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

At 6:10 p.m., Chen Nuo pushed open the door to the apartment.

The motion-sensor lights in the corridor turned on in response, their warm yellow glow dispelling the last vestiges of twilight in the hallway.

The tote bag on her shoulder was rather heavy, filled with a thick stack of policy documents compiled by the department that day, preliminary materials for the training course, and half a notebook of her own work notes.

The high heels clicked softly on the wooden floor of the entryway, sounding slightly weary.

As she bent down to change her shoes, she caught a strangely enticing aroma. It wasn't the usual crisp, cool air, but a warm scent that blended the aroma of caramelized oil, the richness of some kind of sauce, and a subtle, sweet baking fragrance.

The scent was like an invisible hand, instantly sweeping away the review standards, briefing points, and coordination processes that had been swirling in her mind all day.

She froze, then looked up.

The living room had only a few ambient lights on, providing soft lighting. A glance down the short hallway leads directly to the semi-open kitchen and the adjacent dining area.

Then, she saw Fang Jingxiu.

He stood in front of the stove, not wearing the meticulous executive jacket or shirt he wore during the day, but a dark gray cashmere sweater with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing a section of his smooth wrist.

The navy blue apron she had bought on a whim while shopping at the supermarket was tied around his waist, and it unexpectedly fit his broad shoulders and back perfectly.

He was stirring something in the frying pan with a spatula. His profile was clearly visible under the kitchen overhead light, his jawline slightly taut, a typical expression of his focused attention.

The pot sizzles and steams, and that's where the enticing aroma comes from.

Chen Nuo momentarily forgot what to do, and just stood there holding onto the shoe cabinet, staring blankly.

Is he... cooking?

Fang Jingxiu seemed to hear the noise at the door and turned around. Seeing it was her, his face showed no particular expression; he simply said casually, "You're back? Wash your hands, let's get ready for dinner."

Chen Nuo said "Oh," mechanically changed into slippers, put her bag on the entryway cabinet, and slowly walked over.

"Brother Xiu, why are you... leaving get off work so early?" She leaned against the kitchen door frame, finally finding her voice.

Working overtime is the norm at the National Development and Reform Commission, especially for someone in his position. It's rarer for him to be in his kitchen at this hour than to be having a late-night meeting at the commission.

Fang Jingxiu plated the last bit of vegetables in the pot, turned off the heat, and casually draped his apron over the back of his chair.

He turned around, picked up the damp towel that had been prepared on the counter and wiped his hands, then looked up at her, raising an eyebrow slightly: "Good morning? Comrade Chen Nuo, are you so busy that you've forgotten what day it is?"

day?

Chen Nuo's brain immediately started working at high speed.

It's not a holiday, not an anniversary, not anyone's birthday...

and many more!

Her pupils dilated slightly.

A vague concept of a date flashed through my mind, but it was too fast to grasp.

All she knew was that, based on her understanding of Fang Jingxiu, if she really forgot an important date, she usually wouldn't just offer a light reprimand.

He had a unique, authoritative punishment system. Each time, it made her blush with embarrassment afterward.

So this time...

What would be the punishment if I forgot an important day?

Almost subconsciously, certain R-rated images uncontrollably flooded my mind.

The dim light, his hot breath, his sharp collarbone glistening with sweat, and the heart-stopping words he whispered in her ear in a hoarse voice…

Would he punish her in that way?

How can I make her remember this deeply?

That was really... amazing.

Her cheeks instantly began to heat up, and she could even feel her earlobes burning. Chen Nuo's eyes darted around, and she dared not look directly at Fang Jingxiu again. Her fingers unconsciously gripped the hem of her suit skirt.

She was so engrossed in her own imagination and shyness that she didn't even notice when Fang Jingxiu walked up to her.

Until a light tap, neither too hard nor too soft, came from my forehead.

"Hiss—" Chen Nuo winced in pain, clutching his forehead and looking up blankly.

Fang Jingxiu stood half a step in front of her, looking down at her.

The warm yellow light from the restaurant shone from behind him, giving him a fuzzy edge, but the expression on his face was crystal clear—a mixture of understanding, helplessness, and a barely concealed smile.

"Chen Nuo," he called her by her full name, his voice lowered, carrying a magnetic quality that seemed to know everything, "what are you thinking about now?"

"I...I didn't!" Chen Nuo blurted out, his face turning even redder, almost burning up.

A hint of a smile finally appeared in Fang Jingxiu's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. He didn't press her about her obviously off-topic thoughts; instead, he leaned closer to her until their breaths could be heard.

Chen Nuo could smell the clean scent of soap on him, mixed with the faint smell of cooking oil he had just picked up—it smelled strangely pleasant. Her heart was pounding like crazy.

"Don't rush, I'll make it up to you tonight." Then, she heard him say clearly, word by word, "And little Chen Nuo, you can even forget your own birthday?"

Chen Nuo was completely stunned.

Birthday?

Her...birthday?

Oh right, today seems to be... my own calendar birthday.

But she has always celebrated her birthday according to the lunar calendar since childhood, and recently she has been so busy that she has forgotten everything about it, from reporting for duty and getting familiar with her job to dealing with the complexities of interpersonal relationships.

"Ah..." She opened her mouth, but only uttered a single syllable.

My God! Chen Nuo, what are you thinking?!

Now, not only was her face flushed, but she felt like her neck was on fire, and she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into immediately.

Fang Jingxiu took in her predicament.

The smile finally came out, no longer concealed, and gently rippled across his lips. He took her hand, which was still unconsciously clutching the hem of her skirt.

His hands were dry and warm, gently enveloping her slightly cool fingertips.

"Stop pulling, your skirt will get wrinkled." His tone returned to its usual gentleness, with obvious indulgence. He took her hand and turned to walk towards the dining table. "Come on, let's eat first. The cake is in the oven, it'll take a few more minutes."

Chen Nuo was led by him, step by step, her head still buzzing, half embarrassed and half dizzy from the sudden surprise.

Walking to the dining table, Fang Jingxiu pulled out a chair, gesturing for her to sit down. Three dishes and a soup were already laid out on the table.

Chen Nuo sat down, but her gaze involuntarily drifted to the oven that was still working.

Through the glass door, one can vaguely see a round object that is slowly expanding and has a beautiful golden-yellow surface.

"Cake..." she murmured, "Brother Xiu, you can make cakes?"

Fang Jingxiu sat down opposite her, picked up a soup spoon to serve her soup, and upon hearing this, merely raised an eyebrow indifferently, uttering a single syllable that was somewhere between certain and lazy: "Hmm."

He ladled out the soup and gently placed the small white porcelain bowl in front of her, his movements composed.

Then, he raised his eyes to look at her, his gaze deep, a playful smile playing on his lips, and slowly added:

"Chen Nuo, there's something I think you need to understand."

"What is it?" Chen Nuo asked subconsciously, taking the soup bowl. His fingertips touched the bowl's rim; it was just the right temperature.

Fang Jingxiu leaned back slightly, his arm resting on the back of the chair, his posture relaxed, but his gaze was fixed on her, with an unquestionable certainty, and... a certain undercurrent of aggression.

He spoke slowly, his voice low, yet each word struck Chen Nuo's heart with clarity:

"Cooking and sex," he paused, noticing her momentarily frozen expression, before continuing, "the principles behind both are the same for me. Both require observation, control, patience, and an extreme pursuit of the final result."

He smiled, a smile devoid of frivolity, but brimming with powerful confidence and an almost candid ambiguity.

"And I happen to excel in both of these aspects..."

"Self-taught".

【Easter Eggs】

The cream wasn't finished.

Appearing in the female lead's...

We've finished eating.