Manipulative Harem God

Chapter 383 "Although the car isn't running, if you run your mouth in the right places, we might take off soon!"

?Chen Yulan finally closed her eyes briefly, gathering her thoughts before speaking with a resigned tone, "Wei... Why did you threw the keys outside?"

Zhang Wei paused, pretending not to understand her question, before shrugging nonchalantly. "Oh, that..."

Her eyes blinked in confusion, "??"

He smirked, a playful light dancing in his eyes. "The car stays here until I decide it's time for us to move again."

Chen Yulan, though taken aback, nodded slightly and asked with forced patience, "And when might you feel like taking us out of here?"

"It depends on your sincerity," he replied, his grin widening.

A bad premonition flickered through Chen Yulan's mind. She bit her lip, leaning back against her seat, her eyes closing in a mix of frustration and resignation.

Since he doesn't want to leave, what choice does she have?

Her eyes closed, a silent protest against his whimsical captivity.

As an hour ticked by, the atmosphere in the car shifted. Chen Yulan, initially calm, began to feel a creeping sense of anxiety. She stole glances at Zhang Wei, whose face remained blissfully carefree.

Zhang Wei even started humming a tune, a carefree melody that only added to Chen Yulan's growing unease.

"Wei, when will we start moving again?" she finally asked, unable to hide the worry in her voice.

Zhang Wei's eyes fluttered open, and he turned to her with a gentle, almost teasing smile. "Didn't I say it depends on your sincerity?"

Chen Yulan, a mixture of curiosity and caution in her voice, asked, "And... how should I show my sincerity to you?"

Pretending to ponder her question, Zhang Wei tapped his chin dramatically. "Let me think... How about..." His words trailed off as he pointed suggestively between his legs, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "It was always my childhood dream to have some fun in a running car. Although the car isn't running, if you run your mouth in the right places, we might take off soon!"

The System interjected, its tone laced with disapproval, [Host, don't lie. You've already harmed too many flowers with your lies. This must be the 37th time you're asking someone to complete your dream. How is it not fulfilled yet?]

Zhang Wei remained unfazed, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Next is your turn. Your mouth also runs a bit too much, but at the wrong places," he taunted.

[...] The System fell silent, momentarily at a loss for words.

Finally, the System spoke again, its voice shy and hesitant, [... I am sorry, host... but my back... Is reserved only for my husband... I can't, unfortunately... You understand... Right?]

"..."

As the silent standoff between Zhang Wei and the AI system continued, Chen Yulan's expression gradually shifted from patience to a shadowed disquiet.

Her face, usually a calm canvas of composure, now betrayed a storm of emotions.

She hadn't expected Zhang Wei to dredge up old issues, especially not now, when she thought they had moved past them on their journey from the hill.

Her disappointment swelled, and for a moment, she felt a lump in her throat, threatening to spill over into tears.

She turned her gaze outside the window, where the scenery blurred into a melancholic haze.

Zhang Wei, noticing her averted face, couldn't suppress a smirk. 'Let's see how long she can hold out,' he mused inwardly, a laugh echoing in his mind.

Time crawled by. One hour... four hours... eight hours... ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novelenglish.net . Fire(.)nᴇt

The car became an island in the stream of time, isolated and static.

Grumble...

!!

The sound of Chen Yulan's stomach broke the silence as evening draped its veil over the scene. She heard it too, a flush of embarrassment coloring her cheeks, but she remained steadfast in her resolve.

Zhang Wei, initially thinking this stubborn game would last only a few hours, found his expectations vastly exceeded.

Finally, he let out a sigh, attempting to break the ice. "How long will you pretend you're not starving?"

Chen Yulan responded softly, still facing the window, "Then just drive us out of here."

Zhang Wei's face contorted, a flicker of emotion passing across it, but if she had an ego, his was grander.

He casually shrugged, his voice tinged with an air of indifference, "Not happening until you fulfill the conditions."

Swish!

In that moment, Chen Yulan abruptly pivoted, her eyes brimming with emotion, and two glistening tears rolled down her cheeks like precious crystal drops. It left Zhang Wei momentarily robbed of his voice, as she spoke with unwavering determination, her voice a soft yet resolute whisper, "You can do that with my lifeless body..."

A gentle, almost a serene smile graced her lips as she uttered those words.

The air in the car grew with unspoken emotions, a delicate balance between tension and unexpressed feelings.

Zhang Wei, momentarily lost in the depth of Chen Yulan's sparkling, tear-filled eyes, was jolted back to reality. His voice softened, revealing a rare hint of concern. "Yulan... There's no need to talk of dying over such trivial matters."

Chen Yulan turned her face away, her silence speaking volumes in the confined space of the car. The minutes ticked by, each one stretching out like an eternity under the weight of their unspoken thoughts.

Finally, she broke the silence with a voice tinged with firm resolve. "... Wei... I don't see you in that way... And even if I did... It's not something one simply does." Her words were clear, carrying a weight that seemed to anchor the moment in something deeper than their stalemate like condition.

Zhang Wei remained silent, his thoughts a turbulent sea.

He knew her feelings, but part of him questioned why he should care.

Whether it was today or tomorrow, relationships could always be crafted with the passage of time.

Zhang Wei held no belief in waiting for the perfect relationship before taking any physical or emotional leaps forward. If he found himself drawn to a woman, even if he were to toss her into a underground basement, unleash devastation upon her family, and cruelly keep her captive, he believed he had the power to change her heart with the infinite expanse of time.

And with an unsettling eagerness, he was more than willing to undertake the same with Chen Yulan.

His expression shifted, the flicker of concern giving way to a more calculating, almost sinister look. "Oh, that's fine then. I don't see you in that way either. So let's end this, shall we? Consider it as a final token, and I'll never pester you about this matter again. We can go back to normal, as you wanted. I'll never mention this again, and you can have the cousin you've always wanted."