[Urban] Summer (Complete) - 10-12

The

person who hopes to be accepted has many connections there. The current trouble might not be a problem for him, but for someone like Liang, who hasn't been there long and doesn't yet have a foothold, it's a significant issue.

Liang is considering that with the government starting to regulate land and housing, a systematic cleanup of energy and mineral resources will inevitably follow, including stricter credit controls. This will significantly increase the difficulty for a mine that hopes to improve its overall efficiency. The promises made by the local government when they entered Guizhou might become nothing more than empty bubbles.

Yi Wen has his reasons; those who can persevere will reap unexpected rewards. However, he doesn't fully understand the immense courage required to persevere. Giving up halfway, running out of strength, and having their resources cut off could have unimaginable consequences.

Therefore, Liang is conflicted.

He shut down his computer, temporarily putting the matter aside. There's no point in talking about it; Yi Wen is soundly snoring.

Sitting on the sofa, lost in thought, He Lan came downstairs.

Seeing Yi Wen asleep, she muttered something, took a blanket to cover him, and adjusted the air conditioning slightly.

"Aren't you going to sleep for a bit?"

"Yeah, I'm going to take a shower too. I'm feeling dizzy, a shower will help me clear my head."

"Okay, you go ahead and shower. I'll go upstairs and get you a clean towel."

After being away for a few days, there was a thin layer of dust in the room. He Lan was a little puzzled as to where the dust had come from, since the windows and doors were all tightly closed. She called her parents from the study. Her son wasn't home; her sister had picked him up. She called her sister, but her son was sleeping. He said he was going to the Science and Technology Museum at the Children's Palace tomorrow and wouldn't want to come back if she called him. Her sister said it was best to let him be and call her if he wanted to come back, and she would pick him up then.

He Lan, carrying a bath towel, went to the bathroom door in the small guest room. The door was half open, so she went in. Liang was standing under the showerhead, covered in soap. "

Why aren't you turning on the light?" she said, turning on the light.

He turned around and faced her, his penis erect, pointing straight at her, his face full of ill intent.

"Pah, you bastard."

She put the towel on the cabinet, glanced at him sideways, and left.

The small guest room wasn't air-conditioned yet, it was stuffy, so she turned it on for him, then pushed open the bathroom door: "Take a shower and get some sleep, I turned on the air conditioning for you."

"Wait,"

he said.

"Hmm?"

She was about to close the door.

"What about it?"

He rubbed his hands against himself, lewdly stroking her.

She blushed, though she was intentionally or unintentionally teasing him.

"Ugh, I'm going out to fix my hair, I don't care about you."

"Okay, I'll be right there."

He stood in the shower and quickly rinsed off the foam.

Helan, her face flushed, stood in the doorway, peeking out, Yi Wen was snoring softly in the living room.

She gently closed the door, and Liang came out from inside.

He grabbed her and immediately slipped his hand inside her oversized shirt.

"You're deliberately not letting me rest,"

he said.

"Nonsense,"

she retorted.

"A woman wearing a man's oversized shirt without a bra is more alluring than being naked, don't you know that? You're doing it on purpose."

"Who's wearing a bra?"

she argued.

"That's not enough?"

Liang grabbed one of her breasts, heavy and kneading it incessantly.

His other hand slipped into his pants. "Oh, really not enough, you're still wearing underwear."

He teased.

"How annoying."

Actually, she was quite fascinated by the feeling of him pressing tightly against her from behind.

In truth, it would have been better if she weren't wearing any; she'd have to wash her underwear again. He quickly aroused her.

He picked her up and threw her onto the bed, pulling down her loose pants along with her underwear. She was wearing a loose shirt on top, and completely naked below. The sight before him was alluring, making the man's heart flutter.

Liang was completely ready. He threw off the towel wrapped around her, walked to the bedside, lifted her up, and entered her standing up…

Helan let out a soft, pleasurable "oh…"

Liang thrust powerfully for a while, the scent of his shower gel pleasant, carried to Helan's nose with each movement. Helan responded with tired pleasure, watching him move with tender affection, playfully letting her body relax and tense intermittently. From Liang's face, it was clear that this stimulation greatly changed his feelings, and she smiled contentedly.

She hoped she could bring pleasure to the man before her, from body to soul.

A little tired, he helped Helan lie up a little, then he climbed on top of her, straddling her legs, his wet penis hanging straight up.

"Mmm…"

Helan whimpered.

"Do it yourself,"

he said.

Helan couldn't resist him in the end, reaching out to grasp him, arching herself to receive him…

It was strange how a man would show a woman's initiative like this? Helan glared at him disdainfully, but Liang didn't care at all. For a man, such a small, simple gesture was an act of submission and tenderness.

He pushed himself deep inside her, then relaxed and began to rest.

"Ugh, you did it on purpose! I want to get out."

"Well, I can't help it, I'm tired,"

Liang said playfully.

She pushed him aside, straddled him, and took him into her mouth. Her shirt had been removed at some point, and now, with her full breasts swaying in front of him, her movements quickly made him frown.

Helan gleefully increased the pace, causing Liang to groan and ejaculate within two minutes.

Helan rolled off, preparing to escape, but he held her down.

He held her tightly, not letting her leave, his sticky penis, though drooping, still playfully nuzzling between her buttocks.

"You rascal, go to sleep. Stop being a hero. If you're so capable, save it for later... tonight."

He let go, dumbfounded. "God, are you trying to kill me with exhaustion?"

She frowned. "Scared? So you're afraid of getting tired too?"

"Huh? Oh, not afraid! Who's afraid?"

She giggled...

She walked into the bathroom, under the showerhead, the water temperature was set a little cool, to cool her body down a bit. To be honest, Helan would rather be entangled in lust with Liang right now; it was a game she never got tired of. She had just told Yiwen she was going to see her son, and she didn't want him to think she was neglecting her child for this. Getting her hair done was just another excuse.

She felt Liang's fluid flowing between her legs, smiled, and leaned back to let the water wash it clean.

Finally, she wrung out a hot towel, went to the bedside, and wiped him down. Liang was half asleep, somewhat touched, and reached out to touch her body a few times...

******************************

Yi Wen had a good night's sleep, only to be woken by Liang's phone call. Seeing no one in the living room, she glanced around and noticed movement in the kitchen. Going in, she found Liang wearing an apron and busy at work.

"Hehe,"

Yi Wen chuckled, handing him the phone.

Liang answered, his face showing a hint of impatience, though his tone remained gentle. Yi Wen then left.

Upstairs, she didn't see He Lan, so she washed her face. Coming back down, she felt a little annoyed. She had planned to go to the company that afternoon, but had slept until now, wondering where He Lan had gone.

She called the company, but no one answered. She then called her assistant, Xiao Wen, and learned that the company was relatively normal. Relieved, she slowly made her way downstairs.

"Who was that? Why were you so nervous?"

Liang asked, placing the cooked dishes on the table.

"It's my sister, trouble, she's got her eye on me."

"Oh, what's wrong?"

"It's the younger sister of one of her colleagues, she insists I meet her. She's been nagging me for half a year."

"Why don't you go? Would your sister harm you?"

"You don't know the situation."

"Oh, what situation? At least your sister knows your temper, she wouldn't let you meet someone too awful, could she still be thinking about Xiao Li?"

"What? There's a problem here, who am I? I travel all over the country, but she..."

"What?"

"She's a PhD, a medical doctor!"

"Hehe, is that so? So you're just scared!"

Liang was a little awkward: "Scared? Would I? I'm afraid of hurting her and losing myself. Where's the beer? Where did you put it?"

Yi Wen pulled out a bunch of cans of Tsingtao beer from the cabinet under the alcohol bar, "Hey, where did she go?" "

She said she was going to get her hair done, maybe she'll go see Qiang Qiang too."

The food was all ready, Yi Wen went over to call her.

It turned out she had taken her son and her sister's child out to eat junk food.

"Why didn't you even call?"

he complained.

"It's not like I'm not coming home to eat. You know I never eat that stuff. You expect me to go out and eat it? If I don't come home, where am I supposed to go? Meet up outside?"

"Someone at home has already prepared it and is waiting for you!"

"Hehe, having a cook at home is really nice."

Helan laughed merrily on the phone.

After hanging up, he looked at Liang and smiled helplessly.

"You should still go meet her. Maybe she's a gem. Don't expect me to give you the mother of your child."

He joked.

"Hehe, we agreed before that the usage rights are indefinite."

Liang was equally assertive.

"You brat, now you really treat me like family?"

he scolded. "Come on, let's start."

Liang smiled and poured him a drink.

The dishes were plentiful. There were five dishes. There was also a water shield soup in the middle. It was a little strange that he hadn't heard Liang making such a racket while he was sleeping in the living room.

There's a large supermarket right next to the apartment complex; it has everything.

When Helan returned, the two of them had already downed three cans of beer each, and Liang's face was flushed.

She went straight to serving herself some rice. "Hehe, thank goodness we weren't at my sister's. What kind of cooking does her husband have? Can he compare to ours?"

"Lazy woman, not only are you lazy, but you also have so much to say,"

Yi Wen retorted.

"You stinky husband, it wasn't you who cooked it, why are you showing off?"

Helan had just had a beauty treatment, and her hair was freshly styled, making her look radiant.

"Don't be too happy yet, you'll be feeling bad later,"

Yi Wen glanced at Liang.

"What?"

Helan asked, chewing her rice delicately.

"Someone's planning to marry you. Feeling bad, huh?"

"Who?"

she asked.

After a moment, she realized what was going on and looked at Liang: "What's going on? Hehe, you have a target now?"

"No, it's just that my sister is urging me to meet someone." "

Oh. Ugh, you silly husband, why am I upset? Am I really that gloomy?" "

Hehe, but don't worry, that brat is still holding back, he's too afraid to make a move."

"Why?"

Helan kept looking at Liang, making him a little uncomfortable .

"She's a PhD, and what is he? A lousy undergraduate, they're everywhere now."

"Get lost, so what if he's a PhD?"

"He's a medical doctor." "

Oh, that's pretty impressive."

Helan replied, then turned around and argued with Yiwen: "It's not as mysterious as you make it out to be. Our undergraduate degree wasn't exactly top-notch either."

"Hehe, you silly girl, what are you saying? Your husband is worried about you. If he falls in love at first sight, you'll be fine."

"Pah, who cares? Besides, do I have that much charm? Can I protect someone for life?"

Helan's eyes were a little sore, but thankfully no one could see.

"Hey, a medical doctor, she'll most likely be assigned to Xiaoya's group. What's her major?"

"Something like hepatobiliary surgery, why?"

Liang asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Well, nothing much. If you want to know, you can ask Sister Xiaoya."

"Know what? We haven't even met her yet, why are you doing this so early?"

"Mind your own business."

Helan chided him a little.

"Okay, okay, it's none of my business."

Helan finished eating and, seeing they were almost done, served them some rice.

After they finished eating, Helan went to clean up. "We can't let a grown man cook and then wash the dishes."

She said to Liang, who wanted to do the dishes.

"Hehe, I was hoping to finish this properly today, but I didn't expect you to steal the credit."

He said with a laugh.

"Heh, let's go have some tea."

She said.

"Okay, I'm really letting go now."

He smiled and went out.

Helan was left alone in the kitchen, feeling uneasy. She knew this was normal; it was bound to happen sooner or later. Even if it wasn't this PhD, someone else would come. Hadn't she advised him to try and get back together with Xiaoli?

She knew all this, but hearing this news still left her feeling empty. Her beautiful fantasies seemed to have crumbled step by step. Xiaoya's involvement in this trip had already made her somewhat regretful, and now an even more serious crisis was looming, perhaps even taking the man beside her away completely.

She felt an indescribable pain, a sharp ache in her heart.

There were only a few bowls, which she washed over and over again.

"Is the tea in the fridge?"

Liang came in, a little surprised to see her expression.

She looked down at him, "Yeah, it's at the bottom of the freezer. Tieguanyin on top, green tea below."

He walked closer to her, sensing something was affecting her mood. He gently pulled her into his arms.

"What are you thinking about?"

She shook her head and smiled, "What? Nothing."

"Don't think I can't see anything. It's obviously turning from gloomy to partly cloudy."

"Get lost."

She shook her head and continued to laugh.

"Whether I go see her or not, I might not. If I were going, I would have gone already. My sister has been urging me for months."

He whispered.

"No, I have to go."

She said.

"This... then what are you doing?"

"Nothing."

She said.

"Do you know what we were saying outside?"

"What were we saying?"

"I said that no matter what, the previously agreed-upon usage rights must be valid indefinitely, and the contract cannot be torn up."

She didn't react for a moment, but after a while, she finally understood what he meant. She burst into laughter through her tears, broke free, and said, "How annoying you guys are!"

Just then, Yi Wen called out from outside, "Why did you take so long to get some tea leaves?"

Liang chuckled and patted her face. She blushed, tilted her head, and sandwiched his hand between her shoulder and cheek, looking straight at him with a burning gaze. This made Liang embarrassed and flustered. He called out to the outside, "Coming! The tea leaves need to be packed back up, otherwise they'll leak air and it'll be a waste."

She laughed happily and muttered a curse under her breath, "Lies just slip out of your mouth without thinking."

He chuckled. "I'm going out?"

"Yes,"

she replied.

Just that one moment made her feel much better.

He Lan suddenly felt that she had been too lazy, doing nothing all day. She was starting to regret leaving school. With children at school, their thinking won't always be confined to a small circle. I need to talk to my husband; if there's a chance, we should go back to school. Thinking

this, I immediately felt like a different person, smiling as I walked towards the living room.

The two chatted idly while watching TV. When Liang saw Helan come out, he made way for her, but she shook her head: "I'll go upstairs and tidy up; it's a mess."

Upstairs, Helan couldn't resist calling Xiaoya.

After a few casual words, Helan said, "I need to ask you something."

"What is it, girl?"

"Well, I wanted to ask if there are any new female doctors in your hospital's hepatobiliary department. I heard they're PhDs."

"Why are you suddenly asking this? I don't think there have been any recently. There was one before the New Year; she even came to our department for dental work. What happened?" "

Nothing, someone introduced her to Liang."

"Oh, I see. Hehe, no wonder you're so nervous."

"What are you saying? You're not serious at all,"

Helan said reproachfully.

"He seems nice, quite pretty, comparable to you, haha. He's not young anymore, but a girl with such a high level of education can't be young. Also, I'm reminding you not to overthink things. I can tell you're a little too invested in him; know when to stop."

"You're talking nonsense again. I was just concerned."

"Who are you kidding? You were following me around when you were doing your braids, do you think I'm stupid?"

"Just kidding, even Yi Wen hasn't said that."

"That's because he's accommodating you. I can't really figure out what his intentions are right now. Anyway, don't be too casual with Yi Wen. After all, he's a grown man, and he's spoiling you rotten."

"Alright, alright, you gossip." He Lan scolded Xiao Ya playfully, "You're just... the pot calling the kettle black."

"You brat..."

Xiao Ya was about to scold her when He Lan quickly said she was hanging up, slamming the phone down.

Alone in the laundry room. Because she only had a few light clothes, she slowly hand-washed them in a small basin. There were only a few t-shirts and trousers belonging to Yiwen and Liang, and a few pairs of underwear. She quickly washed and hung them out to dry.

