Chapter 625: Lu Jinnian, I’m Pregnant (16)

In the past, she said he wasn’t worthy of her because of Xu Jiamu, and gave him no choice but to let go and leave. Now, she flew all the way from Beijing to America to harass him. In front of Lucy, she even repeatedly called him her husband and that she was pregnant with his baby, like she was giving an oath of sovereignty.

What did she really want?

Perhaps it was the overbearing look in his eyes that made Qiao Anhao instinctively lower her head to avoid his glare. She then said in a quiet voice, “I lost my purse.”

She really did lose her purse, though it had been on purpose.

Lu Jinnian stared at her scruffy hair without saying a word.

Qiao Anhao quietly raised her eyelids to find that he still wore the angry expression he had had earlier, which didn’t let anyone read his thoughts. She wasn’t quite sure if he believed her or not, so she gently held one of his hands and flipped with the other through her own pockets.

She then said in low voice, “I’ve really lost it. When I left the restaurant, I walked a distance and hailed a taxi back to the hotel. When it came time to pay, I realized that I had lost my purse. I had to borrow money from the front desk to pay for my taxi fare.”

Although she had carefully calculated every move, when it was time to tell him, her mind couldn’t help but go back to the time when she went to Hangzhou during university. Her purse was stolen, and she had to send him a text to ask him to come find her far from his place. Yet, now, all he gave her was a cold and callous look.

A trace of sorrow crept into her heart, and the rim of her eyes started to redden. Her voice sounded quite pitiful when she spoke next. “They didn’t let me borrow it at first, so I told them that I had a friend here who would repay them, only then did they let me borrow the money. Yet they didn’t let me go up to rest, they said I had to wait in the lobby for you to come back. I waited for over two hours for you to come back. I haven’t even eaten, I’m hungry.”

Every letter of Qiao Anhao’s soft words lit Lu Jinnian’s heart.

Though she lowered her head so he couldn’t see her face, his mind sketched out her pitiful and aggrieved face from her words.

Lu Jinnian shut his eyes and silently took a breath. He tried hard to get his senses back, then pulled out a thick pile of notes from his wallet and handed it to Qiao Anhao.

Qiao Anhao stared at the money but didn’t reach her hand out to take it. She shook her head and said, “This isn’t enough. One night’s stay in the hotel costs several million.”

Lu Jinnian furrowed his brows, pulled out a bank card, and handed it to Qiao Anhao. “You know the pin.”

Since being reunited after four months apart, this was the first time Lu Jinnian had spoke to Qiao Anhao in a normal tone of voice. Though he was still quite callous about it, there was no longer any of that will to defy and reject her from his very bones. It was especially so when he said “You know the pin”.

Qiao Anhao wasn’t certain why but tears started rolling down her face and crashed onto to the back of his hand, as she tightly pulled his sleeve.

The tears were warm, yet they scorched Lu Jinnian’s heart. He could clearly feel the very heart he had tried to harden up start to soften.

Qiao Anhao raised her hand and carelessly wiped the tears from her face. With her head raised, she looked at Lu Jinnian with teary, puppy dog eyes, and said in an aggrieved and pitiful voice, “I don’t want money, I want food.”

Chapter 626: Lu Jinnian, I’m Pregnant (17)

Want food… It was so obviously funny, but Lu Jinnian couldn’t laugh aloud.

He moved his lips as though to force himself not to let the words escape. However, eventually, he said it. “First, get in and pay them back.”

Qiao Anhao was so afraid that Lu Jinnian would throw her aside and leave, she didn’t dare let go of his hand. She didn’t listen to him and stubbornly stood on the spot without moving.

Lu Jinnian stared at Qiao Anhao for two seconds before finally conceding. He silently turned around and let her hold his hand into the hotel lobby.

As Qiao Anhao dragged his hand, she could only walk forward under the force of his pull.

His footsteps were fast, and so to be able to keep hold of his hand, she had to jog behind him.

When Lu Jinnian heard the hurried sounds of her high heels, he slightly lowered his head to one side and saw that her legs moving non-stop. He then slowed down.

They walked up to the front desk where the receptionist asked politely, “Sir, how may I help you?”

Lu Jinnian didn’t bother with her. Instead, he turned his head and looked at Qiao Anhao with neutral eyes. He asked with no emotions, “How much?”

As though she were a mistreated young wife, Qiao Anhao quietly said, “Forty.”

Lu Jinnian pulled out a hundred and threw it on the front desk, like he was unsatisfied with them for making Qiao Anhao wait for over two hours alone on the sofa. He didn’t even bother saying “Thank you”, but directly threw out the words “Take the change”. Then they turned around and headed for the lobby.

Lu Jinnian hailed a taxi by the side of the road, pulled the doors, and glanced over at Qiao Anhao. He said in a frigid voice, “Get in.”

With that, Qiao Anhao let go of Lu Jinnian’s hand and climbed into the car. Then, as though she was afraid Lu Jinnian would suddenly close the car door on her and walk off, she quickly pulled onto his sleeve, yanking him into the car with her.

Lu Jinnian creased his brows without saying a word, as he realized how comfortable he felt in his heart with Qiao Anhao’s obedient, pitiful actions. Like a cat, he followed behind her, entered the car, and gave the driver a location.

Throughout the journey, Qiao Anhao and Lu Jinnian never spoke to one another. It was only after they stopped and found themselves outside the same restaurant Lu Jinnian and the blonde women had been to that Qiao Anhao said in quiet voice filled with jealousy, “I don’t want to eat western food.”

Lu Jinnian furrowed his brows as though to complain how demanding she was.

“Ah, western food is fine,” said Qiao Anhao, quickly changing her tone.

Lu Jinnian didn’t even bother with her. He apologized to the taxi driver and gave another location.

This time, the taxi stopped in front of a Chinese restaurant.

Lu Jinnian paid the fare and got out of the car. He glanced over at Qiao Anhao, who had tightly clutched his sleeve without much reaction through the whole drive. He just waited for her to crawl out of the car, then took big strides towards the restaurant.

When they sat at the table, Lu Jinnian grabbed the menu and threw it straight in front of Qiao Anhao.

Chapter 627: Lu Jinnian, I’m Pregnant ?18?

The restaurant was situated in a popular area, so during normal dinning hours, there would be a large crowd. In order to save on staff, there was a paper menu on each table for the customers to tick and send to the counter.

Lu Jinnian glanced over at Qiao Anhao, and when he realized that she wasn’t going to tick anything on the menu, he grabbed a pen at the side and tossed it to her.

Qiao Anhao jumped, lifting her head to glance at him. She widened her eyes in shock, her gaze clear and harmless.

Even though there wasn’t much expression on his face, his tone softened without conscious thought. “Tick whatever you want to eat.”

“Oh.” Qiao Anhao picked up the pen and scrutinized the menu. Out of habit, she started to chew on the tip of the pen . Occasionally, when she saw something she wanted, she would lightly tick the menu.

Lu Jinnian’s gaze turned blurry as he remembered an event from the past. It was after their physical education lesson, and while hugging a soccer ball, he had deliberately passed by Qiao Anhao’s class. She was having a quiz and had been allocated a seat at the far end of the classroom, but he could still spot her at a glance.

At that time, she was still in third class. When she couldn’t solve the question, she would start to chew on her pen, just as she was doing right now, but with a frown etched on her face. After a long while, she would release the pen to tick her choice.

Even though it wasn’t much, he stopped outside her class and stared for at least ten minutes. It was only when Xu Jiamu, drenched in sweat, came running to him did he finally avert his gaze.

Some people and some memories would constantly be hovering around despite any attempts to forget them. In the past four months, he never once thought about her affairs, but now, her unconscious action was able to awaken the past that he had sealed.

Lu Jinnian had already eaten his dinner and Qiao Anhao couldn’t eat much, so she only chose one dish after a long time of contemplation. Finally, she placed the pen back down and passed the menu back to Lu Jinnian.

Her act snapped his attention back to the present, and coldness and remoteness clouded his eyes. Casually, he flipped through the menu. When he saw that she had only picked one dish, he frowned. Without bothering to consult her, he picked up the pen and quickly ticked a few other boxes before standing to place the order.

It was after dinner hours, so the crowd had started to leave. The dishes were served quickly.

Qiao Anhao realized that the items he had picked so swiftly – four dishes, a soup, and dessert were all her favorite.

The long email that he had written to his assistant came to her mind, dampening her spirits slightly.

When he ticked the menu just now, he seemed to be very familiar with the positions of the dishes… Did that mean he was a regular and would always pick these few dishes? Did he always patronize the restaurant alone to eat her favorite dishes?

