Chapter 167 Untitled

He Chuan had made up his mind. If she refused to eat, he had no intention of letting her leave. Once again, he scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom, this time taking her right there on the bed.

Cheng Hui had accumulated a bellyful of rage, mustering all her strength to bite down on his arm. By the end, even her own teeth felt aching and sore, which was a testament to how hard she had bitten.

Yet He Chuan merely furrowed his brow slightly and stroked the back of her neck, as if smoothing down a cat's fur. Only after she finally loosened her grip did he ask, "Have you bitten enough?"

Cheng Hui raised her head to glare at him, her teeth still trembling slightly, and said, "I'll eat. Just don't touch me."

He Chuan's clothes were already discarded on the floor. The corners of his lips curved into a smile. "Too late."

She had no idea how much time had passed before Cheng Hui truly understood what it meant to reap what one sowed. Perhaps it could even be considered retribution.

It was already very late. Cheng Hui's limbs were weak, and she was unsteady on her feet, her legs trembling slightly. Meanwhile, He Chuan, having tasted sweetness, was taking a shower in the bathroom. Cheng Hui cast a vicious glare at the closed bathroom door. If looks could kill, He Chuan would have died countless times over.

He Chuan emerged after a quick rinse, a bath towel tied low around his waist, water droplets trickling down his wet hair. The bedsheets were crumpled into a heap, the bed was completely empty, and the room still lingered with a faint scent that would require careful attention to detect.

He Chuan walked out into the living room and happened to see Cheng Hui sitting by the dining table, eating with her head lowered.

Even though the food had long since gone cold.

He Chuan frowned, walked over, and said, "It's all cold. Don't eat it."

"No need. As long as it doesn't kill me, it's fine." Having calmed down, Cheng Hui resumed her cold expression. She had casually slipped on an oversized T-shirt—not her own, but He Chuan's. The men's garment was so large it easily covered her hips.

She was wearing far too little.

He Chuan went back to the bedroom to fetch a sweater and draped it over her shoulders. Even with the indoor heating on, he still worried she might catch a chill.

Cheng Hui obediently put it on and continued eating the cold dishes.

The texture was mediocre, even rather unpleasant.

Probably because it had gone cold.

Seeing her eat with such haste, He Chuan snatched the chopsticks from her hand and said, "It's all cold, stop eating. I'll cook something fresh."

With that, he picked up the plate and dumped all the food into the trash can.

He then retrieved fresh ingredients from the refrigerator and headed into the kitchen to prepare a new meal for her.

Cheng Hui rubbed her stomach. She really had been starving earlier; regardless of whether the food was cold or not, she had simply shoved it into her mouth. She had never felt this hungry before, likely due to the excessive physical exertion.

And all of this was his fault.

Half an hour later, He Chuan brought out a few freshly cooked dishes along with a bowl of rice for her.

Cheng Hui bypassed the rice and only ate the side dishes. He Chuan sat down opposite her and tapped on the table to remind her.

Cheng Hui cast a lazy glance at him, forced down a few mouthfuls of rice, and then put her chopsticks down, refusing to eat any more.

"Are you full?"

"I'm full."

He Chuan said, "Eat a bit more. Weren't you hungry?"

"It's enough." Cheng Hui stood up. "I'm going back."

He Chuan picked up the rice she had left behind. He didn't mind that she had already eaten from it, nor that she had used those very chopsticks, and began finishing the rest of the meal.

Cheng Hui watched him eat and said, "I'm leaving."

"Stay the night."

Cheng Hui wore a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Why?"

"You don't have your key, and I've already contacted a locksmith for you. He won't come until tomorrow. Or do you plan to spend the night out on the street?"

It had been raining all day and showed no signs of stopping. She wasn't foolish, but she also knew that staying at his place was completely inappropriate.

In truth, what had happened today had already crossed the line, cementing the nature of the relationship between them.

To put it bluntly, it was carrying on an affair.

Cheng Hui thought bitterly of those two words, yet knowing she could not defeat him, she gritted her teeth and started walking toward the door. He Chuan made no move to stop her, only saying, "I've locked the door. You need the key to open it. You won't get out, so don't waste your energy."

Cheng Hui demanded, "What else do you want?"

"Nothing in particular. I just want you back by my side." He Chuan paused with his chopsticks in hand and said, "I'm not joking."

"You found out I have depression, didn't you?"

"I know."

"Are you doing all this out of a sense of compensation?"

He Chuan put down his chopsticks and said leisurely, "If you choose to see it that way, I suppose you can."

"Then what about Miss Wen? What is she to you?"

He Chuan remained silent.

Cheng Hui said, "He Chuan, why must you hurt Miss Wen again? Since you've already decided to marry her and your wedding is approaching—since it's already settled—why continue to hurt her?"

