Chapter 10 Ah Li is not afraid!

This night, Ye Li didn't sleep soundly.

In her dream, her father grew further and further away, no matter how much she cried out, he wouldn't turn back.

Around her, the creditors with evil gazes shouted that if she did not repay her debt, they would sell her to settle it.

But whether it was through crying or cursing, it all ended in a brief instant.

And that embrace that held her tight, stroking her hair and softly repeating, "Ah Li, don't be afraid," was as gentle as a mother's.

The faint scent acted like a comforting charm, slowly lulling Ye Li into a deeper sleep.

When she opened her eyes again, daylight filled the room.

Groggily looking around at this familiar yet strange room, it took Ye Li a long while to realize that this was not Chu Chu's home.

This was Lishan Mansion.

Her and Fu Yanci's home.

And last night was the first night she had shared a bed with Fu Yanci.

Turning her head abruptly, she saw that the space beside her was empty.

Knowing that Fu Yanci had already left, Ye Li subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

Then looking down, she was momentarily bewildered.

In her arms, she held a dark blue sleeve.

One of her hands was still clutching the robe's collar.

Ye Li couldn't help but blink.

Thinking about her unrestrained and free sleeping posture.

Thinking about herself hanging onto the man like a koala.

Then thinking about Fu Yanci's darkened face, yet because she was the one he had married, he had no choice but to take off his robe and let her hold it, then leave with an angered face.

Ye Li: ...!!!

Before Ye Li had time to chastise herself for getting carried away and feeling relieved that she woke up late enough not to confront Fu Yanci...

The next moment, a shadow fell at the door.

Raising her eyes, she saw Fu Yanci appearing at the bedroom doorway.

The man's expression was calm.

There was none of the rage she had imagined.

As their eyes met, Ye Li's mind went blank for a moment.

What to say?

Apologize by saying, "Fu Yanci, I'm sorry, I've never been well-behaved in my sleep since I was a child?"

Or thank him by saying, "Fu Yanci, thank you for not holding it against me. I'll try to sleep more properly tonight?"

Before Ye Li could make up her mind, Fu Yanci had already walked up to the bed, "Did you sleep well? If you did, get up, wash up, have something to eat, and we'll head back to the Fu Mansion."

Although there was no wedding ceremony, the family still needed to be informed.

Ye Li understood immediately.

"Alright, I'm getting up now!"

With the agility of a startled rabbit, Ye Li threw off the covers, jumped out of bed, and darted into the bathroom.

The sound of rushing water.

The musical notes hummed casually by the girl.

The gurgling sound of brushing teeth.

Though only one person had been added, the icy bedroom, along with the entire mansion, seemed to have come alive.

Looking down again at the robe he had worn, thinking about last night, Fu Yanci's eyes warmed slightly.

After breakfast, the Maybach left Lishan Mansion and drove straight to the Fu Mansion at Half Mountain Manor.

The last time she came here, she had come for a blind date.

This time, she was already Fu Yanci's wife.

Thinking about how Old Mrs. Fu had held her hand that day, smiling and asking her what she liked to eat and play with, Ye Li couldn't help but blush slightly.

"You don't have to be nervous..."

Fu Yanci turned his head back and saw the girl's shy demeanor, "Grandmother is very kind, she won't make things difficult for you. As for everyone else, whatever they say or do, you don't have to care!"

She had heard more than enough harsh words in the past week to be immune to them now.

Ye Li smiled and nodded, "Okay!"

As the car stopped in the Fu Mansion's garage, Ye Li pushed the door open, and before she could grab the handrail, Fu Yanci walked around from the front of the car and picked her up.

With knee-deep snow, the man carried her, stepping through it unevenly.

Not until they entered the courtyard did he put her down.

Ye Li's heart went thump-thump for the umpteenth time.

She couldn't help but recall that Christmas from years ago.

The Ye Family was strict, and even though she had always been obedient, going out at night was forbidden.

