CEO's Ugly Flash-Marriage Wife Hides So Many Identities
Chapter 172: Just a Female Companion

Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Just a Female Companion

"Are you bullying me?" Qiao Rui felt like he was saying this on purpose, as if he were nothing but a sanctimonious hypocrite.

"Yes."

Yet Pei Liyan nodded earnestly.

Now Qiao Rui understood, this ’bullying’ carried a special meaning.

She looked at the man’s handsome face, his deep eyes hiding too much mystery.

Qiao Rui turned her face away, muttering, "That won’t do, if you bully me, I’ll fight back."

Pei Liyan looked at her palm-sized face, her red lips opening and closing, her attempt to avoid his gaze a bit shy.

It set his heart aflutter, a wave of heat burning within him.

He couldn’t help himself, his Adam’s apple bobbing a few times.

Then, his raspy voice emerged, "Fight back? By then, I might not give you the chance."

Qiao Rui swiftly turned her head.

The handsome face of the man was suddenly magnified before her eyes, causing her to startle. Just as she was about to scream, the man beside her suddenly leaned in, capturing her lips fiercely.

The words she was about to say were all blocked.

Qiao Rui froze, her bag slipping from her hand.

She adjusted for a moment, still not regaining her senses, when his tongue invaded her mouth.

And he deepened the kiss, fingers threaded through her hair.

He was kissing her, several times today already.

Here it came again.

Qiao Rui felt like going crazy.

It seemed like they were going to cross that line very soon if this continued.

She immediately struggled.

But the man truly put his strength into action and didn’t give her a chance to resist.

Moreover, he completely confined her within his arms, his arms and chest like an iron wall, entirely trapping her with no way to break free.

Qiao Rui’s lips were red and swollen, her eyes full of accusation, staring intensely into the man’s eyes, deeply aggrieved, her watery eyes shimmering, irresistibly stirring emotions.

Pei Liyan looked down at her with an accusing look, his own lips sparkling, resembling dew-covered ripe peaches, tempting to be plucked.

Pei Liyan leaned in once more, closing in on her lips.

Qiao Rui gasped and softly cried, "Stop, no more!"

The man chuckled lightly, "What to do? Qiao Rui, I might not last much longer!"

Qiao Rui was startled internally, but her face remained calm as she muttered, "You better think about your own self-control, maybe work on it so you don’t just take advantage of me!"

"You make me want to bully you."

He now realized, being close to her, smelling her scent, he could hardly restrain himself.

Some things simply couldn’t be controlled.

She was more enticing to him than he had thought.

Kissing her was merely quenching thirst with poison.

He desired more, those emotions roaring in his blood like thousands of troops, surging forward, instantly capable of crumbling all self-restraint.

Qiao Rui was slightly terrified by his intense gaze.

She stared blankly at him, his handsome face right before her eyes, his dark eyes filled with tumultuous flames, like a beast eyeing its prey, filled with a sense of murderous plunder.

Terrifying.

Qiao Rui stared blankly at the man for a long while before coming to her senses, pushing gently against his chest, "Mr. Pei, you judge people based on their looks too, huh? If I were still ugly, would you have even no interest in touching me?"

Pei Liyan paused, thinking that indeed he hadn’t felt that impulse before.

But he wasn’t one to judge solely by looks.

"Deny it all you want, you wouldn’t touch me," Qiao Rui pointed out sharply.

Pei Liyan was a bit helpless, the flames still burning in his eyes, his dark, fiery gaze unabashedly fixed on her, his lips slightly parting, his voice husky.

"Ru’er," he called her name, giving her such a personal nickname; his husky, sexy voice made her heart tremble. "You should know, it’s because I feared you would overthink like this, so I’ve always restrained, not wanting you to feel I’m so superficial."

She was stunned for a moment, her pupils dilated, not daring to believe as she stared at Pei Liyan.

He even said that.

Qiao Rui remained silent.

"So, it’s not about judging by appearances," Pei Liyan spoke, his tone serious, "Maybe there are some things I still can’t discern, but I will eventually figure it out."

"What are you trying to figure out?" Qiao Rui asked, puzzled.

"Like your attraction to me, like how you can elicit a response from me," Pei Liyan said in a deep voice. "Like you make me feel oddly familiar."

Qiao Rui was startled now; he couldn’t have recognized her, could he?

She had been very careful, she didn’t want him to find out she, Ruirui, and Rui Qing, were all the same person.

"You really have a way with words," Qiao Rui sighed helplessly. "I almost believed you."

The intense emotions in the man’s eyes gradually cleared a bit, and finally, he let go of her, saying, "You, you don’t need to be so guarded. I really desire you, but I wouldn’t force you."

Qiao Rui froze.

The man kissed her forehead and said, "Come on, let’s get out of the car and go shopping."

She still felt as if she was dreaming even after they got out of the car and walked into the mall.

The tall man beside her looked at her with adoration, as if treating her like a cherished little wife.

Qiao Rui thought that the situation had changed too quickly.

She was a little uncomfortable.

The mall was somewhat crowded.

And since Pei Liyan was so handsome, he immediately drew people’s attention.

As soon as they entered the lobby, they heard a girl exclaim, "Wow, he’s so handsome, too handsome!"

"That man, is totally my type."

"It’s Pei Liyan, the heir of the Pei Family, wow, so handsome, my heart is about to jump out."

...

The murmurs were endless.

Upon hearing this, Qiao Rui didn’t dare to walk next to him anymore; she subconsciously slowed down her steps, hoping to walk behind him.

However, seeing her slow down, the man stopped, turned his head to look at her, and reached out to grasp her shoulder, pulling her along.

"This way!"

Encircled by the man’s arm, Qiao Rui entered the mall under the watchful eyes of the public.

Everywhere they went, they attracted even more attention.

She desperately wanted to escape from Pei Liyan’s dominating presence.

Yet this man was utterly oblivious and kept insisting on walking together.

Now, they were the center of attention throughout the venue.

Qiao Rui whispered, "Mr. Pei, this doesn’t seem like shopping; everyone is looking at you."

"I don’t mind; what are you afraid of?" Pei Liyan countered.

Qiao Rui opened her mouth to say something but swallowed her words.

Pei Liyan led her into a women’s clothing store. Upon seeing them, the sales clerk immediately greeted them warmly without needing an introduction. "Ah, Mr. Pei, welcome, you and your lady friend!"

Pei Liyan frowned and said in a deep voice, "Bring out all your seasonal women’s clothing."

"Yes, just a moment, we’ll get them right now!"

Qiao Rui was stunned; the clerk mentioned a lady friend, but he didn’t explain.

She was his lady friend.

Without betraying any emotion, Qiao Rui glanced at Pei Liyan.

Just then, he also glanced at her.

Noticing Qiao Rui looking at him, he smiled slightly. "Choose whatever you like."