In the early morning, all was silent. A ray of sunlight filtered through the bay window, illuminating the spacious, bright room.
“Mmm…”
Lin Wanfu slowly opened her light tea-colored eyes. With a slight turn of her head, she met Shen Huaijin’s deep, dark gaze.
The man lay on his side beside her, his intense eyes fixed on her—who knew for how long.
Shen Huaijin gently leaned close to Lin Wanfu’s ear, his voice carrying a lazy, husky tone. “Good morning, Fufu.”
Lin Wanfu cupped Shen Huaijin’s face with both hands. “Brother Ajin, you didn’t stay up all night, did you?”
As she raised her arms, the soft blanket covering her slowly slipped down, revealing her silk nightgown and snow-white skin that glowed with a faint radiance. Her lips shimmered with moisture, making her appear both pure and alluring.
Yet the most captivating feature was her naturally expressive peach-blossom eyes. Her pupils were as clear as crystal, pure and innocent, but the slight upward tilt of her outer corners constantly sent out little hooks, unconsciously alluring.
Shen Huaijin struggled to suppress and restrain himself, finally managing to hold back the wild impulses raging within him.
In the end, he simply held Lin Wanfu tightly, burying his face in the crook of her neck.
“Fufu, you’re too harsh on me. How could I possibly sleep with you lying beside me?” His voice was muffled, tinged with a hint of barely concealed grievance.
Even capitalists give their workers a little reward, but Lin Wanfu was worse than a capitalist—she was an outright slave owner, doing nothing but exploiting him relentlessly.
Last night, he had thought there was finally some hope, but it turned out she really just wanted him to sleep beside her—nothing more.
Lin Wanfu slid her fingers into Shen Huaijin’s hair, gently stroking it as if smoothing the fur of some large canine.
“How about I set you free? I’ll move out of the Shen family with my father, and I won’t bother you anymore.”
Hearing this, Shen Huaijin abruptly lifted his head. With reddened eyes, he gripped Lin Wanfu’s shoulders. “Are you abandoning me? What exactly about me still dissatisfies you?”
Lin Wanfu gently shook her head. “There’s nothing I’m dissatisfied with. I just suddenly realized—you’ve never owed me anything. I shouldn’t keep tormenting you.”
Her soft, sweet voice was like the most lingering breeze from Jiangnan, carrying the gentle cadence of the Wu dialect.
But Shen Huaijin couldn’t take in any of it, as if the string of reason in his mind had suddenly snapped.
“Since you clearly know you’re tormenting me, why won’t you just be a little kinder to me? Where exactly do I fall short compared to that Shen Congyan? Is he so important to you? Why do you only like him?”
“Tell me, why?!”
A fierce aura surged around Shen Huaijin. His previously calm and gentle eyes instantly turned sinister and chilling, sending shivers down one’s spine.
The gentle facade was completely torn away. At this moment, he resembled a cornered beast, desperate and ready to lash out.
“Brother Ajin, I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”
Lin Wanfu embraced the emotionally unstable Shen Huaijin, patting his back soothingly as if to comfort him.
She wasn’t afraid of this side of Shen Huaijin, because she knew that dogs that bark usually don’t bite.
“Fufu, I beg you. As long as you don’t leave me, you can torment me however you want. I can accept it all.”Shen Huaijin’s eyelashes were slightly damp, his face pale to the point of appearing sickly, like a discarded defective item, filled with a fragile, pitiable brokenness.
“I just heard you say you want to cut ties with me from now on, and my heart shattered.”
Lin Wanfu remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, “But is it really good for us to keep tormenting each other like this? Every time I see you in pain, my heart doesn’t feel any better either.”
Shen Huaijin tightly grasped her hand, as if it were his last lifeline, “As long as I can be with you, I’m willing to endure anything. Fufu, don’t push me away anymore. Didn’t you want me to be Shen Congyan’s substitute? Fine, from now on, I’ll learn his way of speaking, his expressions, even how he kissed you—I can learn it all…”
“Brother Ajin, don’t be like this. I don’t want you to be Shen Congyan’s substitute anymore.”
Lin Wanfu looked at Shen Huaijin, who seemed almost broken, and shed two crocodile tears.
As if finally moved by him.
“Fufu, are you feeling sorry for me? That’s wonderful.” Shen Huaijin pulled Lin Wanfu into his embrace.
Just receiving a little bit of her concern was enough to make him feel immensely satisfied.
“Dad must be awake by now. If I don’t go downstairs soon, he’ll come looking for me.”
Lin Wanfu pushed away the clingy man.
However, Shen Huaijin held her tightly, refusing to let go, “Then promise me you won’t move out of the Shen family.”
“Dad and I can’t keep relying on you to support us forever. I want to try standing on my own feet,” Lin Wanfu said.
“Isn’t it good for me to support you?”
Seeing Shen Huaijin’s expression gradually darken again, Lin Wanfu helplessly patted his head, “How about this, Brother Ajin? Lend me some money. That way, you’ll be my creditor from now on, and you can come find me anytime. I won’t have any reason to stop my creditor from coming to collect a debt, right?”
After saying this, she couldn’t help but mentally give herself a big thumbs-up for her cleverness.
This way,
she not only indirectly told Shen Huaijin that she wouldn’t cut ties with him but also managed to squeeze some money out of him in the process.
Shen Huaijin’s expression brightened, “Later, I’ll give you my supplementary card. Spend as much as you want.”
“What a generous creditor.” Lin Wanfu immediately smiled, her eyes curving like bright spring flowers.
From the very beginning, when she came to the Shen family to seek refuge with Shen Huaijin, it wasn’t for a place to stay—it was for his money.
Although living in the Shen family was comfortable, with Shen Huaijin’s money, she could live just as well outside, perhaps even more freely than in the Shen family.
Lin Wanfu was happy to have secured the money, and Shen Huaijin was equally happy to have gotten the outcome he wanted.
With a smile in his eyes, he said, “Now, does this creditor have the right to carry you to wash up?”
“You’re the creditor. I’ll do whatever you say.”
Lin Wanfu obediently wrapped her arms around Shen Huaijin’s neck, letting her entire weight rest on him.
Shen Huaijin picked her up from the bed and carried her to the bathroom, carefully squeezing toothpaste for her and handing her a towel.
If Lin Wanfu hadn’t refused Shen Huaijin’s help with brushing her teeth, not wanting to appear completely helpless, he probably wouldn’t have even let her do that herself.
After washing up, the two went downstairs together.
Downstairs, Lin’s Father saw their intimate demeanor and, without a second thought, pulled Lin Wanfu to his side.He spoke with heartfelt sincerity, “Fufu, Dad has found a new job and rented a new apartment. Let’s not trouble others anymore, okay?”
“Okay.” Lin Wanfu surprisingly did not argue.
Shen Huaijin’s eyes unconsciously darkened, but he still said nothing. He kept reminding himself not to push too hard, or he would gain nothing.
The deceit and intrigue in the business world were no trivial matters. How could Lin Wanfu’s little schemes possibly escape his notice?
He was merely going with the flow.
If she enjoyed playing games, then of course he couldn’t let her down.