Lin Wu wasn’t in the mood to go to a bar tonight, so Chen Zhuo simply took her straight to his apartment.
There had always been liquor stored in the apartment’s wine cabinet, but Lin Wu had never paid special attention to it on her previous visits.
She walked in familiarly and headed straight toward the wine cabinet.
The cabinet stood against the wall, holding more than a dozen bottles of various sizes, origins, and flavors. Lin Wu tilted her head back to scan them once, then turned to look at the man who was taking off his coat and hanging it up. “It’s too high. I can’t reach it.”
The vodka was on the very top shelf.
Chen Zhuo finished hanging his coat and walked toward her unhurriedly.
Chen Zhuo took the bottle down from the top shelf. Lowering his gaze slightly, he looked at her and confirmed, “You have work tomorrow. Are you sure you want to drink something this strong tonight?”
Lin Wu directly pulled the vodka bottle from his hand. As she turned toward the kitchen to get glasses, she tossed back a single word: “Nag.”
Chen Zhuo: “…”
Lin Wu came back with two glasses. Chen Zhuo stared at her elegant, quiet face for a moment before saying in a low voice, “I’ll open it.”
Lin Wu gave a small hum of agreement.
The cap twisted off. Lin Wu caught the sharp, intense scent of pure alcohol from the vodka.
She picked up the glass Chen Zhuo had poured—less than a third full—and brought it to her lips, lashes lowered as she took a sip. Vodka smelled overwhelmingly of alcohol, but the taste was surprisingly mild, clean, and crisp going down.
After two sips, Lin Wu decided she had chosen the wrong liquor.
The proof was too high, and the flavor was only average. She shouldn’t have picked this one.
Fortunately, she stopped after two sips, and Chen Zhuo didn’t comment.
The apartment fell into a brief silence. Chen Zhuo finished the rest of the liquor in his own glass, then pulled out the chair across from Lin Wu and sat down.
He lifted his eyes to look at her. His features were strikingly handsome, with a faint trace of hesitation—like something he wanted to say but wasn’t sure he should.
“You’d better not ask,” Lin Wu suddenly spoke, breaking the quiet in the room.
Hearing her clearly, Chen Zhuo’s lips curved in a very obvious smile. His brows lifted slightly as he looked at her, eyes deep and bright. He drawled teasingly, “So domineering?”
Lin Wu gave a small affirmative hum. “President Chen, don’t—”
She had been about to say don’t cross the line, but then realized their current situation had already crossed that line—and she was the one who had taken the initiative.
Realizing this, Lin Wu paused briefly before looking at Chen Zhuo. “Don’t say anything that’ll ruin the mood.”
At her words, Chen Zhuo raised his eyes and looked at her with clear interest. Slowly and unhurriedly, he asked, “So, Lawyer Lin—”
He deliberately paused, his voice low and dragging as he continued, “What exactly counts as not ruining the mood?”
Lin Wu met his pitch-black, bottomless gaze.
After a moment, she simply straddled his lap. One arm wrapped around his neck while her other hand gently stroked across his lips. Softly, she said: “This.”
This was what didn’t ruin the mood.
Chen Zhuo’s lips were very beautiful—slightly thin, but not the kind of extremely thin lips Lin Wu disliked. Their shape was perfect. Up close, she could even see the tiny, delicate cupid’s bow on his upper lip—sexy and enticing.
Chen Zhuo lowered his gaze. When Lin Wu’s fingers pressed against his lips, he parted them slightly and let the tip of his tongue slip out, leaving dense, wet little kisses all over her fingertips.
He kissed too erotically. Lin Wu couldn’t quite handle it. She felt the tingling, soft sensation spreading across her fingers, and her breathing grew unsteady.
“You…” Lin Wu opened her mouth to say something, but Chen Zhuo suddenly bit down lightly on her finger, leaving a clear set of teeth marks.
Lin Wu winced in pain. She stared at him in disbelief. “Chen—”
Before she could finish saying his name, Chen Zhuo’s kiss shifted from her fingers to her lips.
He gave her no time to prepare. With perfect precision, he pried open her teeth and swallowed her words into this scorching, blazing kiss.
