Wei Yumeng knew that Zhan Mohan was the type who responded to gentleness rather than stubbornness. If she had confronted him head-on like last time, not only would she have suffered, but she might have also implicated Xin Ran's family.
"I'm not being unreasonable; I'm just stating facts. If you want to blame someone, blame me alone. This has nothing to do with Xin Ran and them."
Zhan Mohan looked down at the woman clinging to him. She was quite adept at finding loopholes; a few tens of thousands of yuan for an outfit was enough to appease him.
And it was for another man.
The thought ignited a blaze of anger in his chest.
"So, buying me clothes was also a way to plead for leniency for yourself and Xin Ran's family?"
Wei Yumeng didn't dare to deceive Zhan Mohan, but she couldn't tell him the whole truth either, or she was sure he'd explode.
"Not entirely. It's mainly because we've been married for so long and I haven't given you anything. And I knew you instructed Fang Xun, which is why my colleagues weren't gossiping about me."
Zhan Mohan let out a cold laugh. "You're quite good at flattering me."
Though his words were tinged with sarcasm, he no longer made any move to push her away.
Wei Yumeng remained in a tight embrace, afraid Zhan Mohan would push her away.
This was her only chance; she didn't have much money left to buy gifts to win his favor.
"I'm telling the truth. It was my fault. I shouldn't have been so disrespectful to you at the hospital, nor should I have blamed my mother entirely on you."
She focused on the less contentious points, admitting her mistakes first to calm his anger, then a bit of coaxing should resolve the issue.
This was a strategy she had recently learned from television shows. For a man with a strong sense of pride like Zhan Mohan, confronting him directly only made him more resistant. However, if she softened her approach, spoke to him nicely, and clung to him shamelessly, it should work.
If nothing unexpected happened...
Zhan Mohan was quite enlightened today. Normally, when Xin Ran was mentioned, she would be like a prickly hedgehog, lashing out at anyone. Today, she was as docile as a kitten.
She even knew how to play mind games.
Zhan Mohan showed no outward reaction, but the sharpness in his eyes had clearly softened.
"Weren't you quite spirited when you were scolding me last time? Why aren't you scolding me today?"
His words were clearly teasing her.
Wei Yumeng shook her head in his embrace. "It's all my fault. Scold me."
"To you, is Xin Ran that important, so important that you'd try to please me for his sake?"
Zhan Mohan asked this with a calm voice, but his eyes held a hint of loneliness, which Wei Yumeng failed to notice.
"No, I just don't want my actions to implicate others. And you know that day at the company, Xin Ran's mother even knelt down to me. If I hadn't agreed to her request, she might have caused a scene at the company again. People there would truly think there was something between Xin Ran and me."
Wei Yumeng was honest and earnest as she discussed these issues with Zhan Mohan.
She knew that trying to be clever with a shrewd man like Zhan Mohan was tantamount to self-destruction. It was better to talk to him properly, slowly soften his cold heart.
Zhan Mohan placed his palm on her back and asked.
"Do you really think so?"
"Xin Ran and I were university classmates for many years. Besides, Xin Ran's mother said she wants to introduce Xin Ran to potential girlfriends soon and wants them to get engaged quickly. What else could I possibly think of him? He's not as handsome as you, not as tall as you, and definitely not as rich as you."
Wei Yumeng closed her eyes, putting on a resolute expression.
Zhan Mohan's previously somber face was now filled with a handsome smile. However, the moment Wei Yumeng looked up, he instantly suppressed it.
The speed was astonishing.
Zhan Mohan's long fingers gently tapped her nose. "And one more important point: he cannot give you 'happiness'."
The word "happiness" was for Wei Yumeng to interpret for herself.
It was better for him not to mention it. The moment he did, her mind was filled with his tall figure, their burning bodies, and those intimate scenes.
A blush crept onto her previously calm face, and she awkwardly averted her gaze.
"Can you agree?"
Zhan Mohan lowered his gaze slightly, his masculine scent brushing against her ear, tickling her.
"If I don't agree, will you let go of me?"
"No." Her voice was firm.
Zhan Mohan let out a low, husky chuckle. "Then why are you asking?"
