Gu Zi awoke feeling exceptionally rested that night. Surprisingly, she hadn't kicked off the blanket in her sleep, although she couldn't recall how many times the man had covered her throughout the night.
"Su Shen, did you rest well last night?" She lay still upon waking, sensing the warmth of his breath beside her, causing her body to tense involuntarily.
Glancing sideways, she observed him under the soft, dim light. The man rested on his arm, lost in thought.
His hands, dry and slender, displayed distinct joints and visible veins on their backs.
Meeting Gu Zi's gaze, he swiftly rose and pinned her down, reaching out to tilt her chin with his slightly rough fingers, sending a tingling sensation through her.
"You slept soundly," he replied, before leaning in to nervously claim her slightly parted lips. His forceful intrusion with his tongue conveyed an untamed fervor, as if he sought to steal her breath away.
The intensity of that morning kiss couldn't be denied, especially with a child peacefully sleeping nearby.
"Lele," she gasped as she held back her panting and pressed against his chest.
"She's sleeping soundly," the man said. "Keep your voice down."
After saying that, he continued to kiss her. His large hand caressed her. A warm current spread from her legs. She seemed to be more and more responsive.
Gu Zi's hand, initially resisting, gradually weakened its hold.
After a prolonged moment, he released Gu Zi from his embrace. "Try not to look at me like that in the mornings from now on," he said, half-jokingly. "I might end up skipping work."
Gu Zi nodded in understanding. As he dressed and freshened up, she touched her heated cheeks, reminiscing about the events of the previous day.
Discovering a kind of happiness with a man that had eluded her in her past life felt like it had been found in Su Shen.
She realized that intimate relationships held a sweetness she hadn't experienced before. The interaction with a man seemed truly enchanting and wonderful to her.
It dawned on Gu Zi why her childhood friend had relentlessly pursued finding a partner, despite her tumultuous relationships and frequent changes in boyfriends. Her friend had a famous saying: "I'm wealthy anyway. Even if I'm not married by 50, I'll still be that little babe craving the care of a gentle guardian!"
Yet, Gu Zi sensed that she didn't need to seek out such a guardian; Su Shen was more than enough.
Su Shen took charge of breakfast and even mimicked Gu Zi by preparing lunchboxes for their two children.
As Su Bing and Su Li inspected the disheveled lunchboxes in their hands, they made a displeased expression. They adored their father dearly, but they preferred their mother's lunchboxes. Hers were always impeccably crafted and heartwarmingly delightful.
After her two sons finished breakfast and headed off to school, Gu Zi slowly carried Lele downstairs. Despite not going all out the previous night, the man's lingering effect still persisted, making her feel a bit tortured. She managed to catch some sleep before coming downstairs.
Su Shen embraced her gently and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Breakfast is set in the dining room. I'm heading out."
Following their recent intimate connection, their bond had deepened. It made her reflect on the saying that to reach a woman's heart, one must first connect with her physically. For the first time, Gu Zi found truth in that sentiment.
Although Su Shen hadn't completely crossed that boundary with her, her sentiments toward him had noticeably changed. There seemed to be an intangible magnetic pull between them.
In the morning, there was a knock on the Su family's door. Gu Zi saw a police officer and promptly answered.
"You must be Comrade Gu Zi. This is the 200 yuan returned by the Tian family. Take it first. Also, come with me."
As he spoke, he called out to the side, and Chu Xi's parents-in-law approached the door with trembling hands. Reluctantly, they handed over a hundred yuan, hesitating to release it for quite some time.
They hadn't anticipated the Tian family's elderly member to be so powerless. Not only did he fail to recover any money, but he was also taken to the police station.
Initially, the Su family hadn't been eager to pursue the money that Chu Xi had embezzled. But now, it had all to be returned. Had they known earlier, they wouldn't have pushed the Tian family to create such a commotion. Gu Zi accepted the 200 yuan from the officer and expressed her gratitude.
...