Su Hua gazed at him intently.
"Ah Xuan, I believe you.
Just don't lie to me, or I’ll go mad..."
"Hurry and eat, the food will get cold and won’t taste as good."
Lin Xuan picked up a piece of shrimp and brought it to Su Hua’s lips. He had already consulted Butler Wang about Su Hua’s food preferences and her dietary restrictions, so he wouldn’t make the same mistake as before by feeding her something she was allergic to.
"Mmm," Su Hua obediently took a bite of the shrimp.
Lin Xuan watched her, a thought crossing his mind—Su Hua was quite adorable.
In the dining room, a handsome man and a beautiful woman sat together, one feeding the other, creating a picture-perfect scene.
After feeding Su Hua, Lin Xuan began eating as well, while Su Hua rested her chin on her hand, watching him intently.
Her expression... it was as if she were observing her prey, waiting for the right moment to devour him whole.
Lin Xuan felt his entire body heat up under her gaze. Uncomfortable, he quickly finished his meal.
Su Hua leaned in, her soft, dark hair cascading onto Lin Xuan’s shoulder. She whispered into his ear, her breath warm and sweet, "Ah Xuan, I want dessert."
Several buttons of Su Hua’s blouse were undone, and from Lin Xuan’s angle, he could catch a glimpse of her figure, tempting him to explore further.
*Ahem.*
Lin Xuan hastily averted his gaze.
"What would you like? I can make it. I know how to prepare desserts too," Lin Xuan replied, not quite catching her meaning.
"Ah Xuan, *you* are my dessert," Su Hua murmured, her tongue lightly brushing his earlobe.
Lin Xuan’s face turned bright red.
This vixen!
Seeing his reaction, Su Hua’s eyes sparkled with amusement.
She turned to face him, straddling his lap, her soft arms wrapping around his neck. "Ah Xuan, I’m yours."
"Forever."
She pressed her lips to his, her sweet scent enveloping him. Lin Xuan couldn’t help but caress her back, his hands moving instinctively.
The temperature in the room began to rise.
Su Hua’s kisses grew more fervent. "Ah Xuan, since you’ve willingly become my man, I won’t let you escape."
"Ah Xuan, for eternity, we’ll be bound together."
"Didn’t you want to see me lose myself for you? I’ll give you that. I’ll give you everything..."
"Ah Xuan, let’s fall into the abyss together..."
She reveled in their shared descent, as if they could never be torn apart.
...
The sound of the kitchen door sliding open broke the silence.
Lin Xuan carried Su Hua out of the dining room and all the way to the bedroom.
"Su Hua, what happened to your hand?" Lin Xuan noticed two deep cuts on her right hand, likely from a knife.
"I’m fine," Su Hua replied, pursing her lips. To her, these were minor injuries.
Lin Xuan fetched some medicine and carefully bandaged her wounds.
"Su Hua, you need to take care of yourself," Lin Xuan said as he tended to her. "Otherwise, I’ll worry."
Su Hua’s beautiful eyes shone like stars.
*Worry... He said the same thing five years ago...*
Had *that* man really returned?
When Su Hua didn’t respond, Lin Xuan’s expression turned serious. "Su Hua, did you hear me?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Lin Xuan paused.
Had he just *ordered* Su Hua around? Was he taking advantage of her affection?
He cautiously glanced at her, expecting her to be upset, but instead, she calmly nodded. "Okay, I’ll listen to you, Ah Xuan."
Lin Xuan: "..." Why did he feel like he’d just tamed a wild beast?
He tied the bandage into a neat bow on Su Hua’s hand.
Su Hua waved her bandaged hand and pouted. "It’s hard to shower with one hand, and the wound might get wet."
The medicine had stung her cuts, and her eyes were slightly watery, making her look pitiful.
Lin Xuan quickly looked away.
This side of Su Hua was downright lethal!
"Then I’ll help you shower," Lin Xuan offered without hesitation.
Su Hua: "Carry me. My legs feel weak; I can’t walk."
Lin Xuan’s mind flashed back to the scene in the dining room, where Su Hua had clung to him like a koala...
*Stop, stop.*
He didn’t dare dwell on it further and carried her to the bathroom as she requested.
Lin Xuan expected Su Hua to tease him again, but this time, she behaved herself. Instead, it was her soft, flawless skin that left him distracted.
After the shower, Lin Xuan dried Su Hua’s hair, and she soon fell asleep, her arms wrapped around his waist.
Lin Xuan looked down at the serene beauty in his arms. In this moment, she seemed gentle and harmless, a stark contrast to the cold, ruthless woman he knew.
In his memories, Su Hua was decisive and unapproachable, but these past few days had shown him a different side of her—one that craved warmth and love, one that became soft and tender in his presence. This contrast was oddly endearing.
Meanwhile, at the Lin Family estate...
Jiang Shuqin slammed her Chanel bag onto the couch, her face livid.
"Mom, what’s wrong?" Lin Qingwan asked, concerned.
"It’s that ungrateful son of ours, Lin Xuan!" Jiang Shuqin spat through gritted teeth. "He got into a fight at school, and I went to handle it for him, but he threw my kindness back in my face! He declared that he’s cut ties with the Lin Family, treated me like an outsider, and even had me kicked out of Qing University!"
Lin Qingwan’s heart sank. She had thought Lin Xuan was just throwing a tantrum and would calm down eventually, but it seemed his resentment toward the family ran deeper than she realized.
Was he really planning to sever all ties with the Lin Family for good?
"From now on, let’s all just ignore him," Jiang Shuqin said coldly. "He’s got a sugar daddy backing him now, but once he’s abandoned, he’ll come crawling back to us."
Lin Qingwan’s mood grew heavier. "Mom, I’m going upstairs."
She entered Lin Xuan’s room and looked around, a pang of sadness hitting her.
The room was small and dilapidated, a far cry from what one would expect for the eldest son of the Lin Family. He had lived here in conditions worse than those of the household staff.
The Lin Family owed him so much.
Yet, aside from her, no one in the family cared for him. His departure hadn’t caused them any grief.
When she shared stories of Lin Xuan’s life in the family, they all thought he deserved it...
Lin Qingwan wanted to understand Lin Xuan’s life better. She opened his drawer and found a thick, worn-out diary on top.
The diary was old, its pages yellowed with age. She opened it to the first page, where a child’s messy handwriting read:
*"Today is my ninth birthday. I finally saved enough money from collecting bottles to buy this diary. From now on, I’ll record everything so I won’t forget what I’ve been through. When Mom and Dad find me, they’ll be able to understand my life through this diary."*