Unexpected Second Chance at Love

Entering the house, Lu Tian immediately sensed Grandfather Ji’s worry for Yue Ling. He cast a reassuring glance toward the old man, silently signaling that everything was under control.

Without hesitation, he guided his wife up the stairs to their room.

As they disappeared from sight, unease settled over those remaining in the living room.

When Yue Ling left earlier, she appeared composed, yet now she has returned, stained with blood.

Grandfather Ji sighed deeply, sinking onto the couch beside Liu Shan. Though he longed to follow and check on his granddaughter himself, he knew it was best to let Lu Tian provide the comfort she needed.

Upstairs, Lu Tian closed the door behind them and led Yue Ling to the bathroom. He turned on the shower, then took in the sight before him.

Her body stood motionless, her eyes unfocused and distant, as if gazing through the walls that surrounded her.

His chest tightened. He knew all of this was weighing heavily on her. The news of her grandfather’s worsening health, and now, the desperate search for her brother.

He gently removed her clothes and shed his own before helping her step into the warm cascade of water.

Steam curled softly around them as warm water cascaded down, muffling the outside world.

She didn’t speak, her gaze distant, but she didn’t pull away. His hands moved gently, never rushed, washing the blood from her skin like brushing dust from delicate porcelain. Each motion was patient and reverent, as if trying to cleanse more than just her body and ease the heaviness around her soul.

When she trembled, he stepped closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, his other hand steady at her waist.

”I’ve got you.”

He whispered, his voice barely audible over the water.

”Just stay here and I’ll do the rest.”

She didn’t answer, but the way she leaned into him, letting her forehead rest against his chest, said enough.

He continues to wash her from head to toe with gentleness. Every so often, he would place a kiss on her head.

When he saw her walk out of the house despite her trying to reassure him that everything was alright, he knew he had to follow her. He could tell she was putting up a wall after the video call and needed to be by her side.

The moment he descended the stairs to the underground room, he knew he was right to follow her.

When the man revealed she was the real target, his instinct screamed to kill him and anyone who dared threaten her. But watching his wife unleash her fury on the man, he held himself back, choosing instead to stand silently by and observe.

He didn’t like that she had used her hands to punish the man—worried the aftermath would bring pain to her knuckles—but he couldn’t deny the awe that stirred within him. He was proud of her, of the way she held her ground and struck with precision. She wasn’t just capable; she was formidable.

The sight of her punishing the evil made him fall more in love with her.

And as much as he wanted to pounce on her at this moment, he knew it wasn’t the right time and held himself back.

Once he finished washing her, he cleaned himself before turning the shower off and putting on a robe.

He bent down without a word, one arm sliding beneath her knees, the other wrapping gently around her back. With effortless strength, he lifted her into his arms. Her body, light against his chest, instinctively curled toward him as if seeking comfort.

His steps were steady and sure, shielding her from the world with each stride. Cradled in his embrace, she looked small, fragile even, but to him, she was everything, and he would carry her through fire if he had to.

Stepping out of the bathroom, he walks over to the bed and places her down before changing into a black crew-neck sweatshirt and grey sweatpants. After, he leaves the room for a quick minute to get her a set of comfortable clothes.

He returns to her side, places the clothes on the bed, and then grabs a towel to dry her.

As he carefully wiped the water from her legs, Yue Ling’s eyes returned to their focus and followed his movements. Her lashes flutter ever so gently, and a small smile curls on her lip as she watches him kneel in front of her.

”I’m sorry for troubling you with this.”

She felt bad that, because of the turmoil inside her, the aloof man had to take care of her. If others saw him behave this way, they would surely be in for a shock.

Lu Tian looks up at his wife while he remains kneeling in front of her. He returns her smile with a smile and shakes his head.

”Don’t be. I was born to do this for you.”

He placed a small kiss on her left knee, then on her right.

”You are my Empress, and as your servant, it is my job to make sure you are satisfied.”

Yue Ling blushes at his shameless words and playfully hits him. She moves her legs away from him and grabs the clothes he had picked out for her.

”I’ll change on my own.”

She leaves no room for Lu Tian to refute and enters the bathroom.

Left alone in the room, Lu Tian shakes his head with a small laugh before sighing. He got up from the floor and sat at the bed’s edge to wait for her.

Inside the bathroom, Yue Ling stood silently before the mirror, her gaze returned to its distance. The steam had long since faded, leaving the room cool, but her mind was far from still.

The real target was her.

But who wanted her that badly?

Her eyes flickered in the mirror, sharp and unreadable. The man she had strangled to death had claimed as much, but now he was gone along with any chance of further answers. Not that he would’ve given her the truth, even if he lived.

Still, something about his words stuck with her. They gnawed at the edge of her thoughts.

Her brows furrowed.

Then, something clicked.

Her bluish-green eyes darkened, a dangerous glint replacing the blank stillness. A shadow passed across her face, her expression hardening.

She moved quickly.

Pulling on her undergarments and slipping into an apricot-toned lounge set, she moved with the same efficiency she used in combat. Her fingers twisted her damp hair into a clip, and with no hesitation, she turned on her heel and strode out of the bathroom—her steps silent, her purpose razor sharp.

Lu Tian stood up the second he heard the bathroom door creak open. He walked over to his wife and was met with her determination.

”Are you okay?”

He asked, and she nodded. She seemed to relax, hugged him at the waist, and then placed her head on his chest. She was thankful for his support during times like this.

She pulled away slightly, looked up at him, and her expression grew serious again.

”Let’s head downstairs. I need to talk to Shan. Something is bothering me, and I need my team to investigate it.”

Lu Tian gazed into the bluish-green eyes he loved, and in their depths he saw the faintest flicker of something—realization, certainty, resolve. It was enough for him to know she had reached a conclusion.

But just as quickly, he recognized the unspoken truth: whatever she had decided, she wouldn’t share it with him. Not now. Not even if he pressed her for an answer.

His jaw tensed before he released a quiet sigh. He had learned long ago that pushing her in moments like this was like trying to catch the wind—it would only slip through his fingers.

”I’m here.”

He murmured, his voice low but steady.

”My team is here. If you need anything, just say the word—and I’ll make it happen.”

Yue Ling stares up at him, her gaze finding his. The steel in her eyes softened for just a heartbeat, enough for gratitude to slip through the cracks in her composure. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze, and her lips curved faintly, too fleeting to be called a smile, but enough to tell him she had heard him, felt him.

”I know, but let me confirm whether what I’m thinking is true.”

Without another word, he held her hand firmly. His touch was warm but measured, a silent promise that he would still be her shield even if he weren’t part of the answer she carried. She let him take her hand, and together they moved toward the door.

They reached the top of the staircase, and Lu Tian slowed, letting her take the first step down. His gaze stayed on her back, reading every shift of her shoulders, every slight movement that betrayed the storm he knew she carried inside. He wished, for just a moment, that he could take it from her. That he could step into the shadows in her place.

But Yue Ling was not a woman who let others fight her battles for her. She had been forged in fire long before he came into her life. And though he respected that, it didn’t stop the knot in his chest from tightening at the thought of what she might be walking into.

By the time they reached the bottom floor, the murmurs in the living room fell silent. Heads turned in quiet anticipation.