Under Meng Ruozhao's gaze,
Pei Jiangmu seemed to have exhausted all his strength. His voice softened, carrying a kind of cautious vulnerability.
"But Ruozhao, when I saw those photos and heard others say you two were a perfect match... Here..."
He grabbed her hand and pressed it against his left chest, where his heart was pounding fast and hard, with an uneasy flutter.
"I feel so uncomfortable here, as if something is wringing it. I can hardly breathe."
Saying this, he looked up. A teardrop, finally unable to bear its weight, rolled down from his eye socket, leaving a wet trail along his cheek.
He didn't even bother to wipe it away. He just stared at her stubbornly, his eyes filled with the fear of being abandoned.
"I'm scared... I'm afraid you'll think he's better and that you won't need me anymore..."
"I didn't dare to ask you or show that I cared. I was afraid you'd think I was petty and immature..."
"And then, then you'd be even less willing to talk to me..."
He spoke intermittently and incoherently.
But he laid bare all his uneasiness, jealousy, and panic of losing her, which were hidden beneath his strong exterior, right in front of her.
He didn't question or lose his temper. He just showed her his weakness and grievances without reservation.
Looking at him like this, Meng Ruozhao felt as if an invisible hand was tightly squeezing her heart. It ached with a sour feeling.
Previously, she only thought he was clingy and jealous. She never truly realized that he had such deep - seated uneasiness in this relationship.
She stretched out her arms and hugged him tightly. She felt his body stiffen at first, and then he hugged her back even more forcefully, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones.
"Silly boy," her voice was gentle, with a pained sigh. "No one is better than you."
"Those are all baseless rumors. How could you take them seriously?"
Feeling the warmth of her embrace and the firmness in her words, Pei Jiangmu's taut nerves finally relaxed.
Who would have thought that Meng Ruozhao thought for a while and then spoke seriously.
"If I really didn't like you anymore and fell for someone else, I wouldn't let you be the last to know."
What she meant by these words was to tell him that she wasn't the kind of person who would act sneakily. If there was really no more feeling, she would definitely make it clear.
Moreover, she wouldn't start a new relationship before ending the previous one.
But these words, when they reached Pei Jiangmu's ears in his vulnerable state, were no different from a "pre - warning" of a breakup.
His face turned even paler than before. The pain in his chest made his whole body tremble.
His slightly shaking hands tightened involuntarily, hugging Meng Ruozhao even more tightly, as if this could stop the possible breakup words from coming out of her mouth.
"Ruozhao, don't say such things..."
His voice carried a hint of pleading, and his eyes were slightly red again.
"I don't want to be the last to know. I don't want you to leave me..."
Only then did Meng Ruozhao realize that her words might have been misinterpreted by him. She gently patted his back and comforted him.
"I didn't mean that. I just want you to know that I'm very serious about relationships. I won't start one casually, nor will I end one casually."
But Pei Jiangmu seemed not to listen. He just stubbornly repeated.
"Don't leave me, Ruozhao. I really can't live without you..."
Looking at him like this, Meng Ruozhao felt both helpless and心疼.
She gently held his face and made him look into her eyes. She said seriously,
"Pei Jiangmu, listen carefully. The only person I like is you."
"So, stop thinking about all those things, okay?"
Pei Jiangmu stared blankly at her. His expression showed disbelief - in front of Qin Mu, he had always been inferior.
But he didn't dare to show his disbelief too obviously.
Because knowing when to stop would prevent annoyance.
So he slowly nodded his head and buried it in the crook of her neck. His voice was muffled.
"Okay, I believe you."
"However, from now on, you should stay away from that Qin Mu. I don't like him getting close to you."
"You're mine. You can only be mine."
Meng Ruozhao felt心疼, and at the same time, his tearful appearance touched a hidden corner in her heart.
She finally understood what the saying "A man's tears are a woman's stimulant" meant.
She gently stroked the back of his head with one hand and patted his back with the other, full of pity for him.
"Yeah, I'm yours. Only yours."
This kind of comfort really worked on him.
Pei Jiangmu hugged her and fell back onto the sofa, tangling his limbs around her.
Like a large dog finally soothed by its owner, he was aggrieved but full of dependence.
Trapped in his arms, Meng Ruozhao didn't feel uncomfortable.
On the contrary, this feeling of being fully relied on seemed quite nice.
So she didn't know that from an angle she couldn't see,
A glint of relief and a hint of a successful plot flashed across those eyes that had just been filled with tears.
Then it quickly returned to that completely dependent and endearing look.
Although this sudden scandal scare gave Meng Ruozhao a false alarm,
it was undeniable that the huge amount of traffic that followed was actually converted into orders for [Floating Cloud Studio].
The studio's phone was almost overwhelmed with calls. The online consultation dialog boxes were flashing non - stop, and the number of reservations increased explosively.
Many of Qin Mu's fans came here specifically and said straightforwardly,
"The designer and the store recognized by our brother, we definitely have to support!"
"For our picky movie star to recommend like this, the level must be okay."
To deal with the surge in orders,
and to reserve time for the upcoming program "National Elegance Gala · Cloud Robes" which would require a great deal of energy,
Meng Ruozhao, Xu Lin, and Ai Gao started working overtime from dawn to dusk.
Drawing design sketches, selecting materials, communicating with customers, and following up on the progress of the work...
They were so busy that they hardly had time to rest. They often just grabbed a quick bite of takeout for meals.
Pei Jiangmu saw Meng Ruozhao's hard work and felt heartache.
Of course, he had a little complaint.
It wasn't about the work itself, but about the fact that the busyness had encroached on the tender moments they spent together.
But he also knew how much Meng Ruozhao loved and pursued her career.
No matter how much he wanted to monopolize her, he had to admit that he admired her focus and determination.
So he tried his best to adjust his work schedule. Whenever he was free, he would rush to [Floating Cloud Studio] to accompany her.
Sometimes he would bring a carefully prepared nutritious dinner and supervise her to eat.
Sometimes he would quietly sit in the corner and deal with his own affairs. Occasionally, he would look up and follow her busy figure with gentle eyes.
Sometimes when they needed a helping hand, he would help carry some fabrics or tools.
His presence was like a quiet mountain, bringing a sense of stability to the busy studio.
However, Pei Jiangmu's performance as a "24 - hour considerate boyfriend" incurred the dissatisfaction of his elder brother, Pei Jingdu.
"Pei Jiangmu, look at what you've become!"
Pei Jingdu slapped a document on the office desk, his brows furrowed tightly.
"Ruozhao having a career ambition is a good thing, but what about you?"
"You don't care about the company's affairs. You just run to that small studio all day long."
"You're just like a shadow. Is this how the second young master of the Pei family should act?"
"Using the current online term, you're a complete love - struck person, the kind that even zombies won't eat!"