Chapter 49: Vasectomy

Wen Shuyu had no time to wonder what was inside Jiang Huaiyu’s box, or why he had secretly gone to the noodle shop with her.

Her mind was entirely preoccupied with the slip of paper in her hand — why had he gotten a vasectomy?

He had once said he was afraid it would hurt her, that he didn’t want to have children.

But the date on the surgery form was too early — so early that, at the time, they hadn’t even confessed their feelings to each other yet.

Unable to make any sense of it, she decided it was better to ask Jiang Huaiyu directly.

Guessing meaninglessly served no purpose. Wen Shuyu quickly packed her things: laptop, charger, power bank, and a few clothes tossed into a suitcase.

She wheeled her suitcase to the door and was about to take the elevator when she realized she’d forgotten something important —

She hadn’t booked a flight.

“My brain’s a mess,” she muttered.

The urgency to find him had overwhelmed her thoughts. But the moment she calmed down, all that energy deflated.

Wen Shuyu dragged her suitcase back inside and murmured to herself in the entryway, “Forget it. I’ll wait until he comes back.”

Since she had already seen it, there was no need to pretend she hadn’t. She left the medical slip on the desk and took a photo of it.

Wen Shuyu had thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep after all this — but after the whole ordeal, she ended up falling into a deep slumber.

Early in the morning, Wen Shuyu received a message from Jiang Huaiyu reporting his schedule for the day. He mentioned there would be a celebration banquet that evening. After much hesitation, Wen Shuyu finally bought an afternoon plane ticket.

She decided to treat it as a surprise visit — to go see him and give him a little joy. After all, he was always the one giving more in the relationship.

She let Meng Man know her plans.

Meng Man teased her: [Yuyu, you’re starting to get a lovesick brain.]

Wen Shuyu denied it: [No, I’m going to see him because I have something to deal with.]

She was not lovesick. Absolutely not. She had a legitimate reason — she told herself that very firmly.

Meng Man saw through it but didn’t call her out: [Remember to bring me a gift.]

Since surprises shouldn’t be spoiled early, Wen Shuyu messaged Jiang Huaiyu:
[I’m super busy today. I won’t be able to reply for the next few hours. President Jiang has to be good, okay?]

Jiang Huaiyu didn’t suspect a thing:
[Yuyu, the one who’s not being good is you.]

Wen Shuyu pouted:
[I am good. Not talking to you now, I’m busy.]

To sell the act, she sent him a photo of a meeting — one she had saved before — which now came in handy.

Jiang Huaiyu replied:
[Yuyu, I miss you.]

He always expressed his feelings so openly. Wen Shuyu couldn’t handle it — she smiled and closed her eyes to rest.

Not getting a reply from her wasn’t unusual, so Jiang Huaiyu didn’t overthink it.

Wen Shuyu only rested for about an hour. She rotated her sore neck and glanced at the time — already past 6 p.m.

She opened the window shade and was stunned by the view — glowing sunset clouds, a brilliant pinkish-purple twilight, the setting sun seemed just within reach.

Dusk slowly fell, and the sky turned dark.

Through the night, they passed over some unknown city, its winding sea of lights forming a long glowing ribbon.

The plane gradually descended — they had arrived in Gangcheng.

So this was her destination.

Wen Shuyu took a taxi toward the east side of the city. The camphor trees flew past, becoming streaks of light and shadow.

Streetlamps lit up Gangcheng’s night, one by one.

Her reflection appeared in the car window. She tapped the glass with her finger, her heart thudding excitedly. The thought of seeing Jiang Huaiyu filled her with anticipation — and a trace of nervousness.

There’s a saying — the closer you are to home, the more timid you become. Maybe it was something like that.

She had never done anything like this before — not even when she liked Lu Yunheng.

One nice habit she and Jiang Huaiyu had developed was sharing their live locations and hotel info with each other.

Last time, he had been the one waiting in the hotel lobby for her.

Now, the roles were reversed.

