“So we’re truly husband and wife now, aren’t we?” Fang Muyang asked again.

Fei Ni remained silent, understanding the implications of his words. Though she was willing to marry him and had never regretted it, she wasn’t ready to be his wife in the fullest sense. Her mother’s teachings and the familiar sounds that regularly came from next door filled her thoughts. If they became true husband and wife, it would mean making those kinds of sounds every week—something she neither longed for nor considered better than their current arrangement.

“If you don’t speak, I’ll take that as agreement,” Fang Muyang said, seeking warm places to warm his hands.

“Give me some time to think about it.”

“What aspects of me do you think need improvement?” Fang Muyang’s hands had already warmed up.

Fei Ni felt her blouse growing increasingly tight as if she could barely breathe, her face flushing from the constraint.

“Weren’t we fine the way we were before?”

“But I think we could be even better.”

Fang Muyang’s fingers were both fawning and bold—Fei Ni had never experienced such ingratiating fingers before. It was as if even their fingerprints were trying to please her, wanting to make her comfortable. But all this ingratiation had a purpose: to better indulge wherever they touched after gaining her favor. That’s how Fang Muyang’s fingers were—increasingly daring, increasingly forceful, yet disguised as an accommodating kind of force, as if saying ‘Surely you must be willing too.’

Before long, he had not only warmed his hands but also raised Fei Ni’s body temperature.

This was outside Fei Ni’s experience; she had never seen such things in movies or read about them in books. His actions seemed far from what she’d been prepared for, and her mother’s wedding day advice proved completely useless.

She didn’t know where he had learned these things, seemingly designed specifically to overwhelm her.

Uncomfortable from both heat and sensation, she couldn’t help but question Fang Muyang: “Where did you learn all this?”

Fang Muyang didn’t immediately understand her meaning, but when he did, he smiled and said, “Meeting you, just came naturally.”

When he liked someone, of course, he wanted to be close to them—as close as possible. What was there to learn?

Fei Ni remained silent, and Fang Muyang continued: “Don’t worry, I’ve never done this with anyone before you.”

“I’m not worried about that.” Her voice trembled slightly but her tone was absolute.

“But why do I smell vinegar?” [Implying jealousy]

“You’re falsely accusing me again.”

Fang Muyang apologized sincerely, then added, “I don’t have any experience, so please tell me if I do anything wrong so I can improve. Please be patient with my current shortcomings; it’ll get better.”

Fei Ni’s face was flushed, her breathing irregular, and though her voice was low, it was firm: “Enough.” Her voice was the hardest part of her beside her teeth, but Fang Muyang’s fingers had felt her softness, so he didn’t take her words too seriously.

“But my hands are still cold, I need to warm them a bit longer.” He persisted in staying.

“Then warm them somewhere else.” Fei Ni couldn’t say his hands were already warm enough, though they certainly were no longer cold.

Fang Muyang took her suggestion seriously, moving his hands slightly. He leaned close to her ear and asked, “Is this spot better?”

Fei Ni scolded: “Shameless.”

Fang Muyang wasn’t angry, patiently negotiating with her: “We’re married now, we’re family. If I’m going to lose face, it might as well be to you and not strangers, right?”

Fang Muyang tilted his face to touch Fei Ni’s lips, making it seem as if she were kissing him.

He appeared very generous, offering his entire face for her to do with as she pleased.

Despite Fei Ni’s constant dodging, their lips met. Fang Muyang occasionally gave her a chance to speak.

The words came out intermittently from Fei Ni’s mouth: “We have work today.”

He leaned in to speak: “So if we didn’t have work, it would be okay?”

Fei Ni closed her mouth, saying nothing. Even without work, would she allow him to do anything he wanted? Fei Ni herself didn’t know. But today they had to work. Besides, he had been busy all yesterday and still hadn’t slept—continuing without rest would do him no good.

Fang Muyang grew bolder, “Then let’s not go to work today.”

“But how could we—” Before she could finish, Fang Muyang took advantage of the opening.

Fei Ni silently cursed her weakness, falling for his trick again. Her mouth had been slightly sore before, but now it felt better. His lips were much gentler than his hands. His hands gradually deepened their understanding of her, as if trying to leave fingerprints everywhere they touched, forcing Fei Ni to feel the distinctness of each of his five fingers.

Usually, she hated it when he teased her with words, but now she wished he would talk more. Only when he spoke could she speak; otherwise, she remained silenced. She wanted to use what little rationality remained to tell him they should both rest—separately.

After a while, Fang Muyang rested his chin on Fei Ni’s shoulder, giving her a chance to speak.

“It’ll be dawn soon, you should get some sleep quickly.”

