Chapter 0269

Lin Ran didn’t dare resist and immediately complied. Just as he took off his shirt, Luo Yao yanked him over and bit down hard.

This time, Luo Yao showed no mercy.

"Ah—"

Pain shot through him, making Lin Ran feel as if a chunk of his flesh had been torn off.

Luckily, it was just a sensation—not reality.

Before he could even check if he was bleeding, a cold glint flashed before his eyes.

A dagger appeared in Luo Yao’s hand, its tip hovering a mere millimeter from Lin Ran’s eye. One thought from her, and he’d be blind.

He blinked, and several eyelashes were sheared off by the razor-sharp blade.

That dagger was terrifyingly sharp.

"Sweetheart, let’s talk this out. No need for knives or weapons—put it away, it’s dangerous."

Luo Yao: "A-Ran, this is all your fault. If you hadn’t liked Liu Ruxue back then, none of this would’ve happened. Do you have any idea how furious I was when I saw what happened between you and her?"

Lin Ran fell silent. He knew she wasn’t wrong—Luo Yao’s anger was completely justified.

How blind had he been, fawning over Liu Ruxue like that?

If Luo Yao wanted to kill him, he couldn’t blame her.

"Yao Yao, if this helps you calm down, then go ahead."

The blade didn’t budge. Her icy voice continued its accusation.

"The worst part is, what happened between you and Liu Ruxue wasn’t even fake. You really were her lapdog—that’s undeniable."

Her tone was eerily calm, but Lin Ran knew the quieter she sounded, the angrier she truly was.

He blinked again, feeling the cold steel against his skin. "So… you want to kill me?"

Luo Yao licked her lips, a hint of crimson madness flashing in her eyes.

"No. Every time I remember how you looked at Liu Ruxue with those lovesick eyes, I want to gouge them out and carry them with me. That way, you’ll only ever see me."

Lin Ran’s heart sank. This is bad—gotta save myself.

If he played hard to get now, he might actually lose his eyes.

"Your idea’s creative, but if you do that, I won’t actually see you. My eyes might look at you, but the signals won’t reach my brain. I wouldn’t even know I’m seeing you."

"Master, put the knife down. Let me choose to look at you—because for the next few decades, you’re the only one I want in my sight."

Lin Ran’s words finally broke through. Luo Yao’s defenses crumbled, her body softening in his arms.

He pulled her close, cursing Lin Tianba ten thousand times in his heart.

Deep down, he knew Luo Yao probably wouldn’t actually blind him—but he wasn’t willing to gamble.

When Luo Yao lost control, it happened in an instant.

Big, irreversible things often happened in mere seconds.

He still remembered how swiftly she’d acted against Lin Jian, Old Master Luo, and Luo Wuyou—all in the blink of an eye.

If she turned that same decisiveness on him, it’d be just as quick. Just as final.

Thankfully, his sincerity had reached her in time. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared move a muscle.

Not one.

Suddenly, as if snapping out of a trance, Luo Yao looked at him with guilt.

"A-Ran, I… I didn’t mean it. I wasn’t really going to take your eyes."

Lin Ran chuckled helplessly.

"I know. You just had an episode. I don’t blame you at all."

Luo Yao knew he meant it, but it terrified her—what if she did hurt him one day?

"I… I don’t want to. What if I really harm you someday?"

Lin Ran smiled easily.

"Honestly, your ‘condition’ is just loving me too much. And I’ve got my own sickness too. We’re… two of a kind."

The moment he said it, Luo Yao tensed. "You’re sick?"

Lin Ran nodded. "Terminally."

"I’ve got a disease called loving you to the bone. Even knowing you might hurt me, I can’t help it—because I deserve it. Don’t feel pressured. The real you is all I want."

Luo Yao melted, tears streaming as she clung to him, as if trying to fuse their bodies together.

Maybe she already had.

"A-Ran, I know you hate when I say ‘thank you’ or ‘sorry,’ so I just want to give you everything I have."

Lin Ran gazed at her, heart aching.

The woman before him had become this way because of him.

Even as a child, Luo Yao had shown unusual possessiveness—and he’d only amplified it over time.

Finding hope in despair… that was the real root of who she’d become.

And so, he’d accept her without complaint. Love her without reservation.

Anything less, and he’d despise himself.

Besides, all Luo Yao wanted was to bind his heart to hers through intimacy. Was that so wrong?

If she wanted it, he’d give it. It wasn’t hard.

His heart had belonged to her for years anyway.

Once Luo Yao finally fell asleep in his arms, Lin Ran carried his wife to their bed.

Uncle Fu had mentioned her insomnia, but around him, she always slept soundly.

When Lin Ran stepped out of the bedroom, Uncle Fu approached again.

"Young Master Lin, two more videos have surfaced online. You should see this."

"Again?"

Enough already.

Fine. They wanted to play? Let’s see who came out on top.

"Damn it, get that presentation ready ASAP. I’m going to humiliate them publicly."

He skimmed the first video—then paused.

This wasn’t what he’d expected.

It showed him and Luo Yao at a dessert shop, using their wealth to clear out the entire place for a private session.

The caption read: How the Rich Insult People.

The comment section was a warzone—brutal and chaotic.

Lin Ran nearly laughed. So that’s what this is about.

The uploader was just some random passerby.

Username: Two Swords—One Yellow, One Green.

Probably some bitter, anti-rich keyboard warrior.

The second video, however, made his expression darken.

A host dissected footage of Lin Ran calling someone "poor trash"—the targets being Lv Jian and Zhao Miaomiao.

Wait—what?

Host’s voiceover: "Are poor people unworthy of steak? Does Nuan Yao’s chairman think this kind of disrespect earns him admiration? … Special thanks to Nuan Yao Media for sponsoring this video."