It was still early, and the celebration banquet likely wouldn’t end soon, so Wen Shuyu went to eat at a nearby restaurant.

Jiang Huaiyu had sent her a few messages. He still wore the rubber band on his wrist, and his shirt was only unbuttoned at the collar.

In a casually taken photo, the plastic fish-shaped hair tie and emerald fish-shaped cufflink appeared together. One from a wholesale market, the other a top-grade gemstone — the contrast was jarring.

And yet, he didn’t seem to mind at all.

Wen Shuyu waited in the hotel lobby on one of the lounge sofas. She dozed off for half an hour before being jolted awake by a burst of noise nearby.

She sat up straight.

She saw Jiang Huaiyu chatting with a few men in suits. They were a bit too far for her to hear clearly.

He was dressed in a classic white shirt, tall and straight in posture, the collar still crisp. Among the crowd, he stood out — elegant and calm.

He hadn’t seen her yet and was focused on his conversation.

Wen Shuyu watched their gestures, guessing the conversation was coming to an end. She walked up to Jiang Huaiyu, her hands behind her back, and smiled sweetly. “President Jiang, what a coincidence.”

She mimicked what he had said last time.

The person he missed day and night in Nancheng suddenly appeared before his eyes. Jiang Huaiyu was stunned for a moment, almost thinking he was dreaming.

But she was very much real, standing right in front of him. He quickly came back to his senses—no wonder she said she’d be too busy to text and made a point of emphasizing it. It was him who didn’t think too much of it.

Vice President Fu of Tongjia Group noticed the situation and asked, “And this is?”

Jiang Huaiyu freed up a hand and took Wen Shuyu’s hand in his. “My wife.”

His tone couldn’t hide the joy he felt. His deep eyes were filled with happiness.

Because he had been drinking, his palm was unusually warm.

The others exchanged glances—so it was just a little fun between husband and wife.

Someone chimed in, “President Jiang and your wife are so loving.”

“No wonder you couldn’t focus on dinner, always checking your phone.”

“We won’t keep you from reuniting with your wife. We’ll take our leave.”

Wen Shuyu didn’t pay much mind to these polite compliments. She smiled courteously. “Take care, President Fu. If you’re ever in Nancheng, we’ll host you.”

President Fu replied, “Absolutely.”

Jiang Huaiyu, still holding her hand, went to the front desk to pick up her luggage. “Why are you here?”

He still couldn’t quite believe it, even with her hand in his.

Wen Shuyu tilted her head up and said teasingly, “Me? I came to check up on you.”

“Check all you want,” Jiang Huaiyu said as he gently rubbed her ring. “Have you eaten? I’ll go book a room.”

Wen Shuyu smiled. “Relax, I’ve eaten. I also booked a room already. Even before we got married, I used to travel alone.”

Jiang Huaiyu replied, “It’s different now. We’re married—I won’t let you travel alone.”

He had never been at ease with her going on solo trips. A girl traveling by herself always worried him. Luckily, her parents would usually arrange for someone to look after her.

He had always wanted to go with her, but due to the nature of their relationship before, he couldn’t.

Wen Shuyu said, “Great, we haven’t even had our honeymoon yet.”

They hadn’t made long-term plans, so she never really expected a honeymoon.

“When things settle down a bit, we’ll go.”

She had booked the hotel room right after getting the plane ticket—only a deluxe suite on the top floor was left.

Wen Shuyu tilted her head and looked at him again. His fair neck was tinged red, and his usually cool black eyes were now speckled with little stars of light.

Even more mesmerizing.

“Aren’t you bored?” she asked.

Jiang Huaiyu raised an eyebrow. “Not at all. I’m listening to my wife.”

They chatted casually for a bit, and the elevator arrived at the top floor.

Unlocking the door, before the key card was even inserted into the slot, Jiang Huaiyu cupped the back of Wen Shuyu’s head and kissed her.

Like a sudden storm, his warm breath poured over her cheeks.

