Compared To Me, He'd Rather Marry You

The air around Zi Jue turned menacing. His face lost all its radiance along with the smile that once graced it. His entire body went rigid and grim. The shift in his demeanor even caught the attention of the people eating heartily at the table. They looked on curiously at the couple who was huddled about and wondered what could have set off such a scary aura from the man.

"Would you care to explain a bit more, my darling?" A smile once again appeared in Zi Jue's lips. It was a smile that Yan Qing Shan knew he always gives as farewell to his victims and enemies. Somehow, she suddenly remembered the Zi Jue in her past life. It made her feel uneasy. So much that she couldn't help but grimace.

"Stop smiling like that. You're scaring me." Zi Jue saw the complicated expression in Yan Qing Shan's face. But what stilled him the most was the trace of fear in those myriad emotions swirling in her attractive eyes. He stiffened up as he remembered the night he swore he would never, under any circumstance, to repeat itself. He chided himself internally.

Yan Qing Shan obviously pointed out that it was her stepmother's arrangement. Zi Jue also realized the point of their conversation. It made his sullen and murderous heart soar. He sighed in frustration at himself. Truly, when it comes to her, he loses all common sense and becomes a pitiful dunce.

"Ah, baby. I'm sorry. I overreacted a bit. Hearing you refer to someone other than me as your prospective future husband doesn't sit well with me. It makes me want to commit murder." He apologized and gingerly took her into his arms. He wasn't met with any resistance though. And that calmed him even more.

"Hmm. It's alright. I understand where you're coming from. It's not as if this was my idea to begin with either. My stepmother arranged it for me. I could choose not to go. But that wouldn't bode well for my father. I'm pretty sure you are aware of our circumtances." Yan Qing Shan's voice grew colder and colder as she continued. Zi felt uneasy at the way their conversation was turning out. He wanted to end it right away so Yan Qing Shan could go back to her adorable self.

"That I am. Though, considering your identity your father's worries seem unfounded." Zi Jue answered her solemnly as he rested his chin lightly on her head, taking in the fragrance of her hair.

"He doesn't know. He refrained from communicating with me back in Japan. Perhaps he though that it was for the best and would not draw the attention of the enemies in his midst. I don't plan to tell him just yet. For now, I'll go along with whatever arrangements that woman makes. Though I can't assure that I'll let her schemes go just like that. That would be pretty stupid of me." Yan Qing Shan shrugged nonchalantly as if unbothered.

Truthfully, she has already set all her plans into motion. At this point she only needs to deal with things as they go. Zi Jue knew this as well so he did not bother refuting her. But the fact that that woman had the guts of pairing up his baby girl with another man was something he definitely will not let go unaccounted. For now, he will let Yan Qing Shan toy with her first.

A sinister light glinted in Zi Jue's eyes as he carefully drew up in his mind a certain woman's torture schedule.

"Anyway, I want you to go with me tomorrow. I don't plan on pursuing anything related to marriage in that meeting. But it wouldn't be a bad idea to gain a friend. That person is quite an interesting fellow." Yan Qing Shan looked up and met Zi Jue's eyes. There was an undeniable trace of lingering mirth in them. Zi Jue couldn't help but raise his brow.

"Hmm. A person my wife finds interesting. I wonder who this prospective fiancé of yours is? Do tell me, baby." He asked neutrally, not letting her on the animosity he was suppressing at the moment.

'Tell me, so I could deal with him appropriately.'

"The eldest young master of the Lan family. The only of the construction magnate who recently established himself here and was originally from the States." Yan Qing Shan indulged his question with a smile.

"He's quite the social butterfly according to my research. Dubbed as the perfect boyfriend material by entertainment papers and website. Handsome, rich, romantic. Anyone would want to be married to him." Zi Jue's eyes narrowed more and more dangerously at every praise Yan Qing Shan spoke of the man. He didn't notice that his hold to her was tightening, as well.

Yan Qing Shan sighed imperceptively at the devil who was currently drowning in a humongous pot of vinegar. She wasn't that ignorant not to know he was jealous nor was she oblivious to the little shifts in his behavior. Yan Qing Shan lived an entire lifetime gauging this man's erratic moods. And she was quite familiar with this one, albeit it was noticeably subdued. She wouldn't doubt one moment that if she continued on, there would be a person suffering tomorrow.

"Anyone aside from me, of course. Along with all the people aware of his family's true origins and those who know his little secret. To be honest, I'm quite worried about him seeing you tomorrow." Yan Qing Shan continued.

"And why is that?" Zi Jue growled lowly, obviously misinterpreting her words. Yan Qing Shan giggled before she answered his question.

"I'm worried. Because compared to me, I bet he'd rather marry you, baby. He might sneak up and snatch you from me. I heard he could be quite charming." She playfully answered. Yan Qing Shan almost laughed out loud when Zi Jue snapped his head so quickly to look at her.