Daring to pluck fur from a mad dog’s head, one must be prepared to face the possibility of being attacked at any moment.

Yan Tingli had been thoroughly angered by her, his gaze cold to the bone, almost already stripping her clothes.

How could Shi Sui dare to engage with Yan Tingli? She forced herself to calm down, her brain spinning rapidly. After a long while, she said flatly: “You’ve done this to me before, too, why can’t I do it to you?”

“Aren’t we equals?”

Yan Tingli’s eyes narrowed, his expression also changing, seeming speechless.

In Shi Sui’s view, this was temporary compromise due to being in the wrong, being hit at his weak spot.

Still carrying hints of unwillingness.

His not going crazy at the slightest disagreement gave Shi Sui more confidence.

She lowered her eyelashes, her voice also soft, trying to arouse a trace of awakening in him: “You’ve forced me to do many excessive things before.”

Yan Tingli countered: “Those were things I did to you, are you going to pay them all back?”

Shi Sui was stunned, afraid of some trap, and didn’t dare speak for a moment.

Then she heard him say, “Then you can force me now, too.”

“I won’t resist.”

“……”

Shi Sui’s chest heaved heavily once.

Hopeless.

This person was just hopeless!!!

Shi Sui threw the bag in her hand at him, scolding: “When will you ever stand in my position and respect me?”

Yan Tingli’s tone was indifferent: “I’m changing.”

Shi Sui: “I can’t see it.”

“That’s your perspective.”

Shi Sui felt their thinking was on different dimensions again.

Communicating was like two parallel lines—only by forcing it, with one person slightly compromising, could there be a brief intersection.

The car interior became quiet.

After such an argument.

Yan Tingli’s aroused “interest” also seemed to finally be extinguished.

He silently cleaned up and opened the window for air.

Shi Sui also lowered her head, wiping the traces on her body with wet wipes.

In the cold silence, Yan Tingli suddenly said: “In physics, action and reaction forces are mutual and simultaneous.”

Shi Sui looked at him inexplicably.

Yan Tingli’s expression was very flat: “If you didn’t always push me away, there wouldn’t be me always forcing you.”

His tone was very calm, like stating the most ordinary academic principle, without any subjective emotion.

But it made Shi Sui slowly lower her head, her mind racing.

She wanted to categorize Yan Tingli’s words as fallacy, as sophistry.

But for the first time, she was speechless.

Just like how she had questioned Yan Tingli just now.

Making him have nothing to say.

The rest of the drive was silent except for necessities.

Yan Tingli kept looking ahead.

But the air pressure around him was very low, like irritably looking for an outlet.

But unable to vent.

Shi Sui was the same.

She didn’t know why their communication could be so difficult, with both seeming to have valid points.

Unable to find a breakthrough.

Returning home, Shi Sui stood at the window, watching Yan Tingli’s car slowly drive out of sight, the taillights gradually becoming a small dot.

Her heart felt somewhat empty.

Shi Sui suddenly thought of several years ago.

She had also watched Yan Tingli, who had stood all day, gradually walk out of her view like this.

Could it be her, always pushing him away, that caused their contradictory relationship?

“Stop! Stop self-reflecting first!” Zhou Xuyan chattered on the other end of the phone.

After confirming Yan Tingli wouldn’t eavesdrop, she finally dared to speak loudly: “Don’t let him lead you around, he has a high IQ and very twisted logic.”

“Sui Sui, think carefully—if he wasn’t so sick, would you want to push him away?! If he didn’t make you afraid, would you want to run?!”

Shi Sui was easily pulled back, nodding in realization: “You’re right too.”

But thinking of something, her eyelashes drooped again, saying quietly: “But recently, he has indeed improved a bit.”

This point was undeniable—Yan Tingli had changed.

Like the AI monitoring at home.

Shi Sui had asked 3.0, and the reply was that Yan Tingli’s side could no longer control the system here.

Instead, her home had higher priority and could even achieve reverse monitoring of Yan Tingli, though she wouldn’t do such a thing.

Hearing her say this, Zhou Xuyan’s tone was suspicious: “Sure it’s not an act?”

Given Yan Tingli’s past behavior, Zhou Xuyan’s suspicion wasn’t unfounded.

She still didn’t know about the American incident. Over the past month, she had thrown herself into Tibetan fieldwork, and they hadn’t had long chats.

Shi Sui thought for a moment, briefly mentioned the hospitalization, and finally concluded: “He should tend to change, but the results are slow.”

“You were shot?” Zhou Xuyan was frightened, her face pale, “Are you okay?! Was it serious?”

Shi Sui pointed to her shoulder, comforting her: “Already healed, just surface wounds.”