The kiss deepened, his tongue prying open her teeth, pressing against her soft tongue, invading her territory, staining her with his taste—completely overwhelming.

Jiang Huaiyu kissed her breathless. Wen Shuyu couldn’t push him away and could only tilt her head up to endure it.

His lips moved from her mouth to her earlobe and neck, lightly biting the tender skin, sucking it into his mouth. Wen Shuyu’s body trembled abruptly. “Don’t bite.”

Her cool voice was now coated in softness.

“Baby.” He just wanted to call her that.

Jiang Huaiyu caught all her reactions, untying the bow on the back of her dress. The one-piece top slid down to the crook of her arms.

Half on, half off—the most fatal state.

Under the faint moonlight, her delicate shoulders and neck were exposed to his eyes, his head nestling against her neck.

He bit the full mound.

“Ah—Jiang Huaiyu, I want to take a shower.” Wen Shuyu’s fingers threaded into his hair, sweat beginning to form on her back.

“Let’s go together. Time to settle scores.” The lights in the room turned on. Jiang Huaiyu took off her clothes, captured her lips again, and moved toward the bathroom.

Her back pressed against the cold glass, but in front of her was a blazing furnace—a contrast of cold and hot.

Jiang Huaiyu lifted her hands above her head, pinning them beside her ears. “Baby, time to pay up—with interest.”

“Jiang Huaiyu, I don’t want to…”

Wen Shuyu propped herself up on him for support. Everything happening now was the consequence of what she had done that night.

Her fingernails dug into his skin.

The deeper she scratched, the more relentless he became.

Water splashed continuously in the bathroom, mingling with the sounds of a man and woman gasping for breath.

Jiang Huaiyu carried her to the floor-to-ceiling window. Under the overhead light, Wen Shuyu’s eyes were tinged red, her gaze still misty and unfocused.

Wrapped in a towel, they admired the night view of Nancheng.

The top-floor suite had a perfect view overlooking the entire port city. Suddenly, a loud explosion erupted in her ears.

Clusters of fireworks soared into the ink-black sky, bursting into brilliant bouquets, spreading along the entire riverbank.

No idea which domineering CEO was throwing a birthday celebration for his wife—the fireworks filled half the sky.

Fiery trees and silver flowers formed a scroll of dazzling brilliance.

Mesmerized by the display, Wen Shuyu didn’t notice Jiang Huaiyu lifting her chin from the side, forcefully kissing her lips.

Caught off guard, she mumbled, “Still… not done yet?”

“No, it’s just beginning.”

Wen Shuyu held tightly to the window, barely managing to stay upright.

Outside, fireworks exploded in the sky. Inside, fireworks went off in her mind.

Jiang Huaiyu held her up. “Baby, wear it again for me when we get back.”

Wen Shuyu bit her lip. “Ugh, no—you already saw it.”

The fireworks lasted forty minutes. They stayed in front of the window for forty minutes.

Outside finally returned to calm.

Jiang Huaiyu held her sweat-drenched body, breath unsteady. “Yuyu, you liked it, didn’t you?”

Her gaze had been drawn to the fireworks time and time again.

“I did.” What woman wouldn’t love such open, unapologetic affection?

Even a plain life needs a few moments of fiery brilliance.

Nestled in Jiang Huaiyu’s arms, Wen Shuyu forced herself to stay awake and asked, “Are you busy tomorrow?”

“No need to be like this with me. Just say what’s on your mind.” He knew her too well—she wouldn’t have come for no reason.

And on another level, he didn’t trust himself.

Wen Shuyu said nothing. She picked up her phone from the bedside, pulled up a photo of a vasectomy form, and handed it to Jiang Huaiyu.

There was no need to say anything more.

They had just shared the most intimate moment as husband and wife, yet now lay in silence, a subtle wall forming between them.

“Why did you do this?” Wen Shuyu closed her eyes, steadying her breath. “And even after doing it, you still wore protection.”

