“Y-you… you need to get out!”
Huang Xiaoxiao hurriedly grabbed a towel nearby and covered herself.
The man glanced at her calmly.
“Your clothes are here.”
After speaking, he set the clothes down and turned to leave.
“Phew… Why did he suddenly come in? He scared me to death.”
Huang Xiaoxiao’s face was bright red. The steam from the bath had tinted her entire body a rosy pink.
Looking at the clothes placed nearby, she decided not to continue bathing. She turned off the water, carefully dried herself, and got dressed.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.
“Finished bathing?”
Hearing footsteps, Zhuo Yi turned around. Seeing her wet hair, he couldn’t help frowning.
“Why did you come out without drying your hair?”
He put down what he was holding, went upstairs to get a towel, then returned to the sofa and gently dried her hair.
The man’s hands were large.
Feeling his careful and gentle movements, Huang Xiaoxiao’s heart warmed slightly.
Perhaps this man wasn’t as cold as he appeared.
“Done.”
Just as Huang Xiaoxiao was about to fall asleep from comfort, he stopped.
“It’s dry?”
She opened her eyes and touched her hair.
Sure enough, it was completely dry. Her soft hair rested smoothly on her shoulders.
It looked a lot like the woman herself.
Unable to resist, Zhuo Yi reached out and rubbed the top of her head.
“Hm?”
Huang Xiaoxiao looked up in confusion, not understanding what he meant.
“Nothing. Come eat something.”
Zhuo Yi beckoned to her.
“Okay.”
At the mention of food, Huang Xiaoxiao touched her stomach.
She really was hungry.
“Mmm, this is delicious!”
After taking a bite, her eyes immediately lit up.
“If you like it, eat more.”
Zhuo Yi placed another couple of servings into her bowl.
“Tomorrow, I’d like to invite a few friends over for a meal. What do you think?”
As he looked after Huang Xiaoxiao, he carefully watched her reaction.
“That’s fine.”
She nodded without hesitation.
If he wanted to invite friends, then he could invite them. It had nothing to do with her, so there was no need to ask her opinion.
Deep down, she still didn’t see herself as Zhuo Yi’s partner.
Nor did she see herself as part of this household.
Whatever he wanted to do was his business, which was why she agreed so readily.
“Good.”
Hearing her approval, Zhuo Yi’s lips curved slightly.
Huang Xiaoxiao happened to catch that smile.
His features softened.
His entire face suddenly looked…
Actually…
Pretty handsome.
Huang Xiaoxiao quickly lowered her head and focused on eating.
She didn’t dare look any longer.
…
That night.
Huang Xiaoxiao lay in bed.
The blanket was pulled tightly around her, leaving only her eyes exposed as she nervously stared at the man beside the bed.
Was tonight the night?
She had heard it could be painful.
Some people even said the pain was so bad they couldn’t get out of bed afterward.
She didn’t know whether that was true.
Those were just things she had heard from others.
Some people also said it felt wonderful and that she’d understand once she experienced it herself.
They claimed it was heavenly.
She didn’t know what heavenly felt like.
As long as she didn’t die, that was enough.
After finally getting a second chance at life, she didn’t want to lose it so easily.
“Um… later… could you maybe…”
Her muffled voice came from beneath the blanket.
“What?”
Zhuo Yi didn’t hear her clearly.
As he removed his shirt, his well-built muscular body suddenly came into view.
Huang Xiaoxiao’s eyes widened slightly.
Her eyelashes trembled.
A flush instantly spread from her neck to her entire face.
The man climbed into bed after turning off the light, completely unaware that her cheeks were so red they looked ready to bleed.
One corner of the blanket was lifted.
A trace of cool air flowed in, making Huang Xiaoxiao shiver.
The next moment, she was pulled into a warm embrace.
Her lips were covered before she could speak.
No words of refusal came out.
…
See you tomorrow.
…
The next day.
Huang Xiaoxiao didn’t open her eyes until ten in the morning, and even then, she did so reluctantly.
She glanced outside.
The snow had stopped.
A ray of sunlight broke through the clouds and fell upon the endless white snowfield, reflecting a dazzling brilliance.
Huang Xiaoxiao got out of bed in a very good mood.
She had thought it would be very painful, but aside from the beginning, afterward it seemed…
Well…
Thinking about that indescribable feeling, her cheeks grew slightly warm.
