The last two words were spoken with certainty.

Zhou Zuizui’s eyes were full of mischief as she looked smugly at Shen Nan.

Shen Nan knew very well what kind of person his wife was. She was bold and straightforward, rarely shy or hesitant. Even when they got married, she was the one who made the first move.

He sat in the chair, squinting slightly as he looked at the woman not far away.

Her long curly hair draped over her shoulders, and she sat on the bed with an air of lazy nonchalance. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she gazed at him, and her red lips curved up in a particularly eye-catching way.

Her lips were even more alluring than they had been that morning.

Suddenly, Shen Nan thought of how she had just been pressed beneath him. His eyes darkened, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he stood up and walked towards her under Zhou Zuizui’s watchful gaze.

“What… are you going to do?”

After her playful teasing, Zhou Zuizui realized belatedly that teasing a man about such matters was no trivial thing, especially when it came to Shen Nan. And yet, she had boldly done just that.

Shen Nan raised an eyebrow slightly, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “What do you think?”

His question was filled with implication, heavily hinting at his intent.

After he spoke, he tilted his head and placed both hands on either side of Zhou Zuizui, trapping her with an overwhelming sense of dominance. When Shen Nan got serious, Zhou Zuizui had no power to resist.

As he leaned closer, his breathing grew heavier, and his jaw tightened. It seemed as though if Zhou Zuizui said one more word, he would show her exactly what “hard” meant.

Zhou Zuizui froze, her gaze wavering as she quickly pushed him away. She climbed off the bed, slipped on her shoes, and stood off to the side. Looking at the man who turned to face her, she coldly asked, “What are you planning to do now?”

At that moment, changing the subject was the only way to save herself.

Sure enough, the change in topic made Shen Nan stop teasing her.

He stared at her for a long time, his expression somber. After a moment of silence, he said, “I might need to drag you into this.”

This was the option he least wanted to choose.

Zhou Zuizui made a noncommittal sound, nodding slightly. She didn’t seem to mind. “As long as you make sure I don’t get hurt.”

Hearing this, Shen Nan smiled and gave her two reassuring words: “Don’t worry.”

He would never let her get hurt.

Zhou Zuizui’s eyes flickered as she responded with a cold “Good.”

The two of them remained silent for a few more minutes, staring at each other.

Zhou Zuizui finally said, “Since we’re putting on a show, we should make it convincing.” She looked at Shen Nan. “Do you have anything this afternoon?”

“No.”

Even if he did, it didn’t matter now.

Zhou Zuizui thought for a moment and calculated the time. “Then let’s go out for a walk? Casually?”

She figured that since they were married, they should make it look real. Today was Valentine’s Day, and it wouldn’t make sense for this married couple not to go out.

Although—

Not going out could also be explained.

But just thinking about the reason why they might stay in made Zhou Zuizui feel awkward.

Going out seemed more appropriate—it would prove that they hadn’t spent the whole day in bed.

Shen Nan nodded. “Okay.”

With that, Zhou Zuizui prepared to change clothes and head out.

“Wait.”

“Why?” She looked at Shen Nan with suspicion.

Shen Nan avoided her gaze, turning to look out the window. His tone was indifferent. “It’s not the right time yet.”

Zhou Zuizui was momentarily stunned, not understanding the meaning of his words at first. But when she pulled out the clothes she wanted to wear from the wardrobe, she suddenly froze. Then, bending over to support herself on the wardrobe door, she burst into laughter.

Shen Nan: “…”

His ears, despite his best efforts, reddened a bit more.

After Zhou Zuizui laughed enough, she grabbed her clothes and quietly moved toward the bathroom. As she reached the bathroom door, she looked back at Shen Nan with a smile. Her eyes twinkling with mischief, she asked with the innocence of a naive girl, “Captain Shen, are you worried that if we go out now, people will think your… time was too short?”

With that, Zhou Zuizui quickly darted into the bathroom, slamming the door shut before Shen Nan could come after her.

Shen Nan stared at the slightly trembling door, chuckling in exasperation.

An hour later, Zhou Zuizui and Shen Nan openly went out on a date.

Qiuqiu was stunned when she saw her boss all dressed up and looking stunning. Then, she looked at the man beside her boss and blinked in surprise before quickly greeting him, “Hello, brother-in-law, I’m Qiuqiu.”

Shen Nan’s expression was cold and stoic as he nodded. “Hello.”

Qiuqiu was taken aback by his chilly demeanor and looked at Zhou Zuizui. “Are you two going out on a date?”

“Yes,” Zhou Zuizui smiled. “We’re going out for a walk. He hasn’t been back in a long time and isn’t familiar with the area anymore.”

This was meant for Qiuqiu to hear, but also for anyone else listening.

Qiuqiu opened her mouth, then slowly nodded in understanding. She beamed with joy, her eyes curving as she suggested, “It’s Valentine’s Day! You two should go out quickly; there are lots of stores having events today.”

“Yes, we’re going,” Zhou Zuizui said, looking around. The men from earlier were gone.

She paused and reminded Qiuqiu, “We’ll be back tonight.”

Hearing this, Qiuqiu winked at her and cheerfully responded, “Okay!”

As they left the tavern, the street was indeed bustling with activity. Walking a bit further, it was even livelier than in the morning.

Originally, Zhou Zuizui and Shen Nan walked side by side, with a small but noticeable distance between them. It looked familiar, but whether they were a married couple would be up for debate.

As they walked, her hand was suddenly taken by a large one. The hand was big, unlike a woman’s, with calloused palms and rough skin at the base of the thumb. When their fingers intertwined, the difference was palpable. Zhou Zuizui glanced down, feeling the warmth radiating from his hand. She then looked over at Shen Nan.

Shen Nan squeezed the base of her thumb gently, a strong hint in his action.

There were still people following them.