Hot water cascaded over delicate collarbones, the curvaceous snow-white figure faintly visible through the steam, breathtakingly beautiful.
Zhou Bai closed her eyes and began reviewing everything that had happened today.
Everything else was unimportant, but the thought of Gu Chengjin telling her to have a child made her scalp tingle.
Was it because Mrs. Gu had suggested he go on a blind date with that Miss He?
Had he gotten wind of it early, so he said those words to Old Master Gu to make Mrs. Gu give up?
It must be so.
Zhou Bai couldn’t think of a more reasonable explanation.
“Where are my clothes?”
After finishing her bath and drying off with a towel, Zhou Bai stared blankly at the empty clothes rack.
She distinctly remembered bringing her clothes in and placing them on the rack when she entered—why were they gone now?
Could it be that Gu Chengjin had sneaked in while she was showering and taken them away?
Impossible—Gu Chengjin wouldn’t stoop so low.
She thought carefully; perhaps she really had forgotten to bring them in.
“Are my clothes outside?”
Left with no choice, Zhou Bai stood by the bathroom door, cracked it open slightly, and called out.
“Mm, they’re on the bed. Need help?”
Gu Chengjin replied calmly.
Zhou Bai flushed, pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and asked softly, “Could you bring them over for me?”
“Of course, but what’s in it for me?” Gu Chengjin asked with a smile.
Zhou Bai: “…”
Even helping her with her clothes required a reward—what could she possibly give him?
“Never mind, I don’t need your help.”
Wrapping herself in a bath towel, Zhou Bai dashed out, grabbed her clothes, and rushed back in.
She moved so quickly that Gu Chengjin only had time to catch a glimpse of her two pale, slender legs.
A while later, Zhou Bai emerged with a dark expression on her face.
But she saw that Gu Chengjin was already sitting on the bed reading.
He usually didn’t wear glasses—who knew he wore them when reading at night?
Gu Chengjin with glasses was indescribably handsome. Beneath his thick, dark eyebrows, his eyelashes were dense and curled. His nose was high and straight, perfectly supporting the frames of his glasses. His lips were thin and shapely, carrying a hint of coldness, a touch of determination, a trace of imagination, and a sliver of aloofness.
“Come here.”
Gu Chengjin looked up and patted the spot beside him.
Zhou Bai hesitated. Was he asking her to sleep on the bed? “I want to sleep on the floor,” she insisted stubbornly.
She had stayed over here before, in this same room.
This was Gu Chengjin’s old room. She’d heard he had lived with Old Master Gu since childhood, which was why his relationship with his parents was distant.
The room still held many of Gu Chengjin’s childhood belongings, but Zhou Bai had no interest in them and had never bothered to look.
The last time she stayed here, Gu Chengjin was drunk. Old Master Gu naturally couldn’t bear to send him away, so they spent the night.
With the help of a servant, Zhou Bai had gotten him into bed and slept on the floor herself.
Today, she didn’t mind sleeping on the floor again.
But Gu Chengjin placed the book on the nightstand, took off his glasses, and gazed at her with deep eyes.
Zhou Bai felt a chill run down her spine under his stare. She pursed her lips and straightened her back even more.
Though she didn’t speak, her posture made it clear she truly intended to sleep on the floor.
“Zhou Bai, what I said today about preparing for pregnancy wasn’t a joke.”
Gu Chengjin spoke slowly.
Mentioning this made Zhou Bai’s heart burn with anger.
“You didn’t discuss it with me.”
“I’m discussing it with you now. Come sit here, and we’ll talk.”
Gu Chengjin patted the spot beside him again, his tone leaving no room for refusal.
Zhou Bai had no choice but to reluctantly inch her way over.
Gu Chengjin was probably impatient with her slow pace. As soon as she reached the bedside, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her forcefully, causing her to fall onto him.
Then, wrapping his arm around her waist, he flipped over, settling her into the empty space beside him.
Zhou Bai was both angry and embarrassed, her face flushed red.
He was still the same—whatever he wanted, he would do, never giving up until he achieved his goal.
His domineering nature was truly infuriating.
“You know me well, so why go against me?”
Gu Chengjin propped himself up on his arm, looking down at her furious expression with a slight smile.
Zhou Bai sat up angrily, and Gu Chengjin followed suit.
