The next day, when Xu Yinsheng woke up, Zhao Yicheng had already left for work. Glancing at the clock, it was just past 10 o’clock.
On the bed lay a breakfast that had gone cold—a sandwich paired with milk, perfectly matching her taste.
Xu Yinsheng half-heartedly ate the breakfast, then headed to the bathroom.
She turned on the shower; warm water cascaded down from above.
Closing her eyes, she savored the sensation, letting the water wash away the scent left behind by Zhao Yicheng on her body.
After soaking in the bath and flushing out everything Zhao Yicheng had left inside her, Xu Yinsheng, still young, had no intention of becoming a wife so soon.
She changed into a clean set of clothes and went downstairs.
The living room was empty; no one was there.
She found a package on the sofa with a note in Zhao Yicheng’s handwriting.
It basically said the package contained workout tight clothes he had left for her, so she could exercise at home without worry.
If she wanted anything to eat, she could message him.
He had a lot to handle these days, so coming home late or even not at all was normal—don’t overthink it…
Though the words sounded caring, Xu Yinsheng read between the lines a veiled threat from Zhao Yicheng:
Stay obediently at home.
Don’t think about running away.
Tearing the note to pieces, she tossed them into the trash.
Looking at several sets of black workout tights in various sizes on the sofa, she sighed helplessly.
When would this kind of life ever end?
Monday.
Failure.
Tuesday.
Less oil, less spice.
Wednesday.
Flipped through fitness books and made a workout plan.
For the first time, challenged herself to 500 squats on a blank slate.
Adjusted the goal: 200 jump ropes in the morning, 200 in the afternoon, 50 sit-ups at night, and dietary changes.
Plan failed.
Gave in to cravings at noon and ate sweet and sour ribs.
Slept right after dinner without doing sit-ups.
Pinned Zhao Yicheng’s photo in the gym, took a bite whenever free.
Effect: Outstanding.
Xu Yinsheng lay on the bed, pouting.
Her fingers were fair and slender, as smooth as scallions.
The pen tip scratched across the paper, sometimes pausing for a few seconds before continuing to write.
Fitness Diary, Week 2, Wednesday morning.
Last night, Zhao Yicheng dominated her in the form of a silver-haired cat-eared girl.
Feeling upset, she didn’t want to work out today.
Xu Yinsheng picked up a mirror and looked at the shocking hickey on her neck, tangled with the pink collar.
The sight made her even more ashamed and angry.
She recalled how the night before, Zhao Yicheng had somehow found a delicate chain engraved with patterns, fastening it around her neck.
He pinned her beneath him, holding the chain tight so she couldn’t escape, gently kissing away her tears…
That wasn’t what made Xu Yinsheng the most ashamed.
What truly humiliated her to the point she wished she could die on the spot was… her reaction.
Yes, this poor little thing, imprisoned by Zhao Yicheng, locked in a small Cat Cage, violently taken against her will, actually reacted to Zhao Yicheng—the scummy, mentally unwell, crazy man.
Not just physically—psychologically too.
For example, last night, under Zhao Yicheng’s verbal teasing, she had actually done it.
Her whole body seemed to transcend, trembling all over as she collapsed onto the bed, limp in Zhao Yicheng’s arms, her flushed face making soft “meow meow meow” sounds.
Xu Yinsheng thought she was probably broken.
Fitness Diary, Week 3, Monday noon.
The workout plan was showing results.
She could now run three kilometers independently and do 200 squats.
She was preparing to increase the intensity, but…
Xu Yinsheng rubbed her still-sore butt and caught sight of herself in the mirror—her eyes slightly red-rimmed.
Cursing Zhao Yicheng silently, she felt a little better and continued writing in her diary:
Yoga was added to the fitness plan.
She bought some medicinal liniment and herbal patches, and adjusted her diet to focus on collagen.
After some thought, Xu Yinsheng blushed and wrote in the notebook: Purchased **.
“Lunch delivery?”
Xu Yinsheng picked up a bite of fish-flavored shredded pork, nibbled, and looked up in surprise at the man sitting opposite her.
She wore a jade-green robe that hugged her graceful figure.
Her black hair flowed down her waist, smooth like silk and fresh as emerald leaves.
Her pale face bore a slight flush of illness, her clear green eyes shining.
Her slender, tall frame and narrow waist made her look like a fairy stepped right out of a painting—ethereal and elegant.
This was Xu Yinsheng’s latest ever-changing form—the Narcissus Flower Fairy.
Zhao Yicheng had come home early today and caught her making dinner.
He didn’t eat the meal but had her cook for two anyway.
But that wasn’t the point.
The point was, he wanted her to deliver lunch to him tomorrow!
Wasn’t he afraid she might poison him?!
Just a month ago, Xu Yinsheng had mercilessly stabbed him in the arm.
“Right.”
Zhao Yicheng was dressed sharply in a suit, his face sharp yet handsome.
He scooped some stir-fried vegetables into his bowl and looked at Xu Yinsheng.
“I’m tired of the company cafeteria food. You’ve been cooking lately; let’s see what you can do.”
After a couple of bites, the vegetables weren’t particularly tasty but weren’t bad either.
“Also, it’ll get you out for a bit, so you don’t get stir-crazy staying at home.”
“Mm, got it.”
To Zhao Yicheng’s surprise, Xu Yinsheng didn’t bargain or speak sarcastically.
She simply answered calmly and went back to eating.
Her calmness only made Zhao Yicheng frown.
Strange. Too strange.
Not at all like Xu Yinsheng’s usual self.
He stared at her as if trying to see something beneath her frail figure but could only read confusion and incomprehension on her clean face.
“Is there something on my face?”
Xu Yinsheng asked curiously.
“No.”
Zhao Yicheng picked up another bite of fish-flavored shredded pork and asked, “Want to go out?”
“Of course I want to.”
Xu Yinsheng admitted frankly, then gave him a glare.
“But you definitely won’t let me go. I’m just a canary kept in a cage at home—no, a little kitty.”
After saying that, she fiercely shoveled two bites of rice into her mouth, as if turning grief into appetite.
But as Xu Yinsheng focused on her meal, she didn’t notice how Zhao Yicheng’s gaze darkened with complexity.
He recalled a recent chat with the White-robed Man during treatment.
The man had talked about using a collar to restrain a cat and looked dejected, saying the cat had become listless lately, as if neutered.
Could Xu Yinsheng’s current spiritless state be from him locking her up?
Had he made her depressed?
He’d heard that people confined in tight spaces for long periods often develop mental illnesses.
Thinking this, Zhao Yicheng swallowed a few pills for mental illness treatment and looked at the slender woman with long hair flowing down her waist and bright green eyes, yet exuding the aura of a decadent recluse.
He spoke softly: “Xiao Yin, I’ll arrange a job for you.”
“Not interested.”
Xu Yinsheng put her soup spoon into the udon tea and gently stirred a few times.
She took a few sips, then set the spoon down.
“Today, you wash the dishes.”
“I’m going to wash up and sleep.”