Anger surged in his heart, accompanied by lingering regret.

He shouldn't have been so good to her, shouldn't have ignored the emotional aspects just because of their age difference, and he definitely shouldn't have lost his mind and kissed her while she was still asleep!

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In the end, Chen Xi falling for him was partly his own fault...

He was at fault too... he was at fault...

Yan Feng kept repeating this conclusion to himself because only by thinking this way could he barely suppress the anger and sense of avoidance in his heart.

The anger was because his loyalty had been exposed by someone else, and the avoidance was because he feared facing the deceased Bai Xi...

His throat was parched, and his voice was hoarse as he gasped and shouted:

"You ask why we can't be together? Because you're Chen Xi! And I'm me! How many years apart are we!? Huh!?"

The man's voice paused, and his tone rose: "Nine whole years! Nine years! If we were together, how would others see us!? How would they see you!?"

"So what!?" Chen Xi retorted fiercely, her eyes flashing with defiance: "I've never cared about what others think! Besides, they've never looked at me directly!"

The words grew more intense, and the young girl's face bore an indescribable fierceness, yet paired with her stunning features, it became a wild beauty.

"You clearly told me, even if I don't understand now, that when there's a chance, you must seize it, pursue boldly, and never hesitate, not even for a second!"

"I can't wait any longer, not even for a second! I like you! I like how good you are to me! I like everything about you!"

Chen Xi stood up, her face filled with a madness that made Yan Feng instinctively take a half step back.

"I like how you take care of me, like eating the beef sauce you make, like how you care about my feelings, like the clothes you buy for me..."

"I especially like how you protect me when I'm bullied, like how you teach me guitar, like how you explain things to me. As long as it's you, I like everything, everything!"

The young girl screamed, her voice hoarse, using all her strength.

At this moment, the cold facade she had put on was hard to maintain, and the grievances in her heart poured out, with tears rolling down her cheeks, tracing a path of poignant beauty:

"Do you know? Before you, no one ever cared about me, cared about my feelings, or was willing to give unconditionally for me..."

"They all just looked at me with strange eyes, either with fear, jealousy, or disgusting lust!"

"Only you..."

As Chen Xi spoke, her voice softened, still hoarse but with an indescribable allure:

"The way you look at me... it's different from everyone else... only you have such pure eyes... only you..."

Her words trailed off as she looked at the man in front of her, silent and seemingly hesitant. Her heart leapt with joy, and she reached out to touch his cheek...

Only to have her hand caught mid-air, unable to move.

"Shut... up..."

Yan Feng squeezed out the words through gritted teeth, his voice chillingly cold:

"Chen Xi... I've never liked you, nor have I ever had romantic feelings for you..."

"I know!" she interrupted before he could finish.

Chen Xi tried to free her wrist, but his grip was tight, like a clamp.

Yet even so, she didn't back down, her gaze firm as she spoke each word clearly: "As long as I know I like you, that's enough! I will make you like me too!"

"And what about me!?"

Yan Feng retorted, looking at the young girl who seemed stunned. He felt as if something was blocking his chest, desperately wanting to be released, and even his voice trembled slightly:

"What am I supposed to do!?"

"How will my friends see me!?"

"How will the company's employees see me!?"

"How will other bosses see me!?"

His words paused, and a tear unknowingly fell from the corner of his eye. His lips moved, trembling as he spoke in a voice almost coughing up blood:

"How will your mother... see me..."

After saying this, he felt all strength leave his body, maintaining his posture was already his limit.

At this moment, Chen Xi let out a cold laugh, speaking emotionlessly:

"My mom? Ha..."

"She's already dead! What right does a dead person have to interfere..."

Slap!

Chen Xi turned her head, her eyes wide with disbelief, a bright red handprint on her face.

Yan Feng had transformed, his expression terrifyingly dark, eyes bloodshot, veins bulging on his neck, his entire being radiating anger.

Without a word, he grabbed the young girl's arm, almost dragging her into the living room.

Chen Xi was powerless to resist, allowing him to pull her along. Moments later, a force flung her onto the cold floor.

The collision of bone and tile was painfully real. Chen Xi looked up at Yan Feng, only to see him pointing in front of her, commanding:

"Kneel!"

The young girl endured the pain, looking ahead, only to see...

That well-tended cactus!?

The pain on her face hadn't faded, and she blinked, confused, turning to look at Yan Feng, who showed no mercy, directly shouting:

"I told you to kneel! Apologize to your mother!"

Chen Xi froze at his words, looking at the cactus that had been cared for over the years, recalling the warnings she had received upon arriving, suddenly understanding, then letting out a cold laugh:

"Ha, so you consider this cactus as her? No wonder..."

"Shut up!"

Yan Feng gritted his teeth, pressing down on the young girl's neck, forcing her head down, her gaze fixed on the cactus: "Apologize to her! Now!"

But to his utter surprise, Chen Xi showed no remorse, instead using all her strength to resist his arm, refusing to kneel no matter what.

"Heh... you want me... to kneel to her? For what!?"

A stubborn voice rang out, even unable to stand, she refused to admit fault, instead speaking with endless hatred, gritting her teeth:

"For giving birth to me and then ignoring me?"

"For using me as a punching bag?"

"Or for locking me up like a dog with nothing to eat for three whole days!?"

"Do you know, if it weren't for a neighbor passing by that day, I would have starved to death at eight years old! Do you know that!"

Chen Xi turned to look at the man, her eyes filled with long-held resentment: "Just because my last name is Chen, because of those damn rumors saying I caused my father's death, because her life was ruined, does that mean she can treat me like this!? What did I do wrong!?"

"Tell me!? What did I do wrong!?"

The man wavered, his vision blurred, and Chen Xi could feel the pressure on her neck easing. With a slight twist, she broke free, standing up, coldly laughing like a proud emperor:

"Do you really think she was a good woman? She was never a good mother to me!"

The young girl took a step forward, their roles reversed, the accuser became the accused, retreating in fear.

"Do you think you're the only one who won't be with me because she's my mother? Have you considered my feelings?"

Her steps advanced again, with a thud, the man fell to the ground, dazed, shaking his head repeatedly.

"You know her, like her, even everything in your life is related to her, don't you think I find that disgusting?"

Chen Xi's voice grew softer, looking into those panicked eyes, she couldn't muster any anger, and in the end, even the slightest bit of rage was gone.

All that remained was a gaze full of love, obsessive and mad.

She knelt down, not for her mother, not for herself.

She leaned close to the man, cupping his face in her hands, tears in her eyes, crying as she spoke:

"But even so... I still like you... I don't want this either... but what can I do... I just like you..."

"Even though... even though for you, I can forgive her, even learn her style of dressing because of your preference... but why... why can't you like me... why... why!?"

Her questions were like daggers, stabbing at the man, yet his heart was in turmoil, unable to respond to the outside world.

"No... it's not like that..."

"It's not... we... we're wrong... we can't... we can't... we can't..."

"We can't!!!"

The shout rang out, filled with unprecedented panic, a shadow flickered, and in an instant, he rushed back to his room.

The world returned to silence, no one could have imagined that on this night of sin and punishment, the man who once dominated the business world would have such a wretched side.