◎ Doesn’t “wild man” sound more exciting? ◎

Tao Xiaoxi was eventually carried into the bathroom—carried literally, with her waist resting on his shoulder and her face against his broad back. Her hands couldn’t reach anything else, so she could only twist his waist, kicking and struggling with her legs in the air.

Chen Fang slapped her on the bottom. “Stay still.”

His drunken voice was heavy, with an almost intoxicating calmness.

Tao Xiaoxi really did stay still.

But her stillness only made him even more arrogant. Soon, steam filled the bathroom, and the mirror fogged up. Then a big hand wiped it away, revealing the hazy figures of the two of them in the misty mirror.

She was held in his arms, and he insisted that she look at the man in the mirror.

Tao Xiaoxi buried her head deeply against his shoulder, quietly sobbing, unwilling to look.

Chen Fang let out a low laugh and leaned close to her ear, asking, “Do you want me to let you go take a shower?”

Tao Xiaoxi sniffled twice. At least he still had a conscience.

However, as soon as her feet touched the floor, he grabbed her waist and spun her around. Her hands were forced to support herself on the cold sink, and his arm blocked her waist as he pulled her body backward. In less than a second, the intense heat she had just experienced was back again.

Tao Xiaoxi’s neck instinctively arched backward due to his sudden force, her eyes meeting the person in the mirror. At that moment, she felt like she was losing her mind. She buried her face in the sink, refusing to lift it.

He pressed his body against her back, leaning down to whisper, “Do you see clearly who it is?”

Tao Xiaoxi gritted her teeth and replied in a broken voice, “A wild man.”

Very well.

Since he was already a wild man, he might as well be even wilder.

Tao Xiaoxi realized that marriage had taught her one thing: when you think you’ve reached your limit, there’s always another limit waiting for you. People have endless possibilities, as long as someone is willing to unlock them.

She lay on the bed, face buried in the blankets, not wanting to move at all. She decided that at least until the New Year, she would avoid eating any more meat. She was truly stuffed to the brim.

Chen Fang finished drying her hair and placed the hairdryer on the nightstand before turning her body, “Stop suffocating yourself. You might pass out.”

Tao Xiaoxi swatted at his arm, “Don’t bother me.” Passing out would be better.

Without hesitation, Chen Fang turned her over and cradled her horizontally in his arms, brushing through her messy hair. “Alright, I apologize. I did go a bit too far today.”

Did he? He had basically used her body to act out his drunken madness.

Tao Xiaoxi didn’t want to say a word to him tonight.

Chen Fang pinched her lips and then lowered his head to kiss them. “I was laughed at for that red nail polish today. I’m probably going to be the joke at the dinner table at the end of the month. If I didn’t have thick skin, I might never show my face again.”

Tao Xiaoxi kept her eyes shut, silently cursing him in her mind. His skin wasn’t just a little thick; it was thick beyond belief.

This time, he had really pushed her too far. Chen Fang blew lightly at her eyes, “How about this? From now on, you can’t touch my hands, but you can do whatever you want to my feet. You can paint whatever color you want.”

Tao Xiaoxi still didn’t speak, but her eyelashes fluttered faster.

Chen Fang added, “You can paint them pink, your favorite color.”

After a few seconds, Tao Xiaoxi couldn’t hold back. She opened her eyes to look at him. Her expression was calm, but there was a sparkle in her eyes. “You said it, not me.”

Chen Fang nodded, “I said it. But no matter what color, it has to stay on my feet for a day, and you’re the one who has to remove it too.”

Tao Xiaoxi thought for a moment. “I want to draw designs.”

Chen Fang didn’t quite understand. As a typical straight man, he had no idea that a nail could be used to create so many designs.

He humbly asked, “You mean on the nails?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Since he had already agreed to let her paint, adding a design wasn’t a big deal. To please her, Chen Fang readily agreed.

