"Decided to come back, have you?"
The man's icy voice cut through the air, sending chills down one's spine.
In the living room, a heavy and oppressive atmosphere permeated the air, suppressing everyone's tense emotions.
On the grandiose European-style sofa, Ye Shiqian sat in the central position, his face cold and stern, exuding the majestic aura of a king not angry but imposing, his powerful charisma making it difficult for others to match his gaze.
At both sides of the sofa, six male and female servants all dressed in unified uniforms, were standing, tremblingly, each wearing expressions of impending doom.
"Oh, so you're disappointed that I'm back?" retorted Cheng Mochen with a touch of irony.
"Cheng Mochen, dare to use running away from home to make me compromise again, and I will make the situation of the Cheng Group even more embarrassing." Ye Shiqian's eyebrows subtly raised, his face stern.
Cheng Mochen displayed an indifferent look and impatiently said, "Unless I'm mistaken, I'm now Mrs. Ye, and I don't hold a dime's worth of shares in the Cheng Group, so what does it have to do with me? Do as you please. I'm tired and want to rest."
A glint of severity shone in Ye Shiqian's eyes as he ominously said, "Cheng Mochen, do you even realize what you're doing? You left without a word and have been gone for five days. You still owe me an explanation."
With a pair of beautiful eyes, Cheng Mochen stood her ground, crossed her arms and retorted, "Explain what? Do I need to account to you every time I step out to unwind? Am I a prisoner of yours, needing to report my every move?"
Ye's brow involuntarily raised. "Had this woman grown a lion's heart and a leopard's gall?" he wondered. Each word uttered by her felt like a taunt.
Just five days ago, Cheng Mochen was completely obedient to him, even her speech felt cautious and utterly uninteresting.
All this time during their year-long marriage, he had been indifferent towards Cheng Mochen. If not for her being the grand old lady's chosen daughter-in-law, he wouldn't have even spared her a second glance.
"Cheng Mochen, what on earth are you trying to pull?" Ye Shiqian's tone indicated a hint of displeasure.
Cheng Mochen lifted her bright and dazzling eyes, full of relentless taunting, and spread her arms out, "Ye Shiqian, enlighten me, what amusements can one hope for in this lifeless house?"
Having said that, Cheng Mochen turned to leave without waiting for a response from Ye Shiqian.
As she passed by the servants on either side, she stopped and casually wiggled her slender, fair fingers, commanding without propriety, "Eh, one of you, please bring my lunch. I’m hungry now."
Ye Shiqian was being disregarded by Cheng Mochen for the first time. Although no emotions showed on his face, his devilish gaze made everyone present feel a kind of oppressive pressure.
Facing Cheng Mochen’s command, the servants looked at each other in a stunned silence. Without Ye Shiqian’s order, none of them dared to move.
Seeing no one had the courage to act, Cheng Mochen sneered and then turned around to mock Ye Shiqian, "Mr. Ye, what does this mean? The head of the four major corporations in the imperial city, the Ye Group that holds half of the industry, does not even have a meal for Mrs. Ye? What if this gets out? Won't people laugh their heads off?"
Ye Shiqian's eyes squinted slightly, a sharp light flashing across Cheng Mochen’s exquisitely beautiful face.
Cheng Mochen’s lips curled in a cold smile, hiding the turmoil of emotions within her. She raised her beautiful eyes, proudly meeting his gaze.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense; the one-minute stare-off between these two felt like a century to the servants.
Ye Shiqian's gaze was intimidating, but Cheng Mochen did not flinch for a moment. Her stubborn eyes, filled with a compelling fearlessness, were not the least bit inferior to Ye Shiqian's.
On Ye Shiqian’s perfectly chiselled face, he emanated an awe-inspiring aura. Anyone who saw it would feel a strong oppressive force, but unfortunately for him, Cheng Mochen did not.
Cheng Mochen was not afraid of his stern gaze. Her sharp wit had always been her strength. Now she was desperately hungry, her head filled with thoughts of baguettes, creamy mushroom soup, roast lamb chops, and mixed salad. She had no time to engage in a war of words with Ye Shiqian.
"Have you forgotten what day it is? You better behave yourself!" The frown on Ye Shiqian’s face grew darker as he watched her turn to leave, an odd glimmer in his eyes.
Every month on this day, Cheng Mochen was usually terrified. She would often become restless the night before. But today, she seemed utterly indifferent-- as if she had even forgotten about it.
A person's character is innate, so why had the usually frail and timid Cheng Mochen suddenly changed?
Could it be that all her toughness was just a façade?
Alright, let's see how long she can keep up the act!
In his eyes, a foggy depth was radiating, and his cold, stern stare sent chills throughout everyone present.
"Hah, good behavior?" Cheng Mo Chen chuckled, her dark pupils slightly narrowed, devoid of anything but disgust.
She rose onto the tips of her toes, bringing her gaze level with towering Ye Shi Qian's. She slightly turned her small, charming face, lips parting slightly, her cold voice making Ye Shi Qian frown unconsciously,
"I was always good-natured before, and what did it get me? Why don't you tell me how I can behave so I could meet up to your expectations, Mr. Ye?"
This woman was sent to marry Ye Shi Qian, who was rumored to have no interest in women, by her stepfather, Cheng Sheng, due to a fortunate birth-chart, to secure investments from the Ye family. Hence, the moment she stepped foot into the family, she was viewed as a mere tool for procreation by Grandmother Ye.
Ye Shi Qian would not share a room with her and thus all Grandmother Ye's anger was vented onto her. For more than a year, Cheng Mo Chen endured cold glances and loneliness, her life was pure darkness and devoid of any hope; God only knows how much indignity this innocent woman had to endure!
At this moment, Cheng Mo Chen had her face pressed almost against Ye Shi Qian's ear, her warm breath brushing past his earlobe. No one seemed to notice his involuntarily gulp.
It was unthinkable for a woman to be so close to Ye Shi Qian!
When everyone was holding their breath, expecting Cheng Mo Chen to meet disaster, surprisingly, Ye Shi Qian didn’t react.
This woman, with a hint of a refreshing cold scent, made Ye Shi Qian feel an unconscious pull.
Her clear, determined face finished speaking, then stepped away from Ye Shi Qian. She strode past him, her long legs moving gracefully, leaving him nothing but an aloof figure walking away.
Ye Shi Qian watched her, his eyes growing significantly darker.
Cheng Mo Chen, upon marrying, had exchanged a child for the Ye family's investment to salvage the crumbling Cheng family. Previously, she knew her worth and would tremble fearfully whenever she saw Ye Shi Qian returning home.
Even though he showed her little interest, she still struggled, pleasing him with an almost humble smile.
Sadly, the more she strove to please him, the more he loathed her.
Cheng Mo Chen was naturally a weak character, combining this with her tolerance, even the servants in the villa began taking advantage of her.
But just a moment ago, Ye Shi Qian saw a very different thing in Cheng Mo Chen’s eyes; she was disgusted with him!
