She had underestimated Lin Fan's patience.
"Take it, it's a gift for you."
Lin Fan placed the golden leaf in Mu Qing's palm. He didn't have money to buy a proper gift, otherwise he would have bought her some barbecue skewers. She would have absolutely loved that.
Mu Qing's hand was held by Lin Fan. Unable to do anything else, she politely withdrew her hand while accepting the golden leaf. For Mu Qing, some things weren't ready yet.
They didn't have much to say to each other.
It wasn't that they didn't want to talk.
It was that Lin Fan was naturally a bit reserved. They had said everything that needed to be said before. Now, just being able to see each other was enough.
Mu Qing didn't know what to say to Lin Fan.
She didn't want to hurt him.
Not physically, but emotionally.
He was a good person.
But the Shadow Society truly valued Lin Fan. They knew about his feelings for her, which excited them even more. Especially after Lin Fan's actions at Changbai Mountain, the Shadow Society was determined to recruit him at any cost.
Ideally, they wanted to bring him into their ranks.
Time ticked by.
Mu Qing watched the clock.
It was almost midnight.
"It's late," Mu Qing said, her meaning clear. It was late, and he should go back to sleep instead of staying here. After all, she was tired and wanted to sleep early.
If there was anything else, they could talk tomorrow.
Lin Fan stood up. Mu Qing breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed he understood her hint.
"I'll walk you." he said.
"Huh? No need, I know where the bathroom is."
Mu Qing's eyes widened in confusion. She didn't understand what Lin Fan meant at all.
The bathroom?
Did that mean he wasn't planning on leaving tonight?
Honestly, she was a little frightened by him.
Soon, the sound of running water came from the bathroom.
He really was taking a shower.
Mu Qing sat on the sofa, bewildered, staring at the bathroom door. She didn't know what would happen next.
Her mind raced with images.
She pushed them away.
Impossible.
It absolutely couldn't happen.
Ding ding!
Her phone rang.
Mu Qing's expression turned serious. Who would message her at this hour?
As expected…
Tonight, no matter what, she had to keep him here.
The message was short.
But the meaning was far from simple.
Mu Qing hated this feeling of being controlled. The organization, for the sake of its goals, would absolutely sell her out at any moment without hesitation.
Just then, a sound came from the bathroom.
She quickly deleted the message.
Lin Fan walked out in a bathrobe, then went to the bed, climbed in, pulled the covers over himself, and looked at Mu Qing sincerely.
"You can take a shower now. The bathroom is nice and warm. I've already warmed it up for you."
Mu Qing's heart pounded.
She felt like she couldn't escape being…taken advantage of tonight.
She slowly got up and walked towards the bathroom. Inside, looking at herself in the mirror, she felt helpless. Many people might think her life as a famous star was glamorous, but how many knew of her helplessness?
Her pajamas slipped off, revealing her snow-white skin. The details below are indescribable, left to the imagination.
She had already showered earlier.
But she didn't know how to face Lin Fan, so she stayed in the bathroom to kill some time.
But how long could she stay in there just showering?
Mu Qing sighed. She'd take it one step at a time.
A long time later, Mu Qing came out of the bathroom in her pajamas and slowly walked to the bed. Her mind was filled with fantasies of Lin Fan transforming into a ferocious wolf, pouncing on her, tearing her pajamas with his powerful hands, and pinning her to the bed…
Thinking of this, Mu Qing shuddered.
But…
"I warmed up the bed for you. Go to sleep."
Lin Fan moved to the other side, giving the warm spot to Mu Qing. For him, taking care of his wife was the right thing to do. Wasn't that what all men did?
Occasionally, he and Old Zhang would watch lovey-dovey couples in TV dramas, and that's how it was always portrayed. So putting what he learned into practice must be the right way.
Mu Qing didn't expect Lin Fan to be so considerate. But then she thought, what was the use of being considerate? Wouldn't it be the same later?
Lying in bed, she waited quietly for a pair of devilish hands to reach out from the darkness, and then…
"Go to sleep. Get some rest," Lin Fan said, turning on his side, smiling at Mu Qing's face, then closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.
Mu Qing stared at Lin Fan in shock.
I was ready, do you know how much I struggled with my thoughts in the bathroom? But unexpectedly, you're going to sleep?
Or did he want to play some kind of game?
Like, secretly doing that while she was asleep?
At this thought, Mu Qing suddenly threw off the covers, straddled Lin Fan, and under his surprised gaze, angrily said, "Are you playing with me?"
