Chapter 23: Sleeping with the Cheap Husband

Jiang Cimo finally realized what he needed to do. Following the way Xi Youyou had just washed Da Bao, he cleaned him again, this time without getting too much water into Da Bao’s eyes and ears like the first time.

At last, the bath was finished. Jiang Cimo carried Da Bao to the bed and clumsily picked up a towel to dry his hair.

Xi Youyou couldn’t bear to watch anymore. Xiao Bao had just finished up as well, so she took the towel from his hand voluntarily. “Go pour some water. Leave the rest to me.”

Although the weather was quite hot, if they kept dawdling like this, the kids might still catch a cold from the wind.

Jiang Cimo felt awkward. This was the first sentence Xi Youyou had spoken to him since he returned home.

And it was because of the child.

Jiang Cimo had no choice but to accept the task of fetching water.

Meanwhile, Xi Youyou helped Da Bao change into clean clothes, dried his hair, and applied some fragrant cream.

When Jiang Cimo came back in, the two kids were playing a game with Xi Youyou.

Upon hearing the sounds behind her, Xi Youyou felt incredibly embarrassed.

Tonight, she had to sleep with Jiang Cimo. But she really didn’t want to!

Maybe she could let the two kids sleep with them? That way, it wouldn’t be so awkward.

Before Xi Youyou could even ask, Xu Xiu and Jiang Fenglin came in to carry the children away.

“You two get some rest early.” they said.

The two of them left with the children. Xi Youyou sat on the bed, her entire body uncomfortable from the awkwardness.

Her toes kept rubbing the floor, as if she was about to scratch out an entire three-bedroom apartment.

But after struggling for a while, Xi Youyou still got up to wash up. In the original novel, Jiang Cimo really disliked her, so he probably wouldn’t try anything.

The bed wasn’t small. The two of them could just sleep on their own sides.

After she washed up and returned, Xi Youyou lifted the blanket and climbed into bed, lying on the side near the window.

She had spent the past few days sleeping inside the space, so lying on this hard bed tonight felt unfamiliar. After a while, the heat became unbearable, so she had no choice but to get up and open the window.

She opened it as wide as it would go and finally lay back down with some satisfaction.

But after lying down for just a while, the heat returned. And once Jiang Cimo lay on the bed, the whole blanket seemed to heat up with him.

She couldn’t stand it anymore. She stopped using the blanket entirely and moved as close to the edge of the bed as possible, trying to stay far away from Jiang Cimo, this walking heat generator.

How could someone be so hot in the middle of summer?

Jiang Cimo watched as she moved farther and farther from him, his gaze deep and unreadable.

In the past, whenever he came home, Xi Youyou would cling to him. If not picking fights, she was causing trouble on purpose—always trying to get something for herself.

This time, not only had she barely spoken a few words to him, she was now lying on the same bed yet steadily moving away from him.

Before, when she wanted something, she clung to him like an octopus.

But this time… she was different.

Jiang Cimo couldn’t make sense of her at all.

Xi Youyou didn’t know how long she tossed and turned. In the end, she simply threw off the blanket and lay stiffly on the bed, letting the breeze from the window blow over her.

Only then did she finally fall asleep.

Heavens!

Before she drifted off, only one thought remained in her head:

No wonder the two kids had such surprised expressions when she put the electric fan in their room along with the elderly couple’s.

It really was hot!

She had been sleeping in the space every day and hadn’t felt it at all. But tonight, when sleeping in this room, she was sweating all over!

Xi Youyou had fallen asleep, but Jiang Cimo couldn’t.

He had spent over ten hours on the train and was truly exhausted. He had thought he would come home, play with the kids for a bit, have a meal, and then get some rest.

But now that he was lying in bed, there wasn’t a trace of sleepiness in him.

From time to time, he would turn and glance at Xi Youyou.

Her sleeping posture was just as bad as before, yet she didn’t inch closer to him. Both her feet were clamping onto the blanket like an octopus.

Sweat had beaded up densely on her forehead and the tip of her nose from the heat, but she didn’t wake up to complain. She simply turned over and continued sleeping.

Some parts of her clothes were soaked through with sweat. Jiang Cimo couldn’t stand to see it. The wind had blown the window partially closed, so he got up and adjusted it, trying to let in as much breeze as possible.

He felt hot too, so he simply opened the door as well.

With the air circulating, the room finally cooled down a bit. He watched Xi Youyou’s breathing grow more and more steady and confirmed she had fallen into a deep sleep.

But now, Jiang Cimo’s mind was filled with chaotic thoughts.

Xiao Bao had said that Xi Youyou had changed so much because she knew she was wrong.

Was that really the case?

How long could she keep it up?

Jiang Cimo kept thinking about these useless things until he was too tired to stay awake. Only then did he finally fall asleep.

Xi Youyou, on the other hand, slept very soundly.

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The next morning.

Before dawn had even broken, Jiang Cimo opened his eyes. After so many years in the military, he had developed the habit of waking early. He always woke up at this hour.

Xi Youyou was still asleep beside him. He had gone to bed late last night, and his energy wasn’t great, but he still got up to wash up and head out for a jog.

He thought it was still early, and he’d have enough time to make breakfast after running. It would let the rest of the family sleep a little longer.

Not long after he left, Xi Youyou also woke up.

Stretching lazily on the bed, she rubbed her sore neck.

This hard wooden bed really made her whole body ache, though it wasn’t anything serious. Hopefully, Jiang Cimo wouldn’t stay too long this time.

She poured herself a glass of spiritual spring water to drink. After washing up, she felt much more refreshed and headed into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

There was still some chicken soup left from yesterday.

Xi Youyou didn’t make anything else—she just boiled some noodles. Once the seasoning was almost ready, she called everyone to get up and eat.

She finished mixing the seasoning, boiled the noodles, and poured the hot chicken soup into bowls. A steaming bowl of chicken soup noodles was ready.

“Cimo!”

Xi Youyou was carrying the noodles in the kitchen when Xu Xiu’s voice came from outside. “Did you go out for a run this early in the morning?”

“Come eat breakfast, Youyou made it.”

Xu Xiu was all smiles. The two kids ran over to let Jiang Cimo wash their faces, then bounced happily into the kitchen.

“Wow, chicken noodle soup!”

Xiao Bao was especially enthusiastic, exclaiming with excitement as she sat down to eat.

When Jiang Cimo entered, Xi Youyou didn’t even glance at him. She simply picked up a bowl of noodles and sat in the corner, eating quietly by herself.

No one spoke during breakfast.

Jiang Cimo occasionally looked at the two kids and at Xi Youyou, but they were all eating heartily, without paying him any attention.

He felt a bit defeated.

A strange, indescribable emotion surged up in his chest.

This time, the subtle changes in the household left him completely puzzled.

“Mom!”

Jiang Cimo was still zoning out when Xi Youyou finished eating and placed her bowl into the sink. “Sorry to trouble you with the cleanup. I’ll try to come back earlier this afternoon.”

Everyone knew she was going to the library to study. Xu Xiu immediately nodded. “Alright, alright, go on. Be careful on the road!”

“Comrade Xi Youyou, goodbye!”

Da Bao and Xiao Bao waved at her.

Xi Youyou grinned and ruffled their hair, even pinching their little cheeks.

Only then did she leave, satisfied.