He Chuan raised his eyes to gaze at her. "And what about you?"

"He Chuan, you were the one who didn't want me. You were the one who dumped me. I won't make the same mistake twice and fall foolishly for your tricks again. If you really want to play games, find someone else, not me. To put it crudely, I don't care what happens to Miss Wen, but I have no interest in another woman's man."

Cheng Hui struggled to maintain the composure that was on the verge of shattering. She wanted to leave this place, yet she couldn't walk away, leaving her trapped in a state of anxious and helpless frustration. Meanwhile, He Chuan could effortlessly drive her to the brink of a hysterical breakdown.

"He Chuan, I'm begging you, just stop coming after me. If this goes on, it will reach a point of no return."

If her family ever found out she was entangled with He Chuan again, they would undoubtedly be furious. She wanted no more of this; all she could do was sever ties cleanly with He Chuan.

How could He Chuan not know her worries? Yet so what? It was impossible for him to back down this time the way he had in the past. Whether Madam Cheng objected or disagreed, this time he was determined to force the issue.

"I don't have the energy to play games with you. If you want children, Miss Wen can bear them for you, not me." Cheng Hui laughed bitterly, her voice dropping very low. "If I were to have a child for you, it would only be an illegitimate offspring living in the shadows. I don't love you to the extent that I'd bear your children."

She could neither comprehend He Chuan's thought process nor keep up with his erratic ideas.

A cold glint flickered in the depths of He Chuan's eyes. "Let's leave it at that for today. We won't discuss this anymore. It's almost eleven, time for sleep."

With that, he walked over, picked her up in his arms, and carried her back to the bedroom, laying her down on the bed. Her body trembled slightly, as if she were afraid of something.

He Chuan pulled the blanket over her and said, "Don't worry, we won't do it again. Stop overthinking and close your eyes to sleep."

Instead, Cheng Hui kept her eyes open as she stared at him, her expression filled with unwillingness.

Once he left the bedroom, Cheng Hui tossed and turned, her heart in turmoil. How could she possibly sleep? She didn't feel even a shred of drowsiness.

Out in the living room, He Chuan smoked, the ashtray quickly filling with cigarette butts. At that moment, he received another phone call from Wen Liang. His tone was icy, something Wen Liang could easily perceive, but she didn't care. She asked, "Are you still not coming back tonight?"

He Chuan gave a cold "Mn" in response.

Wen Liang said, "My father is returning to London tomorrow, and I want you to come with me to see him off at the airport. Do you have time?"

He Chuan replied, "Yes. What time tomorrow?"

"Around ten in the morning."

"Mn, I'll contact you tomorrow."

"Alright. Take care of yourself then, and don't overwork." Wen Liang didn't immediately hang up; she still had things to say, but He Chuan showed no inclination to listen and simply terminated the call.

Wen Liang unconsciously tightened her grip on her phone, exerting so much force that her knuckles turned white. He Chuan was growing increasingly lazy when it came to keeping up appearances with her. The time she had tried drugging him, she had actually come within a hair's breadth of success, but He Chuan had suddenly stopped at the very last moment, refusing to proceed and warning her that there would be no next time.

He had guessed immediately that it was her doing.

Wen Liang blamed herself for being too impatient; she shouldn't have rushed things. But matters had already reached this point. Although He Chuan had never explicitly stated he wouldn't marry her, his recent attitude spoke volumes. He simply hadn't found a direct excuse to call off the wedding yet.

Wen Liang didn't dare let Mr. Wen find out. She had been keeping it from her father all along, and to this day, Mr. Wen had no idea that her relationship with He Chuan was hanging by a thread.

This relationship had been flawed from the very beginning, but she had chosen to ignore it, relying entirely on her own passionate devotion to carry her through. Reaching this day, she suddenly realized how utterly laughable it all was.

He Chuan didn't love her. He never loved her from the start.

This was an indisputable fact.

...

Cheng Hui had no idea when she finally fell drifting off to sleep. She didn't suffer from insomnia; she slept soundly, and He Chuan only entered the bedroom in the dead of night.

Ensuring she was fast asleep, He Chuan slipped off his clothes, lifted a corner of the blanket, climbed into bed, and lay down beside her. She rolled over, muttered something under her breath, and instinctively gravitated toward the source of warmth—pressing close against his chest before drifting back into deep sleep.

The corners of He Chuan's lips curved upward into a smile, his mood lifting considerably. He gently stroked her shoulder, seemingly lulling her back to sleep.

He pressed a kiss to the corner of her lips, then pulled her tightly into his arms as they slept.

