Chapter 68
“Hey, didn’t you two plan to eat out tonight? Why are you back so early?”
When they opened the door and came in, Zhang Huiwan and Xie Hengzhi were sitting on the couch watching TV.
Zhang Huiwan glanced at the clock, it was only 7:37 PM.
Usually, when the two of them went out for dinner, they wouldn’t be home until after ten.
“Did you eat already?” Xie Hengzhi asked.
“Yeah,” Nan Xu turned her head toward Xie Hejing. “We ate out before coming back.”
Xie Hejing nodded. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t let your daughter go hungry.”
At that “your daughter,” Zhang Huiwan chuckled in satisfaction. In her heart, Nan Xu really was no different from a daughter.
“Well then, come watch TV with me,” Zhang Huiwan said, patting the spot beside her. “There’s a new drama out. Jiaojiao, come watch it with Auntie. You can’t think about work all the time, you’ll burn yourself out.”
“Sure,” Nan Xu said with a smile. “I’ve been watching dramas lately too.”
She sat down beside Zhang Huiwan, only to realize it was an idol drama.
“What’s so good about these shows?” Xie Hengzhi muttered from the side. “You liked them back then, and you still like them now.”
At work, Zhang Huiwan was the type of sharp, decisive boss everyone respected. But at home, she softened completely—her toughness melted away. She even liked dragging Xie Hengzhi into watching dramas with her.
When the show got emotional, she’d start complaining about the plot, and even if Xie Hengzhi didn’t follow along, she’d rope him into the discussion.
He didn’t really get the shows, but he didn’t mind bantering with her about them.
“Yesterday that…uh, what’s the female lead’s name again?” Xie Hengzhi frowned, then gave up. “Anyway, the main girl died, and you came into the room crying about it afterward.”
Nan Xu couldn’t help twitching her lips, she hadn’t expected Aunt Zhang to be so sentimental.
Zhang Huiwan choked, realizing both Nan Xu and Xie Hejing were there. She cleared her throat. “What nonsense are you saying! Who cried? If you don’t want to watch, then go back to your room.”
Xie Hejing burst out laughing. “Mom, you were really into it, huh?”
Being teased by both father and son, Zhang Huiwan didn’t get angry. “Fine, my daughter and I will watch. You two can leave.”
Leave?
Xie Hejing looked at Nan Xu, no way he was leaving while she was here.
“I think I need to relax too,” he said, straight-faced.
Nan Xu tried hard to hide her laugh.
Zhang Huiwan raised her chin toward Xie Hengzhi. “And you?”
“…I’ll watch.”
If he didn’t, she’d just talk his ear off about it later, and he’d have no idea what to say.
But after a few minutes, his attention drifted elsewhere anyway. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his son staring intently at the screen, smiling to himself.
“Hejing, since when do you like idol dramas?” he asked, genuinely baffled.
He’d never known his son to enjoy this kind of thing.
But Xie Hejing wasn’t really watching the drama at all.
On the darkened reflection of the TV screen, he could see Nan Xu’s face.
Her eyes were gentle, her head tilted slightly as she listened to Zhang Huiwan, nodding every so often. Her voice was light and sweet, her laughter soft and playful.
That was his girlfriend.
The smile on Xie Hejing’s lips spread slowly to the corners of his eyes.
Nan Xu.
——his very own, real-life idol drama.
When Xie Hengzhi asked, Xie Hejing nodded briskly. “Mm. Like.”
That answer immediately caught Nan Xu and Zhang Huiwan’s attention.
Both of them leaned forward to look at him, and Zhang Huiwan asked curiously, “When did that happen? How come I didn’t know?”
“Mom, I’ve liked her for a long time. There are plenty of things you don’t know.” Xie Hejing replied with a hint of meaning behind his words.
Zhang Huiwan didn’t think much of it and happily went back to discussing the drama with Nan Xu.
