In the second year of my arranged marriage with Arthur Vance, my first love suddenly returned from abroad. My usually aloof and arrogant husband handed me a divorce agreement. I froze for a few seconds: "What is the meaning of this?" His voice trembled slightly. "Your old flame is back. I'm stepping aside." Me: "—Huh??" 1 By the time the business dinner ended and I got home, it was nearly eleven o'clock. I kicked off my high heels, rubbing my aching neck as I walked inside, only to find my husband blocking my path. Arthur stared at me with a cold, stern expression. "You've been drinking?" "Just a little." He let out a cold scoff. "You normally never drink. What, are you just that happy to see your old lover?" My alcohol-fogged brain was a bit slow. It took me a moment to realize he was being passive-aggressive. I looked up and met his eyes seriously. "Just spit it out. I'm very tired today." His gaze lingered on my face before suddenly locking onto a specific spot. His eyes turned ice-cold. "Why is your neck red?" I instinctively reached up to scratch it. "Probably a bug bite?" He mocked lightly, "And is that bug's name Caleb?" Caleb was my ex-boyfriend's name. It suddenly clicked why Arthur was acting so bizarre tonight. Just as I was about to speak, his tightly clenched right hand extended forward, holding a document. "Sign it." I looked down and read the bold words at the top of the page—Divorce Agreement. Without exaggeration, that sobered me up instantly! I looked at him in disbelief. "Why do you suddenly want a divorce?" "Isn't this what you want?" he said. "Caleb just returned to the country, and you couldn't wait to run off and drink with him, coming home covered in..." His gaze dropped to my neck again, and he fell silent. "I wasn't drinking with Caleb tonight," I argued. "I went to discuss a partnership with the CEO of Apex Industries. I already told you about that project." "But you drank with Caleb," he fixated on that single point. "Yes, Caleb was there, but I didn't know that before I arrived," I explained. "He's good friends with Mr. Carter. They were toasting each other; it's not like I could just kick him out, could I?" I kept the more absurd thoughts to myself. What right did I have to kick Caleb out? I had absolutely nothing to do with him anymore. Arthur remained silent for a moment. "Forget the partnership with Apex. The profit margins aren't that high anyway. I'll give you better projects." A pie falling from the sky—naturally, I was thrilled. But I couldn't wrap my head around one thing: "Why do you care so much about Caleb?" Arthur and I were in a contractual business marriage. We had been married for a year, yet we were still basically strangers. Our daily conversations revolved entirely around eating and sleeping, with occasional discussions about each other's work. Nothing more. This robotic routine even extended into the bedroom. He and I would intimately tangle the sheets every Friday night. Exactly three times, no more, no less. In our entire year of marriage, there hadn't been a single exception. I once complained about this to my best friend, Chloe. After her initial shock wore off, she sighed, "Well, I guess that's Arthur Vance for you." Arthur was a legend in our social circle. Almost everyone had heard their elders praise him, and most of our peers lived in his shadow. Excelling in one field is normal, but excelling in everything like he did was incredibly rare. On top of that, he was highly disciplined and emotionally stable to a frightening degree. You couldn't help but respect him. I used to respect him, too. Until I married him. How did this absolute cyborg become my husband? The "golden boy" archetype is definitely only meant to be admired from afar. Actually living with him truly tests your psychological endurance. My cyborg husband finally spoke: "Why shouldn't I care?" I clarified, "I did date him for a while, but we broke up years ago. I'm your wife now. There is... absolutely nothing between him and me." "I hope you keep your word." "What?" "I have never allowed any flaws to exist in my life, and that includes my marriage," he said. "I don't want my marriage to end because of your infidelity." "..." So that's what he was afraid of. I promised him sincerely, "It won't." Having received a satisfactory answer, Arthur turned and walked into the bedroom. 