When Cen Zhen decided to meet Fu Linyuan for the arranged marriage, she had already roughly understood his family background.
His grandfather’s side was in business, while his maternal grandfather’s side was in politics.
As for himself, at a young age, he had founded his own jewelry brand.
With such a background and his own capabilities, his quality of life was bound to be high.
But Cen Zhen never expected him to live in such luxury.
A top-tier duplex in the city’s most prime location, marble floors so polished they could reflect one’s image, floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the city’s bustling nightscape—with his wealth, Cen Zhen found it all quite natural.
But the living room was as large as a small banquet hall, spacious enough to play hide-and-seek, which she felt was excessive.
Damn it, why couldn’t the world just have one more rich person like her!
Fu Linyuan carried Cen Zhen’s suitcase inside and, noticing her staring at the cold living room, unable to move, he asked softly.
“Shall I put your luggage in the master bedroom?”
Cen Zhen replied without hesitation, “Of course!”
Tonight was, after all, their wedding night. Such a handsome man—why waste the opportunity?
She had always been pragmatic about relationships.
Even her own parents couldn’t give her their whole hearts, let alone a man with no blood ties.
Given that, it was best to enjoy the present.
In her view, marriage was a partnership, and a husband was a collaborator, a marital partner.
Fu Linyuan had a good family background, good looks, a good physique, excellent material conditions, and no fertility issues.
For Cen Zhen, this was nothing short of the highest-quality marriage candidate.
When you come across someone like this, you have to seize the opportunity first.
Before the man finished his shower, Cen Zhen rummaged through her bag and pulled out a marriage certificate, gazing at the well-matched couple in the photo.
She couldn’t help but feel secretly pleased—she had really lucked out this time!
Twenty minutes later, the sound of running water in the bathroom stopped.
Another five minutes passed, and the man in a gray bathrobe emerged from the bathroom and walked to the bedside.
He looked at the few pink plush toys that had appeared on the bed and frowned. “Do these have to be on the bed?”
Cen Zhen glanced up at him. “Is it okay?”
Instead of answering, she posed a question, which made Fu Linyuan look at her a moment longer.
After a brief pause, he lifted the covers and lay down on the bed, his voice low.
“I’m not quite used to it yet.”
Sensing his compromise, Cen Zhen immediately seized the opportunity. “It’s fine. You’ll get used to it with time.”
“…”
Aside from the plush toys on the bed that made Fu Linyuan uncomfortable, the presence of another person also made it difficult for him to fall asleep peacefully.
Not just him—Cen Zhen was also struggling to adjust.
Originally, she had planned to spice things up.
But since the man didn’t take the initiative, she gave up on the idea.
However, after tossing and turning and still unable to sleep, she finally couldn’t hold back in the darkness.
“Tonight is our wedding night.”
The man’s Adam’s apple moved.
“Mm.”
After a while, he asked, “Do you have needs?”
Cen Zhen let out a sigh. “You have to let me test the goods, don’t you?”
Otherwise, even if his software was top-notch, if the hardware didn’t work—
She’d be at a huge loss.
Perhaps taken aback by her bluntness, the man fell silent for a long time. Just as Cen Zhen thought he was silently refusing, his hoarse voice came through the darkness. “There are no tools at home.”
Cen Zhen replied, “Aren’t you oligospermic?”
Fu Linyuan, “…”
Another long silence followed.
With his repeated silences, Cen Zhen thought to herself that tonight was probably a lost cause. She might as well count sheep and try to fall asleep quickly.
But just as the thought surfaced, a dark shadow suddenly pressed down upon her.
In the darkness, their eyes met. The man’s dark gaze was profound, and Cen Zhen tightened her grip on the bedsheet, her heartbeat inexplicably erratic.
Her eyelashes seemed to tremble slightly.
The next moment, the man asked in a low voice, “Scared?”
Since the inspection was her idea, she naturally wouldn’t back down.
Even though it was her first time, she still pretended to be experienced, wrapping her fair, slender arms around his neck.
Her delicate brows arched, her words laced with provocation.
“Of course I’m scared—scared you’re not any good.”
“…”
In the darkness, his eyes were exceptionally deep and bright, as if turbulent undercurrents swirled within them.
They fixed on her with an intensity that was impossible to avoid.
Facing this situation for the first time, Cen Zhen’s heart raced wildly in her chest, and her ears burned with heat.
Not wanting him to notice her nervousness, she muttered impatiently, “Can you actually do this or not? If not, I—”
Before she could finish, the hand clutching the thin blanket was pinned down by his. The next second, he leaned in and silenced her mouth without another word.
When Cen Zhen felt the unfamiliar warmth on her lips, her entire body seemed to freeze.
She even forgot to breathe, just staring blankly, inwardly complaining about the sudden, warm sensation on her lips—
How could this man have no sense of chivalry!
Does married life have to start with kissing?
Perhaps sensing her distraction, the man pressed her palm against the pillow and reminded her in a muffled voice, “Don’t lose focus.”
“…”
The night was tender.
Soft and lingering.
Whispering intimately.
Just as they were entangled in the bedroom, breaths growing ragged, an unexpected ringtone suddenly blared from the nightstand.
Shattering the intimacy of the room.
Cen Zhen could almost guess who was calling. Sensing the man’s pause, she gently kissed his prominent Adam’s apple and said, “It’s a spam call. Ignore it.”
Fu Linyuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his eyes still clouded with lingering desire, hesitating slightly. “What if it’s—”
“There’s no ‘what if.'”
With that, she sealed his lips again.
Her lips were sweet, and Fu Linyuan ultimately ignored the ringing.
But the caller was relentless.
The phone rang incessantly, over and over, grating on their nerves. Even Cen Zhen’s good mood was completely ruined.
She finally answered the call.
Before she could vent her anger, the other party exploded first.
“Cen Zhen, where the hell have you been? Your mother and I have been knocking for so long—why aren’t you answering?”
“And why didn’t you go to the blind date today?”
“Do you even respect me as your father?”
Before he finished speaking, a loud, crashing sound of someone banging on a door came clearly through the phone. Even through the receiver, his overwhelming rage was palpable.
Cen Zhen was used to this.
She pulled her slipped shoulder strap back into place, her expression calm and unruffled. Holding the phone, her tone was exceptionally indifferent.
“Stop shouting. I’ve already moved.”
The angry tirade on the other end abruptly halted.
Before Zhao Dahai could erupt again, she added nonchalantly, “Also, I’m already married.”
Dead silence fell on the other end of the line. After a moment, he erupted in disbelief.
“Stop talking nonsense!”
“I suggest you go apologize to Young Master Liu in person tomorrow. Otherwise, don’t even think about that surgery for Old Mrs. Cen!”
After all these years, Zhao Dahai still only knew how to use this one trick.
But her grandmother was her weakness.
Her fingers tightened abruptly, her heart aching and bitter, overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness. Unable to bear his nauseating threats any longer, she swiped her finger and decisively hung up.
She turned off her phone and tossed it aside, then lay back on the bed, completely deflated, exhaustion evident in her eyes.
Fu Linyuan noticed her distress. After a moment of silence, he pulled the blanket up to cover her fair shoulders.
In a very low voice, he asked, “Shall we continue?”