Jia glowered at him and gritted her teeth. Mingshen pretended as if he wasn't the culprit at all.

  "Oh my gosh, she is there? Jia, are you there? Can you hear me?"

  She pressed the bridge of her nose and tried to smile. "Yes…"

  "Are you okay? That Li Dong didn't hurt you, right? I was so mad when Mingshen told me that you are undercover at his place! How dare he send you to such a dangerous place!? Don't worry. I scolded and punished him. I didn't let him have my food for one whole month!"

  Mingshen dryly rolled his eyes. "You are the only one who thought it was a punishment."

  "Shut up, Mingshen! I know you definitely missed eating your favorite pepperoni pizza!"

  Do you think I am a kid to miss that? He grimaced.

  Yang Bingqing brought her attention back to Jia, and her voice softened. "I bet you don't get decent food to eat at his base. Mingshen told me he was going to meet you, and I was so ecstatic! I whipped up what I could. That idiot didn't tell me sooner. Also…"

  Her voice turned colder. "Mingshen, you didn't sneakily eat anything, right? Otherwise I will…"

  He smiled. "Of course not. This meal is for my future wife. Why will I steal her food?"

  She threw him a killing glare. She looked down at the box and the sight of fried noodles and steamed chicken dumplings made her feel pleasant.

  The food at Li Dong's base was good enough but of course…Nothing could beat Yang Bingqing's cooking.

  "Thank you Mrs. Yang," she hesitated.

  "Aish, you don't have to do that. You will be my daughter-in-law one day. You don't thank your mother like that."

  A lump formed in the back of her throat. Things were going in the direction she didn't want at a rapid pace.

  Mingshen grinned. "Now, shoo. Let your daughter-in-law eat her food in peace."

  "No! I want to talk to her more-"

  "Yeah, bye. You have your husband to talk to," and he hung up.

  "What are you doing!?" Jia burst in anger.

  Mingshen innocently asked, "What do you mean?"

  "You know what I mean! At first, it didn't bother me much. But now, your mother sounds really serious about us…" her expression turned ugly, thinking about their marriage. "This cannot go on! I don't want to hurt her. You are an evil bastard, but your mother is innocent. I don't want to give her hopes that will never come true."

  He cocked his brow. "How do you know that it would never be true?"

  She sneered. "How about you think back to the time when you caged me in your lab?"

  She lowered her gaze, and it softened by the food's sight. She closed the lid and handed the box back to Mingshen. "Eat it and give it back to her."

  "Hooo. You want to lie to Mom?"

  Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "And who is the one who put me into this place? Forget about her misunderstanding, you are just fanning the flames in the wrong direction."

  He said nothing at first. Then he took a huge step towards her and pulled her lean waist until her body hugged his. His black irises slowly clouded with her scent that hit his nostrils and her chest that was pressed against his.

  Jia's fury knew no bounds, and she moved her hand to jab him. Mingshen had already seen it coming, so he effortlessly grabbed her hand and jammed her foot from making any more vicious attacks.

  "You shouldn't hurt you hubby~"

  "You-"

  Suddenly, Mingshen leaned closer to her face, his lips threateningly close to brushing hers. Jia stiffened with the proximity, but he had firmly locked her arms and feet to move.

  There was a half-crescent moon shining up in the night sky. Its soft light dimly lit his left profile that accentuated his sharp features. His dark eyes looked mysterious as much as evil.

  "You are wrong, Spicy…" he teasingly whispered closer to her lips, not touching it but not backing away either.

  He could kiss her or he could not. That was upto Mingshen.

  "I am fanning the flames in the right direction. I want you to be a part of the Yang family, and you will be a part of the Yang family," his voice was ominous but firm.

  Jia wanted to counter like she usually did, but something in his black pupils didn't let the words escape her lips.

  He smiled and suddenly let her go, making her scowl at him.

  "Do that again, and you will be dead," she snarled.

  He chuckled. "I am happy to die by your hands, Spicy~ Always."

  She snorted and dismissed it. "Will you finally tell me why I am here? If it is only because of the food, then…" there was a deadly ring to her voice.

  Mingshen sparkled. "Of course not! I called you here because I want you to praise me!"

  "……"

  "You see…"

  He told everything that Jiang Zhen went through.

  "And I delayed his treatment and made him suffer hahaha. He was begging me to help me, but I let him writhe in pain~ The important thing is the medicine I gave him. It gives temporary relief, but it actually worsens the stomach pain later on~ He is going to suffer a lot tomorrow morning. So, so praise me! Are you happy?"

  She was speechless.

  He called me here on such an urgent note to say this?

  But well…


  Imagining Jiang Zhen in pain wasn't a bad thought. She preferred he would die as soon as possible, but thinking his half-dead state isn't a bad option.

  Though that didn't mean she would praise Mingshen.

  "I see. I will…"

  His eyes gleamed further in anticipation.

  "Make sure to block your number," she smiled. "So that I won't risk coming here for your useless chatter."

  Mingshen pouted. "My Spicy is so mean. But I like it."

  She glared at him. "Thank you for calling me here for nothing!"

  She turned and was about to storm off when he said, "Well, I have some news about your sister too~"

  She froze.

  Mingshen sighed. "Guess you don't need to hear it anymore~"