The frequency of Pei Xi’s episodes of confusion had decreased a lot, but they weren’t completely gone.

Sometimes when he woke up, he wondered how time had passed so quickly. He went to bed one night when the tree outside had half its leaves left, but when he woke up in the morning, it was completely bald and unsightly.

Breakfast was placed in the dining room, along with a mesh cover to prevent Xiao Yueliang from disturbing it.

Pei Xi saw someone in the study through a crack in the door. He heard some noises and figured they were busy, so he didn’t go in and disturb them.

He sat quietly at the dining table and finished his breakfast, cleaned up, and only pushed the door open when he didn’t hear further conversation in the study.

“Chuzhou, are you still busy?” he asked.

There was a clear difference in his demeanor and tone between when he was in his right mind and when he wasn’t. He Chuzhou saw through his current state at a glance and hooked a finger at him with a smile: “Xinxin, come in.”

Pei Xi walked over, and He Chuzhou picked him up and set him on his lap: “Take a look, which of these options do you like best?”

On the computer were the design documents for the aquarium, with pages that could be flipped through. There were five or six of them in total, each with a different structure and theme.

Pei Xi: “You’re building an aquarium?”

He Chuzhou: “Yeah, I bought a piece of land and it seems like a good fit. I’ll build it as you like.”

Pei Xi nodded. He compared several designs back and forth before finally choosing the universe and starry sky theme: “I like this one.”

The colors of the sky and sea matched perfectly, the starlight and waves shining together. In such an environment, schools of fish seemed to be swimming through the vast universe, shocking the imagination.

He Chuzhou: “Okay, that one it is.”

“……?” Pei Xi stared blankly: “You’ve decided just like that?”

He Chuzhou: “How else would I decide?”

Pei Xi: “I don’t understand these kinds of things. Isn’t it too careless to let me make the decision?”

“It’s not careless, ah. Isn’t the wedding dress chosen by the bride herself?”

Pei Xi didn’t get it: “What?”

“Nothing.” He Chuzhou smiled and scrolled back to the first page of the designs. “Do you not like this one? I was initially going to choose it.”

Pei Xi looked back at the computer. When he saw the design He Chuzhou had chosen, he choked up. “……You like this one?”

The overall design was pink and white, with decorations that consisted mainly of crystal pendants and bows. The floor tiles were patterned like a Mysterious Girl magic circle, and the arches connecting each venue were in the shape of large, bright red hearts.

He Chuzhou: “I like it, ah. Isn’t it pretty?”

Pei Xi: “How did you convince the design team to draw this for you?”

He Chuzhou: “I didn’t. It’s just that this designer was in a good mood because of a recent happy event. He and I had a lot to talk about, and we agreed on the same things.”

Pei Xi: “What happy event?”

He Chuzhou: “He just got married.”

Pei Xi: “……”

Pei Xi: “The two of you shouldn’t be so romantic. It’ll affect other people’s work.”

He Chuzhou’s eyes curved in a smile. Suddenly, he raised a hand to touch his ear: “You heard all that, right? Just go with Plan 3, no need to worry. Send me a more detailed plan for the design later. That’s all, meeting adjourned.”

Pei Xi stared at him blankly, eyes wide: “You’re still in a meeting?! Then you—”

He Chuzhou didn’t wait for him to finish. He pushed the laptop aside and picked Pei Xi up, placing him on the desk. Then he lowered his head and kissed his collarbone where a mark had not yet disappeared: “It’s over. I’m about to start doing something excessive now.”

Pei Xi: “ ? ? ? ”

Pei Xi struggled in a panic: “No way, it’s still daytime. And this is the study…..”

His refusal was like a praying mantis trying to stop a chariot. Even at the moment of rebuff, he felt a chill on his legs. 

He Chuzhou bit the back of his neck. In contrast to his increasingly excessive actions, his tone was pitiful: “Xinxin, you’ve been ill for so long, and I haven’t eaten meat in a long time. If I hold back any longer, I’ll get sick.”

Pei Xi couldn’t resist such a tone. His heart softened, and he hesitated: “But I’m still not well…..”

“You’re well.” He Chuzhou’s fingertips penetrated his clothes. When Pei Xi’s waist softened, he grabbed him in a timely manner and leaned him against his body, laughing softly: “You’re just fine. This is your proof.”

The braid-addled Pei Xi believed He Chuzhou’s lie that he was about to starve to death. Even though he was made so miserable that there wasn’t a single piece of good skin left on his body, he was reluctant to tell him to stop.

As a result, the entire morning was inexplicably wasted. When he awoke in the afternoon from an exhausted sleep, a head immediately pressed into his arms. 

“Sorry, Honey. I was wrong.”

“I forgot that you would remember once you woke up……”

Pei Xi was silent for a long time. Feeling his anger build, he raised his left hand and smacked He Chuzhou on the head.

*

*

At the end of the month, Wancheng welcomed its first snow. The year was drawing to an end.

