n

n

nTranslator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

nShe was crying very heavily.

nLu Shaoming thought about that time three years back when she had saved him. A delicate immature girl who was confident in tackling the bandits. She was so brave and wise.

nThen, she thought he died and she wailed with tears in her eyes. Then, he recalled that the woman was made of water. She was gentle and kind.

nShe bandaged his wound for him. Her white handkerchief had a faint fragrance. Along with her gentle yet slow movement. He missed this encounter for three years.

nHe always remembered her name was Ning Qing, Qing which meant pretty.

nHowever, he came too late.

nThere was pity and heartache across Lu Shaoming’s eyes. His handsome eyebrows were tightly knitted for as long as Ning Qing cried.

n“Qingqing…” Yue Wanqing looked at Ning Qing with heartache. “Be honest with Mom, when you were in the entertainment circle, did you… That Director Wang…”

n“Mom,” Ning Qing cut her mom off. There were tears shimmering in her beautiful eyes. She said straightforwardly, “Mom, I don’t care how the others view me. But you have to trust me, a clean hand wants no washing. Every single penny I earned for the past three years, I swear it’s hard-earned money, it’s clean. Actually, the entertainment circle isn’t filthy on it’s own, but the human element always ensures there’ll be dirty deals.”

nYue Wanqing didn’t say anything else. She only extended her arms to bring her dearest daughter into her embrace, “Qingqing, it’s all Mom’s fault. I’m sorry…”

nMom finally forgave her. Actually, she wanted to hide it from her mom forever so that her mom wouldn’t feel guilty and blame herself.

nHowever, for three years, she had been carrying the weight of it all. She had been looking forward to her mom one day accepting that she worked in the entertainment circle. She had been fighting alone for so long. She needed support and encouragement so badly.

nIt was great that her mom found out and wasn’t angry at her.

nDid she benefit from this misfortune?

nNing Qing buried her head in her mom’s neck. She sniffed the warm scent on her mom’s body, she cried as she smiled and shook her head, “Mom, you didn’t do anything wrong. You’re the best mom in the world… Mom, Qingqing loves you…”

nThe pair of mother and daughter cried for very long and Yue Wanqing was the one who stopped first. She thought of a question and pushed Ning Qing softly. She asked, “Qingqing, where did you get the money for my surgery?”

nNing Qing was dumbfounded when she heard her question. Ning Qing looked at the tall and handsome figure subconsciously.

nLu Shaoming saw the crying girl give him an SOS gaze. He stood up then smiled gently when he answered, “Mom, I paid for the surgery.”

nYue Wanqing was like struck by lightning, “Wh… What? Mom?”

nThe person who addressed her as “aunt” earlier, called her “Mom” now?!

n“Lu Shaoming!” Ning Qing never thought Lu Shaoming would reply like so straightforwardly. She bit her lower lip with her bright white teeth and stomped her feet angrily.

nHer relationship with her mom just got better. How dare he mess it up again?

nLu Shaming raised his sword-like eyebrows, as if to tell Ning Qing, Why? Do you still want to lie to your mom?

nNing Qing was at loss for words. She creased her eyebrows as she stared at him.

n“Mom, Ning Qing and I already registered and got married.” In other words, she had no choice even if she disagreed. “Actually, there’s nothing bad about us getting married. In the future, I will take care of you along with her. You don’t have to worry. If I’m here, a hundred Director Wangs are nothing.”

nYue Wanqing realized how well-spoken the man was. Great, now she was at loss for words to reply what he said earlier.

nHe was aiming at the fact that she would feel sorry for Ning Qing. He said that they were registered and he meant to hint, Mom, you can’t turn your daughter from a newlywed to a divorcee, right?

nTake care of her, Director Wang… He stood by the door and listened to their conversation. He knew about their difficult living conditions and he made it sound so nice to hear. Wasn’t what he did taking advantage of his own power to bully them?

nYue Wanqing felt a sharp pain in her heart. She held her chest and took a step back.

n“Mom!” Ning Qing held her mom and her tears flowed down in fear.

nYue Wanqing was angry and anxious. Marriage was a serious topic and Ning Qing was too careless. But what can she do? They just fought. Her daughter bore sorrow with forbearance and was filial to her. She wasn’t willing to reprimand her further.

nShe suspected the man intended to take advantage of such great timing.

nYue Wanqing was held up by Ning Qing when she looked at Lu Shaoming.

nLu Shaoming accepted his mother-in-law’s gaze and he smiled. He understood that the deal was done.

n“What’s your name, how long have you known Qingqing?” Frankly speaking, Yue Wanqing was happy with Lu Shaoming. He seems like the kind of man who was mature, stable, understands women, knows how to take care of a woman. However, she was worried that her daughter was so innocent that she would be under the man’s full control.

n“Mom, I’m Lu Shaoming. I’ve known Ning Qing for three years.”

nThree years?

nNing Qing thought she heard wrong. They knew each other for barely half a month.

