Unexpected Second Chance at Love

Unaware of the trouble coming her way, Yue Ling arrives at the shopping mall with Lu Tian. The couple visited multiple stores, each surprised at the sudden arrival of the retired supermodel.

Fortunately, no one disclosed her arrival in respect of her privacy.

Inside one of the stores, Yue Ling holds a brown sweater up and purses her lips as she thinks.

The material was cashmere, and the style made the wearer appear gentle.

Lu Tian observed patiently from the side, with the shopping bags in his hands. He noticed her contemplating longer than usual and smiled.

"If you like it, just buy it."

Yue Ling kept her eyes on the sweater for another long second before turning to face him. She holds the shirt out in front of him and smiles at him.

"I knew it. This color looks good on you."

"…"

Her sudden words took aback Lu Tian. He thought the sweater was for Ji Jingxu. Never did he think it was for him.

His entire closet had only black, white, grey, and a few other neutral colors. He was never one for colors unless it was necessary. However, seeing his wife taking longer on something for him, he couldn't help but sigh a smile.

"I'll wear anything you pick."

Yue Ling looks at him. The smile on her face widens, revealing her pearly teeth, but it disappears as quickly as the smile comes.

She narrows her eyes at him suspiciously before slightly leaning towards him.

"And why is that?"

Lu Tian sighs inside but takes a step towards her. He leans down and kisses her temple.

"Because I put my trust in my wife, who happens to own one of the richest fashion companies in the world."

Yue Ling's eyes widen at what he suddenly did. Her cheeks quickly turn red, and she looks around. Seeing that no one was near to see him kiss her, she sighed in relief.

"How can you do that? What if someone saw us?"

She had always preferred to keep her life out of the public's eyes. This allowed her to go places without the media and her fans following her, to breathe normally, and to live peacefully.

Lu Tian smiles at his wife's shyness. He didn't care whether others saw him kiss her or not. Better yet, he had hoped others saw; that way, the world would know she was his.

Oblivious to his thoughts, Yue Ling felt the need to get away from Lu Tian. She grabs another cashmere sweater from the rack in the color cream and walks towards the checkout area.

She knew that if she stayed longer with him, he would undoubtedly pull another shameless stunt on her.

Quickly paying for the two sweaters, the couple made another stop at a French patisserie before leaving the mall.

While Yue Ling went inside to pick some sweet desserts, Lu Tian waited outside to take a call.

He stood in front of the huge window, which gave him a view of his wife inside. He held the shopping bags in one hand while the other held his phone near his ear.

"Are you sure?"

["Yes, boss. I'm keeping watch, and it's him."]

From the other line came Jiangyu's voice as he reported back. Lu Tian's expression turns into a frown, his lips pressed straight.

Before he left the house with his wife, his phone notified him of the person he had been tracking. He would have gone himself, but because he had made plans with his wife, he sent Jiangyu to do the job.

He gave Jiangyu a few more orders as he watched his wife pick out the desserts she wanted and pay the total. His eyes followed her movements as she walked out of the French patisserie with a smile on her face, causing him to smile, too.

Seeing her approach him, he ends the call but not without giving his last order.

"Don't lose sight of him."

Yue Ling stops before him and, without thinking, lets him take the dessert bag from her hand. She tilted her head slightly when she heard his words.

"Is everything alright?"

Not one to lie to his wife, he shakes his head and takes her hand.

"It's a report on the case I'm working on."

Hearing this, Yue Ling pouts her lips and glances at him.

"If it works, you can go. I can pick up Inu on my own."

Lu Tian smiles at how understanding his wife is about everything. He tightens his grip on her hand and continues to walk towards the mall exit.

"I can go after dropping you off at your grandfather's and then come back to pick up you and Inu. We'll go home together."

Left with no room to argue, Yue Ling smiles and nods. She lets him lead her out of the mall and into the car.

She wanted to ask more questions about the case he was working on but decided to leave it be. He would have asked her if he needed her help in any way, and she wasn't one to pry into other people's business, no matter what kind of relationship she had with them.

The drive to the Ji mansion took a while due to traffic, but the couple made it without trouble. Yue Ling steps out of the car and smiles up at the mansion.

It had been a while since she had visited, and she was eager to surprise her grandfather and brother.

She walks towards the front door with Lu Tian behind her with the shopping bags in his hands.

"Young Miss."