2 By the time I finished washing up, it was almost midnight. I was lying in bed, drowsy, when I suddenly heard him ask from the other side, "What do you want for breakfast tomorrow?" "What are my options?" "Crab roe wontons, beef potstickers, or strawberry pancakes." "Potstickers," I said. "I want them a little crispier this time." "Mhm." Maybe it was because I hadn't eaten much at the business dinner, but just thinking about Arthur's beef potstickers made my stomach rumble. The super-cyborg Arthur was also incredibly skilled in the culinary arts. I considered myself a foodie who had eaten at plenty of high-end places, but Arthur's cooking always managed to give me pleasant surprises. The first time I ate his crab roe wontons, they were so savory I almost swallowed my own tongue. I swallowed hard and asked, "Are the dumplings already prepped?" "Yes, I wrapped them tonight," he said. "While you were out drinking with Caleb." "..." I turned my head suspiciously to look at him. For some inexplicable reason, Arthur talking about Caleb didn't seem very robotic at all... If I didn't know him better, I would almost think he was jealous. Jealous over me. But how could that be possible? The cyborg asked, "Is something wrong?" "Nothing." I pushed the messy thoughts out of my head. But thanks to his interruption, I didn't dare mention that I wanted to eat the beef potstickers right now. I was genuinely afraid he'd pop off with another comment like: Didn't Caleb feed you any potstickers while you were drinking with him? 3 I woke up late the next morning. Arthur's beef potstickers were already packed neatly in a thermal lunchbox. He shoved a freshly bottled date-sweetened soy milk into my hand and casually said goodbye. Watching his retreating back, I suddenly felt that even though his personality was robotic, he genuinely took great care of me. I ate my breakfast in my office. Just as I was about to start working, my best friend Chloe texted me. Chloe: [I heard Caleb is back in the country!] I replied: [I know. I actually drank with him last night.] Chloe: [Holy shit!] Chloe: [You move fast!] Chloe: [Babe, don't forget you're a married woman now. If you're going to meet up with Caleb, make sure you keep it discreet.] Me: [......] This was honestly a huge headache for me. In the years since Caleb and I broke up, I hadn't dated anyone else. It was purely because I didn't want to, but somehow the rumor mill spun it into me carrying a torch for him. I tried to explain, but the more I talked, the worse it sounded. Even my best friend, Chloe, thought I was just being stubborn and denying my true feelings. I called her directly. "I've explained this a million times. I literally feel nothing for him." "Okay, okay." Chloe readily agreed, then warned me again, "Just be careful not to let Arthur find out about you drinking with Caleb." "..." "He already knows." Chloe gasped. "Holy shit!" When it came to Caleb, I felt helpless. But when it came to Arthur's un-robotic behavior last night, I was fully energized. I vividly described Arthur's abnormal behavior. I heavily emphasized his psycho move of handing me a divorce agreement over the incident. "Don't you think his perfectionism is a little too extreme?" Chloe's perspective was entirely different from mine. "Why do I get the feeling he was trying to keep you?" "What?" "By handing you a divorce agreement, he was forcing you to stop interacting with Caleb." "But what if I actually signed it?" "Would you?" "..." No, I wouldn't. Leaving aside the massive entanglement of our two families' businesses, from a purely practical standpoint, I couldn't bear to divorce a premium catch like Arthur Vance. "The god is finally descending to the mortal realm!" I cringed at her dramatic phrasing and corrected her, "The super-cyborg is finally showing signs of human life." "You should test him," Chloe said excitedly. "See if his system is just glitching or if he's actually turning into a real, breathing man." "How do I test him?" Her voice dripped with suggestion. "Well, today is Friday. Tonight, when you two..." 4 Chloe's method was simple, though it made me blush. I just needed to cling to Arthur and demand one more round. Since he strictly adhered to his "Friday night, exactly three times" rule, if I could coax him into a fourth round, wouldn't that prove his robotic programming had been overridden? I hesitated, agonized over it, and ultimately decided to bide my time. Finally, I was sharing the bed with Arthur. He leaned over me, held my gaze for a few seconds, then grabbed a silk tie from the nightstand, draped