Chapter 1

We got married less than two weeks after meeting through a blind date.

For the first three months after the wedding, we slept in separate rooms. Then one night, he knocked on my door.

His voice was husky: "It's time we consummate this marriage."

Lucas and I had just gotten our marriage license and were driving home.

Halfway there, the car suddenly stopped.

Lucas unbuckled his seatbelt and said, "Wait here, I'm going to buy something."

"Buy what? Are you feeling sick?"

"No, just some essentials."

Left alone in the car, I relaxed my tense nerves. It felt surreal - we were really married now.

Lucas and I had met through a blind date set up by my aunt.

She had enthusiastically told me: "He's handsome, from a good family. His parents are both high-ranking government officials."

"He also works for the government, as a detective..."

If I didn't agree, I knew my other aunts would all come knocking with more suggestions. So I reluctantly nodded.

When we met, he was just as my aunt described - handsome, nearly 6'2" tall, with piercing eyes like a hawk.

But when he furrowed his brow, he looked fierce and serious. I didn't dare look up at him.

The date didn't last long, with barely any conversation before we parted ways.

I thought that was the end of it, but three days later my aunt called to say he wanted to meet again.

I frowned, not really wanting to go. But thinking of Lucas's intimidating face, I was afraid to refuse in case he showed up at my door.

I decided to meet once more to clearly explain my feelings.

He suggested meeting at the movie theater.

When I arrived, Lucas was already there. He wore a khaki trench coat over a white shirt, with long straight legs ending in black leather shoes. He had a bit of an English gentleman vibe.

He seemed less fierce than last time.

While waiting in line for tickets, he leaned down close to me. I was suddenly enveloped by the faint scent of his body wash.

"Do you want popcorn and soda?"

I shook my head, just wanting to get the movie over with.

During the film, Lucas was very attentive. He didn't say anything unnecessary or make any suspicious moves. He was quite well-behaved.

As the movie neared its end, I breathed a sigh of relief.

When we came out, it had started pouring rain outside with thunder and lightning. The wind carried moisture in the air.

Lucas's car was parked across the street, still some distance away.

I hadn't expected it to rain tonight, so I was going to get wet either way. I decided to just put my bag over my head and make a run for it.

Suddenly my wrist was grabbed firmly, almost painfully tight.

Lucas quickly loosened his grip when he realized.

"Sorry."

He took off his coat: "Use this over your head."

"Let's go together."

Lucas was tall, so his coat was big enough to cover us both.

"Move in closer."

We were very close, our skin occasionally brushing. When my arm accidentally touched his hot chest I quickly pulled it back.

Half of Lucas's body got soaked. His wet hair clung to his forehead, looking a bit messy.

"Are you cold?"

I shook my head. "You should dry off quickly. Be careful not to catch a cold tomorrow."

The car arrived home as the rain gradually stopped.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and forced a faint smile: "Thanks for today. Go take a hot shower when you get home to ward off the chill."

I got out of the car, and the door on the other side opened too.

"Did you need something else?"

"I'm free this weekend. Want to grab dinner together?"

I was about to refuse, but seeing Lucas's sharp eyes, I swallowed my words.

I nodded in agreement.

Before our weekend dinner plans, Lucas and I unexpectedly met again due to an incident where a student's parent violently attacked a teacher.

It happened suddenly - I was walking and replying to a message when an angry-looking parent rushed out wielding a stick.

"Are you Ms. Wilson?"

I nodded, not fully processing what was happening.

The stick came down hard on my shoulder.

"My child is in the hospital with a concussion because of you..."

I let out a muffled cry and collapsed. I tried to speak but my voice was stuck in my throat.

I was confused - we always treated those kids like precious treasures, never hitting or scolding them. How could I have beaten a student?

The parent was in a rage, about to bring the stick down on my stomach when Lucas appeared and forcefully kicked him away.

Lucas was in his police uniform, his face dark with anger.

The parent was taken to the police station while Lucas brought me to the hospital.

My right shoulder was injured, with bruising and swelling over a large area.

"It's not too serious. I'll apply some medicine and give you some ointment to use at home daily."

Lucas frowned, his expression grim.

The nurse who had been sneaking glances at Lucas earlier now didn't dare make a sound, her hands shaking as she applied the medicine.

"Gentle--"

The nurse's hands were trembling like a sieve.

I looked up. Lucas's expression wasn't much better, looking quite fierce.

