The man's cold gaze swept over her, the warning in his eyes unmistakable. Lin Zhao frowned subtly. He was actually defending that girl now, though he had been utterly unwilling to agree to this marriage in the beginning.
But from what Butler Xu had told her, she knew the two of them were now deeply in love, sweet as honey.
Perhaps in the future...
She lifted her coffee cup and let out a cold laugh. Who knew what might happen later?
"Sit down and eat, or it'll get cold."
An Ruo nodded slightly and pushed the man into the dining room to take his seat.
Throughout the entire breakfast, no one spoke. Lin Zhao ate with great elegance, and after she was about a third full, she said she had things to do and left the room early.
Without her there, An Ruo felt much more relaxed and even regained her appetite.
"Is Mom angry?"
Was it just because they were late?
"Don't worry about her." The man helped himself to food and placed it on her plate, then poured a glass of milk and said calmly, "Eat more, and drink some milk."
An Ruo obediently followed his lead, finishing the food on her plate before picking up the cup and gulping down the milk.
Suddenly, her stomach churned violently, and she felt like throwing up.
An Ruo hastily scanned her surroundings but found no trash can.
She quickly got up and ran into the first-floor restroom. Pushing open the door, she headed straight for the sink, pressing her hands against the marble countertop as she retched uncomfortably.
The man maneuvered his wheelchair over, watching the girl hunched over in discomfort, having thrown up nearly everything she'd just eaten.
A servant brought a glass of water. He tested the temperature—just right—then slid over beside the girl and handed it to her.
"Not feeling well?"
An Ruo's face was a bit pale. She weakly straightened up, rinsed her mouth with the water, and slowly turned her gaze to him.
She pressed her lips together. "I think I ate too fast, and my stomach's a little upset..."
"Let me have the doctor come check on you." Shen Xiaoxing was about to instruct a servant when the girl interrupted him.
An Ruo shook her head. "No need. I don't feel unwell anywhere else; I just ate too quickly."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
Shen Xiaoxing's eyes were dark and unreadable as he stared at her for a long moment. Seeing nothing wrong with the girl, the knot of worry in his chest slowly loosened.
...
Since they had to stay another day, An Ruo busied herself by tidying up the room, sorting the clothes the man hadn't taken with him into categories, and checking if he'd left behind any important items.
Like that crucial gold lock—if she hadn't happened to think of organizing the clothes, no one would have noticed it even after they left.
Shen Xiaoxing was on the phone out on the balcony, occasionally glancing at the busy figure in the room. He pulled his gaze back, resting one hand on the railing and tapping it rhythmically.
He spoke gravely into the phone: "We'll discuss this later."
After a few seconds of silence, he hung up and wheeled himself inside.
"These are all things we don't need."
The man's deep voice came through. An Ruo, who was folding clothes, paused at the sound, then smiled lightly and said cheerfully, "I'm just bored, you know. These clothes are still new—it'd be a shame to throw them away. I'll organize them so if we ever come back for something, you can still wear them."
She knew that as a wealthy young master, he never worried about food or clothing, but these were last season's designer pieces, worn only a few times before being tossed in the trash. It was such a waste. If they ever ran into a similar situation again, he'd have a few changes of clothes at least.
Shen Xiaoxing's deep gaze fixed on her. He curled his thin lips slightly, patted his leg, and said, "Come here."
An Ruo put the folded clothes into the cabinet beneath the wardrobe and walked over, puzzled. "What's wrong?"
As soon as she approached, the man grabbed her wrist with a bit of force, and she tumbled onto his lap. Surrounded by his pure masculine aura, her heart fluttered, and she looked up at him quietly.
"If one day Grandfather asks us to move back to Jingyuan, could you get used to living here?"
The "getting used to living" the man mentioned wasn't just about daily routines like eating and sleeping. It referred to this castle-like, opulent old mansion, where undercurrents ran deep and deceit was rampant.
"I..." An Ruo lowered her eyes slightly. "If it's Grandfather's wish, I suppose whether I want to or not, I can't defy his orders."
"I want to hear what you want."
An Ruo flatly refused: "I don't want to."
Not to mention the endless scheming and infighting, just having Shen Tingfeng hanging around in front of her every day was unbearable.
Since he brought it up, could it be that Old Master Shen really wanted them to move into the old mansion?
"Did Grandfather say something to you?" An Ruo asked belatedly, taking his big hand in hers and speaking softly. "If Grandfather really wants us to stay, I'm not unwilling... it's just that I'm used to the villa, and I'm afraid I won't adapt here."
The man ruffled her hair and gave a doting smile. "No. Grandfather hasn't asked us to move in. I just suddenly wanted to hear your opinion. But since Mrs. Shen doesn't want to stay, we'll keep living in the seaside villa."
"Grandfather really didn't say that?"
Shen Xiaoxing chuckled lightly, curling his finger to tap her nose. "No."
The girl let out a small sigh of relief. Seeing her look so relieved, the man flicked her forehead with his finger.
"You really don't want to live here that much?"
"...It's not that I don't want to, I'm just not used to it."
Shen Xiaoxing understood her reluctance. His magnetic voice carried a hint of teasing: "Leaving such a big mansion empty, Mrs. Shen really wants to live with me in that remote villa in the wilderness?"
An Ruo wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled softly. "I still think the villa is better. Hmm... even if we don't live in the villa, as long as I'm with you, I'd be willing to rent a place."
At this, Shen Xiaoxing's body trembled violently, his heart pounding uncontrollably.
A surge of joy exploded in his chest, and an overwhelming sense of happiness washed over him.
He cupped the girl's face, his long fingers gently brushing her pink lips. "You'd really be willing to suffer hardship with me?"
"I've already married you." An Ruo smiled lightly. "Haven't you heard the saying, 'Marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog'?"
The man let out a low laugh. "Are you insulting me?"
"What I mean is, since I married you, whether our future life is blessed or bitter, I'm willing to follow you for a lifetime."
"You're willing—is it because you married me and there's no turning back, or..."
An Ruo interrupted him: "Even if we weren't married, as long as you treated me with wholehearted devotion, I'd still be willing to suffer hardship with you." She added, "It's not because of anything else. It's just because I'm willing. I'm willing to be with you, as a person."
Shen Xiaoxing gripped her small hand tightly. For those words alone, forget about mere possessions—even if it cost him his life, he'd gladly give it!
He kissed the back of her hand, his deep voice low and husky: "I, Shen Xiaoxing, may not be a saint, but I know what it means to be devoted. If I don't truly love someone, I would never cross any boundaries with them. But if I do, even if I have to sell everything I own, beg on the streets, or perform to make a living, I won't let that person suffer the slightest grievance."
An Ruo stared at him, stunned.
"An Ruo, this is my promise to you. I won't let you regret marrying me."
The girl smiled and nodded lightly.
"Whatever you want, I'll do my best to give it to you."
An Ruo's nose suddenly stung. Besides Grandma and Xiao Che, this was the only man in her life who had ever been so good to her.