Jian Hang went to the bathroom to take a shower. In the past, she didn’t have enough time and would just wash up as fast as she could. But now during the handover period, she only needed to be at the company before nine o’clock. She had plenty of time, enough to take a good shower. Her hair would be much easier to take care of after being washed.

After taking a shower, she felt much refreshed.

Jian Hang was doing her skin routine in front of the washbasin mirror when Qin Moling called her from outside the bathroom door, “Jian Hang?”

“What’s wrong?” she answered him.

Qin Moling had already washed up and changed his clothes in the second bedroom but she still hasn’t come out of the bathroom yet, so he went to see what was taking her so long. When he opened the bathroom door, Jian Hang only turned her head and looked at him.

She had just taken a shower and hadn’t yet had time to put on her clothes. She was only wearing a bath towel wrapped around her.

Qin Moling couldn’t tell for a moment where her skin stopped and the white towel began.

Jian Hang said calmly, “You go ahead and eat first, no need to wait for me. I don’t have to go to the company early today.”

She hasn’t blow-dried her hair yet. It would take at least half an hour to blow-dry it, put on her clothes, and put on makeup.

Qin Moling was wearing a watch; he unfastened the clasp and took it off.

He came in and closed the bathroom door.

He pulled off her towel, threw it on the table, and placed the watch on it.

Jian Hang looked at him in the mirror. He was wearing black trousers and a white shirt. He should have gone downstairs to eat but instead he came to pick her up.

Qin Moling turned Jian Hang around to face him, picked her up, and sat her on the washstand.

Jian Hang looked up at him. Her hair was wet and a drop of water rolled down from her forehead to the tip of her nose. Qin Moling leaned over and kissed away the water drop on the tip of her nose.

Then the kiss fell on her lips.

Jian Hang also pressed her lips against his a little forcefully and kissed him back, unbuttoning his shirt at the same time.

Qin Moling took her hands away, leaned over, and kissed her all the way down.

Jian Hang suddenly shivered, her brain going blank for a few seconds, as if she had no consciousness at all. His lips brushed across her lower abdomen and continued to kiss down, landing on…

His lips were hot.

Qin Moling lowered his head and gave her all the tenderness he had in this life.

On this sunny morning.

He was happy that she was willing to pursue him.

But he also didn’t want her to take all of the initiative.

Under his lips, Jian Hang all but melted into a puddle of water.

Qin Moling raised his head, stood up, and held her in his arms, letting her recover for a while longer.

Jian Hang thought he would ask for it too, but Qin Moling didn’t make a move. “I have a video conference later,” he said instead.

“Then go downstairs and eat.” She got up from his arms.

Qin Moling’s clothes were neat and tidy, except for the one button that she successfully managed to unbutton earlier. He buttoned it up again with one hand.

He took his watch and left the bathroom, and Jian Hang went to take a shower again. His feelings for her were not love, but he was still willing to please her.

… …

Qin Moling held an overseas video conference in the study. When he came out after the meeting, he ran into Jian Hang in the hallway. Her eyes were bright, deep, and a little moist.

“You haven’t left yet? Don’t you have a meeting?”

“Just finished.”

The two went downstairs together, and no one spoke.

Because last night, she told him that she wanted to pursue him, and because this morning in the bathroom, he lowered himself and kissed her there—there was suddenly a little awkwardness and ambiguity between her and Qin Moling.

It was something so subtle that it was hard to put into words.

It seemed like they were back to when they first moved in together.

But it was even more awkward than when they first moved in together.

… …

While having breakfast, the two sat opposite each other.

Today, Aunt Geng cooked tea eggs for Jian Hang and put two on the plate.

Qin Moling wiped his hands with a wet towel, took a tea egg, peeled it, and put it on the plate in front of her.

At this time, Jian Hang’s cell phone rang. It was Gao Yu calling.

It was only eight o’clock and yet he already called—it must be something important.

Gao Yu was particularly embarrassed at the moment. On one side was Han Shuang, whom he could not afford to offend, and on the other side was Jian Hang, to whom he owed a favor. No matter what he did, he would offend someone.

“I’m afraid you’d be busy at work, so I called you early.”

“What is it, Mr. Gao?”

“Are you free this Friday night? I’d like to host a dinner with you and some friends.”

Jian Hang guessed this meant Han Shuang since she had ignored her last time.

Han Shuang really didn’t understand her. Jian Hang could endure all the grievances she received from big clients, but she also looked down on a boss who was arrogant and condescending.

She refused directly, “Mr. Gao, unfortunately, I don’t have time. I’m busy with the handover and I have to go on a business trip.”

Gao Yu asked, “When are you free?”

Jian Hang smiled, “It’s hard to say. I haven’t been feeling well lately and I’ve been taking care of myself according to the doctor’s advice. If I didn’t have any health problems, I wouldn’t have resigned. When I’m better, I’ll treat you.”

They were all smart people. There were some things that didn’t need to be said; everyone already knew what it meant. Jian Hang said so many words, but to put it bluntly, she was not free any day.

Gao Yu said a few more polite words and hung up.

“Han Shuang wants me to work for her, but I have no such intention, so I refused.” She explained everything to Qin Moling in a few words.

“No matter who asks you to go, if you don’t want to go, just refuse.” Qin Moling thought of what his uncle said to him yesterday, and he decided to ask her what her next plans were, “Have you chosen your next employer?”

Jian Hang said, “I haven’t considered it yet.”

Qin Moling didn’t know that she was planning to change her career, nor did he know which career she was considering changing to.

Based on his understanding of her, she was not the kind of person who had no clear plans and just took matters day to day. It was impossible for her to quit her job without considering where to go next.

Qin Moling only thought of one possibility: that the new employer she was eyeing was an institution on Wall Street, a venture capital institution whose comprehensive strength crushed Yinlin Capital. She was hesitating whether to go abroad.

He dispelled her concerns, “Go wherever you want to go. I’ll take care of your family for you. If you don’t have time to fly back, I’ll go and see you.”

At most he would just have to work a little harder, no big deal.

Marriage First, Love Later translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

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I really think Qin Moling is my favorite ‘domineering’ CEO ❤️

I mislabeled the last posting of this story as ‘7rSecretLove’. Fixed it now. Not sure how you’re tracking updates but FYI just in case you skipped it due to the mislabel.

If you’re enjoying my translations, do consider buying me ko-fi and get access to advance chapters as reward. Thank you for your support! ☺️
Chapter 43.1 — A Thousand Twists and Turns
Chapter 43.2 — A Thousand Twists and Turns