Then she wiped the mat on the bed with a slightly damp towel. Thinking of the room downstairs, she took the basin and towel down.

"What are you busy with?"

Yiwen asked.

"Wiping the mat in the downstairs room, he sweats a lot,"

she said, referring to Liang.

"Hehe, why do you sweat so much?"

Yiwen teased.

Liang smiled awkwardly.

"By the way, don't bother, his sister might call to take him on a date soon, and we don't even know if he'll sleep here."

"If he's not sleeping here, then I don't need to wipe it?"

Helan's tone suddenly became a little loud, making both men a little stunned.

Yiwen felt a little embarrassed and turned to watch TV. Liang stood up and took the basin and towel from Helan's hand: "I'll do it myself."

The basin was taken away, and Helan let him have it.

He Lan realized her voice was a bit rude. She walked over to Yi Wen, gently massaging his shoulders. Seeing Liang enter the room, she nestled in Yi Wen's hair, saying, "I'm sorry, honey, I didn't mean it."

Yi Wen patted her arm, "Watch some TV, don't be busy."

Sitting down opposite her, Yi Wen looked at her with a knowing gaze, a hint of sarcasm in his smile. He Lan blushed, but still gave a playful, defiant look, instantly dispelling the small misunderstanding between them.

Not long after, Liang received a call from his sister, saying she had contacted the other party and had roughly arranged where to meet, asking Liang to come over. "

Let's drive there." Yi Wen went to the cabinet behind the door to get his keys, then gestured for He Lan to come downstairs and open the garage door for him.

He Lan turned on the light and walked down into the garage first, Liang following behind, speechless.

Pressing the remote, Liang opened the car door. Before getting in, he looked at He Lan and said, "I have no choice, I'll just have to deal with it."

"No, you have to be serious. I asked Sister Xiao Ya, the other party is very nice."

"Nonsense,"

Liang said.

"Really."

Helan reached out her hand. "Hug me."

Liang felt a little sad at her words and hugged her tightly.

"You're not allowed to forget me,"

Helan said softly.

"Yeah, and you're not allowed to either,"

he said.

She smiled, pushed him away, and pressed the remote control in her hand. The garage door slowly rose...

Back upstairs, Yiwen had already turned off the TV. Waiting for her to come up, he walked up to her and cupped her face in his hands. "You must be exhausted these days. Go upstairs and get some sleep."

"Okay."

She obediently replied.

"If you find someone new and forget your old flame, your husband will find you someone better,"

Yi Wen whispered in her ear.

"Get lost,"

she pinched him hard.

"If someone likes you, do you want them to do bad things? Wouldn't that be breaking up someone else's family?" He Lan said insincerely. "What should we do then? Have Xiao Ya find a way to break them up at the hospital? Or drag her down like Xiao Ya did?" "What would that be like? Like those promiscuous people on the internet?"

He Lan said, amused. "Whatever's best, we'll do it," Yi Wen said seriously, making He Lan chuckle: "You're so annoying, never serious!" Upstairs, He Lan quickly took a shower, wrapped herself in a towel and dried herself as she came out. Yi Wen took a moment to turn on the computer and glanced at it. Seeing her come out, he closed the computer. He took the towel from her and began drying her body. Her pair of snow-white breasts trembled, quite beautiful. He couldn't resist teasingly pinching one of her nipples, causing He Lan to shudder and almost bend over. "You little brat, so sensitive," Yi Wen said with a lewd smile. "You're so annoying," He Lan said, covering her chest, afraid he would do it again. "To be honest, you haven't been staying by my side properly these past few days," Yi Wen said, taking off his t-shirt and throwing his pants and other clothes all over the floor. He Lan cried out and followed behind picking them up. Yi Wen turned around to hug her, but she pushed him away: "Don't touch me if you're not showering." Yi Wen obediently turned and headed towards the bathroom, then suddenly turned back, a little resentful, and said, "If it were a brat, would you force him to shower at a time like this?" He Lan smiled, giving him a sidelong glance: "You're not him." Yi Wen turned and stormed into the bathroom. He Lan laughed so hard she collapsed onto the bed... her face flushed. Yi Wen came out, and the two lay quietly on the bed. He Lan was to her left, and Yi Wen held her tightly from behind, one leg draped over her. They were both naked, like two slippery fish. The air conditioning was at a comfortable temperature, so they didn't feel cold. Yi's hands were busy; one hand went around her shoulder, and the other under her armpits, his palms cupping her breasts and gently kneading them. Occasionally, when he applied a little too much pressure, He Lan would let out a soft moan. At first, neither of them spoke, but later, He Lan quietly asked, "What do you think Liang and the others are doing now?" "Oh, probably in a teahouse or a coffee shop or something," Yi Wen said. "Xiao Ya said the woman is quite nice," she said. Yi Wen's hand paused. "Is she really from their hospital? Did you ask her?" He Lan was speechless. Yi Wen squeezed her hand hard, and He Lan cried out softly, "What are you doing? It hurts." "This is punishment," he said. "She just went on a blind date, and you made such a fuss, especially in front of her husband." She turned around, hugged him, and pressed herself tightly against him. "I have a feeling this meeting will lead to something." She said softly. "Oh, that's good news. Do you want to monopolize him?" "Yes, I will." She pressed even closer to him. Feeling him start to move and press against her... she laughed and tried to turn away. Yi Wen was indeed a little aroused by her rudeness and wanted to climb on top of her, but He Lan held her back. She was a little embarrassed: "I don't really want to right now..." "No, that brat might still be coming back in a while. What if his wife runs away again? What am I going to do? Use my five fingers?" "You're so annoying." He Lan smiled and gave in, but only turned around and leaned back a little. Yi Wen understood, and easily pressed his erection against her, squeezing it deep into her buttocks... Following their usual practice, Yi Wen moved slowly and deliberately, without even stopping their conversation. Unlike before, one hand remained over her breasts, while the other ran through her thick hair, kneading the roots. He Lan moaned comfortably. At this moment, He Lan's body began to stir, and the stimulation from her words made it easier for her to reach the peak of desire. Yi Wen began to rack his brains for words. He kneaded for a while, then gradually slowed down, "If that brat comes back later, you're not allowed to go downstairs, understand?" "No!" He Lan's body convulsed upon hearing this. "I have to go open the door for him." " I'll open it, you just lie there quietly," Yi Wen said. "Okay, okay." She was quite obedient at this point. Then she added, "He definitely won't be back tonight." "Do you really want him to come back?" Yi Wen's movements quickened again. "Hmm, I want to." "You're so shameless," Yi Wen muttered under his breath as he rolled over onto her. He Lan opened her legs and welcomed him in with perfect understanding... Yi Wen thrust into her passionately, not in terms of frequency—his sexual habits were gentle, but each thrust was still powerful. It was a method He Lan was used to; he liked to communicate gently during sex, using language that could be embarrassing. After such a long period, He Lan had gradually adapted, and more aggressive words would even make her wetter. Yi Wen lifted her legs, holding her ankles with both hands, so that her entire upper body and legs overlapped. "What are you doing?" Helan murmured a complaint, but before she could say anything more, Yi Wen had already skillfully slipped inside her again... The two of them slowly entwined like this, as if playing a fun game. Helan couldn't resist his entanglement and had no choice but to cooperate with him. Actually, her mind was still focused on the sounds outside, such as the sound of cars. For some reason, perhaps because Liang was out today, she seemed to feel that she was about to lose him completely, that he would belong to another woman, so she longed for Liang even more. How wonderful it would be if he could come back now, even fantasizing about how happy it would be if it were Liang riding on her right now. Finally, Yi Wen slowly ejaculated his essence into her body, panting as he slowly lowered her legs, clung to her for a while, and then rolled over to lie face down beside her. "That was so satisfying," he said. She hit him lightly, but her heart was still filled with satisfaction. She asked, "Really?" Because she was multitasking, Helan didn't reach her peak. After resting for a while, she went to the bathroom to clean herself up. Then she came back to help Yiwen. He mumbled something and fell asleep. Helan wiped him down with a towel, covered him with a thin blanket, and lay down quietly staring at the ceiling.

She didn't know how much time had passed, but her eyelids began to droop, and her mind gradually became hazy. Just then, the curtains suddenly turned completely white, illuminated by car headlights, and the familiar low rumble of an A6 approached. Helan abruptly jumped up from the bed.

"He's back,"

Yi Wen mumbled sleepily, then turned over and went back to sleep. Helan got up, got out of bed, slipped on a silk slip dress, and hurried downstairs. Turning the corner behind the front door, she pressed the garage door remote. The car door silently opened, the engine roared in, the engine stopped, and the garage door closed…

She watched him eagerly as he opened the door and got out, as if they hadn't seen each other for years. He smiled at her. But she didn't react, still looking at him like that. A woman's little trick, perhaps; such an expression is very effective at attracting a man's attention and moving him. The garage lights weren't very bright, but he could still see the two mounds of her breasts beneath her sheer silk dress.

What was even more striking was her expression, full of expectation, like a wife waiting on the beach for her husband to return from a long voyage. When he finally stood beside her, a shy blush appeared on her face. Had her husband sensed her inner desire? He walked to her side, only to be kissed first. He passively embraced her, his touch on her soft, warm breasts against her t-shirt. Without hesitation, he grasped them and began to knead them… his hand reached down…

somewhat surprised, he laughed and said, “You’re soaking wet down there.”

“You’re so annoying,”

she said, shifting the straps of her tank top, letting her already extremely delicate but heavy breasts slip down. “Fuck me,”

she said.

Liang, already aroused and lifted high, turned her around naked, positioning her face down in the trunk of the car. Without a word, he thrust in, quickly removing his own restraints. By the time her t-shirt and trousers were completely off, his penis had already been thrusting in and out countless times…

“I thought you weren’t coming back,”

she sobbed.

He thrust into her fiercely. No woman had ever aroused him like this. Such a perfect union of body and soul was perhaps only possible with the woman beneath him, even though she was his best friend's wife. But what more could he ask for?

The car's rear end made the position a bit high, so he turned her around, lifted her up by the waist, and slowly lowered her. His wet, erect penis easily slid into her. He carried her up the stairs to the living room, intending to place her on the sofa.

But she said, "To the room..."

Once in the room, he pulled her up, held her high, and mischievously separated their bodies, throwing her onto the bed.

The room was bright, his erect penis throbbing menacingly. He Lan lay on the bed, her eyes glazed, looking at him, when she did something unexpected: she spread her legs and reached out to stroke her wet, hairy genitals. Liang was practically going mad, lunging at her, but she blocked him with one leg—clearly, she was retaliating for his earlier prank.

He was about to move her feet away when she softened: "Turn off the light..."

The room went dark, with only the faint light of a streetlamp filtering through the curtains. He re-entered her, and Helan held him, preventing him from moving, and whispered,

"I thought you didn't want me anymore."

He covered her mouth, but she stuck out her tongue and erotically licked his hand. He struggled, moving his body, feeling the strange sensation inside.

"So slippery,"

he whispered.

"Heh, it was left inside by the bad guy upstairs."

He forcefully broke free, thrusting powerfully as if trying to penetrate her body. "You're so greedy, is this okay?"

The sudden exertion left Helan a little breathless, but the physical pleasure was something she couldn't hide.

"Mmm, I like it. You're going to pierce it, okay? Go ahead, I love it."

Because of the lubrication, it felt loose and soft. He playfully inserted his index finger and the penis at the same time. Helan couldn't help but let out an "oh." Then he put in his middle finger, making the passage tight. It could easily fit two penises. He chuckled softly.

"If you like it, then put it in."

She moaned.

"Shall I carry you upstairs?"

he said with a smile.

"No, not now."

He smiled and pulled his hand out, tightly holding her hands and spreading them wide. In the darkness, two white bodies could be vaguely seen. This action seemed a bit forced, but because the angle was perfectly controlled, the thrusting was almost effortless.

After a while of the close, rhythmic movements, he felt his body tense up. He changed to another action, reaching behind her buttocks and lifting her up. He thrust downwards with a humming sound.

Helan was already familiar with his process and knew he was about to reach his climax. She stopped humming and waited intently for his arrival. He ejaculated with a roar, and Helan writhed her hips wildly to receive his nectar. Her voice seemed to be a sob and a murmur… After a long while, the two caught their breath and went to the bathroom together.

“Sweating buckets, that’s us, isn’t it?”

Liang teased with a chuckle.

She laughed and playfully hit him.

Back in bed, neither of them mentioned Liang’s meeting that night; they both seemed to be avoiding the topic. Helan was a smart woman. In her imagination, she might seem a little childish and unreasonable, but when faced with a real situation, she was often much more rational than a man.

Her reasoning was that since Liang wasn’t talking about it, there must be a reason he couldn’t bring himself to say it. Perhaps he had developed feelings for her after meeting her, and if that was the case, it would be inappropriate to discuss it in front of her—that was the most likely explanation.

If not, then it didn’t matter whether he talked about it or not.

She controlled her thoughts and didn’t want to think about it.

“I want to sleep,”

she said.

Liang wanted to ask, “Aren’t you going up?” But he was afraid she would overthink it, so he stopped himself, simply holding her tightly, and they both quickly fell asleep.

Since quitting her job, Helan felt she had become much lazier, especially in the mornings. However, she still woke up earlier than Yiwen and Liang, those two lazybones. And her good habit hadn't changed—once she was awake, she couldn't stay in bed for a second.

The refrigerator contained bread and milk she'd bought yesterday, along with some older stock. She sorted out the bread and milk, noting that the expiration dates were close to or nearing their end, and put them in a plastic bag by the door for the neighborhood cleaner to collect.

She prepared breakfast and placed it next to the microwave and induction cooker, so they could heat it up when they got up. Then she went to the bathroom.

The sound of the door opening woke Yiwen. He sat up, glanced at his phone on the bedside table, and lay back down: "You silly wife, leaving me here all alone?"

She walked over and sat down beside him. "When you're asleep, you're like a pig, so far away from me. It's all the same no matter how you sleep."

He smiled with his eyes closed and took her hand.

"You're the same too. Buying such a big bed is such a waste."

Indeed, when they slept, they were far apart, unable to even touch hands.

"How was it last night, you little rascal? Did you hit it off?"

"I don't know, I didn't say, and I didn't ask."

"Oh, you were just busy chuckling?"

He opened his eyes and stared at her.

"You're crazy."

She pulled her hand away, and I went to take a shower.

In the afternoon, Liang and Yiwen went to the mining company. A friend of Yiwen's was in charge there, and they went to consult Liang about the prospects of his business in Guizhou. The other party was in a meeting, and the two waited for him in the office. Yiwen lit a cigarette and exhaled a long puff of smoke.

He asked Liang, "How did yesterday go? Did the meeting go?"

"It was alright. He looked good, but he was rather introverted and didn't say much."

"Oh, then let's get to know each other better."

"Cough, get to know what? I still feel more comfortable being alone."

"What are you talking about?"

Yiwen looked at the office staff outside the transparent glass and lowered his voice, "Damn, you're quite comfortable. I'll kick you out when we get back and see if you're still comfortable. Are you trying to cling to our wife? You're almost forty and don't even have a home, and you call that comfortable?"

Liang pouted, didn't say anything, and took a cigarette from him and lit it.

