Bai Niao had been angry with Cheng Yu just yesterday, so she had absolutely no desire to see him right now. She knit her small brows, refusing to even spare him a glance.
Zhuang Han, however, was always filled with trepidation when facing Cheng Yu, treating him with a level of reverence that bordered on worship. Ignoring Zhong Ling and Zhong Yu entirely, she hurriedly said, “Alright, Brother Cheng Yu.”
With no other choice, Bai Niao could only follow Zhuang Han into Cheng Yu’s car, fuming all the while.
He must have just left the military headquarters; a silver handgun lay prominently inside the car. Perhaps Cheng Yu hadn’t meant anything by it, but the mere sight of that cold firearm made Bai Niao’s ankle bone throb with a sharp, silent ache.
His marksmanship was superb good enough to rival a professional sniper.
When Bai Niao first met Cheng Yu, she didn’t know who he was, let alone that he was the brother of Duan Xiran’s fiancée. For a period of time, they had been on very good terms.
Back then, Bai Niao’s life was miserable and suffocating. She had no home, no money, and no place to stay. Her only reliance was Duan Xiran. After being kicked out of the Zhong family, she had managed to maintain a semblance of her lifestyle solely because of him.
Having been accustomed to a life of luxury and dissipation, Bai Niao had no concept of money. It wasn’t until she was cast out that she realized just how impoverished and destitute she truly was. She and Duan Xiran had ended up together under those circumstances.
Bai Niao was very young then, and her perceptions were dull. It wasn’t until Duan Xiran said he wouldn’t marry her that she realized there was a problem, and she began to cry sorrowfully. She desperately wanted to leave him, regardless of the consequences.
But she couldn’t leave him. Previously, she had been supported by her fiancé and her family; now, she was supported by Duan Xiran. If she left him, she truly wouldn’t be able to survive. No one loved her, but far too many people hated her.
Bai Niao was simply unwilling to give up. She wanted to be Duan Xiran’s wife, to live glamorously as she had before. But Duan Xiran was cold and hailed from an old-fashioned, rigid family how could he tolerate such defiance from her?
That was roughly when Cheng Yu appeared.
Aside from Gao Zhan, Bai Niao had never come into contact with the powerful elite of the military district. When she was with Gao Zhan, the two of them just played around. She didn’t know what the military district was really like; she only knew they were powerful and held a special status. So, when faced with this gentle and easy-to-talk-to man, she subconsciously let down her guard.
Bai Niao didn’t know what kind of mindset Cheng Yu had when he first approached her; she only knew that when they first met, he was truly good to her. He was different from everyone else she knew.
Cheng Yu was gentle and humorous, his young and handsome face always wearing a smile as pleasant as a spring breeze. When he looked over with a smile, it gave the illusion that one was being watched with absolute sincerity.
Bai Niao wasn’t very smart, nor was she well-educated. But on Independence Day, just watching Cheng Yu waving a red flag, the phrase “in the prime of youth” suddenly came to mind. In this world, no one could be more in their prime than Cheng Yu in his twenties.
That feeling reached its peak when Cheng Yu stood behind her, gripping her wrist and teaching her how to shoot hand-over-hand. When he fired a shot through the target and smiled gently, she had said coquettishly, “Am I particularly gifted?”
“Exceedingly gifted,” Cheng Yu had smiled softly. “Work hard for another two or three thousand days, and you might reach one-twentieth of my skill.”
Bai Niao was a very trusting person. When Cheng Yu said he was Duan Xiran’s friend, she believed him. When he said he was just an ordinary officer, she believed him. The only time he told the truth that his marksmanship was deadly accurate, Bai Niao didn’t believe him.
When did she finally realize he hadn’t been lying? Likely it was when she was about to board a private jet to fly far away, only to have him shoot a bullet right through her ankle.
A low glass bottle sat in the car, filled with a light-colored liquid. A faint, subtle fragrance flowed silently through the air.
Zhuang Han only spared the gun a single glance before looking away. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the rear seat, sighing. “This scent is lovely. I didn’t expect Cheng Yu to be such a detail-oriented person.”
Compared to Bai Niao’s intense fear of He Youting, Zhuang Han actually feared Cheng Yu more. However, thinking that such a man also showed this gentle side to her, she couldn’t help but feel a bit self-satisfied.
The System also clapped its hands: [Host can definitely win him over.]
The evening was so relaxing. Zhuang Han intended to chat more with the System, but the soothing incense soon triggered her sleepiness. Without even a yawn, her head tilted, and she fell asleep against the teddy bear in the back seat.
This wasn’t ordinary soothing incense. Bai Niao had wanted to resist it, but the grogginess hit her almost instantaneously. Her eyelashes fluttered, and she instinctively hugged the bear before falling into a deep sleep.
Cheng Yu didn’t return immediately. He spent some time chatting with Zhong Yu though it couldn’t really be called chatting. Zhong Yu’s surgery had just been successful, and he had to rely on a vocalizer to speak.
Cheng Yu’s voice was soft and steady, but his military uniform couldn’t hide the mockery in his eyes.
