Noticing the tense atmosphere between the two, Xiang Yuan proactively said to Ke Hang:

“You take Xiang Ming home first. There’s no need for you to handle matters here.”

Ke Hang was visibly unwilling, clenching his fists before turning to leave.

When he reached the entrance, Xiang Ming was waiting outside for him.

“President Ke, why are you alone?”

Ke Hang tugged impatiently at his tie. “Cheng Zhinan showed up.”

“My brother-in-law?”

“Mhm.”

Xiang Ming studied his expression and chuckled lightly:

“Why do you look so angry?”

Ke Hang felt an indescribable irritation.

Having been friends with Xiang Yuan for so many years, it pained him to see her upset.

“Your sister really has poor taste, marrying a man like that,” Ke Hang couldn’t help but complain.

Xiang Ming was taken aback. “My brother-in-law is quite good though.”

Ke Hang shot her a sidelong glance.

Xiang Ming continued, “If you’re referring to today’s incident, he might have been delayed by work. His profession is special, so there are bound to be times when he can’t get away. But from what I know of him, unless there were extraordinary circumstances, he would never intentionally not come.”

Ke Hang couldn’t be bothered to say more to Xiang Ming and directly instructed the driver to start the car.

Xiang Ming didn’t dare speak further, afraid of angering her boss.

She had long suspected that President Ke still carried a torch for her sister after all these years.

Seeing his current attitude so displeased with Cheng Zhinan she wondered if he was eager to kick her own brother-in-law aside and take his place.

Xiang Ming entertained these gossipy thoughts internally but didn’t dare voice them aloud.

Still, she was certain President Ke had ulterior motives.

Once in the car, Xiang Ming secretly messaged Li Xuesong:

[I’m in the car now. President Ke is taking me home.]

Li Xuesong: [President Ke?]

Xiang Ming: [I’ll explain when I get home.]

Meanwhile.

Cheng Zhinan pulled Xiang Yuan by the wrist into the car.

With just a slight force, her wrist turned red.

He settled her into the passenger seat, then got in himself and prepared to start the car.

Xiang Yuan glanced at her wrist and shot him a resentful look.

“Why so rough?”

Cheng Zhinan turned to examine her wrist.

Her skin was delicate the slightest pressure would leave marks.

He lowered his gaze, took her wrist, and gently rubbed it with his palm.

“Does it hurt?”

Xiang Yuan: “…It’s alright.”

Cheng Zhinan: “I was late today. You have every right to be angry with me.”

Xiang Yuan insisted stubbornly:

“You’ve misunderstood. I’m not angry. Besides, I had a great time tonight all my friends were there. I didn’t even have time to think about you.”

Cheng Zhinan explained:

“There was an urgent, complicated emergency surgery. I couldn’t get away. I originally planned to come, but the situation was critical. I’m truly sorry.”

Xiang Yuan: “Did you find out about my birthday from Xiang Ming’s message?”

Cheng Zhinan’s lips curved slightly. “Do you think I’d forget your birthday?”

Xiang Yuan: “…It’s possible.”

Cheng Zhinan: “No matter how busy work gets, I wouldn’t forget something like that.”

Knowing words alone weren’t enough, Cheng Zhinan leaned down and softly kissed the red mark on her wrist.

Xiang Yuan’s heart softened slightly, but she remained stubborn. “Don’t think this will make me forgive you. Today is my birthday, and not only were you late, but you also…”

Before she could finish, Cheng Zhinan took out a birthday gift meant just for her from his pocket.

The crystal-clear emerald necklace, with its rich and vibrant hue, refracted soft yet sophisticated light. Adorned with scattered diamonds around it, it was breathtakingly beautiful.

Cheng Zhinan leaned down and fastened the necklace around her neck.

“I was wrong to be late today.”

“But my feelings and this gift were never delayed.”

The moment she saw him take out the emerald necklace, Xiang Yuan was instantly captivated.

The quality of the gemstone alone made it clear it was incredibly expensive.

Her neck had been missing just such a necklace.

Cheng Zhinan certainly knew how to pick gifts for women.

She touched the necklace at her throat, unable to put it down. “This must have cost a fortune, right?”

Cheng Zhinan: “It’s fine. Nothing is too expensive when it’s a gift for you.”

Xiang Yuan quickly took out her phone, turning on the front camera to look at the necklace on the screen.

The camera couldn’t fully capture its beauty; the refracted glow from every angle was exquisitely stunning.

She knew quality when she saw it, which was how she understood just how precious Cheng Zhinan’s gift was.

She knew Cheng Zhinan was wealthy, but she hadn’t expected him to give her such an expensive piece of jewelry.