“…”
In the midst of being swept away by desire, Lin Wu’s mind felt dizzy and muddled, yet she still managed to remind him, “Sh-shower…”
Chen Zhuo responded in a hoarse voice. Keeping her in the same position, he lifted her up and carried her into the bathroom.
The sound of running water in the bathroom covered their ambiguous noises.
Only occasionally did uncontrollable, trembling, urgent sounds escape.
The bathroom was left in complete disarray—everything soaking wet.
But that still wasn’t enough.
After coming out of the bathroom, Chen Zhuo carried Lin Wu to the bedroom and back to that soft, sink-in-deep bed.
Under the dim yellow light and shadows, Lin Wu tilted her neck slightly upward. Her fair, slender arms clung to Chen Zhuo’s shoulders. She trembled, and every time he thrust into her, she couldn’t help leaving obvious fingernail scratches across his back.
Lin Wu’s body didn’t escape unscathed either. They had agreed long ago that he couldn’t leave marks on visible places like her collarbone. So Chen Zhuo usually sucked hickeys in spots others couldn’t see—marks that would take days to fade.
“…”
The next morning, Lin Wu was woken by her alarm.
With her eyes still closed, she reached out to turn it off. The first thing her hand touched wasn’t her phone, but a warm, firm arm.
Lin Wu’s eyes flew open. She looked at the person who had already reached over and silenced the alarm before her.
For a split second, Lin Wu couldn’t remember where she was.
“Lin Wu,” Chen Zhuo noticed her dazed state. He lifted his hand and lightly tapped her forehead. His voice was still hoarse from sleep. “You should get up for work.”
Lin Wu froze. She stared at Chen Zhuo for about three seconds before reacting. She quickly threw off the covers, got out of bed, and darted into the bathroom.
Chen Zhuo watched her rapid series of movements. He held back for a moment, then couldn’t help letting out a soft laugh.
Lawyer Lin right after waking up was actually pretty cute.
Chen Zhuo got out of bed after her and followed into the bathroom.
When Lin Wu, who was brushing her teeth, saw Chen Zhuo appear, she froze for a second. Mouth full of foam, she asked unclearly, “What are you doing?”
Chen Zhuo met her eyes, picked up the other toothbrush on the vanity, and waved it at her. His tone was clear and calm. “Brushing my teeth.”
Lin Wu: “…”
It was a strangely intimate scene.
At least to Lin Wu right now, it felt extremely strange.
The bathroom in this apartment was very large—dry-wet separation shower area, a separate bathtub, vanity, toilet, everything.
The vanity alone was about two meters long—more than enough space for two people.
Yet the sight of her and Chen Zhuo standing side by side brushing their teeth felt oddly off to her no matter how she looked at it.
It was too… domestic.
The tenderness felt so overwhelming that Lin Wu found it a little hard to adjust to. They weren’t lovers. They weren’t the kind of couple who would brush their teeth side by side, get ready together, head out to work, and maybe even kiss goodbye.
They were just friends with benefits—no strings, no emotions.
With that thought, Lin Wu lifted her head again and looked at Chen Zhuo’s reflection in the mirror. Even right after waking up, he looked as refined and clean as ever. There wasn’t the slightest trace of hangover lethargy or sloppiness on him.
Even though his hair was a little messy from sleep, it couldn’t hide his clear, elegant, and effortlessly charming aura.
Noticing Lin Wu’s gaze, Chen Zhuo tilted his head slightly, spat out the mouthwash, and asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong?”
Lin Wu snapped back to herself. She blinked slowly and softly. “…Nothing.”
She quickly bent down, scooped water, and washed her face.
After rinsing her face clean, Lin Wu stepped out and went to the wardrobe. She found a set of clothes she had left here before and changed into them.
She didn’t have her makeup here, and she had no intention of putting any on in front of Chen Zhuo.
Just as she finished changing, Chen Zhuo also finished washing up.
Lin Wu tidied up the mess from last night, then raised her eyes to look at him. “President Chen, I’ll head out first.”
Chen Zhuo’s footsteps paused slightly. He lifted his eyelids and looked at her. “Wait for me three minutes. I’ll drive you.”
