After running down half a street, Gu Nianyi looked back, but Lu Jin’an’s figure was nowhere to be seen behind her.
No one chased after them. The two women stopped at the roadside, panting for breath.
Ming Yue asked, “Why did we run away?”
Gu Nianyi froze in place. “I don’t know. I just felt like those two had scary looks on their faces.”
After downing a few bottles of beer, her head felt fuzzy and dazed. Fleeing had been pure instinct.
The two of them exchanged glances and burst out laughing. They hadn’t even been this scared of the school director back in their student days.
Ming Yue recalled Xie Yunting’s expression. “He did look pretty intimidating. But we didn’t do anything guilty.”
Didn’t they? Actually, they kind of had.
Gu Nianyi pressed her lips together. “Probably. One’s my Cheap Husband, and the other’s my Cheap Boss.”
Ming Yue didn’t care. “They had it coming.”
The two women sat down on a bench by the street, gazing at the passing crowds under the ink-black night sky without a single star in sight.
Nian Gao seemed utterly unaffected and had actually fallen asleep.
“I’m so tired. Let’s go home and sleep.” Gu Nianyi picked up the space capsule. The second round of drinks was off the table now.
Ming Yue deflated. “Fine. I’ve lost the mood anyway.”
They’d come out for dinner and run into the boss by chance, got caught badmouthing him—talk about bad luck.
They strolled slowly along the cobblestone path ahead, their guards finally lowering.
Just as they reached the alley mouth, two men blocked their way. Lu Jin’an and Xie Yunting stood there with arms crossed, waiting for them.
Gu Nianyi reflexively turned to run.
But she had no strength left, and she was still holding the space capsule. What had happened earlier had been a fluke.
With no other choice, Gu Nianyi steeled herself and went up to greet them. “What a coincidence, Dr. Lu, President Xie. You two are here for dinner too?”
She and Ming Yue weren’t locals after all, not as familiar with the alleys as Lu Jin’an and Xie Yunting.
They’d run for ages and were gasping for air, while the two men in front of them looked calm and composed, as if they’d been waiting a long time.
Lu Jin’an’s lips curved up slightly. “It is quite a coincidence.” He naturally took the space capsule from her hands.
It was so heavy— no wonder she’d managed to run so far with it.
Xie Yunting walked toward Ming Yue and raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, very coincidental. Don’t you think so, Assistant Ming?”
Ming Yue patted Gu Nianyi and pretended to remember something. “Yi Yi, I just realized I left the gas on at home. I’m heading out first.”
She turned and hurried off, but Xie Yunting quickly caught up to her.
The two women each went their separate ways. A gentle breeze blew, and the warm yellow streetlights seemed intoxicating. With the burden off her hands, Gu Nianyi felt the alcohol surging back.
She turned her head to look at Ming Yue and Xie Yunting. Xie Yunting had directly taken Ming Yue’s hand.
Buoyed by the booze, Gu Nianyi fixed her clear eyes on Lu Jin’an. “Ming Yue is my friend—a very important, super important friend. You should tell Xie Yunting not to mess around with her.”
Drunk as she was, she wasn’t holding back anymore, even bossing him around.
The girl kept mumbling from her mouth, “Ming Yue isn’t great with alcohol. Half a bottle of beer is her limit, and it gives her headaches. I need to go check on her.”
She could barely walk straight herself, yet she was worrying about her friend.
“I’ll pass it on to Xie Yunting.” Lu Jin’an lightly supported her and asked in turn, “Are you good with alcohol?”
If Ming Yue could handle at most half a bottle, then the remaining three and a half bottles had clearly gone somewhere.
Gu Nianyi hid her hands behind her back and flashed a smile. “Pretty good. Five bottles of beer won’t even get me drunk. I haven’t tried baijiu, but it should be fine. My dad and little brother can hold their liquor.”
Lu Jin’an frowned slightly. “Do you drink often?”
Gu Nianyi waved her hands frantically. “No, no. Except with Ming Yue, I always say I’m allergic to alcohol in other situations. I can’t drink.”
