The child was still sleeping soundly, undisturbed.
Because the weather was a bit warm, the strands of hair at her temples were slightly damp.
Zhou Yueshen carried Si Nian in his arms and gently placed her on the bed, then shifted the child a little further inward.
This seemingly rough man moved with extraordinary care and precision.
After a moment, he crouched down and carefully unfastened the buttons of Si Nian’s little black leather shoes, slipping them off.
Her feet were smaller than his palms, her toenails tinged with pink, her skin delicate and fair—so tender that even the slightest pressure could leave a red mark, like a baby’s.
Zhou Yueshen softened his movements even more. Just as he straightened up, he felt his sleeve being tugged.
Looking down, it was Si Nian.
She was nestling her head against his chest.
He usually didn’t like using a pillow when he slept, but Si Nian wasn’t used to it.
Zhou Yueshen sat on the bed, glancing down at the woman in his arms.
Her hair was tousled but cascaded smoothly over her shoulders like a waterfall.
Her slightly tilted posture loosened the collar of her dress, revealing a hint of what lay beneath, her red lips swollen from being kissed.
Zhou Yueshen immediately pulled the blanket over her.
But Si Nian, feeling too warm, struggled and stretched her arm out, resting it on his thigh, her pale skin dazzlingly bright.
Zhou Yueshen averted his gaze, uncharacteristically flustered, his hand resting on the nearby table, his usual composure nowhere to be found.
Time passed unnoticed until the gathering began to disperse, the guests too drunk to continue. A soft knock finally came at the door.
Afraid of disturbing the two sleepers, Zhou Yueshen glanced down at the peacefully slumbering figures, a tenderness he’d never felt before flickering in his eyes. Then, he carefully moved Si Nian back onto the bed, stood up, and left the room.
When Si Nian woke up, the sky was already dark.
She had slept quite comfortably, and by the time she stirred, most of the alcohol’s effects had worn off. The only lingering discomfort was a faint soreness in her lips. She touched them lightly—they felt swollen. She couldn’t recall how that had happened.
Zhou Yueshen pushed the door open and saw her sitting on the bed in a daze, fingers tracing her lips as if lost in thought.
He paused mid-step, then approached, looking down at her. "Still feeling unwell?"
Si Nian lifted her gaze to meet his. The man’s expression was as composed as ever, his tone indifferent.
Nothing like the fiery passion from her dream, where they had been tangled together.
It must have been a dream. There was no way this man would ever take the initiative to kiss her, right?
She shook her head. "Just a little dizzy. Otherwise, I’m fine."
"If you can’t handle alcohol, tell me next time," Zhou Yueshen said, giving her a sidelong glance as a reminder.
Si Nian flushed with embarrassment.
Apparently, even transmigrating couldn’t improve her alcohol tolerance.
Her cheeks burned with shame. She had acted like a seasoned drinker, only to realize after two glasses that something was off.
Her head had spun, her face growing hotter by the second.
She had wanted to ask Zhou Yueshen for help, but he had already stood up and walked away.
Panicked, she hurried after him.
But he moved too quickly, and her vision was too blurry to keep up. Before she knew it, she had lost all sense of direction.
The next thing she remembered was waking up just now.
The alcohol had really gone to her head—she’d even had a vivid dream in broad daylight.
And the subject of that dream was now standing right in front of her.
His composed, restrained demeanor made her feel almost guilty.
"I’m not completely hopeless with alcohol..." she defended herself weakly.
Zhou Yueshen studied her for a long moment before speaking, his voice low. "If I’m not around, it’s best not to drink at all."
Si Nian nodded obediently, signaling her understanding.
She slipped on her shoes. "Let’s go back."
By the time they returned home, night had fully fallen.
Zhou Yueshen carried the still-sleeping Yaoyao in his arms. Children really had it easy—they could sleep anytime, anywhere.
Once inside, Si Nian couldn’t stand the lingering smell of alcohol on her and hurried to take a shower.
But as she scrubbed her waist, a sudden twinge of pain made her pause.
Looking down, she saw a distinct mark on her skin, as if someone had gripped her there. It hurt at the slightest touch!
Si Nian was stunned.
When had she been grabbed like that? She had no memory of it.
After finishing her shower, she rushed to the mirror for a closer look. The mark was larger than she’d thought—bigger than her own hand.
Then, fragments of her dream overlapped with reality.
The memory of a man’s scorching palm pressing firmly against her waist, pulling her close as she tilted her head back, surrendering to his kiss.
Her gaze drifted to her still-slightly-swollen lips.
They did look fuller than usual.
The original owner’s lips had always been plump, but now they bore the unmistakable signs of having been thoroughly ravaged.
All the evidence pointed to one conclusion—it hadn’t been a dream.
Zhou Yueshen noticed that Si Nian’s eyes held a new wariness when she looked at him.
She wasn’t as relaxed around him as before.
He observed her quietly as she packed breakfast into insulated lunchboxes for the two children, her back turned to him.
Previously, the kids had carried their meals to school in simple bags, which meant their food was cold by lunchtime.
Si Nian had worried about the effects of eating cold food on their health, so during their last trip to the city, she had bought proper lunchboxes for them.
Today, she had woken up early, unable to fall back asleep, so she had prepared an elaborate bento-style meal for the children.
Zhou Yueshen had risen early too. Before she’d fully processed everything, she had even asked him, "Do you think my lips look swollen? Could it be a mosquito bite?"
The look he had given her then had been deeply meaningful.
Just remembering it made Si Nian want to dig a hole and bury herself.
How mortifying!
Now, feeling his gaze on her again, her heart raced. She quickly turned away, pretending not to notice.
But even with her back to him, she could sense the heat of his stare following her.
Desperate to ignore it, she handed the lunchboxes to the children. Only after they left did she finally face Zhou Yueshen. "My mother wants to discuss wedding plans. Since it’s inconvenient for her to keep traveling back and forth, I thought I’d stay at her place for a few days—I’ll take Yaoyao with me."
Zhou Yueshen paused, then nodded quietly. "Alright."
She wasn’t deliberately avoiding him. With the wedding approaching and so much left unprepared, she couldn’t leave everything to their parents, especially with him busy and the children so young.
Besides, she needed a breather...
So once he left, she immediately packed her things and took Yaoyao with her—not running away, just... returning to her mother’s home.
That day, Zhou Yuehan enjoyed his delicious bento at school, drawing envious glances from his classmates. He was bursting with pride, eager to rush home and tell his stepmother how much everyone had praised her cooking.
But when he got home, the house was empty.
Zhou Yuehan suppressed his excitement, assuming Si Nian and Yaoyao had just gone out for a stroll.
He waited and waited.
Evening fell, and still, they hadn’t returned.
Now even Zhou Yuedong was unsettled. The two boys picked at their dinner, their eyes darting toward the door every few seconds.
Finally, they heard footsteps. Their faces lit up with hope—only to dim when they saw it was just their father.
Zhou Yuehan peered behind him. Where was his stepmother? Where was Yaoyao?
He looked left and right, but there was no sign of them.
Zhou Yueshen took in their confusion before delivering the bombshell—Si Nian had taken Yaoyao back to her family’s home.
She hadn’t brought them. Only Yaoyao.
At night, the lonely Zhou Yuehan came to sleep with his older brother and whispered, "Brother, when will Yaoyao and the others come back?"
Zhou Yuedong didn't answer, only telling him to go to sleep. A while later, the boy asked drowsily, "Brother, did our stepmother abandon me?"
