《Laurie Was Abandoned, but Her New Husband Pampers Her to the Extreme》 Chapter 1 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation June was the graduation season for high school students. The weather in Ping City was so hot that the residents felt like they were being roasted on a fire. After Jose graduated from his postgraduate studies, he stayed in Ping City with Laurie. He had already signed a contract with a listed company in Ping City when he was in his third year of postgraduate studies. Jose¡¯s family was not well off, so Laurie forked out half of her salary to help pay for the tuition fees of Jose¡¯s three years of postgraduate studies. Many people said that Laurie was stupid, but Laurie was willing. She and Jose were childhood sweethearts. They had known each other since they were young and got engaged when they were undergraduates. Jose was a handsome man. Many people had confessed their feelings to him in school, but Jose had always been faithful to Laurie, giving her a full sense of security. However, Laurie did not expect that a man¡¯s heart could change so fast. The woman who made Jose change his heart was Anna, the daughter of the CEO of the company where Jose worked. Perhaps, in a metaphorical sense, when the flowers were too numerous, they became more mesmerizing. Jose met Anna in the company and after Anna expressed her feelings to him, he proposed to break off the engagement with Laurie. The pair of childhood sweethearts that everyone envied had been broken up by Jose¡¯s heartlessness. As for Laurie, because she was the one who was dumped, most of the rumors swirling around put the blame on her. ¡°I heard that Laurie was dumped?¡± ¡°Serves her right. What kind of woman would earn money to support a man¡¯s studies?¡± ¡°I heard that she even had a miscarriage. This woman is really worthless!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Women still have to love themselves!¡± The people who didn¡¯t know the facts simply opened their mouths and spat out flaming attacks as if trying to devour Laurie. However, did Laurie do anything wrong? She had only wrongly gambled her youth on a scumbag and gotten hitched with a guy of bad character. Laurie silently walked past the crowd of people who were spreading rumors and who could not stand seeing other people being better off than themselves¡­ It was Friday. When Laurie got home from work, she casually lay on the sofa in the living room. She was glad that she was a girl with a traditional mindset. In these few years when Jose was studying, the closest physical contact they had was just holding hands and kissing. When Jose suggested that they share a room, she did not agree either. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t agree back then, and so she was able to maintain her chastity. As soon as Laurie¡¯s phone rang, she answered it. ¡°Let¡¯s say goodbye then¡­¡± At this moment, the lyrics of the phone¡¯s ringtone were particularly fitting. ¡°Hello? Mom.¡± It was Laurie¡¯s mother, Meryl. ¡°When we were playing mahjong today, I heard from your Aunt Felice that you broke up with Jose?¡± Meryl¡¯s concerned voice rang out, and Laurie inevitably felt a little aggrieved. She cleared her throat which was almost choking back tears and said gently, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a few days now. So all of you already know about it?¡± ¡°What the hell is that bastard up to? My daughter is naturally worthy of the best.¡± Meryl was also filled with anger at the mention of Jose. Meryl didn¡¯t expect that man to be a hypocrite. ¡°Do you still remember your neighbor, Grandma Alice, who moved in next door when you were a freshman?¡± Meryl thought for a moment and asked Laurie. ¡°What about her, Mom?¡± When her mother suddenly mentioned outsiders, Laurie was totally baffled. ¡°She mentioned to me two days ago that her grandson is 30 years old and still doesn¡¯t have a girlfriend. He¡¯s in Ping City now. Why don¡¯t you meet up with him?¡± ¡°I just broke up barely one week ago,¡± Laurie said helplessly. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? As the ancient saying goes, if the old doesn¡¯t go, the new won¡¯t come. Don¡¯t think too much about it, Laurie. Just meet Claude first. Whether it works or not is up to you to decide,¡± Meryl tried to persuade her daughter. ¡°Besides, even if you two can¡¯t be lovers, you can still be friends. I¡¯ve met that kid before. He¡¯s of quite good character,¡± Meryl continued. Under her mother¡¯s persuasion, Laurie finally agreed to meet Claude. Meryl was also a woman of action. It happened to be Saturday the next day, so she made an appointment for them to meet at nine in the morning. At 8 pm in the evening, a stranger named ¡°C¡± added Laurie on the messaging app. The verification message was, [Hello, Miss Laurie, I¡¯m Claude.] After confirming with her mother, Laurie accepted Claude¡¯s add friend request. After exchanging a simple greeting with Claude on the messaging app and setting up a meeting place for the next day, Laurie washed up and went to bed. The next morning, Laurie had a simple breakfast. Out of respect for her blind date partner, Laurie put on makeup and dressed up diligently. It was her habit to arrive 15 minutes early, but to her surprise, Claude was already there by the time she arrived. The man who seemed to be Claude was sitting by the window. His sharp eyebrows were well-defined and he was engrossed in reading a novel titled ¡°One Hundred Years of Solitude.¡± Laurie approached the man by the window with her copy of ¡°One Hundred Years of Solitude.¡± ¡°Hello? Are you Mr. Claude?¡± Laurie asked doubtfully. Upon hearing the gentle female voice, Claude looked away from the book in his hand. He raised his eyes and looked at Laurie deeply with his pure, dark eyes. His face was slightly tanned, and he was decently dressed, but he gave the impression that he was careless about his appearance. ¡°Hello, Miss Laurie.¡± Claude got up and pulled out a chair for Laurie. After Laurie sat down, he returned to his seat. Laurie felt that the man in front of her was at least 6 feet tall. When she exchanged looks with him, she felt an inexplicable sense of oppression. Nonetheless, she had some admiration for the man in front of her. Although he seemed to exude the temperament of a hooligan from the inside out, she could tell that he was a meticulous person. It could be said that he was an unrestrained and unruly introvert. Deep down in his bones, he was not the type to placate others. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 2 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Claude handed the menu to Laurie, and after Laurie ordered, he discreetly ordered a glass of orange juice which Laurie liked. When the orange juice was served, Laurie was a little surprised. She thanked Claude and Claude smiled at her in response. Claude¡¯s grandma had told him about this young girl before. She was a sensible, independent, and beautiful woman, but¡­ The two of them chatted casually as they ate. ¡°I¡¯m thirty years old this year. I¡¯m focused on my career and have no interest in love. I don¡¯t have an ex and don¡¯t need to be in a romantic relationship. But I need a marriage partner.¡± Claude explained his situation clearly. After hearing this, Laurie laughed instead. ¡°Grandma Alice should have told you about my situation, right? I¡¯m twenty-four this year, and I¡¯ve been in a relationship for seven years. Then, he hooked up with the daughter of the company¡¯s boss and dumped me. So what is there to look forward to in love? In this world, love is nothing more than this.¡± When Laurie talked about her past, she was extremely calm. However, Claude could detect the deep pain she was hiding under her calm appearance. Claude raised his hand and patted Laurie¡¯s shoulder gently to comfort her. This unexpected action brought an unimaginable sense of comfort to her. Mr. Claude was truly a rough man on the outside, but very meticulous inwardly. Laurie inexplicably consented to Claude¡¯s request. She replied softly,¡± Alright.¡± When Claude heard Laurie¡¯s response, his expression was unfathomable. The beautiful and gentle woman in front of him had spent seven years loving an unworthy person, but she was always firm, confident, and independent. Claude had to admit that he admired the woman in front of him, so he decisively made an appointment on his phone. When she saw that Claude didn¡¯t respond, Laurie instantly regretted her action. She wasn¡¯t a bad person either, okay? Just as she was about to speak up to retract her reply, she heard Claude¡¯s voice. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go now?¡± ¡°Now?¡± Laurie got a genuine shock. ¡°I¡¯ve already made an appointment for three in the afternoon. Where¡¯s your household registration document?¡± Claude asked seriously. ¡°In the apartment I rented,¡± Laurie answered subconsciously. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll send you back to get it first. After lunch, we¡¯ll proceed to the Civil Affairs Bureau,¡± Claude said, apparently having made his decision. ¡°Oh. Alright,¡± Laurie answered. ¡°Laurie, I promise you that although I can¡¯t give you love, I will definitely be a qualified husband,¡± Claude proclaimed clearly and earnestly. ¡°Alright. I believe you.¡± When she heard the man¡¯s promise, Laurie became determined too. Laurie was propelled by Claude every step of the way until that red book of marriage certificate was in her hand. Only then did she feel the whole thing was real. Laurie was now a married woman. She had registered her marriage with a man she had just met for a day. When she got home, she called her mother. ¡°Mom, Claude and I have already registered our marriage.¡± ¡°So fast!¡± Although Meryl also hoped that her daughter would get over the breakup as soon as possible, she did not expect her daughter to be so impulsive. ¡°Laurie, tell me. Why did you suddenly decide to marry Claude?¡± Meryl was puzzled. ¡°There¡¯s nothing great about dating. I don¡¯t want to date anymore.¡± Laurie¡¯s words carried a tone of being totally disillusioned with love. Meryl sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve seen Grandma Alice¡¯s grandson before. He¡¯s a good kid, but¡­ Forget it. Since you two have already collected your marriage certificate anyway.¡± ¡°Then when do you plan to hold the wedding?¡± Meryl asked. ¡°Claude and I have discussed it and we decided not to hold the wedding for now. We¡¯re both very busy with work and can¡¯t find the time,¡± Laurie answered seriously. ¡°Alright. Then do as you wish.¡± Meryl didn¡¯t want to interfere with the young people¡¯s decision either. Laurie put the marriage certificate on the bedside table and began to chat with her friends. [I¡¯m married.] [Which bastard is it?] [You guys don¡¯t know him.] As Laurie chatted with her friends, she received a call from Claude. ¡°Pack up. I¡¯ll pick you up later,¡± Claude said in a very forthright manner. ¡°Huh? What?¡± For a moment, Laurie panicked. ¡°Miss Laurie, I have no plans to live separately after marriage,¡± Claude said frankly. When Laurie heard Claude¡¯s words, she was astounded for a few seconds. On the other end of the line, Claude did not hear Laurie¡¯s answer and frowned. ¡°Well?¡± His voice startled Laurie back to her senses. ¡°Oh, okay,¡± she answered. Claude relaxed his eyebrows and said in a somewhat unyielding tone, ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up at seven.¡± Claude ended the call after Laurie answered in the affirmative. Laurie threw her phone on the bedside table and started to pack her luggage. Laurie was a scriptwriter¡¯s assistant. Her company wasn¡¯t large, but it was compact and capable. After all, all the essence was concentrated in that small organization. Everyone in the company could take charge of their job independently. Although Laurie looked delicate, she rarely dressed herself up elaborately. Usually, when she went to work, the most she did was put on lipstick to elevate her bearing. She did not have much to pack. Laurie had been an assistant for a few years and was very capable and efficient. Her colleagues in the company said that Laurie was an irreplaceable assistant. Laurie first made a list of items and then spent only half an hour packing them into her luggage. When she picked up her phone and looked at the time, it was only 6 pm. Laurie clicked on the video app and started watching TV dramas. Ten minutes into the video, the doorbell rang. Laurie checked the time. It was only 6:10 pm, and Claude was already here to pick her up? She opened the door and a woman wearing a red spaghetti strap top and a short black leather skirt barged in aggressively. Misha? Why did she come at this time? Laurie was extremely puzzled. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 3 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation ¡°Where did you hide him?