Author: Misty

The cold winter mist dissipated as the morning sun rose into the sky and shone through the floor length-windows. 

Ye An opened her eyes with difficulty after feeling the sunlight on her body.

She stared dazedly at the ceiling and slowly came back to her senses.

Images from last night flashed through her mind, including the rapid breathing in the dark, the sounds…

She turned her head to the side to see an empty pillow next to her–still warm. Even after changing into clean clothes, there was still a fragrance.

If she hadn’t felt weak, Ye An would have thought that what happened last night was a fever dream.

The room was silent; Xie Shuo obviously wasn’t in the room.

Dirtbag! You took off your pants and still ran away!

Ye An hit her pillow angrily but almost hit her own torso instead. Her forehead wrinkled in pain.

She supported her waist and slowly sat up, her body feeling as if she had been run over by a car.

In fairness, the two didn’t continue too late into the night. Since she was tired afterward, Xie Shuo carried her to the bathroom and helped her wash up and change clothes.

Ye An hugged the quilt and looked at the empty room, suddenly feeling somewhat lost.

Until this moment, she was unsure if what happened last night was a result of his drunkenness or his true feelings. Even when they were in the moment, she didn’t hear him say anything romantic.

After mulling it over, Ye An reassured herself: Forget it, who cares if he actually had feelings? When it came to physical relationships, as long as both parties were willing, there was no talking of who was taken advantage about and who got it easy.

She took a deep breath, relaxing herself. Then, Ye An stretched her legs out to get out of bed.

As soon as her feet landed on the floor, her legs buckled, and she almost fell to her knees. Ye An only managed to hold herself up by frantically gripping the edge of the bed in time.

    ……

It turned out that being unable to get out of bed did actually happen.

Ye An sat at the edge of the bed for a while before forcing herself to stand up and go to the bathroom to complete her morning routine.

When she looked into the mirror, she found suspicious marks on her collarbone and chest, which appeared especially obvious on her fair skin. After she took off her clothes to observe the marks more closely, she began to blush. However, as she was about to put her clothes back on, she suddenly stopped.

……

The scenes from last night flashed through her mind once again. He had leaned over to kiss her, taken her to the bathroom to bathe, and changed her clothes… Why did it feel like he was able to see?

This sudden thought stunned Ye An.

……

Could it be…that his eyes had healed?

No wonder she had felt so strange. His eyes had been looking more radiant than before, and his movements from last night were smooth and unhindered, unlike before.

When he kissed her in the past, he had to feel her lips before kissing her.

But if he could truly see, why didn’t he tell her earlier?

Ye An stood frozen in place, her thoughts in disarray. She only returned to her senses after quite a while.

She walked into the closet to change before going downstairs to eat breakfast, doubts still flashing through her mind.

The sun had risen high into the sky, as it was past ten in the morning.

Xie Shuo wasn’t downstairs. Ye An only knew that he had gone to the company after asking Aunt Zhou. 

He wasn’t free even on Saturdays. It seems that he really has been busy recently.

Ye An walked to the dining table and sat down. While eating her breakfast, she thought about the possibility of him regaining his sight, and the more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

Ever since they had returned from the research institute, his whole persona seemed to change. He became busier with the company and seemed no longer as depressed as before.

Even in the situation where Xie Shuo decided to accept his circumstances and move on from this time in his life, he shouldn’t have changed that drastically, right?

Another strange point was the fact that he rarely asked her to accompany him recently and didn’t have her read many documents to him anymore.

Even though  Zhong Fu was helping Xie Shuo as his right-hand man, Zhong Fu was also responsible for other positions within their company. There were many things to take care of during the week, and it would be unreasonable to have Zhong Fu only read documents to him. Xie Shuo had always been logical and decisive in business matters, and that didn’t seem like a decision he would make.

Ye An felt like her head was about to explode. She brought a spoonful of porridge to her mouth.

If he had really recovered his eyesight, why was he hiding it? Was he trying to make everyone else worry?

Ye An couldn’t figure it out even after finishing breakfast.

However, she didn’t have much time to continue pondering, as there were still tasks to take care of in the studio. She had to work overtime today, and Xiang Quan had already sent a text rushing her.

After eating lunch, Ye An hurried to the studio and immediately entered the recording booth.

When she took a break at 6pm, she pulled her phone out of her bag to find that there was a missed call from Xie Shuo.

She froze for a moment.

This was the first time he had ever taken the initiative to call her. Did he realize that he shouldn’t have abandoned her? Was this his attempt in coaxing her to return?

Ye An held the phone, hesitating on whether to return the call or not. However, at that moment, the other end called again.

Ye An paused for a moment before accepting the call and bringing the phone to her ear. She didn’t speak.

Xie Shuo’s voice sounded from the other end, and he asked in his usual tone, “You’re not at home?”

Ye An felt that something was strange. She pursed her lips and said in a low voice, “Yeah, I’m working in the studio.”

Xie Shuo asked another question, “When are you coming back?”

“Probably around eight; I won’t be home for dinner.”

Xie Shuo paused before saying, “Don’t stay too late,” and hanging up.

Ye An looked down at her phone screen for a while before turning around to eat with her coworkers.

    ———–

That night, Ye An got home just after nine o’ clock. She went upstairs and pushed open the bedroom door to see Xie Shuo sitting on the sofa with his eyes closed.

He wore a light vest over his black shirt, and his blazer was tossed to the side. The dimmed lights added a tinge of warmth.

He opened his eyes upon hearing her enter.

Ye An paused and met his gaze, feeling somewhat nervous.

She suddenly didn’t mind him working in the morning and not telling her. At least she didn’t have the embarrassment of waking up the morning after.

After calming herself down, she walked over to his side and casually sat down. As soon as she sat down, she smelled his familiar scent.

He turned and asked, “Why were you working so late on a Saturday?”

Ye An answered, “The show records on Monday, so it’s been a little hectic this week.”

Her legs were sore, and her waist was also stiff. She kneaded her legs with force.

Xie Shuo caught a glimpse of her movement, and his gaze paused at her waist.

Ye An stretched her legs and leaned back. She inadvertently met his downward gaze, which seemed to be looking down at her.

Was he looking at her waist?

Her previous doubts came rushing back–were his eyes fully recovered?

Ye An rubbed her waist slowly and looked at him suspiciously.

Xie Shuo averted his gaze and turned to the front. Outside the floor-length windows, lights sparkled from a distance.

A whirlwind of thoughts flashed through Ye An’s mind. She leaned into him and stared into his eyes. They no longer seemed as gloomy as before.

Sensing her nearing, Xie Shuo pretended to pat around to find her hand. He held her palm and massaged it gently.

The man’s hands were slender and warm. Ye An, who was staring into his eyes, caught a glimpse of his hands moving. She recalled the scenes from last night. Suddenly, her face flushed, and the tips of her ears became warm.

She closed her fingers in an attempt to calm herself. After taking a deep breath, she looked into his eyes again.

She almost asked him, “Can you see?” out of impulse, but she swallowed the words.

If he had really regained his eyesight but deliberately kept the information from her, he definitely wouldn’t admit it, so it would be better for her to test her theory secretly.

She pondered for a while before leaning on him. Ye An grabbed his hand and put it around her waist, saying coquettishly, “Stop rubbing my hand. My waist hurts; will you massage it for me?”

Xie Shuo felt her slender waist through her clothes as he grasped it.

He lowered his gaze to look at her–just in time to meet her clear eyes.

Ye An didn’t dodge and faced his gaze directly.

Xie Shuo suddenly felt like she had discovered something. He paused and then looked away.

However, his hands encircled her waist, rubbing it softly.

Seeing him avert his gaze, Ye An became even more suspicious. She leaned into him, raised his face, and observed him intently, capturing every subtle shift in his expression.

The warmth from his palm radiated through the layers, and the friction heated the air around them.

With his soothing movements, Ye An seemed to have lost all of the strength left in her body. She lay on his chest and couldn’t help but let out a comfortable hum.

    “……”

Once her moan escaped, she froze. The hand that was massaging her waist also stopped. 

The bedroom went silent, and the sound seemed particularly ambiguous. The atmosphere suddenly shifted.

As the surrounding temperature rose, Xie Shuo pulled her closer to him and pressed his forehead against hers. His breath fanned over her cheeks, and he seemed to want to kiss her.

Ye An panicked and didn’t care to investigate anymore. She got up and brushed his hand away.

“Stop touching.”

If he continued to massage her like this, something would happen.

She was still half-dead from last night, and she didn’t want to go through that again for the time being.

Xie Shuo’s palm was empty, and he didn’t pressure her further. He leaned back on the sofa and withdrew his hands to place them in front.

Ye An’s heart was beating fast, and it took her a long time to calm down. She stood up and said, “I’m going to shower.”

Xie Shuo paused for a moment before getting up.

Ye An’s whole body felt limp, so she took a warm bath. After soaking for a while, she felt as if her feet were floating. Her head was dizzy as if she were in another dimension.

She forgot to bring a robe into the bathroom before showering, so she had no other option but to return to the room in a towel.

She saw Xie Shuo leaning against the headboard upon coming out. His eyes were closed, and his slender fingers rested on the covers. He seemed deep in thought.

Ye An was originally going to put on pajamas in the closet, but when she saw him, she stopped and changed her mind.

She folded the edge of her towel in and turned around. After picking up a bottle of lotion, Ye An turned back around to sit on the edge of the bed.

Xie Shuo heard her rustling movements and looked up.

His eyes froze at first glance.

Her fair collarbones were the first to catch his gaze. Her delicate skin was as pale as snow, and the towel only wrapped around her midsection, leaving her slender legs on display.

Ye An sat on the bed and glanced at him. Xie Shuo felt her gaze and looked away.

Ye An watched him as she pumped the lotion into the palm of her hand and rubbed it on her legs. She patted the creamin gently, from her thighs to her calves.

When she bent over, the towel was stretched taut and formed to her chest, seemingly ready to fall apart at any moment.

Xie Shuo’s eyes darkened, but he did not make any other movements.

As Ye An rubbed the lotion on her legs, she secretly observed his reaction. Seeing his indifference, Ye An couldn’t help but doubt herself.

How come there was no reaction? Did she really guess wrong; did he never recover?

She looked up and glanced at him once more.

The man was wearing a black robe. His neckline was open, exposing his alluring chest.

A blurry memory of last night suddenly flashed through her mind, causing her face to blush.

She held in a breath and decided to try again.

She put the lotion away and leaned back against the headboard. Her body faced him, but she didn’t touch him.

Ye An looked up at his side profile, and her slender fingertips waved in front of his eyes.

Xie Shuo’s eyes wavered.

Was she testing him?

Ye An was wrapped in her bath towel as she leaned against the head of the bed. She looked like a princess, freshly cleansed. Ye An stared at him quietly without speaking or moving.

She didn’t believe that he could continue holding his composure.

A light fragrance wafted over, and an imperceptible glint flashed across Xie Shuo’s gaze.

Originally, he had thought about this issue for a long time and decided to confess to her tonight. However, after seeing her like this, he suddenly didn’t want to let her know yet.

He stopped paying attention and leaned against the headboard, closing his eyes.

Xie Shuo’s appearance was stoic, as if he could rest for another hundred years.

Ye An: “…”

She lost.

After losing this one, Ye An was a little sleepy. Her eyelids began to droop, so she decided to resume operations tomorrow.

She got up, intending to go change before getting into bed.

However, just as she stood up, the towel suddenly loosened and slipped.

Ye An: “…”

This time, she really didn’t mean it.

Xie Shuo also just happened to open his eyes and saw the scenery in front of him.

After recovering from her shock, Ye An used the towel to cover her chest. Without caring to check if Xie Shuo had seen anything or not, she hurriedly rushed into the closet.

Xie Shuo leaned against the headboard as he looked at her figure running away, the corner of his lips pulling upwards.

The cold winter mist dissipated as the morning sun rose into the sky and shone through the floor length-windows. 

Ye An opened her eyes with difficulty after feeling the sunlight on her body.

She stared dazedly at the ceiling and slowly came back to her senses.

Images from last night flashed through her mind, including the rapid breathing in the dark, the sounds…

She turned her head to the side to see an empty pillow next to her–still warm. Even after changing into clean clothes, there was still a fragrance.

If she hadn’t felt weak, Ye An would have thought that what happened last night was a fever dream.

The room was silent; Xie Shuo obviously wasn’t in the room.

Dirtbag! You took off your pants and still ran away!

Ye An hit her pillow angrily but almost hit her own torso instead. Her forehead wrinkled in pain.

She supported her waist and slowly sat up, her body feeling as if she had been run over by a car.

In fairness, the two didn’t continue too late into the night. Since she was tired afterward, Xie Shuo carried her to the bathroom and helped her wash up and change clothes.

Ye An hugged the quilt and looked at the empty room, suddenly feeling somewhat lost.

Until this moment, she was unsure if what happened last night was a result of his drunkenness or his true feelings. Even when they were in the moment, she didn’t hear him say anything romantic.

After mulling it over, Ye An reassured herself: Forget it, who cares if he actually had feelings? When it came to physical relationships, as long as both parties were willing, there was no talking of who was taken advantage about and who got it easy.

She took a deep breath, relaxing herself. Then, Ye An stretched her legs out to get out of bed.

As soon as her feet landed on the floor, her legs buckled, and she almost fell to her knees. Ye An only managed to hold herself up by frantically gripping the edge of the bed in time.

    ……

It turned out that being unable to get out of bed did actually happen.

Ye An sat at the edge of the bed for a while before forcing herself to stand up and go to the bathroom to complete her morning routine.

When she looked into the mirror, she found suspicious marks on her collarbone and chest, which appeared especially obvious on her fair skin. After she took off her clothes to observe the marks more closely, she began to blush. However, as she was about to put her clothes back on, she suddenly stopped.

……

The scenes from last night flashed through her mind once again. He had leaned over to kiss her, taken her to the bathroom to bathe, and changed her clothes… Why did it feel like he was able to see?

This sudden thought stunned Ye An.

……

Could it be…that his eyes had healed?

No wonder she had felt so strange. His eyes had been looking more radiant than before, and his movements from last night were smooth and unhindered, unlike before.

When he kissed her in the past, he had to feel her lips before kissing her.

But if he could truly see, why didn’t he tell her earlier?

Ye An stood frozen in place, her thoughts in disarray. She only returned to her senses after quite a while.

She walked into the closet to change before going downstairs to eat breakfast, doubts still flashing through her mind.

The sun had risen high into the sky, as it was past ten in the morning.

Xie Shuo wasn’t downstairs. Ye An only knew that he had gone to the company after asking Aunt Zhou. 

He wasn’t free even on Saturdays. It seems that he really has been busy recently.

Ye An walked to the dining table and sat down. While eating her breakfast, she thought about the possibility of him regaining his sight, and the more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

Ever since they had returned from the research institute, his whole persona seemed to change. He became busier with the company and seemed no longer as depressed as before.

Even in the situation where Xie Shuo decided to accept his circumstances and move on from this time in his life, he shouldn’t have changed that drastically, right?

Another strange point was the fact that he rarely asked her to accompany him recently and didn’t have her read many documents to him anymore.

