Sunlight streamed into the eighteen-floor building, and a huge open-plan office seemed to be playing the background music of an awkward comedy.
The three books on the desk clashed completely with the office’s overall aesthetic.
The cherry on the birthday cake was actually a slice of sausage.
Several black lines appeared on Wang Huanxiu’s face. The three books with retro bold fonts on their covers exuded a dated, non-mainstream feel, like objects from a decade ago.
Such “vulgar items” had never appeared in the office before.
Wang Huanxiu treated them like a formidable enemy.
He flipped the books over…even the retail price was 22 yuan.
Wang Huanxiu: “…”
22 yuan.
Honestly, Wang Huanxiu had never seen anything this cheap.
For a moment, he doubted the quality and credibility of the books’ contents. But after a few seconds of consideration, he dismissed his doubts.
Flyers from fast-food restaurants also cost just a few yuan to print. But when mass-produced and distributed to a wide audience, they could still yield a huge return.
He put up a metaphorical “no entry” sign on the path to the trash bin for these three books.
He’ll find time to take a look.
The morning’s work proceeded in an orderly fashion. Recently, the workload hasn’t been heavy. After Wang Wang was so angry he ended up in the hospital, then the huge scene at the Wang family ancestral hall, and finally Bai Shuijin even stealing his parents’ tablets from the hall, the old man was thoroughly enraged.
Since then, Wang Huanxiu hadn’t gone back once.
Old Master Wang spoke to the media and publicly refused to acknowledge him as the heir, and even began working on pulling him down from his position. Recently, for every document, Old Master Wang demanded a copy be sent to him for review.
But no one in the company actually paid attention to this. Anyone with eyes could see who was really in charge of the Wang family now. As long as Wang Huanxiu was still around, no one dared to make a move.
Recently, the other branches had begun to stir. Wang Wang had just been discharged from the hospital a week ago, and he hadn’t taken a moment’s rest since. He started pulling in other members of the Wang family, and even got the old man to bridge connections, roping in Old Master Wang’s nephew and grandnephew.
Ten years ago, it was Old Master Wang’s nephew who held power in the company, while the old man had to keep his tail between his legs. Now, if Wang Huanxiu lost control, the old man would rather hand the power back to his brother’s side than let Wang Huanxiu stay in power.
The human heart is never satisfied, like a snake wanting to swallow an elephant. Aside from his lack of friendliness toward Wang Wang’s family, Wang Huanxiu had been extremely respectful and dutiful to the old man. However, what the old man wanted was absolute obedience, the kind his father had once given him.
From the moment his father had Wang Huanxiu, he started to rebel against the old man. Naturally, the child wouldn’t obey either.
There was respect, there was gratitude for the cultivation, but everything had a shelf life.
The sun rose in the east and set in the west every day. Over the years, he had done enough for the old man.
The only person who could restore the old man’s authority within the Wang family was Wang Huanxiu, but over time, the old man had forgotten.
He forgot what it was like to live with his tail tucked between his legs.
After finishing his morning work and eating lunch, Wang Huanxiu picked up the three books on his desk with a complicated expression.
He deliberated for a long time and finally chose the most concise and seemingly practical one.
“How To Make Your Husband Unable To Resist You.”
The covers of the other two were flashier than this one, but each was ugly in its own way. The so-called “flashiness” was just a very loud form of ugly.
“The White Lotus Handbook” and “The Green Tea Girl’s Guide to Coaxing” were leaning more toward dating strategies.
He and Bai Shuijin were already married. The other two books obviously focused on romantic pursuits, not maintaining a marriage.
After analyzing, his eyes returned to “How To Make Your Husband Unable To Resist You.”
“…”
With a weary heart, he closed his eyes for a moment and slowly opened the book.
The introduction on the inner cover came into view:
“Are you still troubled because of your husband’s coldness and lack of interest? Are you still distressed over the lack of intimate contact?”
“You’ve found the right book with “How To Make Your Husband Unable To Resist You”, you love-brain.”
The last line clearly revealed the author’s delightful mental state. Compared to a well-crafted work, this one felt like it had been written while the author held their nose.
After reading the introduction, Wang Huanxiu mechanically set the book down.
This book had absolutely no reference value, a god-tier author had written a god-tier trash book.
Knock! knock!
“Come in.”
