Zhu Villa.
Guo Min walked into Zihan's study, already feeling a flicker of annoyance at the sight of him still working at this hour. It wasn't rare, her husband was always buried in his laptop.
She sighed quietly. This man… if he were the one wanting attention, he'd tell me to forget my work. But when it's his turn, he can't even look up from his screen.
She squinted at him, hoping her glare would do the talking. He noticed, she could tell by the faint movement of his brow, but, as usual, he chose to ignore her. Not even a glance.
Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. "It's night already, you know," she said, her lips in a faint pout, eyes fixed on his face, those glasses only made him look more serious and you know, handsome.
"I need to authorize something and send it to my assistant by tomorrow," Zihan replied at last, glancing up briefly.
"But you're going to the office tomorrow. Why not just do it then?" she countered, slipping between him and the desk, forcing his fingers to still on the keyboard.
"I'll be too busy to do anything tomorrow," he murmured, his voice calm as ever. He placed one hand on the table beside her, effectively caging her in, his gaze unwavering yet occasionally tracing the pale curve of her skin under the warm light.
"You're the only man who'd have a beautiful wife at home and still think only about work," she teased softly, wrapping her arms around his neck.
A low chuckle escaped his lips as he listened, then he dipped his head to her neck, breathing in her scent. "I need to keep up the lifestyle you live in," he murmured, voice low, "my woman is expensive."
"You know…" Guo Min hesitated, her voice softer now. "You've never said you love me before."
The words slipped out before she could stop them. Both of them froze, even she looked startled, her hand flying up to cover her mouth as if she could push the confession back in.
For a long moment, the air turned still. Zihan's face was unreadable as their gazes locked, calm eyes against anxious ones. Inside, Guo Min was giving herself a thousand orders not to flinch, not to look away, not to regret.
"…Doesn't that make us even?" His voice broke the silence, calm but edged with something she couldn't name.
Her brows furrowed slightly. "No. I did say I like you even before...".
"Like me?" Zihan interrupted smoothly, his tone unreadable. He paused, letting the word linger between them. "Are you supposed to like me?… Do you love Ruoxi?"
"Yes," she answered without hesitation, "I love Ruoxi ...she's my sister."
"But you like me?" His voice softened slightly, but his gaze didn't.
Guo Min blinked, unsure whether he was teasing her or searching for something deeper.
"…If you don't want to answer, just say so."
"You like your husband but love someone else," Zihan said flatly, his tone laced with quiet sarcasm. "Such a good wife you are."
Before she could respond, he pulled her effortlessly onto his lap, returning his attention to the laptop as if her weight meant nothing.
Minutes passed in silence. The only sound in the room was the rhythmic tapping of keys until he paused again. "Still not going to say it?"
Guo Min turned her gaze away, refusing to meet his eyes. Her voice trembled slightly.
"…I… I… You say it first."
Zihan raised a brow, amusement flickering in his usually impassive eyes. "Do I need to?" he asked. "I show it to you every day ... that I like you, that I love you, that I want you…"
He paused. His hand lifted, fingers catching her chin as he tilted her face toward his. His voice dropped lower ...quiet, firm and magnetic.
"…and most importantly..." his gaze darkened, "I need you."
For a few moments, Guo Min was caught in the depth of his eyes ...the calm surface hiding something dangerously tender beneath.
But before he could say another word, she bolted from his arms, her cheeks flushed, and disappeared into their bedroom.
Silence flooded the study again. Zihan's eyes lingered on the doorway for a long moment, his fingers hovering above the keyboard but no longer moving. The faint trace of her perfume still clung to his shirt, soft, sweet, and infuriatingly distracting.
Hours later, when Zihan finally finished his work, he walked quietly into the room. Guo Min was already asleep, her breathing soft but her skin faintly glistening with sweat. Noticing this, he adjusted the air conditioner a little lower.
"Summer is here," he murmured, before heading into the bathroom for a quick shower. When he finally lay beside her, exhaustion pulled him into sleep almost instantly.
The next morning.
Guo Min stirred in bed, blinking away sleep. After a small stretch, she sat up, glancing beside her, Zihan was still asleep. It was unusual to see him like that, but knowing he'd worked late into the night, she decided not to wake him. Instead, she leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his hair before heading into the bathroom to freshen up.
She'd forgotten, however, that her husband was a light sleeper. The soft kiss, though affectionate, was enough to stir him. Zihan's eyes opened slowly, his gaze lingering on the ceiling chandelier for a moment before he exhaled and got out of bed.
He walked to the closet, opened the wardrobe doors, and after a few quiet moments of consideration, pulled out a black double-breasted tailored suit. And Guo Min emerged from bathroom.
"Oh, you're awake. Good morning," Guo Min said cheerfully, moving toward the mirror to dry her hair.
"Good morning," he replied simply, his tone calm as always.
She turned to glance at him through the mirror. "You look like you didn't sleep at all, you know. No more working after eleven p.m."
Zihan smiled faintly, a small curve that softened his usually composed features. "Alright," he said quietly, walking toward the bathroom.
Guo Min watched him for a moment, her lips curling into a subtle smile before she turned back to the mirror, brushing her hair and pretending not to notice the warmth that lingered from last night's words.
Thirty minutes later, he stepped out, towel in hand as he dried his damp hair. He slipped into his suit, buttoning it neatly before glancing toward Guo Min and pausing.
"…That's what you're wearing?" he asked, raising a brow.
Guo Min looked at him through the mirror, unfazed. She wore a white satin blouse tucked into high-waisted tailored beige shorts, paired with a light cream blazer that complemented her tone elegant, yet casually bold.
"Yes," she replied simply, applying her mascara with focus. "It's hot today, and I'm going out with my girls tonight. I forgot to tell you that."
Zihan crossed his arms, his gaze traveling down to her exposed legs. His lips curved into a slight pout... subtle, but clearly displeased. "You have air conditioning everywhere you go, car, office, house. That's not a strong excuse." He paused, his tone turning dry. "And Ruoxi? Are you going there to seduce her?"
Guo Min smirked, the corner of her mouth twitching as she tested a shade of lipstick. "This is the second ... no, maybe the third time you've said something like that." She closed the lipstick cap and stood, slipping her heels on. "I like it when you get jealous, Zihan… but not today."
She grabbed her bag, the sound of her heels echoing as she cat-walked confidently down the stairs. Zihan exhaled sharply, half a scoff, half a laugh, his hand brushed back his hair.
But before the irritation could fade, his phone buzzed, a message flashing across the screen. His expression darkened immediately.
The thorn he'd been watching for months, the nuisance who kept hovering too close to their lives had decided to test his patience today.
Zihan's eyes turned cold, all traces of earlier humor gone. "...Keep an eye on my wife," he ordered curtly, already dialing his head of security. "If anything happens to her, you know what I'll do."