My Husband's Eyes Have Been Looking Different Lately After Our Marriage of Convenience - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: No Wonder They Say He is So Formidable

Housekeeper Wu’s tone was incredibly sincere.

“I am truly sorry, Madam. It is very late, and the other servants have already retired for the night. Since the Master requires constant care, I can only trouble you to rest in the Master’s usual bedroom.”

Song Ai didn’t say a word. He just rubbed the back of his neck, his expression hesitating.

Seeing this, Housekeeper Wu quickly added: “Please rest assured, the Master had the bedding changed just this afternoon, and the room has been cleaned thoroughly. There is absolutely no odor!”

With things put that way, Song Ai couldn’t refuse. He raised his hand and pushed the door open.

As he flipped the switch, the interior of the room leaped into view.

Song Ai’s literary skills were average; he couldn’t think of particularly poetic words to describe it. He simply felt that Lu Tingyun’s room was extremely minimalist. Dark gray sheets without a single pattern, a glass wardrobe filled with suits and shirts that were almost identical, and very little furniture… A room of this size, which felt a bit cramped for Song Ai’s belongings, actually seemed vast and empty here.

Does Lu Tingyun… sleep in a place like this every day?

Song Ai drifted off into thought. Behind him, seeing that he had no immediate needs, Housekeeper Wu respectfully bid him goodnight and left.

In the silent night, only the first “confrontation” between man and room remained.

Song Ai stood at the doorway for a moment before stepping into this space filled with Lu Tingyun’s private aura. It didn’t feel as weird or awkward as he had imagined. Perhaps credit was due to Lu Tingyun’s mild mysophobia; the room was clean to the point of being spotless. Anyone entering would likely feel no discomfort.

Song Ai closed the door behind him. As the airflow slowed, he caught a hint of a familiar fragrance—

Camellias?

Song Ai found it hard to believe. He wrinkled his nose and sniffed carefully; it was indeed exactly the same scent as the body wash he frequently used.

What a coincidence.

Song Ai couldn’t help but marvel. He hadn’t expected Lu Tingyun to use the same brand as him—the man had taste. The familiar scent relaxed him slightly. He took a deep breath and walked to the edge of Lu Tingyun’s bed.

His fingers involuntarily reached out to touch the sheets. The texture was very soft; though the style was simple, the cost must have been high. Lu Tingyun treats himself quite well.

While Song Ai was critiquing the room in his mind, his gaze was drawn to the nightstand. The stand itself wasn’t special, but there was a photo frame lying face down on it.

Who places a photo frame like that?

Song Ai felt curious and stole a few extra glances. However, out of basic courtesy and privacy, he didn’t flip the frame over. Lu Tingyun must have his reasons for doing that.

It was late, and he remembered he had to have dinner with Madam Song tomorrow—a woman who was not easy to deal with. Song Ai climbed onto the bed and went back to sleep.

…

The next day, the sunlight was perfect.

Song Ai didn’t manage to wake up naturally. Having been tossed around for nearly an hour yesterday during his usual prime sleeping window, he was dazed when the alarm clock woke him. After washing up, he haphazardly ruffled his hair in front of the mirror.

Madam Song didn’t like him looking sloppy. Although she rarely styled him personally, she would nag him every time they met. Fortunately, he was handsome and spirited; even a random ruff looked like a carefully styled look. He looked at himself in the mirror with satisfaction, but soon noticed he was still wearing pajamas.

Tsk.

It seemed he had to run back to his own room to change. While feeling it was a hassle, he was also a bit curious if Lu Tingyun was awake. Driven by both necessity and curiosity, Song Ai didn’t delay. He closed the door and walked toward his own room.

The corridor was empty. Song Ai had been wondering how to naturally greet Lu Tingyun, but when he reached the door, he found that room empty as well.

He instinctively glanced down at his wristband: 9:35 AM.

It had only been seven hours since the high fever was diagnosed last night. So early… where did Lu Tingyun go? Before he could be confused for long, he received a WeChat message from Madam Song asking if he was up. Song Ai stopped thinking about it.

After changing and heading downstairs, Song Ai scanned the dining area. This time, he couldn’t even see Housekeeper Wu, who usually refreshed the space punctually. It was truly strange. Hearing noise from the kitchen, he hurried over.

Inside, there was only a servant cleaning the stove. Song Ai couldn’t help but ask: “Where is Lu Tingyun?”

The servant paused and replied truthfully: “The Master left for the company half an hour ago.”

Song Ai: “???”

