Chapter 73
That day, it rained in Zhi’an.
Nan Xu was on her way home when it started, and unfortunately, she’d forgotten to check the weather forecast and bring an umbrella.
Even though she hurried the whole way back, she still ended up soaked.
Xie Hejing happened to have the day off and was at home. The entryway light flicked on as she came in.
He set down the report he’d been reading and saw Nan Xu standing there, looking rather dishevelled.
Grabbing a towel, he draped it over her head. With his fingers curved slightly, he rubbed her hair through the fabric and chuckled. “So you like getting caught in the rain?”
Nan Xu shook her head. “No.”
“Then why didn’t you call me? I could’ve picked you up.”
“It’s not that far,” she said, standing still as he continued drying her hair. Then, as if trying to be considerate, she added, “You finally have a day off, I didn’t want to bother you.”
Xie Hejing frowned. “…If I ever hear you say that again, you’re in trouble.”
Nan Xu just laughed. “That threat doesn’t scare me anymore.”
A soft laugh escaped from Xie Hejing’s throat. “Impressive, you’ve gotten bold.”
Nan Xu curved her lips into a smile but didn’t reply. Instead, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. Xie Hejing had never been able to resist her hugs.
This time was no different, even though she was damp from the rain he so disliked.
Her wet arms circled his neck, the chill of her skin seeping into his back and making him grunt quietly.
Nan Xu deliberately pressed herself closer.
The traces of rain on her clothes soon spread to his shirt, darkening the fabric. The dampness made something in Xie Hejing’s eyes shift, his gaze growing heavier.
He swallowed and warned in a low voice, “Let go. Don’t move around, I’m still drying your hair.”
The faint, cool scent of his cologne lingered at the tip of Nan Xu’s nose. Her cheek rested against his chest, listening to the steady, powerful rhythm of his heartbeat.
She rubbed lightly against him again, then tilted her head up. “I just want to hold you.”
Xie Hejing paused.
“…”
He swallowed whatever rejection had been on his tongue. His expression stayed composed, but his arm slid around her, drawing her firmly into his embrace.
As his gaze dropped to her rain-soaked clothes, his breathing slowly deepened, turning warm and uneven.
The soft light in the entryway glowed behind him, casting a faint halo over his hair as he stepped closer.
Nan Xu froze for a moment, caught off guard by how he looked under the soft light. Without thinking, she blurted out, “Xie Hejing, how are you so good-looking?”
He raised an eyebrow, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “…Good taste.”
The damp patches on Nan Xu’s clothes were many, and the water stains on his own shirt made that more than obvious. At that point, Xie Hejing gave up on drying her hair.
“Go take a shower first,” he said. “I’ll make some ginger tea for you afterward.”
“Okay,” Nan Xu answered obediently. She loosened her hold around his waist and turned to leave, but before she could take a step, a firm hand tightened around her waist again.
She froze. What had started as a small tease suddenly felt like a dangerous game.
Forcing a laugh, she said, “Didn’t you just tell me to take a shower? Why aren’t you letting go?”
Pointing to the damp marks on his own shirt, Xie Hejing looked at her with mock innocence. “We both got wet. Shouldn’t we shower together?”
Nan Xu: “…”
The words left her speechless. After a moment, she managed a weak protest. “No way, I’m not showering with you.”
“But I want to,” he murmured, his fingers tracing slow, teasing circles along her waist. “How about I help you wash up? Let me take care of you.”
A shiver ran through Nan Xu’s body, her skin prickling from the touch. She turned her head away, forcing her voice to stay steady. “Don’t start with that. You and I both know it won’t stop at just a shower.”
Xie Hejing gave her a look that practically said, “So you do know what you’re doing.” He held her still, stopping her half-hearted struggle with ease.
“Then what were you doing teasing me just now? Didn’t think about the consequences?”
Nan Xu turned her head away, refusing to meet his gaze. “I… well—still, no. Absolutely not.”
“Then what about me?” he asked lightly. “I’m wet too.”
