004. Attempted Seduction

The man’s gaze was so intense that Wen Shiyang felt heat rising to the back of her neck.

Was there something on her face? Why was he staring at her like that?

She hastily brushed at her face, but there was nothing.

Being stared at like this made Wen Shiyang uncomfortable, and she couldn’t help asking: “Um… do you have something to ask me?”

Really, if there was something, just ask. Stop staring at me!

At this rate, even a stone would melt under his gaze!

The man continued looking at her, subconsciously pressing his lips together. His Adam’s apple bobbed forcefully, and his ear tips tinged slightly red for some reason.

Hearing her question, he looked away, a little flustered, and said plainly: “Actually, there’s one more thing. The government issued a new policy, and a house was allocated to the compound. I want to move the children there. Dabao and Xiaobao have no objections; I mainly wanted to hear your opinion.”

Last month, he had just been assigned a civilian apartment in the city center. Before coming, all the handover procedures had already been completed.

It was a three-bedroom, one living room apartment, not small, and in a bustling part of the city.

After hearing this, Wen Shiyang’s mind raced.

This question… wasn’t it basically asking whether she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him?

According to the original owner’s memory, Lu Qingyan had always kept a safe distance. Although the original owner had tried to seduce him twice, both attempts had been completely restrained by his strong self-control!

Never crossing the line.

She had to admit she admired that.

After all, this man was already thirty years old. Maintaining boundaries showed that he was reliable in at least one aspect.

“If you have any concerns, you can discuss them with me,” Lu Qingyan said, noticing her silence and assuming she had thoughts of her own.

Although he had rescued her, he had never intended to trap her. Introducing her as his wife was meant to give her a legitimate identity. He admittedly had his private motives, wanting her to help care for the two young children.

But in his heart, she remained free.

Once they left the countryside, she would still be free. She wouldn’t need to bear the title of Lu Qingyan’s wife, nor the role of stepmother to the two children.

“I… I have no concerns.”

Wen Shiyang felt intimidated under his piercing gaze. The words she had wanted to say caught in her throat. She didn’t dare speak.

This man was terrifying, his entire being radiating a formidable aura.

Apart from his face, there wasn’t much else to appreciate.

Wait!

Her eyes wandered to his broad arms, and she added casually, not missing a beat — well, his physique was impressive too!

Lu Qingyan heard her answer and nodded lightly. “Good. Since there are no objections, it’s settled.”

Settled?

Settled what?

Wen Shiyang wanted to grab him and demand an explanation, but seeing his tall, commanding back as he turned to leave, she swallowed her words.

She paused for a moment, waved casually, and let him go.

Wen Shiyang went to the kitchen. With rice and flour on hand, she planned to cook a simple porridge and fry some eggs.

Although most people nowadays could barely eat enough, because of Lu Qingyan’s special status, the money and supplies he sent were always ample.

Plus, in the original owner’s life, food for the children was often withheld, so there was plenty of stockpiled grain.

As she chose ingredients, the wooden door creaked open.

“Mom.”

It was Dabao.

Wen Shiyang looked at him, motherly affection surging, and smiled gently. “Why aren’t you inside, talking with your dad?”

Dabao stood there calmly, scrutinizing her face, trying to detect any sign of performance. After a long look, there was nothing unusual.

But in his heart, he was certain she was only pretending to be gentle and virtuous!

Wen Shiyang noticed the weight in his mind and gestured for him to sit on the nearby stool. “Dabao, do you have something you want to ask?”

Dabao obediently sat down, glancing at her and nodding slightly.

Seeing this, Wen Shiyang smiled and spoke softly, “Alright, go ahead and ask.”

Dabao’s expression was serious as he asked earnestly, “Are you being nice to me and Xiaobao just because you know Dad’s coming back? If that’s the case, neither of us wants it.”

“You were so mean to us before. Don’t expect me or Xiaobao to say anything good about you to Dad!”

Dabao pouted stubbornly. Maybe out of nervousness or fear, his small hands fidgeted at his pants.

Wen Shiyang couldn’t help but find it amusing. She tilted her head and asked, “Oh? What bad things did you tell Dad about me? I’d like to hear.”

Dabao choked on his words for a moment.

He hadn’t said anything bad about her at all.

How could he even answer that?

He furrowed his small brows, waved his hand, and looked away. “I’ve said so much already, I don’t even remember!”

“Oh~” Wen Shiyang teased with a drawn-out sound. “Then fine, you and Xiaobao can go live in the city with Dad. Leave me here to fend for myself!”

Hearing this, Xiaobao’s face fell, and he pouted in grievance. “No! I want you to stay with us.”

“As long as you promise to treat me and Xiaobao as well as you did last night, we’ll still recognize you as our mom.”

When they were little, they had been raised by Granny He. Only after Wen Shiyang came did they have a mother, just like other children in the village.

Even though Mom was strict, often scolding them, withholding meals, and making them do hard work, they still feared losing her.

Whenever Wen Shiyang left, they became children without a mother again, and other kids would mock them.

Wen Shiyang hadn’t expected that teasing them would draw tears. She quickly wiped her hands on her apron and gently rubbed his little face. “Alright, alright, Mom was just teasing. I promise I’ll treat you and Xiaobao well from now on!”

Wen Shiyang had never been a mother before. Being given these two children in this new life left her momentarily at a loss.

It took her a while, but she finally comforted Dabao.

By now, sweat had formed on her forehead from worry.

Even during martial arts practice, she had never been this flustered. Comforting children was apparently harder than training!

Being a stepmother sure was tough!

After breakfast, Lu Qingyan planned to take the two children out to catch fish.

After helping clean the dishes, he asked her, “Are you feeling better? Do you want to come along?”

The news of the original mother falling into the river and dying had spread like wildfire in the village, even reaching neighboring villages.

Wen Shiyang knew that she had to use this prime time to break the rumors.

As soon as she stepped outside, all the gossip would collapse on its own.

She put down her chores and nodded. “Yes, I’m much better. Let’s go together.”

Lu Qingyan carried the two kids in his arms, while Wen Shiyang pressed softly against his side. The moment they stepped outside, they were the picture of a happy four-person family.

“Wasn’t it said that the wife of the Lu family jumped into the river? But she’s alive and well!”

“Exactly, I heard she died yesterday, but look, she’s fine! And looks healthy too!”

“So this is the child Lu adopted? He’s grown so much. Since joining the army, it’s been ages since we last saw him!”

“Right, I heard he has a very high rank now! Such a promising kid!”

“Ah, what a pity. If he hadn’t married, I would’ve introduced my eldest cousin’s daughter to him!”

“…”

The neighbors whispered back and forth, all talking about Lu Qingyan and his family.

The original mother had always been distant and indifferent, ignoring neighbors. She had almost no friends in the village.

No one really knew her—just that she was brought home by Lu Qingyan to be the children’s stepmother and take care of them.

Where she came from or her family background, nobody knew.