The office door was pushed open from the outside. The secretary stood half-hidden behind the door, poking her head in. “President Wang, there was a warm-hearted caller earlier, they hoped you could check your phone.”
These two people were always playing around. Who knows what kind of messy things they were up to in broad daylight again.
She was also curious to see what was sent.
After delivering the message, the secretary left with her signature unchanged smile.
Wang Huanxiu pulled out his phone. He must’ve been too focused on work earlier to notice the message. He opened WeChat and saw that Bai Shuijin had sent him photos.
The day after Bai Shuijin came back, he immediately resumed training nonstop. There was a private facility downtown, a nine-story Water Cube-style building, offering VIP services with sincerity.
They had courses in various fields, including dance, etiquette, flower arrangement, tea ceremony etc. The Wang family had invested in it thirty years ago, and the instructors were all top-tier in education and skill.
When younger members of the Wang family got tired of having private tutors at home, they could go there to study. The facility also hosted many young masters and ladies, so it was easy to make friends in the same social circle.
Bai Shuijin had his own private instructor, but that teacher was currently abroad on tour and wouldn’t return until next month. Ever since Bai Shuijin decided to dance again, his fighting spirit had surged and he couldn’t sit still.
So Wang Huanxiu arranged a dance studio and instructor for him at the private facility with a good environment and excellent service.
The photo became extremely clear the moment it was clicked and enlarged. Bai Shuijin was wearing practice clothes and had taken a few mirror selfies for him.
In the photo, he was sitting on the floor, having just finished warming up. His face looked like it had been in a sauna, with full and rosy cheeks, black hair and bright eyes like black grapes. He had fair skin and had applied a clear lip balm, making his lips look plump. He sent a voice message afterward, saying the lip balm was a welcome gift from his dance partner. He looked fresh and radiated vitality.
“Laogong-ge, the lip balm tastes like bubblegum (chew chew chew)”
“I’m eating a sandwich (nom nom nom), it’s delicious (chew chew chew).”
Attached below was a set of photos showing him eating a sandwich down to the last bite.
Putting down his phone, Wang Huanxiu sighed and picked up the book on his desk again.
As expected, no amount of embarrassment or awkwardness could beat the fluttery feelings Bai Shuijin gave him.
Expressionless, Wang Huanxiu resolved to cram the book’s knowledge into his brain even if he had to force it.
“How To Make Your Husband Unable To Resist You” Rule One:
“The most important thing in marriage is surprise and the desire to share. Once those two are gone, there are only two ways to fix the situation:
One: Divorce.
Two: Hide it from your husband and get yourself a boyfriend.”
Wang Huanxiu: “…”
This book must never be seen by Bai Shuijin.
“Let’s keep it simple and direct. Combine surprise and desire to share with daily life, this way, your husband will always think of your surprises. For example: give a multifunctional little gift that can be taken apart and used. It’s ornamental and practical.”
He recognized all the words, but when put together, they made no sense.
He saw no reference value whatsoever. Just then, another photo came in from Bai Shuijin. It was another mirror selfie, with one hand holding the phone, the other holding the lip balm.
As if trying to show how amazing the lip balm was.
Wang Huanxiu flipped to the table of contents. The author’s style there was also explosively straightforward, with no pretentious literary airs or subtle roundabout phrasing.
“Biting your lips until they look like you got slapped by a bunch of monkeys…page 78.
Wang Huanxiu’s fingers flipped a large section of pages and went straight to page 78.
“As you can see, this is our 78th lesson. If you’ve already tried all the previous methods with your husband, your relationship should be as deep as plain boiled water by now.”
“Lesson 78 mainly talks about physical intimacy. As long as your husband isn’t British and missing an upper lip, use this method, and the next day your lips will look like grilled sausages, thick and boing boing.”
“When someone shows discomfort or vulnerability, it triggers others’ sympathy. But remember, don’t be too disgusting. You can pretend to be sick and ask him to stay with you. With the back-and-forth of taking care of each other, an ambiguous atmosphere will naturally emerge. At this moment, you can suddenly lean in, but don’t kiss him right away. You should act like you want to say something but stop, as if you’re about to kiss but not quite, both inviting and rejecting. Pause for ten seconds. If he doesn’t show any signs of resistance during those ten seconds, that means he’s longing for your kiss. Only then do you kiss. The effect will be top-notch.”
