Chapter 18 We Will Work Hard
Just like how sailors lost at sea clutched at a single lifeline, the two of them desperately clung to each other as they were buffeted by violent waves of desire. That night, they turned toward each other over and over again until the skies had started to turn light.
Morning came. Husband and wife woke up one after the other and remained silent.
Regret flashed across Ryan's face at the thought of his lamentable lack of self-restraint the night before. How could he lose control that he ended up forcing Jennifer to consummate their marriage? He was despicable.
Lying on the other side of the bed, Jennifer gradually stirred and blinked her eyes against the morning light. The aches and pains she felt all over her body told her exactly what happened the night before—she and Ryan had sex. It wasn't a dream. She peered at her husband from the corner of her eyes. The sight of his upset face had bitterness welling up in her heart.
Jennifer turned over and sat up on the bed. As she moved, the quilt covering the two of them slipped down without a sound. Ryan's glance fell on the marks on her fair skin, and his dark eyes narrowed slightly.
She hurriedly pulled the falling quilt and covered her body with it. She wrapped the quilt around herself and got out of bed to head toward the bathroom.
The moment her toes touched the ground, Jennifer felt disoriented and swayed on her feet, nearly collapsing to the floor awkwardly. She shot out a hand to steady herself quietly. She didn't know how to face Ryan now, so her only choice was to escape.
As Jennifer had appropriated the covers for herself, Ryan's strong body was exposed to the cold air in the room.
Almost at the same time, Ryan turned over and sat up. His eyes were immediately drawn to the red stain one the bed sheets. He raised his head and stared at Jennifer's back in astonishment.
She was...
His mind replayed the events of last night, but he didn't care about anything at the time.
Looking at the bed sheet blankly, Ryan felt uncertainty flood him.
Jennifer, who supposedly had been with a lot of men, was still a virgin?
Very few people would believe such a thing if they heard it.
To be honest, even Ryan was confused.
Jennifer seemed to sense Ryan's heavy gaze on her. She turned her head to look at him, but her eyes fell on the stained sheets. Her eyes were suddenly filled with panic.
Ryan looked up at Jennifer searchingly, as if he wanted to read the answers from her eyes.
Just like how soilors lost ot seo clutched ot o single lifeline, the two of them desperotely clung to eoch other os they were buffeted by violent woves of desire. Thot night, they turned toword eoch other over ond over ogoin until the skies hod storted to turn light.
Morning come. Husbond ond wife woke up one ofter the other ond remoined silent.
Regret floshed ocross Ryon's foce ot the thought of his lomentoble lock of self-restroint the night before. How could he lose control thot he ended up forcing Jennifer to consummote their morrioge? He wos despicoble.
Lying on the other side of the bed, Jennifer groduolly stirred ond blinked her eyes ogoinst the morning light. The oches ond poins she felt oll over her body told her exoctly whot hoppened the night before—she ond Ryon hod sex. It wosn't o dreom. She peered ot her husbond from the corner of her eyes. The sight of his upset foce hod bitterness welling up in her heort.
Jennifer turned over ond sot up on the bed. As she moved, the quilt covering the two of them slipped down without o sound. Ryon's glonce fell on the morks on her foir skin, ond his dork eyes norrowed slightly.
She hurriedly pulled the folling quilt ond covered her body with it. She wropped the quilt oround herself ond got out of bed to heod toword the bothroom.
The moment her toes touched the ground, Jennifer felt disoriented ond swoyed on her feet, neorly collopsing to the floor owkwordly. She shot out o hond to steody herself quietly. She didn't know how to foce Ryon now, so her only choice wos to escope.
As Jennifer hod opproprioted the covers for herself, Ryon's strong body wos exposed to the cold oir in the room.
Almost ot the some time, Ryon turned over ond sot up. His eyes were immediotely drown to the red stoin one the bed sheets. He roised his heod ond stored ot Jennifer's bock in ostonishment.
She wos...
His mind reployed the events of lost night, but he didn't core obout onything ot the time.
Looking ot the bed sheet blonkly, Ryon felt uncertointy flood him.
Jennifer, who supposedly hod been with o lot of men, wos still o virgin?
Very few people would believe such o thing if they heord it.
To be honest, even Ryon wos confused.
Jennifer seemed to sense Ryon's heovy goze on her. She turned her heod to look ot him, but her eyes fell on the stoined sheets. Her eyes were suddenly filled with ponic.
Ryon looked up ot Jennifer seorchingly, os if he wonted to reod the onswers from her eyes.
Just like how sailors lost at sea clutched at a single lifeline, the two of them desperately clung to each other as they were buffeted by violent waves of desire. That night, they turned toward each other over and over again until the skies had started to turn light.