She could feel a slight sting in her eyes. Biting down on her lips, she whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Chapter 628: Lu Jinnian, I’m Pregnant?19?

Qiao Anhao’s abrupt apology sent Lu Jinnian into confusion, and he just continued to look at her.

She lifted her head and looked into his eyes with a bright, teary gaze. “Lu Jinnian, I’m really sorry for making you wait so long and for things I said that day…”

Qiao Anhao was referring to the words that she had said in his office.

But Lu Jinnian had misunderstood, assuming that she was talking about the text.

His eyes darkened, he beat down on the table aggressively and growled, “How many times do you need me to tell you, I don’t want to hear about that!”

Qiao Anhao trembled, clearly frightened by his sudden outburst. She didn’t even dare to look at him, hurriedly hanging her head down.

Lu Jinnian’s aggressive act attracted stares from the other patrons, and Qiao Anhao could vaguely hear that they were discussing them. Instinctively, she clenched her fists and hung her head lower.

A pressuring force continuously emitted from Lu Jinnian, and his chest was rising up and down furiously. Qiao Anhao was afraid that he would turn and leave just like before.

Ignoring the fear deep in her heart, she reached out to grab his sleeve.

Lu Jinnian sensed her move. He turned and saw her slender hand tugging at his sleeve, and deep inside, his anger started to fade. After about a minute, he exhaled deeply and passed a pair of chopsticks over to her. “Eat.”

Qiao Anhao lifted her eyes slightly to study him. When she saw that he no longer had that scary aura, she reached over for the chopsticks, though her other hand still held onto his sleeve tightly. Lowering her head, she started to eat obediently.

Zhao Meng was right – He was indeed unwilling to talk about the past… But she could sense that deep inside he still cared about her. Was Zhao Meng’s suggestion the only solution left?

Qiao Anhao tightened her grip on the chopsticks. When she took in a mouthful of rice, she peaked over at Lu Jinnian. He was staring out the window in a daze.

Qiao Anhao glance around the restaurant. When she saw the drinks located at the vending machine, she bit her lip and turned to Lu Jinnian. “I want orange juice.”

Lu Jinnian had been staring at Qiao Anhao’s reflection on the window all this while. When he heard her, he turned and stared at her slightly before heading for the vending machine.

Qiao Anhao stared at his back. When she saw him reach for his pocket to grab a new note while scanning the rows of drinks, she bit down on her lip and swiftly fished out the pill box and placed its contents in an empty cup.

Chapter 629: Lu Jinnian, I’m Pregnant?20?

At that moment, Lu Jinnian bent down to reach for a bottle of orange juice and turned to get his change.

Qiao Anhao hurriedly stuffed the box back into her pocket. She held onto the empty cup, concealing the pill inside.

When he came back with her drink, he first unscrewed the bottle before passing it over to her.

She reached for the bottle and poured some into the cup with the pill, heaving a sigh of relief. Reaching for another empty cup, she poured the orange juice in.

Qiao Anhao placed the remaining juice on the table before passing the cup with the pill over to Lu Jinnian. Looking up at him, she fluttered her long lashes and said in a sweet tone, “Here’s yours.”

Lu Jinnian usually opted for coffee, tea, or just plain water. He never touched sweet drinks. Glancing at the juice, he shook his head in rejection. “I don’t want it.”

In hesitation, he added another sentence to sound less harsh. “You can have it.”

Inwardly, he laughed bitterly. Even after she had caused him so much hurt, he still felt an urge to cheer her up when she felt down.

Qiao Anhao held the cup in the same position wordlessly, staring at him with the same clear, harmless eyes.

Lu Jinnian couldn’t handle the gaze any longer. He reached over and took the drink from her hands.

Qiao Anhao smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. Reaching for her own drink, she touched her cup to his before downing the whole juice in one go.

Lu Jinnian stared at her smile, mesmerized. Placing the cup back down, Qiao Anhao realized that he hadn’t moved, so she asked him about it. At that moment, he lowered his lashes and took a sip.

It was sweet, sickeningly so, and a little sour. It wasn’t a taste that he enjoyed, but just when he was about to place the cup down, he noticed her gaze. After just a moment of hesitation, he downed the entire cup.

Qiao Anhao stared at him till he finished the entire cup, only then did she pick up her chopsticks to resume eating. Deep down, she was starting to get anxious.

Zhao Meng told her that the pill would take effect in half an hour… This meant that she had to return to the hotel soon…

Qiao Anhao hurriedly finished the entire bowl of rice. Turning to look at Lu Jinnian who was staring out the window, she said, “I’m done.”

Lu Jinnian averted his gaze. He wordlessly reached for his wallet and headed to the cashier.

Once they left the restaurant, Qiao Anhao and Lu Jinnian entered a cab and returned to the hotel.

As they entered the elevator going to the top floor, Lu Jinnian’s face started to redden, and his breath started to get uneven. His gaze started to get fiery, as though suppressing an overwhelming inner desire.

When the elevator finally reached the top floor, Lu Jinnian took large steps forward, as though trying to get rid of Qiao Anhao.

Qiao Anhao could sense his abnormality. Without allowing him any opportunity, she ran after him. Just when he was about to open his room’s door, she dashed forward into his embrace.

Chapter 630: Marriage?1?

Qiao Anhao’s unique scent clouded Lu Jinnian’s mind, jolting his senses. With the limited restrain he still had, he struggled to pry her off him, but somehow, he couldn’t seem to lift his arms.

Qiao Anhao stood on her toes, sealing his lips.

The soft tenderness brought out his inner desire, chasing away any willpower he might have had left. His mind went blank. Without thinking, his legs lifted, kicking the door open. Carrying Qiao Anhao in his embrace, he entered the room and kicked the door shut, pressing her against the wall, deepening the kiss.

Lu Jinnian’s kiss was passionate and aggressive, stripping away her strength, leaving her light headed.

Due to the pill, his actions were impatient, tugging away her clothes roughly. The long row of buttons seemed to frustrate him. He pulled and tore the cloth apart, sending the buttons flying all over the floor.

Before they even reached the bedroom, their clothes were almost entirely gone, strewn across the entire living room. Lu Jinnian’s breathing turned ragged. He pushed the bedroom’s door open and pressed Qiao Anhao down onto the bed, anxiously entering her.

After staying celibate for such a long time and being under the influence of the pill, he was more aggressive than usual. Qiao Anhao was awake but light headed. When it finally ended and she wanted to take a breath, he suddenly hugged her, changing her position for another round.

When it was finally over, she could no longer keep track of the number of times they had done it… Was it four times, or five? She just felt as though her entire body was wrecked and all her energy was sucked out.

She slouched down onto his chest tiredly, sinking into deep sleep.

–

When Lu Jinnian woke up, the skies were still dark. He reached out for his phone but instead felt a soft tenderness. He frowned, with the faint glow from outside the window, he saw Qiao Anhao nestled in his arms, fast asleep. His mind froze instantly. Only after a long while did he process what had happened the day before… he most likely had been drugged by Qiao Anhao.

He stared at her sleeping face for a long while before removing her from his embrace. Settling her gently on the pillow beside him, he headed to the bathroom.

After a shower, he returned to the bedroom in a bathrobe and glanced at Qiao Anhao. She was still fast asleep. He walked towards the door and left the bedroom.

Outside, the floor was filled with both of their clothes. Lu Jinnian paused for a moment before bending down to pick them all up, tossing them into the laundry basket in the living room.

Walking towards his phone, he glanced at the time, it was 4 am.

Exhausted from the night before, he brewed a cup of coffee for himself. Holding onto it, he walked towards the balcony and sat onto a chair. Reaching for the cigarette box in front of him, he took a stick out and started to smoke as he stared out at the night sky.

Behind every puff of smoke, his face remained impassive, his gaze blurry as though everything was fine, but deep inside, his heart was in a mess.

Chapter 631: Marriage?2?

She was poison. Even though he knew it was fatal, he still couldn’t help approaching.

Just like right now. Even after she had hurt him so badly, her unhappiness, her tears, and one night together was enough to tempt him back in.

He couldn’t help but admit his attraction, she could easily stir his heart, sucking him in.

He could never understand why there could be a woman like her that could easily tear down his defenses. With just a simple act, she was able to turn his world upside down.

He was clear of his most honest and raw intentions at this moment.

Even after she had trampled over his pride, proclaimed him unworthy of loving her, refused to forgive him for another man, pushed him to his limits, he still wasn’t able to give her up, he still wanted to be with her.

He knew that he never had a choice when it came to her, that’s what had driven him to a foreign country when she first abandoned him.

