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Chapter 68

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“Hey, didn’t you two plan to eat out tonight? Why are you back so early?”

When they opened the door and came in, Zhang Huiwan and Xie Hengzhi were sitting on the couch watching TV.

Zhang Huiwan glanced at the clock, it was only 7:37 PM.

Usually, when the two of them went out for dinner, they wouldn’t be home until after ten.

“Did you eat already?” Xie Hengzhi asked.

“Yeah,” Nan Xu turned her head toward Xie Hejing. “We ate out before coming back.”

Xie Hejing nodded. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t let your daughter go hungry.”

At that “your daughter,” Zhang Huiwan chuckled in satisfaction. In her heart, Nan Xu really was no different from a daughter.

“Well then, come watch TV with me,” Zhang Huiwan said, patting the spot beside her. “There’s a new drama out. Jiaojiao, come watch it with Auntie. You can’t think about work all the time, you’ll burn yourself out.”

“Sure,” Nan Xu said with a smile. “I’ve been watching dramas lately too.”

She sat down beside Zhang Huiwan, only to realize it was an idol drama.

“What’s so good about these shows?” Xie Hengzhi muttered from the side. “You liked them back then, and you still like them now.”

At work, Zhang Huiwan was the type of sharp, decisive boss everyone respected. But at home, she softened completely—her toughness melted away. She even liked dragging Xie Hengzhi into watching dramas with her.

When the show got emotional, she’d start complaining about the plot, and even if Xie Hengzhi didn’t follow along, she’d rope him into the discussion.

He didn’t really get the shows, but he didn’t mind bantering with her about them.

“Yesterday that…uh, what’s the female lead’s name again?” Xie Hengzhi frowned, then gave up. “Anyway, the main girl died, and you came into the room crying about it afterward.”

Nan Xu couldn’t help twitching her lips, she hadn’t expected Aunt Zhang to be so sentimental.

Zhang Huiwan choked, realizing both Nan Xu and Xie Hejing were there. She cleared her throat. “What nonsense are you saying! Who cried? If you don’t want to watch, then go back to your room.”

Xie Hejing burst out laughing. “Mom, you were really into it, huh?”

Being teased by both father and son, Zhang Huiwan didn’t get angry. “Fine, my daughter and I will watch. You two can leave.”

Leave?

Xie Hejing looked at Nan Xu, no way he was leaving while she was here.

“I think I need to relax too,” he said, straight-faced.

Nan Xu tried hard to hide her laugh.

Zhang Huiwan raised her chin toward Xie Hengzhi. “And you?”

“…I’ll watch.”

If he didn’t, she’d just talk his ear off about it later, and he’d have no idea what to say.

But after a few minutes, his attention drifted elsewhere anyway. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his son staring intently at the screen, smiling to himself.

“Hejing, since when do you like idol dramas?” he asked, genuinely baffled.

He’d never known his son to enjoy this kind of thing.

But Xie Hejing wasn’t really watching the drama at all.

On the darkened reflection of the TV screen, he could see Nan Xu’s face.

Her eyes were gentle, her head tilted slightly as she listened to Zhang Huiwan, nodding every so often. Her voice was light and sweet, her laughter soft and playful.

That was his girlfriend.

The smile on Xie Hejing’s lips spread slowly to the corners of his eyes.

Nan Xu.

——his very own, real-life idol drama.

When Xie Hengzhi asked, Xie Hejing nodded briskly. “Mm. Like.”

That answer immediately caught Nan Xu and Zhang Huiwan’s attention.

Both of them leaned forward to look at him, and Zhang Huiwan asked curiously, “When did that happen? How come I didn’t know?”

“Mom, I’ve liked her for a long time. There are plenty of things you don’t know.” Xie Hejing replied with a hint of meaning behind his words.

Zhang Huiwan didn’t think much of it and happily went back to discussing the drama with Nan Xu.

Then, suddenly, a message popped up on Nan Xu’s phone—it was from Xie Hejing.

She glanced at Zhang Huiwan, who was drinking water, then quietly unlocked her phone.

Xie Hejing: [I’m coming to see you tonight. Don’t sleep too early.]

Nan Xu tilted her phone slightly to hide the screen and typed: [That’s not a good idea. What if someone finds out?]

Xie Hejing reminded her: [I can’t sleep without you, girlfriend.]

[Insomnia is even worse.]

Nan Xu: [Are you planning to sleep in my room?]

Xie Hejing: [You could come to mine instead, unless you’re afraid of getting caught sneaking out.]

Nan Xu: [Aren’t you afraid of being caught?]

Xie Hejing: [I’ll just make something up. Can you?]

Reading that, Nan Xu frowned slightly—she wasn’t good at lying.

If she really got caught coming out of his room, she’d never be able to explain it away.

She didn’t reply for a long time, but Xie Hejing knew that meant she’d already agreed.

His Adam’s apple bobbed once before he typed his final message: [Wait for me tonight.]

He hit send…

Nan Xu’s heart lurched, but she forced herself to stay calm. Zhang Huiwan had just set down her glass, so Nan Xu quickly flipped her phone face-down on her lap and continued chatting with her, though her mind was clearly elsewhere.

As the night grew later, Nan Xu couldn’t help but yawn.

“Jiaojiao, are you sleepy? Why don’t you go rest? If you’re curious about the rest of the show, Auntie will tell you tomorrow.” Zhang Huiwan patted her hand kindly. “Were you tired from work today?”

“Not really.” Nan Xu held her phone tightly. Her eyes were burning from fatigue, so she rubbed them and said softly, “Then… Auntie, I’ll head to my room. See you in the morning.”

“See you tomorrow, dear. Go get some sleep.”

As Nan Xu passed by, Xie Hejing subtly stretched out a foot.

Caught off guard, she tripped and stumbled to the side.

Just before she fell, Xie Hejing shot up and caught her, one hand supporting her while the other secretly gripped her arm. “Careful,” he said, holding her hand firmly. “How are you this sleepy?”

Nan Xu glared at him, her hand trembling around her phone. She didn’t dare move too much, lowering her eyes—her lashes casting a trembling shadow across her cheeks.

She tried to pull her hand back, but he only tightened his grip.

Both Zhang Huiwan and Xie Hengzhi looked over. Xie Hejing shrugged casually and slowly released her hand.

“Watch where you’re going.”

“Mm,” Nan Xu murmured, swallowing hard. “Thanks… Brother.”

“You’re welcome.”

Nan Xu’s movements were somewhat stiff as she walked back to her room. She stayed there, and as time passed minute by minute, she grew increasingly nervous.

Soothing, relaxing music was playing on her phone. Nan Xu lay on the bed, eyes closed, resting.

Around 10:45 PM, a knock sounded on the door.

At the sound of the knocking, Nan Xu suddenly opened her eyes, quickly got out of bed, and opened the door. Standing before her was Xie Hejing, wearing a bathrobe.

The black bathrobe concealed his lean body, and the loose collar was casually open, allowing a faint glimpse of the edge of the tattoo on his shoulder.

His whole being exuded untamed sexiness.

Nan Xu’s throat tightened: “Why are you dressed like that?”

Xie Hejing raised an eyebrow, not bothering to hide anything, and stated plainly: “It’ll be easier to take off later.”

Seeing her still blocking the doorway, Xie Hejing asked, “Aren’t you going to let me in? If someone sees us…”

That single phrase immediately touched Nan Xu’s nerve. She grabbed Xie Hejing’s wrist and pulled him inside.

Xie Hejing lowered his gaze, his eyes fixed on her fingertips. His Adam’s apple bobbed twice, unable to conceal the surging excitement in his eyes.

The feeling of sneaking in versus being pulled in by her was truly different.

“You seem quite eager, huh?” he said with a long, drawn-out tone.

After pulling him in, Nan Xu didn’t know what to do next. Hearing Xie Hejing’s teasing, her eyes flickered, but she feigned composure.

“I’m not eager at all, I just didn’t want you to be discovered.”

She glanced around the room and said unnaturally, “Well… let’s sleep,” she released Xie Hejing, returned to the bed, and pulled the covers up. “Hurry up and sleep. If you wake up late tomorrow, you’ll definitely be found out.”

“You actually think I just came here purely to sleep?” Xie Hejing chuckled, his eyes full of indulgence for Nan Xu’s action of burying herself under the covers.

“Then what do you want to do?” Nan Xu asked.

Xie Hejing walked closer and sat on the edge of her bed. “Didn’t I tell you last time?”

“Tell me what?” she asked.

How could her memory be so poor?

Xie Hejing had no choice but to repeat it. “To give you a chance to sleep with me, and also… to tie me up.”

Hearing this, Nan Xu sat up. “Are you serious?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

He took a bundle of red string from his two slanted pockets. “I brought my things.”

This familiar red string made Nan Xu feel hot all over. “Why is it red string again?”

“So that every time you see red string from now on, you’ll think of me.”

He extended his hand. “Come on.”

Under Xie Hejing’s gaze, Nan Xu took a breath and took the red string in her hand, but for a long time, she made no move.

Xie Hejing curled the corner of his mouth, leaning back against the headboard, his legs casually placed, the bathrobe slipping, half-covering, half-exposing him.

He pressed his tongue against his teeth, and his hoarse, moist voice said to her, “Baby, come here.”

Nan Xu accumulated a pile of courage before slowly bending her legs, her knees rubbing against the sheet, slowly moving toward Xie Hejing.

Xie Hejing directly scooped her up and placed her on his lap, putting her fingertips on the edge of his robe: “Take it off.”

She didn’t move.

He gently pinched her burning red earlobe, his breath washing over her: “Naughty baby, are you doing this on purpose?”

Hearing that address, Nan Xu held her breath and said shyly, “No, not at all.”

“You are not? But you keep being still, and I’m going to lose control,” Xie Hejing deliberately thrust his leg upwards and said, “Why are you shaking so much?”

Nan Xu instantly tumbled forward against him. She let out a soft sound, “You… you bad thing, you’re the one doing it on purpose.”

“Mm-hmm,” Xie Hejing admitted, “I am doing it on purpose.”

“Didn’t you agree to let me help you?”

He grasped Nan Xu’s lower back, pressing her down. The heat brushed against Nan Xu’s thigh, and she bit her lip to stifle a whimper.

“Feel it. See how it is now? If you still won’t help, I’ll just do it myself. Want to watch it happen?” Xie Hejing’s hand brushed along Nan Xu’s thigh, then picked up the red string that had fallen onto the bed earlier and placed it back into her hand.

The air was thick with ambiguous, passionate currents, vaguely enveloping the two of them.

“Be good, help me.”

Nan Xu nodded slowly.

She rolled off Xie Hejing, her fingertips gripping the sash of his bathrobe, gently pulling it up.

Then, Xie Hejing’s physique slowly revealed itself before her: naturally smooth lines, a flat stomach, and powerful obliques.

As the bathrobe slowly fell away, the hem swept past Nan Xu’s leg. She looked down, then quickly averted her eyes, unable to stop a gasp: “You… why are you like this?”

Even though it wasn’t the first time she had seen him, Nan Xu still felt shy.

Xie Hejing truly couldn’t stand Nan Xu’s voice, her figure, or even her breathing; the moment he saw her, every nerve in his body would become uncontrollably stimulated.

“Are you just going to look?”

Xie Hejing leaned close to her ear, guiding her hand closer to the heat.

“Naughty baby, touch it, okay?”

“And then wrap it around…”

Xie Hejing’s words guided her step by step until the intense heat was transferred to Nan Xu’s palm.

She completely closed her eyes.

Xie Hejing kissed her eyelid, coaxing her, “Open your eyes, we have to start wrapping.”

Upon hearing this, Nan Xu became completely nervous, and the force she unconsciously used in her hand increased slightly.

“Hiss…” Xie Hejing groaned, then whispered, “You truly are a naughty baby, truly…”

Hearing his reaction, Nan Xu opened her eyes and quickly asked, “What’s wrong? Does it hurt a lot?”

She tried to withdraw her hand, but Xie Hejing held it fast.

Xie Hejing let out two laughs from his throat, full of uncontrollable pleasure, his eyes half-closed.

“Truly, I love it to death.”

To Nan Xu’s ears, that sound was nothing but provocation and encouragement.

She looked at the bundle of red string and asked uncertainly, “Will it hurt if I wrap it around?”

Xie Hejing looked nonchalant: “It doesn’t matter if it hurts. It’s in your hands; you can do whatever you want with me.”

Nan Xu took the red string with her other hand, shook it loose, and found the end of the line.

She pulled it, but hesitated to ask him, “Where should I start?”

Xie Hejing only replied, “Anywhere is fine.”

Nan Xu scrutinized him for a moment, then first wrapped the red string once around his waist. The close proximity allowed her to feel his straining muscles, and the strength in her hands failed her.

The red string tightened. Xie Hejing narrowed his eyes, staring at Nan Xu’s movements with a half-smile, asking with interest, “And where next?”

Nan Xu’s breathing was erratic, and her heart was pounding almost unbearably. Her finger pointed at the heat: “Here.”

In that instant, a fierce desire ignited in Xie Hejing’s heart, an uncontrollable intensity that threatened to completely consume him.

He just gripped the bed sheet beside him and answered hoarsely, “Okay.”

Nan Xu’s fingertips curled as she grasped the red string, winding it upward in slow, spiral loops—tightening and pulling it taut bit by bit.

His sensitive nerves were repeatedly jolted, and Xie Hejing tensed his whole body with all his strength, forcing two low groans from deep within his chest.

Swollen veins snaked their way up his thigh. The bed sheet was already wrinkled from his grip, and the force of Xie Hejing’s effort caused the fabric’s contraction to make a sound.

Nan Xu, however, was unusually calm at this moment, even harboring a little mischievous thought.

As she reached the final circle, when Xie Hejing wasn’t paying attention, she slowly pulled the red string and wrapped it back around his upper body, completely binding him.

In an instant, the red strings on Xie Hejing’s body rubbed violently. His breathing changed from a soft groan to a deep growl. His eyes were red at the corners, and he asked her, “Do you want to feel it?”

Before Nan Xu could even ask what he meant by “feel it,” Xie Hejing reached out and pulled her back onto his lap.

Nan Xu regretted it; she should have started by tying Xie Hejing’s hands first.

Xie Hejing’s slightly trembling hands constrained Nan Xu. With a casual embrace, he positioned her so that she could better and more accurately “feel.”

“Your masterpiece. How is it?”

Xie Hejing began to slowly move deeper and then withdraw. The completely different sensation from before left Nan Xu nearly speechless. The very red string that bound Xie Hejing was now mercilessly rubbing against her.

Nan Xu’s legs instantly felt weak and sore.

The scorching pressure, carried by the red string, tirelessly intertwined with her again and again.

The gradually increasing rustling sound made Nan Xu press down on Xie Hejing’s wrist: “Stop… it. It feels uncomfortable.”

Xie Hejing, however, asked with a smile, “Where does it feel uncomfortable? On the outside or…”

Nan Xu shook her head, unable to say anything, only able to focus all her energy on forcefully suppressing her gasps.

Xie Hejing drew her a little closer, his voice low and rough as he murmured, “Be good… feel it a little longer.”

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Chapter 67

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The night was as dark as ink. Xie Hejing leaned against the railing, a cigarette loosely held between his fingers.

The flame flickered, bright and dim, as thin smoke rose and veiled half his face.

In his mind, he kept hearing Nan Xu’s words from earlier:

“Be my boyfriend.”

But she had been drinking tonight, and he couldn’t tell whether it was something she blurted out on impulse or if she truly meant it.

After all, this girl often forgot what she said after drinking.

Maybe tonight she’d said it without thinking and tomorrow she’d take it all back.

Xie Hejing crushed the cigarette out, a restless irritation rising in his chest.

He didn’t sleep at all that night.

By the time dawn came, he had only dozed for a couple of hours. When he woke, his head ached dully, and he sat on the edge of the bed for a long while before finally pulling himself together.

When he went downstairs, three people were already seated at the table waiting for him.

Zhang Huiwan called out, “Come eat, you’re just in time,” then added casually, “You’re up late today.”

Xie Hejing’s gaze fell on Nan Xu.

She was quietly sipping her soy milk, saying nothing, as if trying to make herself invisible.

He didn’t say a word, just kept his eyes fixed on her movements.

Seeing that she truly had no reaction, not even glancing his way, he frowned in irritation.

Following his line of sight, Zhang Huiwan glanced at Nan Xu, puzzled. “What are you looking at? Jiaojiao’s been up for ages, you’re the last one.”

“Oh.” Xie Hejing turned slightly, his tone cool and even.

He sat down beside Nan Xu, lifted the bowl of porridge in front of him, and asked casually, “Nan Xu, did you sleep well last night?”

“…Pretty well.”

Nan Xu’s tone was calm, revealing nothing unusual.

“No dreams?” he pressed, unwilling to let it go.

Even in that brief stretch of shallow sleep, he had dreamt of her.

Nan Xu’s eyelashes fluttered for a moment before she composed herself again. “No, I slept just fine.”

“You…”

“Alright, alright, stop with all the questions,” Zhang Huiwan cut in. “Eat up and get going, you’ll be late for work.”

Cut off mid-sentence, Xie Hejing said nothing more. Nan Xu’s lips curled ever so slightly, a smile hidden behind the rim of her soy milk.

She knew exactly what he’d wanted to ask—about last night.

Truth was, for the first time after drinking, she remembered everything she’d said, every word crystal clear.

And she certainly hadn’t forgotten how, after she asked him to be her boyfriend, he’d gone completely still—neither replying nor moving—just staring at her quietly, as if trying to carve that version of her deep into his memory.

The car was silent. Nan Xu slowly drew out a faint smile, catching her own reflection in Xie Hejing’s dark eyes.

Just as she was about to lean closer for a clearer look, he gently set her down, opened the car door, and stepped out.

He didn’t go far, just leaned against the car door.

From inside, through the glass, Nan Xu could see him clearly.

He pulled a cigarette from his bag, held it between his lips, and flicked the lighter.

A spark flared—once, twice—but the flame wouldn’t catch.

Maybe it was just that the wind tonight was too strong.

Nan Xu could only guess.

Her eyes were heavy with sleep, yet she forced them open to glance outside.

Xie Hejing was standing there with a lighter in one hand and shielding the flame with the other. He flicked it several times, but the cigarette still wouldn’t light.

Strange.

Her gaze gradually focused on his hand—and then she realized, maybe it wasn’t the wind’s fault.

It was his hand.

——It was shaking.

Nan Xu couldn’t remember exactly when Xie Hejing had returned to the car. All she could recall was that just as she was about to drift completely into sleep,
he had pulled her gently into his arms and whispered beside her ear,
his tone unusually solemn: “Nan Xu, you’ve been drinking tonight. Think it over tomorrow, then tell me again.”

Even now, she didn’t understand why he hadn’t just agreed at the time—why he wanted her to say it again when sober.

For someone like Nan Xu, there were things she could only say out loud with the courage of alcohol.

On the drive to the office the next morning, neither of them spoke. Xie Hejing seemed perfectly composed, not once bringing up the night before—
though every now and then, he would glance sideways at her.

He could have agreed right away last night.

He’d dreamt of hearing those words from her more times than he could count.

He could have even recorded it—so that even if she denied it later, he’d have proof.

But the more he cherished it, the more Xie Hejing didn’t want to respond carelessly while Nan Xu was muddle-headed.

He wanted her to mean it.

The whole day passed with no mention of it, everything between them outwardly normal.

Nan Xu sat at her desk, chin propped on one hand, staring absently toward Xie Hejing’s office, where he worked with his usual calm and precision.

Did he really forget what happened last night?
No, his expression that morning made it clear he hadn’t.

Then why was he so composed now?
Was it because… he didn’t want to agree?

Nan Xu bit her lip, feeling her mood sink further.

When work ended, Xie Hejing simply said they’d eat out tonight. She didn’t even stop to ask whether he had told Aunt Zhang and Uncle Xie.

Her mind was caught on a single loop: should she bring it up first?

In the car, she reached into her bag for her phone, only to realize she’d left it at her desk.

“I left my bag upstairs,” she said. “I’ll go get it.”

Before she could open the door, Xie Hejing caught her wrist. “I’ll go,” he said, pushing the door open. Then, pausing, he turned back and asked,
half teasing, half serious, “You can stay put this time, right?”

