Zhou Zhuofei inexplicably felt that Xiao Wang was unusually passionate today, to the point where she found it particularly hard to handle.
She clenched her teeth to avoid making any sounds, but the room was simply too quiet—so quiet that every creak of the mattress springs, even the faintest gasp escaping her throat, was unmistakably audible.
She tried to figure out what had made Xiao Wang so fervent, but her body refused to let her spare the little remaining consciousness to think.
Right now, she had more pressing matters to attend to.
Like… feeling.
Feeling how Xiao Wang undid the buttons of her blouse one by one with his teeth, then loosened his own tie and wrapped it around her wrists.
The smooth silk of the tie brushed against her skin, its lingering warmth forming a gentle restraint.
Xiao Wang gazed at her wrists encircled by the tie. The lustrous silk paled in comparison to the radiance of Zhou Zhuofei’s skin—a glow that seemed to emanate from within, brimming with vitality.
This, he thought, must be the warmth he had always been chasing.
If only he could capture her heart as easily as he had bound her wrists.
It took Zhou Zhuofei a while to notice the sapphire-blue tie now adorning her wrist.
But she didn’t even have the strength to lift her arm, managing only a slight twitch of her fingers—as if that counted as showing it off.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
Xiao Wang clasped her hand and raised it, pressing a kiss to her ear as he murmured, "Making sure I don’t lose it."
"If you’re worried about losing it, just leave it on the nightstand. Look how wrinkled it is now."
The once-pristine tie was now crumpled, the tip of it darker than the rest, as if dampened.
"It’s fine. I’ll take it back and wash it."
Zhou Zhuofei grew irritated just thinking about what had happened earlier. She’d told Xiao Wang to stop, but he’d acted as if he hadn’t heard her, coaxing her with sweet nothings while his hands continued their relentless pursuit—refusing to relent until she cried out.
Du Yu had been right about one thing: men’s words couldn’t be trusted, especially when they were in bed.
They’d say anything, no matter how absurd.
"Of course you’re washing it. Did you think I would?" Zhou Zhuofei grew angrier the more she thought about it. "And my bedsheets, the duvet cover, my pajamas—you’re washing all of them."
"Fine, fine. Leave it all to me. You won’t have to lift a finger tomorrow."
But Zhou Zhuofei wasn’t satisfied yet. She mustered what little energy she had left to add, "And no using the washing machine. Hand wash everything."
Xiao Wang, still unfazed, agreed readily. "No problem. Hand wash it is."
This was ridiculous. How could he just agree to that?
Despite her grumbling, Zhou Zhuofei calmed down enough to realize something was off.
Xiao Wang had been unusually passionate today. Passion was good, of course, but his demeanor felt more like avoidance—or even venting.
When she’d offered to help him, he’d refused, as if he was only absorbed in his own reactions.
"Are you upset about something today?"
Now that they were both exhausted and lying skin-to-skin, there couldn’t possibly be a more honest relationship in the world, could there?
So Zhou Zhuofei discarded all tact and asked outright.
Xiao Wang was silent for a moment before replying, "Do I seem that way?"
"If you say no, then no."
Xiao Wang’s personality meant he wasn’t one to confide in others—or perhaps he simply didn’t want to.
In the past, Zhou Zhuofei hadn’t understood people like him, thinking they made life unnecessarily difficult and that dealing with them was a hassle.
But as she grew older, she came to truly grasp the saying that no two leaves in the world are alike.
Everyone’s upbringing and life experiences were too different. To assume the world operated based on one’s own limited perspective was the height of ignorance and arrogance.
There could be many reasons Xiao Wang didn’t open up. Maybe he’d never had someone to confide in before, or maybe he’d tried and been met with a bad experience. Or perhaps, as he’d once said, he envied her for having a friend like Du Yu.
Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter. She believed people could change.
With that thought, she wrapped her arms around Xiao Wang, pressing her cheek against his chest. No words were needed—her actions alone conveyed one thing: she was here.
Whenever you’re ready to talk, I’ll listen.
At the same time, she pondered what might have triggered Xiao Wang’s mood.
First, she ruled out the apron. Then, the juice. That left only… Su Chen.
Zhou Zhuofei certainly didn’t think Xiao Wang was jealous of Su Chen. To her, Su Chen was just a kid—the only reason she played games with him was out of respect for Xiao Wang.
So was it about his brother?
She knew Xiao Wang was deeply affected by their mother’s favoritism toward his younger brother. Even though he was successful now and had long since left home, emotional scars were like vines—they didn’t fade with time but instead took root deep within.
People rarely spoke of them, and neglect and negativity only served as fertilizer, allowing them to grow wildly, entwining themselves around their host for life.
