Chapter 366: Obedience Test

She pushed open the door. The master bedroom was lit by a soft, warm yellow glow.

Lin Qingge stepped inside, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

Though it was only a bedroom, it was as large as an entire apartment for an average family.

A balcony, an en suite bathroom, a walk-in closet, a small study…

The sight of it all was a real eye-opener for Lin Qingge.

On the large bed in the center of the room, she saw the bathrobe and pajamas Gu Heng had laid out for her.

The pajamas were a pale yellow silk set. While the style was different from the black silk pajamas Gu Heng wore, she figured they were the same brand.

Lin Qingge’s fingers gently traced over the bathrobe and pajamas, her mind flashing back to everything that had happened between her and Gu Heng in that van that night.

The thought of Gu Heng’s rather formidable endowment, which tonight would be filling…

At the thought, Lin Qingge couldn’t help but bite her lip.

Her bright eyes held a mix of anticipation, nervousness, and longing…

Suddenly, Lin Qingge’s body stiffened slightly.

On the bedside table, she had spotted two black hair ties.

They were obviously a woman’s belongings.

Lin Qingge turned and walked into the en suite bathroom. Staring at the six-meter-long vanity covered with countless makeup and skincare products, she was now certain that a woman was living here long-term with Gu Heng.

‘Who is she?’

‘Gu Heng’s girlfriend?’

‘Or his fiancée?’

Lin Qingge had long known that Gu Heng was a man with many lovers. He had been upfront about his desire for a polyamorous relationship and hadn’t even hidden his intention of having all four of them from her dorm room.

But now, seeing the evidence with her own eyes, she couldn’t stop her imagination from running wild. She felt a strong sense of curiosity about this woman she’d never met, the one who got to live by Gu Heng’s side.

‘As long as he isn’t married, we’re all on equal footing.’

‘You just showed up earlier than me. It’s still not certain who will have the last laugh.’

Looking at the dazzling array of skincare products on the vanity, Lin Qingge’s expression became determined once more.

The college entrance exams were like an army of millions trying to cross a single-plank bridge.

She had managed to stand out among millions of her peers, pouring blood, sweat, and tears into her arts academy entrance exams. How many women could possibly be competing for Gu Heng now?

Even if there were a lot, could there be more of them than the students she’d competed against to get into school?

Lin Qingge was confident. Even if she couldn’t win all of Gu Heng’s heart, she was sure she could at least secure a special place in it.

She slipped out of her clothes, revealing a delicate, snow-white figure.

Barefoot, she stepped into the shower and began to wash herself quickly but thoroughly.

She had to admit, the other woman’s collection of bath products was incredibly comprehensive, even including scented washes for intimate areas.

Lin Qingge didn’t hesitate, using whatever was available.

She had agreed to fifteen minutes, and she would stick to it.

…

Fifteen minutes later, Lin Qingge reappeared before Gu Heng.

Her features were exquisite, her skin fairer than snow, and her vivid, intelligent eyes sparkled with life.

Her jet-black hair fell like a waterfall. She had removed all of her heavy stage makeup from the livestream, replacing it with a more natural, subtle look. Now, standing charmingly before Gu Heng, her crescent eyes crinkled above a gentle smile that felt like a spring breeze.

“Finished washing up?”

Gu Heng beckoned to Lin Qingge. “Come sit.”

“Alright.”

Lin Qingge walked over and sat down right beside Gu Heng.

Fresh from her shower, Lin Qingge smelled as sweet as a delicious little cake.

Only, this scent…

It was strangely familiar.

“Do I smell nice?”

Noticing the look on Gu Heng’s face, Lin Qingge asked playfully.

“Very nice.”

Gu Heng nodded frankly.

“I came so suddenly, I didn’t bring anything with me.”

A look of apprehension appeared on Lin Qingge’s face at just the right moment. “I took the liberty of using some of your sister’s toiletries just now. She won’t get mad at me, will she?”

“What makes you so sure she’s a sister, and not younger than you?”

Gu Heng raised an eyebrow, asking with keen interest.

He had never intended to hide Jiang Ruan’s existence.

Whether it was Jiang Ruan and Luo Xiwen before, or Feng Yao and Lin Qingge now, his core principle had always been the same: I lay my cards on the table; you can take it or leave it.

Stay if you want, leave if you don’t.

In reality, if Gu Heng hadn’t wanted Lin Qingge to see any sign of Jiang Ruan in the house, he’d had four hours that evening to temporarily hide every trace of her.

Or, he could have simply placed the bathrobe and pajamas in a guest suite and had Lin Qingge use that room to shower and change.

He had clear alternatives, yet Gu Heng chose none of them.

Not only did he leave all of Jiang Ruan’s personal items in the master suite untouched, but he also placed the bathrobe and pajamas there, knowing full well that Lin Qingge would discover them.

In short, he had deliberately let her see all of it. It was another one of his compliance tests for Lin Qingge.

And judging by her performance so far, Gu Heng was very satisfied.

