From Broken Family to Life Winner: A Reborn Mother's Journey

”What?” Su Li had just asked.

The words had barely left her mouth when the bicycle jolted violently.

Su Li let out a small cry and reflexively grabbed onto Wu Sheng to steady herself.

Wu Sheng looked at the hands on his waist and broke into a triumphant smile.

The jolt threw Su Li tightly against Wu Sheng’s back, her hands still wrapped around his waist.

She blinked. Once she processed what had happened, she glanced back. The sight made her slump in exasperation.

”Wu Sheng! You did that on purpose!”

’There was clearly only one pothole in the road, and he could have easily avoided it!’

Wu Sheng grinned. ’Of course I did it on purpose! I deliberately aimed for the pothole. How else was I going to get Su Li to hug me?’

”What did you say?” he asked deliberately.

Su Li shook her head in resignation, leaned back a little, and was about to release her hands from his waist.

”Hey, don’t move. Hold on tight. Who knows what other potholes we’ll run into,” Wu Sheng said, immediately pressing her hands back down.

”Just ride the bike properly,” Su Li said hurriedly, noticing he was still steering with one hand.

”Are you nervous? If you’re nervous, then hold on to me tight. Otherwise, I’ll just keep using one hand.”

Wu Sheng’s grin widened. ”Don’t worry. Even if we fall, I’ll be the only one who gets hurt, not you. I’ll protect you and cushion your fall.”

As he spoke, he pressed down on Su Li’s hands with even more force.

Su Li watched the bicycle start to weave in an S-pattern. She knew Wu Sheng was doing it deliberately, but she couldn’t help but feel nervous.

”Fine, fine! I won’t let go! Just ride properly.”

’Such a rogue. I really have to hand it to him.’

”You promised!” Wu Sheng immediately agreed. After a triumphant whistle, he let go of her hand and started riding properly.

The bicycle stabilized, no longer wobbling. They didn’t hit any more potholes; in fact, he managed to avoid every single one.

Su Li hugged Wu Sheng as lightly as she could, her face flushing slightly.

’For someone of her age, who had even lived two lifetimes, to willingly wrap her arms around a man’s waist... this was a first!’

It was as if Wu Sheng had eyes in the back of his head. ”Su Li, you’re blushing, aren’t you?”

”No, I’m not,” Su Li replied instantly.

”A little prude like you is definitely blushing. No need to be shy. I’m blushing too,” Wu Sheng said, his tone full of affection.

Su Li took a deep breath, doing her best to ignore the heat rising in her cheeks.

”Wu Sheng, when you said before that you’ve never liked a girl, that was a lie, right? How can you be so... so experienced if you’ve never liked anyone?”

’With all his smooth-talking and flirting skills, it would make more sense to say he was a seasoned veteran of romance.’

Wu Sheng’s eyes lit up. ”Oh? Oh? Does that mean I’m doing things right?”

”Haha...” Wu Sheng let out a smug laugh. ”Thank you for your approval, Su Li. I’ll be sure to keep it up. But...”

He chuckled. ”This really isn’t from experience. It’s all self-taught.”

Su Li wasn’t quite convinced.

Wu Sheng laughed again. ”It’s true, I’m self-taught. Let me put it this way: a lot of guys are like this. When they really meet a girl they like—aside from the few who are truly clueless—they don’t need to be taught. Once he starts thinking about her, he’ll figure things out on his own.”

’And that’s exactly what he was doing.’

This time, Su Li didn’t argue.

’After all, when it came to matters of the heart, she was hardly an expert.’

Wu Sheng continued to ride with Su Li, speeding along.

The sun was setting, painting a scene of breathtaking beauty.

With Su Li behind him and his spirits soaring, Wu Sheng rode across more than half the city before finally stopping at their destination.

”We’re here.”

Su Li got off the bike and looked around.

”You’ve never been here, right? There’s a restaurant here with amazing food.”

He liked it a lot, so he wanted to share it with Su Li.

