Guide to Rising to Power as a Wife in Beijing's Elite Circle

The door closed behind him, shutting out the motion-activated lights in the corridor. Chen Nuo practically kicked off his flat shoes, letting them fly to different corners of the entryway, like two stranded boats.

She let out a long sigh, flopped into the soft, spacious sofa in the living room, buried her face in the cushions, and let out a muffled, satisfied sigh: "Ah—home is so comfortable!"

Fang Jingxiu closed the door behind her, bent down, picked up the stranded shoes, and neatly placed them next to the shoe cabinet.

He then picked up her thin coat and scarf, which she had casually tossed on the shoe-changing bench, and hung them up.

His movements were practiced and natural, as if he had done it a thousand times. He looked at the lump on the sofa, his tone tinged with helplessness, but mostly with indulgence: "Slow down, Chen Nuo. The injury has only just healed, don't be so hasty."

Chen Nuo mumbled a "hmm" from inside the cushion, but didn't move.

A few seconds later, she suddenly turned her head, peeking out one eye from the edge of the sofa back, looking at him with a bright, sparkling gaze, a mix of excitement and belated regret: "Brother Xiu! Weren't you... incredibly cool just now? Like, the kind where you suddenly pull out evidence, slam the bad guy down, and coldly say, 'Try touching my people!'"

Her eyes grew brighter as she spoke, and she gestured with her hands: "That's how it's always portrayed on TV! Unfortunately, when I opened my eyes, all I saw was the villain lying in a pool of blood, I didn't see anything else! What a rip-off!"

Fang Jingxiu was both amused and exasperated by her erratic thinking and vivid descriptions.

He walked to the sofa, looking down at her face, which was filled with regret for missing the show. He reached out and ruffled her fuzzy, newly grown hair: "Why are you watching such gory scenes, little girl? Aren't you afraid of having nightmares?"

Chen Nuo wrinkled her nose, dodging his hand. Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, she sat up abruptly, pointed at him with her finger, and exclaimed with a look of sudden realization, "Oh—I know!"

She deliberately dragged out her words, her eyes gleaming mischievously, "Is it because you're afraid I'll learn it, and if you ever cheat on me, I'll use that cool method to grab a vase or an ashtray and—whoosh—bang!—smash it on your head?"

As she spoke, she mimicked the movements perfectly, jerking her head back, sticking out a small part of her tongue exaggeratedly, rolling her eyes, and stiffly kicking her limbs in the air, imitating the way someone falls straight down after being knocked unconscious: "Ah~!"

The acting was so exaggerated that it was unbearable to watch.

Fang Jingxiu crossed his arms and watched her stage this self-directed and self-acted murder of her husband. He couldn't help but smile, and a helpless yet doting smile spread across his eyes.

He waited until she finished her performance before slowly speaking, his tone deliberately teasing her: "Hmm, not a bad idea. However, if I were to cheat on you, I'd most likely be with my cheating partner, and we'd keep you, you little rascal, under control first."

He paused, then added, "Use a pillow to suffocate her. It'll be quieter and won't disturb the neighbors."

Chen Nuo's eyes widened instantly, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She sprang up from the sofa, her finger almost poking Fang Jingxiu's nose: "Fang Jingxiu! You've got some nerve! Tell me! Have you been keeping a few on the side?!"

She was sulking, her cheeks flushed, whether genuinely angry or just using the situation as an excuse was unclear.

Fang Jingxiu's smile deepened, but a hint of weariness flashed across his eyes.

He didn't answer her baseless accusations, but instead stepped forward and gently pulled her trembling body into his arms.

He avoided the wound on the side of her neck, rested his chin on the other side of her slender neck, and took a deep breath. His nose was filled with the clean scent of her shower gel and her unique, faint body fragrance, as if it could dispel the tension and calculation of the whole day.

Chen Nuo was taken aback by his sudden, quiet embrace. She instinctively tried to struggle, but felt his arms tighten around her and his body exuded a sense of heaviness after she had let her guard down.

She fell silent instantly, remembering how he had been leaving early and returning late lately, with lingering bloodshot eyes, and the occasional hesitant expression on Secretary Qin's face.

He's not made of iron.

My heart softened instantly.

She wrapped her arms around his lean waist, pressed her face against his firm, warm chest, listened to his steady, powerful heartbeat, and whispered, "...Tired?"

"Mmm." Fang Jingxiu responded softly into the crook of her neck, his voice hoarse with weariness, and his arms tightened around her, as if trying to draw warmth and strength from her.

The two embraced quietly for a moment, the only sounds in the living room being their intertwined breaths and the faint sounds of the city night outside the window. A warm and peaceful atmosphere permeated the space.

The attraction between people is sometimes so mysterious that it cannot be broken down by logic.

He had seen too many shrewd and well-connected women of the opposite sex. When they approached him, he instinctively erected an invisible barrier, calculating the distance and the gains and losses.

Only Chen Nuo, from the very beginning of that scheme at Waldorf, she recklessly barged into his territory, bringing with her the scent of gardenias and her moist eyes. For the first time, his proud sense of vigilance faltered and showed signs of hesitation.

He allowed her to stay, tacitly permitted her to get close, and made exceptions for her time and time again... Rather than a choice made after rational consideration, it was more of an instinctive permission that even he himself had never deeply considered.

