Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Absurd.

Hearing him describe them as a couple, Fang Ning was momentarily stunned.

But only for a moment. The next second, she nearly kicked him in frustration.

She had hardly slept these past few days because of the auction, and now he waved it all away as some lovers' spat?

Fang Ning pursed her lips.

Then she remembered the short press interview Li Yabo gave right after getting off the plane.

He had clearly been in a good mood, and she didn’t want him to be so pleased with himself.

It would only make her anxiety these past few days seem pathetic.

"What, aren’t we supposed to be a model of motherly devotion and filial respect?"

Fang Ning lowered her eyes, uttering the sarcastic remark in the calmest tone possible.

Li Yabo arched an eyebrow in surprise.

"You saw the interview?"

Fang Ning didn’t answer, only saying, "I can’t believe you said those words without blushing."

"Who hasn’t told a little white lie or two to reporters?"

Li Yabo unabashedly drew her into his arms. Fang Ning made a half-hearted attempt to push him away, only for him to ask, "What’s wrong? Still angry?"

The man reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and pulled something out.

Fang Ning looked closely—it was the vivid green jade bracelet she had donated.

A bracelet worth millions, tossed haphazardly into his jacket like it was nothing.

After the auction, there should have been a series of paperwork before the item could be handed over to its new owner. But given the unique positions of the donor and the buyer, they’d bypassed the red tape entirely.

This reminded her of his baffling move at the auction earlier.

After years together, Fang Ning had come to understand that Li Yabo was, for the most part, a typical businessman—never one to act without gain. But sometimes, he did things that made no sense, like buying this bracelet.

Philanthropy was all well and good, but no one did it the way he did.

"Why did you buy back the bracelet I donated?"

Li Yabo only smiled, taking her wrist and holding the bracelet against it.

The rich green set off her soft, fair skin perfectly.

He gazed at her hand, caressed it, then lifted her wrist and brushed his lips to her palm.

"I didn’t want something you’ve worn to belong to someone else."

His chilled lips made Fang Ning shiver.

Her heart quivered as well. She bit her lip and said, "When you first gave me this bracelet, didn’t you say I could do whatever I wanted with it?"

Li Yabo smirked.

"I did say that."

"Then why—"

"If it’s a gift for you, what does it matter if I give it once or twice?"

"Think of it as getting two gifts for the price of one—I bought it back, gave you a gift, and helped those children."

*What a fool.*

Fang Ning thought to herself.

Over the years, the things he had given her dwarfed what Li Yiming had ever given her.

Every time he flew anywhere in the world, or was invited to some exhibition—regardless of the occasion or the form of the gift—sometimes it was jewelry, sometimes paintings or calligraphy, sometimes NFTs.

The more valuable ones were the properties and shares put in her name on each of her birthdays.

"The gifts are yours to dispose of as you wish. I’ll always find a way to give you more."

He spoke gently, giving her no chance to protest. Before she could react, he kissed her forehead, then brushed down the bridge of her delicate nose to her lips.

After years together, Fang Ning quickly caught his drift.

"Are you really in such a hurry?"

She couldn’t help but glare at him. "You vanished off to Australia without a word, then came back just as suddenly. Do you really expect to act like nothing happened?"

Facing her accusation, Li Yabo dipped his head in mock contrition, his tone indulgent.

"Alright, it’s all my fault. What do I need to do for you to truly forgive me?"

Fang Ning held her tongue.

The man mused, looking down at her with a smile. "Ya Xue is on school break. Shouldn’t our family get together?"

Fang Ning remained still.

It wasn’t that she didn’t care about Ya Xue—she just didn’t trust herself to react.

If this was another test and she failed, how would he punish her next?

And after the punishment, would he act like nothing had happened again?

She could only let him keep her on a leash.

Li Yabo asked, "Hmm? Don’t you want Ya Xue to come back?"

"My wishes hardly matter," Fang Ning said flatly. "It all still rests on Chairman Li’s decisions."

Li Yabo gave a low chuckle.

"Of course Ya Xue can come back. He’s my blood brother, after all. This is his home—I have no grounds to deny him."

Fang Ning eyed him with suspicion.

Li Yabo’s tone was gentle. "I’m quite serious."

Fang Ning frowned.

"Then what’s the point of beating around the bush like this?"

"Ya Xue can come back, of course, but before that, I must confirm one thing first."

Fang Ning: "What is it?"

"Whether you care about me or not."

Fang Ning's eyes widened slightly.

A dull ache swelled in her chest.

He’d gone to all this trouble, flying all the way to Australia and then taking a red-eye back just to back her up at the gala—all for this?

