The Tycoon’s Jealousy Knows No Bounds

Early evening, Z City University.

The door to the doctoral students’ laboratory at the far end of the second floor of the School of Chemical Engineering was locked from the inside. Vague, intimate noises could be heard coming from within, inevitably causing one’s imagination to run wild.The setting sun streamed through the window, casting a warm, golden glow across Luna Aster’s flushed face.

“Stop! Elio Leandro, stop! There’s a junior outside knocking on the door!”

When the hurried knocking sounded again, Luna Aster cried out hoarsely, trying to straighten up and push the man behind her away. However, Elio Leandro paid no attention. He gave her no chance to escape. Like a fierce beast that had been lying in wait in the darkness and had finally succeeded in catching its prey, he seemed determined to tear her apart. After a long while, everything finally fell silent.Once the man’s restraint was gone, Luna Aster’s entire body felt weak and powerless. When she tried to straighten up, she nearly collapsed onto the floor. Elio Leandro, who was fastening his belt, casually reached out and steadied her. His voice was indifferent.

“There’s a banquet tonight. Grandpa told me to bring you along.”

Hearing this, Luna Aster softly hummed in acknowledgment. Enduring her discomfort, she bent down, picked up the clothes scattered on the floor, and put them back on. Elio Leandro was the young master of the most prestigious and powerful family in Z City. With a face as stunningly handsome as that of the legendary male Luoshen, he was the man of countless women’s dreams.

Three months ago, Luna Aster had married Elio Leandro despite the pressure of offending the entire circle of wealthy socialites in Z City. Overnight, she had acquired countless love rivals. Yet Luna Aster knew that Elio Leandro did not love her. Their marriage was nothing more than a temporary arrangement made by the Leandro family’s old master to put an end to Elio Leandro’s romantic scandals. The reason the Leandro family’s old master had chosen her was because she came from a remote mountainous area and was still a doctoral student in chemical engineering at Z City University. She had a simple background and few complicated social connections. As for why she had agreed to this marriage of convenience, it was simply because the Leandro family had shown her tremendous kindness. It could even be said that without the Leandro family, there would be no Luna Aster today.

“Aria Nova has returned. She’ll be attending tonight’s banquet too.”

Walking over to the window, Elio Leandro gazed at the setting sun and spoke coldly. Upon hearing the name “Aria Nova,” Luna Aster, who was tidying up the laboratory bench, couldn’t help turning around to glance at Elio Leandro. No wonder Elio Leandro had been acting so strangely today. Not only had he personally come to the university to find her, but he had also gotten intimate with her regardless of the setting…

The love story between Elio Leandro and Aria Nova was no secret among Z City’s elite. Back then, a certain entertainment website had even held an online poll asking whether the two of them would eventually end up together. As a spectator who loved a good piece of gossip, Luna Aster had participated in the poll too.

Yes, she had voted that they would end up together.

However, the ending was both melodramatic and absurd. This wealthy-family romance came to an end when Aria Nova gave Elio Leandro an enormous green hat—one practically comparable to the vast grasslands of Hulunbuir. For a time, Elio Leandro became the unluckiest man on the entire internet, infamous for having been spectacularly cuckolded. The scandal even dragged down the stock price of the Leandro Consortium. Afterward, the Leandro family’s old master arranged for Luna Aster to marry Elio Leandro. The Leandro Consortium’s PR team then took full advantage of the grand wedding, pulling off one publicity stunt after another. Eventually, the widely publicized cuckold scandal finally came to an end.

“So? What kind of persona do you want me to put on tonight? A fiercely jealous shrew? Or a completely blind fool who’s been wronged?”

Luna Aster picked up the test-tube brush from the floor and returned it to its proper place. Her voice was calm and indifferent, as though none of this had anything to do with her. Her tone was composed, and her expression shrewd. She sounded as though she were discussing a research project, without showing the slightest hint of jealousy or displeasure.

“Aren’t you angry?”

Elio Leandro couldn’t help asking. His brows furrowed slightly, clearly dissatisfied with Luna Aster’s reaction.

“Angry? Why? As for what you did just now… Hmm, I’m quite satisfied.”

After finishing tidying the laboratory bench, Luna Aster looked up at Elio Leandro. The marks left by kisses on her neck were clearly visible, making the scene look particularly suggestive. Her bold remark nearly left the man speechless. After a long moment, Elio Leandro finally gritted his teeth and said, “Just be yourself! The butler and makeup artist are already waiting for you. Let’s go.”

Luna Aster didn’t make a fuss. She put down what she was doing and left the laboratory with Elio Leandro. A group of her junior students had gathered outside the laboratory. Clearly, they knew that something rather intense had happened inside, considering how loud the commotion had been.

