You are my first confidence and sense of security.

How to describe the feeling?

Probably like being dismembered and reassembled—even if all the parts were put back in their original places, nothing was the same anymore, as if one movement would cause everything to fall apart again.

Sheng Sui was completely helpless against Zhou Shiyu at the time. When her hands tried to push the man’s head away, either she had no strength or couldn’t reach. Initially she thought crying could awaken the man’s conscience, but unexpectedly it only stirred his interest further.

Silent endurance was one thing, but Zhou Shiyu insisted on maintaining his gentlemanly demeanor. When she was finally about to reach the peak, he would deliberately slow down or stop altogether, asking in a gentle, polite voice whether he should go slower or be more gentle.

Sheng Sui was so angry she wanted to scratch him. Unable to speak, she could only shake her head, hoping in her heart that he would understand.

Who would have thought the man would ask despite knowing the answer, insisting on hearing her response, making her specify her demands, forcing her to say out loud to go faster, to be more fierce and rough.

When Sheng Sui refused to speak, Zhou Shiyu would remain motionless.

In the end, she was held tightly in his warm, moist chest, sobbing and accusing the man of being a liar—saying he would accommodate her in everything, but actually always doing as he pleased.

Others spoke sweet words in bed and turned their backs after getting off; Zhou Shiyu had to do the opposite, saying all the nice things out of bed, then becoming completely unrestrained once in bed.

“…Still uncomfortable?”

The sound of a door opening came, and the culprit appeared in the doorway. The tall, thin man’s greeting tone was gentle as water.

Compared to Sheng Sui’s disheveled state covered in marks, Zhou Shiyu wore a clean soft gray knit sweater, with golden-framed glasses perched on his straight nose bridge, the thin chain on the temples swaying lightly, perfectly embodying the phrase “well-dressed and refined.”

Remembering how the noble and elegant man before her had treated her not long ago, Sheng Sui looked over huffily, wanting to scold him but not knowing how to begin.

After all, though she had been tormented severely, she had indeed enjoyed most of it.

With Zhou Shiyu’s silver tongue, he wouldn’t even need to say much—just one counter-question of “didn’t you like it?” would leave Sheng Sui speechless.

Meanwhile, Zhou Shiyu naturally had no way of knowing her thoughts. He came in holding medicine, sat down by the bed, and said gently:

“When I was washing you, I saw some swelling there. Let me apply some medicine, okay?”

As he spoke, his well-defined hand reached to pull back the blanket.

Seeing those hands, Sheng Sui only felt soreness there and quickly dodged to the other side, her complaints sounding pitiful: “…It’s fine, everything’s better now.”

“Early application heals faster, otherwise it will hurt more tomorrow,” Zhou Shiyu insisted on his view, cradling the back of her head and kissing her forehead, patiently coaxing,

“Be good, I won’t hurt you again, just applying medicine.”

No matter how he persuaded, Sheng Sui refused to let the man lift the blanket or lean over again. She hurriedly said it was fine and tried to get out of bed, but before her feet touched the ground, she was lifted by the waist.

She instinctively wrapped her arms around the man’s neck, hearing Zhou Shiyu’s tone carry some compromising helplessness: “Tell me if you’re uncomfortable.”

“…Oh.”

Being gently coaxed by her husband, Sheng Sui’s attitude unconsciously softened. Then she thought she couldn’t be misled by sweet words and tried to resist by burying her head in his embrace, seriously warning: “But even if your attitude is good, I won’t immediately forgive you for bullying me in bed.”

Deep, low laughter sounded as Zhou Shiyu kissed the top of her head, his solid arms steadily placing Sheng Sui on a dining room chair:

“Alright, then I’ll apologize later. Let’s eat first.”

The table was filled with steaming hot fresh dishes. Her uncooperative stomach made Sheng Sui pick up her chopsticks.

The soybeans had stewed the pig’s trotters until they were tender and chewy, the green oil lettuce was sprinkled with finely chopped garlic and bright red small peppers, and plump clams were immersed in thick, milky white soup.

