Even though he had scolded her severely, he immediately found a flashlight and lit candles all around the house. Then, he started barking orders at her—first, saying he wanted to take a hot bath, then asking for ginger tea—keeping her so busy that she forgot about the raging storm outside.

That night, he talked to her for a long time. He could have ignored her as usual, but he didn’t. It was as if he could sense her inner turmoil and used that moment to help chase away her fears.

She always felt that he wasn’t as cold-hearted toward her as he appeared to be, that there were moments when he softened.

That night, he must have been worried that she’d be scared alone at home, so he came back even in the rain. She was certain of it.

So later, when she went to the hotel to find him and discovered he had a fever, she took care of him without complaint, even spending the rest of the night with him…

Three years of marriage, three years of being husband and wife—what kind of fateful bond did they share?

Was it joy or sorrow, love or hate? Who could really tell?

Tears silently slipped down the corners of her eyes as Zhong Xintian smiled at herself. The smile, illuminated by her shimmering tears, was bright yet tinged with sadness.

She couldn’t let herself dwell on it anymore. It was all in the past. She had sworn to move on, sworn not to let him control her emotions anymore.

Wiping away the streaks of tears from her face, she stood up, straightened her back, and commanded herself to stay strong.

She went around the house, making sure every window was tightly shut and the front door locked. Then, she walked to the sliding glass door leading to the backyard. Just as she was about to pull the curtains closed, she noticed that the plastic cover over her herb garden had blown off. The violent wind and rain were battering the herbs she had so carefully nurtured.

Oh no!

In a panic, she opened the door and rushed out to save them…

When Lu Zongyue arrived, soaking wet, this was the scene that greeted him.

The woman he so desperately wanted to protect was braving the storm, completely disregarding the lightning cutting across the sky, foolishly digging up the herbs one by one and carrying them back into the house.

This idiot! What was she thinking?

Were those common herbs really that important? What if she got hurt? What if she got sick from being out in the rain?

How could she be so reckless?

Fuming with anger and concern, Lu Zongyue grabbed her and dragged her back into the house. It was only then that she realized he was there. She looked up at him in a daze, as if she couldn’t believe it.

“Why are you here?” she asked stupidly.

“If I didn’t come, what if you got struck by lightning? No one would be able to save you!” he snapped angrily.

“What’s wrong with you? Those herbs—so what if they got ruined in the rain?”

“My herbs…” She suddenly snapped out of her daze, still fretting over her plants.

He was so angry he wanted to strangle her. “You stay inside! Don’t even think about going out again!”

After throwing down his furious command, he stormed back into the rain to dig up the rest of the endangered herbs, cradling them in his arms as he returned to the house, so drenched that he could barely keep his eyes open.

She had already grabbed a large towel and was waiting for him. He set the herbs down on the floor, took the towel she handed him, and wiped his face while issuing orders.

“Close the doors and windows!”

“Oh, okay.” She hurriedly locked the windows, then placed the rescued herbs into a few empty pots to keep them temporarily safe. Only then did she turn back to face him, nervously twisting her hands together, looking as if she were waiting to be scolded.

He really did want to scold her. “Which is more important, the herbs or you?” he asked sharply.

She bit her lip and stayed silent.

“Did you ever think about what would happen if something fell and hit you in this weather? Or what if you catch a cold after being in the rain so long? Who’s going to take care of you then?”

“…I’ll take care of myself.”

She still dared to talk back?!

He glared at her furiously.

She secretly pinched her hand, but on the surface, she forced a shallow, sweet smile, trying to please him. “Zongyue, what brings you here? Is the train still running?”

“If the train wasn’t running, how do you think I got here? Did I speed over from Suhua Highway?” 

“That’s too dangerous! You can’t—”

“Do you even know what danger is?” he interrupted her with a cold laugh.

She fell silent, and after a moment, awkwardly raised her hand to brush away a damp strand of hair sticking to her forehead.

He noticed this and his expression darkened even further. “Why aren’t you hurrying to take a hot shower? Do you really want to catch a cold?”

“You should wash first!” There was only one bathroom. “You came from Taipei; it must be worse for you…”

“You go wash when I tell you to! I’m a big man; I can just wipe myself with a towel.” He unceremoniously pushed her toward the bathroom.

Reluctantly, she stepped inside to wash, while he stood outside the closed bathroom door, listening to the sound of running water, his mind wandering.

He remembered a long time ago, on a day just like this, when there was also a violent thunderstorm. He had initially considered staying at the office overnight, but then received a call from his father at the hospital.

His father had told him that she had been afraid of thunder since she was a child and asked him to come home to keep his wife company.

At the time, he had scoffed, but for some reason, the longer he stayed at the office, the more anxious he felt. Eventually, he disregarded everything and rushed home.

He would never forget the look on her face when she saw him—surprised, delighted, and a bit pitiful. It was like a ray of light that instantly brightened his gloomy world.

Perhaps he had liked her for a long time, or he wouldn’t have cared about her without realizing it.

Maybe the real fool was him, because he had only just begun to understand his own heart.