Chapter 37: Moving Again

She decided to move without hesitation, making the decision on the spot. Zhou Lichuan called Shen Xiaonan to request a few new housekeepers to replace the previous ones, and then slipped off into a corner to give a string of detailed instructions about trivial matters. The whole thing left Jiang Zao utterly confused.

Du Bin excused himself early, leaving Zhou Jiayan—who, for reasons unknown even to herself, had ended up staying—sitting dazed in the living room.

...Had she fallen into someone’s trap?

After an eventful day, Jiang Zao finally moved back into Zhou Lichuan’s room.

When Zhou Jiayan saw Jiang Zao confidently coming and going from Zhou Lichuan’s room in her pajamas, she pointed at Jiang Zao in outrage, her expression full of betrayal. “You! Don’t you have your own room?”

Jiang Zao took a sip from her water bottle. “I’m your brother’s lover. Isn’t it only right that I live with him?”

“You’re copying my words again! Come back here!”

Zhou Jiayan failed to catch up as Jiang Zao darted back into the room. Staring at the closed door, she shivered as she recalled how fierce Zhou Lichuan could get when he scolded people.

“Hmph! Lucky you ran fast!”

...

Late at night.

Jiang Zao, damp with a light sweat, nestled in Zhou Lichuan’s arms, her fingers idly tracing circles on his broad, well-developed chest, her touch slick with moisture.

Her features were soft as water, born with natural allure—luckily, Zhou Lichuan couldn’t see her, or he would surely lose any hope of sleep tonight.

“The first time I saw you, you wore that black shirt and had a black silk scarf tied over your eyes. Two buttons were undone… you looked especially tempting.”

Zhou Lichuan’s laughter rumbled from his chest, falling as a gentle kiss on Jiang Zao’s forehead.

“So you were already coveting my looks back then.”

Jiang Zao poked his cheek. “Shameless.”

He caught her mischievous hand and pressed a kiss to it, savoring the sweet taste that lingered in his mouth.

Jiang Zao, maintaining her position, buried her head in the crook of his neck. “I’m sorry… about yesterday… for hurting you.”

Though it had only been a day, Zhou Lichuan felt as though he had died and come back to life. Hearing her mention it again now brought a dull ache to his heart.

“Zao Zao. Don’t talk about what-ifs or hypotheticals. I can’t bear it.”

She tightened her arms around his waist. “I won’t. Never again.”

Zhou Lichuan sighed. “Yesterday, I brought Zhou Jiayan back without asking you first. I was going to kneel and confess to you later that night. But then everything happened, and I nearly forgot.”

---

Her voice was soft, entirely free of displeasure. “She’s your sister. She was in danger, and you brought her home to protect her—it’s only right. How could I be upset over something like that? Kneeling on the keyboard… what nonsense.”

Unexpectedly, Zhou Lichuan replied with conviction, “This is our home. Whoever stays here, whether anyone else is here or not, it should only happen with your agreement.”

A warm feeling blossomed in Jiang Zao’s chest. She had never been so valued before.

“Zhou Lichuan. Why are you so good to me?”

“You’re my wife, of course I should treat you well.”

“But I’m not your wife yet.”

He zeroed in on her lips, finding them with precision and silencing her mischief.

“As soon as my surgery is over, we’ll get our marriage certificate. It’s only a matter of time. Where could you possibly run?”

She feigned anger and gave him a light punch, but then rested her head against his solid chest again.

“I’m not much help with your company. I’m afraid you’ll regret it in the future.”

“Says who?” Zhou Lichuan was so agitated he nearly rolled out of bed. “Don’t listen to my father’s nonsense. He can’t even manage his own life. You’re young and smart—you mastered complicated project documents after just a few days as my assistant. You’re so talented. If you want to learn, I’ll teach you slowly.”

Jiang Zao lay back with a sigh. “I probably should learn. But I still prefer painting.”

Zhou Lichuan’s big frame shifted closer; the bed seemed barely large enough for him to roll around. “You can do anything you love. Learn anything you want.”

She looked up at him, already accustomed to the emptiness in his eyes where her reflection could never be found.

“Thank you. I’m so lucky to have you.”

“Don’t just thank me with words—show me some action.”

“Like what?”

“Let’s do it again.”

“Mmm… you’re shameless...”

...

...

...The night was still long, and Miss Jiang’s waist was in for a rough time.

...

...

It was nothing like she remembered.

---

It had only been a few months since she’d left the Ting Shan Villa, but the place had changed beyond recognition.

She would never forget the first time she walked through that long garden corridor: wild grass everywhere, a desolate, neglected air, chilly gusts of wind—it felt like a haunted house.

Noticing Jiang Zao lost in thought, Zhou Lichuan patted her hand. “Getting out? What are you thinking about?”

She replied, “The garden looks nothing like before. It used to seem abandoned for years, like no one ever cleaned it.”

Zhou Lichuan tilted his head, as if trying to pick out differences in the garden with his ears, but found nothing.

“And now? Is it prettier?”

“Very much so,” Jiang Zao answered. “It’s spotless—no dead trees or fallen leaves anywhere. There are maple and ginkgo trees. The sunlight is lovely, so warm and soft.”

Gentle affection filled Zhou Lichuan’s expression. “Hearing you describe it makes me wish I could see it for myself.”

After they got out of the car, Du Bin brought over the wheelchair and helped Zhou Lichuan sit down. He looked up at Jiang Zao. “After the boss’s accident, Lin Rui started dismissing the villa staff, using the excuse of needing a quiet environment for recovery to mistreat the boss. Naturally, the garden was left untended.”

Jiang Zao nodded. “It’s all in the past. Now we just need to focus on how to deal with him.”

The luggage Jiang Zao had brought at the very beginning was still there, untouched, and now had been moved into the master bedroom on the third floor.

She paused briefly as she stepped into the main hall. The original black leather sofa had been replaced with a cream-colored velvet one. The change in color softened the entire room.

So that was what Zhou Lichuan had been arranging on the phone earlier, whispering in the corner.

It wasn’t just Jiang Zao who felt uncomfortable recalling their first meeting—Zhou Lichuan himself preferred not to dwell on it. Since the pain couldn’t be erased, there was no need to inflict new wounds. Time was long; there would come a day when all the guilt could be repaid, one by one.

Zhou Jiayan pouted. Her luggage had already been delivered to the villa by Shen Mushi that morning. She was assigned the bedroom on the second floor, the one farthest from the master suite. Judging the distance between herself and her brother, she was convinced Jiang Zao had arranged it on purpose.

Whenever Jiang Zao suggested she live farther away, her brother always agreed without hesitation.

She couldn’t understand what spell this woman had cast—one after another, everyone seemed to like her. Even Meng Qiaoyuan, who never smiled, was close to her.

Hmph, as if she cared.

The Zhou family’s old house was only a few minutes’ drive from the villa; even walking, it wouldn’t take more than half an hour.

When Shen Xiaonan heard that Zhou Lichuan and Jiang Zao had already arrived, he hurried over to Ting Shan Villa with a driver.