Qiu Yu never thought she'd end up in a relationship with Chen Ce Bai.
Let alone after they got married.
What surprised her even more was the… other side of him.
It took her a long while to come up with the right word.
Shameless.
Then again, it made sense. High-IQ individuals often lacked that basic sense of shame most people had—they were used to analyzing everything with cold, clinical detachment.
But that trait, when applied to romance, could be devastatingly mortifying.
Yesterday, after Chen Ce Bai drove her home, Qiu Yu had gone straight to the shower, pretending to be sleepy.
—Since their mutual confession, she'd been giddy and hyper the entire ride, barely able to sit still. She kept leaning over to kiss him—on the cheek, on the back of his hand—whenever the car stopped at a light.
Chen Ce Bai had kept a straight face, not responding to her kisses, but his driving was noticeably faster than usual.
Normally, he drove more smoothly than the auto-drive, rarely overtaking other cars. But now, the speed hovered near the city limit.
Qiu Yu felt a strange satisfaction.
She thought she might be a little twisted—because she liked seeing Chen Ce Bai lose control.
By the time they got home, the adrenaline had worn off. She was yawning as she went to shower.
When she came out, she was in her usual nightgown, brushing her damp hair, ready to crawl under the covers—
—only to have her wrist suddenly grabbed.
Still half-asleep, she didn't even realize where the hand had come from.
Like a predator lying in wait, he struck the moment she got close—swift and precise.
He tugged, and she fell straight into his arms.
"I'm really tired…" Qiu Yu mumbled, naturally wrapping her arms around his neck, burying her face in the crook of his cold neck.
"Then sleep," Chen Ce Bai murmured. He scooped her up and laid her down on the bed, switching off the light embedded in the nightstand.
In the dark, he simply watched her.
Maybe it was because she looked genuinely exhausted—he didn't kiss her or do anything else. He just lay there, utterly still, eyes fixed on her like a pen nib slowly tracing her contours.
Had Qiu Yu opened her eyes in that moment, she would have realized that the "double gaze" she sensed wasn't a figment of her imagination.
In the darkness, Chen Ce Bai was transforming into a voyeur—or perhaps the voyeur was becoming him.
They despised each other. Hated each other. And yet, they were forced into a kind of agreement—an unholy alliance of deceit and depravity.
Qiu Yu slept deeply at first, completely unaware. But once she passed into lighter sleep, she began to feel it—
—a gaze so invasive it felt like it was peeling her skin off.
Her chest grew tight, like sleep paralysis. Her palms were damp with sweat. That gaze wasn't watching her—it was devouring her.
Half-awake, she reached out a hand, discomfort making her tremble.
"Chen Ce Bai…"
She was afraid he wouldn't respond—like before.
But almost immediately, a cold hand caught hers.
His hand.
Not only did he hold her hand, he brought it to his lips and gently kissed her palm.
"I'm here."
Qiu Yu forced her eyes open. He was still sitting beside her. In a half-dazed voice, she whined, "Aren't you going to sleep?"
Chen Ce Bai looked down at her.
She really was a genius at intimacy. Once inside a relationship, it became her domain. In contrast, ambiguity made her anxious and hesitant.
"I will. In a bit."
Qiu Yu blinked slowly, then rolled over to make space under the blanket. "I want you to sleep now."
He ran his fingers through her hair, only to find it damp with sweat.
"Hot?"
She shook her head. "I feel like… that person is still watching me."
She wasn't really scared, but she feigned a shiver to lure him into bed.
"I'm a little scared. Sleep with me, okay? I want to hold you."
Chen Ce Bai didn't respond right away.
After a moment, he said, "Give me a second."
He went to shower.
Qiu Yu, wide awake by then, turned on the nightlight and started browsing her tablet while she waited.
Ten minutes later, Chen Ce Bai came out of the bathroom. He glanced at her.
"If you're going to hold it that close, might as well use your chip. At least it won't strain your eyes."
She'd scrolled through a few short videos and was now fully alert.
When she heard his voice, she lit up. "Come sleep with me!"
His hair was still fluffy from the blow dryer, and his usually sharp features were now softened, his expression sleepy and detached.
He stared at her for a moment, then walked over and turned off the light.
Darkness again.
Qiu Yu tilted her head.
