Ruthless Romance

Chapter 6: As You Please

For a brief moment, Wen Yan could almost see Shen Jie standing before her. His unadorned confession stirred something in her heart, but words failed her as she opened her mouth to respond.

In her panic, she instinctively ended the call, looking helplessly at Chen Mengyao.

Chen Mengyao burst into laughter, ruffling Wen Yan's hair affectionately. "I knew you'd react like this. Don't worry, Shen Jie was prepared for it. Take your time to think about how you want to respond before contacting him again."

With a wave of her hand, she added, "Get home safely. See you tomorrow," before turning to leave in her car.

Wen Yan remained rooted to the spot for a long while, Shen Jie's words echoing in her mind...

It was past eight when she finally returned to the Mu residence. Carefully unwrapping the gift boxes, she found a necklace from Chen Mengyao and a bracelet from Shen Jie. His box also contained a note: "To hold your hand until we grow old together."

Her cheeks flushed as she hurriedly hid the boxes in a cardboard container under her bed. Mu Tingchen would never allow such things in his house – she didn't dare display them.

Suddenly, Mrs. Liu's voice came from behind her: "Yan Yan, you're just back? Let me make you some longevity noodles."

Wen Yan quickly stood up, "No need, Mrs. Liu. I've already eaten outside. Please get some rest."

Mrs. Liu hesitated, wringing her cold hands, "Yan Yan, the young master cut his business trip short to return for your birthday. I think he even brought a gift. When he found you weren't home, he seemed... displeased. Why are you back so late? He hasn't even eaten dinner..."

Wen Yan's breath caught, her pale face betraying her panic. Mu Tingchen had forbidden her from going out during her free time. She'd only agreed to Chen Mengyao's invitation believing he wouldn't return suddenly.

Most terrifying was Mrs. Liu's description – how could Mu Tingchen possibly return specifically for her birthday? And gifts? Impossible!

Seeing her fear, Mrs. Liu squeezed her hand reassuringly, "Don't be afraid, he won't eat you alive. I'll prepare his meal, and you can take it up to him. It's your birthday – say something nice, and he won't be too harsh."

Wen Yan nodded. When Mrs. Liu finished preparing the food, she carefully carried it upstairs and knocked softly, "Are you there?"

Silence greeted her, but she was used to it. Mu Tingchen was naturally reticent, and when in a foul mood, he often ignored others entirely.

Steeling herself, she pushed open the door and froze. Mu Tingchen sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, smoking. A thin haze of smoke filled the room – how many cigarettes had he smoked? She remembered he rarely indulged in the habit...

His silhouette, shrouded in smoke, seemed dreamlike. He hadn't even changed, still wearing his business suit, not a hair out of place.

Wen Yan collected herself, set down the food, and moved to open a window for ventilation.

"Where were you?" Mu Tingchen suddenly asked.

She stiffened as the cold wind hit her face, chilling her to the bone.

"I... a friend invited me out. I didn't know you'd be back," her voice was barely above a whisper, competing with the howling wind. She wasn't sure if he'd heard her clearly.

He had: "Didn't know I'd be back? So you think you can do as you please when I'm away?"

Wen Yan felt ice spreading through her veins, the cold penetrating to her core. She hastily closed the window, "No... I was wrong. It won't happen again."

She offered no further explanation, not mentioning it was her nineteenth birthday. Whenever he was displeased, an apology was all that mattered.

Mu Tingchen let out a derisive snort, a cold smile playing at his lips as he extinguished his cigarette and poured himself a drink. As he took a sip, Wen Yan timidly suggested, "Perhaps you should eat before drinking..."

Mu Tingchen glanced at his glass, then walked toward her, "It's your birthday today."

She didn't dare take the offered glass. She couldn't drink, and besides... that was his personal glass. With his germaphobia, she wouldn't dare touch it, let alone drink from it. "I... I don't drink."

Mu Tingchen's brow furrowed in displeasure. In the next instant, he roughly grabbed her chin and forced most of the whiskey down her throat. A burning sensation immediately seized her, triggering violent coughing, "Cough... cough cough cough..."

Before she could recover, Mu Tingchen suddenly pulled her into his arms and captured her lips with his own.

The moment hung suspended in time, heavy with unspoken tensions and conflicting emotions. The smoke-filled room, the bitter taste of whiskey, and the unexpected intimacy created a surreal atmosphere that seemed to exist outside their usual carefully maintained boundaries.

In this moment of transgression, their carefully constructed walls began to crack. The strict rules that had governed their interactions – her submission to his authority, her acceptance of punishment, her role as perpetual penitent – suddenly seemed less absolute, though no less binding.

The alcohol burned through her defenses, while his unexpected action shattered her understanding of their relationship. Was this punishment or something else? The line between retribution and possession had never seemed so blurred.

In the Mu residence, where every interaction was weighted with history and obligation, this moment stood apart – raw, unscripted, and dangerous in its implications. It challenged everything they thought they knew about their relationship, even as it reinforced the power he held over her.

The cold wind still whistled outside, but inside this room, something had fundamentally shifted. Whether this change would lead to salvation or deeper complications remained to be seen, but one thing was certain – their careful dance of master and penitent would never be quite the same again.