Lu Xinyi had chosen to take a nap that afternoon. Shen Yi had left earlier even before she went to Sun Corps and wondered about his whereabouts but chose to shrug it off as she remembered how busy he was that week. Her husband would inform her anything if something was up, and that’s why when she arrived home after her meeting with the Suns, she slumped on their couch and fell asleep in an instant.

An hour later, she woke up from the giggling sound beside her. Someone also kissed her nose, making it twitched. When Lu Xinyi opened her eyes, she was slightly startled seeing Shen Yuyan sitting beside her.

“Hi, Mommy! We’re home!” the little girl said before throwing herself to Lu Xinyi and wrapped her arms around Lu Xinyi’s shoulder.

“Yuyan?” she asked, her voice a little husky from sleep. She sat up, adjusting the little girl to sit on her lap. “What’s going on? I thought you wouldn’t arrive until tomorrow?”

“Xinxin, it’s today. I know you are tired from your classes and with Flair Apparel’s campaign so I took the twins from Aunt An.” Shen Yi sat beside her and tucked her hair behind her ear.

Lu Xinyi grunted. She was indeed tired, but that didn’t mean she didn’t care about the twins. She sighed and leaned back against the pillows her husband put behind her while Shen Yuyan giggled as she started telling stories about their trip abroad.

“Mommy, you should have seen the carousel and the Ferris wheel. Too bad though that Mama An couldn’t come with us.” Shen Yuyan said dejectedly while Lu Xinyi tried to blink away her sleepiness. The little girl had seen the park from afar, but there was no available guardian to accompany them.

“Mommy Xinxin, can we go to the amusement park Uncle Xue brought as before?” Yuyan’s brother, Zichen, kneeled excitedly beside her on the couch.-.

Lu Xinyi turned to her husband as if asking for help. Shen Yi shrugged, knowing how his wife couldn’t decline the twins’ request.

“Didn’t you say you’ll have to do an inspection at one of your newly-opened stores? Why don’t you bring the twins with you, and I’ll pick you up after my meeting in the afternoon?” he suggested.

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Shen Yuyan leaped from Lu Xinyi’s lap towards Shen Yi to kiss his cheek before turning to her brother. “See? I told you Daddy will agree with us.”

“Alright. Alright. Enough teasing.” Lu Xinyi rubbed her temple. “Let’s find something to eat. Mommy is starving.”

That night, Lu Xinyi had spent most of her time with the twins while Shen Yi finished his video conferences in his study, only leaving it when his wife called him for dinner. When he finished everything, Lu Xinyi had already tucked the twins to their beds and had retired for the night.

Shen Yi slipped silently into their room and found his wife sleeping with the pale light from their lampshade illuminating her form. With her eyes closed, Shen Yi was able to appreciate this rare moment with her.

The bed didn’t make any sound as he settled on the edge of their bed, his hand reaching out as his fingertips gently brushing away the offending locks that lay on her cheek. His hand lingered for a moment, waking his wife up from her slumber.

“Yi?” she asked sleepily, “What time is it? Did the twins wake you up?”

Shen Yi said nothing but lowered his lips to meet hers. Her eyes widened for a moment before they fluttered shut, her own lips pressing back. The hand on her cheek lowered to touch her collarbone and the skin exposed by her pink sleeping gown. The strap slipped down her shoulder as his fingers slid to touch it.

“What is this about?” Lu Xinyi breathed out once Shen Yi parted from her.

“I just miss you. With the twins back, I know you’ll barely have time to spend with me,” he breathed, his lips hovering over hers.

“I know, but with Xue taking over the Shen Group soon, your workload will lessen. I only need two more weeks before the campaign launch. After that, I’ll be able to spend more time with you.”

Lu Xinyi wanted to say more, but her husband had another plan for the night. The next thing she knew, his kisses consumed her as Shen Yi took care of her body. He then slowly began to thrust in and out of her. Her nails dug into his back as her body arched into his.

After three rounds of passionate lovemaking, Shen Yi sighed and settled next to her. His eyes stared up at their white ceiling, thinking how their busy schedules would affect their relationship. In two months, Shen Xue would be back from Country D to replace him at Shen Group while Lu Xinyi would be done with her first term at Silver Leaf Academy.

Aside from that, he was deeply aware that his wife’s plans for revenge against the Xi family were starting to progress. The Xi family had never offended the Shens before until now, and then, there’s the Sun family. Too bad for Xi Yunchuan, he would never know what was coming for him. However, that didn’t mean that they wouldn’t be a threat to his wife.

“Xinxin?” he called her name. Lu Xinyi was already starting to drift back to her slumber. She hummed in response but didn’t open her eyes.

“Be careful. I don’t wanna lose you.”

Lu Xinyi’s eyes opened. She knew what he meant and hadn’t expected that he was that worried for her.

“You won’t lose me. I would have kept my distance from the Sun family if I could, but you know I don’t have a choice now. They’ll never stop until one of us is dead.”

—

The next day was a Sunday, and the warm light that drifted through the curtains woke up Lu Xinyi. Opening her eyes, she was to see that Shen Yi was still asleep. Usually, by this time, he should be up and starting to get ready for work. She reluctantly pulled herself from his arms, making sure she wouldn’t wake him up. Her nightgown slipped back over her body before taking her robe on her side.

The bedroom door shut with a silent click as she turned from their room towards their kitchen to prepare their breakfast, thinking that the twins should be awake by now. Sure enough, she found Shen Yuyan alone in their kitchen, stroking the dogs’ fur.

“Good morning. You woke up early today. Excited to go later?” Lu Xinyi teased the girl. “Where’s Zichen?”

“Yes! But Gege is still asleep. Is Daddy awake? Could we go to the park after we eat?” Shen Yuyan asked.

“Daddy is still asleep. Do you want some breakfast while we wait for him?”

Shen Yuyan nodded in excitement. The girl was now perked up.

“If you could wake up your brother, I’m sure we can leave soon.” Lu Xinyi winked at her.

The little girl ran and went upstairs, calling her brother’s name. Lu Xinyi chuckled and shook her head. She then started taking the ingredients she needed for breakfast. She was so engrossed in her work that she didn’t notice her own husband appearing behind her. She let out a squeak when an arm snaked around her waist, pulling her to her husband.

“Morning, wifey.” His hand brushed against her flat stomach. “You’re early today.” His lips hovered around her ear.

“You scared me.” Lu Xinyi sighed. “Sorry, I needed to check on the kids.”

“Oh? We’ve only been married for half a year now, and we already have children? I’ll need to be careful then. Who knows… maybe in the next six months, we’ll have another set of twins?” he chuckled back.

Lu Xinyi threw a glare his way.

“That’s not funny. You only say that because you aren’t the one who’ll go into labor.”

Their conversation stopped when Fu Rui arrived, gesturing to his mistress that he had news for her.

“Please look out for the kids for a while,” Lu Xinyi told her husband before leaving the kitchen to talk with her bodyguards at their huge maze-like garden.

“Miss Lu, here are the confidential files that Gong Yijun compiled about Xi Yunchuan.” Zhang Qing handed several documents to Lu Xinyi.

Lu Xinyi thanked her and scanned each page with curiosity. The corners of her lips curled into a devilish smile as she read the contents. She’d then asked her personal bodyguards to make a thorough investigation of Xi Yunchuan. As the old saying went, ‘know yourself and know your enemy, and you’ll never be defeated.’

With her own life and Sun Qiushan’s fate at stake, Lu Xinyi wouldn’t give Sun Qiyan and Xi Yunchuan an opening to strike back. She’d hit all their sore spots before they realized what had come for them.