After about thirty minutes of the program, it went to a commercial break. Ji Mingshu sat cross-legged on the bed, pressing the remote to rewind.

She remembered that when she first went to the exhibition center to record, this young girl Yan Yuexing was quite unlikable—too dramatic, too talkative, and with terribly odd taste.

But in the half-hour of content that just aired, apart from when Yan Yuexing was in the same frame as her and had her looks and aura brutally outshone, she seemed fine in other aspects. She even appeared gentle, cute, understanding, and somewhat adorable.

As for herself, she didn’t know if she was being sensitive or what, but she felt that in several shots that cut to her after Yan Yuexing finished speaking, her expression seemed somewhat unfriendly. While others were being supportive and listening attentively, she appeared distracted and not smiling.

The key point was that she remembered putting on a supportive appearance during the recording.

After all, she, Ji Mingshu, had navigated social settings for many years—how could she possibly fail at such basic expression management in front of cameras?

Ji Mingshu felt a bit depressed, but when she checked her phone, everyone who messaged her was showering her with compliments, saying things like “Just those few shots were enough to show our Shu-baby is radiant, high-class, beautiful, perfect, flawless,” and so on.

She replied with thanks to each one, then mentioned to Gu Kaiyang and Jiang Chun the parts she found a little strange.

Jiang Chun closed her eyes and just started exaggerated praising.

Jiang Chun: [You’re overthinking it, there’s nothing like that at all. Just one word: Beautiful!]

Jiang Chun: [Oh, by the way, my cousin came to visit our home. Just now, when I was watching TV, he was also in the living room watching with me, and he pointed at you on TV and asked with surprise, “Hey, which celebrity is that? How come I’ve never seen her before?”]

Jiang Chun: [I said she’s not a celebrity, she’s my friend, hahaha! Before he could ask further, I told him: already married :)]

Jiang Chun: [Ah, but this also proves that our little princess’s enviable beauty can no longer be hidden :))]

Gu Kaiyang was holding something and couldn’t type conveniently, but she sent a voice message: “The post-production editing of the program is different from when you recorded it. That’s quite normal. Think about it—if they showed it exactly as you recorded, wouldn’t that girl from the girl group blow up Xingcheng Broadcasting Tower?”

That made sense.

Ji Mingshu nodded to herself and soon discovered that Cen Yang had also messaged her.

Cen Yang: [Xiaoshu, I’m watching your program. You look beautiful.]

Ji Mingshu: [Thank you~]

Ji Mingshu: [Bowing.jpg]

Cen Yang: [By the way, are you free tomorrow? There’s a cosmos-themed art installation exhibit at Shuanghuan Tower, tomorrow is the last day, and I happen to have two tickets.]

Ji Mingshu paused briefly.

Since their Christmas Eve dinner, Cen Yang would occasionally message her to check in. He had also invited her out a few times, such as to see an art exhibition or try a newly opened restaurant.

One time, she genuinely couldn’t make it because she had gone abroad on vacation without notice. The other times she had made excuses to decline, as she always felt it wasn’t quite appropriate for a married woman like herself to go out alone with an unmarried young man like him.

Counting carefully, she had already declined three or four times in a row. Continuing to refuse seemed somewhat hurtful. Ji Mingshu thought for a moment, then took her phone and started typing.

Ji Mingshu: [I left a lot of luggage at my best friend’s place. I’ve already moved back home these past two days, but tomorrow I might need to go retrieve my luggage, so I can’t go see the exhibition.]

Ji Mingshu: [However, a few days from now, my friend is hosting a masquerade ball in West Beijing. It should be quite interesting. If you’re interested, remember to come and enjoy yourself. You can relax a bit from work too.]

After sending it, Ji Mingshu read it over to herself. Yes, offering an invitation after declining would not seem impolite.

Besides, Cen Yang and Cen Sen were essentially the same type of person—since childhood, they never enjoyed crowded, bustling gatherings.

Even if he wanted to attend this time, with dozens or even hundreds of people at the ball, it would be very proper and appropriate.

Just then, familiar footsteps sounded outside the room, coming up the stairs.

Ji Mingshu’s back unconsciously straightened, and her typing speed increased.

Ji Mingshu: [I have something to attend to here, let’s talk later. If you go, just mention my name, you won’t need an invitation.]

Cen Yang’s eyes darkened slightly, and his typing hand paused. Whatever he thought of, he long-pressed the delete key, clearing all the content at once.

He didn’t want to approach Ji Mingshu at all.

Ji Mingshu was a girl who appeared fierce and animated, spoiled and willful, but had a pure and kind heart—she had always been that way since childhood.

Yet apart from Ji Mingshu, he couldn’t find any way to get close.

He turned to look at the sparkling night lights of the capital city outside the window, suddenly feeling that this city was very unfamiliar, completely different from the city he had longed for through years of tossing and turning.

When Cen Sen walked into the room, he carried a strong smell of alcohol. Ji Mingshu covered her nose and mouth as she got out of bed, her voice slightly muffled, “How much did you drink? It smells awful.”

Cen Sen either didn’t hear clearly or something else, because not only did he not open the door for ventilation, he actually closed it and locked it.

Ji Mingshu had her back to him when she got out of bed and didn’t notice his sneaky actions.

She adjusted the ventilation mode at the main control switch, then turned back to open the door. But before she could touch the doorknob, she was unexpectedly scooped into Cen Sen’s arms.

