My Heart Was in Turmoil

After their passion subsided, the two rested for a moment...

"Husband..." Yue Xiaodan panted heavily from exhaustion, lying there like a lazy little cat as she coquettishly muttered.

"Wifey, don't do that again next time." Li Yang looked smug enough to be both lovable and infuriating.

Xiaodan couldn't be bothered to reason with him. She simply bit Li Yang with her teeth, immediately putting him in his place.

"Ow, I won't dare do it again, wifey!" Li Yang cried out in surrender.

Hehe, Yue Xiaodan lifted her head to admire her handiwork. It looked as though she had given him a strawberry necklace, and she couldn't help covering her mouth as she giggled.

"Wifey, hurry and lie down for a while." Li Yang gently patted Xiaodan and said, "I'll go wash up. We need to be careful too—we can't be careless."

Xiaodan's heart warmed at his words. With a smack, she pecked Li Yang on the lips, then obediently turned over and lay down.

Li Yang fetched some warm water and carefully cleaned Yue Xiaodan up with a towel. Only then did he smile in satisfaction, casually cleaning himself up as well.

"Husband, I can't sleep." Xiaodan wrapped her arms around Li Yang just as he lay down and coquettishly said.

"Then weren't you tired after all that just now?"

"You're so annoying. All you do is make fun of me." Xiaodan pinched Li Yang in displeasure, making him bare his teeth in pain.

"By the way, wifey, since neither of us can sleep, how about I paint your nails with the nail polish I bought you?" Li Yang eagerly volunteered.

"Okay, husband. Make them look pretty." Xiaodan happily wiggled her little feet.

Li Yang then rather professionally took out his tools and got to work, holding Xiaodan's feet with a convincing air.

He first trimmed them with nail clippers, then slowly and evenly painted them one by one. He even thoughtfully blew on them gently to help the polish on her toenails dry faster.

"Husband, they're so pretty!" Xiaodan looked at how pleasing Li Yang had made all ten of her toes and felt overjoyed.

"Wifey, there's still some left. Let me do your fingernails too, or it'll go to waste."

"Okay, husband." Yue Xiaodan pouted and held out her hands for Li Yang to work on.

After everything was done, the hot weather dried it all in no time.

Li Yang still checked it again uneasily before finally lying back down.

"Husband, you're amazing." Yue Xiaodan held out her little feet and kept showing them off in front of Li Yang. "Husband, I really like this color."

"Of course. I like it too." Li Yang pulled her into his arms and gently comforted her.

"Sleep, wifey. I still have to take you to catch the bus tomorrow." Yue Xiaodan looked at the watch on Li Yang's wrist. "Oh no, no wonder. Hurry up, let's sleep, husband." With that, she nestled into Li Yang's arms as usual, letting him hold her as she slowly fell asleep.

Li Yang was afraid she might catch a chill, so he pulled over a thin blanket to cover her. Only then did he contentedly hold her and go to sleep.

The ceiling fan above them spun without pause, bringing the two a pleasant coolness...

Early the next morning, Li Yang quietly got up and bought Yue Xiaodan several kinds of breakfast she liked. Only then did he wake her to eat. Touched by Li Yang's warmth, Xiaodan clung to him and acted coquettishly for quite a while before getting up to wash.

That morning, Xiaodan spent a long time making herself look beautiful. She even stood in front of Li Yang, vainly making him praise her for ages before eating in satisfaction. The only problem was that the marks Li Yang had left on her fair neck were a little too conspicuous.

Yue Xiaodan looked exceptionally beautiful in her professional skirt suit. Li Yang walked down the street holding her little hand, delighted beyond measure.

He bought Xiaodan a big bag of snacks at a roadside supermarket, worried that she often failed to eat properly.

"Take good care of yourself, or I'll go to Yiyang and teach you a lesson. Hear me?" Li Yang reminded Yue Xiaodan with a deliberately stern expression.

"Got it, husband. Come see me when you're off work, okay? You know my dorm room is a single room. Do you want to come, husband?" Yue Xiaodan wore a seductive smile that made Li Yang want nothing more than to take her right there.

"Can I go every day, wifey?" Li Yang couldn't help wrapping an arm around her slender waist as he teased.

"You still need to earn money to marry me, husband. Don't slack off. My mom isn't easy to fool." Thinking of that difficult woman gave Yue Xiaodan a headache. At that moment, she suddenly wondered whether Li Yang could pass her mother's test.

The two stood at the bus stop at the intersection of Nanchang Road and Heluo Road, waiting for the minibus to Yiyang.

"Husband, remember to come home with me for Mid-Autumn Festival. Go make yourself familiar with them first, and things will be easier afterward." Yue Xiaodan anxiously reminded Li Yang.

