My Black Moonlight Wife Says She Loves Me - Chapter 23

Huo Jianan had applied medicine to her legs after enduring nearly an hour of excruciating pain. Already exhausted, she then experienced her first kiss, which left her trembling with excitement. Soon, fatigue overwhelmed her, and she drifted off to sleep.

In the middle of the night, she vaguely heard Ruan Nianning get out of bed, rummage through the closet, and go to the bathroom. After flushing the toilet, Ruan Nianning quickly returned, slipped back under the covers, and resumed sleeping.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” Huo Jianan mumbled sleepily.

“Nothing, just go back to sleep,” Ruan Nianning replied softly.

Huo Jianan hummed in acknowledgment, reaching under the covers to hold Ruan Langlang’s hand. She soothed her like a child, “Sleep now, baby. We have a plane to catch tomorrow.”

Ruan Nianning paused, then smiled gently, letting Huo Jianan hold her hand. In that moment, she felt completely relaxed, and she soon fell back asleep.

The next morning, Huo Jianan woke up as soon as her alarm went off and reached for her phone.

To her surprise, someone was already awake. “You’re up. Want to sleep a little longer?”

Huo Jianan froze for a moment, her gaze sweeping around the room. She realized Ruan Nianning wasn’t in bed but was sitting at the vanity, applying makeup.

“Honey, why are you up so early? When did you get up? I didn’t even notice,” Huo Jianan said, pushing herself up into a sitting position.

Ruan Nianning glanced at Huo Jianan in the mirror and smiled faintly. “I just got up a little while ago.” In truth, she had slept poorly the night before, drifting off late and remaining in a restless, half-awake state, her mind racing with conflicting thoughts. When dawn broke before sunrise, she had simply climbed out of bed.

Huo Jianan yawned, stretched languidly, then deftly pressed the remote to summon her wheelchair and transferred herself into it.

Ruan Nianning watched her effortless movements in the mirror, a clear sign of her growing proficiency. It had been only a few days since their wedding, yet Huo Jianan had progressed from struggling awkwardly to get into bed and needing assistance to transfer to her wheelchair, to now moving smoothly between the wheelchair, the bathroom, and dressing herself independently.

Ruan Nianning’s heart churned with complex emotions—admiration for Huo Jianan’s extraordinary resilience mixed with a deep sense of inadequacy as a wife.

She had never truly given Huo Jianan the unwavering, devoted love she deserved.

But what could she do?

Although Huo Jianan seemed like a completely different person after marriage—gentle, kind, and always protective of her—she remained the daughter of her enemy. Ruan Langlang could never truly love her, nor would she ever allow herself to.

Huo Jianan wheeled herself to the bathroom to wash up. There, she noticed an unfamiliar packaging bag in the trash can. She picked it up and saw the word “Omega” printed in large letters, with smaller text beside it: “Heat Suppressant Patch.”

So it’s a suppressant patch for Omegas!

After reading the health pamphlets she’d brought back from the hospital, Huo Jianan’s understanding of Alphas and Omegas had finally progressed beyond that of a complete novice.

My wife used a suppressant patch? Did she go into heat last night? Is her heat cycle starting? Or was it a forced, temporary heat triggered by Alpha pheromones?

The thought sent a shiver of fear through Huo Jianan. She instinctively touched the back of her neck. She hadn’t deliberately released pheromones to seduce Ruan Langlang. Then she remembered their passionate kisses in bed the night before. Could I have gotten too carried away and accidentally released them?

No, she hadn’t noticed anything unusual, except for the faint, pleasant floral scent emanating from Ruan Langlang.

Huo Jianan confidently declared, “Ruan Langlang’s heat is coming soon.”

Moments later, Huo Jianan emerged from the bathroom, refreshed and clean. Her skin, now snow-white and glowing with moisture, seemed rejuvenated. Whether it was due to the good food and restful sleep of the past few days, she looked completely revitalized, no longer pale and listless. Her face radiated youthful vitality, the collagen practically bursting from her cheeks.