He really didn’t want to come back and find her crying again.

At the mention of last night, Nan Xu’s heart tensed up—but he still didn’t say anything about her confession.

Her voice came out soft. “I can.”

After he left, her thoughts spiraled into a quiet mess.

She had truly believed Xie Hejing would agree. But after an entire day of silence… did that mean he was refusing her?

She couldn’t make sense of it, no matter how she tried.

About fifteen minutes later, Xie Hejing came rushing back into the parking lot—
not only with her bag, but also holding a warm paper bag of roasted chestnuts.

Her favorite kind. From the little shop two streets away from the company. She’d only mentioned it briefly this morning.

He could’ve waited and driven her there himself, but Xie Hejing had wanted her to eat them sooner. So he went and bought them himself.

When he came back, Xie Hejing had been running a bit too fast, and now a fine sheen of sweat dotted his forehead.

The warmth from the roasted chestnuts in his hand spread slowly to Nan Xu through his touch. She sniffled softly, her gaze lingering on the faint smile on Xie Hejing’s face—then suddenly, a memory from years ago surfaced.

That year, when they were punished to stand outside the classroom, Xie Hejing had taken all the blame for her over a phone call. In the end, he was made to stand in the hallway by the math teacher—and her share of the punishment came with it.

Nan Xu’s seat had been near the corridor. When the math teacher wasn’t looking, she quietly lifted the curtain to peek outside.

Sure enough, Xie Hejing was standing there, obediently taking his punishment. She’d heard from Xiang Weishi and the others that Xie Hejing had been punished before, but he’d never taken it seriously—he would just fool around a bit, and once the teacher left, he’d find a spot to nap.

But that time, he really did stand there for a full half hour.

When Nan Xu lifted the curtain, he seemed to sense it. He turned his head and caught her in the act of peeking.

Back then, Nan Xu had still been a little afraid of him—and found it strange that he would help her like that.

Startled by his glance, she quickly dropped the curtain, pretending she hadn’t seen anything.

But ten minutes later, her thoughts drifted back to him again. She couldn’t help but sneak another peek.

What she didn’t expect was that Xie Hejing had been watching that spot the whole time, waiting for her to appear again.

The moment her face showed up, sunlight from the hallway struck her eyes.

Xie Hejing raised an eyebrow and stepped sideways, blocking all the glaring light for her.

He didn’t really look like someone being punished—he stood there lazily, hands in his pockets, his posture careless and easy. The corners of his eyes tilted up with a kind of playful charm, and when he smiled, one sharp canine showed. He lifted his chin toward her and mouthed silently:

“Classmate Xiao Nan, peeking at me?”

That was the first time Nan Xu ever etched a boy’s face so clearly into her memory.

. . . . .

“Why aren’t you eating?” Xie Hejing asked, noticing that Nan Xu was holding the chestnut absentmindedly.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Nan Xu glanced up and saw the sweat still beading on his forehead. She pulled out a tissue from her bag and gently wiped it for him.

As she dabbed away the sweat, another memory quietly came back.

It was about three days after the college entrance exams. The whole of Zhi’an was sweltering, and the air conditioner at home had broken down.

Zhang Huiwan was at work. After Nan Xu called to tell her, she couldn’t come home right away, so she told Nan Xu to stay put and arranged for a repairman to come over.

She even asked whether Xie Hejing was around. When she heard that he’d gone to play basketball despite the heat, Zhang Huiwan scolded him lightly and told Nan Xu to call him back home.

The repairman would arrive in an hour, and since it wasn’t convenient for a young girl to handle it alone, Xie Hejing should be there to talk to the repairman.

So Nan Xu had no choice but to call him, though her words came out a little awkwardly.

“Brother, the air conditioner at home broke down… The repairman will come soon. Auntie asked you to… to come home first.”

She was afraid she’d disturb him and get scolded.

But Xie Hejing didn’t sound upset at all, he just asked when it had broken.

Nan Xu thought about it and said, about half an hour ago.

On the other end of the line, the background was noisy; she could even hear his friends talking.

“What, you’re done already? We just started playing!” someone said.

“The air conditioner’s broken, so what? It’s not like you have to fix it yourself.”

“Hey, you’re bailing on us today. Next time, you’re buying dinner.”

Xie Hejing responded with a short “yeah,” tossed the basketball to someone nearby, and…

The next second, the line went quiet. All Nan Xu could hear was the sound of his footsteps. She guessed he must’ve left the court.

A couple of seconds later, his voice came again. “Hot?”

“Ah?” Nan Xu thought he was asking if the house was hot. “Yeah, pretty hot,” she replied.

Even sitting still, she could feel the thick, restless heat of summer pressing against her skin.

Through the window, she saw the wind ripple through the trees, the green leaves swaying like waves. Sitting on the sofa, she let her thoughts drift into a quiet blank.

Twenty minutes later, the door opened.

Nan Xu quickly got up to meet him.

The moment Xie Hejing stepped inside, a wave of heat came in with him.

He was carrying a foam box, which he placed down in front of her before clearing his throat. “If it’s hot, eat these.”

Nan Xu blinked in surprise before opening the box. Inside were two big ice packs, bottles of cold water, and a pile of popsicles—lots of kinds, even some old-fashioned ones she hadn’t seen since childhood.

She leaned closer; the cool air from the box brushed against her face, instantly driving away the heat clinging to her skin.

But compared to her comfort, Xie Hejing looked completely drenched in sweat. Worried the ice would melt, he had apparently sprinted all the way back carrying the box.

His red jersey was soaked through, the fabric darkening in patches, and beads of sweat clung to his temples.

Nan Xu pulled a tissue from her pocket and stepped forward to wipe his forehead.

But Xie Hejing turned his head aside. “I’m all sweaty, it’s gross.”

“It’s not gross.”

At that, his gaze landed on her face.

She was smiling, a small dimple showing at the corner of her mouth, her eyes curved softly as she lifted her hand toward him. “Brother, bend down a little, okay?”

“—!”

“—!!”

Xie Hejing could hear his own heartbeat—loud, heavy, and getting harder to ignore.

He stared at her for several seconds before finally leaning down, slowly, in front of her.

. . . . .

Nan Xu’s thoughts were drifting today; she’d been thinking about a lot of old memories.

Her lips curved up unconsciously.

Seeing that, Xie Hejing asked, “What are you thinking about that makes you smile like that?”

Nan Xu peeled a chestnut but didn’t eat it. Instead, she held it up to his lips.

Xie Hejing leaned forward and took it into his mouth.

When her fingers brushed against Xie Hejing’s soft lips, Nan Xu’s hand curled slightly, a hint of nervousness tightening her chest. Still, she couldn’t help asking again, her voice barely above a whisper:

“Xie Hejing… will you be my boyfriend?”

Xie Hejing froze for a moment, his breath catching. He’d been holding back all day, but this time he couldn’t anymore—he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.

“I was actually planning to bring it up later,” he said with a small laugh, “when we got to the restaurant.”

Nan Xu blinked, puzzled. “Why at the restaurant?”

“To make it more romantic.”

He’d figured girls liked romantic things, so he’d already made a reservation that morning and even arranged the decorations.

“Confessing is supposed to be my job, isn’t it?” he said, though the smile on his face refused to fade.

After all, Nan Xu had just asked him twice. For someone as shy as her to say twice that she wanted him to be her boyfriend, Xie Hejing felt like nothing in the world could top that.

“It’s fine if I’m the one saying it,” Nan Xu replied gently. “Besides, I remember you once said you’d only ever be confessed to, you’d never confess to anyone yourself.”

“So, I’ll just do the confessing for you.”

Xie Hejing paused, thinking. He vaguely remembered saying that—but that was to someone else, not to her.

Resting his hands on either side of Nan Xu’s head, he chuckled softly. “How could anyone else compare to you?”

“In my eyes, you’re the only one who’s special.”

“So… Nan Xu, I like you. Only you. And I want to be with you, for the rest of my life.”

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Chapter 66

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Early in the morning, Xie Hejing took a phone call while sitting on the sofa.

Even though he kept his voice low on purpose, Nan Xu could still faintly hear bits of his conversation from the bedroom.

“Mm, got it,” Xie Hejing’s voice suddenly became clearer. “Okay.”

“…”

The call lasted about three minutes.

Nan Xu lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling for those same three minutes.

When Xie Hejing came in and saw she was awake, he looked a little surprised. “You’re up early today. Did I wake you?”

Nan Xu shook her head. Sitting up, she recalled what she’d overheard and asked, “Are you going back to Zhi’an?”

Xie Hejing gave a short “yeah.” “There’s a dinner tonight. I need to meet someone important.”

Seeing that she didn’t react much, he tightened his grip on his phone but kept his tone light.

“Assistant Nan, want to come back to Zhi’an with me?”

He wasn’t sure how she’d respond—after all, she’d been upset just yesterday. But there was no way he’d return alone after coming all this way.

If she refused, he half-joked to himself, he’d just have to drag her back.

Nan Xu didn’t say much. She simply got up, threw on a coat, and as she passed him, said crisply, “Alright.”

Xie Hejing froze for a second, eyes following her. “What’s with the sudden obedience today?”

Nan Xu paused, tilted her head, and said, “Maybe because… I miss Uncle and Auntie.”

He’d been trying so hard these past few days to convince her to go back, and now she agreed—because she missed his parents.

Xie Hejing caught her by the wrist. “You can think about anyone you want, but not me?”

Nan Xu blinked, not quite processing that he was actually jealous over this.

“You’re right here beside me,” she said, amused. “Why would I need to miss you?”

“Oh?” He raised a brow. “So you’re saying I should stay away for a few days, let you find out what missing me feels like?”

The jealousy in his tone was practically dripping. Nan Xu could tell he wouldn’t drop it unless she said what he wanted to hear.

“That’s not what I meant,” she said quickly. “I meant—I hope you’ll stay by my side.”

That did the trick. Xie Hejing immediately looked satisfied. “Now that’s more like it.”

He let go of her hand.

“Go wash up. Breakfast’s on the table. I’ll pack up later, and we’ll head back to Zhi’an.”

He really was the kind of person who could be set off by one word and soothed by another.

Nan Xu started toward the bathroom, but then stopped—she’d noticed the dark circles under his eyes.

Walking closer, she studied him for a moment and asked, “Did you not sleep last night?”

Last night, Xie Hejing had held her in his arms, feeling uneasy the entire time. He wanted to ask what was wrong, but she was sleeping so peacefully he couldn’t bring himself to wake her.

And since she seemed in a normal mood this morning, he decided not to ask anymore.

This time she spoke first and asked. Xie Hejing took advantage of the opportunity, leaned on her shoulder, and said in a tired voice, “Mm. I couldn’t sleep until very late, I was thinking about you the whole time.”

“Thinking about me? Why would you think about me?” Nan Xu hadn’t realized she’d done anything worth keeping him up all night. “What were you thinking about, exactly?”

Xie Hejing curved his lips into a faint smile. “I was thinking… when I’ll finally be promoted to official status.”

. . . . .

Their flight was at noon, and the entire way, Xie Hejing never once let go of Nan Xu’s hand, as if afraid she might slip away.

Nan Xu couldn’t help but laugh and reminded him, “You’re squeezing my hand too hard—it hurts.”

Xie Hejing paused.

“…Fine.”

Only then did he loosen his grip.

Two hours later, they were back in Zhi’an.

Out of habit, Nan Xu said she’d take a taxi back to Zhang Huiwan’s place.

Xie Hejing didn’t object, but he did remind her, “It’s not really convenient.”

“What’s inconvenient about it?” Nan Xu asked without thinking. “I already told Auntie before I got on the plane that I’d be home for dinner.”

Xie Hejing was silent for a beat. “…Alright, let’s go then.”

At the villa entrance, Zhang Huiwan and Xie Hengzhi were already waiting. Zhang Huiwan especially looked like she’d been waiting forever.

Nan Xu was the first to get out of the car. “Uncle, Auntie, hello! I missed you both so much.”

It had been over a month since Zhang Huiwan had last seen her. Hearing those sweet words made her feel like her daughter had finally come home.

Though they’d video-called a few times, it still wasn’t the same as seeing her in person.

At a glance, Zhang Huiwan noticed that Nan Xu looked much thinner than before—it made her heart ache.

When she saw the two of them each carrying suitcases, she quickly took Nan Xu’s luggage, shoved it into Xie Hejing’s hands, and linked arms with Nan Xu as they went into the house, chatting warmly.

Left standing behind them, Xie Hejing stared at their backs, his expression forlorn.
They shouldn’t have come back—at least then, Nan Xu would still be by his side all the time.

“Jiaojiao, Auntie missed you so much,” Zhang Huiwan said affectionately. “The other day, when we talked on the phone, you even covered for Xie Hejing. But he’s already confessed—it was his fault for making you angry and not wanting to come home.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve already given him a serious scolding. I guarantee he won’t make you upset again.”

Hearing that, Nan Xu turned to glance at Xie Hejing.

Both hands full of suitcases, he shrugged dramatically, feigning a pitiful look.

Nan Xu couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Seeing her in such good spirits, Zhang Huiwan smiled too. “Come on, let’s eat. You’ve been away for so long—you must be craving my cooking.”

Nan Xu nodded eagerly. “I am.”

After dinner, exhaustion hit her hard. She yawned.

Zhang Huiwan knew Nan Xu had the habit of taking a nap, and she certainly hadn’t rested well on the plane at noon, so she told her to quickly go back to her room and sleep for a while.

Nan Xu was truly exhausted. Without even glancing at Xie Hejing, who clearly wanted to talk to her, she simply answered Zhang Huiwan, then headed straight to her room.

Xie Hejing started after her, but he barely took two steps before Zhang Huiwan called out, “Hejing, where are you going?”

“…”

He stopped, visibly reluctant. “…Just going to rest in my room.”

“Hold on a second,” Zhang Huiwan said. “Come help me translate this document first. My eyes aren’t feeling great today.”

“Okay, I’ll give it to you in a bit,” he replied, clutching his laptop and starting toward the stairs.

“Do it here,” she insisted. “It’s urgent, and I’ve got other things I need your help with after this.”

“…”

He clenched his jaw. “Alright.”

Once again, he felt he really shouldn’t have come back. He couldn’t even get a moment to talk to Nan Xu.

“What’s wrong? You in a hurry?” Zhang Huiwan asked, noticing how fast his fingers were flying across the keyboard.

“No… not in a hurry,” he said through his teeth.

Meanwhile, Nan Xu slept deeply. By the time she woke, it was already time for the dinner event.

Zhang Huiwan and Xie Hengzhi had already eaten and gone out for a walk—they’d probably be back soon.

When Nan Xu came downstairs, only Xie Hejing was there, sitting at the table, typing away on his laptop. He was so focused he didn’t even notice her approach.

She stood there for about half a minute before finally calling out, “Brother, it’s about time. Didn’t you say you had a dinner meeting?”

Hearing her voice, Xie Hejing snapped out of his work. “You’re awake? Want to eat something before we go?”

Nan Xu shook her head. “No need, I’m not hungry yet. We shouldn’t be late.”

“There’s still time,” he said, closing his laptop and setting it aside.

Without another word, he reached out, pulled her into his arms, and buried his face against her neck.

“I want to hold you… kiss you… and maybe even—”

Nan Xu startled, panic flashing across her face. Aunt Zhang and Uncle Xie could come home any minute!

She quickly slipped out of his arms. “Y-you should watch yourself!”

He looked down at his now-empty arms, irritation flickering across his face as he stared at her flustered expression, terrified of being caught. His jaw tightened. “What’s wrong?” he asked deliberately.

Nan Xu muttered, “What if Uncle and Auntie come back soon?”

What if?!

He wanted to just blurt it all out—drag her off tomorrow to get their marriage certificate and end this sneaking around.

But he knew if he pushed too hard, she’d only run.

“So what do you want to do, then?” he asked.

“Let me think first. Either way, we can’t let them find out right now.”

Nan Xu felt it would be too embarrassing to tell them yet. She needed the right moment—especially since she’d been calling Xie Hejing “brother” for so long.

He wasn’t good enough to show off, was that it?!

Xie Hejing gave a cold, humorless laugh. “Sure. After all, I don’t even have an official title yet. If they found out I slept with by you without one, then—”

Nan Xu quickly covered his mouth again.

She was really terrified of Xie Hejing’s reckless tongue—he always managed to say the most outrageous things, and in such a risky place, no less.

“Where was it me being…” Nan Xu bit her lip, “Clearly you were the one who went to Huaining City, and you even tied me up!”

“Alright then,” he said smoothly, “I’ll give you a chance to sleep with me tonight.”

When Nan Xu didn’t respond, Xie Hejing raised an eyebrow, his tone low and teasing. “Do you want to tie me up?”

“Do you want to take the lead, then watch me try to endure it?”

“Nan Xu,” he murmured, voice dark and tempting, “you can do anything you want tonight.”

Xie Hejing’s way of stirring her heart was already masterful; whether it was his tone or his words, she simply couldn’t resist him.

But she still managed to whisper weakly, “I’ve already seen you endure plenty of times.”

Especially during this one month, Xie Hejing had practically turned self-restraint into an art form.

He inhaled sharply, then leaned closer, even more direct now. “Don’t you want to hold it… and watch it struggle—trying so hard to stay under control?”

At first, Nan Xu didn’t quite process what he meant—until he guided her hand over him, slowly, deliberately, until it rested somewhere that made her face instantly burn.

“Stop talking,” she said, flustered.

The moment he saw her reaction, he knew she was embarrassed—but notably, she didn’t push him away this time.

He smiled. “So you do want to.”

Nan Xu opened her mouth but couldn’t bring herself to refuse. Instead, she muttered softly, “But I promised Auntie I’d stay here tonight.”

“That’s fine,” he said carelessly, lips curving. “Makes it even more exciting.”

“You—!”

Nan Xu was once again completely stunned by Xie Hejing’s shamelessness.

“Alright,” he said finally, straightening her rumpled clothes and patting her shoulder. “Let’s go.”

When they arrived at the meeting place, Nan Xu met the “important person” Xie Hejing had mentioned.

“Uncle Shen,” Xie Hejing greeted.

The man’s temples were graying, but his posture was upright, his steps steady, and his voice carried both calmness and authority.

When he saw Xie Hejing, his eyes lit with approval. He patted his shoulder. “Didn’t expect you to improve this much in just a few years. The kid who used to follow me around is now hosting dinners.”

“Uncle Shen, you’re teasing me. The moment I heard you were coming to Zhi’an, I came back from out of town just to see you.”

“Is that so? Well, at least you’re still filial,” Uncle Shen said, his gaze turning casually—but perceptibly—toward Nan Xu.

Nan Xu lowered her head, unsure how to address him. She couldn’t call him “Uncle” like Xie Hejing did, but calling him “President Shen” felt too distant.

Uncle Shen’s eyes were sharp. Years of experience had made him adept at reading people; with just one look, he could guess most of what they were thinking.

If he remembered correctly, this was the first time Xie Hejing had ever brought a woman along—and to meet him, no less.

He studied her for a moment longer.

Nan Xu grew tense, hardly daring to move.

Sensing it, Xie Hejing subtly shifted his body, positioning himself to block Uncle Shen’s line of sight.

Of course he knew exactly what the older man was thinking. But since Nan Xu didn’t want to reveal their relationship, being stared at like that would only make her more nervous.

So he shielded her.

Yet in Uncle Shen’s eyes, that protective gesture was as good as a confession. He glanced at Xie Hejing again, his sharpness softening, then inclined his head slightly toward Nan Xu—as if to confirm.

Xie Hejing’s throat moved, and the corner of his mouth curved into a faint, knowing smile.

He hadn’t said a word—but Uncle Shen had guessed it all on his own.

He nodded in acknowledgment.

Seeing the satisfied grin on Xie Hejing’s face, Uncle Shen suddenly burst out laughing from deep in his chest.

“Hahaha! Come on, let’s go inside. Today’s a good day—I’m in a great mood. We should have a proper meal together.”

Nan Xu had no idea what kind of silent exchange had just passed between the two men. All she noticed was that, in an instant, Uncle Shen’s gaze toward her had softened—from assessing and sharp to warm and friendly.

Throughout the meal, he kept asking her what dishes she liked, occasionally inquiring about her family.

