Chapter 26: Thin Lips Gently Meet Hers

Nan Xing heard the entire conversation clearly. She made a throat-slitting gesture toward Li Sichen, the silence between them deafening.

It was only after the call ended that Nan Xing swayed over to Li Beitiam, her long, fair legs catching the light. "It seems Young Master Li is quite dissatisfied with me."

"Whether he is satisfied or not is irrelevant. Although the engagement between the Nan and Li families hasn't been officially announced to the public, the Li family cannot break their word. To do so would be a disservice to the late patriarch."

Li Beitiam sat stiffly, his words laced with authority. As a leader among noble families, the Li family’s prestige was sometimes more important than money or power. Even if it weren't Nan Xing, anyone who had bestowed a favor upon the Li family would have to weigh the stakes carefully. It was not something that could be simply dismissed just because one party was reluctant.

Nan Xing raised her eyes and smiled at these words, her dark, bright gaze fixed on Li Beitiam. "But I am not the only daughter of the Nan family."

"Nan Xing," Li Beitiam’s voice deepened. "Do not forget, you are the only daughter of Jiang Wan."

In other words, it was Nan Xing's mother who had done the Li patriarch a favor back in the day, so no matter what, Nan Xing was the only one qualified to enter the Li family threshold.

As he finished speaking, Nan Xing nodded as if she understood, her fingertips playing with a lock of her hair. She spoke with a mix of sincerity and jest: "Since Fourth Uncle says there is a marriage contract between the Nan and Li families, does that mean I can marry anyone?"

By the rules of seniority, while she and Li Sichen were of similar age, he was not the only unmarried man in the Li family; Li Beitiam was another. Although Li Sichen called Li Beitiam "Fourth Uncle," there was not much of an age gap between them. If she had to marry into the family, why shouldn't she choose the most powerful one?

The implication behind Nan Xing’s words was self-evident.

Li Beitiam’s gaze lingered on Nan Xing, a dark and inscrutable emotion flickering in his eyes. "It seems you have made up your mind to use this method to force the Li family to cancel the marriage?"

Nan Xing paused for a moment. Uncertain whether Li Beitiam truly didn't understand or simply chose to think that way, she gave him a seductive, sidelong glance. "May I interpret that as Fourth Uncle looking down on me?"

Li Beitiam didn't speak. His dark, piercing eyes locked onto Nan Xing, harboring an emotion she couldn't decipher. Suddenly, she lost the desire to argue. Using a light touch to deflect the tension, she said, "I went to see you at the company early this morning, but we didn't have a chance to take measurements. Shall we take them now while we have the time?"

As she spoke, she moved closer to him. Seeing his silence, her boldness grew. Finding a tape measure from somewhere, she stood on tiptoes, wrapping her slender arms around the man’s taut waist, and carefully checked the numbers on the tape.

A faint fragrance wafted toward Li Beitiam’s nose—that same inexplicable, familiar scent.

His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he couldn't help but lower his head. The girl’s eyes were filled with a watery shimmer, her dark pupils darting about cleverly. Under the warm yellow light of the living room, her snow-white, delicate skin glowed with a faint pink hue.

From his vantage point, Li Beitiam had an unobstructed view of that softness—she was a little seductress, through and through. Whether intentional or not, Nan Xing’s soft hand brushed against his chest, her fingertips leaving an unmistakable trail of intimacy that acted like a fuse, instantly igniting the restlessness within him.

"Nan Xing... are you sure?" Pushed to his limit, Li Beitiam gripped her shoulders tightly, his voice hoarse as he repeated, "Are you sure?"

Nan Xing could clearly feel the warmth and trembling beneath his palms. She tilted her head back and giggled, "And what about you, Fourth Uncle? Are you sure?"

Sometimes, when two sides are in a standoff, the simplest and most direct approach is the most effective; it just depends on who loses their composure first. Isn't the world of adults just about playing hardball?

The girl’s flower-like smile held the extreme allure of a poppy. Li Beitiam narrowed his eyes slightly, his fingers sliding along the smooth fabric of her shirt to her slender waist, his thin lips brushing against her ear. "Nan Xing, you are truly wicked for your age."

With that, before Nan Xing could prepare herself, he covered her lips with his.

Nan Xing was stunned. Li Beitiam pressed the back of her head firmly into his embrace, as if he wanted to knead her into his very being. His cool lips intertwined with hers, drinking in her sweetness and beauty.

Experiencing Li Beitiam’s terrifying intensity for the first time, Nan Xing gripped his sides, breathless from the kiss. Finally, she collapsed into his arms, weak and unsteady, letting him take whatever he wanted.

A sudden, jarring ringtone broke the spell.

Li Beitiam released Nan Xing and walked to the window to answer the call. When he returned, he had regained his usual cold indifference, as if everything that had just happened was merely the loss of control brought on by drink.

Nan Xing felt the same, snapping back to reality from her momentary delirium.

"Get some rest. I have to go out for a while."

Leaving those words behind, Li Beitiam drove away from Cuiwan Bay.

In the vast villa, Nan Xing was left all alone. She laughed to herself in silence, poured a glass of warm water, and returned to the master bedroom on the second floor.

There were several unread messages on her phone. Nan Xing plugged it in to charge and lay on the bed, reading them one by one. She deleted the unimportant ones, finally stopping at a message in English.

It translated to: [Nan, I'm flying into Beixin tomorrow. Do you have time to meet?]

Nan Xing replied quickly: [Ok.]

As if waiting for her message, the other end replied immediately: [See you tomorrow.]

Nan Xing: [See you tomorrow.]

...

At ten o'clock at night, at an abandoned factory on the outskirts of the city.

A mud-splattered black Maybach was parked in front of the factory doors. In the deep, dew-heavy night, the blinding headlights were left on, illuminating a dark, silent crowd waiting by the entrance.

The car door opened, and a man dressed in black stepped out. His expression was somber, his entire aura frigid—it was Li Beitiam.

"Fourth Master, you've arrived."

The lead bodyguard immediately stepped forward, holding out a short black whip with both hands, bowing respectfully to Li Beitiam. "The people are all inside, waiting for your disposal, Fourth Master."

The man’s thin lips were pressed into a grim line. With a gloved hand, he took the whip and walked inside, his gaze icy.

In the damp, moldy factory, four men of varying builds were kneeling on the floor, their eyes covered with black blindfolds. They were pale with terror, begging for mercy incessantly.

A subordinate brought over a chair that had been prepared in advance. Li Beitiam sat down, lifted his eyes, and swept a ruthless gaze over the men.

"Has everything been confessed?"

"Fourth Master, it has all been investigated. Zhang Biao has been holding a grudge over the incident with the Nan family last time. This time, he took advantage of Miss Nan being alone, secretly drugged her drink, and incited these scoundrels to bully her..."

"Furthermore, I found a phone on him containing a recording of the entire process of Miss Nan being harassed..."

With that, Jingzhe, one of the four great bodyguards, handed a phone to Li Beitiam.

After watching the video, a cruel smile curled at the corner of Li Beitiam’s mouth. "It seems your time has truly run out."