The next morning, Cen Jin rummaged through her walk-in closet for a while before finding a summer top with a higher neckline.
Last night had been a bit wild—they had stayed in the car for nearly an hour, leaving them both drenched in sweat. When they went upstairs, from the elevator to the entryway, Li Wu had practically clung to her back, nuzzling and sniffing like a puppy.
Cen Jin could hardly handle his affection and the overwhelming surge of hormones. It took all her self-control not to corrupt him completely too soon.
Fortunately, she had work today. If they continued like this, there was no guarantee she wouldn’t do something even more outrageous to the young man.
Even though he was already her boyfriend, perhaps because she had watched him grow up, even with her efforts to adapt and embrace the new dynamic, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt at times.
After spritzing on the cool setting spray and making sure her mind was clear and calm, Cen Jin finally left the bedroom.
Li Wu was sitting at the dining table eating breakfast. He seemed a little surprised to see her up so early.
Then came the shyness. In the few seconds she looked at him, his mind flickered with hazy, warm, and vivid fragments.
He noticed the style of her top today, his ears turning completely red. He quickly muttered "Good morning," then lowered his head to continue eating his porridge, using the bowl to hide the corners of his lips that kept curling upward uncontrollably.
Hah, last night he was like a thirsty young beast, and today he’s as pure and innocent as a snowflake.
He really knows how to switch gears effortlessly.
Cen Jin chuckled inwardly as she walked past him to fiddle with the coffee machine. With her back to him, she asked, “Did you sleep well last night?”
Li Wu’s face grew even hotter. He coughed lightly and replied, “Pretty well.”
“Really?” Cen Jin didn’t believe him.
Remembering her relationship rules, Li Wu corrected himself honestly, “Not really. I barely slept all night.”
Cen Jin glanced back at him, teasing deliberately, “What’s going on? Is being in a relationship keeping you up at night?”
Li Wu fell silent, quickly finishing the last few bites of his porridge before getting up to serve a bowl for Cen Jin in the kitchen.
Standing side by side at the counter, Cen Jin glanced at him and reached up to tug his ear. “Has there been a single moment these past two days when your ears weren’t red?”
Li Wu’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly set down the bowl and grabbed her hand. “Stop touching me.”
His voice was deeper than before, somewhere between a plea and a warning.
Cen Jin struggled a couple of times but couldn’t break free. She lifted her eyes to look at him. “Why can’t I touch you?”
“Don’t you need to go to work?” His threat was like a little tiger puffing up—impressive for a second before he faltered, breaking into a smile and loosening his grip on her wrist.
Seizing the opportunity, Cen Jin lightly punched his chest twice. “Oh, so you’re tough now—is that it?”
Li Wu released her hand, letting it drop for a moment before pulling her into his arms with one swift motion. He buried his face against her neck and took a deep breath.
Cen Jin’s whole body tingled, and she couldn’t help but want to wrap her arms around his neck and do something reckless and out of line. Mostly, it was because he smelled so good—that youthful, solid, fresh scent she never encountered at the office. She wouldn’t smell it for the rest of the day, and she knew she’d miss it.
But she couldn’t let herself go.
After all, she still had work.
Cen Jin pushed against the young man’s chest, her tone carrying an unintentional clinginess. “Alright, I really need to go to work.”
Li Wu felt it but didn’t budge. His nose brushed along her jawline, and he placed two feather-light kisses behind her ear before reluctantly straightening up.Cen Jin’s entire body stiffened, as if she could vividly picture the scene: his sharp facial contours, his straight and prominent nose, and his eyes, intoxicated by her.
The rhythm of her heartbeat quickened slightly.
So when Li Wu’s hand withdrew from the small of her back, she immediately took a step back—a rather large step, as if drawing a wide, invisible boundary.
Cen Jin turned back to making coffee, her mind unsettled. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Li Wu carrying his bowl back to the table, his gait composed and unruffled. She couldn’t help but curse under her breath, That little brat.
…
After breakfast, Cen Jin and Li Wu left the house together. She dropped him off at the subway station entrance before driving to work.
As soon as she booted up her computer and logged into the PC version of WeChat, she received a greeting from her younger boyfriend: At the office yet?
Cen Jin replied: Yes.
She wondered if she should enforce some rules ahead of time, setting Li Wu to a temporary "Do Not Disturb" mode.
Otherwise, the kid would most likely pester her with messages, and she wouldn’t be able to focus on her work for the next two hours.
In that brief moment, he had already replied.
Li Wu: Go ahead and work.
Li Wu: I like you.
Li Wu: Today’s dose. Forgot to say it to your face this morning.