Jiang Huaiyu pulled her closer and slowly explained, “I didn’t want any accidents.”

He tilted his head to kiss her forehead. “You’re afraid of pain. There’s no 100% reliable contraceptive method in married life, so I wanted extra protection.”

Thankfully, she hadn’t found anything related to a secret crush.

Wen Shuyu turned to face him. “But at that time, our relationship wasn’t even certain. You were at your busiest and most chaotic period at the company. What if we hadn’t liked each other after all—that would’ve been for nothing.”

Jiang Huaiyu looked down and smiled. “Yuyu, don’t feel burdened. This was my choice.”

He didn’t answer the question about timing. He had acted as soon as the thought crossed his mind, coincidentally during days he didn’t need to return home—no one would notice.

Wen Shuyu felt guilty. “But you had surgery and I didn’t even know. As your wife, I really failed.”

Jiang Huaiyu rubbed her head. “Silly girl, don’t think like that. It’s my fault for not telling you.”

They looked out at the hazy moonlight in silence, no trace of sleep in their eyes.

Wen Shuyu nudged deeper into his arms and suddenly asked, “Do you really not want kids?”

She forgot—she’d asked this before.

Jiang Huaiyu’s gaze drifted toward the window. Their reflections were faintly visible in the glass. “If you want, then I want. If you don’t, then I don’t.”

Wen Shuyu pressed, “What about you? I’m asking about you.”

She turned his face toward hers, locking eyes—she didn’t want to hear that it was for her. She didn’t want to hear that it was because of her.

Jiang Huaiyu’s gaze was unwavering. “Yuyu, I don’t want them. I don’t want you to go through the pain of pregnancy and childbirth. The two of us, living like this for life, is enough.”

“In my heart, you come first—always.”

His warm, steady voice carried not a trace of hesitation. His dark eyes were full of certainty.

“Jiang Huaiyu, are you stupid?” Wen Shuyu sat up to kiss him.

He always called her foolish, but he was clearly the foolish one.

Jiang Huaiyu chuckled softly. “I’m not. It’s not a big deal, just an outpatient procedure, one small cut.”

He made it sound light, but she had looked it up—it required at least two or three days of rest. It wasn’t that easy.

Wen Shuyu’s expression turned stern. “From now on, you’re not allowed to hide anything from me. If you do, your credibility in my heart will drop significantly.”

“It was still locked in the cabinet. If she hadn’t stumbled upon it by accident, he really would’ve gotten away with hiding it completely.”

“What if there are more?” That was the only thought in his mind—he had to go back and move the secret stash.

“Depends on what it is.”

Jiang Huaiyu tactfully changed the topic. “Let’s sleep. It’s really late.”

The celebration banquet had ended around 10 PM, and after all the fuss between them, it was already well into the night.

Wen Shuyu happened to yawn and stretched out her arms. “Then let’s sleep. You hold me.”

Jiang Huaiyu scooped her up by the waist. “Alright, I’ll hold you.”

But once they were in bed, sleep didn’t come easily. Wen Shuyu clenched her hand below and said, “Jiang Huaiyu, how about we try it without a condom? You’ve already had a vasectomy, so let’s just give it a try.”

She was genuinely curious—was it really as good as the books described?

Jiang Huaiyu grabbed her hand and said firmly, “Yuyu, don’t mess around. We can’t.”

“Yes, we can.”

“No, we can’t.”

She insisted on arguing, but in the end, Jiang Huaiyu won. He didn’t give in at all.

Especially on this matter—there was no room for negotiation.

“Then I’m going to sleep.” Wen Shuyu turned her back to him, fuming.

Jiang Huaiyu tried reasoning with her. “Yuyu, it’s really dangerous.”

But someone who’s angry isn’t going to listen to reason.

Wen Shuyu completely ignored him.

He wrapped his long arms around her, pulling her into his embrace.

