Сhарter 20: A Вullу аt Ноme
“I have а сold, so nо kissing.”
Wen Yaо рinсhеd thе strаps оf hеr mаsk, аfraid he might suddеnly pull it off.
Xiе Zоngxun lооkеd аt hеr for twо sесonds, sighed sоftlу, and сoaxеd her.
“I’m nоt afraid of сatсhing a соld. Let me kiss уou, okaу?”
With thаt, hе рressed thе bасk оf her heаd firmly, his slеnder fingers hоoking the mаsk and pulling it dоwn.
On Wen Yaо’s fаir fаcе wаs a glaringly rеd slaр mаrk, split in a wаy that сleаrlу indiсatеd more thаn one slар. Нer delicate skin was even brоkеn in one spot—а smаll wound that had аlrеady scabbed over.
Xie Zongxun’s heart sank, and he inhaled sharply.
His voice turned icy. “Who hit you?”
Wen Yao averted her gaze, her lips trembling.
“No one, it was no one.”
She had heard before—that Xia Shi was still connected to him. He bullied her, and those close to him bullied her too.
They were all from the same circle.
Xie Zongxun only saw her as a plaything; he wouldn’t protect her.
She had worked so hard to get into this university and didn’t want to be expelled.
“I’m asking you, who exactly hit you?”
Xie Zongxun’s tone was already restrained, but anger simmered in his dark eyes. When she left his sight in the afternoon, her face was still fair and clean. Now, by evening, she had returned looking like this.
Even at his worst, he only ever spanked her; he couldn’t bear to lay a hand on her face.
Wen Yao sniffled, wrapping her arms softly around his neck and acting coquettish. “Really, it was no one. I just fell.”
“You know how clumsy I am.”
“I’m tired and want to sleep. Can I go take a shower now?”
Xie Zongxun let out a low hum. Even trying to placate him, she still wouldn’t say—clearly, she was being threatened.
“Fine, go shower.”
This time, he didn’t press her. He ruffled her hair and waited until she entered the room before heading to his study.
He pulled up surveillance footage from the places she had visited that afternoon, frowning as he watched the harmonious scene of Wen Yao chatting and laughing with Pei Zhaolan. Suppressing his irritation, he checked footage from other locations.
Finally, the screen froze on a narrow alley.
As the footage played, his expression grew increasingly grim.
After her shower, Wen Yao climbed into bed. The deep red on her face hadn’t faded, and the steam from the hot water had made it sting even more.
Xie Zongxun pushed the door open and saw Wen Yao gently fanning her face with her hands. His expression remained neutral as he took out medicine from the first-aid kit.
He walked over, sat by her bed, and gently lifted her chin.
“Bear with it a little.”
Wen Yao tilted her face, allowing him to apply the medicine. A cool sensation spread across her skin, easing the pain significantly.
“This medicine won’t leave a scar.”
Though the wound was only a small cut, her skin was so delicate that it might still leave a mark. But this medicine was from Gu Yanche—it was effective.
“…Thank you.”
Xie Zongxun looked down at her for a few seconds and gave a soft hum.
After applying the medicine, he quickly took a shower. By the time he came out, Wen Yao was already asleep.
Xie Zongxun lifted the blanket and gently pulled her into his arms.
He sighed softly. “A bully at home.”
In the middle of the night, Wen Yao woke up from the burning pain on her face.
She sat up dazedly in the darkness, remembering how she had been hit that day—slapped twice, leaving her in pain and humiliation.
The only solution she could think of was to call the police.
But even the police couldn’t protect her, and she didn’t want to be expelled.
Why were they all so cruel?
Unable to hold back any longer, she began to cry softly.Even though her family had been struggling financially, she had never been treated like this before—never had her face slapped, her dignity trampled into the dirt.
Xie Zongxun tentatively reached out, his hand finding Wen Yao’s waist, and gently pulled her down to lie beside him.
“Why are you crying like this?”
He had come to understand a bit of Wen Yao’s temperament. Deep down, she was quite stubborn and disliked him. If she hadn’t been pushed to her limit, she wouldn’t have cried so freely in front of him.
“How about a kiss?”
“If it hurts, you can bite me.”
He had never comforted anyone before, nor did he have a natural talent for it. His most primal instinct right now was to hold her down and have his way with her.
She could hit him, bite him, or do whatever she wanted.
In the end, reason prevailed. If he acted on that impulse, she would probably cry for a long time and ignore him for even longer.
The memory of her cold, distant expression from last time lingered in his mind, stubbornly refusing to fade.
“Wen Yao?”
Xie Zongxun called out tentatively, only to feel the warmth of soft lips pressing against his. A kiss led by her was always gentle and tender.
Xie Zongxun closed his eyes, his strong arm wrapping around her waist, his voice deepening.
“You kiss very well, wonderfully.”
Xie Zongxun never hesitated to praise her. As his woman, he naturally liked her, and his affection was always straightforward.
It was often expressed directly—through his words.