158: Do you want it?

"I know you're resentful," Yu Heng continued, "but that's all in the past."

"Now we've both started over," Yu Heng pushed the cart and stopped two paces away from her. "Your personality isn't suited for being a housewife. Right now is perfect; you have plenty of time to build a career and do what you want to do."

He Mengyao curled her lips and turned her face to look at him: "And then? Won't I still be all alone?"

"Then what can I do?" Yu Heng's hands rested on the cart's handle. "I already have someone else by my side. Who knew you had come back too?"

"You're such a bastard." He Mengyao stared into his eyes, her chest heaving slightly. "I didn't know you had come back either. I was still thinking about being with you. Why didn't I go find someone else?"

"But the divorce was your idea," Yu Heng said.

"And you agreed to it!" He Mengyao suddenly raised her voice, causing a passing middle-aged woman to turn and look.

Yu Heng took a deep breath and slowly exhaled: "Alright, I don't want to argue."

He Mengyao looked away and reached out to grab another bag of chips, her movements somewhat heavy.

"Let's just be calm and rational," Yu Heng looked at her profile. "Like you said, we're not students anymore."

Yu Heng could sense her emotions. They were already divorced, so simple accusations were meaningless. The reason He Mengyao was still acting like this was clearly because she regretted it.

But Yu Heng didn't want to just muddle through and reconcile like before. He wanted a clear attitude from He Mengyao—for her to speak clearly, to say she regretted it, and to admit she was wrong.

If she wasn't willing to say it, then there was no need to get entangled in emotional matters anymore. Yu Heng wasn't short of women now, and she wouldn't be short of men either.

He Mengyao pursed her lips, stared at Yu Heng for a while, and then looked away. She reached out to tidy the items in her shopping basket, her voice lowering slightly: "I don't have much time."

Yu Heng didn't respond, waiting for her to continue.

"I can only free up two half-days a week," He Mengyao said, her eyes not looking at him. "Wednesday afternoon and Saturday morning."

Yu Heng was amused by this. Although she hadn't apologized, these words at least counted as a sign of weakness.

"Fine," Yu Heng nodded. "Five hundred for half a day, how's that?"

He Mengyao looked up at him and curled her lips: "I earn more than five hundred in half an hour now."

Yu Heng grinned: "Tell me, if you hadn't been a housewife at home with plenty of time to study stocks, would you be able to earn so much money now? Half the credit for this money-making ability goes to me."

"You're truly shameless." He Mengyao stared at him. "Could you have calculated that you'd be reborn? Who could have known things would turn out like this back then?"

Yu Heng smiled and said nothing.

He Mengyao took a deep breath and slowly exhaled: "I'm done talking to you. I'm leaving."

Yu Heng stepped aside to let her pass. He squinted as he watched her walk away; her reaction meant she didn't want the money.

—

When Shen Yueling and Bai Xinran returned from the hygiene products section, they were carrying a plastic bag.

"All done?" Yu Heng asked.

"Mm." Shen Yueling put the plastic bag into the cart. "You bought so many snacks too?"

"Just something to eat when I'm bored," Yu Heng said. "Let's go check out."

Back at the Villa, Yu Heng carried the things into the kitchen.

Bai Xinran followed him in and began organizing the ingredients they had bought.

"Let's have stewed pork rib soup for dinner," Bai Xinran said. "I'll also stir-fry some broccoli and steam some rice."

"Sure." Yu Heng carried the snack bag to the living room and tossed it onto the coffee table.

Shen Yueling poured three glasses of water and placed them on the coffee table.

Yu Heng sat down on the sofa and picked up the remote to turn on the TV.

The news was broadcasting the weather, stating that the temperature would drop again tomorrow.

Shen Yueling sat down beside him and took a sip from her water glass.

Bai Xinran poked her head out from the kitchen: "Master, Sister Yueling, dinner will be ready in about half an hour."

"Okay," Yu Heng responded.

Bai Xinran pulled her head back and continued cooking.

Yu Heng's hand gently caressed Shen Yueling's waist; he could feel her body heat through her sweater.

Shen Yueling closed her eyes and let him touch her.

The news on the TV ended, and commercials began to play.

Yu Heng's hand pressed against the skin at her waist; it was a bit cool. His hand continued upward, reaching the edge of her underwear.

He hooked his finger under the shoulder strap and gently pulled it down.

Shen Yueling's breathing quickened, but she didn't stop him.

"Yu Heng..." she called his name in a husky voice.

"Hmm?" Yu Heng responded, his lips still pressed against her neck.

"Let's go to the room..." Shen Yueling said, "not here..."

Yu Heng smiled and withdrew his hand from her clothes.

"Alright," he said.

He pulled Shen Yueling up and walked upstairs.

As they passed the kitchen, Bai Xinran happened to come out carrying the stir-fried broccoli.

She froze for a moment when she saw Yu Heng and Shen Yueling walking upstairs hand in hand.

"Dinner is ready..." she said.

"You eat first," Yu Heng said without looking back. "We'll be down in a bit."

Bai Xinran watched them go upstairs and pursed her lips.

She walked to the dining table, set the dish down, and then turned back to the kitchen to continue serving the rice.

After filling three bowls of rice and setting out the chopsticks, she sat down at the dining table.

Faint sounds came from upstairs; they were very soft, but audible.

Bai Xinran looked down at the rice in her bowl, picked up her chopsticks, and put a piece of broccoli in her mouth.

The taste was a bit bland; maybe she hadn't used enough salt.

The sounds upstairs grew louder; although they were being suppressed, they were still quite obvious.

Bai Xinran felt a bit of a dry throat, so she put down her chopsticks and took a sip from her water glass.

She sat and waited for a while, and the sounds upstairs gradually faded.

After another while, Yu Heng and Shen Yueling came downstairs.

Shen Yueling's face still bore a flush, and her hair was a bit messy.

Yu Heng, however, looked perfectly normal as he walked to the dining table and sat down.

"Let's eat," he said.

Bai Xinran pushed the bowl of rice she had served toward him. Yu Heng took it and began to eat with his chopsticks.

Shen Yueling also sat down next to Yu Heng, picked up her chopsticks, and took a pork rib.

"How does it taste?" Bai Xinran asked.

"It's very good," Shen Yueling said, then glared at Yu Heng, "it's just a bit cold."

Yu Heng said nothing and lowered his head to eat.

The three of them finished their meal in silence. Bai Xinran stood up to clear the dishes, and Shen Yueling also helped carry the leftovers into the kitchen.

"I'm going to take a shower first," Shen Yueling said as she walked toward the bathroom.

Ever since the first time, she had been taking short-acting contraceptives. She hadn't cleaned up yet after coming downstairs just now.

"Go ahead," Yu Heng responded, standing up and walking into the kitchen.

He watched as Bai Xinran rolled her sleeves up to her elbows, revealing her fair forearms.

He walked over and hugged her from behind.

Bai Xinran's body stiffened for a moment, then relaxed.

"Master..." she whispered.

"Mm." Yu Heng rested his chin on her shoulder. "Thank you for your hard work."

"It's not hard," Bai Xinran said. "This is what I should do."

Yu Heng's hand slipped under the hem of her clothes and pressed against her lower abdomen.

Bai Xinran's hand trembled, and a plate almost slipped out.

"Don't..." she said softly, "I'm washing the dishes..."

"You keep washing yours," Yu Heng said, moving his hand up slightly.

Bai Xinran bit her lip and continued washing the dishes, but her movements slowed down.

"Master..." Bai Xinran asked softly, "do you want it?"