Going to work right after a high fever?

No wonder Cheng Chao said he was “formidable” yesterday! After his initial shock, Song Ai asked: “Where is Housekeeper Wu?”

The servant said: “He should be resting in his room. He worked very hard taking care of the Master yesterday. Before the Master left, he specifically instructed us not to disturb him.”

Song Ai nodded, thinking that Lu Tingyun was actually quite a decent person at times. A moment later, the servant suddenly asked: “Is the Madam going out?”

The servants in the Lu household didn’t usually initiate conversation; Song Ai almost didn’t react. However, he didn’t have time to chat, so he gave a casual “Mhm” and turned to leave. To his surprise, the servant called out: “Madam, wait—”

Song Ai turned back to see the servant, who had somehow put on heat-resistant gloves, opening the microwave and bringing out a bowl of thick, steaming porridge.

“This is…”

“This was also the Master’s instruction. He had us brew the porridge in advance and said that if we saw you preparing to leave in the morning, we had to bring it out and supervise you until you finished it.”

A beam of morning sunlight hit the surface of the porridge, revealing a thin, glistening layer of oil. Just looking at it, one could imagine how comfortable it would make the stomach feel. Song Ai was silent for a while, looking a bit unadjusted. He just stared at the porcelain bowl—usually used for soup—and eventually said dryly: “…I have to finish this whole giant bowl?”

Servant: “?”

…

Song Huaiwan sent a location. It was a private boutique.

This time, Song Ai didn’t drive his own car. He had the Lu family driver take him in a solid black Japanese car. His own car’s color was too flashy; Song Huaiwan would nag every time she saw it. He didn’t want to change the wrap, but he didn’t want to be nagged either, so he found a compromise.

Just don’t let her see it.

The boutique was located on the busiest street in the city center. The storefront, with its floor-to-ceiling glass and wooden door, looked very high-quality. Song Ai confirmed the name and pulled the door open.

Ding-ling, ding-ling—

The bell above the door rang. A glamorous and sharp-looking middle-aged woman at the back of the boutique turned around, her eyes curved and a smile on her lips. However, once she saw who it was, her smile dropped halfway.

“What on earth are you wearing?” Song Huaiwan frowned at the youth’s colorful outfit. She walked over with a “clack-clack” of her high heels, looking him over with disapproval. She couldn’t exactly strip the clothes off him, so she finally said helplessly: “Throw those clothes away when you get home tonight!”

“…” Song Ai looked down at his LV monogrammed green shirt, thinking it looked quite good. However, he didn’t argue, and he certainly wasn’t going to throw away a shirt worth over ten thousand yuan.

Be obedient but play dead. This was the persona he always maintained in front of Madam Song.

Song Huaiwan knew this too. She didn’t nitpick for long, instead bringing up a previous matter. “When the old lady had her birthday last time, did you listen to the voice message I sent you? Don’t tell me you went dressed like this?”

Song Ai shook his head. “Definitely not.”

Madam Song knew his tricks well. “Is it ‘definitely didn’t listen’ or ‘definitely didn’t dress like this’? Be clear with your mother.”

“…” Song Ai felt the trust between mother and son was truly reaching an all-time low. “Of course I didn’t dress like this.”

—That day, he wasn’t wearing this; he was wearing a green jacket from a different brand ^_^.

Song Huaiwan gave him a suspicious look, then turned to pick up a suit jacket she had her eye on. “Forget it, I’m too tired to chase you. Go in and try this on. If it looks good, Mom will buy it for you.”

Song Ai looked at the jacket she was pointing at. Boutique clothing was usually handmade, so the texture was excellent. Coupled with Song Huaiwan’s sharp eye, one could tell just by looking that anyone wearing this would look radiant. It was beautiful, and the price was likely not cheap.

But it was off-the-rack. Off-the-rack men’s sizes usually didn’t fit Song Ai well. He couldn’t help but think of the suit Lu Tingyun had custom-made for him. The style was ordinary and nothing special, but it fit perfectly. He actually quite liked it.

“No thanks.” Song Ai let out a bored yawn and said, “I just got a new suit a few days ago and was wondering where to dump it. Please spare me.”

Song Huaiwan looked as if the sun had risen from the west. “You bought it yourself?”

“Definitely—” Song Ai deliberately dragged out the ending, “—not. Lu… someone gave me a set.”

Song Huaiwan was even more surprised. “What kind of friend gives you a suit?”

“What kind of friend can’t give me a suit?”

“Don’t be cheeky.”