She wasn’t stupid. Apart from Ming Yue, no one knew she could drink.
Now there was a second person.
Lu Jin’an said, “You’re pretty smart, then.”
The two of them strolled along the small path, leaves rustling overhead as they stepped through the moonlight beneath the sycamore trees.
Their shadows stretched long under the streetlights, trailing far behind them.
Ahead at the crosswalk, the red light came on. Gu Nianyi tilted her head and pouted. “Dr. Lu, you’re lying. You said you were on night shift.”
Lu Jin’an was drawn in by her bright phoenix eyes. The surroundings fell silent for a moment before he slowly said, “I’m not Owl.”
He had definitely overheard her teasing nickname.
Gu Nianyi wanted to explain, but her nose suddenly itched. Sure enough, the next second, she covered it. “Atchoo.”
She hugged her arms and rubbed them. The late summer night was cooler than expected, and she’d come out in short sleeves.
Lu Jin’an unfolded the jacket in his hands and draped the black suit over her shoulders.
His clearly defined hand touched her briefly before pulling away.
“Thanks.”
Gu Nianyi clutched the edge of the jacket. A fresh pine scent lingered at her nose, as if he were embracing and enveloping her.
Her metabolism was faster than average. After this short walk, the alcohol had worn off.
She suddenly remembered the car she’d left behind. “Lu Jin’an, my car’s still in the parking lot. You go ahead. Give me Nian Gao.”
A bit more sober now, she was being extra polite with him again.
Gu Nianyi took off the jacket from her shoulders and hugged it to her chest. “Thanks for the jacket. I’ll wash it and put it in the coat room for you.”
“Auntie will wash it.”
Lu Jin’an silently switched the space capsule to his other hand, not letting her take it.
He glanced up at the traffic light. Forty seconds left on the red. He spoke slowly. “Gu Nianyi, aren’t we married?”
Gu Nianyi nodded lightly. “Yes. And?”
Lu Jin’an’s tone was indifferent. “You don’t have to be so polite with me.”
“Plus, drunk driving is wrong.”
The man glanced at the light again. Before Gu Nianyi could respond, “Green light. Let’s go.”
He slowed his steps to match her pace perfectly. Gu Nianyi sneaked a sidelong glance at Lu Jin’an with her peripheral vision.
Under the warm yellow glow, his profile was sharp and defined, with a high nose bridge, tight lips, and a tense jawline.
Was he mad because she was being too polite?
Lost in thought, Gu Nianyi agonized over whether to explain to Lu Jin’an that thanking people was just a habit.
Suddenly, the man gripped her wrist. By the time she reacted, Lu Jin’an had pulled her into his arms, holding her close.
“Watch for the scooter.”
“Oh, oh, okay.” Gu Nianyi looked up into his deep eyes and stammered, “Thanks.”
Why was his embrace so warm?
Gu Nianyi quickly pulled away from his arms. Her heart pounded wildly, and her wrist felt scalded, retaining his heat just like that time in the hospital.
The girl hurried toward the parking lot without waiting for him.
On another road, Lu Jin’an ran into a colleague. “Dr. Lu, good evening. And this is?”
“My wife.”
Lu Jin’an introduced the man to Gu Nianyi. “This is Doctor Wan.”
Gu Nianyi smiled faintly. “Hello, Doctor Wan.”
Doctor Wan said, “Dr. Lu, Mrs. Lu, you two carry on.”
There was one good thing about sharing a bed: the awkwardness didn’t last long this time. Back home, Gu Nianyi didn’t deliberately avoid Lu Jin’an anymore.
They slipped under the covers together. Gu Nianyi stared at the pitch-black ceiling and said, “Dr. Lu, it’s not just with you. It’s a habit.”
Lu Jin’an replied warmly, “You can try not saying it to me.”
“I’ll try. Good night.”
“Good night.”
A light drizzle pattered outside the window. Inside, Lu Jin’an held Gu Nianyi tightly, locking her in his embrace.
Mist crept up the glass, leaving hazy shadows.
Lu Jin’an’s taut nerves were exposed by his arm. His endurance at its limit, his muscles strained, his voice came out hoarse. “Yi Yi, every ‘thanks’ means ten kisses.”
