Condensation clung to the glass wall, and Zhou Jingqian tilted his head back to down the last sip of ice water.
Back in the master bedroom, he changed into a white shirt and trousers, standing before the full-length mirror in the walk-in closet as he leisurely buttoned up.
His peripheral gaze swept over the tie rack, and he recalled a recent gathering where a married friend had bragged that after marriage, his wife always tied his ties for him.
Zhou Jingqian turned sideways, his gaze landing on the large bed in the master bedroom. Half of Su Qiu's face was buried in the corner of the down comforter, her jet-black hair spread out softly.
Rather than having a wife tie his tie, it was better to let her sleep well.
Dressed neatly, Zhou Jingqian was about to head out.
Just then, one of Su Qiu's legs slipped out from under the covers.
Her nightgown had ridden up, sliding to mid-thigh, leaving her slender, fair leg exposed.
Zhou Jingqian paused mid-step.
He turned around, sat down on the edge of the bed, and silently reached out, his fingertips hovering lightly beneath her calf as he lowered his gaze to the bruise there.
Last night's medicinal oil had clearly taken effect—the bruise had faded by more than half, leaving only a faint pale mark that was nearly invisible.
After checking, he had just let go when Su Qiu stirred unconsciously, bending her knee, the nightgown beginning to slide up her thigh.
Zhou Jingqian's brow twitched sharply, and he snatched the hem of her skirt, his knuckles tensing slightly.
He turned his head, pulled the thin blanket over her waist securely, without a hint of impropriety, and rose to leave.
Jolted awake by the nine o'clock alarm, Su Qiu groggily opened her eyes, yawned, and pushed herself up, a stray tuft of hair sticking up from the top of her head.
Her sleep had been so deep that she had no idea what had happened that morning.
After washing up and changing clothes, Su Qiu went home to have breakfast with her grandmother.
At ten o'clock sharp, the two set off for the hospital—today was Grandmother's routine checkup day.
They had booked the VIP service in advance, so a nurse greeted them at the entrance and led them toward the examination building, where the attending physician was already waiting in the consultation room.
Grandmother's surgery last year had been successful, but given her age, Su Qiu brought her in for a full checkup every six months.
Halfway through the examinations, a machine malfunctioned, and they needed to transfer to the outpatient building for imaging.
This hospital was positioned as high-end, with corridors resembling garden paths—rockeries and flowing water at every turn, so scenic you'd think you were strolling through a park.
On the third floor of the outpatient building, the nurse accompanied Grandmother inside for the imaging, while Su Qiu stood in the hallway, taking a call from Qiao Zhi.
The production team had finally set the filming start date. A costume drama shot in the height of summer, a full two months—just thinking about it was sweltering.
Fortunately, Su Qiu now had a representative work to her name, a bit of fame, and the backing of Qiao Zhi's studio, so she wouldn't have to endure the hardships of the crew like she did when she first entered the industry.
At the same time, You Xun pushed open the consultation room door and stepped out. Looking up, he spotted Su Qiu in the hallway and his eyes lit up.
He turned excitedly to the person beside him, blurting out the name of an anime heroine he'd adored since childhood: "Look at those big, watery eyes—she's practically the real-life version, she looks so much like her!"
Zhou Jingqian followed his gaze and was somewhat surprised.
He was about to step forward when You Xun grabbed his arm: "Don't go, don't go. I'm just admiring from afar—no need for you to get her contact info for me."
"I know this is a bolt from the blue for me, but brother, you don't need to look out for me like this."
Zhou Jingqian's brow furrowed slightly: "?"
You Xun was baffled: "What's with that expression?"
Before Zhou Jingqian could walk over, Su Qiu hung up the phone and noticed them.
Seeing Zhou Jingqian, she was a bit surprised too. She put her phone back in her bag and walked toward them.
Zhou Jingqian stepped forward to meet her: "Why are you at the hospital?"
Usually at this hour, she shouldn't be up yet. As he spoke, he looked her over from head to toe—she seemed fine.
Su Qiu said, "Grandmother has her checkup today."
Zhou Jingqian paused: "Why didn't you tell me? I would have come with you."
Su Qiu smiled: "It's just a routine checkup, nothing serious."
Meanwhile, You Xun, left standing aside with a thoroughly bewildered look, kept darting his gaze between the two of them:
"You two… know each other?"
Zhou Jingqian glanced at You Xun, then introduced him to Su Qiu first: "This is You Xun, my friend and business partner."
Then, to You Xun, he said: "Su Qiu, my wife."
Su Qiu noticed You Xun had come out of the orthopedics department and recalled Zhou Jingqian mentioning that a friend of his had been in a car accident and fractured a bone—this must be him.
