Chapter 46: Let’s Take It Slow

Ruan Li didn’t care what he called her; she slapped the man across the face. The sound was loud and clear in the room.

The room fell silent for a moment.

Fu Huaizhou froze, his face turned to the side from the force of the slap. This was the first time he’d been hit in all these years, yet he still held her tightly in his arms.

“I hate you so much! It’s all your fault!” She didn’t care about her appearance anymore, wiping her tears on his clothes as she struggled, no longer worried about her image.

“I know.” Fu Huaizhou was a bit at a loss. He had thought keeping her at home for a few days wouldn’t cause any problems, but the situation had clearly spiraled out of his control. He lowered his head, softly kissing her heated ear as he tried to calm her down.

“Stop crying first,” he soothed her. “It’s my fault. Let’s talk things over.”

Ruan Li had been on the edge of a breakdown for the past few days, missing the film’s opening ceremony, and the comments online pushed her even further. She wiped her tears as she pushed him away. “I have nothing to say to you. Let me go.”

Her red eyes stared at him coldly. “I don’t want to see you anymore. Do whatever you want kill me or torture me. I can’t act anymore, anyway.”

Fu Huaizhou frowned slightly at her words, speaking before thinking, “I couldn’t bear to.”

He leaned in to kiss her lips, not wanting her to say anything harsher. “Don’t say things like that, Litchi. Whatever you want to do, I’ll support you at any cost.”

Ruan Li stared at his delicate features as his lips gently brushed hers. His tongue was warm as it traced the shape of her lips. His large hand cupped the back of her neck, and the previously tense atmosphere between them began to turn intimate.

The faint, woody scent that always clung to Fu Huaizhou filled her senses. But she only paused for a brief second before—

She bit down hard, her teeth sinking into his lower lip without mercy.

The metallic taste of blood spread between them.

They rarely kissed, only a handful of times in bed. Ruan Li had always thought he was a bit of a clean freak, and she never had much desire for it anyway.

Fu Huaizhou grunted in pain and let her go. His blood smeared across Ruan Li’s lips, making them appear even more vibrant.

Another slap landed on his face, in the same spot as before. Ruan Li laughed coldly. “Support me? So locking me up in the estate and stopping me from filming is your way of supporting me? Do you have any idea how many people are using today as an excuse to criticize me? Why are you acting so crazy?”

The more she spoke, the more upset she became. The tears she had just stopped began to fall again, soaking into Fu Huaizhou’s shirt and burning his skin.

Earlier, on the phone, when she had angrily demanded to leave, he thought she was just making excuses to get out. But on the way back to the estate, he saw the trending news on his phone.

He realized then how badly he had mishandled the situation.

“I’ve already arranged for the media to handle the rumors,” he said softly, trying to comfort her. “It’s not that I won’t let you go out. I just…”

He paused for a long time, struggling to find the words.

“I was worried.”

Ruan Li was caught off guard by his answer. She couldn’t understand what there was to be worried about just because she wanted to go film. Her tone turned mocking, “Fu Huaizhou, that’s a pretty weak excuse.”

Seeing that she had finally calmed down enough to talk, Fu Huaizhou let out a breath. He had never explained his thoughts so clearly before.

“There’s a lot I worry about,” he said as his fingers gently traced the swollen skin around her eyes. “I worry about the guys your age, the ones who can talk to you, who will be with you at work.”

They could make you happier than I can.

Even Ruan Li, as oblivious as she was, caught on to his strange reasoning. She found it absurd. “Do you fall for your coworkers when you’re at work? Do you like your secretaries or business partners?”

She thought his concerns were ridiculous in her case. At work, she only wanted to kill her colleagues, especially in the crew of the upcoming Jingluan drama.

Fu Huaizhou pulled her into his arms. “I wouldn’t. But I still worry.”

“That’s no reason to lock me in the estate,” she huffed. Even though his gentle tone was comforting, it didn’t erase the hurt she’d felt over the past few days.

“I know,” Fu Huaizhou sighed, lowering his face to her hand. “I handled it wrong. So now, whatever you want to do to me, go ahead.”

For the first time in his life, Fu Huaizhou was practically offering himself up to be hit. He couldn’t believe he had reached such a low point.

Ruan Li looked at his slightly reddened face, where her slap had left a faint mark. Her nails had scratched his cheek, drawing a line of blood. It was a stark contrast to his refined features and looked almost frightening.

But she didn’t feel guilty. This minor injury was nothing compared to the strength he had used on her in bed. She couldn’t even tell if she felt ashamed or just angry.

“I don’t care.” She picked up the tissues on the nightstand and tossed them at him without holding back. “I’m going to the set tomorrow.”

“Alright,” Fu Huaizhou agreed, catching the tissues. Only then did he realize his face was stinging.

“You’ll also take care of the rumors caused by this mess.”

“Alright.”

Ruan Li finally felt a little better. “I’ll stay at the hotel during filming.”

Fu Huaizhou hesitated briefly but agreed. “Alright.”

His compliance left her speechless for a moment. She tested him, “Are you a masochist or something?”

He wouldn’t agree to anything when she talked calmly, but after she hit him and made him bleed, he seemed to agree to everything.

Fu Huaizhou’s usually cool and distant expression softened with a trace of helplessness. If he hadn’t reacted quickly earlier, Ruan Li would have broken things off with him on the spot and stormed off.

There was a light knock on the door. Ruan Li turned to see Assistant Qin standing there, his face carefully neutral. Fu Huaizhou stepped out of the room.

When he returned, he handed Ruan Li a new phone. “It’s already been dealt with.”

Ruan Li immediately opened Weibo, and sure enough, the trending topics that had been unfavorable to her were gone. The production team had even posted a clarification, explaining that she had informed them in advance about a scheduling conflict and had sent a gift for the opening ceremony. The post urged people not to be misled by rumors.

Attached was a picture of a sandalwood screen with intricate carvings. Even through the photo, the gold thread in the design shimmered.

It was a new exhibit from a renowned workshop, priced in the seven figures, and perfectly suited for the period drama.

The comments had already started to turn in her favor. “She gave such an expensive gift. Who dares say our Litchi doesn’t care?”

“But let’s not forget, the female lead of Jingluan was the one who got injured and caused the delay. And she hasn’t been replaced. If anyone has a sugar daddy, it’s her, right?”

“Careful! Our true ‘heiress’ might hit you with a lawsuit!”

Ruan Li chuckled at the last comment, recalling how Ruan Shu had issued several lawyer’s letters to netizens who criticized her after the reality show, only to become even more of a laughingstock.

Fu Huaizhou noticed her mood lifting. “I’ve already contacted your agent. She’ll come to pick you up tomorrow.”

At his signal, the servants entered to help pack Ruan Li’s things for her trip. As her belongings were gathered, the room felt emptier, less lived-in.

Ruan Li set her phone down and looked straight at him. “Even after all this, I’m still not forgiving you.”

After all, the marks on her body would last for days, not to mention the emotional toll. It was all because of this jerk.

Fu Huaizhou knew he had been too extreme in handling things, so he let her take control. He was tired from the entire ordeal, sitting down beside her to massage her hands, which she had used quite forcefully earlier. “We’ll take it slow,” he said softly.