Those three sentences instantly made Cen Jin’s eyes crinkle with laughter, her cheekbones lifting skyward. If it weren’t for her colleagues nearby, she would have cupped her face and reread them forty or fifty times.
She glanced sideways at Lù Qíqí, who was sulkily editing photos on her left, then pressed her lips together and mentally switched her status from "Do Not Disturb" back to "Q Me":
Cen Jin: What about you? At school yet?
Li Wu: Three stops away.
Cen Jin asked: Going to the lab again today?
Li Wu replied: Yeah, might be a bit later today, probably past five.
Cen Jin paused: Then don’t come back. I’ll probably be working overtime too.
Li Wu said: I can wait for you at home.
Cen Jin curled her lip: How are you going to wait for me at home? Can you even get in?
Li Wu asked: Did you delete my fingerprint?
Cen Jin lied: Yes.
There was silence from his end for a while: Then I’ll wait for you downstairs.
His ability to play the victim hadn’t diminished in three years. Cen Jin had no choice but to relent: I didn’t delete it. Go home if you want, but I can’t guarantee when I’ll be back.
Li Wu: Okay.
Cen Jin got ready to work and sent a goodbye sticker: Bye~ Big sister needs to go make money.
Li Wu stopped her: One more thing.
Cen Jin: Go on.
Li Wu: Did you check out my gift?
Cen Jin froze. Over the past couple of days, aside from sleeping, she had been practically glued to Li Wu and had completely forgotten about it.
Luckily, she was carrying the same bag as on the first of the month. She quickly turned to rummage through it, pulling out the small gift box from the bottom.
The pink packaging was rather eye-catching, and Lù Qíqí’s gaze was drawn to it.
Sensing this, Cen Jin didn’t open it immediately. But leaving her curiosity hanging wasn’t an option either. After sitting restlessly for a moment, she clutched the box in one hand, picked up her cup with the other as a cover, and headed to the pantry.
The whole way, she walked as if she were a spy on a secret mission.
Once she successfully infiltrated the pantry, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, removed the small flower attached to the packaging, and swiftly unwrapped it. Inside was a beige velvet box. When Cen Jin opened it, she found an exceptionally delicate ladies’ wristwatch.
Rose gold in color with a retro design, the brand wasn’t particularly luxurious, but it was clearly carefully chosen. The hour markers were twelve small gemstones in different colors, showcasing unique craftsmanship.
Cen Jin took it out and held it against her wrist. The dial was elegant, and the strap was slender, resembling a stylish bracelet.The watch was a token of their bond, its significance self-evident.
Cen Jin silently praised his good taste, then thought, it was her own aesthetic sense that had rubbed off on him.
Standing in place, Cen Jin grew fonder and happier the longer she looked at it. She simply removed her VCA watch and replaced it with the one Li Wu had given her. She wanted this joy to cling to her every moment, to be bound by it.
Just then, voices approached. Cen Jin quickly pulled out her phone, raised her wrist to snap a photo, then packed everything away and hurried back to her seat.
She sent the picture to Li Wu, mimicking his past reply: "The watch is beautiful, thank you, little brother."
The young man seemed incredulous: "You're already wearing it?"
Cen Jin replied: "Of course. My boyfriend gave it to me, why wouldn't I wear it? Unlike some people who used to be so awkward about it."
Li Wu appeared dizzy with happiness, sending three laughing emojis in rapid succession.
Cen Jin was amused by this fool and found herself smiling too.
Li Wu then said bluntly: "I really want to kiss you right now."
"How gross," Cen Jin retorted. "Are you crazy? Have you reached school yet?"
Li Wu: "Just entered the campus."
Cen Jin: "Ok, my child has entered the kindergarten, so I can rest easy. I really need to work now. Please focus on your research and stop letting your mind wander all day."
As always, Li Wu was obedient: "Mm."
Closing the chat window, Cen Jin pressed her lips together firmly, as if trying to squeeze back the overflowing joy behind them.
Switching back to her document, she glanced up and immediately met Lu Qiqi's scrutinizing gaze.
Cen Jin: "..."
Lu Qiqi curled her lips into a meaningful smile: "You're up to something."
Cen Jin touched her face, eyebrows slightly raised: "Up to what?"
Lu Qiqi began her deduction: "You've been smiling at your computer since you sat down, and you've been acting sneaky. Who are you trying to fool?"
To avoid excessive questioning from colleagues if she confessed, Cen Jin pretended to be perfectly composed, her acting skills Oscar-worthy: "Can't I smile while chatting with a friend?"
Lu Qiqi's eyes were like spotlights, half-convinced and half-suspicious, as she turned back to her own computer.
Cen Jin let out a soft sigh, stretched her neck twice, and focused on writing her video script.