The skies were dark, and the street lamps flickered.

Lu Jinnian smoked one stick after another, never once stopping as he battled his inner war.

From all her actions, he could tell that she wanted to be with him, but he couldn’t muster enough courage to believe such a thought.

He was frightened of the thought of losing her after accepting such a fantasy.

He didn’t want to experience the same death-like pain once again.

No one could know how torturous it had bee n when she had abandoned him, and he never wanted to experience such torment ever again. No one could know just how many sleepless nights he had used to convince himself to let go.

Lu Jinnian lowered his lashes, staring at the black watch he wore on the hand with which he held the cigarette.

His resolve was weakening, and his spirits were low.

There were two choices ahead, but he had no clue which to choose.

Lu Jinnian sat there silently the entire night, until the sun started to raise and the city started to rouse, transforming into a bustling place of activity. Standing up, he headed to the closet to change into a new set of clothes before leaving the hotel room with his wallet.

After about an hour, he returned back with two bags. He placed them on the sofa before pushing the bedroom door softly. Qiao Anhao was still fast asleep.

She didn’t have good sleeping habits, kicking the blanket aside, exposing a large area of her bare back and one long, shapely leg.

Lu Jinnian looked at her for a while before entering and covering her tightly. He left after increasing the temperature for the heater slightly.

Walking over to the window in the living room, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and stared into the distance.

–

This was probably the best sleep Qiao Anhao had had in four months.

When she finally woke up, it was already 1 pm in the afternoon.

She brushed her hair messily, glancing around the room with half-opened eyes. When she caught sight of a male suit in the corner of the room, she was jolted awake instantly.

Chapter 632: Marriage?3?

Just like a movie scene, the memories from the night before flooded in, one by one. Qiao Anhao scanned the surroundings. When she realized that Lu Jinnian was nowhere in sight, she automatically assumed that he had ran away. She hurriedly climbed off the bed and ran out of the bedroom without noticing her naked body.

When Lu Jinnian heard movement, he turned towards the source of the sound. Just then, Qiao Anhao appeared at the door unclothed. He frowned, turning away abruptly. “Wear something before coming out.”

Qiao Anhao flushed a deep shade of red and retreated back into the backroom, slamming the door behind her.

After taking a shower, she wrapped herself in a bathrobe. When she approached the bed, she saw a new set of clothes with tags still on them.

Lu Jinnian must have bought them for her earlier this morning.

She quickly blow dried her hair, tied them into a messy bun, and put on the clothes before leaving the bedroom.

Lu Jinnian had already placed some dishes on the table. When he heard the door open, he lifted his head. “Come have some food.”

He then sat down on the chair next to him.

Qiao Anhao walked over slowly, studying his face. When she was sure that he wasn’t angry or seemed to want to question her, she started to feel more reassured, pulling open a chair to take a seat.

Lu Jinnian passed her a set of chopsticks, signaling for her to eat.

That was when she finally relaxed. She lowered her head and started eating. Deep inside, she was complimenting Zhao Meng for her suggestion.

After sleeping for such a long time, she was starving. With her newly brightened spirits, she started to eat happily.

Lu Jinnian moved his chopsticks twice before putting them back down. He leaned back against the chair and stared at Qiao Anhao as she ate.

Only when she stopped eating did he finally move. He turned to pass her a wet tissue before walking to the sofa. He glanced at the two bags, hesitated slightly before bending down, and took out a box of pills.

Turning around, he walked over to the table counter to pour a cup of water before heading back to the table. He first placed the cup of water in front of her, then paused for some ten seconds, seemingly debating something, after which he passed them over. “Eat one.”

Qiao Anhao had on a faint smile while holding onto the wet tissue. She then turned and saw the pills in his hands. “What’s this?”

Lu Jinnian remained silent.

Qiao Anhao blinked twice and turned to look at the box of pills. All the color left her face instantly. She tightened her grip on the wet tissue in her hands as shock clouded her face. After a moment, she turned to Lu Jinnian with confusion in her eyes. “Why are you giving me this?”

Lu Jinnian glanced at her face for a moment before placing the pills on the table. Instead of replying to her, he pulled out an air ticket from his pocket. “After you finish it, I’ll bring you to the airport.”

Chapter 633: Marriage?4?

Qiao Anhao glanced at the air ticket, it was a flight from Los Angeles to Beijing. Her mind went blank.

Didn’t Zhao Meng say that all she had to do was sleep with him? Even if he wasn’t going to forgive her, didn’t she say that she could use the child to threaten him into marriage?

But somehow Lu Jinnian had ruined her plans entirely…

She didn’t want to go back, she didn’t want to eat the contraceptives… What was she going to do?

Qiao Anhao started to panic. She then suddenly remembered what Zhao Meng had mentioned in the message – for her to continually sleep with him until he accepted her…

Qiao Anhao hung onto that solution desperately. She stood up abruptly and hugged Lu Jinnian’s neck. Lifting her head, she covered his lips. Moving her arm down to his waist, she violently sunk into his clothes.

But before she could venture far, Lu Jinnian grabbed her wrist, pulling her away from him as though trying to keep a distance. When he took a step back, his face was cold and distant. “The flight is two hours away, hurry and eat the pill. I’ll go check out now.”

He released her wrist, arranging his messy clothes slightly before heading out of the room.

She tried harassing him, acting cute, pitiful, and even drugged him. She seemed to have exhausted all the possible options but was still not able to make him change his mind. In that instant, she didn’t know if she felt despair or frustration, but she suddenly grabbed the pills on the table and tossed them at Lu Jinnian’s back.

“You can eat it if you want, but I’m not going to!”

Lu Jinnian wavered slightly before stopping.

Qiao Anhao seemed to have broken down. She reached for the air ticket and tore it into pieces, throwing it at Lu Jinnian with all her strength, but it didn’t seem to satisfy her. She took large steps towards him.

Reaching for the box of pills, she threw them out and started to stomp on them until they turned into a powdery mess. As she stepped on the pills, tears streamed down her face. Turning to the the sofa, she grabbed the pillows and tossed them at Lu Jinnian.

And when there was nothing left to throw, she collapsed on the floor, sobbing. Angrily, she glared at him with tear filled eyes. “Lu Jinnian, what do you want? Even if you’re angry, isn’t there a limit?”

Lu Jinnian was frustrated by her tantrum. After finally settling on a conclusion, he was starting to waver once again. He frowned, staring at her for a long while before walking over. He knelt down and started to gently wipe away her tears, but in that instant, Qiao Anhao could feel his distance.

Chapter 634: Marriage ?5?

“Qiao Qiao, I’m not angry…” Lu Jinnian said calmly. “This time, I just want to treat myself better.”

All these years, in order to love you, I thought about you first, before myself.

As time went by, I started to forget that I can hurt as well.

In this world, there isn’t anyone who would think for me, so this time, I just want to care for myself.

I don’t want to jump right in just because I saw a hint of hope, only to end up in despair.

“Yesterday in the elevator, whatever I said wasn’t out of anger, those were heartfelt. I really don’t wish to have anything to do with you anymore.” Lu Jinnian paused before adding resolutely, “So, Qiao Qiao, do go back to Beijing, don’t waste your time here anymore.”

Lu Jinnian spoke seriously, allowing Qiao Anhao to understand that he wasn’t angry at what happened, he was giving up on her.

Anxiousness started to fill her heart. “But Lu Jinnian, you like me… You’ve liked me for thirteen years…”

Her words brought him back to the time he was in the car and had sent her the message [I’ve loved you for thirteen years]. He was reminded of how despaired he had felt at that time.

An unexplainable sorrow started to spread across his heart. He remained silent for a long while before saying, “Yes, I’ve loved you for thirteen years. But Qiao Qiao, do you know? Now I’m trying very hard to forget you.”

Cold numbness crept up Qiao Anhao’s body, her heart tugged with a deep painful ache, and her body begun to tremble uncontrollably.

What did he say?

He said that he was trying to forget her?

During the four months he was gone. she had always thought that when they finally reunited, it would be the start of her happiness. She had never expected it to be the end.

Lu Jinnian noticed that she seemed to have been hurt by his words, staring at him blankly without responding.

He couldn’t help but feel pained inside as well when he saw her reaction. Lowering his lids, he said faintly, “I’ll wait downstairs.”

He stood up and left the room.

When the door finally closed, Qiao Anhao snapped back to her senses. She blinked slightly, the tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.

Lu Jinnian had actually said that he was trying to forget her… Qiao Anhao felt an immense pain that made even breathing difficult.

She had no idea how she managed to leave his room and even less of a clue of how she managed to get down and enter the cab with Lu Jinnian. The entire time, her whole mind was filled with one single sentence.

