Chapter 46

The sound of water in the bathroom echoed again, then stopped.

Sheng Qingli glanced at the time; it was already past two o’clock.

When they returned home, it seemed they had just passed ten.

Sheng Qingli had high standards for sleeping. Unless absolutely necessary, she wouldn’t go to the guest room; she preferred the bed and the layout of the master bedroom.

Therefore, the man who was sated at the moment was tidying up the messy bed they had made together. He changed the sheets and laid down new ones.

After everything was cleaned up, Pei Qingci lay down with Sheng Qingli in his arms.

Despite having engaged in several intense activities, logically, Sheng Qingli should have been tired and wanting to sleep. But curled up in Pei Qingci’s embrace, she felt quite awake.

The familiar scent of body wash filled her nose, along with his familiar, cold aura.

Unable to resist, Sheng Qingli leaned over to sniff.

Noticing her trophy-like movement, Pei Qingci silently smirked, “What are you smelling?”

“Just… distinguishing,” Sheng Qingli replied playfully. “Checking if you smell like another woman after dinner tonight.”

Pei Qingci chuckled softly, affectionately rubbing against her cheek, “Didn’t you just figure that out?”

Sheng Qingli was at a loss for words.

Pei Qingci lowered his gaze and, with a hint of reluctance, kissed her, his voice muffled, “How about we do it again?”

Sheng Qingli was taken aback, “You…”

“Mm?” Pei Qingci looked at her with a playful smile.

Sheng Qingli paused, unable to stop herself from muttering, “Are you trying to prove something?”

Pei Qingci was a bit confused. “Hmm?”

“That you’re still capable?” Sheng Qingli blurted out unexpectedly.

Pei Qingci: “Old?”

He only noticed that one word.

Sheng Qingli: “…”

She was momentarily speechless and somewhat reluctant to engage with him.

Pei Qingci smiled and tightened his hold on her, softly asking, “Still not tired?”

Feeling his hard, warm chest, Sheng Qingli’s eyelashes fluttered as she gently replied, “Well, not really tired.”

Pei Qingci understood her meaning; she didn’t want to sleep either.

After a few seconds of silence, Sheng Qingli yawned and suddenly remembered something, “You just said downstairs—”

Pei Qingci raised an eyebrow.

Meeting his somewhat meaningful gaze, Sheng Qingli said seriously, “I didn’t perform well in that last segment.”

“…”

Pei Qingci was momentarily speechless, affectionately brushing his lips against the corner of hers, “Just kidding.”

Thinking about how proactive she had been downstairs, his Adam’s apple bobbed, and his gaze deepened, “This movie…”

Sheng Qingli imitated him, “Hmm?”

“Honestly, I somewhat don’t want you to take it,” Pei Qingci murmured.

Sheng Qingli blinked, vaguely understanding what he meant, “Do you mind?”

“I don’t mind if I lied to you.” Pei Qingci gazed into her watery eyes, placing kiss after kiss on her, his voice softening, “It’s just that I’m not keen on you doing this kind of movie.”

What he minded was that others would look at her with unfriendly, even dirty perspectives and make associations about her.

Sheng Qingli was stunned. “Actors can’t do anything about it.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and said softly, “Actually, I care about it too.”

Pei Qingci asked, “Care about what?”

“I went to the cinema to watch a movie you released two years ago,” Sheng Qingli told him. “I went alone.”

In recent years, Sheng Qingli had seen all of Pei Qingci’s movies.

Some she watched with Li Yuwei, while others, during sleepless nights, she walked alone to the cinema and, almost on a whim, bought tickets for his starring film.

When watching, Sheng Qingli often encountered Pei Qingci’s fans, his admirers.

From time to time, she would hear their whispered discussions.

The movie Pei Qingci released two years ago had significant adult content.

It wasn’t just about intimate scenes; his character had scenes of bathing in the yard with his upper body bare, along with several moments of him taking off his shirt to reveal his abs.

