Harbor
When Bai Yi arrived at the company on Monday, after the routine meeting, Meng Shuang came to find her with a meeting document. "Teacher Bai, we're going to start promoting the new drug next week. The first meeting is next Tuesday at Wuzhou International. We've sponsored this year's pharmaceutical conference in Vietnam and Hong Kong, and the schedule has given us two hours to promote the new drug."
Bai Yi took the document and replied, "Okay, I'll study it over the next few days and make preparations."
Meng Shuang took out her phone: "I don't think I've added you on WeChat yet. A group was created for this meeting. I'll add you and invite you in. All the detailed documents are in the group."
Bai Yi laughed and said, "Well, I don't interact with other departments much. Last week, I think I only added Assistant Zhang from our department."
After joining the group, Bai Yi first saved the group files and skimmed through them.
Half an hour before I left work, a notification popped up on the company intranet. It was from the publicity department, about Runhe using a public relations firm to promote a public figure. Employees were asked to cooperate by liking, sharing, and commenting on social media platforms.
Runhe Pharmaceuticals is promoting Yu Shiyuan, a contributor to National Geographic, who has a fairly stable fan base in the field of geography popularization on the Internet.
Recently, Yu Shiyuan conducted a series of popular science presentations on Tibetan herbs in the southern Tibetan Plateau.
Bai Yi didn't expect it to be Yu Shiyuan; the two were even following each other on Weibo and Douyin.
The publicity department chooses to send messages on the internal network right before the end of the workday because they know that at this time, most people start to slack off, but they are still willing to click on social media to contribute some traffic to the company. Once they get off work, they simply won't have the time for that.
Those who work hard understand those who work hard.
Bai Yi also clicked into the short video app, where Yu Shiyuan posted a popular science video about calamus yesterday afternoon.
Outdoors, the Tibetan Plateau is bathed in a vast expanse of deep blue and pure white under a clear, sparse sky, a breathtaking sight that pierces the soul. In the distance, snow-capped mountains rise sharply and clearly, with ribbon-like clouds swirling around their waists, as light and soft as gauze. He wore a dark green windbreaker and a large sun hat.
In the video, the young man's smile shines like the sun on the plateau, and his voice is particularly clear and mellow amidst the rustling wind.
Bai Yi also liked, shared, and commented on the post, adding a little red heart.
Bai Yi's repost and comment included her IP address, and Yu Shiyuan sent her a private message asking: "How have you been lately? Have you gone back to Yuegang?"
Bai Yi saw the private message the next day. Unlike most young people, she practically lived on short video apps.
She saw it casually while having breakfast and replied: "Yes, in Vietnam."
Before we finished eating, Yu Shiyuan sent me a WeChat message: Why did you suddenly go back to Yuegang?
Bai Yi paused for a few minutes, then replied: "Work. Runhe's new drug is launching, so I came to provide academic support."
Yu Shiyuan: May your work go smoothly.
She didn't reply again. After more than ten minutes, Yu Shiyuan sent another message: I'll go back to Yuegang after I finish up here, and I'll come see you then.
When Zhong Yunxi saw her playing on her phone while eating, he almost instinctively reached out to turn it off: "Eat first."
She snatched the phone and shoved it into the gap between her back and the chair, then glared at him again.
"You ate so little this morning, you're already hungry before you even get off work." Zhong Yunxi put two shrimp dumplings on her plate.
Bai Yi rested his chin on his hand, rummaged through his plate several times, but ultimately didn't finish the two shrimp dumplings.
Zhong Yunxi: ...
After dropping her off at Runhe, I asked, "My mother is coming from Beijing. She'll be home for dinner tomorrow night."
Bai Yi picked up her handbag, ready to get off the bus, then exclaimed "Ah!" and frowned: "Will she yell at me?"
After all, in the eyes of the elders, a two-year marriage contract is like child's play.
Zhong Yunxi smiled and said, "I've already scolded you, I won't scold you back."
Bai Yi: ...