She stared out the window. The more she repeated the sentence, the more her face whitened. In the end, it became as pale as a paper.

Lu Jinnian turned towards the other window, his face impassive.

When they finally reached the airport, Lu Jinnian paid and alighted first, heading to the other side to open the door for Qiao Anhao. She, on the other hand, remained in a daze, alighting from the cab as though on auto-pilot mode.

Chapter 635: Marriage?6?

Lu Jinnian walked in front while Qiao Anhao trailed behind as they headed towards the airport.

Since the ticket was torn apart, Lu Jinnian had to get another before leading her to the gates. He passed the passport and new air ticket into her hands.

Qiao Anhao felt something in her palms. She grabbed onto the things in a daze, looking straight at Lu Jinnian. Her mind was still in a blank state.

Lu Jinnian took out his wallet and stuffed a thick wad of cash into her hands. “Go in.”

Qiao Anhao stood still, her eyes blank, staring straight at him.

Lu Jinnian started to feel frustrated from her stare. He cleared his throat and dryly said, “Goodbye.”

He then turned.

After pausing for about ten seconds, he walked away with heavy, resolute steps.

Goodbye?

Qiao Anhao’s temples moved slightly. She looked down at the wad of cash Lu Jinnian had stuffed into her hands, remembering the scene from many years ago at the train station in Hangzhou. When she had lost her wallet back then, he had also given her money, but at that time, he had told her to get back to Beijing safely.

And now he had said goodbye.

Did it mean that they’ll never see each other again?

She didn’t want that!

Zhao Meng had told her that he cared that she didn’t turn up but he cared more whether or not she loved him. He said that it was never because he was angry.

Right, how could she be so silly? So dumb? Just because he said he would try to forget her, how could she forget to tell him she loved him?

After following him all the way from Beijing to America, she had wanted to explain herself, but she forgot to let him know that she loved him too.

Hope shone brightly in her eyes.

If she told him, she loved him, would he stop trying to forget her?

He had been in love with her for thirteen years, and she had loved him for thirteen years too.

After she had spent her entire youth loving him, how could it end like that?

Regardless of the ending, she had to go at it bravely, didn’t she?

Determined, she rushed in the direction Lu Jinnian had left.

The airport was crowded, and since she was in a hurry, she bumped into a few people, but continued to rush forward without having time to apologize.

When she was finally at the door, she started to worry that she wouldn’t see him anywhere. After frantically scanning the surroundings, she finally caught sight of him smoking at the rubbish bin nearby.

He looked exceptionally lonely at that moment, and it tugged at the deepest part of her heart. Without hesitating, she dashed forward.

Lu Jinnian seemed to have sensed something, for he turned to the side. The moment he saw her, he frowned, instinctively tossing the cigarette into the bin. Qiao Anhao ran towards him and tightly hugged the back of his waist.

Lu Jinnian froze, and before he could react, he heard her small, soulful whimper.

“Lu Jinnian, if I said I loved you, would you still not want me?”

Chapter 636: Marriage?7?

Lu Jinnian froze, and before he could react, he heard her small, soulful whimper.

“Lu Jinnian, if I said I loved you, would you still not want me?”

The airport was populated and noisy, each sound much louder than hers, but he could still clearly hear what she had just said.

If I said I loved you, would you still not want me?

The sentence entered his brain, and he couldn’t seem to process the meaning. In the end, it translated only to: I love you

Qiao Anhao said that she loved him.

Lu Jinnian sincerely felt that he was hallucinating.

How could she say that she loved him? If she loved him, why would she have let him wait for such a long time, sent him such hurtful words?

His love for her must be so great that it caused him to hallucinate in broad daylight.

After waiting for a long while, Qiao Anhao still didn’t get a response from him. She started to feel anxious, unsure of how he felt. She tightened her grip on his waist and continued in a trembling voice, “Lu Jinnian, can you not try to forget me, can you not chase me back, can you be with me…”

The whole sentence consisted of many “can you”, but Lu Jinnian continued to stay motionless. In the end, she asked in a breathless, sob-filled voice, “Lu Jinnian, I love you, I really love you, can we be together? Can we? Can we?”

The multiple “can we” sent his heart into a frenzy.

Silently, he pinched his thigh. When he felt a sharp stinging pain, he realized that he wasn’t dreaming.

The girl he had loved for thirteen years had really just told him that she loved him.

Last night, when she drugged him and they slept together, he had wanted to get back with her, but he was too afraid of facing another sad ending. After sitting and thinking through the entire night, he came to the painful conclusion of letting her go. If he wanted to have a peaceful life, they had to become strangers.

But now she said that she loved him.

He saw his weak resolve dissolving right in front of him.

The worst thing was the bliss he felt when he heard her confession.

Lu Jinnian, are you prepared to give yourself, to give her, to give the future of you two together a chance?

His silence slowly ripped Qiao Anhao’s heart apart, the wound getting larger and larger. She was growing more and more anxious.

When his hands suddenly came up to pry her hands off, her chest overflowed with horror.

Lu Jinnian started to turn around to face her, but before he could say anything, she threw herself into his embrace, climbing onto him like an octopus. He stumbled backwards, and when he finally regained his footing, she broke into tears.

“I’m not going back, not going back!”

Chapter 637: Marriage?8?

Qiao Anhao’s loud cries attracted the attention of numerous passers-by.

“Lu Jinnian, what exactly do you want? I’ve already apologized, I already told you why I couldn’t meet you. I didn’t even mind when you said those hurtful things and gave me contraceptives after sleeping with me! And now you want to chase me away!”

Even though the airport was filled with non-Chinese people, there were some who could understand the language, so when Qiao Anhao said “slept with me”, Lu Jinnian frowned, a shade of faint red appearing on his dashing pale face.

Instinctively, he raised his hands to try to pull her down and cover her mouth so that she would calm down, but these actions seemed to agitate her further, for she thought that he was about to abandon her in the airport. Violently, she threw her hands around his neck and started to scream while crying, totally disregarding her image.

“Lu Jinnian, you bastard, I already said I don’t want to go back, so why do you still want to send me back?

“Lu Jinnian, what kind of guy are you? You aren’t going to take responsibility after sleeping with me?

“Lu Jinnian, you don’t want me? Why did you sleep with me yesterday then? There’s a child in my tummy now, I don’t want to go, don’t want to go…

“Wa…” Qiao Anhao screamed loud and clear, following each sentence with deafening sobs.

The surrounding crowd started to grow larger, and several of the people started recording the show.

This was the first time in Lu Jinnian’s life that he felt so embarrassed. Instinctively, he turned to hide his face, but when he saw Qiao Anhao’s teary visage, he turned back to shield her. “Qiao Qiao, calm down, stop shouting for a moment. Let’s talk somewhere we’ll be alone, all right?”

“No, I don’t want to find somewhere else, I want to talk here, I don’t want for my child to be born without a father…”

Lu Jinnian was left speechless. Helplessly, he said weakly, “Qiao Qiao, it’s just one night, you couldn’t possibly be pregnant…”

“I’m pregnant, I’m pregnant! You’re not me, how would you know!” Qiao Anhao anxiously interrupted without waiting for him to finish his sentence. Since he didn’t seem to be accommodating to her words, she started to cry louder. “Lu Jinnian, I give you two choices, you get together with me or I get together with you!”

Lu Jinnian gave up, realizing that there was no way to talk any sense into her, and the people crowding around were growing in number, all of them pointing at them… At this rate, they were about to become headlines…

Lu Jinnian hesitated before pushing her upwards and hurriedly leaving.

Qiao Anhao continued to sob non stop as she repeated continuously, “I don’t want to go back.”

Lu Jinnian carried her all the way till there wasn’t anyone around and then put her down. In order to calm her, he grabbed her shoulders to stabilize her and stared straight into her eyes. “Qiao Qiao, let me ask you a question, if your answer satisfies me, I’ll get together with you.”

Chapter 638: Marriage?9?

“If your answer is able to satisfy me, I’ll forgive you for everything: for not coming to meet me, and for…”—Lu Jinnian paused, remembering the night he had received her text, and his eyes darkened, but quickly, his tone stabilized—”everything you once said to me, I will be able to forget it.”

When Qiao Anhao finally saw a glimmer of hope, she stopped crying and looked straight into his eyes. “Tell me.”

After crying for such a long while, she wriggled her nose, looking exceptionally pitiful.

“Qiao Qiao…” After a moment of silence, Lu Jinnian continued as he looked into her eyes with pain, “Give me a reason.”

