The shrill ringtone of her phone abruptly interrupted Su Wanwan's thoughts. Glancing at the caller ID, a soft smile graced her lips as she answered.
"Second Brother."
"My dearest Sunshine, I heard you've sacrificed yourself and married for the sake of fulfilling the family head's command?"
"You two didn't… do anything, did you?"
"That wild man didn't bully you, did he?"
Su Wanwan walked to the chair by the window and sat down, listening to his rapid-fire questions, as frantic as ever.
"Nothing happened."
"That's good, that's good. I didn't even dare tell Big Brother. If he found out, he'd fly straight back from the States! See how loyal your second brother is? Heh heh."
Su Wanwan responded with a soft hum.
"By the way, someone's been digging into your life before you turned eighteen."
"But don't worry. The family head issued an order personally—your identity will remain completely protected."
Su Wanwan reminded him with a touch of amusement:
"If you'd call me by my real name, maybe the risk of exposure would be lower."
"No way! I think 'Sunshine' sounds way better than 'Su Wanwan.'"
Just then, a sound outside caught her attention. She ended the call quickly after a few brief words.
Fu Liangmu pushed the door open and entered. Su Wanwan stood up and pointed at the items inside the room.
"Did you buy all of these?"
His expression reverted to its usual intimidating coldness. He nodded, his tone indifferent.
"If you need anything, just tell Uncle Zhang directly."
"Alright."
After dinner, the old madam urged them both to retire early for the night.
Su Wanwan sat quietly in her chair, eyes lowered, and gave a light cough.
"Um… we acted yesterday. No need for a repeat performance tonight, right?"
Fu Liangmu raised his striking eyes slightly, narrowing them. Even the scar on his face tensed, making his expression more terrifying.
"What are you trying to avoid?"
Feigning innocence, Su Wanwan blinked at him. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"
His reaction last night had only confirmed her suspicion—he had certain impairments in that area. But that suited her just fine. She had married him with a purpose, and the less that happened between them, the better.
"Mr. Fu, even if your health isn't ideal, it doesn't matter to me."
"Don't worry, I truly don't care about that."
Fu Liangmu's lips twitched slightly. Suddenly, he leaned in, bracing both hands on the arms of her chair, caging her delicate form within his arms. Lowering his head, his bottomless eyes locked onto hers, his voice low and hoarse.
"It seems, Miss Su, that I must prove myself to you."
The dense masculine aura wrapped around her like a net, leaving her breathless. Her face flushed a deep crimson as she shoved him away.
"N-No need!"
A subtle, almost imperceptible smile tugged at Fu Liangmu's lips.
"I'll sleep in the study. You rest early."
With that, he walked toward the door. Su Wanwan let out a long breath, only to see him standing there, unmoving.
"You're not having second thoughts, are you?"
Fu Liangmu paused, then replied, "The door is locked."
"What?"
Frowning, Su Wanwan quickly tried the handle. No use. She suddenly remembered the knowing smile the old madam had given her earlier. It all made sense now.
She turned, eyes landing on the only bed in the room. Nervously, she swallowed.
The second day of their marriage… and they were to share a bed already?
Seeing her dazed expression, Fu Liangmu asked calmly, "Would you like to shower first, or shall I?"
Su Wanwan's tongue felt tied. Without a word, she darted into the bathroom.
Leaning against the door, she took a long moment to collect herself. After a rushed shower, she discovered a serious problem—she'd forgotten to bring her pajamas.
She walked to the door and called softly, "Mr. Fu…"
"Hm?"
"Could you bring me some pajamas?"
Fu Liangmu rose and casually retrieved something from the wardrobe.
"Open the door."
The bathroom door creaked open a sliver, revealing a slender arm glistening with droplets of water.
"Thank you."
Just as she prepared to change, she realized what he had given her—black lace. A sheer, seductive slip!
This... this was his taste?
After stalling for some time, she finally emerged, wrapped tightly in a bathrobe. Fu Liangmu frowned slightly at her attire.
"Didn't I give you pajamas?"
Su Wanwan shot him a deadly glare and changed the subject directly.
"You go shower."
Once he entered the bathroom, she rushed to the wardrobe and retrieved another bathrobe. Just then, the bathroom door swung open with a crash.
Fu Liangmu's voice followed:
"There are no towels—"
But his sentence cut off as his gaze landed on her form. The stark contrast of her fair skin against the sheer black fabric was an arresting sight.
Su Wanwan shrieked, hurling the bathrobe at him.
"What are you staring at, you pervert!"
Though her words were angry, the playful tone didn't escape his ears.
By the time he finished his shower, Su Wanwan had already curled up in bed, tightly wrapped in a quilt. She had even pulled another blanket from the closet and placed a plush toy between them like a childhood demarcation line.
Fu Liangmu said nothing as he lay beside her.
A soft fragrance lingered in the air. With a beautiful woman lying next to him, Fu Liangmu knew he couldn't remain indifferent, so he forced himself to think of something else.
Just as he drifted between wakefulness and sleep, Su Wanwan gave a sleepy murmur. Feeling warm, she had kicked off her covers. But soon, the cool air from the AC made her shiver. Instinctively, she reached out for warmth—grabbing onto him tightly.
Fu Liangmu's entire body stiffened, brows furrowed.
He tried pushing her off gently, but she didn't budge.
"Let go."
"Mm… so warm…"
After half an hour of endurance, he finally got up and placed the giant stuffed bear into her arms.
The rest of the night, he didn't sleep at all.