Chapter 67: Continuing the Secret Relationship, No Conflict

Lu Yao sensed the intensity of his gaze. She took a slight step back, but before she could respond, Ye Zehong moved forward, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her into his embrace.

"Ye... Zehong..." Lu Yao reached out to push against his chest, but he didn't budge.

Ye Zehong lifted her and placed her on the bed, pressing his lips to hers, forcing her to passively accept his kiss.

For a brief moment, Lu Yao was lost in it, but clarity returned swiftly. She knew she couldn't allow such intimacy to happen between them without clarity. She did not want to harm the innocent, nor did she wish to become enemies with Qiao Wan'er.

She raised her hand, but in the end couldn't bear it—she only brushed his cheek lightly with her palm.

That gentle slap made him pause.

She looked into his eyes, tugging at the corner of her mouth, "I'm sorry, I just... I just don't think we're at a stage where we should be doing these things."

He said nothing, quietly gazing at her.

She continued, "I think I should stay at a hotel for now. When things settle down, I'll return to the apartment. It's not suitable for me to stay here at your place. If Miss Qiao comes looking for you and finds me here, it would be awkward for everyone."

"Only you," Ye Zehong said firmly.

"What?" Lu Yao was confused.

Ye Zehong had wanted to explain that except for himself and the cleaning staff, only she had ever been here. No one else even knew about this residence. He was naturally reserved and disliked gatherings; in truth, he had almost no friends. Outside of work, Lu Yao was the one who spent the most time with him. Her arrival three years ago had healed him.

He watched her in silence for a moment and then softly asked, "About what we discussed last time—have you thought it over?"

Lu Yao was bewildered. Last time? Which last time?

Ye Zehong slowly sat up, fixing his gaze on her. He spoke plainly, "If you've decided to stand with me, I'll announce the cancellation of my engagement to Qiao Wan'er. From then on, it'll be just you and me, even if it means opposing the Qiao family—and possibly some members of my own family."

Lu Yao was taken aback, her expression conflicted. She didn't answer immediately, but instead countered, "Wouldn't that disrupt your original plans?"

She recalled the information she'd overheard from Yang Lan and Ye Hua. Surely, he had carefully orchestrated everything and only agreed to Qiao Wan'er's proposal for a reason.

Would a sudden change of strategy cause complications? She didn't want her own plans to be disrupted either—winning over Green Realm Environmental was no easy feat, and she didn't want her hard work to be wasted. Securing Ye Group's legal agency rights was essential.

After pondering for a moment, she shook her head gently. "If I agree and you immediately break off your engagement, I'll become the target of gossip. I'm not ready to face the Qiao family's retaliation yet."

She still hadn't gotten to the bottom of Ye Hua and Yang Lan's affairs; she wasn't in the mood to deal with the Qiao family.

Ye Zehong insisted, "Ending the engagement and continuing our relationship in secret aren't mutually exclusive."

"But I..." Lu Yao began, but her phone rang at that moment, displaying Ye Yingtang's name.

She glanced at Ye Zehong, then quietly answered the call.

Ye Yingtang's strong, resonant voice came through, "Miss Lu, you handled this battle beautifully. I've decided to sign the five-year legal agency contract with you ahead of schedule. If you have no other commitments, come to Ye Group now and we'll sign right away."

Lu Yao didn't feel the joy she expected; instead, she looked up at Ye Zehong, unsure how to respond.

Ye Zehong rose silently and walked out of the room. As he closed the door behind him, he glanced back at her, his gaze softening, and gave her a gentle smile.

Inside, Lu Yao felt even more troubled and unsettled.