The recent weather in Yancheng has been unbearably hot. Thick clouds hung low across the sky, blanketing the entire city beneath a suffocating layer of humidity.

Inside the laboratory at S University, a young man stood quietly by the window, his gaze fixed outside as though lost in thought. A few strands of hair fell loosely across his eyes, partially concealing them, yet it did nothing to diminish the sharp elegance of his features. His profile was cold and refined, striking enough to make people look twice.

The spotless white lab coat draped over his tall frame without a single crease. Beneath the collar, a glimpse of pale skin showed faintly, adding an almost dangerous sense of restraint and allure to his otherwise distant appearance.

Lu Shijing lowered his eyes to the phone in his hand and unlocked it once again, checking the same WeChat message for what had to be the fourth time.

“Landing in Yancheng tonight at 11:00.”

From Nan Sheng.

The longing he had endured for so many days finally seemed close enough to touch. A faint light flickered in his eyes, softening the coldness that usually surrounded him. Warmth spread slowly across his expression, bringing sudden life to those icy, handsome features and making him look impossibly captivating.

Meanwhile, after wrapping up her final scene for the day, Gu Nansheng returned to her hotel room completely drained.

Right now, all she wanted was to remove her heavy makeup, kick off her ten-centimeter heels, and soak in a hot bath until every ounce of exhaustion disappeared.

“Sister Nansheng, do you really have to go back to Yancheng tonight?” her assistant, Xuanxuan, asked worriedly.

After all, they had been filming nonstop for two entire months. The production schedule had been brutally tight, and the cast and crew had practically been living on set day and night. Even someone with incredible stamina would struggle to endure it.

As the female lead of the drama, Gu Nansheng had visibly lost weight throughout filming. Compared to when the production first started, she was now nearly ten pounds lighter, the thinnest she had been in years.

The director had even approached her several times, asking whether the catering staff had neglected her meals. He had specifically instructed them to improve the food because the difference in her appearance between the earlier and later scenes was becoming too obvious on camera.

Curled lazily on the sofa like a sleepy cat, Gu Nansheng narrowed her eyes and replied softly,

“Yes. I miss him. I’m going back tonight no matter what.”

Xuanxuan sighed helplessly and began packing the luggage without another word.

No one understood better than her just how important that “him” was to Gu Nansheng.

At exactly eleven o’clock that night, the plane landed on schedule.

Gu Nansheng had only managed to sleep for about thirty minutes during the flight. Perhaps because they had not seen each other in almost two months, the anticipation inside her chest had grown almost unbearable.

Even though it was already late at night, a large crowd of fans was still waiting for her at the airport.

Gu Nansheng patiently reminded everyone to head home safely and get proper rest before finally waving goodbye.

Afterward, Xuanxuan drove her straight back to her apartment.

“I won’t disturb your romantic reunion,” Xuanxuan teased with a mischievous grin.

“You’re getting bolder lately,” Gu Nansheng replied, shooting her an amused glare.

“Rest well for the next few days, Sister Nansheng. Call me if you need anything. I’m leaving now!”

“Alright.”

Before heading upstairs, Gu Nansheng sent a quick message to her parents to let them know she had arrived safely and promised to visit them within the next couple of days.

She wheeled her suitcase into the elevator.

The mirrored walls reflected her appearance clearly. She wore a black camisole paired with a light denim mini skirt that perfectly highlighted her long, slender legs. Her skin was radiant, her eyes bright and lively, and her dark brown hair cascaded loosely over her chest, giving her an effortlessly seductive charm.

The elevator chimed softly as it reached her floor.

Gu Nansheng had barely entered the first number of the passcode when the apartment door suddenly opened from the inside.

Before she could react, Lu Shijing grabbed her wrist and pulled her straight into the apartment.

Her back pressed lightly against the wall, cool against her heated skin.

The room was dimly lit, illuminated only by the warm glow of a floor lamp nearby. The familiar scent of rosemary shower gel surrounded her instantly, crisp and clean, carrying traces of him everywhere.

Lu Shijing lowered his gaze and stared at her without blinking.

Those deep brown eyes were filled with an affection so intense it felt impossible to escape. Even though Gu Nansheng was fairly tall at 168 centimeters, she still had to tilt her head slightly to meet his eyes.

“Did you miss me?” she asked teasingly.

