Just as Shu Yu was lying down chatting with Iron Egg, Si Yiheng’s voice suddenly rang out, “Baby, are you awake?”
Hearing Si Yiheng’s voice, Shu Yu yanked the blanket up in an instant and curled herself into a tight ball.
“Not awake. I don’t want any more.”
Si Yiheng: “…”
Somewhat amused, Si Yiheng tried to dig Shu Yu out from under the blanket. “Little Treasure, where does it hurt? Let Gege take a look.”
Shu Yu clutched the blanket, her voice muffled. “No need to look. I’m not hurting at all.”
It was just that her back was a little sore, her legs a little achy—truly not hurting at all.
X﹏X
Don’t think she didn’t know: “taking a look” meant applying medicine. First, it would be with a finger, and then when the finger couldn’t reach anymore, other methods would come into play.
And that would inevitably lead to something better left undescribed.
She absolutely did not want that.
But Shu Yu’s resistance was no match for Si Yiheng.
He glanced at her, his cool voice delivering the verdict: “Still swollen.”
“Be good. Let me apply the medicine.”
Once again, Si Yiheng pulled Shu Yu into his arms. Her jet-black hair spilled loose, covering her pale shoulders and slender back.
Shu Yu wrapped her arms around Si Yiheng’s neck just to steady herself, keeping from collapsing completely.
She murmured in complaint, “I’ve already been very good. You’re the one who keeps bullying me.”
Si Yiheng carefully spread the ointment over the injured area, responding, “Mm, it’s my fault. I’ll be more careful next time.”
Shu Yu wanted to say that there was no need for a “next time” careful—being too careful with this kind of thing still left her feeling miserable.
What she really wanted to say was: just give her back that unequal contract she had signed.
But she couldn’t bring that up. Even if she did, Si Yiheng would never agree.
Shu Yu looked up at him with pleading eyes.
Si Yiheng met her pitiful gaze, his own eyes darkening. How could she be this adorable?
It felt like no matter how much he kissed Shu Yu, it was never enough; no matter how many intimate moments they shared, it was never enough.
But he couldn’t go further. He couldn’t keep tormenting her.
His clear voice carried a hint of hoarseness. “Be good, open up a little more. There’s still some medicine to apply.”
His fingers, slightly calloused and warm, touched her, and the ointment melted between his fingertips and her sore spots.
The faint, rough touch of his calloused fingers sent a tingling, numbing sensation through Shu Yu, making her want to pull away. “Mmph…”
But Si Yiheng held her firmly by the lower back. “Little Treasure, just bear with it for a bit.”
By the time the application was finished, both Shu Yu and Si Yiheng had broken out in a light sweat again.
Only after showering did they feel refreshed once more.
Si Yiheng carried Shu Yu downstairs to eat.
After the meal, Si Yiheng sat on the sofa holding Shu Yu in his arms, and she leaned against him, stroking the head of Little Orange, the cat curled up on her lap.
Si Yiheng gazed down at ShuYu petting Little Orange, a faint smile curling his lips.
Every so often, he would secretly reach out to touch her fluffy hair.
Shu Yu had agreed to be engaged to him; they had written their marriage vow together. Even when she had wanted to break up, it was only because she thought he didn’t like her.
Now, with their hearts aligned, they would become engaged in the near future.
And when Shu Yu was ready, they would hold a grand wedding.
They would love each other for a lifetime, just like Shu Yu’s parents, and walk through the rest of their lives hand in hand.
Shu Yu savored this rare, quiet moment, which felt like the tender calm before a storm.
When Si Yiheng touched the top of her head again, she tilted her pale little face up, gazed at him, and gently nuzzled against his palm.
Si Yiheng lowered his head, his nose brushing against Shu Yu’s. “Is Xiaoyu a kitten?”
“Yu the kitten.” Si Yiheng’s voice was tender and sweet.
His Yu the kitten.
His good darling.
Shu Yu nuzzled him back, whispering, “Then you’re Heng the puppy.”
A puppy’s.
Never quite reassuring.
Little Orange watched the two of them rubbing noses, then stretched out a paw to reach them.
Meow wants to nuzzle too!
Meow wants to purr too!
Human! Meow wants kisses too!
Apart from the first day when she and Si Yiheng went all the way, Shu Yu gave Si Yiheng a glass of cloyingly sweet milk every day after that, but she didn’t continue adding sleeping pills.
Iron Egg said the products from their department were odorless and tasteless.
No one would know the drug had been administered except the one who drank it and the one who added it.
Even if sent for testing, no drug residue could be detected.
Si Yiheng was in a good mood, and since Shu Yu offered it, he kept drinking it.
One day, Si Yiheng held Shu Yu in his arms at the desk, looking at ring design sketches. “These are the first drafts. Let’s take a look.”
Shu Yu quickly lifted her hand to show Si Yiheng.
She reminded him, “We already have rings.”
Si Yiheng looked at her with some amusement. “Don’t you remember you agreed to get engaged to me?”
“Guess words said in bed don’t count?”
Shu Yu: “...”
Unequal treaty number one.
Shu Yu didn’t dare to alert him now. Whatever she promised Si Yiheng, she didn’t dare to go back on.
She was afraid that not only would Si Yiheng have her watched, but he’d also bring others to watch her.
Shu Yu: “They count, of course they count. I want to get engaged to you too.”
When Shu Yu spoke, her eyes sparkled, as if she were also looking forward to their engagement.
Si Yiheng: “Mm.”
Iron Egg: [Yu Bao, your acting is getting better and better. Now you’re fooling Si Yiheng with such sincerity.]
Shu Yu lowered her eyes to hide a trace of bitterness, propped her chin up, and continued looking at rings with Si Yiheng, her tone light. “Of course.”
“I take my tasks very seriously.”
Iron Egg fell silent. It didn’t seem like acting. Its host’s acting was never this good. Shu Yu genuinely wanted to be engaged to Si Yiheng.
Shu Yu spotted a ring inspired by mistletoe, pointing at it. “Let’s look at this one.”
Si Yiheng’s gaze also fell on the ring.
The women’s ring had the leaf contours outlined with tiny diamonds, with a teardrop-shaped main stone set between two leaves like a berry hanging from a branch.
The men’s ring was a winding leaf shape outlining the mistletoe, understated yet elegant.
Si Yiheng’s voice softened. “This one has a good meaning. Couples who kiss under the mistletoe will be happy for life.”
Shu Yu nodded obediently. “Mm-hm, mm-hm.”
But inside, she thought about how mistletoe symbolizes forgiveness, that even people you hate have to kiss under it.
She was hoping, foolishly, that even if she deceived Si Yiheng, he would still kiss her under the mistletoe.
Instead of pushing her away forever.
Si Yiheng saw Shu Yu gently touch the ring with her finger. “You like mistletoe? I can have the designer make a whole jewelry set.”
Shu Yu: “Mm-hm.”
Shu Yu continued looking at the rings. “Gege, I don’t like too many people either. Can we decide together who to invite after we’ve chosen the rings?”
Shu Yu was mostly worried that Si Yiheng might have already announced to the whole world that they were getting engaged.
In that case, after she ran away, wouldn’t people keep coming up to Si Yiheng and bluntly asking him when he was going to get engaged?
That would really make Si Yiheng lose face in the most embarrassing way.
Si Yiheng said, “Fine, we’ll get engaged. Naturally, the guest list must be decided by both of us.”
