Chapter 13

Lu Yi went utterly still. It was like her brain was this ancient, crumbling building, and at the sound of that bombshell, the whole thing came crashing down, dust mushrooming overhead.
Any time you got to know Lin Jinshen, you realized he said anything on his mind, with a tone so straight-faced you’d never guess an ulterior motive.
Businesslike. Always official.
Even for the marriage bed, he'd treat it as completing a necessary task.
Three times in a day, could he really handle that?
Lu Yi didn’t dare ask, worried he might just say yes, dead serious.
Face burning, she steadied herself and asked, "So… we’re doing it tonight?"
She couldn’t sleep anyway; might as well find something to do.
"Do you want the lights on?" Lin Jinshen countered.
"No!"
But… how were they supposed to start?
She felt the mattress dip on his side as Lin Jinshen sat up and bent towards her, pulling his pajama shirt over his head, baring a lean waist.
She didn’t look, but the faint sounds and smells painted the rest in her mind.
He’d clearly kept in shape. Earlier, when his soaked shirt clung to him, the muscle definition was obvious, nothing exaggerated, but definitely solid.
"Need some help?" His low voice sounded suddenly at her side.
Snapping back to herself, Lu Yi shook her head. Her hand crept up, fingers fumbling for the first button on her shirt.
Ever since the time he’d made her change out of a slip dress, her sleepwear had become much more conservative, just a t-shirt and shorts.
Each was focused on their own preparations. The whole scene was more than a little absurd.
When she was ready, Lin Jinshen leaned in, propping himself above her. In the low light, she could just make out his sharp features, prominent nose, deeply set eyes.
Lu Yi stiffened, arms and legs rigid by her sides.
Lin Jinshen asked, "Do you prefer longer foreplay, or should we keep it short?"
"…"
Lu Yi stared, entirely lost. Lowering her voice, she managed, "I don’t know. It’s my first time. What do you think?"
"It’s my first time, too."
"…"
Two complete amateurs. Lu Yi ventured, "Should we just… figure it out as we go?"
"Mm."
Lin Jinshen bent down, his nose almost brushing hers. Then, as if something occurred to him, he paused and added, "If anything feels uncomfortable, you can stop me at any time."
If she didn't say stop… that meant she liked it, right? At least in his logic.
Lu Yi hadn’t even started to process what was happening when the world went dark in front of her. His lips pressed to hers, clumsy, unskilled, but excruciatingly slow and persistent.
She clung to his hand, as if it was her own heartbeat she held onto.
The kiss drew them close. Every inch fit together seamlessly. His searing heat made her curl up, trembling, unable to take it for long.
Midway through, Lin Jinshen held his lips against hers, not letting go. It was almost like a pause, he swallowed hard, inhaled deep, then exhaled warm breath across her lips, finally parting them to take her soft mouth between his.
He tasted sweetness, his first.
His broad hand pressed against her back, pushing her forward. She had no choice but to wrap her arms around his neck for support.
Every tiny sound was magnified: wet kisses, swallowing, the hush of breath, the uneven rush of air, like a wild concert echoing in her eardrums.
Lu Yi was burning, almost delirious.
Her quiet whimper slipped out, and Lin Jinshen heard it. He stopped, darkness swirling in his eyes as he looked at her. “Uncomfortable?”
His voice was so hoarse and low, it made her want to curse, it was that hot.
Lu Yi covered her lips with the back of her hand, but couldn’t decide if she should nod or shake her head. Helpless, she simply clutched his rock-solid arm, fingers locking tight.
Of course, there had to be a dumb mix-up somewhere in the middle.
Bracing himself on one elbow over her, Lin Jinshen leaned to the far side, his long arm reaching to open the nightstand drawer. Sweat slicked Lu Yi’s skin as she struggled to catch her breath, eyes wide and needy.
Her eyes gradually adjusted in the dim light. She peeked through her lashes, instinctively searching for him. He was kneeling, head bowed, focused intently on the plastic wrapper in his hand.
That unmistakable sound of plastic tearing filled the air.
Lu Yi squeezed her eyes shut, face flaming so hot it felt scorched.
But nothing happened for a while.
She finally had to look. Lin Jinshen frowned, meeting her gaze. He explained dryly, “It’s inside out.”
“…”
“Fixed.”
He bent down and captured her lips again.
