First Marriage Then Love Chapter 105

An Ran places the bouquet of flowers into a vase in the bedroom. She sits on the bed and reads, but wasn’t able to absorb anything. From time to time her eyes would wander towards the flowers, look at it and smile like a fool.

For dinner, Su Yi Cheng was cooking again. He made all of her favourite food. In fact, she felt that something was off. She hadn’t told him what she liked to eat, what she doesn’t like to eat, but in every single instance that he made food, he always made something that suited her appet.i.te. She was extremely gratified by his considerate behaviour. As she was eating, her heart was feeling warm and sweet.

As agreed previously, since he had cooked, it was her turn to wash the dishes. This is considered as working together, fair. So after eating An Ran was going to put away the dishes, but a certain someone was extremely generous and stepped forward saying that he would help, but was firmly rejected by him.

However how could Su Yi Cheng admit defeat so easily, so while An Ran was was.h.i.+ng the dishes he was standing beside her wiping the dishes and putting it away in the cupboard. As he was wiping them he says, “Wife, let me sleep in the room tonight.” He was used to hugging her as he slept, suddenly making him sleep alone without hugging her, it truly was difficult to fall asleep.

An Ran doesn’t reply, just turns and glances at him, then turns back around. She once again goes back to was.h.i.+ng the dishes.

Su Yi Cheng then realized that her temperament was really tough, there was no leeway for discussion at all. He frowns, at a loss.

From the corner of her eyes she could see his confused face. An Ran suddenly had an urge to laugh, but was able to endure it. Then a call from Secretary Zheng came. It seemed like it was something important, as he went into the studio after taking the call, and did not come out again.

For a period of time she wanted to make coffee and go and give it to him, only when she was at the door, she hesitated for a while. She hadn’t knocked, so she turned back around with the coffee.

She puts down the book in her hands, lifts the covers and gets out. She walks over to the vase, lowers her head and smells the flowers. Actually, her anger was already a thing of the past. Since morning she was no longer angry, and now it was difficult to be angry.

She brushes her hand across the delicate petals, her mouth rising to a slight smile. She looks at the tightly closed doors. She didn’t lock it actually, she wasn’t planning to not let him in to sleep. She was already used to sleeping in his embrace, leaving his arms, it was truly hard to fall asleep.

She looks at the clock, it was already late. An Ran wasn’t sure if he was already done with his work, but also doesn’t plan to go out to take a look. An Ran just lifts the covers closes the light and forces herself to sleep by closing her eyes.

By the time Su Yi Cheng left the studio it was almost 11 o’clock. Secretary Zheng had called last minute and said that he had made an error in tomorrow’s materials, so he had to use the whole evening to fix the issue.

He uses the bathroom in the guest room to wash and change into his pyjamas. When he grabbed his keys to open the door to the bedroom, he discovered that the door wasn’t locked at all. He opens to come in, only to see that AN Ran was already in bed, breathing smoothly, steadily, as if she were already fast asleep.

He tried to make his movements as quietly as possible. He doesn’t turn on the lamp, but instead uses the fragments of moonlight peeking through the curtains to grope about. He quietly gets on the bed, and very carefully lifts up the figure’s head, and places his arm underneath the neck, so that she can be like before, having his arm as a pillow. The sleeping An Ran chirps a bit, then turns to get closer to him. Her head rubs against his chest, then, apparently finding her snug spot, sleeps peacefully. Her breathing also gradually returns to level.

Su Yi Cheng looks at the lady in his arms. A soft smile creeps up on his face, he then lowers his head and leaves a kiss on the top of her head. After completing everything, he then closes his eyes, falling into pace with her breathing. Only he didn’t know, that the moment he closed his eyes, the lady in his embrace opened her yes, the corner of her mouth revealed a crafty smile. Sure enough she is accustomed to his embrace, accustomed to his nighttime warmth. Tonight, being embraced by him, An Ran slept superbly, did not even wake up once, and slept through the night until daybreak.

In a daze when she opened her eyes again she only saw a handsome face. Seeing that she had awaken, he raises his brows and says, “Morning.” Then, not waiting for An Ran to reply, he took the opportunity and moved forward, kissing her on the lips. An Ran struggles and swats him, but doesn’t push him away. Then she went along with his pa.s.sionate French kiss, until they both were out of breath.

Leaning against his chest, it took a while for her breathing to restore its pace. An Ran pushes him away, and pretended to be angry at him, “Why are you in here! Aren’t we in a cold war!”

Su Yi Cheng smiles, and pinches her nose, laughing as he asks, “Then why didn’t you kick me out last night?” He of course knew that when he came in last night she wasn’t asleep!

“I, I was sleeping.” An Ran said, glaring at him, “How would I know that you would shamelessly sneak in!”

