Chapter 3: Now I Want It Too

As dawn approached, Xu Anhao woke first.

Morning light seeped through the gaps in the sheer curtains, casting fragmented spots of brightness across the carpet.

She shifted her fingers slightly and realized Lu Shiyan was still holding her tightly.

His head rested in the hollow of her shoulder, breathing evenly in deep sleep. Even his brows had relaxed, losing yesterday’s sternness.

Xu Anhao’s heartbeat quickened. She turned her head gently, studying him closely for the first time.

During the past two days, she had either kept her eyes shut enduring the pain or only dared brief glances, never contemplating examining him properly.

Now, with morning light falling across his face, she could clearly see his full forehead, straight nose bridge, and sharply defined yet not harsh jawline.

Every feature was perfectly proportioned – the kind of appearance that made one’s heart flutter at first sight.

Especially when he slept, his long eyelashes cast faint shadows beneath his eyes, shedding his usual dominance and revealing a softer, more youthful quality.

Just then, Lu Shiyan’s eyelashes fluttered slightly before slowly opening.

His gaze remained drowsy, clouded with sleepiness.

He looked at Xu Anhao for two seconds before gradually comprehending, then suddenly curved his lips into a smile.

Not his usual teasing smile, but one carrying morning warmth, the corners of his eyes slightly crinkled, even his gaze softening:

“Seen enough?”

Xu Anhao’s face instantly flushed like a caught thief. She hurriedly lowered her head, murmuring softly, “N-no…”

Lu Shiyan chuckled lowly, his breath brushing her earlobe with a tingling sensation.

He didn’t tease her further, only tightened his arms slightly, pulling her closer.

His chin rested gently against her hair, his voice still husky from sleep, carrying a suggestive tone:

“Then… once more?”

Xu Anhao instinctively shook her head, but Lu Shiyan had no intention of letting her off.

His hand suddenly moved downward, grasping her wrist and gently guiding it beneath the covers.

Before Xu Anhao could react, her fingertips touched something burning hot and firm.

She jerked her hand back as if scalded, her face flushing deeper, her breathing becoming ragged.

Watching her flustered state, Lu Shiyan’s smile widened, his eyes filled with triumphant mischief.

He rolled over, pinning her beneath him, their bodies pressed face to face.

His forehead against hers, noses almost touching, his warm breath fanning across her face, his voice deep like honey:

“But it wants to.”

Before the words faded, he nuzzled the corner of her lips, his tone softening further,

“Now… I want it too.”

Before Xu Anhao could respond, his kiss descended.

He moved slowly from her lips downward, pausing to gently lick the red marks on her neck as if soothing the lingering pain.

Morning light gradually shifted to the center of the bed, the room filled only with their intermingled breaths.

Lu Shiyan’s movements were more patient than the previous two times, not rushing to take but carrying a comforting quality.

Yet even so, the prolonged intimacy left her entire body weak.

By the end, she could only lean against his chest, gasping for air, without even the strength to lift her arms.

After their intimacy, Lu Shiyan rose to dress, movements efficient.

Unlike the previous two times, he didn’t immediately hand her a check, merely leaning down to stroke her hair, his tone casual: “I have matters to attend to. I’m leaving first.”

Xu Anhao nodded, watching him pick up his suit jacket and walk toward the door. Only when the door clicked shut did she prop up her sore, weak body and sit up.

Her waist and abdomen still held a faint ache, but it was far less unbearable than the previous two times.

She reached for the check on the bedside table, her fingertips brushing against the paper’s texture when her heart suddenly sank.

This was the third time. Each time it ended, he would hand her a check for one million yuan like this.

He never asked more, never said more, as if fulfilling a tacit agreement.

She carefully folded the check into a small square and tucked it into the bag she always carried.

While changing clothes, she smoothed her disheveled hair in the mirror. A trace of lingering fatigue remained in her eyes, yet she felt more grounded than she had the past two days.

Three times. Three million yuan. Only two million left to reach the five million goal.

She didn’t rest any longer, grabbed her bag, and headed out of the hotel.

The morning breeze carried a slight chill, brushing against her face and sharpening her senses.
While hailing a taxi, she repeatedly felt the inner compartment of her bag, confirming the check hadn’t fallen out, before giving the hospital address.

She arrived at the hospital exactly at 9 a.m. The corridor of the inpatient department was thick with the strong scent of disinfectant.

The nurse at the station looked up from reviewing patient records and smiled at her. “Miss Xu, your mother’s monitor readings have been very stable today.”

Xu Anhao quickly thanked her and hurried toward the ICU.

Through the thick glass, she immediately spotted her mother on the hospital bed.

Several transparent tubes were connected to her body, linked to the monitor beside her, where a green line steadily rose and fell.

Though her mother’s face was still pale, there was a hint of color that hadn’t been there last time unlike before, when she had looked utterly lifeless.

Xu Anhao pressed her hand against the cold glass, gazing at her mother’s peaceful sleeping face. Her eyes grew warm, but she didn’t shed a tear.

She couldn’t cry. Hope was drawing nearer now.

“Mom,” she whispered softly to the glass, keeping her voice low to avoid disturbing anyone inside, “I’ve gathered another million. We have three million now. Soon… very soon, I’ll have the rest. Then you can have the surgery.”

The steady beeping of the monitor felt like her mother’s response. She tightened her grip on her bag, her fingertips brushing against the check in the inner compartment, filling her heart with reassurance.

Just two more times. Just two million more. Then her mother could leave this cold ICU, eat properly, and speak again.

A cool draft slipped through the window crack in the corridor, but Xu Anhao felt warmth blooming in her chest.

She stood outside the glass, watching her mother for a long time, until a nurse came to remind her that visiting hours were almost over. Reluctantly, she left.

As she walked away, she touched the inner compartment of her bag once more, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips.

Soon. Everything would be alright soon.