Chapter 40: Out of Energy

What else could it be?

The answer was clear; she just couldn’t say it aloud.

Jiang Huaiyu took the bag from her hands and gazed into the distance at the fragrant camphor trees, pretending to be at ease. “If it’s meant to be, you’ll meet again.”

Indeed, those were comforting words, and Wen Shuyu took them to heart without a second thought.

In the past, she had wondered if the people around her were truly familiar, even recognizing Jiang Huaiyu’s handwriting. In the end, she realized none of them were. With a heavy heart, she abandoned her search for the kind-hearted stranger.

If someone wanted her to know, they would have signed their name. Their meticulousness only indicated they didn’t want to burden her.

“Let’s hurry and leave,” she said, having just made an excuse to go to the restroom. She discreetly slipped away to avoid any gratitude from Chen Jinan’s family. She had simply done what she was supposed to do—not for anyone’s thanks.

Once in the car in the parking lot, Wen Shuyu sent a voice message to Wang Xiuli: “Uncle, Auntie, I have to head home now. Wishing you good health and all the best.”

She chose to send a voice note to make it sound more personal. As the weight on her heart lifted, she leaned back in her seat, letting the midday sunlight wash over her, and drifted off to sleep.

Jiang Huaiyu glanced over and saw her silent in the passenger seat, cuddling a pillow as she slept soundly.

At a red light, he adjusted the sun visor above. He always did this, ensuring she had the perfect shield from the sun’s harsh rays. The heat was intense today, not ideal for being outdoors. They had agreed to take a stroll later in the evening.

After that day at the Ferris wheel, they hadn’t gone on any more dates.

As the car rolled into the underground garage, Wen Shuyu woke up right on schedule. Before she could even get out, Jiang Huaiyu slipped into the car and lifted her effortlessly into his arms once more.

“Jiang Huaiyu, you really love to carry me, don’t you?” Wen Shuyu teased, playing with the buttons on his shirt.

In her memories, only Jiang Huaiyu had ever held her like this. It had been the same in elementary school, middle school, and high school.

“I’m surprised you remember,” he replied, thinking she had only kept memories of Lu Yunheng.

The coolness of the garage surrounded them, and Wen Shuyu nestled closer to him. She took a moment, illuminated by the soft lights, to observe him closely from this angle.

She didn’t often see Jiang Huaiyu like this. Half in shadow, his sharp jawline was striking, and his delicate features gave off a striking yet aloof charm. His lips were pressed together lightly.

She noticed several moles on his neck for the first time. Curiously, she reached out with her slender fingers to touch them. “Jiang Huaiyu, you have quite a few moles here,” she remarked, counting them—three in total.

“I never noticed,” he said, his voice slightly breathless, clearly feeling her weight.

Even if she was slim, she still weighed around 95 pounds.

Somehow, Wen Shuyu’s thoughts wandered back to middle school. During a gym class, she had tripped over her own feet and fallen, scraping her knee badly.

Feeling utterly embarrassed and sitting helplessly on the ground, Jiang Huaiyu had suddenly appeared in front of her, scooping her up and rushing her to the infirmary without a second thought.

The doctor only confirmed it was just a scrape, but she would have to walk carefully for a while.

As Jiang Huaiyu helped her back to class, whispers filled the room, teasing her with rumors.

In the throes of adolescence, kids’ restlessness was impossible to suppress. They spun wild tales of their relationship, claiming they were childhood sweethearts, even suggesting they had kissed—such fanciful stories circulated.

Girls often matured faster than boys, and at that time, she harbored a slight crush on Jiang Huaiyu. But that innocent feeling faded after the exams, lost to the winds of change.

Memories surged in waves, colliding her youthful face with the more refined, mature visage she bore now.

Jiang Huaiyu lowered his gaze, catching her staring at him. “What are you thinking about?” he asked.

She continued to trace the moles on his skin, playfully pinching them occasionally. The skin there was slightly sensitive, and her teasing touches felt electric.

As they reached the elevator, she withdrew her hand and asked, “Why do you dislike me?”

“Dislike you? How could I ever dislike you?” His voice held a magnetic tone laced with unshakeable affection.

“You clearly hate me. You didn’t talk to me for years!”

With a hint of grievance in his voice, he replied, “I did talk to you—during the holidays.”

Wen Shuyu had to keep up her playful banter. Even when it was her fault in childhood, she would somehow pin it on Jiang Huaiyu.

“You’re right; I spoiled you.” He gently pinched her nose.

Later that evening, they walked together along the riverbank after dinner, surrounded by the bustling street filled with the scent of street food.

The sweet aroma of mung bean soup, plum cake, and sour plum drink mingled in the air while sizzling sounds of grilled squid and fried noodles filled their ears.

As they headed into the park, they came across a ring toss game, mostly filled with children, and very few adults participating.

Wen Shuyu grabbed Jiang Huaiyu’s wrist, exclaiming, “I want to play this!”

After more than 20 years, seeing those dolls again sparked something in her. It wasn’t that she wanted a toy; she simply wanted to indulge in the joy of the game.

Jiang Huaiyu ruffled her hair, “Alright.”

With him by her side, she knew she’d be successful. Wen Shuyu ended up with her favorite rabbit plushie while giving the rest to the children in the park.

One little girl thanked them, saying, “Thank you, sister and uncle! Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness!”

As the child ran off, Wen Shuyu burst into laughter, “Haha, you’re an uncle!”

Jiang Huaiyu merely stared at her, momentarily speechless.

If it weren’t for her blessing of a long-lasting marriage, he would have snatched that doll back.

They walked home along the riverbank, and Wen Shuyu turned to him, “Jiang Huaiyu, do you want children?”

Their marriage had been hasty, and they hadn’t even considered the topic of children.

