T/N: This is the bonus chapter for Arm~ Everyone remember to thank her in your heart!
The sound of splashing water came from the bathroom. From the crack under the door, it sounded like an English pop song, with Jiang Luoluo humming along happily.
Fu Tingchuan sat at the edge of the bed, looking down at his braided wristband.
He carefully touched it, pretending to wrap himself up in the covers, and felt uneasy.
He reached under the quilt again. After a moment, he took his hand out to check, making sure he hadn’t lost it.
Still unconvinced, Fu Tingchuan got out of bed and went alone to the wardrobe.
A few minutes later, he emerged holding a drawstring gift bag.
The palm-sized bag was placed on the bedside table. Carefully, he removed the bracelet and stuffed it into the gift bag, then tightened the drawstring.
He held the bag close to his chest for a moment before slipping it into his pocket, as close to his heart as possible.
His memory was unreliable. He’d been too busy lately to see a doctor—or rather, he hadn’t found one he could fully trust yet.
Until then, he couldn’t risk losing anything important.
The phone vibrated twice, signaling a new text message.
:::
Someone bought a killer on the dark web against the young master, aiming to harm.
:::
Attached below is a picture formatted like a notice.
A few simple lines showed the price, the requested terms, and a photo that looked like a candid shot.
In the photo, Jiang Luoluo sat on a shopping mall sofa, a smile spreading across his face as he looked at someone beside him.
The photo had been blurred, so it was hard to see the other person’s face clearly. But you could tell it was a man in a suit.
Fu Tingchuan frowned and called back right away.
A minute later, a sharper picture came through.
Fu Tingchuan’s fingers hovered about half an inch above the screen. He curled them up, then slammed them down again.
The pain of betrayal stabbed through his heart with each beat. He sucked in a breath, his dark eyes staring with astonishment at the half-face on the screen—from the side, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, that face belonged to an important man who had spent his life at the top. He looked at Jiang Luoluo dotingly.
None of that mattered.
What mattered was that, without those glasses, the face in the photo was *way* too similar to his own… [footnote] T/N: Let me respectfully give an eye roll [/footnote]
He dimmed the screen, and Fu Tingchuan’s sharp, cold profile was reflected on it.
For a long moment, he just stared at the blackened screen. Then, as if waking from a dream, he smiled.
No wonder Jiang Luoluo had picked him.
No wonder Jiang Luoluo insisted on marrying him.
It was because of this face.
He was just a stand-in for that man.
The tips of his fingers turned pale where he gripped his phone, while his tight jaw hid a suppressed anger that raged inside him, gnawing away at his rationality bit by bit.
All the warmth and affection from earlier that evening had been wiped away, leaving his heart plummeting into an icy abyss, chilling him to the bone.
He had actually thought…
He’d foolishly believed his little fairy was trying to learn to love him…
Whenever he lowered his head to put on a bracelet for himself, whenever he sat in the hammock and looked at himself, whenever he kissed those trembling eyelashes…
All those times, when he’d seen his own face reflected in those eyes—was it really just his own, or was it the man from the photo?
A mocking chuckle filled the air. The man on the bed lowered his head, a cold smile lingering on the corner of his lips.
His icy expression grew even more determined under that dark face, handsome yet sinister like an evil spirit rising from hell. His eyes glinted with a chill light—
No one was going to take away his treasure.
When Jiang Luoluo emerged from the bathroom, his hair was still damp. He held a towel in both hands, drying his hair. He had probably soaked in the tub too long; now his body felt limp and weak.
Glancing at the empty bed, Jiang Luoluo let out a small, puzzled sound.
Padding across the floor barefoot, his voice softened further as humidity still clung to his throat. “Fu Tingchuan~”
The door opened, and Fu Tingchuan walked in with his phone. His expression wasn’t particularly good, but when he saw Jiang Luoluo, his features softened instantly.
Jiang Luoluo lifted his small face, as pale as white jade, and wheedled. “Fu Tingchuan~ Dry my hair for me~”
Fu Tingchuan touched his cheek, his deep eyes holding complex emotions Jiang Luoluo couldn’t understand. He replied softly, “Sure.”
Fu Tingchuan picked him up and set him on a chair. Jiang Luoluo happily swung his little legs. Seeing Fu Tingchuan bring over a hairdryer, he purposely extended his fair, delicate hands and pitifully pretended to be upset. “It’s red…”
As expected, Fu Tingchuan pulled his hands over and kissed his fingertips with icy lips. “Don’t do things like that again.”
Jiang Luoluo’s hands clenched into tiny fists. With a sweet smile on his face, he whispered softly, “I’m willing”.
Even though he’d been doing the same thing all day, even though it was so monotonous and boring, he didn’t find it tiring.
In the beautiful dusk light, being held in Fu Tingchuan’s wide embrace, feeling his cool lips press against his own, he felt like all his hard work through the day had been rewarded.
He sort of understood why people in love are happy to do little things that might seem like a bother to others.
Seeing Fu Tingchuan smile made him over the moon.
The warm wind blew through Jiang Luoluo’s dry hair. Fu Tingchuan’s fingers gently stroked his hairline. Jiang Luoluo sat obediently on the sofa like a little kitten waiting for its owner to dry its fur after a bath.
Once the kitten’s hair was dry, Fu Tingchuan tucked Jiang Luoluo into a blanket. After playing on his phone for a while, Jiang Luoluo started staring at the bathroom again, looking wistful.
The sound of running water filled the air. It was as if Jiang Luoluo could picture the powerful arms of his lover, water streaming down his broad shoulders, along his chest muscles to the beautiful mermaid line…
The steam would dampen his eyebrows, blur his sharp and handsome face, and gently kiss his straight nose bridge…
A sudden warmth flushed his cheeks as Jiang Luoluo abruptly lowered his head, burying his small face under the quilt, leaving only the tips of his slightly reddened ears visible.
