Chapter 4: An Yi’s Home

Hearing the wounded, accusatory tone in He Shiyan’s voice only made me angrier. Anyone overhearing him would probably think I was some heartless woman who had taken all his gifts and run off.

“He Shiyan, ours has always been a mutually beneficial arrangement! You were the one who said from the beginning that when the time came, we’d go our separate ways and part on good terms.”

He tightened his grip on my chin, his eyes darkening.

“An Yi, you really are heartless. After being with me for so long, did you honestly never develop any feelings for me?”

Before I could answer, he silenced me with a kiss—fierce, domineering, and utterly unreasonable.

The result was that the next morning, I was sprawled across the bed, barely able to gather enough strength to open my eyes.

He Shiyan told me he was going to meet Wen Wanting.

The moment he left, I called a cab and followed him.

Smart people know when to bend and when to stand firm.

As for me, I knew how to… snoop.

I disguised myself thoroughly and took a table beside theirs.

Wen Wanting was still playing the gentle, understanding woman.

“I thought you still wanted to give us another chance.”

He Shiyan’s voice was ice-cold.

“You know perfectly well why we ended up together. Don’t dream about things that don’t belong to you. Have some self-respect.”

Her face went deathly pale.

“Then who deserves you? An Yi? What does she have going for her?”

He Shiyan took out a photograph and placed it in front of her.

After looking at it, Wen Wanting let out a bitter laugh.

“So that’s how it is… No wonder you like someone like her. But she doesn’t even understand you, much less love you.”

He stood up and tossed out a cutting reply.

“What does that have to do with you?”

Then he turned and walked away.

Right at that moment, my phone buzzed.

Big Daddy: Where are you? Want to go for a walk?

An Yi: Sure!

I was just about to make a quick getaway when someone grabbed me by the collar.

He Shiyan looked at me with a humorless smile.

“Finished eavesdropping and still planning to run?”

While Assistant Chen was there to pick up some documents, I took the opportunity to interrogate him about their past.

Assistant Chen sighed and finally let me in on the story.

Back in college, He Shiyan had once been cornered and beaten by a group of people, landing him in the hospital.

At the critical moment, a girl had charged in with a shovel and rescued him like some fearless action hero.

Because she was wearing Wen Wanting’s jacket, he had mistaken her for his savior for years.

“Then who was the girl who saved him?” I blinked.

Assistant Chen cleared his throat.

“President He has forbidden me from saying.”

I pouted, but I already had a vague suspicion.

Maybe the story of He Shiyan and me had begun long before I ever remembered his face.

That evening, when my landlord called to ask whether I still wanted to rent the apartment, He Shiyan snatched the phone away and hung up.

He took my hand, his voice low and steady.

“Xiao Yi, stay. In the past three years, there’s never been anyone else. There never will be.”

“But what if you fall for someone else someday?”

“There is no ‘what if.’ From beginning to end, you’re the only person I’ve ever wanted to keep.”

He took out the ring box—the same ring I’d secretly tried on.

“I know you tried it on when you thought I wasn’t looking. You wouldn’t take it off, so I figured you liked it.”

“If I say yes, do I still get to be free?” I asked seriously.

“All my money is yours to spend. Is that enough freedom for you?”

The terms were far too tempting.

I surrendered.

And just like that, I went from being a kept canary to proudly holding a tiny red marriage certificate in my hands.

He Shiyan told me that from now on, I had a home. I would never again have to live from one temporary place to another.

Even so, I kept my survival instincts intact.

I took advantage of the situation and swiped his card to buy a few dozen more designer handbags, just in case.

Anyone who’s ever been poor understands this: Money and handbags are the most reliable forms of security.

Lately, He Shiyan had been stuck to me like superglue, dragging me along wherever he went.

Everyone around us took one look at me and scattered like they were avoiding a fire truck.

I finally had to ask:

“Am I really that scary?”

He gave my waist a gentle pinch and chuckled.

“You’re so well-behaved. Obviously, you’re adorable.”

I thought about it for a moment.

Yeah. He was right.

I really was adorable.

— THE END —