“Has Auntie Qi made bone soup for you to drink?” The pain from her ankle eased slightly, and Fu Xueli’s tense nerves relaxed considerably.

“No.” Xu Xingchun curved his fingers, pressing the swollen area, “Tell me if it hurts.”

“You shouldn’t smoke lately, and don’t drink alcohol either.” Fu Xueli’s gaze wandered aimlessly, lingering on the coffee table for a moment, then asked as if casually, “Who sent those lilies?”

He answered neither lightly nor heavily, “A colleague.”

“Ma Xuanrui?” Fu Xueli asked directly, “Did she come by today?”

“There was a group of people.”

So this counted as confirmation?

Half her eyebrow arched up, she couldn’t help saying, “Then do you know… generally people only send lilies when visiting their boyfriend?”

Xu Xingchun kept his head lowered, turning a deaf ear. She couldn’t quite see his expression clearly.

“Of course, I don’t mean to control you. If you have a suitable partner now…”

She tried hard to find a reason to cover up the possessiveness that had leaked into her words just now—

After all, their current state and relationship was still rather stiff and tangled, nothing spoken openly. Not to mention she couldn’t figure out Xu Xingchun’s attitude—even confirming her own was difficult.

In other words, toward Xu Xingchun, she had feelings, desire, and so much, so much guilt.

So much guilt that it had even exceeded what she could bear.

But what could be done? Fu Xueli just lacked this sense of responsibility.

Clearly she knew it herself, but always couldn’t control getting carried away. This deep-rooted flaw couldn’t be changed in just a short time.

Sometimes the thought would emerge—might as well just walk away like this. Pretend she’d never done anything wrong to Xu Xingchun, that they owed each other nothing.

But there was always a voice in her heart saying.

—Be better to Xu Xingchun.

He’s so pitiful.

He’s liked you for so long.

Be better to him.

“Have a suitable partner, and then what?” Xu Xingchun’s tone seemed mocking.

Fu Xueli knew she’d said the wrong thing. Still holding onto hope in her heart, steeling herself, trying to muddle through like before, “Didn’t we agree before…”

Agreed to just be friends, let go of the past, start fresh…

Sigh, why did the relaxed atmosphere from just now suddenly become like this…

Xu Xingchun stared at her for a moment, “Until now, are you still going to continue saying this kind of thing to me, playing dumb?”

“No, that’s not it.” Fu Xueli instinctively denied. Momentarily confused, wanting to say something but didn’t speak. After a moment of silence, suddenly understanding the meaning in Xu Xingchun’s words, her heart rose and fell, gradually sinking, heavy shameful emotions surging up again.

So he understood more clearly than anyone in his heart, just didn’t want to say it out loud.

Coldly watching her capriciousness, watching her series of behaviors toward him—like repayment, but actually she couldn’t resist temptation herself, finding high-sounding excuses to approach him.

Seeing through her selfish narrow-mindedness, seeing through the darkness of her human nature, yet still not exposing it.

On the surface it seemed like Fu Xueli was being good to him.

But actually?

Actually she was just waving the banner of repayment while doing utterly shameless things to Xu Xingchun.

Still liked acting spoiled toward him, displaying subtle possessiveness. Occasionally letting him taste a little sweetness, yet not taking any actual action.

She knew she was really very selfish like this. Saying one or two superficial words of concern, then pretending she was repaying.

But never thinking about what he actually wanted.

As long as he didn’t say it, she thought pretending like this, maintaining false peace, would be fine.

About several minutes later, Fu Xueli said very quietly, “I’m sorry…”

After speaking, cursed herself in her heart.

Saying sorry again… how many sorries would it take to be enough?

Was sorry any use?

Not saying sorry, what else could she say?

But sorry was really so powerless.

Xu Xingchun’s breathing became noticeably heavier. He stood up, saying, “Fine.”

Fu Xueli felt somewhat panicked, reaching out to grab his wrist, “What I just said… wasn’t that meaning.”

“Mm, what meaning was it?”

“I think you deserve a better girl.” Fu Xueli was saying one thing while meaning another again.

Xu Xingchun had become quite fierce.

Too much of a contrast from his usual self.

Made her a bit afraid to provoke him.

Such low pressure, such a cold expression—rarely shown to others, but quite often to her recently.

Fu Xueli stayed silent sullenly. Like suddenly deflating, corners of her mouth turning down, “Back then when I treated you that way, were you very hurt? So even now you’re unwilling to forgive me?”

“Forgive you for what?”

Opening her mouth, Fu Xueli said, “If you’re willing to listen, I’ll tell you later, okay? Xu Xingchun, don’t hate me, I feel terrible.”

“Do you know the consequences of living with me?” Xu Xingchun asked.

His answer had absolutely nothing to do with her question.

Indeed rather baffling.

Without warning, Xu Xingchun bent down. Fu Xueli only felt the back of her neck gripped by a force. Suddenly, her lips and tongue were blocked head-on.

He blocked the light behind, leaving pitch darkness, not a bit of space, almost suffocating force. He really was biting, her wet soft lower lip wrapped again, sucked, saliva sticky.

She had no time to react at all, could only be forced to endure.

Her chin gripped tightly by fingers, the silky dress on her body already almost roughly torn open. Knees bent up, her eyes watery and misty, trying to push him but couldn’t. The oxygen in her mouth and nasal passages gradually depleting, tears seeping from the corners of her eyes.

She said, don’t hate her. Just these few short words could make Xu Xingchun’s restraint rapidly approach collapse.

Sweat densely seeped from where they touched.

In the pulling and tugging, his t-shirt also rolled up from the waist. Her hands had nowhere to go, accidentally touching the bare skin on his back, fingertips like carrying electricity. Quickly bouncing away.

Xu Xingchun’s lower abdomen tightened, painful to the point of spasms. Mixed with desire, a somewhat devastating pain, yet far less than what her one or two sentences could do.

“Can’t, Xu Xingchun…” Fu Xueli was a bit afraid of him being so out of control like this. Some resistant unease in her heart, but vaguely there was inexplicable stimulation. Xu Xingchun like this had indescribable sexiness.

Ears buzzing a bit, so sudden, such an intense kiss left Fu Xueli not knowing what to do. Slowly, she stopped pushing against him, no longer resisting, but struggling to wrap her arms around Xu Xingchun’s back.

The posture was very awkward, but feeling her response, this wasn’t an illusion.

Xu Xingchun’s breathing scalding, head buried in the hollow of her neck. Blue veins bulging on the back of his hand, especially pale, could see the network of blood vessels clearly. Braced against the wall above her head, maintaining this position without moving, for a very long time.

No further actions.

“…Xu Xingchun… what are you thinking? Can you tell me?” Fu Xueli barely found her voice. She had completely wilted.

He spoke hoarsely, “Fu Xueli…”

“Ah?…”

“I should be able to afford three years in prison. Do you want to try?”

Fu Xueli’s eyes showed confusion, didn’t understand. Didn’t dare ask in detail either.

The sofa slightly trembled. Xu Xingchun seemed to sigh deeply, biting her earlobe, “From now on, I won’t force you… but if you haven’t figured it out, don’t come looking for me, understand?”