MTL - Mixed In the United States As a Local Tyrant - Chapter 428 life hanging by a thread

“Look at me,” he said, voice barely above a whisper, like he wasn't just asking her to see him—but to choose him.She did.And oh God.The moment her eyes met his, it was like the floor tilted. His gaze wasn't cold anymore. It wasn't guarded or teasing. It was raw. Fierce. Wrecking. Like he saw through every layer she'd tried to hide.She swallowed hard. Her legs trembled.Her heart betrayed her, pounding so hard against her ribs it seemed like it wanted to break free.Why did his eyes soften like that, as if she was delicate glass, and he'd do anything to keep her from shattering?She swore she was going to melt right there.And he didn't even kiss her.Didn't have to.That one look—his fingers brushing against her skin like he owned the right, it was more than any kiss she'd ever had. More dangerous. More intoxicating.Her lips parted, maybe to speak, maybe to breathe, but nothing came out. Nothing could.The tension between them tightened—thick, electric, blinding.If he moved even an inch, it would be over.But he didn't.And that restraint? That maddening, infuriating, goddamn beautiful control made her want him even more.“Let me handle this,” he whispered. “You don't have to trust Conor. Just trust me.”Her eyes dropped to his lips. They were so close now she could feel the whisper of his breath. Her heart pounded harder, like it wanted to escape.“Please stop doing that,” she murmured. For a fleeting second, nothing moved, then he dropped his hand.His brows drew together. “Doing what?”“Touching me,” she whispered. “Especially when you're trying to make a point. You did it in the restroom too.”“Why do you think I'm doing that?” he asked, voice husky now, softer.Synopsis:At an elite college, falling for the rich, cold son of a bi-llionaire wasn’t part of the plan, especially when his brother is tied to her mother’s mysterious death.But from the moment Merlina steps onto campus, the chemistry is undeniable. He’s detached, arrogant, and everything she should stay away from. Yet no matter how hard she tries, she can’t ignore the pull.She’s here for a degree, but her real mission is uncovering the secrets of her mother’s past at this very school. As sparks fly between her and the guy she should keep her distance from, she’s torn between two things: exposing the truth and protecting her heart from falling for him.The deeper she digs, the more dangerous things get. Anonymous threats, dark secrets, and a guy who’s starting to think her obsession with the past could ruin everything. When the truth finally breaks free, it threatens everything she’s worked for—the truth, her heart, and the fragile bond she shares with him.With everything at risk, she must choose: expose the truth, or hold on to the one person who makes her feel truly alive.

During the thirteen years of being friends with Nan Qiao, Yun Zhi confessed his love many times.
But every time, Nan Qiao would reject him with the words “We are friends”.
He said he was a friend, but he could express his possessiveness to her and help her drive away the peach blossoms around her.
They say they are friends, but they can be ambiguous with her, ask for something special, and exercise the rights of a lover.
When she bumped into her new relationship, Nan Qiao smiled and blessed her, hoping that she would find someone she likes soon.
On this day, Yun Zhi suddenly woke up.
She decided to give up Nan Qiao and start her own life.
–
On Qixi Festival, Nan Qiao asked Yun Zhi who hadn’t contacted her for a long time to come out for dinner.
She thought it was time for her to calm down after being angry for half a month, but she didn’t expect that at the dinner table, she brought another woman, Yu Mingxia.
The two behaved intimately, and Yu Mingxia looked at Yunzhi with even more ambiguous and lingering eyes.
For the first time, Nan Qiao felt panic like never before.
She thought that Yun Zhi was trying to anger her on purpose, and wanted to keep Yun Zhi away from Yu Mingxia as before, but she didn’t expect that it was Yu Mingxia’s voice that came through the phone.
Her voice was cold but clear——
“Zhizhi fell asleep.”
“In the future, you can contact me directly if you have anything to do. As a girlfriend, I will love you.”
But a few seconds later, she heard her laughing voice:
“But I advise you to be a good person and don’t think about meddling in other people’s feelings.”
It was then that Nan Qiao understood.
She seems to have lost Yun Zhi.
–
Nan Qiao always felt that the name Yu Mingxia was very familiar.
Later, she turned to the collection of outstanding students of her alma mater in high school, and she remembered it only when she saw the name of the 2012 science champion on it.
In her third year of high school, she threw a love letter to Yunzhi from someone else.
The signer was none other than Yu Mingxia.
[A multiple-choice question:
The person you have loved for many years, and the person who has loved you for many years, who would you choose? 】
*The title of the article is taken from Hebe Tien’s song “Friends Who Have Loved For a Long Time”
Read the guide:
① Same-sex marriageable, Yuncheng series, timeline 2024.
②Wife chasing crematorium [Cp change midway] / Secret love comes true. The official assistant Yunzhi Yu Mingxia.
③If you find that any character design or plot does not meet expectations, please stop the loss in time and respect each other. Happy reading~

