3. “Should I come up and sleep here?”

The bathroom was small, with the shower right next to the toilet, but the person was clean, so there was no unpleasant smell. On the counter, besides two bottles of shower gel and shampoo, there was only a razor.

The shower hadn’t been on for long before the bathroom was filled with steam, making Lin Xingzi feel a little short of breath. She closed her eyes, rinsed off the soap, grabbed a towel, and quickly dried herself before putting on the man’s T-shirt and stepping out.

The cold air from the air conditioner blew in from under the hem of her shirt, making her shiver. Her underwear, still dripping, hung on the balcony. Lin Xingzi didn’t see Jiang Yan, so she sat cross-legged on the sofa, looking at her phone.

About ten minutes later, Jiang Yan came out of the kitchen with two bowls of noodles, placing the one with a fried egg on top in front of Lin Xingzi.

Lin Xingzi was angry, but she was never one to deny herself. She used her chopsticks to pick up a noodle and tasted it, thinking that besides his face and his police uniform, Jiang Yan was somewhat useful. He might not be a good husband, but he cooked well.

Jiang Yan didn’t have a hairdryer. Her hair was only towel-dried after her shower. The T-shirt was wet, and the light-colored fabric showed the two raised points on her chest. The T-shirt barely covered her upper thighs, and Jiang Yan seemed to be able to see the shadow beneath the hem.

He suddenly felt thirsty.

“Why did you suddenly come over?”

“Do I have to report to you every time I go somewhere?”

“Lin Sang said you came here to work. What kind of work?”

Lin Xingzi’s uncle was the CEO of an entertainment company. After graduating and returning to China, she joined the company and worked alongside him.

It wasn’t strange for Lin Sang to come to this poor, remote place, but Lin Xingzi saying she came here to work sounded quite absurd.

“Are you interrogating a suspect?” She coughed uncontrollably, choked by the soup, her neck turning red. She looked at the corner of the wall, the floor, and outside the window, avoiding Jiang Yan’s gaze, unsure if she was hiding something or if she was angry about being exposed. “Cough, cough... can’t a person even eat? Cough...”

“Okay, I won’t ask,” Jiang Yan chuckled softly and handed her a glass.

Lin Xingzi was afraid of getting fat, so she only ate a small half-bowl. Jiang Yan waited for her to put down her chopsticks, then took the bowl and finished it in a few mouthfuls. He tidied up the kitchen, took a shower, and changed the bedsheets. Lin Xingzi was still sitting on the sofa, having opened and exited every app on her phone.

There was only one bedroom.

There was only one bed.

The air conditioner must have been several years old; it was noisy. Nearby was a dense residential area, and it wasn’t too late yet, with lights on in every home. Looking out from the balcony, you could see black underwear and bras hanging on balconies, swaying gently in the wind.

Jiang Yan finally finished his tasks and came out with a pillow. “I’ll turn up the temperature a bit so you don’t catch a cold.”

Lin Xingzi mumbled, “Whatever,” and walked into the bedroom, her slippers a few sizes too big.

Jiang Yan wasn’t asleep. When she called out the first time, he quickly sat up and strode to the door. “What’s wrong?”

Lin Xingzi was already feeling annoyed. She tossed and turned in bed. Just as she was about to fall asleep, mosquitoes buzzed in her ear, making her irritable. “There are mosquitoes!”

Jiang Yan turned on the light and entered the room, immediately seeing several red bites on her leg.

Jiang Yan found an electric mosquito swatter from the drawer, turned it on, and sat by the bed. “Go back to sleep.”

Lin Xingzi didn’t want to talk to him. She rolled over, wrapping herself in the air-conditioned quilt.

The pads of his fingers and palms, accustomed to holding a gun, were calloused. He rubbed her delicate, smooth calf intermittently, which didn’t stop the itching but made her even more agitated. She couldn’t help but kick him, telling him to turn off the light.

Jiang Yan grabbed her ankle.

“Should I come up and sleep here?”

Lin Xingzi scoffed, “Don’t dream. You wish.”

“I could have tolerated it,” Jiang Yan’s voice was a low mumble. Lin Xingzi didn’t hear what he said. She remained still, waiting for him to make a move, but the hand that was merely holding her ankle silently moved up her calf.

“What are you doing?” Lin Xingzi reacted strongly, pushing and kicking, making the bed frame shake.

The T-shirt she was wearing had ridden up to her waist when she lifted her leg to kick Jiang Yan’s shoulder, and she wasn’t wearing anything underneath.

Jiang Yan skillfully dealt with her temper, gently coaxing her, “Jiangjiang, this house has poor soundproofing,” while leaning down to kiss her. She twisted and turned to dodge, so his lips landed on her neck. He bit a piece of skin, grinding it between his teeth, only easing his pressure when he heard her cry out in pain.

He kissed his way up from the tooth marks, leaving wet trails. Lin Xingzi cursed at him in anger, and he took the opportunity to slide his tongue into her mouth. One hand lifted the wrinkled T-shirt and explored inch by inch along her waistline, grasping her full, soft breasts, and her voice softened.