Maybe it was her imagination, but ever since they confessed to each other, he seemed to prefer watching her in the dark.
As if the shadows gave him permission to look more freely.
Before she could think further, his lips were on hers.
He kissed her slowly as he lay down beside her, mouth moving against hers, tongue tangling, eyes closed—as if intending to fall asleep like this.
She nudged him, a little breathless.
She couldn't see his face, but she knew he'd opened his eyes.
Those cold, narrow eyes—impossible to ignore.
"What?" he asked.
It's strange how human nature works. You can do the most intimate things with someone, yet a kiss can still make your heart race.
"…You're not actually planning to sleep like this, are you?"
"I told you," he said,
then reached behind her neck, pulling her closer until his lips brushed her ear.
His voice was unsettlingly calm.
"You need to let me put something in your mouth. Otherwise, I'll want to bite you."
Qiu Yu's drowsiness vanished. She slapped a hand over his mouth, mortified.
"Shut up and go to sleep!"
Chen Ce Bai gave a soft laugh. His breath, icy and fine, brushed against her palm.
He really was itching to bite. His breath was so cold it made her break out in goosebumps. But he didn't go any further—just wrapped her in his arms and seemed to drift off.
Lying against him, Qiu Yu felt like she was sandwiched between warm blankets and a frigid male body.
It was a sweltering summer night, but to her, it felt like curling into a warm cocoon on a snowy day. Safe and protected, like listening to snow fall from beneath a roof.
Once she was sound asleep, Chen Ce Bai suddenly opened his eyes.
His expression didn't change. His hand was still resting on the back of her neck. His tongue gently pressed against a canine tooth.
It really did itch.
In the darkness, he stared at her, unmoving. His cold, stoic eyes began to redden, veins bulging beneath his skin.
A flicker of something sharp—like fangs—glinted in the shadows.
He wanted to bite her.
To make her grow a gland that only responded to him.
To mark her, so her body would carry only his scent.
So only he could smell her. Only he could soothe her.
Only he could protect her.
In the night, his possessiveness grew like wild grass.
···
Maybe because she'd woken in the middle of the night, Qiu Yu couldn't wake up the next morning.
Chen Ce Bai called her twice. She just muttered and curled deeper into bed.
Five minutes later, she felt herself being lifted.
He didn't say anything.
With a disturbingly calm expression, he washed her face. Then—using two fingers—pried her mouth open to brush her teeth.
The sound of the electric toothbrush finally brought her to her senses. She bolted upright, trying to grab it.
But Chen Ce Bai didn't let her.
"Go back to sleep," he said lightly.
Then, holding her jaw with one hand, he brushed her teeth.
"…"
How the hell was she supposed to sleep through that?
Qiu Yu had never imagined that getting her teeth brushed could make her scalp tingle.
Chen Ce Bai, face lowered, moved with clinical precision—like a dentist—focused and unflinching.
And yet, his movements carried a strange kind of malice.
He didn't stop until the toothpaste foam nearly spilled out of her mouth. Only then did he release her, watching her spit into the bin.
Since the moment she woke, his gaze hadn't left her.
Not even for a second.
Now too, she could feel it, hot and invasive.
Like he saw every strand of saliva clinging to her lips—clearly, and in detail.
After brushing her teeth, Qiu Yu was fully awake.
She took a deep breath, pressed her palm against her flushed cheek, and couldn't stop replaying the way Chen Ce Bai had helped her rinse. One hand holding the water cup, the other firmly gripping her face as he coldly commanded, "Spit."
She was now completely torn.
She didn't know if she should keep sleeping in or never do it again.
…Getting her teeth brushed by Chen Ce Bai was way too intense.
Even after several dozen seconds, her heart was still pounding like crazy.
Lying in bed, dazed, she was just about to get up and head to the dressing room when she saw Chen Ce Bai walk in—arms full of clothes, from her coat down to her underwear.
He grabbed the sole of her outstretched foot, looked down at her from above, and said,
"I'll dress you."
Qiu Yu figured he was either trying to make up for the last three years of not taking care of her all at once, or he'd never had a doll as a kid and now wanted to compensate using her.
The thought made her laugh out loud. She opened her arms, grinning playfully.
"Sure, go ahead."
Chen Ce Bai stared at her for a few seconds.