“Who did it! Let that little pervert Yan kill them!”

Shi Sui focused, silent for a while.

Who the mastermind was, combined with Yan Tingli’s reaction today, she had a guess.

Noticing her hesitant expression, Zhou Xuyan seemed to think of something, suddenly saying: “I heard from my mom today that Uncle Yan had a car accident and was hospitalized, it couldn’t be…?!”

Shi Sui didn’t speak.

“God, it is, isn’t it?” Zhou Xuyan was shocked while conspiracy theorizing, “There were already rumors in the circle that the little pervert Yan had sidelined his parents; he wouldn’t kill him because of this, would he?”

“Too crazy, this whole family is too crazy.”

Shi Sui looked at her absently, not joining in the sentiment.

Instead, her mood became complexly depressed.

If all this was done by Yan Zecheng, with his biological father harming him for profit, Yan Tingli would feel sad, wouldn’t he?

And the moment this thought appeared, many, many scenes she had deliberately suppressed and ignored suddenly appeared like curtains in her mind.

The Yan family’s always large and empty villa.

Yan Tingli’s life had been precisely arranged since his youth.

The Yan residence was in chaos, his cold sweater drenched with water.

And that Qingming Festival when he returned from the cemetery, being pointed at by Song Jie and told he had a fate that brought misfortune to loved ones.

What was she doing during those times?

Shi Sui recalled—it seemed like she was preparing nonstop to escape from him.

“Yanyan.” She raised her eyelashes, suddenly saying, “Maybe I’m wrong too.”

“Hm?”

“He and I have different backgrounds and completely different personalities. Before, I never thought about being with him long-term, so I covered my eyes, plugged my ears, and only cared about escaping myself.”

“But now.” Shi Sui chose her words carefully, “I want to prepare for the long term.”

“Maybe I,” she paused, slowly enunciating, “also have things I need to change.”

Two parallel chopsticks—if you only bend one.

The process will be very slow.

Once the force gets too heavy, the chopstick will break.

Shi Sui couldn’t help but continue reasoning.

If it were before, Yan Tingli would have poured out the matter of crashing Yan Zecheng like a dark cloud that didn’t know how to disperse, regardless of whether she wanted to hear it or not.

If she had also deliberately teased Yan Tingli like today, controlling his climax.

He would have done as he said and forced her into the car.

But none of that happened.

Now, he was like a stubborn clam.

Hard shell, soft inside, contradictorily inconsistent inside and out.

Shi Sui was suddenly amused by this imagination, curving her eyes, until Zhou Xuyan, across from her, looked at her thoughtfully and suddenly sighed: “Sui Sui, you’re gentle and kind. That little pervert Yan being with you is his blessing.”

Shi Sui: “Eh?”

Zhou Xuyan looked at her.

At this moment, she also somewhat realized that she had interfered too much in others’ affairs, which might affect Shi Sui’s judgment instead.

For example, she had only thought Yan Tingli was obsessive and sick, his family situation pitiable, but rarely reflected on herself because of these factors, showing him more understanding and tolerance.

Zhou Xuyan: “Sui Sui, you’re very good at loving people.”

Whether instinctively taking a bullet for an “unqualified lover” who had given her so much fear, or quickly reflecting and changing herself after deciding she wanted something long-term, her soft heart.

Each required exceptionally resilient and tolerant qualities.

“But the road to transformation is still very long.” Shi Sui’s voice fell softly.

She wasn’t sure if they could work things out well.

Monday, Shi Sui geared up again and returned to Guangmei Studio for work.

Hangzhou had entered autumn.

These past few days, there had been several autumn rains, and the temperature had turned cool.

When leaving in the morning, 3.0 even reminded her to dress warmly and remember to bring an umbrella.

The 3.0 that wasn’t used for surveillance was the AI Shi Sui favored. She rarely smiled: “Thank you, Little Snail.”

3.0: [Serving Sui Sui is my responsibility.]

Shi Sui drove to the company in a good mood.

Arriving at her workstation, she learned that in just over a month of her absence, there had been completely new personnel changes.

Fu Ze had suddenly resigned and jumped ship. Their team leader had also become Zhao Sheng.

Among the interns who started with her, several had returned to school after their terms ended, and some had voluntarily quit due to work pressure.

Besides that, there were several new faces.

Zhao Sheng briefly introduced them to her. Shi Sui generally remembered them, with the deepest impression being an intern from the Royal College of Art—the school she had once used as a shield.

Speaking of which, she also met this boy named Li Tingyan’s gaze.

He introduced his name and politely greeted her. Shi Sui was stunned in place.

Li, Ting, Yan.

