She didn't believe him. She shook off his hand and threw herself into another man's arms, yet he still had to worry about her safety and send people to protect her. And what was the result? She came home so late without a single word of concern for him!
Shen Xiaoxing's body radiated immense coldness. His fists were clenched tightly, and somewhere in his chest felt as if something had been cut open. He hated this feeling.
"Young Master..."
A servant entered trembling, afraid of provoking the man.
Shen Xiaoxing lifted his sharp eyes and saw the girl following behind. He was slightly stunned—hadn't she left?
An Ruo had the servant clean up the broken porcelain shards on the floor while she picked up the tray from the table and walked over. "Have something to eat."
Just as the man was about to refuse, she pressed her lips together and said, "I'll feed you."
"..."
This was the first time he had received such treatment since his eyes recovered.
An Ruo was a deeply conservative woman at heart. Normally, she appeared aloof and indifferent, as if nothing mattered to her, but in front of the person she liked, she would unconsciously show shyness, blushing, and a gentle, feminine side.
Shen Xiaoxing was very susceptible to this. Even though he was fuming inside, seeing her instantly extinguished half of his anger. Now, with her feeding him so tenderly, where was there any room for rage?
He suddenly felt pathetic—when had he become so easily led around by someone?
As she got closer, An Ruo could smell the strong scent of alcohol on him...
This man didn't eat much. An Ruo had forgotten that she had been feeding him snacks on and off all afternoon, and now she was feeding him so much food that the plate was soon empty.
"Are you full?"
Shen Xiaoxing had only been staring at her face. Only after finishing did he realize his stomach was very full, and sitting in the wheelchair made it hard to digest.
He responded faintly, "Mm."
After feeding him dinner, An Ruo hesitated before explaining the incident at the Odin Hotel.
"Are you in a better mood now?"
The man's dark, deep eyes fixed on her intently.
An Ruo slowly exhaled. "About the Odin Hotel, I want to explain. I know you're very angry..."
Before she could finish, the hand hanging by his side suddenly tightened.
An Ruo glanced at his clenched fist, stood up, picked up her bag, and pulled out the boning knife that had stabbed Shen Tingfeng.
"I went there planning to die together with him."
Shen Xiaoxing snapped back to attention, his brow furrowing slightly. His dark eyes looked at her deeply, unable to believe she had made such a plan.
No wonder Han Chong had come back to tell him that when their group broke in, they saw the girl holding a knife to Shen Tingfeng's neck.
It was clear that if they had arrived even a step later, no one knew what tragedy might have occurred.
Even now, thinking about it sent a chill down his spine.
"Don't... be so impulsive in the future," the man said in a low, dark voice.
"This isn't impulsiveness." An Ruo shook her head lightly and put the knife away. "I was also planning to spend the rest of my life with you."
A ripple passed through Shen Xiaoxing's heart, slowly spreading outward. A burst of joy exploded in his chest, making his heart race wildly.
"Xiao Che is my only family in this world. I couldn't just watch something happen to him, but I couldn't betray you either..." She bit her lip. "So, I had no choice but to take this desperate measure."
"Did you ever think about relying on me?"
An Ruo looked up at him.
The man's eyes were deep. "I said at the time that I could save him, but you didn't believe me."
If she had hesitated even a little back then, he would have taken Shen Tingfeng's life, even defying the Shen family's authority, let alone saving An Che.
But she didn't. She chose to face the danger alone.
"I..." An Ruo didn't know how to explain it to him. After a few seconds of silence, she said three words: "I'm sorry."
A child who had never been protected from a young age wouldn't think to ask for help when encountering any problem. Because she had learned to be strong and take responsibility, she didn't want to trouble others.
He was walking on thin ice in the Shen family. Every time they met, Shen Tingfeng mocked him so arrogantly, and he could only endure silently. Who would have thought he could fight back?
So, An Ruo didn't discuss it with him at first because she didn't want to drag him down. Besides, Shen Tingfeng's actions were meant to embarrass him and humiliate him.
There were too many secrets between them, and both had personalities that disliked revealing their feelings. They preferred to bottle things up and not communicate. Even after confessing their feelings, a wall still stood between them.
...
Shen Xiaoxing's dark eyes were deep as he stared at her for a long time. Suddenly, he reached out, pulled her close, and wrapped an arm around her slender waist.
An Ruo's expression froze. Being stared at by his deep, spring-like black eyes, her heart raced wildly, and her breathing became rapid...
The man had been holding this frustration inside with nowhere to vent. Suddenly, he grabbed the back of her head and pressed his cold lips heavily against hers.
The girl's eyes widened slightly. Her small hands clutched the fabric of his chest, her heartbeat uncontrollably accelerating.
Heavy breathing brushed against her ear, reddening her fair cheeks.
This kiss carried the scent of alcohol. Gradually, the girl in his arms softened, leaning against his chest, panting softly...
An Ruo lowered her eyes, her voice as gentle as a kitten's. "I... nothing happened between Shen Tingfeng and me."
The man's voice was low and hoarse. "I know."
If something had really happened between them, Shen Tingfeng would have ended up with more than just a broken leg!
The two stared at each other for a long time. Shen Xiaoxing maneuvered his wheelchair out of the study, with the girl sitting on his lap, her arms lightly wrapped around his neck.
Back in the bedroom, An Ruo fell onto the bed. The man braced himself with his strong arms, easily climbed onto the bed, and his powerful, towering body pressed down, blocking the light above her head...
Ever since the first time he tasted her sweetness, Shen Xiaoxing had found it torturous to hold the girl every night. This time, with perfect timing and circumstances, he couldn't wait to seal those tempting, sinful pink lips.
In the midst of passion, An Ruo managed to regain a shred of reason. She raised her hand to press against his chest, her thick lashes curling upward, her cheeks as red as a peach. Every smile and frown was endearing.
"I..." An Ruo had a deep psychological shadow from giving her first time to a stranger. Her fingers nervously picked at the man's chest. "I... I had a boyfriend before, and I..."
The man's eyes darkened. He understood what she was trying to say. His large hand gently stroked the top of her head. "I don't care about that."
She had been unconscious and unaware—didn't he already know that?
Her innocent first time had been given to him...
But the girl didn't know who it was. Under these circumstances, he could only continue to be a beast and keep it a secret.
An Ruo hadn't expected him to be so open-minded. The gloom in her heart dissipated instantly. Although she was conservative at heart, she wasn't one to dwell on that incident. If no one brought it up, she would pretend it never happened. But... facing this man, she didn't want to deceive him.
"I couldn't be part of your past, but every plan in your future must include me." Shen Xiaoxing's long fingers gently brushed her blushing cheeks, his dark eyes gazing deeply at her as he said word by word, "I don't expect you to accept me immediately. Just stay by my side peacefully. Over time, you'll see my sincerity."
This girl was slow and clumsy when it came to feelings. If he came on too strong all at once, she probably wouldn't be able to handle it.
Winning a woman's heart wasn't something that could be done overnight. He would slowly take over her heart and become an inseparable part of her.