The silence in the car lingered.
But this time, it wasn't as suffocating.
Liu Meilin studied Lu Jianfeng's expression carefully, her earlier shock slowly fading into something else… curiosity.
A thought suddenly crossed her mind.
Her lips curved slightly.
…Don't tell me.
She tilted her head and looked straight at him.
"Are you… jealous of what I said?"
Lu Jianfeng didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he turned his head toward the window.
But.
He was a step too slow.
She saw it.
His ear… was red.
Liu Meilin's eyes widened in disbelief.
Then.
Her face lit up.
"So you're actually jealous?!" she blurted out excitedly.
Lu Jianfeng immediately turned back to her, his expression stiff.
"Don't I have the right to be jealous of my wife?" he said, his tone firm.
"Especially when she's happily talking about another man"
His gaze deepened.
"so excitedly… like I don't exist."
For a second.
Liu Meilin froze.
Then—
She burst into laughter.
Bright.
Unrestrained.
Completely different from the tension earlier.
Lu Jianfeng frowned slightly, confused by her reaction.
"What are you laughing at?"
"Hubby, don't be sad~" she said playfully as she leaned closer, wrapping her arms around his.
She rested her head on his shoulder, her voice soft and teasing.
"He's not even as handsome as you."
Lu Jianfeng paused.
"I'll choose you a hundred times even in different lives," she continued, her tone sincere despite the lightness in her voice. "If you're not there… I won't be with anyone."
She kept rambling, her words tumbling out naturally.
Slowly.
The tension in his expression eased.
"…Haa."
He let out a quiet breath.
Then lifted his hand and gently touched her, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.
"I'm sorry for startling you."
"Hehehe~"
She wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling brightly.
"Well… I was not only startled," she said, her eyes sparkling mischievously.
"I actually enjoyed it too."
Lu Jianfeng's brows twitched slightly.
"Stop joking around."
He tapped her forehead lightly.
"Let's go home."
"Ah!
Hubby~"
She pouted playfully, but didn't let go immediately.
Deep down.
She knew.
Lu Jianfeng was gentle with her.
Too gentle.
Careful… as if she would break.
But.
She wasn't like that.
She wasn't someone who wanted soft, fragile love.
She wanted something stronger.
Something deeper.
Someone who would hold her, claim her, and never let her go.
And Lu Jianfeng…
He was that kind of man.
Just.
Not when it came to her.
"…Yeah," she said softly, finally letting go. "Let's go home."
Lu Jianfeng restarted the vehicle.
The engine hummed back to life as the car slowly moved forward.
His gaze remained steady on the road.
But his thoughts were anything but calm.
To make Liu Meilin mine… forever…
His grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly.
I have to be careful.
I can't hurt her.
I can't lose her…
Not to anyone.
Not now.
Not ever.
The night stretched ahead of them.
As the car disappeared into the quiet road.
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