"I just think, if things turn out like Xiaoli's, it'll be too pointless,"

he said.

"How do you know you're like Xiaoli again? That's why I want you to interact with her more. Besides, she's a PhD, her character is bound to be good. She hasn't even complained about your Erguotou yet, so don't get all high and mighty."

"Erguotou smells good,"

he said with a grin.

Just then, Yiwen's friend returned. The conversation quickly stopped. Helan wasn't idle either, or rather, she was bored. After visiting her son, he still refused to come back, which suited her perfectly.

She felt a little guilty for her selfishness, but her brother-in-law was also a teacher and would strictly set time limits for the children's study and entertainment, so she was relatively at ease. Plus, her sister had pleaded on the boy's behalf, so Qiangqiang still didn't come back.

She knew the boy was addicted to computer games. According to her brother-in-law, playing games in moderation can be helpful for a child's development. Actually, Helan wasn't very strict with her students at school, which led to some complaints from her colleagues who desperately tried to squeeze every last drop of study time from their children. But the children all liked her as their homeroom teacher.

After leaving, she disappeared, driving around the streets for a couple of hours before going to the supermarket and buying a lot of things. She felt increasingly uneasy, as if shopping was becoming a way to pass the time and vent her frustrations.

The

supermarket wasn't far from the hospital, and after shopping, she drove straight there.

While waiting at a traffic light, she suddenly realized she'd only gone to the supermarket to see Xiaoya, since the items were mostly optional.

Entering the outpatient hall, she saw Xiaoya in the distance. She and a colleague were coming down from upstairs and greeted her. They had just returned together yesterday, and seeing each other felt a little strange. Both of them felt a little embarrassed; their faces suddenly flushed, but the heat made it less noticeable. They walked side-by-side towards Xiaoya's department.

Xiaoya's department was relatively quiet, especially in the afternoon, with only a few patients undergoing examinations or other procedures with other doctors. Xiaoya led her to an inner room.

"Want some water? Hot?"

Helan held out the water, lukewarm, slightly hot.

"Why are you so kind? You just got back and came to see me? You might come for months before, but I never thought you'd bother."

Xiaoya said.

"Just bored."

she said.

Xiaoya smiled.

"I looked into it this morning. She's a very nice woman. She's been at the hospital for over six months, gets along well with her colleagues, and is highly regarded. Before pursuing her doctorate, she worked for two years at a hospital in another city, so she's already quite capable. I heard she's been selected by the hospital for training, and her future is limitless." "

Is there anything else you need to know?"

Xiaoya asked teasingly.

"Get lost! Do you know why I came here? Do you think I have nothing better to do than ask you all this?"

"Oh, so I have nothing better to do than ask this and that so early in the morning?"

Xiaoya said.

"You're so annoying."

Helan still stubbornly insisted.

"Come on, I knew you'd be back this morning, or at least give me a call. Here, have some ginseng and donkey-hide gelatin stew. I brought it especially for you."

"No wonder it's so hot."

"Still hot? It's in a thermos."

"Hey, hey. Look."

Xiaoya was washing her hands, which had just gotten some donkey-hide gelatin from the thermos, by the window when she suddenly exclaimed.

"What?"

Helan walked over and looked in the direction she was pointing.

"Oh, is it that female PhD?"

"Yes, it is."

Downstairs, three women were walking towards the south building. Two of them were young girls, probably interns, very young. The one in the middle was very tall, even taller than Xiaoya, talking to the one next to her. Helan couldn't see her face clearly, but she had an absolutely elegant air about her.

Helan only came to his senses after watching them enter the south building's entrance.

"What are you doing? Are you dumbfounded?"

Xiaoya said with a smile.

"Dumbfounded? You lucky rascal."

she said.

"Hehe."

Xiaoya laughed.

"What are you laughing at? Is it that funny?"

She blushed, somewhat annoyed.

Xiao Ya simply burst into laughter.

"Alright, look at how embarrassed and angry you are, be careful your eyeballs don't fall out,"

Xiao Ya said.

He Lan blushed and ignored her.

"Silly girl, do you really want to keep him around like this forever? Even if Yi Wen doesn't care, is it possible? Someone like Liang is like a tree that can't stay still even if it wants to be. Besides, he has children, and if he goes back to China, he'll at least give the children a complete family."

"What are you talking about? Who wants to keep him around forever?"

In front of Xiao Ya, He Lan unconsciously became an unreasonable little girl.

"Hehe, drink it, it would be a waste of my good intentions if you didn't drink it."

"Hmph, you're a doctor, and you think a few sips a year will be enough?"

He Lan deliberately challenged.

"Heh, you don't appreciate my kindness? If you're so capable, come over every day, and I'll bring you some to drink every day. You'll be the one who throws it up." "I feel

like throwing up now,"

He Lan said.

"Huh? What's wrong? Is it...you're pregnant?"

Xiaoya teased. "Hmm...who do you think it is?"

she asked in a low voice.

She angrily waved her arm, "You crazy woman, you're driving me crazy!"

Xiaoya laughed, covering her mouth. Seeing the soup on her lips, she handed her a tissue. Helan glared at her and took it.

"Actually, you're very bad, like the wicked mother-in-law in the book,"

Helan said.

"Sigh, wicked is wicked, anyway, I'm telling the truth,"

Xiaoya said seriously, her expression changing.

"But, it's just like you said, hey, don't drag me into this anymore."

She quickly clarified when she saw Xiaoya about to speak.

"But, when he came back last night, he seemed perfectly fine. Men and women are really different; women don't hide things as easily."

"See, are you going to say anything now? You're still going around in circles with him. His lack of reaction only proves something's wrong."

Xiaoya said.

"Hehe, you know so much about men?"

"Of course, I've lived most of my life. If I didn't understand men, would I even be considered a woman?"

Helan looked at Xiaoya with interest, feeling that she had changed a lot since this trip, not as serious as before.

A boy came in and called Xiaoya, probably because he had encountered some minor problem. She waved for him to leave. Helan stood up and said, "I'm leaving too. You go ahead and do your work."

"Okay, I won't see you off. Drive carefully."

Thinking about it carefully, Helan felt very stupid for being so impatient to go find Xiaoya, and even having Xiaoya predict that she would definitely go to the hospital, and then being foolishly forced to drink a lot of donkey-hide gelatin.

She was both annoyed and amused. Although it wasn't a big deal—she could do whatever she wanted with Xiaoya—she still felt childish.

But thinking back, what was the point of all this? Was she really that unable to let go? Liang was barely forty, and these unrealistic fantasies were just as Xiaoya had said.

But why was she acting like a little girl? Didn't she have Yiwen?

Thinking of her husband, a sense of apology and guilt welled up inside her. Only now did she think of him. If he knew she had gone to Xiaoya so aimlessly, seeking comfort or inquiries, he would understand the reason, but it was too unfair to him. She turned the air conditioning up to the highest setting and immediately shivered, trying to calm herself down.

Almost home, she called Yiwen: "Honey, I bought groceries. Can you come home early today?"

"You're such a good girl today, you little brat,"

Yiwen affectionately called her that. He continued, "We're already home. Come back, someone's here to help you."

Hearing they were already home immediately lifted her spirits.

Dinner was light because Yi Wen kept complaining in the living room about how greasy the food he'd been eating out lately was. Xiao Ya was right; eating like that long-term was dangerous.

He Lan started cooking, but later she felt uncomfortable under his gaze and voluntarily gave up her place, only supervising her husband to use less oil and salt.

"I suspect my cholesterol and blood pressure are borderline because of the food he cooked for me during those years in Shenzhen,"

Yi Wen joked during dinner.

"Nonsense, I only went once and I knew how many times you guys cooked a month. Are you praising his diligence or criticizing him?"

"Hehe."

Liang ate heartily without saying a word.

Neither of them drank alcohol that night.

After dinner, He Lan cleaned up, and the two chatted in the living room. When Helan came out, Yiwen said he was going out for coffee, and then he asked Liang, "What about you?"

"What? Aren't you taking me?"

he said with a smile.

"Go do what you're supposed to do. Are you really stupid or just pretending? Go on a date!"

Yiwen said, feigning impatience.

"Hehe, yeah."

Helan didn't know what to say, so she just blushed and chuckled.

"You drive, just take us to Liang'an Coffee. Don't worry about us when we get back."

"We didn't make plans."

Liang was still a little hesitant.

"Tch, this guy's pretending to be innocent. But it's good, this kind of behavior can fool older girls. Aren't all the young ladies these days obsessed with those F4 guys? They just rush headlong into it."

"You stinky-mouthed husband, can't you shut up a bit?"

Helan thought what he was saying was a bit absurd and stopped him with a laugh.

They went out laughing and soon stopped in front of Liang'an. Liang stuck his head out: "You guys sit a little longer and wait for me to come back."

"Wait my ass, get lost."

Yiwen cursed.

The car sped away. He Lan, arm in arm with Yi Wen, went upstairs and said cautiously, "Why are you acting like that? It's annoying."

"Didn't I realize? Maybe this brat really doesn't want to remarry. Is he just going to stay like this? He's a middle-aged bachelor; if he doesn't hurry, he'll miss his chance."

After they sat down and ordered, he held her hand and said, "Actually, this guy's emotions are quite fragile right now, far from being as carefree as he seems on the outside. We need to urge him on, especially you."

He squeezed her hand tightly. "We can't let him hold her back."

He Lan's eyes were a little sore. Yi Wen was always very clear-headed at crucial moments. She felt tears welling up in her eyes and leaned on his shoulder, feeling a little embarrassed.

"I went to Xiao Ya's place today to drink the donkey-hide gelatin she made."

"Oh, if it's good, we can make some ourselves. What's the point of drinking it once or twice?"

he said.

"I was telling her about it when that woman walked by downstairs. Xiaoya told me I saw her."

"Oh, what do you think?"

"She's quite pretty."

The waiter brought over the food, and Helan sat up straight, leaving him.

"Oh, this kid is quite lucky,"

Yiwen said.

"Hehe."

She laughed.

"What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, I didn't."

She had said the same thing to Xiaoya that afternoon.

"Oh, hehe."

"Hmm... how pretty? Prettier than my wife?"

He chuckled.

"Go away, stop flattering me. Comparing an old woman to a young woman."

"Hehe, if it really works out, I'll ask the brat if he's a young woman."

"Ugh, you're so lewd!"

She kicked him.

"If not, what can't we compare?"

He chuckled, still talking to himself.

"Of course they're different. My son is 10 years old, how can they be the same?"

"What's wrong with that? I think my wife is a hundred times better than a young woman."

Although it was flattery, it was quite pleasing. Helan's mood inexplicably improved. Actually, when Chinese people go to coffee shops, it's all about the ambiance. Yi Wen always orders a pot of tea after his coffee, and this time was no exception. The environment was nice, the patrons all seemed elegant and classy.

In

the private rooms, the only sounds were the crisp clinking of delicate steel spoons against porcelain, and the low blues jazz music emanating from the speakers.

He Lan stretched, clearly indicating she was there to indulge in a bit of sophistication. Yi Wen smiled and added a piece of sugar to her bowl, but she stopped him when he tried to add a second one.

"Don't have so much sugar."

"Are all women so insecure?"

Yi Wen chuckled, continuing the conversation he'd just had with He Lan.

"What do you mean?"

He Lan asked.

"Haven't you felt restless these past few days?"

he said with a smile.

"No way, I'm just talking nonsense." "So you went

to Xiao Ya's place just to drink her homemade donkey-hide gelatin?"

She remained silent, knowing there was no point in arguing after being seen through.

"Don't let yourself get too caught up in it, just let things take their course and you won't feel guilty."

He looked at her while sipping his fragrant Blue Mountain coffee.

"You're always criticizing me, it's normal to feel a little awkward, none of this would have happened if it weren't for you."

she said reproachfully.

"You always contradict yourself, I can't even remember how many times you've thanked me."

He lowered his voice, "I was right before, you're like a man who doesn't recognize his past once he's done his work."

She almost spat out her coffee, glancing sideways, her face flushed.

The conversation then drifted away from Liang, turning to other things, including a phone call with their son, which lasted quite a while.

On the way back, the two strolled slowly back. Halfway there, a light drizzle began to fall, but they still refrained from calling a taxi. Yi Wen reached out and put his arm around He Lan's waist, gently pinching her skin, feeling a tender and romantic sensation.

He Lan's freshly done hair smelled wonderful.

"When did you escape downstairs last night? I didn't even know,"

she said, lightly punching him without a word, only pulling closer to him.

"Time flies. It's been five or six years since you went to Shenzhen. It's really not easy,"

Yi Wen said, reminiscing about the past three years together, besides lamenting the passage of time.

He Lan was reminded of a memory; the scene of Liang meeting someone else flashed through her mind, and she felt a pang of sadness. She also put her arm around Yi Wen, and the two of them walked back to their apartment complex, still clinging to each other.

Once inside, Yi Wen muttered as he took off his shoes that it was more comfortable to drink tea at home. He Lan objected, saying that it finally felt like their dating days again, and she hadn't taken a walk like this in years.

"Dry your hair, it's a little wet,"

he said to her.

Helan suddenly stood on tiptoe, coaxing him to kiss her. Yiwen dodged slightly, chuckling, "Even an old married couple like us do this?"

She shook her head, refusing. Yiwen gave her a quick, light kiss, calling it a defective product and telling her to start over.

A phone call came on the way upstairs. Helan went up, and Yiwen had already answered. Hearing his furtive voice, he said a few words and handed the phone to her.

"It's Xiaoya, so timely!"

We just got back.

But she didn't hear Xiaoya speak for a while. Just as she was about to ask, she heard a giggle, leaving her confused.

"Your husband... your husband said you were feeling unbalanced, so he took you for a walk." "

Ugh, what's unbalanced about me? You bunch of annoying people."

"No, I have something to ask you."

"Okay, go ahead."

"It's still about your darling,"

she said.

"Ugh, here we go again. Whose darling is he?"

"Hehe, it's like this, tell him to hurry up, don't be so slow, he has too many suitors to handle."

Xiaoya said.

"Is that all? How boring."

She said.

"Sigh, maybe I picked the wrong person. You'd love to see him eliminated, wouldn't you?"

"Get lost, I'm not as cynical as you."

"What did you say? Cynical? You won't get any of the donkey-hide gelatin I'm steaming in my pot."

"No way, I want it!"

Helan screamed, "Yiwen just said that it's only good for a few sips. I'll come again tomorrow!"

"You wish, you think you can just come whenever you want? There's no such thing as getting something for nothing."

"So what do you want? Or should I bring Yiwen? It's not convenient for you at the hospital."

The two of them burst into laughter.

Finally, they hung up the phone, and Yiwen stood there dumbfounded. After a long

pause,

He Lan suddenly stripped off her clothes, her upper body bare, and swayed around. "So what if this is my manners?"

Yi Wen laughed and chased after her, but He Lan turned and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door shut.

Twenty minutes later, He Lan was already lying obediently on the bed. Yi Wen, wrapped in a bath towel, lay half-reclined on the other side. The two quietly embraced each other. Yi Wen smiled as he looked at her, recalling how she had suddenly stripped off her clothes and swayed around. The He Lan of today was completely different from the shy and demure girl who had come to Shenzhen a few years ago. But he still loved her as much as when they were dating. She had a certain charm that was particularly alluring to men.

