Chapter 30

Rainwater soaked Lu Yi’s face entirely. With her eyes tightly shut, she relied solely on touch and sound. Her lips felt burning hot, her breaths a disordered mess.

He held her hand and supported her waist. In that moment, it felt like the world had shrunk to just the two of them.

Lin Jinshen kissed her, deepening the gesture as he moved.

He grew more adept as the kiss went on, controlling his breathing. After each kiss, he would release her lips momentarily, the sound of his swallowing so sensual it made her dizzy. Then, he would kiss her again—first cool and damp, then unbearably hot.

As the kiss deepened, he released her hand and cupped her delicate neck, his thumb brushing soothingly along her jaw. She couldn’t see it, but she could imagine the veins on the back of his pale hand standing out, full of restrained intensity.

He tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her closer. Their bodies melted together in the rain.

Exhausted, Lu Yi leaned against Lin Jinshen’s chest. Her face burned so intensely that even the rain couldn’t cool it. She looked out at the downpour, wondering when it might stop.

“Why don’t we head back? No point staying here in the rain.”

“Okay.”

On their way back, they weren’t in much of a hurry anymore. Already drenched, they figured there was no use in rushing. After walking a few hundred meters, they reached the resort, where a shuttle was arranged to take them back to the villa.

Dripping wet, as if she’d just been fished out of the water, Lu Yi rested her chin on the shuttle window, watching the rain hammer against the palm leaves outside. The rhythmic tap-tap-tap put her in a surprisingly good mood.

She turned her head to glance at Lin Jinshen. His damp bangs were pushed back, exposing his prominent brow bones and strikingly handsome features. He sat upright against the seatback, his posture immaculate. As their gazes met, neither said a word.

When they arrived at the villa, the staff had already prepared a warm bath in the tub to ward off the chill. Lu Yi opened the wardrobe to fetch clean clothes, wrapping a dry towel over her head.

Suddenly, she felt a hand press down on the towel. After rubbing her head haphazardly, Lin Jinshen said, “Dry it first.”

“Oh.”

After grabbing her clothes, she turned around. Lin Jinshen was awkwardly patting her damp bangs. He was clearly inexperienced, his movements stiff. He didn’t seem to realize she could dry herself. Finishing with her hair, he instinctively moved to wipe her wet shoulders.

Her dress, with its deep V neckline, revealed a fair expanse of skin from his angle.

Lin Jinshen wasn’t in much better shape, his drenched shirt clinging to his defined chest muscles, accentuating every contour.

The air between them turned thick with tension. His breathing grew heavier as he wiped. Both of them were visibly flustered—one fumbling to discard the towel, the other hastily grabbing it. Their minds clouded, unsure of their next steps. When they both decided to shower, they accidentally blocked each other at the bathroom door.

“You first. I’ll use the downstairs one.”
“No, no, it’s fine. You go ahead.”

“…”

Holding her clothes, Lu Yi turned to head downstairs. She had barely taken two steps when he caught her wrist. His touch was hot, and her breath hitched. What followed was something she hadn’t anticipated.

There seemed little need to hold back. The kiss earlier had already unlocked thoughts of honesty—of giving in to what they truly wanted.

The master bathroom was spacious, with a double bathtub in the center.

But they had no plans to use it. There wasn’t time. He kissed her the moment they entered. Their wet clothes clung stubbornly to their skin, almost like a second layer.

For once, Lin Jinshen was impatient. As her dress rode up, she shivered at the sudden cold but had no time to react before being lifted onto the sink counter.

Her hands pressed against the edge in a fluster, her knuckles turning red from the effort.

The storm raged on outside. Inside, it was no less intense.

Lu Yi usually preferred to stay in bed—effortless and relaxed, letting him do the work. But now, she found herself clinging to whatever she could, forced to maintain her balance.

Lin Jinshen left the bathroom briefly and returned holding a box.

Lu Yi: “…”

She was so exasperated that she laughed. He had casually mentioned on the plane that he kept condoms in his suitcase. It turned out to be true, and now, unbelievably, they were put to use.

Biting his shoulder in mock frustration, she thought it wouldn’t hurt, but Lin Jinshen let out a low groan. His hand moved to her neck, then her lips, parting them gently with his fingers.

His dark gaze locked onto hers. “Are you a little puppy?”

Flustered, Lu Yi’s face turned crimson as she retreated, the lingering sensation of his touch still on her lips.

Who was the real puppy here? How could someone flip the narrative so effortlessly?

As if determined to tease her further, he leaned in and kissed her. “What does ‘blockhead’ mean?” His pronunciation was slightly off but unmistakable as he mimicked her words from earlier.

He still remembered.

Burying her face against his shoulder, Lu Yi felt like a drenched little puppy herself. She held back as long as she could, but Lin Jinshen’s persistent “interrogation” finally made her huff, explaining in a soft, aggrieved tone that it was an insult meaning “idiot.”

As if he hadn’t guessed, he made her say it aloud, only to silence her with a fiercer kiss.

That night, they took two showers. By the time they finished, the water in the tub had gone cold.

Lu Yi climbed into bed, wrapped herself up, and closed her eyes, adjusting her breathing. It had been a wild night. Unlike the last time, though, she was entirely conscious of her actions today.

A knock came at the door—it was hot ginger tea to ward off the cold.

Lin Jinshen, now in a bathrobe with its belt tied securely, opened the door, thanked the staff, and brought the tea to the bed. The scent of ginger filled the room.

Lu Yi remembered how he had once expressed disdain for eating or drinking in bed. She prepared to get up, but he handed her the tea directly, indicating she could drink it where she was.

