When Lu Jin’an emerged from the bathroom, the girl beside him had already closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
He was left alone to wrestle with the restless heat coursing through his body.
“Heartless little thing,” he muttered.
Gu Nianyi had her eyes shut, pretending to sleep, but she clearly heard Lu Jin’an’s sigh and grumble.
She stealthily fished out her phone. The doctor still hadn’t replied—probably too late at night.
Then Lu Jin’an tugged her into his arms.
She could only keep up the act.
Her phone was still clutched tightly in her hand when the urologist finally responded.
NK: “That’s tricky. Bring him to the hospital, and he’ll figure it out. You two should talk face-to-face, drop the burden—nothing’s incurable.”
Lu Jin’an caught sight of that last line. Nothing incurable?
Incurable what?
What did NK even mean?
And why did his profile picture look like a doctor’s?
Lu Jin’an’s long fingers slid upward through the chat. A green bubble popped into view.
What Gu Nianyi had sent was: “Suspect my husband has some hidden condition—how do I subtly get him to see a doctor?”
NK? NK for urology, huh.
He had been holding back all this time for her post-surgery recovery, and he hadn’t even won her heart yet.
But here she was, suspecting he was the problem.
No wonder she’d been feeding him all that herbal medicine. And those chives at dinner.
He hadn’t misjudged her after all.
Lu Jin’an itched to shake her awake and tease her mercilessly, but in the end, he held back. He wanted to see what she would do next.
The next day, Gu Nianyi read the doctor’s reply and felt even more lost. Just talk to him directly?
They weren’t even that close.
Lu Jin’an would never admit it anyway.
Her gaze drifted to the strappy slip draped over the top shelf of the wardrobe.
One more try. The last try.
All day long, whenever she had a free moment, her mind wandered back to it. This wasn’t normal at all.
She had no idea how to bring it up with Lu Jin’an and kept zoning out.
“Yi Yi, didn’t you sleep well again?” Shen Lingyun had to call her name several times before Gu Nianyi finally registered and answered.
Gu Nianyi gave an awkward smile. “Maybe I need to hibernate.”
She certainly couldn’t admit that her mind had been full of naughty thoughts lately, weighed down by all sorts of worries.
Shen Lingyun glanced her way. “Sister Yang wants us for a meeting.”
The new director, Yang Jinnian, was in her early forties, full of energy and without a trace of arrogance. She refused to let them call her “Director.”
Yang Jinnian waved them toward their seats. “No need to stand on ceremony. What are your thoughts on that project proposal from last time?”
The women exchanged glances, unsure of their new boss’s temperament. No one spoke up at first.
Yang Jinnian smiled. “It’s fine—speak freely. Consider it a chance to get to know one another.”
He Ruiyan, who had been there the longest, spoke first. “I think handling four projects at once makes it hard to focus. We should prioritize by urgency.”
Gu Nianyi gathered her thoughts and chimed in right after. “We could start with the smart application development and the agricultural meteorology risk warnings. The twenty-year analysis and evaluation is a long-term task—once the data is prepped upfront, it becomes routine. The urban flooding warning research could go after the Spring Festival; that should still be feasible.”
The office fell quiet. Yang Jinnian listened to their ideas, then rose from her chair with a smile. “You’ve all got good plans—why hesitate at first? Be bolder next time, girls.”
She added, “The two warning projects target different users, so a mini-app would be better—saves on memory. Whip up an initial scheme, then refine it step by step.”
As for assignments, Yang Jinnian preferred not to meddle too much, letting them take the initiative.
The three women sorted it out quickly. Shen Lingyun raised her hand first. “I’ll handle compiling the twenty-year data.”
He Ruiyan eyed the empty workstation nearby and realized Chi Wenjing was still absent. “Speaking of which, Chi Wenjing’s leave has been dragging on.”
Shen Lingyun lowered her voice. “I heard he’s preparing to study abroad. After all, he has a family business to inherit.”