You Xun's parents were both lawyers, away on cases elsewhere, leaving him alone in Ningcheng. The accident had happened on his way home from work, so Zhou Jingqian had dutifully accompanied him to get his cast removed.
Su Qiu looked up at You Xun: "Hello."
Su Qiu's understanding of Zhou Jingqian was still a work in progress, let alone his social circle.
This was the first time she'd met one of Zhou Jingqian's friends, so she curved her lips slightly, offering a friendly gesture.
You Xun had a pair of peach-blossom eyes, with a hint of rebellious youthfulness between his brows. In Su Qiu's polite and friendly gaze, a touch of pure appreciation for a good-looking person unconsciously crept in.
"You… hello."
You Xun's inner world was a riot of colors.
No wonder Zhou Jingqian had been shooting him dagger eyes earlier—he'd been wondering about that.
Soon, Grandmother came out after the imaging, with a few final checks remaining, so they headed back to the examination building.
Zhou Jingqian said, "I'll head over in a bit."
Grandmother waved her hand. "No need, no need. Having Xiao Qiu accompany me is enough. You go ahead and tend to your work."
The granddaughter-in-law was busy with work—the old lady knew that well.
Zhou Jingqian's brow arched slightly. "Grandmother, are you still treating me as an outsider? You only want Xiao Qiu's company, not mine?"
The old lady hadn't expected her granddaughter-in-law, who seemed so steady and composed, to have it in him to tease and joke like this. She let out a couple of hearty laughs. "Fine, fine! Come along then!"
Zhou Jingqian acknowledged with a sound, then turned to Su Qiu. "I'll go have a word with You Xun. You take Grandmother over first."
Su Qiu nodded.
"I'll have the driver take you back. Your hand just got the cast off, so take it easy for now—don't drive yourself."
You Xun wore an expression that suggested he couldn't care less about the fate of his own hand, his face still frozen in shock-turned-gossip. "So that young lady really is your wife? You actually got married?"
When people eloped in a whirlwind marriage, it was usually that lightning-strike, crackling impulse of passion. These two didn't seem to fit that mold at all—there wasn't a hint of heat between them.
You Xun winked and grinned. "I'm planning a recovery party tonight, bro. Why don't you bring the little sister-in-law along?"
"I'll ask her." Zhou Jingqian didn't agree outright. "You head back first."
The couple accompanied Grandmother through all the check-ups, received the report showing everything within normal range, and returned to the Xiang residence together for lunch.
Before leaving for the company, Zhou Jingqian asked Su Qiu, "Do you have any plans tonight?"
They generally didn't inquire into each other's schedules. Coincidentally, Su Qiu was usually quite free, but tonight she happened to have something.
"The investors for the drama series have arranged a dinner."
Zhou Jingqian gave a slight nod and didn't bring up the party again, only saying, "When it's over, have Master Li pick you up."
On the way to the company, You Xun called to ask. Zhou Jingqian said, "My wife has other plans."
You Xun was silent for a moment, then offered his bold analysis: "I get the feeling you two aren't in a whirlwind marriage—more like you're in the tail end of a divorce where only the last scraps of feelings remain."
Zhou Jingqian hung up on him.
In the evening, Su Qiu went straight from the Xiang residence to Tangchao Hui.
Tangchao Hui was a renowned high-end club in Ningcheng, combining fine dining, private banquets, and leisure in one place. Its decor was vintage Tang-style, with servers who were polished and well-proportioned, dressed in ruqun robes with sheer veils covering their faces—every detail exuding refinement.
Pushing open the door to the private room, Su Qiu saw many familiar faces, including the male and female leads and the second male and second female leads—all people she had worked with before, whether for long or short collaborations.
The atmosphere in the room was fairly harmonious at first.
Until a man in a baseball cap arrived late, and the air suddenly froze.
When the man took off his cap and sat down, most people at the table showed surprise on their faces. The few who didn't react were either those who'd gotten word in advance or those quietly observing the situation.
Liu Qi, seated at the head of the table, was the first to speak with a smile.
He was the vice president of Jingce Media and the true money behind this drama—one word from him could decide everyone's livelihood.
His attitude was a weather vane.
Su Qiu's fingertips traced the warm teacup, her eyes lowered, saying nothing.
Feng Yan's early-period costume dramas, shot with grand real-world scenery, had been well loved by audiences. If he hadn't sabotaged himself by stirring up a pile of trouble, he wouldn't have fallen so far, again and again.
Su Qiu had thought that after the scandal of being beaten at the hotel last time, Feng Yan would have no chance to rise again.
And yet, here he was, sitting in this room again.
