Chapter 75 [VIP]

Slumber was locked in this room for several days. The chains binding him grew shorter and shorter until they were only long enough for him to roll from one side of the bed to the other. His movements were completely confined to this soft, large bed.

Even something as trivial as using the bathroom required Zong Bingwen's permission before it could be done with a man's accompaniment. Sometimes, when the man's perverse sense of humor kicked in, he would even hold Chenmian and try to help him urinate.

Zong Bingwen has become much worse; I don't know if he was always that bad.

It was a complete upheaval. All sorts of gadgets, from who-knows-where, were used on Chenmian. He was even forced to wear many indecent clothes, and Zong Bingwen enthusiastically carried him to the mirror to admire his own appearance.

Chenmian's eyes were red from crying. When she saw herself looking like that, tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to fall.

Looking at the two people pressed together in the mirror, Zong Bingwen sincerely praised his beauty, only to be slapped twice by Chen Mian in displeasure.

After hitting him, she worried that Zong Bingwen would be angry, so she shortened his chain. Chenmian could only cry and coax him, hooking her arms around the man's neck and kissing him incessantly.

Zong Bingwen pinched her boyfriend's chin in her arms and asked with an ambiguous expression, "Baby, you're so temperamental, are you really pregnant?"

Chenmian stopped moving, unable to bear it any longer, and slapped Zong Bingwen again.

On the fourth day of being locked in a deep sleep, Zong Bingwen finally regained his senses. The anklets were removed, but he still couldn't leave the room.

However, this was still better than before when even movement was restricted. Zong Bingwen also brought over Chenmian's tablet and computer, so that Chenmian could review them during their spare time while making love.

It was utterly dark and hopeless.

She had to endure Zong Bingwen's demands while also preparing for the final exams. She was exhausted both in and out of bed, and lost many little pearls in her sleep, nibbling on Zong Bingwen's body many times.

In the last few days before the end of the semester, perhaps because Shen Mian's belly showed no signs of pregnancy, he woke up one morning to find Zong Bingwen sleeping beside him, his head pressed against his flat stomach, his lips tightly pursed.

Chenmian tugged at his ear, pulling the man's earlobe until it turned red. Zong Bingwen finally spoke, his tone very disappointed: "It seems there really isn't a baby in the baby's belly."

He was muttering something, but Chenmian couldn't understand it.

After the final exams, Shen Mian originally wanted to take the opportunity to see Shen Ci, but Zong Bingwen was very strict with him. Not only did he escort him to the door of the exam room, but Shen Mian had just handed in his paper and walked out. Before he could catch any familiar faces, he bumped into Zong Bingwen, who was leaning against the wall in the corridor.

The man, dressed in a smart and well-tailored overcoat, stood tall and straight, with an impeccable gentle smile on his face, as if he were just an ordinary, considerate boyfriend picking up his lover.

Chen Mian forced himself to stay awake and handed over Zong Bingwen's hand, which he was about to take.

Upon returning this time, Zong Bingwen no longer kept Chenmian locked up, and his attitude towards his young boyfriend returned to its former submissive and obedient manner.

Chenmian tentatively and deliberately bullied the other party, and Zong Bingwen let him do as he pleased.

Shenmian knew this meant that his affair was over, but he was still uneasy. He had dealt with his real boyfriend, but what about Shen Ci?

There was no news from Shen Ci, so Shen Mian quietly went online to check and found that the spark between the two, which had lasted for more than 800 days, had been extinguished. In the past, even if Shen Mian forgot, Shen Ci would log into his account and reply to her himself.

Zong Bingwen accompanied Shen Mian to the Shen family for the Lunar New Year this year.

The two lingered until the 29th of the year before finally leaving the man's villa.

On the morning before his departure, perhaps thinking of another person in the Shen family who was getting in his way, Zong Bingwen set an alarm clock and woke up the sleeping Shenmian at four o'clock in the morning.

With his back covered in nail scratches, Zong Bingwen was satisfied. He put on a well-dressed appearance and once again obediently served Chenmian, not even allowing Chenmian to do small things like putting on his shoes.

Chenmian sat on the edge of the bed looking at his final exam results, muttering that he was going to do an internship next semester.

With a flick of her eye, Chen Mian playfully lifted her fiancé's chin with her toe and asked with a charming smile, "Honey, what gift are you going to give me for our engagement?"

Zong Bingwen looked up at the smug, blushing woman, his Adam's apple bobbing almost imperceptibly, his voice dry: "What does the baby want?"

Before Chenmian could answer, he eagerly pledged his loyalty: "Do you want that amusement park? A hotel is fine too, Mianmian, whatever you like is fine with you."

Chen Mian knew perfectly well that it was all fine. Zong Bingwen liked him and tolerated him, and now he also liked Zong Bingwen a little.

The two arrived at the Shen family home in the afternoon, travel-worn. The snow had been falling heavily since noon. On their way back, the wind howled, making the shadows of the trees on both sides of the road sway.

Chenmian sat in the passenger seat, munching on snacks and looking at an engagement guide on her phone.

The two families planned to get engaged on the sixth day of the first lunar month, and the wedding date was set for late spring or early summer, as Zong Bingwen wished.

Chenmian thought that he hadn't even graduated yet, but he was going to get married. It was such a pity that he got married so young.

However, they dared not refute the decisions of the two families.

It was already extremely rare that Zong Bingwen forgave him, set aside the matter between him and Shen Ci, and was willing to continue to love him as always.

During those days, I locked him in the room and did it day and night. Even just recalling it made me feel a certain sensation in places that were hard to talk about.

Zong Bingwen and he were indeed quite compatible.

