Madam Chen sat stiffly on the sofa, exuding an air of superiority, while Chen Hanshuo lounged on the smaller sofa to her right, directing disdainful glances at Yu Qingwei as if she were nothing but dirt beneath their feet, to be trampled upon at will.

Madam Chen sipped her bird's nest soup, casting a sidelong glance at Yu Qingwei standing nearby. Frowning, she remarked, "Typical of someone from a poor family—no proper posture whether sitting or standing. What’s the meaning of standing there like a wooden post?"

Chen Hanshuo rolled her eyes. "Haven’t you sat down yet? If Dongzi comes out and sees this, he’ll think we’ve been mistreating you. Little does he know, you’re just playing the victim as usual."

Suppressing the urge to turn and flee, Yu Qingwei shuffled obediently to the sofa opposite them and sat down. The memory of the last time she had dared to sit without permission—only to be jointly chastised by the two women—washed over her, leaving her weary. Yet, thinking of her mother still trapped in the Huo household, she forced herself to endure.

Madam Chen motioned for the butler, Old Mo, to hand Yu Qingwei three pages of paper. "These are the rules regarding Lidong’s daily habits. You must memorize every single one. If you make another mistake like today, I won’t let you off so easily."

As soon as Madam Chen finished, Chen Hanshuo eagerly chimed in with her own lecture. Yu Qingwei listened in silence.

They complained bitterly about her, yet how could they possibly understand that her resentment ran even deeper? All because their son had uttered the words "I like her," she had been forced to become a bride at nineteen, married to a man she didn’t love.

After what felt like an eternity, Chen Lidong finally emerged from the study. Catching sight of Chen Hanshuo’s endless chatter downstairs, a flicker of displeasure crossed his face.

"Eldest sister, if you’re done, you should head home. Or have your husband come pick you up."

Chen Hanshuo, who feared her husband immensely, immediately fell silent at Chen Lidong’s words.

As Chen Lidong descended the stairs, he seemingly casual positioned himself beside Yu Qingwei and added, "Mother, is there anything else you need to instruct?"

His deliberate lingering made it impossible for Madam Chen to continue speaking, no matter how much she might have wanted to.

She waved her hand dismissively. "That’s all. Go on and rest."

Chen Lidong nodded. "Then we’ll head upstairs first. You should get some sleep too, Mother."

With that, he strode off with his long legs. Yu Qingwei hurried after him.

Chen Hanshuo muttered under her breath, "It’s barely even late. I wasn’t even done talking."

Madam Chen frowned. "Can’t you see he came down to rescue his little wife?"

"Huh?" Chen Hanshuo looked puzzled.

Madam Chen snorted. "The moment he married her, he forgot all about his mother. From the moment he returned, his eyes haven’t left that little bride of his. He even ate the sea cucumber just to defend her. Mark my words—before long, she’ll be walking all over me."

Upstairs, Chen Lidong and Yu Qingwei walked in silence, one after the other.

Yu Qingwei’s gaze fixed on Chen Lidong’s broad, solid back, but her body trembled uncontrollably. Her mind flashed back to the terrifying events of their last encounter. She had no idea what Chen Lidong might do to her once they were alone in the room.

The faint scent of travel—dust and exhaustion—lingered on him, just as it had that night.

Bad memories surged forward, and her steps faltered. She almost turned and ran back downstairs, but the moment she did, she met the predatory stares of Madam Chen and Chen Hanshuo.

Unable to suppress it, she let out a heavy breath. The feeling of being trapped between a wolf and a tiger was suffocating. cold snort sounded behind her. Chen Lidong shot her a sidelong glance before turning and striding into the room.

Yu Qingwei froze in place. She knew she’d anger him if she didn’t follow, but her legs felt like lead, refusing to move.

Just then, Chen Hanshuo, apparently prompted by something Madam Chen said, rose and started walking toward her.

Yu Qingwei gasped, clutching her schoolbag tightly, then gritted her teeth and dashed into the bedroom.

The door slammed shut with a bang, startling the tall man inside who had been in the middle of undressing.

Chen Lidong turned, frowning at Yu Qingwei’s wide-eyed, terrified expression. His broad shoulders and muscular chest were completely bare, the sight slamming into her vision with overwhelming force. His sun-kissed skin radiated masculine heat, his eight-pack abs forming a perfect inverted triangle. His slim waist hinted at explosive strength. Though he still wore pants, the way they hung loosely around his hips revealed the sharp lines of his figure.

Since he’d undone his belt, his pants sagged slightly, exposing the deep grooves of his abs—

Yu Qingwei froze. She had never even been to a public swimming pool before—this was the first time she’d ever seen something so shockingly revealing.

Her mind reeled, and before she could process it, she let out a scream and whirled toward the door, desperate to escape.

But Chen Lidong was faster. In two strides, he was on her, pinning her beneath him. One hand pressed against her shoulder, the other clamped over her mouth as his ears caught the sound of movement outside.

Yu Qingwei’s heart pounded as Chen Lidong, bare-chested, charged toward her. She thrashed violently, but his grip was ironclad.

He held her effortlessly, then lowered his head and asked, "What are you screaming about?"