Forced Pampering: Haughty Husband, Please Restrain Yourself

Wang Xia held Chenggang’s hand, her face awash in tears of emotion.

"Alright, enough talking, let’s eat. You should eat more; you look so haggard right now," Chenggang put another helping of food onto Wang Xia’s plate.

Wang Xia was dwelling on the question Chenggang asked earlier, making the food in her mouth lose its flavor.

After dinner, night had fully descended. Chenggang, visiting Imperial City for the first time, felt uneasy in the midst of its dazzling nightscape.

Wang Xia walked with him down the streets of Imperial City; in early October, the temperature difference between day and night was significant. Wang Xia’s chiffon shirt could no longer fend off the chill of early autumn; when the wind blew, she instinctively hugged herself.

Chenggang hurriedly fetched a jacket from his backpack and draped it over her.

"Xia, where do you live? I’ll take you home."

Wang Xia adjusted the clothes on her, lowered her head, and asked, "What about you? Where are you staying tonight?"

"Me?... Don’t worry about me for now. Let me take you home. The weather here in Imperial City is indeed much colder than Nan’an," Chenggang said as he took Wang Xia’s hand and flagged down a taxi.

At the residential complex, Chenggang paid the taxi fare first and got off with Wang Xia. He looked around; the complex was fairly decent, likely a property they had bought before. He felt relieved — it wasn’t as bad as he had imagined; at least this mother and child had a nice place to stay.

"You go ahead; I’ll see if there’s a suitable hotel nearby." Chenggang waved to Wang Xia.

"Chenggang," Wang Xia called softly to him just as he was about to turn away.

"There’s no hotel nearby. If you don’t mind, come upstairs for a while."

Chenggang looked at the shy face of Wang Xia, his heart racing like thunder; the words of refusal he had intended to say seemed impossible to utter.

"Alright, I actually wanted to see Rong, so I’ll come up for a bit."

Chenggang followed Wang Xia into their home, but didn’t see Rong. On the dining table were half-eaten dishes. He recalled that he and Wang Xia had eaten out for dinner, feeling somewhat guilty.

"Dinner should be at home."

Wang Xia, uninterested, pointed to the sofa, "You sit first," she said and went to tidy up the dishes.

Chenggang placed his backpack on the sofa and followed her into the kitchen, "Where’s Rong? Has he gone to bed already?"

Just then, there was a "click" as the door opened, and Hairong walked out carrying a cup of water.

Chenggang greeted Hairong, "Rong, Uncle Jia has come to see you and brought you a gift."

As he said this, he went to retrieve his backpack, but by the time he took out a toy gun, Hairong had already filled a cup and returned to his room.

Throughout the process, not only did Hairong refrain from speaking to Chenggang, he didn’t even cast him a glance.

"This..."

Chenggang held the toy gun, looking at Hairong’s retreating figure, seeking help from Wang Xia.

Previously, Chenggang had sensed Hairong’s coldness toward him, but even then, Hairong had basic manners. Now, Hairong was far beyond just being cold.

Wang Xia wiped her hands, her eyes red as she murmured, "Ever since we returned from Nan’an, he’s been like this. It’s not just you; even with me, his mother, he’s distant. Recently, he mentioned wanting to go to a fully enclosed boarding school. I didn’t agree, and now he’s even more resistant to me."

After speaking, Wang Xia wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, looking helpless and vulnerable, which made Chenggang’s masculine heart ache faintly.

Chenggang awkwardly reached out his big hand, wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes, filled with pain, "Xia, let him go to boarding school if he wants. That incident had too great an impact on him, leading to misunderstandings with you. Maybe after some time apart, he’ll come to understand that you mean well, and naturally, he’ll be close to you again."

"I know, but... but I visited a few boarding schools, all private. Given my current situation..."

Wang Xia turned her face to the side as she spoke, tears falling even more fiercely, "It’s me who wronged him, not allowing him to attend the elementary school he desires."

Although Wang Xia didn’t finish her sentence, Chenggang understood her meaning. Private elementary schools meant high tuition fees, which Wang Xia’s current situation couldn’t afford.

"Xia, don’t worry. Once you’ve settled on a school, don’t worry about anything else."

"How can that work?" Wang Xia shook her head, "Chenggang, I appreciate your kindness. You’ve already taken good care of us, and I can’t let you do more for us. I’m not worthy of it."

"No, you are worthy. Xia, I, Jia Chenggang, have lived for over thirty years, and from the day I met you, I knew you were a good woman."

Chenggang looked at her, speaking firmly.

Wang Xia raised her head, tears in her eyes, meeting his gaze.

Gradually, their warm breaths intertwined.

Chenggang had always thought of himself as a man with strong self-control and solid principles.

As a man, he believed the best way to respect a woman was through a proper marriage, openly and honorably.

But now, looking at the woman before him, he suddenly realized she was genuinely fragile and could no longer withstand his unfeeling rejection.

He thought this, and he acted accordingly.

...