Lu Yi thought of cotton candy in summer: beautiful at first, dripping with sweetness, but melting fast until all that’s left is a sticky pool of sugar water.
In her scramble, her hand brushed beneath the pillow, unintentionally unlocking her phone. The faint glow barely lit anything, but for a second she caught Lin Jinshen’s gaze, shadowed, black as night, a predator’s eyes prowling the deep sea.
She used to worry that maybe he wasn’t up for it. Now she knew: he was more than up for it.
Lin Jinshen was a straight-up academic madman. He didn’t just want to do it, he wanted to know why, what result it produced, the mechanics, where the threshold lay, where every sensitive point was. He’d experiment, gather real-time feedback, analyze results on the spot, and write up a damn satisfying lab report when he was done.
In conclusion: the test subject was fragile, highly sensitive, showed signs of being overwhelmed by stimulus, and required slower frequency and longer reaction time. Also, experiment count: way too low, insufficient training, surrendering before the trial was over.
The only issue: sample size still small, might get unreliable results by accident.
Clearly, further long-term experimentation was needed.
The light clicked on. Lu Yi flinched, shielding her eyes with her wrist. She dove under the covers, not caring that her skin was flushed and soaked, hair plastered damp to her cheeks.
Lin Jinshen knelt beside the bed, light sculpting his features into harsh lines and angles. He looked down, made a careful check, no accidents, tossed the used tissue into the trash.
He slipped out of bed, glanced once at the tightly curled figure under the comforter, his post-satisfaction voice hoarse as he reminded Lu Yi to shower.
“You go first.” Lu Yi mumbled, her throat so dry it hurt.
Remembering how weak she’d been just now, Lin Jinshen, trying for considerate, asked, “Need me to help?”
“No!”
“I’ll do it myself!”
Lu Yi’s eyes snapped open, some mysterious burst of strength suddenly kicking in. She grabbed her nightdress and ducked into the bathroom hugging a clean set, refusing to look in his direction for fear she’d start replaying that whole wild scene in her mind.
She shut the door. And locked it, just to be sure.
Lu Yi slumped against the wood, legs still jelly. After a moment, she finally made her way under the shower, and while lathering up, she caught sight of the red marks blooming across her chest.
A flash of memory came and went.
His head was bent, silky black hair a tumble beneath her hand. Her pale fingers dug at his scalp, tangled tight and helpless, unable to stop the beast from devouring and tasting everywhere he pleased.
“…”
And here he was, suddenly an expert when it counted?
After that shower, Lu Yi somehow felt even more parched, her whole body sucked dry.
When she came out, Lin Jinshen had already changed the bedsheets. The old ones were crumpled messes in a heap on the couch, rumpled and ruined. Deep blue sheets, now marked where moisture had soaked in even darker stains.
Lu Yi quietly looked away.
Lin Jinshen had thrown on a bathrobe in the meantime. He’d clearly given her more than enough time. As soon as she was out, he slipped past her and into the bathroom himself.
Five minutes later, he emerged freshly showered.
Lu Yi had already been on the bed for two minutes, shutting her eyes the instant she heard him open the door, though her fake sleep act wasn’t very convincing, lashes trembling with nerves.
She heard Lin Jinshen turn off the lights and climb into bed behind her.
The darkness felt like a shield, swallowing up every trace of tension and embarrassment.
A gap separated them, just like every other night. Even though they’d just closed every distance on this mattress, nothing else seemed to change.
Lu Yi tried her best to fall asleep, but Lin Jinshen, now in clear-headed mode, spoke quietly: that he had work on Saturday morning and a business banquet scheduled for the evening, so dinner would need to be moved earlier, finished by five, done by seven at the latest.
This was their standing arrangement, to have a meal together once a week.
“Honestly, you’re busy, we don’t have to eat together,” Lu Yi replied sincerely.
“We agreed to this, so we stick to it.”
“...Alright.”
After a pause, Lu Yi hesitated, then asked, “Are you bringing a plus one to your banquet?”
“No. I don’t need one.”
Lin Jinshen always brought an assistant, never a date.
“How about this, let me go with you to the banquet, and we’ll skip the extra dinner. You should focus on work.” What Lu Yi really wanted was to avoid another awkward dinner face-to-face; the thought alone was mortifying.
Lin Jinshen agreed, “Don’t you usually hate this kind of event?”
