After her ninth miscarriage, she finally let her scumbag husband and her beloved get together.

After going downstairs, Xu Wantang did not return to her room.

Instead, they walked through the side path and entered the neighboring courtyard.

The Cen residence is a garden-style house with walls and tiles that stretch as far as the eye can see.

Besides the main building, each room has its own courtyard.

The most secluded place is the west courtyard.

Two months ago.

Cen Shichuan insisted on moving here, saying it was for his proper recovery.

Actually, he was afraid that too many people would gossip and discover that he was faking his disability.

It was precisely because there were few people that Xu Wantang could find a secluded place to catch her breath when she suffered all kinds of grievances.

I walked into the living room in the dark.

Xu Wantang sat on a chair by the window, where she used to love staring blankly at the crabapple tree outside.

Now, she had no heart to appreciate the scenery, and gritted her teeth as she struggled to wipe the wound on her back with gauze.

The disinfectant dripped down, and she gasped in pain.

But before he could catch his breath, a dark shadow flashed past behind him.

It happened so fast that she didn't even have time to see clearly before her wrists were bound by something.

With a strong pull, her body was pressed against the window.

Xu Wantang gasped in surprise, and the figure in front of her suddenly stopped.

But the two were already very close.

As she got closer, she was surrounded by the scent of sandalwood emanating from the man.

It is subtle yet profound, restrained yet profound.

A faint scent invaded Xu Wantang's nose, disrupting her breathing.

She pressed herself against the windowsill, but the thing on her wrist tightened even more.

Looking down, she saw that what was wrapped around her was a long string of red Buddhist prayer beads.

The other end of the prayer beads was a man hidden in the night.

Xu Wantang couldn't see his expression clearly, but she could sense that he was looking at her too.

His gaze fell heavily on her face, as if carrying the real feeling of touching her.

Every inch of the place the man touched carried a deep, familiar warmth, making her heart pound.

Xu Wantang tried to shift her body, but the man took a step closer.

The trousers brushed against her legs, and a chill instantly ran through her skin, the oppressive coldness causing her to shiver slightly.

"What is it?"

The man twirled the prayer beads between his fingers, then exhaled lightly, brushing his breath across Xu Wantang's cheek.

It's a little hot and a little itchy.

She quickly lowered her head, somewhat afraid to look at the man.

But the thought of Cen Shichuan's revenge made her take a deep breath and look at the man with clear eyes.

His eyes were fixed straight ahead, as devout as if he were worshipping Buddha.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to trespass. I didn't know someone had moved in."

No.

She knew all along that someone would be moving in tonight.

Because the powerful backer she was looking for was the man in front of her.

Cen Yuan.

In her dream, she and Cen Yuan did not cross paths.

He returned to his ancestral home to pay respects to his ancestors, while she was hospitalized to prepare for pregnancy.

She was pregnant and resting during her pregnancy, while he went abroad on a business trip.

He returned to China, and she suffered a miscarriage.

They were like two unfamiliar parallel lines.

But she always managed to hear about Cen Yuan's movements from other people.

For example, although he was emotionally detached, he devoted his energy to establishing a targeted foundation for women and children.

For example, he moved into the west courtyard to be closer to the Buddhist temple.

That's why she wore a thin skirt, burned her hand beforehand, and deliberately provoked Cen Shichuan to injure herself.

He then deliberately shouted loudly to startle Cen Yuan next door.

Since everyone thinks she's the best at seducing people, then she'll seduce the most powerful man.

Anyway, her marriage certificate with Cen Shichuan was fake.

I ask for nothing else.

She only hoped to gain some favor, to make Cen Yuan take pity on her, and to ensure that she wouldn't be killed by Cen Shichuan before she left.

Xu Wantang lowered her eyes slightly, concealing her thoughts.

A few crabapple petals fell along her smooth black hair onto her fair and slender shoulders, making her skin appear even more delicate and radiant.

When she looked up again, her eyes were already filled with tears.

"I'm sorry, I accidentally scratched my back. I know I shouldn't have any blood this month, so I wanted to treat it privately."

"Could you let me have my wound treated before I leave? I'm worried people might..."

"Second Brother."

She called out in a muffled voice.

She neither mentioned what others might do, nor said that Cen Shichuan had hurt her.

Otherwise, the intention would be too obvious.

Anyway, he saw her situation today.

Suddenly, the wrist tightened again.

Xu Wantang's body twitched, and she lost her balance, gently bumping into the man's chest.

She was forced to look men in the eye.

Compared to Cen Shichuan's indifference, Cen Yuan was even more aloof, exuding an imposing aura.

His ink-black eyes were fixed on her, like the night, like an abyss, yet adorned with the halo of moonlight.

Tranquil yet unfathomable.

