Chapter 135: Husband and Wife in One Bed
Chapter 135: Husband and Wife in One Bed
Ten Taozi.
This was beyond ordinary people. A young person with great stamina would be quite amazing to manage three or four Taozi. Someone weak hitting one or two would be the absolute max. Ten Taozi was truly a frightening number.
However, was Li Zian an ordinary man?
A single word could explain it all.
A Master naturally stands above normal people, unrivaled and unmatched.
The Ferrari rolled down the road, sometimes fast, sometimes slow; the speed was a bit unsteady.
“Chuntao, your driving is rather poor today. Why is the car speeding up and slowing down like this?” Li Zian asked with some worry.
Mu Chuntao rolled her eyes at him. “Guess why?”
A flash of insight struck Li Zian, giving him a sudden understanding. “Is there something wrong with the car?”
Mu Chuntao was silent. “…”
“Then why?”
“It’s all because of you. Eating so much.” Mu Chuntao rolled her eyes at him again, her Peach Blossom Face tinged with a faint blush.
Li Zian suddenly recalled something and shifted his gaze to her legs. He noticed then that when her foot pressed the gas pedal, it trembled slightly, giving a sense of exhaustion. He wasn’t an idiot; of course, he understood immediately and felt awkward too.
“You really have a pill constitution. Your physical stamina is ridiculously good.”
“Mhm.”
“Is your pill gourd-shaped, filled entirely with… medicinal fluid?”
Li Zian was silent. “…”
Handsome people usually have good tempers. Being nagged at a little was no big deal; he could just listen.
It had been several hours since they left No. 123 Weihai Middle Road now. Back at the hotel, Li Zian had considered returning to listen in when Pan Renlong went back home to administer the antidote to the fake Pan Guoqing. But after thinking it over, he gave up. The street was full of surveillance cameras, and the Pan family undoubtedly had its own monitoring. If he went back, the other side would definitely spot him, which would be like kicking a hornet’s nest.
Besides, he’d been rather busy at the time.
Returning to Gaochen Yipin, as the elevator ascended, Li Zian instructed her: “Chuntao, it’s best you don’t go out these next couple of days. Stay home. If someone asks you out, don’t go. If you absolutely must go out, tell me, and I’ll go with you.”
“Is it because of that Pan Renlong?” Mu Chuntao asked.
Li Zian nodded. “Things aren’t clear yet. I’m worried it could be dangerous for you to go out alone.”
A warmth blossomed in Mu Chuntao’s heart. “Then I’ll listen to you. I’ll stay home. When Yu Meilin goes to work, you come and keep me company.”
Li Zian chuckled. “Eat peaches?”
Mu Chuntao gave him a flirtatious eye roll. “The peaches on the tree are all gone because you ate them. Zero left.”
“They won’t be. They’ll grow back tomorrow.” Li Zian said.
Mu Chuntao gave a light tsk. “Your face is so thick.”
While talking, they arrived home.
Li Zian stood at the door waiting for Mu Chuntao to go inside. Instead, she suddenly leaned in and pecked him on the cheek. This startled him. What if Yu Meilin or the Old Matriarch opened the door just then? That would cause an explosion.
But explode it might as well. Things had already gone this far between him and Mu Chuntao; this pot was bound to blow sooner or later.
Seemingly not satisfied with just one peck, Mu Chuntao reached out and swatted him playfully. When Li Zian raised his hand to swat back, she quickly ran a few steps away, then turned back to stick her tongue out at him.
Li Zian sighed inwardly. One troublemaker at home, and this one was a troublemaker too.
What gave him some peace of mind was seeing how Mu Chuntao walked and ran. Her foot was clearly fine this time; otherwise, he’d feel guilty again.
Once home, Li Zian changed out of his clothes, put them in a plastic bag, sealed it, and stored it in the closet. Both he and Mu Chuntao had disinfected their clothes with alcohol at the hotel, but to be perfectly safe, he sealed them away to be stored for a while before wearing again. After all, there were children and an elderly person at home. If there was one spot he missed disinfecting, and the kids or the old lady got infected, it would be a profound regret.