Even someone as extravagant as her would hesitate to splurge on such a valuable gemstone necklace for herself.

In just a few seconds, the gloom from earlier completely vanished.

The emerald necklace complemented her outfit perfectly that day.

She opened the camera and couldn’t resist taking a few selfies.

The gemstone was dazzling, yet it still served as her accessory.

Seeing her in a better mood, Cheng Zhinan still felt a pang of guilt.

Xiang Yuan had let it slide, but today’s incident was indeed his failure as a husband.

Yet, faced with such an unexpected situation, there was nothing he could have done.

This was the profession he had chosen, and he had to be responsible for his work and his patients.

He hadn’t expected Xiang Yuan to be so easy to appease.

The weariness in his eyes faded slightly.

Seeing her lifted his spirits.

Cheng Zhinan: “Do you like it?”

Xiang Yuan: “It’s not bad.”

The fact that Cheng Zhinan had prepared a gift for her in advance proved he hadn’t forgotten her birthday.

That was what mattered most to Xiang Yuan.

As for him being late today

Even before marrying him, Xiang Yuan had known about the unique demands of his profession.

And if she threw a tantrum over his work, she would only come off as unreasonable.

“Since you put some thought into the gift, I’ll let it slide for today.”

Cheng Zhinan: “I’m off tomorrow. Whatever you want to do, I’ll be with you.”

Xiang Yuan: “Really?”

Cheng Zhinan: “Yes, the whole day is yours.”

Xiang Yuan curved her lips into a smile.

If Cheng Zhinan was this good at coaxing her, what if he made more mistakes in the future? She might just get to take advantage of it a few more times.

A win-win situation.

Cheng Zhinan didn’t catch onto what Xiang Yuan was thinking. Earlier in the hall, Ke Hang’s actions had felt intrusive.

Even though they were just friends, he had overstepped by trying to meddle in their personal matters.

No matter how even-tempered Cheng Zhinan was, he could tell Ke Hang’s feelings for Xiang Yuan went beyond mere friendship.

“That friend of yours earlier did he want to take you away?” Cheng Zhinan said lightly.

Xiang Yuan: “You mean Ke Hang?”

“Yes.”

“He probably thought your absence today meant you don’t care about me, so he wanted to stand up for me. Don’t overthink it.”

“I’m not overthinking,” Cheng Zhinan interjected abruptly.

Xiang Yuan was still captivated by the gemstone’s charm when she heard his words, instinctively looking up at him.

“If possible, you should keep some distance from him in the future,” Cheng Zhinan said.

Knowing he had developed a grudge against Ke Hang today, Xiang Yuan didn’t want to add fuel to the fire and quickly agreed, “Alright, I understand.”

Yet Cheng Zhinan detected a hint of perfunctoriness in her tone.

They had years of friendship between them – naturally it couldn’t be severed just because of his few words.

Cheng Zhinan’s expression cooled slightly as he drove her home.

The gifts Xiang Yuan received today had all been delivered to her home by staff.

Pushing the door open, Cheng Zhinan seemed to suddenly remember something. “By the way, Mom and Dad know it’s your birthday today, so they asked me to give you this.”

“What is it?”

Cheng Zhinan picked up a bank card from the table and handed it to her. “They’re busy with work and don’t know what young people like these days. Rather than buying something you might not like, they simply asked me to give you this. Spend the money however you want, buy whatever you feel like – no need to inform anyone.”

Xiang Yuan smiled faintly. “Why are Mom and Dad being so polite?”

Cheng Zhinan: “Though we don’t contact each other often, they genuinely care about you.”

Xiang Yuan kicked off her high heels and walked barefoot on the floor, her steps somewhat unsteady.

Cheng Zhinan watched her for a few seconds before supporting her waist. “Did you eat enough tonight?”

Xiang Yuan: “More or less.”

Holding her by the waist, he guided her into the bedroom.

Xiang Yuan carefully protected the emerald necklace at her chest, afraid it might knock against anything.

As they reached the bedside, just as Cheng Zhinan was about to lay her down, Xiang Yuan accidentally twisted her foot, causing them both to tumble onto the bed.

Xiang Yuan’s breathing became erratic, her long hair splayed messily across the bedsheet.

She furrowed her delicate brows and pushed against Cheng Zhinan’s chest. “You’re so heavy, get off.”

The man’s firm chest pressed against her, making it hard to breathe.

Not only that, a certain part of him was making its presence aggressively known.

Cheng Zhinan grasped her wrist, his nose level with hers. “Get off?”