Even though  Zhong Fu was helping Xie Shuo as his right-hand man, Zhong Fu was also responsible for other positions within their company. There were many things to take care of during the week, and it would be unreasonable to have Zhong Fu only read documents to him. Xie Shuo had always been logical and decisive in business matters, and that didn’t seem like a decision he would make.

Ye An felt like her head was about to explode. She brought a spoonful of porridge to her mouth.

If he had really recovered his eyesight, why was he hiding it? Was he trying to make everyone else worry?

Ye An couldn’t figure it out even after finishing breakfast.

However, she didn’t have much time to continue pondering, as there were still tasks to take care of in the studio. She had to work overtime today, and Xiang Quan had already sent a text rushing her.

After eating lunch, Ye An hurried to the studio and immediately entered the recording booth.

When she took a break at 6pm, she pulled her phone out of her bag to find that there was a missed call from Xie Shuo.

She froze for a moment.

This was the first time he had ever taken the initiative to call her. Did he realize that he shouldn’t have abandoned her? Was this his attempt in coaxing her to return?

Ye An held the phone, hesitating on whether to return the call or not. However, at that moment, the other end called again.

Ye An paused for a moment before accepting the call and bringing the phone to her ear. She didn’t speak.

Xie Shuo’s voice sounded from the other end, and he asked in his usual tone, “You’re not at home?”

Ye An felt that something was strange. She pursed her lips and said in a low voice, “Yeah, I’m working in the studio.”

Xie Shuo asked another question, “When are you coming back?”

“Probably around eight; I won’t be home for dinner.”

Xie Shuo paused before saying, “Don’t stay too late,” and hanging up.

Ye An looked down at her phone screen for a while before turning around to eat with her coworkers.

    ———–

That night, Ye An got home just after nine o’ clock. She went upstairs and pushed open the bedroom door to see Xie Shuo sitting on the sofa with his eyes closed.

He wore a light vest over his black shirt, and his blazer was tossed to the side. The dimmed lights added a tinge of warmth.

He opened his eyes upon hearing her enter.

Ye An paused and met his gaze, feeling somewhat nervous.

She suddenly didn’t mind him working in the morning and not telling her. At least she didn’t have the embarrassment of waking up the morning after.

After calming herself down, she walked over to his side and casually sat down. As soon as she sat down, she smelled his familiar scent.

He turned and asked, “Why were you working so late on a Saturday?”

Ye An answered, “The show records on Monday, so it’s been a little hectic this week.”

Her legs were sore, and her waist was also stiff. She kneaded her legs with force.

Xie Shuo caught a glimpse of her movement, and his gaze paused at her waist.

Ye An stretched her legs and leaned back. She inadvertently met his downward gaze, which seemed to be looking down at her.

Was he looking at her waist?

Her previous doubts came rushing back–were his eyes fully recovered?

Ye An rubbed her waist slowly and looked at him suspiciously.

Xie Shuo averted his gaze and turned to the front. Outside the floor-length windows, lights sparkled from a distance.

A whirlwind of thoughts flashed through Ye An’s mind. She leaned into him and stared into his eyes. They no longer seemed as gloomy as before.

Sensing her nearing, Xie Shuo pretended to pat around to find her hand. He held her palm and massaged it gently.

The man’s hands were slender and warm. Ye An, who was staring into his eyes, caught a glimpse of his hands moving. She recalled the scenes from last night. Suddenly, her face flushed, and the tips of her ears became warm.

She closed her fingers in an attempt to calm herself. After taking a deep breath, she looked into his eyes again.

She almost asked him, “Can you see?” out of impulse, but she swallowed the words.

If he had really regained his eyesight but deliberately kept the information from her, he definitely wouldn’t admit it, so it would be better for her to test her theory secretly.

She pondered for a while before leaning on him. Ye An grabbed his hand and put it around her waist, saying coquettishly, “Stop rubbing my hand. My waist hurts; will you massage it for me?”

Xie Shuo felt her slender waist through her clothes as he grasped it.

He lowered his gaze to look at her–just in time to meet her clear eyes.

Ye An didn’t dodge and faced his gaze directly.

Xie Shuo suddenly felt like she had discovered something. He paused and then looked away.

However, his hands encircled her waist, rubbing it softly.

Seeing him avert his gaze, Ye An became even more suspicious. She leaned into him, raised his face, and observed him intently, capturing every subtle shift in his expression.

The warmth from his palm radiated through the layers, and the friction heated the air around them.

With his soothing movements, Ye An seemed to have lost all of the strength left in her body. She lay on his chest and couldn’t help but let out a comfortable hum.

    “……”

Once her moan escaped, she froze. The hand that was massaging her waist also stopped. 

The bedroom went silent, and the sound seemed particularly ambiguous. The atmosphere suddenly shifted.

As the surrounding temperature rose, Xie Shuo pulled her closer to him and pressed his forehead against hers. His breath fanned over her cheeks, and he seemed to want to kiss her.

Ye An panicked and didn’t care to investigate anymore. She got up and brushed his hand away.

“Stop touching.”

If he continued to massage her like this, something would happen.

She was still half-dead from last night, and she didn’t want to go through that again for the time being.

Xie Shuo’s palm was empty, and he didn’t pressure her further. He leaned back on the sofa and withdrew his hands to place them in front.

Ye An’s heart was beating fast, and it took her a long time to calm down. She stood up and said, “I’m going to shower.”

Xie Shuo paused for a moment before getting up.

Ye An’s whole body felt limp, so she took a warm bath. After soaking for a while, she felt as if her feet were floating. Her head was dizzy as if she were in another dimension.

She forgot to bring a robe into the bathroom before showering, so she had no other option but to return to the room in a towel.

She saw Xie Shuo leaning against the headboard upon coming out. His eyes were closed, and his slender fingers rested on the covers. He seemed deep in thought.

Ye An was originally going to put on pajamas in the closet, but when she saw him, she stopped and changed her mind.

She folded the edge of her towel in and turned around. After picking up a bottle of lotion, Ye An turned back around to sit on the edge of the bed.

Xie Shuo heard her rustling movements and looked up.

His eyes froze at first glance.

Her fair collarbones were the first to catch his gaze. Her delicate skin was as pale as snow, and the towel only wrapped around her midsection, leaving her slender legs on display.

Ye An sat on the bed and glanced at him. Xie Shuo felt her gaze and looked away.

Ye An watched him as she pumped the lotion into the palm of her hand and rubbed it on her legs. She patted the creamin gently, from her thighs to her calves.

When she bent over, the towel was stretched taut and formed to her chest, seemingly ready to fall apart at any moment.

Xie Shuo’s eyes darkened, but he did not make any other movements.

As Ye An rubbed the lotion on her legs, she secretly observed his reaction. Seeing his indifference, Ye An couldn’t help but doubt herself.

How come there was no reaction? Did she really guess wrong; did he never recover?

She looked up and glanced at him once more.

The man was wearing a black robe. His neckline was open, exposing his alluring chest.

A blurry memory of last night suddenly flashed through her mind, causing her face to blush.

She held in a breath and decided to try again.

She put the lotion away and leaned back against the headboard. Her body faced him, but she didn’t touch him.

Ye An looked up at his side profile, and her slender fingertips waved in front of his eyes.

Xie Shuo’s eyes wavered.

Was she testing him?

Ye An was wrapped in her bath towel as she leaned against the head of the bed. She looked like a princess, freshly cleansed. Ye An stared at him quietly without speaking or moving.

She didn’t believe that he could continue holding his composure.

A light fragrance wafted over, and an imperceptible glint flashed across Xie Shuo’s gaze.

Originally, he had thought about this issue for a long time and decided to confess to her tonight. However, after seeing her like this, he suddenly didn’t want to let her know yet.

He stopped paying attention and leaned against the headboard, closing his eyes.

Xie Shuo’s appearance was stoic, as if he could rest for another hundred years.

Ye An: “…”

She lost.

After losing this one, Ye An was a little sleepy. Her eyelids began to droop, so she decided to resume operations tomorrow.

She got up, intending to go change before getting into bed.

However, just as she stood up, the towel suddenly loosened and slipped.

Ye An: “…”

This time, she really didn’t mean it.

Xie Shuo also just happened to open his eyes and saw the scenery in front of him.

After recovering from her shock, Ye An used the towel to cover her chest. Without caring to check if Xie Shuo had seen anything or not, she hurriedly rushed into the closet.

Xie Shuo leaned against the headboard as he looked at her figure running away, the corner of his lips pulling upwards.

Previous|Index|Next

Zhang Muqing didn’t expect Ye An to reject her directly. Her face stiffened, and her usually graceful act almost fell apart.

One of the young ladies gathered around her and whispered, “Muqing, was that Xie Shuo’s wife? She’s bold.”

Another person agreed, “Right, just look at her…”

    —-

Ye An left the banquet hall and walked to the balcony. As the wind blew, the smell of alcohol dispersed.

Senior Wen was no longer on the balcony leaving only Xie Shuo, Jiang Shiyan, and Yan Fei behind.

The sight of the three men sitting together was very eye-catching. After they caught sight of her coming, Jiang Shiyan got up, patted Xie Shuo on the shoulder, and said with a smile, “Your wife is here. We’ll talk later.”

Yan Fei got up and left to enter the banquet hall with Jiang Shiyan.

Ye An smiled at them as they left. She walked over to Xie Shuo’s side, put her hand around his arm, and asked quietly, “Want to go home?”

Xie Shuo took her hand and squeezed it before saying, “Let’s sit for a bit.”

Ye An understood that he wanted to wait for there to be fewer people before leaving, so she sat down beside him, letting him hold her hand.

The stars were barely visible against the midnight blue sky, and their natural brilliance was overshadowed by the flickering lights.

She saw the crystal wine glass in front of him and looked up to ask, “Did you drink?”

Xie Shuo avoided her gaze and didn’t reply. 

Ye An got closer to him and smelled a strong taste of alcohol. She instantly frowned, saying, “Did you forget that you’re not supposed to be drinking while taking your meds?” After a moment, she asked, “How much did you drink?”

Xie Shuo kneaded her hand while remaining silent. His tipsy state added a trace of gentle charm to the night ambiance.

Ye An grew more annoyed and anxious upon recalling the headache Xie Shuo experienced after drinking last time. She withdrew her hand and said in a low voice, “Drinking even when you’re not supposed to! I want to see what you do when you get a migraine!”

Seeing her anxious expression, Xie Shuo finally said quietly, “It wasn’t much. Senior Wen opened the bottle himself.”

Ye An grew more annoyed and anxious upon recalling the headache Xie Shuo experienced after drinking last time. She withdrew her hand and said in a low voice, “Even if you couldn’t refuse, you should have tried to drink less!”

That was obviously his excuse to be greedy!

Xie Shuo didn’t argue with her. His slender fingers grasped the wine glass in front of him, as if he were going to continue drinking the wine.

In the bowl of the glass, red wine rippled at the halfway point.

He still wanted to drink? Ye An grew angrier and angrier. Without thinking, she grabbed the glass directly from his hand, brought it to her lips, and downed the remaining wine.

Because she drank it too quickly, she choked. Her originally fair complexion was quickly stained with a faint pink blush, and her lips were tender.

Xie Shuo raised his hand, intending to pat her back, but after recalling his “blind” state, he retracted his hand. 

Ye An put the wine glass down and looked up into his eyes. “There’s no more; I wonder what you will drink now!”

Her eyes sparkled with drunken splendor, mesmerizing Xie Shuo for a moment. He turned away to look at the lights in the distance. He suddenly bit his lower lip lightly, seeming cheerful. 

Ye An noticed the curve to his lips and was confused. “Did you just smile?”

She grasped his shoulders and leaned in to look at his lips, as if she had discovered something life-changing, “Did you?”

Xie Shuo returned to his usual indifferent expression and continued to look off into the distance, not saying anything. His profile seemed to be immersed in a soft glow.

“So you do know how to smile!” Ye An seemed to forget the drinking situation and seemed excited. “Smile again…”

The wine surged through her body, rendering her unbalanced. She fell into his arms, her lips brushing against the side of his cheek.

Xie Shuo raised his hands and embraced her slender waist.

The night breeze blew softly, wafting the fragrance in his direction. An ambiguous atmosphere began to imbue the air. 

She had personally chosen the cologne that he was wearing tonight. It had a light refreshing scent yet lasted a long time.

Neither of the two said a word, and the noises from the banquet hall seemed to be muffled. It was so quiet they could hear each other’s breathing. 

After a while, the man’s voice sounded, low in timbre yet smooth like a piano, “Let’s go home.”

Ye An returned to her senses and got off of his lap before reaching out to help him up. They obviously didn’t do anything, but her legs were weak.

    ——

The winter cold was chilling to the bone, and the air was crisp and clean.

The car merged onto the highway, slowly blending the scenery into fleeting lights and shadows.

Ye An drank the last half glass of wine too quickly. As she sat in the car, the effects of the alcohol slowly caught up with her. She grew warm and red from her face to neck and ears.

When she got off the car, her mind had already turned somewhat muddled. Her footsteps were unsteady and shaky, so she leaned heavily into Xie Shuo.

Xie Shuo helped her stand firmly. Like last time, he took off his coat and draped it around her shoulders before bringing her back into the house. 

The cool moonlight shone onto the tree branches.

The sound of heels clicking on the ground was irregular and sharp in the dark silence. After entering the house, the two exchanged their shoes for slippers at the entrance. Ye An hugged Xie Shuo’s arm and seemed to be supporting him, but in reality, he was the one supporting her weight.

When they entered the bedroom, Ye An released his arm and removed the hair clip fastened to her hair. She fell on the sofa, her light-colored dress draping over her ankles. 

Xie Shuo sat next to her while loosening his tie. He unbuttoned the first button on the collar of his shirt, revealing a sliver of his collarbone. He pinched the area between his eyebrows.

After Ye An finished letting down her hair, she leaned softly against him.

She lay on his shoulder and looked at his stern face. She stretched out a finger and poked the corner of his lips. “Why don’t you smile usually? Can you smile again to show me? I didn’t see it clearly just now…”

Xie Shuo held her finger, brought it down, and kneaded her hand in his palm.

He leaned back into the sofa. Under the warm lighting, his usually stern features appeared softened by drunkenness. 

Ye An looked up to face his smooth jawline and Adam’s apple.

The alcohol coursed through her body. Like past instances, she was unable to hold back from kissing his Adam’s apple.

Her warm breath mixed with the alcohol and brushed across his neck. Xie Shuo massaged her hand and let her do as she wished.

Ye An returned to face him just in the position to catch a glimpse of his open neckline. She raised her other free hand and poked his collarbone with her fingertips.

Xie Shuo grasped her waist and pulled her smoothly into his arms. 

Ye An sat in his embrace. She wrapped her arms around his neck, eyes almost level with his.

Her gaze flitted across his high nose bridge, and she looked directly at him.

Two pairs of eyes faced each other. His dark eyes were no longer gloomy and depressing. Now, they contained a faint trace of light. 

Ye An looked slightly startled. 

“Your eyes look so much brighter… like the same as before.”

She stared at him in a daze, her eyes entranced with memories.

“You’re definitely going to get better…” Fair and slender fingers pressed against her cheeks. She held his face and met his gaze, repeating, “Definitely…”

Xie Shuo looked into her clear eyes and was stunned. He had regained his sight and suddenly couldn’t bear to lie to her again.

