Chapter 175: Behave a Little

Her thoughts were seen through, Xu Yanfeng didn't rush to argue, lightly patted her waist, using all his strength to make his voice sound normal: "Go to sleep early."

"It's not even eleven yet." Xia Xi wrapped both arms around his waist, clinging to him without moving.

Xu Yanfeng's throat rolled frequently; he deliberately avoided looking at her upturned pretty face, glanced aside at the glass pattern on the wardrobe sliding door, and changed the subject: "What time do you usually sleep?"

"After twelve." Xia Xi tightened her grip around his waist, but her voice was soft in contrast: "Which college student doesn't stay up late? You don't actually go to sleep at ten, do you?"

Xu Yanfeng spoke nonsense: "Yeah, ten o'clock sleep."

Xia Xi pouted: "Oh, am I disturbing your rest?"

Xu Yanfeng said nothing, silently waiting for her to finish hugging him and let go.

"Are you sure you want to sleep on the living-room sofa?" Xia Xi glanced around, glanced at the big bed outside the dressing room, the navy-blue sheets spread smooth and wrinkle-free—let alone two people, three could sleep there comfortably.

Xu Yanfeng didn't hesitate, answered firmly, leaving no room for discussion: "Certain."

Knowing she couldn't persuade him, Xia Xi bit his mouth, whether to vent anger or flirt, with moderate force, making Xu Yanfeng's breathing hitch for three or four seconds.

She pushed him away, casually grabbed a set of pajamas, and slipped into the bathroom.

Xu Yanfeng stood still in place for a moment, turned sideways to look at the frosted glass door, and let out a deep breath. She was right—he was afraid he couldn't control himself; even a kiss would make his mind race and his body heat up, so what would he do if they slept together?

Not knowing what he was thinking, Xia Xi leisurely pulled up her hair, waited for the bathtub to fill, took rose essential oil from the mirror cabinet, dropped a few drops in, took off her clothes, and slowly submerged her body in the hot water.

All her fatigue was released at that moment; she closed her eyes and leaned relaxed against the pool wall.

Xu Yanfeng took a blanket, spread it on the living-room sofa, used the bathroom in another room to shower, turned off the main light, left only a small illuminating floor lamp, and a dim yellow light cast over the small area.

His body sank into the sofa, one arm behind his head, eyes clear, no sign of sleepiness, no interest in his phone, his attention focused on the master bedroom—so quiet; was she asleep after her bath, or doing something else?

Xia Xi took a long bath, her bones went soft, she lazily dried herself with a towel, put on pajamas, after a simple wash and skincare routine, flopped onto Xu Yanfeng's bed.

It smelled just like him.

She rolled around on the bed a few times, couldn't sleep, barefoot she slipped out of bed, pulled the door open a crack, narrowed her eyes to peek outside.

The living-room light was dim; a long silhouette lay on the sofa, unmoving for a while; she pursed her lips, unable to believe Xu Yanfeng had fallen asleep so quickly.

Xia Xi widened the gap, tiptoed out, walked without making a sound, crouched low, and stepped step by step toward the sofa.

Xu Yanfeng's eyelids were half-closed; he suddenly sensed a shifting shadow, hadn't realized what it was, when a weight pressed on him through the thin blanket, sweeping away the sleepiness he had barely mustered.

"You're not asleep." Xia Xi lay on top of him, her eyes shining brightly in the shadow, the corners of her mouth grinning broadly, like a mischievous kid who'd succeeded in a prank, yet she didn't feel she was being nasty.

She's always like that, loving sneak attacks, loving the unexpected.

"Xia Xi!" Xu Yanfeng's forehead veins jumped several times, "Get off me."

"She's a girl—where does she get such boldness, having no sense of danger at all, daring to fling herself onto a member of the opposite sex while wearing just light pajamas!"

After tonight's quarrel, Xia Xi felt her and Xu Yanfeng's relationship had become a bit closer. She wasn't afraid of him before, and certainly not now. She said with a smiling tone: "I'm coming to say good night to you."

Xu Yanfeng had no way with her: "Once you're done, you can go back to sleep."