Gu Nianyi opened her dazed eyes and protested, “Why?”
One-to-ten wasn’t fair. Her voice was soft and sticky, with zero intimidation.
Lu Jin’an’s prominent Adam’s apple bobbed. “Or another option: one ‘thanks’ means one extra round tonight.”
His breathing grew a bit ragged.
Gu Nianyi raised her hand to thump him. “Lu Jin’an, you…”
But Lu Jin’an caught it. His long fingers interlaced with hers one by one, their hands clasped tight. He smoothly pinned her beneath him.
Her hands gripped and raised above her head, an unbearable itch spreading through her body.
She tried to escape, her legs curling and uncurling, but they were firmly pressed down.
“Baby, wrong form of address too—that’s another one. What are we going to do?” Lu Jin’an’s face drew closer and closer, sweat from his forehead dripping onto his chest.
“Ah!” Gu Nianyi bolted upright, fine beads of cold sweat prickling her forehead. How could she have such a dream?
The other side of the bed had gone cold. Lu Jin’an was nowhere to be seen.
That was for the best, or she wouldn’t have the face to face him.
It had to be those male model videos Ming Yue sent her before bed messing with her head.
Gu Nianyi tidied herself up and walked to the stairs.
Lu Jin’an looked up from below, their gazes colliding in the air. “You’re awake. I already fed Nian Gao.”
Gu Nianyi guiltily lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously picking at the railing.
His voice was slightly hoarse, carrying a hint of morning huskiness—exactly matching the one from her dream.
The heavy breathing seemed to linger in her ears.
Gu Nianyi nodded blankly. “Okay, thanks.”
She quickly corrected herself. “Ah, no.” Afraid the dream would come true.
Lu Jin’an frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“Noth… nothing.”
Gu Nianyi patted her cheeks. With the AC on constant temperature, why was it so hot?
After washing up, she came downstairs, keeping her distance from Lu Jin’an. Her gaze accidentally landed on his thin lips—the hot ones from her dream pressing against hers.
Gu Nianyi asked cautiously, “Dr. Lu, what do you think about… marital duties?”
Getting married made it the most normal thing in the world. They were actually late to it.
The man looked at her steadily for two seconds before replying, “Up to you.” His voice was low and pleasant, drifting into her ears.
Gu Nianyi asked again, “I don’t want it to happen so soon. Is that okay?”
“That’s fine.”
Lu Jin’an stared at her face. Her features were soft and serene, her long hair pinned up with a clip, a few stray strands framing her temples and making her look all the more gentle and endearing.
“Good, thank—” The young woman caught herself mid-sentence, visibly relaxing as tension drained from her body. “I’m going to check on Nian Gao.”
It was Monday, the usual morning rush hour, and South City First Hospital was jammed solid.
By noon, a group had gathered around the nurses’ station in the inpatient ward.
Nurse Shu Lanyue was dishing out the latest gossip she had overheard. “Did you hear? Doctor Wan ran into Dr. Lu and his wife having dinner on Gourmet Street over the weekend. Dr. Lu was such a caring guy—carrying her bags for her and making sure she walked on the inside of the sidewalk.”
She quickly added, “Oh, and get this—his wife was even wearing his jacket.”
Everyone knew Dr. Lu had a thing about cleanliness. He wouldn’t let anyone else so much as touch his jacket, let alone wear it.
The intern doctor Yao Jiaxue teased, “Oh, come on. Isn’t this the sham marriage that’s more real than the real thing?”
Shu Lanyue blinked. “And there’s more. Some guy on a bike was in a rush and nearly crashed into his wife. Dr. Lu reacted like lightning—pulled her right into his arms and spun her around out of harm’s way.”
Yao Jiaxue exclaimed, “Whoa, is this the same Dr. Lu who’s cold as ice?”
Shu Lanyue beckoned them closer and whispered, “Doctor Wan asked the girl next to him who she was, and Dr. Lu said, ‘My wife.’ My—wife!”