Fang Muyang agreed.

For him, lifting Fei Ni wasn’t difficult at all.

When suddenly lifted, Fei Ni instinctively cried out “No.”

Her head was back on the original pillow, and Fang Muyang pulled up the blanket, wrapping her tightly. He lay on the other pillow, his mouth near her ear asking, “No what? Didn’t you say you wanted to rest? Why ‘no’ now?”

Fei Ni pulled the blanket higher, covering her face, ignoring him. She had misunderstood him again, and couldn’t help questioning herself—was it perhaps that somewhere in her subconscious she wanted to do those things with him, which was why she repeatedly suspected his intentions? This thought embarrassed her.

Fang Muyang wasn’t as composed as Fei Ni imagined. The reason he just lay there without doing anything else wasn’t because his mind was pure, but simply because time didn’t allow it. They both had to work.

He turned over, hugging Fei Ni through the blanket.

Fei Ni said, “I should go sleep upstairs.”

Fang Muyang laughed, “Still don’t trust me?”

“Aren’t you cold without a blanket?” There was only one blanket on his bed, which she was using. She didn’t dare share it with him.

“With you beside me, I’m not cold at all.” He held her tighter and leaned in to kiss her.

In the past, Fei Ni might have dodged, but now after their deeper contact, kissing seemed ordinary. And because she was wrapped in the blanket, she didn’t have to worry about anything uncontrollable happening, so she let him be. Since they had work in the morning, Fang Muyang only kissed her ear.

The air suddenly grew quiet, and Fei Ni could hear her heartbeat. She thought Fang Muyang was right not to use the blanket—she felt like she was burning up. Closing her eyes, she could still feel his fingers fidgeting restlessly as if trying to mold her into a shape. In just that short time, she had become familiar with his fingers, and her memory replayed his earlier touches along with her responses, the memories so vivid it was like experiencing them again. But she knew his hands were now being proper, very proper. With Fang Muyang beside her, listening to his breathing, she had no hope of falling asleep.

She couldn’t imagine how they would share a bed in the future—she’d probably be sleepless every night, so the later that time came, the better.

“Let me out for a moment.” She was on the inside of the bed and had to pass him to get out.

“Hmm?”

“I want some water.”

“I’ll get it for you.”

Fang Muyang knew Fei Ni wanted to use this chance to return to her bed upstairs. He deliberately slowed his pace while getting water, only turning around after she had returned to her original bed.

It was better this way—squeezed together, he wouldn’t have been able to sleep for even a minute.

Fei Ni still drank the water he brought under his watchful gaze.

Lying in bed, she couldn’t sleep but didn’t dare turn over, afraid the sound would disturb his rest.

He already got little sleep from making furniture, and this time he’d fallen asleep just before dawn—she wanted to let him sleep a bit longer.

Until daybreak, Fei Ni hadn’t slept at all. She carefully climbed down from the upper bed. Fang Muyang still lay in bed, eyes closed. Noticing his long eyelashes, she couldn’t resist blowing on them to see if they would move. At first, she was too far away and they didn’t stir, so she moved closer and blew again. She leaned near his face, using her finger to gently brush it, then used her little finger to poke his nose tip, afraid of waking him, barely touching it.

Since their marriage, she had never observed him like this. The last time she had looked at him so carefully was in the hospital when he was unconscious.

Back then, she had looked at him full of hope for the future, thinking that if he recovered, she might be able to earn recognition and go to university. Now, although she hadn’t gone to university, she had a companion, which made life seem interesting and worth living. Of course, there were still many moments when she regretted not being able to attend university or change jobs.

She quietly watched him like this for quite a while before going to the washroom.

There, she met Wang Xiaoman, who couldn’t help asking, “Little Fei, why are your lips swollen?”

Fei Ni instinctively bit her lip, remembering what had happened in the bedroom, and casually made up an excuse: “Burned them with hot water.”

Wang Xiaoman noticed Fei Ni’s ears turning red but didn’t embarrass her further. Yesterday, when Fei Ni had laughed like that, she probably hadn’t realized how thin the walls were, that she could be heard. Those lips weren’t burned by water—they had been bitten. What had they been doing to cause such marks?

Fei Ni returned to look in the mirror, pressing her fingers to her lips—her upper lip was indeed swollen. She couldn’t help but blame Fang Muyang.

Seeing Fei Ni constantly looking in the mirror, Fang Muyang came over to look at her reflection, reaching out to touch her upper lip. “How did this get swollen? Does it hurt?”

Fei Ni gave Fang Muyang a cold look. “None of your business.”

Fang Muyang continued showing concern despite her impatience: “Did you burn it drinking water today? I’ll get you some ointment.”