Upon entering the shopping mall, Lu Li intended to head straight to the matter at hand.
“Asaph, the clothes in this shop look beautiful. Let’s go in and take a look.”
Looking down at the lively and endearing Lu Li, Asaph’s eyes brimmed with an uncontainable tenderness. “Alright,” he replied softly.
The moment Lu Li stepped inside, holding Asaph tightly by the hand, an attentive shop assistant rushed over to receive them. What a remarkably cute and handsome young lord! the attendant thought.
“Respected Lord, which piece has caught your eye? Allow me to assist you with a fitting.”
Lu Li pointed his finger toward a specific display. The assistant followed his gaze and saw a classic white button-down shirt.
“Respected Lord, you have impeccable taste,” the assistant praised smoothly. “The fabric of this white shirt is of the absolute highest caliber, and the tailored cut is incredibly flattering.”
The assistant took the shirt off the rack and began to hand it to Lu Li, but the youth shook his head.
“It’s not for me, it’s for Asaph. My dear wife will look absolutely stunning in this shirt.”
Hearing this, not only was the shop assistant utterly stunned, but Asaph froze in surprise as well. This is a clothing item his Lord Husband is choosing specifically for him.
The shop assistant had been so completely captivated by Lu Li’s presence earlier that he had entirely overlooked Asaph standing beside him. Major General Asaph’s Lord Husband is so incredibly good to him, not to mention exceptionally cute and handsome, the attendant thought enviously. The Major General is simply too fortunate. Cruel universe, when will it be my turn to meet a lord this magnificent?
“Lord Husband… I…”
Just as Asaph was about to politely decline, Lu Li instantly read his thoughts. Lowering his eyes, Lu Li let out a small, downcast sigh. “Does my dear wife refuse to try it on because you think my taste in clothing is terrible?”
“Of course not!” Asaph blurted out.
In truth, he was already deeply in love with the shirt; after all, this was the very first gift Lu Li had ever chosen for him.
“If that’s the case, hurry inside and try it on. Your husband will wait for you out here,” Lu Li said, gently nudging Asaph toward the fitting rooms.
Seeing Asaph step away, the shop assistant eagerly looked for an opportunity to step closer and converse with Lu Li. However, before he could even take a step, Lu Li cleanly cut him off with a polite but firm wave. “I am perfectly content waiting here for my wife. Please, go attend to your other duties.”
What a joke, Lu Li thought to himself. I am a lord who strictly observes domestic virtue. Left with no choice after such a direct rejection, the shop assistant retreated.
The door to the fitting room slowly opened, and Asaph stepped out, turning slightly. His tall, slender frame appeared even more statuesque and imposing under the clean lines of the white shirt.
The top buttons of the collar had been left intentionally undone, perfectly exposing a small glimpse of his firm chest and radiating an effortless, casual sexiness. His sleeves were casually rolled up to his forearms, showcasing the fluid, powerful contours of his muscle lines. Furthermore, the impeccable tailoring highlighted his remarkably narrow waist, giving him an incredibly alluring silhouette broad shoulders tapering down to a slender waist. He looked breathtakingly attractive, yet profoundly noble and elegant.
He… He looks so beautiful, Lu Li thought, completely mesmerized. Looking at his radiant wife who looked handsome and stunning down to his very hair strands Lu Li immediately summoned the attendant.
“Bring me the exact same shirt in black. I want to wear matching couple’s outfits with my wife.”
Once Lu Li had contentedly changed into the matching black shirt, he officially commenced his massive shopping spree.
“Buy it.”
“Buy this one as well.”
“Does this one come in a counterpart style? Can we make a couple’s set out of it?”
Lu Li smoothly produced a credit card and handed it over. “Swipe this card, please.”
Asaph had naturally assumed his optical link would chime with a deduction notification, but to his utter surprise, his accounts remained untouched. That meant, his Lord Husband was using his own personal wealth.
“Lord Husband, you are more than welcome to use my cards,” Asaph whispered softly. “I possess a vast amount of wealth and can easily provide for you. I have more than enough money. You should save yours, especially since so many of these clothes are items you are buying for me.”