Coming up from the Shen family's garage and stepping into the warm and bright main house, I felt as if I had returned to the Shen family home after several days of absence, and subconsciously searched for the figures of my family members.

Only the housekeeper was setting out afternoon tea in the living room; everyone else was not there.

Chenmian paused for a moment, then asked the aunt about the whereabouts of her family.

The aunt smiled and said that Young Master Lin Langli had just arrived home half an hour ago, and everyone must be talking to him.

Chenmian never expected that her first reaction upon hearing this name would be to subconsciously glance at the man's face beside her.

Zong Bingwen's expression remained unchanged, still bearing that gentle, considerate, and refined smile, only his grip on his arm tightened a little.

Chenmian had no idea that Lin Langli would actually be able to return this year.

She had no choice but to lead Zong Bingwen into her room, trying to prevent the two from meeting, and assured Zong Bingwen that she would not have any dealings with anyone else during the New Year.

They even went so far as to suggest that we spend the Lunar New Year at the clan's house first.

Zong Bingwen's expression softened as his boyfriend coaxed him. He then kissed Shen Mian for a while in the room, almost as if he was doing it on purpose, wanting Shen Mian to go out with those bright red lips.

Sure enough, not long after, Su Yueqiu came to knock on the door. She first welcomed her son-in-law, then said softly to Shen Mian, "Mianmian, come and talk to your mother for a while." She then turned to Zong Bingwen, "Bingwen, why don't you go to the study and talk to Jinshan or your Uncle Shen? They're here too."

Chenmian wiped her lips, her cheeks still slightly flushed, radiant and captivating, making it easy to tell what she had just done.

Pushing away her boyfriend who was still clinging to her, Chenmian glared at him, straightened her collar, and pushed open the door to leave.

Su Yueqiu stood smiling in front of the door, but her gaze, which had been fixed on her mother, was drawn by something invisible and noticed the young man slowly walking down the stairs first.

It was Lin Langli.

He wore a well-tailored black overcoat, which made his figure appear even taller and more upright. Almost a year had passed since I last saw him; he seemed unchanged, yet also seemed to have changed a great deal.

Chenmian froze, clearly sensing that the other person was gradually approaching him.

Her mother in front of her and her boyfriend not far behind her both became blurred at this moment, as if they had become the background after Lin Langli arrived.

Chenmian lowered her head, her gaze restrained and withdrawn, then she raised her eyes again with her usual smile, clinging affectionately to Su Yueqiu, while walking in the opposite direction from the door as if without any reservations, chatting and laughing with her mother as they left.

It was as if they hadn't seen Lin Langli at all.

The other person did the same, without greeting Shen Mian or even glancing at her. They simply opened their own door at a very close distance to Shen Mian, went in, and then closed it again.

All the children eventually returned home to celebrate the New Year together, and Su Yueqiu was happy. After Lin Langli closed the door, she quietly said to Shen Mian, "Mianmian, don't be afraid. Langli said he has a girlfriend abroad and won't bother you."

Chenmian's expression turned extremely cold in an instant, and hatred welled up inside him. For a second, he even wished that Lin Langli would die.

He would rather Lin Langli be dead than have Lin Langli have a new relationship.

How could he do this? How could he give up on himself so easily?

Is this all the liking I had for him before?

After so forcefully entering his life and leaving behind all that chaos and unpleasantness, did she just so easily walk away, find a new relationship, and return to a "normal" life?

And what about himself? He was to get engaged to Zong Bingwen and enter into marriage, surrounded by seemingly gentle but actually strict control.

A profound sense of injustice and an abandoned rage consumed his reason.

Chenmian quickly lowered his eyes, his nails digging into his palms. The pain sustained him, barely preventing him from revealing his true feelings. When he raised his eyes again, his face was full of a sincere, even relieved, smile: "That's wonderful! Mom, I'm really happy for him. Bingwen and I have also settled down. It's just the best that he can move on and find his own happiness!" His tone was light, as if it were a heartfelt blessing.

Saying these words against my will, my dormant heart was practically bleeding.

Su Yueqiu paid attention to her son's emotions and saw that Chenmian's reaction was normal and there was no abnormality that she had worried about. Finally, she was relieved and began to arrange where Zong Bingwen would stay that night.

Chenmian tried to coax her boyfriend into staying with her that night, but Su Yueqiu stopped her, saying it was inappropriate for them to do that.

Finally, Zong Bingwen was assigned to a south-facing guest room on the second floor, which happened to be separated from Chen Mian's room by Lin Langli's room.

Zong Bingwen was clearly aware of this grim reality.

Shen Ci lived across from Shen Mian, while Shen Mian's ex-boyfriend lived next door, and he was actually the furthest away from Shen Mian.

Zong Bingwen gave a cold laugh, as anxiety, irritability, and suspicion surged into his heart like a tide.

His expression remained impassive, but he had no doubt what the other two might do, nor did he trust Chen Mian's soft heart or wavering.

Chenmian was a person who was both romantic and gluttonous.

Shenmian did not go downstairs to eat dinner, leaving her boyfriend to deal with her family alone, which was actually very impolite. However, Shenmian showed no consideration. After meeting with her parents, she asked Zong Bingwen to hold her and coax her to sleep.

After coaxing her boyfriend to sleep, Zong Bingwen carefully closed the door and went downstairs to have dinner.

The moment the door closed, a noise came from the next room. With a "click," Lin Langli's face was vaguely revealed through the crack in the door.

Immediately afterwards, the door was fully opened, and Lin Langli glanced at Zong Bingwen with a calm and indifferent expression.

Zong Bingwen saw the disgust in the other person's eyes, and of course, he did not hide his disdain for the other person.

A note from the author: