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Chapter 38 — Nan Xu, you really know how to tease me!

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On the first morning back in Zhi’an, there were only three people at the dining table at home.

Although Zhang Huaiwan and Xie Hengzhi had been married for years, they were still annoyingly affectionate with each other—feeding one another, chatting, laughing.

Xie Hejing sat alone on the side, silent: “…”

Nan Xu hadn’t appeared all morning. Xie Hejing looked around and still didn’t see her. He frowned. “Mom, where’s Nan Xu?”

Zhang Huaiwan swallowed the porridge in her mouth. “Isn’t Jiaojiao at a friend’s place? Did she ask for leave from you? Didn’t you know?”

“No,” Xie Hejing said.

Nan Xu had only mentioned she needed leave; she hadn’t explained anything else.

“It was just last night. You went out, right? Jiaojiao told me she’d be staying at a friend’s for a few days. She left first thing this morning with her suitcase—don’t know why she was in such a hurry, she didn’t even eat breakfast,” Zhang Huaiwan said.

She sighed. “I just hope she’ll be comfortable staying at her friend’s place.”

Xie Hengzhi put some more food in her bowl and said, “Jiaojiao has finally come back, so of course she should see her friends more often to catch up and reconnect. Why are you worrying so much about it?”

Zhang Huaiwan shot him a glare. “You don’t get it. They just came back from Linbin, and now Jiaojiao is leaving again, alone. Is it wrong for me to worry?”

“You just said it yourself—she’s staying at a friend’s. She’s not exactly alone.”

“Xie Hengzhi!” Zhang Huaiwan put down her chopsticks and put her hands on her hips.

“…”

This was their usual morning entertainment: bickering. Usually, Zhang Huaiwan would initiate, Xie Hengzhi would respond, then throw it back, back and forth, but without much real tension.

Xie Hejing wasn’t paying attention; his focus was on what Xie Hengzhi had just said.

Nan Xu… catching up with friends.

So that was the real reason she had taken leave.

Xie Hejing pushed back his chair and got up, deciding not to eat. He went back to his room and sent Nan Xu a message:

[You better tell me you’re not avoiding me.]

Otherwise, why would she leave in such a rush, perfectly avoiding his presence?

At that moment, Nan Xu was at Qi Zhiyu’s house. Two little dogs were nudging her legs, making her laugh as she petted them.

She sat on the sofa with the breakfast she had bought on the way, snacks that Qi Zhiyu had prepared beside her, and a variety show playing on the TV.

It’s a relaxed and carefree everyday life.

She ate while waiting for Qi Zhiyu to finish his makeup. Later, they would head to a shop they had planned to visit together, and her mood was entirely at ease.

Nan Xu thought about whether to make a reservation first and picked up her phone—just in time to see an unread message.

Seeing that it was from Xie Hejing, and reading the content, her heart tightened instantly.

How did he always manage to guess her thoughts so accurately?

Nan Xu had indeed planned to avoid him for a few days.

She felt she needed some quiet. Being around Xie Hejing, she couldn’t help but recall every encounter with him.

His words always tugged gently at her heartstrings, gradually guiding her down paths she didn’t even realize she was walking.

Just like that kiss in the car…

Even now, when Nan Xu thinks back on it, her face still grows warm. She can’t quite understand how she’d lost her mind like that and actually gone through with it.

Whenever she faces Xie Hejing again, there’s still a trace of awkwardness.

But when she saw his message, Nan Xu didn’t admit to anything. She took a bite of the green rice ball in her hand and started typing quickly on her phone.

[No, remember I told you I was taking a few days off? You agreed to it.]

Xie Hejing raised an eyebrow and replied:

[Did you ever say you were staying somewhere else?]

Nan Xu pursed her lips and put down the rice ball completely.

[I might’ve forgotten to mention that part.]

Xie Hejing laughed.

[Forgot? Impressive. Whose place are you staying at?]

[Qi Zhiyu’s. You’ve met before.]

[And how long are you staying?]

Nan Xu hesitated for a moment before replying:

[Probably until the end of the holiday.]

Seeing that, Xie Hejing’s expression darkened.

[Nan Xu, you’d better make some time for us to meet.]

The moment she read that, her mind immediately flashed back to the kiss in the car.

[Didn’t you say you didn’t want me to take responsibility?]

He narrowed his eyes.

[Right. Last time, I didn’t. But what about everything else, Nan Xu? We need to talk about… what we are.]

A wave of unease rose in her chest. She typed back vaguely:

[I know. But can we talk about it when I’m back?]

Xie Hejing: “…”

Nan Xu turned off her phone, staring blankly at the variety show playing on TV—
but her thoughts were completely tangled up in the messages.

He wanted to talk about their relationship. That one step forward made her heart restless and unsteady.

She didn’t even hear Qi Zhiyu calling her after finishing her makeup, not until the puppy jumped onto her lap and Qi Zhiyu raised her voice:

“Xuxu! Xuxu! Nan Xu, what’s with you? You spaced out?”

Nan Xu finally snapped out of it, shook her head, and brushed off her worries.

She smiled. “No, no, I’m fine. Oh—you’re already done with your makeup? Wait for me, I’ll just finish this rice ball and we can go.”

The two had planned their trip in detail, everything matched perfectly with their interests. Nan Xu pushed all her troubles aside and followed Qi Zhiyu from one attraction to another.

As for what Xie Hejing wanted to talk about—she’d think about it later. For now, she just wanted to enjoy herself.

During the day, they went sightseeing; at night, they curled up under the covers to chat or watch dramas.

On the third night, after washing up, they lay in bed watching a movie together.
It didn’t have great reviews, but Nan Xu was completely absorbed, her eyes fixed on the screen without moving once.

The movie’s plot wasn’t complicated—it revolved around a blended family. The mother brought her daughter, the father brought his son, and together the four of them became one family.

The step-siblings in this family were also the movie’s main characters.

They grew up together, and in the beginning, the film painted a warm and healing picture of family life—traveling, eating, playing games together.

Until one night at a party, both the male and female leads got drunk and started goofing around like when they were kids.

The girl chased the boy down again, jumped on top of him, and raised her hand in victory—declaring, just like when they were young, that she had won the game.

But when she looked down, her brother’s gaze was no longer the same.

The camera zoomed in on his eyes—dark and deep like a hidden pool, locking onto the girl with something dangerous, possessive.

And in that moment, everything shifted.

Watching that scene, Nan Xu froze. Her body reacted on instinct—she turned her eyes away. That look in his eyes… it felt strangely familiar.

Her sudden movement confused Qi Zhiyu a little, but she didn’t think too much of it. She laughed and teased, “Don’t tell me you’re swooning over the brother already!”

Qi Zhiyu always chose movies based on how good-looking the cast was, so the ones she recommended to Nan Xu naturally had top-tier visuals.

Nan Xu gave a sheepish laugh. “…Ah, yeah, maybe.”

That got Qi Zhiyu going—she eagerly started listing all the other dramas the actor had starred in, and the awards he’d won.

Nan Xu listened half-heartedly, nodding along when Qi Zhiyu finished before turning back to the movie.

Since Qi Zhiyu had already seen it, she wasn’t paying full attention—she kept applying body lotion, brushing her hair, and still had time to answer Nan Xu’s occasional questions about the plot.

Until Nan Xu suddenly asked, “Yuyu, do you think the heroine… actually likes the guy?”

Qi Zhiyu didn’t even look up, still squeezing lotion into her palm. “Of course she does!”

Nan Xu pressed her lips together.

But in the ending, the two of them part ways, never to see each other again.

Even at their parents’ funeral, they only exchanged a fleeting glance.

“Then how did it come to this?” Nan Xu asked quietly. “Did the heroine really love him?”

Qi Zhiyu finally looked serious. She loved discussing films—especially ones starring her favorite actor.

“Of course she did. But there are all kinds of love,” Qi Zhiyu explained. “In this story, whether or not they’re related by blood, what the heroine feels for him is pure family affection.”

“So no matter how much the guy loves her, it doesn’t change anything. She just can’t accept his kind of love. The more he likes her, the more it pushes her away.”

Qi Zhiyu sighed. “Ah, my poor Lao Qi, always taking these tragic roles. So handsome, and yet the girl doesn’t even fall for that face.”

Nan Xu stared at the screen—the movie’s final frame frozen before her eyes.

The heroine returned to the house where she and the hero had grown up together.
Under the tree where he had once confessed his love to her, she carved two simple characters—

“Brother.”

Nan Xu asked quietly, “How can you tell whether what she feels for him is familial love or romantic love?”

Qi Zhiyu grinned. “That’s easy. Remember that scene in the movie when the heroine accidentally took an aphrodisiac? When the effects kicked in, who did she picture in her mind?”

Qi Zhiyu dragged the progress bar back to the scene they were talking about.

On-screen, flashes of faces appeared—the heroine’s classmates, coworkers, even a stranger she’d just met earlier.

Nan Xu frowned. “I saw it. So what about it?”

Qi Zhiyu sighed dramatically. “Oh, my silly Nan Xu, you really have to pay more attention next time—or you’ll get fooled in love.” She reached out and ruffled Nan Xu’s hair. “Look again. Who’s missing from that lineup?”

Nan Xu replayed the scene, and then it hit her. “The brother. Her brother isn’t there.”

Qi Zhiyu snapped her fingers. “Exactly! Even in that moment, when her body’s burning and he’s just outside the door, the heroine’s mind flashes through every man she’s ever met—except him.”

““For people like them, who share such deep emotional bonds, it’s hard to tell the difference. But that scene says it all.”

“There’s one thing the heroine’s feelings for the hero are missing.” Qi Zhiyu paused deliberately.

Nan Xu leaned forward, impatient. “What?”

Qi Zhiyu gave a cheeky grin. “Desire.”

“She feels possessive, dependent, maybe even protective of him—but not that. Not sexual desire.”

“The drug triggered her most primal instincts; her whole body was on fire, she thought she might die if she didn’t act on it. But even then, not once did she think of him. She even avoided him. That means she doesn’t feel that kind of attraction toward him.”

“Later, when she starts dating her boyfriend, she has a perfectly normal relationship, physically and emotionally. So yeah, what she feels for her brother is purely familial.”

Qi Zhiyu looked quite pleased with her own analysis, even pulling up a few online reviews that echoed her interpretation.

Finally, she summed it up neatly:

“Desire doesn’t equal love—but it sure helps you tell them apart.”

That one line lingered in Nan Xu’s mind all night.

Whether it was the unfamiliar bed or her restless thoughts, she couldn’t fall asleep until nearly two in the morning.

Listening to Qi Zhiyu’s steady breathing beside her, she worried about waking her with all her tossing and turning.

So she got up quietly, slipped on a jacket, grabbed her phone, and tiptoed out onto the balcony.

The cool night breeze brushed past her, and Nan Xu stood there a little dazed, unsure what to do with herself.

On a strange impulse, she opened her chat with Xie Hejing. Their last conversation was from three days ago.

Frowning slightly, she switched to the call screen and pressed his number.

But the moment the first ring sounded, Nan Xu suddenly realized—it was already two in the morning. Startled, she quickly hung up.

Letting out a sigh, she stood there, completely at a loss, about to turn back inside when her phone suddenly rang.

Panicking that she might wake Qi Zhiyu, Nan Xu hurriedly declined the call and turned off her ringtone.

She leaned over the balcony and peeked into the room. Qi Zhiyu was still fast asleep, not a single movement in sight. Only then did Nan Xu quietly breathe out in relief.

When she looked at her phone again, Xie Hejing had already called her over ten times. Messages popped up one after another.

[Nan Xu, what’s your deal? You call and then hang up?]
[Nan Xu, are you messing with me? Answer the phone.]
[Nan Xu, pick up.]
…
[Not replying either? Do you want me to come find you right now?]

Just as she read that last one, his name appeared on the screen again. Nan Xu quickly answered.

The first thing she heard was his gritted voice: “Nan Xu, you really know how to tease me!”

Biting her lip, she said softly, “Brother, it’s so late… you couldn’t sleep again?”

“And you?” Xie Hejing’s tone was drawn out, lazy. “Having fun?” After a pause, he added with a faint chuckle, “Guess not, since you’re still awake at this hour.”

Nan Xu replied mildly, “I had a good time.”

Xie Hejing went silent for a beat. “…So you called just to tell me how much fun you had?”

Hearing the edge in his voice, Nan Xu hurried to say, “If I disturbed you, I’ll hang up.”

Xie Hejing gave a short, cold laugh. “Now you realize you’re disturbing me?”

Nan Xu said nothing.

He glanced at his phone and muttered stiffly, “…It’s not really a bother.”

Still, there was only silence from her side.

“I said it’s not a bother, did you hear me?” he repeated.

Two seconds later, he frowned, voice low and threatening: “Nan Xu, don’t you dare hang up. If you do, we’re not done.”

Nan Xu remained utterly quiet.

Through clenched teeth, Xie Hejing growled, “Nan Xu, you—”

At last, Nan Xu’s voice came through. “Brother, Yuyu came to talk to me just now, so I put my phone on silent. What did you say? I didn’t hear.”

Xie Hejing was silent for a moment.

He took a slow breath. “Nothing.”

“Oh.” Nan Xu responded quietly.

The night breeze swept past again, cool against her skin. Nan Xu recalled what Qi Zhiyu had told her earlier—

Desire is different from affection.

Lowering her gaze, she hesitated for a few seconds before speaking. “Brother, I think… I need to confirm something.”

Hearing that she didn’t plan on hanging up, Xie Hejing’s tone turned languid. “What is it?”

Without overthinking it, in the stillness of two in the morning, Nan Xu said just two words—

“Desire…”

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Chapter 37 — Nan Xu, don’t bite, be gentle…

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Nan Xu and Xie Hejing had been in Linbin City for a week. By their last evening there, everyone was finally much more relaxed.

Nan Xu even had the mood to stroll down the city’s shopping street. When she returned to the hotel, her hands were full of shopping bags.

That made Xie Hejing tease her, saying she probably needed to courier everything back to Zhi’an.

But Nan Xu didn’t mind. She was more concerned about whether she had forgotten any of the gifts she’d bought for everyone.

At last, she pulled a gift box from the pile of shopping bags and handed it to Xie Hejing.

He raised an eyebrow. “I get one too?”

Nan Xu nodded. “Of course! Open it, Brother. Do you like it?”

Inside was a wallet.

Suppressing a smile, Xie Hejing asked, “So, what do you want me to do this time?”

Why did he make it sound like her gifts always came with strings attached? Though to be fair, last time at the airport, they kind of had.

But this time was different.

Nan Xu frowned. “I just want you to praise me.”

“Good girl, Nan Xu. Thank you.”

That instantly put Xie Hejing in a great mood.

Qi Ming organized another gathering, and this time even more people showed up than at the welcome banquet. One after another, people came forward to toast Xie Hejing, keeping him busy with drinks.

Whether it was from happiness or something else, he didn’t refuse anyone that night. Cup after cup, he downed every drink, and the lively atmosphere at the table kept rising.

Linbin was famous for its seafood. After several days of exhausting work, Nan Xu hadn’t had a proper meal, so now that she finally had the chance, she practically didn’t stop eating from the moment she sat down.

But as the toasts kept coming, she couldn’t ignore how Xie Hejing accepted each one without even a frown, tipping his head back and draining every glass. Nan Xu had to force herself to tear her eyes away from the food.

She gnawed on a crab leg, glancing at him now and then. Watching him knock back who-knew-how-many glasses, she couldn’t help but frown, worried he might get drunk.

Just as he set down an empty glass, someone refilled it to the brim. Seeing that, Nan Xu’s heart skipped a beat. Under the table, she tugged at the corner of his shirt.

When he looked her way, she showed him the message she’d typed on her phone:

[Brother, drink a little less. Too much isn’t good for your health.]

Xie Hejing glanced aside, lips curved in a half-smile, and gave her a slight nod.

Nan Xu thought he had listened. But the very next moment, he raised the glass to his lips again.

At least this time he didn’t down it in one gulp—he only sipped slowly.

Still, Nan Xu’s brows furrowed. Even the crab on her plate didn’t taste quite as good anymore.

What if Xie Hejing really did end up drunk later? She had no experience looking after someone in that state. She couldn’t just leave him there, could she?

It was a relief when the drinking party finally came to an end. Nan Xu rubbed her slightly overstuffed stomach and whispered to Xie Hejing, “Brother, I’m going to the restroom for a moment.”

When she came back out, Xie Hejing was no longer in the private room.

Qi Ming was still there though. Seeing her look around, he explained, “Assistant Nan, President Xie already went to wait for you in the car. I suggested calling a designated driver, but he said you hadn’t been drinking, so you could drive back to the hotel.”

After giving her the details, he even added considerately, “Are you sure you’re okay with that? If not, I can still call a driver for you.”

Nan Xu was a little taken aback, not sure why Xie Hejing didn’t want a driver. But since he had insisted, she nodded and said to Qi Ming, “It’s fine, I’ll drive.”

“Goodbye, President Qi,” she added as she reached the door.

Qi Ming smiled. “Goodbye, Assistant Nan.”

In the parking lot, relying on her memory from earlier, Nan Xu quickly found the car.

Since she was the one driving, she didn’t say much, just opened the door and slid into the driver’s seat.

Through the rearview mirror, she sneaked a glance at Xie Hejing. He was slouched against the back seat, his jacket tossed carelessly to the side. His shirt was rumpled and partly unbuttoned, and his eyes were closed, his expression unreadable. He really did look like he was drunk.

Pressing her lips together, Nan Xu asked softly, “Brother, are you okay? Did you really drink too much?”

