Rebirth Plan to Save Leader

Chapter 16

Zhan Shuo’s brow imperceptibly twitched.

“No,” he replied, concise and direct, without even a superfluous explanation. It was the truth. Romantic affection was a foreign and unnecessary domain in his past life.

“Good.” Xie Lanyin didn’t seem surprised by the answer, or rather, all she needed was a clear statement. “Then, some things will be simpler.”

She took a shallow breath, her spine straightening even further:

“Lord Zhan, regardless of how our paths intertwined, and whether this connection arose from scheming or helplessness, since fate has bound us together, there are some rules I wish to establish from the very beginning.”

Her gaze was as sharp as a drawn sword, each word cutting through the air between them with absolute clarity:

“After we are married, Lord Zhan, there can only be Xie Lanyin by your side.”

She paused, then repeated with emphasis:

“No maidservants, concubines, or outside women… none are permitted. Regardless of whether we have children in the future, regardless of how outsiders gossip, regardless of whether you truly… desire me.”

“Lord Zhan,” she leaned forward slightly, a faint, almost stubborn blush rising on her pale face from the declaration, yet her gaze was fiercely bright, “can you agree to this condition?”

The room fell into a deathly silence.

“Miss Xie.”

“If I… cannot. What will you do then?”

“Nothing.”

Xie Lanyin’s reply drifted lightly.

She stood up, walked around the heavy rosewood desk, and slowly approached him. One hand gently rested on the desk, while the other placed itself on the high back of the chair Zhan Shuo was sitting in. Then, she leaned in slightly, drawing closer to him.

This distance instantly surpassed all boundaries permitted by etiquette.

So close that Zhan Shuo could see the fine, soft down on her skin, close enough to smell a very faint scent of fresh grass and damp earth, as if after a rain shower, mixed with a hint of delicate medicinal fragrance—completely unlike the cloying sweetness of cosmetics typically found in a young lady’s chamber.

Her breath, carrying a slight warmth, brushed past his ear.

Zhan Shuo’s back imperceptibly tensed, like a bow drawn taut and ready to fire. But he did not move, nor did he lean back to avoid her. Only his unfathomably deep eyes remained fixed on the face so close to his, and on the exceptionally bright, yet exceptionally calm, lake-like surface within her eyes.

Xie Lanyin met his scrutiny, slowly speaking in a voice so low only the two of them could hear, yet her words were unusually clear:

“Lord Zhan possesses an outstanding demeanor and extraordinary bearing. Furthermore, when I was on the brink of death and despair, believing I would surely be defiled, you descended like a deity, saving me from peril.” Her gaze traced his features, her tone devoid of any romantic overtone, “My heart has been… captivated by Lord Zhan, ever since the day we first met.”

“Naturally, I hope that in the future, Lord Zhan’s heart and eyes will only hold me.”

These almost blunt words of “captivation” spoken from her lips carried no hint of a maiden’s shyness or coyness:

“But I dared not show it, nor dared I let anyone know of this ‘captivation.’ His Majesty is suspicious, and the Empress Dowager is profound. If the world were to believe that I am deeply in love with Lord Zhan and would marry no other, then my peril yesterday, your timely rescue, and even today’s bestowed marriage… would all these, in the eyes of those with ulterior motives, not become a ‘good show’ orchestrated by the two of us to defy the imperial will, or for some other hidden agenda?”

She looked directly into Zhan Shuo’s suddenly profound eyes,

“From the moment the imperial decree of marriage was issued, Lord Zhan, our fates have been forcefully intertwined. Whether you acknowledge it or not, whether you wish it or not, every word and action of Xie Lanyin from now on—whether I am dutiful and law-abiding or stir up trouble, whether I remain obscure or become infamous… will directly implicate your official reputation, your authority, and your future prospects.”

“Therefore,” she finally straightened up slightly, creating a slight distance, but the pressing sense of pressure did not dissipate, “setting aside the Empress Dowager’s decree, His Majesty’s grace, and the court’s machinations…”

Her gaze was clear to the bottom, reflecting his deep silhouette:

“From my heart, I truly and genuinely hope to be with Lord Zhan… for a lifetime, as a single pair.”

“Of course, as husband and wife, what is sought should not be one-sided. If Lord Zhan has any expectations of me, please state them directly. With mutual honesty and clearly defined boundaries, we can then… live in peace and even find our respective places.”

She stepped back, standing straight again. The oppressive intimacy dispersed, but the words she left behind penetrated Zhan Shuo’s usually tightly guarded boundaries more deeply than any physical closeness.

Truth and falsehood, indistinguishable.

Captivated by me… at first sight?

Zhan Shuo slowly rose.

His tall figure instantly obscured most of the light streaming through the window lattice, completely enveloping Xie Lanyin’s slender form in his shadow. The air seemed to tighten, imbued with the cold aura emanating from him.

He leaned down slightly, his gaze like a hawk seizing its prey, locking every subtle expression on her face into his eyes.

This woman, a moment ago, was speaking of “captivation” and “a lifetime, a single pair.” While saying “nothing,” the next moment she calmly analyzed the pros and cons, threatened implications, throwing both the softest bait and the sharpest hook before him simultaneously.

He suddenly reached out—

His long, powerful arm wrapped around her waist, which was too slender to grasp, without warning. His palm pressed against the cool line of her spine beneath her thin clothing, and he abruptly pulled her forward!

The distance vanished instantly.

Xie Lanyin’s breath hitched imperceptibly, her body slightly unbalanced by the sudden force, pressing almost completely against his iron-hard chest. Through layers of clothing, she could clearly feel his steady, powerful heartbeat, and the almost dangerous explosive power contained within his body.

Zhan Shuo lowered his head, slowly and oppressively drawing closer to her. His breath brushed her forehead, carrying a masculine warmth that strangely intertwined with the faint scent of grass on her. His target was clear—her eyes, which even now, remained clear and unwavering as they gazed at him.

“Close your eyes.”

His voice was extremely low, a hoarse, undeniable command, like the sharpest blade cutting through silence.

This was not the ambiguous whisper of lovers, but the intimidation commonly used by an interrogator to break down an opponent’s psychological defenses. He wanted to see panic in her eyes, the shyness or fear appropriate for a young lady from a good family.

However, Xie Lanyin not only did not close her eyes, but in the encroaching shadow of his face, she slightly curved her lips. The smile was shallow, yet it imbued her eyes and brows with a lively arc, her clear pupils reflecting his sharply defined face, so close to her own.

“Why should I close my eyes?” Her voice was soft, with a slight breathiness, yet perfectly clear, “I just want to… see with my own eyes, Lord Zhan, how you… kiss me.”