"I should be the one saying that, I don't deserve you."
"I pulled you close and pushed you away, making you and the child suffer so much out there. I'm not human."
"Fortunately, it's not too late, we're both still young. Nan Fang, please forgive me."
After speaking, the two looked at each other.
Seeing that Jiang Nan Fang did not dodge his gaze, nor did she refute his words, her eyes instead glistened with moisture.
Her feet lifted slightly, and Jiang Nan Fang was airborne.
Zhan Bei Jue carried her to his car and placed her in the passenger seat.
Within five minutes, they were in the elevator downstairs his apartment.
The elevator was empty. As soon as they entered and the doors closed,
Before Jiang Nan Fang could even react to what was happening, Zhan Bei Jue pushed her against the wall without a word.
He pinned her hands with one hand, cradled the back of her head with the other, and lowered his head to kiss her.
Everything was so familiar, so natural.
Although Jiang Nan Fang was very reluctant to admit it, the moment he touched her, a surging love for Zhan Bei Jue unconsciously surfaced.
In their nearly thirty years of life, they had only ever had this kind of intimacy with each other.
Although not many times, it was enough to be deeply memorable and naturally skillful.
Even though it had been a very, very long time, the moment they touched, the memories of the past, the atmosphere, surged like a tide.
With practiced ease, they were inseparable.
Zhan Bei Jue held her all the way from the elevator to his doorstep, and didn't let go even when unlocking the door with his fingerprint.
Entering the apartment, he kicked the door shut with his foot. He tossed Jiang Nan Fang's bag onto the floor and pushed her against the entryway wall again.
It was unlike any previous time.
It was so open, so affectionate, so much like wanting to meld the other into their very being.
It was intoxicating.
Zhan Bei Jue hadn't returned for dinner, so Zhou Jin Bei waited until nine o'clock.
But she was pregnant and hungry.
Unable to wait any longer, she ordered takeout. Just as she opened it and took a couple of bites, she heard the password lock beep.
She put down her chopsticks, intending to go to the door to see if her second brother was feeling any better.
However, as soon as she took a step, a pair of entwined figures burst in.
No one noticed her at all; they were clinging to each other like octopuses.
They hadn't even opened their eyes when they entered.
Upon entering, Zhan Bei Jue kicked the door shut with his foot, and the two of them were immediately pressed against the entryway, continuing their embrace.
In Zhou Jin Bei's memory since childhood, her second brother had always been an ascetic, stoic, and god-like figure.
A god-like figure wouldn't be swayed by women, let alone do something like this.
Even though he already had children.
But seeing him with Jiang Nan Fang like this almost blinded Zhou Jin Bei.
What, what, what was happening?
So Zhan Bei Jue also...
Had fallen from his pedestal?
Every cell in his body was burning.
Continuing, Zhan Bei Jue was no longer content with just this.
He reached up, pulled off his tie, and threw it on the floor. He lifted Jiang Nan Fang, intending to carry her into the bathroom.
After taking two steps, he saw Zhou Jin Bei, wearing homewear, with a bare face, holding chopsticks, and looking at them with a stunned expression.
He had only been focused on bringing the woman home and had forgotten about this glaring light bulb.
Had she seen everything?
But it didn't matter.
She was his wife, Zhan Bei Jue didn't care at all.
"Why are you still here? Why haven't you left yet?"
Finally released, Jiang Nan Fang gasped for air like a fish dying of thirst.
But she saw him suddenly stop and say those words.
She quickly turned back and saw the stunned Zhou Jin Bei.
The two women, caught off guard, screamed simultaneously, "Ah—"
"Zhan Bei Jue, are you crazy? Why are you living with your cousin?"
"Second Brother, you, you, you and your ex-wife actually made up? You, you, you, at a time like this, you still have the mind to bring her home?"
What business is it of yours? Not an ounce of perceptiveness.
Can't you see your second brother has important matters to attend to? And you're still lingering here!
Zhan Bei Jue, holding Jiang Nan Fang in one arm, walked over to Zhou Jin Bei and nudged her towards the door.
"Mind your own business, take care of yourself. I let you stay for a couple of days, you're becoming relentless."
"Get out, get out, get out, it's past nine, why are you still here?"
It's past nine, for goodness sake.
She's dressed like this, a pregnant woman, and you want to kick her out?
Yes, Zhan Bei Jue wanted her out.
Because he knew she wouldn't starve or freeze if he kicked her out, he didn't care at all.
He pushed her all the way to the door and shoved her out.
"Be more polite to your sister-in-law from now on. If you yell at her again, I'll deal with you."
After that, he closed the door, locked it, and lowered his head again.
Jiang Nan Fang, having been interrupted, felt a significant decrease in momentum.
She no longer wanted to continue and wanted to get down from his arms.
Zhan Bei Jue frowned and pouted.
"What? After only a few minutes, you're having second thoughts again?"
To be honest, Jiang Nan Fang was very conflicted.
She didn't know if what she was doing was right.
Her mind was a complete mess.
"Are you sure you're of sound mind today, haven't been drinking? Will you regret today's actions when you wake up, Zhan Bei Jue?"
Still not believing him.
Thinking he was acting on impulse from drinking, playing with her?
Zhan Bei Jue didn't know how to explain. After a moment of speechless silence, he could only put her down, take out his phone from his pocket, and open the front-facing camera.
With a click, he took a photo of the two of them.
Then, without a word, he was about to post it to his Moments.
"What are you doing?"
After all the fuss, their mouths were chapped like sausages, their lipstick smeared everywhere.
With this ghastly appearance, he wanted to post it on Moments? Was he crazy?
"You're going to post a picture like this? Have you no shame?"
"Why not? You're my wife, whatever we do is reasonable and legal."
Zhan Bei Jue insisted on posting it.
"Don't you not believe me? I'll announce it to everyone now."
Jiang Nan Fang gave in to him.
Even if he wanted to announce it, did he have to be so extreme?
Wouldn't people laugh their heads off?
She snatched the phone away and locked the screen.
She could only placate him for now: "Alright, alright, I believe you, okay?"
Zhan Bei Jue pulled her into his embrace accordingly.
"Then don't think about Ke Teng anymore. Be completely with me, okay?"
"Trust me, I can handle his matters. I absolutely won't let you carry any psychological burden."
"From now on, all you need to do is love me wholeheartedly. Let's make up for all the lost time."
"Like Lu Ming Zhe and Chen Jiao Jiao, let's date openly. Cherish every moment we have together, okay?"
He was really saying a lot of sweet nothings today.
Every word was so pleasant to hear.
And they were coming from such a handsome face, such a beautiful mouth.
Jiang Nan Fang was almost drunk on his words.
But a voice deep within her was subtly reminding her:
Can you truly face Rui Rui and Ge'er, and never resent him for losing Jing Yu and Jing Tian again?