Dr. He, you are so amazing.

Jian Xi was utterly speechless. She placed Mengmeng into the small crib, rocked it a couple of times, and waited until she fell into deep sleep before getting up and turning around.

He Ran blocked her from behind and directly scooped her up horizontally.

“Don’t scream, Mengmeng will wake up.”

All of Jian Xi’s protests were obediently stuck in her throat.

He Ran succeeded; his whole body was like he had been injected with adrenaline, carrying her to lie on the bed.

Jian Xi turned her head away, “I haven’t taken a bath.”

He Ran pinched her chin and turned her face towards him, “Damn it, I want to kiss you.”

His eyes were fiery, ready to try something.

Jian Xi lifted her head and kissed his lips lightly. That one taste was enough; her body honestly reacted.

He Ran relaxed instead, not moving, just staring at her intently with an ambiguous smile.

This stillness controlling movement was truly unbearable.

Jian Xi waited for a long time but didn’t get his kiss, which made her laugh in frustration, “You’re so sly.”

Then she wrapped her arms around He Ran’s neck, pressing him down onto her. Her lips skillfully opened his, and He Ran no longer remained passive, pressing the back of Jian Xi’s head and kissing her fiercely and urgently.

“Shit— it hurts!” Jian Xi cried out in pain, pushing against He Ran’s shoulder, “Don’t press too hard.”

During breastfeeding, her chest would swell painfully when pressed.

He Ran quickly propped himself up, his gaze lowering, swallowing as he asked, “Is this a D-cup already?”

Jian Xi coughed uncomfortably, “You sure have a lot of experience, huh.”

He Ran was particularly proud, “I witnessed your transformation.”

Jian Xi: “What do you mean?”

He Ran suppressed a laugh, lowered his voice, and bit her ear, saying, “The first time I touched you, it was an A-cup, I held it in one hand and deformed it. Until we got married, wife, you’ve changed two sizes in bras.”

Jian Xi: “...”

That really was quite an achievement.

He Ran didn’t dare think about the scene under the clothes, but he couldn’t help but let his thoughts wander lower.

Jian Xi watched his expression start to tighten, his chin slightly tucked, his breathing starting to quicken.

She knew this was a sign that He Ran was about to act lewd.

Just as she wanted to say, “Go take a shower first.”

She saw two streams of red slowly flowing beneath He Ran’s straight nose.

Holy crap, a bloody nose!

He Ran realized it and covered his nose, tilting his head back, “Damn!”

Jian Xi instinctively reached out to help him, “Don’t move! Let me get some tissues!”

He Ran desperately wanted to die right then and there, his macho image completely shattered.

Jian Xi led him to the bathroom, splashing some cold water on the back of his neck. At first, she managed to hold back, but later, seeing his handsome nose stuffed with a crumpled tissue, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

He Ran warned, “Jian Xi.”

“What... what’s so funny? Hahaha.”

“I’m not joking, I am getting hard!”

“Really?” Jian Xi tried to hold back, but burst out laughing again, “Sorry, I can’t help it.”

He Ran used one hand to hook her waist, pulling her close, and whispered menacingly, “Laugh one more time and see if I don’t suck you dry.”

Jian Xi raised her hands in surrender, “Alright, alright.” She blinked her eyes, seriously staring at He Ran’s nose, “I never noticed before, how easily your blood vessels burst?”

He Ran: “Of course! I’m a normal thirty-year-old man, not some celibate monk who’s crazy about wanting you!”

Jian Xi playfully threw herself at him, coquettishly complaining, “I know, I know, your bloody nose has already told me.”

He Ran chuckled and cursed, “You cheeky brat.”

Jian Xi looked up, “Is it still bleeding?”

He Ran took out the wadded tissue and wiped it with his hand, “It stopped.”

Jian Xi pursed her lips, her eyebrows dancing, whispering, “So, shall we continue?”

He Ran deliberately remained silent, acting nonchalant.

Jian Xi felt her heart itch, hugging his neck and standing on tiptoes, urging, “Hmm?”

Her hand touched He Ran’s tailbone, whispering, “… Shall I give you milk?”

He Ran’s face immediately lit up, fully agreeing, “Yes, let’s do it.”

Jian Xi closed her eyes, slightly pouting her lips, waiting for his kiss.

“I’ll go make you some egg noodles.” He Ran walked straight to the kitchen.

Jian Xi stood there dumbfounded, almost swaying.

Damn it! Who the hell wants your damn egg noodles?

After the bloody nose incident, He Ran needed time to regain his strength.

Speaking of which, Mengmeng was relatively easy to take care of. She could eat and sleep well after birth. Whenever she was hungry, she would whimper and squirm. After Jian Xi fed her and placed her in the cradle, she would fall sound asleep. Most remarkably, after midnight, she only needed to be fed once and would sleep until sunrise.