He had shared this bed with this persona of Fu Tingchuan for more than one night, yet nothing significant had ever occurred.
Only time would tell if tonight would be different…
Jiang Luoluo unconsciously bit his lip, a blush spreading across his cheeks as he burrowed deeper under the covers.
Footsteps approached from the direction of the bathroom, growing closer with each step. The mattress shifted, and a damp chest pressed against his back.
Someone tugged at the fabric at his shoulder. Fu Tingchuan’s hand wrapped around his waist as he leaned down to press his lips against the bone at the back of his shoulder.
Jiang Luoluo’s body tensed, helpless as his clothes were stripped away.
“Baby.”
A smooth voice whispered into his ear. The person behind him spoke huskily, sounding incredibly gentle.
“Is this okay?”
Jiang Luoluo covered his face with both hands, his voice so soft it was barely audible. “Y-yes… it’s okay…”
As he spoke, there was no reply from Fu Tingchuan. Instead, Jiang Luoluo felt embarrassed, his face flushing red.
His voice was delicate and moist, the end of his words quivering, sounding utterly powerless—exceptionally vulnerable.
Fu Tingchuan took him by the shoulders and turned him over. His incomparably handsome face came even closer to Jiang Luoluo. The latter unconsciously slowed his breathing, looking at Fu Tingchuan nervously.
Those dewy eyes watched him, as innocent as a fawn’s in the forest. Fu Tingchuan bent down and kissed the tip of Jiang Luoluo’s nose. Shaking, Jiang Luoluo closed his eyes, letting his small hands rest on either side of his head.
She was beautiful and fragile.
“Why are you not looking at me?”
The man’s husky voice made Jiang Luoluo open his eyes. His thick, long lashes lifted, revealing almond-shaped eyes with slightly upturned corners, as if meticulously drawn by an artist’s hand.
With his heart pounding wildly, Jiang Luoluo bit his lip and wrapped his arms around Fu Tingchuan’s neck.
He seemed incredibly nervous, so much so that his body was trembling slightly.
Fu Tingchuan kissed his forehead soothingly. “Don’t be scared of me.”
Jiang Luoluo nodded, his eyes full of dependence. In a soft voice, he said, “Husband…”
The man before him was too gentle, affection clear in every glance. Emboldened, Jiang Luoluo leaned in, mimicking Fu Tingchuan’s earlier gesture. Pressing his lips to Fu Tingchuan’s forehead, he pondered for a moment, then whispered:
“LuoLuo likes you…”
Fu Tingchuan’s body froze, two conflicting thoughts tearing through his mind.
The lucid part sneered: “Likes? Look into his eyes—does he really like you, Fu Tingchuan, or the other man who looks exactly like you?”
The other voice stubbornly countered: “Maybe… just maybe… he truly does like me…”
Fu Tingchuan’s expression shifted uncertainly, torn between hesitation and resolve.
Suddenly, a small hand gently caressed his face. The delicate features, filled with love, had bright eyes that sparkled as they took in his appearance.
It was clear she adored his face.
His heart felt like it was pricked by countless tiny needles, and a sudden chill washed over his entire body.
Fu Tingchuan turned over and reached out to turn off the light. “Go back to sleep.”
Jiang Luoluo stared into the dimming room, too dazed to react.
A large hand suddenly pulled him close, holding him tightly in an embrace.
In the darkness, someone stroked his face.
Perplexed, Jiang Luoluo tilted his head back to look at the person holding him.
The face hidden in the shadows showed no discernible expression, but through that darkness, his eyes—those ink-black orbs—seemed to see right through him.
Jiang Luoluo, unsure of what was happening, tentatively wrapped his fingers around Fu Tingchuan’s hand.
After a long while, Jiang Luoluo could no longer fight against the overwhelming wave of sleepiness and began to drift off into a sweet dreamland.
Dimly, he felt a large hand interlock with his own in the darkness. A man’s voice floated out from the shadows, the fervent obsession resonating with an eerie prolongation amidst the thick night:
“Mine.”
—-
Early morning. A phone’s ringtone echoed through the room.
Rubbing her eyes, Jiang Luoluo clambered out of bed to find the bedroom empty, though she could hear the electric toothbrush buzzing in the bathroom. Fu Tingchuan’s phone, placed on the headboard, continued to vibrate incessantly.
With a lurch, Jiang Luoluo reached for it and slid open the bathroom door, still in her slippers.
Their eyes met briefly before Fu Tingchuan took the phone. He even poked her cheek a little, teasing:
“Forgetting to greet your husband now?”
Hearing Jiang Luoluo call him “husband,” Fu Tingchuan finally swiped open the call answer key.
“Mister Fu! There’s been an accident!” came the anxious voice from the other end.
T/N: Alright, everyone, deep breaths. Let’s process this together. 🤡 Fu Tingchuan just went from boyfriend material to mildly terrifying, and I’m here for the drama. Also, Jiang Luoluo, honey, you’re playing with fire, but I support your life choices. 🔥
If you enjoyed this chapter and want to support my caffeine-fueled translation sessions (or just bribe me into working faster 👀), feel free to buy me a Ko-fi! Every sip of coffee helps me cope with Fu Tingchuan’s… unique brand of romance. ☕💖
It’s actually a bit annoying that Gong always misunderstands, eventually falling annoying. Like, dude? Are you sure all faces look like you? Oh my… Moreover, I seem to know that this accident involves that despicable White Lotus, looking for drama.