Chapter 24

At six in the morning, Youyi was woken up by Fu Cheng.

“Time for a morning run,” Fu Cheng pulled her arm and easily lifted her up, but Youyi was too sleepy to open her eyes.

“Why do we have to run in the morning?” Youyi mumbled, “I prefer running at night.”

The sunset and the sunrise are the same, and running at night isn’t much different from running in the morning.

Fu Cheng, standing beside her, replied, “Ding Youyi, it’s a requirement from my grandfather: wake up at six, run for an hour, or face punishment.”

It was the rule.

Youyi woke up in shock.

She opened her mouth slightly, still groggy, and responded, “Okay.”

Not far from the alley, there was a large wetland park nearby, spanning thirty square kilometers, with fifteen square kilometers being water.

Running here in the morning made the air feel especially refreshing.

Fu Cheng could run fast, but he adjusted his pace to match Youyi’s.

“When running, keep your head up, chest out, lean forward, and breathe from your abdomen. Sprint for five minutes, jog for two.”

Fu Cheng instructed, “Now, pick up the pace.”

Youyi listened to him.

In the past, running five kilometers was a struggle for her, but now running for an hour meant covering much more than that.

Out of breath, Youyi tried her best to stay steady.

“Can I… take a break?”

Youyi reached out for Fu Cheng’s hand, her fingers lightly gripping his, and pleaded, “Just two minutes.”

Fu Cheng didn’t stop. He only said, “If this were the army unless ordered to stop, you absolutely couldn’t.”

“But we’re not in the army,” Youyi countered. “And I’m not one of your soldiers.”

Fu Cheng asked, “Then what are you?”

“I…” Youyi’s words got caught in her throat.

She remembered that day when Fu Cheng was on the phone, referring to her as “his wife.”

That was her first reaction.

Forget it. Better to keep running.

The golden sunrise reflected off the lake, its surface sparkling. Youyi managed to run for another half hour before squatting down, claiming her leg was cramping.

“Really,” Youyi sat on a bench by the roadside, lifting her pant leg as she winced from the pain, leaning down to rub her ankle.

When it came to training, Fu Cheng never softened.

The soldiers under his command feared his iron-fisted methods. Even if they were exhausted, they had to obey orders.

Orders were orders.

That’s why, ever since Fu Cheng became an officer, he was known as the “Western China Tiger.”

His tall figure stood in front of her, his gaze indifferent. Just when it seemed he was about to treat her like one of his soldiers, Fu Cheng let out a soft sigh.

He softened.

Even though it wasn’t like him at all, the moment he crouched down in front of Youyi, he realized he had a soft spot for her.

Always would.

For someone as gentle as water, he could never say harsh words or bring himself to be truly hard-hearted.

Fu Cheng rolled up her pant leg and placed his large hand on her calf. His massaging technique was always on point, and Youyi watched his fingers, suddenly realizing that she had grown fond of the calluses on his hands.

In the past, she thought Fu Cheng was a very stern man. But now, Youyi understood that no matter how fierce or how angry he became, he would always be gentle with her.

He was different from everyone else.

“Can you rub here as well?” Youyi extended her hand toward him.

Her tone had a hint of playfulness.

It was the first time she had ever spoken to him like that.

Fu Cheng paused for a moment, then stood up and took her fingers into his hand.

He sat down beside her, placing her small hand in his left palm, covering it with his right, and massaged each of her fingers, one by one.

Youyi sighed softly in relief.

At that moment, many words related to muscles, ligaments, and joints flashed through her mind—likely because she had been studying anatomy too intently. As she gazed at Fu Cheng’s hands, she wondered if his body was somehow different from everyone else’s.

As a medical student, such thoughts were ridiculous. Yet she couldn’t help but think there might be a possibility.

Otherwise, how could every part of Fu Cheng be so perfect?

Yes… every part.

Youyi had never paid much attention to these things before. In her twenty years of mundane life, she had never even considered what it meant to enjoy herself.

But after meeting Fu Cheng, he made her experience comfort like never before, gradually awakening her desire for him.

The natural attraction between people found its fullest expression and explanation in her and Fu Cheng.

She loved being pressed under him, hearing him call her name, and asking her if she still wanted more.

Even though she knew he wouldn’t give in to her, he always asked, his voice low, coaxing her into admitting it.

And then, he’d embrace her tightly.

“When did you buy this bracelet?” he asked as he finished massaging her and moved on to her other hand. Noticing the bracelet on her wrist, Youyi suddenly asked.

“I bought it specifically for you,” Fu Cheng replied.

The day she was upset and ignored him, he had thought of a way to make her happy. He went to the mall and carefully picked out a gift for her.

He knew the size of her wrist well, so the bracelet fit perfectly.

“Thank you,” Youyi said. “I really like it.”

