In fact, more than half a month ago, the elders in the family had asked Jiang Hezhou how he wanted to spend his birthday this year—whether he’d like to return to the old residence to celebrate.
At the time, he hadn’t given it much thought. He only felt that the case was urgent and that staying with Chu Luyu was important. So he declined outright. After that, he gradually forgot about it himself.
Before today, Jiang Hezhou had never imagined that Chu Luyu would specially celebrate his birthday.
Though he didn’t want to admit it, his impression was that the girl’s affection and care for him fell far short of his for her.
If she’d done nothing—if she’d never even known when his birthday was—he would have found that perfectly normal.
But she did know. And she’d gone to the trouble of preparing a surprise for him.
Jiang Hezhou’s throat moved as he swallowed. It took a great deal of effort to suppress the trembling excitement and joy surging inside him.
The candle flames still flickered, and the light snow continued to fall outside. Amidst this warm, soft atmosphere, Jiang Hezhou looked into the girl’s eyes and, after a long moment, said to her: “Thank you.”
With that, he reached out and took the picture frame from her hands, lowering his gaze to carefully study the drawing.
“Is this me?”
“Yes!” Chu Luyu pointed excitedly at the framed artwork. “I drew a nine-panel comic—a series of illustrations. Do you like it?”
The picture featured several chibi versions of Jiang Hezhou.
In the first panel, little Jiang Hezhou was still a child, sitting alone in a corner playing with a Rubik’s cube—looking clever but somewhat lonely. As the panels progressed, he grew into a handsome high school student, gaining friends and brothers. Later, after graduating from university, he became a forensic pathologist, holding a scalpel as he moved through various crime scenes. One panel also showed him teaching at school.
Looking at the round, chubby versions of himself, Jiang Hezhou felt his heart soften.
At the end, he asked in confusion: “Why does every version of me in the earlier panels have strings dangling above me? In these last two panels, I’m cutting the strings. And in this final one, it looks like I’ve broken through some kind of barrier?”
Chu Luyu felt a little nervous. She bit her lip, her tone hesitant: “Because I heard you say before that sometimes the choices you made felt like they were chosen by fate… So I wanted to give you a blessing—that one day, you’d be able to break free from the constraints fate has placed on you and truly live the life you want.”
Jiang Hezhou’s heart softened again.
“So you remember the things I’ve said too…” He’d thought she didn’t care that much about him. He’d thought he was the only one falling deeper and deeper.
The birthday celebration, just the two of them, lasted from afternoon until late at night.
Jiang Hezhou wasn’t particularly interested in the food and drinks on the table. After blowing out the candles, he only had a piece of cake and a few bites of vegetables. The rest of the time, as usual, he focused on taking care of Chu Luyu as she ate.
After the meal, they curled up on the living room sofa and watched a movie. By then, the sky had gone dark, the room lights off, with only the candle flames flickering on the table. In that hazy, intimate atmosphere, Jiang Hezhou held Chu Luyu and kissed her for a long time.
It wasn’t until the movie was over that he finally let her go.
The girl pouted in dissatisfaction: “You’re so annoying—my lips are all numb again!”
The man kissed her tenderly once more, his voice low: “Sorry, baby. I like you too much, so it’s hard to control my physical needs for you.”
Chu Luyu watched the disgust value above his head tick up another point. She was utterly speechless. If she hadn’t known what he truly felt inside, she might have actually believed his words.
But wait—that wasn’t right either. She hadn’t done anything today. She’d been kind enough to throw him a birthday celebration, so why did his disgust toward her still go up?
The system, with an air of knowing everything, explained to Chu Luyu: [Because the male lead is actively kissing you now as part of adapting to intimacy with you, trying to ease into married life. But deep down, he still feels repulsed and annoyed by you. So even though he initiates the kissing, he can’t help feeling disgusted while doing it. As he kisses, the disgust value goes up another notch.]
So that’s it… right?
Later, before bed, Jiang Hezhou carried Chu Luyu to the bathroom himself.
He’d already run the bathwater for her. After carrying her in, he didn’t let her go right away. Instead, after a moment’s hesitation, he asked: “Are you sure you don’t need me to stay and help? You said your legs were weak earlier…”
Chu Luyu struggled to get down from his arms, putting on a lively little act: “No need, no need! I’m fine now. I can walk, run, jump—just get out of here! I want to wash up by myself!”
Seeing her like this, Jiang Hezhou couldn’t help but curve his lips. He reached out and ruffled her hair, then said: “Alright. I’ll wait for you outside.”
After he had completely left the bathroom, Chu Luyu finally registered his words—wait for her? What was he waiting for? Wasn’t he going back to his own room to sleep?