Every time that scene played, the audience would gasp and discuss it.

Sheng Qingli had watched that movie three times in the cinema.

Once, it was in the middle of the night, and there were very few viewers in the theater. As a result, the audience’s comments were bolder and clearer.

She distinctly heard two girls in the diagonal front discussing his physique, saying things like they wanted to touch his abs and sleep with him.

Of course, Sheng Qingli was well aware that these were common comments among fans in the industry.

Both male and female fans would have such straightforward words about her and Pei Qingci. But when they stared at Pei Qingci’s clearly defined abs while saying those things, she felt a little uncomfortable inside.

“…”

After listening to Sheng Qingli, Pei Qingci smiled helplessly and brushed his lips against hers, saying, “I’ll be more careful in the future.”

Sheng Qingli felt a bit dizzy from his kiss and asked hazily, “Be careful about what?”

Pei Qingci replied, “Not to reveal too much outside.”

Sheng Qingli chuckled at his words and pondered for a few seconds before saying, “We’re actors, we should still be a bit professional.”

Pei Qingci answered solemnly, “Okay.”

She couldn’t remember what else they talked about after that.

Feeling drowsy, she started to doze off, and after being soothed by Pei Qingci’s pleasant voice for a while, she fell into a deep sleep.

In this sleep, Sheng Qingli slept soundly and sweetly.

---

The next morning, when Sheng Qingli opened her eyes again, she was the only one in the room.

She was dazed for a few seconds, recalling what she had done with Pei Qingci last night, feeling a bit shy and somewhat satisfied as she pulled the quilt up.

Her phone was placed on the nightstand by Pei Qingci.

After taking a moment to gather herself, she picked it up to check the time, and upon seeing “11:01,” she rubbed her eyes in slight confusion. Did she really sleep until noon?!

There were a few unread messages on WeChat from Lin Lin and Li Yuwei.

Li Yuwei was quite concerned about Sheng Qingli’s “well-being.”

After replying to Li Yuwei with a string of ellipses, Sheng Qingli sat up in bed and responded to Lin Lin’s messages.

After replying in order, Sheng Qingli thought for a moment and sent a message to the person whose profile picture was a trophy: “Are you downstairs or have you gone back?”

After sending the message, there was no reply.

Sheng Qingli waited for half a minute and decided to get out of bed first.

Just as she threw off the quilt, the door was pushed open.

They locked eyes, one standing and the other sitting.

For some reason, Sheng Qingli felt a bit uneasy under his gaze.

After a few seconds of silence, Pei Qingci walked closer and asked softly, “Can you walk by yourself?”

“…” Sheng Qingli was taken aback by his straightforwardness and looked at him with a resentful gaze, “I’m not that weak.”

Even so, Sheng Qingli opened her arms toward Pei Qingci, saying, “But if someone is here to help, I might as well not move.”

Pei Qingci raised an eyebrow and steadily picked her up, carrying her to the bathroom.

While Sheng Qingli washed up, Pei Qingci didn’t leave.

He leaned against the door, watching her with an intense, burning gaze.

At first, Sheng Qingli could wash up calmly, but his gaze was too hard to ignore.

Unable to help it, she turned her head and said, “…Would you like to wait outside?”

Pei Qingci smiled, “Don’t you want me here?”

Sheng Qingli had just finished brushing her teeth and was about to grab a face towel when she mumbled, “Not really; it’s just that you being here also—”

Before she could finish her thought, Pei Qingci had already picked up the face towel, wet it, and gently and meticulously wiped her face.

“…”

Originally, Sheng Qingli was going to say something, but she swallowed her words.

She realized she was wrong; having Pei Qingci stay in the bathroom was still somewhat useful.

After a quick wash-up, they headed downstairs.

Pei Qingci had just been busy in the kitchen. Knowing that Sheng Qingli would wake up around this time, he had prepared a meal in advance and simmered the meat she liked.

As soon as they reached the stairwell, Sheng Qingli caught the rich aroma wafting from the kitchen.