Zhou Shiyu by the stove turned around carrying a small stewing pot containing red date and bird’s nest soup specially cooked for Sheng Sui. The sweet aroma drifted to her nose from a distance, subtly sweet.

Zhou Shiyu handed over the bowl and chopsticks. Seeing the faint marks from sleeping still on Sheng Sui’s face, he smiled gently: “Time was rushed, so the bird’s nest wasn’t stewed long enough. Just make do for now.”

Sheng Sui looked down at the transparent bird’s nest strands in the pot that were like jelly, thinking the man probably misunderstood what “making do” meant, when she heard her phone vibrating constantly beside her. After seeing the name clearly, she was slightly stunned.

It was a call from Xu Yanze.

Since that night’s phone call by the seaside, Sheng Sui hadn’t contacted her family since getting married.

The contentment of her new family and fulfilling work at school meant she no longer dwelled on the past, always hoping for attention and affection from her mother.

She hadn’t expected to be involved with her birth family again, and surprisingly it was her unfamiliar brother who took the initiative to contact her.

“I get out of school at five on Friday. Let’s find time to meet.”

The young man lowered his voice, obviously breaking school rules by making the call: “I want to apply to the gifted program for this year’s college entrance exam. I have some questions to ask you.”

Gifted program?

This completely unfamiliar term made Sheng Sui frown. She put down her chopsticks and asked: “Have you discussed this with your parents and teachers?”

After the last parent conference, Sheng Sui had some understanding of this brother’s grades.

His overall scores were excellent and top-ranked, with only Chinese dragging him down. Just the poetry memorization fill-in-the-blanks alone cost him over ten points, and no amount of persuasion could make him memorize them.

Sheng Sui had heard about Xu Yanze’s stubborn personality before.

But she couldn’t understand why, when he could spend another year preparing and even follow the original plan of competition-based recommendation to top universities, he suddenly insisted on the highly limiting and risky gifted program.

Even though they weren’t close, they were still siblings, and since Xu Yanze had no conflict with her, Sheng Sui wanted to ask more questions.

But the young man was unwilling to discuss it further. After a few ambiguous evasions, he directly gave an address and dropped the line “I’ll wait for you there,” then hung up as abruptly as he had called.

“……”

She stared blankly at the darkened screen for a moment, then heard Zhou Shiyu across from her ask: “I remember you mentioned that Xu Yanze isn’t blood-related to you.”

Sheng Sui nodded.

“The procedures for applying to gifted programs are complex, requiring registration for preliminary review at least six months in advance. Since you didn’t hear the homeroom teacher mention it at the last parent conference, Xu Yanze probably bypassed the school and registered directly.”

Zhou Shiyu unhurriedly served Sheng Sui food, his knuckles lightly lifting his glasses frame, his hand half-covering the black eyes behind the lenses.

Only the man’s lips showed a faint smile as he spoke incisively: “Hiding it from parents and teachers while contacting only you—as a younger brother, he certainly trusts his older sister the most.”

Hearing this, Sheng Sui also sensed something was wrong. She really wasn’t close to Xu Yanze normally, so she said vaguely: “Maybe it’s teenage rebellion, wanting to enter university early to escape parental and teacher control.”

“If you go on Friday, I’ll come pick you up on the way.”

Zhou Shiyu’s attitude was neither warm nor cold as he naturally changed to other topics: “The new izakaya you mentioned last time is right across from the coffee shop. After dinner there, we can walk to the nearby park for a stroll or visit the bookstore nearby to see if there are any teaching materials or picture books you need.”

The man’s gentle voice drew her into the scene. Sheng Sui had only been going between school and home this week, and her planned Friday shopping trip had been canceled because her friend Xiao Ming had to work overtime.

The delicious food made her forget the unpleasantness in bed, and Sheng Sui nodded cheerfully: “Good, it’s perfect to go out for a walk.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she heard the man across from her suddenly chuckle softly.

Perhaps because they had just been intimately united, when Sheng Sui looked at Zhou Shiyu again, she always felt he seemed somewhat different from before.

The man’s pale left hand supported his angular face in a seemingly casual gesture that somehow took on an alluring lazy sensuality when he did it.

