“Just arrived.”
Zhou Yinghuai leaned forward slightly, extending his well-defined hand to pick up the paper on the table. He held it before his eyes, examining it closely. His tall figure completely enveloped her, and from a distance, it appeared as though she was actively leaning into his embrace.
The space between them suddenly shrank. Her head rested against his firm chest, and by tilting her head slightly, she could hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat—thump, thump, thump, thump—which, for no reason at all, threw her thoughts into disarray.
“Don’t look.” Perhaps feeling embarrassed after being praised, she sat up slightly and reached out to snatch the paper from his hands. “It’s not well-written.”
He did not compete with her for it and simply returned the paper. However, he leaned in even closer, his body almost pressing against her ear as he whispered, “It’s very good.”
His serious and persistent insistence made her long lashes tremble. Unable to hold back, she curled her lips into a smile. “Really?”
“Mm.” Zhou Yinghuai tapped a finger on her writing. Cheng Fangqiu followed his movement, her gaze shifting to the characters she had written. But after looking at them, her attention unconsciously wandered elsewhere.
He had just washed the dishes and had also used soap to wash his hands. His skin had been soaked to the point of appearing slightly pale, resembling a piece of lustrous, translucent jade. His fingers were slender and bony, his nails smooth and clean, and faint veins could be seen rising along the back of his hand.
That afternoon, it was this very hand that…
At the thought of this, the tips of Cheng Fangqiu’s ears burned. The light scent of soap that lingered around him seemed to grow even stronger, aggressively encroaching upon her own breath.
Yet, just as her thoughts were becoming muddled, his next words suddenly snapped her back to reality.
“Qiuqiu, did you practice calligraphy when you were young?” A good handwriting style like this was not something that could be developed overnight.
Zhou Yinghuai’s fingertip brushed over the delicate characters, and for a fleeting moment, a trace of surprise flashed across his face. His expression made it seem as though he had discovered some rare treasure.
No one could understand what he was feeling at this moment.
As they spent more time together, he was gradually discovering aspects of her that no one else knew. These were the kinds of details that only a close relationship could reveal, and this realization made the corners of his lips lift even higher.
However, from an angle he could not see, Cheng Fangqiu’s face suddenly turned pale. She was inwardly frustrated by her own carelessness. Taking a deep breath, she forced a somewhat sheepish smile. “How could there be conditions for practicing calligraphy in the countryside?”
Everyone’s handwriting was unique. The original owner’s handwriting wasn’t exactly ugly, but it definitely couldn’t be called good.
Zhou Yinghuai was so sharp and intelligent—if he had seen the original owner’s writing before, he would certainly notice the difference between hers and hers. Though she wasn’t particularly worried about being exposed for having a changed soul, she still didn’t want to leave behind too many flaws.
Cheng Fangqiu quickly gathered up the paper and stuffed it into her pocket.
“Didn’t you promise to sing for me?” She playfully changed the subject, stretching out her arms to hook around his neck.
As expected, Zhou Yinghuai’s attention was diverted. His gaze fell upon her face, and after a light cough, he asked, “What do you want to hear?”
“Anything is fine.” Right now, all she wanted was for him to stop focusing on her handwriting, so she truly had no preference for what he would sing.
Zhou Yinghuai pondered for a moment before gently lowering her hands and standing up straight. He seemed a little nervous, taking several deep breaths before finally attempting to start singing.
“The red sun shines on the frontier,
Green mountains and clear waters bathed in dawn’s glow,
Rows of fruit trees beneath the Changbai Mountains,
Fragrant rice blossoms by the banks of the Hailan River,
Splitting open high mountains, the land offers up its treasures…”
With every line he sang, Cheng Fangqiu’s pupils widened slightly.
Watching Zhou Yinghuai sing so seriously, she suddenly understood why he had refused to open his mouth back on the bus.
So, the almighty genius actually had something he wasn’t good at.
A classic revolutionary song, “The Red Sun Shines on the Frontier”, had been sung by him in a way that…
Cheng Fangqiu couldn’t even find a fitting adjective.
In short, in every single line of lyrics, at least two notes were off-key.
She had initially thought that with a voice as pleasant as Zhou Yinghuai’s, no matter how bad his singing was, it couldn’t possibly be that bad.
Reality, however, delivered her a harsh slap in the face.
A few short minutes felt like an entire century.
By the time the song finally ended, Cheng Fangqiu had already been tortured into numbness. She expressionlessly rubbed her ears. Facing Zhou Yinghuai’s expectant gaze, she thought about giving him a few perfunctory compliments.
But after thinking it over carefully, for the sake of her ears’ future happiness, she decided to be honest.
“In our household, let’s just remove singing from our entertainment activities altogether.”
Zhou Yinghuai was quite self-aware. Upon hearing Cheng Fangqiu’s teasing remark, he did not get angry, but there was still a slight trace of discomfort on his usually cold and stern face. He cleared his throat, nodded in agreement, and then changed the subject: “The hot water is ready. Wash up and go to bed.”
“Alright.” It was already late. After agreeing, Cheng Fangqiu got up and went to the bedroom to find a change of clothes.
She didn’t bring many clothes with her, and the new ones hadn’t been washed yet, so she casually grabbed one of his loose shirts. The fabric was soft, making it perfect as sleepwear. As for Zhou Yinghuai, he kept things even simpler—just picking out a fresh pair of underwear was enough for him.
But within moments, she realized that picking out clothes had been completely unnecessary.
As soon as she stepped out of the bedroom, she saw Zhou Yinghuai, wearing nothing but a pair of black underwear, pouring hot water into the bath barrel. Steam drifted through the air, reminiscent of their wedding night.
