Overdo

Her mind was in such disarray, yet Zhuo Zheng seemed to have quickly regained his composure. "I'm sorry, Uncle Lei," he said, though his voice still carried a faint trace of anger. "Please don't interfere with my relationship with her. No one can stop me from loving her."

She felt dizzy! Dizzy! He said he loved her, he said he loved her... Let her faint for a moment, then quickly snap out of it. So touching—this was the first time she had heard such a direct confession, and her vanity was immensely satisfied. Yes, satisfied. She never expected him to be so principled, actually disdaining the idea of marrying into royalty. Who would have thought this usually carefree guy would show such responsibility and masculinity when it mattered? Before she could even praise him, he had already taken her hand and politely said, "Uncle Lei, Miss Fang and I have matters to attend to. Please excuse us."

Wow! So cool! He was practically abducting her! It was totally worth her efforts to turn the tide for him. Who knew he could look so domineering when he put on a stern face? Though the term "domineering" was supposedly derogatory, his authoritative demeanor was actually quite pleasing to the eye! He seemed to radiate an icy intensity, even more charismatic than the Prince of Chevrolet, making people instinctively look up to him.

They had walked quite a distance when he suddenly stopped and asked her, "What did they do to you?"

She beamed, "What could they do? The usual threats and bribes." Standing on her toes, she patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, I've already fended them off seamlessly. They can't do anything to us."

That last sentence suddenly brought an unusual sparkle to his eyes. He smiled, his grin as radiant as sunlight. "Yes, they can't do anything to us."

Her cheeks began to burn as she recalled what he had just said—he loved her... He took her hand and led her outside. "I'll take you to see the apricot blossoms."

She suddenly couldn't find her footing emotionally. The events of this short period had been too complex; she needed time to process everything. "I need to go grocery shopping. It's almost dark."

He suddenly grew angry, pulling her along. "You're coming with me to see the apricot blossoms today, whether you like it or not."

Just as she was about to protest, she noticed Miss Murong and Mu Shiyang standing arm in arm in the central courtyard, with Miss Murong making a funny face at them.

Oh, so he was provoked, no wonder he was acting so unusually. But a quick pain was better than a prolonged one. It was good that he witnessed this scene early, allowing him to correct his path sooner. Perhaps he only said he loved her because he was upset—though this dealt a heavy blow to her self-esteem, for now she should prioritize his feelings. After all, men cared deeply about saving face. She obediently followed him out, comforting him as they walked, "Actually, Young Master Mu comes from a prestigious family and is well-matched with Miss Murong. They're the most suitable pair."

He couldn't help but sigh. "Yes, only Mu Shiyang can tolerate her temper."

Seizing the opportunity, she continued comforting him, "There are plenty of fish in the sea. Though Miss Murong is beautiful, what truly matters is finding a kindred spirit. Mutual affection and spiritual connection are most important."

He turned to glance at her. Why did his gaze make her feel flushed? Well, she had been acting strangely all day too, constantly blushing with a racing heart. It wasn't until she got in the car that she remembered to ask, "How do you have a car?"

He replied, "My father had this car assigned to me."She suddenly remembered, "Ah! I forgot that Minister Lei is your father." She never expected him to be the illegitimate child of a political heavyweight—no wonder he said his identity could never see the light of day. This was troublesome; she hadn’t planned on getting involved with someone of such importance.

He froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Who said Minister Lei is my father?" she asserted confidently, "You did! Just now, when you rushed in, you called out 'Father.'" He groaned—had she misheard? Probably not... He stammered incoherently, "I thought Father was talking to you just now... No... Actually, Father was probably there too." His expression was strange, but she was also confused. The afternoon sun was warm and gentle, shining on the bustling street with its endless stream of cars and crowds. His hand still tightly held hers, and he patted the back of her hand reassuringly. "It’s all in the past. From now on, I’ll be here, so you don’t have to be afraid of anything." In truth, she didn’t feel scared, but his hand was so warm that she didn’t want to pull away. He turned back to smile at her, nearly making her lose her composure. She must have been frightened by that important figure earlier, letting her imagination run wild.

Wuchi truly had its own hidden paradise.

