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

"Uncle," Nuonuo said, being held in Lu Xiran's arms, turning her head to show off, "This is my godmother! Isn't she super beautiful!"

Lu Xiran, holding Nuonuo, immediately took a few steps back.

Get away.

Gu Yanshen's gaze lingered on her face.

Those eyes were so deep, so deep they seemed to draw you in.

He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything—

Lu Xiran had already turned around while holding Nuonuo.

"Nono," her voice was calm, "your uncle is busy, we have to go."

She walked away.

Behind him, Gu Yanshen's hand hung in mid-air.

empty.

The hand that had just held Nuonuo now felt empty.

He suddenly felt a little dazed.

The scene before my eyes overlapped with the images that often appeared in my midnight dreams—

If none of those things had happened three years ago.

If she still stays by his side.

If that child were still alive.

Shouldn't it be this big by now?

Will you also hug his neck like this and call him "Daddy" in a childish voice?

Gu Yanshen stood still, his gaze following the retreating figure.

Lu Xiran had already walked away.

Nono leaned on her shoulder, waving to him as she did so.

"Uncle! Remember to go home tonight—"

He saw her turn her head slightly, as if to tell Nuonuo to stop fooling around.

Then she quickened her pace.

Farther.

Farther.

Until they disappeared into the crowd.

Gu Yanshen was still standing there.

Behind him, someone whispered a reminder: "Mr. Gu, the filming is going on over there..."

Realizing his lapse in composure, he immediately adopted a distance-avoiding demeanor.

Lu Xiran spent the whole day shopping with Jin Qiqi, and it was almost ten o'clock when they returned to Lin Chen's house.

"How long will you be back this time?" Lin Chen asked gently, handing over a glass of warm water.

"After Qiqi's wedding," she thought for a moment, "it'll be about ten days. I've taken all my annual leave."

"Okay." Lin Chen took a sip of water. "Do you need any help?"

"No need." Lu Xiran had already squatted down and started packing her luggage.

Lin Chen glanced at her, said nothing, and turned to walk back to his room.

"Call me if you need anything."

The door closed gently.

Lu Xiran took out her luggage piece by piece, categorized it, and put it away.

Opening the wardrobe, a dusty cardboard box in the corner came into view.

She paused for a moment.

Three years ago, Gu Yanshen had something packed up and delivered to Lin Chen's house—things related to Gu Yanshen that she had picked out.

As if possessed, she reached out to pull him.

Then I remembered that guy at the airport and pushed him in hard.

A bank card fell out.

—The bank card for the betrothal gift.

Lu Xiran was stunned.

She picked up the card and ran her fingertips over its cool metal surface.

Nine figures. The betrothal gifts from the Gu family three years ago, she hadn't touched a single penny, and later forgot to return them.

She shouldn't have kept it.

She has to return it to him.

It's already 12:30.

Lu Xiran stood up, walked to Lin Chen's door, raised her hand and then lowered it.

Forget it.

He should be asleep.

She clutched the card, stood in the living room for a few seconds, then pushed open the door and headed for the elevator.

—Just going to return the card.

—Put it down and leave.

She didn't want to go to the basement, so she tentatively entered the password for the private elevator.

The elevator doors opened.

As the elevator ascended, she stared at the fluctuating numbers, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the surface of the card.

The 36th floor. We've arrived.

She stepped out of the elevator and stood in front of that familiar door.

enter password.

Beep—the door opened.

Lu Xiran was taken aback.

He...didn't change his password?

She suddenly realized that Gu Yanshen was too careless—if she wanted to, she could take most of his fortune tonight.

All his passwords used the same date. Not her birthday, nor any anniversary she knew. She had considered countless possibilities, but she didn't recognize that date at all.

So she never asked.

I'm afraid that the answer I get from asking will be something I don't want to know.

She went inside, and only a dim yellow light was on in the entryway.

Three years.

The furnishings inside the house remained unchanged.

The sofa, coasters, and even the apron she often wore in the kitchen were still hanging in their original places.

Lu Xiran stood there, suddenly feeling somewhat dazed.

Could it be that... Song Zhihe doesn't mind these things?

Or does he not live here at all?

But the last time I saw him in the elevator, he also went down from this floor.

Lu Xiran shook her head, not wanting to think about it anymore.

She walked to the edge of the counter and put down her bank card. She'd let Lin Chen tell him tomorrow.

He turned around, ready to leave.

Footsteps sounded behind me.

Before she could react, she was suddenly pulled into a hot embrace.

The force was astonishing, as if it wanted to crush her entire body and knead her into his very bones. Her back slammed against his chest, and through the thin robe, she could feel his rapid heartbeat—beat after beat, so fast it hurt.

His arm was wrapped tightly around her waist, so tight she could barely breathe. His other hand gripped the back of her neck, forcing her to tilt her head back.

Then he lowered his head and kissed him.

It wasn't a kiss, it was plunder.

His lips pressed down with an almost desperate force, like a drowning person grasping for their last breath. His tongue pried open her teeth, plunging deep inside, greedily sweeping over every inch of his territory. His breath was frighteningly hot, spraying onto her face with each breath, mingling with the scent of shower gel and his unique, intoxicating aroma.

not enough.

It's never enough.

His arms tightened, as if he wanted to crush her, to knead her into his chest, to knead into the days and nights that had been missing for the past three years. His palms slid from the back of her neck to her back, pressing her forcefully through her coat, drawing her closer to him. His kisses moved from her lips to the corners of her lips, her chin, her earlobe, her neck—urgent, burning, and haphazard.

"You've finally agreed to come into my dreams..."

His voice, hoarse and strained, emanated from deep within his throat, carrying a heartbreaking tremor. His lips pressed against her neck, rubbing against it gently, as if confirming her temperature, confirming that she was real.

"I miss you so much……"

Her voice was trembling with tears.

His body was trembling.

The man who fought his way through the quagmire of the Gu family, the man who never flinched in the face of assassination and poisoning, was now holding her, his whole body trembling.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck and took a deep breath, as if trying to etch her scent into his lungs.

"I dream about you every night." His voice was muffled, coming from the side of her neck.

His lips brushed against her skin, gently grazing her with each word he spoke.

I dreamt that you came back.

I dreamt that you were still here.

His arms tightened even more, so tightly that her bones ached.

"But every time I wake up, you're not there."

His voice broke into fragments, and his lips covered mine again.

This time it wasn't plunder, it was tenderness. He kissed her slowly, as if to make up for all the emptiness of the past three years, as if to etch every inch of her into his memory. His tongue traced the shape of her lips, gently prying them open, tenderly entwining with them.