"Huh?" Lin Fan looked at Mu Qing blankly, not understanding what was going on or why she would say such a thing. He hadn't been playing with her at all.
But why would Mu Qing say that?
It was so strange.
"I'm not playing with you," Lin Fan said, racking his brains but unable to figure out the reason.
Straddling Lin Fan, Mu Qing seemed to realize that her current position was somewhat indecent. Her face flushed, and she quickly lay back down beside him, saying nothing, pulling the covers over herself. Perhaps, for Mu Qing, her actions just then were a bit too much.
After she calmed down, she quickly hid back under the covers, covering her face and remaining silent.
Lin Fan said, "If you want, I can do it. Just tell me."
He thought his wife wanted to do those things again. He was ready. As long as she said the word, or made the slightest move, he would cooperate perfectly.
But seeing Mu Qing's current state, she seemed to want it one moment and not the next.
It made Lin Fan confused.
Perhaps she hadn't made up her mind.
"Go to sleep," Lin Fan said.
Mu Qing remained silent, as if she hadn't heard him. In reality, she simply didn't know what to do, so playing dead was the best option.
The night was quiet.
Mu Qing, who had been prepared, waited for Lin Fan's advances. But even as her eyelids grew heavy, she still waited in vain.
Was he really not coming?
If he really wasn't coming, she really would go to sleep.
Outside, a Shadow Society member stood in the alley, shivering in the cold wind. But there was nothing he could do. He was on a mission, and even if he froze to death, he had to keep watch.
"Damn, I'm so envious."
The member was truly envious. Others were inside in the warmth, holding a beautiful woman, warm inside and out, while he had to suffer out here.
The gap between people was truly too big.
He really wanted to be like Lin Fan. The perks were so good, perks you couldn't even imagine.
August 2nd!
Morning!
Cloudy, good weather, moderate temperature, only the night wind was a bit strong.
Inside the hotel room.
Mu Qing's eyes snapped open. She stared at the ceiling, recalling last night's events with a sense of nervousness. Her hand, hidden under the covers, felt her clothes.
Her pajamas were still on.
She didn't know how to face Lin Fan.
She slowly turned her head.
He wasn't there.
She touched the bed; it was cool. It seemed he had left a while ago.
She breathed a sigh of relief. If she had opened her eyes and seen his face, she wouldn't have known what to say to ease the awkwardness. At least, for now, things hadn't progressed to that point.
Just as she was lost in thought, she heard the door open.
"Awake?"
Lin Fan walked in carrying a bag. Inside were a few eggs, which he offered to Mu Qing.
"Here, these are eggs from a hen. I just went back to the dorm to boil them for you. I brought them over as soon as they were done. They're quite good, try them."
Mu Qing looked at the eggs, a strange feeling washing over her.
"Thank you."
There were no other words to say.
Only thank you.
Lin Fan said, "I was going to buy you breakfast downstairs, but then I remembered I didn't have any money, so I had to run back and get these eggs."
"Eat slowly. Old Zhang and I have to go to work."
"Goodbye."
He waved at Mu Qing and turned to leave.
"Wait," Mu Qing called out to Lin Fan. She got up and took a wad of cash from her bag. "Here, take this."
"I don't need money," Lin Fan said, spreading his hands.
Even after everything, he still said he didn't need money. Mu Qing didn't know what he was thinking. This situation seemed a bit strange.
It was like a rich woman leaving after a night with a young man, tossing him a wad of cash as a reward for his performance.
"Take it."
Mu Qing was truly touched. No one had ever been this good to her.
"Okay."
Lin Fan took the money. Based on his understanding, when your wife gives you money for expenses, you should first say, "I don't need money," to show that you rarely spend money, in case she's trying to trick you. If she still insists on giving it to you, then she really wants you to have it, so just take it.
"Thank you, wife," Lin Fan said.
Mu Qing's heart skipped a beat. She was truly startled by Lin Fan. What did he call her?
Wife?
It reminded her of their first meeting, when he ran onto the stage and lifted her up in front of everyone.
From then on, her life had changed drastically.
"Wife, what's wrong?"
Seeing Mu Qing stunned, Lin Fan waved his hand in front of her face, trying to bring her back to reality.
Mu Qing came to her senses and shook her head. "It's nothing."
Through their interactions, she gradually understood something.
Don't panic in any situation; calmness is key. Being called "wife" by him wasn't a bad thing. Arguing about it could easily lead to trouble.
As she was thinking this, something surprising happened.
Lin Fan gently cupped her cheek, then leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips before pulling away.
"Goodbye, wife."