Su Tangyin blinked.

The person in front of her looked at her with pale eyes. He had taken off his coat, revealing a loose black sweater underneath, his body blocking hers.

Not blue eyes.

Nothing was coiling around her waist.

“Jing?”

“Baby, it’s me.”

Jing Bo leaned down to kiss her, “Did I scare you?”

Aware that he had frightened her, his voice was especially gentle, and his kisses were much slower than before, pecking her lips and cheeks one by one. This was his usual way of comforting her.

“You… I’m fine.” Su Tangyin’s words were a bit incoherent. She pushed him gently with her arms, “Jing, get up a bit.”

He always liked to kiss her regardless of the situation.

Jing Bo moved back a bit, and fresh air rushed in, easing the inexplicable anxiety in Su Tangyin’s heart.

“Why did you turn off the lights?” She straightened up and turned on the floor lamp beside the sofa.

The floor lamp was not large, but the warm yellow light softened the outlines of their figures, making the darkness disappear. The ability to see things made her feel more relaxed.

“I saw you were asleep and didn’t want the bright light to wake you up.”

Jing Bo’s hand caressed her cheek.

His palm was smooth and white, without a single callus, unlike someone who had read so many books. Even Su Tangyin, who had written so much over the years, had some calluses on her fingers.

Though it was a loving gesture, Su Tangyin couldn’t help but shiver from the cold of his hand.

“Jing, it’s a bit cold.”

Jing Bo’s hand paused in mid-air.

He silently looked at his hand and then quietly withdrew it.

He had forgotten to warm it up. Luckily, she didn’t think too much of it.

His little wife was exceptionally smart and could easily notice something was off.

Jing Bo rubbed her tousled, soft black hair, “Baby, let’s eat.”

“…Okay.” Su Tangyin quickly got up and walked around him.

Jing Bo followed her, skillfully pulling out her chair and placing the utensils in front of her.

“Jing, I can do it myself.” Su Tangyin dodged Jing Bo’s attempt to tie her hair.

The person behind her lowered his head to look at her. He turned on the dining room light, and the halo of light spread from behind his head, highlighting his dark hair and light eyes.

Su Tangyin felt a lump in her throat. His gaze seemed off.

His pupils didn’t move, his eyelashes didn’t blink, and he just looked down at her. They stood there for several seconds, and he didn’t blink once.

This wasn’t the first time she had noticed this strange behavior.

Su Tangyin’s hand, resting on her knee, curled up, and she opened her mouth to speak, “Jing…”

“Baby, just sit down. I’m your husband; I need to take good care of you.”

Since their relationship was established, Jing Bo had always called her “baby,” and even after marriage, he continued to do so.

He casually gathered her loose hair, took a hair tie from the small drawer beside the table, and skillfully combed through her hair.

Su Tangyin felt a tingling sensation on her scalp.

For some reason, whenever she got close to Jing Bo or had physical contact with him, she felt a bit shaky. This feeling was new, and she couldn’t quite explain it, as if it was a subconscious reaction of her body.

“Baby.” Jing Bo suddenly called her, “What are you thinking about?”

He neatly tied her hair into a low bun, bent down, and rested his chin on Su Tangyin’s shoulder. His handsome face was close to her cheek, and when he turned his head slightly, his thin lips brushed against her cheek. His cool breath touched Su Tangyin’s face.

“…Nothing.”

Su Tangyin cleared her throat and picked up her chopsticks, trying to hide her discomfort, “Jing, I’m hungry. Let’s eat.”

Her neck was slightly bent, allowing her to avoid his gaze.

The sound of her sipping soup was noticeable in the quiet night. Jing Bo sat across from her.

Jing Bo’s cooking skills were excellent. The porridge he made was soft, sweet, and sticky, and he could cook almost anything Su Tangyin liked. He was a capable husband, both in the kitchen and in social settings, and he was indeed perfect.

“Baby, how have you been recently?”

His words interrupted Su Tangyin’s thoughts.

Su Tangyin’s hand paused.

She knew what he was asking about. Jing Bo was essentially asking about her mental state.

