Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  Heart lightly aching, her finger pressed upon the scarred spot closest to his heart. She knew that this spot was nearly fatal. Her eyes warmed, and she grew emotional. “I’ve always wanted to ask, why are there so many scars on your body? Are they all from your time in the army?”


  Afraid she would be unable to hold back her tears, Lin Nuan didn’t look up.

  She had once read an article about the special forces. The author had said, “There is no such thing as things going smoothly, only people who trudge on while bearing your burden.”


  She could understand…


  Even if she didn’t see the scars on Fu Huai’an, back in Iraq, she had already experienced it.

  At that point in time, although unacquainted, Fu Huai’an had given up his bulletproof vest and helmet to her.

  The scars on Fu Huai’an were largely left behind from his undercover days.

  Fu Huai’an was neither willing nor able to tell Lin Nuan about those dark tales.

  Since it implicated his operation, despite being retired from the military, he couldn’t speak of it.

  Gently pulling Lin Nuan into his embrace, Fu Huai’an spoke in a low voice. “Your heart aches for me?”


  Lin Nuan grasped the sides of the clothing that wrapped around his slim waist, her petite face pressed tightly against his chest, nodding. “Uhm…”


  Fu Huai’an hugged Lin Nuan more tightly.

  Not wanting to be shrouded in such a heavy atmosphere anymore, Fu Huai’an patted Lin Nuan’s shoulder and said, “Go change your clothes, let’s make it somewhere by lunchtime! Although Jincheng is sunny today, it’s still very cold. I’ve bought you a coat, a scarf, and a pair of gloves. Go see if you like them!”


  “Okay…”


  Lin Nuan lowered her head and pulled away from his embrace. There were tiny teardrops on her eyelashes as she walked out of the bedroom.

  She opened the package left on the side of the sofa. Inside were a camel-colored trench coat, a white-colored scarf, and gloves. They were all exquisite-looking, and it was evident that a great deal of effort had gone into choosing the gifts.

  Lin Nuan held onto the furry scarf and felt increasingly heart-ached.

  That day at the cafe, Lu Jinnan’s words replayed endlessly in Lin Nuan’s mind like a curse.

  Actually, Lin Nuan really wanted to hold Fu Huai’an’s hand and announce to everyone… that this wonderful man was her husband.

  However, Lin Nuan didn’t want the wonderful Fu Huai’an to be the subject of others’ gossips.

  Having gone through certain experiences, even though Lin Nuan may not care, they were still a source of pain for her.

  After changing his clothes, Fu Huai’an noticed Lin Nuan looking out of sorts as she clutched onto the white scarf in her hands. He asked, “Do you not like it?”


  Lin Nuan lowered her gaze and smiled brightly at Fu Huai’an, shaking her head. “No, I like it very much!”


  She put down the scarf and looked at Fu Huai’an as she patted on the sofa. “I have something to tell you…”


  “What do you want to say?” Fu Huai’an sat down on the sofa.

  Lin Nuan leaned against the sofa arm and held up Fu Huai’an’s hand, interlocking their fingers, then smiling. “I’m thinking… can we keep our marriage a secret?”


  Fu Huai’an’s dark eyes were fixated on Lin Nuan, but he didn’t utter a word. There was a cryptic smile at the corner of his lips as he waited for Lin Nuan to finish her speech.

  “I’m not saying we should hide it from our family and friends. Of course, we have to tell those closest to us, but there is no need to deliberately announce to the media. I don’t want our marriage to be subject to the scrutiny of the outside world. For instance, if today I went out shopping alone, they could cook up a story about how we had a conflict and are now divorced. Tomorrow you could be out eating with a female client, and it’d be another story about how I was dumped by the rich because Mr. Fu found himself a new lover. News like this really affects my mood.”


  Lin Nuan did give a sufficient reason.

  Marriages that were overly exposed to the public were easily subjected to speculations of divorce at whim.