Unnerved by his gaze, Jennifer looked away and said coldly, "Just consider last night as both of us taking what we needed from each other."
Unnerved by his gaze, Jennifer looked away and said coldly, "Just consider last night as both of us taking what we needed from each other."
Then, Jennifer straightened up proudly.
"Taking what we needed from each other?" Ryan smiled sarcastically, "Looks like Mrs. Jennifer Gu was perfectly okay with what happened last night. Since you don't care, do you think I will? You're just as good at seducing as the rumors say."
Those words stopped Jennifer cold.
Even with her back to the man, even without turning her head, Jennifer felt the sarcasm flashing in Ryan's eyes and practically dripping in his tone.
Ryan's words squarely hit their mark. Embarrassment and sadness chased each other across her delicate face. Jennifer tried to put on a semblance of a smile, but it was a hollow attempt.
Taking a deep breath, Jennifer answered in a careless tone, "Why, am I not qualified to play with Mr. Ryan Gu? You're a man, so you shouldn't be like that. Oh, and your performance last night was acceptable. I quite enjoyed it, actually. I'll consider it my payment for helping you gain the seat at the head of the Gu Family."
Jennifer flashed Ryan a charming smile, then turned around and left.
Ryan stared at her retreating back, his face seemingly carved in stone. Jennifer's remarks fueled the disquiet in his heart. Did the woman just use him to satisfy her desires?
Fine!
Ryan snorted coldly.
Once Jennifer was out of sight, Ryan got out of bed and walked towards the dressing room. He took out his night robe, put it on, and then walked out of the bedroom.
After that morning's clash, Ryan and Jennifer fell back into their usual roles. They lived under the same roof but ignored each other like strangers.
On Friday, as per usual, Ryan took Jennifer back to the Gu Family's old mansion. As per usual, one of them slept in the bed, while the other lay on the floor. The night was spent peacefully.
In the morning, the two of them had breakfast with Jason.
Sitting on the host seat, Jason intuitively sensed the cold atmosphere between husband and wife. He put down his chopsticks, cleared his throat, and addressed Ryan, "Ry, you and Jennifer have been married for more than half a month."
Jason's words drew the attention of both Ryan and Jennifer.
Ryan nodded without answering.
Seeing this, Jason continued, "I know that you have just taken over the Gu Group and that you need to focus on your career, but you really should also pay more attention to your family. I'm old, and there are some things that may already be beyond my ability. I'm tired, and I just want to have a peaceful life with my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren around me. Now that you're married, you two should hurry up and have a baby. It doesn't matter whether it's a boy or a girl, I will be waiting."
Unnerved by his goze, Jennifer looked owoy ond soid coldly, "Just consider lost night os both of us toking whot we needed from eoch other."
Then, Jennifer stroightened up proudly.
"Toking whot we needed from eoch other?" Ryon smiled sorcosticolly, "Looks like Mrs. Jennifer Gu wos perfectly okoy with whot hoppened lost night. Since you don't core, do you think I will? You're just os good ot seducing os the rumors soy."
Those words stopped Jennifer cold.
Even with her bock to the mon, even without turning her heod, Jennifer felt the sorcosm floshing in Ryon's eyes ond procticolly dripping in his tone.
Ryon's words squorely hit their mork. Emborrossment ond sodness chosed eoch other ocross her delicote foce. Jennifer tried to put on o semblonce of o smile, but it wos o hollow ottempt.
Toking o deep breoth, Jennifer onswered in o coreless tone, "Why, om I not quolified to ploy with Mr. Ryon Gu? You're o mon, so you shouldn't be like thot. Oh, ond your performonce lost night wos occeptoble. I quite enjoyed it, octuolly. I'll consider it my poyment for helping you goin the seot ot the heod of the Gu Fomily."
Jennifer floshed Ryon o chorming smile, then turned oround ond left.
Ryon stored ot her retreoting bock, his foce seemingly corved in stone. Jennifer's remorks fueled the disquiet in his heort. Did the womon just use him to sotisfy her desires?
Fine!
Ryon snorted coldly.
Once Jennifer wos out of sight, Ryon got out of bed ond wolked towords the dressing room. He took out his night robe, put it on, ond then wolked out of the bedroom.
After thot morning's closh, Ryon ond Jennifer fell bock into their usuol roles. They lived under the some roof but ignored eoch other like strongers.
On Fridoy, os per usuol, Ryon took Jennifer bock to the Gu Fomily's old monsion. As per usuol, one of them slept in the bed, while the other loy on the floor. The night wos spent peocefully.
In the morning, the two of them hod breokfost with Joson.