Only after she turned 18 and got engaged to Zhou Hecchen did her parents slightly relax their control over her.

She could stay out late before going home.

But staying overnight elsewhere was off-limits.

On Christmas Eve, she followed Zhou Hecchen to a party with his friends in the penthouse suite of Yunjing Hotel.

When she said she needed to go home at 11 PM, Zhou Hecchen's friends teased, complaining the nightlife was just starting.

Zhou Hecchen also found her a buzzkill, but ultimately, he couldn't argue with her and drove her home.

The snow that day wasn't as heavy as it was now.

The car stopped in front of the Ye Mansion, and Zhou Hecchen didn't even bother to get out.

He jokingly chided her for still being a mama's girl at 18, lacking any opinion of her own.

He urged her to hurry home because he needed to go back.

Once she opened the car door, she was greeted by a blinding blizzard, and by the time she entered the house, the snow had melted into water inside her boots.

The next day, she complained to Zhou Hecchen.

He retorted, "Who asked you to insist on going home? If you had stayed at the hotel, wouldn't everything have been fine?"

At the time, she merely thought Zhou Hecchen was playful and soon got over her irritation.

But now, looking back, Ye Li just felt she had been foolish.

"Ye Li!"

When the cold voice echoed in her ear, Ye Li snapped back to reality.

She was met with Fu Yanci's scrutinizing gaze.

If she put herself in Fu Yanci's shoes, realizing he had thought of an ex-girlfriend while holding her, even though their marriage lacked love, she guessed she would be unhappy too, right?

Her actions were faster than her thoughts.

Pretending nothing happened, Ye Li stepped forward and took Fu Yanci's arm, slipping her hand into his palm, "Fu Yanci, let's go inside, it's so cold!"

The girl wore a face full of guilty mischief.

One hand was as cold as ice.

As his eyes briefly swept over her reddened ear tips, Fu Yanci gripped her hand tightly, and they walked forward together.

Old Mrs. Fu, who usually slept less as she grew older, had, as usual, woken up before six that morning.

Now, at ten o'clock, it was time for her to nap.

Yet, Fu Yanci had said he was coming back.

Struggling to fight off sleep, the old lady dozed off while waiting in a daze.

Footsteps sounded in the courtyard, followed by the old butler's ecstatic cry of "Old Mrs. Fu," which made her look up in irritation.

In the next moment, her mouth hung open, stunned.

Her grandson, who would rather go on business trips than go on blind dates, who fled at the sight of eligible young women faster than a scared rabbit, was now arm in arm with a beautiful young girl.

Even with his usual stern expression, as a grandmother, she could tell that the iron tree in her grandson's heart was now in full blossom.

Yes, blooming with Pear Blossoms.

Upon hearing Fu Yanci say they had already registered their marriage, Old Mrs. Fu's sleepiness instantly vanished into thin air, and her wrinkled face stretched into several more lines of smiles.

They drank tea, had lunch.

After putting down the chopsticks, Old Mrs. Fu beckoned Ye Li with a smile, "Xiao Li Zi, come with Grandma..."

The elderly may be old, but their legs were still spry.

She had Ye Li sit on the sofa, and Old Mrs. Fu went back and forth several times.

In a blink of an eye, the coffee table in front of the sofa was laden with a dozen large and small boxes.

Among these boxes, some looked so ancient, they appeared older than Old Mrs. Fu herself.

The value of the treasures inside the boxes was left to the imagination.

With a fleeting twinkle of mischief in his eyes, Fu Yanci silently observed Ye Li.

She looked utterly overwhelmed by the unexpected favor, deep in thought.

"Yanci..."

A call rang out, and Fu Yanci stood up and approached.

"I've got some private words for Xiao Li Zi..."

It was clear she wanted to send Fu Yanci away. Old Mrs. Fu patted his hand and whispered, "Go check on Xiao Bao!"

Instinctively looking back, he locked eyes with the gleeful sparkle in Ye Li's gaze, and Fu Yanci's heart skipped a beat.