Chapter 74

Ruan Mingfu, who had been exploited by Mrs. Ruan for a day, rubbed her shoulders and then went into the house. Seeing Xie Yanzhao sitting beside the bed, she was immediately furious.

It’s all this bastard’s fault!

“Get out of the way! Just seeing you irritates me.”

Xie Yanzhao: “…”

She sat down at the vanity and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

After days of being grilled and stressed, she felt more than just a little worn out. Ruan Mingfu pulled out some snowflake cream, scooping a bit and applying it to her face.

“What’s wrong?”

What’s wrong?

How dare he even ask!

Ruan Mingfu shot him an annoyed glare, remaining silent as she smeared a thick layer of cream on her face.

Xie Yanzhao chuckled lightly, setting down his book and placing his warm hand on her shoulder.

“Who made you angry?”

Ruan Mingfu wished she could bite him!

“Who else but you?”

As she spoke, she turned to seriously scrutinize Xie Yanzhao.

Ruan Mingfu had never met Commander Xie, but looking at Grandpa Bai and Lin Shu, although the two elderly people were old, one could still tell they had the elegance and grace of their youth.

That dog of a man probably inherited most of his good looks from his mother.

If he weren’t so fierce and didn’t have that scar, many girls would probably have liked him.

Noticing her unwavering stare, Xie Yanzhao’s eyes darkened.

He grasped Ruan Mingfu’s hand, his voice low and serious. “What are you looking at?”

Without thinking, Ruan Mingfu replied, “… I was wondering if you’re Mrs. Ruan’s real son.”

Xie Yanzhao: “…”

That was an interesting thought, but she should stop thinking like that.

He ground his teeth in frustration, punishingly squeezing her hand.

But Ruan Mingfu cried out in pain, “Be gentler!”

She tried to pull her hand back, but he wouldn’t let go, holding it in front of her.

Ruan Mingfu’s hands were beautiful.

They were as white as jade, slender and delicate, almost like they had no bones. But now, small scars marred those jade-like hands…

“What happened?”

Xie Yanzhao frowned.

He checked her other hand, and it was the same.

“How can you still ask?!”

Frustrated, Ruan Mingfu gave him a swat. But with his tough skin, it felt like a mere tickle to him, while her palm turned red.

“… Did I do this?”

“Xie Yanzhao,” Ruan Mingfu suddenly became serious, “Do you regret marrying me?”

She had been pampered since childhood and couldn’t do much. As a wife, it seemed she hadn’t contributed to his life at all. Rather, it felt like he had been the one giving all along.

Thinking about it, their relationship felt unfair.

No wonder Mrs. Ruan couldn’t stand it and forced Ruan Mingfu to learn how to cook.

Xie Yanzhao’s frown deepened.

His gaze bore into her, his eyes dark like a stormy sea.

But she was lost in her own thoughts, oblivious.

“What do you think?”

He probably did regret it, right?

The longer she stayed in the family compound, the more Ruan Mingfu admired the military wives there. Not only did they take care of their families, but they also managed everything expertly. If that dog man had married one of them, he would have had an easier life.

But Miss Ruan was just that kind of person. She would never become a virtuous wife.

Ruan Mingfu bit her lip, hesitating as she looked at him.

“… I… Well, if we’re together, you really are at a disadvantage,” she pondered. “I can leave all my money to you as compensation. Of course, the money I earn will still be mine.”

After all, those were her treasures she planned to pass down!

Xie Yanzhao found it laughable, pressing his tongue against the roof of his mouth. Yet his gaze remained locked on her, with a faint green glimmer in his eyes.

“Is that all?”

What else could she offer?!

That scoundrel didn’t even feign interest, not even symbolically?

Bastard!

He must have guessed her thoughts. That dog man truly regretted marrying her. Ruan Mingfu wished she could bite off a piece of him in frustration.

Well, it was better to step back while things weren’t too deep!

Suppressing her bitter emotions, Ruan Mingfu bit her lip and thought carefully.

“Wangcai, just give me Wangcai, and that’ll be enough.”

“Just Wangcai?”

“Exactly!”

Wangcai had always been well-behaved and had grown up under her care. After all this time, he had become a true member of the family, though she wasn’t sure if he would want to come with her.

“Is that all?”

Xie Yanzhao’s dark eyes glinted as he slowly rose, closing the door tightly behind him.

Ruan Mingfu didn’t notice this change at all.

Instead, she was lost in thought and realized that aside from Wangcai, there didn’t seem to be anything else connecting her to Xie Yanzhao.

“…That’s all.”

She leaned back in her chair, feeling a sense of relief as she removed the cream from her face.

“By the way, aren’t you worried that our relationship will affect the progress of the project?” Ruan Mingfu suddenly remembered. “You—”

As she turned to speak, Xie Yanzhao suddenly pulled her into his arms, kicking aside the chair that separated them, and lifted her onto the table.

“What are you doing?!”

Ruan Mingfu was startled and shot him a glare.

Only then did she realize how close they were.

His solid body pressed against her, with one strong hand on her lower back, forcing her to lean tightly against him.

Xie Yanzhao’s rough hand brushed over Ruan Mingfu’s delicate features, tracing her sharp nose before lifting her chin to meet his gaze. His eyes settled on her petal-like lips.

He gritted his teeth.

