Ayalee: Special birthday treat: 1 full chapter unlocked from each of my translations for everyone to enjoy because it’s my birthday today! Enjoy🎉

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Chapter 46.1

Xu Zhao was the one washing the dishes. Although he would wash dishes when he had time, tonight he was particularly diligent. He even helped carry the bathwater to the bathroom and fetched pajamas from upstairs.

Jiang Suihan was very pleased with this and enjoyed a comfortable bath, preparing to go to bed.

Xu Zhao caught the pillow thrown at him with a dazed look. He wondered what was going on this time.

Jiang Suihan cheerfully waved at him and announced, “Tonight, you’re sleeping with Lele.”

Sleeping with his brother-in-law!?

Xu Zhao felt a strong internal resistance and tried to negotiate with Jiang Suihan, “Can’t I not go?”

Hadn’t they already made up? Was she still upset?

It seemed he had overestimated himself.

Jiang Suihan wiggled her finger, “No, you need to learn a lesson. I want to sleep alone tonight. That’s the final decision.”

Xu Zhao dejectedly said, “I’m not happy about this.”

He couldn’t sleep next to his soft, sweet wife and instead had to squeeze into a bed with his brother-in-law. He wasn’t happy at all.

Jiang Suihan flashed him a smile, “It doesn’t matter. As long as I’m happy, that’s all that matters. Hurry up and go, don’t delay my sleep.”

She seemed as if she was shooing away a fly, without any hint of reluctance.

Xu Zhao felt hurt, turning his head with every step, but he didn’t receive any words of comfort from Jiang Suihan.

Jiang Suihan rolled around on the bed for a while, laughing uncontrollably.

Xu Zhao’s pitiable expression was genuinely amusing. It was the first time she had seen him look like that, and she almost felt soft-hearted and let him stay.

Used to having someone by her side, Jiang Suihan tossed and turned in bed for a long time, unable to fall asleep. She started thinking about Wang Lijuan, who gave her a very strange feeling.

Perhaps next time she could find an opportunity to test her.

Jiang Leyun sat cross-legged on the bed, facing Xu Zhao with undisguised amazement. “You were kicked out by my sister!? Did you have a fight?”

Could it be? Before dinner, they were all sweet and loving, and now they had a falling out in such a short time?

Xu Zhao felt a bit embarrassed and didn’t want to discuss it with the child. “No, it’s late. You should go to sleep.”

Jiang Leyun was curious but knew his brother-in-law didn’t want to talk. No amount of pleading would change the outcome.

The child tilted his head and patted Xu Zhao’s shoulder, offering a serious but comforting piece of advice. “It’s okay, it’s just being kicked out of the room. Men should be brave enough to admit their mistakes. My sister is soft-hearted. If you comfort her, say nice things, compliment her, buy her gifts, her anger will go away soon.”

Xu Zhao looked at his little brother-in-law with amusement at his little adult demeanor. “Where did you learn all this?”

He was so young but already knew how to make a girl happy. When he grew up, he’d surely be remarkable.

Jiang Leyun rested his chin on his hands. “I saw it a lot in college. The older students would do this. When a girl is upset, you comfort her. On her birthday, you buy the best and most expensive gifts. When it rains, you hold the umbrella and escort her all the way.”

Father Jiang was a university teacher, and their family lived on campus. He had seen many college couples and had learned a lot from observing them.

Though he was young, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t know anything, he knows a lot of things, what’s the good of dating? He will be dominated by the girls and have no freedom at all.

The child was clever and had a mind full of creative ideas.

Xu Zhao sighed and patted the little guy’s head. “You’ve summarized it well. When you grow up…”

He was about to say “when you like someone, you’ll understand,” but looking at the child’s innocent face, he realized this topic wasn’t quite right and nearly got led astray.

“It’s late. Time for bed.”

Bedtime lectures weren’t suitable for him and the child. Better to go to sleep quickly.

Jiang Leyun was excited to sleep with Xu Zhao for the first time. He rolled over on the bed, settled on the inner side, and patted the spot next to him, signaling Xu Zhao to lie down.

Not feeling sleepy, the child lay on his side, looking at Xu Zhao with blinking eyes. “Brother-in-law, I can’t sleep.”

Xu Zhao knew tonight wouldn’t be peaceful and asked patiently, “What do you want to do?”

“I want to hear a story,” Jiang Leyun’s eyes lit up, his voice clear and bright. “My sister used to tell me bedtime stories to help me fall asleep.”

That was manageable, but since he hadn’t told stories before, he worried the child might not like them.

Xu Zhao asked, “What kind of story do you want to hear?”

Jiang Leyun replied, “Hero stories. You know, about people who did extraordinary things, like punching out a tiger or kicking ten big men away.”

If there were such amazing people, he would also like to meet them.

Xu Zhao decided to ignore his brother-in-law’s unrealistic request for the time being: “Then let me tell you a story about catching a fugitive on a train.”

Jiang Leyun obediently placed both hands on his chest, ready to listen to the story, and eagerly urged, “Okay, brother-in-law, go ahead and tell it.”

Xu Zhao took a couple of seconds to prepare and began telling his first-ever story. However, due to his lack of experience, his storytelling skills were not yet developed. The story came out dry and flat, as if he were reciting a textbook, without any excitement or twists.

