My Tsundere Wife Won't Behave

Chapter 5: You'd Better Be Smart

This bastard—this was the Lu family's study!

Yet no matter how she struggled or pleaded, Helmuth remained utterly fearless.

Worst of all, she didn't dare scream for help, terrified that the Lu family would hear and make everything worse.

His fingers trailed slowly downward, from her collarbone to her waist, sending waves of disgust through her body.

"Be good. Don't move." He lifted her effortlessly and laid her across the desk.

"Helmuth, if you dare do anything to me here, I swear—even if I die and become a ghost, I'll never let you go!"

But instead of continuing, he suddenly knelt down.

Leng Lingshuang froze.

A cooling sensation spread over her foot. To her shock, Helmuth was applying ointment to the burns from the spilled porridge.

He was... treating her wounds?

She couldn’t comprehend this man’s motives at all.

Strangely, wherever his fingers touched, the pain did seem to ease.

Her body trembled uncontrollably. Though he didn’t take things further after applying the ointment, the psychological torment was already unbearable.

When finished, Helmuth wiped his hands clean with a tissue, placed the ointment in her palm, and turned to leave without another word.

"Hey, you—"

He paused. "What? Don’t want me to go?"

That mocking, suggestive chuckle was the ultimate insult.

Her fists clenched. "Get out!"

Unfazed, Helmuth suddenly turned back, cupped her face, and kissed her deeply.

"Miss Leng," he murmured against her lips, "you’d better learn to be smarter. In these high-society families that eat people alive, naivety will only get you hurt."

---

That night, Lu Shaotian returned unusually late.

Distraught, Leng Lingshuang had called him repeatedly with no answer. Too anxious to sleep, she waited on the living room sofa.

By midnight, exhaustion finally pulled her under.

She awoke to strong arms carrying her to bed.

"Shaotian?"

He gently stroked her hair. "Did I wake you?"

She shook her head. "Where were you? Why so late?"

"I..." He hesitated, then simply held her tighter.

"I'm sorry." His voice was tender yet heavy.

Her heart ached. Raising her eyes, she saw the bloodshot fatigue in his gaze, his deep eyes fixed on her with unbearable intensity.

This was a man worth loving for a lifetime.

Yet now, she was no longer worthy.

Lu Shaotian grasped her hand. "I searched all day but couldn’t find those kidnappers who hurt you. Lingshuang, this is my fault. I failed to protect you."

She shook her head, tears falling anew.

She knew—he *must* care.

Words lodged in her throat. Unable to meet his eyes, she buried her face in the blankets, sobbing silently.

*God, what did I do to deserve this punishment?*

And here Lu Shaotian remained oblivious, blaming only the kidnappers.

But how could she ever speak Helmuth’s name?

Doing so would doom both the Lu and Leng families to ruin.

"Lingshuang, from now on, I’ll protect you properly. No one will ever hurt you again."

His burning lips met hers. A sob escaped her as she instinctively pushed him away.

---