---

---

“I want to eat first.”

From all the “options” in front of her, Nan Xu finally managed to pick one.

“And you’re not allowed to mess around,” she added.

Xie Hejing laughed. “And what counts as ‘messing around’?”

“It’s when…” Nan Xu spoke with embarrassment, “when we’re discussing things while eating. Who does that?”

“Not going to provoke me anymore?” Xie Hejing repeated her earlier words.

Nan Xu fell silent, speechless for several seconds before softening her tone. “Fine, I was wrong, okay?”

“I just want to eat in peace.”

Just saying that definitely wouldn’t convince Xie Hejing, so Nan Xu added another promise: “We can talk about the rest after dinner.”

The implication was clear, she had agreed to “discuss” it later. Satisfied, Xie Hejing set her down and gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

“Alright. Just don’t go back on your word later.”

Nan Xu: “…”

She would love to go back on her word, but with Xie Hejing’s personality, if she did, he would only “torment” her more.

“Got it.”

The dishes on the table were still steaming. This time, Xie Hejing watched her closely—every time Nan Xu picked up a piece of food, he had to make sure it was safe for her to eat first.

Nan Xu watched him carefully testing the temperature of each dish and couldn’t help laughing. “Are you treating me like I’m an emperor?”

Xie Hejing raised a brow, looking at her in confusion.

Nan Xu explained, “The way you just acted looked a bit like those eunuchs who used to test the emperor’s food for poi—”

She stopped herself immediately, clicking her tongue. If she actually finished that sentence, she already knew she’d be done for.

But just putting the pieces together was enough for Xie Hejing to understand what she meant. He let out a cold laugh. “Why don’t you finish your sentence?”

His expression gradually turned icy, even his voice carried a chill. Nan Xu couldn’t help but shiver.

“Uh… I meant that the way you looked just now was… very charming.”

Xie Hejing didn’t buy it. “Charming? Are you kidding me?” She didn’t look charmed at all.

“No, no!” Nan Xu immediately denied it. She had just spoken without thinking.

Just moments before, Xie Hejing had lowered his gaze, his long fingers brushing past each dish as he tested their temperatures for her.

He was meticulous to an exaggerated degree. He noticed details that Nan Xu herself often missed—rolling up her loose sleeves when she reached for food, patiently picking out fish bones when she avoided the fish because it was too much trouble to eat.

To Nan Xu, this version of Xie Hejing was the one she fell for—every small gesture overflowing with quiet, delicate care.

And each effortless act of thoughtfulness was slowly capturing her heart, pulling her deeper and deeper into him.

But the truth was, Xie Hejing had never been a patient person. It was exactly this contradiction in him that pulled Nan Xu in without her realizing it. She genuinely thought this version of him was incredibly attractive.

“I’m serious. I’m not joking,” Nan Xu said, meeting his eyes, her gaze clear. “I really thought what you just did was charming.”

Xie Hejing was stunned for a moment as he took in her earnest expression and the sincerity in her tone.

He wasn’t even sure what he’d done that she could possibly find charming.

His Adam’s apple moved. “What part was charming?”

All the deliberate teasing he’d done before had never gotten her to say the word charming, yet now she said it while they were just having a simple meal.

Naturally, Xie Hejing wanted to get to the bottom of it—so he could keep doing whatever worked.

Nan Xu didn’t know what was going through his mind, but she felt that this kind of charm only came out when he wasn’t trying. If he did it on purpose, it might lose its magic.

So she stayed vague. “Everything… kind of. I can’t really explain it.”

She even let out a soft sigh to smooth things over.

Surprisingly, Xie Hejing didn’t press further. Instead, he scooped up a small spoonful of silky tofu and placed it in her bowl. “Eat. This one’s not hot anymore.”

“Mm.” Nan Xu lowered her head and ate, but she could feel his gaze on her the entire time. After swallowing, she asked from the corner of her eye, “Why aren’t you eating?”

“Nan Xu, how do you even look good while you’re eating?” Xie Hejing said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Nan Xu: “……”

She thought Xie Hejing was still brooding over what she’d said earlier, and she’d been a little nervous about it. But instead, he suddenly came out with that line.

“Maybe beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” Nan Xu said. She’d been complimented before, of course, but never to the extreme that Xie Hejing took it—praising her even while she was eating.

Xie Hejing clearly enjoyed her words. He nodded. “Beholder… lover.”

He could feel that this “lover” was different from all the previous times she’d said it. This was the kind that came from someone who had truly let him into her heart.

With that realization, Xie Hejing felt invigorated—almost overflowing with energy.

Which, unfortunately, meant suffering for Nan Xu.

She’d finally managed to use the excuse of “you shouldn’t move too much right after eating” to win herself an hour of rest.

But Xie Hejing literally stood beside her with a stopwatch, waiting for the timer to run down as she tried to watch her drama in peace. It made her feel incredibly pressured.

She could try to ignore him, sure, but the ticking of that stopwatch was impossible to block out.

“What are you doing here? When the time is up, I’ll go to the bedroom myself.”

He didn’t respond, didn’t even move.

Nan Xu had no choice but to continue, “Aren’t you going to take a shower or something first?”

That got him to stand up. “Alright. I’ll wait for you in the room. You still have half an hour.”

Watching his back as he walked into the bedroom, Nan Xu let out a long sigh. That hungry, predatory look he’d been giving her just now had her on edge the whole time.

Even though that intense gaze was gone for the moment, Nan Xu no longer had the mood to keep watching her drama. She switched to music app instead and lay on the sofa listening to songs.

Since she’d taken a nap right after coming home from work, she was fully awake now—awake enough to pick up even the faint sounds coming from the bedroom. From the steady water noise, she guessed Xie Hejing was probably still in the shower.

When the half hour finally passed, she resigned herself, put away the tablet, and headed toward the bedroom.

The soft click of the door hadn’t even faded before a wave of cedar-scented heat wrapped around her.

Her back hit the cold door panel, and only then did Nan Xu open her eyes—just to see Xie Hejing wearing nothing but a low-slung towel.

“Where do you want to ‘discuss’?” he asked. “Here, or on the bed?”

Nan Xu swallowed. “On the bed.”

They were going to end up there anyway, she definitely didn’t want to do anything while standing.

“Alright.” With an easy motion, Xie Hejing scooped her up and slowly carried her toward the bed.

But as he lifted her, he let out a low grunt.

Nan Xu frowned. “What’s wrong? Did I get heavier?”

She hadn’t checked her weight in a while, and with all the good food Xie Hejing kept feeding her every day, she genuinely suspected she might have gained a bit.

“No.”

Xie Hejing shifted her lightly in his arms, bouncing her twice before saying in a teasing tone, “You brushed against me.”

After being entangled with him so many times, Nan Xu instantly knew exactly what he meant.

“You’re so annoying. Why did you have to say it out loud?”

Xie Hejing raised an eyebrow. “Weren’t you the one who asked?”

Nan Xu: “…”

Once again, she felt it was safer if she just kept her mouth shut.

The soft glow of the bedside lamp cast a warm halo around the room. Nan Xu leaned against the headboard, feeling her throat tighten.

Xie Hejing knelt in front of her, his damp black hair still dripping. Beads of water slid down along the strands, tracing a line over his skin before disappearing into the loose edge of his towel.

She had seen him like this before, yet her heart still pounded uncontrollably.

The air held the scent of cedar, mixed with something thick and intoxicating.

He still hadn’t done much—just let his gaze drift over her from time to time, enough to keep her nerves taut and impossible to relax.

In the end, she couldn’t stand the silence and spoke first. “How… how are you planning to…?”

Her fingers trembled slightly where they gripped the bedsheet, and her unfinished question was cut off by his sudden movement.

Xie Hejing lowered his head to bite lightly at her collarbone. His long fingers traced along the heated curve of her waist, then hooked gently at the base of her spine.

“I looked into it before,” he murmured. “Let’s try this position first.”

He reached for a nearby pillow and slid it beneath her.

Nan Xu blinked in surprise. “When did you even research that?”

“Last night when I couldn’t sleep,” Xie Hejing said. Then he paused and added, “And all day today.”

“What were you researching that for?” Nan Xu’s face flushed red.

“To take better care of you.”

The moment Xie Hejing leaned down, Nan Xu gasped. It felt like someone had suddenly switched on a bright light behind her eyes. Her whole body tensed, and her eyes squeezed shut on their own.

Knowing how easily she got embarrassed, Xie Hejing didn’t push her to look at him.

The first time feeling him this close, this unshielded and overwhelming, made her nerves go numb. Shocked, Nan Xu’s eyes flew open—and met Xie Hejing’s dark, intoxicating gaze.

He spoke in a low voice, “Good girl, tighten your legs a little.”

The moment those teasing words slipped out, Nan Xu trembled. Xie Hejing pressed close and let out a soft laugh against her ear.

Trying to suppress the rush inside her, Nan Xu asked, “What are you laughing at?”

“You sure you want to know?” he checked with her first—so she wouldn’t blame him later for saying it out loud.

Sensing it definitely wasn’t anything proper, Nan Xu turned her head away. “Forget it. I don’t want to hear it.”

“Alright.” But just then, Xie Hejing paused, his laughter shifting into a pattern of sharp breaths and low exhales.

The sound was so close—impossible to ignore—that Nan Xu’s curiosity finally broke through. “What’s wrong?”

Once he was certain she wouldn’t scold him for it, Xie Hejing deliberately let out a low hum next to her ear and said, enunciating each word: “You’re… a little too tight.”

But he didn’t stop there. He lowered his voice even further, sounding downright pitiful. “Wife… it actually hurts a little.”

!!!

Nan Xu’s heart hadn’t raced this fast in… she didn’t even know how long.

It raced so wildly that her whole body froze, trembling uncontrollably. And this time, Xie Hejing’s twitch was definitely real.

Her vision blurred to white for a moment, and she only snapped back when she heard Xie Hejing calling “wife” over and over again.

“What… what should I do?” Nan Xu bit her lip.

“Just relax a little,” he coaxed quickly. Her earlier reaction had genuinely startled him. “It’s alright if it hurts, I can handle it.”

It was the first time she’d ever heard Xie Hejing say he was the one who hurt. It made her want to get up immediately and run away to recover for a few days.

But that was obviously impossible.

She didn’t really know what he was feeling; she could only try her best.

“Then… I’ll try to relax.”

A smile tugged at Xie Hejing’s lips. All those times he had told her to relax, she never cooperated—every time she only got more tense.

But now she said it on her own.

His gaze darkened.

So being a little pitiful… playing soft… that was what worked.

Unfortunately for him, controlling himself like this was its own kind of torture.

“Wife,” he murmured again, deliberately lowering his voice, “you care about me that much?”

His breath brushed her ear as he added, “Wouldn’t it be nice… to let me hurt for you?”

His arms were braced on either side of her head, his damp breath brushing over the crown of her hair. Nan Xu could hear every single one of his breaths—each one landing sharply on her already-overstimulated nerves.

She could only gasp for air, trying desperately to ignore everything that was making her tense.

But the harder she tried to ignore it, the clearer those sounds became in her mind.

In her panic, her voice broke into a sob. “I don’t want you to hurt…”

That single sentence truly alarmed Xie Hejing. He immediately pulled her into his arms, not caring about anything else—only thinking about comforting her.

“Don’t cry. I’m not hurt, I was just teasing you.”

But the veins standing out on his forehead and his now-uneven breathing told a completely different story.

Hearing him say it only made Nan Xu cry harder. “That’s impossible. I can hear how bad you sound. And… and I’m hurting too.”

The moment he realized she was in pain as well, Xie Hejing forgot all about desire and tried to slowly withdraw.

But—

“Hss…” Nan Xu sucked in a sharp breath. “I think… that actually hurts more.”

Xie Hejing froze. He could neither move forward nor pull back.

Because this was their first time fully connecting like this, and with Nan Xu’s emotions running high, something that was usually so easy for him had suddenly become incredibly difficult.

Nan Xu could clearly feel how hot he was, and she could see the veins on his forehead—he wasn’t doing well either.

Tentatively, she whispered, “Maybe… maybe you should put it back in?”

What she said was probably the boldest thing Nan Xu had ever uttered in bed. And the moment the words left her mouth, she didn’t even dare look at his reaction—she simply ducked her head and buried herself against his chest.

“No,” Xie Hejing refused immediately. “What if it hurts you more?”

He still remembered her crying just moments ago. It wasn’t the shy, embarrassed kind—she had been genuinely upset.

Nan Xu’s muffled voice came from his arms. “If it hurts, I’ll tell you.”

Unlike him, who could somehow endure to this extent. Honestly, he was such an idiot.

“Just kiss me,” she said, tilting her head up. “Maybe then I can relax.”

She had no idea what was wrong with her tonight. She was even more nervous than before, unable to relax no matter what she did, making both of them miserable.

Xie Hejing slid a hand down to support her, lifting her up slightly.

Then he kissed her—softly at first, his teeth grazing her lips just enough to make her shiver.

“If it hurts, you tell me,” he reminded her.

“Okay…”

He coaxed her lips open, their heated breaths blending together. He caught her lower lip between his teeth and sucked gently, murmuring against her mouth, voice thick with desire, “Why are you so soft…”

Following the rhythm of his kiss, Nan Xu slowly loosened up, her breathing evening out again.

Once he felt her fully relax, Xie Hejing finally let her lips go and eased her back onto the bed.

“Is it better now?”

“Much better.” Nan Xu smiled at him, her eyes curving sweetly.

He leaned down again, but Nan Xu reached out to push him lightly, pointing at the pillow beside them. “Aren’t you going to use that?”

Xie Hejing turned his head. He’d completely forgotten about it. He pulled the pillow over and slipped it back into place, then praised her like she was being very sensible. “Such a good girl. You even remember to remind me.”

Nan Xu looked away in embarrassment. “I just… I just don’t want all that ‘effort’ going to waste, that’s all.”

Xie Hejing raised a brow. “Don’t worry. I can keep ‘putting in effort’ for as long as needed, as long as you can take it.”

If Xie Hejing really went all out and played however he liked, Nan Xu might truly end up moving back to her parents’ house tonight.

Sure enough, the moment she heard him say that, Nan Xu’s whole body trembled, nerves flaring again.

Xie Hejing had to slide a hand under her back, gently patting her in slow, steady motions to calm her down.

“Why are you so sensitive, hmm?”

Nan Xu refused to admit it. “Because the things you say are terrifying.”

“It’s just the truth,” Xie Hejing said casually.

“The truth is still scary.”

At that, Xie Hejing shut his mouth.

But even with the pillow under her, Nan Xu still felt uncomfortable. After a moment, she asked, “Is there… a way to do it without the pillow? My waist gets so tired like this.”

Good girl, walking right into his hands again.

Xie Hejing almost laughed out loud but forced himself to look serious, as if they were having an earnest discussion.

“Mm. There is. Let’s try it.”

---

---

Nan Xu was startled yet again by Xie Hejing’s bluntness, he always managed to shock her with just a few words.

She clenched her phone and typed back: [Can’t you be a little more subtle?]

The room felt uncomfortably stuffy.

Xie Hejing got up and walked to the balcony; without Nan Xu beside him, lying in bed felt pointless anyway.

He leaned lazily against the railing, a cigarette loosely held between his lips. The night breeze brushed past, lifting the strands of hair on his forehead.

Seeing Nan Xu’s message, he let out a quiet, scoffing laugh and tapped out a reply:

[If I were subtle, would you actually come sleep with me?]

In the glow of the cigarette’s ember, his Adam’s apple moved with a slow swallow.

Nan Xu: “…”

She glanced at the time, already two in the morning.

She was wide awake, and it kept feeling like something was… missing next to her.

After a long while of hesitation, she finally sent him another message: [I think I might be missing a… body pillow.]

A low laugh slipped from Xie Hejing’s throat.

So she wanted to sleep holding him, just had to say it that indirectly?

He flicked off some ash.

[Oh? So that’s what you mean by subtle?]

Then, without another word, he pulled off his shirt, found a spot with decent lighting, and snapped a photo to send to her.

The image took a moment to load.

Nan Xu, unsuspecting, tapped it open.

A second later, the image filled her screen…

Xie Hejing, shirtless, leaning lazily against the wall.

His waistband was pulled just low enough to make it questionable whether it was intentional, revealing the sharp cut of his V-line.

His lean waist and abs were half-covered by a sleep shirt hanging loosely off him.

A new line popped up in the chat: [Is this “body pillow” subtle enough?]

Nan Xu shoved her phone under the pillow in a panic, her heart pounding wildly.

If this counted as subtle, then there probably wasn’t a single unsubtle person left in the world.

She had no idea how long she lay there or what other messages he might’ve sent afterward, but she knew one thing for sure…

She absolutely could not keep talking to him.

If she did, she would stay awake the whole night.

She lay down and tried to coax herself into sleep.

The room was quiet.

Just as she settled against the pillow, she suddenly heard footsteps outside the door.

The steps came closer and closer.

The soft click of the turning doorknob made her entire body tense.

The next moment, Xie Hejing appeared at the doorway, leaning against the frame, his eyes narrowed slightly.

“Your ‘body pillow,’” he said, the corner of his mouth lifting as his tongue brushed over his dry lower lip, “comes with warm skin and hugging capabilities.”

Nan Xu quickly turned her face away, but her peripheral vision betrayed her—
it drifted right to the lean line of his waist.

The marks she’d left on him last night stood out starkly against his honey-toned skin, faintly visible each time he moved closer.

Her breath hitched.

Xie Hejing suddenly braced himself against the headboard, leaning in, the cedar scent of him mixed with warm breath rushing over her.

“Boss Nan,” he murmured, voice low and teasing, “do you need to inspect the goods?”

“No need.” Nan Xu clutched the blanket tightly.

Who knew what kind of “inspection method” he had in mind?

“So that means we’re using it directly.” Xie Hejing didn’t bother asking further, he simply filled in the rest of her sentence himself.

