C21 They Reacted

As the saying goes, "Women are made of water," and sure enough, tears come as easily as the rain. Su Wen's head was pounding as he watched the woman sobbing before him.

"Hey, can you not burst into tears at the drop of a hat? I haven't done anything to you. You were fierce enough to slap Su Tanhua just a moment ago, so why the waterworks with me?"

With a look of helplessness, Su Wen approached Luo Qiaoqiao. He patted her shoulders tentatively, wanting to offer comfort, yet he found himself hesitating.

The whole point of the press conference was to give Luo Qiaoqiao a bit of a wake-up call. Now that she'd gotten the message, why did he feel a pang of regret seeing her in tears?

In the midst of Su Wen's indecision, Luo Qiaoqiao suddenly stood up, her hand raised to strike him. Fortunately, Su Wen was quick on his feet and stepped back just in time to avoid the blow. Narrowly escaping, he frowned and couldn't help but complain.

"Wow. You were faking those tears? You're quite the manipulator, aren't you?"

A second ago, Luo Qiaoqiao's eyes were brimming with tears, but now they had vanished as she glared furiously at Su Wen.

"Heh, you brought this on yourself! Su Wen, I'm giving you one more chance. Call a press conference and tell the reporters that it was I, Luo Qiaoqiao, who proposed breaking off our engagement, and you owe me an apology in front of everyone!"

"And what if I refuse? What can you possibly do to me?"

Su Wen was known for his unpredictable temperament. He could be amenable or obstinate, all depending on his mood. When he was in good spirits, anything goes. But if he was irked, not even the mightiest could sway him.

"If you refuse, I'll beat you until you give in!" Luo Qiaoqiao declared, raising her fist in a threatening gesture. The force behind her earlier slap was evidence enough that she was no stranger to combat, not just another decorative young lady to be pushed around.

Her skills were certainly sufficient to handle a do-nothing like Su Tanhua, but Su Wen was far from ordinary. Over the past decade, he had been training with an old master in the wilds, mastering not only alchemy but also the martial arts of Huaxia. He might not claim to be the best of the best, but he could certainly take on three opponents at once. Luo Qiaoqiao's feeble attempts at martial arts didn't even register on his radar.

"Oh, I'm so terrified," she mocked. "Miss Luo, don't just talk a big game. Are you actually going to take a swing at me?"

Her contemptible demeanor was enough to provoke anyone's ire, not just Luo Qiaoqiao's; even the Old Steward felt an urge to strike her. With gritted teeth and a clenched fist, Luo Qiaoqiao launched an attack on Su Wen.

To her astonishment, Su Wen showed no inclination to dodge. The fist was inches from his face, yet he remained still as a statue. As she moved to pull back, her wrist was suddenly seized. Before she could process what was happening, she was yanked into the man's arms.

The distinct scent of him enveloped her, causing her heartbeat to falter.

"Hmm, I wouldn't have guessed someone with your flirtatious looks would actually smell so pleasant," Su Wen remarked, his voice dripping with feigned frivolity as he inhaled deeply at Luo Qiaoqiao's neck.

"You jerk!"

Caught off guard by his brazen flirtation, Luo Qiaoqiao let out a low growl of anger and swung her other elbow towards the man's abdomen.

Confident in her eight years of Taekwondo training, Luo Qiaoqiao was sure such a close-range strike would be unavoidable. But just as she anticipated Su Wen's pained cry, her arm was caught once more and twisted behind her back with a forceful wrench.

"Miss Luo, hasn't anyone told you that men prefer not only beautiful women but also those who are gentle as water? Keep up this punching and kicking, and you might find yourself unwed," Su Wen teased, his voice laced with amusement as he cradled her soft form.

"Release me! You scoundrel!"

The heat radiating onto her back and the warm breath tickling her ear sent Luo Qiaoqiao into a flutter of panic. Blushing and flustered, she struggled to break free from the man's embrace.

Despite being perceived as easygoing and accepting of all her suitors, Luo Qiaoqiao was far from promiscuous. She maintained a flirtatious ambiguity with the men who admired her, yet she had never engaged in any physical intimacy with any of them.

"I'm not sure who it was, boasting so arrogantly earlier about teaching me a lesson. So, tell me, do you still feel like teaching me now?"

Su Wen was a young man in the prime of his life, full of vigor. Even with a strong will, the presence of a beautiful woman could elicit a reaction from him. And Luo Qiaoqiao, with her inherent charm and attractive figure, only made it more challenging. Their struggle had already set his body ablaze with heat.

"Even in death, I will not bow to you!"

Luo Qiaoqiao's eyes were wide with defiance, unwilling to submit to him. As they continued to struggle, she suddenly felt something pressing against her waist. Initially uncomfortable, she tried to twist away, only to find the pressure growing more intense.

"Don't move!"

The man's voice, rough with a hint of huskiness, sent a shiver down her spine. She quickly realized what was pressing against her and was so frightened that she became completely still, not daring to make a move.

"Didn't Young Master Su claim to be uninterested in a woman like me? Why then do you react just like those other men who chase after me?" Luo Qiaoqiao regained her composure and once again taunted Su Wen with sharp wit.

"Miss Luo, aren't you aware that men are creatures driven by their baser instincts? It's perfectly natural for me to have a reaction with a beauty in my arms. You should take it as a compliment; it means that although I detest you, I don't detest your body."

Su Wen had never been bested in a war of words. Even the cantankerous old man often ended up infuriated by him, so what chance did a young lady like Luo Qiaoqiao have?

As he spoke, he even had the audacity to lower his head and nestle his nose into Luo Qiaoqiao's hair, resembling nothing less than a lascivious man overcome by desire. This frightened Luo Qiaoqiao so much that her voice shook.

"Su, Su Wen, I'm warning you! Our engagement is over. If you dare lay a finger on me, I will call the police!"

"Oh, now you acknowledge that our engagement is off? What was it you said just a moment ago? Hmm?"

"What did I say? I don't remember! Since you've declared our engagement null and void, from now on, we'll stay out of each other's way!"

Completely overwhelmed with anxiety, Luo Qiaoqiao failed to notice that she was being completely manipulated by Su Wen. She found herself agreeing to whatever he proposed.

"Okay, this is your own admission. Luo Qiaoqiao, I have evidence, so no backing out now!" Su Wen exclaimed.

Having secured the response he was after, Su Wen promptly released Luo Qiaoqiao from his embrace. He triumphantly brandished the voice recorder in his hand, his smile beaming with satisfaction.