That evening, Jiang Mu attended Gu Zhijie’s dinner gathering, but this time she wasn’t alone—she brought Jin Chao along. The restaurant was located at the foot of the mountain, not far from where they were staying.
This marked Jin Chao’s first venture into Jiang Mu’s social circle, and her first time bringing a man to dine with them. As soon as they arrived, all eyes focused on Jin Chao. He remained composed, greeting everyone with a smile. Gu Zhijie stood up and welcomed them: “Please, sit inside.”
Jin Chao took off his coat and hung it in the corner of the private room. Gu Zhijie seized the opportunity to tease Jiang Mu: “No wonder you weren’t interested in Thoas—your ex is this handsome?”
Jiang Mu corrected him: “Current boyfriend.”
Gu Zhijie was stunned for a moment before breaking into laughter. He turned to Jin Chao as he approached: “You should be treating us to this meal—you’ve stolen away the woman of so many men’s dreams in our department.”
Jiang Mu turned around, meeting Jin Chao’s smiling eyes, and suddenly felt shy.
Jin Chao sat down beside her and responded earnestly: “Indeed I should. Everyone, please eat freely—don’t hold back on my account.”
Everyone laughed at this and raised their glasses in congratulation, asking when they could expect to drink at their wedding.
Gu Zhijie mediated: “When I ran into them this afternoon, they hadn’t even confirmed their relationship. Now you’re already asking about wedding candy? Isn’t that a bit rushed?” He turned to Jiang Mu and Jin Chao with his wine glass: “So when’s the wedding?”
Jiang Mu protested: “I’m shy—give me a break!”
Jin Chao raised his glass with a subtle smile: “I’ll try to make it soon.”
Jiang Mu tugged at Jin Chao’s sleeve: “Can you drink? Take it easy.”
Jin Chao appeared to be in good spirits, lowering his eyes as he replied: “Today is special.”
Those four words made Jiang Mu’s heart feel as soft as cotton.
Zhang Yu, from the same group, asked: “Xiao Jiang, when are you taking your driver’s test?”
“I passed the written test, and now I’m practicing for the road test,” Jiang Mu replied.
“That’s impressive speed! You’ve had time to practice driving recently?”
“I squeeze it in somehow.”
Jin Chao glanced at her, and Jiang Mu noticed he hadn’t touched his chopsticks much. She suddenly remembered something and asked: “Are you not supposed to eat hotpot?”
Jin Chao replied resignedly: “Looks like I scared you before. It’s not that strict.”
Despite his words, Jiang Mu whispered: “I’ll cook something special for you after this.”
Later, as they discussed work matters, Jin Chao listened quietly, occasionally helping Jiang Mu peel shrimp or cook meat. Having encountered all sorts of people during his years running the car service, he could easily chat with Jiang Mu’s colleagues, and everyone took a liking to him.
Near the end of the meal, he stepped out, and when Gu Zhijie went to pay, he discovered Jin Chao had already settled the bill. He patted Jin Chao’s shoulder: “I was just joking about treating us, but you did it.”
He turned to Jiang Mu: “Your boyfriend is too polite. Next time, I’ll treat you both personally.”
After saying goodbye, Jiang Mu and Jin Chao walked home. She hadn’t dressed warmly enough—the afternoon temperature had been fine and the weather good, but who could have predicted that when they left the restaurant, the wind would bring a drizzle of rain? She shivered from the cold, and Jin Chao opened his coat, wrapping her in his embrace. His body heat immediately enveloped her, making her eyes narrow as she looked up at him with a smile: “Chao Chao.”
He lowered his gaze, his eyes full of tenderness: “Hmm?”
Tiny raindrops fell into Jiang Mu’s eyes, making her blink uncomfortably. Jin Chao simply tucked her head under his coat as well, keeping her warm and dry, though she could only see the path through the bottom of his coat, watching their synchronized footsteps.
Jiang Mu laughed and asked: “I can only follow your lead now. You won’t sell me off, will you?”
