A Thousand Life Times

Book 14: What Are We?

As one could imagine, Hei Jinyu wasn't able to get much sleep.

He was not used to sleeping and sharing a bed with another, the sensitive and cautious nature he had developed over the years made it so that any slight movement or sound she made would immediately jolt him up from his sleep.

After finally falling asleep, he had merely closed his eyes for an hour before the biological body clock he had developed woke him.

Even though the sun had barely started rising in the eastern sky, Hei Jinyu could only sigh softly in resignation, it seemed that there were many things that were going to be changed moving forward.

He could feel her soft breaths creating a gentle rhythm against his shoulders and neck. A delicate tickling sensation dancing across his skin, a reminder of the intimacy they had shared just hours before.

Her arms were draped loosely over his waist, drawing him closer in a tender embrace as she nestled against him.

He withdrew his gaze, staring at the ceiling, his eyes tired but seemed lost in thought, the muscle in his jaw ticking.

In truth, reality crashed over him like a tidal wave, the weight of their actions from the previous night settling heavily upon his conscience.

Guilt flickered within his eyes as he reflected on the loss of control that had consumed him, like a wild beast unleashed from its cage.

In that moment, Qin Ruisheng shifted slightly, snuggling closer to his body, her movements drew him back from his thoughts as he froze still, afraid to disturb her sleep.

Enveloped by her warmth, Hei Jinyu felt a tremor in his heart unlike anything he had experienced before. A soft, fleeting smile graced his lips, a rare display of vulnerability that even his closest confidants and brothers had never witnessed.

For a man accustomed to the brutality of battlefields and the harsh realities of life, this newfound sensation of being completely ensnared by another's presence was both exhilarating and terrifying. 

He had prided himself on his self-control, yet in her presence, he found himself utterly defenseless, his every emotion laid bare.

No matter how he tried to fight it, he couldn't deny it any longer. 

He could only silently accepted the truth: he was irrevocably hers, bound by an invisible tether that tethered him to her whims, he was completely hers, wrapped around her finger to love or destroy.

With a gentle and slow turn, he drew her closer into his embrace, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. In that fleeting moment, he made a silent vow to himself: he was fortunate to have recognized his feelings early, for the thought of discovering them too late filled him with a sense of dread he could scarcely bear.

Their marriage started due to Qin Ruisheng's distant aunt who was blinded by greed, she had schemed to marry her son to Qin Ruisheng. With that, her own family could inherit the title of Marquis.

But everyone in the town knew that the son of Qin Ruisheng's aunt was nothing but a dirty scumbag. Infamous for spending all his time at a whorehouse; after spending away the families's money he then turn to gambling to earn it back. When that failed he would drink endlessly.

Everyone avoided him like the plague, but the maids of their house weren't lucky enough. He was a drunken scumbag who would ruthlessly rape and beat many maids to the point of near-death.

But when he saw Qin Ruisheng, he was driven with disgusting lust and greed for her.

At that time, Qin Ruisheng's dad had just passed and she was like a soulless doll. When she heard that she would be sent to live with her aunt, she didn't think too much about it, until he tried to rape her.