He didn’t answer right away. After a long moment, he gave a muffled reply: “Mm.”

His voice was heavy with fatigue and alcohol.

Nan Xu sighed inwardly. Despite her attempts to persuade him, he still ended up drunk.

She started thinking that once they got back to the hotel, she should probably look up how to take care of someone who was drunk. Or maybe she should search it now, before they even set off. She pulled her phone from her bag and started typing.

“Nan Xu, come here and press my temples,” Xie Hejing suddenly said.

Her thoughts scattered, and she lifted her gaze from the phone toward the back seat.

His eyes were open now, and he was fiddling idly with his watch, turning it over in his hand.

Nan Xu wasn’t prepared for their eyes to meet.

For some reason, at that moment his gaze felt like a dark, bottomless pool, shadows hiding whirlpools within—dangerous, almost lethal.

But wasn’t he supposed to be drunk? Why did his eyes look so frightening?

Startled, Nan Xu quickly averted her gaze.

“Don’t want to?” Xie Hejing’s voice came again, low and husky, carrying the lazy edge of someone still tipsy.

When she looked back, everything about him seemed normal again.

Maybe she had just imagined it. Nan Xu let out a small breath of relief.

When she was searching just now, Nan Xu really had seen an article that said massaging someone’s temples could help ease a hangover headache.

With that in mind, she put away her phone. “I’m coming.”

Unfastening her seatbelt, she opened the rear door. But Xie Hejing was still slumped there, making it impossible to figure out how to even start.

Unless she lay on top of him—which Nan Xu immediately ruled out.

“Brother, sit up straight and turn your head so I can massage your temples,” she suggested.

At her words, the corner of his lips lifted in a faint smile. “I’m drunk. No strength.”

Nan Xu’s eyes widened. “Not even enough strength to sit up?”

“Mm.” He bit lightly at the inside of his lip.

Hearing that, Nan Xu’s brows furrowed. How could he be that drunk? She had warned him not to drink so much.

“Then I’ll pull you up. You just use whatever strength you can, all right? Otherwise, I’ll waste all my energy just trying to sit you up.”

Xie Hejing gave a lazy “Mm” in response, but didn’t move from his position.

Nan Xu bit her lip, rolled up her sleeves, and took hold of his arm, then lifted it onto her shoulder. Freeing both hands, she grabbed his other arm and tried to pull him up, but he wouldn’t budge.

“Brother, I’ll count to three, and then we’ll pull together, okay?” she said.

“…All right.” His eyes lowered.

Nan Xu gritted her teeth, throwing all her strength into it. “One, two—”

But before she even got to “three,” his arm suddenly tugged her inward, and she toppled straight onto his chest.

Because she’d pulled so hard, she practically crashed into him. He was fine, of course, but her head throbbed from the impact.

Nan Xu: “…”

She blinked rapidly until the dizziness faded a little.

“Brother, I meant pull outward, toward me—not drag me into you.”

Her voice carried a hint of frustration. She was sprawled in his arms, the car door still wide open. The scene looked far too suggestive.

The corner of Xie Hejing’s eyes lifted. “Sorry, I’ve been drinking. My memory isn’t so good.”

“…It’s fine,” Nan Xu muttered.

She waited for him to let go. He only repeated the apology, yet his arm stayed firmly wrapped around her back.

At last, she had to remind him, “Brother, could you let go? Otherwise, how am I supposed to sit you up?”

“Oh, right. Forgot. You kept so quiet I thought you liked this position too.”

Nan Xu: “…”

She decided it wasn’t worth arguing with a drunk.

It took all her strength, but Nan Xu finally pried Xie Hejing’s hand off her and pushed herself upright.

She glared at him, her expression vivid—anger, helplessness, resignation, a whole storm of feelings flashing across her face.

Only after a long moment did she feel like she’d recovered a bit of strength.

If she failed again and had to repeat it, Nan Xu was certain she’d collapse before she could get him up.

So this time, she gave him very clear instructions: “Brother, don’t get it wrong this time. You need to pull toward me.”

“We pull together.”

“Mm…” Xie Hejing agreed again.

Nan Xu took a deep breath, repeated the same movements as before, and almost gritted her teeth as she counted: “One, two, three—”

But before she could even finish, Xie Hejing suddenly moved, and with a quick pull Nan Xu lost her balance and fell right into his arms. Before she could react, he sat up and, with one hand, shut the car door.

The entire sequence was swift and abrupt.

Nan Xu’s mind went blank. It wasn’t until the car door clicked shut that she came back to herself, the unfinished “three…” still hanging on her lips.

Why was she in his lap now—sitting directly on him?

“Brother, you—”

Forget it. No use reasoning with a drunk.

Frowning, Nan Xu tried to move aside.

But Xie Hejing stopped her, one hand on either side of her, his posture deceptively casual yet leaving her completely trapped. He leaned in slightly. “Go on. Massage.”

“Like this?” Nan Xu was dumbfounded.

“Mm.” He shifted a little closer. “This way saves time.”

Nan Xu wanted to ask what exactly it was saving time for, but before she could, Xie Hejing spoke again: “Headache. Do you really want to waste more time?”

She was at a loss for words. After a moment of silence, she reminded herself he was drunk.

Don’t argue. Don’t overthink it.

She lifted her hands and pressed against his temples, slowly massaging as she muttered under her breath, “Why’d you have to drink so much anyway…”

Xie Hejing had closed his eyes. Nan Xu’s gaze drifted to his face. The warm yellow glow of the car’s interior light spread like a gentle filter across his features.

In that moment, the usual sharpness and severity were gone, leaving his whole presence softened.

It was also the first time Nan Xu had studied him from so close. His features were perfectly carved, each line striking in just the right way. There was no denying it—he was an incredibly attractive man.

Nan Xu stared, swallowing hard as if it took effort. She was so caught up in the sight of him that she didn’t even realize her hands had slowed, then stilled completely.

Just then, Xie Hejing opened his eyes. Their gazes collided, and his eyes locked tightly onto hers.

That dangerous aura from earlier rose up again.

Deep inside, a wave of inexplicable panic surged through Nan Xu. Her heart trembled uncontrollably.

She instinctively wanted to escape that gaze, but his hand pressed firmly against the back of her head, leaving her nowhere to run.

“Nan Xu, were you just staring at me?”

“…No,” she denied.

But her voice lacked conviction.

Interest finally flickered in Xie Hejing’s eyes. His voice, low and deliberate, seemed like a rope tightening around her nerves.

“What were you looking at?”

Following his words…

Nan Xu’s gaze slid downward, settling on his lips—opening and closing with each breath.

Usually they carried a lazy curl, but under this hazy, intimate light, they seemed inexplicably sensual, almost bewitching.

Her heart suddenly thudded wildly, the sound hammering against her ribs.

Even her breathing grew uneven, the warmth of it rising and falling in the small, enclosed space.

Xie Hejing lowered his gaze to follow hers. His brows relaxed, and the corners of his mouth hooked ever so slightly.

“Nan Xu, this time I won’t make you take responsibility. If you want to kiss me, just kiss me.”

Nan Xu’s lashes fluttered. “…I don’t want to.”

The two words came slowly, as though it took real effort for her to force them out.

“Really don’t want to?” Xie Hejing pressed. “Nan Xu, your eyes will give you away.”

“I—I was just looking for a moment,” she explained weakly, her guilt plain in her tone.

His gaze stayed fixed on her, as if it could pierce through to the truth in her heart.

“All right,” he said at last, as though letting her off the hook.

But a few seconds later, he spoke again, soft and tantalizing.

“Nan Xu, you know people forget what happens when they’re drunk.”

Nan Xu only lowered her head and stayed silent, maintaining her usual demeanor of a small quail. But Xie Hejing knew she had heard him.

He raised his brows, leaned close to her ear, and his words grew blurred, his consonants dragged out: “Nan Xu, I’m drunk.”

His voice, steeped in alcohol, was husky and rough at the edges, every syllable dripping with heat.

The breath of it washed over her, and Nan Xu shrank her neck, shaken by the impact, as if suddenly reminded of something. She stared dazedly into his eyes.

“You’re drunk…” she echoed faintly.

Xie Hejing nodded encouragingly.

“Try it. Just try, Nan Xu. You know I have no strength left—I won’t do anything to you.”

Won’t do anything…

Nan Xu nodded along with him, his words swirling in her mind, stirring up her thoughts until they tangled. Slowly, hesitantly, she leaned closer.

Xie Hejing’s breath caught for an instant. Watching her approach, a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugged at his lips.

Nan Xu’s breathing grew quick and uneven, her warm breath brushing across his face.

The moment their lips finally touched, Nan Xu felt as if her very soul was trembling. Her hand gave a little shake.

In the next second, Xie Hejing caught her hand, and just like that, she felt a faint sense of reassurance.

Her movements were clumsy, cautious—just a soft press against his lips, like a startled deer ready to bolt at any moment.

Xie Hejing gently patted her back, again and again, slow and steady, soothing with every touch.

It was as if his encouragement gave her courage. Tentatively, she brushed against his lips, and the sensation made her heart jolt violently.

Her lips grazed his, timid and trembling.

But Nan Xu didn’t know what came next. Relying only on imagination, she shyly stuck out her tongue and gave a tentative lick.

It was warm, lingering, achingly sweet—a sweetness so intoxicating it could swallow a person whole.

Xie Hejing breathed in her faint fragrance, his heartbeat stumbling, muscles taut as he forced himself to bury the surge of emotion and desire, clinging to restraint with all his strength.

He’d said he wouldn’t do anything—and he wouldn’t.

Still, even his small, unconscious reactions startled Nan Xu. She thought she’d done something wrong.

A rush of panic overtook her, her mind going blank. In her fluster, she reflexively bit down—intending to bite her own lip.

But instead, she caught his.

Nan Xu jerked back in alarm. Just as she pulled away, Xie Hejing’s hand continued patting her back, his voice low and coaxing:

“Nan Xu, don’t bite, be gentle.”

Then, after a beat, he added, teasingly seductive, “But it’s fine. We can try again.”

The allure in his tone was overwhelming, and Nan Xu felt her head spin. She nodded once, and leaned forward again.

Time blurred. By the end, Nan Xu’s face was flushed red, her whole body hot, her thoughts dissolving into haze. She finally pulled back slightly, glancing up at him.

In his eyes was only tenderness—gentle warmth wrapping around her, while he held back every hint of the desire that might frighten her.

Nan Xu pressed her lips together, then couldn’t help but ask, “And… then what?”

Xie Hejing chuckled, leaning lazily back against the seat. “Then… whatever you want.”

He paused, emphasizing deliberately: “Anything.”

Nan Xu lowered her head, deep in thought. The problem was, she had no idea what she could do…

“President Xie.” A knock on the window.

The sound exploded like thunder out of nowhere.

Nan Xu snapped back to herself, jolted from the dreamlike haze, staring at him in disbelief—had she really just done that?

But Xie Hejing recovered in an instant. He grabbed the jacket beside him, draped it over her, and tucked her into his arms.

The window cracked open just a sliver, his voice calm and cool as it slipped into the night:

“What is it?”

Hidden beneath his jacket, Nan Xu listened. His tone was smooth, steady, not a trace of drunkenness to be heard as he spoke with Qi Ming.

Nan Xu closed her eyes, her lips turning pale from biting them. She tried to move, but Xie Hejing held her in place.

Qi Ming, listening to the cold, cutting edge in Xie Hejing’s voice, felt sweat break out instantly.

In all the days he’d observed him, even when Qi Hui splashed wine on him, Xie Hejing had never sounded like this.

Qi Ming hurriedly spoke: “President Xie, you left your wallet behind. I noticed your car hadn’t left yet, so I thought I’d bring it over.”

The car’s window was dark enough that no one could see inside, but Qi Ming—though lacking many other strengths—was exceptional at reading tension.

“Sorry to disturb your rest,” he added quickly.

Xie Hejing’s anger simmered under control. “Throw it in. Thanks.”

Qi Ming slid the wallet through the small gap in the window and immediately dashed away like a gust of wind.

Outside, all was silent again.

Listening to Xie Hejing’s heartbeat thumping so close, Nan Xu hesitated, then asked, “Brother… were you actually drunk at all?”

They remained in the same position. Nan Xu was still held in his arms, wrapped in his jacket, surrounded by his scent.

After a pause, Xie Hejing said quietly, “…I could be drunk.”

Could be drunk? What did that even mean?! Was it up to her to decide?!

Nan Xu didn’t bother overthinking it. She just asked, “Tomorrow… will you forget what just happened?”

He had said before that people forget what happens when they’re drunk.

At her words, Xie Hejing’s hands, holding hers at his sides, gradually tightened. A soft laugh escaped him.

Nan Xu didn’t need him to say anything else.

He wouldn’t forget.

Her chest tightened.

She didn’t even know how she would react later, when she finally had to leave the warmth of his jacket and face him directly.

Xie Hejing patted her back a third time, slow and steady.

“If you want me to forget, I can forget.”

He lifted his eyes to the window, into the thick, inky darkness. The night outside was quiet, long, and endless.

“Before today ends, I want to say one more thing to you.”

“What?” Nan Xu asked.

“Thank you… for the kiss, Jiaojiao.”

---

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Chapter 36 — Can I… take that as a goodnight kiss from you?

---

[Xuxu, did you get your leave approved? A friend of mine is opening a mountain villa in a few days and invited us over. I’ll take you there to relax.]

Qi Zhiyu sent the message to Nan Xu, clearly excited.

Hearing the notification, Nan Xu set down her paintbrush, pulled a sheet of paper over her sketch to cover it, and quickly replied.

[Don’t worry, I’ve already arranged it.]

This morning, during a break in the meeting, Nan Xu had mustered the courage to tell Xie Hejing that she wanted to take a few days off after the trip. She thought it would take some persuasion, but to her surprise, he agreed almost immediately.

The only conversation the two of them had that day outside of work was about this leave.

By the time the afternoon schedule ended, they were supposed to return together, but Qi Ming stopped Xie Hejing to handle something urgent. Relieved, Nan Xu returned to the hotel on her own.

To be honest, the near-madness in Xie Hejing’s expression last night still lingered in her mind, leaving her uneasy.

The burning intensity in his eyes felt as though it would consume her whole, and there was nowhere to run.

Nan Xu shivered. She had almost never seen him like that, so unfamiliar, so dangerous—and she knew with certainty that this darker side of him was aimed only at her.

She truly didn’t know how to deal with it. What unsettled her most was his question:

“Why not try again? Why not take another step forward?”

Nan Xu frowned. What exactly did he mean by “another step”? How far was he willing to go?

And what was she afraid of, really? She couldn’t put it into words.

Maybe it was fear of shattering their current fragile balance. Or maybe it was the fear that once she crossed that line he spoke of, there would be no way back.

The next stage felt to her like Pandora’s box—once opened, it would unleash something she could never control.

Did she like Xie Hejing?

Nan Xu tried to dissect her feelings, searching through the haze in her mind for clarity.

Her eyes fixed blankly on the sketch in front of her. A few seconds later, she was certain—yes, she did like him.

In her heart, there was always a scale. On one side, “familial dependence” had sat firmly at the top, while the other side remained empty.

But now, that balance had begun to shift. The other side was slowly gaining weight, piece by piece—and every weight was placed there by Xie Hejing himself, as he pried open her heart bit by bit.

Noticing this subtle change, Nan Xu murmured to herself, “Is this… what he means by “liking”?”

But before she could sort out her thoughts, the sound of the lock turning at the door startled her. Instinctively, she lay down on the sofa, closed her eyes, and pretended to be asleep.

She didn’t want to face Xie Hejing while her mind was in chaos. She was afraid he might do something else that would overwhelm her again.

Xie Hejing stepped into the living room, his movements light and soundless. Seeing Nan Xu “asleep” on the sofa, he paused. His gaze swept over the scene—unfinished fruit takeout on the table, a stack of A4 papers at her side with a sketch pen lying nearby. Even as she lay there, her phone was still clutched in her hand.

His brow lifted, and a smile tugged at his lips.

So, Nan Xu’s bedtime routine was surprisingly lively.

It was only after closing her eyes that Nan Xu realized she had forgotten to tidy all that away—but now it was too late. She could only keep her eyes tightly shut, breathing shallowly, hoping not to give herself away.

After a few seconds, Xie Hejing began walking closer to the room.

Hearing the sound of his door opening, Nan Xu cracked her eyes open just a slit. She wondered if she should slip back to her room now—but wouldn’t that make it obvious she had only been pretending to sleep, and worse, that she was deliberately avoiding him?

In truth, she didn’t even have time to hesitate. Xie Hejing walked out carrying a thin blanket, shook it open, and gently laid it over her.

The familiar scent reached her nose, and her fingers clenched tightly around her phone.

Last night she had gone to “help” him mask the strange odor on his body, but whether or not it had worked was unclear. What she did know was that she had ended up memorizing his scent far too well.

Xie Hejing straightened, lingered a moment to admire her “sleeping face,” then turned to tidy the room. He picked up the takeout boxes, her sketch pen, and finally the pile of A4 papers.

When his eyes caught on one sheet among them, he froze. Tucked into the stack of documents was a drawing—of him. Of himself with a tie covering his eyes.

She liked this?

The corners of his lips lifted, and a soft laugh slipped into the quiet living room.

Nan Xu almost instantly guessed what he had found. Originally, she had drawn it on her phone, but it hadn’t felt satisfying enough. So she’d pulled out a piece of A4 paper and sketched it again—never imagining he would one day see it for himself.

She was sure that if she were awake right now, he would tease her in all seriousness about “harboring thoughts of him.”

