“What was that for?” Lu Xinyi pouted as she nudged her husband’s side to get his attention.

“What do you mean?” Shen Yi took his case and loosen his tie. Lu Xinyi slapped his hand and tightened it a little.

“Bear with it until your meeting ends.”

Shen Yi groaned, not liking the idea that he had to wait until he could remove his necktie. He will never understand why it became the norm to businessmen like him to wear one.

“You were asking?” he reminded her.

“Oh, yeah. About that having a little bun, that isn’t on our deal!” Lu Xinyi huffed before turning around to take her rubber shoes.

They had talked with Madam Jin and Shen Yi requested to her not to reveal their marriage to his family. They weren’t ready to face the questions and interrogations yet. Sure, he knew that his family wouldn’t dare anything to hurt his wife while he’s, but he would rather not give them any reason to hurt her.

“I know, I just said that so she wouldn’t question you in the future.”

Lu Xinyi was really pissed off and with her not talking made Shen Yi a bit guilty.

“Alright. I’m sorry. I wouldn’t do it again if you aren’t comfortable with the topic. Let me deal with my family if ever they ask you about it.” Shen Yi conceded. He would rather see her angry and talking with than to give him a cold shoulder.

Lu Xinyi tied her shoelaces and looked up to her husband. This was the first time that Shen Yi apologizes to her. To be honest, she wasn’t really angry at him. It was just that they never talked about it and neither did bring up about the issue till now.

“Shen Yi, one year is a long time for the two of us to get along and know each other. We don’t need to rush things between us.” Lu Xinyi said in all seriousness.

With all the flirting and bantering that they shared with each other, she knew she getting more familiar with Shen Yi. Living in the same house as him wasn’t hard as she thought it could be.

“I know.” Shen Yi replied, trying to hide the uneasiness on his eyes. “Just tell me if I make you uncomfortable or if I crossed the line. I don’t want to hurt you or offend you in any way.”

He hadn’t the nerve to ask her if she would mind if he waits for her. Waited for her to acknowledge him, and see him not just a husband only in papers. Shen Yi wondered if she would change her mind if he took a step forward in their relationship.

‘Lu Xinyi, can I keep you forever?’ This was really the question he wanted to ask but he was afraid of how she would respond.

But he knew she was right. It was too soon. She was clearly not ready to open her heart for someone again. Considering how she was badly hurt by her last relationship, he supposed he could only wait for her until she is ready.

“Tie your shoelaces properly. I don’t want you to be falling on someone else,” he said, trying to change the unwanted ambiance around them.

Lu Xinyi stood up and tapped the end of her shoes on the floor before lifting her head to meet his eyes.

“You don’t have to worry about that but will you catch me if I fall?”

The silence between them was unnerving as if Lu Xinyi was trying to tell him something indirectly. Her words… did she mean…? Was she asking him to wait for her?

Shen Yi took a step forward and took her hand without breaking their eye contact. He lifted it on his face and kissed her palm before placing it on his cheek.

“Always,” he whispered to her.

“I’m afraid.” Lu Xinyi confessed. Marrying him wasn’t on her original plan. What if she made the wrong decision? What if this will bring more heartaches than her previous relationship? What gave her the courage to marry a stranger, she had no idea.

“Why?” His eyes trying to find the answers on her.

Did she regret marrying him? Will she leave?

“I wasn’t afraid of not getting married, but I’m afraid of marrying the wrong person. I know this is just a deal between the two of us, to settle the problems that we couldn’t ourselves but…”

“It’s alright. I understand.” Shen Yi released her hand and stride towards the front door. He couldn’t blame her but he wouldn’t push her to her limit.

“You aren’t a mistake.”

Those words made Shen Yi halted his steps.

“I will not turn back to my decision. I’ll swear my loyalty to you as your wife.”

Shen Yi turned back and swiftly grabbed her jaw to face him. There was something different on his eyes. There was no hint of playfulness and mischievousness in his dark eyes. He was letting Lu Xinyi see the other side of him that most of the people knew and recognized.

“Lu Xinyi, do you know I’m a possessive man? I don’t share what’s mine.” Shen Yi whispered in her ear before staring down on her face passionately as if he wanted to devour her whole. “But I will honor my words. After one year, if you want to divorce me, I will allow you to leave but there would be no next time.”

Lu Xinyi wasn’t stupid. Of course, she knew that the playful Shen Yi that she’d met was only one side of the coin. She smiled brightly to him, confusing her husband and making his heart skipped a beat.

“What a coincidence, my darling. We are the same,” she replied, a cold gaze replaced the defiance in her eyes. She pushed his hand away to release her face from his grasp and grabbed his collar to bring him face to face.

“Cheat on me and I will castrate you alive.”

“Wow, you weren’t satisfied just by looking at it, now you want to touch it too?”

Shen Yi’s eyes lit up before giving her a sneaky smile. Lu Xinyi’s cheeks flushed red. He was so shameless, she didn’t know how long she could take it.

Ah, she really deserves to be his wife if she could go head to head on his temper.

“What is it?” she asked, noticing the difference on his expression again.

“Lu Xinyi…” Shen Yi burrowed his face on one side of her neck, breathing in her familiar scent. “I want you. All of you. But I will have your heart first before I make you mine.”