Fighting with Yan Tingli was routine.

Shi Sui was used to it. Though she got angrier the more she thought about it, it didn’t prevent her from sleeping soundly.

She got up on her own in the morning and did her own thing in the study.

It wasn’t until nearly noon that she heard movement from the master bedroom, estimating that Yan Tingli had gotten out of bed.

Shi Sui wasn’t surprised at all.

Since high school, when people talked about Yan Tingli, they all thought his intelligence was one thing, but he must also have unknown hard work.

The truth was, Yan Tingli was lazy to a degree Shi Sui had never heard of. The longest time, Shi Sui timed it—he slept fifteen hours straight without interruption.

That was during her freshman year, her second time here. The previous night, he had pressed her down three times, then slept from eleven at night until three in the afternoon, unable to be woken in between.

This scared Shi Sui terribly—she almost thought he was overindulging and about to die from exhaustion.

Outside the door, Yan Tingli’s footsteps went back and forth, but he didn’t come to find her.

It wasn’t until lunchtime that Shi Sui heard a brief knock at the study door.

Probably calling her to eat.

It had a “take it or leave it” vibe.

Shi Sui wouldn’t make things difficult for her stomach.

She put down her drawing tablet and left the room. Yan Tingli had just sat down, with several freshly stir-fried dishes in front of him, not looking at her.

Was this going to be a Cold War?

Shi Sui’s steps were somewhat slow. Her heart was beating anxiously, not knowing what Yan Tingli would do—after all, whenever they fought, she was the one who got bullied.

He didn’t speak, and Shi Sui didn’t seek trouble either, eating lunch in silence.

The taste was, as always, you could only taste salt and soy sauce, no other seasoning whatsoever.

…Another rich person’s survival health meal.

But Shi Sui only ate without cooking, so she had no right to complain about the chef.

After eating, she casually put the dishes in the dishwasher. Coming out, she saw Yan Tingli leaning by the window on a phone call.

On her way to the study, she vaguely heard a few sentences.

The other person was Uncle Yan, talking about having dinner with Professor Su’s family on Sunday. Yan Tingli responded casually.

Shi Sui lowered her lashes. There was corn juice that Yan Tingli had made on the dining table. She held the cup, sipping intermittently.

Going into the study and opening her phone, Li Yin had asked as usual in the morning what her weekend plans were and whether she needed pocket money.

Shi Sui replied as usual that she didn’t need any, she had enough money.

Li Yin directly transferred five thousand yuan: [Baby, buy whatever you want, enjoy college life more, don’t be reluctant to spend money]

In the past two years, when the industry was depressed, her father’s construction company had more expenses than income. The family was strapped for a while, her parents each running around, and she was forced to stay at the Yan house.

Later her parents started livestreaming in Hangzhou. Though Shi Sui didn’t know the exact amounts, judging from the increasing pocket money, business should be booming.

Thinking this way, Shi Sui smiled, looking at the screen, and accepted the money: [Thank you, Mom~]

Li Yin was busy there, replied with a head-patting emoji, and quickly left.

Shi Sui opened a shopping app and indeed saw her already broadcasting with exquisite makeup. Since entering this industry, her parents were busier than before, often working around the clock.

Shi Sui propped her chin, somewhat lost in thought.

It would be good if she could graduate quickly and stay with Mom and Dad.

After replying to messages, she went to the study and continued drawing on her tablet.

Since enrolling in University A’s animation major two years ago, Shi Sui felt like she had one foot in purgatory. Endless drawings, endless software to learn, endless post-production work. Her classmates were also fiercely competitive, and what little time remained was exploited by Yan Tingli.

The afternoon passed quietly. When she looked up again, the window was already dotted with starlight.

Shi Sui stretched her neck and was about to turn on the light when the study light came on before her.

Then, Li Yin’s gentle voice rang out: “Baby, come out for dinner. Don’t draw during twilight, it’s bad for your eyes.”

