Sang Xiao had expected Kuang Qingshang would take a long time to see Zhuang Zhe off. Although Zhuang Zhe didn’t even seem to know that their marriage wasn’t one of free love, given Kuang Qingshang’s very casual attitude towards her, their relationship must be quite good, and she probably thought they would chat for a while.
However, Kuang Qingshang returned shortly. When she came back, Sang Xiao was in the living room doing stretches—the very amateur kind.
Kuang Qingshang watched silently from the side and suggested, “If you want to exercise, you can go to the gym. The facilities there are very comprehensive.”
Sang Xiao refused, saying, “I’m just moving around casually.” She didn’t want to go to the gym; the gym only made her feel rebellious, not to mention she had subconsciously treated it as Kuang Qingshang’s private domain.
Kuang Qingshang didn’t insist, only asking casually, “Have you grown taller?”
Sang Xiao whipped her head around to look at Kuang Qingshang. What did Kuang Qingshang mean? Was she mocking her height, or mocking her efforts as useless?
Kuang Qingshang explained, “I saw you doing leg stretches and high jumps in the yard before. I looked it up online, and it said that helps you grow taller, so I was asking about your results.” Sang Xiao hadn’t expected Kuang Qingshang to even notice what exercises she was doing. She never paid attention to what Kuang Qingshang did in the gym.
She said disheartenedly, “No.” She hadn’t grown even a centimeter. Then she didn’t want to talk to Kuang Qingshang anymore.
“Actually, your height is already fixed. There’s no need to worry about it too much now,” Kuang Qingshang comforted her. Although height is affected by environmental factors, it is largely determined by parents’ genes. For example, both her parents are quite tall. Sang’s parents are also tall, and Sang Qi doesn’t look like she’ll be short in the future. It seems only Sang Xiao is not tall in the Sang family.
Sang Xiao: “…” It was easy for her to say. She wished Kuang Qingshang could share some of her height.
Kuang Qingshang said, “You are already perfect.” Yes, not just beautiful, but perfect. Unlike Zhuang Zhe’s aesthetic, which favored long legs and an hourglass figure, Kuang Qingshang preferred things that were more delicate, fragile, and beautiful—the feeling of something that could break with a single touch was intoxicating just to think about. If people were works of art, then Sang Xiao belonged to the category of small and exquisite artifacts. Unfortunately, this artifact was completely unaware of her own charm.
Sang Xiao had wanted to retort to Kuang Qingshang, but now her face felt hot. What madness was Kuang Qingshang indulging in? Why the sudden, direct praise, and why were her eyes… also very strange?
Kuang Qingshang also realized she had been intrusive, so she pinched her brow and said, “My apologies.” Then she went to the gym herself.
Sang Xiao looked at her retreating figure and still felt very strange, thinking about Kuang Qingshang’s sincere eyes and tone just now. Of course, she knew she was pretty; it was just her height that wasn’t outstanding. Otherwise, why would so many people have been willing when her parents proposed the marriage alliance? It’s just that the quality varied, and none of them were good people. Was Kuang Qingshang also attracted to her face? This strange idea popped into Sang Xiao’s mind.
Tonight, Bian Yan was absorbed in editing pictures, so Sang Xiao didn’t bother her. Since she wasn’t working tomorrow, she logged onto her streaming channel to chat with her broadcast friends.
Perhaps because she was so light-hearted, Sang Xiao rarely had many worries. Recently, her only troubles were related to Kuang Qingshang, but Kuang Qingshang hadn’t caused her too much distress. Sometimes Sang Xiao thought she might be overthinking things—Kuang Qingshang didn’t seem that abnormal. But then, in moments like this, Kuang Qingshang would act a bit abnormal. In short, Kuang Qingshang just couldn’t be completely trusted.
“It’s so strange. My wife suddenly praised me for being beautiful today. What do you guys think she means?” Sang Xiao was still not used to calling Kuang Qingshang her wife; she felt like she couldn’t handle such a big title, but the fact was they were wives. She also changed Kuang Qingshang’s word “perfect” to “beautiful.” Sang Xiao was self-aware enough to know that very few people in the world could be truly perfect; Kuang Qingshang must have had a brain cramp.
What’s so strange? Isn’t it normal for your wife to compliment your beauty?
Who else would she compliment if not you?
I get it. The streamer is humble-bragging.
Want to see a photo.
Show us!
You must be new here. The streamer and her wife have no foundation of feelings. I think there must be a problem.
Was it a very sudden kind of praise?
“Yes, it was quite sudden. There’s never been a situation like this before. She has always been quite reserved,” Sang Xiao organized her words slightly. Yes, Kuang Qingshang was very reserved, even seeming ascetic.
Do you two rarely see each other?
Sang Xiao: “Yes.”
I feel like this is a proposition.
Me too.
Your wife wants to sleep with you.
No way. It’s been several months, and the streamer and her wife haven’t slept together yet? That can’t be right. Are they playing house?
Sang Xiao: “…” She had to clarify.
“She’s quite busy, and we don’t communicate much, so we’ve been sleeping in separate rooms for now.”
Married for four months and sleeping separately?
Doesn’t the other person have needs?
Doesn’t the streamer have needs?
How amazing. A readily available wife, and you’re not using her.
Both of you are so amazing.
If a child doesn’t have an appetite, it must be because they ate enough outside.
Streamer, be careful you don’t get cheated on.
Maybe the streamer’s head is already green like a color palette.
Sang Xiao: “…” The screen was full of “needs” and “how amazing.” Sang Xiao’s face instantly flushed red like a persimmon. She was wrong; she shouldn’t have discussed her private life with everyone, but she went live just to chat, and whenever she had troubles, talking to everyone always helped a lot. After all, none of them knew each other.
Sang Xiao raised her hand to rub her face, which felt hot. She was about to remind her chat friends to stop before the stream got banned, when the door was knocked.
“!!!” Sang Xiao jumped up, quickly turned off the streaming equipment, tidied herself up, and finally dragged her feet over to open the door.
Kuang Qingshang was standing at the door wearing a bathrobe, her hair still slightly damp, likely just dried.
Sang Xiao’s mind was now entirely filled with what her chat friends had said: Kuang Qingshang might be proposing.
“Why does your complexion look a little pale?” Kuang Qingshang asked with concern.
Sang Xiao held the doorknob, ready to shut the door at any moment. “I’m fine. What are you here for?”
Kuang Qingshang was in a good mood and stated clearly, “To fulfill our spousal duties.” Their spousal duties had always been tacitly understood as: acting like a normal married couple in front of elders, and keeping each other informed of their respective situations. But it was highly possible that Kuang Qingshang wanted to initiate other new duties.
Sang Xiao’s face instantly went even paler.
She said, “I’m sorry, I’m not convenient.” Whatever the duty was, she’d refuse first.
Kuang Qingshang looked at her strangely and said, “I’ll be quick.”
Sang Xiao: “…” She had envisioned countless scenarios in her mind: what should she do if Kuang Qingshang wanted intimacy? Should she go along with it, as her parents had hinted? Should she find an excuse to refuse? Or should she make an agreement with Kuang Qingshang to slowly cultivate feelings? But Sang Xiao had never imagined it would be this sudden.
Sang Xiao whispered, “That, that…” She looked down at her fingers, too anxious to speak coherently.