Before meeting Tang Yushen, she had never kissed anyone.
But after encountering him, they had kissed several times within just two or three days.
Her cheeks flushed easily—the moment their lips touched, a rosy hue spread across her face.
She gently left a tender imprint on Tang Yushen’s lips.
Though it was merely a brief, tentative kiss, Tang Yushen adored it immensely.
It was the feeling of falling in love.
He loved her, and even after a hundred years, he still loved her.
Little Xixi was so shy, her face all red.
“What’s the gift?” Xia Qiaoxi asked.
Chen Hei, standing nearby, took a document folder from his briefcase and handed it over.
Tang Yushen opened the folder and pulled out a brand-new household register. “It’s yours.”
A household register?
Her household register?
Xia Qiaoxi’s heart raced with excitement, her fingers trembling slightly as she opened it—her name was inside.
She was the head of the household.
And she was the only person listed.
“With a property, you can have an independent household registration. The apartment is near Tang Song Group—a 200-square-meter flat. In the future, when I’m working, if you miss me, you can wait for me there. We could even take a nap together…” Tang Yushen was already fantasizing about those blissful days.
After a busy morning, he could go to her, share a meal, rest together, and perhaps linger in bed all afternoon—even skip the company if he wanted.
Yu Xi Manor was too far from the office.
A forty-minute drive.
This new place was only two hundred meters away.
“The property deed and keys are inside. The apartment is under your name.” Tang Yushen handed her the entire folder. “Little Xixi, will you come keep me company?”
They had only known each other for a few days, yet he was giving her a luxury apartment in the city center and helping her obtain her own ID and household register.
She felt she couldn’t quite figure Tang Yushen out.
If he found out she was just using him—that she only wanted to escape the Xia family and leave Jing City—would he be hurt later?
She ought to leave sooner rather than later. Better a quick, sharp pain than a long, drawn-out one.
There was no need to be so generous to a substitute.
He would understand that once she was gone.
Xia Qiaoxi spoke softly, her fingertips stroking the new household register. “You’re giving me such an expensive gift, I…”
To Tang Yushen, it might just be an apartment, but to her, how long would it take to earn enough to buy one?
Although she grew up in the Xia family, she never had any money of her own.
“Everything I have will be yours in the future, Little Xixi. Don’t overthink it.” Tang Yushen stroked her hair. “If you’re really touched, you can kiss me again.”
“The last one wasn’t enough…” he added in a low voice.
That kiss had been so sweet, so heart-stirring—he couldn’t get enough.
She was moved, but afraid to act on it.
Xia Qiaoxi pressed her red lips together. Kissing too much would create illusions.
She didn’t want to kiss!
“Little Xixi…” Tang Yushen’s fingers combed through her hair. “Let me pet your head.”
“I’m not a child…” Xia Qiaoxi murmured, her scalp tingling pleasantly, her body growing soft and pliant.
That strange sensation spreading from her scalp through her entire body made her heart flutter.
“You can be a child in front of me—be willful, act spoiled, throw tantrums, whatever you want.” Tang Yushen leaned closer. “Little Xixi, feel free to test it out.”
He longed to see Little Xixi return to her former self—that pampered, willful young lady she used to be.
A century ago, as a powerful warlord commanding over a hundred thousand elite troops, his word had been law.
Yet the formidable General Tang, who commanded awe on the battlefield with his brilliance and invincibility, wore an entirely different face at home—coaxing and pleading with the darling of his heart, howling like a wounded animal outside her door because she’d locked him out, claiming she didn’t want him anymore.
He had guarded the few short years they’d spent together as if they were a century.
Those old memories replayed over and over in his mind, so vivid they could form a full-length film in his thoughts.
He’d seen enough; he was desperate to start the next chapter.
He wanted to begin a new story with his little Xi’er.
“Um… I don’t dare,” Xia Qiaoxi admitted honestly.
“Am I that frightening?” Tang Yushen leaned closer. “Little Xi’er, I’ve even shaved—surely I’m not ugly! How could you…”
The young master Tang fell into self-doubt.
He had always been restrained, never losing control to pin her to the bed for three days and nights, entangled with her without rest.
Could his calm self-control still scare her?
“You’re extremely handsome, breathtakingly so,” Xia Qiaoxi said. She had never seen anyone as good-looking as Tang Yushen.
He Lu wasn’t bad-looking either, but he was often ill, his face pale with a sickly pallor, making him appear somewhat frail.
“So you like me?”
“Huh?” Xia Qiaoxi’s eyes grew dazed.
“I mean my face! Actually, my figure isn’t bad either.” Tang Yushen began unbuttoning his shirt. “Want to see?”
Xia Qiaoxi: “…”
So direct?
“Touching is fine too.” Tang Yushen undid three buttons, revealing a glimpse of his collarbone. “Little Xi’er…”
Xia Qiaoxi turned her head away. “I won’t look. Don’t take it off.”
Too straightforward.
Are all men like this?
So scary.
Seeing her blush and shyly lower her head, Tang Yushen felt fireworks of joy explode in his heart.
Teasing her was just too fun.
This shy side of little Xi’er was exactly like when they had just married.
But as their marriage went on, little Xi’er grew bolder, becoming fierce and demanding.
“If you don’t want to look or touch now, you’ll regret it later,” Tang Yushen said lazily, leaning back.
“Regret what?”
“Regret missing out on a top-tier handsome guy like me, missing a chance to touch.” Tang Yushen instinctively reached for his cigarettes and lighter.
His nicotine craving was kicking in.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed her focused gaze on the household register, her cherishing expression—it had been too long since he’d seen that.
“Take your time with it,” he said, standing up and walking out.
Once outside, he lit a cigarette.
This smoking habit wasn’t easy to quit!
Nicotine was addictive.
But…
Little Xi’er was even more addictive.
She disliked the smell of smoke. If he smoked and carried the scent, he couldn’t kiss her or touch her.
Later, when he was injured and in pain, smoking helped ease it, and she wouldn’t complain—her eyes filled with heartache for him.
Now that he had found little Xi’er again and was no longer in pain,
This smoking habit should have been quit long ago.
Tang Yushen gripped the cigarette box, crumpling it tightly in his hand.
Then, with a flick, he tossed it away.
“Boss, why take it out on the cigarettes?” Chen Hei stood behind him. “The message has been sent to the He family—the engagement is canceled. Third Young Master He is going to Jingcheng to recuperate.”
“I’m quitting smoking,” Tang Yushen said with a stern face.
“Quit smoking?” Chen Hei picked up the cigarette from the ground. “Boss, with your heavy addiction, how can you quit?”
“There’s nothing that can’t be quit.” Thinking of Xia Qiaoxi, he knew he could do it.
When his nicotine cravings hit and he felt miserable, he would just kiss Xia Qiaoxi.
When kissing her, all his attention could be captivated by her.
And it felt so comfortable, no longer distressing.
Any addiction could be overcome.
Except for Xia Qiaoxi.
“Keep it up, boss.” Chen Hei cheerfully tucked the cigarette into his pants pocket. “With your strong willpower, nothing is impossible.”
Tang Yushen turned and walked back. “Xiao Xi… er.”
Where is she?