Сhаpter 16: Drеаming оf Snuggling intо Нis Embracе
“Nо, my hands hurt sо much… Savе mе…”
Jiаng Li wаs wrарpеd in а blасk quilt, while Yuan Нezhi lay besidе hеr with prореr slееping роsturе. The twо did nоt disturb eаch other.
In thе deеp silencе of thе night, just as Yuаn Нezhi was аbout to fall аslеер, he heаrd thе wоmаn beside him sрeаking.
The mаn closеd his narrow, рhoenix-likе еуes аnd frоwned.
At work, hе valuеd еfficienсy; outsidе of wоrk, hе рrefеrred quiet. Аnyonе whо disruрted the sense of order he hаd аdhered to sincе сhildhood would fасe severe consequences.
Jiang Li spoke intermittently, seemingly with no intention of stopping. Yuan Hezhi considered whether to change rooms to sleep, as he still had to work the next day.
He opened his drowsy, indifferent eyes and glanced beside him, seeing Jiang Li trapped under the covers, struggling to free herself.
Her strength was too weak—she couldn’t even handle a quilt, excessively delicate.
Jiang Li’s fair little face was damp with sweat. Her pearly teeth were tightly clenched against her red lips, almost drawing blood.
Yuan Hezhi’s eyes sharpened, and he immediately pinched her nose.
Unable to breathe through her nose, Jiang Li had to breathe through her mouth, sparing her tormented red lips.
She opened her eyes groggily, her soft, boneless voice accusing, “You’re bullying me. You shouldn’t disturb someone when they’re cleaning their ears, and you shouldn’t pinch someone’s nose when they’re sleeping, or they won’t grow tall.”
What nonsense was this?
Yuan Hezhi released his hand, propped himself up on the bed with his arm, and leaned his sturdy, slender frame over her. “How long has this been happening to you? Have you seen a doctor?”
Jiang Li was a bit confused. She had been woken up by Yuan Hezhi pinching her nose, and now he suspected she was ill. Her displeasure reached its peak!
“I don’t want to talk to you anymore!”
She turned her back to him angrily, as if refusing to speak or look at him was the ultimate form of resistance she could muster.
Yuan Hezhi’s refined face was unusually silent. The strong never feared their opponents; he respected them but would also destroy them to ensure his own invincibility.
But he had never encountered an “opponent” like Jiang Li—every inch of her skin was soft, her bones seemed soft too, and her gentle, fair face evoked pity… She was an opponent he had to coax.
Jiang Li knew she had had a nightmare. She hoped she hadn’t said anything incriminating.
How much better it would be to sleep in separate rooms! She didn’t want her secret of rebirth to be exposed. Yuan Hezhi would send her for dissection.
So terrifying.
The man’s calm and composed voice sounded, “I’ll arrange for a doctor to examine you. If you don’t want to bite your lips raw, listen to my arrangements. It won’t do you any harm.”
Jiang Li didn’t want to obey, but the prenuptial agreement bound her tightly. Her affairs were his affairs; he had the right to manage them, and she could only comply.
In her dream, she wielded a trident, chasing Yuan Hezhi, the notorious merman. It was bad enough that he lorded over his own territory, but he had also come to her domain to act tyrannically.
Yuan Hezhi didn’t sleep well all night. In the latter half of the night, Jiang Li occasionally let out soft giggles and kicked off the quilt, snuggling into his embrace.
If he hadn’t been there to block her, she would have surely rolled off the bed.
Yuan Hezhi, who suffered from skin hunger, gladly accepted her sacrificial-like movements. His mature, sturdy, and slender body restrained her, his well-defined abdominal muscles slightly tensed, and sweat of restrained discomfort flowed as he fell asleep like this.
The next morning, his precise biological clock woke Yuan Hezhi. He only slept a few hours each day, but even a poor night’s sleep would give him a headache.Yuan Hezhi’s brow was dark and sinister, his eyes harboring a fierce intensity. He rubbed his chin against Jiang Li’s head a few times, realizing there was a fragrant, soft little woman in his arms. The displeased man seemed to be soothed, his mood gradually improving.
Suffering from skin hunger, Yuan Hezhi held Jiang Li tightly, reluctant to let go. Yet, after just a few minutes of lingering in bed, he got up to shower in the bathroom.
