Chapter 2

By the time he came out of the shower, the noodles were ready.

Perhaps they tasted awful.

He kept his head down without speaking.

Even quieter than before.

“Are they that bad?”

He shook his head.

“No. I was just thinking… You’ve had so much experience.”

The high heels again.

I waved it away.

“Oh, just a few pairs. Nothing worth mentioning.”

His fingers tightened around his chopsticks until they went pale.

His voice sank.

“Then I suppose you wouldn’t like eighteen centimeters either.”

“Obviously. I’d run the moment I saw that. Terrifying!”

His head dropped even lower.

He looked as though his soul had left him.

What was wrong with him?

Eighteen-centimeter heels.

I’d break my legs.

Wasn’t it perfectly normal not to wear them?

What was he so disappointed about?

4

After eating, we curled up on the sofa to watch television.

I leaned against his chest.

All I had to do was turn my head to see his sharp jaw and attractive Adam’s apple.

So handsome.

My heart itched.

I couldn’t resist pulling him down for a kiss.

His lashes trembled.

Slowly, he closed his eyes.

What began with me taking the lead gradually became his kiss.

My body softened.

His breathing grew ragged.

Then I remembered what we had meant to do the night before.

Anticipation stirred.

My fingers slipped beneath his shirt and squeezed his rock-hard abs.

“Baby… Shall we try now?”

He went stiff.

Then pushed me away.

“I… I just remembered a work report I haven’t finished. I should go.”

The door closed.

Only then did I catch up.

Had I just been rejected?

What was going on?

He had clearly been turned on.

Clearly enjoying himself.

It made no sense.

Perhaps he was worried he wouldn’t be at his best after a sleepless night.

Fine.

Understandable.

Male pride.

I had rushed him.

Next time, then.

5

We were both busy afterward.

Neither mentioned the premarital inspection again.

Soon, Lunar New Year arrived.

We had already agreed to spend it at my parents’ place.

And discuss the wedding with them.

My parents liked him very much.

Character, temperament, ability—he passed every test.

They trusted him completely.

So on the third day of the holiday, they went to visit relatives in their hometown.

For three days.

Leaving only the two of us.

An opportunity like this came once in a millennium.

With the house empty, I crawled under his blanket every night to watch films and play games.

Wriggled around in his arms.

Deliberately tested his restraint.

He held himself back until sweat gathered on his forehead.

Still refused to cross the line.

What exactly was he trying to uphold?

By the last evening, I couldn’t sit still.

I opened a bottle of my father’s liquor.

Insisted Xu Yanqing drink with me to improve our tolerance.

Really, I wanted to get him drunk.

Instead, two glasses were enough to finish me.

Dizzy and rambling, I was eventually carried to bed.

Then drifted off.

I was so annoyed I slapped myself twice in my dream.

In the middle of the night, my neck began to tickle.

Half asleep, I opened my eyes.

And woke completely.

Xu Yanqing was stealing kisses.

His body was hot.

Warm, damp breath brushed my neck.

A trembling hand stroked the skin at my waist.

Careful.

Restrained.

Then I realized.

We had drunk my father’s medicinal liquor.

Some kind of virility tonic, perhaps?

I had never seen him lose control like this.

Excitement surged.

I stopped pretending and threw my arms around his shoulders.

He paused and lifted his head.

His dark eyes fixed on me.

Desire rolled through them.

I kissed his brows and eyelids.

“Yanqing…”

At last, his restraint gave way.

He caught the back of my head and kissed me hard.

Our breaths tangled.

Our bodies burned.

Neither of us could think straight.

As we kissed, my hand moved lower.

Then a loud crash broke through.

Our clothes had dragged the glass off the bedside table.

It shattered on the floor.

His gaze cleared at once.

Panicking, he let me go.

“Stay there. I’ll clean it up.”

I caught his arm.

“After we finish.”

He lowered his eyes and gently removed my hand.

“After that, I still have some work. Go to sleep first.”

…What?

What did that mean?

Again?

He was rejecting me again?

Even now?

Was he… unable to?

Impossible.

I had just touched it.

I was certain.

He had the goods.

He had plenty of goods.

But he didn’t want to go any further with me.

Why?

Was there some ideal woman in his heart?

Was he saving himself for her?

I refused to believe he was that sort of man.

That very night, I ordered scented candles, sexy nightwear, and a few toys online.

I would test him once more.

6

The holiday had barely ended when he announced a sudden business trip.

Overseas.

What?

Did I look that easy to fool?

As though I believed him.

He was avoiding me.

I staked out his building for three evenings.

He really didn’t come home.

Could he actually be away?

Or had he found somewhere else to stay?

Avoiding me to this extent…

Was something truly wrong?

My uneasiness grew.

I waited anxiously for half a month.

Not a word from him.

If his friends hadn’t invited me to a gathering, I wouldn’t even have known he was back.

Furious, I ignored him all day.

After dinner and drinks, everyone went to a bar to dance.

I wasn’t in the mood.

I made an excuse to step outside for air.

Soon, Xu Yanqing and his friend Chen Xi came out too.

Neither noticed me.

They leaned against the railing with their drinks.

Chen Xi complained about a girl he liked.

She was hard to win over.

Xu Yanqing wasn’t listening.

He took several hard swallows.

Then turned to his friend.

“I’m done for, Chen Xi.

“I think… she’s found out.”