Just as Huo Jinyan walked out of the bar, supporting the battered Sheng Nanzhou, the two of them caught sight of Zhou Wang looking like a meek little man, and their jaws nearly dropped!
The once arrogant and domineering tyrant of the Zhou family actually had a tender side.
"Yes, ma'am, my dear wife!"
Even after she hung up, the smile at the corners of Zhou Wang's mouth lingered, as if he was savoring the way she had just spoken sweet nothings, like a boy experiencing his first crush, grinning lightly.
Lost in the moment, he let go of the hand holding Zhou Mingyue. The girl lost her balance and fell heavily to the ground.
Zhou Mingyue winced in pain, her elbow scraping against the asphalt, stinging fiercely. She sobered up quite a bit, tears glistening in her eyes.
The moment she fell, Zhou Wang was genuinely startled. He bent down to help her up, but Zhou Mingyue's temper flared, and she pointed at him, cursing.
"Zhou Wang, you bastard, did you do that on purpose!?"
He had accidentally dropped her, and knowing he was in the wrong, he rarely let it slide. Standing tall, he looked down and extended his hand. "Get up."
"I don't need your help!" Zhou Mingyue struggled to her feet, tears welling up in her eyes. She gritted her teeth and spat at him, "You've never cared about me since we were kids, so stop pretending!"
Zhou Wang's thick brows furrowed. "Say that again?"
"Hah, am I wrong? You've always treated me coldly. I know you resent me, wish I were dead, thinking that if Mom hadn't given birth to me back then, she wouldn't have gotten sick and wouldn't have jumped off the building!"
Today was her birthday. In previous years, Zhou Haikong would celebrate it with her. But he was tied up and couldn't make it back. She didn't want to stay in the lifeless Zhou mansion, so she went out to vent her feelings, only to run into Zhou Wang returning home. They exchanged a few sharp words, but Zhou Mingyue still felt uneasy.
It was her birthday, after all. Why did he have to bully her so violently?
Their mother's death had always been a thorn in both their hearts, impossible to remove.
Zhou Wang already held a grudge against Zhou Mingyue, and hearing her bring up their mother sent rage straight to his head. He hurled the handbag he was holding at her.
"If you want to die, do it somewhere far away. Don't dirty my sight!"
With that harsh remark, he got into his car.
Zhou Mingyue stood frozen in the cold wind, her gaze vacant.
As Zhou Wang passed by Shen Xiaoxing, he pulled a wedding invitation from the car and tossed it to him.
"May twentieth. Come or not, it's up to you." After saying this, his eyes briefly swept over the unconscious girl in his arms.
Shen Xiaoxing held An Ruo with one arm and opened the invitation with the other. The bold letters read: Groom: Zhou Wang. Bride: Jiang Li.
This guy was getting married?
So the rumors weren't false—he really had come back to win that woman over.
Shen Xiaoxing's eyes deepened. He had overheard the siblings' conversation clearly, but since it was a family matter, he didn't feel it was his place to interfere, nor did he have a reason to.
He tucked the girl into the car and then turned to instruct Han Chong to take Zhou Mingyue back to the Zhou residence.
...
At this hour, the servants in the villa were still awake.
As the car pulled into the parking lot, Shen Xiaoxing opened the door and carefully lifted the girl into his arms. He took her through the backyard, following the secret passage to the bedroom.
Tears clung to the corners of the girl's eyes, her makeup completely smeared, making her look like a dark witch emerging from a black forest. Shen Xiaoxing brought warm water to wipe her face and noticed the heavy smell of alcohol on her. The thought of her dancing closely with several men—even if the dancing was... indescribable—still made him uncomfortable, knowing she had been so close to other men.
He had the servants bring over some prepared hangover soup and carefully fed it to her.
An Ruo squinted her dazed eyes, letting the man strip off her clothes piece by piece as he carried her into the bathtub.
Her ink-black hair spread out, and the man ran his long fingers through it, lathering it with shampoo, gently and carefully washing her body.
The girl's cheeks were flushed, like a ripe peach begging to be bitten. The dazzling crystal light made it hard for An Ruo to keep her eyes open.
The hangover soup was starting to take effect. Her mind cleared, and her thoughts gradually came together. The man wrapped one arm around her waist while the other moved over her body with an intimate touch.
She was too lazy to move, letting him wash her clean and dress her in comfortable pajamas.
Shen Xiaoxing set down the hairdryer, watching her curl up in his arms like a docile kitten. His dark eyes gleamed, the corners of his narrow eyes lifting with a hint of cunning.
"Awake?"
An Ruo ignored him, remembering the things she had done while drunk. Facing him now was too awkward.
But her little act didn't fool him.
A sly smile curled at his lips. "Mrs. Shen, sobered up, have you?"
"..."
"If you're sober, how about we have a proper talk?"
An Ruo kept her eyes half-closed, pretending to sleep.
Shen Xiaoxing was sure she didn't dare face him, so he let her off for now. As he carried her to the big bed, she felt herself being set down and breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
But then, the man's tall frame suddenly pressed down on her. Before she could open her eyes, his thin lips captured hers, biting down lightly in a punishing kiss.
An Ruo squirmed uncomfortably under his teasing, pushing against his chest with both hands. But the strength difference between them was too great; she pushed with all her might, yet he didn't budge.
This man was so wicked—he had built a secret underground base filled with fitness equipment. No wonder he had such an iron-hard body!
It wasn't until her face was flushed red that the man finally pulled back, still savoring the moment.
He breathed heavily. "Naughty child, is that any place for you to go?"
An Ruo was annoyed with him. They had been in a cold war for days without a word. Knowing she was angry, he had only focused on work and hadn't bothered to come and comfort her.
Her tone was unfriendly. "I'm not a child. Don't use those tricks meant for kids on me."
"So stubborn, and you say you're not a child."
An Ruo stared at him quietly.
Did he really see her as just a young girl, a naive teenager who could be soothed with a slap and a candy?
That's why he kept everything from her, not letting her be involved in anything.
"Don't go to places like that anymore. If you, a young girl, run into trouble, no one will step in to help."
"None of your business." Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was his coddling, but she childishly talked back.
Shen Xiaoxing felt he had wronged her these past few days, so seeing her let loose this once, he held back his anger and didn't lash out.
First, she refused to acknowledge him as her husband, and now she was talking back.
He pinched her chin with his long fingers, his handsome face closing in. "Say that again."
An Ruo was determined to defy him. She reached up to pull his hand away, but he tightened his grip, holding her jaw and kissing her again.
She was disobedient—couldn't be hit, scolded, or even argued with.
The truth was, he was soft-hearted. He knew her past had been too hard, and since she had been with him, especially after they had opened up to each other, he didn't want her to suffer even a little.
Aside from this punishment, he couldn't think of another way to handle her.
An Ruo tried to push him away but couldn't. Her struggling hands gradually lost their strength, and she slowly melted into his arms, letting him gently punish her.
"Still going to say things that hurt me?"
Shen Xiaoxing's brows softened as he gently stroked her face, his voice deep and low. "Don't treat me like this. I've already been punished enough by you these past few days. What do I need to do to earn your forgiveness? Kneel on a washboard?"