At that moment, Xie Dingyuan froze in shock, completely at a loss, not knowing where to put his hands or feet.
Her body was soft and warm, her breathing light and fragrant, and that hand of hers was nimble and skillful.
In the darkness, there was a soft click.
His belt was undone.
The next second, the man arched his back as if struck by electricity.
“Yueyue!”
He grabbed the hand that was causing trouble, yet his own hand could not stop trembling.
“…We can’t.” The last shred of his reason struggled to hold on. Even though he was already breathing heavily, he still forced himself to stay conscious.
“Why not?”
“W-we’re not married yet.”
“But we’ve already met each other’s parents.”
Xie Dingyuan paused. “…You’re still young.”
“If you mean age, I turned twenty today. If you count my previous life…”
Lou Mingyue died at twenty-five. Add the three years since her rebirth, that’s twenty-eight. If you count the twenty-year time gap as well, that would be forty-eight, old enough to be his aunt.
“Pfft!” Jiang Fuyue couldn’t help laughing.
“What are you laughing at?”
“If you’re not talking about age, then… there’s nothing I can do about that. You’ll just have to make do.”
Before Xie Dingyuan could react, her lips were already upon his.
Amid their tangled breaths, the tightly stretched string in the man’s mind, snapped.
He flipped over and pinned her beneath him, his eyes dark and deep.
“You insisted on provoking me today, didn’t you?”
“Wasn’t it you who said I could have anything I wanted?”
“Yueyue…” He struggled, conflicted, holding himself back.
Sweat slid from his temple and dripped onto her chest.
Jiang Fuyue reached up, looped her arms around his neck, and gently pulled him closer. Leaning to his ear, which had already turned red, she spoke word by word: “Xie Dingyuan, I want you.”
“Will you give yourself to me?”
With just those two sentences, his defenses collapsed completely.
“…Alright.”
Starlight seemed to fill the room, brilliant and dazzling, as the two finally became completely intimate.
…
At some unknown moment, rain began to fall outside the window.
Morning air was heavy with moisture, misty and dense, like something that could not be dissolved.
Inside, the heater was on, the quilt warm, and two lovers slept with their necks intertwined, warm as a spring day in March.
Jiang Fuyue felt hot and turned over, the quilt sliding open to reveal her fair neck and half her back.
Faint red marks could be seen scattered across her skin.
Cool air slipped in, dispersing the damp warmth at her neck. Jiang Fuyue felt comfortable.
But the next second, a warm chest pressed against her. A long arm reached out and pulled her back into an embrace.
Now she was fully awake.
She turned over to face him.
Before her was the man’s sharply defined profile, high nose bridge, thick and long eyelashes.
Suddenly, those tightly closed eyes opened, filled with laughter but without the slightest trace of sleepiness.
“You were awake already?”
“Mm, a little earlier than you.”
“Then why were you pretending to sleep?”
“Wasn’t it to keep you company?”
Jiang Fuyue nestled against his shoulder. “It’s a bit hot. Can I throw off the blanket?”
“…Are you sure?”
“What? Feeling shy? Didn’t we already see everything last night?”
Xie Dingyuan blushed helplessly.
When it came to boldness, he admitted defeat.
In the end, they didn’t throw the blanket off entirely, just pulled it down a bit to expose their upper bodies.
The cool air felt refreshing. Jiang Fuyue grew comfortable, closed her eyes again, and somehow drifted back to sleep.
…
When she woke up again, the space beside her pillow was already empty.
Last night’s clothes were crumpled into a messy pile, stained with things, so Jiang Fuyue simply grabbed one of Xie Dingyuan’s shirts from the wardrobe and walked barefoot into the bathroom.
Soon, the sound of running water echoed.
Twenty minutes later, with a towel wrapped around her hair, Jiang Fuyue came out and discovered that the scattered clothes on the floor were gone, and the bedsheets and quilt cover had been replaced with clean ones.
Everything was neatly made, not a single wrinkle in sight.
The two pillows were also placed perfectly side by side.
Whose handiwork it was needed no explanation.
Jiang Fuyue walked to the living room, no one there. Then she went to the kitchen.
The aroma of food drifted into her nose. She lifted the lid and saw a bowl of millet porridge and a plate of soup dumplings warming over low heat.
But she still didn’t see anyone.
“Xie Dingyuan? Where did you go?”
After checking the balcony, she finally headed to the laundry room.
As she reached the doorway, she suddenly stopped.
The man was sitting on a small stool, with a large basin full of foam in front of him. In his hands, he was carefully scrubbing Jiang Fuyue’s undershirt, his expression focused and serious, as if he were conducting some important research.
Another basin beside him held freshly washed underwear.
Yes, Jiang Fuyue’s.
The stool was too low, and his legs were too long, so he could only curl them awkwardly.
The washing machine behind him was running, its noise covering her footsteps. Since Jiang Fuyue wasn’t wearing shoes, he didn’t notice her until she was standing right in front of him.
“…Why did you come here? Why not sleep a bit longer?”
“I woke up. Why are you washing my clothes? I can do it myself.”