Wei Yumeng was stunned for a moment, then looked at Zhan Mohan in disbelief.
"So, you agree?"
"This is the last time." This was his final compromise.
The heavy stone that had been weighing on Wei Yumeng's heart finally lifted. Her eyes curved into crescent moons, her lips spread into a wide smile, and she hugged Zhan Mohan tightly.
"Thank you, Zhan Mohan. My tens of thousands of yuan weren't wasted after all."
"Hmm?"
"Uh... I mean, you looked so good in that outfit, so my tens of thousands of yuan weren't wasted. That's what I meant."
Wei Yumeng realized the tone of his voice had changed and quickly corrected herself.
Zhan Mohan scoffed. He knew exactly what she was thinking; his mind was as clear as a mirror.
The atmosphere between them was harmonious. Zhan Mohan's gaze was no longer as cold and distant; it even held a hint of tenderness. He gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead.
Wei Yumeng was suddenly flustered by his seemingly ordinary gesture, feeling a little nervous.
Zhan Mohan looked at her shy demeanor, then thought of her soft body, her hazy, blushing eyes. His body tensed, and he instinctively leaned his head.
Just as their lips were about to meet, the door was suddenly pushed open, followed by Feng Shiming's anxious voice.
"Brother Mohan, something bad has happened..."
The moment Wei Yumeng heard the commotion, she pushed Zhan Mohan away. He also stood up straight.
As Feng Shiming entered, she sensed the ambiguous atmosphere inside, especially seeing their expressions and Wei Yumeng's pajamas. Her face changed.
"You two..." Before she could finish, her gaze fell on Zhan Mohan's jacket. She walked over and touched the fabric. "Who bought you this?"
"I did. Is there a problem?"
Wei Yumeng admitted it generously.
Feng Shiming sneered. "Do you know the price range of the clothes Brother Mohan wears? Also, his clothes are all custom-made. An outfit like this, with the same styles all over the streets, are you insulting Brother Mohan by buying it?"
"Or did you buy similar clothes for your other two boyfriends?"
Zhan Mohan's expression suddenly changed, and he rebuked.
"Shiming!"
Feng Shiming looked at Zhan Mohan with a wronged expression. "Brother Mohan, why do you always take her side? Wearing such cheap clothes doesn't suit your temperament at all. What will the company and your friends think if they know you're wearing clothes that cost tens of thousands of yuan?"
Zhan Mohan's eyebrows darkened at Feng Shiming's noisy voice. "What they think has nothing to do with me."
"You were born noble; how can you wear such cheap clothes? What kind of spell has Wei Yumeng cast on you that makes you so obedient?"
Feng Shiming glared fiercely at Wei Yumeng, wishing she could tear her to pieces.
"Did you come in just to tell me this?" Zhan Mohan looked askance at Feng Shiming.
When Feng Shiming met the man's cold gaze, she felt the air around her freeze inch by inch, chilling her to the bone.
"I wanted to tell you that the major media outlets are now reporting on Wei Jin and Yi Chen's affair. The company entrance is completely blocked. It must have been your Wei family who leaked it!"
Mentioning this matter, Feng Shiming pointed at Wei Yumeng angrily.
"When did this happen?" Zhan Mohan's brows furrowed.
"An hour ago. Grandfather and Aunt want you to go down and discuss a strategy to handle it."
"Understood."
After speaking, Zhan Mohan turned and walked towards the door. Feng Shiming wanted to ask Zhan Mohan to change his clothes, thinking about how it would look to his aunt and grandfather.
But recalling his firm attitude just now, the words caught in her throat and she swallowed them back.
She turned and glared fiercely at Wei Yumeng. "You jinx!"
Wei Yumeng shrugged disdainfully. "He's willing to wear what I bought him, what can I do?"
"You wait and see!"
Feng Shiming was not in the mood to argue with Wei Yumeng at the moment and followed Zhan Mohan out of the room.
Wei Yumeng quickly put on her clothes, took out her phone, and logged into Weibo. Only then did she see that Zhan Yichen and Wei Jin's affair had become a trending topic. Her face darkened.
This was a disaster.