Step into gentleness (forwarded)

Chapter 1

It was dawn again, and Yu Han woke up before daybreak again. She let out a heavy groan and helplessly rolled over in bed.

Qi Ming, beside her, was still fast asleep, breathing softly and evenly.

For some time now, Yu Han had been waking up before dawn, regardless of how early or late she had gone to bed the night before. Normally, if it weren't for the ringing of her alarm phone beside her pillow, she would never have woken up.

Through the gently swaying blue gauze curtains of the bay window, a sliver of morning light had quietly seeped into the bedroom. It was a spring morning, and although the window was open, there was no chill in the room.

Yu Han's arms were bare, resting under her head. Her eyes were wide open, but she wasn't looking at anything. Her thoughts were also quiet; she seemed to be thinking about something, but when she focused, her mind was empty.

Although she didn't want to leave the warm blankets, Yu Han decided to go to the bathroom. She gently lifted a corner of the blankets, carefully slipped out, and glanced back at Qi Ming. He was still fast asleep.

Yuhan was wearing a very thin, short slip dress that barely covered her hips. Having just gotten out of bed, she still felt a slight chill, so she took a robe from the metal clothes rack beside the bed and put it on.

This was a new three-bedroom, two-living-room apartment, with an ensuite bathroom in the bedroom.

After getting up from the toilet, Yuhan stood in front of the sink mirror, combing her slightly wavy hair.

In the mirror, she didn't look like she had just gotten out of bed at all. A thirty-year-old woman, she looked only twenty-four or twenty-five, still so beautiful and slender, with an added allure and mature charm compared to her younger days.

With about an hour until her usual wake-up time, Yuhan decided to go back to bed and try to take a nap. Taking off her robe, she slipped back into bed. Qiming remained in the same sleeping position. She turned to face Qiming, who was lying flat on his back.

Her husband wasn't the conventionally handsome type, but he had angular features, slightly dark skin, and short hair. After a night's sleep, stubble had grown on his cheeks and around his lips, giving him a very masculine look.

Yu Han couldn't resist placing her hand on her husband's chest, gently stroking it.

Qi Ming always slept shirtless; because of regular exercise, his skin was firm and smooth, and his abdomen was flat. He felt warm and comfortable to the touch under the covers.

Yu Han's hand didn't stop; instead, it moved down naturally, slipping inside her husband's large underwear.

The moment she touched that forest, she felt something was off. Probing further down, she saw her husband's "little pride" standing tall and proud…

"Ugh, pretending to be asleep!" Yu Han sat up, grabbing her husband's manhood with a firm grip, while pinching his nose tightly with her other hand.

"Oh my, are you trying to murder your husband?!" Qiming exclaimed dramatically, then chuckled, "I woke up when you got up to go to the bathroom, and I've been watching you the whole time." With that, he flipped Yuhan over, pinning her beneath him. He lowered his head, kissing her neck, his hands already kneading her small, firm breasts.

"It's so prickly, you stinky Qiming, you haven't even washed your mouth, and you still have a beard, kissing me like that. It tickles..." Yuhan tried to dodge her husband's lips, her body writhing under his weight, her freshly combed hair disheveled, only making her look more alluring.

She felt his penis pressing against her genitals, rubbing against her. Even without touching it, she could feel his penis swelling, and her own lower body was already wet...

"Do you want it?" Qiming murmured, gently biting Yuhan's earlobe. He was already too familiar with his wife's body. When they were dating, he needed to do a lot of foreplay before her body would slowly respond. But now, his wife's mature body was like a soldier on the front lines, always ready.

"I want...I want...good husband, come in quickly..." At this moment, Yu Han's fair face was flushed, her hands scratching wildly at her husband's back, and her breathing became rapid. There was a kind of desire in her body, that itchy, empty feeling, which made her desperately squeeze her legs together, but the more she did so, the more she wanted her husband to enter her quickly.

Qi Ming didn't delay any longer, quickly and skillfully taking off their clothes. First, he bent one leg to separate her tightly squeezed legs, and then used his hand to guide his penis to her private parts, which were already wet, and the crevice was wide open due to passion.

With a soft moan, her little darling smoothly entered her body. She arched her back, and her little darling was immediately swallowed by her hot, slippery body… The two remained motionless for a few seconds, feeling each other's bodies tightly connected.

Then, Qiming's body began to move, first gently, thrusting in and out, occasionally asking her, "Does it feel good?"

Her eyes were slightly closed, a few strands of hair drooping across her face, she was already lost in passion, constantly moaning softly…

Qiming increased the frequency and the force, each entry a thrust, hitting her very core.

He felt her body becoming increasingly slippery, her love juices still flowing, and her moans growing louder. He knew this was her reaction to orgasm, so he thrust even harder…

Finally, the base of her little darling twitched, and a warm stream shot into her body, a tingling pleasure rising from her lower body to her chest and brain…

Qiming lay panting on Yuhan's body, their bodies still connected.

Yu Han stroked her husband's back, which was slightly sweaty. She hooked the blanket that had fallen off the bed with her foot, caught it with her hand, and covered him with it.

"Is it comfortable?" she asked, kissing his face.

"It feels amazing! How about you?" His breathing gradually calmed, and he felt his limp penis being slowly pushed out by her body.

"Don't come out!" Yu Han felt it too and immediately gave a sweet shout.

Qi Ming quickly straightened up, but by then his penis was unresponsive and slipped out of her body.

"No, no, I won't let it out..." she deliberately acted angry, kicking her legs wildly on the bed and lightly pounding his back with her two small fists.

Qi Ming liked Yu Han's teasing. Although he wanted to lie on top of her, he was worried about pressing on her and making her uncomfortable, so he rolled to one side and lay down next to her.

Qi Ming was two years older than Yu Han. They both graduated from Wuhan University, a university with a century-long history. He was her senior and also the head of the student union at the time. They met at an event organized by the student union. One was a bright and talented young man, the other a beautiful and intelligent woman; naturally, they came together, becoming the school's undisputed golden couple. Their union was truly a match made in heaven, surpassing countless others in the mortal world. For two years, the paths of Luojia Mountain, the fallen leaves under the cherry blossoms, the books and chairs in the library recorded their sweet and happy

moments under the moonlit flowers. Before they knew it, graduation was approaching. Because of his excellent academic performance and the school's recommendation, he easily entered the municipal government where his university was located, becoming a civil servant. At that time, because one was in Jiangbei and the other in Jiangnan, and both were busy with work and studies, they only had one chance to meet each week. Their first time happened on his single bed in his dormitory. He

still remembers that small single bed, which creaked incessantly with the slightest movement; the tension and excitement are still unforgettable.

After graduating from university, Yuhan, with Qiming's efforts, also found a job in a foreign-funded enterprise in the city.

Two years later, he was allocated a two-bedroom apartment. Although it wasn't very big, they were quite content. They got married, had a son, and, like most people, settled into a sweet and stable life.

For the past six years of their marriage, their relationship had remained strong. Due to their busy work schedules, their five-year-old son attended a government-run boarding kindergarten with excellent facilities, only returning home on weekends.

During this time, their jobs also underwent some changes. Qiming, already talented and hardworking, maintained excellent relationships with superiors, subordinates, and colleagues. At just thirty-two, he was already the young deputy director of the Infrastructure Department of the Municipal Construction Commission.

Yuhan had also changed jobs several times and was now the head of the Human Resources Department at a branch of a well-known international foreign company in the city, earning an annual salary of nearly 70,000 yuan, far exceeding Qiming's income. However, Qiming worked in a powerful government department with approval authority, so his salary, including some unofficial income, was actually comparable to Yuhan's.

With a solid economic foundation, their quality of life naturally improved. First, they bought a Toyota Corolla. Because of Qiming's position, his company provided him with an Elysee, so this car was for Yuhan's use. Then, using Qiming's housing provident fund loan, they bought a three-bedroom, two-living room, two-bathroom apartment in a low-rise building by the river in Hankou. It faced south and had a clear view of the Yangtze River and the beautiful riverbank; the surrounding environment was excellent.

Qiming's college buddy, Du Lin, and his wife, He Ya, visited once after returning to China and jokingly said, "You two, one with political capital and the other at the forefront of economic development, have created a super-well-off family, fully demonstrating the achievements of reform and opening up. You're a perfect match!"

"Ding-dong...ding-dong..." A pleasant melody rang out; it was Yuhan's phone alarm. It was time to get up.

Having already done some gentle exercise early in the morning and rested for a while, the couple were no longer as lazy as when they first woke up and quickly got out of bed. Qiming even took a shower.

After getting ready, the two went out. Just as they were getting into their cars in the underground parking garage, Qiming suddenly remembered something and called out to Yuhan, "I almost forgot to remind you, Du Lin is treating us to dinner at his house tonight, don't forget!"

"I know, I'm not an old woman, do you think I don't remember?" Yuhan chided playfully.

"By the way, should I pick you up after work?"

"Okay, I'll contact you if anything changes."

Because Qiming's car belonged to the government and couldn't go to certain places, they usually used Yuhan's car when they had evening engagements or went out.

Chapter Two:

Arriving at the office, there was still fifteen minutes before work started. Qiming first made a cup of tea; the boiling water had been prepared by the cleaning staff that morning. The newspaper wouldn't arrive until later, so he looked at his schedule and thought about the tasks he needed to assign.

According to the schedule, at 9:30 AM, Vice Mayor Lü, who was in charge of urban construction and management, was to inspect several drainage points in the city.

Due to several days of heavy rain last week, several low-lying sections of the city were severely flooded, drawing strong complaints from residents. Coupled with a follow-up report in the city's evening newspaper, which focused on urban infrastructure construction, this caught the attention of Vice Mayor Lü, leading to today's inspection. Yesterday afternoon, Director Liu Changgeng specifically came to greet Qiming, requesting his participation.

Qiming had never been interested in the city's evening newspaper; its news always seemed to be following in others' footsteps, truly deserving of the name "evening paper." Even its coverage of local hot topics was always superficial and ultimately fizzled out. This time, he didn't know why it had suddenly decided to meddle in their affairs—it was truly bizarre.

Just as he was lost in thought, his phone rang. It was Du Lin calling.

"You're really early, you bastard! The phone just came in after I got to the office. It's rare to see you up this early," Qiming started cursing before Du Lin could even speak.

The two were not only roommates sharing a bunk bed in college but also inseparable best friends, always teasing each other.

