Chapter 25: Accusation

Wen Shuyu sat on the bed in her room, her words spilling out uncontrollably.

“You’re always playing dirty. Even with our marriage, you said we’d stay out of each other’s way. But you kissed me—my first kiss, no less! How did it end up in your hands? I wasn’t ready at all.”

Her speech, softened by the alcohol, lacked her usual assertiveness. Her lips, slightly parted, glistened with the remnants of beer, their natural redness more vivid and tender than usual.

It was like a honeyed sponge cake—irresistible, begging to be bitten.

Even her complaints had a certain adorable charm.

Jiang Huaiyu narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze dropping to the faint blush on her face. “So what if I got it?”

He knew that even if she wanted to, she wouldn’t have given it to anyone else.

Wen Shuyu turned her head, murmuring softly, “It’s nothing… I just never thought I’d give it to you.”

When Wen Shuyu said those words, Jiang Huaiyu wasn’t angry. She hadn’t planned on giving him her first kiss, but he’d still taken it.

The process didn’t matter—the end result was what mattered.

It was the same with their marriage. She hated him, never considered him, but they still ended up married.

The man before her leaned in slowly, whispering in her ear, “Who were you planning to give it to, then?”

He knew exactly what he was doing—his crisp breath brushing against her neck, laced with mockery.

Wen Shuyu puffed out her cheeks. “I never thought about giving it to anyone. You men are all the same, no good.”

Jiang Huaiyu, for once on the receiving end of an insult, shook his head with a smirk. He raised the detox tea in his hand, then casually smiled. “Wife, I haven’t done anything bad to you yet.”

“What could you possibly do that’s worse?” Wen Shuyu shot back, instinctively trusting him.

Jiang Huaiyu extended his hand, setting the detox tea down on the nearby table. He leaned closer, his eyes narrowing as he looked down at her from above. “What do you think?”

The topic was clearly heading in a familiar direction—don’t even think about touching me, she thought.

Wen Shuyu picked up the tea and downed it in one go. “Boring.”

“After doing it, you’ll know whether it’s boring or interesting.”

Luckily, Jiang Huaiyu didn’t push the matter any further.

While he went to the bathroom, Wen Shuyu took the opportunity to explore his room—a standard double bedroom with a large bed. On the nightstand, a few boxes of condoms and other… adult items were clearly on display.

Her cheeks, which had cooled earlier, flushed red once again.

They were legally married, after all. Reaching this stage was normal.

As the sound of water ran in the bathroom, Wen Shuyu picked up her phone and returned to her room.

Before she left, she wrote a note on the bedside paper: “Mr. Jiang, you lose—accept your fate!” and added a playful doodle of a ghost face.

When Jiang Huaiyu finished his shower and emerged, the sight of his empty room made him laugh in frustration. “Little wild fish, running off so fast?”

He’d gone to the trouble of preparing detox tea, and now that the alcohol had worn off, she was acting like a stranger.

A fish caught in a net, only to slip away.

Luckily, Wen Shuyu had left her room card in her bag, and when he heard the door open, Meng Man stepped over, unfastening the security chain. “What are you doing back here so soon?”

Wen Shuyu shrugged. “Just came back to sleep.”

Meng Man raised an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you two still haven’t slept together?”

“Nope,” Wen Shuyu replied quickly, not feeling the need to hide anything from a familiar face.

Meng Man took a long look at her.

A stunningly beautiful face, lightly powdered with makeup, with almond-shaped eyes sparkling and cheeks flushed with a soft rosy hue.

She couldn’t help but sigh, “Jiang Huaiyu really can hold himself back. With a wife as beautiful as you, and he’s still not moved?”

“Well, we’ve known each other since we were kids. We’ve grown tired of the sight of each other,” Wen Shuyu muttered.

Her alcohol buzz was wearing off, and she remembered how she had called Jiang Huaiyu “Huaiyu-ge” earlier—now she just wanted to disappear. Drinking always made her lower her guard.