Nan Xu started to wonder if Uncle Shen already knew everything. But watching how naturally Xie Hejing interacted with him, she couldn’t detect anything suspicious—so she simply let it go.

She ended up drinking quite a bit that night. Wanting to leave a good impression on Xie Hejing’s elder, she was the one who first raised her glass to toast.

“President Shen—”

“You can call me Uncle Shen, like that brat does!” he interrupted cheerfully.

Nan Xu’s heart skipped. She immediately glanced at Xie Hejing, who merely turned his head away, pretending complete innocence.

She coughed lightly, lifting her glass since she couldn’t back out now. “Then… Uncle Shen, I’ll drink to you.”

Uncle Shen downed his glass in one go, his eyes flicking between them. “Next time I come to Zhi’an,” he said with a meaningful smile, “I hope it’s to drink at your wedding.”

At those words, Nan Xu instantly understood. There was nothing else to say—she just nodded, blushing furiously.

After the dinner, even though she was dizzy from all the alcohol, she still remembered to question Xie Hejing.

“When did you tell… Uncle Shen?”

Xie Hejing blinked innocently. “Tell him what?”

“About…” she mumbled, leaning against his chest, “about us.”

He smirked, deliberately teasing her. “Us? What about us? You mean… what’s happening tonight?”

Nan Xu went in circles with him, getting nowhere. Exasperated, she smacked his arm. “You’re so annoying.”

Just then, his phone rang. They had just reached the car. Xie Hejing helped her into the back seat, leaving the door loosely closed.

It was Uncle Shen calling—he said there was something he wanted to give to Nan Xu and asked Xie Hejing to come pick it up.

Uncle Shen’s “gifts” were always valuable, and since it was for Nan Xu, Xie Hejing immediately agreed.

After hanging up, he leaned down to the back seat and said gently, “Be good and wait here for me, alright? I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” Nan Xu nodded obediently.

But after sitting there alone for a while, she started to feel bored. Her phone had fallen earlier, and Xie Hejing had picked it up and put it in his pocket.

Dizzy from the alcohol, she leaned lazily against the backseat, gazing out the window, waiting for Xie Hejing to reappear.

About ten minutes later, she saw him across the street.

Excited, she leaned forward against the door to get a clearer look.

But the door was only loosely closed—when she pressed against it, it swung open suddenly. Nan Xu lost her balance and fell straight onto the pavement, gasping in pain as she hit the ground.

The moment Xie Hejing saw her fall, his pupils constricted. Without hesitation, he started running toward her.

But the street was busy with traffic, and just then, a car sped toward them. Nan Xu looked up, dazed, and saw Xie Hejing rushing in her direction.

“Don’t come over—!”

Her alcohol-fogged mind slowed everything down; the world moved in fragments, sound and color blurring together.

She stared, frozen, her heart sinking deeper and deeper, her body locked in shock.

Then—

A blaring car horn pierced through the air, snapping her back to reality.

Nan Xu’s head cleared instantly. Panic flooded her chest as she looked around wildly for Xie Hejing—but no matter where she looked, she couldn’t see him.

All she could hear was the echo of that drawn-out horn… and the image of him running toward her burned into her mind.

Without any warning, tears streamed down from the corners of Nan Xu’s eyes. Her throat tasted faintly of iron, and every swallow came with a dull pain.

“Brother…”

“Brother…”

“Xie Hejing…”

Her voice grew louder, but no one answered. Nan Xu’s heart clenched, panic flooding her chest until she could barely breathe. She turned her head, calling again, “Xie Hejing!”

“What’s wrong?”

Earlier, the thing Uncle Shen gave him had slipped out of his hand. Xie Hejing bent down to pick it up and just happened to miss the passing car.

He didn’t notice that brief moment at all—his attention was completely fixed on Nan Xu. But when he reached the car and heard her shout, his chest tightened sharply.

When he saw the tears streaming down her face, Xie Hejing froze in shock.

Without another word, he hurriedly scooped her up and carried her back into the car, holding her tightly in his arms.

He gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. “Did you fall? I should’ve closed the car door properly.”

Nan Xu pressed her lips together and kept crying silently. Even now, the suffocating fear from a moment ago still wrapped around her like a shroud.

For that brief instant, she had truly thought something terrible had happened to him.

Besides his name, she couldn’t even manage to utter any other words from her throat. She completely lost all her strength and could only slump down right where she was.

Her eardrums were ringing loudly. Apart from the sound of that car horn, Nan Xu couldn’t hear anything at all, and she could only helplessly call out Xie Hejing’s name.

One call after another went unanswered, and Nan Xu was practically scared out of her wits.

Until Xie Hejing walked over to her side and anxiously asked what was wrong.

It was like a person on the brink of dying of thirst finding a clear spring. Instantly, the surrounding sounds once again pierced Nan Xu’s ears.

She couldn’t describe that feeling exactly, only that her nearly-dead heart had started beating again.

She stared at his face, unable to say a word, just crying uncontrollably until she finally choked out, “Xie Hejing…”

“I’m here.”

Her tears kept falling faster than he could wipe them away.

“What happened? I was only gone for a moment.”

Nan Xu’s voice trembled between sobs. “Xie Hejing…”

He answered softly, patient and gentle, “I’m here, right in front of you. Were you scared because you couldn’t find me?”

Nan Xu nodded.

Xie Hejing’s lips pressed into a thin line. He regretted leaving her in the car, he should’ve just held her and gone together instead.

But even so, it didn’t seem like that alone could’ve made her cry this hard.

He asked again, “Why are you crying like this? Tell me, okay?”

Nan Xu kept crying, and he kept wiping her tears. When she wouldn’t speak, he coaxed her softly, “Hey, hey… my sweet girl, don’t cry.”

He kissed away the tears that kept spilling down her face.

Something must have frightened her badly just now, something he didn’t see in those few seconds.

Xie Hejing’s gaze darkened, but when it fell on Nan Xu again, it softened completely.

Xie Hejing’s gentle words finally calmed Nan Xu down. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand and stared blankly at the man in front of her.

Her heartbeat, which had been racing, finally began to settle.

It was only in that terrifying instant just now that Nan Xu truly realized how much Xie Hejing meant to her.

She couldn’t live without him.

Even thinking about that moment now made it hard for her to breathe.

“You’ll stay with me forever… right?” Nan Xu asked softly, almost afraid of the answer.

She had really been frightened this time.

Xie Hejing nodded without a trace of hesitation. “I will.”

“Then you’re… my…”

Nan Xu trailed off, searching for the right words.

Though her sentence was incomplete, Xie Hejing still caught her meaning immediately.

“Your boyfr—” he paused, then smirked slightly, correcting himself, “your lover.”

After all, given how things were between them, wasn’t that what he was?

But at that, Nan Xu shook her head.

Xie Hejing chuckled, teasing lightly, hoping to ease the tension in her eyes. “What, now I’m not even allowed to be your lover?”

Nan Xu bit her lip, her voice trembling as she whispered, “I want you to be my boyfriend… is that okay?”

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Chapter 65

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“Nan Xu.”

It was the Nth time that day Xie Hejing had called her name.

“Talk to me.”

He sat on one end of the sofa, his eyes fixed intently on her.

Nan Xu sat on the other end.

When she heard his voice, she lazily lifted her head, glanced at him once, and said nothing.

He was absolutely terrible, he clearly promised to be gentle, but it didn’t matter how softly Nan Xu begged him, he just kept going and got more and more intense instead.

He’d pushed her so far that she almost wanted to run again, but the thought of what he’d said last time made her abandon that idea for now.

If he really caught her, she might not even be able to beg for mercy.

Nan Xu lowered her head and went back to watching her variety show, ignoring the fiery glare he was giving her.

Xie Hejing let out an irritated hiss.

This girl really meant what she said—she’d told him she wouldn’t talk to him, and she actually wasn’t.

He didn’t know who had spoiled her like this.

…Then realized it was him.

It took him three full seconds to accept that fact.

Expression dark, he picked up an apple from the table, walked over to her side, and held it out in front of her.

Nan Xu’s eyes shifted from the screen to the apple, glancing at it twice.

She said nothing, and neither did he.

A silent standoff—let’s see who gave in first.

Xie Hejing had been through countless business negotiations, never once the one to lose his cool. He was always the one to break down others’ defenses.

But when Nan Xu turned away from the apple, put down her iPad, and started to stand up—

His brow twitched. He immediately reached out to stop her.

“Where are you going?” he asked first.

Nan Xu didn’t answer. She bit her lip, trying to push past him.

“Talk to me…” Xie Hejing said again.

Just as she brushed his hand off her waist, his fingers caught her shoulder firmly the next second, pressing her in place.

Nan Xu grew anxious and snapped, “Let go of me! I need to go to the bathroom.”

Hearing her finally speak—though not willingly—made the tension in his brow ease a little.

“I’ll carry you.”

Nan Xu froze, startled.

“No! I can go myself.”

But before she could protest further, she was already lifted off the ground. Xie Hejing didn’t bother arguing anymore; he simply carried her straight to the door.

“Go ahead,” he said.

The movement was so fast that one second Nan Xu was still struggling, and the next she was already on her feet again.

She blinked, a little dazed.

Xie Hejing smiled and said deliberately, “What? Did you think I was going to carry you in there and help you—”

“No!” Nan Xu cut him off, quickly swung the door open, and shut it behind her, firmly locking him out.

She leaned against the door, taking a long moment to steady herself.

Xie Hejing was too bold—she could never predict what ridiculous thing he’d do next.

When he’d said he’d carry her to the bathroom, she had actually thought, for a split second, that he might really force his way in.

When Nan Xu finally came out, Xie Hejing was leaning casually against the wall, scrolling through his phone.

The moment he saw her, he pocketed it and asked, “So, are you done being mad at me?”

“You actually know I was mad?” Nan Xu took a step forward, poking his chest with her finger as she spoke, emphasizing each word, “Then why were you so rough?”

Xie Hejing grinned, leaning in close to her face. “Then how do I make you stop being mad? Should I let you hit me—or bite me?”

He tilted his head, pretending to think. “Where do you want to bite?”

Nan Xu puffed up her cheeks and shook her head.

He chuckled. “Why are you shaking your head? Can’t bear to?”

With a completely straight face, Nan Xu said seriously, “Because I don’t think that’s punishment for you—it’s more like a reward.”

She’d seen it many times. Every time she bit him, he would look at her with that teasing smile, as if he enjoyed it.

For a moment, Xie Hejing’s expression cracked.

His first thought, though, was—Wait, does this mean she won’t bite me anymore?

“N–no,” he denied stiffly.

Nan Xu tilted her head, studying him with suspicion. “No? Really? Fine then. I won’t ‘punish’ you like that anymore. It’s not appropriate anyway.”

“No,” he said immediately.

“Why not?” Nan Xu frowned. “Do you actually like being ‘punished’ like that?”

“…Yeah.” His voice was so soft it was almost inaudible.

Nan Xu turned away. “Alright, enough. Take your hand off me.”

“Like it,” he blurted again, faster this time.

Nan Xu: “…”

She honestly couldn’t understand him.

“You… really are something else.”

She walked off to the side, picked up her iPad, and went back to watching her show, ignoring him completely.

After a moment, Xie Hejing asked, “Then what would make you stop being mad?”

“Let me go out,” she replied flatly.

It was true—he’d been practically addicted these past few days, keeping her cooped up in the hotel the whole time.

Since he was here, and she couldn’t really get away, she figured she might as well relax a little while they were in Huaining City.

But Xie Hejing hesitated. “Do you mean go out… or run away?”

Nan Xu glared at him and said bluntly, “I want to run…”

Xie Hejing’s hand, hanging by his side, slowly curled into a tight fist.

Nan Xu went on, “But now, I don’t really feel like leaving anymore.”

A flicker of joy crossed Xie Hejing’s heart.

“Because my legs are still kind of weak,” she added. “I probably wouldn’t get very far. I’ll rest first, then go.”

His expression darkened again.

In just a few sentences, Nan Xu had taken Xie Hejing’s heart on a roller coaster—soaring one moment, plummeting the next.

He leaned forward and covered her chattering lips with his own.

“Mmph—!”

Nan Xu had been mid-sentence when his sudden kiss cut her off, leaving her breath caught in her throat. She pushed at him, fists pounding against his chest.

When he finally realized she really couldn’t breathe, Xie Hejing let go.

“Maybe I should make sure your legs stay too weak to run, every day,” he murmured.

Nan Xu could tell he wasn’t joking—his gaze was serious, as if he was actually considering it.

Her heart skipped a beat. “I was just kidding. Don’t you have any sense of humor at all?”

“Kidding?” Xie Hejing gave a cold laugh. “If you ever say something like that again, I’ll make sure it happens.”

Nan Xu lowered her eyes in silence. Clearly, she couldn’t say just anything around him—it was dangerous.

Her sudden quiet made Xie Hejing think she was upset.

After a pause, he said, “Go get dressed.”

Nan Xu looked up, surprised. Didn’t he just forbid her from going out? Why was he agreeing now after just a moment?

“What, you’re not going? Don’t feel like going out anymore?” he asked, giving what sounded like a final warning.

“I do,” she said immediately.

He asked where she wanted to go. After thinking for a long moment, she finally muttered, “A bar.”

That caught him off guard. His lips pressed into a straight line—he was about to refuse. But seeing the look in her eyes, he clenched his jaw and nodded. “Get dressed,” he said, and after a beat added, “And wear something warm.”

Nan Xu smiled and picked up a dress, but under his sharp, warning gaze, she set it down again and reached for a black jacket instead.

They went to the nearest bar by the hotel.

At first, Nan Xu just sat and drank quietly—but soon, people started coming up to talk to her.

Xie Hejing’s patience snapped. He pulled her into his arms possessively, resting his chin on her shoulder. “You came here just to make me jealous, didn’t you?”

Nan Xu shook her head. “No. I just thought you’ve been too tense lately. You should relax a bit. Want a drink?”

She offered him her glass.

He shook his head. He had ordered drinks with barely any alcohol for her, but even so, he knew that sitting this close to her, one drink would be too much. With alcohol in his system, he might completely lose control—and then she’d probably ignore him for days again.

When he wouldn’t drink, Nan Xu just drank by herself—freely, openly, one glass after another.

He had never seen her drink like that before.

Finally, Xie Hejing reached out and stopped her hand.

“Why are you drinking so much tonight?”

Nan Xu said nothing, she simply set her glass down in time with his movement.

Xie Hejing glanced at her. Her lashes were lowered and he couldn’t tell what she was thinking. He keenly sensed that she hadn’t come to the bar to lift his spirits tonight—she came for herself.

“If you won’t talk, we’re leaving.”

Nan Xu leaned on Xie Hejing’s shoulder and gave a soft “mm.”

The hotel wasn’t far. Rather than hail a car, Xie Hejing lazily slung her over his back and headed toward the hotel.

Nan Xu’s mood seemed off tonight, and Xie Hejing spoke much softer.

“Nan Xu, are you still mad?”

She shook her head, then realized he couldn’t see her and spoke up: “I’m not angry anymore.”

“Then why are you still in a bad mood?”

“How do you know?” she asked. Her moods were always the first thing he noticed.

“Tell me.” He bounced her a little on his back.

Her head buried against the side of his neck. “Because… I like you.”

At first the words sent a little lift through him, but the feeling quickly smoothed out. His steps grew a little heavier. “Liking me makes you feel bad?”

There was a low pressure about him.

“No, not that.” Nan Xu pressed herself fully against him, inhaling the scent on his clothes. “I just feel like I’m not handling things very well. Should I be better to you?”

Aside from that one thing, Xie Hejing already treated her so well that even details Nan Xu hadn’t noticed didn’t escape him.

He folded all her clothes.

He knew she tended to wake up at night and like to drink water but would forget to put a glass by the bed, so he would leave a thermos of warm water on her nightstand.

He knew she was afraid of the dark; when she got up at night, he stood at the door waiting.

Nan Xu had been doted on by Nan Xiaocheng and Wen Qiu at home, but they had also taught her to be independent—they prepared the basics for her, but a lot she had to do herself. She never thought it was a big deal. But after Xie Hejing started doing those things for her, she gradually got used to it and began to feel a little pressured. Her nature made it hard for her to accept someone else’s kindness without feeling any burden.

She was thinking about how to be better to him, but then he would do something that made her angry again. The wine made her head fuzzy. She told Xie Hejing, “You’re so annoying.”

Then she would feel guilty, then angry again, all in quick succession.

“You’re annoyed with me again?” Xie Hejing’s voice was impossibly gentle. “What did I do this time to make you angry?”

It couldn’t possibly be because he’d proclaimed his claim on her at the bar.

Nan Xu snuggled closer into his jacket, making his back tingle a little. “Stop moving, you’ll fall down in a moment.”

Without thinking, she blurted out, “You wouldn’t let me fall.”

After she said that, even she froze for a moment—as if she’d suddenly realized something.

Xie Hejing had already long shown her his gentle side; she just hadn’t noticed. Maybe she had overlooked it without meaning to.

And he, too, had never said it aloud or even realized that what he’d been doing was gentleness. He’d only kept trying, endlessly, to meet that vague condition she’d once mentioned.

Nan Xu’s nose stung, and she muttered, “Are you an idiot?”

Xie Hejing blinked, confused. But the tipsy Nan Xu was lost in her own thoughts, refusing to explain further.

He gave in with a small laugh. “Alright, I’m an idiot. Anything else?”

No reply came from his back. When he tilted his head slightly, he realized she had already fallen asleep.

Back at the hotel, he laid her down gently and made sure she was settled before sitting on the sofa and sending a message to Xiang Weishi:

[How do you become gentle?]

The reply came almost instantly:

[Did someone hack your account?]

Xie Hejing: “…”

He called him directly.

“What does it mean to be gentle?”

Xiang Weishi was now convinced it wasn’t a hack—maybe Xie Hejing was possessed.

“You seriously want to discuss that with me, a single guy?”

Xie Hejing raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you chasing someone? Haven’t you learned anything?”

Xiang Weishi: “…”

“If I’d learned anything, would I still be single? Please stop flaunting your relationship in the middle of the night—I’m trying to sleep.”

He’d had enough of being tormented by couples lately, and he hung up.

Then Xie Hejing tried messaging Wei Qingxuan—he remembered Xiang Weishi saying the guy was good at pursuing people.

But Wei Qingxuan replied that he’d just made Wen Qi mad and got kicked to the study to sleep.

Xie Hejing: “…”

That was even worse than his own situation.

Surrounded by useless friends, he gave up and went back to the bedroom.

Nan Xu, who should’ve been fast asleep, was sitting up in bed, looking dazed.

When she saw him, her unfocused eyes slowly cleared, though they didn’t quite land on him.

Xie Hejing walked to the bedside and waved a hand in front of her. “Hey, what are you staring at?”

There was a date stuck in Nan Xu’s mind. She blinked a few times and asked, “What day is it today?”

“It’s past midnight. The tenth.”

Her strange behavior all night had kept him on edge. He asked again, “What’s going on with you? Just tell me, so I don’t have to guess.”

Nan Xu yawned, rubbing her face hard with both hands.

Xie Hejing frowned. “Don’t rub so hard.”

When she finally stopped, she seemed more awake. Then she gave him a bright smile.

“Brother,” she said softly, “I think I finally figured out how to be better to you.”

---

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Chapter 64

---

Because of how wild things got last night, by the time Nan Xu woke up, it was already the next afternoon.

She jolted awake from her dream, and the first thing she did was grope under her pillow for her phone to check the time.

2:47 PM.

Her interview was scheduled for 2 PM. She had completely missed it.

“Why is it so late already!” Nan Xu groaned in frustration.

Hearing her voice, Xie Hejing walked in from the inner room, holding the pajamas he had folded for her.

They had a cute design and looked small in his hands. He thought they would look good hanging next to his own sleepwear, might even leave a trace of her scent on his clothes.

While folding, he said casually, “Get up and eat something. Your clothes were delivered too. See if you need anything else.”

No response.

He glanced over and saw Nan Xu staring at him with an aggrieved look.

“What’s wrong?”

Nan Xu pulled the blanket tighter around herself. “Why didn’t you wake me up earlier? I missed my interview!”

“Interview?” Xie Hejing paused mid-fold and looked at her, his voice dropping to a quiet tone. “Where exactly were you planning to interview?”