"Heh, our Qiming's swearing now? Looks like working in the government really does toughen you up!" Du Lin had always thought Qiming's decision to work for the government after graduating from university was a mistake, so he seized every opportunity to mock him.

"Alright, alright, spit it out, stop talking nonsense." Just as he was on the phone, Xiao Li from the office brought in today's newspaper. Qiming gestured for him to close the door before leaving and picked up the evening paper to flip through.

A headline immediately caught Qiming's eye: "Relevant departments neglect their duties, flooded citizens complain!"

Another report about last week's city flooding, and it was on the front page!

"Hello, hello, hello... Qiming, hello, are you still there?"

Qiming was so engrossed in reading the newspaper that he forgot he was still on the phone with Dulin. "I'm here. What's up? I have work to do."

"Damn it, you're starting to act all high and mighty with me now." Dulin couldn't resist teasing him first. "It's about dinner tonight. I just wanted to let you know. I invited an extra friend. She's someone I met while studying abroad. She's a beauty!"

"Alright, alright, stop bragging. If you really had a beautiful girlfriend, He Ya would have given you a piece of her mind by now!" Qiming couldn't help but laugh as he spoke. Saying He Ya was a beauty wasn't an exaggeration, but he really didn't believe Dulin had any beautiful girlfriends. Back in college, Dulin was a bookworm who blushed and stuttered whenever he saw a girl. He didn't know how Dulin had managed to win He Ya over.

"Hahaha, you don't believe me now? This beauty is He Ya's classmate, and she's the one who introduced me to her!" Du Lin laughed smugly on the other end of the phone. "Alright, alright, I won't keep you from serving the people any longer. Be on time with Yu Han after work, bye." He hung up.

After putting down the phone, Qi Ming picked up the newspaper and carefully read the front-page article again.

The author seemed to have put in a lot of effort to write this article, conducting investigations into the total drainage volume of several drainage pumping stations in the city and the city's average annual rainfall. They even seemed to have a thorough understanding of the operation of the pumping stations, pointing out problems such as aging equipment, insufficient maintenance funds, and the fact that the total drainage volume was based on meteorological data from more than ten years ago. They argued that the urban flooding was not a natural disaster but a man-made one, caused by the dereliction of duty or inaction of the government's urban construction department.

Qiming had never seen such a sharp and incisive writing style in the evening paper, and it even directly criticized the government departments for their inadequate work, causing difficulties for citizens' travel. Although the criticism was directed at his own department, he couldn't help but admire the author's ability to gather such detailed firsthand information. He carefully looked at the author; the byline was Qin Wen, a reporter for this newspaper—a name that didn't reveal gender or personality, perhaps even a pseudonym. The

subsequent leadership inspection was as usual. Participants gathered at the municipal government building and boarded a Coaster bus, preceded by a police car.

Qiming sometimes couldn't understand what level of leader deserved such a police escort. Whenever he accompanied leaders on inspections, there was always a police car in front. Sometimes he heard leaders criticizing staff for arranging police cars, but it was clear that while they criticized, if there were no police cars, the leaders wouldn't be happy.

Qiming habitually sat in the last row. Before he was even settled, Wu Yaming, the secretary of Vice Mayor Lü, sat down next to him. They were university alumni; Wu Yaming would graduate a few years later, and the two had a good relationship.

"Why aren't you staying by the leader's side taking notes on important speeches? What are you doing in the back?" Qiming asked him in a low voice.

Wu Yaming gestured forward with his mouth, then leaned close to Qiming's ear and whispered even softer, "Didn't you see that my seat was already taken? It's Qin Wen, the up-and-coming reporter from the Evening News! Vice Mayor Lü specially invited her to attend."

Qin Wen? Isn't that the author of the article I read this morning? Qiming was still wondering what kind of person this reporter was, but he didn't expect to meet her in just over an hour, and she was a young woman at that—it was somewhat unexpected.

During the inspection, Qin Wen was very lively. It was clear that Vice Mayor Lü was quite pleased to have a young and beautiful woman by his side; his usually stern face unconsciously softened into a smile, which he maintained throughout.

Qin Wen was truly remarkable; she talked about urban construction topics the whole way, providing data and opinions, and occasionally citing foreign urban management theories for comparison, which made Qiming and his colleagues, professionals in urban construction and management, look at her with newfound respect.

What kind of woman is she? Qiming couldn't help but speculate wildly, while also observing her closely. She looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with fair skin and short hair, which was clearly well-groomed. As for her height, when she occasionally stood next to Qiming, she reached just to his mouth, about 163 or 164 centimeters. She seemed to exercise regularly, with a very well-proportioned and healthy physique.

Her clothes appeared quite appropriate on the surface: a casual light-colored jacket unbuttoned, over which was a striking V-neck fleece top, jeans, and dress shoes. However, based on Qiming's experience accompanying his wife shopping, he immediately recognized that this outfit was far from ordinary; it was likely purchased at the New Century Department Store, a place not easily accessible to the average working-class person.

What intrigued Qiming most was Qin Wen's familiarity with urban construction and the viewpoints and theories she possessed. A reporter who had covered urban construction for many years would certainly have some understanding of the work, but not as much as she did, let alone the theories. Besides, Qiming knew Old Chen, a reporter from the evening paper who frequently covered this area, well; he just hadn't seen him much lately.

While a large group of people were inspecting a drainage point, Qiming sidled up to Wu Yaming, nudged him, and whispered, "Is she really a reporter? She doesn't seem like one."

"Hehe, you underestimate her, don't you?" Wu Yaming looked at Qiming with feigned mystery and ambiguity. "What, you've got your eye on her? Want me to play matchmaker?"

"You think I'm some kind of womanizer, getting horny every time I see a woman?" Qiming lightly punched Wu Yaming. "I'm just curious how a woman knows so much about our kind of thing."

"This isn't just any ordinary woman." Wu Yaming seemed to know quite a bit about Qin Wen. "A friend of mine who works at the evening paper told me that after graduating from university, she went straight to England, got a master's degree in urban management, and then spent two years traveling around several European countries—what we'd call an internship here—before coming back to the evening paper, specifically to cover urban construction."

Oh, I see! Qiming nodded thoughtfully, a strange feeling stirring within him, a mix of admiration and envy.

Compared to his peers, Qiming had always been quite proud of his achievements in the officialdom over the past few years, especially with his promising future. But seeing this girl before him, living so freely and doing whatever she wanted, and then thinking about his own years of being cautious, suppressing his personality, and endlessly attending meetings in the government office, he suddenly felt a sense of loss.

Throughout the inspection, Qiming didn't exchange a single word with Qin Wen, rarely even making eye contact. But something about this girl touched him, making him constantly search for her with his eyes, paying attention to every word she spoke.

Chapter Three:

When Yuhan called, Qiming had just finished his work. Looking at the time, it was almost time to leave work, so he quickly tidied his desk and left the office.

Yuhan's car was parked in the parking space in front of the government office. Qiming opened the passenger door and jumped in. Being a woman's car, a pleasant fragrance immediately wafted over, seemingly the Givenchy scent Yuhan wore.

"Give me a kiss!" Before Qiming could even settle in, Yuhan had already leaned half her body against him.

Now, Qiming could smell more than just perfume; he could also smell the womanly fragrance emanating from Yuhan.

"No, thank you," Qiming said, shifting slightly to the side. "There are only colleagues coming out of the door; it wouldn't be good if they saw us. I'll kiss you later."

"No, I have to get a kiss from you! If you don't, I won't be able to kiss you in a few days!" Yuhan persisted, pouting slightly. At that moment, she didn't look like a manager at a foreign company at all.

Qiming was always helpless when Yuhan acted coquettishly. He could only look out the car window, and luckily, there were no acquaintances around. So he turned around and quickly kissed Yuhan on the cheek.

Yuhan smiled, returned the kiss, and then started the car.

"Let's go home first!" Yuhan said after the car started moving. "It feels really awkward wearing this business suit to someone's house for dinner. I want to change into something more casual."

Actually, she looked quite good in the business suit, which accentuated her tall figure, making her look energetic yet charming. But women are sometimes hard to explain. Qiming saw that it was still early, so he let her have her way.

"By the way, is it all settled? When are you leaving?" Qiming asked, remembering what Yuhan had just said.

A few days ago, Yuhan had mentioned that the company's China headquarters in Shanghai had notified the human resources managers of several branches in China to gather at headquarters for training.

"Just these next couple of days, I still need to hand over my work," Yuhan said, glancing at Qiming as she drove. "It'll take two weeks, huh? How will you manage without me?"

"That's easy, just rent one temporarily," Qiming chuckled. "A living person can't be held back by needing to pee, can they?"

"You dare!" Before he could finish, Qiming received a slap on the head. "If you dare to find a woman, I'll have a one-night stand in Shanghai, huh? Who's afraid of who?" "

I'm afraid of you, I'm afraid of you! To prevent my wife from cheating, I have to uphold my chastity!" Qiming quickly begged for mercy.

The two were used to joking around like this, even fantasizing about absurd scenarios to add to the atmosphere during their intimate moments. Yuhan, in particular, loved having Qiming tell erotic stories while they made love, which only made him more excited, leading to a rapid climax.

Yuhan was wearing a short, tight-fitting business skirt. Because she was driving, her legs were slightly apart, revealing almost her entire thighs clad in stockings.

Qiming, who was idly standing to the side, couldn't resist placing his hand on her thigh and stroking it.

"Don't bother me, I'm driving," Yuhan scolded playfully, but she didn't stop him.

Qiming's hand continued to penetrate deeper, easily reaching the base of her thigh. Through the stockings, Qiming pressed down with his index and middle fingers, making "leg swinging" movements like when swimming.

"Mmm..." Yuhan couldn't help but moan under Qiming's caresses, but she forced herself to stay focused, her eyes fixed on the road ahead, gripping the steering wheel even tighter: "Stop it, stop it, or something will happen!"

"You little vixen, you always wear such short skirts to work, if the men in the company ride in your car, they'll see everything, won't they?" Qiming imagined another man sitting in his seat, lecherously staring at his wife's thighs, and a strange thrill surged through him, causing him to quicken the pace of his hand movements.

“If you’re going to do it, then other men should see it,” Yuhan said, quickly swatting away Qiming’s hand after the car stopped at a traffic light, worried that passengers on a bus to the left might see. But she still wouldn’t let go: “Men can look at your wife because she’s beautiful! You selfish bastard, you think you’re the only one allowed to look? Besides, can he take a piece of your flesh from you?”