Viruses have a survival period; even the hardiest last only a few days. So storing them for a while was the more prudent approach.
Li Zian went to the bathroom to take a shower. After changing, he went to the kitchen to cook dinner.
Dinner wasn’t done yet when Yu Meilin returned. She tied on an apron and entered the kitchen.
“What are you making for dinner? Let me help,” Yu Meilin said.
“It’s fine. You relax. Just stir-frying a few dishes, almost done,” Li Zian replied.
Yu Meilin didn’t leave. Seeing a head of cabbage in the sink, she walked over and washed it.
Li Zian didn’t say anything, but facing her, there was a twinge of guilt inside him. For no other reason than him sneaking to eat peaches behind her back again.
Humans are, after all, emotional creatures. If one truly felt nothing at all, it wouldn’t be any different from being a walking corpse.
“Zian, I need to tell you something,” Yu Meilin said, washing the cabbage.
“What is it?” Li Zian stirred the potato shreds in the wok.
“Tomorrow is the final deadline to repay the debt to Dajiang Group. I expect Yu Jiahao will come. I have a feeling he won’t just come for the money. Could you come to the company with me? I’d feel safer with you beside me,” Yu Meilin said.
Li Zian answered, “Alright. I’ll go to the company with you tomorrow. Is the money all prepared?”
“It’s prepared. I just worry he might stir up some trouble. It’s difficult for me, a woman, to handle that alone,” Yu Meilin said.
Li Zian replied, “If the money is ready, that’s fine. If he takes the money and leaves, then no problem. If he dares to cause trouble, I’ll beat him up.”
Yu Meilin smiled. “You, always saying you’ll hit people. If tomorrow you feel like hitting someone, just think of Xiaomei. It might calm you down a bit.”
“Mhm.” Li Zian scooped the stir-fried potato shreds onto a plate. “Bring this dish out. It’s ready.”
Yu Meilin put down the washed cabbage and carried the plate out.
Li Zian momentarily froze.
When had she become so obedient?
After dinner, Tang Qing left, saying she was meeting a friend to get materials.
Li Zian played with Li Xiaomei and took her back to her room. He picked an excavator toy from her pile of toys, ready to play games with her for a bit before tucking her into bed and telling her a bedtime story.
But Li Xiaomei refused to play. She pouted, looking at Li Zian.
Li Zian asked curiously, “Why the pouty face? Who upset you?”
Li Xiaomei said, “Daddy, you promised to buy me ice cream. Where’s the ice cream?”
Li Zian slapped his forehead. He’d totally forgotten.
But it wasn’t really his fault. First, the danger at the Pan family house, then eating peaches at the hotel… that was Peach Mommy’s doing! Why blame your old dad?
“Hmph! Forgot, didn’t you? I’m ignoring you!” Li Xiaomei huffed, looking indignant. “You play with the excavator yourself. I won’t play with you, and you’re definitely going to grow a long nose now!”
Li Zian was both amused and exasperated. He crouched in front of Li Xiaomei, coaxing her. “Xiaomei, close your eyes. When Daddy tells you to open them, open them. How about Daddy conjures a chocolate for you?”
The mention of conjuring chocolate instantly made Li Xiaomei’s eyes sparkle. “Mm-kay!” (“Yes!”)
She immediately closed her eyes.
“You absolutely must not open them until Daddy says so. Otherwise, no chocolate,” Li Zian reminded her.
“Mm-kay!” Li Xiaomei nodded her little head firmly.
Li Zian quickly left the room and ran downstairs.
Yu Meilin was in the living room flipping through some documents. Hearing Li Zian thump down the stairs, she asked curiously, “Zian, what are you running for?”
Li Zian said, “Going back to my room to get something.”
Yu Meilin laughed. “You wouldn’t be going to get candy to coax Xiaomei, would you?”