¡± Misha¡¯s words were extremely aggressive and intimidating. Laurie frowned and ignored her rude ex-boyfriend¡¯s younger sister. Misha saw that Laurie didn¡¯t answer her, so she went forward and grabbed Laurie¡¯s arm. ¡°Laurie, I¡¯m asking you. Where is the man you married hiding?¡± Misha sneered, her tone full of sarcasm. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You just broke up with my elder brother and yet you are already married!¡± Misha was obviously feeling indignant for her elder brother. ¡°Hah!¡± Laurie gave a sneer and replied in an unyielding manner, ¡°Misha, who are you to question me? You are the younger sister of my ex-boyfriend, who abandoned his girlfriend of seven years in order to climb up the social ladder. You think you are qualified?¡± Laurie¡¯s tone was very sarcastic as she retorted without courtesy. ¡°Who can you blame if you¡¯re not as rich as Sister Anna?¡± Misha said in furious annoyance. Laurie really regretted not checking who was the visitor before opening the door. ¡°Is there anything else? If there is nothing, please go back to your home¡± she said, promptly driving the guest away. Misha stomped her feet on the spot violently and glared at Laurie viciously. ¡°Hmph!¡± She was jealous of Laurie¡¯s beauty and did not like her back then. Now that she saw Laurie¡¯s life was still the same as before after breaking up with her elder brother, she was extremely angry. After being scolded by Laurie, she yanked the door open and left. After chasing away the uninvited guest, Laurie closed the door. She finally understood that Misha was also someone who couldn¡¯t stand seeing her live a good life. However, the more people hated her, the more Laurie wanted to live her life well. Laurie adjusted her mood which had been ruined by Misha and continued to watch the video drama. At 7 pm sharp, Claude punctually knocked on the door of Laurie¡¯s apartment. When the tall and muscular Claude walked into Laurie¡¯s tiny nest, the room suddenly seemed a little crowded. Laurie looked around the room which had never felt congested under normal circumstances, then looked at the tall man and smiled faintly. ¡°How is it? Are you done packing?¡± Claude asked. He only gave a casual glance around the interior and didn¡¯t look anymore. ¡°Mm-hmm. I¡¯m done. Let¡¯s go.¡± Laurie picked up her luggage and motioned to Claude to follow her. Claude took a glance at the 24-inch luggage and asked, ¡°That¡¯s all you are bringing?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing much to bring. I don¡¯t have much, to begin with,¡± Laurie explained. Claude understood and immediately took the luggage from Laurie¡¯s hand. ¡°Let me carry it.¡± Inadvertently, Claude¡¯s broad palm brushed against the tip of Laurie¡¯s finger, causing Laurie to shudder inexplicably. Laurie withdrew her hand in a panic. Her ears were slightly red as she whispered, ¡°Thank you.¡± Claude did not reply. Laurie followed closely behind Claude. When she saw the man¡¯s muscles bulging as he exerted his strength, her heart felt a little itchy. The truth was, she had always admired this kind of man. Strong, muscular, and a soldier too. Laurie locked the door and followed Claude down the stairs step by step. The neighborhood that Laurie lived in was an old residential district and the apartment only had stairs. The stairway was extremely dark. As Laurie looked at the man in front of her, she suddenly slipped in a moment of distraction. Claude quickly reached out to support her. ¡°Thank you.¡± Laurie thanked him again. Claude simply carried the luggage down silently. Although he appeared very patient, only Claude knew in his heart that he despised Laurie a lot. Women were really troublesome. They could even fall while walking. However, the two of them met an extremely gossipy neighbor whom Laurie was not on familiar terms with in the stairwell. As soon as that neighbor saw Laurie, she began to mock Laurie. ¡°Moving away, Laurie?¡± the neighbor Aunt Linda said, her words imbued with hidden insinuation. Obviously, she was also one of those who maliciously slandered Laurie. Laurie murmured in the affirmative and didn¡¯t say anything else. When the neighbor saw that Laurie couldn¡¯t be bothered with her, she became emboldened and said loudly, ¡°You already have a new boyfriend so quickly! Laurie, you¡¯re so amazing!¡± Every one of her words was exquisite like a pearl, but the intensity of the sarcasm increased to another level. At first, Laurie didn¡¯t want to bother with this trouble-making neighbor, but she didn¡¯t expect the woman to become even more aggressive. Thus, Laurie did not show her any courtesy either. ¡°What does it have to do with you?¡± A simple sentence like that effectively blocked that woman¡¯s cursed mouth. Claude didn¡¯t say anything and simply walked forward with the luggage. Laurie quickly followed Claude to the entrance of the neighborhood district. A black sedan with smooth lines was parked by the roadside. Laurie estimated that the car probably cost around 30 thousand at most. It seemed that Mr. Claude was as poor as her. Claude placed the luggage at the back of the car and strode to the driver¡¯s seat. Laurie had already sat in the front passenger seat and fastened her seat belt. ¡°You¡­¡± said Laurie. ¡°Hmm?¡± Claude fastened his seat belt and raised his head to look at Laurie. Initially, Laurie wanted to ask the man about his financial circumstances, but after thinking about it, she decided not to. Thus, she replied, ¡°Nothing. I just wanted to ask where you live.¡± Claude started the car and answered simply, ¡°Hayes Bay.¡± When Laurie heard this place, she froze for a moment and repeated, ¡°Hayes Bay?¡± If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 4 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Claude instantly realized that he had almost let the cat out of the bag. ¡°It¡¯s a neighborhood district near that place called Prestige View Park,¡± he quickly added. ¡°Oh,¡± Laurie replied and stopped asking. Along the way, the two were silent. ¡°Mr. Claude, you¡¯re back?¡± The security guard greeted Claude when he allowed their car to pass. ¡°Mm-hmm. This is my wife.¡± Claude calmly introduced Laurie, who was sitting in the passenger seat. Caught off guard by Claude¡¯s introduction, Laurie smiled faintly at the security guard and greeted him, ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hello, Ma¡¯am,¡± the security guard replied with a smile. Laurie smiled bashfully. The car drove into the underground parking lot. Claude parked the car and opened the trunk to retrieve the luggage. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Claude said in a low voice. Laurie quickly followed him. The first impression that Laurie had of this place was that the security was not bad. Although it did not look like a particularly high-class place, everything was ordinary, simple, and down-to-earth. The two of them took the elevator and went upstairs. When they arrived at Unit 803, Claude put the luggage down and unlocked the door with his fingerprint. Then, Claude looked at Laurie and said, ¡°Come here for a moment.¡± Laurie went near Claude. Claude set the door lock and registered Laurie¡¯s fingerprint. Claude then gave an introduction. ¡°I rented this apartment. There are three rooms in total. There¡¯s a room that Grandma stays in occasionally. You can stay in the room next to mine first.¡± Claude¡¯s words did not have any room for negotiation and Laurie gladly accepted these conditions. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll follow your arrangements.¡± Claude thought for a moment and continued, ¡°We still have to pretend to be a loving couple in front of outsiders. It doesn¡¯t matter when we are at home.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Laurie thought that this was definitely a must. ¡°This is the agreement. Take a look. If there¡¯s no problem, you can sign it.¡± Claude took out an agreement which he had already signed from the drawer of the coffee table in front of the sofa and handed it to Laurie. ¡°Let¡¯s sit and chat,¡± he said after that. Claude sat down on the light gray sofa after he said that. Laurie took the agreement and sat down without hesitation. She then read the terms and conditions carefully. ¡°The length of our marriage is tentatively set at three years. Grandma really likes you, so we must act like a loving couple in front of her.¡± Claude looked at the serious expression on Laurie¡¯s face and continued, ¡°That¡¯s why you have to get along well with Grandma.¡± ¡°Although we¡¯ve registered our marriage, we don¡¯t have to fulfill our obligations as husband and wife,¡± Claude added. He was not someone with strong desires. All these years, all his energy was focused on the affairs of the CLD Group. ¡°As you know, Grandma is recuperating in Plymouth and will only come over occasionally, but we have to visit her occasionally.¡± When Claude thought of Madam Alice, his expression invariably became gentler. ¡°We should,¡± Laurie replied. ¡°Let¡¯s not hold the wedding for the time being. I¡¯m very busy with work now. If you need one, we¡¯ll hold it after I¡¯m done with this busy period.¡± Claude had never thought of having a secret marriage. Although he married Laurie primarily because of his grandmother Alice, since he had married Laurie, he would not hesitate to do what a husband should do. ¡°No need, no need.¡± Laurie quickly rejected the idea of holding a wedding. What a joke. If she held a wedding, wouldn¡¯t her father¡¯s messy relations and those vindictive rumormongers who could not stand seeing her lead a good life make things difficult for her? Therefore, there was no need for a wedding. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s it for now. If there¡¯s anything else, we can communicate again at that point. Take the agreement back and look through it first. If you have any objections to the terms, we can discuss them again.¡± With that, Claude ended the conversation. ¡°Rest early,¡± Claude said goodbye politely. Claude and Laurie went back to their separate rooms after they finished their conversation. Laurie opened the room door. True enough, the room was done up in the style that people like Claude liked. The whole room was very big, and there was a separate bathroom in it. The color theme was light gray, but the bedding in the room was military green. When Laurie thought of Claude¡¯s identity as a former military personnel, she was not surprised. Putting aside everything else, she really liked the color of the bed sheets. Laurie unpacked her luggage and played with her phone for a while before going to bed. The next morning. Since 6:30 am, the phone had been ringing non-stop. Laurie opened her eyes in a daze and picked up the cell phone next to her. The messages and missed calls flooded out. Before Laurie could check, the phone rang again and the caller indicated on the screen was her Grandma. Laurie didn¡¯t really want to answer the call, but out of courtesy, she still answered it. ¡°Why did you only answer the phone now?¡± As soon as she picked up, she heard Grandma¡¯s questioning tone coupled with an extremely nasty attitude. Just as Laurie was about to speak, Grandma¡¯s voice rang out. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 5 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation ¡°I heard that you¡¯re married? Shouldn¡¯t you give us a share of the betrothal gift money¡­¡± Laurie¡¯s grandma proclaimed righteously. She rambled on, one sentence after another as if she had already prepared a script in her mind. Laurie shot back unceremoniously, ¡°Grandma, why are you still thinking about my betrothal gift money? Let me tell you, no way are you getting anything! How did you treat us in the past? Have you forgotten? Didn¡¯t you say that you would never see us again until you die of old age when you parted ways with us? Why are you calling me now?¡± After Laurie was done with her outburst, she decisively blacklisted her Grandma¡¯s phone number. When she was young, she didn¡¯t understand why Grandma always disliked her and her elder sister. Later, she found out that it was because Grandma didn¡¯t like her mother, Meryl. Later on, her father cheated on her mother with his secretary, Nelly. Her mother decisively divorced her father and raised her and her elder sister alone. Laurie no longer thought about the past. After tidying up, she went downstairs and happened to bump into Claude who opened the door. ¡°I just made a simple breakfast,¡± Claude said suddenly. Laurie was stunned for a second before replying, ¡°Okay.¡± She stared at Claude¡¯s back profile, deep in thought. Claude, who had been a soldier for a few years, could clearly feel her intense gaze. He pursed his lips speechlessly. Then he turned around and scolded Laurie. ¡°Is it very nice to look at?