"Alright, alright, I give up," Qiming laughed self-deprecatingly, then couldn't help adding, "Good things should be shared!"

Before he could finish speaking, he received another slap on the head!

Chapter Four:

When they arrived at Du Lin's house, it was already past six o'clock. The couple was busy in the kitchen.

Du Lin's house was also recently purchased, located in the university town of Wuchang. It was about the same size as Qiming's, but the decoration was in a European style, with some decorative items they had brought back from abroad placed appropriately. The lighting effects made the whole house look elegant and warm.

Du Lin sat with Qiming in the living room drinking tea, while Yuhan went to the kitchen to help He Ya.

"You've been making a fuss for days about inviting us over for dinner. Is there some good news? Is He Ya pregnant?" Qiming asked.

"You're just after my wife's belly!" Du Lin leaned over and punched Qi Ming. "I've told you a hundred times, we're not planning on having kids, why won't you believe me?"

"Hehe, I'm afraid you're just impotent, pretending you don't want them," Qi Ming glanced back at the kitchen, lowered his voice, and put on a serious face. "How about I help you out?"

"Hahaha... See, you've already shown your true colors after only three sentences, haven't you?" Du Lin laughed, unable to resist punching Qi Ming again. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he said, "Remember? When we graduated from university, you were preparing to work for the government, and I was thinking about pursuing a master's degree. We went to that little restaurant near the school gate and had a big drinking session, and we both got really drunk. In the dorm, we talked nonsense a lot, remember?"

"I remember, you said you wanted to study all the way to a doctorate, and I, hahaha, said I wanted to be the mayor and manage the city well. How arrogant I was as a teenager. Luckily, you're a doctor now, so you've fulfilled your dream back then. I'm still a long way from being the mayor!"

"And another thing, we said that after we all get married, we'd share property and wives." Thinking back to their drunken antics, Du Lin couldn't help but laugh. "If anyone gets tired of their wife, they can swap hers, right? Hahaha..."

The two joked back and forth, as if they were back in their university days.

Looking at Du Lin's current carefree and dashing appearance, Qi Ming couldn't help but sigh at the changes time had brought.

Back in school, Qi Ming often participated in student activities in his spare time, making him a prominent figure, while Du Lin buried himself in books, seemingly oblivious to the world, a complete bookworm. These two lines, which originally had no intersection, somehow became intertwined, becoming inseparable friends.

After graduating from university, Du Lin indeed passed the postgraduate entrance exam, successfully obtained his degree, and stayed on as a teacher at the university. It was at this time that He Ya, a senior in college, recognized his talent and quickly won him over.

After He Ya graduated from university, the two got married and went to study in the UK, one pursuing a master's degree and the other a doctorate. Upon returning to China, they both became teachers at their alma mater. Du Lin even co-authored a professional book with a leading domestic authority and had recently been promoted to associate professor—he was riding high.

"What are you talking about? So lively!" He Ya and Yu Han came out of the kitchen and saw the two laughing.

"Nothing, just telling jokes from our school days." Du Lin glanced at Yu Han, then winked at Qi Ming, suppressing a laugh.

"Two grown men laughing like that, it can't be anything good." Yu Han said to He Ya, walking to the sofa and sitting next to Qi Ming.

"They're not going to talk about us, are they?" He Ya glanced at Du Lin, and just as she was about to sit down, the doorbell rang, and she turned to go to the door.

"It must be a beautiful woman." Du Lin said to Qi Ming as he stood up.

Qi Ming remembered Du Lin's phone call earlier that day, so he told the still-unaware Yu Han, and they both stood up.

Amidst laughter, He Ya and her guests entered the living room. Qi Ming's eyes lit up immediately; he hadn't realized how small the world was—the beauty Du Lin had mentioned was actually Qin Wen.

He Ya was truly capable; though the dishes were few, each one was exquisitely prepared, a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate. Du Lin had also opened a bottle of red wine. The five of them sat around the table, enjoying the wine and food while chatting casually.

Being women, Yu Han and Qin Wen quickly became like sisters, and with He Ya added to the mix, the three beauties showered each other with compliments, praising each other's skin and fashion sense, leaving Du Lin and Qi Ming feeling neglected.

Du Lin looked at Qi Ming and smiled wryly: "What have we become? Three women make a drama, and the two handsome men are just the stagehands!"

Qi Ming simply smiled and said nothing. In truth, he had barely spoken since Qin Wen entered. When He Ya introduced him and his wife to Qin Wen, he seemed momentarily stunned, but still didn't recognize her.

Qiming felt a little disappointed at the time, but thinking about it later, it made sense. With so many people around during the day, including the mayor, how could she possibly remember him?

"What's wrong? Jealous?" He Ya teased Du Lin, then raised her glass: "Sisters, let's not neglect these two handsome men, let's all have a drink."

The three women were already beautiful and equally intelligent, and after a few drinks, their faces glowed like peach blossoms, making them even more charming.

Yu Han was slender and elegant yet alluring, He Ya was voluptuous and captivating, exuding femininity, while Qin Wen was different—a youthful, sunny, and capable face, coupled with a fit physique, making her comparable to fashionable celebrities, the kind of woman who could easily attract men's attention.

"I want to have a drink with Qiming alone!" Qin Wen picked up the bottle and poured half a glass for herself and Qiming respectively. "Now that we've met, we're friends from now on, so I'll just call you Qiming from now on. You won't mind, will you?"

"Of course not!" Qiming didn't expect her to challenge him to a drink alone, and quickly picked up his glass and stood up. "We're friends, so you can call me whatever you want."

"You're an official from the Municipal Construction Commission, and I'm the one who specializes in urban construction. I might need your help in

the future." "You've got it backwards," Qiming wasn't a reserved person to begin with, and after a few drinks, he became more witty. "You're the uncrowned king, so please keep an eye on us a little from now on, and I'll be grateful for your help."

"Haha, these two are interesting. They've already become comrades-in-arms after just meeting," Du Lin said with a laugh to Yu Han and He Ya. He then poured them more wine and said to Qi Ming in a suggestive tone, "Come on, you should take the initiative and get closer to our pretty little sister. I'll take care of Yu Han."

Qi Ming chuckled and picked up his wine glass again, glancing at Yu Han out of the corner of his eye. Yu Han was looking at him with a half-smile.

Dinner ended amidst laughter and playfulness. After a quick clean-up, the three women sat in the living room chatting, while Du Lin and Qi Ming drank tea and chatted in the study.

"What have you been up to lately?" Qiming sat at his desk, fiddling with the computer and casually opening Internet Explorer. "University life must be pretty leisurely, right?"

"Nothing much at school, just a few classes a week," Du Lin said, sitting on the sofa next to his desk and lighting a cigarette. "I've just recently become interested in marriage and relationships, and I'm working on a project about it."

"Why are you suddenly interested in this? Hmm, what's this?" Qiming asked, looking at the homepage on the browser.

Du Lin leaned closer to look at the computer and smiled. "Oh, never seen this before? It's a dating website for couples. I've been using it a lot lately because of my project, so I set it as my homepage—it's convenient."

"Couple dating?" Qiming looked at Dulin with some doubt. "I'm a frequent internet user, and several portal websites have listings for single men and women to date online. I've heard of couple dating before, but I never imagined it existed in China. Is it some kind of porn site disguised as a couple dating site?"

"You're just ignorant and unsophisticated," Dulin said, returning to the sofa and flicking his cigarette ash. "Couple dating has existed abroad for a long time, especially in more sexually liberal European countries. When I was studying in England, I often saw advertisements for couple dating in the newspapers, and some even had clubs. In China, it's only started appearing in a few more open major cities in recent years. The participants are mostly people with a certain economic foundation and relatively high levels of education, such as doctors, teachers, civil servants, and some white-collar workers, mostly between thirty and forty years old."

"I really didn't expect that," after hearing Dulin's explanation, Qiming shook his head, still somewhat skeptical. "In our country with thousands of years of feudal tradition and extremely conservative sexual attitudes, it's unbelievable that there would be such a progressive group of people."

“Hehe, at first I was just like you, not really believing such things existed in China,” Du Lin stubbed out his half-smoked cigarette and went to the desk. “Later, while researching marriage, I was searching for data online and stumbled upon this website. I’ve been spending a lot of time on it, and I’ve even become friends with a few couples. It was through them that I truly believed such a group of people did exist.”

“You’re a sociology student, what’s your opinion on this kind of dating?” Qi Ming was very curious and wanted to know Du Lin’s thoughts.

“As a scholar, I look at the marriage system with a critical eye,” Du Lin was always serious when discussing academic issues. “In recent years, I’ve researched marriage systems and customs from ancient and modern times, both in China and abroad, and I’ve also studied many cases of extramarital affairs, one-night stands, and keeping mistresses. Simply put, it’s not entirely reasonable, but at the current stage, there’s no better form of union between men and women to replace it, so we can only maintain the existing marriage system.”

“You’re only examining the marriage system from a sexual perspective. What about love, family, and children?”

“I knew you’d say that,” Du Lin smiled, tapping Qi Ming’s nose with his finger.

“As far as I know, most of the people who participate in couple dating are our age, or even older than us. They have basically all gone through the process of dating, getting married, and raising children, and their relationships with their spouses are very good.”

“You mean the seven-year itch?”

“It’s human nature to be fickle, you can’t deny that, can you?” Du Lin said, while refilling Qi Ming’s teacup with water.

"You've seen the movie *Cellphone*, right? Old Fei talked about how couples who've been married for over ten years, sleeping in the same bed every day, get tired of each other, remember? Maybe that's the real reason for this phenomenon of couples engaging in online dating. Okay, enough said. Let's go keep the ladies company. Check out this website when you have time; we can talk again if you're interested."

"Okay, give me the website address. I'll check it out when I get back." Qiming vacated his desk, watching Du Lin write down the website address for him: "You've been living in sexually liberal countries for years, you must have accepted these ideas by now, right? Have you participated in couples engaging in online dating too?"

"Hahaha, you're asking about such private matters?" Du Lin laughed loudly: "Go ask He Ya if you dare!"

Chapter Five

: After picking up their son from school over the weekend, the family happily spent two days together before Yuhan went to Shanghai.

Qiming was home alone after work, too lazy to cook, so he just ate something to satisfy his hunger.

