Seducing Him - Chapter 55

Ci Yiyang’s face was stiff as Lu Jin held her hand and led her downstairs.

In the living room, Luo Lin sat in his wheelchair reading the newspaper on his lap, while Lu Lan was in the kitchen helping the housekeeper.

Because today was her birthday, everyone was busy, and no one noticed that the young man was holding her hand as they came down the stairs. It wasn’t until they reached the dining table that he finally let go.

As always, he was gentlemanly, pulling out a chair for her.
“Big sister, sit here.”

Before, in order to seduce him, she had chosen to sit beside him. Later, it became a habit she never changed.

Now, looking at the chairs placed so close together, not knowing what he intended to do, she didn’t tear things open with him in front of everyone.

Ci Yiyang did not choose but sat down, her body still stiff.

Lu Jin noticed the tight line of her lips, as if the slightest movement would startle her.

—How cute.

His eyes filled with a smile as he naturally sat down beside her.

When the last dish was served, the long dining table looked elegant, the food exquisitely prepared and enough to stir one’s appetite. But to Ci Yiyang, it only felt nauseating.

Because Lu Lan said that all of this had been arranged by Lu Jin long in advance, everything suited her tastes.

She never cared much for food, never showed special fondness for anything—she could eat anything. Even Luo Lin, after all these years, didn’t know her preferences. Yet somehow, every dish truly matched what she liked.

How long had he been watching her?

The long candles on the stand wept wax, pooling on the round bronze holders. Their warm glow pressed silhouettes against the windowpanes.

The woman spoke gently, instructing a servant to bring something over.
“Yangyang, this is your birthday gift. I hope your path will always be smooth, and all your wishes fulfilled.”

The servant placed the gift before her.

Sitting beside Lu Jin, Ci Yiyang lowered her eyes and stared silently at the box.

The packaging was exquisite and elegant; one could already guess at the value of what lay inside.

But was it chosen by Lu Lan herself—or by Lu Jin? She didn’t dare open it.

Seeing her not move for so long, Luo Lin couldn’t help but remind her from his wheelchair:
“Still not thanking her?”

Ci Yiyang snapped back, lifting her gaze to the woman.
“Thank you, Auntie Lu.”

“You’re welcome.” Lu Lan smiled, glancing at Lu Jin. “I asked A Jin before. He said you like simple colors. I didn’t know exactly what you liked, so after asking him, I picked black and white. Open it and see.”

She had no daughter of her own and had always wanted one. She had picked this gift carefully overseas, sincerely hoping Ci Yiyang might one day regard her as a real mother.

But hearing that it had been chosen with Lu Jin’s help, Ci Yiyang cast a look at the youth beside her, her heart sinking heavier.

—Of course, it was him.

Lu Jin was looking at her too, his eyes carrying a misty light, his flawless face like a distant mountain veiled in mist—harmless, beautiful, even pure.

Yet this was the same person with a cruel and twisted nature completely opposite his face.

Ci Yiyang turned her eyes away calmly, and under the strange, expectant gaze of the youth, she picked up the box and opened it for a look.

But only one glance—
The next second, the box slipped entirely from her hands to the ground.

A white diamond necklace tumbled out.

Before the others even reacted, Ci Yiyang had already bent down in a rush to pick it up.

“Sorry, I didn’t hold it steady.”

The scrape of the chair being pulled back was sharp as breaking glass.

Her fingers trembled as she tried to pick up the necklace, fumbling, unable to hold it, until it was hooked away by slender pale fingers.

She instinctively tried to snatch it back.

—That was her mother’s—

But before the words left her throat, the young man had already steadied her shoulders, his tone gentle.
“Don’t move, big sister. Let me put it on you.”

Her reaching hand froze, her eyes lifting toward him, and it was as if a string inside her mind suddenly snapped.

That was her mother’s necklace… no, more precisely, her mother’s birthday gift to her.

Last February, when her mother was still gravely ill in bed, emaciated yet unusually spirited that day, she had held Ci Yiyang’s hand tenderly and asked her what she liked.

Back then, she hadn’t realized her mother would die. She had only thought it was an illness, and told her mother, “Let’s choose together when you get better.”

But after her mother passed away, she searched through her belongings and found the unfinished design draft.

It was meant to be her final birthday gift. Her mother had left before completing it.

She had always hidden that draft beneath her mother’s photo. No one knew—except Lu Jin.

He had been watching everything.

Now, Lu Jin guided her shoulders back, pressing her into her chair.

His gaze was tender as he softly reminded her:
“Big sister, lift your head.”

Mechanically, she lifted her face, lowering her eyes as he carefully fastened the necklace around her neck.

His profile leaned close. In a voice no one else could hear, he whispered:
“As I thought, it suits you. You look beautiful.”

This was his own handiwork. Every diamond had been cut by him. Just as he imagined, it set off her snow-white skin, so beautiful.

After fastening it, he reluctantly withdrew, returning to his seat beside her as though nothing had crossed the bounds of siblings.

The distance seemed proper, his demeanor natural—no one noticed anything amiss.

If it had been anything else, she might have torn it off and thrown it away. But this had been her mother’s design—she couldn’t bear to.

Dinner passed with her heart in turmoil.

At last, after finishing, she excused herself as tired and went upstairs.

Her unusual behavior did not escape Lu Lan’s notice.

After she left, Lu Lan looked worriedly at Luo Lin.
“Yangyang didn’t seem very happy. Do you think she didn’t like the gift I picked?”