Xia Xi buried her face in his neck, her warm breath puffing onto his skin; he immediately tensed his body, hearing her whisper softly: "Not yet… good‑night kiss."

Xu Yanfeng's forehead veins jumped again; he inhaled and exhaled silently: "Behave a little."

Xia Xi was unhappy, lifted her chin, stared at his dark eyes: "Where am I not behaving?"

Xu Yanfeng didn't say more, decided to go along with her wish, lightly brushed his lips against the center of hers as a good‑night kiss: "All right, go back to your room to sleep." Afraid she'd renege, after saying that he held her, sat up straight, pulled the blanket between them out, piled it at the sofa's end, picked her up, and carried her back to the master bedroom.

Xia Xi clung like a koala, all four limbs gripping him tightly; he gentlemanly curled his fingers slightly to support her.

Her pajamas were real silk, light and smooth, almost like nothing; she wore nothing underneath, so when pressed close one could truly feel the rise and fall of her curves. From the living room to the master bedroom, over that short distance, Xu Yanfeng's breathing halted several times, his throat tightening again and again, until he laid her on the bed.

Xia Xi deliberately opposed him, her hand around his neck refusing to loosen; he could only keep bent over, hand braced on the mattress, the sheets crumpled under his grip into ridges, just like the veins bulging on the back of his hand.

"Xia Xi..."

"Huh?" Xia Xi looked amused at him turning his face away repeatedly, "Am I that ugly? You won't even look at me."

Xu Yanfeng didn't fall for her provocation, he gripped her pale wrist, not daring to pull hard, hoping she'd realize on her own: "Let go."

Xia Xi really felt like a temptress luring a monk to break his vows; the hand not held slipped from his neck, she pinched his ear: "Honey, your ears are so red."

Xu Yanfeng closed his eyes, discarded the earlier thought, realizing relying on her self‑awareness was impossible; he forcefully wrenched her hand away, stood up, said nothing, and walked straight out.

Behind him, Xia Xi lay on her side in bed, clutching her stomach and laughing, her laughter clear as wind chimes.

Xu Yanfeng's face darkened; he knew she was doing it on purpose. He closed the door for her, wishing he could add a lock so she wouldn't sneak out in the middle of the night to launch another surprise attack—something she would definitely do.

After a good night's dream, Xia Xi woke up on the bed permeated with Xu Yanfeng's scent, turned over, buried her face in the pillow to inhale deeply, blinked dazedly for a moment, stretched lazily, got up, and silenced the incessant phone alarm.

She herself went to the dressing room, found a new set of clothes, removed the tag, put them on, and went to the bathroom to wash up.

Once she was ready and walked to the living room, Xu Yanfeng was already fully dressed, having taken off last night's expensive suit and regained his clean‑cut, cheerful student vibe.

He was fastening his wristwatch when he heard footsteps and lifted his head; his eyes weren't as bright as usual, showing a hint of fatigue. Before he could speak, Xia Xi tilted her head and said, "You didn't rest well last night?" She was puzzled: "Didn't you sleep quite early?"

Xu Yanfeng: "……"

He adjusted the watch strap, reminding her: "Did you take your bag and phone? Don't leave anything behind."

Xia Xi: "I haven't had breakfast yet."

"I'll take you out to eat."

Xia Xi stopped dawdling, sprang into action, went back to her room to gather her personal items, followed Xu Yanfeng out, took the elevator down, sat in the passenger seat of the Mercedes‑Benz, buckled her seatbelt on her own, and hummed a tune in good spirits.

Xu Yanfeng took her to that Beicheng breakfast shop they'd been to before; Xia Xi remembered the scene of her choking on soy milk on the spot, frowned, and expressed her lack of enthusiasm: "Why are we coming here?"

"Their soup dumplings are also famous; you'll know once you try them."

Xu Yanfeng went in, ordered the same as usual, got Xia Xi a basket of soup dumplings, a plate of beef patties, and a bowl of osmanthus red‑bean porridge.

Not long after they sat down, the customers at the neighboring table had no mind for breakfast, kept glancing over at them, wanting to speak but holding back; finally they couldn't suppress their gossip and called out to Xia Xi: "Little miss, did you abort your child?"