Tao Xiaoxi got excited, suddenly feeling more energized. She climbed onto his lap, holding his arm and asking, “Can I do it now?”

Chen Fang hadn’t expected such a positive reaction to his casual suggestion. Not only was she not mad, but she was also playfully asking for permission.

Of course, it was okay.

It was more than okay.

Earlier this morning, Tao Xiaoxi had secretly painted his nails. She was so nervous at the time, holding her breath and being extra careful with her movements, afraid she might wake him up if she was too rough. Now, it was different; with his approval, she could freely do anything she wanted to his feet.

She first needed to remove the polish from this morning before she could paint new designs.

Tao Xiaoxi placed his feet on her lap at first, but after a while, she got tired and moved his feet onto the bed. She bent down, then after a bit more time, she sat on his lap, her face right above his feet.

Chen Fang leaned back against the headboard, his eyes fixed on her raised bottom, unable to look away.

“Did Qiu Tingyu mention dinner tomorrow night?”

Oh, that. She had completely forgotten about it.

“Yeah, he mentioned it when we met at the hospital yesterday. He said he was having dinner with Sister Yingying, and wanted us to join. I told him I’d check with you to see if you were free.” Tao Xiaoxi gently blew on her freshly painted nails.

Chen Fang’s throat tightened at her soft breath. He cleared his throat and asked, “Do you want to go?”

Tao Xiaoxi continued painting the second nail, “Whether we go or not doesn’t matter. It depends on your schedule. You’ve got all those dinner parties at the end of the year. But you should’ve seen his expression, he looked really pitiful.”

Chen Fang’s eyes darkened with a hint of danger. “You feel sorry for him?”

Tao Xiaoxi thought his question was a little strange. She glanced at him before turning back to focus on his feet. “Why would I feel sorry for him? Didn’t you say he likes Sister Yingying? I just think he really does like her.”

Chen Fang replied reluctantly, “Since he looks so pitiful, shall we reluctantly join him for dinner tomorrow night?”

“Sure.” Tao Xiaoxi was so focused on his feet that she responded casually.

Chen Fang wasn’t satisfied with her answer. She sounded too eager. He reached out and tugged at her hair, still not feeling enough. He pushed his hand deep into her long hair, messing it up roughly.

Tao Xiaoxi became happier the more she applied makeup. Sitting on his lap, she unconsciously swayed her body. As she did, the areas where their bodies were pressed together began to rub against each other.

By the time Tao Xiaoxi realized something was wrong, she had already been pulled onto his thigh by the person leaning against the headboard. He didn’t give her a chance to say anything.

The next morning, when Chen Fang put on his socks, he noticed the design on his toes. It wasn’t exactly a design, but more like words. On his left foot, it said “Live Bandit,” and on his right, it said “Stinky Pervert.”

Writing such complicated words on his toenails was quite a skill. Chen Fang glanced at the person lying on the bed, leaning against the pillow, fast asleep. It seemed he hadn’t been tough enough; she still had the energy to wake up in the middle of the night and do this.

Tao Xiaoxi didn’t wake up too late. She groggily got out of bed and walked toward the bathroom. After five steps, she yawned six times, feeling so tired she didn’t even know where her soul had gone. But as soon as she saw the mirror above the sink, she immediately woke up. Last night’s scene uncontrollably flashed through her mind, page by page.

She probably wouldn’t be able to stand at this sink to wash her face again. Wouldn’t standing there once make her recall it every time? It was simply… unbearable. Since that time in the bathtub, after the pink bubble bath, he had moved their “battleground” from the bed to different corners of the room, calling it making good use of space. She felt that at this rate, there would soon be nowhere left in the house for her to stay, and even her favorite hanging chair had been tainted by him.

Tao Xiaoxi’s wide-awake eyes locked onto the mirror. There was a patch of red on the tip of her nose, and three symmetrical red mustaches were drawn on her cheeks, looking like a rabbit or maybe a fox.