“Really?” Su Yi Cheng puts on a charming smile. Looking at her, he reaches out and pushes aside the fringe that was blocking her eyes, and somewhat innocently says, “I that you deliberately left the door for me.”

An Ran glares at him. Of course she wouldn’t admit that she really did intentionally leave the door for him. But she reluctantly admits, “I did not.”

Su Yi Cheng just smiles, not exposing her. He lovingly rubs her head, lifts the covers and gets up. Today he reckons will be a busy day. At the 9 o’clock meeting today, at 8:30 he will be at the office, and will be preparing materials and the speech draft.

As they ate breakfast Su Yi Cheng told her that he will be coming home late, so she can decide on dinner herself, no need to wait for him. An Ran nods, she recalls that he had told her that today he will be receiving orders from above, so she reckons that he will be busy.

News has always traveled fast, clearly their side hadn’t finalized anything yet, but it was already known by everyone outside. An Ran had reached her office and placed her briefcase on the desk. She hadn’t opened the computer yet, when Huang De Xing had entered with a giggle. Seeing An Ran, he quickly congratulates her, “An Ran ah, I heard about Special a.s.sistant Su’s promotion, truly, congratulations ha.”

“Uh. The report just came down, whether it’s a promotion or demotion, at the moment it’s not certain yet.” An Ran faintly smiles.

“Haha, it’s definitely a promotion, definitely a promotion. With Su Yi Cheng’s strategy and capabilities, absolutely no problems at all.” Huang De Xing said confidently.

An Ran just faintly smiles, nods at him, “I will accept Director’s n.o.ble words.”

“An Ran, when will you return and ask Special a.s.sistant Su to see, see if our company can be a part of Ke Ji City, if the odds of success for our bid is high.” Huang De Xing said meaningfully.

After all she was still working here, so it was not a good idea to refuse and offend him. An Ran just faintly smiles and nods, and responds, “Then I will go ask and see.” If she can delay it then she will.

“Good, good.” Huang De Xing nods happily. Then he discussed a few things about work, and finally turned to leave An Ran’s office.

In the afternoon An Ran and Chen Cheng went to the sample room together. The project was going smoothly, even going faster than expected. If it continues like this An Ran can be relieved, doesn’t have to worry about not meeting the final evaluation.

Because she knew that Su Yi Cheng will be coming home late today, she wasn’t in a rush to go home. Unwittingly, once she started on her blueprint she forgot about the time, so by the time she tidied up, she only then discovered that the sky was slowly darkening. Luckily the apartment wasn’t too far from her office, just by walking she can arrive home in a few minutes.

She leaves her office, and the place was extremely quiet. The light in the hallway was still on, and Chen Cheng’s computer was still on. Her bag was still on the desk, it was clear that aside from her Chen Cheng was also here.

At first she had planned to wait for her and leave the gates together, but she had waited for some time and did not see her return. Ultimately An Ran gave up and left by herself.

As she was waiting for the elevator, An Ran could faintly hear sounds of sobbing in the corridor. She frowns, and heads over there with curiosity. The sound was getting louder and louder, more and more distinct. From the sound, An Ran felt that it was somewhat familiar.

As she approaches, at a quiet corner of the staircase, an Ran at last could see who was sobbing. While holding down their own emotions, that person wasn’t just anyone, but Chen Cheng.

An Ran stood behind her for a while, and she did not find out. An Ran reaches out and hands her a tissue, Chen Cheng then turns around and sees the person behind her. She quickly wipes the tears off her face, and awkwardly hiccups as she forces a smile. Only that smile, seemed to be more unsightly than crying.

“Gu, Gu jie. You’re still here.”

An Ran nods, and hands the tissue over to her. She faintly asks, “What happened?”

Chen Cheng reaches out and accepts it, but only shakes her head, not replying to her question.

She isn’t saying, she naturally An Ran doesn’t probe. She just nods, not pursuing the subject.

The pair return to the office, and An Ran asks her if she was leaving or not. She just sees Chen Cheng shake her head, and faintly say that she still has some things she hadn’t finished, and will leave after a while.

An Ran nods. She won’t force her, but when she was about to leave, she couldn’t help but turn to look at her, and faintly starts to say, “If there really is something, don’t keep it to yourself, speak it out. Perhaps we won’t be able to help, but at the very least your mind will be at ease.”

Chen Cheng looks at her for a while, nods, her eyes somewhat twinkling.

Returning home, An Ran made herself some noodles for dinner, as she ate she started to hate her own cooking. It really was underwhelming. Perhaps it is because she has recently been raised with Su Yi Cheng’s cooking. In the past she had felt that her cooking was at least bearable, but now she is unable to eat it. She recalls Su Yi Cheng eating with pleasure each time, and eating up all the noodles until there was not a drop left, she suddenly started to pity him. But it was his own fault, because of his behaviour, she started to feel warm.