Xie Dingyuan avoided her hand. “Don’t move, almost done. There’s breakfast in the kitchen, still warm. Go eat first.”
Jiang Fuyue shook her head. “I’ll eat later.”
Then she dragged over a stool and sat beside him, resting her chin on her hand, staring at him without blinking.
“You… why are you looking at me?” His ears turned red.
“Xie Dingyuan, do you know what you look like right now?”
“Huh?”
“A househusband.”
“… ”
Breakfast, laundry, “Why are you so domestic?”
“Well… you didn’t have any clean clothes… I woke up early and had nothing to do, so I just washed them…”
His face flushed as he spoke awkwardly, continuing to scrub the shirt.
Jiang Fuyue glanced at it. “If you keep scrubbing like that, it’ll tear.”
“… ”
Xie Dingyuan rinsed the shirt in clean water, three full times, until all the foam disappeared and the water ran clear. Only then did he wring it dry.
During that time, Jiang Fuyue tried to help, but he stopped her every time.
“Fine, I won’t wash. I’ll hang them up. That’s okay, right?”
“I’ll hang them.”
Jiang Fuyue watched as he shook out the shirt, stretched it neatly, and hung it on a hanger.
Then he hung up her underwear as well.
The thin pieces of fabric were easily lifted in the man’s hands, wrung dry, and hung up carefully.
He even smoothed out the wrinkles with his palm.
Once, then again.
Jiang Fuyue stared, stunned. Her cheeks suddenly flared bright red.
Burning hot.
“Why is your face red? Is the heater on too high?” Xie Dingyuan wiped the water from his hands and gently rubbed her cheek with his fingertips.
“N-no… it’s nothing…”
Fortunately, the washing machine suddenly beeped and stopped running.
Xie Dingyuan walked over, opened it, and took out the freshly washed bedsheets and quilt covers to hang them up.
Jiang Fuyue turned her head away and quietly let out a breath.
“All done. Come on, let’s go eat breakfast.” As he spoke, the man lifted her into his arms.
He even weighed her lightly in his hands, too light.
Jiang Fuyue instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. “Hey, what are you doing? I can walk myself.”
Xie Dingyuan glanced at her feet.
“You’re not even wearing shoes. How are you supposed to walk?”
“… ”
Holding her, he first went to look for slippers.
Just as Jiang Fuyue was about to put them on, Xie Dingyuan suddenly spoke: “Wait a moment.”
“?”
He quickly went into the bathroom and soon came out holding a wet towel.
Then he crouched down in front of her.
Jiang Fuyue was a little confused. What was he doing?
Xie Dingyuan sighed helplessly and reminded her, “Your foot, lift it.”
Jiang Fuyue groggily did as he said.
The next second, a warm touch pressed against the sole of her foot. Xie Dingyuan used the towel soaked in hot water to wipe the bottom of her foot clean.
“Alright, put them on.”
Jiang Fuyue’s defenses broke. At a certain moment she could even be said to be completely captivated, dizzy and enchanted.
When a straight-as-steel man becomes gentle, is it really this deadly?
After putting on her shoes, the two of them went to the dining room.
Xie Dingyuan placed the breakfast on the table, then folded his arms and sat across from Jiang Fuyue. “Eat.”
“You’re not eating?”
“I already ate.”
“…Oh.”
And so one ate while the other watched. Although neither spoke, warmth quietly flowed between them, and the air carried faint sweetness.
After Jiang Fuyue finished eating, Xie Dingyuan took the bowls and chopsticks into the kitchen and washed them, letting them drain.
His movements were not skillful, one could even say clumsy.
But he still completed everything meticulously.
After washing his hands and turning around, he met Jiang Fuyue’s smiling, appraising gaze. For a moment Xie Dingyuan was at a loss, his eyes shifting away.
Jiang Fuyue frowned.
Something wasn’t right.
She stood up and walked to him. “What’s wrong with you?”
“…Huh?”
“Why won’t you look at me directly? You keep avoiding me.”
“R…really?” The words sounded weak, clearly lacking confidence.
“Really”
“…”
Jiang Fuyue glanced toward the kitchen. “Finished washing?”
“Mm. Finished.”
“Come on, let’s go to the living room.”
“Oh.”
Xie Dingyuan seemed wooden all over, letting Jiang Fuyue pull him along until she pressed him down onto the sofa.
The whole time he was obedient, letting her do whatever she wanted.
Jiang Fuyue: “Lift your head.”
He did.
“Look at me.”
Xie Dingyuan’s gaze fell on her face, but the next second he quickly looked away again.
Jiang Fuyue looked baffled. “What’s wrong with you? No wonder everyone says men turn cold after sleeping together, turns out it’s true…”
“I didn’t! I didn’t!” Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, he instantly straightened up, his expression tense and his eyes flustered.
“Then why are you acting so awkward?”
The man lowered his eyes and said nothing.
After a long moment, as if he had made up his mind, he spoke quickly: “I’m sorry, Yueyue! I… couldn’t hold back last night… I shouldn’t have…”
If last night had been losing himself in the moment, then when he first woke up this morning, so naturally and intimately pulling Jiang Fuyue into his arms again, shamelessly taking the initiative, it was simply unforgivable.