“I don’t want to have a child,” Zhou Bai said indignantly.
Gu Chengjin nodded. “I know. You want to study abroad and have been applying for student placements.”
“Since you know, why did you say we’ve already discussed trying for a baby?”
“Because I think it’s time for someone my age to have a child.”
Gu Chengjin’s tone was casual, as if he were simply talking about buying seasonal clothes.
Zhou Bai was too angry to speak.
After a long pause, she muttered quietly, “If you want a child, you can find someone else. I’m sure plenty of women out there would be willing to have a child with you.”
Why bother clinging to her?
“Them? They won’t do. When it comes to having children, I have a wife, so why should I ask someone else to do it for me? Our Gu family doesn’t have illegitimate children,” Gu Chengjin declared confidently.
Zhou Bai bit her lip but had nothing more to say.
“You can think about this slowly. Let’s sleep for now.”
Gu Chengjin wrapped his arm around her shoulder and lay down.
Zhou Bai, her face flushed, suggested, “Could you not touch me?”
“No.”
Gu Chengjin pulled her forcefully into his embrace, planting a kiss on the back of her neck.
Zhou Bai tensed up, struggling hard to break free.
But how much space was there on a single bed?
Moreover, Gu Chengjin was strong, his arms holding her firmly like an impenetrable wall. There was no escaping.
His scorching kisses fell like raindrops on the back of her neck, her cheeks…
Zhou Bai nervously closed her eyes.
There’s a saying in books: when you can’t resist, close your eyes and enjoy it.
But then? “Sleep!”
Just as the sensations began to build and her body temperature gradually rose, Gu Chengjin suddenly released her, lying down properly to sleep.
Zhou Bai: “…”
She silently turned her back to him, took a deep breath to calm her racing heart, and closed her eyes, feeling both ashamed and embarrassed.
The next morning, Zhou Bai woke up early.
She didn’t dare sleep in at the Gu residence.
But to her surprise, the rest of the Gu family was up even earlier.
Chairman Gu and Mrs. Gu had already left.
Gu Yunyun had also left, but not before leaving a small note for her.
A servant handed it to her, and she saw a line written on it: Sister-in-law, don’t forget to deliver the letter.
Zhou Bai patted her forehead. She knew she had forgotten something—it was returning the letter to Gu Yunyun.
“What’s wrong?”
Gu Chengjin walked over, noticing her troubled expression.
“Nothing,” Zhou Bai shook her head.
She hid the note Gu Yunyun left for her behind her back, not wanting Gu Chengjin to see it.
“Zhou Zhou, I’m heading back to school in a bit. It’s on the way, so why don’t you come with me?”
Gu Chengyang approached, speaking to Zhou Bai with a gentle expression.
Zhou Bai was about to refuse when Gu Chengjin spoke up, snorting with a mocking reminder, “Second Brother, even if you don’t call her sister-in-law, you should at least use her name. Calling her Zhou Zhou is far too intimate—as her husband, I’m not pleased to hear it.”
“I knew Zhou Zhou earlier,” Gu Chengyang argued. “I’ve always called her that before.”
“So what?” Gu Chengjin said with a roguish air. “I’m the one who married her. Second Brother, you’d better watch your position—for your own good, and for hers.”
As he spoke, he wrapped his arm around Zhou Bai’s shoulder in a domineering, possessive manner.
Gu Chengyang’s expression darkened, and he turned away angrily.
Once he left, Gu Chengjin released Zhou Bai.
Zhou Bai rubbed her sore arm and said quietly to Gu Chengjin, “Actually, you didn’t have to do that. Although I’ve known Professor Gu for a long time, nothing ever started between us, and nothing will in the future.”
“I know. I just don’t like him, plain and simple.”
Gu Chengjin shrugged. Zhou Bai flushed with anger.
How could someone be so awful?
Domineering, overbearing, and childish!
“Come have breakfast. I’ll take you back to school later.”
Ignoring her angry expression, Gu Chengjin wrapped his arm around her waist and forcibly led her to the dining room.
Zhou Bai said with a stern face, “No need. I’m not going to school this morning—I’m heading to the bus station. My mom asked me to go home for a visit.”
“Why the sudden request to go home?” Gu Chengjin asked.
Zhou Bai rolled her eyes inwardly.
She certainly wouldn’t tell him that her mother wanted her to go home for a blind date.