Before heading home from work, Cen Jin made a special trip to a nearby vintage general store and picked out a pair of couple mugs, intending to bring them back as a small reward for the academic progress of the male college student at home.
But the moment she opened the door, before she could even show them to him, she herself was unwrapped as the prize instead.
It wasn't just tearing off the wrapping paper—it felt like she was being stripped down to the bone. All she could do was cling tightly to his waist, praising his vibrant vitality with fragmented, breathless moans.
Afterward, Cen Jin lay sprawled on the bed, both satisfied and exhausted, thinking she could skip the step of removing her makeup since her face had already been licked clean.
Meanwhile, Li Wu had gone to the kitchen to cook dinner for her. As the savory aroma wafted irresistibly into the room, Cen Jin turned over, buried her face in the pillow, and laughed.
She loved this kind of aggression and explosive energy.
Perhaps because her ex-husband had been relatively gentle, cautious, and moderate—even in these matters—Li Wu's sudden assaults felt all the more refreshing and exhilarating.
Especially when he pinned her down into the mattress in the unlit bedroom. The dim surroundings made everything seem wild and treacherous, while the young man was like a powerful, agile male leopard, pouncing, dragging, and ultimately claiming her completely. His unrestrained intensity and ragged breaths left her intoxicated and willing to play the role of a helpless prey, crying out yet drowning in ecstasy.
Ah.
Cen Jin couldn't resist sharing with her close friend—she had already taken the virginity of her boyfriend, who wasn't even twenty yet.
Chun Chang squealed with excitement like a big mother monkey: "What did it feel like?"
Cen Jin thought for a long time and summed it up precisely in four words: "Corpus luteum rupture."
Chun Chang: "Holy shit? For real?"
Cen Jin: "Of course, that's an exaggeration."
Chun Chang had nothing to say besides being insanely jealous.
...
After a quick shower, Cen Jin changed into comfortable loungewear, tied up her hair, and went to the kitchen to find Li Wu.
He was frying pork chops. Glancing back at her, he smiled.
Cen Jin walked over and wrapped her arms around his lean waist, quietly pressing against his back. After a moment, her hands grew restless, slipping under the hem of his shirt to engage in some affectionate communication with his abs.
Li Wu's Adam's apple bobbed, and he coughed lightly. "Sis..."
Cen Jin withdrew her hand and released him, then brought the couple mugs from the coffee table, unwrapped them, and set them on the table. After a moment's thought, she pushed Li Wu's mug to the opposite side.
When Li Wu finished plating the food and returned carrying two servings of pork cutlet rice that looked as good as any from a Japanese restaurant, he noticed the mug.
It was all white, featuring a raised, grainy black-and-white line drawing of Einstein sticking out his tongue, with a formula printed on the back.
He examined it carefully, unable to put it down, and smiled down at the woman. "For me?"
Cen Jin propped her chin on her hand and nodded gently. "Yeah, for you, little physicist. Take it to school. It's getting cold—remember to drink more hot water. Stay healthy, and may all your wishes come true."
Li Wu's smile didn't fade. "Okay," then he glanced at the mug in her hand. "Who's on yours?"
Cen Jin held hers up. "Archimedes. This set only has physicist designs, so I'll make do to match with my boyfriend."
Li Wu was overjoyed. He immediately washed and sterilized both mugs, then came back with some sweet sparkling water.
Sitting face to face, they chatted casually while eating. Before she knew it, Cen Jin's bowl was empty.
Perhaps it was because Li Wu's cooking was exceptional—the crispy exterior and tender interior made it impossible to stop eating—or perhaps she was genuinely hungry and tired, needing high-calorie food to replenish her energy.Li Wu asked if she wanted more, as there was still some rice and seafood tofu soup in the pot.
Cen Jin shook her head.
Li Wu then scraped all the remaining rice and soup together, mixed them, and lowered his head to focus on finishing it.
Cen Jin rested her cheek on her hand, watching him eat with eyes curved like crescent moons. She really never tired of watching his live "eating show" in person, just as she had for the past three years.
Noticing her gaze fixed on him, Li Wu grew somewhat uncomfortable and asked again, "Sis, are you sure you don’t want any more?"
"No, I’m full," Cen Jin placed both hands on her stomach. "Li Wu, don’t call me 'sis' anymore."
His eyelashes, like tiny brushes, lifted as his bright eyes met hers. "What should I call you then?"
Cen Jin lowered her hands, folding them on the table. "My name, my full name."
"Oh..." he murmured softly, lowering his eyes and continuing to eat.
"Say it," Cen Jin urged.
Li Wu raised an eyebrow. "Now?"
