◎Marks of varying depth were scattered everywhere.◎
When the storm finally subsided, Ning Yuxuan's legs were trembling uncontrollably.
She had no strength left at all. First, she was carried to the bathroom by Xie Zhiyan, washed, and changed into clean clothes, then carried back to bed.
Listening to the sound of the man showering from the bathroom, Ning Yuxuan lay limp on the bed, so exhausted she could barely speak.
Fortunately, Xie Zhiyan had given her some water to drink before he went to shower, so her throat wasn't too parched.
Ning Yuxuan hugged the quilt tightly, feeling that at this moment, apart from being able to roll over a few times in bed, she had no energy for anything else.
Yet, it wasn't quite bedtime yet, so she wasn't sleepy, just utterly exhausted—the kind of fatigue that leaves your entire body aching.
Ning Yuxuan glanced at the time; it was already 7 PM.
She couldn't remember exactly when they had started, only that Ning Shiyue had left before 5 PM, and afterward, she hadn't spent too long packing her clothes and trying on that dress.
Calculating the time in her head, Ning Yuxuan suddenly realized she still hadn't eaten dinner and silently cursed a certain man surnamed Xie.
The lingering scent of intimacy in the air hadn't completely dissipated yet.
Ning Yuxuan slowly rolled over to the edge of the bed and glanced at the crumpled tissues and other remnants in the trash bin.
Her cheeks felt warm, and she wrinkled her nose.
She thought she'd have to ask Xie Zhiyan to take out that trash once he finished showering.
That way, the smell would fade sooner.
Then, Ning Yuxuan stretched her arm to reach for the box on the nightstand.
The box should have been in the drawer, but it had been taken out and tossed here earlier, not yet returned to its place.
The packaging said it contained fourteen. Ning Yuxuan picked it up and shook it, finding there was likely only one left inside, or at most two still connected in their small wrapper.
She remembered opening this box last Monday; they had bought it together at the convenience store downstairs, so it left a clear impression.
Doing some quick mental math, Ning Yuxuan silently made a resolution—
She was going to rest this coming weekend, truly rest!
Before officially moving in today, Ning Yuxuan would stay at the apartment two or three nights a week, spending the rest of her time at her mother's place.
At first, she thought this frequency was just right, in every aspect.
Recently, with several new stores opening and everything needing attention, everyone at Huayuan had been incredibly busy.
Ning Yuxuan didn't want to work weekends, so she had to increase her efficiency on weekdays.
As a result, on workdays, she often had to run between several stores in a single day, sometimes not even having time to eat.
By the end of the day's work, she barely had the energy to scroll through her phone, just wanting to shower and collapse into bed.
Ning Yuxuan figured Xie Zhiyan's daily schedule probably wasn't any lighter than hers.
But his stamina still exceeded her imagination.
From her observation, Xie Zhiyan often started his first meeting as early as 8 AM, with his entire day packed with back-to-back meetings. It was common for him to have less than half an hour for breaks and preparation in between.
Yet, even so, whenever she stayed at the apartment on any given night, this man always had the energy to get handsy with her.
Sometimes, more than one would be consumed in a single night.
The nearly empty box on the nightstand was clearly evidence of that.
Ning Yuxuan propped up her sore body with her arm, opened the nightstand drawer, and put the almost-empty box back inside.
She decided not to remind Xie Zhiyan to buy a new one for now. If they happened to run out over the weekend, it would be the perfect excuse to turn him down.
After doing this, she flopped back onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
The man showered quickly.
Ning Yuxuan had only been lost in thought for a short while when Xie Zhiyan emerged from the bathroom wearing a bathrobe.
It should have been a pleasing sight—the man had an excellent physique, reportedly the result of consistent exercise.
The first time she saw it, Ning Yuxuan had been slightly stunned, almost mesmerized.
But, to put it bluntly, she was starting to get a little tired of the view now.
So, the moment she met the freshly showered man's eyes, Ning Yuxuan asked, "What's for dinner?"
Xie Zhiyan: "If you're hungry, we could go out to eat?"
There were several restaurants just outside the residential complex, likely still open at this hour.
Ning Yuxuan rolled her eyes.
Of the three options—going out, ordering delivery, or cooking at home—Xie Zhiyan had picked the one she had ruled out first.
Ning Yuxuan: "No. Thanks to you, I can barely lift my legs. I don't want to go out."
The corner of Xie Zhiyan's mouth lifted slightly as he rephrased: "Then, would you prefer I cook, or should we order delivery?"
Ning Yuxuan once again marveled inwardly at this man's boundless energy.
After a full day of work, followed by nearly two hours of... exertion, he could still be so energetic.
In those supernatural horror movies, it's always the female demons draining the male scholars' vitality.
She felt it was completely the opposite between her and Xie Zhiyan.
Ning Yuxuan checked in with herself and realized that from lunch until now, nearly seven hours later, she wasn't very hungry.
Perhaps when the body is too tired, it overlooks the stomach's emptiness.
Since Xie Zhiyan seemed so full of energy, she saw no need to spare him any sympathy.
Ning Yuxuan: "I want you to cook."
After a pause, she added: "No noodles, no fried eggs, and definitely no frozen or pre-made meals."
In short, nothing that could be easily thrown together.
Xie Zhiyan nodded. "There should still be some ingredients left in the fridge. I'll go see what's there. Any other requests besides what you just mentioned?"
