Beg Me to Remarry
Chapter 454: Ulterior Motives

Chapter 454: Chapter 454: Ulterior Motives

The new dance tune started playing, and once more the music shifted back to a romantic waltz.

Ji Liangchuan had already been waiting impatiently; as the music began, he quickly stood up, approached Fu Han, and eagerly extended his hand, "Miss Fu Han, may I have the honor of asking you for a dance?"

A promise made was a promise to be kept, and with a polite smile on her face, Fu Han lifted her skirt slightly in a standard curtsy before placing her hand in Ji Liangchuan’s palm.

Ji Liangchuan gently led her forward, and his other hand was already resting on Fu Han’s waist.

Fu Han had always been aware that Ji Liangchuan harbored some less-than-honorable intentions toward her. She had decided that if Ji Liangchuan touched any inappropriate areas, she would not remain silent and endure.

Yet the result was that Ji Liangchuan behaved exactly as a gentleman should, without overstepping boundaries in the slightest; he held his spine straight, always maintaining a proper distance from Fu Han.

In the middle of the dance floor were Bai Wei and Luo Qinghe, as well as Fu Xingbo and Bai Qian, all with happy smiles on their faces.

Ji Liangchuan, looking down, could see Fu Han’s long eyelashes fluttering, resembling the delicate flapping of butterfly wings.

The air seemed to grow sweet, and at first, Ji Liangchuan thought it was just his imagination. But soon he realized it was the scent coming from Fu Han.

Over the past few years, Ji Liangchuan could be described as having experienced the company of numerous ladies and, having smelled many, naturally developed a certain expertise. He prided himself on being quite familiar with various perfumes, but the scent from Fu Han was one he had never encountered on any other woman, not even a similar fragrance.

There could only be one explanation: this was Fu Han’s natural body scent, unique and without equal.

Ji Liangchuan felt very pleased with his discovery. Feeling that merely dancing in silence was rather dull, after some thought, he said softly, "Fu Han, may I address you as so?"

Fu Han had been preoccupied with thoughts of Su Cheng and Nan Qing and hadn’t really been paying attention to her surroundings; her dancing was purely instinctive.

Upon hearing Ji Liangchuan’s words, she felt a bit embarrassed for having been distracted at an inappropriate time and quickly conjured a small smile, "Of course, that is indeed my name."

The words she didn’t voice were that if Ji Liangchuan had addressed her as "Xiaohan," she would have firmly rejected him. She was someone who had a strong sense of personal boundaries and disliked unfamiliar people crossing them.

A smile rippled across Ji Liangchuan’s face like waves in water, and his naturally charming peach-blossom eyes brightened, making it seem as if he had stepped from the shadows into the sunlight.

Reining in his emotions slightly, with a hint of anticipation he said, "Fu Han, tomorrow is Christmas. I’d like to give you a gift, would that be alright?"

The mention of a gift immediately brought to Fu Han’s mind the photograph of He Xing feeding Xia Ning, a matter that remained an unsolved mystery and a thorn in her heart to this day.

Her expression cooled as she replied indifferently, "Another photo of He Xing and Xia Ning?"

If just a moment ago Fu Han had been the loveliest rose in the rosebush, now she had become a rose with thorns.

Ji Liangchuan’s heart skipped several beats; he coughed awkwardly, avoiding Fu Han’s gaze with guilt as he hurriedly explained, "No, I have a beautiful collection of photographs that I started compiling from the very first picture I took. It contains many photos I’m very fond of, along with some of my thoughts and reflections."

After all, Ji Liangchuan was not without reason considered one of A City’s top playboys; he was well-versed in all manners of leisure and entertainment, adept at horseback riding and archery, and had a fondness for photography and painting.

Luo Qinghe was the chairman of the National Photographers Association, and Ji Liangchuan was the vice-chairman.

While Ji Liangchuan’s photography collection might not be considered priceless, it was certainly an object many photography enthusiasts would dream of owning. Yet now, he wanted to give it to Fu Han as a Christmas gift.

To say that Fu Han was entirely unmoved would be a lie, but...

A few seconds later, Fu Han looked up at Ji Liangchuan, "I appreciate your kindness, but this item is too valuable. You should keep it for yourself."

When Fu Han mentioned that it was "too valuable," a sense of pride swelled in Ji Liangchuan’s heart. He was inwardly pleased that the gift he had racked his brains over was recognized for its worth.

The hand that Ji Liangchuan had around Fu Han’s waist unconsciously tightened its grip, "It’s not too valuable. It’s good if you like it."

Fu Han distinctly felt Ji Liangchuan’s change in demeanor; her beautiful eyebrows furrowed into a frown as she said with dissatisfaction, "I didn’t say I liked it, and I don’t need your collection. Each photographer has a distinctive style. If I were to look at your collection, wouldn’t others say that the works I shoot are just imitations of yours?"

Her words weren’t particularly loud, but to Ji Liangchuan, they were as deafening as thunder, leaving him disoriented and dizzy.

He stared at Fu Han with wide eyes, encountering such a piercing sharpness from her for the first time.

Fu Han, however, appeared much calmer. She took a few steps back, easily freeing herself from Ji Liangchuan’s embrace, and curtsied again, "Thank you. I’m going to rest now."

Unbeknownst to him, the dance had already come to an end.

Ji Liangchuan, gazing into his now empty arms, felt a sense of loss quietly growing within him.

What is yearning? It’s when she is right before your eyes, yet you can’t hold her in your arms; yearning is when you say goodbye but already start missing her; yearning is when you lose track of time simply by looking at her.

Ji Liangchuan returned to his corner, and in that unseen place, his gaze turned exceptionally cold, "Since you won’t give me any chance, then I will first destroy the hope in your heart. One day, you will come to me."

...

In A City, at the He Family villa on Lanwan Mountain.

The old patriarch He had been discharged from the hospital, and He Xing had returned here after work every day.

Having not been back for several days, he experienced a feeling as if he had been away for ages, as if this place belonged to his past life.

And indeed, it was true to an extent; when Fu Han had left, it was still autumn here, but now winter had arrived, a seemingly vast gulf of time between then and now.

After dinner, making the excuse that he had work to do upstairs, He Xing snuck into Fu Han’s room for a while. As per his instructions, the servant had been cleaning her room daily, so it remained as tidy as ever.

He sat in the wicker chair in front of Fu Han’s floor-to-ceiling window, the fluffy little blanket warm and soft to the touch, much like Fu Han’s delicate skin.

Downstairs, Uncle Zhou was directing the servants to assist, as a small truck made its way up the mountain, carrying a one-to-two-meter-tall Christmas tree.

Christmas was tomorrow in A City. Every year on Christmas, Uncle Zhou would get a Christmas tree, under the pretense that Christmas was a holiday for the young, and with two young people in the house, a Christmas tree was essential.

Fu Han adored Christmas because it almost always snowed on the holiday, which she found incredibly romantic.