Xie Yubai shook his head, then nodded, grinning widely. “It’s gone, all gone. Not a trace of anger left.”
His wife had already coaxed him—staying angry would be too much.
Seeing his expression, Shen Suian couldn’t help but laugh. “How shameless.”
Xie Yubai scoffed at the word. What use was shame? Wasn’t having a wife enough?
The night was thick, and the streetlights stretched their shadows long, casting an aura of serene tranquility in the quiet surroundings.
**
It was not yet ten o’clock when they returned home.
The sound of dripping water came from the bathroom, yet even that couldn’t mask the blushing, breathless moans and gasps.
The swirling steam added a layer of ambiguous intimacy.
On the fogged-up mirror, two entangled figures were faintly visible. Suddenly, a hand pressed against it—slender fingers with neatly trimmed nails, the tips tinged pink. Yet at this moment, veins bulged on the pale back of the hand, trembling faintly.
A larger, broader hand covered it, long fingers intertwining with hers, locking them together.
“Xiao… Xiao Bai…”
Shen Suian’s breathing grew erratic. The corners of her eyes, already lifted, were tinged with a flush of red, glistening with moisture as her gaze grew hazy.
The man captured her crimson lips, his fox-like eyes shimmering with desire, captivating and alluring.
The lines of his arms were sleek and firm, muscles bulging with strength as he exerted himself.
A sudden loss of balance made the girl gasp, instinctively wrapping her arms around the man’s neck. Before she could speak, he hooked his arm around her slender waist and lifted her onto the bathroom counter. One side was cold, the other scorching, sending a shiver through Shen Suian.
“What are you doing?”
The man tilted his head, biting the soft flesh on the side of her neck, gently grinding.
A tingling sensation surged from her tailbone, madly stimulating her mind.
Shen Suian was going insane.
She was drenched, her chestnut hair damp and cascading behind her, a few strands dripping water onto her shoulders. Droplets slid down, tracing her delicate, prominent collarbone and slowly descending further.
Though the water was cool, an unshakeable heat enveloped her body, making her unbearably uncomfortable.
Xie Yubai’s eyes darkened. His thin lips brushed against her earlobe, his breath washing over her. Shen Suian felt her body grow even weaker, her voice unconsciously taking on a seductive tone. “Xiao Bai, don’t… it tickles…”
Having known her for so long, he was well aware of her sensitive spots.
Before long, Shen Suian couldn’t take it anymore.
Her eyes were red, lashes misted with moisture, her lips slightly swollen—she looked utterly pitiful.
Xie Yubai kissed her lips again, fiercely and possessively. The words Shen Suian hadn’t had time to say melted into soft whimpers. She felt as though she were running out of air.
“Be good, once more.”
“…”
How long had it been? Shen Suian couldn’t remember.
She was exhausted, her legs trembling. If not for Xie Yubai holding her, she would have collapsed on the spot.
Yet the man seemed tireless, clinging to her, coaxing her. “Be good, my treasure. One last time.”
“…”
In her dazed state, she felt the man gently press a kiss to her forehead. His voice was low and magnetic, like the purest wine in the world, intoxicating.
And she was drunk.
“Sleep now. Goodnight.”
As he spoke, she surrendered to the command of her mind, closing her eyes and falling into a deep slumber.
Xie Yubai gazed at her peaceful sleeping face, his brows softened with an unshakeable tenderness.
He didn’t lie down. Instead, he got up, fetched a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, and stepped out onto the balcony, making sure to close the door behind him.
Dark clouds stretched into filaments, encircling the moon and veiling its hazy glow. Flickering in and out of sight, they lent an air of mystery.
The man wore a black silk robe, his facial features smooth and defined, his nose bridge high and straight. Strands of moonlight spilled down, casting his entire face into shadow.
His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he leaned lazily against the railing, elbows propped. Between his slender fingers, he held a cigarette, while his other hand cradled a metal lighter. A blue flame ignited, reflecting directly into his eyes, yet revealing no warmth.
The cigarette ember glowed and dimmed intermittently. His thin lips parted, and he slowly exhaled a puff of smoke that blurred his vision.
He lowered his gaze, staring at the two bracelets in his hand—one white, one black. At the center of each was a silver metal frame. On the white bracelet, a fish was carved; on the black, a plant. The reverse sides were engraved with the letters “S” and “Y.”
His eyes darkened as a scene from before he went to pick up Shen Suian surfaced in his mind.
The man who had suddenly appeared before him—the moment he materialized, Xie Yubai felt his strength draining away, to the point where even standing seemed difficult.
As if unaware, the man placed the two bracelets on the table, his voice hoarse: “On November 1st, you must be by her side to protect her. If she disappears, go to Sunshine Road immediately.”
“Also, each of you should wear one of these bracelets. It would be best to drip a drop of blood from both of you onto the center—it will help you.”
“Who are you?”
The man was entirely concealed in darkness, wearing a wide-brimmed hat. When he spoke again, his voice was weak: “You don’t need to know who I am. Just know that this time, you must protect her. You absolutely must not…”
Before he could finish, his figure vanished on the spot.
Strangely, after the man left, all the strength Xie Yubai had lost returned to his body.
The man hadn’t explicitly stated who “she” was, but Xie Yubai knew.
It was Shen Suian.
As for the man’s identity, he wasn’t in the mood to consider it now, because today was already October 29th.
Just as the man had said, he only needed to focus on one thing now: protecting Shen Suian.
**
Inside a dim, cramped room, the thick scent of blood filled the air.
Several corpses—men and women—lay sprawled on the floor, their eyes wide open as if the scenes before their deaths had filled them with extreme terror.
Some of the blood had already congealed, while fresh blood flowed over it, turning a dark crimson.