It was strange. Even though they were up late together, she always slept in while he was somehow able to get up early.

Today, Zhong Yunde and Liang Yan were moving back home. Before leaving, Liang Yan couldn't resist expressing her opinion, grabbing Jiang Yi to complain, "Why stay at school? It's perfectly fine at home." She frowned, her expression full of exasperation. "Forget it, do what you want. But remember, even if you're staying at school, you still need to keep in touch with your brothers. You must come home on weekends."

Jiang Yi nodded in response. "Mm."

Liang Yan then happily walked out, her smile bright as she linked arms with Zhong Yunde.

Jiang Yi watched the car drive away before returning to her room.

That afternoon, she received a call from Qin Zezhou, whom she hadn't seen in a while.

This "while" referred to seeing each other in person. Online, they video called every few days.

Even when they weren't calling, his messages never stopped.

At its most extreme, when Jiang Yi opened his chat window, the screen would be filled with "Wife, I miss you so much."

She blushed, a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance. While quickly deleting these suggestive messages, she thought to herself that he didn't seem at all like the workaholic Qin Feifei described, constantly chasing after work. Well, Zhong Lin wasn't always like his usual self either, sometimes.

Back to the present.

The call connected, and she answered, "Hello."

After confirming it was her voice, a languid, deep voice sounded.

"Wife, come out and see me. I'm outside the villa, waiting for you at the usual spot."

Jiang Yi's ears flushed slightly. She pursed her lips to hide her shy smile, tracing circles on the table with her left index finger.

"I, I'm not going," she said.

Qin Zezhou chuckled on the other end, a light, pleasant sound.

Jiang Yi's ears grew even redder, and she felt a little lightheaded.

After his chuckle, the man said, "Okay, then I'll come in and find you."

Jiang Yi panicked at this and quickly changed her mind. "You, you don't come in! I'll go out!" The reply came quickly, "Okay, then hurry up, wife. Don't make me wait too long, or I'll really come in."

Listening closely, his voice held a hint of amusement, a playful teasing tone.

But Jiang Yi didn't dare to risk it. She was truly afraid he would swagger in, saying he was looking for her. So, after hanging up, she quickly got ready, bundling up warmly against the cold weather.

She ran into Uncle Lin downstairs, who asked where she was going. She said she was going out with a friend.

She wasn't good at lying; most of her recent lies had been about Qin Zezhou. Every outing with him required an excuse, a secret rendezvous.

She didn't even know how it had come to this, it was just like, just like…

"So afraid of me coming in to find you? Afraid Zhong Lin will find out, or Zhong Cheng? Afraid of both?" As soon as Jiang Yi got into the car, Qin Zezhou pulled her into his arms, planting several kisses on her cheeks. "Doesn't this feel like we're having an affair?"

Jiang Yi's face flushed crimson. He had bluntly voiced the two words she didn't even dare to think.

Her face grew hotter and hotter. The sight tightened Qin Zezhou's throat. He reached out and gently caressed her soft, pink cheek.

Her skin felt incredibly smooth and flawless under his touch.

Not only beautiful, but also delightful to touch. A jolt of electricity shot through him with each caress.

Perhaps it was the depth of his longing, but his self-control was particularly weak at this moment. Just looking at her, touching her, made his heart race and his entire body thrum with excitement.

"Too tight, hot…" Jiang Yi murmured, wriggling her shoulders and pulling at her arms, trying to loosen his embrace.

"Hot?" Qin Zezhou wasn't so easily persuaded. Not only did he not loosen his hold, but he held her even tighter, his free hand reaching for her clothes. "Hot, then take some off."

He untied her scarf while kissing her cheek, his lips moving down her face with urgent, hungry kisses. When the scarf was finally removed, he buried his face in the crook of her neck, his lips pressed tightly against her skin, sucking gently. His hand continued to tug at her collar.

Suddenly, his hand brushed against a chain. His eager movements stopped, and the heated, intimate atmosphere abruptly cooled.

Qin Zezhou pulled back, his gaze falling on the necklace he had caught on. His fingers traced the pendant, his expression darkening.

"Zhong Lin gave you this?"

Seeing the pendant in Qin Zezhou's hand, Jiang Yi instinctively tried to pull it back. Qin Zezhou hadn't been holding it tightly, so with her tug, the pendant slipped from his grasp.

He placed his hand on the back of her head, pulling her closer. His eyes lingered on the necklace resting against her collarbone. It was beautiful, perfectly complementing her.