She had even confessed her first kiss to him. Now he must be feeling quite smug.

She’d never be able to keep her defenses up in front of him.

The next day, Jiang Huaiyu remained in the hotel for the law firm’s team-building event, which somehow added an extra person.

On the first floor of the hotel, Wen Shuyu spotted Jiang Huaiyu. “You’ve finished your business, you can head home now.”

Her irritation was practically written on her face.

Jiang Huaiyu gave a noncommittal shrug. “I’m staying with my wife. Everything else can wait.”

As evening fell, the law firm held a beach volleyball match. Teams were formed—Wen Shuyu and Jiang Huaiyu together, while Meng Man and Cheng Xianzhi were another pair.

“Let’s do this.”

“Let’s do this.”

The two men exchanged polite fist bumps, but their eyes locked with silent tension—like sparks waiting to fly.

If there had been a picture, there would have been fireworks.

At first, the game was tame, everyone casually hitting the ball. But somewhere along the way, the mood changed. It became competitive, with each attack hitting with full force.

Even colleagues who weren’t playing were drawn in, watching the match with bated breath.

Unable to keep up with the two men, Wen Shuyu and Meng Man opted to sit out.

Meng Man waved her hand. “I’m tired. You two play.”

Wen Shuyu sighed. “I’m tired too.”

They watched as the men became more intense, the game transforming from a friendly match into a full-blown battle.

It was a game of volleyball, but somehow, they had turned it into something fierce and dramatic.

Wen Shuyu muttered, “I feel bad for the ball.”

Meng Man nodded. “Me too.”

It was as if the ball had become their outlet for pent-up aggression, slamming into the sand, leaving deep marks in the process.

Wen Shuyu’s gaze followed the ball. “What’s up with Lawyer Cheng? He’s never been like this before.”

The usually polite and gentle man had completely changed.

Meng Man sighed, “It’s probably the competitive nature of men.”

A crowd had gathered around, splitting into two factions, cheering them on.

The game was now a full-on spectacle, with no clear winner in sight.

Jiang Huaiyu made one final powerful hit, and the ball smashed into a rock, bouncing off dramatically.

The game finally came to an end.

No one bothered to keep score, but the sand was littered with deep impressions, evidence of their fierce competition.

Jiang Huaiyu walked up to Wen Shuyu, his black hair damp with sweat. He held out his hand. “Wife, water.”

Wen Shuyu handed him the bottle she had been drinking from, then gave Cheng Xianzhi a fresh one.

Hidden from their view, Jiang Huaiyu quietly smirked.

He tipped his head back, drinking down a bottle of water, with droplets trickling down his neck, disappearing into his chest.

Meng Man waved her hand in front of Wen Shuyu. “Yuyu, you’re staring at your husband, aren’t you?”

Wen Shuyu blinked, snapping out of her daze. “No, just thinking about something.”

She had seen Jiang Huaiyu’s body before—he had that muscular, toned build. The water droplets, now sliding down his chest, were more than enough to catch anyone’s attention.

“I wonder what it feels like to touch.”

The thought quickly faded from their mind. After all, they were merely a “plastic” couple—one bound by a fleeting kiss, nothing more.

The team-building event was nearing its end, and the office organized a bonfire party for the evening.

Jiang Huaiyu had changed into a simple white T-shirt, clean and crisp, giving him an air of youthful innocence.

It was almost like returning to his teenage years.

The task of grilling fell to the two men.

When Wen Shuyu returned from a phone call, she saw Jiang Huaiyu and Cheng Xianzhi sitting at a table, chatting face-to-face.

It was… unexpected.

“Mr. Jiang, you seem quite relaxed,” Cheng Xianzhi remarked lazily. “Looks like no one’s keeping an eye on you.”

He threw in a teasing jab, noticing Wen Shuyu walking back.

Jiang Huaiyu tugged at the corner of his lips. “Not bad. I do have time to accompany my wife,” he added with pride. “After all, Cheng lawyer doesn’t have a wife, so he wouldn’t understand.”