But she didn’t think too much of it. She enjoyed a comfortable bath, gave her hair a quick blow-dry, and stepped out of the bathroom.
To her surprise, Jiang Hezhou was indeed still in her bedroom. The difference was that he had changed into loungewear, and in his hand was a box of moderate size.
“Why haven’t you gone back to your room to sleep yet?”
She walked closer in her cream-colored nightgown. After her bath, every inch of Chu Luyu’s skin seemed a shade paler, making her look soft and fragrant.
Stopping beside Jiang Hezhou, she curiously examined the box in his hand. Inside seemed to be a cartoonish uniform? Wait—there were bunny ears, a bunny tail, and a skirt that was maybe… less than ten centimeters long?
In an instant, she seemed to realize something and frantically called out to the system in her mind: [Cuihua! Cuihua! What’s going on! That thing in the male lead’s hand—it looks like sexy lingerie!]
System Cuihua: [Hehe. It’s not just like it—it is.]
Chu Luyu: [? What do you mean ‘hehe’! Didn’t we agree not to do the task? How did this thing show up again!]
Chu Luyu certainly didn’t think the male lead had bought it himself—so it had to be Cuihua’s doing!
System Cuihua: [You’re wronging me here. This is similar to that time when you suddenly needed to get your period at the restaurant. When the plot requires assistance, the system supplies the host with props based on the scenario. Even though you used points to skip the task, that exchange hasn’t taken effect yet—you’re still within the task period. So when the time came, the prop naturally generated. I can’t control that… If anyone’s to blame, it’s the male lead for coming to your room after his shower and finding the outfit laid out on the bed.]
Chu Luyu really wanted to die. Her head was spinning as she watched Jiang Hezhou sit on the edge of the bed, slowly lifting his head to look at her. His deep, dark eyes held a calm, questioning look.
“What is this?”
“Um… it’s just… um…”
Chu Luyu stammered and couldn’t string together a coherent explanation. Just then, the man pulled out a pink card from the edge of the box.
They were close, so Chu Luyu could easily read the words on the card:
[Birthday Surprise.]
Startled, she reached out to grab it, but the man was clearly prepared. He smoothly dodged her move.
His gaze warm and steady, he looked at her. Behind his glasses, a hint of a smile seemed to flicker in his eyes: “So this was also part of the birthday surprise you had for me?”
Chu Luyu’s head was spinning. Meeting his gaze, she forced herself to answer: “At first, yes.”
“At first?”
“I mean… at first it was. But I don’t want to anymore.”
Jiang Hezhou was silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up.
His tall, straight figure loomed over her. Chu Luyu could clearly feel the pressure of the height difference. He took a small step forward and looked down at her.
“But I want to see it.” His voice was low, even richer in the deep winter night—like red wine aged for many years. “My birthday doesn’t officially end for another two hours. This birthday surprise still counts.”
Chu Luyu: “…”
Two minutes later, when Chu Luyu stood before the mirror in the bathroom again, she still hadn’t figured out how things had escalated to this point.
The system was still laughing: [Hahahahaha, looks like you can cancel that point exchange to skip the task. Since it’s not midnight yet, if you put on the outfit and say the key line, you’ll complete the task!]
Chu Luyu: [Shut up.]
Earlier, after the male lead said those words, she had made a small protest. But the man simply looked down at her, his eyes like a sea deep enough to drown in: “This afternoon, didn’t you say that since it’s my birthday, I can ask for whatever I want? Right now, I want you to put this on and let me see.”
That was the first time Chu Luyu truly understood what it meant to shoot herself in the foot.
She changed slowly, dragging it out. After she was dressed, she stared at herself in the mirror for a long time before asking the system: [What was the key line for this task again? I think you’re right—since it’s come to this… I might as well just do the task.]
The system, in a deliberately annoying, singsong tone, recited the task line: [Brother Hezhou, today I’m giving myself to you—do you like it? ~~~~]
Chu Luyu was utterly speechless. She ignored the system, silently memorized the line, took a deep breath, turned, and pushed open the bathroom door.
At that very moment, Jiang Hezhou happened to be coming in from the outer door as well. They met face to face—both stunned for a second.
Chu Luyu noticed he was holding a bottle of wine and asked, “Why are you holding wine?”
Jiang Hezhou’s gaze hadn’t left her since the moment he saw her. In response to her question, he simply said, “I felt that with this atmosphere, some red wine would be just right.”
As he spoke, his eyes remained fixed on her.
