The Abused Villain is Always Obsessed with Me - Chapter 17

Manna’s fingers tightened slightly around the glass, her smile freezing on her face.

“Are you sure?”

“What? Don’t you have time tonight?” Feng Hechi raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion.

Manna remained silent, her gaze fixed on Feng Hechi’s face, her expression shifting unpredictably. The nape of her neck, exposed beneath a strand of her long hair, flushed faintly.

She lifted her wine glass to her lips, taking a small sip. The sweet and sour taste, mingled with the aroma of lemon, lingered on her tongue as she lowered her gaze, her lips parting slightly.

“Then where should we go? I don’t want to go on a date at some bar or karaoke place.”

Feng Hechi continued to arrange the bar tools beside him, his eyes never leaving Manna. Hearing her question, he smiled and replied, “Let’s go to my place.”

His casual words struck like a thunderclap in the quiet room.

The sip of wine Manna had swallowed caught in her throat. After forcing it down, she erupted into a violent coughing fit.

Seeing her distress, Feng Hechi considerately pulled a tissue from a nearby dispenser and handed it to her.

Manna barely managed to stop coughing, her voice still hoarse. She accepted the tissue from Feng Hechi, dabbing it carefully at the corners of her lips, being careful not to smudge her lipstick.

Manna looked up at Feng Hechi, his expression calm and sincere, not at all like he was making things up. Her brow furrowed slightly. “Really? You never let me come before.”

Back when Feng Hechi used to spend entire nights at the Hua Palace Club, he never once suggested bringing Manna home.

Even when she flirted with him, half teasing and half pleading, he would only smile and politely decline, citing the mess at home and the inconvenience of having guests.

Now that Feng Hechi no longer touched her like he used to, his words and actions radiating a polite distance, he was suddenly inviting her over?

Could he have been pretending all along?

Manna’s gaze flickered uncertainly, a smile already tugging at the corners of her lips. Yet her eyes betrayed her skepticism about this sudden change, her brow furrowing deeper with each passing moment, clearly torn.

Her expression was too obvious. Feng Hechi glanced at her and immediately guessed her thoughts. He spoke calmly.

“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything.”

“I rarely get a chance to repay your kindness. But you’re probably familiar with all the nightlife spots, and you just said you’re not interested in any of them.”

“The area isn’t very safe. There are many homeless people wandering the parks and other places at night.”

“The moon tonight is beautiful, and my living room has the perfect view. If you’d like, you can come over and enjoy the moonrise.”

If the old Feng Hechi or any other man had said such a thing, Manna would have dismissed it outright.

Moon-viewing? she thought. Just an excuse to lure a girl back to his place.

The dimly lit chandelier hung low from the ceiling, casting a soft glow that softened the sharp edges of the man’s features before her.

Manna stared at him, finding herself actually willing to believe he was genuinely inviting her to his home to admire the moon. Her lips parted slightly, and she unconsciously accepted the sudden invitation.

She lowered her gaze, inwardly scolding herself for being so naive. At my age, acting like a schoolgirl? she thought. Actually agreeing to something as pretentious and sentimental as moon-viewing?

Hearing her acceptance, Feng Hechi chuckled softly. “Then I’ll need you to wait until after midnight. I’ll ask the manager for time off.”

Without looking at him, Manna brushed the strand of hair she had tucked behind her ear back down, concealing her flushed earlobe. She delicately picked up her wine glass, turned, and gracefully settled into a nearby booth.

Several young men nearby couldn’t resist approaching the radiant beauty who had just sat down. They rose, attempting to ask for her contact information, but Manna effortlessly deflected their advances with a charming smile.

She took a sip of the amber liquid in her glass, her gaze drifting out through the black marble window frame.

The hallway was quiet as usual. At this time of day, when high school students were dismissed, most people had already returned home. Both the hallway and the residential complex saw significantly fewer passersby.

Lu Cang climbed the stairs expressionlessly, mentally calculating the time.

Based on past patterns, Feng Hechi wouldn’t be home today either.

Standing before the door, he slowly retrieved his keys from his pocket. As he inserted the key into the lock, he suddenly heard voices coming from inside.

Lu Cang paused.

It must be my imagination, he thought. No one could be home at this hour.

Even a thief wouldn’t be desperate enough to break into my place.

He turned the key clockwise to unlock the door. The moment he pulled it open, warm yellow light spilled across the floor, enveloping him as he stood in the dimly lit hallway.

On the sofa in the center of the living room sat a man and a woman.

The man, with a gentle smile and soft features, sat half an arm’s length away from the woman beside him, who possessed striking beauty and a slender figure.

Lu Cang’s hand remained on the doorknob, his entire body frozen like a statue. Only his gaze darkened instantly, piercingly sharp as it fixed on the pair.

Manna clutched a half-empty beer can in her hand and glanced toward the door when she heard it open.