¡± Laurie instinctively shook her head and then nodded hurriedly when she recovered herself. She cursed inwardly. This person had really ruined the image of a soldier in her heart. Influenced by his years of military life, Claude got up at 5:30 am in the morning. He first did some field training exercises, then took a shower and made breakfast. When making breakfast, Claude first made it for himself, but he suddenly remembered the new wife he just married and he impatiently made another portion. After finishing his breakfast alone, Claude was about to go back to his room to deal with yesterday¡¯s documents when he bumped into Laurie who just opened her door. The moment they brushed past each other, he smelled the girl¡¯s unique fresh fragrance, and Claude¡¯s heart inexplicably beat faster. Without thinking in depth about this emotion, Claude only felt Laurie¡¯s burning gaze boring into him, so he scolded her without hesitation. Claude finished dealing with his documents and raised his head to look at the time. It was already 9 am. He remembered that he hadn¡¯t told his Grandma about his marriage, so he gave Alice a call. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m married to Laurie.¡± Claude went straight to the point. Thump! Claude heard the sound of something dropping on Alice¡¯s side. ¡°Grandma, are you okay?¡± Claude looked worried. When Alice heard her grandson¡¯s concerned voice, she quickly replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I dropped my phone because you gave me a shock. Did you really marry the girl next door?¡± Alice¡¯s words were very hesitant. ¡°Yes. I registered my marriage with her yesterday,¡± Claude answered. Alice heard her grandson¡¯s confident affirmative tone and no longer doubted him. She instructed him, ¡°Claude, you have to treat her well. Laurie is a good girl. It¡¯s useless for Grandma to like her. You have to like her too.¡± ¡°I have the same feeling as you, Grandma,¡± Claude answered without thinking. Alice knew that Claude was just patronizing her from the tone of his voice, but she didn¡¯t call her grandson¡¯s bluff on his blatant perfunctory action. ¡°I¡¯ll visit you today.¡± Alice finally thought of a good idea to assist him. Relationships need physical contact to work. ¡°Grandma, you are coming over today?¡± Claude was clearly astounded. ¡°Alright, my good grandson. I¡¯ve asked Lisa to book me tickets for the 6:30 pm trip. See you tonight.¡± Alice ended the phone call, leaving Claude totally unprepared for Alice¡¯s move. Claude looked at the time. He opened the door to Laurie¡¯s room and unexpectedly caught sight of her fair, naked back. Upon hearing the noise, Laurie quickly put on her clothes and turned around to berate Claude furiously. ¡°What are you doing? Even though we¡¯re married, your behavior of not knocking on the door before entering is very shameful!¡± ¡°Oh. I will be careful next time.¡± Claude was used to living here alone and could not change his habit overnight. ¡°Oh, yes. Grandma is coming over tonight.¡± ¡°Sure. I haven¡¯t seen Grandma Alice for a long while,¡± Laurie replied happily. Claude told her in detail the stuff they had to tidy up before Grandma arrived and also the arrangement for sleeping together. After a moment of silence, Laurie agreed to all the arrangements. At 8:30 pm, Claude picked Alice up from the train station. ¡°Laurie, my beautiful baby.¡± Alice hugged Laurie. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Which room should I sleep in, Claude?¡± ¡°Grandma, the room you¡¯re staying in has always been reserved for you,¡± Claude said gently. ¡°Which room does Laurie stay in?¡± Alice suddenly asked. Claude and Laurie looked at each other. ¡°Grandma, what are you talking about? We are husband and wife. Of course, we stay in one room.¡± When she saw the couple¡¯s actions, Alice pushed open the room door next to Claude¡¯s room. ¡°Grandma!¡± Laurie exclaimed in fright. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 6 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Before the two of them could stop her, Alice had already seen the scene inside the room. The room was filled with Laurie¡¯s scent. Her clothes were neatly placed in the closet, and there was even a cute pink water bottle on the bedside table. It was obvious that Laurie had been staying here. Alice smiled at Claude. ¡°You. Explain.¡± When she saw the elderly lady¡¯s smile, Laurie couldn¡¯t help shuddering once. Although she was smiling, it sent chills down Laurie¡¯s spine. Claude stood up straight, but his eyes were a little evasive. ¡°Grandma, I can explain this.¡± His tanned cheeks were flushed unnaturally. It was obvious that he was not good at lying. He wanted to speak a few times but could not say anything. Laurie sighed in her heart. Since it was a collaborative relationship, she still had to help smooth things over at this time. ¡°Grandma, I can explain.¡± Her voice was pleasant, and then she gently held Alice¡¯s arm. ¡°I¡¯ve been too busy with work these past few days. I was afraid of disrupting his rest, so I came to this room to work overtime. You can¡¯t blame him for this.¡± Laurie appeared gentle and adorable, and her voice was sweet. Alice smiled again when she heard Laurie¡¯s words. However, Alice still looked at her disappointing grandson suspiciously and asked, ¡°Is this true?¡± Claude¡¯s face turned even redder, and he nodded stiffly. ¡°Sigh! Laurie, you¡¯re still young now. You¡¯ll have plenty of time to work hard in the future. You two are newlyweds now.¡± Alice whispered into Laurie¡¯s ear, ¡°Abstinence so soon after marriage? Not good.¡± After saying that, she gave Laurie a look that implied, ¡°Get my drift?¡± Laurie¡¯s face immediately turned red. Alice¡¯s voice was not loud, but Claude heard every word. He cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly. When she saw that the young couple were embarrassed, Alice smiled again. ¡°Alright. Grandma is here today. You don¡¯t have to work overtime, Laurie. You should go back to your room! Grandma will help you pack up now.¡± She walked brisklyinto the room and picked up the water bottle and pajamas. ¡°I won¡¯t take the blanket. It¡¯s such a hot day. A blanket for two is just right.¡± Laurie watched helplessly as Alice brought Laurie¡¯s things to Claude¡¯s room. She swallowed nervously. When Claude and Laurie returned to the room, they looked at each other speechlessly. In the end, it was Laurie who couldn¡¯t stand the oppressive atmosphere and spoke first. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m going to take a shower first.¡± Claude nodded silently and did not say anything. Laurie quickly grabbed her things, rushed into the bathroom, and pulled the shower curtain aside. Click! She then locked the bathroom door. Claude looked at the bathroom in disbelief. Was she afraid that he would peek? Laurie washed up as quickly as she could, then dried her hair and walked out of the bathroom. When he heard the sounds inside the bathroom, Claude felt a little strange inwardly and inexplicably thirsty. Claude felt his ears burning when he saw the smooth and fair skin of Laurie¡¯s calves exposed below her nightgown. ¡°I¡­¡± Before Laurie could finish her sentence, Claude suddenly stood up. He stared straight at the bathroom door. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower.¡± Then, she saw him march into the bathroom with military precision. After that, there was a bang, followed by a soft curse, ¡°Dammit!¡± For some reason, Claude¡¯s arm hit the bathroom door. However, he did not turn back to look at Laurie. Instead, he slammed the bathroom door angrily without locking it. As she listened to the sound of running water in the bathroom, Laurie felt her ears burning. Even though she had been with Jose for so many years, the two of them had never shared a bed before. Today, she was actually going to sleep with someone she had only known for a few days¡­ In order to dispel her wild thoughts, Laurie first shrank into the corner of the bed and tried to fall asleep. However, the moment Claude came out, she still woke up, but she did not dare to open her eyes. Laurie kept mumbling inwardly to herself, ¡°I¡¯m asleep, I¡¯m asleep, I¡¯m asleep.¡± Claude lowered his head to look somewhat helplessly at the woman who was pretending to be asleep. Finally, he sighed and walked to the other end of the bed to lie down. Minutes and seconds passed by, but neither of them could fall asleep. Claude felt a little annoyed. In the past, he had slept on the same bed or in a tent with his comrades, but now he could not put the tiny woman who had curled up into a ball beside him out of his mind. Laurie seemed to have sensed his frustration. She turned around gently and accidentally touched Claude¡¯s shoulder. In the next second, Laurie felt that her wrist was about to be crushed. She cried out in shock. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 7 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Claude came to his senses the moment he grabbed Laurie¡¯s wrist instinctively, and when he let go, Laurie fell off the bed as she yanked herself away. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Laurie gave a muffled grunt. Claude stepped over the bed and quickly tried to help Laurie up from the floor, but she flung his hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t you touch me.¡± She sounded like she was choking back her tears, and she stood up with some difficulty, with one hand still clutching her waist. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it deliberately.¡± Claude was somewhat at a loss. This woman was like a little white rabbit. Her eyes were reddish and she looked like she was going to cry soon. However, Laurie bit her lip hard and didn¡¯t say a word. Then, she sat on the edge of the bed. Only God knew that the fall just now had caused her to sprain her back. Now, Laurie was in so much pain that she did not dare to move at all. When he saw her demeanor, Claude guessed that she had probably sprained her back. He quickly squatted down and was about to lift up Laurie¡¯s nightgown. ¡°Let me help you take a look. You might have sprained your back.¡± He did not think too much about it. In the past, when his comrades were injured, they would help each other. Moreover, there were many female soldiers. However, Laurie was really going to blow her top. If it wasn¡¯t for the difference in physical size and strength between the two of them, Laurie really wanted to slap Claude in the face. However, when she saw Claude¡¯s strong biceps, she gave up on the unrealistic idea. ¡°No! No need!¡± Laurie said, her face completely flushed. She grabbed the hem of her nightgown tightly and stopped Claude from lifting it. Claude frowned. ¡°Let go! Your condition requires immediate medication to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. Otherwise, do you want to lie in bed for a few days?¡± When she heard Claude¡¯s order and interrogative tone, tears started to flow uncontrollably from Laurie¡¯s eyes. She tried her best to restrain herself and lowered her voice as she did not want Grandma next door to hear her. ¡°I¡¯m wearing a dress. Don¡¯t forget, we have an agreement!¡± Perhaps it was because she was embarrassed or angry, but her entire body was covered in a faint pink hue. The unique fragrance of a woman spread outwards continuously. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Claude immediately stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll go get the ointment now. Lie down under the blanket first. I need to confirm your condition.¡± He tried to make his voice sound as gentle as possible. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. After having undergone daily military training, I¡¯ve already formed a conditioned reflex. It was an instinctive action just now. It wasn¡¯t my intention.¡± He lowered his head and looked at Laurie earnestly. Laurie felt the burning gaze above her head, but she did not dare to raise her head. ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± she replied softly. When she sensed that Claude had left, Laurie finally dared to raise her head. She pouted and pretended to hit Claude¡¯s pillow hard a few times. When she heard him coming back, she quickly lifted her nightdress and carefully lay on the bed on her tummy. When Claude opened the door and came in, he saw that Laurie had covered her lower body with the blanket, and her nightdress was gently lifted above her waist. Laurie had a slender figure, fair skin, and two shallow back dimples on her back. It looked very sexy. For some reason, Claude¡¯s throat felt a little dry. He shook his head hard to keep himself clear-minded. ¡°I¡¯ll help you apply the medicine. It will hurt a little. Just bear with it.¡± He didn¡¯t sit on the bed but squatted by the bed. He poured the alcohol-based medicinal liquid on his palm, rubbed his palm, and gently placed his palm on Laurie¡¯s back. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± When she felt the pain on her back, Laurie couldn¡¯t help giving a groan. When he heard her reaction, Claude felt like his whole body had received an electric shock. The hands he placed on her back went numb. His voice was trembling a little. ¡°Did¡­ did I hurt you?