Chapter 190: Chapter 190: Lin Ruoyi is getting engaged_1

"Hey, don’t get me wrong, I came to see Zhang Xian for an important matter." Seeing Zhu Yan’s unhappy expression, Lin Ruoyi quickly explained. She then turned to Zhang Xian and said, "You’ve seen the post I made at school, right? A wonder has appeared at Camel’s Peak and it’s been all over the news. I want to go and see it. I would like you to come along to keep us safe. Do you have time?"

Zhang Xian turned his head and asked in confusion, "What post?"

"Ah..." Lin Ruoyi was taken aback, "You didn’t check the school forum?"

Zhang Xian replied, "Why should I look at the school forum? What does any of that have to do with me? I don’t have time for that!"

Lin Ruoyi slapped her forehead, and asked tentatively, "Well... I’m going up to Camel’s Peak tomorrow, do you want to join us? It’ll be much easier with you, the expert."

Zhang Xian glanced at Zhu Yan, seeing her face still a little cloudy, he quickly laughed, "Lin Ruoyi, since you’ve posted about it on the forum, there must be plenty of people going with you, why do you need me to go?"

"How many people are going? Many people reply to posts, but not many actually show up. I don’t trust those people."

Lin Ruoyi looked at Zhang Xian, then turned her gaze to Zhu Yan, and teased, "Hey, Zhu, the beauty, your face doesn’t look so good. Are you afraid I’ll snatch your boyfriend?"

Zhu Yan uttered in disdain, "Am I scared you’ll steal my man? Not a chance."

Lin Ruoyi retorted, "Then state your opinion! If you don’t dare let Zhang Xian go with me, it means you lack confidence and are afraid I’d win him over."

Zhu Yan’s lips twitched unnaturally, "Lin Ruoyi, what kind of flawed logic is that?"

A normal logic." Lin Ruoyi triumphantly retorted, "If you agree to let Zhang Xian go with me, it would prove that you are confident and not afraid that Zhang Xian might pair up with me."

"What’s there to fear?" Zhu Yan retorted, "I was planning to go anyway, you must have seen my reply."

Lin Ruoyi nodded, "I did see it, so let’s set off together tomorrow."

Zhu Yan cocked her head and retorted, "Who’s scared of who?"

Zhang Xian saw Lin Ruoyi and Zhu Yan squaring off. He stood up, put his arm around Zhu Yan’s shoulders, laughed and said, "Yan Yan, don’t worry. I’m not interested in her."

At his words, Lin Ruoyi’s face changed drastically and she angrily stamped her foot, "Zhang Xian, what do you mean by that?"

Meanwhile, Zhu Yan and Xia Xiaohua couldn’t help laughing. Zhang Xian, this unique character at Tsinghua University is daring enough to talk back to Lin Ruoyi. Others just pamper Lin Ruoyi endlessly.

Moreover, some people might want to pamper but don’t have the opportunity!

Zhang Xian looked at Lin Ruoyi, chuckled, and said, "I didn’t mean anything, I’m just not interested in you. Yes, not interested."

"You..." Lin Ruoyi couldn’t believe Zhang Xian would say something like that and almost fumed.

Things would be different if no one was present, she could have held it in. But with Zhu Yan around, and just after she had confidently challenged Zhu Yan, Zhang Xian made such a comment.

Zhu Yan looked at Lin Ruoyi triumphantly and said, "So how does it feel? My boyfriend isn’t interested in you."

"Hmph, Zhu Yan, don’t be so smug. This matter is not over yet." Lin Ruoyi responded with a cold smile, "Besides, how do you know that what Zhang Xian said was honest?"

Zhu Yan asked frowning, "What do you mean?"

"Never underestimate my fighting prowess. I may have my wild moments," said Lin Ruoyi with a smile as she turned and walked away.

Zhu Yan grabbed Zhang Xian and asked, "Hey, what did she mean by you might not be telling the truth? Do you and Lin Ruoyi really have something going on? Was what you said just now intentional?"

Zhang Xian sneered, "How could that be? It’s all innocent between me and her."

Zhu Yan eyed Zhang Xian and warned, "Brother-in-law, you have been gone for two nights. My sister is furious. If you dare to stray, you’re done."

"Uh, well..." Zhang Xian smiled awkwardly, pulled Zhu Yan aside and asked, "Yan Yan, you should know about your sister’s menstrual schedule, right? Is it over?"

"What?" Zhu Yan was astonished, "Brother-in-law, what do you mean? You are my sister’s man! How can you come and ask me about this? Shouldn’t you know better than me?"

Zhang Xian rubbed his nose, "I...I don’t know. We haven’t been together long."

"Really?" Zhu Yan looked at Zhang Xian suspiciously, "I’m curious, why would you ask about her period out of the blue?"

Zhang Xian playfully nudged Zhu Yan and replied with a sleazy grin, "Just checking?"

"If you count, it should be in three or four days," Zhu Yan asked curiously, "Brother-in-law, is your running away from home related to my sister’s period? I find this very strange."

Zhang Xian waved his hand, "Of course not. I was just asking."

Zhu Yan didn’t believe him, "Really, just asking?"

Zhang Xian replied, "Of course."

Zhu Yan rolled her eyes and said, "Alright! Brother-in-law, you win."

...

Yantai city, long-distance bus station.

A man dressed in a black casual suit, wearing sunglasses, with a black handbag, stepped out from the station.