And, truthfully… when she was sketching, she had entertained the faintest trace of that thought.

She hadn’t realized it at the time, but now, recalling it, she shocked herself. Her throat bobbed nervously, and before she knew it, her own saliva caught in her throat. She coughed twice, unable to suppress it.

Xie Hejing turned his head.

Nan Xu’s nerves jumped wildly. She could only pray he hadn’t noticed anything.

But he didn’t. His thoughts were still on the sketch, already imagining how, once they returned to Zhi’an, he would frame it and set it by his bedside.

Even so, her cough made him wonder if she’d caught a chill. He stepped closer and pulled the blanket snug around her.

His gaze shifted lower, landing on her legs. These past few days had been packed with inspections, and she had trailed after him silently everywhere. She never once complained of being tired, even when she secretly massaged her legs in private.

He sighed, set the drawing aside in his room, then came back to sit at the end of the sofa.

He rubbed his palms together briskly until they were warm, then lifted the blanket’s edge. Reaching out, he gently wrapped his hand around her ankle and began to massage her leg.

Nan Xu’s whole body stiffened, every muscle going taut. Panic flooded her, and she completely forgot how someone “asleep” was supposed to look relaxed.

Noticing the faint tremor in her leg, Xie Hejing paused. His eyes lifted to her tightly shut lids. He stared for a few seconds, then a smile tugged at his lips. Without comment, he resumed his slow, steady massage.

Nan Xu’s tense heart eased just a little.

He hadn’t realized… had he?

He had been massaging her legs for nearly half an hour. Just as Nan Xu was truly about to drift off, Xie Hejing’s hands stopped.

She snapped awake again, confusion filling her chest. Even with her eyes closed, she could sense the subtle shift in the atmosphere around her.

Her mind was in chaos. She didn’t dare move recklessly. Just as she was debating whether to open her eyes, the soft rustle of clothes being removed reached her ears, followed by the sound of running water.

Nan Xu froze, too afraid now to open her eyes at all.

Her sight was useless, so she strained her hearing, desperately trying to pinpoint where he was.

When Xie Hejing finished washing his hands, he stood for a moment, watching the faint tremble of her lashes as he slowly dried his fingers.

Beneath the thin blanket, Nan Xu’s hands clenched tightly together. She realized pretending to be asleep might have been a terrible decision.

Her heart lurched again when the sofa dipped slightly beside her—then deeper still, under the weight of someone lying down.

She couldn’t hold it in any longer. Just as she was about to open her eyes, a warm palm pressed gently over them, blocking her sight completely.

“Nan Xu,” Xie Hejing murmured, his voice edged with fatigue, “let me rest for a while.”

At the same time, a searing hand slid across her waist.

Nan Xu now knew for certain that he was aware she’d been pretending. She gave up on the act, though her eyes remained trapped under his palm.

“Brother… I can’t sleep,” she whispered, lips pressed tight. His breath was warm against the side of her neck—how could she possibly fall asleep like this?

Not to mention, she hadn’t even finished her fruit earlier. She wondered if he’d thrown it away while tidying up.

“I can’t sleep either.”

Xie Hejing inhaled her scent shamelessly, a fragrance that made him feel utterly at ease.

Nan Xu frowned slightly.

If he couldn’t sleep either, then why lie down beside her at all?

Then his voice, low and muffled, brushed her ear. “Nan Xu, I can’t sleep most nights. Sometimes the whole night, sometimes the second half, sometimes the first half.”

Insomnia had always plagued him. Back in senior year of high school, he could still control it with medication. But after that summer when Nan Xu left, it worsened.

Even with medicine, lying in bed, his thoughts would circle endlessly back to her. He could only sleep when exhaustion finally dragged him under—and even then, he woke easily.

Again and again, his dreams pulled him back to that moment at Zhi’an Airport: Nan Xu waving goodbye as she left. A moment he had once dismissed as trivial, yet one his mind replayed endlessly, sharper each time.

The clearer the memory, the harder it became to escape.

Listening, Nan Xu felt an ache stir in her chest. “Brother, did you ever see a doctor? When we’re back in Zhi’an, let me go with you, okay?”

“I did. A long time ago.” His voice was calm.

“Then why… why can’t you sleep?” she asked.

Silence thickened in the air. Only after several seconds did he finally answer.

“Because… it’s my own fault.”

Even though every sleepless night was filled with thoughts of Nan Xu, he never blamed her. Not once.

It was his choice, his burden to bear.

All this time, Xie Hejing had almost grown used to this kind of existence, believing he was nothing more than a shell that could still move.

“A while ago, for the first time, I slept through an entire night,” he said.

For years, it was the only night he had slept from dusk till dawn—no dreams, no sudden awakenings, no reliance on medication.

Nan Xu grew anxious. “Really? Why would that be the first time? All this time you couldn’t sleep? Did you get better because of some medicine? You should keep taking it…”

“…”

She said a lot—her voice urgent, but still pleasant to hear. Xie Hejing listened to every single word with care.

She cared about him. Whatever kind of feelings she held, she cared.

Realizing that, he leaned his head against her shoulder, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

“Because you came back.”

That day, when he went to Zhi’an Airport to bring her home, was also the day he finally found his first peaceful sleep in years.

Nan Xu’s throat tightened. Why was it that just one short sentence from him could make her feel such a painful ache, the kind that made her want to cry?

Maybe she was just too emotional. Unable to resist, she turned her head slightly to look at him.

Xie Hejing was nestled into the curve of her neck. He seemed to especially like that position. Feeling her warmth, breathing in the faint scent that lingered on her skin—it soothed the tension that always coiled through him.

But his hair tickled her neck, brushing against her skin with each breath he let out.

And when she turned her head, her lips brushed lightly across his forehead.

It was so soft, just a fleeting touch, yet both of them froze.

Compared to what had happened last night—when she had truly comforted him with her hands—this accidental kiss wasn’t nearly as overwhelming for Nan Xu.

At least it didn’t make her heart pound violently.

But still, she sat there stunned for a long while. Panic didn’t rise; instead, it felt as if she had stumbled on a small, insignificant way of comforting him.

Because she noticed his breathing had clearly faltered for a beat, yet the heaviness around him seemed to lift.

A soft laugh escaped his throat as he teased, “Nan Xu, can I… take that as a goodnight kiss from you?”

Even so, his eyes lowered.

He waited for her flustered explanation.

She would never kiss him first—she never had.

Surely, she would explain it wasn’t on purpose, maybe even push him away, like she had last night when she’d asked if he was out of his mind. She might even toss the blanket aside, get up, and walk out on him again.

He pressed his lips together, bracing himself for it.

He wouldn’t stop her. He couldn’t push her too hard.

But the expected rejection never came.

She stayed as she was, head tilted, not moving away. Her gaze was gentle as she tugged at the corner of her lips.

Softly, she let out a quiet “mm.”

“You can think of it that way.”

---

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Chapter 35 — Nan Xu, help your brother? Please?

---

“Nan Xu, think of something.”

Xie Hejing leaned lazily against her doorframe, arms crossed, giving her a sidelong glance that carried both ease and pressure.

Think of something? How was she supposed to do that?!

Nan Xu avoided his gaze, swallowing nervously. “I—I don’t know. I really can’t. Maybe it’s just in your head. Maybe there isn’t any smell at all.”

“There is,” Xie Hejing said firmly, still watching her with that serious expression. “I’m sure of it.”

He paused, then reminded her quietly, “Didn’t you say that if I ever needed help, you’d help me?”

His gaze slid, almost carelessly, to her hands. “Well—I need it now.”

Nan Xu bit her lip, fidgeting. “But this… this is different.”

How was she supposed to help with this? What if she messed it up and things turned unbearably awkward?

“You don’t want to?” Xie Hejing stepped closer, his eyes dark. “Or is it that—you’re only willing to help other people?”

“I…” Nan Xu frowned, conflicted.

She had promised him before—that if he ever needed help, she wouldn’t turn him down. If she refused now, would it seem like she was going back on her word?

Scent… covering a scent… She turned the idea over and over in her head.

Maybe it wasn’t impossible?

Meanwhile, Xie Hejing stood back and simply watched, entertained by the changing expressions on her face—hesitant one second, loosening the next—until he couldn’t resist reaching out.

He pinched her cheek again. “So? Will you help me or not?”

The pad of his thumb pressed against soft skin, not with force, but enough that he could feel the tiny twitch of her face beneath his fingers. He let go, absently rubbing his fingertips afterward.

Nan Xu looked up at him.

He did seem genuinely troubled by this whole scent issue. If even a tie felt “unclean” to him, then with that strange smell lingering on his body… what if he really couldn’t sleep because of it?

And besides—he’d always been good to her. Wasn’t this just a small favor?

After a few seconds, she nodded. “I’ll help, Brother. Don’t worry, I’ll help you.”

A fleeting smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Suddenly, Nan Xu thought of something. She was certain her own scent was nothing more than her body wash. Bright-eyed, she said, “Wait here, Brother.”

She darted into the bathroom and returned with the bottle she’d brought from Zhi’an, holding it out like a precious gift. “Here. This—this is my scent. If you wash with it once, it should work!”

Xie Hejing: “…”

“It won’t work,” he said flatly. “That strange smell can’t be washed away.”

Hearing that, Nan Xu pulled the bottle back, muttering under her breath. “What is that weird smell, anyway? Where did you even pick it up?”

Xie Hejing hid the amusement flickering in his eyes, instead lowering his lashes and putting on an expression of faint frustration. “Someone else touched me.”

“Someone else? Who?” Nan Xu asked.

He raised his eyes slightly. “President Qi’s sister.”

President Qi’s sister… that means Qi Hui.

Nan Xu’s eyes widened as she stared at Xie Hejing, her gaze instinctively flicking up and down his figure. “Bro—ther, you… you didn’t really… lose your innocence, did you?”

Xie Hejing’s face darkened instantly, his jaw tight. “No.”

Seeing his expression sour, Nan Xu quickly forced a nervous laugh. “Haha, Brother, I was just kidding—don’t take it seriously.”

“I’ll think about how I can help you.”

She grabbed her phone, determined to check again. This time she was extra cautious, making sure it was definitely a science site before scrolling further.

But the methods she found weren’t very promising. Things like scented candles, air fresheners… they felt just as useless as the body wash she had offered earlier.

When she stayed silent for a while, Xie Hejing finally asked, “Found a solution?”

Nan Xu shook her head. “Not yet. Don’t worry, Brother, I’ll keep looking.”

His eyes lifted slightly, his tone deceptively casual. “Maybe… it could work the same way as that tie.”

“The tie?” Nan Xu blinked, replaying the scene in her head. That tie had suddenly become “clean”—but she still had no idea how.

“How did it get clean?” she asked.

She really didn’t know what Xie Hejing meant by “clean,” or why the tie had changed in just a minute.

His gaze lowered deliberately to her hands. “Because you touched it.”

Nan Xu mulled over the words. For a split second, she almost felt amused—as if she’d suddenly become some kind of witch, her touch enough to purify things without even needing a magic wand.

Wait.

Her brain sparked with a realization, and before she could think it through, she blurted out, “Brother—you don’t mean you want me to touch you, do you?!”

The fish in the pond had circled the bait for so long—and finally nibbled.

Xie Hejing’s eyes narrowed, lids half lowered. He didn’t dare move recklessly, worried that if he startled the fish, it might dart away forever.

“Nan Xu, you’d better be clear on what kind of touch you’re talking about,” he said smoothly. “Otherwise, I might suspect you have… improper thoughts about me.”

“I do not—!”

Flustered, Nan Xu rushed to explain, “I mean touch, literally touch. If I touch you… then you’ll become clean?”

What kind of nonsense is this?

Xie Hejing chuckled. “Maybe we could test it.” With that, he turned and started toward his room.

He didn’t even finish the sentence before leaving.

Nan Xu panicked, trailing after him to clarify, but in her haste she followed him straight into the room.

“Brother, this isn’t okay—”

Her protest cut short the moment Xie Hejing stopped and turned to face her.

She crashed straight into his back, no surprise there, and her nose stung a little from the impact.

Rubbing it with a small pout, she shot him a sidelong glance.

Xie Hejing turned around, lowering his gaze to her. “And why not?”

This time his voice was softer, carrying a hint of plea. “Nan Xu, help your brother? Please? Hmm?”

His tone shifted from forceful to gentle. He bent down to meet her eyes, lashes trembling, looking almost troubled—as if this was the only solution left to him.

Pressing his lips together, he let his eyelids lower halfway. He knew all too well how soft-hearted this girl was.

Nan Xu instinctively leaned back, yet her face heated up anyway. She recalled, just for a second, that this was the first time he had ever called himself “Brother” in front of her.

It felt a little unfair.

It took her a while to find her voice again. Stammering, she asked, “Wh-where… where am I supposed to touch?”

The moment the words slipped out, Xie Hejing broke into a smile. After a short pause, he asked, “Where do you want to start?”

Her cheeks flamed scarlet. “I don’t know! If you don’t say anything, I’m going back to my room to watch variety shows.”

“Then start here.” He lifted her hand and pressed it against his chest. “And then… lower.”

Seeing her still frozen, he lowered his voice. “Is that okay, Jiaojiao?”

Her head buzzed like a struck gong, heat rushing up all at once. His words echoed in her mind, making even swallowing suddenly difficult.

“Bro-Brother, don’t… don’t call me that.”

She couldn’t take it. If she kept hearing it, she might really start having thoughts she shouldn’t.

“Didn’t you say it makes us sound closer?” Xie Hejing smiled faintly at her.

“I—” Nan Xu could barely keep it together. Afraid of where her mind was heading, she quickly cut him off. “Brother, let’s just start.”

She had said the words, but she still couldn’t meet his eyes, her gaze darting around the room.

“Alright.” He agreed smoothly.

Watching her intently, he tugged his robe open a little at the collar, slow and unhurried.

Nan Xu stood stiff and uneasy, looking everywhere but at him, missing the dark ripple in his eyes entirely.

Her nervous, bashful demeanor only deepened his hidden amusement. Though he tried to hold it back, a sly glint slipped through.

“You can start now,” Xie Hejing said.

The words hit her like a clap of thunder in the quiet room.

“M-me? I’m supposed to?” she asked in disbelief.

“Well, unless you plan on just standing there and watching me do it myself?”

She was completely silenced by that. Shuffling forward in tiny hesitant steps, she muttered, “Then don’t you dare blame me later—this isn’t me wanting to look, okay?”

Xie Hejing nodded.

But since Nan Xu hadn’t once looked at him, she completely missed it and asked, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Nan Xu, are you really planning to keep staring at that cabinet?” he ‘kindly’ reminded her. “If your hand ends up in the wrong place, I’ll have every reason to suspect you did it on purpose.”

“As if I would!” Nan Xu quickly turned back toward him.

Xie Hejing leaned against the back of the sofa, his Adam’s apple shifting as he swallowed. His robe hung open at the front, revealing the sharp lines of his muscles without reservation.

He narrowed his eyes. “Then go ahead.”

Nan Xu drew in a sharp breath, gritted her teeth, and reached out.

The moment her fingertips brushed against his chest, it was like pressing against burning metal—she jolted as though scalded, instinctively wanting to pull back.

Sensing her retreat, Xie Hejing’s hand closed loosely around hers. He didn’t hold her forcefully, only asked, almost lazily, “You really planning to give up halfway?”

Hearing that, Nan Xu bit down on her lip so hard it turned pale. Then, with a surge of resolve, she pushed her hand back onto him. “No.”

Her heart was pounding in her throat—when suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

It was the takeout she had ordered earlier, planning to eat while watching a variety show.

Even so, just knowing it was the delivery made her heart skip hard. Her hand jerked uncontrollably, sliding downward.

Her nails, painted in a pale lotus-pink oval shape, grazed across his abs and left a faint streak.

Xie Hejing let out a low grunt, and Nan Xu froze up, stiff with panic.

A moment later, the mark turned from pale to flushed red.

He gave a couple of soft, amused chuckles.

Nan Xu’s heart trembled wildly. She wanted to rub the mark away, but didn’t dare. Before she could stammer out an apology, he said, “Nan Xu, this mark and your hand are quite a match. What if I tattooed it in permanently?”

Nan Xu stared at him in disbelief. “What are you even thinking?”

Tattoo that? Was he serious?!

“Oh, right. I forgot to show you something.”

Expression blank, Xie Hejing tugged his robe aside, baring his shoulder.

Nan Xu’s pupils shrank. There, on his skin, was already a tattoo—inked in black and red, delicate lines flowing smoothly.

And she recognized it instantly. It was her bite mark.

The edges were still bruised, as if he’d deliberately kept breaking the wound open before it healed, just so the imprint would stay sharp enough to etch into his skin.

On his sun-browned complexion, the mark stood out starkly, searing itself into her eyes.

Xie Hejing’s gaze fell on Nan Xu’s neck. The marks there had long faded, and for a fleeting moment, a hint of disappointment crossed his face.

Nan Xu’s eyes widened in shock, her voice trembling. “Why would you tattoo that—are you out of your mind?”

At her words, Xie Hejing leaned forward, bending slightly, his hand sliding to the back of her neck. He tugged her toward him, forcing her to meet his eyes, their noses almost touching.

With a dangerous edge to his tone, he said, “Crazy? Nan Xu, I thought you already knew. Did you really think I was just playing games with you?”

Nan Xu shot back, “But today was just to help—wasn’t it?”

His brow twitched. “You’d better tell me you wouldn’t help anyone else like this.”

He pressed her hand down, his eyes darkening with obsession. “Nan Xu, do you even know what your hand is touching? This is Xie Hejing—your brother in your heart.”

