Chu Luyu called to tell Jiang Hezhou about the evening plans.
“Uncle came to my interest class today. He seems like he’s not angry at me anymore, but he and Mom still haven’t made up… so I was thinking of going to the Chen family home tonight to see if I can play peacemaker.”
The girl’s voice carried a hint of eagerness. “Do you have to work late tonight? If not, come with me. I feel like if you’re there, Mom might be more restrained, and even if she’s still upset, she won’t say anything on the spot.”
Chu Luyu felt that the old couple just needed an opportunity right now. As long as they could get them together in the same room, everything else would be easier to handle.
Jiang Hezhou walked along, patiently listening to her. When she finished, he immediately replied, “No overtime. I can go with you.”
The case had recently hit a bottleneck. The leads kept circling back to the same points with no new progress, so there wasn’t much point in him staying at the bureau anyway.
Chu Luyu’s cheerful voice came through the receiver again. “Great! Then I’ll wait for you to pick me up after work. I’ve finished all my large classes today. The one-on-one session this afternoon got rescheduled to the day after tomorrow—the student called to move it. I don’t have much else to do, so I’ll probably just tidy up the place with my teaching assistant and wait for you!”
Listening to her voice, Jiang Hezhou felt a warmth filling his chest.
He gave an “mm” in response, then asked, “Did you see my message?”
“What… oh, you mean the braised ribs one? Come on, do you even need to ask? You know me—when it comes to good food, I’m always unconditionally in! Just go ahead and pack whatever you want. I can eat it anytime.”
Jiang Hezhou gave another “mm,” and even after hanging up, the faint smile at the corner of his lips lingered for a long time.
·
That evening’s dinner at the Chen family home, under Chu Luyu’s guidance, had a remarkably harmonious atmosphere.
Chen Zhou had recently taken on a cross-provincial corporate dispute case and was out of town on business. Chu Luyu and Jiang Hezhou’s visit was sudden, so he couldn’t make it back in time. Thus, only the old couple and Chen Mian were at the dinner table.
Chen Mian still remembered the “forced kiss” incident outside the restaurant last time and couldn’t resist making a cheeky joke during the meal, only to get put in a headlock by Chu Luyu.
Seeing how close the siblings had become, Chen Huanian was deeply moved and took the chance to sidle up to Chu Yinyin, murmuring, “Xiao Yu has really changed a lot. She never used to be this close with Xiao Mian before.”
With their son-in-law and daughter present, Chu Yinyin didn’t want to say much, but she still didn’t give Chen Huanian too warm a reception, only offering a faint “mm.”
Chen Huanian wasn’t discouraged. Under the table, he quietly reached over and placed his hand over his wife’s.
“What happened before was my fault. I shouldn’t have stormed off and refused to come home after our fight, and I shouldn’t have been so stubborn afterward. You even gave me an out before, and I didn’t take it… that’s on me.”
Chu Yinyin was a kind and soft-hearted woman, especially since she still had feelings for Chen Huanian. Hearing him say this, even her hardest resolve softened.
“I was wrong too, but you know me—when it comes to anything involving my daughter, I can’t control my emotions…”
“I know, I know. I’m more at fault. You accommodate me in so many ways already. When it comes to Xiao Yu’s matters, I should be more understanding of you.”
And just like that, the two reconciled. On the way back, Chu Luyu was so happy she kept telling the system about it.
Chu Luyu: [Cuihua, so we actually can change some plotlines and settings through effort, right?!]
System Cuihua: [Yes, yes! You did great this time—you really changed the development where the original host’s mom and stepfather might have divorced!]
Chu Luyu thought of something and asked, [Then what about the male lead…]
As if guessing what she was about to say, the system replied directly: [Don’t even go there. Don’t start getting any ideas about other things. The male lead is different—his development affects the main plot. These side details can change, but as the protagonist of this world, his settings and experiences won’t be easily altered.]
Chu Luyu choked on her words, her tone deflating: [Got it.]
When they returned to the apartment, the security guard stopped them at the gate before the car pulled into the garage.
“Mr. Jiang, there’s a same-city delivery for you. The packaging looked pretty valuable, so I didn’t put it in the locker—I kept it aside for you!”
