Frightened by Lu Yanchen's words, I finally took a closer look at the man.
He wore a dark gray, mid-collar cashmere sweater; even at this close distance, the light gray threads were clearly visible.
It imbued his otherwise aloof demeanor with a gentle hue.
Years ago, I knew Lu Yanchen's features were the most exquisite I'd ever seen. It wasn't just his good looks; his features were incredibly three-dimensional and deep.
I've never met his biological mother, but I've heard vaguely that he's of mixed-race descent.
He retained a remarkably Chinese appearance, albeit with overly pale skin, deep features, and eyes darker than those of a typical Chinese person.
When those eyes gazed at you coldly, they were intimidating without even being angry.
But when they gazed at you affectionately, you felt like the protagonist in a dating game, stepping out of a phone.
And yet, his voice was so captivating, irresistible.
I was terrified, stammering, unsure how to respond. "You, when did you..." Lu Yanchen's fingers gently stroked my face. "Wanwan, I originally wanted to wait until you were older, until you accepted me, before we could talk about this. These past two days you were gone, I couldn't sleep. You were in my mind when I was awake, and you were in my thoughts when I was asleep."
Such a direct and passionate declaration of love completely overwhelmed me. I was completely stunned, and even my breathing quickened.
He rested his chin on the crook of my neck, and his breath made my body tremble slightly.
"Wanwan, I can't stand it anymore. I want you to be my wife, Lu Yanchen, completely and completely. Okay?"
I looked at the man so close. He was clearly so proud, but in his eyes there was a humility that bordered on desire.
It was this humility that made it impossible for me to refuse.
"Can you... give me some time to think about it? I'm sorry, I can't promise you right now."
It all happened so quickly.
I knew my motives for marrying him were impure. Lu Yanchen had indeed helped me a lot along the way. It's normal for him to have needs at his age, so I understand why he asked.
After all, nothing comes for free. If I were to trade this, I wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
But I'm not sure what kind of affection he has, because no matter what kind of feeling it is, I can't reciprocate.
In my previous life, I suffered a cruel and dismembered death for a man.
I dare not trade my heart for a future I can't control.
When a woman falls in love with the wrong person, the consequences are dire. I proved this with my own death.
And my killer is still at large. I wonder what conspiracy he might have. I don't want to dwell on emotional matters at all.
But it's also true that Lu Yanchen treats me well, and I'll need his help in the future.
I bit my lip and made a difficult decision. "If you really want, I can... help you."
Perhaps he saw my dilemma, sighed softly, and pressed my head against his chest. "Well, let's wait a little longer. I won't force you. Wanwan, would you be disgusted if I kissed you?"
I thought about it carefully and answered honestly, "No."
"That's good. Let's take it one step at a time, okay?"
I nodded obediently, understanding his concession. "Okay."
He rubbed my head. "The clothes are packed. My mother-in-law said you made me some soup?"
"Well, I don't know if you like it."
"I like everything you cook. I'm hungry..."
"Then I'll go to the kitchen and get busy."
The pressure on me suddenly lifted, and I ran out happily.
Lu Yanchen didn't force me. He was different from other men, and I should do something for him.
Jiang Qing and my mother weren't in the living room, so it wasn't convenient for me to intervene.
After I finished cooking, I went upstairs to call them.
My mother's face was still grim, and there was a diamond necklace around her neck.
It was obvious that the man had forced her to wear it again. But Mom was different. She looked at me and said, "Wanwan, help me take off the necklace."
Jiang Qing glared at her. She didn't want to play obedience games with him anymore.
I chuckled, "Okay."
The meal went smoothly. Lu Yanchen was very considerate and ate a bit more than usual.
After dinner, Jiang Qing glanced at him, "Why aren't you going back to the Lu family?"
Lu Yanchen closed the magazine in his hand. "Wherever my wife is, I'm there. Where she is is my home. But Uncle Jiang, what about you? Where is your home?"
I wanted to applaud Lu Yanchen. He didn't use a single curse word, but every word stabbed Jiang Qing in the heart!
I smiled at Jiang Qing, too. "Yes, isn't your home with Lianhua and her daughter? Why don't you leave?"
Jiang Qing snorted, "This is my home! I'm not going anywhere."
With that, he went upstairs with a stern face. I wanted to follow him, looking worried, but Lu Yanchen grabbed my hand. "Why would you, a child, get involved in what's going on between a married couple? No matter how incompetent your father is, he wouldn't do anything to a pregnant woman."
"Oh." I scratched my head.
"Let's go back to my room. I'm a little sleepy. I haven't slept well these past few days since you were gone."
My face flushed again.
This bedroom isn't as big as the one at Lu's. Before I could say anything, hugging the quilt, Lu Yanchen interrupted lazily, "If you mean you can sleep on the floor, I refuse, Wanwan. I told you we're husband and wife."
I quickly put on a guilty smile. "No, no, I'm just afraid you'll grab your quilt at night, so we'll have separate quilts but not separate beds."
My lie was full of holes, but he didn't expose it.
He pulled me into his arms. "Wanwan, I told you I'd give you time to get used to me, so let's take the first step."
"The first step?"
His thin lips uttered coldly, "Kiss me."
These few encounters were initiated by him, trying to break down the defenses in my heart.
I had no room for refusal. Looking at the divine face so close, I didn't dislike kissing him; it wasn't something unbearable. It was just that I had to initiate it, and I felt a little...
"Wanwan, look into my eyes."
I stared into his dark pupils, which seemed to hold a kind of magic, drawing me closer and closer.
My lips edged closer and closer to his.
A rapid ring suddenly rang out; it was his phone.
A flicker of impatience crossed his brows, and he soothed me, "Wait a moment."
He spoke as if I were anxious.
The moment the call connected, the other party's voice was clear and audible.
I didn't mean to eavesdrop; the room was too quiet, and we were so close.
"Boss, something's happened to the Su family."
My breath caught, and I glanced at Lu Yanchen's phone.
"The Su family was in a car accident. Su Nanfeng is dead..."
Boom!
It was like a bolt of lightning striking me directly in the face.
Su Nanfeng, he was my elder brother in my previous life.