Hallucinations, paranoia, fatigue, and constant drowsiness, even if she went to bed early, the long-term tension was becoming unbearable for her.

“Jing…” Su Tangyin pursed her lips and finally spoke, “Can I move to a different place for a while?”

Jing Bo’s eyes, which were smiling, froze, and the corners of his lips drooped.

Dark mist began to spread behind him, and slippery tentacles were about to emerge, but they vanished instantly before she could notice.

His voice was a bit cold, “Why?”

Su Tangyin put down her chopsticks, “Nothing, just busy with work. I want to stay at the lab for a while.”

She wanted to try living in a different environment to see if the feeling would still persist.

Was it her mental state, or was there something wrong with this house?

Was it Jing Bo?

Her husband.

The strange atmosphere between them grew.

Jing Bo’s face lost its smile, and he didn’t seem angry, just expressionless as he looked at her.

He asked, “Is there something I’m doing wrong?”

His voice was light, as if he was probing her, or perhaps trying to gently persuade her.

Su Tangyin looked straight into his eyes, “Jing, I’m just busy with work.”

“Then quit your job.”

For a moment, Su Tangyin thought she had misheard, “What are you talking about?”

“Quit your job, baby.” Jing Bo leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on her, “I can give you the best life. You don’t need to work. If you’re bored, I can find you a more leisurely job. The lab in C City isn’t that great. Repeating those low-skilled tasks, what use is all the education you’ve had?”

“Since it’s work, why can’t you do it? The lab is tiring. Can’t we do something else?”

Su Tangyin couldn’t agree with his words.

Her eyebrows furrowed, “Jing, before we got married, you said you wouldn’t interfere with my work.”

Jing Bo nodded, “So I’m discussing it with you.”

But he clearly had no intention of discussing it.

Su Tangyin felt he was a stranger.

She didn’t know much about Jing Bo’s background, only that he was an orphan. He didn’t talk much about his past, but over time, Su Tangyin could sense that his background was more complex than he let on.

A child who grew up in an orphanage couldn’t hide the aura of nobility. His speech was refined and polite, and he spent money like water. Everything he used was the best, and he always gave her the best. Even as a top psychologist, his wealth far exceeded his current salary level.

He thought Su Tangyin wouldn’t notice, but she wasn’t foolish. She could tell that the things he bought for her, even with the labels removed, were luxury items.

It wasn’t until after they got married that the oddities began to surface.

But why hadn’t she noticed anything before they got married?

“Baby, let’s eat.”

Jing Bo broke the silence.

He took her bowl and drank the cold leftover soup, then went to the kitchen to get her a fresh bowl.

The sound of the porcelain bowl being placed on the table was just right, enough to snap Su Tangyin back to reality.

Jing Bo stood beside her, his black shadow spreading like a net under the light, enveloping her tightly.

Su Tangyin looked up at him, “Jing, I won’t quit.”

Jing Bo wasn’t surprised by her answer. He just asked, “So you’re still moving out?”

“…Just for a while.”

Just for a while, even just a week, she needed to determine if it was her mental state or something wrong with this house.

Su Tangyin said firmly, “I need to move out for a while.”

Jing Bo: “What about me?”

Su Tangyin: “…You can take care of yourself.”

“We just got married.”

“…I know.”

“Baby.” He called her suddenly.

Su Tangyin waited for him to speak, but after a long while, until her neck felt slightly sore, he still said nothing, just staring at her. The emotion in his eyes was unreadable.

Just as Su Tangyin was about to ask, he suddenly smiled, “Then go.”

Su Tangyin’s pupils constricted, and the scent of cold pine filled her nose. Jing Bo reached out and touched her eyebrows.

The coolness of his fingertips on her face was strangely ticklish.

“Jing?”

“Since you’re busy with work, you should focus on that. I was wrong just now. Baby, don’t be angry, okay?”

His lips sought hers, and he bent down, pinning her to the back of the chair, pecking her face gently.

Su Tangyin’s vision was blocked by him, and she didn’t see the black mist gradually spreading behind him.

He said again, “If you want to go, then go.”