"It's nothing serious," Shen Ning said softly, her tone light as if to dismiss the weight of her words. "A truck lost control and rushed toward me."
"Are you hurt?" He reached for her hands, his fingers brushing over hers as his eyes meticulously searched her for any sign of injury.
"I'm not hurt," she assured him quickly, her voice soft but firm. "Mu Chen pushed me out of the way just in time."
His hands froze mid-check.
"He got hurt because of me," she added, licking her lips nervously, "so I bandaged his hand for him." Her voice dropped slightly as she hesitated, then rushed to continue. "Then... he invited me to a meal, and I agreed."
Qin Yuheng's eyes narrowed slightly, his expression unreadable.
Fearing he might misunderstand, Shen Ning hurriedly added, "Don't be angry. I only agreed because I was thankful to him. That's all."
Qin Yuheng sighed. "I'm not angry. I'm not so petty that I'd be upset over this. He saved you I'm grateful to him." He smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "Let's invite him to a meal tomorrow. I don't want to owe him anything."
Shen Ning looked conflicted. "Oh, I... I remember something."
"Hmm?" He raised an eyebrow, waiting.
"I have to stay at the college dormitory for four days," she said, her voice softening with the explanation. "We have a group assignment due soon. So... I won't be home for a few days."
Qin Yuheng's expression immediately turned soured, and he pouted, his voice with exasperation. "From tomorrow? Four days? Wife, are you trying to torture me?"
Shen Ning laughed, shaking her head. "It will be over soon."
"No." He whined, pouting further, clearly not satisfied. "Then... you have to compensate me three times today."
Shen Ning blinked in disbelief. What the hell is this man doing, acting like a child?!
"Go away. Drive," she said, trying to hide her smile as she nudged him playfully.
While he was focused on driving, Shen Ning suddenly asked, "You... Why were you at the restaurant?"
"Forgot?" He glanced at her briefly, then returned his attention to the road. "I had a client meeting with Mr. Zou. The location was selected there."
"Oh," she said thoughtfully. Then, a mischievous glint flashed in her eyes. "So, you noticed us there?"
Qin Yuheng nodded twice seriously. "I did."
Shen Ning suppressed her smile. "Why didn't you come over after your meeting was done?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Shen Ning, unable to hold back, laughed lightly. "Were you... jealous?"
Qin Yuheng shot her a look, a flash of annoyance crossing his features. This girl deserves a spanking!
He drove silently.
Jealous? Yes, he had been. But it wasn't just about that. There was something else gnawing at him.
He wanted to ask her— If Mu Chen had needed your heart back then, would you have given him yours?
But the words died on his lips. No. That was the past. She had confessed to him, hadn't she? She had chosen him.
He clenched his jaw and focused on the road, his grip on the steering wheel tightening.
Back at Moon Villa...
As soon as Shen Ning entered the house, she called out, "I'm taking a bath first." Without waiting for a reply, she walked toward the bedroom, tossing her bag casually onto the bed.
Meanwhile, Qin Yuheng headed straight to his study. He sat at his desk and dialed Wang Xu's number, his expression sharpening as the phone rang.
"Investigate the incident from today," he said, his voice cold. "Start from when Shen Ning left to see her parents off at the airport."
After the call ended, he stood up and walked out of the study.
In the bedroom, Shen Ning was still in the bathroom, and Qin Yuheng sat down on the bed. His eyes casually swept over her bag. As he sat down, her phone began to ring.
"Wife, your phone's ringing," he called out toward the bathroom.
Her voice echoed back from behind the door. "Who is it?"
Qin Yuheng glanced at the screen and narrowed his eyes. "Surname Mu."
"..."
"Can you pick it up for me? I'm not done showering yet." Her voice came again.
"Sure." He snorted lightly and answered the call.
The familiar voice of Mu Chen came through the speaker. "Have you reached home safely?"
"Wife, Mr. Mu called," Qin Yuheng said softly, almost lazily. "You're tired? Your stamina is really weak. We just did one round and you're already so tired," he muttered, loud enough for Mu Chen to hear.
There was a long silence on the other end.
In the bathroom, Shen Ning was speechless. He can even continue the act all by himself. A one-man show.
"Mr. Mu," Qin Yuheng continued smoothly, "Thanks for your concern. I'm very grateful to you for saving my wife. I'll treat you to a meal one day."
"Hmm," came Mu Chen's reply, followed by the click of the call ending.
As he hung up, Qin Yuheng's gaze fell on a neatly wrapped box on the bed. The soft paper and silver ribbon caught his attention, and his eyes narrowed as he read the tag: "Happy Birthday, Ning."
His fingers brushed over the ribbon before he placed the gift back.
Shen Ning came out of the bathroom, with a towel wrapped around her while wiping her hair with another one.
He pursed his lips and didn't mention the gift.
Instead, he reached out, gently tugging her toward him.
With a swift motion, he flipped them over, trapping her beneath him.
He kissed her neck, his lips lingering as he sucked gently on her skin. "Ah Ning," he murmured, his voice was serious now. "Let's have a child. Really."
(• ▽ •;)