Chapter 1

“Can we only do it for an hour tonight?” “Little Bao has a fever. I can’t leave him.” The man’s voice was hoarse, carrying a hint of humble pleading. He lowered himself as much as he could, his posture almost submissive. Su Jingwan suddenly opened her eyes, her chest heaving violently. She had yet to recover from the agonizing sensation of a knife piercing straight through her heart. From her elevated position, she stared blankly down at the man kneeling beside the bed. His collar was half-open, revealing his well-defined chest and abs. She had his tie clenched tightly in her hand, pulling it with some force as the veins on his neck bulged. Most importantly, her bare foot was pressed between the man's legs, and she could feel the desire beneath her sole. Su Jingwan hurriedly pulled her foot back, still shaken, and looked around in confusion. The spacious bedroom was illuminated by only a single warm yellow lamp, casting the entire room in an intimate, hazy glow. Seeing her reaction, the man seemed to give in. He took off his shirt, but still didn't dare to stand up rashly. “Then we'll stop when you've had enough.” His voice sounded again, finally dragging her attention back to reality. The man in front of her was none other than her legally wedded husband, Su Jingwan's husband—the man who made the entire world tremble at the mention of the Huo family. The cold-faced ruler known as the King of Hell, Huo Congli. At this moment, he was kneeling disheveled before her bed, regretting the words he had just said. Su Jingwan swallowed hard and realized that she was still clutching his tie. She immediately let go, but by sheer coincidence, it landed right on Huo Congli's face, almost like a deliberate humiliation. He seemed accustomed to her treating him this way. His thin lips pressed together slightly. “…Are we still doing it? Do you still need me?” Su Jingwan was completely dumbfounded. Hadn't she been stabbed to death by Ji Huaizhi? How had she ended up here? The sensation of a sharp blade piercing her flesh was still vivid in her mind, as was the terrifying feeling of her blood draining away until her entire body turned cold. She couldn't stop herself from shivering. Ji Huaizhi had not only killed her, but had also killed the only child she and Huo Congli had together, Huo Yujing. Su Jingwan still remembered how that little child had used his tiny body to shield her from a knife. He had walked ahead of her, and even in his final moments, he had continued calling her “Mommy.” Yet she had never been a good mother. She had given the child very little affection. The only reason she had given birth to him was so that she would have a legitimate reason to marry into the Huo family. All she had ever loved was wealth and luxury. She had no feelings for Huo Congli. While she was lost in thought, a slightly cool hand gently closed around her ankle, startling her. A crisp slap rang through the room. Huo Congli's face turned to the side from the impact. Su Jingwan herself was stunned after hitting him. It had been nothing more than an instinctive reaction—she simply hadn't been able to stop herself. In her memory, Huo Congli had always indulged her in every possible way. If she wanted the stars in the sky, he would find a way to pluck them down for her. He had never once lost his temper with her. And Su Jingwan had always treated him as nothing more than a highly accommodating bed partner. She often sought him out whenever she had certain needs, and that was all. Even so, Huo Congli had never complained. The three words “I'm sorry” seemed to be stuck in Su Jingwan's throat, impossible to say. “Um… you can leave.” She had just been reborn, and she simply wasn't in the mood tonight. Huo Congli was visibly stunned for a moment before quickly returning to his usual composure. A fleeting trace of disappointment appeared in his eyes. “Can I get up now?” Su Jingwan nodded. He stood and began getting dressed, the soft rustling of fabric filling the room. She quietly lifted her eyes and glanced at him. On Huo Congli's exposed muscles were bite marks and scratches that had yet to fade. Even his wrists still bore marks from being restrained. Su Jingwan silently closed her eyes for a moment. She had done all of that. How had she never realized before that she was so insatiable when it came to Huo Congli? “Are you sure you don't want to continue?” the man asked from above her, his voice calm and devoid of emotion. “Didn't you just say that the child has a fever?” Su Jingwan didn't look at him, her gaze drifting aimlessly. “Go take care of him.” Before leaving, Huo Congli looked at her several times. To Su Jingwan, the look in his eyes seemed to be asking what had gotten into her tonight. The bedroom door closed, and Huo Congli stood outside for a while. Five minutes passed. Su Jingwan didn't throw a tantrum or smash anything. She remained completely quiet, as if she truly no longer needed him. His breathing became slightly unsteady. He raised a hand and rubbed his brow, suppressing his emotions before finally walking toward another room. … Su Jingwan had always been afraid of death. She had spent years fawning over Ji Huaizhi, even using Huo Congli's money to support him. She never imagined that, in the end, he would personally kill her. The reason Ji Huaizhi had killed her to silence her was simple: he wanted to marry a wealthy heiress without any obstacles. