Chapter 17

Ye Chunjiang knew her son very well.

Although, sometimes, even she couldn’t quite figure him out.

“I understand, Auntie,” Song Qingdai said with a gentle smile. That faint, serene expression softened her strikingly vivid features just the right amount.

Ye Chunjiang blinked, almost dazed by how pretty her future daughter-in-law was.

Wow, her son really struck gold!

To marry such a sweet and beautiful girl—if she were a man, she’d want her too!

Only those blind fools in the Song family could waste such a gem of a girl and let her be covered in dust.

The Gao family had four siblings in total. Gao Hongxing’s family was the eldest. Li Xiuzhi was married to the second son. Then there was a younger sister, Gao Meili, and a youngest brother who had gone off to do business years ago and had been missing ever since.

No one knew whether he was dead or alive.

So now, only the three eldest siblings remained.

“Don’t worry. After the wedding, you two will move to the provincial capital. You won’t be staying here in the Gao family compound—no need to see her every day and be annoyed.”

Ye Chunjiang understood Li Xiuzhi all too well. If Song Qingdai stayed here after marriage, Li Xiuzhi would definitely nitpick her every single day.

It wasn’t about Qingdai—it was about targeting their whole family and making them miserable.

Among the Gao siblings, only the eldest’s household lived comfortably and prosperously.

Gao Han was an only child. Li Xiuzhi had two sons and a daughter. The baby she brought earlier was her eldest son’s child—her grandson.

She flaunted that baby like he was some kind of royal heir, always bragging about her capable son and her precious grandson like they were her pride and joy.

“What about your younger sister? Why didn’t I see her?” Qingdai asked. She knew the second brother was named Gao Hongbing—an honest man working in the county. But she rarely heard anything about the third sibling, Gao Meili.

“Your aunt…”

When Gao Meili was mentioned, both Ye Chunjiang and Gao Hongxing grew evasive.

But Qingdai wasn’t the kind to pry. She quickly smiled and said, “It’s fine, Auntie. I was just asking casually. You don’t have to answer if you’d rather not.”

After all, she had just arrived—asking too many personal questions would be impolite.

“It’s all right. I’ve already written a letter to tell her about the wedding. She’s always been the closest to Gao Han, so she should come back.”

Even as Ye Chunjiang said this, she didn’t sound too confident.

“Mm.” Qingdai simply nodded.

“Qingdai.”

Just then, Gao Han walked over carrying a bucket of water. “The side room’s ready. You can take a bath there. I’ve heated the water so it’ll be more comfortable.”

Ye Chunjiang quickly exchanged a look with her husband, and the two of them slipped away.

This was a good chance for the young couple to bond. What were two old folks like them still hanging around for?

Better to disappear quickly.

“I…”

Qingdai turned around to say something, only to realize the two elders were already gone.

“…”

“…Okay. Thank you.”

Inside the side room, Gao Han had even opened a brand-new bar of soap. The towel and everything else were new too.

There was a large wooden tub, and he had filled it all the way up—enough to submerge Qingdai entirely.

“The water’s warm. Don’t bathe in cold water at night—it’s easy to catch a chill. I’ll be right outside. Call me if you need anything.”

And with that, he walked away.

He usually bathed in cold water, but Qingdai was different. Women were more delicate, especially someone as thin as her. If she caught a cold, she’d probably lose even more weight.

Qingdai looked at him and opened her mouth as if to say something, but stopped.

Water splashed in the side room as Gao Han leaned against a stone pillar outside, his back facing her.

The sound of running water in the quiet night carried a certain suggestive, ambiguous quality.

He closed his eyes slightly, but images from the night before immediately filled his mind—Qingdai, flushed red, clutching him and begging.

The scenes looped in his head—her teary eyes, her disheveled clothes exposing fair skin…

Then her body covered in red marks, tears at the corners of her eyes…

No matter the version, he couldn’t deny—he was powerless against her.

His thoughts started to wander.

They hadn’t even turned off the lights in the hotel last night.

He’d seen everything. That girl he’d longed for over and over again was finally in his arms.

Gao Han had been selfish last night.

But it was that selfishness that allowed him to marry Song Qingdai. It didn’t matter if she didn’t like him yet—there was still time. She would, eventually.

The water continued to splash.

Though the night wind was cool, a wave of heat rose uncontrollably in his chest.

The heat pooled in his abdomen.

Wild, surging.

Gao Han glanced downward, then frowned deeply. He went back into the house and downed a cup of cold water in one go.

“G-Gao Comrade!”

Just as he set the cup down, he heard Qingdai’s voice calling from the side room.

“What’s wrong?”

“Can… can you help me check if I dropped some clothes on the way earlier?”

Qingdai wanted to disappear from the face of the earth.

She swore she’d grabbed her underwear earlier, but after finishing her bath, she realized they were missing.

Maybe she dropped them on the way, maybe she left them on the bed.

She couldn’t exactly walk out like this. Summer clothes were thin—especially that nightdress Gao Han bought her. One gust of wind and everything would be visible.

Upstairs.

Gao Han looked at the underwear lying on the bed where Qingdai had forgotten them.

He stared in silence.

A bit worn.

The fabric didn’t feel very good in his hands.

His fault—he’d forgotten to buy her some new, more intimate clothing today.

Fine. He’d buy them in the provincial capital. Everything there was better than what they had in Red Star Town.

But he hadn’t expected it—even though she looked so slim… her underwear told a different story.

Quite… well-endowed.

“Qingdai.”

A knock came at the door. “You left it on the bed.”

The side room door opened just a crack, and then a strong arm reached in.

His forearm was muscular, veins popping—bursting with masculine strength.

In that broad palm, he held her bra and panties.

In his hand, they looked so small.

He could almost close his entire fist around them.

Suddenly, images unsuitable for children flashed through Qingdai’s mind.

Her whole body flushed hot.

Especially… there.

“Th-thank you!”

She hurriedly took her clothes and shut the door fast.

Her delicate fingertips brushed across his palm, still damp from the bath—like a feather tracing across his heart.

Soft… impossibly soft.