chapter 15 : Emily Song, the poisonous tongue

Ava An provided the address of Emily Song's house. Due to the cold wind and constant coughing, her voice sounded hoarse, and her throat felt as if it had been cut by the cold air.

Ethan Ye furrowed his brows again. He noticed that Ava An's health seemed to be not very good. However, just a short exposure to the cold wind caused her to cough like this.

He couldn't help but glance at her face from the corner of his eye. The car's interior was dimly lit, but her face appeared exceptionally pale. Ethan Ye had always thought that Ava An was too pale, beyond the normal range of paleness. It had a sort of unhealthy quality to it.

What had she gone through all these years?

Ethan Ye was curious to some extent, but he had no intention of investigating. He hoped that one day, she would tell him herself. If she chose not to, he respected her enough not to pry.

Throughout the journey, Ava An didn't speak to Ethan Ye. She didn't know what to say, and she was also afraid to speak because she was suppressing her cough. She didn't want to accidentally cough.

After more than half an hour, the car stopped at the entrance of the residential area. Ava An thanked Ethan Ye hoarsely and quickly got out of the car. Once the car door closed, Ethan Ye heard her coughing again.

Ava An covered her mouth and coughed while briskly walking into the residential area. She had no idea that Ethan Ye had been watching her silhouette until she disappeared from his sight.

Hurrying along, Ava An almost jogged back home. Upon arriving home, the first thing she did was rush to her room and retrieve a bottle of medicine from her drawer. She poured two pills into her hand and swallowed them, then picked up the half-empty glass of water on her bedside table to wash them down.

While waiting for the medicine to take effect, Ava An continued coughing for a while, which eventually brought Emily Song, who had been reading case files in the study, over to her.

"You know you can't expose yourself to cold wind and go out without wearing a mask, yet you'll find trouble for yourself," scolded Emily Song, though she held a cup of warm water for Ava An.

Ava An managed a pale smile and took a couple of sips of the warm water, which instantly eased her sore throat.

"Do you realize how terrible you look when you smile now, like a ghost scaring people," Emily Song teased with a venomous tongue.

Ava An felt a warm sensation in her heart. Emily Song was always sharp-tongued, but if there was anyone in this world she could trust, it was her.

"He didn't sign the marriage agreement," Ava An finally got to the point, her voice still hoarse.

"He didn't sign it? He said it's unnecessary. He mentioned that once we're married, I'm his wife, and he'll protect me. Tomorrow at ten, we're going to register our marriage," she explained.

Emily Song pondered Ethan Ye's words and nodded approvingly, "Coming from Ethan Ye, that's quite domineering. I'm starting to think that marrying him might not be a wrong choice for you."

"Hopefully," Ava An replied with uncertainty. She wasn't sure about her future with Ethan Ye.

Emily Song rolled her eyes, "Alright, stop thinking too much. Tomorrow is your first wedding, so make sure to dress nicely, apply some light makeup, and add a bit of blush. Don't go there with this ghostly face and make Ethan Ye think he's attending a funeral."

Ava An muttered to herself, "Damn, can't you say three sentences without sarcasm?"

...

When Ava An got out of the taxi, it was precisely ten minutes before her scheduled time with Ethan Ye. Standing at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau, she took a deep breath before stepping inside.

"Miss An," a man greeted her as soon as she entered, nodding slightly. "Please follow me. Young Master is waiting for you inside."

Ava An didn't recognize the man, but she knew that he must have been sent by Ethan Ye to escort her. She followed him inside.

The man led her into a room where Ethan Ye was already seated, seemingly engrossed in reading some documents. He lifted his head when he heard footsteps.

Today, following Emily Song's advice, Ava An had borrowed some makeup from her and applied a light touch. It was a subtle makeup, with a bit of color on her eyebrows, a touch of blush on her cheeks, and a faint layer of lipstick on her lips. However, even this simple makeup made Ava An's face appear much livelier and more radiant.

..