The young man rose, lamplight falling across the high bridge of his nose. His tone was calm, assured.
“No. She liked it very much.”

Nothing could please her more than this gift. She liked it so much that even if it came from him, she would still treasure it.

“I’ll head back to my room too.”

With that, he went upstairs. Lu Lan didn’t stop him.

It was just as well that both children had gone.

Once they were gone, servants busied themselves cleaning up, while Lu Lan pushed Luo Lin’s wheelchair outside.

“Luo Lin, I have something to discuss with you.”

He looked at her.
“What is it?”

She pushed him into the elevator, her voice tinged with apology.
“I’ve been thinking lately… we should cancel the wedding.”

Luo Lin’s expression froze.
“Why?”

They had met after his wife’s death. At the time, she needed a partner for marriage, while he needed money to pay off debts. That was why they came together. And now, she suddenly wanted to call it off.

Lu Lan shook her head, not knowing where to begin.

Seeing her look downcast, Luo Lin asked gently:
“Alán, do you have concerns? Tell me. We can work it out together.”

Besides his late wife, Lu Lan had always been the woman he longed for. He had truly considered becoming her husband. He didn’t want it to end like this.

Lu Lan sighed softly.
“No concerns. I’ve just thought it over… I’d rather not. In a while, I’ll move somewhere else.”

Most likely, that man had already placed this house under complete surveillance. Every time she went out, she worried whether the people she met were his agents. If it went on, she would go mad.

To make up for the time he had wasted on her, Lu Lan offered compensation.
“I’ve already had someone settle your company’s debts.”

“You… knew?” Luo Lin was stunned.

He had told no one.

The company had invested in a North American project two years ago, which was supposed to be foolproof. But an accident caused a total loss, leaving him owing over a hundred million in debt. He had mortgaged the Beichen estate, but that was only a drop in the bucket.

Then he met Lu Lan.

Though ashamed, he had thought of relying on their marriage and shared assets.

He hadn’t realized she already knew.

The elevator opened.

Pushing him out, she stood behind him, her figure as graceful and gentle as the first time he met her. Her voice was soft.
“I knew from the start, Luo Lin. That’s why I’ve paid it off for you. So let’s call off the marriage. Consider it my way of repaying you. However…”

She hesitated, then added:
“The Beichen estate is in A Jin’s name. He bought it. I can’t touch his things. If you want to negotiate, you’ll have to go to him. A Jin has good character. I can see he treats Yangyang sincerely as a sister, so he shouldn’t make things too difficult.”

Her words left no room for turning back.

Luo Lin fell silent, recalling the boy he had seen before the accident.

Lu Lan didn’t know, but he understood well—Lu Jin was not as easy to deal with as he looked.

Looking at the woman’s reflection in the glass, Luo Lin forced a smile.
“It’s fine. You’ve already done so much for me.”

Guilt shadowed her face.
“Then let me see you back.”

“Mm.”

The wheelchair rolled slowly over the stone path.

With their backs turned, neither noticed the figure upstairs.

On the second floor of the old tower-style building, a girl in a white dress, delicate as a bellflower, stood rigidly, staring down at them as they grew distant.

The voices below weren’t loud, but with her window open to chase away her heavy thoughts, they drifted in clearly.

Unintentionally, she overheard every word.

No wonder no one objected when Lu Jin remodeled the estate—because the house wasn’t even theirs anymore.

The young man appeared behind her, quietly reaching past to close the window.

“Wearing so little with the window open… aren’t you cold?”

She couldn’t answer.

He wrapped his arms around her from behind, trying to warm her trembling body with his own heat.

“Big sister, you’re shaking so badly. Are you cold?”

Though it had rained, and the air was humid and warm, Ci Yiyang shivered as though frozen with fear of him.

“Yes…” she whispered—it was cold, and it was fear of Lu Jin.

She turned her eyes toward the youth resting his chin on her shoulder, her pale lips trembling as she asked softly:
“Lu Jin, what is it you really want?”

Her mother’s grave, her family’s home… and what else?

And the surveillance.

How could someone not even twenty—only just eighteen—be this terrifying?

What exactly was he trying to do?

Lu Jin slowly lifted his eyes, rain outside catching faint light in his gaze.

“I told you. I like you. I want to be with you. These are all my gifts to you. The estate is in your name. But… your mother’s grave I can’t give you yet. If you ever try to leave me, what else could I use to make you stay?”

He lowered his head, lips brushing the necklace on her neck, kissing her trembling skin with warmth, soothing her unrest.

“I like you. I like Ci Yiyang. I really like you.”

He had liked her for so long, to the point he wanted her world to hold only him. Everyone else irrelevant should be erased. She must belong only to him.

Ci Yiyang tried to push him away, but her hand froze on his shoulder. After a long pause, she instead wrapped her arms around him, letting him kiss her.

Sensing her subtle change, Lu Jin studied her half-lidded eyes.

Arched brows, almond eyes, a delicate nose, skin as white as snow—beautiful like a white butterfly pinned in a glass case, nailed to the thorny roots of a rose.

He stared, unblinking, his chest constricted with a suffocating pleasure. He reveled in the emotions she gave him, desire spilling from his eyes like molten light.

Burying his face in her pale neck, he breathed her in with obsession, like an addict inhaling the scent of jewels and gold.

“Big sister, from now on, you must love only me.”

Hearing his heavy breathing, Ci Yiyang became uncomfortably aware of the physical response he could summon at any moment. Her toes curled as a whisper, light as the rain outside, slipped from her lips.

“Lu Jin… not by the window.”