The CEO is domineering, the devil Boss is addicted to pampering

Wang Yuran stood frozen on the steps of the courthouse, as if struck by lightning. The chilling autumn wind, swirling withered leaves, whistled past her ears, making her thin suit jacket flutter loudly.

The wind blew a few pages of the case file in her hand, the rustling sound particularly clear in the quiet street, but it did nothing to pull her dazed thoughts back from their slumber.

Lin Junze's words, "Let's get married," struck her like a thunderbolt, so sudden that she dared not take it seriously, yet they carried an undeniable firmness that stirred her heart and left her unable to calm down for a long time.

Her body froze instantly, her fingertips gripping the edge of the case file tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force, and her arm trembling slightly. Her previously calm face turned deathly pale the moment she heard the proposal, her eyes filled with astonishment and bewilderment, as if she had heard something utterly unbelievable.

The wind tousled her long hair, strands clinging to her cheeks with a cool touch, but she remained oblivious, standing there blankly, staring at the bustling street ahead.

She was clearly past the age of being easily moved by a single sweet word, and she had weathered many storms over the years, learning to keep her emotions hidden. Yet, the moment she heard the marriage proposal, she couldn't remain calm. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, as if trying to break free. Each beat was accompanied by a sharp pain, mixed with surprise, bewilderment, helplessness, and a hint of panic she herself hadn't even noticed.

The sky gradually darkened, and dark clouds spread across the horizon like thick ink, completely obscuring the already dim light.

The cold wind grew even more biting, swirling more withered leaves across the ground with a mournful sound, as if telling of her turbulent state of mind. Everything around her became blurred; the noise of passing vehicles and pedestrians became indistinct background noise. Only Lin Junze's gentle yet firm voice echoed repeatedly in her mind, each echo making her heart beat faster.

She instinctively wanted to retort, to ask him if he was crazy, to tell him that they weren't at the point of discussing marriage yet, but when the words reached her lips, she found that she couldn't utter a sound at all.

Her throat felt constricted, incredibly dry. She even began to wonder if she was just overworked and hallucinating. But the clear voice, the slightly trembling yet firm tone coming through the phone receiver, reminded her that this wasn't a hallucination.

After hanging up the phone, Wang Yuran remained standing there, letting the cold wind chill her to the bone. She slowly squatted down, burying her face in her knees, her shoulders trembling slightly from suppressed emotions. Marriage? She had never considered this question. The joy of reunion, the thrill of intimacy—these were all real, but they didn't mean they could overcome all obstacles and directly enter into marriage.

Lin Junze's proposal was too sudden and too hasty, like a sudden downpour that caught her off guard.

After what seemed like an eternity, she slowly stood up, tidied her disheveled hair and clothes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm her turbulent emotions. But the turmoil in her heart was like tangled vines, impossible to unravel. She picked up the case file and walked heavily towards the agreed-upon café, each step feeling like it was made of lead.

Pushing open the café door, the warm yellow light and rich aroma of coffee wafted out, a stark contrast to the bleakness outside. But this warmth did nothing to dispel the chill in Wang Yuran's heart. Lin Junze was already sitting by the window waiting for her. Seeing her enter, he immediately stood up, his eyes filled with eagerness, anticipation, and a barely perceptible hint of nervousness.

The two sat facing each other, but the atmosphere was strangely suffocating. Gone was the warmth and understanding from before, leaving only an awkward silence.

The waiter brought in coffee, breaking the silence, but after he left, the awkward atmosphere returned to the two of them. Wang Yuran stirred her coffee with her head down, not daring to look Lin Junze in the eye, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the inside of the cup, her mind filled with conflict.

Seeing her evasive gaze, Lin Junze's anxiety intensified. He didn't wait for Wang Yuran's reply, nor did he give her much time to think. Instead, he pulled an exquisite velvet box from his pocket. The box was deep red, gleaming delicately under the warm yellow light. He gently opened the box, and inside lay a huge diamond ring. The facets of the diamond refracted brilliant light under the lamp, dazzling and impossible to ignore.

“Yu Ran, I’ve thought about this for a long time. Because of my cowardice, we’ve missed so many years. Today, I want you to give me a chance.” Lin Junze’s voice trembled slightly, his eyes filled with expectation. “I know the proposal might be a little sudden, but I’m serious. Give me a chance to take care of you for the rest of my life.”

Wang Yuran, however, just stared at all of this lifelessly, her eyes showing no excitement or joy, but rather a hint of detachment and confusion.

That dazzling diamond ring, in her eyes, was like a cold symbol, a reminder of the cognitive differences between the two of them.

In Wang Yuran's view, marriage is still a thing that is too distant and too heavy. Intimacy is a natural expression of emotion, but marriage means responsibility, commitment, the union of two families, and the binding of one's life closely with another person from then on.

She never imagined that just a few reunions and intimate moments would lead her to make such a momentous decision.

This internal conflict was like a sharp thorn piercing her heart. She couldn't understand why Lin Junze was suddenly so eager to get married. In her eyes, everything Lin Junze did seemed like he was completing a task—because he had slept with her, he had to take responsibility, so he proposed, so he had to rush to buy a ring, appear in front of her, and place the ring on the table.

All of this was done by him, taking the lead without considering her feelings or asking for her opinion.

Marriage should be a matter between two people, something that requires honest communication and joint discussion. But Lin Junze turned it into a one-man show.

Wang Yuran raised her head and finally looked into Lin Junze's eyes, her gaze filled with weariness and disappointment: "Lin Junze, do you think that just because we slept together, you have to take responsibility for me?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Junze's expression changed instantly, and the expectation in his eyes was replaced by astonishment: "Yu Ran, why would you think that? It's not because of responsibility, it's because I love you."

"Love me?" Wang Yuran laughed self-deprecatingly, a bitter smile in her eyes. "Loving me means proposing without my consent, buying the ring on your own, and then laying everything out in front of me, leaving me to passively accept it? Lin Junze, did you ever ask me if I wanted to get married? Did you ever ask me if I was ready?"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a deep sense of disappointment. The music in the café remained soft, and the warm yellow light was still inviting, but the atmosphere between the two had grown increasingly cold because of this sudden argument. Wang Yuran's mood, like the sky outside, was gloomy and oppressive.

Looking at her disappointed eyes, Lin Junze felt a tightness in his chest, as if something was blocking his heart. He desperately wanted to explain, to make her understand his feelings, but when the words reached his lips, he found himself at a loss for words.

He simply felt that loving her meant giving her a stable home, marrying her as soon as possible, protecting her, and taking care of her. He never imagined that his eagerness would put so much pressure on her, or cause her to misunderstand him like this...