Her eyes lit up, and she turned to look at Pei Qingci, “Mr. Pei.”

“Hmm?” Pei Qingci replied.

Thinking of what he had said last night, Sheng Qingli commented, “You did well as a chef.”

“…” Pei Qingci raised an eyebrow, slightly teasing, “Not good at warming the bed?”

Sheng Qingli’s ears flushed, and with a face as red as an apple, she glared at him and said, “Needs improvement.”

Pei Qingci raised an eyebrow, saying somewhat sheepishly, “Alright, I’ll try harder.”

Sheng Qingli choked a bit, fully aware that this topic couldn’t continue like this.

It was broad daylight, so it was better to talk about something more mundane.

“Drink some water first.” Pei Qingci knew Sheng Qingli’s habits and went into the kitchen to pour her a glass of water.

Sheng Qingli took it and said, “Thank you.”

Pei Qingci glanced at her but didn’t respond.

After finishing her water, Sheng Qingli walked to the kitchen door and curiously asked, “What did you make for lunch?”

Pei Qingci turned slightly, taking the cup and asking, “Do you want more?”

“I do.” Sheng Qingli loved drinking water. She leaned in a little and said, “You still haven’t told me.”

Pei Qingci asked, “What do you want to eat?”

Sheng Qingli thought for three seconds and replied, “If you make it, it seems like I can eat anything.”

Pei Qingci’s cooking skills were really good.

Upon hearing this, Pei Qingci smiled.

He raised his hand and flicked her forehead, saying, “When did Ms. Sheng learn to cheer people up?”

Hearing the teasing in his voice, Sheng Qingli’s eyes curved with a smile. “I’ve learned that over the years.”

Pei Qingci: “…”

More than ten minutes later, lunch was served.

There were four dishes and a soup, all of which Sheng Qingli liked.

After leisurely finishing lunch, Sheng Qingli pulled out the script again.

Just as she was about to open it, Lin Lin, who had just finished a meeting, called. “Are you at home?”

Sheng Qingli replied with an “Mm-hmm.”

Lin Lin asked, “Are you alone or with someone?”

Sheng Qingli involuntarily touched her nose and honestly answered, “With someone. Are you coming over?”

Lin Lin thought for a moment. “Why don’t you come to the office?”

Sheng Qingli blinked lightly, “Today?”

“Tomorrow is fine too.” Lin Lin had agreed to give Sheng Qingli a few days off and wasn’t forcing her to return to work early.

“Then let’s go tomorrow.” Sheng Qingli had overexerted herself during exercise last night and didn’t want to go anywhere in the afternoon.

After making plans, they hung up.

Pei Qingci sat down next to her. “Are you going to the office?”

“Tomorrow.” Sheng Qingli replied and suddenly asked, “What about you?”

Pei Qingci: “What about me?”

“Do you really have no work plans lately?” Sheng Qingli was curious.

Pei Qingci: “Just a little.”

Sheng Qingli responded with an “Oh,” and then remembered something to ask, “What about the trophy? Did you take it home?”

“Not yet.” Seeing her nervous look, Pei Qingci said softly, “The cleaning lady comes every day; she will take care of the trophy.”

“But the cleaning lady won’t stay long, right?” Sheng Qingli asked.

Pei Qingci nodded. “One or two hours.”

“Then you…” Sheng Qingli blinked, “Are you not planning to go back and check on the trophy?”

Pei Qingci lowered his gaze, pinching her fingers and pulling her into his embrace. “Would you like to go with me?”

“…”

Meeting his bright, dark eyes, Sheng Qingli didn’t hesitate too long and softly replied, “Then I’ll go change.”

---

After changing clothes, they went out.

Pei Qingci’s place wasn’t too far from Sheng Qingli’s; it took about twenty minutes to drive there.

His neighborhood was very private, known for its wealthy villas. It’s said that buyers must verify their identity when purchasing a house here; money alone isn’t enough to buy one.

