That was also the first time Tang Man learned that being too good-looking could also attract trouble and disaster.

At the time, her grandma rushed to the school as soon as she received the call. But the school still informed Old Tang about the matter. Old Tang was very angry when he found out, especially after learning that the boy’s parents had also scolded Yang Qing. In a moment of rage, he said he would sue the other party for infringing on the reputation of her and her mother.

Later, Tang Man felt that Old Tang was truly angry because that woman mentioned an ex-boyfriend of Yang Qing, the person Old Tang had cut in and snatched away. Whether it was possessiveness or something else, it caused Old Tang to fly into a rage at the time.

Later, using this incident, he told her grandma that this place was too small with all sorts of people mixed together, which wasn’t good for Tang Man’s education. Then he took Tang Man back from that town to the big city to live together with him in that old house.

Just like that, she was locked in a cage, becoming a tool, an excuse for Old Tang to try to cage Yang Qing.

“I don’t know what she likes either.” After reminiscing for a while, Tang Man said this. “I only remember she liked knitting sweaters, liked making snacks, liked wearing a pair of reading glasses and sitting under the eaves reading books.”

“Oh, and she also liked walking around the mountain in the town. At that time, there was a black dog kept in the yard. I don’t know what breed it was. It looked fierce, not very good-looking. But my grandma liked it. She often took that dog to sit for a while on the mountain behind the house.”

This was the first time Xie Li heard Tang Man talk about someone in this tone. He knew Tang Man didn’t have much respect for Chairman Tang. Her usual tone when mentioning him was more like treating a superior. And she also lacked warmth when talking about Madam Yang Qing. But when discussing this elder, Tang Man’s eyes were unexpectedly calm, showing a kind of reminiscence.

This distinct difference made Xie Li realize this elder had an extraordinary position in Tang Man’s heart.

“She is an unusual old lady.” In the end, Tang Man looked at Xie Li and said this. “When you meet her, you’ll know.”

Xie Li said with a smile, “Then let’s take Grandma hiking when the time comes. There’s a spring lake near us. When summer arrives, it’s just the right cool and shady temperature. In ancient times, it was even a summer resort. There’s a karst cave inside, so it’s very cool. Even if you hike up, it’s not hot. It’s perfect for taking an elder for a walk there.”

“Mm.” Tang Man responded softly. Actually, after saying all this, she felt a bit sleepy, leaning on the kitchen island with her eyes already half-closed.

Xie Li noticed and gently stroked the fine hairs on her forehead. “Sleepy?”

“A little.” Tang Man held his hand and placed it on the inside of his wrist. Her index finger rested on top, able to feel Xie Li’s pulse beating there.

“Take a bath before sleeping.” Xie Li said. “Otherwise you’ll get up again in the middle of the night.”

He believed Tang Man was entirely capable of doing this.

Only then did Tang Man raise her head. “You’re leaving?”

“Mm.” Xie Li’s voice was very soft. “It’s already late now. I still have to go to my parents’ place later. If it’s too late, they’ll be going to bed. It’s not good for me to go back too late.”

He didn’t want his parents to have any thoughts, even if they wouldn’t say anything, about him staying out and not returning home on the first day he brought Tang Man to meet them.

Tang Man fell silent for a while. Xie Li also sat without moving. About a minute later, Tang Man seemed to react, becoming a bit more alert. She pulled him up to his feet.

“I suddenly remembered that I forgot to input your fingerprint when we came in earlier. Let’s record it now so it’s convenient for you next time you come over.”

Xie Li was pulled by Tang Man to stand at the door. Before recording his fingerprint, Tang Man glanced at Xie Li and hesitated for a moment, but still added a sentence, “But it’s best if you let me know in advance when you’re coming over, so I can mentally prepare.”

Although this sounded a bit strange, Tang Man still said it. If someone suddenly appeared in her own home without her knowledge, even if it was Xie Li, she would still find it startling.

Xie Li didn’t ask much and directly made an affirmative sound to indicate he understood.

Only then did Tang Man take his finger and scan it on the inside of the door lock. After repeating it three times and showing successful input, she was about to release Xie Li’s finger. Just as she was going to tell him to be careful driving home and send him off, in the instant of letting go, her hand was grasped back by Xie Li.

