**Chapter 18: Unafraid**

The business forum was held at a resort in Ling City, set against an ancient and elegant cluster of buildings atop a mountain, which the organizers had deliberately chosen for its location.

In this picturesque landscape, where ink wash mountains and rivers spread across the scene, He Lingji stood out in a sharply tailored suit. The afternoon air outside seemed to be shrouded in mist, and his extraordinarily handsome face was both dazzling and cold. The thin mist swirling around him gave off an aura of distant inaccessibility.

He had simply responded on a whim, speaking casually.

However, when this brief video was released, it caused an uproar.

“Explosive! The Exotic Glacier He Lingji is married!”
“My wife? My wife! Ahhh, the wife of the Exotic Glacier!”
“Wait a minute, weren’t we told he was indifferent, devoid of worldly love and desire? How did he suddenly have a wife?”
“Although… I can sense a bit of sweetness?”
“It’s just a business marriage.”
“I can’t believe, even someone like He Lingji has to resort to a marriage of convenience to secure his position.”
“No, I just want to know, which young lady could make the Exotic Glacier lower himself to marry?”
“Whoever it is, as long as it’s not some influencer or celebrity, she’s unworthy of our Exotic Glacier.”

The key point was that someone had revealed it was a business marriage.
Everyone started guessing it must be some noble lady, a refined young lady, elegant, knowledgeable, and talented, someone that fans could just about accept.

“If I put myself in her shoes, my wife is a newcomer in the workplace. Based on this, she wouldn’t also be a reporter, right?”
“Damn, that’s impressive!”
“@Secretary Xiao, find out which young lady entered the reporter circle!”

Then someone, with a sharp eye, noticed a detail in the blurry video. They zoomed in on it, and immediately the public opinion shifted to—

“Damn, is that He Lingji’s neck, is it what I think it is?”
“!”
“!”
“Which young lady can bite a neck like that?”

Qin Mang had an assistant working on the front lines of the internet, so she naturally learned about this first.

In the Iris Pavilion of the lakeside estate, outside, vast fields of irises were in full bloom, nearing the end of their season, giving off a kind of melancholy beauty.

After finishing a magazine shoot, Qin Mang thought that she might not get to see such a grand sight again the next time she came back. Her steps paused for a moment as she turned toward the pavilion.

The He family’s servants were always well-trained, and in a short amount of time, they brought Qin Mang the scripts she needed, along with her favorite fruits and snacks.

Qin Mang was about to settle in, ready to enjoy the sunset, the irises, and read the script while relaxing in peace.

But then—

She received a message attack from Ah Tong.

“My CP is real: \[Video x1]
\[Screenshots x9]
“Aahhh, I’m in love with this CP, the sweetest in the universe!”
“Mang Mang, how did you make He Lingji, the noble and cold Ice Glacier, openly declare his love?”
“Wuwuwu, please, Boss, let us have a little sugar, do the first CP fanheads not even get this treatment?”
“Dinner time, so hungry.jpg”

Qin Mang was momentarily stunned by the phrase ‘openly declaring love,’ her dark, clear eyes slowly widening.

Little Lion Woof Meow: \[What publicly declaring love, what I did was public execution!]
He Lingji exposed all her misdeeds to the world!

Her mind kept replaying the video, He Lingji’s neck without a scarf. It was even more impactful than the photos Secretary Cong had sent during the day.

The photos, she was the only one who could see them. But the video!

And those screenshots of the posts.

Ah Tong could forward them to her, which meant—everyone in the world knew!

Qin Mang reminded herself to stay calm.

A few seconds later.

She couldn’t stay calm anymore!

With a cold expression, she called He Lingji—

“Aahhh He Lingji, you exposed yourself without a scarf, not keeping up with male decency! Are you deliberately letting the whole world judge me?”

“As a *noble lady* and *beautiful and intelligent* Mrs. He, I absolutely cannot bear this stain!”

