When Xu Sui woke up, her entire body ached—her back and waist hurt, her bones felt like they’d been disassembled. It was even more exhausting than staying up all night performing surgery. She tried to struggle up, failed, and simply lay back down.

Turning her head, the space beside her was already empty, but warmth still lingered on the pillow.

As Xu Sui turned over, her nose was filled with the man’s lingering faint tobacco scent, causing her thoughts to become chaotic.

She turned away, closed her eyes, and recalled everything that had happened last night.

She couldn’t remember how she had drowsily nodded in agreement.

After years of separation, Zhou Jingze still remembered her sensitive spots. With just one approach, he had the ability to make her surrender step by step. He controlled her firmly, making her unconsciously fall into his trap.

Last night, he seemed to particularly love that tattoo, kissing it, repeatedly nibbling it carefully, over and over, as if he wanted to leave his mark on her ribs.

Finally, with tears and sweat mingled, Zhou Jingze leaned over her, his nose intimately nuzzling her forehead as he hoarsely called “Yiyi.”

Xu Sui suddenly shed a tear.

They say “lovers have stars and seas in their eyes.”

This time, she seemed to see a tiny version of herself in his eyes.

After the blizzard, clear skies.

Because of the assailant incident, the deputy director specially granted Xu Sui two days off to rest well at home, so Xu Sui lazed in bed for a while before slowly getting up, planning to wash up and go downstairs to buy breakfast.

She hadn’t had Chen’s pearl rice rolls in ages, and their rice milk too—it had to be freshly ground, the kind that burns your tongue tip, with a mellow fragrance. One sip leaves a light sweetness on your lips.

She suddenly craved it.

But at this hour, their rice milk would definitely be sold out. How could it be her turn, this lazy bug?

Being able to eat pearl rice rolls would already be quite fortunate.

As Xu Sui thought this and walked to the living room, she picked up a mug to pour herself water. After taking a sip, her gaze casually swept over.

There was a note on the dining table. Xu Sui picked it up—Zhou Jingze’s handwriting was sharp and looked quite proper, but between the lines was a roguish air:

Breakfast is warming in the kitchen. You can eat it when you wake up. Went for a run. If I don’t leave, I won’t be able to resist doing you again.

Xu Sui’s face heated up. She dropped the note back on the dining table. Walking to the kitchen, she lifted the thermal pot lid, and steam brushed against her face. Inside were Chen’s pearl rice rolls and the tongue-burning, fragrant rice milk.

Everything was just perfect.

What you want, someone will brave the cold wind after a blizzard morning to buy your favorite breakfast and bring it to you.

It’s another kind of clear sky after blizzard.

After washing up, Xu Sui sat by the window and carefully finished that breakfast.

At 9 AM, Zhou Jingze returned from his run, carrying a bottle of ice water as he leisurely walked downstairs from Xu Sui’s residential complex. As he walked, a somewhat familiar face approached from ahead. His gaze swept past, paused briefly, then continued forward.

Vaguely, it seemed someone called him. Zhou Jingze stopped, removed his AirPods, and turned back.

“Captain Zhou, it really is you! What a coincidence,” an approximately 40-year-old man said excitedly.

Zhou Jingze looked at him, stunned for a moment. Though he found the face familiar, he still couldn’t place this person.

“It’s me! That flight from Dongzhao International Airlines T380 two years ago, do you remember?”

With this explanation, Zhou Jingze remembered. He extended his hand and smiled: “I remember now. Hello, how is your daughter doing?”

“Very well. She even started dating this year and is continuing graduate studies in England,” the man continued.

The man had lived in this complex for a long time but was meeting Zhou Jingze here for the first time. Thinking he had just gotten married, he asked: “What about you, Captain Zhou? Have you started a family?”

Zhou Jingze tugged at the corner of his mouth: “Not yet.”

“How can someone as young, promising, and excellent as Captain Zhou not have a family yet? How about I introduce you to someone…”

Zhou Jingze lowered his neck and laughed. Casually lifting his eyes, he glimpsed a figure not far away.

Xu Sui had her hair in a loose ponytail, a small face with red lips, coming downstairs to throw out trash.

Zhou Jingze’s eyes showed subtle changes as he lifted his chin toward her: “My wife is over there.”

“Though we’re not married yet—she’s the one.”

“I see.” The man turned to look. Xu Sui also noticed them and walked over after throwing out the trash.

“What a real coincidence, Captain Zhou. Today I absolutely must treat you to a meal, otherwise I definitely won’t sleep tonight. You’re my benefactor,” the man said earnestly.

Zhou Jingze gripped the ice water, the corner of his mouth slightly raised: “You’re being too kind. I only did what was my duty.”

Standing beside them, Xu Sui was somewhat confused but guessed Zhou Jingze had encountered a former passenger.

“Aircraft need more responsible and sincere flight personnel like you so passengers can confidently entrust their lives to your hands. That time the plane encountered crosswinds and heavy rain—if it weren’t for you, I—ah,” the middle-aged man’s eyes reddened as he spoke, gripping Zhou Jingze’s hand again and saying earnestly:

“Please, you must keep flying. We common people will definitely support you.”

Zhou Jingze froze, not knowing what to say for a moment.

He actually wanted to say: I’ve been permanently dismissed by Dongzhao.

I might never be able to fly planes again.

But facing the other party’s earnest, encouraging gaze, he couldn’t bear to disappoint him.

Zhou Jingze nodded, his voice low and hoarse: “Alright, thank you. But I won’t eat—I have to go to the airport tonight for a flight.”