Yet it seemed as if he could see right through her.

The distance between them, seemingly close yet distant, carried a subtle, almost imperceptible, connection.

Aside from the sound of the wind, Xu Wantang could only hear the frantic pounding of her own heart.

She pursed her lips and decided to go for it.

"Second brother, can you let go of me? My hand hurts so much."

Xu Wantang slowly raised her bound wrists and extended them in front of Cen Yuan, revealing her burning red palms, her fingertips brushing against the buttons of his shirt.

Cen Yuan lowered his gaze, calmly unfastened his prayer beads, and gently pushed Xu Wantang away. A flicker of emotion crossed his usually placid eyes.

"Sit there."

After saying that, he turned around and sat far away, turning on a table lamp and hiding in the darkness.

Silent as a sculpture.

Seeing that he was unmoved, Xu Wantang could only rub her wrist, sit down sullenly, and tend to her wound herself.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't clean the wound completely; instead, moving my body around aggravated the wound.

Not only does my back hurt, but my palms also sting.

She was in pain and anxious, and felt terrible all over.

After thinking it over, she decided to go all in and looked at Cen Yuan.

His eyes seemed to be submerged in water, and they sparkled.

"Second brother, can you help me?"

After she finished speaking, her face turned bright red, and she was so nervous that she dared not breathe.

Will I get thrown out?

Under the light, the man leaned back in his chair, turned his head and stared blankly, his eyes unfathomable.

"Turn around."

"……oh."

Xu Wantang paused for a moment, then turned around.

As soon as she settled down, a tall figure completely enveloped her from behind.

Silence fell over the surroundings.

She could even clearly feel the man's hand roaming over her back.

The beads on her wrist brushed against her skin almost imperceptibly, carrying a slight coolness.

Xu Wantang trembled in surprise, her ears suddenly turning red, and she unconsciously lowered her waist.

The man behind her suddenly darkened his gaze and grasped her arm with his pale hand.

"Don't move."

A gentle breeze brushed against the strands of hair around her neck, sending a tingling sensation through her.

Xu Wantang then realized that her bra strap had slipped down at some point. Fortunately, Cen Yuan held her arm and pressed the strap down.

Otherwise, she would have already been exposed.

Instantly, not only did her ears turn red, but her entire body flushed with a faint blush.

She was the one trying to seduce someone, but she ended up being shy.

Cen Yuan stared at the visibly reddened skin on his fingertips, his eyelids lowered, concealing his gaze.

The wound has been treated.

"alright."

"Mmm," Xu Wantang responded instinctively.

"Alright," the man reminded again.

Xu Wantang then realized that the bra strap was still pressing down on his palm.

She hurriedly adjusted her shoulder straps and neckline, thankful that Cen Yuan had only turned on a small lamp; otherwise, he would have seen her almost cooked.

"Thank you, Second Brother. I... I'll head back now."

She grabbed the medicine bag from the table and rushed out of the house.

Cen Yuan sat back down by the window and quietly closed his eyes.

Outside the window, crabapple blossoms fluttered in the wind, and a few petals fell into his hand. He rubbed them between his fingertips, and juice overflowed.

……

As she walked back into the courtyard, Xu Wantang heard Cen Shichuan's voice.

She approached quietly.

Behind the bushes, Cen Shichuan exercised his entire body with ease while making a phone call.

"Don't be angry, sweetie."

"She doesn't know that my legs have healed, and she still thinks about me. Whether it's guilt or feelings, she will eventually be willing to undergo IVF for me."

It's Xu Chuxue's call!

He didn't know what was said on the other end of the phone, but Cen Shichuan's gaze paused slightly, and then he scoffed coldly.

"I like her? Impossible. I've never liked her. I tricked her into marriage just to torment her by using my position as her husband."

"Even if she had nine miscarriages, I don't think it would be enough to compensate you and the children."

Nine miscarriages!

Painful images flashed before my eyes, one after another.

Xu Wantang's body immediately lost all warmth, becoming cold and stiff.

Even breathing hurts.

But it's not as painful as having your belly ripped open.

Right now, she really wants to expose Cen Shichuan's lies in public.

But she knew that this was the Cen family home.

Even Cen Yuan might not help an outsider like her now.

I'm afraid that before her message even gets out, someone will tip her off.

Given Cen Shichuan's methods, her fate was predictable.

Therefore, she has to wait for the right time.

Back in the room.

Xu Wantang sat on the bed, feeling completely exhausted.

It took her a long time to calm down from her wild thoughts.

Cen Shichuan and Xu Chuxue did not give up on her undergoing in vitro fertilization.

I will definitely find a way to force her to compromise.

She couldn't put all her bets on Cen Yuan; she had to find a way to solve her infertility problem first.