Hearing Asaph look out for his well-being so selflessly, Lu Li’s heart melted into a puddle of warmth. His Asaph was simply too precious.
“It’s completely fine, Asaph. I have money too,” Lu Li replied patiently, gently explaining a philosophy that ran entirely counter to the standard Zerg dynamic where lords bled their spouses’ accounts dry. “I simply want to spend my money on you. The wealth I earn is meant to be spent on my partner. Seeing you wear things I bought makes me incredibly happy. I like you, Asaph. My spending money on you is just a reflection of my heart.”
“Asaph, I love you,” Lu Li continued softly, his words sending massive ripples through Asaph’s soul. “And love isn’t about taking from someone; it’s about giving.”
Asaph’s heart throbbed with a profound intensity. His Lord Husband was truly an extraordinarily wonderful person.
“Please have all of these items delivered to this address,” Lu Li instructed the store attendants, arranging for their purchases to be sent directly back to their villa.
Stepping out into the promenade, Lu Li looked over. “Asaph, would you like some ice cream? I’ll go buy some for you.”
“Lord Husband, allow me to go instead,” Asaph offered quickly. “The crowds over there are quite dense, and someone might accidentally jostle you.”
“It’s perfectly fine. Stand right here and wait for me like a good boy.” Lu Li released Asaph’s hand with a bright smile and trotted off toward the small ice cream parlor.
As Asaph stood in place waiting for Lu Li’s return, an unwelcome, grating voice suddenly shattered the peace.
“Oh, look who it is Major General Asaph. Why are you standing here all by your lonesome? Has your Lord Husband already grown tired of you and abandoned you?”
The lord standing before him was Steve, a member of the Alden clan. As Steve spoke, his predatory, lecherous gaze swept crudely up and down Asaph’s body. Although Asaph thoroughly reviled the look, he remained tightly bound by societal laws; since the offender was a lord, he could not openly retaliate.
Steve had fiercely pursued Asaph in the past, seeking to claim him as his first wife not out of affection, but because Asaph’s powerful family noble background would provide immense leverage for his own clan. Furthermore, Asaph was exceptionally beautiful and had climbed to the rank of Major General entirely through his own merit. Whoever successfully married Asaph would gain massive social face among the lords.
“If your lord doesn’t want you anymore, I suppose I could reluctantly take you in as a secondary husband,” Steve sneered, stepping closer. “You can forget about being a first wife, though that’s the price you pay for being so ungrateful in the past. Then again, your looks truly suit my palate perfectly. Come along, my little beauty, let’s go find a bed and have some fun.”
Asaph desperately wanted to tune out Steve’s vile, vulgar words, but in a public space, any act of disrespect toward a lord was heavily criminalized. Intending to defuse the situation, Asaph turned to leave the area to find Lu Li.
Seeing Asaph attempt to walk away, Steve lunged forward and forcefully grabbed his arm.
“Do not touch me!” Asaph barked, twisting his arm out of the grip. He had been caught slightly off-guard.
The lord standing before him was notorious for his horrific abuse of his partners; a significant number of individuals had been tortured to death under Steve’s roof.
“Oh? A beauty with thorns? I like them with a bit of bite,” Steve chuckled darkly, throwing a sharp glance at his personal entourage. “Seize him for me.”
The guards hesitated, a wave of apprehension washing over them. Asaph, after all, held the formidable rank of an active Major General; ordinary soldiers did not dare lay a hand on him lightly.
Seeing his guards falter and refuse to advance, Steve flew into a rage. “If you don’t move right now and drag him over here, do you want me to beat you to death instead?!”
Terrified by the threat, the guards had no choice but to step forward. “Forgive us, Major General Asaph.”
Asaph tightened his fists, preparing to engage them. Even if this incident escalated to the Lord Protection Society, he absolutely could not allow himself to be taken away. His Lord Husband was still waiting for him.
Just as Asaph was about to strike, a brilliantly familiar voice cut through the tension like a blade.
“Asaph!”
Asaph whipped his head around. Striding purposefully through the crowd toward them was Lu Li.
“Lord Husband!” Asaph breathed, his heart instantly steadying at the sight of the youth.