Chapter 15.1

This late-night meal was delicious. Jiang Yu savored each bite and praised, “This is amazing! Whoever marries you will be so lucky.”

She was focused on eating and didn’t think twice about her words. Once she realized what she had said, the atmosphere shifted, and she felt the tension in the air.

It seemed she had said something wrong. Jiang Yu quickly covered her mouth, glancing at Jiang Zhe, her eyes wide.

He was in the middle of serving her wontons, and for a moment, his hand stilled as he seemed to contemplate something. He wanted to say, “Aren’t you married to me right now?” But then he chuckled self-deprecatingly, and with a nonchalant expression, placed the wontons in front of her. “Just eat.”

Jiang Yu tried to ignore her embarrassment. She cautiously observed his expression, relieved to find no sign of anger, and then buried her head in her bowl.

What she had said was unintentional, but strangely enough, it felt like her true feelings. While they were having a child together and she thought Jiang Zhe was great, he wasn’t technically her partner. A nagging thought that they might part ways one day lingered in her mind.

But could she say such things so casually?

She hoped he wouldn’t take it to heart.

Yet the original character had already expressed a desire to be with him, so a careless remark wouldn’t hold much weight, right?

After a moment of self-reassurance, Jiang Yu tried to put the incident behind her. Once she had eaten her fill, she bid Jiang Zhe goodnight and headed back to her room.

Jiang Zhe was a very tidy person. He wouldn’t leave the dishes in the sink for long. While Jiang Yu enjoyed a restful sleep, he emerged to wash the dishes and clean up the kitchen.

Though Jiang Zhe didn’t say much that night, Jiang Yu quickly sensed something different. It felt as if they were in a cold war. He was still responsive to her needs, but the atmosphere between them had grown noticeably chillier. He had once been a quiet person, but now he was more talkative.

Jiang Yu’s body often felt uncomfortable, and at first, she could tolerate the odd tension, but that night, her legs ached painfully, and witnessing Jiang Zhe’s cold demeanor made her tears fall.

Jiang Zhe’s nightly massages for Jiang Yu had become a comforting routine. After the massage, she often drifted off to sleep more easily. However, one evening, as her eyes started to close, her tears fell onto his hand resting on the table. Jiang Zhe froze, his expression dazed as he asked, “What’s wrong? Why are you suddenly crying?”

Seeing her tears made him panic. He quickly grabbed some tissues from the coffee table to wipe her tears away.

With glistening eyes resembling pearls, Jiang Yu choked out, “I want to ask you what’s wrong. I’ve been feeling unwell, and you’re giving me the cold shoulder.”

Cold shoulder?

Jiang Zhe realized he hadn’t even recognized his own distant behavior. He began to reflect on his actions recently and acknowledged that there might indeed be some signs of coldness. As he awkwardly dabbed at her tears, he apologized, “I’m sorry, I…”

He wanted to explain but found his words failing him, leaving him speechless as Jiang Yu’s tears continued to flow.

In a moment of panic, he leaned forward, lowering his head to kiss away her tears.

Once he realized what he was doing, both of them froze, staring at each other in shock.

Jiang Yu’s eyes widened in disbelief.

However, instead of pulling away, Jiang Zhe allowed his feelings to guide him, continuing to kiss away her tears while softly saying, “No, I didn’t mean to give you the cold shoulder. I’m sorry, it’s my fault.”

If she hadn’t been comforted, Jiang Yu’s tears would have subsided quickly. But being soothed only made her feel more aggrieved, prompting her to lightly hit his chest a few times.

Jiang Zhe didn’t move, letting her gently strike him while he kissed away her tears, wrapping an arm around her and drawing her closer until their breaths mingled.

After a few gentle hits, Jiang Yu became aware of their closeness. She felt a mix of panic and uncertainty, wanting to pull away but also reluctant to do so.

Finally, she punched his shoulder again and, through her sobs, asked, “Then why have you been ignoring me these past few days?”

In truth, he hadn’t been ignoring her. He had just noticed her heightened sensitivity lately.

Jiang Zhe lowered his head, pondering this, and after a while, he murmured, “I didn’t want to separate from you.”

It was that simple. Jiang Yu’s words from that night had stirred something in him, making him uncomfortable.

Jiang Yu guessed that might be the reason, but she couldn’t bring herself to discuss it openly. However, Jiang Zhe’s distant attitude had also made her feel wronged, leading to this situation. Now that they were talking it out, she managed a smile, saying, “I didn’t mean it like that. I was just reflecting.”

Jiang Yu decided it was best not to tell him that she didn’t love him, instead framing it as him being a good roommate. She sensed a bit of fragility in Jiang Zhe’s demeanor, fearing that if she voiced her true feelings, he might cry alone in his room at night.

“As for the future, who can say? Many people end up with a mess on their hands. So let’s cherish the present and what we have now,” she said, avoiding his gaze as she felt she was giving him empty platitudes.

Jiang Zhe cupped her face, looking deeply into her beautiful, dark eyes, and said, “Maybe others will, but we won’t.”

“Mm,” Jiang Yu replied, though she wasn’t sure of that. For the foreseeable future, she had to co-parent with him. Since she inherited the original character’s body, she felt obligated to fulfill her responsibilities as a mother. If they didn’t encounter any major issues, divorce was unlikely.

But the future remains uncertain.

Just then, she felt a flutter in her belly, causing her to light up with excitement. “The baby is moving!”

Jiang Zhe’s hand rested gently on her abdomen, and although he wasn’t pressing hard, he could still feel it. A smile spread across his face as he leaned down to her belly. “Let me listen.”

Jiang Yu maintained her position, and after a moment, she asked, “Did you hear anything?”

Jiang Zhe nodded.

“Mm.”

“What does it feel like?”

What did it feel like?

Jiang Zhe tried to articulate it: “It feels like a new life about to break ground under the sun—a beautiful, wondrous, and magical feeling.”

“Thank you,” she said, grateful for his presence and willingness to share this journey of parenthood with her.

Before, Jiang Yu hadn’t felt much connection to the baby. She viewed her responsibility as a mother as something she had to fulfill, considering that her father wasn’t terrible. But feeling the baby move and hearing Jiang Zhe’s description ignited a sense of anticipation within her.

She looked at Jiang Zhe sincerely and said, “We’re both good-looking. Our child should be beautiful too. I can’t wait to see what she’ll look like. If it’s a pretty little girl, that would be even better.”

At that moment, Jiang Zhe suddenly straightened up and kissed her lips, catching Jiang Yu off guard.

Their eyes locked, and Jiang Yu felt frozen.

For couples, physical intimacy might be a biological need, but a kiss was different. You wouldn’t kiss someone you didn’t have feelings for.

Jiang Zhe…