Chapter 137 - President Li New Strategy

What was this?

What were all these flowers and gifts for?

And most importantly... Why was Li Luxian dressed this handsomely and sitting over the couch... with a happy smile?

Chen Yi had an impulse to turn on her heel and run away. She took a deep breath, turned around, and cautiously closed the door behind her. Facing the Li Luxian who sat over the couch with 'nothing-had-ever-been-wrong' face, Chen Yi couldn't stop herself from asking.

"Mr. Li, what is... happeneing?"

Li Luxian casually picked up a rose and brought it to his lips. "Today's is our one month's anniversary. How insensitive of my little wifie to have forgotten." 

Chen Yi was distracted for a second. The soft petal of the rose brushed his lips, the gesture was particularly tempting. Especially when the person doing it is so handsome and also an object of your affection.

"Something's in mind, wife?"

Chen Yi snapped out of it. 

How could she have let her guard down? 

Eyes set ablaze with fresh anger, she seethed. "It's merely been two weeks since our marriage." Then in a meek attempt to create distance between them, she added the formality. "Mr. Li."

However, her words and her die-hard attempt to keep a cold tone only sounded cute in Li Luxian's ears. He shook his head with a smile. "It's been a month."

"We got married when—"

Chen Yi lost her words when the man, all of sudden, stood up and transversed the distance between them. Now standing right before her, he tapped her cheek with the same rose that touched his lips. "It's been a month since the day I first tasted you." His eyes fell down to her parted lips. Just like the rose by her cheeks, soft, red, and tempting. "Exactly a month, late a might, outside the bar when we had our... first interaction."

Chen Yi pursed her lips. Ripples sent her stone-cold heart into a chaotic mess. 

When she thought she had herself under control he had to come and do and say something like this. 

She tried to step back. Realizing she was already standing with her back against the door, she coughed. "I... Alright, I understand. Would you mind stepping away and giving me some space?"

"I do mind."

"What?"

"But since it's a special day for us, I'll do as my wife says." Like an obedient puppy, he stepped aside.

Chen Yi finally being let enough breathing air, thanked God and sorted her thoughts that seemed to have scattered away at the proximity of this man. Rearranging her expression, she said. "There was no need for this really. As we both know—"

"...that we are both merely acting to go by the contract?" Li Luxian cut her, finishing the words for her. "No need to anymore. We are going through this and we are going through this."

"Oh, and what if I refuse?"

"Love it when you throw a challenge in my direction. But do you know what I love the most? It's exactly a challenge. You have learned how to make me want you more." 

Chen Yi was dumbfounded. 

Li Luxian's lips quirked up. "If you refuse then my dear wife, you would be going against the contract. Do you know the consequences of going against the contract?"

Chen Yi stumbled to open her mouth but Li Luxian beat her to that. "Before you say we only need to keep up the act before my family, you should know that we are in my home. Every action, every gesture of yours is being observed. Do you really think they won't notice what is going between us? Don't tell me you haven't figured out whether my Mother is really sick or not?"

Chen Yi's was speechless. "Mother is... but... she can't..."

"Of course she can't." Li Luxian's laughed at his befuddled wife. Suppressing an itch to pinch her cheek, he explained. "Must have been Li Yuan's stupid idea. He must have gotten a gist of something. I might need to tighten the discipline over my subordinates, they might have leaked something." Li Luxian shook his head feigning a gesture of great regret. God knew he didn't regret it at all.

"Does she really know?" Chen Yi's heart chilled. For some reason, the mere thought of hurting Li Shanguaan made her feel cold. She had promised her she would take care of her son. But now... Would she be blaming her?

"No matter if she does," Li Luxian replied. "From now on, we have to be careful."

Getting closer to Chen Yi once again, Li Luxian grabbed a strand of her hair. Playing with it within his fingers while his eyes stared deeply into her soul, he said. "After all, in this room even the walls have ears."

Chen Yi recalled the first night when Li Yuan had been put up to spy on them by Li Luxian's father. And she could not find fault with whatever Li Luxian said. She opened her mouth a couple of times, her thoughts rushing rapidly to find something smart to counter him. But Li Luxian's execution was flawless. She came up with nothing.

In the end, getting her teeth, she admitted defeat. "Fine. What does Mr. Li want? I'll go with it."

With a victorious smile, Li Luxian said. "Follow me." 

At the table, there laid a gift. "Is this really necessary?"

"More than you think."

Chen Yi took a deep breath and unwrapped the package. From inside a locket slipped out. As Chen Yi opened it, finding her picture with Li Luxian, she heard him say. "From now onwards you will have to wear this." Before she could say anything in objection, he continued. "This is not an ordinary necklace. Grandfather gifted it to grandmother at their engagement. Then it passed to my parents. Even before that, it has a long history. Let's just say it's a sort of family heirloom."

If Chen Yi was reluctant before, now she was even more unwilling to accept it. But Li Luxian didn't give her a choice. Taking the necklace from her hands, he opened it up and put it around her neck, his fingers brushing her skin lingering over the warmth of the first touch either intentionally or unintentionally. 

"Wait... what if I lost it?" The crime of losing the Li family heirloom was not something she could shoulder. For God's sake, first and foremost that grumpy grandfather would be the first one to personally dig her grave.

Li Luxian leaned in, his hot breath crept along her neck. Chen Yi back stiffened as she heard him say.. "That's why you should take even better care of my souvenir."