Chapter 27: A Couple’s Little Secret

Before Xi Xingye could even speak, Shen Qingci, who had just been downstairs, suddenly took several rapid strides forward and, with the speed of lightning, looped her arms around Xi Xingye’s.

“Grandpa.” Shen Qingci nodded politely in greeting, her expression calm. “He came to the guest room to help me get something. Grandpa, you’re not asleep yet?”

“What are you getting?” Old Master Xi’s suspicious gaze swept over the two of them. It was clear he didn’t fully believe Shen Qingci.

“Some toys,” Shen Qingci replied smoothly.

“Toys… in the guest room?”

Shen Qingci nodded. “Xi Xingye is shy. He didn’t want to put them in the master bedroom in case the servants saw, so he hid them in the guest room.”

Old Master Xi’s face instantly turned bright red.

This… this…

“Ah! Such little secrets between you two as a couple, there’s no need to tell me, old man!” He waved his hand and dashed away.

Shen Qingci was momentarily stunned.

No—she was talking about actual toys!

Xi Xingye exploded. “What nonsense are you saying! What… what toys?!”

“I didn’t make it up,” Shen Qingci said, pulling him toward the bedroom. “It’s just your grandpa overthinking.”

Almost by sheer force, Shen Qingci finally got Xi Xingye back into the room.

When she had agreed to marry Xi Xingye back then, she had meant being real husband and wife.

But after entering the house, she discovered Xi Xingye refused to share the bedroom.

She had already handled the paperwork and fulfilled her promises. She couldn’t just refuse to proceed or sell Xi Xingye off—after all, there was a contract—so she had no choice but to suppress the matter for now.

As soon as the master bedroom door closed, Xi Xingye kicked it and frantically pulled at the handle.

“Why did you bring me in here? You really want to share a room? I’m not doing it! Let me out! Don’t think that just because I saved you today, you can have any wild ideas!”

“Slap.”

A pair of delicate knuckles pressed directly against the door panel.

Xi Xingye turned his head and saw Shen Qingci’s dark, cold almond-shaped eyes.

Though she was half a head shorter than him, her aura was undiminished.

“Try stepping out and see what happens.”

Xi Xingye got stuck, still shouting “I dare, I dare!” but didn’t move an inch.

Satisfied that he wouldn’t run off again, Shen Qingci let go and turned to the nearby cabinet.

Two muffled thuds followed as thick bedding and quilts dropped to the floor.

“You don’t have to sleep with me. I don’t have any intentions. You can sleep on the floor yourself.”

When they signed the marriage agreement, Shen Qingci had already anticipated a day like this. Zhang Jie had prepared the floor bedding and quilts in advance.

Xi Xingye glanced at the bedding on the floor and almost went blind.

So… ugly!

Bright red, double happiness quilts!

Tsk, tsk, tsk. Xu Zijie’s grandmother was right! A woman’s words—nothing but lies.

Promise him first, calm him down, wait until he sleeps, then take advantage!

But there was no other solution for now. Xi Xingye thought about running, but images of Yan Shouwang’s bloody head flashed through his mind, and he ultimately climbed into the bedding.

He muttered to himself: “Forced melons aren’t sweet, forced love doesn’t stick~”

After a while, he lay back down, crossing his legs, and started reciting from the book he was listening to:

“According to Article 236 of our Criminal Law, whoever rapes a woman by means of violence, coercion, or other methods shall be sentenced to imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than four years…”

“In judicial practice, there are circumstances where marital rape constitutes a criminal offense, generally in the following situations.”

“First, even if both parties are registered as married…”

“Shut up!” a sharp curse came from the bed.

The phone immediately went silent.

A middle finger rose from the edge of the bed, waved once, and quickly went back down—expressing displeasure, nothing more.

As night fell, Xi Xingye gradually grew drowsy, his peach-blossom eyes half-closed, drifting toward sleep…

Just as the breathing in the room began to even out, footsteps suddenly sounded in the hallway, accompanied by hushed voices.

Shen Qingci’s eyes snapped open.

A few seconds later…

“Click—”

A strange sound came from the door.

Almost simultaneously, Shen Qingci flipped over, grabbed the bright red quilt on the floor, and yanked it sharply.

Xi Xingye, unprepared, was pulled onto the bed along with the quilt, his waist pinched in the process.

“Ah!” he shouted.

Now he was fully awake.

Their eyes met, noses almost touching, warm breaths weaving in the quiet air, with him still hovering over her.

Xi Xingye’s mind buzzed, and he immediately tried to rise.

But Shen Qingci suddenly hooked her leg around him, pressing him back down. He toppled right onto her again.

“You…” He tried to curse, but Shen Qingci covered his mouth.

“Your grandpa,” she hissed.

“You’re the grandpa’s!” Xi Xingye yelled.

Shen Qingci gritted her teeth. “Your grandpa is here!”

Huh?

Xi Xingye finally turned his head.

The door was quietly ajar. In the shadow on the floor, two heads were trembling and clearly laughing.

Xi Xingye immediately understood and could only freeze in place.

Every passing second was agonizing. They were pressed tightly together, their heated breaths threatening to ignite the tiny space between them.

He dodged left and right, but this woman had a terrible temper—and yet her scent was irresistibly close, drifting into his nose.

Finally, Old Master Xi closed the door, and both of them breathed a sigh of relief.

Xi Xingye was about to get off the bed.

“Click!”

The door opened again, Old Master Xi catching them off guard.

This time Xi Xingye reacted quickly, lunging at Shen Qingci—but in the dim light, his hands slipped.

His thin lips landed squarely on Shen Qingci’s mouth!

“Mm…”

Their eyes widened, and a gasp escaped.

Xi Xingye’s ears flushed bright red, blood rushing to one spot.

“Click.”

The door closed once more.

Old Master Xi laughed heartily.

What are you two up to, thinking you can hide it from me? I’ve eaten more tiramisu than you’ve eaten meals!

He took out his phone and instructed his assistant:

“Ah, yes, prepare some children’s clothes.”

“Both boys and girls! What if they have twins at once?”

“Milk powder and diapers? Milk powder goes bad easily, not necessary! Diapers, stock plenty!”

Inside the room…

Xi Xingye sat up again, breathing heavily.

Shen Qingci suddenly noticed something and looked down. “You…”

“Shut up!” Xi Xingye, face red, interrupted. “No talking! You dragged me up first! Not my fault! I’m just a normal man! Not a word out of you!”

“What did I say?” Shen Qingci sat up.

Her long hair fell over her chest, curls lazy, her face makeup-free yet stunning, wearing a white nightgown. All of her previous intimidation was gone—she looked soft and sweet.

Xi Xingye felt like he was losing his mind.

“Get down.” Shen Qingci kicked him. “Shouting and yelling like that will wake grandpa. Do you want to go at it again?”

“Who wants to again!” Xi Xingye hissed like an angry cat, hugging the quilt and bouncing off the bed.

The night deepened, and both of them gradually succumbed to sleepiness.

Xi Xingye peeked under the quilt, then glanced again, taking a deep breath.

This medicine… isn’t right yet. Not cured!

“Xi Xingye.” Shen Qingci’s soft voice came from the bed. “Fell asleep?”

Xi Xingye ignored her.

“Thanks for saving me today.”

Still ignored.

Shen Qingci: “…Did you have a reaction just now?”

Immediately, the man pretending to sleep exploded.

“Shen! Qing! Ci! I’m coming for you!”

Wrapped in the quilt, Shen Qingci turned over and, after a while, let out a low laugh.