Chapter 154: Protection

Xiao Mingyu turned a blind eye to Rong Xian, and an eerie atmosphere quickly spread across this small space.

Accustomed to being in control, Rong Xian felt bewildered by this unprecedented situation that slipped right out of her hands.

Was this man playing the hard-to-get card on her?

Rong Xian crossed her arms, staring fixedly as Xiao Mingyu uncorked a bottle of wine and poured two glasses.

Then, he turned around and walked straight into the kitchen.

Rong Xian: "..."

This feeling was truly awkward—so awkward that it was beginning to test her patience.

Suddenly realizing what she was thinking, Rong Xian closed her eyes and took a deep breath, suppressing the eager impulse to speak up.

Though her mouth was shut, her ears twitched as she listened intently.

Seconds later, she heard the refrigerator door open, followed by the sound of ice cubes dropping into a glass.

He had poured two glasses; the other one was presumably meant to coax her.

Rong Xian sneered inwardly, maintaining her queenly composure without a flicker of emotion, waiting for the man to come over and "flatter" her.

The refrigerator door closed, and footsteps followed.

Glancing sideways at the figure walking out of the kitchen, Rong Xian opened her mouth to scoff, only for—

Xiao Mingyu to walk straight across the living room without a sideways glance, heading right back up the stairs.

Rong Xian, whose elaborate internal monologue had been met with utter indifference: "..."

Hah, how interesting.

...

Upstairs, An Tong was organizing her preparation materials, while Ling Qi used a stomachache as an excuse to slip away to the adjacent study.

Fortunately, she was a young technician with a very sound moral compass; otherwise, this behavior would be no different from having a secret affair.

Of course, Ling Qi only dared to complain inwardly while maintaining a posture of utmost respect on the outside.

"Boss, Cheng Feng said he sent you a message this morning. Ah Qi informed him that the Sixth Young Master Rong arrived in Zhanzhou last night."

Although Ling Qi was not quite the right-hand person that Yuan Kai and Cheng Feng were to Rong Shen, her relationship with her aunt still qualified her as a trusted confidant.

Though the Rong family had many offspring, apart from the Ninth Young Master Rong, the only one who had truly emerged into prominence and public recognition was the Sixth Young Master Rong.

It was not that the other brothers lacked capability, but relying on his geographical advantage in Xiangjiang, the Sixth Young Master had engaged in no small share of fratricidal plots both openly and secretly.

Now, his only remaining formidable rival was the unfathomable Rong Shen, so he certainly would not sit back and wait for his doom.

Inside the study, Rong Shen stood by the window with a cigarette between his fingers. His crisp white shirt and tailored suit trousers gave him a polished yet cold and ascetic appearance.

"Mhm. While I'm away, keep An Tong company, and don't let her return to the family estate anytime soon."

Ling Qi's mind worked quickly, and she grasped the man's intentions in an instant.

Regardless of their relationship, since the Sixth Young Master had come to Zhanzhou, he was bound by both reason and convention to visit his third uncle, Rong Jinghuai, at the estate.

"Boss, aren't you considering taking Madam abroad with you?"

The man cast a cool glance at her. The air fell silent for a few seconds before he said in a low voice, "Remember my words. Go get to work."

Ling Qi nodded, let out an acknowledging murmur, and walked out of the study.

Moments later, Xiao Mingyu returned carrying two glasses of whiskey.

Rong Shen casually extinguished his cigarette, took the glass handed to him, and spoke in an indifferent tone, "Protect An Tong."

Xiao Mingyu slipped one hand into his pocket and took a sip of the liquor. "Consider it done. As long as you keep Rong Xian in the country, you can ask me to protect whoever you want."

The man gave a faint hum of assent without further elaboration, his attitude neither warm nor cold.

Xiao Mingyu clicked his tongue against his teeth, eyed Rong Shen's casual demeanor, and chuckled softly, "You have countless capable subordinates at your disposal, and that guy Yuan Kai is even a judo champion. If you want to protect your wife, you could assign anyone. Why go out of your way to have me keep an eye on her?"

"Protecting her openly—what fun would that be?" A faint smile, fleeting and barely perceptible, seemed to ripple across the man's refined face. "Besides, the Sixth Young Master would never suspect that the man being kept by the eldest daughter of the Rong family is actually a member of the Jiangcheng Xiao family."

Xiao Mingyu: "..."

He had long known that Rong Shen was adept at disguise; outwardly a dashing, noble gentleman, he was actually pitch-black at heart.

It was just a fair trade—asking him to help keep Rong Xian in the country—so why did he have to hit him right where it hurt?

Xiao Mingyu tilted his head back and finished his drink in one gulp, shot a sideways glare at Rong Shen, and let out a cold snort without a word.

...

At four in the afternoon, Cheng Feng drove a commercial vehicle to the villa.

In the bedroom, Rong Shen had a black woolen coat draped over his arm while he cupped An Tong's face in one hand, sharing a deep, passionate kiss with her.

Having been together for so long, this was the first time the man was leaving home on a business trip.

Reluctant to part, An Tong stood on tiptoe, doing her best to respond.

When the kiss ended, their foreheads rested against each other. The man gently wiped away the traces at the corner of her mouth, his voice hoarse, "Leave the garden renovations to Yuan Kai. If anything comes up ordinarily, just ask Ling Qi to handle it. Wait for me to come back."

An Tong looked up at him and urged, "Don't forget to tell me the date of your return flight. I'll come pick you up."

"I won't forget."

Rong Shen lowered his head to kiss her brow, leaving her with one final instruction, "Xiao Mingyu isn't busy lately. If you run into anything you can't resolve, you can go to him."

"Oh." An Tong didn't think much of it, or perhaps subconsciously, she didn't believe she would encounter any intractable troubles. "Got it."

Hearing her somewhat perfunctory tone, the man's deep eyes flickered with amusement as he lowered his head once more to kiss her.

This reluctance to part inevitably delayed their departure time.

By the time Rong Shen went downstairs, Rong Xian's face was practically dark.

Sitting rigidly on the sofa, she watched the man lead An Tong down the stairs and deliberately peeled back her sleeve to check her wristwatch with a mischievous air, "Pretty fast, only twenty minutes and you're already down."

The remark had a clear double meaning, making any reply awkward.

Consequently, the living room fell into a heavy silence, save for... the muffled sound of clearing throat near the small bar.

It came from Xiao Mingyu.

Hearing the noise, Rong Xian shot him a complex look.

Ever since entering the villa more than three full hours ago, this man hadn't said a single word to her.

Even as they were about to set off, he remained calm and composed, pouring drinks for himself.

He had no intention of seeing them off, nor did he plan to avoid suspicion by leaving.

Sensing something was amiss, Rong Xian suppressed her lingering doubts and only asked in a low voice once they reached outside the living room, directed at Rong Shen beside her, "What is Xiao Mingyu loitering around here for?"

The man glanced sideways, his tone calm and unruffled, "Why don't you ask him?"

"I say, little brother, this is your house."

Rong Shen eyed her with a half-smile, "Wasn't he the one who chased after you?"

Rong Xian's expression remained blank, her words carrying an inexplicable trace of sourness, "Hah, chased after me? Then how come I didn't see him following me out?"

She was about to head out the door, yet that fellow was still sitting at the bar drinking.

"You can go ask him."

Dropping those words, Rong Shen turned his gaze to An Tong. His attitude and tone instantly softened and smoothed out, "It's cold outside, you don't need to see me off. Wait for me at home, okay?"

Obediently halting her steps, An Tong raised her right hand and waved, "Then come back early, bye-bye~"