She held her breath as the spring water gradually rose to the edge of the embankment. Lush, velvety grass stretched along the winding green dyke, which was entirely covered with apricot blossoms and weeping willows. There were dozens, perhaps hundreds, of apricot trees, blooming like clouds and mist, their branches and clusters of flowers resembling brocade and trimmed velvet. Countless strands of weeping willows, with their tender green leaves, brushed against people’s clothes, while the lower branches swept over the water, creating ripples on the emerald surface. In the slanting sunlight, everything felt like a dream or a painting. Entranced by the scenery, she glanced at the familiar outline of the mountains in the distance and murmured, "Is this inside Qiyu Mountain Park?" He smiled and replied, "It’s not far from Qiyu Mountain Park." She looked around—everywhere was filled with weeping willows and apricot blossoms, the flowers as red as brocade and the willow branches hanging like green curtains, so dense they blocked out the sky. Gazing into the distance, she saw an endless expanse of flowers and trees. After orienting herself, she said, "This must still be inside Qiyu Mountain Park, but I’ve never been to this part before."

He softly shushed her and whispered, "You’re so clever. We sneaked in through a side gate without buying tickets—don’t let anyone catch us." She had clearly seen him greet the watchman outside the gate and rolled her eyes at him. Liar! He must know the watchman, which was why they could swagger in through the side door so boldly. He reached out, broke off a willow branch, stripped off the leaves, and snapped it into a willow whistle, blowing it gently. Eager to try, she volunteered to make one herself. Patiently, he guided her hands, saying, "Pull out the inner stem—there, you’ve got it." The willow whistle tasted slightly bitter and astringent in her mouth, but when she blew into it with force, the sound was bright and pleasant. Delighted, she blew it alongside him, their clear, melodious whistles echoing like two happy little birds chirping incessantly amid the willow shade and dappled shadows of the apricot blossoms.Just as they were enjoying themselves, they suddenly heard a faint sound like distant thunder. She stopped playing, and he paused as well. He said, "That's the sound of hoofbeats." She couldn't help glaring at him again, "Nonsense, this isn't a zoo, how could there be horses..." Before she could finish her sentence, a rider emerged through the flowers and willows ahead. The horse wasn't running fast, but its movement stirred the apricot blossom petals along the path into a shower, fluttering down like rain. The rider wore black equestrian attire that accentuated her slender figure, with a rosy-colored silk scarf fluttering in the wind around her neck. As she reined in the horse nearby and looked up, she saw the rider was an exceptionally beautiful woman. This place was already beautiful like a paradise, but this woman's beauty seemed almost otherworldly, making it impossible to guess her age. The woman also examined her carefully, then suddenly gave Zhuo Zheng a radiant smile before dismounting and warmly embracing him: "How rare, you've actually brought a guest."

An involuntary twinge of jealousy rose in her heart, though heaven knew what she was jealous about. But facing such a beauty, any woman would feel envious. Heaven had truly favored her, granting her such peerless looks—any man would surely be captivated by her. Yet why did she feel this woman looked so familiar?

But Zhuo Zheng said, "Mom, this is Fang Xiaoyue."

These words struck her like a thunderbolt. She stared dumbfounded at the stunning woman before her, who had already extended a hand toward her, "Miss Fang, how do you do. Zhenger has always been mischievous, please don't mind his behavior."

It really was his—mother!

On the way back, she remained silent the entire time, while he watched her with some unease. Finally, he said, "I'm sorry, I was too impatient. Actually, I just wanted to protect you... That's why I took you to meet my mother, hoping they would understand how important you are to me."

She glared at him fiercely, "So spineless. I'm not afraid, so what are you scared of?"

He looked both annoyed and amused, "Of course you're not afraid, you even dared to challenge Minister Lei—" His voice suddenly dropped, "You don't understand, I'm really worried about you. I know they won't approve of our relationship."

A sweet feeling welled up in her heart—this sensation was truly indescribable. She couldn't help saying, "Let me be honest with you. If Minister Lei had offered five million instead of five hundred thousand, I might have actually been tempted."

He froze for a moment, then gritted his teeth, "Fang Xiaoyue!"

She gently patted his cheek, "Don't be angry, you won't look handsome when you're mad. Just think about it—five million! We could never earn that much in our lifetime." His angry expression was so adorable that she couldn't resist teasing him further, "Your worth is five million! No movie star could even come close."

He was truly angered by her, but after a moment's thought, his face broke into a smile, "Well then, let me confess something to you too."

Her eyes rolled playfully as she looked at him, "Don't tell me you're actually in love with Miss Murong, but unfortunately she rejected you."

His smile was as gentle as the spring night outside the car window, "How could I be in love with Pan'er? She's my biological sister."

She said "Oh," then repeated, "She's your biological sister." Suddenly realizing what he said, she exclaimed, "She's your biological sister?! Then... you... your father is..." She gasped sharply, "Where exactly did you take me just now?"He answered slowly, "Duanshan Official Residence."

Damn it! He actually was... How could he be Murong Qingyi's son... Could she hide in the Sahara Desert and never come back?