When Tang Jin arrived, the small courtyard had almost been completely cleaned up.
The weeds outside had all been cleared away, and the inside of the house had been swept spotless.
There really was strength in numbers. With fifteen or sixteen people working together, the job was finished quickly.
Tomorrow the sewing machines could be moved in. She would also need to order a few large cutting tables for tailoring clothes. It seemed that tomorrow she would have to find Yang Lifan again and go check out a furniture factory together.
Tang Jin felt extremely busy. But the most important thing right now was getting some money. She decided that tomorrow she would ask her godfather for a loan again. Her five hundred yuan definitely wouldn’t be enough for renovation. She still had to buy fabric too. Borrowing two thousand yuan should be enough.
When Tang Jin returned home, she found that Mu Heng wasn’t there. She had rushed back to cook dinner, but where had he gone? He had just been at the entrance of the family compound earlier.
Had something come up and he left again? Wasn’t he on leave these past two days?
Forget it. She wasn’t hungry anyway, so she might as well do a light fast tonight. Recently she had been eating too richly—spicy crayfish, pickled fish stew every day. She felt like she had already gained two pounds.
It had been extremely hot all afternoon, and she had sweated all over, leaving her body sticky and uncomfortable. Tang Jin turned on the fan and decided to take a shower first to cool down, then calm down and draw her design sketches.
After her shower, she changed into a spaghetti-strap nightdress. Feeling refreshed and much cooler, she sat down to begin drawing.
The design competition required summer women’s clothing with complete creative freedom. And that was exactly what made it difficult.
It was like asking someone what they wanted to eat and they replied, “Anything.”“Anything” was the hardest thing to cook.
This “complete freedom” was the same. It would almost be easier if there were a theme—at least some direction.
Tang Jin rested her chin on her hand and thought deeply.
Dresses?Pants?Qipao?Evening gowns?Denim?
After a few minutes of hesitation, she decided on a qipao.
First of all, the qipao was a traditional national dress. Just last year it had even been designated by the State Council as formal attire for female diplomats.
Eileen Chang once said:“Even the most cold-hearted woman becomes gentle when talking about that brocade qipao she wore last year.”
The qipao was not just a piece of clothing. It was also a culture, a memory, a national treasure.
Tang Jin planned to add new luxurious elements—crystals and embroidery—into a classical qipao design. It would preserve traditional elements while incorporating modern fashion.
A fusion of classical elegance and modern style—sparking something entirely new.
At that moment, inspiration flooded her mind. The pencil in her hand moved rapidly across the paper. Under her skilled drawing, it almost seemed to possess magic.
When Mu Heng opened the door and entered, what he saw was the woman concentrating on her drawing. Paired with her beautiful side profile, she looked like a painting.
Her slender shoulders, her long fair legs—everything challenged Mu Heng’s self-control.
Damn it. This woman was dressed like this again. She knew he lived here, yet she still wore something like that. Was she trying to seduce him again? Tempting his body?
Maybe if they consummated the marriage, she wouldn’t move out. Maybe she wouldn’t divorce him.
Hadn’t she always wanted to consummate their marriage?
Fine then. They would do it.
With the courage from alcohol, Mu Heng strode over, lifted Tang Jin straight from the chair, and carried her toward the bedroom.
The sudden action nearly scared Tang Jin out of her wits. She had been so focused on drawing that she hadn’t noticed anyone approaching.
She was about to cry out for help, but when she looked up and saw it was Mu Heng, she complained with a pout.
“What are you doing? Scaring people like that could kill someone, you know!”
“Didn’t you always want to consummate the marriage? Tonight we will,” Mu Heng said. His deep voice carried thick desire. With the warm, soft body in his arms, heat surged through him. He had never felt so out of control.
Tang Jin was completely stunned.
“Consummate the marriage?”
Then she caught the smell of alcohol on him.
Was he trying to lose control while drunk?
No, no. Although she admired his looks, it couldn’t happen like this. If he was drunk, what would that be? Taking advantage of him?
“You’ve had too much to drink. Put me down,” Tang Jin tried to struggle free.
But the man’s grip didn’t move at all.
He simply threw her onto the bed and leaned down, sealing her lips before she could speak.
Tang Jin’s mind instantly went blank.
The moment Mu Heng touched those soft lips, his whole body shuddered as if struck by electricity. Instinctively, he parted her lips and kissed her deeply, his tongue exploring her mouth like surging waves.
Tang Jin felt as if the air had been sucked away. She could barely breathe.
As the kiss deepened, the sensations between them grew stronger, like flames igniting inside their bodies. The man’s hands began wandering across her body—from her slender waist to her full curves—making Tang Jin tremble softly.
Clothes scattered onto the floor.
Just as they were about to cross the final line—
Knock, knock, knock.
The sudden knocking on the door instantly brought both of them back to their senses.
When Fang Xiangdong saw the murderous look in the man’s eyes as the door opened, he assumed Mu Heng and Tang Jin had really fallen out.
“Old Mu, I was still worried about you two. Did you talk things out with sister-in-law? Just give in a little. A real man can bend when needed. I’m afraid you’ll regret it if you lose her.”
“Thanks for the concern. Now get lost!” Mu Heng snapped before slamming the door shut.
When Mu Heng returned to the bedroom, Tang Jin had already put her clothes back on and gone to her own room. He thought about knocking, but felt awkward.
Instead, he went straight to the bathroom and took a cold shower.
Looking down at his still-aroused body, Mu Heng cursed himself fiercely.
Wasn’t his self-control supposed to be strong? How had he fallen so quickly?
He had originally thought consummating the marriage would just be a routine matter. But instead, he had been completely swept away.
He remembered that kiss—the sweet taste, like floating on clouds. And that woman’s body… her slender waist, her skin smooth like satin, and the fullness that barely fit in one hand…
Mu Heng suddenly felt his body heating up again.
His frustration grew. Why was his body not listening to his brain? His legendary self-control—where had it gone?
Before, she had even been naked in front of him and he had felt nothing.
Why couldn’t he remain indifferent now?
Mu Heng ended up taking that cold shower for a full half hour.
In the other room, Tang Jin also lay awake for quite some time.
After all, tonight she had openly touched those eight-pack abs and that V-line.
They had almost gone all the way.
Then Fang Xiangdong had ruined everything.
Still, regret was regret. She certainly wasn’t going to go throw herself at him now. He had been drinking, and if she got pregnant from a single time, what if the baby wasn’t healthy?
She had grown up in the twenty-first century. Divorce rates rose faster than children’s heights, and more and more people chose to stay single.
So she saw things very clearly.
Enjoy life while it lasts. If a relationship works, stay. If it doesn’t, divorce. As long as she could have a baby that belonged to her.
The same principle still applied:
Making money came first.Having a baby came second.Men came third.
She intended to remain clear-headed in this world.
Before long, Tang Jin drifted into a deep sleep.