Her voice was soft, like the brush of a fluffy cat's tail against one's heart, her exhaled breath swirling past his cheeks, carrying a hint of mint and jasmine.
The smoky gray suit collar barely concealed the trembling, restless movement of his Adam's apple.
Xiao Wang steadied himself, relaxing his unconsciously clenched jaw. "So, are you ready to take care of a puppy?"
"I’ve never had a dog before, but I do have experience with cats..."
Zhou Zhuofei deliberately pressed herself closer against Xiao Wang, causing his breathing to hitch abruptly. A mischievous sense of accomplishment bubbled up inside her, and she couldn’t resist rubbing against him playfully.
"It should be about the same, right?"
Xiao Wang tried helplessly to push Zhou Zhuofei away, but the seatbelt restricted his movements. He was already at a disadvantage—Zhou Zhuofei was practically half on top of him, her arms looped around his neck, and he didn’t dare use any real force.
Instead of backing off, Zhou Zhuofei leaned even closer, her lips nearly grazing the shell of his ear. He could feel the plush softness of her mouth with every word she spoke.
But if this kept up...
"Stop fooling around," Xiao Wang sighed, his tone bordering on surrender.
Zhou Zhuofei wasn’t about to let it go. "You still haven’t answered my question properly."
Xiao Wang exhaled deeply, his usually steady voice betraying rare traces of breathlessness. "Didn’t I just answer you?"
"Hmm?" Zhou Zhuofei had never liked vague responses—she preferred things direct and straightforward. "That’s not an answer. You’re being dishonest!"
"Then ask me again."
"You think I’ll ask just because you told me to?" Zhou Zhuofei huffed and made to pull away.
The question had slipped out in a moment of impulsiveness, fueled by the ease she always felt around Xiao Wang. But now, upon reflection, she realized it might not be the most appropriate topic for a newly established couple. Since Xiao Wang hadn’t given a clear answer either, she figured this was a good opportunity to drop it.
But she didn’t succeed.
Because Xiao Wang’s arms were wrapped around her waist, and unless he let go, she wasn’t going anywhere. Instead, she tumbled right back into his embrace.
"Ask me again, okay?" Xiao Wang murmured, tilting his head to press light kisses along Zhou Zhuofei’s ear.
He took his time, moving deliberately, scattering kisses over every inch until her skin bloomed with a delicate flush.
Only when her earlobe turned the same tempting shade did he finally take it between his lips, savoring it like a candied cherry.
"Playing dirty like this won’t work," Zhou Zhuofei said, forcing her voice to stay steady despite the urge to gasp.
But his progress was alarmingly fast.
This was only their second time, yet he’d already grown frighteningly adept, even testing her reactions with calculated touches. His observation skills were too sharp—often, before she could even register her own response, he’d already caught on.
Xiao Wang paused, her earlobe still caught between his lips, his words muffled.
"But isn’t this what puppies like?"
"What kind of puppy licks ears like this?!"
So deliberate, and even making those shameless sounds—this man was incorrigible!
Frustrated, Zhou Zhuofei swung a fist at Xiao Wang. Unable to see, she relied on instinct, landing a punch squarely on his chest.
The moment her knuckles made contact, the muscles beneath his skin tensed reflexively, the recoil sending a dull ache through her fingers. Annoyed, she smacked him again.
"You’re flexing on purpose?!"
Xiao Wang caught her hand, soothing the back of it with slow strokes of his thumb as he mumbled an apology.
"I didn’t mean to. Does it hurt, Feibao?"
Hearing that nickname up close had an effect far beyond what she’d expected. A jolt ran through her, so subtle it was almost imperceptible—but Xiao Wang didn’t miss it.
Like he’d stumbled upon some grand secret, he deliberately repeated the name, testing, and confirmed that Zhou Zhuofei reacted strongly to it.
Was it because of the name itself, or because it came from him?
Either way, it satisfied him.
"Why aren’t you saying anything, Feibao?"
"Should I kiss you again, hmm?"
"Shut up." Zhou Zhuofei was dizzy from the relentless "Feibao"s, her mind turning into mush. She couldn’t take it anymore and called for a time-out.
She’d been the one to initiate things earlier—so how had she ended up on the defensive?
Indignant, she scolded Xiao Wang, this time wisely avoiding his chest and opting to smack his arm instead.
"Puppies aren’t supposed to talk!"
"Then I won’t say anything," Xiao Wang chuckled before resuming his earlier actions.
Zhou Zhuofei still felt unsatisfied but wasn’t sure what else to do.
This man was too cunning—his apologies were sincere, his tone gentle, making it impossible for her to stay angry. It left her feeling like she was throwing a tantrum over nothing.
Fine, she thought. If that’s how it is, I’ll just double down.
"No way! How can a puppy ignore its owner? Bad dog!"
Xiao Wang couldn’t hold back his laughter. How could anyone be this adorable?
Especially when she called herself "owner"—it stirred something indescribable in him, urging him to act.
He stopped, one hand unbuckling the seatbelt while the other lifted Zhou Zhuofei, settling her onto his lap. She grumbled but didn’t resist.
The move wasn’t too difficult, but the cramped interior of the car made it awkward. Zhou Zhuofei sat sideways, her legs curled up with little room to stretch.
Xiao Wang suddenly found himself considering a car upgrade. Maybe it was time for a change.
He asked, "Is this comfortable for you?"
"It’s fine." The only issue was the light sheen of sweat from their earlier antics, and now, nestled against Xiao Wang, her blouse clung uncomfortably to her back. But if she took off her jacket, she’d risk dirtying his clothes.
