Su Banxia felt overwhelmed and puzzled. What was going on with Shang Lu? She needed to explain things clearly.
Ever since she learned about Shang Lu’s past and how he had been mistreated, she could empathize with his strained relationship with his stepmother. If she had been through such hardships herself, she knew she would never forgive those responsible.
As Shang Lu’s wife, her interaction with Shang Jingyao had aroused Shang Lu’s suspicions due to his inherently distrustful nature.
The sound of water trickling from the bathroom indicated that Shang Lu was still showering, so Su Banxia decided to revisit the photo album. As she touched the images within, she couldn’t help but admire the past Shang Lu, a young man in his prime whose radiant charm had left a lasting impression through these photographs. She sighed, thinking about how things could have been so much better if not for the accident.
She realized that she could never truly understand the pain of Shang Lu’s situation since she hadn’t experienced it herself. Even though her heart ached for him, she was just an observer and couldn’t bear the pain on his behalf.
What she could do, however, was encourage him to seek treatment for his legs and recover as quickly as possible. Shang Lu was in a better condition than many ordinary disabled individuals due to his wealth and influence. He had access to the best wheelchair and could travel anywhere with chauffeurs and bodyguards in tow. Yet, there were still many places he couldn’t go.
Su Banxia yearned to hold Shang Lu’s hand as they strolled together, to climb mountains, witness stunning sunsets and sunrises, and experience the silver moonlight on a peaceful beach at night, with Shang Lu carrying her along the shoreline, following the traces left by the receding waves.
So many things depended on Shang Lu, and no one else could replace him in completing those tasks.
The sound of the bathroom door opening caught Su Banxia’s attention, and she sat up abruptly, her gaze fixed on Shang Lu as he emerged from the bath.
He was dressed in a dark sleepwear, his black hair still wet, a few strands of hair clinging to his clear, cold brows. His pale and melancholic face appeared tense, exuding a sharp aura.
Tsk, tsk, tsk, he was definitely angry, just as she suspected.
Su Banxia placed the photo album aside and stood up, walking over to him.
“Shang Jingyao and I didn’t have any private conversation; he was the one who insisted on talking to me.”
Shang Lu glanced at her indifferently and said, “You don’t need to explain anything to me.”
Seeing the expression on his lips, Su Banxia couldn’t help but smile. She crouched down in front of him, looking up at him with a slight tilt of her head.
“Why not?” she asked. She grabbed his cold hand and continued, “I’m most afraid of being misunderstood, especially by you.”
Shang Lu looked down at her, allowing her to hold his distinctively jointed hand, not pulling it away as he often did.
When he had gone upstairs to find Su Banxia earlier, he had seen her and Shang Jingyao alone on the balcony. Shang Jingyao was tall and handsome, and Su Banxia was tall and beautiful. Standing together, they looked very compatible.
This scene deeply pained him.
He could never be a normal person and provide her with the future she hoped for. When she was with him, there would always be nothing but strange looks, pity or mockery. They would mock his disabled legs and pity her for marrying a cripple.
He felt angry and wanted to pull her aside to warn her.
In the end, he chose to leave on his own. When he returned to his bedroom, he felt icy cold, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. He wasn’t intentionally ignoring her; he just needed time to adjust. He had to calm himself first before facing her.
Su Banxia looked at his cold expression, his inscrutable black eyes revealing no specific emotion. Was he angry, or not?
Shang Lu was truly a master at concealing his emotions, and she couldn’t tell at all.
Su Banxia held back many words and looked at his still-damp black hair. She said, “Why don’t you blow-dry your hair? I can help.”
It was her first time staying at the old mansion, and she wasn’t familiar with the environment. She searched for a hairdryer for a while but couldn’t find one. “There’s no hairdryer in the bedroom.”
Shang Lu pursed his lips and said, “I’ll have the servant send one over.”
There was an internal phone in the room, and soon a servant brought a hairdryer. She held the hairdryer and looked at Shang Lu in his wheelchair.
“Come over, I’ll help you blow-dry your hair so you won’t catch a cold.”
In the summer, hair dried quickly after washing, but with the air conditioning on in the room, leaving wet hair could easily lead to catching a cold.
Shang Lu had developed a habit of doing things himself over the years, and he initially didn’t plan to blow-dry his hair, intending to let it air dry. However, in the face of her hopeful gaze, he couldn’t help but wheel his wheelchair over.
Su Banxia had never served anyone before. When she was a child, her mother used to blow-dry her hair because her hair was thick and long, and she found it troublesome to take care of it herself. Due to her family’s relatively good financial situation, she often went to the hair salon.
Later, when she started working, assistants helped her with everything. She had always been the one taken care of, so how could she serve someone else?
At first, she was bound to Shang Lu simply for the sake of survival, but as they spent time together during these days, she not only developed feelings for him but also felt a deep sympathy for him.
So, she wanted to treat Shang Lu well.
No matter whether it’s a man or a woman, once they feel sympathy for the opposite sex, the other person occupies an important place in their heart that cannot be easily let go.
Su Banxia tested the temperature of the hairdryer and, with her other hand, used her slender, onion-like fingers to comb through the man’s hair.
Shang Lu’s hair was soft and felt like satin. It had grown long enough to cover his ears, and the shadows in the front concealed his eyebrows and eyes, giving him a somewhat gloomy appearance.
As Su Banxia blow-dried his hair, she thought that in the next few days, she should arrange for him to have a haircut.