Her hand trembled, but he held it firmly, guiding it without mercy, letting it wander across his body as he pleased.

Nan Xu’s lashes fluttered, quick and uneven, each quiver betraying her panic. She couldn’t even clench her fingers; Xie Hejing had complete control over her hand.

“Let go first…” she whispered.

After a long pause, Xie Hejing curved his lips into a faint smile. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, his fingers brushing the ends of her hair as he teased, “Good girl, Nan Xu… don’t run from me.”

“Why not try again? Why not take one step further? What are you so afraid of, hmm?”

His relentless questions left her speechless. She could only lean helplessly against his shoulder, listening to his low murmur in her ear.

“Jiaojiao… we can’t escape this.”

---

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Chapter 34 — You seem pretty possessive about my innocence.

---

The second day of the business trip wasn’t as packed as the first. Compared to all the site visits and inspections yesterday, today felt much lighter.

Most of the work was concentrated in the morning, with just a short meeting in the afternoon. But Nan Xu wasn’t feeling well. She had managed to push through the morning, but by afternoon the discomfort was getting worse.

Her head throbbed dully, as if struck by a heavy hammer, the pain coming in waves. Even her temples pulsed violently.

This time, Xie Hejing didn’t give her a choice—he took her straight to the hospital. Turned out she’d caught a chill the night before.

Since the afternoon schedule wasn’t too heavy, Nan Xu suggested he just continue with his meetings so she wouldn’t delay him, but Xie Hejing was uncharacteristically firm about taking her back to rest.

Unable to argue him down, she returned to the hotel with him.

After taking the medicine, she barely made it to the bed before her whole body seemed drained of energy. She sank into the mattress and drifted into deep sleep.

When she woke again, the evening sun was streaming through the thick hotel curtains, scattering patches of light and shadow across the floor.

She was startled to realize she had slept away the entire afternoon.

Fortunately, the dizziness had eased a lot after the medicine and the nap.

Reaching for her phone on the bedside table, she saw several unread messages. Squinting through her grogginess, she noticed they were all from Qi Zhiyu.

Ever since Nan Xu returned to the country, Qi Zhiyu had been wanting to meet up. But when she had just come back, Qi Zhiyu was tied up with work. By the time her schedule cleared, Nan Xu’s had become hectic. They were like two lines that kept missing each other, never crossing at the right time.

As soon as she opened WeChat, the glaring red notification dot dominated her screen.

Qi Zhiyu had sent her quite a few messages.

[Xuxu, I’ve got good news for you—I’m taking a few days off soon.]
[Do you have time? I really want to see you!]
[Xuxu, I heard a new hot pot place just opened in Zhi’an. When will your trip be over? Let’s go try it.]
[Xuxu, why aren’t you replying???]

After that came a flood of “staring at you” emojis—exactly the same as before, just like old times.

Nan Xu couldn’t help but chuckle, then quickly sent her a few voice messages back:

[Yuyu, I’ll need a few more days before I’m back.]
[Yuyu, I wasn’t ignoring you. I wasn’t feeling well today and fell asleep, so I didn’t see your messages.]
[I’ll try to take some time off to meet you. Let’s go for hot pot together.]
[Oh, and a friend told me there’s a good Japanese place too. Be good and wait for me in Zhi’an—when I’m back, I’ll take you to eat something delicious.]

Qi Zhiyu perked up immediately after hearing from her. She asked about her health, whether she still felt unwell, and then they drifted into a lighthearted back-and-forth about which restaurant to try first. They ended up chatting for nearly an hour.

Toward the end, she also sent her a few voice messages.

Nan Xu tapped them open without thinking.

Qi Zhiyu’s voice came through, cheerful and teasing, with that familiar mischievous edge.

[Xuxu, your voice right now sounds like some delicate, fragile beauty—cold and weak. I swear, it’s making me melt. It’s nothing like your usual self.]
[Just now you told me to wait obediently for you in Zhi’an. Ahhh, at first I didn’t even dare play it out loud—I listened with my headphones. It felt like my ears were being seduced by you.]

Nan Xu: “…”

Her lips twitched. She quickly spammed several “stop talking nonsense” stickers until Qi Zhiyu finally quieted down.

That conversation had woken Nan Xu up completely. Since she’d barely eaten lunch and then slept the entire afternoon, her stomach now felt completely empty.

She checked the time. There was still about an hour before President Qi’s welcome dinner. Planning to freshen up first, she headed over to find Xie Hejing.

The moment she opened the door, the warm glow from the floor lamp filled the room with a quiet, cozy atmosphere. Xie Hejing was seated on the sofa, focused on his work.

Nan Xu paused, her gaze involuntarily drawn to him.

He was leaning toward the screen, brows slightly furrowed, eyes sharp with concentration. The tall bridge of his nose cast a faint shadow under the light.

Sensing her stare, Xie Hejing looked up. “Awake? Go eat something first.”

She quickly averted her gaze. “Ah… okay, thanks, Brother.”

But when she walked over, she saw a spread of extremely light dishes—so light they were almost bland. She frowned slightly. They weren’t bad, and they were certainly suitable for someone sick, but they didn’t do much to stir her appetite.

She ate absentmindedly while chatting with Qi Zhiyu. Ten minutes later, only the surface of the dishes had been touched.

Xie Hejing came over, glanced at the table, and asked, “It tastes that bad?”

Nan Xu shook her head. “It’s fine. I just don’t have much of an appetite. Besides, isn’t there a dinner party later? I’ll eat there.”

She smiled, thinking it was the perfect excuse to save her stomach.

“Eat some of this to fill up first.” He fastened the watch on his wrist.

“Also, you’re not going tonight. Stay here and rest.”

Nan Xu looked up. “Not going? But I’m supposed to be your assistant. If anything happens, shouldn’t I be by your side?”

She bit her chopsticks—truthfully, she was looking forward to trying the seafood banquet President Qi had prepared.

“What could possibly happen?” Xie Hejing asked.

“What if someone tries to get you drunk… and then drugs you and takes advantage—”

Two seconds later, Nan Xu realized what she had just said. Her heart skipped, and she cut herself off, staring fixedly at her bowl without daring to lift her head.

Xie Hejing stopped what he was doing, studying her expression. She did look better than in the afternoon, but social banquets—especially business ones—were exhausting and stressful.

“It hasn’t reached that point. Employees who are sick should be resting properly. The boss’s matters are naturally his to resolve—why are you worrying about them?”

“And as for… being taken advantage of…” His words trailed off. His gaze lingered on her instead.

Nan Xu’s grip on her chopsticks tightened. She forced a gulp of water, pretending calm. “Brother, I was talking nonsense. Don’t take it seriously.”

Xie Hejing raised an eyebrow. “You seem pretty possessive about my innocence.”

Nan Xu: “…”

She forced an awkward smile. “I’m your assistant, aren’t I? Of course I should care about my boss. It’s just concern, nothing more.”

“Is that so?” Xie Hejing asked.

Nan Xu nodded furiously.

Xie Hejing turned her words back on her. “Then shouldn’t a boss also care about his employees?”

A bad feeling crept up on Nan Xu. She tried to brush it off. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’m fine. Everything’s fine.”

But Xie Hejing ignored that, his voice steady. “Then why did you catch a chill last night?”

When he asked, Nan Xu grew tense. How was she supposed to explain? She couldn’t exactly tell him she hadn’t been able to sleep because of those “coaxing tricks”—or that she’d dreamed of him, woken in a fright, and calmed herself only by standing by the window in the cold night air.

“I just… just caught a chill,” she stammered, her gaze darting away. “Maybe the bed was too small. I rolled over, fell off, and got cold. That’s all.”

Her voice grew smaller and smaller.

The silence stretched. Nan Xu poked at the food in her bowl, praying he’d drop the subject.

Fortunately, Xie Hejing didn’t press further. Instead, he said evenly, “My bed’s plenty big.”

…His bed? Why bring that up? Was he bragging?

Nan Xu didn’t understand, so she gave an awkward laugh. “Oh? That’s… impressive.”

Xie Hejing: “…”

A little later, he returned from his room dressed for the evening. Nan Xu was still at the table, hunched over her phone, sketching.

Last night’s dream had haunted her—the image of Xie Hejing reclining on the sofa, tie draped over his eyes, that lazy, devastating allure. It had tortured her half the night, so she’d tried to capture it in a sketch. By now the outline was already taking shape.

She scrambled to hide her phone when he came closer.

“Brother, you’re heading out now? Be careful,” she said quickly.

Xie Hejing narrowed his eyes, but didn’t push. He only glanced at her, then said, “Come tie my tie.”

Nan Xu’s heart leapt into her throat. Last night’s scene replayed in her head, vivid as ever. To be so close again… she wasn’t sure she could handle it. What if she dreamed about him all over again tonight, and woke up feverish?

She froze, lips parting but no words coming out—until an idea struck like a lifeline.

“Ah! Yesterday Auntie Zhang said I should video call her. I just remembered. Brother, you tie it yourself—I’ll go call her now!”

Before he could respond, she fled toward her room in a fluster.

Xie Hejing halted, the tie loosening in his grip. His lips pressed tight. After a long silence, he said nothing more, only tied it himself with clipped, impatient movements.

. . . . .

At the banquet, Qi Hui showed up again.

Same scene as before—Qi Hui’s eyes stayed fixed on Xie Hejing, but she made no move beyond staring.

Xie Hejing’s thoughts weren’t here anyway. His mind remained back at the hotel.

Qi Ming, meanwhile, was on edge. He worried his sister might stir up trouble, but if he hadn’t brought her along, she would’ve made a scene at home.

The others, though, were in good spirits—raising their glasses to Xie Hejing, laughing with Qi Ming. The atmosphere at the table was lively.

After several rounds of wine, the main discussions were finished. Xie Hejing rose, ready to excuse himself.

That was when Qi Hui, who hadn’t taken her eyes off him, suddenly stood as well. “President Xie, allow me to toast you.” She picked up her glass and moved toward him.

Hearing his younger sister’s voice, Qi Ming instantly felt his hair stand on end. Before Xie Hejing could say anything, he rushed to Qi Hui’s side and whispered:

“You promised me you wouldn’t do anything. That’s the only reason I brought you here. Don’t try anything funny—if this deal falls through, I won’t let you off.”

Qi Hui smiled. “Brother, you’re too nervous. I’m just offering a toast and saying a few words, what’s the harm? That’s perfectly normal at a dinner like this, isn’t it?”

Qi Ming thought about it and admitted she was right. He was just too tense, always thinking this sister of his would stir up trouble. At a business dinner like this, not toasting Xie Hejing would actually look worse. Still, he warned her:

“A toast is fine. But if you cause any trouble, I won’t forgive you.”

“Relax, brother. There are so many people here. What trouble could I possibly cause?” Qi Hui said.

Xie Hejing didn’t particularly like Qi Hui, but after learning about the family situation between the two, he didn’t make a fuss about Qi Ming bringing her along.

Now that she was offering a toast, he decided to give Qi Ming some face. He raised his glass and drained it in one go.

Qi Hui’s eyes lit up. She wanted to toast him again, so she picked up her glass and walked over to him.

But as she drew near, she didn’t notice an empty bottle left carelessly underfoot. She slipped, stumbling into Xie Hejing, and the wine in her glass spilled all over him.

In an instant, the heavy mix of perfume and alcohol on Qi Hui clung to Xie Hejing.

Qi Ming nearly shot out of his chair, glaring at her furiously before rushing over to arrange fresh clothes for Xie Hejing.

Qi Hui stood there, flustered, apologizing over and over.

Irritation welled up in Xie Hejing. The strange, cloying smell on his body made him frown even deeper.

Wine had stained his suit jacket. Without a word, he shrugged it off and tossed it into a trash bin by the roadside, then headed straight back to the hotel.

By the time he arrived, it was already ten o’clock at night.

Nan Xu hadn’t gone to sleep yet—she was sitting cross-legged on the bed, feet dangling, watching a variety show.

It was one Wen Qi had recommended. She hadn’t had time before, but now that she started, she couldn’t stop after two episodes.

The hotel door opened and shut. Nan Xu guessed it was Xie Hejing returning.

She figured he’d probably just take a shower and go to bed, so she didn’t bother going out, happily glued to her show.

After a short silence, her room door was knocked on. It was right at the best part, so Nan Xu reluctantly hit pause, opened the door just a crack, and peeked out.

“Brother, it’s so late—what is it?” she asked.

Xie Hejing pulled the tie from around his neck and stuffed it into her arms, his voice edged with irritation.

“It’s not clean.”

Nan Xu blinked in confusion. She lifted the tie with both hands, examining it carefully.

“It looks clean to me,” she said, puzzled. She even rubbed it with her fingers to be sure there was no stain.

“There’s someone else’s scent on it.” Xie Hejing frowned.

“Really?” Nan Xu leaned in and sniffed it herself. Had something gone wrong? She couldn’t smell anything at all. “Nope, nothing. I don’t smell a thing. Why don’t you try again?”

Xie Hejing took the tie back and held it beneath his nose.

The once-neutral fabric now carried a faint trace of Nan Xu’s scent.

It was a fragrance he knew better than anything—soft, sweet, gentle, like a spring breeze. In an instant, the restless irritation inside him was soothed.

His eyes eased as he murmured, “Mm. Clean now.”

Nan Xu was completely confused by the sudden change in his attitude. The tie didn’t have much of a smell, but he himself had a faint scent of alcohol mixed with a hint of perfume.

“Brother, you should just go take a shower. There’s a weird smell on you,” she urged.

At her words, Xie Hejing’s mood, which had only just calmed, flared with annoyance again. He loathed this unfamiliar, foreign scent clinging to him.

He showered quickly, but afterward, the smell still lingered in his mind. Frowning, he picked up the tie again. The trace of Nan Xu’s fragrance had faded, yet even the faintest wisp was enough to let him breathe easier.

Gazing down at it, his eyes lowered. A thought surfaced, quiet but insistent.

He should be like this tie—covered with Nan Xu’s scent.

At half past ten, he knocked on her door again.

Nan Xu paused her show with a grumble and shuffled over to open it. The first thing she saw was Xie Hejing in a bathrobe. She instantly slapped a hand over her eyes and blurted, “I didn’t see anything! I swear I didn’t look—I didn’t see a thing!”

Xie Hejing: “…”

“Nan Xu, there’s still a smell on me,” he said, completely serious.

She blinked in confusion. “What smell? The body wash? Isn’t that normal?”

“It’s… a strange smell,” he replied.

Nan Xu tilted her head, still not understanding. She sniffed but caught nothing, then yawned carelessly. “Then just go shower again.”

Irritated, he reached out and tugged at her cheek.

Then, stepping closer, he said plainly, “Nan Xu, I should be carrying your scent.”

His voice softened, coaxing: “Maybe… your scent can cover up that strange one.”

Her breath caught, eyes blinking fast. “How—how exactly do I cover it?”

---

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Chapter 33 — Not enough, Nan Xu. Not nearly enough.…

---

Night had already fallen. Just as Qi Ming got out of the car, he was still thinking about discussing dinner plans with Xie Hejing, but then Qi Hui called—something had come up on her end and she wanted him to go back.

Coincidentally, Xie Hejing wasn’t in the mood for dinner anyway. The welcome banquet was simply postponed to tomorrow.

Xie Hejing and Nan Xu got out of the car. From the moment they stepped into the hotel until they returned to the room, he kept a stern face, not saying a single word.

As soon as the door closed, he shrugged off his coat, tugged off his tie, and lounged lazily on the sofa.

His right hand rested casually on the armrest, long fingers idly playing with the tassels of a cushion. Every so often he gave a little tug, and the tassel swayed at his fingertips.

Nan Xu felt like her heart was just like that tassel in his hand—swinging back and forth, never able to find a moment of calm.

She wanted to comfort him, but she had no idea how. The tips she had read earlier completely vanished from her mind.

Carefully, she walked to the side and poured herself a glass of water, her brain racing to figure out what to do.

Xie Hejing finally spared the tassel, leaning back into the sofa, crossing his legs as he reached for his phone.

He swiped at the screen absentmindedly, but his gaze occasionally drifted past the edge of the phone, sneaking glances at Nan Xu.

When she still didn’t move for a long while, he tossed the phone onto the table. The crash of objects colliding landed with a heavy thud.

Nan Xu was clearly “reminded” by the sound. She turned her head toward him and mumbled in a small voice: “Brother, I know I’m supposed to coax you, but give me a second—I need to study first.”

Otherwise, not knowing his temper, she might only make things worse.

Xie Hejing: “…”

He held back his impatience and waited ten minutes. When Nan Xu still hadn’t done anything, he frowned and asked, “Nan Xu, are you deliberately stalling?”

By now she was breaking into a nervous sweat. She had been searching on her phone: [How to coax an angry older brother]. She didn’t even look carefully at what website it was—she was too focused on the idea of coaxing him. The deeper she scrolled, the more startled she became. Is this really how you’re supposed to do it?

“Nan Xu.” Xie Hejing called her again.

“I’m coming!” With no time left, she hastily memorized a few lines, set down her phone, and walked over to him. “I’m here.”

Xie Hejing tilted his chin slightly. “So, what did you learn?”

Nan Xu hesitated, unwilling to say. What she’d just read didn’t feel right at all, so she decided to go with her own instincts instead.

But since she had never coaxed anyone before, all she could manage was a few stiff, awkward words.

“Brother, don’t be angry. It’s all my fault.”

Xie Hejing raised a brow. “What exactly is your fault?”

Nan Xu: “…”

“As long as you’re not mad, then everything’s my fault,” she said honestly.