His body accepted her presence before his brain.

All your scheming and plotting can't compare to the swift strokes of fate; a thousand plans can't withstand the whims of destiny.

Just when Chen Nuo thought he was about to fall asleep, Fang Jingxiu suddenly raised his head, his lips close to her sensitive earlobe, his warm breath brushing against her skin, and in a whisper that only the two of them could hear, he slowly said, "I want to raise one too..."

Chen Nuo froze, her ears instantly turning bright red, and she looked up at him with a mixture of shock and anger.

But she met his deep eyes, which held a mocking smile. He continued in that breathy voice, tinged with a helpless grievance, "...But it seems like you've drained my kidneys dry, how can I cheat on you?"

Chen Nuo realized what was happening, and blushed even more at the sudden cheesy pickup line. Annoyed and embarrassed, she punched his chest with her fist: "Fang Jingxiu! Have you no shame?!"

Fang Jingxiu chuckled softly, his chest heaving, letting her fist fall on him without causing any real pain. He pulled her closer again, this time facing her directly, and kissed the top of her head, no longer teasing her.

After hugging for a while, Fang Jingxiu casually asked, "What are the plans for tomorrow? Back to school?"

"Hmm." Chen Nuo leaned against him, playing with the buttons on his shirt. "I have a figure class tomorrow afternoon. Oh no, I've definitely gained weight after resting in the hospital for so many days. I wonder if my teacher will scold me when I get back."

She wrinkled her nose in slight distress.

Upon hearing this, Fang Jingxiu loosened his grip on her shoulders and made her face him.

He frowned slightly, his gaze carefully examining her face and body, as if he were making a thorough assessment.

Chen Nuo felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze: "What?"

Fang Jingxiu pondered for a moment, his tone carrying a touch of "professional" seriousness: "Chen Nuo, you know what... without realizing it, you seem to have gotten a little rounder."

His finger gently tapped her cheek. "Here, there's more flesh. Your waist..."

He lightly wrapped his arm around her waist. "It doesn't seem as slender as it used to be."

Chen Nuo's face fell visibly. Her hand instinctively went to her cheek, then touched her waist, her eyes filled with self-doubt and panic: "Really? Is it that obvious? Oh no... the posture teacher is the strictest! What do I do?!"

A triumphant smile flashed in Fang Jingxiu's eyes, so quick it was almost impossible to catch.

He maintained a concerned and serious expression: "Don't worry. I have a... quick and effective weight loss method. I've personally tested it and it works."

Chen Nuo's eyes lit up, as if grasping at a lifeline: "What method? Tell me quickly!"

Looking at her anxious expression, Fang Jingxiu's lips curled into a very faint, coaxing smile.

He leaned closer to her, their noses almost touching, his voice lower and more magnetically seductive: "Exercise. High-intensity...aerobic exercise. It burns calories quickly and...shapes your body."

He deliberately emphasized the high-intensity and aerobic exercise, his eyes sweeping over her body meaningfully.

Chen Nuo was taken aback at first, then a flash of inspiration struck him, and he suddenly remembered a similar night before when he had used the same tone and look in his eyes to trick her into doing bedtime exercises to help her sleep, and the result was...

Her face flushed bright red, like a ripe tomato.

She covered his mouth with her hand in shame and anger, burying herself in his arms, her voice muffled and filled with embarrassment and annoyance: "Fang Jingxiu! You filthy scoundrel! You're playing me again! I won't fall for it!"

Fang Jingxiu chuckled softly, pulled down her hand covering her mouth and held it in his palm, while his other hand, restless, slowly slipped under the hem of her loose loungewear, its heat radiating as it caressed the smooth, delicate skin on her waist.

Chen Nuo's body trembled violently, as if he had been electrocuted.

His lips brushed against her earlobe, and he continued in that deep, seductive voice, slowly and deliberately asking, "Baby... do you really want to lose weight? Hmm?"

The skin beneath his palms felt slightly warm, and Chen Nuo's heart raced wildly as he was teased, her breathing becoming somewhat unsteady.

She bit her lower lip, and under his deep gaze, nodded very lightly, letting out a barely audible "Mmm..."

That sound was like a spark igniting the last line of defense.

Fang Jingxiu's eyes suddenly darkened, and he no longer hesitated. He used his strength to lift her up in his arms.

"Ah!" Chen Nuo exclaimed in surprise, caught off guard, and instinctively hugged his neck tightly.

Fang Jingxiu carried her in his arms and strode towards the bedroom. He looked down at her flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes, his voice hoarse, carrying an undeniable possessiveness and a hint of teasing:

"Come on, let's go do some exercise to lose weight."

As night deepened, the city lights outside the window glowed softly.

Inside the apartment, the enchanting spring light was quietly concealed by the heavy curtains, with only a few suppressed moans and low gasps faintly escaping before dissipating into the warm air.

……

Fang Jingxiu is a man who is secretly passionate to the core.

Chen Nuo only fully understood this after sleeping with him for three months.

During the day, he wears an executive jacket and tie, speaks succinctly, and acts decisively.

During meetings, his brows furrowed slightly; when approving documents, his fingers moved with the precision of a stopwatch. Everyone saw only his composure, restraint, and commanding presence.

But things are different at night.

But she really liked Fang Jingxiu.