The two were standing very close to each other. Ning Anmiao could hear the steady thumping of Lu Yan's heart.
Her breathing became erratic all of a sudden. When she met his gaze, she felt as if her body no longer belonged to her.
"Miaomiao, answer me," Lu Yan's voice was hoarse in an easily detectable way. He asked word by word, "What on earth do you want to do, huh?"
The end of his steady voice rose slightly, full of endless allure.
Lu Yan lowered his eyes slightly. Through the collar of her pajamas, he could see her fair neck and the chest rising and falling with her breaths...
His Adam's apple rolled. He realized that his self - control was slipping away bit by bit.
Ning Anmiao bit her lips. There was a restless thought in her mind, but she hesitated to say it out.
She didn't have that much courage, and she was even less brave enough to know the outcome.
She lowered her eyes and said in a tiny voice, "I just, out of pure friendship, want to care about you... That's all!"
After saying that, she looked up at him.
Only then did she notice that Lu Yan's eyes had been on her all along, with patience in them.
And endless tenderness.
"Is that really all?" Lu Yan didn't seem to believe this answer. His hand was still holding her waist, and the two maintained an intimate posture.
Ning Anmiao wanted to struggle, but his eyes were too intense. She didn't dare to move and could only be forced to meet his eyes.
"Miaomiao, I'll only ask you once."
When he spoke, Ning Anmiao could smell the faint fragrance of snow - pine that was unique to him, mixed with a bit of the steadiness of wood, making one unconsciously indulge in it.
Lu Yan's voice was deep and hoarse, but impossible to ignore. "Do you have any feelings for me at all?"
"Even a tiny bit, right?"
Ning Anmiao felt his breath on her face and couldn't help shivering all over.
For some reason, through the fabric of the pajamas, Ning Anmiao seemed to be able to feel the warmth from Lu Yan's palm, as scorching as the palm of her own hand.
She swallowed hard and hesitated, "Do I have to answer?"
"Yeah." Lu Yan was obviously starting to lose his patience little by little. The warmth in his eyes faded bit by bit, and the usual calmness reappeared.
Ning Anmiao tried hard to control her emotions to make her words flow smoothly. "What if I say no?"
Lu Yan's face darkened slightly. His tone when answering her was still calm. "If I misinterpreted your feelings, then from today on, I'll go back to my proper position."
"From now on, I won't have any contact with you. And your cooperation with Star River Capital will also end here."
Hearing this, a flash of panic crossed Ning Anmiao's eyes. "No, you're threatening me..."
"Miaomiao," Lu Yan suddenly called her name in a deep voice. "I'm sure you're already very clear about why Star River Capital chose to support your newly - established studio. It's meaningless to play dumb."
His sudden coldness caught Ning Anmiao off guard.
His expression turned cold, and his tone was full of the dignity a superior should have. "If the contract is terminated, Star River Capital will naturally be responsible for all the compensation and losses."
"Now that your studio has developed, even without Star River as a backer, it can still develop well."
It turned out that Lu Yan knew everything.
Ning Anmiao's eyes dimmed for a moment. For some reason, a dense sense of loss climbed onto her heart.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something more, but couldn't utter a single word.
Lu Yan paused for a moment. There was still a faint hint of hoarseness and deepness in his voice. "Of course, I'll never bother your life again."
"Never again in the future."
Ning Anmiao's heart suddenly tightened, and her face began to turn pale.
He used the word "never".
She had observed before that Lu Yan was always very rigorous in his actions and never said absolute words.
Even when taking the oath at the Civil Affairs Bureau during their marriage, he skillfully avoided the word "never".
But now, he said that he would never have any interaction with her in the future.
She felt as if she was standing on a cliff, with a bottomless abyss behind her. One wrong step and she would fall.
She bit her lips tightly and stammered, "Not even as friends?"
"This is unfair."
His voice was calm, but there was a hint of desolation in it. "It's impossible to be friends with someone you like."
It sounded a bit aggrieved.
"Miaomiao, you're consuming my feelings for you but saying you want to be friends with me. This is unfair to me."
Ning Anmiao was silent for a moment.
At this moment, Lu Yan also released his big hand that had been holding her, allowing her to stand up easily.
Suddenly, his arms were empty. Lu Yan's eyes darkened, but his face remained unchanged.
He took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his pocket, took out one, lit it skillfully, exhaled a puff of smoke, and then said calmly, "If you've made up your mind, give me an answer."
Ning Anmiao was standing in front of the table, looking hesitant.
"Miaomiao, I still have a meeting later," Lu Yan tapped the ash off his cigarette. His eyes squinted slightly, with a hint of urging.
Knowing that his patience was running out, Ning Anmiao immediately said, "I want to confirm one thing. Do you like me, or do you just think I'm a suitable wife for you?"
Lu Yan took a puff of his cigarette and looked up at her. "Is there a big difference between the two?"
Because he liked her, he thought she was suitable to be his wife. Lu Yan thought it was a cause - and - effect relationship, not a choice between two options.
But in Ning Anmiao's eyes, this was obviously very important.
"Like and suitable are two completely different concepts."
Ning Anmiao nodded. "If it's just because I'm a suitable marriage candidate, I think there are many suitable people."
"Lu Yan, you're not short of the female market. You deserve someone more outstanding and more capable of helping you in your career, not someone like me."
"Someone like you how?" Lu Yan asked casually. The chill in his eyes faded bit by bit.
He really liked talking to Miaomiao like this, as if they were having a heart - to - heart conversation.
"Someone like me who can't help you in your career, doesn't get along well with your mother, only causes trouble when going out with you, and even sprained my ankle after walking a few steps..."
After saying that, Ning Anmiao lowered her head and looked at her ankle that had just recovered.
It seemed that she was really quite useless.
"Anyway, if it's just because I'm suitable, then no matter whether I have feelings for you or not, our relationship should end."
Lu Yan had been patiently listening to her statement. After she finished, he was stunned for a few seconds and then let out a soft laugh.
He asked, "Do you think what you just said are your flaws?"