  Seeing no reaction from Fu Huai’an, Lin Nuan felt especially uneasy. She pursed her lips together and recalled what Xie Jingqian had told her earlier in the morning…


  “Wait until the day you learn to act coquettish. You’ll be unstoppable because it’ll be so convenient!”


  Lin Nuan mustered her courage, grabbing Fu Huai’an’s arm with both hands and shaking it. “Okayyyyy?”


  “Is there any other reason apart from this one?” Fu Huai’an spoke in a level voice.

  Lin Nuan shook her head. “There isn’t!”


  Fu Huai’an nodded and said, “Let me think about it.”


  It wasn’t an outright rejection, and as such, Lin Nuan was already pretty satisfied with such a response.

  …


  After putting on the coat and scarf properly, Lin Nuan tucked her little mouth and nose into the scarf, feeling warm and snuggly.

  Walking out from the hotel hand-in-hand with Fu Huai’an, Lin Nuan was sized up by the female lawyer from Fu Huai’an’s law firm, who had just stepped out of the car.

  Fu Huai’an opened the car door to the passenger’s seat for Lin Nuan and asked, “Didn’t I ask Li to drive the car over? Why did you come here?”


  The female lawyer in white business attire glanced at Lin Nuan, who was getting into her seat, and she lightly smiled. “I just happened to be in the area for some business. I’ll be drinking later, and it won’t be convenient to drive, so I might as well help you drive the car over, lest Li has to take a cab back after driving your car here.”


  Fu Huai’an closed the door and nodded as he received the car keys from the female lawyer. “It’s been hard on you.”


  As he finished his sentence, Fu Huai’an pulled open the door to the driver’s seat and got into the car.

  He reached over and fastened the seatbelt for Lin Nuan and explained, “That’s my business partner. She’s currently handling all the matters at the law firm.”


  Lin Nuan laughed lightly. “Afraid I might misunderstand?”


  Fu Huai’an didn’t rush to start the engine.

  The female lawyer suddenly walked up to the driver’s side and knocked on the window.

  Fu Huai’an lowered the car window.

  “I have to make a trip to World Trade Street. It’s just nearby, and it’s difficult to hail a cab in this area. Is it convenient to give me a lift?” The female lawyer smiled lightly at Fu Huai’an.

  Fu Huai’an nodded in a respectful way and rolled up the window.

  The female lawyer pulled on the handle at the back, but it didn’t open, so she went to knock on the car window again, pointing at the back seats.

  Fu Huai’an gazed at Lin Nuan and smiled. “If she knew I was married, such a situation wouldn’t have occurred. Do you still want to keep our marriage a secret?”


  As he finished speaking, he unlocked the door and allowed the female lawyer to get in.

  All through the journey, Lin Nuan lowered her head and fidgeted with her phone, not uttering a word.

  Instead, it was the female lawyer who spoke first. “Huai’an, is this your friend? Introduce me!”


  Fu Huai’an’s gaze swept over Lin Nuan while he was driving, and he said, “Why don’t you introduce yourself?”


  Lin Nuan looked up and smiled, turning her head towards the female lawyer. “Hi, I’m Lin Nuan, Huai’an’s wife…”


  The female lawyer’s intentions were too blatant, so much so that Lin Nuan couldn’t ignore them even if she had wanted to.

  The female lawyer had apparently heard of Lin Nuan’s name. Then, after seeing the delicate and pretty face revealed as Lin Nuan pulled down her scarf, the female lawyer’s mouth gaped slightly. She couldn’t react for a moment.

  “How come… you never mentioned that you got married?” The female lawyer forced a smile.

  “My wife wants to keep our marriage under wraps and wasn’t planning on announcing it to people other than our friends and family. Just now, I told her that you’re my business partner, so she probably thought that you were my friend and that there was no need to keep it from you…”


  Fu Huai’an and his art of talking.

  He made it clear they weren’t even friends, merely business partners!