The man was mature, steady, and had strong self-control. The sense of responsibility on his shoulders had cultivated in him the habit of delayed gratification, which also allowed him to handle any person or situation with ease and composure.
Uncle Wang and Secretary Zhao were already waiting for him outside the door.
Yuan Hezhi strode with long legs, walking with purpose. Having delayed a few minutes in the bedroom, he would have to shorten his breakfast time by a few minutes.
Unlike the extravagant playboys, his daily schedule was packed.
“I’ll have a cup of Blue Mountain coffee.”
Uncle Wang: “Right away, sir.”
The young master had excellent physical fitness and abundant energy, so he didn’t need coffee to stay alert every day.
He must have been tired from yesterday!
Old Madam still wanted to find out whether the young couple had consummated their marriage. It seemed they had!
Yuan Hezhi took a sip of his Blue Mountain coffee and seemed to remember something. “Secretary Zhao, adjust today’s schedule. Arrange all work to be completed before the end of the workday.”
Secretary Zhao acknowledged.
Jiang Li slept until ten in the morning before waking up, and no one had disturbed her during that time.
The blanket covering her wasn’t pink but black. The floor wasn’t warm teak but cold marble.
She was married, sleeping in Yuan Hezhi’s bedroom.
Fortunately, he wasn’t there, or it would have been awkward.
Jiang Li got up and went to the bathroom to freshen up. The oversized two-meter-long vanity had her countless bottles and jars on one side—too many to count even with fingers and toes.
On the other side were Yuan Hezhi’s toothbrush and razor, pitifully few items.
They had registered their marriage but hadn’t held a wedding ceremony, so their daily necessities weren’t paired. However, Jiang Li liked pink and white, while Yuan Hezhi preferred black and blue. Their toothbrush cups and towels—one pink, one blue—unexpectedly became a matching couple set.
Standing in front of the vanity, Jiang Li used a beauty device to reduce the puffiness on her face. She opened her phone, intending to play for a while, and saw a WeChat message from Yuan Hezhi sent at nine o’clock: “I won’t be home for lunch. If you’re bored, you can go have a meal with Grandma.”
Jiang Li wanted to reply simply with “Okay,” but that felt too dry. If she wanted to navigate the Yuan family smoothly, she would definitely need to rely on Yuan Hezhi.
Madam Yuan, upon seeing that sauerkraut fish dish, hadn’t dared to confront Yuan Hezhi directly, which showed his authority within the family.
Jiang Li sent a voice message to Yuan Hezhi, her sweet voice like honey: “I’ll have lunch with Grandma. You should eat on time too. I’ll be thinking of you while I eat. If I get too carried away missing you, I might mistake broccoli for sweet and sour ribs and eat it. What should I do? I’m already starting to miss you now. My husband is the best in the world!”
Yuan Corporation.
Yuan Hezhi rubbed the pen in his hand, his brow dark and sinister, his patience nearly exhausted.
Standing across the desk was a branch company president, his expression frenzied as he hurled insults at Yuan Hezhi.“I’ve been with the company for over twenty years—longer than you’ve been alive! How dare you fire me with just one word! So I embezzled funds, I’m not clean—but how clean are you, Yuan Hezhi? I’m still your distant relative—is this how you treat family? Yuan Hezhi, you’re heartless and cold-blooded, turning your back on your own kin! You’ll face divine retribution! I curse you—may your wife never love you, may your children never respect you, may you die alone!”
Yuan Hezhi’s gaze remained icy. Without a word, he simply raised a finger slightly. Yuan San effortlessly lifted the man and dragged him out.
The man continued to curse, but Yuan San silenced him with a slap, leaning close to his ear to whisper, “We could kill you and face no consequences. If you dare speak disrespectfully again, I’ll cut out your tongue.”
Yuan Si said, “Young Master, please don’t take his words to heart.”
Yuan Hezhi replied, “Leave.”
Yuan Si responded, “Yes!”
He didn’t dare linger for even a second, fearing he might become the target of Yuan Hezhi’s anger.
Yuan Hezhi rubbed his temples, his eyes catching sight of his phone. He opened the voice message Jiang Li had sent.
After listening to it three times, a faint smile touched his lips. Casually, he sent a text to Uncle Wang: “Prepare stir-fried broccoli with shrimp and sweet and sour pork ribs for the young mistress at noon.”