Every now and then, she could make a man's heart skip a beat. Yet, was she even more alluring and seductive than before? Yi Wen laughed and said that she had become quite capable, both in the kitchen and in the living room.

"But to put it more bluntly wouldn't sound so nice,"

he said.

Helan had heard him say that before, but deliberately asked, "What's so bad about it?"

"At home, she's like a maid; outside, she's like an actress; in bed, she

's like a prostitute." Before he could finish, Helan gave him a good beating.

He dodged, pulling off the towel wrapped around her, tossing his own bath towel aside, and pressed himself tightly against Helan's smooth, plump buttocks. Both had just showered, their bodies smooth and refreshing. Although there was no arousal, it was pleasurable, a close connection, as if their hearts were tightly bound together.

He caressed her breasts, the smooth texture slippery to his touch. He paused. She turned to look at him: "Isn't it a little different?"

"Hmm, very good."

"I feel like it's lost some of its elasticity."

"Silly girl, that's the difference between a girl and a woman. Tight and firm is a young girl, soft and supple, smooth and refreshing is a woman."

"You're just saying nice things,"

she laughed and scolded.

Her hand groped between his legs, gently grasping and rubbing them in her hands. Yi Wen whispered, "Don't mess with me..."

She ignored him, then gently lifted his testicles with one hand, letting them slide and sway freely in her palm, causing Yi Wen's perineum to pitifully contract and tremble. His penis involuntarily grew stronger...

"Do you really have to force your husband to fight like this?"

Yi Wen grabbed her wrist. He said, "I need to rest for a while."

He Lan knew that another physical struggle was about to begin, and seeing his expression, she knew he was quite tired these past few days. She smiled and rubbed them a few times, then let go and moved to the side of the bed, giving him a break. She didn't really want it either; she'd been going too far these past few days.

"Go to sleep for a while, that brat will be back soon."

"So what if he comes back?"

Helan deliberately gave him a wanton look, asking him.

"When he comes back, you'll just leave your husband here and go off to be horny again..."

Yi Wen feigned innocence.

She smiled, lay down, and hugged him: "I won't go, I want to stay with my husband."

Hearing this, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her close, and nestled her beside him.

They held each other tightly, and after a short while, soft snores filled the air... The night passed peacefully, and they slept soundly until dawn.

**************************************************************************

A few random words.

I was chatting online with a close female friend. We were talking about "summer." As I write this, I'm starting to feel increasingly confused about Yi Wen.

At the time, I wasn't sure I could explain anything to her, so after logging off and turning off the computer, I lay on the sofa, lost in thought. Indeed, many friends find the idea of "summer" appealing, but upon reflection, it still feels a bit strange.

Some men—I haven't had any friends like that visit me—completely condemn such acts between spouses as utterly immoral. I saw many similar comments following an article by another friend.

I consider those friends "gentlemen," so I won't discuss them here.

The answer after careful consideration is quite interesting: among the participating couples, men often find it exciting, but women almost never feel the same way.

This contradicts Chinese tradition: after a man encourages his wife to participate in such activities, his interest grows stronger, completely free from traditional constraints and the shame of being cuckolded. He often showers his wife with affection, displaying a "noble quality" where his wife's sexual happiness is considered more important than his own. In fact, when I talked to some friends who had experienced this, they were genuinely sincere.

The psychological analysis at the time boiled down to two things: First, to let her experience new pleasure. Second, the psychological stimulation one experiences is indescribable. Whether outsiders believe it or not, that's what the person involved said. Heh.

But strangely, what about the women here? They often don't experience psychological stimulation, only some physical sensations. If the other person is a man she likes, then she's already very fortunate.

I don't know if this is accurate: couples whose relationship improves afterward are often those where the husband's focus is on his wife, or even just one man participating. In such cases, everyone is generally happy. But

some friends ask, if it's one man participating, it's fine, but what if it's between married couples? Actually, the result is simple: it's almost impossible for the psychological happiness index of two couples to be balanced. The size of the difference will definitely affect the psychology of the individuals involved. Therefore

, I ask those men and women who are restlessly wandering in the "walled city" of marriage: are you ready? If not, don't try it lightly. There's a saying: "Even if XX is good, your wife has to like it." Heh, let's stop here, because we're not Li Yinhe (a famous Chinese writer known for her virtuous character)

.

As for where "this summer" will lead? She still believed that everything was predestined, and that things should take their natural course .

********** ... "Ugh, I'm listening." "This morning, when I parked at the hospital, I saw that female PhD student." "Oh," Helan perked up and immediately sat up: "So, did you two talk?" "Hehe, I know you're such a brat, you must be worried when you hear that." "No worries, why would I be worried? Tell me." "She greeted me first, and the first thing she said was Liang. She said Liang talked about me with her." "Oh, I see." "They didn't say much, but I said Liang is staying at a friend's place now, and if he has time, he can bring her to your house, or we can both come together." "Why? You're bringing her here?" "Hehe, afraid it'll feel awkward? We'll meet sooner or later, it just depends on whether you can act well. I'm letting you know early so you won't be caught off guard." "Ugh, so annoying , waking me up so early just for this." "Okay, I won't nag anymore. I'm sorry, Madam! I have a patient coming in, I have to hang up now." To be honest, this phone call made Helan's heart flutter, a feeling of melancholy, like the melancholy of a young girl watching her prince charming about to leave. She knew perfectly well that Yi Wen was right, that the current state couldn't last, but the discomfort in her heart still wouldn't go away. Her mood inexplicably soured, and she started to resent Yi Wen. She reached for her phone on the bedside table, typed in a text message: "Honey, you're so annoying, so annoying." She waited to send it, but then deleted it. After a while, her mood improved somewhat, and she laughed at herself: she had become like a little girl, sentimental for no reason. Then she thought of her son; her son was the most important person to her. Today, she had to bring him back no matter what. Since the holiday, he had been either at his sister's or his parents', letting him do whatever he wanted. Standing in front of the mirror, she thought she had slept soundly, her skin looked remarkably good, and she looked radiant. She was quite satisfied and turned on the stereo in a good mood. The songs inside relaxed her, and it seemed that getting out of that emotional trap wasn't so difficult. The CD playing was her son's, but the deep, resonant singing surprised her. Could this brat even understand such songs? She saw the CD cover and learned for the first time who the singer was: Xu Wei. A gentle evening breeze rustled the pines, the wind chimes swaying like celestial music. Standing in the quiet of this city, all the noise faded away. Only green mountains hid among the white clouds, butterflies freely flitting through the clear streams, watching the sunset bloom on the horizon, a flock of birds flying west. Who painted this world, and painted you and me, making our world so colorful? Who made us cry and gave us surprises, letting us fall in love like this? Meeting always means saying goodbye, gathering and parting always mean walking a long road. Only green mountains hid among the white clouds, butterflies freely flitting through the clear streams, watching the sunset bloom on the horizon, a flock of birds flying west. Who painted this world and then painted you and me, making our world so colorful? Who made us cry and then gave us surprises, allowing us to fall in love like this? Meeting always means saying goodbye, gathering and parting always mean walking on a long road.

The voice was weathered, the song was beautiful, and it compared life to a journey, very meaningful. He Lan listened to it over and over like a child, until she received a call from Yi Wen inviting her to dinner. She

finally picked up her son in the afternoon, after Qiang Qiang had made many demands which were met, showing considerable patience from He Lan. Her sister just smiled and stuck out her tongue. Finally, they got everything sorted and got into He Lan's car.

According to their agreement, they first went to Pacific Department Store, where they found the game discs he'd been longing for at the computer counter, and then the skateboard he'd been wanting for so long at the sports equipment section. The roller skates they bought before the New Year were already considered kindergarten toys by his son.

He Lan, still worried, kept asking the sales clerks, and even bought double sets of all the protective knee pads, elbow pads, gloves, and even finger cots. Watching her son eagerly trying to stand on the skateboard in the mall, her heart tightened, and she began to regret her decision.

"Slow down, son,"

she called after him.

Since childhood, Qiangqiang had developed a habit under Yiwen's strict rules, which was hard to say whether good or bad. He never knew how to manage money; aside from occasional school fees, adults bought him everything he needed. Now, about to enter junior high, he seems uncomfortable having a few coins in his pocket and insists on giving them to her and Yiwen.

Several times, Helan worriedly said to Yiwen, "What will we do with our silly son? He has no concept of money at all!"

"He doesn't know how to manage money? Aren't you just giving him money to spend? You'll only worry when a kid has money and starts spending it recklessly,"

Yiwen always brushed her off.

When her son came home, she always made him something nice to eat. On her way home, Helan detoured to a supermarket near their neighborhood and bought vegetables, fruits, and meat, filling the car to the brim. Amid Qiangqiang's impatient urging, she loaded the groceries into the car. She glared at him helplessly, "I bought you your favorite food."

"I can eat anything, you'd better hurry up. Are you only happy when it gets dark and we can't skate anymore? You're being unreasonable,"

Helan said with a laugh.

************

Overall, very little of the so-called "summer" or "this summer" was actually written in the sweltering heat of summer.

It's almost the end of the year now, and writing this now makes me a little unhappy, or rather, uncomfortable. For a while, Yi Wen unintentionally came across some content about couples making friends online, and there were even websites dedicated to it. He visited a few, but they weren't very informative. However, he lingered on one particular website and even chatted with the website's owner for quite some time.

She was a beautiful woman, elegant and refined, and very thoughtful. This afternoon, it was this woman's experience that made Yi Wen feel very unhappy and depressed.

This website advocated for comprehensive communication between couples, covering work, life, parenting, and other details of married life, including sex. However, it's quite obvious that the vast majority of people who visit this website harbor sexual thoughts.

This is undeniable; even Yi Wen himself initially frequented the site for this reason, even posting portions of his own article there.

Although Yi Wen doesn't advocate for couples engaging in sexual activity or swapping, the fact that it's a prevalent lifestyle in society intrigues him regarding societal tolerance.

Deep down, he understands that only a tiny fraction of everyone actually practices or accepts this, but most people on the website seem quite confident, living their lives as a phenomenon with self-satisfaction.

Yi Wen feels that his relationship with He Lan and Liang is different from the couples on the website because it started naturally; as adults, he spearheaded the stirrings of his inner desires.

Many people on the website seem somewhat opportunistic, or rather, driven by a desire for mutual benefit. Yi Wen finds that somewhat pointless; without a magnanimous attitude, he always feels uneasy and uncomfortable.

Yi Wen felt justified in his actions, occasionally finding similar voices in online comments—a mix of truth and falsehood. However, he believed that sincere people would gradually come to accept this approach, referring only to those within his circle.

The reason he brought up this website was because after lunch with He Lan and a few others, Yi Wen idly browsed a few websites to check the news. He inadvertently came across reports about that website, mentioning the woman who ran it. A quick search revealed it had caused a huge uproar online. Clicking on the website again, he found it was inaccessible.

Yi Wen felt guilty because the current situation of the website and the woman's online controversy were all related to a news interview. What made Yi Wen feel guilty was that he had a long conversation

with the woman before the interview. For some reason, he had passionately encouraged her actions, even though he anticipated the potential consequences. Perhaps driven by a similar desire to make society understand and give her some space to operate.

The woman went, and now look at the outcome. According to the latest rumors, she's left her workplace and city, wandering elsewhere.

Yi Wen felt even more guilty, as if his actions were entirely his fault. As a friend, he could have been more rational from the start, at least offering a clearer analysis. In a country like this, such consequences weren't hard to predict.

He tried to contact her, sending an email and leaving a message, hoping to at least offer some comfort and apologize for his initial lack of consideration.

Like some online forum comments called the woman a brave warrior facing bloodshed. Yi Wen felt ashamed. Why would such a frail woman face such a challenge? Why bleed?

He was in a bad mood all afternoon when He Lan called to say her son had been brought home, which was good news. The boy was starting to rebel against adults, and He Lan said that all children his age were like that, so she didn't approve of him being away from home all the time.

Thinking of He Lan, he realized she probably didn't know about this website; she rarely went online except to check education news and a few stocks she dabbled in. As for whether that brat Liang had ever logged onto similar websites, it was hard to say, but such a topic had never been brought up.

However, Yi Wen never felt that the things around him had anything in common with the supposedly popular online friend-exchanging and dating practices, and in his heart, he felt they were completely unrelated.

He felt that He Lan and Liang were like brothers who had grown up together, naturally evoking a certain inner longing in adults—like siblings, always talking and caring for each other, containing a very pure emotion. Such a relationship was rare and precious; how could it be compared to the behavior solicited online?

Although he thought this way, he didn't see anything wrong with the kind of communication where like-minded friends online become friends after a period of getting to know each other.

But why should he place himself outside of them? He felt he had things he wanted and things he didn't want.

When he was almost home, he called home, intending to curry favor with his son by taking him to eat junk food, which he always opposed, but when his son said that his mother was almost done cooking, he had to give up the idea.

"Then Dad will pay you back next time."

"Hey, okay, hurry up."

The son hung up the phone.

When Yi Wen got home, he had just driven into the community gate when he saw his son playing on a skateboard among several teenagers. Although he wasn't very skilled, he was doing quite well. He watched for a while, then didn't disturb him. He parked his car in front of his yard, changed his shoes, and saw He Lan busy in the kitchen. His heart warmed, and the unpleasantness of the afternoon was temporarily forgotten.

"What are you making?"

He walked into the kitchen, pretending to be starving, and circled around He Lan with longing eyes.

"It'll be a while. Did you see your son? I told him to come back and take a shower, but he wouldn't listen."

"Hehe, I don't know how you were a homeroom teacher before. You can't even handle your own son. Did you buy that skateboard today? Did he throw away his roller skates again?"

"What can I do? Otherwise, he wouldn't come back."

"Hehe, kids these days. Back when I was his age, I wanted to build a toy car, and I thought about it for years without ever getting it."

"Alright, alright, stop reminiscing here. The kitchen smells of smoke, go outside, go outside."

Yi Wen was chased out by her. He went out to pick up the newspaper from the coffee table, suddenly remembering that Liang had called to say he was going to his sister's for dinner that night, and he'd forgotten to tell Helan.

"Sorry, I forgot to tell you. I thought you waited for me to come back before cooking. That kid's eating at his sister's tonight, so don't count his portion."

"Ugh, really, why didn't you say so earlier? Look at the rice cooker!"

Helan complained, a little annoyed.

"It's okay, I'll eat the leftovers,"

Yi Wen chuckled, going back to reading the newspaper.

Helan was a little annoyed, but couldn't show it, so she reluctantly continued cooking, her gestures clearly showing impatience.

Turning to look at the living room, she saw Yi Wen looking at her too. Her heart skipped a beat,

and she felt a pang of guilt. What was wrong with her? Actually, even if Liang had come home for dinner, they would have just been eating formally, nothing more. Her son was older now; she had to be careful. Even a flirtatious glance in front of him was something she had to be mindful of. So why was she holding back? Besides, it wouldn't be very interesting if Yi Wen noticed.

So, she started to control her somewhat inexplicable emotions and focused on making the last eggplant casserole.

That night, she went to bed early. Her son was also tired from playing and fell asleep in the next room. The little boy had one good quality: after a tiring day, he would fall asleep as soon as he got to bed, before anyone could even turn over.

