“Please, Aunt Momo, I can’t sleep in the master bedroom,” Mei pleaded softly, her voice carrying a trace of helplessness.
Ever since she had arrived at the Fu residence, she had been hoping to avoid Lucian for the rest of the day.
She thought that if she was careful enough, perhaps they would not have to meet again until morning.
Never had she imagined that they would be expected to share the same room on the very first night.
Aunt Momo looked at her with an innocent smile, as though she could not understand why Mei was making such a request.
“You’re already married to Young Master,” she said gently.
“Sleeping in the same room isn’t such a big deal.”
Mei bit her lower lip.
To Aunt Momo, it might not have been a big deal.
To her, however, it was completely different.
She had only met Lucian today.
Their marriage had been forced upon them because of an agreement between their families.
They were strangers in every sense of the word, yet everyone seemed to think it was perfectly natural for them to sleep in the same bedroom.
“But… what about the other bedrooms?” Mei asked after a moment.
“You said you knew Young Master was bringing his wife home today. Why weren’t any of them prepared?”
Aunt Momo’s smile froze for a brief second.
She suddenly did not know how to answer.
The truth was, every guest room in the villa had always been cleaned regularly.
It was only this morning that Lucian had instructed her not to prepare any of them.
His words had been simple.
The woman he brought home would stay in the master bedroom.
There had been no room for discussion.
Naturally, Aunt Momo could not tell Mei that.
She coughed lightly before forcing a smile.
“I… I suppose I forgot.”
Her explanation sounded unconvincing even to herself.
Before Mei could continue asking questions, Aunt Momo immediately changed the subject.
“It’s getting late. You should get some rest.” She pointed towards the dining room with a gentle smile.
“I’ve already prepared dinner for you. It’s on the dining table, so don’t forget to eat before you sleep.”
After saying that, she gave Mei one last warm smile before turning around and walking towards her own room.
Mei stood where she was, watching Aunt Momo disappear down the corridor.
Only after the footsteps faded away did she let out a quiet sigh.
She closed her eyes in frustration.
In the end, she still had to stay in Lucian’s room.
She remained standing there for quite some time, completely unsure what she was supposed to do next.
If she could find an extra quilt or blanket, she could simply sleep on one of the sofas downstairs and avoid Lucian altogether.
With that thought in mind, she began searching.
She checked the cupboards along the hallway, opened the storage cabinets and even looked inside the linen closets she could find.
Nothing.
Not a single spare quilt.
Not a single blanket,there was not even an extra bedsheet.
The more she searched, the more confused she became.
This was the Fu family’s residence.
The villa was so large that it could easily accommodate dozens of guests.
It made no sense for there to be no spare bedding at all.
Unless…
Someone had deliberately hidden everything.
The thought flashed through her mind, but she quickly dismissed it.
Who would go through so much trouble just to stop her from sleeping elsewhere?
After searching for a long time without finding anything, Mei finally gave up.
Only then did she realise how hungry she was.
The events of the day had left her physically and emotionally exhausted, and she had barely eaten anything since morning.
Remembering Aunt Momo’s words, she quietly walked towards the dining room.
A long dining table stood beneath a crystal chandelier, and a meal had already been prepared for her.
It was carefully covered, as though someone had wanted to keep it warm until she arrived.
Mei slowly lifted the lid.
Almost instantly, a rich aroma filled the air.
The warm fragrance drifted towards her, carrying the savoury scent of soy sauce, slow-cooked spices and freshly steamed rice.
Her eyes widened slightly.
It was braised pork served with a bowl of steaming white rice.
The pork had been cooked until it was tender, each piece coated in a glossy reddish-brown sauce that reflected the warm light above.
Thin slices of spring onion rested on top, adding a touch of colour to the dish, while the thick sauce slowly trickled down the sides of the meat.
Mei unconsciously swallowed.
It looked far more delicious than anything she had expected.
Her stomach, which had remained quiet all day, suddenly growled in protest.
She could not help smiling faintly.
Pulling out a chair, she sat down quietly before picking up her chopsticks, she took a small bite.
The pork was so tender that it almost melted in her mouth.
The rich sauce was neither too sweet nor too salty, blending perfectly with the warmth of the rice.
Without realising it, she continued eating.
One bite became another, and then another.
She leaned back slightly and let out a small breath.
She could not remember the last time she had eaten such a satisfying meal.
After washing her hands, she slowly walked upstairs.
Standing outside the master bedroom, she hesitated.
Her hand rested on the doorknob for several seconds.
Only after gathering enough courage did she slowly push the door open.
The bedroom was unexpectedly quiet.
It carried the same black, white and grey colour palette as the rest of the villa, yet unlike the cool atmosphere outside, this room felt surprisingly warm.
Soft golden lights illuminated every corner, casting a gentle glow over the polished wooden floor.
A large bed stood neatly in the centre of the room, while the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the peaceful gardens outside.
The faint scent of cedarwood lingered in the air, making the spacious bedroom feel calm and strangely comforting.
Mei stepped inside slowly, her eyes wandering around the room.
She had clearly seen Lucian enter the bedroom earlier.
Yet now, there was no sign of him.
Had he already left?
The thought quietly eased the tension in her heart, Perhaps he had gone back to the company, and he would not return tonight.
If that were the case, she would have the entire room to herself.
The exhaustion she had been suppressing all day suddenly washed over her.
Without thinking too much, she carefully sat on the edge of the bed.
Seeing that no one appeared, she slowly lay down on one side, intending to rest for just a moment.
The mattress was unexpectedly soft.
Her tired body relaxed almost immediately.
She had only just closed her eyes when the faint sound of running water reached her ears.
Mei frowned slightly.
“Running water?”
Her eyes slowly opened.
She remained still, listening carefully.
The sound continued, It was coming from the bathroom.
Before she could react, the bathroom door slowly opened.
Warm steam drifted out first, A tall figure soon emerged from within.
Water droplets clung to his damp black hair before sliding slowly down the sharp lines of his forehead and jaw.
His hair rested naturally against his face, making his already handsome features appear even more striking.
The white bathrobe hung loosely over his broad shoulders, revealing part of his collarbone, while the faint scent of fresh soap spread quietly through the room.
For a brief moment, Mei completely forgot to look away.