With nothing to do at home, he went online. Thinking that Yuhan had brought her laptop and might chat with him when she was bored, he opened QQ, but Yuhan wasn't online. Remembering the website address Du Lin had given him, he typed it into his browser's address bar, and the couples' dating website appeared on his screen.

Just as he was about to examine it more closely, he discovered that registration was required to access the site. He randomly chose a name: Lao Kang, and registered successfully! The website's interface was pink, which gave Qiming a somewhat ambiguous feeling.

There were 213 people online simultaneously, not many.

Several sections were carefully designed: a member photo section, but only photos of existing members were allowed; a text section recounting dating experiences, also requiring original content; and a dating section where members could post their dating information. There was also a VIP member area, which seemed to require video verification by the administrator; ordinary members couldn't access that section.

Qiming first entered the photo section and found that it was mostly photos of wives posted by male members, and they were quite tactful. Although most were in lingerie, their faces and nipples weren't shown, unlike some pornographic websites. Judging from the figures in the pictures, they were no longer young girls, but they possessed a more alluring and realistic charm.

Next, Qiming focused intently on the text section. To be honest, most of the members' dating experiences were quite ordinary, simply recounting the entire process. However, because these were real-life experiences, they felt exciting and stimulating, unlike the erotic stories Qiming had read on some pornographic websites. While the writing was good, it was obvious they were fabricated and lacked realism.

A few, however, were very well-written, from the initial understanding of dating between spouses, the inducement from one partner, to the initial online contact, the anticipation after identifying a target, all the way to the frenzy after actually meeting. They not only described the process but also included very delicate psychological descriptions, and managed to portray such a crazy and exciting experience beautifully, leaving the reader with many thoughts.

"Beep, beep, beep..." Qiming, engrossed in reading, was suddenly interrupted by a QQ notification. Looking at the icon, it was Yuhan.

Yuhan: Honey, I miss you!

Qiming: I knew you would miss me, so I waited for you.

Yuhan: Good honey! (Kiss)

Qiming: Why are you only getting back to the hotel so late?

Yuhan: The head office had a dinner party, I just finished eating and had some drinks, I'm a little dizzy.

Qiming: Did you drink a lot? I told you to drink less!

Yuhan: Just a little bit of red wine, maybe I'm just tired. What did you eat this afternoon?

Qiming: Just something to eat, you know I didn't want to cook for myself.

Yuhan: I knew you'd say that! Hey, you didn't go out for a treat while I was away?

Qiming: I didn't dare, I was afraid you'd have a one-night stand in Shanghai, so I stayed home obediently. That's fair!

Yuhan: Good girl! (Kiss)

Qiming: You dare drink alone! Alcohol can make you lose control.

Yuhan: Hehe, scared?

Qiming: Not scared, just thinking about my wife cheating on me makes me feel excited, hehe…

Yuhan: (Knocking) Is that how a husband acts? Pervert!

Qiming: Seriously, have any men been flirting with you?

Yuhan: (Shyly) Yes, there really are, hehe, because your wife is so beautiful!

Qiming: Am I handsome?

Yuhan: I'm not telling you, that won't satisfy your dark side. What are you doing online?

Qiming: Reading articles on a website about couples making friends.

Yuhan: Pshaw, what were you doing earlier? You were looking at this kind of risqué stuff.

Qiming: Hehe, it's a very legitimate website, some of the articles are actually quite good.

Yuhan: Give me the website address, check it out when you have time, don't corrupt my husband!

Qiming: (Website) Don't watch it tonight, take a hot bath and go to sleep.

Yuhan: Okay, you go to sleep early too, and you're only allowed to think about me while you're in bed!

Qiming: Think about what? Are you having an affair with someone else? Hehe...

Yuhan: (Knocking) You want a beating!

Chapter Six

The next day after work, Liu Changgeng called a meeting to discuss several tasks that needed to be addressed soon. After the meeting, he kept Qiming behind and said he had something to discuss.

"There's something I'd like to discuss with you." Liu Changgeng had spent his entire life in government offices, and even in his fifties, he always spoke to his subordinates, who were also his juniors, with a consultative attitude.

“You participated in Vice Mayor Lü’s inspection of our work that day. He believed that urban construction and management are directly related to the work and lives of citizens and are prone to becoming social hotspots. If the news media participates in supervision, it will greatly benefit our work. At the same time, we should also guide the news media to promote our work in a positive light. By the way, wasn’t there a female reporter that day, Qin… Ah, look at my memory, it’s her, right? She’s planning to stay in our department for a while. I’m thinking that you’re familiar with the work below, you’re young, and you graduated from a prestigious university, so you might have more in common with reporters. Therefore, I would like to ask you to accompany this reporter to cover some grounds. What do you think?”

“I have no objection, I’ll follow the arrangement. But you have to explain how to cover them and which areas to cover, right?” Qiming knew that several deputy directors were afraid of dealing with reporters. He was young and couldn’t avoid this kind of thing, so he might as well agree readily.

"Nothing much to say, just handle it as you see fit." Liu Changgeng was confident in Qiming's work ability. "Just respect that reporter's opinion. Discuss it with her and focus on positive publicity."

Back in his office, Qiming made several calls to the urban construction departments, informing them that reporters would be coming to interview them in the next few days. Knowing Qin Wen's shrewdness, he specifically instructed them to carefully review all work data to avoid any mistakes.

Before he could hang up, there was a knock at the door.

Without waiting for Qiming to say "Come in," the door was pushed open. It was Qin Wen.

"Director, I've been assigned by this newspaper to report for duty!" Qin Wen, dressed casually, even struck a salute. "Du Lin was absolutely right; we're now comrades on the same side!"

"Not comrades, but the ones I serve! My current role is your follower." Qi Ming joked, quickly getting up to pour Qin Wen water. "Miss, please sit down."

"Why sit?" Qin Wen stopped Qi Ming from pouring water. "Let's hurry down and visit a few more places. What can we say sitting in the office?"

"Isn't it a bit much?" Qi Ming had never encountered such an impatient woman. "Besides, I need to inform my colleagues to prepare. A big reporter has arrived; even if we don't line the streets to welcome him, we should at least prepare some melon seeds and fruit."

"You're not going to try to fool me with a few 'red and expert' role models like you do with leaders, are you?" Qin Wen completely ignored Qi Ming's tactic. "I'm not falling for your tricks! Come on, you'll have to be my driver for the next few days. I'll take you wherever I want, and I'll cover your food and drinks."

"Hahaha, you're quite shrewd," Qi Ming said with a grin as he accompanied Qin Wen out the door. "Alright, I'll keep you company for the next few days. But these days everything is 'three-inclusive,' your 'food and drink included' is only 'two-inclusive,' isn't it?"

"What, what else do you want to 'inclusive'?" Qin Wen glanced at Qi Ming and said mockingly, "Do you have the guts? You're getting cocky just because Yu Han isn't home?"

"Hehe, people say that having a beautiful woman by your side is endless fun, but I think it's more like torture..." Before Qi Ming could finish speaking, Qin Wen had already slapped him.

Chapter Seven.

People say beautiful women are brainless because they're pretty and can achieve their goals without thinking. But Qin Wen is definitely not just a pretty face. After two days of running around, Qi Ming couldn't help but admire this beautiful woman who was five years younger than him.

She didn't go to any of the major projects Qi Ming had arranged beforehand, or the urban construction sites that were constantly reported in the newspapers. Instead, she dragged Qi Ming through alleys, into residential areas, along bumpy, half-paved roads, and along main roads with dim streetlights. She even chatted directly with citizens on the street and old ladies sunbathing in alleys. Moreover, she knew these places very well and had definitely been there more than once. Watching her chat with the old ladies, Qi Ming couldn't imagine that the person who had accompanied Vice Mayor Lü on the inspection tour and talked so much about urban construction theories was the same person.

She also kept her "two-package" policy, but instead of going to restaurants, she would always have Qi Ming's car stop at a McDonald's on the way when she was too busy to eat and her stomach was rumbling. She would run in and buy two hamburgers and two drinks, and then eat in the car.

After three meals like this, Qiming couldn't take it anymore: "Miss Qin, could I please cancel your 'two-pack' policy?" Smelling the lingering McDonald's smell in the car, Qiming looked utterly exasperated: "You've been abroad for years, do you think the Chinese people are still living in misery? Let me tell you, the Chinese people aren't like you poor students who live on fast food anymore!"

"What's wrong? Didn't you want 'three packs'? You can't even handle 'two packs'?" Qin Wen laughed, her body trembling, at Qiming's words: "How about I treat you to something nice tonight?"

"Forget it, forget it, I'm scared of you. Who knows where you'll drag me next? I'll arrange lunch this afternoon. I'm now formally inviting Miss Qin to dinner tonight."

"Accept!" Qin Wen's answer was surprisingly straightforward.

The restaurant Qiming chose wasn't large, but it was clean and not crowded. He and Yuhan used to often eat there when they were too lazy to cook at home.

The restaurant was run by a couple who had been sent down to the countryside as educated youth. They were excellent at cooking rustic dishes, including delicious rice crust porridge. The restaurant's name was quite interesting: People's Commune.

Qiming brought Qin Wen here not because he couldn't afford a fancy restaurant, but simply because it was quiet and easy to talk to.

He did indeed have something to say to Qin Wen. In fact, after only half a day with Qin Wen, Qiming understood her intentions. She wasn't interested in the large-scale urban construction projects, but rather in people's livelihoods—the various troubles ordinary people encountered in their daily lives.

The experiences of the past two days had also touched Qiming deeply. Having worked in urban construction for so many years, he had also noticed many shortcomings in the work, especially the fact that most higher-ups prioritized construction over management, thinking only about how to leave a mark on the city during their tenure to gain political achievements, while turning a blind eye to the small problems and troubles encountered by ordinary people, considering them trivial matters. Even Qiming himself only focused on how to improve scientific planning in urban construction. Having seen so many questions from the people, he had become numb to them. What's remarkable is that Qin Wen, despite spending several years abroad and learning many advanced urban management theories, focuses on the inconveniences and troubles ordinary people encounter in their daily lives. This is truly admirable, but that's not what Qi Ming wanted to discuss with Qin Wen.

"You've been running around for two days now, any thoughts?" Qi Ming asked while waiting for the food.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that, Director?" Qin Wen replied quickly.

"I'm just accompanying you; you're the main character!" Qi Ming tried to downplay it.

"You really think you're just a supporting character?" Qin Wen stared intently at Qi Ming. "If you're only thinking about being a supporting character, then we can just do business as usual."

