Xie Chengxiao grabbed the epaulette and turned to leave.
Once again, he felt the tug on the corner of his jacket from behind. He halted his steps. This time, he didn't immediately scold the young girl in front of him.
Instead, he asked patiently,
"What is it?"
Bai Liuyue pointed at his military uniform, then at the epaulette, and said softly,
"Brother-in-law, are you wearing this tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"Then, brother-in-law, can you sew?"
Sew what?
Sew clothes.
Xie Chengxiao definitely couldn't, so he shook his head decisively.
A shy yet somewhat eager and triumphant smile curved Bai Liuyue's lips, and her voice rose a little.
"I know how to mend."
"I'll help you, brother-in-law."
This time, she spread open her hands, even tilting her head slightly, staring at him with an expectant look.
Her almond-shaped eyes were filled with tiny points of starlight.
Xie Chengxiao silently swallowed the words 'No need, Nanny Wu can do it too.'
If he refused, would the young lady from the Bai family start crying?
She probably would. She looked so timid; it must have taken a lot of courage for her to offer to mend his clothes.
"Brother-in-law, is that okay?" Bai Liuyue asked politely again, her clear eyes glimmering.
"Yes."
By the time Xie Chengxiao realized what he had agreed to, he was already entering the room.
Bai Liuyue walked ahead of him, her steps light and quick, calling back, "Brother-in-law, hurry up, I found the sewing kit."
This was a guest room on the third floor.
Bai Liuyue was staying in the first room on the left.
Xie Chengxiao suddenly stopped, realizing this wasn't right.
It was improper for a married—no, a soon-to-be-divorced—man to enter a young girl's room.
But... Bai Liuyue was also his future wife.
It was just mending his clothes, nothing else. That seemed reasonable enough.
Bai Liuyue's urging voice came from inside the room:
"Brother-in-law, you're so slow."
The girl's voice was soft and unhurried, sounding less like a complaint and more like a coquettish whine.
Xie Chengxiao shook his head, dismissing the strange thoughts, and quickly followed her inside.
Underfoot, pale solid wood flooring spread out. In the center of the room stood a 1.8-meter-wide carved wooden bed, half-concealed by light pink silk bed curtains.
To the left was a floor-to-ceiling wardrobe with a smooth surface, metal handles, and a color leaning towards a Western-style creamy white.
To the right of the bed, a desk of the same color scheme was placed by the window.
On the desk sat a flower-shaped, pale green table lamp.
Xie Chengxiao glanced at the lamp, its unique design catching his eye.
That glance also revealed a medical book lying open under the lamplight, its pages yellowed.
"You read medical books?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized it was probably a pointless question.
Obviously.
Bai Liuyue was bending over to get the sewing kit. Hearing Xie Chengxiao's question, she instinctively replied 'yes,' but didn't elaborate.
Xie Chengxiao also stopped the conversation there.
However, he gained another layer of understanding about her. He had originally thought she was just a conventional, old-fashioned young lady from a good family, but he hadn't expected her to be interested in such things.
"Brother-in-law, take it off."
Bai Liuyue had somehow walked up to him, her round, bright almond eyes slightly upturned.
For a moment, Xie Chengxiao was bewildered: "..."
Seeing her point at his military jacket missing the epaulette, he finally understood what she meant by 'take it off.'
Wait!
Even if she was his future wife, taking off his jacket in front of her still didn't seem entirely proper.
Just as Xie Chengxiao was thinking this, he felt Bai Liuyue tug at his jacket again.
She repeated, "Take it off."
Oh no.
The young lady from the Bai family seemed not only reserved but also a bit single-minded.
Xie Chengxiao cleared his throat, intending to explain that it was inappropriate for a man and a woman alone in a room for him to take off his jacket.
Then he saw Bai Liuyue's small hands already undoing the buttons of his military jacket on her own.
One.
Two.
Three.
She was slightly bent over, like a lazy yet earnest kitten, squinting her eyes, focused on her task.
Xie Chengxiao quickly pressed down on her hand.
The action was done in haste, without thinking.
By the time he reacted, his large hand was already clasping her pale wrist. The touch of their warm skin against each other felt so scalding he instantly let go.
"No."
"Brother-in-law, then you take it off yourself." With that, Bai Liuyue even wrinkled her nose, seemingly finding him too slow, and lazily complained, "You're so troublesome."
So troublesome.
Xie Chengxiao felt as if an arrow had struck his chest.
But the young lady from the Bai family spoke so softly that even her complaint carried little force.
It was more like a kitten's furry paw pushing against your forehead; you didn't feel angry, but even found her somewhat clumsily adorable.
By the time he came to his senses.
Xie Chengxiao's removed military jacket was already in Bai Liuyue's hands.
She spread open her palm again.
"The epaulette."
The epaulette he had taken from her hand earlier was now placed back into it.
This time, Xie Chengxiao placed it carefully, trying his best to avoid any skin contact with her.
Bai Liuyue pursed her lips, somewhat impatiently clasped her hands together, gathered her fingertips to pick up the epaulette, her slender fingers brushing across the back of his hand.
Xie Chengxiao's fingers stiffened, not daring to move.
She, however, seemed to notice nothing, placing the epaulette on the removed military jacket, then picking up the needle with one hand and the thread with the other.
What a careless and impulsive young girl.
A trace of helplessness flickered in Xie Chengxiao's eyes.
"Brother-in-law."
The soft female voice sounded again. Xie Chengxiao looked towards her.
He saw Bai Liuyue sitting on the edge of the bed, demonstrating with the thread and needle in front of him.
The thin white thread kept crossing just past the eye of the needle each time.
A troubled look appeared on her face as she said,
"My eyesight isn't good, I can't thread it."
"Will you try?"
Xie Chengxiao held out his hand.
Bai Liuyue handed over the fine needle and white thread.
Threading a needle required meticulousness.
Xie Chengxiao had good eyesight; he was always accurate when shooting targets. This shouldn't be difficult either.
Holding the needle in one hand and the thread in the other, he aimed for the tiny needle hole.
Just as he was about to thread it, a soft, pale hand rested on his right forearm.
"Wait a moment."
As if remembering something, Bai Liuyue grabbed the hand holding the spool of thread and pulled it towards herself.
"What's wrong..."
Before Xie Chengxiao could finish, he saw Bai Liuyue lean in close.
Bending over his hand, she slightly lowered her head, her pale lips pursing the protruding tip of the white thread.
His hand was still holding the thread.
Her lips were only inches away from his fingers.
He could feel, as she lowered her head, her long eyelashes casting a butterfly-like shadow, the warm breath from her nose wafting onto his palm, carrying a tingling, ticklish sensation.
A faint scent of lily of the valley lingered around his nose.
Xie Chengxiao's Adam's apple bobbed. He suddenly felt the room was a bit stuffy.
He turned his head away uncomfortably, trying to pull himself out of this strange atmosphere.
Bai Liuyue finished moistening the thread seriously; the tip was still slightly damp.
Then she lifted her small face again.
"Alright, brother-in-law."
"Now it should go in."