¡± At this moment, Laurie had already buried her flushed face in the pillow and said with a muffled voice, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± When he heard her slightly aggrieved voice, Claude subconsciously softened his voice. ¡°I¡¯ll have to use a little more strength later. If I don¡¯t massage the blood clot away, it¡¯ll hurt even more tomorrow.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± After getting her response, Claude started massaging with a little more force. Laurie¡¯s skin was smooth, unlike the comrades Claude had interacted with in the past. The delicate feel of her skin made his palms sweat. Laurie couldn¡¯t stand the pain and groaned from time to time. She was also trying to hold back her voice, but the pain was truly unbearable. Meanwhile, Claude was massaging while squatting, and he had to control his strength. At this moment, he was already sweating profusely. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± After 15 minutes, Claude slowly stood up and stretched his somewhat sore legs. ¡°I¡¯m going to drink some ice water. You¡­¡± He glanced at Laurie, whose neck had turned red, and felt a little embarrassed. ¡°Straighten your clothes first.¡± However, as soon as he walked out of the room, Claude was shocked by Grandma standing outside. ¡°Grandma? Why aren¡¯t you sleeping in the middle of the night?¡± Alice narrowed her eyes slightly and stole a glance at Laurie who was lying on the bed. Then, she gently closed Claude¡¯s door. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 8 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Alice smiled mysteriously, and Claude somehow felt a little guilty. Alice looked at Claude, who was sweating profusely. Thinking of the voices she had just overheard, her smile became even more telling. ¡°Grandma?¡± Claude was a little puzzled. Alice patted his arm and said, ¡°Grandma knows you¡¯re hot-blooded, but you have to learn to control yourself. Control yourself, understand?¡± Upon hearing this, Claude was even more puzzled and looked at her with bewilderment. When she saw his expression, Alice thought that he was upset and rolled her eyes at him again. ¡°Grandma has been through this before. But you have to spare some thought for Laurie¡¯s body. She¡¯s so thin. She won¡¯t be able to withstand your torture. You two are still young. You still have a long way to go, do you understand?¡± When he recalled Laura¡¯s waist which was so slender that one arm could wrap around it and her delicate demeanor, Claude subconsciously nodded. ¡°Alright. Go back and sleep.¡± As she looked at her somewhat dull grandson, Alice felt a little helpless. Fortunately, Claude was not that dumb. Now that she thought about it, who could just look at a great beauty like Laurie and not touch her? Claude was pushed back to his room in a totally perplexed state. At this time, Laurie had already straightened her nightgown and was lying on her side on the bed. Claude carefully lay on the other side after looking at her somewhat helplessly. ¡°Women are so troublesome. They¡¯re too delicate,¡± he thought to himself. However, when he smelled the alcohol-based medicinal liquid mixed with Laurie¡¯s body fragrance, he felt very at ease and quickly fell asleep. When she heard the breathing of that person next to her gradually become even, Laurie was a little speechless. As she recalled Claude¡¯s series of gripping actions, an idea suddenly popped into Laurie¡¯s head. ¡°This man won¡¯t commit domestic violence in the future, will he?¡± Laurie quietly turned around and looked at Claude¡¯s broad shoulders and the muscles on his arms. Then she thought of his gentle application of medicine just now¡­ This man seemed to be very gentle too. He wouldn¡¯t be prone to domestic violence, would he? Unknowingly, as she listened to Claude¡¯s even breathing, Laurie also fell into a deep sleep. The next morning, Claude was woken up by a nightmare. In the dream, he was ambushed from behind by the enemy and the other party strangled his neck vehemently. No matter how hard he tried to break free, he simply could not break free. He wanted to call out to his comrades, but he realized that he could not make a sound at all. Just as he was about to forcefully break the other party¡¯s fingers, he heard a soft moan and smelled the unique fragrance of a woman. Claude suddenly opened his eyes and saw that Laurie had one leg on his stomach and her arm was tightly wrapped around his neck. When she sensed that the person next to her was moving, Laurie snorted with displeasure and rubbed her head against his neck. Suddenly, a warm current rushed straight to Claude¡¯s lower abdomen, and then a small tent rose up on his lower body¡­ Whoosh! Claude sprang up from the bed and rushed to the bathroom. After she was woken up by his series of actions, Laurie looked at the bathroom blankly. She lowered her head and saw that her clothes were a little disheveled. Her nightgown had unknowingly rolled up to her stomach level, revealing her white underwear. Laurie¡¯s whole face blushed and found herself lying on Claude¡¯s side of the bed. She guessed that she had lapsed into her bad habit of sleeping in a haphazard manner. While Claude was showering, she quickly changed her clothes and rushed out of the room with one hand holding onto her aching back. ¡°You¡¯re up so early?¡± Alice looked lovingly at Laura, who was holding her back, and her smile became more and more amiable. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you sleep for a while longer? This kid didn¡¯t also make you wake up at 5:30 am like he used to do in the army, did he?¡± Laurie did not expect Claude¡¯s grandmother to be in the living room at all. She was at a loss for a while. ¡°My toothbrush is next door. I¡¯ll go brush my teeth first.¡± She quickly found an excuse to slip away. As she looked at Laurie¡¯s back profile, Alice shook her head. ¡°Indeed, young people have better stamina.¡± At this moment, the bedroom door was opened again. Claude had already washed up. ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to criticize you, but you¡¯re used to getting up early when you were in the army. But surely a young girl like Laurie shouldn¡¯t have to undergo military training like you too?¡± Alice knocked her grandson¡¯s chest in annoyance. ¡°You tortured her the whole night and didn¡¯t even let her sleep well?¡± Claude looked utterly helpless. He was the one who was woken up by that woman. Why was everyone blaming him now? If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 9 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation ¡°I¡¯ll go make breakfast.¡± Claude didn¡¯t want to argue with his Grandma about this matter anymore. He hurried to the kitchen to make breakfast. By the time Laurie finished washing up, the food was ready. She didn¡¯t expect Claude to be such a good cook. He had prepared seaweed salad, steamed buns, porridge, and fried eggs for breakfast. Although the dishes were simple, there was a mix of meat and vegetable ingredients, and the taste was not bad. In the past, Laurie was always alone. She bought her breakfast on the way to work or only drank black coffee. She had never had such a sumptuous breakfast. Claude¡¯s gaze softened considerably when he saw Laurie eating with a contented look. On the other hand, Alice, who was sitting across from Laurie, looked relieved. She congratulated herself for having good judgment. This little girl would definitely be able to subdue her straight grandson. After the meal, just as Laurie was about to clear the dishes, she was stopped by Claude. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± He snatched the bowl from Laurie¡¯s hand, quickly cleared the table, washed the dishes, and then swiftly cleaned the kitchen. Laurie looked at him do all of this in disbelief. ¡°Your husband is not bad, right?¡± Alice smiled and held Laurie¡¯s hand. ¡°Look at how good your taste is. You found such a capable husband!¡± The corners of Laurie¡¯s mouth twitched, and she felt somewhat guilty inexplicably. However, looking at the figure in the kitchen, she suddenly felt that it would be nice to have such a husband in reality. ¡°Grandma, I have to go to work. You stay at home today. I¡¯ll make you something delicious when I come back tonight! I¡¯m also very good at cooking!¡± Laurie had a good impression of Alice. Alice didn¡¯t listen to other people¡¯s slander and treated her very well. She liked this grandmother from the bottom of her heart. Alice also liked this granddaughter-in-law. She pulled Claude over and said to Laurie, ¡°Let this brat ferry you to work.¡± Laurie was about to refuse, but Claude agreed immediately. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go downstairs with you.¡± Laurie, who still wanted to object, saw his determined gaze and gave up right away. After all, the two of them had agreed to show their love in front of their families. There was nothing wrong with a husband sending his wife to work anyway. As soon as the car started, Laurie felt that the masquerade mission was over. ¡°Send me to the intersection later. I¡¯ll take the subway back to my previous house first. I want to return the keys to the landlord.¡± Her marriage was too sudden, so she wanted to take advantage of the fact that she had left early today to return the keys. ¡°I¡¯ll send you there.¡± Claude looked straight ahead. ¡°This is also my responsibility as a husband.¡± Laurie, who wanted to say something, became tongue-tied when she heard his response. Laurie thought to herself, ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll cook something delicious to reward him tonight and call it even.¡± However, just as she reached the entrance of the neighborhood district, she met one of those people whom she hated to meet the most. She was Della. Della was the secretary Nelly¡¯s daughter, in other words, Laurie¡¯s stepsister. The two of them were not related by blood, but they had an even messier relationship. Since the divorce of Laurie¡¯s parents, her father had almost never appeared again. However, Della was in the same university as Laurie, and from time to time, she would give Laurie some trouble. ¡°Go park the car first. It¡¯s best if you park it near the exit. Otherwise, you may not be able to get out later,¡± Laurie said to Claude. She only walked to her unit¡¯s entrance after seeing him drive away. Della walked over. Laurie frowned and went upstairs as if she didn¡¯t see her. ¡°Did you become blind after getting married?¡± Della stopped her right away. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Laurie¡¯s tone was unfriendly. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing, just let me pass. I have nothing to say to the members of your family.¡± However, Della held Laurie back. ¡°Nothing to say?¡± Your grandmother is staying at my house! Hurry up and take out your betrothal gift money, or don¡¯t even think about leaving today!¡± When she heard that Laurie had gotten married, Nelly urged the old lady to call Laurie. However, she did not expect Laurie to be so heartless. In the end, even the old lady¡¯s phone number was blacklisted. Nonetheless, Della was not willing to let matters rest. How could this woman with such ill repute get married so quickly? She definitely could not let Laurie lead a better life than herself! Since there should be a betrothal gift for the wedding, she must make Laurie spit out this money! ¡°Isn¡¯t she your grandmother?¡± Upon hearing her words, Laurie also became furious. ¡°Since you call her grandma and that man dad, it is only right that you support them. My betrothal gift was given to me by my husband. What right do you have to ask for that money?¡± Laurie raised her voice and looked at Della icily. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 10 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation It was time to go to work, and many residents from the neighborhood had already gathered around. When they overheard the conversation between the two women, they stood at the side and gawked and gossiped. Della turned red, but she didn¡¯t want to give up. ¡°They¡¯re your biological father and grandmother. You should support them! You must take out the money today! You unfilial daughter! Aren¡¯t you afraid of being punished by the heavens for not supporting your father and grandmother?¡± As she spoke, she snatched the backpack from Laurie. ¡°You should have a wedding ring or necklace when you get married, right? If you don¡¯t pay me today, then give me all this jewelry. I can then take it that you have been filial to your elders!¡± Laurie held onto her bag tightly, but Della¡¯s weight of 150 to 160 pounds meant she still had the upper hand. In a moment of distraction, Della managed to yank away Laurie¡¯s bag. Della felt somewhat gleeful. She was taller than Laurie and had a lot of muscles. How could the thin and feeble Laurie be her match? ¡°I¡¯ll take your bag and your phone as collateral. I¡¯ll only give you the bag if you hand over the betrothal gift money. Otherwise¡­ Argh!¡± Della felt a sharp pain in her hand that was holding the bag and had to let go. Thereafter, Laurie¡¯s bag landed securely in Claude¡¯s hands. The air pressure around him instantly dropped. He looked at Della icily. ¡°How dare you commit robbery in broad daylight?