“Maybe,” he replied.
When Jin Chao finally released her from his coat, they had already arrived at his home. She had barely gotten wet, but his short hair was dotted with water droplets, and his coat was soaked.
Once inside, Jiang Mu urged him: “Quickly change your clothes.”
Jin Chao took off his coat and walked into the bathroom. Jiang Mu sat on the carpet playing with Lightning for a while, listening to the sound of running water from the bathroom. She noticed his bedroom door was slightly ajar, and after glancing back several times, she couldn’t resist getting up and walking over.
Gently pushing open the door, the previously dark space lit up as she entered. Her eyes fell on the large bed with its understated, high-quality gray bedding, neatly made. There were no hidden women, nothing particularly special.
But when she turned her head, Jiang Mu froze completely.
At the foot of the bed stood a full-length glass display case containing a massive LEGO space station model, complete with a launch center, ground control room, walking astronauts, and a rocket bearing the words “China Space Program.”
Every detail was constructed from thousands of LEGO pieces. Jiang Mu had never seen the completed model before—it was even more enormous than she had imagined. She covered her mouth in disbelief, memories rushing back, her heart surging with emotion.
Footsteps sounded behind her. Jin Chao stopped at the doorway when he saw the open door. Jiang Mu turned around to face him, his thick eyelashes slightly lowered, his profile extending to his jaw in smooth, sensual lines.
Jiang Mu’s eyes grew misty as she asked: “How long did it take to build?”
Jin Chao hesitated for a moment before recalling: “Quite a while, counting both times.”
“Both times?”
Jin Chao briefly explained: “It fell apart once during transport. When I rebuilt it after moving here, I’d lost the instructions, so the second time was more challenging.”
But he never mentioned the first time—when Jiang Mu had just gone abroad, when he couldn’t stand and spent his days in a wheelchair, with no expectations for tomorrow and no idea where his future lay.
This LEGO set had accompanied him through those long, unbearable times. It seemed like without this goal, his life had become a stagnant pond.
He couldn’t remember exactly how long it took to build it. Sometimes he forgot to eat or sleep, sometimes he lay awake all night. But when the rocket bearing “China Space Program” finally stood on its launch pad one morning, as another day’s sunrise began, he looked at his completed work and could imagine Mu Mu entering this field years later.
It was the first time he desperately wanted to stand again, and from that moment on, he developed ambition for the future.
Jiang Mu walked to the display case, touching the tiny pieces, remembering their promise to build this model together. Back then, she thought they had all the time in the world to build it slowly, never imagining that what she believed was forever would pass in the blink of an eye.
Jin Chao’s reflection appeared in the glass cabinet door as he embraced her from behind, his clean scent after showering enveloping her as warm breath slipped into her collar. He asked: “Who’s Thoas?”
Jiang Mu watched his profile hovering near her hair in the glass and proudly told him: “He’s a famous genius in our department, half Australian, half French.”
Jin Chao’s arms gradually tightened, though his tone remained light: “He pursued you?”
Jiang Mu nodded honestly: “I told you, lots of people have pursued me. Did you think I was joking?”
Jin Chao caught her chin, turning her face toward him, his breath heavy: “You’re quite bold to say that.”
Jiang Mu raised her eyebrows: “Weren’t you the one who told me to go out and meet more men? I listened to you well. You know, over these years I’ve become quite experienced in matters of the heart.”
Waves of emotion drowned in the darkness of Jin Chao’s eyes as he pinched her chin: “No need to share the details, thank you.”
Jiang Mu glanced at the model and said: “This was my gift to you. If it gets to stay here, why can’t I?”
Jin Chao’s hands encircled her waist, his voice growing deeper: “I’ll help you move in tomorrow.”
Jiang Mu turned to face him in his arms, looking up: “Alright then, I’ll head back now. See you tomorrow.”
Jin Chao’s eyes sparkled with amusement as he said: “Take care, no need to see you out.”