“If I remember correctly, you’re still my assistant.”

“Assistant Nan, is that how you tell your boss you’re planning to jump ship?”

He gripped the pajamas in his hands, fighting the urge to tear them apart—though he decided they’d look better ripped after she put them on.

“I already sent in my resignation,” Nan Xu reminded him, thinking back to that first night in Huaining City when she emailed him from the hotel.

“I didn’t approve it, so it doesn’t count,” he said flatly, handing her the pajamas. “Put these on.”

Nan Xu didn’t move. Unbelievable, she thought. He wouldn’t even let her quit—if she tried to leave, he’d just chase her down overnight.

And the consequences…

Nan Xu looked at the marks all over her body and sighed.

Hearing that, Xie Hejing asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Pulling the pajamas over herself, she deliberately said, “Thinking that next time, I’ll run farther. Somewhere you can’t find me.”

The words had barely left her mouth when he pinned her down again, looking her dead in the eyes.

“If you run again,” he said slowly, “I’ll catch you again. And every time I do, we’ll go ten rounds.”

Ten times?!

Nan Xu gasped.

Isn’t this crazy?

“How is this possible? Are you even a normal person?”

Xie Hejing just laughed. “Thanks for the reminder. That means we’ve still got eight left. How about we start now?”

Before she could react, the pajamas she’d just put on were already being pulled open.

He was starting to realize he couldn’t stand seeing her in sleepwear—every time she wore it, he wanted to rip it apart.

Feeling a chill at the front, Nan Xu quickly slapped his hand away. “You said you’d be gentle this time. Anyway, I’m not in the mood. I just want to eat.”

She spread her hands, and although her lips didn’t move, her expression was as if to say, “You figure it out yourself.”

Xie Hejing stared at her, fingers gripping the edge of her pajamas—reluctant to pull them down, unwilling to let go.

Nan Xu tilted her head, lips curling into a small, defiant hum. She looked utterly unbothered, as if daring him to try.

She had him completely figured out.

Xie Hejing let go of her hand and bit her lip, “Where did you learn all this? Think you’ve got me all wrapped up?”

The bite was quite painful, and Nan Xu’s lips felt numb. She frowned, “You bit me. You clearly knew I was… in pain, and you still bit me.”

“You deserve to feel a little pain. All you do is run away,” Xie Hejing said. “It would be best if you hurt enough that you couldn’t run.”

Nan Xu didn’t want to talk about it; what if Xie Hejing bit her again?

She couldn’t understand why Xie Hejing loved to bite her so much.

“Let’s eat.”

But Xie Hejing pulled out a smile, his expression languid, and before Nan Xu could react, he ripped off her pajamas.

Without the bothersome barrier, he instantly found the sight much more pleasing. Nan Xu should look like this, beautiful enough that he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Nan Xu hadn’t even processed it until his cool fingertips touched her skin. She shivered and looked at him.

“You…”

Why did he rip her clothes?

“Where we eat isn’t what matters. I’d much rather you ‘eat’ me, for real.”

Xie Hejing wanted to pull her into his arms. He was desperately uncomfortable, about to explode.

He had relieved himself once in the middle of the night and again this morning, but he couldn’t keep taking cold showers forever.

Yet, as soon as he pulled Nan Xu’s leg, she gasped sharply and slapped his arm, “It hurts!”

Xie Hejing’s expression immediately became serious. Seeing Nan Xu’s scrunched-up face, he grew anxious, quickly let go, and asked, “Where does it hurt?”

Nan Xu glared at him, “Didn’t I just tell you?”

He thought she only meant her mouth. He hadn’t realized that area was still hurting. “I checked last night. It was a bit swollen, but I put ointment on it. Is it still hurting now?”

He wondered if the medicine wasn’t working, or if they needed to go to the hospital.

Hearing his words, Nan Xu felt her nerves instantly tighten. She choked out, “You checked? Ointment… you even had medicine ready?”

Xie Hejing didn’t feel it was a big deal. They had done the most intimate things possible; looking shouldn’t matter.

Besides, he knew he hadn’t held back his strength and was worried he’d really injured her. He also knew she was easily embarrassed, so he’d only been able to check while she was asleep.

“Yes, I had the medicine ready before I came.”

Before he came…

That meant he had planned this all along, and he even knew that ointment might be necessary. He had truly prepared for everything.

While Nan Xu was still in shock, Xie Hejing continued, “And condoms. I prepared a whole box a month before the month started.”

“It’s in the nightstand of the guest bedroom. If you had reached for the wrong thing when you were getting the red thread last time, you probably would have seen it.”

With every sentence Xie Hejing spoke, Nan Xu grew more astonished.

She had previously thought Xie Hejing had gradually developed feelings during that month. Last night, she learned he had been holding back since high school, and now she knew he had prepared everything long ago.

And he prepared a whole box…

Nan Xu felt a little lucky that Xie Hejing had genuinely managed to restrain himself for that one month, otherwise, it might have been difficult for her to even run away from Zhi’an.

“You really…” Nan Xu thought for a long while, completely at a loss for how to describe Xie Hejing’s behavior. After struggling for half a minute, she finally squeezed out, “You really came… prepared.”

Xie Hejing couldn’t help but laugh. “If you don’t know how to compliment someone, maybe don’t try.”

Nan Xu: “…”

Did she ever say she was trying to compliment him?

Xie Hejing crouched down. “Come here, let me see if it’s still swollen. If it doesn’t get better, we’ll go to the hospital.”

Go to the hospital for this? Nan Xu felt her face would stay hot for a week from embarrassment alone.

“It’s fine now… not swollen anymore. Not even a little. Doesn’t hurt either,” she hurriedly said.

“Oh really? A miracle healer, are you? It stopped hurting that fast?” Xie Hejing didn’t bother arguing—he just lifted the fabric to check.

Nan Xu tried to cover herself, but he easily pinned her hands.

He leaned in closer, brushing his fingertips over the spot. It really didn’t look swollen, and there weren’t any marks, but for some reason, it had still hurt.

Maybe he had pulled too hard earlier?

He was still seriously trying to analyze it when two teardrops fell onto the back of his hand. Xie Hejing froze, immediately standing up, a rare look of panic crossing his face. “You—why are you crying?”

Nan Xu’s nose was slightly red, her eyes filled with shimmering tears. She bit her lip and looked at him—just one glance.

That was enough to make Xie Hejing’s heart melt. He cleared his throat awkwardly. “I was just checking, wasn’t I?”

“You were still looking…” Nan Xu’s voice trembled with grievance—he was so rough, not gentle at all.

That tearful tone was exactly what Xie Hejing couldn’t handle.

Still, he tried to reason with her. “If I don’t look, how am I supposed to know if you’re hurt or not?”

“You’re still talking…” Nan Xu pouted through her tears, half complaining, half sulking.

And once she started crying like that, Xie Hejing was helpless.

The moment her tone softened, his resistance completely vanished.

He grabbed the pajama top lying nearby—thankfully, he hadn’t torn it too badly this time—and carefully helped her put it back on properly.

“Come on, let’s go eat.”

Nan Xu lowered her gaze, saying nothing. Xie Hejing reached out and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

“My fault, alright? Let’s go eat first, okay?”

She still ignored him. He hesitated for a second, then reached out to pull her into his arms. Since she didn’t resist, he smiled and simply lifted her up, walking toward the door.

In his arms, Nan Xu mumbled her complaint: “How can you be like this? I told you earlier I wanted to eat, and you wouldn’t let me.”

“And you tore my clothes again. Why is it that every outfit I wear ends up ruined by you?”

Xie Hejing almost burst out laughing at that, but he forced himself to hold it in so he wouldn’t make her even angrier.

His arms tightened slightly around her.

Nan Xu thought he was upset by what she’d said and frowned. “I told you not to look, but you still looked.”

“Still so stubborn,” Nan Xu muttered under her breath, grumbling nonstop.

Xie Hejing just raised an eyebrow and accepted every word with an amused smirk.

He set her down in her seat and picked up the chopsticks. When Nan Xu reached to take them, he dodged her hand immediately—he clearly intended to feed her himself.

Bit by bit, he fed her, watching her eat slowly. To him, it was oddly soothing, even a little healing.

Nan Xu didn’t resist. Fine, let him do it. At least she didn’t have to lift a finger—she was feeling lazy anyway.

But Xie Hejing’s feeding skills were truly a disaster.

Sometimes he’d pile way too much food onto the chopsticks, as if afraid she’d starve before the next bite. Other times, she’d just bite down when everything would fall right back into the bowl.

Unimpressed, Nan Xu tried to grab the chopsticks from him to eat on her own.

But Xie Hejing tightened his grip, voice firm and low. “I’m feeding you. If this doesn’t work, I’ll just snap these chopsticks in half and use a spoon.”

His tone was far from gentle, and he’d even raised his voice a little.

Nan Xu shrank her neck back and muttered, “I swear, you really don’t have a gentle bone in your body.”

Not gentle?

That one line hit a nerve. Especially after what happened yesterday, hearing her say he wasn’t gentle was something Xie Hejing absolutely couldn’t take.

He drew in a deep breath, forcing the words out between his teeth. “Impossible. I can be gentle.”

Nan Xu had only said it teasingly, but seeing his determined look, she suddenly became curious to see how far he’d go.

“Then go on—feed me. But gently.”

In his twenty-something years of life, Xie Hejing had never felt this nervous over a single meal. It was as if her words held the power of life and death over him.

His movements were stiff, his fingers numb, gripping the chopsticks so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

“I want vegetables,” Nan Xu prompted softly.

He grunted an acknowledgment, reaching toward the dish. The closer his hand got to her, the less control he seemed to have. In the end, it was Nan Xu who leaned forward to take the bite, noticing how his chopsticks trembled slightly.

She glanced up at him—but in that same moment, the chopsticks grazed her gums. She gasped sharply.

“Ah—Brother…”

Xie Hejing went rigid, instantly putting the chopsticks down to check on her.

“Where did it poke you?”

And then, defensively, he added, “I swear—I didn’t even use force.”

Nan Xu covered her mouth, saying nothing. Xie Hejing stood there with his hands on his hips, trying to figure out how to prove his innocence.

But the next second, he saw her shoulders trembling—then came the sound of muffled laughter, growing louder and louder.

Realization dawned on him. He grabbed her and pulled her into his arms, leaning in to look at her face.

There wasn’t a trace of pain on it—only laughter she was desperately trying to hold back, until she finally burst out laughing.

“Nan Xu, you dare tease me?” Xie Hejing said sternly.

Nan Xu shook her head right away. “No, I was just… happy, I guess.”

“Happy about what?” he asked suspiciously.

She improvised without thinking. “Happy that you’re feeding me.”

That one line sealed her fate—

For the next two days, every single meal was fed to her personally by Xie Hejing.

At this rate, Nan Xu felt like she was going to forget how to use her own hands entirely.

One evening during dinner, Nan Xu firmly grabbed the chopsticks and told him, “I’ll feed myself.”

“Alright,” Xie Hejing agreed surprisingly easily this time.

That caught Nan Xu off guard. Something about his attitude felt off, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was.

“I’m going to take a shower. When you’re done eating, just leave the dishes there—I’ll clean up later.”

“Okay,” she said.

She tried to shake off the uneasy feeling. Whatever it was, she’d figure it out later.

After finishing her meal, she tidied up the bowls and chopsticks, then went back to the bedroom and lay down to watch a variety show.

The only strange thing was how long Xie Hejing was taking in the shower—so long that by the time Nan Xu was halfway through her show, he still hadn’t come out.

She paused the video, thinking back carefully. And suddenly, she remembered that look he’d given her right before going into the bathroom.

That wasn’t just any look—it was the one she knew far too well. The one filled with unspoken hunger.

She had said she was sore before, and Xie Hejing had restrained himself for two whole days. Their little playful moments since then had been harmless, so she’d let her guard down.

But now, it felt like the calm before a storm.

She glanced toward the bathroom—and just then, the light inside went out.

Nan Xu’s heart skipped a beat. She dropped her iPad, didn’t even bother with her shoes, and dashed for the door.

She didn’t make it halfway before Xie Hejing caught her and pulled her right back onto the bed. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Nan Xu forced a nervous smile. “I just remembered—the dishes! I didn’t actually finish cleaning them. And my clothes, I didn’t fold them properly—they’ll wrinkle.”

“The clothes were folded this morning,” he said calmly. “The dishes can wait. There’s something more important right now.”

Of course, Nan Xu knew exactly what he meant. She bit her lip. “Um, I still feel a bit—”

She never got to finish the sentence. Xie Hejing grabbed her hand and pressed it down.

“Ah—ow!”

But the next sound wasn’t hers—it was his.

The tone was low, rich, and laced with something almost sweet, the kind of voice that melted against her ear.

“What do I do?” he murmured, breath rough. “It hurts… it’s aching.”

Nan Xu swallowed hard. “Didn’t you… take care of that just now?”

It sounded harsh, maybe even heartless—but if he had taken care of it, he wouldn’t have stayed in the shower that long and still come out complaining of the same ache.

He brushed his head against her shoulder, shaking it slightly.

“Do you… want to try again?” Nan Xu asked softly, exhaling a long breath.

She didn’t even understand why she was hesitating, why it was so hard to resist him.

Was it because her own desire had grown stronger, too?

But she didn’t think that was it.

Staring blankly at the ceiling, she fell deep into thought.

Whatever the reason, she completely failed to notice that Xie Hejing was deliberately drawing her in again—

She only thought that being around him for so long had somehow made her more susceptible to his moods, to that same pull of longing he carried.

If he knew what she was thinking, he would’ve laughed out loud.

How could someone truly overwhelmed by desire still be calm enough to think like that?

He wrapped both arms around her, pressing her tightly against his chest.

The long, seductive, and ambiguous voice coaxed Nan Xu: “Bad baby, it hurts! Nan Xu, you are a bad baby.”

“You don’t want to help me?”

Nan Xu’s heart trembled. She felt like she was done for, that she might truly have changed.

She tried hard to make her voice sound normal: “Will you be gentle, then?”

Gentle outside of bed, but not in it.

Xie Hejing expertly swallowed that thought. “How about we try and see?”

“Alright, fine.”

The lamb had jumped into the trap, but still had to add: ‘”Be gentle, or I won’t talk to you.”

Soon, Nan Xu felt the force of Xie Hejing’s two days of pent-up need. Her whole body was shaking, her fingers had no strength left even to pinch him.

“You… didn’t you say you’d… be a little gentle?”

Nan Xu’s voice was fragmented, soft, and trembling.

“Liar.”

Physiological tears spilled from the corners of her eyes. Xie Hejing kissed her and comforted her at the same time.

“Then I’ll be even more gentle. Let’s change position and see where we can get to, okay?”

The familiar pendant swung in front of Nan Xu’s eyes again. She snatched it and fiercely scolded him: “You scoundrel, you bastard.”

Her dictionary of insults had certainly been updated. Xie Hejing truly enjoyed the sight of Nan Xu when she was provoked into cursing him.

It was full of life.

The grip of his fingers tightened on her wrist. “Keep going.”

His voice was incredibly hoarse. Xie Hejing’s tongue lightly pressed against his upper teeth, his ragged breaths repeatedly filling Nan Xu’s ears.

“Can you call me with that tone just now? My bad baby.”

Nan Xu was past the point of being able to heed anything he said. She could only whimper, “Stop, Xie Hejing, you promised to be gentle! Wuwu, lighter!”

Xie Hejing chuckled, his heavy breaths bursting out until they became rapid and urgent. But no matter what he said, Nan Xu just wouldn’t call him that.

The veins on Xie Hejing’s body stood out, his muscles rigid. His nose nudged hers, and he pleaded, “Please.”

Nan Xu was tingling all over, hurting below, and aching in her heart. She truly couldn’t stand it anymore, and she shouted, “Scoundrel brother, bastard Xie Hejing!”

Xie Hejing suddenly stopped.

Nan Xu didn’t know what happened and could only ask, “What, what are you going to do now?”

Xie Hejing helped her sit up slightly, then lightly touched a certain spot, and pressed down.

In an instant, Nan Xu shivered all over, gripping the sheets to barely stifle the light moan in her throat.

Xie Hejing buried his face in her shoulder and asked, “Did you feel that?”

“We got to this point.”

---

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Chapter 63

---

“Xie Hejing, why did you…”

The familiar feeling of fullness returned.

Nan Xu couldn’t help but try to shrink back, but the wall was right behind her, so moving was futile.

Xie Hejing held her tighter, rubbing his face against Nan Xu’s neck: “Good girl, what should we do about the discomfort?”

The way he held her was entirely aimed at embedding Nan Xu into his body.

Nan Xu stretched her neck to try and breathe, and again pinched the flesh on his arm, but his arm was very firm, so she could only manage to pull up a layer of skin.

Nan Xu sighed anxiously.

“I should be the one feeling uncomfortable.”

His entire body was caging her like a hot iron, impossible to push away, causing Nan Xu to curl up, feeling scorched from the inside out.

Xie Hejing gnawed on Nan Xu’s neck, sucking lightly: “You’re ‘uncomfortable,’ too? Then I’ll move a little.”

“Don’t…” Nan Xu couldn’t utter the rest of the word. Just trying to regulate her breathing used up the little strength she had just recovered.

. . . . .

He said “a little,” but by the time Nan Xu emerged from the dizziness again, Xie Hejing was holding her and reached for the water nearby, which was already ice cold.

Nan Xu also reached out to test it, her voice soft as silk: “It’s all your fault. Why did it take so long?”

Xie Hejing was amused. He briefly put Nan Xu down, turned and bent down to drain the cold water and refill the tub with hot water.

“Next time will be longer,” he paused, looking at the slowly filling bathtub, and then added, “Shall we do it again in a bit?”

Again?!

Nan Xu was about to be scared to tears. If she weren’t too weak to escape, she would pack her things and leave right now. No, she wouldn’t even bother with her things.

Who could endure this?

She looked at Xie Hejing, her gaze briefly catching a certain area, and she quickly averted her eyes: “Can’t you just hold back?”

“I held back for too long before,” Xie Hejing said casually, letting her look.

“Too long where? Wasn’t it just a month?” Nan Xu recalled the timeline; it should have started just a month ago.

“A month?!”

Xie Hejing almost burst out laughing. If it had only been a month, the feeling he had wouldn’t still be so intense even after two times.

“Isn’t it?” Nan Xu asked.

“Of course not,” Xie Hejing stated plainly, “I’ve been holding back since school.”

“And I can answer that question of yours right now.”

“What question?” Nan Xu looked bewildered, completely unable to recall what she had asked Xie Hejing.

“That question you asked before, ‘Do those boys who harbored designs on you include me?'”

“Yes, it includes me,” Xie Hejing stared intently at Nan Xu, “Not only that, I also wanted to hold you, kiss you, make love to you, and… marry you.”

He walked closer and asked her, “Do you know what I think about when my desire is strongest?”

The scent of cedarwood on him enveloped her again, subtly wrapping around her.

Nan Xu didn’t dare to ask, didn’t even dare to listen. She turned her head away, her ear tips hot and flushed.

Seeing Nan Xu’s avoiding posture, Xie Hejing loosely held her and whispered in her ear: “I want to stay buried inside you forever.”

Nan Xu’s mind exploded with a boom. She raised her hand to cover Xie Hejing’s mouth.

“Why do you always say such embarrassing things?”

Xie Hejing smiled and kissed her palm: “You can say them to me too.”

“What about you? Do you want to always sit on me, or on my tongue, or… here?”

He made a small, casual movement.

“No, I don’t want any of it,” she reached out to push him away, “I’m taking a shower.”

Xie Hejing stood with his arms crossed, waiting on the side.

Just as expected, as Nan Xu took a step, her body went limp and she immediately fell sideways.

Xie Hejing, with quick eyes and hands, pulled her into his embrace and sank into the water with her.

“I’ll wash you.”

Nan Xu wanted to struggle, but couldn’t exert any strength. A sense of grievance washed over her: “You’re really terribly mean. You always scare me. And now you’ve made me like this, I have no strength at all, it’s so annoying.”

After so many years, Nan Xu’s vocabulary for scolding him was still the same few words. Xie Hejing took the initiative: “Mm, I’m a scoundrel, I deserve to die.”

