The room was very quiet. Zhan Haoze and she looked at each other and saw their own reflections in each other’s eyes.
Shi Mengwan’s face was pale and her expression was haggard. Her lips were slightly swollen. Her eyes were filled with unwillingness, anger, and conflict as she stared at him in pain.
Zhan Haoze slightly missed her line of sight and didn’t look at her. His silence, in Shi Mengwan’s eyes, was because he didn’t want to let her go.
She couldn’t help but reach out and grab the front of his shirt.
“Tell me, Zhan Haoze, what do I have to do for you to let me go?”
It was only a few days, but she felt mentally and physically exhausted. She had always been weak in front of him, and she had never been strong-willed.
She hated herself for being like this, but she couldn’t control herself. As long as she met him, as long as she met something related to him, she would become unlike herself.
She had clearly made up her mind to get rid of him. She had also thought that she had told him clearly, but what was he doing now?
There was still an injury on her lip, which he had bitten a few days ago.
He had lost control and forgot to control his strength, which had caused her injury to not recover until now.
He raised his hand and gently caressed her lips. His action was very light, but Shi Mengwan knocked his hand away.
“Zhan Haoze, answer me. What do I have to do for you to let me go? Tell me, tell me.”
She was really angry. She didn’t care about her exhausted body and continued to pound his chest.
To him, that kind of strength was like a cat’s paw scratching an itch.
Before Shi Mengwan could react, he picked her up and put her on the bed.
“Zhan Haoze…”
Shi Mengwan’s voice was almost hoarse. She didn’t have any more strength to resist Zhan Haoze.
She was furious, so she simply closed her eyes and let him be. He could do whatever he wanted. If he wasn’t willing to let her go, what could she do?
Zhan Haoze found some clothes and picked her up to put them on. Then, he carried her into the bathroom.
She didn’t have any strength left in her legs. Zhan Haoze supported her and let her lean against his chest. He squeezed the toothpaste for her.
He put the toothbrush in her hand and Shi Mengwan looked at Zhan Haoze in the mirror. She took her toothbrush and brushed her teeth, as if she was venting her anger.
Her force was a little too strong and her gums were bleeding.
Zhan Haoze frowned and gently grabbed her hand. Shi Mengwan stopped moving. She looked at Zhan Haoze’s face in the mirror, and he was also looking at her.
In the end, she was defeated and the strength in her hand became a little lighter. She brushed her teeth carelessly and rinsed her mouth.
She wanted to speak but Zhan Haoze picked her up again. This time, he carried her to the dining room outside.
There were many small plates on the table, which was filled to the brim.
There were barbecued pork buns, egg tarts, shrimp dumplings, dry steamed pork dumplings, beef, meatballs, salt-and-pepper duck chins, steamed phoenix claws with black bean sauce, spring rolls, fried dough sticks, and steamed buns.
There were two cups of soy milk and two bowls of fresh shrimp porridge on the side.
“…” Shi Mengwan looked at Zhan Haoze. He put her down and pushed one of the bowls of fresh shrimp porridge in front of her.
“You –” Shi Mengwan didn’t know what to say. She saw the marks on the dishes. It was a very famous Hong Kong-style restaurant nearby.
The business of that restaurant was very good, and because the business was so good, it never delivered takeout.
And with so much, she felt incredulous that Zhan Haoze brought it back himself.
“Eat.”
Zhan Haoze’s voice was indifferent. Shi Mengwan didn’t have a chance to speak even if she wanted to. She looked at the bowl of porridge that was still steaming and didn’t move for a long time.
“Are you asking me to feed you?”
Zhan Haoze’s long and narrow eyes were slightly raised, and Shi Mengwan shrunk her neck. Some of the disharmonious scenes of the past few days flashed through her mind.
She didn’t dare to let him feed her.
She picked up the bowl of porridge and realized that such a simple action made her hands feel a little sore.
She couldn’t help but glare at Zhan Haoze again. Before he realized it, she looked away.
