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After a long while, He Ran finally muttered in a low voice, “Role reversal, Dr. Jian.”
Jian Xi laughed as she rested her head on his shoulder. “When you’re vulnerable, I’ll be the one to protect you.”
“Where am I vulnerable?”
“When you drink so much that you end up in the hospital, isn’t that being vulnerable?” Jian Xi lifted her head slightly and looked at him. “This job is really tough. Do you have to keep doing it?”
He Ran nodded. “Yes.”
Jian Xi gazed at him, her expression calm.
Without holding back, He Ran reached out to gently pat her head. “Jian Xi, I want to meet your parents. If they’re willing to see me, at least we won’t have awkward silences during conversations.”
His self-deprecating tone couldn’t mask the weight of his worries. “Just think about it. When your parents ask me where I work, what my family does, whether I own a house or a car in the city—I can’t just keep repeating ‘no’ over and over again. That would be so uncool.”
In the chilly night breeze, He Ran’s voice tried to sound light but was clearly forced.
But Jian Xi said nothing. Slowly, she lowered her head.
“In fact, they’re not like that. My dad says that as long as a man shoulders responsibility, he deserves full marks.”
He Ran didn’t miss the hint of uncertainty in her tone but pretended not to notice. Taking her hand, he said, “Then I’m lucky to have such an open-minded father-in-law.”
As they drove home, it suddenly started to hail.
Jian Xi deliberately pulled over for a moment, rolled down the window, and extended her hand. The icy pellets melted into water in her palm, and she smiled with delight. “The first snow of the year!”
He Ran urged her, “Alright, stop reaching out. You’ll catch a cold. If the roads freeze tomorrow, don’t drive to work.”
“I’m off tomorrow,” Jian Xi replied, closing the window and continuing toward the garage. “Your personal driver is about to start her shift.”
He Ran chuckled. “No need to drop me off. Let me sleep a little longer.”
Jian Xi shook her head and playfully rhymed, “Rain or snow, sunny or no, I’ll always be with Old He.”
Leaning back in his seat, He Ran couldn’t help but laugh internally, though he still feigned sternness. “Speak properly.”
Jian Xi lightly tapped the brakes and turned her head to whisper, “I love you.”
He Ran froze, his mind blanked by those four words. As his body slowly came back to life, he clenched his teeth so hard they nearly shattered. “You’ve truly got me wrapped around your finger for life.”
Jian Xi reversed the car into the parking space and straightened the steering wheel. Hearing this, she quickly leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Then let me make sure of it.”
He Ran was stunned.
Jian Xi glanced at him. “Aren’t you getting out?”
As her left hand reached for the door handle, her right arm was suddenly grabbed by He Ran, who pulled her into his embrace.
With dark, intense eyes fixed on her face, He Ran smirked shamelessly and turned his right cheek toward her. “Wife, you’re playing favorites. After kissing the left, the right deserves some love too.”
Stunned by his bold charm, Jian Xi’s breathing quickened. Struggling to maintain composure, she said, “Can you cut the flirty tone? It’s making me want to step on the gas.”
He Ran burst out laughing but decided not to tease her further. “Let’s go.”
After Jian Xi opened the door, she rummaged through a small bamboo basket on the shoe cabinet and handed him a set of keys. “Your office is close to here. Take these; it’ll be convenient if anything comes up.”
He Ran accepted the keys with a playful remark. “Oh, are you keeping me now?”
Jian Xi took off her coat as she walked. “Please, even if I were, I’d choose someone better-looking.”
He Ran didn’t respond. Instead, he approached her from behind, crouched down, and swept her off her feet into his arms.
“You’ve been too cocky lately. Is it because you haven’t been disciplined in a while? Hmm?”
Startled, Jian Xi clung tightly to his neck and whispered in his ear, “Boss He, I guess I’m overdue for some discipline.”
He Ran tightened his grip and listened as she continued, “Will you discipline me well tonight?”
Jian Xi’s features were usually bright and clear, but only in his arms did they take on a passionate hue. Framed by her high nose bridge, her beauty was undeniably captivating.
He Ran lowered his head to kiss her lips, capturing her soft tongue and refusing to let her move while he relentlessly sucked and nibbled. Within seconds, Jian Xi surrendered with muffled moans.
Relaxing his grip slightly, He Ran used his tongue to trace slow circles inside her mouth.
Though He Ran wasn’t typically gentle in this area—his style was more domineering and direct—at times, he could become wild enough to drive Jian Xi to euphoria multiple times in a single night. But moments like these, filled with delicate tenderness, made it even harder for her to resist.
Just as He Ran’s hand began to wander downward, Jian Xi pressed it firmly to stop him.