Every night, He Ran would comfort their daughter during that feeding.

After marriage, he habitually slept naked, wearing only sexy low-rise shorts, his upper body and thighs bare while holding Mengmeng.

Standing at 185 cm tall with tight muscles, especially his abs and V-line, He Ran was a classic sight. After breastfeeding, Jian Xi leaned against soft pillows, admiring the tough guy gently walking around the bedroom with their daughter in his arms.

The lotus-shaped night light emitted a suitable glow, accentuating the tattoo of scriptures on He Ran’s hips. He was careful, gentle, and loving, nurturing the little world in his arms.

Jian Xi thought He Ran’s greatest talent was showing her one happy moment after another.

After holding Mengmeng for about ten minutes, He Ran placed her back in the crib, then energetically jumped into the covers, “Holding the little one finished, now holding the big one, it’s fucking awesome!”

Jian Xi watched him affectionately, his head resting on her belly, rubbing and bumping like a spoiled puppy.

She patted this “puppy head,” “Stop rubbing upwards.”

He Ran inhaled her scent, “I’m hungry.”

Jian Xi, feeling uncomfortable by his nudging, “If you’re hungry, go downstairs and eat. Aren’t you good at making egg noodles?”

Upon hearing this, He Ran popped his head out of the covers, meaningfully saying, “Wife, I like your directness.”

With that, he pushed up with his knees and slid downwards. Jian Xi instinctively clamped her legs, “Hey!”

He Ran innocently and sincerely said, “Didn’t you tell me to go eat downstairs?”

Jian Xi: “...”

All her words were swallowed by He Ran, the familiar recipe and familiar strength.

Having restrained himself for over half a year, He Ran lacked much patience, moving like waves, fast and fierce.

Afraid of waking Mengmeng, Jian Xi could only muffle her moans. He Ran seemed to have an electric motor installed, suddenly—

“Ouch!” he cried out in pain.

Jian Xi instantly tensed up; her body, already near its peak, squeezed He Ran tightly, causing him both pain and pleasure.

He stopped moving, frowning and hissing in pain.

Jian Xi quickly sat up, “What’s wrong?”

“Don’t move.” He Ran stopped her, supporting his waist and catching his breath, “I think I sprained my back.”

Jian Xi: “...”

After a moment of silence, she couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing, pounding the bed and pillows, rolling around wrapped in the blanket.

He Ran thought, today my face is completely gone!

After Jian Xi laughed enough, she looked up with sincere eyes, “Next time, don’t move so fast. Your back has been neglected for years, and it’s not very kidney-friendly anymore.”

He Ran narrowed his eyes, “Do you really think I can’t deal with you anymore?”

Before Jian Xi could react, He Ran hooked her waist and flipped her over, placing her on his lap.

“Hey! What are you doing?” Jian Xi felt a chill run down her spine, the blanket slipping off, revealing spring scenery.

He Ran, his voice hoarse, “...Move yourself.”

———

The next day, Lu Hanxiao waited for He Ran for half an hour at a café on Jiangshan Road.

“Sorry, I’m late.” He Ran was late, dressed casually in a black T-shirt and casual pants.

Lu Hanxiao rebelled right there, “You piece of trash, I hate waiting the most!”

He Ran glanced at him, his voice indifferent, “Oh.”

As soon as Lu Hanxiao saw his face, he immediately calmed down, resting his chin and smirking, “Tsk tsk tsk, this unsatisfied old face.”

He Ran: “Idiot.”

“Buddy, is that function of yours starting to have problems?” Lu Hanxiao was concerned, “Let me tell you, thirty is the watershed for men. You need to take care of yourself, otherwise, you might get erectile dysfunction.”

“Erectile dysfunction my ass!” He Ran was annoyed, “Lu Hanxiao, can you act serious for once?”

“No, I’m crooked, I’ve grown towards the east since I was young.”

He Ran was speechless.

Listening to him chatter, “Because the sun is in the east, hahaha.”

He Ran sighed deeply, pinching his brow and rubbing it hard, truly indescribable.

Lu Hanxiao ordered coffee for him and brought up business matters.

“What do you plan to do about Yao Yizhi?”

He Ran kept his face stiff, not speaking.

Lu Hanxiao: “That person, He Qin, screwed you over. After getting your company, he became too arrogant and started messing around. Plus, he doesn’t have much business acumen, just a fourth-rate businessman. Your company has been pretty messed up these years.”

Lu Hanxiao paused for breath, saying, “Regrettable.”

Back then, He Ran aggressively aimed for going public, being so arrogant that it made people fear him.

“I had someone investigate. Yao Yizhi following He Qin hasn’t had a good life either. That man appears humble and enthusiastic on the surface, but his character is highly questionable. He messes around outside. Oh, just last year, Yao Yizhi had a miscarriage.”