“You can shower in the guest room.”
Xie Hejing had bought the place outright, and Nan Xu had officially moved in. Everything she’d once taken away had been returned to its original spot in the master bedroom, arranged exactly the same way.
Aside from the fact that their relationship was now out in the open, not much had changed from a month ago, except that Xie Hejing had long stopped being content to stay in the guest room. He’d moved into the master bedroom without the slightest hint of shame.
“Don’t want to,” he said simply.
“Ah-choo!” Nan Xu sneezed, a shiver running through her from the lingering chill. She sniffled and tried to continue, “Then you…”
Before she could finish, Xie Hejing had already scooped her up and was heading toward the master bedroom.
“Hey!” she protested, glaring up at him. “Keep this up, and I’ll go on our honeymoon alone!”
He laughed, the sound low and amused. “Never heard of anyone going on a honeymoon alone.”
“Well, you’ve heard it now,” Nan Xu huffed.
“What, you thought you could shake me off?” Xie Hejing said.
Nan Xu: “…”
Entering the bathroom, Xie Hejing skillfully helped her take off her jacket, and then her inner wear.
Nan Xu grabbed his hand: “Hey, we haven’t registered our marriage yet, I still have a chance… Mmph.”
The word “run” hadn’t even been spoken.
Xie Hejing had already pinched her chin and kissed her fiercely.
The fact that Nan Xu could still say these things at this time showed that he hadn’t been forceful enough, and she hadn’t learned her lesson yet.
After a long while, Nan Xu’s eyes were already hazy, while Xie Hejing’s expression was completely clear.
His thumb brushed along Nan Xu’s chin, the motion carrying a hint of quiet reprimand.
“We’re going to register our marriage tomorrow.”
Hearing this, the confusion in Nan Xu’s eyes gradually receded. She slapped Xie Hejing’s hand away, rubbing her aching chin, a little aggrieved: “Who asks someone to register their marriage like that?”
The two families had already discussed and agreed upon the time and place for their wedding, and even helped the two of them discuss potential honeymoon destinations.
But registering the marriage was something the two of them had to discuss and decide on themselves.
Evidently, upon hearing Nan Xu’s words, a hint of confusion appeared in Xie Hejing’s eyes: “Then how am I supposed to ask?”
“You praise me a little, then you go out now, and then…”
Nan Xu was still trying to figure out how to get through tonight.
However, Xie Hejing had already seen through her intentions and swiftly helped her take off her inner wear as well.
“We’re going the moment the Marriage Registration Office opens tomorrow.”
Xie Hejing took off his shirt and placed it on the vanity counter. After a moment, he spread the shirt out on the counter, a smile in his eyes.
“Hold on tight.”
Before Nan Xu could react, she was already picked up and seated on the vanity counter.
“You, ah!”
The next moment, her throat tightened, and she couldn’t even speak a full sentence, her hands subconsciously grasping Xie Hejing’s hair.
It took a while for Nan Xu’s breathing to gradually steady, but she felt hotter and hotter, forcing her to gasp for air.
“You… you should’ve at least said something first. You scared me.”
Xie Hejing didn’t say a word, he was too busy at the moment to speak.
Nan Xu continued to try and steady her mind, saying: “Enough, Xie Hejing, that’s enough.”
Xie Hejing let out a cold snort, the exhaled air landing right on Nan Xu’s body, causing her to tremble and tighten her knees.
“Xie Hejing, your hair… it’s prickly on my legs.”
Hearing that, Xie Hejing finally stopped, though he didn’t move away, which still made Nan Xu a little nervous. She mumbled, “…it’s just… kinda scratching my leg.”
“Alright.” Xie Hejing took a step forward, his breath brushing against her skin as he replied, “We’ll get the marriage certificate tomorrow, and then I’ll get a haircut, however you like it.”
Nan Xu was so embarrassed she wanted to disappear. She could only stare helplessly up at the bathroom ceiling—only to realize, to her shock, that there was now a mirror installed above her.
