After ninety-nine online romances, I finally met my ex in person when school started.

"Bang!"

The hard mahogany door slammed into Zhu Xunchuan's back with a dull thud.

The counselor's office was dimly lit, with the blinds drawn tightly shut.

The cool, refreshing scent of Bulgari tea, belonging to Gu Qinghan, mixed with her rapid breathing, instantly enveloped Zhu Xunchuan.

Gu Qinghan pressed herself against Zhu Xunchuan. Her long, slender legs, tightly wrapped in sheer black stockings, forcefully squeezed between Zhu Xunchuan's legs without any hesitation, her knees pressing firmly against his inner thighs with a sense of punishment and confinement.

This is an extremely dangerous and aggressive pose.

Gu Qinghan looked up. Her usually cold and aloof face was now flushed with an astonishing red from extreme anger and jealousy. She clutched the collar of Zhu Xunchuan's cashmere turtleneck sweater, the veins on the back of her hand bulging.

"I'm asking you," Gu Qinghan gritted his teeth, his voice trembling, "that profound and physically demanding subject you studied last night, in which vixen's bed were you actually working on it?"

"I won't ask a third time!"

Zhu Xun Chuan lowered his head, his gaze passing over the thin silver-rimmed glasses and landing directly on the patch of snow-white skin at Gu Qing Han's collar, which was heaving with each heavy breathing.

The buttons of the silk shirt were fastened tightly, and the outline of the black lace trim inside could be vaguely seen.

When a stunningly beautiful and mature woman goes berserk, the impact is indeed quite powerful.

"Professor Gu." Zhu Xun Chuan didn't struggle; instead, a nonchalant smile played on his lips, his Adam's apple bobbing. "This is an office. Students could walk by at any moment. You're posing like you're about to devour me. I'm a hot-blooded male college student. What if things get out of hand?"

This risqué remark, which was neither vulgar nor offensive, became the final straw that broke Gu Qinghan's composure.

"Zhu Xun Chuan! You bastard!"

Gu Qinghan's eyes instantly reddened. She abruptly released her grip, ripped off the silver-rimmed glasses she used to feign maturity and aloofness, and slammed them onto the leather sofa beside her.

Without the glasses to conceal it, those once sharp, captivating eyes were now brimming with tears. The aloof, icy mentor persona had been completely torn away, revealing a vulnerable woman who had been abandoned, neglected, and filled with resentment.

"Do you think I'm joking with you?" Gu Qinghan took a half step back, her voice trembling with suppressed sobs. "Do you know how I've survived this past year? Do you know why I gave up a perfectly good position in a ministry to come to Peking University as a lousy counselor!"

"My mom is absolutely against me becoming a teacher!"

Zhu Xun Chuan's smile gradually faded, and he straightened up.

Gu Qinghan trembled as she reached out and pointed at Zhu Xunchuan's chest, tears streaming down her face without warning.

"You know, three years ago, my dad died in a car accident. I locked myself in the empty house for three whole months, and I couldn't say a word. The doctor said I had severe depression."

Gu Qinghan cried as she intermittently voiced her accusations.

"That's when you appeared, sending me 60-second voice messages on WeChat every night. You told me those incredibly embarrassing jokes, you sang 'Sunny Day' to me off-key on purpose, you told me that the world wasn't so bad, and you said that if I wanted to hide away, you would be my bomb shelter."

This past was brutally torn open, and Zhu Xun Chuan's heart clenched violently. He had always thought that their online romance after being bound to the system was just a matter of mutual benefit and emotional support, but he never imagined that he would be the only lifeline Gu Qing Han had grasped in her desperate situation.

"I listened to you! You casually mentioned that you liked teachers who wore glasses, that you thought they were intellectual. So I abandoned my original plans, got into Peking University, put on this stiff suit, and wore these damn glasses!"

Gu Qinghan became increasingly distraught as she spoke, covering her face with her hands and her shoulders heaving violently.

"I waited every day, waiting for you to get into Peking University and come find me. And what happened? You uninstalled all your apps and disappeared completely! Now you've finally come, but what's your attitude towards me every day?!"

"I deliberately put on a stern face to get your attention! Why won't you even look at me?"

Gu Qinghan abruptly lowered her hand, glaring at him with teary eyes, her voice hoarse: "Zhu Xunchuan, you're a complete liar! I hate you so much!"

After uttering those words, Gu Qinghan seemed to have all her strength drained away. Her body went limp, and she began to slide down the door panel.

A strong arm suddenly reached out and firmly embraced her slender waist.

Zhu Xun Chuan offered no explanation. He suddenly pulled the tearful woman into his arms, tightening his grip and locking her firmly against his strong chest.

"Let go of me! Don't touch me! Go find your good sisters!"

Gu Qinghan stiffened the moment she was embraced, then burst into violent struggle. She clenched her fists and pounded on Zhu Xunchuan's back and shoulders haphazardly.

Zhu Xun Chuan let her hit him, not only did he not let go, but he also lowered his head slightly and buried his chin in her hair which smelled of tea.

"I'm sorry, Qinghan." Zhu Xunchuan's voice was deep and mellow, devoid of his usual nonchalance, and exuded an undeniable domineering yet affectionate air. "I was a bastard before, I was too naive. But now that I'm here, I'll be your air-raid shelter for life."

The word "Qinghan" instantly shattered all of Gu Qinghan's defenses.

The fists that were pounding gradually lost their strength and eventually turned into hands that tightly hugged Zhu Xun Chuan's strong waist.

Gu Qinghan buried her face in Zhu Xunchuan's expensive cashmere sweater and cried loudly, letting out all the grievances, fears, and longing of the past year.

Zhu Xun Chuan's large hand gently and rhythmically soothed her along the back of her suit jacket. Feeling the woman in his arms trembling from crying, his gaze deepened.

After a long while, Gu Qinghan's crying gradually turned into soft sobs.

Zhu Xun Chuan cupped her fair and delicate face in his hands and gently wiped away the tear stains from the corners of her eyes with his rough thumb.

"Your makeup will be ruined if you cry any more." Zhu Xun Chuan's lips curled into a mischievous smile again, and he casually pinched the smooth cheek with his fingers. "Teacher Gu is usually as aloof as an iceberg, but now she's crying like a little kitten. If the boys in your class saw this, they'd probably line up to register at the counselor's office."

"Shut up..." Gu Qinghan said coquettishly, her face flushed and her voice thick with nasal tone, trying to turn her head away from his hand.

Zhu Xun Chuan gave her no chance to escape. He grabbed the back of Gu Qinghan's head with one hand, lowered his head abruptly, and sealed her two cool and luscious red lips with his own.

"Hmm!"

Gu Qinghan's eyes widened suddenly. She hadn't expected Zhu Xunchuan to be so direct, and her mind went blank for a moment.

It was an extremely aggressive kiss. Zhu Xun Chuan plunged in without any resistance, plundering the sweetness and oxygen from her mouth. Gu Qing Han was already exhausted from crying, and now, completely enveloped by Zhu Xun Chuan's breath, her legs instantly went weak.

If Zhu Xun Chuan hadn't been supporting her waist so firmly, she would have slid onto the carpet long ago.

From awkwardness to responsiveness, Gu Qinghan only took half a minute. The hands that once held the pointer and struck Zhu Xunchuan were now tightly gripping his clothes, allowing herself to completely succumb to this man's power.