The next moment, Shang Lu pressed down on her. Jiang Yan's maid outfit, no matter how it was arranged, exuded an alluring charm.
Shang Lu lifted her skirt as Jiang Yan watched in terror...
Jiang Yan let out a pitiful wail: "Give me back my image as a beautiful lady!"
There was something under the beautiful lady's skirt...
"Stay still," Shang Lu pulled back the person trying to crawl away. "Now the beautiful lady is serving you, just enjoy it."
"Shameless, waaah..."
That night, Jiang Yan cried for a long time in bed, deeply traumatized by her momentary lust.
Shang Lu, however, became increasingly excited by her tears, indulging himself all night long.
The next day when Jiang Yan woke up, she found herself sore all over and reluctantly called in sick to her boss. Shang Lu didn't want to go to work either, and after some thought, wrote himself a sick note.
"Is this the pain of being an adult?" Jiang Yan accusingly questioned Shang Lu.
Shang Lu lazily lay next to her, explaining with hidden meaning: "Actually, it's the pleasure of being an adult. It's just that the pleasure was a bit too much, so you feel pain. Next time, how about you don't move, and I'll just do the work..."
"I was talking about going to work!"
...
All in all, even though work was busy, they could still find joy and fun in it.
Shang Lu was more of a homebody, or rather, he preferred sticking close to Jiang Yan and disliked working. But the Shang Family business was vast, and he was the only heir.
Shang Lu had no choice but to urge his parents to have another child to share some of his burden.
People always have various troubles, even Shang Lu and Jiang Yan. They just managed to make their troubled days a bit happier.
Work was busy, but in the limited rest time, Shang Lu could always find ways to destress through Jiang Yan, using her as his source of motivation.
For example, he would secretly take photos of Jiang Yan and turn them into memes.
He captured Jiang Yan looking up while eating vegetables, somehow managing to catch a hint of killing intent in her eyes, and captioned it: "If you don't behave, I'll eat you up!"
There was also a photo of Jiang Yan sitting and typing on her computer, her fingers nimble, typing away with a focused gaze on the screen... Actually, when Shang Lu came in to deliver tea at that moment, he was almost enchanted by Jiang Yan's appearance, but he had to be cheeky and take a photo, captioning it: "A woman seriously working is super charming!"
When they were cooking together, Jiang Yan came over with a bowl to serve him rice. He hurriedly took a photo of Jiang Yan holding the bowl with both hands, and insisted on adding the comment: "I've come to beg for food."
He not only made these memes, but he also shared them.
When arguing with Jiang Yan on WeChat, he admitted his mistake and apologized. As he was apologizing, he sent a picture of Jiang Yan pouting, with the caption: "I'm so cute, please forgive me."
They were in the middle of an argument, and he wanted her to forgive him because of his own cuteness? Moreover, that pouting photo was Jiang Yan's embarrassing history.
Jiang Yan became even angrier.
Shang Lu hurriedly came to coax her, but Jiang Yan kept a straight face. Until Shang Lu, exhausted, squatted on the ground dejectedly: "What should I do, what should I do? My wife is angry, what if she never forgives me..."
Jiang Yan looked up and said quietly: "You'll have to wear women's clothes to make it up to me."
Shang Lu choked for a moment, then, to appease Jiang Yan, he acted as if he was being bullied: "You're humiliating me. I'm a dignified man, and you want me to wear women's clothes..."
So Jiang Yan got to enjoy the pleasure of a beautiful man. To be honest, Shang Lu's body was incredible.
Broad shoulders, narrow hips, long legs, lean where he should be lean, muscular where he should be muscular, a pair of seductive almond eyes, and a face with sharp, profound features...
He truly had the qualities to be kept as a trophy.
Jiang Yan embraced him, like a lecherous libertine, tilting his chin and saying: "Beautiful one, give this master a kiss."
Shang Lu played along perfectly, his slender hands inexpertly forming the delicate "orchid finger" pose, precisely pecking Jiang Yan's lips, and said: "This beauty has arrived, and will only kiss the master."
Jiang Yan: ...
Such a bewitching appearance. Jiang Yan steadied herself and said, unable to bear it any longer: "That's enough, I feel like throwing up."
Shang Lu dropped the act, his deliberately raised eyebrows falling. He unceremoniously laid Jiang Yan on the bed, his voice cold, as if somewhat embarrassed and angry: "Come on, let me cool you down, 'master'."
After a passionate encounter, Jiang Yan was still in a daze. Shang Lu, lying on top of her, took the opportunity to kiss her a couple more times before remembering their earlier conversation and asking: "Do you really feel like throwing up? You're not pregnant, are you?"
