Madam, Please Behave-Chapter 192: Do You Think I’m Not Good Enough?

Liu Changqing heard An Yuanyao’s words and gently closed the door of the private room behind him. Deep inside, a voice echoed in his mind.

Tell her.

He lifted his slightly lowered head and looked at An Yuanyao in front of him.

Those three young girls had gone to find the manager.

After standing outside and thinking for a moment, Liu Changqing realized this was just an accident. He didn’t want to deceive An Yuanyao—besides, her birthday wasn’t today. It was tomorrow.

Today was September 9th.

The three girls were new employees, and the manager had actually told them to deliver the cake to the private room opposite Liu Changqing’s. The guests in that room hadn’t arrived yet, which led to the mix-up.

Since they had mistaken the time, the three girls had ended up mistakenly pushing open Liu Changqing and An Yuanyao’s private room door.

They looked young and clearly hadn’t done it on purpose, so Liu Changqing didn’t blame them.

But… in that case, An Yuanyao…

After a moment of internal struggle, Liu Changqing made up his mind. He took a deep breath and said,

"Actually, this cake was delivered to the wrong—"

"Don't say it."

An Yuanyao cut him off, no longer hiding the hand she had kept behind her back. Her gaze fell on the cream cake in front of her.

It had been a long time since she last had a birthday cake…

The forced smile she had put on just moments ago could no longer hold. She clenched the piece of paper in her hand a little tighter.

The paper crinkled slightly, making a soft noise.

Liu Changqing noticed it.

“What’s that in your hand?”

He stepped forward and gently took hold of An Yuanyao’s hand.

She didn’t resist or try to hide it, letting him pull the paper from her grasp.

Once he had it in his hands, he looked at the words written on it.

Seconds ticked by.

An Yuanyao kept her eyes on the ground, looking like a student caught daydreaming in class and made to stand in punishment.

She didn’t know what she was feeling at this moment.

She had remembered the date wrong.

Today wasn’t even her birthday.

Even he had looked surprised just now…

And that cake—it wasn’t something he had prepared for her…

An Yuanyao had grown up in a loving and privileged household.

Her mother had always told her that their family would never arrange a marriage for her. Unlike other children who had their futures decided early on by their parents, she was free to marry whoever she liked.

But when she had announced her intention to marry Li Chongming, her mother had fiercely opposed it.

After being raised with the belief that she had the freedom to choose her own love, she rebelled against her family’s disapproval. In the end, she cut ties with them, convinced that she was choosing her own happiness.

But she had failed.

Marriage wasn’t what she had hoped for, and Li Chongming wasn’t the man she had imagined him to be. Her life was nothing like she had dreamed.

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

Loneliness.

Confusion.

Fear.

These three emotions mixed together, growing deeper inside her as time passed, like seeds taking root.

She had been prepared to not go on living.

She had been ready to end it all.

Until she met Liu Changqing—the man she often saw around.

The unkempt, overweight man.

That day at the café, when they parted ways, Liu Changqing had told her she shouldn’t live for others.

The night she had gotten drunk with nowhere to go, he had been the one to take her in.

Whenever she had nowhere to return to, the first person she thought of was him.

At some point, An Yuanyao began to realize that Liu Changqing wasn’t quite the same as the man she remembered.

He no longer had that lifeless gaze, like a soulless shell.

He wasn’t the dull, submissive man who used to cater to Li Wanran’s every demand without complaint.

It was as if… he had become a completely different person.

Not in appearance, but deep inside—like his very soul had changed.

For the first time, she realized Liu Changqing could be infuriatingly sarcastic.

For the first time, she realized he could also be incredibly gentle.

For the first time, she realized… he was actually quite handsome.

When she was with him, she no longer felt that crushing loneliness.

She no longer had to turn on every single light in her house, no matter if it was day or night.

She no longer lay motionless in bed, staring at the ceiling for hours.

An Yuanyao still remembered that night when Liu Changqing had been drunk and had mumbled something to her.

“Mrs. Li, please behave…”

So that was why he had been avoiding her.

That was why he had always kept his distance.

It was in that moment that An Yuanyao finally understood—her marriage should have ended long ago.

Later, she came to another realization…

Even after she regained her freedom…

Even after she tried to be more forward with Liu Changqing…

There was always a wall between them.

She had given so many hints.

She had made it so obvious.

And yet…

Liu Changqing frowned as he finished reading the piece of paper.

From the words written on it, it was clear—it was a speech.

A confession speech.

But the lines were so unbearably corny that he felt a shudder every time he read a new sentence.

Still, this confession script proved one thing—An Yuanyao had already realized this was all a misunderstanding.

Then…

Liu Changqing shifted his gaze from the paper to An Yuanyao.

Whatever he had been about to say felt like it got caught in his throat.

Because he saw her face.

Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes.

They trailed down her cheeks and finally fell, drop by drop.

Liu Changqing remained frozen, still holding the piece of paper. His mind went blank.

For some reason, seeing her like this filled him with panic.

What was wrong?

Was it because he didn’t remember her birthday?

Or was it because the so-called surprise turned out to be fake?

Before he could think further, he quickly folded the paper and placed it on the cart next to the cake.

He took two steps forward.

Raising a hand, he hesitated, unsure of what to do. His mouth opened slightly, and his voice came out flustered.

“You… what’s wrong?”

An Yuanyao didn’t answer immediately.

After a while, she slowly lifted her head and looked up at Liu Changqing, who towered over her.

Her nose was red, and tears streamed continuously from her eyes.

She didn’t even attempt to wipe them away.

Or perhaps, she hadn’t even realized she was crying so uncontrollably.

She wasn’t blaming Liu Changqing.

She wasn’t upset that he didn’t remember her birthday.

She wasn’t mad that he had never asked when her birthday was.

She was blaming herself.

Why… after one failed marriage… did she only now meet him?

Why… hadn’t she noticed earlier that he was actually an amazing person?

Why…

She looked into Liu Changqing’s eyes, sniffled softly, and asked,

“Do you… really think I’m not good enough?”