Xie Hejing’s expression stayed cold. “This is the result of ten minutes of studying?”

Thinking back to what she’d just seen on her phone, Nan Xu swallowed hard and decided to give up on that route. “Well… everyone learns at a different pace.”

“Nan Xu, do you even care about me at all?” he asked.

She was terrified of making him angrier, so she rushed to say, “Of course I care about you.”

“Then put a little effort into coaxing me.”

Nan Xu really had no idea what to do. She could only try to cling to whatever scraps of memory she still had from earlier.

Torn and desperate, she finally blurted out, “Then you’re not allowed to be mad afterward.”

“Alright.”

He was curious to see just what she would come up with to soothe his temper.

Standing there, Nan Xu clenched her fists and squeezed out, “Wait for me.”

She rushed into the room, recalling what the website had just taught her: to change into an outfit that “had a feeling”.

But what counted as “had a feeling”?

She rummaged through her luggage for a long while before her eyes landed on a dress she had packed just in case of a formal gathering. She hadn’t thought it would come in handy like this.

After changing into the dress, she removed her makeup, loosely fixed her hair, and finally opened the bedroom door.

Hearing the sound, Xie Hejing glanced up from his phone. When he noticed the change of clothes, his brow lifted. “Why did you change?”

Nan Xu’s eyes darted away, and she stammered, “You’ll find out in a minute.”

On the website, this “trick” had been marked with several red stars in a row. She had stared at it long enough that it stuck most clearly in her mind. Surely, if anything worked, it would be this.

Worried he’d accuse her of not being serious, she steeled herself and went with the method.

Step one: change into an outfit that “had a feeling”.
Step two…

Nan Xu walked toward him.

Xie Hejing’s posture shifted, becoming sharper, more composed. At some point, the top two buttons of his shirt had come undone.

His elbows rested firmly on his knees, hands relaxed between them, but his gaze tilted upward—steady, unwavering, fixed entirely on her. His eyes followed her every move.

The intensity of his stare made her skin prickle. Her fingers twisted at the fabric of her skirt as she asked in a trembling voice, “Why… why are you looking at me like that?”

His eyes grew darker, yet his lips curved into a smile. “Don’t want me looking at you? Then figure something out yourself.”

Figure something out myself…

Nan Xu froze. Then, remembering the next step, she bit her lip and glanced around. Her gaze landed on the tie he had discarded earlier.

“I’ll figure something out. But you can’t refuse.”

“I won’t,” he said.

Nan Xu stepped closer to the sofa and hooked a finger around the tie.

It was a solid black tie, soft and silky, slipping easily against her pale, delicate fingers. The stark contrast of black and white was striking—so much so that it was impossible to look away.

Nan Xu felt his gaze burning into her, and her face flushed crimson as she walked over to him.

Xie Hejing was sitting on the sofa, and for the first time, she was looking down at him from above.

He tilted his head back, clearly curious to see what she would do next.

Nan Xu deliberately ignored the weight of his gaze. Holding up the tie, she whispered, “Brother, close your eyes.”

The corners of his lips curved upward, but he obeyed, shutting his eyes.

Nan Xu draped the tie over them, blocking out those soul-stealing eyes completely.

In an instant, everything before him went dark. But with sight gone, his hearing sharpened. He caught the sound of her nervous breathing—slightly rushed, like a little deer about to do something forbidden, both frightened and timid.

He asked softly, “What are you planning to do?”

Already on edge, Nan Xu jolted at his sudden question. “Brother, don’t talk,” she said quickly.

At that, he raised his brows—but stayed silent.

Step two: do something intimate with the ear.

Nan Xu wasn’t sure what that really meant, so she decided to interpret it literally.

“Brother, lean your head back a little.”

Xie Hejing paused for a second, then leaned back without hesitation, an unguarded posture of complete surrender.

Her heart thundered in her chest, her palms slick with sweat. Forcing herself past the embarrassment, she bent down, lowering herself toward his ear.

Her lips brushed lightly against the tip of it—a fleeting, feather-soft touch.

Xie Hejing’s entire body went rigid. The hand resting on the sofa’s armrest clenched instantly, knuckles whitening. It took every ounce of his self-control not to drag her into his arms right then.

Her kiss trembled, lingering at the edge of his ear, hesitant yet electrifying.

His breathing grew heavier, deeper.

Just as she pulled back, about to straighten up, his voice came low and husky, tinged with a dangerous rasp: “What’s next?”

Nan Xu froze, flustered. “That’s… not enough?”

His mouth curved into a smile, a low laugh escaping—seductive, almost taunting. “Not enough, Nan Xu. Not nearly enough.”

He was intensely curious—just how far could she go?

Her mind was in chaos, nearly blank, but under the heat of his direct, burning demand, a reckless courage surged up. She bit her lip, her voice soft yet carrying a note of resolve: “I know.”

There was, in fact, a third step.

Kiss his lips.

But when her eyes lingered on his mouth for a few seconds, she chickened out. She couldn’t handle what might happen if she stirred up emotions he could no longer hold back.

Instead, her brows furrowed in thought, and her gaze shifted downward—settling on his throat.

After two seconds of hesitation, she made her decision.

Nan Xu took a small step back, then bent forward again, this time aiming for the sharp lines of his Adam’s apple.

Her breathing quickened, warm breath fanning over the sensitive skin of his neck. The sensation made Xie Hejing shudder.

When her lips finally brushed against his Adam’s apple, he couldn’t help it—his throat bobbed with an involuntary swallow, the movement dragging his Adam’s apple right against the softness of her lips.

Nan Xu froze as if burned, hesitating for a second. But after that brief daze, an indescribable curiosity rose to the surface and won out.

Slowly, she stuck out the tip of her tongue and brushed lightly against the Adam’s apple that had just moved beneath her lips.

The tiny, almost careless gesture was like a spark tossed into dry tinder—it set fire to every last shred of Xie Hejing’s self-control.

His body went rigid. The hands he had been forcing to stay still clenched into fists, veins standing out along his arms.

His breathing turned rough and uneven, his chest heaving violently as his body reacted beyond his control.

“Nan Xu…” He forced her name out between his teeth, hoarse to the point of breaking, a sound that carried nothing but strangled desire. “This is what you learned?”

In one motion, he yanked off the tie covering his eyes. Nan Xu found herself staring straight into them—eyes burning with a terrifying, scorching heat.

Nan Xu’s heart skipped a beat, and she took a step, about to leave. She only got halfway when she felt something wasn’t right, so she turned back to look.

He hadn’t said a word or moved a step, but his fists were still clenched tight, his body trembling like he was enduring some unbearable strain.

Nan Xu hurried back, her voice anxious: “Brother, what’s wrong?” A flash of panic ran through her—had she actually made him sick from anger?

He shot her a glance, then tugged his coat over himself, covering a certain area, before silently rising and heading back into his room.

Nan Xu stood frozen for a moment, completely baffled. She asked, but he wouldn’t answer.

Still, she knew deep down this had something to do with her. Grabbing her phone, she walked to his bedroom door, pulled up the same page again, and called softly through the door:

“Brother, don’t be angry. I’ll study more on how to coax you.”

Scrolling down past the tricks, she found a section of “phrases to use.”

Nan Xu frowned, unsure if they would work, but desperate enough to try anything. A dying horse is still worth treating, she thought, and began reading them out loud.

With every line she spoke, Xie Hejing’s breathing inside grew heavier, deeper.

She scrolled and picked through phrases until she reached the last one:
“Brother, I lo—”

Suddenly, her throat locked up. Not a word, not even a sound could come out.

Her eyes landed on the line just beneath it, the final part of the page—big, bold words marking the end of the article:

[Did you get these flirting tips for couples?]

For a moment, Nan Xu couldn’t even think of a word to describe her feelings. Her mind went blank, repeating the same thought over and over:

It’s over. It’s completely ruined.

She scrolled up frantically to confirm the title. It really did say, How to Coax an Angry Older Brother. That’s why she had clicked it in the first place.

Backing out, she opened the site again and finally realized—it was a dating website, filled with nothing but “relationship tips.”

Her back went cold, her fingers suddenly too weak to grip her phone.

If Xie Hejing finds out… I don’t even want to imagine how angry he’ll be.

And just at that moment—

Creak.

The bedroom door swung open.

Nan Xu, who had been leaning against the wall scrolling in a frantic search for damage control, jumped at the sound. Startled, her hand slipped, and her phone fell to the floor with a clatter.

“Bro… Ther, why did you come out?” she stammered, every word squeezed out through sheer panic.

Xie Hejing had changed into loose pajamas. He raised a brow and tilted his chin slightly. “Weren’t you the one who told me to come out? Go on then—finish what you were saying. You love what?”

Nan Xu choked up, unable to continue no matter what.

“I… love, love…” She felt like crying. “I love… cheering people up.”

The words slipped out too fast. She squeezed her eyes shut, hardly able to believe she’d actually said that.

Xie Hejing stepped closer. “You like cheering people up? Is this how you do it?”

Something flickered in his mind; his brows furrowed. “Nan Xu, do you do this to other people too?”

At that, Nan Xu quickly looked up. “Of course not.”

There was no way she’d use this kind of approach with anyone else. Even doing it with Xie Hejing was just a last-minute compromise. If she’d stuck to her own way of handling things, at least nothing would have gone wrong—unlike now.

Then she suddenly remembered the strange look on his face earlier. Concerned, she asked, “Brother, what happened to you just now?”

For once, Xie Hejing’s gaze flickered away. He avoided her eyes, refusing to answer, and only left her with a hurried:

“I’m going to take a shower.”

---

---

Chapter 32 — Nan Xu, are you trying to piss me off to death?

---

Nan Xu froze where she stood, disbelief written all over her face. “Brother, what are you even saying—” She paused, then raised her voice again. “Do you even realize what you’re saying?”

Her throat tightened. He had actually asked her to kiss him.

He was getting more and more insane.

She hurriedly pulled her hand back, but that lingering warmth only spread deeper into her chest, sparking waves of tingling heat.

“Don’t you want to try it?” Xie Hejing’s voice was slow and gentle. “Kiss me… while you’re fully sober. Of your own will.”

He bent down slightly, meeting her eyes.

But Nan Xu lowered her gaze, and naturally, her eyes fell to his lips.

In an instant, flashes of their ambiguous moments together flickered through her mind. Her heart thudded violently.

“No… I don’t,” Nan Xu whispered.

“You hesitated,” he said.

“I didn’t,” she denied.

Xie Hejing frowned. “Are you trying to pull away from me again?”

“No, but this is different. It’s not the same.” Nan Xu’s voice trembled. “If I just kissed you like that, it would be irresponsible to you.”

He didn’t argue, only asked calmly, “Nan Xu, would you ever kiss someone you didn’t like?”

She shook her head. “Of course not.”

“Then there’s your answer.”

How had the conversation circled back here again? Nan Xu’s chest rose and fell sharply. She wanted to untangle it, to argue it through.

But then—like a sudden spark—a thought struck her.

What about him? Would Xie Hejing ever kiss someone he didn’t like?

The more she thought about it, the stranger it felt. Gathering her courage, she lifted her gaze to meet his eyes. “If I kissed you first… would you let me? Or would you pull away?”

Maybe before her lips even touched him, he’d already dodged.

…That would be mortifying.

“I’m right here,” he said, arching a brow. His low voice carried an irresistible pull, as though coaxing her into surrender. He didn’t give her a definite answer, but his words hooked her, tugging her down with him, inch by inch.

Nan Xu’s cheeks burned hotter. Her eyes drifted again to his finely cut lips, and her mind buzzed, reason and impulse colliding fiercely.

In the end, reason won out.

She didn’t dare look at him any longer. Right now, Xie Hejing felt like a sly fox, weaving spells with just a few words, impossible to resist. Thankfully, she still had enough self-control to hold on.

. . . . .

The morning sunlight slipped through the cracks in the curtains, scattering mottled shadows across the room. Even as Nan Xu replayed their exchange in her head, she still winced at her moment of hesitation.

She hid herself back in her room, unwilling to face him.

Her hand rested on the doorknob. She hesitated for several minutes more. But when she recalled the doubt in his eyes yesterday, her heart steadied.

She wasn’t at all like what Xie Hejing accused her of being. She wasn’t afraid to know.

If Nan Xu really wanted to figure out what kind of feelings she had for him, the most direct and effective way was indeed to get closer.

She couldn’t keep running away.

It shouldn’t be difficult to just get closer. At least, that’s what she told herself.

After steadying her thoughts, she stepped out of her room—only to see Xie Hejing standing before the mirror, adjusting his appearance. He wore a crisp dress shirt, the collar slightly open to reveal the delicate line of his collarbone.

Her brain, still foggy from waking too early, instantly cleared a little. Then she suddenly remembered—she was still wearing his shirt. Heat rushed to her cheeks.

Without saying a word to him, she darted back inside, hurriedly changed into her work attire, and only then reemerged.

But Xie Hejing hadn’t moved. Still in the same outfit, he now sat on the sofa closest to her door—waiting.

When she walked over, it became obvious: he had been waiting for her.

He handed a tie to her.

Nan Xu blinked, caught off guard, fumbling for words. “I… I don’t really know how.”

He only nodded slightly and withdrew the tie, without comment.

Relieved, she exhaled softly. She really had no idea how to tie one, and if she messed it up, it would just make her look ridiculous in front of him. They still had a project site to inspect later, after all.

“It’s fine, I’ll teach you,” his voice came suddenly from behind. Nan Xu hadn’t even noticed when he’d moved so close.

Her first instinct was to refuse, but before she could get the words out, he cut in sharply: “Nan Xu.”

The familiar tone made her jolt instinctively. “I’ll learn! I’ll learn,” she blurted.

His gaze softened, and he picked the tie back up, gently placing it in her palm, his hand briefly covering hers. Warmth spread immediately through her skin, making her fingers tremble faintly.

Could she really learn this properly?

Xie Hejing leaned in, close enough for their breaths to mingle.

Holding her wrist, he slowly guided her movements, murmuring instructions in that low voice of his: “Cross it here first, then loop it around…”

Nan Xu kept her head lowered, eyes fixed on the tie, forcing herself to concentrate. But the familiar scent of him lingered in the air, pulling her heartbeat into a frantic rhythm.

And then he drawled casually, “Pay attention. From now on, my ties will depend on you.”

“Me?!” Nan Xu yelped. “You want me to tie them for you?”

His eyes narrowed with a faint squint. “You don’t want to?”

“No, it’s not that—I’m just afraid I won’t do it well.”

“Then focus and learn. Unless you’d prefer I keep teaching you over and over again.”

The implication in his tone made her straighten up immediately. She pushed all stray thoughts aside, eyes glued to the fabric in her hands. “Don’t worry, Brother, I’m smart. I’ll get it on the first try.”

Her words came out in a rush, serious yet a little flustered.

Xie Hejing: “…”

On the way to the inspection site, Xie Hejing sat in the back seat, his gaze drifting now and then toward Nan Xu, who was absorbed in going through the project documents.

She had placed the folder on her lap, pulling out one file after another, carefully checking each detail. Her eyes scanned the dense text line by line, brows furrowed in concentration, lips moving slightly as she silently verified each figure.

At the site, the machines roared around them. Qi Ming walked at the front, explaining the situation, with Xie Hejing beside him. Nan Xu followed diagonally behind Xie Hejing, and a few others trailed at the back.

They moved between the different construction zones.

Nan Xu kept pace tightly with Xie Hejing, her eyes never idle. While observing the site conditions, she quickly jotted notes into her notebook, afraid to miss even the smallest detail.

The noise was so overwhelming that whenever she wanted to hear Xie Hejing’s comments on specific aspects of the project, she had to lean forward slightly, listening closely before scribbling furiously again.

The group worked through the entire morning before finally breaking for lunch.

The site was far from the city, so they decided to eat at the cafeteria there.

On the top floor, a few simple private rooms were reserved for senior staff. Nan Xu followed Xie Hejing inside.

As Qi Ming introduced the dishes to him, Nan Xu sat nearby. After a whole morning of rushing around, she finally had a moment to rest. She set her notebook on the chair beside her and rubbed her legs.

Soon after, a dull ache in her stomach made her uncomfortable, so she stepped out to ask someone where the restroom was.

Meanwhile, Qi Ming left with the menu, eager to instruct the kitchen to prepare the best dishes possible for today.

In a blink, the private room was empty except for Xie Hejing.

That was when a young, glamorous woman boldly walked in.

Amid this dusty, noisy place, she stood out with her polished outfit, heavy makeup, and an overpowering cloud of perfume.

Xie Hejing’s brows knit almost instinctively. “What is it?”

Undeterred by his cold expression, the woman asked boldly, “Handsome, can we get to know each other?”

Xie Hejing: “…”

His expression darkened. His voice was low, curt. “No.”

Rather than being discouraged, her interest seemed piqued. She stepped in further, plopping herself down in the seat where Nan Xu had been, pushing the notebook aside. “You’re here for the inspection, right? I can show you around. This whole area’s under my management. Whatever you want to see, I’ll take you.”

“Get out. I don’t need it.” His brows drew tighter, his patience stretched to its limit as he resisted the urge to leave outright.

“You’re so young and successful, yet so aloof. Must be hard to find a girlfriend, isn’t it?” she teased, her tone almost mocking.

The darkness in Xie Hejing’s eyes deepened. He would never lay hands on a woman, but that didn’t mean he could endure her endless chatter in his ear.

He drew in a sharp breath, ready to issue a final warning—when Qi Ming walked back in.

Catching sight of the woman, he blurted out in shock, “Qi Hui? What are you doing here?”

