"Miss Zheng."
Zhou Yi slowly extended her hand. "You trust me just like that? We haven't even discussed the specific terms, nor the amount."
"Would you cheat me?" Zheng Yue retorted.
Zhou Yi chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Even if not for your sake, then for Xiao Fan's, I wouldn't do anything so wicked and conscience-less."
"Then that's settled. I also trust Xiao Fan won't cheat me."
Zheng Yue pointed at Lin Fan beside her. "If you cheat me, I'll settle the score with him. You can run, but you can't hide."
Her tone was like a threat, yet it carried the sweetness of lovers.
"Pleasure doing business with you."
Zhou Yi felt immensely relieved, her lingering gloom vanishing.
A contract worth hundreds of millions finalized in a few words, it was almost unbelievable.
Lin Fan hadn't even finished half a cup of coffee. "Is that it?"
"What else?"
Zheng Yue turned her head, smiling charmingly at Lin Fan. "Xiao Fan, how do you want to deal with those two people?"
Lin Fan pouted. "Them? Whatever."
Zheng Yue nodded. "I understand."
Her lack of a definitive stance actually conveyed her decision.
She had just started doing business in Shimen County, and it was time to make an example for the petty troublemakers.
"Xiao Fan, I have something..."
Zheng Yue hesitated, glancing at Zhou Yi.
"Xiao Fan, I have something else to attend to. You and Miss Zheng can chat slowly. Let's have dinner together sometime," Zhou Yi said, wisely excusing herself.
She walked out with light steps, humming a cheerful tune.
"A'Yue, what's wrong?" Lin Fan asked with concern.
"I want you to take a look. Lately, something seems to be not quite right," Zheng Yue said.
"Are you asking me to give you a physical?"
Lin Fan's lips curved into a mischievous smile, his interest instantly piqued.
"Where is your mind going? I'm serious!"
Zheng Yue stamped her foot, both shy and annoyed.
Lin Fan wondered if she was ill.
Yet, her vibrant appearance suggested otherwise.
Zheng Yue stood up and beckoned him. "Come with me."
They walked to a display cabinet. Zheng Yue moved a vase from the top, revealing a keypad hidden beneath.
Lin Fan suddenly understood. The vase and the cabinet were integrated; the vase served as a cover for the keypad.
As the password was entered, the display cabinet, with itself as the center, rotated halfway with a low whirring of electric motors.
"Come in."
Zheng Yue took Lin Fan's hand and stepped inside.
The secret room was about fifteen square meters. Against the back wall stood two safes, one large and one small.
The larger one was about two meters tall, appearing incredibly solid and heavy.
The smaller one was about waist-high, its surface reflecting a cold metallic sheen.
More striking were several dragon bones displayed on a table in the center.
"Xiao Fan, do you feel they are different from when you gave them to me?"
Zheng Yue, with a puzzled expression, picked up a long, slender, bone-white bone.
Lin Fan leaned in, observing for a long moment before speaking. "They seem older than before."
He tapped one of the dragon bones. "It's likely that the nutrients inside have completely leached out, and they are about to turn brittle and dry."
"Yes, every time I hold them, I feel something drilling into my body. I didn't notice at first until yesterday..."
Zheng Yue paused, picking up two broken sections of dragon bone. "Look, they're broken."
Lin Fan looked at the jagged breaks, which had a dull, grayish-white luster, giving a sense of decay and rot.
Lin Fan activated his Purple Extreme Spirit Eyes and looked towards Zheng Yue's head.
Indeed, all the dispersed dragon qi had been absorbed by her!
The dragon shadow, coiled within the pillar of auspicious energy, had become much more solid, now soaring with its fangs bared and claws extended.
Sensing someone observing her, it became enraged and lunged at Lin Fan with a roar.
Lin Fan immediately averted his gaze, rubbing his eyes.
"Xiao Fan, what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Lin Fan waved his hand, signaling he was fine.
"Your dragon qi is growing stronger. I don't know if it's good or bad."
"The good thing is, your chances of becoming the King of Siam have increased."
"The bad thing is, the royal family will use all means to kill you."
Lin Fan's face showed a trace of worry.
Zheng Yue became anxious upon hearing this. "Then what should I do?"
"Perhaps you should take the dragon bones away."
She was on the verge of tears, "I don't want to be a king, and I don't want to compete with anyone."
If she hadn't found meaning in life before, she now had her answer.
She wanted to take good care of her mother and repay her upbringing.
She also wanted to marry Lin Fan and be a happy woman.
These things were far more important than becoming a king.
"It's fate, destiny, and the whims of fortune. We have no control over it!"
Lin Fan sighed, then cautioned, "Be careful lately. If anything seems amiss, have Zheng Ke notify me."
"Oh, and this is for you."
He extended his right index finger, calling out gently in his mind.
*Buzz~*
A golden蛊worm crawled out from the back of his neck, curiously observing its surroundings. It then flew up, circled halfway, and wobbled onto his finger.
"The previous Golden Cicada Gu had other tasks. This is a new one I've cultivated. Let it accompany you."
Lin Fan extended his hand forward. Zheng Yue did the same, their fingertips touching.
The Golden Cicada Gu crawled forward hesitantly, finally reaching Zheng Yue's index finger.
"Great! You got rid of my June bug. I was planning to ask you for it," Zheng Yue said gleefully.
Lin Fan found it both amusing and exasperating.
How could a perfectly good Golden Cicada Gu be mistaken for a June bug?
"It's so cute."
Zheng Yue blew on it, teasing the Golden Cicada Gu.
*Slap!*
Lin Fan lightly swatted her fleshy part. "I gave it to you for protection, not to keep as a pet."
"Why did you hit me!"
Zheng Yue playfully rolled her eyes.
"Can't I hit you?"
Lin Fan leaned forward, his gaze possessively pressing down on her.
"Still, you can't just hit me," Zheng Yue said with a hint of grievance.
Then, she remembered the Golden Cicada Gu on her hand.
"You little thing, aren't you supposed to protect me? Go bite Lin Fan!"
She pointed at Lin Fan and commanded the Golden Cicada Gu.
The Golden Cicada Gu tilted its head, looking at her with a bewildered expression, as if to say, "What nonsense are you spouting? Can I bite my master?"
"Don't be such a coward!"
Zheng Yue poked the Golden Cicada Gu with her finger.
"A'Yue, that is..."
Lin Fan embraced her slender, soft waist.
"Don't 'that is' me. This is the company. If anyone sees, my reputation will be ruined," Zheng Yue said helplessly.
"Who's going to see?"
Lin Fan persisted.
"Anyone with a brain can see it."
As a strong woman in sole charge of her company, Zheng Yue did not want her subordinates to discover she was being intimate with her boyfriend at work.
"We can just tidy up afterward!"
Lin Fan, full of enthusiasm, picked her up and walked towards the table.
"Hey, why aren't you listening to me..."
Zheng Yue struggled, but without much force.