Chen Die’s heart was racing. Buried under the blanket, she refused to come out no matter what Wen Liang said. In the end, he had to forcibly grasp her wrist to pull her out from under the blanket.

“What are you going crazy about now?” Wen Liang scolded her.

Chen Die had been burrowing under the blanket for a while, and now being forcibly pulled out by him, her hair was disheveled, truly looking like a little madwoman.

Because of last night, her eyes were still red, and her body ached. Being scolded right after waking up, she suddenly felt extremely wronged and glared at Wen Liang in anger.

Wen Liang leisurely received her glare and even smiled, “What, you want to hit me?”

Chen Die didn’t know how this person could be so shameless, actually maintaining such a straight face.

Utterly shameless.

But she couldn’t manage that. She didn’t even dare to think about what happened last night.

She was indignant but couldn’t say a word. She buried her head back into the pillow, not looking at him, not speaking to him anymore.

The bed beside her sank, then lightened again as Wen Liang got up.

Chen Die couldn’t help but tilt her head slightly to steal a glance, catching sight of his bare, firm back where she could see the contours of his muscles.

Her face heated up, and she immediately buried it back in the pillow.

She heard rustling sounds in her ears, the sound of Wen Liang putting on clothes. Finally, there was the crisp metallic sound of a belt buckle being fastened. This sound seemed to strike Chen Die’s heart, making it skip a beat.

Then her side of the bed sank again—Wen Liang had sat down beside her.

He stroked Chen Die’s hair, finding her reaction more amusing the more he looked at her, and teased, “Still planning to lie naked in my bed?”

Chen Die couldn’t stand this comment. She folded her hands together and pulled the blanket again, completely wrapping herself in it, and said in a muffled voice, “How can I change with you here?”

“After what we’ve done…”

Before he could finish, Chen Die urgently interrupted him, “Wen Liang!”

He laughed, paused for a moment, then suddenly stroked her hair and asked in a low voice, “Do you regret it?”

“…”

It wasn’t exactly regret.

Chen Die couldn’t explain her current feelings clearly, but she didn’t regret it. She felt somewhat joyful and relieved that her relationship with Wen Liang had progressed to another step, yet she also felt the relationship was strange, leaving her at a loss.

Unable to articulate her thoughts, she only said, “Go out first, I need to change.”

“Your clothes have fallen to the floor.”

“Don’t pick them up!” Chen Die quickly said, turning her head to look at him, her face red as she said softly, “I’ll get them myself in a bit.”

Wen Liang curved his lips and walked out of the bedroom.

Chen Die stayed still for a while, rubbed her face, and then got up to retrieve her clothes. Her body still had red marks from last night, startling to look at. Her eyelashes fluttered rapidly as she dressed, then she put on her slippers and quickly ran back to her bedroom, enduring the soreness between her legs.

After dawdling through her washing up, the heat on her face dissipated, and she slowly went downstairs, not daring to even glance at Zhang Sao.

Wen Liang was already seated, eating breakfast. Chen Die moved over with small steps, abandoning her usual seat and leaving a space before sitting down.

“Still hurting?” he suddenly asked.

“…” Chen Die’s hand, which had just picked up a spoon, trembled, causing the spoon handle to hit the edge of the bowl with a clear sound.

Zhang Sao behind them tactfully walked away to tend to the flowers in the back garden.

The heat that had just subsided from Chen Die’s face climbed back up, and she almost buried her face in the bowl, “…Don’t ask about that.”

“Stay at home and rest for a few days. Don’t go out with your friends.” He had already finished eating and got up to ruffle her hair, “Tell me if it still hurts.”

“…”

Chen Die indeed wasn’t feeling well. Normally, even running 800 meters in PE class would make her legs ache for several days, not to mention being tossed about several times last night, but she was too embarrassed to mention it.

For the next few days, she didn’t dare to provoke Wen Liang, staying very quietly in her bedroom, only coming down at mealtimes.

Zhang Sao showed no additional reaction to this matter, very calmly accepting the fact.

However, eventually, she couldn’t stand it anymore. Feeling that Wen Liang was being too irresponsible, she asked when Chen Die wasn’t around, “Young Master, should I help Miss Chen organize her bedroom?”

The implication was asking whether Chen Die’s things should be moved to the master bedroom, to confirm their relationship.

Wen Liang tapped some cigarette ash, thinking about Chen Die’s behavior these past few days, and how on the second morning she couldn’t even raise her head, unsure if she truly regretted it.

But if she regretted it so easily, why had she come to his bedroom late at night and refused to leave no matter how much he told her to?

“Not yet, let her be,” Wen Liang said.

So the matter was set aside. A week later, Wen Liang had to go on a business trip to another province.