Ning Yuxuan thought for two seconds. "I want meat. That's it, I think."
Xie Zhiyan: "Alright."
With that, the man turned and headed for the living room.
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
It seemed he really wasn't tired at all, not even attempting to bargain.
Was this what they called a natural gift?
Ning Yuxuan lay in bed scrolling through her phone for a few minutes, making sure nothing important had come up during those previous two hours.
Today was Friday, technically a workday.
However, after the intense busyness of the new store openings over the past few weeks, things had finally calmed down enough for a breather, so she had taken the day off specifically to move.
It seemed everything was going smoothly on Zhou Lin's end, as she hadn't sent any messages looking for her all day.
Ning Shiyue, however, had sent a message: [You should have everything mostly sorted by now, right? If you forgot anything, send me a message ASAP. I might still have time to bring it over before I call it a night.]
The message was sent a little after 5 PM.
Ning Yuxuan thought for a moment and replied: [No need. Didn't forget anything. You should rest early.]
Ning Shiyue, probably having just finished dinner, replied quickly: [When I left, you only had clothes left to pack, right? It's been two hours, and you're just finishing up? You really are slow without my help.]
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
Forget it. It was impossible to explain, and he wouldn't understand anyway.
She simply decided not to reply.
Ning Yuxuan tossed her phone aside.
As she shifted her body to get out of bed, she let out a sharp "hiss."
Xie Zhiyan happened to walk back into the bedroom at that moment.
Ning Yuxuan assumed he had come to confirm the dinner menu with her, but she had no mind for that at the moment. Wincing in pain, she shifted her body back on the bed.
Xie Zhiyan: "What's wrong? Are you uncomfortable somewhere?"
Rubbing her waist, Ning Yuxuan shot him a glare. "What did you put on the bed? It dug into me and hurt like hell!"
A slight movement flickered between Xie Zhiyan's brows. He stepped forward, pulled back half of the duvet, and picked up the "culprit" that had just caused her pain.
Ning Yuxuan was still wrapped in the other half of the duvet. She looked up, and her previously accusatory expression instantly changed, her ears tingeing slightly red.
In the man's hand was the bra she had casually tossed onto the bed earlier while trying on a dress.
Observing the somewhat flustered woman who had temporarily lost her words, Xie Zhiyan raised an eyebrow.
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she spoke first, playing the accuser. "I don't remember leaving it here. With only two people in the house, it wouldn't be strange to think it was your thing, would it?"
Xie Zhiyan gave an "mm" of acknowledgment. "Not strange at all."
The man's expression was calm, his entire demeanor composed and unruffled.
In stark contrast to his reaction was the bra he held in his hand.
Ning Yuxuan had always had a fondness for pretty things. Even for undergarments like bras, which weren't usually seen by others, she would carefully select the color and style when shopping.
The one in the man's hand was a peach color, made of lace with semi-transparent floral edging and a small bow in the center.
Ning Yuxuan strongly suspected Xie Zhiyan was doing this on purpose.
Because he neither put the bra back on the bed nor made a move to return it to her. He simply held it in his hand, quietly watching her.
Under his gaze, Ning Yuxuan stumbled over her words: "Don't just keep holding it up like that... give... give it to me."
Xie Zhiyan finally handed the bra to her.
Ning Yuxuan snatched it with lightning speed.
Xie Zhiyan suddenly let out a soft chuckle. "Why so shy? It's not like I haven't seen others before."
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
Her silence seemed to encourage him. His tone, neither heavy nor light, was unhurried as he added, "That purple one last time, I was the one who unhooked it."
Ning Yuxuan: "Xie Zhiyan! What exactly did you come in here for?"
Under her furious glare, the man finally relented.
A faint smile lingered in Xie Zhiyan's eyes. "I came in to ask you if stir-fried shredded pork with green peppers and a side of stir-fried greens would be alright for dinner?"
Ning Yuxuan: "...Alright."
Xie Zhiyan: "Then rest a while longer. I'll call you when dinner is ready."
Ning Yuxuan couldn't wait to shoo him away. "Then hurry up. I'm already hungry."
Xie Zhiyan looked at her meaningfully and nodded.
Just before leaving, he turned to glance at her once more.
"That purple one before and today's piece... both are very pretty."
...
Getting out of bed, her legs still felt somewhat weak.
Ning Yuxuan walked to the full-length mirror in her loose, cotton pajamas.
Remembering what they had done just a while ago in front of this very mirror, she instantly felt her legs grow even sorer.
Such a large mirror not only provided a clear view of everything during certain activities but also made checking for marks very convenient.
Her eyes immediately landed on the red mark on her neck.
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
Thank goodness tomorrow was the weekend. Otherwise, with such a conspicuous spot, she'd have to worry about how to cover it up.
Looking further down, her chest was also scattered with marks of varying intensity.
In the midst of it all, she hadn't been able to pay attention to such details. The overwhelming physical sensations had immersed her completely, her mind almost blank.
Only now did it dawn on her—this time was truly different from every time before.
The man had left similar marks on her body in the past, but never this many.
It seemed her mention of the ex... really packed quite a punch.
Ning Yuxuan unbuttoned a few buttons of her pajama top and discovered there were even marks in places covered by the clothing.
She silently buttoned them back up.
Ning Yuxuan thought to herself that she absolutely must not mention that person in front of Xie Zhiyan again.
At least...
Not until her legs had fully recovered.
