Ren Ran stared at the ceiling. This was her first night staying at Qing Shang Yuan, and intermittent noises from the adjacent room drifted in. She impatiently closed her eyes, but the rising crescendo of excitement sounded like cat claws scratching at her heart, making her throat feel prickly. Suddenly sitting up, she grabbed a cup and took a drink of water.

“Don’t! Be gentle…”

Her grip on the cup gradually tightened.

In the next room was the master bedroom, where her fiancé and his lover were asleep.

Ren Ran felt a throbbing at her temples; even though she was completely unwilling regarding the arranged marriage, it didn’t mean others could step all over her.

Ren Ran got up and went to the bathroom, filling a basin with water. She had never had proper upbringing since childhood, so she was capable of doing anything.

She walked to the master bedroom door, holding the basin in one hand while knocking on the door with the other.

“Get lost!” a man’s voice called out, filled with impatience.

Ren Ran couldn’t be bothered to listen and knocked harder, the door shaking as if it might fall off its hinges.

Ling Chengxian sat at the edge of the bed, his slender fingers undoing the buttons of his shirt one by one. The woman beside him saw a portion of his collarbone exposed and eagerly reached out to touch it.

Before her palm could explore any further, Ling Chengxian grabbed her wrist, glancing coldly at her as he flung her hand away.

Ling Chengxian stood up, revealing his broad chest and muscles that curved down to his waistband. As he walked forward, he said, “Who’s barking here…”

Reaching the door, he casually tossed his white shirt on the floor and flung the door open. He knew who was standing outside and recognized it as the greatest humiliation for her.

Ling Chengxian’s gaze fell on Ren Ran’s face. “You…”

A basin of cold water splashed onto his handsome face, catching him completely off guard. Ling Chengxian instinctively closed his eyes, most of the water spilling into the master bedroom, soaking the varnished wood floor. Water droplets dripped from the tips of his hair, sliding down his rising chest and abdominal muscles, eventually being absorbed by his dark suit pants.

“What’s wrong?” The woman in the room rushed out, her clothes disheveled.

Ling Chengxian wiped his face with his hand, his opened eyes sharp and fierce. Ren Ran felt a bit panicked but stood still. “I’m worried that Fourth Young Master Ling’s anger might harm your health.”

The man stepped out, ready to act.

Just then, Butler Chen came upstairs and witnessed the scene. She looked at Ren Ran in confusion. “Young Mistress, what’s going on?”

Ren Ran tossed aside what she was holding. “Is there something you need?”

“Sir and Madam are here to discuss tomorrow’s wedding banquet with you.” Butler Chen glanced at the woman behind Ling Chengxian, and her expression changed.

The man furrowed his brows. “Didn’t Dad and Mom just leave? Why are they back again?”

“Fourth Young Master’s wedding is a big deal; it must go flawlessly.”

Ren Ran had also gotten splashed with a lot of water, so she stepped back lightly. “I’ll go down now.”

Ling Chengxian’s expression grew even darker. “If you dare to talk nonsense in front of Mom and Dad…”

He only spoke half of it, trusting she wasn’t foolish enough not to understand the implication.

Ren Ran almost forgot that the Ling family had strict family rules. Ling Chengxian must have brought this woman back secretly, and the Ling elders might be completely in the dark.

That would certainly be quite a show to watch.

Ren Ran intentionally went downstairs without changing her clothes. Jiang Lingshu saw her like this, and a flash of displeasure crossed her well-maintained face. “Ren Ran, you have no manners! How can you come dressed in pajamas to meet your in-laws?”

Ren Ran sat across from them, lowering her head obediently. “Mom, I had no choice; there were no clothes prepared for me in the guest room.”

“What do you mean?” Ling Zheng picked up on her hint. “Why are you staying in the guest room?”

Ren Ran lowered her head, avoiding eye contact. “Chengxian brought a friend over and let me sleep in the guest room.”

Jiang Lingshu was taken aback; their wedding was tomorrow, and what kind of friend could he bring home?

Her expression changed suddenly. Butler Chen shot her a look, and Jiang Lingshu’s lips twitched in anger. What a disgrace!

Ling Zheng’s gaze fell to the staircase, his voice tinged with anger. “Butler Chen, go call Chengxian down.”

“Yes.”

After about ten minutes, Ling Chengxian finally came downstairs.

As he buttoned his cufflinks, his long legs were wrapped in suit pants that highlighted his well-defined muscles. Ren Ran lowered her gaze, first noticing the sharp curve of his jaw, followed by his alluring lips and narrow nose.

He descended the stairs with confident strides. “Dad, Mom.”

Jiang Lingshu pulled her son’s hand, seating him beside her.

Ling Zheng’s expression was serious. “Do you have a friend here?”

“Who said that?” Ling Chengxian turned his gaze to Ren Ran, who was dressed in a loose, unremarkable cotton nightgown, but the slightly drooping round neck revealed a pair of collarbones that were quite beautiful.

Ren Ran’s eyes met his, her beautiful gaze blending brightness with purity just right.

“Since there’s no one here, why did you take so long to come down?”

Ling Chengxian began to fabricate a story. “I was busy and only halfway through when Butler Chen came to call me. Didn’t I need to take a shower? Ren Ran was afraid you’d be anxious, so she came down first.”

Jiang Lingshu remained unfazed. “Butler Chen, is that true?”

“Yes, Madam.”

Ling Chengxian crossed his long legs, slightly lifting his knee, as if playing tricks on him.

He didn’t even consider whose Qing Shang Yuan this was; the hearts of the people here were all aligned with whom!

Ling Zheng didn’t delve deeper, asking about some trivial matters for tomorrow's banquet. Ren Ran had said enough; although Ling Chengxian’s credibility was too low, even Ling Zheng pretended to believe him.

In this family, she was isolated and helpless.

After some conversation, Ling Zheng stood up to leave. Jiang Lingshu paused slightly, her gaze meaningfully glancing towards the second floor, lowering her voice. “Chengxian, there’s a banquet to hold tomorrow. Your grandfather dotes on Ren Ran, so none of you are allowed to speak carelessly in front of him.”

This was clearly directed at Ren Ran.

Ling Chengxian’s brows flashed with impatience. “Okay, okay, hurry back.”

After the two left, Ren Ran stood up, preparing to go upstairs, but her wrist was suddenly caught by Ling Chengxian, who pulled her into his embrace and said to the person beside them, “Butler Chen, you can go rest now.”

“Yes.” Butler Chen’s gaze lingered between the two before she left.

Ren Ran struggled, but unexpectedly, her nightgown slipped down one side, exposing her smooth, delicate shoulder. Ling Chengxian leaned down to kiss her. “So fragrant.”

Her neck flushed with embarrassment. “Let go.”

Ling Chengxian held her tightly, Ren Ran caught in his firm embrace. “Today we got our marriage certificate; from now on, I can do whatever I want to you.”

Ren Ran stopped struggling altogether; she hadn’t forgotten there was still someone upstairs. “Fine, then I want to go back to the master bedroom.”

“Then you don’t mind sharing a bed with three people?”

Shameless!