The two of them lay on the same bed again. Ye Shizhi was no longer sleepy like yesterday.
When Jiang Sinian lay down beside her, her body stiffened for a moment.
Ye Shizhi liked sleeping on her back—and so did Jiang Sinian. On the small bed, their skin was pressed together.
She stayed quiet for a little while, then her eyes sneaked a glance at the person beside her. His strong muscles pressed against her, radiating warmth. From the side, his facial lines were smooth, his nose high and straight, and those long eyelashes drew attention. Almost nothing about him was imperfect.
She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. This had to be the archetype of a handsome villain—so tragically perfect it hurt.
Jiang Sinian had already noticed Ye Shizhi staring at him. He looked up unexpectedly, and their eyes met—curious, clear, and sharp.
Ye Shizhi froze. That face so close to hers… for a long moment, he didn’t move. Suddenly, he turned—and it was enough to make anyone startled.
Still, she had to admit, his narrow eyes with their faintly cold glint were compelling, making one want to break through that icy exterior and release the hidden intensity inside.
But of course, Ye Shizhi wasn’t suicidal.
Being reckless was easy for her—it would only harm the little one in her belly. Yet she also knew that if she did, Jiang Sinian would quietly, effortlessly put her in danger—completely.
Was Jiang Sinian easy to handle?
No. He was highly perceptive, courageous, and resolute. This trip to the county was the formal start of his career, the beginning of his rise.
And naturally, it was also a plot point in the story.
Thinking this way, he really wasn’t simple at all, Ye Shizhi thought.
“What’s not simple?” Jiang Sinian asked in a low voice. Ye Shizhi realized she had spoken aloud.
“Pregnancy isn’t simple—morning sickness, body changes, mood swings for no reason,” she bluntly complained, taking the opportunity, “Jiang Sinian, now that we have a child, you can’t forget your wife—you have to treat me well.”
The room’s light hadn’t been turned off—a small habit of the original Ye Shizhi, afraid of the dark. It allowed her to clearly see Jiang Sinian’s expression. He looked at her quietly, emotions unreadable, obscure, and difficult to decipher.
In the dim light, they lay close together—not romantic, just a gentle test of each other.
“Ye Shizhi, you’re smart. You know what I want,” he said.
Meaning: he only cared about Jiang Suian, and if she could ensure his safety, he could meet her requests.
Ye Shizhi’s expression didn’t change. She tilted slightly, her head almost against Jiang Sinian’s, and whispered, “Of course.”
This aligned with her task, while also benefiting her personally. A good deal—he treated her well, in every sense.
“Sleep. You have to get up early tomorrow.”
Ye Shizhi rubbed her belly but didn’t turn over. She kept her face toward Jiang Sinian, just a hand’s distance apart.
She tucked in her hidden sharpness and closed her eyes, curling up. March nights were still cold; the bed’s blanket barely covered them both. Ye Shizhi could barely hold down the edges.
Perhaps because of pregnancy, as she tried to sleep, her mind gradually clouded. Cold hands and feet moved toward warmth.
Her soft arms unconsciously shifted around him, legs tangled. Jiang Sinian opened his eyes, helpless, and saw Ye Shizhi resting unconsciously against him, her face warm, defenseless.
Her cheeks were lightly flushed. Pressing against him like a koala, her breath warmed his arm.
For some reason, Jiang Sinian didn’t push her away.
Like the previous night, he couldn’t sleep. He stared quietly at the person resting against his arm, tranquil yet alert.
Unlike last night, his murderous intent had vanished, replaced by a stronger vigilance—his suspicion hadn’t waned at all.
“Ye Shizhi, keep this up,” he murmured—whether she was pretending or not.
From the sidelines, Xiao Liu rolled his eyes: “She’s not pretending. Give her a little sunshine and she’ll flaunt it.”
Xiao Liu glanced at the control panel showing the world’s repair progress.
《Years of the Female Protagonist’s Counterattack》 world repair progress: 0.2%
The red warning light still flashed.
“Keep working hard!”
Xiao Liu turned off auto-sleep mode, not caring much. In this, he was very similar to Ye Shizhi. Indeed, they were clearly not just two people thrown together.
The rural night was peaceful. Their home, near the back mountain, had no disturbances.
Aside from insect sounds, only the wind rustling through the leaves outside the window.
The darkness of night gradually gave way to the first light of dawn, heralded by roosters in the distance.
A new day officially arrived.
Jiang Sinian rose early. He packed simply and headed for the front door. Just as he lowered his head to close it, he abruptly stopped.
“Brother, you’re leaving.”
Fang Jingshan had just turned the corner and saw him but Jiang Sinian ignored him.
“Leaving without a word?”
Ye Shizhi didn’t notice when she leaned against the door, wearing a plain outfit she had chosen from a pile of colorful clothes. Not stylish, but loose—good enough to serve as sleepwear.
Yawning lazily, she walked over step by step and raised an eyebrow at the closed door.
“Not opening it?”
Hearing this, Jiang Sinian immediately pushed it open, looking down at the slightly shorter woman, his lips pressed together, unsure of her intentions.
“Suian wants to say goodbye to Daddy,” Ye Shizhi said, smiling. Her dimples appeared slightly as she explained, “So it’s not me asking you.”
Her delicate hand held Jiang Sinian’s large palm, gently resting on her small belly, her other hand layered on top. She lowered her brows, cooing and teasing: “Alright, Suian, Daddy has to leave now.”
The sight was enough to make Jiang Sinian unaware of removing his hand.
“Suian wants you to take care of yourself,” Ye Shizhi said as she closed the door, her gaze through the gap serious on Jiang Sinian.
“Jiang Sinian, you better do it, or Suian will call someone else Daddy.”
With that, Ye Shizhi turned and walked back without hesitation—as if it truly was Suian who just wanted to see him.