His sister was notorious for being lazy and spoiled, always hating the idea of work, let alone coming somewhere this far. What was she doing here?

Qi Hui flinched at the sight of her brother. She certainly wasn’t about to admit she’d overheard that he was hosting a delegation today—and that she’d rushed over after hearing one of them was supposedly a very handsome man.

Almost instinctively, Qi Ming’s gaze flicked toward Xie Hejing.

What he saw there—a simmering storm of anger, tightly leashed but moments from breaking—made his chest tighten in dread.

It had taken Qi Ming no small effort to bring Xie Hejing here. If things were ruined now…

All his hard work would go straight down the drain.

“I’m so sorry, President Xie. This is my younger sister—she’s really thoughtless. Please forgive her. Qi Hui, hurry up and apologize to President Xie!”

But instead of looking remorseful, Qi Hui froze at her brother’s words. What caught her attention wasn’t the rebuke—it was the title.

President Xie…

So this was Xie Hejing?

The handsome man in the inspection team was actually him!

Her brother had always dealt with greasy, middle-aged businessmen. She never spared them a second glance. But this time, out of nowhere, appeared a man with such sharp presence and striking looks—

Qi Hui’s eyes lit up instantly.

“Brother, he’s Xie Hejing!”

A muscle twitched irritably between Xie Hejing’s brows.

Qi Ming ground his teeth, his frown deep enough to cut. He gave her arm a sharp tug. “Apologize. Now.”

But Qi Hui only pulled away, wincing. “You’re hurting me! Why should I apologize? I didn’t even say anything wrong.”

“You—!” Qi Ming’s eyes bulged, but with Xie Hejing right there, he bit back the harsher words on his tongue.

“Director Qi,” Xie Hejing said coolly, “it seems you have family matters to handle. Let’s resume our discussion once that’s settled.”

Qi Ming let out a breath of relief and hurried to thank him before dragging his sister toward the door.

Her wrist throbbed from his grip. She yanked free, rubbing at the red mark and glaring. “What’s your problem, brother? Why grab me like that? It hurts!”

Qi Ming’s face was dark with frustration. “What are you even doing here? Do you have any idea who he is?”

Business in Linbin was hard enough to conduct—he was still hoping to win some investment from Xie Hejing.

“I know exactly who he is,” Qi Hui said, her lips curling into a smile. “He’s Xie Hejing. I didn’t expect him to be this handsome in person. Brother, introduce me to him, will you?”

“Introduce, my ass.” Qi Ming spat, his voice sharp with warning. “Qi Hui, don’t you dare try anything. That man is not someone you can mess with.”

Not only had Xie Hejing built his own business empire from scratch, but he also came from a powerful family. In every circle, his name carried weight. If Qi Ming hadn’t dug into his background beforehand, he might have made the mistake of underestimating him because of his youth.

“Why can’t I?” Qi Hui shot back. “He’s not even taken. What’s so wrong about it?”

“How do you know he isn’t?” Qi Ming demanded, startled.

Qi Hui stomped her foot, exasperated. “Oh, come on. One look and you can tell—he’s been abstinent for ages. If he had someone, no way would a man his age stay that restrained for this long. Brother, just help me, please? This is the first time I’ve actually liked someone. If you don’t introduce us, someone else will snatch him up!”

Just then, Nan Xu stepped out of the restroom and happened to spot Qi Ming standing with a young woman at the private room door.

She hesitated. If she walked over, she might interrupt a private conversation. But if she stayed back, she worried Xie Hejing might later ask why she had taken so long.

After wavering a moment, she chose to wait quietly where she was.

It was Qi Ming who noticed her first. He shot Qi Hui a glare, signaling her to shut up, then turned to Nan Xu with a quick smile.

“Assistant Nan, the dishes are about ready. Let’s head back inside.”

“Ah… okay.” Nan Xu nodded softly. As she passed by Qi Hui, she noticed the girl’s puffed-up cheeks.

Clearly, the siblings had just been quarreling. Nan Xu quickened her pace, eager to escape this little battlefield.

She had no idea the real battlefield would be the afternoon inspection.

Qi Hui threw a tantrum until Qi Ming reluctantly added her to the inspection team.

And once she joined, she either stared shamelessly at Xie Hejing, or complained—tired, bored, asking when it would finally end.

Qi Ming’s temples throbbed from the constant strain. He could only keep apologizing to both Xie Hejing and Nan Xu. Every time he suggested sending Qi Hui away, she would burst into tears, threatening to smash her head against the wall.

She had suffered a mental breakdown before, even attempted suicide. With their parents gone and only her left, Qi Ming had no choice but to treat her with extreme caution, no matter how unreasonable she became.

Throughout the entire trip, Qi Hui’s gaze practically clung to Xie Hejing.

But Xie Hejing’s eyes… drifted instead to Nan Xu, again and again—watching her, gauging her reaction. Would she notice? Would she care?

Someone was openly coveting him.

And she didn’t seem to mind at all.

That irritated him.

No—infuriated him.

Because Nan Xu was completely oblivious. She was buried in her notebook, discussing project details with others, not sparing a glance at what was happening beside her.

At one point, Xie Hejing even coughed twice. Not loud, not soft—just enough to stand out amidst the discussion. But Nan Xu only looked up briefly before returning to her work, as if he were invisible.

His expression darkened further.

By the time Nan Xu finally sensed the storm brewing beside her, they were already on the car ride back. Qi Ming drove in the front.

Nan Xu lifted her head from her notebook, suddenly realizing—Xie Hejing hadn’t spoken a single word to her the entire afternoon.

She stole a glance. His face was cold, his aura distant, like a wall of ice keeping her at arm’s length.

A chill ran through her. Still, she typed out a message.

[Brother, what’s wrong? Are you too tired?]

But Xie Hejing shut his eyes, making no move to check his phone.

Nan Xu hesitated, then shifted her seat ever so slightly, inching closer until she was hidden from Qi Ming’s view. She reached out and gave his sleeve a small tug.

No response.

Her heart sank. She was almost certain she had made him angry somehow.

But how? She had spent the whole afternoon working hard, discussing the project seriously. Why was he upset?

After a moment of thought, she tugged his sleeve again.

This time his hand twitched, but he still ignored her.

Nan Xu’s face crumpled in confusion. She truly had no idea what had gone wrong.

Finally, she steeled herself, heart pounding, and slipped her fingers into his palm, gently wrapping her hand around his.

And it worked—instantly.

Xie Hejing’s eyes snapped open, and miraculously, the icy air around him seemed to melt a little.

Nan Xu hurriedly pointed at his phone, urging him with her eyes: Look. Please look.

It took Xie Hejing quite a while before he finally replied.

[That woman stared at me the entire afternoon. You didn’t notice?]

His eyes, full of grievance, locked onto Nan Xu.

Nan Xu replied: [I noticed. So what?]

So what?!

Xie Hejing nearly choked on his own fury right there in the car.

[Nan Xu, are you trying to piss me off to death?]

Nan Xu blinked, utterly baffled. Someone else had looked at him—so why was she the one in trouble?

She racked her brain, trying to connect it back to herself somehow. But no matter how she turned it over, she couldn’t find the link.

Unless…

Her thoughts spun until she finally landed on a possibility. Maybe it was the tie she had knotted for him—was something wrong with it?

She sneaked a glance at his chest. Left, right, top to bottom—the tie looked perfectly proper, nothing out of place.

Then what on earth was he mad about?

Since she couldn’t figure it out, she tried a gentle comfort instead:

[Don’t be mad, brother. Getting angry is bad for your health.]

Xie Hejing: …

[Nan Xu, you’d better know exactly why I’m angry.]

Nan Xu bit her lip, then typed: [Because President Qi’s sister was staring at you?]

She found her own reasoning funny, and a laugh slipped out before she could stop it.

The car had been filled with background noise from Qi Ming’s music, but at that laugh—everything seemed to fall silent.

Especially Xie Hejing, who tugged sharply at his tie and let out a cold snort.

His voice cut through the air: “Assistant Nan, what’s so funny? Care to share what made you laugh like that?”

Nan Xu’s nerves jumped. She rushed to explain, “I—I was just laughing at nothing, haha. Don’t mind me, President Xie.”

The car fell quiet again.

But this time, Xie Hejing ignored her completely.

Nan Xu sat stiffly, utterly at a loss. She knew her laugh had been poorly timed, but she had no idea how to make him talk to her again.

Xie Hejing folded his arms, waiting silently for her next move. But ten whole minutes passed, and the girl who had boldly grabbed his hand earlier didn’t dare make a single attempt now.

His brow creased as he turned his head to watch her.

Nan Xu didn’t notice. She was bent over her phone, tapping in the search bar:

[Made boss angry…]
Delete…

[What to do when you make your brother mad?]

Xie Hejing almost burst out laughing from sheer exasperation. Instead, he pulled out his own phone. His long fingers typed two characters before he hit send.

Nan Xu, scrolling through her “strategies,” startled when a notification flashed across the top of her screen.

She looked up—straight into his gaze.

He slowly turned his phone so the screen faced her.

Two bold words glowed back at her.

[Coax me.]

---

---

Chapter 31 — Stay close to me, understand?

---

Nan Xu could count on one hand the number of times she’d had insomnia. Most things in life never weighed heavily enough on her to keep her awake.

But tonight was the second time she’d lain sleepless in this room.

And once again, it was because of Xie Hejing.

The room was utterly still, moonlight seeping in through the gap in the curtains, casting a faint glow across the bed.

Beneath the blanket, Nan Xu curled herself into a small, tight bundle, her head throbbing as earlier images replayed in her mind like a carousel.

His words seemed to linger at her ear.

“A lover’s embrace…” Nan Xu repeated under her breath, dazed.

Such a gesture—so close, so intimate—had shattered the fragile balance between them, leaving only ambiguity and complication in its wake.

It was a scene she had never once imagined.

“Oh, God…” she whispered to herself, startled and annoyed that she’d even remembered his words so clearly.

Her hand flew up to cover her burning face. Her mind buzzed with confusion, a helpless panic threading through her chest.

When had the brother she’d always kept neatly in that role—just brother—turned into something else?

Or… had he been this way all along?

By dawn, faint light slipped through the curtains. Though she had only managed a little restless sleep, Nan Xu was already awake.

She washed up, changed clothes, but every movement felt absent-minded, her thoughts circling endlessly around one question—how was she supposed to face Xie Hejing at work today?

No, not just at work—at home too.

Taking a steadying breath, she opened her door with forced composure. Her gaze swept the hallway—no sign of Xie Hejing. Relief loosened the knot in her chest.

She made her way downstairs.

Breakfast was already laid out. Zhang Huiwan and Xie Hengzhi sat at the table, smiling as they called her over.

“Jiaojiao, come eat—your favorite fried pastries are here,” Xie Hengzhi said warmly.

“That’s right,” Zhang Huiwan added, “you’ve gotten far too thin. You need to eat more.”

Nan Xu nodded quickly, replying, but her eyes instinctively searched for Xie Hejing. His seat was empty.

So he’d already gone out? A strange, unnameable lightness washed through her.

Smiling, she said, “I’m coming.”

But halfway across the room, a quiet cough made her turn her head.

Xie Hejing stood at the kitchen island, calmly focused on pouring coffee. The morning light outlined the sharp lines of his frame, making him look at once familiar and yet suddenly distant.

So he hadn’t gone anywhere—it was only her who hadn’t noticed him.

Nan Xu pressed her lips together, hesitating before forcing herself forward. Her voice came out as soft as a mosquito’s hum.

“Morning, Brother…”

Her throat tightened with nerves.

She didn’t understand anymore. What had shifted in her feelings for him?

What had once been simple sibling affection now seemed to carry something heavier, something different. But was it really the stirrings of love—or just the blurred warmth of long-time dependence?

Xie Hejing slowly lifted his gaze, but Nan Xu had already looked away, refusing to meet his eyes.

Taking a sip of coffee, his glance drifted over her—then snagged on the faint mark peeking out from the collar of her shirt. A trace he knew all too well, left by his teeth the night before.

Something dark and private surged in his chest—an unspoken possessiveness.

As if that mark itself was silently declaring the bond between them.

His breath caught, and when he thought of the mark on his own shoulder, a faint smile flickered in his eyes.

“Mhm. Morning, little sister.”

Nan Xu’s nerves jolted. She nodded in a panic and all but fled to the dining table.

Unexpectedly, aside from that one line, Xie Hejing acted completely normal the rest of the morning—both at home and at the office. His demeanor was calm and natural, as if the person from last night had never even existed.

After finally making it through the morning, Nan Xu let out a breath of relief—only to receive startling news in the afternoon meeting.

She was being sent on a business trip. And not just with anyone—she would be going with Xie Hejing.

Catching the obvious look of surprise on her face, Xie Hejing, seated at the head of the table, asked with professional seriousness, “Assistant Nan, is there a problem?”

Nan Xu hurriedly shook her head. “No, none.”

It was just a normal business trip. Just work. Nothing more. She kept repeating that to herself, again and again, trying to chase away the unease coiling in her chest.

But her slightly flustered expression didn’t escape Xie Hejing’s eyes. His face tightened, his voice dropping half a tone. “Good. Assistant Nan, prepare. We’re leaving for Linbin City tomorrow.”

. . . . .

Linbin City had been drenched in heavy rain for days.

The car crawled along through the downpour, raindrops hammering against the windows like a relentless drumbeat, blurring the world outside.

Nan Xu sat in the back seat, sneaking a glance at the man beside her.

He leaned back against the seat, arms folded across his chest. The rain and dim light carved his profile into sharp, cold lines.

“President Xie, you and Assistant Nan should first settle into the hotel,” said the man in the front with hearty enthusiasm. “The weather’s been a real nuisance lately, and you’ve had a long trip. Rest well tonight. After tomorrow’s site inspection, there’s a dinner—President Xie, you must give me the honor of joining us.”

A business trip for Xie Hejing always meant a swarm of people vying for a chance to invite him to dinner. For Qi Ming, who was speaking now, the potential benefits were huge. His every word carried eager flattery.

But business was all about give and take.

“You’re too polite, President Qi. Since you’re inviting me, of course I’ll come,” Xie Hejing replied lightly.

“Not polite, not polite at all!” Qi Ming grinned so wide that the wrinkles on his face nearly unfolded into blossoms. In his eyes, Xie Hejing was a walking God of Fortune. Driving him, serving him, even carrying him on his back to the hotel—Qi Ming would gladly do it.

When the car finally pulled up at the hotel, the rain showed no sign of letting up.

Qi Ming got out first, umbrella in hand, about to hold it over Xie Hejing. But Nan Xu, well aware of her role as an assistant, quickly stepped forward to intercept, taking the umbrella from him.

“I’ll take care of it.”

Xie Hejing’s eyes flicked over briefly, then he turned back, gaze fixed straight ahead.

Qi Ming paused in surprise. Seeing that Xie Hejing didn’t object, he immediately grinned knowingly.

“Well then, here you go,” Qi Ming said cheerfully, handing the umbrella over. “Careful now, Assistant Nan—the wind in Linbin is rough, hold the umbrella steady.”

“Thank you, I will.”

Nan Xu nodded, opening the umbrella. When she turned back, she realized just how much taller Xie Hejing was compared to her—the canopy barely covered the top of his head.

She had to stretch onto her toes, raising her arm with all her strength, trying to tilt the umbrella higher over him.

Her eyes flicked toward Xie Hejing and she noticed the space between them—half his shoulder was still exposed to the rain.

Nan Xu’s chest tightened. She quickly edged closer until their shoulders nearly brushed.

From beneath the umbrella came a quiet chuckle.

Fearing he’d think she’d done it on purpose, Nan Xu rushed to explain, “I was just worried you’d get wet.”

At her words, Xie Hejing gave another soft laugh. Faint though it was, in the wind and rain it sounded sharp and distinct.

He tilted slightly toward her, gaze lingering on her flushed face, his tone laced with teasing. “What are you explaining for? What’s got you so flustered?”

Her embarrassment deepened. Nan Xu ducked her head, cheeks burning. “Nothing.” Her grip on the umbrella loosened unconsciously.

Just then, a sudden gust ripped through, driving fat raindrops against them in a wild spray. The umbrella wobbled violently in her hand.

Nan Xu gritted her teeth, forcing her arms steady, completely unaware that the icy rain had already soaked through her clothes.

When the wind finally died, the umbrella steadied again—but the chill had already seeped deep into her bones. She shivered, then noticed the damp patch on Xie Hejing’s shoulder.

“It’s my fault, I wasn’t careful enough. Sorry, President Xie. Maybe it’d be better if President Qi held the umbrella instead.”

She turned to look for Qi Ming, but before she could take a step, a warm, steady arm wrapped around her shoulders—right over the place that had been drenched through—cutting off the stream of cold.

“Assistant Nan, when you’re holding the umbrella, you should focus. No dropping halfway.”

They walked on like that until they stepped into the hotel lobby, bustling with people. Nan Xu froze mid-step.

“What is it?” Xie Hejing asked.

She slipped his hand from her shoulder, whispering a thank you. “I’m fine now. Not cold anymore. Sorry for troubling you.”

He pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek, gave a curt nod. “Alright.”

The agreement came quickly enough, but the irritation radiating off him was hard to miss.

A few steps farther, Nan Xu noticed Qi Ming again. He’d gone ahead to call for staff to move their luggage—two attendants were already carefully loading suitcases into the elevator while he shouted reminders not to scratch anything.

When Qi Ming turned back and spotted them, he immediately smiled, eyes flickering as he caught the faint trace of impatience in Xie Hejing’s expression.

Had he made some mistake in the arrangements?