He tilted his head slightly. “But I’m curious… what exactly is Cheng lawyer’s inexplicable reason for acting like this?”

Feelings could be difficult to explain. Their first glance had sparked an unspoken connection, deepened by knowing they were in a “plastic marriage,” but now there was also a hint of reluctance.

Cheng Xianzhi, with a subtle smile, skillfully turned the question around. “Same as yours.”

An answer that said nothing.

They sat from a distance, the night breeze strong by the sea. Wen Shuyu couldn’t hear their conversation, but judging by their expressions, it didn’t seem like good news.

Meng Man leaned in. “Was your husband always this childish?” The underlying dig at Cheng Xianzhi was clear.

Wen Shuyu took a bite of her chicken wing, shaking her head. “No, he’s always been composed.”

But then, something came to mind, and she let out a soft laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Meng Man asked.

Wen Shuyu wiped her mouth and began reminiscing. “Well, actually, he used to be pretty childish. Back in sixth grade, a boy in our class liked me. I turned him down, but it didn’t matter. He said that liking me was his business, and whether I accepted or not was mine. He kept sending me food, which I refused. I even told the teacher, but it was no use. Jiang Huaiyu had a word with him, but nothing worked. Guess how it finally ended?”

She continued, a mischievous glint in her eye:

“Jiang Huaiyu somehow found out the boy loved bicycles, so he quietly went and removed the inner tubes from all of his bikes—his favorite one included. He threatened him that if he didn’t stop bothering me, he’d take the wheels off the other one, too.”

“And,” Wen Shuyu added, “that boy was terrified of spiders, so Jiang Huaiyu caught one and put it in his pencil case.”

Meng Man’s eyes widened. “That’s simple, just beat him up!”

It was hard to believe Jiang Huaiyu was capable of such actions.

Wen Shuyu twirled a strand of hair around her pinky finger. “Jiang Huaiyu said he’s a civilized man, not one to use force. He had to deal with it the civilized way.”

This aligned with Meng Man’s view of Jiang Huaiyu.

“That’s pretty childish, though. Who puts spiders in a pencil case just to get a girl’s attention?”

“Who says it wasn’t?” Wen Shuyu’s gaze stayed fixed on the two men, who were sprinkling chili powder on the chicken wings.

They had emptied one bottle and were already opening another.

Meng Man shook her head. “So, when did he change?”

Wen Shuyu sighed, recalling, “I can’t quite remember. If it wasn’t for today’s volleyball game, I might have forgotten about that childish side of him altogether.”

“It was probably after he had an argument with his father in middle school. He just… changed.”

That incident had become blurry in Wen Shuyu’s memory, but she clearly remembered how close she was to Jiang Huaiyu back then, even confronting his father on his behalf. After that, Jiang Huaiyu threw himself into his studies and, at the most rebellious age, learned to be composed.

He never went through a rebellious phase.

As they opened the fifth bottle of chili sauce, Wen Shuyu stood up. “I’m going to buy something.”

She headed toward the commercial street.

About 20 minutes later, she returned with two plastic bags in hand.

The chili sauce on the table was all gone, a few empty bottles lying around, and both men’s cheeks were flushed, sweat pouring down their foreheads.

From what Wen Shuyu knew, Jiang Huaiyu couldn’t handle spicy food, and Cheng Xianzhi was a mystery.

Tonight’s chili sauce was bought by a colleague—a yellow lantern pepper. It didn’t look spicy, but it packed a punch.

Wen Shuyu handed a plastic bag to Cheng Xianzhi, an apologetic look on her face. “Cheng lawyer, I got you some stomach medicine.”

Jiang Huaiyu clutched his stomach and stood up. “What about me?”

“What about you?” Wen Shuyu tilted her head, feigning ignorance.

She remembered to buy medicine for the other man, but forgot about him. Jiang Huaiyu replied indifferently, “Nothing.”

