006. Then You Just Come Up and Sleep

As evening approached, Lu Qingyan efficiently finished gathering all the fish and shrimp.

He personally cooked an unusually lavish dinner—fish, shrimp, and freshwater snails.

The aroma was incredibly fresh and delicious!

Even Wen Shiyang, who had never liked fish since childhood, found it delicious and felt uncomfortably full.

She thought it was such a waste that this man didn’t become a chef.

The four of them sat in the yard to digest their meal, occasionally gazing at the starry night sky, and sometimes hearing neighbors’ chatter—it felt rather pleasant.

Dabao was the first to get too tired and went inside to sleep.

Then Xiaobao followed, also heading inside.

“I’m sleepy too.” Wen Shiyang yawned and got up, intending to go inside and sleep as well.

At this moment, Lu Qingyan spoke. “Do you have any plans?”

Wen Shiyang froze. “Plans? What plans?”

Lu Qingyan’s ears turned red. Used to the military life surrounded by men, he was suddenly at a loss for words when facing this soft, gentle-voiced woman.

He worried that speaking might upset her, but not speaking made him feel frustrated, afraid that things would continue ambiguously.

It could delay her life.

“If… if you’re thinking about marriage, or if there’s someone suitable, you can tell me. I can help explain things for you.” After struggling internally, Lu Qingyan could only summarize it this way.

He was used to the straightforward world of soldiers; carefully organizing words like this felt almost impossible!

Wen Shiyang looked at him, hearing a double meaning in his words, and pursed her lips, asking, “Are you trying to drive me away?”

If he wasn’t trying to drive her away, why say all this?

“Of course not.”

Lu Qingyan immediately clarified. “That’s not what I mean. I just meant, if you have other plans, you can tell me, and I’ll help as much as I can.”

Seeing how tense he looked, Wen Shiyang realized she had misunderstood him.

Still, hearing him speak, why did she feel so uneasy inside?

“Lu Qingyan, do you already have someone you want to marry? If you do, just marry her. I won’t stop you. After all, what’s between us is fake, right?” Wen Shiyang had her pride.

She wasn’t the type to break someone else’s marriage.

If Lu Qingyan truly wanted to marry someone else, she would sincerely bless him. She wasn’t dependent on a man to live.

Besides, he was just a man she had no blood or family ties with!

She, Wen Shiyang, had her own hands and feet—she could survive in this vast world!

A few words caused the previously calm dynamic between them to waver slightly.

“Don’t misunderstand, I don’t have someone I want to marry.” Lu Qingyan wasn’t good with words, let alone soothing a woman!

Wen Shiyang looked at him. The man’s face was full of righteousness, perhaps thinking he was irrefutable. His ears were red, and his neck flushed.

Forget it. She wouldn’t waste time arguing with him!

“Lu Qingyan, next time think before you speak. Make things clear, or misunderstandings will grow!” Wen Shiyang patiently pointed out his mistake.

Lu Qingyan, a man who strived to improve, listened carefully.

He was troubled, too. Normally, he had no problem speaking, but with Wen Shiyang, his mind went blank, and he could never find the right words to express himself!

He also hadn’t asked everything he wanted to—for instance, whether she would mind his age or marrying him!

But looking at the current situation, talking more would only make it more complicated.

Seeing nothing else to discuss, Wen Shiyang got up and went inside to sleep.

The bed wasn’t small—big enough for four people comfortably.

Since the two children slept together, plenty of space remained, but Wen Shiyang could only sleep next to Lu Qingyan.

Honestly, this troubled her a little.

When Lu Qingyan came in, he saw her sitting at the bed, frowning at the space.

“You sleep on the bed, I’ll take the floor.” He stepped forward and spoke softly.

He was thick-skinned; a night on the floor meant nothing, and sometimes during missions, he slept in the grass anyway.

As long as he could rest, he didn’t care where.

Wen Shiyang felt slightly embarrassed, but at this point, it was the most reasonable solution.

She helped Lu Qingyan spread out the bedding on the floor, then comfortably got onto the bed herself.

But as soon as she lay down, Xiaobao moved and asked innocently, “Mom, why are you letting Daddy sleep on the floor?”

Wen Shiyang: “……”

Lu Qingyan wanted to explain, but Xiaobao pouted. “Da Pang said if parents sleep separately, it means Mom is mad at Dad.”

“Mom, are you mad at Daddy too?”

Wen Shiyang quickly reassured him, “No, I’m not.”

Xiaobao’s dark eyes looked at her pitifully. “Then why did you let Daddy sleep on the floor? The floor is hard; Daddy can’t handle it.”

Wen Shiyang was speechless. She hadn’t told him to sleep on the floor—it was his own choice!

But now she finally understood how Lu Qingyan felt in the yard: silently suffering without being able to say a word.

Seeing Wen Shiyang flustered, the man rested his arm, a faint smile in his eyes, quietly watching her as if enjoying a show.

She turned, looking for backup, only to meet Lu Qingyan’s smiling gaze—it was clear he was watching her struggle for amusement, not to help.

“Lu Qingyan, explain it to the child yourself. Did I tell you to sleep on the floor?” Wen Shiyang refused to take the blame.

Seeing her toss the ball to him, Lu Qingyan had no choice.

He scratched his nose and slowly said under Xiaobao’s expectant gaze, “Mom didn’t make me sleep on the floor. I wanted to. I didn’t want to crowd you on the bed.”

Xiaobao quietly relaxed. Luckily, it wasn’t because Mom was mad at Daddy.

Like a little adult, he pointed to the space next to Wen Shiyang. “Daddy, see? There’s plenty of space. You can sleep comfortably.”

“The floor is too hard. Mom and I don’t want you sleeping there. Right, Mom?”

Wen Shiyang was astonished. Could a three-and-a-half-year-old even say this?

Besides, she didn’t exactly mind—just a little embarrassed.

Watching her slight defeat, Lu Qingyan smirked.

When Wen Shiyang turned back to look at him, he just raised an eyebrow, clearly saying, “I have nothing more to add.”

Wen Shiyang then glanced at Xiaobao’s expectant eyes, unwilling to hurt her feelings.

She quietly looked at the bed, moved a little closer, and finally said in compromise, “There’s plenty of space. Then you just come up and sleep.”