Fang Xihe lowered her head and bit her lip in frustration.
The voice message had been turned off.
But Shang Chenzhou had probably still heard everything.
What a mess. She hadn’t even managed to soothe him, and now another misunderstanding had been added.
She forced herself to look up.
Shang Chenzhou was expressionless, hanging his coat on the wall.
Fang Xihe got out of bed and walked toward him.
But he didn’t even glance at her. He passed her, took his pajamas from the wardrobe, and went into the bathroom.
Fang Xihe opened her mouth to speak, then stopped.
She pressed her lips together and went to the kitchen to heat up the food in the fridge.
When Shang Chenzhou came out after showering, he saw a table full of steaming dishes and paused for a moment.
But only for a moment—then he looked away and went to the balcony.
When he came back after hanging up the clothes, Fang Xihe approached him with a smile.
“You haven’t eaten yet, right? I cooked these when I got back. I originally wanted to wait for you, but you said you were working overtime. I didn’t finish, so I reheated it for you. Go ahead and eat.”
“I’ve already eaten,” Shang Chenzhou said coldly.
“You can still eat a bit more. My cooking is pretty good.”
Shang Chenzhou suddenly turned to look at her.
“Aren’t you the one who can’t cook?”
“……”
That was true for the original host.
She coughed awkwardly.
“I learned from videos online.”
He stared at her.
Fang Xihe gave an embarrassed smile.
But Shang Chenzhou didn’t make things difficult for her. In fact, he hadn’t eaten since leaving the company.
He sat down and started eating.
After one bite, he paused.
Fang Xihe sat across from him. “Is it bad?”
“Good,” he said briefly.
It really was good.
If this was really her cooking, she was quite talented.
Fang Xihe let out a breath of relief.
Shang Chenzhou finished all two dishes and the soup.
Fang Xihe was confused. Didn’t he already eat?
But she didn’t ask.
She picked up the dishes to wash, but he took them from her first.
The tall figure went into the kitchen to wash them himself.
Standing at the doorway, Fang Xihe fidgeted and finally said, “I haven’t told my family that we’re married yet. My mom doesn’t know, that’s why she said those things. Don’t mind her.”
Shang Chenzhou paused for a moment, his fingers curling slightly, then continued washing.
After finishing, he turned off the tap and turned around.
Fang Xihe accidentally met his dark eyes and awkwardly looked away.
His gaze narrowed slightly.
“Why haven’t you told them?”
“It all happened too suddenly. I haven’t figured out how to say it yet. And my mom… now isn’t a good time. She’ll argue with me.”
He didn’t ask further.
Some things didn’t need to be said too clearly.
Even from what he had briefly heard earlier, he already understood what kind of mother-in-law she had.
In the end, it was simply because he had no money right now.
Fang Xihe didn’t want her family to know about their marriage.
She spoke again, “Don’t be angry. I won’t go meet that person.”
Shang Chenzhou clenched his hand slightly.
Was he angry?
Yes.
But what right did he have to blame her?
Seeing that he didn’t respond, Fang Xihe felt guilty.
If she put herself in his shoes, she would also be angry.
“Shang Chenzhou, don’t be mad. I’ll find a chance to tell my family about our marriage.”
He walked up to her in two steps, towering over her. His gaze was deep and unreadable.
Fang Xihe suddenly felt nervous.
He raised his hand toward her face.
She quickly stepped back, forcing a laugh. “It’s late. Let’s sleep.”
She rushed to the bed and pulled the blanket over herself.
Shang Chenzhou lowered his hand. His eyes dimmed.
He had to admit it—
Fang Xihe resisted his touch.
The night before, he knew she had been pretending to sleep.
Once might be shyness.
Repeated times meant rejection.
He went to brush his teeth, turned off the lights, and lay down.
They each occupied one side of the bed, leaving a wide gap between them.
Fang Xihe barely dared to breathe.
She thought of Sun Shasha’s words.
If she was nervous just from him getting close, how could she possibly kiss him, hug him, or… push him down?
Too difficult.
The room was quiet.
She didn’t know if he was asleep.
She shifted slightly, then turned over.
In the middle of the night, she unconsciously moved closer in her sleep, throwing a leg over him and hugging him tightly.
Shang Chenzhou stiffened and looked down.
“…Xihe.”
No response.
“Xihe, let go.”
After a while, he realized she had fallen asleep.
She was just clinging to him unconsciously, like a familiar plush toy.
They had slept together for four nights now.
She had always been well-behaved before.
Why tonight…
Her soft scent filled his senses. Her body pressed against him.
It was torture.
He tried to pull her away, but she clung tighter each time, murmuring:
“Strawberry… don’t run…”
Shang Chenzhou let out a helpless breath.
So she really was treating him like a toy.
Strawberry—it must be a plush toy.
……
The next morning, before opening her eyes, Fang Xihe realized she was hugging something warm.
Strawberry.
She had dreamed of Strawberry.
Strawberry was the strawberry bear plush she won at Disneyland.
Feeling comfortable, she tightened her arms and legs around it.
Then a low groan sounded beside her.
She suddenly opened her eyes.
A man’s prominent Adam’s apple.
His sharp jawline.
Full lips.
Straight nose.
And then those deep, dark eyes.
Fang Xihe froze completely.
How… how did this happen?
She was clearly the one holding onto him.
Oh no. Just strike her down already.
Shang Chenzhou looked at her calmly, not moving, not speaking—like he was watching a performance.
She silently removed her leg, let go, rolled away, almost falling off the bed, then scrambled into the bathroom.
She was dying of embarrassment.
How could she have hugged Shang Chenzhou in her sleep?!
So embarrassing!
Shang Chenzhou looked at the bathroom door and rubbed his brow tiredly.
He hadn’t fallen asleep until the second half of the night.