Finished eating, he voluntarily went to wash the pot.

Yan Xiaoxi stood at the kitchen door watching him.

As she watched, her eyes suddenly felt a bit sore, and her vision gradually blurred.

She quickly turned around, went to the fridge, found some red wine, opened it, stood on the balcony, looked outside the window, took a sip, closed her eyes as unpleasant memories became clear again.

Everyone has had a time of youthful recklessness, and she was no exception.

Because she had been hurt, she learned to refuse, learned to wrap herself in a thick armor to isolate everything.

This protective shell, however, has been continuously hurting herself.

It’s like self-exile; due to one painful experience, she exiled herself to the desert of emotions.

Over the years, she clearly realized she seemed unable to love again, lacked the motivation to love.

Until the appearance of this man, who repeatedly provoked her!

He was domineering, disregarding her resistance, forcefully entering her emotional world.

He was gentle, with the maturity and charisma unique to middle-aged men, that warm and spoiling feeling, fatally attractive!

To say that she was not attracted to him would be self-deception.

Although they didn’t interact much, every time she was with him, she could clearly feel that heartbeat sensation.

His presence was like the spring sun melting the ice and snow.

However, her fear was deeply rooted in her heart; she was afraid she couldn’t properly begin a relationship.

Moreover, he was high above, while she was just a small journalist; such a pairing would only be happy in fairy tales, right?

...

No idea how much time had passed, she suddenly felt a warmth on her back, opened her eyes, and she was turned around.

The red wine glass fell between the two of them, making a clinking sound.

Jin Bo gently stroked her frail shoulder, his voice rich, "What are you thinking about?"

Thinking about what?

Could she say she had been thinking about him?

No, it was thinking about him and her future!

But do they have a future together?

Yan Xiaoxi shook her head in panic, her gaze evasive, almost afraid to look at him, "Not... not thinking about anything..."

Lost in thought, she suddenly felt something was off, looked at Jin Bo, and then noticed his face was unnaturally pale, sweat appearing on his forehead.

In an instant, her breath was chaotic, "What’s wrong with you?"

Jin Bo never expected to experience rejection at this time, his face looking terrible, gasping heavily as he responded, "I’m fine."

Yan Xiaoxi was frightened.

He was in such a state, his face was green, yet he said he was fine.

Yan Xiaoxi frantically searched for her phone to call 120, too nervous to find it right away.

Jin Bo stood there quietly, his heart palpitating fiercely.

Yan Xiaoxi gently pushed Jin Bo.

The once sturdy-as-a-mountain body easily collapsed with her nudge.

Yan Xiaoxi’s face instantly lost its color, "Can you... can you still stand up?"

Jin Bo shook his head, his face worsening.

Yan Xiaoxi finally found her phone, almost crying out, "Don’t be afraid, lie there, don’t move, I’ll call an ambulance, I’ll call an ambulance right away."

Jin Bo, "..."

He remained silent.

Yan Xiaoxi stood there, called 120.

Half an hour later, the ambulance arrived, upon hearing the knocking, Yan Xiaoxi glanced at Jin Bo.