Lin Jianxi set down her teacup and smiled slightly. “Go ahead, no need to hold back on my account.”
Qiao Zhisheng looked into her eyes. “Sister-in-law, could you wait for him a little longer? He doesn’t have any white moonlight or first love—maybe he’s just a late bloomer.”
Lin Jianxi was taken aback. Qiao Zhisheng rarely called her sister-in-law. “He’s not a late bloomer; he’s heartless. A marriage without feelings is like a stagnant pond.”
“…”
Qiao Zhisheng cursed Jiang Xu silently in her heart. See? He’s about to lose a perfectly good wife. If he doesn’t cherish her now, he’ll have nowhere to cry about it later.
Lin Jianxi glanced at the flowers around them. “The weather is lovely today, Sheng Sheng. Let’s go admire the flowers. There’s a patch of Eden roses behind the rockery.”
“Alright.” Qiao Zhisheng nodded. There was still a month left. She hoped Jiang Xu would come to his senses within that time, though getting her brother to understand feelings seemed like a long shot.
Jiang Xu was entirely devoted to his career—nothing but work, like a monk without desires. He only came home a few times a month. No wonder his wife wanted to leave.
The two strolled through the garden.
As Qiao Zhisheng watched Lin Jianxi’s back, an idea suddenly struck her. She quickly opened her phone’s camera. “Xi Xi, stay right there. Let me take a photo.”
Lin Jianxi paused for a moment. “Alright.”
Qiao Zhisheng pressed the shutter. In the frame, Lin Jianxi was bent over, gently touching the petals of a rose. Sunlight spilled over her, making her look enchanting and graceful.
Qiao Zhisheng snapped several candid shots of Lin Jianxi. “Xi Xi, let’s take a few more. It’s been a while since I’ve taken photos, and my hands are itching. Be my model.”
“Alright.” Lin Jianxi smiled at the request. Qiao Zhisheng loved photography. Back in high school, she had been obsessed with taking pictures, snapping photos wherever she went with her phone.
Lin Jianxi snipped a bunch of pink Eden roses and lowered her head to inhale their gentle fragrance, her mood lifting.
When the two returned through the back door, Zhong Sao stepped forward to take the flowers from Lin Jianxi’s hands, saying kindly, “Young Mistress, Miss, the young master is waiting for you in the dining room for lunch.”
Lin Jianxi handed the flowers to Zhong Sao. As she withdrew her hand, a thorn from the stem scratched her. “Ouch…”
“What’s wrong?” Qiao Zhisheng frowned, taking Lin Jianxi’s hand to examine it. “You’re bleeding.”
Lin Jianxi lowered her eyelashes. A thin scratch ran across the back of her index finger, and the seeping blood made her slender fingers appear even paler.
Zhong Sao looked worried. “Young Mistress, should we disinfect it and put on a bandage?”
Lin Jianxi shook her head with a smile. “It’s nothing. Just a little blood—it doesn’t hurt.”
Lin Jianxi paid no attention to the small wound. Unable to persuade her, Qiao Zhisheng and Zhong Sao reluctantly let it go.
After lunch.
Qiao Zhisheng followed Jiang Xu into the study. Silence hung between them, neither breaking it, as if they were determined to outlast the other.
In the end, it was Qiao Zhisheng who gave in. She sighed as she looked at Jiang Xu’s tall, imposing figure. “Brother, are you really going to divorce Sister-in-law?”
Jiang Xu stood by the floor-to-ceiling window. The afternoon sunlight streamed in, casting his figure in a strikingly upright silhouette. He gazed at the vibrant Eden roses blooming below. “So now you’re calling her sister-in-law?”
Qiao Zhisheng: “…”
She fell silent for a moment. “I don’t want you to divorce. If you do, you’ll definitely regret it.”
“Regret it so much it’ll eat you up inside.”
The corner of Jiang Xu’s mouth twitched as he turned to face Qiao Zhisheng. “Worry about yourself first. If you go to that kind of place again, you know the consequences.”
Qiao Zhisheng knew she was in the wrong. In her parents’ eyes, she was a well-behaved girl. If Jiang Tu and Qiao Shu found out she had taken Lin Jianxi to such a place, she would probably get a beating, right?
No, her image couldn’t be ruined. She would still go, but she would do it secretly. How would he know?
“Alright, go back now.”
