Chapter 23 Alone Together

After taking a shower, Lin Qiyue changed into casual clothes—a dress Lan Yuchu had bought for her. Since they were the only two at home today and her body was still sore, she didn’t plan on going out.

While folding up her pajamas, she caught sight of the faint red stains on the bedsheet. The memory of the previous night flashed back—indescribably awkward, and her ears were still burning from embarrassment.
Thinking about what happened, she couldn’t help but forgive Lan Yuchu a little for his roughness. In that intense moment, overwhelmed by emotion, he had suddenly asked her a question that left her stunned.
That one question had dragged on forever, and his clumsy technique made Lin Qiyue laugh out loud at the time. Lan Yuchu thought she was mocking him, which triggered his sense of pride and made him more determined to prove himself.
That’s when Lin Qiyue realized things were getting out of hand.

The price she paid was… well, now she had to change and wash the bedsheets.

After leaving the bedroom, Lin Qiyue fetched a basin of water to wash the sheet. At that moment, Lan Yuchu suddenly snatched the bedsheet from her hands and gently supported her.

“I’ll do it. You go to the living room and eat,” he said.

He had already prepared the food, and noticing her awkward walking posture, he didn’t want her bending over to wash sheets on top of that. So he took them from her directly.

“It’s fine, I can wash it myself,” Lin Qiyue reached out to take it back.

But Lan Yuchu didn’t let go, gently cupping her cheek.
“Be good, okay? I’ll wash it.”

“No, I’ll do it.” Lin Qiyue was mortified. How could she let him wash something so embarrassing?

“I’ve already washed your clothes for you, and this bedsheet belongs to both of us. Why can’t I wash it?”
He was clearly not giving up. “I washed your clothes just fine. A bedsheet can’t be that bad. What’s the big deal—”

Then he looked down and saw the stain.

Lin Qiyue was beyond embarrassed.

Lan Yuchu paused, then looked up to meet her eyes. After a moment, he said seriously,
“Then there’s even more reason you shouldn’t wash it. You’re still in pain. Go eat—I’ll be quick.”

His tone was like coaxing a child. What’s more, Lin Qiyue actually liked being coaxed like that.

“Then… make sure you use more water when you wash it,” she mumbled, her face flushing red as she turned and walked toward the living room.

Her movements were shy and stiff. Lan Yuchu watched with both pain and joy in his heart.
He never imagined “eating meat” would leave him feeling this happy and fulfilled.

While his wife ate in the living room, Lan Yuchu squatted down and washed the bedsheet, changing the water several times. The noon sun was blazing, and sweat began to bead on his skin.

Lin Qiyue glanced over at him—under the harsh sunlight, he was wearing a white tank top, his defined abs and muscular build in full display. The curves of his muscles were sharp, almost sculpted.
Even his profile was enough to make her dizzy with infatuation.

“Who says only women can use their looks to charm people? A man this handsome can totally make a woman fall head over heels!”

Lin Qiyue had to admit it—Lan Yuchu had her thoroughly captivated. She’d fallen hard.

Lan Yuchu couldn’t stop smiling as he looked at the stains—proof of their affection.
He hung the washed sheet out in the backyard, then returned to the living room to find Lin Qiyue still eating.

He washed his hands and joined her, and the two of them ate in silence for a while.

“Tomorrow, go resign from your job,” he said at last. “The day after, we’ll head back to Shachen Village together… to pay respects to your mom and dad.”

As he spoke, he watched her closely, afraid she might object to quitting her job.

“Okay. I’ll resign tomorrow,” Lin Qiyue replied.
She figured she’d be following him into the army life anyway, so quitting was inevitable. Plus, the original owner of her body was gone—she was now living in her place. It made sense to pay respects to her so-called parents.

“Eat a bit more,” Lan Yuchu urged, seeing that she agreed to resign.
To him, it meant she was agreeing to go with him, and that made him even happier. The food tasted even better.

