Zhou Bai cried until the middle of the night; after all, it was her first time.
When those scalding kisses descended upon her, her thoughts began to blur, and her mind went blank…
Throughout the entire process, Gu Chengjin did not say a single word.
As their bodies pressed tightly together, a scream escaped Zhou Bai’s throat. But it was quickly stifled by the man leaning down to kiss her, leaving her with no choice but to gaze at him sorrowfully through a veil of tears.
Gu Chengjin reached out a hand to cover her eyes, seemingly unwilling to see that look in her gaze.
There was no suspense in this struggle; it ended in Zhou Bai’s utter defeat.
She cried until her eyes were swollen.
No one would believe it, but this was the first time she and Gu Chengjin had been intimate in the two years they had been married.
Usually, she lived in her school dormitory. Aside from special holidays when she had to return to the Gu residence with him, the two of them rarely saw each other.
As for this marital home, she could count the number of times she had returned here since their wedding on one hand.
But yesterday evening, just as she finished her work and stepped out of the library, she received a text from Gu Chengjin telling her to go to the school’s west gate.
She thought something was wrong and gave You Mei a quick heads-up. She ran all the way there, breaking into a sweat.
Before she could even catch her breath, she was pulled into a business van that had pulled up beside her.
“Ah!”
Zhou Bai cried out in surprise, falling into Gu Chengjin’s arms, her small face pale with fright.
Her nose was filled with the scent of his cologne mixed with his natural masculine musk. It was somewhat intoxicating, making her face flush and her heart race.
Toward this husband of two years in their secret marriage, Zhou Bai felt both fear and a sense of strangeness.
She hurriedly scrambled out of his arms. Once she was sitting properly, she lowered her head and asked nervously, “Why were you looking for me?”
Gu Chengjin did not answer her; he only gave her a deep, lingering look.
That look was incredibly complex.
Zhou Bai didn’t understand what he wanted. Feeling apprehensive, she tensed her back and leaned as close to the car door as possible.
Even when they returned to the marital home, she was still in a daze.
She assumed it would be like before—that he wanted her to stay the night because some members of the Gu family might be visiting the next day.
As his wife, how could she not live at home?
This was the agreement between them—a play they had to perform for the Gu family.
To her surprise, she had barely taken a sip of water when Gu Chengjin told her to go take a shower.
Blushing in confusion, she took the pajamas he handed her. Halfway through her shower, Gu Chengjin walked in.
She screamed and hugged herself tightly, only to be forcibly pulled away by Gu Chengjin.
She sobbed for most of the night. Perhaps Gu Chengjin finally grew impatient with her crying, as he eventually pulled her into his arms to comfort her.
“Stop crying. Crying so tragically makes it seem like my technique is terrible.”
Gu Chengjin’s technique certainly wasn’t bad. He was the CEO of Jincheng International Group and the third young master of the Gu family in Jiangcheng. Young, successful, and exceptionally handsome, he was the man every woman in Jiangcheng most wanted to marry, and he was never short of admirers.
Just this afternoon, while she was eating in the cafeteria with You Mei, she had seen a report on the entertainment news.
The popular actress Zhou Muyan had been photographed on a hotel date with a mysterious man, and the mysterious man was suspected to be Gu Chengjin.
Even after two years of marriage, Zhou Bai had still been a virgin until now, but Gu Chengjin had likely been through many battles and was highly skilled long before they married.
So, how could his technique be bad?
But Zhou Bai had nothing to compare it to; all she felt was genuine pain and sorrow.
“Why?”
After sobbing for a long time, she finally stopped. She lifted her head to look at him through tear-filled eyes.
In her blurred vision, she could only see the clean, sharp line of Gu Chengjin’s jaw.
“You’re my wife. Do I need a reason to sleep with you?”
Gu Chengjin threw her an explanation that wasn’t really an explanation.
Zhou Bai started crying again.
However, Gu Chengjin no longer had the patience to coax her. He held her tightly, closed his eyes, and soon, the sound of steady breathing filled the room.
He actually fell asleep?
Zhou Bai’s eyes reddened again with frustration.
She desperately wanted to kick him and wake him up, but her body was utterly spent; she didn’t even have the strength to lift a foot.
Whether it was from anger or exhaustion from crying, she eventually drifted off into a muddled sleep.
She didn’t wake up until noon the next day.