“Delete it right now!”

Wuwuwu, meow meow!

Though they weren’t publicly open, it didn’t mean they would remain secretly married forever.

This ‘noble lady Mrs. He, who bit He Lingji’s neck into patterns,’ would sooner or later come crashing down on Qin Mang’s head!

This can’t happen!

She wasn’t the ‘bad-bite-neck’ puppy character!

Even if she had an animal character, she could only be a beautiful and majestic white lion! One that bites necks clean off, not in a flowery way.

……

At 4 PM, He Lingji’s car had not yet left the Ling City limits.

Secretary Cong sat next to him, and He Lingji’s personal phone rang with his wife’s voice, causing him to secretly gasp.

It was one thing to expose his chest and back, but showing his neck and face—

Cough cough, the way Mrs. He demanded things from Mr. He seemed a bit strict.

He Lingji, however, was completely unbothered, leisurely rubbing the phone’s edge.

He replied casually, “Okay.”

“Get it done in ten minutes, or else…!”

“I’ll make you act with me every day!”

After saying that with a fierce tone, Little Lion angrily hung up.

A few seconds later.

Secretary Cong carefully asked, “Should we handle the video?”

He Lingji glanced out the window, his side profile as delicate as a painting. The contours were distinct under the dim light, exuding a sense of “don’t approach.” Yet, his words carried a different meaning: “Listen to her.”

Otherwise, Mrs. He would cause a scene.

Thinking of Qin Mang, He Lingji’s cold, frosty expression seemed to soften just a little.

Secretary Cong worked quickly.

As the related news began to spread online, all platforms took down the video and related posts, and they were nowhere to be found.

A fleeting moment.

Netizens kept searching, and eventually, billions of faces went blank: “?”

So… did over a hundred million people just… dream?

Dreaming that the big shot of the He family was married?

Until He Group’s official Weibo released a statement: \[The head of He Group, He Lingji, is indeed married. Mrs. He is beautiful, intelligent, and a noble lady. Please do not spread rumors or speculate; He Group’s elite legal team is on standby.]

Netizens: ?

Who would dare to guess anymore?

So—Mrs. He is beautiful, intelligent, and a noble lady?

Anyone who says otherwise will get a lawyer’s letter?

Qin Mang was very satisfied with the outcome.

As for others claiming they were just pretending—hmph, they had no evidence!

Mrs. He was the most beautiful, intelligent noble lady in the world! No one could disagree!

The video of He Lingji had collapsed across the internet.

She had to ask Secretary Cong for the original high-definition version. Hearing his calm, almost indifferent tone, Qin Mang couldn’t help but curl the corner of her lips into a smile.

This time, she wanted to smooth things over, but her lips kept curving upward.

Whether sincerely or not, this time, he… knew what to say.

I’m magnanimous; I won’t fuss about him publicly revealing “evidence.”

As for their marriage being exposed—Qin Mang didn’t care. Anyway, no one knew Mrs. He was her.

As for He Lingji, it was better to reveal his marriage sooner and maintain the qualities a married man should have, so he wouldn’t be targeted by a bunch of women.

Only a few people knew about their marriage, and even in the wealthy circles, it hadn’t spread.

Partly because when they got married, Qin Mang had just graduated from university and was only twenty years old.

They originally planned to wait until she graduated to announce it, but then… she impulsively joined the entertainment industry, aiming to become a top actress.

So, Mrs. He’s identity became a secret.

Once the online rumors about Mrs. He settled down, she could focus on her acting career again.

The “role-playing” of the warlord boss and his cheongsam-clad little wife still had to be pushed forward!

After hearing that He Lingji was done with work, she proactively video-called him, her voice soft and charming, “Hubby\~”


*Pfft.*

Secretary Cong couldn’t help but chuckle.

Half an hour ago, the wife looked like she was about to strangle Mr. He, and now she’s calling him “husband” so intimately.

Truly, she’s the wife.