It was these beautiful lips that always spoke words he didn’t want to hear.

Today, he intended to teach her a lesson!

Ruan Mingfu couldn’t help but lift her head to meet his gaze.

She felt as if she were sinking into a deep pool, surrounded by water that made it hard to breathe.

Feeling scared, Ruan Mingfu said, “Let go of me, we should…”

She bit her lip, unable to finish her sentence.

“Mingfu, do you remember what I said last time?”

What was this about last time? She had long forgotten. But she knew that when he called her Mingfu, it usually meant trouble. Her body trembled, and she instinctively leaned back, but the large hand behind her pressed her down firmly.

Ruan Mingfu felt like crying, “…Can you calm down for a moment?”

He supported himself on the table with one hand while the other tightened around her soft waist, holding her firmly.

Leaning in, he whispered in her ear, “Mingfu, let’s have a child.”

Ruan Mingfu was puzzled. How did the topic suddenly shift to having children?

Before she could process this, his kiss on her neck snapped her back to reality. She instinctively shrank away, but he held her firmly in place. She pushed against him, but he was far too strong for her to budge.

“Xie Yanzhao, don’t…”

Before she could finish, he released his grip on her waist, causing her nightgown to slip open.

Xie Yanzhao slightly distanced himself, surveying the scene like a wolf king admiring his prey.

The lights in the room were still on, and Ruan Mingfu felt a mix of shame and anger. She didn’t know whether to cover herself or to shield his eyes from her.

“Don’t look!”

She covered his eyes with one hand while frantically trying to adjust her clothes with the other.

Xie Yanzhao reached out, easily capturing both her hands and holding them tightly. He leaned down, biting her lips to remind her that he could not only see but also do much more than that…

In the middle of the night, a gentle rain began to fall.

Ruan Mingfu, who had just settled down in bed, frowned uncomfortably and turned over. As her blanket slipped down, it revealed her beautiful shoulder and neck, now marred by dark marks.

A pair of large hands reached out to cover her, pulling her tightly into an embrace along with the blanket.

The next day, when Ruan Mingfu awoke, she found that no one was beside her.

She moved slightly and felt a bit sore but much fresher overall. Thinking back to Xie Yanzhao’s actions from the night before, she felt a mixture of shame and anger.

That bastard!

As she turned her head, she accidentally caught sight of the vanity table nearby. Remembering what had happened there last night made her cheeks flush even more.

It was over. She could never look at it the same way again.

All thanks to that damned man!

Ruan Mingfu covered her face in frustration.

That annoying man didn’t know what had come over him last night. He had been exceptionally domineering, acting completely unlike the Xie Yanzhao who usually indulged her. In the heat of passion, he had teased her while asking who mattered more to her—him or Wangcai…

The result was that she had been forced to say many embarrassing things.

Her cheeks burned, and she felt like she couldn’t face anyone.

Damn it, her entire reputation was in ruins…

Ruan Mingfu sat up on the bed, staring blankly into space.

When Xie Yanzhao entered, he saw her in this state.

“What’s wrong?”

Ugh!

The jerk had the nerve to ask.

Ruan Mingfu turned her face away, not wanting to engage with him.

“Are you angry?”

Xie Yanzhao moved closer, sitting at the edge of the bed and lightly touching her sensitive neck.

Ruan Mingfu jolted, involuntarily looking at him.

“I… I just don’t want to see you.”

She tilted her head slightly, trying to shake off his annoying hand, but it only clung tighter. Feeling frustrated, she tried to pull away, but he held her hand firmly.

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

“You promised last night. I was planning to leave today…”

Before she could finish her thought, his finger pressed against her lips, silencing her. Xie Yanzhao leaned in closer, resting his forehead against hers.

“Mingfu, don’t be angry with me.”

Ruan Mingfu was momentarily stunned.

When she looked up, she found his eyes filled with a mix of overwhelming pressure and suffocating affection.

She was about to take a closer look when Xie Yanzhao leaned back slightly, his eyes returning to their usual calm.

Ruan Mingfu froze in place.

“Don’t say things like that,” he said, running his fingers through her smooth, long hair. “It’s getting late. You should get up for breakfast.”

She snapped back to reality. “What are you doing here?”

Only then did Ruan Mingfu remember.

Old Gu had assigned the task of communicating with Qi Yangyan to the dog man, and he had been incredibly busy these days, working late into the night. There were many times when he returned home only after she had already gone to bed. Otherwise, the dog man wouldn’t have known that she was being pressured by Mrs. Ruan to learn how to cook.

“I’m taking a break today.”

Ruan Mingfu pouted.

“Fine then.”

“Get out of here!”

That dog man just irritated her!

Xie Yanzhao shot her a teasing glance, bringing back memories of last night. Her face flushed bright red, and she grabbed a nearby pillow and threw it at him.

“Get lost!”

By the time she left the room, the thoughtful househusband, Xie Yanzhao, had already prepared breakfast for her.

Ever since Mrs. Ruan arrived, Ruan Mingfu hadn’t eaten any meals from the cafeteria. Looking at the familiar dishes on the table, she felt a wave of nostalgia.

With his distinctly knobby hands, the dog man was peeling sweet potatoes for her, and she watched him closely.

“Honestly, you really don’t regret it?”

“Should I prove my determination with action again?” he replied.