Zhong Yunxi didn't intend to take Bai Yi back to see his mother; he just wanted her to go to Boyun Beach and use his mother as an excuse, which was also convenient.
Bai Yi had heard at a dinner party that Zhong Yunxi would be forced into marriage by his mother, and that he would be forced into a miserable state. She couldn't help but think of his mother as strict and domineering. So, she was still uneasy until Zhong Yunxi picked her up at Boyun Beach the next afternoon.
As soon as she got out of the car, she took his arm and dragged her feet heavily.
Seeing her timid look, Zhong Yunxi teased, "All you do is show off to me?"
Bai Yi was angry, but dared not let go, so she secretly pinched the back of his hand.
Zhong Yunxi pinched her fingers: "The way you're acting, are you trying to deliberately shift the blame? My mom will think I did something to you and she'll scold me again."
Bai Yi laughed: "Then will she be able to tell?"
Zhong Yunxi teased her, "What do you think? Isn't it said that men can't tell the difference between a green tea b*tch, but women can? Do you think she can tell?"
Bai Yi retorted angrily, "You're calling me a green tea bitch? You're the green tea bitch!"
"You're not faking it, you're just being yourself." Zhong Yunxi took advantage of her distracted state and her need to rely on him in front of his mother, so he deliberately teased her.
"Zhong Yunxi, we only got our marriage certificate a few days ago, how dare you talk to me like that? You've finally stopped pretending, haven't you!"
Zhong Yunxi smiled and turned his head to kiss her ear.
As the two entered, Shi Lin was coming downstairs. Seeing Bai Yi clinging tightly to her son, looking incredibly docile, she quickly asked, "You're back. What do you want to eat tonight?"
Zhong Yunxi, carrying Bai Yi's handbag, casually hung it on the tree-shaped coat rack by the entrance and said, "I'm going to make wonton noodles."
Shi Lin: ?
She had no idea that her son could cook; the meals were ready-made, and whether he would even lift a finger to serve them depended entirely on his mood.
Bai Yi didn't know what to say, so she simply addressed her as "Auntie".
Shi Lin: "Sit down, why are you being so formal?"
Bai Yi released him, her expression composed: "I'll go upstairs and change into my pajamas first."
Zhong Yunxi went upstairs with her.
She went into the dressing room and closed the door tightly. Zhong Yunxi stood by the door and asked with a low laugh, "Do you have to hide from me when you change clothes?"
The person inside said, "Don't you know that green tea girls are masters of playing hard to get? You might as well sleep on the sofa tonight."
"So, we were planning to sleep in the same bed tonight?" Zhong Yunxi gently pushed open the door a crack. She was wearing a thin, round-neck sweater, the hem of which hung loosely down like a curtain, slowly concealing her beautifully curved shoulders and back.
She turned around and saw Zhong Yunxi peeking in. She opened the door to leave, saying, "You wish!"
Zhong Yunxi leaned against the door frame, put his arm around her waist, and slipped his palm under her clothes, pressing against her back. With a slight pull, he drew her close to his chest. He used his other hand to hook her chin and asked with a smile, "Separate beds on the first day of living together? Not only did you have a secret marriage, but you're also planning a marriage of convenience? You've been trying to seduce me for two years and you're still trying to get married?"
Bai Yi: ...
I don't want to talk to him, but he's holding me so tightly I can't break free.
"Hurry up and change your clothes and go cook!"
"I'll cook for you, and you'll let me sleep in your bed tonight?" Zhong Yunxi knew perfectly well that she wouldn't actually let him sleep on the sofa, but he still wanted her to say it herself.
"Mmm..." The voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, but her ears turned red instantly.
Zhong Yunxi loosened his grip, and the man pushed him away and ran outside.
I have no idea what's running around my house.
After the two went upstairs, Shi Lin sat in the living room, somewhat dazed, but her expression remained smiling, with a hint of schadenfreude.
I thought my son, with his aloof and cold nature, would surely choose someone who would be obedient to him. But Bai Yi, though seemingly obedient and docile on the surface, is probably quite the troublemaker who will try to control him deep down.