No wonder Mr. He is willing to take a step back for her.

He Lingji glanced at Secretary Cong lightly.

Secretary Cong immediately stiffened, “Damn, I almost lost my composure again.”

Looking at Qin Mang’s stunningly beautiful face, He Lingji casually asked, “What’s wrong?”

He was clearly not affected by Mrs. He’s sweet words.

Qin Mang stretched out her soft, melodious voice, filling the entire car again, “Are you coming home tonight?”

“Your intelligent and beautiful wife misses you!”

When Mrs. He needs someone, she’s always good with sweet words.

He Lingji gave a faint smile and replied casually, “Yes.”

Qin Mang’s eyes brightened instantly, and she quickly hung up the phone, “Then I’ll see you tonight, hubby, bye.”

There was no hesitation at all.

It was as if all she needed was just this answer.

Miss him?

He Lingji didn’t notice anything at all.

Meanwhile, Qin Mang was also busy. As the night deepened, she returned to the villa, holding a thick script.

She still remembered their wedding rings, which seemed to be kept by He Lingji.

So she went straight to the wardrobe.

Since moving in, her life had been like that of a drama crew, but the wardrobe was still neatly arranged as it had been at the beginning, especially He Lingji’s side.

He had been staying there a lot lately, but the wardrobe remained unchanged.

Even the arrangement of the watches hadn’t changed; the Patek Philippe with the blue and gold dial was still placed first in the display, not his most expensive watch, but the one he had owned the longest.

When Qin Mang barged in, it was like a ball of blazing sunlight, instantly making the cold and indifferent decor stand out with its dazzling, attention-grabbing aura.

He Lingji didn’t like wearing rings or other accessories, so there were very few ornaments.

Soon, Qin Mang found their wedding rings in the bottom drawer.

Compared to the fish-tail diamond ring she usually wore, the wedding ring was much more understated, probably for everyday wear. Its uniqueness lay in the engraved names of the two of them on the inner band.

There were no signs of wear.

It was brand new.

“Good thing it wasn’t lost.”

Otherwise, she’d have to buy a new one.

Lately, Qin Mang had been so busy that she hadn’t had time to shop.

She had come this far.

She pinched the ring box and wandered around her gem collection room, secretly swearing that once “The Old Dreams of Jinghua” was finished, she would go on a shopping spree to treat her little heart that had been distressed and troubled lately!

The weather in Shencheng was always mysterious and unpredictable. Heavy rain tore through the dark sky like ink, relentlessly whipping the glass windows, splashing water everywhere.

Qin Mang listened to the rain pattering on the sofa and unintentionally fell asleep.

Before falling asleep, she was still wondering whether He Lingji would come back tonight.

When He Lingji returned home and saw the lights in the living room turned off, he didn’t think much of it and calmly opened the door.

Just as he was about to turn on the light, he happened to see the girl lying on the sofa, asleep. Unknowingly, a subtle wave stirred in his deep eyes.

It was faint.

Almost imperceptible.

He slowly withdrew his finger from the light switch, casually hung up his wet suit that had some rainwater on it, and then started untying his tie as he walked over.

Mrs. He was unusually patient.

She had waited for him twice.

The fresh, rain-drenched air outside was instantly replaced by the indoor, rich, and seductive orange blossom fragrance as he stepped inside. The closer he got to the sofa, the stronger the orange blossom scent seemed to intertwine with his breath.

Qin Mang, who had the habit of tossing her blanket aside while sleeping, had already lost the blanket she had covered herself with. Her thin satin nightgown hung loosely, and her hands rested on her flat stomach.

Although the room temperature had been lowered, Qin Mang still felt the heat rising in her body due to her special physique, which made her prone to feeling hot.

The next moment, her slender, beautiful legs curled up suddenly, and the light blue soft fabric almost slid off as she stretched her hand.

\[Editor: There is no explicit scene here, the female lead is simply hot while sleeping and almost undressed (though she didn’t actually take off her clothes). The male lead politely disinfects his hands and then helps her adjust her clothing.]

