Chapter 18: Finally Got to Admire His Abs Up Close…

Being stared at so intently by Su Mujin, Song Qinian felt a little self-conscious.

“Mujin? What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked softly.

Su Mujin had already made up her mind. She gave him a bright, dazzling smile.
“It’s nothing. I’m going to find some clothes for you and help you take a bath.”

Song Qinian was stunned. This time, even the tips of his ears turned red.

His leg might be broken, but he still had strong arms.

The bathroom had been modified—a bench was fixed beneath the showerhead. As long as he sat there, he could manage.

How could he possibly let her bathe him?

“N-no need. I can do it myself,” he stammered.

But as soon as he said that, the smile disappeared from Su Mujin’s face.

“Qinian, are you disgusted by me?” she asked quietly.

“Of course not!” Song Qinian denied it immediately. “You’re beautiful, gentle, and considerate—how could I ever be disgusted by you?”

He was a cripple, yet she didn’t look down on him.

How could he ever look down on her?

He couldn’t, not in this lifetime.

“Then if you’re not disgusted by me, why won’t you let me help you?” Su Mujin pressed. “Or… is it because there’s someone else in your heart, and you only married me as a temporary solution? Is that why you don’t want to get too close to me—”

“No! There’s no one else—I only have you in my heart!”

He blurted it out too quickly, too urgently, and accidentally let the truth slip.

His ears were burning, and his heart was pounding wildly.

From the moment she saved him, from the instant he opened his eyes and saw her—his heart had only ever had room for her!

He just hadn’t dared say it aloud… He’d always felt that, in his current state, he wasn’t worthy…

“Since I’m the only one in your heart, and I am your wife now, it’s only natural for me to help you, right? You’re not in a condition to bathe alone.”

“What, are you saying that when we’re old and you’re bedridden, I shouldn’t help you then either?”

“Of course not! I would never let that happen, but—”

“No buts.”

Su Mujin cut him off firmly.

“You’re a grown man—why are you more wishy-washy than I am? If I have to be this proactive again and you hesitate like this, I will get mad.”

Song Qinian’s dark, glossy eyes locked on her face without blinking.

After a long moment, he finally nodded.
“Okay. I promise I’ll be more proactive from now on.”

She had chosen him, and he absolutely wouldn’t let her down.

Hearing that, Su Mujin beamed with joy.

Finally, she could admire his abs up close… Ahem, no—finally, she could help him take a proper bath.

What a good wife she was!

Su Mujin locked the door, then the windows, and pulled the curtains tightly closed. Only then did she push Song Qinian into the bathroom.

He was wearing a white shirt on top.

With his long, strong fingers, he undid each button one by one.

As the last button came undone, the shirt slipped off his shoulders.

Yesterday had been hectic, and then they’d been surrounded by people—she hadn’t had time to really look at him.

Now it was just the two of them, and they were so close.

A wall-mounted light cast a soft amber glow, bathing his bare upper body in a warm, intimate hue.

Even while seated, his waist and abdomen were lean and tight.

He didn’t even need to tense—his eight-pack abs stood out clearly.

The deep V-lines at his hips were especially striking, partially disappearing into the waistband of his pants.

He’d looked so slim and delicate in clothes.

But now, with the shirt off, Su Mujin realized—his shoulders were broad, his back well-defined. He exuded strength and security.

With his broad shoulders as contrast, his waist looked exceptionally slim—as if it could be encircled with just two hands.

And those firm arms—not overly muscular, but they looked powerful nonetheless.

The visual impact of the scene was undeniably strong.

Su Mujin had always suspected that his body underneath that white shirt must look good, but she hadn’t expected it to look this good!

Especially now—before, she could only admire from behind a screen. But now, she was seeing it with her own eyes.

She could even see his chest rising and falling with every breath…

Song Qinian lowered his head slightly, hesitating whether or not he should take off his pants.

Just then, he suddenly felt a cool sensation on his shoulder.

He turned his head and saw her slender fingertip gently poking his shoulder.

Su Mujin poked a couple of times and whispered in surprise, “So firm!”

Song Qinian didn’t even have time to be shocked—he just felt like his whole body had instantly ignited.

Her fingers were clearly cold… so why did it feel so—

After poking him twice more, Su Mujin quickly withdrew her hand.

She may have had a mischievous thought, but she didn’t have the courage to act on it.

She’d surfed the internet plenty, but in the end… theory outweighed practice.

“Um… take off your clothes. I’ll adjust the water.”

She turned on the tap, and the sound of rushing water instantly filled the space.

As the hot water flowed, steam quickly rose and filled the bathroom.

The lighting was already a warm amber color, not particularly bright. Now, with the addition of thick steam, everything became even hazier, blurred and indistinct.

Su Mujin honestly had no idea how she ended up helping Song Qinian finish his bath.

Looking back on it, it seemed like he did most of the work himself. She just stood there awkwardly, not even knowing where to place her hands.

But once he was done, she still dutifully pushed him out of the bathroom, helped him dry his upper body and hair, and got out a clean, comfortable T-shirt and shorts for him.

“…Mujin,” Song Qinian said, his ears flushed red as he looked at her. The bath towel was wrapped around his waist. “You should take a shower too. I can handle the rest myself.”

“Okay!”

This time Su Mujin agreed quickly, grabbing her change of clothes and hurrying into the bathroom.

The moment the hot water poured over her body, she finally relaxed.

This body had very long hair, and since she had fallen into the water yesterday and hadn’t had a chance to wash it last night, there was no way she could skip it today.

She glanced at the bar of soap nearby but didn’t use it. Instead, she pulled out a bottle of mild shampoo from her space.

She wasn’t dumb—if she had shampoo, why would she use soap?

Even if someone noticed the scent, she wasn’t worried.

What could anyone accuse her of with just a scent? To catch a thief, you needed hard evidence.

The original host hadn’t lived well, but her hair was in decent shape.

After using a hair mask, it felt even softer and silkier.

When Su Mujin finished bathing, she didn’t come out right away.

She carefully dried off her body and hair, applied a fresh body lotion and skincare products, and only then stepped out of the bathroom.

Hearing the door open, Song Qinian turned to look.

Su Mujin’s hair was still damp, some strands falling over her chest and soaking her shirt slightly.

The wet shirt clung to her body…

Song Qinian hurriedly looked away—only to catch a sudden glimpse of her bare legs.

During the day, she wore military-style trousers—long and loose—covering her legs entirely.

But now she was wearing shorts that didn’t even reach her knees. Her pale, slender, and straight legs were fully exposed to the air.

Just one look, and he felt like his eyes were burning.