Chapter 597 - 395: Rejection 2

Chapter 597: Chapter 395: Rejection 2

She clung to her brother’s back like a koala.

Her cheeks were squished slightly out of shape, and drool trickled from the corner of her mouth, soaking into Nash’s thermal wear and spreading into a dark stain on the fabric.

The people in the room looked at Liu Lan’s soundly sleeping form, not knowing whether to be angry or amused.

Drool hung from the corner of her mouth, completely unaware she had just walked back from the gates of hell. Such a carefree way to sleep.

The tears that had been welling in Zicao’s eyes were spurred on by the awkward scene and finally fell.

She roughly wiped her face and rushed forward in a few strides.

She lifted Liu Lan off Nash’s back and pressed her firmly onto her own lap.

The worry and lingering fear in her palms transformed into a few sharp slaps, landing squarely on the little girl’s bottom.

Liu Lan, who had been dreaming she was wearing a Crystal Crown and surrounded by flowers, was suddenly startled awake by a sharp pain.

Drowsily opening her eyes, she saw her older sister Zicao’s almond-shaped eyes wide open, her hand raised to strike again.

"WAAAH! Zicao, let me go! Why are you hitting me!" Liu Lan squirmed, her aggrieved wails instantly piercing the rooftop.

"Why? Hitting you is getting off easy!" Zicao’s voice trembled, but the slaps didn’t stop, each one louder than the last. "Do you have any idea how vicious this cold snap and blizzard is? Do you know everyone was worried sick about you? Do you know Khilla and Nash went looking for you, ignoring the danger?"

As she spoke, slaps rained down on Liu Lan’s bottom.

The pain made the little girl’s face stream with tears and snot, her small face flushed bright red.

Through her tear-filled eyes, she cast a pleading gaze toward Feng Mountain, Nash, and Bear’s Fang.

Her voice trembled with sobs.

"Khilla! Brother! Dad!"

The crying shout made Feng Mountain’s heart skip a beat. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he awkwardly touched his nose, his gaze darting around everyone’s faces.

"I’m a little hungry. Is there anything to eat?"

With that, he strode toward the living room.

His boots thudded heavily on the floor, deliberately making his footsteps loud and hurried.

He was trying to drown out the cries behind him, pretending not to have heard the plea for help.

Nash, however, heard it clearly. But he just lifted his head slightly, let out a soft hmph, and turned his face away, refusing to look at his sister.

’This spanking is one my sister deserves.’

’If I go soft on her now, I’m afraid she’ll really cause a disaster someday.’

Bear’s Fang stood to the side, his expression as complex as an overturned spice rack.

Watching his older daughter discipline his younger one, he felt both pained that Liu Lan was being spanked and relieved that she had escaped death.

His face flushed red. Finally, he slapped his thigh and yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Hit her! Hit her harder, don’t go easy! That damn girl doesn’t know the meaning of life or death, daring to run around in this weather. If it wasn’t for Khilla, you’d have frozen to death by now."

"Waaah... I was looking for Teddy! He’s the stuffed doll Fiona gave me! How was I supposed to know you guys had abandoned me!"

Liu Lan suddenly lifted her tear-stained little head, a snot bubble popping with a sob. Even though she was crying too hard to breathe evenly, she still craned her neck to talk back.

Hearing this, Bear’s Fang froze on the spot, so angry a vein throbbed on his forehead.

He wished he could rush over, push Zicao aside, and land a few slaps himself.

He stomped his foot, raised his hand and feinted a couple of swings in the air, then finally dropped it heavily, muttering.

"Just for a stuffed doll? You silly girl..."

Feng Mountain crossed the living room and sat down beside Natasha.

Coca-Cola leaped from Natasha’s lap, its toasty warmth landing in Feng Mountain’s arms. Its tail brushed against the back of his hand, tickling him.

"Did you ever think about what would happen if you couldn’t come back?" Natasha’s azure eyes reflected the dancing flames, looking as if they were both dipped in honey and hiding needles.

Her fingertips unconsciously stroked the handle of a silver cup, the steam rising from its rim condensing into tiny droplets on her eyelashes.

"If I couldn’t come back, then I couldn’t come back. As long as my conscience is clear." Feng Mountain shrugged nonchalantly with a smile. He took the hot cocoa with milk from Aunt Natalia, taking a delightful sip that spread warmth through his stomach.

Suddenly, Natasha straightened her back, her whole body tensing like a drawn bowstring.

The reindeer skin cloak on her shoulders slipped down, revealing the Bear Tooth Necklace around her neck.