The group burst into laughter. None of them could picture Lu Jin’an doing something like that.
On any normal day, he was expressionless and unflappable. When he spoke, it was always, “Is the report done? What do you make of this case? How should we treat it? What’s shifting dullness? What does it indicate?” And to top it off, he’d hit them with that killer question: “Were you actually paying attention?”
The memories made them shudder.
Lu Jin’an passed by the nurses’ station and said coolly, “Yan Siyuan, Yao Jiaxue—come here.”
His voice was as chilling as if tempered in ice.
Shu Lanyue shot them a knowing look. “At least in the hospital, Dr. Lu’s still an iceberg. Good luck to you two.”
Monday, senior colleague, icy interrogation—the three insurmountable mountains.
Zhou Ziyu came by to grab lunch with Lu Jin’an. He brushed past Yan Siyuan and Yao Jiaxue, who both had their heads hanging low.
But when Zhou Ziyu pushed open the door, he found Lu Jin’an lounging back in his chair, looking utterly relaxed and indolent.
“Dr. Lu, Director Lu—you’re positively beaming with happiness.”
Lu Jin’an set his phone face-down on the desk and lifted his gaze. “What’s this? Got nothing better to do? Then make up the rest of those night shifts you owe me.”
Zhou Ziyu leaned against the edge of the desk. “…”
Men really changed after marriage. The old Dr. Lu never bothered collecting on night shifts. The new Dr. Lu kept strict accounts.
“Dr. Lu, you’re not this harsh with your wife, are you?”
Harsh? Lu Jin’an pondered the word. Was he really like that?
Zhou Ziyu glanced at him. “You should smile more, think about your wife’s feelings. She might get the idea you don’t like her.”
Lu Jin’an shot him a sidelong look, his mind swirling with thoughts.
Out of Zhou Ziyu’s sight, the corner of the man’s mouth curved upward.
Practice smiling.
For once, there were no night shifts, no consultations, no overtime. That evening, Zhou Ziyu wandered over to Lu Jin’an’s office and found it empty.
“Where’s Dr. Lu?”
The nurse replied, “He clocked out.”
Zhou Ziyu checked his phone: 6:05 p.m., right on the dot. “Punctual” was such a rare word when it came to Lu Jin’an.
Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.
He had known Lu Jin’an for over a decade, and this was only the second time he had acted so out of character.
The first was when he casually announced his marriage, as if he were just saying there was a meeting starting soon.
And now, in no time at all, he was smitten.
Gu Nianyi hadn’t expected Lu Jin’an to get home so early. She was playing with Nian Gao when the front door opened. The man in his crisp white shirt was removing his watch.
“Good evening.”
The tailored shirt accentuated his tall, lean frame and slim waist.
“Good evening.” Gu Nianyi stole a quick glance before lowering her eyes back to Nian Gao. “Dinner will be ready soon.”
She was trying to distract herself.
That entire evening, their exchanges were limited to bare necessities—more awkward and distant than the past few days.
Lu Jin’an wondered if it was truly his stern expression that was putting her off.
With no shared interests or topics, they went about their separate activities after dinner.
Suddenly, the room plunged into darkness as every light winked out.
Without a second thought, Lu Jin’an bolted upstairs and pounded on the bathroom door. “Gu Nianyi, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
She had just been washing her hair, and now her head and hands were covered in foam.
Lu Jin’an didn’t leave. He switched on his phone’s flashlight to light the way for her. After a moment, he asked uneasily, “Why haven’t you come out yet?”
“My… my hair’s full of foam.” Gu Nianyi stared helplessly at the bubbles.
No hot water came from the faucet—just icy cold.
“Wait a second. I’ll figure something out.”
Lu Jin’an took two steps away, then turned back. “Put on a robe first.”
“No need to bother. I got it.” Gu Nianyi gritted her teeth and rinsed off the excess with cold water.
Just then, Gu Nianyi’s phone buzzed on the bedside table. The screen read “Li Huiling.”
It was a call from her mother.
With her permission, Lu Jin’an picked up. The voice on the other end launched straight into an interrogation.
“When are you sending the money?”