Content tags: city love special liking love contract match made in heaven
Search keywords: Protagonist: Yun Zhi, Yu Mingxia ┃ Supporting role: There is an end to the column~ ┃ Others:

- Description from novelbuddy

Qin Pan, originally A country famous goddess of war, a genius military doctor! But she was betrayed by her comrades, resulting in defeat! With her hands wounded, she was demoted as a civilian. In order to cure her mother’s illness, she had to put down her identity to beg for help. Relatives: “Get out! You want to borrow money, you deserve it?” Scum: “I Engaged with you just because of your status. But now you are a waste. We quit marriage!” Only that handsome man, holding her hand, “Don’t be afraid, I will let you stand on the top again.” Qin Pan looked at him, “Who are you?” “Your believer.” Later, and Qin Pan acquired the miracle doctor system, which not only cured herself and her mother but also made her abilities even more terrifying. Relatives begged, while Qin sneered, “Get away! Do you deserve it?” The scum repent, Qin kicked him away, “Don’t let me see you again! As for the man at home... After Qin Pan slept her, leaving a note.” Wait for me three years, I will come back to marry you.” Qin Pan returned to the army to beat all the people who framed her hard blow, but to her surprise, she met the man who was supposed to be waiting for her at home in the army. Xi Ce smile, “What a coincidence.” Qin Pan: “...” The day Qin Pan was reinstated, the soldiers were shocked to see – their cold Major General Xi Ce, half kneeling in front of Qin Pan, kissing the back of her hand, said “My god, can now love your believer?” “Unfortunately, I am not your god, I am an evil spirit of hell, and come back only for revenge.” Never mind. “Seize kissed her red lip.” If you want to love, I will love the world with you. If you want to hate, I will help you destroy the world.”

Philip never expected his new life to be so… complicated. When a tragic accident in the modern metropolis of Bortinto abruptly ends his struggle for survival, he wakes up as the scandal-ridden heir of a ducal house in a world where magic and science coexist. Any fantasies of an easy, heroic life vanish the moment he realizes that the estate that he is tasked with managing is drowning in debt, and his reputation has been shredded by rumors involving his predecessor’s broken engagement to the socialite Lady Rosetta—the granddaughter of a prince.Even as he scrambles to rebuild his estate’s fortunes—grappling with contaminated land, mounting debts, and shrewed industrialists—he unearths troubling secrets about the original Philip’s heartbreak and suicide. A dark, hidden force seems intent on wiping him out for an unknown reason. As conspiracies emerge linking Lady Rosetta’s departure to these shadowy machinations, Philip struggles to separate ally from adversary, not knowing why this power in high places is so bent on destroying him.Meanwhile, the realm teeters on the brink of monumental change. Technological and social revolutions collide with century-old magical traditions, and war drums thunder on the distant borders. Armed with his modern knowledge of finance—now fused with the kingdom’s burgeoning industrial innovations—Philip attempts to ride the trends and transform his estate into a beacon of prosperity and secure his heirship to the ducal title. Yet each small triumph only attracts more enemies.Tasked by the System with cultivating a supernatural entity while uncovering the real reason behind Lady Rosetta’s canceled engagement and the original Philip’s tragic end, he must also shield those he grows to care about from the looming threats. Will he harness the synergy of magic, technology, and commerce to steer his estate toward greatness, or will malevolent forces quash his second chance at life? Will his second chance at life end the same tragic way as his first?