Busted just like that.
Li Zian was speechless inside but said brazenly, “Getting my phone. I need to tell Xiaomei a bedtime story. The stories are all saved on the phone.”
Yu Meilin saw the tell-tale rectangular bulge weighing down Li Zian’s pajama pocket and shook her head with a knowing smile. She didn’t expose him again, just lowered her head back to the documents.
This world is dominated by men. For a woman to achieve career success, it often requires several times the effort a man has to put in.
Li Zian came out of his room and thumped back upstairs.
Yu Meilin glanced at him and sighed softly.
She felt she owed him.
She knew there were cracks in his heart. She hadn’t cared before. But when she started caring and wanted to mend them, those cracks seemed gone. And it seemed he didn’t need mending anymore.
For her career, she had sacrificed almost everything. But was it worth it?
Yu Meilin finished reading a document and went upstairs. Before she reached Li Xiaomei’s room door, she heard Li Zian telling the bedtime story.
“…The scholar named Ning Caichen had just reached the door of the ruined temple when suddenly, a female ghost jumped out! She stuck out her tongue at him — Aaah!”
“Giggle, giggle, giggle…” came Li Xiaomei’s laughter.
Yu Meilin felt a wave of mingled amusement and exasperation wash over her.
An unorthodox dad, telling ghost stories to his child. An unorthodox child, laughing her head off like it was the funniest thing. The pair in the room were truly a perfect match.
Yu Meilin walked in. Li Zian was half-crouched on Li Xiaomei’s bed, one leg bent. Li Xiaomei was nestled under the covers, laughing without a care in the world.
“Mommy, come listen to Daddy’s story! Daddy tells the funniest stories!” Li Xiaomei stuck her hand out from under the covers and waved at Yu Meilin.
Yu Meilin walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Li Zian.
Li Zian felt awkward. “I said I’d tell a fairy tale, but she insisted on a ghost story.”
Yu Meilin smiled. “Ghost stories are fine. I want to hear one too. Keep going.”
Before Li Zian could start another ghost story, Li Xiaomei grabbed Yu Meilin’s hand and started pulling her towards the bed. “Mommy, you get on the bed too. Tonight, I want to sleep with both of you.”
The two adults couldn’t help but exchange a look.
This was awkward.
They were already a plastic couple. Sleeping in separate rooms peacefully was fine. What was sleeping in one bed supposed to mean?
“Mommy, I want you and Daddy both to hold me. Only then can I sleep,” Li Xiaomei said, her eyes brimming with hope.
“Alright, alright, Mommy holds Yaoyao.” Yu Meilin took off her slippers, climbed onto the bed, tucked her long legs under her, and embraced Li Xiaomei from the other side.
Li Zian had imagined lying in the same bed with Yu Meilin countless times. But now, actually lying next to her on the same bed, the feeling from before was gone. His mind held none of those earlier thoughts. Instead, there was a strange feeling he couldn’t pin down.
Three heads aligned on the pillow. Li Xiaomei was the happiest. She stretched out her hand to touch Yu Meilin’s face and give her a kiss, then stretched over to touch Li Zian’s face and kiss him.
Li Zian muddled through telling a story until Li Xiaomei finally fell asleep.
Yu Meilin watched Li Zian without saying anything, yet her eyes seemed to be speaking volumes.
Unable to withstand the look in her eyes, Li Zian said softly, “Xiaomei’s asleep. I’ll go back to my room.”
He got off the bed, put on his slippers, and left.
Yu Meilin got down from the bed too. “Zian,” she called softly.
Li Zian paused at the doorway and looked back at her. “Anything else?”
Yu Meilin hesitated before speaking. “Would you… I bought new pillows last time. Would you like to try your pillow?”
As soon as the words were out, her face flushed red.
“I… I have one on my bed. I’m used to it,” Li Zian replied, then practically darted away like a frightened rabbit.
Yu Meilin stayed rooted to her spot. For a long, long moment, she didn’t move at all.