After a quick scan of his surroundings, he hopped into a taxi and croaked, "Driver, take me to the Sheraton Hotel as quickly as possible."

The taxi driver, seeing the stern expression on the middle-aged man’s face, dared not to make small talk and hurriedly started the taxi.

"Zhang Xian, an intriguing prey."

Sitting in the taxi, a cruel, bloodthirsty smile emerged on the middle-aged man’s face, "I hope you can provide the thrill of hunting, otherwise, your death will be gruesome."

...

That night, at a certain villa.

When Lin Ruoyi got home, she saw that her parents were there, along with a young man in a white suit sitting on the sofa. Her eyebrows furrowed instantly.

Upon seeing Lin Ruoyi’s return, Lin Zhengyang smiled and said, "Ruoyi, come sit for a while."

The young man also got up, smiling as he said, "Ruoyi."

Lin Ruoyi furrowed her brows as she sat down next to the sofa, and looked at the young man, asking, "Ji Yongzhe, why are you at my house this late? Is there something you need?"

Ji Yongzhe smiled and said, "I’ve been away on business the past few days and just got back today. I came to see you."

Lin Ruoyi frowned and asked, "What is there to see?"

"I..." An ominous glint flickered in Ji Yongzhe’s eyes, but he maintained an awkward smile on his face.

Seeing this, Lin Zhengyang voiced his displeasure, "Ruoyi, is that how you talk? Yongzhe came straight to see you as soon as he got back, this late, and you treat him like this? You really don’t know how blessed you are."

Ji Yongzhe waved his hand and chuckled, "Uncle, don’t blame Ruoyi. She might have some misunderstandings about me. I’ll explain everything to her when I find the opportunity."

Lin Ruoyi snorted and declined Ji Yongzhe’s offer.

To outsiders, Ji Yongzhe might seem like a perfect gentleman, but she learned by chance that he was nothing more than a wolf in sheep’s clothing, what he showed on the surface was merely a facade.

"Sigh..." After sighing, Lin Zhengyang chuckled, "Ruoyi, as both of you are here today, let’s discuss the marriage between you two."

"What?" Lin Ruoyi was shocked, "Dad, what do you mean? When did I ever say I would marry Ji Yongzhe? And I’m still in school, why are we discussing marriage now?"

Lin Zhengyang’s face darkened, "Ruoyi, although you’re still in college, you’re no longer that young. And, we’re only discussing an engagement, not an immediate marriage."

Lin Ruoyi looked at Lin Zhengyang, "Dad, I have no intention of having a boyfriend at the moment, let alone getting engaged."

"Nonsense, I’m doing this for your own good." Lin Zhengyang spoke sternly, "Yongzhe is a good kid, and I know all about it. You two are also a great match and could form a perfect pair."

Lin Ruoyi retorted, "Dad, you just said I’m old enough. Doesn’t that mean I can make decisions about my own life?"

"I can accommodate you in other matters, but about this..." Lin Zhengyang retorted without yielding, "There’s no room for negotiation on this. You must follow my arrangements."

Lin Ruoyi stood up and passionately said, "Dad, I’m afraid I can’t follow your arrangement. I must make decisions about my own marriage. It concerns my entire life. You cannot and do not have the right to interfere."

"What?" Lin Zhengyang turned his head, looking at Lin Ruoyi, "Now that you’re grown up, do you think I can’t control you anymore? Don’t forget, you are my, Lin Zhengyang’s, daughter."

"So what?" Lin Ruoyi gazed defiantly at Lin Zhengyang, "You gave birth to me, which means you have an obligation to raise me, just as I will have a duty to take care of you in the future. This cannot be used as an excuse for you to interfere in my life. And please remember, I am a person with my own thoughts, not your doll. I should arrange my own life."

"Slap..." Lin Zhengyang landed a slap on Lin Ruoyi’s face, shouting angrily, "What, are you trying to turn the world upside down?"

Struck dumb by the slap, it took Lin Ruoyi a while to regain her senses.

Ever since she came of age, her father had never laid a hand on her. However, today, he hit her over this matter.

What might be a trivial matter for Lin Zhengyang was a life-long matter for her. Could a father really force his daughter like this?

In a marriage, there is no such thing as a match in status; it only matters whether they are compatible or not. It is not about two families, but about two people. A marriage cannot be maintained by family ties.

"Lin Zhengyang, how could you hit your own daughter?"

Qin Shuya glared at Lin Zhengyang then turned to scold Lin Ruoyi, "And you, how could you talk to your father like that? You’re disrespectful."

"Dad, you actually hit me over this matter today. You..." Lin Ruoyi looked at Lin Zhengyang, unable to hold back her tears. She felt like her father had changed.

Lin Zhengyang dared not look at Lin Ruoyi and lowered his head, "In this matter, you have no choice. You have to marry, whether you want to or not."

Lin Ruoyi stubbornly said, "Alright, let me make it clear to you, I will never marry Ji Yongzhe."

"You rebellious child, dare you say that again?" Lin Zhengyang raged, ready to slap her again.

Ji Yongzhe’s eyes shone with a glimpse of joy; quickly standing up and holding Lin Zhengyang back, "Uncle, don’t be angry. We are all family, it’s inappropriate to physically discipline her."

Lin Ruoyi glanced at Lin Zhengyang and turned to leave.

Qin Shuya glared at Lin Zhengyang and quickly followed her, "Ruoyi, where are you going at this late hour? Come back immediately... I’m your mother, I’m telling you to come back, you..."

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read