His shirt buttons weren’t fastened to the top as when he was out—the collar hung open casually and loosely, the thin fabric outlining the shape of his collarbones. If you looked more carefully, you could faintly see deeper areas with Sheng Sui’s retaliatory bite marks.

She had clearly bitten him with sincere intent at the time, so why did it look so ambiguously flirtatious now?

Sheng Sui was busy feeling puzzled, completely unaware that her passionate gaze was being fully absorbed by the man.

“It’s not going out for a walk.”

The man’s gentle low voice pulled back her wandering thoughts. Sheng Sui looked up and met Zhou Shiyu’s watching gaze, her heart fluttering at his slight smile:

“Good baby, this is a date.”

Because stepfather Xu Xu disapproved, this was Sheng Sui’s first private meeting with Xu Yanze.

On that night’s phone call, the young man had been very vague about the reason for their meeting, essentially just one sentence: Chinese was his weakness, and he hoped Sheng Sui could help.

Sheng Sui was completely confused.

First, why couldn’t he get Chinese tutoring at school? Having graduated years ago, Sheng Sui had long forgotten everything about the college entrance exam Chinese. Moreover, what Xu Yanze was weak in was poetry memorization—rote learning that hardly required her teaching.

The young man’s attitude was firm, and Sheng Sui, helpless and afraid the minor might run around recklessly, could only keep the appointment on time.

At five in the evening, traffic was heavy, the streets full of hurried passersby brushing shoulders. Though many walked quickly, their lips carried smiles, probably anticipating the coming weekend.

Pushing through the door into the bustling coffee shop, Sheng Sui immediately spotted the tall, thin boy by the window, his school uniform casually and rebelliously open.

With many students passing by after school, quite a few female students who entered cast glances at Xu Yanze, whispering among themselves, unable to hide their excited youthful emotions.

The boy was oblivious to this.

Seeing Sheng Sui sit across from him, Xu Yanze’s gaze fell on her left wrist with the red string, raising his eyebrows in undisguised disdain: “Where’s the bracelet I gave you last time?”

Sheng Sui had never even opened that expensive gift, saying flatly: “At home.”

“Home? Which home?”

Xu Yanze leaned back listlessly in his chair, his face full of frustrated hesitation: “Did you really marry that man from the hospital last time? Do you like him?”

Sheng Sui didn’t like being interrogated this way. She politely declined the server’s order invitation, and after the person left, said directly: “I’m powerless to help with Chinese tutoring.”

Pausing slightly, she continued: “Also, about the gifted program, you should discuss it with your father and teachers.”

“My own future has nothing to do with others.”

The rebellious teenager laughed coldly repeatedly, sitting up straight and leaning forward: “Also, I really don’t like you always treating me like a child.”

Xu Yanze was barely 1.8 meters tall, still taller than Sheng Sui even sitting down, his whole being carrying youthful immaturity mixed with the recklessness of a newborn calf unafraid of tigers.

“I’m not treating you like a child.”

Sheng Sui thought with a headache that today’s teenagers’ rebellion was truly incomprehensible: “I’m just communicating normally as a 27-year-old adult with a not-yet-16-year-old brother.”

As Xu Yanze himself said, his life had nothing to do with others. As an outsider, Sheng Sui naturally had even less right to give him advice and couldn’t be responsible for his life.

During the stalemate, her phone beside her vibrated. Sheng Sui looked down to see a message from Zhou Shiyu.

【Zhou: Almost there】

When she was about to reply, Xu Yanze across from her suddenly changed topics: “…After that phone argument, Mom cried for a long time.”

“Later she asked me several times whether she was too harsh on you, which is why you casually found someone to marry.”

Sheng Sui was slightly stunned, never having thought that her mother would engage in self-reflection when she didn’t know about it.

“I’ll handle this matter myself,” she subjectively resisted others interfering in her private affairs, standing up wanting to leave, “I’ll take you back.”

“So,” Xu Yanze stubbornly looked up at her, “you were so eager to get married to escape from home?”

Even Sheng Sui’s good temper had limits, and she rose from her seat somewhat impatiently: “These things have nothing to do with you—”

Before she could finish, a familiar figure in her peripheral vision made Sheng Sui stop mid-sentence.

