"Ten years ago, the Gong family was in turmoil. Unable to bear the burden, they both committed suicide in love, leaving me alone to clean up the mess."
When he said these words, his tone was calm, as if he were telling someone else's story.
However, the coldness and hatred lingering between his eyebrows were clearly visible and impossible to ignore.
Ten years ago, he was only sixteen.
"Fortunately, I didn't let them down. I managed to keep Yesheng going." Gong Ming smiled faintly. "Now, they can rest in peace down there."
Hearing this, Yin Yiyan blinked nervously.
"I'm sorry for your loss." Not knowing what else to say, she lowered her eyes, feeling a heavy weight in her chest.
Previously, Ning Anmiao had told her that Gong Ming was involved in some trading businesses, most of which were shady.
Thinking that Gong Ming's parents had died because of these things, she couldn't quite put her finger on her feelings.
The bad guys had received their punishment, and she should have been happy for justice.
But she couldn't help but wonder if Gong Ming would one day follow in his parents' footsteps.
"Don't listen to Lu Yan. I'm not as dirty as he said."
Gong Ming guessed what she was thinking and said gently, "For now, I just sell some wine and provide a place for people to discuss cooperation."
Hearing this, Yin Yiyan felt a little relieved.
As long as he didn't touch those things he shouldn't, she didn't think Gong Ming was a bad person.
At least, not as bad as Lu Yan had described.
She nodded and said seriously, "I believe you."
Hearing this, Gong Ming smiled. The light brown suit fit him perfectly, making him look noble and elegant. "You trust me so much?"
Yin Yiyan affirmed.
"What if I told you I was taking you to a hotel?" He spoke slowly, still looking like the gentle and charming young master he always was, but his words were quite vulgar.
After saying that, as if it wasn't enough, his slender, fair hands gently stroked her face, moving down inch by inch, and stopping at the top button of her collar.
Yin Yiyan immediately felt a chill run down her back.
Gong Ming looked down at her, with a faint smile on his lips all the time. If one hadn't heard what he said, they might have thought he was just making a simple invitation.
But Yin Yiyan knew what he meant.
She always felt that there were many secrets hidden in Gong Ming, many secrets that no one knew.
Even his aura was both familiar and strange.
"Have we... met somewhere before?" Yin Yiyan forced a smile, and her voice came out hoarsely from her throat. "I feel like you're very familiar."
Gong Ming didn't even raise his eyelids. He just casually played with the ring on his finger, gently turning it twice.
It was just such a small action, but it exuded an indescribable sensuality.
"You can assume we've met." Gong Ming smiled faintly. "Would Miss Yin be willing to turn a fake relationship into a real one?"
He had a high - bridged nose, and his handsome face was very memorable. Especially those peach - blossom eyes, which were full of affection.
Charming yet dangerous.
In the end, Yin Yiyan refused him.
"Sorry, Mr. Gong. I can't sleep with a man I have no feelings for."
Yin Yiyan didn't feel the least bit ashamed and answered simply, "I also hope Mr. Gong understands that I'm not that kind of easy - going person."
Even if she liked him now, she wasn't that cheap.
Being rejected was within Gong Ming's expectation. His interest in her grew even stronger, but in an instant, he suppressed the look in his eyes, and his expression turned a bit cold.
"If Miss Yin has no intention, she can get out of the car now."
He issued an order to evict.
Yin Yiyan wasn't polite either. Watching the driver park the car by the roadside, she immediately opened the door and stepped out.
After walking a few steps, she turned back and said to Gong Ming in the car through the window, "Mr. Gong, I thought you were different, but in fact, you're no different from those other men."
"If this was your request from the beginning, I'd rather pay you a large sum of money to repay your kindness of saving my life."
Having said that, she stepped on her high heels, proudly straightened her back, showing her contempt and pride in her eyes.
"See you if we're lucky. Oh no, we probably won't meet again." Yin Yiyan left this last sentence and disappeared around the corner of the alley.
Gong Ming sat in the car, still maintaining the same posture as before, lost in thought.
The driver, who had heard the whole conversation in the car, couldn't help but turn around and look at his young master with a worried look on his face. "Young Master Gong, what are you doing?"
"You finally got close to the young lady, but now you've made her hate you for no reason. Isn't all your previous effort in vain?"
Gong Ming remained silent, still looking in the direction where Yin Yiyan had disappeared at the alley entrance.
He could still feel the warmth from her body in his palm.
She was still the same as before.
Just like in the past, a hot - tempered little crazy girl who was not afraid of anything.
"Isn't this inevitable?" Gong Ming forced a smile, his eyes full of mockery. "Even if I make her have a good impression of me now, she'll hate me in the end anyway."
The driver fell silent.
Yes, the girl who had been betrothed to the Gong family since childhood was Yin Yiyan.
Although Gong Ming was a few years older than Yin Yiyan, he had been weak and sickly since childhood, a real invalid.
Gong Ming's parents often joked that he wouldn't be able to marry a wife in the future. It was Yin Yiyan who, with her chin held high like a little adult, promised his parents:
"Why can't he marry? I'll be Gong Ming's wife in the future."
...
As the memories gradually faded, Gong Ming felt a tightness in his chest, and his breathing became difficult.
"Master, are you okay?" The driver looked through the rear - view mirror and saw that Gong Ming's face looked bad. He immediately became nervous.
Gong Ming pursed his pale lips, took out a medicine box from his pocket, opened it, and popped two pills into his mouth.
"Take me to the hospital."
How he wished he could spend more time with Yin Yiyan!
There was no shortage of women around Gong Ming. He could clearly see the affection in Yin Yiyan's eyes.
But he knew that his old illness had flared up again.
Helplessly, he had to use the most likely way to anger her to drive her away.
-
On her way back, Yin Yiyan got angrier the more she thought about it. She took out her phone and called Ning Anmiao.
It took a long time for the call to be answered.
Yin Yiyan was fuming and started ranting into the phone, "Miaomiao, Gong Ming is a scumbag! A total scumbag!"
"He pretends to be a decent person. I thought he was a good guy! I almost got deceived by his good looks! Guess what? He just tried to trick me into sleeping with him!"
After talking for a long time, there was no response from the other end of the phone.
"Miaomiao? Miaomiao, are you listening?" Yin Yiyan called out several times, but the other person didn't say a word. However, the call was still connected.
A few seconds later, a cold and impatient male voice came through. "Miss Yin, are you done?"
His voice was deep, as if he was suppressing some indescribable...
"Sorry to bother you, Mr. Lu. You can continue." Yin Yiyan said awkwardly, "After you're done, please ask Miaomiao to call me back..."
"Beep beep beep..."