Ye Ran could not explain clearly, and fearing that Lu Linshen would grow suspicious if she insisted on being taken to the emergency room, she softened her tone. "I didn't sleep well last night, and I’ve only eaten one meal today. I’m just hungry."
Aside from the last two words, the rest of her sentence was true.
Lu Linshen’s gaze landed on her colorless face, then swept over her eyes, reddened from vomiting, his expression darkening.
"Playing the sick, weak victim doesn't work on me. Keep your foolish notions to yourself and don't stir up trouble!"
He released her, then took off his coat, intending to throw it away. He paused, pulled it back, and held it carelessly between his fingertips.
The elevator doors closed. The air inside was unpleasant.
Ye Ran kept her head down, staring at the coat that had never once appeared at Liyuan. Her heart felt as if it were being crushed by a hand, an aching pain.
Lu Linshen did not have severe mysophobia, but he was fastidious.
Let alone clothes stained with filth, he wouldn't even wear a shirt if it wasn't perfectly pressed.
He couldn't bear to throw the coat away because of Tang Yiyi, surely.
Her stomach churned again. She forcibly suppressed the urge and turned her gaze away.
Lu Linshen’s expression was frighteningly gloomy. "Go home and cook. You smell, and it’s making my stomach ache."
Seeing that he no longer mentioned the emergency room, Ye Ran did not resist.
When they reached the car, Lu Linshen tossed the coat to Jin Fan, telling him to have it dry-cleaned. He then got into the passenger seat and drove back to Liyuan himself.
Though the ride was smooth, Ye Ran, with nothing left in her stomach to vomit, felt wretched from the motion.
When she got out of the car, her legs were so weak she could barely stand.
Lu Linshen, already halfway to the main hall, looked back. He tucked his tie, which he had loosened, into his pocket and strode over to pick her up again.
Ye Ran pressed her hands against his chest in a panic. "I can walk on my own."
"Isn't playing weak just a ploy to get me to hold you?"
The man sneered and strode upstairs. As they neared the bedroom door, Ye Ran blurted out in desperation, "If I wash quickly, I can still make dinner."
The moment she realized what she had said, the shame made her wish she could disappear into a crack in the floor.
Ever since they had begun a physical relationship, Lu Linshen would toss her about several times a night, except when she was on her period or he was away on business.
When the mood struck, he would carry her into the bathroom, press her against that massive floor-to-ceiling mirror, and amidst the steam and gasps, force her to watch everything that happened.
The man looked down at her ears, which had turned deep red, and suddenly leaned in. His warm breath grazed her sensitive earlobes, thick with desire.
"Are you inviting me?"
Half of Ye Ran’s body went numb. She instinctively turned her head to avoid him. Her previously pale cheeks were now flushed with the seductive crimson of turbulent desire.
She heard the man’s breathing suddenly hitch. Terrified, she looked up to defend herself. "I don't feel well."
They were both still stained with the scent of her vomit. She couldn't fathom how Lu Linshen could still be aroused under such circumstances.
"So, stop playing with fire."
He dumped her at the edge of the bed and headed to the bathroom without a moment's delay. Clearly, he had been tortured to the limit by the filth on his own person.
The sound of rushing water soon filled the room.
Ye Ran let out a sigh of relief. Her taut nerves had left her exhausted. However, because of the smell still lingering on her, she couldn't bring herself to get into bed. After a moment's thought, she grabbed her pajamas and went to the guest room to wash up.
Just as she finished, she saw Lu Linshen sitting on the edge of the bed, wrapped in a gray bathrobe, his dark, heavy eyes fixed on her without blinking.
Her heart pounded in a frantic rhythm. She felt that Lu Linshen was strange today; usually, apart from in bed, this man would never look at her with such intensity.
She feigned composure and emphasized again, "I really don't feel well."
If he touched her now, he would be nothing more than a beast.
But Lu Linshen withdrew his gaze. "This is the first and last time I will warn you. Remember the terms of our agreement and do what you are supposed to do. If you cause any more trouble, I will cut off your mother’s medical funding."
With that, he stood up and left.
Ye Ran clutched her towel, feeling empty and sour inside. She didn't return to the master bedroom, choosing instead to straighten the guest bed and sit there, staring into space.
