CHAPTER 118: CHAPTER 117: SO FAR AWAY, YET RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES

Xie Fengmian has always been confident.

He believes he has a strong allure for women, just like he was once certain that Cheng Yuan had feelings for him. As soon as he glanced at Yang Donglian, he sensed that this woman should have taken an interest in him too.

And he indeed needed to change his fortune.

Although this woman called Lucky Baby, who supposedly brings great fortune, wasn’t exactly pleasing to the eye, Xie Fengmian thought he might as well give it a try for the sake of improving his family’s business.

After all, it wasn’t necessary to marry her; just gaining some of her fortune would suffice.

If she really did have the fortune, and the woman truly was a Lucky Baby, then it wouldn’t be too late to ditch Ye Xiaotong and marry the Lucky Baby instead.

With such thoughts in mind, Xie Fengmian walked very slowly, as if deliberately waiting for her.

Yang Donglian easily caught up to Xie Fengmian, but when she was not far behind him, looking at his seemingly melancholic aura, his handsome and bright appearance made her feel timid.

Nervousness, anxiety, and the fear that such a man might not fancy her all rushed into her mind, making Yang Donglian clutch the corner of her clothes.

She felt somewhat bashful, no longer as confident as before; her steps grew slower and she dared not stay too close to him.

Xie Fengmian noticed her presence and vaguely guessed that the girl might be shy about chasing a man in public, so he turned and headed towards the secluded mountain path.

Yang Donglian thought he was curious and had never been to the mountain, since recently few people visited there. She felt a thrill of delight and quickly pretended to follow him inadvertently.

Everything was unfolding according to Xie Fengmian’s plan.

Seeing the woman following him from the corner of his eye, he smiled smugly, and the gloom from his family’s poor business prospects vanished instantly.

Indeed, no woman with normal psychology could resist his charm.

Though this "Lucky Baby" was a bit ugly.

He sighed, casually leaned against a tree, and pretended to notice Yang Donglian for the first time, deliberately showing a surprised expression, quickly transitioning to pain and sorrow.

"There are truly many troubles in this world. Comrade, are you here to unwind as well?"

He intentionally appeared melancholy and emotional, leaning against the tree in an exaggerated pose, gazing up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, showing off his self-assumed exquisite jawline.

Yang Donglian was still pondering how to start a conversation with him, surprised when he spoke to her first, followed by a rush of joy.

She also pretended to be casual, turning her head to look at Xie Fengmian, who was leaning against the tree and gazing up at the sky, and shyly walked towards him.

"Yes, seeing my good friends finding true love in the new year makes me happy for them, but when I’m alone, I can’t help but feel lonely."

Yang Donglian stopped just over a meter from Xie Fengmian, only then seeing his face clearly, and inwardly exclaiming.

He’s so handsome!

How did Ye Xiaotong from the Ye Family get so lucky, managing to connect with such a handsome and well-off man and even marry him!

She complained internally, regretting that such an excellent man as Xie Fengmian married someone like Ye Xiaotong who seemed so rural.

At the same time, she felt even more confident that she could replace Ye Xiaotong.

Ye Xiaotong wasn’t attractive either, just plain, and she even noticed that Ye Xiaotong had pimples on her face, looking so ugly. In this way, she felt far superior to Ye Xiaotong.

Moreover, she was from the city, not the countryside.

Xie Fengmian clearly noticed her little thoughts but didn’t expose them, instead engaging her in conversation.

Yang Donglian intentionally revealed her fortune as Lucky Baby and her academic prowess comparable to his, making their conversation increasingly enjoyable. Soon enough, they were leaning close to each other.

"Ah, I really hope I can meet my destined one soon. I wonder when he will appear."

Yang Donglian sighed again, steering the conversation back to her initial worries.

Just at that moment, Xie Fengmian found the perfect opening to advance.

He was struggling to figure out how to end those boring conversations and proceed to the next step, but she had brought up the topic on her own.

So, Xie Fengmian resumed his act of deep sentiment, pretending to be embarrassed as he turned his head away, but discreetly touched Yang Donglian’s hand with his own.

Feeling this, Yang Donglian nearly squealed with delight, her body trembling with excitement, but she forced herself to hold back her ecstatic joy and also touched his hand.

This was like a silent response.

Receiving this signal, Xie Fengmian turned his head with a joyful surprise, no longer cautious with his hand, confidently grabbing hers and holding it securely.

"Lianlian, you—"

He pretended to be nervous and excited, like someone meeting a crush for the first time, stopping and starting before finally organizing his words and carefully asking.

"Rather than waiting for the destined one who doesn’t know when he will show up, Lianlian, why not try looking at what’s in front of you?"

Actually, Xie Fengmian wanted to blush with shyness but facing Yang Donglian’s face, which was much less attractive than Ye Xiaotong’s ever was, he couldn’t manage it, instead, he expressed it through other body language.

His other hand lifted Yang Donglian’s hand, holding both of hers, raising them between them, his gaze deep and tender.

"Maybe your beloved one is as close as the distant horizon."

Being gazed at by Xie Fengmian with such deep affection and hearing his strong hint, how could Yang Donglian resist being moved? Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest.

She was extremely shy, her face quickly flushing red, as she bashfully lowered her head.

"But..."

My God, does this mean he likes me too?

Yang Donglian’s heart raced, and the two hands held by him couldn’t help but curl up in response.

Xie Fengmian already anticipated that his plan was bound to succeed, so he didn’t want to delay any longer.

Though he wasn’t completely certain how to draw fortune from this "Lucky Baby," surely the closer the better.

He decisively shifted from his earlier nervousness and cowardice, releasing her hand to pull Yang Donglian into his arms.

A not-so-pleasant smell instantly hit him; this "Lucky Baby’s" jacket seemed unwashed for ages, carrying an odor. But Xie Fengmian merely wrinkled his nose, enduring the disdain to hold her tightly.

"Lianlian, I know what you’re concerned about."

The powerful beating of his heart resounded in Yang Donglian’s ears, her eyes widening in disbelief, and her hands automatically clutched the exquisite and costly coat of Xie Fengmian.

Smelling his fresh fragrance, feeling the vibrations of his chest as he spoke, being this close to such an excellent man, Yang Donglian felt as if she had no regrets in life.

She remained silent, but Xie Fengmian’s patience was wearing thin. He endured the discomfort to continue speaking.

"You must know that lovers will ultimately become a family; we won’t be apart for too long. Once I sort out family matters, I’ll definitely come to marry you."

He subtly pushed Yang Donglian away from his embrace, placing his hands on her shoulders, lowering his head to gaze at her with deep affection.

"Trust me, okay?"