Chapter 1

Chapter 1

In the end, I couldn’t hold myself back that night.

My wife’s beauty had long since faded, and I had been pouring all my energy into my career. It had been a long time since I’d felt such a sense of unbridled release.

Afterward, I rested my hand on Xin Nan’s waist and asked her, “What do you want?”

Xin Nan stared blankly at the ceiling.

“Someone once told me that for kids from the countryside like us, the highest-ranking person we’ll ever encounter in our lives is our university mentor.”

“I didn’t want to believe in fate. I sent out resume after resume. They would grant me interviews out of respect for you, but most of the questions they asked were about you. Once they realized our relationship was nothing special, every single application would vanish into thin air.”

“To this day, I haven’t received a single job offer.”

“Professor, I want to join EZ. I’ll trade the most important thing I have for it.”

“It was my first time.”

Under the dim, hazy light, I studied Xin Nan carefully.

Admittedly, she was beautiful; otherwise, she couldn’t have enticed me into breaking my principles. On that lovely face, there was a mix of half-misery and half-resolve.

The misery was her lost innocence; the resolve was her ambition.

I got dressed.

Before leaving, I said to Xin Nan, “You’ll get what you want. You’ll receive an offer from EZ tomorrow.”

I held a great deal of prestige in the industry. Getting Xin Nan into EZ was nothing more than a matter of a single phone call for me.

After I finished the call, I realized my wife was staring straight at me.

Her expression was gentle, but her words were sharp.

“You never used to involve yourself in these kinds of matters.”

“What’s different today?”

“Is there something special about this student?”

“I think I saw her once at the university gala.”

“She’s very beautiful. It’s only natural you’d be so attentive. I…”

“That’s enough.”

I cut my wife off before she could finish.

“Life is already hard enough for kids from the countryside.”

“Besides, her grades are actually quite good. I’m just giving her a helping hand.”

“Is there a problem with that?”

My wife looked at me in shock.

I rarely spoke to her in such a sharp tone. But today, for some reason, looking at her sagging cheeks and her stunned expression filled me with intense irritation.

I couldn’t help but recall Xin Nan’s fair, youthful body and the look of panic on her face when I entered her.

I couldn’t resist going to see Xin Nan again.

She smoothed her hair, her voice exceptionally calm.

“Professor, a one-time transaction is an act of desperation.”

“But if it continues like that, there’s no difference between me and a common prostitute.”

After saying this, Xin Nan gave me a deep bow.

“Professor, despite what happened between us, I still believe you are a man of noble character and integrity.”

“Unless I am willing, you wouldn’t force me, would you?”

After Xin Nan left, I toyed with my paper cup.

Yes, unless she was willing, I wouldn’t force her. However, I had plenty of ways to make her willing.

Xin Nan was gambling on my character.

And I was gambling on her breaking point.