The words had just left his mouth when Ling Jue's expression turned sharp and unsightly.
Almost in an instant, Zhi Yao felt as if the air around her had solidified. She trembled all over, her knees went weak, and her subconscious urged her to kneel before him!
Was this... a wolf?
Just as Zhi Yao was at a loss, a man who looked somewhat similar to Ling Jue hurried over and whispered something in Ling Jue's ear. Ling Jue's face changed dramatically.
He turned to leave, but after taking a step, he seemed to remember something and looked at Zhi Yao, asking, "What's your name?"
Zhi Yao bit her lip, clutching the Jade Pendant tightly in her palm, refusing to say a word for fear that he might try to seize it.
"Not telling? Then you're not leaving this place today!" he instructed the man beside him, "Find a way to get that jade pendant."
With that, he strode away.
The man nodded slightly, then looked at Zhi Yao, feeling a sense of recognition.
"Miss, haven't we met somewhere before?"
He had a feeling... that she looked familiar.
Zhi Yao eyed him warily without responding.
Seeing her awkwardly hiding the Jade Pendant, the man couldn't help but smile. "My father is like that, stopping at nothing to get what he wants. Don't take it personally. Since this is your treasured possession, I won't forcibly take it from you."
He shrugged, his smile a little helpless, as if with regret, "This is, after all, a society under the rule of law."
Father?
Zhi Yao was surprised to hear this and scrutinized the man more carefully.
Although his demeanor seemed less fierce than Ling Jue's, the occasional flashes in his eyes betrayed his ambition.
He was a wolf too!
Zhi Yao's alarms rang loudly.
Ling Si, however, found Zhi Yao intriguing. Not only was she cute and adorable like a bun, but most importantly... he finally realized who she resembled.
His mother.
It was well known that the Ling family treasured their mother above all else, and this little girl happened to share some resemblance with her. This stirred a sense of protectiveness in Ling Si, making it impossible for him to harm Zhi Yao.
Just then, Pei Chiyao realized that Zhi Yao was no longer following him and hurried back.
He had meant to hold her hand, but when he turned around, she was nowhere to be seen. Fortunately, she hadn't wandered far.
He pulled the little girl behind him, meeting Ling Si's inquisitive gaze. "Mr. Ling Si, long time no see."
Ling Si raised his glass, exchanging a few pleasantries with Pei Chiyao.
He tilted his chin toward Zhi Yao behind Pei Chiyao and asked, "Mr. Pei, is she your..."
"Wife," Pei Chiyao said openly. "Or rather... fiancée."
This time, it was Zhi Yao who was shocked.
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Pei Chiyao.
Ling Si was also slightly surprised since he was a prominent figure in the Ling family and recognized most of the socialites' faces.
But he had never seen Zhi Yao before.
Would the Pei family really allow Pei Chiyao to marry a woman without any background?
His mind raced, but he didn't let it show on his face.
"Well, congratulations in advance."
Zhi Yao had no idea what they were talking about.
It wasn't until Ling Si left and Pei Chiyao turned to her, noticing her pale face, that she seemed to wake from her daze when he reached out to feel her forehead.
"What's wrong? Not feeling well?" Pei Chiyao held her close, trying to warm her with his body heat since she felt chilled.
But Zhi Yao looked at Pei Chiyao in bewilderment. "Pei Chiyao, you just said... I was your..."
She felt too shy to say those three words.
"Silly girl." He leaned down and breathed warmly into her ear. "You've already been intimate with me, and you still don't understand our relationship?"
Such a naive little vixen.
The words made Zhi Yao blush even more, her already rosy face turning a deeper shade of red.
Pei Chiyao chuckled, feeling playful again. He whispered in Zhi Yao's ear, "Baby, will you marry me?"
Zhi Yao had never thought about such things. She didn't understand the concept of marriage; she only wanted to be by Pei Chiyao's side forever.
The little girl's eyes held a hint of innocence. "Mother said that if I ever liked someone, I had to introduce him to her first and get her approval before being with him."
Zhi Yao was a mama's girl, always mentioning her mother.
Pei Chiyao felt a little impatient at not getting his way. "Tsk, where is your mother?"
Zhi Yao opened her mouth, nearly revealing that she had seen her mother recently.
Pei Chiyao was even more eager to find her mother than Zhi Yao.
Her seal was undoubtedly related to her mother. Only by finding her mother could he fully claim this little vixen.
Seeing Zhi Yao's hesitation, Pei Chiyao immediately sensed that she was hiding something from him.
He narrowed his eyes, disliking this feeling. "Baby, now you're keeping things from me?"
Zhi Yao wasn't sure if she should tell Pei Chiyao about this. If she did and he acted impulsively, going to the Ling family to demand her mother's return, what would happen?
The Ling family seemed formidable... They were wolves, after all!
Fear of the Wolf Tribe was ingrained in foxes.
Moreover, Pei Chiyao was just an ordinary human. Zhi Yao didn't want him to take risks for her sake.
Zhi Yao remained silent.
Pei Chiyao knew that she was cautious when it came to her mother.
He didn't press further but changed the subject. "What was Ling Si saying to you earlier?"
Zhi Yao let out a sigh of relief and told Pei Chiyao about Ling Jue wanting to buy her Jade Pendant. Afterward, she expressed her concern, "Pei Chiyao, will they try to steal it directly?"
She had a feeling the Wolf Tribe would resort to such tactics, and she was terrified.
"They can try." Pei Chiyao didn't take the Ling family seriously.
The Ling family might be powerful, but so what? He had always believed in not attacking unless provoked. If the Ling family dared to lay a hand on Zhi Yao, Pei Chiyao wouldn't let them off easily.
"Don't worry, they wouldn't dare touch me," he said, squeezing Zhi Yao's hand reassuringly.
Zhi Yao nodded, feeling more relaxed.
"Sweetheart, I need to leave for a bit, no more than ten minutes. I'll have Xie Tingyan stay close to you at all times. Don't wander off. I'll be back, and we'll go home." He gently instructed Zhi Yao.
He would deal with the Pei family matters swiftly.