As expected of a Level 5 Ability User.
There were ten levels of Ability Users in total. For a man of Zhuo Yi’s age to have already reached Level 5, he was definitely a genius among geniuses.
After washing up, she headed downstairs.
“Zhuo Yi! Zhuo Yi!”
She called out twice, but there was no response.
“Did he go out?”
Huang Xiaoxiao didn’t think much of it and went to the kitchen to look for something to eat.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
“Did he forget his key?”
Changing direction, she walked to the front door.
“Brother, look—”
The moment the door opened, a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girl called out happily. However, when she saw Huang Xiaoxiao, the smile on her face instantly disappeared.
“Who are you?”
Caught off guard by the sight of another woman, Zhuo Wenxuan looked at her suspiciously.
She looked Huang Xiaoxiao up and down.
Poor.
That was the impression she got.
With a single glance, Huang Xiaoxiao could tell the girl looked down on her.
“Your brother isn’t home. Do you want to come in and wait, or come back later?”
“What do you mean, come in or leave? This is my brother’s house. I can come whenever I want and leave whenever I want. You should be the one explaining how you got in here.”
Zhuo Wenxuan shoved Huang Xiaoxiao aside and walked into the house as if she were the owner.
Huang Xiaoxiao remained silent.
She felt this was something Zhuo Yi should explain himself.
“Well? Why aren’t you talking? Cat got your tongue?”
Zhuo Wenxuan frowned, disliking the woman before her even more.
Ding dong!
The doorbell rang again.
Huang Xiaoxiao looked at Zhuo Wenxuan.
“Why are you looking at me? Go answer the door. You’re so slow and clueless.”
Huang Xiaoxiao took a deep breath.
Just a brat.
No need to argue with her.
When she opened the door, several people were standing outside.
“You must be Sister-in-law.”
The group quickly greeted her.
“Uh…”
Faced with their enthusiasm, Huang Xiaoxiao wasn’t sure how to respond.
“Well… come inside first.”
The wind was blowing outside, so she quickly invited them in.
“Oh, Xiaoxuan is here too.”
The moment they entered and saw Zhuo Wenxuan standing there, they froze for a second.
“What did you mean by ‘Sister-in-law’ just now?”
Zhuo Wenxuan pointed angrily at Huang Xiaoxiao.
“Uh… Wenxuan, maybe we should wait until Second Brother gets back before discussing this?”
Lin Ruiyang glanced at Huang Xiaoxiao and tried to mediate.
“Why should we wait for Second Brother—”
Click.
At that moment, the front door opened.
Zhuo Yi had gone out to process their marriage certificate. He had also bought some things for Huang Xiaoxiao.
While helping her pack yesterday, he had noticed how pitifully few belongings she owned. Since he had time today, he wanted to get her a few necessities.
Carrying several bags, he stepped into the house and was momentarily stunned to find everyone crowded near the entrance.
“Why is everyone standing by the door?”
“Brother, you’re finally back! They said this woman is your wife.”
The moment she saw Zhuo Yi, Zhuo Wenxuan immediately ran to complain.
“This woman is so ugly. Look at the rags she’s wearing. She looks so poor. How could you possibly—”
“Enough!”
Seeing her words become increasingly offensive, Zhuo Yi’s expression turned cold as he sharply interrupted her.
“Brother, you yelled at me!”
Zhuo Wenxuan widened her eyes in disbelief.
Zhuo Yi walked over to Huang Xiaoxiao and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“Xiaoxiao and I are already married. She is your sister-in-law now. I don’t want to hear any of those things you just said ever again.”
His tone was extremely serious.
It was clear he wasn’t joking.
Zhuo Wenxuan’s eyes widened.
Her face was filled with disbelief.
Pointing a trembling finger at the woman hiding in Zhuo Yi’s arms, her chest rose and fell rapidly with anger.
Huang Xiaoxiao pressed her lips together.
For some reason…
She really wanted to laugh.
No.
She couldn’t laugh.
Huang Xiaoxiao buried her face deeper into the man’s chest.
Zhuo Yi lowered his head.
All he could see was the crown of her head.
Thinking she had been hurt by the insults, he tightened his arm around her.
Then he looked at Zhuo Wenxuan with obvious displeasure in his eyes.