Despite careful selection, he managed to avoid his mother's schemes, only to fall into the trap of fate. It seems that God will not let any self-righteous man get away with it.
Shi Lin watched the two of them go downstairs. Her son went straight to the kitchen, while Bai Yi stood in the living room looking towards the kitchen. Shi Lin called to her, "Xiao Yi, come and sit down. If he wants to cook, let him do it. Don't go into the kitchen and get covered in cooking fumes."
Bai Yi: ...
She had nothing to say to her own mother, so she didn't know what to say to Zhong Yunxi's mother.
Out of politeness, she silently went over and sat down, picking up the bunny from the sofa and placing it on her lap.
Shi Lin looked at her with a smile. Her face was porcelain white, and her eyes were dark and full of water. She sat quietly, and her whole person was like a pearl, gentle and pure. No wonder her son was so infatuated with her. Even the strands of her hair seemed to be there to entice him.
If she were to give birth to a daughter like that, the thing she would be most wary of is a man like her own son; he's really getting off easy.
Shi Lin pulled her hand and slipped a bank card into her hand: "Xiao Yi, don't blame me for being materialistic. It's the first time I've met you, and I don't know what you like."
She tried to push him away, but couldn't. "I don't need the money."
“I know you don’t need anything, and I really don’t have anything else to give you.” More talkative than her mother, that was Bai Yi’s first impression of Shi Lin.
Shi Lin then asked, "Is Zhong Yunxi treating you well?"
She really didn't know if her son would be good at spoiling people; he was probably in the stage of learning as he went along.
Bai Yi still remembered the verbal argument when she entered the room, and for some reason blurted out, "He just called me a green tea b*tch."
Shi Lin chuckled, then realized she shouldn't have laughed and quickly said, "He has a sharp tongue, you should scold him if you want."
Bai Yi lowered her head slightly, seemingly lost in thought. She was unusually obedient in front of Shi Lin. She didn't seem like someone who was about to divorce Zhong Yunxi in just two years. The more indifferent and gentle she was, the more anxious Shi Lin became for her son.
Shi Lin made small talk, chatting about her work.
Half an hour later, Zhong Yunxi came over and said, "Let's eat. Wonton noodles and blanched bok choy."
He made the wontons last night and froze them. Aunt Wu just gave him instructions on how to knead the dough. He had also made the bok choy twice before, and Aunt Wu commented that it was above average.
Bai Yi tasted it, and Zhong Yunxi asked, "Is it alright?"
She nodded: "It's alright."
"Just okay?"
"It's quite delicious," she affirmed further.
"Then have another bowl."
Bai Yi: ...
She wasn't sure if it was because of the unfamiliar surroundings at Boyun Beach, but she subconsciously wanted to get closer to Zhong Yunxi, just like last weekend when they were here. She was unpacking gift boxes in the living room while he was working nearby. When she unpacked something she liked, she would generously give him a kiss.
But today, with his mother present, she adopted a cautious and timid demeanor, like a snail retreating into its shell.
Bai Yi ate with her eyes downcast. Zhong Yunxi didn't realize how much she liked his cooking, but instead asked Shi Lin, "Mom, when are you going back to Beijing?"
Shi Lin: ...
She's not some wicked mother-in-law. Why would she treat her own mother like a thief? She's an ingrate.
"I'm leaving first thing tomorrow morning. There's a lot of stuff I need to take care of back there." Shi Lin couldn't scold him yet, afraid that Bai Yi would mind, so she could only speak softly.
Zhong Yunxi: "Okay, I'll have the driver take you tomorrow."
A loving mother and filial son, living in harmony.
After dinner, Shi Lin made an excuse to go for a walk and disappeared.
Bai Yi came to Boyun Beach without her tablet. She usually likes to curl up on the sofa after dinner, hugging her plush toy and playing games or working on her thesis on her tablet.
"Should I have the driver go back and get it? Or should I buy you a new one nearby?"
Bai Yi looked down at her phone and said, "No, I'll just browse shopping apps and spend some money tonight."
Zhong Yunxi moved closer to her: "Let me see what to buy."