Lu Yi blinked, unflustered. “If necessary, I can be flexible with my schedule. It’s called adapting.”
Lin Jinshen paused, then said, “Thank you.”
“I should be the one thanking you, for tonight.”
She meant him braving the downpour to pick her up. Sure, she was independent, fully capable of handling things herself, but the moment he showed up... well, a small, hidden corner of her heart gave way.
“No need for thanks. I’m only doing what any husband should.”
“And I’m only doing what any wife would, then.”
“…”
“You should sleep. It’s late.” Lin Jinshen reminded her. In just two hours, he’d be up again; his routine, set for more than a decade, completely upended tonight. Strangely enough, he wasn’t tired, a cold shower hadn’t cooled him off at all.
“Okay.”
“I’ll have someone send over some medicine tomorrow,” Lin Jinshen’s voice was calm. “You didn’t let me take a look, so I don’t know if there’s any swelling.”
He didn’t get to finish. Lu Yi, eyes scrunched closed, couldn’t take it, “Drop it!”
No idea where he’d gotten this from, apparently, girls always feel sore the first time, and he’d even thrown out words like “torn,” making her wonder if he’d been reading trashy novels online. She’d had to blush and explain, she came prepared; it was fine. After all that kissing, did it count for nothing?
Apparently, he only half-believed her. He just had to circle back.
Leave it to him to bring up those scenes again, right when she didn’t want them in her head.
“Go to sleep!”
Lu Yi raised her voice, ending the conversation right there.
After a late night and some... exercise, alarmless Lu Yi didn’t wake up until the middle of the day.
She found a message from Yu Yin on her phone. Her friend didn’t know about the car breakdown last night, just that Lu Yi hadn’t replied in hours. Thirty minutes ago, she’d sent a single question mark.
Yu Yin: [Slept with a guy, didn’t you?]
Lu Yi: “…”
Sometimes she wondered if Yu Yin had psychic powers.
She replied, only mentioning the car breakdown, and that she got home after midnight, no wonder she slept so late.
Yu Yin: [Drink some ginger tea or something, okay? Summer colds suck the worst.]
Lu Yi: [Will do.]
She tossed her phone on the bed and got up, twisting up her hair casually as she washed. Downstairs, Aunt Fang was cleaning the living room. She paused to greet her when Lu Yi came down.
“Aunt Fang.”
Aunt Fang said, “Mr. Lin told me you got caught in the rain yesterday. I’ve had a special warming soup on the stove for you, should drink it while it’s hot.”
“Thank you.” Lu Yi felt a brief, odd flutter in her heart.
“Meow, meow, meow!”
Puff the cat charged over right away, brushing up against Lu Yi’s legs with that deeply wronged, pitiful cry.
Lu Yi scooped Puff up, asking, “What’s up, little piggy? Who’s being all clingy today?”
Puff was nearly ten pounds now, not easy to lift, honestly.
Puff gave a few weak meows, burying its head in her arms like the world had done it dirty.
Aunt Fang brought over the ginger broth, her own special recipe, the soup a brilliant red. Lu Yi took the porcelain spoon and blew on it before tasting.
“What are you allergic to?” Aunt Fang squinted as Lu Yi drank, eyeing the side of her neck. Her eyes weren’t what they used to be. Looked a bit like a rash.
“Here?”
Lu Yi reached up to touch her neck, but couldn’t feel any bumps. It didn’t itch or hurt. Suddenly realizing the real reason, she quickly tugged her hair over her shoulder to cover it up. “Sort of.”
“Did you brush up against something dirty?”
“…”
Lu Yi braced herself and nodded.
Brushed up against Lin Jinshen, the dirtiest of all.
What is he, a dog? Must he bite every single spot?
Lu Yi ate lunch at home. Madam Qin had sent over fresh seafood that needed to be eaten quickly. Aunt Fang steamed a few things with garlic and whipped up some famous typhoon shelter crab.
There was way too much for one person, so Lu Yi shared with Aunt Fang.
After lunch, Lu Yi started getting ready for the evening event.
These occasions weren’t her usual habitat, but she’d grown up in the thick of the elite, bathed in the glow of power and money since childhood. She fit in easily.
The marks on her neck were a headache when choosing a dress. She thought about concealer, but the bruises were too dark and her skin too fair, no use. In the end, she had to settle for a silk scarf in a matching tone.