Hmm.

Although this was a common habit of hers when asleep, it was He Lingji’s first time seeing it.

Normally, this would resemble a tempting gesture in a girl’s dream, but He Lingji’s furrowed brows showed no fluctuation in emotion.

He keenly noticed something was off with her.

Then, he unbuttoned the blue mother-of-pearl cufflinks on his shirt, rolled up his sleeves, and pulled out a disinfecting wet wipe from the coffee table. After cleaning his hands, he slowly bent down, intending to adjust the light blue fabric that was about to slip off her.

However.

As his fingers touched the edge—

“He Lingji?”

A soft, confused voice broke the silence, still a little drowsy and unclear.

Qin Mang sensed something was wrong and instinctively looked over.

In that instant, a flash of silver lightning suddenly crossed the sky.

The light revealed everything in the room.

The first thing that caught her eye was the man’s fingers resting at her ankle, though it seemed like they hadn’t actually touched it. After a few seconds of hesitation, she realized.

He was covering her with—

The delicate soft fabric, almost clinging to his cold, white, slender fingers, seemed like a divine and seductive picture.

For a moment, Qin Mang wondered if she was still dreaming.

Until He Lingji moved his fingertips.

The cool touch contrasted sharply with the near-molten temperature of her body.

Wait?

Qin Mang suddenly woke up, her eyes widening in disbelief as she stared at his clear, noble hand. “You actually…”

The next moment.

He Lingji calmly put the light blue fabric back on her, his face serene and composed. “No need to thank me.”

Qin Mang: “?”

Tonight, the temperature inside and outside was relatively balanced, and Qin Mang hadn’t expected to have undressed.

Moreover, every time she fell asleep in the living room, though she was asleep, her subconscious always reminded her not to undress, so she had never made a mistake when sleeping in the living room.

After saying that, He Lingji turned and casually threw his dark-patterned tie onto the armrest of the sofa, then walked upstairs.

The tie swayed a few times.

Qin Mang felt as if he was mocking her.

As he stepped onto the stairs, the lights at the bottom flickered on in segments.

She hadn’t expected him to be so calm after being caught.

He was completely fearless.

Qin Mang calmed down for a few seconds and said, “Mr. He, do you know?”

He Lingji replied nonchalantly, “Hm?”

Qin Mang tightened the satin belt of her nightgown, appearing like a pure and immaculate little fairy. “What you did is marital indecency.”

“I can sue you!”

He Lingji laughed at her innocent, aggrieved look.

On the grand spiral staircase, he suddenly stopped, standing a step higher than her, which gave off a threatening, dominating feeling, but Qin Mang wasn’t afraid.

She was wearing flat slippers, so she didn’t have the advantage in height. However, she strutted past He Lingji and stepped onto a higher step, looking down at him.

He Lingji remained indifferent.

Qin Mang’s actions were always unexpected, but they truly reflected her usual style.

“You beg me, and I might not sue you,” Qin Mang said, placing her hands on her waist, her figure leaning lazily against the banister, like a beautiful, relaxed scene in a satin nightgown.

He Lingji’s lips curled into a shallow arc as he stepped closer to her. His voice, low and magnetic, was especially captivating in the dim light, “Mrs. He, do you know?”

“There are no laws against marital indecency in my country.”

Qin Mang snorted, “No wonder you’re so fearless!”

He Lingji looked at her with a calm expression, speaking slowly and clearly, word by word:

“It’s you who is indecent with me.”

“However, I, He Lingji, am magnanimous and won’t pursue it.”

Qin Mang: “…”

How could there be someone like He Lingji, who twists the truth and has malicious intentions!

“It must be because you saw the fairy’s beauty and developed an improper desire!”

After saying that, she turned and walked confidently toward the master bedroom.

She was completely justified.