The night was deep, the sea was pitch black, and lights dotted the distance as returning ships sailed into the harbor.

The other colleagues were heading back to rest, leaving just the four of them.

Wen Shuyu turned to Meng Man. “Sister, please look after Cheng lawyer.”

Meng Man gave her an “OK” sign. “Don’t worry.”

As they walked back from the beach to their room, Jiang Huaiyu followed Wen Shuyu like a child who had done something wrong, not uttering a word.

Wen Shuyu, while boiling water, scolded him. “You can’t handle spicy food, yet you compete with others in eating chili? How childish can you get?”

He was already over twenty, and still competing with others like a kid.

“I’m not childish,” Jiang Huaiyu retorted, his height advantage giving him the edge in a childish comparison.

Wen Shuyu prepared two cups of water, tested the temperature, and handed him a pill. “Here.”

At the bottom of the bag, Jiang Huaiyu spotted some corn candy—his secret weapon to get Wen Shuyu to take medicine when they were young.

Only the two of them knew that secret.

Not even their parents.

The heaviness in his heart that had been there all night suddenly lifted. The clouds cleared, and in Wen Shuyu’s presence, he was still different.

Wen Shuyu put the medicine box down. “I’m heading back.”

No lingering attachment, she left as soon as she said it.

Just as she turned around, Jiang Huaiyu grabbed her wrist, pulling her into his arms. “Yuyu, you’re not leaving tonight. We have to settle the score from last night.”

Wen Shuyu looked up, her voice firm: “Last night, you lost. You owe me three wishes.”

“I’ll repay you,” Jiang Huaiyu replied, but his tone carried a teasing edge. “But the score for you running away early also needs to be settled.”

Their eyes locked, and their positions were strange—Wen Shuyu was half-pressed against Jiang Huaiyu, and in an instant, they both collapsed onto the couch.

The atmosphere quickly shifted to something intimate and charged.

Jiang Huaiyu’s gaze lingered on her lips as his hand rested at the back of her head. He leaned in, wanting to kiss her.

She was trapped by his gaze, feeling desire simmer in his eyes, but even more than that, she felt a pull from within, urging her to stay still, to not pull away.

In fact, she found herself wanting to move closer, to meet him halfway.

But just as their lips were about to touch, a sharp, jarring ringtone shattered the silence. Wen Shuyu scrambled, finding her phone wedged in the couch cushions.

“Mom?” the screen displayed. Wen Shuyu quickly answered the call, her mother’s frantic voice echoing in the receiver. “Yuyu, is Huaiyu with you?”

Wen Shuyu glanced at Jiang Huaiyu. “Yeah, what’s wrong?”

She switched to speakerphone.

Her mother’s voice crackled with urgency. “Your dad and I had a huge argument. It’s bad. You both need to come back quickly. I’m going out for a while to clear my head.”

Jiang Huaiyu sighed, his voice calm. “Got it. Don’t worry, Mom. We’ll be home soon.”

Wen Shuyu slid off Jiang Huaiyu’s lap and stood, the charged atmosphere gone in an instant.

It was normal for couples to argue, but it was rare for them to storm out at night like this.

She filled Meng Man in on the situation before they hurried to the airport.

In the taxi, streetlights passed in a blur as Wen Shuyu held Jiang Huaiyu’s hand, trying to soothe him. “It’s going to be okay.”

He gave a small shrug. “It’s fine. I’ve gotten used to it. When things are good, they’re really good, but when we fight, it’s fierce.”

After a moment, Jiang Huaiyu added, “Do you think… do you think Dad might have… a mistress? And Mom found out?”

Wen Shuyu tilted her head slightly, studying his expression. She shook her head. “No way. Your dad can be strong-headed, but he’s not that reckless.”

Given their families’ long history, Wen Shuyu knew Jiang Huaiyu’s father well.

“Then it’s fine. Don’t worry,” Jiang Huaiyu squeezed her hand. “It’s not the worst-case scenario, so everything else is manageable.”

