For a man who acts all serious while being a total pervert, Zhou Zuizui rolled her eyes hard in her heart.
She reached up, hooked her arms around Shen Nan’s neck, gave him a look, leaned close to his ear and kissed him there. Her voice came out soft and super flirty: “What do you think?”
Little seductress.
Shen Nan gripped her slim waist and carried her straight toward the bedroom. The woman in his arms was charming to the extreme. Her wet, shiny eyes stared straight at him, pulling at his heart. She had already taken off her outer jacket, leaving only a black off-shoulder top underneath. Against her snow-white skin, her collarbones looked delicate and beautiful.
His eyes darkened. He lowered his head and kissed her hard, breathing rough: “Go take a shower.”
Zhou Zuizui: “……”
She froze for a second, turned to go to the bathroom. Suddenly Shen Nan added: “Don’t let water touch the wound.”
“Oh.”
After Zhou Zuizui went into the bathroom, Shen Nan walked to the kitchen, poured himself a glass of cold water, drank it down to cool off some of the heat in his body, then took his phone and went out to the balcony.
……
Shen Nan lowered his eyes and looked at the message Zhou Ran sent. After thinking for a bit, he directly called him back.
“What did they say over there?”
Zhou Ran’s voice was cool and calm as he explained the whole fight involving Zhou Zuizui and the others: “Since sister-in-law’s side made the first move, the other party is demanding compensation. The damage to the bar is also being charged to sister-in-law’s side.”
“Anyone hurt?”
Zhou Ran gave a mocking laugh: “A beer bottle smashed down — what do you think?”
Shen Nan: “……”
He gave a cold laugh: “They asked for it.”
Zhou Ran said: “But it’s a family internal issue. They should be able to settle privately. I can help say a few words on this side, no problem.”
Shen Nan hummed, then reminded him: “Don’t let my parents find out.”
“Understood.”
After hanging up, Shen Nan pulled up another number and dialed it.
When Zhou Zuizui came out after her shower, what she saw was her husband standing on the balcony with one hand in his pocket, smoking. His side profile looked cold and sharp, jaw clenched tight — he looked a little scary. Very serious.
Hearing her, Shen Nan turned his head. When he saw what she was wearing, he raised an eyebrow and laughed: “Done showering?”
“Mm.” Zhou Zuizui looked at him: “Are you worried about something?”
After thinking about it, she looked at Shen Nan and belatedly started worrying too.
“If I got into a fight… will it cause any trouble for you?”
After all, she was a military spouse now. A lot of things required setting an example. Many dangerous things couldn’t be done, let alone getting into fights and ending up at the police station — that would just cause trouble for them.
“No.” Shen Nan lowered his eyelids and stared at her for a long moment. He reached out and gently touched the small wound on her forehead, then unexpectedly leaned down and kissed it. His voice came out hoarse: “Tired?”
“Still okay.”
It really was still okay — not super exhausted, but she could definitely sleep now.
Shen Nan hooked his lips into a smile: “I’ll go shower.”
“Oh.”
Shen Nan went to the bathroom. Zhou Zuizui half-lay on the bed thinking, then sent a message to Xia Wen asking how she was.
She sent several messages, but only one reply came back: I’m fine. Let’s talk tomorrow when we meet.
Zhou Zuizui thought about it and felt she shouldn’t push too much. Xia Wen needed her own space right now.
She was lost in thought when Shen Nan came out of the bathroom.
Their eyes met. Zhou Zuizui instinctively scooted over a little to make space. Shen Nan gave a mocking laugh, glanced at her: “Still not sleeping?”
Zhou Zuizui choked, then reflexively kicked him: “You already know the answer.”
Shen Nan: “……”
He reached out, pulled her into his arms, and teased with a bad smile: “Waiting for me?”
Zhou Zuizui tsked in annoyance, wanting to hit him.
Shen Nan gave a low laugh. His voice felt numb and tingly against her ear as he coaxed his almost-exploding wife: “Nothing tonight. Just normal sleeping.” He spoke softly: “I didn’t marry you home just to solve physical needs.”
Even though he really wanted to — after all, the woman in his arms was his wife — Shen Nan still had self-control in these matters. He rushed back in a hurry just to make sure she was safe, not to sleep with her.
Zhou Zuizui gave a small hum but didn’t speak. She just held his hand a little tighter.
The way they were as husband and wife right now… honestly, they weren’t really acting like a married couple yet. They were more like a pair of lovers in the honeymoon phase — the kind who just confessed, just admitted their feelings, hearts belonging to each other. So some things still weren’t that natural or familiar yet. And they had only just opened up two days ago before separating again. Now that they finally met, some emotions… naturally spilled out a little.
Missing each other.
