The hotel room was utterly silent during the afternoon lull.

The nearly inaudible air conditioning occasionally sighed a gentle, warm current, stirring the strands of Yang Ru’s hair near her ear.

“Well, have you made up your mind?”

Wang Zhuo leisurely swung one leg over the other, though beneath the casual posture, he remained wary of Yang Ru suddenly lashing out, perhaps by using her water glass as a weapon.

“You want to sleep with me?” Yang Ru sneered, staring at him with the look one reserves for an absolute idiot. “Do you really think I would ever agree to that?”

This reaction was a little different from what he’d anticipated… Wang Zhuo couldn’t immediately recall which piece of advice from Teacher Fei Long’s seduction manual covered a woman reacting this way. He casually remarked, “What, girls like Yingying and Yanyan can do it, but you can’t?”

“Don’t even compare me to them!” Yang Ru spat out with obvious distaste.

“Oh?” Wang Zhuo appraised her from head to toe, saying coolly, “I don’t see what makes you any nobler than them. Besides, they are… and you’ve been married for several years now, haven’t you?”

Yang Ru’s teeth ground together so tightly she desperately wished she could lunge across and scratch a few ‘potato shreds’ into Wang Zhuo’s detestable face!

The angrier she became, the more pleased Wang Zhuo felt. Appreciating a beautiful woman’s ire was a delightful affair, especially since this woman held a grudge against him, was currently dependent on his good graces, and was four years his senior—bullying her made his mood exceptionally fine.

Yang Ru stood a full one meter seventy tall, possessing a slender waist, ample hips, and long legs. Her chest was full and round, like two small rabbits nestled within, and her skin was pale, tender, and smooth as fine jade. Most striking was her distinctively sharp ‘cone-shaped face’—an effect most people couldn't achieve even with cosmetic surgery to shave down their jawbones. Yet, Wang Zhuo knew this was entirely natural, utterly unenhanced.

This woman was uniquely beautiful.

There was an old saying: "Better to associate with a bastard than a woman with upward-slanting eyes." This arose because the gaze of those with upturned eyes often felt unsettling, suggesting cunning and calculation—a notion lacking scientific basis.

However, in films and television, villains with such eyes often resonate deeply with the audience. The serpentine demoness from the Calabash Brothers cartoon, for instance, remains an unforgettable image. Yang Ru’s features—the upturned eyes, the hooked nose, the cherry-like mouth, and the way she bared her teeth in anger—made it too easy to draw parallels!

The more he looked, the more flavor he found in her. A wicked fire began to smolder in Wang Zhuo’s heart. Here sat the sister of his old nemesis, Yang Feng, and the wife of his second old nemesis, Liu Jieming, within arm’s reach. She was like a blooming poppy—poisonous, yes, but intoxicatingly alluring.

This desire was lustful and violent, wicked and depraved. Wang Zhuo quickly adjusted his mindset, suppressing the impulsive thought! If he truly took this woman, wouldn't he become just like Yang Feng?

Then again, he mused, the comparison wasn't quite accurate. Yang Feng, that pervert, used coercion, deriving pleasure from humiliation. Every woman tortured by him wished for death, only to be further threatened with the safety and honor of their families. Compared to Yang Feng, Wang Zhuo felt as pure as an angel!

He deliberately overlooked the incident with the first movie queen, Ning Yao, where he had pinched her nose and fed her sausage. Of course, he didn't consider that true coercion; he viewed it as a form of intimate flirtation.

Ultimately, the feelings of those involved mattered most. After an encounter, the other party could call it rape, or they could call it mutual consent. Take Ning Yao—she would certainly admit it was consensual. Yang Feng’s actions, however, couldn't even be adequately described as simple rape.

“You really don’t need to struggle so much,” Wang Zhuo said impulsively. “Liu Jieming just ran off, abandoning your family’s safety. He won’t even care if you walk right into a tiger’s mouth. Why are you still so stubbornly refusing to agree?”

Yang Ru let out a disdainful cold laugh: “That’s my business. It has nothing to do with you.”

“Tsk, tsk…” Wang Zhuo clicked his tongue repeatedly. “You come here swallowing your pride to beg me, while he’s enjoying himself in Europe.”

Yang Ru glared at him in annoyance, thinking this man was utterly detestable for intentionally bringing up the one sore spot she had.

Wang Zhuo spread his hands. “I originally intended for him to come over with your brother, kowtow, apologize, and admit his mistake, and then we’d drop the matter. Clearly, that’s impossible now—”

“My brother would never do something like that,” Yang Ru stated firmly.

Wang Zhuo sneered slightly. “Then perhaps he’s more likely to end up in a wheelchair.”

Yang Ru’s heart tightened. Given Wang Zhuo’s methods and character, this statement might not be an empty threat. After a whirlwind of thoughts, she began to understand Wang Zhuo’s perspective. The first conflict with Yang Feng hadn't ended badly for Wang Zhuo, but the Yang family hadn't been entirely in the right either. Logically, the matter should have concluded there, but her side had resorted to the worst form of revenge. It was no wonder Wang Zhuo refused to let it go; if it were her, she would probably demand a price paid in blood to quell such anger.