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She even retched twice before immediately taking a few sips of warm water to ease her nausea. Since Heaven had given her a chance to live again, she wouldn't be foolish anymore. When she opened the bedroom door, she happened to see the butler carrying medicine toward Huo Yujing's room. Su Jingwan's mind was in turmoil, and before she realized it, she had followed him. The butler handed the prepared medicine to Huo Congli. The coldness between the man's brows had faded considerably, replaced by a gentler expression. He loved Huo Yujing dearly. After all, he was his own son—and the only heir of the Huo family for generations. Su Jingwan slowly approached. Through the crack in the door, she saw the little boy in Huo Congli's arms. A fever patch was stuck to his forehead, his little face flushed red, and his large, watery eyes were unmistakably inherited from her. She felt guilty toward her son. The repeated cries of “Mommy” from Huo Yujing before his death had awakened the maternal love buried deep within her heart. Her chest felt painfully tight and heavy, leaving her with indescribable emotions. In her previous life, she had insisted on taking the child away from Huo Congli. He must have hated her to the point of death. “Daddy, does Mommy know that Xiaoyu is sick?” Huo Yujing's eyes were filled with anticipation. It was the longing for a mother's love that only a three-year-old child could have. “Why doesn't Mommy come see Xiaoyu?” Su Jingwan thought Huo Congli would tell the child what a terrible mother she was. Unexpectedly, the man merely stroked Xiaoyu's head. His eyes lowered, his expression peaceful and gentle. “Mommy is just as worried about Xiaoyu as Daddy is. Mommy isn't very good at expressing her feelings. Even though she doesn't say it, she still loves you very much. Look, the medicine you're drinking was personally prepared by Mommy.” “Really?” Xiaoyu's eyes immediately lit up. “Then Xiaoyu will drink the medicine obediently so I can get better quickly.” He was such a sensible and well-behaved child. Huo Congli had raised him wonderfully. Su Jingwan's gaze rested on the father and son. Under the warm light, Huo Congli looked every bit like a devoted husband and father. Who would have thought that beneath his neatly pressed shirt were countless marks left by their intimate encounters? Her gaze lingered on Xiaoyu's face for a little longer. Even after falling asleep, he still wore a smile, simply because he had drunk medicine prepared by his mother with her own hands. How could a child be so easily satisfied? Su Jingwan's heart was filled with complicated emotions. After standing at the doorway for a while, she quietly left. After she was gone, Huo Congli slowly lifted his eyelids. A faint glimmer flickered in his eyes, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking. Su Jingwan's behavior tonight was far too unusual… … When Huo Congli returned to the bedroom, Su Jingwan was tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. She was afraid that her rebirth was nothing more than a strange dream, and that once she fell asleep, she would never wake up again. A profound sense of unease coursed through her entire body, only easing when she saw Huo Congli return. Their eyes met, yet neither spoke first. Seeing that she had no other instructions for him, Huo Congli went into the bathroom to take a shower. It was strange. Knowing that Huo Congli was beside her made the uneasiness in Su Jingwan's heart dissipate considerably. Sleepiness gradually overcame her, and she yawned. She and Huo Congli had married because of the child. During the three years she had been married to him, no matter what trouble she caused, Huo Congli could always take care of it for her. He never let the blame fall on her, either. Perhaps that was why she felt so safe around him. Without even realizing it, she had already grown increasingly dependent on him. She didn't know how much time had passed. Half-awake and half-asleep, Su Jingwan felt the warmth of a chest pressing against her back, an arm pulling her into an embrace, and countless soft kisses falling along the back of her neck…