As she passed Ruan Nianning, Huo Jianan glanced admiringly at Ruan Langlang, who was meticulously applying makeup. Spending so much time and effort on cosmetics was simply impossible for her.

Noticing Huo Jianan’s gaze shifting between her and the array of makeup products on the table, Ruan Nianning asked, “Do you want to try some makeup? I’ll be done soon.”

Huo Jianan shook her head. “I don’t wear makeup.”

“Your skin is naturally beautiful—fair, smooth, and flawless. You’re blessed with natural beauty.”

Huo Jianan chuckled. “Darling, you’re a stunning beauty yourself! Besides, I’m just staying home. There’s no need for makeup since I’m not going out or attending any events.”

Ruan Nianning’s mind raced. She tentatively asked, “Jiannan, have you ever considered joining the company to help Grandma manage the Huo Family’s business? That way, you wouldn’t have to stay cooped up at home all day, bored out of your mind.”

As she applied her lipstick, her gaze remained fixed on Huo Jianan in the mirror, desperate to catch any subtle shift in her expression.

She wasn’t sure if Huo Jianan would agree.

Huo Jianan’s only passion was gaming. She loathed sunlight, avoided people, and despised their lingering stares on her legs and their whispered gossip. Yet the business world demanded constant interaction with all sorts of people.

Ruan Nianning understood Huo Jianan’s reluctance to get involved in company management. But she had to push her to take over the reins. Only then would she have the chance to watch Huo Jianan wreak havoc, defy Xu Weiyi, and personally destroy the Huo Family’s vast commercial empire—the culmination of Xu Weiyi’s life’s work!

Huo Jianan was slightly surprised. She hadn’t expected Ruan Langlang to actively encourage her to manage the company.

“Helping Grandma run the company… I’ve thought about it,” Huo Jianan said, pushing her wheelchair toward the walk-in closet to choose an outfit. “But I don’t know anything about business management.”

Ruan Nianning hadn’t expected Huo Jianan to agree so readily. Suppressing her excitement, she pressed her advantage, urging her on while the iron was hot.

“Exactly because you don’t know how, you should join the company and learn from Grandma,” she said, walking over from the vanity. Leaning against the door with one hand and clasping the other behind her back, she fixed Huo Jianan with an intense gaze, her voice persuasive and coaxing. “You’ll learn as you go, won’t you? To put it bluntly, Grandma is getting old. What will we do when she’s gone? We’ll have to rely on ourselves, won’t we?”

Ruan Nianning felt cold-blooded, ruthless, and treacherous. She was doing something utterly vile and despicable—exploiting Huo Jianan’s affection to manipulate her into meddling with the company’s management, then scheming to destroy the Huo Family’s entire empire and utterly crush the arrogant Xu Weiyi.

The girl in the wheelchair was focused on selecting an outfit from the rows of clothes in the closet, her fingertips gliding lightly over the soft, comfortable fabrics. The more gentle her beautiful, endearing features appeared, the more relaxed and natural her expression seemed, the more unbearable Ruan Nianning’s guilt became. It felt like a massive stone was pressing down on her chest, suffocating her.

In the two years since she’d known Huo Jianan, Ruan Nianning had never faced a moment as agonizing as this.

She was deceiving an innocent and naive young woman, luring her step by step into a trap she had set herself. Yet Jianan had always been so good to her, especially after their marriage. She had undergone a complete transformation, becoming gentle and refined, never forcing Nianning to do anything she didn’t want to. After Nianning’s mother passed away, Jianan had shown her a level of care and concern that even her own father had never provided.

Ruan Nianning felt utterly guilty. The hand she kept hidden behind her back clenched into a tight fist, her fingernails digging painfully into her flesh.

“You’re right,” she said, her voice strained. “I’ll think about it carefully.”

