Gu Beichen's neck quickly sprouted a bleeding hole.
The pain twisted his features, and it took immense effort to push the Little Ghost away.
"Go inside first, I'll give you blood."
The Little Ghost entered the ancient bronze vessel.
Gu Beichen cut his palm again and let the blood drip inside.
This time, he offered a great deal of blood before the Little Ghost was satisfied.
As Gu Beichen bandaged his own wound, his face was frighteningly pale.
Exiting the secret room, he heard a knock at the bedroom door.
Gu Beichen opened it.
His mother, Gu Manshu, stood outside. Seeing his ghastly pallor, she was both shocked and worried. "Beichen, what's wrong?"
"Mom, Simo Yan set me up. The Xie family is demanding over a billion in compensation now."
"What?"
Gu Manshu was furious.
She immediately called Si Jinxiao.
When Si Jinxiao returned, Gu Manshu tearfully complained, "Husband, that eldest son of yours, relying on being the Si family's young master, is bullying our Beichen. Our Beichen became a film emperor at twenty, started his own company—he's already outstanding and excellent. Yet Simo Yan, using his status as the Si family heir, employs underhanded tactics to suppress him and has now even schemed against Beichen with the Xie family!"
"Husband, when will Beichen and Yanyan finally be recognized by the family?"
Seeing Gu Beichen's pale face and red-rimmed eyes, Si Jinxiao felt immense heartache.
The eminent monk said Beichen had a destined fortune; as long as he stayed by Beichen's side, he wouldn't die young or end up a cannon fodder like the other Si family members.
He must protect Beichen at all costs.
"If the old man won't allow Beichen and Yanyan to be recognized, then I'll transfer my 10% shares of the Si Group to Beichen."
"From now on, Beichen will be one of the shareholders of the Si Group."
Both Gu Manshu and Gu Beichen's faces broke into smiles.
"Husband, you're still the best to us. Tonight," Gu Manshu leaned close to Si Jinxiao's ear, her voice seductive, "I'll take good care of you."
One reason Si Jinxiao favored Gu Manshu was her uninhibitedness in bed, where she served him to the point of ecstasy.
Whereas Jinglan, every time they shared intimacy in the past, was like a dead fish.
Utterly devoid of passion.
It was a good thing she was now a vegetable.
...
The next day.
While sleeping fitfully, Simo Yan felt a slight tickle on the tip of his nose.
His eyes snapped open.
Freshly awakened, his usually sharp, deep black eyes held a trace of drowsy confusion.
Completely devoid of their usual intimidation.
His blurred vision gradually cleared.
He saw Wen Yan sitting by his hospital bed, using a few strands of her hair to tickle his nose.
The teardrop mole at the corner of her eye lifted, her red lips curved in a smile, like a captivating little enchantress. "Hubby, need to get up for a pee?"
Simo Yan's face instantly darkened. "I'll have Lu Zhou come take care of me later. You don't need to come anymore."
"Not possible. Taking care of my hubby is my responsibility."
[Hehe, I heard a man's willpower is weakest in the morning.]
[If I seize the chance to flirt with Iceberg Si, will he lose control?]
Wen Yan's graceful, curvaceous figure unconsciously leaned closer to the man.
She had already freshened up, her breath carrying a faint hint of mint.
She blew a soft breath against his handsome face, her eyes alluring, red lips slightly raised. "Hubby, do you need my help?"
The sharp lines of Simo Yan's jaw tightened abruptly. Gnashing his teeth, his cold voice seemed to grind out from deep within his throat. "Wen Yan, stop acting shameless."
No sooner had the words fallen than his sexy Adam's apple was bitten by the audacious woman.
The atmosphere in the room fell silent for a moment.
After biting him, Wen Yan even gave a light lick.
Simo Yan sucked in a sharp breath.
This crazy woman!
Simo Yan's neck and ears flushed red, veins faintly bulging.
Beneath his hospital gown, his skin was burning hot.
"Hubby, I've changed so much already. When will you finally start to feel something for me?"
[When will this daily grind of having to flirt with this dog-man ever end?]
[I really want to divorce him. The world outside is so vast, sis really wants to go out and have some fun.]
A crimson hue tinged Simo Yan's narrow, dark eyes.
"Wen Yan, I will never, ever like you!"
The thought of her later leaving the Si family to go find all sorts of young "puppies" outside inexplicably irritated him.
"Get out!"
Wen Yan hadn't expected such a strong reaction just from biting his Adam's apple.
With this dog-like temper of his, what woman could stand him?
Good thing he's a short-lived cannon fodder, otherwise existing in this world would just harm other women!
In her past life, Wen Yan had a rather laid-back personality. She had never been in love and didn't know what it felt like to love someone.
But this man before her, repeatedly pushing her away, stirred a competitive spirit and desire to win within her.
Dammit.
One day, she would seduce him, then ruthlessly kick him aside!
"Wen Yan, what are you doing to my eldest brother?"
Suddenly, a cold, aloof voice came from the hospital room doorway.
Wen Yan glanced back.
The man at the doorway wore gold-rimmed glasses, handsome and refined, dressed in a tailored suit, elegant and dignified.
Si Yanli.
Simo Yan's third brother, who worked at the Translation Institute.
At first glance, Si Yanli appeared to be a gentle, scholarly gentleman, but upon closer inspection, his phoenix eyes behind the lenses were cold, sharp, and ruthless, like a venomous snake—chilling and devoid of warmth.
Had to admit, the looks of these Si family cannon fodders were all exquisitely perfect, beyond reproach.
[Tsk tsk, the cannon fodder Third Young Master, framed and imprisoned, tortured in jail, finally dying from a virus infection, is back.]
[Looks decent enough on the outside, no wonder even in prison his chrysanthemum wasn't safe!]
Simo Yan was now accustomed to Wen Yan's shocking, no-holds-barred inner monologues.
But Si Yanli was different. A crack appeared on his typically cold and composed handsome face.
What the hell?
He seemed to have just heard Wen Yan speak.
But he hadn't seen her mouth move.
Seeing the change in Si Yanli's expression, Wen Yan's beautiful eyes showed confusion.
[What's with that look? Seeing me like he's seen a ghost?]
[But thinking about it, Gu Beichen's sister Gu Yanyan has a crush on him. To curry favor with Gu Beichen, the original host did a lot of stupid things.]
[Helping Gu Yanyan secretly take photos of Si Yanli's drying underwear, collecting hair from his bathroom, trash he threw away, buttons from his clothes.]
[Ew, so creepy!]
Si Yanli's phoenix eyes narrowed sharply behind his lenses.
Had Wen Yan's brain malfunctioned?
He glanced at Simo Yan. Hearing that Wen Yan had once even secretly photographed Si Yanli's underwear, Simo Yan's handsome face darkened, looking like it could drip water.
Wen Yan noticed the temperature in the room dropping lower and lower. She looked back at Simo Yan.
What's up with these two brothers?
Their looks seem like they want to devour her.
"Hubby, I just bit your Adam's apple. Want to bite me back?" She brought her face close to his. "Bite wherever you want, go ahead."
Wen Yan suddenly being so close, her soft, sweet scent wafting over, made Simo Yan's frame tense, his eyes darken, his back teeth nearly grinding to dust.
