Chapter 76 - 1 Year

"1 year. A year is what I beg of you. Let me show you that I can be the best husband you could ever wish for, a man that would love you with all his heart. A man whose desire is to protect you and shelter you from all the pain you have right now."

Silence filled the room after Lu Chen uttered those words. The little kid slept deeply beside the two people without a care in the world. Only the small sound of the humidifier filled the room.

Xiu Mei fell into a trance as she gazed at Lu Chen's eyes. Those pair of eyes that kept pulling her into him as if she was hypnotized. Her heart pounded so loud that she suspected Lu Chen could hear it with him being so close to her. Her eyes trembled as she felt Lu Chen's hand tighten on her own.

She could read it in his eyes. His anxiousness at this moment. He could almost hear his thoughts, almost begging her to open her mouth and give him a response.

This person, the proudest person she'd ever known was now right here in front of her, humbly asking for her to marry him. This rich and cold person didn't even present her a ring or flowers yet, she couldn't find it in her heart to turn him down. Because deep down she knew, she knew that this person only became like this because of her.

He humbled himself even if he didn't need to, just to make her feel his sincerity. That he was trying his best despite being lousy at it. All his efforts and thoughts were conveyed and received by Xiu Mei.

Slowly, fear crawled in her heart. At this very moment, all her thoughts wanted to scream 'Yes!' but her heart only felt fear. She was marrying someone who hasn't fallen in love with her yet, and she was stepping into marriage despite not being in love with that person.

"Marry me, hm?" Lu Chen asked once again, as he tried to soften his voice, coaxing the woman in front of him to accept him.

And that was the last straw. All the walls that Xiu Mei surrounder her heart with crumbled with Lu Chen's words, as she finally gave him her reply.

"...okay."

Surprise and happiness bloomed in Lu Chen's face. He felt like his heart was floating in the air as he quickly pulled the woman back into his arms and buried his face on her hair.

"No more take backs, okay?"

"Hmm."

"Good girl."

The two of them stayed like that for a few minutes before they finally pulled away from each other.

Weirdly, Xiu Mei suddenly felt serene despite being scared awhile ago. She watched Lu Chen talking with someone on his phone but his eyes never strayed away from hers. Slowly, her suspended heart felt lighter and free.

Later, someone knocked on the door and Lu Chen quickly handed over the folder in his hands. After doing so, he returned to her side and sat on the little bit of free s.p.a.ce beside her. He held her hands and played with it with a smile adorned on his face.

Xiu Mei continuously watched Lu Chen's set of actions, then finally, she spoke once again.

"1 year." She stated. Lu Chen raised his head to look at her. Her wide eyes stared at him like a deer in the headlights.

"1 year, to fulfill my promise that I will love you, and pamper you."

"Okay."

"And after that, it's going to be our forever." He fixed the dangling hair on her said and put it behind her ear. His fingers lightly caressing her face.

Forever, such a hopeful word yet the scariest of them all. No one knows who they'd be with forever and yet this person is wholeheartedly promising this to her.

"Then let's make a contract."

"..."

"That I, Xiu Mei, will willing marry you, Lu Chen, and become your wife for one year. And if one of us feels that they are not happy and the feelings are still not mutual, then we will divorce willingly with a light heart."

"Xiu Mei…"

"Just heed me this request. You didn't even finish the courting stage when you suddenly self-promoted yourself as my husband. And you know I'll still hold a grudge with how you fooled me into signing the marriage application. You'll probably die in the hands of my father and brothers if they know the truth, and you still can't heed my request?"

"..."

Well, Lu Chen really can't argue with that.

He knows that his sincerity won't be enough to cover up how he had led her on to signing the paper and just doing these things on his own despite Xiu Mei's protests.

Fine, if that's what the wife wants, the husband shall comply.

"If that's what you want." Lu Chen promised. Xiu Mei finally let out the breath she was holding for a while ago. She pulled away from Lu Chen's grasp and beamed a cunning smile at him.

"Then Mr.Lu, you shall go your way for now as Lu Qiang and I take a rest, okay."

Lu Chen froze and suddenly felt at a loss after Xiu Mei called him 'Mr. Lu' again. And seeing that not-really-a smile on Xiu Mei's face, he was thrown into confusion why did Xiu Mei suddenly turn cold.

Uh… did he suddenly make a mistake that quick? In that short amount of time?

He wasn't even given a chance to ask Xiu Mei when the door of her room opened again. It was her doctor and a couple of nurses behind him.

Xiu Mei's eyes landed on the clock.

Oh, it's already that late.

The doctor greeted both of them as the nurse pulled out a wheelchair from behind her. She was going for another test again.

"Stay here and watch Lu Qiang for me." Xiu Mei told Lu Chen after she pushed the blanket away from her body.

"Oh." Lu Chen quickly a.s.sisted her as he held her shoulders to support her. She climbed down the bed with no difficulty and comfortably sat on the wheelchair prepared for her.

"See you later." She flashed a quick smile at him before the nurse pushed and turned the wheelchair towards the opposite direction.

Lu Chen watched Xiu Mei's figure disappear from the room until the door closed. His eyes stayed on the door for quite a while before he finally removed his gaze from it. His lips curled into a smile as everything that happened finally sunk in.

He proposed again to Xiu Mei. This time, she agreed.

A chuckle escaped from his mouth.

Xiu Mei was finally willing to marry him!

He couldn't stop himself from smiling. His hand flew to his mouth in an attempt to control his emotions but it seems he couldn't hide his delight this time.

Ah, Lu Chen. Look at how much you've changed. You don't even deserve to be called the Cold Emperor anymore.

He kept chuckling on his own that he didn't realize that the little bun woke up from the noise he was making.

"Dad, you look stupid." Lu Qiang heartlessly smashed his father when he saw him laughing and looking stupid on his own.