He Lan watched a Korean drama, while Yi Wen held his laptop and looked at several reports sent to his email by his employees, checked some data, and after finishing, he put down the computer and stared blankly at the South Korean beauties on TV.

"Do you remember that website I told you about before?"

he asked.

"What website?"

He Lan's attention was completely focused on the Korean drama.

"That website about couples? I showed it to you once, have you been on it since?"

"Why would I go on that? That's crazy. Who knows if someone would actually use the guise of being a couple to find friends there? Strangers, is that even possible?"

"Strangers can become familiar,"

Yi Wen said.

"Some things are a matter of chance, not something you can force. Is it possible to deliberately and aimlessly try to get something like this? It's impossible, unrealistic."

Yi Wen thought about it and realized he was right. He didn't know much about the website itself, only that he had interacted with its owner a few times and gradually become familiar with them. So he stopped talking to her, said, "Are you still watching? I'm going to sleep now,"

and turned to go to sleep.

He Lan was a little annoyed by his interruption and couldn't even concentrate on her Korean drama. Yi Wen fell asleep again, but He Lan was wide awake. She stared at the ceiling for a while, then picked up her phone and texted Liang: "We're asleep. Call me if you come back, and I'll open the door for you."

A moment later, Liang replied: "Okay, you guys go to sleep."

Downstairs, feeling utterly bored, she turned on the TV. It was CCTV-3 playing "The Same Song," with Dao Lang energetically singing the old song "Wild Geese Flying South," his voice deep and sorrowful. He Lan had heard this song years ago during her youth, and the inexplicable sorrow resonated with her chaotic thoughts; her eyes almost welled up with tears…

She hadn't even considered waiting to open the door for Liang when she came downstairs. It was getting late, and this aimless waiting felt… a bit much for Yi Wen. Who was waiting for him? She comforted herself. She

made herself a glass of milk. Xiao Ya had said she didn't look well during the day, though she had jokingly whispered that she'd been indulging in too much sex. He Lan knew she looked a little haggard, and hoped this milk would help her sleep better.

She knew perfectly well what was causing her turmoil, but she dared not think about it, as if afraid of being pricked in the heart.

From the perspective of a woman with budding feelings, it was true that Liang had been dragged out by her sister to meet someone that night. It was impossible for Helan not to have any thoughts. Even when she and Liang could go almost a year without seeing each other, she didn't feel this bittersweet. Now, she felt a very strange feeling, but she could only keep it to herself and not show it.

Yi Wen had noticed her impatient behavior during dinner. He was a very insightful man, and Helan knew he wouldn't be oblivious. He was just being accommodating. He had been trying his best to protect her, and at most, he would give her a knowing, mischievous smile, which was enough to make Helan feel ashamed.

She finished her milk in one gulp, made a cup, and decisively went upstairs. As she undressed and got into bed, the air conditioning made her shiver. She tried to be as quiet as possible, but when she got into bed, she found Yi Wen watching her with a gentle gaze. Suddenly, she felt extremely embarrassed and at a loss, as if all the darkness in her heart had been laid bare.

"You...aren't asleep yet?"

she stammered.

"Come here, baby."

Yi Wen's broad chest pressed against hers, and He Lan felt a warmth spread through her heart, as if the chill of the air conditioner had vanished completely...

This was a seemingly endless super shopping mall, teeming with people. He Lan carried a considerable amount of her shopping spoils, looking quite satisfied. It was the prime time for people to come out for leisure and shopping in the evening, and because of the sweltering heat, the breezy mall was naturally the first choice for many.

As she descended the escalator, He Lan's gaze was suddenly drawn to a target—Liang! He was beaming, arm in arm with a slender, elegant woman, chatting and laughing as they walked down the mall's passageway.

He Lan's heart skipped a beat. The woman was the same female PhD she'd seen from afar at the hospital. Feeling awkward, she tried to appear composed by quickly approaching to greet her. However, Liang stared at her intently for almost a second without reacting, then brushed past her, leaving her with only the faint, alluring scent of the woman's perfume…

Annoyed, she took a couple of steps after him, but suddenly someone pushed from behind, causing her to stumble and fall down the escalator…

Shivering violently, He Lan opened her eyes. Even without a mirror, she could picture her terrified expression. She was in bed, the thin blanket had slipped to the floor—it was a dream.

The scene from before was a dream! She pulled the blanket up to cover herself. No wonder there was a cool breeze in her dream; it was the air conditioner on the ceiling at the foot of the bed. The lingering fear was gradually pulled back to reality by the faint sound of her son reciting English words outside. Looking at the time, it was almost nine o'clock. "That Yi Wen, she didn't even call me," she muttered to herself as she put on a pullover-style pajama top, opened the door, and went out.

Qiangqiang was half-lying at the dining table, eating bread while mumbling English words indistinctly.

"Sorry, son, Mom overslept. The bread is too dry. Why don't you drink some milk?"

Her son ignored her, continuing to recite words.

"Alright, stop showing off."

She knew he was doing it on purpose, waiting for her praise. She pursed her lips but refused to praise him, instead pouring him a glass of milk and forcing him to drink it.

Qiangqiang gulped it down, then stopped to catch his breath: "Mom, so nothing is absolute, right?"

"What?"

Helan was a little confused.

"You used to say you would never sleep in, and that you would make breakfast for Dad and me every day of the year if you were home. What about now?"

Helan choked. "And,"

he continued, "you said I could never study on my own, but what about now?"

"Get lost! Mom didn't say that to you, and Mom wouldn't say that to a student. How long have you been studying?"

"Enough for one class period,"

her son said.

"Really? That's great. How about this, the sun didn't come out this morning, go play on the playground for a while. It'll be three days, three days before they come to check your skateboarding skills."

"Who's afraid! No problem."

The little guy put down his cup, ran to his room, carried his skateboard down, and turned back before leaving: "When Uncle Liang came to pick up Dad this morning, he said he'd take us out for lunch, so he told you not to cook."

"Oh."

She replied casually.

"How can that be? The cleaning lady we hired is coming to clean at noon."

She muttered to herself.

Her son was nowhere to be seen. Why was it him who picked up Yi Wen? Still not fully recovered from her morning dream, He Lansi was still bothered by his son's all-night absence, feeling very unhappy. She cleaned up the mess her son had made on the dining table and sat on the sofa, sullen.

When Yi Wen opened the door in the morning, the car was already parked outside, and Liang was sitting in the driver's seat flipping through the newspaper.

"Good morning, I was just about to go out and hail a taxi. Where did you go gallivanting last night?"

Yi Wen teased.

Liang grinned but remained silent.

A man is a man, after all. Yi Wen had noticed He Lan's dejection these past two days and knew the reason, feeling a pang of pain in his heart. However, in front of everyone involved, he could only appear composed

. He had to be even more forgiving and kind to He Lan, even swallowing his bitter pill inwardly. With Liang, he couldn't show anything. Firstly, Liang was a brother closer than blood brothers; secondly, he was the one who started it all. It was natural for adult men and women who had been intimate to develop feelings for each other.

Moreover, he hoped their lovemaking would be based on emotion rather than animalistic instinct. However, Yi Wen felt the current situation was difficult to resolve. Although the problem wasn't extremely serious, it was already causing everyone considerable inner turmoil.

Especially since this trip involving four people had dragged Xiao Ya into it. Although he had always harbored feelings for her, he hadn't really considered the possibility of it coming true. This was entirely due to He Lan, but what was He Lan's reason for it?

Without the illicit relationship with Liang and his two companions, or rather, the influence of years of influence on her code of conduct, she would never have acted this way. Thinking about it that way, the blame still lies with him, and Yi Wen felt somewhat guilty.

What was even more unbearable was that when he arrived at the company, Liang went to a lower department to pick something up, and Yi Wen had just stepped into his office when he received a phone call. It was Liang's older sister calling.

"Yi Wen, are you going to do anything about this brat's affairs?"

Yi Wen was completely bewildered.

"What is it, sis?"

Liang's older sister was six years older than Liang, and Yi Wen had always called her "sister." Although they had a good relationship, they didn't interact much. Receiving her call suddenly, and hearing her confused tone, left him a little disoriented.

"That brat, he's been gone for years, and Xiao Li's been gone for so long, she's getting on in years, what's he doing wandering around like that? He's not bothered by not seeing her, is he? Well, now that she's back, I introduced him to someone, someone pretty good, but after meeting her, he didn't say a word. Last night I called him over, he sat for a few minutes, then lied and said he was going out for a bit, and disappeared. Is that how you do things? His phone's off, he's got some nerve, is she even with you? Tell him to answer the phone!"

Yi Wen closed the door, listened patiently, and chuckled. "Sis, she's not here, I'll go find her for you. But sis, is the girl scary-looking? Otherwise, why is that brat putting on such a show?"

"Pfft, she's the campus beauty, a PhD from overseas, does she think she's some unmarried leftover?"

"Oh, oh. So this kid missed his chance. Fine, I'll definitely drag him back so you can give him a good brainwashing—oh no, I mean a lesson."

Among the kids he'd played with since childhood, Liang was the oldest. She was particularly good at instigating others when they were young, possessing a natural talent for leadership. She spoke to Yi Wen and the other kids in a half-official tone.

Finally calming them down, he hung up the phone and saw Liang waving outside the glass door.

"You're something else!"

he said, pointing at him with a wry smile.

Yi Wen waved the phone in his hand: "It's your boss calling. You stood someone up yesterday, and they're going to make a scene!"

"Oh, that?"

Liang said casually.

"Where did you go last night?"

"Oh, I went to a bar. I was afraid of disturbing you guys if I came back late, so I slept at City Holiday Hotel."

He gave the hotel name.

"Fine, fine, you're just setting me up for failure."

Yi Wen shook his head helplessly and took the documents Liang handed him.

The brat had left, and Yi Wen sat there blankly, lost in thought. He couldn't recall a single word of the stack of things he'd spent explaining earlier. Through the crack in the frosted glass, he saw Liang talking quietly with employees in the office lobby, seemingly unaffected.

A sense of emptiness washed over him, and a sudden pang of anxiety surged within him, a feeling he'd had as a child. There had been a period when his heart wasn't very strong, and he'd experienced this sensation—like falling from a high cliff, floating in the air, unable to land. It felt

like a problem had arisen in the company's business; he forced himself to control his emotions, trying to organize his thoughts, hoping to find a way to resolve the situation.

He thought about many things, even about their childhood days catching grasshoppers together, breaking windows, draining fishponds and getting caught, and when they couldn't argue their way out, they'd always fight over who would take the blame, with Yi Wen usually bearing the fall, being older than Liang.

Yi Wen had always felt a slight distance from his siblings, perhaps because they were half-siblings. He wasn't very close to them. His mother, wanting to be a good stepmother and treat them all equally, neglected Yi Wen, resulting in his mother always being surrounded by Yi Wen's father's children from his previous marriage.

Only Liang was inseparable from him; the only time they were apart was during the years Liang was working alone in the south.

He didn't know how to face the current situation. This couldn't go on. He had initially thought it would be a spice in his life, but he hadn't considered that feelings existed between people, especially between men and women. Was there mutual affection? He thought of that word, and then he thought of himself. His thoughts drifted to He Lan, his nearly ten-year-long relationship. He couldn't help but pick up the phone and quickly dialed home.

After briefly recounting the brat's whereabouts last night, I hung up the phone and suddenly started scolding myself inwardly. What was I doing? I was just worrying about the three of us, and this inexplicable phone call—what did it mean to He Lan? Didn't it just add weight to the brat's side? I

felt a pang of regret, a subtle sourness.

When I received the call, He Lan was washing her car at the car wash outside the apartment complex. After getting up, she took a shower, her hair still damp, with fine water droplets even dripping from the ends.

It had soaked her light-colored floral cotton dress. Liang had brought it from Lanzhou years ago; the material was incredibly comfortable, Tencel cotton, very smooth, and almost two years later, it hadn't faded at all, looking brand new. It just felt a little tighter, after all, she had gained four or five pounds compared to two years ago.

The phone call lifted her spirits. Watching the car washer rinsing the car with the high-pressure hose, a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips. The morning sun was up, and the temperature was starting to feel like the height of summer, but she'd been so lost in thought that she hadn't even noticed.

Yesterday, it seemed, wasn't what she'd imagined. Her heart pounded, and she felt a surge of joy. This thought made her face flush and feel hot. Only then did she realize the sun was blazing down on her, and she quickly sought refuge in the shade.

She took out her phone, which she'd just put back, and dialed without thinking. Before she could hang up, realizing she'd dialed Liang's number…

“Hello…”

“Um… I wanted to ask, Yiwen said he was going out for lunch, you invited him, where are you? No need to pick me up, I've already driven the car out, um, I'm washing it now, I'll just take my son and head over.”

“Oh, I see.”

Liang mentioned a hotel name on the phone. Hanging up, she felt a sweet, bubbly joy, like a young girl in love, but inwardly scolded herself: What was she doing? It was awkward. She ran into trouble when she went back to pick up her son; he wanted to go to his aunt's.

"No,"

she said bluntly.

"It was Auntie who called, don't believe me? Ask her!"

her son pleaded, sounding extremely aggrieved.

"It's just no, you just got back,"

she said, frowning slightly in displeasure.

"The ground there is so smooth at Auntie's, look at our whole neighborhood, it's full of potholes..."

"See, your true colors are showing! You said Auntie called you, but you wanted to go all the time,"

He Lan said, pointing a finger at his little head reproachfully.

Originally, He Lan really didn't want her son to go; he'd spent the entire summer either at his grandparents' or his sister's house, refusing to come home, and the two of them hadn't even had a proper moment together.

But then her phone beeped—it was a text message. She picked it up, glanced at it, and her face immediately lit up. Looking at her son, who was lying on the sofa, pouting and angry, she changed her mind in a good mood.

"Alright, stop looking so grumpy, let's go, no more than three days!"

Her son jumped up, beaming with joy, and went off to prepare. On her phone was a multimedia message from Liang: a picture of a heart with wings, soaring through the air.

Hadn't she gone to see him specifically yesterday? Why had he stood her up? Helan's mind raced, trying to piece together what was going on.

This message had actually made her uneasy; Liang's absence all night had put her in a terrible mood, Yiwen's phone call this morning had cheered her up, and the multimedia message had only fueled her budding romance.

Women, indeed, were utterly simple. She

immediately changed her mind and agreed to let her son go out, but upon reflection, she felt a little selfish. Just because of a private matter she couldn't bear to discuss, she had swayed her son's personal choices—it felt unfair. Thinking this, when her son came downstairs, she apologetically put her arm around his shoulder and they went out together…

Years ago in Shenzhen, when Yi Wen and Liang were huddled in their small, old-fashioned apartment of less than 50 square meters, leading a team of fewer than ten people in the cutthroat business world, the loneliness of a man adrift and the bonds of brotherhood fueled this illicit affair with He Lan, or perhaps it was simply Yi Wen's own animalistic instincts erupting at the time.

In any case, Yi Wen was undoubtedly full of confidence then, completely oblivious to the budding feelings between them. Perhaps he trembled with excitement at the thought of the dignified and virtuous He Lan taking that first step, even secretly rejoicing at the thought of He Lan subtly indulging in pleasure with her brother Liang, fulfilling his own depraved desires—excited to have discovered and understood his wife's wanton nature.