¡± Della wanted to curse out loud, but when she saw the man¡¯s handsome face and muscular body, she suddenly blushed and began stammering. ¡°That¡¯s not true. You¡¯ve misunderstood. She¡¯s my elder sister. I¡¯m here to ask for her for my grandmother¡¯s maintenance allowance,¡± she hurriedly explained Della was afraid that this handsome man would misunderstand her, so she added, ¡°You don¡¯t know what kind of person she is. She¡¯s just a good-for-nothing that caused her family to lose money. She¡¯s been giving money to her ex-boyfriend and doesn¡¯t even support her old folks. It was said that she got pregnant and had a miscarriage. She could not have children anymore in the future, so she found a big sucker to marry. ¡°You can¡¯t trust this kind of woman! She may be pretty, but she is a slut deep down¡­ Argh!¡± Della wanted to slander Laurie further, but the handsome man next to her tightened his grip. ¡°I dare you to say another word about her!¡± When he heard this fat woman slander Laurie without restraint, Claude suddenly became downright incensed. When they saw that things were beginning to spiral out of control, the gawkers around them also tried to mediate between the two. ¡°Young fellow, let go first. If anything happens, you have to bear the responsibility too.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Let her go first. It won¡¯t be good if the police come later¡­¡± Laurie also didn¡¯t want Claude to get into trouble because of her. She quickly grabbed his hand. ¡°Forget it. Let her go.¡± When he heard Laurie¡¯s voice which was still calm, Claude slowly released his grip. Thereafter, he took out his cell phone and dialed a number. ¡°Someone is robbing people on the street. Yes¡­ There are surveillance cameras nearby. There are also many eyewitnesses. The culprit is also involved in defamation and extortion. ¡°Yes¡­ That¡¯s right. I must sue her. ¡°What? Only a 4 to 5-year sentence? Isn¡¯t it too little?¡± It was not known what the other party said, but Claude gave a sigh. ¡°Four or five years is still good. You can come and deal with it later.¡± Della was dumbfounded when she heard him end the phone call. Wasn¡¯t it just a conflict between her and Laurie? Why did this handsome guy suddenly want to sue her? ¡°Handsome dude, are you mistaken?¡± Della wanted to grab his hand, but Claude shook her hand off in disgust. ¡°Who are you? This is our family matter. What right do you, an outsider, have to sue me?¡± Della dropped her pretense. After all, she had been pampered by her family from a young age and had never suffered such a great grievance. Her voice also carried a tinge of anger. Claude smiled wickedly. Della felt her heart shudder momentarily and she felt a little fearful. However, the words she heard next struck her like lightning. ¡°I am that big sucker.¡± Upon hearing what Claude said, Laurie quickly lowered her head to stifle her laughter. Claude usually had a stern expression on his face, but when he said that he was that big sucker, his expression was really intriguing. Claude¡¯s hearing was very good. He glanced at the snickering Laurie in annoyance and handed her the bag. ¡°Thank you.¡± Laurie couldn¡¯t wipe away the smirk on her face in time and ended up accepting her bag with an awkward expression. However, in the next second, she heard something that nearly made her collapse. ¡°Since you¡¯re so weak, you should do strength training with me every day in the future. We¡¯ll start with a daily run of five-kilometer with weights.¡± If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 11 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation The two went upstairs to return the keys. By the time they went downstairs together, Della was nowhere to be seen. There were still some neighbors who had not dispersed. When they saw Laurie walking out, everyone surrounded her. ¡°You¡¯re married? This is your husband? He is so handsome! And so strong, too. Laurie, you¡¯re so fortunate.¡± ¡°That was simply too manly earlier. Are you a soldier? Or a police officer?¡± The neighbors were all probing and inquiring non-stop, so Laurie had no choice but to use the excuse of being late for work to drag Claude away and dash out of the encirclement. When they were sitting in the car, Laurie asked somewhat nervously, ¡°Did you mean what you said just now?¡± ¡°What?¡± Claude said, his eyes fixed on her. ¡°Nothing.¡± Laurie did not continue to dwell on this matter. She assumed that Claude was just trying to scare Della. The police probably would not want to get involved in such family disputes, let alone prosecute her. However, Claude seemed to have thought of something and answered, ¡°I meant it.¡± This time, it was Laurie who didn¡¯t understand. ¡°What?¡± Claude took out his phone and found the recording. It was a recording of what Della had just said. ¡°I didn¡¯t record a video, but the audio recording and the surveillance cameras in the neighborhood, as well as the eye-witnesses next to her, are enough for me to sue her. The lawyer said that the chances of me winning are very high and estimated that she will be sentenced to at least three years in prison.¡± Claude put away his phone. ¡°I¡¯ve already contacted a lawyer and called the police. Someone will probably deal with it later. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Laurie stared at Claude in disbelief. He did all this as if it were a trivial matter, and his voice did not waver at all. However, it was precisely this kind of attitude that suddenly made Laurie¡¯s heart feel warm all over. Claude felt her gaze and noticed that she was a little stunned. ¡°Not happy? You think I shouldn¡¯t have done this? I respect your opinion.¡± After all, he was overstepping his boundaries and meddling in other people¡¯s affairs. He was also afraid that Laurie might be upset. Only then did Laurie come back to her senses. ¡°No, this is a good way to deal with it. If we don¡¯t defeat them in one strike, there would be more trouble in the future.¡± When he heard her say this, a tinge of admiration crept across Claude¡¯s eyes. This woman wasn¡¯t as weak as she appeared. She didn¡¯t panic when she encountered a crisis and made prompt decisions. It was just that her physical body was too weak. Claude narrowed his eyes slightly when he recalled how she had failed to snatch her bag back from Della even though her face had turned red from trying. At the traffic light junction, he turned his head and looked at Laurie earnestly. ¡°What I said just now is true.¡± ¡°I know. Didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± Laurie didn¡¯t quite understand what Claude was driving at. ¡°The five kilometers is also true¡­¡± Laurie got out of the car in a bewildered state of mind. She even forgot to say goodbye to Claude. On their way here, Claude had prepared a complete physical training regiment while driving. He even added boxing. There was no way for Laurie to get out of this. Every time she protested, Claude would use ¡°you¡¯re too weak¡± as an excuse. Her objections went totally unheeded. As soon as Laurie arrived at the office, Amy leaned over mysteriously. ¡°Did you hear, Laurie?¡± ¡°Today, the chairman suddenly appointed a new department manager in the company out of the blue.¡± Upon hearing this news, Laurie secretly glanced at Beebo, who was sitting in the corner, in disbelief. Beebo was her senior. Not only was he good at doing business, but his performance in the company was also good. It was also due to his outstanding ability that he became an official scriptwriter in less than a month. Meanwhile, Laurie, who joined the company together with him, had been an assistant for half a year and would only become an official scriptwriter the next month. There was also news that Beebo would be promoted to department manager next month. What would happen to Beebo if a new department manager suddenly dropped down out of nowhere? ¡°Stop looking.¡± Amy patted Laurie¡¯s shoulder while the latter was still in a daze. ¡°Poor Beebo. To think that he was going to be promoted in a few days. Sigh!¡± Amy and Laurie weren¡¯t the only ones in the company who felt sorry. The other colleagues felt the same. ¡°Everyone, come over here.¡± The supervisor clapped his hands and stopped the discussion in the office. ¡°Let me introduce the new department manager starting work today. He is Jose, who¡¯s standing beside me. Everyone, give him a round of applause!¡± The supervisor had an ingratiating smile on his face. The other colleagues could also tell that this new manager had a formidable background. At this moment, Laurie stood rooted to the same spot in shock as she stared at the man in front of her in disbelief. It was actually him? If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 12 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation When he noticed that Laurie was in a daze, Beebo coughed lightly behind her. Only then did Laurie come back to her senses and start clapping with her colleagues. Not surprisingly, Beebo knew Jose and knew a thing or two about Jose and Laurie¡¯s past. When he received the notice in the morning that there was no hope of promotion, Beebo was still a little depressed. However, he never expected that the person who replaced him would be Jose. As he saw that the expression on Laurie¡¯s face was somewhat stiff, Beebo said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t let other people affect your mood to work.¡± Laurie turned back to look at Beebo gratefully, then nodded vaguely. At this moment, the interaction between these two was clearly seen by Jose up in front. He looked at Laurie with a slightly ominous gaze. After breaking up, this woman didn¡¯t cry or make a fuss. She even married someone else in a flash. Now, her face was actually so rosy and she was in a good state. She was really a heartless woman! After introducing Jose, the supervisor very attentively showed him to his office. ¡°What else do you think this office is lacking? I¡¯ll get someone to prepare it immediately.¡± The smile on the supervisor¡¯s face never once faded. Jose looked at the huge office. It was filled with a solid wood desk and chairs, as well as leather sofas. It was indeed impressive. In particular, when he saw the nameplate on the desk with the words, ¡°Department Manager Jose,¡± his mood improved a lot. ¡°Not at the moment. I¡¯ll let you know if anything comes to mind.¡± He knocked on the back of the chair and said, ¡°Send me a copy of the information of the department¡¯s employees. Also, let the employee standing in the middle just now be my secretary first. Someone has to serve me coffee.¡± The supervisor knew that Jose was the future son-in-law of the chairman, so he naturally obeyed everything Jose instructed. He nodded quickly and said, ¡°Sure, sure. Are you referring to Laurie? She¡¯s still a scriptwriter¡¯s assistant and isn¡¯t busy with work. She can be your secretary without any problem.¡± Laurie was beautiful and gentle. Indeed, everyone liked her. The supervisor did not think there was anything wrong with Jose asking for her. A somewhat creepy smile appeared on Jose¡¯s lips. As soon as Laurie returned to her seat, she was called to the office by the supervisor. ¡°Just now, Jose said that he wants you to be his secretary for now.¡± Without waiting for the supervisor to finish, Laurie immediately said, ¡°No!¡± ¡°No?¡± The supervisor was a little annoyed. ¡°Don¡¯t think that you can refuse to listen to me just because you will become an official scriptwriter next month! ¡°Do you know who he is? He¡¯s the boyfriend of the chairman¡¯s daughter. The chairman only has one daughter. Perhaps Jose will be the chairman¡¯s successor in the future!¡± The supervisor softened his voice again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He knows his status and definitely won¡¯t do anything to you. It¡¯s just serving him coffee for two days. I will get him a full-time secretary as soon as possible. How about you stick to it until you become an official scriptwriter?¡± When Laurie heard the supervisor using the opportunity to become an official scriptwriter to threaten her, there was only one thought in her mind, ¡°Resign!¡± However, when she thought about how hard it was for her to become an official scriptwriter, she decided to endure it. Wasn¡¯t it just a few days? She would just bear with it and it would be over soon. When he saw Laurie nodding, the supervisor smiled again. ¡°That¡¯s the right spirit! Go make some coffee and send it to him now. He won¡¯t make things too difficult for you. After all, I¡¯m still around, aren¡¯t I?¡± Laurie silently rolled her eyes at the supervisor in her heart, then went out to make coffee. As she stood at the door of the manager¡¯s office, Laurie mentally prepared herself repeatedly before finally knocking on the door. To her surprise, she heard a female voice. ¡°Come in!