He Chuzhou was bringing his boyfriend home for the New Year. He was so happy that he started packing their luggage two weeks in advance, stuffing two large suitcases full of inexplicable things.

The more he packed away, the more he felt like something wasn’t right, so he took everything out and packed them again, and two large suitcases became three.

Pei Xi couldn’t be bothered to say anything, and simply let him be.

However, there was something important he had to do. He needed to go to the neighboring city and visit his grandfather before the New Year.

This winter was particularly cold, which wasn’t easy on the elderly. When they went, the old man was in a room on the second floor, having a routine checkup with the family doctor. They waited in the living room for over half an hour before going up.

The old man appeared very energetic, and grinned ear-to-ear when he learned that Pei Xi was going back to He Chuzhou’s hometown to celebrate the New Year.

He really hadn’t wanted Pei Xi to go back and spend the holiday with Pei Yansong’s family. It would be boring and tasteless, and he would be wronged. If Pei Xi wasn’t going somewhere else, he would definitely invite him over here for the New Year.

But he wasn’t sure Pei Xi would be willing. Because this year, in addition to them, there was…..

“Xinxin,” Shen Congfeng said carefully, “Your mother is back. She wants to see you if possible…..”

“No need.”

Pei Xi smiled: “There are a lot of matters to deal with at the company at the end of the year, and Chuzhou still has work to do. We can’t stay long, so it’s better not to waste time.”

They chatted with the old man for a while and asked the caretaker to look after him well, then the two of them went downstairs and out the gate of the villa. As they were being led to the parking lot by the housekeeper, a young boy suddenly ran over and blocked Pei Xi’s way.

He looked to be around eight or nine years old, holding a half-deflated balloon as he looked curiously at Pei Xi. His large eyes were fifty percent similar to Pei Xi’s: “Are you my gege?”

Pei Xi was taken aback, and subconsciously asked, “Who are you?”

“I’m Chen Xiaofan,” the little boy said. “I’ve seen you in photos on my mom’s phone. You’re my gege, right?”

Pei Xi hadn’t previously known whether Shen Xi had formed a new family, but the answer was now in front of him.

He sized up the little boy before him and shook his head indifferently: “I’m not. You’ve got the wrong person.”

The little boy didn’t believe him. He started to say something else, but the person he firmly believed was his brother didn’t give him time to speak again, walking straight past him along with the person at his side.

He didn’t understand why his brother wouldn’t talk to him, and stood there blankly, gazing after his receding figure. The small balloon fell out of his arms, and he squatted down to hold it.

“Xiao Fan.”

Shen Xi came over and said: “Why are you playing alone at the door? It’s dirty here, come in quickly.”

Chen Xiaofan pointed into the distance: “Mama, look. That’s my gege, but he ignored me when I talked to him.”

Shen Xi was startled, and immediately looked up. She couldn’t help but straighten up when she caught sight of that figure, but her feet seemed to have grown roots, and she couldn’t take a step.

“That’s my gege, I’m not wrong.”

Chen Xiaofan stood up holding the balloon, distressed and frustrated: “He’s exactly the same as the picture on Mama’s phone. But why won’t Gege acknowledge me? Mama, did you not show my photo to Gege?”

Shen Xi had no words. She could only stand there in silence, staring at that figure until he got into a vehicle and left.

He Chuzhou saw the two people in the rearview mirror as he drove, one big and one small. He glanced at Pei Xi in the passenger seat, who was silently looking out the window.

He knew Pei Xi had seen them too. The side mirror reflected them clearly.

The vehicle turned prematurely after 200 meters, and the two figures completely disappeared from sight. He Chuzhou said a little aggrievedly: “Honey, you misremembered my schedule.”

Pei Xi returned to his senses and turned his head: “What?”

He Chuzhou: “You told Grandpa I have things to do, but I obviously don’t have work today.”

Pei Xi’s eyelashes trembled: “I was only—”

He Chuzhou: “You have to make it up to me.”

Pei Xi: “Make it up to you……how?”

He Chuzhou winked at him: “By going for a drink with me. How about it?”

He Chuzhou took him to a bar in Wancheng where the environment was very good. The music wasn’t too loud, and most importantly, smoking wasn’t allowed indoors. He Chuzhou was very satisfied with it.

Aware that his wife couldn’t drink much, he ordered colorful low-alcohol cocktails that looked even better under the lights.

He just didn’t expect that his wife’s alcohol tolerance was even worse than he’d thought. After just a few glasses, his eyes began to lose focus.

“Are you drunk?” he asked in amusement.

Pei Xi mentally analyzed the meaning of these words, then shook his head slowly: “No.”

He Chuzhou was about to speak further when a provocative-dressed beauty came over with a glass of wine and flirted charmingly: “Handsome guy, would you like a drink?”

He Chuzhou leaned back to avoid her outstretched hand. Before he could open his mouth, Pei Xi answered in his stead with a cold expression: “He has a wife.”

“What? Coming to a place like this when you have a wife?”

The beauty immediately revealed her disdain and turned her attention to Pei Xi: “Then would this handsome guy like a drink?”

