Zhou Dang took a small step closer to her and patiently repeated, "A hug."
Xuan Yang was stunned.
Caught under the man's powerful aura, her heart started beating a little faster from nervousness.
Zhou Dang opened his arms slightly, waiting for her.
But Xuan Yang didn't move for a long time, just looked at him incredulously.
After what seemed like an eternity, the familiar scent of mint and sea salt from the man lingered around Xuan Yang, making her unable to escape his earlier question.
Xuan Yang's stiff face finally twitched. She blinked. "Hug?"
She was afraid she had misheard.
But Zhou Dang nodded solemnly. "Hug."
Xuan Yang's breath caught. Her blinking frequency increased noticeably, still controlled by nervousness. "...I guess it's okay."
Having received her approval, Zhou Dang finally made a move.
He leaned his tall frame slightly, his narrow waist bending gently, and pulled Xuan Yang's thin shoulders into his embrace with a soft force.
A very gentle and restrained hug.
Xuan Yang felt as if she had fallen into a cloud of mint and sea salt, warmth enveloping her from all sides.
Her heart raced uncontrollably a couple of times, and she held her breath, not daring to move.
All she could hear was the rhythmic heartbeat coming from the man's warm chest.
Perhaps because she was too close, Xuan Yang thought Zhou Dang's heartbeat was a bit loud.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it was deafening.
"How does it feel?" The man's deep voice, accompanied by the vibration of his chest, tickled Xuan Yang's ears.
She didn't understand, just found Zhou Dang's voice very pleasant.
Zhou Dang lowered his head, his chin gently resting on the top of her head, brushing against it casually. "Does fulfilling marital duties feel repulsive to you?"
Xuan Yang was stunned, finally understanding the man's intention.
It was a test, a verification, and also a way to close the distance between them.
...
But the pace was a bit too fast; Xuan Yang couldn't handle it.
Zhou Dang released her, straightened up, and stepped back to create some distance. "You didn't push me away immediately, which means you can accept it, right?"
Xuan Yang found it hard to answer.
But she couldn't deny that she didn't dislike that hug just now.
In fact, because Zhou Dang's embrace was so warm, it even gave her a sense of peace.
Zhou Dang carefully studied her expression. Although it was blank, confused, surprised, and doubtful, there was not a trace of rejection or disgust.
What a relief.
He said in a low voice, "As long as there's no physical aversion, we won't be incompatible."
Xuan Yang's fair face suddenly flushed with a light pink. Her gaze flickered away. "It's getting late... Lanlan must be waiting anxiously."
After entering the underground parking, Xuan Yang had sent Xie Xinglan a message saying she had arrived.
Xie Xinglan asked if she needed to come down to pick her up, but Xuan Yang declined.
Xie Xinglan then said she would wait for her at the elevator entrance.
The apartments at Jinshui Bay were all one-elevator-per-household, with the elevator directly leading into the residence.
Xuan Yang thought Xie Xinglan must have been waiting at the elevator for a long time.
After parting with Zhou Dang, Xuan Yang entered the elevator absentmindedly, swiped her card, and went to Xie Xinglan's floor.
As the elevator rose, Xuan Yang felt her heart rate also skyrocketing, a complex and indescribable feeling in her heart.
She hadn't felt this flustered and unsettled in a long time.
It must be because Zhou Dang's personal charm was too outstanding—with a face like that, doing and saying those things.
It was really hard not to feel stirred.
Xuan Yang felt that she not only had no physical aversion to Zhou Dang, but actually had a bit of physical attraction.
After all, purely from the perspective of the opposite sex, Zhou Dang's looks, physique, and even his voice all hit almost every point Xuan Yang liked.
...
Xuan Yang was a bit troubled.
She felt that she might really not be able to hold herself back in the future.
Ding—
The elevator arrived at the floor, and the door opened.