Everyone’s path was their own, in the end.
Gu Nianyi stayed out of the chatter. Other people’s futures had nothing to do with her, aside from work.
Once you’re busy, stray thoughts fade away. It was only in idle moments that the mind wandered.
Gu Nianyi made her way home under the starlight. Lu Jin’an was waiting for her in the dining room; the dishes on the table sat untouched.
He had been waiting to eat with her.
In the past, when she worked late, she’d just reheat something for herself.
She set down her bag and hurried over to serve the rice, her eyes curving into happy crescents. “Dr. Lu, you’re home early today.”
She still hadn’t figured out his schedule. If it was a night shift, he’d tell her. He’d mention it if he’d done surgery that day, too.
Coming home to Lu Jin’an always lifted her spirits.
Lu Jin’an tapped her forehead lightly. “Go wash your hands.” Casually, he added, “You’ve been busy at work lately.”
“A little,” Gu Nianyi replied. “Year-end crunch, you know.”
She didn’t even notice the coquettish lilt in her own voice.
Lu Jin’an adopted a wait-and-see strategy. He was holding out for her to bring it up first.
Throughout dinner, Gu Nianyi acted perfectly normal—chatting idly, scrolling videos, without so much as glancing his way.
Truth be told, she felt guilty and couldn’t bear to look at him. She was terrified of giving away her plans for later that night.
This was her first time taking the initiative like this. It felt like outright seduction.
Her heart fluttered wildly.
After dinner, Lu Jin’an retreated to the study, giving her some space.
She bolted upstairs like a thief, rummaging in the wardrobe for the other strappy slip tucked away at the very bottom.
Ming Yue had given her that one too—for her wedding night.
Instead, she and Lu Jin’an had lain there peacefully until dawn.
Gu Nianyi slipped into the black strappy nightdress, spritzed on the perfume from her dresser, and styled her long hair, twisting it into soft curls around her fingers.
With everything ready, she studied herself in the mirror.
Her dark hair carried a misty sheen, her bright eyes and pearly teeth complemented skin that glowed rosy beneath its fairness. Not bad.
But when she glanced downward, Gu Nianyi’s face flushed even deeper.
The strappy slip barely concealed anything. A wide expanse of pale skin showed at her chest, and the hem skimmed her upper thighs, just hiding her panties.
She paced back and forth in the bathroom, hesitating, psyching herself up. Having needs was normal.
This was for life.
If there really was a problem, she wouldn’t hold it against him.
Taking a deep breath, she threw on a robe and stepped out.
No one had warned her that lace panties could chafe like this.
Gu Nianyi cracked the door and peeked into the bedroom. It was empty.
She darted to the bed and dove under the covers, leaving only her shoulders and head exposed.
Her heart pounded harder than ever.
She strained her ears toward the door. When would Dr. Lu come in?
After what felt like forever, she finally heard the door open. She burrowed a little deeper.
Lu Jin’an returned from the study and caught sight of her like that. The corner of his mouth quirked up.
Hiding herself under the covers.
Wasn’t she hot? Stuffy?
He had waited in the study all evening for her to come talk, but she never did.
Lu Jin’an circled to the head of the bed. “Don’t you have something to say to me?”
Gu Nianyi shook her head.
She didn’t dare make a sound, afraid her nerves would give her away.
She lacked the courage to throw back the covers and face him directly.
Lu Jin’an pondered for a few seconds. How to even broach the subject—that was the real issue.
They weren’t at that stage yet, and Gu Nianyi was too thin-skinned.
When the time came, whether it worked or not would reveal itself naturally.
He lifted one corner of the blanket, but his hand froze midway.
Now he could see what Gu Nianyi looked like beneath it.
Against the black silk of the strappy slip, her skin gleamed like fresh snow—a striking contrast to her usual gentle, slightly aloof demeanor.
Lu Jin’an’s throat bobbed.
