My Ares Son-in-Law

In the end, Zhou Keying backed down. This backing down turned into a deeper sense of guilt, which weighed on her heart like a mountain, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

Xiao Chen quietly looked at Zhou Keying. Her pretty face, full of self-blame and unease, looked like a flower ravaged by wind and rain, pitiful and vulnerable.

His heart softened slightly, and his tense nerves relaxed a bit.

To ease the slightly tense atmosphere, he deliberately cleared his throat and said in a lighthearted, teasing tone:

"Silly girl, it was your father who issued the ban, the Zhou family. That's a powerful force at work. What does it have to do with you?"

What are you feeling guilty about?

"It's like when dark clouds in the sky block out the sun, are you going to blame the most innocent cloud?"

"If you really feel bad about it..."

He had only intended to tease her, and as the words reached his lips, a playful smile unconsciously crept up his face as he slowly said:

"...How about giving me a kiss as a consolation prize... How about that? That's not too much of a compensation, is it?"

After saying that, he deliberately winked and looked at Zhou Keying with anticipation.

However, before his last syllable had even completely fallen, it was as if time itself had frozen at that moment.

A resolute glint flashed in Zhou Keying's eyes. Suddenly, she lightly tiptoed, her movement as graceful as a butterfly in flight.

In an instant, a delicate fragrance, like a secluded orchid in a valley, filled Xiao Chen's nostrils. The scent was fresh and elegant, as if carrying the tranquility and purity of the mountains and forests, which made him pause in surprise.

Immediately afterwards, he felt a soft, moist, and fleeting touch on his cheek, like a butterfly skimming the water, so gentle that he almost thought it was his imagination.

Zhou Keying quickly took a step back, like a startled fawn, two barely perceptible blushes rising on her fair cheeks, like a magnificent sunset, breathtakingly beautiful.

She forced herself to remain calm as she looked at the somewhat dazed Xiao Chen, but her voice trembled almost imperceptibly, as if trying to conceal her inner turmoil:
"Now... are you satisfied?"

Xiao Chen froze on the spot, his eyes wide open, as if he had seen something unbelievable.

He never imagined that Zhou Keying, who was always aloof and cold, with a hint of detachment in her eyes, as unapproachable as a snow lotus on a high mountain, would actually kiss him.

It was just a casual remark he made to dispel the heaviness and guilt in the air, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, intended only to create a small ripple, so that she wouldn't feel so guilty.

To everyone's surprise, she took it seriously and bravely put it into action.

Xiao Chen's fingers seemed to be drawn by some invisible force, unconsciously and slowly brushing across the skin of his cheek that had just been touched by those soft lips.

The touch was as soft as a feather gently falling, or as gentle as a breeze, carrying a slight coolness.

At the same time, a unique fragrance belonging to Zhou Keying lingered around his nose like wisps of smoke, refusing to dissipate for a long time.

The fragrance was fresh and delicate, like the scent of the first flower blooming in spring, or the freshness carried by a babbling brook in the mountains.

He slowly raised his eyes, his gaze like two beams of warm sunlight, looking at Zhou Keying, who was bowing her head slightly. Her originally fair and snow-white cheeks were now tinged with a faint blush, like the magnificent sunset on the horizon, or like the shyness hidden in a young girl's heart.

Her slightly disheveled hair fell beside her cheeks, adding to her charming and delicate beauty.

Xiao Chen's voice was a few decibels lower than usual, carrying an undeniable firmness:

"If I said that I, Xiao Chen, have never truly taken the Zhou family or the major families of the ancient city seriously, would you believe me?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Keying gently shook her head, the movement as soft as a leaf swaying in the wind.

Her eyes, as clear as autumn water, were filled with confusion and worry, like a deep, unfathomable lake rippling with gentle waves.

Why is Xiao Chen always so stubborn?
In her mind, the Zhou family and the other major families in the ancient city were like towering mountains, making it hard for people to breathe.

The situation has become so dire that Xunjiang Group is almost at its wit's end. Its capital chain has broken, partners are terminating contracts one after another, and the market is being maliciously suppressed. Each problem is like a sharp dagger, piercing straight into the heart of Xunjiang Group.

Why did he insist on saying such unrealistic things?
Did he really think he could stand up to the combined suppression of these major families on his own?
"Xiao Chen, perhaps... we can postpone the opening date a little longer?"

"It doesn't necessarily have to be tomorrow."

Zhou Keying hesitated for a moment, then mustered her courage and spoke, her voice carrying a barely perceptible plea, like a wounded bird weakly crying for help.
"Once this storm passes and everything calms down, we can make further plans. That will be just as good."

"Forcing the business to open now will only make things worse, and by then there may not be any way to salvage it."

As she spoke, she looked at Xiao Chen with expectant eyes, hoping he would heed her advice.

However, Xiao Chen did not respond, but only gave her a deep look.

His gaze was complex and unreadable, as if it contained a thousand unspoken words: understanding and heartache for her, as well as firmness and persistence in his own decision.

His eyes were like a deep ocean, making it impossible to see through his innermost thoughts.

Immediately, he turned around resolutely, his steps steady and powerful, and walked straight to his room.

The door closed gently behind him with a soft "click," a sound that, though faint, seemed to act as an invisible barrier, separating the two of them.

The room fell silent, leaving only Zhou Keying standing there, her eyes filled with disappointment and helplessness.

The empty living room was so quiet that even the air seemed to have frozen, leaving only Zhou Keying standing there alone, like a forgotten statue.

Her gaze was fixed on the closed door, which was like an invisible barrier separating her from Xiao Chen's world.

In her mind, she could almost see the stubborn yet upright figure of the person inside through the heavy door.

He might be sitting at his desk, his brow furrowed, his eyes revealing an undeniable determination; or he might be standing by the window, gazing at the scenery outside, while plotting how to contend with that powerful opponent.

Zhou Keying's thoughts raced uncontrollably like a wild horse. (End of Chapter)