She didn’t each much, and in the end she couldn’t swallow any more and threw the rest into the trash. Not having SU Yi Cheng around tonight was really boring, bored to death, she sits on the living room sofa aimlessly watching TV. But she had no idea what she was watching. When the actress on TV was crying teary pearls, An Ran watches the tears fall.

“Ding dong, ding dong—”

An Ran was woken up by the doorbell. The door continues to ring, rousing An Ran up. In her daze she couldn’t react. She was sitting blankly for a while. Her head was still dizzy. The pretty actress on the crystal screen was long gone, and now it was broadcasting the midnight news.

“Ding dong—” Seeing that the person inside isn’t responding, the person outside rings the bell once again.

An Ran only then reacts, quickly stands up, looks at her watch. It was almost midnight. She isn’t sure who would visit this late, and promptly smooths out her wrinkled pyjamas. She then goes over to the door, pa.s.sing the monitor, only to see a man outside holding up Su Yi Cheng, while Su Yi Cheng was frowning, appearing to be unwell.

Upon seeing that, An Ran quickly opens the door. When she opened it, she could smell the strong scent of alcohol. Clearly someone had drunken too much, and couldn’t go home without help.

“Madame, Special a.s.sistant he—” Secretary Zheng was going to say something, but thought of something else, and quickly corrects himself, “Uh, no, now it should be Deputy Mayor Su, deputy mayor was too happy tonight, so he had a little too much to drink.”

An Ran nods at the man. She remembers this man, back when she and Su Yi Cheng went to get the certificate she had seen him. Only after did she know that he was Su Yi Cheng’s secretary, and has worked for him for 3 years, he is considered to be his most capable a.s.sistant.

“Quickly come in.” An Ran quickly helps Secretary Zheng prop up Su Yi Cheng and bring him to the bedroom.

When Secretary Zheng safely placed Su Yi Cheng down onto the bed, An Ran quickly went over to the kitchen and poured him a gla.s.s of water, “Here, have some water.”

As if he truly were thirsty, he accepts the cup and gulps it down. Secretary Zheng seemed to be very tall, but perhaps is a little shorter than Su Yi Cheng. He was on the slender side as well. Su Yi Cheng did not look plump, but he was muscular, he was full of muscle, appearing so probably due to his daily exercises, thus during the journey back, seemed to be quite strenuous to Secretary Zheng.

From his appearance, it seemed like a cup wasn’t enough, so An Ran cautiously asks, “Do you want me to pour you another cup?”

Secretary Zheng hurriedly shakes his head, “No need no need, it’s late, I won’t bother you. Plus my girlfriend is waiting for me downstairs.” He had also drank too much tonight, when the party was over, he was planning to get a driver to take him and SU Yi Cheng home, right then his girlfriend called at that time, saying that she was close, and asking if the party was over, if he wanted to go home together. He figured might as well go with her, have her drop off Su Yi Cheng as well, and thus, she was downstairs waiting for him.

“Oh, is that so.” It really is late, so An Ran nods. She doesn’t keep him any longer, and just smiles at him and expresses her thanks, “Thank you for bringing Yi Cheng back, thank your girlfriend on my behalf as well.”

Secretary Zheng smiles at her foolishly and nods, then turns around to leave. An Ran courteously escorts him to the door, and returns to the room after closing the door.

Returning to the room, she only sees Su Yi Cheng lying on the bed. Now there was a faint sound of snoring. His tolerance for alcohol was pretty good, even if he is drunk he wouldn’t do anything to cross boundaries, just lies there peacefully asleep.

An Ran sighs softly, and goes ahead to remove his shoes and socks. She undoes his collar b.u.t.ton, so that he could breathe more naturally. After she was finished with everything, An Ran then turns around to go to the bathroom to get some hot water. She wets the towel, wrings it out, and gently wipes his face and hands. As she was wiping she mutters, “I told you not to drink, you didn’t listen at all. Luckily this time you just got drunk, if the next time you drink your stomach illness acts up again, see what I will do to you.” As she said that, she mischievously puts a cross on his forehead. The sleeping Su Yi Cheng starts to frown, and An Ran spits out her tongue at him. Then she gets up to go the bathroom and dump the water out.

Meanwhile, An Ran had not realized, the moment she turned around the person behind her who should be intoxicated suddenly opened his eyes. There was a crafty twinkle in his eyes, there was no sign of intoxication at all.

At night An Ran lies down beside him. She was in light sleep, because she was still worried that during the night he would start to feel unwell, then she would be awake to take care of him.

Su Yi Cheng did not seem to be unwell or show any of those post-drunken behaviour, he just lies there peacefully, with a faint sound of snoring, seeming as if he were sleeping fine.