Moreover, he firmly believed that women could find happiness in this.

He always comforted himself with the saying: "A husband and wife are like flying a kite; no matter where it flies, the string is in your hand, or rather, in your partner's heart."

He seemed to be losing his way, unsure of what he was thinking, and Helan, too, was becoming increasingly elusive in his mind. Deep down,

he hoped Liang would settle down, just as her sister had said on the phone that morning—he should be able to settle down now. After so many years of wandering, this should be a great opportunity. Life is like a train station; in a sense, the train that returns will never be the same one again. He shouldn't miss this chance; he should stop at the female PhD student's station.

But seeing his obvious intention to give up, he couldn't figure out why. He was no longer at the age of innocent romance and carefree days; even without fate, one should try to understand. But clearly, he didn't want to try. What was the reason? This was a reason Yi Wen had suspected long ago, but he dared not and refused to acknowledge it.

This reason was related to Helan. He refused to believe that there was some kind of agreement between Liang and Helan. Even a tacit understanding felt somewhat hurtful. If he were an outsider in this matter, he would laugh it off, but he wasn't.

He was the protagonist who had created his own trap.

He admitted, and hoped, that Helan and Liang's relationship over the years had been built on genuine affection—like siblings, or lovers, it could all be. But behind them was him, a family, and children. He believed they could control their emotions and prevent unrealistic expectations from taking too far.

But now, Yi Wen himself was beginning to waver. If it was truly as he thought, then this game was destined from the start to send him and all three of them into the abyss.

Even married couples can't share the same dreams. But last night, Yi Wen also had a dream: he dreamt that Helan was wearing a wedding dress, but the groom wasn't him; he couldn't see him clearly in the hazy light.

If the female PhD hadn't appeared, there wouldn't have been Liang's deliberate avoidance, Helan's distraught state, and Yi Wen wouldn't have felt so much unease.

If he had come home from work that day and found Helan and Liang entwined in bed, he wouldn't have felt anything different. Sex had become commonplace between them. He felt no hostility towards their indulgence in their bodies, their descent into the vortex of desire; in fact, he felt they were family.

But now, he felt a growing sense of exclusion. Helan's disappointment wouldn't be shared with him, and Liang ignored his sister's painstaking arrangements, offering no clear explanation to him. He was genuinely unhappy that morning.

He was about to go to breakfast, and he would see them at the table. He would have to pretend nothing had happened, because he was their elder brother, their senior. He couldn't be so rude as to show his gloom, especially towards Helan. Before getting involved in this, she had always been a very independent girl, a dignified and virtuous woman. Now, even if she was wrong, it was his fault first.

Besides, perhaps things weren't entirely as he imagined; perhaps he was worrying unnecessarily.

Helan initially wanted to take Qiangqiang out for dinner before dropping him off at her sister's, but the child was being stubborn, so she had to take him there first. Luckily, her sister's house was only a few streets away from the hotel Liang had mentioned on the phone, so she parked the car downstairs to avoid the hassle of finding a parking spot later.

Yiwen had already called to urge her to hurry, as they had already set off.

Walking along the sidewalk provided some shade from the sun, but there were still sections directly exposed to the rays. Unlike some passersby who used parasols, Helan deliberately walked slowly, letting the scorching sun beat down on her skin.

She had always admired the tanned beauties in magazines, finding their complexion incredibly alluring. A shop window nearby displayed a woman with such captivating skin, and she stared at her for a long time, then looked at herself—her skin so pale you could see the fine veins—and felt a little nauseous.

Yi Wen said on the phone that the lunch gathering was mainly for several mid-level employees, those with a bit more seniority, and those who had been working at the company since Liang's time. It was a get-together in Liang's name, as he hasn't been involved in company affairs much in the past two years, but he is still a major shareholder, and this was a way of thanking everyone.

Originally, this kind of lunch was supposed to be in the evening, but two of them had afternoon flights, and since it's hot now and everyone needs a break at noon, they decided to find a nice place to combine their lunch break with the rest of the day.

Although

He Lan rarely comes to the company, the older employees are all familiar with her, and the employees have a good impression of this boss lady. It's rare to see someone like He Lan at the company, and she often brings gifts as a token of appreciation. Everyone greets her with a smile, without any airs, which makes her stand out compared to some more difficult boss ladies.

Upon entering the hotel lobby, she saw Yi Wen and a few others standing by a large pool, gesturing and pointing, probably ordering some seafood. She had just raised her hand to signal to Yi Wen when two young women from the company pulled her away and led her towards a private room. As they turned the corner, she saw Liang, also standing by the pool, watching her.

There were quite a few people, filling two tables, and the atmosphere was pleasant. Although the company's overall situation in the past two years had slowed somewhat compared to the rapid development of previous years, it was still quite good relative to the current economic climate, as evidenced by the high employee retention rate.

He Lan knew almost everyone at the table. Yi Wen had always been sincere with his employees, and it seemed to have paid off. The two large tables were full of people, creating a warm and harmonious family atmosphere. Yi Wen's mood gradually improved, and he readily accepted toasts from employees who came to him, his face flushing. He Lan was a little worried he was drinking too much and gestured to him several times, but he just chuckled good-naturedly.

"It's nothing, we haven't all gotten together for the New Year yet, just having fun."

Helan didn't want to bother him anymore, besides, she also needed to deal with the people who were after her, and before she knew it, she was also flushed.

The most active one was Liang, of course. No matter the occasion, he was always the lively one, except when Helan was around or when Yi Wen was present, he would become timid and obedient, like a shy big boy.

Today was his treat again, so naturally he put in his best effort to compete with the people at both tables. Actually, none of them were very good drinkers, but perhaps it was the years of experience in the business world that allowed him to handle quite a bit of alcohol when he and Yi Wen were having a fierce drinking contest.

Several times, Helan saw his gaze sweep over her, and her heart would tremble. Fortunately, her face was already covered with a layer of red armor, so no one could see that she was blushing. It was strange, she had only gone out and hadn't come back last night, so why did she feel so uneasy?

Liang, being the host today, was somewhat oblivious to certain details, but Helan's gaze still detected it, though he had to pretend not to notice for the sake of appearances. He'd been back for over ten days, not for a vacation, of course. He'd been wandering around for so long without a proper meeting with Yiwen to discuss business. Today, he wanted to appease his devoted employee a little before getting to the point.

To be honest, he was no longer comfortable in his hometown. Although he'd drifted aimlessly through that modern metropolis to the south, his lifestyle had been completely assimilated. He was used to breathing in that neon-lit city, though he still felt a deep longing and attachment to his hometown.

He glanced at Helan across the table, a fear of being trapped rising within him again. This woman always gave him that feeling of being trapped.

Someone patted him on the shoulder—it was Yiwen.

"What are you staring at? We haven't even had a drink yet." He downed

two full glasses of strong liquor in one gulp.

He was another part of Liang's fear.

The two were business partners, career collaborators. Their business acumen was tacit and intuitive; if one had a premonition, the other only needed a slight explanation to immediately grasp its subtleties, requiring almost no conventional explanation, persuasion, or guidance.

A perfect partnership, perhaps?

However, in other aspects, perhaps because their roles were completely different, Liang couldn't understand Yi Wen's heart.

This other aspect—was because of the woman opposite him.

Yi Wen walked away, to the other side. Liang's gaze fell upon her. He Lan, her face flushed, looked elsewhere, her hands clenched into fists, resting on her chin. Her Omega watch, its dial facing him, had been there for three or four years, bought in Hong Kong. Two men and one woman—suddenly, this thought felt ambiguous.

She turned her face, their eyes meeting. She smiled, pointed to her head, indicating she was dizzy. He smiled slightly, reached out and covered her glass, indicating she shouldn't drink anymore. She nodded.

Later, they went upstairs to a karaoke bar and made a ruckus until almost 3 PM. The two employees who had to go on business trips caught their flights, and everyone dispersed. They

didn't work in the afternoon; as agreed in the morning, everyone split up, those with cars taking those without to their own destinations, leaving only the three of them.

"Are you sure you can handle this?"

Yi Wen asked He Lan.

"I'm fine," He Lan said,

touching her face, her cheeks still flushed.

"Hehe, I'll drive later and take us to the girl's house up ahead," he said to Liang. They didn't go upstairs, but instead called out to their son from downstairs, threatening to take him home. The son vanished in a flash, not even saying a word to him. He Lan chuckled. "See? It's not that I lack authority, but you, as his father, aren't enough either." "The key is that I'm worried the kid might become effeminate if he spends all his time with your sister's girl." "Get lost, you're the effeminate one," He Lan laughed and scolded him . "Or maybe they'll develop a cousin relationship," he teased her. "Pah, you're getting more and more absurd." Helan turned away, too lazy to pay him any attention. Yi Wen's A6 was in front, with Yi Wen following slowly behind. "The kid wants to talk to me about something when he gets home," he said. "Oh, what?" "It's that thing I told you about last time." "Oh, you guys decide, it's not good for me to interfere." "There are risks, but we can't stop them. We used to make all the decisions, and he never disagreed. He's doing this for everyone, but I'm a little worried he might act impulsively. That's his only flaw."

"When did this happen? And you're bringing it up again?"

She knew he was referring to being scammed by Hong Kong people in the past.

"Oh, haha, you said you wouldn't interrupt, but it turns out interrupting isn't about defending your husband."

"Get lost, I'm just stating the facts."

"But this time it's not a small amount."

He took out his phone, dialed, and waited to speak. He Lan was about to remind him to drive carefully, but he had already started talking, so she had to hold back.

Back home, He Lan made each of them a cup of Longjing tea. Feeling a little dizzy, since they had something to discuss, she went upstairs to lie down for a while.

Yi Wen was on the phone again, calling the same person he'd heard from in the car—the company's CFO, asking him to come over immediately.

Hearing this, she prepared another cup of tea. As she came out of the kitchen, Liang came out of the bathroom. As they passed each other, he grabbed her hand and gently squeezed it, making her heart tremble. After a moment of stunned silence, she shook him off.

"You two talk, I'm going upstairs."

Yi Wen hung up the phone. He saw He Lan shake her hand off, and when she went upstairs, he pointed at Liang.

"What's wrong? Trying to cause trouble again?"

Liang was a little embarrassed, shaking his head and smiling without saying a word.

"Oh, Lao Li will be here soon,"

Yi Wen said seriously.

For the next while, the three of them talked downstairs, drafting several documents. Both of them were a little nervous, asking very detailed questions; they needed professional support from Lao Li.

Finally, as dusk approached, Yi Wen breathed a sigh of relief, looking at Liang and nodding slightly.

"That's it?"

Liang nodded.

Lao Li was also quite pleased: "It's rare to find such a team."

The matter was actually quite simple: Liang had an old friend whom Liang had helped a lot in the past. In recent years, this friend had become very successful, a major shareholder in two listed companies. When Liang saw him, he was a little hesitant to recognize him.

A few months ago, this friend had persuaded Liang to invest in the stock market. Liang had never been very interested in the stock market; he had tried before and emerged defeated. At first, he didn't take it seriously, only paying a little attention. Unexpectedly, a month or two later, the stock his friend mentioned skyrocketed, making him incredibly eager to participate. After one wave of gains, his money had quadrupled.

It turned out he was already a market manipulator.

Liang couldn't sit still any longer and started thinking about it. He asked his friend, but was told to wait for an opportunity. Half a month ago, the friend called Liang, urging him to quickly follow a certain stock.

Liang was in the south and didn't have enough funds to play the game his friend was talking about. Besides, he certainly wouldn't leave such a thing undisclosed to Yi Wen, so he flew back to discuss it with Yi Wen. He hadn't expected Yi Wen to also be paying attention to this year's stock market and to be very interested in his information.

He was just a little surprised by Liang's ambition—almost all the funds he could spare were being used, and he even wanted to get a staggering sum from the bank.

The reason I asked Lao Li to come today was to entrust him with handling this matter of funds as quickly as possible. Lao Li's younger brother is the head of a commercial bank in the city. Yi Wen's company is mortgaging its assets to the bank for a loan, which is done through his connections. Lao Li, of course, wouldn't be shortchanged. The shrewd Lao Li also conveniently handed over the reward Yi Wen gave him, putting it all into the stock market...

Everything was settled. Yi Wen went with Lao Li to Lao Li's younger brother's house, making a legitimate trip. This kind of thing can't be done with just empty hands and words.

Lao Li led him to the outskirts of a residential area, gave him some directions, and then left. Even though it was his own brother, it was best to avoid such matters.

In less than half an hour, Liang came out, everything went smoothly. When the car stopped in front of his house, Yi Wen's heart completely relaxed. Only then did he remember the situation at home.

As Yi Wen came out, he gave Liang a meaningful look. He was the only one left at home; He Lan was upstairs. These past few days, He Lan's absent-mindedness had been affecting Yi Wen's mood. With him and Lao Li out, the house was once again just the two of them.

Whenever Liang was home, there was an air of illicit lust in the air—purely psychological, of course, but Yi Wen's heart pounded as he opened the door.

Generally, upstairs there were two people entangled together. Ever since Liang hadn't returned last night, He Lan had been immersed in a state of profound disappointment, something Yi Wen understood without question. As for Liang, his repeated avoidance of that promising female doctor couldn't be said to be unrelated to He Lan.

Entering the foyer, Yi Wen was slightly disappointed by the living room, as it was completely different from what he had expected. Liang was snoring loudly on the sofa.

Liang was at least alert; the sound of Yi Wen's footsteps woke him, and he struggled to sit up.

"All done?"

"Yeah, all set. There shouldn't be any problems. It should be done the day after tomorrow."

"Oh."

He lit a cigarette.

"What? Nervous?"

Yi Wen asked with a smile. He knew he usually didn't smoke.

"No, it's nothing serious. At worst, we can start over. If anything goes wrong, at least there will be some leftovers for you guys. I'm fine as long as I'm not the only one eating."

"Nonsense, you can only succeed, not fail. Are you still eighteen? Starting over?"

Yi Wen teased him with a laugh.

"Is she still sleeping?"

Yi Wen asked deliberately, looking upstairs.

"Yeah, I'm asleep too. I didn't sleep much last night."

"Heh, nervous, aren't you? You're going to use up your retirement savings for the rest of your life."

"Yeah, to be honest, a little. But seeing that guy going through all that trouble, making money like water, I'm really not willing to give up without taking a gamble."

"Yeah, but isn't it too much of a gamble? If he hadn't asked for so much preparation, you wouldn't be this nervous."

"Forget it, it's already like this. There's no turning back now."

He changed the subject.

"She was waiting to open the door for you last night. She didn't even call when she wasn't coming back."

"Oh, I drank too much last night, just as much as today, so I didn't pay attention,"

Liang said apologetically.

"Hmm, what's going on? Why are you avoiding her like that? Your sister's so anxious, does she not like her?"

"It's alright, just not in the mood."

Liang stubbed out his cigarette.

"You're a middle-aged man, still thinking about passionate encounters? I heard she's quite pretty, don't let her slip away. Tell the truth, is she involved with Lan?"

He stared at him and asked.

He felt awkward and reached for another cigarette.

"Say it, what can't you say?"

Yi Wen said disdainfully, making a mocking face.