His supposed fastidiousness was clearly not as rigid as she had thought. She silently adjusted her perception of him.

While Lu Yi sipped slowly, Lin Jinshen drank his in a few quick gulps, like taking medicine. Then he stood by the bed, watching her finish, before placing the tray on the side table.

The rain outside continued to fall, the droplets glinting like silver under the faint light.

The storm had disrupted her plans, but she found she didn’t mind.

Lin Jinshen climbed into bed and turned off the light. As he lay down, his arm automatically reached out. Lu Yi, realizing belatedly, rested her head on his arm and nestled into his embrace.

The darkness made things less awkward, sparing them from unnecessary internal debates.

Sleeping in each other’s arms felt perfectly normal for a married couple.

His warmth enveloped her, and she found herself unwilling to move. Sleepiness washed over her as she thought about how she was becoming more accustomed to his presence.

Their lives were harmonious, their bodies compatible. He might lack a romantic streak, but he was disciplined and clean, respected her wishes, and gave her no cause for complaint.

He was her husband, someone she could trust.

Barring any surprises, they would spend the rest of their lives together.

Yawning, Lu Yi closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

After completing the final set of wedding photos, they planned to pack their bags and return to Beijing. Lin Jinshen, ever meticulous with time, ensured their schedule ran like clockwork.

Their flight landed at night, but instead of heading straight to Chengxi Garden, they first stopped at the Lin family home.

When Mrs. Qin learned they had only taken three photo sets, she was mildly upset, saying that if Lin Jinshen insisted on making all the decisions himself, she wouldn’t bother with the wedding arrangements anymore.

Lu Yi knew Mrs. Qin wasn’t truly angry, but it was best to soothe her that night rather than let her stew over it.

When they arrived, the housekeeper opened the door. Lu Yi had informed them beforehand, so Mrs. Qin and Mr. Lin stayed up, preparing soup and a few dishes for their return.

Mrs. Qin sighed to her husband, “If not for this wedding, we wouldn’t even get to see him tonight without Xiao Yi.”

“You know your son,” Mr. Lin replied.

“Your son, not mine,” Mrs. Qin shot back. “The only one in this family who takes after me is our daughter.”

Her faint displeasure melted away the moment she saw Lu Yi. Calling her affectionately, Mrs. Qin eagerly beckoned her to sit by her side.

Lu Yi felt a twinge of guilt. After all, deciding to only take three sets of wedding photos was a mutual decision, but it wasted the good intentions of their mothers. She said, “Sorry, Mom. Please don’t be upset.”

“I’m not upset,” Mrs. Qin corrected her gently. “I’m not upset with you.”

Lin Jinshen, sitting nearby, drank his water calmly and added, “It’s my fault.”

Mrs. Qin was about to say more, but Lu Yi quickly diverted the conversation. “Would you like to see the photos we took on the island? The photographer already sent some, though a few still need post-editing.”

“Sure, let’s take a look.”

Although there were only three sets, the results were impressive. The quantity wasn’t lacking either, and with their photogenic features, minimal editing was needed. They could be printed and framed as they were.

Mrs. Qin and Mr. Lin flipped through the photos while Lu Yi and Lin Jinshen focused on their light dinner: a bowl of soup and some simple, healthy vegetables.

After finishing the pictures, Mrs. Qin set the tablet aside and said, “We’ve preliminarily picked a few dates for the wedding based on advice from a fortune teller. They’re all auspicious days.”

The dates were all about two months away, spanning mid to late that period.

Hoping for as much time as possible, Lu Yi subtly glanced at Lin Jinshen, sending him a signal. He usually understood her cues. After receiving her look, he reviewed the proposed dates, paused for half a second, and chose the earliest one.

“?”

She realized she’d been foolish to expect any tacit understanding between them.

“What do you think, Lu Yi?” Mrs. Qin asked, turning to her.

Lu Yi smiled faintly, hiding her true thoughts, and agreed with the earliest date.

“Great, great! We’re all eager to have the wedding soon,” Mrs. Qin exclaimed, her previous annoyance about the photos forgotten. She was in high spirits and mentioned meeting with Mrs. Xu tomorrow to discuss more details of the wedding.

“It’s getting late. Why don’t you stay here tonight? Jinshen’s room has been kept clean and untouched, with freshly changed linens and all the necessities.”

Since their marriage, they hadn’t stayed at the Lin family home.

Lu Yi hesitated only briefly before agreeing. It was indeed late, and there was no pressing need to return.

Lin Jinshen had no objections. For him, staying anywhere was the same as long as Lu Yi was willing.

Mrs. Qin beamed with joy, taking the opportunity to chat with Lu Yi about more details of the island trip. She remarked on how Jinshen, who usually hated taking photos, didn’t look sulky in these wedding pictures. He even smiled—or at least, there was a faint upward curve that could barely pass for a smile.

Lin Jinshen’s room was on the ground floor, separate from his parents and sister, who stayed upstairs. While this arrangement might seem odd, for him, it felt perfectly natural.

Their luggage had already been delivered to the room.

After Mrs. Qin went upstairs, Lu Yi followed Lin Jinshen to his bedroom. It was his childhood room, and the thought of seeing it intrigued her. She imagined it would share some stylistic similarities with Chengxi Garden but hoped there would be subtle differences that reflected his past.

As Lin Jinshen grabbed the door handle and pressed down, she asked, “President Lin, is there anything I should keep in mind before entering?”

He turned back to look at her. She quickly added, “I mean, is there anything off-limits?”

The door creaked open as she spoke, revealing a pitch-black room. It was like opening a mystery box—you couldn’t be sure what was inside.

He gazed at her intently, his expression shadowed. “What do you want to touch?”