Chapter 0442

Luo Yao touched her belly, and Lin Ran instantly felt a bit nervous—he had deliberately avoided mentioning it.

Luo Yao’s stomach had indeed gained a tiny bit of softness, though she still looked very slender.

"Ran, you lied to me. I’ve clearly gotten chubbier."

Lin Ran wanted to hug her, but as he raised his arm halfway, the movement tugged at the injury on his chest, making him grimace in pain.

He had a fracture—not a minor injury—and after the bone was set, it was best to minimize upper body movement.

So instead, he settled for holding her hand, using his uninjured one.

"Yao, you’re talking nonsense. A little softness is adorable, and you’re not even chubby—it’s just that you were too thin before."

"Alright, Ran, just focus on your injury and don’t move around too much." Luo Yao realized she was overthinking the weight issue, which wasn’t like her.

Had she started caring about these things, just like other girls?

So, she casually asked that classic question:

"If I get fat, will you stop liking me?"

Lin Ran flashed a mischievous grin, leaning close to her ear and whispering, "A little extra padding feels even better. I love it to death."

The warmth of his breath against her earlobe sent a pleasant shiver down her spine.

Suddenly, her ears felt hot. She and Lin Ran had been through every kind of intimacy—practically an old married couple—yet here she was, blushing over a single remark from him.

Ugh. Things were getting weirder.

That night, Luo Yao tried hard not to dwell on it, but the more she resisted, the more her thoughts wandered.

Still, she held back. Lin Ran was still recovering, and she didn’t want to exhaust her man.

"Yao, if you can’t hold back, I’m fine with it. We did it just yesterday anyway," Lin Ran suddenly offered, giving her a choice.

And so, Luo Yao carefully claimed him.

Her movements were slow, gentle, yet deeply satisfying.

Sometimes, love didn’t need to be fierce—taking it slow could be just as pleasurable.

Some people savored the process; others cared only for the result. But when it came to love, both mattered equally.

(Facing the wall)

"Ran, I’m sorry… I just couldn’t help it…"

Lin Ran reached out with his good hand, stroking her hair. "It’s fine. But next time, could you go easier on biting my shoulder? Wait till I’m healed before going back to normal, okay?"

Luo Yao knew the sudden pain had made him tense, aggravating his injury, and a pang of guilt settled in her chest.

"Okay. Next time, I’ll warn you before I bite."

"Deal."

Having a heads-up was always better than an unexpected jolt.

The next morning, on an unnamed street, passersby walked by as usual—except for one ragged figure curled up on the cold ground.

Zhang Xiaolong strolled past on his way to work, his mood light, but his brow furrowed when he spotted the figure.

Lately, life had been good. The past six months had been a steady climb, and his parents were finally locked away, unable to disrupt his and his sister’s lives anymore.

The debts were cleared too. Though Zhang Dahai had racked them up, he had no intention of dodging responsibility.

Today was his last day in that basement apartment. After this, he planned to move out—rent a proper place first, then save up for a real home. He even needed to set aside a dowry for his sister, Zhang Xiaonuan.

Maybe he wasn’t the best brother, but he was certainly the most responsible one.

Without him, Zhang Xiaonuan’s life would have been pitch-black.

Thinking of this, Zhang Xiaolong felt immense gratitude toward Lin Ran. Without him, his own life would have had no sunlight either.

He’d wanted to visit Lin Ran during the New Year, but Wu Zhishang had issued a strict order: no one was to disturb the chairman. So, he’d let it go.

Then his eyes landed on the tattered figure again.

"A beggar? Here?"

This was the capital. How many years had it been since anyone saw a beggar?

Looking closer, the man seemed vaguely familiar.

Zhang Xiaolong scoffed internally. I’ve been through hell and never begged. And here you are?

Up close, it was clear the man was disabled. Pity stirred in Zhang Xiaolong’s chest. Whether the man’s plight was real or not, he emptied his pockets of spare change, placing it on the ground.

If the man was truly in need, the money would help. If not, at least it proved no one was suffering that badly.

His own past had been harsh—he’d seen kindness from strangers and cruelty from those closest to him.

So, he believed in compassion, but not to the point of obsession. That was just who Zhang Xiaolong was.

Kindness had its limits. Too much, and you became a saint—or a fool.

The beggar kept muttering something, but his words were too slurred to understand.

Zhang Xiaolong shook his head and walked away. Only when the coast was clear did the beggar’s dull eyes dart around before he painstakingly used his mouth to pick up the money.

"One day… that ungrateful son will kneel before me… begging for forgiveness… This isn’t begging—just a temporary setback…"

The man was none other than Lin Tianba, serving his sentence outside prison.

His crimes were minor—lighter even than Lin Jian’s—earning him just two months. Given his condition, the court had "leniently" allowed him to serve it outside.

Of course, this was all thanks to behind-the-scenes maneuvering. In truth, he’d have been better off locked up.

"Ungrateful brat… kneel… beg your father to take you back…"

Lin Tianba kept rambling, looking every bit the madman to passersby.

Not a single part of his body was intact. A bodyguard named Abu had crushed every minor joint, leaving him a true cripple.

Only his head could move; the rest of him was useless, forcing him to crawl.

But his wretched state made him an outcast everywhere. No community tolerated him—residents always banded together to drive him away.

Lin Tianba had tried reaching Lin Ran, but penniless, reeking, and phoneless, he had no way to contact him.

Even if he had a phone, he couldn’t recall Lin Ran’s number.

He’d begged Lv Jian to help, but Lv Jian refused outright.

Lin Tianba was blind to the truth, but Lv Jian saw it clearly: Lin Ran held no fatherly affection for him—only hatred.

In fact, Lv Jian feared Lin Ran might blame him for "harboring" Lin Tianba, so he kicked the man out, banning him from the Lv Family’s floors.

Left with no options, Lin Tianba ended up on the streets.

Then came footsteps—polished leather shoes stopping just centimeters from his face. Lin Tianba strained to look up, and his pupils shrank.

"Boss Lin… what happened to you?"

At first, terror flashed in Lin Tianba’s eyes, but it quickly twisted into hatred.

His current misery was undeniably tied to the man before him.

"It’s you! This is all your fault! If not for you, my family wouldn’t be ruined… Give me back my family! Give me back my money!"

Brother Dao covered his nose, wrinkling his brow at the stench radiating from Lin Tianba.