Still grinning, Qi Ming probed, “President Xie, since you’ve just arrived, how about trying some local seafood tonight? Linbin’s seafood really is second to none.”

Xie Hejing’s tone was cool. “Thank you, President Qi, but I’m tired today. Don’t let me spoil your fun.”

Qi Ming instantly nodded. “Of course, of course. Then I won’t disturb you and Assistant Nan. I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”

“Mhm,” was all Xie Hejing said in reply.

Qi Ming had booked a suite for them on the very top floor.

The elevator’s chill air was sharper than the downpour outside. Nan Xu pulled her clothes tighter around her, but it did little good—soon she sneezed.

Without a word, Xie Hejing slipped off his coat and tossed it into her hands. Meeting her startled gaze, he only asked flatly, “Wasn’t Assistant Nan the one who said she wasn’t cold?”

Nan Xu didn’t argue. She slipped the coat on; catching a cold here would only bring trouble.

“Thank you.”

The suite had several rooms. Nan Xu picked the one furthest inside.

After being caught in the rain, all she wanted was a hot shower and a good night’s sleep.

But when she opened her suitcase, she realized she had forgotten to pack sleepwear.

Inexperience, she scolded herself silently. Next time, she mustn’t forget.

She rummaged through her luggage for something she could use instead, but it was obvious she hadn’t considered the problem at all while packing. After a long search, she still found nothing suitable.

She didn’t want to wear the hotel bathrobe either—it just felt awkward. Troubled, she picked up the phone, ready to ask the front desk if they could buy one for her.

Xie Hejing, already changed and seated nearby with documents in hand, glanced up when he noticed her frowning over the phone. He strolled over casually. “What’s wrong?”

Embarrassed, Nan Xu admitted she had forgotten her sleepwear.

He was quiet for a moment, then his gaze sharpened with a hint of sly amusement. In an almost considerate tone, he offered, “Nan Xu, you could wear one of my shirts.” His voice was perfectly serious.

Her eyes widened. She refused on instinct. “No way, that’s too inconvenient.”

Arms crossed, he stepped closer, his voice smooth and deliberate. “What’s inconvenient about it? Compared to waiting for the hotel staff to deliver something, who knows when, my shirts are good quality. Comfortable. And they’d suit your needs better.”

The deep, unhurried timbre of his words left her momentarily speechless. It was just clothing, yet wearing his felt… too personal. Too inappropriate.

Biting her lip, she murmured, “Your shirt doesn’t fit me.”

His brow arched, a faint smile tugging at his mouth.

Another step forward. His eyes locked on hers, voice soft but unwavering. “Nan Xu, you seem awfully determined when it comes to refusing me.”

“No kissing, no hugging… in the end, what is it? Compared to those, wearing a shirt hardly means anything, doesn’t it?” His gaze flickered up, sharp. “It’s just a shirt. Nothing more. If it helps you sleep better, that should be enough. Why does it matter whose it is?”

Her thoughts tangled. Against his reasoning, she found herself faltering, almost persuaded. It was just a shirt, wasn’t it?

Sensing her wavering, he lowered his eyes, hiding a shadow of a smile, and pressed further. “If you can’t even bring yourself to wear a shirt, Nan Xu, then your heart isn’t clear.”

“I’d have reason to doubt something.”

Her brows knit. Not clear? What wasn’t clear about her? She straightened, asking firmly, “Doubt what?”

“That when you said you didn’t know whether you liked me…” His body leaned slightly forward, gaze narrowing as if to pierce through her. “…was it really that you didn’t know? Or that you didn’t dare to know?”

Her heart lurched violently. Heat rushed to her face; her eyes skittered away, unable to hold his.

“No,” she said sharply, almost defensively. “I really don’t know.”

Xie Hejing didn’t let go. “Nan Xu, you won’t come closer to me. What are you running from? Are you afraid… afraid that you really do like me?”

Nan Xu retorted, “Brother, I’m not avoiding it. And I am trying to figure things out.”

“You’re not?”

“I’m not!”

Seeing that Nan Xu was about to lose her temper, Xie Hejing slowed his words, his tone carrying a hint of coaxing. “Mm. If you really want to sort this out, Nan Xu, you should move closer to me, not away from me. Do you understand?”

“If you don’t come closer, if you don’t face it honestly, how will you ever know whether you actually like me or not?”

“Closer…?” Nan Xu hesitated, her voice tinged with uncertainty. “Like… if I wear your shirt, does that count as closer?”

She took a small step forward. “Or do you mean physically closer?”

Watching that tiny step, Xie Hejing fought back a laugh. “Figure it out yourself.”

“I guess… both count?” Nan Xu said, unsure.

He didn’t respond, but when Nan Xu caught the faint curl of his lips, she immediately asked, “So I was right, wasn’t I?”

This time, Xie Hejing was unusually serious. “I already said—it’s just a shirt. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Maybe it’s not enough…”

“Not enough?” Nan Xu frowned. “Then what kind of ‘closer’ would be enough?”

At that, a languid, almost careless smile tugged at his lips. He took a step toward her.

Nan Xu widened her eyes, waiting for him to explain what kind of closeness he meant. Her thoughts began to drift, slipping further away—

Until the next second, they snapped back sharply. She looked straight at him.

His expression was unreadable, his gaze calm to the point of coldness. Without a word, he lifted her hand, hooked his fingers around hers, and slowly pressed her fingertip to his lips.

His shirt hung open at the collar, two buttons undone. One hand remained casually tucked in his pocket, while his lashes dipped low, eyes fixed on the back of her hand.

Devout. And full of desire.

Nan Xu felt her mind explode with a sudden roar. For a moment, she had no idea how to react—she could only stand there, stunned, watching as Xie Hejing lightly pressed his lips against her fingertip.

His lips were soft and warm, clinging gently to her skin. His breath washed over her fingers, damp and hot.

In that instant, it felt like a current of electricity shot from her fingertip straight through her entire body, a tingling numbness sparking everywhere.

Her fingers trembled uncontrollably—not from cold, but from how his unexpected intimacy had thrown her into chaos.

Xie Hejing stood at the edge of shadow and light, half his face hidden in the dark. The glow outlined the sharp bridge of his nose and the clean cut of his jaw.

He tilted his head slightly, his black eyes deep as an endless pool, locking on Nan Xu.

Overwhelmingly aggressive, yet his words carried a fragile softness.

“Should we try a kiss… to find out? Little Sister—”

---

---

Chapter 30 — If you don’t take it seriously you will be punished…

---

It took Nan Xu a while to realize that Xie Hejing actually intended to keep talking while holding her like this.

Her eyes widened in shock. “N-no, that’s not okay.”

Panic surged through her, and she instinctively tried to wriggle free and stand.

But the moment she moved, Xie Hejing only tightened his grip. His voice dropped, low and edged with both threat and temptation:

“Don’t move. If you really don’t want anything to happen… then stay still.”

His warm breath brushed against her ear. Nan Xu bit her lip, nerves stretched taut, and finally gave a meek nod.

But the heat of his arms locked firmly around her waist was overwhelming. She whispered, “I won’t move. Just… could you maybe let go first?”

Instead of loosening, Xie Hejing murmured, his voice deep and close, “I should hug you back too. That’s only fair.”

Nan Xu: “…”

“Actually… it doesn’t have to be fair. I can hug you, that’s enough. You don’t… you don’t need to hug me back,” she stammered.

He didn’t argue. Instead, he raised a brow and replied smoothly, “Fine then. Hug me properly, and I’ll let go.”

Properly?!

Nan Xu had never even heard of hugging “properly.” She frowned. “I am hugging properly, Bro! Ther!”

She called him “Brother” with such force it was as though she wanted to bite down on the word.

But Xie Hejing’s gaze darkened. “Nan Xu, are you sure you want to call me that right now?”

“I…” She blinked, confused. Hadn’t she always called him “Brother”? He’d even asked her to call him that in the car earlier. “Then… what am I supposed to call you?”

His lashes lifted slightly, teasing, as if he had something else in mind. Something she probably wouldn’t agree to.

Meanwhile, Nan Xu’s body was practically draped in his arms, her legs still braced against the floor. After holding that position too long, they began to ache. Her face scrunched up in discomfort.

Noticing her shifting feet and her small, helpless-bird demeanor, Xie Hejing smirked, deliberately provoking her:

“If this position is tiring, you can just sit down.”

“Sit… down?” Nan Xu looked at him in confusion. “Sit where?”

He was already occupying the whole chair—where else could she possibly sit?

Then, his shoe lightly tapped the tip of hers.

The touch wasn’t forceful, but it landed in her chest like a stone.

That was when she realized what he meant: on his lap. Her knees nearly buckled with embarrassment.

Mortified and annoyed, she lashed out without thinking—pinching his side with just enough force to make her point. “Brother, you’re… you’re awful!”

A beat later, deciding it wasn’t enough, she repeated with more emphasis: “Terrible.”

Xie Hejing let out a muffled laugh, the vibration rumbling through his chest and into her palms pressed against him.

Just then, the front door opened downstairs—the sound of a key turning in the lock. Zhang Huiwan and Xie Hengzhi were back from their walk.

The two upstairs didn’t even notice until Zhang Huiwan’s voice floated up faintly:

“Hengzhi, the fish jumped out of the tank—it’s still flopping there! Go scoop it back in.”

Even softened by distance, the voice made Nan Xu’s heart leap into her throat.

She tried desperately to stand, but Xie Hejing’s arms were still firmly clamped around her waist, making it impossible to get up.

Nan Xu lifted her gaze. “Brother, you’re going back on your word.”

But Xie Hejing shook his head. “I said you had to be serious. Nan Xu, you weren’t serious. And when you’re not serious… there has to be punishment.”

His fingers pinched lightly at her waist—not hard, but enough to silence her instantly.

Nan Xu froze for a long moment. Her mind spun in circles before she finally processed what he meant.

Her lashes trembled. Had she heard wrong? But when she looked up at him, her thoughts blurred again. For the first time, she felt like she was seeing another side of her cold, aloof “brother.” A side that was dangerous.

“What… punishment?”

She swallowed, hoping desperately that this side of him wasn’t really aimed at her. Maybe this was just a prank?

But even she didn’t fully believe that. If not, then why was he doing this?

Just then, Aunt Zhang Huiwan came upstairs and knocked on the door of Nan Xu’s room next door.

“Jiaojiao, are you there? Auntie bought your favorite cake today. Come out, let’s eat together.”

Nan Xu jolted in Xie Hejing’s arms.

“Jiaojiao? Jiaojiao?”

Xie Hejing curved his lips into a faint smile against her ear. “She’s here.”

Nan Xu squeezed her eyes shut, leaning against his chest. Every time Aunt Zhang called her name from the hallway, her heart quivered violently.

Hearing no response, Aunt Zhang frowned, then turned to Xie Hejing’s door. “Hejing, have you seen Jiaojiao? She’s supposed to be working with you. Why isn’t she back yet?”

Her voice was clearer now, closer. Nan Xu felt as though the door might swing open at any second. Her whole body went rigid, panic filling her eyes.

“Hejing, why aren’t you answering? I saw your shoes and coat downstairs.”

Relief washed over Nan Xu. Thank goodness she’d been in such a rush when she came back—she hadn’t hung up her coat or changed her shoes.

Xie Hejing glanced toward the door, then shifted his gaze back to her. Leaning close, he whispered, “Nan Xu… should I say I saw you or not?”

Her shoulders tensed. Clutching his robe, she shook her head frantically, eyes pleading with him.

“Say I didn’t see you?” he pressed again.

She nodded, hope shining desperately in her gaze.

“Alright.” He was surprisingly agreeable this time, even tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear before murmuring gently, “Then hold on tight.”

He didn’t intend to push her too far, but at the very least, he wanted her to understand—he would not allow himself to be boxed into the word “Brother”.

He wanted all of her.

Hold on tight? Why would she need to hold on tight now?

Confused, Nan Xu stared at him blankly.

The next second, Xie Hejing rose to his feet, carrying her with him.

Her body swayed backward, startling her so much she instinctively clung to his neck. Her legs, on their own, wrapped around his waist.

Nan Xu froze in shock at her own reaction. Embarrassed, she tried to pull her legs away, but his hand held her firmly in place.

With a teasing lift of his voice, he asked, “Nan Xu, do you know what kind of hug this is?”

Nan Xu didn’t want to speak, but Xie Hejing gave her a little jolt upward in his arms, a “signal” for her to say something.

“I don’t know.” Her voice was muffled.

“This,” Xie Hejing murmured, “is how lovers hold each other.” He knew Nan Xu heard him clearly.

It was the first time she’d ever been held like this, and her face flushed crimson at once. She simply gave up struggling—it was pointless anyway—and buried her head as low as she could so he wouldn’t see her face and laugh at her.

And so she wouldn’t get even more confused.

She had only come to talk, so how had it ended up like this?

Her brows knitted. She felt doomed, completely doomed. Feeling the heat of Xie Hejing’s breath so close, she shrank her neck back again and again.

He was her brother—yet not only her brother.

It was a mess, utterly impossible to untangle.

Nan Xu had always drawn clear lines: friends were friends, classmates were classmates, a brother was just a brother. Lovers… that was something she had never thought about.

At least, she had never imagined that a brother could be a lover.

But Xie Hejing was the complete opposite. Every step he took was steady, deliberate, convinced that everything was moving forward, that everything was only just beginning.

A sister didn’t have to remain just a sister. She could be the one tangled up with him—in everything.

He wouldn’t let her go. And clearly, he wouldn’t let himself go either.

Only now did he realize how clumsy it had been to try and suppress those feelings before.

What he should do was not hold back at all—just cling to Nan Xu for a lifetime.

Even if one day he died, the rope around his neck would still only be in Nan Xu’s hands.

His eyes gleamed with a raw, unrestrained wildness.

Supporting her with one arm, he reached out with the other, picked up the box with the gift, and carried her straight toward the door.

With every step closer to the doorway, Nan Xu’s heart pounded harder, her breath nearly catching from the tension.

Was this how he meant to punish her? Did he really want Aunt Zhang to see them like this? Was he out of his mind?

No. Absolutely not.

Nan Xu shook her head, panicked, and called out, “Brother.”

She tried to summon whatever shred of “reason” he had left.

Xie Hejing’s grip on her hand tightened, his voice low and coaxing: “Be good, and nothing will happen.”

His deep tone carried a natural pull, every word like invisible threads winding around her heart.

Hesitation flickered across Nan Xu’s face. After a few seconds, as if resigning herself, she buried her face against his chest.

An unexpected delight lit up Xie Hejing’s eyes; his mood lifted instantly.

“Good girl, Nan Xu.”

The words made her whole body stiffen, her ears burning red enough to drip blood.

When he opened the door, her nerves nearly snapped. Her hands instinctively clutched at his robe, as though it were the only thing she could hold on to.

Nan Xu was terrified of being caught. The more afraid she was, the tighter she held him.

Xie Hejing’s gaze was slightly unfocused as he cracked the door open just a sliver, stretching out one hand with the gift box. “Didn’t see her. By the way, Mom, this is for you—a brooch I picked up on my last business trip.”

“Didn’t see her?” Zhang Huiwan sounded puzzled. “Isn’t Jiaojiao working with you? How can you not know where she went?”

Adjusting his hold on Nan Xu, Xie Hejing answered casually through the gap, “She had plans today, said she’d be late. Told me to let you know. I don’t know where she is either.”

“Then why didn’t you say so earlier? Made me knock so long,” Zhang Huiwan muttered, glancing at the barely opened door and his one visible arm. “What on earth are you up to, acting all secretive like this?”

“I’ll just give her a call, see if she’s coming home for dinner.”

The moment those words left her mouth, Nan Xu tightened her hold on Xie Hejing—hands clutching his arm and legs clinging tighter without even realizing it.

Sensing it, Xie Hejing’s eyes curved slightly in amusement. He quickly interjected, “Mom, I’m tired. I want to sleep for a bit, won’t be eating. And don’t bother calling—Nan Xu… probably won’t eat either. She’s busy right now!”

Nan Xu pressed her lips into a straight line at his words.

“Busy?” Zhang Huiwan asked. “Busy with what?”

“Reuniting with people after so long apart. Mom, it’s better not to disturb her—let her have some time. If you call, she might think you’re rushing her.”

That gave Zhang Huiwan pause. She thought it over and finally nodded to herself. Sending a message would do just fine.

Once she walked away, attention fully captured by the brooch and hurrying off to show Xie Hengzhi how it looked on her, she didn’t press further about Nan Xu.

When her footsteps faded, Nan Xu finally let go of her breath. Her body slackened completely, as though she’d been drained of all strength, collapsing against Xie Hejing. Her legs were weak, her breathing still uneven, colored with leftover panic.

If it weren’t for Xie Hejing holding her, she might have crumpled to the floor.

After this ordeal, Nan Xu stayed silent for a long while, too exhausted to move. Xie Hejing clearly wasn’t planning to let her go anytime soon anyway. She didn’t understand why he was so obsessed with holding her like this, but right now all she wanted was a moment’s rest.

Just a moment to breathe.

The room glowed under the soft haze of a warm lamp, its light like a thin veil falling gently over them, stretching their shadows long across the floor, entwined together.

A faint breeze stirred the curtains, rustling softly as though whispering about the secret emotions suspended between them.

Only after a long time did Nan Xu finally come back to herself. Her voice was still weak when she whispered, “Brother… what is it you actually wanted to talk about?”

Xie Hejing’s arms tightened ever so slightly around her. His voice was low, threaded with a quiet dominance: “I want to know who it is you really care about.”

