He Su urged her again, "Hurry up and eat breakfast."
Shen Xingrou shot him a glare. "How ridiculous. Who do you think you are to boss me around like that?"
He... really didn't have that right.
Remembering how he'd treated her yesterday, his stern expression softened slightly. "I was wrong about yesterday. I'll get you a new phone later. After you eat, remember to take your medicine."
With that, he got up to boil water and prepare her cold medicine granules.
Watching him act so docile, Shen Xingrou looked puzzled. Had he taken something this morning? Facing her scolding, he hadn't talked back at all. Instead, he was gently making her medicine and bringing her breakfast. Tsk, if she didn't know better, she'd think he was a different person.
He Su turned around and caught her staring blankly at him. "What are you looking at? Eat your food."
Having been on the receiving end of his bad temper and harsh words so many times, Shen Xingrou instinctively obeyed and started eating the breakfast he'd brought.
A steaming cup of cold medicine was pushed across the table toward her. Without looking up, she heard the man say in a tone that brooked no argument, "Drink it all, then lie down and sleep. Sweat it out, and you'll be fine."
"Got it." Shen Xingrou took a few sips of the porridge ungraciously, then glanced at him. "Nothing else for you here. You can leave."
He Su almost laughed at her audacity. This girl turned on him so quickly, treating him like a free servant?
"What are you standing there for? Waiting for a tip?"
"..."
He Su nodded with a wry smile, gave her a few brief instructions, and left.
An Ruo, who had been eavesdropping by the door, quickly pushed the man she was with to the side as she saw him approaching.
He Su only realized when he reached the door that he'd come in so hastily he hadn't locked it. As he pulled it open, he happened to catch An Ruo pushing Shen Xiaoxing, and awkwardly met his gaze.
An Ruo cleared her throat twice and smiled. "Dr. He, how's Xingrou doing?"
"Nothing serious, just a mild cold. She's already taking her medicine obediently." He Su shifted his body awkwardly to let them pass. "I have things to do, so I'll be off."
Watching his retreating, almost fleeing figure, An Ruo murmured to herself, "He seems off somehow."
Shen Xiaoxing's eyes flickered slightly. "Does he?"
"Don't you think he's overly attentive to Xingrou's matters? Yet they argue every time they meet. I can't quite put my finger on what's strange."
"Maybe they've both met their match." The man chuckled softly, taking her hand and rubbing it between his large palms. "Just like us."
An Ruo froze, not catching his meaning. "What?"
"I'm saying they've found love, they just don't realize it yet."
...
The reason Xuan City's resort was so famous was that it had everything for eating, drinking, and having fun. Over the course of a week, they tried out every kind of entertainment.
On the last day, Shen Xiaoxing asked An Ruo if there was any place she really wanted to go. The girl thought hard for a long time, then shook her head.
She rarely said sweet things, but she nestled into his arms and murmured, "As long as I'm with you, anywhere feels wonderful."
Shen Xiaoxing was pleased and kissed her forehead, a smile lingering on his lips. "How about we head back to Shen City early?"
"Sure, that works. I can tidy up the villa when we get back. It's time to prepare for the New Year."
"I married you to handle household matters, but not to do the servants' work." He grinned mischievously and tapped her delicate little nose, then whispered teasingly in her ear, "Your job is to serve your husband in bed."
"..."
An Ruo was speechless. "I'm being serious."
"So am I."
She looked at the man who was cold and aloof in public, but in private—especially at night when they were alone—turned into a hungry wolf, taking from her relentlessly.
Was this... even the same person?
"Then let's go back to Shen City."
The man wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "Are you ready?"
"Hmm?"
"Once we're back, the old man will want us to go to the family estate for New Year's Eve dinner."
"I married you, so of course I need to integrate into your family. On holidays, we should go home for a reunion dinner."
Shen Xiaoxing looked down at her, his deep dark eyes fixed on her. After a few seconds of silence, he said, "That's not how it should be. The purpose of marriage isn't to make you abandon your old habits and fit into my family. Marriage should be two people stepping back from their original families to build a new one together."
As his woman, she didn't need to humble herself to please him.
He knew the girl's childhood was an invisible scar to others. He just wanted her to stay safely by his side, do whatever she wanted, and live a carefree life.
If she wanted to see the world from a giant's shoulders, he would be that giant.
An Ruo never imagined that a man once so harsh and contemptible would one day hold her and whisper endless sweet nothings.
Leaving aside his moral compass, just hearing this made An Ruo more certain she hadn't married the wrong person. Her decision back then had been right!
"I'm so grateful fate brought you to me." An Ruo wrapped her arms around his neck, her voice choked with emotion because of his words.
"I'm the one who should be grateful."
He was the one who should thank fate for bringing her to him.
For letting him, trapped in darkness, see this shattered glimmer of hope. He reached out to touch it, only to find the light firmly enveloping him.
So yes, he was very grateful.
...
Since they had to go to the family estate for New Year's Eve dinner, the group briefly said goodbye to Sheng Nanzhou and Huo Jinyan. He Su didn't want to go back yet and didn't show up before they left.
Shen Xingrou also didn't want to return to the estate. When she heard they were leaving, she bought a plane ticket overnight to go to a neighboring city, but Shen Xiaoxing caught her red-handed.
The group made their way back to Shen City in a bustling procession. The night before, An Ruo had made dumplings. Since they were going to the estate for dinner, An Che would be alone at the villa for the New Year.
She prepared extra dumplings and told him to make sure he had a proper New Year's feel even if he was by himself.
Shen Xiaoxing wheeled over to help her make dumplings. "If you can't bear to leave him, you can bring him along."
An Ruo was touched by his words, but after thinking it over, she shook her head. "New Year's Eve dinner is a family reunion. Xiao Che... he's an outsider."
"We're a family."
An Ruo's heart warmed. She turned to look at him. This man never stopped moving her, knowing what was on her mind and coming to discuss bringing An Che to the Shen family estate.
Just him saying that was enough to move her. She understood in her heart that An Che, as an outsider, would inevitably face gossip if he went.
She knew what mattered most.
Having her feelings respected and understood was already more than enough.
An Che was her brother, the only family she had left in this world. He respected that, so he treated An Che with extra care.
Everything he'd done for An Che and for her during this time was etched in her memory. She silently vowed that no matter what happened in the future, she would hold this man's hand unwaveringly.
Lost in thought, she glanced over and was surprised to see how skillfully he made dumplings—nothing like a pampered rich boy who'd never lifted a finger!
"You know how to make dumplings?"
"I learned before."
An Ruo suddenly grew curious. "Why would you personally learn to make dumplings? If you wanted to eat them, shouldn't the servants have prepared them?"