The next morning, Cheng Hui woke up feeling somewhat dazed. The space beside her was completely empty, as if no one had slept there at all. Yet she vaguely remembered someone holding her tightly through the night, though it didn't feel real. It must have been a dream.

She got out of bed still wearing that same sweater, with no clothes of her own to change into.

Stepping out into the living room, she found He Chuan busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen. Hearing her movement, he poked his head out and said, "Have a seat. Breakfast will be ready in a moment."

Cheng Hui: "..."

She didn't even know what to say. Meanwhile, He Chuan acted as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, leaving her with no outlet for her frustration.

Wearing an apron, He Chuan bustled about the kitchen. No matter how she looked at it, the scene felt surreal, like a continuation of a dream.

Cheng Hui pressed her lips together and watched quietly for a moment. Without making a sound, she walked over to sit in the living room. He had already tidied everything up; the sofa had been restored to its original state, leaving no outward trace of what had happened upon it yesterday—though it certainly had.

Annoyed, Cheng Hui wandered out to the balcony to get some fresh air. Spotting his cigarettes and lighter, she ducked into a corner to smoke.

She hadn't expected him to finish cooking so quickly.

However, He Chuan's sense of smell was acute. Catching the scent of tobacco, he abandoned the stove without even untying his apron and pushed open the balcony door to find Cheng Hui huddled in the corner, blowing out rings of smoke.

With a dark expression, He Chuan strode forward, snatched the cigarette from her fingers, and ground it out under his heel. Cheng Hui turned to look at him in astonishment, licked her lips, and exhaled the final puff of smoke. Neither of them spoke, standing in silent confrontation.

He Chuan's temples throbbed fiercely. "Smoking is bad for your health. Stop it."

He squatted down to bring himself to her eye level, retrieved the lighter and cigarette pack from her hand, and said in a gentle tone, "It was my fault. I shouldn't have said those things to upset you yesterday. I'll be more mindful next time and won't say things like that again."

Cheng Hui curled her lips in a trace of mockery. "What, turned over a new leaf?"

"It's cold out here. Come on, let's go back inside."

Without waiting for her reply, He Chuan scooped her up, carried her into the room, and placed her on the sofa. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, then her eyes, her nose, and worked his way down. Unable to help himself, he kissed her lips, gradually deepening the kiss.

Cheng Hui tried to pull back, but he caught the back of her head, preventing her from escaping.

"A man in the morning shouldn't be teased. If you don't want to end up unable to get out of bed today, keep your clothes properly on."

Having tasted a hint of sweetness, He Chuan pressed his forehead against hers to calm his surging emotions.

Cheng Hui asked, "Are you like this with Miss Wen too?"

"No, only with you." He Chuan pinched her earlobe. "I have to step out for a bit later and will be back in the afternoon. I've already made food, and there's fruit in the fridge. Help yourself to whatever you want."

Cheng Hui slanted a look at him. "Are you locking me up here?"

"Bear with it for a little while. I'll be right back."

Cheng Hui didn't speak.

Although He Chuan was uneasy about leaving her alone, he had pressing matters to attend to and had no choice but to leave her by herself temporarily.

Before departing, He Chuan called his assistant over to keep her company. The assistant arrived looking utterly bewildered, his mind swimming with questions he dared not voice.

He Chuan left shortly after. Now, only she and Assistant Zhang remained in the apartment.

Seeing Cheng Hui, Assistant Zhang finally understood what kind of assignment this was.

The two of them were old acquaintances. Cheng Hui remembered him and greeted him with a smile, saying, "Long time no see, Assistant Zhang."

"Indeed, long time no see, Miss... Miss Cheng..."

Cheng Hui smiled, sitting cross-legged on the sofa with her head tilted, and said, "You're still working for He Chuan? I thought you wouldn't be able to stand it and would have left long ago."

Assistant Zhang merely smiled, a layer of cold sweat breaking out across his back. Why did Cheng Hui's smile feel so terrifying, sending chills down his spine?

Cheng Hui asked, "Is it cold in here? Why are you sweating?"

Assistant Zhang stammered, "No, not at all. I just hurried over and worked up a sweat. It's nothing, really nothing."

Cheng Hui: "Oh, is that so?"

"Yes."

"Then could you do me a favor and buy some medicine?"

"What kind of medicine?"

"The morning-after pill."

"..."

...

At the airport, Mr. Wen was returning to handle some urgent business. If not for the sudden emergency, he wouldn't have chosen to leave Yongcheng at this particular time.

After all, the wedding between He Chuan and Wen Liang was imminent.

Wen Liang felt reluctant to see him off, but Mr. Wen comforted her, saying, "It's not like I'm never coming back. I'll return as soon as I settle things."

"Then take care of your health, and call me when you get home."

