Chapter 4

Shen Lai felt that it had indeed been too long since she had last had a boyfriend. Could it really be true that at thirty one is like a wolf, and at forty like a tiger? As she forcefully pushed Zhou Ji's head away, she thought that perhaps she should seriously consider establishing a formal relationship, so as not to be taken advantage of by Zhou Ji.

Zhou felt that he was becoming more and more regressive, speaking without thinking at all. In fact, he hadn't even considered having anything happen with Shen Lai yesterday; what followed could be described as a spur-of-the-moment attraction. Now, speaking like this was inevitably inappropriate. As soon as he saw Shen Lai's expression, he knew she was preparing to strike.

Shen tried to push the door open but failed. She turned her head to signal Zhou Ji to open the central control. The reason she did not want to speak was that she simply did not wish to talk to Zhou Ji

At that time, Shen Lai thought her mother was being overly dramatic, but now she is grateful for her mother's wisdom. Otherwise, with the current housing prices in Jiangcheng, Shen Lai, who has just returned to the country to start a business, would not be able to afford even the down payment, let alone the full amount. Although Zhou Ji is wealthy, when she divorced Zhou Ji, she left with nothing and received not a single penny.

Shen Lai attempted to slap Zhou Ji with a backhand, but unfortunately, he lacked the strength to do so

"Go up." Shen said with a hint of embarrassment and anger

Shen Lai was caught in the act but showed no signs of embarrassment, though awkwardness was inevitable. She had long known that men were not capable of lasting affection, especially since their breakup had been a bloody affair. She turned her head to glance at the rapidly retreating roadside trees and said, "I just thought it was my own phone."

Shen Lai lives in a new residential community in the development zone, which her mother prepared for her when she got married. It was said that if a girl has a quarrel after marriage and does not want to return to her parental home, she should at least have a place to stay overnight

Shen buried his head in the pillow and coldly said, "Get out of here."

As soon as these words were spoken, an eerie silence fell between the two. Shen Lai even stopped eating his cereal, putting down his spoon and slowly wiping his mouth with a napkin; this was a ritual of conserving energy in preparation for battle

Zhou had already silenced Shen, as men who indulge in meat have always known that if they wish to enjoy meat, they must not give women the opportunity to speak

Shen Lai indeed wanted to give Zhou Ji a good retort, but just as he was about to speak, he heard his phone ring. His handbag had been casually tossed onto the sofa when Shen Lai entered yesterday, and the phone was inside it, so he had no choice but to temporarily let Zhou Ji off the hook and walked over to retrieve his phone

As Zhou got out of the car and walked around to open the door for her, Shen's hand, which was still trembling with anger, was still on the bra clasp.

This is undoubtedly a threat; Zhou Ji's shamelessness was something Shen Lai had witnessed when he was pursuing her.

The body heat warmed the clothes, also causing the fragrance to evaporate.

Shen lowered her head to look at her wet clothes, so despite her pretentiousness and irritation, she did not retaliate against Zhou Ji.

Zhou took out her phone and took a picture of Shen, then lightly bit her lip, saying, "I'll go up and delete it for you"

Zhou lowered his head and bit gently on Shen Lai's earlobe, still holding her in place to prevent her from turning around. He whispered in her ear, "She's not my wife, so why should I be gentle?"

Shen mentioned an address, but Jiangcheng is so large, and Zhou Ji is not a taxi driver. As he started the engine, he handed his phone to Shen and said, "Please help me navigate using my phone."

When Shen Lai woke up again, the sun was already shining brightly. She shielded her eyes with the back of her hand and turned around, only to find that there was no trace of Zhou Ji in the dormitory.

Shen stood in front of his door, unwilling to reach into his bag for the key. Women have always had better control over their lower bodies than men, "Zhou has..."

Just as the genius was beginning to shine, "Zhou Ji!" Shen reached out to grab Zhou Ji, only to have him press both of her hands down on her head with one hand. His strength in the morning seemed even greater than last night, embodying the sentiment that those who do not take advantage are fools.

