A foot had just touched the ground when she heard a man’s magnetic and deep voice close to her ear, so charming in the night. "Won’t you invite me up for a sit?" Ruan Ming’s heartbeat suddenly quickened. Without a change in her expression, she lowered her gaze and spoke softly, "There’s someone at home, it’s not convenient. Some other time then, I’ll treat you to a meal." "Mingming?" A delighted voice suddenly rang out. Ruan Ming looked up to see a man dressed in a suit striding towards her, casually taking the bag from her hand, smiling, "I’ve finally waited for you to come back." Ruan Ming glanced at the driver’s seat subconsciously. The closed car window nicely separated her from the man’s figure. "Have you been waiting long?" The man shook his head with a smile: "Just an hour." A hand naturally landed on Ruan Ming’s waist. He turned his head to glance towards the driver’s seat, frowning slightly, "And who is this?" The car raced off in a plume of smoke and disappeared into the night in the blink of an eye, vanishing without a trace amidst the flow of traffic. Ruan Ming smoothed her hair, disheveled by the night wind, and said softly, "A friend, let’s go back." The man gave one last look in the direction the car had disappeared, frowned, hummed in agreement, and walked into the residential area, his arm around Ruan Ming’s waist. The house looked old on the outside but was decorated quite simply and warmly on the inside, filled with the breath of life everywhere. "Mingming, you surely didn’t eat enough tonight. Let me make you some soup noodles to fill your stomach a bit, or you won’t sleep well on an empty stomach." While Ruan Ming was showering, a gentle voice came from outside the door. A soft "Hmm" was drowned out by the sound of the rushing water. When Ruan Ming came out after her shower, there was already a bowl of delicious and fragrant soup noodles on the dining table, accompanied by a small dish of smashed cucumber, a sight that whetted the appetite. Ruan Ming sat down, and the man naturally took the towel from her hand and carefully dried her wet hair. His expression was patient and tender. Ruan Ming took a couple of bites, then laid down her chopsticks. The man frowned, "What’s wrong? Doesn’t it suit your taste?" Ruan Ming shook her head, feeling choked up inside and unable to eat. The man sat across from her, holding her hand, and asked with concern, "Did something unhappy happen?" Ruan Ming looked at the face before her, a man in his thirties, slightly plump, not particularly handsome, but pleasant to look at, especially those gentle eyes, which added a hint of a peaceful aura that came with the years. Jiao Zhenxing, her childhood friend, had confessed his feelings to her a long time ago. Over the years, he had been steadfast; now, he was the CEO of a publicly-listed company, not a large scale, but still somewhat successful. Recently, he had proposed to her publicly at her new movie premiere. She was not young anymore, she was tired, and this man—gentle and attentive—had taken utmost care of her. By all accounts, she should not reject him. Yet, deep down, she always felt that something was missing. Leaning in his arms, she sighed deeply, "I’m a bit tired." Joy flashed in the man’s eyes as he held her, "Sleep well, and you’ll feel better tomorrow." Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs N()velFire.net "Mingming, our wedding is set for the 10th next month. It’s an auspicious day, good for marriage. Make a list of your friends for me, and I’ll send out the invitations to them." Ruan Ming was stunned. Wasn’t this too fast? But she couldn’t find the words to object. In the years since her parents passed away, he had been the one looking after her; she could not bring herself to say no. At that moment, all she could do was pretend to be asleep, to gloss over the topic. She wanted to be an ostrich, hiding her head in the sand. Seeing her apparently asleep, the man carried her to the bedroom, laid her on the bed, and as he gazed at her sleeping face, he slowly leaned in to kiss her lips. Sweet, soft, an embrace he never wanted to let go. Ruan Ming’s eyes snapped open, and she struggled to push him away. However, to the man, her resistance seemed coy, which only fueled his desire. "Mingming, be mine," he rasped into her ear. Ruan Ming stared at the face before her. Marrying him was her best outcome; he would be a good husband, respectful and harmonious for a lifetime... Seeing her silence, the man took it as her acquiescence. At the critical moment, she mustered all her strength to push him away suddenly. Caught off guard, the man nearly tumbled to the floor. He steadied himself with difficulty and frowned at Ruan Ming. Ruan Ming grabbed the blanket to cover herself and shook her head, "I’m sorry, I’m not ready yet." Jiao Zhenxing narrowed his eyes then smiled, "No problem, I was too eager. I didn’t scare you, did I?" Ruan Ming shook her head again. "That’s good, you sleep well. I’ll be leaving," he said, picking up his clothes that had fallen to the ground and slowly walking out.