In the past, he would just leave directly in such situations, but now that their relationship had changed, Wen Liang told Chen Die before leaving.

“Where are you going?” Chen Die asked.

“T City.”

Chen Die nodded, somehow feeling her heart beat faster, “How many days will you be gone?”

Wen Liang smiled, whereas in the past he would have complained about her talking too much. This time he answered very patiently, “Depends on the situation, probably more than a week.”

“Oh.”

“Sleep early,” Wen Liang said, walking out of her room.

Chen Die sat at her desk, lost in thought for a while, then lowered her chin to tap it against the edge of the desk.

She could feel a change in Wen Liang’s attitude toward her. He no longer treated her just as a child, otherwise, he wouldn’t have specifically told her he was going on a business trip.

But it was limited to that.

Even though they had already… done that.

She was used to seeing Wen Liang’s calm and indifferent demeanor daily, so she kept recalling his rare appearance of abandonment that night, feeling both wronged and moved.

Wen Liang left for his business trip.

However, this project turned out to be more complex than anticipated. After arriving in T City, he was also tricked, and what was planned to be settled in a week dragged on for half a month before it was concluded.

After the final dinner, it was already dark.

Wen Liang didn’t plan to travel back to Yan City so late, so he asked Zhu Qi Cong to book a hotel.

Just as he was leaving the restaurant, Chen Die called, her voice nasal, “Brother Wen Liang.”

She sounded somewhat pitiful.

During his half-month business trip, Chen Die had only occasionally sent him a message, not nearly as enthusiastic as before, and this was the first phone call.

He had a mischievous thought and couldn’t help teasing, “Now you’re calling me Brother Wen Liang again?”

There was silence on the other end.

Wen Liang curved his lips, “Looking for me for something?”

“I’m lost…” she said softly.

Wen Liang’s footsteps paused, “Where are you?”

“T City.”

Wen Liang frowned, “When did you come?”

“…Five days ago.” Chen Die’s voice grew increasingly lower, very guilty.

“You’ve been here for five days without telling me, and now that you’re lost, you call me?” Wen Liang’s voice was cold.

Chen Die explained pitifully, “I originally came to play with my friends and didn’t want to disturb you, so I didn’t tell you. Today they went back, and I wanted to see if I could run into you here, so I didn’t return with them.”

“Send me your location and stay where you are. Don’t move.”

Wen Liang said a word to the others and then drove directly to pick up Chen Die.

The location she sent wasn’t far, just in front of a large building. When Wen Liang arrived, the young girl was standing next to a stone lion in front of the building, carrying a cream-colored backpack.

T City was at a higher latitude than Yan City. At this hour after sunset, it was a bit chilly, yet she was wearing a short skirt with her long legs exposed.

Wen Liang frowned and honked twice.

Chen Die looked up and immediately ran over.

She used to sit in the passenger seat, but today, knowing she was in the wrong and not wanting to anger Wen Liang, she opened the back door.

Before she could sit down, Wen Liang said, “Am I your chauffeur?”

Chen Die paused and moved back to the passenger seat.

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t feeling wronged. Although it was indeed her fault for not thinking it through and troubling Wen Liang.

But wasn’t it because she had waited at home for a week without seeing him return, and coincidentally her friends were coming to T City to play, that she came? It was all because she missed him.

Chen Die had booked a hotel in T City, but Wen Liang didn’t ask where she was staying, so she didn’t mention it.

The entire journey was silent, with no one speaking.

Wen Liang drove directly back to his hotel and took Chen Die upstairs.

He didn’t seem to notice anything strange, while Chen Die held her breath silently as soon as she entered the elevator.

The room had a single large bed.

Chen Die stopped at the door, was pushed in by Wen Liang, and then the door was closed.

“Do you have any change of clothes in your backpack?” Wen Liang asked.

“…No, just one jacket. Everything else is in my suitcase at the hotel where I was staying before.”

Wen Liang made a sound of acknowledgment, asked for her hotel name and room number, and then had someone go fetch it.

Chen Die had been outside for a long time and was a bit cold. Wen Liang looked at her, then handed her his pajamas, “Go shower first. If your things haven’t arrived, wear mine.”

Chen Die blinked, slowly accepting them, and walked into the bathroom, closing the door.

She leaned against the door, looked at the pajamas in her arms for a moment, then slowly raised her arm to smell them.

There was a faint tobacco scent, the smell of Wen Liang.

She took another breath, then suddenly realized how abnormal her current action was and quickly put them down, folding the clothes neatly and placing them on the side of the washbasin.

Chen Die didn’t dare to dawdle and showered quickly.

Wen Liang leaned against the windowsill, hearing the sound of water from the bathroom.

These days he had been busy with the project and hadn’t thought much about other things, but now his mind suddenly recalled Chen Die’s restrained yet unrestrained expressions and soft sounds from that night. He had a weakness for this.