They entered the neighborhood smoothly, and Sheng Qingli looked at the fallen leaves on the ground, unable to help but exclaim, “So beautiful.”

Pei Qingci responded with a “Hmm, do you like it?”

Instinct told Sheng Qingli that this question had a trap.

She turned her head to look at the man driving, saying, “…I’ll know if I like it later.”

Pei Qingci smiled knowingly.

Pei Qingci’s house was located at the very back, offering more privacy than the ones in front.

The main gate of the yard opened, and the car drove in.

Sheng Qingli turned to look out the window, her eyes widening in surprise. “You actually… planted flowers?”

There was a flowerbed in the yard.

Pei Qingci glanced at her. “Surprised?”

“A little. I thought you didn’t like…” Sheng Qingli instinctively said, then suddenly realized something. She bit her lip and asked, “What kind of flowers do you have?”

“There are several kinds; guess.”

“There should be roses, right?” Sheng Qingli asked.

Pei Qingci: “Yes.”

“Yueji?”

“And there’s more?”

Sheng Qingli turned her gaze to the nearby wall and confidently asked, “Is that the jasmine over there?”

Pei Qingci raised his eyebrows, looking deeply at her. “My girlfriend is really clever.”

Sheng Qingli’s heart raced. She opened the car door and rushed out. “Has it bloomed?”

Pei Qingci: “It has.”

He lowered his gaze to her, saying softly, “Shall we come back next year to see it bloom?”

Sheng Qingli was momentarily stunned, then softly replied, “Okay.”

In addition to the flowerbed, there were also a few trees in the spacious yard.

Sheng Qingli took a glance and hesitated to ask, “What kind of trees are those?”

“Don’t you recognize them?” Pei Qingci was surprised.

Sheng Qingli felt they looked familiar. She blinked lightly and said, “Pear trees?”

Pei Qingci nodded.

“How come…” Sheng Qingli’s lips moved, looking at him in shock. She bit her lip and asked, “Aren’t you afraid—”

“Not afraid.” Pei Qingci knew what she was about to say.

He wasn’t worried about the issues she was concerned about.

Pei Qingci gazed at her intently and answered, “I always believe.”

He firmly believed they would be together again.

Sheng Qingli: “But what if…”

“There’s no such ‘what if’ with me.” Pei Qingci said, “Even if there is, I wouldn’t worry.”

Sheng Qingli was stunned. “Why?”

She looked up at him. “Are you saying that if I have this ‘what if,’ you wouldn’t either?”

Pei Qingci considered for a few seconds. “Yes.”

He answered her with certainty.

“I also know you wouldn’t have it.” Although they had been apart for many years, Pei Qingci knew well that she wouldn’t have this ‘what if’ either.

They are all people who have decided not to look back.

Hearing Pei Qingci’s words, Sheng Qingli said softly, “You’re so confident.”

Pei Qingci held her hand and walked under the pear tree. “I know myself well, and I know you.”

Just like back then, when Sheng Qingli rejected his proposal for reconciliation, he knew that she wouldn’t change her mind once she made a decision.

At least for the short term, she wouldn’t have any thoughts of changing.

And at that time, they indeed weren’t mature enough or understanding enough. There were too many changes in their circle; she wanted to grow and move forward relentlessly, so he supported her.

She wanted to focus on her career, and Pei Qingci didn’t disturb her.

Of course, the reason he dared not to disturb her was that he was aware of Sheng Qingli’s movements.

Pei Qingci wasn’t afraid of letting Sheng Qingli know that he had been keeping an eye on her.

Sheng Qingli responded with a playful “Oh,” teasing him, “Mainly, the quality of talent in the entertainment industry has declined.”

Pei Qingci raised an eyebrow. “Hmm?”

Sheng Qingli continued, “I haven’t seen anyone more handsome than you for now.”

There weren’t many who were more handsome than Pei Qingci; those few were either already married with children or had already left the entertainment industry, which didn’t match her age.