As his rationality slowly returned and he looked at the mess filling the room and the pile of clothes on the floor, Xie Dingyuan felt as if struck by lightning.
Self-blame and self-disgust surged up, making him unable to lie there any longer.
So the dignified Professor Xie, not even properly dressed, fled in panic and ran out of the bedroom.
He cleaned the house, made breakfast, washed the clothes, the sheets, and the quilt covers. But even so, when his eyes met Jiang Fuyue’s, he still couldn’t help feeling guilty and ashamed.
“I’m sorry, Yueyue.”
The man sat on the sofa with his head lowered, hands on his thighs, palms unconsciously tightening, like a child who had done something wrong and was waiting to be scolded.
Confusion, panic, shame, unease…
All kinds of emotions intertwined in his eyes.
Jiang Fuyue lifted his chin and leaned close, her nose touching his, their breaths mingling.
“Xie Dingyuan, why are you acting like some untouched young maiden? I was the one who took the initiative last night. Would you dare refuse? Wouldn’t that make me lose face?”
“?”
“Why are you looking at me? Don’t tell me I have so little attraction to you that even after tasting me you still regret it…”
Jiang Fuyue snorted.
“N-no, it’s not like that!” The man was caught completely off guard. How had it suddenly turned into her having no attraction?
“Then what is it like?”
“You…” He lowered his head in embarrassment. “You’re very attractive, so I couldn’t hold back…”
Saying this, he visibly became annoyed with himself.
“Really?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Yueyue, if you’re angry, you can hit me or scold me however you want. I absolutely won’t fight back or talk back…”
Jiang Fuyue looked depressed. “Why would I hit you?”
“I know, I’m a b*stard. I clearly promised to wait until marriage, ”
Halfway through the sentence, he abruptly stopped.
As if something had cut him off mid-speech. His entire body suddenly stiffened, every pore trembling.
Because…
Jiang Fuyue suddenly leaned forward and, without warning, kissed the bridge of his nose.
The soft sensation stimulated his nerves, a tremor from the soul rushing straight to his brain.
Xie Dingyuan’s eyes turned dull with shock, his Adam’s apple rolling.
The next second Jiang Fuyue directly straddled his lap, smiling brightly, her brows and eyes like a painting.
She said, “Last night I was the one who asked for my birthday gift to be upgraded. It had nothing to do with you.”
Xie Dingyuan muttered softly, “How does it have nothing to do with me… the upgrade was me…”
“Tsk! You sound pretty aggrieved?”
The man wrapped an arm around her waist, his hand resting at the hollow of her lower back. His voice was light, but his tone was heavy.
“I’m not aggrieved. You’re the one who suffered.”
Jiang Fuyue leaned against his ear. “Compared to suffering, I think it actually felt pretty good, except the first time was a little fast.”
Xie Dingyuan froze all over. After hearing this, he couldn’t even turn his neck properly. He slowly turned his head mechanically, eyes full of shock.
She…
Really dared to say that!
Jiang Fuyue was very satisfied with his stunned expression. Her smile grew even more unrestrained, her striking features blooming with vivid charm that hooked people invisibly.
“Luckily the next few times were pretty good, but I think there’s still room for improvement. What do you think?”
After asking, she didn’t wait for his answer. She gracefully stood up. As she moved, the white shirt she wore lifted slightly, revealing straight legs, a flat stomach, and skin pale as jade.
After stepping away, Jiang Fuyue turned toward the bedroom, ignoring the still-stunned man on the sofa.
Xie Dingyuan reacted quickly, jumping up and chasing after her. “What did you just say?”
Jiang Fuyue played dumb. “Say what?”
The man clenched his jaw. “That part about there still being room for improvement…”
“Do you have it?” she blinked.
Xie Dingyuan was speechless.
If he answered, it would seem like he cared too much, losing dignity.
But if he didn’t answer…
It felt somewhat suffocating. Where was his pride?
Seeing his brows nearly knot together, Jiang Fuyue couldn’t help laughing. “I think you do.”
Afraid he wouldn’t believe her, she added emphasis: “Really!”
Then she said,
“You don’t need to apologize. I just like being with you, idiot!”
The atmosphere was perfect and the timing right. That’s what she thought, so that’s what she did.
(Cough… absolutely not admitting it was because she was craving the handsome man’s body.)
Meeting her open gaze, Xie Dingyuan seemed to see a free soul through her bright eyes.
She wasn’t careless, nor was she indifferent, she simply wanted it and was willing.
That was all.
Xie Dingyuan couldn’t help asking himself: what virtue or ability did he have to deserve this?
His large hand wrapped around the woman’s slender waist, pulling her entirely into his arms.
Jiang Fuyue: “What are you doing?!”
“Going to the bedroom!”
“?”
“Don’t worry. I’m helping you dry your hair, not discussing room for improvement together.”
“…Oh.”
So the answer is A, they really did turn off the lights for love~
Old Xie can finally be considered a thousand-year iron tree that has bloomed a little flower. Not easy at all.
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