Chapter 125: I Don’t Want the Money

Lin Yuru grew more agitated as she spoke. She reached out and gripped Zeng Xiaofan’s hand, looking earnestly into his eyes.

"You know as well as I do that it’s not easy to make money in the countryside. And for a woman like me, it’s even harder," she said. "Now that you have a way to earn, I beg you to let me buy into your venture! Please, you must take this money..."

Zeng Xiaofan waved his hands repeatedly. "No, Auntie, I can't take this money! Don't be so anxious, just listen to me..."

"No! Stop talking!" Lin Yuru reached out and pressed her hand over his lips.

As her fingers brushed his lips, a tremor ran through her body, and she instinctively squeezed her legs together. She stared into his eyes, a flicker of hesitation crossing her expression. Soon, she seemed to resolve herself; her gaze turned instantly alluring. She gently traced his lips with her finger and said softly, "Xiaofan... you don't need to say anything more. You don't have to say a word..."

Lin Yuru turned and closed the doors and windows. Her full, voluptuous figure moved with a graceful, swaying gait. She walked over to the table where a narcissus sat, leaned forward, and provocatively arched her back, sticking out her hips as she faced away from him. Mimicking the pose that had driven Xie Jian mad in the greenhouse that day, she looked back at Zeng Xiaofan, bit her lip, and raised an eyebrow, overflowing with charm.

"Xiaofan," she whispered, enunciating every word. "Your auntie won't say anything else. Just this: tonight, you let me buy into your venture, and I will let you... buy into mine..."

*Pfft!* Zeng Xiaofan, who had been eating a steamed bun, spat it out in shock, landing right on Lin Yuru’s backside.

"How annoying!" Lin Yuru’s leg twitched slightly, her mature womanly allure only intensifying.

Zeng Xiaofan nearly choked again. He quickly covered his mouth and said, "No... Auntie, don't be like this! I never said I wouldn't let you invest! I agree, I agree! Is that enough?"

Lin Yuru gave a bashful smile and scolded, "You brat... I knew it. Fine, you've agreed, and I won't go back on my word either. Come here!"

"Cough, cough... No, that's not it! Oh, Auntie, stop messing around!"

"That’s not what I meant! I didn't mean you had to do anything with me for you to invest!" Zeng Xiaofan said, trying to clear the air. "I meant that I won't take your twenty thousand, but I’ll still give you a share! You can lease your land to me, or help me with the labor—I’ll give you a share either way! There’s no need for your twenty thousand, and I certainly don't want you to... to give me that kind of 'investment,' okay? Do you understand now?"

Zeng Xiaofan looked at Lin Yuru’s seductive posture and laughed helplessly.

Lin Yuru froze, her mouth agape in an 'O' shape large enough to fit a giant egg. "Ah... what?? That’s what you meant? Cough... well, you didn't make yourself clear from the start..." She pulled back her arched hips in shame and straightened her posture awkwardly.

Zeng Xiaofan rubbed his forehead and shook his head with a bitter smile. "You didn't give me a chance to speak! You got all excited before I could finish. I wanted to cut in, but you wouldn't let me..."

Lin Yuru’s face turned bright red, full of embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Xiaofan. I misunderstood. I thought you were like those other sleazy men, only thinking about that one thing. You’re a good man, a decent man. You’re not a lecher!"

"Cough, cough... well, not exactly..." Zeng Xiaofan scratched his head sheepishly. "I'm a little bit of a lecher... but as a man, what kind of hero takes advantage of someone in a vulnerable position? As they say, a gentleman may appreciate beauty, but he does so with integrity..."

"Pfft—isn't it 'a gentleman loves wealth'? Why did you change it?" Lin Yuru covered her mouth and giggled.

Zeng Xiaofan looked solemn. "It's close enough, same meaning. The point is, if we’re going to be lecherous, we do it upright and properly—no crooked or devious paths."

"Oh? So you mean... you want to be upright and proper... and not do it from behind?"

"Good grief!" Zeng Xiaofan clapped a hand to his head. "Auntie! What are you saying now!"

Lin Yuru burst into laughter. "All right, all right! I know that’s not what you meant! I was just teasing you, look how flustered you got! Regardless, since you’ve agreed to let me invest, I thank you! If there’s ever a chance in the future, I will certainly repay your kindness!"

Zeng Xiaofan waved it off with a smile. "We’re family, don't be so formal."

As he spoke, he reached into his pocket. Seeing his pocket bulging, Lin Yuru felt her heart skip a beat and her face flush. Just as she wondered what he was going to pull out, Zeng Xiaofan produced a thick bundle of cash. He slammed it onto the table and said calmly, "Auntie Yuru, not only can I not take that twenty thousand, but you shouldn't take it either. I have some money here; if you’re in a rush, use this first. When the company starts paying dividends, you can pay me back. If it’s not enough, come to me again. Give Xie Jian his twenty thousand back."

Zeng Xiaofan dropped the money, turned, and walked out.

Lin Yuru stood stunned, a wave of warmth washing over her. The bundle of cash he left behind was visibly several times thicker than Xie Jian’s—at least fifty or sixty thousand. He hadn't even asked for an IOU; he had just tossed the money down and walked away so generously!

Lin Yuru never expected Zeng Xiaofan to help her with such bold generosity. Thinking of his gentlemanly conduct and then reflecting on her own behavior, her mouth fell open again, and she was overcome with shame. Beyond the gratitude and shame, she was deeply attracted to his dominant presence and charisma.

As she watched his retreating figure, she felt his stature in her heart grow immeasurably tall.

"Xiaofan... you... you are too good to me!" she whispered. "You are truly a man among men... What kind of lucky woman will get to sleep beside a man like you?"

Watching his defiant, untamed back and his bold, wind-swept stride, she felt a sense of longing. "Xiaofan, oh Xiaofan... you are the real man in your auntie's heart."