“In a way, we all have to thank you,” Cheng Yu curled his lips into a light smile. “If it weren’t for you, Niaoniao might not have broken up with him, and she certainly wouldn’t have ended up in this situation.”
He raised his brows and said softly, “When we have the wedding feast, we’ll be sure to invite you.”
Zhong Yu was young; the age gap between him and Bai Niao wasn’t actually that large—he was already in his early twenties. He was gloomy, beautiful, and deeply calculating, but those schemes weren’t quite enough when faced with Cheng Yu.
Zhong Yu’s magnificent face distorted slightly, his eyes filled with intense gloom. His voice was raspy like a demon’s: “She won’t love you. How can any of you compare to him? You’re just a bunch of despicable rapists.”
He used extremely sharp language, intentionally trying to pierce Cheng Yu’s mental defenses.
But who was Cheng Yu? He let out a laugh, his words full of irony. “When are you going to step out of your fantasies?”
“Didn’t anyone tell you about the time Niaoniao took a bullet for me?” Cheng Yu said with a smile. “When I was injured in the military district, she also took care of me for three months without a second thought.”
He continued slowly, “In all these years, every time you had surgery or were sick to the point of dying, did she ever spare you a single glance?”
Cheng Yu’s tone was breezy, but it stabbed deeply into Zhong Yu’s weakness. His already distorted face turned a deeper shade of bruised purple, radiating a pathological sense of bizarreness. Zhong Yu seemed to desperately want to say something; his throat moved and his pale lips trembled, but no words would come out.
Seeing this expression, Cheng Yu laughed with genuine pleasure.
Unlike He Youting, Cheng Yu never had many considerations for the future. When Zhong Yu had intended to take Bai Niao away back then, Cheng Yu had never planned on letting him live. An ant-like pretender had no value in existing.
But seeing Zhong Yu show such an expression, Cheng Yu felt heartfelt joy. Over the years, far too many people had wanted to take Bai Niao away, but not a single one had succeeded. To try and snatch someone from his hands they were all far too green.
Cheng Yu’s eyes were filled with deep, black coldness.
With a cold expression, he left the sanatorium. By the time he returned to the car, Bai Niao was already asleep, leaning against the teddy bear with her pale pink lips slightly pursed. She looked so small, fragile like a slightly larger kitten.
But this Niaoniao, who was so well-behaved now, had once come up with countless ways to leave them and committed many ruthless acts.
When had she ever taken a bullet for him? He was the one who had fired that shot personally. When he was injured in the military district, she hadn’t taken care of him either. That night, she had sat by his bed, a knife gripped in her palm, hesitating until late into the night before finally crying and putting the knife down.
From the moment he snatched Bai Niao away from Duan Xiran, Cheng Yu had prepared himself for the possibility that she would never forgive him in this lifetime. But he had never regretted it. What he did regret was approaching her with ulterior motives in the beginning and letting her find out.
Cheng Yu pushed the teddy bear aside and pulled Bai Niao into his arms. He pried open her lips and kissed her gently. He didn’t dare hope for when she would open her heart and fall in love with them; as long as she didn’t always think about leaving them, it was enough. There was nothing in this world they couldn’t give her.
Cheng Yu’s eyes were filled with blatant possessiveness hidden, dark, and almost pathological. However, when his gaze fell on the silver gun sitting in the passenger seat, his expression suddenly changed.
Cheng Yu was in the habit of carrying a gun. Though he was surrounded by countless escorts and had people clearing the way when he traveled, he still preferred to carry one himself. He looked down at Bai Niao, a sudden flicker of panic in his eyes.
He had left in too much of a hurry and forgotten to put it away. She shouldn’t have been frightened, right?
Bai Niao felt as though she had slept for an hour. When she woke up, her throat was parched and her waist was achingly sore. She rubbed her eyes as she woke, still clutching the teddy bear.
Upon feeling that control over her body had been restored, Bai Niao let out a happy “Ah!” and her sleepiness vanished instantly.
Only after nearly bumping her forehead did Bai Niao realize she was still in the car. Cheng Yu had been sleeping with her; hearing the movement, he gently opened his eyes and reached out to pull her into his arms. She tried to hold onto the teddy bear, but he pulled her directly onto his lap, and the bear nearly fell to the floor.
Bai Niao loved plush toys. Wherever she was, there had to be a teddy bear even in the bathroom. Her sleeping area was guarded by a whole squad of bear “sentries.”
Cheng Yu’s voice was slightly raspy. “You’re awake?”
A driver was at the wheel, and the partition had been lowered long ago. Sitting on Cheng Yu’s lap, Bai Niao was still a bit dazed. A moment later, she sluggishly remembered what had happened during the day. Then, she remembered what happened yesterday.
Bai Niao was still throwing a tantrum with Cheng Yu. She still didn’t want to talk to him, so she turned her face away and continued to sulk. Pleasing Bai Niao was always a difficult task, but provoking her was the easiest thing in the world.
