The night grew deep.
On the large, soft bed, the man braced his arms on either side of her body. Drops of sweat rolled down his forehead and fell onto her fair, heaving chest.
The moment their eyes met, it felt as though a surge of electricity coursed through every vein and limb of her body.
With every breath she took, she was surrounded by his strong, masculine scent.
“I’m going to start. If it hurts, tell me.”
A flush of pink spread across her delicate face, and her slender legs wrapped gently around his waist.
The instant he lowered his head to kiss her, her heart felt as though it would leap right out of her throat.
“Mmm…”
Her abdomen tightened, and a soft, breathless moan escaped her lips.
Just then, her eyes flew open.
The room was pitch black, and she lay alone in bed—there was no sign of any man at all.
She turned on the bedside lamp and sat up, her face burning hot.
Images flashed through her mind: Lu Zheng’s lean, firm waist, and his tight, well-shaped hips.
No—what on earth was she thinking?
It had only been their first day as a married couple, and already she was using him as material for an erotic dream.
Ashamed and flustered, Wen Qingli lightly pounded her own head. Feeling the dampness between her skin and sheets, she got up and went to the bathroom to take a shower.
Afterward, she found herself unable to fall back asleep. She decided to step out onto the balcony to let the cool night air clear her head.
As soon as she stepped outside, she spotted the black SUV still parked downstairs.
Had Lu Zheng not left yet?
The temperature dropped sharply after dark, and she worried he might catch a chill. She went back inside to fetch a light blanket.
Tap, tap.
A soft knock sounded on the car window.
Lu Zheng was resting his arms on the steering wheel. He wasn’t asleep—his mind was still turning over every detail of Lin Weiwei’s case.
He rolled down the window, and a soft, fair, and lovely face came into view. Her almond-shaped eyes were dark, clear, and glistening, completely free of pretense, and looking at them inexplicably made his heart soften.
“Lu Zheng, why haven’t you gone home yet? It’s cold out tonight, so I brought you a blanket.”
Seeing her bright, unguarded eyes, his usually stern and sharp features relaxed unconsciously. “Why aren’t you asleep?”
A faint blush rose to her cheeks. “I woke up after a short nap.”
She certainly wouldn’t dare tell him she’d just had a very vivid dream about him.
Lu Zheng took the blanket. It carried the faint, clean scent of laundry detergent—the same fresh fragrance that clung to her.
“Are you feeling sleepy now?”
Wen Qingli shook her head, her expression gentle and compliant. “Not at all. Is there something you need?”
Lu Zheng composed his expression, his voice deep and resonant. “I’d like to take a quiet look around Professor Gu Huaiyuan’s office. Can you get me the key?”
Wen Qingli frowned slightly in thought, then nodded. “I’ll go to the security office.”
Lu Zheng narrowed his dark eyes. “Aren’t you afraid of getting caught and disciplined?”
She lifted her gaze to meet his, her face soft and open, her tone firm and trusting. “I trust the police.”
A faint, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of Lu Zheng’s lips.
She really was so obedient.
Wen Qingli led Lu Zheng to the security office and gestured for him to wait outside.
The security guard on duty knew her well. When she said she had lost the key to her office and needed a spare, he asked no questions at all and told her to help herself from the storage cabinet.
After retrieving her own office key, Wen Qingli also found the spare key for Professor Gu Huaiyuan’s office.
The two of them moved quietly and cautiously toward the faculty building.
This was Wen Qingli’s first time doing something that felt like “sneaking around,” and her heart was beating wildly.
Before they had gone far, a harsh beam of flashlight suddenly swept across their path.
“Who’s there?”
Hearing the voice of the night patrol guard, Wen Qingli instinctively grabbed Lu Zheng’s wrist and hurried forward.
“Stop right there!”
The guard began to chase after them.
Panicking, Wen Qingli pulled Lu Zheng into a narrow gap between two walls—barely large enough for two people to fit. A large tree stood just outside, making it a blind spot that was easy to overlook.
She leaned forward anxiously to peek out, completely unaware that she was pressing Lu Zheng’s body flat against the wall.
The space was far too tight. Her entire frame was pressed tightly against his.
Her long, thick lashes trembled gently, and her soft red lips parted slightly beneath her straight nose. The breath she exhaled was warm and sweet.
Lu Zheng’s gaze drifted from her flushed face down to her chest.
The softness there was pressed firmly against his firm, hard chest.
At such close proximity, every muscle in his body tensed involuntarily. A sudden, unfamiliar heat began to rise in his lower abdomen.
“Lu Zheng, the guard is gone—we can come out now…”
Before she could finish speaking, she realized just how closely her chest was pressed against him. Her clear almond eyes went wide, and her heartbeat turned into a chaotic flutter.
“I’m so sorry, Lu Zheng—I… I didn’t mean to take advantage of you.”
Lu Zheng watched her long lashes flutter like butterfly wings, his eyes growing darker and deeper. His Adam’s apple bobbed slowly. “We are husband and wife. You are allowed to take advantage of me.”
Wen Qingli fell silent.
Did that also include the things she’d dreamed about earlier tonight?
Once they were inside Professor Gu Huaiyuan’s office, Wen Qingli closed the door quietly.
Lu Zheng put on a pair of gloves and took out a small flashlight. With long strides, he walked over to the wall-to-wall bookshelves.
Wen Qingli followed softly behind him, whispering, “Did you notice something that doesn’t look right?”
Lu Zheng shone his flashlight over the shelves. “Look at the paint finish on these two cabinet doors—the shade is slightly different.”
Wen Qingli nodded. “You’re right—they do look a little off.”
Lu Zheng pointed upward to a row of classic literary volumes. “When I was here earlier today, I noticed one book is missing from this set.”
Admiration lit up Wen Qingli’s eyes. “As expected of the head of the Criminal Investigation Unit—your eyes are like precision tools. You only came once this afternoon and already spotted these small details.”
Lu Zheng crouched down to examine the area more closely.
Standing behind him, Wen Qingli looked at his sharp, chiseled profile. People always said a man looks most handsome when he is focused—and it was absolutely true.
After a moment, she also crouched down and began searching carefully. Her clear eyes scanned the gaps between the shelves. Suddenly, she spotted something—