An Ran once again closes her eyes and dazedly falls asleep, when suddenly she felt something heavy on her. She opens her eyes, only to see that Su Yi Cheng had flipped over, and his thighs were pressing on her legs, his arms tyrannically wrapped around her waist, trapping her body. He looked like he was a sloth, clinging onto her.

He hugs her even closer, nearly choking her. She lightly pats his shoulder, “Yi, Yi Cheng, are you awake?”

Su Yi Cheng doesn’t answer, only snorts, then buries his head into her chest. He tightens his hold around her, his strong thighs rub against her, as if provoking her.

An Ran was starting to get enticed by him, and reaches out about to push him away, but against his strength, she couldn’t help but be skeptical and ask, “Su Yi Cheng, you’re not pretending to be drunk are you!”

Su Yi Cheng still has his eyes closed and does not say anything, appearing to be truly drunk. His head continued to rub against her chest, and his wicked mouth starts to purposely leave kisses on her pyjamas.

“En—” An Ran s.h.i.+vers, reflexively letting out a groan.

“Su Yi Cheng!” An Ran was almost gnas.h.i.+ng her teeth, she grabs his face and has him face-to-face with her. This punk better not be playing drunk!

Feigning tipsiness, a certain person’s hand started to feel up An Ran. The large palm that was originally arrested by her had somehow made its way under her clothes, lingering on her silky flesh.

An Ran was fl.u.s.tered by him. Fastening his head at one spot made him unable to take the advantage, and so he took the advantage to use his hands and wander around. She captures his hands once again, even started to grind his hips against her, circulating like that, An Ran was not his opponent at all.

She was still skeptical that he was intoxicated, and looks at his misty appearance. She still wasn’t sure if he truly was intoxicated or pretending!

Last night, in the end, she was still teared down by the belly, on the bedroom floor the pair’s clothes were scattered about. Underneath the quilt, the two were tangled around one another.

When she woke up again Su Yi Cheng was still fast asleep. The suns.h.i.+ne was penetrating through the white window curtains, lighting up the entire room giving it a hazy golden halo, making the people inside it feel like they were in the in-between, a somewhat dream-like aesthetic.

An Ran sighs, looking at his neat child-like countenance as he slept, she couldn’t help but stroke his face. She knew that he wasn’t drunk last night, but was shamelessly pretending, because she remembered that when she was succ.u.mbing to his hard to resist instigation, this hateful man purposely asked her if she would forgive him, if she was still mad, if her answer was no, he would deliberately torment her until she was begging for mercy.

Thinking of that, An Ran started to get angry. She scolded underneath her breath, “Scoundrel, big fat scoundrel!” Then she rose, and softly bit his tall nose.

Su Yi Cheng groaned as he woke up. He opened his eyes, and sees this large mien. The tip of his nose was kind of itchy, and he suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist. He flips over to press down on her, and softly pecks her small and graceful lips. He gives her a big fat smile, “Morning!” His mood was great!

An Ran was still angry, and in a low voice scolds him, “You hoodlum, b.a.s.t.a.r.d!” Then, peeved, she turns around to deliberately avoid his gaze.

Su Yi Cheng laughs, and deliberately buries his head into her neck, opening his mouth to nip on her smooth shoulders, then softly whispers into her ears, “I’m just acting like a hoodlum for you.” Underneath the quilt, the two were tangled with each other, that additional grip on her waist tightens a bit, making them even closer.

An Ran suddenly turns her head, stares at him. Underneath she can clearly feel the change in him, and quickly pushes him away, “You, get off.”

Su Yi Cheng’s gaze to her turns deeper, there seemed to be a raging flame that had ignited in his eyes. He softly whispers into her ears, “An Ran…..”

An Ran was quickly weeping, her body was still aching, really she won’t be able to stand being tossed around one more time. She was quick to beg for forgiveness, “Su, Su Yi Cheng, I am really tired, let me off okay?”

Su Yi Cheng smiles, buries his head into her neck, taking a deep breath, his voice was taut as he says, “Don’t move, just let me hold you like this for a bit.”

Hearing that, An Ran really did not dare to move. From her past experience, this man gets urges quite easily in the morning, she doesn’t want to fire up ‘that part’!

The two embrace each other like that for a while. She slowly felt that part of his body gradually wane down, then she lightly pats him, “Let, let me get up.”

Not waiting for Su Yi Cheng’s reply, An Ran’s cellphone started to ring. Su Yi Cheng turns over and lets An Ran get up. He reaches out to grab the cellphone and hand it over to her, then turns around and heads to the bathroom.

“hu—” An Ran lets out a long sigh, then answers the phone, “h.e.l.lo.” Listening to the other person on the line, An Ran suddenly widens her eyes, getting worked up, “What? How could this be!”

---END OF CHAPTER---