Before getting married, Chu Yi had discussed with Cheng Li the topic of “the first time.”

She had said that if the person was Qiao Anchen, she probably wouldn’t resist. After all, she had fantasized about his body since their first meeting.

Cheng Li had scoffed at that.

“Theory and reality are vastly different, Zai Zai. You should wait until it happens before telling me!”

Now, lying in Qiao Anchen’s arms, Chu Yi thought that she could share her actual experience with Cheng Li tomorrow.

Honestly, neither of them was very experienced, so Chu Yi’s experience wasn’t particularly great, but Qiao Anchen seemed to enjoy it somewhat.

Out of concern for her body, they had stopped after that night and rested. However, the next morning, Chu Yi was woken up by him in her sleep, frowning as she instinctively held onto him, breathing lightly.

They both ended up missing breakfast, and close to noon, Qiao Anchen finally released her, getting out of bed while Chu Yi remained lying there, her body limp and soft.

That day, Qiao Anchen didn’t feel like reading. After tidying up, he walked out of the kitchen and saw Chu Yi curled up on the sofa, playing on her iPad. Without thinking, he walked over to her.

“What are you watching?” He naturally picked Chu Yi up and placed her on his lap, hugging her from behind, his face resting against her neck.

Chu Yi, feeling flustered, nervously replied, “A comic…” She swiped her finger on the screen to show him, but Qiao Anchen only glanced at it before his attention shifted to her hands.

Those slender, white hands rested in his palm, easy to hold. It seemed like her entire being was petite, making her comfortable to embrace.

Qiao Anchen played with her hands in his palm.

Chu Yi couldn’t focus on the comic at all, feeling completely overwhelmed by him. Fortunately, Qiao Anchen soon received a phone call, apparently from someone at the prosecutor’s office, and went to the study to discuss work.

Chu Yi breathed a sigh of relief, clutching her chest.

If this continues, her heart might not be able to handle the strain.

In Lan City, there’s a tradition where newlyweds return to the bride’s family three days after the wedding, which also marked the last day of Qiao Anchen’s vacation.

Early in the morning, the two of them got up to pack things—gifts, fruits, and some small items—before Chu Yi changed clothes to leave.

The person in the mirror had a rosy complexion, and her eyebrows and eyes seemed to carry a hint of springtime joy. She thought about what had happened over the past two days and, feeling a bit shy, walked away.

Qiao Anchen had already finished packing and was waiting for her by the car. The two houses were not far apart, only about a half-hour drive. As they entered the door with their things, they were warmly welcomed by her parents.

While Qiao Anchen and Chu Tian exchanged pleasantries, Chu Yi was pulled aside by her mother, Wen Fang, who grabbed her hand and led her to her room.

“Daughter, tell me honestly, what do you think of Qiao Anchen?” Wen Fang’s eyes were fixed on Chu Yi’s face, studying her closely.

Chu Yi was puzzled. “He’s very good.”

“Did you two do that… that thing?” Wen Fang asked mysteriously, lowering her voice, her face full of curiosity.

Chu Yi suddenly realized what she meant, and her face turned bright red, embarrassed and flustered.

“Mom! How can you ask that?”

“Why not? I’m your mother. I just want to make sure you’re okay. If it’s your first time, you might not know what to do, and I can give you some pointers…”

“No need! We’re fine!”

After lunch, they said their goodbyes and left. Chu Yi’s face was still flushed. Qiao Anchen, who was driving and paying attention to the road, glanced at her occasionally.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Chu Yi covered her face, replying in a muffled voice.

“Your face is very red. Are you feeling feverish?” Qiao Anchen asked, concerned. Seeing her expression, he reached out to touch her forehead, but Chu Yi quickly dodged his hand.

“No, I’m just a little hot.” She fanned herself with her hand, forcing a smile. Qiao Anchen thought for a moment and then turned the car’s air conditioning to the lowest setting.

The cold air rushed in, and within moments, the temperature inside the car became chilly. Chu Yi, who had worn a short dress to look nice, now touched her bare arm and sneaked a glance at Qiao Anchen.

The man in her view was wearing a long-sleeved shirt, calmly holding the steering wheel, and seemed completely unaffected by the cold.

When the car stopped, and she stepped outside, the sudden blast of hot air made Chu Yi shiver.

The inside had been so cold, and she was too embarrassed to mention it. She had thought it would only be for a short while, so she endured it, but it got colder and colder as they went on.

Chu Yi couldn’t help but sniffle, feeling a kind of unspoken bitterness.

Whether it was due to the alternating cold and heat or something else, Chu Yi woke up the next morning feeling heavy-headed and groggy.

Qiao Anchen had gone back to work early, and Chu Yi didn’t even notice.

The house was empty and quiet. After a simple breakfast, she lay on the sofa, feeling weak, and sent him a message.

“I’m sick.”

She added a sad, pitiful emoji. Qiao Anchen didn’t reply right away, so Chu Yi turned off her phone and placed it on her chest, thinking he was probably too busy to check his messages.

She waited until noon before finally receiving a message, a very familiar phrase:

“Is it serious? Drink more hot water and get some rest.”

“…”

Chu Yi stared at the phone for a long time, in disbelief. She opened Weibo and found a post by a blogger ranting about clueless boyfriends, with the top comment being about “drinking more hot water.”

She copied the link and sent it to Qiao Anchen.

A few seconds later.

Qiao Anchen: “?”

He only replied with a simple question mark, and Chu Yi’s anger almost boiled over. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, but she couldn’t bring herself to type anything, taking deep breaths to calm down.

But soon after, he sent a long message.

“The principle of drinking warm water to treat a cold: Warm water can stimulate the body to sweat, accelerating metabolism and increasing the hemoglobin content in the blood. It can also increase urination frequency, helping to flush out inflammatory substances from the body. Regularly drinking warm water helps prevent colds, throat infections, strokes, heart attacks, and certain skin conditions.”

It was obviously something he had googled, and Chu Yi felt a lump in her throat, frustrated yet unable to express it. Then, Qiao Anchen added another sentence:

“So, there’s scientific evidence for drinking hot water. But if you don’t get better soon, you should see a doctor and take medicine.”

“Since it’s only your first day, I suggest you drink more hot water.”

His wording was so serious, as if he were discussing an academic topic, that Chu Yi could almost picture his stern and focused expression on the other end.

It felt like a balloon that had been full of air had just been pricked, deflating her anger completely.

Chu Yi threw her phone aside and collapsed onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

…Someone, please come and save her.