He lifted the blanket on the other side with practiced ease, slipped off his shoes, and slid right in.

Everything happened too fast.

By the time Nan Xu reacted, his hand was already resting around her waist with infuriating familiarity.

Nan Xu pushed at his chest. “Why did you just come in here?”

“Get out.”

Instead, Xie Hejing pulled her straight into his arms with lightning speed. His warm chest pressed against her back as he wrapped the blanket around both of them, deliberately brushing her sensitive earlobe.

“Don’t move. Be quiet. I’m only holding you.”

Nan Xu didn’t believe that for a second. “You said you’d sleep in your own room tonight. Look, look where you are now.”

At that, Xie Hejing smiled, completely unashamed. “On your bed.”

Nan Xu: “…”

She was seriously considering kicking him onto the floor.

“Shameless,” she fumed, chest rising and falling, pushing at him again. “You really…”

Before she could finish, he flipped her over and pinned her beneath him.

His half-open sleep shirt fell to the side, and the muscles of his abdomen brushed lightly against her skin with each breath he took.

“If you keep struggling, I won’t just be a pillow anymore.”

Nan Xu froze, hands still awkwardly pressed against his chest. Xie Hejing gently lowered her arms, placing them back by her sides.

He buried his face into the curve of her neck—the spot that always drove him crazy—and spoke in a low, tempting murmur. “Be good. Hold me. I’m very useful.”

Nan Xu’s lashes fluttered. She wanted to refuse, but she could already imagine what he’d try the moment she said no.

After hesitating for a long moment, she whispered: “Then… you’re only allowed to be a pillow.”

Her timid tone made Xie Hejing laugh helplessly. “Mm. I said I came to deliver a ‘pillow,’ so I’m only delivering a pillow. Everything else… next time.”

Everything else?!

Nan Xu didn’t even want to ask. Anything that came out of his mouth was never reassuring anyway.

Her hands lifted shakily, hovered for a few seconds, and finally dropped onto his body in quiet surrender.

Xie Hejing clicked his tongue. “Why do you look like you’re marching to your death? Are you really that unwilling?”

“No.” Nan Xu’s cheek pressed against his chest. “I’m just… afraid you won’t be able to hold back. You have a lot of past offenses, you know.”

Xie Hejing: “…”

“Hold me properly,” he said, tightening his arms around her, “and I can endure it.”

Judging from his tone, he actually sounded serious.

Nan Xu gave a soft “mm,” too tired to stay awake any longer. She hugged Xie Hejing and shifted around to find a comfortable position.

Maybe it was his scent working its magic, she had barely held him for ten minutes before she drifted off to sleep.

Her steady breathing brushed against his ear. Xie Hejing quietly pulled her closer and soon fell asleep as well.

. . . . .

The next morning, when Nan Xu woke, Xie Hejing was still holding her in the exact same position.

She was a little surprised, he had actually endured the whole night without making a move.

She wanted to get up first, but his arms were locked firmly around her. Even trying to sit up was a struggle.

Helpless, she shifted her leg slightly to push herself up. But after just two small movements, she froze completely.

A low, husky sound rumbled from Xie Hejing’s throat, rough with sleep and tinged with a dark, magnetic tone.

“What’s wrong? Can’t move anymore?”

He had woken up the moment she started squirming, but he purposely kept still just to tease her a little longer—didn’t expect she’d notice on her own.

Nan Xu glared at him. “How are you like this first thing in the morning?”

Xie Hejing sounded wronged. “Wife, having a reaction is normal. If I didn’t react, that’s when you should worry.”

“Hmph.” Nan Xu refused to discuss this any further. “Let go and go back to your room. Auntie said she wants to talk to us about the wedding today.”

Hearing that, Xie Hejing actually looked a bit more serious for once. For the first time after waking up, he didn’t insist on pulling Nan Xu back into a morning tangle.

“Alright,” he said, getting out of bed and walking around the foot of it toward the door. “See you downstairs in a bit.”

Both Nan Xu and Xie Hejing had work today, so they could only squeeze in a discussion over breakfast.

Zhang Huiwan asked, “Jiaojiao, just tell me what theme you like. I’ll talk to the hotel staff for you, so you two won’t have to run around.”

Nan Xu paused. “But Auntie, you have work too, don’t you? Wouldn’t this be too tiring?”

“It’s fine,” Zhang Huiwan replied briskly as she finished the food in her bowl. “A friend of mine runs a wedding planning company, she’s very professional. You tell me the style you want, I’ll pass it to her. We can view the setup later, and if it’s not good, we’ll adjust it.”

“Okay, let me think about it.” Nan Xu fell into thought, a bit torn. Mostly because she genuinely didn’t know what theme she wanted on such short notice.

Zhang Huiwan added, “No rush, take your time. And as for the other details…” She paused, realizing that breakfast wasn’t enough time for all this. “Why don’t you two stay here again tonight? We can go over everything carefully this evening.”

“No.”

Xie Hejing rejected it immediately, before Nan Xu could agree. If she stayed, he’d have to figure out another way to sneak into her room again.

Going back to the home that belonged only to the two of them was much better—there, he could be close to her whenever he wanted.

Zhang Huiwan turned to him. “What about you? Do you have any ideas?”

“Nan Xu’s ideas are my ideas.”

But since Nan Xu liked flowers, he could at least start preparing something on his own.

Knowing there was no point expecting any useful suggestions from Xie Hejing, Zhang Huiwan said, “It’s alright. Jiaojiao, when you have an idea, just tell me—or tell Wen Qiu. We can discuss it together then.”

“Okay, thank you, Auntie,” Nan Xu replied.

On the way to work, Nan Xu curled up in the passenger seat, exhausted and trying to catch up on sleep. She had gone to bed late and woken up early, leaving her completely drained.

But with the morning rush hour—car engines, honking, and all that noise—she couldn’t fall asleep. She could only close her eyes and pretend to rest.

Seeing how tired she looked, Xie Hejing’s heart ached. “When we get there, go sleep in my lounge for a bit. Come out and work after you’ve rested.”

Nan Xu shook her head. “It’s not that serious. And besides, I’m just a regular employee—how would it look if I go sleep in your lounge during work hours?”

Xie Hejing chuckled. Her insistence on following the rules was so strong even he couldn’t budge it.

“Look at you, your eyes can barely stay open.”

Hearing that, Nan Xu instantly forced her eyes wide open. “I’m fine. Totally fine.”

“If I’d known you’d be like this, I should’ve gone over earlier last night so we could sleep together,” Xie Hejing said as he turned the steering wheel. “Then you wouldn’t have ended up staying awake so late.”

Nan Xu let out a sigh. Within moments, she wilted back into the same sleepy, lifeless state. “How am I even losing sleep? I used to sleep just fine when I was by myself.”

Xie Hejing had taken the matter of “making Nan Xu addicted to him” very seriously. He had even consulted a few professional friends about it.

The methods they came up with were gentle but time-consuming. First, he had to let Nan Xu get used to him without realizing it—remember his scent in everyday moments, feel his body heat, learn the rhythm of his breathing…

All these little fragments would eventually weave into a tight net, one she wouldn’t be able to slip out of.

Until she slowly realized she couldn’t go without him.

For example, before bed, Xie Hejing would spray a light sleep-inducing fragrance. Because of her night blindness, he always left a wall lamp on. Sometimes he would sing to her before she slept, or tell her a story—creating the perfect atmosphere for falling asleep. And paired with their unwavering routine of sleeping in each other’s arms every night, it was impossible for Nan Xu not to get used to him after a while.

So when she slept alone, something always felt missing.

Thinking about all this, Xie Hejing guiltily averted his gaze, his Adam’s apple shifting in a stiff, unnatural swallow.

“Maybe… you just need me more,” he said.

Nan Xu fell silent, because she realized it might actually be true.

Not sleeping well left her sluggish and listless for the entire workday.

When she got home in the evening, Nan Xu’s whole body softened, and she collapsed straight onto the sofa.

Following behind her, Xie Hejing let out a soft laugh, helping her hang up her bag and straighten the shoes she had kicked out of place. By the time he returned to Nan Xu’s side, she was already fast asleep, slumped against the sofa.

Was she really that tired?

As someone with endless energy, Xie Hejing couldn’t quite relate—but the faint crease between her brows still made his heart ache.

He gently removed her outer coat, carried her into the bedroom, tucked her under the covers, and then headed to the kitchen to make soup for her.

When Nan Xu woke again, Xie Hejing had just finished cooking. Drawn by the delicious aroma, she wandered straight into the kitchen.

When it came to his cooking, she never held back her compliments. “You’re amazing. Everything you make tastes so good. Is there anything you can’t do?”

Xie Hejing said lazily, “There is. For example, figuring out how to boost your energy.”

Nan Xu shrugged. That was basically impossible, she didn’t like physical exercise to begin with.

Outside the bedroom, Xie Hejing could never bring himself to push her hard. He had said many times that he’d take her to the gym to train properly, yet in the end, Nan Xu only went once.

And during that one visit, someone had come over to hit on her. Xie Hejing had been so furious his face turned dark, and he immediately decided he’d just train her at home from now on.

But training never lasted long. After a bit of exercise, Nan Xu would either beg for mercy or soften her voice to say she couldn’t go on, and Xie Hejing completely lost the ability to push her. As long as it didn’t affect her health, he let it slide.

“It’s really difficult. I think I was just born with low energy,” Nan Xu said as she picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks.

The meat had only just come off the heat, it was still steaming hot. Focused on talking to Xie Hejing, she didn’t notice at all.

The moment it touched her tongue, a sharp scalding pain stung her. But Nan Xu had been taught by Wen Qiu from a young age that no matter what happened during a meal, she must never spit food back out in front of others.

Even as an adult, even in front of Xie Hejing, she kept that habit.

She instinctively wanted to go outside to find a tissue so she could spit it out discreetly, but the burning on her tongue was unbearable, and her eyes were already turning red from the pain.

Xie Hejing immediately reached his hand to her mouth. “Spit it out.”

Nan Xu shook her head. How could she spit food into his hand? That was way too gross.

She looked around—but of all times, the tissues in the kitchen had just run out.

Xie Hejing was one second away from losing it. He barked sharply, “Nan Xu, spit it out! Are you stupid? Why are you worrying about that right now?”

Startled by the stern look in his eyes, Nan Xu immediately spat the meat out. Xie Hejing flicked it away without a second thought.

He poured a glass of water and handed it to Nan Xu. “Hold it in your mouth first. Spit it out after a bit.”

Nan Xu puffed out her cheeks and nodded.

Xie Hejing still hadn’t gotten over his frustration. “Why are you following all those rules in front of me? Can’t spit it on the floor? Can’t spit it in my hand? Where did you get all these manners from?”

Nan Xu spat out the water. “My mom taught me.”

Wen Qiu doted on her, but when it came to manners, she never cut corners—especially back when Nan Xiaocheng hadn’t gone bankrupt yet. The gatherings they attended were full of wealthy, high-status people. Table etiquette was practically a reflection of a family’s upbringing.

Xie Hejing was completely shut up by that answer. He could only stew in silence as he poured her more water, then turned away.

Nan Xu tugged on his sleeve and whispered, “Why are you angry?”

He didn’t respond. She tugged again. “You’re ignoring me? I got burned and you’re still mad at me?”

Xie Hejing finally turned around. Without saying anything extra, he leaned down and gestured for her to open her mouth.

Nan Xu obediently opened it.

After inspecting for a moment and seeing nothing wrong, he asked, “Still hurts?”

Nan Xu shook her head. Seeing he was about to leave again, she quickly said, “You still haven’t answered me. Why were you angry?”

“Because you’re stupid, still following all those rules in front of me.”

Nan Xu tilted her head. “Wouldn’t you think it’s gross?”

Xie Hejing lowered his gaze. “What’s gross about it? If I’m willing to catch it, then that’s that. If you ever hesitate again and don’t spit it out…” He paused. “If you get yourself burned again because of that, I really will punish you.”

Nan Xu blinked, actually sounding a little curious. “How exactly are you planning to punish me?”

After a moment she added, “I don’t believe you would. You always let me off whenever I soften up.”

Her slightly provocative look made Xie Hejing give a cold laugh. He bent down and scooped her up into his arms, heading straight for the bedroom.

If he couldn’t resist her while standing beside the bed, then he might as well move things onto it.

“We can have a little discussion about the process of creating a new life.”

“Hey… we haven’t even eaten yet. The food’s going to get cold.” Nan Xu slapped his arm, regretting her words. She should’ve known he couldn’t handle being teased.

“We’ll eat after the discussion. Or,” he lowered his eyes, “we can eat while discussing. You eat yours, and I eat mine.”

---

---

After spending three days in Mo City, the group returned to Zhi’an. The leave Xie Hejing had approved for Nan Xu happened to end at the same time, and back at the company, she resumed her role as his assistant.

The pile of accumulated work kept Nan Xu so busy that she hadn’t even checked Xie Hejing’s messages.

Staring at the one he sent half an hour ago, Xie Hejing finally had no choice but to dial the phone on her desk.

The moment she heard the ringing, Nan Xu’s eyes lifted from the documents. She glanced toward Xie Hejing’s office, but the blinds blocked her view.

“Hello? What is it?”

Twisting his car keys between his fingers, Xie Hejing said, “My parents want us home for dinner today.”

Nan Xu checked the time, there was only half an hour left before she got off work.

She nodded. “Got it.”

She answered simply and was about to hang up.

Xie Hejing frowned. “Why is Assistant Nan being so cold to me?”

Nan Xu instinctively looked up at the blinds again. If not for the slats blocking her view, she would have seen his long fingers playing with the receiver, lips curved in that familiar teasing smile.

“Assistant Nan sure changes faces quickly. You weren’t like this last night.”

“Xie Hejing!” Nan Xu gritted her teeth. Even over the phone, she could imagine that smug, victorious grin on his face. “If you bring that up again, you can go home by yourself tonight.”

“Wife…” His voice coming through the receiver was slightly hoarse.

“After dinner tonight, can we head home early?”

“It feels like we still didn’t try one position yesterday.”

Nan Xu hurriedly covered the phone, her cheeks heating uncontrollably.

Noticing a coworker passing by, she raised her voice—quick, crisp, and deliberately professional: “President Xie, I’ll finish organizing the reports as soon as possible. I can have them to you before the end of the day.”

Only after her colleague walked off without suspicion did Nan Xu let out a quiet breath of relief.

Since being with Xie Hejing, she had told only a handful of people she completely trusted. And those people also understood she didn’t want to make things public. To most employees, their relationship was strictly superior and subordinate.

Xie Hejing’s voice was even more cheerful now. “Alright, I’ll wait for you to get off work, wife.”

With a sharp little click, Nan Xu hung up. She really couldn’t stand him distracting her during work hours.

Fifteen minutes before getting off work, she gathered a stack of files in her arms and knocked on the door of his office.

“Come in.”

She entered with her back straight, expression crisp and composed. A few strands of hair were lifted by the breeze from the hallway, making her already delicate features even clearer and softer.

Xie Hejing’s gaze didn’t budge, fixed on her pale, slender fingers as they moved across the documents while she reported the project’s progress in a tone completely devoid of warmth.

His Adam’s apple bobbed involuntarily.

Only after she finished the last sentence did Nan Xu finally exhale. Organizing the work that had piled up over the past few days had been both time-consuming and exhausting.

Feeling his burning gaze, she frowned slightly. “Xie Hejing, were you even listening?”

He nodded. “Mm. There’s a pretty important data point missing in your report.”

“Really? Where?” Nan Xu bent closer in a slight panic to check the data, exposing a small stretch of skin at the back of her neck.

Xie Hejing’s Adam’s apple moved. As if bewitched, he reached out and caught her wrist.

Nan Xu looked up. She tried to pull away but couldn’t, and reminded him in a low voice, “What are you doing? We’re still at the office.”

“Not doing anything,” Xie Hejing said calmly as he turned his phone screen toward her. “Just reminding you, work hours are over. Finish it tomorrow.”

Before she could respond, he grabbed his car keys and headed out.

“Let’s go home.”

Nan Xu had no choice but to hurry after him. His strides were naturally long, and he didn’t slow down at all. Nan Xu practically had to jog to keep up.

It wasn’t until she finally reached him inside the elevator that she managed to catch her breath. “Why are you walking so fast?”

Xie Hejing didn’t answer. He only glanced at her, eyes deep and dark.

When the elevator arrived at the basement level, he stepped out just as quickly. His pace didn’t ease even a bit, leaving Nan Xu still confused as she followed behind him.

She didn’t understand why he was suddenly in such a rush.

Did his parents give him a strict time to be home?

But the moment she got into the car, she understood everything.

She had barely settled into the passenger seat and closed the door when the lock clicked into place…

And in that same instant, Xie Hejing leaned over, pulled her into his arms, and captured her lips in a kiss.

He’d wanted to do this back in the office, but Nan Xu was easily embarrassed.

Whether someone actually saw them or not, she simply wasn’t used to being that intimate at work.

If they really got caught, she would definitely be mad at him—and that kind of anger wasn’t easy to coax away. So Xie Hejing could only hold it in until they got to the car before finally kissing her.

But even kissing wasn’t enough.

His hand cupped the back of her head, firm and unyielding, guiding her closer. He lowered his mouth to her ear, gently grazing and nibbling at her earlobe.

That part was still manageable.

The problem was, his bites gradually grew harder. After a moment, he even seemed dissatisfied with just that, wanting to move lower.

Nan Xu had no choice but to quickly stop him.

“Enough.”

This time, Xie Hejing really did freeze at her word.

Nan Xu touched her burning ear and shot him a glare. Only then did she notice his crooked tie and the two undone buttons at his collar, revealing a wide expanse of skin.

“We’re going home to see your parents,” she scolded. “Can you at least look decent?”

She didn’t even dare imagine it—if he walked in looking like that, his parents would probably think she had done unspeakable things to him.

