Shen Xiaoxing's dark eyes gazed deeply at her, recalling how this girl had once run into Shen Tingfeng at the hospital, looking for He Su to poison him. He couldn't explain that He Su was his man and that what she saw was all a facade, because saying that would reveal he'd been hiding his condition from her. After a moment's thought, he decided to let He Su take the fall.
"I'm not that close with him, and I know what he and Shen Tingfeng are plotting, but given my current situation, I have to keep him steady to avoid exposure."
An Ru frowned. "Then be careful. It's best not to have much to do with someone like him, since he's working for Shen Tingfeng."
"Mm."
"By the way, what about Sheng Nanzhou? How's your relationship with him?"
Shen Xiaoxing raised an eyebrow. Was this girl starting to vet his friends with bad habits one by one?
"Just so-so."
"Good." An Ru bit her lip and told him about running into Sheng Nanzhou at the socialite gathering. "He had his arm around that guy, the eldest son of the Yu family, and they were all over each other like a couple..."
"..."
"I'm not against same-sex relationships, but... you should keep your distance from him."
Shen Xiaoxing was several times more handsome than that Yu family heir, leagues ahead. If his breathtaking looks caught the eye of Sheng Nanzhou, who had those inclinations, wouldn't she end up living like a widow?!
"Are you saying Sheng Nanzhou has that kind of preference?"
An Ru nodded seriously. "Mm, I saw them hugging with my own eyes. If they weren't in that kind of relationship, how else would you explain it?"
"..." Shen Xiaoxing wanted to laugh inside. If he told Sheng Nanzhou this straight up, would he blow his top?
"And that peacock, Huo what's-his-name—oh, Huo Jinyan. What about him? Is your relationship with him just so-so too?"
"Met him a few years ago, we're pretty good buddies."
"He gives me an uncomfortable vibe, and Xingrou says he's a womanizer. You can't learn from him."
The man stared straight at her, his dark eyes so deep they seemed to bore a hole through her. An Ru furrowed her brows slightly and pouted. "What are you staring at me for?"
"Mrs. Shen, I didn't expect you to slip into the role so quickly after putting on the ring. You've already started screening the people around me."
"..."
Shen Xiaoxing curled his thin lips. "I'm a very obedient man, Mrs. Shen. If you say I can't hang out with someone, I won't go carousing with them."
"..."
These were all his friends. They got along fine before he met her, and Shen Xiaoxing hadn't picked up any bad habits from them. An Ru pressed her lips together. Was she overreacting? After all, being gay wasn't Sheng Nanzhou's fault, and being a flirt was just Huo Jinyan's personal life. As long as they treated Shen Xiaoxing well, helped him when he was in trouble, solved problems together, shared interests and a common circle, why did she have to meddle so much?
An Ru clearly recognized her mistake and apologized to the man in a low voice. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have judged your friends behind their backs. Everyone has their own life circle. I don't want you to pull away from them just to cater to me. That's not good marital conduct."
She should respect him, respect his friends, strive to understand him and his circle, so she could neither interfere nor be there when needed.
Shen Xiaoxing's dark eyes deepened. He hadn't expected this girl to suddenly say that. In truth, if she didn't want him to associate with these people, he'd readily cut off those troublesome friends. But the girl had abruptly changed the subject, and from her words, he could feel her trying hard to respect him—just like how he'd wanted to keep her by his side but feared being too aggressive would push her further away.
Good love wasn't about constant demands, but being the stepping stone for her to spread her wings and fly. By his side, she could be carefree, do anything without worry, rest in his arms when tired, have him there whenever she needed him, and when she didn't, he'd cheer her on from behind. He'd thought this was just his personal view on love, but... it turned out this girl thought the same way.
See? People in love always move toward each other with a kind of telepathy.
...
In the vast hot spring pool, several men lounged naked against the marble edge, enjoying themselves...
The curtain parted, and a pair of bare white feet stepped onto the smooth floor, slowly descending into the water. Huo Jinyan had a towel over his eyes, leaning back with his eyes closed to relax. Hearing the sound, he looked up and caught sight of the man's solid, elegant chest muscles. The visual impact was strong—it instantly outclassed the three of them!
Sheng Nanzhou couldn't help but marvel. "Boss, I never figured you'd keep such a fit physique despite being in a wheelchair all year."
"You idiot, A-Xing uses the wheelchair to throw people off. You really think he's disabled?"
He Su took a sip of red wine, his expression indifferent, not wanting to chime in. Because among the three of them, Shen Xiaoxing had the best body, while he had the worst...
Huo Jinyan glanced at him casually and burst out laughing. "Hahaha, look at that! Our illustrious Dr. He doesn't even have a single ab. He's got the makings of a woman, for sure."
"..."
He Su had always done his own thing. He didn't care about his physique, and his soft features often got him mistaken for a flat-chested beauty. Back when he had pecs, they'd made him look even more like a woman! And he was the shortest of the group! But he didn't care—unless someone dared to laugh in his face...
His cold face instantly darkened. He set his glass down on the tray, submerged into the water, and while Huo Jinyan was still laughing, grabbed his legs and yanked him hard to the bottom.
Huo Jinyan, caught off guard, swallowed a big gulp of water. He choked and coughed violently—this was their bathwater, damn it! His face twisted in anger as he cursed at He Su. "You bastard, are you trying to get yourself killed!?"
"I want to die. If you've got the guts, come and kill me!"
"Then stand still and take it!"
"Hah, do I look stupid enough to stand here and let you hit me?"
The two brawled in the hot spring, splashing water everywhere like two catfish in a water fight, tumbling from one end to the other. Sheng Nanzhou calmly ate fruit, shrugging indifferently—none of his business.
The man furrowed his sharp brows. Why the hell was he soaking with these idiots? Wouldn't it be better to go find An Ru for a couple's bath? Just as he was about to grab his clothes and leave, the two idiots chasing each other splashed water onto his handsome face. He was already holding in his frustration over not being able to share a bath with An Ru, and now it erupted completely. He joined the melee, beating the two until they were scrambling and howling in pain before he finally stopped.
In the women's section next door, Shen Xingrou leaned against the edge of the vast hot spring pool, eyes closed in bliss. An Ru was soaking for the first time with someone else, and even though it was with a girl, she still felt a bit shy. She tried to sink lower, keeping everything below her shoulders submerged, gradually relaxing as her whole body reveled in the comfort.
"I wonder how the guys are doing in their bath."
Shen Xingrou smirked. "What could a bunch of grown men get up to?" She looked up, a mischievous grin on her face. "Sister-in-law, are you worried about big brother? Can't stand being apart from him for even a little while?"
"No, that's not it..."
She was just bored and curious about what they were doing. But... soaking in a hot spring—what else could they be doing besides bathing? Playing cards?