Rebirth: My Reclusive Husband Helps Me Get Revenge!-Chapter 41: A minor gig (1)

"You’re different when you work," she finally said.

He smirked. "Different how?"

"You’re...intimidating," she admitted, biting her lip. "But also impressive."

Mo Ran chuckled, leaning closer. "I intimidate others. Not my wife."

Lixue blushed, shaking her head. "You can be really annoying, you know."

"Good. That’s my job." He reached for her hand, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "Now, stop worrying about me and sleep. I’ll be right here."

Lixue eyed for a minute, she could also feel her eyelid growing tired and nodded 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

"Alright but don’t stay up too long as well"

"I’m done with my meeting, I just need to wrap up some things and I’ll get some sleep too" he said, his voice unusually gentle.

With that, Lixue settled back into the pillows. As she closed her eyes, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of security knowing Mo Ran was there—the husband who had stayed up just to make sure she was okay.

Lixue drifted into sleep slowly, the tension from earlier fading as the room settled into a peaceful quiet. Mo Ran remained seated at the edge of the bed, his gaze lingering on her face. She looked so vulnerable when she slept—so different from the guarded expression she often wore during the day.

He sighed softly, running a hand through his hair.

The call from earlier still weighed on his mind. The situation in Country C required immediate attention, but he had chosen to prioritize staying with her. It wasn’t a decision he had regretted, yet he knew it might complicate things later.

His phone vibrated on the desk, pulling him from his thoughts. He stood quietly, careful not to disturb Lixue, and walked over to check the notification.

It was a message from his assistant:

"Follow-up reports are ready. Do you want to proceed with the supplier replacement?"

Mo Ran typed back quickly:

"Yes. I’ll handle the rest personally tomorrow. I think I’ll have to head to country C as well, prepare the jet."

As he put the phone down, his eyes flickered back to Lixue. The faint rise and fall of her chest, the soft murmur of her breathing—it was a stark reminder of why he was so determined to keep his promises to her.

He returned to the bed and slid under the covers carefully, not wanting to wake her. As he laid there, he couldn’t help but think about how much had changed since they were first forced into this marriage.

At first, he hadn’t expected much from her—just another strategic alliance, a marriage on paper. But now...

Now, she occupied a space in his life and heart he hadn’t known was empty.

There was no way he could ever let her go now.

His hand hesitated before reaching out to gently brush a strand of hair away from her face. Lixue stirred slightly, mumbling something incoherent before settling again.

Mo Ran smiled faintly.

"You’re stronger than you think, Lixue," he whispered, his voice so soft it was almost inaudible. "And one day, I’ll make sure you never have to feel that kind of pain again."

He closed his eyes, letting the weight of the day pull him into sleep.

*****************

Lixue stirred awake to the sound of her phone vibrating incessantly on the nightstand. She squinted at the bright screen. Shi Haoyue. Groaning softly, she rubbed her eyes before answering.

"Hello, Mr. Shi?" she mumbled, her voice still heavy with sleep.

"YL!" Shi Haoyue’s voice was uncharacteristically lively. "I’ve been trying to reach you. Great news!"

Lixue sat up, her brows furrowing. "It’s early, Mr. Shi. What’s going on?"

"Early? This is monumental, YL! The higher-ups have noticed you. They’ve asked if you can perform as the opening act for a major fashion show next week!"

Her breath hitched. "Perform? As in... singing?"

"Exactly!" Haoyue’s excitement was palpable even through the phone. "It’s a single song to kick off the show. They want something fresh and captivating, and I recommended you. They loved the idea."

Lixue’s heart raced. "A fashion show? Isn’t that too soon? I haven’t even debuted yet."

"That’s the point!" Haoyue countered. "This is a chance to introduce you to the world in a big way. A teaser of what’s to come. Trust me, YL, you can handle this and I ever heard you’d be receiving recs like this until your debut!."

She hesitated and a smile appeared on her lips, her fingers tightening around the phone. "Wow! What song do they want me to perform?"

"It’s up to you," he said. "They want you to choose something that reflects your style and connects with the theme of elegance and transformation. I’ll help you finalize the details, but the spotlight will be all yours."

Lixue swallowed hard. This was an incredible opportunity, but the thought of performing in front of so many people made her stomach twist a little bit.

"YL" Haoyue said, his tone softening. "I know it’s sudden, but you’ve prepared for this. You’re ready, even if you don’t feel it right now. Say yes."

Taking a deep breath, Lixue nodded to herself. "Alright. I’ll do it."

"Atta girl!" Haoyue exclaimed. "I’ll send over all the details later today. Just focus on picking the perfect song. And YL?"

"Yes, Mr. Shi?"

"You’re going to steal the show. Believe it. They even gave you the week off to prepare the song"

"Thank you Mr Shi.."

The call ended, leaving Lixue sitting on her bed in a daze. The reality of what she had just agreed to sank in slowly.

As she headed downstairs, her thoughts were still racing. In the kitchen, Mo Ran sat at the dining table with his laptop open, sipping his morning coffee. He looked up as she entered, his sharp eyes immediately noticing her distracted demeanor.

"You’re up early," he remarked.

"Yes..." Lixue eyes landed on the breakfast on the table, wasn’t he a pampered third master, how come he knew how to cook.

"What? Surprised I know how to cook? You pick up little things when you live on your own, I’m no chef but I know my way around the kitchen.."