Jiang Yan wanted to swat at him, saying: "You're dreaming. Didn't we use protection?"
Shang Lu caught her hand and said seriously: "Just in case. Let's do a test in a bit."
Jiang Yan asked him: "You're really not against this?"
"If you don't want it, then we won't have it. A child isn't necessary. We shouldn't let a child become our constraint. I'll handle my parents." From every aspect, Shang Lu's viewpoint was very touching.
A child should be the product of love, a new member they choose to welcome after they have the responsibility, not something blindly brought into the world when "it" is unwelcome, just because of the parents' expectations.
If Jiang Yan didn't want it, then they wouldn't have it. Life isn't only complete with a child, and besides, having a child would make Jiang Yan bear more risks and make them take on more responsibilities.
To be honest, he wasn't keen on it either. But if Jiang Yan wanted to have a child, he would silently take on the role of a father.
...
Shang Lu's parents indeed were looking forward to grandchildren, but long ago, Shang Lu had clearly responded that he didn't want children.
Shang's father and Shang's mother were quite open-minded. After several unsuccessful attempts at persuasion, they gave up.
All in all, all the small setbacks encountered in life can be overcome.
After failing to persuade his parents to have another child, Shang Lu cultivated several loyal and reliable subordinates, finally achieving a life with ample holidays.
As for Jiang Yan, because her work had reached a bottleneck, she began to try breakthrough directions and step out of her comfort zone. Naturally, the new work occupied too much of her time, leaving her with less time to rest.
Shang Lu, with an abundance of free time, almost like a house husband, asked Jiang Yan plaintively: "Why do we have to work so hard?"
Jiang Yan thought for a moment and replied: "A sense of achievement." The sense of achievement that work brings.
"Then do you think work is more important, or am I more important?"
"Of course it's you, baby," Jiang Yan said without hesitation.
"Then don't always neglect me because of work." Shang Lu looked at Jiang Yan very seriously and said, "It's been a long time since you relaxed and rested with me."
Jiang Yan was taken aback, realizing it was indeed true. She had unconsciously reduced her attention to family because of work.
Finally, she said: "After I finish this busy period, I'll come back."
In TV dramas, it's usually the neglectful husband who says this, just as an excuse to continue being busy. The wife in the drama probably only sees her husband truly return after a divorce.
But Shang Lu wouldn't be so passive. He thought, he'd give her some time. If Jiang Yan really became all about her career, then he couldn't be blamed for doing something about it.
Like acquiring that company and transferring Jiang Yan over to have a forced office romance with him.
Of course, he was just thinking about it. He was a good husband who understood his wife.
But Jiang Yan didn't disappoint.
Not long after, once she became familiar with the work process, she applied for a convenient work-from-home arrangement.
The advantage of the new job was that it could train Jiang Yan and let her learn new things; but its disadvantage was also that it could train Jiang Yan...
Shang Lu was quite cunning in some aspects. When he discovered that Jiang Yan was having some difficulties with work, he didn't interfere, just quietly served tea and water, fulfilling his responsibilities as a husband. In reality, he was hoping that Jiang Yan's enthusiasm would be worn down by work.
Finally, one night past midnight, Jiang Yan still hadn't finished the proposal for the next day. She flopped onto the bed, saying she couldn't do it anymore.
Shang Lu, having achieved his goal, kindly finished the proposal for Jiang Yan to demonstrate his decency.
At that moment, Jiang Yan lay on the bed, looking at Shang Lu sitting cross-legged beside her, working on her behalf. She found him incredibly attractive and couldn't help but confess: "I love you so much."
Shang Lu felt that his patience this time had been worth it.
When Shang Lu's proposal received praise the next day, Jiang Yan's eyes lit up. From that moment on, Shang Lu found himself working two jobs.
On one hand, he was running his own company, while on the other, he was working for his wife. Yet Shang Lu remained cheerful, as Jiang Yan showed such concern for him when he was working.
Whenever Shang Lu grew tired, Jiang Yan would coax him, saying, "In just two more years, I'll quit my job, okay? Then we can travel together."
Knowing that she always kept her word, Shang Lu accepted this promise and continued to work hard for his wife.
Their life was a mix of busy times and moments of indulgence, of obstacles and anticipation.
In the future, they would come across the memes Shang Lu had made, look at each other, and burst into uncontrollable laughter. On another day, they might reminisce about how Jiang Yan had nearly cried when she couldn't get the jianbing (Chinese crepe) she was craving.
Within the boundaries they had set for themselves, they were living the life they desired.
