When Elena Shen woke up the next day, every inch of her body ached so badly that even lifting her legs felt impossible.
Her phone had played videos until the battery died and shut off automatically last night.
Groggily opening her eyes, she poked her face halfway out from under the quilt and groped around for her phone, only to find it already plugged in and charging on the nightstand.
Dragging it over with effort, she tapped the screen—98% charged.
Despite the soreness all over her body, she opened WeChat in a fit of indignation, found her dear troublemaker of a friend, and was just about to send a strongly worded message when the sound of the closet door opening made her hand tremble.
The aching in her arm didn't help—her half-typed words were instantly erased.
She clenched her teeth and gave up on texting, pushed the phone aside, and pulled the blanket over herself like a turtle retreating into its shell.
Ethan Jiang didn't have to go to the office today. He wasn't wearing his usual tailored suit, but a casual set of loungewear instead.
He was holding a dress he had just picked out for her. Seeing the lump under the blanket, he walked over at a relaxed pace.
Sitting at the edge of the bed, he reached for a corner of the quilt, intending to pull it down slightly so she wouldn't feel suffocated after being under it for too long.
But Elena clung to the blanket as if her life depended on it.
No matter how gently he tugged, she refused to let go.
Not wanting to hurt her by using force, Ethan released his grip.
Instead, he gave her waist a gentle pat through the blanket.
His voice was low and magnetic, calm and unhurried.
"Still sleepy? Want to keep resting?"
As he spoke, Ethan glanced at the immobile mound under the quilt, his expression unchanged. He pulled out his phone and opened his contacts, ready to make a call.
"I'll let your school know, then. You can take the day off."
Upon hearing that, Elena suddenly remembered something. She flung the blanket off and blurted out:
"No! I have to go to school!"
She vaguely recalled that Ethan wasn't going to the office today. If she stayed home too, she wouldn't be sure she could survive the day in peace.
School, at least, was a place of physical safety.
Ethan paused mid-dial, turning his gaze to the girl on the bed, her eyes still wet with sleep.
"School? But I remember you've already completed all your major courses."
Indeed, skipping school for a day or even a few weeks would hardly affect her.
Elena bit her lip and came up with a clumsy excuse.
"I did finish my core classes, but I still have lab work. I can't afford to miss more."
She was so eager to leave Yushan Manor that she failed to realize—if Ethan could accurately monitor her academic progress and schedule, how could he not know whether she had any labs?
Still, he didn't call her out on the lie. He simply set down his phone and held out the dress.
"Then get up now?"
Elena was still clutching half the quilt.
Glancing at his actions, she hesitated, then nodded.
They'd gone to bed late—almost pulling an all-nighter, unwillingly.
So when she finally got up, it was already quite late in the morning.
After dressing, washing up, and eating a rather late "breakfast," the clock's hands were nearly pointing to noon.
But Elena didn't head to school immediately.
Instead, she sat on the sofa, discreetly massaging her aching waist and legs, recovering for over an hour before she finally went out.
Since Ethan wasn't going to work today, he didn't have the driver take her.
He carried her laptop himself and drove her personally to Huaihai University.
By the time Elena arrived at the library, Annie Gu was already there waiting for her.
The moment she stepped in, Annie's eyes lit up as she fixated on the entrance.
When Elena approached, Annie's gaze darted to her neck, scanning both sides. Once her friend had taken a seat, Annie lowered her voice and asked:
"You didn't show up all morning—Elena, did it happen?"
Elena ignored her.
If not for the need to separate night from day, she wouldn't have bothered dragging herself all the way here.
Ethan had dropped her off right inside the school grounds, and she'd only walked a short distance and climbed a flight of stairs.
But even that short walk had her wincing.
She didn't even have the energy to open her laptop now—she just wanted to collapse on the desk and never move again.
And yet, her pet of a best friend wouldn't stop talking.
"Wait... Don't tell me it didn't happen? No way! You're telling me nothing happened? Elena—"
Her words cut off abruptly as Elena turned her head and the collar of her shirt shifted, revealing a faint but unmistakable mark just below her neck.
Annie's worried expression melted into a look of triumphant relief.
Scooting closer, she whispered mischievously:
"Darling, which of your best friend's two gifts did you like better?"
Elena shot her a frosty glance. "You call that mess of links gifts?"
Annie puffed up with mock offense. "How could they not be? That second set I sent? I hand-picked each clip from hundreds! Each one is a masterpiece! HD quality, beautifully shot!"
"You have no idea how long it took me. "Look at these dark circles," she pointed to her eyes dramatically. "Elena, can you see the price I paid for your future happiness?"
"And listen," she leaned in, her tone taking on a rare sincerity:
"My sweet girl, a marriage without intimacy is a marriage destined to crumble."
"Sure, Ethan's a man of duty and propriety. He won't divorce you now that you're married. But a cold, distant marriage is nothing like one built on affection and intimacy."
"You can't let him take care of you just out of obligation. Elena, since you've managed to hold on to the most powerful man out there, you need to live like his wife. A real wife."
"You want him to protect you not just because it's his responsibility, but because it's you. You want his influence, yes, but also his heart. You need to be someone he chooses, not just someone he's stuck with."
"And nothing brings a married couple closer, faster and more naturally, than physical intimacy."
Annie's eyes trailed shamelessly down her friend's figure.
Even as a woman, she often felt the urge to hug her gorgeous best friend—how could a man like Ethan Jiang possibly stay indifferent?
And once that boundary was crossed, how far could Elena be from becoming the cherished wife of the Jiang family patriarch?
Finished with her persuasive speech, Annie glanced around to ensure no one was eavesdropping, then nudged Elena's arm and, voice hushed with curiosity, asked:
"So? Tell me. Which one did you guys watch last night? Any scenes worth... studying?"
Elena was already mortified that this conversation was happening at school.
"Shut up, Annie. You think this is the right place to talk about that kind of thing?"
Annie waved her off. "Why not? It's a library, not a classroom. No one's near us anyway."
Elena reached into her bag for a candy—her usual tactic for silencing her overly curious friend.
But this time, Annie took the candy... and kept talking.
"I sent them in order—ten total, each more amazing than the last. So which one did you two watch?"
Elena didn't want to relive the horror that was last night.
But under Annie's relentless questioning, her mind drifted—unbidden—to a certain scene from the wee hours.
She vaguely remembered Ethan clicking on the last link in the folder.
Annie's quick brain made the leap instantly.
She stared at her friend, wide-eyed, her voice nearly faltering in disbelief.
"Elena... don't tell me... you actually watched those together with Ethan?"
Elena said nothing.
Annie was stunned. "Those links... they were meant for you to watch alone!"
She had hoped Elena would gain some experience, change her attitude toward the marriage, and transform the contractual union into something real.
She never imagined someone like Ethan Jiang—the cold, powerful man himself—would be dragged into this.
But then she thought about it again…
Looking at her beautiful best friend, and remembering the content of those links, Annie's heart slowly calmed.
She patted Elena's hand as if to comfort her—and herself.
"No big deal," she whispered, Really. Watching them together? Just married-couple bonding time. Totally normal. "