The girl had really obediently changed into the outfit from the box earlier—a bunny police officer uniform. The top was about thirty centimeters long, barely covering her stomach. If she moved, even the curves beneath might be visible. The bottom was a skirt so short it defied description. She was clearly embarrassed, constantly tugging at it, but the fabric was so scant that no amount of pulling could cover the tops of her thighs—let alone whatever was happening behind.
She’d also dutifully put on the ears and tail. Her long drooping bunny ears now framed her face on both sides, making her look even softer and more adorable. Too shy to meet his eyes, she kept her gaze lowered, her lashes trembling like a butterfly about to take flight.
Later, Jiang Hezhou realized that getting the wine had been completely unnecessary.
Dressed like that, with such an irresistible demeanor, he had no patience to coax her into drinking slowly and taking things step by step.
The wine glass and bottle were carelessly tossed aside. He strode toward her so quickly it seemed he was flying.
Chu Luyu barely saw him move. Before she could react, his arm wrapped firmly around her waist from behind, pulling her into his chest with momentum. Her body collided with his solid frame.
When his fierce, relentless kisses came down, Chu Luyu felt utterly consumed, suffocated. This time, Jiang Hezhou’s kiss was heavier than ever before—heavier than every previous time. It was as if he wanted to devour her very soul. With every inch he claimed, her entire being trembled.
She couldn’t remember how they ended up on the bed. All she knew was that when she was on the verge of suffocating, he finally let her go.
The system shouted from above: [Don’t forget the key line! Holy crap, I feel like something bad is about to happen. I’m going into sleep mode—remember to say the key line yourself later!]
Chu Luyu’s head was buzzing. She looked at the man gasping above her, feeling dazed.
After a few seconds of calm, she finally followed the system’s instructions and rushed out the key line: “Brother Hezhou, today I’m giving myself to you—do you like it?”
She was seducing him again… seducing him again!
Jiang Hezhou could barely take it anymore. His whole body was trembling with restraint. He knew that if he fully let go tonight, he would hurt her.
He didn’t want that.
He pushed all the dark, filthy thoughts to the back of his mind, gently took Chu Luyu’s hand, and brought it to his lips for a kiss.
“I like it. But your brother wants to be a little more greedy.”
His eyes were deep as the sea. For the rest of the night, Chu Luyu drowned in that ocean—sometimes lifted, sometimes falling, over and over.
……………………………………………………………………
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When she woke up the next day, Chu Luyu felt as if all her energy had been drained. She was utterly weak.
Jiang Hezhou had been busy outside the room. Sensing she was awake, he came in, bundled her up in the blanket, and pulled her into his arms.
Mornings were when she was at her most adorable and well-behaved. He couldn’t get enough of holding her, lowering his head to brush his lips against hers.
“Get up, have some breakfast, then get ready. We’re going to the old residence for dinner today.”
Chu Luyu blinked, then looked up at him from his arms: “The old residence? Your family home?”
“Yes.”
Last night, after all the commotion, Chu Luyu had collapsed into a deep sleep. But Jiang Hezhou couldn’t sleep at all. In the dim room, he’d stared at the girl, unwilling to waste a single second.
Later, while still holding her, he picked up his phone and sent his mother a message.
Normally, he should have called. But it was too late to disturb her rest. Yet with the way he felt, he couldn’t hold back.
He loved his girl too much. He wanted to marry her immediately—right now, without a second’s delay.
If he’d known he would fall for her this hard, he wouldn’t have gone through the engagement process first. He should have just gotten the marriage certificate from the start, the moment they moved in together. That way, whatever he wanted to do later would be perfectly legitimate. She’d have no reason to be afraid of him, and no chance to run away.
The message he sent his mother basically said that he’d be bringing Chu Luyu to the Jiang family home the next day—and it was more than just a meal. He wanted his mother to invite all the relatives and close friends in the family for a formal meeting. After that, they’d have a meal with both families and set a date to officially register their marriage.
He couldn’t wait any longer. Every day now was both joyful and torturous. He desperately wanted to possess her completely.
Chu Luyu, having no idea of his true intentions, assumed it was just a regular family dinner. She confirmed with the system that there were no issues with the dinner and then nodded her agreement to Jiang Hezhou.
Satisfied, the man kissed her lips gently, then let her go.
“Get ready. I’ll make breakfast.” He paused, then leaned close to her ear, his voice intimate and soft, “And thank you for all the birthday surprises yesterday, baby. Your brother loved every single one.”
“…” Chu Luyu couldn’t stop her face from heating up. She pushed at him with her small hands, “Go, go away.”
Jiang Hezhou adored her flustered shyness. The corner of his mouth lifted involuntarily. Deciding not to tease her further, he stood up and left.
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