She went with a backless, floor-length gown in satin, artfully asymmetrical, elegantly simple, emphasizing her slender form.
The cut was minimal, but the necklace she paired it with was more elaborate, draping gracefully down her back.
…
She was ready and waiting for Lin Jinshen to finish work and swing by to pick her up.
Aunt Fang, about to clock out, saw Lu Yi all dressed up and couldn’t resist a few honest compliments. She looked stunning, Mr. Lin wouldn’t be able to take his eyes off her.
Sure enough, minutes later, Lin Jinshen messaged: he was here; come down.
Lu Yi went downstairs and got in the car, remembering Aunt Fang’s words. She was right, he couldn’t take his eyes off her, except that it was the computer screen he couldn’t look away from. He was still working, reading reports, making calls.
Something was wrong at work; the calls were all about chewing people out.
Lin Jinshen’s tone was icy, completely ruthless. He never swore, but every word pressed down like a weight.
The atmosphere in the car dropped several degrees.
The driver and assistant exchanged looks and promptly did their best impression of background scenery, not making a sound.
When he finally finished, Lin Jinshen seemed to remember Lu Yi sitting next to him, and said, “My aunt will be there tonight, by the way.”
“Okay.”
His eyes landed on her scarf. “Aren’t you hot?”
“…” Lu Yi said, “I’m cold.”
“You’re cold but wearing so little. Want a jacket?”
“...It’s not that bad.” With others in the car, Lu Yi kept it classy.
The car pulled up; attendants opened the door.
Lu Yi took Lin Jinshen’s arm as they entered. The banquet hall was busy, she immediately sensed all those glances coming at them from every direction. She straightened her back and smiled with practiced ease.
Technically, this was their first public appearance together since marrying.
Yu Yin had already briefed her on all the marriage gossip: the short-lived speculation with the Zhong family was old news. At the moment, it was her and Lin Jinshen’s “loveless marriage” that kept everyone talking over tea.
Most people believed their marriage was a pure transaction, she was Mrs. Lin, nothing more than a pretty ornament, a symbol of the Lin and Lu families’ booming business empire.
An inevitable casualty of all those profits.
Lu Yi took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.
Lin Jinshen led her around, making introductions. When someone greeted them, he’d tell them who she was. Graceful and poised, Lu Yi responded with perfect politeness.
After some small talk, her aunt Lin Wenyun strolled over. Lu Yi had met her before, and greeted her warmly, “Auntie.”
Lin Jinshen had business to attend to, so Lu Yi stuck by Lin Wenyun instead.
“I heard you’re hosting an art exhibition this time?” Lin Wenyun asked, looping her arm through Lu Yi’s. She gave her a fond, approving smile, clearly happy with her niece-in-law.
“That’s right. Auntie, how did you find out?”
“Your uncle’s a bit of a painting enthusiast, even if his own work is... let’s just say it’s unique. But, he’s got some pull in the art world. Jinshen rarely asks him favors, so your uncle was thrilled to help.”
Lu Yi was thoroughly confused.
What favor? Help with what?
But before she could ask more, the business partners who worked with the Lin family came circling by to say hello.
“This is Lu Yi, my nephew’s wife,” Lin Wenyun introduced her to a group.
“So beautiful! You really should join us more often. Don’t let Jinshen hide you away after the wedding,” someone teased, half-joking.
Lin Wenyun replied, “Our Lu Yi works at Yixing. She’s a curator, maybe you and your husband have even seen her work. This child can’t stand sitting at home, works hard, stays focused, and honestly never comes to these fancy events. Tonight, Jinshen practically dragged her out just to meet everyone.”
“…”
All those prying glances and tiptoeing questions, before Lu Yi could even open her mouth, Lin Wenyun ran interference for her.
Lu Yi sipped half her champagne.
Lin Wenyun slipped an arm around her waist and said, “It’s not easy for you, is it? Jinshen’s a bit of a bore, no sense of fun, and don’t even get me started on understanding women. Marriage to him… must be tough.”
“Not at all, Auntie. I knew what I was getting into before we married. It’s turned out just as I expected. No trouble at all.”
Lin Wenyun took it as her being polite to an elder, her eyes full of knowing sympathy. “Such a sensible girl.”
“…”
Just like that, Lu Yi was cast as the pitiful party in this marriage.
And the worst part? No one would believe her if she tried to explain.