He originally wanted to hide it from her because of some unspeakable feelings welling in his heart, but he didn’t expect it to become more and more difficult to hide. Even now, he wasn’t sure how to approach her concerning this matter. 

One lie often turns into many, snowballing out of control.

He closed his eyes and began to feel a headache approaching.

Ye An held his face and kissed his lips again.

It was soft, as soft as the cool breeze blowing outside.

Her gaze was slightly hazy and moist, reflecting his image. They seemed to hide a multitude of feelings.

He lowered his head and looked at her eyebrows, his heart wavering. Suddenly, he asked the question he had always wanted to, “Do you like me?”

Ye An was taken aback by this question.

Many scenes flashed through her mind, messily jumping through frame by frame.

In the past six months, she initiated every instance they had gotten closer through.

The taste of alcohol surged up, and there was a bittersweet feeling in her heart. 

She didn’t want to lose the last shred of willpower and looked at him, saying confidently, “Who said I like you?”

She let go of his hand and leaned over his shoulder, her red lips almost touching his chin.

He held her waist to prevent her from falling.

“I don’t like you; I just…” Her lips curled, and she stretched out her arms to latch around him like an octopus. “I like your body!”

    “……”

Xie Shuo’s expression turned dark.

Ye An didn’t care about his expression. She leaned in front of him and stretched his fair fingers to pinch the collar of his shirt. She looked directly in, and her warm breath touched his collarbone.

There were contours tracing the outlines of his muscles under the shirt, but the rest was unfortunately hidden from sight.

Before Ye An could finish looking, her body suddenly hung in the air. Her dress acted like a cloud, tracing an arc in the air.

Xie Shuo lifted her in a princess carry and brought her to the bed. 

The man was tall and slender, with strong arms that wrapped under her ribs and into the crook of her legs.

Ye An subconsciously wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up to catch a glimpse of his tightly pursed lips.

As they reached the bed, Xie Shuo put Ye An down. He placed his arms to the side of her body, and his neckline opened more. 

Ye An fell into the plush bedding, scattering her long hair. The drunken blush still had not faded from her delicate features, and her slender arms were still looped around his neck.

The color of the lipstick on her lips had long been wiped off, leaving only her natural lips behind. They were full and bright, appearing luscious under the lighting.

Xie Shuo looked at her, his throat tightening as he leaned over her.

Ye An looked up and met his deep eyes. They were somber, and she couldn’t see through the fathomless was unable to peer into the end depths.

As their breaths intermingled, the warmth spread. Suddenly, the air became suffocating. She couldn’t help twisting her body. 

Xie Shuo held her down, his eyes filled with desire. His fingers brushed against the side of her neck. He pinched her chin and lowered his head to kiss her.

The light and shadows above her shifted. She could smell the familiar scent of his body wrapped in the faint smell of wine.

Her lips and teeth were filled with his scent, and her breath was taken. She raised her neck and responded, placing her hands on the back of his shoulders.

The two were both drunk with chaotic fervor. Their actions were uncertain, as if they were in uncharted territory in the deep sea.

Even in the haze, she did not forget to stretch her arms to turn off the lights.

When she turned to the side, a delicate kiss fell on her ear.

After some time, her expression became muddled, and a thin sheen appeared in her gaze, making her eyes glassy. 

Outside the French windows, the shallow moonlight shone, rippling with layers. 

    ……

Previous|Index|Next

Xie Shuo stayed in his crouched position and paused for several moments. His mind whirled with ideas on how to resolve the situation.

In the end, he moved his hand to the other side and fumbled around before finally picking up the tie. He turned and said, “You’re awake?”

Although Ye An thought it was strange, she didn’t look more into it since she had just woken up. After replying with an “En,” she walked up to him, took the tie from his hand, and put it away.

In order to dispel her suspicions, Xie Shuo deliberately asked, “Where are my pajamas?”

Ye An pulled out a robe from the wardrobe on the side and brought him a pair of underwear afterward. She then reached out to guide him to the bathroom.

Her attitude seemed somewhat detached today. Ye An didn’t take the initiative to speak at him, and she didn’t glance at him either.

After showering, XIe Shuo stood in front of the windows for a while, recalling the scene where he had almost been discovered. He turned to leave the bedroom and go to the study to retrieve a document.

Not long later, Ye An had also finished taking her shower. She walked to the side of the bed to see him leaning against the headboard, holding a document between his slender fingers.

Hearing her approach, he handed the document to her. “Read this to me.”

Ye An had just gotten under the covers when she saw his actions and the indifferent expression that accompanied them. She was immediately annoyed, “Didn’t you not need me? If you don’t need me, then stop asking for my help whenever you want!”

Ye An dramatically raised her hand against her forehead. “My head hurts; I’m not reading.”

How dare he tell me to read and expect to read at his will? Does he think that I’m the type of woman that comes and goes according to his wishes?

Xie Shuo couldn’t reply for a moment after seeing the angry expression on her face. He didn’t understand why she was so angry.

Since he didn’t understand why she was angry, he didn’t know how to reassure her. He squeezed the document tightly and paused for a few moments before taking it back and saying, “Rest early then since your head hurts.”

Ye An: “…”

Ye An was completely floored by this straight man’s single-track thought process. She grabbed the pillow next to him in a rage and threw it at him.

As Xie Shuo was about to get hit by the pillow, he caught it and frowned at her.

Her facial features appeared delicate under the lights. Her long eyelashes framed the bright eyes that stared back at him. Her red lips were tightly pursed, yet she still looked cute and fresh-faced.

Xie Shuo’s heart beat faster, propelled by overwhelming feelings. However, even at this point, he looked away from her, afraid that she would notice his staring.

He quickly averted his gaze and asked, “If you don’t want to read, then don’t read; why are you mad?”

Hearing him speak, Ye An was shocked once again, and she almost threw the other pillow at his face.

However, after staring at the man’s beautiful features for a while, she calmed down and thought silently, Forget it, I won’t bother with him today. She ended her hard feelings with a solid kick to his legs, neither softly nor too heavily.

Xie Shuo was hit once again with no explanation.

Ye An no longer fought with him and instead leaned over to take the document. She brought it back over to her side of the bed and began to read.

She may have gotten annoyed and angry, but she put all personal feelings aside when it came to important documents.

A soft, gentle voice began to sound throughout the room. Xie Shuo glanced at her delicate side profile and then fluffed up his pillow before leaning on the headboard again.

His long eyelashes drooped, and his eyelids closed. 

Honestly speaking, the reason why he asked her to read tonight was not only to dispel any doubts and suspicions about him. He missed her voice and wanted to hear it again.

Some habits became routine over time.

The scenery outside the window was dark, and time passed by peacefully. After Ye An finished reading the last page, she turned her head to find that Xie Shuo had closed his eyes and interlaced his hands in front of him, appearing asleep.

Ye An: …?

Is my voice that boring?

Ye An felt that her professional abilities had been compromised and was somewhat insulted. Her gaze passed by his tall nose and thin lips–slowly and carefully.

The light was hazy, like a cage of artificial moonlight. The man’s long eyelashes drooped down, casting light shadows on his face. Ye An held her breath and looked at each one individually, her face only a few centimeters from his.

Suddenly the man opened his eyes, and under the long lashes, his eyes met hers.

With her heart pounding, Ye An hurriedly sat back. She turned away, her ears becoming warm.

“I finished reading; were you even listening? Because I’m not reading it a second time.” Ye An pretended as if nothing happened. 

Xie Shuo’s gaze fell on her soft cheeks, and he froze slightly. After a while, he replied with a soft “En.” His voice was low, and the response seemed to come deep within his chest.

Ye An felt her fingertips go numb for no reason. She squeezed the documents tightly before handing them back to him.

Xie Shuo held the document but took advantage of the moment to grab her slender hand and squeeze. “There’s a dinner party this Friday. Come with me.”

As Ye An heard him speak, she looked up at him in surprise.

Didn’t he hate attending banquets because of his inability to see? The last time he showed his face in public was at Xie Baiyan’s birthday party.

Xie Shuo caught a glimpse of the surprised look on her face out of his peripheral. Weary of the fact that she may be thinking too much, he added on, “It’s really important for a business matter.”

Ye An understood. She looked at the hand that he was playing with and said, “Oh.”

    —-

The next day, Xie Shuo got up early and left for the company again without having Ye An accompany him.

Ye An ran through some lines to practice her voice dubbing alone at home. She received a message from Xiang Quan later in the afternoon stating that the recording plans for the program had been finalized. It was to start next Monday, so she needed to make preparations quickly.

Ye An became so busy that she didn’t have time to worry about Xie Shuo’s affairs anymore. The two barely had any communication except for the occasional interaction.

Before they knew it, it was Friday.

Ye An went to the studio to work in the morning before hurrying home at four in the evening to prepare for the banquet.

Xie Shuo had returned home early and was already waiting. Ye An chose a suit for him and a dress for herself before letting him have the closet.

She went into the bathroom to wash her face before returning to the bedroom and changing her clothes by the bed.

Xie Shuo buttoned his shirt and walked out of the closet with a tie, prepared to ask Ye An to tie it for him. However, he was met with the sight of her taking off her skirt.

The graceful curves hit his eyes without warning, and her skin was tender and fair, as pale as snow.

    “……”

Xie Shuo did not expect to encounter such a sight at all, and he was stunned into oblivion.

Even after seeing him come out, Ye An didn’t react. She continued to change leisurely since she was under the impression that he couldn’t see anything, to begin with.

Seeing her casual demeanor and calm expression, Xie Shuo deduced that it obviously was not the first time that he had heard these rustling sounds in the house when he was still blind.

“You want to wear a tie?”

After changing into her dress, Ye An walked up to him, took the tie from his hands, and stood on her tiptoes to wrap it around the back of his neck.

She wore a low-cut dress, and the front and back were left mostly exposed.

Xie Shuo lowered his gaze and stopped at her delicate collarbones and the pale shapes below. His eyes darkened recalling the scene of his entrance.

Ye An didn’t notice the changes in his gaze at all. She tied his tie quickly, skillfully weaving the fabric through her deft fingers.

After arranging a neatly placed Windsor knot at the base of his neck, she carefully adjusted his collar. She then turned around to call the makeup artist coming into the room.

After Xie Shuo was fully dressed, he stood to the side with one hand in his pocket and watched the makeup artist smear various products on her face. Even though he originally thought that watching them do makeup would be a boring process, he found it unexpectedly enjoyable to observe.

Approximately twenty minutes later, a bright and elegant makeup look appeared in his line of sight. Her eyes sparkled, and her red lips made her skin look as fair as snow.

Ye An stood up and walked over to him, holding the bottom of her dress in one hand and taking his arm with the other.

Xie Shuo looked at her. After leaving the room, he couldn’t resist and took another glance at her.

    —-

The two arrived at the banquet hotel at six o’clock.

Since Xie Shuo’s condition made things inconvenient and attracted attention, they went early and booked a room in the hotel.

At seven o’clock, the banquet officially started.

The buildings towered over the moon under the night sky. The lights throughout the buildings brightened the skies and large fountains gurgled the rippling water.

Hours had passed by before Xie Shuo finally motioned for Ye An for help at eight o’clock. 

There were a number of people milling about in the banquet hall. Ye An eye’s casually scanned the area and noticed Zhang Muqing, who stood not far away. There were two women next to her, both of them looking in her direction.

Judging by her interactions with Grandfather Ye, Zhang Muqing seemed to have completely given up on Xie Shuo. Instead, she seemed to have set her sights on Xie Yuran, so Ye An had lost interest in her as well. Ye An pretended not to have noticed her and guided Xie Shuo toward the banquet area. 

Senior Wen looked to be in his fifties or sixties. His temples were gray and used a cane, but he still seemed very youthful and energetic.

Yan Fei and Jiang Shiyan stood by his side with wine glasses in hand. They seemed to be engrossed in conversation.

After seeing Xie Shuo, Jiang Shiyan raised his eyebrows and said, “So you’ve finally come out of hibernation?”

After speaking, he turned to Ye An and said with a smile, “Hey, long time no see.”

Ye An smiled back, “Long time no see.”

After chatting for a bit, they left the lively banquet hall and went to the balcony. 

The night sky was vast, the night breeze was cool, and flickering lights sparkled in the distance. After taking a seat, Xie Shuo kneaded Ye An’s hand as he said quietly, “Go get something to eat.”

Ye An gathered that they probably had important things to discuss, so she smiled and headed back towards the banquet hall.

The area was full of excitement and chatter. Ye An had rarely attended such banquets, so she barely knew anyone. It was nearly impossible to find Zhang Muqing in the crowd, so she picked up some small fruit cakes and looked for a corner with fewer people in an effort to sit down.

However, just as she took her first step, she saw Zhang Yinian and a young woman sitting in the corner near the balcony, with food and drinks in front of them. 

Zhang Yinian smiled brightly at her and asked, “Do you want to sit with us?

Ye An was bored of being alone, so she walked over.

The three chatted with each other as the drank, creating a lively atmosphere.

Half an hour later, Zhang Yinian saw someone he knew and got up to go greet 

them.

Ye An was somewhat tipsy, so she put her wine glass down and got up to walk towards the restroom.

As she turned around the corridor, Ye An bumped into Zhang Muqing heads on. The young woman who was by Zhang Muqing’s side before was no longer there, and a young man seemed to have taken her place.

The man put his hand around Zhang Muqing’s waist with a frivolous smile and a stereotypical playboy appearance.

Zhang Muqing paused upon seeing Ye An. Her face turned pale, as if she was greatly embarrassed.

Ye An glanced at the man and wondered, had Zhang Muqing given up of Xie Yuran that quickly?

The man’s gaze fell on Ye An’s face with undisguised lust in his gaze.

Ye An was a little uncomfortable from his ogling. She frowned and hurriedly walked past the two of them.

After Ye An finished using the bathroom and returned to the banquet hall, Zhang Muqing stopped her while holding a red wine glass. The latter said, “Let’s sit down for a bit.”

The greasy man was now gone and was replaced by several young women that stood behind her waiting to gossip.

Ye An didn’t have the time nor the patience to accompany their condescending antics, so she smiled politely and said, “Sorry, but I have to go find my husband.”

After speaking, she walked calmly away, her skirt swaying and sparkling like stars under the bright lights.

Previous|Index|Next

“You can see, right?”

Her statement struck Xie Shuo like thunder. He froze, and it felt like a cold bucket of water was poured over him, devastating a precious illusion and leaving him shivering.

He looked at her directly, not daring to move.

Ye An brought her hand up and waved it in front of him. “Can you sense the shadows?”

Xie Shuo was relieved seeing the curious expression on her face. He didn’t answer her and lowered his gaze to hide the new light in his eyes. His slender fingers traced upward from her collarbone to her lower jaw. He held her face in his hands and lightly pressed his lips against hers.

With his eyes closed, he bowed his head to kiss her.

Ye An wanted to ask a question, but her lips were soon blocked. 

At first, the kiss felt like the winter snow, cool and calm. Gradually, warmth spread, raising the temperature little by little.

Ye An gasped and tilted her head up subconsciously, but the man followed her movements. He captured her lips and pried them apart.

Their breaths intermingled amongst their lips and teeth. Ye An moved away, almost out of breath.