Seeing her stunned expression, Li Yabo said softly, "Turns out, despite the stormy weather, this trip to Australia was well worth it."

Fang Ning was at a loss for words. She could only bite her lip, using that stubborn little habit to suppress the discomfort in her chest.

Then he kissed her once more.

As their tongues tangled, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Baby."

His voice was a near-inaudible murmur, as if murmuring to himself or perhaps tinged with a hint of confusion.

"How is it that just days apart, I miss you this much?"

Fang Ning whispered, "How should I know...?"

His laughter was her answer.

-

The suite was well-lit and comfortably cool. Not far away, the gala continued with the elite mingling, while in the privacy of the suite, they remained entangled.

"Everyone, let’s raise a glass in gratitude for the generous support of the Minghao Chamber of Commerce, for Mr. Li Yabo and Mrs. Li Fang Ning, and for the support of all the distinguished guests present tonight—cheers!"

"Cheers!"

The toast echoed through the walls and reached Fang Ning’s ears.

She forced out, "...It’s almost over. They’re toasting now. Isn’t it bad we’re not there?"

His voice was rough as he replied, "It is."

As he moved inside her, he lightly bit the tender skin behind her ear and chuckled, "But don’t you think it would be even more inappropriate for us to go out now?"

The buzz of the banquet hall and Mozart’s minuet playing seemed just within reach, the guests’ polished smiles almost visible in her mind. Yet the gala’s host was here, with her.

This man had no shame about where he did things.

Thinking of his polished, gentlemanly act in front of the media, it was downright shameless.

Fang Ning’s face flushed scarlet, leaving her speechless.

From her neck down to the small of her back and beyond, the snug qipao hugged her curves. The slits let her move freely despite the snug fabric and also let his fingers roam.

The qipao’s design was simple but elegant. Upon closer inspection, every petal and leaf was outlined with gold thread—showcasing the exquisite craft of Suzhou embroidery. Under the bright lights, every gold thread glimmered.

After a while, Fang Ning had had enough. "...Hurry up," she said. "I still need to say goodbye to the guests."

"Soon."

Li Yabo’s reply was brief.

He rolled her onto the sofa, holding her close.

Lacing his fingers through hers to help her sit up, he murmured gently, "This’ll be quicker."

Was he a racehorse in another life?

But to hurry things along, Fang Ning had no choice but to comply.

A pink plum blossom bud, originally embroidered at her waist, had been displaced.

The petals strained taut from within, coincidentally resembling the very moment of the plum’s bloom.

Li Yabo threw his head back.

"Sweet baby, so gorgeous..."

Both the woman—and the qipao.

His throat worked as he swallowed, undeniably sensual. The taste lingered, mixed with the light scent of pear blossom, it was sweet and fresh.

The gala wrapped up smoothly, with Li Yabo bidding guests farewell.

When guests inquired about Mrs. Li, the man simply smiled and explained that she’d been run ragged lately and was too unwell to see them off.

In truth, Mrs. Li’s presence was inconsequential—as long as Li Yabo was there.

Though they thought so, the guests couldn’t say it aloud. Instead, they expressed concern and urged Mrs. Li to rest well.

Li Yabo nodded politely, his smile amiable. "I’ll pass on your regards. Thank you for coming tonight. Let’s have tea together sometime."

The guests left satisfied. Everyone had achieved their goals.

-

England had also been overcast with rain lately.

Fortunately, the showers were light and didn’t disrupt flight schedules.

Coincidentally, a light drizzle had begun in Lucheng today.

Fang Ning watched the raindrops patter against the car window until the driver announced their arrival, snapping her out of her reverie.

The black Phantom appeared subdued in the gloomy rain. The black sedan following closely behind also came to a stop. A bodyguard hurried out, opening an umbrella before stepping forward to open the door for the employer inside the Phantom.

Li Yabo stepped out and turned to assist Fang Ning, but his phone rang inconveniently from his inner suit pocket.

Glancing at the caller ID, he excused himself to take the call.

Fang Ning exited the car. She had underestimated the rain—her suede-bottomed heels landed squarely in a puddle.

"Madam, be careful—it’s slippery."

The gray-eyed bodyguard, Franz, cautioned gently.

Fang Ning nodded.

Li Yabo was still on the phone, his back turned to her, one hand casually tucked into his pants pocket.

Fang Ning wasn’t in a hurry to go inside; she chose to wait for him instead.

When Li Yabo finished the call and turned around, he saw her standing with Franz, the bodyguard.

Over the years, Franz’s muscles had bulked up noticeably.

This made the woman beside him appear even more petite.

Behind the clear lenses of his glasses, Li Yabo's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

Soon, he regained his smile.

“We should head in. Ya Xue should be out by now.”