Chapter 31: He Is Truly No Good Man

Just then, the phone rang.

The call was timely, forcibly pulling He Shinian’s almost uncontrollable consciousness back. Lin Anyan seemed startled by the ringing; her face flushed even deeper. She stood up, pulling away from He Shinian’s lap.

The call was from a township head, who exchanged some polite pleasantries before expressing a wish to pay a visit when convenient. He Shinian gave a few non-committal replies and hung up. Disturbed by the interruption, the heat that had been clouding his mind dissipated, and he quickly regained his composure.

"I have some matters to attend to, so I’ll be heading back. You should get some rest, too."

Lin Anyan was clearly taken aback. From the moment she had agreed to have dinner with him, she had made up her mind; her golden harvest was ripe. Since it was destined to be reaped sooner or later, she thought, why not let He Shinian do it tonight? She never expected that with such a tempting beauty before him—a feast for the eyes—He Shinian would choose to walk away at the final moment.

Blocking his path, she spoke in a soft, seductive voice, "Senior, am I not gentle enough, or not pretty enough to catch your eye?"

He Shinian wanted to say, *You are not only beautiful but incredibly alluring, but I am afraid!* Instead, he said, "It’s not that. Look, I have a girlfriend. I cannot betray her, nor can I do that to you."

Lin Anyan stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. Feeling the defined, taut muscles beneath her hands, she paused for a moment. "Senior, your physique is amazing!" she murmured, unconsciously tracing the lines of his body.

He Shinian remained silent.

With a breath as fragrant as orchids, she continued, "What man in this world doesn't stray? I know men better than anyone—they are greedy for power, and even greedier for women."

A wave of numbness surged through him, and his heart hammered against his ribs.

"Senior, don't you want to reap the harvest? If you want to, you can do it whenever you like." As she spoke, she leaned in, pressing her soft, full curves against him.

At this critical juncture, He Shinian lifted his hands to steady her shoulders. "Anyan, you’ve had too much to drink. Go home and get some rest. I’m leaving." Without another word, he pushed open the door and hurried out of the room.

He was terrified that if he stayed, he would truly lose control. At the same time, he realized that Lin Anyan’s willingness to offer herself was surely driven by a motive, and a significant one at that. He Shinian’s career was currently on a brilliant trajectory, and he did not want—nor could he afford—to give anyone leverage regarding his personal conduct.

Once outside, he took a deep breath and climbed onto his bike, the fire of desire gradually cooling within him.

When he returned home, Qiao Yina had not yet arrived. He stripped off his clothes and stepped into the bathroom for a cold shower. After stepping out, just as he was about to call her, he heard the sound of a car and saw lights flickering downstairs. He walked to the window and saw Qiao Yina stepping out of Feng Anping’s car.

His expression darkened, and a surge of violent anger welled up within him.

When Qiao Yina opened the door, she clearly hadn't expected He Shinian to be home so early. "Shinian? You said you had a business dinner. Why are you back so early?" she asked, putting down her keys with a casual tone.

"I’m not back early; otherwise, how could I have witnessed the show downstairs?" He Shinian’s voice was cold.

"Downstairs? What show?" Qiao Yina frowned, then realized what he meant. "Are you talking about Feng Anping dropping me off?"

He Shinian let out a scoff. "Don't you want to give me a clear explanation?"

"Explanation? For what?" Qiao Yina asked, confused. "I was working overtime at the office. I happened to run into him when I left, and he offered to give me a ride. I told him it wasn't necessary, but he insisted. I didn't want to make things awkward, so I got in his car."

"Is it really that simple?"

"Yes, what else did you think?"

"You didn't want to make him feel awkward, but let me tell you, you’ve made me feel quite awkward."

Hearing this, Qiao Yina walked over, wrapped her arms around his neck, and smoothed his damp hair. Pouting, she said, "Shinian, are you jealous? Hehe, you look so cute when you're jealous."

He Shinian remained silent.

"Alright, alright, don't be angry. I promise, I won't ride in his car again." She kissed his cheek and smiled.

The anger lodged in He Shinian’s chest dissipated somewhat because of that kiss, but he remained stern. "In the future, keep your distance from Feng Anping. He is not a good person."

Qiao Yina playfully pinched his high, straight nose. "Yes, yes, I know!"

"By the way, Feng Anping mentioned he wanted to visit you. I told him you weren't home, and he said he’d try another time."

He Shinian said, "Tell him not to come. I don't want to see him, and there is no need for it."

Qiao Yina replied, "I know, but he is the deputy director of my department. If I refuse him outright, it would be embarrassing for him. I just told him we’d see if there’s a chance later."

He Shinian was silent for a moment. "Yina, why don't I find a way to get you transferred to another department? Don't stay at the Transportation Bureau."

Qiao Yina was puzzled. "Why? I’m doing very well at the Transportation Bureau!"

"In any case, I will handle it. Anywhere else is fine, just not there."

"I won't. Ninghai County is in its years of infrastructure construction, so there's plenty of work. Our benefits and bonuses are great; it’s almost double my salary."

He Shinian sighed. "Have you heard the saying, 'Small temples breed big demons, and small ponds are full of turtles'? The Transportation Bureau is exactly like that."

"No... Shinian, is this because of Feng Anping? I’m telling you, everything between us is strictly professional. There is nothing going on, so please stop being so suspicious."

"Besides, we are already twenty-seven or twenty-eight. Marriage is just around the corner, and marriage brings expenses—a house, a car... all of that requires money."

"Housing prices in Ninghai County go up every year. If we don't save up for a down payment now, later on, forget about buying a house—we won't even be able to afford a bathroom."

"I think the place we live in now is just fine. It’s the one my mother left me; it’s more precious than anything. Why must we insist on buying a new place?"

"This place?" Qiao Yina pointed at the ceiling, frowning. "This is an old building from the nineties. You don't actually expect to use this as our marital home, do you?"

"Why not?"

"Of course not! If we do that, I’ll be the laughingstock of my colleagues and friends."

"The house belongs to us. As long as it's comfortable and we're happy, why care about the opinions of others?"

Qiao Yina let go of him and stood up, looking a bit angry. "He Shinian, we’ve been together for six years. I’m not asking for much, but you should at least respect and understand my wishes regarding our living conditions."

"I want a new home with an elevator, property management, security, a community atmosphere, and scenery outside my window. Not like now, where I step out to a wet market and see a trash bin. Is that too much to ask?"

Seeing that Qiao Yina was becoming agitated, He Shinian sighed. She did have a point.

"I just don't want you in the same department as Feng Anping. He really is not a good person."