She was dizzy and clasped his shoulders firmly enough to turn the tips of her fingers white. She was oblivious to the changes in his eyes.

The night was quiet outside of their windows. The shadows of the trees swayed gently, and the moonlight rippled like waves.

There were indistinct sounds in the quiet tranquility, and the air was heated with a fiery passion.

After some time, the sounds finally stopped. Ye An’s entire body was weak. She lay in Xie Shuo’s arms and breathing quickly. Her face was still flushed, and her lips were a vibrant red, like roses fully bloomed. Her appearance was radiant and feminine.

Xie Shuo wrapped his arms around her and stroked her back gently to calm her down.

The night was cold, but there was a fine layer of sweat on his temples. Ye An breathed in the clean scent on the man’s body. Her heart beat rapidly, and it continued to do so for a long time.

The two didn’t make it to the last step. It was Ye An’s first time here, and she was not comfortable enough in such an unfamiliar place. Most importantly, she didn’t want children yet, and there weren’t any contraceptives here. 

Although Grandfather Xie had been pushing the idea of having children, Xie Shuo’s condition needed someone to take care of him. With their current situation, it wasn’t suitable to start a family. Moreover, their relationship wasn’t that intimate, to begin with.

Xie Shuo must have shared her concerns and restrained himself without having her tell him.

The two lay quietly in each other’s embrace for a while. The fire in Xie Shuo’s eyes faded, and he resumed his usual indifference. He looked down at her and caught a glimpse of her flushed cheeks, which appeared rosy under the lamp lighting.

“Are we going home tomorrow morning?” Ye An asked him softly.

Recalling the slip-up from earlier, Xie Shuo avoided her eyes. His voice was gentle. “Later in the day. Let’s go to the company first and then home in the evening.”

“You still need to go to the office? Has it been busy lately?”

“Yes, there are a lot of things to take care of since it’s the end of the year.” Xie Shuo was unusually patient with her after the events that had just transpired.

Ye An looked up at him to be met with his Adam’s apple and smooth jawline. The collar of his shirt was slightly open, leaving his sharp collarbones and the accompanying marks on display.

Her heart began to pound again, and she couldn’t help but stretch a finger out to poke the half-exposed collarbones.

Xie Shuo grabbed her fingertips, held them in his palm, and whispered, “Sleep well.”

His breath fanned across her forehead, and the scenes from just then flashed through her mind. Ye An’s face became warm, and she got up to turn off the lights before laying back down and wrapping her arms around his waist. 

Ye An turned to angle her face near his. As she listened to his heartbeat, her eyes gradually closed.

Her frame was soft, and Xie Shuo lifted his arm to wrap around her body. Thoughts flew through his mind, rendering him unable to sleep, and his gaze was complicated. It took a long time for him to fall asleep.

    —-

The next day, Ye An accompanied Xie Shuo to the company, the two leaving the Xie residence sometime after one in the afternoon.

Xie Shuo still didn’t let Ye An into the office to assist him and had her wait in the lounge. Fortunately, he didn’t have her wait too long before getting off work.

The winter night was dark, and the remnants of twilight were clear. The sun set into the shoulders of the horizon, leaving a slight crispness behind.

Ye An had originally wanted to continue what they had not finished the last night since the atmosphere seemed just right, but she suddenly caught a cold.

She leaned on Xie Shuo’s shoulder on the way home with watery eyes and a red nose, appearing as if she had been wronged in some way. 

Xie Shuo touched her cold fingers and frowned before taking both of her hands to massage them gently.

Her hands quickly warmed up. Ye An looked up at him and leaned into him before lowering her gaze.

Not long after arriving home, Ye An caught a fever and lay on the sofa with a flushed face. 

Xie Shuo held her hand as he had Aunt Zhou bring hot water upstairs. “Call Dr. Zhang and have him come over.”

Ye An grabbed his sleeve and said hoarsely, “No need, I just have a cold. It’s late now, so I’ll just take some medicine and go to sleep.”

As she spoke, her eyelids drooped, and her breathing evened out. Xie Shuo estimated that she didn’t want to take any shots, so his thumb stroked the back of her hand as he asked Aunt Zhou to bring some fever medicine.

Ye An took a warm bath, two more fever-reducing pills, and then climbed into bed. She dizzily wrapped the blankets around herself in a cocoon.

She rarely got sick, so becoming sick so suddenly was alarming. Her appearance was no longer youthful and fresh; instead, she was shriveled and shrunken into a ball.

This was the first time Xie Shuo had seen Ye An in this state. He leaned against the headboard and looked at her, recalling when he was sick before he had regained his sight. With a soft gaze, he reached out to pull her into his embrace.

Ye An’s mind was muddled, and she pushed against his chest weakly. She wanted to prevent him from getting too close and subsequently sick, but she didn’t even have the strength to speak out.

His chest smelled clean and pleasant, reassuring her of his presence. Ye An quickly fell into a deep sleep soon after, wrapped in his embrace.

Xie Shuo lowered his gaze to look at her frail expression. He moved a lock of his hair away from her cheek with gentle eyes.

Suddenly, a blurry image crossed his mind, and he felt as if the face in front of him seemed somewhat familiar as if he had seen it before. 

However, the image only lasted for a fleeting moment, and Xie Shuo regarded it as nothing more than an inkling. He chose not to think of it anymore and tucked her further into the blankets.

    —–

Over the next few days, Ye An no longer accompanied Xie Shuo to the company, and she stayed home alone to recuperate.

When her cold got better, Ye An wanted to return to the company with him, but she was rejected. 

The sun shone brightly through the window, showing off the man’s slender figure. He put on the blazer that originally hung on his arm and turned slightly. “You don’t have to come with me everywhere I go in the future.”

Ye An, who had just gotten up from the bed, immediately sat back down with a stunned expression. “If I don’t come with you, how will you eat and walk places? Also, don’t you need someone to read your documents to you?”

Xie Shuo said lightly, “Zhong Fu will do those things.”

Ye An: …Zhong Fu feeding him…why did this scene feel so weird?

Xie Shuo sneakily glanced at her before raising his arm to straighten his cuffs. 

She almost found out about his recovery that night. If she were to always accompany him, problems would appear soon. 

He couldn’t act perfectly all the time, and she wasn’t easy to deceive either.

After straightening his sleeves, Xie Shuo walked out of the bedroom.

Zhong Fu was already waiting downstairs. Ye An got out of bed to change and walked to the floor-length windows to see a familiar car driving out of the garden.

The sunlight shone diagonally through the window as a faint sense of loss suddenly grew in her heart. There suddenly seemed to be an empty hole in her chest. 

She raised her hand to press against the glass. A blurry image was reflected, showing slender fingertips and a fair wrist in window panes.

Routines were truly scary. For the past six months, she abandoned everything in her life to stay with him every day. Now that she had succeeded in her goal of cheering him up and achieving some free time, she wasn’t quite accustomed to it.

Ye An sat on the sofa for a while after eating breakfast. She picked up her phone and opened up the work studio group chat.

During this time, the group chat was relatively quiet. Most of the content in the chat was from yesterday. 

She clicked on Xiang Quan’s name and started typing.

Ye An: [Do you need any help?]

Xiang Quan replied almost instantly: [Are you finally free?]

Ye An chuckled out loud.

Another message came through. [There are no roles that will fit you at the moment, but I recently signed a few new people, and my head hurts. Can you come and give them some tips if you have the time?]

Ye An hesitated for a while before asking: [Now?]

Xiang Quan: [Just before one o’clock in the afternoon.]

 Ye An: [Ok~]

After lunch, Ye An changed clothes and went out, purse in hand.

She arrived at the studio just past one.

Aside from the newly signed artists, there were also many familiar faces. When everyone saw her, they all gathered around to say hello.

Xiang Quan was so busy that he had no time to catch up with her. He took her and a few newcomers directly to the recording studio.

Even though Ye An had remained relatively low-key recently, her previous work and fame were still there. Even if they had not met, the new artists knew of her name and looked at her in wonder.

Ye An hadn’t worked in a long time, so it took a while for her to completely ease her nervousness.

When she was focused, she had an icy aura. No one dared to gossip or giggle, so everyone was completely silent and attentive.

She was busy until six o’clock when she finally packed up and prepared to go home.

Xiang Quan walked over and asked, “Do you remember the voice acting program that I asked you about last time?”

Ye An picked up her bag and looked up. “Yeah, what’s up?”

Xiang Quan replied, “They need a position filled temporarily. Do you want me to try to reserve your name for the spot?”

Ye An thought for a while and responded, “How long will the recording take?”

Xiang Quan said, “If everything goes as planned, it can be done in a day or two.”

“All right, can you get it for me?”

“Yep, I’ll let you know.”

Ye An said, “I’ll be leaving then,” before walking out of the studio holding her purse.

In the break room, gossip and chuckles sounded. Everyone  worked overtime before they gathered together for a takeout dinner.

“…She’s so pretty. Look at her skin and body; I’m so jealous!”

“Her Weibo says that she’s married, but isn’t her husband blind?”

“What a pity…”

“How is that pitiful…”

The chatter continued on, but when someone caught a glimpse of her coming, they hurriedly went silent.

Ye An’s gaze swept over them. She ignored them with an indifferent expression and walked directly out with a straight back.

After taking the elevator downstairs, she called Xie Shuo.

Xie Shuo had the latest software update installed on his phone, which made it more convenient for him to pick up calls.

“Are you going home for dinner tonight? Do you want me to pick you up?” Ye An asked softly.

The man’s cold voice sounded through the phone, “You can eat first. Zhong Fu and I are together right now; we’ll be back later.”

Ye An’s heart stopped, and she became irrationally annoyed. 

……

Zhong Fu, Zhong Fu. It’s always Zhong Fu… go be with Zhong Fu then!

She hung up angrily and stuffed her phone back into the bag. Her footsteps became louder, and every step she took vented her frustration.

The twilight evening went dark, and the night silently descended.

When she arrived home, it was already night. The lights were turned on in every room, and the light and shadows flickered in glass windows.

Ye An ate dinner alone, which felt a bit unsettling. She wrapped herself in a blanket and lay on the sofa for a nap.

The mahogany embroidered blanket and the elegant peony pattern made her face appear even paler.

The bedroom was silent apart from her steady breaths. After some time, the door was pushed open, and a tall figure walked in.

Seeing the figure curled up on the sofa, Xie Shuo stood in place, and his body relaxed.

He walked to her slowly. She was sleeping on her side with her legs bent in the fetal position. Even with the blanket, her toes were exposed.

His eyebrows furrowed slightly, and there was a trace of unhappiness on his face.

Xie Shuo stared at her for a moment. Worrying that she would be sick again, he bent down and reached out to touch her forehead.

He didn’t dare to stay for too long and quickly removed his hand soon after.

After confirming that she was okay, Xie Shuo left her alone and turned to enter the closet.

The light came on automatically. He took off his suit jacket and hung it up before loosening his tie and unbuttoning the first button of his shirt.

Ye An was lightly sleeping, and when she heard a faint rustling noise, she tried to lift her eyelids several times before successfully waking up.

She was still dazed after just waking up. After lifting the blanket from her body and getting up, Ye An stood in place for a few moments before following the sounds to the closet.

The soft halo of light flooded her peripheral. A man stood in the light. The lithe figure wore a black dress shirt tucked neatly into the waistband of his pants, appearing visually aesthetic and pleasing to the eye.

His body was faced towards her as he slowly loosened the cufflinks, revealing a portion of his wrist.

A tie had fallen to the side of the closet, obviously dropped by Xie Shuo just a moment earlier. After loosening his cuffs, he bent down, grasping the tie instinctively and accurately.

Ye An looked at him confused, feeling that there was something contradictory about his actions.

After noticing her arrival, Xie Shuo’s fingertips froze, not daring to move.

Author’s note: One lie only leads to countless others, you silly goose; you’re just digging your own grave!

Previous|Index|Next

Grandfather Xie was shocked and thought he had heard it wrong. He held Xie Shuo’s hand tightly and looked into the latter’s hand, his voice trembling in excitement. “Did Grandpa… hear that right?”

“You heard it right; my eyes have recovered. I’ve been busy with work for the past few days and didn’t have the chance to tell you.”

Xie Shuo freed one of his hands and smoothly pulled the covers up for Grandfather Xie.

Grandfather Xie finally believed that he, in fact, did hear Xie Shuo correctly. His face wrinkled with joy, and tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. “Grandpa didn’t expect to be able to experience this day.”

“You don’t need to worry about me anymore.”

“Good… good…”

Grandfather Xie’s hands shook even as he said the two words.

Xie Shuo added, “An An doesn’t know about it yet; please don’t tell her for now.”

Grandfather Xie was surprised. “Why didn’t you tell her such good news?”

Because she said she wanted a divorce.

As this thought entered his mind, Xie Shuo became inexplicably annoyed.

Grandfather Xie didn’t know the intricacies of their relationship. Since there could have been a miscommunication, he sighed and tried to comfort Xie Shuo. “A’ Shuo, Grandpa knows that you may not necessarily like the wife who your dad and I chose for you–but An An is a good child and has been sincerely looking after you for so long. You must treat her well, and don’t go overboard.”

Xie Shuo listened to Grandfather Xie’s worrying and replied, “I understand; don’t worry.”

The grandfather-grandson pair chatted in the room privately for a long time.

    —-

Because of the happy occasion and hearing the good news, Grandfather Xie’s spirits improved. After lunch, he was able to get out of bed and walk around.

There was an endless stream of people who came to visit in the afternoon. Xie Yuran also hurried over at two o’clock.

Zhang Muqing walked in after him.

Ye An was a little surprised seeing her at first, but after thinking about it, it made sense. The Zhang family could be considered long-term friends with the Xie family, so it wasn’t strange for Zhang Muqing to know Grandfather Xie.

However, Grandfather Xie treated her as an acquaintance, and after exchanging polite greetings with her, he entered the study with Xie Shuo and Xie Yuran, seemingly needing to discuss something important.

Ye An had no choice but to play hostess and entertain Zhang Muqing in the living room.

Zhang Muqing wore a peach-colored cardigan today paired with a skirt. Her makeup was light, giving her a gentle and elegant glow.

The tea was fragrant, and the scent wafted through the air.

Zhang Muqing didn’t treat herself as a guest at all because she sat down without waiting for Ye An’s invitation.

She clasped her hands over her knees, leaned back, and said with a slight smile, “So Miss Ye is also here…”

……

Ye An: …I’m Grandfather Xie’s granddaughter-in-law. Why would you be here and not I?

Ye An was stunned by her logic and replied with an awkward but polite smile.

Seeing that Ye An didn’t answer, a strange look flashed through Zhang Muqing’s eyes. She picked up the cup and took a sip of tea, her fingertips curling around the handle.

Ye An looked at her, prepared to retaliate at any moment.

However, Zhang Muqing was also silent and sat quietly without saying a word, as if she was waiting for a particular moment.

The two faced each other in silence, the atmosphere growing awkward and tense.

Before long, Xie Yuran left the office, stating that he had something urgent to attend to. He didn’t stay for a meal and was about to leave after saying hi.

At that point, Zhang Muqing also got up to leave.

Ye An: ???

Aren’t you my love rival? Why are you chasing after someone else?

    —

“Yuran!”

