Boundary - Chapter 1

When the sensor light in the entryway flickered on, Jin Nanting finally saw what had nearly tripped him—a black low-heeled women’s shoe lying right in the middle of the entryway, while its partner was sprawled a couple of steps away in a completely different position.

He let out a silent sigh, tucked his briefcase under his arm, and opened the built-in closet door. After bending down to pick up the two shoes, he placed them in the shoe cabinet and then took off his own leather shoes, setting them aside. Gu Yetong was petite, but due to her job, she mostly wore flat shoes. She wasn’t one for flashy designs or luxury brands, opting instead for practical, custom-made lambskin loafers. And he was the same—never too concerned with appearances, always prioritizing practicality.

Looking at the two pairs of black leather shoes, one large and one small, placed side by side, Jin Nanting unconsciously let a faint smile tug at the corner of his lips. He walked past the Snow Mountain Fox marble partition wall and entered the black-and-white-themed living room. The couple now lived in the penthouse of their own development, located in the heart of the city. Occupying the last riverside spot in the city center, the property had sold out immediately upon its launch last year, defying market trends. This penthouse had originally been a show unit and wasn’t intended for sale, but when their planned marital home fell through, they moved in here instead.

As a show unit, the apartment was exquisitely decorated with luxurious materials, though it lacked a distinct design style. And precisely because of that, he had chosen it.

Practicality—that was all that mattered.

Unsurprisingly, a black women’s blazer was casually draped over the beige leather sofa. He picked it up, smoothed it out, and neatly laid it over the back of the sofa. Then he took off his own suit jacket, loosened his tie, and placed them next to hers.

Walking across the Italian-imported Jingya Brown marble floor, he passed through the living room, first dropping off his briefcase with his laptop in the study, and then made his way to the master bedroom at the end of the hallway. The lady of the house had carelessly forgotten to close the blackout curtains before bed, and the morning light filtered through the sheer curtains, allowing him to make out the outlines of the room’s contents. At that moment, his wife was sleeping, as usual, on the side closest to the window, her face turned toward the door, hugging a pillow in her arms.

His pillow.

His heart gave a gentle tug.

He walked around the king-sized bed to her side and sat down softly, gazing at her. From what was visible above the covers, Gu Yetong was still wearing her silk work blouse. Her short, ear-length hair was almost completely covering her face due to her side-sleeping position. Jin Nanting reached out and gently brushed her hair aside, tucking it behind her ear to get a better look at her face, wondering if she was as exhausted as he imagined. But her silky hair slipped back almost immediately, causing the sleeping woman to let out a soft murmur.

Gu Yetong turned her head slightly, her cheek nuzzling against his palm.

Like a kitten enjoying its owner’s affection.

Jin Nanting knew all too well that only when she was half-asleep would his wife let down her guard and reserve, allowing herself to be this affectionate and docile. He wanted to freeze this moment, to keep it at his fingertips, but he couldn’t resist leaning down to kiss the corner of her lips. The woman turned toward him, and a pair of bare legs slipped out from under the sheets, their pale skin stark against the navy-blue bedding.

The man felt his breathing grow heavier.

There was more than one way to keep her from waking up, wasn’t there?

Her long, thick lashes fluttered slightly as she opened her eyes a sliver. “What time is it?”

Her starry eyes hadn’t yet focused, as if she were seeing him, or perhaps just asking the figure in her dream. Her voice wasn’t the delicate, soft tone of most women, but a rich, velvety alto. In her drowsy state, it carried a hint of smoky allure, like a fine red wine.

“Almost seven,” the man replied, unbuckling his belt and placing it on the bedside table, where he noticed her trousers lying haphazardly. But at that moment, he had no intention of tidying up. He rolled up his sleeves, undoing the cuffs.

“Hmm… why are you back so early…” There probably weren’t many newlywed wives in the world who would complain about their husband coming home early after a week-long business trip.

She turned away from him, hugging the pillow even tighter to her chest, her legs lifting slightly to clamp around it.

Right now, it should be him between her legs.

“The late-night flight saved time,” he replied. Indeed, for long trips, he always preferred taking red-eye flights, catching up on sleep during the flight so he could hit the ground running as soon as he landed.

Just as he was about to do now.

The man leaned down, scooped his wife up from the bed, and deftly pulled the pillow from her arms. “Let’s take a shower first, then you can go back to sleep.”

She hadn’t even changed into her pajamas or removed her makeup. How late had she gotten home last night?

“Just a little longer… I’ll shower later…” She tried to slump back into bed. Unlike him, she had high standards for both the duration and quality of her sleep. Even on a normal schedule, this was still too early for her to wake up. But the man didn’t let her have her way. He slid his hands under her arms and lifted her straight up from the bed.

“Jin Nanting!” she protested, her voice tinged with annoyance. She was still half-asleep, leaning against him, but her body had already begun to resist his grip.

The man ignored her, steering her toward the master bathroom.

Let her complain now—she’d have plenty more to say later.