Fang Xihe turned off the stove and scrolled through her phone, waiting for Shang Chenzhou to return.
Zhang Junhua’s call came in.
Fang Xihe hung up.
Zhang Junhua switched to sending a voice message instead.
It was a long string of messages.
Having learned from last time, Fang Xihe converted the voice message to text.
[You stubborn girl, what are you trying to do? You didn’t answer my call and didn’t reply to my message.]
[Yesterday I ran into your Aunt Zhang again. She said the man seems quite satisfied with you and still wants to meet you.]
[Just go meet him. I looked at his photo; he’s decent-looking and doesn’t look that old.]
Fang Xihe replied: [Mom, those are all edited. He’s 38, of course he looks old. There’s no way I’m marrying an older man you can’t force me.]
After a while, Zhang Junhua sent another message: [Alright, if you really don’t want to, then forget it.]
Even Zhang Junhua thought the age difference was too big. Previously, she had agreed to meet Aunt Zhang only because of neighborly relations.
Fang Xihe had just breathed a sigh of relief when Zhang Junhua sent another message: [Has the matchmaking site arranged anyone for you?]
Fang Xihe made something up casually: [Yes, I’ve met several.]
Zhang Junhua: [How was it?]
Fang Xihe: [None of them were suitable.]
Zhang Junhua: [These matchmaking sites really aren’t reliable.]
At that moment, a sound came from the door the keypad was being used.
Fang Xihe quickly exited the chat with Zhang Junhua and opened a short-video app.
Shang Chenzhou came in carrying a stack of beers.
Fang Xihe ran over to take the beers from him.
Chenzhou wanted to warn her that it was heavy.
But Fang Xihe had already carried the beers to the dining area.
He took off his coat, hung it up, washed his hands, and returned to the dining area.
Fang Xihe opened two cans of beer, placing one in front of Chenzhou.
“Shang… hubby, cheers.”
Fang Xihe clinked her beer with his and took a big gulp.
Whether she could become a little rich lady depended entirely on her shamelessness.
“Hubby…” She had never called a man that before.
Shang Chenzhou stared at her for a moment, then took a gulp of his own beer.
“Hubby, have some meat.”
“Hubby, eat some spinach.”
“Come, hubby, drink.”
Chenzhou felt a tingling warmth as she kept calling him “hubby.”
The girl didn’t have a strong tolerance for alcohol. Two cans made her cheeks red and her eyes glazed, but her small hands were already reaching for a third can.
Chenzhou grabbed the beer away.
“Stop drinking.”
Fang Xihe was indeed dizzy.
She hadn’t expected this body to have such a low alcohol tolerance. Two cans were enough to get drunk.
“Alright, I won’t drink anymore. I’ll eat watermelon.”
Chenzhou’s lips curved slightly.
She was obedient.
He brought over a plate of watermelon and placed it in front of her.
Fang Xihe hugged it and ate.
“So sweet.”
Eventually, Fang Xihe felt so dizzy that she got up, staggering toward the bed.
As soon as she stood, her body tilted sideways, about to fall.
A pair of large hands caught her just in time.
A clean, fresh scent.
Reassuring.
Fang Xihe opened her eyes and saw the face above her.
Sharp features, deep-set eyes, a high nose bridge, full and sensual lips.
She instinctively reached out to touch him.
Chenzhou’s dark eyes deepened, locking onto the person in his arms.
Dizzy and fuzzy, like a little kitten.
Fang Xihe’s fingers traced from his brows and eyes down to his lips.
“Shang Chenzhou, you’re so handsome…”
Chenzhou raised an eyebrow. “Want to kiss?”
Fang Xihe froze, shaking her head.
She’d forgotten her ‘drunk, love-struck’ persona.
A hint of disappointment flashed in Chenzhou’s eyes.
He carried her to the bed, covering her with a blanket.
“Sleep.”
Fang Xihe was too dizzy and closed her eyes.
Chenzhou turned off the induction stove, cleared the table, and washed the dishes.
In the middle of the night, Fang Xihe woke up from the heat.
The air conditioner was on, and she was wearing fuzzy pajamas.
Chenzhou was awakened by the movement and turned to look.
Fang Xihe had sat up and was taking off her clothes.
He: “…”
Fang Xihe threw her top onto Chenzhou’s face.
He removed the fluffy shirt.
She then took off her pajama bottoms, tossing them onto the floor.
In the dim light, the curve of her chest was faintly visible.
Chenzhou’s Adam’s apple bobbed; he froze but couldn’t look away.
Fang Xihe sat for a moment to cool down, then lay back down, pulling the blanket over herself.
Chenzhou was about to close his eyes when Fang Xihe rolled over, hugging him tightly like usual, legs draped over him.
Her delicate skin brushed against his arm.
Her chest pressed against him.
In the darkness, his breathing grew heavy.
He wanted to get up to find her something to wear but couldn’t break free from her embrace.
After several failed attempts, he gave up.
The second half of the night was torturous for him; he hardly slept.
The person in his arms, on the other hand, slept soundly, with faint snores.
The next day.
Fang Xihe woke up, realizing she was hugging Chenzhou like an octopus. She wanted to smash her head against the wall.
Wait… something was wrong.
She slowly looked down.
Oh no! She wasn’t wearing any clothes!!!
She was only in her tight-fitting undergarments, pressed against Chenzhou.
This was unbearable. She didn’t want to live.
Which way would be the fastest?
She closed her eyes and stayed still.
Then she remembered, feeling even more embarrassed.
Help! Why wasn’t she wearing clothes?
Her first thought: Chenzhou had taken them off.
She angrily shoved the still-sleeping Chenzhou away and pulled the blanket over herself.
Chenzhou, unprepared, fell to the floor with a thud.
After a while, he slowly got up, dark circles under his eyes.
Fang Xihe glared at him. “Why did you take off my clothes?”
Chenzhou was speechless for two seconds, then rasped: “You took them off yourself.”
“Impossible.”
“In the middle of the night, you got hot and took them off yourself.”
Fang Xihe frowned.
Some memories flickered in her mind.
It seemed… she really had taken them off herself.
“Remember now?”
Fang Xihe buried her head in shame.
Chenzhou smirked slightly and went to the bathroom.
When he came out, he saw Fang Xihe still in the same position, listless.
He walked over and picked up her pajamas, placing them next to her.
“I’ll make breakfast.”
Fang Xihe didn’t look at him or make a sound.
It felt like the whole world had darkened.
After Chenzhou went to the kitchen, she put on her clothes under the blanket.
Chenzhou made millet porridge, fried eggs, and some pickles.
Fang Xihe buried her head in her meal, silent.
Chenzhou’s phone rang.
He went aside to answer.
After hanging up, he said: “Okay, I’ll come over later.”
When he returned, Fang Xihe immediately said: “You go handle your business. I’ll wash the dishes.”
Chenzhou looked at her deeply. “What do you want for lunch? I’ll bring it back.”