Chapter 35: Heartbeat Quickens 

Xia Li sat on the other side of the tree branch, when he suddenly moved closer. 

Their faces were less than ten centimeters apart, and from her perspective, it felt like their noses were almost touching. 

She quickly recoiled backward and forced herself to calm down, asking, “What’s wrong?” 

He raised his dark, long eyebrows. 

As she leaned back, he moved even closer. 

With his face magnified in front of her, she finally noticed that his eyes were actually of this elongated, deep shape. 

His pupils were very dark and cold, seemingly carrying a sense of natural indifference that looked fierce at first glance, making him seem unapproachable. 

“Wife, what were you just looking at me for?” he asked, his deep voice filled with puzzlement. 

Xia Li had finished eating the pear and didn’t want to face him at such a close distance, so she quickly stood up and moved aside, tossing the pear core under the tree as compost. 

“I… looked at you… didn’t I?” 

He followed her, mimicking her actions, and tossed his pear core by the tree roots. 

His tall figure leaned against the side a bit lazily, and he asserted confidently, “You did. You secretly looked at me many times.” 

“Where is that? I just glanced at you once.” 

He chuckled deeply, his dark eyes looking over at her as if to say she had admitted it. 

Xia Li: ?? 

Was this man still the big silly dog she knew… or was it the big wolfdog? 

How come in such a short time he had become so sharp and capable of leading the conversation? 

She moved her lips but didn’t speak. 

Not far away, the little kids were still gathered by the bamboo basket, chattering away, stuffing wild fruits into their pockets, laughing and playfully shoving each other. 

But he leaned his head down seriously, looking at her, “Do you still want it, wife?” 

… Want what? 

Xia Li warily looked at him, hesitating and shaking her head. 

She just felt that he wouldn’t be talking about anything good. 

Unexpectedly, he suddenly broke into a radiant smile, reaching out a big hand to wrap around her. 

Xia Li froze in surprise, nearly stumbling backward, but before she could escape, he had already clasped her waist and lifted her off the ground. 

He spun her around in the air steadily for two circles, and Xia Li was so shocked that her pores opened wide; this time, she couldn’t hold back her startled scream. 

“Ah! They’re lifting her up again!” 

“It’s so fun, so fun!!” 

The children were excited and amazed, abandoning their fruits and running over, encircling them with envy: “Lift her up! They’re lifting her up again!!” 

“Why does the captain always lift her? I want to be lifted up too!” 

“Does the captain like pears? The pear is all red,” a sweet, innocent child’s voice asked. 

“Wow! The pear is flying!” Everyone cheered together. 

This time, he spun Xia Li around in his arms a few times before quickly putting her down. 

Xia Li really felt a rush like she was on a pirate ship, her heart still spinning as it finally settled back in place, her face flushed and breathing heavily for a while. 

He held her too tightly, and with such strength, lifting her was as easy as picking up a rabbit. 

She had to press tightly against his chest, fearing she might fall, and all she could hear was the steady beating of his heart beneath his solid frame. 

She awkwardly and subtly pursed her lips. 

How frustrating… 

But she had to admit, deep down, it was indeed a little fun. 

Ahem, just a little. 

He looked at his wife’s flushed cheeks, so rosy and tempting, like bite-sized peach flesh, and he really wanted to take a bite. 

His eyes sparkled with excitement, “Wife, would you like to go again?” 

Although he didn’t know what “lifting high” exactly meant, the group of children was cheering enthusiastically by the side, which made him think that lifting his wife up high was a wonderful thing that would make her very happy. 

Moreover, he was actually very happy, especially so. 

Why was his wife so soft and light? She felt so gentle! 

Lifting her felt like holding a little kitten in his arms. 

His face showed no sign of expression, but it felt as if he had run ten kilometers, with his heart racing chaotically. 

He hadn’t felt much the first time he lifted her to his shoulders, but now, in hindsight, he realized he really, really liked this. 

He rubbed his hands together with anticipation and looked at Xia Li. 

Xia Li had already warily run to the side, saying, “No way! Absolutely no way!”