Emboldened, she took Ye Li's hand and led him towards the dance floor. He didn't resist, his brow remaining furrowed. On his usually impassive face, a frown was the only expression Niu Shurui had ever seen.

His steps were slightly stiff. Afraid he might suddenly change his mind, Niu Shurui kept offering soft encouragement, too preoccupied to notice anything else.

So, when someone stepped on her dress, she was caught completely off guard. The force was clearly deliberate. Almost instantly, her strapless gown was being pulled down—Niu Shurui gasped and covered her chest, but she could still feel the fabric slipping.

She braced herself for public humiliation, cursing inwardly. Suddenly, a force intervened, halting the downward slide of her dress like a horse pulled back from the brink of a cliff.

Niu Shurui, startled, looked up. Ye Li’s expression remained unchanged, giving no hint of his emotions. He removed his suit jacket and draped it over her, then led her into a nearby lounge.

When Niu Shurui emerged, having adjusted her dress, Ye Li was standing rigidly by the door, staring straight ahead, lost in thought, seemingly unaware of her return.

"Thank you," Niu Shurui said, offering him back his jacket. Ye Li looked at her, but didn't take it. He pushed it back towards her. "Keep it on."

Seeing she hadn't moved, he reached out and placed the jacket back over her shoulders. The strategically revealing back of her dress was now completely covered. Niu Shurui opened her mouth to speak, then simply said, "Thank you."

Ye Li murmured in response and turned to leave. His hands, at his sides, unconsciously clenched and unclenched, fingers brushing against each other.

All that remained in his mind was the image of her bare skin, its soft texture. When her dress had been pulled down, the brief, unavoidable exposure had revealed the delicate flesh, trembling. The force had been so strong that it seemed as if the fabric itself would be ripped away, exposing her tender n1pples.

His breathing had quickened unconsciously. Just then, Niu Shurui caught up, muttering to herself, "Did they take away our desserts?" She looked around. Ye Li glanced down. The jacket was large, concealing most of her figure, yet he felt as though he could still see that scene.

Feeling increasingly hot, he suddenly regretted coming. Without pausing, he continued towards the exit.

From the moment Ye Li had appeared, all eyes had been on him. This latest incident plunged the room into silence.

Niu Shurui immediately followed him. Suddenly, a figure appeared before her, Ye Yanhui. "Dr. Niu, I entrust Ye Li to you… Please don't let his condition worsen."

"I know," Niu Shurui nodded, bypassing him to continue her pursuit.

After the two left, the room remained hushed. Ye Yanhui swept his gaze over the crowd, clearly furious. Ye Li had been showing signs of improvement.

Ye Li got into his car. Just as his foot touched the accelerator, he saw Niu Shurui rush out and try to get into the passenger seat. She tugged at the handle twice, but it wouldn't open. The window rolled down, and Ye Li said, "Sit in the back."

Considering the previous incident, Niu Shurui assumed Ye Li must be in a foul mood. She complied. As soon as she sat down, she heard him instruct, "Hand me the blanket from the back."

A blanket? It was early summer; why would he need a blanket?

Concerned, she leaned forward, wanting to check on him, but heard Ye Li's voice, sharper this time, "The blanket." Niu Shurui frowned, but didn't pry further. She handed him the blanket, which he spread over his lap. The car started quickly.

***

Ever since that night, whenever he closed his eyes, he felt as if he were touching Niu Shurui's skin. But he hadn't actually touched her. The yearning accumulated within him, and the intense obsession in his heart unconsciously shifted.

From fixating on trivial matters, it had become fixated on Niu Shurui. He no longer felt compelled to check and recheck things, or to seek out activities to fill the emptiness within him. Only one thought remained: to touch her, again, and again…

Niu Shurui, sensing Ye Li's reluctance, didn't press the issue. She stood up and said, "Alright."

Just then, a flash of red light flickered before her eyes. When she tried to focus on it, it vanished. Niu Shurui frowned. What was that?

"Dr. Niu," Ye Li suddenly spoke. When she looked at him, he gestured towards his left shoulder. "Your shirt."

Niu Shurui looked down. The neckline of her top today was lower than usual, and at some point, it had slipped to the right, exposing a sliver of her collarbone. She murmured an apology and quickly adjusted her clothing.

Suddenly, she thought she understood Ye Li's earlier question. Had his compulsion shifted, his obsessive need to control himself transforming into a need to control others—specifically, her?