Xiao Wang seemed startled by her action, or perhaps surprised by her boldness.
He didn’t react, only staring at Zhou Zhuofei with an incredulous gaze.
But this only reinforced Zhou Zhuofei’s conviction that this was all a dream.
Emboldened, she let her fingers drift, tracing a path from the corner of his lips. Her fingertips could clearly feel the texture of his lips—soft yet etched with a faint roughness, leaving a vivid impression.
Her fingers dipped slightly, catching a hint of moisture. She could even feel the scorching heat of his breath escaping between his teeth.
It truly felt like a dream, as if Xiao Wang belonged to her alone.
The mere thought of this possibility sent an inexplicable heat crawling up her spine, spreading until it clouded her already hazy mind.
Now she finally understood why she had been torn between cherishing Xiao Wang’s kindness and resisting it.
Because she wasn’t satisfied—she wanted to be the most selfish, the most despicable person, hoarding all his care for herself.
Yet she knew this could never happen.
For one, it was Xiao Wang’s nature to be gentle and considerate toward everyone. Asking him to change would be as unreasonable as when Wang Zicheng had tried to change her.
Secondly, it was her own fault—indulging in wild fantasies, coveting what wasn’t hers.
Such things probably only happened to protagonists.
Zhou Zhuofei rarely dwelled on the gap between herself and Cen Huan. She knew life was inherently unfair and that she had to accept it. But she wasn’t some saint without desires—there were moments when resentment flared.
Like now.
—She kept stroking Xiao Wang’s lips until their pale hue flushed a deep red.
Why wasn’t he pulling away? Why was he letting her act so recklessly?
Xiao Wang remained silent, his gaze tender as ever. It was precisely this patient, all-accepting attitude of his that made it impossible for her to cut ties decisively.
"If you don’t move away soon…"
The rest of her words dissolved into a murmur as she leaned in, closing the distance between them until not even a breath could slip through.
At some point, Xiao Wang’s breathing grew ragged, his Adam’s apple bobbing uncontrollably, his eyes dark yet tinged with panic.
Even so, he didn’t resist.
Fueled by alcohol, Zhou Zhuofei pressed forward.
In her mind, whether this was a dream or reality, Xiao Wang was a far better first kiss than Wang Zicheng could ever be.
The thought bolstered her courage.
Just as she was about to bridge the final gap, he turned his head, evading her.
Zhou Zhuofei froze, her lips meeting empty air.
"You’re drunk," Xiao Wang’s voice sounded by her ear, gentle yet admonishing. "Don’t do something you’ll regret."
Her heart sank, the intoxication fading fast.
She didn’t argue about being drunk or potential regrets. Instead, she shifted slightly, causing the towel draped over her legs to slip, scattering ice cubes across the floor.
Ignoring the mess, she took a deep breath and replied with feigned calm, "Secretary Xiao, you should leave now."
Hearing the formal address, Xiao Wang sighed helplessly.
He cherished her closeness, but he couldn’t take advantage of her.
From her behavior, it was clear she wasn’t thinking straight—just acting on impulse. He didn’t want their beginning to be so careless.
"Rest well. We’ll talk properly when you’re sober."
But Zhou Zhuofei had already shut him out. What was there to discuss? The mood had been set, yet she’d still been rejected. Did that mean all those earlier signals were just her imagination?
Or was Xiao Wang merely stringing her along?
Either way, dwelling on it would only deepen her humiliation.
"No need. I understand—I drank too much and mistook you for someone else."
She lowered her head, pretending to focus on her phone, just to keep her hands busy.
All she wanted was for Xiao Wang to leave so she could drown herself in alcohol and escape this suffocating shame.
"Mistook me?" Xiao Wang chewed on the words silently.
Zhou Zhuofei might be drunk, but he wasn’t. If it hadn’t been him who entered, would she have done the same with someone else?
She didn’t seem to realize how dangerous her situation was. Letting a man into her room while intoxicated was reckless.
His gaze swept over her—the elegant curve of her neck, her slender crossed legs, the vulnerability radiating from her entire being, unnoticed by herself.
"You shouldn’t have let me in," he couldn’t help saying.
"Yeah, I shouldn’t have," she echoed. Of course she’d considered it. Her wariness exceeded his expectations, yet she’d opened the door anyway.
But to Xiao Wang, the emphasis landed on the word "you."
"What if it was someone else?" The thought alone stirred his emotions. "Would you have opened the door for them too?"
"Probably wouldn’t have been so complicated," Zhou Zhuofei muttered.
Her mind drifted to Jiang Shen—if it had been him, he’d never have passed up the opportunity.
Noticing her distraction, Xiao Wang frowned. He disliked her answer and the tense stalemate between them.
"You don’t understand," he explained patiently. "Once things start, they’re hard to stop."
He knew men too well. Zhou Zhuofei might just be seeking solace in a moment of weakness, but a man would always demand more, leaving her no room to retreat.
Yet her attitude made it clear—ordinary reasoning wouldn’t work. He had to do more.
Maybe he needed to show her.
He took a step closer. She didn’t react, still fixated on her phone.
With a quiet sigh, he softened his voice. "Zhuofei, listen to me, okay?"
She remained stubbornly still, as if sulking.
He knelt again, gently lowering her phone to meet her eyes.
"You’re drunk right now. Some things are—"
Zhou Zhuofei suddenly looked up. Her eyes, glazed with intoxication, shimmered with a damp, irresistible warmth. Behind fluttering lashes, they crashed into his heart like a force of nature.
