Chapter 136: I Want To Marry You, With No Other Scheming
Liancheng certainly believes in love,
but she knows even better that most men in this world do not possess such advanced emotions.
They can perform deep affection, performing it to perfection, and it looks very good.
A woman with a heart full of emotions, once moved, becomes like a pure white flower on a branch swayed by the wind, falling into the depths of a dark net, transformed into a mother spider, a tigress, a vicious creature without reason or wisdom, always losing control and becoming hysterical.
From sanctity to depravity, from shining brightly to dimming into obscurity.
In university, Liancheng knew a female professor who was being considered for the national “Outstanding Young Scholar” award.
During the selection phase, her husband repeatedly refused her work calls, constantly argued with her, and caused their child to fall ill. The female professor was overwhelmed, believing she had failed to manage both her company and her family, and her marriage was on the brink of collapse.
In the end, her husband gave the female professor two choices: either withdraw from the selection and return to a normal, relaxed life, or divorce, stating that she was too busy to even take care of the child, and her husband demanded she leave with nothing.
The female professor’s father did not approve of her divorce.
In the end, the female professor did not withdraw from the selection, but due to this entire ordeal of arguments, she became so flustered that she lost her form and, unsurprisingly, was not selected.
Strangely, from the moment she was not selected, her husband transformed back into an affectionate, hardworking, and perfect partner. The female professor, now idle at home, found that the family, which had been chaotic and full of frequent incidents just a while ago, was now calm as stagnant water, with no need for her intervention.
Liancheng could not understand her husband’s psychology at all, but her advisor explained it clearly in one sentence.
It was just a bad man’s tactic to control his wife.
They possess, they control, they fear that if a woman’s wings grow strong, she will leave.
Some might think such possessiveness and insecurity must stem from deep love.
But true love is not like that; it is longing yet enduring, it is careful and unwilling to disturb the other party even slightly. It is from the soul, a selfless offering, only hoping that the other person will prosper.
Forever pure, forever passionate, willing to burn oneself rather than harm a single strand of hair, it is “I die, you live.”
If love does not manifest in this way, then it is a conspiracy, a trap, a chain, a fall into an abyss from which one cannot climb out.
“But it’s not because I want a child.” Liang Chaosu observed the subtle changes on her face, her disbelief and disdain buried deep in her eyes, deep beneath her skin.
Liancheng was different from most young girls; she possessed an unshakeable resolve like a boulder, was resilient, could endure, and could act.
She always presented a courageous and uninhibited appearance, seemingly unconcerned.
She was as clever as could be, as interesting as could be; people could not see the pain she was enduring, and even if they saw through it, they could only touch upon her resistance and counterattack after the pain.
One careless moment could lead to a misjudgment.
Liang Chaosu cupped her cheek, his thumb gently caressing her skin. Liancheng dared not move, feeling the wind and snow around them freeze, the entire long street pressed into a pause button, only the man’s slightly pursed thin lips moved, his words clear and unforgettable.
“It’s simply because I want to marry you.” He lowered his head, slowly gazing into Liancheng’s eyes, the dense fog in his eyes, which had been impenetrable, poured out, spreading into Liancheng’s gaze.
She flinched, but had nowhere to hide.
He laid it all out, revealing everything, “I have no other schemes, nor am I accustomed to sleeping with someone. If I were to protect a woman simply because I’m used to her, and oppose the entire world for her, then I would be far too magnanimous. You perceive me as petty and vindictive, with faulty logic.”
For the first time, Liancheng lost her composure. She expressionlessly pulled his hand away and walked off with her head down.
Today, Liang Chaosu’s latest persona was that of a sharp-witted man skilled at sweet talk.
She desperately wanted to refute him, to throw his words back in his face, to shatter his hypocrisy.
“Take back your love; every day for those four years testified to its falsity. Even if the Consumer Association came, they wouldn’t bother to expose it; it was too obviously fake.”
Even if, for the sake of argument, he truly intended to marry her, within those hypothetical steps, the male possessiveness was still a thousand and one steps ahead.
That extra step was due to her considerable cultivation and politeness, which made her believe him and extend courtesy, then erase it.
………………
Restaurant.
The air conditioning was set to a comfortably warm temperature. Liancheng, seated by the window, took off her down jacket. A waiter approached and asked if she needed cloakroom service.
Iceland has a cold climate, with significant temperature differences between indoors and outdoors. Local restaurants tend to have small round tables and individual stools. After customers are seated, it’s inconvenient to manage clothing and bags, so some restaurants offer cloakroom services, which usually include ironing.
Liancheng didn’t even have a mobile phone now and had no personal belongings when she went out, so she didn’t mind this service.
Liang Chaosu, however, politely declined.
He had always been like this, like a lion, or more like a wolf, with the most primal instincts of conquest and combat flowing in his veins, possessing a strong territorial awareness, rejecting anyone who approached him, moved towards him, or touched his belongings.
Even if a woman showed him weakness face-to-face, his heart was as hard as iron.
Liancheng was very self-aware in this regard, not appearing before him at unnecessary times, not prying into his privacy, and not asking too many questions about his situation. Perhaps it was precisely her discretion that earned his favor.
Liang Chaosu’s personality was less about abstinence and more about being selective with women; he preferred them to be obedient, compliant, and understand boundaries. He would surely be annoyed by ordinary young girls who were clingy and sweet in a relationship.
Liang Chaosu pushed the menu towards her, and the waiter turned from him to Liancheng, “Hello, madam, your husband ordered two pan-fried fish fillets. Our portions are quite large, so we recommend you also choose a soup or a small lamb chop and fries.”
Liancheng, unable to focus on the colorful menu, said, “He is not my husband.”
The waiter glanced at Liang Chaosu. His handsome and distinguished face was as calm as water in the soft light from the lamp above. He did not object or explain, his gaze never leaving the female customer, as if he would passively accept whatever she decided.
“Your friend?”
His English was fluent, but he used the Icelandic word for “friend,” which in its local meaning carried connotations of love. Liancheng didn’t understand and didn’t dwell on the matter with the waiter, asking instead, “Where is the restroom?”
The waiter pointed towards the right side, deeper inside, “Follow the wall, turn right, and keep going.”
Liancheng put down the menu and pushed it back to Liang Chaosu, “You do it.”
Liang Chaosu indeed did not ask further questions, implicitly accepting her leaving his sight alone.
The restaurant’s restroom was located in a narrow corridor at the far right corner of the wall. The men’s and women’s restrooms faced each other, with the sinks at the end of the corridor.
Old Ghost was already waiting there. As soon as she approached, he lowered his voice, “Should we perhaps change our meeting method next time? I’ve been following you, and repeatedly meeting in the restroom is too easily discovered.”
Liancheng turned on the faucet, “We’ve already been discovered. He deliberately let me escape.”
Old Ghost was struck as if by lightning, shocked and horrified, “He—he deliberately let you go?”
Liancheng washed her hands carefully, “He has to return to the country. Iceland is too far away to exert influence. It’s better to let me go and find me after things calm down back home.”
Old Ghost’s mind briefly overloaded, stuttering, and he managed to say, “So you mean if we just walk out openly, he won’t stop us?”
“He won’t stop us.” Liancheng turned off the faucet. “On the surface, he alone can’t stop us. As for whether his bodyguards will secretly track and monitor us, and keep tabs on our movements, that’s uncertain.”