(ps: If you didn’t manage to kiss or your lips don’t get swollen, feel free to report the author’s name to the newspaper. The author belongs to the Monkey tribe…they can help slap it swollen for you.)
.
In the dance studio, Bai Shuijin shoved the last bite of his sandwich into his mouth. His dance partner was Miss Chen from the Chen family. She had studied dance since childhood and also aspired to pursue a future in dance.
She was one year younger than him and knew Wang Zhenzhu. Although the two didn’t see each other much in daily life, they were in frequent contact online, and were real internet friends.
“Brother Shuijin, let’s go over the steps again.”
Bai Shuijin got up. “Okay.”
Only with mutual understanding could they be better dance partners. The studio was on the fifth floor, which had nearly nine dance rooms in total.
Other studios also had various children from aristocratic families taking etiquette and dance classes.
Dance etiquette was an essential part of social interactions.
Wang Heng had just finished class when his driver brought him here. He had always been lacking in social etiquette, and his family had been troubled by his personality and social skills more than once.
Normally, Wang Heng had many courses to study. In order to prioritize business management skills, his etiquette and dance lessons had been repeatedly postponed.
Wang Heng also hated these classes the most.
The elevator doors opened. The attendant carrying his backpack led the way, and Wang Heng walked ahead with his hands in his pockets.
As he passed by one of the dance studios, his eyes were drawn to a figure inside.
Inside the studio, sunlight poured across the floor, making the waxed wood gleam like a mirror. Two slender figures danced like butterflies within the room.
Bathed in light, they looked like god’s favored children. Their dance costumes were simple in style, but their entire presence seemed wrapped in a thin veil of gauze that floated and wrapped in the air with each move, soft yet powerful.
The dance was highly pleasing to watch, and Wang Heng couldn’t help but stop to look inside.
He took out his phone, tapped record, and filmed a short video. Only after the dance ended did he hit the stop button.
The people inside danced beautifully. As the camera zoomed in, Wang Heng finally got a clear look at one of the dancers’ faces.
One of them was the person who had ambushed him in the cafeteria last time. He had someone investigate him, and the result was that the other person’s name was Bai Shuijin. Last year, he shamelessly stood in front of the Wang family’s old house with a loudspeaker shouting about marrying his cousin Wang Huanxiu, and had gotten his wish in the end.
He didn’t expect to run into him here.
The humiliation from last time made a fire flare up in Wang Heng’s chest. He had been searching for him, and now the other party had delivered himself to his door.
Looking at the person standing in the center of the studio, although Wang Heng felt annoyed, he had to admit the other party was good-looking.
The dance just now was so pleasing to the eyes that he wanted to see it again.
From childhood, Wang Heng had never failed to get anything he wanted.
When tired from classes, having Bai Shuijin perform for him would be a great way to relax.
After the dance, Chen Yuan and the dance teacher sat down to chat. Bai Shuijin had finished his water. There was a multifunctional tea station and lounge outside the studio, and he wanted to go get some water to drink.
As soon as he opened the door, he saw Wang Heng standing outside.
Enemies truly do meet on narrow roads. He didn’t expect to run into him here.
Today, Wang Heng still had his usual arrogance. Bai Shuijin had just finished dancing, so his breathing was not completely steady yet and he was panting slightly. His black hair stuck to the sides of his cheeks, adding a natural beauty.
Wang Heng couldn’t help but speak in a softer tone when he spoke to Bai Shuijin. “You dance quite well.”
Bai Shuijin was surprised. He didn’t expect such words to come out of this guy’s mouth.
A friendly smile appeared on his face.
This smile looked as lovely as the coming of spring.
Wang Heng originally wanted to ask him to dance again, but when the words reached his lips, they turned into, “When are you dancing again? I’ll come watch.”
Bai Shuijin didn’t mind viewers, but he wouldn’t be here for long. Although his private teacher would not arrive until next month, tomorrow was already next month.
“Probably not anytime soon.”
Wang Heng suddenly felt a jolt in his heart. “Why?”
Was it because he ordered him to tie his shoelaces last time and now he held a grudge? So when he heard he wanted to watch, he decided to stop dancing?
“It was my fault last time. I apologize.”
Everyone loves beautiful things. In order to see Bai Shuijin dance again, Wang Heng developed some emotional intelligence without any instruction.
