anyu suppressed the urge to laugh. He felt a sadistic pleasure in seeing Liu Ruyan squirm. He held Liu Ruyan's soft, cold hand tightly, preventing her from pulling away, and preempted her attempt to speak again.
"Auntie, you know Yan'er. She always felt a bit insecure because she's a few years older than me and she's your best friend. She felt awkward, so she didn't want to reveal it yet. She wanted to wait until things happen naturally, until our feelings were stable, then we can tell our parents and Family."
Shen Anyu looked at Liu Ruyan with a gaze dripping with "affection," causing goosebumps to rise on her arms.
An Zhiyue immediately understood. She looked at the night sky outside the window, realizing the atmosphere she was intruding upon.
"Ah, look at the time! It's still late night, and I'm a bit tired from the mission. I should go rest. Find a room to rest yourself, I won't disturb you two young lovebirds any longer."
She had just finished an important mission near the Demon Capital, dealing with dangerous insurgents, and hadn't had a moment to rest. Because of Liu Ruyan's notification, she knew Shen Anyu was in trouble and rushed over, burning her True Essence to get here fast. Now that she knew Shen Anyu was fine—and seemingly very happy—she was relieved and exhausted.
Seeing An Zhiyue about to leave, leaving her and Shen Anyu alone in the same room—a room with one large bed—Liu Ruyan immediately became anxious. Her survival instincts kicked in.
"Zhiyue! Don't go!" She grabbed An Zhiyue's arm like a lifeline. "I'll sleep with you! I have a lot to tell you! We haven't talked in so long!"
She decided to come clean. She would rather be scolded by An Zhiyue for lying than be bullied by Shen Anyu in the bedroom.
But An Zhiyue gave a mischievous smile, gently removing Liu Ruyan's hand.
"I won't be the bad guy and separate you two. Lest An'yu complain about me being a terrible aunt. You two have just gone through a life-and-death crisis; you need comfort."
"If you two have conflicts, resolve them yourselves. Pillow talk works wonders. If you really can't resolve them, then tell me tomorrow."
She turned to Shen Anyu, her expression serious for a moment. "An'yu, you must treat her well. You mustn't bully Yan'er too much! She is precious to me."
Saying this, An Zhiyue gave Shen Anyu an encouraging look, as if telling him to quickly seal the deal and give her a grandnephew. Then she turned, left the room, and closed the door firmly.
Bang!
The sound of the door closing echoed like a gavel sentencing Liu Ruyan to doom.
Liu Ruyan's delicate body trembled, her face losing all color. She stood there, staring at the closed door, feeling utterly betrayed by her own best friend.
Shen Anyu almost laughed out loud. As expected of his aunt, she doted on him so much; he almost wanted to give her a hundred likes for this perfect assist.
Immediately after, Shen Anyu took a few steps forward. The sound of his footsteps on the expensive carpet was soft, but to Liu Ruyan, it sounded like thunder.
Click.
He locked the door.
The sound was crisp and final.
"You, you, you... why are you locking the door?"
A hint of panic flashed in Liu Ruyan's charming, watery eyes. She retreated repeatedly, her steps clumsy, until she bumped against the edge of the bed with a soft thump. There was nowhere else to go.
"To sleep, of course. It's so late. Or do you want to leave the door open so the maids can hear us?"
Shen Anyu chuckled as he walked over. He sat on the edge of the bed, his posture relaxed, like a predator eyeing its prey. His gaze surveyed Liu Ruyan, who was cowering like a quail beside the nightstand.
At this moment, Liu Ruyan was breathtaking. She had changed into a silk nightgown earlier, thinking she would be sleeping alone or with An Zhiyue. The fabric clung to her curves, highlighting her exquisite figure. Her hair was messy from the chaos, adding a wild, vulnerable allure to her usual icy demeanor.
She exuded a strong feminine charm, a mature beauty that young girls like Yang Luoluo couldn't compare to. But now, she seemed even more delicate, more breakable.
Shen Anyu originally only wanted to tease Liu Ruyan a bit. After all, his aunt was still staying in the next room, a mere wall away. He couldn't go too far, and Shen Anyu also didn't like doing things by force. He preferred total submission.
However, she was excessively charming in her fear.
Liu Ruyan's senses were very sharp. As a martial artist, she felt the change in the air. She quickly noticed the burning intensity in Shen Anyu's eyes—it wasn't just teasing anymore; there was a genuine heat there.
Panicked, she lowered her voice and urgently threatened, trying to use the only shield she had left.
"Shen Anyu, listen to me! Zhiyue is right next door. She is a Grandmaster! Her hearing is excellent! If you try to do anything excessive, I will definitely scream! I won't care about anything! Zhiyue will definitely save me then!"
"I will tell her everything! I will tell her I lied! I will tell her I hate you! I will even tell her..." She bit her lip, swallowing the last part.
At worst, she would come clean and tell him that she and Shen Anyu were not boyfriend and girlfriend, and that she had actually secretly admired An Zhiyue for many years. Although that would be social suicide, and she might even lose her best friend, it was better than letting Shen Anyu succeed in defiling her.
Liu Ruyan seemed to be baring her fangs and claws like a cornered cat, but in reality, her pearly teeth were biting her rosy lower lip so hard it turned white. Her charming eyes showed a rare softness and plea, begging him to stop.
Seeing the little cat bristling, Shen Anyu knew that if he pressed on aggressively, Liu Ruyan would definitely choose to fight back. A fight between Grandmasters would definitely alert An Zhiyue, and that would be troublesome.
He had to act covertly, boiling the frog in warm water.
Shen Anyu thought for a moment, his expression softening into a mask of gentlemanly grace. He smiled and said:
"Don't worry, Yan'er. I never force women. With my conditions, with my face and status, do you think there's a need for me to force anyone?"
[Ding! Detected destined heroine Liu Ruyan's favorability +3, Plunder +9000 destiny value!]
Liu Ruyan breathed a sigh of relief at his words. Her tense shoulders relaxed slightly. A sense of gratitude welled up in her heart—gratitude that he wasn't going to rape her. Then she felt confused, realizing how twisted her mindset had become. It was like Stockholm Syndrome, where the victim has good feelings for the perpetrator just for showing basic mercy.
It was clearly the bad guy Shen Anyu's fault for creating this situation, yet she was still grateful he wasn't making it worse.
"Hmph, you conceited fellow, showing off."
Liu Ruyan immediately rolled her eyes at Shen Anyu, crossing her arms to cover her chest, trying to regain some semblance of control and dignity.
Shen Anyu looked at Liu Ruyan with amusement. This woman was a paradox—incompetent at scheming but loved to play the game; liked to light fires but got scared when the flames rose.
Under Shen Anyu's intense gaze, Liu Ruyan flinched again, realizing she wasn't out of the woods yet.
Shen Anyu then stood up and walked towards her slowly. He said calmly, his voice low and hypnotic:
"If I want women, countless would cling to me. There's no need to force anything. I prefer... cooperation."
Liu Ruyan pouted, wanting to refute him, but upon serious thought, she had to admit that Shen Anyu indeed had the right to be conceited.
His incomparably handsome face, his well-defined muscles visible through his shirt, his prominent Family background, and his strength capable of killing Celestial experts… indeed could make countless women crazy and infatuated. He was the dream of every woman in the capital.
Just as she was lost in thought, Shen Anyu's hand reached out.
"Wait, Shen Anyu, you bastard, what are you doing?"
She shrieked as his hand grabbed the hem of his own shirt and lifted it.
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