Her pupils constricted. “Xie Hejing, you… seriously,” she bit her lip, utterly confused, “why would you even put a mirror here?”
“So you can see clearly.” Xie Hejing straightened slightly, his voice calm. “If you don’t want to look down, then look up. From this angle, you can see everything.”
His hand came to rest on her knee, but then he suddenly paused and asked, “Nan Xu, when you moved to the west side of the city, did you take dance lessons?”
The question came out of nowhere. And at a time like this, Nan Xu usually couldn’t respond to whatever he said, just hearing him speak made her blush.
But this time, she could actually answer.
“I did, but I stopped around high school.”
Satisfied with her answer, Xie Hejing no longer worried about being too rough. He shifted slightly, his tone laced with amusement. “No wonder you’re so flexible.”
His fingertips brushed against her skin again. “Flexible everywhere.”
So this was his intention all along. She regretted answering him.
Nan Xu glared with wide, bright eyes: “Shut up, don’t say another word.”
“Alright,” Xie Hejing agreed, continuing to bend closer. “You need to concentrate.”
As he lightly brushed against her sensitive skin, Nan Xu’s cheeks flushed crimson, her breathing trembled, and she suddenly looked up, catching sight of the mirror again.
She scolded him, “You’re unbelievable!”
Hearing Nan Xu’s fragmented words, Xie Hejing’s movements slowed down, but just as Nan Xu was about to let down her guard, Xie Hejing suddenly intensified his action.
“Then I’ll be even more unbelievable.”
Occasionally, he would apply slight pressure with his teeth and then release it, leaving Nan Xu’s breathing completely unsettled, her whole body covered in fine shivers.
“Xie Hejing, please, change the location.”
The rapid and chaotic breathing left only pleading in Nan Xu’s eyes, her body utterly soft.
Xie Hejing raised an eyebrow, the mockery in his eyes practically overflowing: “You can’t take this already?”
Xie Hejing placed his hands on either side of Nan Xu: “Then what are we going to do after we register the marriage tomorrow? That will be the first day you become my wife.”
The unfamiliar, intimate word wife startled Nan Xu for a moment. But as she processed what he said, she could already picture how intense he’d be once that day came.
Her lips quivered, and she couldn’t stop the choked sob that escaped her. “We’re not getting it anymore, I don’t want to.”
“Tsk…”
That dark, predatory look returned to Xie Hejing’s eyes.
Xie Hejing did not speak, he only sought out the sweet, hidden spots. Seeing the panic surge in Nan Xu’s eyes, he chuckled: “Not registering? Then let’s continue.”
Nan Xu truly could neither retreat nor advance, completely trapped in a dilemma. She definitely couldn’t escape tomorrow, so Nan Xu could only try her best to negotiate with him.
She ignored the fact that she had just been refusing and instead spoke in a soft, gentle voice: “We can register, but you’re not allowed to be too crazy tomorrow, or I really won’t talk to you.”
Xie Hejing: “…”
He didn’t want to agree, how long had he waited for this day?
But Xie Hejing still didn’t refuse out loud. Nan Xu pressed her advantage: “If you agree, I can try my best to cooperate with you a little tonight.”
Xie Hejing almost burst out laughing, Nan Xu was simply adorably innocent. He could agree tonight, and he could switch things up with a new tactic tomorrow night.
“Fine.”
Xie Hejing gently patted the side of Nan Xu’s leg, his tender gaze filled with inescapable affection.
He picked her up and carried her into the bathtub, making Nan Xu face him, and coaxing her: “I’m just helping you take a bath, relax.”
Nan Xu couldn’t relax at all. Being stared at intently by him—although it wasn’t the first time—Nan Xu truly couldn’t get used to it. Every time, she tried her best to avoid Xie Hejing’s gaze.
Xie Hejing cupped Nan Xu’s face in his hand, forcing her gaze to meet his.
Then he released her, his fingertips tracing along her skin, his lips following close behind. Noticing the tension in her body, he pressed a kiss to her shoulder and murmured softly, “Relax, I’ll be gentle.”
