The Heiress's Game

When Bai Junze woke up, the morning light was seeping in through the gaps in the curtains, casting a faint golden hue on the unfamiliar ceiling.

He stared at the ceiling for several seconds before his consciousness slowly returned like a delayed tide—he had slept in the master bedroom last night, not the guest room.

That embarrassing scene, so awkward it made you want to disappear on the spot, actually happened.

The wet dream was real, the wet dream was real, and the soiled sheets were real.

Bai Junze closed his eyes and silently made a gesture deep in his heart, as if he wanted to restart himself.

Before he could fully savor the shame, another, more pressing issue arose—the physiological phenomenon that every man experiences in the morning was reminding him with an undeniable presence that it wouldn't stop just because of special occasions.

It doesn't understand what awkwardness or timing is.

He gritted his teeth and mentally recited all the knowledge points about physiology and hygiene from his middle school textbook, trying to suppress his instinctive impulses with scientific rationality.

But scientific rationality crumbled in the face of another thing—Gu Yunjin was sleeping right next to him.

Gu Yunjin slept next to him, lying on her side with her face towards him. Her long hair was spread out on the off-white pillow, her eyelashes were slightly curled in the morning light, and her breathing was light and even.

She had a faint, clean scent of citrus mixed with floral fragrance that wafted into his nostrils.

The taste was like an invisible feather, starting from the tip of my nose and teasing me all the way to the deepest part of my chest.

He threw off the covers and got out of bed with a light and swift movement, as if fleeing a crime scene.

He went into the bathroom, closed the door, turned on the faucet, braced his hands on the marble countertop, and took several deep breaths with his head down.

This isn't a guest room; this is Gu Yunjin's master bathroom. She usually showers standing up here—as soon as this thought crossed his mind, he immediately turned the tap to cold water.

As the icy water jets poured down, he stood under the showerhead with his eyes closed, shutting out all the inappropriate images from his mind one by one.

Today is the day to get the marriage certificate. He wants to stand there respectably when the Civil Affairs Bureau opens, not like a deserter defeated by hormones.

When he changed his clothes and walked out of the bathroom, he was once again the impeccably dressed Bai Junze.

Gu Yunjin was already seated in the restaurant.

She wore a cream-colored dress, her hair casually draped over her shoulders, and in front of her were two bowls of steaming congee with preserved egg and lean pork, and several plates of delicate side dishes.

She was scooping a spoonful of porridge when she heard his footsteps. She looked up, her eyes crinkling into a smile.

"morning."

"morning."

Bai Junze sat down opposite her, picked up the bowl of porridge, took a couple of bites, and then looked up at her.

"Did you sleep well last night?"

"It's fine, how about you?" Her tone was very natural, as if she were asking how the weather was today.

"...Alright then."

On the way to the Civil Affairs Bureau, Bai Junze held the steering wheel with one hand and reached out to hold her hand with the other.

Her hands were on her knees. When he reached out to hold them, she glanced down, turned her palm over, and intertwined her fingers with his.

No one spoke the rest of the way; only the street scenes of Yunjing outside the car window slowly receded in the morning light.

She leaned back in the passenger seat, occasionally turning her head to look out the window, and occasionally looking down at their clasped hands, a faint smile always on her lips.

Several couples were lined up outside the Civil Affairs Bureau, all holding hands, their faces showing varying degrees of sweetness and nervousness.

When the staff called their names, he stood up and led her into the oath-taking hall adorned with the national emblem. Filling out forms, signing, pressing fingerprints, exchanging oaths—the whole process was simple and solemn, without any unnecessary frills or deliberate sentimentality.

But when he received the two bright red marriage certificates from the staff and opened them to see his and Gu Yunjin's photo printed on the inside pages, with the official seal stamped below their names—his heartbeat suddenly slowed down, so slow that he could clearly feel each contraction and relaxation.

He handed one of the books to Gu Yunjin. She took it, flipped through it for several seconds, then closed it, looked up at him, her eyes sparkling.

He couldn't quite describe the feeling; it was a quiet, grounded satisfaction that flowed slowly from the deepest part of his heart.

Like a river that has flowed for a long time, it finally merges into its own sea.

He reached out and tucked her wind-blown hair behind her ear, then lowered his head slightly to look into her eyes, which were bright in the morning light.

"Mrs. Gu, please guide me for the rest of my life."

Gu Yunjin raised her head, reached out her hand, and gently grasped his fingers hanging at his side.

"Mr. Bai, you too."