“No, I wasn’t…” Xia Qiaoxi shook her head.
“I…”
She wasn’t trying to commit suicide.
She…
She didn’t know what came over her either. Her body sank into the warm water, feeling so comfortable that her consciousness gradually faded.
“You’d better not have been!” Tang Yushen was both angry and frustrated, but more than anything, he was worried.
If Xiaoxi’er had died right under his nose.
He would never forgive himself for the rest of his life.
He never wanted to endure decades of lonely longing for her again.
It was too unbearable.
Tang Yushen held her tightly, “Don’t commit suicide, don’t leave me.”
“Xia Qiaoxi, you can’t be so selfish…”
Tang Yushen was terrified, his deep voice carrying a slight tremble and choked sob.
“Um…” Xia Qiaoxi pushed him away in panic, “I, I’m not wearing any clothes!!!”
Tang Yushen—
He, he…
He had been staring at her like this just now, with her not… wearing…
“Ah—”
“Bastard!”
“Pervert!”
Xia Qiaoxi grabbed the blanket and burrowed under the covers, wrapping herself up tightly.
Tang Yushen’s shirt had become damp from holding her wet body, clinging to his skin with water stains.
“Why did you suddenly barge in! Get out!”
“You saw everything…”
Wuwuwu…
She!
Ah!
Tang Yushen had only been focused on saving her earlier, performing CPR, trying to make her spit out the swallowed water—he hadn’t looked carefully at all!
He hadn’t even noticed, and now he was being scolded for it.
What a raw deal!
“I didn’t…” Tang Yushen protested weakly.
He sat on the edge of the bed, “I swear, I didn’t look carefully just now.”
“You still want to look carefully?”
“Of course I do. If I didn’t want to look carefully, would I even be a man?” Tang Yushen lowered his head, “I’m a man with intentions toward you. Very strong intentions.”
Even if he didn’t look carefully now, he would eventually.
Every part of her, inside and out, he would examine thoroughly.
“You…” Xia Qiaoxi’s chest heaved with rapid breaths.
Seeing this, Tang Yushen poured a glass of water, “You just choked on bathwater. Rinse your mouth.”
Xia Qiaoxi reached out her hand, obediently rinsed her mouth, and spat into the trash can he held up.
After doing this, she lay back down, her gaze wary and alert.
Tang Yushen didn’t like her looking at him with that kind of expression. He preferred Xia Qiaoxi gazing at him with adoration.
After a century of lovesick suffering, why shouldn’t he be treated gently?
He wanted Xiaoxi’er’s affection, wanted everything about her.
Was that too much to ask?
Tang Yushen had already been restraining himself greatly.
Now that he had calmed down, he recalled the scene of holding her earlier—the tender feel of her skin, that snow-white…
“No suicide attempts here.” Tang Yushen stood up, “Otherwise, I’ll install surveillance everywhere, including your bedroom.”
Xia Qiaoxi wanted to explain, but swallowed her words at the last moment, “I promised you.”
“You’d better remember that.”
She had promised him so many things in her previous life—he was going to fulfill all their mutual promises one by one.
Tang Yushen left.
Xia Qiaoxi lay on the bed for a few minutes before getting up.
She didn’t like sleeping naked—it made her feel insecure.
But remembering Tang Yushen’s threat about installing surveillance in the bedroom, she wrapped herself in the air-conditioning blanket when getting out of bed and went barefoot to get her pajamas.
Tang Yushen felt extremely unsettled.
He stayed up all night, standing outside Xia Qiaoxi’s room door.
Continuously debating whether he should actually install surveillance cameras or just go in and sleep with her.
Although the bedroom lock function had been broken by him, he could no longer sneak in as before to sleep beside her.
He was afraid of triggering her.
Afraid her mental stress would worsen.
Perhaps they really should go on a trip.
They say traveling is the ultimate test of a couple’s relationship.
The sky gradually brightened, the orange-red summer morning sunlight streaming into the hallway.
Tang Yushen’s eyes darkened as he turned back to his bedroom to wash up.
He left Yu Xi Manor before Xia Qiaoxi woke up.
In the CEO’s office, Mother Tang threw a stack of invitations at him.
After tossing them, she leaned on the desk. “As the saying goes, bad news travels fast. Who knows who spread this, but now everyone in the capital knows that the Xia family’s young lady Xia Qiaoxi called off her engagement with He Luyi and left with you!”
“All these socialites, curious society ladies, and young misses are organizing various banquets just to get a look at Xia Qiaoxi.”
“Since they can’t get into Yu Xi Manor, all these invitations end up with me! You deal with this yourself!”
“Mom! Don’t be angry, you’ll get wrinkles!” Tang Yushen only glanced briefly at the invitations. “Xixi hasn’t been feeling well recently and is resting at home. Let’s not have her attend these events for now. I’ll naturally take her out for social occasions later.”
In their previous life, Xia Qiaoxi had accompanied him to many social events and handled them perfectly well.
It was just her current mental state that worried him.
“You… I think you’re bewitched!” Mother Tang looked at him, both annoyed and amused.
He’d finally opened up emotionally, but in such a strange way.
So excited about stealing someone’s fiancée.
Men are just perverts!
“Hmm.” Tang Yushen replied indifferently, “I am indeed bewitched.”
“Mom, I really like her, especially like her. She’s the only one for me in this lifetime.” Tang Yushen stood up and walked around the desk.
Bowing his head before his mother, he said, “If Xixi ever attends any events without me, Mom, you have to protect her. She’s your daughter-in-law!”
“Oh my, how did I end up with such a domineering son…” Mother Tang clutched her chest. “You and your brother are two extremes. Both born from me, how can people be so different!”
Because he forgot to drink Meng Po’s soup before reincarnation.
His brother was different – his brother was a blank slate.
The young master who grew up being pampered by him and their parents.
“Is Mom dissatisfied with me or with brother?” Tang Yushen turned to pour water.
Mother Tang walked to the sofa and sat down. “Your brother is quite obedient. Although he lacks career ambition, our expectations of him are minimal anyway. Your grandfather handed over the family authority to you long ago. But you…”
He had been too mature since childhood. Even when he was little, his eyes had frightened her.
The old master adored him, absolutely adored him.
Thinking Tang Yushen resembled his own youthful self.
Taking the water cup Tang Yushen handed her, Mother Tang said meaningfully, “Before, I used to worry about you. You possessed maturity beyond your years, handling things with decisiveness unlike a child.”
Tang Yushen listened quietly. Having memories meant he couldn’t possibly act like a child in everything – he had tried his best to conceal it.
“You still won’t date anyone. Your younger brother has already had several girlfriends, and I’m so anxious! I’ve been hoping you’d get married early and introduced you to several matches, but you never agreed.” Mother Tang let out a deep sigh. “If only you had met her earlier, your father and I would have gone to the Xia family to propose marriage. We would have done our best to settle matters with the He family too. But now with this reputation spreading…”
Mother Tang massaged her forehead in frustration.
“Sooner or later, everyone in the capital who’s watching this drama will know that Xia Qiaoxi is my woman,” Tang Yushen said casually from where he sat nearby, leisurely crossing his long legs. “In a moment, I’ll select one invitation to attend.”