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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In the quiet living room, Yu Xi sat obediently with her hands resting on her knees.

Shen Shu stood with his back to her, pouring tea.

His movements were graceful, using tweezers to pick up the tea cake and then brewing the tea… each step flowed naturally, clearly something he was accustomed to.

The purple clay teapot set had an antique, minimalist design. It looked simple, yet exuded a certain elegance. The carved floral patterns along the curved cup walls came together to form a beautiful scene.

“Alright, let’s drink,” Shen Shu said as he walked over with two cups of tea, handing one to her.

Yu Xi’s gaze fell on the hand he was holding the tea cup with. He had taken off the two plain rings he usually wore and replaced them with the wedding ring they had chosen together.

Yu Xi felt a slight jolt in her heart. She picked up the tea and silently took a sip.

The fragrance of the tea spread slowly on her palate, smooth and without any dryness.

“How is the tea I made?” Shen Shu asked, sitting beside her with a smile.

Yu Xi wasn’t sure how to respond.

She had only ever drunk tea that was steeped, never freshly brewed tea.

Seeing her struggle, Shen Shu couldn’t help but laugh. “I won’t make you feel awkward.” He gave her a quick glance from head to toe, his brow slightly furrowed, his expression hard to describe. “Yu Xi, relax a little. Don’t sit so stiffly. I’m your husband, not your school’s headmaster.”

Yu Xi suddenly realized her unconscious posture, how rigid and awkward it must have seemed.

Her face flushed as she tried to relax a little.

But in front of him, she found it really difficult to unwind.

Shen Shu thought for a moment before gently asking, “Why are you so afraid of me? Do I seem scary to you?”

Yu Xi glanced at him quietly, unsure whether she should tell the truth.

Shen Shu smiled warmly, his gaze encouraging. “Go ahead, tell me. It’s fine. I’m not that petty.”

She finally took out her phone and typed: [There was a time when I went to Zhongheng to deliver translation materials, and as I passed the meeting hall, I saw you scolding someone.]

She hesitated for a moment, then deleted the word “scolding” and replaced it with “lecturing.”

Shen Shu raised an eyebrow, deep in thought.

After a while, he gave up with a wry smile. “Did that really happen? I don’t remember it.”

Yu Xi nodded seriously, her expression uneasy.

Shen Shu smiled slightly. “Even if something like that did happen, it’s definitely because they did something foolish that provoked me. I don’t usually act like that.”

He was usually kind to his subordinates, only being strict when necessary. If he lost his temper, it was because someone had done something unforgivably stupid.

He only lectured when it was about the issue at hand. He didn’t get angry for no reason. He was sure of that.

Yu Xi typed again: [Last year, on Valentine’s Day.]

Shen Shu suddenly remembered.

He had been taking his grandfather to the hospital that day, where his grandfather was diagnosed with diabetes. His mood was already bad. On top of that, a poor decision from the company’s higher-ups had led to a tech company with great potential being acquired by a competitor. He was furious, and when he casually asked about the quarterly development plans in a meeting, the response was completely off-point. That was when he exploded.

He had a feeling that his appearance that day must have been far from graceful, and he was sure it had nothing to do with charm.

He hadn’t expected that such an unrefined side of him would be seen by her, leaving her with the impression that he had a bad temper.

Feeling a bit awkward, he explained, “That was a special circumstance. I don’t usually lose my temper like that.”

When he saw that she didn’t seem convinced, Shen Shu felt defeated for the first time, letting out a bitter laugh. “Since we’ve been married, have I ever gotten angry with you?”

Yu Xi thought for a moment, then shook her head.

He pulled her into his arms, his hand gently resting on her thigh, his tone still calm but lower than before. “Am I really that rude?”

Yu Xi’s face instantly turned bright red. She felt a bit embarrassed, thinking his words carried a hidden meaning.

Today, she was wearing over-the-knee stockings. Her legs were slim, and with these thick stockings, they didn’t roll down. His hand, large and warm, gently rested on her leg. His palm covered her skin as his fingers slightly curved, sending a tingling sensation through her. There was something undeniably sensual in his touch.

Yet he looked so calm, his expression unchanged.

Yu Xi stiffened slightly, hesitating before looking at him, feeling frustrated with the messy thoughts that were bubbling up in her mind.

Little did she know, there was amusement in his eyes, full of interest.

While she was still wondering if she was overthinking things, his palm slowly moved along her stockings, as though tracing the shape of her legs.

Yu Xi stared at him in a daze. By the time she reacted, he had already pulled her into his arms.

“Yu Xi, why are you so slow to understand, hmm?” His teasing tone carried a hint of helplessness.

It was at that moment she realized that what she had been thinking was right. He was teasing her, and her cheeks gradually warmed up.

Shen Shu sighed lightly, his fingertips brushing against her soft lips. He lowered his head and kissed her gently.

Other women would do everything they could to cling to him, but she, like an awkward fool, was completely clueless about romance. Yet he seemed to prefer her this way, showing no interest in those who were flashy and extravagant.

He kissed her fiercely, as if wanting to savor every corner of her lips, filling every gap, trying to fill her up entirely.

Her body felt weak, all strength drained from her. She could only cling to him, pressing her body against his, lying in the sofa as if turning into a puddle of water.