Xie Hejing chuckled as he slowly buttoned up his shirt again, his tone teasing, “Mm. I’ll only let you see.”

Nan Xu: “…”

“I don’t want to see anything!”

The car drove toward the villa. As always, Zhang Huiwan and Xie Hengzhi were waiting for them at the door.

From a distance, Nan Xu saw the two figures standing at the doorway.

Xie Hengzhi had his hand around Zhang Huiwan’s waist, talking and smiling with a raised brow.

The sweetness between them was so obvious that you didn’t need to hear what they were saying, just looking at them was enough to feel the warmth.

The dynamic between Nan Xiaocheng and Wen Qiu wasn’t as openly affectionate, but the care they had for each other was something Nan Xu had felt since childhood.

No matter the holiday, Nan Xiaocheng always remembered to prepare a gift for Wen Qiu—and usually one for Nan Xu as well.

Most of the time hers was simply “included,” but on Children’s Day and her birthday, she always received twice as much love.

As for Nan Xu and Xie Hejing, their way of being together was different—another style, another rhythm—but the same love all the same.

Nan Xu’s lips curved faintly. She suddenly turned her head and asked, “Do you think we’ll be like that someday? Waiting at the door for our kids to come home?”

“As long as you want it, we can,” Xie Hejing replied, one hand spinning the steering wheel with ease.

Nan Xu lowered her eyes and murmured, “Kids… that’s not something I can decide by myself.”

Only then did Xie Hejing fully grasp what she meant.

He cleared his throat, turning to her with disbelief in his eyes.

“You mean you want to… have a—”

Somehow, the moment the words came out of his mouth, they sounded embarrassingly suggestive.

Nan Xu quickly turned her head away and cut him off, “Um, we’re home. Get out of the car.”

But she couldn’t open the door.

Xie Hejing still had the car locked.

Nan Xu tried once more, but the handle didn’t budge—she could only sit back down obediently.

“They’re waiting for us outside!”

“And?” Xie Hejing replied calmly.

“So open the door! If they ask why we stayed in the car for so long, how are we supposed to explain it?” Nan Xu pressed her lips together.

Xie Hejing raised a brow. “We’ll say we were discussing something important, about the next generation.”

Nan Xu’s eyes widened. “No, don’t say that. Not now.”

“So… it can be discussed?” Xie Hejing immediately caught the flaw in her argument.

“…” Nan Xu finally admitted, “We can.”

Since things had reached this point, she stopped dodging her embarrassment. She lowered her head slightly out of habit, her lashes trembling with the rhythm of her voice—clear yet steady.

“Xie Hejing,” she said softly, “I think… we can have a child. I’ve thought about this seriously.”

Even though he had already guessed what she might say, hearing it directly from her lips still made his heart pound uncontrollably.

For a brief moment, he felt as if he could see decades of their future flash before his eyes.

“When I was young, I always thought the love in my family was just… something that naturally existed,” Nan Xu murmured, fingers absentmindedly curling around the hem of her clothes.

“But after being with you, I realized love is something that needs to be passed on.”

She thought back over the countless moments between them. “I think our parents probably passed their love to us in the same way.”

Xie Hejing swallowed and asked her, “Why did you suddenly say that?”

“That day when I went to your place, I saw Auntie making soup for you… and Uncle slipping stomach medicine into your bag when you weren’t looking…”

Nan Xu’s voice grew muffled. “And my parents, too. Every time we video call, they ask how you’re doing, if you’ve been tired lately. Every time I go home, they stuff my bags with things to bring back.”

“We’re surrounded by so much love, and it just suddenly made me…” She lifted her head, her eyes bright and pure. “It made me want to pass that love on to a new little life.”

Xie Hejing’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he stared at Nan Xu’s face glowing softly; he couldn’t look away.

He felt that the luckiest thing he had done in all these years was marrying Nan Xu, this girl who was the most extraordinary presence in his life.

Listening to her describe the affection between their families, the smile at the corner of her eyes flowing with her voice, she looked even softer, even more beautiful.

Warmth filled his chest, being around Nan Xu always drew him in.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Nan Xu turned her head toward him.

He was the one who said they should talk about it, yet now he was completely silent.

“You’re right about everything.” Xie Hejing got out of the car, bent down by the passenger side to open her door, and said in a low voice, “Let’s eat first. Tonight, we can discuss the process of creating that little life.”

“Aiya, Xie Hejing…”

Just then, Zhang Huiwan and Xie Hengzhi happened to walk over.

Nan Xu had no choice but to swallow everything she was about to say, pretend she hadn’t heard what Xie Hejing whispered earlier, and greet them instead.

“Hello, Uncle, Auntie.”

Even though the two of them were already legally married, Nan Xu still couldn’t quite switch to the new forms of address yet.

Zhang Huiwan and Xie Hengzhi didn’t mind at all, there was no rush. She could take her time.

They walked up to the couple together. Xie Hengzhi spoke warmly and gently, “You must be tired after a full day at work. Hurry in and eat. Your aunt and I made lots of your favorite dishes today.”

Nan Xu smiled. “Really? Thank you, Uncle, Auntie.”

Zhang Huiwan, however, had noticed that although the car had already stopped, the two of them had stayed inside for quite a while.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously at Xie Hejing. “Were you arguing with Jiaojiao just now?”

Otherwise, why had she heard Nan Xu call out “Xie Hejing” in such an angry tone when the door opened?

Xie Hejing couldn’t help but laugh helplessly. Nan Xu didn’t want him revealing what they had really been discussing, so he could only brush it off casually: “Argue? How would I dare argue with her?”

“And besides, with how bad I am with words, how could I ever win an argument against Nan Xu?”

Hearing that, Nan Xu nearly jumped in to refute him. But after thinking it over, she forced herself to hold back—otherwise they might really start arguing.

She shot him a look over her shoulder.

Xie Hejing smiled lazily back at her, and there was absolutely nothing “bad with words” about him.

In reality, she was the one who couldn’t win—seven or eight times out of ten, she lost every argument to Xie Hejing.

Hearing what her son said, Zhang Huiwan finally dropped the issue.

She knew her son well.

No matter what happened, Xie Hejing always knew his limits.

Dinner was filled with warmth and chatter, until Zhang Huiwan said, “It’s already so late, and you’re both tired. Why don’t you stay the night? The rooms are always kept clean.”

Xie Hejing’s expression darkened instantly, he wanted to refuse.

But Nan Xu spoke up before he could.

“Sure,” she said, then glanced back at Xie Hejing. “We’ve been drinking anyway, and we’re too lazy to call a driver. We might as well stay the night.”

Earlier at dinner, maybe because he was a little too excited, Xie Hejing had opened two bottles of wine. All four of them had drunk quite a bit. And with what Nan Xu had said earlier, it was now certain—they were staying.

Later, when it was just the two of them alone in the living room, Xie Hejing leaned toward her and asked quietly, “So… we’re not going home to ‘discuss’ it tonight?”

Nan Xu kept her composure. “A few days later is the same. It doesn’t have to be tonight.”

“Ha. A few days?” Xie Hejing immediately interpreted that as her expecting him to endure for several days.

He rejected the idea outright. “Impossible.”

Nan Xu jolted, afraid he might try something here of all places, and quickly warned, “Don’t even think about it. We’re in your parents’ house. They’re all here.”

“So we go home?” Xie Hejing still refused to give up.

Staying here at least gave her a chance to keep Xie Hejing calm.

If they went home, it would be like a sheep walking straight into a wolf’s den.

Nan Xu shook her head. “We’re not going back. We’re sleeping here tonight.”

“With me?” Xie Hejing asked again.

There was no way Nan Xu would agree, especially with his family also in the house.
“We sleep separately.”

Ever since she got together with Xie Hejing, she hadn’t slept alone in a long while. Honestly, she kind of missed having a whole bed to herself.

Xie Hejing leaned his head back against the sofa. “You won’t miss me? Didn’t you say before you couldn’t sleep without me?”

With that reminder, Nan Xu did recall it—but no matter what, she was determined not to sleep with him tonight.

After thinking for a bit, she forced out two words: “I’ll manage.”

Xie Hejing burst into laughter, nearly doubling over, then smoothed the tension between her brows. “Alright, fine. I’ll let you off today.”

“You sleep on your own. But…” He paused for two seconds. “My door won’t be locked. If you can’t sleep, you can come in.”

“I won’t.”

That night, lying in bed, it was no surprise that Nan Xu couldn’t sleep. Because she wanted to prove she could sleep just fine without him, the insomnia irritated her even more.

Maybe they really shared some silent connection, because just then, Xie Hejing sent her a photo.

Half a bed. Nothing else.

A simple image showcasing exactly how “empty and lonely” he was at the moment.

If she replied, wouldn’t that just prove she wasn’t asleep either?

Nan Xu immediately put her phone down and decided to ignore him.

But the more she tried to sleep, the clearer her mind became.

She finally couldn’t help it and unlocked her phone again. Her screen was filled with messages from Xie Hejing.

He had been sending one every half hour—sometimes a picture, sometimes text.

[I can’t sleep.]
Photo: the ceiling.

[I miss you. Wife, are you asleep?]
Photo: the door to his room.

[I’m waiting for you.]

. . . . .

Xie Hejing had basically carried on a one-sided conversation with more than a dozen messages.

The more Nan Xu scrolled, the more awake she became.

Completely unable to sleep now, she sat up and finally replied:

[Stop sending messages.]

Half-lidded eyes, a quiet smile—Xie Hejing knew he’d gotten exactly what he wanted.

He knew Nan Xu couldn’t sleep.

After all, he’d spent so much time and effort cultivating that habit in her.

How could it disappear overnight?

Half-reclining on his bed, he sent another photo—this time of himself leaning against the headboard.

Then a simple line.

[Can’t sleep?]
[Why don’t you come sleep with me?]

---

---

Xie Hejing’s hands refused to behave, roaming restlessly as he leaned in to nibble at her, strands of her hair brushing against Nan Xu’s collarbone.

Nan Xu sucked in a breath, then suddenly said, “I don’t want to hold back.”

“What?”

Xie Hejing didn’t catch it. He paused, thinking for a moment, then decided to spare the “sweetness” before him. Lifting his head, he asked again, “What did you just say?”

“I said I’m not going to beg you.”

Nan Xu was still trembling all over, yet she abruptly grabbed the back of Xie Hejing’s neck and leaned in, her burning lips pressing hard against his. “And I’m not going to hold back.”

The moment their breaths tangled, Xie Hejing froze. A flash of shock crossed his reddened eyes.

This wasn’t the Nan Xu he was used to—no, he had almost never seen her like this, taking the lead.

Sensing his brief stiffness, Nan Xu lowered her lashes. If he wanted her to be the one to take initiative, then she’d try a little harder to do exactly that.

Judging from his reaction, even he seemed taken aback by her sudden boldness.

Nan Xu fully wrapped her fingers around his restless hand. Her teeth grazed the corner of his lips with a desperate, all-or-nothing resolve.

Her tongue pushed in recklessly, boldly, even imitating the way he usually bit and nipped. Nan Xu’s teeth tightened little by little.

Her sudden aggression sent a jolt through Xie Hejing’s tongue, and the grip he had on her waist loosened without him realizing it.

Hearing the breathy sound escape his throat, Nan Xu bit down harder on his lower lip, not stopping until the sting spread sharply through Xie Hejing’s whole body.

He finally snapped out of it, but he didn’t stop Nan Xu from biting him. Instead, he slowly guided her down onto the bed.

Only when the back of her head touched the pillow did Nan Xu pull away from his lips with a sharp inhale. She had been the one to kiss him first, but now she was panting hard.

Xie Hejing chuckled at her. “Already worn out?”

Nan Xu’s breathing was still loud and uneven, yet she insisted, “I’m still fine.”

Seeing how just a kiss was enough to leave her breathless—and with tears welling in her eyes from sheer overstimulation—Xie Hejing continued, “Catch your breath first. Don’t accuse me of ‘murdering’ you later.”

Nan Xu: “…”

Of all things, he really remembered that clearly.

But since she was already lying down, Nan Xu let every bit of strength drain from her body, completely relaxing and letting her mind go blank.

Right in front of her was the sight of Xie Hejing slowly undressing. This time, Nan Xu didn’t look away. She just stared, watching every movement.

Xie Hejing had never known what it meant to be shy. In fact, her gaze only excited him more. He raised an eyebrow. “Do you like what you see?”

Nan Xu nodded. “It’s very nice to look at. You don’t realize it until you compare, but…” She looked him up and down twice more. “Xie Hejing, I think your body is actually way better than other men’s.”

Other! Men!

A chill flickered through Xie Hejing’s eyes. He clenched his teeth, but the smile on his lips was icy. “Really? Compared to who?”

Nan Xu’s mind was still in a soft, relaxed haze, completely unaware that danger was creeping in.

“Just… there are a lot on my phone.”

She really did come across them sometimes while scrolling.

Not that she felt anything—she had only thought of it because she’d just watched Xie Hejing undress.

A lot on her phone…

A lot?

Nan Xu’s words hit Xie Hejing’s fuse directly.

“Were they nice to look at?” he asked, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he spoke, the tail end of his voice laced with frost.

“They were okay. There was that trend, remember? Those posts with hundreds of thousands of likes… I clicked on a few…” Nan Xu slowly realized something was off, her voice getting softer and softer.

“Heh…” Xie Hejing let out a low laugh again.

Nan Xu snapped back to full awareness.

“They weren’t that good-looking. Honestly, nothing memorable. I forgot them right after.”

But clearly, it was far too late for damage control now.

Xie Hejing leaned over her, reaching up to flick on both bedside lamps.

The room brightened instantly.

“What are you turning the lights on for?” she asked.

“To see more clearly.”

Nan Xu wanted to cry from frustration. She had finally had a chance to take the lead tonight—who knew she’d manage to irritate Xie Hejing out of nowhere again.

“Fine, then look. Who’s afraid of who?” She said it bravely enough, but the panic in her eyes gave her away.

“Okay.”

Xie Hejing grabbed both of her legs and dragged her closer. The mattress dipped sharply under his weight.

Nan Xu braced her hands against his chest. “Get up first.”

Not only did Xie Hejing ignore her—he leaned in even further. His knee pressed between her thighs, and the familiar necklace around his neck swung down, the cold pendant brushing across the heat of her chest.

“I’m not enough to look at? Or do you prefer looking at other men?”

Nan Xu froze. She had no idea how to answer that and could only mutter a stiff, “I don’t.”

“How many times have you looked?” His voice sounded like it was squeezed out from between clenched teeth.

“Uh… not that many.”

His fingers tightened around her wrist, gripping so hard it almost hurt. His breath was scorching as it washed over her skin.

“Not that many? And you still remember that my body’s better than theirs?”

Nan Xu: “…”

She really had talked herself into trouble. She’d only wanted to compliment him—who could’ve guessed it would backfire so badly?

She didn’t want to keep arguing about this. After thinking it over carefully, she said, “Just… two or three times. I didn’t look again after that.”

Seeing the disbelief in Xie Hejing’s eyes, Nan Xu wanted to swear on the spot. “I swear, I really didn’t look after that.”

“Nan Xu, you really know how to piss off your man.”

Before she could react, Xie Hejing suddenly bit down on her earlobe and gave it a hard tug. “If you dare lie again…”

Before the last syllable even fell, he had already pried open the curl of her body, his hand sliding in, finding the spots that made her jolt.

“I’ll tie you in front of the mirror,” he growled, “then project every video you’ve watched onto the wall… and make you watch while I…”

He paused to consider the feasibility, then asked, “Would that be more exciting? Should we try it?”

“No! Not exciting! I don’t want to try!” Nan Xu shouted.

She was now fully aware of just how terrifying Xie Hejing’s jealousy could be.

He yanked her nightdress aside completely, sinking his teeth into the softness on her chest, grinding down hard with a vindictive edge.

“Xie Hejing! Are you a dog? That hurts!”

He eased the pressure of his bite, but his hands didn’t stop—still roaming, kneading, provoking with no restraint at all.

Nan Xu had no idea where to even begin telling him to stop. Xie Hejing was lighting fires everywhere, not giving her a single moment to breathe.

Suddenly, Xie Hejing’s calloused fingers dug into the hollow of her waist.

“Trembling… begging… losing control…”

His tongue brushed over the dip of her collarbone, his voice low and certain.

“They’ll never be able to teach you any of that.”

Then he gave a wicked, almost mocking smile.

“But I can.”

“You… can’t.” Nan Xu protested, afraid that once he got excited, he would lose all restraint.

“And why not?”

He caught her fingertips, forcing her hand to glide across the burning heat of his abdomen. Every tight line of muscle beneath her touch made Nan Xu shiver.

Warm breath brushed against her ear.

“I can,” he repeated.

His body radiated heat, Nan Xu didn’t want to feel it.

“Enough, stop fooling around.”

“Fooling around?”

Xie Hejing’s anger spiked again.

If it had been anyone else, he would never allow someone who kept provoking him to remain unscathed and within reach.

But with Nan Xu, it was always different.

Before she had the chance to provoke him further, Xie Hejing flipped her over. His palm slid behind her knee, pushing until she was kneeling on the bed.

“Be good,” he murmured, his voice gentler even though his actions were firm. “I want you to beg me.”

“No way.” Nan Xu bristled right back. “Don’t even dream about it.”

Before meeting Nan Xu, almost no one had ever stirred Xie Hejing’s emotions like this—turned him into someone who could be provoked to anger by just a few of her sentences.

His tone lost the softness it had earlier. He pinned her down, lowered his head, and leaned into her neck.

His teeth grazed her trembling skin as he deliberately asked, “And what does it feel like when a tongue draws circles?”

Nan Xu buried her face in the pillow, pretending she couldn’t hear a thing—anything to avoid answering such shocking words.

“Be good, listen.”

He laughed softly against her ear. Feeling her shrink away like a frightened quail in his arms, he added, “You’ve never been good at hiding anything from me.”