The porridge tasted good. She had been to this dim sum restaurant with Su Qingsang before. At that time, she thought that it would be great if the other party was willing to deliver takeout every day. That way, she wouldn’t have to wait in line and could order takeout earlier before going to work.
However, the people inside said that because business was too good, even if there was a takeout order, it wouldn’t be delivered, so there was no takeout.
Looking at the table full of breakfast, she didn’t know how Zhan Haoze did it.
Her appetite wasn’t big, but she hadn’t eaten well these few days. For three days in a row, she ate takeout.
It just so happened that it was the new year, and many restuarants were on holiday. She didn’t have many choices at all. Zhan Haoze was torturing her again, and she was really hungry.
Shi Mengwan, who had eaten more than usual, put down her bowl and looked at Zhan Haoze.
She couldn’t understand him anymore.
Zhan Haoze wasn’t slow in eating, but he didn’t look barbaric. He took big bites, but he chewed slowly. His behavior could even be considered elegant.
She thought of what Xiao Qi had said before. He said that Zhan Haoze had founded several companies over the years and had achieved a lot.
She had always known that he was an ambitious man.
But his achievements today still surprised and shocked her. Thinking about it carefully, she thought that it seemed normal.
She remembered that he had nothing at that time, but he could always conjure something at the critical moment.
For example, money, food, the expenses for what they needed.
She remembered that time when she tried to change his clothes, but his coat was too thick, so she had no way to do so. In the end, she could only sew the sleeves a little shorter, so she could wear it as a thick coat.
But because it was too thick, she accidentally pricked her hand.
Qiao Ze, who didn’t notice what she was doing, snatched the clothes from her hand, then the needle and thread in the next second.
The youth put her index finger into his mouth. Shi Mengwan looked at his handsome face and felt a little embarrassed.
“I’m fine now.”
She said so, but the youth didn’t let go of her. His gaze was fervent and there seemed to be fiery passion in it.
It was a pity that Shi Mengwan was too young at that time. She didn’t understand at all.
The youth let go of her, but didn’t let her touch the needle and thread anymore.
Shi Mengwan thought to herself, how could she not touch it? Their current life wasn’t very good. Although his clothes were altered, they wouldn’t be completely suitable for her to wear, and they were even a little ugly.
But wouldn’t it be enough to keep out the cold? Her thoughts at that time were that simple. She thought that she would continue when Qiao Ze left home and wasn’t around. The youth brought back two sets of brand new clothes the next day.
The young man didn’t just bring her clothes, he also brought her matching shoes and hair accessories. There were three to four sets of clothes inside and outside.
Although they weren’t branded, she wasn’t ignorant at that time. She knew these clothes weren’t cheap.
“Where did you get them?”
The young man held her hand and told her, “Wanwan, trust me. I won’t let you suffer.”
Shi Mengwan didn’t know that this was a promise, but she blinked. She naturally believed the young man’s words.
“Dear Brother…”
“Wanwan, as long as you follow me, I won’t let you suffer.”
Given time, he would definitely let her live a good life. That was the young man’s promise. Although he was young and naive, he was especially solemn.
The chair beside Shi Mengwan was pulled away. She was shocked and when she regained her senses, she realized that Zhan Haoze had already finished eating.
There were so many things, but he had actually finished them all.
He picked her up once again and placed her on his lap.
“What were you thinking about just now?” He asked.
Unable to answer Zhan Haoze’s question, Shi Mengwan bit her lips.
Zhan Haoze turned her body around and looked at her. His eyes were dark, and Shi Mengwan couldn’t help but think of that youth from back then.
It was the same kind of eyes. It was also the same kind of serious and solemn expression. What he did was the complete opposite of Zhan Haoze.
His brows tightly knitted together, Zhan Haoze once again pinched her chin. He seemed to be very dissatisfied with the fact that she was always distracted by him.
This time, Shi Mengwan didn’t grab his hand. She even bravely raised her head and looked him in the eye.
“Zhan Haoze, I’m thinking of you.”
