Chapter 68 - 68: Beibei, are You Confessing Your Love to Me?
The Substitute Bride: Indulged by the Obsessive CEO
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
They had arranged to have dinner with the painter at a castle-like, luxurious villa.
Tang Beibei walked in, heard lively music and saw many people in masks. She looked at Song Zhou in confusion.
Song Zhou was also confused. Lu Chen didnât say that this was a masquerade party. He just said that it was dinner.
However, it was obvious that they had been played by Lu Chen.
Song Zhou went to find three masks for the three of them.
âHey, you guys are here. I heard that youâre married. I couldnât believe it.â
A man wearing a tiger mask said with a smile. He put his hands on Jiang Jingchenâs wheelchair and stared at the woman wearing a rabbit mask. There was a faint smile on his lips.
He whispered to Jiang Jingchen, âThe little rabbit has a good figure. You didnât even let us meet her after you got married. Are you afraid that the little rabbit will be snatched away?â
âYou couldnât snatch her away even if you tried.â Jiang Jingchen said calmly.
Lu Chen heard his confident tone and raised his eyebrows, making his phoenix eyes look a little evil.
âThen Iâm even more curious about how cute this little rabbit is.â
Lu Chen turned his head and greeted Tang Beibei. âHello, Iâm Lu Chen. 1 heard that you like my work. Itâs an honor to be friends with you.â
Tang Beibei looked at the manâs phoenix eyes and tilted her head as she said with a smile, âHello, Mr. Lu. Iâm very happy to be your friend too!â
âSong Zhou, Jingchen, and I are friends. You donât have to be too formal. Letâs go this way.â
Tang Beibei nodded with a smile and followed him to the main hall. There were five or six people sitting there, men and women, all wearing masks. Tang Beibei was not used to such a crowded party, so she sat next to Jiang Jingchen.
Lu Chen smiled and asked, âJingchen, I heard that you are recovering from your illness. Your wife must have contributed a lot, right?â
When the others heard Lu Chenâs insinuating question, they all laughed quietly.
Many of the people here knew that Jiang Jingchen was pretending to be a cripple. Lu Chenâs question was implying that being a cripple hindered certain activities. Now that he was married, he did not want to pretend to be a cripple anymore. He must be up to no good.
Tang Beibei didnât understand why they were laughing and looked at Jiang Jingchen in confusion. Jiang Jingchen naturally understood Lu Chenâs insinuation.
âThis has nothing to do with you. I wonât hold it against you if you are jealous that Iâm married.â
Lu Chen chuckled and called Jiang Jingchen a snob before he stood up and invited them for drinks and appetizers.
Tang Beibei heard that they were speaking in multiple languages, so she asked Jiang Jingchen curiously, âThis Mr. Lu is quite popular. He has friends from all over the world.â
Jiang Jingchen scanned the room indifferently. It was too noisy, and he was annoyed.
âItâs just a group of fair-weather friends. How can this be considered good relations?â
If he had known that Lu Chen was holding such a nonsensical masquerade party, he wouldnât have brought his wife to this place to meet such random people.
Tang Beibei was puzzled when she heard his tone. âEh? Are you very close to Mr. Lu?â
âNo.â Jiang Jingchen said.
âOh.â Tang Beibei figured that her husband probably did not like such lively atmosphere, but Mr. Lu had invited them out of kindness. It would be rude of them to leave now.
âI think the garden is not bad. Shall I push you over to admire the flowers?â
âSure.â
Tang Beibei got up and pushed him to the garden. Song Zhou, who was standing behind them, watched them go to the garden and did not know if he should follow them.
However, when he thought about his responsibility, he followed them out but was stopped by Lu Chen.
âYour young master is married, and heâs pretending to be a cripple. The equipment he hasnât used for twenty-nine years, can it still work?â
When Song Zhou heard his teasing, he wanted to retaliate, but he thought of something and revealed a doubtful expression.
âItâs hard to say. 1 was going to get some props and movies for my young master to prepare himself.â
Lu Chen laughed. âLet me tell you, your young master has always been so cold and aloof. Iâve always suspected that heâs frigid. He wants to have sex after getting married. If heâs not skilled enough, itâll hurt his self-esteem!â
Song Zhou facepalmed himself. This Lu Chen would say anything.