Then, suddenly, a message popped up on Nan Xu’s phone—it was from Xie Hejing.
She glanced at Zhang Huiwan, who was drinking water, then quietly unlocked her phone.
Xie Hejing: [I’m coming to see you tonight. Don’t sleep too early.]
Nan Xu tilted her phone slightly to hide the screen and typed: [That’s not a good idea. What if someone finds out?]
Xie Hejing reminded her: [I can’t sleep without you, girlfriend.]
[Insomnia is even worse.]
Nan Xu: [Are you planning to sleep in my room?]
Xie Hejing: [You could come to mine instead, unless you’re afraid of getting caught sneaking out.]
Nan Xu: [Aren’t you afraid of being caught?]
Xie Hejing: [I’ll just make something up. Can you?]
Reading that, Nan Xu frowned slightly—she wasn’t good at lying.
If she really got caught coming out of his room, she’d never be able to explain it away.
She didn’t reply for a long time, but Xie Hejing knew that meant she’d already agreed.
His Adam’s apple bobbed once before he typed his final message: [Wait for me tonight.]
He hit send…
Nan Xu’s heart lurched, but she forced herself to stay calm. Zhang Huiwan had just set down her glass, so Nan Xu quickly flipped her phone face-down on her lap and continued chatting with her, though her mind was clearly elsewhere.
As the night grew later, Nan Xu couldn’t help but yawn.
“Jiaojiao, are you sleepy? Why don’t you go rest? If you’re curious about the rest of the show, Auntie will tell you tomorrow.” Zhang Huiwan patted her hand kindly. “Were you tired from work today?”
“Not really.” Nan Xu held her phone tightly. Her eyes were burning from fatigue, so she rubbed them and said softly, “Then… Auntie, I’ll head to my room. See you in the morning.”
“See you tomorrow, dear. Go get some sleep.”
As Nan Xu passed by, Xie Hejing subtly stretched out a foot.
Caught off guard, she tripped and stumbled to the side.
Just before she fell, Xie Hejing shot up and caught her, one hand supporting her while the other secretly gripped her arm. “Careful,” he said, holding her hand firmly. “How are you this sleepy?”
Nan Xu glared at him, her hand trembling around her phone. She didn’t dare move too much, lowering her eyes—her lashes casting a trembling shadow across her cheeks.
She tried to pull her hand back, but he only tightened his grip.
Both Zhang Huiwan and Xie Hengzhi looked over. Xie Hejing shrugged casually and slowly released her hand.
“Watch where you’re going.”
“Mm,” Nan Xu murmured, swallowing hard. “Thanks… Brother.”
“You’re welcome.”
Nan Xu’s movements were somewhat stiff as she walked back to her room. She stayed there, and as time passed minute by minute, she grew increasingly nervous.
Soothing, relaxing music was playing on her phone. Nan Xu lay on the bed, eyes closed, resting.
Around 10:45 PM, a knock sounded on the door.
At the sound of the knocking, Nan Xu suddenly opened her eyes, quickly got out of bed, and opened the door. Standing before her was Xie Hejing, wearing a bathrobe.
The black bathrobe concealed his lean body, and the loose collar was casually open, allowing a faint glimpse of the edge of the tattoo on his shoulder.
His whole being exuded untamed sexiness.
Nan Xu’s throat tightened: “Why are you dressed like that?”
Xie Hejing raised an eyebrow, not bothering to hide anything, and stated plainly: “It’ll be easier to take off later.”
Seeing her still blocking the doorway, Xie Hejing asked, “Aren’t you going to let me in? If someone sees us…”
That single phrase immediately touched Nan Xu’s nerve. She grabbed Xie Hejing’s wrist and pulled him inside.
Xie Hejing lowered his gaze, his eyes fixed on her fingertips. His Adam’s apple bobbed twice, unable to conceal the surging excitement in his eyes.
The feeling of sneaking in versus being pulled in by her was truly different.
