Wife Takes the Reins: The Calm CEO

Chapter 45: Forcing the Issue

“Next Tuesday—today is the… weekend. That means it’s the day after tomorrow!” Li Xiaowan cried out in shock. Oh my God, strictly speaking, there’s only tomorrow left. “Please don’t freak out like that, okay? Can’t you see I’m driving? If something happens because of your thoughtlessness, I won’t let you off easy.” What a reckless woman. If it were anyone else, they’d be over the moon, but she just wouldn’t appreciate it. That’s true enough, but what’s with that attitude? Never mind, let’s put that aside for now. I’d better start thinking about what to do next Tuesday. “Why not just get married right away? Why go through the trouble of an engagement? Rich people really have too much time on their hands.” Just the thought of holding a so-called engagement party with the man standing before her made Li Xiaowan feel sick to her stomach. Given the The Feng Family’s reputation, there would surely be countless media outlets live-streaming and scrambling to cover the event. Not to mention whether anyone would still be willing to marry someone who’d been publicly engaged—and married—once the one-year contract expired. Just think of the simple-hearted folks back home: if they saw it, they’d surely be up in arms. Once they learned the truth, they’d inevitably worry along with her—especially Xin'er’s family. She already owed them more than enough; she couldn’t let them worry about her any further. “I don’t mind skipping the steps—why don’t we just go through the whole process tonight?” Feng Lingzheng said teasingly. Li Xiaowan felt her face flush red and then pale. “You dare!” she said, though her voice lacked any conviction. “We’ll see if I dare. In the eyes of many, aren’t we already a married couple in name? I ask you, what’s wrong with a mentally and physically healthy husband asking a wife—who may be a bit dim-witted but is otherwise physically sound—to do something normal and well within her capabilities?” Feng Lingzheng’s implication was crystal clear. “You’re the one who’s not all there,” Li Xiaowan said. After speaking, she felt something was off—it seemed more like the playful banter between a married couple. “Your husband here isn’t lacking in common sense, you know. I’ve told you before—I’m perfectly healthy in both body and mind, especially physically. I even went for a checkup at the hospital not long ago; the report showed all my indicators were normal. Would you like me to go back and get it for you to see?” Feng Lingzheng had no intention of letting Li Xiaowan off the hook so easily. How could Li Xiaowan—an innocent young girl who’d never even held a boy’s hand—withstand such teasing? Her cheeks flushed crimson; she didn’t know whether to sit or stand. Still, she’d rather stand than sit, but this wasn’t a bus, after all. “Stop talking nonsense. Can’t I just go to the engagement party?” Faced with Feng Lingzheng’s relentless barrage of questions, Li Xiaowan simply couldn’t hold her ground anymore. “Shy? I just want to teach you how to be a real woman. And I haven’t even made a move yet, so it’s not that bad.” This girl was quite interesting. She was clearly an innocent girl with no experience in such matters—unlike herself, who had already tasted the pleasures of love at fifteen. If it weren’t for her looks, she might actually have been attracted to her. “I’m getting out!” Li Xiaowan just wanted to escape from the car immediately; the air was thick with a suggestive atmosphere that could easily cloud one’s judgment. “I’m sorry, I can’t stop the car right now.” Wasn’t this exactly the effect she’d been aiming for? She just needed to stoke the fire a little more. A hidden, chilling smile flashed across Feng Lingzheng’s face—only to vanish in an instant. “If you say another word, I’ll jump out of the car right now.” Li Xiaowan thought this would intimidate Feng Lingzheng. “Suit yourself. If you’re not afraid to jump out of a car traveling at two hundred yards per hour, go right ahead. When you’re smashed to pieces and run over until you’re a bloody mess, I’ll just treat it as a free horror movie.” From the sound of it, Feng Lingzheng didn’t care one bit about Li Xiaowan’s life or death. “You’re crazy—absolutely crazy! Even though I don’t have a driver’s license, I know the speed limit is 120 yards. Aren’t you afraid the traffic cop will catch you and lock you up for ten days or half a month?” Traffic cop, someone’s speeding here—hurry over! He’s loaded—make sure to fine him as much as possible, and you’ve got to put him in jail, hahahaha… Just thinking about it is a thrill. “No problem. Let them come arrest me. I’ve actually been wanting to check out what a detention center looks like.” Far from showing any signs of nervousness, Feng Lingzheng actually began humming a tune. He actually hums songs—and the most popular ones at that. Feng Lingzheng isn’t just a two-faced person; he’s far more complex than she’d imagined. It’s best not to mess with him. I’d better just go to sleep—I don’t want to see that annoying face of his anymore. No sooner said than done, Li Xiaowan pulled her shawl tighter around herself, leaned back against the seat, and fell into a deep sleep. Before long, she began to snore. What a carefree woman. Feng Lingzheng glanced sideways at Li Xiaowan in the rearview mirror, then focused on driving. In her sleep, Li Xiaowan seemed to see a beautiful woman waving at