Conflicts between girls were always particularly strange, but at the end of the day, it all came down to the fact that she and Si Qi were fundamentally incompatible.
There was no way Si Qi was secretly in love with her, right?
Just thinking about it gave her the creeps.
Cen Wangyue’s internal melodrama was playing out intensely, and she completely failed to notice the steps beneath her feet. She missed a step again, and before she knew it, she was about to tumble down headfirst.
Holy crap!
Before she fell, she thought to herself, This is the second time I’ve made a fool of myself in front of Sheng Tangzhou, isn’t it?
In that split second of missing her step, Cen Wangyue had even composed her final words.
At the critical moment—
A pair of large hands steadily caught her waist. She instinctively shut her eyes, but surprisingly, she felt no pain. Instead, a familiar scent of woody fragrance drifted into her nose.
The man looked down at her from above.
Seems like I’m not hurt.
Cen Wangyue squinted through barely open eyes. A tall, imposing silhouette loomed over her.
Sheng Tangzhou’s tone carried a hint of helplessness. “Watch your step when you walk.”
They hadn’t gone far, and because of Cen Wangyue’s stumble, quite a few people in the banquet hall turned to look, mistakenly assuming the couple was up to some little romantic antics again.
This was already the second time she’d fallen in front of Sheng Tangzhou.
Why was her luck so bad ever since Sheng Tangzhou came back?
Cen Wangyue pressed her lips together, trying to save face. “The steps were polished too shiny… I didn’t see them…”
Sheng Tangzhou didn’t dig too deep into her excuse. Under the gossiping gazes of the crowd, he carried Cen Wangyue away.
His motion of lifting her was so smooth and effortless that it set Cen Wangyue’s thoughts racing. Did a plastic marriage couple really need to put on such a show in front of others?
Cen Wangyue let out a soft scoff. The Oscars could hand both of them a little gold statuette.
She gazed at Sheng Tangzhou’s profile and cleared her throat lightly. “I’m not hurt. I can get down and walk on my own.”
But Sheng Tangzhou didn’t give her the chance. He said slowly, “The streetlights here aren’t bright enough. What if you fall again?”
The distance between them suddenly closed, and she could smell the crisp, clean scent of cedar on him.
Sheng Tangzhou had a handsome, refined face that exuded an air of restraint. He was tall with a slender, elegant build, and the moonlight cast upon him made him look every bit the graceful gentleman.
Their gazes met, and Cen Wangyue was stunned for a few seconds.
So handsome…
Sheng Tangzhou carried her into the car, and Cen Wangyue let out a slight sigh of relief.
The car drove along smoothly. Perhaps she was getting lost in her thoughts, and before she knew how much time had passed, she had drifted off to sleep, her head leaning squarely against Sheng Tangzhou’s shoulder.
Sheng Tangzhou turned his head to glance at her, gazing at her serene sleeping face, and quietly moved a little closer.
The corner of his lips unconsciously curled up slightly as he murmured softly, “You’re cuter when you’re asleep.”
The car came to a stop in front of the villa. Cen Wangyue slowly opened her eyes, and Sheng Tangzhou’s handsome face suddenly appeared right before her, startling her out of her wits.
The two were very close. He was wearing gold-rimmed glasses, exuding an air of refined elegance from head to toe. His warm breath brushed against the tip of her nose. They were only a finger’s width away from kissing.
She pressed herself against the seat back, instinctively putting distance between herself and Sheng Tangzhou. After that little scare, she was now completely awake.
“What are you doing?”
Sheng Tangzhou’s expression was calm. He adjusted his overcoat and moved a bit farther away from her.
He explained, “I wasn’t doing anything. We’d arrived at the front door, and I saw you still hadn’t woken up, so I was about to carry you inside.”
Cen Wangyue: “…”
That was close. I almost let my mind wander again.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back to my room first.” She masked the panic in her heart, opened the car door on her side, and quickly got out.
Sheng Tangzhou watched her retreating figure as she fled, casually picking up the bag she had left behind in the car.
A light snow had just fallen, and Cen Wangyue, wearing her coat, had her hair blown into disarray by the wind.
When Aunt Zhao saw her return, she handed her an envelope stamped with the Mingli Academy emblem along with a commemorative album.
Steam filled the bathroom, and Cen Wangyue lay in a bathtub covered in flower petals, her mind involuntarily conjuring Sheng Tangzhou’s face.
She was startled when Sheng Tangzhou knocked on the door.
“What is it?”
A cool voice came from outside the door, “You just recovered from being sick, don’t soak too long.”
Cen Wangyue hurriedly responded, “Got it, I’ll be out in a moment.”
After finishing her bath, she returned to the bedroom, but Sheng Tangzhou wasn’t there—it seemed he had gone to the study again.
She pulled open the covers and lay down in the middle of the bed, deciding that tonight she would just make things clear with him—from now on, they would sleep in separate rooms.
While waiting for him, she picked up the commemorative album and flipped through it. Opening the first page, her photo with Xie Huaijin was prominently displayed at the top.
This was actually quite normal—she had consistently ranked first academically throughout her three years of high school, and Xie Huaijin, being the famous “Piano Prince,” was naturally adored by the girls. The two of them had somehow been selected as the image representatives.
Throughout all three years of high school, they had been dubbed the “Mingli White Moonlight” by the students.
Just as she was reminiscing about the past, Sheng Tangzhou had already returned to the bedroom and was walking toward her.
The man had just finished showering and had already taken off his glasses, revealing a pair of deep, profound eyes. He carried a faint fragrance, with disheveled hair scattered across his forehead, exuding a certain air of restraint and allure.
Their bed could easily fit five or six people, yet Cen Wangyue had positioned herself squarely in the middle, looking at him with a hesitant expression. Sheng Tangzhou had no choice but to lift a corner of the covers and lie down.
Cen Wangyue organized her thoughts in her mind, gradually regaining her composure. She spoke with extreme politeness, “Can I discuss something with you?”
He looked at her for a moment, adopting an attentive posture, “What is it?”
“Can we sleep in separate rooms?”
Sheng Tangzhou shot her a puzzled look—they had already slept together so many times, and now she wanted to discuss sleeping separately? It was almost laughable.
Cen Wangyue, afraid he didn’t understand, explained again, “We’re in a business marriage. There’s no real affection between us, and I’m not used to you suddenly coming back.”
The moment she finished speaking, a deathly silence filled the air.
As she spoke, she carefully watched the man’s reaction, inexplicably feeling a chill run down her spine.
Sheng Tangzhou let out a light scoff, as if he had heard something utterly ridiculous. It was far too late to discuss sleeping separately now—she clearly enjoyed it herself, yet she was so fond of saying one thing while meaning another.
He glanced at her sideways, “Before our marriage, we agreed on three conditions—I wouldn’t interfere with your personal freedom. Previously, the company had some troublesome matters, and I didn’t take care of your feelings. That was my fault. But since I’ve returned to the country, I have no intention of being a plastic couple with you. It’s fine if you’re not used to it—sleep together a few more times and you’ll get used to it.”
The distance between them suddenly closed, and his warm breath brushed against the skin of her neck.
From his cold expression, Cen Wangyue clearly caught a hint of danger.
His words carried a deeper meaning, “Mrs. Sheng, I want to properly cultivate our feelings. In the future, we will definitely be the most loving couple.”
Their eyes met, and Cen Wangyue was momentarily speechless, her mind going completely blank.
Suddenly, as if recalling something, his voice turned slightly low. “For the high school anniversary, I’ll attend with you.”