it over my eyes, and tied a knot behind my head. In the past, I never asked questions, assuming it was just his little kink. But tonight, with an agenda on my mind, I asked point-blank, "Why do you blindfold me every single time?" Arthur didn't answer. He just lowered his head and kissed me. The damp touch of his lips pulled my thoughts away. Gradually, I forgot to pursue the reason behind the blindfold. Rising and falling, I was held entirely in the palm of his hands—lifted high, set down gently. My heart squeezed and fluttered. Finally, the third round ended. Arthur pulled away the sweat-soaked silk tie from my face, and I met his calm, emotionless eyes. Even though I had seen this look countless times, I still couldn't help but grit my teeth. Why? Why did he always look so utterly frigid and detached after doing that? He gently stroked my face in a soothing gesture and was about to pull away— Anger flared in my chest, fueling a sudden burst of reckless courage. I immediately locked my legs around his waist. Caught off guard, Arthur was dragged forward, crashing heavily against me! I took the opportunity to wrap my arms around his neck, and under his panicked gaze, I spoke in a sugary-sweet voice: "Can we go one more time?" 5 Arthur clearly hadn't anticipated this. He froze for a few seconds. His gaze swept over my eyes, my lips, my collarbone, and finally settled... His Adam's apple bobbed heavily, and he turned his head away, saying stiffly: "No." "Why not?" I retorted almost instantly. I didn't even need to ask if he could. Because from the moment he was pulled flush against me, I knew perfectly well that he could. If he could, why was he saying no? He refused to look at me. "Too much... is bad for your health." That was an answer I never expected. While from a strictly scientific standpoint, his approach was correct, adhering to science in absolutely everything was just too boring. I clung to him, refusing to let him leave. "But what if I want to?" Arthur turned his head back, looking at me with a conflicted expression. In that fleeting moment, I could actually see the intense struggle in his eyes. After struggling for a long time, he said firmly, "No." He reached out and traced the line of my brow, whispering softly, "Bear with it..." I didn't want to bear with it. I pulled his head down and captured his lips with precision. I wanted to see if this highly disciplined cyborg could actually lose control. 6 The facts proved that one should not have too much curiosity about a cyborg. An out-of-control Arthur was truly terrifying. It turns out that super-cyborgs also have top-tier battery life. He didn't stop tossing me around until the sky outside began to turn gray, and only under his soothing touches did I finally close my eyes and fall asleep. Before falling asleep, I vaguely remembered a pair of eyes overflowing with tenderness. I wanted to see them again the next morning, but he had already reverted to his cyborg mode. "Something urgent came up at the company, I have to head over. You..." He paused, a rare occurrence. "Breakfast is ready. Remember to eat when you get up." "Okay," I murmured softly, clutching the blanket. Normally, at this point, he would turn and leave without hesitation. But today, he didn't. I waited quietly for him to finish. He hesitated for a long time. "Does your... does your body feel uncomfortable anywhere?" Influenced by his bashful attitude, my cheeks began to burn. Naturally, it wasn't as comfortable as stopping at exactly three times, but it wasn't unbearable either. I looked at Arthur standing before me and felt that the aura of a living, breathing human around him was growing stronger. "You never used to ask before." "Before..." His voice dropped lower. "I could feel that you were satisfied." "..." I didn't want to ask anymore. If I dug any deeper, it would get too taboo for a morning conversation. I simply said, "I'm fine. Go to work." Only then did he leave. I huddled back under the covers and grabbed my phone, seeing a string of unread messages from Chloe. [How did the test go?] [Why aren't you answering?] [Are you seriously still asleep?] [Girl, it's almost noon... Holy shit, was it a war zone last night?] [1:00 PM.] [OK, it's almost 2:00 PM. Say no more, I understand everything.] Helplessly, I typed back: [I'm awake.] She replied instantly: [Oho~] Even from a single word, I could sense her teasing tone. I couldn't resist firing back: [Stop giving me terrible advice from