Her words made Pei Qingci slightly dissatisfied; he reached out to pinch Sheng Qingli’s cheek and said softly, “Does Ms. Sheng mean that if you see someone more handsome than me, you would change your heart?”

Sheng Qingli looked up, a glint of mischief in her eyes. “I haven’t encountered anyone, so I can’t answer that hypothetical question for now.”

Pei Qingci snorted lightly, quite proud.

The two of them wandered around the yard for a while before going inside, and the trophy, having heard the noise early on, had run down from upstairs and was scratching at the door in the living room.

Upon seeing the two appear, the trophy wagged its tail and meowed at them.

It seemed dissatisfied that they had come in so late.

Noticing the trophy’s grievances, Sheng Qingli couldn’t help but chuckle as she picked it up and kissed it several times, saying, “Missed me, didn’t you?”

She was quite chatty in front of the trophy. “Do you still recognize me?”

The trophy replied, “Meow.”

How could it not recognize her?

It had always remembered her, just like its owner did.

Watching the person and cat play happily, Pei Qingci decided not to be bothersome and temporarily didn’t separate them.

Just then, Xiang Rong called, and he told Sheng Qingli he would take the call on the balcony.

“What’s up?” Pei Qingci asked.

Xiang Rong took a deep breath and asked in a low voice, “Did you have dinner with Teng Wenhua last night?”

Pei Qingci replied, “Did someone see us?”

“Yes,” Xiang Rong said. “It’s trending. Ten minutes ago, the paparazzi broke the news, saying you two were having a great conversation and might cooperate again.”

At this point, Xiang Rong couldn’t help but click his tongue. “Are the paparazzi and netizens so unhappy with me as a manager?”

Pei Qingci was speechless. “So you called me just to express your dissatisfaction with me and Teng Wenhua possibly working together again?”

Xiang Rong replied, “What else could it be?”

“Don’t you worry that I really want to cooperate with him again?” Pei Qingci teased.

Xiang Rong choked slightly, raising his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. “Unless your brain got kicked by a donkey.”

Pei Qingci was at a loss for words.

After a moment of silence, Xiang Rong brought the topic back. “I think this video seems a bit like it was arranged by him.”

“Eighty percent possibility,” Pei Qingci replied.

Xiang Rong hummed, “Any thoughts?”

Pei Qingci said, “No need to worry about the trending topic; just let the heat die down naturally.”

Xiang Rong asked, “And then?”

He suddenly realized, “Oh right, I forgot to ask, why did you suddenly invite Teng Wenhua to dinner? It wouldn’t really be for some cooperation, right?”

“I’m not that foolish,” Pei Qingci said, “Just asked him a little something.”

Xiang Rong understood. “Fine, I won’t ask you what it is; just don’t break the law.”

Pei Qingci replied, “You’re overthinking it.”

He wasn’t that thoughtless.

After discussing the trending topic, Xiang Rong shifted gears. “By the way, Ms. Wu’s assistant contacted me today.”

Pei Qingci said, “I should take that movie.”

Xiang Rong asked, “Has Sheng Qingli been confirmed for it?”

He knew his artist well.

Pei Qingci replied, “Yes.”

Getting his confirmation, Xiang Rong put a hand to his forehead. “You two should keep it low-key.”

He sensed that he wouldn’t be able to sleep well for the next few months, or even half a year.

Pei Qingci, aware of his own shortcomings, agreed, “We’ll try.”

With their popularity and buzz, it wouldn’t be something they could keep low-key just because they wanted to.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up,” Xiang Rong muttered. “Every time I call you, I end up hearing explosive news; my heart can’t take it.”

Pei Qingci replied, “Goodbye.”

After hanging up, Pei Qingci lowered his head to send Xiang Rong two more messages before heading back inside.

Returning to the living room, Sheng Qingli was holding the trophy while scrolling on her phone.

It was clear she also knew about the situation online.

“Is it about the trending topic?” Sheng Qingli asked.

