210: Chapter 210 A Hot and Alluring Goddess! Shy…

The woman in the mirror had skin as white as porcelain, and the black fabric clung to her waistline, outlining her smooth body curves.

Her long hair was draped damply over her shoulders, water dripping from the tips, and the corners of her eyes were tinged with a faint red from the steam, stripping away some of the cold seriousness she usually displayed as a referee and adding a touch of soft, feminine charm.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng blow-dried her hair until it was half-dry, twisted it into a loose, low bun, and left a few stray strands hanging by her cheeks, softening the lines of her face.

She then took out her cosmetics and applied a light base makeup to cover the dark circles of fatigue under her eyes, choosing an understated bean-paste colored lipstick that perfectly brightened her complexion.

After finishing, she turned around in front of the mirror and took a deep breath.

"Alright."

"No matter if it's a mountain of blades or a sea of fire, I have to brave it."

She grabbed her handbag from the sofa, checked her communicator and the personal defensive Magical Artifact she carried, and then headed out.

The night had deepened. The nights in the central Star Domain were always brightly lit, with hovercars moving in an orderly fashion along exclusive lanes, and the neon lights outside the window shimmering like a flowing galaxy.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng sat in the back seat of the car, watching the scenery flying past outside the window; her heartbeat quickened bit by bit, and her palms slowly began to sweat.

The place where Zhou Liangan lived was in a hillside villa district on the other side of the city.

The car stopped at the main entrance of the villa district. Security stepped forward to check her identity; Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng gave Zhou Liangan's name and presented her own tournament referee credentials. After verifying the information, security raised the barrier to let her through.

The further in they went, the quieter the environment became.

Tall trees were planted on both sides of the road, and the warm yellow streetlights cast mottled shadows through the leaves; when the evening breeze blew, the tree shadows danced, and even the chirping of insects was very faint.

The air carried the fresh scent of grass and trees, making it an entirely different world from the hustle and bustle of the city center.

The car pulled up slowly in front of the iron gate of a detached villa.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng sat in the car, looking at the tightly closed gate in front of her and the villa building glowing with warm light inside, her fingers gripping the strap of her bag so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

She suddenly felt like laughing.

"I snuck out of his room secretly this morning, and less than twelve hours later, I'm voluntarily showing up at his door again. If I told anyone, no one would believe it."

For a split second, she even wanted to tell the driver to turn around and pretend nothing had ever happened.

But as soon as she closed her eyes, she saw the tired, aged face of the Old Ancestor, as well as the bright, sparkling eyes of the children in the Family when they were learning to Cultivate.

"No, I can't leave."

"I've already come this far; there's no reason to retreat."

She gritted her teeth, pushed open the car door, and stepped out.

The evening breeze carried the chill of the night, blowing her skirt hem gently and causing goosebumps to rise on her exposed shoulders and neck.

She gathered the stray hair on her shoulders and walked step by step to the doorbell in front of the gate.

She raised her hand, her fingertips hovering above the doorbell button, and hesitated for several seconds.

Finally, she closed her eyes, steeled her heart, and pressed it.

"Ding-dong—"

The crisp sound of the doorbell rang out in the quiet courtyard, carrying far into the distance.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng stood at the door, her spine unconsciously straight, but her palms were slick with sweat.

She did not know who would open the door, nor did she know what Zhou Liangan's reaction would be upon seeing her, and even less did she know whether this high-stakes gamble, which wagered the fate of her entire Family, would end in victory or defeat.

She could only stand where she was and wait quietly.

Like a prisoner awaiting a verdict, she had staked all her hope on the person behind the door.

Inside the room.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was the ceaseless stream of light from the spaceport of the Transit Star Region; the cold silver exhaust trails of starships cut fleeting streaks of light across the dark purple sky, like a handful of scattered diamonds.

Only a warm-light floor lamp beside the sofa was on in the room, its circle of light barely encompassing the leather sofa and side table; the remaining corners were immersed in semi-dark shadows, and the cold-toned black ebony furniture was hidden in the dark, making the entire room exude a restrained sense of oppression.