Nan Xu shook violently, unable to run or hide. She tried to struggle, but he held her firmly, leaving her only muffled whimpers.

Xie Hejing lowered himself and bit into her shoulder, touching her with a slow, almost reverent intensity.

His breath came fast. “Look at me. Look into my eyes. Tell me you only want me. And then… beg me.”

His voice was hypnotic. He rolled her onto her back and kissed her flushed earlobe again.

“Good girl, ask me to let you come.”

Nan Xu bit down hard on her lip, feeling as if she were floating at sea—rising, falling—barely able to form a complete sentence.

Just as her voice cracked with the beginnings of tears, Xie Hejing stopped, smiling as he leaned close. His breath curled teasingly around her ear.

“Baby… beg me to enter you.”

Nan Xu clamped down on her lower lip.

“Don’t you want all this to end? Or do you want me to continue just like before?”
Xie Hejing’s tone dipped into a low murmur. “Right… how did it feel just now? You still haven’t told me.”

Nan Xu shook her head. “Not good.”

She really knew how to be stubborn.

Breathing hard, Xie Hejing leaned over her, intent on breaking whatever fragile resistance Nan Xu still had left.

“Mm—!” Nan Xu’s whole body jolted violently.

Xie Hejing narrowed his eyes. “I’ll ask you again. Are you going to say it or not?”

In the end, Nan Xu simply couldn’t withstand him—not when he came at her like this.

When she finally choked out her pleas through broken sobs, Xie Hejing bit down on her shoulder, swallowing her trembling voice.

“That,” he said darkly, “is the first lesson you should learn.”

“To lose your mind for me.”

His nose brushed the corner of her reddened eyes, kissing away the tears before they could fall. “Don’t cry. It’ll only make me more excited.”

The salty taste of tears touched his lips, everything was spiraling into something almost too wild.

Nan Xu turned her head away amid the overwhelming sensations, her tear-streaked cheek rubbing against the damp pillowcase.

“You bastard… I hate you.”

Her protest was stifled by Xie Hejing, who blocked her mouth and wantonly plundered it. He bit her tongue in a punitive, increasingly frantic manner.

“I’ll only do bastard things in front of you,” he growled, “until you’re crying and can only scream my name for mercy.”

“You… you’re shameless,” Nan Xu cursed.

Xie Hejing’s smile curled. “New insult? Go on.”

“You…”

Nan Xu could barely form a word with how thoroughly he dominated her mouth.

How could anyone be such a bastard?! and even act like it was only natural?!

. . . . .

She didn’t know how long had passed. Her hoarse voice was still stuck in her throat when he suddenly silenced her with a gentle kiss.

His pace eased. His hot palm slid from her waist to her back, tracing up and down her spine in slow, calming strokes.

“Don’t cry anymore. You’re turning into a little crybaby.”

Nan Xu didn’t listen. Tears kept spilling in big drops. “This is your fault… your fault!”

Xie Hejing pulled her trembling body tightly into his arms. His fingertips wiped the tears at the corner of her eyes, delicate and careful.

“If you keep crying and I lose control again… what then? You think you can handle that?”

That worked. Nan Xu had to force her tears back, glaring at him with grievance. “Then move away from me.”

Xie Hejing could agree to everything she wanted, except anything related to this.

But he did slow down, matching her rhythm, his voice low and coaxing: “Feel me properly.”

This time, Xie Hejing left marks. Nan Xu knew he’d done it on purpose.

. . . . .

The next morning, as she pulled a long-sleeved shirt over her shoulders, she shot him a murderous glare. “When I get home, I’m moving back to my parents’. I’m not living with you again until the wedding.”

The satisfied, lazy expression on Xie Hejing’s face vanished instantly. “No.”

Nan Xu turned her face away. “I don’t care. You’re always bullying me.”

“I’ll have my parents come pick me up.”

If Wen Qiu and Nan Xiaocheng came to get her, Xie Hejing wouldn’t be able to say anything to make her stay—after all, she was their daughter.

But she was also his wife.

“Do you believe I won’t just move in with you?” Xie Hejing said. “I’m absolutely not living apart from my wife. I’m sure your parents will understand.”

Nan Xu was stunned by how shameless he could be—and the worst part was, she couldn’t do anything about it.

Another message popped up on her phone—Wen Qi again, asking why she and Xie Hejing still hadn’t shown up. Nan Xu didn’t mind being late by herself, but being late with him made her cheeks burn.

She sped up, pulling on her clothes. “Hurry up. Oh, today’s probably our last day here.”

“Feeling reluctant to leave?” Xie Hejing had finished getting ready long ago, taking his time. “I can bring you back next time.”

When they finally rushed out, the looks people gave them were the same as usual, but Nan Xu suddenly felt they were loaded with meaning.

Xie Hejing had deliberately lost control last night, and added even more on purpose. There were plenty of marks on her body, some near her neck. She’d covered them with foundation, but she wasn’t sure if she’d missed any.

Nan Xu kept glancing at the mirror every chance she got, terrified something would show.

While she was checking, Xie Hejing suddenly leaned in close. “Let me see too.”

“See wha…” Nan Xu’s voice stopped abruptly.

Her gaze froze on Xie Hejing’s neck.

There, clear and unmistakable, was a deep bite mark.

It was a mark she’d bitten out of sheer frustration yesterday. She hadn’t thought much of it at the time, and since they rushed out this morning, she hadn’t noticed there was still something on Xie Hejing’s neck.

Only now did she realize that anyone with slightly good eyesight would be able to spot it.

Xie Hejing, of course, couldn’t care less. He wanted Nan Xu to leave marks on him, especially marks other people could see.

To him, it was pure satisfaction.

Nan Xu sucked in a breath. She had been so careful about herself, yet the slip-up happened on Xie Hejing’s side instead.

Right then, Wen Qi sent another message.

[Xuxu, the mark on Xie Hejing’s neck is way too obvious. Xiang Weishi has been snickering the whole way.]

Nan Xu: “…”

She rummaged through her bag for the foundation and snapped at Xie Hejing, “Come here.”

“What’s wrong?” Xie Hejing leaned over, amused.

Nan Xu didn’t say a word. She aimed straight at the mark and dabbed foundation onto it.

An Nian hadn’t seen the bite mark earlier, but noticing their sudden movements, she blinked and asked, “Sister Nan Xu… does this brother also need makeup in the morning?”

Before Nan Xu could figure out what to say, Xie Hejing answered first with a straight face: “Mm. Yes.”

“Your Sister Nan Xu prefers how I look when I’ve got makeup on.”

An Nian’s eyes widened.

If someone with Xie Hejing’s looks still needed makeup just to get a girlfriend, then wouldn’t her cousin Xiang Weishi be single for the rest of his life?

As far as she knew, Xiang Weishi seemed completely clueless about makeup.

While An Nian drifted off in her thoughts, Xie Hejing asked Nan Xu with a quiet smile, “Isn’t that right, jiejie?”

Nan Xu’s hand froze at that. She turned her face away and mumbled a vague “Mm.”

Why was he suddenly calling her jiejie? Maybe he was just copying An Nian.

But… why did her heart skip a beat when he said it?

Nan Xu lowered her head, pretending to busy herself with the compact case to hide her smile.

Watching the two of them, An Nian suddenly remembered what Xiang Weishi once told her, that these two had already gotten their marriage certificate ages ago.

But looking at them now, she couldn’t shake the feeling that they were still in the honeymoon phase.

Her lashes fluttered as she asked out of the blue, “Will you two always stay in love?”

“Of course,” Xie Hejing replied without hesitation.

“Love shouldn’t come with an expiration date.”

---

---

The next day, Xiang Weishi slept like the dead, and everyone tacitly agreed not to disturb him.

It wasn’t until dusk that he suddenly woke up. The room was completely dark, and a wave of loneliness washed over him. His head was still groggy; after a moment, he fumbled for his phone.

The screen showed a notification, Wen Qi had tagged him in the group chat.

[Xiang Weishi, are you awake? We’re going out for dinner, want to come along?]

The message had been sent five minutes ago.

Good timing, he thought. He didn’t feel like staying alone in the room anyway, so he immediately threw off the covers and got up to wash up.

[I’m coming. Give me ten minutes.]

Ten minutes later, the group was waiting for him downstairs as usual. This time, Xiang Weishi hadn’t bothered with any flashy outfits—just a simple black T-shirt and pants.

Wen Qi teased, “Skipping the shower today?”

Xiang Weishi let out a laugh. “If I made you wait another half hour, you guys would definitely curse me out.”

“Good that you know,” Xie Hejing said.

Xiang Weishi hadn’t eaten all day, and after last night’s hangover, he was starving. “Let’s go. Dinner’s on me. Thanks for hauling me back last night.”

At that, Nan Xu pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh. Before long, Wen Qi and Wei Qingxuan were stifling their laughter too.

Xiang Weishi looked completely puzzled, while Xie Hejing’s expression darkened.

Last night, Xiang Weishi had been completely wasted. Xie Hejing was supporting him, and the whole time he kept calling out a name: “Jiangjiang.”

Nan Xu guessed it was probably the girl who had dumped him.

But Xiang Weishi was clearly mistaking someone for her. In the beginning, when Xie Hejing was helping him into the car, it was still manageable.

But halfway through the ride, it was as if something suddenly came back to him, he started crying and shouting “Jiangjiang.”

Hearing that made Xie Hejing frown. Still, he could only swallow his irritation and help the guy back to the hotel.

Just as they were about to reach the hotel entrance, Xiang Weishi turned his head and glanced at Xie Hejing.

Xie Hejing couldn’t be bothered to figure out what he was looking at; he just wanted to get him to his room as quickly as possible.

But unexpectedly, Xiang Weishi looked straight at him and shouted, “Jiangjiang!”

Both Wen Qi and Nan Xu heard it clearly.

Xiang Weishi was so drunk his eyes were barely open, and seeing his “Jiangjiang” right in front of him but ignoring him made him anxious.

“Jiangjiang, you came to see me? But… why won’t you talk to me?”

Xie Hejing: “…”

He restrained the very real urge to knock Xiang Weishi out with a punch and ground out between clenched teeth, “Watch where you’re going.”

Xiang Weishi grinned. “Jiangjiang, why does your voice sound different…? But you still care about me. Come on, give me a hug.”

As he spoke, he leaned in, reeking of alcohol, trying to throw himself onto Xie Hejing.

Xiang Weishi’s movements were a bit ridiculous. He couldn’t stand straight, wobbled everywhere, and with Xie Hejing holding him down with one hand, he kept trying to lean on him—his whole posture twisted and unstable.

Xie Hejing shot him a cold look. “Get lost. Xiang Weishi, if you come any closer, you’re dead.”

But Xiang Weishi only looked more confused. “Jiangjiang, why do you sound like a man? And kind of like that cold-faced Xie Hejing. Don’t be like that, you’ll give me nightmares.”

Xie Hejing: “…”

He really wanted to knock him out right then.

Wen Qi and Nan Xu couldn’t hold back anymore and burst into laughter.

Nan Xu added, “Xie Hejing, are you seriously that scary? Just hearing your voice is enough to give him nightmares?”

Wen Qi laughed too. “What do you think would happen if Xiang Weishi suddenly hugged you and recognized who you were? Would he sober up instantly from the shock?”

Xiang Weishi clearly wasn’t paying attention to their conversation. He took a deep breath, sounding pitiful and aggrieved. “Jiangjiang, I miss you so much. I want to hold you.”

Xie Hejing couldn’t take it anymore. He had zero interest in running an experiment. Aside from Nan Xu, no one was allowed to get that close to him, much less hug him.

Especially not a drunk like Xiang Weishi.

He frowned. “Wei Qingxuan, get over here and pull him away.”

In the end, it was Wei Qingxuan who saved Xie Hejing from “his suffering,” though Xie Hejing still followed along to make sure they got him safely back to his room.

He simply had to pretend he didn’t hear Xiang Weishi’s heartfelt confessions to “Jiangjiang.”

. . . . .

“Why aren’t you moving? Weren’t we going to eat?” Xiang Weishi looked at the group’s various expressions, puzzled.

Wen Qi stepped forward. “Xiang Weishi, didn’t expect you to be such a smooth talker. Is this ‘Jiangjiang’ really that beautiful?”

Xiang Weishi’s heart tightened. “How do you know her nickname?”

He thought for a moment, could it be because of last night?

He immediately asked, “What did I say last night?”

Wen Qi glanced at Xie Hejing. “Ask him. He should remember exactly what you said to Jiangjiang.”

Xie Hejing had no intention of helping Xiang Weishi recall. He carried Nan Xu’s bag in his left hand and drew the giggling Nan Xu into his arms with his right.

Leaning close to her ear, he murmured, “Is it that funny?”

His tone was dangerous, Nan Xu quickly shook her head.

Xie Hejing continued, “If anyone else touches you, I’ll make sure you’re ‘washed’ clean.”

Sensing that “washed” wasn’t literal, Nan Xu instinctively asked, “How do you mean, ‘wash’?”

Xie Hejing’s hand on her waist tightened a fraction. “What do you think?”

Nan Xu hurried to change the subject. “Let’s go, I’m starving.” She turned her head and said to Xie Hejing, “I’m hungry.”

Reluctantly Xie Hejing dropped the topic. The group picked a specialty restaurant on a market street. The place even offered outdoor seating in a small garden, where someone played the zither nearby—comfortably pleasant.

When they arrived, three of the four tables in the little garden outside were already occupied. Fortunately, they had made a reservation early.

Seeing the full house, Wen Qi sighed, “This place is packed. It must be really good.”

Xiang Weishi sat down in a hurry and called everyone over. “Come on, hurry and order. Ah, I’m starving.”

Wen Qi gave him a look of disdain. “Can’t you be a little more graceful? Look at how nice the ambiance is.”

“What’s the point of being graceful? Eating is what matters.” Xiang Weishi grabbed the menu and started looking through it. “An Nian, what do you want? I’ll order for you.”

An Nian, being well-behaved, said, “Let everyone else order first.”

“No need for rules like that with us,” Xiang Weishi said, pushing the menu toward her. “You order first.”

Wen Qi added, “Go ahead. Since your brother’s treating us, remember to pick the expensive stuff.”

“Ha, expensive is fine, I’ll pay. An Nian, order whatever you like.” Xiang Weishi waved generously.

“Oh? Feeling generous today?” Wen Qi teased.

The table was lively, everyone talking over one another. The cheerful atmosphere completely washed away the loneliness that had lingered around Xiang Weishi.

Nan Xu leaned toward Xie Hejing and whispered, “I’m going to the restroom.”

“I’ll go with you,” Xie Hejing said, already starting to stand.

Nan Xu pressed him down. “No need. I’ll be quick.”

The restaurant didn’t have a restroom of its own, so Nan Xu asked a passing server. Thankfully, it wasn’t far—just a five-minute walk.

The food still hadn’t arrived, and the table was as lively as ever. They were talking about all sorts of things—like how they should handle the door-blocking games when Nan Xu and Xie Hejing held their wedding…

Wen Qi mentally took notes, already planning how she would block the door.

Then the conversation shifted to An Nian, who had just finished her college entrance exams—what university she wanted to attend. And then to when Wen Qi and Wei Qingxuan would finally get their marriage certificate…

In the middle of their lively chatter, a young girl carrying a flower basket suddenly approached.

She walked straight toward the most animated person at the table, Xiang Weishi.

“Gege, this is for you,” she said.

Xiang Weishi froze for a moment, stunned. “But I didn’t buy anything.”

“It’s a gift,” the little girl said with a sweet smile. “I’m not taking your money.”

A gift?

The corners of Xiang Weishi’s mouth shot up instantly, and he grinned smugly. He turned to the group. “See that? My charm is so good that even little kids give me flowers for free.”

He accepted the flower and pulled out his phone. “Then how about gege buys your whole basket, okay?”

But the little girl shook her head. “No. The rest are already bought by someone else.”

Hearing that, Xiang Weishi could only put his phone away. “Alright then. Thank you for the flower.”

“You’re welcome,” she chirped.

Then she stepped around him and handed another flower to An Nian, who was sitting beside him.

“Jiejie, this is for you.”

An Nian looked a little bewildered and glanced at Xiang Weishi.

Xiang Weishi had no idea what was going on, but he signaled for An Nian to accept the flower. Worst case, he could slip the little girl some cash later when she wasn’t looking.

An Nian accepted her flower, then Wen Qi, then Wei Qingxuan…

Everyone received one flower.

At last, only Xie Hejing was left. The little girl looked him up and down, confirming he matched the description whispered to her earlier.

She walked up to him, pushed the entire flower basket into his hands, and said, “A jiejie named Nan Xu asked me to give these to you. There are 52 flowers in here, they’re all for you.”

Fifty-two.

From Nan Xu!!!

Xie Hejing’s heart skipped a beat. He immediately felt the flowers looked much better. He accepted the flowers and thanked her, “Thank you.”

Once the little girl spoke, everyone instantly understood why she had come.

Wei Qingxuan glanced at the 52 flowers in Xie Hejing’s arms, his eyes darkening slightly. He looked over at Wen Qi, clearly wishing Wen Qi would give him flowers too.

The others, even though they only received one, were all quite happy. Especially Xiang Weishi, he didn’t care who sent it; the important thing was that he got a flower.

When Nan Xu came out of the restroom, her phone lit up with a flood of notifications.

[Safe Haven] Group Chat

[An Nian: Thank you for the flowers, Sister Nan Xu. I’m going to put mine safely in my suitcase.]

[Wen Qi: @Nanxu A kiss from me for the pretty girl who sends flowers.]

Seeing that message, Wei Qingxuan tightened his grip on his phone. He wanted to give Wen Qi a hundred flowers—no, a thousand—and have Wen Qi kiss him a thousand times.

In the group chat, he simply wrote: [Thank you. I really like the flower.]

Xiang Weishi, on the other hand, was the complete opposite of Wei Qingxuan. His excitement was practically vibrating off the screen.

