The word "bachelor," how stinging it sounded. A group of young men thought to themselves: if those with girlfriends are already being needled this much, what about them, a bunch of guys with nothing? Being called a few names wouldn't amount to much.

A buddy nearby said, "Fine, tomorrow, starting tomorrow, you’re all coming out drinking with me. Just for the sake of girlfriends, I’ll still lay out a feast for you guys."

Chi Wu scoffed, "Pah, what you call a feast? Forget it. Don’t bother me today, I’m finishing this up. Tomorrow, I'm taking my wife out to explore B City."

Gangzi chimed in, "Right. If we don't give him two dark circles under his eyes, he'll go and create two dark circles to show his sister-in-law. Let's just ignore him."

Chi Wu thought to himself, What do they know? He glanced at the massive mobile phone beside him, which felt like it had a red string attached to it, stirring his heart and mind. Having a wife was wonderful; having a wife who cared deeply for you was even better.

From Cheng Ying's attitude toward him, Chi Wu could tell that his wife was truly stepping into her role.

It no longer felt like he was the only one invested.

This realization filled Chi Wu with strength. What was staying up all night? Tomorrow he could cuddle up with his wife for a makeup sleep. What did a bunch of bachelors know?

The next morning, Chi Wu went straight to the professor's office to turn in his work.

This made his friends, who had enjoyed a full night's sleep, groan in protest. "Chi Wu, you bastard! You were only thinking about coaxing your wife. Didn't you consider that by turning in your work early, you’ve left us hanging? The professor is going to rush us now. Damn it, you’ve totally screwed your buddies over!"

Chi Wu didn't care. He packed up and walked out, not forgetting to add, "Remember to clear some time at noon. My wife is treating you all to a meal. Wait for us at the school gate. You can pick the place."

That’s the mark of wealth. Look at the casual way he spoke. If the gazes of that group could generate energy, they could have created light waves. Unfortunately, Chi Wu, with his thick skin, was completely immune.

Chi Wu left the school and headed straight for his wife's hotel. Cheng Ying had driven nearly all day yesterday and slept soundly through the night. Being woken up so early was quite annoying—this was disturbing her good sleep.

Seeing Chi Wu enter, Cheng Ying was genuinely not too welcoming. "You didn't come here just to accompany me for breakfast, did you?"

Chi Wu closed the door, grinned sheepishly, "I'm here to catch up on sleep." With that, he pulled his wife close and collapsed onto the bed.

In such a beautiful atmosphere, in such an appropriate setting, Chi Wu had no wicked thoughts; he simply held his wife and drifted off to sleep.

Cheng Ying couldn't sleep. She thought about the current times—would anyone come to check the room? If they were caught by the enforcement officers for improper relations, it would be terribly embarrassing.

In that era, regulations regarding such matters were strictly enforced. Without a marriage certificate, they wouldn't even rent them a single room.

Hearing Chi Wu snoring beside her, Cheng Ying turned to look. Had he been ‘hauling bricks’ all night? Why did he look so disheveled?

Looking at Chi Wu like this, Cheng Ying felt a sense of relief. I have the space. So what if they check the room? I can just enter the space, or maybe I can put Chi Wu into the space. What was there to worry about?

Then Cheng Ying felt completely unsettled. The Space was a secret she had never imagined sharing with anyone. How could the thought of putting Chi Wu inside it come so naturally? Had she truly started considering Chi Wu as someone closer than anyone else?

Cheng Ying understood her own nature. If she could share such a secret, it meant she had truly let someone deep into her heart.

This was no longer a relationship that could be explained by that one teasing remark that led to lovesickness. Why was she feeling so conflicted?

Cheng Ying looked up at the ceiling; nothing was discernible. After being so cautious and reserved for two lifetimes, she had somehow fallen for this man. Had she become careless?

Cheng Ying had never imagined herself being this deeply in love. Their personalities didn't match.

Looking at Chi Wu’s features, Cheng Ying couldn't resist reaching out and lightly tracing his face. Looking at his young face—even if his eyes were a bit small and he had single eyelids—paired with her, it wasn't really a loss. Besides, Chi Wu’s face, put together, was handsome; he looked better the more she looked.

She didn't know why, but this was the conclusion Cheng Ying reached: she was actually getting the better end of the deal.

She truly couldn't figure out what turmoil was going on in her heart. Cheng Ying chuckled softly. Gains and losses were all between people who belonged together. No need to wrestle with it. Whatever happened, happened. Cheng Ying followed her heart’s impulse, kissed Chi Wu on the face, and snuggled up to sleep.

Oh, this felt so much better than sleeping alone. Cheng Ying admitted that having someone beside her while sleeping was a wonderful feeling.

Her heart, that of an older single woman who had been alone for so many years, couldn't take it anymore. She had genuinely never experienced this kind of 'benefit.' Cheng Ying closed her eyes, completely content.

When the two finally woke up, it was nearly noon.

Cheng Ying exclaimed, "Oh no, hurry! Didn't you say you were treating them to a meal? Sleeping in so late—what kind of impression does that make? You can't keep people waiting." Cheng Ying was quite concerned about Chi Wu’s friends. Friends of her man needed to be treated with caution; she couldn't leave a bad impression. Who knew when these friends might start spreading rumors behind their backs? Cheng Ying had been alert to this issue for a long time.