Halfway through the banquet, Lin Wenyun had to leave early, it’d be too late for her son’s bedtime otherwise, which meant missing family time.
“Go on, find Jinshen. He should be about finished with his business talks.”
“Goodbye, Auntie.”
Lu Yi didn’t go looking for Lin Jinshen. Instead, she traded her empty glass for a fresh one, planning to spend some time alone and wait out the rest of the evening. Once the dinner was over, their “required couple time” for the week would be complete.
She slipped out of the main hall and wandered into the central garden. In the middle stood a dry fountain, never in use, surrounded by benches for the occasional visitor. The lavish main hall only made this corner feel more shadowy and abandoned. No one really bothered coming here.
Lu Yi sat quietly for a while, and when she finally moved, her necklace tugged sharply at her neck. She glanced down; the clasp had snagged on her dress and dragged the delicate chain right into the fabric. The chain was so fine, practically a string of sesame seeds, how did it end up buried in there?
There was no way she could fix this herself.
No choice. She needed backup.
The only person she felt comfortable asking here was Lin Jinshen. Embarrassing, but what choice did she have? She messaged him, asking if he could come.
Lin Jinshen saw the message in the middle of a conversation. After a quick apology and clarifying her location, he cut through the crowd toward the back courtyard.
Under the dim lights, Lu Yi glimmered silver on the bench, her satin dress catching every stray glow. She looked up at him, cheeks flushed, eyes alight,
Like a stray moon, fallen carelessly into a forgotten garden…
And by some luck, he was the only one who’d found her.
He approached and stood over her, his tall frame almost intimidating from this angle. His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Why are you out here?”
“Please. Rescue me.”
She clutched the bit of fabric at her chest. “The necklace’s stuck, I can’t get it loose.”
She’d already tried to unfasten it herself, but the more she wrestled with it, the less progress she made. Her hands were shaking with frustration.
Lin Jinshen glanced down, taking in the tangled chain, then her flushed, anxious face. Heart fluttering, he crouched down in front of her. “Let me try.”
“Okay!”
“Head down,” he said.
Lu Yi obediently bowed her head, crown brushing his chest. She held still as his fingers lifted the chain, the tips grazing the bare skin of her neck, just like last night…
He really had no idea how her jewelry worked, but after a moment’s careful examination, he finally unfastened the clasp.
Next came the delicate work of untangling the fabric.
He knelt closer, and now freed from the chain, Lu Yi could finally straighten up. Her gaze flicked from his hands to his face, studying his features intently,
His nose really was sharp. Every time they kissed, it pressed right up to hers.
His hands were clumsy with the tiny chain, and after a couple failed attempts, he drew a slow, focused breath, pulling in air that was all her: perfume, warmth, nerves. He pressed his lips together, forcing himself to focus.
Their breathing synced, both unconsciously slowing down,
Tension thrummed between them.
Then, “President Lin, Oh! Sorry, wrong door! Pretend I never saw, ” a man’s voice burst in, breaking the spell.
Lu Yi turned and caught a glimpse of someone scurrying away. She looked back, baffled, but Lin Jinshen hadn’t moved, he still had a handful of her dress at her chest, intent on freeing the fabric.
From a distance, it probably looked like…
Like they’d just been caught in a forbidden embrace, lost in a passionate kiss in the shadows.
She felt heat rise to her cheeks, a spark scorching her straight through. What if he really believed that’s what they’d been doing?
“You should go clear that up, he definitely got the wrong idea,” she muttered through gritted teeth.
Lin Jinshen seemed unfazed, still completely focused on the task at hand.
“Let me do it. You explain it to him, we were just untangling a necklace, not… the other thing,” Lu Yi said, reaching for the chain in his hands.
Lin Jinshen didn’t budge.
“Let him think whatever he wants.”
With a couple swift motions, he fished out the scrap of fabric, hooked her necklace, and deposited it into her palm. Then he stood, smoothed his suit jacket, and said, “We’re legally married, not some shady affair hiding in the dark.”
He knew perfectly well that just now, they’d looked exactly like a pair sneaking around.
Lu Yi was at a loss for words, struggling to find a comeback.
Lin Jinshen noticed her nearly empty wine glass beside her and warned, “Go easy on the drinks. We have things to do tonight.”
“Things? What kind of things?”
Lin Jinshen shot her a look.
His midnight eyes seemed to speak a single word.
You.
Do you.