The humming sound of the hairdryer echoed from behind as the girl’s soft fingertips occasionally brushed against his scalp, creating a strange tingling sensation.
Shang Lu’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, and his neck to the base of his ears turned slightly red. The hand resting on the armrest clenched tightly.
When he couldn’t take care of himself, the old lady had arranged caregivers for him. However, the sensation he was experiencing now was completely different.
His heartbeats quickened, and it felt as if his heart was being scratched by a cat. His throat felt dry, and he inexplicably longed for something he couldn’t quite put into words.
Suddenly, a warm touch grazed his earlobe.
Shang Lu’s body trembled slightly, and he abruptly grabbed that hand, his voice hoarse, “What are you doing?”
Su Banxia’s voice sounded a bit guilty, “Ah, I didn’t do anything. I accidentally touched you. Can’t I touch your ear?”
She was blow-drying Shang Lu’s hair and noticed that his ear had turned slightly red. She found it cute and couldn’t resist pinching it.
Shang Lu held her hand tightly for a moment and then let go, saying, “Alright, no need to continue.”
Su Banxia withdrew her hand and turned off the hairdryer.
After taking a bath and completing her skincare routine, she came out of the bathroom. Her gaze swept over the place where she had left the photo album and noticed that it was missing.
She raised her gaze and stared at the man sitting by the bedside. She had clearly placed the photo album on the table, so how could it suddenly disappear?
Su Banxia searched the room for a while but couldn’t find it. She returned to the bedside and looked at the man with a suspicious expression.
“Where’s my photo album?” she asked angrily.
Shang Lu raised his eyes slightly and said, “What photo album?”
Su Banxia almost laughed out of frustration and pointed to the table. “I had it right there. Did you hide it?”
The servants wouldn’t dare enter the room without permission, so either Shang Lu hid it, or something was amiss.
Shang Lu remained composed and said, “What nonsense are you talking about? Why would I hide your photo album?”
Su Banxia climbed onto the bed and sat cross-legged beside him, continuing to stare at him with an accusing look. “Give it to me quickly. That photo album was given to me by my grandmother, and it belongs to me. You have no right to handle it.”
Shang Lu pursed his lips and stared at her with sharp black eyes. His implication was clear: he had the right to handle it.
Su Banxia gritted her teeth and confronted the domineering man. “Your photos don’t automatically make it yours. My grandmother gave me the album, so it’s my personal property.”
Shang Lu lowered his gaze and focused on a magazine, ignoring her fiery glare.
Su Banxia warned, “I’ll count to three. If you don’t give it to me, I’ll search for it myself.”
“…”
Su Banxia became impatient and chuckled, “Three, two, one.”
Shang Lu was taken aback. She didn’t even pause, counting instantly.
In the next moment, Su Banxia suddenly lifted the blanket and pounced towards him. She was careful not to put pressure on his legs, but she was on top of him, hands searching frantically by his side.
Since they had shared a bed, they had never been this intimate before.
“Su Banxia!” Shang Lu was pinned to the head of the bed, gripping her shoulders with both hands, and growled, “Stop it.”
“You give me the album, and I’ll stop.” Su Banxia continued her search behind his back, paying no attention to his frustrated demeanor. Her hands traveled down his back and reached under the pillow.
After searching the entire bedroom and finding nothing, she was sure it was hidden somewhere on his person. The most likely places were behind him or under the pillow.
Su Banxia reached under the pillow, searching, with her head resting on his chest. Her soft black hair emitted a faint fragrance.
Shang Lu forcefully grabbed her slender hand and even used self-defense techniques to flip her over and hold her down on the side.
“Behave yourself, and I’ll give it to you.”
Shang Lu’s eyes were slightly red, and his black eyes burned with emotions she couldn’t decipher. It seemed like he had been provoked.
Su Banxia was stunned and lay motionless on the bed.
Shang Lu pulled the album from the side of the bed and tossed it beside her. Then, he leaned over and pulled the blanket back over himself. His handsome face had a hint of suspicion.
Su Banxia noticed that his forehead was slightly sweaty, and he was breathing heavily, which was incredibly enticing.
The man looked like a god, cold and restrained, but in an instant, he seemed to have fallen from his divine pedestal, showing signs of human desires and emotions.
She felt a sudden heat in her chest, and her cheeks turned red.
During their playful altercation, her mind was in turmoil, and she hadn’t paid much attention. However, a man who had suppressed his desires for years was not someone to be provoked.
Shang Lu had a slightly troubled expression, and he clenched his hand, almost revealing the tension coursing through his body.
The atmosphere in the room became heavy, and the silence allowed them to hear the sounds of insects outside the window.
Suddenly, Su Banxia’s mind seemed to glitch, and she said, “Let’s try.”
Shang Lu froze and slowly turned to look at her.
Su Banxia, summoning her courage from somewhere, knelt on the bed, supporting herself with her hands, and gazed at him intently. “What do you think?”
Shang Lu’s expression darkened instantly, and he responded coldly, “Do you even know what you’re saying?”
Su Banxia bit her lip and said, “I’m serious.”
Shang Lu pursed his lips, and his gaze turned somewhat dangerous.
Su Banxia looked at him with a hint of suspicion.
As far as she knew, Shang Lu only had issues with his lower legs, and his thighs and upper body were healthy. He should be capable.
Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, and she suppressed the shyness within her as she softly asked, “Is it not possible?”
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