This was definitely payback for what she had written on his foot. Tao Xiaoxi thought bitterly. Not only was he a pervert, but he was also petty, and to top it off, he wasted her newly bought lipstick.

She sent him a message: “You owe me a new lipstick.”

Not even a minute later, his reply came back. He simply sent her money.

Tao Xiaoxi looked at the number with several zeros and thought he really was a rich country bumpkin. She happily accepted the money.

Another message from Chen Fang arrived: “Don’t forget about dinner tonight. I’ll pick you up at 6.”

“Okay!” Tao Xiaoxi replied, feeling overjoyed after receiving such generous compensation.

Chen Fang could feel her happiness through the text. He suddenly didn’t feel like going to Qiu Tingyu’s dinner.

That evening, Chen Fang didn’t end up going to Qiu Tingyu’s dinner after all.

Zhou Ying had originally planned to keep the divorce a secret until after the Spring Festival. Both of them were only children, so it was typical for them to spend the holiday with their respective families. Their parents had only met once at the wedding, and they hadn’t really kept in touch afterward, so it was easy to keep it a secret.

But in the end, she couldn’t keep it from everyone. Zhou Ying’s ex-mother-in-law called Jin Yi, and the words she spoke were especially harsh. “After all these years of marriage, she didn’t want to have a child. My son found someone to have one for her. What’s she dissatisfied with? The divorce is fine, but she still wants to take so much of my son’s money in the lawsuit. Is she planning to use it to raise a toyboy or what?”

Jin Yi was caught off guard by the news of her daughter’s divorce and trembled with anger when she heard the words from her ex-in-laws. But she quickly responded, “You raised a scumbag who cheated in marriage, and now you have the nerve to call me? You’re no better yourself. Fortunately, my daughter was smart enough not to have children. Being even remotely associated with people like you makes me sick. The amount of money in the divorce is what the court decided. My daughter deserves it. As long as my daughter is happy, I don’t care if she uses the money to support a toyboy.”

Jin Yi had never quarreled with anyone or argued in her life, and the only insult she ever used was “scumbag.” Fortunately, her energy didn’t falter, but it still made her sick, and she ended up getting ill and being hospitalized in the county hospital just before New Year’s Eve.

When the old lady and Tao Xiaoxi entered the hospital room, Qiu Tingyu was sitting by the bed, peeling an apple for Jin Yi. The old lady paused when she saw Qiu Tingyu. She recognized the tall, thin, and fair young man as Tao Xiaoxi’s classmate, wondering how he ended up here.

But the old lady was quick-witted. She saw Qiu Tingyu running errands for Jin Yi, getting water, and even noticing the slightly embarrassed yet happy expression on Jin Yi’s face. She more or less figured out the situation. Not wanting to make things awkward, she simply asked Jin Yi about her health.

Jin Yi’s health wasn’t too bad. Her blood pressure was a little high, but the doctor said she just needed two more days of IV drips, and she should be able to leave the hospital before New Year’s Eve.

Before long, Meng Qing also came by. Her department was close to Jin Yi’s ward, so whenever she had time, she would come to check on her.

The elders had something to talk about, so Meng Qing instructed Tao Xiaoxi and Qiu Tingyu to go fetch some hot water. Tao Xiaoxi figured the conversation was probably about Qiu Tingyu.

Before leaving the room, Meng Qing gave Tao Xiaoxi a wink, and Tao Xiaoxi roughly understood her mother’s intention: she was asking her to keep Qiu Tingyu occupied outside for as long as possible.

Tao Xiaoxi couldn’t help but admire Qiu Tingyu. His affection wasn’t just words; his actions spoke volumes. At a chaotic moment like this, he was directly serving Jin Yi at her sickbed. Not many people had the courage to do that.