“You bought too many Bunny bunnies, I’ll buy some Tombury Shepherds. Two phone cases, keychains…”
She was scrolling through a shopping app when she asked Zhong Yunxi, "Do you want it?"
Zhong Yunxi looked at the pile of odds and ends in her shopping cart: a golden osmanthus pendant made of cowhide, a woven item made of white turquoise and crystal...
"Pick one for me."
But no matter how much Bai Yi looked, he couldn't find anything suitable for him, muttering, "I can't pick one."
She took a liking to a small lotus seedpod pendant, but it was made of alloy, and she wasn't sure if he would be allergic, so she passed on it.
Zhong Yunxi frowned when he saw her shopping online, and laughed at her, saying, "Then forget it."
She tossed her phone aside, tilted her head back, and Zhong Yunxi reached out to massage her neck. She then hugged his neck and said, "Let's go upstairs for a bath."
Zhong Yunxi's eyes darkened. He picked her up and asked, "Do you have trouble sleeping in a different bed?"
She blinked, pursed her lips, and after a moment replied, "A little."
"Feeling so wronged? Then I'll move to Qiwu Mountain Residence from now on?" he suggested with a smile.
Bai Yi tightened her grip on the back of his neck: "If you hold me while I sleep, I won't be so picky about the bed."
Zhong Yunxi: ...
When she's throwing a tantrum, her mouth is like a clam's—you can't get a single kind word out of her. Sometimes, she'll suddenly shower him with sweet words, leaving him completely bewildered.
"Do you even know the consequences of saying such things in the bedroom?" Zhong Yunxi placed her on the sofa in the bedroom and turned to run a bath for her.
"I'll show you what a green tea is."
Zhong Yunxi glanced back at her; she was sitting cross-legged, looking up at him with her face slightly tilted back. She was also quite easygoing.
She was in the bathroom for an hour, and wouldn't let him in. He knocked on the door of the outer room and said, "Don't get dizzy from soaking in the water."
"Come and blow-dry my hair."
He pushed the door open and saw her peeling off a face mask. He smiled and asked, "Where are you at?"
"While I'm applying a face mask and body lotion, you can blow-dry my hair for me. It'll only take about ten minutes."
Zhong Yunxi: ...
"Taking a shower is more tiring than going to work, isn't it?"
Bai Yi rubbed the serum in her hand onto his face: "Shut up."
After tidying up, Bai Yi jumped onto the bed, wrapped herself in a thin blanket and rolled around, making herself look like a silkworm cocoon.
Zhong Yunxi pressed him down, trying to pry him off, "Didn't you say you wouldn't mind the bed if I held you?"
Bai Yi twisted and wouldn't let him take off her blanket: "My body lotion smells too good, I don't want you to hug me, that's too easy for you."
Zhong Yunxi: ...
When she wants to cheat, she can always find some strange excuse.
It took some effort to pull the person out and hold them in my arms.
It's peaceful now.
Bai Yi didn't want to be held by him. She pressed her face against his chest, and only felt comfortable when her hands were on his waist. When she curled her legs up, she touched places she shouldn't have, which made her heart race.
So she turned around in his arms with a soft rustling sound, and Zhong Yunxi didn't move, letting her adjust her position.
Bai Yi had her back to him, holding his arm as a pillow, her calves slightly bent, and her ankles resting on his legs. She seemed to be comfortable, as her breathing gradually became even.
Zhong Yunxi gave her one arm to rest her head on, and with the other hand he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to his chest. Her body was slender and soft, nestled tightly in his embrace. The shower gel had a floral and fruity scent, a faint sweetness that went straight to the nerves in his brain that controlled his taste buds, making him hungry.
Zhong Yunxi found it hard to keep his hand still, as it roamed along the curve of her body. He lowered his head, his lips and tongue brushing against her shoulder, sucking a few times.
Bai Yi, still trapped, grabbed his hand to stop him from moving, muttering, "It itches."
Zhong Yunxi: "I'm not moving anymore, you can sleep peacefully."
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