Spellbound Hearts - Chapter 86 - Step by Step into the Trap

Liao Bei’s message was ruthless.

The rest of his life and his manhood.

Either one was a deadly blow.

Song Zhaoli took a deep breath, not replying for a long time.

After a while, Liao Bei sent the final message.

[I’m not going to press you anymore. Back to the point, that old man Bi Sheng does intend to sell the project, but he won’t easily agree. Too much money was invested in the early stages, and he not only wants to recoup his costs but also make a hefty profit.]

Song Zhaoli: Got it.

Liao Bei: Old Song, I’m really curious, what are you so afraid of?

Song Zhaoli: Have you developed a love-struck brain recently? Is there nothing else in your mind besides love all day?

Liao Bei: There is. Your family’s third son tripped me up in a business deal a few days ago, and I’m looking for a chance to retaliate.

Song Zhaoli mocked: Is a sickly person worth all that effort?

Liao Bei: Is he just any sickly person? He’s the sickly one from your Song Family, ruthless and determined, even half-dead, he’d pull someone down with him.

Seeing Liao Bei’s message, Song Zhaoli didn’t reply.

The mess within the Song Family was so complex that it couldn’t be explained even in three days and nights.

Song Zhaoli closed his phone and looked up. Ji Xuan had placed the tomatoes in front of him and was now sitting on a single sofa nearby, focused on her phone, engrossed in something.

Song Zhaoli pressed his thin lips together, recalling what Liao Bei had said earlier.

—Some people aren’t thinking of getting others drunk again, are they?

Is that so?

Seems like it.

Ji Xuan was checking her email on her phone when she sensed Song Zhaoli’s gaze and looked up.

Their eyes met, and Song Zhaoli followed his heart, “Really not going to drink a little?”

Ji Xuan’s mind stirred, “President Song, I’ve taken medicine.”

Song Zhaoli broke the half-smoked cigarette in his fingers again, laughing lightly, “I know you’re guarding against me.”

Ji Xuan inhaled, “…”

Some things are understood between them, but being exposed is another matter.

Just like now, even though they could have pretended nothing happened tonight, the atmosphere was now tense and awkward.

After a long pause, Ji Xuan tightened her grip on her phone and spoke honestly, “Yes, I am guarding against you.”

Song Zhaoli chuckled softly at her words, “Since you’re so afraid of me, why invite me over for dinner? Sympathy? Pity? Or because I found a kidney donor for you?”

Each word from Song Zhaoli was piercing, leaving Ji Xuan no room to evade, forcing her to respond, “President Song, we agreed in Yancheng that from now on, we’re just in a superior-subordinate relationship.”

After Ji Xuan spoke, Song Zhaoli said in a deep voice, “What if I say I regret it?”

Ji Xuan’s breath caught, “…”

Song Zhaoli lied without blinking, “Ji Xuan, I want to be friends with you.”

Ji Xuan, “…”

Under Ji Xuan’s gaze, Song Zhaoli lowered his eyes, a bitter smile tugging at his thin lips, “Forget it, just pretend I didn’t say anything. It’s just that something happened tonight, and I’m not in a good mood…”

Song Zhaoli hesitated, his lowered eyes filled with desolation.

Ji Xuan saw this, her brows furrowing slightly, recalling the content of the phone call earlier tonight.

Elder Song forced Song Zhaoli to marry, saying he was the one who should have died in the kidnapping years ago, and even hit him…

Thinking of this, Ji Xuan spoke faster than she thought, “Being friends is fine.”

Song Zhaoli raised his eyes slightly, “Really?”

Ji Xuan’s heart tightened, realizing what she had said, regretting it immensely, yet unable to take it back, “Yes.”

Every reaction of Ji Xuan fell precisely into Song Zhaoli’s eyes.

Song Zhaoli reached for the decanter to pour wine, appearing calm, though a faint smile played at the corners of his mouth as he lowered his head.

With two glasses of wine poured, Song Zhaoli slid one across the table to Ji Xuan, “This wine is from a friend’s own brand, give it a try.”

Ji Xuan pressed her lips together, picking it up as if handling a hot potato, “I’ll drink a little less tonight, I’m really not feeling well.”

Song Zhaoli nodded lightly, “No pressure.”

Once you start drinking, there’s no turning back.

After a few glasses, Song Zhaoli brought up the phone call from earlier.

Ji Xuan initially listened quietly, but by the end, the alcohol muddled her thoughts, and when he mentioned the arranged marriage, she couldn’t help but interject, “With the Song Group’s foundation in Qing City, do you still need an arranged marriage?”

Song Zhaoli’s long eyes smiled, clinking glasses with Ji Xuan, “Logically, no, but human desires are endless. Once you have bread, you want milk, and once you have milk, you want some fruit…”

Ji Xuan’s red lips moved, “I understand, insatiable desires, hard to turn back.”

Song Zhaoli, “Exactly.”

Ji Xuan, “So what will you do? Do you have to go through with the marriage?”

Song Zhaoli lowered his head to drink, downing half a glass of red wine in one go, setting the glass down, his gaze falling on Ji Xuan’s slightly flushed face, “Have you drunk too much?”

Ji Xuan shook her head, “No.”

Song Zhaoli’s well-defined fingers caressed the wine glass, his true emotions unreadable, “There is a way to avoid the marriage.”

Ji Xuan asked, “What way?”

Song Zhaoli looked up at her, his expression lazy yet with a hint of allure, “For example, I could find someone to marry right now.”