The baby slapped me, and I said, "Sit on my lap and slap me."

"Taste", "Impossible to escape", "No need to know"...

These words echoed repeatedly in her mind, like fine icicles piercing her heart.

So, in his eyes, she was no different from an object that could be easily controlled?

Can you just brush it off with a simple "it's impossible to escape"?

Was all that irresistible tenderness and consideration she received just a carefully designed hunting game with the young master from beginning to end?

A strong surge of bitterness and grievance suddenly welled up and spread to every part of my body.

Su Qingyao took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her turbulent emotions, before putting on a proper smile and pushing open the door to the private room.

The conversation inside the room stopped abruptly the moment she stepped inside.

Wen Yu immediately got up to greet her, put his arm around her waist, and spoke with great concern.

"Why did it take you so long?"

Su Qingyao looked up and met his gaze.

Those beautiful peach blossom eyes were filled with tenderness, and there was not a trace of calculation in them.

She smiled and shook her head. "It's nothing."

But my heart felt like it was weighed down by a stone, sinking heavily.

At this moment, the waiter began to serve drinks and food. Wen Yu skillfully picked out what Su Qingyao liked and gently pushed the non-alcoholic soft drink to her side.

"Yaoyao, want to try this? Is it your favorite flavor?"

These subtle gestures were now shrouded in a thin, unreal mist in her eyes.

Jiang Shubai watched Wen Yu's series of actions and couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement, "How come I never realized before that you were so good at taking care of people?"

Wen Yu didn't even look up, his voice flat, "You're not her."

Wen Zhaoyue smiled slightly, "It seems we'll have to get used to Ayu like this from now on."

The meeting concluded in a seemingly amicable atmosphere.

Before parting, Wen Zhaoyue took the initiative to add Su Qingyao on WeChat. While Wen Yu went to get the car, she walked up to Su Qingyao and spoke sincerely.

"Ayu can be a bit stubborn at times, but he's really serious about you."

Su Qingyao didn't know how to respond to the deeper meaning behind those words, so she could only offer a faint smile and nod.

On the way back, Su Qingyao was unusually quiet.

As she gazed at the dazzling lights rushing past the window, her mind was in turmoil.

"Are you tired?" While waiting at a red light, Wen Yu noticed her silence and gently placed his hand on the back of her hand.

Su Qingyao turned her head and looked at him.

The light from the streetlamp outlined the delicate contours of his profile, half in light and half in shadow.

This man possessed a face bestowed by heaven and a background that was beyond the reach of ordinary people, yet he concealed all his sharpness in front of her, becoming as docile as a young man experiencing love for the first time.

But what if all of this was just a carefully staged play from beginning to end?

"Wenyu," she said softly, her voice almost blending into the night outside the window.

"Why...me?"

The green light came on, the engine hummed again, and Wen Yu answered almost without hesitation.

"From the first moment I saw you, I knew it was you."

The answer was so romantic that it made her heart skip a beat and a wave of unease wash over her.

He should be surrounded by stunningly talented women, so what makes her so special?

Or rather, what is it about her that makes him go to such lengths?

The car slowly came to a stop in the dormitory area. Su Qingyao reached out to push the car door, but found that the door lock did not budge.

She leaned back wearily in her chair, her voice choked with weariness, "What's wrong?"

"Baby," Wen Yu turned to the side, his gaze fixed on her, "you're acting strange tonight."

"No, it's your imagination." She avoided his gaze.

Wen Yu reached out to take her hand, but she pulled back, her fingertips gently slipping from his palm.

"I'm really tired," Su Qingyao said softly. "Open the door, I want to go back."

A fleeting glint of malice flashed across Wen Yu's eyes, but he forcefully suppressed it back into the depths of his gaze.

He spoke in as calm a voice as possible, "Okay, I'll listen to the baby."

The moment the car lock popped open, Su Qingyao immediately pushed open the door and got out of the car.

Just before closing the car door, she paused, without turning around, and said, "Wenyu, I have a part-time job this weekend, so I might not have time to spend with you."

Wen Yu's knuckles tightened suddenly on the steering wheel, turning white from the pressure, as a sharp, aching pain gripped his heart.

He tried to force a smile, keeping his voice as gentle as ever.

"Okay, I'll listen to you, baby. Message me anytime you're free."

Watching her slender figure disappear into the shadows at the dormitory entrance, Wen Yu slammed his fist on the steering wheel.

The piercing horn blared, tearing through the silent night, mirroring his shattered and chaotic emotions.

He repeatedly recalled every detail of the day.

What did he say wrong? What action made her uncomfortable? At what point did things start to go astray?

The phone screen suddenly lit up; it was a file sent by Su Qingyao.

"Love Agreement".

These four words, like poisoned ice blades, pierced his eyes.

My darling wife: "Since this is a transaction, the timeframe should be clearly defined. Please fill in the specific terms, and I will sign them."

These words struck him like a thunderbolt, shattering his last shred of hope. His fingertips trembled uncontrollably, and he could barely hold onto his phone.

Money Tree: "Baby, is there something I did wrong?"

My darling wife: "You're great, but every transaction should have a time limit, otherwise it's not fair to you."

He desperately wanted to push open the car door, rush into the dormitory building, hold her tightly in his arms, and get to the bottom of things.

But the remaining rationality, like cold chains, held him tightly.

Be patient.

We can't scare her away.

We can never go back to that dark and hopeless past where we could only gaze at her silhouette from afar.

A violent possessiveness surged through his veins, clamoring to lock her away where only he could reach.

Wen Yu's eyes were bloodshot and he trembled as he pulled out the medicine bottle and swallowed two white pills. The medicine gradually calmed his agitated nerves.

He picked up his phone, his fingertips tracing her quiet, serene smile on the screen saver.

The madness in his eyes gradually subsided, transforming into a kind of obsessive yet profound tenderness.

"I will be good, baby."

He stroked the screen repeatedly, his voice low and deep, like a promise, or perhaps a somber warning.

"But don't keep me waiting too long... or I'll go crazy."

-

In the following days, Su Qingyao deliberately kept her distance from Wen Yu.

She declined all his invitations to meet, citing her part-time job and experiments as reasons.

Every time they contacted each other, the conversation would eventually veer back to the agreement, so Wenyu could only change the subject and let her focus on her own business.

All the food and care he carefully selected and sent were returned untouched by her.

The darkness in Wen Yu's eyes grew even deeper.

It was Thursday afternoon, and Su Qingyao and Zhang Miaoke had just walked out of the teaching building with their books when they were drawn to a deafening roar from the direction of the basketball court.

The sidelines were packed with people, three layers deep, almost impossible to move, with excited discussions and cheers constantly ringing out.

"My God, what's going on?"

Zhang Miaoke instantly perked up and grabbed a girl who was running past her. "Excuse me, what's going on at the basketball court? Is there a game?"

The girl was beaming with excitement and speaking rapidly.

"You guys don't know yet? The Finance Department and the Physics Department have arranged a friendly match, and Wen Yu is the Finance Department's star player! The school forum is buzzing with it, everyone's rushing to watch!"

After saying that, she hurriedly squeezed into the bustling crowd.

Zhang Miaoke turned to look at Su Qingyao, her eyes wide open.

"My darling! It's your Young Master Wen! Young Master Wen actually participated in this kind of departmental competition? This is completely different from his usual aloof and unapproachable demeanor! Come on, let's go take a look!"

Su Qingyao gazed at the bustling stadium, her heart skipping a beat for no apparent reason.