[Nan Xu, you’re the first person to give me flowers this year, hahaha! I’m so happy! I’m going to post on Moments later and show off—tell everyone a pretty girl gave me a flower!]

Xie Hejing replied to Xiang Weishi: [Get lost.]

Xiang Weishi looked up at Xie Hejing and directly asked, “Your possessiveness is that strong? I can’t even mention it?”

Still hugging the bouquet tightly, Xie Hejing didn’t even bother lifting his eyes when he answered, “No.”

Xiang Weishi: “…”

He was honestly speechless.

Nan Xu put her phone away.

On her way to the restroom, she had run into a little girl selling flowers to people passing by.

But there were plenty of flower shops along that street, so very few people stopped for the little girl’s flowers.

Nan Xu had gone over to her on her own, bought the entire basket, and pointed the girl in the right direction so she could deliver them to Xie Hejing and the others. She even added a special instruction:

[Give all the remaining flowers to the guy in the gray long-sleeve with the cold expression.]

When Nan Xu returned to the table, she was greeted with a wave of compliments.

Xiang Weishi even said, “Xie Hejing won’t let me mention you, so I can only say I received a flower tonight.”

“It’s fine.”

Nan Xu sat down and opened Moments, giving Xiang Weishi’s post a like.

She had barely put down her phone when she heard Xie Hejing’s voice in her ear.

“Alright, tell me. What do you want me to do?”

Nan Xu blinked, confused. “Huh? What?”

“It’s not a special day or anything. What made you think of sending me flowers?” Xie Hejing leaned in slightly, the fragrance of the bouquet lingering around him. His brow lifted. “What is it you want from me?”

Nan Xu: “…”

She pursed her lips. “Does ‘wanting to make you happy’ count?”

The curve of his thin lips deepened, and his Adam’s apple bobbed more than once.

“It counts.”

Nan Xu took a sip of her juice and continued, “Besides, who says today isn’t a special day?”

“What day is it?”

Xie Hejing mentally sifted through every holiday and anniversary he could think of, but nothing about today stood out as meaningful.

“My point is,” Nan Xu said calmly, “every day with you is a special day.”

She said it so matter-of-factly, but it was exactly the kind of line that hit Xie Hejing straight in the heart.

“…Hiss.” Xie Hejing narrowed his eyes. “Since when did you get so good at saying sweet things?”

That counted as a sweet line?

Nan Xu thought it over.

It actually did.

With complete seriousness, she said, “If there’s love behind it, then whatever you say counts as sweet.”

This version of Nan Xu made Xie Hejing love her beyond reason. Even on the way back to the hotel, he was still carrying all those roses.

Watching Xie Hejing repeatedly compare the sizes of the suitcases, Nan Xu asked, “Are you planning to bring them back to Zhi’an?”

“Mhm. I want to put them in a vase at home.”

Nan Xu added, “But they’ll probably be dried by then.”

“Then I’ll keep them dried.”

Nan Xu didn’t object. “Mm, that works too.”

Suddenly her eyes brightened. “Actually… why don’t I just give you a flower every single day?”

Xie Hejing pulled her straight into his arms, burying his face against her neck.

Nan Xu was still applying her skincare. “What’s wrong?”

“I just like you too much,” Xie Hejing murmured.

Nan Xu turned her head with a playful pout. “As you should. Keep it up.”

“So full of yourself.” He pinched her nose.

Nan Xu swatted away his mischievous hand. “Nope. Don’t want to be humble.”

“Fine.”

He set the flowers carefully on the hotel’s desk for now. By the time he came back to the bed, Nan Xu had finished her skincare routine and was already chatting with someone.

“Who are you talking to?”

Nan Xu lay back on the bed. “Qiqi.”

Wen Qi was messaging her about the wedding-door games she overheard the boys discussing at dinner.

“What are you talking about?” Xie Hejing asked again.

“Mm…” Nan Xu quickly flipped her phone face-down. “Can’t tell you.”

Xie Hejing paused mid-movement. “Can’t tell me?”

“Nan Xu, what scheme are you plotting?”

He pulled her into his lap, fingers playing with the hem of her shirt in a light, threatening tease.

Thinking about the messages on her phone, Nan Xu held firm. “Just, can’t tell you.”

Still can’t say it?

Xie Hejing raised a brow. His fingers slid away from the hem of her clothes and slipped underneath instead.

He asked again, “You’re sure you’re not going to tell me?”

“Mm.” Nan Xu bit her lip.

“Then we’ll continue.”

Xie Hejing lowered his gaze, fully focused on what his hand was doing. His palm traced along the curve of her waist, fingertips brushing over her soft skin.

Nan Xu pressed down on his hand through the fabric. “Stop, why are you like this again?”

“Like what?”

He knew perfectly well she wouldn’t be able to say it out loud.

Sure enough, Nan Xu bit her lip and fell silent.

The air in the room grew warmer, tension thick with something intimate.

“You really… can’t stay still for even a moment, can you?”

Xie Hejing rubbed the back of his neck, then shifted Nan Xu so she was facing him directly.

His voice turned low and hoarse, restrained but turbulent. His nose brushed against her flushed ear.

“Sweetheart, an adult’s desire isn’t something you can just turn off.”

His straightforward words made Nan Xu’s cheeks burn. She turned her face away, unable to meet his eyes, mumbling softly, “After the first time… you haven’t exactly been holding back either.”

It seemed the Xie Hejing who could hold himself back, with eyes completely red from restraint yet still not touching her, was gone forever.

Nan Xu shook her head with a touch of pity, realizing only now that back then, she was truly fearless and secure.

Xie Hejing pulled back just a little, his other slender, well-defined hand sliding into her hair as he tilted her head up, then traced a trail of light, lingering kisses down.

“You don’t want it?”

Xie Hejing’s familiarity with Nan Xu’s body was so precise it was almost outrageous, even when his touch was just a gentle brush.

Nan Xu’s breathing was already somewhat erratic.

But hearing Xie Hejing say that, Nan Xu didn’t want to admit defeat. She turned her head, swallowed the sigh that wouldn’t form into a syllable, and said firmly, “No.”

“Don’t speak too soon.”

Xie Hejing’s hand traced Nan Xu’s spine, exploring deeper.

“How about we bet on how long you can hold out?”

“Will it be after I’ve kissed your lower abdomen, or licked your…”

His voice trailed off, lost in a wet, hot gasp.

Xie Hejing’s palm pressed against Nan Xu’s skin, and he asked her, his voice muffled yet full of aggression:

“Will you beg me?”

---

---

Chapter 83

---

At the place where the sea met the sky, everything had been washed into a warm shade of orange.

Carrying her sandals, Nan Xu walked barefoot along the beach. The waves brushed against her ankles again and again—a soft, cool touch she could handle.

Looking around, she suddenly crouched down and traced a crooked heart in the damp sand with her fingertip.

Just as she raised her phone to take a picture, a voice came from behind her.

“Who’s that for?”

Nan Xu turned around.

Xie Hejing stood with his hands in his pockets, a lazy smile playing on his lips. The hem of his white shirt fluttered wildly in the sea breeze, and his slightly messy hair only added to his relaxed, unruly charm.

“For me?” he asked again.

Nan Xu lowered her eyes, the corners of her mouth lifting as she quietly snapped a photo of the heart. A little shy, she muttered, “You already know.”

“I’m just scared you might’ve drawn it for someone else,” Xie Hejing said, sounding almost reasonable. “Wouldn’t want to be assuming too much.”

He made it sound so considerate.

But if he really discovered she’d drawn it for anyone else, knowing his personality, he’d probably keep Nan Xu here drawing hearts for him all night.

Nan Xu knew this all too well.

He took out his phone, not even asking her to send the picture, and started taking photos wildly on his own.

He took photos of the heart from every possible angle. If Nan Xu didn’t know she had casually drawn it herself, she would’ve thought, judging from Xie Hejing’s posture, that he was photographing some kind of artistic masterpiece.

Unable to stand his relentless snapping, she finally interrupted him.

“Weren’t you helping Xiang Weishi and the others set up the grill? How are you back so quickly?”

At the mention of that, Xie Hejing seemed to remember why he had come over. He put away his phone.

“There are plenty of people. It’ll be done in no time.”

“Come on, let’s go eat.”

“Okay.” Nan Xu slipped on her sandals. “But I need to rinse my feet first. Go ahead and wait for me.”

“Heh…” Xie Hejing let out a short, cold laugh.

Nan Xu looked up, confused. “What are you laughing at?”

“Aren’t you going to ask me to go with you?”

Nan Xu: “…”

It wasn’t like rinsing her feet required someone to accompany her. But since he had said it that way, she understood what he meant—he just didn’t want to admit he wanted to follow her.

“Then… will you come with me?”

“…I guess.” Xie Hejing cleared his throat, pretending to reluctantly agree.

Nan Xu couldn’t help it, she burst into a giggle.

This proud, sulky version of Xie Hejing was surprisingly cute.

Xie Hejing paused for a second, then urged her, “What’s so funny? Hurry up.”

After saying that, he turned sideways and strode ahead first. Nan Xu followed behind, trying hard not to laugh.

There were plenty of people walking along the shore with their feet in the water, but luckily there were many rinse stations too, so she didn’t need to queue.

Xie Hejing crouched beside one of the hoses and motioned for her to come over.

“You’re going to wash my feet for me? I can just rinse them quickly myself.”

“Come here.”

Nan Xu obediently stepped forward and lifted her foot.

Xie Hejing turned on the faucet. The water streamed down, and he reached out to slip off her sandal, gently rubbing away the sand clinging to the sides of her foot.

Her feet were already pale, and once the sand washed off, they looked even more flawless. Holding her foot in his hand, Xie Hejing commented, “Pretty cute.”

Nan Xu’s face warmed. “What are you saying? Hurry up, there are people waiting behind us.”

Behind her stood a couple. The girl, clearly there to rinse her feet too, watched Xie Hejing’s movements and immediately turned to her boyfriend. “Look at her boyfriend. You better wash mine for me later.”

“You’re thinking too much. You need me to wash your feet? Don’t you have hands?” the guy replied dismissively.

Xie Hejing washed her feet carefully, but there wasn’t much sand, so it took only two or three minutes.

Nan Xu quickly stepped around him and slipped her sandals back on. As they walked away, they could still hear the girl complaining, “Can’t you be like her boyfriend for once?”

Hearing that, Xie Hejing raised his brows with a hint of amusement. “Did you hear that? I’ve officially become ‘someone else’s perfect boyfriend’.”

Nan Xu actually agreed with that, but she still replied, “Don’t get cocky. And you’re not someone else’s, you’re mine.”

Nan Xu rarely said anything that sounded possessive, and the moment the words left her mouth, Xie Hejing instantly brightened.

“Whose?” he asked again.

Nan Xu knew perfectly well that he’d heard her the first time; he just wanted to hear it again. She sped up, refusing to fall for it.

“If you don’t keep up, you can belong to whoever you want.”

The moment he heard that, Xie Hejing jogged forward and quickly caught up to her. He grabbed her wrist and made her stop.

“Heartless girl. I just washed your feet and now you’re pretending you don’t know me?”

“I…”

His words made Nan Xu suddenly feel a little embarrassed.

“If I really became someone else’s, you wouldn’t cry?” Xie Hejing frowned and stared at her intently.

It felt like if she dared to say even half a “no,” she’d be in trouble.

“I’d cry. I’d cry my eyes out every single day.” Nan Xu exaggerated her expression and deliberately said it in an overly dramatic tone.

Seeing the way Xie Hejing visibly relaxed and looked completely satisfied, Nan Xu felt even more certain about one thing:

Xie Hejing loved it when she claimed him, relied on him, clung to him, and longed for him.

Those tiny expressions of affection were like an addictive liquor—just a drop from her was enough to send his heartbeat off rhythm, and he savored every second of it.

Nan Xu decided to test her theory one more time. She stepped closer, her voice soft and teasing. “If I can’t see you, I’ll be really sad. So you’re not allowed to become someone else’s.”

Then she focused entirely on Xie Hejing’s expression—and sure enough, she caught the way he was desperately trying to suppress his smile, only for it to keep escaping anyway.

Seeing she had guessed right, Nan Xu lowered her gaze slightly. Just as Xie Hejing was about to laugh out loud, she suddenly added, “But hey… if it really came to that, I’d just find someone else. They say the best way to forget an old relationship is to start a new one.”

Xie Hejing’s smile vanished instantly.

“You dare. I wouldn’t let you be with anyone else, not even if I died.”

And he certainly wasn’t going to give her any chance to “cry her eyes out.”

Nan Xu sighed helplessly. “Alright then, you tell me. Who do you belong to?”

“Yours,” Xie Hejing replied through gritted teeth.

Nan Xu was getting better and better at handling him… but truth be told, he kind of enjoyed it.

Nan Xu nodded hard. “Right. So this person who belongs to me…” She paused thoughtfully. “Sir, can we go eat the barbecue now?”

He was standing right in front of her like a wall. As long as he didn’t move, she wasn’t getting anywhere.

Not far away, under the warm glow of the lights, several wooden tables had been pushed together. Their friends’ laughter mixed with the sizzling sound of the grill.

They had rented a van, fully stocked with equipment, so the tables were covered not only with skewers but also snacks and drinks.

“You two are finally here!” Wen Qi pushed a plate of freshly grilled food toward them. “Here, try this. It’s so good.”

Skewers of glistening squid lay on the plate, their charred brown surface coated in an amber-colored sauce, just looking at them was enough to make anyone hungry.

“Okay.” Nan Xu took a bite.

The sauce burst across her tongue instantly, followed by a wave of heat. Paired with the chewiness of the squid, it was incredibly satisfying.

Xie Hejing casually alternated between sips of beer and bites of barbecue, occasionally exchanging a few words with Wei Qingxuan.

Nan Xu, Wen Qi, and An Nian gathered together nearby, chatting and laughing nonstop.

Only one person remained silent—

—Xiang Weishi.

He was slumped in a plastic chair, holding what was probably his… fourth? fifth? bottle of beer. The bottle in his hand had just reached the bottom again.

“If you drink any more, you’re going to get drunk.” Xie Hejing pushed over a fresh plate of grilled squid, the cumin aroma mixing sharply with the heavy smell of alcohol.

Xiang Weishi only shook his head. His Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed the last bit of beer.

“Can’t eat. I think I’m a little…”

He paused for a moment, then used that thin layer of drunken courage to say what was really on his mind: “I miss her.”

“You miss her that much?” Xie Hejing tilted his head toward the pile of empty bottles at Xiang Weishi’s feet. “Miss her enough to drown yourself in beer?”

They often drank together. Xiang Weishi was able to hold his liquor, but even when called out by Xie Hejing to drink, he maintained moderation and usually didn’t get drunk.

But tonight, he looked like he had come with the sole intention of getting wasted.

Xiang Weishi didn’t answer him. Instead, he asked back, “When Nan Xu went abroad, didn’t you miss her? Didn’t you drink?”

“If Nan Xu were still overseas right now, you’d be drinking even harder than I am.”

Back then, Xie Hejing had been asking Xiang Weishi out for drinks all the time. He hadn’t understood why at first, but once Nan Xu returned to the country, everything became clear.

When Xie Hejing missed Nan Xu too much, the only thing he could rely on was alcohol to numb himself.

So Xie Hejing shut his mouth. In this matter, he had no right to lecture anyone.

Wei Qingxuan had just finished peeling fruit for Wen Qi. Hearing their conversation, he said calmly, “If you like her, then keep chasing.”

Xiang Weishi took a swig of his drink and said, “If Wen Qi told you she hated you and wanted you to stay far away from her, could you handle that?”

Wei Qingxuan fell silent.

Seeing the two of them go quiet one after another, Xiang Weishi let out a heavy sigh. “She already hates me. Just let it go. No need to annoy her anymore.”

No one could help him with this. Not even he could help himself.

How did he end up falling for someone who disliked him? Even coming out to relax, he still couldn’t forget her. Xiang Weishi shook his head with a bitter smile and kept drinking.

The two beside him didn’t try to stop him. With them there, nothing was going to happen anyway, and if drinking made Xiang Weishi feel a little better, then so be it.

The three of them sat in silence, while the laughter from the other side drifted over from time to time. Xie Hejing sipped his drink slowly, his gaze fixed on Nan Xu.

After Xiang Weishi’s reminder earlier, he couldn’t help wondering—what if Nan Xu had never come back?

As if by some kind of telepathy, Nan Xu happened to turn around right then.

Catching Xie Hejing’s unreadable gaze, she looked a little puzzled, but still gave him a sweet smile and mouthed, “What’s wrong?”

Xie Hejing shook his head with a small smile.

There were no “what ifs.”

He and Nan Xu were destined to be together.

Nan Xu and the others only came back after chatting to their hearts’ content.

Nan Xu was humming a tune, but she hadn’t forgotten the look in Xie Hejing’s eyes earlier. There had been something like sadness in them.

She asked again, “What were you thinking just now?”

“I was thinking… thank goodness you came back.”

To Nan Xu, the words sounded a bit strange. She didn’t know why Xie Hejing suddenly thought of something like that.

“Ge, why did you drink so much?” An Nian’s brows were practically knitted together. It really looked like her cousin had come here to mend a broken heart this time.

Then she turned and spotted several empty bottles on the floor. She yelped, “Oh my god, are you trying to die?”

Nan Xu looked over and slowly understood why Xie Hejing had been thinking that way earlier.

Maybe the scene had triggered something in him?

Wen Qi immediately took charge. “Wei Qingxuan, take the bottle out of his hand. He can’t drink anymore. How did he manage to drink this much in such a short time? He’s crazy.”

Seeing how Xiang Weishi was already so drunk he could barely sit straight, Wen Qi exhaled. “Looks like he’s really serious this time.”

Nan Xu turned to Xie Hejing as well. “Help Xiang Weishi into the car. We’ll clean up here.”

“Mm.” Xie Hejing set down his bottle.

