Shi Xing was curious about his question. She blinked at him, “How would I sleep with you, and how would you sleep with me?”
Is there any difference between the two?
Qi Chenyan smiled, “You choose first.”
“…”
Shi Xing thought for a moment, then smiled and wrapped her arms around his, leaning her head against his shoulder. “Then, A Yan, sleep with me.”
Without a trace of shyness or hesitation.
Qi Chenyan’s gaze flickered as he glanced at the small head resting on his shoulder, murmuring softly, “No regrets?”
Shi Xing looked up at him again, “Why would I regret it?”
Her eyes were as clear as a jade-green lake, revealing every emotion at a glance. Qi Chenyan was momentarily dazed by the clarity in her gaze, almost fooled by her once more.
He took a deep breath and patted her head, “Alright.”
With that, he lifted her into his arms, “I’ll sleep with Xingxing.”
Carrying her back to the bedroom, he had her change her clothes again while he went to the guest room to freshen up.
When he returned to the master bedroom, Shi Xing had just stepped out of the bathroom. A dazzling, vivid red instantly caught Qi Chenyan’s eye.
Qi Chenyan’s breath hitched, his gaze darkening.
Shi Xing wasn’t wearing the nightgown he had brought from her home earlier but one of the dresses that had just been delivered.
A sheer silk V-neck slip dress, its smooth fabric clinging to the girl’s fair, delicate skin. The dress was short, ending just above her thighs.
The red accentuated her already pale skin, making it appear as smooth and flawless as snow.
Slender shoulders and arms, a narrow waist, a perky bottom, and long, shapely legs—her alluring curves were unmistakably on display.
A vision of vibrant beauty.
She had casually tied up her soft, wavy long hair, leaving a few stray strands to frame her face. Her features were exquisite, and even without makeup, her natural beauty was radiant.
As she stepped out of the bathroom, she turned her gaze toward him as he entered the bedroom. Her eyes shimmered, breathtakingly beautiful.
Qi Chenyan instinctively averted his gaze, struggling to maintain his composure. “Why are you wearing this?”
“Isn’t it pretty?”
Shi Xing walked up to him. “I saw this nightgown when I was picking out dresses earlier. I thought it was really beautiful.”
As she spoke, she twirled in front of him, then tilted her head and looked at him. “Is it pretty or not?”
Qi Chenyan couldn’t help but look at her again. One glance was all it took for him to be unable to tear his eyes away. When he spoke again, his voice was hoarse. “Yes, it’s pretty.”
Shi Xing’s eyes curved into a smile as she lightly bit her red lips. “How did you know I like this style of nightgown?”
Qi Chenyan: “…”
How would he know? He didn’t.
He had simply instructed someone to buy clothes. When asked about the style, he said to get both vibrant and princess-like styles, as these were the two styles he had seen Shi Xing wear most often.
Sometimes she was a seductive, enchanting rose; other times, a cute, romantic princess.
The person on the phone had replied with understanding, “Alright, Third Young Master. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’re satisfied.”
Though, to be honest, he was quite satisfied.
Qi Chenyan thought to himself that this person’s efficiency was indeed commendable.
Shi Xing smiled at him, her eyes shimmering, her voice soft and sweet. “Thank you, A Yan. I really like all the clothes you had someone buy for me.”
Qi Chenyan’s heart skipped a beat, easily captivated by her beautiful, affectionate gaze. For a moment, he didn’t know how to react.
Before he could gather his thoughts, the girl’s slender, snow-white arms wrapped around his neck. She rose on her tiptoes, lifting her face toward his. “A Yan, it’s time to sleep.”Qi Chenyan’s gaze fell on her moist red lips, the tip of her tongue faintly visible as she spoke.
He took a deep breath. “Alright.”
Shi Xing didn’t let him go, still wrapping her arms around his neck, her eyes curved in a coquettish manner. “Carry me~”
Qi Chenyan sighed softly.
Truly a nemesis.
He leaned down, lifting her by the legs and shoulders as before, but this time was different—this time, his palm pressed directly against her skin, the delicate texture scalding his palm and tightening his breath.
Qi Chenyan carried Shi Xing to the bedside, set her down, and without hesitation pulled the blanket over her, wrapping her up.
In an instant, only her head was left exposed. Shi Xing blinked in confusion. “What are you doing?”
With the alluring beauty now hidden, Qi Chenyan could finally remain composed. “Didn’t you want to sleep? How can you sleep without covering up properly?”
“?”
Shi Xing grew even more bewildered, her long lashes fluttering. “Aren’t you going to sleep with me?”
“Mhm.”
Qi Chenyan lay down beside her, pulling her into his arms through the blanket. “Sleep now.”
“?”
Shi Xing didn’t understand the situation. “Wait, is this how you meant to sleep with me?”
Their heads were close together now. Qi Chenyan looked into her eyes. “Otherwise? How does Xingxing want to sleep?”