Zhou Liangan leaned against the back of the sofa, his fingertips holding a half-finished glass of whiskey; the square ice cube melted slowly in the amber liquid, clinking against the glass wall with a faint sound.

Two buttons of his shirt collar were undone, and his cuffs were casually rolled up to his forearms, revealing his sharply defined wrist bones; he had shed the cold hardness of his official business, appearing more lazy and laid-back.

Yet, in the shadow cast by his brow bone, those eyes remained terrifyingly bright, like a beast lurking in the dark; he looked indifferent, but in reality, not the slightest movement around him could escape his perception.

Just at this moment, the door was tapped three times gently.

The force was very light, tapping once and pausing for half a second, hesitating as if the person outside had to muster all their courage just to land the second tap.

Zhou Liangan raised his eyes and swept them toward the door, a faint, ambiguous curve spreading at the corners of his lips.

He didn't need to guess to know who it was.

He had already seen her via the surveillance at the door ten minutes ago.

The young lady was wearing a moon-white long dress, walking back and forth in the corridor three times; one moment she was staring blankly while clutching her skirt, the next she was biting her lower lip and taking deep breaths, looking completely torn. Finally, she stood at the door and hesitated for a full two minutes before she dared to raise her hand and knock.

"Come in." Zhou Liangan's voice was not loud, carrying a slight huskiness from the alcohol, yet it clearly penetrated the door panel and reached outside.

The door was pushed open slowly, and a slender figure stood outside the threshold; against the cold white light of the corridor, her silhouette was outlined with a fuzzy, velvety edge.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng stood at the door, her fingertips gripping her silk skirt so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.

She had specifically chosen her most conservative dress today, with the neckline fastened tightly, her long hair loosely pinned at the back of her head, and a few stray strands hanging by her cheeks. The Ruan Family Young Miss, who was always cold, noble, and held her chin high when attending Family banquets, now stood at Zhou Liangan's door looking like a student who had accidentally wandered into a Forbidden Ground, her entire demeanor etched with restraint.

She glanced into the room and happened to collide with the gaze Zhou Liangan cast over.

The man leaned on the sofa, his eyes fixed on her, carrying an unconcealed scrutiny, as if he were weighing a piece of cargo that had been delivered to his doorstep.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly lowered her eyelashes; her long, dense lashes trembled violently, masking the panic in her eyes.

"Standing there acting as a door god?" Zhou Liangan shook the wine glass in his hand, the ice cubes clinking against the glass, his tone filled with clear playfulness. "Come in, or do you need me to get up and invite you?"

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng bit her lower lip and, bracing herself, stepped inside.

The door closed gently behind her with a soft click, as if completely isolating her from the outside world.

The air in the room was mixed with a faint scent of whiskey and the cold fragrance of cedar—it was entirely Zhou Liangan's scent, dominant and present, wrapping around her breath and drilling into her lungs, making her inexplicably more nervous, to the point where she kept her footsteps extremely light.

She stopped abruptly two steps away from the sofa, stood properly, and folded her hands in front of her, her fingertips still unconsciously picking at each other.

Zhou Liangan's gaze swept down from the top of her bowed head, passing over her tense shoulder lines, her waist that could be held in one hand, and the calves that were slightly tensed due to nervousness, finally landing back on her pink-tinged earlobes; the smile in his eyes deepened a little more.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng held it in for a long time before she finally summoned the courage to look up.

She had a pair of extremely bright almond eyes with slightly upturned corners; when she looked at people, she usually carried a bit of the aloof arrogance of a noble Young Miss, but now those eyes were filled with trepidation, staring straight at Zhou Liangan as if trying to read the answer from his face in advance.

Her pearly teeth gently bit her lower lip, the lip pressed white, and she opened her mouth, her voice as thin as a mosquito's buzz: "I... I..."

She stammered for a long time without being able to say a complete sentence.

Zhou Liangan did not rush her, just leaning on the sofa like that, watching her with leisure, his patience abnormally good.

He actually wanted to see how long this Ruan Family Young Miss, who had always looked down on everyone, could hold out.

The air was silent for a few seconds, and Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng felt these few seconds were harder to endure than a whole Star Calendar Day.

