Chapter 8: Stop Saying Things That Make People Laugh

Huo Beiqing said this while giving his father a teasing look.

Although Huo Shuyuan had mellowed with age, he still couldn’t help but feel the urge to slap his son when he heard those words.

He sighed deeply, then said, “You should be mindful of your age and stop saying things that make people laugh.”

Huo Beiqing just shook his head without responding and went upstairs.

Xia Ruannuan helped Chen Sao clean up the kitchen downstairs before slowly heading upstairs.

After Huo Beiqing returned to his room, he quickly checked his bed, the cabinet, and the bathroom before picking up his clothes to take a shower.

By the time Xia Ruannuan returned to her room, Ho Beiqing was already in the shower. Xia Ruannuan hastily set up a makeshift bed for herself on the floor.

Xia Ruannuan thought that in the current situation between her and Ho Beiqing, setting up a bed for herself was a considerate gesture.

When Huo Beiqing finished showering, dressed in sleepwear and with a towel wrapped around his head, he came out of the bathroom, wiping his hair.

As soon as he opened the bathroom door, he saw Xia Ruannuan sitting on the floor.

Upon closer inspection, he noticed that she had placed a blanket and pillow on the floor next to her.

Huo Beiqing raised an eyebrow slightly.

He noticed Xia Ruannuan, and she, of course, noticed him as well.

A handsome man fresh out of the shower. Although he was covered up, just that face alone was enough to spark endless thoughts!

Xia Ruannuan swallowed, wondering if she should take advantage of her position here.

But when she looked at Huo Beiqing’s tall, muscular frame, partially visible under his thin sleepwear, she became more clear-headed.

Her forehead was already injured, and she definitely didn’t want to get hurt again. Who knows, she might end up looking like a fool.

Not wanting to be a fool, Xia Ruannuan patted the bed behind her and said, “Uncle, the sheets are fresh. I just changed them today, so you can sleep worry-free.”

She then patted the spot where she was sitting. “I’ll sleep here. Don’t worry, I won’t disturb you.”

Huo Beiqing continued to towel dry his hair, not responding to her words.

Even if Xia Ruannuan didn’t make a makeshift bed on the floor, he still wouldn’t have slept in the same bed with her.

His bedroom also had a study, and he intended to rest in there.

Of course, the study didn’t have a bed and the ventilation wasn’t as good as in the bedroom.

So, if Xia Ruannuan wanted to sleep on the floor, he didn’t mind.

After drying his hair for a while, he finally held the towel in his hand. Just as Xia Ruannuan thought he wouldn’t say anything to her, Huo Beiqing suddenly sat at the edge of the bed and said, “Xia, you call my father ‘Dad’ and me ‘Uncle’…”

Huo Beiqing raised an eyebrow, a smile not quite on his face. “Xia, what’s your position in the family?”

He continued, “Xia, though we’re in the era of reform and opening up, there are still things that go against basic morals. We should still be cautious.”

Xia Ruannuan: “…”

She had been trying to lower his guard, hoping he’d like her more and trust that she was sincerely trying to change, hoping for a peaceful divorce between them.

But now, she felt like a pervert!

“I…”

Before she could finish, Huo Beiqing pointed to the bathroom. “I have trouble sleeping. If you need to wash up, now’s the time. Later, I don’t want to hear any noise.”

His tone was cold and distant, clearly signaling he wanted to be left alone. Xia Ruannuan’s words got stuck in her throat. After a moment of hesitation, she didn’t say anything further and simply got up to take a shower.

Huo Beiqing wasn’t wrong—Xia Ruannuan was adaptable.

Having been in the entertainment industry before her fame, she had endured a lot.

Being adaptable? She could do more than that—she could swallow her pride when needed!

Suddenly thrust into a new life and bearing a bad reputation, it didn’t matter how difficult things were. She was determined to climb back to the top.

When Xia Ruannuan came out of the shower, Huo Beiqing had already dried his hair. He was facing away from her makeshift bed, lying on the main bed. Xia Ruannuan obediently sat down on the floor, then lay down on her side.

She felt like she could change her name to “Good Girl.” But then she heard Ho Beiqing’s voice.

“Turn off the light.”

“Oh, okay,” Xia Ruannuan quickly scrambled to her feet and turned off the light.

She crawled back to her makeshift bed and lay down, pulling the blanket around her. The floor was hard, and it was difficult to sleep.

The man on the bed also had a hard heart.

According to the usual tropes in dramas and novels, this was the moment when the male lead would come down and sleep on the floor.

But, as expected, Huo Beiqing was not the male lead.

Sigh. She had crossed over into this world, but why hadn’t she met the male lead yet?

But what was the point of meeting him?

The male lead had the female lead—he’d probably end up making her a side character. It was better to be an onlooker right now!

She sighed. Time to sleep.

In the darkness, Xia Ruannuan kept her eyes open, and Huo Beiqing didn’t close his eyes either.

After Xia Ruannuan lay down, he shifted his position, facing her side of the room. He lay there, staring into the darkness with his eyes wide open, deep in thought.

He couldn’t figure out what Xia Ruannuan was really up to.

But Xia Ruannuan quickly fell asleep with a soft “huhu” sound.

Huo Beiqing, listening to her steady breathing, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy.

Ah, how nice it must be to live without a care.

With that thought, he turned over and went to sleep.

The next morning, when Xia Ruannuan got up from the floor, Huo Beiqing was already gone. The bed was neatly made, the sheets smooth and wrinkle-free. Xia Ruannuan doubted anyone had even slept there.

Rubbing her head, she noticed a note on the bedside table. The handwriting was smooth and strong, but there was only one sentence: “Remember to change the bandage.”

Xia Ruannuan touched her forehead and went to the bathroom mirror. The bandage from yesterday was now in a messy state.

After collecting her things, she stretched and went downstairs.

Downstairs, the Huo family was absent, and only Chen Sao was cleaning.

When she saw Xia Ruannuan, she asked, “Xia, there are buns and fried dough sticks in the kitchen. What would you like?”

Sunlight streamed in through the living room window. Xia Ruannuan realized she had slept in a little and apologized. “I’ll just find something in the kitchen. I’ll be fine with anything.”

Chen Sao didn’t say anything more.

Not long after, Xia Ruannuan walked out of the kitchen with fried dough sticks and asked, “Chen Sao, where is everyone?”

Chen Sao replied, “Director Huo and Beiqing are at the hospital. Miss Yuanyuan went to the art troupe. As for Weiwei, she’s in the garden taking care of the flowers.”

“She hasn’t been downstairs recently, so some of the flowers have wilted without her care. But today the sun is nice.”

Xia Ruannuan ate, washed her dishes, and then headed out to the garden.