Shi Sui’s movements suddenly froze. For a moment, she almost thought her mother was really outside the door, before remembering Li Yin couldn’t possibly appear at this time and place.

The only thing that could make that sound was—Shi Sui opened the door and looked down at the small robot that only reached her waist, which was also the Suowo Generation 2 home intelligence (incomplete version) that Qisheng Technology was about to launch.

Shi Sui named it Little Snail because it carried a small backpack like a snail’s shell.

Yan Tingli had participated in its development and brought Little Snail here during the initial beta testing.

Unlike the perfect new product about to be launched, Little Snail had incomplete functions and often malfunctioned, with constant bugs, large and small.

The reason her mother’s voice appeared was because when initially programming it, Yan Tingli asked what voice she wanted.

Shi Sui had just finished talking to Li Yin on the phone and said sullenly: “Mom’s voice, I guess.”

After that, Little Snail had Li Yin’s voice.

Of course.

Yan Tingli never used this voice afterward, even shutting Little Snail off for a long time.

The reason was that one evening, he was beneath her skirt, soft hair brushing against her thighs, Shi Sui biting her lips and gasping continuously.

The sunset light created gorgeous ambiguity when “Li Yin’s” voice rang out earth-shatteringly, almost making Shi Sui’s soul leave her body. It said, “What are you doing?”

The room fell silent. Not just Shi Sui—even Yan Tingli froze for a moment, his head clamped between her legs as he let out a muffled grunt.

Little Snail then said, “Baby, time for dinner. Remember to eat your three meals on time.”

One second later.

Yan Tingli kicked the robot back to the storage room, and from then on never activated Li Yin’s voice again.

Coming back to the memory, Shi Sui looked up and met Yan Tingli’s gaze from the dining table.

He turned away and put down his plate, saying only two words: “Eat dinner.”

Shi Sui scratched her head.

Just because Little Snail could make Mom’s voice again, she somehow couldn’t stay angry anymore.

She moved slowly.

Getting closer, she gently hugged Yan Tingli from behind.

He paused, dark lashes lowering as he looked at her: “Hugging me, what does that mean?”

Shi Sui’s lips moved, but she still didn’t apologize.

If she had to apologize.

Then Yan Tingli, being so excessive, should kowtow to her.

Shi Sui found herself an excuse: “Coaxing you.”

“I want you to kiss me.”

A kiss wouldn’t stop there. Shi Sui was cautious: “I won’t.”

Yan Tingli’s fingers lifted her chin from behind, his thumb pressing her lips as he said coldly: “When has this mouth of yours made me happy, other than kissing me and servicing me?”

Shi Sui’s cheeks exploded red, her attention immediately diverted: “When did I ever service you with my mouth?”

“Hard to imagine?”

Yan Tingli’s fingertip stroked her lips. “You’d be just like now, your cheeks and eyes all red, and you’d cry because you couldn’t swallow, only looking at me pitifully.”

By rights, this level of offense should make Shi Sui feel shame and anger, but she didn’t—none of that at all.

She felt her body’s excitement and wanted to hide it, but was pierced by Yan Tingli’s casual two words: “Getting wet?”

Shi Sui wanted to cover her ears.

Just like this, she already couldn’t resist. Her physiological impulse toward Yan Tingli almost went against her instincts—truly hateful.

His casual teasing could manipulate her. “Such a big reaction,” Yan Tingli pressed her lips, his eyes filled with darkness, “do you want me to do that to you?”

Shi Sui suddenly closed her eyes: “No!”

“What a pity.”

He shrugged, leaving without another word, not even eating dinner, and quickly entering the bathroom.

Leaving Shi Sui drained, suspended neither up nor down.

She was used to Yan Tingli getting aroused anytime, anywhere. Not thinking about what he was doing, she buried herself in eating.

After finishing dinner, he still hadn’t come out. Passing the bathroom, rustling, ambiguous sounds came from within. Shi Sui’s steps paused.

Raising her hand slightly, the door opened.

