Her head felt heavy and muddled.
The two had been sitting side by side on the sofa, but now Ning Yuxuan found herself turned toward the man, her upper body pulled in his direction.
Xie Zhiyan held her close, the scorching heat of his palm seeping through the thin fabric of her dress and onto her back.
Ning Yuxuan felt her entire body grow warm in response.
As for the fervent exchange between their lips—there was no need to even mention it.
His kiss was more domineering than yesterday’s. After the initial tenderness and exploration, his true nature surfaced.
His tongue brushed against her teeth, parting her lips effortlessly.
Oxygen grew scarce.
Ning Yuxuan’s body melted, her resistance long forgotten as she surrendered to his invasion.
Xie Zhiyan commanded the kiss entirely.
Perhaps because he held her so tightly, the distance between them shrank further.
By the end, she was practically pressed against him.
The back of her dress had a small cutout design—a crisscross of fabric just above her waist, revealing a sliver of skin.
As Xie Zhiyan’s hand traced her back through the dress, his rougher fingertips grazed that exposed patch.
Though just a tiny area at her waist, the sudden contact sent a shiver through her, drawing a soft whimper from her lips.
Xie Zhiyan seemed to notice, pausing briefly.
Ning Yuxuan seized the chance to push lightly against his chest.
She expected resistance, but to her surprise, he released her.
Gasping, she leaned back slightly to put some distance between them.
Her chest rose and fell as she tried to steady her ragged breathing.
Only after a moment did she realize Xie Zhiyan hadn’t protested her retreat.
Confused, she lifted her gaze to meet his dark, ink-like eyes.
She swallowed reflexively.
Even with the space she’d created, they remained close enough for her to study every detail of his face.
She could almost see her own faint reflection in his pupils.
Xie Zhiyan’s gaze was unfathomable, simmering with restrained intensity.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Ning Yuxuan scooted back another inch.
Not that it would stop him if he truly wanted something.
Deep down, she trusted his self-control.
Surely he wouldn’t go too far in the living room—not when her mother was still upstairs.
The thought made her suddenly nervous. She glanced toward the staircase.
All was quiet, as if the house held only the two of them, their breaths the only sound.
Her mother hadn’t come down.
Relieved, Ning Yuxuan shot Xie Zhiyan a reproachful look.
She knew he’d understand.
Xie Zhiyan’s voice was low, reassuring. "Auntie knows we’re here. She won’t interrupt."
Ning Yuxuan pressed her lips together. "You can’t be sure. And even if she doesn’t come down, you still shouldn’t have—"
"Shouldn’t have what?" His voice roughened.
Her face burned. "Shouldn’t have kissed me so hard. More than yesterday..."
She trailed off, certain he grasped her meaning.
But Xie Zhiyan refused to let it go. "More than yesterday what?"
Flustered, she glared. "You know exactly what I mean!"
Harder. Longer. Enough to leave her dizzy.
Xie Zhiyan chuckled, finally relenting.
"You were different too," he remarked, straightening his shirt with a meaningful glance. "More eager."
Ning Yuxuan followed his movement, noticing the state of his shirt.
Aside from the top two buttons he’d already undone, another had come loose, the fabric wrinkled and tugged out of place.
She had no memory of doing that.
But clearly, since his shirt had been fine before the kiss, she was the culprit.
Her cheeks flamed. "Xie Zhiyan!"
The corner of his mouth lifted. "Just stating facts."
Ning Yuxuan exhaled sharply.
"Fix it for me?" he asked.
She narrowed her eyes.
Was he serious? First, he bossed her around during the show, and now he wanted her to button his shirt?
Just as she was about to snap—
"Whoever undoes it should be the one to fix it," he said smoothly. "Seems fair."
Ning Yuxuan had no retort.
"Fine. But no funny business," she warned.
"Such as?"
"Anything that involves touching me!"
Xie Zhiyan laughed.
"Getting bolder, aren’t you?" he mused.
Ning Yuxuan huffed. "And it’s only the beginning. If you want to be with me, you’d better prepare yourself."
With that, she focused on redoing the button, her fingers betraying her nerves.
The first attempt failed—the button slipped free—but she succeeded on the second try.
Clearing her throat, she announced, "Done."
Then, glancing at the wall clock, she added, "You should leave now."
Before her mother actually came downstairs to check on them.
Xie Zhiyan shook his head in amusement. "You really are heartless."
Ning Yuxuan blinked. "How?"
"Last night, you sent a photo and then vanished. Today, you’re rushing me out."
"I fell asleep! It wasn’t on purpose..."
