Chapter 1: The Terrifying Wedding Night

My father made a disastrous investment. He didn’t just lose every penny we had, he landed himself a ten-year prison sentence. But it seemed he’d planned a backup route for me all along, marrying me off before the hammer fell.

My new husband was named Li Yao, a man ten years my senior. With no parents to guide him, he’d been scraping by on the streets since he was a teenager. The underworld grit on him was as thick as a double shot of espresso. Rumor had it he’d served under three different crime bosses. Coincidentally, all three met tragic ends, while Li Yao walked away unscathed every single time, and conveniently inherited everything they left behind.

I met him for the first time last month. Loan sharks had swarmed our house, so packed together that even a mosquito would’ve needed a visa to pass through. Right in the middle of my dad desperately trying to bargain with them…

BAM!

Li Yao roared into the courtyard on a motorcycle, sending the debt collectors scrambling for their lives.

“I’m here to pick up my wife for school,” he said casually, taking off his helmet.

I peeked out from behind my dad’s back. Buzz cut, sharp jawline, and rock-hard biceps stamped with a long, ominous scar that screamed I have a story. My heart trembled. I was just about to ask who his wife was when my father shoved me forward.

“Right! Go to school with your husband, sweetie. And don’t ever come back!”

Li Yao grabbed my wrist and yanked me toward him. “Get on.”

His raw, intimidating aura was the complete opposite of the fake-intellectual rich boys I grew up around. I bit my tongue and went home with him, mostly because my family home had just been sealed off by the government.

Fortunately, he didn’t lay a finger on me and even took care of those annoying loan sharks. His only real flaw was that he complained constantly: I ate too slowly, showered too slowly, and even talked too slowly. In short, in his eyes, I was basically a turtle.

—

Today was our wedding day. It wasn’t a lavish affair—just a few of his close friends. As for my relatives, as soon as my family got into trouble, they ran faster than stray dogs. Not a single one showed up. Li Yao had asked if I wanted to invite my classmates, but I immediately shook my head. I didn’t have the guts to show off that I was getting married while still in college, especially when my academic advisor was still hopelessly single.

The party wrapped up around 1:00 AM. Li Yao had drunk a little too much, his footsteps uneven and swaying. I had to support him all the way back, stumbling in my cumbersome wedding gown. Because I was a bit… spatially challenged in the chest area, I kept having to pull up my dress. I caught him secretly smirking a few times, though every time I glared back, he instantly played dead.

When we reached the bedroom, the sight of the bright red “Double Happiness” sticker made my heart pound against my ribs. While I was standing there debating which room I should sleep in, Li Yao suddenly sat up, scooped me over his shoulder, and marched straight into the master bedroom. The second we walked in, he dumped me onto the bed and collapsed beside me.

“Li Yao… I… are you asleep?”

He shifted slightly, his voice thick with sleep. “Stop dawdling.”

I took a deep breath and summoned every ounce of courage to climb onto the bed and unbutton his shirt. But my hands were shaking uncontrollably, and tears began falling against my will. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. He seized my wrist, a teasing glint playing in his gaze.

“My little princess, I gave you a chance and you don’t even know how to use it? It takes two seconds, why drag it out?”

I snapped, flustered. “You were faking it!”

Before I could even finish the sentence, he leaned in close, instantly shutting me up. This man had zero patience and spoke with the bluntness of a sledgehammer. Yet now, pressing in close, his voice dropped to a low, raspy whisper:

“Which idiot put that love letter in your bag? Your childhood sweetheart? You two that close? Now that you’re married, is he going to send a gift?”

…

“Don’t cry. If you’re uncomfortable, just tell me to stop.”

I only managed a few scattered answers before exhaustion completely overtook me, and I drifted off to sleep.

—

The next time I woke up, it was already late the following afternoon. Li Yao was sitting by the window, flipping through a price quote sheet. Seeing me sit up, his lips curled into a smirk.

“Slept well, huh? Were you that exhausted last night?”

I pulled the blanket straight over my head. To be completely honest, it was the best sleep I’d had since my family’s downfall. All the crushing weight I’d been holding inside finally seemed to release.

After dinner, Li Yao drove me to the detention center to visit my dad. Only then did I realize he had booked the visitation appointment days ago. A faint wave of warmth washed over my heart.

When we arrived, he stayed outside. “Time’s limited, so I won’t go in. Have a good chat with your dad. Don’t cry too much, it’s bad for your eyes.”

Sitting in the visitation room, the moment I picked up the glass phone receiver, I broke down in silent tears. On the other side of the glass, my father looked decades older, his eyes filled with nothing but worry.

“Khanh Khanh, don’t cry. Tell Dad, are you doing alright? Is anyone picking on you?”

“You’re married now, right? You have to live well and focus on your studies. Li Yao owes me a favor; he’ll protect you.”

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice so he wouldn’t worry. I didn’t dare tell him the truth, that I was still terrified of the man. The scars I’d seen on Li Yao’s body last night spoke of a life that a sheltered girl like me could never begin to comprehend.

Before our time was up, my dad suddenly brought up Tu Dat Minh, the childhood friend who used to pursue me so relentlessly. I could only offer a bitter smile and shake my head. Ever since my family fell from grace, he had vanished into thin air.

My dad wasn’t surprised at all. He made a gesture as if flicking my forehead through the glass.

“Wipe your tears. Keep your head held high. Don’t waste regrets on people who aren’t worth it.”

When I stepped outside, Li Yao was leaning against the wall, smoking. Spotting me, he blew out a puff of smoke, took a long stride over, and grabbed my hand tightly. My heart instantly hammered against my ribs, and that familiar, electric shiver raced down my spine.

Noticing my awkwardness, he started to let go, but then shifted his arm around my waist instead. Except it wasn’t a gentle embrace, he practically hoisted me up like a piece of carry-on luggage.

“You’re gonna have to get used to it.”

“Can… can we just hold hands instead?” I mumbled.

He set me down and slid his fingers through mine, locking our ten fingers tightly together. He raised our joined hands and gave them a little shake.

“How’s this? Are you still gonna drag your feet?”

…God, he was infuriating.