¡± Laurie opened the door and saw a beautiful woman sitting on the sofa leaning against Jose. This woman had auburn hair and a sexy figure. She was wearing a dress with cut-outs that accentuated her voluptuous breasts. As if she was declaring her sovereignty, she held Jose¡¯s arm and interlocked her fingers with his. Then she looked at Laurie provocatively. ¡°So you¡¯re Laurie? Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Anna.¡± Anna didn¡¯t stand up but looked up at Laurie with disdain. Jose looked a little embarrassed. ¡°Put the coffee down. You can go out first.¡± Laurie nodded and put the coffee on the desk. Just as she was about to leave, Anna stopped her. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Anna picked up the coffee and took a sip. ¡°As expected of your ex-girlfriend. She knows your preferences so well?¡± She turned to Jose with an unfriendly expression. ¡°Black coffee with milk and no sugar. No wonder you want her to be your secretary.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it!¡± Jose quickly explained, ¡°She was the one who brought the coffee in. I didn¡¯t ask her to come in. She made the decision herself!¡± Upon hearing his explanation, Anna¡¯s expression eased a little. Then she said with displeasure, ¡°Laurie, I¡¯m warning you. Don¡¯t have any wicked thoughts about my man!¡± If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 13 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation When she heard Anna¡¯s words, Laurie¡¯s face clouded over. Initially, she thought that she and Jose could live in peace and that it would be fine if Jose made her a servant. However, she did not expect this man to be so despicable. In order to please his current girlfriend, he would push all the blame on her. ¡°Have wicked thoughts?¡± No joy or anger was discernible in Laurie¡¯s voice. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You were honestly thinking about doing something?¡± Anna withdrew her hand from Jose¡¯s hand and looked at Laurie with her arms crossed. ¡°I¡¯m Jose¡¯s legitimate girlfriend. Shouldn¡¯t you check yourself in the mirror first if you are thinking of being the third party?¡± Anna¡¯s words were really unpleasant, but Laurie suddenly laughed. Laurie was the third party? ¡°If someone already had a legitimate girlfriend, he shouldn¡¯t have a mistress, right?¡± Laurie¡¯s eyes looked back and forth between Anna and Jose. Anna turned red at Laurie¡¯s words. She glared at Jose furiously. ¡°Look at her. Is this how you manage the company?¡± Anna knew she was in the wrong and didn¡¯t want to argue with Laurie in the office, but she didn¡¯t want to see Jose sitting idly, not helping her. ¡°To think that I begged Dad to let you be the department manager. Is this all you are capable of?¡± Her questioning tone made Jose feel somewhat awkward. Jose glared at Laurie and was about to say something when he heard a knock on the door. Now that he finally had an excuse to exit gracefully, Jose naturally wouldn¡¯t let it go. He cleared his throat. ¡°Please come in.¡± Beebo walked in with a pile of documents. He also felt that the atmosphere in the room was a little strange. He was worried that Laurie would be bullied, so he deliberately brought the documents in to help Laurie out. ¡°Manager, this is the department employee file you asked for.¡± When he saw Beebo, Jose felt a sense of superiority. So what if Beebo was an influential figure in the university? Didn¡¯t he still have to make a living under him now? ¡°Put it down.¡± Jose remained sitting on the sofa and did not get up. ¡°All of you can leave. Don¡¯t come into the manager¡¯s office without my permission next time.¡± Laurie wanted to continue arguing, but Beebo discreetly pulled the corner of her shirt. Only then did she leave the office with Beebo. As she watched the two of them walking out, Anna was a little upset. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you still have feelings for her? Why are you so protective of her?¡± Jose quickly pulled Anna into his arms and pacified her, ¡°How can that be? You¡¯re my greatest love. What happened today was just an accident.¡± When he recalled what Anna said just now, Jose became serious again. ¡°Did you allow me to become a manager here because you knew that she works here too?¡± As she could tell that he was a little angry, Anna pouted and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it all because I¡¯m still worried about you? Isn¡¯t it all because I love you?¡± ¡°Gosh! You¡­¡± Jose shook his head helplessly and gently tapped Anna¡¯s nose. ¡°Don¡¯t let your imagination run wild. You¡¯re the only one in my heart.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Anna left his embrace and said, ¡°Then prove it to me.¡± Jose suddenly felt a little nervous. ¡°How am I supposed to prove it?¡± It wasn¡¯t that he had no feelings for Laurie, but between money and love, he chose the former. ¡°There¡¯s a banquet tonight. It¡¯s a banquet held to celebrate the establishment of the Wansen Group¡¯s branch company. Come along with me.¡± Upon hearing Anna mention the Wansen Group, Jose¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Of course, no problem! Darling, why did you only tell me such an important thing now?¡± Jose knew that the Wansen Group had been investing in movies and television dramas. If he could establish working relations with them, would he still have to worry about not being able to establish a foothold in the company? ¡°Are you familiar with Wansen¡¯s management staff?¡± Jose asked in a probing manner. Naturally, Jose had heard that Wansen¡¯s vice president had also come to Ping City. However, he did not have any connections with him to start collaborations. Anna looked a little troubled. ¡°I guess you can say I am familiar with him, but¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± ¡°The vice president of Wansen, Bob, is somewhat lecherous,¡± Anna had an awkward expression on her face. When he saw her expression, Jose thought that Bob had some improper thoughts about Anna. However, what he didn¡¯t know was that Anna had indeed tried to seduce Bob, but Bob was totally not interested in a woman like her. Jose quickly comforted her, ¡°I will never work with this kind of people. Darling, don¡¯t worry. As long as I¡¯m here, no one can bully you.¡± Upon hearing his words, Anna displayed a sly expression. ¡°But there¡¯s one good thing about Bob. As long as the beauty is to his liking, it¡¯s not difficult to sign a long-term partnership, let alone a mere collaboration.¡± Jose gave her an incredulous look. ¡°You mean?¡± At this time, he already understood what Anna wanted to do. If he had to give Laurie to someone else, he was genuinely very reluctant. ¡°Not willing? Can¡¯t bear to part with her?¡± Anna¡¯s tone became more and more unpleasant when she saw his ever-changing expression. As he looked at the displeased Anna in front of him and thought about his future development, Jose finally gritted his teeth. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be reluctant about. Tell me your plan.¡± If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 14 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation ¡°Supervisor, I¡¯m just a scriptwriter¡¯s assistant. It¡¯s not appropriate for me to attend such an event, is it?¡± When Laurie was called to the office by the supervisor, she was told that she had to attend the Wansen Group¡¯s banquet that night. Normally, Laurie would never get such an opportunity. There was only one reason why she had to go this time. It must be Anna¡¯s idea. The supervisor said with a superficial smile, ¡°You¡¯re going to be an official scriptwriter soon. Attending more events like this and getting to know more investors will be helpful for you.¡± The supervisor had been with the company for more than ten years and had only reached the rank of a lowly supervisor. It was even less likely that he could attend such an event. Laurie had just joined the company not long ago, yet she was able to attend such an important banquet. However, looking at Laurie¡¯s appearance and figure, the supervisor could guess the intention of the higher-ups. If they did not send a few beautiful girls to this event, it was almost impossible to talk about collaboration. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re representing the company this time. Jose said that if you perform well today, you can convert to an official scriptwriter next Monday. Make good use of this opportunity.¡± When she heard that she could become an official scriptwriter, Laurie agreed eventually. Putting aside all other considerations, at least she wouldn¡¯t have to be Jose¡¯s secretary anymore after she became an official scriptwriter. ¡°That¡¯s the right spirit.¡± The supervisor took out a business card. ¡°This is the studio we¡¯re working with. You don¡¯t have to go to work in the afternoon. Go straight away to pick out your gown and get your make-up done.¡± Laurie held the business card in her hand tightly and was a little speechless. She was so unlucky today. She kept encountering all kinds of weird happenings. In order to ensure that she could squeeze herself into all kinds of gowns, she even skipped lunch. In the end, after thinking for a while, Laurie decided to call Claude. The moment Claude saw the phone ringing, he frowned again. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Upon hearing his indifferent voice, Laurie couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain too much. She only said that she had to work overtime tonight and would treat him and Alice to a big meal another day. ¡°Alright.¡± Claude did not ask her what she was going to do and ended the phone call right away. When he saw Claude¡¯s stern face and obvious displeasure, Jason couldn¡¯t help teasing him, ¡°Yo! Who made you angry?¡± ¡°Do scriptwriters have to work overtime often?¡± Claude asked. ¡°Huh?¡± Jason had absolutely no idea what Claude was talking about. ¡°Scriptwriter? Are you planning to become a scriptwriter after getting discharged from military service? What do you want to write? The 18 rules of a soldier? Hahaha¡­ Er¡­¡± When he looked at Claude, who was already fuming, Jason quickly changed the topic. ¡°Are you coming to my family¡¯s banquet today? I¡¯m begging you, come. I will be too bored if I am by myself.¡± Claude had turned down Jason¡¯s invitation in the beginning, not only because Grandma was at home, but also because of Laurie. As he continued pondering, Jason helped him make a decision at once. ¡°Your grandmother has already gone to my house to play mahjong. You should accompany me. I¡¯m really bored of those social events.¡± Jason pressed his hands together and looked at Claude with a pitiful expression. Finally, Claude nodded helplessly. ¡°Okay, but¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t reveal your identity!¡± Jason quickly stood up. He was already eager to get started. ¡°Let¡¯s go and try on the suits. I wonder how many beautiful women are waiting for me at the banquet.¡± At this point, Laurie, who was trying on the gowns, had already changed into many sets. ¡°Oh, heavens! My dear, your figure looks so ravishing in this dress!¡± The stylist was the effeminate Frey, and he kept heaping praises on Laurie. ¡°Is this dress too short?¡± Laurie kept tugging at the hem of her dress, afraid that she would accidentally expose herself. ¡°How can that be? Look at your legs. They are so fair and straight, and there¡¯s no flabby fat at all. It¡¯s a waste not to show off such beautiful legs!¡± Frey stopped Laurie, who was about to change her gown. The two of them were locked in a stalemate, and in the end, Frey compromised. Laurie chose a strapless, body-fitting gown with an asymmetrical hemline. The pure black dress was very conservative, and there was a ring of crystals at the hem. The gown was elegant and grand. It turned Laurie, who appeared somewhat young and inexperienced, into a sophisticated and gentle-looking debutante instantly. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Frey looked at Laurie with some dissatisfaction. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± She took a closer look at the dress she was wearing. Other than exposing her shoulders, the gown could be considered rather conservative. As for Laurie¡¯s hairdo, Frey simply did a natural wave on for her, making her look even more noble and graceful. When Laurie was done on her side, Anna and Jose were also done with their styling. The moment Anna saw Laurie, her eyes were filled with jealousy. Laurie had a thin figure, and her waist-hip ratio was particularly well-proportioned. Wearing a body-fitting dress accentuated her figure even more. Jose was a little stunned by what he saw. He had never seen Laurie dressed like this. He used to think that she was beautiful, but he did not expect her to be so drop-dead gorgeous. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 15 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Anna wanted to blow her top when she saw Jose staring at Laurie, but she smiled again when she thought of Laurie¡¯s ¡°job¡± later. ¡°Are you ready too? Then let¡¯s go to the banquet together?