He guided her hand onto his body, whispering again in a low, coaxing tone, “Feel me.”
Their fingers intertwined as his other hand slid behind her neck. His tongue brushed against the curve of her throat, his voice muffled and husky.
“Be good, baby. Don’t tense up, hmm?”
Then he paused completely, locking eyes with her, watching the tremble of her lashes and the nervous flick of her tongue across her lips.
A deep shiver ran through him, his voice rough with restraint. “You’ll only feel good if you relax. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lean on me, sweetheart.” Bit by bit, Xie Hejing drew Nan Xu deeper into the warmth of the moment.
There was something almost hypnotic in his tone, and Nan Xu found herself leaning forward, resting her chin on his shoulder.
His breath caught for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly in quiet pleasure.
“That’s it… good girl.”
Then, with a teasing smile, he said, “I helped you bathe, don’t I deserve a little reward?”
Nan Xu blinked nervously. “What kind of reward?”
“Give me a kiss first.”
Nan Xu blinked, seeming to ponder where to kiss him. She looked at Xie Hejing in front of her, deliberating for a long while.
After a moment, a tiny kiss landed on Xie Hejing’s tattoo.
But Nan Xu’s kiss was a brief touch and stop, and she asked him, “Is that right?”
“Yes,” Xie Hejing nodded, scooping up hot water and pouring it over Nan Xu. “But it’s not enough. Good girl, you can be a little more proactive.”
Nan Xu was puzzled. She felt that what she had done was already quite proactive and didn’t know what Xie Hejing meant by being more proactive.
“What counts as more proactive?” she asked with a curious look.
“Sitting on me yourself, okay?” Xie Hejing said.
Nan Xu froze in place and replied, “This…”
For Nan Xu, this was nearly impossible.
Xie Hejing knew it, so the next second, his hands gripped her and directly pulled her onto his lap with force.
Nan Xu frantically pressed down on Xie Hejing’s shoulders, but met his eyes, which were brimming with surging desire. He deliberately leaned back: “Straddle me. There’s just one last step.”
Nan Xu’s hands weakly pushed against Xie Hejing’s chest: “Don’t do this.” Her pushing movements only made Xie Hejing’s breathing grow heavier.
Xie Hejing’s hand slowly stroked her, and a detailed wave of tingling instantly invaded Nan Xu. She unconsciously moved along with him.
Such close contact meant that just one more step would completely end this agonizing push and pull. Yet, Xie Hejing chose not to continue, maintaining a posture that feigned indifference to desire.
Then he casually said to Nan Xu, “If you want to, sit down.”
Nan Xu would never admit it. She turned her head: “I don’t want to.”
Xie Hejing knew Nan Xu’s shy nature; she wouldn’t agree, and she certainly wouldn’t make a move.
But Xie Hejing enjoyed teasing her, watching her desire slowly being aroused by him and then fiercely suppressed. Her body was visibly trembling, yet she refused to make a sound.
The dark fire in Xie Hejing’s eyes slowly intensified. He looked down, then let go of her hands, leaving Nan Xu to maintain the posture herself.
“If you don’t want to, then hold yourself up.”
Without Xie Hejing’s support, Nan Xu’s entire body quickly turned weak. Even her hair trembled and swayed along with her muscle spasms.
Xie Hejing said, “Holding back so hard?”
Nan Xu didn’t want to speak to him. She had never met anyone so capable of tormenting others.
Xie Hejing played with a strand of her hair and continued, “All you have to do is sit down. Sweetheart, sit down, and then let all the sounds out. You know I like to hear them.”
The rest of his coaxing was completely cut off by Nan Xu’s action. With a sense of recklessness, she kissed Xie Hejing’s non-stop lips.
And then, she completely ended the tug-of-war.
Xie Hejing let out a low, restrained sound, his breath rough as he met her lips with intensity. He gave a faint, teasing smile.
“So, you’re finally giving in?”