It seemed like the perfect time to act. With excitement, I slipped my hand into his shirt, tracing up his waist. He caught my hand, pressing it on the bed, and passionately kissed me, not giving me a chance to breathe.
Just as we became entangled, Ye Zhengchen suddenly stopped, his gaze fixed outside with an unfathomable depth. I quickly turned and saw a woman standing outside the hospital room—Yu Yin, always appearing noble and dignified.
— End of Main Text
Supplementary: Moments of Affection
One morning, the doctor informed Ye Zhengchen he could process his discharge.
Without hesitation, Ye Zhengchen commanded the guard, “Go process my discharge.”
The guard saluted and went to handle the paperwork. Ye Zhengchen then called, “I can be discharged. Come pick me up quickly… Of course, find a good place. We won’t stop drinking until we’re drunk!”
After hanging up, he changed clothes and pulled me out.
“Where are we going?” I asked, still confused.
“Discharged!”
I knew military personnel were efficient, but I’d never seen a discharge process this quick.
“Don’t we need to pack?”
“My guard will pack. Let’s go quickly. Once my mom arrives, we won’t be able to leave!”
I had no time to put on my coat; I grabbed my bag and ran after him.
At the hospital entrance, Ye Zhengchen looked around, about to use his phone when a black Audi screeched to a stop in front of us.
The window rolled down, revealing Zheng Wei’s sharp profile. “Congratulations on getting out of prison.”
Ye Zhengchen opened the back door for me, helped me in, then went to the passenger seat. “Where are we going to play?”
“I contacted Xiao Wu and the others. They want to go to Qinhuangdao. I heard there’s a good club there.”
“Qinhuangdao? So far?” Ye Zhengchen laughed. “Tired of Beijing girls and want to try a different flavor?”
“The further, the better. We can do whatever we want without worrying about being recognized.”
Ye Zhengchen looked thoughtful. “How about we go to Hainan?”
“Next time!”
…
Three hours later, we arrived at Qinhuangdao Port. I rolled down the window, and the damp sea breeze brushed past, bringing a cool sensation.
Ye Zhengchen looked at my thin clothing and pointed to a shopping mall. “Stop by that store entrance. I’ll buy a piece of clothing.”
Zheng Wei drove to the mall’s parking lot. “Go up, I’ll wait in the car.”
Ye Zhengchen put his arm around my shoulders as we entered the mall, which was brightly lit and bustling with enthusiastic sales staff. As we reached the women’s clothing section on the second floor, several employees approached us. “Sir, are you looking to buy clothes for your girlfriend? What style do you like?”
Ye Zhengchen glanced at me, a playful expression on his face. “Sexy,” he said, revealing his true nature.
The salespeople eagerly presented revealing outfits, and Ye Zhengchen picked a red strapless dress. To avoid awkwardness with my bra straps, I took off my bra and tried on the dress.
When I emerged, Ye Zhengchen examined me, but I noticed a man passing by with inappropriate eyes fixed on me, making me uncomfortable.
Ye Zhengchen said nothing, handed me a black mid-length dress, and pushed me into the fitting room.
The dress was skin-tight and exposed most of my back, clearly not something a proper woman would wear. When I came out and saw his eyes light up, I quietly asked, “Should I add an outer garment or a scarf?”
He shook his head and handed me another dress.
After trying six outfits, I wiped the sweat from my forehead and said decisively, “I’ll take this one.” Despite its short length, I had no patience to try more.
Unexpectedly, Ye Zhengchen firmly shook his head and pointed to a lotus-colored suit on the mannequin near the mirror. “This one.”
I asked, “Are you sure?” The outfit seemed devoid of any sexiness.
To prove his point, Ye Zhengchen took out his bank card and handed it to the saleswoman. “I’ll take this outfit and that coat, find something for her to wear…”
The saleswoman looked disappointed, but he pointed to the items she was holding. “These, and the ones she tried on earlier, wrap them all up.”
“Okay.” The previously disappointed saleswoman suddenly beamed, skillfully removing price tags and preparing to check out.
Ye Zhengchen approached me, wrapped his hand around my waist, and whispered in my ear, “Wear it for me alone tonight…”
This man!
Lustful and petty!
After buying clothes and shoes, we went to the menswear section to buy Ye Zhengchen a black coat before leaving the mall. We thought Zheng Wei would be impatient, but he was chatting happily with a beautiful woman.
When he saw us, he looked disappointed. “That was quick?!”
“Want to go back and browse more?” Ye Zhengchen asked.
“Forget it,” Zheng Wei said, checking his watch. “Xiao Wu and the others have already arrived at the club.”
As he opened the car door, the woman gazed longingly at him, hesitant to speak.
Ye Zhengchen approached her, using polite inquiry, “We’re having a gathering tonight. Interested in joining?”
After a brief hesitation, she asked, “Is it convenient?”
“Of course.”
She looked at me and made her decision. “Okay.”
The woman, named Xiao Yu, was a college student who had started chatting with Zheng Wei after being left alone by her friends.
Seeing Xiao Yu didn’t seem easy, I glanced at the driver in the rearview mirror, estimating that his skills in pursuing women might surpass even Ye Zhengchen’s.
Later, when I asked the lecher, he told me, “I’m definitely not in the same league as Brother Wei.”
Zheng Wei drove for about ten minutes and stopped in front of a club that seemed unremarkable but was famous in Qinhuangdao, as indicated by Xiao Yu’s surprised expression.
As soon as the car stopped, a young male attendant opened the door and asked if they were looking for someone.
“Invited by Mr. Wu.”
The attendant’s demeanor changed. “Please come in.”
Inside, they were greeted by a wave of feminine fragrance. The attendant led them to the elevator and up to the top floor. Upon exiting, the light dimmed.
The top floor was a large hall with blonde women dancing on stage, and a dance floor surrounded by round tables and sofas. It was noon, so it wasn’t crowded; a few tables were occupied, with everyone focused on the performance.
As they entered, someone from a table stood up. Eight people – four men and four women – were seated there. The men were familiar from the hospital, but the women were unknown, and no introductions were made. I doubted if they knew each other.
After greetings, Ye Zhengchen pulled me to a double sofa, looked at the stage, and asked with a smile, “What do you think?”
Has capitalism’s sugar-coated shell made a comeback?”
A round-faced man scoffed, “Get lost. You, who walks through Shinjuku’s Kabukicho like it’s home, don’t act all righteous.”
Zheng Wei laughed. “You think he doesn’t want to, but customs won’t allow it.”
“You understand me best,” Ye Zhengchen leaned back on the sofa chair, sounding helpless, “If customs allowed, I’d really like to bring back a whole troupe…”
While everyone chatted, a delicate young girl came on stage, bowing deeply and greeting everyone in Japanese. She said, “Today, a special guest has arrived. Someone asked me to sing a song – don’t say goodbye (sayonara)!”
All the lights went out, pitch black, a lingering Japanese song played. I closed my eyes, remembering that scene at the airport, the last words I said to him – “sayonara.” If I had known all his unspoken secrets then, I would have accepted being his lover; but he said nothing.
“Senior, if I gave you three minutes, what would you say? Would you tell me the truth?”
He held me tightly… “I’ve always been grateful you didn’t give me those three minutes!”