Well, well. She’d even learned to wear a strappy slip.
He tore his gaze away, calmly tucked the covers back in place, and fetched a cardigan from the wardrobe. Draping it over her, he said, “It’s cold. Don’t catch a chill.”
His voice felt scratchy, as if tickled by a feather.
That earlier wave of heat surged back, but he forced the image from his mind.
Gu Nianyi clutched the cardigan tight, scratching at her hair in embarrassment. She let out a wry laugh. “Dr. Lu, you’re quite thoughtful. The heat’s cranked too high—I’m a bit warm.”
Her skin ignited instantly, turning an even deeper shade of red, like autumn maple leaves.
Lu Jin’an cleared his throat. “It is a little warm. But winter’s almost here.”
Gu Nianyi wanted to sink into the earth. She buttoned the cardigan all the way up.
As the internet saying went, one burst of boldness exchanged for a lifetime of shyness.
No need for more experiments.
Either she lacked the charm, or he was the issue.
She resigned herself to a life of celibacy.
The room lights flicked off. Gu Nianyi stared at the ceiling before slipping out to the wardrobe and changing into her regular pajamas.
She sat quietly on the floor for a moment.
What was wrong with her lately? She was acting so strangely.
He was just being a little kind to her, and she’d convinced herself it was love.
Maybe she’d had it wrong all along.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t—it was that he didn’t want to. Not with her.
No feelings, no desire.
She’d been like a fool this whole time.
A sour ache spread through her heart, as if she’d plunged into a sea of unripe oranges—endless bitterness, without a hint of sweetness.
Gu Nianyi sat there dazed for a short while, peering out the small window.
No moon tonight.
Lu Jin’an asked her, “Why’d you go out?”
Gu Nianyi’s tone was flat. “I was thirsty. Went for a glass of water.”
Her voice carried no inflection, no trace of other emotions.
In the days that followed, Gu Nianyi returned to her previous state. She ignored the urology doctor’s advertisements and blocked them outright.
Every day, she listened to the Great Compassion Mantra once. Her next step? Preparing to become a nun.
The four projects approved at work were gradually falling into place, providing the perfect distraction for her attention.
She wanted to develop a powerful app that could deliver weather forecasts with pinpoint accuracy—down to every single street, with timings clearer and more precise.
It would help prevent tragedies like the devastating floods from a few years back.
She aimed to sharpen disaster predictions, making life a little easier for farmers who lived by the whims of the weather.
She also wanted to show everyone that women could excel in fields traditionally dominated by men—often doing it better.
After all, no man could compare to the thrill of a thriving career.
One person’s sorrow was another’s joy. While Gu Nianyi moped, Ming Yue was on cloud nine, preparing to get her marriage certificate with the man she loved.
She fussed over the outfit she’d wear, lined up a photographer, and booked a makeup artist.
As Ming Yue put it, this was a once-in-a-lifetime moment—she had to make it memorable.
On Gu Nianyi’s rare day off, Ming Yue dragged her to the mall to shop for dresses.
They scoured the women’s stores on the third floor, but nothing caught Ming Yue’s eye.
Finally, in a boutique designer shop, they found two promising options.
Ming Yue dangled the two white dresses in front of her. “Yi Yi, which one looks better?”
One was a square-neck A-line that would show off her collarbone.
The other was a cheongsam style, perfect for accentuating her figure.
Gu Nianyi propped her chin on her hand and examined the dresses carefully. “Hasn’t President Xie gotten you anything?”
Ming Yue held one up against her body. “He has, but I want to pick something myself. I’ll go try them on.”
Seeing her friend’s radiant happiness, Gu Nianyi’s lips curved into a smile. It was truly wonderful.
Then a thought struck her—what had she done to prepare before her own wedding registration?
The answer: absolutely nothing.
Forget shopping for clothes; the day before she and Lu Jin’an got their certificate, she’d been pulling an all-nighter at the office.