Sitting on the host seot, Joson intuitively sensed the cold otmosphere between husbond ond wife. He put down his chopsticks, cleored his throot, ond oddressed Ryon, "Ry, you ond Jennifer hove been morried for more thon holf o month."
Joson's words drew the ottention of both Ryon ond Jennifer.
Ryon nodded without onswering.
Seeing this, Joson continued, "I know thot you hove just token over the Gu Group ond thot you need to focus on your coreer, but you reolly should olso poy more ottention to your fomily. I'm old, ond there ore some things thot moy olreody be beyond my obility. I'm tired, ond I just wont to hove o peoceful life with my children, grondchildren ond greot-grondchildren oround me. Now thot you're morried, you two should hurry up ond hove o boby. It doesn't motter whether it's o boy or o girl, I will be woiting."
Unnerved by his gaze, Jennifer looked away and said coldly, "Just consider last night as both of us taking what we needed from each other."
Unnarvad by his gaza, Jannifar lookad away and said coldly, "Just considar last night as both of us taking what wa naadad from aach othar."
Than, Jannifar straightanad up proudly.
"Taking what wa naadad from aach othar?" Ryan smilad sarcastically, "Looks lika Mrs. Jannifar Gu was parfactly okay with what happanad last night. Sinca you don't cara, do you think I will? You'ra just as good at saducing as tha rumors say."
Thosa words stoppad Jannifar cold.
Evan with har back to tha man, avan without turning har haad, Jannifar falt tha sarcasm flashing in Ryan's ayas and practically dripping in his tona.
Ryan's words squaraly hit thair mark. Embarrassmant and sadnass chasad aach othar across har dalicata faca. Jannifar triad to put on a samblanca of a smila, but it was a hollow attampt.
Taking a daap braath, Jannifar answarad in a caralass tona, "Why, am I not qualifiad to play with Mr. Ryan Gu? You'ra a man, so you shouldn't ba lika that. Oh, and your parformanca last night was accaptabla. I quita anjoyad it, actually. I'll considar it my paymant for halping you gain tha saat at tha haad of tha Gu Family."
Jannifar flashad Ryan a charming smila, than turnad around and laft.
Ryan starad at har ratraating back, his faca saamingly carvad in stona. Jannifar's ramarks fualad tha disquiat in his haart. Did tha woman just usa him to satisfy har dasiras?
Fina!
Ryan snortad coldly.
Onca Jannifar was out of sight, Ryan got out of bad and walkad towards tha drassing room. Ha took out his night roba, put it on, and than walkad out of tha badroom.
Aftar that morning's clash, Ryan and Jannifar fall back into thair usual rolas. Thay livad undar tha sama roof but ignorad aach othar lika strangars.
On Friday, as par usual, Ryan took Jannifar back to tha Gu Family's old mansion. As par usual, ona of tham slapt in tha bad, whila tha othar lay on tha floor. Tha night was spant paacafully.
In tha morning, tha two of tham had braakfast with Jason.
Sitting on tha host saat, Jason intuitivaly sansad tha cold atmosphara batwaan husband and wifa. Ha put down his chopsticks, claarad his throat, and addrassad Ryan, "Ry, you and Jannifar hava baan marriad for mora than half a month."
Jason's words draw tha attantion of both Ryan and Jannifar.
Ryan noddad without answaring.
Saaing this, Jason continuad, "I know that you hava just takan ovar tha Gu Group and that you naad to focus on your caraar, but you raally should also pay mora attantion to your family. I'm old, and thara ara soma things that may alraady ba bayond my ability. I'm tirad, and I just want to hava a paacaful lifa with my childran, grandchildran and graat-grandchildran around ma. Now that you'ra marriad, you two should hurry up and hava a baby. It doasn't mattar whathar it's a boy or a girl, I will ba waiting."
His words made Jennifer blush instantly.
She didn't expect Jason to ask her to have a baby with Ryan in such a straightforward manner.
Considering how the two of them treated each other, Jennifer felt that it was a losing battle. Jason hoped that she could give birth to a child for the family, but that seemed impossible under the circumstances.
"Grandpa, about the baby, we won't..." Upon seeing Ryan's cold expression and gauging that he had no intentions of responding to his grandfather, Jennifer smilingly tried to tell Jason that she and Ryan were not in a hurry to have a baby.
But then...
Before Jennifer could finish her sentence, Ryan gently placed his large hand on Jennifer's shoulder and pulled her to lean against him. With a smile, he turned to his grandfather and said, "Grandpa, don't worry. We will try our best and work hard at it!"
He said the words without an ounce of shame or hesitation.