"Of course."
Holding his chopsticks, a flush crept up his ears. He rubbed his neck a few times but still couldn’t bring himself to say it.
Cen Jin tilted her head in confusion. "Is it that hard? You were so confident about it yesterday."
Li Wu set down his chopsticks. "I was emotional then—it just came out."
"And now you can’t say it?"
Li Wu fell silent, gathering his emotions before speaking rapidly, "Cen Jin."
Cen Jin chided sternly, "I didn’t hear you clearly. Look at me and say it properly."
The young man’s face reddened. He licked his lips, then pressed them together, as if steeling himself, and met her gaze directly. "Cen Jin."
His voice was clear and crisp, each syllable enunciated perfectly, making even an ordinary name seem imbued with affection.
As their eyes met, Cen Jin’s heart skipped a beat. Then, she curved her lips into a smile and replied, "Mm," sealing the agreement. "It’s settled then—call me that from now on."
Li Wu still smiled shyly. "Mm."
Cen Jin slipped her foot out of her slipper, stretched it out, and nudged his knee under the table. "What are you so shy about, anyway?"
"I’ll tell you later," Li Wu said, burying his head in his meal again.
A few minutes later, when Cen Jin lost her balance and clung tightly to him, lifting off the chair, she finally understood.
She nestled against his shoulder, muttering, "It’s just a change in how you address me. Was such a big reaction really necessary?"
…
―
Li Wu adapted quickly. By bedtime, he was already able to kiss the woman’s forehead calmly and say, "Cen Jin, goodnight," without a change in expression.
Cen Jin was quite pleased, as if she had handed over a key, allowing him to become the male master of the house who could stand as her equal.
The title "sis," aside from being like a cheat code, also tended to give her an added sense of superiority. She needed a more direct form of address to remind herself, to maintain fairness and balance in their romantic relationship.
Leaning against Li Wu’s chest as she played on her phone, Cen Jin heard his even breathing.
Her boy had fallen asleep.
Cen Jin wriggled upward, bringing herself face-to-face with Li Wu’s sleeping expression. His eyelashes were so long, the kind that hung straight down, like reeds in the night, covering a clear spring.
Afraid of waking him, she resisted the urge to touch them and instead admired his lips. When awake, they were always taut, pressed together, restrained by various emotions, like a guarded door. But now, their outline was slightly upturned, parted in a lazy gap that left room for opportunity.
Cen Jin watched motionlessly, suddenly feeling confused again.There was no doubt she loved him, yet this love remained like a cocktail of unclear composition but enticing hue—blended with tenderness, need, and obsession, never quite logical, only to be navigated step by step.
She lightly brushed her lips against Li Wu's mouth.
The young man's brow furrowed slightly, the curve of his lips becoming more defined as he murmured drowsily, "Sis..."
Cen Jin corrected him seriously in an equally soft voice, "Cen Jin."
Li Wu fell silent again.
Cen Jin curved her lips into a faint smile, turned over, and opened WeChat.
Her eyes lifted as she noticed her friend request to that KOL had been accepted, though he hadn't sent any messages.
Cen Jin tightened her brow and initiated a polite greeting, introducing herself: "Mr. Zhou, hello. I'm Cen Jin, client manager at Aoxing. I apologize for disturbing you so late regarding yesterday's video infringement issue. First, I'd like to sincerely apologize for this matter, and then I'd like to hear your opinions and requests to see how we can resolve this in a way most acceptable to you. Would that be alright?"
After sending it, Cen Jin planned to skim through his Moments to gauge his interests for a targeted approach. Unfortunately, Professor Zhou had set it to "visible for the last three days," which showed nothing. His profile picture and background were both scenic, giving off a middle-aged or elderly vibe, making Cen Jin consider whether to buy some health supplements tomorrow morning.
Zhou Suian didn't leave her hanging, but his response was almost as cold as ignoring her, even carrying a hint of sarcasm: "You don't need to worry about it. I'll repost my posts, you post your videos."
Cen Jin: "..."
After a moment's thought, she stated her purpose directly: "But the infringement is real and has occurred. We don't want to overlook it—this was indeed our mistake and our fault. If possible, we'd like to purchase the copyright for this segment from you to minimize the harm and loss caused to you."
Zhou Suian replied: "So you want me to quote a price now?"
Cen Jin exhaled: "If it's convenient for you, the sooner the better, since your Weibo influence is quite significant. But if you're not available now or need more time to consider, we'll wait patiently."
Zhou Suian said: "Then wait."
Cen Jin was speechless.
Difficult.