The kind of interlocking grip of ten fingers.

She froze for a moment. The sleepiness in her mind dissipated a bit. But knowing the person in front of her was Xie Li, much of the alertness in her body also faded. She raised her eyes to look at Xie Li.

At this moment, the light in the corridor outside dimmed again. Only the light from the entryway spilled out, forming a small area at the gap of the door.

It seemed beautiful people all had bright eyes. This sentence suddenly flashed through Xie Li’s mind.

He covered Tang Man’s eyes and kissed her. He raised his head and kissed her again. At first, it was the kind of light, slow pecks, but then it turned into a lingering, reluctant entanglement.

Tang Man blinked a few times, seeming to want to laugh but holding it back. Xie Li’s movements were too light. When the edge of his lips brushed past, it made her feel a bit ticklish. She couldn’t help but purse her lips. But it was this slight action that seemed to instantly trigger the man. She felt the man’s movements on her lips become heavier, and his breathing also became a bit hurried. She was suddenly lifted up by Xie Li and pressed against the wall to the side.

The icy cold wall touched Tang Man’s skin, making one involuntarily sigh in the room without air conditioning.

Her hands rested on the back of Xie Li’s neck, feeling the protruding vein there. She rubbed it several times, also unable to help feeling a bit intoxicated.

She reached out a hand to touch Xie Li’s jawbone. A sliver of space opened up between them, close enough to see each other’s reflections in their pupils. Her somewhat muddled mind cleared out a small space for thought with difficulty.

Panting, she said, “Xie Li, there are surveillance cameras in the corridor.”

She met Xie Li’s somewhat unsettled and darkened eyes. Tang Man tugged at the collar on the back of his neck.

“Let’s go inside first before continuing.”

Hearing this, Xie Li made an affirmative sound. He raised his head, tilted his face slightly, and glanced at the still-working camera in the corner of the corridor above. He slightly frowned, imperceptible, at his momentary loss of sense just now.

At the beginning, he only wanted a parting kiss. But he didn’t expect Tang Man to suddenly purse her lips at that instant. The sensation of her lips brushing past made him uncontrollably recall the kiss in his room during the day, bringing a feeling that made his heartbeat halt for a moment.

In that instant, it was undeniable he felt caught off guard and seduced. He lost control of himself for a moment, not considering the location and actually getting intimate with Tang Man like this outside the door.

He shielded Tang Man’s body, carried her into the room, and conveniently closed the door. In an instant, with a bang, the door was shut. The motion-sensing light in the corridor also lit up at this time, illuminating the empty corridor outside.

In the entryway, Tang Man sat on the cabinet with her arms around Xie Li’s neck. She couldn’t help lowering them for a moment. Frowning and panting, she said, “I don’t seem to have any condoms here.”

The ones prepared before had all been used up. Later, she was too lazy to buy more, so the storage box in the room had remained empty until now.

With one hand, she touched the man’s Adam’s apple while asking, “Do you have a condom on you?”

As soon as she finished saying this, Xie Li’s body stiffened for a moment, as if all the passion had dissipated. The man’s eyelashes trembled a few times, and those eyes regained clarity. His movements also stopped.

“What’s wrong?”

Tang Man still hadn’t quite reacted and looked up at Xie Li. Her eyes still carried a hint of amorous feelings at this time.

Since breaking up with Si Jiahe, she had basically been in a dry spell. Even before when she was with Si Jiahe, after learning he had depression and needed to take certain medications, the two of them almost never had a sex life, mainly for fear Si Jiahe would overthink. She didn’t have much need in this aspect either, so the two of them got along quite harmoniously.

But not having much need didn’t mean having no need. Now, the long-suppressed desire was suddenly drawn out by Xie Li’s one kiss. It would be a bit uncomfortable to suppress it again. She just wanted to release it now.

However, Xie Li silently tidied up Tang Man’s somewhat disheveled clothes and put his own clothes that had been lifted back down. After straightening out both of them, he raised his eyes to look at Tang Man and asked in return, “Do you think I would have that kind of thing on me?”

