Married with the Silent Wolf

Chapter 8: Not Stooping to a Waste’s Level

Ling Lie glanced at her but remained silent.

She scooped a spoonful of porridge, gently blew on it, then said, “My family moved here two years ago, but I have attended school here since high school. Qingcheng is a small county, while M City is the provincial capital. My uncle said the education here was better. Back then, I boarded at school and often overslept during morning self-study. When I didn’t have time for breakfast, I would sneak out during morning exercises and come here to eat.”

Ling Lie glanced at her again. Seeing her pout her rosy lips as she blew away the steam, then swallowed the porridge, the subtle movement of her throat made his Adam’s apple twitch involuntarily.

He quickly averted his gaze to the window, staring at the school gate across the street. A faint, almost imperceptible smile played in his deep obsidian eyes.

After a while, they had almost finished eating. Mu Tianxing, holding her milk tea contentedly, blinked, and Zhuo Xi tidied up and lowered the tray. Zhuo Ran then steered the car back onto the main road.

“Actually, you’re not unpleasant at all. " If we live like this, it wouldn’t be so bad,” Mu Tianxing said spontaneously.

She felt that since their marriage was merely a formality with no intimacy, living with constant cold stares would be unbearable. If he didn’t make things difficult, and there was food and drink, even if he remained the thousand-year-old iceberg who said nothing, it would be far easier than mutual loathing.

Just as she finished, a low, refined voice cut through: “No grievance.”

“Hm?” She was startled, eyes wide with confusion. “What do you mean, no grievance?”

“You asked why,” he said without looking at her, gazing instead at the scenery outside. “Marrying you—I feel no grievance.”

“You!” Mu Tianxing’s previously content face flushed red with anger.

He was the family’s cast-off son, paralyzed from the waist down, yet to marry such a beautiful, pure, kind, and talented girl—he said he didn’t feel wronged?

He certainly didn’t.

She was the one wronged!

“I take back what I just said!” she snapped, turning away in a huff and biting down on her straw.

She realized how foolish she’d been to think he wasn’t annoying—he was downright insufferable!

In the front seats, Zhuo Ran, and Zhuo Xi exchanged worried glances: “Our young master really doesn’t know how to get along with girls. What are we going to do?”

“Hmm.”

The calm male voice sounded again, a faint reply as if to say: Whether you take back your words or not, whether you like me or not, it makes no difference to me.

Mu Tianxing fell silent. The quiet was broken only by the occasional crunch of a plastic bottle being squeezed tightly.

She glanced down and cursed silently—she’d squeezed too hard, betraying her little anger inside.

She pulled out her phone, plugged in her earphones, closed her eyes, and began listening to music.

As long as she didn’t look at him, she could preserve her peace of mind. Inside the music, she created her own world, temporarily banishing him from it.

Time trickled by. After about ten songs, she finally opened her eyes and glanced out the window.

To her surprise, the car had already stopped steadily at the gate of a hilltop mansion. The three characters in “Ling Mansion” were boldly displayed.

She pulled out her earphones nervously and asked Ling Lie, “When did we get here?”

Ling Lie seemed to be waiting for her, or perhaps resting with eyes closed.

Hearing her voice, he opened his eyes but did not respond.

Instead, Ling Lie lightly tapped the car window.

Zhuo Ran understood immediately, took out an electronic card, and scanned it at the sensor by the villa entrance. The wide electronic gate slowly opened, revealing the scenic beauty of the estate.

Noticing Mu Tianxing’s anxious furrowed brows, Zhuo Xi glanced at Ling Lie with a hint of sympathy before speaking gently, “Miss Mu, there’s no need to be nervous. The Young Master will protect you fully.”

Regardless of whether Ling Lie truly cared for Mu Tianxing, given that she had saved his life and their current relationship, he would naturally shield her under his wing. Especially since everyone knew Ling Lie, though eccentric, was fiercely protective. His men, Zhuo Ran and Zhuo Xi, knew that even the family patriarch’s reprimands could sour Ling Lie’s mood.

Ling Lie gave no response to Zhuo Xi’s words, and Mu Tianxing pretended not to hear.

The car stopped in front of the villa.

Zhuo Xi opened the door, and Mu Tianxing sprang out like a startled fawn.

Curious, she surveyed the surroundings, momentarily forgetting Ling Lie in the car.

Only when she turned did she see Zhuo Ran and Zhuo Xi struggling to lift the proud, handsome man into his wheelchair. Her innocent smile instantly froze on her face.

Zhuo Xi pushed Ling Lie toward her and said, “Miss Mu, please come inside.”

Mu Tianxing felt a pang of sadness and guilt: he was disabled; why argue with him for no reason? He had endured far more hardship than she ever had.

Her pale, delicate hands reached out, gripping the wheelchair’s handles tightly as she looked at Zhuo Xi. “Let me do it.”

Zhuo Xi frowned. “You haven’t pushed one before. Let me—”

“Give it to her,” Ling Lie said with his usual detached expression, as if none of it concerned him.

Zhuo Xi hesitated but finally released his grip. He pulled open a compartment on the back of the wheelchair and said to Mu Tianxing, “Here are the Young Master’s paper and pen.”

“I know.”

“Miss Mu!”

“Yes?”

“Don’t forget—the Young Master cannot speak.”

“He—I know.”

Mu Tianxing did not press Ling Lie about his mute act. Perhaps he was not pretending; maybe he had really been mute before and recovered, though his family remained unaware.

These were not her concerns. She only needed to remember her task: to marry Ling Lie. If he wished to keep secrets, she would help conceal them. On this marriage ship, they were bound together like locusts—weren’t they?

Inside the Ling family’s main hall, a maid had just reported Ling Lie’s arrival.

So when Mu Tianxing had barely walked a few steps after pushing Ling Lie inside, she saw Zeng Qian approaching with a broad smile, affectionately calling her, “Xiao Tianxing! Finally, you’re here. We’ve all been waiting for quite a while.”

“Aunt Qian,” she responded obediently.

Her large, bright eyes blinked rapidly as she noticed a woman of about forty following closely behind Zeng Qian. The woman’s refined features and professional attire—a blouse and skirt—made her appear dignified and steady, contrasting with Zeng Qian’s alluring qipao.

“So well-behaved,” Zeng Qian said, taking Mu Tianxing’s hand and pointing to the woman. “This is your sister-in-law!” Your eldest, second, and third brothers are all in the patriarch’s study, talking. They’ll be down soon. ”