Confusion settled on her face. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. Just then, Lu Jinnian’s suppressed voice reached her ears. “Give me a reason to believe that you love me.”

Regardless of how many times she said she loved him, regardless of how much she harassed him, even if she disregarded her image and cried contentiously, not willing to leave… Even if there were so many instances he could list that could convince him that she wanted to be with him but… he still needed a reason.

That “are you worthy” was enough to strip him of all his confidence and courage.

After asking the question, he remained motionless, staring straight at her.

Give him a reason to believe that she was in love with him?

Tears drenched Qiao Anhao’s face, but she turned serious in an instance, her temples scrunching together as though she was in deep thought.

In the empty corner, it seemed unusually quiet.

Occasionally, there would be a faint buzz from the airplanes that flew past.

After only about two minutes, Lu Jinnian felt as though he had waited for an eternity. The grip on her shoulders started to lessen in strength, and just when he was about to let go, she suddenly spoke up. “Lu Jinnian…”

After crying, her eyes were bright and sparkly, the tip of her nose red and her hair tangled. She looked a mess, but he could see the sincerity in her expression. “Lets get married.”

If he needed a reason to believe that she loved him, she concluded that getting married was the best way to convince him.

“You once said that if no one wanted me, you would marry me. You can marry me now, and I’ll give you the rest of my life, do you think this is enough?”

Lu Jinnian froze, his face impassive when he glanced at her.

After a long period of silence, he still didn’t react, and uneasiness settled in Qiao Anhao’s heart. Did he think that this reason wasn’t enough? Or was he not willing to be with her?

After about half a minute, since Lu Jinnian was still motionless, her eyes started to turn red again. Anxiously, she added, “Lu Jinnian, if you don’t think its enough, I can add one more. There’s a child in my tummy now, you won’t abandon the child, right?”

Chapter 639: Marriage?10?

Lu Jinnian couldn’t process the “let’s get married” part when he heard her continue. His lips trembled, and his expression turned indulgent.

“Lu Jinnian, we can’t let the baby be born without a father, right?”

“Qiao Qiao…” he interrupted her continuous persuasion.

Qiao Anhao finally shut her mouth, turning to look at him with anxiousness. “Yea?”

“What did you say just now?”

“Baby…”

“No, the previous line.”

“Rest of my life…”

“Before that.”

“If no one wants me…”

“No, the one even before that.”

Qiao Anhao frowned. She tilted her head to think for a while. “Let’s get married?” She then added, “Is it this line?”

Lu Jinnian suddenly raised his hand to push a fallen out strand of hair behind her ear before replying warmly and resolutely, “Yes.”

She froze.

Lu Jinnian lightly caressed her ear. “That’s the reason I want, let’s get married.”

After a moment hesitation’s, he seemed to have made up his mind. He lowered his hands to hold hers. “Let’s go back to get married now.”

Lu Jinnian pulled her towards a cab stand outside the airport and hailed for a cab to return to the hotel. Once he was back in his room, he hurriedly stuffed his belongings into his luggage and called on his phone to book air tickets back to Beijing. He then pulled her down to check out and brought her back to the airport.

He had booked the same flight as that of Qiao Anhao. When they finally reached the airport again, it was less than half an hour before the plane took off. They hurriedly passed through all the gates, heading straight toward the plane.

The doors to the airplane shut the instant they sat down, and the safety instructions started to play.

After crying and throwing a tantrum for such a long time, Qiao Anhao was exhausted. The moment the plane took off, she fell asleep.

The temperature in the plane was starting to decrease, so Lu Jinnian requested for a blanket to cover her. Just then he saw her tear-stained face.

He stared for a few seconds before pulling out a wet tissue to tenderly wipe her face. When he was done, he stared at her sleeping form for a long while before finally turning to look out the window.

Let’s get married.

He couldn’t help but admit that he was completely and entirely shaken when she said those three words.

To place his name next to hers permanently.

There was probably no other reason more convincing than her suggesting marriage.

To have his name in her identification book… From then on, he would have a family, he would no longer be alone. The girl he had been in love with for such a long time was finally going to become his wife… Such an enticing reason… At that instant, he realized that he wasn’t able to find an excuse to reject her.

He couldn’t help but admit that after trying for such a long time to forget her, he was moved… Even if she had hurt him so deeply and caused him such despair, the moment she had asked him to marry her, he was completely and utterly lost, unable to refuse.

Chapter 640: Marriage?11?

The best promise a man can give to a woman is marriage, and similarly, the best form of trust a woman can give a man is also marriage.

Marriage is probably the most precious thing to anyone in this world.

Qiao Anhao was wiling to use such a precious thing to convince Lu Jinnian that she loved him.

If she was willing to entrust the rest of her life to him, she was willing to sink right back again.

A slight mockery and sorrow clouded Lu Jinnian’s eyes.

In the end, he still lost to her.

Every single time, she was able to cross his line, for every time, he was willing to lower that line for her…

But who could he blame?

Other than her, he wasn’t able to love anyone else.

–

When the plane touched down in Beijing International Airport, it was already 3 pm in the afternoon.

The winter in Beijing had strong winds. Even if the sun was usually bright, the cold was enough to send one shivering.

Before Lu Jinnian had left, he had taken a cab to the airport, so his car wasn’t in the airport. The two of them queued at the cab stand waiting for a cab.

The moment they boarded, the driver asked, “Where would you like to go?”

Without hesitating, Lu Jinnian replied faintly, “Civil Affairs Bureau.”

“Sure.” The driver seemed to be a local as he he replied with a Beijing accent.

After traveling a short distance, Qiao Anhao said, “Mister, could we go to Jindian street.”

“Ah? Not to the Civil Affairs Bureau?” the driver asked in confusion.

Lu Jinnian’s face fell.

Qiao Anhao hurriedly explained, “I don’t have my identification book with me.”

Lu Jinnian’s expression brightened slightly, disregarding her, he looked towards the driver. “Jindian street.”

Since it was still the beginning of the new year, there weren’t many people in the city, which resulted in not as many cars, so they reached the place in less than half an hour.

Lu Jinnian paid the cab fare and they took the elevator up to Qiao Anhao’s newly bought apartment.

She opened the door, and without removing her shoes, she ran into her bedroom.

Lu Jinnian placed his luggage by the entrance and glanced around her apartment – there was a packet of takeout on the dinning table while the sofa was filled with her underwear and magazines. Frowning, he headed forward, prepared to tidy the area for her. Just then, he saw a cigarette box and a piece of paper on the coffee table.

He paused. After a long while, he reached out to grab the cigarette box and paper.

He first opened the paper: inside was a familiar handwritten message.

The porcelain doll had been broken…

After a moment, he opened the cigarette box and counted the number of sticks inside. There were eighteen sticks, it was the box he had left at “Heaven’s Sword” set.

That was the only time in the four months that he had returned to Beijing.

At that time, he had returned because it was his mother’s death’s anniversary. He had never intended to see her, and after paying respects to his mother, he ordered the ticket out to Jiangxi.

That night, he had wanted to leave, but then had heard her screaming for help.

Just then, he heard footsteps. Hurriedly, he placed the cigarette box and paper back on the coffee table. Turning, he saw Qiao Anhao running out of her bedroom with her identification book in her hands.

Chapter 641: Marriage?12?

“Let’s go,” Qiao Anaho said clearly. When Lu Jinnian walked towards the door, she followed right after.

When she was about to walk out, she seemed to have thought of something. “Wait!”

Lu Jinnian thought that she was regretting her decision and froze, stopping immediately. Turning with a ferocious expression on his face, he saw that she had run to the cupboard at the side. After rummaging through for a long while, she held up her car keys, hurriedly returning back to the door, a bright smile on her face. “Let’s go.”

She was just looking for the car keys… Lu Jinnian heaved a sigh of relief inwardly, and they left the house.

They took the same elevator down to the underground parking lot. Qiao Anhao pressed the keys towards a red Audi, and when the car unlocked, she passed the keys over to Lu Jinnian. He seemed to understand her intentions, reaching over before heading towards the drivers seat.

–

When it was about 4.20 pm, the car steered into the parking lot of the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Lu Jinnian switched off the engine. Qiao Anhao released the seat belt and turned over, prepared to alight from the car.

Lu Jinnian remained still, and instead called out, “Qiao Qiao.”

She turned over in confusion. Looking into his dark eyes, she asked, “Yea?”

Lu Jinnian’s subconscious was telling him not to bother asking her. He should just bring her out, get the checkup, take the photo, and get the marriage license, by then, she would truly be his wife.

But he still hesitated. “Qiao Qiao, are you sure you want to marry me?”