“No need.” In the daylight, Lin Wu was clear-headed and calm. She looked straight at Chen Zhuo, her attitude firm. “I won’t trouble President Chen. I’ll take a taxi.”
Chen Zhuo lowered his gaze. “You sure?”
Lin Wu nodded, meeting his eyes openly and steadily.
She really didn’t need him to send her.
Chen Zhuo was silent for a few seconds, then gave a faint, mocking smile. “Alright. Take care, Lawyer Lin.”
Lin Wu acknowledged with a small sound and turned to leave without any hesitation.
The door opened and closed.
Chen Zhuo stood in place for a moment. He raised his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a self-deprecating laugh.
He had expected Lin Wu to refuse, but when she rejected him so decisively, he still couldn’t completely suppress the flicker of irritation that rose inside him.
After leaving the apartment, Lin Wu didn’t rush straight to the law firm.
She took a taxi home first, changed into a fresh set of clothes, re-washed and did her makeup, then arrived at the firm right on time for work.
“Lawyer Lin,” her assistant came in just as she sat down at her desk. “Coffee?”
Lin Wu looked up and gave her a small smile. “Hot Americano.”
A short while later, Zhao Yuxin brought the hot Americano to her desk.
“Thank you.” Lin Wu thanked her, assigned her a few tasks that needed handling in the morning, and then fully settled into work mode.
She stayed busy until eleven. The phone on the side vibrated.
Lin Wu picked it up and opened it. It was another friend request from Sun Nian’an. This time, there was a verification message attached: “Sis, did you forget to accept my request?”
Lin Wu froze. Her finger hovered over the screen for a good half minute, but she still couldn’t bring herself to press “Accept.”
Just wait a little longer.
When He Jiayun pushed the door open and came in, she happened to catch the moment Lin Wu pushed her phone into the corner of the desk.
She raised an eyebrow, looking a little surprised. “What’s wrong? Did your phone offend you or something?”
Lin Wu looked up. “Why are you here?”
“Bored at home with nothing to do, so I came to bring you some love.” She lifted the insulated lunch box in her hand and shook it toward Lin Wu.
Lin Wu froze for a second, then couldn’t help laughing. “Perfect. I’ve been craving exactly that.”
He Jiayun gave her a sideways glance, set the insulated lunch box down on the desk, pulled out the chair in front of Lin Wu’s desk, and sat. She reached out and tapped Lin Wu’s phone. “Don’t dodge my question.”
Lin Wu fell silent and met her gaze.
After a moment, she gave a helpless smile. “The phone didn’t offend me. I just saw a message I didn’t want to see.”
That was one of her habits.
Whenever she received or saw something she didn’t want to deal with, she would push it far away—even taking out her frustration on the phone itself.
He Jiayun didn’t respond.
After a few seconds of quiet, she picked up Lin Wu’s phone and asked, “I’m unlocking it, okay?”
She knew Lin Wu’s passcode, and Lin Wu knew hers too.
Lin Wu watched her actions without stopping her.
He Jiayun first glanced at the notification list and didn’t see anything that could have upset Lin Wu. Then she opened WeChat.
When she saw the new friend request in the contacts section, she suddenly looked up at Lin Wu. “Who is this person? She’s calling you ‘Sis’…”
He Jiayun frowned, eyes widening. “Is she your half-sister from the same mother but different father?”
Lin Wu hesitated for a second, then nodded.
“How does she have your WeChat?” He Jiayun asked.
Lin Wu knew she couldn’t hide it from her. She answered honestly, “We ran into each other at a restaurant last night.”
“Restaurant?” He Jiayun was surprised. “She’s in Shencheng too?”
Lin Wu gave a small nod.
“What is she doing in Shencheng? Did she come looking for you?” He Jiayun’s brows knitted tightly.
“No,” Lin Wu quickly explained when she saw He Jiayun’s mood rising. “She just started university this year. She’s studying here.”
He Jiayun: “…”
She held back for a moment, then couldn’t help it. “Fuck, what kind of cursed fate is this?”
Lin Wu didn’t reply.
After another brief silence, He Jiayun tapped open the phone again. “I’ll reject her for you.”
