Chapter 36: Call Me Husband and I'll Let You Go

Gentle cries of ospreys on the river islet—graceful and modest maiden, a perfect match for a nobleman. Longing for her yet unable to attain her, he thinks of her waking and sleeping, restless and turning through the night. This ancient poem is about a man who misses a woman so much that he cannot sleep—a feeling not unfamiliar to men through the ages. The poem dates back three thousand years to the Western Zhou dynasty, and now Ling Tian found himself in that very state, wavering whether to go next door to see Lin Youya. Not that he necessarily wanted to do anything—just to hold her and sleep, as he had with Li Youran, would be enough.

Lin Youya, for her part, was lying awake, her mind drifting to what Ling Tian might be doing next door. Could that guy be suffering insomnia just like her?

Suddenly, Lin Youya heard a knock at the door. Her heart began to race. Though she suspected it was most likely Ling Tian, she still asked, “Who is it?”

“It’s me, Ling Tian. Youya, are you awake? I wanted to chat with you,” Ling Tian replied, not daring to confess his real intentions. Even wanting to simply hold someone while sleeping could be called an intention.

“Uh, I’m not asleep yet. Wait a moment,” Lin Youya said, getting up to open the door for Ling Tian.

Normally, Lin Youya would never have opened the door for him, but after his heroic rescue of her that day, she found herself warming to him. Plus, she truly couldn’t sleep, and a chat might help. The innocent Lin Youya really believed a man could have such innocent intentions.

When she opened the door, she couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of Ling Tian wearing her father’s pajamas. The pajamas were a bit short on him, making him look slightly comical.

Ling Tian, meanwhile, was utterly captivated by Lin Youya. She wore simple pink cotton pajamas—not sexy or elegant as usual, but warm and approachable, making her seem even more endearing. And with no bra underneath, the faint outline beneath the fabric made Ling Tian swallow hard. Her stunning face, alluring figure, and the pale curve of her neck and collarbone drew him in irresistibly, a hint of cleavage just visible, filling the air with a subtle tension.

The masculine energy radiating from Ling Tian left Lin Youya a little dizzy as well. His strong build, handsome features, and slightly mischievous gaze made him incredibly attractive in that moment. The two stood there, eyes locked, neither quite sure what to say.

“Do you… need something?” Lin Youya lowered her head shyly, embarrassed.

“I kept thinking about the attempted kidnapping today. Maybe it really is connected to your grandfather’s affairs. Let’s talk it over in detail,” Ling Tian said. He couldn’t very well come in and admit he had nothing to say—he needed a serious pretext to avoid arousing suspicion.

“All right, please have a seat,” Lin Youya replied, only then realizing her awkwardness. There were no chairs in her room, just a bed—an ordinary double bed, not too large, but not small either.

Ling Tian sat by the edge of the bed with a smile.

Lin Youya didn’t want to ask him to stand up again, but sitting together on the bed felt awkward, so she blushed, climbed onto the bed, covered herself to the waist with a blanket, and leaned against the headboard. The bedroom light was dim, making the moment feel even more intimate.

A man and a woman alone in a room—even if nothing happens, the dim light and shared bed invite endless ambiguity, especially when both are young.

“I’m a bit cold. Can I sit on the bed too and share the blanket? Don’t worry, I absolutely won’t force you to do anything,” Ling Tian said, feeling awkward standing by the bed—if they talked like this, it really would be just talk. But his words were carefully chosen: he promised not to force her, but never said he wouldn’t try to tempt her.

As for his excuse, it was shameless—Ling Tian, a master of the Yin-Yang Arts, claiming to feel cold? He could survive the Antarctic. Really, he just wanted to slip under the covers with a beautiful woman. As the saying goes, a tree without bark will surely die, but a man without shame is invincible. How could a national hero from his past life have become so thick-skinned in this one?

Yet most women are sympathetic by nature, and Lin Youya actually believed his fib about being cold. Blushing even more, she whispered, “Then come up, but stay on your side,” and pointed to the far side of the bed.

“Heh, thank you, darling!” Ling Tian quickly got onto the bed, covering his lower body with the blanket and leaning obediently against the headboard, smiling at Lin Youya.

“Hey! You promised not to call me ‘darling’ in my house,” Lin Youya protested, her face growing even redder. Here she was, sharing a bed with a man who insisted on calling her his wife—she must be mad! Yet, somehow, the feeling was also a little sweet.