Since Lan Yuchu returned, Lin Qiyue had been eating meat every day, even drinking milk powder. She felt like the original owner’s body was slowly recovering. Maybe this man really did want to take care of her.

Since she’d chosen to give him a chance, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to fall in love with him.

After eating, Lin Qiyue sat on the sofa and watched Lan Yuchu in the kitchen washing dishes.
When this man worked, he really didn’t cut corners.

“Still so handsome.”
She blushed without even realizing it.

When Lan Yuchu finished, he turned and caught her looking at him.
The moment their eyes met, Lin Qiyue immediately looked away, trying to play it cool and fiddling with the hem of her skirt.

He had always been aware of her gaze—every time she looked at him, he noticed.

Seeing her flustered, Lan Yuchu came out of the kitchen and asked,
“It’s a bit hot today. Do you want to take a nap first? Later I’ll take you out to buy some skincare stuff.”

That morning, while buying groceries, he’d overheard people chatting about how girls love beauty products like cold cream and other skincare items.
Thinking about how Lin Qiyue didn’t have anything like that, he figured it was time to get her some. Whatever others had, his wife should have too.

“Sure! Thanks.”
The mention of skincare made Lin Qiyue realize she hadn’t tried any products since arriving here.

Seeing her smile, Lan Yuchu walked over and suddenly picked her up.

“What are you doing?!” Lin Qiyue panicked and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Going to sleep,” Lan Yuchu said with a smile.

“No way! I’m still sore—I can’t!”
Her expression changed instantly.
Just thinking about the pain from last night made her body stiffen and shudder in fear.

Lan Yuchu lowered his head and looked at Lin Qiyue. “Just a short nap. I won’t do anything,” he said.

Only then did Lin Qiyue breathe a sigh of relief.

He carried her back to the room and gently laid her on the bed. The two of them were very close, and when they looked at each other, their eyes had changed. Lan Yuchu knew she was too shy to meet his gaze, so he didn’t tease her. Instead, he pulled a blanket over her.

“Go to sleep. I’ll wake you up later,” he said, his voice deep and magnetic.

It was a hot day, and he was still holding Lin Qiyue in his arms.

“Turn on the fan, will you?” she mumbled, feeling like she was about to sweat.

Lan Yuchu got up and turned on the fan. The humming sound of the fan soon filled the room, but he still held her in his arms, blocking the breeze. Lin Qiyue really wanted to say, “Stop holding me.” But in the end, she said nothing—because she saw that the man had already closed his eyes and fallen asleep.

It was the first time she had ever admired a man’s features so up close. Even from this angle, his looks were flawless. She began to smile foolishly—this man was hers. Feeling happy, she slowly drifted off to sleep too.

In the afternoon, Lan Yuchu woke her up.

“Lazy kitty, time to get up!” he whispered by her ear. The sound tickled her, making her back itch.

“Stop messing around… just a little longer,” Lin Qiyue murmured sleepily.

Lan Yuchu raised his eyebrows slightly, a helpless smile tugging at his lips, but he respected her wishes and said gently, “Alright, another half hour.”

Satisfied with his answer, Lin Qiyue snuggled deeper into his arms and went back to sleep.

Half an hour later, Lan Yuchu slipped a hand behind her neck and gently lifted her head, his other arm still around her waist. Seeing how reluctant she was to wake up, he chuckled softly and repeated, “Lazy kitty, time to get up!”

Still drowsy, Lin Qiyue refused to open her eyes.

Watching her, Lan Yuchu propped her against his shoulder, chuckling again as he kissed her ear.

Startled by the sensitive gesture, Lin Qiyue pushed him away a little.

Lan Yuchu tilted his head slightly to look at her sleepy face and gently smoothed her messy hair. “If you don’t get up soon, I’ll~” His tone hinted at something mischievous.

Lin Qiyue instantly lifted her head, eyes watery, and softly said, “Okay… I’m up!”