“Don’t be angry with me anymore, alright?” Cheng Yu coaxed in a low voice. “Yesterday was my fault. It won’t happen again. Forgive me just this once, okay?”
Bai Niao was in a bad mood. She remained silent and sullen, ignoring him even when he tried to turn her face back toward him.
Cheng Yu patiently whispered sweet nothings. He cupped her face and said humbly, “Niaoniao, look at me.”
He was a master at the “slap then honey” approach. Bai Niao’s heart was filled with intense irritation, yet she didn’t dare offend Cheng Yu too much.
“You’re like this every time,” she said sadly. “If you hadn’t bullied me yesterday, I wouldn’t have been possessed by that imposter.”
Cheng Yu’s expression shifted slightly as he recalled Gao Zhan mentioning Bai Niao’s abnormality when she left. Gao Zhan had been busy with various matters lately, so they hadn’t told him about Bai Niao’s situation.
Cheng Yu leaned in slightly and asked in a low voice, “So that’s when she came back?”
“Yes,” Bai Niao lowered her head, her voice still muffled. “If it weren’t for you, she might not have returned so quickly.”
Cheng Yu stroked Bai Niao’s back, pulling her into his embrace, his eyelids lowering slightly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”
He was an annoying person, but he was also the most direct. He never spoke in riddles with her. If Cheng Yu’s personality weren’t so volatile, being around him would actually be quite comfortable.
“Same with what just happened. I didn’t mean to leave the gun there,” Cheng Yu said in a low voice. “I’m sorry. I just got back from the military headquarters and forgot to put it away.”
His eyes were truly beautiful. They weren’t very dark in color; only the pupils showed a hint of black. When Cheng Yu looked at you seriously, it always created the illusion of being deeply loved.
Bai Niao didn’t believe a single word Cheng Yu said. She used to be a very foolish child, very easy to trick. It was from Cheng Yu that she had learned to be guarded. But since he had provided so many “steps” for her to back down, she had no reason not to take them.
Besides, Bai Niao wasn’t that angry anymore. She said nonchalantly, “Fine, I forgive you. But you can’t bully me again next time.”
Bai Niao’s eyes shimmered with light; she was still very good at feigning an innocent look. However, as she said those words, she felt no emotion in her heart. This was just their daily routine.
“Mhm.” Cheng Yu held Bai Niao in his arms, his chin resting against the side of her neck, enveloping her entire being. He was silent for a long time, just holding her quietly.
Just when Bai Niao thought Cheng Yu wouldn’t say anything else, she suddenly heard a very low “I love you.”
So many people had told Bai Niao they loved her. When she was three or four years old, a little boy in kindergarten had asked if he could marry her when they grew up. Later, as she grew older, even more people loved her. Some people slandered, defamed, and even insulted her behind her back but when she glanced at them, they would still lose their composure, their hearts racing. Even He Youting had held Bai Niao while drunk and said he loved her.
But even if she hadn’t seen the “love points” all sitting at zero on the System, she still wouldn’t believe they loved her. Bai Niao just didn’t understand why they truly felt no emotion for her at all. She was a vain person; knowing others loved her only made her feel smug.
Bai Niao looked out at the low hills flying past the car window, pretending she hadn’t heard Cheng Yu’s words. Where was he going to take her now? If they were going to eat something delicious, she could forgive him a little more.
As Bai Niao’s mind wandered, the car pulled up in front of the Linjiang Hotel, and the smile on her face blossomed like a fresh flower. Following Zhuang Han, she had been eating vegetables every day until she was ready to vomit. Although the chefs at home made delicious food, it was always excessively “nutritious.” Right now, she just really wanted to eat something different.
When they got out of the car, Cheng Yu’s expression had returned to its usual gentle state. His hand rested on Bai Niao’s shoulder, guiding her toward the restaurant on the high floor.
“Youting said your appetite hasn’t been great lately,” Cheng Yu said with a smile. “I remembered you liked this restaurant, so I had a reservation made in advance. I originally wanted to bring you here yesterday.”
Bai Niao was overjoyed. She shook Cheng Yu’s arm and said softly, “I really do love it!”
“Last time when your stomach was upset,” her eyes sparkled, “the meal I had someone order was from this restaurant.”
When Bai Niao wanted to coax someone, every word was sweet and pleasant. It would have been even better if she hadn’t misremembered attributing something that happened with Duan Xiran to him.
Cheng Yu’s expression didn’t change as he said gently, “If you like it, we’ll come here often from now on.” He smiled as he kissed Bai Niao’s cheek.
Bai Niao wasn’t used to them kissing her like this in public and turned her little face away. “I’m so hungry. Let’s hurry inside.”
She had wanted to eat for a long time. Staying at the sanatorium for so long today and chatting with Zhong Ling and Zhong Yu was enough to ruin anyone’s appetite. Bai Niao grabbed Cheng Yu’s hand and pulled him inside, her movements hurried, her expression vivid and full of life.
Just as she was about to enter the door, someone suddenly bumped into her shoulder.
Bai Niao turned around in pain, ready to say something, but the moment she saw the person’s face, her own face went deathly pale.