Such thoughts easily led to trouble, with his mind sliding downward.

Wen Liang opened the window and turned his back to smoke.

After a while, Chen Die came out wearing his pajamas, which were a bit too long for her. The pant legs were rolled up several times, the sleeves hung very long, and there were still unwiped water stains at her collarbone.

Wen Liang was still in his suit, a cigarette in his mouth, leaning by the window, turning his head to look at her.

Chen Die felt awkward. After all, this was only the second time she was sharing a bedroom with Wen Liang. She scratched her hair and said, “I’m done, are you going to shower?”

Wen Liang exhaled a breath of smoke, his gaze slowly sweeping from her face to her feet.

Chen Die nearly steamed up under his gaze.

Only then did he wave the cigarette in his hand and say lazily, “Later.”

“…Oh.”

Chen Die nodded, carefully sitting on the edge of the bed. Because they were Wen Liang’s pajamas, she didn’t dare move much, and she was still wearing her underwear beneath.

After another five minutes, the doorbell rang. Wen Liang went to open it and pulled in a suitcase.

He placed the suitcase in front of Chen Die and laid it flat.

Chen Die silently took her change of clothes and pajamas and went back to the bathroom to change. When she came out, Wen Liang went in to shower.

When he came out, Chen Die was already lying in bed. The bed was large, and she was only using a quarter of it, facing away, not daring to curl her legs, lying stiffly on her side.

She seemed to be already asleep.

Wen Liang casually wiped his wet hair, lifted the covers, and sat down.

“Ling Ling,” he called.

There was no response. Wen Liang laughed softly to himself.

The stiff bundle beside him finally moved, turning her head wrapped in the blanket to look at him, responding very obediently, “What is it?”

“Do you need to be so afraid of me?” he asked amusingly, “If you sleep like this, you’ll fall off the bed during the night.”

“…”

Wen Liang said again, “Come closer.”

“…”

Chen Die still didn’t move, not because she didn’t dare, but because her limbs seemed strangely frozen.

Wen Liang thought she was afraid and lazily promised, “I won’t touch you. Come to the middle.”

Only then did Chen Die inch her way to the middle, still facing away, until she accidentally touched him, quickly moving back a bit, then becoming motionless again.

Wen Liang found it amusing, turned off the lights, and lay down, his arm reaching across to wrap around her waist. Sure enough, Chen Die immediately froze.

Wen Liang caught her fingers and asked in a low voice, “With that courage of yours, were you sleepwalking when you got into my bed that night?”

Because I like you and didn’t want you to go on a blind date with some other woman from a matching family background.

Chen Die thought in her heart.

But she didn’t dare say it out loud, only daring to slightly move her index finger, similarly hooking his little finger, “I don’t sleepwalk.”

He laughed, his voice finally not as cold and hard as when he had picked her up earlier, “Next time when you go somewhere this far away, let me know. Don’t just run around on your own.”

“…I understand.”

“How many classmates did you come with to play?”

“Three.”

“Boys or girls?”

Chen Die pursed her lips. Only moonlight leaked into the room. Wen Liang was gently holding her from behind, and his words were somewhat ambiguous, which she particularly liked.

Her tone became slightly pampered again, “Girls, of course.”

He stroked her palm and said an ambiguous “good girl.”

After that, Wen Liang didn’t speak anymore. Chen Die had thought that being held by Wen Liang to sleep would surely be a sleepless night, but perhaps because she had walked too much during the day, she soon fell asleep.

That night, it was Wen Liang who couldn’t sleep well.

After Chen Die fell asleep, her sleeping posture wasn’t very good. Facing away from him but very close, it was almost like being on fire.

But he had just promised not to touch her, and seeing how the young girl seemed frightened of him after that night, he had no interest in forcing anyone into such matters.

So he didn’t sleep at all the entire night.

Chen Die woke up comfortably, washed up, packed her luggage, and returned to Yan City with Wen Liang. However, Wen Liang had a dark face all day and was taking naps with his eyes closed in the car all the way.

Chen Die reflected on herself. She didn’t snore or grind her teeth in her sleep, so she shouldn’t have made him angry.

What was going on?

This question didn’t trouble Chen Die for long. After returning to Yan City and dropping her off at the villa in the western suburbs, Wen Liang went back to the company.

Having just taken over the Wen Yuan Group, there were many people watching him openly and secretly, so he was especially busy.

Chen Die no longer mentioned his promise to take her out to play.

Very understanding.

By the end of June, the college entrance exam results came out.

Chen Die had done well. According to last year’s score line, she could stably enter the film academy she wanted to attend. Her art exam scores were also very high. After filling out her preferences, although she hadn’t received the admission notice yet, it was generally certain.