her. When she looked closely, wasn’t that herself? Just as she was wondering what was going on, the woman suddenly opened her gaping maw, as if to swallow Li Xiaowan whole. Startled, Li Xiaowan let out a scream, and cold sweat broke out on her forehead. “Miss Xiaowan, you’re finally awake. What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?” Housekeeper Mo asked with great concern. “Sister Fen, you… where am I?” Li Xiaowan asked dazedly. “Miss Xiaowan, you’re in your own room,” said Housekeeper Mo, showing no surprise—he assumed Li Xiaowan was simply confused from sleep. “That can’t be right. Shouldn’t I have been in his car? How did I end up in his bed after just one nap?” Li Xiaowan looked bewildered. “You were in Young Master Lingzheng’s car earlier, but later he carried you up here and told me not to disturb your rest. I just happened to be passing by and thought I’d check to see if you’d woken up yet.” Judging from the situation, it seemed Young Master Lingzheng wasn’t as averse to Miss Xiaowan as one might think. “Sister Fen, I can’t believe what you’re telling me is true. Is he really that kind-hearted?” Li Xiaowan patted her head; it must have been because she’d slept so soundly that she hadn’t quite come to her senses yet. “Miss Xiaowan, I have no reason to lie to you. Why don’t you freshen up first, then come downstairs for dinner?” Housekeeper Mo didn’t want to force Li Xiaowan to accept it either; if someone were truly sincere, she would notice the subtle signs on her own without needing others to hint at it. “Okay, Sister Fen. What time is it now?” Li Xiaowan felt like she hadn’t slept for very long—how could it already be dinnertime? “It’s already 7:15 p. m. ,” Housekeeper Mo said, glancing casually at the watch on her left wrist. “Time really does fly. Sister Fen, you go ahead and get back to work—I’ll be down shortly.” Li Xiaowan glanced down at the clothes she was wearing. Although they were beautiful and expensive, she’d just have to pretend she didn’t appreciate them; after all, they weren’t nearly as comfortable as her own inexpensive clothes. “All right, Miss Xiaowan. I’ll head downstairs now.” After stepping out of the room, Housekeeper Mo casually closed the door behind him. Just as Li Xiaowan had taken her own clothes out of the suitcase to change, the door opened. Feng Lingzheng walked in wearing only a robe. Li Xiaowan didn’t think much of it at first, assuming he’d just come in to grab something and would be leaving soon. But to her surprise, he sat down on the sofa directly across from her and stared at her with great interest. Li Xiaowan felt extremely uncomfortable under his gaze and hurriedly grabbed the clothes she’d been about to put on, heading toward the bathroom. “Change right in front of me,” Feng Lingzheng said casually; as far as he was concerned, there was nothing wrong with it. “What? I’ve never even changed in front of my closest female friend, let alone in front of a stranger of the opposite sex,” Li Xiaowan said, clutching the clothes tightly in her hands. “You’re my wife now. Do you really need to be so coy about changing in front of your own husband? Are you going to do it yourself, or should I help you?” Feng Lingzheng didn’t even know what had come over him. Not only was his mind a whirl of conflicting emotions, but his body was burning with an unbearable heat. Could it be that since returning to the country, he’d gone without for too long and was now desperate for an outlet? Li Xiaowan looked at Feng Lingzheng, whose eyes were bloodshot. Although she had no experience with intimate matters, as a young woman, she possessed a basic sense of self-preservation. She began to feel afraid and uneasy, edging backward repeatedly. She couldn’t help but recall the scene from her first date—she’d narrowly escaped that time, but this time, would she be able to get away? “Are you afraid of me?” Feng Lingzheng got up from the sofa, darted over to Li Xiaowan’s side, and roughly pulled off the woolen shawl she was wearing over her evening gown. Then, his hands reached mercilessly toward her chest. Feng Lingzheng’s sudden move startled Li Xiaowan like a frightened fawn, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. “What are you doing? If you keep this up, I’m going to scream for help.” Li Xiaowan glanced at the room’s main door—it was farther away than the bathroom door—and decided she might as well take advantage of his distraction to dash into the bathroom first. “Go ahead and scream. I’ve already sent them all over to the mansion,” Feng Lingzheng said, his breathing growing rapid. Before Li Xiaowan could even make a run for the bathroom, he forcefully tore open her evening gown, exposing her snow-white skin across her chest. Li Xiaowan’s mind was now completely blank. She instinctively clasped her hands tightly across her chest, her eyes fixed intently on Feng Lingzheng. “Woman, you’re mine.” Feng Lingzheng scooped Li Xiaowan up by the waist, flung her onto the very center of the large bed, then swiftly stripped off his own robe, leaving only a sexy thong. He pinned Li Xiaowan to the bed and pressed himself against her, completely ignoring her kicks and punches. The sensation was so vivid—so vivid she could almost see the heat radiating from Feng Lingzheng’s scorching body. Li Xiaowan was already as skittish as a startled bird, letting Feng Lingzheng’s kisses rain down on her face, neck, and chest.