They couldn’t enjoy the famed nightscape of the port city, but they were just in time for their flight.

By 4 a.m., they landed in South City, heading straight for the villa.

The two villas stood silent, but before they boarded the plane, Wen Shuyu’s mother had texted that she had calmed things down for now, telling them not to rush back.

Jiang Huaiyu gently coaxed Wen Shuyu, “Go to sleep. We’ll talk about it in the morning.”

After a long, restless night, Wen Shuyu fell asleep in Jiang Huaiyu’s arms.

When the sun rose, the two of them reluctantly got up at nine, finding Jiang’s mother and Wen’s mother in the living room doing yoga, chatting and laughing without a trace of tension.

Jiang’s mother turned, seeing them holding hands, and smiled. “Yuyu, you made them rush home in the middle of the night.”

Wen Shuyu ran over, wrapping her arms around Jiang’s mother. “Mom, what’s going on?”

Instead of answering, Jiang’s mother asked, “How’s Huaiyu treating you?”

She gently patted Wen Shuyu’s head, like a mother would to her own daughter.

Wen Shuyu glanced at Jiang Huaiyu, who was heading out the door, a small smile on her lips. “He’s been good.”

In their plastic marriage, Jiang Huaiyu was better than many real husbands.

Jiang’s mother gave her arm a reassuring pat. “That’s good. Your dad wants Huaiyu to take over the company, but I disagree. We had a big fight about it.”

Wen Shuyu knew about this—it had been an argument she had once fought with Jiang’s father over.

“He only wants to work in healthcare, remember? That was the plan, years ago.”

It had been a huge family argument, even when they were only fourteen. Jiang’s father had opposed Jiang Huaiyu pursuing medicine, even confiscating his basketball and his collection of memorabilia.

Later, Wen Shuyu had secretly retrieved them.

She had stood up to Jiang’s father, and though she won the argument, Jiang’s father, with his heavy-handed attitude, had raised the issue again after all these years.

Jiang’s mother sighed. “So, this time, I’m going to have to deal with his temper once and for all.”

Wen Shuyu now understood. To settle things completely, they needed a resolution.

Pulling Wen Shuyu aside, Jiang’s mother lowered her voice, “I know your marriage isn’t real, but Huaiyu… he’s better than you think. You two should make it work.”

She couldn’t say much more—she had promised Huaiyu she wouldn’t reveal his feelings for Wen Shuyu.

Wen Shuyu nodded seriously. “We will.”

Jiang Huaiyu returned from his meeting with his father, and found Wen Shuyu sitting on a swing in the yard.

As soon as she saw him, she jumped off the swing and rushed towards him, her face filled with worry and concern.

She understood his struggles, his sadness—she knew it all.

Without a word, Jiang Huaiyu enveloped Wen Shuyu in his arms, his grip tightening as he sought comfort.

Wen Shuyu softly stroked his back. “Don’t worry. If it comes to it, I’ll argue with Dad again. I won when I was fourteen, and I can do it again.”

That argument, from when they were fourteen, had changed Jiang Huaiyu’s life forever. Neither of them would ever forget it.

Jiang Huaiyu’s voice was thick with emotion as he spoke, “Wife… thank you. Thank you for always being by my side. Will you leave me?”

Wen Shuyu pressed her lips together, holding him tighter. “No, I won’t.”

“No, never,” Wen Shuyu’s hand gently stroked his, comforting him.

It was like when they were kids, as if she were saying, “Don’t be afraid, don’t worry.”

Listening to her soothing voice, Jiang Huaiyu couldn’t hold back any longer. Ignoring the fact that they were still in the yard, he lowered his head and kissed Wen Shuyu.

His lips were burning hot, slowly caressing hers with tender softness. Her heart raced wildly, then stopped dead in her chest as she felt the heat of his breath against her skin.

They kissed, lost in the moment, forgetting they were out in the yard, forgetting their parents were inside the house.