She could hear the sound of her heart pounding wildly in her chest, so loud that she was afraid the person opposite would hear it.

Just when she was so embarrassed that she wanted to turn around, push the door, and run away, her wrist suddenly tightened.

Zhou Liangan suddenly leaned forward and reached out to grab her arm.

His palm was broad, carrying the coolness of having just held the wine glass, but the temperature of his palm was very high, scalding Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's arm and making her tremble violently.

Before she could react, she was pulled forward by an irresistible force, stumbling into the room and almost crashing directly into the man's arms.

"Why stand so far away?" Zhou Liangan took the opportunity to let go and leaned back against the sofa, looking up at her as she scrambled to steady herself, his tone carrying a hint of casual amusement. "I don't eat people. Are you that scared?"

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng hurriedly retreated a small half-step, looking up at the man who was close at hand.

The warm yellow light fell on his face, illuminating his deep contours clearly; his brow ridges were sharp, his nose bridge was high, and a faint, ambiguous curve always hung at the corners of his lips, making him look gentle and casual, yet the oppression in his eyes could not be hidden at all.

Her heart beat even harder, as if it were about to jump out of her throat; looking at Zhou Liangan, a touch of shyness involuntarily welled up in her eyes, and the corners of her eyes even quietly turned a bit red.

Zhou Liangan chuckled, his voice low and deep, making one's eardrums itch slightly: "Why are you so shy? We've met before at the Star Domain Summit; we're not strangers. Speak, you came all the way here in the middle of the night to find me—what exactly is the matter?"

He got straight to the point, which made Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng feel relieved, but immediately after, her heart was back in her throat.

She clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms; a bit of stinging pain came, barely allowing her to calm down.

She took a deep breath, met Zhou Liangan's gaze, and hesitated for a long time before speaking slowly, her voice carrying an imperceptible tremor: "Mr. Zhou, I came today to ask... If the Ruan Family is willing to completely align with the lineage of the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation and from now on follow the lead of the Human Emperor, can you... protect the entire Ruan Family?"

Once these words were out, it was as if she had unloaded a heavy burden, but her back was already covered in a thin layer of cold sweat, which felt very uncomfortable sticking to her underwear.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Liangan raised his eyebrows slightly, a flash of surprise appearing in his eyes.

He hadn't expected this young lady to start with such a major matter.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng paused here, looked up at Zhou Liangan, and her eyes gained a bit of a desperate, "burn the boats" determination: "If you can truly protect the entire Ruan Family, I can tell you a very important secret."

"A secret?" Zhou Liangan repeated the two words, as if he had heard something interesting and novel, and let out a low laugh. "How important? Can it compare to the lives and wealth of your entire Ruan Family?"

"It is very important!" Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with urgency, as if afraid he wouldn't believe her.

She knew that this request was highly unreasonable.

To use empty words to trade a secret of unverified truth for the protection of an entire Ruan Family—no one in a position of power would ever agree to that.

But she was currently at a dead end; this was the only bargaining chip she had to offer.

Zhou Liangan watched her, seeing how her eye rims were red with anxiety, and the smile on his lips deepened.

He didn't answer, only reached out, his fingertips gently brushing against Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's cheek.

His fingertips had faint calluses, and as they grazed her snow-white, delicate skin, they brought a faint itch that raced along her skin all the way to her heart.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng trembled all over, instinctively wanting to pull back, but her feet felt as if they were nailed to the ground, unable to move.

She could clearly feel the temperature of his fingertips, as well as the oppressive sensation radiating from him that threatened to engulf her completely.

"Wanting to protect the Ruan Family is actually not difficult."

Zhou Liangan's fingertips slid from her cheek down to her jaw, lifting it gently to force her to look at him.

His voice was low, carrying a hint of casual temptation, "But why should I protect you!"

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's breath hitched.

Her lips moved, wanting to say "I will give you the intelligence," but the words were swallowed back before she could speak.

"The key is how I feel."

Zhou Liangan watched her complexion turn pale instantly and slowly added the second half of his sentence, his fingertips still gently stroking her jaw.

"If I am in a good mood, let alone protecting one Ruan Family, even adding a few Star Mines to your Ruan Family wouldn't be a difficult task."