They returned to the hotel, and after Xie Hejing and Wei Qingxuan got Xiang Weishi settled, they each went back to their own rooms.

Nan Xu was sitting by the bed doing her skincare when she heard Xie Hejing come in. She stood up and asked, “How’s Xiang Weishi?”

“He’s asleep.” Xie Hejing took off his jacket. Smelling the alcohol on it, he frowned and moved it farther away from Nan Xu’s coat.

He had originally wanted to hug her, but the smell on him was unbearable.

“I’m going to shower first. Rest for a bit. When I come out, I want to hold you.”

Why did he need to announce a hug ahead of time tonight?

Nan Xu tilted her head. “You can hug me now, you know. Or I can hug you.”

She walked toward him.

“I smell like alcohol,” Xie Hejing said.

Hearing that, Nan Xu stopped in her tracks. She had just taken a shower, she wasn’t about to let it go to waste. “Then I’ll hug you after you come out.”

Xie Hejing showered for half an hour. By the time he came out, Nan Xu was already getting sleepy.

They had walked a lot today and visited several places. Lying on the bed, Nan Xu’s eyelids kept drooping on their own.

But remembering that she was supposed to hug Xie Hejing, she forced herself to stay awake, fixing all her attention on her phone.

When Xie Hejing realized she was fighting off sleep just for that, he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “If you’re sleepy, just sleep. I can hug you.”

“No. I said I’d hug you, so I’m hugging you.”

Xie Hejing didn’t drag it out and went straight to the point. “Alright, come here then.”

He lay down beside her so she could reach out and pull him close.

Nan Xu placed her hand on his waist and naturally burrowed into his arms, pressing her face firmly against his chest.

“You smell really nice right now,” Nan Xu said with a curved smile. “I like it a lot.”

“You like it… and then?” Xie Hejing lowered his eyes to look at her.

“What do you mean ‘and then’? I like it, that’s all.” Nan Xu took a soft breath.

Since he had just showered, Xie Hejing carried a light lemon scent that covered most of his usual cedar aroma.

But the mix of the two created something uniquely his.

Xie Hejing’s voice sounded a little disappointed. “I thought you might actually do something to me. After all, it’s rare for you to say you like me today.”

Nan Xu realized what he was hinting at and lightly slapped his chest.

“You’re overthinking.”

“And how do you still have so much energy? We walked so much today, and you don’t look tired at all.”

“You even have the strength to think nonsense.”

“Maybe it’s because…”

Xie Hejing trailed off, deliberately leaving her hanging.

Nan Xu got anxious. “Because what? Can’t you just finish your sentence?”

“Why are you in such a hurry?” Xie Hejing continued to tease with a smile.

Nan Xu gave up. “Forget it. I’m going to sleep.”

Seeing how exhausted she really was, Xie Hejing stopped teasing.

“Because the person I like is right here beside me. So I have energy for everything.”

“Nan Xu,” Xie Hejing called softly.

Nan Xu already had her eyes closed, drifting in and out of sleep, but she still answered, “Mm?”

“Say you like me again.”

“Like you,” Nan Xu murmured, lips barely moving, “I’ve always liked you.”

Xie Hejing’s eyes lifted slightly. Something came to his mind, but he didn’t say it right away.

He patted her back gently, coaxing her to sleep.

About ten minutes passed before he finally worked up the courage to say one more sentence.

“I think I like you too much… that I don’t just want a home with you. I also want to…”

All he heard beside his ear was Nan Xu’s steady breathing.

Xie Hejing’s lashes fluttered lightly, and he swallowed the rest of his words again.

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Chapter 82

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Because she’d been tangled up with him until the middle of the night, Nan Xu woke up to find there was only an hour left before they had to leave.

She jumped out of bed in a hurry, changing clothes as she called out, “Why didn’t you wake me earlier?”

“Isn’t an hour enough?” Xie Hejing asked. In his mind, an hour was more than plenty to get ready.

“Of course not. I still have to change and do my makeup. Not everyone can just walk out the door as easily as you.”

Xie Hejing had nothing to pack. After getting dressed, he sat on the sofa and watched Nan Xu rushing around—running into the bathroom to wash up one moment, then digging through her suitcase for her makeup bag the next.

He shifted his posture, propped his head on his hand, and continued staring at her.

Nan Xu didn’t have enough hands for everything. While putting on her makeup, she was also mentally checking off what else she needed to bring.

Seeing Xie Hejing’s gaze in the mirror, she said, “Don’t just stare, help me pick a jacket.”

She was worried the seaside might get too cold in the evening, but she hadn’t had the time to plan her outfit last night.

Xie Hejing stood up and walked over to the suitcase. “Which one do you want to wear?”

“Just pick one for me.”

Nan Xu was busy drawing her eyeliner.

Xie Hejing shook his head with a helpless smile. He thought she looked perfectly fine without makeup and could’ve used that time to sleep a little longer, but if she wanted to do her makeup, he’d let her.

When they gathered downstairs, Nan Xu arrived in a rush. She had even tied her hair casually on the way because she didn’t want to keep everyone waiting.

In the end, Xiang Weishi still hadn’t shown up.

He only sent a message in the group chat saying he was still in the shower, leaving everyone speechless.

Across the lobby, Wen Qi and Wei Qingxuan were sitting on the sofa. Wen Qi looked exhausted, leaning against Wei Qingxuan with her eyes barely open. It seemed she’d also stayed up late last night.

“Is Xiang Weishi done yet? What’s he even doing? Why is he trying to look so perfect? Who takes a shower this early in the morning?” Wen Qi yawned. Wei Qingxuan reached out to give her some water, but she turned her head away and glared at him, as if things had also been “unpleasant” last night.

An Nian, sitting nearby, was just as sleepy. She even video-called her parents for half an hour, and still Xiang Weishi wasn’t out yet.

Nan Xu took the chance to fix her hair. She had Xie Hejing hold a mirror for her while she tidied it up.

“How is it? Messy?” Nan Xu checked the mirror. She thought the front looked fine, but she wasn’t sure about the back.

“It’s not messy. It looks great.”

Xie Hejing stood there obediently like a human mirror.

“My darlings, I’m heeere~”

After more than forty minutes, Xiang Weishi finally appeared, flamboyantly dressed in a pink jacket with matching pink sunglasses, swaggering his way toward the group.

Wen Qi stared for a moment. “…”

Then she turned to Nan Xu and asked, “So… where’s his darling?”

Nan Xu choked a little. “No idea.”

Wei Qingxuan deliberately avoided looking in Xiang Weishi’s direction, keeping his eyes on Wen Qi instead, trying to figure out how to get her to stop being mad at him.

Xie Hejing simply ignored the commotion and turned around. “Everyone’s here. Let’s go.”

Getting no reaction, Xiang Weishi shouted, “Hey! Are you all blind to my outfit? Don’t you think I look handsome?”

Nan Xu and Wen Qi, both used to seeing handsome men at home, looked at him with identical expressions of speechless disbelief.

Had Xiang Weishi’s heartbreak scrambled his brain?

The only person who humored him was An Nian. She sincerely complimented, “You look great, ge.”

“It’s rare to see you this handsome.”

The second half of her sentence made everyone burst out laughing, and Xiang Weishi’s face instantly turned the same color as his clothes.

“What nonsense is that? What do you mean rare? I’m handsome every day.”

Hearing that, everyone silently agreed.

Something had definitely messed with this man’s head.

“Alright, enough nonsense,” Xie Hejing tilted his head toward the group. “Let’s go. Any later and you won’t make it to that market you wanted to see.”

Their schedule was pretty relaxed: visit the local market in the morning, explore the area, grab lunch in the afternoon, and head to the beach by evening.

It was Nan Xu’s first time at a seaside city market. There were so many unfamiliar things that she couldn’t help wandering around with the crowd, wide-eyed.

She moved fast, and within seconds, the crowd split them apart. Xie Hejing quickly reached out and grabbed her. “Why are you wandering off? You’ll get lost.”

“I’m not a kid,” Nan Xu said, glancing at how tightly he was holding her hand. She paused for a moment. “What, are you afraid I’ll run away?”

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to see you,” Xie Hejing said.

His grip tightened even more, leaving almost no distance between them as they walked closely side by side.

Xie Hejing was more than happy to follow Nan Xu everywhere. He refused to believe that with him glued to her like this, anyone would even dare try approaching her.

Nan Xu didn’t think that far. She simply let him hold her hand, it didn’t slow her down anyway. And with him so close, it was even more convenient when she wanted something to eat; he could pay right away.

The seaside market was huge, so the group didn’t stick together. Everyone wandered off to shop on their own and planned to meet up at the restaurant later in the afternoon.

Nan Xu bought a lot of snacks, but she was the type who wanted to try everything without being able to finish it. She hated wasting food, so in the end, Xie Hejing had to take care of whatever she couldn’t finish.

They wandered over to a stall selling grilled oysters. Tempted, Nan Xu turned to Xie Hejing and asked, “Can you still eat?”

“Are you planning to feed me again?” he asked, still holding the fried rice Nan Xu had bought earlier.

Well… yes. Anything she couldn’t finish, he’d end up eating—pretty much feeding him.

Nan Xu nodded. “I want grilled oysters.”

“Let’s go.”

She picked a few that looked good and asked the owner to grill them. She ordered some other seafood too, then followed Xie Hejing to a seat in the back and sat down to wait.

Looking at the whole food she’d ordered, Nan Xu laughed. “I feel like I won’t need lunch this afternoon.”

“You still have to eat lunch,” Xie Hejing said firmly. He wasn’t negotiating. She already didn’t eat much, skipping a meal would just make her hungry at night.

Whenever she begged him to let her order takeout, sweet-talking and coaxing him, he always had to put in a lot of effort just to refuse her.

“I’ve eaten plenty today already, even though you ate most of it.” Nan Xu paused, then asked, “Don’t you ever get full? You eat so much, but you’re not even a little fat!”

Whenever she tried to pinch his arm, she could usually grab only a thin layer of skin. His arms were so solid and well-built that every time he pinned her down, she had no way to fight back.

“Oh, right. You go to the gym.”

Nan Xu wasn’t a fan of working out. Or, more accurately, she just didn’t like moving much. She wasn’t fat, but her body was soft, which Xie Hejing loved touching.

“Come with me next time?” Xie Hejing asked.

Nan Xu shook her head instantly. “No way. I’d rather just eat less.”

“So scared of gaining weight?” Xie Hejing actually liked the softness of her body.

“It’s not that. I’m just scared I won’t fit into all the dresses I bought. That would be such a waste.”

She’d bought a ton of cute outfits for the summer, but Zhi’an was so hot she never got the chance to wear most of them.

“Then just buy more.”

Nan Xu froze. Right, she’d almost forgotten she was talking to the guy who was constantly thinking about what gifts to buy her.

“I’m going to check if the oysters are done,” Nan Xu said as she stood up and walked toward the stall.

On the grill, the oysters were sizzling, oil bubbling as the aroma of garlic spread through the air.

The lady boss greeted her enthusiastically. “Girl, they’re almost ready! Our oysters are all fresh! Not only do they taste great, they’re good for your boyfriend too!”

Good for my boyfriend?

Nan Xu didn’t understand how oysters could help Xie Hejing.

The lady boss laughed boldly and explained it to her. By the time Nan Xu returned to her seat with a big plate of seafood, her face was still burning.

When she saw Xie Hejing reaching for an oyster first, the lady boss’s words replayed in her mind instantly.

Oysters were known to be an aphrodisiac.

She didn’t even dare imagine, he was already like that normally.

If he ate more of this… wouldn’t it be…?

“Xie Hejing, don’t eat too much,” Nan Xu warned him preemptively. Better to give him an early reminder, otherwise he’d end up having to hold himself back again tonight.

“Afraid I’ll get fat?” Xie Hejing gave her a suspicious look. “Or something else?”

Nan Xu stammered, “N-no, nothing.”

“Then why’s your face so red?” Xie Hejing leaned closer, staring at her intently. “What did you talk about with the lady boss?”

Amazed—and horrified—by how sharp he was, Nan Xu could only lower her head in a fluster.

“What did we talk about? Nothing. I just asked when the oysters would be ready.”

“You get that red just from asking a question?” Xie Hejing clearly didn’t buy it. His gaze drifted to the oysters in front of him. Her reaction earlier had been… unusual.

Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he grinned. “Nan Xu, I didn’t expect you to be fantasizing about me in broad daylight.”

“When did I fantasize about you?” Nan Xu protested, refusing to accept that accusation.

“Then why are you blushing? Don’t tell me you’re blushing because of the oysters.”

He slowly ate another oyster, savoring it. After swallowing, he lifted his eyes and asked, “Do you think these actually work?”

Nan Xu turned her head away. “I don’t know.”

“So the lady boss was telling you about this earlier?”

Nan Xu’s heart jumped. She hadn’t said anything, yet Xie Hejing had pieced together their entire conversation just from her reactions.

“I’m guessing I don’t need something like this,” he said, though apparently that wasn’t enough—he had to ask for her input too. “What do you think? Or do you want something… stronger?”

“No! No need. You don’t need to eat any of them.”

To Xie Hejing, her words were practically a confession of his capability.

He narrowed his eyes, a wave of satisfaction running through him. “Sounds like you’re pretty satisfied.”

Satisfied?! Nan Xu had already skipped past “satisfaction” straight into fear.

When they met up with Wen Qi and the others at the restaurant that afternoon, Wei Qingxuan was carrying several shopping bags—everything Wen Qi had bought.

Nan Xu, on the other hand, had mostly bought snacks, and they’d eaten nearly all of it along the way, so she and Xie Hejing arrived empty-handed.

Seeing the two of them with nothing in their hands, Xiang Weishi asked, “You guys didn’t buy anything?”

If he had known, he would’ve gone with them instead. Following An Nian around had practically destroyed his legs. He had no idea where she got so much energy—he was about to collapse, yet An Nian was still bouncing around enthusiastically.

“We did. Mostly food, though. We ate almost everything on the way.”

Nan Xu sat down on Xie Hejing’s left side.

“Food?”

Xiang Weishi regretted everything. If he’d known, he definitely should’ve gone with them. He hadn’t eaten a single bite all afternoon, and now he was starving.

When the food arrived, Xiang Weishi practically pounced on it like a starving wolf. Under Xie Hejing’s watchful gaze, Nan Xu forced herself to eat a little, but she was already stuffed.

After the meal, they followed their plan and headed to the beach. The sun had just reached the horizon, its golden light trailing across the rippling water.

The salty sea breeze brushed through Nan Xu’s hair. She listened quietly to the waves crashing against the rocks, her skirt lifting and falling with the wind.

Everything felt peaceful and beautiful. Suddenly, Nan Xu spoke up: “Xie Hejing… do you think we’ll still have the chance to see such a beautiful sunset in the future?”

“If you want, I’ll buy a house here so you can see this every day.”

“I meant… seeing it with you,” Nan Xu corrected softly.

“Of course. Wherever you are, I’ll be there.”

Nan Xu let go of Xie Hejing’s hand. She rarely saw the ocean, and this was her first time on a beach where she could actually walk into the water.

She stepped forward slowly. Xie Hejing followed a few steps behind her, he didn’t stop her, but he stayed close enough to make sure she was safe.

The seawater washed over her ankles, and Nan Xu lifted her face in delight. “It feels pretty nice.”

Xie Hejing draped his jacket over her shoulders. “Cold?”

“No.” Nan Xu rolled up her sleeves, revealing the shell bracelet she’d bought earlier.

She’d bought a matching one for Xie Hejing too, but he had refused to wear it. Nan Xu waved her wrist at him, annoyed. “Hmph, serves you right! I wanted us to take a matching photo.”

“I brought it.” Xie Hejing pulled the bracelet from his bag and slipped it onto his wrist. “Go ahead, take the picture.”

“So you only wear it for photos?” Nan Xu frowned.

“No. I planned to put it in the safe when we got home. I didn’t want it to get damaged if I wore it.”

Nan Xu stared at the simple little shell bracelet and didn’t think there was anything about it that made it worthy of being locked up in Xie Hejing’s safe.

“…I don’t think anyone would steal something like this.”

“It’s your thought that deserves to be kept in a safe,” Xie Hejing said.

Whatever was on his mind, he said it directly. He never used sweet talk for effect, at least never with Nan Xu.

“I…” Nan Xu rubbed her forehead. For a moment, she regretted only buying him a simple shell bracelet today. She should’ve gotten him something more.

“I’ll give you something else when we go back. You don’t need to keep this one.”

Xie Hejing shook his head. Anything Nan Xu gave him, no matter how small, he wanted stored safely, protected from even the slightest damage.

“If I could, I’d lock you in the safe.”

He wanted to be the only one who knew the password, the only one who could see her. Hidden away from greedy eyes, entirely his and his alone.

But at the same time, he wanted Nan Xu to stay bright and happy.

Hearing this kind of over-the-top nonsense from him, Nan Xu had almost grown used to it. She laughed and said, “Lock me in a safe? What do you take me for?”

“My treasure. My baby.”

Xie Hejing wrapped his arms around her loosely—not the usual fierce, breath-stealing kind of embrace, but a soft, lingering one.

Yet in that gentle hold, Nan Xu felt an overwhelming sense of being cherished. His grip was so light it was almost stiff, as if he was afraid that using even a bit more strength might upset her or make her uncomfortable.

Nan Xu lifted her arms and gently wrapped them around Xie Hejing’s back, leaning into his chest on her own—telling him through her actions that he didn’t need to be so cautious.

Xie Hejing felt his heart melt into a puddle. His hold on her tightened slightly, and her familiar scent drifted continuously into his lungs.

He felt like he could drown in this ocean made entirely of her.

“My one and only beloved.”

Nan Xu sniffed and asked, “Are you just sweet-talking me? Men really love using sweet words.”

“You’ve been around other men?” Xie Hejing immediately caught the suspicious wording in her sentence.