Jiang Leyun, who had been excitedly waiting to hear the story, now felt drowsy. He struggled to keep his eyes open and couldn’t help but complain, “Brother-in-law, your story is making me sleepy. I’m so tired, I want to sleep.”

As soon as he finished speaking, within less than a minute, he started snoring softly.

Finally, he was asleep.

Worried that the child might catch a cold, Xu Zhao pulled the blanket up a bit more.

He suddenly realized that storytelling wasn’t entirely useless. In the future, when he and Jiang Suihan have children, he could tell them stories to put them to sleep. He was confident that the child would fall asleep quickly.

When Jiang Suihan woke up in the morning, she felt refreshed. She reached over to the spot beside her, which was still warm. Her mind was still a bit groggy, and it took her a moment to remember that she had sent Xu Zhao to sleep with Jiang Leyun last night.

Did he sneak back in the middle of the night?

Downstairs, seeing Xu Zhao at home, Jiang Suihan was a bit surprised. “Why didn’t you go to the base today?”

Xu Zhao poured her a glass of water. “It’s a day off today, so I don’t need to go.”

Jiang Suihan drank half of the water and then turned to him. “Did you sleep with Leyun all night?”

Xu Zhao, without batting an eye, lied, “In the middle of the night, I was worried you might kick off the blanket, so I came to check on you. But then you held onto me and wouldn’t let me go, so I stayed.”

In truth, he couldn’t fall asleep. He held out until most of the night, but in the end, he couldn’t resist and returned to their bedroom with his pillow. When he saw Jiang Suihan sleeping soundly, he playfully pinched her cheek in annoyance. She was likely dreaming a sweet dream and, when disturbed, waved her hand subconsciously to brush away the annoyance. Then she snuggled up to his arm and went back to sleep.

With his arm being occupied, Xu Zhao decided he might as well go all in. In one swift motion, he lifted the blanket, got into bed, and held her in his arms as he closed his eyes to sleep.

Jiang Suihan looked at Xu Zhao with suspicion. She had fallen asleep last night and couldn’t remember what she had done. Whatever he said, she had to believe.

Not wanting to argue with him, she sat down and started eating breakfast.

Seeing that she didn’t press further, Xu Zhao quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

“A few days ago, we agreed to go fruit picking when we had time. Today is perfect. Do you want to go?”

Jiang Suihan quickly replied, “Yes.”

Going up the mountain to have fun sounded great.

And just like that, yesterday’s incident was forgotten. The two of them tacitly decided to let it go.

Jiang Suihan put on an old, light jacket, thinking that she wasn’t sure how long they’d be up in the mountains, so she filled two water bottles to take with her.

The old water bottle was the one Xu Zhao used to use, and the new one was bought in Mingjiang City when they were traveling by train, where it was inconvenient to get water.

Upon hearing they were going up the mountain to pick wild fruit, Jiang Leyun bounced around excitedly and cheered, then hurriedly ran back to grab his little straw hat.

While Jiang Suihan was putting on her shoes, Jiang Leyun signaled Xu Zhao to bend down and whispered in his ear, “Are you and my sister on good terms again?”

He acted all secretive, as if it were something big.

Xu Zhao flicked the boy’s forehead. “Kids shouldn’t worry about adult matters. Your sister and I didn’t have a fight.”

Jiang Leyun rubbed his forehead and looked at Xu Zhao skeptically. He huffed, “Brother-in-law, you and my sister are the same. You always brush me off with the excuse of ‘adult matters.’ My eyes aren’t blind. If we weren’t family, I wouldn’t bother with you two.”

Whenever he asked about their affairs and they didn’t want to answer, they always used the excuse, “I’ll tell you when you’re older,” to dismiss him.

They just liked to pick on him because he was a kid. But kids have the right to know too!

Xu Zhao nodded calmly, “That’s why your sister and I are family.”

After all, birds of a feather flock together. Jiang Leyun wrinkled his nose, feeling isolated in this family.

The three of them left the house, with Jiang Suihan and Xu Zhao walking side by side. They were so close that their hands occasionally brushed against each other.

After it happened several times, Jiang Suihan glanced at Xu Zhao. Seeing that he didn’t react, she muttered to herself, what a great opportunity, yet he doesn’t even dare to hold hands.

When their hands brushed again, she grabbed his hand.

Xu Zhao stiffened for a moment, glanced down at their clasped hands, and his ears reddened.

He lowered his voice, “We’re outside.”

There were many people around. It wouldn’t look good if they were seen.

Jiang Suihan, unfazed, replied, “We’re not in an inappropriate relationship. It’s just holding hands, why make a fuss?”

She enjoyed seeing him flustered. It was amusing, and she couldn’t resist teasing him a bit.

Xu Zhao said, “This is the base. People will gossip.”

Outside, young men and women couldn’t walk too closely together, let alone openly hold hands.

Jiang Suihan looked at him steadily, “Are you ashamed of me?”

Xu Zhao felt a headache coming on. How did it come to this?

He quickly said, “I wouldn’t dare. I’m just glad you’re not ashamed of me.”

Jiang Suihan smiled, “Now that’s better.”