"But I was really happy today," Zhou Zhuofei whispered into Xiao Wang’s ear. "I loved all the clothes you picked for me. You looked so handsome in that apron, it made my heart race. And the fish-fragrant eggplant you made was amazing. Today was practically perfect for me."
With each word, Xiao Wang’s expression softened slightly.
But then Zhou Zhuofei added, "Wait, no."
Xiao Wang’s heart, which had just begun to settle, leapt back into his throat. "What’s wrong?"
"What I said earlier wasn’t quite right. Every day with you is perfect." She emphasized the words every day.
"You know I never lie."
The moment the words left her mouth, Xiao Wang tightened his arms around her waist. "As long as you’re happy."
"But it can’t just be me. You have to be happy too."
Zhou Zhuofei could clearly feel her life and state of mind improving—her routines were healthier, her mood brighter, her outlook more positive and resilient.
Some of it was her own effort, but Xiao Wang had played a part too. That was why she wanted the same for him.
"If you’re happy, then I’m happy."
Zhou Zhuofei rested her forehead against his and sighed. "But you’re not happy right now, and I don’t know why. I want to cheer you up, but I don’t even know where to start."
"You don’t have to. I know my mood’s off today, but I’ll get over it."
In the past, Xiao Wang would have just needed some quiet time or a distraction to reset.
But now, Zhou Zhuofei wanted to comfort him.
She cared about his emotions and was willing to indulge his whims. Without even trying, he was already beginning to feel better.
"But how could the mistress bear to let her puppy suffer alone?" she said in a deliberately pitiful tone. "Just say the word, and you’ll get the warmest hug."
Xiao Wang knew better than anyone how comforting that embrace would be—how tempting the offer truly was.
"I should have gotten used to it by now—having to share things with others."
From the last cookie to their parents' affection, he had realized from a young age that he could never compete with Su Chen, or rather, that he had no right to compete.
Since he couldn’t win, he chose another way to preserve his dignity—withdrawal.
He stepped back voluntarily, pretending he didn’t need or care. If there was no competition, there would be no losers.
At the same time, he understood perfectly well that while his mother’s favoritism had its own reasons, he was also an enabler.
He was the one who pushed his mother toward his brother, no longer expressing his true feelings to his parents. No one had to bear the blame, so he wouldn’t hold it against anyone.
He distanced himself from his family precisely to escape all of this.
But some things were inescapable—like being his parents’ child, Su Chen’s older brother. He was still tied to this family by countless threads, which meant they would still have to share certain things.
He didn’t mind his mother exhausting herself for Su Chen’s sake. What bothered him was that once Su Chen started interning at Huanyu, his own life would once again be overshadowed.
"If you don’t like it, then don’t share. What’s wrong with being a little selfish?" Zhou Zhuofei’s voice cut through Xiao Wang’s thoughts.
"I hate sharing. My things are mine to decide—I’ll give them if I want to, and I won’t if I don’t. No one else gets a say..."
Zhou Zhuofei gradually grasped what Xiao Wang meant. She paused, looking at him intently before saying, "Then I’ll go delete him right now."
"What?"
"Delete his gaming friend request. I only added him because of you. If you’d told me earlier you didn’t like it, I wouldn’t have added him in the first place."
Xiao Wang hesitated. Of course, he was happy she’d do this for him, but he also felt guilty. Was it fair to impose such demands on Zhou Zhuofei?
"But he’s actually really good at the game..."
How could he not know Su Chen’s skill level? He hadn’t mentioned it earlier precisely to avoid piquing Zhou Zhuofei’s interest.
Zhou Zhuofei burst out laughing. "It’s just a game. It’s not like he’s irreplaceable. But there’s only one of you—of course I care about how you feel."
Actions spoke louder than words. Zhou Zhuofei got up, grabbed a random piece of clothing from the floor, threw it on, and dashed barefoot to the living room.
The computer, which Xiao Wang had just turned off, was only in sleep mode. Zhou Zhuofei swiftly deleted Su Chen from her friends list and sent him a quick apology.
She felt a little bad for the cheerful younger brother, but someone had to spoil Xiao Wang in this world, right?
Once done, she hurried back to the bedroom.
As soon as she entered, she saw Xiao Wang sitting up, half-leaning against the headboard. His upper body was bare, the blanket draped carelessly over his waist.
The contours of his abdomen were faintly visible, bathed in the moonlight that spilled through the window—her gaze tracing the secrets hidden beneath the blanket.
Too bad she couldn’t whistle, or she’d have let out a playful one to lighten the mood.
She spread her hands. "See? That simple."
Xiao Wang didn’t speak, but his eyes sparkled with quiet delight.
Zhou Zhuofei suddenly caught on. "Wait… so you were extra clingy today because you didn’t want me gaming with him tonight?"
He turned his face away, avoiding her gaze, his discomfort drawing a soft laugh from her.
Seems like she’d adopted a stubborn little puppy.