To keep Qiu Tingyu busy, Tao Xiaoxi was somewhat at a loss. She wasn’t good at making conversation with people she wasn’t close to, but luckily, Qiu Tingyu was good at it. As a lawyer, talking and reading people’s emotions was his specialty. He quickly realized that the three elders in the room were probably talking about him, and he also noticed that Tao Xiaoxi’s mother and the old lady held significant weight in front of Zhou Ying’s mother. The two families were indeed close.

Qiu Tingyu spoke, “Sister-in-law, could you say some good things about me in front of Auntie and Grandma?”

Tao Xiaoxi was stunned for a moment at his address, then laughed, “Where does this ‘sister-in-law’ come from?”

Qiu Tingyu laughed too, “Chen Fang is a year older than me. I don’t have to call him ‘older brother,’ but I definitely should call you ‘sister-in-law.'”

Chen Fang had told Qiu Tingyu, “If you ever call my wife’s name so casually again, don’t come to me for help regarding Zhou Ying.”

Tao Xiaoxi’s smile widened. “Just for that ‘sister-in-law,’ I’ll definitely say some good things about you.” She paused for a moment. “But you know, no matter how much I say, in the end, it still depends on what Sister Yingying thinks.”

Qiu Tingyu nodded, signaling that he understood.

Chen Fang and Zhou Ying entered the hallway one after the other. They had met downstairs. Zhou Ying was just coming home to grab some food, and Chen Fang had just left the office.

When Chen Fang saw the overly bright smile on the other person’s face, his brows furrowed.

Zhou Ying, upon seeing Qiu Tingyu, also frowned. She had only come home to grab a meal, so why was he here again?

Chen Fang quickly walked over and placed his hand on Tao Xiaoxi’s shoulder. His tone was slightly dissatisfied, “What are you talking about? Looks like you’re having a great time.”

Tao Xiaoxi didn’t sense his dissatisfaction. She greeted Zhou Ying. With Sister Yingying around, she certainly couldn’t mention what they had just been talking about. She replied, “We were talking about some funny things from school.”

Qiu Tingyu didn’t dare to look at Zhou Ying. Instead, he echoed Tao Xiaoxi, “Only after growing up do you realize that the school days were the most carefree.”

Chen Fang applied more pressure with the hand on her shoulder. He really didn’t want her to reminisce about any past with Qiu Tingyu.

Zhou Ying and Qiu Tingyu had something to discuss, so they called Tao Xiaoxi away.

Tao Xiaoxi watched them leave. She hadn’t noticed it before, but now she thought that their energies seemed to match quite well.

She was so focused on watching the two of them that she didn’t notice Chen Fang narrowing his eyes. His dark eyes were like a storm brewing. “Tao Xiaoxi, don’t tell me you still like Qiu Tingyu.”

Hmm?

Tao Xiaoxi pulled her gaze from the distant figures and turned to look at him. Where did he come to this conclusion? He had said she was jealous, but she thought he was just as possessive as anyone else.

She asked him, “Do you still remember what your desk mate, that little girl who kissed you in kindergarten, looked like?”

… Chen Fang replied, “That was years ago. Who would remember that?”

Tao Xiaoxi shrugged. “Isn’t it the same? We graduated from high school years ago, and I don’t remember what those hazy feelings from back then even felt like. Now, he’s just another ordinary classmate in my eyes.”

Chen Fang stared at her. He tapped his finger on her shoulder repeatedly, then stopped at her collarbone, giving it a sharp scratch. He seemed satisfied with her answer.

“So, what am I to you?” he couldn’t help but ask a rather childish question. Although he didn’t want to admit it, he still hoped she would say, “You’re my man.”

Tao Xiaoxi tilted her head, thinking for a moment. “A dirty rogue.”

Chen Fang’s brows, which had just relaxed, furrowed again.

“Or a wild gangster.”

His frown deepened.

“If you don’t like that, you can be a wild man.”

Chen Fang’s eyebrows knitted even further. He looked at her, and Tao Xiaoxi blinked at him. “Doesn’t ‘wild man’ sound more exciting?”

Chen Fang: …