Lin Wu’s eyes flickered. She reached out her hand. “I’ll do it myself.”
He Jiayun raised an eyebrow. “You can actually reject her?”
“Yes,” Lin Wu said slowly. “Seeing her profile picture makes me feel a bit psychologically uncomfortable.”
Last night she had given her WeChat ID only because she didn’t want to argue or drag things out in the restaurant—it would have looked bad.
She hadn’t dealt with it earlier because she planned to cold-shoulder it. Verification requests expire after three days anyway. If she never accepted, Sun Nian’an—a college freshman—should understand her attitude.
What she hadn’t expected was that Sun Nian’an would send another request.
He Jiayun handed the phone back to her. Lin Wu no longer hesitated. She clicked “Reject” directly.
After rejecting it, she gave He Jiayun a small smile and let out a breath.
He Jiayun rolled her eyes at her without affection. “Did you lose sleep again last night?”
Lin Wu: “No.”
He Jiayun was surprised. “No?”
She studied Lin Wu carefully. Her complexion actually looked pretty good today.
He Jiayun was shocked. “You ran into Sun Nian’an and still didn’t lose sleep? Does she have some kind of magic power too?”
Lin Wu was momentarily choked by her words. After a beat of silence, she said, “…Why aren’t you asking who I ate dinner with last night?”
He Jiayun blinked, then smoothly followed along. “Who?”
“…Chen Zhuo.” Lin Wu didn’t hide it.
He Jiayun: “…Fuck.”
She cursed again, then asked with genuine surprise and delight, “You actually listened to what I said?”
Lin Wu didn’t react right away. “What?”
“Seeing Chen Zhuo every day.” He Jiayun said.
Lin Wu was speechless. She pressed her lips together, then explained a little awkwardly, “No. He had some work-related questions for me, so we met for dinner to discuss it.”
He Jiayun nodded as if she understood (but clearly didn’t fully believe it), her tone teasing. “And after talking business… you two just happened to sleep together?”
Lin Wu was once again choked by her bluntness and didn’t know how to respond for a moment.
They stared at each other in silence for a few seconds. Lin Wu’s eyes darted away guiltily. “…Pretty much like that.”
He Jiayun: “Tsk.”
Lin Wu laughed helplessly. “What?”
“I really want to meet Chen Zhuo now,” He Jiayun sighed with feeling. She genuinely wanted to know what kind of magic this man possessed—able to make Lin Wu sleep soundly and even soothe her emotions after running into Sun Nian’an.
Lin Wu was caught between laughter and tears. She had been about to say that if the chance ever came up, she could introduce them.
But on second thought, there probably wouldn’t be any such opportunity. Her relationship with Chen Zhuo would never go any further. From their current friends-with-benefits arrangement, neither of them needed—or would want—to introduce their friends to the other.
While Lin Wu was thinking this and hesitating over how to reply, a knock came from outside the door.
She looked up and called, “Come in.”
Li Xiang pushed the door open. Seeing the two women in the office, he said without any surprise, “Lin Wu, President Chen from Fengxing is here. Time for the meeting.”
“President Chen?” Before Lin Wu could respond, He Jiayun’s eyes lit up. She stared straight at Li Xiang. “Chen Zhuo?”
Li Xiang noticed the sparkle in her eyes and immediately had a bad feeling. “You know him?”
He Jiayun let out an “ah” and curved her lips into a smile. “I’ll know him in a little while.”
Li Xiang: “…”
He gripped the door handle and reminded her coldly, “We’re having a meeting.”
“I’m a partner. I can attend meetings too.” He Jiayun shot him a sideways glance, her young-miss aura in full force. She gave a cold snort. “What, did I get quietly fired by Xianghe without knowing?”
Li Xiang was rendered speechless. His expression instantly darkened.
Lin Wu listened to the two of them bickering from the side and chose the right moment to speak up. “Let Jiayun come along.”
Li Xiang turned his sharp gaze on her, the pressure of a superior in his eyes.
Lin Wu’s nerves tightened. Her mind went blank for a split second before she blurted out, “Chen Zhuo isn’t her type.”