I felt helpless.

"Why don't you wait outside?"

He gave me a cool look, nodded, and turned to leave, closing the door behind him.

The school principal called to express concern.

"Principal, this counts as a work injury right? I can't even lift my arm to write now."

"Take a few days off to rest at home. Come back when you're healed..."

While I felt wronged by the whole incident, hearing I could take a few days off work lifted my mood considerably.

In the hallway, Lucas stood ramrod straight with his arms crossed over his chest, thin lips pressed tightly together. He drew many glances, but his intimidating aura kept people from approaching.

"Thank you for today. How did you show up so quickly?"

"I happened to be in the area on business."

That night as I was about to sleep, my phone screen lit up.

Lucas had sent a message:

"The investigation results are in. The injured child just started middle school and was struggling academically. His family is also poor. A teacher deliberately targeted him, punishing him harshly in class for not completing homework. After school, the teacher called him to the office and warned him not to tell anyone.

When the parent got home from work, he found the child unconscious and took him to the hospital where they discovered a concussion and other injuries.

When questioned about who did it, the student made up a teacher surnamed Wilson..."

I read it, feeling conflicted. Teachers' ethics really needed improvement.

I glanced at the time and sent a message back:

"You're still not off work?"

"I am. About to shower."

"..."

"Rest well. Good night."

"Good night."

As I got to know Lucas better, I found him to be very polite and gentlemanly in his speech and manners, aside from his intimidating demeanor.

I thought marriage to someone like him would probably be quite nice.

So when Lucas called two weeks later to ask if I wanted to get married, I didn't hesitate long before agreeing.

Lucas tossed a large cardboard box labeled "health products" into the backseat. I didn't think much of it.

There was also a bag of fresh fruit on top which he handed to me.

I opened it to find many plump, glistening lychees. I peeled one and popped it in my mouth. As I bit down, the sweet juices burst forth, filling my mouth with a delicious aroma. My mood instantly lightened.

Once I started eating them I couldn't stop, devouring over a dozen in one go.

I sighed contentedly at how sweet the lychees were, my fondness for Lucas growing even more.

Our new home was a large apartment, simply but elegantly furnished with high-quality pieces.

Lucas carried a box into the bedroom.

The bedroom door was slightly ajar, and I could faintly make out the deep red bedspread contrasting starkly against the white walls.

My hazy state of mind suddenly cleared as I realized - tonight would be our wedding night.

The thought made my heart race.

I felt awkward and flushed bright red.

Before this, my only "relationships" had been with fictional characters. I'd never even held hands with a guy in real life.

Lucas emerged from the bedroom and glanced at me, furrowing his brow. "Not feeling well?"

I shook my head, saying sheepishly, "Just a bit hot."

I opened the fridge and asked, "What do you want for lunch?"

He unbuttoned his shirt and rolled up the sleeves, revealing muscular forearms.

He looked slightly surprised. "You can cook?"

When we'd visited Lucas's family before, they had a private chef who made amazing Suzhou cuisine.

He nodded and smiled. "I learned to cook for myself when studying abroad. Eating out was too expensive."

Lucas cooked in the kitchen while I busied myself organizing clothes in the bedroom.

I opened the closet to find dresses hanging neatly, with a row of new lingerie sets below.

The tags were still on - clearly pre-prepared.

As I bent to take clothes from my suitcase, I noticed the box he'd brought back from the pharmacy earlier was open.

The tape had been removed. I peeked inside to find it full of contraceptives in various flavors.

My face instantly flushed red. There was also an unopened box on the nightstand, seemingly prepared specially for tonight.

It was hot, and I'd started sweating just from moving around a bit. My hair felt sticky and I didn't want Lucas to see me looking so disheveled.

I grabbed some clothes and quickly ducked into the bathroom to shower. When I came out feeling fresh, Lucas was just coming out of the kitchen, a delicious aroma wafting into the living room.

His eyes lingered on me for a moment before quickly looking away.

"You showered?"

"Yeah, it was too hot earlier and I got all sweaty."

The table was set with braised fish in vinegar sauce, stewed pork ribs with yam, tofu and vegetable soup, and a small dish of pickled vegetables.

My mouth watered at the sight. I couldn't help but give Lucas a thumbs up.

"Lucas, you're amazing! This is Michelin star level!"

"So good!"

I'd planned to act ladylike in front of him, but the food was just too delicious. I couldn't resist having an extra bowl of rice.