The date the Rong family chose was said to be an auspicious day—suitable for marriage.
The moment Xu Jingshuang received the marriage certificate, she still hadn’t quite come back to her senses.
From single person to married young woman, in less than a week. So fast it felt like a dream, except the dream was real.
For convenience with work, Rong Jingchen had her move into Beijiang No. 1. A prime location in North City where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold—top floor, private elevator entry, only one household on the entire level.
When the elevator doors opened, Xu Jingshuang stood in place and looked for two seconds.
She had only one thought: truly wealthy.
The interior design style was exactly like Rong Jingchen himself. Cold, restrained, black white and gray occupying the entire field of vision.
Aside from being expensive, there was almost no sense of life to it.
Her luggage had been delivered yesterday and neatly organized. The master bedroom was spacious, with a gray color scheme, a two-meter large bed, and black silk bedding that was cold and luxurious. On the nightstand, there was only a warm yellow lamp—the sole source of warmth in the room.
That evening, after finishing her shower.
Xu Jingshuang finally started to feel nervous.
Because this meant that starting tonight, she would be sleeping with Rong Jingchen.
Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but swallow. She dawdled with the hair dryer for a long time, and only after her hair was completely dry did she slowly walk out.
She wore a pure white silk nightgown, above-knee length, with a small round collar that wasn’t particularly revealing, but it was thin and form-fitting, faintly outlining her curves. Her glossy black long hair fell straight behind her, soft and natural.
When she walked out, Rong Jingchen had also just finished showering in the adjacent bathroom.
His black silk pajamas had a slightly open collar, revealing his collarbone and the outline of a firm chest. Loose strands of hair fell over his forehead, diminishing the cold severity of his daytime demeanor that kept people at a distance, yet somehow making him more dangerous.
Xu Jingshuang suddenly felt a bit of regret—she had gotten the marriage certificate too quickly.
Rong Jingchen noticed her: “What are you standing there for?”
“Nothing.”
Xu Jingshuang was stubborn, but the next second she couldn’t help asking: “Can I sleep on the right side?”
Rong Jingchen looked up: “Sure.”
Xu Jingshuang breathed a sigh of relief.
Just as she was about to get into bed, she realized the man was still looking at her—that kind of top-to-bottom appraisal. Being looked at like that made her back tighten and her palms start to sweat.
She said: “Can you… not keep staring at me?”
Rong Jingchen raised an eyebrow.
“Hm?”
“It makes me nervous.” She muttered quietly.
After all, they hadn’t known each other long at all, and suddenly they were husband and wife. Then suddenly sleeping in the same bed—anyone would need time to adjust.
Rong Jingchen was silent for two seconds.
Suddenly his lips curved: “Do I look that scary?”
“A little.”
Xu Jingshuang answered honestly.
This man’s presence was too strong, especially when he didn’t speak—even more intimidating.
Rong Jingchen looked at her, his eyes darkening slightly.
After a long moment.
He finally spoke in a calm voice: “I’m your husband. I shouldn’t be someone who makes you afraid.”
Xu Jingshuang bit her lip.
She knew that, but knowing was one thing, doing was another.
“I know. But I’ve never slept in the same bed as someone of the opposite sex, so I…”
She couldn’t finish.
Rong Jingchen’s gaze shifted slightly—not impatience, not anger, but more like a softness surfacing from beneath a layer of ice.
“I’m not going to eat you.” There was a hint of helplessness in his voice, even a touch of teasing. “Get in bed. I won’t touch you tonight.”
When Xu Jingshuang heard this, it was like receiving a get-out-of-jail-free card—her entire body instantly relaxed from its tense state.
“Really?”
“Really.”
Xu Jingshuang finally felt completely at ease.
But just as she turned around, her thigh slammed squarely into the edge of the sofa.
“Oh…” She bent over, grimacing in pain, nearly in tears.
Rong Jingchen’s expression shifted slightly. He walked over in a few strides: “Where did you hit?”
“My thigh.”
Xu Jingshuang’s eyes were red-rimmed from the pain. That collision just now—she hadn’t held back at all.
