With every word Xiao Ying said, Long Ming’s expression darkened.

  He pinched her small chin, his handsome face leaning toward her.

  Xiao Ying looked at the pair of deep eyes that were very close to her and felt a sense of danger as if she had fallen into a whirlpool.

  He raised his eyebrows slightly, his eyebrows sharp and cold, and his lips pursed tightly.

  The air pressure in the car decreased and the man’s breath surrounded her, making it hard for Xiao Ying to breathe.

  She had been trained since she was young and was used to seeing good-looking people.

  Leaving aside Long Ming looked like, his eyes were too deep and dark. The emotions surging within them were hard for Xiao Ying to handle.

  She pursed her lips, not wanting to show her weakness in front of him. She pretended to be calm and indifferent. “Why are you so close to me?”


  “What do you think?” His voice was low and cold, his dark eyes lingering on her face, his intentions unclear.

  Xiao Ying furrowed her eyebrows. “Long Ming, we’re no longer related. You can’t…”


  Before she could finish, he cut her off. “Can’t what?” He smirked, his expression slightly mocking. “Do you think I want to kiss you?”


  Xiao Ying’s long eyelashes fluttered and she said nothing.

  “Do you think I can do it with your current appearance?”


  Xiao Ying could not stand it anymore. She gritted her teeth and was about to reply when her chin was pinched by him once more. He took a disinfectant cotton swab with his other hand, dipped it in disinfectant and wiped it on her injured lips and swollen cheek.

  “You still have to rely on this face to charm men in the future. How will you survive if it’s ruined?”


  This man!

  He really could provoke her anger with just a few words.

  He had helped her tonight, but his words were getting worse!

  When the antiseptic came into contact with the wound, it hurt a little. Xiao Ying endured it with no expression of pain on her face. If it wasn’t for her eyelashes fluttering, Long Ming would have thought that she didn’t feel any pain.

  After disinfecting her injured area, Long Ming used his fingers to apply the ointment. His temperature was naturally cold, so when the ointment and the coolness of his fingertips touched her injured area, her heart fluttered uncontrollably.

  Xiao Ying looked up at the man in front of her.

  The tip of her nose was surrounded by his masculine scent.

  His eyes were lowered and she could not see his expression.

  Xiao Ying’s expression became slightly dazed.

  She could not believe that such a cold and domineering man had such a gentle side.

  She did not know if she was staring at him too intently, but he suddenly looked up at her.

  His cold eyes were like the deep sea, as if he wanted to drown her in them.

  Xiao Ying could not help but wonder if he was also so nice to other women.

  For example, his fiancée, Lou Lan.

  At the thought of his fiancée, Xiao Ying’s dazed expression slowly became clear again.

  She took the ointment from him and leaned against the car window, avoiding his approach. “Thank you. I can do it myself.”


  Long Ming looked at her cold and distant appearance and said nothing. He took a piece of paper from the box and slowly wiped his long fingers.

  Long Ming lit a cigar.

  When he narrowed his hawk-like eyes and exhaled the smoke, it made people feel cold and distant, not daring to approach him.

  “Your husband has been taken away. What do you plan to do in the future?”


  Xiao Ying looked down. “Take care of your daughter and live well. Don’t let him worry.”


  Long Ming exhaled a mouthful of smoke slowly, his voice hoarse and dark. “That’s true. You never lack men. Without this one, there will be another one.”


  Hearing his words, Xiao Ying’s heart throbbed in pain.

  This was also the reason why she did not want to be with Long Ming the most.

  He knew her past too well. He knew clearly what she had done and whom she had hurt.

  He used to love her, but he also hated her.

  There were too many stains in her past. If they had any disagreements or disputes, his words would hurt her.

  Who wouldn’t want to clear their name and cut ties with their past?

  However, in front of Long Ming, she was like a person who would be stripped naked from time to time without any dignity or shame!

  A self-deprecating smile appeared on Xiao Ying’s lips. “Yes, I’ve never lacked men who are charmed by my beauty, but it’s very difficult to find a man as good as Tang En.”


  Xiao Ying thought of what Tang En would have to endure after being taken away by the Young Master and her eyes turned red.

  Seeing her emotions fluctuating for another man, Long Ming’s fingers holding the cigar tightened unconsciously.

  There was dead silence and stiffness in the car.

  After finishing his cigar, Long Ming started the engine and drove toward Xiao Ying’s resort villa.

  When they arrived at the villa’s entrance, Long Ming glanced at Xiao Ying. “Didn’t you want to work with LY Corporation on the gas project? Why are you leaving tomorrow?”


  Xiao Ying bit her lip, not knowing how to answer Long Ming.

  Long Ming seemed to have thought of something as he narrowed his eyes. “Did Lou Lan give you certain conditions?”


  Xiao Ying’s long eyelashes lowered. “As long as the project can continue, it doesn’t matter if I’m the one who is liaising with LY Corporation.”


  Long Ming stared at her for a few seconds, his eyes unreadable.

  After a while, he said coldly, “Get off.”


  Xiao Ying looked at his sharp and cold expression and said, “Thank you for your help today.” She then pushed open the door and got out of the car.

  …


  After Xiao Ying’s figure disappeared from his sight, Long Ming took out his phone and made a call.

  “Inform LY Corporation that the royal family will be disqualifying their company from mining natural gas.”


  …


  The next day.

  Xiao Ying was planning to bring Wan Bao back to R Country when Sister Wen rushed over. “Sister Ying, don’t go back yet.”


  Xiao Ying did not know what medicine Long Ming had applied last night, but the red and swollen areas on her face had mostly disappeared. With her makeup, it was hard to tell that she had been injured.

  Hearing Sister Wen’s words, Xiao Ying was slightly stunned. “Sister Wen, is there a problem with the project again?”


  Sister Wen waved her hand with a smile. “It’s not a problem, but there’s good news.” Sister Wen’s face was almost blooming with joy. “The royal family has handed over the project to our company but we need to open a branch here.”


  Hearing this news, Xiao Ying’s heart skipped a beat.

  Did Long Ming not give this project to LY Corporation but to her?

  “Sister Wen, do you still need me to stay and be the person in charge of this branch?”


  “Sister Ying, you’re too smart.” Sister Wen held Xiao Ying’s hand. “To be able to work with the royal family is something I never dared to think about in the past. Sister Ying, we have to seize this opportunity.”


  Xiao Ying pursed her lips. “Sister Wen, I’ll go outside to make a call first.”


  Sister Wen nodded. “Go, I’ll accompany Wan Bao.”


  Xiao Ying took her phone out of the villa and called Long Ming.