Chapter 38.1

Inside Chengxi Garden.

As Lu Yi opened the door, she heard Puff’s anxious meowing. With age, Puff had mastered the art of looking pitiful. The moment the door opened, the cat was perfectly seated in a standard upright position, wearing an expression of pure innocence that could charm both humans and animals alike.

Ever since Puff and Lin Jinshen reached a truce, Lu Yi could once again enjoy the luxury of being welcomed home.

“Meow meow!”

Puff rubbed against Lu Yi’s leg, circled around once, and then trotted over to Lin Jinshen. It made a bigger circle around him, even though all it earned was a light tap on the head when he bent down to change his shoes. Puff shrank its already barely-there neck, clearly delighted.

It was the very definition of shamelessly seeking affection.

“…”

Lu Yi hung up her bag. “Have you been sneaking it cat treats behind my back?”

Lin Jinshen straightened up after changing his shoes, towering like a wall. Glancing at Puff, he replied, “Isn’t it on a diet and not allowed to eat treats?”

Although, to be fair, he hadn’t noticed any results. When Puff sprawled out in its bed, it resembled a melted puddle.

“You didn’t feed it?”

“Do you want me to?”

Lu Yi denied it. It wasn’t about bribing the cat with treats—she had wanted them to get along, but not to the point where she, the loving owner, became a neglected mother.

Especially since Lin Jinshen didn’t even know how to hold a cat!

Of course, she was jealous. How could she not be? She had raised Puff into its current chubby propane-tank physique, only to have it lose its mind over a man who barely paid it any attention.

Lin Jinshen strode into the house, his long legs covering ground quickly. Puff’s short legs scurried after him with a rhythmic pitter-patter.

Lu Yi watched the scene with complicated emotions.

It felt like raising a daughter only to see her whisked away by some scrawny guy over a single piece of candy.

Perhaps she had been too strict with Puff’s diet lately.

Lin Jinshen headed to the kitchen island to pour himself a glass of water. Noticing Lu Yi’s gaze, he asked, “Want some?”

“No.”

At that moment, she only wanted her cat to stay far away from him.

Lin Jinshen drank the water in one go, tilting his head back to reveal a taut neck with a sharply defined Adam’s apple that moved up and down as he swallowed. His cool complexion and the restrained intensity of his actions combined into a strikingly magnetic image.

Alright, maybe not entirely scrawny. Lu Yi corrected her earlier thoughts.

After heading upstairs to shower and change, Lu Yi returned to find Lin Jinshen gone. Puff, however, was lying on the floor with its soft belly exposed, waiting for her to pet it.

“Meow!” It opened its mouth slightly, revealing tiny pointed teeth.

Lu Yi melted instantly, forgetting Puff’s earlier betrayal. She crouched down to pet and rub the cat, even taking the opportunity to groom its fur. She relented and fed it an extra treat, hoping to win back her wayward feline’s affection.

Upstairs, Lin Jinshen emerged from his own shower. He headed downstairs but realized that his habits had changed—he no longer went straight to the study. He didn’t bother to analyze why.

As soon as Puff heard him, it leaped out of Lu Yi’s arms. In the blink of an eye, it dashed over to Lin Jinshen with an unmistakable air of flattery.

Lu Yi could practically see the obsequiousness in the cat’s behavior.

Lin Jinshen bent down and casually scooped up the chubby feline. Walking past Lu Yi, he deposited Puff back onto the carpet. Puff immediately scampered back to him, only to be tossed away again. This time, the interaction looked like a deliberate game.

Lu Yi pinched the bridge of her nose. After two years of raising Puff, she no longer understood her cat.

Was this the difference between a mother and a father?

Lu Yi gave a small hum, then immediately dismissed the thought. Father and mother? She must be delirious tonight.

Lin Jinshen approached her and sat down to discuss the wedding party arrangements. The number of bridesmaids and groomsmen had to match. He mentioned that Gu Yu and Ji Changming, his childhood friends, would serve as groomsmen.

Lu Yi’s side was similar. They quickly exchanged information.

The matter was resolved in just a few sentences, leaving little else to discuss.

While they talked, Puff wandered off to the kitchen island. It stretched out a paw to fiddle with the faucet, playing the role of a little repairman.

Lu Yi pulled out her phone to record the evidence, her lips curling into a smile. The sight of Puff being silly melted her heart. For a moment, all the chaos at work seemed insignificant.

Lin Jinshen remained still, his gaze shifting from her phone screen to her profile.

After a half-minute of persistent effort, the faucet finally gave way to a trickle of water. Puff reached out with its paw to interrupt the stream.

Lu Yi’s first instinct was to turn off the faucet.

Lin Jinshen held her hand, stopping her from getting up, and said, “Let it play for a while.”

The words sounded like he was spoiling a child. She turned to tell him, “Cats don’t realize they’re doing something wrong. You have to stop them in the act if you want them to understand,” but then she noticed how close they were.

The night, the lighting, the mingling breaths.

The atmosphere was perfect for a kiss.

Her lashes fluttered as she glanced at his lips—perfect for kissing. Images of Lin Jinshen flashed through her mind: the man who had appeared unannounced tonight, stood protectively in front of her, held her hand, casually remarked that she could “toy with him however she liked,” and even joked about his phone being connected to the internet.

