chapter 18 : Let’s get married in secret first

"Is it hot?" Ethan Ye finally finished his work and closed his laptop. He glanced at Ava An and noticed her cheeks were flushed, like freshly ripened cherries with delicate, porcelain-like skin that had a hint of rosy glow, making one desire to touch them.

"Not... not really," Ava An hastily hid her phone, feeling guilty, afraid that Ethan Ye might see what she had been searching for.

Ethan Ye's eyes held a hint of suspicion, but he didn't ask further. He simply nodded and said, "Everything you need is at home. Just pack some essential items."

Ava An nodded and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Ethan Ye, can you promise me something?"

"Sure," Ethan Ye nodded slightly.

"I haven't even told you what it is yet," Ava An reminded him.

"You are my wife," Ethan Ye replied with five words. "Because you are my wife, I will agree to anything."

Ava An's heart warmed at his words, and she gave a faint smile on her overly pale face. "Actually, it's not a big deal. It's just that before we announce our engagement, can we keep our marriage a secret from others?"

"Sure, but my family knows I got the certificate today, so we can't hide it from them," Ethan Ye agreed directly.

"It's fine if your family knows, just don't let outsiders know," Ava An sighed in relief.

Ethan Ye nodded. "If you want me to cooperate with promoting your clothing brand, just let me know. I'll have the PR department come up with a plan."

Upon hearing this, Ava An took a deep breath. "Ethan Ye, thank you."

"Don't use these two words with me in the future. We don't need them between us. Just know that from today, Ethan Ye is your husband. If anyone bullies you, you can stand up for yourself. Ethan Ye's wife doesn't need to tolerate anyone," Ethan Ye's indifferent tone carried a protective aura.

Ava An chuckled and remembered what Ethan Ye had said earlier. By marrying him, she could walk with her head held high in S City.

Ava An had a beautiful smile, and as Ethan Ye watched her, a rare trace of a smile appeared on his lips as well.

Today, the car was parked directly downstairs in the apartment building. Ava An initially suggested that Ethan Ye wait in the car, but he insisted on accompanying her, so she led him upstairs.

Emily Song's home was not very large, a three-bedroom apartment with a total area of just over a hundred square meters. She had purchased it after graduating and returning to S City. At that time, Ava An had already been admitted to the mental hospital, and the things in the apartment were items Emily Song had moved from Ava An's college dormitory.

Ava An asked Ethan Ye to sit wherever he liked in the living room while she went to her room to pack her things. She didn't intend to take everything with her. In her heart, this place was like her parents' home, and she wanted to leave some things behind to feel secure.

Ethan Ye didn't sit in the living room but walked to one side, where a table was set up. On the table, there was a sewing machine and various tools needed for making clothes. It was clear that this was Ava An's work area.

Next to the work table stood a mannequin, wearing a half-finished qipao. The style of the qipao wasn't particularly unique, but the embroidery on it caught Ethan Ye's attention.

Ethan Ye couldn't identify the type of flowers embroidered on the qipao, but they looked incredibly lifelike, as if real flowers were blooming on the fabric, making the whole qipao look exceptionally elegant.

Ethan Ye suddenly remembered that he had heard his mother mention that Ava An's mother was skilled at making qipaos. Now, it seemed that Ava An had inherited her mother's talent. The clothing brand she had obtained with a ten percent stake was probably her mother's brand.

Ava An quickly packed a small suitcase and came over, taking the things on the work table and rolling them up into a bundle, then placing them in a cloth bag. Finally, she carefully removed the qipao from the mannequin, folded it neatly, and put it in the suitcase.

"All done. Let's go," Ava An zipped up the suitcase and said to Ethan Ye.

Ethan Ye made a natural move to take the suitcase and cloth bag from her hands and headed towards the door.

Ava An didn't resist and followed him out, locking the door behind her. The two of them went downstairs, and Ethan Ye's bodyguard and driver, Old Nine, greeted them. He took the items from Ethan Ye's hands and placed them carefully in the trunk before they all got into the car and left for Ethan Ye's home.
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