An Ruo pushed open the door and saw the man still sitting in his wheelchair, facing the dark night outside the window. She had no idea how long he had been sitting there.
"Master Shen, I'm sorry. I couldn't make it back in time today because of something. From now on, I'll try to come back earlier to keep you company."
The man's thin lips curled slightly. Who asked her to keep him company?
Recalling what she had been through today, he deliberately lowered his voice and asked, "You didn't go back to the An family with me today. Your parents must be pretty angry, right?"
Angry wasn't quite the word—they just didn't want to see her set foot in the An family again.
"No. I explained your situation to them, and they understood."
Hah, her skill at spinning lies was truly impressive.
Beaten black and blue like that, and she still managed to cover it up.
"Have you eaten?"
An Ruo hadn't expected him to suddenly care about her. "I just had a bowl of noodle soup downstairs."
"Mm."
Oh my god, he actually responded to her!
Even if it was just an "mm," it was still less cold than before.
"Um..." An Ruo walked over softly. "Do you want me to help you wash up?"
Shen Xiaoxing was silent for a few seconds, then his voice suddenly turned icy. "You don't have to go out of your way to please me like this. Whatever scheme you had in mind when you married me, don't delude yourself into thinking you'll get anything out of it here."
This...
His mood changed so fast.
Completely baffled, she had no idea what he was talking about.
"I never thought about getting anything out of it." She had only agreed to marry him back then for that fifty-thousand dowry.
Without some kind of bait, who would willingly marry a man who was physically disabled and had a terrible temper?
"Aren't you just buttering me up so you can bear a Shen family heir and go claim credit from Grandfather?"
How ridiculous. What was so great about him that she'd throw herself at him to have his child?
Where did he get that confidence? Did he really think he was something special?
An Ruo almost laughed in anger. "Master Shen, I think you're mistaken. I've never once thought about bearing a child for the Shen family."
What an arrogant man!
"I admit, I did get some benefits from marrying you, but those were things I deserved. After I moved in, I fulfilled my duty to take care of you, but you never appreciated it."
An Ruo let out a heavy breath and said solemnly, "Master Shen, for the sake of peaceful coexistence over the next three years, I think we'd better get some things straight."
"Get what straight?" Shen Xiaoxing deliberately provoked her anger to keep the onlookers off guard, his tone infuriatingly smug. "Like how you're going to seduce me in bed, get pregnant with my child, and secure your place in the Shen family?"
Ahhhhh!
This man was insufferable—blindly arrogant, worse than any conceited fool!
"It seems we really can't communicate."
The man struck first. "Get out!"
He was the one getting angry?
An Ruo had had enough of his unpredictable temper. She stopped arguing, walked straight to the door, and before closing it, couldn't help but say, "Master Shen, rest early."
The door clicked shut, and the room fell into a deathly silence.
He recalled He Su's words.
"Since you know she's a substitute bride, why not just expose the An family outright? That would save you trouble later."
The old man just wanted to foist a woman on him to take care of him, to make up for his guilt. But to Shen Xiaoxing, marrying anyone was the same.
Rather than live with some arrogant, domineering woman, it was better to accept this current fake "An Qing," who was obedient and well-behaved.
-
Butler Chen went downstairs and saw An Ruo talking to a servant about getting a key to a guest room.
"Young Madam, what do you need a guest room key for?"
Hearing this, An Ruo froze and turned around to see Butler Chen looking at her with curiosity.
An Ruo furrowed her brow. "The master bedroom is too cold. I want to sleep alone." Having just been upset by Shen Xiaoxing, she was fuming with no outlet.
From the way she spoke with such a sharp edge, they must have fought again.
Butler Chen tried his best to persuade her, but she wouldn't listen. The girl huffily grabbed a set of bedding from Butler Chen's room and spread it out on the living room sofa.
If she wasn't given a place to sleep or even a blanket, she'd just take Butler Chen's.
"..." By the time Butler Chen caught up, An Ruo had already laid down and was tucked in, waving a hand dismissively without listening to any advice. "Help me turn off the light."
Butler Chen had no luck persuading Shen Xiaoxing, and he had thought An Ruo, being new, would be easygoing. But this time, whatever had happened between them had made her so furious that even he couldn't talk her down.
Late at night.
The man lay in bed with proper posture, flat on his back, hands crossed over his stomach, elegant like a sleeping prince under a spell in a fairy tale.
The sound of the doorknob turning was especially clear in the dead silence. He snapped open his hawk-like eyes and quickly pulled a gun from under his pillow.
His cold gaze fixed on the door as it opened, and he released the safety, aiming at the figure pushing through.
Shen Xiaoxing frowned as he saw the figure come in, close the door behind them, and walk toward him with an unsteady, purposeful stride.
Recognizing the figure, he froze for a moment and slowly lowered his guard.
Sleepwalking again?
The girl lifted the covers and climbed in, assuming her usual position lying on top of him, her arms wrapping around his neck to find a comfortable spot, her cheek rubbing against his chest...
Shen Xiaoxing took a deep breath, the scent of the girl's fragrance filling his nose. He closed his eyes in resignation.
She said she couldn't sleep well because she wasn't used to the bed? Clearly, she was used to him!
Until he heard the steady sound of her breathing from his arms, Shen Xiaoxing put the gun back under his pillow.
He raised his hand to push her away, but as soon as he touched her arm, the girl murmured in pain in her sleep. Remembering how she had been beaten by that vicious mother-daughter pair from the An family during the day, he lowered his hand again.