This was her first time seeing Lu Cang.

Feng Hechi had mentioned having a nominal adopted son with no real connection to him, but since Feng Hechi never brought her home, she had never seen what this so-called adopted son looked like.

Today’s encounter proved quite different from what she had imagined.

Based on Feng Hechi’s description of him as someone who “only studies and never speaks,” she had pictured a bookish type with glasses as thick as beer bottle bottoms, a neatly trimmed bowl cut, and a perpetually serious expression.

The boy standing in the doorway had messy black hair clinging to his jawline, with strands falling across his eyes, partially obscuring his gaze.

His skin was so pale it looked almost sickly, and his shoulder blades protruded sharply, even through the loose-fitting school uniform, which couldn’t conceal his frail frame.

He rested one hand on the doorknob, while the other loosely gripped the strap of his backpack. The strap showed numerous frayed and mended spots, clearly indicating it had been used for a long time.

“Hey, your son’s back,” Manna called out to Feng Hechi, tilting her head slightly, her voice carrying an unconscious hint of intimacy.

Feng Hechi noticed Lu Cang the moment he entered the room.

In truth, he had been waiting for this moment.

Manna’s presence would undoubtedly be a significant provocation for Lu Cang.

It was one thing for his good-for-nothing adoptive father to indulge in debauchery outside the home, but to dare bring a woman into their house?

Feng Hechi took a sip of tea, setting down his glass with a barely audible clink. He gazed at Lu Cang without speaking.

Lu Cang remained silent as well, his eyes fixed on Manna.

Her crimson lipstick perfectly outlined her full lips, complemented by striking eyeliner and bold makeup. She wore a tight black miniskirt that accentuated the graceful curve of her waist.

Lounging languidly on the sofa, she sat less than an arm’s length from the man beside her, her relaxed expression and unconsciously intimate tone betraying a familiarity she herself seemed unaware of.

Irritation.

Fury.

The jealousy festering in Lu Cang’s chest reignited like a sudden blaze, searing through his veins to his vital organs. His stomach clenched with acid reflux, and his throat burned as if scorched.

Unbearable.

Lu Cang’s gaze darkened, his eyes becoming as cold and bottomless as a sunless, abandoned well.

The boy stood motionless at the doorway, showing no intention of speaking or entering.

His bangs obscured his eyes, preventing Manna from reading his expression.

Growing increasingly uneasy, she glanced back to see Feng Hechi staring darkly at the door, clearly unwilling to break the silence.

Manna smoothed her hair, steeled herself, and rose to approach Lu Cang. She stopped before him, flashing a seductive smile.

Unconsciously, she exuded the air of a mistress of the house.

“You must be Feng Hechi’s adopted son. He’s mentioned you before.”

In her mind, Lu Cang was merely the adopted son of Feng Hechi’s ex-girlfriend, a burden he’d been forced to inherit. Once Lu Cang reached adulthood and went to university, their paths would likely diverge completely.

Ultimately, this house belonged to Feng Hechi, and in her eyes, Lu Cang was little more than a temporary resident.

A brief greeting to establish cordial relations should suffice, right?

Manna saw nothing wrong with her presence here at this hour.

Besides, Feng Hechi’s so-called adopted son seemed brooding and sullen—a type she didn’t particularly care for.

At her words, Lu Cang stirred. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a deliberate motion.

With a bang, the room was completely sealed off from the outside world.

The atmosphere inside instantly plummeted to freezing.

Seeing Lu Cang remain silent, Manna felt a growing sense of unease, but she forced herself to maintain her composure and pressed on.

“What’s your name?”

She was a few centimeters shorter than Lu Cang, who stared at her without blinking, making her skin crawl. The smile on her face began to falter.

What’s with this brat? Is this how he treats adults who talk to him?

His gloomy expression sent shivers down her spine, making her want to back away.

No wonder Feng Hechi always said he couldn’t get along with him.

Manna thought to herself, her smile still plastered on her face.

After a long silence, Lu Cang finally spoke in a flat voice, but he didn’t answer her question.

“Who are you?”

This kid… Finally speaks! I almost thought he was mute.

Manna mentally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Me?” she said with a smile. “I’m… a friend of your father’s.”

“Friend?” Lu Cang repeated softly, a raspy breath escaping his throat. “What kind of friend stays at my house late at night?”

Manna fell silent, suddenly sensing an unsettling aura beneath the boy’s calm exterior. She instinctively took a step back, casting a pleading glance at Feng Hechi behind her.

Feng Hechi glanced at her but remained motionless. He lazily shifted his crossed legs, leaning back against the sofa with a relaxed posture, his gaze fixed on Lu Cang. “My friends are none of your concern,” he said coolly.

His tone was indifferent, icy, merely stating a fact: Lu Cang had no right to question anything about him.

Detected value increase. Current target’s hatred value: 86.8%.

The long-dormant hatred value had finally risen again.