She placed her hand on his cheek and stared at his face.
“I’m thinking of you.”
Seeing his slightly furrowed brows, she reached out and gently smoothed it down. “I’m thinking, why do you want me? I’m thinking, what do you mean? I’m thinking, what do I have to do to make you let me go.”
Looking into Zhan Haoze’s eyes that had become even deeper, she gently raised the corners of her lips. “Zhan Haoze, can you tell me?”
She had said it several times today, but he had never given her an answer.
Zhan Haoze released his hand that was placed on her chin and pulled her hand away. However, he didn’t answer her question.
“Zhan Haoze.” Shi Mengwan held his face again. This time, her gaze was very serious.
“In your heart, am I a prostitute?”
Zhan Haoze’s expression suddenly became rather ugly. “Shi Mengwan.”
“If you don’t regard me as a prostitute, then why do you treat me like this?”
Shi Mengwan really couldn’t understand. The Dear Brother that she liked, adored, and had always thought of shouldn’t be like this.
She fixed her gaze on him and stubbornly asked for an answer.
Although the home clothes she wore were thick, they were designed with a big round collar. Her hands moving forward and allowing her collar to be seen clearly in front of him, she held his face like this.
The bruises on it were all traces of him. It also reminded him of how crazy things had been between them these past few days. Zhan Haoze felt that his body was a little stiff, but he knew that the other party couldn’t take it anymore, so he averted his gaze to the side.
“Zhan Haoze.”
He wanted to avoid her, but Shi Mengwan didn’t give him the chance to.
“Xiao Qi is a blind date arranged by my parents. I’m 26 this year. Maybe I’m not old among the unmarried girls in Lin City, but many girls my age in our town have already gotten married and had children.”
She wasn’t a person who followed the crowd, nor was she a person who followed the crowd. She said so much today because that person was Zhan Haoze.
“What other people’s lives are like has nothing to do with me, but I can’t ignore my parents’ wishes.”
“If you don’t treat me as a prostitute, then can I take it that you also have feelings for me? At least, you have a little bit of affection for me and care about me, right?”
As long as he had feelings for her, she could wait and endure it.
Zhan Haoze’s face was once again facing her and he looked into her eyes. Her gaze was fervent and the light in her eyes made the room pale in comparison.
Compared to him, she was undoubtedly brave. At least in terms of feelings, she was much braver than him.
The air was silent and Zhan Haoze was silent.
Shi Mengwan’s eyes darkened and she withdrew her hand.
“Zhan Haoze, you can go.”No matter how much she loved him, she would not lose her dignity and rationality. She had lowered herself to this state.
She moved her body back a little and her gaze was cold. She was about to get up and leave when Zhan Haoze reached out and hugged her before she could leave.
He hugged her very tightly.
“Zhan Haoze.” Shi Mengwan heard his heartbeat. Her voice was hoarse, but her words were clear. “Don’t be like this.”
Zhan Haoze didn’t let go. He held her waist tightly and pressed his chin against her neck. His body was a little stiff, as if he was enduring something.
“Zhan Haoze, let go of me.”
She didn’t struggle. She already had no strength left. Three days had exhausted almost all of her strength.
“Shi Mengwan.”
He finally spoke, and his voice was a little hoarse. He called her name. He pressed her face tightly against his chest. When he spoke, she could even hear the vibration of his chest.
“Give me some time.”
Shi Mengwan looked up at him. His pitch-black eyes were also looking at her. She couldn’t understand the emotions in them.
“Give you time? What time? The time to marry me?” Shi Mengwan’s tone was a little mocking. She didn’t believe Zhan Haoze’s words.
Zhan Haoze stared at her face and actually nodded. Shi Mengwan looked at him and couldn’t tell what she felt in her heart.
“Zhan Haoze –”
“Give me time,” Zhan Haoze said again.
Shi Mengwan looked down and heard the sound of her heartbeat. It was the desire deep in her heart.
She really wanted to marry heer Dear Brother and stay with him for the rest of her life. That desire deep in her heart made her not have time to think about more realistic questions.
