Qin Shu felt a sudden weight around her on the verge of sleep, dispelling the veil of dreams as it beckoned her.

  Even if she did not open her eyes, she knew it was Fu Tingyu who had wrapped her in a hug.

  His abrupt action made it hard for her to breathe. She felt suffocated.

  Slowly, she opened her eyes and came face to face with Fu Tingyu, who was mere inches away from her. It startled her. “What are you doing?”


  The answer came to her no sooner than the time it took her to ask him the question. What else could he have been doing? Fu Tingyu was a scoundrel, through and through. He was obviously up to some mischief again.

  Fu Tingyu pinned her against the bed and stared at her with his onyx eyes. He looked aggrieved. “Do you hate me?”


  Qin Shu held her silence, not knowing how to respond. She peered into those smouldering coals fixed on her, which seemed to lament how its owner had been wronged. It was a baffling sight – not one she expected Fu Tingyu to wear.

  She had not even questioned him. Why would he think she despised him? Why did he think he had been wronged?

  Why would she sleep in the same bed as him if she despised him?

  For a man touted for his intelligence, where had his intellect gone?

  Qin Shu did not know whether to laugh or cry.

  Feigning anger, she said, “I despise you! Get off of me. Can’t you see I’m trying to sleep?”


  Fu Tingyu, hearing his wife’s angry outburst, stiffened like a man who had suffered a heavy blow. His lips quivered, and for a long time, no words came to him.

  The pressure was getting unbearable. How on earth would she get any sleep with him pinning her like that? Even now, she could hear the sweet sound of sleep calling to her. She wanted nothing more than to curl up and have a nice, long nap. Unfortunately, Fu Tingyu was not cooperating.

  It was exasperating. “Are you going to let me sleep or not?”


  Fu Tingyu sensed her impatience. His obsidian eyes devoured her form hungrily, imprinting the essence of her being in blood and bone. He wanted her to know that he had never been with anyone else other than her.

  Anyone else could despise or misunderstand him for all he cared; anyone but Qin Shu, that is.

  He repeated himself, placing greater emphasis on his words, “I have never touched another woman. I wouldn’t bat an eye even if they were to parade themselves before me in their birthday suits.”


  “They are nothing and will remain nothing in my eyes. No minx is going to arouse me. Ever.”


  Qin Shu blinked, stunned. Looking into those puffy black orbs, she could tell how aggrieved he was. He still could not figure out why she was so angry with him.

  Before she had the chance to respond, Fu Tingyu pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. He was not going to let her leave him. Not now, not ever.

  Fu Tingyu leaned close to her ear and growled, his tone that of a dictator, “Babe, don’t despise me.”


  If it were the Fu Tingyu from a few years ago, he certainly would not have bothered trying to explain himself.

  He had been too arrogant in the past, and it had cost him dearly.

  When it came to Qin Shu, he always put his foot in his mouth. She cared a lot about things but insisted they did not matter.

  Qin Shu tried pushing Fu Tingyu away but to no avail. He merely hugged her tighter. Helpless, she tried reasoning with him, “Why don’t I sleep in another room?”


  “No.” Fu Tingyu lifted the blanket and got into bed, pulling the covers over the two of them.

  Feeling Fu Tingyu’s arms wound around her, a tight coil refusing to slacken, she said, “Don’t hug me so tightly. How do you expect me to sleep like this?”


  Fu Tingyu stared wordlessly at her.

  Qin Shu met his gaze unflinchingly. She did not back down or turn away.

  It was only after some time had passed before he relaxed a little. He did not release his hold around Qin Shu. He still pressed her against his chest, his chin rubbing against her soft raven locks.

  He did not know what to say to make her believe him.

  Qin Shu let him hug her and listened to the steady beat of his heart. It was soothing in a way few things could compare. The anger that had burned bright and hot all day was now just a flickering warmth in her belly.

  “Go to sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow.”


  “How can I find the peace to sleep when you don’t believe me?” Fu Tingyu muttered plaintively.

  “It seems you still don’t understand why I’m angry.” Qin Shu eyed him critically. “I was angry with you because you said you couldn’t remember anything that had happened before you woke up in the hotel.”


  “Weren’t you angry with me because I got myself drunk and assaulted another woman?” Fu Tingyu asked somewhat hesitantly.

  “If that were the case, I would have slapped you the moment I arrived.” Qin Shu retorted, unhappy with how thick-headed her husband was.

  Fu Tingyu hugged her tightly, jittering in barely suppressed excitement. “I’d rather you hit me than to be treated with indifference by you. You didn’t even look at me!”


  Qin Shu shook her head before lying down, resting her head against his chest, falling swiftly to sleep.

  For a moment, the room fell into silence once again.

  Fu Tingyu looked down at Qin Shu, sleeping in his arms. Recalling her reaction just now, he felt conflicted.

  The room was quiet, with the only sound being of each other’s heartbeats.

  It did not take long for Qin Shu to drift to sleep. It had been a long day, and she was exhausted. The strong, rhythmic sound of Fu Tingyu’s heartbeat was akin to white noise in the background, offering her the solace of sleep.

  On the other hand, Fu Tingyu was not sleepy at all. He stared at the woman in his arms, who was already fast asleep. The hair on her forehead fell, covering her eyes and eyebrows. Her long eyelashes were quivering butterflies, their wings trembling in a formless breeze. His slender fingers moved of their own volition, tucking the loose strands behind her ears.

  He did not dare to do anything else for fear of waking her up.

  Although Fu Tingyu was uneasy, he was not nearly as anxious as he could have been with Qin Shu sleeping in his arms.

  –


  Day broke, and sunlight streamed in from the balcony, piercing through the thick curtains shielding its occupants from the rays.

  In the quiet room, a muffled groan signalled an awakening.

  “Hmm…”


  Suffocation. A lack of oxygen… some inexplicable feeling…


  Qin Shu slowly opened her eyes and greeted Fu Tingyu’s chiselled features mere inches away from her. His hair covered half of his face in shadow. The black pools of his eyes… twin pinpricks of collapsing stars, they swallowed everything whole.

  Her heart palpitated.

  “You’re awake.” Fu Tingyu’s voice sounded hoarse in her ears. He probably had not woken up very much earlier than she had.

  Qin Shu blinked, rubbing the drowsiness out of her eyes and the salty taste of his kiss on her lips.

  Thinking that she still had a lot of things to do that day, she pushed him off her. “It’s time to get up.”


  Fu Tingyu did not move. His dark eyes followed her movements like a hawk. He did not want her to get up now. Qin Shu’s indifferent attitude the previous night had caused him much heartache.

  “Stop fooling around. It’s time to get up.” Qin Shu did not push him this time. She only grabbed his hand and reminded him.

  “Are you still angry?” he asked.

  Qin Shu arched a brow and looked at him. “Do you think I don’t have a temper?”


  After such an incident, how could she not be angry?

  “No, that’s not what I meant.” Fu Tingyu backpedalled.

  Speaking of which, was not she like a little wild cat in the past? She was always baring her fangs and brandishing her claws. She was truly fierce.

  “Then what do you mean?”


  “… Do you believe me?” He needed to know that she believed in him.

  Qin Shu did not answer him.

  Fu Tingyu felt like his heart had been dropped into an ice cellar. “You still don’t believe me? Do you honestly believe I would do such a thing?”


  Qin Shu regarded him calmly. She could feel his sticky palms against her skin, bleeding fear and uncertainty……