The industry's moral standards for men were certainly lenient.
Su Qiu had never been one to seek out a crowd, and gradually she simply sat quietly.
Feng Yan acted as if he hadn't noticed her at all, only exchanging pleasantries with those around him and showering Liu Qi with flattery in every conceivable way.
The deliberate ignoring was too obvious. Su Qiu was one of the two head screenwriters—there was no way Feng Yan hadn't noticed her.
As the dinner was nearly over, Su Qiu got up to go to the restroom. When she came out, she walked back along the thickly carpeted corridor.
Suddenly, she stopped.
"Teacher Su, we really do have a connection."
Feng Yan stood there, impeccably dressed, a smile on his face.
His gaze swept over her dazzlingly pale neck and that small, exquisite face, and he strolled toward her at a leisurely pace.
"This scene feels rather familiar, don't you think?"
Su Qiu took a step back, wariness flashing in her eyes.
Feng Yan raised his hand with a laugh. "Don't be nervous. Last time I had too much to drink and overstepped with Teacher Su. Please forgive me."
He looked at her, speaking each word deliberately: "I look forward to working with you once we start filming."
The crystal chandelier overhead blazed brilliantly, and from the nearby lobby, the sound of piano drifted in fits and starts, making the corridor feel especially quiet.
Feng Yan was already gone, but the murky stench of smoke and alcohol that clung to him seemed to linger in the air, clinging to the space around her.
Su Qiu couldn't help but furrow her brows. She lifted her foot to leave.
"Xiao Qiu."
A familiar voice suddenly sounded.
Su Qiu froze for a moment. Just as she turned around, a woman who was stumbling drunk burst out of a private room.
She was about to careen straight into Su Qiu when Zhou Jingqian stepped forward in long strides, extending an arm to shield her to the inner side.
The woman was helped back into the room by her companions, and the corridor fell quiet once more.
"Why are you standing here alone?"
Zhou Jingqian looked down at her, his voice low.
Enclosed in that small space by his arm, in an instant, the murky smoke-and-alcohol stench left by Feng Yan was dispersed by the scent of Zhou Jingqian.
It was the same laundry detergent scent she wore—a light, clean fragrance that was familiar to her, the smell of home.
Su Qiu kept her head down, silent, as she quietly shuffled forward half a step, then another half step.
Her nose twitched, as if trying to get closer, to catch his scent.
But she had already closed the distance between them so much that if she moved any more, she would be pressed against his chest.
The next second, the arm that had been loosely encircling her lower back tightened, pulling her steadily into his embrace.
"If you want to hug, just hug. No need to hesitate."
Su Qiu's cheek pressed against his chest, closer than when he had carried her princess-style last time.
She could even feel the vibration of his heartbeat.
Steady in rhythm, strong and powerful.
Su Qiu blinked in his arms.
She first touched the crisp fabric of his suit at his waist with her fingertips, then slowly wrapped her arms around him, hugging him back.
The corners of Su Qiu's lips couldn't help but curve upward, dispelling the gloom from moments ago.
After all, they were in a public corridor, so neither of them held on for too long.
Su Qiu lowered her arms naturally and looked up to ask him, "Do you have a dinner engagement here too?"
Zhou Jingqian: "No, I was at the club next door. It just ended, so I came by to pick you up."
Su Qiu's mood improved even more: "Then can you wait for me? I'm almost done here."
Zhou Jingqian: "Alright, I'll wait for you."
The dinner ended five minutes later. Su Qiu deliberately lingered to leave last. When the server saw her, he walked over and bowed, saying, "Miss Su, this way please."
Zhou Jingqian was seated in the VIP lounge area on a sofa booth, with two drinks on the table—a glass of honey water and a cup of yogurt.
Zhou Jingqian: "I wasn't sure which you'd prefer, so I ordered both."
Su Qiu hadn't actually drunk much tonight. She curved her lips and took a few sips of each, then said, "I like both."
The two walked out of the club side by side, the summer night breeze drifting gently over them.
When they reached the car, Zhou Jingqian had just placed his hand on the door handle when he paused and turned around.
His gaze swept over Su Qiu's face, and he asked uncertainly, "Still want a hug?"
He hadn't forgotten how she had stood alone in the corridor earlier, brows furrowed, as if hiding something.
Su Qiu was momentarily stunned, then looked at the black Bentley behind him. The driver's seat was empty—no chauffeur.
"Don't you need to drive?"
"I can have the driver come over."
"No… no need. You go ahead and drive first."
Zhou Jingqian nodded: "Understood. I'll hug you when we get home."
He turned sideways to open the passenger door for her, his palm resting on the door frame to keep her from bumping her head.
Su Qiu: "…"