Later, Jiang Hezhou took the package from the guard. His gaze swept over it casually and he noticed it was sent by that designer from before.
He had a rough idea of what it was and simply placed the box in the back seat.
Chu Luyu was curious and asked him, “What is it? The packaging looks pretty fancy.”
“A bracelet,” Jiang Hezhou said casually. “Couple bracelets.”
Chu Luyu froze for a moment, then immediately exclaimed to the system in her head: [What’s going on? Why did the male lead suddenly buy couple bracelets?]
System Cuihua: [Did you forget all those random excuses you made about not wanting to get married right away? You told him you didn’t have a ring or a proposal, and you also casually mentioned that you two had never worn anything matching. He probably remembered that, right?]
Chu Luyu: [But… but even if he remembered what I said, why is he so quick to act on it? Does he actually want to marry me?]
System Cuihua: [What else do you think?! Even in the original plot, he never considered calling off the engagement with the original host up to this point! It was only later, bit by bit, as more pressure piled on, that he finally got so disgusted he couldn’t take it anymore and called it off! The male lead is just someone with a strong sense of responsibility. Once he decides to accept an engagement, in his mind, you’re his wife, period.]
She understood the logic… but looking at the disgust value floating above Jiang Hezhou’s head, Chu Luyu still felt a huge disconnect between his actions and his inner feelings.
How could someone despise her so much while being so proactive about preparing to marry her?
It was so strange!
Once they got home, Jiang Hezhou immediately pulled Chu Luyu over to open the package.
Lately, the two had grown much closer at home. Whenever Chu Luyu appeared within Jiang Hezhou’s line of sight, he’d usually pull her onto his lap to sit.
At first, Chu Luyu felt very uncomfortable and kept complaining to Cuihua. Cuihua told her she had no right to complain—clearly, the male lead was the one at a disadvantage here. He was already forcing himself to endure his disgust and annoyance just to get close to her, all to prepare for their married life in advance. What a magnificent feat of responsibility!
Chu Luyu was truly at her wit’s end. No matter how she thought about it, nothing felt right, so she could only resign herself to fate.
This time, she was once again pulled onto the man’s lap on the sofa.
He carried a faint scent of disinfectant and fir. The first time she smelled it up close, she’d found it a bit hard to get used to, but now she was somewhat accustomed to it.
He held her like a little figurine, his arms wrapped around her from the front, trapping her entirely in his embrace.
His large, pale hands with their cool undertones were now unwrapping the package. As he moved, faint blue veins rose on the back of his hands, and his knuckles were as beautifully defined as carved jade.
The outer packaging was quickly removed, revealing a more exquisite sapphire-blue velvet box with a gold-stamped “Z” on it—likely the designer’s personal logo.
“Did you order these couple bracelets because I mentioned before that we’d never worn matching accessories?”
“Mhm. I didn’t think it through before, and I overlooked too many things.” As he spoke, he picked up the smaller of the two bracelets from the box and, with slow but firm movements, clasped it onto Chu Luyu’s wrist.
Every part of the young girl was beautiful—her wrist especially slender, her skin fair. Once the silver bracelet was fastened, it added an extra touch of elegance.
Jiang Hezhou couldn’t help but lift her wrist, bringing it to his lips for a light kiss, then said in a slightly husky voice, “Very beautiful.”
Chu Luyu also raised her hand to examine the bracelet on her wrist. The fit was snug, leaving little room to move. The overall color and design were quite pretty, but it looked oddly familiar.
“Why does this bracelet… look so much like handcuffs?”
Jiang Hezhou answered frankly, without hiding it: “It was designed with handcuffs as the inspiration.”
Chu Luyu was speechless, not knowing what to say.
She thought to herself—no wonder the male lead worked in criminal investigation. Even his choice of accessories had that kind of vibe…
But she didn’t dwell on it too much. It was just a piece of jewelry—if she didn’t feel like wearing it after a couple of days, she could just take it off.
With that in mind, she raised her hand for another look and asked, puzzled, “I didn’t see which clasp you pressed just now. How do I take it off when I want to?”
Jiang Hezhou’s gaze was deep, his eyes like an unfathomable abyss as he looked at her.