After they reunited, Qiao Anhao had been left behind by Lu Jinnian several times. The moment she heard his question, she started to panic. Instinctively, she reached out to grab his sleeve. “Lu Jinnian, are you regretting your decision?”

Even though he was sorry to have caused her uneasiness, it seemed to comfort him.

He reached out to unfasten his seat belt before faintly replying, “Let’s go.”

Qiao Anhao remained silent. She nodded and hurriedly alighted. Rushing over to the other side of the car, she grabbed onto Lu Jinnian’s hand, worried that he would run off.

Lu Jinnian looked down at her hand, his temples gaining a sense of tenderness instantly. Turning his arm around, he held onto her hand before closing the doors to the car, heading to the Civil Affairs Bureau.

When they were right outside the doors, he turned to say again, “Once we enter, there is no turning back.”

Qiao Anhao replied with a “yea”, her expression resolute. “Let’s go.”

Lu Jinnian remained still. He then added, “And I will never accept a divorce.”

Qiao Anhao nodded her head continuously before using her jaw to point towards the Civil Affairs Bureau. “Let’s go!”

Lu Jinnian did not move, asking the third time, “Are you sure?”

Qiao Anhao became increasingly more uneasy from his hesitance. They were already outside the Civil Affairs Bureau, he won’t run away now, right?

Without replying, she tugged him violently into the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Chapter 642: Marriage?13?

The staff in the main hall came forward to greet them, asking if they wished to get married or divorced before passing them two forms.

Qiao Anhao tugged Lu Jinnian to the counter in front. Without hesitation, she picked up a pen and started to fill up the form. Halfway through it, she realized that Lu Jinnian, who was sitting beside her, hadn’t started to write.

Anxiously, she passed the pen in her hand over to him. When he didn’t have any intention of moving, she hurriedly stuffed the pen into his palm, rushing him, “Hurry and fill it up!”

Lu Jinnian glanced over at her briefly before pausing on her completed form.

She really wanted to get married to him… Did that mean that she really loved him?

Lu Jinnian fell into a daze, his lack of reaction sending uneasiness through Qiao Anhao. She looked around in contemplation before reaching over for his form. After just filling in his name, the staff behind the counter stopped her kindly. “I’m sorry miss, the form has to be filled up personally by the party involved.”

But Lu Jinnian wasn’t filling it up… Qiao Anhao bit the tip of the pen, she turned to the staff and replied sternly, “But he can’t write!”

“….” The staff looked at her speechlessly. Turning over to Lu Jinnian, he asked, “Mister, are you a willing party to this marriage?”

“Yes,” Qiao Anhao interrupted resolutely before Lu Jinnian could reply.

“…” The staff fell into silence once again before placing a new form in front of Lu Jinnian. “Mister, if you are willing to get married, please fill up the form.”

Qiao Anhao frowned deeply. She lowered her head to stare sadly at the name she had just filled in… Was this form invalid now?

Uneasily, she turned to glance at Lu Jinnian.

Lu Jinnian snapped out of his daze. He nodded his head towards the staff before reaching for a pen in his pocket. Picking up the form, he started to fill it up with swiftness and fluidity.

Finally, Qiao Anhao heaved a sigh of relief. When Lu Jinnian finished filling up the first page, she enthusiastically helped him flip to the next page.

The rest of the procedures went by smoothly – Checkup, payment, reading the vows, and stamping… Regardless of which step it was, Qiao Anhao enthusiastically and impatiently completed the tasks required.

It wasn’t that Lu Jinnian wasn’t enthusiastic but when he saw her actions, he couldn’t help believing that she really loved him.

–

When they were finally done, it was already 5 pm, after working hours. The roads were congested and filled with the loud honking by cars from all directions.

Lu Jinnian pulled the car door open while Qiao Anhao climbed inside with a bunch of documents. After settling down, she started to flip through the documents. The moment Lu Jinnian boarded the car, she passed his documents over. “Yours.”

Lu Jinnian took the identification card. “You can keep the identification book. You’ll need it when we go to the police station to bring your account over.”

“Oh,” Qiao Anhao murmured. Carefully, she stuffed all the documents into the inner pocket of her bag, as though they were a precious treasure.

Chapter 643: Marriage?14?

Lu Jinnian took in her actions, and even though he remained expressionless, his face turned tender and loving. He started the engine, heading onto the road.

Qiao Anhao lowered her head, carefully arranging the documents and photographs with seriousness, before finally raising the two red marriage certificates. Turning, she passed Lu Jinnian’s certificate over to him. “Here’s yours.”

Lu Jinnian turned his head slightly while keeping his focus on the road. When he saw the words “Marriage Certificate” imprinted on the cover page of the red book, he suddenly realized that both of their names would be together now. Abruptly, the steering wheel steered sideways, slightly out of control, but quickly, Lu Jinnian stabilized the car and calmly reached over to grab the red book.

Only after holding it in his hands for a long while was he willing to put it aside into his pocket. Even though the red book didn’t hold much warmth, he could still feel a hint of heat through the thin pocket fabric separating it from his skin.

When they hit a red light, Lu Jinnian glanced at Qiao Anhao through the rear view mirror: she was studying the red book intently.

The faint glow from the sunset fell onto her face, coloring it with a faint reddish shade. Her long lashes were lowered, her lips curled into a slight smile.

Lu Jinnian was mesmerized just then, but the continuous honking from the cars behind him snapped him back to reality. He turned his attention back to the road. Even though his features were soft and tender, he spoke coldly. “Which house do you like?”

“Uh?” Qiao Anhao asked in confusion as she lifted her head.

“Do you intend for us to stay separately on the first day of our marriage?”

“Uhh…” Qiao Anhao frowned, seemingly unclear of the meaning before suddenly realizing what he had meant. Tilting her head to the side, she thought for a while. “Mian Xiu Garden.”

That mansion in Mian Xiu Garden held many of their memories, and even after she had left, he still maintained everything as though they were still living together.

Hence, after they got married now, she wished for Mian Xiu Garden to be their home.

After she replied, she realized that she had sounded too resolute so she added, “Can we?”

Without replying to her question, he said,”After such a long flight, you must be tired. After dinner, we’ll go back to rest. I’ll help you move your things tomorrow.”

He seemed to be agreeable.

–

After dinner, they returned to Mian Xiu Garden. While Qiao Anhao showered, Lu Jinnian headed to the study room. Out of habit, he lit a cigarette. After just a few puffs, he reached for the red book in his pocket.

He stared at the cover page for a long while before flipping it open to look at the photo of himself and Qiao Anhao.

She was smiling sweetly, her eyes curved into crescents. He clearly remembered that he was emotionless at that time, but in the photo there was a hint of a smile on his lips.

After a long while, he glanced down at their names.

Lu Jinnian.

Qiao Anhao.

Chapter 644: Married?15?

Lu Jinnian lifted the cigarette towards his mouth to take a deep breath. Exhaling slowly, he looked at the two names behind the smoke for a long while. In the end, he still couldn’t resist reaching towards his thigh to pinch himself. When the sharp stinging pain pulsed through his veins, he was reassured that the past twenty four hours—the flight back from America all the way till now—had really happened.

Qiao Anhao was really married to him, she was his wife.

“Lu Jinnian…” Qiao Anhao’s voice suddenly sounded from the staircase. Soon, he could hear her hurried footsteps.

He came back to his senses and extinguished the cigarette instantly, stuffing the marriage certificate back into his pocket. He turned to walk out of the study room. Qiao Anhao had just showered and was dressed in a cotton night dress and had a towel wrapped around her head. With a cleanly scrubbed face, she ran up the stairs with her hands on the railing as she shouted continuously, “Lu Jinnian, Lu Jinnian…”

“Here.” Lu Jinnian frowned, he shut the study room door and walked down the stairs towards her.

The moment she heard his voice, she lifted her head in its direction. The moment his face came into sight, the obvious anxiousness and anxiety etched on her face faded away, turning into a warm smile. Rushing up the staircase once more, she panted slightly, seemingly out of breath. “I filled the tub with hot water for you.”

Was she worried when she couldn’t find him?

His heart increased in tempo, the drumming clear in his ears, and his gaze turned fiery. After a while, he nodded his head silently. Grabbing her hand, he walked her back to the bedroom.

–

When Lu Jinnian came out of the shower, Qiao Anhao was already lying on the bed, chatting in a low voice. He didn’t pay attention to the content but when he heard her say “Brother Jiamu”, he froze slightly before returning to the bathroom and closing the door behind himself.

Qiao Anhao didn’t talk for long, it was about two minutes before the conversation ended. Lu Jinnian tossed the towel he had in his hands before returning back to the bedroom.

