He was afraid he would go mad, afraid he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from killing that man.
He was also afraid—afraid that if he investigated, he would be reminded of everything Tang Wei had suffered.
The treasure he held in his palms, afraid to harm, had been taken advantage of by another man.
“I was just too scared back then, that’s why I was so confused. You’ve been with Sister Weiwei for so long—I was afraid I couldn’t compare to her, I really was…”
Tang Yining’s voice choked with sobs, tears streaming down in torrents, soaking the man’s bathrobe.
Flames of fury blazed in Qi Yanzhi’s eyes, burning so fiercely his reason was nearly severed.
Veins bulged on his hand—for a single moment, he truly wanted to wrap it around her neck.
He closed his eyes, and in the end, suppressed the urge to throw her off. His right hand landed on her back, patting it gently.
“I already said it’s in the past. Don’t bring it up again.” His voice betrayed no emotion. “I was with her back then only because I didn’t want to disappoint her. She genuinely helped me. I’ve always treated her like a sister—I didn’t want to hurt her.”
Tang Yining nuzzled against his chest, nodding haphazardly. “I know. I know I was wrong. This past month, I haven’t been able to eat or sleep properly. I only hope she can forgive me.”
She leaned against him, crying in utter collapse. “She’s my sister too. Let’s make it up to her properly in the future, okay?”
“Okay.” Qi Yanzhi agreed expressionlessly, patting her back. “Stop crying. You’ll hurt your eyes.”
He patiently soothed Tang Yining until she was calm, then escorted her into the adjacent guest bedroom.
The door closed. Tang Yining wiped the remaining tears from her eyes—there was no trace of guilt on her face.
She had painstakingly found the opportunity to successfully administer the drug, causing Tang Wei to lose her chastity.
She was overjoyed, so how could she possibly feel remorse?
Sitting on the bed, she crossed her legs, face cold, fingers tracing the book in her hand, her eyes brimming with smug satisfaction.
Qi Yanzhi treasured her so much that he could even forgive her for drugging Tang Wei.
Tang Wei—a broken thing who had even lost her purity—what did she have to compete with her?
Qi Yanzhi could only ever be hers.
Unlike their dramatic saga, Tang Wei’s side was remarkably peaceful.
Having had a full night to adjust, Tang Wei was no longer so stiff. She climbed onto the bed, hugged the blanket, and fell asleep in no time.
The only thing that hadn’t changed was that the moment she was deeply asleep, she rolled toward Lu Jinshi with practiced ease.
Lu Jinshi had anticipated her movement the instant she stirred. He had already extended his arm in preparation, waiting for her to roll into his embrace so he could hold her.
Instead of getting what she wanted to hold, she was the one being held. Tang Wei frowned slightly, clearly dissatisfied.
She shifted a couple of times, then—perhaps unable to break free, or perhaps because the embrace was too warm and comfortable—she stopped resisting.
Her brow relaxed, and she sank back into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Looking at the face in his arms, a trace of tenderness surfaced in Lu Jinshi’s deep black eyes. His heart was utterly at peace.
Choosing to marry her—besides feeling that she was a good fit, responsibility did account for a large part of it.
He had never been particularly attached to the idea of marriage, nor had he ever felt he must marry.
But once married, it would be absolutely serious.
So after getting the certificate, he had been continuously adapting to Tang Wei’s presence, learning how ordinary couples interacted, growing close to her, treating her as a wife.
The aversion he had expected never came.
Instead, he found it very natural, as if this was how it was meant to be.
Could this be the natural mode of interaction between a married couple after getting their certificate?
He looked down at her sleeping face, feeling somewhat puzzled himself.
He decided not to overthink it. Setting aside his thoughts, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Early the next morning, a small movement beside her startled Tang Wei awake.
She opened her eyes groggily, and the first thing she saw was Lu Jinshi’s face again.
Instantly, three-tenths of her drowsiness vanished.
She frowned in chagrin. “I…”
“Understood.” Lu Jinshi smiled faintly.
“!!”
Right.
He could already finish her sentences now.
Lu Jinshi didn’t get up. Instead, he pulled her back into his arms, patting her back gently, his tone soft. “Sleep a little more. It’s only just past six.”
His movements were practiced, his demeanor natural—it was Tang Wei who felt a little unaccustomed to it all.
Nestled in his arms, her body slightly stiff, she dared not move a muscle, his cool, clean scent filling her nose.
She didn’t know how long passed. Though she was surprised by his actions, sleep ultimately triumphed over reason. Tang Wei found a warm position and drifted off again.
When she woke once more, three hours had passed.
Lu Jinshi was already gone from beside her.
She quickly washed up and went downstairs, where clattering sounds came from the kitchen.
She walked over. “Mr. Lu—”
Her smile froze. It wasn’t Lu Jinshi inside, but a middle-aged woman around fifty, wearing an apron, a stranger.
The woman wiped her hands on her apron and offered a slightly shy but kind smile. “You must be the missus. The master has already left for the company.”
Tang Wei pressed her lips together and gave an “oh.” Out of politeness, she smiled lightly as well. “Okay.”
“Why don’t you go sit down, missus? The master instructed me first thing this morning to prepare breakfast in advance. I’ve been keeping it warm, just waiting for you to get up.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“No trouble at all, this is all my duty.” The auntie smiled warmly. “My surname is Song. The master always calls me Aunt Song. If you don’t mind, madam, you can call me that too.”
“Alright, Aunt Song.”
Aunt Song beamed and nodded in acknowledgment.
Tang Wei took a seat at the dining table, and Aunt Song brought out the breakfast dishes one by one.
“These were all prepared at the master’s request—he said they’re what you like to eat.” Aunt Song made a point to mention Lu Jinshi.
Almost nine out of ten sentences were about him.
She had no other motive, just wanted to speak well of him in front of Tang Wei.
She had worked at this villa for five years, and Lu Jinshi had always been alone.
He was at an age full of vigor and vitality, yet he possessed a composure and coldness that others lacked.
Now approaching twenty-seven or twenty-eight, he still showed no intention of starting a family.
Never mind the Lu family—even she was getting anxious watching him.
Now that the villa finally had a new mistress, and the master was someone who didn’t like to say much, she had to treat her well.
Tang Wei glanced at the breakfast on the table upon hearing this—they really were the dishes she loved.
After the initial surprise, she thought of yesterday’s breakfast.
Could it be that ordering that whole table of assorted breakfast items was just to learn her preferences?
Whether it was or wasn’t, Tang Wei couldn’t help but find it amusing, her eyes and brows tinged with a smile.
To Aunt Song, this looked like she was delighted by what she had said, which made her even more eager, resolving to speak up for Lu Jinshi more often in the future.
By the end of the meal, Tang Wei had learned many things she hadn’t known before from Aunt Song.
Aunt Song had been specially hired by Lu Jinshi to prepare his three meals a day.
But over the years, due to Lu Jinshi’s personal circumstances, Aunt Song rarely needed to cook. Most of the time, she helped with miscellaneous chores, cleaning the bedroom and study—the two more private areas.