Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

They had a really grand ceremony as though Chu Lui was declaring how much he loved his bride to the world. He made Li Manni the happiest woman in the world by giving her everything he could.

Everything, including what he took from that woman.

There was quite a heavy downpour at night. It gave the lightly-colored room a romantic feel. Li Manni lay anxiously on their bed, her heart pumping. They might have been engaged for about a year, but the level of their intimacy was limited to kissing. Chu Lui did not seem to have much interest in this aspect. Besides the initial passion, the latter part of their relationship was quite plain.

Tonight was their wedding night. After tonight, she would be his woman. She felt abashed at the thought.

She blushed. After all, she had been chaste all her life. This would be a first for her.

Chu Lui emerged with a towel around him, water droplets dripping from his hair. He put the towel down and looked at Li Manni, his bride, dazedly. However, he seemed distracted, and he wondered why—until he started to see Li Manni’s face changed into Xia Ruoxin.

“Lui…” Li Manni smiled shyly. Chu Lui returned to his senses and moved closer. He sat on the bedside and placed his fingers gently on Li Manni’s face. His movement light as a feather.

Li Manni’s heart went numb suddenly.

“Lui, I am afraid.” She blushed, not daring to look at him. He lowered his head, eyes dark and deep, and kissed her on the lips. It still didn’t have the taste that he wanted—not overwhelming. It felt like water, tasteless. He could afford to be patient. It was his responsibility.

Even to have sex with another woman.

“Don’t be. I will be gentle.” He felt tender and protective towards her. Naturally, his actions were exceptionally gentle.

The two bodies gradually overlapped each other in the beautiful room, with their clothes laying all over the floor. The rain constantly beat on the window outside, splashing and causing ripples on the window.

At another location…

There was no warm or romantic lighting. Xia Ruoxin clutched at her blanket tightly on the simple and worn-out bed. Her lips were bloodied from all her biting.

She whimpered softly as her belly was hit by waves of contraction. She knew the baby was coming. No one even knew that she was giving birth to her baby here.

She had no one to turn to. She could only depend on herself.

“Ah…” Another suppressed cry. Beads of sweat flowed down her forehead, her face paled, and she was fainting from the sharp pain from her belly. Something fluid flowed out of her lower body, and she knew the amniotic fluid had broken. She kept shaking her head from the intense pain. She could not go on like this, or else her baby could be stillborn… and she could die.

She had suffered, toiled, and waited for so long. How could she let this happen before her baby had even seen the sunrise or breathed the outside air? How?

The rain continued to pour, and the wind blew in through the little window as Xia Ruoxin bit on the blanket. Her face was white, and beads of sweat the size of beans fell from her face.