Volume 1 Chapter 22: She Fell and Landed on Him

He was dressed in a black short-sleeved shirt and loose-fitting sweatpants. One look at the fabric revealed it to be cotton, likely chosen for comfort, with the drawstring hanging unevenly, giving him an air of complete casualness.

As he brushed through his slightly damp hair, the hem of his shirt inadvertently lifted, and Lu Miao caught a glimpse.

She nearly had a nosebleed!

His firm waist and abdomen lacked an ounce of excess fat, the muscles solid and well-defined—clearly the result of regular exercise.

Although Lu Miao was unfamiliar with the intricacies of high society, she had heard of the Fu family in the capital. To think that a man born into such a prominent, wealthy clan could be entirely devoid of the arrogance typical of young scions. He was low-key, reserved, and remarkably grounded.

She used to tease Lu Yan for his affectations—insisting on silk pajamas with red wine, tailored suits with gold-rimmed glasses, and meticulously wiping his hands several times before every meal, like a haughty peacock. Lu Yan would claim that as a company boss, he had to maintain a certain aura to command respect.

But today, she realized that to earn awe from others, one didn't need to put on airs at all. The man before her was a perfect example.

"Eyes open so wide—aren't you going to sleep?"

The man had walked over to the bedside and noticed her hiding under the covers, a pair of eyes peeking out to steal glances at him.

Lu Miao’s face flushed with embarrassment, but she boldly poked her head out. "It’s cooled down tonight. If you get cold sleeping, I can add another quilt for you."

Fu Shiyue sat on the floor mat beside her bed and turned his head to look at her.

Lu Miao felt her cheeks heat up inexplicably. She turned her face away and insisted stubbornly, "I’m just worried you’ll catch a cold. If you get sick, what if you try to blame me?"

Fu Shiyue looked at the ten-pound cotton quilt beneath him and gave a low chuckle. "My constitution isn't that fragile. Just make sure you stay covered up and don't kick your quilt off tonight."

Lu Miao huffed. "I sleep very peacefully. I never kick off my quilt."

Fu Shiyue chuckled softly. "Is that so?"

He had lost count of how many times he’d tucked her back in the night before, only for her to kick the covers off minutes later. He had barely slept all night, nearly tempted to find a rope and tie her down.

Thinking he was mocking her, Lu Miao reached out and clicked off the light in annoyance. "Go to sleep!"

She turned her back to him and pulled the quilt over her head.

Fu Shiyue remained sitting there. The smile in his eyes faded, and his deep, dark gaze lingered on her in the shadows for a moment before he finally laid down as well.

Rain began to fall outside the window, but the room remained unaffected—warm and quiet.

Listening to the man's heavy breathing, Lu Miao found her heart far from calm. She had never spent a night in a room with a man before—not even her uncle.

Clutching the quilt, she was too nervous to fall asleep. In the darkness, such feelings were amplified, and her senses of hearing and smell became exceptionally sharp. She could hear her own chaotic heartbeat and fancied she could smell the ebony and sandalwood on his clothes. The two sensations intertwined, creating an atmosphere that was both ambiguous and alluring.

Her back was so tense it felt rigid. Finally, lying flat, she tentatively asked, "Is it hard sleeping on the floor?"

The man's rhythmic breathing paused. Lu Miao knew he wasn't asleep either, but the question caught Fu Shiyue, who was already feeling a bit restless, and left him completely stiff.

Realizing her words could be misinterpreted, she quickly scrambled to clarify, "I mean, the floor is too hard. Do you need me to pad it with something for you?"

The man, unfazed by her sudden inquiry and hurried explanation, replied in a low voice, "It’s fine. No padding needed."

"Can you handle it?"

"I’m used to sleeping on hard boards in the military." He stopped there, clearly not wanting to continue.

But Lu Miao started chattering away. "Were the conditions there really that harsh? I heard that anyone above the rank of non-commissioned officer gets independent quarters. Looking at you, you clearly made a name for yourself—why was your treatment so poor?"

It was the first time he had ever heard someone describe the treatment of the highest-ranking commander of a special operations brigade as "poor."

Fu Shiyue curled his lips. "I can't sleep on soft beds. I wake up with a sore back the next day."

She nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense. Hard beds are good for the waist. My grandfather has a herniated disc, and that’s what his doctor recommended."

"..." The young lady’s train of thought was certainly unconventional.

Lu Miao rolled over toward him, clutching her quilt. "I’ve always wanted to ask—how were you able to fall asleep while sitting up? That’s seriously impressive."

Fu Shiyue opened his eyes and turned his head to see her wide, dark eyes filled with curiosity. "Are you going to sleep or not?"