"Got it, wifey. Let me kiss you properly before you run off again." Ignoring the gazes of everyone around them, the two shared another deep kiss...

At last, Li Yang watched Yue Xiaodan get on the bus and slowly leave. Their eyes met as they kept waving, saying goodbye with great reluctance...

When Li Yang returned to the shop, he became listless as well. He realized that he was growing more and more unable to live without Yue Xiaodan. They often ate, shopped, played around, and slept together happily. Without realizing it, they had become each other's habit, and being suddenly separated was truly hard to accept.

He finally made it to the end of work. Li Yang absentmindedly changed clothes, clocked out, and walked out of the store.

With Yue Xiaodan not at home, Li Yang didn't want to go back alone. Seeing their little nest would only make him miss her more.

I should go home anyway, Li Yang thought as he headed toward the bus stop on West Garden Road.

"Li Yang, wait for me!" Jiang Manman happily chased after him in high heels. Li Yang pretended not to hear her, wanting to tease her a little.

A fragrant breeze suddenly swept over him. Jiang Manman domineeringly jumped onto Li Yang's back, nearly knocking him over.

Hehe, are your ears broken? You couldn't hear me shouting like that? Were you so absorbed in thinking about your wifey?

Whenever Jiang Manman saw Li Yang, she felt inexplicably happy. Ever since they had gotten intimate on the bus that time, she had suddenly developed a bit of a crush on him.

Girls really were strange. The more seriously someone pursued them, the less likely they were to return the affection.

Li Yang often teased Jiang Manman while acting like a little hooligan. Who would have thought that by sheer accident, he had stirred up this girl's romantic feelings?

"Why are you so heavy?" Li Yang casually said as he pretended to struggle while supporting Jiang Manman.

"You're so annoying! I only weigh a hundred pounds, okay?" Jiang Manman coquettishly pounded Li Yang's back with her little fists.

"Why aren't you being all lovey-dovey with Xiaodan?" Jiang Manman lay on Li Yang's back and refused to get down, letting him carry her toward the bus stop.

"Don't mention it. She just came back, and now she's gone again. She has to intern as an Assistant Shop Manager for a month before she can return."

"Oh, so that's how it is." Hearing that, Jiang Manman couldn't help smiling, her expression as sly as a fox that had stolen a bite.

"Then you can play with me. I'm alone too, just like you. Come on, let's go home together."

Jiang Manman patted Li Yang's cheek and urged him to hurry up...

"Hey! Li Yang, you hooligan! Why are you touching me?" Jiang Manman grabbed Li Yang's ear and interrogated him.

"Who wants to touch you? You climbed up here yourself. If I don't hold you, should I touch your face instead? Silly girl." Jiang Manman shyly lay there without saying another word.

"Get down. I'm exhausted." Sweat had appeared on Li Yang's forehead as he looked at Jiang Manman suspiciously. "I seriously doubt the accuracy of your weight."

"Believe it or not!" Jiang Manman pouted and jumped down from Li Yang's back.

Li Yang let out a breath of relief, then raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

"Then what would make you believe me..." Jiang Manman blinked her big eyes and looked innocently at Li Yang.

"Unless you weigh yourself on a scale, then I'll believe you." Li Yang raised his eyebrows and smiled.

"Hmph, I'm not falling for that." Jiang Manman crossed her arms and turned her head away.

"Haha, all right, I won't tease you anymore." Li Yang rubbed Jiang Manman's hair. "But you'd better eat less from now on, or I won't be able to carry you."

"Got it!" Jiang Manman shot Li Yang a glare. "By the way, how about I treat you to ice cream? Hurry, hurry!"

The Route 50 Bus slowly pulled up. The two quickly got on, Li Yang helping to drop in the fare while Jiang Manman smartly ran to the back and quickly found a seat.

Before long, the bus was packed as tightly as a can of sardines, with no room to breathe.

"Li Yang, come over here." Jiang Manman waved to Li Yang and had him come to her side.

"You sit, Li Yang." Jiang Manman stood up and pulled Li Yang down into the seat.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony." Li Yang thought she was going to stand for a while, but this girl truly didn't treat him like an outsider. She sat right on his lap, looked down at him, and said with a giggle, "Hehe, this is more comfortable!"

"I really don't know what to do with you. A young girl like you should pay attention to how this looks." Li Yang put on a stern act as he lectured her.

"Hmph, none of your business. I'm happy, and if you dare say another word, I'll bite you." As she spoke, she deliberately bared her cute little canine teeth to scare Li Yang.