Yet his hands held her waist firmly, preventing her from moving an inch. Jiang Mu realized that even though his body wasn’t what it used to be when he wanted to, he could still effortlessly hold her in place, leaving her nowhere to escape.
His palm pressed slightly, and she fell completely into his embrace. He lowered his head to nuzzle her nose, lightly sucking on her lip before kissing her fully. His intoxicating scent surrounded her, and Jiang Mu’s thoughts froze as she actively responded to him. Jin Chao tightened his arms, lifting her off the ground and placing her on the bed behind him. Their heartbeats collided as he smiled seductively: “Still able to leave?”
In this round, Jiang Mu found herself at a disadvantage. Though she wanted to prove she wasn’t easily misled, her body wouldn’t move. Fortunately, she wasn’t alone in this moment – a damp sensation touched her palm, and she turned her head in surprise to see Lightning sitting beside the bed, licking her hand. Who knew how long he had been observing?
Though he was a dog, he was certainly one who understood human nature. Being watched so intently by him still made Jiang Mu blush. She escaped from beneath Jin Chao and said, “I didn’t bring any clothes with me.”
Jin Chao retrieved a set of cotton pajamas from the wardrobe and handed them to her, then leaned against the cabinet door, his gaze teasing her until Jiang Mu felt her whole body flush with heat. Though he was usually serious and somewhat distant, when he smiled, her heart trembled. She hurriedly fled the room and entered the bathroom.
Jiang Mu was no longer a young girl. When Jin Chao asked her to stay today, she understood its meaning. Unlike the hesitation and fear from years ago, she now felt more certain, even anticipatory. What hadn’t changed was how easily he could make her heart race like a startled deer.
When Jiang Mu emerged from her shower, Jin Chao was leaning against the headboard looking at his tablet. After she entered the room, he locked the tablet and set it aside, his gaze deep and serene as he regarded her: “Standing at attention?”
Though autumn nights were cold, Jin Chao’s home had a temperature control system, so it wasn’t uncomfortable. The pajama pants were too long, so Jiang Mu simply hadn’t worn them, coming out wearing just Jin Chao’s top. The sleeves were as long as those in traditional opera, swaying as she moved. Her fair, enticing legs were visible before Jin Chao, but she no longer had the carefree attitude of her younger years when she would simply climb into his bed. Now she needed to maintain some propriety – actively climbing into his bed would be somewhat embarrassing.
So she asked with mock seriousness, “Should I sleep on the couch?”
Jin Chao remained silent, his lips curving slightly as he quietly watched her performance. Jiang Mu pretended to walk toward the door, and seeing no sign of him trying to stop her, she made a show of brushing her hair aside and glancing back at him.
From behind came Jin Chao’s voice, calling not to her but to Lightning. The dog trotted over eagerly, and Jin Chao slowly said two words: “Close the door.”
Lightning very conscientiously jumped up to catch the door handle, pulling it closed and leaving himself outside in the process.
Jiang Mu faced the closed door, her lips quirking up briefly before she suppressed the smile and turned back to Jin Chao. He patted the space beside him.
Jiang Mu moved her slender, graceful legs onto the bed, but as she drew close, she saw the prosthetic standing beside his bed. Her expression faltered – this was her first time seeing his artificial limb in person. What one sees with their own eyes versus what one merely hears about are fundamentally different experiences.
Her gaze still lingered there when Jin Chao pulled her over, directly lifting the covers to wrap around her.
Jiang Mu lay beside Jin Chao, sliding downward somewhat uneasily until she was completely under the covers, then was pulled back up by Jin Chao. She raised her head to meet his dark bright eyes and asked tentatively, “Can I… look at it?”
Jin Chao’s brows furrowed slightly: “It’s not pleasant to look at.”
“Then do you plan to wear pants in front of me for the rest of our lives?”
Jin Chao’s eyes flickered as he turned his head away. Jiang Mu slid under the covers again, carefully rolling up his left pant leg, then finding it awkward, struggling to remove his pajama pants entirely. Her hands had barely reached his waist when Jin Chao caught them.