Shi Xing paused. “We’re already married.”
“Mhm.”
He nodded. “I know.”
As he said this, a smile touched his eyes, and he couldn’t help but lean in to kiss her smooth forehead, his voice soft and low. “Xingxing is my wife now.”
Whether she truly loved him or not, she was completely his now.
Shi Xing: “So you’re sure you want to sleep like this on our wedding night?”
Qi Chenyan gazed at her deeply. “Because I think Xingxing still needs time to accept and prepare properly.”
He didn’t want her acting on impulse.
They were already married, so he was in no hurry. Now, he had plenty of time to wait for her to truly fall in love with him.
When it came to such matters, what he wanted most was her genuine affection, not her lying in his arms while thinking of another man.
Shi Xing had no idea what he was thinking. She simply pouted. “I don’t need to prepare. I’m quite ready.”
Qi Chenyan curved his lips, stroking her hair. “Then it’s me who needs to prepare. Give me a little time, okay?”
Shi Xing huffed angrily. “Are you even a man?”
Qi Chenyan smiled even more delightedly, pinching her cheek. “Words like that won’t provoke me. I’ll have plenty of time to prove to Xingxing whether I’m a man or not.”
Shi Xing looked into his eyes and saw he truly had no intention of doing anything.
She grumbled, “I should’ve known better than to choose you to accompany me.”
Then, curious, she added, “If I had chosen to accompany you earlier, would you have done it with me?”
She was truly bold and straightforward.
Qi Chenyan said, “Xingxing can choose to accompany me tomorrow and try.”
The same trick again.
Shi Xing pouted even more. “Then kiss me. I want a kiss.”
She refused to believe he could hold back once they kissed.
But Qi Chenyan smiled and nodded. “Alright, I’ll kiss you tomorrow.”
As if he didn’t know whether he could hold back if he kissed her now.
Shi Xing: “…”
She bit her lip and simply leaned in to kiss him.
Before she could touch his lips, he covered her mouth with his hand.
His eyes held a smile, his voice gentle. “Be good, listen to me, okay?”
Shi Xing: “!”
His palm pressed against her lips. Shi Xing gritted her teeth, grabbed his hand, and bit down on the side of his palm.He let her bite him, the light in his eyes growing even softer.
When Shi Xing let go, there was a faint tooth mark on the side of his palm.
She finally gave in, “You’re so annoying.”
Wrapping herself in the blanket, she turned her back to him and muttered softly, “I’m going to sleep.”
“Alright.”
Qi Chenyan followed her turning motion, wrapping his arms around her from behind, his thin lips pressed against her ear as he gently kissed her soft earlobe, “Goodnight, baby.”
Shi Xing’s bad mood dissipated with those gentle words. She paused for a moment, turned her head to kiss his cheek, and said, “Goodnight, A Yan.”
She turned back to face him, feeling the blanket was too bothersome, so she pulled it aside and nestled into his arms.
He stiffened, wanting to refuse, but she said, “If you won’t even allow this, I won’t sleep with you.”
In the end, Qi Chenyan couldn’t bear to refuse.
He wanted to hold her as she slept.
He turned off the light, and the room plunged into complete darkness.
Only the soft, alternating breaths of the two remained.
Shi Xing thought she would have a hard time falling asleep on her first day of rebirth, but in Qi Chenyan’s arms, smelling his clean scent and feeling the warmth of his embrace, she quickly drifted into a deep sleep.
As for Qi Chenyan, listening to the girl’s soft breathing, he felt no drowsiness at all.
He was terrified that when he woke up and opened his eyes, he would find this was just a beautiful dream.
That she wasn’t really in his arms.
He held her, the girl in a thin dress, her body slender and soft, her skin warm, pressed against him as if they were truly intertwined.
He wanted to tighten his arms around her a little more, but he was afraid of hurting her or waking her, so he restrained himself, watching her in the pitch-black night.
Occasionally, he would steal a kiss on her cheek or the corner of her lips, his thin lips gently brushing against her delicate skin, unwilling to pull away.
“Xingxing~”
He called her name very softly.
He kissed the corner of her mouth, then slowly moved to her lips, gently pecking them, restraining the force so as not to wake her, lightly holding her lips before tenderly licking them.
But Shi Xing seemed to have been disturbed by him, her brows twitching slightly, tightening slowly, and her eyelashes trembling.
She shifted uncomfortably, and just as Qi Chenyan was about to pull away, he heard her soft, trembling voice, as if on the verge of tears.
She said, “He Sheng, don’t…”
In that instant, Qi Chenyan froze completely.
The burning emotions in his heart turned icy cold in an instant.
In truth, he had always known some things, always understood.
But occasionally, he still clung to illusions.
Until now, a few simple words felt like the sharpest bone-scraping knife, piercing straight into his heart.
It turned out that the closest distance was the most painful.
More heart-wrenching and agonizing than any time he had seen or heard from afar over the past decade.