"Can't be bothered with you." Li Yang rolled his eyes and ignored her, closing his eyes and leaning back against the seat to rest.

No one knew how long had passed before they heard the driver announce that they had reached the terminal. Only then did the two slowly open their eyes. Jiang Manman had fallen asleep against Li Yang's shoulder, and at some point, Li Yang's arm had ended up around her slender waist.

"I see you were holding me pretty tightly. Come on, let's get off and buy ice cream." Jiang Manman smiled as she teased him.

Li Yang couldn't be bothered to argue. His hand mischievously smacked Jiang Manman just as she stood up, and then he quickly ran off. The two started laughing and chasing each other again.

"Li Yang, is it good?" Jiang Manman slowly ate her ice cream with a spoon.

"Not good." Though Li Yang said that, he immediately scooped up a huge mouthful.

"Then try mine. It's really good!" Jiang Manman scooped up a spoonful of her ice cream and held it to Li Yang's mouth.

Li Yang didn't stand on ceremony and swallowed it in one bite. "It's nothing special. This stuff isn't as good as a bottle of beer," he replied with a curl of his lip.

After a few bites, he finished the ice cream in the empty cup and threw it into a roadside trash can.

Jiang Manman's phone suddenly rang. It was her mother calling.

"What's up, Mom?" Jiang Manman spoke fluent Luoyang dialect.

"Your dad and I went back to our hometown for the holiday. Tomorrow is Dragon Boat Festival, so eat by yourself at home. We won't be back tonight. Go to bed early, and if you dare run around outside, I'll break your legs when I get back. Got it?"

"Okay, Mom. I'm already twenty-five, and you still treat me like a child. You and Dad have fun. Happy holiday, bye!" Jiang Manman hung up and jumped up excitedly.

"Did you eat bee poop or pick up money? Why are you acting like a lunatic?" Li Yang curiously asked.

"I'm free! Li Yang, hahaha!" Jiang Manman couldn't stop dancing with excitement, leaving Li Yang utterly confused.

"Free? What do you mean?" Li Yang still didn't understand.

"Idiot! My parents aren't home, so I can play however I want tonight!" Jiang Manman said proudly, hands on her hips.

"So what..." Before Li Yang could finish, Jiang Manman cut him off.

"Let's go sing at KTV tonight!" Jiang Manman's eyes lit up as she looked at Li Yang expectantly.

"Uh... all right." Li Yang had wanted to refuse, but seeing how excited Jiang Manman was, he could only agree. "But I can't sing."

"It doesn't matter. Just sing a couple of lines. Having fun is what matters most!" Jiang Manman pulled Li Yang toward the KTV.

That evening, they didn't even eat dinner. They directly ordered a huge table full of food and drinks and started drinking to their hearts' content.

One was single, while the other was in a long-distance relationship. Their similar moods came together, so naturally they had an incredible time.

After they had drunk enough, Li Yang took Jiang Manman home. Her house was beautifully decorated. Since she was the family's only precious daughter, her parents naturally didn't have to worry about saving money for a son's marriage or bride price.

Li Yang sat in Jiang Manman's living room for a while, boredly watching the beautiful large flat-screen television there.

Jiang Manman changed into slippers, went into her room to get pajamas, then entered the bathroom to shower. The coffee table held the snacks the two hadn't finished. Miss Jiang had paid for everything that night, while Li Yang had only enjoyed himself from start to finish.

"Li Yang, can you stay tonight?" Fresh from the bath and carrying a captivating fragrance, Jiang Manman crouched beside the sofa and gently asked Li Yang, who was leaning there and nearly asleep.

Hearing Jiang Manman's words, Li Yang instantly woke up. Looking at the sexy and charming Jiang Manman before him, his heart began to race uncontrollably.

"I... I should go back." Li Yang said with a flushed face. Though he was reluctant, he knew it wasn't appropriate.

"Why?" Jiang Manman asked in confusion. "Don't you want to be with me?" She walked to Li Yang's side and gently wrapped her arms around his neck.

Feeling Jiang Manman's warm breath, Li Yang's body stiffened slightly. He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately made up his mind and pushed her away.

"Manman, we can't do this. I'm afraid I'll hurt you. It wouldn't be fair to you either," Li Yang said seriously.

Jiang Manman showed a trace of disappointment, but quickly recovered her smile. At that moment, she felt more certain than ever that liking Li Yang had not been a mistake.

"All right, then go back. Be careful on the road and stay safe. But thank you for spending today with me. I was very happy," Jiang Manman said.

Li Yang nodded, then left Jiang Manman's home. On the way back, his heart was in turmoil. He knew he had feelings for Jiang Manman, but he didn't know whether those feelings were friendship or love.