"This time, I’ll overlook it because you’ve just had a car accident and you’re not in the right frame of mind. Go back and get some rest."
Shen Heyu turned her head away, avoiding eye contact with Lu Yi. Sensing her evasion, Lu Yi’s body shuddered, almost losing his balance and falling over despite being a tall man at 1.8 meters.
"So what about you? You tell me to go back and rest, aren’t you coming with me? Or are you staying here to look after Pei Yansi?" Lu Yi was still fixated on this point.
He had thought that even if his forced marriage to Shen Heyu was fake, fragile as a bubble and easily vanishing, he could deceive himself.
But now reality had slapped him in the face, waking him up. He realized he could no longer deceive himself, he had to confront the truth.
The truth was that, in Shen Heyu’s heart, Pei Yansi was always more important than Lu Yi. Even though Lu Yi had tried so hard, he still couldn’t surpass Pei Yansi.
Shen Heyu lowered her head, not looking into Lu Yi’s eyes, and replied weakly, "It was you who hurt him , I must stay here to take care of him. Go rest, I’ll come back after I’m sure he’s okay."
"Is it because I hurt him that you feel responsible for staying to take care of him, or is it because you’re worried about his injury and want to stay?" Lu Yi pressed on aggressively, still probing.
Shen Heyu lifted her head. She didn’t want to continue arguing with Lu Yi, especially not in front of Pei Yansi and creating a scene.
"Lu Yi, can’t you stop being so unreasonable?"
"Am I being unreasonable, or are you? You have to come back with me today, I absolutely will not allow you to stay in his hospital room." Lu Yi stared intensely at Shen Heyu.
He didn’t know what Pei Yansi might do to Shen Heyu when he wasn’t looking. He had to guard Shen Heyu closely.
"What did you just say? You won’t allow me to stay here?" Shen Heyu couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
Lu Yi, who had always conceded to her wishes, had suddenly become so domineering and left no room for negotiation.
"That’s right, I said I won’t allow you to stay and take care of another man in his hospital room. Shen Heyu, don’t forget we’re legally married, I’m your lawful husband, and I have the right to intervene in this matter."
Shen Heyu’s smile was a mix of sarcasm as she tugged at the corner of her mouth.
She thought she must have heard wrong.
Before they got their marriage certificate, she had made it clear to Lu Yi that they were in a sham marriage, and they couldn’t interfere with each other’s freedom. She didn’t expect Lu Yi to treat that discussion as if it never happened.
"You have no right to control me, and you know why," Shen Heyu reminded Lu Yi coldly, but Lu Yi grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the door without explanation.
Lu Yi’s grip was so strong, Shen Heyu couldn’t break free, she could only watch helplessly as he dragged her away. Just as Lu Yi was about to pull Shen Heyu out of the hospital room, a cold, bone-chilling voice came from behind.
"Mr. Pei, you can’t afford to aggravate your injuries, it’s not looking good. Don’t struggle, or the wound might easily get infected."
Pei Yansi had to lie obediently in bed, cooperating with the doctors in treating his injury.
Shen Heyu saw him getting agitated and trying to rise. She quickly calmed Pei Yansi’s emotions.
"Pei Yansi, about Lu Yi punching you today, I apologize on his behalf and hope you won’t hold it against him. Take care of your injuries, I won’t bother you anymore."
Shen Heyu worried that if she continued to tangle with him, Pei Yansi might indeed not be able to restrain himself from tearing his wound open, so she obediently followed Lu Yi away.
With a bang, Lu Yi angrily closed the bedroom door.
"Let go of me now, you’re hurting me, do you realize that?" Shen Heyu struggled with great effort before she forcibly freed her wrist from his grasp.
When she looked at her hand after shaking his off, Shen Heyu noticed that her wrist had been pinched red.
She looked up incredulously at Lu Yi, who had been acting like a lion gone mad today.
Seeing Shen Heyu’s reddened wrist, Lu Yi couldn’t help but soften his voice, "Heyu, I’m sorry. I was too emotional just now, did I hurt you?"
Shen Heyu sighed. Seeing Lu Yi regained his senses, she didn’t want to dwell on the fact that he had hurt her.
"It’s good that you’re calm now. What’s the matter with you these days? Don’t you think you’ve been acting quite out of character recently?" Shen Heyu truly felt that Lu Yi had been acting strangely these past days, completely unlike the Lu Yi she used to know.
Lu Yi was at a loss for words when questioned by Shen Heyu and paused for a moment.
"It’s not ’I’m sorry’ that I want to hear. If you’ve been in a bad mood these past days, I can understand, but I hope you won’t lose control like that again."
"There is another thing I must remind you of. Before we got our marriage certificate, we made it very clear. We have a fake marriage, and we cannot interfere with each other’s freedom. I hope something like today won’t happen again."
Shen Heyu looked earnestly into Lu Yi’s eyes.
Lu Yi hung his head and just gave a small hum.
"Alright, you go back and rest. Once your injuries are healed, go apologize to Pei Yan properly, and let’s consider today’s incident closed," Shen Heyu turned and walked towards Lu Yi’s hospital room, while Lu Yi stood still for a full half a minute before following.
"What did you just say? You actually want me to apologize to Pei Yan?"
"What happened today was your fault. There’s no harm in apologizing to him, and besides, it’s just a matter of uttering a few words," Shen Heyu poured herself a glass of water.
Their relationship had just started to ease, but now their conflict was on the verge of erupting again.
"Do you really think it’s just a matter of a few words? If I apologize to him, it means I was in the wrong, but you know full well what he has done. He’s been pestering my wife, why should I apologize to him?"
"Lu Yi, didn’t I make myself clear just now? We’re in a fake marriage and have no right to interfere with each other’s freedom."
"What fake marriage? We’re lawfully wedded husband and wife, Shen Heyu, I absolutely will not allow Pei Yan to harass you under my nose repeatedly. If he dares to be so brazen again, it won’t just be a punch that settles it."
Shen Heyu’s hand gripping the cup unconsciously tightened, and she felt as if her heart was being clenched by a large hand.
"Lu Yi, do you know what you’re saying?"
"Of course, I know, Shen Heyu, listen to me carefully, you are my wife, and from today on, you need to keep your distance from Pei Yan."