Chapter 18: Don't Be So Fierce

How embarrassing. It was simply too embarrassing.

Chen Xingmiao currently felt like she wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

Xiao Ziyu watched her flustered expression, a faint, inadvertent smile curling at the corners of his lips. He shook his head gently, stood up, dipped the towel into the water, wrung it out, and reapplied it to her knee.

"Does that feel a bit more comfortable?"

"Comfortable..."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Chen Xingmiao regretted them. What kind of suggestive remark was that!

No, what on earth was she thinking? This was clearly just an ordinary sentence.

The amusement in Xiao Ziyu’s eyes intensified. He braced his hands on either side of her legs and slowly leaned in toward her. Faced with that handsome face closing in on her, Chen Xingmiao’s mind went completely blank; she even forgot to resist.

"What is my wife thinking about again?"

His voice seemed to carry a hint of allure, echoing slowly in her ears.

Just then, the door creaked open.

"Miss, the food is warm..." Chuntao’s words came to an abrupt halt. Seeing the current posture of Xiao Ziyu and Chen Xingmiao, her originally beaming face was filled with astonishment. The speed at which the relationship between her mistress and the young master was progressing had once again refreshed her understanding.

Yet, she still didn't understand. Before falling into the water, her mistress had clearly preferred death over marrying him. Why was she treating the young master so well now? Her mistress wasn't the type to be swayed by looks, either...

"Put it down," Xiao Ziyu said, straightening up and breaking the silence first.

Chen Xingmiao coughed twice immediately, busying herself with her hair in a flurry, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere.

Chuntao glanced at Xiao Ziyu’s displeased expression and lowered her head in annoyance. Had she ruined a good moment between the young master and her mistress? Now it was her turn to feel awkward.

"Young Master, Miss, please continue. This servant... this servant will go outside to tidy up. Just call me if you need anything." Having said that, Chuntao set down the food, turned around, and slipped out, closing the door behind her.

Xiao Ziyu served a bowl of porridge and walked back to her.

"Will you eat by yourself, or shall I feed you?"

"I'll eat by myself!" Chen Xingmiao took the bowl and chopsticks and buried her head in her meal.

Xiao Ziyu said nothing; he simply crossed his arms, leaned to the side, and watched her.

Little villain, please don't stare like that; it's really terrifying.

Chen Xingmiao didn't dare lift her head. Seeing the bowl of porridge nearing its end, Xiao Ziyu finally looked away.

She let out a sigh of relief, slowed her pace, and stole a glance at him.

The candle in the room flickered, casting a hazy light and shadow over the space. Xiao Ziyu stood by the window, gazing up at the moon, lost in thought. With the moonlight washing over his face, he appeared extraordinarily gentle.

With a face like Xiao Ziyu’s, it would be hard for anyone not to be moved, and given how diligent and studious he was, it was truly a pity for him to end up just a villain.

However, apart from the time she accompanied him to pay respects to his ancestors, he seemed to have never mentioned his mother. If his mother had been there to accompany him during his childhood, perhaps his heart wouldn't have become twisted, leading to his eventual corruption. Thinking about it this way, the little villain was truly pitiful.

The next moment, Chen Xingmiao was startled by her own thoughts.

How could she pity him? As the saying goes, there is always something detestable about a pathetic person. No matter what, he shouldn't have killed so many innocent people.

"What is my wife looking at?" Xiao Ziyu turned around, leaning against the bed frame with a slight smile as he turned his gaze toward her.

Damn, she’d been caught.

Chen Xingmiao quickly lowered her head, shoveling porridge into her mouth while frantically saying, "Nothing, I'm not looking at anything."

She kept her head down until the very last drop of porridge was gone, at which point she looked up again. Xiao Ziyu walked over to her, took the bowl and chopsticks, and began to clear the table.

The clinking of the dishes provided a light, crisp sound that added a touch of life to the quiet room. After he finished tidying up, he called for Chuntao to take the items away, then washed the towel and hung it to dry.

Throughout the whole process, Xiao Ziyu didn't say a word. Chen Xingmiao couldn't hold back anymore and tugged on his sleeve.

"Husband, don't busy yourself anymore. It’s getting late; let’s rest."

Xiao Ziyu put down what he was holding, sat on the edge of the bed, adjusted her trousers, and pulled the quilt over her before speaking slowly: "Don't do these things again in the future."

His voice was cold and rigid, brook no questioning.

"How can that be? This concerns our future!"

Chen Xingmiao felt depressed; she wanted to say that she didn't want to do it either. But if things remained this way, the people of the Xiao family would surely continue to find fault with them. If Concubine Zhou also started causing trouble, he would only suffer more and more humiliation.

In the end, all her efforts would be in vain. Plus, the fact that the original owner had jumped into the water to refuse the marriage already made him a target of gossip in the capital. If he turned evil, she would be the first to suffer after the Xiao family members.

Thinking of this, Chen Xingmiao couldn't help but shudder.

It was too terrifying. Such a thing must absolutely not happen; she was still young and wanted to live a few more years.

Xiao Ziyu reached out and pinched her chin, his gaze filled with distrust and coldness.

"Is my wife truly doing this for our future?"

"Truly, truly!"

She felt no confidence as she said this. After all, a person as suspicious as him would never easily believe her words. But if he didn't turn evil, he would have a good ending, and she could go home, so it could be considered their shared future. In short, to save her life and to go home, she was going all out.

Xiao Ziyu lowered his eyes and let her go.

"Wife, you had best not lie to me." He cornered her against the wall, a flash of murderous intent hidden deep in his cold eyes.

Chen Xingmiao froze, then nodded desperately.

"It had better be so!" Xiao Ziyu lay back in his spot and turned away, refusing to look at her again.

Thinking of the expression he had just worn, Chen Xingmiao trembled all over.

The longer she stayed with the little villain, the shorter her life felt. She had to speed up the process of going home. Besides, she had knelt for an entire day today; Chen Xingmiao absolutely could not let that kneeling go to waste.

Just as she was thinking this, Xiao Ziyu suddenly opened his eyes and turned back toward her.

"Is my wife not sleeping yet?" he asked flatly.

Chen Xingmiao turned slightly, her eyes full of anticipation, and said cautiously: "Husband, I would like to go to Zuyu Academy again tomorrow. Would you be willing to accompany me?"

As soon as these words left her lips, Xiao Ziyu’s expression darkened instantly, his previously calm demeanor turning grim.

Oh no, why was he...

Chen Xingmiao’s heart skipped a beat, and she thought to herself, *this is bad*.

She hurriedly leaned forward, her movements gentle yet filled with urgency. She reached out to cover Xiao Ziyu’s mouth, blinking her large, watery eyes, and pleaded in a fawning manner: "Husband, let’s talk this over properly. You aren't allowed to be scary, and you aren't allowed to be angry."

Xiao Ziyu was enveloped by the sudden scent of her, his body stiffening slightly. His deep eyes involuntarily locked onto hers.

At this moment, her pupils seemed to hold a vast galaxy, with little pinpricks of starlight flickering within—dazzling and enchanting—making him unable to help but sink into them, lingering for a few moments longer.

The words of refusal that had already reached his lips were swallowed back as if by magic.

After a brief silence, Xiao Ziyu spoke slowly, his voice low yet filled with undeniable firmness: "Agree to one condition, and I will allow it."