Hearing this, Tang Man instantly lost her spirit. She fell onto Xie Li’s body and looked up at the man in front of her, letting out a howl and dramatically sighing, “Thanks to you, Assistant Xie, I might have insomnia tonight.”

Xie Li couldn’t help laughing at Tang Man’s appearance. “Miss Tang, you don’t have to look so desperately unsatisfied.”

Hearing this tease, Tang Man blinked. She suddenly thought of something. She lowered her head and curiously glanced at Xie Li’s lower body. Xie Li also instantly noticed Tang Man’s gaze. Under this strange scrutiny, he felt a bit uncomfortable and couldn’t help taking a small step back, concealing himself.

Tang Man made an “oh” sound and raised an eyebrow, her eyes smiling openly. “Assistant Xie, it seems I’m not the only one who had a reaction. You now also appear to be feeling frustrated.”

Xie Li was helpless. When faced with Tang Man, he always found himself at a loss for words. Sometimes this person’s boldness left him with no choice.

In the end, he let out a resigned sigh, lifted Tang Man down from the cabinet, and calmed his own breathing. Only then did he raise his hand to glance at his wristwatch.

It was already past nine o’clock. It would take him an hour to get back. He couldn’t stay here any longer. Otherwise, if he returned too late and woke up his parents, it wouldn’t be good.

“It’s already a bit late. I have to go back. I can’t stay longer.”

Tang Man blinked and used her gaze to hint at the other party’s pants. “You’re going down like this? Aren’t you afraid of being seen?”

And there were also surveillance cameras in the elevator. Although it wouldn’t capture very clearly, it would still be embarrassing to run into people like this.

Xie Li met Tang Man’s gaze. The next second, he raised his hand to cover her bright eyes, not letting those gleaming eyes linger on his body. “You go in and take a shower first. I’ll sit here for a bit and wait… then leave.”

Tang Man’s vision suddenly went dark. She couldn’t help blinking a few times. Her long eyelashes occasionally brushed against Xie Li’s palm, feeling a bit ticklish.

Under this sensory stimulation, Xie Li’s gaze involuntarily fell on her exposed lips, still carrying a bit of moisture like dew.

The intense passion between the two of them just now flashed through his mind.

He couldn’t help looking for a few seconds. Upon noticing his own distraction, he lightly coughed and shifted his gaze. He also took the opportunity to retract his hand and drop it to the side of his pant seam. He found a place to sit down, picked up a magazine on the table, and pretended to read it. He raised his chin to gesture at Tang Man, who was still standing in place.

Smiling, he said, “You go shower first. I’ll sit here for a bit longer before leaving.”

Tang Man’s gaze lingered on the fashion magazine cover in Xie Li’s hand for a moment, but in the end, she didn’t say anything. She made an affirmative sound, smiled, and walked towards her room.

After a few steps, she suddenly stopped, turned her head, and glanced back. A man as big as Xie Li really sat on the sofa honestly reading that fashion magazine. With his lowered eyelids, one couldn’t see the intoxication from earlier, seeming to have returned to his usual aloofness.

Of course, this was without looking at the situation of the other party’s interlocked legs.

She looked for two or three seconds, then suddenly laughed again and turned to walk towards the room.

But Xie Li, who was sitting on the sofa, raised his head the moment Tang Man turned around. After watching Tang Man’s figure disappear around the corner, he stared at that spot for a long time, rubbing the edge of the magazine paper. Only when he felt the pain from his fingertips did he lower his gaze again, looking down at the fashion magazine he was holding.

However, after reading for a while, he couldn’t quite get into it. Thinking of what Tang Man said earlier, he took out his phone from his pocket and started to book tickets for Chunhu Lake online in advance.

As for Tang Man, she had to wash her hair every day during the summer and apply body lotion. With a series of actions, she spent at least half an hour in the bathroom. So when she came out and walked to the living room to take a look, the person on the sofa was indeed gone. The magazine was flipped open a few pages and laid out on the table.

She wrapped her hair in a dry towel and slowly walked over, only to find that a very small corner was folded on the page where the magazine was opened, as if the person reading the book suddenly had something to do and had to leave, so he could only leave a bookmark like this, planning to continue reading next time when he had time.