Pei Xi: “I’m his wife.”

The beauty: “…….”

The beauty cursed as she left, and He Chuzhou’s shoulders shook with laughter. He couldn’t drink anymore, so he just took the bill and went home.

Pei Xi’s phone rang on the way there. It took him a long time to take out the phone, and he stared at the caller ID for an equally long time, so long that He Chuzhou couldn’t help but lean over and take a look for him: “It’s your dad. He probably wants you to go home for the New Year. Are you going to accept?”

Pei Xi swiped down to answer the call.

In order to prevent the drunken Pei Xi from feeling uncomfortable in the car, He Chuzhou asked the driver to slow down and opened a window. It was very noisy outside. He Chuzhou couldn’t hear the voice on the phone, and could only hear Pei Xi’s calm tone: 

“I won’t go. Seeing you annoys me.”

“Yes. Pei Zhen is annoying, Jiang Ting is annoying, and you’re annoying too.”

“You know, you look like a crazy old duck when you yell at people.”

“I have nothing to be ashamed of. You’re not afraid of losing face, marrying a woman who could be your daughter when you have wrinkles all over. Isn’t it nauseating? Are you really not afraid of being laughed at for being impotent in bed?”

He Chuzhou was stunned silly when he heard this.

…..With such fighting power, was this still his introverted, taciturn, quiet wife?

After arriving home, he got out of the car in a daze and lifted out the person in the passenger seat, calling uncertainly: “Xinxin?”

Pei Xi hummed in his arms.

He Chuzhou: “Do you remember where we went during the day?”

Pei Xi: “Didn’t we go to see Grandpa?”

Oh, good. This was his proper wife for sure.

His drunk wife was so funny. He Chuzhou teased him all the way. When he reached the living room and was about to carry him into the bedroom, his cell phone rang. It was Wu Qing.

Pei Xi was unwilling to be put down, so He Chuzhou simply directed him to take his cell phone out of his pocket.

Pei Xi answered the phone. He didn’t put it to his ear, but turned on speakerphone and interrupted Wu Qing as soon as he began to speak: “No appointment, scram. You’re a decades old person and have nothing else to do but call someone else’s boyfriend in the middle of the night? Do you not have your own husband? If you don’t, then go get one. If you come onto my husband again in the middle of the night, I’ll punch you in the head.”

Wu Qing: “……”

He Chuzhou: “……”

He Chuzhou: “No appointment, Bro. My wife drank too much tonight and his s-type attribute exploded. He’ll probably forget about this in the morning. Have some patience, hahahahaha!”

After saying this, he freed one hand and hung up the phone.

In the next second, Mrs. Chu called.

Pei Xi got off He Chuzhou and was about to answer the call, but He Chuzhou hung up again.

Picking up was not a good idea.

Pei Xi frowned unhappily: “You hung up on Mom?”

He Chuzhou: “……”

This should be a simple rhetorical question, not a scolding, right?

He Chuzhou: “No, Mom didn’t call for a specific reason, just to remind us……that we should bathe!”

“Bathe…..”

Pei Xi chewed on this word. His brow relaxed, and he hooked He Chuzhou’s collar and walked toward the bedroom. “Together.”

He Chuzhou wanted nothing more than to go along with him without a struggle. He Xingxing followed them with a wagging tail and was locked outside the bedroom. 

Pei Xi particularly enjoyed using declarative sentences tonight. With an imperative tone, he ordered He Chuzhou to start the hot water, take off his clothes, and carry him to the bath. He pressed his fingertips against He Chuzhou’s chest to prevent him from touching him, but Pei Xi himself unscrupulously played around in the water, pressing against him either lightly or heavily.

He Chuzhou was about to explode. He forced himself to follow his wife’s instructions to stay still, other than the occasional whining and begging for his wife to press against him harder.

In the end, Pei Xi was carried out of the bathroom with a calm and composed look on his face. On the contrary, the person carrying him had unsteady steps and was exactly like a shrimp just plucked from hot water.

He Chuzhou set him down on the bed, then lay face-down on the blanket and didn’t move. He was overly excited and needed to calm down.

Pei Xi regarded him for a moment, then opened the bottom drawer by the window with his foot. He took out a stack of something from inside, then turned around and gently rubbed He Chuzhou’s lower back.

The latter immediately flipped over. Pei Xi sat on his hips and observed his beautiful, smooth, tight abs. Satisfied, he dropped a box of something on his chest and said: “You’re not allowed to sleep until you finish these.”

After saying this, he narrowed his eyes slightly when the other’s breathing grew rapid, and softly tapped his fingertips over his heart: “Behave yourself. I’m going to be on top tonight. I’ll do it myself.”

With the sound of static, He Chuzhou’s head exploded!

He grasped Pei Xi’s fingertips, eyes flashing with unprecedented excitement: “Damn. Honey, you’re so hot.”

“Face me head on!”

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T/N: I’m releasing the last three chapters at once! Enjoy!

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Chapter 70 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 72