Pei Qingci nodded. “Just a small issue.”

Sheng Qingli glanced at it and confirmed that it wasn’t something that needed public relations.

She set her phone down with relief and asked curiously, “What are you planning to do?”

“What do you mean by ‘do’?” Pei Qingci feigned ignorance.

Sheng Qingli looked at him directly. “What do you think?”

“His methods of managing artists over the past few years haven’t been very clever,” Pei Qingci succinctly informed her.

Sheng Qingli understood. “So you’re planning to expose it?”

“Depends on the other party’s willingness,” Pei Qingci answered her.

Sheng Qingli understood. After pondering for a moment, she asked, “Are there any female artists?”

Pei Qingci nodded, “I didn’t look for any female artists.”

He knew Sheng Qingli was worried that if a female artist took the initiative to expose those matters, her future would truly be ruined.

Sheng Qingli breathed a sigh of relief. “Will the male artists agree?”

“There will always be some who agree,” Pei Qingci murmured. “No rush; let’s wait and see.”

They had plenty of time.

Sheng Qingli agreed.

That afternoon, Sheng Qingli spent a long time at Pei Qingci’s place. If it weren’t for the fact that Pei Qingci’s fridge was empty, they might have even shared dinner there.

When it was time to leave, Sheng Qingli was reluctant to part with the trophy.

In the end, not wanting to deal with the hassle, the two of them took the trophy and its accessories with them.

The next day, Sheng Qingli went to the studio.

After discussing work with Lin Lin, she returned home to rest.

In the following days, Sheng Qingli and Pei Qingci seemed to be living a retired life, spending their days eating, sleeping, and playing with the trophy.

Occasionally, they would remember to rehearse their lines together.

The results of the rehearsals were unsurprising; they always ended up extending and getting out of control.

Holidays always flew by quickly.

A week later, Sheng Qingli had a work commitment and had to fly out of town. Since their relationship was not public, even if Pei Qingci wanted to accompany her, there were no suitable opportunities for now.

After Sheng Qingli left, Pei Qingci took the trophy home.

For the next two weeks, the two of them were mostly in a state of being apart.

Sheng Qingli had quite a few tasks she had postponed while filming, including magazine shoots, brand events, and some miscellaneous activities that had all been scheduled.

During this time, she also did a cameo in a new film for a director she had previously worked with.

After a busy couple of weeks, Sheng Qingli finally found time to rest.

Just after landing in Beicheng, she received a message from Wu Nuanshu, asking if she was free the next day. Wan Hongru had returned from abroad, and she was arranging a meal for everyone.

Sheng Qingli quickly replied, “Yes, Ms. Wu, I just got back to Beicheng.”

After thinking for a moment, she asked, “Is it just the three of us?”

Wu Nuanshu replied, “There’s also the male lead.”

Sheng Qingli blinked. “Is the male lead Mr. Pei?”

She had been doing a cameo in the studio these past few days, with all her scenes scheduled together, so she was exhausted and would just fall asleep when she returned to the hotel.

Her communication with Pei Qingci was limited to goodnight texts before bed.

She also forgot to ask Pei Qingci if he had responded to Ms. Wu.

Wu Nuanshu replied, “Yes.”

Seeing this word, Sheng Qingli silently smiled.

Noticing her emotional shift, Tong Tong curiously asked, “Sister Li Li, are you chatting with Mr. Pei?”

You seem so happy.

Sheng Qingli replied, “… No.”

She was curious. “Why do you ask?”

“I’ve only seen that smile on your face when you’re chatting with Mr. Pei and Sister Yuwei,” Tong Tong stated honestly.

Sheng Qingli said, “I see.”

She smiled and thought about it, saying, “I guess that counts.”

She was talking to Wu Nuanshu about Pei Qingci, which made her so happy.

The two of them walked out of the airport and successfully got into the car waiting for them.

As soon as she sat in the car, Sheng Qingli received a message from Pei Qingci: “Are you in the car?”

