Qin Baozhu had only taken a few steps out of the warm room when she heard the sound of clothing rustling behind her.
Then came the thud of something heavy hitting the floor.
Someone had thrown off the covers and stepped down from the bed.
Qin Baozhu instinctively looked back and saw Zhou Fuguang, eyes dark and intense, striding toward her.
He looked formidable—scary even.
Her mind went blank. Her steps quickened, and she ran toward the stairs—until someone suddenly grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her onto his shoulder.
“You said I could sleep on the sofa!”
Qin Baozhu struggled and squirmed, shouting indignantly.
“Mommy!”
From the small room next door came Zhou Jingrui’s delighted voice. “Were you playing outside with Daddy?”
“Oh, little ancestor!”
Aunt Feng’s voice followed, lowered but firm. “Stop fooling around. Go back to bed, don’t catch a cold!”
Zhou Fuguang ignored Qin Baozhu’s protests and carried her straight back into the room, slamming the door shut with a “pop.”
“Let go…!”
Before she could finish the last word, she was dumped onto the soft, springy mattress.
The impact made her dizzy. Her delicate body bounced slightly, and she struggled to sit up. “You said I could sleep on the sofa!”
Zhou Fuguang stood over her at the edge of the bed, looking down at her disheveled form. His eyes, peering just above his lashes, revealed a quiet, unreadable intensity. “I didn’t say that.”
“…”
Qin Baozhu had never met such a contradictory man.
Angry, she sat on the bed and fumed, “Then I won’t sleep with you!”
He snorted coldly.
Who else could she sleep with if not him?
He shifted his gaze, lifted the covers, and got into bed.
Leaning against the headboard, he calmly watched the angry Qin Baozhu shrinking under the covers. Then he picked up the remote and turned off the air conditioner.
“Beep.”
Qin Baozhu found his action amusingly ridiculous.
Ha! He thought that by turning off the AC, she would agree to sleep with him?
Not a chance! She definitely wasn’t sleeping in the same bed as this grumpy man.
Zhou Fuguang turned off the AC but didn’t sleep. He leaned against the headboard, watching her gradually curl up under the covers.
Outside, the temperature was minus seven or eight degrees. The warmth in the bedroom, maintained only by the AC, slowly dissipated.
Qin Baozhu’s feet, initially exposed, were slowly drawn back under her, tucked beneath her body.
Zhou Fuguang observed her and deliberately said, “I have to go to work at the factory tomorrow. If you don’t behave, I’ll hang you by the windowsill to feel the wind.”
Damn! Such a villain!
Qin Baozhu was furious. There was no way this man was kind-hearted. If he “rescued” her, it was probably to kidnap her back!
After a while, seeing that Qin Baozhu was still stubborn, Zhou Fuguang turned off the lights, lay down, and closed his eyes.
In the darkness, Qin Baozhu’s cat-like eyes were wide and alert.
Feeling his even breathing beside her, she pursed her lips and quietly slipped off the bed, moving to the bedroom door to try opening it.
She twisted the knob, but it didn’t budge.
Again—still nothing.
Damn! The door was locked!
Who did this?!
Annoyed and freezing from the cold, Qin Baozhu eventually returned to the bed.
By the faint moonlight, she stole a glance at the sleeping man. Even though she disliked him now, she couldn’t deny that he was good-looking.
She had inspected him yesterday, and now, looking again, there were no flaws in his features.
His long, straight eyelashes cast soft shadows over his sharp nose. A refined, symmetrical, and charming male face—the kind that elders usually liked.
Qin Baozhu bit her lip and looked away, annoyed.
So what if he was handsome?
This villain had just threatened to hang her outside!
She hugged her knees and huddled, feeling intensely cold. Seeing Zhou Fuguang asleep with no reaction, she kicked the blanket over herself for some warmth.
The double bed was big, and she was small, so pulling the covers over herself didn’t lose much space.
Normally, even with the AC on, she would snuggle into Zhou Fuguang’s embrace to sleep.
Now, under the covers, her hands and feet were still icy cold.
But she had pride. She swore she wouldn’t get close to Zhou Fuguang, even if she froze to death.
Resentful, lost in thought, her eyelids drooping, Qin Baozhu gradually dozed off.
Zhou Fuguang slept.
Only a short while later, she felt something cold roll into his arms.
Like an octopus, her icy limbs instinctively sought warmth, pressing into him.
He opened his eyes and saw the very same Qin Baozhu who had fiercely defended her space earlier now pressed against him.
Seeking warmth, her cold little hands and feet met his warm skin, making him involuntarily hiss softly.
Watching her instinctively nestle into his chest, he didn’t pull her limbs away.
Lowering his gaze, he caught the subtle scent of lemongrass soap on her hair and body—just like his. He lifted a hand to gently stroke her soft, cold hair, his eyes darkening with thought.
That night, Qin Baozhu slept well.
The next morning, Zhou Fuguang got out of bed, stood by the window to get dressed, and inadvertently woke her. She didn’t have any morning grumpiness.
She rubbed her eyes, poked her head out from the warm covers, and watched the broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted man by the window slip into his black long coat.
It was barely six o’clock. Perhaps sensing her gaze, he turned, meeting Qin Baozhu’s wide, dark eyes. He said in a low voice, “Did I wake you?”
“Mmm.” She nuzzled her face against the warm blanket. “A little.”
His eyes fell on her pale pink, just-awake face. Her lazy, drowsy appearance looked adorably innocent. In the morning light, his gaze softened, faintly tender.
He looked away and said calmly, “Go back to sleep. I won’t disturb you. Tell Aunt Feng what you want for lunch.”
Buttoning his coat, he was about to leave.
“Hey, wait!”
Qin Baozhu called instinctively.
He paused and looked back.
Blinking, she held out her hand toward him.
He lowered his gaze, looking at her soft palm.
“What?”
“Lend me some money.”
Qin Baozhu asked boldly, without shame.