Watching how lovingly Jiang Huaiyu interacted with the kids earlier, she wondered if he might actually want a family.

Without hesitation, he replied, “Not really.”

“Why not? You looked so happy seeing those kids just now!” she pressed.

His answer was swift, lacking any deliberation.

“Because I don’t want you to suffer. You’re afraid of pain.”

A firm declaration escaped his lips, and in the depths of Jiang Huaiyu’s dark pupils, her reflection shimmered.

“We all have to bear it, don’t we?” Wen Shuyu asked.

“You don’t have to.”

Jiang Huaiyu grasped her hand tightly. He couldn’t bear the thought of her enduring the pain of childbirth. Their marriage wasn’t built around having children. He had experienced the agony of labor, enduring ten levels of pain in just ten minutes—an excruciating ordeal that felt unbearable. Mothers, however, faced this for hours, even days. Not to mention the hardships of pregnancy. He couldn’t bear to let Wen Shuyu suffer through such torment.

“A lifetime together for just the two of us would be wonderful,” he continued. As long as he could be with her, he felt fulfilled; everything else was secondary.

This unexpected answer caught Wen Shuyu off guard. She had previously discussed the same topic with Lu Yunheng, who had answered, “Having a daughter just like you would be great.” She never expected to hear someone say they didn’t want children.

Suddenly, she bent down, scratching her arms and calves. “Ugh, why are the mosquitoes only biting me?”

She had sprayed herself with mosquito repellent beforehand, but it hardly helped.

“Because my wife is beautiful,” he teased, a surprising compliment that left her speechless.

“You’re getting good at this, Jiang Huaiyu,” she replied, the sweetness of his words lingering like honey throughout the night.

A playful smile curved his lips. “Can we change how you address me? How about ‘my wife’?”

“What are you talking about? It’s still Huaiyu…”

Wen Shuyu tiptoed closer, whispering in his ear with a cheeky grin, “Do you want to hear ‘Brother Huaiyu’ or ‘Old Man’?”

Jiang Huaiyu playfully squeezed her palm. “I want to hear both.”

“Not a chance, you’ll get none!” She wiggled free from his hold and skipped out of the park.

On the way back, she received a message from Fu Qingzi, who was having a blast, “Wen Xiaoyu, there was a shooting at a university in America.”

Wen Shuyu replied, puzzled, “What does that have to do with me?” She didn’t care about American news.

Fu Qingzi responded, “It seems Lu Yunheng is at that school. I saw some classmates mention he spoke up, and he’s still alive.”

Her friend was out of breath relaying the news.

“Oh, that still doesn’t concern me,” Wen Shuyu replied.

“Just let it go. Test how Jiang Huaiyu feels about you,” Fu Qingzi encouraged.

“I’ve already moved on. Don’t mention other men aside from my husband,” she shot back.

After downing a glass of warm water, Wen Shuyu headed straight to the bathroom, followed closely by Jiang Huaiyu.

When the sound of water ceased, she looked up and gasped. “Why aren’t you wearing anything?”

Quickly, she turned her back, her head tilting slightly as she fought the urge to peek.

With work and their case settled, it was time to settle this score.

“You’ve seen me before, haven’t you?” he teased.

His words triggered a memory of that ridiculous night when he had done things in front of her.

As he knelt before her on the couch, her cheeks flushed a deep red, the light accentuating her embarrassment.

Jiang Huaiyu held her shoulders, turning her to face him as he guided her hand to his toned abdomen. “Don’t you want to see?”

His voice was full of temptation, wrapping around her like a warm embrace.

Wen Shuyu slowly opened her eyes, taking in the sight of him. Wrapped in just a bath towel, water dripped from his raven hair, tracing down his sculpted features and glistening over his chiseled collarbone and chest.

His taut muscles were on full display, and she swallowed hard, quickly shutting her eyes again. “I don’t want to see—not at all.”

The main bedroom’s bright ceiling light illuminated him entirely, showcasing his lean physique.

“Xiaoyu, have you forgotten what I said?”

With her vision obscured, she relied on her hearing and smell; Jiang Huaiyu’s scent enveloped her.

“Wh-what did you say?” she stammered.

A mischievous laugh rang in her ears. “One night of fun.”

His teasing tone sent her heart racing.

Her ears burned bright red, leaving her at a loss for words.

How could she not feel a tingle of excitement? She had purposely worn a delicate spaghetti strap nightgown that accentuated her alluring collarbone.

After a moment, Wen Shuyu finally opened her eyes and mumbled, “You only managed three last night.”

“Just three?” He recalled only buying one box, oblivious to how many came inside.

Jiang Huaiyu wrapped his arms around her curvy waist, pulling her close. “I bought plenty more; you can’t escape tonight.”

He leaned in, kissing her as he moved toward his bedside table. “Sweetheart, how many do you see?”

The second drawer of the nightstand was stuffed with condoms, all from the ultra-thin 001 series.

Having done her research, she knew they were the thinnest and offered the best experience.

Jiang Huaiyu smirked, “Guess how many are there, Xiaoyu?”

She took a quick glance and began counting aloud, “One, two… ten…”

He interrupted her with the real number. “Twenty boxes, five in each. How long do you think they’ll last?”

A hundred condoms—that could last an entire year!

Wen Shuyu gasped, calculating, “With 365 days a year and 52 weeks, minus my period, that leaves about 40 weeks. If we do it twice on Fridays and Saturdays, that’s four times a week, so…?”

“You’d have about 25 weeks—half a year’s worth. But do condoms even expire?”

She couldn’t believe she had the leisure to worry about that.

Jiang Huaiyu chuckled despite himself. “Twice a day, Xiaoyu, you’ve done the math well.”

Next time, he thought, he wouldn’t underestimate her calculations.