The abandoned daughter of the Lu family turns around and marries a celibate tycoon.

This realization was like an icicle, piercing through her last shred of illusion.

"Ugh... Let go!" She used all her strength to push him away.

Gu Yanshen was pushed back slightly by her, and for the first time, a look of near-stun appeared on his face. Looking at her panting, tear-streaked face, yet stubbornly defiant eyes, he was momentarily at a loss. He was skilled at strategizing and handling any business problem, but he simply didn't know how to comfort his prickly, heartbroken new wife.

He wanted to say that wasn't the case, to explain, to tell her that he tolerated Ling Xue only to prevent old grievances from being brought up today and ruining the night they should have had.

But when the words reached his lips, they came out as a dry, unintelligible sentence: "Don't overthink it."

Evening should have been a time they longed for, a time that belonged only to each other. He had indeed tolerated Ling Xue's overstepping actions and words again and again today, simply because he didn't want any unexpected complications or unnecessary trouble or attention on their wedding day.

He had planned everything meticulously, but he hadn't anticipated that Ling Xue would dare to come directly to the suite. She had texted him, saying that she had left important personal belongings there during her last stay, otherwise it would cause misunderstandings. He suppressed his impatience, wanting only to get rid of this potential problem as soon as possible, but he never expected to be met with her throwing herself into his arms.

And all of this was witnessed by Lu Xiran.

At this moment, looking at the broken light in her eyes and the completely disbelieving expression, Gu Yanshen felt for the first time a deep anxiety called "helplessness".

He reached out to touch her, but she flinched away even more violently.

Those hands, which were usually so steady and in control, were now frozen in mid-air, appearing somewhat clumsy and lonely.

"Ranran, I know you're angry." Gu Yanshen's voice was low and husky, with a rare, almost pleading tension. Ignoring her weak struggles, he once again slipped his arms under her knees and back, lifting her steadily into his arms, his movements forceful yet careful. "But at least tonight... trust me, okay?"

Lu Xiran finally stopped struggling and buried her face deep in his firm chest. Muffled sobs escaped her lips, thin and fragmented, like a kitten soaked by the rain with nowhere to go, curled up beside the only source of warmth, yet unable to stop shivering. Hot tears quickly soaked the fabric of his expensive shirt.

Gu Yanshen felt a sharp, throbbing pain in his chest, as if scalded by the dampness. He pursed his lips, carried her into the bedroom, and gently placed her in the center of the dark red velvet bed sheet.

As soon as Lu Xiran touched the bed, she stubbornly turned her face to the other side, leaving him with only a trembling back view.

Gu Yanshen sat down by the bed, reached out, his fingertips trembling slightly, and gently brushed the strands of hair on her face that were stuck together with tears behind her ear.

"Don't ruin this moment, okay?" he whispered, his voice low and strained, carrying an awkward attempt to soothe, yet sounding stiff due to his inability to express himself.

This statement was like a spark thrown into a hot oil pan.

Lu Xiran turned around abruptly, her red eyes staring intently at him, and even more tears welled up in her eyes.

Who is sabotaging this?! Who on earth dealt her such a fatal blow at her most cherished wedding?

What is he to her, really?

A shield that can be used at any time to appease the person you truly love?

A complete fool who doesn't even deserve the right to know?

How could he, after embracing another woman so intimately—Song Zhihe, whom he might truly love—try to do this most intimate thing with her as if nothing had happened?

Today should have been the day she had secretly longed for since she was a little girl. Her wedding, her first time, the night she gave her whole heart and soul, and the man she once thought she cherished most.

And what about him?

After hugging Song Zhihe, he was able to continue so "calmly".

Yes, that's always been his way.

Just like that night, he received a phone call and left in a hurry, without ever needing to explain to her.

He always used his undeniable power to make her follow his lead and swallow all her doubts.

The same is true today.

Is he... really able to switch between his beloved and his substitute so effortlessly?

How many parts was that heart divided into?

Gu Yanshen looked at her torrent of tears and the shattered light in her eyes, his heart feeling as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand, a suffocating pain. He tried to ignore the tears that were disturbing him, leaning down to kiss her wet cheek, wanting to cover up her sorrow and accusations in the most direct way. His kiss landed, burning hot, urgently kissing away her continuously sliding tears, but his movements were flustered because of her stiffness and resistance.

But the more he kissed her, the more fiercely she cried, until her tears finally broke free.

The storm in Gu Yanshen's heart, a mixture of heartache, anxiety, helplessness, and some deeper emotion, reached its peak.

He was used to being in control of everything, but now he was at a loss.

Seeing her utter resistance and heartbroken state, a sense of panic gripped him—panic at her departure, panic at the irreversible course of events tonight, panic at the fading light in her eyes.

On the verge of completely losing control of her emotions, a foolish and completely contrary-to-her-intention statement blurted out in a panic:

"Lu Xiran, can you please stop crying?!" His voice rose with suppressed frustration and a hint of rudeness. "Tonight is our wedding night, do you really want to keep making a scene like this?!"

As soon as he said it, even he was stunned.

A suffocating silence filled the air, broken only by the faint, sudden pause in her breathing.

He watched helplessly as the last glimmer of light in her eyes suddenly went out, leaving only an empty, cold darkness.

Taking advantage of the moment when he was stunned by her careless words, Lu Xiran used all her strength to push him away!

Caught off guard, Gu Yanshen was pushed backward and staggered half a step. Before the shock in his eyes had faded, he saw her struggling to turn to the other side of the bed.

However, the moment she turned around, her gaze froze—

A small corner of brighter red lace fabric peeked out from the edge of the dark red velvet pillow.

Gu Yanshen followed her frozen gaze, his heart sank, and an extremely ominous premonition instantly gripped him. He opened his mouth, but the word "wait" hadn't even left his lips—

Lu Xiran had already reached out and pinched the pink corner with exceptional precision, then pulled it sharply!

A sexy bra, but the size was clearly not right for her!