Before this, Zhou Zuizui never thought the word “missing” would apply to her.
She had always been carefree, and so had Shen Nan. So for things like this between them, they still needed a lot of time to adjust, a lot of understanding.
He lowered his head, kissed the side of her ear while she was in his arms: “What did you do these past two days?”
Zhou Zuizui paused for a second. Under the light, she looked at the man’s jawline — tight and sharp, wide and handsome. Paired with that face, the pure masculine vibe hit hard. She reached up and touched it before answering: “Just had a meal with your mom, then hung out with Xia Wen for two days…”
She kept it short and simple. After finishing, she looked at Shen Nan: “And you? Training?”
“Mm.” Shen Nan shifted to the side and lay down next to her: “Just got back. Things have been a bit busy.”
Right now he still couldn’t come home every day — only on weekends. But in special situations he could come back too. Lately Shen Nan had just taken on a new mission. If it went through, he’d probably be able to stay home for a pretty long stretch. But the mission wasn’t fully confirmed yet, so he planned to wait until it was certain before telling Zhou Zuizui — wanted to give her a nice surprise.
The two chatted quietly. After a peaceful silence, Shen Nan asked: “Weekend after tomorrow — anything you want to do?”
Zhou Zuizui froze, instinctively lifted her head to look at him: “You’re taking me out?”
Shen Nan: “……”
He glanced at his wife: “Don’t want to go out for a bit?”
“I do.” Zhou Zuizui choked a little, feeling a bit shy: “But Qiuqiu arrives tomorrow night. I was planning to let her stay here at home.”
Shen Nan: “……”
That meant Shen Nan — who had planned to come home — might have to stay at the unit again.
Thinking about it, a wave of bitterness hit him for some reason.
Zhou Zuizui saw the look on his face and burst out laughing. She curled up in his arms, still giggling: “Sorry. Next weekend I should be able to stay with you.”
Shen Nan looked at the woman laughing freely in his arms, lowered his head and bit her hard: “If there’s anything you need help with, just say it straight.”
“No problem.”
That night, the couple who were just starting to get familiar with talking openly fell asleep with their necks pressed together, wrapped in each other’s arms.
The next morning, Shen Nan left around four o’clock.
After Zhou Zuizui got up, the first thing she did was go to the hotel to find Xia Wen. When she arrived, smoke filled the room. The moment she opened the door, Zhou Zuizui got choked hard. She coughed once, looked at Xia Wen who opened the door for her, and paused.
“What time did you wake up?”
“Pretty early.”
Zhou Zuizui: “……”
Smelling the cigarette smoke all over the room, yeah — pretty early.
She stayed quiet for a bit, then looked at Xia Wen: “Breakfast?”
“Yeah.”
The two ate breakfast in total silence. Zhou Zuizui didn’t ask what exactly happened. That was one of their unspoken rules. If she asked once and the other person didn’t want to talk, she would never push again. She’d just stay quietly by their side. When they were ready to talk, they’d share everything right away.
Sunlight came softly through the window. The two sat by the glass, eating quietly.
After breakfast, they looked at each other and both went quiet at the same time for a moment.
Zhou Zuizui didn’t rush her. She lowered her eyes and started cleaning up the mess on the table. Just as she was about to go throw it out, a voice came from across.
“Actually, I already noticed a while ago.”
Women aren’t stupid. Their sixth sense and intuition are always sharp — especially when it comes to the people closest to them.
Xia Wen had actually felt something off for a while. She just didn’t want to believe it. Because she couldn’t bear to accept that the man who once stood by her through hard times, who grew up with her, would start to change his heart once he achieved something. All those youthful promises they made back then seemed to vanish in an instant.
All that young love, all that hardship — gone like smoke.
Zhou Zuizui didn’t speak. She just looked quietly at Xia Wen. Xia Wen and her husband’s relationship hadn’t been smooth at all. It was the classic story of a rich girl and a poor boy.
At the beginning, when they got together, it shocked everyone. Not just other people — even Zhou Zuizui was surprised. She felt Xia Wen’s husband didn’t really match her. Forget about equal family background — even setting that aside, they didn’t fit in other ways. One was bold and outgoing, the other quiet and shy. You are reading on novelping dot com, the official source.
In short, she thought they weren’t a good match. But somehow they made it from university all the way to graduation, then got their marriage certificate right after. Back then Zhou Zuizui’s own life was a mess, so she didn’t pay much attention. She only knew they were doing okay. After graduation, Xia Wen’s husband went into startups. The early days were rough — there was even a time they lived together in a basement for over a year. Back then Zhou Zuizui still had some money, so every time they went out she insisted on paying. But after a while Xia Wen got unhappy.