She hadn’t even known what Lu Jin’an looked like.
In this advanced twenty-first century, she’d opted for a blind marriage sight unseen.
Lu Jin’an had simply agreed to meet her at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau at nine the next morning, and that was that.
She’d rummaged through her closet for the plainest white blouse, slapped on some minimal makeup, and headed out.
She waited from nine until eleven, watching one number after another get called.
It wasn’t until the bureau was about to break for lunch that Lu Jin’an finally showed up, fashionably late.
Once they’d gotten their certificate, he’d politely escorted her back to the office out of courtesy.
That had been just a few months ago, yet it felt like years.
Ming Yue was still dithering. “Which one, Yi Yi?”
Gu Nianyi studied them for a few more minutes. “Go with the one that shows your neck. You’re only shooting the upper body anyway.”
Ming Yue was convinced. “You’re the experienced one—I’ll go with your pick.”
They wandered the mall a bit longer, grabbed lunch, and then parted ways.
Xie Yunting arrived to pick up Ming Yue. Ever since securing his official status, he made a point of showing up every day to stake his claim.
Ming Yue peered behind Xie Yunting. “Dr. Lu isn’t here?”
Gu Nianyi shrugged indifferently. “He’s got surgery.”
She stopped by a restaurant to pack up some light dishes and dropped them off at the nurses’ station.
She also picked up milk tea and desserts for the on-duty nurses.
Then she headed home to play with the cat.
When Lu Jin’an emerged from the operating room, one of the nurses called out to him. “Dr. Lu, Yi Yi just dropped off lunch for you.”
Zhou Ziyu said enviously, “Sister-in-Law knows you so well. She figured you skip meals during surgeries.”
There was also a Post-it Note: “Dr. Lu, remember to eat! ^_^”
Work had kept him swamped lately; he hadn’t seen her in days.
Ever since that day, she’d seemed more distant toward him.
But seeing the smiley face, Lu Jin’an’s lips quirked up. Looked like he’d been overthinking it. He snatched the note from Zhou Ziyu’s hand. “This is mine.”
Zhou Ziyu ribbed him. “Man, you’re stingy.”
She hadn’t even shared a bite of the food—better to order takeout for him, apparently.
Married men and their possessiveness.
Dinner was eerily quiet at the table. Lu Jin’an scrambled for small talk.
“How are the oysters today?”
“Pretty good—fresh and sweet.”
“And the pumpkin?”
“Sweet and glutinous.”
“The leeks?”
“Didn’t touch them. They get stuck in my teeth.”
The exchange was curt. Gu Nianyi had been low on energy lately.
He had no idea what had gone wrong.
Things had been fine before.
He’d even specially chosen dishes she’d once fed him, but she showed no interest.
Another evening arrived. With no night shift, Lu Jin’an got home on time. Only the housekeeper was there, saying Yi Yi hadn’t returned yet.
Lu Jin’an: 【You not home?】
Gu Nianyi: 【Working late tonight—not sure when I’ll be back. Go to sleep first. Goodnight, Dr. Lu.】
She was avoiding him, wasn’t she?
Not entirely. With several projects kicking off at once and short-staffed to boot, she was swamped.
Aside from the on-duty staff, she was the only one left at the Meteorological Bureau.
At 10:25 p.m., Gu Nianyi stepped out of the lobby and spotted Lu Jin’an standing just outside the doors.
She froze in place, unable to take a single step forward.
Lu Jin’an stood ramrod straight, his figure tall and unyielding as a pine tree in the darkness.
His icy aura seemed to blend seamlessly with the midnight hour.
His stern features were shrouded in the thick night; she couldn’t make out his expression.
Three meters apart, their eyes met.
Those pitch-black eyes were like pools of ink, fathomless and deep.
The clock on the wall behind him chimed right on cue, its toll echoing in Gu Nianyi’s ears.
It was now 10:30 p.m.
How long had he been waiting downstairs?