¡± Anna and Jose sat in the back of the car, while Laurie tactfully sat in the front passenger seat. As soon as Laurie appeared, she exuded an alluring aura. Even the driver, who was used to seeing handsome men and beautiful women, took a few more glances at her. Along the way, Anna snuggled up to Jose, and the two of them kissed intimately from time to time. Laurie felt her skin breaking out in goosebumps when she noticed their actions. The driver occasionally gave her a sympathetic look. It seemed that he was used to such situations. When they finally arrived at the venue, Laurie immediately got out of the car the moment it stopped. Anna, on the other hand, was the last to get off the car after much dilly-dallying. When the three of them arrived at the banquet venue, many eyes turned in their direction. Anna¡¯s expression became more and more unpleasant. Although Anna¡¯s family was somewhat well-known in Ping City, it could not be compared to the other aristocratic families at all. It was impossible for her to attract so many eyeballs when she appeared at such banquets in the past. It was obvious who these people were looking at. However, Laurie was completely unaware of all of this. She knew nothing about the life of the upper class in Ping City and only thought that these people were business partners of Anna¡¯s family. It wasn¡¯t until someone walked up to Laurie and started toasting her and asking about her background that she looked at Anna somewhat awkwardly. Although Anna was not completely ignored, she was not the main character of the banquet. There were far fewer people looking for her than those looking for Laurie. However, the moment Bob appeared, almost everyone crowded around him. Anna, on the other hand, pulled Laurie along and rushed to the front of the group. ¡°Bob, long time no see.¡± Anna seemed to be very familiar with Bob, but Bob¡¯s eyes never fell on her. Instead, he stared at Laurie until his eyes sparkled. ¡°This is the scriptwriter of our company¡¯s film division, Laurie.¡± Anna naturally knew what Bob liked, so she quickly pushed Laurie forward. ¡°Laurie, this is the vice president of Wansen Group, Bob. Quick, say hello.¡± ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Laurie.¡± Laurie extended a hand very gracefully. The moment Bob held her hand, he felt his nerves becoming aroused. Her skin was delicate and fair, and the feeling was completely different from the women he had slept with before. He knew at a glance that she was still a virgin. Bob licked his lips and looked at Laurie with a burning gaze. ¡°You¡¯re a scriptwriter? Your future is boundless. It just so happens that our company is also investing in movies and television dramas. Why don¡¯t we have a good talk? There might be a possibility of collaboration.¡± Bob grabbed onto Laurie¡¯s hand and refused to let go. The people around him who were perceptive had already left. These were all smart people, and they could tell that Anna was giving Bob a ¡°gift.¡± However, Laurie felt embarrassed. She struggled with all her might to free herself from Bob¡¯s grip. ¡°I¡¯m just a scriptwriter¡¯s assistant,¡± she said somewhat awkwardly. ¡°If you have any collaborations you want to discuss, Miss Anna will definitely be able to help.¡± When he saw that Bob was interested in Laurie, the last bit of humanity in Jose vanished. He quickly blocked Laurie¡¯s way and pushed her forward. ¡°Since Vice President Bob thinks so highly of her, then let her have a few drinks with you first.¡± Laurie glared at Jose in fury, but Jose didn¡¯t dare to look her in the eyes. ¡°And you are?¡± Bob didn¡¯t take this kid in front of him seriously at all, but seeing that he was quite good at reading people¡¯s moods, he said a few more words to him. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m the manager of Mingshang Film and Television, Jose. I¡¯m also Laurie¡¯s immediate superior.¡± Jose respectfully handed over his business card with both hands. Bob didn¡¯t even look at it and slipped the business card under the wine glass. Although Jose felt slighted, he still did not dare to show any disrespect. He secretly glared at Laurie. ¡°I asked you to accompany the vice president, yet you feel aggrieved? Don¡¯t tell me you want to become an official scriptwriter without doing anything?¡± Laurie glared at him with hatred. At this juncture, she finally understood the intention of these two people when they asked her to attend this banquet. Laurie felt downright disgusted. ¡°Move aside!¡± Laurie¡¯s tone was filled with anger. She pushed Jose away forcefully. However, Anna did not let her off. ¡°Then have a drink with the vice president as an apology.¡± Anna handed the glass over and whispered in her ear, ¡°If you don¡¯t drink this glass of wine and Bob gets angry, you can forget about being a scriptwriter.¡± Laurie gritted her teeth and asked, ¡°Can I leave after drinking a glass of wine?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Anna handed the glass to her, but she did not expect it to be intercepted by another hand. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 16 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation ¡°Bob, you still like to make things difficult for young girls?¡± The few of them looked in the direction of the voice and saw a tall man with blonde hair and blue eyes grabbing onto the wine glass. That person was a full head taller than Jose, which made Jose very displeased. Jose threatened in a low voice viciously, ¡°Who are you? Don¡¯t ruin things here.¡± ¡°Ruin things?¡± The man revealed a somewhat devilish smile and turned to Bob. ¡°Did Vice President come to Ping City to do certain things?¡± Upon hearing this, Bob quickly shook his head. ¡°Young Master, what are you saying? It¡¯s just a glass of wine. If the young lady doesn¡¯t want to drink it, then she can don¡¯t drink it. It¡¯s nothing, nothing at all.¡± Maybe it was because of fear or something else, but Bob¡¯s voice was trembling a little. His flabby double chin also twitched unnaturally. Anna had attended many such events with her father in the industry, so she could tell that the man in front of her was not to be trifled with. So she put on a smile and said, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Anna. May I know your name, Young Master?¡± She elegantly extended her hand, and the man raised his eyebrows and shook her hand. ¡°I am Jason.¡± ¡°Jason is the son of our chairman. He came to Ping City to supervise the work and also to familiarize himself with the work.¡± Bob hurriedly explained, afraid that Anna and the others would say something that irked him again. ¡°The Young Master of Wansen Group?¡± Anna and Jose spoke almost at the same time. There was no news that the Young Master would come, so Anna felt she was really bursting with good luck this time. However, before she could continue to get close, Jason stood beside Laurie. ¡°Miss, since you don¡¯t want to drink wine, can you show me around Ping City?¡± He gave a flawless smile, but there was a hint of doubt in Laurie¡¯s eyes. When he saw the look in her eyes, Jason moved closer and whispered in her ear, ¡°Or do you want to proceed to drink that spiked wine?¡± After saying this, he quickly stepped back to his previous position and smiled guilelessly. Laurie stared at him with wide eyes. Then she took a deep breath and replied, ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. Shall we chat over there?¡± Jason made a gesture of invitation like a gentleman and Laurie walked in front of him. When he saw the two of them leaving just like that, Jose suddenly felt a little resentful. He knew long ago that Laurie was always the center of attention wherever she went. He used to feel proud that Laurie was his girlfriend. However, now that Laurie was no longer under his control, there were actually so many people coveting her. Putting aside Bob who was next to him, there was now a Jason who appeared out of nowhere? Anna also saw his expression. She watched the back profiles of the two people leaving intently and began formulating other plans in her mind. ¡°Beauty, how is it? I saved your life today, didn¡¯t I?¡± Jason seemed a little smug. ¡°Thank you.¡± Jason was a little surprised to hear Laurie say only that. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± ¡°Then do you need a reward? Or do you have anything that needs my help?¡± Laurie kept a distance of about one meter from him. She did not think that Jason was a good person. Nonetheless, he had helped her, so she still had to be polite to him. Before Jason could think of how Laurie could repay him, he saw Michelle walking over with her arms wrapped around Claude¡¯s arm. ¡°So you¡¯re here? It took us a long time to locate you!¡± Michelle¡¯s tone was a little coquettish, but when she saw Laurie beside Jason, her eyes lit up. ¡°Is this lady your new girlfriend? Your taste has improved!¡± At this moment, Laurie¡¯s body was already a little stiff. She tried her best to maintain a smile, but her eyes revealed disbelief. Michelle was petite, and she held Claude¡¯s arm very matter-of-factly. The two of them were very intimate, and they were both dressed in white. They looked like a real couple. When she saw that Claude was also here, Laurie suddenly remembered that Alice was still at home. She wondered if dinner was prepared for Alice, but before she could ask, Michelle sensed that something was wrong. ¡°Darling, do you know this lady?¡± She looked at Claude with some displeasure. The other party only spat out three words. ¡°Don¡¯t know her.¡± ¡°Well, can¡¯t blame her.¡± Michelle leaned her head on Claude¡¯s arm. ¡°My darling is just so handsome and charming. Any woman would take a few more glances at him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. We really don¡¯t know each other.¡± Laurie suddenly felt a little suffocated in her chest. She bowed slightly to Jason. ¡°Thank you so much for your help earlier. If you need me to help in any way in the future, I¡¯ll definitely do it without hesitation. However, my grandmother is still at home. I have to go back and cook for her. Please forgive me.¡± If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 17 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Without waiting for Jason to answer, Laurie turned around and left. She felt that she was really unlucky today. Not only did she get bullied by her ex-boyfriend and his current girlfriend, but she was also almost drugged. What was even more disastrous was that she met her husband with another woman at the same banquet. In order to maintain his singlehood persona, Claude actually said that he did not know Laurie. In her heart, Laurie understood that the two of them were just in a collaborative relationship. They were married by agreement, and neither should interfere with the other¡¯s private life. However, after witnessing the scene just now, she still felt betrayed once again. As Claude watched Laurie¡¯s back profile as she left, he recalled what she said earlier, ¡°Don¡¯t know each other.¡± Was this woman angry? Then, remembering what she had just said, he asked Jason, ¡°What did you help her with just now?¡± ¡°Just a bit of assistance. I happened to see someone spiking her wine, so someone was probably scheming to give her to Bob.¡± Jason looked at the two people opposite him with some displeasure. ¡°I was supposed to be the hero who saved the damsel in distress and have the chance to spend the night with the beauty, but the two of you had to come and mess things up!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t have a chance,¡± Claude said icily. ¡°Right, you won¡¯t have a chance!¡± Michelle also stuck out her tongue. ¡°Darling, let¡¯s go. I want to eat chocolate over there.¡± She dragged Claude along as she spoke. Claude quickly took out his phone and sent Jason a message on the messaging app. [Go out now and send your sister-in-law home.] ¡°Sister-in-law?¡± Jason looked at the contents of the message and felt a little bewildered. However, he had been good friends with Claude for many years. He was like a brother and they had a tacit understanding. Jason suddenly understood. ¡°Sister-in-law!¡± Could that beauty be the partner of Claude¡¯s sudden marriage? What the heck was he talking about just now? Didn¡¯t these two people update each other on their own whereabouts when they went out? Although he couldn¡¯t figure out the crux of the matter, he didn¡¯t delay for even a moment before walking out. After making a detour around the banquet hall with much difficulty, Laurie arrived at the main entrance and saw the anxious Beebo. ¡°Laurie? Are you alright?¡± When Beebo saw Laurie, there was both nervousness and pleasant surprise in his eyes. Usually, Laurie was dressed plainly. She was a beauty all along, but not as stunning as she was today. Beebo was also a little dazed. ¡°Senior, why are you here?