She was a very proud person. Even when broke, she didn’t want to keep accepting help from friends. So later Zhou Zuizui let Xia Wen pay sometimes too — but afterward she’d quietly send Xia Wen little things she needed.
After that, Zhou Zuizui married Shen Nan and moved to the old town. She didn’t keep up much with Xia Wen and her husband anymore. That night at the bar was the first time she’d seen them since coming back.
Xia Wen gave a bitter laugh, sat on the side sofa hugging her knees, and looked at her: “Do you think I’m stupid?”
She had noticed long ago but chose to lie to herself.
Zhou Zuizui pressed her lips together. After a long silence, she said: “I don’t think so.”
Women all have moments when they act foolish — especially when it comes to someone they once loved, or maybe still love even now.
She looked at Xia Wen, reached out and pulled her down onto the bed. The two of them lay there staring up at the ceiling. Zhou Zuizui asked softly: “So what are you planning to do now?”
Xia Wen shrugged: “Divorce, of course.”
She gave Zhou Zuizui a sideways look: “You think I’d keep living with a guy like that?”
Even if it was someone she loved, once they cheated, Xia Wen could never forgive. Before, she had been lying to herself. But after seeing it with her own eyes, she wouldn’t tolerate it anymore.
“That’s right.” Zhou Zuizui patted her shoulder to comfort her: “Girl, you’ve got everything — what are you worried about? Afraid you won’t find a second spring?”
Xia Wen nodded: “Exactly!”
The two looked at each other and smiled. As they smiled, tears started falling from Xia Wen’s eyes. Zhou Zuizui glanced at her, offered her shoulder: “Alright, cry it out. Then we’ll go drink.”
“Deal.”
In the time that followed, Xia Wen really held onto Zhou Zuizui and cried her heart out — for her youth, for her marriage, and for her own foolishness.
After crying, you still have to get up and keep moving forward.
Xia Wen wasn’t someone who could be knocked down that easily.
On Shen Nan’s side, he had just finished morning training when Little Tong came running over: “Captain!”
He had just ended training. The brim of his cap shaded half his face. Sweat dripped from under the brim, sliding down his cheek to his jaw and disappearing into his clothes. Shen Nan reached up, took off his cap, and walked with him. His expression stayed calm as he gave a small hum: “What’s up?”
“Captain, where did you rush off to last night?” Little Tong asked curiously.
Last night the captain got a phone call and just bolted — looked super urgent and excited, like something big had happened. For a while, everyone in the unit was guessing what was wrong with the captain. Some even bet it was because of a woman. But Little Tong didn’t think so.
Their captain had never had that kind of person around him before, okay.
Shen Nan gave him a look, face cold: “Curious?”
“Very.” Little Tong blinked, grinning like an idiot.
Shen Nan raised an eyebrow, used his cap to smack Little Tong on the head, and scolded coldly: “Since you’re so curious, add five extra laps at noon training.”
Little Tong: “……”
He was just a little curious, that’s all.
The two walked toward the cafeteria. Not long after, Gao Zhuo came over too, threw an arm around Shen Nan’s shoulder and whistled: “Captain Shen!”
Shen Nan didn’t reply, just swung Gao Zhuo’s arm off.
Gao Zhuo choked, then patted his shoulder again: “Wanna grab food together this weekend?”
He continued: “The unit’s planning a get-together. You coming?”
Most of them were single guys, so a lot of people in the unit were really looking forward to these mixed events. A bunch of big rough men — even if nothing happened, just eating together with some girls was nice. More chances to make friends.
“Not going.”
Gao Zhuo looked at him and complained: “Why not? Captain Shen, are you planning to never get married in this lifetime?”
He kept chattering away, talking nonstop: “Besides, that Doctor Chen is coming too, and the big beauty from the art troupe is coming as well.” Gao Zhuo and Little Tong exchanged a look, then couldn’t help saying: “Everyone knows — ever since you came back, that art troupe beauty has been thinking about you. This get-together was even organized by their side. You can’t just not give face, right?”
Actually, Gao Zhuo just wanted to convince Shen Nan to come. That way more girls from the art troupe would show up excitedly. After all, even with Shen Nan’s deadpan face just sitting there, plenty of girls still got their hearts racing and went all dreamy-eyed.
Shen Nan stopped walking. Hands in his pockets, he looked at the two of them, raised an eyebrow. His eyes carried a hint of mockery: “Bullshit. Don’t drag me into stuff with those women.”
The two: “…Why not?”
Shen Nan raised his eyebrow again, looking smug: “My wife will get jealous!”
Author’s note: Chuichui: I won’t get jealous, go ahead (death glare.jpg)
Grandpa Shen: No no no, I’m not going.
Chuichui: If you go, I’ll go find hot guys!!!