Her heart raced uncontrollably, and after being turned over and over, she seemed to lose all ability to act on her own, obeying him, letting him guide her into doing things she had never dared to do or was too shy to do before.

This man, seemingly serious, turned out to be anything but when it came down to it.

Even as he did something completely improper, his face remained composed and serious.

Yu Xi found herself deeply attracted to this stark contrast in him—there was something irresistibly alluring in his self-control.

She wasn’t willing to admit it, but she couldn’t deny that she didn’t dislike being intimate with him. In fact, she even liked it a little.

Shen Shu kissed her for a while longer, then pulled her up, brushing the sweat-drenched strands of hair from her face, unable to resist saying, “Yu Xi, you’re truly beautiful, especially when you’re moved.”

Her cheeks burned, unsure whether it was from her body’s heat or his words.

She turned her head away, trying to steady her breath.

He seemed to be particularly fond of her ankles, having kissed and caressed them countless times, and he also liked her slender waist. He would embrace her from behind, fondling it, and especially loved the slightly hollow spot on her waist.

He called that spot the “waist groove,” and while kissing her, he placed his hot palm on that area.

She straightened her delicate neck, her gaze becoming more dazed, feeling as if her entire body had turned to jelly.

Soon, she was completely drained, with no strength left. It was Shen Shu who carried her to the bathroom to wash up.

She shook her head, too exhausted to wash.

Shen Shu said, “It’s okay, I’ll wash you.”

Hearing this, she finally gathered enough strength to push him away, hopping off the bed and slamming the door shut with a resentful glare.

After cleaning off the sticky feeling, she rubbed her hands with a scrub, using some essential oil to exfoliate. Only after thoroughly rinsing did she step out.

She didn’t like the smell, it was strong and strange.

Now that she was clean, the drowsiness seemed to disappear. She changed into a camisole nightdress and walked out of the steamy bathroom.

Shen Shu was already finished, sitting at the bedside, waiting for her. “Do girls really take over half an hour to shower? What could you possibly be washing?”

Seemingly worried she might think otherwise, Shen Shu added, “I meant my sister, Shen Yuan.”

He didn’t need to explain, but he did anyway.

A warm feeling surged through her, and she walked over on her own.

“Are you tired?” Shen Shu took her hand and motioned for her to sit next to him.

Yu Xi understood what he was asking. To answer this question, “tired” was not a good answer, and “not tired” was not a good answer either. The former seemed pretentious and lustful, as if he was trying to refuse but actually welcome it, while the latter seemed too unreserved.

How should she answer?

Yu Xi was, for the first time, grateful that she couldn’t speak.

While she was still pondering, Shen Shu, with a small laugh, said, “Forget it, I won’t ask anymore. But if you ever feel uncomfortable, you need to tell me, okay?”

Yu Xi blushed and nodded.

In fact, people’s feet tend to correlate with their height, and other parts of the body are similar. They were just not quite compatible. However, Yu Xi had always been gentle and used to enduring discomfort, so even when it hurt, she simply gritted her teeth.

Shen Shu was usually careful and patient, but when a man reached a certain point, it was hard for him to maintain rationality throughout.

At first, he didn’t notice because she always had this submissive look—her brows slightly furrowed, her eyes shimmering with moisture, as if holding back tears, or perhaps nervously biting her lip. She never rejected him.

But when he noticed her expressions becoming increasingly uncomfortable, he stopped.

“Does it hurt?” He asked, holding her hand.

She hesitated, her face flushed. She nodded slightly.

“I was too hasty,” he apologized earnestly, but Yu Xi only felt embarrassed and didn’t want to discuss it further.

Shen Shu saw her embarrassment and smiled. Changing the topic, he said, “I had Xie Pu go and buy some medicine. I’ll help you apply it later.”

What?

Yu Xi’s face turned as red as a tomato, and she shook her head vigorously like a rattle drum.

In a panic, she quickly typed on her phone: [It’s fine, there’s nothing serious. You don’t need to buy medicine!]

What would Xie Pu think of her?

Shen Shu seemed to understand her thoughts, saying, “Xie Pu won’t mind. He always follows my instructions without question. He won’t wonder why, and he won’t ask.”

Although he said that, Yu Xi still couldn’t shake her discomfort.

She just couldn’t be as nonchalant as he was.

While they were talking, the doorbell rang.

Shen Shu went to get the medicine. The house was too quiet, and Yu Xi could hear Xie Pu’s respectful voice from behind the half-open door as he bid Shen Shu farewell and left.

She sighed inwardly, feeling so frustrated that she didn’t know what to say.

When Shen Shu returned with the ointment, he patted her shoulder.

Yu Xi hesitated, looking at him. His gaze was calm and composed, as if he were a doctor examining a patient, speaking in the most natural tone while saying things that made her feel deeply embarrassed.

She didn’t move, her face burning like a shrimp.

Shen Shu found it amusing, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve seen it before.”

He truly hadn’t meant to tease her. He simply wanted to check if she was hurt, but when she acted so awkward, with a faint blush on her cheeks and a hint of embarrassment in her gaze, it was hard not to laugh.

He actually thought her appearance was quite cute, which only sparked some mischievous interest in him. He pinched her chin and said seriously, “You can’t apply it yourself.”

His tone was so sincere and serious.