He looked down and asked, “What are you doing?”
Jiang Mu said somewhat helplessly, “I just want to see. Please cooperate.”
Jin Chao gazed at her with deep calm eyes and asked, “Can’t you behave?”
She obediently answered, “No.”
Jin Chao looked away and moved to do it himself. Jiang Mu slid down again, her form rising beneath the covers. She didn’t want Jin Chao to see her expression – this was her first time directly seeing his amputated limb, and it was awkward for both of them, so she simply covered herself with the blanket.
In her memory, Jin Chao had perfectly proportioned long legs. She could still remember how he used to lean against cars at Flying Speed, smoking in his dirty work pants, his left leg casually propped up on a stool, creating a naturally powerful and capable image.
But when Jiang Mu saw his injury with her own eyes, it was as if she relived all that suffering alongside him. She could barely bear to look again, curling up beside him with an aching chest, unable to emerge from under the covers for a long while.
As she kept her head down, her hair fell across Jin Chao’s legs. The soft sensation deepened his breathing, and though he stared at the ceiling trying to control his restlessness, her breath under the covers, sometimes light and sometimes heavy, brushing against his skin, was maddening.
Jiang Mu’s attention was entirely focused on his left leg, completely unaware of any other changes. Still immersed in her sadness, she was suddenly lifted by Jin Chao, and before she could react, his form pressed down.
She didn’t know when the lights had dimmed, but in the warm yellow light, Jin Chao kissed her bit by bit, kissing away her sadness and her heartache. The atmosphere grew intimate as his dominating teasing made him seem like a natural leader, instantly igniting sparks that left her dizzy and defenseless, her face flushed crimson as she gasped continuously, like an enticing cherry.
Jin Chao’s dark eyes took on a scarlet tinge as he caressed her lips and asked, “Care to demonstrate, little love expert?”
Though she had joked earlier, when faced with the real thing, Jiang Mu was dazed. Through the oversized clothes, Jin Chao’s burning hands covered her, kneading several times until she completely crumbled, her whole body sensitively arching.
Jin Chao also noticed her inexperience and slowed his movements. He lowered himself to meet her water-filled eyes and said softly, “Mu Mu, open your eyes.”
Jiang Mu wanted to open them but felt she couldn’t, feeling dizzy as if drunk, unable to muster any strength. She blinked slightly, and Jin Chao’s eyes held an intense light that burned into her heart. He asked, “Didn’t you say you’d dated many men?”
Jiang Mu’s heart fluttered, completely at a loss for what to do. Somewhat desperately, she said, “Yes, I dated many men, but even if they just touched my hand, I felt like I was betraying you…”
Jin Chao’s smile spread wider as he completely enveloped her in his embrace: “Silly girl.”
Jiang Mu asked weakly, “Um… won’t you be tired? Should I…?”
Jin Chao raised an eyebrow and pulled off her ill-fitting and bothersome nightshirt. When she lay completely bare before his eyes, a desire he could no longer suppress had climbed into his gaze.
Seeing her curled up nervously, he moved away the hands she used to cover herself and smiled freely: “Do you know how?”
Jiang Mu’s hands were pinned beside her pillow, his gaze roaming unrestrainedly over her body as she turned her head aside and bit her water-moistened lips, saying, “I could… figure it out.”
The girl he had watched since birth and grown up alongside, whom he once dared not touch too much, now lay beneath him, breathtakingly beautiful. An intense possessiveness made him lose control, and he said to her in a husky voice, “For the first time, it’s not right to let the woman take the lead.”
After these words, Jiang Mu felt her body was no longer her own. In her daze, her whole being seemed to be roasting over a fire, and even how later events unfolded became confused.
Until clear tearing sensations reached her heart, she began to grow restless, instinctively curling up and trying to retreat. Jin Chao held her waist and called to her repeatedly: “Mu Mu, relax, be good…”