“Are you serious?”
If she didn’t like him, she naturally wouldn’t be so worried about gains and losses, but if she liked him and fell in love with him, there was nothing she could do. It was impossible for her to act according to her subjective will.
Zhan Haoze looked at her and nodded. Shi Mengwan was very excited, but the more excited she was, the calmer she appeared.
She just stared at Zhan Haoze, and he was also looking at her. Trying to calm herself down, Shi Mengwan blinked.
“How long?”
Zhan Haoze didn’t say anything, but only frowned slightly, as if he was in a difficult position. Shi Mengwan smiled bitterly. “You can’t make me wait forever, right?”
She didn’t believe in the saying that a woman’s youth was limited, but she had her own problems now.
It was impossible for her to ignore grandma Shi’s two-year time limit. With her grandma’s health, it wouldn’t be a problem for her to live to a hundred years old. At that time, if she didn’t bring a man back, what would grandma do?
“Zhan Haoze, tell me, how long do you want me to wait for you?”
Looking like he was in a difficult position, Zhan Haoze’s thin lips pursed into a straight line in silence.
Shi Mengwan felt that she couldn’t continue the conversation. She thought that she had already done everything a girl could do. What else did Zhan Haoze want?
“Zhan Haoze.” She stood up from his embrace and took a big step back.
Her legs were still a little weak. Such a simple action made her feel uncomfortable in a place that she couldn’t tell others about.
She gritted her teeth and forced herself to ignore the feeling in her body. “You can go.”
Zhan Haoze held her hand as she was about to return to her room. “It won’t be long.”
Won’t be long?
Shi Mengwan really wanted to ask him, how long will it be? But she couldn’t bring herself to ask. She looked at Zhan Haoze. His eyes were like a deep spring. She was deeply immersed in them.
He pulled her into his arms once again. He lowered his head and kissed her gently.
He wasn’t as rough as he was for the past few days, nor was he as domineering as before.
Bit by bit, he carefully traced the shape of her lips with his gentle kiss.
The strong Zhan Haoze would make Shi Mengwan unable to reject him, but such a gentle Zhan Haoze made Shi Mengwan confused.
She slowly closed her eyes and allowed herself to be intoxicated by his kiss.
He finally backed away a little when she was almost suffocated. He pressed his forehead against hers. His breathing was also a little irregular and he was a little out of breath.
“Give me some time.”
His voice was slightly hoarse as he said those few words very softly.
Shi Mengwan looked into his eyes and finally nodded weakly.
Her body was picked up by him once again, yet he didn’t go to the room, but to the living room instead.
“Do you want to watch a movie?”
Zhan Haoze asked her, and Shi Mengwan blinked her eyes at him. Although she didn’t understand what he meant, she still nodded.
She stood up and picked “A Beautiful Life”. Shi Mengwan had seen this movie before, but it had been too long, so she had forgotten much of the plot.
The pace of the movie was very slow, and she slowly recalled the plot along with the movie.
Her eyes were a little red. When she saw Guido die at the muzzle of the Nazis with funny steps, Shi Mengwan’s tears fell.
There was a tissue in front of her eyes. She took it and wiped her tears dry.
She sniffed and found Zhan Haoze staring at her. She suddenly didn’t want him to see her like this.
She turned her face and let herself continue to focus on the plot. The movie ended very quickly, but her emotions didn’t recover.
Zhan Haoze turned her body away. He raised his hand, as if he couldn’t understand the change in her emotions.
“Why are you crying?”
“Don’t you feel touched?”
Zhan Haoze looked at her expressionlessly without saying anything. It was obvious that he didn’t feel anything at all.
“If you’re not touched, why did you say that you want to watch a movie?”
Zhan Haoze looked away and picked up the remote control to watch another movie. Shi Mengwan seemed to have realized something.
“You… you didn’t say that because Xiao Qi asked me to watch a movie yesterday, right?”
Zhan Haoze turned around and glared at her. Soon, he looked at the screen again.