Originally, Pei Qingci intended to pick her up at the airport, but Sheng Qingli had refused.

There were too many people at the airport, and too many fans.

With cameras everywhere, Sheng Qingli couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t be recognized.

To be safe, it was better for them to meet at home.

Thinking of the scene of Pei Qingci waiting for her at home, Sheng Qingli couldn’t help but reply, “I’m in, but there’s some traffic; it might take over half an hour for Mr. Pei to wait.”

Pei Qingci replied, “I’m not in a hurry.”

Sheng Qingli responded, “?”

Pei Qingci replied, “?”

Sheng Qingli honestly said, “I think your statement is ambiguous.”

Pei Qingci intentionally replied, “What ambiguity?”

Sheng Qingli said, “You’re asking me on purpose.”

Pei Qingci said, “I miss you.”

Seeing this message, Sheng Qingli hurriedly closed her phone.

This person is definitely doing it on purpose; she hadn’t even reached home, and he started to mess with her mind.

After a moment, her phone vibrated again, still a message from Pei Qingci: “I simply miss you.”

Sheng Qingli replied, “… I didn’t misunderstand!”

She was trying to cover it up.

Pei Qingci asked, “Misunderstand?”

Sheng Qingli vaguely felt she had fallen into the pit he had dug for her. She could only respond with a series of ellipses, weakly threatening him: “Do you want to end up on the streets tonight?”

Pei Qingci naturally didn’t want that.

Thus, he didn’t try to test Sheng Qingli’s limits again.

---

Forty minutes later, Sheng Qingli got out of the car.

Tong Tong accompanied her upstairs. When the front door opened, Tong Tong thoughtfully called out “Mr. Pei” and then turned to her, saying, “Sister Li Li, I won’t go in; I’ll head home first.”

Sheng Qingli nodded. “Let me know when you get home.”

“Will do.”

Watching Tong Tong enter the elevator, Sheng Qingli raised her eyes to look at Pei Qingci, who was diligently helping her with her luggage, and smiled lightly, “Mr. Pei.”

Pei Qingci stood at the door, casually taking out her house slippers for her. “What instruction does Teacher Sheng have?”

Sheng Qingli looked at him with a bright smile and softly said, “Not bad.”

Pei Qingci feigned dissatisfaction. “Is that all?”

“…”

Understanding the hidden meaning in his words, Sheng Qingli felt her ears get slightly warm, and her heart raced as she sensed his deep gaze.

Remembering how she had neglected Pei Qingci recently, Sheng Qingli paused for a moment, took the initiative to walk closer to him, tilted her head, and asked, “So what do you want?”

Pei Qingci was somewhat surprised that she would ask that.

Sheng Qingli wasn’t really a particularly proactive person. His gaze was as calm as the sea as he stared at her and said, “I’ll tell you later.”

It was dinnertime, and Sheng Qingli hadn’t eaten anything yet.

Moreover, after taking a flight, Sheng Qingli’s cleanliness obsession kicked in; he needed to shower before eating.

Pei Qingci was aware of her habits.

He lifted her up and gently patted her bottom, asking in a deep voice, “Shower first or eat first?”

Sheng Qingli looked up, feeling the warmth of his hand, her body tensing and her breath catching, “I… I’m not that hungry.”

Pei Qingci responded, “Hmm?”

“I had a little snack on the plane,” Sheng Qingli replied to him.

Pei Qingci understood, his soft lips brushed against her cheek as he asked, “So you won’t eat tonight?”

Sheng Qingli wrapped her arms around his neck, saying, “We can eat later.”

The moment her words fell, Pei Qingci no longer hesitated and carried her upstairs.

The slippers she had just put on fell off on the stairs, but Sheng Qingli didn’t have time to care.

Once they returned to the room, Sheng Qingli poked his arm, reminding him, “First… first shower.”

Pei Qingci’s kiss landed on her neck as he exhaled heavily, “Can I help you?”