Bai Shuijin: “It’s not that. My laogong-ge found a private tutor for me. I’ll be dancing at home from now on, and won’t come here anymore.”
This year he had to prepare all the materials for school applications. Everything was very urgent. Private tutoring was faster and more efficient, and dancing at home saved travel time.
‘Laogong-ge?’
When Bai Shuijin mentioned this title, Wang Heng suddenly remembered that Bai Shuijin was married. And his spouse was his cousin who was not so close to him.
Wang Huanxiu was infamous in the Wang family, and Wang Heng had always made it his goal to replace him.
The elders in the family were not on the same side as Wang Huanxiu. They said he was domineering and disrespectful towards his elders. The incident where Wang Wang was angered into the hospital had already spread throughout the family.
In Wang Heng’s eyes, Wang Huanxiu was naturally a tyrant figure.
If Bai Shuijin was not dancing here but at home, it meant only Wang Huanxiu could watch.
Sure enough, what a domineering, unreasonable guy.
Wang Heng felt indignant. He had always been unilaterally hostile to Wang Huanxiu. Now, the dance he liked could only be watched by Wang Huanxiu, which made him even more uncomfortable.
The more unattainable something was, the more one wanted it.
“Get a divorce. Then you can dance wherever you want.”
Bai Shuijin’s eyes widened. ‘Excuse me? What are you talking about?’
How dare he divorce his laogong-ge? The gold card in his pocket would be the first to object.
“No need. I’ll dance at home.”
Wang Heng gritted his teeth, rarely lowering his head. “I really admire your dancing.”
Bai Shuijin walked forward. Upon hearing Wang Heng’s words, he looked back and said, “Then I’ll dance for you next time.”
In the future, during a public performance…if the other party bought a ticket, he could watch.
With a shift in wording, he tactfully rejected the immediate request without discouraging the other party’s enthusiasm.
This was his emotional intelligence.
‘Take notes, young master.’
‘This sentence is enough for you to learn from for half your life.’
Watching Bai Shuijin’s departing figure, Wang Xing made a certain decision in his heart.
What Bai Shuijin said and what Wang Xing heard were completely different things.
Bai Shuijin: I’ll dance for you next time.
Wang Xing: He’s asking me for help!
When he rescues Bai Shuijin from Wang Huanxiu’s hands, then he could dance for him.
When he arrived at his classroom, Wang Heng didn’t even go in. He immediately called home.
His family spoiled him endlessly. No matter when he called or how busy they were, they always answered.
Fang Ke was his father. He had married into the Wang family and had a son, Wang Heng, with his wife.
He was a university lecturer, and was currently taking his afternoon nap. “Xiao Heng, what is it?”
“Dad, I want a person.”
‘A person?’
This time the request had escalated to a human being?
Fang Ke looked around to make sure there were no colleagues nearby. “Who?”
Wang Heng named the target directly. “Bai Shuijin.”
‘Bai Shuijin!’
While training Wang Heng, the couple had often mentioned Wang Huanxiu. Every move Wang Huanxiu made was watched closely by the Wang family. When the other party got married, their family had even felt complacent about it. Fortunately, it wasn’t a business alliance that would strengthen both parties. Otherwise, Wang Huanxi’s position would have been even harder to shake.
Seeing the other end remain silent for a long time, Wang Heng reminded him, “The one Wang Huanxiu married.”
Fang Ke: “You also know Wang Huanxiu married him. He belongs to Wang Huanxiu. How can I get him for you?”
Wang Heng didn’t care about all that. What he wanted, he must get. When his temper flared, he became unreasonable. “I don’t care. I just want Bai Shuijin. You guys figure it out.”
Fang Ke went momentarily blind with shock. “Don’t get involved at a critical time like this. The Wang family is in the middle of internal conflict, and you want to jump in?”
Right now, Old Master Wang and Wang Wang were putting pressure on Wang Huanxiu. As the two sides fought, the smart thing to do was to sit back and watch the tigers fight. When both sides were weakened, it would be the perfect time for Wang Heng to rise up.
Who knew Wang Heng wanted to make a move against Wang Huanxiu now?
Fang Ke: “I can’t fulfill this request, and your mother can’t either. You better drop this idea right now.”
This was the first time Wang Heng had been rejected by his father.
“Why? Didn’t you say as long as I did well in school, you can fulfill any requests I make? Why are you going back on your word now?”