He Ran leaned forward, picked up the cigarette pack on the table, and pulled one out to bite on.

He smelled the cigarette smoke, calming his mind.

He said in a low voice, “Where is she?”

Lu Hanxiao said, “Jinjing Community. He Qin has been making moves recently; he might want to move the company over here.”

He Ran didn’t say anything. He put the cigarette back into the pack and tossed the lighter onto the table.

Lu Hanxiao knew when to stop. Without prying further, they changed the topic. Enthusiastically, he introduced the coffee, “Try it. I personally ordered it for you. It’s super delicious. This barista is incredibly talented.”

He Ran didn’t even look at it, “If you choose the café next time, I’m not coming.”

“Hey, can you have some decency?” Lu Hanxiao was angry, “Drinking my coffee, looking at my handsome face, and listening to my information network. How dare you put on airs? Do you believe that next time at the kickboxing gym, I’ll kick your ass?”

He Ran sneered, “We don’t need to go to the kickboxing gym. We can fight right now outside.”

“Then I won’t.” Lu Hanxiao knew better, “You are wild and thuggish; I can’t handle you.”

Although he didn’t like drinking coffee, He Ran still took the cup as a courtesy and clinked it with Lu Hanxiao, “Don’t waste it. Cheers.”

Lu Hanxiao: “...”

After paying the bill, the two walked out of the café.

“Oh, it’s almost five o’clock. I need to go back and teach the kids how to write essays.” Lu Hanxiao left He Ran behind, “Don’t miss me too much.”

“Get lost,” He Ran couldn’t tolerate his contrasting image.

Watching his car leave, He Ran got into his car and started driving.

Jinjing Community was in the southern part of the city, a mid-range community. After the old city renovation, this area had lost its advantage.

He Ran parked by the roadside, holding the address Lu Hanxiao gave him, looking at it again and again.

Twelfth floor, 1206.

He Ran knocked on the door, “Knock, knock, knock.”

A click unlocked, the door slightly opened wider. Yao Yizhi was both surprised and eager, “He Ran!”

She was heavily made up, her hair loose behind her shoulders, still wearing high heels at home. Makeup could cover her complexion, but her spirit couldn’t be faked.

He Ran glanced at her and said, “I want to talk to you.”

“Okay, okay, let’s talk.” Yao Yizhi was delighted, quickly stepping aside, “Come in.”

He Ran stepped into the apartment. The decoration was ordinary, and the space was small.

Yao Yizhi was about to close the door.

He Ran: “Leave it open.”

Her hand paused on the door, an awkward moment passed before she regained composure, walking briskly towards him, “Sit down, on the sofa. Want something to drink? How about some wine?”

Yao Yizhi was overly enthusiastic, going to the cabinet to get the wine and casually putting on a CD.

Piano music, evoking memories.

He Ran coldly said, “No thanks, I drove here.”

Yao Yizhi’s pouring motion paused momentarily. But she continued filling the glass, raising it to her lips and gulping it down in one go.

Then she turned around with a smile, her eyes seemingly filled with water, “You finally came to see me, He Ran. I missed you so much.”

He Ran: “Stop. Remember who you are.”

Yao Yizhi shook her head, “He Qin is scum. He’s a pervert. Do you know he treats me terribly?”

He Ran: “That’s your business.”

Yao Yizhi lost control of her emotions, tears welling up in her eyes, “He Ran, I still love you, truly. I regretted it the moment we broke up. I didn’t want to lose you.”

He Ran’s voice seemed to drop in temperature, “That’s no excuse for hurting Jian Xi.”

“As soon as I saw you, I went crazy. I couldn’t bear it.”

“She was pregnant, Yao Yizhi. You’re also a woman. How could you bring yourself to do that?” He Ran held back from exploding. This matter was his biggest self-reproach and concern.

Yao Yizhi shook her head frantically, “I didn’t mean to. I was excited. I begged her to give you back to me. She fell by herself; I didn’t know anything.”

He Ran’s face tightened, as if there was blood pressing in his throat, grinding out each word: “If anything happened to her, I would definitely kill you.”

Yao Yizhi froze.

She didn’t overlook the bulging vein on He Ran’s temple.

This sacrificial tone was like a sword that seals the blood.

Yao Yizhi felt cold yet resentful, laughing to herself, her eyes filled with despair, provoking him, stabbing him, “Then why don’t you kill me? I’m standing right here. Kill me!”

The silent He Ran exuded a commanding presence. A few seconds later, the corner of his mouth suddenly curved upward, forming a shallow arc.

“As long as she exists in this world, unless she dies, even if she loses her arms or legs, or becomes disabled, I will still marry her.”

Yao Yizhi was stunned for a moment, her expression collapsing, “What if she dies!”