It seemed she had underestimated this man’s ruthlessness… Yang Ru re-examined Wang Zhuo, inwardly cursing Liu Jieming for his spinelessness. If he had dealt with Wang Zhuo decisively back then, none of this trouble would exist!

“You hate Liu Jieming, don’t you?” Wang Zhuo saw her thoughts reflected in her gaze, knowing exactly what she was thinking. This woman was still brooding over the fact that they hadn't managed to kill him back then. Perhaps she really needed a lesson!

Wang Zhuo loosely fabricated this reason for himself; above all, he refused to admit he was being tempted by beauty, craving a taste of that snake spirit! Whether the justification held water was irrelevant to him. In matters like this, both sides claimed justice. He was determined that if the Yang family could pull the first trick, he could certainly pull the second!

“Actually, you really want to put a cuckold’s hat on him, don’t you?” he continued, probing gently.

Yang Ru rolled her eyes at him but internally agreed with the sentiment—she just hadn't intended for Wang Zhuo to be the one to do it.

“It seems I was right,” Wang Zhuo smiled, his voice laced with temptation. “See? Here is a plan that solves two problems at once. Spend some time with me, and you can resolve your family’s crisis and get revenge on that useless Liu Jieming.”

“Are you dreaming?” Yang Ru glanced sideways at Wang Zhuo, thinking such a thing was impossible, a colossal joke!

Suddenly, a dark glint flashed in Wang Zhuo’s eyes. For some inexplicable reason, Yang Ru felt a sharp jolt, and her gaze became completely locked onto Wang Zhuo. She was momentarily stunned, staring back at him without looking away or flinching.

“You’re actually quite envious of Yingying and Yanyan, aren’t you?” Wang Zhuo set his crossed leg down and quietly stood up.

“Envious of what?” Yang Ru asked blankly.

Wang Zhuo offered a faint smile. “Envious that they get to be my women, while your husband is a failure.”

Yang Ru blurted out, “I’m not.”

Seeing that she remained in that dazed state, Wang Zhuo was highly satisfied with the effect of his supernatural ability. He suddenly asked, “What have you attached to your hat?”

“It’s a needle…”

The moment she spoke, Yang Ru snapped back to alertness. She violently shook her head, wondering why her mind had suddenly gone hazy.

“Let me guess for you. It’s a pinhole camera, right?”

Wang Zhuo approached her, stopping right in front of her with a playful smirk. He said casually, “Quite advanced, too. It looks like a Japanese import. To hide a pinhole camera inside a woman's woven hat—that’s spy-grade material.”

Being looked down upon by Wang Zhuo made Yang Ru panic. This man was a known violent type; being caught trying a covert scheme—would she be beaten into a pulp? She looked up at Wang Zhuo with a shred of desperate hope. She hadn’t heard of him striking women, but this suffocating pressure was truly terrifying!

“Why bother? Don’t you know this kind of tactic won’t work on me?” Wang Zhuo reached out and patted her head, causing her to flinch back instinctively.

“Now you’re scared, are you?” Wang Zhuo burst into hearty laughter. “Enough nonsense. I’ll give you ten seconds. If you don’t say anything, I’ll take that as your agreement to my terms!”

The seconds began ticking away. Yang Ru was torn, agonizingly conflicted. Her composure was utterly shattered; wealth, honor, and hatred were swirling into a confused mess. Ten seconds passed in the blink of an eye. She still hadn't uttered a single word, yet her feeling of resistance intensified.

When Wang Zhuo lifted her chin, she forcefully pulled away and stated coldly, “Let me make this clear, Wang Zhuo. I’m not doing this to pay off Liu Jieming’s debts. I just want to put a cuckold’s hat on him.”

It worked?! Wang Zhuo was both surprised and somewhat pleased. He smiled and nodded at her, then delicately hooked her sharp jawline again with his fingertips, saying with a grin, “You really are quite beautiful. Let me appreciate you for a moment first.”

‘Just quite beautiful’… Yang Ru’s emotions were a complicated mess. Those who humiliate others will eventually be humiliated themselves—was this retribution? Her gaze darted aside, avoiding his eyes.

As Wang Zhuo’s thumb gently traced her lips, Yang Ru involuntarily pressed them together. The man’s finger felt like it carried a thrilling current that reached deep into her core.

Lips are one of the most sensitive erogenous zones on the human body. Wang Zhuo knew this well, understanding that this area was easily capable of generating pleasure.

Steel in her heart, Yang Ru asked, “After this, you’ll stop the acquisition of Tongyuan Nonferrous Metals?”

“That depends on your performance,” Wang Zhuo winked at her flirtatiously.

Yang Ru swallowed her humiliation and lowered her head. Now, all she hoped for was a quick end to this ordeal. She wished Wang Zhuo was a fast shooter, as quick as his punches!

“Let’s go into the room,” she decided resolutely.

“No, I prefer it here,” Wang Zhuo stated as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “If you don’t satisfy me, be careful I don't go back on my promise, beautiful.”

Constantly having her boundaries challenged by this mischievous boy left Yang Ru feeling utterly helpless, forcing her to concede step by step.