Since Wen Liang had no time to accompany her to play, she went out with her friends instead.

Her friends were clamoring to go to a newly opened bar. It was Chen Die’s first time, and she didn’t even know how to order drinks, so she simply chose a pink gradient cocktail for herself because the picture looked pretty.

Because of Chen Shu Yuan, most of Chen Die’s good friends in high school were from other classes. Soon, those friends called some more people to join them.

There were many men and women, all just graduated, with high spirits for fun.

Chen Die wasn’t very familiar with some people and wasn’t the type to quickly warm up with others, so she sat alone holding her wine glass, sipping her drink bit by bit.

“Chen Die,” a voice came from beside her.

She turned her head to see a young man, who seemed to be the PE representative from a neighboring class, often seen at school, quite popular among the younger female students.

“What is it?”

“Did you fill in your preference for the film academy in Yan City?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“How did you do on the exam?”

“Pretty well, I should be able to get in.” Chen Die paused, then reciprocated by asking, “What about you?”

He smiled, “I performed exceptionally well, and applied for the finance university across from the film academy.”

After the two had been chatting and laughing for just a few sentences, sharp-eyed people around quickly noticed and started teasing them.

Meanwhile, on the second floor of the bar.

“Mr. Wen, you rarely come here, why aren’t you drinking?”

Wen Liang showed little interest, waving away the wine glass again, his gaze falling on a table of men and women on the first floor. Through the blue-white smoke, he kept his eyes fixed on the girl sitting in the corner without looking away.

The surrounding group was chatting indecently.

Wen Liang watched as Chen Die became increasingly cheerful in her conversation with the young man beside her, covering her mouth to laugh several times.

He suddenly recalled a very early incident, after that New Year’s party, when he went to pick up Chen Die and overheard her admitting to another pestering boy that she already had someone she liked.

He hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but now it appeared in his mind.

His brows knitted tighter, and finally, he took out his phone to call Chen Die.

The music in the bar was very loud, and she didn’t hear it. Wen Liang listened to the phone saying “The user you are calling is temporarily unavailable” while watching Chen Die continue to talk with the people below.

He dialed again, tossed the phone onto the coffee table, and stared at the screen with an unfriendly expression.

It wasn’t until the fourth call that Chen Die answered, and only after being reminded by that young man.

“Hello, Brother Wen Liang?” She stood up, walked to the side, and covered her mouth to speak, “I didn’t hear the ringtone just now.”

“Where are you?”

“Out playing with my friends, what’s the matter?”

Wen Liang glanced at that young man and sneered, “Just graduated and already playing in such places. You’ve grown wings.”

Chen Die just thought he had guessed she was in a bar from the music in the background and didn’t find it strange. She explained, “I’m not misbehaving. There are many of us together, nothing will happen.”

“Stop playing and go home.”

“Are you at home now?”

Wen Liang said “Mm” without changing his expression.

Chen Die’s lips curled up, “Then I’ll come back. I also think it’s a bit too noisy here.”

Wen Liang hung up the phone and looked up to see several people in front of him staring in shock.

They had never heard that Wen Liang had a woman by his side before!

He didn’t explain much, just said “I’m leaving” and walked downstairs amid everyone’s shocked gazes.

Chen Die had just walked out of the bar and was about to call a taxi when someone tapped her head from behind. She turned around, froze, and opened her mouth, “…Didn’t you say you were at home?”

Wen Liang directly put his arm around her shoulders and took her to the car.

They sped back to the villa in the western suburbs.

Chen Die still hadn’t figured out exactly what was going on, how Wen Liang had suddenly appeared there.

She ran a few steps to his side, “Brother Wen Liang, you just…”

Before she could finish, she was pulled into the house by Wen Liang. The door closed, and he took a step forward, pushing her against the door, then used his thumb and index finger to lift her chin.

Chen Die was stunned.

Wen Liang’s expression was unfriendly as he silently looked at her crimson lips, moistened by alcohol. His Adam’s apple slid up and down, and then he directly bent down to kiss her.

Their lips met.

Chen Die’s eyes widened immediately. That night they hadn’t kissed, going straight to the main event, so this was the first time.

Chen Die’s first kiss.

Her heart suddenly accelerated, her legs feeling light and weak, the alcohol spreading between their mouths, creating an even more intoxicating taste.

After a while, he let go, and her eyes were still wide and round, “…Brother Wen Liang.”

Chen Die started overthinking, wondering if Wen Liang truly liked her, but the next second she heard Wen Liang whisper hoarsely in her ear, “Didn’t you already call me Wen Liang last time? What’s this ‘Brother Wen Liang’ now?”

“…”

He touched her earlobe, lightly biting it, “Do you want to?”