Nan Xu: “…”

She knew it, only he would focus on that part.

“I haven’t eaten pork, but I’ve seen pigs run, haven’t I?”

“If you ever lie to me, don’t expect to ever see me again.”

Nan Xu had taken his earlier words to heart, memorizing them carefully.

She had never believed she was important to anyone.

And the truth was Nan Xu feared separation. So most of the time, she placed herself in the role of a passerby in other people’s lives. That way, when someone drifted away, she could accept it without falling apart. Otherwise, the hurt would linger and echo inside her.

But Xie Hejing had barged into her life so forcefully, wiping out every bit of her fear, and told her—

—he would never leave her.

Xie Hejing truly understood all the fears Nan Xu never said out loud.

He not only knew she was afraid of being left behind, he also knew she was scared of doing something wrong, and that she often suppressed her own emotions.

But Xie Hejing never tried to dismiss her fears with something rough like “Don’t be scared.” Instead, he carried her emotions with her and told her that no matter who came or went, he would always be by her side.

With him, she was allowed to make mistakes without worrying he would walk away.

She could be alive and unrestrained—laugh when she wanted to laugh, cry when she wanted to cry, scold him if she felt like it.

And it was exactly this vivid, unfiltered Nan Xu that slowly filled the empty space in his heart, a space that had never been filled before.

Zhang Huiwan and Xie Hengzhi were both extremely career-driven. Most of Xie Hejing’s childhood was spent alone—one day at his grandmother’s, the next at his maternal grandmother’s, and another day home by himself.

Xie Hejing never complained. In fact, he never felt anything was wrong. He couldn’t imagine what a childhood with constant family presence was supposed to feel like.

He thought he lived perfectly well and didn’t need anything different.

He didn’t talk much, but the truth was that when he needed someone the most, there was no one to talk to.

So when Nan Xu approached him, it took him by surprise. How could there be a girl so timid, yet still willing to inch closer to him? She looked like she was about to cry, yet stubbornly held it together just to get near him.

Xie Hejing couldn’t make sense of it. But he couldn’t deny it…

He was drawn to her.

And then he slowly fell for her, paying more and more attention to her emotions, her life, her everything.

Most importantly, he had a desire to express himself to her—something he never felt with anyone else. And similarly, Nan Xu only ever showed her truest emotions in front of Xie Hejing.

“Xie Hejing, I want to cry, but I’m scared my makeup will smudge,” Nan Xu whispered. “If people see me crying at my age… would it be embarrassing?”

Instinctively, she wanted to hide her feelings again.

“Cry if you want to,” Xie Hejing said, gently stroking her head. “With me, you never have to act like an adult. Being a kid isn’t so bad.”

“Then it’s a deal. You have to treat me like your baby,” Nan Xu bit her lip. “You have to coax me more, okay? I don’t like being yelled at. I hate being ignored. I hate…”

Nan Xu suddenly stopped.

“Why’d you stop?” he asked.

There was no need to continue, because none of the things she hated would ever happen with Xie Hejing. What surrounded her here was nothing but warm, sincere, unreserved love.

“And there’s one more thing you have to remember. A very important one.” Nan Xu lifted her head, her expression earnest.

“I like Xie Hejing. I like everything about him. I like him so, so much.”

“Mm. I’ll remember.”

The golden light of the setting sun traced the outlines of their figures on the sand, their shadows rippling as waves washed over them.

Xie Hejing’s voice was full of tenderness. “I’ll treat you as my treasure for the rest of my life.”

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Chapter 81

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“Don’t dodge.”

Xie Hejing caught Nan Xu’s wrist and pulled her toward him without giving her a chance to resist.

But Nan Xu didn’t listen. She kept shrinking back, trying to escape the cool touch of his fingertips.

“It’s cold,” she murmured softly.

Hearing the tremble in her voice, Xie Hejing graciously grabbed the blanket beside them and draped it over her.

He leaned in slowly, his warm breath brushing against her skin, making Nan Xu raise a hand to block the space between them.

“Still not behaving….”

This time, he didn’t forcefully pull her hand away. Instead, his fingers hooked around the tie of her nightdress, calmly and deliberately tying it into a bow.

Nan Xu watched his movements. She hadn’t planned to speak, but he wasn’t doing anything else—just tying a bow, which felt unusually strange.

She finally asked, “What are you doing? Why are you tying that?”

Xie Hejing suddenly leaned down and kissed her lips. “Didn’t you say you like a sense of ceremony?”

Nan Xu: “……”

She had said that, but definitely not for moments like this.

And the way he acted so calm now… it made her certain he was holding back something wicked.

As expected, Xie Hejing had no intention of stopping at a shallow kiss. Before Nan Xu could react, his warm tongue had already pried past her teeth.

While their tongues tangled, the pads of his fingers gently kneaded the soft flesh at her waist.

He knew exactly what she was about to do next. So before she could even swing her fist at him, he effortlessly caught her hand and pressed it against his own body.

In that instant, the heat radiating from him poured into her without restraint.

Unsatisfied with just kissing her like this, Xie Hejing shifted positions. What he really liked was holding her in his arms while he kissed her, then watching her face when she was so breathless she couldn’t take it anymore.

Knowing she had no chance of escaping, Nan Xu gave up struggling and simply let him kiss her, letting him take her breath until she had none left.

Like slowly drowning in the sea, she bit him just to make him let go.

“If you really kiss me to death, people would laugh themselves silly,” she sighed.

“Can’t you just…” Nan Xu searched for the right words. “Can’t you kiss a little less long? And a little less hard?”

“Are you trying to murder your wife?”

Xie Hejing raised a brow. “Murder you with a kiss?”

He half-lowered his eyes, amused. “That kind of murder… sounds pretty tempting.”

“What else could it be? With the way you kiss, you’re going to suffocate me sooner or later,” Nan Xu said completely seriously.

Then she felt something loosen around her waist. Looking down, she saw the bow he’d tied earlier—now pulled loose and hanging askew.

Nan Xu inhaled deeply, resigned, and buried herself completely under the blanket. But a few seconds later, she poked her head out again, still unwilling to give up as she tried to negotiate with him.

“Don’t leave marks on me. I have to wear a dress tomorrow.”

“Alright,” Xie Hejing agreed once more.

Nan Xu still wasn’t sure whether she could trust that answer, so she double-checked, “Are you really agreeing this time? You won’t go back on it, right? If I wake up tomorrow and see any marks on me, you… you’re dead.”

“Heh. Dead how?” Xie Hejing repeated his earlier joke. “You planning to murder me the same way?”

Nan Xu: “……”

“In your dreams.”

Xie Hejing pulled off his shirt and slipped under the blanket with her, but all he did was take her hand in his.

Nan Xu’s lashes fluttered. She had thought he’d start teasing her under her nightdress, especially given how aggressive he had always been before.

But he didn’t make any other move, which suited her perfectly. Nan Xu relaxed, even feeling light-hearted enough to chat with him.

“Xie Hejing, when we go to the beach tomorrow, how about you take photos of me?”

“But your photography skills are terrible, so make sure you practice.”

“Got it.”

Fingers interlaced, Xie Hejing listened as Nan Xu rambled about her recent days—mostly trivial little things, so small that even something like what color hair ribbon she should wear tomorrow became something she had to fuss over right next to his ear.

But Xie Hejing happened to enjoy listening to all of it. Even though Nan Xu was right beside him—already part of his life—he still loved the way she shared every bit of her day with him.

It was a kind of acceptance that came straight from the heart, the kind where you didn’t have to worry about being disliked, where you could share yourself freely and without hesitation.

“Don’t overthink it. I’ll bring all of them tomorrow, and you can see which one fits.”

“Oh? That works.”

It was such a small gesture, but it still made Nan Xu laugh.

“You’re actually pretty good at times like this, very gentle and patient.”

“So by that,” Xie Hejing narrowed his eyes, thinking back, “when exactly have I ever been not gentle or not patient with you?”

Nan Xu frowned. “Do I really need to say it? You literally were earlier.”

He rested his forehead against the crook of her shoulder, his voice muffled. “But what am I supposed to do if I can’t help it?”

“Just being close to you makes it hard to hold back.”

These words instantly put Nan Xu on alert. She asked, “So you’re saying you’re reacting again, aren’t you?”

She had assumed he wasn’t feeling anything, hence why he’d been so patient listening to her ramble.

Xie Hejing: “…”

“…Hmm.”

The two of them froze for a moment.

Considering what she had just complained about—his lack of patience—Xie Hejing decided that, just this once, he would actually try to be patient.

Nan Xu was even less likely to take the initiative. She wanted to see how long Xie Hejing could endure—maybe, if he got sleepy enough, he’d just fall asleep.

But she had underestimated him… or overestimated his self-control.

Xie Hejing was still holding her hand, his voice gradually growing rougher.

“What do I do?” He leaned his whole body against her, his tone low and heavy. “It’s so hard to hold back… what do I do?”

His breath brushed faintly across her skin, and then he suddenly pressed a kiss to her shoulder. The warm, damp touch made her entire body tremble.

Combined with the rare note of frustration and helplessness in his voice, Nan Xu almost sank right into it.

She felt her willpower growing weaker by the second.

“Still ignoring me?” His other hand slid to her waist, his hair grazing her skin—clinging to her like he couldn’t stand even a sliver of distance.

His voice was laced with coaxing and complaint. “Are you mad because I kissed you?”

Nan Xu shook her head. She wasn’t angry at all, she just couldn’t handle him like this. If she said anything now, she’d probably make everything worse, so she figured staying silent was safer.

“Are you going to abandon me?” Xie Hejing murmured against her skin, biting lightly as he spoke. “Baby… wife… can’t you love me a little more?”

Nan Xu froze.

She had expected him to get forceful, or to ask her to help him again. But she never imagined he would soften his voice and beg her to love him more.

It hit the softest part of her heart with perfect precision.

“I…”

Nan Xu had planned to stay silent a little longer, but Xie Hejing’s words kept echoing in her head. She couldn’t help wondering if she had done something wrong.

“What… what counts as loving you a little more, in your eyes?”

She asked directly. In her experience, Xie Hejing’s logic had never quite matched normal people.

A teasing glint slowly rose in his eyes. “For example… you undoing that bow on your own?”

The implication, showing herself to him, hit her instantly.

Shock flickered so clearly in Nan Xu’s eyes it felt almost tangible. She finally understood why he had tied that bow in the first place. He had been waiting for this moment.

“Did you plan this from the start?”

“Mm.” Xie Hejing didn’t bother hiding it. “I wanted to see you take the initiative.”

To see her face flush again and again, to watch her push past her shyness just for him—those reactions were practically his dream come true.

“Besides,” he added, “if you’re the one who starts… maybe you’ll save some strength for later. Aren’t we going to the beach tomorrow? Or do you want me to carry you there?”

Seeing her still tangled in indecision, Xie Hejing continued, “Nan Xu… once I start, I don’t hear anything you say.”

And that, unfortunately, was true.

If it weren’t, he wouldn’t stay unmoved every time she begged him through tears. If anything, her tearful voice only made him more excited.

On normal days, he would stop immediately the moment she said so.

But in those moments, he wouldn’t. He was addicted to every reaction she made… even her crying.

“…Okay.”

Nan Xu made up her mind. Since she couldn’t avoid it anyway, she might as well choose the option that would be a little gentler on herself.

She reached behind her waist. The bow Xie Hejing had tied earlier was already loose and misshapen. She gave it a light tug, and it instantly came undone.

In that moment, as her skin met the cool air, a fine shiver ran through her whole body.

Seeing her curl in on herself as she pushed her nightdress down to her waist, the veins on Xie Hejing’s neck tightened sharply.

“Come closer,” he rasped, his voice hoarse with heat. “Closer… Your head and your body.”

Nan Xu slowly leaned toward him. Under the intensity of his gaze, she instinctively tugged her nightdress up a little again, trying to cover herself.

Xie Hejing didn’t make any sudden moves. He simply leaned back slightly, twirling the hem of her skirt between his fingers, a faint smile at his lips as he asked, “Can you take it in yourself?”

The jump between where they were and what he was asking was so shocking that Nan Xu’s eyes widened. “No.”

As expected, she refused.

Xie Hejing didn’t push, at least not right away. Instead he asked, “Then… can you feed it to me yourself?”

“No.” Nan Xu refused again.

This time, he wasn’t so patient. He tilted his neck with a crack, voice lowering. “Be good. Pick one.”

How was she supposed to choose?

Nan Xu was extremely troubled. She looked at Xie Hejing, seeing his increasingly uncontrolled gaze, and finally said, “I’ll… do it myself.”

“Wait…” Xie Hejing suddenly spoke. “Where are you planning to feed it to?”

He pointed slightly in front of Nan Xu. “Here?”

Then his gaze lowered. “Or there?”

Nan Xu’s ears turned scarlet, the color spreading all the way down her neck. “Does it even make a difference to you?”

Xie Hejing gave a wicked smile. “Of course it does. If it’s there, I should lie down—otherwise the position might be difficult for you.”

Nan Xu really wanted to cover his mouth. She couldn’t understand how he could say such things without even blinking.

“No. Not there.”

His smile deepened as he stared at her expectantly. “Alright.”

Since she had agreed to take the initiative, Nan Xu didn’t retreat anymore. Bracing her hands on his shoulders, she slowly leaned toward him.

His light kisses landed first on the upper part of her chest, then moved gradually, searching for the place she offered. Heat swept across her skin.

The moment he fully reached it, Nan Xu clutched his shoulders tightly, unable to handle the flood of emotion. Xie Hejing somehow still managed to soothe her even while occupied—he couldn’t speak, but he kept patting her back gently, telling her not to tense up.

He seemed entirely absorbed, lingering and exploring with clear interest. Nan Xu’s whole body flushed red, while he remained unhurried and even asked, “And now? Will you keep taking the lead?”

“Or should I take over?”

He was practically exploiting Nan Xu’s embarrassed state; she simply couldn’t bring herself to say “I’ll do it myself” again.

Sure enough, Nan Xu leaned against Xie Hejing, utterly drained, feeling that this activity was too physically demanding.

Even though she had only maintained the position and hadn’t done anything extra, she was still too tired to move. “You do it.”

A triumphant smile crossed Xie Hejing’s lips. “You said it yourself.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Nan Xu’s position changed; from half-kneeling in front of him, she was now kneeling on top of him.

Her knees brushed against Xie Hejing’s pubic bone area.

“Does it hurt?” Nan Xu asked, with her entire body weight almost concentrated on these two points.

“No feeling,” Xie Hejing thought for a moment. “It might get chafed when we start moving later. Want to admire it?”

Nan Xu: “…”

“Not interested. Admire it yourself.”

Xie Hejing finally tore open the obstructive nightgown, then positioned Nan Xu properly, and slowly sank in.

Nan Xu always struggled to bear that kind of tingling sensation and fullness, and she inevitably resisted. When they were at home, Xie Hejing would usually give her a cushion to distract her.

But they forgot to bring a cushion this time. Xie Hejing offered a pillow to Nan Xu, but she refused to take it.

Xie Hejing had no choice but to offer his palm to her. “Bite it.”

“I don’t want to bite you,” Nan Xu said.

Unexpectedly, Xie Hejing laughed: “Aren’t you ‘biting’ right now?”

“Ahhh! Xie Hejing, you’re so annoying!”

With that, Nan Xu stopped caring about anything and bit Xie Hejing’s arm. Originally, she was worried he might feel pain, but after his teasing distraction, Nan Xu was practically hoping he would hurt.

That way, at least she wouldn’t be the only one feeling tight and sore.

Xie Hejing gradually slowed to a stop. Nan Xu was breathing into his ear, her exhalations exceeding her inhalations; she still couldn’t handle this position.

“Are you done?”

“Halfway,” Xie Hejing replied succinctly.

“How is that possible!” Nan Xu felt like half a lifetime had passed, and it was only halfway done?!

She didn’t believe it, but she didn’t dare to look. She only said, “Then hurry up.”

“If I hurry, you might get hurt.”

Nan Xu was getting frantic, this agonizing in-between feeling kept her from making any moves.

But then, thinking it was better to get it over with quickly than to endure this torture, she steeled her resolve and directly ended the torment herself. This was immediately followed by a sharp, intense pain.

“Ah…”

Nan Xu’s eyes welled up with tears from the pain.

That sudden move by Nan Xu was completely unexpected by Xie Hejing, and it gave him quite a fright. He initially wanted to scold her, but hearing the catch in Nan Xu’s cry, he immediately dropped all his anger.

“Does it hurt? See if you dare to be so reckless next time.”

“You… I don’t want you anymore,” Nan Xu said, too much in pain to think clearly.

Xie Hejing knew she was suffering and didn’t argue with her. “Then I want you.”

He kissed the tears from the corners of her eyes patiently and began to coax her.

“Breathe slowly. It will be better soon. Don’t move. Just bear with it for a little longer.”

Xie Hejing’s gentle soothing worked. Nan Xu began to feel it was less difficult to bear and was also startled by her own actions just now.

In fact, due to Xie Hejing’s excessively slow movements, an unspeakable tingly sensation welled up in Nan Xu’s heart, but she was too embarrassed to say anything.

Xie Hejing was deliberately slow, intending to let Nan Xu feel him completely, bit by bit.

Hearing Nan Xu’s voice gradually become more breathless, Xie Hejing knew he had succeeded. He asked at the right time: “Do you want me to go faster?”

Nan Xu didn’t speak. She knew Xie Hejing wouldn’t agree so easily; he always had a hundred and eight tricks waiting for her.

“Call me husband, let me hear it,” Xie Hejing curved his lips into a smile.

She guessed it right!

Nan Xu was happy with her understanding of Xie Hejing, but the intense rubbing sensation Xie Hejing caused was too overwhelming. It was so intense that Nan Xu couldn’t focus on anything else, only on the present moment.

To make matters worse, Xie Hejing’s hands were also restless, his palm moving along her back, as if a current were continuously passing over her skin, gradually pushing Nan Xu to the brink of collapse.

