Volume 1 Chapter 8: With Me, You Can Say It Hurts
Song Jingmian lowered her head, watching with keen interest as the man before her carefully applied medicine to her wound.
“Does it hurt?” He blew gently on her injury twice before looking up to ask her.
She seemed to see her own curved brows and smiling eyes reflected in his gaze.
“It doesn’t hurt,” Song Jingmian replied, then continued on her own, “I used to get bumps and bruises all the time as a child, so I’m used to it anyway.”
This wasn’t wrong. Back in the orphanage, she had been quiet and withdrawn, with almost no one to play with, and she was often bullied.
But although she was reserved by nature, she never initiated conflicts with others. When bullied, she would confront her tormentors directly and fight back.
She had been in plenty of fights, big and small, at the orphanage.
Until eventually, hardly anyone dared to provoke her.
So these minor scrapes truly meant nothing to her.
Yet as soon as her words fell, the man before her paused his movements and gently stroked her wound.
His deep eyes revealed a flicker of heartache, his voice slightly hoarse: “Mianmian…”
“With me, you can say it hurts.”
Hearing this, Song Jingmian’s eyes inexplicably reddened.
No one had ever said such things to her before.
The ache in her heart bubbled up like foam, spilling over. She fought back tears, forcing a light tone: “Oh… okay.”
She knew he was pained by her past experiences. For Song Jingmian now, those memories had already grown hazy.
And heaven had even given her a second chance—she was already deeply grateful.
After finishing with the medicine, the man suddenly tightened his grip, clasping her slender, soft waist and pulling her forcefully into his embrace.
His voice was terrifyingly hoarse as he buried his face in her neck: “Mianmian… I haven’t been cold to you. Please don’t leave me, okay?”
Song Jingmian’s heart skipped a beat.
He continued in that raspy voice: “I just didn’t want to scare you. These past few days, I’ve been holding back my feelings for you. I know I’m sick, and I’m so afraid of hurting you again because of this… I…”
For some reason, this usually calm and composed man was now utterly flustered, his hands trembling unconsciously around her waist.
“I don’t want you to hurt yourself again because of me. I know all of this is my fault. I shouldn’t have forced you…”
“But I really, truly…”
—Can’t live without you, because I finally found you.
He spoke, but hearing no response from her, his heart gradually grew cold.
Then, Song Jingmian broke free from his embrace. His heart panicked abruptly, yet he didn’t stop her.
Just as he thought she was about to leave, the woman in his arms suddenly reached out and pressed a hand against his chest.
“Bo Jingci.”
“You don’t need to restrain your feelings for me.”
As her words fell, Bo Jingci’s body stiffened slightly, looking at her in disbelief.
“Don’t believe me?” Song Jingmian raised an eyebrow, her gaze fixed intently on him, speaking with utmost conviction.
“Then I’ll say it again—”
“I said, Bo Jingci doesn’t need to suppress his feelings for Song Jingmian.”
She suddenly smiled, warm as winter sunlight.
“Because she is also trying to accept your unique kind of love.”
“At the same time, she is also trying to love you.”
She was still smiling, but the man before her had reddened eyes, his usual aloof and proud demeanor nowhere to be seen.
The next second, she was crushed tightly in his embrace, unable to move.
“Mianmian…”
Nestled in his embrace, she let out a soft laugh. “Mm, I’m here.”
The room was filled with warmth.
After what felt like an eternity, Song Jingmian felt she could hardly breathe and finally broke free from his arms.
“Oh no!!” Song Jingmian exclaimed, quickly leaning over to check the lunchbox. “You haven’t eaten yet…”
She reached out and touched the outside of the container, sighing with regret. “It seems to have gone cold.”
“It’s fine, I can still eat it.”
Only then did he notice that on the rice she had brought, she had drawn a smiling heart with ketchup.
He was taken aback. “Did… you make this?”
“Of course!”
She beamed brightly. “My cooking skills are quite good. Someone is lucky—there are people who wish they could taste it but never get the chance.”
He had never seen her so playful and mischievous before. Well, no—it was more accurate to say she rarely acted this way in front of him.
His heart stirred, suppressing a surge of wild joy. “I’ll eat it right now.”
Bo Jingci didn’t like talking while eating, and Song Jingmian didn’t want to disturb him either. For a moment, the lounge fell into a comfortable silence.
Before long, Bo Jingci set down his bowl and chopsticks. Song Jingmian propped her chin on her hand, watching him with a smile.
“How was it? Want more?”
He chuckled softly and, without warning, leaned close to her lips, giving her a gentle peck.
“Delicious.”
He said with a smile.
Song Jingmian: “…”
Was he talking about the food or something else?!
Then, ignoring her stunned reaction, he leaned in for another light kiss.
He took her hand. “Now, can you tell me how you hurt your hands and feet?”
Song Jingmian hadn’t intended to hide it from him. Seeing how persistent he was, she briefly recounted what had happened earlier.
After listening, the man’s handsome brows inevitably furrowed tightly. “Kids are so annoying.”
Song Jingmian found it amusing. “They didn’t mean to.”
“What, don’t you like children?”
“Hate them,” Bo Jingci replied without hesitation.
Song Jingmian frowned. “Children are so adorable.”
“Little troublemakers,” he added.
Song Jingmian: “…”
“Next time you come to see me, don’t come alone. I’ll have the driver bring you over,” he instructed carefully.
Not wanting to dwell on the topic, he turned his attention back to her injuries.
“How are you feeling now? Does it still hurt?”
Truthfully, it didn’t hurt at all, and it really wasn’t that serious—he was just making a big deal out of it.
“It hurts,” she said pitifully, looking up at him.
“It really hurts.”
Bo Jingci’s lips curved into a smile. “Let me blow on it for you.”
Since she had nothing to do in the evening anyway, she decided to stay and keep him company, hoping to deepen their bond.
In a moment of clarity, she realized how much she had lost in her past life.
At first, his possessiveness had been overwhelming. When she felt trapped, she had repeatedly hurt herself until he slowly compromised, finally suppressing his terrifying need for control.
Looking back now, having been given a second chance, perhaps she could have softened her approach from the start. Relying on his boundless indulgence toward her, things might have taken a different turn.
A kind of gentle therapy.
She knew a little about his background and understood that the events of his past had shaped him into the ruthless, brutal person he was today.
Given another chance at life, she could slowly guide him back onto the right path.
.
Feeling utterly bored while Bo Jingci worked, she casually picked up a book from his lounge.
Perhaps he was too busy; after he went out to work, he never came back. She was a bit bored alone, and having read for so long, her eyes grew tired.
Eventually, her consciousness blurred, and she fell asleep without knowing when.
When Bo Jingci returned, this was the scene he saw.
As evening approached, the lazy glow of the sunset spilled over her. A book stood upright in front of her, completely obscuring her face.
Only when he drew closer did he realize she was already fast asleep.
Unconsciously, he gently stroked the top of her head, a smile curling at the corner of his lips.
He had waited a long time for this day.
Mianmian, in the end, you will belong to me alone.