Bang.
The door was closed from the inside by Qin Lie, the lock clicking into place.
Inside the room, the light dimmed instantly.
Qin Lie didn’t turn on the light. He just stood there at the door, holding Jiang Wu motionless. The person in his arms was light, soft, and carried a faint, fresh scent like grass after rain.
The woman who had been wailing so dramatically just moments ago was now as quiet as a kitten. She buried her face in his chest, her small hands clutching his shirt tightly, her body still trembling slightly.
Qin Lie could clearly feel her heart, also pounding wildly.
Neither of them spoke. The room held only their heavy breathing and the sound of waves crashing against rocks outside the window.
Time seemed to stand still at this moment.
Qin Lie’s heart was in turmoil, a tangled mess like a ball of yarn clawed by a cat.
His mind kept replaying the words Jiang Wu had cried out in front of everyone—
“In this lifetime, even if I die, I’ll die on your bed!”
The impact of those words was immense, like a branding iron searing his heart, leaving it still burning hot.
He knew how much courage it took for a woman to utter such words publicly, and what they signified about the fervent, desperate feelings she held for him.
Why hadn’t he noticed before?
He had always believed Jiang Wu despised him, looked down on him. That marrying him had been forced upon her, something she resented. That’s why she had been so “dramatic,” so troublesome, using every means to leave him.
But now, it seemed… that might not be the case.
The way she looked at him was no longer evasive or disgusted, but filled with dependence and admiration. Her response to his touch was no longer resistance or stiffness, but initiative and intimacy. She had even argued and confronted others for his sake, and finally uttered those shocking, passionate words that made his own face burn.
All these changes felt unfamiliar and novel to Qin Lie, and they also stirred a deep sense of guilt within him for his coldness and neglect towards her over the past year.
Had he… truly misunderstood her?
Could her past “drama” have simply been because she was young and immature? Just clumsy attempts to get his attention?
And he, time and again, had pushed her away with coldness and impatience, hurting her heart.
Thinking of this, Qin Lie’s heart felt as if pricked by needles, heavy and aching. His arms around the woman in his embrace unconsciously tightened a little.
“Mmm…” Jiang Wu let out a small, kitten-like whimper from the pressure, a bit of pain seeping through.
Qin Lie snapped back to reality, immediately loosening his grip. “Did I hurt you?”
His voice was unbearably hoarse.
Jiang Wu shook her head in his embrace, then lifted her tear-streaked face to look at him. “Husband, you… you’re not angry with me anymore?”
She asked cautiously, a trace of uncertainty still lingering in her eyes.
Looking at her red, rabbit-like eyes from crying, Qin Lie’s heart melted completely.
How could he possibly stay angry? His heart was now overflowing with pity for her and… tenderness.
He didn’t answer her question. Instead, he reached out and used his calloused, rough thumb to gently wipe away the tear stains lingering on her cheek. His movements were clumsy yet gentle, as if afraid of damaging a precious piece of porcelain.
Jiang Wu was momentarily stunned by this sudden, tender gesture. She could feel the warmth of his fingertips and the reassuring, masculine aura emanating from him.
Her face flushed uncontrollably, and her heart began to beat faster against her will.
This man… was he comforting her?
“Don’t cry like that again in the future.” Qin Lie looked at her, his voice low but carrying an undeniable command. “It’s not becoming.”
Although his words said it wasn’t becoming, his gaze remained glued to her delicate, tear-stained face, unable to look away. He discovered that although she looked disheveled when she cried, there was a fragile beauty about her that made one’s heart soften, easily stirring a man’s most primal protective instinct.
“Okay.” Jiang Wu nodded obediently, but inwardly, she was overjoyed.
It seemed her “cry, make a scene, threaten suicide” performance today, plus edition, had been remarkably effective. This steel-straight man was finally starting to get a clue.
“Then… what about that Zhou Mingyuan?” Jiang Wu sniffled, putting on a pitiful act again. “He… he won’t really bring out those letters, will he? If he goes around spreading rumors, my reputation will be completely ruined. How will I ever live on this island after that?”
As she spoke, her eyes reddened again, as if she were about to cry once more.
“He wouldn’t dare.” Qin Lie looked at her, his tone certain. “If he dares utter a single word of nonsense, I’ll make sure he spends the rest of his life behind bars.”
The fierceness and killing intent in his words made even Jiang Wu’s heart skip a beat. She had no doubt Qin Lie meant exactly what he said. This man was the unyielding, living “King of Hell” in the military unit, and when it came to protecting his own, he was utterly unreasonable.
“But… those letters…” Jiang Wu continued to “worry.”
She had to make Qin Lie personally destroy all that “evidence” to be completely and utterly at ease.
“I’ll handle it.” Qin Lie cut her off. “From now on, there won’t be any more gossip about you and him. You just stay quietly by my side. You’re not allowed to go anywhere else.”
His words were domineering, forceful, yet they stirred a warm current in Jiang Wu’s heart.
It was the feeling of being protected, being cherished. Unfamiliar, yet also… deeply addictive.
“Mhm!” She nodded vigorously, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face against his chest again. “I won’t go anywhere. I’ll stay by your side, forever.”
She whispered softly near his ear, her warm breath brushing against his earlobe, sending shivers of a tingling itch through him.
Qin Lie’s body, holding her, stiffened abruptly.
He felt the improper heat he had barely suppressed rising again, threatening to resurface.
This woman… was simply a walking ignition source, capable of unsettling him anytime, anywhere.
He wanted to push her away, but her body was so soft, so fragrant, like a magnet firmly attracting him, making him utterly reluctant to let go.
Qin Lie closed his eyes for a moment, sighing heavily in his heart.
He felt that in this lifetime, he might just be completely done for by this woman’s hand.
He carried her to the bedside, then bent down, carefully placing her on the bed. His movements were much gentler than the last time.
“Rest for a bit.” As he spoke, he tried to straighten up.
But the hem of his shirt was caught by a small hand.
“Husband, where are you going?” Jiang Wu held onto him, not letting him leave. Her watery eyes looked at him with a deer-like dependence.
“I’ll get you some water.” Qin Lie found an excuse.
He needed to get away from her for a moment, to calm down.
“I’m not thirsty.” Jiang Wu shook her head. “Then you lie down too, stay with me for a while, okay?”
She patted the space beside her, issuing a blatant invitation.
“I… I was really scared just now, my heart is still beating so fast. I’ll only feel at ease if you stay with me.” As she spoke, she grabbed his large hand and pressed it against her own soft, full chest.
The sensation transmitted to his palm was warm, soft, and elastic. Through the thin fabric, Qin Lie could clearly perceive the startling curve.
At this moment, Qin Lie was frozen in place. On the surface, he was still alive, but in his mind, everything had short-circuited.