Lying on the bed, the green gemstone rested in the pale valley of her cleavage. The strapless silk dress accentuated her excellent figure – her full, delicate breasts seeming ready to burst forth like Venus in the mirror.

Her rapid breathing made her chest rise and fall dramatically.

Cheng Zhinan frowned slightly. “Why are you wearing this dress?”

Xiang Yuan hummed lightly. “That’s my freedom.”

Cheng Zhinan lowered his gaze, his eyelashes gently brushing against her collarbone.

“I know it’s your freedom.” But the thought of other men’s eyes lingering on her body made him uncomfortable.

Perhaps he should claim more of her.

He didn’t mind her having male friends, but he disliked how much they occupied her attention.

If possible, he wished his wife’s heart could be completely filled with him.

Xiang Yuan had once teased him:

“Doctor Cheng, you’re so strict with me – only once a week. Be careful or I might change my mind someday.”

Cheng Zhinan hadn’t paid it much mind at the time, only concerned for her health.

But thinking about it now, those words made sense.

If you don’t feed the cat properly, she’s bound to have complaints.

He didn’t believe Xiang Yuan would ever stray, but there would always be people flaunting themselves before her.

Cheng Zhinan kissed her cheek and, before midnight arrived, said to her tenderly:

“Xiao Yuan.”

“Happy birthday.”

Xiang Yuan felt she might be slightly intoxicated, otherwise why would she feel so dizzy and lightheaded now.

He rarely called her so affectionately, yet his voice was incredibly pleasing to hear.

Cheng Zhinan had made a mistake tonight and was deliberately using tender tactics on her she found it truly difficult to be harsh with him.

She wasn’t one to anger easily to begin with, and now she couldn’t muster any fierceness at all.

Xiang Yuan’s fingertips traced his brows and eyes, outlining the shape of his gaze.

Only upon closer inspection now did she notice the faint traces of fatigue beneath his eyes.

“You must have had a tough day today,” Xiang Yuan said with some heartache.

“Not too bad. I was supposed to get off work to celebrate your birthday, but a patient suddenly came in. They were short-staffed, so I rushed to prepare for surgery.”

It should have been a tender moment, yet Xiang Yuan felt their closely pressed bodies didn’t match this conversation at all.

She tried to pull away, but Cheng Zhinan’s tall, broad frame pressed firmly against her, leaving her unable to move an inch.

Xiang Yuan deliberately ordered him:

“Go pour me some water.”

Cheng Zhinan indeed listened to her, rising to fetch water for her.

Xiang Yuan finally managed to sit up, but still felt dizzy, her arm unsteady as she held the cup.

The water sloshed in the cup, accidentally splashing onto her clothes. A few crystal-clear droplets landed in the plush crevice, complementing the emerald stone even more strikingly.

Xiang Yuan felt somewhat embarrassed, glancing down at herself before looking at Cheng Zhinan before her.

Cheng Zhinan stood with one hand in his pocket, leaning against the wall. His expression was serious, yet his gaze was fixed directly on her.

Xiang Yuan couldn’t stand his restrained yet provocative demeanor most of all.

Gritting her teeth, she said, “Don’t look.”

Cheng Zhinan approached: “Not drinking anymore?”

Xiang Yuan: “…Mm.”

Cheng Zhinan took the cup from her hand and set it aside, then knelt on one knee, bringing his eyes level with hers. “Since you can’t hold it steady, you should’ve let me feed you from the start.”

He extended a finger, meticulously wiping away a droplet of water.

The delicate, moist bead rolled between his fingertips. The man’s fingers were long and pale what should have been a simple action somehow evoked improper thoughts.

Xiang Yuan’s cheeks flushed red as she pushed against his shoulders. “Cheng Zhinan, stop provoking me.”

He dangled temptation before her every day yet never let her indulge, leaving her restless and agitated. She even suspected Cheng Zhinan did it on purpose.

The moment her palm pressed against him, the man caught her hand in his.

Cheng Zhinan kissed her fingertips, his voice reverent. “I was wrong tonight. Let me make it up to you.”

Before Xiang Yuan could react, she was pushed back onto the bed.

The room lights remained on. As she struggled to reach for the switch, the man pulled her hand back.

Warm lips and tongue traveled upward from her ankle, and the room’s temperature steadily rose.

Xiang Yuan tightly closed her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering wildly as she feigned deep sleep.

Soon, her eyes flew open wide, and she bit her lower lip. “…Cheng Zhinan!”

The man before her didn’t respond verbally but answered her with action.

Xiang Yuan struggled more fiercely, trying to kick him away with her legs.

But Cheng Zhinan restrained her calves, his voice unusually hoarse:

“Don’t move.”

“You’ll enjoy this.”