Lu Jin’an had no idea what Gu Guohua wanted with Gu Nianyi, but given everything that had happened before, he knew it could only be bad news.
In the past, he hadn’t been there, so he had no clue about the grievances she had endured.
From now on, he would never let her suffer any more.
Lu Jin’an quietly set his phone aside, picked up the medicine from the table, and feigned nonchalance. “Let me apply this for you.”
In an instant, Gu Nianyi’s face flushed bright red. Twenty-four hours had passed since last night, but she still wasn’t ready to bare it all in front of him.
It was a little awkward.
Especially under the bright lights, where nothing could hide.
Gu Nianyi yanked the blanket over her head and said in a soft, hesitant voice, “Dr. Lu, I can do it myself. No need to waste your skills on this.”
A chuckle bubbled up from Lu Jin’an’s throat. “I’m not doing much.”
“I don’t believe you.”
Even through the blanket, he could hear her muffled grumbling.
Lu Jin’an tugged the blanket away. Her fair cheeks were flushed pink from the stuffiness, her dark eyes narrowed slightly. “You can’t reach it properly yourself. Be good and listen.”
Every time Lu Jin’an said those words, Gu Nianyi felt like a little kid.
There was no use struggling; he wouldn’t give in.
Just like that evening, he dipped his index finger into the ointment and gently massaged in circles. The sore spot looked much better already.
The swelling had subsided, leaving it a soft pink. “Next time, I’ll go easier.”
Gu Nianyi’s eyelids drooped heavily as she murmured the truth. “Dr. Lu, what you need is a little restraint. You’re twenty-eight, after all.”
“Ah.”
A sudden swirl made her body jolt. She instinctively tried to press her thighs together.
But he had a firm grip on her ankle, just like in the dead of night.
Gu Nianyi suspected payback, though she had no proof.
Her legs ached—from wrapping around his waist one moment, then being held up on his shoulder the next.
Her waist hurt too—from straddling him while he gripped her hips and rocked her up and down.
His fingertip rubbed gently now, the cool ointment easing the fiery sting. Gu Nianyi’s eyes drifted shut.
Lu Jin’an capped the ointment and realized Gu Nianyi had fallen asleep right there while he tended to her.
Her lips twitched in a sleepy murmur. “Dr. Lu, you’re so annoying.”
He crouched by the bedside and patted her head. “Gu Nianyi, even in your sleep, you can’t stop trash-talking me.”
“It’s true. I swear on it.”
She raised four fingers in a solemn oath gesture.
Her sleepy words made no sense in context.
Holding a conversation with him while half-asleep was no small feat.
Lu Jin’an glanced back at the woman on the bed, now deep in slumber. He switched off the lights.
Leaning against the headboard, the man unlocked Gu Nianyi’s phone.
He needed to find out what Gu Guohua wanted.
Lu Jin’an’s impression of Gu Nianyi’s father was faint. They’d barely spoken at the wedding, and when he handed over his daughter, all he’d said was to treat her well.
Nothing else.
He hadn’t shown up last time they visited after dinner either. The mother always handled the money requests while the father vanished into thin air.
This time, the father was the one reaching out—suspicious as hell.
Lu Jin’an scrolled up. No other messages—just a handful of red envelope transfers from Father’s Day and Mid-Autumn Festival.
【What’s up? Not sure if I can make it.】
He replied in a tone as close to Gu Nianyi’s as he could manage.
Gu Guohua shot back instantly: 【It’s about your little brother. Better to come back and talk.】
Gu Nianyi: 【Got it.】
Lu Jin’an neither committed nor refused; he needed to dig into what was going on first.
He ended the chat and deleted the messages.
Noting Gu Guohua’s WeChat ID, he powered off Gu Nianyi’s phone.
Even though he could look into Ming Yue’s situation, some privacy was respect between them.
Lu Jin’an took hold of Gu Nianyi’s wrist, rubbing his thumb over the spot where the red mark had faded, as if to erase it completely.
Once rationality returned, she’d regret last night’s excesses.
He wasn’t the insecure type—Xie Yunting’s provocation had pushed him to it.
From childhood on, he’d handled everything with ease.
Even when defying his parents to study medicine instead of business or politics, he’d never lost control like this.
A man brimming with confidence in his studies and career, yet stumbling into every pitfall with Gu Nianyi.
Cuddling to sleep had never been their habit, even after sharing such intimacy.
Gu Nianyi clutched her Little Cat Plushie, her back to him.
She still wasn’t used to holding him instead.
The plushie’s big eyes stared right at him, as if taunting: Nyah nyah, she hugs me, not you.
Lu Jin’an’s gaze darkened. He plucked the plushie from her arms and tossed it to the floor.
Stretching out his arm, he draped it over her slender waist and drew her close, turning her to face him.
Their breaths mingled evenly as they clung together. “Good night, wife.”
Dawn slowly lifted the curtain, scattering the thick fog. Gu Nianyi stirred awake in Lu Jin’an’s arms.
Lifting her gaze, she saw his sharp jawline. She reached up with a finger and touched it.
A hint of stubble prickled her skin—an oddly thrilling sensation.