Zhang Muqing caught up to Xie Yuran in the courtyard.

“Muqing jie.”

Xie Yuran stopped. His dark blazer fluttered open, no tie paired with his dress shirt. His appearance carried a youthful elegance.

Zhang Muqing looked at him and smiled, pursing her lips. “Can you give me a ride?”

Xie Yuran smiled back. “I’ll have the driver take you.”

Zhang Muqing held her hopes high until she heard the next sentence. “I’m not going back to the city, so I won’t go with you.”

After Xie Yuran finished speaking, he called the driver over before driving away alone.

Zhang Muqing’s smile froze, and a look of disbelief appeared in her eyes.

The night winter wind grazed her cheeks like a knife, and her expression turned ugly. The driver escorted her into the car, and the tense atmosphere was thick enough to cut.

When she returned home, she saw Zhang Junfeng sitting on the living room sofa, as if he was waiting for her to return.

“How did it go?” Zhang Junfeng asked when he saw her enter.

Zhang Muqing’s delicate features showed a trace of impatience. “Didn’t work. After I returned to China, Xie Yuran changed. He didn’t take the hint…”

Zhang Junfeng frowned and asked again, “Where’s Xie Shuo? He’s been doing a lot recently, so I’m afraid that he’s becoming suspicious.”

Zhang Muqing smiled sarcastically. “He didn’t even fall for me back when he could see, let alone now.”

Zhang Junfeng frowned and thought for a moment before saying, “If that’s the case, don’t waste your time on them. I’ll find someone else for you soon.”

Zhang Muqing’s fingertips were stiff from the cold, so she quickly replied affirmatively before heading toward her room.

    —-

Old Xie residence.

Grandfather Xie seemed to be in high spirits today and invited Ye An and Xie Shuo to stay the night. Taking Grandfather Xie’s health into consideration, the two found it difficult to refuse and accepted his invitation.

The two took time in the evening to chat with Grandfather Xie.

“Have you begun preparing for pregnancy yet?” Grandfather Xie suddenly brought up the topic of birth during their conversation.

Ye An choked for a moment and subconsciously glanced at Xie Shuo. The man’s expression was calm. It wasn’t clear whether Xie Shuo didn’t care or didn’t know what to say.

“Grandpa, how come you ask about this every time?” The tips of Ye An’s ears were red, and she tried to change the topic with an embarrassed expression.

Grandfather Xie smiled, held their hands together, and glanced at Xie Shuo again as if entrusting the matter to him.

“All right. Grandpa is tired now; you both rest early.”

The two settled in a bedroom on the east side of the second floor. There was a wooden window facing the courtyard on the side of the room, ushering in the cool moonlight.

Since it wasn’t home, she was somewhat unaccustomed to their surroundings. The layout of the house was completely different.

Ye An originally thought that it would be more inconvenient for Xie Shuo to take his shower, but the process went unexpectedly smoothly as if he was familiar with the environment around them.

Ye An estimated that it was because of Xie Shuo’s upbringing here during childhood and didn’t think much of it.

After showering and getting into bed, it wasn’t even ten.

Ye An wasn’t tired and didn’t turn off the lights right awayShe stretched her slender fingers and traced the shape of his eyebrows, making different gestures while doing so.

Xie Shuo originally laid on his back, but an extra hand suddenly appeared in his peripheral, moving recklessly in front of his eyes. Five slender fingers wiggled and made various shadows in the light.

He didn’t dare to react too much and could only close his eyes slightly, acting as if he didn’t see anything.

However, Ye An became bolder and bolder. Her fingertips continued down. She tapped his Adam’s apple and then traveled up to tap his chin.

The first time, Xie Shuo ignored her.

The second time, he caught her fingers. Xie Shuo took her hand and kneaded it habitually.

Ye An wasn’t embarrassed at being caught and simply lay on his shoulder. She looked up and said softly, “Do you remember what I said the other night?”

Xie Shuo turned his head to face her.

Ye An looked at him closely with shining eyes. “Before your eyes recover, let’s try to play the roles of husband and wife well.”

Xie Shuo’s gaze was deep, and after a while, he replied softly, “En.”

He grasped her hand and didn’t let go.

Hearing his response, Ye An happily rolled on top of him and kissed him on his lips.

She usually loved to kiss him when she was drunk but rarely did when sober. Xie Shuo took advantage of the situation and wrapped his arms around her waist. He shifted his position and pressed her body under him.

Ye An lay on her back, her hair spreading over the pillows. Her doe eyes reflected his features, including a tall nose, thin lips, and a rare gentle expression.

Ye An began to get nervous. She bit her lip, her breaths becoming heavier.

Xie Shuo looked at her from above, and his eyes narrowed slightly, forgetting to conceal his actions.

Just as he was about to kiss her, Ye An stared at the light reflecting in his deep eyes and suddenly asked, “Why do your eyes seem so much brighter than before?”

She paused, and her eyes suddenly lit up.

“You can see, can’t you?”

Author’s note: The two’s late-night conversations

Previous|Index|Next

The lights shone in the quiet room as the flowing water sounded behind her.

Ye An walked out of the bathroom and sat down on the sofa facing the floor-length windows. She bent her legs and wrapped her arms around her knees.

The moonlight was faint in the cold night, and the shadows of the trees were wrapped in a hazy mist. She looked out the window silently with a hint of disappointment in her glassy eyes.

She was unsure of what was going on, but Xie Shuo had treated her somewhat strangely recently, and the dynamic between them was a little strange.

After returning from the research institute, Xie Shuo’s temper became calmer, and he was no longer as moody. However, their relationship had not progressed in any way, and he even seemed more alienated than before.

Their relationship was like a pool of still water, without any ripples or waves.

When he would get upset in the past, she accompanied him every step of the way and thought of ways to brighten his mood. Now, he was calmer and always busy with work, no longer needing her help. She felt dispensable.

Before going to the research institute, he had also agreed to become a good partner in their husband-wife relationship. But had he said that on impulse and regretted it? Was that why he deliberately distanced himself from her?

Ye An rested her chin on her knees and furrowed her eyebrows with a bewildered expression.

Her calves were still sore from walking in high heels several hours earlier. She massaged her calves exhaustedly and closed her eyes, gradually falling asleep.

A fair, slender hand hung from the edge of the sofa–the edges of her fingertips glowing faintly.

Time passed by slowly, and after some unknown period, the bathroom door opened. A tall figure in a black nightgown and toned legs emerged from the mist.

Xie Shuo walked over to the sofa and stopped when he saw Ye An curled up in the corner with her legs propped up.

The soft light framed her fair face, spotlighting her dazzling beauty. Her skin appeared delicate and smooth, and the tip of her nose glowed. Her eyes were closed peacefully, and her dark eyelashes curled slightly above her eyelids, casting a light shadow. Her red lips were slightly pursed, her beauty akin to roses under the moonlight. Ye An slept on her side, showing the slope of her jawline and her slender neck. The collar of her shirt covered her collarbone and revealed only a portion of her skin.

The curve of her body extended down to her waist, which he had held many times in the past.

Xie Shuo stood quietly and watched over her for a while, and a sense of surreality washed over him once again.

After seeing the light of day again, he interacted with everyone as if they had only undergone a short period of separation. Ye An was the only one who he had become familiar with but was also still unfamiliar with.

After spending seven or eight months together, he had become familiar with her voice and the scent of her body but not her appearance. He was only able to rely on his own imagination.

He had recently regained his sight and was in a hurry to deal with company affairs. Xie Shuo was so busy that he didn’t have much time to spend with her, but now that work had calmed down, he suddenly wanted to cherish her more.

The reason he married her was exactly as Ye An stated. She was just someone to take care of his dietary habits and daily life. Xie Shuo was quite unwilling to marry at first, but Xie Baiyan at the time was quite worried and put his best effort forth to persuade him. Grandfather Xie also visited at his elderly age to convince him.

With his situation at the time, the wealthy daughters of most influential families were unwilling to marry him, so they picked the eldest daughter from the Ye family with a low-profile existence. She had a normal background, no powerful connections, and no way to desert Xie Shuo, which minimized potential issues. Of course, the most important aspect was that she did not show any reluctance.

At first, Xie Shuo figured she was only there for the benefit of the Ye family and feigned her civility. After marriage, he thought she would have a cold attitude and only act half-heartedly.

However, the reality was the exact opposite. Instead of acting indifferent, she dedicated all her efforts to him. She took care of him dutifully, endured his moodiness, tried her best to cheer him up, take him outside, face the world, and allow him to assimilate to his new life.

So, she really liked him?

Previous doubts flashed through Xie Shuo’s mind once again.

Perhaps she thought to be kind to him since she had no choice and because they were married already?

Recalling the oath of her stating “divorce upon recovery,” Xie Shuo frowned with an unhappy expression and bent down.

His shadow shrank with him. He looked at her features closely, and his fingers reached out involuntarily to touch her face.

Just as his fingertips were about to touch her cheek, Ye An’s eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes.

Two pairs of eyes faced each other. She looked a little confused, and her eyes were dazed from just waking up.

Xie Shuo froze. At that moment, he collected his emotions and put his slender hand directly on her face, pretending to feel around for something.

After groping around, he stepped aside and sat down on the other side of the sofa.

Ye An: “…”

If you didn’t touch it, was your butt going to land on my face?

“It’s cold. If you want to go to sleep, go take a shower and get in bed to sleep,” Xie Shuo looked straight ahead and said indifferently as usual.

Ye An rubbed her eyes, put her slippers on, and got up. Her calves were sore, and when she stepped forward, she staggered and almost fell.

Xie Shuo caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye and subconsciously reached out to help.

Ye An stood in place for a moment before tiredly dragging herself towards the bathroom. Xie Shuo looked at her slender back with a deep gaze and slowly retracted the hand that was in the air.

The flowing water sounded from the bathroom again. Ye An was steamed by the heat, and her mind became more muddled.

After she got out of the shower and breathed in the fresh air, she was a bit more clear-headed.

Xie Shuo no longer sat on the sofa and was now sitting on the bed instead. He leaned against the headboard with a cold face and damp, messy hair.

Ye An glanced at him and finished her skincare routine before going to bed. She walked up to the bed and lifted the comforter before sitting down and slowly bringing her legs up.

The soreness in her calves still remained. She turned to look at Xie Shuo and recalled his strange attitude towards her recently. Ye An was inexplicably upset.

Did he actually regret it?

No, she had to test him to see what he truly meant.

Ye An’s gaze changed, and she shifted over to lean on his shoulder. She called softly, “Hubby…”

Xie Shuo turned his head to the side and met the delicate face within his reach. She blinked with long eyelashes and showed a coquettish expression.

He diverted his gaze, afraid that she would notice his actions. After doing so, he caught a glimpse of her figure under the neckline of her nightgown.

Ye An was oblivious and continued to cling to him, saying softly, “I’ve been shopping for the whole day, and my legs are sore. Can you massage them?”

Xie Shuo didn’t speak and looked away from her body.

Ye An hugged his arm and tugged at his robe. “I give you massages all the time. Can you help me out today, please…?”

She thought that she wouldn’t get a response, but her ankle was unexpectedly held by a slender yet sturdy hand.

Xie Shuo lifted the covers and held her slender ankles. He put them on his lap and began to massage her legs gently. 

Ye An’s clear gaze stared at the boss: was he really giving her a massage?

Under the light, the man lowered his head and touched her calves silently with an unreadable expression.

Such a move was beyond Ye An’s comprehension. She was stunned, and it took a while for her to recover.

The man’s fingers were long and fair. He kneaded her legs with moderate strength, not too light or too heavy.

Ye An’s ears were warm, and her body was warm for no reason. Her fingers curled. She couldn’t help but want to retract her legs, but he held them down.

She pursed her lips and no longer struggled. Ye An glanced at Xie Shuo secretly and caught a glimpse of his long eyelashes, making her heart skip a beat.

With such a big change, had he really thought it through?

A strange feeling spread from her calves to her fingertips. She brought a pillow to her side and leaned on it as she watched his movements. The corners of her lips curled up in a small arc.

The uncertainties and insecurities from the past few days faded away in an instant. She rested her chin in her hands and looked at him quietly and in a happy mood.

Her mind gradually became jumbled, and the man’s sharp outline blurred little by little until his figure was eventually surrounded by a halo. Her long dark eyelashes fluttered before finally falling to a rest.

The lamp light was hazy and illuminated her slender legs that were fair as jade and were previously hidden under her nightgown.

Xie Shuo’s fingers gradually moved upwards. When they reached her knees, he raised his head to look up at Ye An and found that she had fallen asleep. Her eyelashes dropped, and her face was calm.

Xie Shuo stopped and withdrew his hands as he looked at her sleeping face. His dark gaze seemed particularly tender in the hazy halo of light.

After a long time, he put down her legs gently and pulled the covers over her. His fingertips ran across her cheek and lingered on her skin.

The lights went out, plunging the room into darkness. There was a light scent on the pillows, and he heard her long breaths, like many nights in the past.

    —-

The next day, Xie Shuo was unable to return to the company.

There was sudden news from the Xie residence that said Grandfather Xie had suddenly fallen ill.

The two did not waste time in hurrying over to the manor.

They both had solemn expressions on their faces as they got out of the car and walked through the courtyard. Grandfather Xie was getting old, and his health had been declining in the past two years. It was unsure how much longer he would have.

Ye An supported Xie Shuo and followed the housekeeper to Grandfather Xie’s room. The private doctor had just finished the examination and left, so the atmosphere in the room was bleak.

There was an exquisite old-fashioned lamp with quaint workmanship along with two stacked books on the nightstand near the head of the bed.

Seeing the two come in, Grandfather Xie propped himself up. Ye An hurriedly stepped forward to support him and put a pillow behind his back.

Xie Shuo sat down by the bad, and Grandfather Xie took his hand, saying, “A’ Shuo…”

The old man’s hand was thin and old. Xie Shuo called out, “Grandpa,” and put his hand on top of Grandfather Xie’s.

Grandfather Xie looked kindly at Xie Shuo with cloudy eyes and asked, “Grandpa heard that you went to Xiao Cen’s place a while ago; how did it go? Are you better?”

Xie Shuo didn’t have any time to tell Grandfather Xie about his recovery.

“I’m a lot better now; don’t worry.”

Grandfather Xie thought that Xie Shuo was just trying to comfort him, so the worry on his face did not fade. He patted Xie Shuo’s hand and sighed. 

Seeing the frail appearance of Grandfather Xie, Xie Shuo’s gaze flashed. He held Ye An’s wrist and said in a low voice. “Can you pour a cup of tea for Grandpa?”

Ye An understood that he wanted to have a private conversation, so she got up quietly and left the room.

After Ye An left, the grandson was left with the grandfather alone in the room.

“Do you have something to say to Grandpa?”

Xie Shuo looked directly into the old man’s eyes and suddenly said, “Grandpa, I can see.”

Previous|Index|Next

The next day, Ye An got up early again to accompany Xie Shuo to the company.

After arriving at the company, Xie Shuo entered his office as Ye An sat on the lounge sofa playing games on her phone.

Although she had spent the majority of her time at home for the past six months, she still had the opportunity to tease Xie Shuo every now and then. Now that Xie Shuo was busy with work affairs, she had no choice but to entertain herself in the cold and boring lounge. 

