Ming Shu: “Did I… used to sleep in clothes like this?”
Lu Shiyu: “These were all custom-made for you. Other pajamas made you uncomfortable, and you couldn’t sleep.”
Ming Shu understood and silently burrowed under the covers, her head tucked beneath the blanket, feeling ashamed for her past self.
There had been too many “surprises” since losing her memory. What else didn’t she know?
Lu Shiyu stood by the bed, his refined and handsome face slowly curling into a wicked smile.
Of course, she didn’t like wearing such things, but he enjoyed seeing her in them. He had hidden them away before, but now that she had lost her memory, it was the perfect opportunity to coax her into wearing them.
She looked so beautiful, so enchanting. He even felt the urge to kneel and kiss the back of her foot, swearing his loyalty. What was there to be shy about? She was practically driving him mad.
He bent down, kissed her head through the blanket, then turned and headed to the bathroom, where he took a long, cold shower.
…
The next day.
When Ming Shu woke up, no one was beside her. Just then, her phone rang.
She picked it up and saw it was a call from her agent.
“Hello?”
“Er Shu, are you okay?! I rushed to the hospital to see you, but the doctor said you’d already been discharged.”
“I’m fine. Even though there was a car accident, the car didn’t hit me. I just twisted my ankle while running around.”
“That’s good… Are you back home?”
“Yes, my husband brought me home.”
“What about the divorce…”
“I don’t plan on going through with it anymore. Things are fine as they are now.”
Li Xiaole sobbed tearfully: “Shu Zai, you’ve really been corrupted by him!”
Ming Shu: “Corrupted?”
Li Xiaole: “Yeah! He picks out pretty little dresses for you to wear every day, arranges all three meals for you, lets you swipe his black card freely, but won’t allow you to work outside. He sticks to you all day, clinging to you, and won’t let you glance at other men—otherwise, he’ll get red-eyed and threaten you like a madman, forbidding you from leaving him! Lu Shiyu is using money and affection to corrupt your soul, turning you into a useless, idle fish who can only laze around at home!”
Ming Shu: “Is that even a bad thing?”
“I hereby declare, I’m done trying!”
The agent on the other end of the call fell silent.
Ming Shu draped her robe over her shoulders and walked barefoot out of the bedroom.
Li Xiaole: “Shu Zai, the doctor told me you lost some of your memories. You probably don’t remember all the outrageous things Lu Shiyu did to you!”
Ming Shu paused for a moment, then asked softly in her sweet voice: “Xiaole, did I… used to complain to you a lot about how poorly Lu Shiyu treated me?”
Li Xiaole: “Yes, yes, yes! You remember?!”
Of course, Ming Shu didn’t remember. She just felt she had been too awful.
She could see how good Lu Shiyu was to her, yet she had enjoyed his kindness while complaining about him to her agent. How hypocritical…
Ming Shu calmly said: “Lele, you don’t know this, but I actually hold quite a bit of power in this household.”
Li Xiaole: Oh?
Ming Shu was about to say more when a magnetic, low male voice sounded nearby.
“Why did you come out on your own, and without socks?”
Without her noticing, Lu Shiyu had walked up behind her. His arm effortlessly wrapped around her slender, soft waist, lifting her up.
He set her down on the bed, fetched a pair of socks, and put them on her.
Lu Shiyu’s hand encircled her delicate, fair ankle. Her proportions were perfect, and every part of her was exquisitely refined.
He knelt on one knee, his deep, affectionate eyes lifting to gaze at her. “Do you like walking barefoot at home? How about we lay down some carpet? Even though it’s summer, the air conditioning is on indoors, and walking barefoot on the floor could make you catch a cold.”
Ming Shu’s heart thumped, beating powerfully twice.
Almost bewitched by his looks and voice, she spoke, “Alright…”
Lu Shiyu released her ankle, bent down to kiss her cheek, then very restrainedly pressed his lips to the woman’s soft mouth.
“So good.”
“Keep making your call, baby. I’ll go contact someone to lay the carpet.”
The moment he turned away, Lu Shiyu wore a smile of satisfaction.
He had suggested laying carpet at home before because she always had the habit of walking barefoot, but Ming Shu firmly refused, her attitude resolute.