Although Grandma had assured her she didn’t need to work at all—that she could simply be a major shareholder and live carefree with Ruan Nianning and their future children—Nianning disliked the idea.

Huo Jianan, having chosen an outfit, turned her wheelchair. “Honey, what do you think of this?”

Ruan Nianning glanced at it, her smile stiff and forced. “It’s perfect,” she said, her voice strained. “It suits you.”

Only then did Huo Jianan notice her unusually pale complexion. “Honey, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“It’s nothing, really. I probably just woke up too early.”

Huo Jianan: “Have a bowl of warm congee for breakfast, and get some rest on the plane.”

“Okay, I will,” Ruan Nianning replied. Noticing Huo Jianan holding her clothes, she suddenly offered, “Let me help you get dressed.”

Huo Jianan’s face flushed crimson. “I can do it myself. You should go rest. I’m fine.”

“I’m starting filming soon and won’t be back for four or five months. Won’t you let me help you get dressed just once?”

Huo Jianan hesitated, then reluctantly agreed.

Her face still flushed, Huo Jianan allowed her wife to remove her pajamas, dress her in underwear, a base layer, and a sweater. Then, Ruan Nianning gently carried her to the bed and patiently helped her put on her pants.

Throughout this process, Ruan Nianning remained silent. She stood so close to Huo Jianan that her head nearly pressed against her chest, her soft hair cascading down and brushing against Huo Jianan’s face with each movement. Huo Jianan could catch the faint scent of shampoo, but beyond that, she detected that familiar, delicate floral fragrance—a subtle, lingering aroma that drifted into her nostrils and pierced straight to her heart.

Huo Jianan stared at the shimmering strands of hair, suppressing the urge to grab a lock and inhale its fragrance deeply.

Once Huo Jianan was dressed, Ruan Nianning tidied her hair, keeping her head bowed and avoiding eye contact.

Puzzled and concerned, Huo Jianan asked, “Honey, what’s wrong?”

Ruan Langlang should be thrilled about starting filming today, but she seemed unusually subdued.

“If you’re not feeling well, we can reschedule your flight, take a day off from the shoot, and go tomorrow instead.”

“No need. I’m fine,” Ruan Nianning replied, lifting her gaze and flashing a bright, radiant smile. “You promised you’d visit the set. Don’t make me wait too long.”

So that’s what’s bothering her? Huo Jianan smiled indulgently. “Alright, honey. I’ll come in a few days.”

After breakfast, Huo Jianan offered to drive Ruan Nianning to the airport. Ruan Nianning declined. “You don’t need to go out of your way to take me. The driver will take me, and my assistant will meet me at the airport.”

Seeing Ruan Nianning’s insistence, Huo Jianan didn’t press the matter further. She watched as they loaded the luggage into the car and Ruan Nianning settled into the Rolls-Royce. Rolling down the window, Ruan Nianning waved goodbye, and Huo Jianan waved back with a smile. “Safe travels, darling! Give it your all on set! This drama is going to be a huge hit—I can’t wait to watch it!”

“It’s still a long way off,” Ruan Nianning replied. “From filming to post-production, it won’t air until at least the end of next year. What will you watch in the meantime?”

“I’ll just rewatch Female Flying Thief a few more times and pretend I’m that wealthy young prince. After all, I’m a beautiful heiress myself—it’s not too far-fetched, right?”

Ruan Nianning chuckled. “Call me before you visit the set.”

“Got it, darling.”

Huo Jianan stood at the gate, her gaze following the car until it rounded the corner and disappeared. Only then did she slowly turn back.

Butler He, witnessing the close bond between the young mistress and the young mistress, felt comforted and pleased for Madam. Perhaps it wouldn’t be long before the Huo Family welcomed a little Miss.

Huo Jianan: Honey, don’t blame yourself. I’ve known exactly what you’ve been planning all along.

Ruan Nianning: !!!