…

The two chatted back and forth as equals. The shop assistant tried to chime in several times to show some presence but failed every time. In the end, they chatted for half an hour, didn’t buy a single thing, and walked out. Fortunately, the shop owner was a friend of Song Huaiwan’s, otherwise, they would surely have been blacklisted.

Walking onto the main street, perhaps because it was the weekend, the crowds were exceptionally thick. Song Huaiwan was glamorous but, like Song Ai, was on the thinner side. She was almost knocked over after walking just two meters, but luckily Song Ai grabbed her from behind.

She turned and smiled, but it was a forced smile, like a reflexive habit of showing gratitude or flattery… He wondered if it was a habit she had developed from negotiating business deals all the time.

Song Ai walked behind her. He had somehow grown a full head taller than her. He could clearly see that her once “seaweed-like” long hair had become thin and dry. Suddenly, his chest felt a bit tight.

It was a strange feeling. Because of the marriage alliance, he had always felt resentful toward Song Huaiwan. In the beginning, he had even considered cutting ties with her completely.

He thought that way, but in reality, every time he saw her, his heart would uncontrollably soften. When Madam Song was younger, she wasn’t so career-driven. Like most beautiful women, she loved beauty, had regular spa treatments, bought all sorts of clothes, and even insisted she wouldn’t work overtime because it would ruin her “beauty sleep.”

But later, as the Song family declined and the company faced difficulties, Madam Song had to throw herself entirely into her career. She was no longer as vibrant as she once was. Now, she didn’t even have time to take care of her most cherished hair.

She had sacrificed everything for her career, putting even herself last—let alone her son’s marriage. Sometimes Song Ai resented her, hated her; other times he understood her and pitied her. This complex emotion ensured their bond would never break, but it would also never return to its most intimate state.

…

The restaurant Song Huaiwan booked was nearby. It was a place she frequented often, so much so that she was familiar enough to walk into the kitchen and greet the head chef. Song Ai has been here a few times. In his memory, the Spanish food here was quite good.

They found a window seat, which gave them a clear view of the bustling traffic outside. Song Huaiwan efficiently ordered several signature dishes without asking Song Ai what he wanted or didn’t want, then handed the menu back to the waiter. Song Ai glanced at it but didn’t say anything. Since he was a child, he hadn’t been a picky eater; he basically ate whatever Song Huaiwan made.

Though the times she personally cooked were actually few and far between.

After ordering, Song Huaiwan seemed to spot an acquaintance. She raised her arm and greeted the person: “Honey! Long time no see~ Is that massage parlor I recommended to you okay? Oh, as long as it works, don’t be so polite with me~~ When you’re free, you can take your husband there too. Didn’t you say he often gets headaches…”

Song Ai sat opposite her with nothing to do, so he simply opened his phone and started scrolling. Unknowingly, he scrolled back to his chat interface with “L”. Staring at the last message, he gradually fell into confusion.

With all sorts of things happening over the past two days, he hadn’t really reviewed everything. Thinking about it now, that night was truly a bit too strange.

First of all, although he had blacked out that night, he clearly remembered meeting this “L”. How did he disappear later? Second, he remembered the last person he saw was Lu Tingyun, but exactly when did he see him?

Could he… have been taken home from M&C by Lu Tingyun?? Was it actually Lu Tingyun who called Li Shang and Wang Ruijing’s parents??

There were many suspicious points. All three of them were drunk that day; perhaps only this “L” knew the truth. Song Ai hesitated for a moment, then followed his inner curiosity and typed: “Buddy, can I ask you a few things?”

Just as he sent the message, the first appetizer arrived. Given how busy “Model Bro” usually was, Song Ai intended to put his phone down and check after finishing his meal.

However, the other person replied in less than two seconds.

[L: Ask away]

…This tone was truly familiar. Song Ai felt a bit choked before even eating. He put down the fork he had just picked up and continued typing: “I remember seeing you at M&C the night before last. You were there, right?”

[L: Mhm]

“Then do you remember what happened that night?”

[L: I remember]

Song Ai felt a surge of joy. His typing speed increased significantly, and he even added a habitual prefix: “Good buddy, I blacked out and lost my memory that day. Can you tell me about it to help me remember?”

This time, “L” wasn’t as quick. The top of the screen displayed “The other party is typing…” for a long time. Song Ai waited patiently for a few minutes, expecting a long, vivid description of the events.

What he received, however, was just a short sentence—

[You were drunk then, and you were looking everywhere for your husband]