Yan, Ting, Li.

Was this pronunciation reversed?

Inexplicably amused, Shi Sui giggled.

Li Tingyan looked at her questioningly: “Ah?”

“Oh, nothing.” Shi Sui quickly waved her hand, awkwardly smoothing things over, “Your name sounds very nice.”

Li Tingyan smiled at her: “Thank you, yours too.”

He had refined features, probably from a good family background, and carried a gentle, composed temperament.

Shi Sui and he had the same major and similar work responsibilities. Li Tingyan worked unhurriedly and with meticulous completion, quite comfortable to work with.

These past few days, Yan Tingli was exceptionally busy, with business dinners and trips, and no time to come for dinner.

They hadn’t met, and their conversations had stopped at last Saturday’s conclusion.

Until Friday evening, when Shi Sui came home from work.

She had just lain on the sofa when the door was knocked on, not long after. She checked the time—it was when Yan Tingli usually came over.

But recently, with the shopping festival approaching, her parents were busy and had no time to come home and cook. Shi Sui herself just made do randomly.

Shi Sui was stunned, but still went to open the door.

She met the gaze of Yan Tingli at the entrance, wearing a long windbreaker and looking travel-worn.

News of her family being empty had been scouted long ago.

Because the next second, Shi Sui was hugged, or more accurately, pounced on.

Accompanied by Yan Tingli’s right foot entering, Shi Sui was carried by him toward the sofa.

Her lower back pressed against the sofa back.

Yan Tingli pinched her chin, his face nuzzling up to sniff, about to lose control and bite.

Shi Sui sighed in her heart, almost accepting his habit of forceful kissing upon meeting.

Yan Tingli suddenly paused.

He slowly narrowed his eyes and said expressionlessly: “Kiss.”

“You agree.”

Still a commanding tone.

Shi Sui blinked, feeling something indescribable in her heart.

—At least he didn’t force it from the start and knew to ask permission. That was some progress.

So Shi Sui slowly raised her hand, her fingertip brushing his cheek: “Adding points for you.”

In the instant before Yan Tingli could react, she moved forward, actively pressing against his beautifully shaped, thin lips.

“Tonight, I allow you to kiss me.” Pecking once, she pulled back slightly and said, “This is a reward.”

Yan Tingli’s expression changed slightly, his eyelids drooping as he studied her quietly.

Again, that contradictory, compromising expression.

He was always used to commanding from above. This kind of being given orders by her, even containing condescending comforting rewards, might make him physiologically uncomfortable and especially sensitive.

Shi Sui seemed oblivious as she wrapped around his neck, continuing to lean up and nuzzle affectionately.

The next second, Yan Tingli’s devouring movements seemed exceptionally fierce, as if wanting to vent this unwilling emotion in this battle of lips and teeth.

“…Slow down.”

Shi Sui could barely breathe, grabbing his neck and pulling back unceremoniously.

Feeling his chest heaving, eyes dark and heavy, emotions compressed to the extreme.

Shi Sui leaned up, licking his Adam’s apple while saying: “Don’t rush, Brother Tingli.”

Shi Sui softly whispered in his ear, “I miss you too, let’s kiss slowly.”

To prove her longing, Shi Sui imitated his usual sniffing motions, her breath faintly sweeping across his neck: “I missed your scent.”

But Yan Tingli suddenly stopped moving.

Not only did he stop, he even pulled back some distance, his dark pupils pressing down, examining her inch by inch.

Like before, when scrutinizing her micro-expressions to prove she wasn’t lying.

“This time.”

Seeming to see nothing, Yan Tingli spoke very slowly, “More genuine.”

“Did you practice?”

“…”

Yan Tingli continued looking, as if wanting to see through her.

Looking at Shi Sui’s pupils shook.

So he really could distinguish between sincerity and taming.

Then all those clumsy performances before—could Yan Tingli see through them too?

Shi Sui suddenly didn’t dare think deeper, recklessly cupping his face and answering him with a kiss.

She rarely took initiative, so naturally wasn’t skilled at invading someone else’s mouth.

But Yan Tingli also suddenly seemed unhurried.

Though the palms holding her waist still couldn’t help but burn, he had extremely rare patience, letting her make chaos in his mouth.

This surprise made Shi Sui suddenly recall that night several years ago when they watched cartoons all night and did nothing.

In her memory, this was the only time Yan Tingli wasn’t lustful.

She couldn’t remember how long they kissed, only feeling that by the end, even the air was sticky.

Shi Sui felt his reaction.

She didn’t know how long it had been there—probably from the beginning.

Even she found it strange, couldn’t help saying: “Doesn’t it hurt?”

Why wasn’t he saying vulgar things today?

