Fu Ying’s courage had grown of late, not going back ho in the evenings.
The bed wasn’t large, yet she obediently curled up in his embrace, her body petite, encircled by his arms, resting in the crook of his arm, now as intimate as lovers.
Fu Ying listened to his heartbeat, feeling her own heart racing as well.
He too was at peace, not stirring further.
Fu Ying took a deep breath and gently tilted her head up to look at him.
The man had his eyes closed, it was unclear whether he was asleep or not, his breathing steady, holding her gently without a move.
Fresh from a shower, he slled faintly of soap, his hair casually draped in front of his eyes, sowhat long, reaching his nose.
Fu Ying raised her hand to lightly brush aside the stray locks obstructing his view, peering intently at him, scrutinizing him.
His jawline was so perfect, lips slightly pursed; over the years he hardly seed to change, and though much older than her, he didn’t look it.
Fu Ying averted her gaze, not quite accustod to sleeping in his arms, especially with her stomach aching, she moved backward, seeking to escape his hold, but upon shifting slightly, her waist was firmly grasped by him.
The girl’s figure was tender and waist so slender, Shen Liguang frowned as he felt around her waist, making Fu Ying unbearably ticklish.
"Don’t move."
Fu Ying’s voice was soft: "Brother."
"Hm?"
"I want to go ho, my stomach hurts so much."
At ho, there was Nanny Wu, Aunt Wen, and her sister-in-law, two experienced won and one doctor who surely knew ways to alleviate her nstrual cramps.
Here with him, just a man, he would have no clue about such things.
"I won’t go back, I’ll get you so brown sugar water."
That large hand remained on her waist, his voice seemingly coaxing her.
It sucked her in deeper and deeper, at this rate, she would beco more and more reliant on him.
He leaned towards her, planting a kiss on her lips, his tone teasing: "Hmm?"
Fu Ying’s body began to heat up, her eyelashes fluttering anxiously, nodding her head, bewitched by him.
"Wait a while."
Shen Liguang got up and left the room, Fu Ying buried herself in the bed, clutching the blanket and inhaling his scent.
Soon after, he returned, busied himself in the kitchen for a while, and finally brought her a bowl of brown sugar water.
"I’ve heard that brown sugar water can relieve the pain."
Fu Ying glanced at him and drank all the brown sugar water he held.
He would warm his hands and rub her stomach, and slowly, it really began to feel less painful.
"Feeling better?"
Fu Ying nodded.
"Then, let’s sleep."
Fu Ying turned away, her back towards him, gazing out the window.
She was actually quite tired, but now sleep evaded her.
As a child, she would see him entering her elder brother’s room, thinking it would be great if one day he’d enter her own room.
That thought was both ridiculous and immodest, perhaps even a bit roguish.
But unexpectedly, a few years later, they really ended up together.
Fu Ying stayed up until late at night, still not feeling sleepy.
She had been resting on the man’s arm all this ti, she cautiously wanted to take his hand, noticing the burn scar on his wrist.
That patch of scarred skin was sowhat terrifying.
She laid back down, looking at his arm, and called out to him: "Brother, are you asleep?"
"Not yet."
Fu Ying stared at the burn scar on his wrist, blinked, and felt a bit heartbroken, "I’ve asked you about it before, but you didn’t seem to want to tell . At that ti, I was just your good friend’s sister, but now I’m your girlfriend. A girlfriend has the right to know about your past so that she can understand you better, right?"
Shen Liguang slightly lowered his gaze, with the girl’s back to him, her long hair cascading beside him.
"What do you want to know?"
Fu Ying gently traced his burn scar with her finger, took a deep breath, "This."
"Burn scar."
"I see."
The air suddenly beca still for a second before he spoke: "During the sumr of my freshman year, there was a fire at ho. My father pushed out of the house first, and when he went back to look for my younger brother, it was already too late, then they were both gone."
He chuckled wryly and helplessly, the bitterness apparent. All of this happened so long ago, yet it was sothing that could never be released from the depths of his heart.
He watched as his father turned resolutely in the blaze.
And then, he never ca out again.
He suddenly smiled, "At that ti, I felt like a criminal, petty and an-spirited, always counting every little thing. The phrase I heard most growing up was ’You’re the elder brother; you should give in to your younger brother.’ I felt my father was biased, but at such a critical mont, he was the one who pushed away first."
"I wanted to rush back in because my brother was still inside. I wanted to save him, but in truth, I didn’t really want to save him; I just wanted to attract my father’s attention. To joke with life at such a critical mont, looking back now, it seems ridiculous."
"But he pushed away, looked at angrily, scolded , warned , berated , then he himself charged into the fire. It turns out that when he told not to be in the way, it wasn’t just the literal sense."
His voice was very calm, narrating as if telling a story.
Fu Ying’s small hand hugged his waist, comforting him by pressing her face against his chest.
Shen Liguang smiled, "Are you comforting your brother?"
Fu Ying responded with a muffled voice, "Mhm."
Shen Liguang gently stroked her head, lowering his lips to kiss her hair, "Thank you."
"I should also thank my brother, thank you for saving my life."
Shen Liguang laughed, "That day, a bunch of Hanfu enthusiasts gathered, and you were the most unique. Brother wants to see you dressed in ancient attire."
Fu Ying snuggled into his arms, holding him tightly, "Next ti I’ll wear it for brother to see. I can dance... um, not pop dance, don’t dislike it, brother."
"Mhm, I won’t dislike it."
In sumr, the sun at eight or nine o’clock was too dazzling, the sunlight piercing through the gaps in the curtains and falling on the bed.
When Fu Ying awoke, she found that he had already gotten up early and was now making breakfast outside.
Rubbing her eyes, Fu Ying walked to the living room in her slippers.
"Good morning, brother, bro... brother..."
Shen Liguang turned to look at her.
There was an indescribable feeling in his heart.
The girl was bleary-eyed, rubbing her eyes, softly greeting him, her voice so tender that it lted into his heart.
"Good morning," Shen Liguang said, his gaze lowered and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
"Mhm."
Fu Ying yawned and groggily went into the bathroom.
Ti spent nestled up with him flew by too quickly. After receiving a call from Fu Yan, Fu Ying hurriedly ate breakfast and took a taxi ho.
Upon arriving ho, she realized that Wen Tian had co back.
The house was busier now; it used to be quiet and empty, but it suddenly beca lively.
Wen Tian was becoming more and more refined, exuding an air of scholarship, with glasses on and standing in the yard, a faint smile on his face like a breeze.
"Long ti no see, Wen Tian. We’re family now."
Wen Tian tugged at the corner of his mouth and lowered his head to adjust his glasses, his voice soft, "Yes, family."
"Why are you standing outside, Wen Tian? Co on in."
Inside, Fu Mingchuan wore a face full of ingratiating smiles.
After all, he didn’t have much contact with Wen Tian. Being a stepmother was hard, and so was being a stepfather. Fu Mingchuan could feel Wen Tian’s estrangent from this reconstituted family, thus he tried his best to please him, showing unusual enthusiasm with a beaming smile.
Reviews
All reviews (0)