“Why would you want to take it off? This is our first couple accessory. I thought we’d wear them every day.”
“Well, normally yes, but…”
Chu Luyu couldn’t find a good excuse, and the man clearly wasn’t letting her off—his gaze remained fixed, unyielding.
With no way out, she could only sigh. “Fine, you’re right. We really should wear them every day. No need to take them off.”
Satisfied, he held her and gave her forehead a gentle kiss. Later, after he asked her to put the other bracelet on him, he still didn’t reveal how to open the clasp.
Back in her room after showering, Chu Luyu studied it for a while longer.
The bracelet was ingeniously designed. Besides its overall handcuff-like shape, the connecting part seemed to feature a small bone-shaped detail.
She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but she thought she saw an extremely faint red glow flickering within that little bone—though it was so weak she might have been mistaken.
But right now, she was more concerned about how to get the thing off. After searching in vain for the clasp, she couldn’t help but complain to Cuihua.
Chu Luyu: [Cuihua, what’s up with this bracelet? Why is the clasp so hidden! The male lead just pressed it and snapped it on without me noticing a thing! Now I really can’t figure out how to take it off.]
System Cuihua: [Then don’t take it off. It’s just a bracelet.]
Chu Luyu: [But we’re supposed to break off the engagement later. I feel like when that time comes, I won’t want to keep anything connected to him… If I can’t get this thing off, wouldn’t I have to go find him to remove it? That’d be so awkward.]
System Cuihua: [Oh my god, sweetie, you’re overthinking this way too much. Focus on what’s right in front of you first. There’s a task today!]
Chu Luyu: [Huh? So sudden?]
System Cuihua: [Not sudden at all. Today’s task follows the timeline—it’s… here!]
The next second, the familiar mechanical voice rang in Chu Luyu’s head—
[Ding! New task! After showering, wearing only a bath towel, go find the male lead, place his hand on your chest, and say the key line: “Brother Hezhou, my chest hurts so much—please rub it for me.”]
Chu Luyu: …
Chu Luyu: [Come on, explain this to me. How did this task play out in the original plot?]
System Cuihua: [Hehe. At this point in the timeline, the original host was about to get her period, so her chest was sore due to hormonal fluctuations. She suddenly had a wicked idea while showering and used that excuse to go harass the male lead.]
Chu Luyu was truly speechless. She finally realized what the system had meant when it said tasks would only get harder from here.
At first, she’d cried over the task of getting the male lead to apply lotion on her. Now she realized—she’d cried way too soon. 🙂
Chu Luyu thought for a moment and asked the system: [Is there a time limit for this task?]
System Cuihua: [What do you think? The original host came up with this idea while showering, and the requirement is to be wearing a bath towel—how could there not be a time limit?]
Chu Luyu resigned herself immediately, no longer having the energy to figure out how to remove the bracelet. Her mind was now consumed by the task ahead.
After showering, she argued with the system a bit more: [Is there an extra word in this task requirement? That word ‘only’—is it really necessary?]
System Cuihua: [What do you think! The task says “wearing only a bath towel after showering.” Do I need to spell out what that means? Only a bath towel! Only a bath towel!]
She knew exactly what it meant—that’s why she felt it was a problem! Wearing only a bath towel meant no other clothes underneath!
Chu Luyu was silent for a moment. [Can’t I at least wear underwear?]
System Cuihua: [Why don’t you just throw on a padded jacket and long johns underneath too, then wrap a towel over all of that?]
Chu Luyu: [Wuwuwu you’re so annoying.]
System Cuihua: [Oh my god, hurry up! The sooner you do the task, the sooner it’s over. Dragging your feet won’t make it go away.]
Of course Chu Luyu understood that logic—but understanding it and actually doing it were two very different things!
She dawdled through her shower, then procrastinated for nearly another hour before finally mustering the resolve to open her bedroom door.
Jiang Hezhou was currently in the study across from her room, handling schoolwork.
Lately, he’d been busy with the municipal bureau’s investigation and hadn’t been back to the university in a while. His usual classes were being covered by other professors.
But some graduate students’ thesis projects and papers still required his attention, so whenever he didn’t have overtime, he’d spend his evenings on those.
