RITM - 54

Chapter 54: The Seventeen-Sided Mirror - Ideals (3)

She sat down, and he introduced the men beside him: “This is my seventh and ninth younger brothers.” He Yan really was like an emperor, fathering so many children. She nodded politely to greet them but didn’t see any sign of the client. Glancing again at the seventh and ninth young masters of the He family, both were exceptionally handsome young men. One gave off the vibe of a refined scoundrel, while the other’s smile alone seemed potent enough to impregnate women. She wasn’t mistaken—He Yingze wasn’t busy with work. He was simply indulging in revelry with his younger brothers.

“Sixth Brother, Miss Luo is such a beauty—it’s quite unexpected,” one of them remarked.

“Yes, so pretty,” the other echoed.

Though their compliments sounded sincere, she didn’t feel flattered, merely thanking them politely. A boy could praise her just as easily as he could praise any other girl. If such words came from wealthy young masters, their characters spoke for themselves. What puzzled her was how they knew who she was. Perhaps they were aware of her sham marriage to He Yingze. After a while, when his two brothers were occupied with other matters, she seized the opportunity to discuss her business proposal with him.

“Alright, do as you’ve suggested,” he said. He seemed to have drunk quite a bit; his gaze lacked its usual sharpness, but his slightly upturned lips gave him a gentle appearance that made her heart race.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, she stood up. “Thank you, Mr. He. I’ll go write the detailed proposal now and submit it to you once it’s ready.”

“Huh? Sister-in-law is leaving so soon? Won’t you stay and keep Sixth Brother company a little longer?”

Hearing the ninth brother call her that, she nearly stumbled, quickly steadying herself against the table. “Don’t joke like that—it’s making my poor heart flutter.”

“A joke? Asking Sister-in-law to keep Sixth Brother company isn’t a joke, is it? At the very least, let us toast you before you leave—it’s your first time meeting us.”

“I’m not your sister-in-law. Your sister-in-law is Miss Ni.”

“No worries, she’s Second Sister-in-law. You’re First Sister-in-law,” the seventh brother chimed in smoothly, as if monogamy were nothing but a grand joke. It made sense—they had a father with many concubines, and the mothers of the seventh and ninth brothers were likely different women altogether.

The ninth brother nodded in agreement. “Exactly. Since Dad passed away after being shot, the only happy events in our family were when Second Sister gave birth and Fourth Brother got married—though they later divorced. Now that we finally have a new sister-in-law, we must celebrate.”

“Shot?” Strange—wasn’t He Yan supposed to have died of illness? As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized her slip and wanted to kick herself. The seventh brother nudged the ninth with his knee, their playful expressions vanishing instantly. The look he gave her was chilling, reminiscent of their sixth brother.

“It’s fine. Luo Wei isn’t an outsider.”

With He Yingze’s words, everyone visibly relaxed. Still, she remained on edge, fearing she might overhear something she shouldn’t. After a while, the others busied themselves drinking and singing, paying no attention to their conversation. He leaned closer, intertwining his fingers as he spoke: “Back then, my father was shot by an enemy and fell into a coma. He left behind a revised will, intending to transfer the inheritance rights from the eldest brother to the fourth. The eldest destroyed the will and unplugged Father’s oxygen tube. Guess what happened next?”

Luo Wei didn’t dare respond. She already knew that the eldest son had died the year after He Yan’s passing, and the main industries were now in He Yingze’s hands. Predicting her reaction, his tone grew even more commanding: “Luo Wei, there’s nothing in this world I can’t achieve. Just recently, I secured a $7 billion financing deal with two U.S.-listed companies. I’ll expand my empire, grow the business, and stabilize the stock market. Do you know how many benefits come with being my woman? I can give you everything no other man can.”

She couldn’t understand what had come over He Yingze that night. True, he had always been domineering, and his tone hadn’t changed much from usual. But the way he spoke made him seem vulnerable. When a man desperately flaunts his wealth, it often signals insecurity—just as when a woman, no matter how beautiful, wears heavy makeup, revealing clothing, or boasts about how many men chase her, it reveals her weakest moments. Despite his speech, he didn’t receive the admiration he expected. She looked at him, her brow furrowing slightly. He paused, still maintaining his air of invincibility: “Listen carefully. There are countless women who want to be mine—you’d never make it to the front of the line. So stop acting difficult and stop bargaining.” Realizing he was rambling, he closed his eyes, took a sip of alcohol, and finally succumbed to his drunkenness, resting his forehead on his hand: “Luo Wei.”

She really didn’t like seeing him like this. Suppressing her anger, she calmly asked: “What?”

“Do you remember what we said when we were kids at the beach?”

“What did we say?”

“...You said that if I became a diamond merchant, you’d marry me.”