now on!] Chloe called me directly. "Did our great God Vance break his vow last night?" I scoffed. "I'm too tired to talk to you." "Say no more," Chloe teased. "I can tell just by your voice. It definitely wasn't just one extra round last night." "..." She was curious. "Is the super-cyborg finally transforming into a real human?" To be honest, I was a bit curious too. Arthur was exceptional in every way and emotionally stable, which was undeniably a good thing. But most of the time, he didn't feel like a real person; he felt like a perfect machine manufactured by the Vance family. I wanted to see him break through that disguise. I wanted to see what he looked like when he dropped his defenses. We had been married for a year, and he remained as aloof and proud as ever. I thought I'd never see it in this lifetime, but last night, he lost control again... Did this mean... I still had a chance? So, when he came home from work, I intentionally walked up to him and said something I normally never would: "Did work go smoothly today?" He paused for a moment. "Smoothly." "The projects I promised you—I've already had my assistant email them to you. Pick whichever ones you like," he added, as if assuming my sudden attentiveness was purely for profit. I was about to explain, but then I watched him toss his suit jacket onto the sofa, unfasten his cufflinks, roll his shirt sleeves up to his elbows, and stroll confidently into the kitchen. After tying his apron, he poked his head out. "What do you want for dinner tonight?" "..." I gave up on testing him. Yep, definitely still my cyborg husband. 7 Arthur methodically took care of my three meals a day. He woke up at the exact same time every morning and went to sleep at the exact same time every night. His routine was more robotic than a literal machine, making me wonder if his out-of-control moment last Friday was entirely my imagination. Just as I was about to abandon my quest to uncover the cyborg's true face, Caleb contacted me. "Why did you suddenly cancel the partnership with Mark Carter?" "It wasn't canceled," I said. "That project was just too difficult, so I swapped it for another one." "Is it because of me?" Caleb asked. "Because I mentioned buying shares that night, you dropped it. You don't want any excessive entanglement with me, do you?" I let out an absurd laugh. "You don't hold that much weight with me." "Does Professor Davis?" "What?" "We're having a college reunion tonight, and Professor Davis will be there. She said she really wants to see you." I hesitated. Rationally speaking, I shouldn't attend any gathering where Caleb was present. But Professor Davis was a mentor who had taken great care of me. If she wanted to see me and I refused, I'd look like an ungrateful brat. While I was torn, Caleb added, "If you're hesitating because of me, I can leave." If he left specifically because of me, it would only make things look worse, as if I truly was still hung up on him. I quickly said, "You don't have to leave. I'll go." Caleb sent me the address. Just as I was about to start the GPS, my cyborg husband called. "I'm heading to the supermarket. Anything you're craving?" I hesitated. "I won't be home for dinner tonight." "A business dinner?" "Yes," my voice grew a little quieter. Arthur was silent for two seconds. "Will you need me to pick you up afterward?" "No, no!" I said hurriedly. "I'll be back by nine at the latest. You don't need to pick me up." "Understood," his voice instantly dropped several degrees. I wanted to explain further, but he had already hung up. Carrying an uneasy feeling in my chest, I arrived at the address Caleb had given me. A waiter guided me to the private dining room. "This is it." I nodded and finished typing the last word of a text message. It was to Arthur: [The business dinner got canceled. But I have to work late at the office for a bit. I should be home around 7. Remember to save some food for me.] The message showed as sent. I figured I'd go in, chat with Professor Davis for a bit, and then invent an excuse to slip away early. A room with Caleb in it wasn't a place to linger. Thinking this, I pushed the door open— The room was completely quiet. There was no professor, no former classmates. There was only my husband, Arthur Vance, with a face as dark as iron. He looked up, a freezing smile on his lips: "Caleb said I could wait for you here. It turns out he was absolutely right."
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