In the quiet of the late night, his voice sounded muffled and slightly husky.

She hummed. "I just couldn't sleep, so I wanted to talk to you."

The man remained silent. Lu Miao pouted dismissively. "If you don't want to answer, I’ll just shut up."

The young lady who wanted to chat seemed unhappy. Fu Shiyue let out a long breath, closed his eyes, and patiently explained, "We often have special missions where we can't leave the front lines for days at a time. Prolonged combat drains your energy, and you need rest to maintain your edge. There’s no place to lie down in the field, so we just find a concealed spot and lean against something."

His tone was steady, his voice—a low, metallic timbre—sounding exceptionally pleasing in the night.

Lu Miao touched her chin. "Do you ever sleep standing up?"

"Yes."

Lu Miao was astonished. "You can fall asleep standing up?"

Seeing her so earnest, Fu Shiyue couldn't help but smile helplessly. "How could you truly sleep in an environment like that? It’s just to let the body rest for a moment; you wake up the second there’s any movement nearby."

No wonder he sat so upright even when sleeping; she had thought he was just putting on a show. It turned out he had spent so long working in such high-risk environments that he could never truly relax, even in sleep.

Lu Miao suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for him. She asked, "Then why did you retire?"

"Didn't want to do it anymore." He answered quickly and casually.

Lu Miao hummed skeptically. "I don't believe you."

Fu Shiyue glanced up at her.

The man had such a strong sense of responsibility, keeping every promise he made to his friends, let alone the weight of defending the country. Someone who had dedicated their life to the nation would never be a deserter.

She leaned toward the edge of the bed, looking intrigued. "I bet your family forced you to come back to get married and have kids, right?"

"Get married and have kids?" A flicker of surprise crossed Fu Shiyue’s eyes. He looked at the delicate face above him and, with a light chuckle, reached out to pinch her cheek. "I have my hands full taking care of a kid like you; where would I find the time for other women?"

Lu Miao’s face instantly turned red, completely flustered by his words.

But she quickly regained her composure. "Did I ask you to take care of me? It sounds like I’m the one holding you back!"

Lu Miao didn't like being teased like this and angrily threw her pillow at his face.

Fu Shiyue caught it. "Don't mess around, or you'll wake your uncle."

She let go and let him take the pillow. Sitting up in bed, she scrutinized him. "You’re really not back to inherit the family business?"

Fu Shiyue tucked the pillow behind his back. "Stop guessing."

"Then what is the reason?"

Fu Shiyue paused. Seeing her curiosity, he quirked his lips. "I’ll tell you when there’s an opportunity."

Hmph, acting all mysterious. Something must have happened that he didn't want to talk about.

Lu Miao remembered what Xu Jin had asked her to find out and asked bluntly, "By the way, how old are you exactly?"

"About the same age as your uncle."

She counted on her fingers and couldn't help but be surprised. "My uncle is 35 this year. So, you’re already 30?"

Fu Shiyue looked at her. "Yes, so what?"

Lu Miao clicked her tongue, feeling a sudden sense of reverence. "Then you really are quite old. You’re over a decade older than me; I should probably call you Uncle."

"..." Fu Shiyue did want to hear her call him "Uncle," but he felt a bit annoyed at the moment.

"A man is usually married and established by thirty. Judging by what you said earlier, you’re single?"

He muttered, "Yes."

Lu Miao had a sudden thought. "How about I introduce you to my best friend?"

Fu Shiyue turned away and said coldly, "...Go to sleep."

"..."

It was the first time she had seen him displeased. She had challenged his bottom line countless times over the past few days, and she had never seen him act like this.

Actually, she was just testing the waters. Given his reaction, nothing would come of him and Xu Jin, and she could report that back to Xu Jin tomorrow.

Lu Miao obediently lay back down. After their conversation, the atmosphere had relaxed significantly.

Without the initial awkwardness and tension, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep quite quickly.

Fu Shiyue, however, felt no sleepiness at all; it was as if a fire were burning in his throat. What was that kid thinking, trying to play matchmaker for him?

Ha, did he need that?

Closing his eyes, he inhaled the scent of hair on Lu Miao’s pillow, his mind filled with the image of her wrapped in a towel.

Nighttime is when adrenaline runs highest for young men and women, and some hidden, unspeakable thoughts begin to surface. Fu Shiyue wasn't without desire; he was simply better at restraining himself than other men.

Lu Miao slept beside him, completely unguarded, and he knew very well he would never harm her.

Just as he had calmed his emotions and was about to drift off, a soft, warm weight fell onto him.