She knew she was at fault but refused to back down. "Besides, you’re the one who made my lips swell! And now you’re blaming me?"
Xie Zhiyan’s tone was mild. "Not blaming you. Just feeling a little sorry for myself."
Though she knew he was baiting her, she couldn’t resist. "Sorry for what?"
He gave her a measured look. "Some people send photos and then sleep soundly, never considering whether others can do the same."
Ning Yuxuan’s guilt flared. "It was just a picture of my lips! Not... not anything else."
(Even if her bra strap had accidentally slipped into the frame. But that wasn’t intentional!)
Xie Zhiyan’s gaze drifted over her dress.
She shifted uncomfortably. "What are you looking at?"
Aside from the small cutout, the short-sleeved dress covered everything properly—far from revealing.
Xie Zhiyan: "You're wearing the same thing again today?"
"What—" Ning Yuxuan reflexively started to retort before belatedly realizing what he was referring to.
Her cheeks instantly burned red.
Ning Yuxuan: "Xie Zhiyan! You pervert!"
The throw pillow on the sofa once again proved useful as Ning Yuxuan grabbed it without hesitation and hurled it at the man.
......
Finally seeing Xie Zhiyan off, the clock hands pointed to nine.
Learning from last night's lesson, Ning Yuxuan didn't go straight upstairs to find her mother this time.
She first went to the bathroom to inspect her appearance.
The dress looked normal, without any suspicious marks—just slightly wrinkled fabric.
Ning Yuxuan smoothed out the creases with her hands.
Her hair also seemed mostly undisturbed, if a little tousled.
A pang of regret struck her.
Xie Zhiyan had teased her earlier about rumpling his clothes, yet her hair had suffered the same fate at his hands.
She should have made him fix her hair properly, just as he'd demanded with his clothes.
Ning Yuxuan removed her hair tie, combed through her strands until smooth, then re-tied her ponytail at the exact same height as before.
Finally, her face.
Leaning close to the mirror, she scrutinized herself carefully.
Nothing seemed amiss overall—her complexion had returned to its usual fairness, though her lips...
They were faintly flushed, though not noticeably so.
Her fingers unconsciously rose to touch the corner of her mouth, her mind suddenly flashing back to their earlier kiss.
Realizing where her thoughts wandered, Ning Yuxuan quickly shook herself out of it.
She splashed cool water on her cheeks to lower their temperature, then went to the living room for a drink to soothe her throat.
Only after ensuring no traces remained did Ning Yuxuan take a deep breath and head upstairs to knock on Ning Fei's door.
"Mom?" Ning Yuxuan called softly. "You're still awake, right?"
Several seconds later, the door opened.
Ning Fei smiled gently. "No, I'm just organizing things for tomorrow's recording. We won't be staying overnight at the villa again, but it's good to prepare in advance."
"Come in," Ning Fei invited.
Ning Yuxuan sat on the edge of her mother's bed.
Ning Fei settled beside her daughter, giving her a once-over.
When her gaze landed on Ning Yuxuan's hair, her eyebrows lifted almost imperceptibly.
An inexplicable guilt prickled at Ning Yuxuan. "...What's wrong?"
Ning Fei cleared her throat lightly. "Nothing."
"Has Zhiyan left already?" she asked.
Ning Yuxuan nodded. "Yes."
Ning Fei: "He didn't tell you in advance about coming to the show today?"
Ning Yuxuan: "No—said the director made him keep it secret. I don't know why he agreed so easily when he could've refused."
Ning Fei chuckled. "Perhaps he didn't want to make things difficult for the director."
Ning Yuxuan shot her mother a look that blended complaint with affection. "Mom! Why are you taking his side?"
This drew another laugh from Ning Fei.
"Speaking of which," Ning Fei continued, "was keeping your relationship private on the show a mutual decision between you two?"
Ning Yuxuan: "Not exactly... I didn't want to make it public."
Ning Fei: "Why not?"
Ning Yuxuan: "Announcing a relationship on a live show feels strange, and anyway Xie Zhiyan was only coming this once..."
Ning Fei: "I see."
Ning Yuxuan: "Mom, do you think I should've gone public?"
Ning Fei smiled. "There's no right answer to that. I fully support whatever you decide. If the timing doesn't feel right yet, then keeping it private is perfectly fine."
Ning Yuxuan grinned. "I knew you'd understand."
Ning Fei then asked, "Is your tooth still hurting?"
Ning Yuxuan paused momentarily before remembering the excuse she'd given earlier when eating peaches.
"No," she answered, then added to avoid concern, "Actually it never really hurt... I just said that randomly at the time."
A knowing glint flickered in Ning Fei's eyes, but she pressed no further.
