Nan Yu's heart was pounding. Her voice was coquettish and her nasal tone was a bit heavy. "I... I'm sleepy."
In the darkness, her words weren't very convincing.
Especially the damp feeling on her fingertips clearly betrayed her most genuine thoughts.
Tan Linyuan lowered his head. His lips slowly moved downward and gently landed a kiss on her forehead. "Be good. It's all my fault. Bear with it a little longer."
Nan Yu couldn't tell what she was feeling.
She thought Tan Linyuan was really full of contrasts. Sometimes he looked like a cold and aloof Buddha, sometimes he showed a domineering and possessive attitude; in the blink of an eye, he became gentle as water.
This ever - changing Tan Linyuan made her feel itchy inside.
She wanted to bring out more possibilities in him. For example, what would he be like when he was really angry?
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but put it into practice immediately. She actively put one leg on his waist.
He grabbed her with one hand and asked her in a low voice if she would be obedient.
Nan Yu nodded.
When had she ever been obedient in front of Tan Linyuan?
Doing exactly what she was told not to do was her consistent attitude towards Tan Linyuan.
She was always good at fanning the flames.
In the past, Nan Yu was also very bold in front of him, but that was all based on their casual relationship.
Simply put, it was just a relationship in bed.
Now, she was not only bold but also genuinely coquettish and would whole - heartedly rely on him.
In front of him, she was becoming more and more complete and concrete.
She no longer called him "Uncle" or "Mr. Tan".
There was no gap or estrangement between them.
It was the posture of a little woman that only appeared in front of a lover.
Did she really want it that much?
Nan Yu controlled her shyness and boldly asked with pursed lips, "... Do you have a way?"
Well, he did.
Tan Linyuan lowered his eyes and looked at her expectant face.
"Didn't you come up with a good idea just now?"
Nan Yu looked blank. "... When?"
Tan Linyuan curled his lips. "When we were copying the scriptures just now, the tool you threw to me."
That writing brush.
Nan Yu suddenly realized. She wished she could cover her face. "I didn't say I wanted to use it..."
"I have some unopened ones."
"... You're desecrating Buddhism!"
Tan Linyuan glanced down at her. "Things are for people to use and don't have a fixed purpose."
What he meant was that the writing brush wasn't only used for copying Buddhist scriptures.
As long as one had a rich imagination and put it into practice, it could be used as a tool on any occasion and at any time.
Before Nan Yu could refuse again, Tan Linyuan had already made a decision. He got up from the bed. "Wait for me a while. I'll go get it."
...
Nan Yu didn't want to recall what had happened the previous night at all.
She only remembered that someone was holding her legs while the writing brush was moving on the rice paper with her name on it.
Wherever it passed, it made the depths of her body surge and ebb continuously, and her eyes were always wet.
He just smiled, pressed against her earlobe from behind and praised her with a "You're so amazing".
How amazing was she?
He couldn't stand her question and had to answer honestly: The ink used to dip the writing brush just never seemed to run out.
Facts proved that Nan Yu was no match for Tan Linyuan.
After he had taken good care of her, he wiped the sweat off her with a tissue and held her again, ready to go to sleep.
Nan Yu gently poked his chest with her finger. "Aren't you uncomfortable?"
Even though she was so exhausted that she could hardly breathe, she still had the heart to care about his situation.
Tan Linyuan half - smiled. He didn't speak until a few seconds later. "Isn't this what you wanted?"
She knew he couldn't do it but still kept testing on the edge of danger again and again.
She knew for sure that he wouldn't take risks with her, so she set the fire recklessly.
Now Nan Yu felt guilty. She said in a small voice, "I'll make it up to you later."
"No need to wait."
"Then... now?" Nan Yu asked naively.
Tan Linyuan laughed. He wanted to say that if they continued like this, neither of them would be able to sleep that night.
He was used to staying up late, but he couldn't let Nan Yu stay up with him.
He took her hand and smiled softly. "Let's talk about it after you wake up tomorrow."
What Tan Linyuan wanted was by no means just a momentary treat.
He wanted a lifetime.
...
The next morning.
When Nan Yu woke up, Tan Linyuan had already gotten up and prepared breakfast for her.
When she was sitting across the table having porridge, Nan Yu noticed that Tan Linyuan was dressed very formally today.
He was wearing a black suit and a dark red tie. Inside was a white shirt with the top button neatly fastened.
"Are you going out today?" Nan Yu asked him.
Tan Linyuan nodded. His voice was calm. "We're going out together."
"We?"
"Yeah, to get our marriage certificate."
Tan Linyuan had made an appointment for the marriage certificate procedure in the early morning last night, and all the relevant documents were already in order.
The whole process went very smoothly. Even when they walked out with the red marriage certificates, Nan Yu still felt a bit surreal.
She was really married.
And it was with Tan Linyuan.
Holding the brand - new marriage certificate in her hand, Nan Yu flipped through it several times. She couldn't help but say, "It was so easy to get the marriage certificate."
"Do you want it to be more complicated?" Tan Linyuan said in an unhappy tone. His voice was a bit cold.
Nan Yu shook her head with a smile. "No. I just thought about how Shen Yanche and I dragged it on for so long but never got the marriage certificate; but with you, we got the certificate the day after we said we'd get married."
"So?" Tan Linyuan raised his eyebrows.
"There's a saying that's really true: As long as you meet the right person, you'll get married soon." Nan Yu said very seriously. "You're the right person."
After hearing this, Tan Linyuan couldn't help but be touched.
He carefully put the marriage certificate into his pocket, leaned over and hugged her, and said in a low voice, "Thank you."
Thank you for choosing me.
For choosing my broken life.
Since she had given him such a once - in - a - lifetime opportunity, how could he not strive with all his might?
For him and for her.
--
Even though Tan Linyuan didn't need to make a big deal out of the news of getting his marriage certificate, it still spread like wildfire.
Even though it didn't spread widely, there were still some insiders in the circle.
Tan Linyuan didn't intend to hide it, so he just let it go and let the public opinion and the news spread and ferment.
As time passed, some people couldn't sit still.
One day, he took Nan Yu to the hospital for a routine prenatal check - up.
Just after he sent Nan Yu back to Yenanwan, he received a call from his uncle, Tan Jinxian.
Since Tan Linyuan took over the Chamber of Commerce and became the head of the Tan family, Tan Jinxian rarely called him home directly like this.
The Tan family wouldn't invite him over unless it was a major event.
He roughly had an idea in his mind. He first told Nan Yu to rest at home and not to run around.
As soon as he entered the Tan family mansion, he felt that the atmosphere in the whole family was unusual.
Tan Linyuan went straight to the backyard to find Tan Jinxian.
The old man was making tea in the bamboo forest in the backyard. The afternoon sun in the late winter was still quite warm, and it wasn't too cold to stay outdoors for a while.
Tan Linyuan walked over and sat down opposite Tan Jinxian.
"Linyuan, have some tea." Tan Jinxian picked up the small teapot and poured a cup of tea for Tan Linyuan sitting opposite him. "Just made. I haven't had any yet."
Tan Linyuan took it and slowly sipped the tea. He made a polite greeting. "Uncle, how's your health recently?"
"An old bone like me can still breathe."
Tan Jinxian smiled and took a sip of tea. "I just don't know if the younger generation below still listens to my orders."