Chapter 42: Crimson

Luo Jiaojiao struggled to suppress the turmoil within her.

As promised, she focused intently on how Leng Mohan’s hands moved through the water, how skillfully he rubbed the clothes.

Her gaze was unwavering, as if all her attention was fixed on that pair of strong hands. However, the undeniable crimson blush on her face might have undermined the credibility of her concentration.

Shame and regret burned within her like a wildfire. She had thought she could easily handle this laundry lesson, but Leng Mohan’s strong chest muscles lingered stubbornly in her mind.

She felt her cheeks burning like they were being roasted over a furnace, the temperature steadily rising. She desperately tried to banish the images from her mind, but she found herself increasingly unable to control her thoughts.

Luo Jiaojiao’s heart was torn. She wanted to continue watching Leng Mohan, enjoying that unique visual feast, yet she feared her gaze would stray, drawn to his alluring pectoral muscles. Her heart pounded like thunder, each beat causing a dizzying sensation.

Finally, when Leng Mohan finished washing the clothes and looked up, Luo Jiaojiao snapped out of her reverie. She quickly lowered her head, avoiding his gaze. Her heart still raced; she knew she was deeply attracted to this man.

Leng Mohan took the clothes outside to hang them. Luo Jiaojiao handed him the clothes rack.

After tidying up, Leng Mohan put the bucket back in the bathroom. Seeing an extra blanket on the bed, he helplessly facepalmed.

Luo Jiaojiao’s heart thrummed like plucked strings, frantic and tense. She knew that a man and a woman alone in a room were like tinder and flame; a slight spark could ignite a raging fire. Especially with a man like Leng Mohan standing before her, his strong masculine aura was almost suffocating.

She slowed her breathing, pretending to be asleep, hoping to escape this predicament. However, Leng Mohan’s footsteps were like heavy hammers striking her heart, each step tightening her nerves.

Leng Mohan walked to the bed and stopped. His gaze, sharp as a cheetah’s, fixed on Luo Jiaojiao. Under his scrutiny, she felt exposed, yet she gritted her teeth, refusing to speak.

He reached out to pull her blanket, wanting to see what was underneath. Luo Jiaojiao’s heart instantly accelerated, but she held herself tightly, preventing Leng Mohan from succeeding. The blanket felt like a thousand pounds in her hands; she used all her strength to barely maintain her defenses.

Leng Mohan tried several times but couldn’t move the blanket. He let out a scoff, his voice laced with mockery and irony: “In my bed, wrapped up so tightly, who are you protecting yourself from? Don’t tell me it’s me?”

His words were like icy needles piercing Luo Jiaojiao’s heart. She still didn’t dare to respond, only silently gritting her teeth, praying for this crisis to pass quickly.

Luo Jiaojiao lay in bed, feeling the summer heat baking her like flames.

Leng Mohan’s voice echoed in her ears, with a hint of sarcasm: “Relax, I won’t touch you if you don’t agree. It’s scorching hot, and you’re wrapped up like this. You won’t die from the heat, will you? You’re being silly!” His tone was filled with dissatisfaction and incomprehension.

Luo Jiaojiao closed her eyes tightly, trying to ignore his taunts.

She knew it was all her own doing. To hide her inner panic and anxiety, she pretended to be asleep, letting the heat roll over her, not daring to easily lift the blanket.

She feared that once she showed a flaw, Leng Mohan would see through her disguise and realize she was guarding herself against her new husband.

Seeing this, Leng Mohan didn’t say anything more. He seemed too lazy to tangle with her further, so he rolled up the blanket and placed it at the foot of the bed, then lay down directly. The cool breeze from the window offered him a touch of coolness. However, for Luo Jiaojiao, it was an unbearable ordeal.

Her heart beat faster and faster, sweat soaking her pillowcase and sticking to her cheeks.

She tried to maintain steady breathing, trying to appear more natural. But the inner anxiety and fear surged like a tide, almost unbearable.

Time ticked by, and Luo Jiaojiao felt like she was in a giant steamer, every inch of her skin being mercilessly roasted.

She kept telling herself to be strong, to endure. However, when that familiar coolness suddenly arrived, she couldn’t help but shiver.

Leng Mohan noticed her reaction and felt a flicker of doubt. He turned to look at Luo Jiaojiao, seeing her pale face and rain of sweat. He frowned. Was she really that hot?

He hesitated, then reached out to touch Luo Jiaojiao’s forehead. Luo Jiaojiao was startled by his action, but then she thought of something and didn’t stop him. Leng Mohan’s hand touched her burning forehead. He frowned, a hint of worry rising in his heart.

“Are…are you really that uncomfortable?” he asked softly.

Luo Jiaojiao didn’t answer, just closing her eyes tightly, silently enduring the pain. She didn’t want to reveal any flaws at this moment, nor did she want him to see her weakness.

Leng Mohan looked at her pained expression, a complex emotion rising in his heart. He didn’t know why he felt this way about this woman, but he knew he couldn’t just watch her suffer.

He got out of bed, went to the window, and opened it. A cool breeze immediately rushed into the room, dispelling the stuffy heat. Then, he returned to the bedside and gently lifted the blanket off Luo Jiaojiao.

“You’ll get heatstroke like this,” he said softly.

Luo Jiaojiao felt his movements, her heart trembling. She opened her eyes and looked at Leng Mohan, a hint of gratitude flashing in her eyes. However, she still suppressed her emotions, showing no unusual reaction.

Seeing this, Leng Mohan didn’t say anything more. He just silently stood by the bed, guarding the woman struggling in pain.

Night fell, moonlight filtering through the window cracks, dappling Leng Mohan’s face, adding a touch of softness to his sharp features. He sat quietly by the bed, his gaze falling on the small woman huddled in the corner.

Her clear eyes were filled with anxiety and fear, like a startled deer, ready to flee at any moment.

Originally, Leng Mohan was a little angry at her deliberate avoidance. But now, seeing her timid appearance, that anger had vanished.

He understood; she wasn’t intentionally avoiding him, she was truly afraid. She was just a simple girl. Although they had obtained their marriage certificate, they were strangers before this, and her nervousness and fear in the face of this sudden intimacy was a perfectly normal reaction. A wave of tenderness washed over Leng Mohan.