While unclear about specifics, it undoubtedly related to Xie Zhiyan.
Some matters between her daughter and boyfriend didn't require maternal interrogation.
Ning Fei: "Why don't you go shower and rest? You've got another full day of filming tomorrow."
Ning Yuxuan nodded. "I know. You should rest too."
Ning Fei: "I will. My sleep has improved lately—I'll just read for twenty minutes before bed."
After bidding her mother goodnight, Ning Yuxuan returned to her room.
Following her usual routine, she prepared to undress for a shower.
As her fingers reached for her ponytail, she suddenly froze.
That earlier glance from her mother resurfaced in her mind.
She'd thought her cover-up flawless—certain her mother couldn't possibly detect evidence of that living room kiss with Xie Zhiyan.
Now realization struck like lightning.
Had she... made her hair too neat?
Before dinner preparations, Ning Yuxuan had tied up her hair to keep it out of the way.
But hours had passed since then—through the show's recording and multiple kitchen trips assisting Ning Fei.
Surely her hair would have naturally loosened during all that activity.
Yet she'd meticulously re-combed and re-tied it while trying to conceal their moment.
The more she thought, the more certain she became.
Her perceptive mother must have noticed immediately.
Ning Yuxuan groaned inwardly.
This was all Xie Zhiyan's fault!
She should have refused him outright and kicked him out of the villa!
With this indignant thought, she tossed her dress into the hamper and marched to the shower.
Only after singing cheerfully under the warm water did her mood lift again.
Post-shower, hair dried, she checked her phone before bed as usual for any messages.
Among several unimportant notifications, one stood out from Ning Shiyue:
Ning Shiyue: [I can't take it anymore, can you and your boyfriend stop being so childish!]
Ning Shiyue: [What's with this 'pretending to be strangers' game!]
Ning Yuxuan: "......"
Equal parts annoyed and amused, she typed back without mercy: [Mind your own business!]
Ning Yuxuan: [And I'm not childish! You're the childish one!]
Ning Shiyue fired back equally bluntly: [You totally are!]
Ning Shiyue: [Besides, the act isn't even convincing!]
Ning Yuxuan glared at her screen, thoroughly unconvinced: [What's unconvincing? You're biased because you already know we're together!]
Ning Shiyue: [Yeah right—even netizens have noticed!]
Ning Yuxuan: "......"
What nonsense! He had to be making this up.
Though she felt her interactions with Xie Zhiyan today had some awkward moments, overall they were quite subtle—how could anyone have noticed already?
Ning Yuxuan sent a string of question marks to Ning Shiyue: [??? Really? Who noticed? What did they notice?]
Without hesitation, Ning Shiyue shared a Weibo post with her.
Skeptical, Ning Yuxuan clicked on it.
To her surprise, it was a post from a fan community—specifically, one dedicated to the "Yan-Xuan CP." The bold blue letters glared at her.
She glanced at the post details: published half an hour ago, already with hundreds of likes.
Ning Yuxuan was speechless for a moment.
First of all, how did she and Xie Zhiyan already have a dedicated fan community?
Second, how had Ning Shiyue even found this?
Her mind swirled with questions.
Curious, she read the post’s caption: "Eleven Reasons Why CEO Xie and Xuanxuan Are Secretly Dating."
Ning Yuxuan froze.
Eleven?
Eleven reasons?!
Frowning, she scrolled down.
1. Ning Yuxuan lowered her head when Xie Zhiyan first appeared—a classic sign of shyness around one’s boyfriend.
Ning Yuxuan: ?
She had deliberately ignored him—how was that shyness?!
Just from the first point, this post was clearly nonsense.
Yet, despite her skepticism, her eyes betrayed her and kept reading.
She had to see what other absurd "evidence" these netizens had cooked up.
2. When Ning Yuxuan pressed Xie Zhiyan to name his favorite movie, he answered with patience and sincerity.
This one wasn’t as ridiculous as the first, but did they not realize she was deliberately making things difficult for him?
And since when did answering a question mean two people were dating? By that logic, every talk show host and guest must be secretly in love.
Mentally refuting each point, she continued scrolling.
3. Ordinary friends of the opposite sex would maintain boundaries, yet Ning Yuxuan casually accepted grapes from Xie Zhiyan.
Ning Yuxuan rolled her eyes. Sure, she hadn’t thought twice before taking the grapes, but Xie Zhiyan had just handed them to her—it wasn’t like he’d fed them to her directly. Since when was that inappropriate?
4. Similarly, tying an apron and rolling up sleeves are intimate gestures reserved for couples.
Ning Yuxuan: "…"
She should’ve been firmer and refused to help him in the first place.
