His humiliation felt like a slap across Song Wanxi’s face. All her expectations vanished in an instant, replaced by grievance and fury, her heart clenching with pain.
Her eyes reddened traitorously, dampness gathering at the corners.
Song Wanxi turned her face away, gazing out toward the balcony, forcibly suppressing the bitterness in her chest, using every ounce of strength to hold back her tears.
Once the wave of grievance subsided, she looked at him and countered, “Is that the kind of person I am?”
You Jin answered without hesitation, “You are.”
Another heavy blow. Song Wanxi felt as if a piece of her heart had been gouged out, leaving a hollow ache. She challenged him in a fit of pique, “So by your logic, you can fool around and live a life of debauchery, and I can be unfaithful and seek my own pleasures—we just keep maintaining this marriage of mutual non-interference?”
You Jin’s handsome face instantly turned cold. His fists slowly clenched, and his voice was low and forceful. “You’d better drop that idea.”
“Then what exactly are we?” Song Wanxi was on the verge of tears from sheer grievance, her voice growing softer and weaker. “Two years of marriage, and we’ve slept in separate rooms the whole time. Is it a psychological problem you have, or a physical one?”
You Jin’s expression darkened sharply. He stood up, walked over to Song Wanxi, and gripped her arm, pulling her to her feet.
The sudden physical contact made Song Wanxi look up at him nervously. “What are you doing?”
You Jin looked down at her, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly, his voice turning husky. “You skip work early in the morning to complain to me about all this—it’s nothing more than a lack of sex. I’ll satisfy you right now.”
Song Wanxi panicked, hastily trying to break free from his grip, stepping back nervously.
In her haste, her calf bumped into the chair behind her. She stumbled and began to fall backward.
You Jin reacted swiftly, reaching out again to grab her arm and yank her back.
Her entire body collided into his chest, her hands bracing against his solid torso. Through the thin fabric of his shirt, she could faintly feel his slightly elevated body heat, and his breath carried a subtle, elegant fragrance that filled her senses.
Once she steadied herself, Song Wanxi quickly removed her hands from his chest, bracing them on the table instead, and shuffled backward cautiously.
Her heart pounded like a startled deer, her breathing erratic.
Though she didn’t curse out loud, the look she gave You Jin was a blatant insult in itself.
Are you insane?
There was truly no point in continuing this conversation.
She grabbed her bag from the nearby chair and turned angrily toward the front door.
She was changing her shoes at the entrance.
You Jin strode over.
Song Wanxi finished putting on her shoes and twisted the doorknob open.
BANG!
The door, halfway open, was slammed shut by a large hand pressing against it from behind her.
The sound startled Song Wanxi, making her flinch. Her body stiffened, her fingers clutching her bag tightly as she timidly turned around, looking up at him nervously.
You Jin stood with one hand against the door, looking down at her.
To her, the man’s towering, powerful frame loomed like Mount Tai pressing down upon her. His dangerous, icy aura was like an invisible claw gripping her throat, making it hard to breathe. Her heart raced wildly, and an inexplicable dread washed over her.
She knew women were physically weaker than men.
But never had she felt that truth so acutely as she did in this moment.
Whether it was physique, strength, or presence, she felt like a lamb awaiting slaughter—one gentle squeeze from this man and she would shatter.
Her clear, limpid eyes brimmed with panic as she whispered timidly, “You… don’t do anything rash. Acting on impulse won’t end well.”
You Jin’s gaze was as fierce as a beast’s, his voice hoarse and icy. “Song Wanxi, remember this: being unfaithful and seeking pleasure are not things you should ever do.”
Song Wanxi explained nervously, “I was just trying to go to work.”
You Jin lowered his hand and stepped back.
Song Wanxi turned, pulled the door open, and ran out—so flustered she didn’t even close the door behind her.
She didn’t know how she’d made the journey. In a daze, she entered the Pharmaceutical Research Institute and sat blankly in the lab, her heart feeling hollow and empty.
“Wanxi…”
Song Wanxi felt a nudge on her body. She snapped back to reality and looked at the person who had pushed her.
An Xiao frowned, looking at her with a puzzled expression. “What are you spacing out about?”
Song Wanxi sat up straight, averted her gaze, and shook her head. “Nothing.”
An Xiao let out a soft sigh, with the helpless frustration of someone watching a lost cause. “The only thing that can make you zone out even in the lab is probably that husband of yours.”
Song Wanxi felt a pang of guilt and quickly changed the subject. “Did the new batch of lab monkeys arrive?”
An Xiao sat down across from her, propping her chin on both hands, looking exhausted. “They arrived. I fronted the money with all my savings. I just went to finance to get reimbursed, but she said payments from several distributors haven’t come in yet, and the company needs to hold onto its cash for payroll. She told me to come back once the payments land.”
Song Wanxi patted her shoulder and smiled reassuringly. “At year-end dividends, I’ll give you double.”
An Xiao raised an eyebrow and teased, “Did you learn that from your CEO You? Learning to dangle carrots in front of employees?”
The smile on Song Wanxi’s face gradually faded, and she looked weary. “Can we not talk about him?”
“Did you two fight?” An Xiao’s face fell, then she answered her own question. “That shouldn’t be possible. With the state of your relationship, you barely exchange a few words all year—there’s nothing to even fight about!”
Who’s she looking down on?
Song Wanxi opened her mouth, the words already forming in her mind, catching in her throat before she finally swallowed them back down.
She had to admit—it was indeed true.
Just then, a knock came at the door.
An Xiao turned her head.
Song Wanxi lifted her gaze toward the entrance, assuming it was the accountant or a sales representative, and said softly, “Come in.”
The door swung open, revealing Wu Weiwei’s heavily made-up face brimming with a false smile. A striking red long dress hugged her graceful, voluptuous figure as she sauntered in. “Sister-in-law, I didn’t expect your Pharmaceutical Research Institute to be so hard to find!”
Song Wanxi’s eyes darkened.
An Xiao’s expression shifted abruptly. She crossed her arms over her chest and spoke with sharp hostility, “What are you doing here?”
Wu Weiwei smiled at An Xiao, projecting warmth and goodwill. “I’m here to see my sister-in-law.”
Though Song Wanxi had no fondness for this woman, she prided herself on her composure and even temper. “Miss Wu, is there something you need from me?”