'Why is Lu Cheng here?'
'Shouldn't he be on a mission for work right now?'
In her past life, she hadn't seen Lu Cheng at this time! She recalled that the first time he came home after their wedding was about a month later.
'Did something change, or did this happen in her past life too, and she just never knew about it?'
At this thought, Shen Nian couldn't help but recall this exact time in her past life. Back then, whenever she was at her parents' house and they brought up Lu Cheng, it would only lead to arguments and her badmouthing him.
She had said plenty about how much she disliked him and how she didn't want to see him.
'What if Lu Cheng really did come back then, and even came to her parents' house? Could it be that he was standing outside the door, heard everything she said, and then left in disappointment without ever showing himself?'
The moment the idea surfaced, the more likely it seemed. She also recalled that in her past life, the first time Lu Cheng came home to the Lu Family after the wedding, his reaction upon seeing her had been a bit strange.
But back then, she paid him no attention at all, so of course she wouldn't have noticed such details.
Lu Cheng looked at Shen Nian, his eyes filled with pleasant surprise.
His urgent security mission was over, but there was still a lot of follow-up work to be done. However, he couldn't stop thinking about the wife he had just brought home, so he seized the opportunity to rush back for a quick visit.
Because time was short, Lu Cheng hadn't expected to see Shen Nian. He never imagined that just as he reached the doorstep of her parents' house, she would walk out.
Lu Cheng had always known that Shen Nian deeply resented their marriage. But he had insisted on marrying her anyway. It was all because of a single glance many years ago; the image of that young girl had never left his heart since.
So, when he learned the Shen family was looking for a suitor for Shen Nian, he ignored his own family's objections, insisted on asking for her hand, and even offered a generous betrothal gift.
Lu Cheng felt deeply guilty for leaving Shen Nian on their wedding night. He even worried that she, who had been unwilling to marry him in the first place, would end up despising him even more for it.
But now, seeing her, the great weight in his heart finally lifted, just a little.
'At least when she saw me, her eyes only held surprise, not disgust. Right?'
'Does this mean I can try to get just a little bit closer to her?'
Shen Nian's gaze remained fixed on Lu Cheng, so she saw every shift in his expression. She saw the anxiety and caution in his eyes, the flicker of joy and anticipation, and his hesitation to be the first to speak.
Shen Nian couldn't help but curse herself inwardly. 'Shen Nian, oh, Shen Nian, how could you have possibly scorned such a devoted man so badly in your past life?'
'Well then, in this life, she would properly repay the debt she owed Lu Cheng from the last!'
"Is your mission over?"
Hearing Shen Nian speak to him first, a few more traces of delight appeared on Lu Cheng's face.
'This might be the first time she's ever spoken to me first!' he thought. 'And she has such a beautiful smile on her face, just like the very first time I saw her.'
"It is, but I still have to go back to finish up."
"So, does this mean you snuck away to come back?"
As soon as she said it, she saw Lu Cheng's cheeks turn slightly red, a clear admission that her guess was correct.
Shen Nian thought about her past life. Lu Cheng must have snuck back during the downtime after his mission just to see her, only to overhear her berating him. 'How heartbroken he must have been!'
'In this life, I will never let him be so heartbroken again.'
'Never again!'
"I didn't exactly sneak back. I took leave from work, but I can't stay for too long."
"How long?"
"Half a day."
'Half a day... That really isn't long. In fact, it's quite short.'
Shen Nian looked at Lu Cheng. 'Since he only has half a day, shouldn't she make this trip he went to so much trouble for worthwhile?'
'At the very least, he should be happy when he goes back. He absolutely can't return to work with a heavy heart, like he did in her past life.'
"Perfect. In that case, you can walk me home!"