So she kept it to herself—it wasn’t unbearable.
But Xiao Wang noticed anyway. The lingering flush on her cheeks, the faint beads of sweat at the tip of her nose—he reached out to brush her face.
"Are you hot?"
"It’s summer. Being hot is normal." Zhou Zhuofei pushed his hand away, nestling against his chest. "I can’t reject my puppy just because of the weather, can I?"
It was rare to see Xiao Wang so eager.
Looking back at their recent interactions, she’d always been the one to initiate things—yet somehow, by the middle, he’d always taken over.
Did that mean he wasn’t actually passive? Just hiding his true feelings deeper than she thought?
What Zhou Zhuofei wanted to do most right now—and was actively doing—was to peel away all his disguises.
The mere thought of this process and the potential outcome filled her with an indescribable excitement. It was far more thrilling than any game she had ever pre-ordered.
But now, she had noticed something.
Xiao Wang had deliberately positioned her closer to his legs, yet as she reclined, she could still faintly sense the proximity of his thighs—and even nearer.
She stole a glance at him, pretending not to notice. He seemed completely unbothered, leaving her unsure whether she had misjudged the situation or if he was just an exceptional actor.
In this regard, she had only theoretical knowledge, zero practical experience. Even with Du Yu, she never discussed such things.
This time, Xiao Wang didn’t continue his earlier actions. Instead, he simply held her, occasionally stroking her hair or sniffing it—behaving almost like an affectionate dog.
Though she couldn’t fathom what exactly about her was so appealing.
She’d worked all day; her perfume had long faded. While she hadn’t sweated much thanks to the air conditioning, surely there was nothing worth lingering over?
Yet he seemed utterly earnest. Zhou Zhuofei mused that this must be what love was like—two people indulging in inexplicable little rituals that made no sense to outsiders.
Like how she could idly pass the time just staring at Xiao Wang’s hands.
Fortunately, their neighborhood wasn’t a busy thoroughfare, so parking for a while wasn’t an issue. They stayed in the car for over half an hour before Zhou Zhuofei finally headed home.
Technically, today marked her first official day of dating, and the experience was far better than she’d imagined.
After Xiao Wang got home, he messaged her, and they began chatting intermittently. At first, she could multitask—playing a game while replying—but eventually, she quit the game entirely, lying in bed just to focus on their conversation.
It wasn’t until she grew drowsy, bidding him goodnight before her shower, that it hit her:
She had actually given up gaming just to talk to Xiao Wang?
Even with Du Yu, she’d only do that if something major had happened.
She replayed their chat in her mind and realized they hadn’t discussed anything substantial. They’d jumped from tonight’s plans to tomorrow’s sandwich choices, then to weekend outings—scattered, effortless banter.
Yet she hadn’t felt any of her usual exhaustion.
Since starting her job, she’d rarely had the energy for long conversations. Work demanded constant talking, leaving her drained and reluctant to socialize afterward. A chat like tonight’s usually required days of mental preparation.
But with Xiao Wang, whether texting or meeting in person, she never felt tired.
Zhou Zhuofei was tempted to ask Du Yu: Was this how all couples felt?
A part of her worried—would she become the kind of person she used to scorn, someone who tossed aside everything else once in love?
Before dating, she’d been confident she’d never fall into that trap. After all, she’d never felt this way about Mr. Wang.
Now, though, she couldn’t be so sure.
Despite her shower-time musings, she forgot all about them while drying her hair. None of those thoughts disturbed her sleep.
She drifted off quickly, slept deeply, and woke up refreshed the next morning—no emotional baggage in sight.
A perfect start.
Zhou Zhuofei left her apartment and sent Xiao Wang a "good morning" text while waiting for her ride.
From what she’d gathered yesterday, he was likely already awake—maybe even at the office.
Sure enough, he replied within a minute.
[Morning. Sleep well?]
[Pretty good. Are you at work already?]
[Yep. You on your way?]
[Just left.]
[Then in twenty minutes, breakfast is yours.]
[Can’t wait!]
The mention of breakfast gave Zhou Zhuofei an unprecedented flicker of anticipation for work.
But then it struck her—this had nothing to do with the office. She could enjoy Xiao Wang’s breakfasts anytime. Why credit the company?
Lost in thought, she entered her workplace only to find her desk empty.
Her first instinct was disbelief. She checked under and around the desk—no paper bag in sight. A quick scan of the room revealed only a few colleagues. Could it have been stolen?
After mentally ruling out improbable scenarios, she messaged Xiao Wang.
Maybe he’d misplaced it.
[Where’d you leave the breakfast?]
[Haven’t brought it down yet. You’re there already?]
[Yeah. Should I come up?]
[I’ll head down. Meet me in the stairwell.]
Zhou Zhuofei grabbed her phone and hurried out. The stairwell was in the opposite direction of the elevators—less likely for prying eyes.
As she walked, she suddenly felt sneaky.
Though they hadn’t explicitly discussed going public, she assumed Xiao Wang shared her view:
No benefit in announcing it, only downsides.
Office romances already invited gossip, and Xiao Wang’s well-known stance on marriage would only fuel more scrutiny. If word got out, Zhou Zhuofei dreaded the endless nosy questions.
The thought alone was terrifying.
Better remind Xiao Wang—keep it low-key at work.
The stairwell door was just ahead.
She pulled it open a crack and spotted a tall, lean figure inside.
Without hesitation, she flung the door wide and bounded toward him.
"I’m here~"