"Hmm, I think things are... fine now. It's tiring to walk the same path again." "

Tch, I knew it. Don't daydream. I might not let you touch her one day. She's my lawfully wedded wife, what right do you have?"

Yi Wen chuckled, finding the boy's awkwardness both amusing and a little pitying.

"But seriously, that brat is something else. You're only two years younger than me, and she seems to dote on you. Last night she seemed like she was out of her mind. It's just a blind date, why is she so jealous? Like she's going to monopolize a few people forever."

Yi Wen seemed relaxed, but inwardly felt he was being a bit pretentious.

"Don't talk nonsense, no way."

Liang chuckled.

"You brat, you're getting the better of us and still acting innocent. Alright, enough said. We were busy drinking at noon and didn't even fill our stomachs. We're already halfway up the mountain, so there's no point in thinking about anything else. Let's celebrate early tonight and wish each other good luck, hehe."

Yi Wen stood up, checked his watch, and stretched.

"Where to?"

Liang also got up to tidy up the messy sofa.

"Should we listen to the lady? Aren't you coming down? Overslept? Hmm... go ask her?"

Yi Wen teased.

Liang picked up the phone on the coffee table next to him; it was a cordless phone that could only make calls.

"Heh, want to get scolded? Why call? No sincerity. Go ask him to come, I'm going to take a shower."

With that, Yi Wen went downstairs to the bathroom.

Liang couldn't refuse any longer and awkwardly went upstairs.

He Lan was indeed asleep, but not for very long. When she first went upstairs, she was just lying on the bed, slightly tipsy. She was still awake when Yi Wen left.

When she heard the car drive away, her heart strangely fluttered. A very ambiguous feeling welled up inside her. Her mind was calculating how to get Liang to reveal what happened last night. She even hoped he would come upstairs and pester her. If it was just a matter of having sex during this time, she would be willing to go all out, even if Yi Wen caught them in bed together when he returned.

But after waiting for a long time, there was no sound. She had vaguely heard Yi Wen and Lao Li leave, so why was there no movement at all?

Unable to contain herself any longer, she got out of bed, opened the door, and approached the stairs, only to be disappointed by Liang's snoring. She'd never heard him snore so loudly before, and the alcohol from lunch had left her completely drunk. Listlessly, she returned to her room, went back to bed, and began to daydream unhappily. Eventually, she actually drifted off to sleep.

There was a slight sense of unease, because in her dream, she was awakened by the person she had hoped for. She opened her eyes; Liang was sitting beside her, one hand cradling half her face, his thumb gently stroking her lips. Opening her eyes, she wasn't surprised; she smiled naturally, turned slightly, and leaned against him.

"Sleepyhead, awake?"

she whispered.

"How come I'm the one who's sleepy? I'm the one who woke you up."

"Hmph, did you wake me? I didn't hear you. Is touching me considered waking me up?"

He was embarrassed, but he didn't care about his embarrassment in front of her. He continued to mischievously pinch her lips, and she opened her mouth and bit her thumb... her eyes staring at him defiantly.

Her warm, wet tongue swirled around his fingertip, tickling him and making Liang's body tremble.

She wasn't finished yet, pressing her body against his, lifting the blanket she was wrapped in, and the wide neckline of her thin knitted loungewear collapsed, almost exposing half of her breast, and from Liang's angle, it was basically her entire chest.

Liang finally couldn't resist the teasing and reached into her collar, taking full control of her entire breast... Helan felt her face burning... She couldn't bring herself to ask the question she had wanted to ask him for a long time. Should she ask him how his talk with the female doctor last night went at this time? Would that be too inappropriate and petty?

She couldn't say it, so she simply quietly enjoyed this moment of warmth and sweetness.

"Get up, it's time to go out for dinner."

He leaned down and brought his cheek close to hers, their faces touching briefly.

"Going out again? I don't like eating out."

"So what if you don't like it? It's already dark, are you going to cook for yourself?"

"Hmm, then I won't eat."

She reached out and placed her hand on his leg, her elbow pressing right against his crotch. She was still not used to being too proactive, even though she wanted to touch him there, she still had to act nonchalant...

"Let's go anyway, let's celebrate in advance, wishing you success in your stock market battle."

He vigorously rubbed her soft, round breasts a few times, then withdrew his hand, hugged her and almost lifted her up. Pressed together like this, Liang's body was pressed against her...

she giggled...

"I want to eat it."

Her pranks were incredibly powerful...

Liang ultimately didn't dare to go too far, even though his inner desire had been completely aroused. Only he knew how much he wanted to immediately strip her loose clothes naked, press her down on this spacious bed, and frantically exhaust all his energy.

Helan was currently languid and alluring, her feminine fragrance carrying a subtle musky scent that would make any man lose control.

However, Yi Wen was waiting downstairs. The situation these past few days had been rather unusual; even he, usually so carefree, could sense something was amiss, and he needed to at least give those in the know an explanation.

"Want me to watch you change?"

he asked with a lewd grin.

"Ugh, get lost!"

Helan, no matter how carefree, was unaccustomed to this.

"Hehe, then I'll come downstairs and wait for you."

"Fine, I'll watch, who's afraid of who?"

Helan seemed afraid he'd fly away, and actually said that.

Now, Liang was in an awkward position. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but he was afraid Yi Wen would get impatient and come upstairs, and seeing this would be really uncomfortable.

"I'm really scared of you."

He grabbed her, gave her a hard kiss, and then fled. Helan was left behind, pursing her lips in a daze, giggling contentedly…

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

A friend said, “The reason I remember 9/11 so vividly is because I just typed ‘summer’ on the screen and received a message from a friend. I’ve been tormented by ‘Summer’ for so many years.”

The implication was that “Summer” was an old, drawn-out story.

So I felt ashamed and shamelessly argued with my friend: Summer happens every year.

As for the truth and falsehood, the reality and illusion between the lines, it doesn’t seem so important anymore. It’s just about experiencing the process. Perhaps you, the readers, feel the same way. Sometimes, after typing a passage, you wonder, will my friends believe it?

Heh, truth and illusion are

intertwined. Perhaps what the reader finds ethereal is what the protagonist remembers most deeply.

Or perhaps what your friend finds quite real is just a feint by the author.

Regardless, it's safe to say that any attention must have its reasons for existing.

Thankfully, "Summer" has barely been hit by any criticism along the way, which is somewhat unbelievable and makes me secretly chuckle: Where have all the upright gentlemen gone? Why don't they throw bricks at such filthy stuff?

"Heh, they're living comfortably now, and there are still people who want to be criticized? They're just being cheap."

Whether it's Yi Wen, Liang, or He Lan, no matter how turbulent the story, the past is happiness, and the future holds no regrets.

Sentimental men and women, since they've loved—they have no regrets…

Since you don't mind the rambling, I'll continue with "Summer"...

What I'm writing about is happiness, and what you're seeing should be the same.

******************************************************************************

Dinner was simple. We found a clean and elegant little shop and quickly satisfied the hunger of the three of us. Yi Wen insisted on celebrating and urged Liang to get some wine, but He Lan scolded him, saying the alcohol from lunch hadn't dissipated yet and he wasn't allowed to drink anymore; at most, he could only have tea instead.

We didn't drive; we walked out and walked back, very leisurely and relaxed. Whether each person felt relaxed or not, only they themselves knew.

Back home, the heavy door slammed shut behind us, and the atmosphere instantly became hot and ambiguous, making it a little suffocating.

Helan was about to brew tea when Yiwen stopped her. He pulled out his long-unused tea set and began to practice the tea ceremony with great enthusiasm, muttering incantations as he did so. Sure enough, in no time, the rich, mellow aroma of Tieguanyin filled the room.

Liang first raised his small cup and took a delightful sip.

"Haven't had any in a while, have you?"

"No like-minded people here. Everything's popular here except tea. Locals still prefer green tea, Longjing, Maojian, and the like."

"Hehe, we used to drink our fill back in Shenzhen. Even when we got up to pee at night, we could still smell the aroma of tea."

Yiwen laughed, and Helan smiled and scolded him.

"It's not good. It's better to drink alcohol."

"I'm calling you silly. You don't know how to enjoy life. This pot of tea is enough for you to drink Moutai."

"It just isn't good,"

Helan argued.

Liang just smiled, enjoying the aroma.

"Actually, we should have had a drink. First, to celebrate, and second... alcohol can make you lose your temper,"

Yi Wen said seriously, staring mischievously at the TV.

He Lan didn't understand the last part at first, but when she did, she rolled her eyes for a long time. Yi Wen was really good at keeping his composure, acting like nothing was wrong, until He Lan was about to hit him before he burst out laughing.

"Looks like someone's got a guilty conscience after all. But it won't affect you."

He Lan pouted and plopped down next to Liang, sitting very close to him.

"Hehe."

Yi Wen suppressed a laugh and continued fiddling with the bottles and jars.

"That's true, the grass is always greener on the other side."

Yi Wen said sourly.

"Ugh, I'm ignoring you guys."

He Lan started focusing on the Korean drama on TV.

Yi Wen gave up. He knew Liang drank a lot of tea, so he changed the tea leaves in the pot after a few rounds. Liang learned to drink tea during his lowest point, after being swindled out of almost half his fortune by Hong Kong people. Depressed, he spent his days immersed in tea. It helped him

calm his mind, lick his wounds, and he often got drunk—drunk in his frustration. Tea can make you drunk, just like alcohol; the more drunk you are, the more you drink. The advantage over alcohol is that it doesn't hurt your stomach as much.

Yi Wen's phone rang. He answered, said a few words, and hung up.

"Tuesday's flight,"

he said.

"Oh, should we give Lao Li another call?"

"No need. He's more reliable than us. Besides, he wants to increase his own tens of thousands."

"Then I'll notify my friends there tomorrow to confirm we're participating this time?" "

Yeah, let's do that. It's come to this."

"Hehe, are you a little nervous? You really should have some alcohol to calm your nerves. Hehe, we can't come back empty-handed, can we?" "

Pah, pah, pah."

He Lan, who had been half-lying down, sat up abruptly. "You won't be able to come back naked."

"Hehe, then I'll pull my pants up there and come back."

Helan sat there, a little dazed, and suddenly picked up the small cup in front of her and downed it in one gulp.

"Silly girl, your cup is cold."

"It's all the same to me."

Her voice was a little sharp, and Yi Wen sensed it.

"What about that?"

he asked Liang.

"What?"

"The one in the hospital?"

Liang didn't know how to answer.

"It's nothing, I'm on business, how can I worry about that?"

"Hehe, your sister is about to lose her temper, she might even call me."

But... actually... if the person is good, don't let the opportunity slip by, at least the external conditions are there, right? Girl?"

Yi Wen poured Helan a cup, picked it up and handed it to her.

"Aren't you annoying? I just drank a cup."

"Look how much we've drunk?"

"No more, I can't sleep tonight."

"Hehe, you still want to sleep tonight?"

Yi Wen teased her with a mischievous smile, actually he himself was a little reluctant, but seeing her sullen look, he couldn't bear it.

"Ugh, I'm going upstairs to watch TV."

She pointed to the Korean drama playing.

Upstairs, she sat listlessly at the foot of the bed, not exactly angry, just uneasy.

She felt a little petty; she knew her tone had been harsh, but she just couldn't control herself.

After a quick wash, she changed, got into bed, turned on the TV, found the channel, but couldn't concentrate. Even after the show ended and she changed to another program, her eyes were blank.

She didn't want to sleep. Could that small cup of tea really have such a powerful effect? Her mind was empty, but she couldn't fall asleep.

Hearing Yi Wen's voice coming upstairs, she suddenly panicked. She was a little afraid to look at him.

"Sorry, I didn't clean up the stall downstairs. Will you have to work hard tomorrow?"

"Leave it there. Who asked you to clean it up? Hypocritical. When have you ever cleaned it up?"

"Heh, I have a good wife at home, don't I?"

Yi Wen came over, reached under the blanket, and grabbed her.

His eyes were on her, but she avoided his gaze.

"Are you unhappy?"

He placed his hand on her leg, gently kneading it.

"Who said that? You're just guessing."

"Hehe, I'm your husband, don't underestimate my wisdom."

"Crazy."

"Hehe, are all you women like this? Seems to have very low self-control."

"What are you talking about? Nonsense."

"You know what, we can't just blame women, the little rascal is a bit dizzy too."

"That's utter nonsense, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Can't you tell, the little rascal is also absent-minded? Have you ever thought that his strong aversion to that hospital might be related to you?"

"Are you crazy?"

She became angry and embarrassed.

"Hehe."

He held her down, preventing her from moving, and gently kissed her flushed cheeks. "I have a feeling I'm not wrong, at least part of it is."

"You're just making things up."

Helan quieted down, her face red, and she even seemed a little shy.

"You don't want a young woman, but an old lady like me? Who would believe that?"

"Hehe, maybe old ladies have a certain charm, or maybe some of their functions are better?"

"You're so annoying."

She raised her hand to hit him, both because of his words and because his hand was restlessly groping between her legs.

"Aren't you just as absent-minded?"

"You're getting more and more absurd."

Helan said.

"You really want to monopolize someone like that? Yi Wen squeezed onto the bed, pushing her to the middle, are you trying to dump your husband?"

"You're crazy."

Helan was shy after all, and he made her feel embarrassed by what he said, feeling a little guilty.

"Ugh, take your hands away!"

"It's not good to be unhappy. You know your husband wants you to be happy."

"I know, it's nothing."

She looked at him, and Yi Wen's expression genuinely seemed a little worried. She chuckled, buried her face in his chest, and whispered, "To be honest, I'm just a little uncomfortable."

Oh, he lifted her face: "So you're used to having a little husband? Afraid of flying away, not used to it?"

She couldn't argue with him, so she simply tilted her head back to meet his gaze, as if to say: Well, that's how it is, so what?

"Silly girl, I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about him."

She was too lazy to listen to his nonsense.

"Look at him, wandering around like a homeless man. So many people at home, friends and family, are worried about him. If he doesn't care at all, it's not a big problem. But if he keeps wandering around for another three or five years, settling down might not be something he can do."

He continued, "Besides, if he really puts all his heart into you—I'm just saying hypothetically—wouldn't that really hold him back? That wouldn't be good. I might as well give you to him and go find a doctor to play around with."

With that, Yi Wen's teasing tone returned.

"Pah! I'm not your wheel, you can't just tell me where to roll. Humph, so you're the one with ulterior motives. You... I'll teach you to find..."

She rolled over and started pinching him.

But Yi Wen held her down firmly...

"The phone's ringing..."

Yi Wen answered.

"It's that brat,"

he whispered.

She immediately fell silent: "What's wrong?"

"Boss, I'm out of blankets. It's too hot without the air conditioning, and too cold with it on. I'm going to have a runny nose by morning."

"Oh."

He turned to Helan and asked, "Are there no air conditioners or blankets in the downstairs rooms?"

"Oh dear."

Helan exclaimed and jumped up. "I washed both of them this morning, and they're drying in the sunroom on the third floor."

"Oh, haha, you're really useless. Can't you just hold on a little longer? Have you forgotten how we used to sleep in a shared dormitory? What's with all this talk about being hot or cold? You're so delicate."

Helan laughed and playfully hit him, then got up to find him a blanket, but he grabbed her arm.

"What are you doing?"

she whispered.