The study door was open. Jiang Hezhou sat behind the large desk, wearing cream-colored loungewear.
His skin was naturally fair, and fresh out of the shower, the lingering moisture made his face appear even paler, with a cool, almost ethereal glow. His gold-rimmed glasses still sat atop his high, straight nose bridge, adding a touch of aloof detachment to his demeanor.
That detachment, however, vanished the instant he saw Chu Luyu.
Jiang Hezhou had heard her door open before she even spoke. He looked up immediately, his gaze meeting hers in midair—
The girl was peeking out from behind the doorframe, only her little head visible. Her hair was still damp, hanging loosely around her face, with a hint of moisture clinging to her skin. The steam had left her eyes even more dewy and striking.
“Jiang Hezhou, can you come over here…”
Having spent a good deal of time with her, Jiang Hezhou could now tell from her tone what she was about to do or say.
And this soft, slightly pleading and coquettish tone instantly reminded him of all those previous times—when she’d nervously yet blatantly tried to seduce him.
Was it happening again?
Jiang Hezhou could clearly feel anticipation rising in his chest, his gaze behind the lenses growing deep.
He closed his file without a trace, rose, and walked toward her.
Chu Luyu stayed in her original position, her body completely hidden behind the door, her little hands gripping it tightly.
When he approached, she looked conflicted and troubled, biting her lip and blinking a couple times.
“Jiang Hezhou, um… what I wanted to say is… I… I actually…”
The man stood there quietly, unhurried, listening to her stammer without rushing her, just watching her calmly.
His gaze made her increasingly flustered. Cuihua urged from above: [What’s with all the ‘this and that’? It’s just one task! Roll up your sleeves and do it! He’s already here—what are you hesitating for?]
Hearing that, Chu Luyu figured she had a point. So she steeled herself and stepped out from behind the door.
This wasn’t the first time Jiang Hezhou had seen her clad only in a bath towel.
On the first day they’d lived together, she’d twisted her ankle in the bathroom, and when he went over, she’d also been wearing just a towel.
But back then, he hadn’t felt the same intense desire for her as he did now. Not even close—he hadn’t reacted at the mere sight of her fair, bare skin.
Jiang Hezhou silently swallowed, saying nothing. He knew that in moments like these, whether he spoke or not, she would continue.
Sure enough, the next second, the girl stepped forward, stopping right in front of him.
Her skin was so fair—so pale it was almost blinding up close.
She looked up at him, biting her lip as she hesitated for another two or three seconds, then said softly, “Jiang Hezhou, I think I’m about to offend you again…”
Before he could react, she suddenly took his hand and pressed it against her chest.
Whether it was because she was too shy or just nervous, her movement was quick and a bit too forceful—and the towel around her came undone, slipping off entirely!
For the next ten seconds or so, the silence was deafening.
Chu Luyu’s brain completely short-circuited. A warm palm was still pressed against her, and her mind was flooded with blinding white flashes—she was frozen solid.
Even the system hadn’t anticipated this accident.
It stayed quiet at first, not daring to make a sound. But seeing Chu Luyu standing there dazed and unmoving, with the male lead also holding his position under her hand, it couldn’t help but call out to her: [Sweetie… um… you still haven’t said the key line!]
Chu Luyu finally snapped back to reality. She was on the verge of tears, biting her lip as she looked at Jiang Hezhou, her eyes glistening with moisture.
“Brother Hezhou… I… wuwuwu, my chest hurts so bad—please rub it for me.”
After stumbling through the key line and watching the task progress bar finally move forward, Chu Luyu quickly crouched down, snatched up the towel to cover herself, and bolted for her room without a second thought.
But the man behind her had no intention of letting her go.
Jiang Hezhou lunged forward in one swift motion, wrapping an arm around her from behind. His lean, firm forearm crossed just below her neck, blocking her escape.
His tall frame pressed against her the next second.
Chu Luyu could feel the heat radiating from his body against her back—thick with masculine presence, enveloping her completely.
By her ear, Jiang Hezhou’s low, clear voice rang out, carrying a hoarseness rarely heard in his usual tone—deep and resonant, impossibly magnetic—
“Running? Isn’t it sore? Let me rub it for you.”
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