Through misty steam, Yan Tingli stood under the shower, below his slender neck, his Adam’s apple moved lightly, his cold white profile flushed.

Light fell at an angle. In the shadows, dark eyes looked directly at her without any discomfort at being watched.

Male beauty was hard to resist.

Shi Sui watched until her legs felt weak, waves surging again.

“Come kiss me.”

Shi Sui hesitated, not daring to move.

“Otherwise, use your mouth.”

…

In the end she still kissed him—Yan Tingli never failed to achieve his goals. All their big and small fights could always be resolved in bed, without fail.

The moment Shi Sui kissed him, he let go, breathing heavily.

Milky white splashed onto her clothes.

Accompanied by intense gazing.

Under the breath like a net, Shi Sui had the illusion of being marked by a beast, never able to escape his scent in this lifetime.

…

By the time she looked at her phone again, several hours had passed.

Zhou Xuyan, who had disappeared for a long time during a recent mountain expedition, sent a message: [I’m back, let’s hang out tomorrow]

Shi Sui met Zhou Xuyan after moving into the Yan house. Like Yan Tingli, she was also a high school celebrity—the legendary international class queen, from a prominent family, beautiful and cool.

But few people knew that Zhou Xuyan and Yan Tingli were distant relatives. Their grandmothers were cousins, and Zhou Xuyan was two months older than Yan Tingli, so she could even call him younger cousin.

Zhou’s parents did foreign trade and often traveled. When they weren’t around, they’d drop Zhou Xuyan at the Yan house, where she happened to meet Shi Sui. They gradually became close friends.

We haven’t seen each other for a month. No matter how unhappy Yan Tingli is, you’re not allowed to bail. Zhou Xuyan’s next message popped up.

Shi Sui knew their relationship was mediocre, even incompatible.

But she was also the only person who knew about her relationship with Yan Tingli.

Shi Sui was about to agree when footsteps approached from behind.

Yan Tingli wore half-frame glasses on his nose bridge, replying to emails while casually handing her a glass of milk.

Though Shi Sui liked drinking milk, she couldn’t stomach it now, especially since she’d just been splashed with his stuff.

“Don’t want it.” She said irritably.

Yan Tingli paused on her face. After a few seconds, he suddenly made a slight sound from his nose.

It sounded ill-intentioned to her ears.

Looking up, he drank the milk himself: “Very imaginative.”

Shi Sui didn’t expect him to bring this up again, getting angry: “Next time don’t get it on me.”

“Don’t like it? But I like when you spray me—”

His mouth was covered by Shi Sui: “Don’t say it!”

Shi Sui wanted to tear apart the mouth that spoke such filthy words. Huffing angrily, she sat down and got to business: “Yanyan is back, she asked to meet tomorrow. I’m telling you.”

“Just you two?”

Shi Sui nodded: “Should be.”

“Where are you going?”

“She didn’t say yet, probably just shopping.”

“Ask first.” Yan Tingli’s expression was very bland as he put down his cup with a “bang.”

Shi Sui’s lips parted, wanting to say something, then closed.

“Then I’ll ask.”

[Yanyan, is it just the two of us? Where are we going to play?]

The reply came quickly:

[Did Yan Tingli make you ask?]

[This is so infuriating, every time I go out with you, he asks this and that, is he your father? A twenty-year-old going out, and it’s like being interrogated.

[Is it still because of that incident? That was so long ago!]

The “last time” Zhou Xuyan mentioned was over a year ago.

For Zhou Xuyan’s nineteenth birthday, she threw a grand party.

Yan Tingli had gone to a competition out of town and supposedly couldn’t make it back in time. Of course, Zhou Xuyan didn’t mind.

Shi Sui helped her decorate the villa early.

That day, many people came. Midway through, Zhou Xuyan mysteriously called Shi Sui to a private room, saying she had something good to share only with her.

Opening the door, over ten gorgeous guys stood on both sides.

“How about it? I selected them all.” Zhou Xuyan asked.

