Deep Affection Temptation

"Hey, has your husband returned to the country?" Lin Yuxi had just completed a retinal detachment surgery. As she exited the operating room, disinfected, and turned on her phone, Yu Jiaxiao's call came through. "I was wondering why you didn't respond when I asked you out for dinner today. Your husband came back, and you didn't even tell me." Lin Yuxi closed the storage locker door and walked out. "I just got off the operating table. I didn't know he was coming back today." "What?" Yu Jiaxiao's straightforwardness showed, "That jerk didn't even inform you he's back?" Lin Yuxi: "When did he ever inform me?" Six months after their marriage, Zhou Yanqing went to New York without discussing it with Lin Yuxi. He came back once or twice a year, and each time she only found out when he landed. Zhou Yanqing indeed had a brilliant mind. In just a few years, the investment bank he founded, Boyu, created a Chinese legend on Wall Street. At 27, he was listed among the 50 most influential figures in global finance and had appeared on the cover of *The Banker* magazine. Lin Yuxi learned all this from financial news. "Wow, your husband made the news when he returned to the country. The young women at our company have been talking about it for half a day, and you didn't know?" Yu Jiaxiao sent a screenshot of a headline, commenting, "Look, setting aside his personality, your husband is damn handsome!" The Zhou family, a top-tier wealthy family in Lincheng, has always been a focal point for local financial media. Zhou Yanqing's movements in recent years have been even more of a focus, with domestic media knowing more about his whereabouts than Lin Yuxi, his wife. The photo was taken at the airport. A Gulfstream G650 private jet was parked in a dedicated spot on the tarmac, and a tall man was descending the stairs. Zhou Yanqing's face couldn't be described with just the word "handsome." His features were chiseled, with deep-set eyes and a pronounced nose, making him strikingly handsome under the bright afternoon sun. His well-tailored suit accentuated his broad shoulders and long legs, exuding innate elegance. His assistant, a step behind, reported something to him, while a secretary followed with a suitcase, looking serious. Zhou Yanqing, however, appeared languid, perhaps tired from the long flight, his side profile showing a hint of boredom. Lin Yuxi looked at the photo. Zhou Yanqing was back? She found out later than Yu Jiaxiao. "So you're definitely not coming out for dinner tonight," Yu Jiaxiao grumbled. "I just got my bonus and wanted to treat you." Lin Yuxi said, "Don't worry, I'll treat you another day." After hanging up, Lin Yuxi realized it was already dark outside. She had been busy all day and hadn't eaten, her stomach growling. She quickly took a taxi back to their villa in Songyun Bay. With a busy schedule and a housekeeper at home, Lin Yuxi rarely cooked, especially since she had little talent for it. Zhou Yanqing's return was ill-timed; she had just fired the housekeeper. It would be inappropriate if there was no meal ready when he came home. Lin Yuxi followed online recipes to cook a few dishes. After nearly two hours of fussing, the food was on the table, but Zhou Yanqing still hadn't come back. She waited at the dining table for almost another hour before calling him, but he didn't answer. He didn't reply to her WeChat messages either. Her hunger passed, and she no longer felt it. At ten o'clock, Zhou Yanqing still hadn't come home. She wondered whether to put away the now cold food and idly checked her Moments, seeing a post from Shi Tang. The caption was just two words: "Welcome back." Lin Yuxi opened the photo, recognizing a club setting, with all of Zhou Yanqing's friends there. Zhou Yanqing was in the picture too. He had taken off his suit jacket, his expensive shirt unbuttoned at the top, looking more relaxed and casual. The photo angle caught Zhou Yanqing's side, showing his long legs crossed, a hand elegantly holding a cigarette. A woman in a tight mini-skirt leaned close, looking at him with affectionate eyes. Zhou Yanqing seemed very relaxed, a slight smile at the corner of his lips. Lin Yuxi closed Moments, picked up her chopsticks, and started eating the cold food. After cleaning up the kitchen, she went to bed. In a private club box, everyone was happy to welcome Zhou Yanqing back. Shi Tang poured him a glass of wine. "Bro, cheers to your return!" It was a bottle of Hennessy Centenary Jubilee, a top-tier cognac, a limited edition not available on the market. Old Master Shi had treasured it for years, reluctant to drink it, but his dutiful grandson stole it to welcome his good friend. "Are you staying this time?" Zhou Yanqing leaned back lazily on the sofa. "Do you want me to leave?" "Of course not. I miss you every day!" A friend beside them laughed, "Shi Tang is more infatuated with you than your wife, thinking about you every day." Shi Tang kicked him, "Shut up!" Zhou Yanqing, holding a carved glass, patted Shi Tang's head. "What do you want with me, itchy butt?" "More like my grandpa hits me every day." Shi Tang said, "It's boring without you." "By the way, where's your wife? She didn't come today?" someone asked. Shi Tang said carelessly, "We're drinking, why would we call her? Such a buzzkill." Everyone knew about Zhou Yanqing and Lin Yuxi's relationship, knowing he had no feelings for her. Their marriage was like it didn't exist, and they never regarded Lin Yuxi as Mrs. Zhou. The woman sitting next to Zhou Yanqing picked up on this and asked him, "Second Young Master, you're married?" Zhou Yanqing raised an eyebrow, taking a drag of his cigarette with a faint smile. "Is my wedding ring not bright enough?" Only then did the woman notice the wedding ring on his finger. Raising his hand caused his collar to open slightly, light sneaking in, revealing half of his collarbone, the other half hidden in the shadow under his collar. Lazy and seductive. The woman blushed, curious about what kind of woman had the fortune to be his wife. "What kind of person is your wife?" Zhou Yanqing leaned casually on the sofa. "My wife?" A thin layer of laughter in his brown pupils gave an illusion of deep affection. "Not as pretty as you." Any woman, being looked at like that and complimented, would be moved. The woman's heart pounded, like a fawn jumping. "Don't listen to him, there's no woman in Lincheng prettier than his wife," someone ruthlessly burst her bubble. She looked at Zhou Yanqing. He lazily bit his cigarette, a casual smile on his lips, not denying it. The woman's heart rose and fell, realizing he was just teasing her. Zhou Yanqing seemed tired, too lazy to do much. He put out his cigarette in his wine glass, grabbed his coat, and stood up. Shi Tang, who was pouring him another drink, was surprised. "Leaving so early?" Zhou Yanqing looked uninterested. "I'm tired. You guys enjoy." Lin Yuxi, accustomed to sleeping with a light on, was woken by the sound of someone entering the room. In the dim light, she saw the tall figure of a man standing with his back to her, looking into the wardrobe mirror. The faint smell of alcohol lingered in the air. Lin Yuxi sat on the bed in a daze for a while before fully waking up. It had been over half a year since they last met. Even his back seemed unfamiliar. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?" Zhou Yanqing glanced at her. Lin Yuxi, sleepy and wearing a loose nightgown, sat on the bed. The thin straps were about to slip off her shoulders. Her skin was naturally white. Even during school military training, a week under the scorching sun only made her slightly red, which quickly faded. The misty purple nightgown made her look like a fragile piece of porcelain, with a delicate collarbone and a translucent jade peace pendant hanging from her neck. Zhou Yanqing unbuttoned his shirt with one hand. "What, hiding someone at home?" Lin Yuxi had wanted to ask why he didn't inform her, but his comment left her speechless, her sleepy brain unable to react. Zhou Yanqing didn't seem interested in her answer, taking his pajamas into the bathroom to shower. Lin Yuxi sat on the bed for a while, listening to the sound of water, slowly waking up completely.