Among the coming and going crowd, the man who pushed through the door stood out like a crane among chickens, naturally carrying stage lighting, immediately attracting everyone’s attention upon entry.

The simple pure black suit couldn’t hide his noble temperament. Zhou Shiyu’s gaze fell as he entered, walking over with long strides and focused attention, finally stopping beside the standing Sheng Sui.

“It seems you’ve finished your negotiations.”

Just like last time, the man treated Xu Yanze beside her as if he were air, turning to smile at Sheng Sui: “Dinner is reserved for seven o’clock. Shall we go look around nearby first?”

Including at the hospital, after being repeatedly ignored, Xu Yanze’s face darkened. He slapped the table, drawing onlookers’ attention, saying coldly:

“Who are you?”

Sheng Sui frowned to speak, but saw Zhou Shiyu look down and smile slightly: “Who I am doesn’t matter.”

The man’s tone was gentle and polite, completely different from Xu Yanze: “You only need to remember that I’m her husband.”

Xu Yanze shot up: “You!”

“Xu Yanze, stop making trouble.”

For the first time calling her brother by his full name in public, Sheng Sui called Yu Xuemei in front of Xu Yanze. When the line was busy, she sent a text message.

In just two or three minutes, she decisively and efficiently arranged everything. For safety considerations, she offered to take Xu Yanze home.

The boy initially refused with a sour face. When Sheng Sui tried to persuade him, Zhou Shiyu beside her casually said “that’s fine, it won’t delay our date,” and only then did Xu Yanze agree with a stiff neck.

The coffee shop was very close to the Xu family home—just through a few alleys. Zhou Shiyu driving would make it hard to find parking, so the three chose to walk.

Yu Xuemei received the text and was waiting downstairs early.

Not having met for just half a month, seeing her mother again felt like a lifetime to Sheng Sui.

Watching from afar as the woman’s first concerned glance fell on Xu Yanze beside her, her heart felt no ripples.

The bond she had once gripped tightly, unwilling to let go, now seemed insignificant.

It wasn’t forced resignation from seeking but not obtaining, but the sudden clarity after she voluntarily let go, discovering it was just that after all.

Compared to her subtle mood, Yu Xuemei was visibly awkward.

Especially seeing Sheng Sui and Zhou Shiyu arrive together, the usually strong woman actually showed some unease, though her mouth remained unyielding:

“I thought after getting married, you’d never contact your mother again.”

“You are my mother, I wouldn’t treat you that way.”

Remembering that night at the beach and Yu Xuemei’s heart-wrenching phone call about Zhou Shiyu, Sheng Sui instinctively stepped sideways to shield the man, saying seriously:

“But the prerequisite is that you give my husband sufficient respect.”

Accustomed to her daughter’s compliance, Yu Xuemei was caught off guard by being openly contradicted and raised her voice: “You’ve only been married a few days—do you understand what kind of person he is? Are you already so eager to take sides?”

“I’m your mother. Everyone in this world might harm you, but I won’t. I don’t let you marry casually—isn’t that for your own good?”

“I didn’t marry casually, and neither did my husband.”

With her mother’s continuous loud voice in her ears, Sheng Sui thought that as emotional beings, humans inevitably had favoritism.

Just as Yu Xuemei chose between her and Xu Yanze, now her emotional scale between her mother and husband had already quietly but overwhelmingly tipped toward Zhou Shiyu’s side.

She looked calmly at her angry mother, her tone flat: “I won’t force you to bless us, and I hope you don’t presuppose that my marriage will fail or baselessly suspect and condemn.”

Meeting her eyes, she decided to say: “My husband has no responsibility and shouldn’t accept your character attacks.”

Zhou Shiyu stood quietly behind Sheng Sui throughout.

He looked down, silently taking in every expression, movement, and even the quickened breathing when she became emotional, absorbing it all perfectly.

Sheng Sui’s soft and delicate personality sometimes worried him.

Whether due to childhood beatings or not, whenever encountering situations, Sheng Sui’s first reaction was always to avoid through compliance and smiles, minimizing conflict as much as possible.

