Chapter 27: The Overbearing Man

The waiter tactfully gestured to Shang Qi and said, "This way, please."

Shang Qi had no choice but to sit across from him, yet she remained silent. Luo Yichen didn't press her, simply ordering the meal. The two sat there, staring at each other, neither willing to speak. Dinner was soon spread across the entire table, and Luo Yichen began to eat on his own.

Shang Qi felt famished, and seeing how much Luo Yichen was enjoying his meal, she dropped her reserve and joined in. In less than half an hour, the table was wiped clean, though most of it had been consumed by Luo Yichen. He wiped his mouth and asked, "Are you full?"

Shang Qi nodded subconsciously. He replied, "I'm not. You should eat a bit more with me." With that, he called the waiter to bring more food. This time, he didn't eat as quickly, spending most of his time watching Shang Qi eat.

The waiter and other guests glanced at the empty plates on their table with surprise: had these two escaped from a refugee camp? How many days had it been since they last ate?

Once Shang Qi had her fill, she asked, "Why aren't you eating?"

"I was afraid you wouldn't have enough. If I ordered another set meal, I suspect every pair of eyes in the restaurant would have popped out onto our table."

Only then did Shang Qi notice the bewildered looks from the others. She had been too focused on eating to notice. Embarrassed, she said, "I was starving! I only had a slice of bread this morning."

Forgetting his previous irritation, Luo Yichen said with concern, "Was it because you were too busy to eat breakfast? If you're too tired, just quit. I can afford to support you!"

"I really like this job," Shang Qi whispered.

"Qiqi, I didn't mean anything else by it; I'm just worried you'll exhaust yourself. We've both been so busy lately that we hardly have time to see each other." Seeing that no one was nearby, Luo Yichen winked at her and added, "I've missed you."

Just then, the restaurant manager walked over and said, "Mr. Luo, the snow outside is heavy. Housekeeping asked if you would like them to prepare a room for the two of you."

Shang Qi, who was drinking water, nearly choked. Seeing her reaction, Luo Yichen, though reluctant, didn't want to make things difficult for her. He replied, "No need!"

Hearing that the snow was heavy, Luo Yichen didn't want to delay any longer and immediately left the observation restaurant with Shang Qi. When they reached the parking lot, they found the snow falling violently. The wind howled, swirling the snow into a frenzy, making it nearly impossible to keep one's eyes open.

Luo Yichen frowned and said, "It looks like we can't go back. We'll have to stay here tonight."

Without waiting for an answer, he pulled her back. Upon returning to the lobby, Luo Yichen went to the front desk to request a room. Shang Qi brushed the snow off her clothes, her hands frozen red. The manager she had seen in the restaurant earlier said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Luo! Several tour groups just checked in because of the blizzard. We don't have any vacant rooms at the moment."

"Is the villa area full as well?"

"There is still one unit available there."

"Give me the key and the house number," Luo Yichen said without hesitation.

The manager handed over the key, unable to help but glance at Shang Qi a few times with surprise. He had worked for the Luo family for over a decade and had heard rumors earlier that Luo Yichen was involved with a senior executive at the company, a situation that had led to his divorce. Shang Qi noticed the manager's odd look, and her face flushed with heat.

She said to Luo Yichen, "Mr. Luo, since rooms are limited, I won't bother you further. Goodbye!"

Luo Yichen narrowed his eyes slightly, watching Shang Qi with an inscrutable expression. He said slowly, "I still have some questions regarding the year-end performance review and would like to hear your thoughts."

The manager standing nearby asked, "Shall I prepare a conference room for you now?"

Luo Yichen waved him away. Then, he forcibly pulled Shang Qi toward the villa area. The gale-force winds were intense, shaking the entire world. Shang Qi struggled to move forward with her slender frame. When a sudden gust hit, Luo Yichen instinctively covered his eyes with both hands. Released, Shang Qi quickly fell behind.

Realizing she wasn't by his side, he walked back quickly, wrapped an arm around her waist, and dragged her forward. Shang Qi felt very uncomfortable being held by him and struggled to pull away. Luo Yichen held her firmly, saying, "There's still a ways to go. You're walking too slowly, and I don't want to turn into a snowman."

Shang Qi had no choice but to let him pull and drag her along. By the time they reached the villa, they were covered in snow, their hair soaked and plastered to their scalps. He shook off the snow, took off his coat, hung it on a rack, and said, "Go upstairs and take a hot shower. If your hair stays wet, you'll catch a cold."

Shang Qi looked around the room: it was a two-story villa with a living room, kitchen, and bathroom on the first floor, and a bedroom on the second. She had spent the night alone with Luo Yichen more than once, but hearing the word "shower" still made her instinctively resistant.

Seeing her standing still, Luo Yichen said, "Then I'll go first." He then headed upstairs.

