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Pei Yu’s kneeling posture was overly solemn, making Chen Shu Yin feel that something was off.
Although there were only the two of them in the private room, the grand gesture he was making was filled with an air of conspiracy. Sensing an opportunity, Chen Shu Yin quickly covered his mouth.
“Don’t say it.”
Pei Yu’s lips were pressed firmly against her palm. The scent of orange blossom and coconut milk drifted into his nose, leaving him momentarily dazed.
For a moment, he couldn’t bring himself to push her hand away.
Seeing that he wasn’t resisting, Chen Shu Yin found it strange. She retracted her hand, hiding it behind her.
“I have things to do. Goodbye—forever!”
She turned to leave, only to be completely enveloped in his arms. Pei Yu’s once-dazed gaze sharpened as he locked eyes with her.
“Why are you running? I came to apologize.”
“A-Apologize?”
“I’m sorry.”
Rare. Truly rare.
Chen Shu Yin had thought she would never hear the words “I’m sorry” from Pei Yu in this lifetime.
She even blew some air into her ears, making sure she hadn’t misheard. Pei Yu repeated the words again.
“?!” Chen Shu Yin poked his shoulder with her index finger, grinning with doubt.
“You don’t have a fever, do you?”
“Chen Shu Yin,” Pei Yu called her name sternly. “Can’t you take me seriously for once?”
“You went through all this just to…” Chen Shu Yin absentmindedly fiddled with a flower petal on the table, still finding it unbelievable.
Pei Yu remained kneeling, looking up at her, his gaze drifting downward along her slender wrist.
“What do you think I was going to do?”
“Swear—”
What was she expecting? His apology was so dramatic it felt like a confession.
She immediately backtracked.
“Swear loyalty.”
If she liked something, he would go along with it.
If she hated something, he would sincerely apologize.
For him, apologizing to the one he loved had to be as grand as a confession—only then would it be sincere.
Pei Yu pressed a button in his palm, and jasmine petals cascaded from the ceiling like soft clouds falling, immersing them in a white dream. His deep voice resonated, blending into the rain of flowers.
The sweet scent of jasmine filled the spacious room, blanketing the area in a soft white haze. Chen Shu Yin opened her palm, catching a few intact blossoms.
Like a magician, Pei Yu pulled out a bouquet of delicate pink roses from behind him. His serious expression made it seem as if he was carrying out a sacred ritual, but his words…
“Come home with me, will you? I promise you’ll never have to use your hands again.”
Chen Shu Yin snapped back to reality, her thoughts yanked back to that night’s hazy, lust-filled atmosphere.
This bastard…
“I thought you were here to sincerely apologize!”
Pei Yu raised an eyebrow, confused by her stormy reaction.
“What part of this isn’t sincere?”
“I had already forgotten!” Chen Shu Yin tucked her feet under her chair, face taut with frustration. “Men really only compromise when it comes to their desires!”
Pei Yu straightened, realizing that trying to reason with her in a normal way was a lost cause. He smirked, both confused and amused.
“Wife, that’s not how you judge these things.”
“Every time we did it, I always made sure to satisfy you first. I never let you use your hands. The first time, you were even playing with it in your hand, and I asked why you were so skilled—”
Chen Shu Yin’s pale face flushed red.
Pei Yu paused, remembering how unskilled she had seemed last time. The words caught in his throat.
“Unless… you want me to say, ‘I promise I’ll never let you help me masturbate when I’m not in a clear state of mind’—”
Before he could finish, Chen Shu Yin stood on tiptoe and clamped both hands over his mouth.
“Can’t you filter your words before speaking?” She was shocked by his bluntness.
Speaking muffled through her hands, he chuckled, “I just don’t want you to misunderstand me again.”
Her palm tingled from his warmth. She quickly retracted her hands and exaggeratedly wiped them off.
“If you won’t accept my apology, that’s fine.”
Pei Yu grabbed her hand and pressed it against his chest, ensuring she could feel his strong, steady heartbeat.
“Then it’s your turn to make up for the harm you’ve done to me.”
Within a minute, Pei Yu’s frustration had taken physical form.
Chen Shu Yin knew he wouldn’t be able to maintain his act for long. She raised her chin defiantly, the two stray hairs atop her head sticking up like the horns of a stubborn calf ready to fight.
“How did I hurt you?”
Pei Yu, now free to argue, casually placed his broad palm over the back of her hand, tracing circles on his chest with her fingertip.
“First, you seduced me with words, deceived me, making me think you loved me so deeply that you couldn’t live without me—only to later claim that you could never possibly like me.”
“Second, you left your newlywed husband alone in an empty house for days. Adding those together, the conclusion is clear—you’re toying with and hurting my feelings.”
Chen Shu Yin gawked. She almost wanted to clap and give him the “Best Debater” award.
“I’ve said it many times, but you just won’t believe me. I never liked you. I have no idea why I acted that way in the surveillance footage… Maybe I was possessed.”
In this love war Pei Yu had started, Chen Shu Yin was clearly losing.
She had no solid argument to refute him.
“Doesn’t it seem strange to you?” she asked. “After fighting with you for years, I suddenly confess my love, and you just believe it?”
Pei Yu’s sharp eyes glinted, about to unleash another retort. She raised a hand, stopping him.
“I can prove I’m telling the truth.”
“Call in a waiter. No, call several.”
Pei Yu pressed the service bell and leaned against the wall, waiting for her performance.
She lined up the waiters and spoke bluntly, “I’m from three years in the future—”
The moment she began speaking, time seemed to freeze.
The waiters’ eyes stopped moving, and when she finished, they blinked in unison.
Chen Shu Yin asked, “Did you hear what I just said?”
The waiters all shook their heads.
Pei Yu’s nonchalant expression finally cracked. He walked up to her.
“Say it again.”
Chen Shu Yin repeated, “I’m from three years in the—”
She had barely spoken when the waiters’ faces froze once more.
Pei Yu’s expression darkened. He stepped closer, voice commanding.
“Repeat what she just said to me.”
The waiters all shook their heads again. “She didn’t say anything.”
Pei Yu’s face stiffened. He waved a hand, dismissing them.
“See? Now do you believe me?” Chen Shu Yin shrugged. “Whenever I mention time travel, people automatically ignore it. Only you can hear me.”
She crossed her arms. “So, don’t worry. Even if I were to toy with someone’s feelings, it wouldn’t be yours.”
“We’re in the same boat now. If we figure this out, we can both be free.”
Pei Yu ignored her words, his gaze unreadable.
After a moment, he let out a soft chuckle.
“Chen Shu Yin, you’re just a coward who won’t own up to your actions.”