The Ultimate Devil's Magnificent CEO

"What am I supposed to be chasing? Isn't this your business? I was just asking casually!" Zhou Fan retorted, taking Chu Yan's hand and leaving without another word. Just as he turned, he gave Chu Qianqian a reassuring look.

Chu Qianqian, who had been worried that something might go wrong, instantly calmed down after seeing Zhou Fan's gaze. 'That man must have a plan of his own; that's why he's acting this way!'

"Damn, look at how smug he is. He's asking for a punch!" Van muttered to Xiaojiu beside him. Then, he cupped his fist toward Chu Tianxiang and left with the rest of his crew.

"Honey, I'm not happy. Can you hold me?" Back at the villa, Chu Yan collapsed onto the sofa, drained of energy. She pouted, looking at Zhou Fan with a wronged expression.

"It's not all bad, really. At least now you know the parents who always mistreated you and went out of their way to target you weren't your biological ones. And your real parents actually treat you very well, right?"

"I know that, but... but now I really don't have any parents at all!" Chu Yan's eyes welled up with tears. She grabbed Zhou Fan's large hand and used it to wipe her eyes.

"If you're willing, honey, I guess I can make a small sacrifice. You can just call me 'Dad' from now on, just like our future kids will!"

"Jerk! I'm not doing that! You're bullying me..."

"Not during the day, or not at night?"

"Neither! Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. Hmph!"

After teasing each other for a while, Chu Yan's mood improved slightly. Ignoring her protests, Zhou Fan carried her into the bathroom, under the pretext of helping her take a bath.

"Honey, I actually envy you. At least you know where your parents are, whether they're alive or dead," Zhou Fan said softly, holding Chu Yan as they lay in bed. "I haven't seen my parents since I was very little. In my memory, my home had a lot of people—besides me and my parents, there were my grandparents, uncles, and aunts."

"But I was only five that year. Twenty-three years have passed since then, and I can't remember many things clearly. There is one thing, however, that I remember vividly: my parents took me on a trip, and we got separated on the streets of London. After that, I started living like a stray, fighting with a group of homeless people and other kids for food every day. I'd even get into huge brawls just for a piece of bread."

"That life went on for three years. Then a woman showed up, claiming to be a friend of my mother's who was there to take me home. I thought my miserable days were finally over, but she was a goddamn human trafficker and sold me to an underground organization."

"Training, fighting, killing, eating—day after day, year after year. Finally, one day, I became strong enough, and with a few like-minded brothers and sisters by my side, we fought our way out."

Zhou Fan's voice was very low, and he only skimmed over many of his experiences. But hearing it, Chu Yan's heart ached, and she began to cry again. Unsure what came over her, she hugged Zhou Fan tightly. "Honey, maybe... from now on, you can call me..."

Her final words were a whisper, so soft that even from point-blank range, Zhou Fan might not have heard her if his hearing wasn't so sharp.

That night, Zhou Fan didn't do anything else. He simply held Chu Yan and slept soundly. He had told her a bit of his story partly to comfort her, and partly because he wanted to reveal his past to her, little by little, layer by layer.

When she woke up the next day, Chu Yan saw Zhou Fan holding her, looking like he hadn't slept well all night. A blissful smile spread across her pretty face. She especially remembered what she had said to Zhou Fan last night, as if she'd suddenly gone crazy. It had led to him patting her and calling her *that name* all night to lull her to sleep. Overcome with shyness, Chu Yan grabbed the blanket and pulled it over her head again.

However, the peace lasted only for a moment. Soon after, Chu Yan abruptly threw off the blanket, glaring at Zhou Fan with puffed-out cheeks. Seeing that he was about to run, she pounced on him like a little tigress.

"Jerk! How dare you fart under the covers! And you even forced me to smell it! Don't you run!"

In the days that followed, everything suddenly became peaceful. The two of them went to the office together every day, where Zhou Fan would either joke around with the girls in the sales department or go out with Gu Feifei to discuss business, keeping himself happily occupied.

Chen Yi was even busier these days, with almost no free time at all, which meant she had no time to bother Zhou Fan.

「These peaceful days lasted for about half a month.」

After spending this half-month together, the feelings between Zhou Fan and Chu Yan deepened rapidly.

「That night.」

Just after he had lulled Chu Yan to sleep, Zhou Fan sensed something. He tiptoed out of the villa and saw a figure standing under a tree, blending in with the shadows.

"Boss, that fake couple has stopped. They're in a small town in the far north. It seems like they're waiting for someone. I didn't dare get too close; they have several experts protecting them." The visitor's voice was ethereal. If you couldn't see him standing right there, it would be difficult to even tell which direction his voice was coming from.

"Just as I expected. After half a month, they've finally decided to stop." Zhou Fan nodded. 'This is what they call setting a long line to catch a big fish.' "Thanks for your hard work. Now, quietly leak this information to Van."

The visitor didn't say a word. In a flash, his figure flickered, leaving behind an afterimage as he vanished, already dozens of meters away.

Zhou Fan gazed toward the distant horizon, a playful smirk forming at the corners of his mouth.