"I know, I'm not a child. Take care of yourself too, and don't stay up late." Saying this, Mr. Wen took Wen Liang's hand and placed it into He Chuan's palm. "I only have one daughter, and I'm entrusting her care to you, He Chuan."

He Chuan showed little emotion as he replied, "Mn."

After Mr. Wen passed through security and boarded his flight, the two of them left the airport.

As soon as she got into the car, Wen Liang said, "I've scheduled a fitting with the designer for tomorrow to try on wedding dresses. Do you have time? I'd like you to come with me."

Driving while keeping his eyes fixed on the road ahead, He Chuan answered, "Either way is fine."

"Then I'll confirm tomorrow with the designer."

"Mn."

With that, the conversation died. Wen Liang wrung her brain trying to find topics to talk about, but He Chuan showed no interest, remaining aloof and indifferent. To put it plainly, he simply didn't care, which meant he didn't even care about something as important as trying on wedding dresses.

Wen Liang felt the warmth completely drain from her heart. But so what? As long as he ultimately married her, she didn't care; she could endure it.

She continuously told herself not to mind his attitude. As long as they hadn't completely broken things off, there was still a chance.

When he dropped her off downstairs at her building, He Chuan made no move to go up with her. Wen Liang asked him, "It's Sunday today. Do you still have things to do at the company?"

"Mn, I do."

"I see... Alright then, I won't disturb you." Wen Liang leaned over, wanting to give him a kiss.

Yet He Chuan sidestepped, causing her to kiss empty air.

In that brief moment of closeness, she sharply caught a faint trace of perfume on him. Even though it was subtle, she smelled it immediately—that scent certainly didn't belong to He Chuan, as he never wore perfume. It smelled like a woman's fragrance.

He Chuan said, "Someone's watching."

Indeed, someone was walking past. Wen Liang withdrew her gaze, feeling hollow inside as she said, "Sorry, I didn't notice."

"It's fine. I won't see you up."

Since things had reached this point, Wen Liang had no choice but to get out of the car.

As He Chuan's car drove away into the distance, Wen Liang gripped her fingers tightly, a profound and unmistakable hatred welling up inside her.

...

In the afternoon, He Chuan returned, bringing along a bouquet of flowers meant for Cheng Hui. Unfortunately, Cheng Hui neither accepted nor appreciated the gesture. Her very next words were, "When do you plan to keep me locked up until?"

"I'm not locking you up."

The flowers were tossed onto the floor by Cheng Hui, leaving the assistant standing nearby too terrified to even breathe loudly.

He Chuan didn't bother picking up the fallen bouquet either. "You can't take care of yourself properly on your own, so I'm taking care of you."

"I have no idea where you get the nerve to say something like that," Cheng Hui retorted ungratefully.

She glanced at Assistant Zhang, who immediately looked away, trying his utmost to minimize his presence.

Before He Chuan returned, Cheng Hui had asked him to help buy a box of morning-after pills. They had gone unprotected twice yesterday, and his intentions were painfully obvious. Cheng Hui refused to let him have his way; even if she wasn't prone to pregnancy, she couldn't afford to lower her guard. She had to nip that possibility in the bud.

Assistant Zhang had not dared to buy them and thus refused.

No matter what Cheng Hui said, it was useless.

Once He Chuan returned, Assistant Zhang was finally dismissed. After the assistant left, He Chuan closed the door and said leisurely, "Did you eat lunch?"

It felt to Cheng Hui like punching a pile of cotton—completely devoid of resistance.

He Chuan continued, "There's no need to take the morning-after pill. If we have a child, I'll raise it."

"He Chuan, are you out of your mind?" Cheng Hui gritted her teeth, her voice trembling. "Do you even know what you're doing?"

"I couldn't be clearer." He Chuan closed in on her again, pulling her into his embrace. "I'm figuring out a way to make you come back. I want the Cheng Hui who loved me to return to my side. No matter how extreme the method, as long as you're with me, nothing else matters."

"You don't have to forgive me, just stay by my side. On that basis, you can do whatever you want. If you want to go to graduate school, I'll help you. As for the Cheng family, I'll find a way to handle them. You don't need to be afraid. I can protect you."

Cheng Hui asked, "And Miss Wen?"

"She won't affect us."

"He Chuan, you probably don't understand me. I don't like sharing a man. What's mine is mine alone, and if it isn't, I don't want it." She forced a smile. "I could never tolerate that."

...

Having finished trying on one wedding dress, Wen Liang looked at herself from side to side, feeling dissatisfied and sensing that something was missing as she nitpicked every detail.

The designer had been hired at a high cost specifically to design her wedding dress, and facing her financial backer, the designer cooperated to the utmost degree, diligently noting down every flaw she pointed out for further modification.