Manipulative Harem God

511  The Withered Flower is blooming again (3)

Rustle...

Zhang Wei slid the plate of spaghetti closer to her. "Here, eat more, or you'll become malnourished," he teased lightly, trying to lighten the mood.

"Shut up," Murong Jinxiang retorted, her cheeks flushing a subtle shade of red.

She glanced at her wrist—slender, perhaps too much so.

As her eyes traveled downwards, she bit her lip.

Her chest obscured her view, making it difficult for her to see the soft skin of her thighs that peeked through the slit of her Cheongsam. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

She was acutely aware of her beauty and the youthful grace she maintained despite her advancing years, a reality that led her to bite her lips in discomfort, especially unaware that Zhang Wei was staring at the unintentionally seductive expression she was making.

Murong Jinxiang, however, had learned how to navigate the attention her appearance attracted; she had faced numerous challenges because of it in the past.

Catching Zhang Wei's unabashed gaze fixed upon her, she settled deeper into her seat, an air of unease washing over her as she embraced the attention.

Ten years ago, when she first met Zhang Wei, she had assumed a role akin to an elder or caretaker.

At that time, he was a young boy of fifteen years, brimming with a quiet intensity and a wary disposition that she found endearing.

Back then, she found herself caring for him, washing his school clothes and bringing him meals, amused by his cautious demeanor and the serious yet suspicious glances he often threw her way.

Murong Jinxiang felt an intense brust of emotions when she discovered he had no alive guardians, and perhaps that was why she started to care for him like her own child at that time.

But everything shifted when he turned sixteen and departed for Qingyun City.

That was when she truly saw his stubbornness, with Qi Xiang declaring that there was no point in trying to stop him; Zhang Wei would do as he pleased. Reluctantly, she had no choice but to let him go.

Upon his arrival in Qingyun, a change seemed to have taken hold of him.

Every time he returned home to Xueshan, his gaze towards her became more intense, bordering on lustful, especially when Qi Xiang was not around.

The situation soon escalated from lingering stares to unwittingly and then purposely touching her hands, eventually moving toward more intimate gestures.

16:36

At that moment, Murong Jinxiang should have confronted him then and there; perhaps it would have changed everything.

One fateful day, he seized an opportunity when Qi Xiang was away.

Using his nineteenth birthday and high school graduation as a pretext, he got her drunk and audaciously pushed her onto her own bed.

Luckily, Qi Xiang wasn't completely drunk and managed to expel him from the room, banishing him from her sight forever.

Unbeknownst to her, upon returning to Qingyun City, Zhang Wei found himself with nothing to do.

Having already completed high school, he wandered aimlessly.

He realized returning to Xueshan was now pointless.

In fact, he began to grasp the uncomfortable feelings he felt when he first saw her with Qi Xiang.

He was consumed by anger and desire:

Anger at her involvement with such a foolish man.

And a burning desire to possess her.

At that time, he didn't recognize these feelings until he reached Qingyun at the age of sixteen and joined gangs, delving into debauchery to overcome his hatred for women.

Then it all became crystal clear to him, and he made his moves on her despite the knowledge that she was married.

Somewhat propelled by impulsiveness, he took a series of actions, heedless of consequences.

Zhang Wei, navigating both society and the underworld, had amassed a significant fortune.

He had been set on taking the college entrance exams and relocating to the capital to attend the prestigious university, but his plans veered off course, leaving everyone puzzled about the reasons behind the sudden change.

One could piece together the hints if they paid close attention.

Zhang Wei's academic performance was stellar, certainly sufficient for admittance into the top universities in the capital.

Yet, curiously, he chose Qingyun University instead.

That same year marked the arrival of Yu Lei at Qingyun, where she enrolled in the Department of Business and Marketing.

As if by fate, Yu Lei, known as the campus belle, fell for him shortly after their paths crossed.

But the coincidences didn't end there. Yu Lei was also related to Murong Jinxiang, adding layers of complexity to their budding relationship.

As time passed, Zhang Wei's interactions with Yu Lei didn't suggest anything suspicious, nor did he ever bring up Murong Jinxiang in conversation.

In fact, during their sophomore year, when Yu Lei proposed a trip to Xueshan to meet a relative, Zhang Wei was visibly reluctant.

Despite his reservations, lacking a solid excuse to decline, he accompanied her, leading to an inevitably awkward reunion with Murong Jinxiang.

There he was, seemingly out of the blue, back in her life and dating her cousin.

At that moment, Murong Jinxiang found herself bewildered beyond measure, yet simultaneously, a sense of relief washed over her.

Zhang Wei also felt a release of tension, grateful that Murong had kept their past encounters from Qi Xiang.

Ultimately, Murong Jinxiang decided it was time to release the weight of their shared history, as Zhang Wei appeared to be charting a new course in his life.

She sternly warned him not to overstep her boundaries again, making it clear that any further indecent actions would lead her to sever ties completely and disclose their past to everyone involved.

Naturally, Zhang Wei didn't take Murong Jinxiang's threats entirely seriously, though he knew she wasn't bluffing about cutting him off.

So, somewhat shamelessly, he began to test his limits once more.

This time, however, he was much more restrained, limiting himself to ambiguous conversations and casual touches.

After all, he recognized that he didn't possess the means to truly win her over.

She was too stubborn, and he felt too powerless.

He couldn't simply lock her away in some basement and expect her to stay quiet.

Besides, even if he attempted something so drastic, Qi Xiang and her family would undoubtedly search for her, and Zhang Wei would then be forced to deal with him as well.

As for using money as a lure?

Given that she had married Qi Xiang, Zhang Wei doubted that the traditional approach of money would have any effect.

Thus, he would have to resort to committing seriously grave felonies if he were to lock her away.

And as for betraying Qi Xiang?

No matter how good of a brother Qi Xiang had been to him, Zhang Wei knew his own nature: he was an ungrateful wretch in eyes others, fully capable of betrayal.

If people raise wild animals and later get eaten by them, they have only themselves to blame...