“You seem quite eager, huh?” he said with a long, drawn-out tone.
After pulling him in, Nan Xu didn’t know what to do next. Hearing Xie Hejing’s teasing, her eyes flickered, but she feigned composure.
“I’m not eager at all, I just didn’t want you to be discovered.”
She glanced around the room and said unnaturally, “Well… let’s sleep,” she released Xie Hejing, returned to the bed, and pulled the covers up. “Hurry up and sleep. If you wake up late tomorrow, you’ll definitely be found out.”
“You actually think I just came here purely to sleep?” Xie Hejing chuckled, his eyes full of indulgence for Nan Xu’s action of burying herself under the covers.
“Then what do you want to do?” Nan Xu asked.
Xie Hejing walked closer and sat on the edge of her bed. “Didn’t I tell you last time?”
“Tell me what?” she asked.
How could her memory be so poor?
Xie Hejing had no choice but to repeat it. “To give you a chance to sleep with me, and also… to tie me up.”
Hearing this, Nan Xu sat up. “Are you serious?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
He took a bundle of red string from his two slanted pockets. “I brought my things.”
This familiar red string made Nan Xu feel hot all over. “Why is it red string again?”
“So that every time you see red string from now on, you’ll think of me.”
He extended his hand. “Come on.”
Under Xie Hejing’s gaze, Nan Xu took a breath and took the red string in her hand, but for a long time, she made no move.
Xie Hejing curled the corner of his mouth, leaning back against the headboard, his legs casually placed, the bathrobe slipping, half-covering, half-exposing him.
He pressed his tongue against his teeth, and his hoarse, moist voice said to her, “Baby, come here.”
Nan Xu accumulated a pile of courage before slowly bending her legs, her knees rubbing against the sheet, slowly moving toward Xie Hejing.
Xie Hejing directly scooped her up and placed her on his lap, putting her fingertips on the edge of his robe: “Take it off.”
She didn’t move.
He gently pinched her burning red earlobe, his breath washing over her: “Naughty baby, are you doing this on purpose?”
Hearing that address, Nan Xu held her breath and said shyly, “No, not at all.”
“You are not? But you keep being still, and I’m going to lose control,” Xie Hejing deliberately thrust his leg upwards and said, “Why are you shaking so much?”
Nan Xu instantly tumbled forward against him. She let out a soft sound, “You… you bad thing, you’re the one doing it on purpose.”
“Mm-hmm,” Xie Hejing admitted, “I am doing it on purpose.”
“Didn’t you agree to let me help you?”
He grasped Nan Xu’s lower back, pressing her down. The heat brushed against Nan Xu’s thigh, and she bit her lip to stifle a whimper.
“Feel it. See how it is now? If you still won’t help, I’ll just do it myself. Want to watch it happen?” Xie Hejing’s hand brushed along Nan Xu’s thigh, then picked up the red string that had fallen onto the bed earlier and placed it back into her hand.
The air was thick with ambiguous, passionate currents, vaguely enveloping the two of them.
“Be good, help me.”
Nan Xu nodded slowly.
She rolled off Xie Hejing, her fingertips gripping the sash of his bathrobe, gently pulling it up.
Then, Xie Hejing’s physique slowly revealed itself before her: naturally smooth lines, a flat stomach, and powerful obliques.
As the bathrobe slowly fell away, the hem swept past Nan Xu’s leg. She looked down, then quickly averted her eyes, unable to stop a gasp: “You… why are you like this?”
Even though it wasn’t the first time she had seen him, Nan Xu still felt shy.
Xie Hejing truly couldn’t stand Nan Xu’s voice, her figure, or even her breathing; the moment he saw her, every nerve in his body would become uncontrollably stimulated.
“Are you just going to look?”
Xie Hejing leaned close to her ear, guiding her hand closer to the heat.
“Naughty baby, touch it, okay?”