He actively stretched out his arm: “Bite it, let off some steam.”

Nan Xu really opened her mouth and bit down, venting the anger she felt. Otherwise, it felt completely unfair—why was she like this, while Xie Hejing was still full of life and vigor.

She bit to her satisfaction, and Xie Hejing watched happily. Just as Nan Xu was about to let go, Xie Hejing raised an eyebrow and continued frivolously, “But I’ll do scoundrel-like things again next time.”

He couldn’t quit Nan Xu; the moment he saw her, he couldn’t help himself.

Now, he was even less able to control himself…

Nan Xu, however, was particularly afraid of this very thing.

His desire was terrifyingly huge.

Hearing his words, Nan Xu was so scared that she braced her body and tried to scramble out of the bathtub.

Xie Hejing reached out and stopped her: “What are you doing? I won’t bother with you if you fall later.”

Nan Xu’s eyes brimmed with urgency, her chest heaved violently, her lips parted but she couldn’t find the right words. After a long while, she managed to squeeze out one sentence.

“How can you be like this?”

Fearing he had truly provoked her too much, Xie Hejing quickly said, “I’ll let you off for today.”

“Hurry up and come over. I’ll wash you up and then we’ll go to sleep, unless you don’t want to sleep.”

Nan Xu pouted her lips and reluctantly returned.

Xie Hejing picked up the toothbrush and handed it to her: “Brush your teeth.”

Nan Xu took it, glaring furiously at Xie Hejing and brushing very hard.

“Gentler. That’s your own mouth. Don’t cry if you poke it sore later.”

Xie Hejing washed Nan Xu very meticulously, then hastily rinsed himself off twice. He wrapped her up in a bath towel and carried her out.

“Where are your pajamas?”

At the mention of this, Nan Xu grew even angrier. How dare he bring up her pajamas.

“You tore them up,” she grumbled. “My favorite set.”

Xie Hejing couldn’t hide his smile, not understanding how Nan Xu could be so adorable. Her voice was cute, her expressions were cute, everything about her was cute—and she was simply peak cuteness when she was beneath him.

He reached out and pinched her face: “I’ll buy you a replacement. Where are your other pajamas?”

“I washed them. They’re not dry yet.”

She didn’t like using the hotel’s items. The sheets, duvet cover, bath towels, toiletries… everything was her own.

“Then let’s just sleep like this tonight. I’ll have someone send things over tomorrow,” Xie Hejing tucked the blanket around her.

Nan Xu turned her head and asked, “Are you really going to stay here?”

Hearing this, Xie Hejing’s face immediately darkened, and he said cautiously, “Are you trying to trick me again?”

Three strikes and you’re out. If she tried to trick him again, she wouldn’t be sleeping tonight.

“No,” seeing Xie Hejing’s increasingly cold expression, Nan Xu quickly denied, “I’m not tricking you.”

He snorted, “You better not be.”

Xie Hejing held Nan Xu from behind. Even without pajamas, Nan Xu was unbearably hot. She wanted to shift forward a little, away from the source of heat.

But Xie Hejing quickly noticed and clamped down on her.

“Don’t want to sleep?”

“No, it’s just that you’re too hot. I can’t sleep.”

He was like an automatic heat source, a constant stream of heat radiating from him to Nan Xu’s back, and then to her entire body.

Yet, Xie Hejing still refused to leave even the smallest gap between them.

She was so hot she could barely sleep.

Xie Hejing couldn’t sleep either. With the person he loved in his arms, how could he possibly sleep?

Especially since the swollen sensation hadn’t subsided, but he knew Nan Xu truly couldn’t take any more tonight. Xie Hejing wanted to wait for Nan Xu to fall asleep before going to take a cold shower, or else the sound of the running water would disturb her sleep.

But in his arms, she’d shift now and then, stirring up all his feelings.

He gritted his teeth and replied, “If you can’t sleep, just force yourself to sleep.”

Nan Xu frowned, “Brother, don’t be so fierce. Can’t you be a little gentler?”

She tugged at the blanket and mumbled, “If you were a little gentler, maybe I’d agree to you!”

Xie Hejing stiffened all over, his heart instantly pounded violently, and he swallowed his nervousness.

“What did you say?”

“Didn’t say anything,” Nan Xu yawned, “I’m going to sleep now.”

“Good night.”

Having finally managed to nudge Nan Xu’s feelings a bit, Xie Hejing wouldn’t let her just go to sleep like that.

“Speak, repeat what you just said,” he reached out and turned her over so she was face-to-face with him, emphasizing with a cold, hard tone, “Repeat what you just said.”

“Why is your tone always so stiff?” Nan Xu complained, “I told you not to be so fierce.”

Xie Hejing sounded a little anxious: “No, the sentence after that, what did you say?”

Seeing Xie Hejing’s anxious look, Nan Xu felt like she had discovered a new continent. Her eyes darted, and the urge to tease him immediately arose.

It was his fault for scaring her so much tonight, and she was still a little sore now.

She fluttered her big eyes and smiled at Xie Hejing, “I forgot.” Her expression was innocent.

Xie Hejing felt both love and hate for her right now.

Lowering his head to nibble her earlobe, he said, frustrated with her delay: “Hurry up and remember.”

Nan Xu pouted, “If I forgot, I forgot. How can I remember?”

“You didn’t drink tonight, how could you possibly forget,” Xie Hejing said, frowning.

“I did drink,” Nan Xu leaned forward a little, “Brother, you fed it to me, did you forget?”

Xie Hejing: “…”

He was speechless. He should have known to feed her less.

However, even so, he still threatened, “Anyway, you have to remember, or I’ll use tonight’s method to make you remember.”

Tonight’s method—wouldn’t that mean a third time?

Nan Xu inhaled sharply and quickly said, “I… I can remember, wait a moment.”

Hearing this, Xie Hejing truly didn’t make a sound, just staring at Nan Xu, even his breathing became much lighter, as if he genuinely feared she couldn’t remember.

Nan Xu’s teasing mood gradually subsided. Looking at Xie Hejing’s serious expression, she suddenly asked, “Is it that important whether I can remember or not?”

“Nonsense,” Xie Hejing added, “Don’t talk, hurry up and think.”

Having finally managed to budge her heart a little, Xie Hejing didn’t want to hear anything else now; he only wanted to hear her repeat the sentence from before.

Nan Xu’s gaze lifted slightly, falling onto Xie Hejing’s tightly knitted brow.

She reached out and rubbed his brow, saying, “Don’t overthink things, it’ll tire you out. You haven’t been sleeping well again, have you?”

It was more than just not sleeping well. Xie Hejing only slept about an hour or two a day. During the day, he looked after Xie Hengzhi, processed work at night, crafted the gold thread, and still had to look for Nan Xu.

When Nan Xu wasn’t around, it was hard for him to fall asleep even when lying in bed.

It was a perfect opportunity to let Nan Xu feel sorry for him, but Xie Hejing didn’t want to mention these things, only saying, “No, I’m not tired, I slept very well.”

Nan Xu rubbed his brow, then moved down to the faint dark circles beneath his eyes.

Nan Xu pressed her lips together and asked him, “I’m afraid of that intense desire of yours, do you know that?”

Xie Hejing swallowed, a rare moment where he couldn’t speak.

Because he knew. He knew clearly and plainly.

But he just had a possessive, intense, almost pathological desire for Nan Xu.

It was impossible to hide or conceal.

When she was in front of him, this desire was intense; when she was absent, this feeling only grew stronger.

He needed her by his side, her heart and body both with him.

This issue lay between them, and as long as he refused to let go, it couldn’t be resolved.

But what he wanted was more than just an unresolved connection.

Since Xie Hejing wouldn’t speak, Nan Xu rubbed her eye and continued, “You are very good to me, do you know that?”

Xie Hejing was stunned, thought about it carefully, and then nodded.

“But you are very fierce, very harsh. You’re fierce when we’re doing that, and sometimes you’re fierce normally too, do you know that?”

“Am I fierce usually?” Xie Hejing raised an eyebrow.

He was a little bit during it, but it was Nan Xu; how could he hold back?

Xie Hejing felt he had been quite restrained by not keeping her from being able to get out of bed.

Although, in fact, it wasn’t far off; Nan Xu’s legs were weak when she walked.

Seeing that Xie Hejing was about to deny it, Nan Xu’s tone rose: “You are! Like right now, your… your gaze is very fierce.”

When he was silent and stern, it was unsettling enough, and coupled with a less-than-gentle tone, it made people scared to approach him.

Xie Hejing: “…”

“Nan Xu, why are you so delicate?”

Nan Xu tilted her head slightly, the corners of her eyes curving into crescent moons, and her crisp voice sounded: “Don’t you like it?”

Like it!

He loved it to death.

Xie Hejing looked away and coughed: “It’s alright.”

Nan Xu remembered her ideal type. She liked slightly cute boys, preferably those who were always gentle, who smiled when they looked at people, with tenderness in their eyes.

When they spoke, they were like the warm breeze in spring, and they would be gentle when hugging or kissing her.

But Xie Hejing was the complete opposite of all this.

He was usually indifferent to people, his smiles mostly carried a hint of reckless mischief, and he often looked at people without expression, which brought a sense of pressure.

Not to mention when he hugged or kissed her—he always liked to frantically draw in her scent, so much so that he used force until she could barely breathe.

It was only after reuniting with Xie Hejing that Nan Xu truly realized how strong a person’s possessiveness and desire could be.

If it were in the past, Nan Xu would have found it hard to imagine falling for someone so completely different from her ideal type.

The same was true for Xie Hejing; back when Nan Xu first moved into his home, he couldn’t have imagined falling for the person who had been defined as “trouble.”

But the affection just happened so naturally, without warning, yet it sparked an intense flame that felt wondrous.

Nan Xu suddenly let out a soft laugh and asked him, “Are you thinking about how to look less fierce?”

Xie Hejing: “…”

“No.”

But his tone was a little unsteady.

Nan Xu’s lips curved uncontrollably: “No? Well, alright, I won’t say any more. Let’s sleep!”

“You are not allowed to sleep.”

Seeing Nan Xu truly close her eyes, Xie Hejing cupped her chin and called out, “Did you hear me? You are not allowed to sleep.”

“Yes, I am thinking. Nan Xu, did you hear? I am thinking.”

Nan Xu couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore, and her shoulders trembled from laughing: “I heard you.”

Because of Xie Hejing’s action of cupping her chin, Nan Xu’s voice was a little muffled.

“I heard you, but tell me… what kind of gentle person would do something like this…?”

Xie Hejing: “…”

He released his hand and awkwardly massaged Nan Xu’s chin.

Nan Xu’s eyebrows raised. How had she never noticed this amusing side of Xie Hejing before?

After a long while, Nan Xu slowly stopped laughing. She had no intention of only agreeing to be with him after he completely transformed into her ideal type.

He was who he was, and no one could change that.

She simply needed him to soften up a little more.

So that she would be willing to cross that barrier of fear and wholeheartedly accept him.

She cleared her throat: “Xie Hejing, listen closely.”

“I’m saying, if you ever give me a feeling of gentleness, I’ll agree to you.”

Finally hearing that sentence, Xie Hejing’s heart trembled, and his breathing froze.

He asked with some difficulty: “A feeling of gentleness… what exactly does that mean?”

Nan Xu blinked: “I don’t know, actually. It’s just a feeling.”

“If it doesn’t happen, then there’s nothing that can be done.”

Nan Xu sighed, sounding a bit regretful.

These words were practically jumping back and forth on Xie Hejing’s trigger point for madness.

Nan Xu’s slightly teasing tone made Xie Hejing truly want to both strangle her and love her to death.

“You…”

Nan Xu suddenly sat up straight, kissed him on the corner of his mouth, and said quite mysteriously, “One more thing.”

“What?” Xie Hejing asked.

She smiled slyly.

“Brother, I think you really need to go take another shower. That feeling is too obvious; you’re poking me.”

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Chapter 62

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Nan Xu’s throat let out intermittent gasps, but she bit her lip tightly, refusing to say another word.

But Xie Hejing was determined to make her speak.

He continued to push forward, restraining himself right on the edge of losing control.

“Hiss…” A tremor shot up from her tailbone.

Nan Xu’s fingertips dug into his skin; pain and numbness intertwined between the two of them.

“Nan Xu, make a sound,” Xie Hejing bit Nan Xu’s earlobe, his breath gradually eroding her rationality, “I want to hear your voice.”

Nan Xu turned her head, their noses nearly touching.

His strong presence completely enveloped her, heavy and urgent.

The surrounding air seemed to be plundered by Xie Hejing; Nan Xu’s breath was faint. She suddenly leaned closer and bit his lip.

The extreme force caused Xie Hejing to pause for a moment, taking the time to feel this subtle stinging sensation.

The thought that it was Nan Xu biting him made him squint his eyes in pleasure.

“I hate you…”

Nan Xu buried her face in Xie Hejing’s neck, the muffled final syllable drawing out long, directly piercing Xie Hejing’s chest.

He nearly lost control and pressed against her completely.

Xie Hejing’s Adam’s apple bobbed; he chuckled twice, his voice as lingering as highly concentrated alcohol.

Nan Xu’s face flushed upon hearing it.

His hoarse voice sounded, “You still hate me, do you?” He gripped Nan Xu and pressed her into his embrace, “Then will this place hate me?”

Nan Xu gasped, her eyes becoming flustered, “Are you really going to?”

Xie Hejing smirked, “Didn’t you feel it?”

Nan Xu fluttered her eyes, “Is this not enough?”

It was only the beginning, and they were still stuck!

Xie Hejing also wanted to slow down a little more, lest he actually hurt her.

His hand gently massaged her lower back.

“Didn’t you just insist this was only a way to relieve stress? Are you scared now?”

Fear and throbbing raced in Nan Xu’s heart, and with every passing second, her mind became more and more confused.

Yet, Xie Hejing chose this moment to speak seductively, “If you’re scared, then come back to Zhi’an with me.”

Sure enough, Nan Xu immediately said, “No, I’m not scared.”

She had said it was just a way to relieve stress.

Xie Hejing’s eyebrows were full of smiles, “Stubborn little liar.”

However, after two seconds, the smile in Xie Hejing’s eyes faded significantly.

She was unwilling to return to Zhi’an with him even at a time like this.

Nan Xu must be quite determined this time!

He lifted Nan Xu up with one arm; this posture instantly brought the “danger” closer.

Nan Xu immediately raised her hand to support Xie Hejing’s shoulder, trying to increase the distance.

Xie Hejing didn’t bother caring about her current actions; the result would be the same later anyway.

However, he still needed a little stimulation from alcohol, lest he genuinely have a change of heart and stop if Nan Xu asked him to stop later.

Xie Hejing took three bottles of wine, removed all the corks, and lined them up on the bedside table.

Returning to the bed, he gently laid Nan Xu flat.

Nan Xu was trembling all over with tension now, but she still insisted on not begging for mercy.

However, she didn’t dare to look at Xie Hejing, pulling the quilt over herself and shrinking into what she considered her protective shell.

Xie Hejing slowly but forcefully picked up Nan Xu’s fingertips, moving the quilt away little by little, exposing Nan Xu completely before him.

He then moved her obstructing arms aside, and then lowered his body.

With both hands braced on either side of Nan Xu’s head, Xie Hejing leaned close to her ear and said, “Nan Xu, properly feel your man.”

Nan Xu felt the world before her spinning and shaking; her head was dizzy.

But the sensation of contact kept reminding her of what was happening.

Xie Hejing admired the blush on her face; her usually pink lips were bit into a delicate red, and beads of sweat, which appeared she didn’t know when, dotted her fair skin. Her eyes were glazed over.

He really wanted to taste Nan Xu’s lips.

But for now, he had other places to “taste.”

Casually picking up a bottle of wine with his long arm, Xie Hejing tilted his head back and drank it all in one go.

Immediately, the alcohol fumes surged and evaporated between them, finally condensing back onto both of their bodies.

Nan Xu completely surrendered under this intoxication, closing her eyes.

A hint of mischief surfaced in Xie Hejing’s eyes as he casually tossed the bottle downwards. Looking down, he moved forward maliciously, but only quickly slid past.

The sudden action made Nan Xu open her eyes, totally unprepared.

Just then, Xie Hejing cradled the back of her head, causing her upper body to be slightly lifted. She instinctively glanced downwards twice.

Xie Hejing’s lips curled into a subtle arc, reminding her, “Look carefully.” Then, a malicious friction accompanied by a tingling sensation began to surge.

“Mmm…”

At this moment of extreme stimulation, Nan Xu couldn’t utter a complete sentence.

She was trembling, shrinking, and avoiding his touch in Xie Hejing’s grip, all to no avail.

He restrained her completely.

Nan Xu, who had originally thought she wouldn’t make a sound no matter what, couldn’t help but cry out, “Xie Hejing…”

“Yes, good girl, what is it?”

Nan Xu’s throat caught; she had never heard Xie Hejing’s voice sound so full of desire.

Every word was hoarse and laced with sexiness, yet also revealing a forcefully suppressed longing.

It fully teased her nerves.

It took half a minute for Nan Xu to recover. She gasped and said, “You, you get out.”

Xie Hejing took a sip of wine and ignored her.

“Be good, bear with it for a moment, I haven’t moved yet.”

She had to endure even more?!

That swelling sensation already required Nan Xu to mobilize every muscle in her body just to barely endure.

Then, wouldn’t the next step be even more terrifying?

“I don’t care, you get out first.”

“Xie Hejing slowly sipped his drink and said, “How much is out?”

How could this sort of thing require discussion?!

Nan Xu was about to die of shame.

“All of it,” she bit out.

Xie Hejing looked at the half that was still outside, and chuckled, saying, “Does it count as ‘all’ only if it goes completely in and then comes back out?”

Nan Xu felt like he was making her dizzy: “Just… just go out.”

This time, Xie Hejing surprisingly agreed to her very easily.

But whether he was doing it intentionally or not, that damp, smooth feeling made Nan Xu even more uncomfortable. She clutched Xie Hejing’s arm and shook her head at him.

Xie Hejing asked knowingly, “What’s wrong? Is it very uncomfortable?”

Nan Xu was still shaking her head, her fingertips gripping Xie Hejing tighter: “Can you be quick…”

…and pull out!

But before she could finish her sentence.

. . . . .

“Mmh, Xie Hejing!” Nan Xu bit her lip hard.

Xie Hejing deliberately softened his breathing, a muffled sound rumbling in his throat. He leaned down to kiss Nan Xu’s forehead: “You adjust first, we’ll go faster later.”

That was definitely not what she meant.

Nan Xu frowned, her teary eyes glancing down at the pendant Xie Hejing was wearing.

As his movements sped up and slowed down, the pendant swung erratically above Nan Xu.

She was momentarily distracted, feeling like the pendant looked familiar, but before she could remember, Xie Hejing’s movements completely pulled her thoughts back to him.

Xie Hejing used his hand to shield the top of Nan Xu’s head, preventing her from being bumped upwards and possibly hurting herself.

Nan Xu was completely held captive in his embrace. As he sped up and slowed down, her intermittent gasps entered Xie Hejing’s ears. He curled his lips and didn’t stop his movements.

He was too good at tormenting people; he was skilled at it in normal conversation, and even more so at a time like this.

Nan Xu was so overwhelmed that her eyes became somewhat unfocused.

Dimly, she stared at the pendant swaying right above her, and suddenly recalled.

The pendant on Xie Hejing’s necklace was exactly the decoration that used to be on her bracelet.

It was a very plain hoop with a cross inside. Xie Hejing had threaded a chain through it and hung it around his neck. She was only just noticing it now.

“Xie… Hejing, your, your necklace, it’s my… uh.”

Nan Xu’s voice was utterly fragmented; the sudden increase in speed made it impossible for her to say a complete sentence.

Xie Hejing, however, knew what she wanted to say and answered directly, “Mm, it’s your bracelet, modified. Nan Xu, I’ve worn it for so long, and you’re only noticing it now.”

He thrust forward, as if punishing her.

Seeing that Nan Xu could no longer think clearly, Xie Hejing took the opportunity to ask, “Nan Xu, will you come back to Zhi’an with me?”

Nan Xu shook her head.

Xie Hejing: “…”

He took a deep breath and continued to ask, “Do you like me?”

