Chapter 34: Jealousy

Outside, the rain poured down in torrents, droplets hammering against the floor-to-ceiling windows, creating a shimmering curtain of water that seemed endless.

In the entryway, the temperature surged as a man and a woman held each other tightly, exchanging the feelings they had bottled up over the past week.

Their breaths intertwined; warm, soft lips melded together as they gradually lost themselves in each other, surrounded by the chilling humidity. Wen Shuyu’s clothes began to absorb his scent, mingling their essence.

As Jiang Huaiyu kissed her sweet lips, he forgot all boundaries until Wen Shuyu struggled to push him away.

Reluctantly breaking the kiss, he took a moment to catch his breath, still holding her waist, before setting her gently against the entryway cabinet. He rested his forehead against hers.

Their heated breaths danced in the thick, humid air, which felt increasingly suffocating.

Wen Shuyu could hardly bear the intense desire hidden in Jiang Huaiyu’s deep gaze. She turned her head slightly, looking out at the endless streaks of rain.

Lines upon lines flowed relentlessly.

Knowing full well her cheeks turned crimson at the slightest hint of affection, she felt a blush creeping up to her ears as Jiang Huaiyu teased, “Yuyu, what’s wrong? Don’t you want to look at me?”

Laughter bubbled up from deep within her throat.

Wen Shuyu pouted, “Yes, I don’t want to look at you. I can’t stand you.”

Jiang Huaiyu pressed his forehead against hers, shaking his head playfully. He followed her gaze, making it impossible for her to escape. “What should I do? I want to see you.”

The question was difficult to sidestep, prompting Wen Shuyu to change the subject. “Have you eaten yet?”

It was her go-to tactic for deflecting conversation.

As she stole glances at his face, the rugged contours softened by warmth, she noticed the dark circles forming beneath his lush, reed-like lashes.

Had he rushed back?

“No, I’m starving,” he confessed, burying his head in the crook of her shoulder, his soft hair brushing against her skin.

Wen Shuyu propped herself up against the cabinet, her brows furrowing slightly. “Why did you suddenly come back? Did you resolve everything?”

Jiang Huaiyu straightened, his gaze intense and unwavering as he looked at her. “Because I missed you, so I came back.”

After over twenty years of looking, how could he ever get enough?

He finished speaking and turned away, sneezing unexpectedly. “Achoo!”

He grabbed a tissue, scratching his nose without a care.

Wen Shuyu eyed his damp clothes, noticing he hadn’t changed since arriving. She hopped down from the entryway cabinet, grabbing his wrist and leading him toward the master bedroom.

“Go change your clothes. I’ll step outside.”

Jiang Huaiyu tugged her back, a playful smile dancing in his eyes. “Why should you step out while I change?”

Wen Shuyu shot back quickly, “There are boundaries between men and women.”

Jiang Huaiyu smirked, “When I kiss you, where are those boundaries?”

“That was you sneaking a kiss! I never agreed to it!” she retorted, pushing him away and shoving his clothes into his hands. “Hurry up and change before you catch a cold and I kick you out!”

“Alright, I’ll listen to my wife,” he teased.

In the laundry basket of the bathroom lay several of his shirts, a clear indication that he hadn’t changed into these after teleporting back.

After a quick shower, Jiang Huaiyu dried his hair with a blow dryer, sneezing several times in the process.

The warm, yellow light filled the room, casting a soft glow on Wen Shuyu as the heavy downpour outside began to lighten into a gentle drizzle, its rhythm falling like a natural symphony on the roof.

On the dining table, several dishes were arranged, and Wen Shuyu was busy setting the bowls and chopsticks. When she saw him emerge, she smiled. “Auntie made some dishes; there’s still some left. Just make do with it.”

Jiang Huaiyu stretched his long legs, tapping his fingers lightly on her head. “You’re talking like that, huh?”

“Then you can starve,” she shot back, playfully slapping his hand.

Now, this was the right attitude. “Starve, and you’ll be a widow!”

Wen Shuyu raised her delicate brows. “Then I’ll find someone taller, better looking, and with a better physique than you.”

Jiang Huaiyu pulled out a chair with a grin. “Not a chance! Your husband in this life, the next, and the one after that can only be me.”

His beautiful dark eyes sparkled like stars, declaring words that felt as binding as a vow.

Wen Shuyu rubbed her arms nervously. “Oh, that sounds a bit scary.”

Bound for life with Jiang Huaiyu.

The torrential rain swept away the heat of the southern city, and as the temperature dropped, Wen Shuyu nestled into Jiang Huaiyu’s arms, drifting into sleep.

But tonight felt different. Through the fabric of their clothes, she could feel the heat radiating from his body, and suddenly she was wide awake.

She lifted her hand to feel his forehead—he was burning up.

Panic surged through her as she quickly turned on the bedside lamp and jumped out of bed, racing to the medicine cabinet for a thermometer. The display read 39 degrees Celsius.