For this, she would unconsciously suppress her displeasure, preferring to satisfy others’ unreasonable demands rather than face disputes, even engaging in self-reflection afterward.

Zhou Shiyu believed that Sheng Sui’s choice to compromise on many things wasn’t because she couldn’t see the intentional or unintentional malice around her, but because her upbringing hadn’t taught her how to coexist with malice and harm.

So avoidance and tolerance had become her most practiced self-protection mechanism.

To use a popular phrase, in Zhou Shiyu’s view, Sheng Sui had a people-pleasing personality even when facing him as her husband.

Even so, she now chose to actively stand before her mother and speak up for him.

And she used a gentle but sufficiently firm tone to inform the other party that her husband deserved respect.

As the sunset faded and evening clouds layered across the sky, Zhou Shiyu looked down at Sheng Sui, who was half a head shorter and still persistently protecting him, wondering how he could not be moved.

It wasn’t until they parted unpleasantly with Yu Xuemei—the woman turning to go upstairs with her son and disappearing from view—that the hero who had fought the battle finally turned back.

The slender, tall woman stood before him looking up, her eyes still tinged with red from the argument.

Zhou Shiyu reached out to take her hand: “It’s a fifteen-minute walk to the restaurant. Want to walk over?”

Being gazed at with the man’s smiling eyes, Sheng Sui really didn’t understand how someone could be happy after being scolded.

She obediently extended her hand, looking at him in confusion: “Why are you smiling?”

“Because I could marry you.”

The evening’s cool breeze brushed across their faces. Zhou Shiyu took her hand and put it in his pocket, looking ahead at the lush green growth of early spring, his black eyes full of tenderness,

“And because my wife is very seriously taking care of me.”

The two walked hand in hand in the setting sun, moving unhurriedly against the flow of people.

Sheng Sui had never liked going against the flow before, always feeling she’d be pushed by the oncoming crowd and scrutinized by every passerby.

But these vague discomforts seemed to completely dissipate because of the other person beside her.

Walking on the red brick pavement, Sheng Sui looked at the cheerful, lively lawn park nearby.

There must be a celebration today—melodious music drifted over on the wind, and in the spacious area, many children and young couples were playing and dancing freely.

Sheng Sui smiled watching the frolicking crowd, feeling a touch of envy, saying softly: “Actually, I was able to say those things today not because I was brave.”

“But because you were behind me.”

The man beside her paused slightly.

Sheng Sui stopped as well, turning sideways to look up at the man with a radiant smile: “Because I know you’ll protect me, so I’m no longer afraid of many things.”

The orange-red sunset glow fell on her beautiful face. Zhou Shiyu gazed deeply into her bright, smiling eyes, hearing the woman tell him clearly with laughter in her eyes, word by word:

“Zhou Shiyu, I don’t think I’ve told you.”

“You are my first real confidence and sense of security in twenty-seven years.”

His heart thundered as if it would explode from his chest the next second.

He wanted to kiss her, but even a deep kiss couldn’t calm the turbulent waves that only he knew about.

And the woman who stirred up these stormy seas was completely unaware, after her smiling words looking again at the noisy square before them, her clear eyes reflecting the beaming faces of the crowd.

His throat moving, Zhou Shiyu suppressed his reactive emotions, asking in a deep, gentle voice: “Want to go?”

Sheng Sui didn’t hear clearly, turning back to look at him: “Hm?”

Lifting her slender, soft right hand, Zhou Shiyu lowered his head to kiss the back of her hand, remembering lines from a movie he had researched that Sheng Sui watched most often in university, smiling faintly:

“Can I take you to the dance?”

This movie was called “Love, Rosie” and had never been popular domestically.

But it didn’t matter—she would definitely understand.

Sure enough, as his words fell, Sheng Sui’s eyes first showed a flash of surprise, then were replaced by lively, vivid laughter.

She nodded and moved closer on her own, rising on her tiptoes to whisper in Zhou Shiyu’s ear, giving her reply softly in the cheerful, pleasant melody:

“Better late than never.”