All he knew was that a fire had ignited within him, searing its way through his limbs.
It left his mouth dry and his throat parched.
It made his stomach clench.
On the other side of a partition screen, Chen Minrou remained oblivious. Her hand went to the sash at her waist, and with a gentle tug, her long dress slid to the floor.
Zhao Shijie's back went rigid. He hastily averted his gaze, turning to look out the window.
The fair skin of his neck and ears flushed red from suppressed desire.
When Chen Minrou emerged in her riding habit and saw his state, she thought he was feigning shyness. Her brows furrowed in annoyance.
'He's twenty-five or twenty-six, yet he's still acting like a boy of seventeen or eighteen.'
She pretended not to notice, turning her face away as she announced, "I'm going out with Yaoyao for a while. You can get back to your work."
He had recently been reinstated and was swamped with work.
Yet he still seized every opportunity to appear before her.
