Yue Linze stared at her for a long moment before slowly saying, "I'll be at the company handling documents today. The servants will bring your meals to the room. I'll see you tonight." With that, he turned and left, leaning on his cane. Despite a slight limp in his right leg, his back was ramrod straight, his entire bearing radiating an air of composure.

It seemed that after Gu Yansheng and Yue Linying had gotten their comeuppance, his negative energy had indeed lessened considerably. Tao Yu felt a fleeting moment of relief before realizing this wasn't the time for such feelings.

Watching Yue Linze about to leave, she scrambled out of bed, the thin, long chain that bound her surprisingly unimpeding.

She stood before him, arms outstretched, blocking his path, and forced a smile. "Mr. Yue, I need an explanation. What you just said isn't enough."

That 'this is his way of showing love' nonsense was childish, a blatant attempt to fob her off. Clearly, something had gone wrong for him to suddenly act this way.

Yue Linze looked at her coldly, silent, seemingly unwilling to answer.

Tao Yu tried a different tack. "Mr. Yue, do you remember? Last night, everything was fine. You promised to… to be with me. Why have you chained me up this morning? Did I do something wrong? Did I upset you?"

Yue Linze's eyes flickered, and Tao Yu's heart clenched. She waited for his response, and finally, he said indifferently, "We're not in bed. You don't need to call me that.'"

Tao Yu choked, the words catching in her throat. Swallowing her frustration, she pleaded, "Linze, please answer me."

Her hair, uncombed after waking, fell loosely around her shoulders, giving her a languid air. A few stray strands drifted across her cheek, brushing her lips.

The corner of Yue Linze's mouth twitched upwards. His left hand, free of the cane, rose from his side and reached towards her face.

Tao Yu instinctively recoiled, but meeting his gaze, she stifled the impulse, freezing in place.

He seemed not to notice her subtle flinch. Calmly, he brushed the stray hairs away from her face, his thumb lingering on her lips.

"Think about it. When you figure it out, I'll unchain you." He walked past her towards the door. At the threshold, he turned slightly. "I'm leaving. Shouldn't you fulfill your duties as a girlfriend?"

Tao Yu, still speechless from his previous words, was now bewildered by his last. She turned to face him, finding him looking expectantly at her.

With a little thought, she was rendered even more speechless by the workings of this man's mind.

Yue Linze waited patiently, seemingly unwilling to leave until he got what he wanted. After a long, silent standoff, Tao Yu sighed, walked over to him, and raised her right hand. "If anyone else did this, chained me up and then asked for a girlfriend's 'duties,' I'd think they were crazy and refuse. But if it's you…"

She stood on tiptoe, her slender arms encircling his neck. Closing her eyes, she kissed him.

If it's you…you're a dangerously crazy man. For my own safety in this world, and for the sake of completing my mission quickly, I can only obey. The unspoken words echoed in her mind as their lips met.

The kiss was brief. Tao Yu opened her eyes, intending to pull back, but Yue Linze, sensing her intent, pulled her into his arms. A gasp escaped her lips, followed by the clatter of his cane hitting the floor.

Lifted into his embrace, her feet left the ground. She instinctively clung to his neck, about to protest, when his lips captured hers.

Unlike her fleeting kiss, his was possessive and demanding. He nipped and teased her lips until a cry of pain escaped her.

He didn't stop. Instead, he pressed her against the wall, deepening the kiss.

Suspended in mid-air, with no leverage to resist, she could only weakly pound against his chest.

Gradually, her eyes glazed over, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Her hands, initially resistant, now clung to his shirt as she was swept away by the kiss.