Her cautious attitude left him feeling agitated. They had known each other for three years, and Luo Yichen believed he had cared for her deeply. He had never forced her into anything she didn't want to do. But lately, he felt she was hiding things from him. In particular, the constant vigilance she maintained made him feel a sense of defeat.

This damn woman, why did she have to be so reserved? Since she was so proud, why should he bother being gentle? There was nothing he, Luo Yichen, wanted that he couldn't get. However, he knew Shang Qi's stubborn temper well. If he really did that, he would lose her heart forever. Luo Yichen suddenly felt pathetic—why was he so helpless against this woman?

Half an hour later, he came downstairs after his shower and said, "Your turn."

Shang Qi remained rooted to the spot. She was thinking about how to deal with Luo Yichen after her shower. If he made "demands" again, she wouldn't be able to escape tonight. She couldn't understand: she loved this man, so why was she always so guarded around him? In truth, trust between people is mutual. While Luo Yichen kept secrets from Shang Qi, he also lost her trust in return.

Luo Yichen could no longer suppress his frustration and roared, "What are you afraid of? Are you that unwilling to be with me? It was like this at the restaurant too—you were terrified that others would find out about our relationship. I'm already divorced; even if I'm seeing you, who would point fingers? Shang Qi, have you ever considered my feelings?"

Luo Yichen poured it all out in one breath, finally venting his resentment.

It was the first time Shang Qi had seen him so angry, and she felt deeply wronged. She choked out, "I feel so much pressure being with you. If you're this unhappy too, maybe we should just end it!"

"What do you mean by 'end it'?" Luo Yichen grabbed her arm and shouted, "Am I, Luo Yichen, some stray cat or dog on the side of the road? Something you can just pick up or discard as you please?"

"It hurts! Let me go."

In his fury, Luo Yichen had forgotten how much strength he was using. He pulled her into his embrace and continued, "How can you say something like that so easily? What exactly am I to you?"

Shang Qi hated his brutality, and in the heat of the moment, she retorted, "For these three years, you've treated me like a mistress, but to me, you mean nothing."

"Is that so?" Luo Yichen suddenly let her go.

His desolate look made Shang Qi feel terrible. Luo Yichen opened the door to leave, and the howling wind and snow outside surged in. Shang Qi felt a sudden flicker of fear and grabbed his hand, saying, "Don't go!"

Luo Yichen shook her off and said coldly, "To me, you mean nothing either."

"I was just speaking out of anger. Don't go, please?" Shang Qi pleaded.

She knew Luo Yichen was truly furious. She was helpless when it came to this man. She was afraid of falling into his trap, yet she could not bear to leave him. Luo Yichen felt a secret sense of triumph: this woman only learned when faced with the consequences. He couldn't spoil her too much; he had to pull the reins now and then.

Thinking this, he said, "I can stay, but you have to show some sincerity."

Shang Qi understood his meaning perfectly. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips lightly. He had no intention of letting it end with just a shallow taste. His skillful tongue immediately forced its way between her lips, savoring her sweetness. In the dark, frigid night, such a fiery, lingering kiss made one's blood boil.

Luo Yichen panted, "That little bit of sincerity isn't enough."

By now, the breath he exhaled had turned into clouds of white mist, surrounding Shang Qi’s pretty face. Luo Yichen knew she wouldn't give in easily, so he began to entice her carefully. Years ago, he had been a master in the field of romance; he knew how to handle women. Unable to struggle free, Shang Qi could only say, "I'm sorry, I can't do this."

"Why?" Luo Yichen, driven by desire, asked angrily, "Don't you love me? Why won't you give yourself to me?"

"Because you haven't given me enough security." In her desperation, Shang Qi told the truth. She continued, "Since we met, our relationship has been one that couldn't see the light of day. For all these years, I've lived in fear, terrified that someone would find out. Now, this has become a habit, not something I can change just like that. Besides, the difference in our status makes it impossible for me to have the confidence to be your woman."

"So that's why you're so hesitant?"

"Yes."

Luo Yichen understood her dilemma and asked, "What do you think I should do to make you feel secure?"

Shang Qi had no immediate answer to this. She suddenly remembered that when she first went on a blind date with Mu Lichen, he had said they should get to know each other better. Although she had known Luo Yichen for a long time, they had never truly gotten to know one another. The most they ever talked about was work. Coupled with their hidden relationship, she had always kept her energy focused on concealment.

Shang Qi said, "Let's start by getting to know each other. Tell me about your hobbies and where you went to school."

Luo Yichen smiled slightly, thinking: A little girl is still a little girl! Here we are in the middle of the night, alone together, and she wants to talk about hobbies? Still, he decided to chat with her for a while to keep her happy. He complied, saying, "Fine, it's cold at the door. Let's go inside to talk."