Shi Sui was too shocked to speak.

“You just haven’t tasted the good stuff,” Zhou Xuyan whispered in her ear, “you should meet more handsome guys while he’s away, then you’ll know how sick Yan Tingli is.”

At that time, in Shi Sui’s eyes, Yan Tingli just occasionally had some strange controlling desires, not enough to be called sick.

And that night, she felt inexplicably uneasy. After thinking, she said: “Never mind, I think it’s pretty fun outside—”

“It’s my birthday, I’m the boss, and you have to listen to me!” Zhou Xuyan pushed her inside. “We’re just chatting, not doing anything else.”

“Don’t spoil the mood.” She threw a little tantrum.

So Shi Sui was pressed onto the sofa.

These guys were indeed all good at conversation, especially at providing emotional value.

Shi Sui sat there watching Zhou Xuyan interact with them and found it quite interesting.

She drank some fruit wine. Maybe because she was tired, she got drunk faster than usual.

When she felt a bit dizzy, Shi Sui put down her wine glass.

The guy who had been quietly keeping her company asked considerately: “Want to lean on my shoulder for a bit?”

Shi Sui waved her hand: “I’ll be fine in a moment.”

Who knew this moment of rest brought drowsiness. In her daze, someone caught her cheek, carrying a cool mint fragrance very much like Yan Tingli’s scent after showering.

Shi Sui mumbled and leaned against him.

She could sleep soundly even when it was noisy around her, but when it quieted down, Shi Sui leisurely woke up.

Opening her eyes, the room was brightly lit.

Zhou Xuyan stood at the door with arms crossed, arguing about something, apparently in a standoff. A person stood before her in a long coat, very tall.

When Shi Sui’s vision cleared, she saw it was Yan Tingli.

He completely ignored Zhou Xuyan, his gaze indifferently looking in her direction.

The weight on Shi Sui’s shoulder suddenly disappeared. Looking, she saw the guy who had let her lean on his shoulder had sensitively withdrawn his hand.

That day when Yan Tingli arrived, it was already 11:30 PM. No one knew the competition had ended early—he’d changed to the last flight and rushed back.

When leaving, Zhou Xuyan wouldn’t let them go: “Today is my birthday, I want Sui Sui to stay.”

Yan Tingli was putting a scarf on Shi Sui, asking her gently: “What do you say?”

Shi Sui wasn’t used to his intimacy in front of others, even Zhou Xuyan. She turned her face away and was about to speak when Yan Tingli leaned close: “Think carefully before answering.”

“…” Her heart chilled. She simply threw caution to the wind: “I want to stay and keep Yanyan company.”

Yan Tingli smiled lightly, unsurprised: “Fine, we’ll stay together.” His gaze turned to Zhou Xuyan. “Arrange a room for us at your house.”

Zhou Xuyan: “I don’t want you—”

“If you don’t want tonight’s events to reach Grandpa Zhou.”

“…”

Strict Grandpa was Zhou Xuyan’s weakness.

“No, I’ve reconsidered,” Shi Sui hurriedly tugged his sleeve, “I’ll go back with you, I’ll go back.”

Yan Tingli said nothing, grabbing her wrist and walking out, his other hand dragging the suitcase by the door.

Before that night, Shi Sui had never seen Yan Tingli like that.

He would wash her from top to bottom under the shower, over and over.

While leaning close to sniff her skin, he asked puzzledly: “Why won’t it wash clean?”

Shi Sui collapsed: “What exactly are you washing?”

“There’s another scent.” Yan Tingli sniffed lightly, murmuring, “Cigarette smell, alcohol smell, and—”

“Let me think.”

“Cheap mint fragrance, right?”

Shi Sui slowly stiffened: “I accidentally fell asleep and didn’t know I was leaning on someone else.”

Yan Tingli laughed once.

For the third time, he applied body wash all over her chest, shoulders and neck, patiently scrubbing and kneading.

But his eyes were ice cold: “Really just a little dirty cat.”