3 – Chapter 3
Possessing Mind-reading
The hot water washed away the chill from her body, but it couldn’t wash away the coldness in her heart.
An Sheng felt increasingly weary, a faint coldness lingering between her brows.
The bathroom door was knocked upon, Bo Jinye scratching at it from outside, calling out repeatedly, “An Sheng? An Sheng, are you done showering?”
“An Sheng, why are you so quiet? An Sheng?”
An Sheng, “…”
What is he doing?
The man outside seemed determined to enter if she remained silent, so An Sheng had to speak up, “I’ll be out soon.”
Bo Jinye stood by the door, waiting for her to emerge.
As An Sheng dried her hair, she accidentally bumped into Bo Jinye’s embrace.
The man hugged her as if he had found a precious treasure, carrying her straight to the master bedroom.
The master bedroom was his room, though he hadn’t slept there since their marriage.
After her initial surprise, An Sheng looked calmly at the man holding her tightly. “President Bo, if you’re trying to recreate that night four years ago.”
“Sorry, I’m not willing.”
Bo Jinye despised his past foolishness. “No, I just… want to be close to you.”
An Sheng almost laughed. “Really? Only when my heart has turned cold?”
“Only when I’ve given up on you?”
Pain flashed in Bo Jinye’s eyes. He opened his mouth but found no words to defend himself.
“If President Bo wants to play, there are plenty of people outside to accompany you. Though we didn’t part on good terms, we can separate amicably,” An Sheng said softly.
Bo Jinye would never agree. Word by word, as if carving them into An Sheng’s heart, he declared, “No, I won’t let you go.”
“Never.”
In our past life, I imprisoned you with hatred.
In this life, I will bind you with love!
“You say your heart has died for me. Then, shall I give you mine instead?” Bo Jinye murmured softly, taking An Sheng’s hand and pressing it against his chest.
“My heart for you, and I’ll warm yours back to life. Is that alright?”
Bo Jinye wanted to atone.
But no matter how he tried to redeem himself, even if it meant dying for An Sheng, he would never let go.
An Sheng was both shocked and bewildered.
“Bo Jinye…”
A faint smile appeared on the man’s face as he nestled against An Sheng. “Sheng Sheng, forgive me. I was wrong, I’m sorry.”
Forced to hold him, An Sheng asked, “What has President Bo done wrong?”
“Everything. I was completely, utterly wrong. From now on, I am yours, entirely yours,” Bo Jinye said with remorse.
An Sheng didn’t know how the man had suddenly gained insight, but his current behavior—nuzzling against her and refusing to let go—reminded her of the large dog she had once raised in the countryside.
“What if I don’t want you anymore?” An Sheng asked.
Bo Jinye looked up at her. Behind those unusually long eyelashes lay eyes as intimidating as a tiger’s or wolf’s.
Now, those eyes held only An Sheng.
Bo Jinye tilted his head, his perfect profile like jade carved from white jade, his brows and eyes beautiful yet intense like a jar of strong liquor, intoxicating to behold.
An Sheng sometimes thought that her downfall with Bo Jinye might largely be due to his face being too hard to let go of.
The man leaned closer, pressing against An Sheng’s neck.
His warm breath brushed against her skin, stirring a secret shiver.
“Sheng Sheng can’t abandon me.”
“If Sheng Sheng doesn’t want me, I’ll die in your arms.”
An Sheng’s eyes widened abruptly, heat flushing through her body. “Don’t you…”
The man’s thin lips were kissing the vein on the side of her neck.
An Sheng was extremely pale, almost sickly so from being confined.The veins were strikingly visible, and the man was kissing them inch by inch, bit by bit.
An Sheng trembled, “President Bo, Bo Jinye!”
The more she had once yearned for this man, the more she now wanted to push him away.
An Ruyue’s words still echoed in her ears.
She didn’t want Bo Jinye’s attitude to change so ambiguously without explanation.
In truth, she had never sought freedom—what she truly wanted was Bo Jinye himself, his heart.
If it were freedom she desired, with her skills and abilities, not even a prison could hold her, let alone the old Bo family residence.
Bo Jinye paused his kisses as he reached her front, whispering, “Don’t be afraid…”
“Sheng Sheng, my change in attitude isn’t because of An Ruyue. It’s because…”
The man’s words trailed off as An Sheng arched her neck, only to be kissed again by him.
Just as An Sheng was about to push Bo Jinye away, his voice suddenly echoed in her mind.
[Because I’ve realized how terribly wrong I was, how utterly ridiculous I’ve been.]
An Sheng froze, “What?”
Bo Jinye thought she was asking for his reason, “Because I just discovered I can’t live without Sheng Sheng.”
“Whether in life or death.”
As An Sheng was about to speak, the man’s voice resurfaced in her mind.
[In life, we’ll remain entangled. In death, I’ll have our ashes mingled together.]
After a dazed moment, An Sheng finally understood.
Had she… gained mind-reading abilities?
Could she hear Bo Jinye’s inner thoughts?
The girl found it both absurd and fascinating, forgetting even to push Bo Jinye away as the man took advantage to hold her tightly in his embrace.
“Sheng Sheng?” Noticing his precious one was distracted, Bo Jinye couldn’t resist kissing her shoulder.
[I want to kiss Sheng Sheng’s lips, but she probably won’t let me, wuu.]
An Sheng burst into violent coughing, struggling away from Bo Jinye while staring at him with shock and suspicion.
The handsome, rakish man wore an innocent expression that barely concealed his desire.
An Sheng felt the day’s events were too bizarre—she needed to think things through calmly.
“Did President Bo return today just to say these things?” An Sheng gestured for him to leave.
Bo Jinye stood up, “I came to take you home.”
“Home?” An Sheng’s beautiful brows furrowed, “To… where?”
“Brocade Garden. Let’s return to Brocade Garden, alright? I’m sorry for coming to get you so late.” Bo Jinye apologized softly.
An Sheng stared at him speechlessly.
What was happening today? One strange occurrence after another.
Had Bo Jinye been possessed by something?
“Don’t you find these words ridiculous, President Bo? Four years have passed—’late’ doesn’t even begin to describe it.” An Sheng spoke softly.
The calmer and more indifferent she appeared,
The more terrified and panicked Bo Jinye became.
Had An Sheng stopped loving him? Was she planning to abandon him?
At the mere thought of this possibility, uncontrollable dark thoughts surged in Bo Jinye’s heart.
He must keep An Sheng—no matter what methods he had to use.
His obsession, his madness, his unreasonable persistence, his fierce love and hatred—whether An Sheng wanted them or not,
He would force them upon her.
Because he knew these things would never be given to anyone else.
Not even An Ruyue from his previous life had ever received them.
After learning the truth, when Bo Jinye removed the “white moonlight” filter from An Ruyue, he suddenly realized—
He had never loved her.
Raised under strict family rules and teachings, he had known since childhood about their arranged marriage and had always cherished and cared for An Ruyue.
Treating her both as a younger sister and as his future spouse.The relationship between the two was as calm and stagnant as a pool of dead water, no different from anyone else.
His passion, his vibrant life, all the emotions that transcended his own self—were all given by An Sheng.
An Sheng was his very life.