"No, no, no, aren't we friends?" Qiming was now anxious. "Besides, isn't this still a private place? Why are you talking about business?"

"Do you really think I don't know why you invited me here for dinner?" Qin Wen smiled slyly. "Tell me your thoughts."

"To be honest, after spending two days with you, I have many feelings," Qiming said earnestly. "We're used to looking up to those above us, rarely thinking about doing something practical for the people. After talking with them, I really feel that our people are too kind. Living in such difficult circumstances, their demands aren't high. Actually, these are problems we should have solved long ago. I'm truly ashamed!"

"Heh, at least you have some conscience!" Qin Wen said bluntly. "You guys are too bureaucratic. If this were abroad, the people would have fired you long ago. So, tell me, what's the purpose of inviting me to dinner?"

"Great!" Qiming lightly tapped the table before speaking the truth: "I'll organize the information I've seen these past few days as soon as I get back, and then arrange for someone to investigate similar issues throughout the city. After reporting to the leadership, I'll strive to find a solution as quickly as possible. We should do something practical for the people. As for you, shouldn't you focus more on positive reporting, or at least on solving the problem? What do you think?"

"I knew you had a lot of tricks up your sleeve, but I didn't expect you to scheme against me like this, trying to turn a bad thing into a good one?" Qin Wen pointed at Qiming and said, "Let's not talk about that now. The food's here. If you make sure I'm satisfied with my meal, we can talk about anything. After all, I've made you my friend."

After a few glasses of red wine, Qin Wen's face was flushed, and he was in high spirits. The two became more casual in their conversation.

"Hey, when is Yuhan coming back?" Qin Wen raised his glass, clinked it against Qiming's, took a sip, and asked.

"She just left? She said she'd be gone for about two weeks." Qiming picked up a piece of food, then asked, "What's wrong? Is there anything she needs to bring back?"

"What do I need to bring back? We have everything here!" Qin Wen rolled his eyes at Qiming. "I'm just worried about you! A grown man like you, without his wife around, his life must be a mess."

"Looks like my service these past few days has been pretty good, they're starting to care about me." Qiming joked. "It's alright, the kid's in boarding kindergarten, I'm single now."

"I've heard Du Lin say before that you and Yuhan were a perfect couple in college, and after meeting you, you really are a perfect match. Even though I've only met Yuhan once, I know we could be best friends!"

"Of course, how could my wife be any less than perfect!" Qiming said smugly. "Come on, let's finish this drink and have dinner."

"You think you can take advantage of me? You're really getting cocky." Qin Wen also picked up his glass. "You think your wife is the only good one in the world?"

"Hehe, no, our Miss Qin is quite a beauty too," perhaps because he'd had a few drinks, Qiming's words became bolder: "But no matter how beautiful she is, she can only be my sister-in-law!"

"Hmph, dream on! Who's going to be your sister-in-law?" Qin Wen also felt their conversation was becoming increasingly ambiguous, and her face flushed slightly. Luckily, she'd had a few drinks, otherwise…

The meal was quickly finished. On the way home, neither of them spoke, each lost in their own thoughts, making the atmosphere in the car somewhat awkward. Fortunately, Qin Wen's place wasn't far, only about ten minutes away. Qin Wen didn't invite Qiming up, and Qiming, being a very rational person, said goodbye, turned around, and drove away.

Back home, Qiming took a large gulp of mineral water from the refrigerator, sat at his desk, and stared blankly for a while before his mind slowly calmed down. He shook his head, unable to understand how he could have developed such an ambiguous relationship with this woman he'd only met a few times.

Qiming subconsciously turned on the computer and logged onto QQ. Just like the previous two days, Yuhan's icon was grayed out.

This was quite unusual. Usually, no matter who was out, they would contact each other almost every night via QQ. It was unprecedented for them not to contact each other for two or three days.

Qiming finally couldn't resist picking up the phone and dialing Yuhan's mobile number, but the message said the phone was switched off! Qiming felt very bored and couldn't figure out what was going on with Yuhan. He idly opened Internet Explorer, and the homepage that had already been set up immediately appeared on his screen: Couples' Forum.

Since Yuhan left, Qiming has been spending every night on this couples' dating forum, almost obsessed. Pictures and articles are updated daily, new stories constantly unfolding. Qiming has gone from being skeptical to truly believing that such a group of couples does exist. Reading those passionate dating stories, he is deeply stimulated, feeling not only understanding but also a little envious…

Lying in bed, Qiming slowly drifts off to sleep, his mind filled with images of Yuhan and Qin Wen, the two appearing alternately, and eventually, several of them together…

Chapter Eight:

Yuhan stayed in a single suite at a four-star hotel in Shanghai. Being an international metropolis, the hotel suite was furnished like an apartment, with different styles of oil paintings hanging in the living room and bedroom. The warm-toned wallpaper, under the lighting, created a cozy and romantic atmosphere.

Although the bosses of foreign companies are like vampires, frantically chasing profits, they are never stingy when it comes to spending money, never skimping on employee benefits. Perhaps this is the difference between foreign and Chinese bosses: frantically making money, and even more frantically enjoying life.

Yuhan had been lying motionless on the living room sofa for nearly two hours. Although she hadn't moved, her mind was racing—no, to be precise, it was a complete mess.

This feeling was unbearable; her brain felt like a million tiny worms, jumping and swimming erratically, sometimes stopping abruptly, only to be met with an even bigger attack…

She hadn't been unaware of running into Yin Qing here, and even harbored a slight expectation, but she never imagined that Yin Qing was the organizer of this training session at head office.

Yin Qing had been transferred from the Wuhan branch to head office for over two years, and in those two years, they had only met once—last year during the Spring Festival when Yin Qing returned to Wuhan for vacation, and Yuhan and Qiming had taken him out for a meal. Otherwise, they had only occasionally exchanged text messages, talking about work frustrations or missing their hometown of Wuhan. In Wuhan, Yin Qing had been Yuhan's superior. Although two or three years younger than her, he was mature, steady, and extremely ambitious.

At work, he took good care of Yuhan, and outside of work, they got along very well, sharing many common interests and admiring each other. Sometimes, when Yuhan felt wronged after arguing with Qiming at home, she liked to confide in him.

Over time, they both realized their relationship had transcended friendship. Although Yin Qing wasn't married, Yuhan already had a happy family. Reason told them it couldn't continue. At that time, Yin Qing had an opportunity to transfer to the Shanghai headquarters. He, who had been hesitant, resolutely left Wuhan, leaving Yuhan behind.

This long-awaited reunion brought them so much to say, so many unspoken emotions to express.

Without seeing each other, their thoughts might have remained fleeting in the ordinary course of life. But upon meeting, although they tried their best to restrain themselves, outwardly showing no signs of anything amiss, their inner feelings were like a flood—the higher the dam, the higher the floodwaters rose. The more they restrained themselves, the stronger the urge to break free of their constraints became.

Yuhan's mind was in turmoil. One moment she was seeing Qiming, the next Yinqing, and reason and impulse were locked in a struggle. Although she desperately wanted Qiming's presence to help her suppress her wild inner world, she deliberately severed all contact with him.

Yin Qing wanted to take Yu Han out for dinner alone tonight. She neither agreed nor refused. As soon as her afternoon classes ended, she locked herself in her hotel room. She knew that if she agreed, something might happen tonight…

The light in the room was gradually dimming. Because the glass door to the balcony was open, the white curtain on it swayed gently in the breeze. She shrank back, feeling a slight chill. Looking at the time, there was only a little over an hour until the agreed-upon 7 PM. It was time to make a decision.

She took a deep breath, raised her hands above her head, and slowly exhaled. Then, she jumped up from the sofa and went straight to the balcony. Following the demonstrations in Fitnss health magazine, she did a few simple yoga poses, followed by a few deep breaths, and immediately felt much more relaxed. "

I don't want to think about it anymore. It's just a meal. Why am I making such a fuss?" Yu Han thought to herself, turning back to her room to shower and change.

Yu Han was just that kind of person. Before making a decision, she would think it over and hesitate, but once she had made a decision, she would never be indecisive and would face whatever came next with composure.

The warm water spraying from the showerhead was pleasant. Yu Han stood there enjoying it with her eyes slightly closed, letting the hot water flow down her body from her head. Naturally, she gently caressed her chest with her hands. Although her breasts weren't full, they were small, round, and quite perky.

Then, one of her hands slowly slid down, finally stopping at her flat, smooth abdomen, gently rubbing it back and forth. A warm current slowly formed in her body, flowing gently around her...

Chapter Nine

When the doorbell rang, Yu Han had just finished getting dressed. She was wearing a pink V-neck cashmere sweater, a thin woolen skirt that just reached her waist, and a pair of white high-waisted leather boots. A silk scarf was tied at the perfect touch. Although simple, it looked fresh yet charming on her.

She opened the door, and there was Yin Qing outside. He wasn't very tall, probably about the same height as Yuhan, and a little thin. He wore a suit jacket over a button-down T-shirt, looking clean and smart. He was holding a bouquet of flowers, which perhaps made him seem a little reserved.

"Come in," Yuhan smiled at Yin Qing, taking the flowers he offered. "Beautiful flowers, I love them!"

"Thank you," Yin Qing said, becoming much more natural as he watched Yuhan happily arrange the flowers in a vase on the coffee table. "I hesitated for a long time before buying them. After living in Shanghai for two years, I found the men here to be very gentlemanly and sophisticated. I learned this from them." "

Really? Then I have to praise you, you've learned it quite well," Yuhan teased with a laugh.

"Hehe, don't laugh at me. I'm not from Shanghai, so I can't imitate it properly. I felt so awkward holding those flowers when I came," Yin Qing glanced at his watch. "It's getting late, you must be starving. Let's go."

This was a tasteful Western restaurant, crowded with diners, but without the usual noisy diners. A young woman in a long black dress was playing the piano on the round stage in the center of the restaurant, playing carefully selected light music that perfectly suited the atmosphere.

Yin Qing had specially ordered a bottle of French red wine, which was clear and red in a stemmed glass, with a mellow and gentle flavor. In this warm and romantic setting, the two slowly sipped the wine and chatted softly.

Because of the wine, Yu Han's fair face was slightly flushed, and her eyes were particularly bright.

"I haven't seen you in a while, you've become more and more beautiful," Yin Qing said softly, gazing at Yu Han with enthusiasm.

"Really? I've gotten old!" Yu Han felt a little embarrassed by his gaze and discreetly picked up her glass, taking a sip of wine.