After watching a movie and playing two different games, she got up to take a walk, constantly glancing back at the door with expectant eyes.

Unfortunately, no one showed up. Experiencing a day or two of this was fine, but she would get bored of this sooner or later.

At twelve o’clock, Xie Shuo had someone inform her, and they went out for lunch.

Ye An was not as excited as she was yesterday. She finished eating before Xie Shuo and put down her chopsticks. She shook out fingers and touched the lily petals with a worried expression. 

Xie Shuo lifted his gaze and glanced at her.

Ye An propped up her chin and looked at him. The man ate slowly with graceful movements. The hands that held the chopsticks were clear and slender.

“Are you going to come to the company every day from now on?”

Xie Shuo withdrew his gaze when she looked over. He lowered his eyes and said lightly, “I’ll be busier over the next two months.”

Ye An blinked and took the initiative to offer politely. “Then I can read some of the documents to you in the afternoon. I’m stuck alone in the lounge all day; it’s really boring.”

Speaking of the matter, Ye An was somewhat suspicious. He had been busy for the past two days, yet he didn’t ask her to read any documents to him so far. How was he reading the documents? Was he listening to the AI recordings? Or was Zhong Fu reading them?

A strange look flashed through Xie Shuo’s eyes, but he didn’t agree or deny it.

Ye An took his silence as agreement and put a thoughtfully put piece of vegetable in his bowl.

However, when they returned to the company, Xie Shuo temporarily did not need her help and prevented her from entering his office.

    “……”

Ye An was angered after being abandoned once again in the lounge: You don’t need me, fine! Don’t have me read to you in the future then! Next time, I won’t read even if you beg me to!

As she was beating up a pillow on the sofa to vent her anger, someone suddenly knocked on the door.

Ye An thought it was him regretting his decision, so she sat down properly and said with a cold attitude, “Enter.”

Xiao Yu and a female assistant unexpectedly entered and said that Xie Shuo ordered them to accompany her to go shopping.

Ye An sneered inwardly: Did you think I would calm down if someone went shopping with me? Am I such a materialistic woman?

    ……

An hour later, Ye An arrived at a well-known mall nearby. She also called Shi Shuangshuang to provide some company.

Shi Shuangshuang, who had not hung out with her in over half a year, rushed over at first notice.

“What’s the occasion for you to finally come outside today?” Shi Shuangshuang asked half-jokingly as soon as they met.

Ye An’s annoyance completely disappated after seeing the dazzling array of goods in the mall. What’s wrong with buying one’s worries away? It’s much more fun than accompanying a certain moody Eldest Young Master!

She stepped inside in with her high heels and skirt rippling as she walked, “I just happened to have some free time today.”

Shi Shuangshuang glanced at the luxury brand store in front of them and at then the bodyguard and female assistant who were following Ye An. Shi Shuangshuang thought, It’s just shopping, so there’s no need for such a powerful aura.

Shi Shuangshuang assumed it was probably her wealthy husband’s wrongdoing and couldn’t help but think about his identity again. She asked Ye An in a low voice, “Where’s your husband? Why aren’t you with him today?”

“He’s been busy with the company for the past two days, so I don’t need to be with him.” There was a hint of resentment in Ye An’s tone that she didn’t even notice.

Shi Shuangshuang blurted out, “Isn’t he blind? How is he able to…” Before finishing her sentence, she realized that it was inappropriate and stopped speaking.

Ye An didn’t mind and replied calmly, “He has an AI and a personal assistant, so going to work isn’t a problem.”

Seeing her unbothered expression, Shi Shuangshuang became less cautious and asked again, “I remember you said that you went with him to go receive treatment a while ago. How did it go? Will he recover soon?”

After hearing her mention this, Ye An’s eyes dimmed. She said disappointedly, “We’re not sure yet; he’s still undergoing treatment.”

The topic was heavy, so Shi Shuangshuang diverted the conversation from such a gloomy one. “Hey, I have some good news for you. I’m going to be transferring to the Brilliant Dreams Film and Television Department soon.”

Ye An smiled. “Really? Congratualations.”

Shi Shuangshuang smiled and took her arm. “I have to thank you and Boss Xiang for this promotion. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had this chance… You didn’t know this, but the Boss has been picking up projects like crazy for half a year in your absence. We’ve been worked half to death.”

The two entered a jewelry store as they talked. The glass booth was full of dazzling lights. 

Ye An looked around and set her gaze on an elegantly designed silver bracelet. She asked the store attendant to take it out and take a closer look.

 A thread of silver lay gently on the dark blue velvet cloth. It was adorned with delicate red gemstones, making the assembly shine.

“This bracelet is so pretty!” Shi Shuangshuang walked closer and said.

Just as Ye An was about to pick it up and try it on, an arrogant female voice suddenly sounded from beside her.

“I want this bracelet; pack it up for me.”

Ye An turned around when she heard the voice and saw a young woman in a tan coat standing by the counter. The arrogant woman looked familiar.

However, Ye An couldn’t remember where she had seen this woman.

“We saw this bracelet first. How can you have it by simply wanting it?” Shi Shuangshuang couldn’t hold back her tongue from asking.

The young woman looked at Ye An. She raised her eyebrow, sneered, and said with blatant hostility, “The object is on display. Whoever pays first gets it.”

She spoke as she handed a card to the store attendant.

Seeing the arrogant look on her face, Ye An finally remembered her as the little celebrity that bumped into her and Zhuang Yinan when she went to record the theme song for Lu Chuan.

However, Ye An had long forgotten her name, as the woman wasn’t important in her life.

Ye An didn’t remember Li Mo, but Li Mo remembered her. The last time they had run into each other, Li Mo had provoked Zhuang Yinian so severely that she lost her opportunity to work with “YN,” her endorsements, and her role.  

Afterward, Li Mo saw the gossip about Ye An on Weibo, where Li Mo learned of her name and her profession of being a voice actor.

She couldn’t afford to offend Zhuang Yinian, but she could always pick on a small voice actor, right?

Ye An didn’t expect for a day in which she would meet this woman. This time, the other party was even more bizarre than before. She didn’t apologize for the last time she bumped into Ye An, yet she still tried to take her revenge today.

Li Mo reached for the bracelet, but Ye An closed the container directly and glanced at her coldly. She held a card in her other hand and gave it to the store attendant beside her. “Please wrap it up for me.”

Li Mo was not one to concede. “I asked for it first!”

The store attendant looked at the two people arguing and inwardly complained. The customers who were able to spend their money here were usually rich or influential, so they weren’t to be offended.

“Would you two want to look at something else?” The store attendant tried to pacify them.

However, the two stood firm, both unwilling to give in.

During the stalemate, the store manager suddenly came over, followed by Xiao Yu, who had apparently gone looking for him.

“Wrap the bracelet up for this lady.” The manager ordered the store attendant and gave Ye An a smile.

Li Mo’s eyes widened in disbelief. She saw on the internet that Ye An was just a no-name dubbing actress that allegedly married a blind man from a wealthy family. Why was the store manager favoring her?

“My apologies, Miss, this madam saw the bracelet first. Would you like to look at anything else? Our store has just launched a few new products…” 

The manager had others wrap up the bracelet and hand it over to Ye An as he apologized to Li Mo.

Ye An took the bracelet and walked out of the store in content, ignoring the other woman. She seemed to have a queen’s aura with her straight back, slender figure, and heels clicking against the ground.

Shi Shuangshuang followed her out and gave a thumbs up, as if she had just watched a face-slapping scene. “You looked so cool just now!”

Ye An held the wrapped-up bracelet and handed it to Shi Shuangshuang. “I saw that you liked it, so I want to give it to you.”

To be honest, Ye An didn’t like the bracelet that much. She had a set of custom-made ruby jewelry at home, which contained a bracelet. She just couldn’t stand Li Mo’s arrogant expression, so she refused to concede.

Shi Shuangshuang: …Sis, isn’t this too generous?

She had previously seen the price of the bracelet, and the number was not small.

“Just treat it as a present to congrulate you on your promotion.” Ye An added with a smile.

Shi Shuangshuang took it, thanked her, and held her arm as she showered Ye An with compliments.

Ye An toured the mall all afternoon, swiping the card to buy whatever she liked.

Because she normally behaved virtuously and economically, the Xie family treated her well in material aspects. Her clothes and jewelry were sent directly to her; however, she was unrestrained in spending money today.

When she finally walked out of the mall and looked at the bags that Xiao Yu was carrying, she thought of the amount that she swiped on the card. Ye An felt somewhat guilty: if Xie Shuo knew about it, would he think she was being frivolous?

When she returned to the company, Xie Shuo had not finished work.

Ye An was tired from all of the shopping and didn’t have the energy to bother him, so she sat on the sofa in the lounge and rubbed her calves.

At around five-thirty, Xie Shuo finally finished his work and pinched his brows tiredly. He asked Zhong Fu, “Is my wife back?”

Zhong Fu replied, “She’s back and in the lounge.”

Xie Shuo picked up the coat from his chair and got up to leave.

Zhong Fu followed him to the door and suddenly called out, “Presdient Xie.”

Xie Shuo looked at Zhong Fu and saw him hesitate to speak. The former looked somewhat annoyed and said, “If you have something to say, speak.”

Zhong Fu said hesitantly, “When Madam was outside today, something happened.”

Xie Shuo paused. “What’s the matter?”

Zhong Fu gave a rough summary of the conflict between Ye An and Li Mo and briefed him on Li Mo’s identity.

When Xie Shuo heard of it, he frowned and ordered in a low voice, “Check to see if there are any projects or endorsements related to her, and remove her.”

    ——

In the evening, the two returned home after eating out.

Since she had used quite a bit of his money in the afternoon, Ye A had a better attitude towards Xie Shuo. After massaging his head, she picked out his clothes and prepared a hot bath.

The bathroom was dense with water vapor in the cold winter night. She sat along the edge of the tub and put two drops of essential oil into the water. Her wrist was slender and fair.

Xie Shuo watched her movements, and a warm feeling arose in his heart. He raised his hand to gently pull at the tie around his neck.

Ye An got up just in time to see his actions. Under the lamp shadows, his actions appeared sensual as ever.

She couldn’t help but take a few more glances, and her gaze continued to drift towards his neck as she walked out.

Xie Shuo noticed her gaze, and his actions slightly slowed. He had already taken his tie off and was in the middle of undoing the first shirt button when his fingertips paused.

Recalling the “bad hair day” photo he saw yesterday, Xie Shuo couldn’t help but wonder if she was going to take the opportunity to take another secret picture of him.

Fortunately, Ye An didn’t have the hobby of taking secret pictures of others bathing. She gave him another glance and warned, “Don’t soak for too long,” and left the bathroom.

Xie Shuo turned to look at her retreating figure. He waited for her to leave before continuing to unbutton his shirt, his chest showing little by little.

Scenes had inadvertently flashed through his mind these past few days, all of which were her expressions as she looked at him.

Xie Shuo’s eyes narrowed.

Did she really like him?

If she liked him, why did she want to divorce him?

Author’s Note: Xiao Xie: Do you like me?

Xiao Ye: No, I just appreciate your body.(*￣︶￣)

Xiao Xie:…

Previous|Index|Next

Ye An glanced at his abs a few times and tried her best not to touch them. She reluctantly withdrew her gaze.

“Let’s sleep then.”

Before the room fell into the darkness, Xie Shuo noticed her reluctance and a trace of regret in her gaze, and he was unsure how to feel about it.

So how many times had she been “peeping” on his body when he was blind?

He lay down on his back, and after a while, he heard the sheets rustle. Not long after, her body cuddled against his as usual, breaths falling lightly.

He turned his sideways. In the darkness, he couldn’t see her figure clearly, but he felt the strands of her hair against his skin.

He inhaled the fragrance from her hair and closed his eyes after a while.

The next day, Ye An woke up sometime before eight o’clock.

 After washing up, she changed her clothes and picked out a black suit for Xie Shuo, and left the closet for him.

When she left, Xie Shuo stopped acting. He took off his nightshirt and started changing.

After buttoning his shirt, he picked up a tie and was about to tie it around his neck when Ye An suddenly entered. “Do you want to wear a tie?”

Xie Shuo froze, but his back was turned to Ye An. Fortunately, flaws in his performance were not obvious.He turned around with the tie in his hand, and before he could speak, Ye An took the initiative to walk up to him and take it from him.

She stood on her tiptoes, and her slender arms wrapped around the back of his neck.

Xie Shuo stood still. His gaze just happened to land on the tip of her nose, delicate and jade-like. Her breaths brushed over his face unintentionally, carrying her light fragrance.

Her lips were near his and were lightly pursed as if she was about to kiss him at any second.

Xie Shuo’s fingers twitched, and he had the sudden urge to wrap his arms around her waist.

Soon after, she stepped back as her nimble fingers wrapped around his tie. She moved closer to him with a focused expression.

Xie Shuo looked down and saw her delicately curled eyelashes that fluttered from time to time.

After tying the tie, she carefully adjusted the neckline for him. Her fingertips lightly brushed against the skin on his neck and left a tingling sensation.

“Do you want to wear a watch?” Ye An put her hands down and asked. 

Xue Shuo avoided her gaze and replied with a light, “En.”

Ye An picked a watch out and helped him put it on. She even tidied up the cuffs for him along the way.

Ye An handed him his coat and said, “Wait for a minute; I haven’t put on my makeup yet.”

Her scent seemed to linger in the closet and didn’t fade until she went out. Xie Shuo picked up his suit jacket with one arm and waited for her outside. 

Afraid that he would become impatient, Ye An put on light makeup and quickly returned to the bedroom. She saw the man standing in front of the French windows, exhibiting a noble air.

Hearing her footsteps, Xie Shuo turned around, his eyes pausing on Ye An’s face.

She had clear skin and naturally beautiful features, so she didn’t need heavy makeup. A simple makeup look made her look bright and gentle.

Afraid that she would notice, Xie Shuo only looked at her for a moment before looking away.

Ye An stepped forward and took his arm to guide him out of the room.

The two went downstairs to eat breakfast before leaving for the company.

The warm sun shone down on the winter day as the fog gradually dissipated, showing a clear view of the scenery.

Ye An was no longer as nervous as he was last time. She glanced out of the car window before turning back around to look at Xie Shuo.

Every time the man was focused, his aura was extremely powerful. His slender fingers were interlocked across his torso. His eyelids were slightly closed, and his expression was indifferent. His side profile was able to make hearts flutter.

Ye An glanced at him and felt that he was nicer to look at than the scenery outside the window. Thinking that he was still blind, she continued to admire him openly.

After staring at him for a while, she began to feel a little bored. A thought suddenly flashed through her mind, and she looked down to pull her phone out of her bag.

She put her phone on silent and turned on the camera to secretly take a picture of him.

Xie Shuo noticed her incessant staring but paid her no attention. He saw her holding up her phone out of the corner of his eye and finally couldn’t help turning his head.

Ye An was about to click the button, but when he suddenly turned his head, her actions stopped.

Two pairs of eyes met each other, and the atmosphere became tense and awkward.

Ye An froze for a few moments. For some reason, she had the feeling that he could see.

Xie Shuo looked at the phone in her hand, then her, and paused. He was usually decisive in his actions but didn’t know how to act at this moment. 

