Chapter 353: Chapter 353: Simple Happiness

This was the first time in her life she woke up to find a man sleeping beside her, and a remarkably handsome one at that.

Even though his face showed some traces of fatigue, it didn’t detract from his charm.

Xu Chaomu had to admit he was the most handsome man she’d ever seen in her life. His sharp facial contours, handsome brows and eyes, deep-set gaze, and those lightly pursed lips all exuded the allure of a mature man.

His robe was loosely open at the collar, and with a quick glance, Xu Chaomu caught sight of his wheat-colored skin.

“Whether I go to work or not, it doesn’t matter,” Shen Chi said with a smile.

“Be careful, or the board might fire you.”

“That depends on whether they dare or not.”

“From the sound of it, it seems like no one can control you,” Xu Chaomu huffed coldly.

“No… My wife can. If you ask me to go east, I would never go west,” Shen Chi said, his eyes smiling.

“Save such sweet nothings for your lovers,” Xu Chaomu retorted with another cold huff, utterly unconvinced. She didn’t believe for a second that a domineering man like Shen Chi could be reduced to a devoted lapdog.

She pushed away his arm, intending to get dressed and out of bed.

Shen Chi quickly caught hold of her: “Won’t you sleep a little longer?”

“No more sleep for me. The sun is up; I need to get to the hospital for a check-up.”

“Wait, I have something to tell you.”

Shen Chi held her down with a serious expression on his face.

Xu Chaomu, pinned and unable to move, lay back down and locked eyes with him.

“What is it that has to be said right now?”

“If I don’t say it, it won’t sit right with me.”

“What is it? So secretive. Hang on, let me guess.”

“Go ahead and guess.”

Xu Chaomu did take his challenge seriously and began to guess. After a while, her expression turned serious: “Shen Chi, did you trick me again?”

“Mmm,” Shen Chi nodded, opting for full disclosure. He wanted to tell her about Jian Sisi’s situation.

Xu Chaomu’s face darkened instantly, and she pushed him away angrily, trying to get out of bed.

Shen Chi caught her arm: “Mumu, listen to me till the end. It’s not too late for me to be upfront with you now.”

“Get lost!” Xu Chaomu’s face turned ashen as she tried to shake off his grip.

His deception had left her unable to step out of the shadows for a full five years, and now, he still had something to hide from her?

The word “deception” had already cut her deeply.

Zhou Ran did, Shen Shihan did, Shen Chi did.

She was particularly sensitive to that word, sensitive like a fuse, ready to ignite at the slightest touch!

“Mumu, hear me out. Give me a chance. You know, I could have kept many issues to myself and dealt with them quietly, but the incident from five years ago taught me a lesson. Now that we’re married, we should face things together, right?”

“Who wants to confront anything with you? I’ve said it before, I don’t recognize that marriage certificate! Not one bit! By the way, where is it?”

“In my room.”

Annoyed, Xu Chaomu shook off his hand, slipped on her slippers, and got out of bed, heading straight for his room.

“Mumu, where are you going?” Shen Chi quickly followed her, not even taking the time to put on his shoes.

Xu Chaomu pushed open the door to his room and dashed towards his bed, rummaging through every drawer in search of the marriage certificate.

Often, she also wanted to forget everything from five years ago, and often, she wanted to tell herself that her mother’s death had nothing to do with him.

But she simply couldn’t get over that hurdle in her heart.

“Where is it? Where’s the marriage certificate?” Xu Chaomu asked, unable to find it.

“I put it away.”

“Give it to me!” Xu Chaomu stretched out her hand.

“What are you going to do with it?”

“Tear it up, of course.”

“Mumu, let me finish what I’m saying. Don’t be impulsive.”

Shen Chi hurriedly approached and stood before her.

“Shen Chi, what good is keeping that marriage certificate for you? Aren’t you always profit-oriented? I, Xu Chaomu, don’t seem to have anything worth exploiting.”

“How can you say that?” Shen Chi frowned deeply, as if pierced by a needle to the heart, “You know perfectly well that I love you.”

“If you truly loved me, you should consider my feelings in every situation, right?”

“What do you want to say?”

“Give me my phone back, let me leave the Shen Family, and don’t stop me from my engagement.”

“So you still want to leave.”

“Yes, every second I yearn to get away from you.”

Shen Chi fell silent. Over these past few days, on searching his heart, he knew he treated her very well. Sadly, her heart was no longer with him.

Seeing his silence, Xu Chaomu rattled off, “Didn’t you just say you loved me? Is this how you love me? Don’t you want to see me happy?”

“Chaomu, I won’t let you go again. If I let go this time, it’ll be forever. Let’s talk this through properly,” Shen Chi declared firmly.

“Want to talk? Show me some sincerity.”

“Sincerity?”

Shen Chi thought for a moment, silently went to the wardrobe, and pulled out a wallet from the pocket of a hanging suit.

He drew out a bank card and stuffed it into Xu Chaomu’s hand: “Wife, here’s one million, spend it freely, the PIN is your birthday.”

Xu Chaomu was stunned on the spot; this man was really straightforward and rough.

Seeing her hesitate, Shen Chi took out another card and placed it in her hand: “Wife, this is five million, spend it freely, the PIN is your birthday.”

Xu Chaomu’s mouth twitched.

“Is that enough? If it’s not, there’s more.”

“Enough!”

“Oh? Enough? That’s good then.”

“I’m telling you, Shen Chi, you’re too much!” Xu Chaomu exclaimed, hands on her hips, caught between laughter and tears.

She had been seriously discussing the issue of the marriage certificate with him, only for him to turn it into a joke like this. Xu Chaomu didn’t know whether he was really naive or just pretending.

“Wife, your husband is quite capable of making money. Buy whatever you want; don’t hold back with me.”

“I don’t want your money. Do you think money can buy everything?”

“Then what do you want?”

“All I want is simple happiness. Can you give me that?”

“Simple happiness? Oh… I get it.”

The certain gentleman’s face displayed sudden understanding, and then he began to untie the sash of his robe.

“You, what are you doing?” Xu Chaomu backed away, dismayed at this man’s impropriety so early in the morning.

“To prove that I can also provide you with simple happiness.”

After saying that, he pounced forward, pinning Xu Chaomu to the large bed with the posture of a big bad wolf overpowering a little white rabbit.

“You’re calling this indecency, goddamn it, get off me!” Xu Chaomu was beside herself with a mix of laughter and tears.

Her idea of happiness was nothing like what he was implying, okay?! And hadn’t she been in a stronger negotiating position just a moment ago? How did she end up at a disadvantage now?

Shen Chi pressed down on her, his eyes full of hazy desire, and he held her head down as his lips found hers.

“Mm…” Xu Chaomu was kissed unexpectedly, her eyes wide open, staring straight at him.