Like an addict, she kept stroking it back and forth.
The man before her couldn’t hold back a smile. His eyes snapped open, deep and crystal clear. He’d been awake for a while.
“Having fun?”
Caught red-handed, Gu Nianyi looked away and rummaged in the crook of his arm. “Dr. Lu, where’s… my plushie?”
Lu Jin’an nodded toward her back with a quirked brow.
Gu Nianyi frowned and rolled over. The plushie lay sprawled on the floor, looking utterly forlorn. “How did my plushie end up on the floor?”
She was a sound sleeper who never thrashed around—she always kept it hugged tight.
“You tossed it there.”
He lied without so much as a blink.
His tone was perfectly casual, stating a simple fact. Gu Nianyi didn’t suspect a thing.
“Still sore?”
She knew exactly what he meant, her ears turning pink. “N-no… not anymore.”
Lu Jin’an grabbed the edge of the blanket and pulled it over their heads. “Then let’s do some morning exercise.”
“Dr. Lu…”
She soon lost the ability to speak.
She’d felt his hardness earlier but hadn’t called him out. Now, he wasn’t even pretending.
One by one, clothes flew out from under the covers.
Her beige pajamas. His dark blue ones.
Finally, her white lace panties, pinned beneath his black pair.
Just like the two of them, pressed tightly together.
Morning stillness amplified the crisp tear of a plastic wrapper.
Soft, winding moans escaped Gu Nianyi’s throat. These past couple of days had given her a whole new view of herself.
She hadn’t known she could make sounds so alluring.
Panting, Lu Jin’an nipped her earlobe and called out, “Yi Yi.”
No workout in his life had ever compared to these past few days.
Ruan Zhixu hadn’t stocked many boxes of condoms—this was the last one.
After this, they could take a break, right?
So Gu Nianyi thought.
By the third day, Gu Nianyi finally stopped blushing at the sight of Lu Jin’an.
Mainly because she never saw him at all.
With the new year approaching, work had ramped up.
Gu Nianyi issued an orange alert for an incoming cold wave at the Meteorological Bureau, and Lu Jin’an dove into overtime.
Their jobs seemed unrelated, but they were deeply intertwined.
Farther south, Ming Yue had no such cold snaps to worry about.
With some downtime, Ming Yue started pestering Gu Nianyi. 【Yi Yi, how about it? Coming?】
Gu Nianyi: 【Baby, sorry. I’ll visit before New Year’s. New Year’s Eve is Lu Family time. Can you handle crossing over alone?】
She’d gotten Ruan Zhixu’s message that morning, inviting them back to the old house for New Year’s Eve.
They’d always spent it together before.
Eating, drinking, playing games, watching the New Year’s gala.
Ming Yue: 【Aww, why apologize? Of course it’s fine. We usually just crash at home for New Year’s anyway.】
Of course she felt a pang of disappointment, but she knew this was the path she’d chosen. Yi Yi was married now—she couldn’t just drop everything.
Better to spend it alone than endure torment from that family.
Gu Nianyi: 【I’ll come before New Year’s. Muah.】
Tonight’s top priority: delivering dinner to Lu Jin’an.
She also wanted to catch a glimpse of him in the flesh.
Gu Nianyi knew doctors were busy, but she hadn’t realized it could be like this. Lately, she’d only seen him in her dreams.
He wasn’t home when she went to bed, and he’d left by the time she woke.
The empty side of the bed left her heart feeling hollow too.
Back when they first married, she hadn’t wanted him around. Now that he truly wasn’t, she couldn’t adjust.
By evening, the sky had turned overcast, heavy clouds hanging low like the promise of snow.
The north wind howled—it was freezing.
Gu Nianyi wrapped her beige scarf tight, clutching a lunchbox and a wrapped package as she stepped into the inpatient lobby.
Out of the cold, she stomped her feet to warm them.
On the sixteenth floor, in the Cardiac Surgery Department, a nurse spotted her. “Yi Yi, Dr. Lu will be out any second.”
Gu Nianyi’s eyes curved into smiles. “Great, thanks. This is for you all.”
She set the bag—stuffed with chicken wings, egg tarts, and red bean coconut pudding—on the counter.
The nurse opened it up. The slightly crisped egg tarts and golden chicken wings looked irresistible. She cradled the coconut pudding. “Wow, this looks amazing. You shouldn’t have splurged again.”
She passed it around to the others.
Gu Nianyi smiled. “No, no, I’ll head in first.”
She made her way to Lu Jin’an’s office.
The new nurse gossiped behind her. “Who was that?”
She had been busy earlier and hadn’t overheard their conversation.
“That’s Dr. Lu’s wife. Yi Yi always brings food whenever she visits,” the nurse said with a sigh of admiration. “Dr. Lu sure is lucky.”
“They’re a perfect match. Here, try one. It’s delicious.”
Gu Nianyi took a bite of the egg tart. The sweetness was just right, not cloying at all.
It reminded her of Gu Nianyi herself—subtly sweet, with a gentle flavor. Everything about her was understated.