Next, she grabbed a mercury thermometer and tucked it under his arm. After five minutes, it showed the same temperature.

Despite the rising fever, he remained oblivious, all because he had braved the rain to return to her.

Why would he do that? It wasn’t like she was unreachable.

Fortunately, Jiang Huaiyu was thoughtful; the house was stocked with fever and cough medicine. She checked the expiration date—still good.

She poured out a few fever-reducing tablets and gently shook him awake. “Jiang Huaiyu, wake up. Take your medicine.”

“Okay.” His voice was foggy, barely registering, but Wen Shuyu helped him sit up and swallowed the pills.

No need for mouth-to-mouth feeding; he could manage on his own.

Wen Shuyu touched her lips, mentally preparing herself.

Was she really so influenced by those silly dramas?

After tidying up the glass and pill bottles on the bedside table, she glanced at the man sleeping soundly. He looked peaceful, yet she could hear him mumbling unintelligibly.

His high fever persisted, and the cool fever patch on his forehead had warmed up, but he couldn’t keep taking medication; she could only rely on physical cooling.

Wen Shuyu slipped into the bathroom, preparing a warm towel to wipe his body.

Gently, she undid the buttons of his pajama shirt, revealing his lean physique. Wen Shuyu swallowed hard, reminding herself she was just helping him cool down.

This wasn’t the first time she’d seen him like this, but each time she couldn’t help but admire his sculpted abs.

With the towel half-dried, she hesitated as she reached his lower body. Should she wipe or not?

Suddenly, a hoarse voice broke the silence of the room. “Yuyu.”

“Ah.”

There was no response; the previous murmur had been too faint for her to catch.

Yet, Jiang Huaiyu called her name again. “Yuyu.”

“Why are you being so unfair to me? You always push me away. I’m so jealous of Lu Yunheng.”

Wen Shuyu couldn’t make out the rest of his rambling, only catching her name.

But the last part seemed to mention Lu Yunheng.

Could it be that he liked Lu Yunheng?

Quickly, Wen Shuyu dismissed that thought. It couldn’t be true; why else would he mention Lu Yunheng?

The man on the bed shifted slightly, causing her hand to tremble for a moment. She looked up, watching him return to his normal sleeping state.

Wen Shuyu resumed her task, her movements gentle and light, unlike her usual self.

Suddenly, Jiang Huaiyu opened his eyes and grabbed her wrist.

“Yuyu, what are you doing?”

His voice was raspy from illness, adding a gravelly tone that somehow made him sound more alluring.

So, this was his sensitive spot.

His left side was his Achilles’ heel; she had thought he was invulnerable.

Jiang Huaiyu pushed against the sheets, struggling to sit up.

“I’m just trying to cool you down,” Wen Shuyu replied, brushing her hand across his forehead. “How are you feeling?”

Her eyes were bloodshot, a telltale sign she hadn’t slept.

“Much better.” Jiang Huaiyu swallowed hard, his throat feeling dry and scratchy, like it had been scraped by blades.

With a quick glance, he spotted the glass and medicine bottles on the bedside table, along with used fever patches and a towel draped over a basin.

He recalled the times when he had pneumonia as a child, and how Wen Shuyu had cared for him just like this.

Though the details were hazy after all these years, he could never forget the worry etched on her face, more intense than that of his own mother or Jiang’s. She had stayed by his side, never leaving him, yet he had never understood how things had changed between them.

“Go to sleep. I’m fine now,” Jiang Huaiyu said, glancing at his phone. It was two in the morning, and Wen Shuyu was yawning repeatedly, pushing through her fatigue to take care of him.

Without answering, she reached out to feel his forehead, suggesting they take his temperature.

Jiang Huaiyu obediently took the thermometer and placed it under his arm, like a well-behaved child.

When the reading showed 37 degrees Celsius, Wen Shuyu sighed in relief. “I’m going to sleep now.”

Her worry stemmed from the severity of his last pneumonia episode, which he could barely remember. Yet, there was a deeper reason—one she was reluctant to admit. Jiang Huaiyu had quietly made his way into her heart.

He wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her back.

Wen Shuyu’s heart skipped a beat as Jiang Huaiyu gently patted her shoulder, coaxing her to sleep.

Such intimacy was rare, even among couples in love.

In the drowsy haze, Wen Shuyu finally closed her eyes.

The alarm didn’t go off, and she awoke with a start at noon, sitting up abruptly. “I’m late! I’m late!”

She pounded her head lightly, realizing she had no plans for the day.

Jiang Huaiyu was working at the dining table, wearing Bluetooth headphones. She could tell he was on a call, the screen of his laptop open to a spreadsheet.

Once he finished his call, Wen Shuyu leaned against the table. “Why did you rush back?”

Jiang Huaiyu took off his headphones and grasped her hand, his peach blossom eyes deep and sincere. “You mentioned the case was difficult, and while I might not be able to help much, I want to be by your side when you’re stressed. Hand you a glass of water, chat a bit—that’s good enough for me.”