Ten minutes later, Lu Linshen walked in carrying a bowl of egg noodles.
"Eat."
The sudden show of favor stunned her into a daze. "Did you cook this?"
In three years of marriage, he had never stepped foot in the kitchen.
"You think I’m incapable of it?" Lu Linshen looked down at her, his eyes filled with displeasure.
The milky broth was sprinkled with green scallions and topped with a poached egg, looking appetizing enough to stir a craving.
If Lu Linshen truly wanted to spoil a woman, no one could resist him. Even knowing there was no love, she could not stop herself from sinking into the thrill of it.
Lu Linshen crossed his arms and offered a flat, casual explanation. "When I was in college, I lived in a small apartment off-campus. I cooked for myself often."
The fragrant, soft noodles suddenly lost their flavor.
At that time, Lu Linshen had been in love with Tang Yiyi. Lu Lingshuang had mentioned more than once how deep their affection was. Lu Linshen had even baked a birthday cake for Tang Yiyi with his own hands.
*It’s just a bowl of noodles, Ye Ran. How can you be so moved to tears?*
She put down her chopsticks and looked up at this exceptionally handsome man.
The warm lighting in the guest room softened the man’s cold, biting aura. For a fleeting moment, they truly seemed like a loving, ordinary couple, with a tender husband caring for his unwell wife.
It was so beautiful that she couldn't bring herself to be cruel. Yet, the noodles stuck in her throat reminded her of the cruel reality.
Her eyes grew red, her lashes dampened, and her wide, wet eyes looked alluringly innocent yet desperate for destruction.
Lu Linshen suddenly leaned over and lightly pinched her chin. His thumb, rough with calluses, traced her soft lips. His dark eyes churned with a fire that was scorching hot, yet chillingly cold.
"Do not look at other men with these eyes ever again."
Ye Ran slowly bit the lip he had just touched. Perhaps the lighting was too gentle, or perhaps it was the bowl of noodles. She began to hope once more.
"Lu Linshen, the reason I vomited earlier in the hospital was because—"
The phone in his bathrobe pocket rang abruptly.
As Lu Linshen pulled it out, Ye Ran saw the name "Yiyi" on the screen. She lowered her head in a panic, grateful she hadn't finished her sentence.
He went to the balcony to answer this time. Unlike before, he stayed on the line for a long time—so long that the noodles in the bowl turned cold and clumpy.
"Full after eating so little?"
Lu Linshen took the bowl and chopsticks away. "If you’re full, go sleep in the master bedroom."
Ye Ran turned over and covered half her head with the quilt, her voice muffled. "I'm not going back."
Lu Linshen paused for a moment, assuming she was just throwing a tantrum because she wasn't feeling well, and couldn't be bothered to say more. "As you wish."
He left.
Ye Ran counted the time. Less than two minutes later, the sound of a car starting echoed from below.
Her tears spilled over at that moment. She then tossed off the quilt like a madwoman, rushed to the laundry basket, fished out the pregnancy test result, and tore it to shreds.
***
Inside the villa at Yunqing Bay.
After a thorough examination, the family doctor bowed to him. "Mr. Lu, Miss Yiyi is currently out of danger, but you must ensure she avoids major emotional fluctuations. The best solution remains finding a suitable heart donor as soon as possible."
Lu Linshen waved him away.
On the large bed, Tang Yiyi, dressed in silk pajamas, looked at him weakly. "Ashen, I'm sorry. I bothered you so late at night. Will your wife be angry? Maybe... maybe I should call and explain to her. After all, our relationship..."
She reminded Lu Linshen of his own care, and even more, of their shared past.
"No need, she’s already asleep."
Lu Linshen looked at her, his cold, sharp face revealing no emotion. "I have people searching for a heart donor. I’ve consulted many specialists; the success rate for your condition is very high. Don't worry, just rest well and stop letting your mind wander."
He turned to leave, but Tang Yiyi suddenly grabbed his arm, her voice haunting. "Ashen, every time I walk through the gates of death, I regret listening to my parents three years ago and going abroad for treatment. Even if I had died back then, it would have been better than being torn away from you. I really... I miss you so much."