The curtains in the room were drawn tight, blocking out all the light. Only through the faint glow seeping in from the hallway could a tall, slender figure be vaguely seen, sitting on the floor in a state of desolate dejection.
The man's long legs were slightly bent, and the floor around his feet was littered with beer cans. A strong stench of alcohol filled the room, hitting the nose immediately.
He hung his head, his face hidden in the dim light, making it impossible for Tang Wu to see his expression.
"Si Yanli?" Tang Wu called out to him.
The man did not answer.
Tang Wu walked in. She didn't turn on the lights, worried that the sudden brightness might hurt his eyes.
She walked over and sat down beside him.
She picked up an unopened can of beer, popped it open, and took a large gulp.
"Everything has been resolved. It wasn't your fault. Please don't hide yourself away anymore."
No matter what she said, the man remained silent.
Seeing this, Tang Wu stopped talking and simply drank in silence.
It wasn't until she finished her fifth can that his long, elegant fingers reached over and snatched the beer from her hand.
He finally lifted his head and looked at her.
He wasn't wearing his glasses. Those usually cold and indifferent phoenix eyes were now bloodshot and rimmed with red.
Tang Wu's heart instantly tightened.
Without saying a word, she reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"It's all in the past now. No one is going to look at you differently. You need to pull yourself together."
The man didn't resist her embrace. Resting his jaw on her shoulder, he spoke in a hoarse voice, "That year, I came home from school and saw Si Jinxiao with his mistress, doing shameless things on the marriage bed he shared with my mother. In a fit of rage, I slapped that woman twice. To protect his mistress, Si Jinxiao flew into a furious rage and knocked me unconscious."
"When I woke up, I was in that private club room. To appease his mistress, Si Jinxiao gave me to those three wealthy women. I did manage to escape in the end, but one of them almost kissed me on the lips. The overwhelming stench of her heavy perfume and her gold-capped teeth made me feel incredibly sick. That's why, last time at the Ba tribe, I kept brushing my teeth after kissing you."
"It had nothing to do with you. It's just that I have a deep psychological shadow from that incident. I'm sorry."
Tang Wu hugged him tightly and shook her head. "I don't blame you anymore. Knowing what you went through, my heart only aches for you."
He was such an ethereal, handsome, and noble man, yet he had almost fallen prey to three wealthy women—and it was his own biological father who had handed him over. Anyone would have suffered a mental breakdown from that.
"Your father is absolute scum!"
Si Yanli let out a low murmur of agreement. "He and his mistress have both gotten their retribution."
Tang Wu released his neck and cupped his face in her hands. "So, don't dwell on the past anymore. Now that everyone knows the truth, they won't look at you with weird eyes."
Si Yanli closed his eyes briefly. "It was Lin Qianxue who leaked it, wasn't it?"
Tang Wu nodded. "She probably did it out of love turned to hate."
The lines of Si Yanli's handsome face tightened. "I once considered her my best friend. I never expected her to stab me in the back."
"Your grandfather and oldest brother won't let her get away with it."
Comforted by Tang Wu, Si Yanli's mood improved significantly.
He stood up from the floor and pressed his long fingers against his temples. "I reek of alcohol, and you don't even mind? I'm going to take a shower first."
The man's tall, lean figure walked toward the bathroom.
Tang Wu looked at his back, her actions moving faster than her brain. "I'll join you."
Si Yanli looked back at her. "What did you just say?"
A faint blush appeared on Tang Wu's bright, beautiful face. Despite feeling a bit embarrassed, she bravely replied, "I said, I want to join you."
Afraid he would refuse, her butterfly-wing-like eyelashes fluttered, revealing a faint trace of nervousness in her eyes.
Seeing that he didn't speak but only stared at her with deep, dark phoenix eyes, Tang Wu gently bit her red lip. "If you don't want to, then forget it... Ah!"
Before she could finish, her slender white wrist was firmly grasped by his large hand.
He pulled her into the bathroom.
It was unclear when the showerhead was turned on, but warm water cascaded down over their heads.
It was hard to tell who kissed whom first, but before their clothes were even off, they were already kissing passionately, intertwined like a pair of devoted lovers.
Over an hour later, they finally emerged from the bathroom.
Tang Wu's cheeks were like crabapple blossoms struck by rain—delicate, beautiful, and alluring. A hint of crimson lingered at the corners of her eyes, charming and enchanting, seductive without her even realizing it.
Si Yanli carried Tang Wu to another guest room that didn't smell of alcohol.
He lay down beside her, and Tang Wu snuggled into his arms. "Don't think about anything. Just get some sleep first."
Si Yanli's head still hurt terribly, his temples throbbing as if pierced by needles. He was clearly exhausted, yet he couldn't fall asleep.
"Hold me while you sleep, and I'll sing to you."
Si Yanli reached out with his large, elegant hands and wrapped them around Tang Wu's slender waist.
Tang Wu sang him a soothing song.
Her voice was sweet and melodious, like a yellow oriole emerging from a valley, easily soothing the soul.
By the time she reached her third song, he had already closed his eyes, his breathing steady and even.
Tang Wu lifted her long eyelashes to look at him. Seeing that he was asleep, a smile touched the corners of her lips.
She quietly slipped out of his embrace and sent a message to the Si family's group chat.
Upon learning that Si Yanli's mood had stabilized, the Si family members all expressed their gratitude to Tang Wu.
Si Yanli slept soundly until the next morning.
When he woke up, Tang Wu was no longer beside him.
He took out his phone, turned it on, and called her.
"I'm downstairs making breakfast. If you're awake, come down and eat something!"
Si Yanli hadn't been to this suburban villa in a long time. Although the Si family's maids came every few days to clean and maintain it, the place lacked any warmth.
However, when Si Yanli came downstairs, he noticed several bouquets of vibrant, fresh flowers in the living room, and a few cute throw pillows had been added to the sofa.
Even the tablecloth in the dining room had been changed to a warm, inviting color.
Si Yanli watched the woman busying herself in the kitchen. She was wearing a casual loungewear set that revealed a small sliver of her fair, slender waist. Her hair was pulled up into a bun, with a few loose strands falling gracefully against the nape of her neck. A little pink clip rested in her bun, giving her an indescribably playful and adorable charm.
At that moment, an inexpressible feeling swelled in Si Yanli's heart.
It was a warmth he had never dared to imagine, yet secretly yearned for deep inside.
He couldn't help but walk over and embrace the woman's slender figure from behind.
Tang Wu was frying sunny-side-up eggs. When the man suddenly hugged her, her heartbeat uncontrollably quickened.
She looked down at the large, elegant hands wrapped around her waist, and her nose inexplicably stung with emotion.
A scene like this was something she wouldn't have even dared to dream of in the past!
"Breakfast will be ready in a minute. Go wait in the dining room..."
She turned her head to look at him, but before she could finish her sentence, he lowered his head and captured her lips in a kiss.
