"I can give you anything. What is it you want? Even if I don't have it, I'll move heaven and earth to get it for you… But you… all I want is for you to stay with me. Why can't you even do that?"

Niu Shurui bit her lip, staring at the floor.

Ye Li gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Niuniu, you're the one locked up. You're the one who should be begging, not me. Beg me, and I'll give you anything."

Both their eyes were red, but with entirely different emotions. Niu Shurui's usual composure was gone, replaced by a mixture of defiance and anguish. The moment Ye Li met her gaze, something inside him shifted. The harshness in his eyes softened, his shoulders slumped, and his entire demeanor deflated. 

He looked like a heartbroken, neglected puppy. He released her hands, intertwining his fingers with hers. He bent down, resting his forehead against her shoulder. "Except for letting you go, and… not listening to you during s3x… I'll listen to you about everything else, okay? Niuniu, please don't shut me out anymore."

"I don't like it… I'm scared…"

"You should hold me, like that day… stroke my head, my face, and tell me it's okay to cry. If you just hold me, I'll be good… You can even kiss me again, and maybe then I'll let you leave the room, walk around outside."

"You haven't seen my home, have you? I'll show you where I studied, from childhood to university. Didn't you want to know about my past? I'll show you everything, okay?"

"Just don't leave. I'm begging you, Niuniu… Don't leave me…"

Ye Li's body tensed, then began to tremble uncontrollably as the terrifying image of her leaving consumed him. He pulled her into a desperate embrace. His tall frame had to bend almost double to hold her close, but he still managed to lift her off the floor, her feet dangling in the air.

Niu Shurui felt his vulnerability, her eyes half-closed. After a long moment, she still couldn't bring herself to respond.

Without a response, Ye Li nuzzled his face into her shoulder, seeking comfort in the contact. "Niuniu, let's take a bath… You don't like being dirty, do you? I'll help you get clean…" He lifted her and carried her to the bathtub.

The tub had overflowed repeatedly, spilling water across the bathroom floor. The room was filled with steam.

Ye Li picked up the drain stopper, and the water began to recede rapidly. He kissed Niu Shurui as he spoke. "We need to rinse you properly. Soaking in this will make you sick. Niuniu, are you embarrassed? It's okay, I'll help you."

Niu Shurui's heart leaped, and she began to struggle. Anticipating this, Ye Li quickly pressed her back into the tub, holding her down as he adjusted the showerhead to a gentle spray, directing it at her breasts.

"Don't worry, Niuniu, I'll be gentle."

True to his word, he simply rinsed her body with the water. Seeing her relax slightly, he released his hold on her to dispense some body wash, lathering it in his hands before spreading it over her skin.

The soap made his touch even more fluid, allowing him to increase the pressure of his massage, especially on her br3asts, without causing her too much pain. He always favored this part of her body during their baths. His fingers spread, kneading her flesh from the inside out, occasionally closing them to admire the soft flesh caught between them. He longed to lower his head and bite into her. He glanced at Niu Shurui's expression and restrained himself. He cupped her br3ast, running his hand from the base to the tip, making it stand even more erect than usual.

He teased her n1pples with his fingernails, imagining how they would swell after she bore his children, how they would look when she nursed. He would help her express the excess milk, he thought, and drink it all himself.