For a moment, he was spellbound.
The thoughts she had just gathered collapsed in an instant, and she barely even heard what Zhou Zhuofei said.
"I don’t want to talk right now. Can you just let me be?"
Xiao Wang froze for a long moment before slowly standing up. "I understand."
Seeing him prepare to leave, Zhou Zhuofei felt both relief and an unavoidable pang of disappointment.
Maybe this was for the best, she comforted herself. Better to clear things up now before she fell in too deep.
She rolled to the other side of the bed, picked up the drink she had just mixed but hadn’t yet tasted, and took a sip by herself.
When she heard the door close, she drank more urgently, so much so that she failed to notice something off about the sound of the door shutting.
She gulped down a mouthful and slammed the glass onto the nightstand. The sharp burn of alcohol rushed to her scalp—honestly, it didn’t taste good, but Zhou Zhuofei found a strange comfort in this near-masochistic indulgence.
Click. The door opened again behind her.
Had he not left?
Zhou Zhuofei turned in surprise and saw Xiao Wang stepping out of the bathroom, his face still dripping with water droplets that trailed down as he walked.
"You—"
Xiao Wang slowly approached her, shrugging off his suit jacket as he did. He folded it neatly and placed it on the sofa before loosening his tie.
The muscles in his arm flexed as he tugged at it, tightening the fabric of his sleeve.
Zhou Zhuofei watched his movements without blinking, her mind too sluggish to process anything, and she didn’t even want to try.
She simply observed as Xiao Wang set the tie aside just as meticulously and then walked toward her.
He stopped right in front of her, his gaze wandering until it landed on the drink on the nightstand. He picked it up and downed it in one go.
Under her stunned, questioning stare, Xiao Wang gently set the glass back down, the ice cubes clinking softly inside.
Before Zhou Zhuofei could react, he leaned in, planting his hands on either side of her body and closing the distance between them.
The mattress creaked, and she instinctively turned her face away.
He had his chance earlier and wasted it—how dare he now…
But Xiao Wang didn’t stop. Instead, he took advantage of her movement, pressing his lips against the side of her neck.
The warmth of his breath brushed over her skin like the teasing stroke of a feather, making her shiver and shrink back slightly.
"You—" Before she could finish, his next move stole her breath.
Soft, wet kisses trailed up her neck, each one leaving behind a trail of heat and dampness.
His tongue flicked lightly against her earlobe before treating it like candy, rolling it between his lips as if savoring it.
Zhou Zhuofei tried to make sense of the situation, but the kiss was too intoxicating—wrapped in warmth and wetness, it felt like soaking in a hot spring.
Between thinking this isn’t so bad and giving up on thinking altogether, she let out occasional muffled sounds.
And Xiao Wang only grew more fervent at her reactions.
He laced his fingers through hers, their palms pressed together as his thumb stroked the back of her hand in slow, deliberate circles—gentle, like the way he’d pet a cat in his spare time.
Except… she wasn’t a cat.
Zhou Zhuofei cracked her eyes open and saw Xiao Wang kneeling on the bed, one leg bent as he leaned over her, his body hovering above hers. He looked steady, yet fragile—as if one push would send him tumbling down.
The thought had barely formed before she acted, throwing herself backward and dragging him down with her. Xiao Wang reacted quickly, catching himself on his elbows to avoid crushing her.
Seeing her plan succeed, Zhou Zhuofei ignored the dizzying spin of the room and let out a breathless laugh. Finally, a win for her.
The fall seemed to snap Xiao Wang back to his senses. He panted heavily, trying to regain control.
This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.
He had only meant to show Zhou Zhuofei what could happen if a man lost control—to prove she wouldn’t be able to resist.
But once he’d tasted her, he couldn’t stop.
Disgusted with himself yet unable to resist, he pressed kisses to every inch of skin within reach.
Her scent filled his senses—sweet like milk ice cream blended with the richness of chocolate, tangy like apples mingled with the fragrance of peaches. It was a thousand times more intoxicating than he’d imagined.
Even her reactions were mesmerizing—the way her body warmed under his touch, the tremors, the short, uneven breaths…
Xiao Wang forced himself to pull back, dragging his rationality out of the depths of desire.
There was still time to stop.
If he truly had feelings for Zhou Zhuofei, he should tell her properly, not like this.
Just as he tried to sit up, Zhou Zhuofei grabbed his shirt.
"What are you doing?"
Xiao Wang attempted to pull away, but when she refused to let go, he didn’t dare use force. Instead, he patted her hand gently. "Let go, okay?"
"Why should I?" Zhou Zhuofei muttered. "Wasn’t it you who said that once this starts, it’s hard to stop?"
If he had left earlier, fine—she could’ve drowned her frustration in alcohol. But now that he’d stirred her up and even drunk her drink, if he walked away now, what did that make him?
Nothing but a waste of her time.
"If you can’t handle it, I’ll find someone else," Zhou Zhuofei said defiantly, reaching for her phone with her free hand.
It wasn’t like she didn’t have options. She refused to debase herself like this.
Xiao Wang immediately seized her wrist, his fingers tightening around hers as if afraid she’d actually make the call.
He knew she was provoking him on purpose—and yet, he still took the bait.
Zhou Zhuofei glared at him, her cheeks flushed a deep, sunset pink. Knowing he was the reason for it sent a surge of heat through him.
Finally, his voice rough, he gave his answer.
"Fine."