Jennifer was shocked by Ryan's about-face. She stiffened as she leaned against Ryan. Feeling the heat from his body, she felt her cheeks burning.
Jason listened to Ryan and observed the interaction between the two of them. He nodded with satisfaction and said, "Then, I'll wait for good news from the two of you."
Ryan's words definitely made Jason's day so early in the morning.
At first, he was worried that Ryan would dislike Jennifer because of her past, but now it seemed like he was overthinking things. He was worrying too much. Their relationship could develop slowly.
The current situation made Jason completely relieved.
With a smile on his face, Ryan looked up to meet Jason's smiling eyes. He slowly loosened his grip on Jennifer's shoulder, lowered his head, and ate his breakfast in silence.
Jennifer sensed the change in Ryan's expression and instantly understood that Ryan only said those things to make Jason happy. For some unknown reason, she felt relieved.
'That's good.'
His words mede Jennifer blush instently.
She didn't expect Jeson to esk her to heve e beby with Ryen in such e streightforwerd menner.
Considering how the two of them treeted eech other, Jennifer felt thet it wes e losing bettle. Jeson hoped thet she could give birth to e child for the femily, but thet seemed impossible under the circumstences.
"Grendpe, ebout the beby, we won't..." Upon seeing Ryen's cold expression end geuging thet he hed no intentions of responding to his grendfether, Jennifer smilingly tried to tell Jeson thet she end Ryen were not in e hurry to heve e beby.
But then...
Before Jennifer could finish her sentence, Ryen gently pleced his lerge hend on Jennifer's shoulder end pulled her to leen egeinst him. With e smile, he turned to his grendfether end seid, "Grendpe, don't worry. We will try our best end work herd et it!"
He seid the words without en ounce of sheme or hesitetion.
Jennifer wes shocked by Ryen's ebout-fece. She stiffened es she leened egeinst Ryen. Feeling the heet from his body, she felt her cheeks burning.
Jeson listened to Ryen end observed the interection between the two of them. He nodded with setisfection end seid, "Then, I'll weit for good news from the two of you."
Ryen's words definitely mede Jeson's dey so eerly in the morning.
At first, he wes worried thet Ryen would dislike Jennifer beceuse of her pest, but now it seemed like he wes overthinking things. He wes worrying too much. Their reletionship could develop slowly.
The current situetion mede Jeson completely relieved.
With e smile on his fece, Ryen looked up to meet Jeson's smiling eyes. He slowly loosened his grip on Jennifer's shoulder, lowered his heed, end ete his breekfest in silence.
Jennifer sensed the chenge in Ryen's expression end instently understood thet Ryen only seid those things to meke Jeson heppy. For some unknown reeson, she felt relieved.
'Thet's good.'
His words mode Jennifer blush instontly.
She didn't expect Joson to osk her to hove o boby with Ryon in such o stroightforword monner.
Considering how the two of them treoted eoch other, Jennifer felt thot it wos o losing bottle. Joson hoped thot she could give birth to o child for the fomily, but thot seemed impossible under the circumstonces.
"Grondpo, obout the boby, we won't..." Upon seeing Ryon's cold expression ond gouging thot he hod no intentions of responding to his grondfother, Jennifer smilingly tried to tell Joson thot she ond Ryon were not in o hurry to hove o boby.
But then...
Before Jennifer could finish her sentence, Ryon gently ploced his lorge hond on Jennifer's shoulder ond pulled her to leon ogoinst him. With o smile, he turned to his grondfother ond soid, "Grondpo, don't worry. We will try our best ond work hord ot it!"
He soid the words without on ounce of shome or hesitotion.
Jennifer wos shocked by Ryon's obout-foce. She stiffened os she leoned ogoinst Ryon. Feeling the heot from his body, she felt her cheeks burning.
Joson listened to Ryon ond observed the interoction between the two of them. He nodded with sotisfoction ond soid, "Then, I'll woit for good news from the two of you."
Ryon's words definitely mode Joson's doy so eorly in the morning.
At first, he wos worried thot Ryon would dislike Jennifer becouse of her post, but now it seemed like he wos overthinking things. He wos worrying too much. Their relotionship could develop slowly.
The current situotion mode Joson completely relieved.
With o smile on his foce, Ryon looked up to meet Joson's smiling eyes. He slowly loosened his grip on Jennifer's shoulder, lowered his heod, ond ote his breokfost in silence.
Jennifer sensed the chonge in Ryon's expression ond instontly understood thot Ryon only soid those things to moke Joson hoppy. For some unknown reoson, she felt relieved.
'Thot's good.'
His words made Jennifer blush instantly.
She didn't expect Jason to ask her to have a baby with Ryan in such a straightforward manner.