“Dies?” He Ran became even calmer, “Then I’ll follow her. Even if it’s hell, I’ll stand in front of her and take the oil bath for her.”

Yao Yizhi covered her head, sobbing loudly, “Then why are you here to see me!”

He Ran calmly said, “I have one question.”

Yao Yizhi gradually quieted down, looking at him with teary eyes.

He swallowed hard, as if removing a stone that had been pressing on his heart for many years.

He slowly raised his head, finally having the chance to ask, “Back then, why did you betray me?”

Yao Yizhi suddenly burst into tears, squatting on the ground, hugging herself.

He Ran lowered his gaze, softly saying, “I asked myself, I treated you with utmost kindness.”

Yao Yizhi sobbed for a long while, “It was He Qin who deceived me. He said that if I helped him steal your seal and contract, after the company adjustment, he would make me vice president and give me shares.”

He Ran’s dry lips moved, “For money.”

She shook her head, crying while speaking, “He Qin sweet-talked me, putting me on a pedestal.”

“Yao Yizhi.” He Ran squatted down, interrupting her, locking eyes with her, “Have you ever thought that if we were fine, everything I have would be yours.”

My person, my money, my future, my life.

All would be yours.

Yao Yizhi woke up as if from a dream, grabbing his hand as if it were her last lifeline, “He Ran, He Ran.”

He Ran didn’t hesitate for a second, pushing away her tightly gripping hands, standing up and said, “The road you chose, you must finish kneeling if necessary — Take care of yourself.”

His back looked like a slow-motion scene from a killing movie, frozen in the sharpest frame.

Yao Yizhi’s emotional collapse, no matter how many tears shed, the outcome was set, nothing could make this man turn back.

———

He Ran left Jinjing and sat in the car smoking a cigarette. At this moment, it seemed all matters had found their answers.

Gains and losses, in the end, he was fortunate.

Thinking of Jian Xi and Mengmeng, He Ran couldn’t help but smile. Then he checked the time and drove to Jian’s house.

An unwritten rule in the Jian family was that every Saturday there was a family dinner.

This time was unusual; Tao Xinglai also returned.

At first glance, He Ran was startled, “Oh, why have you become so thin?”

Tao Xinglai was lackluster, turning over without wanting to speak.

After feeding the baby, Jian Xi walked downstairs, quite nervously asking Tao Xinglai, “Hey, when you came home, no one followed you, right? No paparazzi took pictures, right? Quickly pull the curtains closed. Also, after eating, climb over the wall from the back and don’t use the front door.”

Tao Xinglai: “???” He was utterly miserable, “Sister, where’s your humanity? I’m almost driven mad.”

Jian Xi walked over, leisurely eating from the fruit platter on the table, “When are you bringing Qiao Shu home to meet the parents?”

“Bullshit.” Tao Xinglai was furious, “It’s all Qiao Shu’s fault. She’s acting crazy. Though falling in love with me isn’t difficult at all — but still, does she have to be so wild about it?”

He Ran didn’t understand, “Just reject her.”

Tao Xinglai felt wronged, “She’s trained. One split kick can knock me out. I can’t beat her.”

He Ran: “...”

“Hey, can you guys give me some family warmth? Especially you, Sister, show some respect for my stunning beauty, alright?”

Jian Xi carried the fruit platter and ate fresh longan, “I don’t care. Anyway, later you’ll climb over the wall from the back door.”

“This is the municipal compound. There are armed patrols. Paparazzi can’t get in.” Tao Xinglai was frustrated, “Mom! I want two drumsticks!”

Jian Xi continued eating fruit, then extended her hand to He Ran, “Husband, open your mouth.”

Thinking she was feeding him, He Ran didn’t think much and obediently complied.

Jian Xi pressed her palm against his lips, stuffing something into his mouth.

He Ran felt the texture was off and frowned, “What did you feed me?”

He spat it out and looked, “Damn! Leftover fruit pits!”

Jian Xi secretly slipped away, giggling.

He Ran grabbed her shoulder, lowering his voice, “Damn...”

Jian Xi furrowed her brows, turned her head, and issued a long warning, “Hmm? Who are you cursing?”

He Ran immediately backed down, “...Cursing myself...”

Ten minutes later, dinner began.

Jian Yanqing and He Ran ate while talking quietly. Tao Xihong served Jian Xi a bowl of fish soup. The crib was pushed nearby, and Mengmeng slept soundly inside.

Tao Xinglai savagely gnawed on a drumstick, probably imagining it as a certain Best Actress.

Just as he prepared to eat the second drumstick, he received a new text message notification on his phone —

From Qiao Shu: [Come out, I’m at your doorstep.]

Tao Xinglai threw the drumstick, freaking out!

“Shit! How did she get in!”

As if hearing his question, Qiao Shu’s text message was very timely —

[Over the wall.]