“And then wrap it around…”
Xie Hejing’s words guided her step by step until the intense heat was transferred to Nan Xu’s palm.
She completely closed her eyes.
Xie Hejing kissed her eyelid, coaxing her, “Open your eyes, we have to start wrapping.”
Upon hearing this, Nan Xu became completely nervous, and the force she unconsciously used in her hand increased slightly.
“Hiss…” Xie Hejing groaned, then whispered, “You truly are a naughty baby, truly…”
Hearing his reaction, Nan Xu opened her eyes and quickly asked, “What’s wrong? Does it hurt a lot?”
She tried to withdraw her hand, but Xie Hejing held it fast.
Xie Hejing let out two laughs from his throat, full of uncontrollable pleasure, his eyes half-closed.
“Truly, I love it to death.”
To Nan Xu’s ears, that sound was nothing but provocation and encouragement.
She looked at the bundle of red string and asked uncertainly, “Will it hurt if I wrap it around?”
Xie Hejing looked nonchalant: “It doesn’t matter if it hurts. It’s in your hands; you can do whatever you want with me.”
Nan Xu took the red string with her other hand, shook it loose, and found the end of the line.
She pulled it, but hesitated to ask him, “Where should I start?”
Xie Hejing only replied, “Anywhere is fine.”
Nan Xu scrutinized him for a moment, then first wrapped the red string once around his waist. The close proximity allowed her to feel his straining muscles, and the strength in her hands failed her.
The red string tightened. Xie Hejing narrowed his eyes, staring at Nan Xu’s movements with a half-smile, asking with interest, “And where next?”
Nan Xu’s breathing was erratic, and her heart was pounding almost unbearably. Her finger pointed at the heat: “Here.”
In that instant, a fierce desire ignited in Xie Hejing’s heart, an uncontrollable intensity that threatened to completely consume him.
He just gripped the bed sheet beside him and answered hoarsely, “Okay.”
Nan Xu’s fingertips curled as she grasped the red string, winding it upward in slow, spiral loops—tightening and pulling it taut bit by bit.
His sensitive nerves were repeatedly jolted, and Xie Hejing tensed his whole body with all his strength, forcing two low groans from deep within his chest.
Swollen veins snaked their way up his thigh. The bed sheet was already wrinkled from his grip, and the force of Xie Hejing’s effort caused the fabric’s contraction to make a sound.
Nan Xu, however, was unusually calm at this moment, even harboring a little mischievous thought.
As she reached the final circle, when Xie Hejing wasn’t paying attention, she slowly pulled the red string and wrapped it back around his upper body, completely binding him.
In an instant, the red strings on Xie Hejing’s body rubbed violently. His breathing changed from a soft groan to a deep growl. His eyes were red at the corners, and he asked her, “Do you want to feel it?”
Before Nan Xu could even ask what he meant by “feel it,” Xie Hejing reached out and pulled her back onto his lap.
Nan Xu regretted it; she should have started by tying Xie Hejing’s hands first.
Xie Hejing’s slightly trembling hands constrained Nan Xu. With a casual embrace, he positioned her so that she could better and more accurately “feel.”
“Your masterpiece. How is it?”
Xie Hejing began to slowly move deeper and then withdraw. The completely different sensation from before left Nan Xu nearly speechless. The very red string that bound Xie Hejing was now mercilessly rubbing against her.
Nan Xu’s legs instantly felt weak and sore.
The scorching pressure, carried by the red string, tirelessly intertwined with her again and again.
The gradually increasing rustling sound made Nan Xu press down on Xie Hejing’s wrist: “Stop… it. It feels uncomfortable.”
Xie Hejing, however, asked with a smile, “Where does it feel uncomfortable? On the outside or…”
Nan Xu shook her head, unable to say anything, only able to focus all her energy on forcefully suppressing her gasps.
Xie Hejing drew her a little closer, his voice low and rough as he murmured, “Be good… feel it a little longer.”