The lock remains unresolved. Shen raised his phone a little higher towards Zhou and said, "Please unlock it."

Which floor?" Zhou had already taken off his shirt and draped it over Shen Lai's shoulders, half-pushing and half-hugging Shen Lai as they walked quickly.

"After work this afternoon, let me accompany you to the supermarket to restock a bit," Zhou said.

"You can stop here," Shen said when the car reached the entrance opposite the community. "It's not a community vehicle, so it can't enter."

The security guard opened the door, and Shen Lai said to the security guard through the car window that Zhou Ji had rolled down, "Thank you, Xiao Li"

Last night's dinner was already light for Shen, and after working physically all night, he was quite hungry. At this moment, he no longer fussed over Zhou Ji's shortcomings, sitting opposite him and began to eat earnestly.

Shen raised her eyelids and glanced at Zhou Ji, then continued to lower her head and eat her cereal. What is wrong with her eating milk cereal? It is nutritious and convenient, making it extremely suitable for single individuals

Two people stumbled through the door

"Miss Shen," the security guard said politely. Although there are many people in the community, the impression of a beautiful woman is always particularly profound.

Zhou squinted his eyes and did not turn on the central control. Shen Lai's attitude towards him was too unfamiliar, as if she did not care about anything he said or did

The lock remained unopened, and Shen cast a glance at Zhou Ji, who was focused on the road. He entered the password from his previous phone on her mobile, which was also her birthday.

However, she had barely taken two steps when her wrist was grabbed by Zhou Ji. Zhou Ji did not believe her nonsense about not allowing her to get into the car. In such heavy rain, if the security guard did not want to be complained about by the property owners, he should show a bit of service spirit

Throughout the journey, neither of them spoke again, and Shen would not initiate conversation either. It was as if they had hailed a taxi on a rainy day, without the need to pay.

The caller ID shows Gu Shengdong, the same man she met during the blind date at the café last time

Whenever Shen came with her tail held high, Zhou would immediately know what she intended to do

Shen has changed his perfume, but the scent is still one that he likes. He has always appreciated women wearing perfume, as it adds an extra layer of sensuality

Shen Lai bit his lip and refused to speak, yet he was repeatedly jolted by Zhou Ji, letting out broken sounds. Zhou Ji was skilled and persistent; even though Shen Lai was determined to resist, in the end, he was worn down and became disoriented, inadvertently revealing everything.

For men, when you confront him, it indicates interest. Shen Lai had no intention of engaging with Zhou Ji anymore. If it weren't for the special circumstances today, she would have maintained her longstanding attitude of having no dealings with Zhou Ji.

"Can't you be a little gentler, Zhou Ji?" Shen Lai's words already carried a tone of coaxing.

"Should we go up or stay here?" Zhou pressed against Shen's lips and asked, "If you don't say anything, then I will take it as staying here."

Zhou Ji had stopped the car but had not turned off the engine. Shen Lai, thinking he would leave immediately, said "thank you," pushed open the car door, and held his bag over his head like an umbrella as he walked towards the community. In fact, he could have jogged, but because Zhou Ji was behind him, Shen Lai couldn't bring himself to run; he thought, let it rain if it rains.

Shen was exasperated, but Zhou had hit the nail on the head. She was simply too lazy for that moment, utterly drained of energy. She turned away and no longer paid attention to Zhou. It was the middle of the night, and everything that needed to be done had already been done. She had neither the strength nor the energy to be overly sentimental, so she simply pulled the blanket over herself and fell into a deep sleep

Zhou Ji's phone and Shen Lai's phone are of the same model, and even the colors are identical. When Shen Lai holds it, he naturally experiences a sense of illusion that it is his own phone, so when unlocking it, he instinctively tries to scan his own face.

"Where do you live?" Zhou turned his head to look at Shen Lai in the passenger seat.

