Niu Shurui stopped struggling.

Ye Li's persistent talk of having a child was partly why Niu Shurui insisted on walking. She genuinely feared becoming pregnant if she remained confined to the bed.

Being upright made things different; the height difference prevented him from having intercourse while she walked. Niu Shurui was thankful for her short stature; otherwise, he surely would have tried. It also confirmed that his desire for a child was genuine, not just a ploy to control her. He wouldn't constantly stare at her legs while she walked if it were.

But if that were true, wouldn't it contradict her earlier assumptions?

What kind of childhood trauma could make him both unwilling to revisit the past and deeply yearn for a child of his own?

Could Ye Li be acting, misleading her?

Niu Shurui pulled him to the window and parted the heavy curtains. Sunlight streamed onto her face, and she instinctively squinted. By the time she opened her eyes, Ye Li had closed the curtains.

A flicker of red light caught her attention, and she quickly looked at Ye Li.

His expression seemed normal. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"It's too bright," he replied calmly.

Niu Shurui cautiously opened the curtains a crack, then wider as her eyes adjusted. This time, Ye Li didn't object, but draped a towel around her.

They stood quietly, looking out at the trees. "What are you thinking?" Niu Shurui asked.

"Nothing," he said, his tone still even.

Niu Shurui looked back at him. Ye Li suddenly licked his lips and pressed her against the window, kissing her left eyelid. His large hand cradled the back of her head, a gesture both protective and possessive. Niu Shurui pushed against him a few times, then gave up when she realized it was futile.

Closing her eyes, she continued, "What were you thinking when you saw the email and came into the office?"

The man above her froze, his kissing stopping abruptly.

Niu Shurui seized the opportunity, opening her eyes to look at him intently. Ye Li suddenly lifted her, burying his face against her chest, nuzzling her as he mumbled, "You can only be mine."

His voice was muffled, either from being pressed against her or something else. "Is that all?" Niu Shurui asked.

Ye Li nodded firmly. "Yes."

Niu Shurui wasn't convinced. The red light continued to flicker faintly. From its first appearance, she had sensed it was a bad omen.

Red was the color of warning, of prohibition. The flashing was like a warning light.

If such simple thoughts triggered the light, it wouldn't be intensifying. Besides, its appearances never boded well for her.

Ye Li was hiding something, and it wasn't good.

Niu Shurui pushed his head away. "Let's eat."

Ye Li nodded, carrying her back to the bed before heading towards the door.

Ever since she had retrieved the glass bottle during his brief absence, Ye Li had instructed the household staff to leave their meals outside the door.

In a way, he hadn't just confined her; he had imprisoned himself as well.

While he fetched their food, Niu Shurui slipped out of bed and hurried towards the bathroom, keeping her steps light so he wouldn't hear. Somehow, he sensed her movement and turned. "Niuniu?"

Niu Shurui froze, then quickened her pace. "I'm going to the bathroom."

"I'll carry you," he said, setting down the food and hurrying after her. Niu Shurui darted inside and locked the door.

Ye Li tried to squeeze in until the last moment, bumping against the door. When he realized it was locked, he began knocking. "Niuniu… open the door, Niuniu, I'll come with you… You promised you wouldn't leave me again… Niuniu…"

Niu Shurui felt a mix of emotions. If he weren't so insistent, she wouldn't risk this confrontation.

Since gentle persuasion hadn't worked, she needed a different approach. "Ye Li, I'm just using the bathroom. I'm not leaving."

"We can go together. Haven't we always done that?" Ye Li sounded confused, his improved mood darkening again.

Standing inside, Niu Shurui wasn't sure whether to continue.

She considered herself mentally resilient, but the thought of a man standing outside the bathroom door, constantly knocking and reminding her of his presence, was unsettling. She couldn't simply ignore him.

"Ye Li, this is a private matter. It's perfectly normal to use the bathroom alone… I can't get used to doing it with you," she coaxed, even though leaving the bathroom might mean facing another episode. She refused to back down. As he had said, he had been carrying her to the bathroom every time.

He had promised not to look, and he kept his word, but Niu Shurui couldn't adapt. She had even reduced her water intake because of it.

She was starting to feel the physical effects of dehydration, and until she found a new way forward, she had to carve out some semblance of normalcy.

Ye Li couldn't understand. They had been intimate; what could be more private than that? They were n4ked together every day; there was nothing he hadn't seen.

He had witnessed all her reactions; he didn't care about this. He accepted her completely.

He had promised not to look until she was comfortable, and he had always kept his promise.

Why did she insist on shutting him out?