21. Jealousy

Su Yun instinctively tried to keep her distance from He Mian, but how far could she really go inside a single car? He Mian reached out with his long arm, cupping Su Yun’s cheek and gently kneading it, savoring the pleasant sensation. His thumb brushed against Su Yun’s lower lip, slowly gliding past the corner of her mouth, smudging her lipstick. Coupled with Su Yun’s innocent and pure gaze, she looked both demure and alluring.

The sight of her was so enchanting that he felt an urge to ruin her perfection, his touch growing more forceful. Su Yun winced at the pain. “Hey, let go.”

Her voice sounded like the trumpet of war, and He Mian no longer held back. Suddenly, he lunged at her, eager to pull her into his very marrow.

Their clothes became disheveled; Su Yun was kissed all the way into the house by He Mian. He pressed her against the door, and as Su Yun’s thoughts drifted, she began to believe that He Mian truly hadn’t been with a woman before.

Such urgency and intensity—it was as if a ravenous wolf had just tasted meat for the first time.

Could it really have been He Mian’s first time?

A sharp noise escaped her as He Mian bit down hard, as if rebuking her for being distracted.

After a long while, He Mian let Su Yun wrap her legs around his strong waist, then lifted his foot to walk them toward the bedroom. He teased her with a wicked smile, “Are we using the same kind as last time?”

Su Yun’s small fists landed playfully on He Mian’s back, making him chuckle in a muffled tone.

To save time before, Su Yun had only paid attention to the size and specs, grabbing two boxes at random. She hadn’t expected that every industry kept innovating—even something as simple as a condom came in so many varieties. No wonder that particular kind was so much pricier than the others.

—

A gentle spring breeze stirred the lush green grass. Su Yun hurried along the tree-lined path.

“Su Yun, are you going to the library afterward?” Li Ruochen caught up from behind and gave her a pat on the shoulder.

He’d noticed her walking ahead from a distance and came over just to say hello.

Su Yun greeted him coolly. “Hi, Ruochen. I’m heading to the Art Institute.”

“Are you going to hear the painter He Mian’s lecture?”

Su Yun was surprised—had He Mian’s reputation really spread as far as the world of translators?

“How did you know?”

“Oh, he’s quite famous. His art is unique. Are you going just to see him? Let’s go together,” Li Ruochen offered.

“Sure, but I’m actually going to interpret for the event. And honestly, I don’t have much of an artistic sense—high art is lost on me.”

He laughed. “You’re too modest.” The two walked and chatted as they made their way.

When Su Yun arrived at the classroom, she found it packed, every seat taken. The air was crackling with excitement, whispers abuzz throughout the room, every conversation circling back to He Mian—his looks, above all, being the main topic.

Handsome men are the universe’s shared treasure. Girls from other departments had also come, drawn by his reputation.

He Mian himself was still on the way—Xiao Bao said he would arrive in five minutes.

The department instructor finished setting up the equipment and fitted Su Yun with an earpiece to test the sound.

More and more people streamed into the classroom. Su Yun guessed the crowd would only grow. She even spotted a few fellow townsfolk, catching snippets of her hometown dialect.

“He Mian is so handsome. I saw him at an art exhibition before. He was stunning—good-looking and an amazing artist. He’s a total dreamboat.”

“He Mian is from Nanqing, too.”

—

Xiao Bao eyed He Mian suspiciously, suspecting him of abusing his power for personal reasons. Normally, He Mian never attended events that put him in the spotlight—lectures, speeches, business gatherings, he always refused.

The invitation from Huadu University had come at short notice, and He Mian had initially declined. But after learning who the invite was from, he changed his mind.

Xiao Bao felt a mix of relief and irritation. He’d tried every argument in the past but never saw He Mian budge. Yet Su Yun hadn’t been around long and already occupied He Mian’s heart—so much so that he was now willing to attend events he’d always avoided.

To Xiao Bao, the verdict was clear: He Mian prioritized romance over friendship.

Wasn’t seeing her every day enough?

The more Xiao Bao thought about it, the more jealous he became. With a chill in his voice, he mocked, “So, is Su Yun really that great? You can’t bear to let her out of your sight?”

“Yeah,” He Mian admitted frankly. Then he added, “It’s like… ah, never mind, you wouldn’t get it anyway.” His tone implied: How could a single guy like you possibly understand?

“…”