The rain is getting heavier, and even the windshield wipers are struggling to keep up. Watching the pedestrians hurriedly seeking shelter from the rain, it is inevitable to feel a bit better sitting in the car. This may be the reason why Shen Lai is in a good mood and willing to answer Zhou Ji's questions

Zhou Ji drove while glancing sideways at Shen Lai, and he couldn't help but regard her with newfound respect. Shen Lai had always had a poor temper towards him; when they were together, it was like a firecracker that ignited at the slightest provocation, and during their divorce, they nearly came to blows. Unexpectedly, after the divorce, her temper seemed to have improved.

As soon as the words left his mouth, the other side of the bed collapsed. Shen Lai looked up at Zhou Ji, who smiled and said, "Shen Lai, you are the best at burning bridges after crossing them. Why didn't you tell me to get lost when I was drying your hair just now?"

Zhou opened the car door for Shen, pulling her out of the vehicle. Just a few steps away was the elevator lobby of the building.

Zhou then unfastened his seatbelt and leaned over towards Shen.

This attitude inexplicably pricked Zhou Ji's eyes

"Shen Lai, being hands-on is not a good habit." Zhou lowered his head onto Shen Lai's shoulder and took a bite, "If you want me to be gentler, you know how to ask me."

A thirty-year-old woman has reached the age where she needs to prove her charm, no longer possessing the confidence that comes with the abundant collagen of her twenties. Zhou Ji's gaze undoubtedly pleased Shen Lai, especially considering how awkward their breakup was, and the fact that Zhou Ji still had an interest in her was undoubtedly further evidence of her allure

Zhou turned his head and asked, "Do you think I can still use my old password?" It seems that he was not idle with the corner of his eye just now

When the car entered the community, it indeed could not get through the gate. The security guard came out of the guardhouse and bent down to take a look, while Shen also leaned forward to take a peek.

"Why is your physical strength so poor now?" Zhou Ji helped Shen dry off and then gently dried her hair before carrying her to bed

The floor is very high, and there are cameras in the elevator. Zhou Ji is very restrained, and because of this restraint, he is somewhat trembling

Time is indeed a wonderful thing; those who once felt such animosity towards each other that they could hardly bear to coexist can now engage in calm and amicable conversations.

Shen went to the bathroom for a shower, and when she came out, she saw Zhou Ji sitting at her dining table, soaking cereal in milk. Upon seeing her come out, Zhou Ji turned back to the kitchen, took another bowl, and poured milk and cereal for Shen as well

Memories of deep emotions surged to the forefront of Shen's mind, realizing that Zhou Ji was deliberately humiliating him. If last night was merely the result of passion, then this morning's incident was clearly intentional on Zhou Ji's part

Why is there not a single piece of fruit in your refrigerator? Only milk and cereal. Is this all you eat in the morning? asked Zhou.

Shen Lai's reaction was likely unexpected even for herself. She did not push Zhou Ji away, but she also did not respond

Shen unfastened his seatbelt, turned to Zhou and said "thank you," and was about to open the door to get out of the car

Forty-two floors

However, Shen Lai did not intend to develop any relationship with Zhou Ji; he merely wanted to wait until Zhou Ji's enthusiasm grew a bit more robust before dousing him with cold water, thus avenging a slight.

Zhou pulled Shen Lai's hand and walked back to the car, pushing her inside. After just a few steps, his hair was already dripping with water. "Shen Lai, there's a limit to being pretentious, right? It's pouring rain like this, are you trying to put on a restricted performance by getting soaked?"

Zhou Ji is always very harsh when he speaks without holding back. Shen Lai knows that he is indeed being pretentious, but being called out by Zhou Ji still makes him angry. If this were in the past, it would definitely have led to a big argument with Zhou Ji.

Oh. Zhou responded, "When will you be back?"

However, once certain matters are initiated, they may not necessarily proceed according to her intentions

Last year, Shen said

A garage has never been a safe place for intimate encounters in a car

Shen let out a sigh for no apparent reason, truly impatient to see Zhou Ji. Everything that happened last night was just a mistake, merely a game played with the world.

The car entered the underground parking garage. Since Shen Lai's parking space was vacant, Zhou Ji drove the car into the space