But after only a few seconds, he silently looked away again.

Zhou Ji called the manager over and paid for her expenses for the evening.

Upon seeing the details on the bill, a faint, cold smile appeared on the man's lips, fleeting and almost imperceptible.

Jiang Yue heard the cold laugh above her head, looked up and met the man's stern and authoritative gaze. She felt that Zhou Ji was mocking her, and asked somewhat unhappily, "What are you laughing at?"

Zhou Ji pondered for a long time, then said in a way that seemed both true and false: "I think I'm ridiculous."

Jiang Yue slowly furrowed her beautiful brows, as if trying to figure out if he was teasing her on purpose. After a few seconds, she calmly replied, "Oh, a little bit."

Zhou Ji silently put away the bill, his hand still around her waist, his fingertips warm, as if he could feel the burning heat of her skin through her clothes. He casually asked, "Did you have fun tonight?"

Jiang Yue initially found it quite interesting, but her interest was completely ruined when she met him in the corridor.

It was her first time in such a place, so she was naturally a little curious. She had indeed been charmed by these young, handsome boys with eight-pack abs that she could touch at will.

But Zhou Ji's sudden appearance was like a bucket of cold water poured on her; the small flame that had just been ignited was splattered and started to smoke.

Jiang Yue declined to comment.

This was the first time Gu Chen and Fu Qingnian had witnessed the two interacting in private, and it was completely different from what they had imagined.

Jiang Yue no longer looks like she used to be, clinging and groveling.

On the contrary, she didn't seem to like talking to people, especially Zhou Ji, whom she ignored and even replied to with perfunctory words.

Patience is even less of a concern.

I can't wait to get rid of him.

Gu Chen found it strange that Jiang Yue had suddenly changed so much. He hadn't heard that she had suffered any kind of trauma.

She used to work incredibly hard to climb into this circle.

Zhou Ji was also quite surprising. They had never seen him have such a good temper with a woman before. The gentleness that he inadvertently revealed when he lowered his eyes was unprecedented.

Zhou Ji signed the contract, said casually, and left.

Gu Chen and Fu Qingnian didn't plan to stay any longer and got up to leave together.

It was windy at night, especially at the front gate.

The cold wind blowing in my face stung my skin.

Gu Chen lazily fiddled with the lighter in his hand, the flame flickering in the wind. The dim light fell on the man's delicate, fair face, and his naturally smiling eyes perfectly concealed his venomous heart. He seemed like a kind and gentle person, smiling as he said, "Don't you think Jiang Yue has become quite interesting?"

Fu Qingnian wasn't a blind or stupid fool; he just had never been interested in other people's private affairs: "Which aspect are you referring to?"

With a snap, Gu Chen closed the mechanical lighter and said, "All."

A woman who used to seem like she would die without Zhou Ji, clinging to the thick roots of a dodder vine, would never have had that cold, arrogant look in her eyes.

Moreover, her indifference towards Zhou Ji just now didn't seem like an act.

It seems like I really don't love you anymore.

Fu Qingnian was silent for a moment, then said, "I'm not interested."

However, he did not deny Gu Chen's words.

Gu Chen smiled and said, "Don't you think she's much more interesting now?"

*

The night was deep and the dew was heavy.

A man's suit jacket was draped over Jiang Yue's shoulders, seemingly still carrying the man's cold aura and a faint fragrance that wasn't unpleasant, nor did it have the cigarette smell that she disliked.

Once inside the car, the air conditioning was strong, so it wasn't as cold as outside.

When Jiang Yue arrived home, she completely ignored the man behind her. As soon as she entered the house, she bent down and took off her high heels, habitually stepping barefoot on the carpet.

I was a little tired at the moment, so I lay down on the sofa.

I plan to rest for a while before going upstairs to wash up and go to bed.

The man followed behind her, his gaze lingering on her bare feet, which were white and tender, as if even her toes had been carefully cared for.

The skirt slid down, the soft fabric piling up in layers above her knees.

The woman's thighs were white and slender, and her knees seemed to be slightly red, for no other reason than that they were naturally like that.

Her thick, black hair was loosely spread out, casually hanging down, and her slender, porcelain-white neck was slightly tilted back in a beautiful arc, making her look soft and relaxed.

Zhou Ji's eyes darkened. After a few seconds of pause, the man casually bent down, picked up a pair of slippers, walked to her, and knelt down in front of her.

His fingertips were slightly cool. Suddenly, he grasped her slender, snow-white ankle. The woman's eyelashes trembled, and she gently kicked him with her foot. She didn't even open her eyes. Her lazy voice sounded coquettish as she asked, "What are you doing?"

Zhou Ji helped her put on her slippers, and he always patiently reminded her, "You're prone to getting sick, so don't go without shoes."

Although the air conditioner is always on in this house.

However, we cannot be so careless.

In Zhou Ji's eyes, Jiang Yue's health was really bad; she was always getting sick and having nightmares.

She is a flower that needs careful nurturing.

We need a comfortable breeze, comfortable rain, and comfortable sunshine.

Not too much, not too little.

Jiang Yue closed her eyes, the fluffy slippers under her feet seemed to brush away the chill for a moment.

But in the next instant, the world spun around.

A mature and cold aura seemed to imprison her, permeating everything around her.

The man gripped her slender waist like a pair of clamps.

Her slender, white fingers were quietly grasped, forced open, and then forced to intertwine tightly with his. The man's hand silently landed on her knee.

Realizing she was in danger, Jiang Yue slowly opened her eyes. Lying on the sofa, unable to move, she instinctively asked, "Are you going to rebel?"

Zhou Ji spoke softly, as if he were the most patient person in the world: "I'm sorry I haven't been able to meet your needs these past few days."

He gently cupped her chin, straightening her face. Her face seemed no bigger than his palm, with a rosy complexion that looked very nourished.

He paused for a moment, then continued in a calm tone:

"I failed in my duties as a husband."

"I will not make this mistake again in the future."