“Because girls of different ages have distinctly different preferences for perfume scents and Lipstick shades. Although the sister upstairs has a very complete collection of both, based on how frequently they’re used, she’s likely not under twenty.”

Lin Qingge didn’t hide her analysis, explaining it to Gu Heng frankly.

“You’re quite observant.”

“She is indeed a few years older than you.”

Gu Heng confirmed her guess. “When it comes to perfume, she’s quite fond of woody notes. Young, vibrant girls like you, on the other hand, usually prefer light, sweet scents.”

“Then…”

“Are you and that… sister…”

Lin Qingge blinked, asking tentatively.

“Girlfriend.”

Gu Heng answered calmly.

“The official one?”

Lin Qingge couldn’t help but press.

“What kind of question is that?”

“All of my girlfriends are the real deal!”

Gu Heng did a comical lean-back, then retorted with mock indignation.

Seeing this, Lin Qingge couldn’t help but crack a smile.

“Here.”

“Try this baked crab with cheese. It’s not like those pre-made ones you get outside. This is all real crab meat. Each shell is stuffed with the meat from an entire crab.”

Looking at Lin Qingge’s pure and beautiful smile and listening to the melodious songs from the Spring Festival Gala on TV, Gu Heng felt his mood lift. After four years, to have company on New Year’s Eve without it being a hassle or an imposition on anyone felt genuinely good. “You’re going to expend a lot of energy tonight,” he said. “Eat up.”

“Mm-hm.”

Hearing the slight double entendre in Gu Heng’s last sentence, Lin Qingge blushed. Inwardly, however, she was a little dismissive, thinking it was just a man’s typical bravado.

‘Expend a lot of energy?’

‘Could it possibly be more draining than her daily dance training?’

‘That kind of thing only lasts half an hour at most, right?’

As these thoughts ran through her mind, Lin Qingge used the delicate silver spoon to bring the baked crab with cheese Gu Heng had handed her to her lips. The moment the rich, savory flavor filled her mouth, her eyes lit up.

“Try this steamed large yellow croaker from the East China Sea, too.”

“Eating fish during the New Year ensures you’ll have a surplus every year.”

Gu Heng was the picture of a gentle and attentive host, proactively placing more food on her plate.

“Isn’t this a little too much?”

Looking at the sumptuous New Year’s Eve feast before them—enough to feed ten people with leftovers—Lin Qingge murmured, “There’s only two of us. How can we possibly eat all this?”

“The seafood won’t keep overnight, so we should try to finish it all tonight.”

Gu Heng replied with a smile, “As for the dishes with symbolic meanings, like the pig’s trotters, chicken, Niangao, and steamed pork with rice flour, we can just have a taste. They won’t spoil, so we can heat them up and eat them tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

Lin Qingge thought about how her evening had transformed—from spending New Year’s Eve eating hot pot all alone at home to sharing this lavish feast with Gu Heng. A feeling of immense happiness welled up inside her.

The two ate their dinner, roasting the acts on the Spring Festival Gala as they watched.

To match the festive New Year’s Eve atmosphere, Gu Heng had even opened two auction-grade bottles of vintage red wine.

With fine wine and delicious food, they ate their fill before moving from the dining room to the living room.

Gu Heng had already had several glasses of liquor in the third-floor lounge while he was alone that afternoon. Now, after sharing two bottles of red wine with Lin Qingge, he was starting to feel a bit drunk by the time they finished them.

Lin Qingge’s tolerance for alcohol was much lower than Gu Heng’s to begin with. On other occasions, she was practically a teetotaler, knowing full well that with her looks, getting drunk in public would only attract men with ulterior motives.

But today was different. It was New Year’s Eve, and besides, she and Gu Heng had completely dropped their social barriers. With her guard down, she no longer needed to be so cautious about drinking.

“Gu Heng…”

Her fair cheeks flushed a rosy red, Lin Qingge suddenly turned her head away from the television. She looked at Gu Heng with glistening, lively eyes. “I’m a little cold,” she murmured.

“Cold?”

“It does seem a little chilly.”

“Maybe the housekeeper left a window ajar when she was cleaning this afternoon.”

The entire villa had central heating. Leaving aside the fact that the housekeepers would never make such a rookie mistake, even if a window had been left cracked open, the effect on the villa’s overall temperature would be negligible. There was no way they could feel cold sitting in the living room. Obviously, Lin Qingge’s complaint was just an excuse.

“Then shall we go back to the room?”

Gu Heng suggested, “The master suite has a projector, so we can continue watching the Spring Festival Gala as usual.”

“I’m cold,” she whined softly.

Lin Qingge rested her head gently on Gu Heng’s shoulder. She looked up at him, her exquisite face—barely the size of his palm—tilted towards his. “Carry me,” she purred.

Looking at Lin Qingge’s deeply flushed, innocent face, a faint smile touched Gu Heng’s lips. He wrapped his arms around her, scooped her up, and started walking slowly toward the elevator…