“I accidentally broke a few test tubes just now. Iris, help me clean them up!”

Luna Aster smiled and gave a few instructions to a junior female student with a round face and short hair before heading downstairs with Elio Leandro. When they reached the corner of the staircase, Elio Leandro reached into his pocket, only to realize that he had left his phone in the laboratory. He turned around and headed back. Just as he was about to push the door open, he heard the voices of Luna Aster’s junior students chatting inside.

“Elio Leandro doesn’t love Senior Sister at all. Senior Sister is so pitiful!”

“Pitiful? What are you talking about? It’s as if Senior Sister would ever fall in love with Elio Leandro. Have you been reading too many online romance novels? Senior Sister’s inner world is definitely incredibly strong.”

Outside the door, Elio Leandro happened to hear these words and instinctively lowered the hand he had been about to use to knock.

“If this is a contractual marriage between two people who don’t love each other, then why would they do something like that? What does Elio Leandro take Senior Sister for? A tool?”

“Iris, you don’t understand anything. For Senior Sister, Elio Leandro is the tool!”

A burst of laughter erupted in the laboratory. Someone continued, “Hey, hey, I also thought at first that Senior Sister was getting the short end of the stick in this marriage. But guess what she said to me?” Hearing this, Elio Leandro instinctively leaned forward, pressing even closer to the crack in the door.

“Elio Leandro is rich, handsome, and in great shape. He’s much cleaner than the men at those male escort clubs. As long as I take proper precautions, how could I possibly lose out?”

“I’m going to charge headfirst into the wealthy-and-foolish elite circle. That way, I can secure funding for our university, improve the laboratory facilities, and let you little brats focus on your research!”

The girl repeated Luna Aster’s words verbatim, her voice filled with admiration.

“Do you know? Senior Sister looked incredibly cool when she said that! At that moment, even I, a girl, almost fell in love with her!”

The laboratory was filled with noisy chatter. Everyone was practically singing Luna Aster’s praises, completely unaware of how ugly Elio Leandro’s expression had become outside the door. On their wedding night, Luna Aster had taken advantage of his drunkenness and actively consummated their marriage. He had initially thought that the woman was trying to please his grandfather or hoping to secure her position in the family by getting pregnant. But after all that, it turned out she had been treating him like a tool and using him day and night. She had even dared to take precautions against pregnancy? And she actually dared to compare him to the men at those male escort clubs?

Wait.

How did she know about those male escort clubs? Had she actually been there? The thought made Elio Leandro feel terrible.

Fine! Luna Aster, you really are something! Just you wait!

Inside the luxury car parked outside the university, Luna Aster, having changed into her evening gown, stared at the high heels the female butler had brought her. Her expression darkened slightly.

The size of the heels was obviously wrong. They were a full two sizes smaller than what she normally wore! If she attended the banquet in these severely ill-fitting heels, she wouldn’t make it ten meters before tripping and making a fool of herself. Could an experienced butler who had worked for a wealthy family for more than twenty years really make such a basic mistake? Luna Aster pondered this for a while before Elio Leandro boarded the car, seemingly radiating an icy chill. She opened her mouth to tell him that the shoes didn’t fit, but the man turned his head toward the window, unwilling to even spare her another glance.

Staring at the back of Elio Leandro’s cold, expressionless head, Luna Aster shrugged and thought to herself:

*Well, no need to say anything. The young master is deliberately trying to make things difficult for me.*

Outside, a light spring drizzle fell, and the air was brimming with the freshness of spring. Tender buds had begun to sprout on the willow trees, occasionally brushing against the car windows. Luna Aster got out of the car and picked several half-bloomed apricot blossoms, then casually pulled off a few willow branches as well. When she climbed back into the car carrying them, she happened to meet the butler’s contemptuous gaze. Luna Aster’s eyes were even colder than the butler’s. After the two stared at each other for a moment, the butler eventually admitted defeat and guiltily looked away.

Outside the window, the fine drizzle continued to fall. Elio Leandro and Luna Aster sat side by side in the back seat, neither saying a word. Luna Aster lowered her head and fiddled with the apricot blossoms and willow branches in her hands. Like a magician performing a trick, she braided them into flower crowns of various sizes, delicate and beautiful.

When the car was about to arrive at the hotel, Luna Aster placed the finished flower crowns on her head and around her ankles. Beside her, Elio Leandro said coldly, “You have jewelry worth a fortune sitting there, yet you refuse to wear it and insist on making these cheap things. What? Has the Leandro family mistreated you?”

Luna Aster glanced at the painfully tight high heels and sneered inwardly.

*Whether you’ve mistreated me or not, don’t you know that better than anyone?*

*Since you refuse to give me any face, I can only improvise however I want…*