5. Xie Zhiyan warned Ning Yuxuan to be careful while carrying dishes—his gentle tone was the kind of concern only a boyfriend would show.
Her brows furrowed.
Had he sounded gentle?
Recalling the moment inevitably brought back the memory of that sudden kiss.
Even with the cameraman just steps away in the dining room, he had still…
Her cheeks warmed, and she quickly skipped past this point.
6. Ning Yuxuan loved the shrimp and tofu Xie Zhiyan made—compatibility in taste is crucial for a couple.
This one, at least, was somewhat reasonable.
His cooking had been better than she expected. She hadn’t had many chances to try his dishes before—next time, she’d make him cook shrimp for her again.
Today’s was braised; next time, she’d go for the stir-fried version.
From here, the reasons grew increasingly outlandish.
7. The way Ning Yuxuan looked at Xie Zhiyan at the end of the show was full of lingering affection—what they did after the cameras stopped rolling was obvious.
8. Their eye contact and movements were perfectly synchronized, a habit formed over years of closeness.
9. Xie Zhiyan was five years older than Ning Yuxuan—the ideal age gap for a mature, caring partner.
10. Ning Yuxuan, raised in luxury by her mother, was the perfect match for a wealthy CEO like Xie Zhiyan.
11. Just look at this screenshot—everything is left unsaid!
She tapped on the attached image—a still from the livestream, showing the two of them sitting on the couch, gazing at each other.
Ning Fei had been right beside them, but the angle made it seem like they were alone.
And somehow, the netizen who captured this moment had frozen it at the perfect second—their locked eyes seemed to carry an undeniable spark.
The way Xie Zhiyan was looking at her… did seem a little tender?
Ning Yuxuan stared at the photo for a few seconds before snapping out of it.
She had, against her better judgment, read all eleven points.
Exiting the post, she checked the CP fan community—already over a thousand followers.
How had this happened so quickly?
After a long pause, she switched back to WeChat.
Ning Yuxuan: [First, tell me—how did you even find this fan community??]
Ning Shiyue: [I didn’t go looking for it! Someone from the crew mentioned it to me.]
Ning Yuxuan: [No way, who in the crew has time for this?!]
In truth, Ning Shiyue had indeed found it himself.
That afternoon, Zhuang Yiming—who had no scenes to film—had tuned into the livestream of Mom.
As soon as Ning Shiyue wrapped up shooting, Zhuang Yiming excitedly told him that a high-profile male guest had appeared on the show, and the comments were flooded with fans shipping Ning Yuxuan and this mystery man.
Zhuang Yiming only knew Ning Yuxuan had a boyfriend, not who it was.
So he’d joked with Ning Shiyue, warning him to watch out—he might accidentally gain a brother-in-law.
Ning Shiyue, after hearing this, immediately opened Weibo to investigate.
Their "scandal" hadn’t trended yet, though Xie Zhiyan’s appearance on the show had made headlines.
But a quick search of their names already pulled up plenty of posts shipping them.
After scrolling through the discussions, Ning Shiyue easily found the fan community—after all, "Yan-Xuan" wasn’t exactly a creative name.
Ning Shiyue: [It wasn’t hard to find! Just a quick search and there it was.]
Ning Yuxuan replied with a long string of ellipses.
Ning Yuxuan: [Before forwarding this to me, did you actually read what it said?]
Ning Shiyue: [Obviously.]
Ning Yuxuan: [And you don’t think these reasons are completely ridiculous?!]
Ning Shiyue: [Okay, some are a little far-fetched, but others are pretty convincing. Overall, not bad?]
Ning Shiyue: [Besides, hundreds of people liked it—clearly they agree.]
Ning Shiyue: [Bottom line: your acting is terrible, and the internet has already figured you out!]
Ning Yuxuan: […………]
Ning Yuxuan: "No way! Besides the hundreds of likes, there are nearly a hundred comments—they must all be roasting how forced this reasoning is!"
Ning Shiyue replied almost sympathetically: "You really don’t understand the kind of people in CP fan communities, do you?"
Ning Yuxuan: "……"
She switched back to Weibo and opened the comments section of that post.
["OMG, you nailed it, author!!! You put all my thoughts into words!!"]
["So true! These two are literally made for each other—flawless!"]
["This is so well-written! Our CEO Xie and Yuxuan are a match made in heaven!"]
["AHHHH point #7!!! Can someone please write a fic about how these two pretend to be strangers in public but go absolutely wild behind the scenes after the show ends?!!"]
Ning Yuxuan: "……??"