Nan Xu continued to shake her head.

Xie Hejing: “…”

Perhaps it was inconvenient to nod while lying down.

He lifted Nan Xu into a sitting position, but this posture was clearly more stimulating for her. Yet, she was soft all over now, without the extra strength to pull away, and could only follow Xie Hejing’s lead.

Xie Hejing cupped Nan Xu’s waist, ensuring that after she ascended, she could sit down steadily.

He still tirelessly asked, “Does it feel good?”

Nan Xu still shook her head.

“Nan Xu…” Xie Hejing said through gritted teeth, “Have you never learned how to nod?”

Nan Xu glared at him and answered with difficulty, “It just doesn’t feel good.”

She felt like she was being tortured to death. Her body no longer even felt like her own, her legs had gone so numb she could barely feel them. She had no idea how much time had passed, or why Xie Hejing still hadn’t finished.

The more she thought, the more wronged she felt. Nan Xu’s voice choked up: “You’re so annoying.”

Xie Hejing’s eyes darkened, and he sped up the rhythm of moving Nan Xu.

He stopped holding back, his movements hard and heavy, going all the way in with every thrust.

Nan Xu’s screams mixed with gasps.

“You… stop,” Nan Xu swallowed and said.

Xie Hejing didn’t answer her, nor did he even look at her; he only focused on the movement.

Nan Xu’s hands flailed wildly, and somehow she grabbed Xie Hejing’s hair. She tugged on it and threatened, “Xie Hejing, you stop now, or else I’ll, I’ll pull your hair.”

“Suit yourself. I told you I won’t stop.”

Having said that, he no longer paid attention to Nan Xu’s cries and pleas for mercy, his movements large and carrying a sense of anger.

She only knew how to provoke him, every time. She used the fact that he couldn’t bring himself to say harsh words to her to her advantage.

Nan Xu truly couldn’t take it anymore. She began to cry, her soft voice pitiful: “Xie Hejing, it hurts…”

Xie Hejing’s movements halted, stuck in that position, neither up nor down.

Clearly feeling that this was effective, Nan Xu lowered her head to kiss Xie Hejing’s lips, pleading, “Brother, you be good too, and go slower, okay?”

Saying this, she then kissed Xie Hejing’s Adam’s apple.

Xie Hejing let out a muffled groan, and very slowly pressed her down: “Nan Xu, I’ll ask one more time, are you coming back or not?”

Nan Xu bit her lip in a dilemma, not answering immediately.

Just from that second of hesitation, Xie Hejing knew what she meant, and his intensity returned to its former level.

“Not coming back? Then I’ll stay here with you.”

“We’ll stay in the hotel, Nan Xu. We’ll just live in the hotel. You can play however you want.”

Nan Xu had only been slow by one second, and she hadn’t expected such a strong reaction from Xie Hejing. She forcefully held back the low moan that threatened to escape and said, “Xie Hejing, if you go slower, I’ll agree to you.”

Hearing this, Xie Hejing stopped and asked her, “You’ll agree to what?”

“I.” She sucked in a breath. She was truly scared; with that intensity just now, she even doubted whether she might die in Xie Hejing’s embrace.

“I’ll agree that you can stay here.”

Nan Xu let out a sigh of relief. At least she had to stabilize him first.

Xie Hejing did slow down, but he just kept going. Nan Xu didn’t know why this phase could last so long. She cried out, “When exactly are you going to finish?”

“In a little while,” Xie Hejing replied briefly, his body tense, right at the crucial moment.

Nan Xu’s throat was dry, and she was completely out of strength.

She could only let him hold her, one hand clutching Xie Hejing’s necklace, the other resting on his shoulder, maintaining balance.

He said “a little while,” but another half hour passed, and Xie Hejing still showed no sign of stopping.

Nan Xu said again, “I’m going to get angry.”

The moment the words left her mouth, Nan Xu felt Xie Hejing’s whole body tremble. She asked, “What’s wrong?”

He couldn’t have been scared by her, could he?

The trembling lasted about a minute, and Xie Hejing let out a long breath while holding Nan Xu.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you to shower.”

“I don’t want you to carry me,” Nan Xu quickly refused, especially since Xie Hejing said he would carry her to shower. If it happened again, would she ever get any sleep tonight?

“If you squirm again, we’ll continue,” Xie Hejing threatened.

Nan Xu didn’t dare to move, only choking up as she said, “You only know how to bully me.”

As soon as her tone became pitiful, Xie Hejing completely regained his composure, and his voice and expression softened.

“Does it hurt a lot?” He reached out to touch her.

Nan Xu quickly put up a hand to block him: “You, I don’t want to talk to you anymore.”

Xie Hejing lowered his gaze and carried her to the bathroom.

She had just said she didn’t want to talk to him, but Nan Xu was still talking right now.

“You clearly know I’m afraid of pain, and you didn’t listen when I asked you to be gentle.”

She spoke ramblingly. Xie Hejing’s eyes held a hint of a smile as he opened the bathroom door and carried her in, starting to fill the bathtub.

As she talked, Nan Xu’s voice turned tearful again: “Why are you so scary? I’m definitely going to find a partner who isn’t so scary in the future.”

Xie Hejing’s temple pulsed. He asked coldly, “What did you say?”

Nan Xu realized what she’d said but continued to accuse him: “You are scary, so what?”

“You still want to find someone else?” he asked.

Nan Xu’s heart hammered in fear, but she still choked out, “Yes! You’re too fierce! I want to find someone gentler…”

“I won’t let you have your way,” Xie Hejing said, frowning, “Never, even if I die.”

Nan Xu seemed to be venting the anger over how Xie Hejing hadn’t stopped, no matter what she said or cried.

“You can’t be like this. Love doesn’t necessarily mean possession.”

“Besides, by doing this, don’t you know I might start to hate you? You are very scary, don’t you know that?”

Several times over, she had almost been scared to death by Xie Hejing’s maliciousness, especially just now in bed. Nan Xu truly felt that Xie Hejing wanted to mold her into his body.

That was too terrifying.

Her expression and tone gradually became serious. She was truly trying to talk to Xie Hejing, not throwing a tantrum.

“You clearly knew I was afraid, so you should have known I definitely wouldn’t agree to go back with you. Why did you still…”

Her voice grew smaller and smaller until it faded into silence.

This was because Xie Hejing, while holding her, had entered her again, and with aggressive force, but he made no movement.

He just stayed there, his chin resting on her shoulder.

Nan Xu’s back was against the bathroom tiles. She didn’t know if it was because the tiles were cold or for some other reason, but she actually felt drops of warm water falling onto her back, which then turned cold and slid down.

She wanted to lift her head to see if the showerhead was leaking, but then she heard Xie Hejing say, “Nan Xu, please don’t hate me, okay?”

He held her tightly, as if afraid that if he relaxed even a little, she would fly away.

“I want you to love me. I don’t want you to hate me.”

Nan Xu’s heart felt as if it had been struck by something blunt, aching slightly.

Warm drops fell onto her shoulder again.

She seemed to guess something, her heart trembling. She coughed, and asked with some uncertainty, “Xie… Brother, are you…”

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Chapter 61 — Don’t rush, I’m putting it on.

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On the evening of her fourth day in Huaining City, Nan Xu could clearly feel that it was much colder here than in Zhi’an. The weather forecast even said there would be snow in half a month.

Sipping her hot milk, Nan Xu felt a chill run through her and quickly pulled her feet back under the blanket.

She hadn’t come here for leisure anyway, so she’d spent almost all four days holed up in the hotel, letting everything stay calm and quiet.

During this time, she carefully tried to get some information out of Zhang Huiwan.

That was how she learned that Xie Hengzhi had fallen down the stairs that night—but thankfully, Zhang Huiwan had caught him in time. His life wasn’t in danger, though he did suffer a broken right leg. It wasn’t too serious, and these past few days, Xie Hejing had been taking care of him.

If Xie Hejing was busy looking after Uncle Xie, then he probably didn’t have the energy to bother her. Nan Xu let out a small sigh of relief.

Toward the end of their conversation, Zhang Huiwan asked when she planned to return—it had already been a month. She said she’d asked Xie Hejing, and he’d told her that Nan Xu was still staying at a friend’s place for a while.

Nan Xu straightened up and stared at the screen.

He’s still making up excuses for me?!

After hesitating for a moment, she decided to send a few messages to Zhang Huiwan.

[Aunt Zhang, I’ve been back in the country for quite a while now and have mostly settled down. I’d feel bad continuing to trouble you and Uncle Xie.]
[You’ve really been so kind to me these past weeks. I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you both.]

When Zhang Huiwan saw the messages, she was shocked. Thinking of how gloomy Xie Hejing had looked these past few days, she wanted to ask him directly—but he wasn’t home.

So she sent Nan Xu a message instead:

[Jiaojiao, did you have a fight with Hejing?]
[If you did, tell me—Auntie will stand up for you.]
[I just wanted you to stay here with us. Hejing isn’t home most of the time, and now you’re leaving too—then it’ll just be me and Uncle Xie staring at each other all day.]

Zhang Huiwan got so flustered that she didn’t even think about Xie Hengzhi lying in the bedroom. Sitting in the living room, she hurriedly typed message after message to Nan Xu.

She truly liked this girl.

If Nan Xu really was moving out because of a conflict with Xie Hejing, Zhang Huiwan would probably scold him harshly. After all, since Nan Xu was alone in Zhi’an, it was her responsibility as a family friend to look after her properly.

But Nan Xu didn’t want to make things worse. She just wanted to calm Aunt Zhang down for now. After thinking it over, she simply said that she was looking for a place to stay and didn’t mention anything about what had happened with Xie Hejing.

Over the past four days, Nan Xu’s mood had stabilized a lot. She had also started thinking about what to do next.

Since things had come to this point, and with Xie Hejing still in Zhi’an, she probably wouldn’t go back there. She liked Huaining City—it was a pleasant city—and staying here wouldn’t be a burden.

She opened the rental and job-hunting apps and slowly began browsing. Over these past few days, she’d looked through quite a few listings, and several companies had already invited her for interviews—one of which was scheduled for tomorrow.

Feeling confident in herself, she decided to have dinner, get a good night’s sleep, and go to the interview in the morning.

Then came a knock at the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

Followed by a voice: “Delivery.”

It must be her dinner.

Nan Xu called out, “Just leave it outside!”

She closed the job app and waited a while before getting up to open the door.

But when she looked down, she realized the item outside wasn’t her food—it was a box.

She didn’t dare open it and couldn’t find any sign of the delivery guy. So she decided to just leave it there and went back into the room.

About half an hour later, the delivery man’s voice came again. Nan Xu still told him to leave it outside.

When she opened the door again, she saw her dinner—only this time, it was being held by someone.

Not just anyone.

But—

Xie Hejing.

“Nan Xu, it’s been four days. Did you miss me?”

Nan Xu froze, her face stiffening instantly. Her eyes widened, her lips moved a few times, but no sound came out.

Why was Xie Hejing here? Wasn’t he supposed to be home taking care of Uncle Xie?!

She couldn’t find her voice, but her body reacted instinctively. Nan Xu immediately grabbed the door and tried to shut it—she didn’t care that her dinner was still in his hands.

But it was useless. Xie Hejing’s hand easily stopped the door, and with a casual push, he forced it open.

He nudged the box at his feet inside with the tip of his shoe. It rolled in, bottles clinking softly against each other before the sound faded.

His expression was calm, though his tone carried a faint hint of reproach. “What, you’re not happy to see me?”

Nan Xu shook her head.

With the threat radiating from him, who could possibly be happy to see him?

A flicker of cold sharpness flashed in his eyes before he buried it under a forced smile. “Ungrateful little thing,” he muttered, then set her dinner on the table.

“Come eat,” he said lightly. “You’ll need your strength later.”

Nan Xu stared at him. His voice was calm—too calm, as if nothing had happened between them. She couldn’t hold back her question.

“Why did you come looking for me again?” she asked. “Didn’t we agree that after one month, if it still didn’t work out, we’d stop?”

Something twitched in his jaw; his nerves were clearly on edge. But he drew in a deep breath and said, “Eat first. We’ll talk after.”

Nan Xu didn’t move. She just wanted to get this over with quickly—otherwise, she had a feeling that tonight, Xie Hejing might truly lose control.

Her gaze flicked to the box by the door. She still didn’t know what was inside.

“Nan Xu,” he called again, his tone firmer. “Come eat. Otherwise, I won’t say a word about what you want to know.”

Nan Xu frowned but reluctantly obeyed, sitting on the edge of the sofa, keeping a cautious distance from him. Her heart pounded as she picked at her food.

But under his unrelenting stare, and with her mind in turmoil, she couldn’t eat much. Soon she put her chopsticks down and wiped her mouth.

“You can talk now,” she said quietly.

“You want to leave me?” Xie Hejing asked bluntly.

Nan Xu stayed silent.

“So you’re not going back home,” he continued, his voice darkening. “You’re not even going back to Zhi’an. Is that it?”

“Yes.” The single word slipped out softly—but it was exactly the one he least wanted to hear.

In an instant, he lunged forward, trapping her against the sofa, his tone fierce and demanding.

“Nan Xu, didn’t you promise me last time that you’d only care about me?”

Nan Xu froze.

Out of everything she’d said, that was what he remembered? Not the part where she said she didn’t want to see him again?

Besides, that promise had been made in desperation—just to calm him down at the time.

“I…” Nan Xu blinked rapidly, unable to find her next words.

“You lied to me?” he pressed, frowning.

Nan Xu turned her head away.

Xie Hejing’s hand shot out, gripping her chin and forcing her to face him. His voice dropped, low and cold.

“Nan Xu, I’ll give you one last chance. Say it—tell me you didn’t lie. Tell me you want to be with me. Tell me you’ll only care about me.”

Nan Xu could see Xie Hejing’s eyes up close—dark, sharp, and deeply unsettling, with a kind of intensity that could pierce straight through her.

Her lips trembled slightly, but her voice remained firm. “You already know the answer. Why do you still need to ask?”

“I want to hear you say it,” Xie Hejing said, his voice low and hoarse. For once, there was a faint tremor in his tone.

His gaze was fierce, yet beneath it hid a kind of desperate fear. “Tell me… are you really going to leave me?”

Loose strands of hair fell over Nan Xu’s flushed eyes. She held her breath, realizing she had underestimated just how deep Xie Hejing’s obsession with her.

But the painful grip on her wrist reminded her—she couldn’t afford to soften. This man was dangerous.

“We’re just… going our separate ways,” she said quietly. “It’s not about abandoning anyone.”

“Heh…”

Xie Hejing gave a short, bitter laugh. No matter how they twisted and turned, it had all come to this.

He stood up, reached into his bag, and pulled something out, holding it out to her. “Look. I brought you something.”

It was the gold-thread bracelet he’d been wanting to make for her—four days of work, finally completed.

The translation for the full dialogue is:

Nan Xu shivered all over, and cried out in alarm: “You broke your promise?”

“No,” he replied calmly. “I only said I’d drop it, I didn’t say I would let go.”

“!!!”

Nan Xu froze, clearly not expecting that response.

She scrambled to her feet, trying to run, but Xie Hejing caught her easily with one arm and lifted her off the ground, carrying her deeper into the room.

She kicked and struggled, but there was no escaping his grip.

The hotel bed didn’t have a headboard, so Xie Hejing had to tie her hands behind her back instead. Seeing the fear in her eyes, he pressed a kiss against her skin and said in a low, commanding tone, “Nan Xu, don’t be afraid of me.”

Having learned his lesson from last time, he tied the knots more tightly this time. Nan Xu struggled for a long while but couldn’t get free. The frustration made her head pound.

“Xie Hejing,” she said quickly, desperate to think of something, “my hands hurt.” Her voice came out small, almost pitiful.

He hesitated—her tone always got to him—but he knew that the moment he loosened his grip, she’d run far away.

So instead, he leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Be good. It’ll stop hurting soon.”

Then he walked over to the door, picked up the box of liquor, and tore it open. Without hesitation, he grabbed a bottle, twisted off the cap, and began drinking straight from it.

Nan Xu’s eyes widened in shock. She had never seen anyone drink like that—with such violence, such raw, reckless abandon.

One bottle after another, the crash of glass against glass rang harshly in her ears.

The veins on the back of his hand stood out, his grip so tight it seemed like he might shatter the bottle. He tilted his head back, pouring the burning liquor down his throat without pause.

The liquor was strong, but unlike before, he could actually taste it now—bitter and acrid.

Unable to stand it any longer, Nan Xu shouted, “Brother—please, stop drinking!”

The moment the words left her mouth, Xie Hejing actually stopped.

He walked toward her slowly, eyes fixed on the girl he had wanted since their school days.

Why did she always want to leave him?

When he restrained himself, she came closer. When he reached out, she pushed him away.

Nan Xu was kneeling on the bed, and he crouched in front of her, tilting her chin upward. “Didn’t you say you wanted to see what I look like drunk?” he said with a faint, dangerous smile. “Don’t worry—you’ll see soon enough.”

Nan Xu’s heart pounded wildly. When had she ever said that?

If he kept drinking like this, once he lost control, things could get even worse.

“Please don’t drink anymore,” she pleaded softly. “I don’t want to see that. Brother, stop… please stop…”

But this persuasion not only didn’t work, but instead wrapped around Xie Hejing’s heart like a poisonous web, causing a sharp, gripping pain.

He picked up another bottle of wine: “Shall we get drunk together?”

Although it was a question, Xie Hejing didn’t give Nan Xu any chance to resist. He took a sip of wine and then went to kiss Nan Xu.

Even with Nan Xu’s strong resistance, even with the wine spilling from between their lips and teeth, even with Nan Xu biting Xie Hejing hard, drawing blood, Xie Hejing still “fed” her, tirelessly enjoying it.

If one bottle wasn’t enough to get drunk, they’d have a few more.

After three bottles of wine, even though a large amount of it went into Xie Hejing’s stomach and Nan Xu barely drank any, she still looked intoxicated.

Xie Hejing curled his lips in satisfaction. He couldn’t force any more; if he did, Nan Xu would be completely drunk and would forget what happened tonight.

He wanted her to remember it thoroughly.

Xie Hejing sat alone drinking on the side. Half an hour later, he finally felt drunk.

His body swayed, but his mind was still clear.

Nan Xu was lying on the bed now, already feeling drowsy, and would soon fall into a deep sleep.

Xie Hejing gave a laugh. The fact that she could still fall asleep at this moment showed how incredibly unconcerned she was.

He reached out and pulled her up.

“Nan Xu, it’s about to begin,” he bent down to kiss the corner of her eye, “Don’t sleep.”

Nan Xu opened her blurry eyes, her gaze filled with Xie Hejing. Hearing his intoxicated voice for the first time, Nan Xu’s heart rate skyrocketed.

She struggled to calm herself down, coaxing him in a soft voice: “Xie Hejing, brother, let go of me, I…”

But Xie Hejing didn’t give her a chance to say more, kissing her directly on the lips and pressing her down onto the bed.

“I don’t want to hear you talk, you’re a liar, you only lie to me.”

Lying to him, not even knowing if she could keep up the lie for a lifetime—she was just a liar without any credibility.

Evidently, his trust in her was already at a critical low. Nan Xu felt like crying but couldn’t, as Xie Hejing stripped off her clothes one by one.

She completely panicked: “Let go of me, I won’t lie to you. I… I’ll go back with you.”

She struggled to pull at the ropes, but this time Xie Hejing was determined to keep her bound. Even if Nan Xu used all her strength, she would only feel the pain of the ropes constricting her.

Xie Hejing continued his movements, his fingertips touching Nan Xu’s waist and then moving downward.

Nan Xu gasped for breath: “Calm down. Can’t we talk things through properly?”

He slightly curved his lips. Being drunk didn’t feel bad; Nan Xu was even resorting to coaxing him in every possible way.

With a month of experience, he knew Nan Xu’s body intimately, easily arousing her desire.

Nan Xu had thin skin, and a layer of red would appear on her body with just a light touch from Xie Hejing’s hand.

Xie Hejing’s hand moved from down to up, then reached the focal point, slowly curving his fingertip inward, and then hooking upward.

“Ungh…” Nan Xu trembled all over, instantly breaking out in a sweat.

Xie Hejing greedily inhaled her scent and watched Nan Xu’s aroused expression. He asked: “Calm down? Can you calm down?”

