Ni Sitian looked at Xu Tingchuan with a heart full of heartache.

She couldn't help but lean down and hug him, whispering, "If only I had met you sooner."

She thought that if she had met him sooner, she could have been by his side sooner. Even if she still couldn't help him, she thought it would be good to just stay by his side quietly.

Xu Tingchuan chuckled silently, put his arm around her back, and patted her gently: "That won't do. If we had met earlier, I would have really become a pedophile."

Even if he was twenty-four when he started his business, she was only fourteen, still a junior high school student.

This summer was the perfect time for them to meet. He was unmarried and not too old, and she was unmarried and not too young. That was the only way they could get married. "Don't talk nonsense again." Ni Sitian's sentimental thoughts were extinguished by his words. She muttered, "It's not like you would like me if you met me."

"Of course, it's because you're so lovable." Xu Tingchuan pinched Ni Sitian's cheek.

He suddenly noticed that her face didn't seem as chubby as before; it was thinner, her chin was sharper, and it had become a perfect oval face.

She seems to be slowly shedding her naivety and becoming more womanly.

"Then why are you staring at me?" Ni Sitian's cheeks flushed from the stare, and she couldn't help but touch her face.

"My wife seems to have become even more beautiful." Xu Tingchuan cupped her face, looked directly into her eyes, and said very seriously.

Ni Sitian certainly enjoys being praised, especially when the person praising her is someone she likes; it feels wonderful.

"Alright, go wash up and go to bed. It's already very late. You must be very tired today. You should get some rest." Ni Sitian felt even more embarrassed after being stared at for so long, so she quickly changed the subject.

Xu Tingchuan patted her head, then got up and walked towards the bathroom.

When he came out, Ni Sitian was already lying obediently on the bed, waiting for him to come and sleep together.

Looking at her obedient appearance, which resembled a little rabbit, Xu Tingchuan walked over, lifted the blanket, and lay down.

Ni Sitian immediately pressed herself against him, hugged his waist, and adjusted herself into a comfortable position in his arms.

With such a fragrant and soft little bunny snuggling into his arms, he felt it would be a shame not to do something, so he held her and pushed her down beneath him.

"Hiss..." Ni Sitian gasped in pain.

Xu Tingchuan realized something was wrong, rolled off her, lifted the blanket, and checked her hands and feet.

"Stop looking, it's not that." Seeing his posture, Ni Sitian knew she couldn't hide it from him, so she told him directly, "I hit my hip when I fell to the ground."

Xu Tingchuan frowned slightly, reached out and lifted her clothes, pulling down a little bit of her pants. He saw sizable bruises on both sides of her legs. "How did you fall to the ground? Did you slip and fall?"

"I'm not a child, how could I fall down for no reason?" Ni Sitian pouted and muttered.

"What happened?" Xu Tingchuan asked, noting that the impact seemed quite severe.

Ni Sitian hesitated for a moment, then decided to tell him what had happened at home that afternoon.

Upon hearing this, Xu Tingchuan's face darkened considerably, and his hands clenched into fists.

"I'm fine." Seeing his serious expression, Ni Sitian cupped his face and rubbed it, laughing, "Don't make such a scary face, it'll scare me."

Xu Tingchuan's expression softened a bit, and he pulled Ni Sitian back onto the bed, saying, "Go to sleep."

He didn't directly target Li Rui because of various concerns, but Li Rui shouldn't have touched Ni Sitian; he was practically courting death!