Faced with Philip's tempting, devilish whispers,
Cui Ciyou's expression showed not the slightest interest.
Unbidden, Alice's figure appeared in his mind:
The little girl who laughed and horsed around with him, who got angry when she couldn't have dessert, who clumsily performed her "wink gratitude ritual" when she felt apologetic, who sweated on the training grounds and stubbornly declared that she would grow stronger and protect everyone... that lively, real, adorable little girl with her brilliant, flame-red hair.
Alice...
Alice shouldn't-and must never-be treated as a tool or an object with a price tag, used as a bargaining chip in political deals to win or trade for someone's loyalty...
At that thought, Cui Ciyou interrupted Philip's tempting vision of the future without hesitation, his tone leaving no room for argument:
"No, thank you, Philip. My answer to your 'proposal' is no."
Cui Ciyou's voice was like a bucket of ice water thrown over Philip's ambition, which had been burning with feverish hope.
"At present, I have no intention of marrying."
"And more importantly, Alice should have a life of her own, one that no one controls or arranges for her."
"You..."
Upon hearing that blunt refusal, which left no room for negotiation,
Philip's expression froze.
When he recovered, panic appeared on his face for the first time, and he tried to salvage the situation:
"Won't you... reconsider, Ciyou?"
"This is... this is your chance to rise straight to the top and become the head of the Boreas Greyrat Family!"
"No, thank you," Cui Ciyou refused him outright once more.
"I've already thought it through."
After saying that, Cui Ciyou did not immediately rise to leave.
He quietly studied the somewhat crestfallen middle-aged man before him.
Then he spoke slowly, asking a seemingly unrelated question:
"Philip, I remember you mentioning earlier