“Mm,” Yan Tingli’s Adam’s apple moved slowly, his eyes also lifting, frankly admitting, “I want to do it.”

Shi Sui hummed: “You used to be quite good at forcing.”

Yan Tingli thought for a moment, his eyes also going blank, innocently describing his current strange thoughts: “I want to earn points.”

“Then have Sui Sui reward me, like just now.”

That felt better.

At this moment, Yan Tingli was like a canine suddenly having its bristling fur smoothed.

Due to comfort, he was temporarily too lazy to care about this disadvantageous passive position.

When she didn’t respond, Yan Tingli couldn’t wait and said, “Make love.”

“You agree.”

He began copying the pattern from before, making Shi Sui both angry and amused.

Having just started adjusting, Shi Sui had no plans to immediately roll around with him, deflecting: “My parents might come back any time.”

Yan Tingli didn’t care: “Let’s do it at my place.”

“No” was already at her throat, but Shi Sui ultimately swallowed it back.

She couldn’t push him away too forcefully—that would be counterproductive.

“I’m about to get my period,” Shi Sui blinked and said, “My stomach doesn’t feel good.”

This wasn’t a lie.

Sure enough, Yan Tingli frowned and thought for a moment.

What day her period came, he naturally knew like the back of his hand.

Finally closing his eyes, he let out a long breath.

“But we can kiss a bit more.”

Shi Sui hooked around his neck, smiling as she leaned up.

Both forgot about time. Kiss a bit, then talk a few words.

“Was Yan Zecheng’s car accident something you did because of me?”

Shi Sui buried her face in his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.

Before, when talking about his family, Yan Tingli’s body always emitted thick, icy coldness.

He would laugh coldly while saying horrifying things.

And initially, before everything was revealed to her by Zhou Xuyan, he had never revealed even half a word to her.

Shi Sui had been thinking about the reasons these days.

Summarizing it as proud yet fragile self-esteem.

Later, when everything was known to her, he turned it into a means to bind her.

Dragging her to sink together, vengefully pouring those unresolvable dark emotions onto her.

Before, Shi Sui didn’t want to know, but now, she wanted to help him get out.

Sure enough, the moment she mentioned Yan Zecheng, Yan Tingli’s whole body emanated sharp thorns.

He laughed once, saying flatly: “You think what I did was wrong?”

Shi Sui commented: “The methods were indeed somewhat extreme.”

Yan Tingli pinched her chin, his gaze also cold: “So what? I’m that kind of extreme person, your whole life—”

His neck was circled by Shi Sui again, her gentle voice by his ear: “Thank you, Brother Tingli.”

“For helping me vent my anger because I was hurt.”

Yan Tingli’s remaining words stopped, his eyes also flickering. The dark mist that had just risen suddenly dispersed, somewhat blank.

Shi Sui had never seen such rich expressions on Yan Tingli’s face.

But it was only momentary before he immediately snapped back.

His lips pressed together with some exposed annoyance, quickly returning to expressionless.

Habitually erecting indifferent walls: “You just called me extreme.”

Shi Sui pecked his lips: “Only occasionally.”

His palm cupped the back of her head.

His other hand pressed her right hand to his chest: “Here.”

Shi Sui suddenly smiled: “Very full?”

“…”

A deathly silence.

This phrase made Yan Tingli recall some very unforgettable memories.

The next second, his face suddenly darkened, his gaze examining her even more coldly.

“Shi Sui.” Yan Tingli’s voice was forest-cold, suddenly asking, “Are you planning to deceive me again?”

Saying so many nice things, coaxing him to remove all tracking and monitoring.

Was she planning to sweet-talk him until he was dizzy and stupid like before?

Yan Tingli’s eyes seemed trapped in some nightmare, becoming somewhat frightening.

His grip on her hand also tightened: “If you dare run again, if you dare—”

Her cheeks were suddenly squeezed from both sides toward the center.

Shi Sui fearlessly leaned close: “You’ll lock me up?”

Yan Tingli: “……”

He stared at her coldly.

Shi Sui wasn’t afraid at all, and very deliberately placed his hand on her shoulder, right where the gunshot wound was. She blinked innocently: “Is this how you treat your lifesaver?”

The wound could still be felt, and even through the fabric, it could be touched.

Yan Tingli’s finger trembled, his momentum instantly deflating like frost-beaten eggplant.

Seemingly losing all means.

He pulled his hand back as if burned.

His face also turned away.

Just his chest rising and falling slowly, obviously quite angry, but he could only hold it in.

“I won’t run again.” Shi Sui looked at him, saying seriously, “Brother Tingli, I want to be with you for a long time.”