He chuckled softly near her ear. “Let go, baby. I washed my hands.”
Hesitation lingered on Jian Xi’s face, but her grip loosened.
He slipped his middle finger beneath the waistband of her pants, teasingly probing before gently grazing her skin. His voice grew hoarse. “Oh… you’re already wet for me, aren’t you?”
That night, He Ran didn’t rely on alcohol-fueled frenzy. Instead, he was patient and tender, pushing Jian Xi to the brink until her legs went numb, and she cried, screamed, and begged for mercy. Only then did he lift his head, drenched in sweat, to comfort and hold her.
“Still trembling?” He Ran murmured, cradling her as they lay naked together. “Have you reached it yet?”
Jian Xi replied softly, “Reached what?”
He bit her earlobe. “The peak.”
Goosebumps erupted all over Jian Xi’s body. She pursed her lips, pretending not to hear.
He Ran straightened her shoulders. “How many times?”
Shamelessly, Jian Xi buried her face in the pillow. “Not even once!”
He clicked his tongue and swiftly flipped her over, hovering above her. “Then let me make up for it, wife.”
Terrified, Jian Xi quickly confessed, “Three times! Are you satisfied now?”
He Ran laughed aloud. “You dishonest thing. Why is it so hard for you to tell the truth?”
“If you weren’t so full of yourself, I’d praise you endlessly every day.”
“My ego isn’t big at all. I’ll bet you there isn’t another man as handsome as me in the ten surrounding neighborhoods.”
“He Ran! Are you trying to kill me?!”
“Exactly. Handsome enough to die for.”
Jian Xi collapsed onto the bed, rolling two or three times in exasperation. “Oh my god.”
“Hey! I’m here!” He Ran responded quickly, his gaze burning like fire.
Watching her antics, hearing her laughter, and striving to create something beautiful amidst the flames—it struck him deeply.
Yes, from now on, I’ll be the sky above you that never collapses.
Jian Xi faintly sensed the profound meaning behind his words. Sitting up, she cupped He Ran’s face obediently. “You don’t need to work so hard. I’m easy to take care of. I don’t cost much. Even meals of cabbage and tofu are nourishing and refreshing.”
The complexity in He Ran’s expression shifted instantly, his eyes flickering like lightning. In the alternating light and shadow of his gaze, Jian Xi glimpsed the deepest emotion in his heart—heartache.
He Ran bowed his head mournfully. Three years had passed since his career failure, yet he’d never felt regret or resentment.
But at this moment, he felt regret—for not meeting Jian Xi during the dazzling heights of his life.
“I’m sorry for letting you suffer.”
Jian Xi immediately lifted his face, rubbing his cheeks warmly with her palms. “What suffering? Have you ever seen a person driving an Audi A6 complain about hardship? I’m living my best life, absolutely radiant.”
He Ran’s face became disheveled under her enthusiastic rubbing. As he flexed, the cashmere blanket covering his chest slipped down, revealing broad expanses of pale skin.
He Ran’s gaze darkened further, and without hesitation, he bent down to taste her.
Jian Xi gasped sharply, her protests dissolving into soft moans.
Later that night, He Ran’s voice was wild and unrestrained—
“...Damn, sooner or later, I’ll die in your mouth…”
By 2 a.m., after passion subsided, deep slumber followed. Jian Xi’s breathing steadied as He Ran held her close from behind.
Too exhausted to notice, neither realized the phone lying screen-down on the low table nearby.
Two hours earlier, a text message had arrived from Tao Xihong:
[Xi, Mom is outside.]
It wasn’t until dawn that Jian Xi saw the message.
He Ran had already gone to work, leaving warm fried dough sticks and porridge on the table.
Confused, Jian Xi skipped breakfast, changed clothes, and drove out.
She pulled over at a crossroads and dialed a number. “Secretary Li, this is Jian Xi. I wanted to ask if my mom is at the company today?”
Upon receiving a negative response, Jian Xi turned the car around and headed back to the old house.
In her haste, Jian Xi forgot her keys and entered using the code. The rich aroma of stewed meat greeted her.
The housekeeper was surprised to see her. “Oh, Miss Jian is back?”
Jian Xi greeted her and asked, “Is my mom home?”
“Yes, she’s upstairs.”
Tao Xihong was tending to plants in the attic garden, unsurprised by Jian Xi’s arrival. She pointed to a small trowel on the ground. “Xi Xi, give me a hand. Hand me that, will you?”
Taking a deep breath, Jian Xi decided to get straight to the point. “Mom, did you come to see me last night?”