However, Shi Mengwan clearly saw his reaction. His earlobe slowly turned red.
This realization stunned her for a moment. She bit her lip. For a moment, she thought there was something wrong with her eyes.
“Are you jealous of Xiao Qi?”
Shi Mengwan reflexively asked this question. The next second, she saw Zhan Haoze’s earlobe turn even redder.
“…”
Zhan Haoze turned around at this moment and glared at her. His gaze looked very fierce.
However, Shi Mengwan seemed to have discovered something extraordinary. She still wanted to say something. However, Zhan Haoze kissed her lips.
This kiss was a little more rough than before. He didn’t give her a chance to speak.
Shi Mengwan blinked her eyes. Her bright and beautiful eyes now carried faint mirth. Like stars in the sky, her eyes were extremely bright.
Zhan Haoze raised his hand to cover her eyes and deepened the kiss.
Bit by bit, his lips snatched and occupied her breath. His hand also moved around.
Shi Mengwan wanted to get rid of his hands, but he pushed her onto the sofa and covered her eyes with the scarf she had used before.
When her eyes weren’t visible, her senses would become especially sharp.
The weather was still cold, so Shi Mengwan bit her lips. “Don’t be here.”
The man seemed to want to punish her for mocking him just now. Not only did he not let go of her, but he also became determined to be here.
She had no way of resisting and could only accompany him.
… ..
At night, Shi Mengwan, who was sleeping on the bed, righteously rejected Zhan Haoze and didn’t allow him to continue.
He had really tormented her too much these past few days. If he continued torturing her, her waist would definitely break.
Zhan Haoze stared at her face for a long time. In the end, he really didn’t continue.
He held her waist and rested his chin on the top of her hair. The lights in the room had been turned off, so only the bedside lamp was left.
Shi Mengwan’s back was facing Zhan Haoze. She saw the small lamp, and her voice was very soft.
“Zhan Haoze.”
“…”
He didn’t respond, but Shi Mengwan knew that he wasn’t asleep.
“Don’t you have to go to work?”
It was already past the seventh day of the Lunar New Year. Normally, many companies had already started working.
“There’s no need.”
His voice sounded a little hoarse because he was lying down, but it had an extra sense of sultriness.
“You –” Shi Mengwan thought of what Xiao Qi had said. “You’re starting a company now?”
“Yes.”
“That’s pretty good.” She still remembered the teenager who had nothing more than ten years ago. At that time, he had said that he would definitely earn a lot of money and that he would give her a good life.
“Does your company earn money?”
“Yes.”
“That’s good.”
Shi Mengwan nodded gently. At that moment, he turned her body around and asked her to face him.
She looked up at him. “Can you tell me more about you?”
She wanted to know more about him, such as where he had been all these years and what else he had done besides starting a company.
Didn’t he have no family? Then how did he go to university?
She had many questions, but Zhan Haoze pressed her face against his chest. “Sleep.”
“Zhan Haoze –”
“If you don’t sleep, I’ll do something that makes you want to sleep.”
Shi Mengwan’s face was a little red, so she didn’t ask any further. If he didn’t want to tell her, she wouldn’t ask. When he wanted to tell her, she would ask again.
She sighed in her heart and didn’t open her eyes. Instead, she rubbed her face against his chest.
“Zhan Haoze.”
“En?”
“Two years.”
“What?”
“I’ll wait for you for two years.”
Shi Mengwan’s voice was very soft. She already wanted to sleep very much. In the past few days, she really didn’t sleep much.
Since she didn’t hear Zhan Haoze’s response, she didn’t need his response either.
“If you can’t marry me in two years, I’ll find a random man to marry.”
She said.
Zhan Haoze stared at her face, but she seemed to be completely asleep and didn’t make a sound.
After a long while, her steady breathing came, and he confirmed that she was really asleep.
Two years?
His gaze full of profundity, Zhan Haoze narrowed his eyes. Then he tilted his head and pressed a very light kiss on her forehead.