Wu Sheng parked the bicycle, patted his waist a couple of times, and suddenly leaned in close to Su Li.

Su Li jerked backward. ”What are you doing?”

”I just wanted to settle an account with you before dinner,” Wu Sheng said with a sly smile.

”What account?” Su Li asked, taking another step back.

Wu Sheng pointed to his own lips. ”You left your seal on my mouth.”

As Su Li glared, he rubbed his waist. ”And my waist—you just left your handprints on it. They’ve been marked by you for the first time. From now on, they both belong to you. One-of-a-kind, you know.”

Su Li: ”...!!!”

Wu Sheng pointed to his lips and waist again. ”So from now on, you can touch them whenever you want, kiss them whenever you want.”

Su Li shook her head vigorously, like a rattle drum. ”I don’t want them! They’re not mine!”

”That time before was just CPR, I already explained that to you! And just now... just now was only because you deliberately hit that bump and threatened me, that’s why I...”

”I’m not listening.” Wu Sheng wagged his finger. ”No excuses.”

He grinned, baring his teeth. ”Remember this, Su Li. Once my whole body is covered in your marks, I’ll belong to you completely. And then you’ll have to...” He pursed his lips suggestively. ”You know what.”

Su Li: ”I don’t know what!”

”Oho.” Wu Sheng raised an eyebrow. ”Turns out you have the potential to be a rascal yourself, Su Li.”

Su Li: ”...You said before that if anyone was going to take responsibility, it would be you, not me! I was forced into playing the part of a rogue; I don’t accept this!”

’Going by his logic, if he schemed or found ways to make her touch his entire body, then wouldn’t that... wouldn’t that...’

’If Wu Sheng really set his mind to it, he could achieve that in an instant. There was no way she would ever agree to it!’

Wu Sheng propped his chin on his hand, observing the completely guarded Su Li. ”You don’t agree? Fine, then.”

Su Li shot him a suspicious look, then breathed a sigh of relief.

The next second, Wu Sheng suddenly stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Su Li’s shoulders.

Su Li: ”...!!!”

She warily pushed him away. ”What do you think you’re doing?!”

Wu Sheng, who allowed himself to be pushed away by Su Li’s gentle shove, didn’t advance again. He simply raised an eyebrow. ”What does it look like I’m doing? I’m collecting on a debt, of course.”

”If you don’t agree to my terms, I can’t just take the loss. It has to be fair; I have to get something in return, right? Only then will we be square.”

He held out his hands. ”And since you’re a girl, I’ll let myself take a small hit and just collect the debt from your shoulder.”

Su Li: ”...Who acts like you, demanding to collect a debt?”

”That’s me. I’ve never been the type to accept a loss. Or, we could just agree to be mutually responsible.”

Seeing Su Li fall silent, Wu Sheng jutted his chin out smugly, then pointed with a grin at Su Li’s mouth and shoulder. ”There. Now those two places on you have been marked by me. They belong to me.”

Su Li: ”What?”

Wu Sheng reassured her, ”Relax, don’t be scared.”

”I won’t just kiss you or hug you whenever I please without your permission. Kissing and hugging whenever you want—that’s your privilege, since you’re the girl.”

With that, he gestured for Su Li to head inside. ”Let’s go, time to eat.”

Su Li: ”...”

’Could she even stomach food at this point?’

They entered the restaurant and sat down. Wu Sheng ordered after asking for Su Li’s preferences.

Su Li watched him pour her a glass of water and asked, ”Wu Sheng, be honest with me. Are you going to keep creating opportunities for me... to touch you?”

Wu Sheng looked up in surprise. ”Oh? Su Li, how did you know what I was planning?”

His face lit up with delight. ”Are we on the same wavelength or what?”

Su Li: ”...”

Seeing her expression, Wu Sheng stifled a laugh. ”Hey, don’t make that face. Relax. While that is the plan, I’ll take it one step at a time. I won’t make you touch my whole body at once.”

”Although... although I really do want to belong to you completely, right away.”