Cheng Fangqiu placed her clothes on the storage rack, crossed her arms, and carefully admired the sight of the beautiful man before her. Broad shoulders, a narrow waist, smooth and defined muscle lines, firm and perky hips—every curve and contour seemed meticulously crafted by the divine.
“Want to join me?” Zhou Yinghuai raised an eyebrow.
Hearing this, Cheng Fangqiu secretly rolled her eyes and turned away without hesitation. But before she could take more than two steps, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up.
She let out a startled cry, barely having time to react before her dress was lifted, and soon after, it slipped from her body and fell to the ground.
“Zhou Yinghuai!”
His thin lips landed on the cool skin at the nape of her neck as he softly responded. Just as she trembled uncontrollably, he grew even bolder, trailing his kisses downward, pressing them against her delicate butterfly bones. She couldn’t help but shudder again.
It had only been a few days, yet he was already more familiar with her body than she was herself.
Every sensitive spot—he found them effortlessly, making her sink into indulgence.
Their discarded clothing lay carelessly atop the sink, intertwined in a messy yet aesthetic manner. Her forearms rested against the surface, the soft fabric shielding her skin from the cold marble. Strands of black hair brushed against her cheeks, sending tingling sensations down her spine. She bit down on her lips, leaving a faint ring of bite marks, but it couldn’t suppress the soft sounds escaping her throat.
His thumb rubbed gently at the dimples on her lower back before gradually slowing down, making it easier for him to scoop up clear water and wash her clean.
The droplets striking against her skin felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. If not for his hands supporting her, she might have already surrendered.
“No, no… this won’t do.”
She shook her head as she spoke, yet nothing was stopping him.
Water trickled down, washing everything away. He was no longer the inexperienced boy fumbling in the dark on their first night. Now, he was adept—one hand tilting her chin up, lips covering hers, prying open her teeth and stealing away what little air she had left, while the other hand guided the warm stream of water inside.
The water grew louder, the rush of it filling the quiet space like a melody—without rhythm, without restraint.
Her soft lips were kissed until they were swollen and red. Tears welled in the corners of her eyes, and when he noticed them, he lightened his touch, teasingly pulling back just a little before deepening the kiss again, gradually driving her mind into chaos.
“Enough.”
She turned her head away, dodging his fervent and scorching kisses, gasping for breath as she looked ahead.
Right in front of her was a mirror, reflecting their absurd entanglement in vivid clarity.
One in front, one behind.
His bare chest rose and fell with his heavy breathing. A few clear water droplets rolled down, gliding over his sculpted abs before disappearing into the most intimate area. Under the dim, warm lighting, the scene exuded an indescribable allure.
Hearing her breathy murmur, Zhou Yinghuai slowly lifted his lashes, locking eyes with her reflection in the mirror. His gaze was dark and deep, his voice husky: “Not enough.”
Was this insatiable man really Zhou Yinghuai?
Cheng Fangqiu could only let herself drift amidst the downpour, experiencing an intimacy different from their time in the bedroom.
In the bathroom, from behind…
It seemed to have its own unique charm—she quite liked it.
Of course, that was only if she ignored the moments when he would suddenly bite down on the tip of her ear like a madman, over and over again, demanding to know who her favorite person was.
Only now did Cheng Fangqiu belatedly realize that this black-bellied, petty man was still holding onto that male classmate she had completely made up.
Jealous king, vinegar essence, walking jar of jealousy.
Annoyed, she turned her head and bit down hard on his collarbone, clenching her teeth stubbornly, refusing to answer. But in the end, after being pestered relentlessly, she had no choice but to soften her voice and obediently murmur, “I like you the most.”
The woman’s sweet, soft voice echoed in the dimly lit room, like a spark igniting the fuse buried deep within his body. In an instant, fireworks burst into bloom within his heart, painting a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life.
He grasped her hand, intertwining their fingers tightly, locking her firmly in his embrace. Then, with a sudden deepening of his actions, he sent her soaring to the heavens to pluck the star she had long yearned for.
Outside, the night deepened. The breeze drifted in through the window, yet it couldn’t dissipate the lingering heat and dampness in the air.
—
No one knew how much time had passed.
Cheng Fangqiu sat weakly on the bathroom counter, watching Zhou Yinghuai rinse out her underwear under the running water. The thin fabric, mixed with white foamy bubbles, slipped back and forth between his fingers. His arm muscles, tensed from exertion, displayed elegant contours, still marked with the faint traces of her scratches and bites.
The entire scene carried an indescribable air of debauchery.
After an intense session, her whole body felt lazy. Her eyelids drooped as she fought off sleep, eventually letting out a delicate yawn. Her fair foot lightly rested against his back as she urged him in a soft, slightly hoarse voice, “Hurry up.”
The tone wasn’t one of impatience; rather, it sounded more like a spoiled lover acting coy.
Hearing her drowsiness, Zhou Yinghuai quickened his movements. Within moments, he had washed both of their undergarments, hung them up on the drying rack, and set aside the rest of the dirty laundry for the next morning.
Then, with one arm carrying her and the other holding the clothes, he walked out of the bathroom.
After hanging the garments on the balcony clothesline, he was just about to ask if she wanted some water when he noticed she had already dozed off, nestled against the crook of his neck. Under the hazy moonlight, her serene sleeping face was clearly visible.
“Goodnight.”
A faint smile flickered in Zhou Yinghuai’s eyes as he carried her back to the bedroom.
—
“Bang, bang, bang.”
Cheng Fangqiu frowned, burrowing her head into the person beside her, trying to escape the irritating knocking sound. Fortunately, the noise stopped after a moment, but just as she let out a sigh of relief, it started up again.