“Xie Hejing, you…”

Before she could finish, Xie Hejing interrupted her. “What should you call me?”

Nan Xu pursed her lips.

This girl can actually endure this much now?

Xie Hejing furrowed his brow, suddenly reducing the distance that had just been painstakingly created, but his speed remained incredibly slow.

“Mmm…” The deliberate nature of Xie Hejing’s actions made Nan Xu want to start cursing him. How could he take advantage of her like this?

However, whenever Nan Xu said something Xie Hejing didn’t want to hear, he wouldn’t argue. He would just suddenly increase the force and speed, causing Nan Xu’s heart to instantly rush to a peak.

And then came the extreme pull and tease again.

“Bastard, Xie Hejing, you bastard.”

Nan Xu’s voice trembled with tears again.

This time, Xie Hejing didn’t kiss her. He firmly gripped Nan Xu’s waist and whispered, “Still refusing to call me that? Then it’s still not enough.”

“Wait…”

Nan Xu couldn’t bear it any longer. She quietly called out, “Husband…”

Xie Hejing’s breathing hitched, but he quickly regained his composure: “What? I didn’t hear you clearly.”

“You!”

Nan Xu was too tired to argue further. She leaned close to Xie Hejing’s ear and said, her syllables somewhat fragmented,

“Husband… can you please stop bullying me?”

“!!!”

Xie Hejing’s controlled breathing completely broke. In the midst of their rising and falling, he suddenly slowed his movements in response to her whimpering sobs.

Leaning close to Nan Xu’s ear, Xie Hejing spoke sharply despite the tender gesture.

“Nan Xu.”

“Say that I am yours, and you are mine, forever.”

---

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Chapter 80

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Three days later, at Zhi’an Airport.

The temperature outside was high, and even inside the airport there were plenty of travelers lugging suitcases, sweating through their shirts. Nan Xu hated the heat, and she hated being tired even more.

When they got out of the car, she handed all the luggage to Xie Hejing and kept only a small crossbody bag for herself. Her pale yellow chiffon dress fluttered lightly in the hot wind sweeping through the corridor. Her hands were completely free, and Xie Hejing clearly had no intention of giving her anything to carry.

The sunlight outside was harsh and blinding. Even squinting didn’t help. Seeing the driver still unloading their bags, she turned to Xie Hejing and said, “I’ll go inside and wait for you, okay? It’s too hot out here.”

Xie Hejing responded with a short “Mm. Don’t go far.”

Nan Xu really didn’t go far. She sat on the chair closest to the entrance, close enough to still see Xie Hejing clearly.

A message popped up from Wen Qi, asking how long until they arrived.

[Almost there, we’re right outside the airport. We’ll head in soon,] Nan Xu replied.

Since Xie Hejing was still dealing with the luggage, she kept chatting with Wen Qi for a bit.

It wasn’t until she sensed someone standing beside her that she looked up. Thinking it was Xie Hejing, she lifted her head with a smile.
“Qiqi said…”

But the person wasn’t Xie Hejing.

It was a boy wearing a baseball cap. He smiled with curved eyes, looking cautious and clearly a little nervous.

“Hi… could I add you on WeChat?”

With the way Nan Xu was dressed today, she looked like a fresh, youthful college student. Her fair skin and gentle temperament made her stand out—just sitting there, she was a beautiful scene all on her own.

Nan Xu hurriedly waved her hands. She wasn’t particularly shocked that someone asked for her WeChat, but she was terrified of Xie Hejing seeing it. Otherwise, that jealous man would definitely kick up a storm.

The boy gave an embarrassed smile. “Sorry, I know I’m being a bit abrupt. I don’t mean anything bad, I just thought maybe we could be friends.”

Just what she was afraid of happened.

At that moment, Xie Hejing happened to walk over, pulling two suitcases. The moment he saw a boy standing beside Nan Xu, his expression instantly darkened. He stepped in front of Nan Xu and said to the boy:

“Can’t you see—”

Nan Xu didn’t dare let Xie Hejing get into a confrontation. Before he could even finish, she quickly tugged him back.

But that only made him even angrier. He narrowed his eyes, staring at Nan Xu’s slender figure blocking him.

What was that supposed to mean?

Was she worried about the other guy?

Nan Xu’s attention was still on the boy in front of her, his phone screen was still lit up with a QR code.

“Sorry,” she said quickly, “I’m already married.”

Nan Xu spoke softly as she lifted her hand, pointing at her ring finger. Ever since she’d put on that ring, she hadn’t taken it off for a single day.

The boy froze for a moment. He looked young, and when he saw Xie Hejing walking toward her earlier, he had more or less guessed that might be her boyfriend. But he hadn’t expected her to already be married.

His first attempt at asking for someone’s WeChat had ended in total defeat. He scratched his head awkwardly and said, “Alright… sorry for bothering you.”

Only after watching the boy walk away did Nan Xu finally turn back to scold Xie Hejing. “What were you doing just now? Were you trying to start a fight?”

The happiness Xie Hejing felt from hearing her say she was married hadn’t even lasted a full minute before it was crushed by her criticism. He let out a cold laugh. “I was going to start a fight? Wasn’t the problem that kid? He couldn’t see the ring on your hand?”

“Well… maybe it was blocked or something. He didn’t mean any harm. But you looked like you were about to beat him up.”

“Can’t you control your temper a little?” Nan Xu muttered.

The more she talked, the angrier Xie Hejing got. Now she was complaining that he had a bad temper?

His eyes darkened. “With anyone else, maybe. But toward you? Impossible. And toward other men? Definitely impossible.”

“…I—” Nan Xu could tell from his tone that he was upset. But she had almost zero experience coaxing anyone, so she could only say stiffly, “Then you’re not allowed to be mad. Don’t be mad at me.”

Xie Hejing actually let out a laugh—half angry, half amused. “I’m not even allowed to be angry?”

“It’s not that,” Nan Xu said, but the more she explained, the worse it sounded. She bit her lip, frowned, and thought for a moment before continuing, “I’m not saying you can’t be angry… but you’re not allowed to be angry at me about this. I even told him I’m married.”

“Then why were you protecting him just now?” Xie Hejing asked.

“When did I protect him?” Nan Xu froze for a second. “I was just afraid you’d get into a fight over something so small.”

“And I wasn’t trying to defend anyone. I just felt like it wasn’t worth ruining your mood for the trip over something so trivial. Don’t you think so too?” she said.

She really was afraid that if Xie Hejing got jealous, he’d go on forever, and she’d be the one who suffered for it. If she could coax him a little now, she’d take the chance.

Xie Hejing lowered his eyes. “Nan Xu, since when did you become this good with words?”

So she couldn’t talk, that was a problem. She could talk, also a problem. Why is it so difficult!

She forced out a small smile. “I’m not. I meant it. It’s the truth.”

Hearing that, some of the tension finally left Xie Hejing’s expression. “Fine. Next time I’ll get you a bigger ring, so every man who even thinks about approaching you can see it clearly.”

Nan Xu let out a breath of relief and adjusted the strap of her crossbody bag. “Is that really necessary?”

“Yes,” Xie Hejing said, completely serious. “At the very least, they should know they’re not worthy of you. I don’t want random people coming up to you.”

“But I still like this one.”

Nan Xu gently rubbed the ring on her finger. No matter how many rings or gifts Xie Hejing bought for her afterward, none of them compared to this one. The design was simple, almost plain, but it had been crafted by Xie Hejing himself. It was engraved with “nx,” and with all the affection he’d carried for her—unchanged from his youth to now.

Xie Hejing also realized this ring couldn’t be replaced. “Fine then, I’ll give you something else.”

“Why are you always thinking about giving me things?” Nan Xu laughed.

Ever since she’d jokingly mentioned “a fee for changing what she called him,” Xie Hejing had been trying to give her gifts every so often. But Nan Xu never accepted them; he couldn’t even find the chance to give them to her.

“Is it really that hard to give you something?” Xie Hejing sighed, sounding uncharacteristically defeated.

“Don’t give me anything. I already have more than enough. I can’t even use everything I have. Whatever you give me will just end up sitting around gathering dust.”

By nature, Nan Xu wasn’t someone who cared for luxury. She felt that having enough was enough.

But Xie Hejing took it another way. To him, it meant he simply hadn’t found the right gift that touched her heart. He lowered his eyes in thought, then lifted them with a teasing smile.

“How about this… why don’t I give myself to you?”

Hearing that, Nan Xu abruptly stopped walking.

Xie Hejing raised his eyebrows and stopped as well. “What’s wrong? Did that make your heart flutter?”

Nan Xu let out a small huff. “Weren’t you already mine long ago?”

“Or… did you not think so?” She crossed her arms, sounding hurt.

Seeing the flicker of panic in his eyes, amusement rose in Nan Xu’s own, but she quickly pushed it down and deliberately said, “I get it now. I was just being full of myself.”

She lowered her head and refused to say anything more, walking straight ahead like she wanted nothing to do with him.

Watching her look so disappointed, Xie Hejing wished he could travel back a few minutes and clamp a hand over his own mouth.

“No, I didn’t mean it like that.”

The laugh that bubbled up in Nan Xu’s throat was forcibly swallowed back down. Her cheeks puffed into round little curves as she kept her head down, afraid that if she looked up or spoke even a word, she’d burst out laughing.

But to Xie Hejing, her posture made her look even more upset.

“Nan Xu!”

“I said it wrong just now.”

“NAN XU!!!”

Nan Xu ignored him and walked even faster.

That only made Xie Hejing more frantic. When she was easy to coax, one kiss would fix everything; when she wasn’t, ten sentences still wouldn’t get a single word out of her.

He hurried his pace, stepped around Nan Xu, and blocked her path by placing the suitcase right in front of her legs, forcing her to stop.

“What are you doing?” Nan Xu pretended to be angry.

Xie Hejing hadn’t expected one sentence to have such a big impact. He bent down slightly, coaxing her, “I’m yours. I’ve always been yours. I’ll always be yours. Okay?”

Nan Xu pressed her lips together and turned her head away, taking a deep breath to hide the smile tugging uncontrollably at her mouth.

“Give me a clear answer,” Xie Hejing said. “If you still won’t talk to me, I’ll kiss you right here.”

These two really were perfectly matched, each had their own way of dealing with the other.

Nan Xu truly feared he might ignore the surroundings and do something impulsive, so she quickly answered, “Okay, okay!”

A few years ago, Xie Hejing would never have believed that one day he’d be chasing after Nan Xu, practically offering himself up to her.

While they were talking, they reached the meeting point.

They ran straight into Wen Qi and Wei Qingxuan. Wen Qi was the type who never carried much herself, yet today she was dragging a small suitcase. She said it was filled entirely with her makeup and she didn’t trust Wei Qingxuan not to break anything.

When they turned their heads, they saw Xiang Weishi standing off to the side with two backpacks on his back and three suitcases in hand, while An Nian held her own small suitcase and greeted everyone sweetly.

Wen Qi smiled politely at An Nian, but when her eyes landed on Xiang Weishi, her expression was nowhere near as kind.

Clicking her tongue, Wen Qi shook her head. “Xiang Weishi, are you moving houses or going on a trip?”

Xiang Weishi rolled his eyes. “These are all An Nian’s. Can’t you see everything is pink? I only have one suitcase.”

Hearing that, An Nian lowered her head shyly. “I couldn’t help it… I brought a little too much.”

Nan Xu stepped forward. “It’s fine, bring more if you need to. Girls usually have a lot of stuff, it’s normal. Xiang Weishi, you’re her brother, so cut her some slack.”

“Oh, I’ve been cutting her slack,” he grumbled, placing the two backpacks temporarily on top of the suitcase. The suitcase wobbled twice under the weight. “If I wasn’t cutting her any slack, all this stuff would already be dumped on the road.”

“An Nian, what on earth do you have in here? It’s ridiculously heavy.”

An Nian said, “Nothing much… just my quilt and pillow. I can’t sleep well without them.”

Xiang Weishi: “……”

“You’re going on a trip and you bring your own quilt and pillow? Why not bring your whole bed?”

“That wouldn’t be very appropriate,” An Nian said seriously.

“You do know it wouldn’t be appropriate?! My back is about to snap in half because of you.”

“Then… I’ll carry it myself,” An Nian said, reaching for her suitcase.

Xiang Weishi might complain endlessly, but his hands were honest, before she even touched it, he hoisted her suitcase up onto his back in one go. “Enough, enough. Let’s go to security check.”

. . . . .

They arrived in Mo City at dusk. Compared to Zhi’an, the temperature here dropped sharply, and the difference between day and night was huge—honestly, the perfect place for someone like Nan Xu, who hated the heat, to escape the summer.

But she hadn’t been paying attention to adding layers, and as soon as they got off the plane, she couldn’t help sneezing. Xie Hejing immediately draped his jacket over her shoulders.

Luckily, they were soon in the car heading to the hotel, and Nan Xu wasn’t exposed to the cold air for long. If she caught a cold on the very first day, the rest of the trip would definitely be ruined.

After hours of traveling, everyone decided to rest the first night and save the sightseeing for the next day. Mo City was a seaside town, and Nan Xu naturally preferred going to the beach. The others agreed without hesitation.

The moment they entered the hotel, the chilly wind was kept outside. Nan Xu took off Xie Hejing’s jacket and collapsed onto the hotel’s sofa.

“The shape is so unique, it looks like a seashell.” She walked into the bedroom. The bedsheets and duvet were all designed with a beach theme. She couldn’t help but sigh sincerely, “Qiqi is really good at picking hotels.”

“Go take a bath, you were in the cold wind just now.” Xie Hejing opened her suitcase and rummaged through it for a long time, but didn’t find a single thick set of sleepwear. “You didn’t bring anything warmer to sleep in?”

Nan Xu was speechless. “I… forgot.”

She’d known Mo City was cooler at night than Zhi’an, but she hadn’t expected this much of a drop.

“I’ll wear a nightdress, it should be fine!” She picked out a gray slip dress. “And the hotel has heating anyway. As soon as I finish bathing, I’ll go straight under the covers.”

Hearing her last few words, Xie Hejing’s brows twitched slightly. He didn’t argue, though. Instead, he said gently, “That’s fine. Don’t stay in the bath too long. I’ll order you some late-night snacks.”

“Okay, okay!”

Just thinking about snacks made Nan Xu shorten her usual hour-long bath to barely thirty minutes.

When she came out, she really did see several plates of Mo City specialty snacks neatly arranged on the table. She walked over and started eating happily.

She casually grabbed the cold water beside her and took a sip. “How come you’re ordering late-night snacks for me today?”

He normally never let her eat at this hour.

“I’m afraid you won’t have any strength later,” Xie Hejing said with a faint curve of his lips.

Nan Xu froze instantly, she had a conditioned reflex to that kind of matter. Her movements stopped, and her eyelashes fluttered. “We just got to Mo City today, and I’m on my period…”

Xie Hejing’s gaze dropped to the cold water in her hand. Nan Xu was usually very careful about this, especially since this period had been unusually painful for her. For days, she had completely avoided cold drinks. Even if she accidentally drank something cool, she’d hold it in her mouth until it warmed before swallowing. She definitely wouldn’t drink it straight like she just had.

This morning, Xie Hejing had asked her about her period so he could prepare whatever she might need. Nan Xu kept saying it wasn’t over yet and that she could handle everything herself.

In reality, it had fully ended yesterday.

But she had been worried that she’d teased Xie Hejing too much earlier, and once her period ended, she’d be the one who suffered for it. So she intentionally dragged it out, only to accidentally expose herself just now.

Nan Xu quickly put down the cold water and even pushed the snacks back to where they originally were.

“Um… I’m full. You take your time eating. I’m going to wash my hand and go to bed.”

“Nan Xu.”

His voice slipped from between his teeth, slow and unhurried—like an invisible rope tightening around her.

“You dare lie to me?”

She was done. She was absolutely done tonight.

Even the tip of her heart trembled.

She took a deep breath. “I didn’t lie.”

“It… just ended. Just now.”

Xie Hejing stepped forward, bent down, and looked her in the eyes. “I’ll ask you one more time. When did it actually end? If you tell me the truth now, I might consider letting you off tonight.”

“Really?” Nan Xu asked.

He lifted his chin slightly. “Mm. Really.”

Nan Xu swallowed and confessed honestly, “The day before yesterday.”

The day before yesterday!!!

Xie Hejing almost choked on his own breath. This girl had lied to him for two whole days.

If he let her off tonight, that would truly mean something was wrong with him.

“The day before yesterday, huh? The day before yesterday…” The more Xie Hejing repeated it, the tighter his hand on Nan Xu’s shoulder became, until he finally just lifted her straight off the ground and carried her toward the bed.

“You’re going back on your word! Didn’t you say you’d let me go?” Nan Xu struggled and protested.

“I said I’d consider it.”

And his final answer was clear, there was absolutely no way he was letting Nan Xu off.

Nan Xu kept resisting. Even after he put her down on the bed, she didn’t stop.

“You forget you’re wearing a skirt?” Xie Hejing said calmly.

Nan Xu’s breath caught in her throat. She didn’t dare move too much and instead softened her voice, trying to negotiate. “We’re going to the beach tomorrow… If I can’t walk properly, that’d be so embarrassing.”

“And I packed so many pretty outfits. If you leave marks on me, I won’t be able to wear any of them.”

“So?” Xie Hejing asked, clearly not moved.

“So tonight… we should both just sleep peacefully. Okay?” Nan Xu pleaded.

“No.”

Xie Hejing leaned down, his whole body pressing against hers, tightening her breath yet making her too afraid to push him away.

“You know how many days I’ve held back.”

“I know.” Nan Xu racked her brains, trying to think of what to say.

But Xie Hejing no longer had the patience. Even so, he held on to the last thread of reason, his voice unbearably soft and intimate. “Wife… take them off yourself.”

“So I won’t end up hurting you later.”

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