Chapter 2: Master Bedroom

Forty minutes later, the assistant drove into Tianlang No. 1 Residence, built along the river.

He placed the luggage in the house and quickly exited.

Jiang Nai had only been to this house once before.

That was a year ago, just after the renovations were completed. As one of the future owners of the wedding house, she had visited during the Lunar New Year at her family’s suggestion.

Back then, it was daytime, and the place didn’t appear as luxurious as it did now.

Standing in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling windows of the living room, the breathtaking view across the river was fully visible. The Pearl Tower reached into the sky, surrounded by tall buildings, neon lights rising and fading as the brightness dimmed with the river’s flow.

“I’m going to take a shower. You should rest,” said Li Qingji, breaking her reverie as she gazed out the window.

Jiang Nai turned her head and saw Li Qingji unbuttoning his shirt cuffs as he walked towards the en suite bathroom in the master bedroom.

“Okay,” she replied.

But she didn’t go to rest right away. She sat in the living room for a few minutes, and when she was sure Li Qingji had entered the bathroom, she got up and pushed her suitcase into the walk-in closet. Upon entering, she noticed there were already women’s clothes inside. She paused, surprised, then hesitantly took one out to look at it.

The tags were still attached.

Jiang Nai stayed silent for a moment before putting the clothes back and started unpacking her suitcase. After some time organizing, she finally hung up all the clothes she had brought with her.

“You can leave that; Auntie can handle it tomorrow,” Li Qingji said, standing outside the walk-in closet at some point.

Jiang Nai turned her head abruptly. He was dressed in long-sleeved, pearl-white silk pajamas, smooth and soft in texture. This was the first time Jiang Nai had seen him in such casual clothing in all the years she had known him, and she couldn’t help but stare.

He seemed gentler compared to his usual suited-up appearance.

“It’s fine; I can’t sleep anyway.” Jiang Nai bent down and pulled her suitcase aside.

Li Qingji said, “I had Chen Min prepare some clothes for you a few days ago. If you’re not satisfied, let her know.”

Jiang Nai asked, “You mean these women’s clothes here are for me?”

Li Qingji found her question somewhat amusing, and his brows twitched slightly. “What else?”

Jiang Nai felt a bit embarrassed by her earlier assumptions. “Oh… thank you.”

“Are you done unpacking?”

Jiang Nai nodded.

Li Qingji turned to leave. “Then get some rest.”

Jiang Nai froze and instinctively asked, “Where should I sleep?”

Li Qingji stopped and turned back to look at her.

They stood in silence, facing each other. The few seconds of quiet somehow made Jiang Nai’s heart tighten.

“Jiang Nai,” he called her.

“…Yes?”

“Since we’re married, we should act like it. I’m not playing house with you.”

Li Qingji’s voice was low, magnetic, and pleasant. Just listening to it without looking at him was enough to make someone feel good, even enjoyable. But facing him directly was not enjoyable at all, as his gaze was cold, easily intimidating.

Jiang Nai discreetly clenched her fists, as if giving herself some encouragement.

“I’m not playing house either…”

Li Qingji said, “Then come to the master bedroom.”

—

Originally, the Li family’s intended match for marriage wasn’t her.

Jiang Nai entered the Jiang family at the age of sixteen. Before that, she had lived with her parents. Those times, though not affluent, were the happiest of her life. But later, her father died in an accident, and her mother, devastated, saw her already fragile health worsen, unable to support her life.

It was then that her grandfather appeared.

Grandfather didn’t like her mother. When her father insisted on marrying a woman with no background, he severed ties with him. Yet, the death of his son stirred something within him. When he came to their small two-bedroom apartment, he decided to take his son’s child away.

Her mother was reluctant, but she conceded when she thought about how her daughter could live a better life. Jiang Nai remembered clinging tightly to her mother’s hand, refusing to let go. Until her grandfather said that if she went with him, he would cover all her mother’s medical expenses.

After joining the Jiang family, Jiang Nai always lived cautiously. Grandfather and Grandmother didn’t favor her because of her mother. She couldn’t adapt to or integrate into her older siblings’ circle.

As for Li Qingji, she first met him during her senior year of high school.

He was four years older than her. While she was still a naive teenager, a puppet pulled by the strings of the Jiang family, he was about to graduate from university, a fully grown adult. At that time, both families attended an event together, intending to bring Li Qingji and her cousin Jiang Yao closer. The elders even arranged private space for them at the event.

Jiang Nai had been wandering around when she unexpectedly stumbled upon them by the pool in the back garden. Jiang Yao, drunk, was splashing around wildly in the pool, while Li Qingji stood on the edge, watching coldly.

Jiang Nai’s eyes widened as she saw Jiang Yao flailing in the water and was about to call for help.

Li Qingji’s single glance stopped her voice in its tracks.

“Can you swim?” He broke the silence after a moment.

Jiang Nai said, “…No.”

Li Qingji acknowledged her answer with a quiet sound and said calmly, “Then call someone.”

“…”

Jiang Nai later turned and ran to get help, and Jiang Yao was pulled out without any serious consequences.

