Ayalee: Special birthday treat: 1 full chapter unlocked from each of my translations for everyone to enjoy because it’s my birthday today! Enjoy🎉

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Chapter 48

This time, Wen Tang was utterly exhausted.

As soon as it ended, she fell into a deep sleep within seconds.

The next morning, she woke up late, only to find that Zhou Jingyu had already left for work.

Inevitably, she thought about last night and angrily pounded the bed.

Zhou Jingyu was too much. He knew she couldn’t refuse him and never directly answered her question about his reluctance!

Wen Tang, renowned as a “sea king,” had managed to keep her boyfriend for nearly a month without getting him to the final step. Instead, every time Zhou Jingyu had brought her to the brink of ecstasy, she was left bewildered.

Wen Tang pounded the bed until her arms went numb, completely exhausted, before finally getting up.

Time flew by, and she had only a week left of her one-month break.

At noon, while Zhou Jingyu was busy with work, Wen Tang had the food he prepared and left in the fridge for her. She heated it in the microwave and took a photo of her meal to show Zhou Jingyu, seeking praise.

She received a compliment:

【Y: Hmm, not bad.】

Wen Tang had been lounging around at home for a month, and Zhou Jingyu had fattened her up by five pounds!

Her self-discipline as a celebrity was nowhere to be found.

Since she had already decided to leave the entertainment industry—

After stepping off the scale, Wen Tang pressed her aching chest, trying to ignore the extra five pounds.

In the afternoon, after Zhou Jingyu finished work, he took Wen Tang out for dinner.

Wen Tang had a craving for hot pot, so Zhou Jingyu arranged a private room at the hot pot restaurant. The place was crowded, and they went during peak dining hours. Despite Wen Tang wearing a mask, their striking appearances drew considerable attention.

Wen Tang paid a price for her craving.

As soon as they returned home, the hot search buzzed:

#Wen Tang First Appearance After Scandal#

Clicking through, there was a large photo of her profile as she left the hot pot restaurant. Thankfully, Zhou Jingyu, who was walking ahead and opening the car door for her, wasn’t in the frame.

Wen Tang was truly exasperated with these reporters who managed to capture her even in such a situation.

【Still haven’t heard from her lately, and here she is!】

【What? A hot pot restaurant! It’s confirmed that our Tang Tang loves hot pot, hahaha!】

【Her father betrayed her grandmother, yet she still has the heart to go out for hot pot? What a heartless person!】

【Haters, get lost! What you just learned this month has been Tang Tang’s reality for four years. Does she have to cry for four years to prove she cares for her grandmother? And it’s not her fault—why should she bear the consequences?!】

【I’m so touched to see Tang Tang doing well and enjoying hot pot. I’m thrilled. Tang Tang, don’t mind the haters!】

【We fans know how much Tang Tang has changed in these four years. Does she need to show her sadness to everyone?】

…

【She hasn’t lost weight or become haggard. She seems even plumper?】

【Looks like she’s gained some weight? Her face is so cute and chubby!】

…

Wen Tang could ignore most comments, but comments about her weight were hard to take!

…Chubby face?

Had she really gained that much weight? It was only five pounds more than before!

Wen Tang threw her phone aside and ran to the mirror to check herself out. Zhou Jingyu had just finished a phone call. After the call ended, he saw Wen Tang in the mirror, lifting her chest and pulling in her stomach, poking at her face with a troubled expression.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, puzzled as he walked over.

Wen Tang looked at him with a pained expression, blaming the person right in front of her for making her gain weight!

She couldn’t help but complain, “…It’s all your fault!”

Zhou Jingyu said nothing and wrapped his arms around her waist.

He knew Wen Tang’s temperament well—she was often spoiled and had a bit of a temper. As her boyfriend, he understood that saying more would only make things worse.

Sure enough, seeing Zhou Jingyu’s gentle demeanor made Wen Tang reluctant to stay mad at him.

After all, she was the one who loved to eat and couldn’t control her own cravings!

With only a week left before resuming work, she decided firmly to shed those extra five pounds before returning to her job.

After taking a shower, they both sat on the bed.

It was still early, so Wen Tang played a game before bed. Zhou Jingyu read beside her, and once Wen Tang finished her game, Zhou Jingyu put down his book.

“There’s a friend’s birthday party on Saturday night; he invited me.”

Zhou Jingyu told Wen Tang.

The phone call he received earlier was from Lu Yi. For almost a month, Zhou Jingyu had spent nearly all his free time with Wen Tang and hadn’t met with Lu Yi.

Lu Yi’s birthday was coming up, and a gathering was planned at a club. Given Zhou Jingyu’s relationship with Lu Yi, it was expected that he would attend.

Wen Tang responded with an “oh.”

She had been hoping to spend the last weekend of her break quietly with Zhou Jingyu.

She was about to return to work, and her phone had been ringing more frequently with calls from the company. They had arranged a new manager for her, and she needed to make time to meet them.

Meanwhile, Ke Xin and Yang Yang had returned from their hometown and would report to her soon.

Wen Tang had two scripts in hand that had not yet started filming—one was a modern idol drama she had planned to transfer to someone else, and the other was a film by Director Xu, which she had recently signed onto.

Once she finished filming the drama, she would seamlessly join the film crew. Although she had rarely acted in movies and her previous roles hadn’t made a significant impact, she was eager to take on the challenge of Director Xu’s film.

She was determined, despite her decision to leave the industry. She still felt confused, reluctant, and nostalgic. She had been in the industry since childhood, contributing a significant part of her life to it.

She had many unfulfilled dreams and goals.

Well, she thought, she would stop dwelling on it.

After Zhou Jingyu’s earlier statement, he had been silent for a while. Wen Tang turned her head, puzzled, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Zhou Jingyu sighed.

He looked down at Wen Tang and asked, “Have you ever thought about going with me?”

Wen Tang was momentarily speechless.

She really hadn’t considered it.

Because her relationships had never lasted long, she usually avoided appearing in each other’s social circles to avoid complications and awkward explanations after a breakup.

Having only been with Zhou Jingyu for a month, she hadn’t thought much deeper, simply following her usual approach of keeping distance and not intervening too much.

But clearly, her boyfriend was unhappy about this.

He still wished her good night and held her as they went to sleep. His embrace was still broad and warm, but everything felt off.

His tone was different, his expression was flat, and there were no kisses or the nightly activities that had become a routine. Even their hugs lacked the intimate, affectionate atmosphere that used to make her blush and her heart race. Everything seemed cold and distant.

Wen Tang tossed and turned in Zhou Jingyu’s arms.

She couldn’t fall asleep.

She didn’t check the time but felt like she had been awake for a long while, at least ten minutes or so.

Unable to sleep, Wen Tang looked up from Zhou Jingyu’s arms, seeing his graceful lips and closed eyes in the darkness.

She wondered if he was asleep.

She wanted to say something but held it back.

It seemed pointless to explain.

She wasn’t used to comforting her boyfriend. It was usually them who cheered her up.

After tossing and turning for a while longer, Wen Tang eventually felt sleepy and finally fell asleep.

As her breathing grew steady, she heard a sigh in the darkness.

Zhou Jingyu opened his eyes, clear and bright, showing no sign of sleepiness.

He slowly tightened his hold around Wen Tang, cherishing her until she made a soft, uncomfortable sound in her sleep. Only then did he gently loosen his embrace.

He looked down at her, understanding that she might think he was just like her previous boyfriends, treating him the same way. But he wanted more than just that. He was different from those transient figures in her past, and in time, she would come to understand this.