RMM -Chapter 314 Clouds on the Move

Xi Yuechen came home a little earlier than usual today. Seeing that there was nothing pressing, he headed straight back.

However, after he got home, he realized no one was there. Thinking it over, he knew Su Ruo must have gone out with Xi Zi. He didn’t rush to look for her. After changing his clothes, he sat down in the living room and read.

But before long, the doorbell rang.

Xi Yuechen put the book down and walked toward the door, wondering who it could be. Maybe the little woman had gone out without her keys, or perhaps she was holding the little one and couldn’t free a hand to open the door.

Unexpectedly, when he opened it, he found a woman he didn’t recognize standing outside.

Xi Yuechen swiftly hid the warmth on his face and glanced at the woman at the door, who looked extremely uneasy and nervous. He wondered whether she might be a friend of the little woman’s.

“Uh, hello,” the woman forced out a smile and said softly. “My name is Lian Yunduo. I live next door.”

Xi Yuechen had no idea why this woman had come, nor why she was introducing herself, so he said in a low voice, “Su Ruo isn’t home.”

He didn’t like dealing with other women and wanted to simply close the door, but thinking that Lian Yunduo might be Su Ruo’s friend, it didn’t seem appropriate to shut her out outright.

“I know… I’m here to bring you some dumplings.”

As soon as Lian Yunduo finished speaking, her face flushed bright red.

Lian Yunduo had been driven here by her sister Lian Yunfen’s relentless calls—seven or eight a day—urging her nonstop. Her sister said there was a regiment commander here: young, handsome, powerful, with an excellent family background, a once-in-a-lifetime good man. She told her to hurry over and take a look.

Naturally, Lian Yunduo’s heart was stirred. She had been single for many years, believing herself to be fairly attractive. Men with average conditions didn’t interest her, while those with good conditions didn’t look her way. Stuck in this awkward middle ground, she had wasted so many years. Now she was nearing the age of being considered “old,” yet still without a partner. Not only had her parents worried themselves sick, even she herself had begun to feel anxious.

Her friends, meanwhile, were all holding babies in their arms, living in nice houses and driving cars—people who, back then, were all inferior to her.

That psychological gap made Lian Yunduo feel even worse. Now that her sister said there was a good man here, how could she sit still? She quickly took the train over.

Her sister said the man was still very young yet had already become a regiment commander, and his family were officials as well. If she could marry him, she’d become a young madam—what would she ever lack then?

But after she arrived, her sister didn’t hurry to introduce her to the officer, and even told her not to tell her brother-in-law about it. After some probing, Lian Yunduo learned that the man was already married—and even had a son.

She was so angry she nearly fainted. What was her sister thinking? Calling her from so far away in such urgency, only to toy with her like this?

Lian Yunduo immediately wanted to pack her bags and leave, which panicked Lian Yunfen. She tried every possible way to keep her—at least meet him once, right?

In the end, Lian Yunduo stayed.

First, she really couldn’t withstand her sister’s soft persuasion and pestering—she simply wouldn’t let her leave, saying it was fine to stay a few more days. Second, truth be told, she had also been somewhat tempted by what her sister said.

Just as her sister put it: how could a rich and powerful man like that possibly spend his whole life with just one woman? Maybe in a few years he’d divorce. Besides, even if she didn’t marry him, as long as she latched onto him and made him happy, wouldn’t she still get whatever she wanted?

So Lian Yunduo stayed, half-pushed, half-willing. She usually stayed at her sister’s place and didn’t go out much. Besides, Su Ruo didn’t like going out either, so the two of them had never met. But as for Xi Yuechen, Lian Yunduo had seen him once.

That day, she was taking out the trash and was just about to go downstairs when she saw a man walking toward her. With a casual glance, her heart began to pound violently the next second.

Don’t misunderstand—this wasn’t love at first sight, but a reaction of fear.

Except when he was with family, Xi Yuechen was always cold and distant, exuding an authority forged through long years of experience. Ordinary soldiers would avoid him when they saw him. Facing him made one’s heart involuntarily tremble—the aura was simply too strong, as if an invisible hand had suddenly clamped tightly around your heart.

Even soldiers tempered by military life felt intimidated by Xi Yuechen, let alone Lian Yunduo, an ordinary woman.

Only after Xi Yuechen opened the door and went inside did Lian Yunduo finally let out a breath, her tense body gradually relaxing.

Could it be… this man?

She shivered, but the facts told her he was exactly the promising young regiment commander her sister had spoken of.