Her fingertips brushed lightly against his adam’s apple before she rose onto her toes and bit him there playfully. A faint lipstick mark immediately stained his neck bright red, creating a dangerously attractive contrast against his pale skin.

Lu Shijing caught her wandering hand at once.

His jaw tightened subtly, and the darkness in his eyes deepened almost instantly.

Gu Nansheng smiled in satisfaction.

She wrapped both arms around his neck, gently pulling him down before standing on tiptoe again to kiss him deeply.

All the longing that had built up over the past several weeks burst free in that single moment.

His arms locked tightly around her waist as he returned the kiss fiercely, as though he wanted to pull her directly into his bones and never let her leave again. His cool tongue invaded her mouth without restraint, claiming every inch of territory while their breaths tangled together in a dangerously intoxicating rhythm.

The quiet apartment soon filled with nothing but uneven breathing and the soft sounds of kissing.

Gu Nansheng’s mind gradually turned blank beneath the intensity of it all.

Even though she had been the one to initiate the kiss, she eventually lost all control, forced to follow entirely at his pace as he slowly broke through every one of her defenses until she could barely breathe, clinging weakly against him.

Then suddenly, a loud growl came from her stomach.

The atmosphere shattered instantly.

Lu Shijing paused and lowered his eyes toward her with helpless amusement.

“Hungry?” he asked, his voice low and hoarse.

“I haven’t eaten all day. I’m starving,” she admitted with a laugh, burying her face against his shoulder.

Lu Shijing gently brushed his fingers over her swollen lips before lowering his head to kiss her twice more, reluctant to pull away.

“How about I make you some noodles?”

Gu Nansheng nodded immediately.

“No cilantro, please, honey.”

Lu Shijing picked up her suitcase from the floor and carried it into the bedroom before heading toward the kitchen.

After kicking off her shoes, Gu Nansheng curled herself comfortably onto the sofa.

After spending months away, she realized once again that there was no place more comfortable than her own home.

This luxury apartment had originally been purchased specifically for Lu Shijing. It was located closest to S University, had an excellent environment, and most importantly, offered outstanding privacy and security.

Turning on the television casually, she flipped through several channels, all of them airing popular idol dramas.

For the first time in a long while, both her body and mind finally relaxed completely.

Her gaze drifted toward the kitchen.

Even though Lu Shijing was four years younger than her, he handled everything with calm maturity and perfect order. Truly, this was the man she loved, even the sight of him chopping vegetables looked unbearably handsome.

“Have you been busy lately?” Gu Nansheng asked casually while staring at the television, where the female lead’s acting looked painfully awkward.

“It’s been alright, mostly experiments in the lab.”

As he spoke, Lu Shijing tossed chopped green onions into the pan. A sizzling sound instantly filled the kitchen, accompanied by the rich aroma of cooking oil.

Over the past few years, Gu Nansheng’s schedule had become increasingly packed, which meant the two of them spent more time apart than together.

This filming period had been especially difficult.

Because the director wanted the actors completely immersed in their roles, all personal phones had been confiscated during filming. Only the assistants were allowed to keep a work phone, so every message between the couple had to pass through Xuanxuan first.

In the past, no matter how busy Gu Nansheng became, they still spoke every day.

But during these two months, whenever Xuanxuan relayed Lu Shijing’s messages, Gu Nansheng could practically hear the frustration hidden beneath his calm tone.

“Come eat,” Lu Shijing called softly as he placed a steaming bowl of plain noodles onto the dining table.

“It smells amazing!”

Gu Nansheng truly felt as though she had not eaten a proper meal in forever.

“How many days off do you have this time?”

His cool voice sounded from behind her as he gently gathered her long hair away from her shoulders and clipped it up carefully so it would not fall into the noodles.

“Mm… probably seven days?”

The moment the words left her mouth, she distinctly felt his fingers pause briefly.

Lu Shijing said nothing after that.

He simply sat across from her quietly and watched her eat.

“How much weight did you lose?” he asked suddenly, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“Three pounds!” Gu Nansheng answered immediately without hesitation.

“…Liar.”

His tone was calm but absolutely certain.

“Five pounds.”

He continued staring at her silently.

“Six pounds?”

His expression remained completely unconvinced.

“Alright, alright, eight pounds…” she admitted quietly before lowering her head to take another bite of noodles.

Lu Shijing’s expression darkened little by little.

He was definitely angry.