After being reborn, the aloof female CEO became a paranoid.

Xu Xinran elegantly cut the steak with fluid movements, then gently pushed the carefully prepared dish steadily in front of Zhou Yu. "Eat."

Zhou Yu was speechless. Looking at the steak in front of him, he really didn't know how to react.

This woman was acting like that towards him in the car just now, but now she's all attentive, gentle, and virtuous. She's really hard to fathom.

He reluctantly picked up the knife and fork, each bite tasted like chewing wax, his eyes filled with resistance to this sudden change.

After a few bites, he finally put down his utensils and said dryly, "I'm full."

Xu Xinran stopped what she was doing, and looked at him with a deep gaze. She noticed that he was indifferent to the food she had carefully selected. A trace of disappointment flashed through her heart, but she remained calm on the surface.

But she felt that Zhou Yu's resistance was only temporary. After all, she knew that Zhou Yu clearly liked her at this moment; he just needed some time to adjust.

Silence filled the air. Zhou Yu couldn't see the emotions in the woman's eyes, but he felt her aura growing increasingly oppressive, as if something was about to happen.

Finally, Xu Xinran broke the silence, a faint smile playing on her lips, a smile that held an unyielding resolve: "I'll take you."

On the way back, she did not do anything inappropriate, as if the crazy woman in the car just now was not her.

Zhou Yu couldn't help but wonder how many faces this woman had.

The car stopped outside the Zhou family villa. Zhou Yu said a brief goodbye and was about to get out of the car when Xu Xinran suddenly pulled him back. Then, a warm kiss landed on his lips.

Her gaze was intense, looking directly into his eyes, her tone carrying an undeniable declaration.

"Remember, you are mine!"

Zhou Yu was stunned by the sudden force and stood there for a moment. When he came to his senses, he was covered in cold sweat. He quickly broke free and fled as if he were running away.

……

As soon as she stepped into her home and went up the stairs, she ran into Zhou Ze.

The other party looked menacing, and the two stood facing each other at the top of the stairs.

Zhou Yu wanted him to move aside, but Zhou Ze didn't budge, clearly looking for trouble.

"Big brother, who did you come back with?"

Zhou Ze could see clearly from upstairs that Zhou Yu got out of Xu Xinran's car!

Zhou Yu frowned, unfazed by Zhou Ze's provocation, and coldly replied, "Didn't you see who I came back with?"

After saying that, he prepared to go upstairs, bypassing Zhou Ze.

Zhou Ze was not about to let this opportunity slip by easily. He pressed on, saying sarcastically, "Brother, you really have some tricks up your sleeve. You say you don't know them, but you're already hooking up with them. You're really something."

"I can't be bothered with you, get out of my way!"

Zhou Yu had initially intended to be more patient, but someone kept coming over to make their presence felt, which greatly annoyed him.

"Why should I give way just because you tell me to? Zhou Yu, I'm warning you, Xu Xinran is mine, and you'd better get lost!"

Zhou Ze said arrogantly, completely disregarding brotherhood.

Unable to contain his anger any longer, Zhou Yu threw a punch, striking Zhou Ze squarely on the bridge of his nose. Blood gushed out instantly, and Zhou Ze was shocked, but even more so, filled with anger and resentment.

He never expected that Zhou Yu, whom he had always kept under his thumb, would actually hit him!

At this moment, Zhou's father heard the noise and came out of the study.

"Dad, my older brother hit me. I kindly reminded him, but he hit me instead."

As Zhou Ze spoke, he deliberately exposed his bleeding nose so that Zhou Zhengwen could see it, attempting to gain sympathy.

However, Zhou's father simply asked, "What happened?"

In the past, Zhou Ze was favored by his father because of his value in the family business, and whenever there was a dispute, his father always sided with Zhou Ze.

However, times have changed. Now, Xu Xinran has a high opinion of Zhou Yu, and Zhou Yu's status has risen accordingly. He is about to become the son-in-law of the Xu family.

With the Xu family's prestigious reputation, the Zhou family's future is undoubtedly bright.

Therefore, when Zhou Ze tried to complain to his father again and seek protection, this tactic had already failed.

"Why did you provoke your older brother? He's like a father to you, it's only right that he disciplines you," Zhou's father scolded sternly.

Looking into his father's stern and indifferent eyes, Zhou Ze felt even more aggrieved.

He never imagined that one day he would be overshadowed by Zhou Yu, and he could not accept his father's current favoritism towards Zhou Yu.

Looking at Zhou Ze's angry expression, Zhou Zhengwen shook his head repeatedly and said, "You child, you've been spoiled because your brother always gives in to you."

Zhou Yu's lips twitched slightly. Too lazy to argue with Zhou Ze any longer, he said, "Dad, I'm tired. I'm going back to my room to rest."

After saying that, he turned and left, leaving Zhou Ze alone in the spot, filled with resentment.

Zhou Zhengwen did not reprimand Zhou Yu for leaving, but turned to Zhou Ze and said, "You better behave yourself and don't provoke your older brother anymore. He will soon be the Xu family's son-in-law."

Zhou Ze stared ahead, his eyes filled with resentment, and he gritted his teeth inwardly.

So what if I became the son-in-law of the Xu family?

Does that mean you can just hit people?

No wonder he was so assertive today; it turns out he really did manage to get close to Xu Xinran.

……

Late at night, the Xu residence was shrouded in silence, with only a sliver of dim yellow light emanating from the study.

Xu Xinran sat alone on the sofa, her back to the window, her figure appearing particularly slender and mysterious in the dim light.

Moonlight streamed in through the window cracks, outlining her graceful figure and delicate features, but her face remained hidden in the shadows, making it impossible to glimpse her cool and beautiful countenance.

Her hands, like carved white jade, with slender and long fingers, looked even more beautiful under the interplay of light and shadow.

Her hand gently swirled the wine glass, the crimson liquid churning within, resembling dark red blood…

Xu Xinran stared at the bright red color, lost in thought.

That red was no different from the color of blood, and in a daze, she felt as if she had returned to her past life.

She recalled the day she arrived at the prison; the empty cell was filled only with dried bloodstains, and there was no sign of him.

She was still a step too late...