Qiao Anhao sat on the bed. When she heard him, she turned asking gently, “Done showering?”

“Yea,” Lu Jinnian replied coldly. He switched off the bedroom lights and laid down on the bed.

Nothing happened on the first night after they got married, they just laid on the bed silently.

Qiao Anhao inched slightly towards him. He didn’t avoid and even brought her into his embrace.

Since they came back from America, they had gone straight to get their marriage license. They never once stopped to rest, so by then they were exhausted. Qiao Anhao nestled in Lu Jinnian’s arms and fell asleep after a short while.

Lu Jinnian waited till her breathing became deeper before he lowered his head. With the faint glow from the night lamp, he looked at her face for a while. Reaching out with his arm, he lightly caressed her face. The feeling was real. Glancing back at the ceiling, he stared for a while more before gently removing Qiao Anhao from his arms. Silently, he put on a sweater before going to the study room.

He sat at the same spot he was in previously. Picking up the box of cigarettes in front of him, he lit a stick.

Chapter 645: Marriage (16)

Qiao Anhao was the warmth that Lu Jinnian had tried with all his strength to get near.

He once thought that he never had any hope of receiving this warmth.

But now he had gotten it. Yet he felt like he could lose it at any time.

He couldn’t not admit that the words “Xu Jiamu” from her mouth instantly exposed his unbearably disheveled self of the past few months.

Lu Jinnian didn’t go back to the bedroom all night. Instead, he was smoking for most of the night on the balcony of the study room until a slither of light escaped from eastern skies. As the bright red sunlight rose, he moved about with his body having become stiff from sitting for too long. He then pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

“Lucy, it’s me… Have you slept? It’s nothing, haven’t you always wanted to travel to China? If you have time lately, you can come over… Uh huh, I want to talk to you… All right, I’ll wait for you to book the tickets. Tell me when, I’ll come pick you up… Uh huh. See ya.”

He hung up the call. The sunlight had already pierced through the windows of the first floor.

Qiao Anhao was probably going to wake up soon, right? He should go back to the bedroom.

Lu Jinnian rubbed his face a little and sat there with his phone in his hand for a while. He then tidied up the mountain high pile of cigarette butts and went back into the bedroom.

He wasn’t in a rush to climb back into bed and went to the bathroom first to take a shower and brush his teeth to get rid of the smell of smoke. Only then he quietly slipped back into the bed.

Qiao Anhao was deep asleep. Her face was just as beautiful and peaceful as it were before he left. Lu Jinnian’s eyes flickered for a moment, and he pulled her into his arms again and shut his eyes.

–

On the third day after their marriage, Qiao Anhao officially started filming in Beijing for “Love at First Sight”, a movie Huan Ying Entertainment had previously arranged for her.

“Love at First Sight” wasn’t a movie with a big budget, and so the celebrities cast weren’t major stars. Qiao Anhao was cast as the female lead, and the male lead was an older celebrity, who had been in the industry for a long time and was never able to catch a break. The supporting female actress was an old acquaintance, Lin Shiyi.

Ever since being blocked after “Alluring Times”, Lin Shiyi wasn’t cast in any movies for several months. It was not until in November, when she jumped between different men that she incidentally hooked a film investor. The investor seemed to have really fallen for her, as he actually injected a large sum into the “Love at First Sight” and helped her snag the supporting female role.

Because of the investment, Lin Shiyi was bolder than when she filmed “Alluring Times”. Even the director and screenwriter had to let her be to some degree, not to mention the other staff members and actors. Whoever saw her would always treat her with respect and call her Sister Shiyi.

Honestly speaking, if it weren’t for Zhao Meng’s reminder, Qiao Anhao would of completely forgotten about Lin Shiyi.

Lin Shiyi’s personality was overbearing. The two of them had argued on so many occasions, and every time, Lin Shiyi would never get anywhere. Now that she had bounced back, Qiao Anhao’s first instinct was that this movie won’t be that easy to film.

However, in truth, the situation was much better than she had imagined. At the very least, she and Lin Shiyi didn’t have to see one another for a week before shooting, so things between them seemed calm and peaceful.

Qiao Anhao and Zhao Meng sat in the break room, waiting to shoot the next scene, but as there were so many outtakes during the current scenes being shot, Zhao Meng yawned in boredom. Suddenly, she came over to Qiao Anhao to gossip. “Qiao Qiao, how is life after getting remarried to Mr. Lu?”

Chapter 646: Marriage (17)

Qiao Anhao, who was looking at the script at the time, was a little stunned by Zhao Meng’s question.

Actually, she couldn’t quite describe life after her and Lu Jinnian’s marriage. He had been back in China for some time now, but since returning, he hadn’t gone back to the office, and yet whilst she was working, he seemed to be busy as well. All in all, it was like he was busy with something that she didn’t know and wouldn’t tell her about.

Lu Jinnian treated her well. After their marriage, there hadn’t been a single night when he didn’t come home. Two days ago, Zhao Meng was busy with something and had to take the car. When she made her way back to the set, she came across traffic, so Qiao Anhao had to wait for quite a long time. Perhaps it was because it was winter and she had to wait so long in the cold wind, Qiao Anhao had a fever in the middle of the night. Lu Jinnian then personally ran out to get her some medicine. Since then, he would come by every day to the set.

Now that she thought about it, there was really little to complain about her husband, Lu Jinnian. If she had to find something, then she would say that since they got married over ten days ago, they had slept together every night, but he would never touch her. Not once.

It was not like she was thirsty to start something between them but since he hadn’t touched her on the second day after marriage either, she couldn’t make an excuse. She couldn’t tell herself that Lu Jinnian had done it too many times in America and so he was just recovering from that now since it’s been so many days now. Even if she was being optimistic, she knew that there was a big problem between them.

At that thought, Qiao Anhao couldn’t help but get a little irritated.

She closed the script, turned her head to the white sky out the window, and furrowed her brows even harder.

She thought that after marriage, the two of them would slowly get closer, but from what she saw, that wasn’t the case. She had to think of a plan to fix the situation, but who could tell her what would be effective?

“Qiao Qiao, why are you daydreaming? You’ve been ignoring my questions for half a day. They’re starting to film now. Hurry!” Zhao Meng sat on the side. She couldn’t help but pull her arms out and slap Qiao Anhao on the shoulders.

Qiao Anhao’s entire body shivered for a moment, and she suddenly snapped back to reality. She first let out an “Oh!”, then hastily stood up and walked over to the set.

–

After Qiao Anhao finished filming the scene, the entire crew took a mid-shoot break.

It was already four in the afternoon, so they only had her and Lin Shiyi’s scene to shoot at half past four.

As Lin Shiyi’s current boyfriend was rich, she got her assistant to use a large sum of money to order afternoon tea in advance. It arrived during the mid-shoot break, so she gave everyone on set a portion.

Lin Shiyi didn’t use the fact her and Qiao Anhao were not on good terms to exclude her. Instead, she personally brought over two boxes of take out to Qiao Anhao and Zhao Meng. She gave an unusually friendly smile and said, “Here’s a little something. You’re welcome.”

Qiao Anhao knew full well that Lin Shiyi only did this to appear superior because she had an investor backing her.

Zhao Meng’s personality was rather frank and she didn’t like Lin Shiyi for past events. Seeing how sickly sweet she was acting, Zhao Meng felt sickened, and when Lin Shiyi came to especially hand her a box, she didn’t take it and turned her head, pretending to talk to Qiao Anhao.

As for Qiao Anhao, she smiled brighter than Lin Shiyi and said “Thank you” as she took it.

Chapter 647: Marriage (18)

Naturally, the only reason why Lin Shiyi was so generous whilst everyone was watching her was because she couldn’t lose to Qiao Anhao and let people see her as a joke.

Qiao Anhao maintained a smile until Lin Shiyi left, then she put the two lunch boxes on the corner of the table. She turned her head and rehearsed the lines for the upcoming scene with Zhao Meng.

Since Lin Shiyi had joined the crew, she often treated everyone to afternoon tea, to dinner, or to karaoke. Above all else, she had an investor backing her, so she had a group of members of staff an actors to feed, who respected her and surrounded her with compliments.

“Sis Shiyi, your ring is so pretty! Is that Chanel’s latest model?”

“Also, that dress Sis Shiyi wore this morning looked like a limited edition.”

“Did you guys see the car Sis Shiyi drove yesterday?”

With everyone’s compliments, Lin Shiyi could only keep smiling. Every now and then, she drank her coffee through a straw. From the very start, her assistant by her side spoke on her behalf. “They were all gifts Sis Shiyi received from her boyfriend.”