Lu Chen put his arm around Song Zhouâs shoulders and asked curiously, âWhat kind of fairy is your young madam that she made your young master fall in love with her?â
âMy young madam is indeed good-looking, but if weâre talking about her ability, it will be her hardcore-ness. Sheâs able to kiss my young master even when heâs wearing his ugly human mask! I admire her mental fortitude.â
Lu Chen clicked his tongue and became even more curious.
âWhy donât 1 help your young master to make a good thing happen tonight?â
âThatâs not very good, right?â
Lu Chen said, âI wonât make things difficult for your young master. I have some good things here that can make your young master a real groom!â
âMr. Lu, I advise you not to have any evil thoughts. Otherwise, youâll anger Young Master. You know how terrifying his anger is.â Song Zhouâs heart trembled when he thought about it.
Lu Chen clicked his tongue. âIâm helping him. How can he be angry? We should also take this opportunity to see if that woman is your young masterâs type. If she doesnât suit his taste, weâll have to make some adjustments to make her taste better.â
Song Zhou warned Lu Chen with his eyes again, telling him not to play with fire. If he got burned, no one could save him.
Lu Chen didnât care. What he wanted more was to see Jiang Jingchen take off his mask and reveal his uncontrollable emotions.
In the gardenâ¦
They had planted many flowers that bloomed at night. When Tang Beibei and Jiang Jingchen passed by, they could smell the refreshing fragrance of flowers.
Tang Beibei stopped suddenly and said mysteriously to Jiang Jingchen, âHubby, 1 want to give you something.â
As she spoke, she went into the flowers. Jiang Jingchen looked at her with confusion and worry.
âBeibei, donât go in there. There are bound to be some bugs among the flowers.â
No matter how clean the place where the flowers were planted was, there would still be some mosquitoes and bugs.
Tang Beibei didnât mind. She ran out after a while with her hands clasped together. It was unknown what she was hiding between her palms.
âHubby, this is for you!â
Jiang Jingchen was curious about what she was going to give him. He saw her palms slowly open, revealing a few fireflies.
He looked up at the woman who was smiling so brightly that she looked like a flower. He could not look away for a moment.
âBeibei, do you know what this is?â
âI know, fireflies!â
âFireflies have light-emitting cells in their light-producing organs. There is a chemical substance containing phosphorus in the light-emitting cells called luciferin. When luciferin, luciferase and oxygen come into contact, a chemical reaction would occur, producing light. Beibei, do you know why they glow?â
Tang Beibeiâs eyes sparkled with admiration as she listened to him explain fireflies.
âFireflies glow⦠Some people say that they represent hope. I hope that you will glow too, and your legs will recover as soon as possible. Why else would they glow?â
Jiang Jingchen curled his lips. âFireflies are nocturnal according to science. The adult insects emit light to attract the opposite sex, as a form of courtship. Beibei, are you confessing your love to me?â
â⦠Cough, so fireflies glow because of this. But I donât.â Tang Beibei was embarrassed and blushed, but she couldnât bear to put down the fireflies.
âBeibei, thereâs another reason why fireflies glow.â
Jiang Jingchen held her wrist and opened her hands, letting the fireflies out.
He added, âFireflies glow to warn others, telling them âIâm poisonous. Donât touch me!ââ
âWhat? Fireflies are poisonous?â Tang Beibei, who was going to chase after the fireflies, glared at him in surprise when she heard his words.
âYes. It can kill a lizard.â
Tang Beibeiâs expression changed, and she quickly wiped her hands. âI didnât know that fireflies are poisonous.â
âBeibei, havenât you heard that many beautiful flowers are poisonous? Just like rose having thorns that can prick people.â
Tang Beibei nodded vigorously. âSo, although youâre not good-looking, youâre very good to me. 1â11 like you too. I wonât look at other men who are just good-looking.â
Jiang Jingchen paused. When he took off the human mask in the future, wouldnât he also become a man with only superficial appearance?
He has dug himself into a rather deep hole.. Should he salvage the situation?