"I really envy Qiming, to be able to marry such a good woman like you!" Yin Qing shook his head, seemingly unwilling: "No, it's not envy, it's pure jealousy."

"How could I be so good? Actually, being able to marry Qiming is my blessing." At this moment, Yu Han felt as if her heart was split in two. On one side was a sense of expectation and tacit approval. Being flattered like this by a man other than her husband made her feel very good, and she even had a long-lost feeling that made her heart tremble. She wanted to continue. On the other side, she was also a little afraid, subconsciously bringing up Qiming to resist the vulnerability on the other side, and secretly cursing herself for not resisting.

Although Qiming often said sweet words to her, and she liked it, it was more like a habit. It allowed her to often feel Qiming's love for her, but it just didn't have that feeling that made her heart flutter.

“Yes, Qiming is a good man, and an excellent man,” Yin Qing seemed to sense Yu Han’s unease and sighed, “God has truly blessed you two, allowing you to be together. It’s enough to make countless lovers envious!”

“Stop teasing us, let’s talk about you,” Yu Han interrupted Yin Qing playfully, asking him seriously, “You’re almost twenty-eight, right? How’s it going? Have you found the right person?”

“To be honest, a few girls have been interested in me, including one who was quite attractive. We dated for a while, but it all fizzled out.” Yin Qing looked at Yu Han and smiled self-deprecatingly.

“What happened? What went wrong?” Yu Han asked with concern.

"Sigh, maybe the problem lies with me," Yin Qing sighed, his gaze drifting past Yu Han's head, seemingly lost in thought as he looked into the distance. "I know she's a nice girl, and she's very good to me, but somehow, I just don't feel anything..."

"Honestly, you've missed out on such a good girl. How childish! Sometimes, once you miss out on something good, it's hard to find again. Do you still think you're in college, 'There are plenty of fish in the sea, why look now?'" Yu Han felt sorry for Yin Qing. "What kind of feeling are you looking for?"

"What do you think?" Yin Qing asked, his gaze fixed intently on Yu Han.

"How should I know!" Yu Han's eyes darted around nervously, and she instinctively grabbed a napkin to wipe her mouth.

Actually, as soon as she said it, Yu Han regretted it. How could she not understand? Yin Qing was using her as a benchmark for a girlfriend.

Neither of them spoke for a moment, even deliberately avoiding each other's gaze, heads down, eating their food.

The clear, melodious piano music in the restaurant masked the whispers of the guests. A large palace lantern in the center of the restaurant cast a soft glow, and waiters moved silently between tables with trays in hand. Because of these elements, the silence between the two didn't feel awkward.

On the way back to the hotel, Yu Han glanced at Yin Qing, who was driving silently, and couldn't help but break the silence: "Yin Qing, I know you're good to me, and I like you too, but you also understand that there's no future for us. For my sake, and for your own, please don't dwell on it!"

Yin Qing's eyes were fixed on the road ahead, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. Yu Han sensed his inner turmoil and couldn't help but tenderly extend her left hand, gently placing it on his hand gripping the steering wheel.

Yu Han's hand was soft and warm, and Yin Qing felt a warm current flowing through his body. He only wished that this hand would never leave, so he gently turned his palm and grasped Yu Han's hand, placing it between their bodies, unwilling to let go even when shifting gears.

Although Yin Qing drove very slowly, the hotel was already in sight. He didn't drive directly to the entrance, but stopped the car in a shady spot on the roadside a dozen meters away from the hotel gate.

Yu Han tried to pull her hand away, but Yin Qing gripped it tighter. She looked at him and forced a smile: "I have to go back to the hotel."

“I know you and Qiming are a loving couple with deep feelings for each other, and I really don’t want to ruin your marriage,” Yin Qing turned to face Yu Han, taking her other hand in his, his eyes gazing at her affectionately. “It’s not that I haven’t tried; I’ve tried desperately to forget you, but no matter how hard I try, it doesn’t work. The more I think about you, the deeper I get… I can’t control myself from thinking about you!” He couldn’t help but hug Yu Han tightly, kissing her lips before she could react.

“No, please don’t do this…” Yu Han frantically pushed against him, but how could she stop Yin Qing’s long-suppressed passion?

Yin Qing ignored her resistance, kissing her even more passionately, his tongue swirling and sucking in her mouth…

Although reason told Yu Han she should stop Yin Qing’s actions, and her hands were still making futile resistance, her body had begun to betray her wavering heart. Under Yin Qing’s relentless assault, she became weak and limp, panting heavily, her entire body leaning softly against Yin Qing’s chest, her tongue already intertwined with his.

Kissing was no longer enough for Yin Qing's desire. His hands, which were wrapped around Yu Han's back, slowly moved forward, and his palms could feel her breasts. He freed one hand and grabbed her small, firm breast, kneading it vigorously...

"No, no... Oh... um..." Yu Han, already lost in passion, trembled all over. Before she could stop him, a wave of tingling pleasure spread throughout her body, and she even moaned...

"Let me and Qi Ming love you together..." Yu Han's moans aroused Yin Qing even more, and he simply reached into her pink cashmere sweater and began to caress her body directly.

Meanwhile, his other hand was also restless, sliding down to her thigh and caressing her…

Just as Yin Qing's hand was about to slip under her skirt, Yu Han, lost in her physical desire, suddenly snapped out of it all. She forcefully pushed him away, ignoring Yin Qing's flustered state, and leaned back in the car seat, panting with her eyes half-closed…

Yin Qing didn't know what was wrong with her, looking at her helplessly, unsure of what to say…

After a long while, Yu Han opened her eyes, smoothed her disheveled clothes, picked up her small handbag, and calmly turned to Yin Qing, saying, "I'm going back to the hotel."

"You…" Before Yin Qing could finish speaking, Yu Han had already opened the car door and walked towards the hotel entrance without looking back. She didn't dare turn around; she could feel Yin Qing's gaze following her.

She knew that even the slightest hesitation would lead to her complete surrender tonight! She needed help; she longed for Qiming to be by her side, to lean her head on his arm…

Yin Qing stared blankly at her departing figure, filled with regret, fearing he would lose her forever…

Chapter Ten:

Qiming discovered Yuhan online while browsing the Couples' Forum. These past few days, he'd come home from work and go online, always to the Couples' Forum, even thinking about it while at work. Because of his frequent comments, he'd become quite familiar with several of the forum's leaders, exchanging QQ numbers and joining a group within the forum. They'd chat frequently when they met online, which had broadened his horizons considerably.

Three days had passed without any news from Yuhan; she wasn't online, and her phone was always off—something unprecedented. During the day at work, Qiming couldn't bear it any longer and called Yuhan's company. They said she was fine in Shanghai, and had even called yesterday to discuss some work matters.

This made Qiming even more puzzled. Why hadn't she contacted him? She was busy studying during the day, but she should have time in the evenings.

He sent her several messages on QQ and checked it frequently, afraid of missing her online.

Today, he finally saw her online.

Qiming immediately moved the mouse, about to click her icon, but then stopped.

The anxiety and doubt of the past three days, now replaced by resentment, made him want to wait for her to speak first, to explain her sudden disappearance over the past three days.

"Beep beep beep..." As Yuhan's icon flashed, the QQ notification sound rang out, and Qiming finally clicked on her icon.

Yuhan: Husband, are you there?

Qiming: Who are you? Why are you calling people "husband" so casually?

Yuhan: Are you angry? Good husband, I miss you! (Kiss)

Qiming: You still remember you have a husband?

Yuhan: Okay, good husband! It's all my fault, I apologize! I admit my mistake

! Qiming: Apologizing so quickly isn't like you. Hehe, you must have done something serious!

Yuhan: No, nothing. I'm just in a bad mood, I don't want to talk about it now, I'll report back when I get back.

Qiming: You disappear whenever you're in a bad mood? Don't you know how worried I was? I even called your company today.

Yuhan: Really? My dear husband, I miss you now, what should I do? (Shy)

Qiming: Tell me what you miss first?

Yuhan: My heart misses you, my body misses you, I miss you everywhere... I really want you to hold me!

Qiming: I want you too! What should I do? You naughty wife, I've been holding back for days. Ouch...

Yuhan: What's wrong, husband?

Qiming: My little brother is being naughty!

Yuhan: Hehe, I really want to touch it...

Qiming: From this distance, let me touch your head! Is your little sister okay?

Yuhan: You know it, it's already... (Shy)

Qiming: Wet?

Yuhan: Yeah...

Qiming: Hehe, how about we find that handsome guy we talked about last time to help?

Yuhan: You naughty husband, are you trying to kill me! You wouldn't do that, would you?

Qiming: As long as you're happy, I'm willing to sacrifice!

Yuhan: (Knocks head) Hmph, I don't believe it. If I really found someone, wouldn't you be furious, and we might even get a divorce!

Qiming: Tell me the truth, have you ever thought about having sex with other men?

Yuhan: You're bad! You stinky husband.

Qiming: Tell me quickly...

Yuhan: I'm sorry...

Qiming: Good wife, tell me quickly, just thinking about it is exciting... my little brother is uncomfortable!

Yuhan: Are you a pervert? You want to hear these things... you should get them yourself.

Qiming: No rush, I want to hear you! Good wife, just tell me.

Yuhan: I have thought about it...

Qiming: Go on... how did you think about it?

Yuhan: (Shyly)... I won't say, saying it will make me miss you even more... uncomfortable...

Qiming: I want to hear it... good wife, I want you even more now...

Yuhan: When we have sex, I've thought about... two men together... Qiming: Really? How would you do it? Exciting… Yuhan: Kiss me together… I'll kiss you all too… and then… I can't say anymore, it's so embarrassing…

Qiming: Let me tell you… You're kneeling with my little brother in your mouth, your white butt sticking up high, and he's behind you… very strong…

Yuhan: Good husband… I can't take it anymore… I want…

Qiming: You can't take it already? I haven't even started yet...

Yuhan: Good husband... bad husband... I want men... lots of men...

Chapter Eleven

The next day at work, Qiming was still savoring the "battle" he had with Yuhan the night before. He never imagined that a chat on QQ, with its teasing and seduction in the text, would arouse Yuhan's sexual fantasies of two men and one woman, and be so stimulating that it brought both of them to orgasm. What Qiming couldn't understand even more was the addition of another man, who had excited and thrilled him at the time, but hadn't aroused any jealousy in him even now.