If he said anything, his cover would be blown.

Therefore, his only option was to look away and pretend nothing happened. He asked calmly, “What time is it?”

Ye An finally relaxed. She glanced at the time and said, “Just past nine.”

After being interrupted, she no longer tried to take a picture of him. She put her phone away and looked out the window again.

Xie Shuo tilted his head to look at her side profile and inadvertently caught a glimpse of a tinge of redness at the tip of her ears, similar to the hue of peach blossoms.

    —–

After arriving at Junming Cooperation, Xie Shuo went directly to his old office, and Ye An waited in the lounge next to it.

This time, Xie Shuo only greeted Zhong Fu to avoid alarming others.

Zhong Fu was taken aback upon hearing of Xie Shuo’s recovery and stared into Xie Shuo’s eyes. It took him a while to return to his senses and ask, “Do you want to inform the board of directors?”

Xie Shuo said lightly, “No, keep it a secret for now.”

The office was cleaned early in the morning, so the desk was cleared. He turned on the computer, entered the password, and asked, “Have you prepared everything I told you to?”

“Everything is ready,” Zhong Fu said, opening his own laptop.

In the office, the sounds of their clicking keyboards could be heard.

Not long later, Xie Yuran suddenly came over.

“Ge, your eyes…” He was stunned at the sight of Xie Shuo sitting in front of the computer. 

Xie Shuo didn’t intend to hide the news from Xie Yuran. He looked up at the latter and said, “I’m healed.”

This news came too suddenly to Xie Yuran. After a while, he suddenly showed a happy expression and looked excited. “Are you really healed? When did that happen?”

Xie Shuo said lightly, “A week ago.”

Xie Yuran was so happy that he didn’t know what to say and just kept smiling.

“Why were you in such a hurry coming in?” Xie Shuo asked while glancing at the folder in his hands.

Xie Yuran restrained his excitement and his smile. “There is something that I wanted to talk to you about.”

His tone sounded serious, so Zhong Fu glanced at Xie Shuo and said, “President Xie, I’ll leave first.”

When Zhong Fu left and closed the door, Xie Yuran said, “I’ve been looking for a specific person for a long time and finally found out some information about your car accident…which also has to do with Zhang Junfeng.”

Xie Yuran placed the folder in front of him. “The drunk driver had contacted him before indirectly. I suspect that Zhang Junfeng was instigating his behavior.”

Xie Shuo held the folder, opened it, took out the information inside, and skimmed it.

“I’m still looking for specific evidence, but it shouldn’t take long…”

“You’ve been investigating this matter?” Xie Shuo suddenly looked up and asked after finishing his reading.

Xie Yuran paused, with complex emotions in his eyes. “It’s such a big matter, of course, I had to investigate it…”

Xie Shuo looked at him and said nothing.

He knew the underlying tone of Xie Yuran’s words. From the time of the accident until now. Many people suspected his younger brother to be the one behind it. After all, they weren’t blood-related.

At the time, Xie Shuo was suffering, moody, and did have suspicions toward him.

Fortunately, his worst suspicions weren’t confirmed. 

After a while, Xie Shuo lowered his gaze. He pressed the document against the table, and with dark eyes, he said, “It’s time to make things clear.”

    —-

After Xie Shuo entered the office, he hadn’t come back out all morning. Ye An was so bored sitting in the lounge that she could only browse the internet and play games on her phone while lying on the sofa.

At around twelve in the afternoon, an assistant finally knocked on the door.

Ye An was so hungry that her stomach was grumbling. She hurried out of the lounge to see Xie Shuo waiting outside the office, and she stepped forward and reached out to help him.

Xie Yuran had already left, so only Zhong Fu was by his side.

Seeing her attentive movements, Zhong Fu’s eyes flashed with surprise.

Does Madam Xie not know about President Xie’s recovery?

    —

They planned to eat at a high-end restaurant near the company building. The reserved room was clean and designed elegantly. There was a bouquet of pink roses on the table covered with a white tablecloth, which gave the illusion of a first date.

Ye An couldn’t help but feel somewhat surprised after entering the room. She thought they would eat directly at the company knowing about Xie Shuo’s workaholic habits.

The waiter approached them and handed her a menu. Ye An sat down next to Xie Shuo and turned to look at him. “Have you eaten here before? Is there anything that you want to order in particular?”

Xie Shuo looked at the pink roses on the table and said, “No.”

Zhong Fu had chosen the restaurant. Xie Shuo had rarely come before and was not familiar with it.

“I’ll read the names of the dishes to you; let me know what you want to eat.”

Ye An offered before beginning to report what was on the menu.

Xie Shuo’s brows while relaxed listening to her clear voice. His irritability and fatigue from the busy morning lessened.

The dishes came out quickly. Ye An picked out his dishes as usual before she began to eat.

“The food is pretty good here,” shesaid after taking a few bites. 

Xie Shuo looked up. “You can tell Zhong Fu to book a room here later.”

“There’s no need. No matter how delicious something is, it can get old after eating it every day.”

Besides, she might have thought the food was so delicious becauseshe was starving, or maybe it was the pretty bouquet of roses on the table.

 Xie Shuo didn’t reply and bowed his head to eat.

Ye An glanced at him happily from time to time.

After lunch, the two returned to the company. Xie Shuo headed into his office again, and Ye An continued to wait for him in the lounge. She was so bored that she had to charge her phone several times.

Around five in the evening, Ye An recalled Cen Qingyan’s advice. She hesitated for a while before heading over to knock on the door of the office.

Zhong Fu came to open the door. He was a little surprised to see her and said, “Madam?”

Ye An smiled lightly, looked inside, and said, “Are you still working? Professor Cen said that you shouldn’t work yourself too hard.”

Hearing her voice, Xie Shuo looked up from his desk. He paused and said, “Give me ten minutes.”

Although his eyesight has recovered, he could not stop taking medicine or doing acupuncture. Furthermore, he could not strain his eyes for more than eight hours a day.

She didn’t expect him to accept so easily today and happily answered, “Okay.”

She turned around and went back to the lounge. Zhong Fu looked at her leaving and thought: President Xie was so obedient to his wife.

Xie Shuo sorted the documents, turned off the computer, and got up.

When he got to the door of the office, he suddenly remembered to remind Zhong Fu, “Don’t let Madam know about my recovery.”

Zhong Fu was once again stunned and thought that it was strange. However, as an experienced assistant, he agreed and didn’t ask any more questions.

    —-

That night, Xie Shuo’s eyes felt sore. After dinner, he asked Ye An to massage his head.

“Are we going to the company tomorrow?” Ye An asked him after massaging his head and stretching her fingers. 

“Yes.” Xie Shuo closed his eyes and leaned against the sofa to rest.

Ye An’s fingers brushed against her phone that she had previously tossed aside. She called the opportunity that she had missedto take pictures of him earlier in the day. As she looked at the handsome profile of the man under the lights, her fingers couldn’t help but start to twitch.

She opened her camera again and took a close-up candid of his profile.

As soon as she clicked the button, Xie Shuo opened his eyes and looked at her.

Ye An froze. She was unsure if it was because of the lighting, but she kept feeling as if his eyes seemed more lively than before.

When she realized that he couldn’t see her, her expression eased, and she openly took another picture of him.

Xie Shuo: “…”

After she finished, she leaned on his shoulder relaxedly and began to filter through the pictures.

Xie Shuo looked at the top of her head and remained silent.

Ye An took a while to sort through the photos, and she suddenly found a photo from a while ago where she had secretly taken a picture of him the morning after their wedding.

In the picture, the man had an ice-cold expression, and he looked as if someone owed him a million dollars. There was a cowlick in his hair, and the photo looked weird.

Ye An couldn’t help but giggle, and she burst out laughing.

Hearing her laugh, Xie Shuo glanced calmly at her phone screen.

He saw the tuft of hair on top of his head at one glance.

Xie Shuo: “…”

How many photos had she secretly taken of him?

Author’s note: Xiao Ye:???So, everybody except for me knows that you’ve regained your sight?

~

Divorce may be coming soon~

Sweet day in the life~

Previous|Index|Next

Xie Shuo watched her movements quietly as the lights and shadows weaved between her slender fingers.

Afraid that she would be discovered by him, Ye An stopped her movements and laid back into his shoulders. “If you can’t sleep, I can massage your temples.”

Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly turned away to sneeze.

It was a cold winter night, and although the heater was turned on, her fingers and shoulders were still chilled.

Xie Shuo glanced at the thin layer of pajamas on her body and pulled the comforter over her. He lay down on his side and said, “Go to sleep.”

He thought that she would return to the bed next to his, but after she turned off the light and laid down next to him. She wrapped her hand around his arm as if they were at home.

The room fell into darkness. Xie Shuo tilted his head and looked at her blurred outline beside his pillow. He opened his mouth wanting to say something but decided not to in the end.

The light breaths brushed across his shoulders and gradually deepened. Since the first day of treatment was beginning tomorrow, his insomnia inevitably returned. Xie Shuo was wide awake with his eyes open and only managed to fall asleep at around two or three in the morning.

Early the next day, Xie Shuo woke up in a trance. He thought that his ability to see was a dream until he turned to see a quiet face near him.

The morning sun passed through the gaps in the curtain and leaked into the ward.

He stared at the sleeping face beside him for a long time.

    —

For the next week, Xie Shuo stayed in the research institute to receive treatment. Cen Qingyan came to check on his condition every day.

Ye An stayed by his side to take care of him, and she had felt that there was something different about him. Although he still didn’t talk very much, the air of depression around him had faded quite a bit, and his personality had become much more peaceful.

Time passed quickly, and a week later, the two returned to the Xie residence. 

The day they returned home, Xie Shuo locked himself in the study and stayed there for an entire afternoon.

Ye An had not seen him like this in a long time and subsequently felt uneasy.

Before leaving the institute, Cen Qingyan talked to Xie Shuo alone for a long time. Could there have been something wrong with the course of treatment, or did Cen Qingyan say something that destroyed any hope?

Ye An looked worriedly at the closed door, but she couldn’t go directly in. After standing there for a while, she sat in the living room and waited for him to figure things out by himself.

The sun was gradually sinking diagonally into the west with a blood-red hue.

At around six in the evening, Ye An knocked on the door again when it was time for dinner.

This time, Xie Shuo came outside. His expression looked all right, although a little tired. Ye An breathed a sigh of relief and reached out to support him.

“What were you doing in the study? Aren’t you tired?”

Xie Shuo didn’t reply, seemingly deep in thought.

The two went downstairs and sat down at the dining table, where the dishes had already been set.

Xie Shuo picked up his chopsticks and instinctively wanted to pick from the dishes, but his bowl was already taken away by Ye An.

As usual, she took her time to assemble his bowl and pick all his favorite pieces.

Xie Shuo paused the movement of his chopsticks and silently looked at her.

Fortunately, Ye An was so focused on serving his vegetables that she didn’t notice his unusual behavior just then. After choosing his dishes, she put his bowl back in front of him and moved his fingers to the rim of the bowl.

Xie Shuo pretended to not be able to see and felt around the rim of the bowl. He was careful from then on to not make the same mistake again.

After eating, Ye An didn’t give Xie Shuo a chance to retreat back into the study again. She took him out to the garden for a walk.

The hazy night covered his actions well. He no longer had to put on an act and let her guide him through the garden.

“What did Professor Cen say to you before we left?” Ye An asked after hesitating for a while.

Xie Shuo turned and replied lightly, “Nothing.”

Ye An clearly didn’t believe him. “If it was nothing, then why did you lock yourself in the study and refuse to come out after coming back?”

Xie Shuo was silent.

Ye An’s hand slid down his arm and intertwined with his fingers. She looked up at him and said softly, “Don’t be upset, all right? If you don’t like Professor Cen’s treatment, then we can switch medical professionals.”

Xie Shuo paused and met her gaze. The night was dark, and the concern in her tone was obvious. There was no trace of callousness or fabrication.

When he couldn’t see before and was only able to listen, he naturally could not detect these subtleties. 

“You really want for my eyesight to recover?” Xie Shuo asked after a while.

Ye An was confused by his question and said, “What are you talking about? Of course, I want your eyesight to recover!”

Xie Shuo’s gaze focused on her face before diverting into the distance.

???What was that for?

Ye An was even more confused upon seeing his reaction. She contemplated it before saying, “Did you think I wouldn’t want your eyesight to recover because of our agreement?” Ye An became angry. “What do you take me for? Don’t worry, when your eyes recover, we can divorce right then and there! I’ll never break that promise!”

Xie Shuo turned to see her humiliated expression. He didn’t know how she had arrived at this conclusion. 

Ye An became angrier the more she thought about it. She released his hand and glared fiercely at him, taking advantage of the fact that he couldn’t see.

Xie Shuo: “…”

The winter night was chilled Ye An’s face and down her neck, rendering her no longer in the mood to fight. She turned him around with a blank face, saying, “It’s cold; let’s go home.”

After walking a few steps, she suddenly heard Xie Shuo’s low voice say, “I didn’t mean it that way.”

Ye An stopped in her tracks, surprised. This Eldest Young Master had learned to defend himself?

Her anger instantly dissipated, and she was relieved. She walked farther and said calmly, “Whether you mean it or not, I never go back on promises. We’ll divorce once you recover.”

Xie Shuo listened to her words as he looked at her blurred profile. There were complicated emotions in his eyes.

The air was cool in the dark night.

    —-

The two went back inside.

Sometime after nine in the evening, Xie Baiyan returned. He had come back from an evening event, so when he came back, he seemed drunk and smelled of alcohol.

As soon as he returned, he asked Ye An about the results of their consultation, and Ye An told him the truth about Cen Qingyan’s efforts to console them.

Xie Baiyan showed a disappointed look and sighed, appearing older than before.

Seeing his reaction, Ye An felt even worse. She smiled, comforting him. “Don’t be too worried. His situation has been improving; maybe he’ll be cured one day.”

Xie Baiyan knew that she was trying to comfort him and nodded. He said warmly, “Thank you for your help.” After a while, he asked, “Where is he?”

Ye An replied, “In the study.”

After returning from their walk, he locked himself in the study without any reason why.

“I’ll go see him. You should rest early.”

Xie Baiyan turned and headed towards the study. He walked up to the door and knocked, saying, “A’ Shuo, it’s me.”

Soon after, the door opened, and Xie Baiyan entered.

Ye An glanced at them from a distance and entered the bedroom.

The study was silent for a while.

Xie Baiyan looked at his uncommunicative son and suddenly asked, “A’ Shuo, do you still blame me for what happened to your mother?”

Xie Shuo sat at the corner of the sofa without saying a word. His eyes were dark, and half of his silhouette remained in the shadows.

Xie Baiyan’s eyes were bloodshot. He raised his hands to cup his forehead and said in a somber tone, “I shouldn’t have argued with your mother. If I knew something would happen, I would have never left her alone.”

His voice was somewhat hoarse because he had been drinking, and his tone was undulating with emotions.

Listening to his words, Xie Shuo finally reacted by turning to look at him.

Roughly saying, Xie Shuo hadn’t seen him in a year. His father looked a lot older. The hair on his temples was gray, and it was particularly noticeable under the lamp.