“I can,” Nan Xu said through gritted teeth.

A fire ignited within her, burning ever hotter with the friction from Xie Hejing’s hand.

Tears welled up in her eyes instantly, but she still persisted.

“I can.”

Even like this, seeing Nan Xu still trying to endure, Xie Hejing completely lost his temper.

“Nan Xu, you clearly have desire for me too, so why are you resisting?”

“Kiss me… Nan Xu, it will relieve it. All the feelings you have right now will be relieved, as long as you’re willing to kiss me.”

He grasped the buttons on his shirt and then suddenly tore it, accompanied by the sound of fabric ripping. The next second was the soft click of a belt buckle being opened.

Nan Xu’s heart pounded violently, fast and uneven.

There were still a few faint scars on his body; they weren’t visible from a distance, but now they were clearly presented right before Nan Xu’s eyes.

Heat radiated from him. His skin rose and fell dramatically with his breathing, his whole body overflowing with the tension of arousal.

A surge of horror flashed in Nan Xu’s eyes. She quickly closed them, but the scene she had just witnessed was irrepressibly playing out in her mind.

How could Xie Hejing have taken everything off!

The heat on her body, compounded by the shock before her eyes, made Nan Xu feel even more miserable.

She whimpered, saying: “Brother, can you please not be like this?” Her throat was so dry that it took effort to utter every single word.

“Heh…” Xie Hejing’s emotions surged. He let out a cold laugh, “You really know how to pick a time, calling me ‘brother’ now.”

Suddenly, the mattress sank and then quickly rebounded. Nan Xu knew Xie Hejing had gotten off the bed. However, she still didn’t dare to open her eyes and could only slowly shrink towards the inner side of the bed, relying on memory.

A moment later, Xie Hejing returned to the bedside. Two seconds later, Nan Xu clearly heard the sound of a packet being torn open.

Nan Xu’s chest suddenly tightened. Realizing something was wrong, she finally opened her eyes.

Xie Hejing had been staring at her and naturally saw her eyes open. He gave a laugh: “Don’t rush, I’m putting it on.”

Nan Xu just watched him: opening, taking it out, checking the orientation, and then rolling it down.

In the middle of it, she could hear him let out a soft “hiss.”

It was the pain of being tightly constricted and squeezed.

Nan Xu froze completely, her mind briefly blank, her gaze following Xie Hejing’s movements.

Xie Hejing climbed back onto the bed, kneeling. Seeing Nan Xu’s flushed cheeks, he asked: “Do you still want to resist?”

Nan Xu’s lips were pressed into a straight line. She forced out one word: “Yes.”

Xie Hejing completely burst into laughter and said: “Nan Xu, do you know what’s about to happen?”

Being looked at by Xie Hejing like this, and seeing Xie Hejing in this state, Nan Xu was utterly ignited, a never-before-felt, unbearable tingling.

She truly felt she couldn’t hold on any longer. Her body was like a balloon about to explode, every inch of her skin stretched taut.

She was exasperated and didn’t want to admit defeat like this.

“I know, so what?” Nan Xu said stiffly, “Nothing will change. What’s meant to leave will still leave.”

“It’s just, at most, a way to release the tension.”

This sudden shift made Xie Hejing’s expression darken further: “Is that so? Not pretending anymore?”

Didn’t she just say she would return to Zhi’an with him? She was lying to him, after all.

His tone was chilling and indifferent: “Then let’s try. I hope you can still hold out.”

Xie Hejing pulled her legs to his waist, making her wrap them around him, and then leaned in.

Nan Xu’s waist was forced into an arch, and her body, from her legs to her buttocks, rippled, instinctively tensing up.

She continued, her voice mixed with ragged breaths: “Xie Hejing, who do you think you can keep by doing this?”

Xie Hejing gritted his teeth, saying nothing.

He didn’t hear!

He placed his hands on both sides of Nan Xu’s legs, pulling her a little closer towards him.

“Ungh…” Tears welled up at the corners of Nan Xu’s eyes, “Do you think you can make me addicted to you this way? Impossible.”

Xie Hejing’s muscles tensed all over his body.

He didn’t hear!

He narrowed his eyes, lifted himself, and then aimed. Xie Hejing’s hands were even trembling slightly.

The heat drew near. Nan Xu clenched her fists: “Are you really trying to make me love your body instead of you as a person?”

Xie Hejing gripped Nan Xu’s legs forcefully.

He didn’t hear!!!

Xie Hejing told himself over and over again in his mind.

He didn’t hear!

He didn’t hear…

Slowly making contact, he was then blocked. A low growl escaped Xie Hejing’s throat. Nan Xu gasped in pain, unable to stop herself from twisting, but she was fiercely constrained by Xie Hejing’s large hand.

“Xie Hejing, I just…” Nan Xu used all her strength to speak loudly, but before she could finish, Xie Hejing interrupted her.

He held her firmly and shouted: “Enough.”

He pulled Nan Xu up, forcing her to look him in the eye. Tear drops still clung to her wet eyelashes, meeting Xie Hejing’s scorching gaze.

Nan Xu swallowed hard.

Xie Hejing placed a hand on the back of her neck: “You were the one who provoked me in the beginning. You were the one who said you liked me. You were the one who…”

Xie Hejing stopped, his Adam’s apple bobbing frantically. After a moment, he asked her: “And now you’re going to abandon me?”

Nan Xu’s throat was successfully blocked. It took a long time before she said: “But… I’m scared.”

“Would you have the heart to let me be afraid?”

“Jiaojiao, I miss you so much… come home with me,” he lowered his gaze, “From the time we were in school until now, I have always wanted to have a home with you.”

He wasn’t lying. He truly had always wanted to have a home that belonged just to the two of them.

She knew Xie Hejing was susceptible to her pitiful tone, and Xie Hejing knew she was soft-hearted.

The two confronted each other in silence like this.

Finally, Nan Xu closed her eyes first…

After a while, Xie Hejing’s hand slipped down to her waist, pulling off the ropes on Nan Xu’s wrists. He interlaced his fingers with hers in one hand and held her waist with the other.

He lowered his gaze and slowly moved forward.

Nan Xu’s back arched, cold sweat streaming down as her freed hand gripped Xie Hejing’s arm, trying to stop him from moving. But her fragmented whimpers swallowed every word she wanted to say. Tilting her head back, Nan Xu struggled to breathe.

The curve from her neck to her shoulder line was smooth and undulating. Seeing this, Xie Hejing kissed her neck, then gradually pushed forward.

Nan Xu’s breath hitched, and she finally couldn’t hold back a cry.

“Xie Hejing, it hurts…”

---

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Chapter 60 — Madman!

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That night in Zhi’an, heavy rain poured down, the raindrops pattering relentlessly against the ground. The streets were almost deserted, with only one or two pedestrians occasionally passing by.

The two had just come out of a dinner party.

Nan Xu was driving, while Xie Hejing sat in the passenger seat, resting his head on one hand and pretending to nap.

The chill of winter seeped into the car. Nan Xu glanced sideways at him and quietly turned up the heater, but the air inside still felt oppressively heavy.

A few hours earlier, they’d had a quarrel—not a real fight, more like a heated exchange. The tone had just been… too serious.

It all started that afternoon when Jiang Qiyi happened to come to Zhi’an on a business trip.

He’d gone to college in Chengyu and stayed there after graduation. This time, it had been a while since he came back to Zhi’an, so he wanted to catch up with Nan Xu and Qi Zhiyu over dinner.

But Qi Zhiyu had to work overtime and couldn’t make it. Nan Xu, on the other hand, was free after work—except she needed to accompany Xie Hejing to a dinner event that evening.

Since Xie Hejing wasn’t at the office, he told her to pick him up later, just before they had to go.

Nan Xu checked the time. There were still three hours before she had to meet him, which was more than enough for a quick coffee with Jiang Qiyi. So she agreed.

The cafe they chose was only about twenty minutes away from the dinner venue, which reassured her further—there was no way she’d be late to pick up Xie Hejing.

It had been years since Nan Xu and Jiang Qiyi last saw each other. When she walked into the cafe, she almost didn’t recognize him at first glance.

Jiang Qiyi loved playing ball when he was in school, and he also tanned easily, so he was never fair-skinned throughout the entire year.

But now, after working for a few years, his skin had lightened considerably. He stood taller, carried himself with more composure, dressed in a sharp suit with neatly combed hair.

He looked less like he was meeting an old friend, and more like he was on his way to a business meeting.

Nan Xu smiled as she walked over. “It’s just a meet-up. Why are you dressed so formally?”

“I’ve got another appointment later,” Jiang Qiyi explained with a laugh. “Didn’t have time to go back and change, so I came straight here.” He remembered her tastes and ordered several of the cakes she used to like. “Your preferences haven’t changed, right? As for coffee, you can pick your own—I never knew what kind you liked.”

Nan Xu hadn’t been much of a coffee drinker before, so he wasn’t wrong.

She glanced up from the menu, surprised by his words. “You have an appointment later too?”

“Too?” Jiang Qiyi looked up. “You have one as well?”

Nan Xu nodded. “Yeah, I’m going to a dinner party with my boss.”

“What a coincidence,” Jiang Qiyi said, laughing. “First day of my business trip here, and I’ve got a dinner to attend too.”

Nan Xu smiled faintly, not saying more. Everyone had their own work obligations.

It had been years since they’d met, so after a bit of small talk, their conversation naturally flowed—from the past to the present, jumping between memories.

Even Qi Zhiyu, who was working overtime, didn’t want to miss out. She joined them on a video call.

Wearing headphones, she listened to Jiang Qiyi gossip about things back in Chengyu and even typed questions in the chat, asking for details. Not even work could suppress her burning curiosity for gossip.

The three of them chatted cheerfully, laughter flowing easily. Nan Xu was smiling so brightly that she didn’t notice the figure standing outside the cafe.

“Mr. Xie, is something wrong?” a colleague beside him asked when he suddenly stopped walking.

Xie Hejing’s gaze was fixed on Nan Xu. If he remembered correctly, she hadn’t mentioned anything about meeting Jiang Qiyi.

His eyes narrowed slightly, and when they landed on her smile, something sharp and unpleasant twisted in his chest.

He stood there for a full three minutes before finally turning away. “Nothing,” he said coolly. “Let’s go.”

The three old friends kept talking for quite a while, and by the time Nan Xu finally stepped out of the cafe, there was only about an hour left before the dinner began.

She texted Xie Hejing, asking where he was.

He didn’t reply with words—just sent her a location pin.

Nan Xu opened it and immediately brightened. He was less than a ten-minute drive away.

She pulled the car over by the curb, and before long, Xie Hejing appeared in her line of sight.

She waved at him. “Brother, get in the car!”

Seeing how cheerful she looked, Xie Hejing couldn’t hold back a remark. “Assistant Nan sure has a packed schedule.”

Just met someone, and now here to pick him up.

Nan Xu didn’t realize he had seen her with Jiang Qiyi earlier, nor did she catch the edge in his tone.

She just laughed and said lightly, “Not really—no one’s busier than you, President Xie.”

“…”

He said nothing, but his expression was far from pleasant. Nan Xu didn’t notice until they arrived at the dinner venue. He hadn’t spoken a word to her the entire way, though his gaze kept drifting toward her and lingering a little too long, leaving her confused and uneasy.

Soon, the private room door opened, and several more people came in. When Nan Xu turned her head, she froze—among them was Jiang Qiyi.

Judging by his startled expression, he hadn’t expected to see her either. When he sat down, he deliberately chose the seat beside her.

“Nan Xu, what a coincidence,” he said.

Nan Xu smiled. “Yeah, totally didn’t expect this. If we’d known, we could’ve come together earlier.”

Xie Hejing gave a cold, quiet laugh.

Jiang Qiyi, however, recognized him right away. After all, his business trip to Zhi’an was mainly to discuss a potential partnership with Xie Hejing.

Noticing Nan Xu seated next to Xie Hejing, he easily guessed that she must be his assistant.

“Nan Xu,” he said softly, “your boss doesn’t look too happy tonight.”

He sounded genuinely worried about how that might affect their meeting.

Nan Xu lowered her voice. “A little, yeah. I’m not sure why. But don’t worry—he won’t let personal emotions interfere with work.”

“You really know him well,” Jiang Qiyi said sincerely.

Nan Xu hesitated for a moment, then smiled awkwardly. “Ah, well, I am his assistant. I have to know him at least a little.”

Meanwhile, Xie Hejing sat expressionless, pouring himself one glass after another.

It was a business dinner, so of course the drinking rounds began soon. One after another, people turned to toast Nan Xu. She bit her lip, clearly reluctant, but since they were all business partners, it felt rude to refuse.

Just as she lifted her glass, Xie Hejing reached over and took it right out of her hand.

“My assistant isn’t feeling well tonight,” he said flatly. “I’ll drink for her.”

The table fell silent for a moment. Everyone had seen assistants drink on behalf of their bosses—but the other way around? That was new.

Immediately, the atmosphere shifted; several people exchanged knowing glances, their eyes flicking toward Nan Xu with subtle curiosity.

Feeling uncomfortable under their stares, Nan Xu forced a polite smile and followed his lead. “Sorry, everyone. I took some medicine earlier and really shouldn’t drink tonight. I’ll toast you all with tea instead.”

The message was clear enough. Everyone at the table was sharp—they caught on instantly, laughter rising to smooth over the moment.

“Of course, of course, if you’ve taken medicine, no drinking.”

“Yeah, it’s late anyway—Miss Nan shouldn’t drink too much.”

So, in the end, only the two people beside Nan Xu kept drinking. Whether someone toasted him or not, Xie Hejing just kept pouring himself more.

As for Jiang Qiyi—well, his unspoken role this night was clearly to take the brunt of the drinking. By the time the third round came around, he was hands down the most intoxicated person at the table.

Nan Xu knew Xie Hejing’s alcohol tolerance well—he never really got drunk from what he drank, and no one dared to pressure him into drinking more anyway.

On the other hand, Jiang Qiyi at the next table was already dry-heaving.

Nan Xu didn’t have time to worry about anything else. She immediately patted Jiang Qiyi’s back.

“Jiang Qiyi, are you okay?”

His face was flushed red, and his speech had started to slur. Nan Xu frowned at the sight, then stood up and walked toward Mr. Zhang.

Seeing her approach, Mr. Zhang thought Xie Hejing had something to say through her. His tone turned immediately pleasant. “Assistant Nan, is there something you need? Did President Xie—”

Nan Xu smiled politely. “President Xie appreciates your sincerity. He’s very confident about this collaboration. He just noticed one of your colleagues seemed a bit drunk and asked me to check if you’d like us to call a designated driver for you.”

Mr. Zhang’s smile widened. Only then did he notice that Jiang Qiyi was indeed quite drunk. Remembering Nan Xu’s words, a flicker of satisfaction passed across his face.

“No need, that’s very considerate of President Xie. We have a colleague who hasn’t been drinking.” He turned his head. “Xiao Chen, help Xiao Qi to the car so he can rest.”

Nan Xu exchanged a few polite words before returning to her seat. Before long, Jiang Qiyi was helped out of the room—at least he was safe from being forced to drink more.

Still, Nan Xu couldn’t help but worry a little, her distracted expression giving her away.

Xie Hejing finally couldn’t stand it anymore. He spoke to her for the first time that evening—his tone dripping with jealousy.

“Assistant Nan seems very concerned about someone. You could go out and check on him if you want.”

“Really?” Nan Xu looked up, only to notice the cold expression on his face and the tightening corners of his lips. She smiled faintly. “No need. He’s got his colleague looking after him.”

Xie Hejing’s expression stayed cool, his voice laced with mockery. “Not going anymore? Looks like Assistant Nan’s concern is rather shallow—comes and goes just like that.”

“Your emotions seem to switch on and off at will, don’t they?”

Love was the same. It came when she pleased and left just as easily.

If she said she liked him, then why did she still smile at others?

Why did she go to dinner with another man without saying a word to him?

Why was she so worried about another man?

Why did she pat his back so gently?

Why, even while sitting beside him, was she thinking of someone else?

Nan Xu’s lips parted slightly. She wasn’t used to seeing Xie Hejing like this. “Don’t talk like that.”

He gave a cold snort. “What did I say that was wrong?”

“Assistant Nan certainly has a big heart—plenty of room for everyone, it seems. Today you’re worried about this one, tomorrow you’ll be helping that one. What about next time?”

Nan Xu set down her chopsticks a little too firmly. “President Xie, please mind the occasion.”

This wasn’t the time or place to discuss private matters.

Xie Hejing fell silent, but the chill radiating from him only deepened. He stayed that way even after the dinner ended, saying nothing as they got into the car.

Remembering all that, Nan Xu pressed her lips together before finally speaking. “I’ll… put on some music.”

Xie Hejing didn’t respond, eyes closed as if pretending to nap.

Not wanting to make things worse, Nan Xu quietly played a soft, calming song and focused on driving.

Outside, the fog was thick, visibility low, and the wet roads forced her to keep the car moving slowly through the misty night.

Xie Hejing felt the air inside the car growing thicker and heavier, like it was pressing down on his chest. There was a tightness in him that couldn’t go up or down—a suffocating frustration that made him want to lash out, but he didn’t know where to direct it.

He thought about saying something to Nan Xu, but realized he couldn’t bring himself to speak harshly to her.

This made him feel even more aggrieved.

Soft, calming music filled the car, but instead of soothing him, it made the fire in his chest burn hotter.

He finally spoke. “Nan Xu, do you even understand that love is supposed to be exclusive?”

Nan Xu seemed to catch on to what was bothering him, but she couldn’t accept it.

Wasn’t it normal to care about a friend?

Who could just sit there and watch a friend get that drunk and do nothing?

“I know love is exclusive,” she said quietly, “but caring isn’t, right?
It’s normal to care about a friend.”

Xie Hejing frowned.

Normal, huh? Then why had she spent the whole time paying attention only to Jiang Qiyi?

Did she even glance at him? Or was she so sure he couldn’t get drunk that she didn’t bother?

He almost wanted to just get completely wasted—so drunk that she would finally see only him.

He was jealous, but his voice came out cold and firm. “Not for me. I only want you to care about me.”

“But you don’t.”

Nan Xu kept her eyes on the road, both hands gripping the steering wheel, unsure how to respond. Silence fell heavy between them—the first real tension of this kind they’d ever had.

When they finally got home, Nan Xu put down her things and went straight to the kitchen. Following a recipe she’d found online, she made a bowl of hangover soup for Xie Hejing.

But just as she set it down in front of him, a knock came at the door.

Nan Xu hurried over and opened it. The moment she saw who it was, her eyes widened in shock.

Jiang Zhiyu was standing outside, holding a small dog in his arms. When the door opened, the dog barked excitedly, its tail wagging so hard it almost took off.

Jiang Zhiyu lifted the dog slightly and smiled. “Xiao Daizi came looking for you again today, but you weren’t home. I thought I’d try my luck tonight. Maybe tomorrow we could—”

“Who are you asking out?”

The voice came from behind her—cold, cutting, and dangerously quiet. It slithered up her spine like a serpent whispering venom into her ear.

A chill ran through Nan Xu’s body. Under normal circumstances, she might’ve been able to defuse it, but not tonight—not when things were already so tense between her and Xie Hejing.

Ignoring politeness entirely, she reached for the door, trying to shut it. But Xie Hejing blocked it with one hand.

He looked at Jiang Zhiyu, a smile curving on his lips—but it was a smile as cold as ice, with barely restrained fury radiating from his whole body.

“I asked you,” he said softly, “who were you planning to meet?”

Jiang Zhiyu froze, clearly stunned. He hadn’t expected another man to be in Nan Xu’s home—let alone one he actually recognized.

“I’m sorry,” Nan Xu said quickly, “I don’t have time tomorrow.”

Before Xie Hejing could react, she took advantage of his distraction, slipped around him, and slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

The sight of her panic—the way she’d rushed to close the door—only fueled his anger further. His expression turned cold and hollow, the faint curl of his lips devoid of warmth.

“Nan Xu,” he said, voice low and empty, “another one?”

He took a step closer. “What are you thinking about now? Still thinking about him? Regretting that you won’t get to see him tomorrow?”