“Oh?” Tao Xihong recalled. “Yes, I brought you some late-night snacks and dropped them off.”
She kept her explanation brief, calmly arranging flowers and plants.
Jian Xi took another deep breath and confessed, “I was with He Ran last night.”
The wind picked up, rustling the lush potted plants neatly arranged in a row.
After spraying water on the last asparagus fern, Tao Xihong slowly raised her head, her gaze landing on Jian Xi. She gave a soft “Mm.”
Just as Jian Xi was about to speak again, the sound of the door opening interrupted her. Turning around, she saw one of Tao Xihong’s employees.
“President Tao, here are the documents you requested.” Handing over a light brown envelope, the person left.
Tao Xihong finally stopped working, removed her thick cotton gloves, and revealed perfectly manicured fingers free of wrinkles. Sitting back in the wicker chair, she leaned against the backrest and began pulling out the contents of the envelope one by one.
In an utterly emotionless tone, she read, “He Ran, born in 1987, originally from Yao Province. His parents’ relationship was strained, and they divorced when he was twelve, granting custody to his father.”
Jian Xi felt as though struck by lightning, her entire body paralyzed.
Tao Xihong turned the page and continued reading. “Graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Huazhong University of Science and Technology. In 2007, he started his own business by selling pirated CDs, earning his first pot of gold. Later, he founded a company involved in real estate and finance. In 2014, he was directly responsible for a major project loss and was impeached by the board, resulting in his removal from office.”
Jian Xi’s temples throbbed painfully as she croaked, “Mom, what are you doing?”
Tao Xihong glanced at her and resumed reading, arriving at the crucial part.
“Arrogant, reckless, cunning, and ruthless in business dealings. His private life is complicated, and his family relationships are chaotic. To this day, he still pays monthly alimony of 2,000 yuan to his father.” Tao Xihong paused, letting out a faint sneer. “Yao Yizhi, his ex-girlfriend, has been his neighbor since childhood, sharing a 25-year bond.”
By the time Tao Xihong finished, Jian Xi’s fists were clenched tightly.
Her lips turned white as she trembled, asking, “Mom… how could you investigate him?”
Tao Xihong’s tone rose. “I needed to know who this man is who has bewitched my daughter so completely.”
Jian Xi slowly raised her head, tears pooling in her eyes.
Unmoved, Tao Xihong’s voice remained calm but firm. “He can be poor, unemployed, and have a messy past, but I absolutely cannot accept that he remains unmotivated and promiscuous to this day!”
“That’s not true!” Jian Xi steadied herself, locking eyes with her mother and speaking with unwavering confidence. “He has a job, savings, a family, and a place to live. He’s not unmotivated, and his personal life is far from chaotic.”
“You’re wrong!” Tao Xihong’s voice suddenly sharpened, her words cutting through any restraint. “Last night, on the fifth floor of Baoshan Restaurant on Huaihai Road, he entered room 506 with a woman. They stayed there for an hour before coming out.”
The moment the words left her mouth, Jian Xi responded without hesitation. “Impossible.”
“I saw it with my own eyes.”
“Even so, it’s impossible.” Despite the thin layer of tears in her eyes, Jian Xi’s determination and trust shone brightly. “Mom, I believe in him.”
For a fleeting moment, Tao Xihong was shaken, but she quickly suppressed it, scoffing. “Believe in him? Men and women alone in a room, chatting about life? Jian Xi, if that’s your idea of trust, then I have nothing more to say.”
Jian Xi swallowed hard, choosing not to argue further, but her eyes brimmed with stubborn defiance.
After years of experience, Tao Xihong had mastered the art of controlling her emotions and thoughts.
Yet now, she felt both heartbroken and hardened toward her daughter.
“Let me reiterate: I’m not a snobbish parent. A man can be poor, but he must remain loyal to his wife! That’s the bottom line!”
Tao Xihong’s words struck Jian Xi like thunder in winter, heavy and suffocating.
After a prolonged silence, the conversation between mother and daughter—though lacking fireworks—left lingering tension.
Finally, Jian Xi raised her head, her gaze resolute. Her voice rang clear and decisive. “Nothing can shake his place in my heart—not money, not you, not anyone.”
Her eyes red-rimmed, she whispered, “Mom, I love this man.”
Tao Xihong was utterly shocked, with a hint of subtle resistance. Finally, she pressed, “Jian Xi, are you abandoning your father and me too?”
Tears streamed down Jian Xi’s face instantly. “Do we really have to make such a clichéd choice?”
Tao Xihong fell silent.
Jian Xi slowly lowered her head. “If I must choose, let me tell you the answer—I won’t betray you, but you’ll lose me forever.”
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