Receiving a gift always brought joy, especially when it was something she genuinely liked.

After massaging both hands, Fu Cheng asked, “Anywhere else?”

Youyi hesitated for a moment and then asked, “Is that okay?”

Fu Cheng didn’t reply, so she took it as consent.

She pointed to her shoulder.

Her shoulders were aching too.

Her trapezius muscles, connected to her shoulder and neck, were sore from sleeping on the hard bed last night. Fu Cheng’s fingers applied just the right amount of pressure, easing the discomfort.

Youyi didn’t want to get up.

But after resting, she had to keep running.

She took a deep breath, glanced at the time, and pushed herself to continue.

On her way back from the park, more and more people appeared on the street.

Youyi had been studying at Shenglin University for more than two years, but she’d never been to this area before. It was on the outskirts, unlike the bustling city center, peaceful under the morning sun.

As she was nearing home, someone called out behind her, “Fu Cheng!”

Youyi turned around and immediately recognized the woman.

It was the same woman who had come to their doorstep to deliver something to Fu Cheng the other day.

The woman also saw Youyi, and the smile on her face slowly faded.

“Ah, you’re the neighbor girl.” She forced a smile.

Neighbor… girl.

When Youyi heard those four words, she glanced at Fu Cheng.

His expression remained calm, without any reaction.

“Fu Cheng, I told you last time, we can still discuss the contract. But it’s you—I couldn’t find you anywhere.”

The woman smiled at Fu Cheng again.

It was a true coincidence meeting him today. She had almost given up.

“If we can cooperate, it would be beneficial for both your company and me,” the woman said. “Let’s talk.”

Fu Cheng wasn’t holding Youyi’s hand at the moment. She glanced at the woman and then at Fu Cheng.

“You go ahead and talk,” Youyi said, stepping back. “I’ll head home first.”

It was only about 200 meters ahead.

Youyi remembered what Fu Cheng had said—that there was nothing between them. She believed him.

But five minutes after entering the house, Youyi regretted it.

She felt uncomfortable.

The way that woman had spoken in the hallway before, and how close she seemed to Fu Cheng, made Youyi feel particularly uneasy.

It was like a needle pricking her heart, creating a small hole that kept bleeding and hurting continuously.

Why had she told them to go ahead and talk?

Youyi glanced at the time—seven minutes past.

She decided to give him ten minutes.

Two sets of ten minutes passed.

Fu Cheng still hadn’t returned.

Youyi stood up and was about to go look for him.

Just as she reached the door, she bumped into Fu Cheng coming back.

Youyi looked at him without saying a word.

In her heart, she held back many questions, such as who exactly that woman was, why she was here, and what they had just discussed.

“You talked for quite a while.”

Youyi glanced at the time again, confirming it had been twenty-three minutes.

What important topic could they have discussed to take that long?

Fu Cheng asked, “Why didn’t you come to find me?”

Youyi was visibly upset now.

“Wasn’t she talking to you about work…” Youyi said.

He had asked her to trust him more. If they were talking about work and she interrupted, wouldn’t it seem like she was being unreasonable?

Besides—

Youyi bit her lip, glanced at him again, but swallowed her words.

“I’m just your neighbor, right?”

He hadn’t explained anything.

Fu Cheng replied, “Weren’t you the one who said that?”

The fact that the woman knew Youyi was his neighbor must have come from their last encounter at the door when Youyi had told her so.

It was Youyi herself who had only acknowledged being a neighbor.

“I—” Youyi’s words got stuck, and she didn’t know what to say next.

Yes, she had said it first, but those were words spoken out of frustration. He could have easily denied it.

“You’re the one who said that outside, we’re just neighbors.” Fu Cheng still remembered the agreement they made, just over a month ago, and he didn’t think it was worth revisiting.

Youyi looked at him, lost in her thoughts, then lowered her head. Suddenly, a tear fell with a “plop.”

Her heart clenched. She quickly turned away, wiping her tears.

This was the second time she cried in front of him.

The first time was out of fear, but this time, it was because she felt wronged, and she couldn’t hold back her tears.

She knew it made her look unreasonable, crying over such a small matter, but at that moment, she felt deeply wronged.

Even though she and Fu Cheng were already married, their relationship always seemed vague, and unclear.

Neither of them had ever brought up the issue openly.

“It’s my fault for setting those boundaries, alright?” Youyi exhaled softly, her voice tinged with tears. “Now please go.”

She could no longer hold back her tears and didn’t want Fu Cheng to see.

Fu Cheng hadn’t expected her tears to come so suddenly. Although her tone was soft, they had just had a small argument.

“Do you really want me to leave?” he asked.

Youyi couldn’t hold it in anymore. She didn’t say anything, which was as good as giving permission.

“Alright.”

Fu Cheng left, closing the door behind him.