Quick Transmigration: The Sweetheart Everyone Loves Is Stuck in Romantic Chaos Every Day - Chapter 24

Ruan Xiong finally squeezed through the crowd just in time to hear those words, and his brow furrowed disapprovingly.

“Xiao Lu, what’s the meaning of this sudden change of heart? Are you looking down on the Ruan family?”

Lu Chengzhou looked visibly troubled.

“Miss Ruan, Uncle Ruan, there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding. I’ll have my people prepare a selection of rare treasures for Miss Ruan immediately. It’s just that this mermaid…”

“I want her!” Ruan Tang interrupted urgently. “If you won’t give her to me, I’ll buy her myself!”

“Exactly. With the power and wealth of the Ruan family, there’s nothing we can’t buy. Just one mermaid—”

“Don’t you talk about Leng Li like that!” Ruan Tang glared at her father, all puffed-up and fierce in a soft, childish way.

Then she turned back toward the mermaid in the cage—Leng Li—and quickly explained:

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to treat you like something to be bought and sold. It’s just… the one who captured you is a total villain, and this was the only way I could save you…”

Leng Li sat quietly in the cage, staring at Ruan Tang with a complicated expression but said nothing.

Lu Chengzhou, who had just failed to present a gift and been publicly labeled a “total villain,” didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Fine. You want me to be the bad guy? I’ll play it thoroughly.

He gave a half-resigned shrug. “Alright, you can have the mermaid—but I want something in exchange.”

“My dad’s rich!” Ruan Tang declared proudly, her delicate little face lifted high. “Name your price!”

Lu Chengzhou’s gaze lingered on her lively, pretty face, and his thin lips curved ever so slightly.

“I want you to be engaged to me.”

Silence swept across the entire banquet hall.

Leng Li, still leaning against the side of the cage, immediately frowned.

And the very next second, Ruan Tang’s cheerful, airy voice rang out:

“Okay!”

Leng Li froze and looked at her in shock.

His fingers slowly curled into fists at his sides.

…

The banquet finally ended.

Outside Ruan Tang’s bedroom, Ruan Xiong tried to reason with her.

“Tangtang, this is ridiculous. You can’t treat an engagement like a joke.”

But Ruan Tang didn’t think it was a big deal.

“Don’t worry, Daddy. I only said I’d get engaged to him next month, that’s all.”

She’d already checked with the system. One month should be enough to complete her mission here.

Once she was done, she’d slip away. What did it matter whether she was engaged or not?

Ruan Xiong saw how relaxed his precious daughter looked and grew suspicious.

“Don’t tell me… you actually like that Lu boy? Honestly, I’ve always thought he wasn’t half bad…”

Ruan Tang couldn’t be bothered to explain. She hummed a few vague responses and quickly nudged her dad away.

“Okay okay, I’m going to bed now. Goodnight, Daddy!”

With that, she opened the door and dashed inside.

But no sooner had the door clicked shut than a sharp, cold blade was pressed to her throat.

Staring down at her from just inches away were a pair of pale golden eyes—calm, detached, yet faintly burning with suppressed anger.

It was Leng Li. He had escaped from the cage on his own.

Ruan Tang let out a startled squeak—only for a hand to immediately clamp over her mouth.

“Quiet.”

Tears welled in her big, dewy peach blossom eyes. She looked up at him pitifully, blinking hard.

She tried to say something, her soft lips brushing against his palm.

Leng Li stiffened. A faint flush spread across his pale jade-like cheeks.

“Don’t call for help.”

Ruan Tang nodded obediently, her eyes wide and watery, like a startled little bunny.

Only then did Leng Li let go.

Far from being frightened, Ruan Tang actually lit up with a delighted smile. She grabbed his hand excitedly.

“You’re feeling better? How’s your injury? Does it still hurt? Let me see—”

As she spoke, she lifted the hem of his embroidered robe, reaching for his waist.

She remembered that was where he’d bled the most.

Leng Li stepped back half a pace, flustered, his ears burning red.

“What are you doing?!”

Ruan Tang blinked, stunned. Wait a minute… Did she just see abs?

Her eyes widened.

Wow, she’s in incredible shape…

What kind of male lead could possibly be worthy of a heroine like this?

Her gaze slid down again, catching sight of long, powerful legs—legs that had replaced the mermaid’s tail.

Only then did it dawn on her: Leng Li was much taller than her. At least a full head taller.

High-quality female lead, confirmed!

Or rather… high-quality aquatic female lead!

Ruan Tang couldn’t help her awed whisper.

“What kind of workouts do you do? Teach me? I want abs like that too! Come on, let me see again!”

She lunged forward, reaching for his robe again.

Leng Li hadn’t fully recovered yet, and she caught him off guard. She crashed right into his arms.

She was soft and fragrant, her delicate little hands roaming over his waist. His breath caught. His normally cold, handsome face was now clouded with discomfort and restraint.

“Huh? The wound’s not even bandaged. It’s still bleeding! I’ll help you—”

Leng Li pushed her away and forced down the heat in his chest.

“There’s no need.”

“Why not? Don’t you want to heal faster?”

Leng Li sneered faintly.

“So I can go back to being locked up and tortured by you humans?”

He’d heard plenty about what happened to his kind once they were caught by humans—especially by nobles.

His voice was laced with bitterness.

Ruan Tang’s eyes turned red. Her lips trembled.

“I would never lock you up…”

Leng Li froze, brow creasing.

“What did you just say?”

Ruan Tang puffed up her cheeks and marched over to the medicine cabinet. She shoved it into his arms, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a small silver key.

She placed it gently into his hand.

The silver shackle was still attached to his wrist, its chain trailing all the way back to the cage, though the bars had already been broken.

The material of the chain was special, and he hadn’t been able to break free—until now.

But he never imagined Ruan Tang would hand him the key herself.

“What’s the meaning of this?”

Ruan Tang bit her lip, cheeks puffed, clearly still sulking.

“I just wanted to set you free. That’s why I saved you. And you actually think I was going to lock you up again…”

The more she spoke, the more upset she became. In the end, she turned away and wouldn’t look at him.

“If I’d known you were this suspicious, I wouldn’t have rescued you at all. I even had to sell myself…”

Leng Li stared at her for a long moment.

He clenched the tiny key in his hand. It was still warm from her touch.

Finally, his voice came out rough:

“Wasn’t that your choice?”

“What?” Ruan Tang blinked at him, confused.

Leng Li’s golden eyes locked onto hers.

“Your engagement to Lu Chengzhou.”

“Of course it wasn’t my choice! Who would want to marry that villain?”

Leng Li quietly let out a breath.

Back at the banquet, when he’d heard her accept the proposal, a sharp pain had stabbed through his chest.

And it still hadn’t gone away.

But he also remembered overhearing her earlier conversation with her father. So he pressed her again.

“You really don’t like him?”

Ruan Tang was still mad, her lips puffed out.

“What’s it to you? You’re leaving, aren’t you?”

Leng Li looked at her cheeks, puffed up like a sulking squirrel. It was far too cute—his gaze softened without him realizing.

“I’m not leaving.”

“Huh? Didn’t you want to escape this whole time?”

Leng Li wasn’t sure why he said it either.

But he had to admit—he was reluctant to leave her side.

Besides, his sister had already escaped. He had some time now to rest and heal before deciding what to do next.

“You’re really not leaving?”

Ruan Tang’s eyes sparkled as she looked at him.

Leng Li felt the corner of his mouth lift slightly. He nodded.

“Mm.”

“That’s great! Then I’ll help you bandage your wounds! And your clothes are soaked in blood—I’ll help you change too!”