She let out a small laugh and leaned closer, her nose brushing against his jaw as if testing his scent like a cautious animal.

Tilting her head, she initiated the kiss, standing on tiptoe to compensate for their height difference and gripping his shoulders for balance.

At some point, Lin Jinshen had carried her, and she now straddled his lap. Facing him, she sat with him supporting her waist—a stark contrast in size made her seem small and delicate in his arms.

Though she seemed to lead, cupping his jaw and kissing him from above, she was soon overtaken by his intensity. The kiss was deep, possessive, leaving her breathless and tingling as her lungs begged for air.

The sound of running water continued in the background, a steady white noise.

When she finally leaned against his shoulder to catch her breath, her body was slick with sweat, her voice barely a whisper: “Can’t.”

“Period.”

The tension in his body was palpable. Even without looking, she knew his frustration. She let out a soft chuckle, her mood suddenly soaring. Nothing was more satisfying than seeing Lin Jinshen at a loss.

She had no intention of resolving the fire she had ignited. Adjusting her skirt, she moved to get off his lap.

But Lin Jinshen tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her back against him. His voice, low and hoarse, carried a trace of helplessness. “Did you do that on purpose?”

“No,” she replied innocently. “It was just a kiss. I didn’t think it’d escalate.”

“Hmm.” Lin Jinshen tightened his arms around her as if to soothe his frustration. “Let me hold you for a bit longer.”

“Don’t worry—I won’t touch you.”

Left with no choice, Lu Yi obediently stayed still, resting her chin on his shoulder.

The indoor air was cool, but his body was warm—warmer than expected. Hugging him felt unexpectedly comfortable, like holding a giant teddy bear.

However, the hug didn’t last long. It didn’t ease the tension; instead, it intensified it. By the end, even Lu Yi felt uncomfortable, her hormonal fluctuations from her period amplifying everything.

Lin Jinshen went upstairs to take a cold shower.

When he came back, he slid under the blanket, his body emanating coolness.

Lu Yi felt a pang of guilt and awkwardly asked, “You won’t catch a cold, right?” After all, the last time he got sick, it was because of exposure to the cold. Despite his seemingly robust health, he was more fragile than he appeared.

Lin Jinshen replied, “Not likely.”

“Not likely? Last time—”

“That was after three times,” Lin Jinshen interjected. He meant to refute her assumption that he’d get sick so easily from just one cold shower.

“???”

Lu Yi blinked, her brain stalling for a moment before she pieced together what he meant. Her lips curled into a smirk, and she hummed lightly in mock reproach. “Young man, you really need to practice restraint.”

Hadn’t he once claimed to be indifferent to these things?

They had gone through multiple boxes of protection—never skipping a beat.

Realizing he had said too much, Lin Jinshen reached out, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her into his embrace. Breathing in the scent of her hair, he said, “I’ve been very restrained.”

He hadn’t exceeded any agreed limits.

So, it didn’t count as indulgence.

—

The next day, Lu Yi returned to work as usual.

She hadn’t checked the work group chat after leaving yesterday, so she had no idea what had transpired afterward. When she arrived at her desk, she set down her bag and went to the pantry to get some water. Yu Qian and two other colleagues approached her.

After Lu Yi had left the previous night, Song Zhixing had fumed, his face alternating between red and pale. Encouraged by her bold stance, the others stopped tolerating his behavior. Once they’d eaten and had their fill, they packed up and left.

As overbearing as Song Zhixing was, he couldn’t stop ten or so people from walking out.

Left with no choice, he awkwardly conceded, declaring the day’s work done and announcing they’d continue tomorrow.

Yu Qian snorted, “I didn’t realize when Yi Xing became ‘Song Enterprises.’ He’s got some nerve acting like this is his turf.”

“Xiao Yi, you and your husband really gave him a taste of his own medicine last night! Your husband is so dashing!”

Comparisons made all the difference. From the moment Lin Jinshen stepped up, Song Zhixing was instantly overshadowed—in every conceivable way.

Lu Yi placed a tea bag into her cup and poured in hot water.

Another colleague expressed concern. “I’m more worried about retaliation. That guy looks like the petty and vindictive type who’d make things difficult for you.”

After all, Song Zhixing was the client. If he held a grudge, it was unlikely Yi Xing would risk offending him over an employee.

“Yeah, Xiao Yi, you should be careful,” Yu Qian added.

Lu Yi nodded. She could already predict the outcome. “Don’t worry about it,” she reassured them.

At ten o’clock, Sister Wei called Lu Yi to her office. Her colleagues watched her go, already expecting the worst.

“Sit down,” Sister Wei said, leaning back in her chair with a pen in hand. Her face carried a faint smile as Lu Yi entered. “I’ve heard about what happened last night. The other side is quite upset and has requested to terminate the collaboration.”

“Apologies,” Lu Yi said.

“There’s no need to apologize. The contract is clear—we haven’t breached any terms. It’s not up to them to end things unilaterally,” Sister Wei replied.

Her expression softened. “What I mean is that you’ll be stepping back from this project. There are other projects at Yi Xing you can take on, or you can take some time off to relax and recharge.”