"Getting blankets and turning on the air conditioning is such a hassle and a waste. Our room is already cool, and one more person won't use much more electricity. Besides, look at our big bed, we could easily fit two more people."

"Get lost, you're so annoying."

She pushed him away.

But he had already said into the phone, "It's on the blanket, come and get it."

"How annoying."

She shook off his hand, busily buttoning her pajamas, quickly lying down and wrapping herself up completely.

"You silly woman, so pretentious, acting like a little girl, pretending to be shy."

"Pah, just pretending... pah, who's pretending?"

A moment later, there was a soft knock on the door. Yi Wen got out of bed, opened the door, and he stood outside. "Where's the blanket?"

"What blanket? Come in, stop wasting my electricity, just squeeze in."

He chuckled to himself as he said this, while Liang was still acting coy. Yi Wen frowned and gestured for him to come in. He went out to turn off the air conditioner, but after thinking about it, he simply turned off the main power switch at the bottom of the stairs that controlled the downstairs.

The main light in the room had been turned off by Yi Wen before he opened the door, leaving only an orange-red floor lamp on. Liang came in and stood at the foot of the bed, seemingly shy, while He Lan on the bed was wrapped in the blanket, pretending to be asleep.

Yi Wen quietly pointed to He Lan's right: "Squeeze in, hehe, thank you for your trouble!"

He Lan, lying on the bed, was both surprised and delighted, inwardly scolding him…

The human inner world is truly inexplicable; even for the most profound psychologists, it's a blind spot. For the public, even for Yi Wen himself, if it weren't for him, but a story he'd heard, he would consider this illicit affair a fantasy, something to be laughed off.

But now, he was the protagonist of this fantasy.

He felt very peaceful, exceptionally calm.

Watching Liang awkwardly get into bed, and then, he turned off the light and lay down on He Lan's other side.

It was a strange feeling; this tenderness wasn't the first time, something that had happened years ago, yet it still intrigued him.

Lying quietly, he slowly began to feel uneasy, uneasy precisely because he was so calm.

He couldn't understand it; the intimate scene had only happened a few days ago, was it just because Liang went out to see the female doctor? Why did it feel so different?

Yi Wen seemed to have something within him, maintaining a delicate balance. He feared this balance would be broken, or rather, he hoped the dark torment he inflicted on He Lan would cease, and their marital life would return to what it was before—like any couple walking down the street, gentlemen in public, lovers in bed, lifeless and without suspense.

He began to understand He Lan's unhappiness these past few days. Was she also worried about this balance being broken? Shouldn't a woman be like a greedy little animal, having already brought her treasure to her nest, would she watch it slip away?

Moreover, it wasn't just an object; it was something complex within the hearts of adult men and women. Calling it love seemed a bit inappropriate, somewhat strange, but perhaps attachment was more accurate, or a dual need of thought and body.

Many minutes passed, and the room remained quiet, without even the slightest rustling of limbs or the slightest friction of the bedding fibers. It was as if everyone was holding their breath, not breathing at all.

He inwardly mocked the couple beside him. Was the night going to pass like this if he didn't step forward?

"Hey, I'm going to sleep. You guys figure it out, okay?"

He Lan scolded softly, kicking him lightly. Her heart felt warm, and her foot landed on the spot he had kicked, gently rubbing it. Actually, this was the peace she wanted, and she was very grateful to him for creating this atmosphere.

Was he truly psychologically twisted? He enjoyed being surrounded like this, this feeling of being pampered—it was ambiguous, yet safe. He could reach out and touch her skin, a beautiful feeling he didn't want to lose.

Yi Wen felt a ticklish sensation from her caresses, and shifted slightly, his legs escaping her touch. One hand reached up to her, slipping from her hem, only to realize how terribly wrong he had been…

He touched Liang's hand on her full breasts.

The men's hands met, strangely, they recoiled as if electrocuted.

Then, quite fairly, one hand on each side landed on He Lan's chest…

like the first time, yet not like the first time.

Helan passively accepted their caresses, gradually opening up from her initial curled-up state, and then being tenderly embraced by Yiwen. But this was almost just a simple ritual; soon, she was intertwined with Liang... Gradually

, she was aroused by their teasing, and her awakened desires were freely revealed. Her attachments were peeled away like the skin of a fruit, leaving her naked, glistening white in the darkness. The only light filtering through the curtains illuminated her entire body.

Liang's allure seemed to unfold step by step. Although physical intimacy wasn't the most important thing for Helan these past few days, his kisses, sometimes tender and gentle, sometimes rough and caressing, were always just right… effectively smoothing out the tiny knots in her heart. Several times, the reserved Helan couldn't help but let out soft moans…

Later, Helan was exaggeratedly positioned in a V-shape, a seductive pose… her legs spread wide, draped over them, her body completely open, her lower territory now belonging to Liang. With his magical fingertips, he silently began to invade her core, where blossoms were already flying everywhere…

Yi Wen quietly held his wife, occasionally giving her a long kiss on the earlobe, savoring it and deepening her ecstasy.

Such quiet caresses were rarely seen anywhere else, even in Western pornography.

At this moment, passion often overwhelms people, animalistic instincts prevail.

But their bodies on the bed moved slowly, like an old married couple, gently, slowly, skillfully.

His fingers explored her secret passage, sliding in and out... truly exploring, very slowly. Her honeyed depths enveloped his hand, with just the right amount of tenderness. If he sped up even slightly, it would elicit a soft moan from her, and he seemed unwilling to raise her moans even a little, patiently listening to her soft murmurs repeatedly.

"She's just like an empress,"

Yi Wen whispered in her ear.

She let out a soft moan, as if expressing her dissatisfaction; such a superficial encounter could not satisfy the Empress…

Finally, Liang appeared, boldly wielding his rod… Her acceptance wasn't exactly enthusiastic, perhaps due to shyness… but her anticipation was clear. She accepted Yi Wen's embrace and caresses with her entire upper body, but completely surrendered everything else to Liang. This combination had utterly shattered all her reserve…

Music, instruments, and singing unfolded simultaneously on her body… A storm of passion followed, the rhythm having already shifted.

After a moment, Yi Wen left her, seemingly getting out of bed. He didn't return to her side. He Lan opened her eyes in a daze, finding the orange light in the room illuminated. Though not dazzling, it exuded extravagance. She wanted to stop him, but Liang's torment left her too weak to even speak.

At this moment, she struck a mischievous pose, her legs spread rather exaggeratedly. It wasn't originally her fault, as Liang held her ankles, pulling and playing with them for a while, then simply draped her wrists over his shoulders… Her body had more freedom of movement, and her movements became more aggressive. Helan, as if unable to bear it, clenched her teeth, frowned, and closed her eyes. It

was always like this; whenever Yi Wen was present, he always seemed to slightly suppress Helan. This time, she again passively submitted, her body merely being manipulated by Liang, her own energy seemingly barely being utilized.

Yi Wen watched for a long time, noticing Helan's suppressed state, and seeing Liang not panting or sweating, he chuckled mischievously.

"Are you done yet? I have to go downstairs to queue. You better be careful, don't break anything, I can't afford to pay for it."

Helan reached out to grab him, but grasped only empty air. She felt uneasy about his departure. She knew he enjoyed browsing here; her meaningless repression had touched him. But she always suppressed herself for no reason. What reason did she have to be so shy in front of Yiwen? Or did she yearn for a true world for just the two of them?

Yiwen was always so understanding. Helan closed her eyes in shame, not daring to look at him, only wanting to hold his hand to convey her apology. But Yiwen simply leaned down and kissed Helan's cheek before opening the door and leaving…

The door closed gently, Yiwen leaving very carefully. But the soft knocking this time seemed to strike Helan's heart heavily. Instantly, her heart cooled down. Meanwhile, Liang was gently working on her body; she shifted her position slightly.

"?"

"Tired?" "

Want to rest?"

"Mmm…"

She understood. Carefully pulling away…

Helan sat up, cradling her knees. Immediately, she felt something sticky flowing out, and jumped up, running into the bathroom.

She came out quickly. She pulled out an Yiwen shirt from the closet, a casual English plaid, and put it on.

It was large, almost past her knees.

Wearing such a cotton shirt was perfect in the air-conditioned room. Sitting on the bed, Liang leaned against her. She unexpectedly pushed him away slightly.

"What's wrong?" she asked

with a slight smile, gesturing towards the door.

Liang immediately responded. The air became heavy.

This was the first time Helan had shown any restraint in front of Liang.

Their lovemaking had ended somewhat unhappily.

Suddenly, she felt that physical pleasure was no longer so important. Helan gently scratched Liang's arm with her fingernails, leaving tiny marks. What she truly needed right now was to lie tenderly between them, doing nothing, even just holding hands.

Was she being too greedy? she wondered.

It was always like this. She was starting to dislike her husband's saintly attitude. He used to jokingly drag Xiaoya into it, thinking it would create a balance between her and Yiwen, but this time she knew she was wrong. She had misjudged Yiwen's feelings. His kindness towards her was far greater than she had imagined. She

also knew how he had been feeling these past few days.

She suddenly longed to sit beside him, lean against him, and subtly express her guilt, to be honest with him about her feelings.

Liang became passive. He knew he had been a bit rash; his carefree habits weren't good. Bringing a blanket was just a dark excuse. Had he gone too far?

She got out of bed.

His hand was still on her. She removed it: "I'm going downstairs for a bit, it's okay."

She leaned down and patted him reassuringly.

Before leaving, she carefully changed into clean underwear.

Yiwen was downstairs flipping through a stack of documents on the coffee table—loan agreements, etc. He looked

a little surprised to see her come down.

Helan didn't say anything, but sat down next to her, nuzzling him like a cat.

"What's wrong? Not feeling well, kid?"

she suddenly pinched him. "Still pretending."

"Hehe, what's wrong?"

"I know what you're thinking."

"I've never done this before."

"Hehe, no one knows a husband better than his wife."

Yi Wen gathered the things on the coffee table and stuffed them into a large paper bag, blushing slightly from the embarrassment of being spied on.

To ease the awkwardness, he lifted the hem of her wide shirt: "What nonsense are you spouting, you female hooligan?"

"Still pretending!"

He Lan stared intently.

"Hehe, you want a lover but not a husband, and I've already given you what you wanted, so why are you still acting all innocent?"

"Who asked you to give me what you wanted? Isn't this a blatant attempt to steal me?"

"Playing hard to get? Hehe, good to know, but you're already rushing off like this even though I don't want you? You still have to finish what you need to do."

Actually, He Lan's presence had already improved his mood by half, and he started teasing her with a mix of light and

risqué remarks. He Lan left him and sat on the opposite sofa, her large shirt making her look petite, one slender leg resting on the sofa armrest, sulking and ignoring him, biting her shirt cuff.

Yi Wen, unable to bear her temper, followed her, took her hand, and said seriously, "What do I have to worry about? Don't you know me? When have I ever been able to handle a brat like you?"

He Lan pouted.

"That guy... he's been hiding like a thief, do you know why? I've figured it out."

"What?"

"Two reasons. First, he's afraid of marriage, or rather, he's fed up with it. Xiao Li went a bit too far before, she almost destroyed his temper. You see, he's always been arrogant, Xiao Li was always chasing him like crazy, who knew she'd dump him in the end."

"Who said she dumped him?"

He Lan argued.

"At least that's what he thinks."

He Lan was speechless.

She decided to keep quiet about it.

"Besides..."

Yi Wen glanced at her again and continued, "What that stinky man wants is so easily obtained."

He Lan was furious...

Yi Wen quickly begged for mercy, "Don't be silly, isn't this just saying the girl is charming? To be honest, how can you compare to that female PhD when you're young and beautiful? But he just won't agree, what can you do?"

"You jerk!"

He Lan laughed and scolded him.

"Who believes your nonsense?" "

Believe it or not. Actually, to be frank, we already discussed this downstairs."

"What?"

She stretched out her leg to kick him, but he grabbed her foot.

"Actually, no matter what, this really isn't a solution,"

Yi Wen said.

"Then what do you suggest?"

He Lan asked.

"Actually, the problem is still with you,"

Yi Wen said, looking at her. "

What are you talking about?"

She pouted, refusing to admit it.

This is probably a common weakness of women; sometimes, women are far more adept at playing dumb than men. Yi Wen, of course, couldn't believe that his wife of over ten years would be so clueless. He didn't expose her feigned ignorance, but simply pulled her close.

"Why did you get down?"

he asked.

"I feel like the head of our household has a bit of a problem,"

she said with a smile.

"No, really not."

She lay down on the sofa, resting her head on his lap. Just then, Yi Wen took out a cigarette from the coffee table, about to light it, but stopped to avoid getting ash on her.

"Go ahead and smoke,"

she said, shifting her position, resting her head on the sofa armrest, and stretching her legs out over his.

Yi Wen appreciated this about her; unlike other women who deliberately forbade men from doing certain things, He Lan, even if she didn't approve, wouldn't explicitly object, like to smoking, only reminding him to be mindful in front of their son. Yi Wen wasn't a heavy smoker, never exceeding half a pack a day.

"Why did you stop? Keep going,"

she said, giving him a light kick.

"I think that brat has become lazy about life. It's been like this for several years now, like a couple living apart, always keeping their energy at a fever pitch. So every time we get together, he's incredibly energetic. As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. You're lucky to have a brat clinging to you, and most importantly, you have a good husband. Otherwise, just drooling won't help."

He Lan blushed, reaching out to pinch his waist. He laughed and dodged, stubbing out his cigarette.

"Obviously, the brat thinks it's good too,"

Yi Wen said.

He ran his hand up her hem, directly to her inner thigh, where it was warm and moist.

Her brows furrowed slightly, but she didn't flinch. It was rare for him to make such a small gesture towards her; such tender actions seemed like something from many years ago.

She looked at him with hazy eyes: "You're just framing me. Didn't you instigate everything? Now everyone's guilty except you?"

"Who said I'm guilty?"

He increased the force of his movements, and she felt uncomfortable, so she slapped him.

"The problem is—that brat is still so young. Just standing there like a stick isn't a solution. Mom and Dad are worried sick, and then there's that fiery older sister of mine, she's been coming to my office all this time."

"I know you're a petty woman, but ever since that female PhD showed up, you've been worrying like autumn leaves falling. Who can't see that? That brat's gotten quite attached to you over the years. The more you act like this, what will he think? He'll definitely just run away."

"Pah! You're just trying to frame me! Who's like autumn leaves falling? She hasn't even uttered a sound, and now everything's falling on my head? You're really something else—you're just full of yourself."

"Fine, if you keep playing dumb like this, I'm not talking to you anymore. Whatever happens is none of my business. If that brat ever really tries to steal my wife, I'll just give her to him. After all, I'm his brother."

"Pah! Tell me, what should we do?"

"What to do? Just let it be!"

He turned to the side; he had already soaked her, and even her small cotton panties were damp. But he couldn't move his hands too much. He straightened up and pulled her panties down from her ankles, exposing her bare skin from her genitals down below. She was quiet, not frantically trying to cover herself as usual.

"Do you want me to go tell him to hurry up and date that female PhD student?"

She grabbed his hand and shook it off.

"Finally figured it out, finally understood?"

He pulled her over, letting her white buttocks fall between his legs, and leaned back. The sofa was wide, so he let her sit in front of him.

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