¡± Laurie asked with a puzzled look. ¡°I heard from the supervisor that Jose insisted that you should come to the banquet. I don¡¯t think he has good intentions, but I don¡¯t have an invitation, so I can only wait for you here.¡± Beebo¡¯s right eyelid had been twitching the whole day. He had a bad feeling, so he went to the hotel after work. ¡°Senior, thank you.¡± When she heard his words, Laurie felt warm all over in her heart. This was probably the happiest moment of her day. Just as she was about to take another step forward, she lost her balance because her heels were too high and she fell toward Beebo. Beebo reacted quickly and quickly held her up. He even had his arm around her waist. Jason arrived just in time to witness this scene. The words ¡°sister-in-law¡± remained stuck in his throat. As he thought about the task Claude had given him, he quickly took two photos of the two of them and sent them to Claude. [Someone is already here to pick Sister-in-law up. Should I still go to her?] When he saw the intimate actions of those two people, Jason suddenly felt that this couple seemed to be playing around on their own and did not interfere with each other¡¯s life. However, after waiting for a long while, Claude did not reply. Just as the two of them were about to get into the cab, Claude strode to the front entrance. ¡°Big Bro, you¡¯re finally here. You¡­¡± Claude walked past him and said without looking at him, ¡°Send Michelle home.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you waiting for me to go home together?¡± Claude strode towards the two people who were about to get into the cab and then wrapped his arm around Laurie¡¯s waist. Laurie could hear the anger in his voice, but she didn¡¯t know why he was angry. ¡°Who are you? What are you doing?¡± When Beebo saw this, he thought that Laurie was being detained by someone and was about to step forward. ¡°I¡¯m her husband. Her legal husband.¡± Upon hearing Claude¡¯s words, Beebo remembered that a few days ago, Laurie announced that she was married in the messaging app¡¯s group chat. However, Beebo still looked at Laurie doubtfully. Only when she nodded did he believe Claude. ¡°Senior, he is indeed my husband.¡± Laurie didn¡¯t know what Claude was up to, but she didn¡¯t want to quarrel with him in front of outsiders. She looked at Beebo a little apologetically. ¡°Senior, thank you for waiting for me today. We¡¯ll go back first. I¡¯ll treat you to a meal another day.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she felt her feet floating in the air as she was carried into the cab by Claude with one arm. Then, he followed her into the cab and slammed the door shut. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 18 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation As he watched the cab drive off, Beebo still felt a little incredulous and a little jealous in his heart. He had thought that Laurie might marry someone casually because she felt hurt by the breakup, but he did not expect her husband to be such a boorish man? However, when he saw that the man was quite anxious over Laurie, Beebo shook his head and laughed at himself. Perhaps he was thinking too much. Meanwhile, Jason¡¯s feelings were even more conflicted. He had taken a fancy to this sister-in-law at the banquet. Just thinking about it made him feel scared. He had always thought that Claude¡¯s sudden marriage was just to go against his father, but from his actions just now, it was obvious that he cared a lot about this wife of his. As his childhood friend, Jason naturally hoped that a miracle would happen and his old friend could find his true love. However, if Michelle found out that Claude was already married, wouldn¡¯t it cause a ruckus? No wonder Claude didn¡¯t dare to acknowledge his wife just now! Just as Jason was still feeling a little disappointed, someone suddenly patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Where¡¯s Claude?¡± He turned around and saw Michelle looking around. She pouted a little, obviously not too happy. Jason asked quickly, ¡°Are you going back now? Big Bro asked me to send you back.¡± ¡°What about him? Why did he ask you to send me?¡± Michelle pushed Jason away somewhat impatiently. However, Claude was nowhere to be seen. When he saw that she was still unwilling to let it go, Jason quickly found an excuse. ¡°Big Bro is not used to attending such events. It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know his identity. He doesn¡¯t want others to know.¡± Michelle nodded a little skeptically. When she recalled that Claude¡¯s identity had never been exposed, it was not surprising for him to go back early. ¡°Forget it. Since he¡¯s already gone, I¡¯m not staying here anymore. Send me back.¡± Michelle lifted her dress and walked down. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re getting engaged soon. We¡¯ll have a lot of time together in the future!¡± When he heard her words, Jason muttered softly, ¡°You won¡¯t have a chance.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Michelle frowned and asked. Jason quickly opened the car door. ¡°Nothing at all! Miss, please get in the car!¡± Meanwhile, Claude, who was in the cab, was quite angry. The driver sensed the oppressive atmosphere and secretly rolled down the window to let in some fresh air. Laurie was in a bad mood as well. She turned her head sideways and kept looking out of the window. When they reached the entrance of the neighborhood district, Claude got out of the cab first, completely ignoring Laurie. As soon as Laurie¡¯s right foot landed on the ground, she suddenly realized that the heel of her shoe had broken. She limped behind Claude. ¡°Why are you so slow? Hurry up and catch up!¡± Claude¡¯s voice boomed out from the front. However, after a while, he realized that Laurie was still not catching up to him, so he turned around. When he saw Laurie¡¯s posture was somewhat odd, he hurried back. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Laurie only raised her right foot and didn¡¯t say anything. Claude saw that her heels were already crooked and were about to fall off. No wonder she was walking so slowly. ¡°How troublesome!¡± Claude grumbled as he stretched out his left hand and hauled Laurie over his shoulder. ¡°Argh!¡± Laurie yelled out in fright as her body suddenly became suspended in the air. She had fantasized countless times about being carried by her future husband like a princess, but it never occurred to her that she would be carried on Claude¡¯s shoulder like a sack. ¡°Put me down. I can walk by myself.¡± Her face was already red. Fortunately, it was already night time and there were not many neighbors in the district out and about. However, Claude turned a deaf ear to her. After struggling a few times, Laurie gave up completely. Indeed, in the face of absolute power, all resistance was futile. When they got home, Claude carefully put her down, then helped her take off her right shoe and put on a slipper. At this moment, the blood had rushed to Laurie¡¯s head due to the upside-down position, and she was feeling a little groggy. Claude moved closer to her face and sniffed it carefully. His action startled her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She crossed her arms across her chest in horror, her eyes full of wariness. ¡°Why can¡¯t you stand properly when you didn¡¯t drink?¡± Claude looked at her in confusion. On the other hand, Laurie rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Try being carried by people upside down all the way and see if you will become dizzy?¡± Claude answered with certainty, ¡°I won¡¯t. No one is able to carry me, and I won¡¯t give others such a chance either.¡± If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 19 Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation Laurie couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with Claude. She secretly rolled her eyes and got ready to return to her small bedroom. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Claude stopped her. ¡°Going back to sleep.¡± Alice hadn¡¯t once appeared since the two of them entered the apartment, which meant that she was definitely not at home. ¡°No.¡± Claude immediately objected to her idea. ¡°Alice may come back at any time. It¡¯s easy to get exposed.¡± Of course, Laurie had thought of this as well, but she just didn¡¯t want to sleep in the same room as Claude today. This man was her husband in name, but he claimed not to know her in public. When she thought of the little beauty beside him, Laurie couldn¡¯t describe how she felt. Was she destined to be cuckolded? ¡°Just say that I¡¯m working overtime. I¡¯m tired and I¡¯m going to sleep first.¡± Just as Laurie was about to return to her room, she was blocked by Claude. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why?¡± When he heard the nasal tinge in Laurie¡¯s voice, Claude felt that she was going to cry again. Thus, he softened his tone. ¡°We have an agreement. We need to pretend to be a loving couple in front of Alice.¡± ¡°Yes, we have an agreement.¡± Laurie took a deep breath and raised her head to look at him with certainty. ¡°We only need to be a loving couple in front of Alice, that¡¯s all. Under normal circumstances, we are just unfamiliar neighbors. Right, Mr. Neighbor?¡± Claude heard her somewhat angry tone and thought about how he had linked arms with Michelle at the banquet today. He suddenly felt a little guilty. However, the two of them were clearly married by agreement only. They simply lived their own lives separately. He did not do anything wrong. Thus, he replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Upon hearing his words, Laurie was utterly speechless. She felt that the whole day had not gone well and just wanted to have a good sleep. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go take a shower first. I¡¯m tired.¡± She pushed the door open and closed it, leaving Claude out there, alone and feeling quite awful inwardly. He had wanted to ask her why a married woman was hugging another man outside, but when she addressed him as ¡°Mr. Neighbor,¡± he found that he had no grounds to argue with her. When he returned to his room, Laurie was already lying on the bed. She didn¡¯t cover herself with the blanket. Instead, she covered herself with her coat. And the bed was divided into two by the rolled-up blanket. The right side of the bed Laurie was lying on was clearly only half the size of the left side. When she heard him come in, Laurie sat up. ¡°This is the center line. No one is allowed to cross the line when sleeping at night!¡± When he recalled the way Laurie slept, Claude¡¯s lips curled up slightly. ¡°What if either party crosses it?¡± ¡°Run for five kilometers with weights!¡± Laurie raised her head stubbornly. Claude smiled. ¡°Alright, five kilometers with weights. It¡¯s a deal.¡± Early the next morning, just as Claude predicted, there was another octopus sprawled across his body. Laurie slept very soundly, but Claude had the habit of waking up at 5:30 am every day. However, as soon as he moved, Laurie snorted with displeasure, scaring him so much that he did not dare to move. As he listened to her even breathing and breathed in the milky scent on her body, Claude suddenly felt that he could sleep for another fifteen minutes. However, after fifteen minutes, Laurie still showed no signs of waking up. Claude had to stealthily remove her arms and legs from his body, then pull down her nightgown and cover her with a blanket. Click! Claude took a photo with his cell phone and recorded the evidence of Laurie crossing the line. Then, he began to wash up and make breakfast. When she smelled the fragrance of the food, Laurie¡¯s stomach growled and she gradually woke up. At this point, Claude was no longer in the room. She lowered her head to look at her sleeping posture. Laurie closed her eyes helplessly. Did she cross the line again? She thought for a moment. Luckily, Claude had already woken up. It was fine as long as she refused to admit it. ¡°Morning. Let¡¯s eat.¡± As she looked at the simple breakfast, Laurie felt that Claude was definitely a good family man. He could hold his own at his workplace, but he was also good with the household chores at home. He could also stand up against hooligans. Unfortunately, he already had a little girlfriend. ¡°Morning.¡± Laurie maintained a polite smile and did not feel awkward about crossing the line at all. However, when she finished the last bun, Claude spoke up. ¡°So when are you going to do the five-kilometer run with weights?¡± ¡°Huh? What five kilometers?¡± Laurie had already thought it through. She would never admit it. Running five kilometers alone was enough to kill her, not to mention running with weights! Claude narrowed his eyes slightly and handed his cell phone to Laurie. In the photo, she was already lying on Claude¡¯s side. The photo was very clear, and there was no way to deny it. As he looked at Laurie¡¯s slightly blushing face, Claude smiled again. ¡°You can wake up at 5:30 am tomorrow morning and make up for these five kilometers first.¡± If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.