After speaking, he looked at the person beside him. Xu Sui, receiving the message from Zhou Jingze’s eyes, nodded: “Right.”

The man exchanged a few more pleasantries with Zhou Jingze before leaving.

After he left, Xu Sui still watched his departing figure and voiced her confusion:

“When you used to fly, did you encounter an accident and save him?”

“Smart,” Zhou Jingze raised his right hand to ruffle her head, but realizing it was cold from gripping the ice water, he switched hands to pat her head.

Xu Sui turned her head away, looking at him warningly, her voice still soft: “If you have something to say, say it. Don’t get handsy.”

Zhou Jingze chuckled softly, his index finger sliding open the mineral water bottle cap. He tilted his head back for a sip, his Adam’s apple slowly rolling, his tone casual:

“Actually, it was his daughter on the plane. He’s a single parent who raised the child alone and sent her to study in England, but their relationship had always been tense. Two years ago during winter break, his daughter came home to see him on the flight I was piloting.”

Zhou Jingze paused: “Who knew we’d encounter turbulence. That day, passengers on the plane were all very nervous and desperate—some even wrote wills for their loved ones. His daughter was in tears, and only at the last moment did she realize the first person she couldn’t bear to leave was her father.”

“But fortunately, the crisis was resolved in the end.” Zhou Jingze’s tone was understated as he continued with a smile, “After we landed safely, she was the first to rush out and hug her father.”

Actually, during that forced landing in the storm, he had been injured. Afterward, several passengers sent gifts, and some wealthy ones directly sent thick red envelopes.

Zhou Jingze refused them all, only accepting the thank-you letters passengers had written.

Refusing fame and fortune, but not letting down sincere hearts.

He didn’t like to exaggerate past experiences into personal glory.

Zhou Jingze simply believed he had done what he should do.

“You’re amazing,” Xu Sui looked up at him.

“Just lucky,” Zhou Jingze replied.

Xu Sui’s tone was hesitant as she still asked: “How did your situation turn out?”

“Grounded.” Zhou Jingze’s tone was casual, seemingly indifferent.

Xu Sui wanted to say more, but Zhou Jingze changed the subject, gently tugging her ponytail with a smile:

“Go upstairs, change clothes, and come down. Accompany your master to breakfast.”

His dark eyes swept over the red marks on her neck. He bent down, leaning very close, his eyes catching a glimpse of the fair skin exposed at her collar, his gaze darkening ominously. Xu Sui’s heart trembled.

“Then… we could eat something else instead.”

Xu Sui immediately covered her collar and fled like a rabbit.

Zhou Jingze pocketed his hands, staring at her retreating figure, and snorted with laughter.

The two-day break had passed. Perhaps because the vacation had been too relaxing, on the work day, Xu Sui woke up to find she had overslept. She frantically got up, washed up, randomly grabbed at her hair, and ran downstairs.

Her car had been taken for maintenance a few days ago, so she had to run to the street corner, only to discover a black G-Wagon already parked steadily ahead.

The window slowly rolled down, revealing a face with sharp contours. Zhou Jingze held a cigarette in one hand, his elbow resting on the window sill, his narrow eyes carrying playful mockery:

“Getting in? Black cab.”

Xu Sui looked down at her ride-hailing app showing a red spinning wheel with no one accepting orders, and chose to open the car door.

Inside the car, Zhou Jingze quickly started the engine, stepped on the gas, and drove straight ahead.

A pair of distinctly jointed hands rested on the steering wheel. He looked straight ahead, then glanced sideways at Xu Sui:

“Have some breakfast.”

Xu Sui followed his gaze to see breakfast wrapped in a red paper bag beside her, along with a cup of hot coffee.

“Thank you.”

Throughout the journey, Xu Sui ate breakfast in small bites, barely speaking. She kept thinking about their previous relationship, especially about what happened that night.

The car quickly arrived at Puren Hospital, and a sharp brake brought her thoughts back.

Just as Xu Sui was about to unbuckle her seatbelt, Zhou Jingze stopped her and asked:

“What time do you get off work? I’ll pick you up.”

“I have to work overtime,” Xu Sui said.

Zhou Jingze still looked at her and asked:

“Then what time do you finish overtime? I’ll pick you up.”

“I might not have time,” Xu Sui meant this as a refusal.

The atmosphere suddenly turned cold. Zhou Jingze narrowed his eyes at her, his deep eyes filled with heavy dissatisfaction, his voice low and heavy:

“What do you mean? Hit it and quit? Hm?”

What did she mean by not taking responsibility? Clearly, he was the one who took advantage, but he made it sound like he was the one who suffered.

Xu Sui had always been thin-skinned about such matters and wouldn’t argue about it. Her ears turned red as she only managed to squeeze out:

“That night was a moment of impulse.”

She decisively unbuckled her seatbelt to get out, but was blocked by an elbow. Zhou Jingze pressed her back into the seat.

The man unbuckled his seatbelt, leaned over, stared at her, and spoke with rigorous logic:

“Come on, let me straighten this out for you.”

“Did you drink that night?” Zhou Jingze’s logic was clear as he reasoned with her.

Xu Sui shook her head.

“Did you respond to me that night?” Zhou Jingze asked.

Xu Sui thought about it—that night she had indeed touched his hair and his temple.

Finally, after hesitating, she nodded.

“So—”

Zhou Jingze’s voice rumbled low by her ear as he leaned close, his rough fingertip touching her lips.

Xu Sui’s heart constricted.

She wanted to retreat but had nowhere to go.

The man used his thumb pad to methodically wipe away bread crumbs from the corner of her mouth, his voice carrying clear amusement:

“That’s called instinctive love.”