“Fine, I understand. I’ll bring her over. But not today; she isn’t awake yet.”
“What about ten o’clock? My wife wants to sleep in; do we need your permission for that? I’m hanging up.”
Zhou Bai was woken by the sound of Gu Chengjin’s phone conversation. Opening her eyes, she saw him standing by the balcony.
He wore a white shirt, the hem casually tucked into his trousers, paired with dark blue pants. His features were handsome, his figure tall and elegant. He held his phone in one hand while the other rested carelessly on the railing.
The sunlight spilled in, and a light breeze ruffled the white sheer curtains by the window. It was a hazy, dreamlike scene; just by standing there, he looked as handsome as a poster for a commercial film.
She remembered that their company had recently filmed a new advertisement featuring a popular male celebrity. Posters of that celebrity’s bright smile were everywhere on the streets. Even their school was covered in them, making the female students scream with excitement whenever they saw them.
In truth, Gu Chengjin was even better looking than that celebrity!
“Did I wake you?”
Gu Chengjin felt her gaze on him and turned around to ask.
Zhou Bai shook her head. As she sat up in bed, the blanket slid down, revealing her bare shoulders.
“Could you… go out for a moment?”
Zhou Bai hurriedly pulled the blanket back up to cover herself, her face flushing with a mix of anger and embarrassment.
Although they had become a “real” couple, they were still not close.
At the very least, they weren’t at the stage where they could stand before each other in the flesh without feeling flustered.
“Breakfast is ready. Come down and eat once you’ve freshened up.”
Gu Chengjin took his phone and left.
Zhou Bai let out a sigh of relief. Thinking back on everything that happened last night, it still felt like a dream.
Actually, she wasn’t even that heartbroken.
After all, they had been married for two years. She had prepared herself for this the moment they got married.
It was just that he had never touched her.
It had led her to believe that he didn’t like her and that he probably wouldn’t touch her for the rest of their lives.
She had originally planned to apply for an overseas exchange program after graduating in her senior year and then ask him for a divorce.
He had a purpose for marrying her back then. Now that his goal had been achieved, he likely wouldn’t want to continue a marriage that was in name only.
But she hadn’t expected that with only six months left until graduation, he would suddenly…
Just why?
No matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t figure it out. Seeing the exquisite breakfast on the table after she went downstairs, she didn’t dwell on it and simply sat down to eat.
“Come back to the Gu residence with me this weekend.”
Gu Chengjin spoke languidly as he ate.
Zhou Bai nodded.
As expected, he still had to take her home.
However, it wasn’t as if she hadn’t been back before. Why this time…
“Second Brother is back.”
Gu Chengjin paused with his spoon in mid-air, only bringing the porridge to his mouth after he finished the sentence.
Clatter.
Zhou Bai’s hand went limp, and her spoon fell into the bowl with a crisp ring.
Realizing her blunder, she quickly picked the spoon back up and looked at the man awkwardly.
As expected, Gu Chengjin’s expression had changed.
He reached out his hand toward her face.
Zhou Bai, thinking he was going to do something, instinctively flinched back.
“What? Now that you know he’s back, you won’t even let me touch you?”
Gu Chengjin let out a soft chuckle, but the mirth did not reach his eyes.
Panic seized Zhou Bai. She immediately stood up and said, “I’m full. I want to go back to school.”
“I’ve finished as well. I’ll drop you off.”
Gu Chengjin wiped the corners of his mouth elegantly and stood up with her.
“No need,” Zhou Bai refused outright.
Gu Chengjin looked at her with a half-smile. “Don’t want to go back to school? You’d rather stay home and have me keep you company while you rest?”
“Of course not. I have to go back to school. But I can take a taxi. You’re so busy, there’s no need to trouble yourself.”
Zhou Bai softened her tone, explaining to him patiently.
She didn’t want to stay in this place for a second longer, but she didn’t want him to drive her, either.
“It seems you still haven’t figured out your status,” Gu Chengjin said slowly.
Zhou Bai’s heart skipped a beat. A single thought flashed through her mind.
Run.
But before she could even lift her feet, she was yanked into Gu Chengjin’s arms.
Their faces were nearly pressed together, their breaths intermingling.
Zhou Bai’s heart hammered against her ribs as she tried to pull away.
Gu Chengjin immediately pinched her chin, making it impossible for her to escape.