It's strange how people are. He remembered that a couple of years ago, there was a period when Yuhan's phone was receiving a lot of text messages, and she was always avoiding Qiming. At first, Qiming didn't pay attention, but later she was leaving work later than usual, which made him suspicious. After observing her for a while, he discovered that she had a lot of contact with her boss, Yin Qing, and their relationship was somewhat ambiguous.

Originally, he had always had a good impression of Yin Qing, thinking that he was a smart and capable person, and they had even had dinner together a few times and chatted very congenially. Sensing something was amiss in their relationship, Qiming's expression would darken whenever Yuhan mentioned Yinqing at home, and he would often speak coldly to her.

Although he never openly expressed his jealousy to Yuhan, she was a smart woman and knew that Qiming was her safe haven, so she consciously began to avoid Yinqing. Later, Yinqing was transferred to Shanghai, and their lives returned to normal. Last night's experience was a breakthrough, a complete upheaval, for both Qiming and Yuhan's views on sex.

This breakthrough also caused a certain unease within Qiming. Although he wasn't a reserved or conservative person, and had had countless sexual fantasies since adolescence, even learning and trying various sex techniques from pornographic films with Yuhan, one could even say he was a man with a "sexual interest." But, like last night, a third party had appeared in their private space, and it had been directly mentioned by both of them—this was truly a first.

He knew that because of the couples' forum, he had internally accepted the concept of couples having sex, but accepting a concept didn't mean putting it into practice. Could this desire have been ingrained in his subconscious all along? After last night's frenzy, Qiming wondered what Yuhan, back in Shanghai, was feeling.

Last night, she had completely transformed from her usual demure, romantic self into a wild woman, utterly immersed in sensory stimulation and sexual desire. In her fervor, she even proclaimed her desire to "compete" with multiple men simultaneously. Although Qiming was the instigator, this dramatic change in her was something he hadn't anticipated.

Yuhan, Shanghai, three days of silence, last night's frenzy… Qiming felt a sudden jolt, connecting these fragments of memory. He thought of one person: Yin Qing! Wasn't Yin Qing working at the Shanghai headquarters? Then Yuhan must have run into him during her studies in Shanghai! Thinking about their meeting, and then recalling Yu Han's three days of silence, and her hesitant words last night, Qi Ming felt a tightness in his chest... He

couldn't concentrate on anything all day, either sitting in his office lost in thought or pacing back and forth in the small space. Several times he couldn't resist calling Yu Han, but he always managed to hold back.

Yu Han had already said she would tell him the truth when she returned, but what would she tell him? Qi Ming couldn't suppress his racing thoughts, and his mood became even more agitated.

In the afternoon, Qi Ming called Du Lin and asked him to come over for dinner after work. However, Du Lin was with Qin Wen at the university interviewing an elderly professor, so Qi Ming could only say he'd come along too.

Chapter Twelve:

After work, Qi Ming went straight to the agreed-upon restaurant, but Du Lin and the others hadn't arrived yet. He didn't rush to order, just asked the waiter for a cup of tea, and waited while drinking it.

Qiming had originally planned to meet Dulin for drinks and a chat to relieve his frustrations, but Qin Wen was also with him. Sigh…

Since their last meal together, Qiming hadn't seen Qin Wen. He sometimes thought about meeting her, but worried it might be awkward.

Actually, thinking about it now, it wasn't a big deal. They were all adults; a little joke now and then was fine. Having feelings for her didn't mean he had ulterior motives. But, heh, any man would have designs on a beautiful woman like Qin Wen! Just as he was lost in thought, Dulin and Qin Wen entered the restaurant. Because it was crowded, the two were looking around at the entrance.

Qiming stood up and waved. They saw him and walked through several tables to sit down.

“What brings you to dinner today?” Dulin joked, taking off his coat.

"Don't you understand?" Qin Wen chimed in immediately, as if he'd planned it with Du Lin. "His wife's been away for almost a week, and you, his good buddy, didn't even think to come and keep him company."

"See? You call yourself my buddy?" Qi Ming laughed, pointing his finger at Du Lin's nose. "You're not as caring as Qin Wen!"

"Oh, oh, oh, so this is Qin Wen," Du Lin seized the opportunity to mock Qi Ming, "You've only known each other for a few days? Have you gone from being comrades on the same side to bed partners? Hahaha..."

Qi Ming never expected Du Lin to make such an excessive joke. He quickly gave him a wink, then looked at Qin Wen worriedly. To his surprise, Qin Wen just laughed and playfully slapped Du Lin, saying, "What? You think you've seen a live broadcast? You know everything?"

Qi Ming was truly astonished. He had thought Qin Wen would be angry, and was inwardly complaining about Du Lin's overly offensive joke. But Qin Wen not only wasn't angry, she even retorted with even more explicit language.

Qi Ming had met many naturally bold women—simple, straightforward, and loyal—who dared to say anything and were more like buddies with men. But Qin Wen didn't seem like that kind of woman at all. Besides, she was just an unmarried woman! Was it because they were more familiar with him than he had imagined? Or perhaps because they had studied abroad for several years and were no longer as taboo about sex as many Chinese people were? Were their views more open? Qiming couldn't figure it out.

The food was ordered quickly, and the three of them chatted while waiting for it. Qiming scolded Du Lin for not bringing He Ya along, while Du Lin said that his own wife wasn't around, yet he was always thinking about other people's wives. The two of them bickered and teased each other, while Qin Wen just watched and smiled.

"By the way, your wife's been gone for so long, how did you manage to handle it?" Du Lin suddenly asked Qi Ming with a mischievous grin, winking at Qin Wen at the same time. "Tell me, we're all adults, this is just showing you some concern, Qin Wen, don't you think? Hehe..."

"Look at that mischievous look on your face, you've made Qi Ming blush." Qin Wen initially just laughed, but after hearing Du Lin's words, he almost collapsed onto the table laughing, pointing at Du Lin with his finger as he said, "Is this your way of showing concern? It's almost perverted!"

"You guys are really something, talking about this in public like you're asking if I've eaten," Qi Ming was genuinely surprised that Du Lin would ask such a question in front of Qin Wen, his face turning red. "Personal privacy, I won't tell you! I won't satisfy your voyeuristic tendencies."

"Hehe, I know even if you don't say it." Du Lin picked up his cup and took a sip of tea, asking casually, "Was it hand-washed?"

Qi Ming and Qin Wen both looked at Du Lin with puzzled expressions, not knowing what he meant.

"Looks like none of you've heard this joke before," Du Lin said, glancing around before lowering his voice. "There was a couple who jokingly referred to sex as 'doing laundry.' One day, the man wanted to, so he had his son tell his mother, 'Dad wants to do laundry.' The woman, however, wasn't feeling well for a couple of days, so she said the washing machine was broken and he'd have to figure it out himself. A few days later, the woman was feeling better and wanted to, so she had her son tell his father, 'The washing machine is fixed, you can do it now.' But the man said, 'No need, I already hand-washed...'"

"Hahaha..." Qi Ming and Qin Wen laughed so hard they were doubled over, their laughter so loud it drew glares from the surrounding customers, forcing them to try and stifle their laughter.

Luckily, the waiter brought the food, stopping their commotion.

Chapter Thirteen:

The meal was quickly finished, and the three, still wanting more, went to the nearby Shangdao Coffee Shop and found a seat on the second floor. At first, the three of them remained silent, simply listening to the piano music playing in the shop and savoring the aroma of their coffee. Because it wasn't crowded, and with the pleasant background music and soft lighting, the atmosphere was warm, quiet, and relaxing.

"Qin Wen, there's something I've been wanting to ask you, but I was always afraid of being too abrupt. Today the atmosphere is nice, so I thought I'd ask again," Qi Ming couldn't help but break the silence, seeing Qin Wen sitting quietly on the sofa opposite him, sipping his coffee.

"Go ahead and ask. There's nothing wrong with that. I always answer questions," Qin Wen smiled faintly, putting down his coffee.

"Why haven't you gotten married yet?" Qiming knew Qin Wen had a straightforward side, so he decided to ask directly without hiding anything: "Is it because you haven't met the right person, or..."

"Don't guess, I haven't decided whether to get married in this lifetime!"

"Not getting married?" Qiming was quite surprised to hear this, glancing at Du Lin, who was smiling at him, obviously knowing: "You two are really interesting, one doesn't want children, and the other is even more decisive, not even getting married, is this the result of your Western education? But foreigners also get married and have children, and many of them. I really don't understand you!"

"This has nothing to do with studying abroad," Qin Wen laughed after hearing Qiming's words, looking at Du Lin: "Let him say it, he studies sociology."

"I think it has something to do with having lived abroad before, at least it removed a lot of mental constraints and restrictions," Du Lin picked up his cup, took a sip of coffee, and continued: "Qin Wen and I have discussed this topic many times, she actually doesn't recognize marriage as the only legal way for men and women to unite."

“Exactly, I’m naturally very fickle. Whether it’s toys from childhood or relationships with men as an adult, once the novelty wears off, I lose interest and passion. A marriage certificate binds me to a man for life, and no matter how good he is, I can’t stand it. It feels like I’m selling myself. Haha, I can’t help it, that’s just my personality. I don’t want to compromise myself, and I often pride myself on respecting my humanity.”

“You should look at it this way,” Du Lin continued Qin Wen’s words, “The orthodox education we receive from childhood teaches us to always think of others and to have a spirit of self-sacrifice. It’s as if we live for others, and thinking of ourselves is selfish and will be condemned and discriminated against by those around us. I don’t deny that there are morally upright people who sacrifice themselves for righteousness, but most of us are just ordinary people, and human nature is primarily self-centered. As the ancients said, ‘If a man doesn’t look out for himself, he will be punished by heaven and earth.’ Being able to look out for oneself without harming others is a human nature that deserves respect.”

“I think what you’re saying makes sense,” Qiming finally spoke after listening for a while. “But does it mean we should all stay single like Qin Wen? According to her, we shouldn’t get married to respect our own humanity? Yuhan and I have been married and living together for over six years, and I haven’t felt like my humanity has been wronged at all.”

“Are you afraid others won’t know how sweet your life is?” Du Lin chuckled and patted Qiming on the shoulder. “No one denies the beauty and happiness of married life. Even Qin Wen often envies or longs for family life. What makes her hesitate is how long a happy marriage can last—what we often call the ‘shelf life.’ You can’t deny one thing: do you and Yuhan still have the passion you had when you were dating? Haven’t you ever fantasized about having a passionate relationship with a woman other than Yuhan?”