These two words flashed through Cen Jin's mind. She clenched her fists for a moment but finally replied with a polite smiley face: "Alright, looking forward to your reply."
Putting down her phone, the warmth inside Cen Jin vanished instantly. She turned over and pressed close to Li Wu to recharge.
Li Wu stirred, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her even closer, leaving no space between them.
His tall frame almost enveloped her entirely.
Tucked within his embrace, Cen Jin felt a sudden sense of fragile dependence—protected and contained. She grew dazed and softly called out, "Husband..."
"Hmm."
A young, drowsy nasal sound responded, like a murmur in a dream.
Cen Jin snapped awake and slapped his sturdy back.
Li Wu woke instantly, his wide eyes urgently finding her face: "What's wrong?"
"What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything."
Feigning ignorance, Cen Jin scratched his chin like petting a cat: "What were you 'hmm'-ing about just now, huh?"
Li Wu's smile was subtle: "I think I dreamed you called me..."
"What?" she probed cautiously, afraid he was pretending to be asleep—if so, she'd be utterly mortified.
The young man stayed silent, a triumphant gleam in his smile, as if he'd just emerged from the most wonderful dream in the entire universe.He didn’t dare to speak openly, so it seemed he truly believed it was a dream. Cen Jin relaxed, hugged him, and whispered softly, “Good night.”
―
The next morning, Cen Jin woke up early, following Li Wu’s lead, planning to go with him to F University to meet Professor Zhou in person.
Waiting foolishly was the least advisable professional behavior. Watching the product’s reputation depreciate and hit rock bottom day by day would only make clients doubt their emergency handling capabilities from then on.
After arriving at F University, the two kissed goodbye in the car. Li Wu wished her smooth progress before grabbing his backpack and heading to the teaching building, glancing back repeatedly along the way.
The morning air was clear and refreshing. Cen Jin wandered aimlessly around the campus. After contacting her old classmate who had stayed on as a faculty member, she explained her intentions and asked how she could meet this Professor Zhou.
Fortunately, her classmate happened to know him personally and acted as a bridge, arranging a morning tea for the three of them.
The meeting place was a café Cen Jin was quite familiar with.
On the second day after confirming her relationship with Li Wu during the summer break, when she came to the university to see him, she had worked here while waiting for him all afternoon.
Cen Jin was the first to arrive. She chose a booth with the best lighting and patiently waited.
Half an hour later, her old classmate, Chai Siming, called back to say they were almost there.
Just as she hung up, the window beside her was tapped firmly.
Cen Jin looked over and saw two men standing outside the clear glass.
Although Chai Siming was closer and she recognized him at first glance, her eyes involuntarily drifted to the man beside him.
Cen Jin was somewhat surprised.
Because Professor Zhou’s appearance was beyond her expectations—he was not the refined, scholarly type she had imagined, as his name might suggest.
He was taller than Chai Siming, wearing a camel-colored overcoat. His features couldn’t be called handsome, but his overall aura was captivating.
Cen Jin couldn’t immediately guess his exact age, as his complexion and posture seemed quite youthful. His back wasn’t entirely straight; he appeared slender, casual, and relaxed, exuding the vibe of a troublemaker who sat in the back row during school days. Yet, the composure in his eyes behind his glasses was unmistakable—a calmness that couldn’t be forged overnight but required years of accumulated experience.
His hair was slightly curly and tousled by the wind. Between his pale fingers, he held a cigarette, taking a drag. After glancing at Cen Jin, he put it down and curved his lips into a faint, elusive smile.
Snapping back to reality, Cen Jin quickly put on the perfected, polished smile she had honed since switching careers, using it to greet them.
The cigarette had been either extinguished or discarded by the man before entering. In any case, by the time the three gathered and sat down, Zhou Suian had nothing in his hands.
Cen Jin, who had wanted to confirm the cigarette brand up close, had no choice but to let it go.
Cen Jin reintroduced herself, adjusting her address according to the situation: “Professor Zhou, hello, I’m the Aoxing account manager who contacted you last night…”
Zhou Suian looked at her: “Cen Jin.”
Cen Jin paused, then smiled. “Yes.”
“In such a hurry for a quote?” After the server came to take their orders, Zhou Suian got straight to the point even faster than she did.
Whether naturally or due to years of smoking, the man’s voice was slightly hoarse, as if his vocal cords were grating with sand.
Cen Jin didn’t beat around the bush either, stating her purpose directly: “Mainly, I’m in a hurry to have you delete the Weibo post.”
“Alright,” Zhou Suian agreed casually, then took out his phone from his pocket, his lips quirking slightly. “Miss Cen, how about treating me to a meal alone at noon?”
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