---

The next morning, the sun had risen, but not a single ray of light seeped through the thick curtains. The alarm clock by the bed rang. Wen Shuyu rubbed her sore eyes and turned off her phone.

Time to carry out her plan.

“Jiang Huaiyu, hubby, Huaiyu gege~” She tried calling out to him in various ways. No response.

She touched his cheek, kissed his lips—he still didn’t wake up.

Perfect.

Wen Shuyu lifted the blanket and tiptoed to the other side of the bed, then sat down directly.

“Ow—! That hurts!” she gasped.

Jiang Huaiyu jolted awake, eyes snapping open. His scalp tingled, limbs still sluggish. For a second, he thought he was dreaming. “Yuyu—don’t squeeze—”

He was completely unprepared. He barely managed to hold back.

His voice, rough with sleep, had a gravelly, magnetic quality to it—enticing.

Wen Shuyu’s fair face scrunched with a frown. “I didn’t.”

She couldn’t help it—it had been a reflex.

“Baby, you really… What am I supposed to say to you…” Jiang Huaiyu’s voice grew colder. He hadn’t expected her to be so bold—taking the initiative while he was asleep.

But he couldn’t bear to scold her, so his tone softened.

She was still moving, and Jiang Huaiyu’s body betrayed him—tangling with hers, unwilling to let go.

So weak-willed.

Wen Shuyu muttered, “Clearly you like it, stop pretending.”

Still worried about potential risks, Jiang Huaiyu reached for something from the nightstand.

His gaze darkened. “Liking it doesn’t mean it’s allowed. You’re too bold.”

Wen Shuyu pushed him away, retorting, “I don’t want a lecture. I’m going back to sleep. Do what you want.”

They parted on bad terms.

Jiang Huaiyu felt wronged too—he had just spoken in a normal tone.

Not even two minutes later, Jiang Huaiyu hugged her from behind and gently coaxed,
“Yuyu, I was wrong. It really is dangerous. After the surgery, you still need to use protection for three months.”

If he explained the risks, she’d understand.

So that’s what it was. Wen Shuyu showed no emotion on the surface.
“Oh.”

Even if she was wrong, she would never admit it—let alone back down.

Just like when she was a child—unchanged.

“Yuyu, let me help you sleep.” Jiang Huaiyu gently turned her to face him.

That position brought Wen Shuyu back to the night before—Jiang Huaiyu had wrapped her legs around his waist, and she’d clung to him like a koala, intimate and steamy.

Their hearts had never beat so close together.

Wen Shuyu nervously picked at her nails and asked, “So… in three months, we can do it?”

Still fixated on that matter.

Jiang Huaiyu replied gently, “We’ll talk about it when the time comes.”

“Oh.” She always replied like that—Jiang Huaiyu was used to it by now.

His embrace was so comforting that Wen Shuyu drifted off to sleep.

---

They slept until the afternoon. Wen Shuyu gave Jiang Huaiyu a heads-up:
“That case last time really did involve Lu Yunheng’s parents. So I’ll probably have to be in contact with him. I promise—it’ll only be at the law firm.”

Jiang Huaiyu tapped her nose. “Where else do you want to go?”

“I want to go to CEO Jiang’s heart~” Wen Shuyu answered playfully, winking and teasing him.

It worked well—Jiang Huaiyu held her in his arms, kissing her for a long time before reluctantly letting go.

Jiang Huaiyu checked his messages. He’d meant to ask how Song Jinnan was doing—he’d left early looking gloomy.

Instead, he saw a screenshot from Zhou Hangyue: a post from Lu Yunheng’s Moments feed, captioned “Remembering the past.”

Zhou Hangyue sent a snide comment:
“Didn’t cherish it when he had it, now he’s just being pathetic.”

At first, Jiang Huaiyu didn’t care—until a blue light in the photo caught his eye. He zoomed in.

There were no faces in the photo, but a hand was visible.

A hand he knew too well—Wen Shuyu’s.

The blue light was from her fish-shaped ring. No doubt about it.