Fang Ke was speechless.
The couple had indeed promised Wang Heng that.
Wang Heng hung up the phone angrily, not wanting to say another word to his father.
It doesn’t matter if they won’t help. He was capable enough. He would find a way to get Bai Shuijin from Wang Huanxiu himself. Just wait and see.
.
At 5 PM, Bai Shuijin received a message from Wang Huanxiu, saying he was already off work and waiting in the underground parking lot to take him home.
Classes were done for the day. Bai Shuijin picked up his water bottle and said goodbye to Chen Yuan and the teacher.
Chen Yuan said enthusiastically, “Brother Shuijin, how are you getting home? My family’s driver is here, and it’s on the way. Do you want to come with us?”
They lived in the same district, not too far apart.
Bai Shuijin thanked her for the offer. “No need, my laogong-ge came to pick me up.”
Chen Yuan got excited. “Is it Brother Huanxiu?”
Bai Shuijin nodded.
Chen Yuan liked browsing the internet to ship male CPs, especially late at night. She immediately screamed, “Your relationship is so good. Brother Huanxiu even picks you up after class.”
Bai Shuijin scratched his head shyly.
“Brother Shuijin, let’s eat together sometime.”
After saying goodbye to Chen Yuan, Bai Shuijin went to the shower room, rinsed off, changed his clothes, and took the elevator down to the underground parking lot.
He thought he’d have to look around for the car, but the moment he got off the elevator, he saw Wang Huanxiu waiting not far away.
“Laogong-ge!”
Bai Shuijin ran over like a happy puppy.
Wang Huanxiu took a few steps toward him, but Bai Shuijin couldn’t stop in time and ran directly into his chin. Wang Huanxiu saw stars from the pain.
Bai Shuijin was fine. He has always had a hard head since childhood. “Laogong-ge, cuddle, cuddle more.”
“…”
After the little incident, Wang Huanxiu took the bag from Bai Shuijin’s hand and asked, “How was your day?”
It felt just like a parent picking him up from school, a scene Bai Shuijin had dreamed of since he was a child.
The two walked toward the car. There was no driver today; Wang Huanxiu had driven himself.
Bai Shuijin excitedly recounted everything that happened today…from how he got a cramp in dance class and stepped on someone’s foot, how he had two bowls of lunch, and even mentioned Wang Heng, saying he saw a cousin.
Bai Shuijin talked nonstop. By the time he noticed he’d been talking for a while, half an hour had passed. Looking up, Wang Huanxiu was still listening patiently, his eyes calm and gentle.
Bai Shuijin’s face turned red and he asked with some embarrassment, “Laogong-ge, am I talking too much?”
He was a bit of a chatterbox.
“No.” Wang Huanxiu looked at Bai Shuijin, who was lowering his head to buckle his seatbelt. “It’s just right.”
Bai Shuijin was happy inside and felt that Wang Huanxiu was a really good person.
There was a rustling sound, and a kraft paper bag was placed in front of him.
Bai Shuijin: “What’s this?”
“A gift for you.”
After carefully studying the first rule in “How To Make Your Husband Unable To Resist You”, Wang Huanxiu had meticulously selected this gift. Giving gifts brings surprise and happiness. The gift must be both beautiful and practical, something Bai Shuijin could use in his daily life. That way, every time he used it, he’d think of him.
‘A gift?’
He opened the bag and found a music box inside.
It was an old item, a valuable antique.
Wang Huanxiu held it up and demonstrated. When the box was opened, there was a small dancing figure inside, wearing a crown like a little prince. As the key turned, the figure twirled and a melodious tune played in the car.
“It has other features too.”
Bai Shuijin couldn’t take his eyes off the little dancer. “What features?”
“The base can be opened.”
Triggering a mechanism revealed a small compartment where rings or trinkets could be stored.
“The side slot can be used to hang things with hooks.”
“And there’s a magnifying glass hidden inside the lid.”
Very practical.
These three features were a bit much for a music box, but they were considered rare innovations at the time it was made.
When Wang Huanxiu asked if he liked it, Bai Shuijin answered without hesitation, “I like it.”
He looked at the three designs of the music box and said, “Laogong-ge, I think it’s really interesting.”
Wang Huanxi’s lips curved up. “Really?”
“Yeah, it’s like those American women’s life hacks.”