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's heart skipped a beat.

She was not an innocent young girl; how could she not understand the subtext in his words?

She looked up into Zhou Liangan's eyes.

Those deep pupils reflected her small figure, carrying undisguised amusement and a desire for control, like a hunter watching prey that had fallen into a trap, just waiting for her to lower her head obediently.

A sense of shame surged up like a tide, submerging her entire being.

She was the eldest Young Miss of the Ruan Family, raised in the palm of their hands.

Everywhere she went since she was little, she was surrounded like the moon among stars; which of the young masters from noble families didn't dote on her and respect her?

She had never imagined that one day she would stand in a man's room, listening to him use such a tone of near-charity to imply that she should use her body to make a deal.

She clenched her pink fists, and her palms were already marked with deep indentations from her fingernails.

The stinging pain helped her barely maintain her clarity.

She looked straight at Zhou Liangan, her voice trembling slightly at the end, yet she still asked word for word: "You mean... as long as I can make you happy, you are willing to help me, to help the Ruan Family, is that it?"

When she said these words, it felt as if she had used up all her strength.

Her ears were buzzing, her cheeks were burning hot, and even her gaze was evasive, not daring to look into the man's eyes again.

But she had no choice.

Zhou Liangan watched the struggle and shame churning in the depths of her eyes, along with that hint of resolve hidden at the very bottom, and a satisfied curve appeared on his lips.

He knew it; this girl was a smart person who understood things immediately.

"What a smart girl."

He withdrew his hand, leaned back against the sofa, picked up his wine glass again, and took a sip.

His tone carried undisguised admiration, "I just like sensible girls like you. It saves me the trouble of wasting words; going back and forth is meaningless."

He looked at Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng with a smile, the meaning in his eyes couldn't be clearer.

The path has already been paved for you; whether you walk it or not depends on your own choice.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng stood where she was, her whole body trembling slightly.

Her pearly white teeth bit down hard on her thin lips, almost drawing blood.

That pride and dignity suddenly became less important in the face of the survival of the Ruan Family.

She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, the hesitation and struggle in her eyes had slowly settled, leaving only a hint of desperate resolve.

As if having made a great decision, she took a deep breath, stepped forward, and moved closer to Zhou Liangan.

She raised her slender, fair arms and gently wrapped them around the man's neck.

Her soft body leaned forward slightly, carrying the faint scent of gardenias on her, and she leaned in bit by bit.

Zhou Liangan could clearly feel her body trembling, her long eyelashes brushing lightly against his jaw, causing a slight itch.

Her breathing was very light, brushing warmly against the side of his neck.

Her whole body was taut like a drawn bow; clearly, she was the one taking the initiative, yet she was even more nervous than he was.

"What are you shaking for?"

Zhou Liangan raised his hand and rested it on her waist.

Through the thin silk fabric, his palm could clearly feel the line of her slender waist.

He deliberately applied a little force, pulling her closer into his embrace, lowered his head to her ear, and spoke in a very low voice, filled with playful laughter, "Wasn't it you who took the initiative to come up here? Are you afraid now?"

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's face instantly flushed bright red, even her earlobes turning crimson.

She bit her lower lip and didn't speak, but the arms wrapped around his neck tightened slightly, as if using action to prove her determination.

"Looking at you, it seems you aren't ready yet."

His voice was very low, with a hint of casual laziness, every word falling clearly into Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's ears, "I am the type of person who least likes to force others. Since that is the case, then perhaps we should just forget about this matter."

The moment his voice fell, Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's body stiffened abruptly.

She looked up sharply at Zhou Liangan, a trace of gravity quickly rising in her beautiful almond eyes.

Her heart felt as if it had been grabbed tightly by an invisible hand, constricting suddenly.

She reached out and hugged the man's waist tightly, her face pressed against his shirt.

Through the thin fabric, she could feel his warm body temperature and steady, powerful heartbeat, which calmed her panicked mind slightly, yet her voice still carried undisguisable urgency and trembling.

"No... it cannot just be forgotten!"

Zhou Liangan lowered his eyes, sweeping a glance at the top of the head of the person in his arms.