Xie Hejing’s pupils contracted sharply, jealousy blazing in his eyes—an erupting volcano barely contained within.

“Nan Xu, today is the last day. In half an hour, the month will be completely over. Are you very happy?”

The burning madness in his eyes ran wild, and Nan Xu’s heart jumped. She couldn’t help but take a step back.

Xie Hejing clenched his fists.

Nan Xu felt that one step might not be enough, so she continuously took several more steps back until she reached what she considered a safe distance.

“No, I’m not.”

Xie Hejing’s mind was now entirely occupied by rage. All he could replay in his head was the image of Nan Xu stepping back just now.

She was still afraid. Even after all these days, after he had endured so much just to seduce her, it had barely worked. And now, to make matters worse, there was another man asking her out.

Was she tired of him? Was she thinking of saying yes to that man?

She cared about other people, she even cared about other dogs, but she just wouldn’t notice him, who was on the verge of dying from jealousy, and now she was even moving away from him.

Xie Hejing took a deep breath, covered the distance in a few strides, and pulled her back into the room.

Her wrist was pulled painfully. This was the first time Xie Hejing had used so much force on Nan Xu. When he let go, her wrist was red in several places.

Xie Hejing wasn’t blind, but he forced himself to ignore it. He took a rope from the headboard frame.

The gold thread he wanted to craft for Nan Xu wasn’t finished yet, so he could only use this ugly, coarse rope. Xie Hejing’s eyes showed regret.

The moment Nan Xu saw the rope, she was overcome by an unprecedented, boundless fear, bordering on terror.

Xie Hejing’s words from before were not said casually; he meant every single word. He was really going to tie her up!!!

Nan Xu trembled.

She stared intently at Xie Hejing’s actions, yet still cautiously said, “Xie Hejing, I promise you, I’ll only care about you.”

But this sentence was clearly useless to Xie Hejing now; it couldn’t placate his intense possessiveness and pathological jealousy.

He intimately took Nan Xu’s hand, his fingertip tracing her wrist.

Nan Xu flinched even more.

She was afraid of him?!

Xie Hejing was stimulated by the flinch. He directly pulled the rope and wrapped it around Nan Xu’s wrist, then moved her hand toward the headboard.

The other end of the rope was wound around the bedpost. Ultimately, Xie Hejing did not tie it too tightly, afraid that she would be too painfully chafed when she struggled later.

Nan Xu gasped for breath, simply unable to believe that the person tying her up was Xie Hejing. She shouted, “Xie Hejing, are you crazy?”

Xie Hejing did not speak. He had answered this question many times.

He shouldn’t just tell her, he should show her.

“Good girl, make your voice louder later.” He stroked her face, his eyes filled with tenderness.

Nan Xu was terrified and turned her eyes away, refusing to look at him.

Immediately, Xie Hejing ground his teeth together, yet with a strange calm, he walked to the other side and wrapped Nan Xu’s other hand in the same way.

He then looked at her legs, considering whether he should also tie them up, but then thought it didn’t matter—they would be draped over his shoulders and wrapped around his waist later; the effect would be the same.

Xie Hejing leaned over her, kissing her and slowly removing Nan Xu’s clothes.

“Xie Hejing, let me go now, or I will definitely stay far away from you in the future and never see you again.”

Xie Hejing’s heart was sharply pierced, hurting so much he could barely breathe, but he remained silent, simply continuing his actions.

Feeling her whole body turn cold, Nan Xu could no longer hold back and began to sob.

Xie Hejing drove his fingers into his palm, stopping his actions completely above Nan Xu, but not for the purpose of releasing her.

Instead, he said softly, “Be good. Just bear with it for a little while.”

After that, he tried to force himself to ignore Nan Xu’s sobs—but he couldn’t. The more she cried, the more his heart ached.

Couldn’t she just not leave him? Couldn’t she stop being afraid of him? Was it really so hard to love him? To accept him?

He began unbuttoning his shirt, and Nan Xu completely panicked. She cried out, no longer caring about anything else, “Xie Hejing, you lunatic! Let me go—I hate you!”

Xie Hejing’s gaze hardened; he couldn’t hold himself back any longer. In an instant, his upper body was bare.

Just then, his phone rang. He ignored it. But it kept ringing—again and again—until, irritated, he finally answered.

From the other end came Zhang Huiwan’s frantic voice: “Xie Hejing, come home right now! Your father’s had an accident!”

His temples throbbed violently as a storm of emotions hit him all at once, but he forced himself to take it all in.

He bent down and placed a kiss on Nan Xu’s face, but she turned away. He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him, and warned coldly, “Nan Xu, wait here for me. Don’t leave. No matter where you go, I’ll find you and bring you back.”

Nan Xu said nothing. But Xie Hejing didn’t have time to linger—he hastily dressed, grabbed his phone, and rushed out.

Lying on the bed, Nan Xu stared blankly at the ceiling, lost and uncertain about what to do next.

But soon, her resolve returned.

She knew, she had to leave.

It was 12:09 AM.

The month was over.

That meant she could go, without breaking their agreement.

Only her hands had been tied, and Xie Hejing hadn’t bound them tightly. After a few hard struggles, she managed to free herself.

Quick and efficient, Nan Xu packed her belongings, booked a ticket on her phone, and left the place that had once been their “home for two” without a moment’s hesitation.

By the time Xie Hejing returned, she was gone. The rope lay tossed on the bed.

He stormed into her room like a madman. She took the clothes she had brought with her, and aside from that small pink bag, she didn’t take a single item he had bought.

The cold light in Xie Hejing’s eyes made him want to destroy everything in front of him.

But after a long moment, he forced himself to calm down.

A chilling smile crept across his lips.

She couldn’t escape.

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Taw’s Note: This isn’t how you chase someone you like, Xie Hejing ah… (⁠╯⁠°⁠□⁠°⁠）⁠╯⁠︵⁠ ⁠┻⁠━⁠┻

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Chapter 59 — Look carefully at what we’re doing

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“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?”

Xie Hejing flicked Nan Xu’s forehead lightly, but she still hadn’t recovered.

She couldn’t believe her luck, how could she have drawn such an outrageous card right from the start?

He raised his eyes lazily, spinning the card between his fingers without interrupting her as she tried to process what had just happened.

The rest of the cards lay scattered across the table. Xie Hejing, now intrigued, sat down and began looking through them one by one.

Every now and then, he’d come across something amusing and couldn’t help but chuckle, glancing at Nan Xu as he did. A few cards he even mentally noted down, planning to try them out with her later.

Three minutes passed, and Nan Xu still hadn’t moved.

After putting the cards away and sealing them back in the bag, Xie Hejing called out, “Come here, I’ll take off your bell.”

That finally snapped Nan Xu out of her daze; her frozen mind started working again.

“I’m coming,” she said stiffly, the words squeezed out through clenched teeth.

Xie Hejing propped his head lazily on one hand, legs crossed, smiling as always.

“Why so slow? Don’t want it off? Perfect then—”

Before he could finish, Nan Xu had already walked up to him, afraid he might change his mind. She spoke quickly, straight to the point: “Take it off.”

But Xie Hejing didn’t move. He kept smiling at her, eyes glinting.

“Why aren’t you?” Nan Xu asked.

“Do you still remember what was written on that card?” he said, pointing to the only one he’d left on the table. “Want to take another look?”

“No need.”

Nan Xu snapped, her voice quick and sharp. The image from that card was already burned into her mind the instant she saw it.

She was still breathing hard—she had never imagined such a card could exist, let alone contain that.

Xie Hejing’s gaze drifted toward the bell again, his tone thick with temptation.

“I could bite through the string with my teeth. It won’t hurt you.”

“But, Nan Xu… I want to taste the bell.”

“It’s rung three times already, it must be full of sweetness.” He paused for a moment, then added with a faint smile, “Maybe I should tie one on you every day…”

That way, he could always have that sweetness. As he spoke, he was already thinking about where he’d bought it.

The more he talked, the further he drifted off track, until his sudden silence made Nan Xu’s heart jolt.

“Stop talking,” she said, placing her hand on his head. “And stop thinking, too.”

The gesture made him laugh, unable to hold it in. “So bossy. You can tell what I’m thinking now? I can’t even think?”

“Well… it’s obviously nothing normal,” Nan Xu muttered. “Who knows what strange, crazy idea you’ll come up with next.”

“Yes,” he admitted easily. “Crazy. But you’re being vague.”

“Do you know what I was just thinking?”

“I was thinking… maybe you should wear that bell every time you come home. Each time it rings, you change it for a new one, and I’ll make sure each one carries that sweetness.”

“Or maybe the taste outside isn’t strong enough. What if I put the bell inside? But that might hurt you… so maybe I could use something else instead.”

“And there’s another way. What if I just replaced the bell altogether, and tasted it myself every day…”

“Enough,” Nan Xu quickly cut him off, forcing herself to calm down. She had never met anyone so addicted to these things.

“Can’t you control yourself a little?”

Control?!

Xie Hejing sneered twice, his hand fiddling with the bell, reminding her, “Nan Xu, if I hadn’t been controlling myself, you probably wouldn’t even be able to get out of bed right now.”

Such blunt and suggestive words left Nan Xu momentarily speechless. She stamped her foot in frustration.

“Do you really like that… that smell? Are you that addicted?”

Xie Hejing raised an eyebrow but shook his head. “It’s not the smell I like. I like you, so I like your smell.”

“Nan Xu, I’m addicted to you.”

He once thought he had weaned himself off Nan Xu, maintaining stability for several years. But the more he suppressed it, the faster the craving returned the moment they met.

Xie Hejing admitted he had a pathological desire for Nan Xu—a craving for every wisp of her breath, every glance to belong only to him. The name Nan Xu had long penetrated his bones, eating away at his heart.

Love is an uncontrollable addiction, and his addiction had now flared up beyond control.

He flicked the bell again with his fingertip, then looked down at his palm with satisfaction. “This is my fix.”

“Let’s go, back to the room. I think if we started here, you’d be too shy to stay even in the living room, so I’ll let you off the hook this time. We’ll go to my room.”

Nan Xu remained standing, but Xie Hejing’s hand tightened around her waist, pulling her forward without resistance. “If you don’t like that, we can go to your room instead.”

Xie Hejing always knew how to precisely pinpoint Nan Xu’s weakness, and her steps became much more cooperative.

The door opened with a click, and as the switch was pressed, the room quickly lit up.

Xie Hejing let go, walked to the bed, casually rolled the duvet into a bundle, piling it against the headboard, and then sprawled out onto the bed himself.

His actions were as natural as resting normally. When Nan Xu remained motionless for a while, Xie Hejing, staring at the ceiling, said, “Do I need to tell you the second half of ‘I lay down’?”

“No need.”

Nan Xu walked forward, each step agonizingly slow, but Xie Hejing didn’t rush her, just waited for her to slowly come closer.

Her love, her desire, should walk towards him.

Every path, no matter how slow, eventually ends. Despite extreme procrastination, Nan Xu finally stood by the bed.

She glanced at Xie Hejing, her face resigned as she bent her legs and knelt onto the bed.

After several moments of hesitation, Nan Xu still lacked the courage to move forward. She dug her fingernails into her palms until it was agonizingly painful, then gritted her teeth and tried to move her leg, but quickly pulled it back.

She couldn’t overcome the hurdle in her mind, and her voice was edged with a sob, “I can’t.”

Xie Hejing inhaled, suppressing his intense craving, and volunteered, “I’ll cover my eyes, Nan Xu. All you have to do is sit.”

Xie Hejing offered only minimal concessions; no matter what, he wouldn’t let Nan Xu cancel.

After saying this, he got up to grab a random towel, but then suddenly remembered something. Xie Hejing put down the towel and pulled out the tie from the closet—the one Nan Xu had used to cover his eyes last time.

He smoothly returned to the bed and covered his eyes with the tie, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Nan Xu, the longer you drag this out, the more I’ll want.”

Nan Xu knew Xie Hejing was telling the truth.

She inhaled sharply, slowly moved her legs forward, stood up, and straddled Xie Hejing.

Her heart felt like it was about to burst; Nan Xu thought she must be crazy too. If it were before, no, even a month ago, she wouldn’t have believed she would do this.

She frowned, unable to take the next step no matter how hard she tried.

Xie Hejing could sense Nan Xu’s hesitation and see her inner struggle. He tried to reassure her. “Nan Xu, this is normal between lovers, isn’t it? Don’t be scared, don’t be nervous.”

“Be good, baby. Just try it—you might feel something… unexpected.”

“Wait—”

His words were abruptly cut off when something cold and hard covered his mouth.

Above it was warmth—and a faint, sweet scent.

His hand instinctively grabbed the sheet, his entire body trembling as a gentle yet intoxicating sweetness invaded his mouth and nose within seconds.

He felt as if he were being torn apart, the heat beneath his blindfold blazing dangerously.

Just as he imagined—the taste of the bell was wonderful. So wonderful that he didn’t want to swallow, only to keep that sweetness in his mouth forever, to slowly savor and bite down on it.

He never realized how quickly time could slip away. The moment he wanted more, to chase that sweetness again, it was already gone.

He yanked off his tie. His eyes were still burning with desire, barely restrained, almost breaking free.

Then he saw Nan Xu—kneeling at the edge of the bed, her face flushed red. Her fingertips dug into her legs so hard it seemed she might draw blood.

In that fleeting instant just now, Nan Xu had truly felt what Xie Hejing meant by “something unexpected.”

But at the same time, she felt like a stranger to herself—so strange that it frightened her.

A shock of panic ran through Xie Hejing’s heart. He quickly took her hands, saw the tears welling in her eyes, and pulled her into his arms, soothing her softly.
“Baby, don’t blame yourself. Don’t hurt yourself.”

Nan Xu could treat him however she wanted—he didn’t care—but what terrified Xie Hejing was the thought that she might actually hurt herself.

He cursed himself for pushing her too far. After holding back for so long, couldn’t he have endured just a few more days?

“You can pinch me, hit me, curse me—all of it’s fine. It’s all because of me. I’m the one who tempted you. I’m the one who—”

“Brother… will I go crazy too?”

Nan Xu asked uncertainly, her voice trembling as she sought an answer from him. But deep down, she already knew—everything that had just happened between them felt insane to her, shattering every bit of restraint she once had.

“…”

For the first time, Xie Hejing fell silent in deep thought.

He didn’t answer right away. He was thinking—was Nan Xu afraid of becoming like him? Did she hate his twisted nature so much that she feared catching it herself?

“Brother, will I?” Nan Xu asked again.

She recalled that moment—his breath brushing against her, the tingling sensation that almost took her breath away. Yet after the sobs came… a strange hint of pleasure.

Nan Xu truly thought she must have gone mad. She looked at Xie Hejing’s lips, then his eyes and brows—features so familiar to her.

Just like the brother in her memories.

The brother in her heart.

Exactly the same.

A strange sense of relief rose in her chest—thankfully, he was only the brother in her heart, not one bound to her by blood.

Nan Xu’s heart gave a painful throb.

The brother in her heart.

She had fallen in love with the brother in her heart.

And, amidst this madness, there were signs of her sinking into it.

This thought made Nan Xu’s hand tremble in Xie Hejing’s grasp. She hadn’t thought about this in detail before, but now she realized: to what extent did it contain an element of taboo?

Xie Hejing tightened his grip on her hand, his voice regaining its composure: “You won’t, Nan Xu, you won’t go crazy. All your feelings are just being coaxed out by me; you are still you.”

In this moment, Xie Hejing’s feelings were complicated. He simultaneously hoped Nan Xu would be obsessed with him, addicted to him, and only have him in her heart, yet he was also worried that she might be afraid of that side of herself.

“It’s my fault,” Xie Hejing said, lowering his eyes.

Nan Xu shook her head: “No, I said from the beginning that I wanted to confirm something.”

“…Sexual desire.”

Two seconds later, her voice reappeared.

“I think,” Nan Xu struggled to say, finally breaking through her inhibition, “I think I might have developed a little for you.”

From sharp pain, stagnation, silence, flutter, heat, to ecstasy, Xie Hejing’s heart went through this entire process in a very short time.

He stared at Nan Xu, swallowed, and could barely believe his ears.

“Say that again.”

Nan Xu looked away: “No. If you didn’t hear it, then forget it.”

She tried to get up, but there was no way Xie Hejing would let her go now. He scooped her back into his arms. “Good girl, say it again, okay?”

“No,” Nan Xu turned her head away petulantly.

Xie Hejing was both frustrated and amused. He eagerly pressed, “Is it because of just now? Or is it because of something else?”

If it was because of that thing just now, he would make sure to try it every day.

Nan Xu answered honestly: “I don’t know, maybe.”

Desire surged and flickered in Xie Hejing’s eyes. He lifted her into his arms and started walking out.

“What are you doing?” Nan Xu panicked. He hadn’t untied the bell yet! This position was extremely stimulating for her.

What Nan Xu didn’t expect was that Xie Hejing carried her into the walk-in closet.

Looking at the racks full of clothes, Nan Xu asked, “Do you want to change clothes?”

But most of the clothes in here were hers.

Xie Hejing curled his lips. He pressed a button on the side, and a huge, clear mirror rotated out from behind the closet.

Nan Xu had changed clothes here countless times but had never noticed that a large mirror could rotate out.

She glanced at the mirror, saw her current outfit, and her gaze dropped to where the bell was…

Nan Xu’s face flushed hot, and she turned around, hiding her face in Xie Hejing’s chest. “Quickly turn that mirror back.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed wildly. Xie Hejing saw his completely undisguised desire reflected in the mirror, and a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. “This way, we can see clearly.”

Nan Xu wanted to ask what he intended to see clearly, but Xie Hejing’s actions had already given her the answer.

He pressed down on Nan Xu’s shoulders, turned her around, and then walked in front of her, slowly kneeling down.

“Nan Xu, I’m going to make sure you remember tonight. So, when I start, stare into the mirror, don’t look away for a moment.”

Xie Hejing flicked the bell again, and then pressed his lips against her.

Staring blankly at the shocking scene in the mirror, Nan Xu’s face could barely register any expression other than surprise and astonishment.

She swallowed.

“Ding-a-ling!”

That familiar sound rang out again.

Xie Hejing’s gaze deepened. He paused for a moment, leaned back slightly, then looked up at Nan Xu. “Nan Xu, did you see clearly? What are we doing in the mirror?”

“Do you remember it? It’s not enough for your mind to remember, your body has to, too.”

Nan Xu lowered her head. She couldn’t ignore the dampness on Xie Hejing’s lips. It was as if something in her mind snapped.

“We… you…”

She could barely string a sentence together.

“This time it’s like this. Next time in front of the mirror, we’ll change to a different position. You can look forward to that, Nan Xu.”

Xie Hejing resumed what he had been doing, focused and intent, as if pouring all his desire into his lips.

After a long while, Nan Xu’s legs gave out. Her body went limp, and she completely collapsed into his arms, unable to stand.

Effortlessly, Xie Hejing held her, walked to the mirror, rested his chin on her shoulder, and cupped the back of her neck to make her see their reflection.

Two figures pressed close together—her disheveled hair clinging to her cheeks, her glistening eyes meeting Xie Hejing’s gaze in the mirror, filled with emotion.

Nan Xu trembled and tried to look away.

“Look at us. Don’t hide.”

He held her chin with one hand, and with the fingertips of the other, he pointed to the center of the mirror, indicating the cream he hadn’t finished yet, before pulling her into his embrace.

“Do you feel it?”

Nan Xu blushed and panicked, weakly pushing against him.

Xie Hejing only smiled, caught her hand, and pressed it against himself.

“Don’t let go… just like that.”

He buried his face in her neck, his breath heavy and restrained.

Even through the fabric between them, the heat and tension made Nan Xu’s fingertips tremble.

Her hands were soft and weak, moving only as he guided them.

And facing the mirror, Xie Hejing could easily tell whenever she tried to avert her gaze.

Whenever she did, he’d tighten his grip on her hand, forcing her to look straight at their reflection—at every motion, every expression.

The combination of that unavoidable sight and the sensation against her skin was an overwhelming double stimulus.

Suddenly, a low groan escaped Xie Hejing’s throat, followed by a deep exhale that brushed warm against Nan Xu’s skin.

The sound made her back tingle all over.

Then he bent down and whispered, “Next time we stand before the mirror… these will definitely meet.”

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