The two had yet to reach the door, but when it was opened, they were greeted by a smiling Housekeeper, Hu. The old man had heard the car and came to check who was there. When he saw Yue Ling step out of the car, he couldn't help but feel excited.

Yue Ling smiles at the old man and nods her head with a polite greeting gesture.

"Housekeeper Hu, how are you?"

Housekeeper Hu's smile widens. He was touched by how Yue Ling never looked down on those in a lesser position than her.

"I've been the same since you last saw me."

She always treated everyone with respect, something Grandfather Ji and Old Han taught her as a child.

He looks behind her at Lu Tian and politely bows to the young man.

"Mr. Lu, you are here too."

Lu Tian nods his head in response and stands next to his wife. His imposing appearance towered over the two people.

Housekeeper Hu was not offended by the man's lack of response. He has been around long enough to know that Lu Tian was a man of few words.

He sees the shopping bags Lu Tian is holding and looks at Yue Ling.

"These are…"

Yue Ling enters the mansion and turns to the aloof man. She takes one of the bags from his hand and hands it to the old man.

"I stopped by the mall before coming here. These are health supplements for you."

Housekeeper Hu felt tears well up in his eyes, but he held them back. He was hesitant to take the bag and looked at her.

"Young Miss, you didn't have to… I…"

Yue Ling held her smile and placed the bag in the old housekeeper's hands.

"Don't worry about anything. This is a small gift for always helping yeye and Jingxu."

She knew the old man was hesitant when it came to gifts. He always turned down other people's gifts as it was their way of bribing him. However, he could never do that to her Grandfather Ji or Ji Jingxu.

Seeing him become emotional, she decides to change the topic.

"Is Yeye back yet?"

Housekeeper Hu was still emotional about the gift, but hearing her question, he sniffled and shook his head.

"Not yet. He stepped out this morning and has yet to return."

Yue Ling nods her head in understanding. She then gestures at the shopping bags in Lu Tian's hands.

"Can you help put these somewhere inside? They're for yeye and Jingxu."

Housekeeper Hu ushers a nod and then calls for two servants to come take the bags. Once he instructs them where to put them, he turns back to the couple.

"Young Miss, will you be staying for dinner?"

Since neither Grandfather Ji nor Ji Jingxu was home, he wasn't sure if Yue Ling wanted to stay. To his surprise, the retired model nods her head.

He smiled even more and felt like today would be a good day.

"Your grandfather and brother will be happy to know you are here. I'll have the chef prepare all your favorite dishes."

He leaves no room for Yue Ling to respond and turns toward the kitchen.

Yue Ling watched the man leave and shake her head. She decided to leave him alone and headed toward the back door.

There was another reason she came here; she knew exactly where to go.

Lu Tian said nothing and followed his wife like a trained puppy.

As he exited through the door to the back of the house, a small smile appeared on his cold expression.

In the distance, he could see a white fluff ball running across the field, with the soldiers giving chase after him. Even from afar, one could tell that the little guy was playing with them and enjoying it.

In the next second, he sees Inu abruptly stop and sniff the air. He turns in their direction and, upon seeing them, darts towards them.

Yue Ling laughs from the side and walks down the steps to the grass. She gets down on one knee and spreads her arms open.

Within a split second, the white fur ball comes crashing into her arms, knocking her backward. However, she didn't feel any pain from the fall. Instead, Lu Tian places his hand on her back to keep her from falling as he kneels beside the two.

"Woof! Woof! Woof!"

Inu's tail wagged from side to side as he gave his favorite human kisses and hugs. It was as if he was telling him all about his time at the Ji Mansion.

Yue Ling laughs at his cuteness and gives him a tight hug.

"I miss you too, Inu. Have you been good to everyone here?"

Lu Tian felt his heart soften at his wife's laugh. He pats Inu on the head and then stands up to help her.

"It's good to see you, little guy."

Hearing the man, Inu gives a proud snort with his nose high like an almighty king.

Yue Ling gives the little guy another pat on the head, then looks at Lu Tian.

"Are you leaving now?"

Lu Tian didn't want to leave her side. He would rather be with her every second of the day if he could. However, he knew he had to go.

He nods his head and reaches for her. Bringing her closer to him, he gently kissed her forehead.

"I'll be back to have dinner with you and your family, then we can go home."

Yue Ling doesn't argue with him and watches him leave. She doesn't know why, but an unexplained feeling boils inside her.

Ignoring the feeling, she returns her attention to Inu, and the two walk towards the soldiers chasing after Inu earlier.