“It’s just the two of us. Your parents can’t hear,” Ling Tian replied. Seeing that she was shy but not truly angry, he felt a surge of joy. Clearly, this girl was beginning to accept him. Soon, he’d win over a second wife.

But Ling Tian overlooked one thing: once Lin Youya learned about Li Youran, would she still be so easily placated?

“Still, you shouldn’t call me that! Weren’t we going to talk about something serious? Go ahead,” Lin Youya said, trying to change the subject.

“Right, darling. I think your parents made a good point today. The people trying to kidnap you are probably after your grandfather’s shares. He’s the chairman now, and if you inherit his shares, you’ll be the next chair—so many people would envy you or resent it. You’re young and a woman; I’m sure there are plenty who don’t like you for that reason alone.” As Ling Tian spoke, he edged a little closer to her. The faint scent of her freshly bathed skin was intoxicating. He ached to press her down beneath him, but now was not the time—he had to be patient, now that she was warming up to him.

“That makes sense. But doesn’t that mean a lot of people could be suspects?” Lin Youya asked, worried. If so, there would be no end to her troubles.

“Not that many, really. Only those with the means and motive to compete with you. Tomorrow, when we visit your grandfather, I’ll try to find out more. Don’t worry too much,” Ling Tian said, gently patting her head for comfort—though mostly to take a little advantage.

“If I publicly gave up my right to inherit, would that stop people from coming after me?” Lin Youya asked, worried, but not resisting his affectionate gesture. Maybe she really did need comfort and a sense of safety, and Ling Tian made her feel secure.

“Only the mediocre escape envy. Darling, you’re so beautiful and clever—those who dislike you have probably always felt that way. Now your grandfather has made his intentions clear, even if you renounce your rights, those who want to harm you won’t just let you go.” Ling Tian wasn’t trying to scare her; their enemies had already made their move and wouldn’t retreat. With a scheme so vicious, meant to utterly ruin her, how could they be satisfied with her simply stepping aside? For all they knew, the enemy might have other grudges as well.

“So what should I do? Even the police haven’t found out who’s behind this. I’m really scared,” Lin Youya said, her eyes showing confusion and fear as she instinctively moved closer to Ling Tian, seeking more comfort.

Ling Tian, feeling sorry for her, put his arm around her shoulders, giving her a confident smile. “Don’t worry, I’m here. I won’t let anyone hurt you. Trust me.”

“Thank you.” Somehow, with Ling Tian’s assurance, Lin Youya felt much calmer and less afraid.

As her mood improved, Lin Youya suddenly realized she was leaning against Ling Tian, his arm still around her shoulder. It was a little embarrassing, but to push him away now would seem ungrateful, considering he had just comforted her. She shifted a little farther away to put some distance between them, but didn’t shrug off his arm.

Her retreat left Ling Tian a bit disappointed. Perhaps, if he just pulled her into his arms, he could have her beneath him right now. But he couldn’t be sure of her feelings, and couldn’t rush things—winning a woman’s heart was harder than winning her body.

Though he couldn’t act just yet, there was no harm in teasing her a little—one of Ling Tian’s favorite things to do. He gave her a mischievous smile, making Lin Youya’s heart flutter with nervousness.

“Ling Tian! What are you doing? Why are you looking at me like that?” she finally blurted out.

“Darling, it’s the middle of the night, and here we are, a man and a woman alone on the same bed. If nothing happens, wouldn’t that be a waste of such a beautiful night and our youth?” Ling Tian teased, his words shamelessly suggestive.

“Hmph! You rascal. So, what do you want to happen, huh?” Lin Youya saw through his teasing, her mood lightening, and pretended to scold him, joining in his banter.

“Heh, I want to marry you right now!” Ling Tian laughed, pulling Lin Youya into his arms and pinning her beneath him.

“What? Are you serious? No! You said you wouldn’t force me! Ling Tian, I don’t want to!” Lin Youya panicked, having thought he was only joking, not realizing he might actually try something.

“I never said I would! Heh. Call me ‘husband’ and I’ll let you go!” Ling Tian’s grin turned even more wicked. Having made it into bed with such a beauty, he had to get something out of it—if he could get her to call him ‘husband,’ the night would be well worth it.