Her hair was black and soft, carrying a faint fragrance, and she was resting so quietly in his arms, looking incredibly obedient.

He raised an eyebrow, the smile on his lips deepening with a knowing amusement, but his tone remained indifferent, showing no signs of softening.

"But looking at you, you seem very reluctant."

He raised his hand, his fingertips gently touching the ends of her hair, his tone slow, "I think I just told you, I am a person who does not like to force others."

As he spoke, his warm breath brushed over the top of Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's head, burning her cheeks instantly.

She slowly looked up, colliding with the smiling eyes of Zhou Liangan.

That smile looked gentle and harmless, but deep in his eyes hid a certainty of controlling everything, as if he had calculated all her reactions clearly long ago, just waiting for her to walk in step by step.

"No... I... I am not reluctant..."

She opened her mouth in a panic, her voice a bit floating and stuttering.

The more she spoke, the softer her voice became, until at the end it was almost as thin as a mosquito's buzz, "I... I am doing this voluntarily..."

The moment the words were spoken, a sense of shame surged up like a tide.

She had grown up without ever saying such things to anyone, let alone taking the initiative to express to a man that she was willing to pay the price.

She lowered her eyelids, her long eyelashes trembling like frightened butterfly wings.

The crimson on her cheeks spread all the way to her earlobes, and even her fair neck flushed a faint pink, looking exceptionally endearing.

Zhou Liangan watched her shy and embarrassed appearance, a flash of amusement crossing his eyes.

He didn't answer, just slid his hand slowly down her back, his fingertips finally resting gently on her waist.

The silk dress fabric was thin and slippery, and the sensation underneath was warm and soft—slender yet not lacking in fullness, with lines that were just right, like a supple willow branch.

His fingertips rubbed gently, and he could clearly feel the person in his arms stiffen instantly, her breathing even pausing for a beat.

"Are you really doing this voluntarily? Without any reluctance?"

He spoke again, his voice dropping even lower, carrying a magnetic quality.

It rang right in her ear, filled with a bewitching flavor.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng felt a numbness spread through her body from his actions, and she nearly lost her footing, instinctively leaning even further into his embrace.

She bit her lower lip, her fair, delicate, and pretty face flushed bright red, like a ripe peach, as if it could drip water with a gentle pinch.

She took a deep breath, as if to bolster her courage, and looked up at Zhou Liangan again.

Her eyes held a touch of shyness, yet she nodded earnestly.

"Really... it is true..."

Her voice was soft, carrying a hint of nasal tone, light yet firm enough, "I am doing this willingly... without any reluctance whatsoever..."

The moment the words were spoken, it was as if a heavy stone had been lifted from her heart, but immediately following it was an even deeper shyness.

She quickly turned her face away, not daring to look at Zhou Liangan's expression, her heart beating rapidly, as if it were about to jump out of her chest in the next second.

Hearing this, Zhou Liangan let out a low laugh.

The laughter carried a meaningful tone, and the vibration of his chest transmitted through his shirt, making even Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's eardrums feel hot.

His fingertips squeezed her slender, soft waist again, his tone slow, carrying an unquestionable air.

"The words are spoken nicely, but I haven't seen your actions."

This sentence was like a thunderclap, exploding with a buzz in Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's mind.

She instantly understood the meaning in Zhou Liangan's words, her cheeks burning even more fiercely, even her earlobes feeling scorchingly hot.

Her pearly white teeth bit down hard on her thin lips, turning her lips a faint white.

It was as if two little people were pulling at each other in her heart—one said forget it, it's too embarrassing, at worst find another way; the other said she had no other way left, and besides... the man in front of her didn't actually make her feel repulsed.

She hesitated for a moment, her fingertips gripping the fabric on the man's chest, her knuckles turning white from the force.

In the end, the obsession in her heart gained the upper hand.

Thinking this, Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng closed her eyes, as if doing a final psychological preparation for herself.

She took a deep breath, tiptoed slightly, wrapped her hands gently around Zhou Liangan's neck, and with a bit of awkward probing, slowly leaned her face in.

Her eyelashes were trembling violently, her eyes tightly shut, and she even subconsciously lightened her breathing...