Gu Nianyi waited in Lu Jin’an’s office, sitting obediently without touching anything else.
His desk was spotlessly clean and organized, holding only books and a computer. No other decorations.
The computer had no stickers, and the mouse and keyboard were plain black.
Just as she had imagined.
Zhou Ziyu’s voice drifted in from outside. “Finally done. If I can just make it through tonight, I’ll be good. I’m starving. Let’s grab food later.”
Lu Jin’an pushed open the door and spotted Gu Nianyi in his chair. Without mercy, he told Zhou Ziyu, “Go eat by yourself. I’ve got dinner.”
Zhou Ziyu grinned and waved. “Hey, Sister-in-Law. Good evening.”
He hummed a mournful tune. “Lonely old me, no one to love, no one to care. I’m just a little cabbage in the field.”
Some friends were just made for each other.
Gu Nianyi pressed her lips together to stifle a laugh. Then her eyes caught the Heart Brooch she had given him, pinned to his work uniform right over his left chest.
With each of the man’s steps, it pulsed once, once again—like a real heart beating before her eyes.
Lu Jin’an shrugged off his white coat and headed to the sink to wash and disinfect his hands. “What brings you here today?”
Gu Nianyi gazed at the man’s back, a playful idea sparking. “Don’t want me here? Then I’ll head home.”
She stood, making footsteps as if to leave, pretending to go.
“Unjustly accused,” Lu Jin’an said. He dried his hands quickly, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her into his arms. “It’s too cold out there. I was worried you’d freeze.”
Her hand was still chilly. He cupped it in his palm to warm it.
His breath brushed her nose tip, sharp and cool. Gu Nianyi patted him. “Eat first. The food’s getting cold. Aren’t you hungry, Dr. Lu?”
“Not hungry.”
Lu Jin’an rested his chin on her shoulder. “Let me hold you a bit. Recharge my energy.”
It felt wonderful to be needed like this.
“It’s raining outside. So cold, so cold. I brought food back to eat.”
Zhou Ziyu shoved the door open with a bang and saw the two kissing inside.
He spun around immediately. “You two carry on.”
Gu Nianyi shoved Lu Jin’an away hastily, her lips glossy and shimmering. “I can’t show my face now. Hurry up and eat.”
They had agreed on just a hug to recharge, but it turned into a kiss.
And someone had seen them.
A duty nurse passed by and saw Zhou Ziyu sitting alone outside. “Dr. Zhou, why are you out here?”
“I…” Zhou Ziyu swallowed his words. “I’m out here to settle my stomach.”
The nurse glanced at his hands. “But you haven’t eaten yet, have you?”
Zhou Ziyu stared at his dinner. Yeah, he hadn’t eaten.
He wanted to take down this pair of PDA offenders. He needed to find himself a partner too.
Gu Nianyi poked Lu Jin’an’s arm. “Go call Dr. Zhou in. Let’s eat together.”
She had started bringing extra food these days. They shared an office and were friends; it was only polite.
“Got it.” Lu Jin’an stepped out to fetch Zhou Ziyu. “My wife says come eat with us.”
The words were utterly flat, but the most human touch went to “my wife.”
Zhou Ziyu heard “my wife” and huffed. He didn’t know what Lu Jin’an was so smug about. Big deal, having a wife.
Tomorrow, once he found someone, he’d flaunt it to every dog that passed by.
“Sister-in-Law, how do you put up with Dr. Lu? He used to barely say a word.”
Zhou Ziyu ate his fill, spun his chair, and emphasized “used to.”
In front of Gu Nianyi, he could trash-talk freely. Lu Jin’an wouldn’t mind.
Image was everything, after all.
He glanced at the elegant Dr. Lu across from him, whose gaze stayed fixed on Gu Nianyi, ignoring whatever he said.
Gu Nianyi blinked in momentary confusion, then answered earnestly. “Dr. Lu’s great. He doesn’t talk much, but everything he says makes sense.”
Zhou Ziyu: …Trash-talk failed. They were a married couple, after all.
“Forget I said anything. I’m off to rest.”
“He’s just like that. Never serious.”
Lu Jin’an scooped up his car keys and took Gu Nianyi’s hand. “I’ll drive you home.”
They reached the first floor when Gu Nianyi stopped. “Dr. Lu, work comes first. You head back up.”
Lu Jin’an crooked a finger and flicked her forehead. “Gu Nianyi, you’re so heartless.”
Gu Nianyi tilted her head, revealing a faint smile. “I know my priorities. It’s just two blocks.”
Spouses needed to understand each other. She was thoughtful like that.
But Lu Jin’an wished she could be a little more carefree, less dutiful.
Gu Nianyi had just stepped into the entryway and set down her scarf when a message from Gu Guohua came in.
【Yi Yi, thought about it? Coming back for New Year’s?】
Gu Nianyi replied coldly: 【What’s it about?】
Gu Guohua: 【Your brother’s thing.】
Had she lost her memory?
No such recollection in her mind.
But Gu Nianyi knew that anything involving Gu Mingxuan spelled trouble.
She fired back immediately: 【No time to come back.】
No need for excuses—just a flat refusal.