"I’ve thought of the last condition!"

Feng Mountain’s hand holding the cup tightened slightly. Forcing a calm expression, he raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What condition?"

Natasha first glanced quickly at Aunt Natalia, who was adding wood to the fireplace, then suddenly leaned closer to Feng Mountain.

A faint scent of spruce mixed with milk wafted to Feng Mountain’s nose. Her voice was as light as a feather falling on snow.

"I want a child. A child that belongs to the two of us."

The moment these words left her mouth, a spark happened to pop in the fireplace. The CRACKLE startled Feng Mountain so much that his hand shook, sending tiny ripples across the hot cocoa in his cup, which reflected his suddenly widened eyes.

It was as if the Natasha beside him had suddenly become a complete stranger.

Feng Mountain’s mouth fell slightly open. It took him a long moment to find his voice. "Didn’t you say you don’t believe in marriage?"

Natasha raised an eyebrow, the corner of her lips curling into a confident arc. Mimicking Feng Mountain’s earlier gesture, she gave a slight shrug and a nonchalant smile.

"So what? Not wanting marriage doesn’t mean not wanting a child!"

A confident light then flickered in her eyes. She tilted her head up slightly, a hint of pride in her gaze.

"I believe your genetic material is excellent. If we combine the best genes from both of us, the baby born will surely be able to inherit the great surname of Romanov."

"Of course, this would also fulfill the marriage contract between our two families, so it won’t have to be passed down to the next generation." Natasha paused, staring directly at Feng Mountain with a hint of expectation in her eyes. "What do you think?"

"I don’t think much of it at all!" Feng Mountain rejected the condition instantly, without a second thought.

A flash of anger even crossed his eyes. He clenched his fists, re-emphasizing his stance and his displeasure with such an absurd proposal.

"I’m not a breeding machine, nor am I a Teddy stud dog."

Natasha seemed to have anticipated Feng Mountain’s reaction and didn’t show much surprise.

She tilted her head slightly, a cunning glint in her eyes, and then threw out another condition that was hard to refuse.

"In exchange, I can pay for the other four fishing vessels for you."

"And we don’t have to sleep together. You just need to provide the... material."

After speaking, her gaze locked tightly onto Feng Mountain, as if trying to see through to his true thoughts.

Feng Mountain’s expression instantly froze, a hint of struggle flashing in his eyes.

He had to admit, the bargaining chip Natasha had thrown down was extremely tempting.

No sleeping together, just providing the material, in exchange for four brand-new fishing vessels.

At current market prices, the total cost of four fishing vessels was at least US$80 million.

Just a small nod, a tiny bit of effort.

Feng Mountain was momentarily trapped in a dilemma.

’Two little figures appeared in his mind.’

’One figure raised its arms and cheered, "Agree to it!"’

’"This deal is a huge bargain! You could even say it’s money falling from the sky!"’

’"Four ships will change everything. It’ll let you establish a firm foothold in this land."’

’But the other figure’s eyes were wide with fury, roaring, "No way!"’

’"Dignity and morality are more important than anything! You can’t sell yourself out for profit, or you’ll live in guilt forever!"’

’If I really agree, what will become of that innocent little life in the future?’

’Am I supposed to pretend it never happened and let a child grow up in an environment without the warmth of a complete family?’

The air between them seemed to freeze. Under Natasha’s expectant gaze, which felt like it could see right through him, Feng Mountain was silent for a moment.

The conflict in his eyes gradually gave way to determination.

Then, he shook his head. The movement was slight, but it was resolute.

"Sorry, I can’t do something like that."

Hearing this answer, the slight upward curl of Natasha’s lips froze, and a complex emotion flickered in her eyes.

She let out a soft breath, her feelings a tangled mess.

There was relief that Feng Mountain was holding fast to his moral principles.

After all, in this materialistic world, there weren’t many people who could maintain such noble character.

Feng Mountain’s refusal let Nata Mountain see his gentlemanly side.

However, there was even more indignation.

She was the Princess of Lengwan, the pride of the Romanov Family.

Now, she had taken the initiative to propose such a condition, not only willing to provide enormous funds but also to bear his child.

But what she got in return was a refusal. This dealt a considerable blow to Natasha’s usually high self-esteem.

"Fine. You may leave." Natasha quickly adjusted her expression.

She put on a cold mask, a trace of distance in her eyes.

She lifted her chin slightly, adopting an unquestionable posture.

It was as if everything that had just happened never occurred, and she was still that lofty, all-controlling Princess of Lengwan.

...