Her eyes widened in shock. What was going on? His answer was so unexpected that it left her completely flustered. She stammered for a while, unable to form a coherent sentence. How could she forget? She even remembered how Xiao Ying’s cheeks had looked like two snow-white buns back then. Now, that face was no longer childish—it had grown lean and stern. Reflecting on He Yingze’s entrepreneurial journey, his initial venture into the diamond industry, unrelated to the He Cheng Group… No, this assumption was too unrealistic. This man was He Yingze, not some prince on a white horse. She couldn’t let herself act like a lovesick girl watching a K-drama.

She pushed him lightly and laughed until her eyes disappeared: “I did say that, but you were much cuter back then.”

He didn’t buy her act at all. Instead, he leaned back with his wine glass, crossing one ankle over the opposite knee, and took a sip of alcohol: “You actually believed my joke? I’m drunk.”

What was he thinking? The truth nearly slipped out. People were most likely to make mistakes when they were half-drunk. He poured himself a few more drinks, but knowing his high tolerance, he couldn’t get completely wasted. All he could do was watch Luo Wei’s figure sway in front of him. Her eyes were beautiful. Whatever shampoo she used smelled wonderful. He wanted to pull her into his arms and never let go.

But instead, he gave her forehead a hard push: “Enough. This has nothing to do with you.”

She forced an awkward smile, said goodbye to the others, and felt frustrated about her earlier wavering thoughts. The ninth brother, however, leaned over with women on both sides and winked: “Leaving so soon? Could it be that Sister-in-law doesn’t like it here?”

“Not at all. I have work to do. Maybe next time I’ll come play with you guys.”

“I don’t think so.” The seventh brother squinted at her, trying to see through her facade. “Even though you don’t say it, I can tell—Sister-in-law is a proud woman at heart.”

The dancer beside him, who had been entertaining them, had seen enough of the world to read people like an open book. She sensed King’s carefully concealed pain beneath his drunkenness. It was amusing—King, who commanded such power in Gongzhou, was no different from a love-struck boy when it came to matters of the heart. Experience could make a person mature, but it couldn’t change who they fundamentally were. This pure-hearted King was somewhat endearing. As she poured wine for the seventh brother, she teased with a light laugh: “Pride? To put it bluntly, it’s just boring. Men don’t like women who pretend to be reserved.”

Luo Wei didn’t know what the dancer’s intentions were, daring to speak like this in front of He Yingze, but neither confrontation nor passivity suited her style. She smiled and replied: “People are different. My understanding is that men don’t take proactive women seriously.”

The dancer giggled: “That’s just an excuse for being timid. Pretending to be aloof.”

She hadn’t planned to continue the conversation, but hearing He Yingze’s faint snicker nearby—whether mocking or disdainful—irritated her. “Does it take courage for a woman to make the first move? Men can be rejected when they approach, but can women?”

“That depends on the man.” Seeing her bite, the dancer raised an eyebrow and glanced at He Yingze. “Would you dare with him?”

“Mr. He is a very traditional man.”

“No, I’m like any other man—I like it when women take the initiative.” He Yingze smirked mischievously.

It was an instant slap in the face. Luo Wei’s smile froze for a moment before she made a wise decision: ignore him, gather her things, and prepare to leave. However, He Yingze wasn’t about to let her off so easily. His drunken smile was still irresistibly charming. He said nothing, but his expression spelled out four blatant words: You won’t do it. After taking a couple of steps, Luo Wei suddenly turned around and said: “I wouldn’t do something that puts me at a disadvantage.”

“Taking the initiative with just any man would indeed be a disadvantage,” the dancer said, turning to the other dancers. “Do you think kissing King would be a disadvantage?”

The group of women huddled together, shaking their heads dreamily. One of them, her face flushed with excitement, pressed her hands to her chest: “It’s a huge advantage!”

Luo Wei twitched her lips: “I…”

“See? I told you—you wouldn’t dare.”

Only an overly naive girl would fall for reverse psychology. But who wouldn’t want to kiss the person they loved? She glanced at He Yingze, thinking that since she had decided to give up on him last time, they had hardly met since. From now on, it would probably be difficult to even stand within five meters of him. If not for this last chance, she might never touch him again. She steeled herself, took a fortifying sip of alcohol, and sat down on his lap. Her movement was so sudden that he blinked twice and looked up at her. She leaned down, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him.

His eyes widened in astonishment.

At the same time, whistles, cheers, applause, and the dancers’ flirtatious laughter erupted all around.

“Wow, Sister-in-law is bold!! You’re the first woman in the world to ever pin down Sixth Brother! So impressive!”

“Wow, good job, Sister-in-law!”

Though she had taken the initiative—and he had said he liked it when women did—his instinctive male response was astonishingly swift. His lips, tongue, and body exuded the scent of fine wine, his preferred cologne, and his own pheromones. Just a moment of his reciprocation left her legs weak, almost collapsing. He pinned her down on the sofa, trapping her in his private space, teasing her tongue slowly and sensually… Though she knew basic kissing techniques, all rationality seemed to have flown out the window. He was so passionate that all she could do was follow his rhythm…