Volume One, Chapter Fourteen: The Other Party Sends a Cohabitation Request

Jiang Ning was so angry that she laughed.

She had felt a bit guilty for dragging Lu Cheng into her mess, but now it seemed fate had its own wisdom. For a man like him, a little tribulation was exactly what he deserved.

A smile blossomed on her lips as their gazes locked. Her slender, fair fingers hooked into Lu Cheng’s collar, drawing him closer until their noses nearly brushed.

The petite woman’s eyes smoldered with mischief, her gaze playful and sly. Her voice was soft and coquettish. “Husband?”

Lu Cheng wrapped his arms around her slim waist, his Adam’s apple bobbing as every muscle in his body tensed like stone.

His voice was low and gravelly, strained with restraint. “We’re outside. Mind your image.”

Jiang Ning arched a brow, a hint of provocation in her eyes. “No. What will you do about it?”

Lu Cheng caught her delicate, boneless hand and brought it to his lips, his eyes burning. “Whatever you say.”

He stopped there, his gaze suggestive, and she understood perfectly.

It had to be said, Lu Cheng was a master at flirting, and with such a devastatingly handsome face, it wasn’t an exaggeration to call him a born seducer.

Jiang Ning pulled her hand free, pressing her fingertip to his chest and pushing him away, bit by bit. The phrase she meant to use was, “Then please behave yourself,” but what came out instead was, “We’ll talk after you get your test results.”

Perhaps it was the newly minted marriage certificate, but boundaries she’d held for years were starting to blur.

A common soul caught in the mundane world, she’d lived on plain porridge and cabbage for so many years—was it so wrong to crave something richer for a change? Something good, clean, and safe.

For Lu Cheng, to earn such a promise was already a delightful surprise. His hands in his pockets, he couldn’t hide the joy in his eyes.

He hailed a cab by the roadside. “That’s enough. Head home. If my friend weren’t out and the police hadn’t insisted on a signature, I wouldn’t have even bothered you.”

Jiang Ning asked, “What about you?”

Lu Cheng replied, “I’ll go back to tidy up the shop.”

Jiang Ning considered briefly, then said, “I’ll come with you. Two people can clean up faster.”

That was exactly what Lu Cheng had been waiting for.

They took a taxi to the shop, where shattered glass littered the floor.

Inside, water pooled everywhere; products had been knocked down, their packaging soaked through. The cash register lay smashed amid the debris, and there was hardly a safe spot to step.

Upstairs hadn’t been spared either.

The floor was slick with water, as if a flood had swept through. Even the bed was drenched, squelching when pressed.

Faced with Jiang Ning’s puzzled look, Lu Cheng pointed upward, forcing a wry smile. “Those guys broke open the fire sprinklers.”

Actually, he’d broken them himself.

Jiang Ning didn’t question it. She tightened her fists and surveyed the chaos. “Have your friend tally up the losses and send me the total. I’ll compensate him.”

Lu Cheng didn’t stand on ceremony. “Miss Jiang, you’re generous.”

Jiang Ning circled the place, realizing she couldn’t even begin to clean up. Staying there was out of the question, and tidying up would take time. After a moment’s thought, she said, “You’d better stay at a hotel for now. I’ll cover the cost.”

Lu Cheng teased, “Do you get paid in US dollars every month?”

She’d just bought several thousand yuan worth of clothes, and now she was offering to pay for damages and put him up in a hotel.

Jiang Ning tilted her head, brushing her brows with her fingers. “You don’t need to worry about that.”

“No need to make it complicated,” Lu Cheng said, hands in his pockets, entirely justified. “I’ll stay at your place.”

Jiang Ning nearly choked.

She narrowed her eyes. “What did you say?”

Though she’d suspected they’d end up living together, hearing him say it outright was… well, not exactly over the line, but still somewhat unsettling.

Lu Cheng’s gaze softened, a faint smile at his lips. “I’d never take advantage of anyone, nor would I coerce you.”

He explained, “Even between spouses, forcing someone is illegal.”

Jiang Ning folded her arms and stared at him. “Is that so?”

Lu Cheng remained unfazed. “Shall I put it in writing?”

Jiang Ning let out a mocking snort.

In writing? If something really happened, could she wave a note at the police and plead for justice?

But it was a practical issue. The shop was uninhabitable. If he stayed at a hotel or rented a place on his own, it would raise questions unless they lived together.

Lu Cheng’s expression was open and sincere. “I understand—Miss Jiang is beautiful, sweet-voiced, and well-built. It’s only right you’re cautious.”

Jiang Ning stared at him, trying to judge how much truth lay in his words.

Suddenly, Lu Cheng leaned in, his shadow looming over her.

He moved quickly, but Jiang Ning was quicker, raising her hand to cover his mouth in an instant.

Not only did she press her palm to his lips, but somehow a tissue had appeared between them, she wasn’t sure from where.

Behind her, Lu Cheng still held a picture frame that had just fallen from the wall.

He straightened, setting the frame aside on a nearby table.

Jiang Ning realized what had happened, embarrassment prickling from her head to her toes.

What a mess.

Lu Cheng burst out laughing. “Miss Jiang, is your side job card tricks? That was fast.”

Jiang Ning stepped back, putting distance between them, and raised her fist in mock seriousness. “No, I beat up hooligans.”

Lu Cheng met her gaze, equally solemn. “Good. Next time, I’ll help you.”

Jiang Ning snorted and turned to head downstairs. “Tomorrow at two, we’ll meet at the hospital for the test results.”

Even pork has to pass inspection before it’s sold; a man certainly needs a clean bill of health before entering her home.

Lu Cheng could have brought the report to her, but she didn’t trust that—these days, faking a medical result was child’s play.

Lu Cheng’s eyes followed her. Half a minute later, he walked to the window, watching her leave and hail a cab.

Only when her taillights disappeared did he turn away, lighting a cigarette. Smoke curled around him, deepening the shadows in his eyes.

He messaged Chu Heng, explaining the situation and attaching two photos.

Chu Heng replied: “Man, you really know how to stir things up.”

Lu Cheng didn’t answer. By the time he went downstairs, a car was waiting. He headed to the hotel to sleep, leaving Chu Heng to handle the shop.

The next afternoon, Lu Cheng arrived at the hospital ten minutes early. Soon after, Jiang Ning arrived as well.

An art teacher at an elementary school was a leisurely post; as long as she didn’t mind a pay cut, taking leave was a breeze.

Half an hour later, they left the hospital together. Jiang Ning handed him a spare key to her home.

The test results were all clear. With the risk eliminated, she could finally relax.

“From now on, the guest room is yours. I have to work, so if you need anything, get it yourself.”

Just then, Lu Cheng’s phone rang.

He glanced at it; Jiang Ning had just transferred him ten thousand yuan via WeChat.