She had no idea how dangerously his desire for control was spiraling. Still smiling innocently, completely unaware of the storm behind his calm.
But just taking over her daily routine wasn't enough.
He wanted her in his line of sight.
Within reach.
Close enough to seize the back of her neck with a single motion.
The urge to protect her, possess her, and control her was expanding—terrifyingly so.
Even Chen Ce Bai didn't know how far these compulsions would eventually go.
It was as if he'd become a bottomless container—insatiable, unbearable—one that could only be satisfied by locking her inside.
He raised the bedroom temperature slightly and came over to help her dress.
Qiu Yu, back turned to him, casually slipped off her nightgown.
Her shoulder blades were delicate, like a swan's wings mid-stretch.
As he reached to pull a shirt over her head, she trembled—just a little—like a swan caught in the crosshairs of a hunter's bow.
For a fleeting instant, he felt he could pin her hands back with one move and sink his teeth into her throat.
But the thought lasted only a second.
Then, with his usual impassive expression, he quietly helped her into her top.
Then her pants, socks, shoes.
He knelt before her, and if not for the way he firmly held her ankle, there was no outward sign that his desire to control her had reached such an alarming level.
Qiu Yu just found the whole thing novel. Laughing, she teased,
"You're not planning to feed me breakfast too, are you?"
Through the lenses of his glasses, Chen Ce Bai glanced at her.
"That was exactly my plan."
"…I was joking."
Not wanting to be treated like a doll that could chew, Qiu Yu claimed she was running late and insisted on eating breakfast in the car.
Chen Ce Bai didn't object.
Until recently, she'd always been driven to work by the house chauffeur. The fact that Chen Ce Bai had taken over that role made everything feel fresh and exciting again—like yesterday's rush was back in full force.
She munched on a sandwich and, catching a yellow light, quickly turned to kiss his cheek.
All he could do in return was shoot her a warning glance—he was helpless against her.
But just as they arrived at her office and she was about to hop out and make a quick getaway, she heard a soft "click."
The car doors had been locked.
Qiu Yu turned around—and saw Chen Ce Bai removing his glasses, revealing narrow, predatory eyes.
He glanced at his watch to confirm there was still time. Then, without hesitation, he grabbed the back of her head and kissed her—hard.
This was what she meant by "shameless"—he didn't have even a shred of embarrassment. He even had the gall to show off, like a proud animal staking his claim.
He rolled down the window.
And right as a few coworkers were walking by, he coldly—yet maddeningly calmly—sucked on the tip of her tongue.
At first, Qiu Yu burned with embarrassment—ears flaming—but when she recognized those coworkers as the very ones who'd talked behind her back, something strange happened:
Her vanity flared. So did her thirst for revenge.
—Those coworkers were now staring at them, slack-jawed.
Chen Ce Bai shot them an indifferent glance and rolled the window back up.
Qiu Yu grabbed his hand and pressed it to her cheek to cool down.
But for some reason, though his hands were cold, her skin only got hotter and hotter.
Blushing, ears still burning, Qiu Yu tried to change the subject.
"...Do you need my help?"
Chen Ce Bai glanced at her, puzzled.
"With the voyeur thing…" she said. "Do you want me to try to get 'him' talking?"
He stared at her.
"And how exactly were you planning to do that?"
His voice dropped as his thumb rubbed her burning earlobe.
"Date him?"
"…Huh?" Qiu Yu was baffled. All she wanted was to get the guy's contact info.
What was Chen Ce Bai even talking about?
But he was slipping into one of those strange, obsessive moods again.
He grabbed the back of her head and kissed her—deeply, forcefully—twisting her tongue with his.
She could hear him swallow. The sound was loud, right by her ear.
Then came the cold, cutting question:
"If he wanted to kiss you like this—would you let him?"
Qiu Yu felt like her ears were on fire. She was completely overwhelmed.
"...Of course not! I just want to get his contact info!"
Chen Ce Bai stared straight into her eyes.
His usual cold detachment cracked, revealing something more unhinged—like he was trying to suppress something and failing.
After a long pause, he looked away and withdrew his hand. His voice was quiet, but steady:
"I don't need your help with that."
"Letting you live under surveillance is already a failure on my part.
I'm not going to let you fall into another kind of danger."