“Care about?” Nan Xu echoed faintly.

“Mhm.” His fingertips played idly with a strand of her hair as he pressed further. “Do you like that blind-date guy of yours?”

Then, knowing how slow Nan Xu could be, he added, “I mean, in the romantic sense.”

Jiang Zhiyu? Nan Xu thought back. He’d always insisted that the two of them were just friends, that there was no need to let the label of “blind date” stand between them, and that even if the matchmaking didn’t work out, they could still be friends.

Nan Xu shook her head. “No. We’re friends, that’s all. I’ve got nothing against him as a person—he seems easy to get along with. But I don’t like him.”

The room was so quiet that Nan Xu could hear nothing but her own heartbeat mingling with Xie Hejing’s steady breaths, as if both rhythms were gathering strength for the words yet to come.

Xie Hejing drew in a breath, fixing his gaze on her. Finally, he asked the question that had gone unanswered for far too long.

“And what about me—do you like me?”

Love, that kind of like?

Nan Xu almost asked, but the look in Xie Hejing’s eyes made the words stick in her throat.

His gaze told her clearly—yes.

Her heart, which had just begun to settle, lurched again at his question. She wavered, searching his eyes, only to see them filled with something unfathomable. Startled, she quickly averted her gaze, her pulse racing.

Was what she felt for him really just admiration for an older brother? Or was it something else? Could it be that kind of liking—the one that meant love?

She couldn’t tell. She had never been able to tell.

“I… don’t know.” Her voice was small, heavy with frustration.

Don’t know?!

The answer nearly made Xie Hejing laugh out of sheer anger. He stared at her, saw the troubled frown on her face as she truly wrestled with the question—and his irritation only deepened.

Without warning, he lowered his head and bit her neck.

The bite was harder this time, enough to snap her drifting thoughts back into place. Pain pricked sharply at her skin, and she yelped, “Xie Hejing! Why are you biting me again—are you a dog or something?”

Instead of anger, Hejing let out a low chuckle. “If you say so.”

His gaze fell to the faint trace of blood welling where he’d bitten her. Eyes darkening, he murmured, “You should feel it—so you’ll remember exactly whose arms you’re in.”

Nan Xu glared at him, feeling teased beyond reason. Her chest tight with indignation, she bit him back—hard—on the shoulder.

Stray strands of her hair tickled his chest, and her warm lips pressed against his skin before her teeth sank in, sharp enough to draw pain.

Xie Hejing hissed softly, his eyes narrowing in reaction. But he didn’t move away. If anything, he welcomed the sensation, finding it not just bearable, but strangely good.

Hearing his muffled groan, Nan Xu thought she must have hurt him and started to lift her head to check the damage.

But Xie Hejing raised his hand, pressing it to the crown of her head. Slowly, firmly, he guided her back down until her lips were once more against his shoulder.

“Bite again,” he whispered.

He sat there, quiet, savoring the feeling of her breath against him. His eyes softened, a faint smile flickering as he added, almost to himself, “Go on.”

Nan Xu seemed caught by his spell, and this time she bit more gently, slow and tentative. Xie Hejing’s gaze drifted off into the distance, the corners of his lips curving.

She didn’t know if she liked him yet?

That was fine. He would make sure she knew. He would find a way to make her understand.

And as for how…

Nan Xu seemed to think of something just then, and suddenly sank her teeth down harder.

Xie Hejing’s thoughts blanked for a second before sliding back into place.

He felt the sting, the warmth spreading against his skin.

With her body, then?

That would do just fine.

---

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Chapter 29 — One more glance and he’d probably demand she “take responsibility” all over again

---

The documents Jiang Zhiyu needed translated weren’t particularly difficult for Nan Xu. When he came over, he also took the chance to ask her to look over the list of rules he had drafted to placate his mother.

But as Nan Xu read them, her mind kept wandering.

The tips of her ears were still faintly aching, and her fingertips tightened slowly around the sheets of paper. Her eyes were on the page, but her thoughts kept drifting—wondering what exactly Xie Hejing wanted to talk to her about when she got back.

She had even asked him in the office earlier, but he refused to say.

So now Nan Xu’s heart was all over the place. Even with Jiang Zhiyu sitting right beside her, her mind was still on Xie Hejing.

“Nan Xu, Nan Xu…” Jiang Zhiyu called her several times.

She snapped back and quickly apologized. “Sorry, I was just… thinking about work.”

Jiang Zhiyu gave her a gentle smile. “Am I disturbing you too much?”

Nan Xu shook her head. “No, it’s me. Let me take another careful look.”

They were sitting in a cafe. Nan Xu flipped through the stack of A4 papers Jiang Zhiyu had printed, and suddenly spotted one line. Pointing at it with a smile, she said:

“When there’s conflict between a son and his wife, side with the daughter-in-law first. Do you agree with that one?”

It was kind of amusing.

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Jiang Zhiyu, her smile light and playful. He stared back, his breath catching, his mind blanking, unable to recover for a long moment.

“Y-yes, I agree.”

He cleared his throat awkwardly.

Nan Xu didn’t actually know much about these things. She was just speaking from a woman’s perspective. To her, the points Jiang Zhiyu listed all sounded reasonable. If her own mother could do them, their family would probably be very harmonious.

About half an hour later, they had more or less finished discussing the translation.

Nan Xu took the documents with her, deciding to review them more thoroughly at home and return them to him in a few days.

With the matter settled, she picked up her bag, ready to leave. Jiang Zhiyu noticed and quickly said, “It’s already getting late. How about we grab some dinner before you head back?”

Nan Xu hesitated for a few seconds. Truthfully, she didn’t want to go home too early either—she needed more time to think about what to do, and what she was going to say when she saw Xie Hejing.

Her mind was a complete tangle.

“Alright, my treat then,” Nan Xu replied.

As they walked out together, Jiang Zhiyu glanced down and noticed the mark on the tip of her ear. “Nan Xu, what happened to your ear? Did you hurt yourself?”

At his question, Nan Xu’s heart skipped in confusion. She touched her ear instinctively—there were still teeth marks there, as if Xie Hejing’s breath was still lingering around her.

He was everywhere, inescapable. She cursed him fiercely in her heart.

Her cheeks burned hot, and she quickened her steps. “It’s nothing, just a little thing. Let’s go. What do you feel like eating today?”

Since Jiang Zhiyu had paid for their blind-date dinner last time, Nan Xu thought this would be the perfect chance to return the favor so they’d be even.

They ended up at a Japanese restaurant, chatting about light topics—the flavor differences between restaurants, how good the service was at the hotpot place they went to last time…

It was almost inevitable that the conversation drifted to food—Nan Xu was especially interested in it. Having spent several years abroad, one of the first things she wanted upon returning was a proper meal. Coincidentally, Jiang Zhiyu also had a lot of knowledge about food.

The atmosphere was easy and pleasant, back and forth without pause. But suddenly, a text message broke their rhythm. It was from Xie Hejing. The moment Nan Xu read it, her eye twitched.

[Half an hour, Nan Xu.]

Still with the time limits…

Startled, Nan Xu’s hand jolted, and her plate scraped loudly across the table, splashing water out of her glass.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Zhiyu asked.

Nan Xu forced a smile and grabbed her phone. “Nothing. Something came up at home—I should head back.”

She was already rising when Jiang Zhiyu called after her, “Wait.”

He pulled his backpack closer, rummaged inside, and handed her a bag. “I feel bad for troubling you like this. This scarf is my way of saying thank you. Please accept it. Otherwise, even as friends, I’d feel uncomfortable asking for your help.”

Nan Xu glanced at the scarf. She recognized the brand—it was clearly for women, and not cheap. Shaking her head, she said, “All the more reason not to take it if we’re friends. You should give something like this to someone more suitable.”

The house wasn’t exactly nearby, and with only thirty minutes, she had no idea what Xie Hejing would do if she were late. Not waiting for Jiang Zhiyu’s reply, she muttered a quick goodbye and hurried to the roadside to flag down a car.

By the time she ran up to the house, it had been exactly twenty-eight minutes. Nan Xu, who had never been athletic, stood at the door, hands braced on her waist, gasping for breath. She was at least grateful her office shoes were flat.

Otherwise, she couldn’t imagine sprinting in heels.

Even after stepping inside, she hadn’t fully caught her breath. She looked around, but there was no sign of Xie Hejing.

The house was silent. At this hour, Aunt Zhang and Uncle Xie were usually out for a walk.

Nan Xu frowned. He had demanded she return within half an hour, but now he was nowhere to be seen.

With a sigh of resignation, she propped her hands on her waist and glanced upstairs—just in time to see a sliver of light spilling from the crack of Xie Hejing’s door.

So he was in his room. Relief swept over her.

Clutching her bag, she hurried upstairs toward his room.

The corridor was dim, the silence broken only by the rush of wind outside and her own hurried footsteps.

Even though the door stood slightly ajar, Nan Xu remembered what Xie Hejing had told her: never enter his room.

So she raised her hand, intending to knock.

But out of the corner of her eye, she caught movement inside. At first, she didn’t think much of it—until the next second, when a familiar figure came into view.

Xie Hejing, fresh out of the shower.

His back was to the door, his hair still damp. Droplets clung to the ends, trailing down over his collarbone, across his chest, over the lines of his abs, and disappearing beneath the towel at his waist.

Broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and taut, defined muscles—every inch of him was lean strength, not a trace of excess.

Under the warm glow of the yellow light, the sight was both surreal and crystal clear.

Nan Xu’s heart clenched sharply. Her eyes widened in disbelief. She instinctively covered her mouth, but still couldn’t suppress the small gasp that slipped out.

Xie Hejing reacted instantly. He spun around, sharp eyes locking straight onto the doorway.

Nan Xu’s breath caught. She turned, almost fleeing toward her own room—but before she had taken more than a few steps, Xie Hejing’s large hand caught her, dragging her back into his room.

With a slight push, he swung the door shut. Nan Xu stumbled, nearly crashing into his chest.

Just then, another droplet of water rolled off him, landing squarely on the back of her hand.

Nan Xu felt as if she’d been burned, jerking her hand away on reflex. But with the two of them so close, her movement brushed right against his chest.

Nan Xu: “…”

Xie Hejing: “…”

He arched a brow, glancing down at her hand, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. “Nan Xu, you’re pretty bold. Even now, you dare touch me?”

Her voice trembled. “What if I said… it was an accident?”

He cut her off, gaze tightening as he pressed in closer. “Just answer—did you touch me, or not?”

Nan Xu ducked her head lower, her fingers nervously twisting at her clothes. Her voice was barely a whisper. “…I-I did.”

“As long as you admit it.” His tone was light.

Nan Xu squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could disappear into the floor.

She didn’t dare look at anything. The sound of the door closing, the weight of his breath beside her—it left her flustered and trembling. “Brother, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to see. Please, just let me off this once.”

Xie Hejing lowered his gaze, a glint of mischief flickering in his eyes. “Tell me—what exactly did you see?”

“N-nothing. I didn’t see anything.” She kept her eyes shut tight, panicking.

“You’re kidding me. If you didn’t see anything, why’d you run?” He exhaled softly, then said, “Nan Xu. Open your eyes.”

But she refused, squeezing them shut even tighter, as if he could actually force her to look.

…Then again, maybe he could.

He let out a crooked laugh. “Nan Xu, if you don’t open your eyes, I’ll kiss you.”

At that, her eyes flew wide, staring at him in sheer shock and disbelief. He was right there, just inches away.

He wore only a bathrobe—loosely draped, the belt tied in nothing more than a careless knot. Nan Xu worried it might come undone if he so much as moved.

The sight was overwhelming. She wanted to shut her eyes again, but his threat echoed in her mind. All she could do was dart her gaze elsewhere.

“Brother…” She swallowed hard, stumbling over her words. “Y-you should put on some clothes first. Don’t catch a cold. I’ll… wait for you outside.”

She edged her foot backward, trying to slip away from the suffocating tension of the room.

“Nan Xu.” His voice was cool, but the command in it froze her in place.

Her feet felt nailed to the floor. “W-what is it…” she mumbled, her tone tinged with grievance.

Her helplessness made him chuckle. “You kissed me, you spied on me, you even touched me—and now you want to just walk away, like nothing happened?”

Nan Xu frowned, struggling for a rebuttal, but came up empty. She had kissed him. She had looked. She had… well, touched him, too.

“I didn’t mean to,” she finally forced out after several seconds. “Besides… you kissed me back.”

“And when you looked—should I just ‘look back’ to make it even?” Xie Hejing raised his brows at her, gaze sharp and amused.

“No!” Nan Xu blurted out at once, terrified that Xie Hejing might do something to her in the very next second. She quickly emphasized again, “You can’t.”

The way she stood there, guarded and ready to bolt at any moment, made it seem like the second he looked away, she would dash for her life.

Xie Hejing narrowed his eyes. “So, you’re not planning to take responsibility?”

“I…” Nan Xu’s mind was in complete chaos, scrambling for a way to deal with him. But with his words coming one after another, she couldn’t think of anything clever. The only thing she could do was follow along.

Biting her lip, she gathered her courage. “Then what do you want? What would count as me… taking responsibility?”

Her fingers fidgeted nervously with the hem of her clothes, her chest filled with unease.

But Xie Hejing didn’t answer. He just watched her silently, and once he was sure she wouldn’t run, he finally let go.

He sat down lazily in a nearby chair, long fingers tapping idly against the armrest. His whole demeanor exuded a careless ease.

But to Nan Xu, every tap of his fingers landed like a heavy hammer on her chest.

Time stretched unbearably thin, each passing second tightening her nerves, until even her heartbeat felt too loud, too fast.

“Brother… just say it. I’ll try my best to be responsible,” Nan Xu finally broke the torturous silence.

Try her best…

Xie Hejing lifted his eyes, gaze so deep that Nan Xu instinctively took a step back.

“Come here,” he said slowly. When she froze, he repeated, “If you want to know, then come here.”

The sound of his voice wrapped around her like a spell, tugging at her will. Steeling herself, she forced her feet forward, doing her best to ignore the way his bathrobe hung loose at the collar.

Don’t look, don’t look, don’t look…

One more glance and he’d probably demand she “take responsibility” all over again.

She couldn’t shut her eyes either—so all she could do was stare stubbornly at her own toes, every step heavy as stone, until she finally stood before him.

“…Say it.”

“Hug me.” His voice was calm, as if it were the most ordinary request in the world.

Nan Xu’s head snapped up, eyes wide. “Me? Hug you?”

“Is there a problem?” He raised a brow.

“Of course there’s a problem!” she stammered. “How can I hug you?”

“You already kissed me, didn’t you?”

“You—!” Nan Xu choked, her face burning bright red, half from indignation, half from embarrassment.

She fell silent, lips pressed shut, and the room dropped into quiet again.

After five or six long seconds, Xie Hejing spoke, his tone carrying a weight that pressed straight down on her. “Nan Xu, I want you to hug me.”

Each word struck her ears like a drumbeat. Her breath caught, her whole body tense, afraid to relax even for a moment.

After a long internal struggle, she finally sighed and whispered, “If I give you a hug, will that settle everything?”

“Hug me first. We’ll discuss the rest later.” There was a glimmer of amusement in his eyes.

“There’s more?” Nan Xu shot back at once.

But Xie Hejing looked utterly unhurried, composed. “This is a matter of personal reputation. Naturally, it deserves careful thought. But at the very least—if you hug me now, I won’t let anyone else know.”

“Know what?” Nan Xu asked warily.

“That you’ve been coveting me.”

Nan Xu: “…”

Nan Xu furrowed her brows, hesitated for a long moment, then finally clenched her teeth and walked toward Xie Hejing. Halfway there, she stopped, deciding instead to avoid his gaze and circle around to the back of his chair.

She bent forward slightly, stiffly wrapping her arms around him. Instantly, a crisp, cool scent enveloped her.

That scent lingered in her nose, threading its way into her chest, and for a brief second her mind went blank.

Right then, Xie Hejing chuckled—a low sound laced with teasing. His warm breath brushed against her ear, making its tip quiver.

“What are you laughing at?” she asked.

Xie Hejing drawled, “Nan Xu, this doesn’t count as a hug. At best, you’re just hanging off my neck from behind.”

All she wanted was to end this ordeal quickly. Through gritted teeth, she asked, “Then what kind of hug counts?”

At that, Xie Hejing turned slightly, hooked her wrist with his fingers, and pulled her arm away from his neck.

Then, with undeniable force, he guided her hand around to his front. “Like this. From the front. That’s a real hug.”

His tone carried no room for refusal, and his gaze stayed locked on her.

Nan Xu felt completely engulfed by his presence, panicked and at a loss.

Her face burned scarlet, her head bowed so low it nearly touched her chest. She kept her eyes fixed on the floor, not daring to meet his.

Under his lead, her arms stiffly encircled his chest. The moment she touched him, it was like brushing against burning coals—her fingertips curled and trembled uncontrollably.

Xie Hejing lowered his eyes, taking in every detail: her flushed cheeks, her nervous swallowing, the restless little movements of her hands. None of it escaped him.

Where she couldn’t see, the smile on his lips grew wider—before suddenly pausing, a flicker of something deeper flashing through his gaze.

His hand slowly settled on her waist.

And then, with a sudden pull, he hugged her back.

In an instant, the fragile distance she’d tried so hard to maintain shattered. His strength left her completely trapped.

Nan Xu’s eyes widened. Her hands were caught between them, palms pressed against his warm chest, trembling without pause.

Xie Hejing curved his lips into a sly smile, burying his face against the crook of her neck. His voice was low, intimate, lingering.

“Alright. Now we can start talking.”

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