“Your matters, big or small, come first for me.”

His eyes twinkled with affectionate amusement.

Wen Shuyu diverted her gaze. “Jiang Huaiyu, have you secretly taken a course on how to make your wife happy?”

“How else could I be so good at this?”

The sudden danger he had faced while rushing to her side, the heartfelt sentiment behind his casual words, made her realize how much he wanted to be there for her, no matter the size of the issue.

“Please put on some shoes. That habit of yours!” Jiang Huaiyu shook his head with a sigh and went to the bedroom to fetch some slippers.

He had bought a matching set, one blue and one pink.

They were such a perfect pair.

Wen Shuyu slipped on the slippers, frowning slightly. “What about your orders? Will they be affected?”

She didn’t want Jiang Huaiyu’s work to suffer because of her, nor did she want him to lose his wager with Jiang’s father.

She wanted to see him happy, doing what he loved.

Jiang Huaiyu reassured her, “Don’t worry. We signed the contract, and Lawyer Cheng personally reviewed it.”

“Then that’s good.” Wen Shuyu smiled up at him. “I’ll wait for General Jiang to make big bucks and pamper me.”

Jiang Huaiyu replied, “Absolutely, I’ll support my beautiful mermaid.”

He had a way with words.

A layer of gray clouds hung over the sky, and the dining table had transformed into a temporary office as they both busied themselves with work.

A thick stack of files sat on the left, and Wen Shuyu had many PDFs open on her computer. Each person’s testimony was different, and after so much time had passed, verifying the truths and details was almost impossible.

Some handwriting required careful scrutiny to decipher.

“This is so hard; I’m stuck again.” Wen Shuyu rubbed her hair and leaned over the dining table.

Jiang Huaiyu smiled gently and reached out to smooth her frizzy hair. “Then take a break and play some games.”

All afternoon, Wen Shuyu could see Jiang Huaiyu whenever she looked up, reminiscent of their study sessions from the past.

When faced with challenges, they could discuss them together, exchanging thoughts and ideas.

Most importantly, as he had said, he was right there by her side.

Accepting her frustrations and alleviating her worries was a rare gift in life—more challenging was the gift of enduring companionship.

“Ding dong.” Jiang Huaiyu moved toward the entrance, and the video intercom revealed two familiar figures.

“Who is it?” Wen Shuyu asked, surprised. Why were Meng Man and Cheng Xianzhi here?

“It’s Lawyer Meng and Lawyer Cheng.”

“I feel like I barged in. We’re not here to be third wheels.”

Meng Man noticed Jiang Huaiyu pause for two seconds. “Yuyu told me she wouldn’t be back for a few days.” She pulled out a thick stack of documents. “I almost forgot—this is the info you needed. Prosecutor Jiang sent it to the office.”

Jiang Huaiyu bent down to click the mouse, saving the documents while offering a polite smile. “Since you’re here, let’s eat together. I’ll cook.”

Guests are always welcome.

“I’ll help,” Cheng Xianzhi said, rolling up his sleeves as he followed Jiang Huaiyu into the kitchen.

“What are you making?”

“Let’s see what we have.”

The two of them discussed their plans, even beginning to delegate tasks.

The two women were left standing in confusion. Wen Shuyu spread her arms, indicating she didn’t understand either. Since when had Cheng Xianzhi and Jiang Huaiyu been so close?

Was it the friendship formed over spicy dishes?

Men’s relationships could be quite mysterious.

Before long, the dining table was filled with the chefs’ creations, and Wen Shuyu retrieved a bottle of wine from the cabinet.

Cheng Xianzhi clinked his glass against Jiang Huaiyu’s. “Congratulations, General Jiang! You’re thriving both in your career and family life.”

Jiang Huaiyu clinked back. “Thanks, Lawyer Cheng. I’m sure you will too.”

Throughout the meal, Wen Shuyu and Meng Man enjoyed the dishes and wine. In this atmosphere, it felt nice to see the men cooking.

After seeing off their guests, Jiang Huaiyu began to clean up the mess.

When he stepped out, he found Wen Shuyu sprawled on the sofa, her cheeks flushed and her gaze dreamy—clearly tipsy.

No wonder; she had polished off a third of a bottle of wine. Jiang Huaiyu brushed his fingers against her cheek. “Feeling unwell?”

Wen Shuyu suddenly smiled, tugging at his shirt sleeve as she playfully swung herself onto his lap, pinning him down on the sofa.

“Jiang Huaiyu, it’s time to settle the score.”

A mischievous grin danced on her lips, and her words floated lightly in the air.

Jiang Huaiyu raised his hands in mock surrender. “How do you want to settle it? I’m at your mercy.”

“I want to kiss that spot,” she said, pointing to his Adam’s apple.

For a moment, he was left bewildered—was this settling the score, or was it a reward?