In the grand villa, a stunning woman who appeared to be in her thirties sat gracefully in the hall, her every movement exuding allure.
All the servants were absent, leaving only the butler, Uncle Fu, frowning as if lost in thought.
When Lin Ran saw the newcomer, his heart skipped a beat.
This woman had appeared a full year earlier than she had in his previous life.
The newcomer was none other than Luo Yao’s maternal aunt, Luo Wuyou—the only woman of her generation in the Luo family, just as Luo Yao was the sole woman of hers.
Luo Yao’s voice was icy. “Who gave you permission to be here?”
The woman stood up elegantly, step by step, until she stopped in front of Luo Yao—only to turn her gaze toward Lin Ran instead.
Luo Yao’s eyes darkened. “What do you want?”
Luo Wuyou then let out a bewitching laugh, the kind that could ensnare hearts.
“Hahaha! Why am I here? Naturally, to see what kind of man could become my niece’s husband.” She lifted Lin Ran’s chin with a single finger.
“Handsome, yes, but nothing particularly special otherwise.”
Luo Yao’s gaze sharpened like a blade. If Lin Ran hadn’t been present, she would have already struck.
But now, she had to consider more carefully—after all, the woman before her wasn’t someone to be trifled with.
Lin Ran tilted his head away from Luo Wuyou’s teasing, his eyes piercing as he stared at her. “I don’t like chicken feet. Take your hand away.”
Luo Wuyou froze. She hadn’t expected such a cold reaction from Lin Ran. Was her charm not enough?
“Interesting. There’s something different about you after all.” She turned back to Luo Yao. “Where have you hidden your second uncle? Tell me, and I won’t trouble this handsome young man. Otherwise, I can’t promise what I might do.”
Luo Yao’s voice was lethal. “Are you looking to die?”
Luo Wuyou bent over in exaggerated laughter. “Oh, Yao’er! We’re cut from the same cloth. You may be strong, but your dear aunt isn’t a pushover either.”
Then, as if remembering something, she sighed. “But I’ll never match you—I don’t have your ruthlessness. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have ended up like this.”
Luo Yao asked coldly, “So, you want to test me?”
Luo Wuyou’s smile vanished. “Maybe I will.”
The two locked eyes, their gazes eerily similar—Luo Yao even carried traces of Luo Wuyou’s demeanor.
Suddenly, Lin Ran stepped between them. “Look, since we’re all family, why let things get this far? Can’t we just sit down and talk?”
Both women looked at him in surprise. The aura they had just exuded would have left most people too intimidated to speak, yet this man remained utterly unfazed.
Luo Wuyou’s condescension faded slightly as she turned to Luo Yao, waiting for her response.
“Fine. Let’s talk.” Luo Yao was the first to speak, striding toward the study.
Luo Wuyou gave Lin Ran a bemused glance. She hadn’t expected Luo Yao to actually agree—and it was all because of him.
Clever as she was, she immediately understood Luo Yao’s motive for negotiating: she was afraid Luo Wuyou would harm Lin Ran.
Amused by the realization, Luo Wuyou covered her mouth with a giggle, then threw Lin Ran a flirtatious glance before following Luo Yao to the study.
Lin Ran tactfully retreated to the bedroom. He didn’t want to engage too much with Luo Wuyou—Luo Yao wouldn’t like it.
He already knew certain truths, like Luo Yao’s mercilessness and her attitude toward the Luo family. He’d learned that much in his previous life.
Luo Yao wasn’t as simple as she appeared. Her scheming and cunning were top-tier; only with him did she ever show tenderness.
As for Luo Wuyou? In his past life, she had already lost to Luo Yao. This time, she posed even less of a threat.
Back then, Luo Wuyou had even tried to team up with Lin Ran—and foolishly, he’d agreed. But every move they made had been seen through and crushed by Luo Yao.
No matter how capable you were, in front of Luo Yao, you were transparent.
If she couldn’t defeat Luo Yao before, what made her think she could now?
Lin Ran truly felt grateful that Luo Yao loved him. Many times, even when she knew he was lying, she willingly played along.
If not for that, he would have died countless times over.
Wasn’t such devotion worth more than a thousand empty promises?
So, he would heal his little demon’s heart, filling the rest of her life with joy. He would take her to every corner of the world brimming with love.
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**In the study.**
The moment they entered, Luo Yao unleashed a crushing wave of killing intent—even Luo Wuyou felt suffocated under the pressure.
“If you dare hurt Lin Ran, you’ll wish for death.”
“Oh, Luo Yao… Who would’ve thought you’d have a weakness?” Luo Wuyou covered her mouth with a coquettish laugh.
Luo Yao arched a brow but didn’t argue. Instead, she said, “Lin Ran is my weakness, but he’s not a bargaining chip. If he dies, I’ll die with him. But if you think you can use him against me, don’t delude yourself.”
Luo Wuyou fell silent for a moment before slowly raising her head.
“It doesn’t matter. Surviving until now is already a miracle. You never expected me to live through that place, did you?”