When someone jumped in to rescue her, Jiang Nai realized that the pool wasn’t deep—about 1.3 meters. Although Jiang Yao, who had drunk too much, couldn’t keep her balance, Li Qingji, standing well over 1.8 meters tall, could have probably pulled her out even if he didn’t know how to swim.

But he didn’t go into the water. He just stood there and watched, as if looking at a lifeless sheet of paper that could easily be shattered by the water. Jiang Yao had indeed fallen in by accident due to drinking too much, but when she sobered up and recalled that Li Qingji hadn’t immediately saved her, she was furious.

However, the marriage arrangement between the Jiang family and the Li family wasn’t something that would be changed just because Jiang Yao was unhappy. What ultimately ended any prospect between Jiang Yao and Li Qingji was an unexpected pregnancy.

It had happened due to her reckless lifestyle, and the father was unknown.

The pregnancy was ultimately terminated, and word of it reached the Li family. Thus, the engagement shifted to someone else. They say marriage isn’t a game, but in the grand halls of affluent families, it can often become just that—a game of a different sort.

All about interests, never about emotions.

Jiang Nai knew she couldn’t change that fact, but she had people she cared about. Since she had benefited from the Jiang family’s resources, she naturally had to pay the corresponding price.

But… she was a bit afraid of Li Qingji.

Whether it was years ago by the pool or now, lying beside him.

The master bedroom was spacious and had a large balcony furnished with a hanging chair, which appeared unused judging by its pristine condition.

Jiang Nai curled up on the large bed, surrounded by champagne-colored sheets that gave off a calming, pleasant scent when she leaned in close. Li Qingji didn’t lie down right away on the other side of the bed, nor did he look at her. He sat on the bed, casually picked up the tablet on the nightstand, and lowered his head to scroll through it.

Jiang Nai felt uneasy but tried not to show it, pretending to be calm as she played on her phone.

“What are your plans moving forward?” Li Qingji asked, handling bits of work while speaking to his visibly tense wife.

Jiang Nai’s fingers paused, and she replied, “I have a few interviews coming up. If I get an offer, I’ll start working; if not… I’ll keep trying.”

Li Qingji paused slightly. “You’re going for interviews?”

“Yes.”

He was somewhat surprised. He’d assumed she would join the Jiang Group, pursue hobbies like many wealthy daughters, or even let him make arrangements. He didn’t expect her to be attending job interviews.

“Where are you interviewing?”

“A few places…” Jiang Nai turned over, lying on the pillow and continuing to play on her phone absentmindedly. “I’ll talk about it if I get hired.”

Her noncommittal response made it clear she didn’t want his involvement. Li Qingji understood and didn’t ask further. After all, when they registered their marriage, they had agreed to allow each other enough space and not interfere too much with what the other wanted to do.

A few minutes later, Jiang Nai set her phone aside and curled up under the covers.

She couldn’t keep pretending any longer.

“Going to sleep?” The man beside her seemed to have an extra eye; even though he was looking at his tablet, he could still sense what she was doing.

Jiang Nai’s heart immediately started pounding, her head sinking into the pillow as she stole a glance at him.

“Yes… I’m going to sleep.”

“Okay.”

Li Qingji put down the tablet and reached out to turn off the light. The room instantly fell into darkness, except for the soft glow of the bedside lamp on Jiang Nai’s side. She froze, hesitating over whether she should turn off the light immediately.

Soft breathing could be heard nearby. Jiang Nai thought that, since they were husband and wife now, having a married life was normal.

If he wanted to do something now, she had no reason to refuse…

“Turn off your light,” Li Qingji said.

Jiang Nai made a sound of acknowledgment and reached out to turn off the lamp. The room was now completely dark, and nothing could be seen.

An enigmatic silence filled the space.

As Jiang Nai was telling herself over and over that it was fine, they would have to do this sooner or later, she stiffened with tension. Then she heard a faint laugh, so soft it was almost negligible.

“Go to sleep.”

“Hmm?”

Li Qingji: “Or do you not want to sleep?”

“No!” Jiang Nai immediately tugged at the blanket and said softly, “I do want to sleep…”

“Then go ahead and sleep.”

The person on her right moved, and Jiang Nai felt him turn over, his back now facing her. Jiang Nai let out a breath, relieved, and turned to face away as well.

She almost didn’t sleep all night, both because she was unused to it and because of the time difference. 

Jiang Nai only fell asleep just before dawn. When the alarm woke her, the bed next to her was already empty. It took her a moment to react, then she picked up her phone and glanced at it.

On WeChat, Xue Lin had already sent her several messages.

[Are you awake yet? I’m about to finish my shift. Let’s meet for lunch.]

They had made plans the night before when Jiang Nai was staying at her grandparents’ house, so Xue Lin must have been planning to meet her there.

Jiang Nai sat up immediately and called her: “Hey, you haven’t left yet, have you?”

Xue Lin: “In ten minutes. What’s up, still not awake?”

“No, I wasn’t at my grandparents’ place last night. I was worried you’d already headed over.”

“Not there? Then where are you?” Xue Lin paused and then exaggerated, “Wait, were you with your husband last night?!”

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