Lin Shiyi’s assistant’s words drew a roar of admiration.

Zhao Meng, who was rehearsing lines with Qiao Anhao, couldn’t help but roll her eyes, and complain in a quiet voice. “That’s enough… There’s always something to brag about every day on set. I can’t take it anymore. Qiao Qiao, shall we go take a walk?”

Qiao Anhao turned her head and glanced over at Lin Shiyi, who was crowded by everyone not too far away. Every now and then, laughter could be heard from the group, and so they got all the scripts together and chucked them onto the table.

But just as Qiao Anhao got ready to get up, the director’s assistant suddenly ran over. He brought over a new script for her and said, “Apologies, Miss Qiao. The director instructed that I give this to you. He says that there were some inadequate areas, and so they made some readjustments. Later, when we shoot, follow this new draft.”

On set, it was quite normal for there to be amendments to script to improve the story, and so Qiao Anhao didn’t see anything to fret about. She calmly took the script and nodded at the director’s assistant.

The assistant bowed a little, then ran over to Lin Shiyi and handed her the script.

“Did the script change for the upcoming scene?”

As Zhao Meng asked, she yanked the script from Qiao Anhao’s hands. She randomly flipped through it with furrowed brows and an increasingly dark expression on her face. When she reached the end, she suddenly threw the script hard onto the table.

“What is the meaning of this? It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a script change like this during filming. The next scene was clearly meant to be the female lead slapping the second female. How did it end up being the other way round? Also, how did the second female end up with the male lead in the end? They dare make us film for half a day, then turn you into the supporting actress?”

Qiao Anhao furrowed her brows when she heard Zhao Meng complain and looked at the script.

This wasn’t an amendment; they were clearly writing a new script altogether!

Zhao Meng was fuming as she flipped through another few pages. Because she was so angry, she ended up severely creasing the script. She said, “Also, Qiao Qiao, look! Every couple of scenes, you have to get slapped by the supporting actress. What bullshit is this?!”

“What’s wrong? Why are you so mad?” asked Lin Shiyi, who was just surrounded by compliments, in a sweet voice.

Chapter 648: Marriage (19)

When Qiao Anhao heard Lin Shiyi’s voice, she lowered her head for a moment, then curved the corner of her lips to reveal a cold smile.

So her and Lin Shiyi weren’t on peaceful terms or harmonious as they were before: It was all set up for this very precise moment.

The instant Lin Shiyi spoke, Zhao Meng realized why the script was amended like this. The rim of her eyes turned red, for she couldn’t contain her anger the same way as Qiao Anhao.

“Is it because of the script?” Lin Shiyi didn’t mind how Qiao Anhao and Zhao Meng ignored her at all, speaking while flicking through the script in her hands. Then she put on a stunned expression. “Ah, how did the script change like this…”

Zhao Meng, who had already thought that Lin Shiyi was an eyesore, couldn’t listen to her fake words any longer, especially since she changed the script to be so unrecognizable. At that moment, she erupted. Without even thinking twice, she retaliated.. “The only reason the script changed like this was because some people have no shame and messed with it behind the scenes!”

When Zhao Meng said this, Lin Shiyi, who was calm and composed, instantly looked annoyed. “Who are you calling ‘shameless’?”

“Of all people, YOU should know best just who I’m calling ‘shameless’!” scoffed Zhao Meng, immediately turning her head and staring straight at Lin Shiyi. Without holding back at all, she exposed the truth, “What’s wrong? You dared to use your private ties with the investor to change the script, and yet you’re too cowardly to let me talk about it? Come on then. Tell everyone just how much you spent to amend the script like this?”

During university, Zhao Meng’s mouth was extraordinary. Right now, the few words she said forced Lin Shiyi to be at a loss for words, before she eventually let out a soft chuckle and threw the script in her hands with a “pah” on the table. She didn’t even bother with Zhao Meng. Instead, she stared at Qiao Anhao.

“Qiao Anhao, is it worth it to get mad? The industry has always ran like this. Rich people call the shots. If you really can’t take the loss, then why don’t you find a several thousand million investment and change it back? Don’t go getting upset because you’re incapable of something like this, and don’t go ordering your assistant to randomly curse people!”

“Lin Shiyi, with what eyes did you see Qiao Qiao ever order me to curse you out? So you are blind after all! You must’ve been blind when you got with your man too!” Zhao Meng was so pissed at Lin Shiyi, the words spewed thoughtlessly from her mouth. “Let me tell you, Lin Shiyi! It’s enough for you to go round parading that blind boyfriend of yours, you have to go and do it in front of Qiao Qiao. Aren’t you afraid of getting slapped? That man of your can’t even compare to a single strand of Qiao Qiao’s boyfriend’s hair!

“Also, do you feel proud for treating the entire crew to afternoon tea? I’ll leave it at that. Let’s not even talk about afternoon tea, with Qiao Qiao’s man’s single word, he could have everyone on set receive a paid leave!

“Of course, there’s the script. Let’s not even talk about the script, he can cut out your entire role! Cutting your role is nothing, he can stop the filming at any minute!”

When Lin Shiyi heard this, she laughed like it was a really funny joke. She snorted disdainfully and let out a snicker. “If you’re really capable of that, Qiao Anhao, then may we ask you to please call him? Call him to come over and let everyone get to know him.”

Chapter 649: Marriage (20)

When Lin Shiyi heard this, she laughed like it was a really funny joke. She snorted disdainfully and let out a snicker. “If you’re really capable of that, Qiao Anhao, then may we ask you to please call him? Call him to come over and let everyone get to know him.”

Zhao Meng really hadn’t thought before she spoke. Anger alone had turned her eyes red.

At Lin Shiyi’s suggestion, Zhao Meng suddenly snapped back to her senses, and she turned her head and looked over at Qiao Anhao.

Actually, she didn’t lie. Qiao Anhao was officially Lu Jinnian’s wife, and Lu Jinnian really was capable of the things she said, but… to make her ramble like that just now, if she wasn’t able to call Lu Jinnian, then it would really sound like she was just bragging.

What’s more, the whole crew was here taking a break at the time, so they saw everything unfold.

Maybe she might had made it easier for Lin Shiyi to make fun of Qiao Anhao…

In actual fact, Zhao Meng knew full well that she was too impulsive just now, but since she had pushed it to this point, it was impossible for her to stop here. All she could do was nudge Qiao Anhao and say in such a low voice only the two of them could hear, “Qiao Qiao, you’d better call Mr. Lu or else it’s going to be hella embarrassing for us.”

Qiao Anhao silently swept her eyes across the people around them, then whispered to Zhao Meng in the same low voice, “I don’t know Lu Jinnian’s number.”

She didn’t, in fact, know Lu Jinnian’s number.

His previous number was canceled. There hadn’t been a way to contact him ever since he came back to the country.

“It can’t be?” Zhao Meng, who was extremely confident at first, instantly deflated like a withered ball. “Then, this time, we’re really finished…”

Qiao Anhao’s background was good, but even so, Lin Shiyi still didn’t believe that she could produce the man from Zhao Meng’s description; someone who could invest over a billion and stop filming at any given moment.

Seeing Qiao Anhao and Zhao Meng now whispering among themselves, she was even more certain that Zhao Meng had just been bluffing. In that instant, she became sufficiently confident, smiled, and spoke with obvious pretentiousness. “What’s wrong? Your bluff didn’t play right? Did you dig your own grave with that bluff?”

Zhao Meng instinctively shut her eyes. She just had had to say what was on her mind. Later, who knows how Lin Shiyi would insult them.

“His car isn’t bad at all. He drives Qiao Anhao to and from the set everyday. But, nowadays, there are so many people who can afford to buy a good car. It doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s someone amazing.” At that thought, Lin Shiyi suddenly curved her red lips into a smile. “Miss Qiao, the man inside your car is not someone who’s old enough to be your father is he? Are you too ashamed to let him meet everyone?”

With that, the many people, who were trying to impress Lin Shiyi, started to laugh quietly with her.

“Lin Shiyi, stop trying to push your nasty misconducts on other people…” When Zhao Meng heard this, she instantly erupted, but then, when she had only finished saying half of what she had in mind, her arm was suddenly pulled back. It was Qiao Anhao, who had reached out to stop her.

“Qiao Qiao?” Zhao Meng turned her head towards her friend.

Qiao Anhao smiled at Zhao Meng, and pointed at her bag, as she softly and gently said, “Give me my phone.”

“Qiao Qiao, you do know Mr. Lu’s number, right?” whispered Zhao Meng into her ear, as she handed her friend’s phone to her.