nBut she thought and she understood. Traditional people like her mom would gauge one’s relationship by the amount of time they knew each other. He can’t just tell her mom the truth.

n“You like our Qingqing?”

nListening to how straightforward her mom’s question was to Lu Shaoming, Ning Qing blushed with embarrassment, “Mom…” She held her mom’s arm bashfully.

nIf Lu Shaoming were to say no, how awkward would it be?

n“Yes, I’ve like Ning Qing all this while, for three years.” Lu Shaoming looked at how the rosiness spread across the girl’s face to her ears, he chuckled.

nThe man couldn’t hide his happiness and gentleness. Yue Wanqing looked and felt rather satisfied. She turned around to look at her daughter.

nNing Qing hung her head low. Although she knew that he was lying to her mom, she was blushing. She didn’t dare to look at him but behaved shyly.

nYue Wanqing clicked her tongue. She didn’t have to ask if Ning Qing liked him as she could tell the answer by looking at her body language.

n“Alright, as you’re already married, Shaoming treat Qingqing well in the future. Qingqing, live well with him and stop acting like a child.”

nNing Qing was so shy that she was dying to dig a hole to hide in. Her experience in terms of relationship was rather basic. She never really thought much about marriage to Lu Shaoming. However, when her mom exhorted her, she felt embarrassed.

n“Mom, don’t worry. I will treat Ning Qing well,” Lu Shaoming replied when Ning Qing was at a loss for how to reply.

nYue Wanqing didn’t speak anymore. There was drama, one thing after another, and she was really tired. Ning Qing fed her some porridge and she fell asleep.

nThen, Lu Shaoming and Ning Qing returned to her room.

n…

nLu Shaoming opened the door and entered first. The room was dark and the light that shone in through the window contrasted with his handsome back. His body’s outline was broad and enchanting.

nNing Qing stole a glance and lowered her head. She tried to search for the switch button on the wall as she wanted to turn on the lights.

nShe touched the switch and wanted to flick it. Then, a warm palm reached hers and took her hands off the wall and into his palm.

nShe was initially standing in the corner next to the door. His slender body approached her and her left shoulder was pressed against the wall by his other hand. He then pressed his body against hers.

nNing Qing suddenly felt light-headed. There was a refreshing bamboo-like scent on his body, which was soothing yet enchanting. It filled her nose and fully conquered her sensations.

n“You… What are you doing?” Ning Qing licked her dry lips. The room was so huge but why was he pushing her into a small corner. The lights in the room weren’t on and their breath hit one another’s face. They were entangled together and it made their hearts race.

nLu Shaoming didn’t reply, but Ning Qing could feel his fingers rubbing against her face. He touched her face with his index finger. Her face was still wet with her tears that had yet to dry.

nNing Qing’s eyes were shimmering in the dark. She watched as he dabbed her tears with his fingertips and put them in his mouth to test it.

n“It’s bitter.” The man’s voice was low. He frowned as he came to the conclusion.

nNing Qing’s face was burning. What… What is he doing?

n“Of course, tears would be bitter,” she replied, laughing.

nThe man’s bright eyes looked over while he had a faint smirk on his face. He then said in a carefree manner, “I thought it would be sweet because you’re sweet.”

nNing Qing was panicking then. She understood that the man was being a bully.

nShe extended her hand to pushed his broad chest and wanted to redirect the topic, “The situation today, how could you tell mom that we’re married?”

nLu Shaoming smiled, the most important trait of a businessman was to grasp the timing. His mother-in-law’s worldview had just been shattered by her own daughter. When would he tell her if not that day?

n“So you want to lie to your mom again? You just shed the weight of one lie and you want to lie again? How tiring it is? Now that you laid it on her frankly, don’t you feel at ease?”

nNing Qing, of course, felt at ease. She was tired of lying to her mom for the past three years. She was worried that her mom would find out one day and her body couldn’t take it.

nIt was great that her mom forgave her. Plus, she just took a step forward in the entertainment circle, she felt unprecedented happiness.

nShe then recalled that her luck switched entirely after she met him. God started to care for her.

nShe wondered if what he told her mom is what made her mom forgive her? It was the sense of security that the man gave her. Everything could be taken care of easily by him.

nShe could trust and depend on him entirely.

nNing Qing extended her hand and punched his shoulder. She pouted and smiled. “Humph. You speak in this high-and-mighty tone. Didn’t you really say all that for yourself?”

n“Mm, I admit. Now, I can sleep with you truthfully every night.” Lu Shaoming grabbed her small waist and rubbed it lovingly.

nHow could he use… the word “sleep”?

nNing Qing found it ticklish and she twisted and turned in his warm embrace. She wanted to shake him off. She chuckled, “You look so proper normally. Why are you like this now… Don’t touch me, it’s so ticklish…”

nHer hand gripped his hand and wanted to tear his hand off her waist but she couldn’t. The man pushed her even closer to the corner. His burning breath glided past her lips and his seductive voice was heard. “Gotta marry you as my wife in a right and proper way, then I can eat you, huh?”

n