Chapter 11

She stammered through her sentence and her voice was incredibly soft but Lu Shijin heard everything she said. There was suddenly a strange glint in his eyes as he asked, "Are you sure?" "Yes," she said with a nod. Her cheeks were bright red and her exquisite features were so beautiful that even an artist wouldn't be able to replicate them. She looked extremely charming and beautiful at that moment. His heart raced and his lips curved upwards as he said, "Then I shall humbly accept your request." He gave in to his impulse, put down his wine glass, wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her into his embrace. Then, he bent down and planted a kiss on her lips. "Boom—" Tang Ruochu felt as though something had exploded inside her mind and her thoughts went completely blank. His kiss was light and she could taste the wine on his lips but he seemed to draw her into a powerful spell. His mouth explored hers repeatedly and aggressively, robbing her of all thought. Her head buzzed and she looked at this man in a daze. She couldn't put this strange sensation into words. She didn't know how long the kiss dragged on for, but Lu Shijin finally released her when she felt as though all the air was about to be sucked from her lungs. His eyes burned fiercely but he stopped and didn't push her any further. She leaned against his chest and panted heavily. After her breathing returned to normal, she finally said, "Thanks." She was grateful that he had stopped in time. Lu Shijin tamped down the feelings that coursed through him and said nonchalantly, "Don't worry. Good things will taste delicious even I just scratch the surface. Any further exploration... will have to wait for now." She laughed softly and said, "I realized that you're quite different from how I'd imagined you to be." "Oh? What was your perception of me?" he asked curiously as he arched his brow. "You seemed like a man with an air of mystery and who kept a low profile. I thought you were aloof, cold, and ruthless. You're a man who exuded power and authority and who seemed completely out of my league," she said. "What about now?" "You don't seem as aloof as I had imagined." Lu Shijin shot her a meaningful look before he said, "You're the only person I will show my real personality to. I only put on a cold front in public." His words left Tang Ruochu speechless. She was touched that this man had given her his complete trust. How could she deceive him when he was so open with her? "I will show you my true personality as well," she promised. ... Tang Ruochu and Lu Shijin unlocked the first step of intimacy to becoming a married couple on the second night of their marriage... sleeping together in the same bed. They treated each other with due respect and agreed not to cross that invisible boundary! Tang Ruochu slept surprisingly well that night, and when she woke up the next day, she didn't see him anywhere in the room. She assumed that he had already left for work, but when she headed downstairs, she saw that he was waiting for her to have breakfast together. There was a huge spread laid out on the dining table and there were Chinese and Western cuisines available. Most of the dishes were customized to her taste. She sat across from him, picked up a bowl of congee, and drank quietly. However, her peaceful breakfast was interrupted when Gu Ruoruo called. She frowned and a look of irritation flashed past her face. "What's the matter?" Lu Shijin asked when he sensed the change in her mood. "It's a call that I don't want to pick up," she said moodily. She knew that if Gu Ruoruo had chosen to call at this time, she couldn't possibly have anything good to say to her. Although she didn't want to pick up the call, she finally gave in and answered it. She immediately heard Gu Ruoruo's voice. "Ruochu, I heard from Dad that you moved out. My engagement party with Yinfeng will be held tomorrow night. You must turn up for this!" Gu Ruoruo sounded very smug, and there was a hint of a challenge in her voice. Tang Ruochu longed to give her a good dressing down but she held her tongue and said with a cold laugh, "Gu Ruoruo, you must be the first person to feel so proud of yourself after picking up someone else's unwanted goods." Then, she immediately hung up in a swift motion without waiting for Gu Ruoruo's response. Lu Shijin arched his brow and gave her a look. Then, his lips curved as he said, "I'm surprised that you'd speak with such courage." "You flatter me! This is only the tip of the iceberg," she said. She set her phone aside and continued to drink her congee. As Lu Shijin studied her expression with interest, he suddenly thought that his wife was a very interesting character. "How do you intend to get back at her after the way she has treated you?" he suddenly asked after a moment of silence. ... The information that he asked Mu Ling to gather was very comprehensive, so he was well aware of everything that had happened to her. Tang Ruochu knew what he had done but she wasn't too bothered by his actions. She didn't plan to hide this from him anyway. She couldn't help being consumed with rage at the thought of everything that Gu Ruoruo and Ji Yinfeng had done to her. "I haven't given it much thought, but I won't let them get away with it!" Lu Shijin didn't respond but he looked at her with even more interest than before.