Yan Lingji and the Overbearing CEO

[Triggering Selection Mission:]

[Option 1: Actively extend a helping hand. Invite her, accept her with warmth and strength, train her. Let her master the power to save herself and tear apart fate.]

[Reward: Puni's Fifth Spirit Ring (Growth Type) * 1, Otherworldly Summoning Card - Yan Lingji (Legend of Qin World), System Points * 60000.]

[Option 2: Wait and see. Do not interfere actively, wait for her to muster her courage and make her own choice. The intersection of destinies sometimes requires a little patience.]

[Reward: Puni's Fifth Spirit Ring (Growth Type) * 1, Otherworldly Summoning Card - Kai (Journey to the West Continent. Comes with limited voice pack "Domineering President · Kai: You are not allowed to leave without my permission!"), System Points * 60000.]

'Yan Lingji?' Zhao Linchuan's heart stirred, 'That Baiyue woman with a tragic past and deadly allure?'

Without much hesitation, he silently thought, 'System, I choose one.'

[...Rewards will be distributed later.]

The choice made, Zhao Linchuan withdrew his thoughts and his gaze naturally swept across the shop, meeting Zhu Zhuqing's eyes.

He cleared his throat, nodded slightly in her direction, and said gently:

"Miss in the black dress, if you don't mind, come and sit with us."

Zhu Zhuqing visibly froze. A flicker of surprise and hesitation crossed her cold eyes. She looked around, confirming there were no other women in black in the shop, then asked softly, somewhat uncertainly, "Are... are you talking to me?"

"Naturally." Zhao Linchuan gestured to the empty seat beside him. "You've been following us from outside the city; you must have something to say."

"Instead of following from afar, why not come over? We can talk face to face."

Zhu Zhuqing pursed her lips. After a moment of hesitation, she stood up and, with slightly stiff steps, walked to Zhao Linchuan's table and sat in the empty seat next to Ning Rongrong.

She sat upright, hands on her knees, head slightly bowed. Her long black hair fell, obscuring half her face, making her appear both awkward and aloof.

"Miss," Zhao Linchuan's tone was leisurely, as if he were merely making small talk, "you've been following us all day. You must have encountered some difficulties."

"If you have anything to say, don't hesitate to speak your mind."

"If you're facing any hardship, tell us, and perhaps we can think of a solution."

Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing's delicate body trembled almost imperceptibly.

She remained silent for a long time, so long that the tea on the table was almost cold. Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu couldn't help but steal glances at her.

Finally, she looked up and hesitantly began, "I am being hunted by my family, and I fled all the way here... Originally, I intended to..."

'Hunted by her family?' Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up at the words, her gossiping spirit burning fiercely.

'A story! Definitely a story!'

She immediately put on a innocent and enthusiastic smile, leaned closer, and said in a soft voice, "Sister, you seem to... have something very sad on your mind? Can you tell us about it?"

"Perhaps we can really help you?"

Xiao Wu also felt a pang of sympathy and chimed in, "Yes, tell us if you have any difficulties."

"Our young master... he is very powerful, he might be able to help you."

These words seemed to shatter Zhu Zhuqing's last defense.

A sense of reckless desperation surged within her.

Dai Mubai... her nominal fiancé. The encounter at the Rose Hotel yesterday, she had seen it all clearly.

He was... very likely "crippled."

No matter how high his future spirit power might reach, a prince who could not pass on his lineage had, under the cruel succession rules of the Star Luo Empire, completely lost his qualification to contend for the throne.

Dai Mubai's disqualification meant that she, Zhu Zhuqing... had also lost her final "shield" and "value."

According to the rules of generational marriage and joint competition between the Zhu Clan of the Star Luo Empire and the Dai Clan, only death, or a fate worse than death, awaited her.

Rather than wait for death, why not... take a gamble!

This mysterious young man before her, his strength unfathomable, was perhaps... her only chance of survival!

"My name is Zhu Zhuqing, and my spirit is the Nether Spirit Cat." She took a deep breath, her voice a little dry. "The situation... is like this..."

She concisely yet clearly narrated the cruel rules of generational marriage and joint cultivation of heirs between the Dai Clan and the Zhu Clan of the Star Luo Empire, where the loser would either die or be crippled.

And her engagement to Dai Mubai, Dai Mubai's departure without a word years ago, her journey to find him alone, and the scene she witnessed yesterday.

Ning Rongrong listened, dumbfounded.

She had heard a little about the Star Luo Empire's succession struggles, but such bloody rules that directly involved one's spouse sent a chill down her spine.

Her impression of Dai Mubai plummeted to the bottom, and she even secretly praised Zhao Linchuan for his "precise" actions yesterday.

Xiao Wu was also indignant, her eyes filled with disdain for Dai Mubai and sympathy for Zhu Zhuqing.

She quietly tugged Zhao Linchuan's sleeve and whispered, "Young Master... she's so pitiful. Should we... help her?"

At these words, both Ning Rongrong's and Zhu Zhuqing's gazes focused on Zhao Linchuan.

Zhao Linchuan maintained his faint smile, meeting Zhu Zhuqing's gaze, which was a mixture of despair, hope, and a hint of stubbornness, and slowly said, "I can help you."

Zhu Zhuqing's eyes instantly blazed with astonishing brilliance, but before she could express her gratitude, Zhao Linchuan changed the subject, "However, what price can you pay for this?"

The brilliance in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes quickly dimmed, tinged with bitterness.

Indeed, there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

Aside from this relatively young body and decent talent, she had nothing.

And the other party clearly lacked neither of those.

She remained dazed and silent for a long while before whispering, "I'm sorry... I... have nothing. It was presumptuous of me to disturb you."

With that, she stood up, ready to leave.

"Wait." Zhao Linchuan's voice rang out once more.

Zhu Zhuqing's footsteps faltered, though she did not turn back.

"Then, offer me your loyalty." Zhao Linchuan picked up his lukewarm teacup and took a sip.

"Loyalty?" Zhu Zhuqing spun around abruptly, her eyes filled with shock and disbelief. "Just that?"

"Just that." Zhao Linchuan set the cup down, his gaze calm as he looked at her. "Follow me, obey my commands, and entrust your future to me."

"I will give you the opportunity to grow stronger and the power to break free from the shackles of fate."

"As for how far you can go, that will depend on your own fortune."

A massive wave of surprise flooded over Zhu Zhuqing, leaving her feeling dizzy.

No need to sell her body, no need to sacrifice her dignity—it was merely... loyalty?

For someone who had long been treated as a pawn and a bargaining chip by her family and fate, this was practically a blessing!