Chapter 1 I Just Want to Kiss You

• One table.
• One person.
• One chair.
• Lan Hupo looked at the table of sumptuous food. They were all Ke Beichen’s favorite dishes and she had made them herself.
• Today was their 3rd anniversary.
• But, it was already 8 p.m. and Ke Beichen was still not home.
• Hupo bit her lip and eventually picked up her phone to give Ke Beichen a phone call. It took a few rings before someone picked up.
• “Hupo, I have overtime tonight. You can eat and sleep first, don’t wait for me.”
• “Oh,” Hupo responded with one simple sound, unable to say another word as her throat stiffened. She then hung up the phone.
• Her body trembled a little.
• Hupo stared blankly at the gossip news in front of her. There was a photo of the restaurant where Ke Beichen was eating. She took a deep breath...and another...
• Ke Beichen ended up lying to her.
• One hour later, Hupo threw open the carved wooden doors of Dynasty Restaurant’s VIP room and walked in pushing a dining cart.
• Unaware of when the door opened, Ke Beichen looked over in surprise as Hupo placed a dish on the table. “Fish rolls in tomato sauce, enjoy.”
• “Eh? Beichen, I don’t think we ordered this dish,” said Meng Qinqin, the woman that was sitting next to Ke Beichen.
• Hupo revealed a slight smile as she explained calmly, “Today is Dynasty’s 3rd anniversary, so we are giving our guests 4 bonus dishes. Apart from fish rolls in tomato sauce, you will also get braised chicken wings in red wine, sweet and sour pork ribs, and sliced beef with ox tongue in chili sauce. May you have a loving relationship and get married soon.”
• These 4 dishes were Ke Beichen’s favorites; she cooked them herself. Unfortunately, the man did not return home.
• As for the 3rd anniversary that she mentioned, she wasn’t actually referring to Dynasty Restaurant, she was referring to the time that they had known each other.
• “Well said. What’s your name?” Meng Qinqin asked as she lifted her head to look at Lan Hupo. She loved it when people told her and Ke Beichen to get married soon.
• But, just as Hupo was about to respond, she suddenly felt someone step on her foot. Simultaneously, her phone beeped.
• She looked down apologetically and swiped open her phone. It was a message from Ke Beichen, “Why are you causing trouble? Go home.”
• Hupo pulled her foot back and said apologetically to Meng Qinqin, “My name is Lan Hupo, if you don’t need anything else, I will take my leave.”
• As Lan Hupo turned around gently, tears began to stream down her face.
• But, she did not stop walking.
• As she took one step after another, she knew she was never turning back.
• She and Ke Beichen had reached the end of their road together.
• On her way back to the villa in a taxi, Hupo remained silent.
• “Miss, is the car behind us chasing after you? It keeps beeping and signaling for me to stop,” the taxi driver suddenly broke the silence.
• Hupo tilted her head and looked through the rearview mirror. The black Lamborghini that came into view was one that she had sat in multiple times, but at that moment, in her eyes, it felt so foreign.
• She gently bit her lip and opened her mouth, “I don’t recognize it. Please speed up, I’ll pay you extra.”
• Half an hour later, the taxi and the Lamborghini both pulled up outside a villa.
• As soon as Hupo stepped out of the taxi, Ke Beichen wrapped his arms around her waist, lifted her up and strode towards the villa.
• Hupo leaned into Ke Beichen’s embrace peacefully, but this made Ke Beichen feel unsettled; it was as though he was carrying an empty shell instead of a person.
• All of a sudden, he was angry. He immediately lowered his head and kissed Hupo passionately on the lips. As always, her lips were sweet; a taste that he liked. “You don’t like it when I’m with another woman?”
• “Yes,” Hupo said as she savored the kiss they just shared. Perhaps, it was the last time she would allow him to kiss her.
• “You have to like it even if you don’t. Lan Hupo, you have no other choice. Apart from marriage, I can give you anything you want,” Ke Beichen growled before he kissed her again.
• It was as though this was the only way to prove that Hupo belonged to him - and it was never going to change.