At first, Lu Shiyu thought she enjoyed the feeling of stepping on the floor, but later he understood the reason. She had been resisting his affection in her own way. She was afraid that if she stayed too long in the comfortable nest he had built for her, she would lose herself. So, in her eyes, his affection was like poison, something to resist with all her might.
Every day, she thought about leaving him.
Lu Shiyu had considered letting her go, but he couldn’t do it. When Ming Shu was furious, she would curse him for being sick. And she was right—he was sick. He suffered from an illness where he would die if he didn’t love Ming Shu. Was love something that could be controlled? What could he do? He could only blame her for appearing before him, for making him fall for her at first sight. If Ming Shu wanted to leave, she could, but she would have to take his heart with her. This heart was born to love her.
Li Xiaole called out timidly, “Shu Zai, Shu Zai?”
Ming Shu: “I’m here.”
Li Xiaole: “Was that Lu Shen just now?”
Ming Shu noticed the change in her address and smiled. “You were so angry just now, but now you’re calling him Lu Shen.”
Li Xiaole: “Well… I actually admire him a lot, but idols are nothing compared to my sister! You didn’t like him before, so I couldn’t like him either. But now that you want to live a good life with him, of course I support you. Not to mention, Lu Shen’s face is absolutely stunning, and his body is so sexy and alluring… If you ever step aside, plenty of women would flock to him. You have to hold onto him tightly and not let some little temptress steal him away!”
Ming Shu: “Don’t worry, my position in this family is very secure.”
Li Xiaole: Really?
Just now, when Ming Shu walked barefoot on the floor without socks, Lu Shiyu noticed and made her put on socks. She didn’t even dare to make a sound.
This “little brother” position in the family is really something.
Ming Shu: “Do I have many schedules lately?”
Although it’s comfortable to be a couch potato at home, what if Lu Shiyu gets tired of her someday? It’s still necessary to work and earn money appropriately, so she wouldn’t lose touch with the outside world.
Li Xiaole: “I was just about to tell you. There aren’t any schedules for now, but two scripts have been sent to me. The production teams really like your looks and don’t have high requirements for acting skills.”
Hearing this, Ming Shu lay on the bed, feeling gloomy for a few seconds.
She was professionally trained, and her acting skills were decent, but after entering the entertainment industry, she never landed a good role. Compared to her acting, people paid more attention to her face.
On top of that, she announced her marriage to Lu Shiyu right after her debut, leading to a massive boycott of her new dramas and endorsements by fans. This forced her, a potential rising star, into becoming an eighteen-tier flop star.
After a moment of Ah Q spirit…
Ming Shu: “Tell me about those two scripts. I’m an actress, after all—my work has to speak for itself.”
Li Xiaole: “One is a web series, the other is a big-budget historical drama. Let me start with the historical one—the script and production team are excellent. It’s bound to be a hit after it airs. They’ve invited you to play the fourth female lead, a tragic beauty in ancient costume who’s driven mad by her unrequited love for the male lead. It’s a very intense role. I think you could give it a try, but…”
“But what?”
“But the third female lead is Su Jin’er. You’d have a few scenes with her.”
“Then there’s no need to consider it. The sight of her makes me sick—I can’t work with her.”
“I knew you’d say that. The web series wants you as the female lead. The male lead is an idol who debuted from a talent show. He’s decent-looking, but his temper is a bit big, and since he’s not professionally trained, his acting is like opening a blind box—most likely terrible.”
“…”
Ming Shu hung up the phone, saying she’d think it over carefully.
But both scripts were equally disheartening—neither choice would be easy.
Might as well have her family invest in a TV series for her, and she could play the female lead herself.
But then, what difference would there be between her and those rich second-generation heirs who squander their family’s money?
After preparing breakfast, Lu Shiyu came to call Ming Shu to eat.
And he saw this scene before him.
She lay collapsed on the large black bed, her soft, fair body like a pool of melted cream, sweet and tempting.
Lu Shiyu’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he walked over, gathered her into his arms, buried his face against her snow-white neck, nuzzling and breathing in her sweet fragrance.
“Are you unhappy, baby? What happened? Tell your husband.”