Chi Wu remained stubbornly in bed, clinging to his wife. Being able to do whatever he wanted while hugging his wife was a plus. He said regretfully, "If I had known, I would have asked them for dinner tonight."

Cheng Ying tossed him a hot towel. "Hurry up! What are you dawdling for?" Her actions were rough, and her tone severe, almost like scolding a son.

Chi Wu reluctantly got up, crawled out, washed his face, rinsed his mouth, and eventually snuck back to Cheng Ying's side to hug her and steal a moment of intimacy before heading out. Chi Wu thought, Is it easy for me? My wife traveled so far to see me, and we’ve only had one moment of closeness in a day and a night.

Cheng Ying thought, The unlucky kid, why is he so reserved? Does he need to be so careful about these things? Look at me, I’m much more generous. While sleeping, what advantage can't I take?

Then she closed her eyes. What kind of broken thought is that? Am I taking advantage? Don't make me laugh. I'm taking care of Wu Zi out of affection.

She decided this kind of thought couldn't happen again. However, since her boyfriend was conservative, Cheng Ying figured she should try to adapt. Being too forward might always hurt his self-esteem.

She completely forgot the attitude she had just displayed, treating him like a son she was lecturing.

When the two arrived near the school, they spotted five big guys standing by the roadside from a distance. It was obvious that the mood of several of them was far from good.

Cheng Ying thought, How important is a first impression? And you went and ruined it like that. "It’s all your fault for waking up so late!"

Chi Wu remained calm. "What's the big deal if we make them wait a bit? They’re probably already thinking about how to bleed me dry at the meal. They’ll get their payback."

Cheng Ying thought, But that's not the same! First impressions matter so much! Still, it wasn't like this was her absolute first impression.

From afar, Cheng Ying pulled the car over and got out with a pleasant demeanor. "I'm so sorry we're late. It’s all my fault for not knowing the way well."

This attitude immediately soothed the five men, who had been in a foul mood. Who could argue? She was Wu Zi's wife, and she was a woman; she deserved a little leniency, right? Besides, a beautiful woman who willingly admits her mistake is always hard to stay angry at.

How did a scoundrel like Chi Wu get such a wonderful wife? Just look at her attitude.

Only Gangzi understood that this sister-in-law was not quite what she seemed on the surface. He could tell from the very first sentence she spoke to Chi Wu.

Chi Wu got out of the car. "Let's go. Have you decided where to eat? You guys lead the way; today, brother is paying."

The seven of them called for a van to fit everyone. The group was sincerely planning to make Chi Wu pay. While waiting, they had already decided where to eat. Seeing the manner in which the couple carried themselves, they knew Chi Wu could afford to be fleeced.

Naturally, they intended to go to the best place to broaden their horizons.

Cheng Ying was fine with it; she wanted to see some sights herself. This was B City, and compared to it, she felt like a country bumpkin. Naturally, she was happy to visit a nice place.

Chi Wu stated, "My wife really doesn't care about how much money is spent. She throws money around with a net bag. Those bumpkins probably don't understand my wife's dominance. This small show isn't really 'fleecing' me."

Thinking about it, how could the world have changed so fast in just a year or two?

People always strive to climb up, to get better. What sort of trouble could five good students stir up? Still, they settled on a place with a considerable reputation.

Cheng Ying and Chi Wu followed the van ahead, with Cheng Ying feeling a sense of déjà vu about the scenery. Had she really wandered around here in a past life? It had been too long; she couldn't quite recall.

Chi Wu’s expression darkened. This place felt familiar. For Chi Wu, there was no possibility of having visited in a past life. Thus, he recognized it faster than Cheng Ying.

Cheng Ying felt sorry for Chi Wu, who hadn't slept all night. Since she was driving, she focused on the road and didn't pay close attention to Chi Wu’s expression. When the two followed the others into the grand hotel, Cheng Ying smiled—a smile so free and easy, so filled with exhilaration. That kind of expression was not something a young girl could possess, which made the five men beside her momentarily dazed.

She’s too captivating. Cheng Ying shook her head with a wry smile, saying to Chi Wu beside her, "Fate, isn't it? We meet again everywhere in life."

Chi Wu scoffed, feeling his wife was describing it too poetically. "Pah, it’s like stepping in fresh dog poop."

The others genuinely couldn't understand what was going on between the two.

One of them said to Cheng Ying, "Sister-in-law, if you feel this place isn't suitable, we can change to another spot."

Cheng Ying thought, if they leave now after coming this far, it will look like she was scared. She couldn't lose face. "Why wouldn't it be suitable? The decor here is quite nice; it must be good. Let's go in."

It must be said that the owner of a large restaurant wouldn't usually stay in the main hall all the time. But this owner was different; he was dedicated and spent five or six days a week in the establishment. Thus, the chance of running into the owner was slightly higher.

In that era, any place that had a valet service was considered quite upscale.

In Cheng Ying’s view, it was just because the outside area was narrow, necessitating someone dedicated to parking. She didn't see how it suddenly became so high-class.

The key was that she had an inner conflict, which Cheng Ying certainly wouldn't admit.