Xie Baiyan and his mother had been married for many years, and they had a good relationship. There were no illegitimate children or other serious problems, but she was frustrated with Xie Baiyan’s workaholic habits and excessive social obligations. After having a large argument one day, she went out to sea alone in a fit of anger.

At the time, Xie Baiyan was already preparing to hand the company over to Xie Shuo, but he didn’t expect that just as he finished tying up loose ends and before he could go find her, bad news arrived.

In the end, it wasn’t Xie Baiyan’s fault. Xie Shuo looked at him for a moment before suddenly saying, “I’ve regained my sight.”

Xie Baiyan was shocked. He looked up at Xie Shuo, thinking that he had heard wrong.

Xie Shuo stood up and Xie Baiyan a document that he had earlier sorted out on the desk. His movements were smooth and unobstructed, proving his ability to see.

Xie Baiyan was completely stunned, and it took a long time for him to return to his senses. He looked into Xie Shuo’s eyes and asked, “When… when did this happen?”

Xie Shuo said lightly, “A week ago.”

Xie Baiyan held the document and couldn’t control his emotions for a long time. The news had been so sudden that he had almost forgotten to be happy.

Xie Shuo sat back down and said, “Don’t tell anyone else. I’ve been investigating Zhang Junfeng recently. I suspect that he was the one behind the car accident.”

Xie Baiyan had heard Xie Shuo mention Zhang Junfeng’s potential involvement before, and he frowned upon hearing it. “I didn’t expect that he would do such a thing after having known each other for so many years.”

Xie Shuo’s eyes were cold. “He’s deeply rooted and doesn’t act rashly, so we have to take him off guard this time.”

Xie Baiyan quickly understood what he meant and asked him, “When are you planning on returning to the company?”

Xie Shuo leaned into the sofa and said, “Let’s go tomorrow and assess the situation.”

He paused before suddenly adding, “Also, don’t tell Ye An that I’ve recovered my eyesight.”

Xie Baiyan was stunned and puzzled when he heard Xie Shuo’s words. It was one thing to hide this information from outsiders, but Ye An had nothing to do with their company affairs. So why hide it from her? “Why are you hiding it from Ye An? She worries about you a lot…”

A strange look flashed through Xie Shuo’s eyes. “Just don’t tell her now. I’ll tell her when the time is right.”

This son of his always had his own opinions. Since Xie Shuo had said this much, Xie Baiyan had no choice but to agree.

The father-son pair chatted for a long time in the study.

When Xie Shuo returned to the bedroom, Ye An lay on the sofa reading script lines on her phone. She hadn’t worked in a long time and was afraid of losing her touch, so she practiced whenever when she was free.

After seeing Xie Shuo come in, she put her phone down and asked, “You’re done talking to Dad?”

Xie Shuo’s gaze fell on her face, and he replied with a light, “En.”

Ye An put on her slippers and got up from the sofa, saying, “I’ll go get your clothes and run a bath for you.”

Xie Shuo looked at her moving figure, and her previous words, “divorce once you recover,” ricocheted through his mind.

Ye An picked out some clothes for him, and after she came out of the bathroom, she continued to read the script on her phone on the sofa.

The sound of water came from the bathroom, and she didn’t go shower until he finished.

The weather was getting colder, so instead of wearing spaghetti strap night dresses like before, she changed into a cherry red nightgown that displayed her fair and slender calves.

She completed her bedtime skincare routine and walked toward the bedside. Xie Shuo was still awake and leaned against the headboard in a trance, and it was unclear what he was thinking about.

Ye An lifted the covers and climbed into bed. She neared his side, asking, “What are you thinking about?”

Xie Shuo looked up, but her figure fell directly in his line of sight. The neckline of her nightgown hung low, revealing a collarbone. The dip between her collarbones was as fair as snow, and the sights below were almost visible.

However, she didn’t notice his gaze and leaned closer towards him, the curves of her chest becoming even more obvious.

Xie Shuo’s eyes narrowed slightly. He paused for a few moments before looking away inconspicuously. 

Since Ye An didn’t know he had regained his eyesight and thought that he was still blind, she didn’t bother to tighten her robes. She chose to remain comfortable; if it wasn’t as cold, she would have been wearing even less.

“I’m going to the company tomorrow,” Xie Shuo spoke straight ahead. 

Ye An was somewhat caught off guard, but she considered it a good thing that he wanted to go. She asked, “What time are you going?“

“Nine thirty in the morning.”

“Then I’ll wake up earlier.”

Xie Shuo originally wanted to say that she didn’t have to go with him and remembered that if she didn’t accompany him, then it would look suspicious. In the end, he swallowed his words.

Ye An leaned on his shoulder and was about to prepare to let him sleep earlier, but she suddenly caught a glimpse of a small water stain on the collar of his nightshirt. It must have come from the water in the bathroom.

The black shirt he wore tonight had a loose neckline that revealed some of his chest and abdominal muscles. Ye An couldn’t help but sneak another glance.

She recalled the abs she had touched when she was drunk on the night of Xie Baiyan’s birthday, and her gaze slipped downward again. 

Xie Shuo inadvertently turned just in time to see her bowing her head to look under his neckline at his chest. She looked ready to pounce at any moment.
Xie Shuo: …?What are you looking at?

Previous|Index|Next

“Morning.”

A familiar feminine voice sounded, as usual.

His head was spinning as Xie Shuo connected the voice that had been in his ears for all this time to the face in front of him.

So this was what she looked like.

The rumors were true; she was beautiful and charming, yet Ye Yuan Nian willingly married her off.

Ye An stood on the balcony for a while but turned around and walked back inside when she began to feel a little cold. Seeing Xie Shuo sitting motionless and dazed against the headboard, she couldn’t help but feel that something was strange. “What’s wrong? Are you in pain?”

After he returned to his senses, Xie Shuo looked at her, not knowing how to react.

Ye An stepped forward and sat down beside him, worried that he somehow caught a cold during the night. She reached out to touch his forehead.

She had just come in from the outside, so her fingers were cool. Xie Shuo looked up and caught a glimpse of her wrist bone, fair like snow.

“Feels a little warm…”

Once Ye An finished speaking, she realized that her hands might have been cold, so she put her hands under the comforter to warm them up.

She was close enough to where Xie Shuo could see her thick eyelashes that curved slightly up. He could also see her soft cheeks and her tightly pursed red lips.

After warming up her hands, Ye An reached out to touch his forehead again. This time, however, her wrist was caught.

Xie Shuo held her slender wrist and put it down. However, he didn’t massage it like usual and just looked at her instead.

Ye An felt even weirder.

He usually didn’t sleep very well and would wake up earlier than her. She didn’t know what happened, but he slept later than her today. He was still asleep even when she had finished her morning routine.

Now that he was awake, he sat in bed looking confused.

“Does your head hurt? Do you want me to get you some medicine?” Ye An asked softly and patiently.

She was about to get up, but Xie Shuo grabbed her hand and finally spoke, “No.”

Hearing his tone of voice, Ye An didn’t sense any signs of discomfort. She assumed that he was just in a bad mood from waking up and said, “If your head doesn’t hurt, go wash up and head downstairs for breakfast.”

She retracted her hand and walked to the closet, ignoring him.

This Eldest Young Master had always been moody, going from gentle to irritable every few days.

Xie Shuo looked at her slender figure, and a phrase suddenly flashed through his mind:

“If the day comes where your eyes heal and you can see, we can divorce and no longer have anything to do with each other.”

As the sound of footsteps faded away, Xie Shuo sat in silence for a moment before lifting the comforter and getting out of bed.

As soon as he took a step, the scene in front of him suddenly became blurry, and the sky seemed to spin. A sharp pain entered his eyes, and he staggered to the bed to support himself.

The shadows and light overlapped as if they were turbulent waves. After some time had passed, his eyesight regained some clarity, but there were still a few dark spots left.

He raised his hand and massaged his head, waiting for the dizziness to subside before moving again.

After he washed up and came out of the bathroom, Ye An had already prepared clothes for him to wear as usual.

She reached out to support him. The woman’s slender fingers wrapped around his arms and were as fair as jade.

“If you don’t go outside today, this sweater should be enough.” Ye An handed the clothes to him and turned to leave.

She had also changed into a beige homey clothing set, appearing gentle and calm.

Xie Shuo glanced at her, put the sweater down, and untied his nightgown.

After changing and exiting the room, he found that while the layout of the bedroom was the same, the furnishings were unfamiliar. Compared to before he went blind, the room had fewer fragile items.

In the dining room, the sun shone through the windows. A vase of flowers sat on the table, looking delicate and vibrant under the speckled sunlight.

Seeing light again after spending time in the darkness made everything aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Xie Shuo felt that everything seemed unreal, even when he sat down and began to eat a bowl of porridge.

He couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Ye An sitting next to him. She was holding a small spoon to eat her porridge with her head down. Her long eyelashes extended down, and her features were serene.

He was really able to see.

The only thing was that the dark spots in his vision appeared and disappeared periodically, making his eyes sore and uncomfortable.

“Call Professor Cen later and ask about his availability this afternoon. I want to make an appointment.”

Ye An was stunned upon hearing such a request. She looked up, asking, “Is it that urgent?”

She did recommend for him to go see Professor Cen last night, but she expected the appointment to be scheduled for the next few days.

Xie Shuo put his bowl down and massaged his temples, responding with a light, “En.”

Seeing that his expression was off, Ye An also put down her bowl and reached out to support him. “Does your head hurt again? I’ll help you get the medicine.”

Xie Shuo let her support him upstairs. After taking medicine, he sat on the sofa and closed his eyes.

Ye An had sensed that something had been strange about him today, but she couldn’t tell what was wrong. She took advantage of this chance to call Cen Qingyan and made an appointment for a check-up later in the afternoon.

“The appointment has been scheduled. I’m going to pack a little. How about you go rest for a while?”

Xie Shuo opened his eyes to see a vague outline of her figure. He shook his head.

He didn’t dare to sleep now in fear of not being able to see anything when he woke up again.

Ye An didn’t press him any further. She found a blanket to cover him with and turned to prepare for their departure.

There was quite some distance between the Xie residence and the research institute, so the two ate lunch in advance and set off at eleven o’clock.

When they arrived, it was half-past two in the afternoon.

Like before, Xie Shuo and Cen Qingyan went into the patient room for the check-up while Ye An waited for the results outside.

The greenery outside the window was withered and yellow. The air was filled with a sense of desolation in the dismal winter season. 

Ye An was a little chilly. She rubbed her hands together and sat on the side.

Inside the patient room:

Cen Qingyan finished the examination on Xie Shuo and said with a surprised smile on his face. “With your current condition, I will say that you are close to complete recovery. You should stay for a week for observation and return when your condition is completely stable.”

Xie Shuo got up from the hospital chair and said abruptly, “Professor Cen, please keep this secret for now and don’t tell anyone about my recovery.”

Cen Qingyan was momentarily stunned and somewhat confused. “Your wife as well?”

Xie Shuo reaffirmed, “Especially my wife, please don’t let her know.”

    —

Ye An waited outside for a long time. When she heard the sound of the door finally opening, she hurried to meet them.

“Professor Cen, how is he?”

Cen Qingyan looked at her and paused. He used the same rhetoric of changing the phrasing but not the message. “His condition has improved a lot recently. I’ll have him stay for a week and try a new treatment plan.”

Ye An wasn’t upset upon hearing this news. After experiencing this situation multiple times, she was could face the news calmly. At least his condition was getting better and not worse.

She glanced at Xie Shuo and gripped his hand tightly, fearing that he was upset.

Xie Shuo looked at her after feeling the strength of her grip, not letting her notice the truth. 

After getting settled in the patient ward, Ye An sat beside his hospital bed like in the past. 

“Are you tired? If you’re not tired, how about we go for a walk?”

It was four in the evening, so the sun was still strong. Xie Shuo said, “Let’s go tomorrow.”

Ye An thought for a moment before grabbing her phone and saying, “Then how about I read to you?”

Xie Shuo recalled how she had read to him previously and wasn’t interested. He said indifferently, “No.”

…He didn’t want this or that; why was he more difficult to accommodate today than ever before? He clearly was the one that brought up a walk and listened to her poetry narrations.

Ye An felt helpless seeing his cold appearance. She covered the back of his hand, squeezed it, and smiled. “Don’t be sad. Professor Cen has already said that your condition is slowly improving. Maybe you’ll even recover soon.”

Xie Shuo looked up, feeling the warmth on his hand. He was slightly startled by her warm smile and the concern for him in her eyes.

To be honest, he wasn’t sad. He just hadn’t seen the light for too long, and since he recovered so suddenly, his eyes felt a bit uncomfortable.

Moreover, he had just regained his sight, so there were many things that he needed to sort out.  

Seeing that he was still silent, Ye An grabbed his hand and leaned closer to him. “Didn’t you just promise that we would work things out last night? Why are you ignoring me today?” She leaned on his shoulder and poked his chest, saying in a coquettish tone, “You acting like this can be counted as emotional manipulation.”

She was very close to him in such an intimate posture. He could touch her forehead if he lowered his chin slightly. His nose detected the light fragrance in her hair, and her red lips were in his line of sight.

Xie Shuo turned away and asked in a low tone, “Can you find the poetry from last time?”

Seeing that he was finally speaking, Ye An let go of him happily and stood up. “I’ll get it now.”

Her footsteps faded and returned not long after. She had quickly found the poetry book and sat down beside his bed again.

A gentle female voice sounded throughout the room, pleasant to the ear and dynamic with emotion.

Xie Shuo looked at her as he listened to her reading the poetry. When she suddenly looked up, their gazes collided.

Afraid that she would notice something, Xie Shuo didn’t dare to stare at her again. He averted his gaze to her hands holding the book.

Her hands were beautiful; she had slender fingers, which were pale and delicate. Her nails were neatly trimmed and tinted with light pink.

They felt nice too.

Xie Shuo’s fingers moved slightly, almost giving into his habit of grabbing her hand and playing with it.

Ye An was unaware of his actions. Her head was lowered, and she read the poems quietly. A strand of hair fell on her cheeks, and she seemed immersed in her reading.

The sunset turned darker, and after the sun set behind the mountains, night fell.

In the evening, Xie Shuo leaned against the headboard, not feeling tired even after taking a shower.

Ye An came out of the bathroom, and when she saw that he was sitting quietly again, her head began to hurt.

Wasn’t he fine yesterday? Why was he so dispirited today?

“Aren’t you tired?”

Ye An sat down beside him and felt somewhat cold, so she lifted her legs and put them under the blanket.

Xie Shuo looked up at her. She had just taken a shower and still smelled like her shower gel. Under the lamplight, her skin appeared fair and smooth, and he could almost see the peach fuzz on her cheeks.

She always liked to get close when talking to him. He couldn’t see before, so it didn’t make much of a difference, but when he lowered his gaze now, he caught a glimpse of her delicate collarbone and the supple skin under her neckline.

“You sleep first,” Xie Shuo said quietly without opening his eyes.

Ye An was worn out by his fickle mood. She leaned against the head of the bed and made a fierce pinching action in front of his face. Since her movements were just for show, her fingertips didn’t touch him.

After fake pinching his nose, she couldn’t hold back her urge to touch his eyelashes.

Xie Shuo, who could now see: “…”

So this was what she usually looked like in front of him.

Previous|Index|Next