225 I Don't Care

Yang Feng rubbed circles on her face. It was a habit of his that helped him to calm down. He stared into her eyes that were glorious like gold and so abnormally bright, he wondered how she managed to seal the stars within them.

He wanted to tell her the truth. He had to tell her now for he was afraid someone else might.

"I told my grandfather that the only reason I am with you is because of your fortune and connections." He hurriedly added on, "But don't get angry. I also told him I planned on having you as my wife." Imagining her in a wedding dress caused a heartfelt smile to form on his face. She would look so beautiful, more than she already was.

"I had to tell him a lie, or else he would find ways to get rid of you. If he finds out I have faltered, that the stone heart he has instilled in me has cracked, there will be a target on your head." His soft expression dimmed as it became overshadowed with indignation.

"Do you…" Zhao Lifei hesitated and asked, "Plan on hiding the truth forever?" She understood where he was coming from. From her judgment and the rumors about what Elder Yang did when he was the Head of the Underworld, the man would not hesitate to brutally slaughter her.

Yang Feng immediately shook his head. "No." It was never his intention from the start, but he had to say it this morning because he needed more time to strengthen himself enough to protect her from his grandfather.

"A few months from now, there will be an important meeting, with every major shareholder of the company present. Everyone will come together and decide if they should change or keep the current CEO. This process usually occurs once every five years." Yang Feng had already set his plan into motion. Many of the largest shareholders had already been contacted by him.

"You plan on ousting him." Zhao Lifei felt her throat run dry upon coming to this realization. She did not want him to do it. She did not want a rift between Elder Yang and Yang Feng.

Elder Yang's methods and beliefs towards Yang Feng were brutal, but she, out of everyone else, saw how much the man adored this grandson. It was definitely tough love, but in the end, it was still love.

"Yes—"

"You shouldn't." She blurted out, her words taking him by surprise.

"Lifei, he will kill you if I don't uproot his influences—"

"There has to be another way. Your grandfather might hate me, but he loves you, Yang Feng! He wants the best for you."

"He doesn't know what's best for me." Yang Feng did not like the fact that out of all times, she had to be empathic at this moment! It was not the right time for her to feel like this.

Zhao Lifei shook her head. Her fondness towards the elderly, in particular, her grandfather and maternal grandmother, made her heart too gentle. Everyone loved differently, but in the end, she could tell Elder Yang only wanted Yang Feng to prevail. She also did not want to be the reason for a split to occur in his family. She had already ruined her own family by being born, she was scared of ruining another.

"Don't do this to him, Yang Feng. He cares for you."

"But he does not care for you, and that's all I give a damn about." He sat up, only for her to follow suit. She leaned up a bit and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her.

"Don't publicly dethrone him like that, not after all of the years and effort he has put forth in teaching you how to rule." Her voice was gentle, like the sympathetic granddaughter she was. If only she knew… the majority of the beatings that Yang Feng received in his life were from his grandfather.

"That man does not care for me. He only cares about keeping the power he has and having a formidable heir to continue his legacy." Yang Feng harshly replied, turning to her and immediately wishing he didn't. Her expression was too soft for his liking.

"My love," he said, wrapping his arms loosely around her hips, "Not everyone is like your grandfather. Yes, tough love is a form of love, but that could only be to a certain extent." His thumb caressed her bottom lip.

"You do not know, my dear, the sinister things he has done." Yang Feng will show her one day, the secret he never showed anyone, the very thing he did not dare to reveal yet.

"It is not tough love. As a matter of fact, there is no love coming from his heart at all. It's just a twisted emotion birthed from greed and selfishness." His fingers lovingly rubbed small circles on her face. "But because you do not want me to, I will not publicly dethrone him."

"But you will still do it…" She trailed off.

"Yes, I will. The plan has already been set into motion and as we speak, what little influence he has over the Underworld, it is all being seized by me." He pressed a soft kiss against her face, but she drew back from him.

"Don't be angry, my love. In a relationship, we have to compromise."

"But he has not hurt me yet—"

"He will do so once the truth is revealed." He grasped her chin, "If he gets his hands on you, death will be more favorable than the pain he will cause. I do not plan on waiting until it is too late."

He would never forget the day Yang Mujian tormented a mere puppy to death because he saw the affection Yang Feng was giving it.

He had cuddled the lost, severely starved, abandoned puppy and raised it as his own, to be a loyal beast, only for the poor thing to be dragged into the yard in front of Yang Feng's eyes.

Yang Feng was forced to watch, on his knees, the torture inflicted upon the helpless animal. No more than eleven, he was made to watch as the puppy was beaten, mauled, kicked, and brutally skinned alive, while listening to its gruesome and heartbreaking cries. At that point, what little faith he had in his grandfather had vanished without a trace.

Zhao Lifei was quiet for a while. She could not find the words to say because it was not her place to do so. She never thought she would one-day show kindness to her enemies. It was not part of her nature, but everyone had their weaknesses, and grandparents were hers. She was too ignorant… something Yang Feng could not tell her.

"Keep your promise then." She said, "Do not do it publicly."

Yang Feng wouldn't call it a promise, but for her sake, he nodded his head.

- - - - -

"Why did you bring such a large purse with you today?" Yang Feng asked when the two left the bedroom to enter his office. He had received a call on his office landline when they were in the bedroom and she was adamant that he answer it. However, by the time the two came out, the call went to his voicemail.

Zhao Lifei had forgotten about the purse and the trash bag. She opened her mouth, but Yang Feng beat her to it.

"And why is your finger bandaged?" In his fit of rage, he did not see it before, however, he had calmed down now and could see it perfectly. He delicately held her hand, examining the well-tied bandage.

"I'm going to tell you, but you have to promise me you won't throw a tantrum."

Yang Feng scowled, "I do not throw tantrums."

"Yes and tomorrow, there will be a snowstorm." She sassed him, crossing her arms.

"You know, I can always get enough machines to create one outside of our house—"

"You're rich, I get it." She scoffed, briskly walking away from him. He followed closely behind her and when she was near his desk, he grabbed her waist.

"Fine, I promise to not become overly dramatic."

"That must be hard for you." She said whilst placing a hand over her heart as she pretended to sympathize with him.

Yang Fen pressed his lips together and childishly said, "As hard as it is for you."

"Are you going to continue parroting everything I say?"

"Yes." He cheekily declared, leaning down to quickly steal a kiss from her. He moved faster than she could push him away, and in the end, managed to land a kiss upon her lips.

"We have to talk about your temper issues one day. Maybe even sign you up for anger management classes." She added in while they were in a good mood.

He paused to incredulously look at her. "I'm not going to anger management classes."

"But it could be beneficial, I'll even wait for you outside." She turned around, standing on her tiptoes so that she could join her arms behind his neck, pulling him to her level.

Yang Feng narrowed his eyes, his jaw going rigid. "I don't care."

"It's not healthy for you to continue lashing out every time I say something along the lines of leaving you."

His eyes became stormy again.

"See! You just got mad again!" She scowled, angrily pinching his cheek as if he was misbehaving and being a difficult child.

"I'm not going. That's final." He muttered, shaking his head. It was a definite answer. He was not going.

Zhao Lifei pressed her lips together and decided to take him to a trial class one day...Just to see how it would turn out, and from there on, if he did not want to go, she would not force him.