Rong Jingchen helped her sit on the edge of the bed, then crouched down. “Let me see.”
“It’s fine.” Xu Jingshuang refused instinctively.
“Really, it’s fine.”
Rong Jingchen looked up: “Xu Jingshuang.”
Just three words.
She immediately fell silent. His tone wasn’t heavy, yet it carried an innate pressure that left no room for argument.
“Let me see.”
Xu Jingshuang pressed her lips together.
The tips of her ears grew warm, bit by bit. In the end, she didn’t insist any further.
She loosened her grip on the skirt. Rong Jingchen reached out, pinched the hem of her nightgown, and gently lifted it a little.
When Rong Jingchen saw the clearly reddened bruise, his brow furrowed slightly. Worse than he’d imagined.
“Sit still. Don’t move.” He stood and went out.
He soon returned with medicine and crouched before her again.
“It’ll be a bit cold. Bear with it.”
The moment the spray hit her skin, the coolness seeped in from the surface, and Xu Jingshuang instinctively pulled her leg back.
The next second—
Her knee was gently pressed down.
“Don’t move.” The man’s voice deepened, no longer carrying that flat tone from before.
Xu Jingshuang didn’t dare move again. She had no choice but to endure it obediently. The herbal smell was pungent, but not unpleasant.
“Does it hurt?” Rong Jingchen looked up.
Xu Jingshuang nodded, her voice unconsciously softening: “A little.”
Usually she was a young lady who yielded to no one.
Yet the moment she was in pain, she turned delicate.
Rong Jingchen looked at her, and suddenly felt like laughing.
He softened his movements and sprayed it again, his tone uncharacteristically patient: “Bear with it a moment. It’ll be over soon.”
He sprayed once more.
“Are you still going to run that fast next time?”
Xu Jingshuang had been enduring the pain, but hearing that, she immediately took offense.
What did he mean, run that fast?
She’d already bumped into it. Her knee was stinging numb, and it wasn’t even on purpose—and he was still blaming her? This was purely an accident, okay?
“I already bumped into it.” She muttered under her breath, “It’s not like I did it on purpose.”
Rong Jingchen raised his eyes to look at her.
The girl sat on the edge of the bed clutching her leg, brows lightly furrowed, her face written all over with defiance. Like a bristling little fox.
A hint of amusement surfaced in his eyes: “Quite the talker.”
“I’m just telling the truth.” Xu Jingshuang turned her face to one side, looking as though she didn’t want to acknowledge him.
Rong Jingchen said no more.
He placed the spray back on the nightstand and straightened her skirt for her.
Xu Jingshuang thought that was the end of it.
The next second—
Her chin was suddenly pinched, cool fingertips landing on her skin.
She was startled. Forced to lift her head, she unexpectedly fell into those dark, deep eyes.
Rong Jingchen looked down at her, his gaze slowly sweeping across her face.
The girl was extraordinarily beautiful—the kind of loveliness cultivated from being doted on since childhood. Her features were bright and striking, her skin dazzlingly fair. Yet right now, because of the pain she’d just endured, the corners of her eyes still carried a faint red.
With a fragility rarely seen in her day to day, it inexplicably made one want to bully her.
Xu Jingshuang felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze.
“What are you looking at?”
Rong Jingchen didn’t answer. His gaze simply drifted downward.
Those full curves were faintly visible beneath the pure white silk fabric. The lace trim at the collar clung to her skin, rising and falling slightly with her breathing.
Xu Jingshuang followed his gaze and looked down.
The tips of her ears instantly burned.
She had changed into a nightgown after her shower today. The neckline wasn’t particularly low, but she had been looking down the whole time, and her posture was casual. From where he was standing, the view was somewhat… precarious.
“You—”
She almost reflexively covered her neckline, shrinking back.
“Why are you looking around!”
Rong Jingchen looked perfectly calm, without the slightest awareness of having been caught. Instead, he raised an eyebrow.
“It’s a fine sight.”
“If it’s a beautiful view, why hide it?”