“Go back where?” Qiao Zhisheng walked gracefully toward the sofa and sat down leisurely. “You haven’t answered my question yet.”
Jiang Xu’s brow slowly furrowed. He strode toward the door, tossing back a remark as he left. “Suit yourself.”
Watching his tall, slender figure, Qiao Zhisheng blurted out without thinking, “My sister-in-law said a marriage without love is like stagnant water—utterly boring.”
Jiang Xu paused mid-step, his deep eyes holding an unfathomable emotion.
Observing Jiang Xu’s unusual reaction, Qiao Zhisheng knew she had achieved her goal. She stood up, humming a tune as she walked out of the study. Time to go home.
She would send the photos to Jiang Xu tonight. Lin Jianxi was so beautiful—she refused to believe Jiang Xu wouldn’t be moved.
…
The forecast predicted rain at sunset.
Sure enough, around six in the afternoon, dark clouds pressed heavily across the sky, growing darker by the minute. Before long, raindrops the size of beans began to fall.
The rain persisted for nearly two hours with no sign of stopping. Lin Jianxi set down the book in her hands and raised her slender fingers to massage her temples.
Two hours had passed, but Lin Jianxi had barely absorbed any of the book. Her attention was entirely captured by the rain outside the window.
She disliked rainy days. She was afraid of thunder.
A few seconds later, Lin Jianxi stood up and walked toward the walk-in closet. She grabbed a set of pajamas and headed into the bathroom.
Meanwhile, in the study.
Jiang Xu’s gaze was fixed on the computer screen, his slender, well-defined fingers rapidly tapping on the keyboard.
Rain pattered softly against the glass window. Suddenly, a flash of lightning tore across the sky, followed by a deafening roar. Jiang Xu’s hands froze over the keyboard.
The next second, he stood up and dashed out of the study.
In the bathroom, Lin Jianxi was crouched on the floor, her hands pressed tightly over her ears. Her lips were bitten until they bled, the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth.
Abruptly, a flash of light appeared before her eyes, and the deafening roar of thunder echoed in her ears again. She shuddered violently, her body trembling uncontrollably.
The thunder was exceptionally loud, and the blinding white lightning seemed as if it would tear through the sky and strike her down…
Standing outside the bathroom door, Jiang Xu turned the handle without hesitation. The sight before him made his heart clench inexplicably. “Lin Jianxi.”
In one swift motion, he rushed forward, wrapped her in a towel, and carried her out of the bathroom.
Lin Jianxi’s nerves were stretched taut. Her face was buried in Jiang Xu’s chest, her slender fingers clutching his shirt tightly. Her long, thick lashes trembled faintly.
Jiang Xu carried her to the edge of the bed and sat down, gently patting her back with his slender hand. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Lin Jianxi, it’s alright.”
His low, gentle voice slowly reached her ears, and Lin Jianxi’s tense nerves seemed to ease slightly. She released the grip of her teeth on her lips.
Jiang Xu looked down at the woman in his arms. Her hair was tied in a neat bun, and her face was buried against his chest. From this angle, all he could see was the round shape of her head.
“Lin Jianxi, the thunder has stopped.” Jiang Xu gently pinched her cheek. “Look up and let me see you.”
Lin Jianxi shook her head, her nose tingling with suppressed emotion. She knew she must look awful right now, utterly disheveled.
After a moment’s thought, Jiang Xu picked her up and tucked her under the covers. The moment Lin Jianxi touched the bed, she curled into a small ball, burying her face in the pillow, refusing to let him see her.
A faint trace of helplessness flickered through Jiang Xu’s exquisitely deep-set eyes. He lifted the blanket and got into bed.
Suddenly, a flash of white light split the sky, followed immediately by an ear-splitting clap of thunder that seemed to strike right beside them.
Jiang Xu’s long arm reached out and pulled her into his embrace. He rested his chin against the crown of her head, his hand wrapped firmly around her waist, holding her so tightly it felt as though he wanted to press her into his very being.
Lin Jianxi buried her face against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Gradually, her breathing calmed, yet she felt an intense disgust toward herself in that moment.
A single flash of lightning and clap of thunder could send her nerves into overdrive, making her heart race with discomfort. She had always considered herself peculiar—how could anyone be afraid of thunder?
Her fear of thunderstorms had been with her since childhood. She had tried to overcome it, but it was truly impossible. The moment thunder rumbled, fear would seize her heart.