Chapter 26: I Want to Live a Normal Married Life (1)

The cold, pale moonlight cast a hazy glow upon Leng Mohan’s face. Stripped of the cold indifference and guardedness he wore during the day, his features appeared unexpectedly gentle. In this slumber, he looked just like the boy he once was—back when their relationship was still pure and simple, when he was the older brother and she the younger sister.

If only that incident had never occurred. By now, he should have been her brother-in-law. Lin Yan felt a profound sense of inner turmoil. Gazing at his face, she could not deny his handsomeness; he was striking indeed. If not for that frigid aura he projected, he would surely have been surrounded by beautiful women long ago.

Her sister was so exceptional, yet why…

The more she thought, the more conflicted and sorrowful she felt. Her chest heaved, her breathing grew rapid, and for a moment, she felt as if she were suffocating. She gripped the fabric over her chest tightly, but it did little to alleviate the oppression in her heart.

She felt as though she had lost track of time. The scenes from that day flickered incessantly through her mind. Two years had passed, yet it felt as if it had happened only yesterday.

"What is wrong?" A sudden, slightly raspy voice shattered her thoughts.

Leng Mohan sat up in bed, one hand steadying her waist, the other reaching out to take her hand. "Yan, Yan?"

Lin Yan stared at him blankly, her face deathly pale. After a long silence, she curled her lips into a smile. "Why are you awake?"

Leng Mohan’s lips moved, but in the end, he said nothing.

Lin Yan spoke again, "Mother has already left. There is really no need to force yourself to stay here with me."

Leng Mohan stared at her coldly for a long moment before reaching out to pull her into his arms. "I am not forcing myself. Are you?"

"How could I be?" Lin Yan replied faintly.

They both lay back down, resting in silence, staring straight up at the ceiling. In the entire room, there was no sound other than their breathing. Unlike other married couples who slept in an embrace, there was a wide gap between them.

Leng Mohan’s breathing became steady and rhythmic, carrying the faint, pleasant scent of tobacco.

Lin Yan, however, kept her eyes open, staring at the empty ceiling. Thinking he had fallen asleep, she prepared to get out of bed and head to the small study, feeling a sudden spark of inspiration she wanted to write down. But just as she moved to leave, Leng Mohan grabbed her and pulled her into his arms.

He held her tightly. His embrace was warm, yet it evoked a strange sensation in her—one that felt both unfamiliar and hauntingly known.

Her body stiffened in his arms. Aside from last night, they had almost no intimate contact since their marriage. Last night, her mother had been visiting, and her mind had been entirely focused on her mother’s room downstairs, leaving no time for awkwardness. But now that her mother was gone, why bother putting on this charade of affection?

"Am I that terrifying?" Leng Mohan asked with a soft chuckle.

As he laughed, his chest rose and fell with a gentle vibration. With her head resting against him, Lin Yan felt it clearly—so vivid, so real.

"Relax."

The hand around her waist tightened slightly. He whispered, "Yan, regardless of what happened in the past, it has been two years. Everything that should be forgotten, let it go. I want to live a normal life, just like any other couple."

When no answer came from Lin Yan for a long time, Leng Mohan knew she still could not let go of what had happened two years ago. Yet, for these past two years, he had been unwilling to trigger her. Though they lived under the same roof, he rarely encountered her directly, unless her mother was visiting.