Ding Manman speaks in such a low voice that it could hardly be heard. If Zhong Shaoting doesn’t see her glowing eyes, he will doubt that he is experiencing auditory hallucinations.

Zhong Shaoting pauses for a moment as if he were thinking about something.

Without waiting for his reply, Ding Manman struggles to free herself from his arms and slowly walks to her room.

“I am not eager to see it anyway.”

Her hair softly brushes by the tip of Zhong’s nose, and she exhales a pleasant fragrance of jasmine mixed with the smell of green tea, which melts his heart. He is not a man who knows nothing about love, so he naturally recognizes this unfavorable sign.

Ding Manman walks slowly, back straight, showing no trace of affection and reluctance.

The moment she returned to Zhong’s house, she realized clearly that something in life would have nothing to do with her, such as sunshine, freedom and ... Fang Hao...

She tries to behave as obediently as possible so that Zhong at least won’t vent his anger on others.

Noticing Ding Manman’s obedience, Zhong Shaoting suddenly becomes sullen. It is an uncomfortable feeling with the sense of powerlessness like a punch into a ball of cotton. It is feeling unable to be expressed clearly,

“Rest up and take care of yourself. If you die, you will have no chance to meet him.”

After he says so with sarcasm and grimness, Zhong Shaoting backs out and kindly closes the door. Meanwhile, Ding Manman opens her eyes, which are very bright.

Zhong Shaoting seems to be very busy recently, which makes Ding Manman happy to have more leisure time. But she is still not allowed to go out and her every move is totally monitored. She felts that her life ...is becoming worse and worse.

Although the room is very large, there is nothing to amuse her. Therefore, with some simple stationery, she draws something that no one can appreciate.

When Zhong Shaoting comes in, Ding Manman, with her back toward him, is trying to blacken a piece of paper. By her side lays a little stack of colored drawings, the patterns of which are so messy that he can hardly tell what they are.

It seems that Ding Manman doesn’t notice his arrival. With an indifferent expression, she keeps on painting and coloring with force.

He sees her painting like this when he leaves home in the morning and comes back home at night, the same action again and again.

After taking a deep breath, Zhong Shaoting enters the room and closes the door behind him. While seeing Ding’s body stiffen by instinct, the curvature of his lips is completely pressed down.

He stands behind Ding and suddenly says, “Do you want to go out?”

Ding feels stunned at his words because she thinks that he will torture her again with anger, but he unexpectedly asks such a question?

She slowly turns her head, with the doubts still reflected in her eyes. “What... do you mean?”

They haven’t conducted a normal conversation with each other for a long time. Her voice sounds terrible which is very low and coarse, like the moving sound of an old stone mill, which makes others feel repressed heavily.

“Tomorrow, go to a cocktail party with me.” Zhong Shaoting inhales deeply, for fear that he will regret his decision in the next second.

Ding’s eyes brighten up. It suddenly occurs to her that if she goes to attend the party, she might meet Fang Hao or some acquaintances?

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Seeing her glowing eyes, Zhong Shaoting suddenly snorts. He strides over and stares down at her. “Stop planning any of your tricks! This time we will go to City T!”

The lights in Ding Manman’s eyes are shattered. City T is thousands of kilometers away from this city where the Fangand Ding families live. Since Zhong Shaoting will take her there, it must be a place where nobody knows her!

“Don’t you want to go?” Zhong Shaoting notices the disappointment in her eyes. He seems to have lost interest and turns to leave.

Ding Manman hurries to catch up with him. With her lips tightly closed, she hesitates for a while and finally says, “I’ll go with you!”

As long as she can leave this suffocating place, she would like to go anywhere.

The housekeeper is happiest to get to know that Zhong Shaoting will take Ding Manman to the party. She has been accompanying Zhong Shaoting for so many years and she has noticed the influence of Ding Manman on her young master though she doesn’t know whether the influence is good or bad. She has been in contact with Ding during this period and is also worried that she might get sick sooner or later with lasting suppression. Going out for some change is undoubtedly good for her.

Before leaving, the housekeeper deliberately exhorts Ding Manman, “Miss Ding, our young master rarely speaks nice words, but he is kind by nature. As long as you give in a little, maybe he won’t treat you like that. ”

Ding thinks that the housekeeper is probably talking about some cold jokes. Ding knows that she says so out of kindness and doesn’t refute.

The housekeeper notices her indifferent reaction and continues, “Miss Ding, you are the redemption of our young master. No one can save him except you. I don’t demand you to obey him for everything, just don’t set you against him any more please. Otherwise, you will not be able to undertake the consequences in your current situation.”

What she says reminds Ding Manman that in the villa everyone is Zhong Shaoting’s informant. What’s more, there are monitors everywhere in the villa. Zhongcan easily does everything to her if he really wants to.

Pretending to view what the old housekeeper says as a coincidence, Ding Manman shakes her hand and hustles the housekeeper out, “Stop kidding me!”

Zhong Shaoting sees Ding Manman walk over to him. Ding Manman wears a beautiful dress revealing a big part of white skin on her chest, which makes Zhong Shaoting frown subconsciously.

Seeing Zhong Shaoting walking towards her with furrowed brows, Ding Manman warily steps back, but her shoulders are held by Zhong. The next second, Zhong’s suit falls around her, covering her exposed skin.

“Ding Manman...”

“No!” She wants to strip off the suit. However, he doesn’t allow her to speak and urges her to move on, “If you struggle again, I will send you back.”

In this way, Ding Manman gives up resisting.

With its picturesque scenery, singing birds and fragrant flowers, City T is well-known for its tourism. If the one who accompanies her were not Zhong Shaoting, Ding Manman would be much happier.

The party is held in the most famous hotel in City T. In the soft light of the crystal chandelier, pretty ladies and handsome gentlemen are toasting one another in the splendid hall of the hotel.

The guests are all celebrities of City T. With polite and artificial smiles on their faces, the guests clink their champagne glasses with one another.

Undoubtedly, Zhong Shaoting has a quite high status among the guests. When he comes into the hall with his arms around Ding Manman, a lot of people turn their eyes towards them, even Mr. Zhao, the host of the party, comes up to welcome him. “Welcome, Mr. Zhong! The party is honored by your presence. It is also a great honor for me to have you here!”

Zhong Shaoting usually behaves indifferently even on business occasions. He reaches out his hand without much expression, “I am honored to have received your invitation!”

Zhong Shaoting utters the words for social engagements without other meanings, revealing a bit of alienation.

Ding Manman is actually very beautiful, which Zhong has never denied. With careful make-up, she looks stunningly attractive by the side of Zhong at the party.

“Mr. Zhong, some friends here want to know you.” Mr. Zhao notices that Zhong Shaoting’s eyes are always on Ding Manman and says with a meaningful smile, “Your female companion can have a rest over there.”

Ding Manman can’t wait to get farther away from Zhong. Upon hearing this, she hastily releases Zhong’s arms and says in a low voice, “You go ahead with your business. I’ll go there and take a rest.”

In the rest area sit several ladies who are talking happily. Feeling Zhong Shaoting’s gaze following her like daggers, Ding Manman gnaws her teeth and walks faster forward and sits down next to them, even though she doesn’t know them.

“I am sorry to disturb you.”

Ding Manman feels a little embarrassed when the ladies turn to look at her at the same time. Looking back and seeing Zhong Shaoting talking with his business partners, she finally lets out a sigh of relief.

“What is the relationship... between you and Mr. Zhong?” One of the ladies in a black dress stares at Ding Manman and asks with a tentative tone, “Are you his girlfriend?” Next chapter -> Being Harassed