―
After years in the industry, her intuition had become sharp and accurate. Cen Jin worked overtime until 10 p.m. before heading home.
That day, she had barely spoken to Li Wu.
Of course, this well-behaved boy hadn't disturbed her either.
He'd only asked at noon if she had eaten on time. Busy, Cen Jin had ordered takeout to satisfy this nineteen-year-old father-figure's check-in.
In that moment, Cen Jin suddenly felt an illusion:
Their roles had reversed.
This wasn't a good sign. Cen Jin disliked being easily controlled or constrained by others—it made any relationship feel like walking a tightrope, precarious and lacking security. On her way home from work, realizing she needed to correct this, she called Li Wu and asked if he wanted any late-night snacks, as she could bring some back on her way.
Li Wu: "I've already made you supper."
Cen Jin was speechless. After a few seconds of silence, she asked: "What supper?"
Li Wu said: "The bean sprout soup you loved during the pandemic."
Cen Jin paused: "I'll be home soon."
Waiting at a red light, Cen Jin suddenly understood why she couldn't naturally develop a flirtatious relationship with this boy last year. Beyond personality differences, they were too familiar with each other, unable to generate the push-and-pull and testing that comes with the mystery and novelty between men and women.While most relationships evolve from lovers to family, theirs was the complete opposite, making it more sensitive and challenging.
Perhaps it was her innate nature or influenced by her upbringing, but Cen Jin often found herself slipping into empathy involuntarily.
She began to imagine what Li Wu had endured over the past two years, recalling the pressure she had exerted on him, her cold indifference, her explosive temper, and even her presumptuousness.
How could she have treated this quiet, cautious boy who adored her so innocently in such a way?
Glancing at the skyscraper outside bathed in the blue glow of cocktail-hour lights, she felt as arrogant and icy as the city itself.
Absolutely ridiculous.
Cen Jin.
She cursed herself.
Back home, this realization grew even more tangible. The first thing she saw was her slippers placed neatly on the entryway rug, facing the door—as if they finally had the right to be positioned there without causing their owner to overthink.
His meticulousness revealed just how repressed and self-restrained he had been all these years.
Cen Jin’s eyes grew warm. She slipped into the slippers but didn’t venture further inside, calling out instead, "Li Wu!"
The young man rushed out from the study, skidding to a halt in front of her, his eyes asking, "What’s wrong?"
Cen Jin met his gaze. "Come here, let me hug you."
He immediately took two steps forward, pulling her into his chest. Bending his head, he pressed close to her temple and asked, "Was work tough today?"
Cen Jin didn’t answer. Instead, she patted his back, slow and gentle, one stroke after another, as if soothing a child to sleep—even though this "child" stood a head taller than her. It also felt like she was comforting herself. After a moment, she mumbled into his shoulder, "My sweetheart, my little cutie, my good boy, my precious little brother—we must love each other well, okay?"
The string of endearments pleased Li Wu immensely, his lips curling into a wide grin. "Of course," he said, tightening his arms around her in a firm embrace.
They held each other for a long while, reluctant to part, before finally shuffling together like conjoined twins toward the kitchen, where Cen Jin finally let go.
Li Wu didn’t release her completely but lifted her wrist, glancing at the watch strap he had bought and double-checking, "You really like it?"
"Of course I do. Why would I wear it if I didn’t?" Cen Jin pinched his nose with her other hand. "Have a little confidence in yourself. You have such great taste."
Even while complimenting him, she managed to praise herself indirectly. Li Wu chuckled and eagerly turned to the stove to heat up some soup, eager to showcase his skills and please her.
Cen Jin sat back at the dining table, resting her chin in her hand as she watched him bustling around the kitchen. Occasionally, their eyes met, and they exchanged smiles, evoking an unconscious sense of tranquil contentment.
Suddenly, her phone vibrated, snapping Cen Jin out of her reverie. She swiped it open, and the smile on her lips instantly froze.
There was a message from Wu Fu on WeChat—a digital wedding invitation.
True to the creativity of a 4A agency’s creative director, the invitation opened with a captivating, playful 20-second animated video that ended on a freeze frame of a quirky wedding photo of the bride and groom, radiating happiness.
The newlyweds’ names were clearly inscribed below in rounded, adorable lettering.Cen Jin's gaze lingered on the bride's name "Bian Xinran," momentarily lost in thought. The slightly dramatic turn of events made the invitation seem uncertain—whether it was a sincere gesture or a veiled provocation. Or perhaps it signaled the final chapter of her and Wu Fu's marital story, where she stood as the complete loser, unable to keep pace with her ex-husband's swift entry into another picture-perfect romance.
After a moment of mixed emotions, Cen Jin curled her lips into a cold smile and turned off her phone.
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