Qiming had never imagined that two men and a woman could sit together and talk so freely about marriage, sex, and passion without feeling awkward. This was unimaginable in his previous social circle. Although he hadn’t fully accepted some of their views, he really liked this atmosphere, this casual feeling.

“Hehe, your statement sounds a lot like the opinions in the Couples' Forum you showed me,” Qiming said. After saying this, he clearly saw Du Lin and Qin Wen exchange knowing smiles. He asked in surprise, “What, Qin Wen also knows about this forum?”

Qin Wen looked at Du Lin with an inquiring gaze. Du Lin smiled and nodded. Then Qin Wen looked at Qiming and said, “Actually, the Couples' Forum was started by Du Lin and me!”

“Ah…no way?” Qiming could hardly believe his ears. He had speculated about Du Lin’s relationship with the Couples' Forum before, but he only thought about whether Du Lin had participated in couples’ dating activities. He never imagined that this forum would be started by Du Lin and Qin Wen together, especially Qin Wen, who was not even married yet, but actually started a couples’ dating website.

"How did you come up with the idea of starting this forum?"

"Actually, we came across quite a few websites like this while we were abroad," Qin Wen smiled slightly at Qi Ming's stunned expression. "Back then, I told Du Lin that we should start a forum like this after we returned to China, and he said that such a concept wouldn't be accepted in China at this stage. But after we returned, we searched online and found several such websites, but they were too explicit and went against the original intention of couples making friends, so we wanted to start a forum like this even more.

"

"Is it legal to run such a website?" Qi Ming asked with some concern.

"Before we started, we carefully reviewed all the relevant laws and regulations on internet management, and filed a record with the relevant departments," Du Lin continued, picking up where Qin Wen left off. "How should I put it? We were skirting the edge of the law and various regulations. Currently, there's no law in China that explicitly prohibits running such a website. Since the law doesn't prohibit it, it shouldn't be considered illegal, right?"

"Actually, we're just providing a platform for couples to meet," Qin Wen said, pouring coffee for everyone. "While couples meeting might seem out of step with mainstream society, it's still a lifestyle choice. Call it heresy or avant-garde, it exists in real life and is a way to break the monopoly of marriage on sex."

"Marriage is a monopoly on sex?" This was the first time Qi Ming had heard of such a view on marriage; it felt very novel.

"Isn't that right?" Qin Wen countered. "Once a man and a woman sign that marriage certificate, existing laws and morals only recognize the sex between them as legal, cutting off their chance for sexual contact outside of marriage for life, unless they divorce. Of course, there are cases of extramarital affairs, keeping mistresses, and soliciting prostitutes, but that's also a betrayal of marriage or feelings. Don't you think marriage is a kind of monopoly on sex?"

"Today, hearing your words is truly more valuable than reading for ten years," Qi Ming said sincerely. "Actually, when I first joined the Couples' Forum, I just found it novel and exciting, and at most, I could accept the concept of couples making friends. After hearing what you said today, many of my views have been updated. I really didn't think of so many things before."

“Actually, you’ve hit the nail on the head,” Du Lin continued, picking up where Qi Ming left off. “After many years of marriage, a couple’s feelings for each other deepen, but that initial passion fades with familiarity and the passage of time. Sex lacking passion feels like a routine; the body still needs it, but the process is like chewing gum—the more you chew, the less flavor it has. Couples engaging in dating is a lifestyle, albeit one that deviates from the current mainstream. Participating in couples’ dating activities requires both partners to be open to this lifestyle; otherwise, not only will they not experience stimulation and pleasure, but it may also leave a shadow on their future lives.”

“I’ve read many couples’ experiences of dating on the forum, and with very few exceptions, most felt that their relationship deepened afterward, and their sex life became more frequent and harmonious.” Qi Ming hesitated for a moment, then added, “There’s a question I’m not sure if I can ask: since you’re the ones who run the Couples’ Forum, then…”

“You don’t need to say anything, I know what you’re going to ask,” Du Lin interrupted Qi Ming with a smile, seeing his hesitant expression. “If you’re really interested, I’ll let you know when a suitable opportunity arises, for example, if the couples agree to have single men participate. However, you absolutely mustn’t tell Yu Han before she accepts this concept!”

Chapter Fourteen

In the blink of an eye, Yu Han’s two-week training was about to end. She called Qi Ming in advance to tell him her flight, and on the last day, she only needed to pack a little before heading to the airport.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and Yu Han’s heart had already flown back to Qi Ming’s side. Besides, there was her son; she missed him terribly.

Because the trainees came from all over the country, and their flight times were different, the head office sent cars in three batches to take everyone to the airport and train station that day.

Yu Han’s flight was at 1 p.m. After eating a little something, she waited for her car in the hotel lobby.

At this moment, Yu Han’s phone suddenly rang. She thought it was Qi Ming, but when she took it out, it was Yin Qing.

“Hello!” Although she hesitated for a moment, Yu Han still answered the phone.

“Yuhan, it’s me. I know your flight is at one o’clock, and I’m driving here. Wait for me, I’ll take you to the airport.” Yin Qing was clearly making the call while driving, and her voice sounded a little urgent.

“No need, the car to take us will be here soon, it’s very convenient, don’t make the special trip,” Yuhan declined.

“I’ll be there soon, bye.” Yin Qing hung up before Yuhan could say anything more.

Since that day, although they saw each other every day, there was always an awkwardness. Yin Qing tried several times to find opportunities to be alone with Yuhan, but she avoided them. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to, but that she didn’t dare! Yuhan never doubted her feelings for Qiming, even during their most unpleasant times. In her heart, she considered her marriage to Qiming as the most successful and proudest achievement of her life.

Qiming wasn't without flaws, but who is perfect? Love is like an invisible chemical reaction. After these years of marriage, some of Qiming's shortcomings that she once found unbearable had become habits. They balanced each other out, sometimes even feeling that their lives had become inextricably intertwined, inseparable. It was precisely because of this that Yinqing's appearance frightened Yuhan…

Yuhan never imagined that her rock-solid marriage would be rippled by a small stone thrown in by Yinqing.

Her heart was filled with panic, because reason told her this wasn't the kind of happiness she should be enjoying. Yet, she hated herself for liking this feeling, that long-lost feeling that made her heart race, even a yearning desire within her…

She didn't know what was wrong with her. Was Qiming's love insufficient, or was she too greedy? Can a woman simultaneously accept the affections of two men? She didn't deny having various fantasies, even playing these little games with Qiming during their most intimate and passionate moments, sometimes even bringing in people around them, calling out their names, and imagining making love with them. This made her and Qiming's sex life more fervent and enjoyable. But it was just a fantasy and a game after all; it wasn't immoral, nor did it harm their relationship—just a game.

These past few days, Yuhan had been deeply consumed by self-reproach. She was a very traditional woman, and deep down she felt she had hurt Qiming, which was the part she couldn't forgive herself for. At the same time, Qiming was her protector against Yin Qing's advances. Whenever she had a spare moment during the day, she would send Qiming a text message, and at night she would chat and be intimate with him online, sometimes teasing each other, and even reaching orgasm a couple of times. She tried every means to have Qiming surround her, to make her body and soul belong only to him, leaving no room for anything else.

Yuhan sat on the sofa in the hotel lobby, lost in thought, until Yin Qing stood before her, and she finally noticed.

"Have you eaten anything? You won't have time to sit down and have a proper Chinese meal on this flight," Yin Qing asked with concern as she helped Yu Han with her suitcase.

"I ate something, it's okay, it'll only be a little over an hour, and besides, they provide food on the plane." Yu Han didn't have much luggage to begin with, and after Yin Qing took the suitcase, she only had her handbag with her.

The car soon entered the highway to the airport, and the two chatted idly along the way, as if nothing had happened, but both felt a tightness in their chests.

"Do you really dislike me? You've been avoiding me all this time?" Yin Qing, who was driving, glanced at Yu Han and finally couldn't help but bring up the topic they had been avoiding.

"How could that be?" Yu Han was already worried, but what was bound to happen eventually did. She just hadn't expected Yin Qing to think this way: "I've always considered you a good friend."

"Just good friends?" Yin Qing was unwilling to accept Yu Han's answer. "These past few days have been agonizing. I've thought a lot, even tried to forget you, but... I really can't!"

"Don't be like that," Yu Han's heart seemed to be tugged, a slight pain in her chest. "I already have Qi Ming and a son. You know we're very happy. There can't be anything between us."

"I don't want any outcome, and I don't want to ruin your and Qi Ming's family," Yin Qing said excitedly. "I only know that as long as I like you and you like me, we can be together!"

"What kind of logic is that?" Yu Han shook her head, thinking Yin Qing's idea was too naive. "You're not married yet, so you can think like that. But me, I have a family and children. For you, this is love, it's your own business. But for me? You should also think from my perspective. I'm very traditional. If I really did that, wouldn't it be a betrayal of Qi Ming?"

"Then can you be honest with me and tell me if you like me or not?" Yin Qing turned his head and stared into Yu Han's eyes, seemingly forgetting that he was still driving.

"Drive carefully!" Yu Han shouted anxiously, her heart pounding, both for safety and because of Yin Qing's question.

"Tell me, have you ever liked me? Even just a little bit." Yin Qing persisted, determined to get Yu Han to answer.

"Like..." Yu Han's voice was so soft it was almost a whisper. Seeing Yin Qing's genuine smile, she quickly added loudly, "But it's just liking, nothing more!"

"I'm already very satisfied, really. I'm so happy to hear you say those two words!" Yin Qing, like a child, drove while smiling foolishly, occasionally turning his head to glance at Yu Han.

Yu Han couldn't manage a smile. The moment those two words left her lips, she regretted it terribly. She worried that Yin Qing would fall even deeper into the trap… They finally arrived at the airport.

Yu Han refused to let Yin Qing see her off any further, insisting on parting ways right at the airport entrance. Yin Qing couldn't persuade Yu Han, and reluctantly handed her his suitcase. He wanted to go up and kiss her, but restrained himself: "Have a safe trip!"

"Take care of yourself while you're away! Find a good girl soon, don't become an old maid." Yu Han wanted to create a lighthearted atmosphere during the parting. After saying this, without waiting for Yin Qing's reaction, she decisively turned and walked into the airport. She could feel the pair of eyes behind her never leaving her, but she stubbornly resisted turning back…

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