After finishing, he picked up a water cup and blue salt, then brought a basin for her to rinse her mouth. Ruan Ning reluctantly complied, and Meng Chi quickly cleaned up the items and brought breakfast.
He held her in his arms, scooping up porridge and feeding her bite by bite, as if she were a child.
Ruan Ning, horrified, tried to grab the spoon: “I’ll do it myself.”
“Don’t you remember? I used to feed you when you first came to my home,” Meng Chi said, recalling how scared she had been in a strange place. “You cried and begged for me when I got beaten, and when I was fine, you fainted from crying.”
Ruan Ning felt a chill and said reluctantly: “That’s why I say I never wronged you. If you remember our kindness, then let me go.”
Meng Chi remained silent, scooping up more porridge, blowing on it, and bringing it to her mouth again.
Ruan Ning frowned, refusing to open her mouth. Meng Chi lifted the spoon, half-smiling: “Believe me, I’ll feed you with my mouth?”
Ruan Ning quickly opened her mouth. Meng Chi laughed. She was delicate and soft under his care, and she obediently listened.
This feeling was good. That day, Meng Chi stayed home with her, feeding her all three meals and holding her on his lap thoughtfully. In the cool evening, he even took her to the roof to enjoy the breeze.
Ruan Ning’s mind became more active, sensing his unusually gentle mood. Perhaps she could try to persuade him to let her go?
“Brother,” she said carefully, “I can’t keep staying here. If you don’t like going to the Zheng family, can we call off the marriage with Zheng Yu?”
Meng Chi’s warm expression turned cold. “Don’t even think about leaving,” he said, fastening the silver chain that bound them together, attaching the other end to his own wrist.
The next day, Meng Chi remained home with her, the chain forcing Ruan Ning to be inseparable from him. On the third morning, Meng Chi finally opened the chain to go out. Just then, a young man knocked on the door and called, “Meng Brother, are you there? I’m Zheng Yu.”
Ruan Ning was surprised. Meng Chi replied lightly, “My sister is happy?”
Tormented beyond caution, Ruan Ning snapped, “Yes!”