But… he was far too frightening. She didn’t dare…

Lian Yunduo had grown up in a small hometown city and even attended university there. In such a small place, what great figures could there be? She had seen little and met only ordinary people, so her horizons and experience were limited. This was only her second time here; the first time she hadn’t stayed long and had remained indoors, seeing no one at all. Back then, her brother-in-law had wanted to introduce her to a squad leader under his command, but she had decisively refused—how could she possibly look twice at a mere squad leader?

So, proud and arrogant as she was, Lian Yunduo was actually just a girl who hadn’t seen much of the world. How could she not be overwhelmed when she saw Xi Yuechen?

Yet her sister refused to let her give up. Since she was already here, wouldn’t it be a pity to leave just like that? She should try at least once. If it still didn’t work, she could give up later. No matter how aloof he looked, wasn’t he still a man? How could men not stray? As long as she took the initiative to get close, she was bound to succeed.

Besides, Yunduo, you’re not bad-looking. Back home you were a famous beauty—how many people once fought to pursue you? How can you lack confidence now?

And you don’t even know—don’t be fooled by how cold and scary Commander Xi looks. He’s actually very good to his wife and child. So, once you hook his heart, what is there to be afraid of? Won’t he dote on you just the same?

These words stirred Lian Yunduo again. That’s right—since she was already here, she had to try.

So after the two sisters discussed it, they came up with a plan: Lian Yunfen would lure Su Ruo away, and Lian Yunduo would take the opportunity to approach Xi Yuechen.

When Xi Yuechen opened the door, she finally saw him up close.

With just one glance, Lian Yunduo quickly averted her eyes, not daring to look again.

Just as her sister said, he was handsome, imposing, and dignified—but this aura was simply too powerful.

After blushing and explaining her purpose, she lowered her head, not daring to look at Xi Yuechen.

Xi Yuechen frowned and couldn’t even be bothered to look at her as he coldly asked, “Where’s Su Ruo?”

“She went to make dumplings,” Lian Yunfen answered honestly.

Xi Yuechen’s frown deepened. He assumed Su Ruo had gone to their place to make dumplings and had sent this woman over to bring him some.

Thus, Xi Yuechen concluded that Su Ruo had abandoned him, taken Xi Zi, and gone to eat at someone else’s place. This made him extremely displeased. Recently, every time he came home, Su Ruo would greet him with a smile, hand him a cool cup of tea, then go into the kitchen to busy herself cooking. The house would be filled with the warmth of everyday life, mixed with Su Ruo’s occasional voice—cozy beyond words.

Having grown accustomed to such days, Xi Yuechen felt especially unhappy about Su Ruo “abandoning” him.

“Give it here.”

His face dark, Xi Yuechen reached out for the dumplings.

When Xi Yuechen was unhappy, even He Wen and Duan Wei would be met with icy indifference—how could he possibly be polite to some woman who had popped out of nowhere?

Lian Yunduo clearly hadn’t expected such a reaction. In shock, she couldn’t help lifting her head to glance at him, only to meet Xi Yuechen’s cold, stern expression. His already hard and sharp features looked even more severe and indifferent, making her heart jump.

“I… I’ll bring them inside for you…” she said, swallowing hard.

“No need.” Xi Yuechen grew impatient, his voice even colder.

With no other choice, Lian Yunduo handed him the box. Xi Yuechen took it and was just about to close the door when she hurriedly spoke again.

“I have something to say to you!”

Xi Yuechen rested one hand on the doorknob and looked at her expressionlessly, waiting. If he hadn’t thought she was Su Ruo’s friend, he would have slammed the door shut long ago—why would he listen to her rambling?

Under his gaze, Lian Yunduo felt even more flustered. But with the arrow already nocked, she had no choice but to let it fly.

She squeezed her eyes shut, shouted “I like you,” and lunged toward Xi Yuechen.

But who was Xi Yuechen? Having lived through life-and-death situations for so many years, how could he fail to dodge a woman?

In that split second, a sharp light flashed in his eyes. He lifted his leg, then immediately flung the box in his hand aside—

And with a loud “bang,” the sound rang out.

In just a few seconds, Lian Yunduo was sprawled flat on the ground, dumplings from the box scattered over her head, face, and body.

The steaming dumplings were still giving off heat on her.

She hadn’t expected things to turn out like this. Thrown down and scalded at the same time, she was naturally in pain and let out a scream instinctively.

“What a thing.”

Xi Yuechen finally understood what was going on. Disgust rose in him, as if he had touched something filthy. The chill in his eyes cut to the bone, and the sharp, oppressive aura around him burst forth.

Lian Yunduo felt as though her throat had been seized. She was so frightened she couldn’t make a sound, her whole body trembling as she looked at Xi Yuechen. Regret flooded her heart—she would rather never marry than have come to provoke this man.

At that moment, someone came up the stairwell.

“Yunduo?”