He kissed her once, then again, but she remained asleep, undisturbed.
How much trust did she place in him to sleep so soundly?
Even though she didn't resist, he couldn't bring himself to act.
"I know you're testing me. No matter how long it takes, how much I have to endure. There's only one outcome: you belong to me," he whispered in her ear.
Yan Jue had poured all his patience in this lifetime into Tang Xiaomin.
After a brief rest, he carried her into the elevator and back to his top-floor office to rest.
Zhong Li greeted him respectfully, "Mr. Yan, Miss Tang seems to be asleep."
Yan Jue had intended to ignore Zhong Li, but suddenly thought of something.
"No matter who comes looking for me later, do not let them in."
"Uh... yes."
Zhong Li quietly watched their retreating figures enter the office, then looked at the sky that had completely darkened.
He suddenly felt a pang of envy.
About half an hour later, someone indeed showed up.
Tang Ye, wearing a hat and whistling nonchalantly, approached.
"Zhong Li, where's Xiaomin? Call her out, I'm here to take her home."
Speak of the devil.
Zhong Li shot Tang Ye a look.
"She's resting. You should leave."
"Resting here? That won't do. I'll go get her."
Tang Ye said, making to force his way in.
Zhong Li raised his hand to block him, coldly stating,
"You are not permitted to enter!"
"On what grounds? I can't even go see my own sister?"
Hmph!
Zhong Li looked at Tang Ye with disdain.
"In my eyes, your entire family has never deserved to be Miss Tang's kin. Don't you know what kind of people you are? And you still want to meddle in her affairs."
"You..."
Tang Ye's face instantly paled. Memories of the past flooded back, undeniable truths.
"We did wrong Xiaomin before, but now everyone in our family treats her very well, trying to make up for it as much as possible. If you make a mistake, don't you deserve a chance to correct it?"
Zhong Li retorted, unyielding.
"Following your logic, can I just kill you and then burn a lot of paper money for you as compensation?"
Tang Ye was rendered speechless by the retort. He was in the wrong and couldn't possibly win an argument against Zhong Li.
"Compared to your family, Mr. Yan is the one who treats Miss Tang the best. Miss Tang is happier with Mr. Yan than with any of you. Leave, or don't blame me for being ruthless."
Zhong Li's attitude was firm and unyielding, and Tang Ye was no match for him.
Moreover, Zhong Li was right. Tang Xiaomin was happier here than at home.
Since that was the case, why should he insist she return home?
Tang Xiaomin had broken off her engagement with Ye Fengxing before. Though she hadn't said much, Tang Ye could tell she did it for Yan Jue.
Their position was no longer one to interfere in Tang Xiaomin's affairs.
With this realization, Tang Ye left alone, his back appearing desolate and lonely.
...
The next day, Tang Xiaomin woke up to find herself in Yan Jue's bed and immediately smacked her head.
"It's over. I slept like a log, completely unaware of anything."
She had stayed here for a while before, and there were clothes in the closet.
The temperature outside was a scorching thirty-two degrees Celsius.
The clothes in the closet had been bought for her by Zhang Meiyu. She picked out a gradient chiffon dress with a slit.
As she walked, her right leg would occasionally flash, a subtly revealing dress.
Yawning, she walked out of the resting room, only to find Lu Xing already waiting.
"Miss Tang is awake. Mr. Yan instructed me to prepare breakfast for you, all your favorites."
Indeed, on the coffee table sat Tang Xiaomin's favorite steamed meat buns and soy milk.
Her family had been poor when she was young, and simple foods like steamed meat buns and fried dough sticks were what she loved most.
She grabbed a meat bun and took a bite. It tasted good, and she could tell where it was from.
"Where is your Mr. Yan?"
"Mr. Yan is inspecting the construction progress of the Pentagon building. He'll be back this afternoon."
Hearing this, Tang Xiaomin blinked.
"Why is he interested in that? Isn't he suffering from amnesia?"
"Oh... I told Mr. Yan everything about the company. You know his personality; he's only interested in things like this."
Yan Jue was born into a turbulent era, trained in martial arts from a young age, and experienced the battlefield.
A predisposition for combat was in his nature.
He had once expanded territory for his king, never suffering a defeat.
Unfortunately, his achievements surpassed his sovereign's expectations.
Instead of dying in battle, his head was taken by the king he served.
This was a deep wound in Yan Jue's heart, and it was that very outcome that led him to trust no one but himself.
Times had changed, and the king who had betrayed him had long since turned to dust.
But the hatred remained.
"The Pentagon building, how much longer until completion?"
Tang Xiaomin had initially opposed the construction of the Pentagon building.
However, Yan Jue liked it, so she drew the blueprints and invested the entire capital of Xianfu Group into its construction.
"Based on the current progress, it should be completed on schedule."
On schedule meant another two and a half years.
"Miss Tang, you arranged a good life for Tang Xu, but he doesn't want it. He's currently preparing to apply for the position of ghost messenger."
Lu Xing said this, fully prepared for Tang Xiaomin to become angry.
However, Tang Xiaomin merely showed a slight surprise and smiled faintly.
"He relies on the fact that he died saving me, and therefore dares to defy my arrangements?"
"Miss Tang, people are divided into different classes, with varying levels of strength. It's the same even for ghosts. We have a special agency that recruits ghost messengers. As long as they pass the assessment, they can remain in the underworld indefinitely as ghost messengers without entering reincarnation."
"However, Tang Xu was a doctor in life, and he saved people. His abilities are unlikely to pass the assessment. He is destined to fail."
Tang Xiaomin shook her head, not agreeing with Lu Xing's analysis.
"He could even harm his own sister. He's hardly an angel of healing. He has a ruthless heart. Tang Zhongcheng had them practicing self-defense from a young age, so he does have some skills. I'm afraid he's serious this time."
"Ah? Perhaps we should just forcefully throw him into reincarnation."
Perhaps out of consideration for the fact that Tang Xu died for her, Tang Xiaomin found herself rather interested in Tang Xu's affairs.
"No rush, I'll go ask him myself first."
Since she had nothing else to do, Tang Xiaomin went back, also to check if Yan Jun had caused any trouble recently.
She passed through the passage and soon entered the underworld.
It was a modernized world, much like a human city, with bustling streets, tall buildings, and passing spirits.
Even though she was a queen, her reputation before was not very good.
Therefore, apart from the ghost messengers, ordinary spirits did not recognize her.