An alcohol-laden kiss fell from the edge of her lips, then coiled inward, prying open her teeth and advancing directly.

At first, Ji Mingshu forcefully pushed back a few times, but her slender wrists were quickly pinned behind her back in Cen Sen’s firm grip. The kiss also became more domineering as a punishment, even somewhat erotic.

Ji Mingshu’s body softened, and her head felt dizzy. But when Cen Sen tried to proceed further, her body memory suddenly awakened, and she instinctively began to resist.

“No!”

“Are you a reincarnated Teddy dog or something?”

“I’m still in pain!”

She struggled with both hands and feet, her voice sweet and soft, which had no deterrent effect on Cen Sen.

Seeing this dog of a man burying his face near her collarbone while still trying to undo the buttons on her back, her brain short-circuited, and she knocked her chin against his head.

This move was a bit stupid, and she even hurt her teeth, while Cen Sen barely felt anything.

However, after hearing Ji Mingshu’s sharp intake of breath from hurting her teeth, he did slow down his movements.

He looked up at Ji Mingshu, his eyes full of desire, though his voice was cool and calm, “I bought you diamonds today, a complete set.”

“…?”

Ji Mingshu wrinkled her nose, complaining, “Even an aircraft carrier wouldn’t work! I told you I’m in pain!”

“I’m in pain too.”

His voice suddenly became hoarse, and as he spoke, he pressed Ji Mingshu’s back closer to himself, letting her feel it.

“…”

Ji Mingshu shuddered at the sensation, suddenly remembering the fear of being dominated by aerobic exercise last night! Ahh! Why isn’t this dead pervert in jail!!!

—The negotiation between the two ended with Ji Mingshu contributing her delicate ten fingers.

Cen Sen still didn’t seem entirely satisfied. When Ji Mingshu returned from washing her hands, he hadn’t entered the so-called “sage time” but was staring fixedly at her crimson lips.

Ji Mingshu didn’t quite understand at first, but recalling what Cen Sen had done before, she suddenly understood.

She approached and covered his eyes, saying forcefully, “Don’t even think about it! Not in this lifetime! Men with impure thoughts like you should be in jail!!!”

Cen Sen’s intoxication hadn’t fully dissipated. He gave a low “Mmm,” seemingly with a hint of a smile.

He held Ji Mingshu’s hand and insincerely apologized in a low voice, then pulled her soft body into his arms again.

Ji Mingshu wasn’t sleepy yet. Thinking about the past two days since returning home, this man had been like he was in heat, wanting to do it at the slightest provocation, barely speaking a few words with her. She felt quite unhappy about it.

So she righteously stretched out her hand, “My hand hurts, massage it for me.”

They say men are very accommodating in bed, and Cen Sen was no exception. With her command, he took her hand and began to gently massage it.

After nestling in his arms for a while, Ji Mingshu unconsciously became the caring wife, asking, “Why did you drink so much today? Did you take any sobering medicine or something?”

Cen Sen, with half-closed eyes, massaged her hand and, for once, talked about work, his voice still quiet.

The boss he entertained today wasn’t a refined person. In his early years, he had built his business in gray industries, having something of a knife-edge blood-licking approach throughout his journey. His character was also quite rough and unrestrained, with one reason after another to urge drinking—”deep friendship, bottoms up,” “thick friendship, drink more,” “iron friendship, drink till bleeding.”

Cen Sen had never been particularly good at entertaining such people. The other party would always become inexplicably familiar, inexplicably enthusiastic, seemingly without the concept of “moderation” in their mind, treating everyone like a little brother. Yet, having business dealings, it wasn’t appropriate to show a cold face over small matters.

After speaking, he paused, and it was unclear whether he was being serious or teasing when he suddenly said, “You think it’s easy making money to support you?”

“…?”

“I’m so wronged!”

“If you don’t want to support me, plenty of others would! How can you be so ungrateful for such a good opportunity?”

Cen Sen closed his eyes and smiled faintly, not contradicting her.

The two chatted a bit more in bed. Cen Sen was somewhat tired and fell asleep shortly after.

“Cen Sen, Cen Sen?”

Ji Mingshu gently poked his Adam’s apple, then blew on his eyelashes, surprised to find he had fallen asleep.

She lay on the bed, chin propped on her elbow, carefully examining the man beside her, and fell into deep thought.

With these on-and-off moments, she truly didn’t know whether to say his stamina was good or bad. Yesterday, he had been active all night without much sleep, yet today he had some drinks, did a little work, and became unconscious.

Ah, maybe it’s because he’s almost thirty and his stamina is failing?

It’s true—in just over two years, he’ll be thirty.

While she would forever be an eighteen-year-old fairy who never grows up.

Pah! An old cow eating tender grass, this old man!!

But this old man was so handsome, every part of him had grown exactly the way she liked, even when… doing indecent things, she liked it.

Ji Mingshu couldn’t help but reach out and pinch the old man’s cheek. Seeing no reaction, she became restless and couldn’t resist leaning in to give him a small kiss.

After kissing him, she turned her head away and began to giggle, so sweetened by her actions that she wanted to roll around.

After being able to face the fact that she liked him, every minute with him seemed to become very sweet. Even amid the fatigue of intimate contact, she found sweetness.

After repeatedly stealing kisses like this several times, she suddenly felt a bit melancholic, poking his nose and asking in a tiny voice, “When will you start to like me?”