In the cold wind, Chen Shuo sneezed.
"Ah-choo! It's really damn cold!"
Why was it so cold at home?
Chen Shuo then realized the living room window outside was not closed, and formed a draft with the next room's window on Su Xiyan's side.
No wonder it was so cold inside when the temperature dropped outside!
Chen Shuo: "If you're cold, I'll add another blanket for you and close the window. If that doesn't work, turn on the AC."
There was no heating in the south, if you wanted warmth, only the AC would work.
Su Xiyan tightened her furry pajamas: "I think the window is rusted stuck."
Chen Shuo went back to his room to put on warmer clothes, then went to Su Xiyan's next room.
The window in the next room was still the old-fashioned sliding window.
Uninhabited for a long time, the window had been left open a tiny crack for ventilation and was not closed.
Now, the connection between the window and the frame had rusted stuck and could not be fully closed.
The cold wind rushed in through the cracks like a breached dam.
The room temperature had almost become the same as outside.
No wonder Su Xiyan said the room was cold.
In the middle of the night, it was unlikely to get someone to come repair it.
Chen Shuo thought for a moment and said, "You sleep in my master bedroom!"
Su Xiyan: "Then...what about you?"
Chen Shuo pointed to the living room sofa: "I'll squeeze through the night on the sofa! It's already late, after a little more sleep, it'll probably be daylight."
Su Xiyan: "Forget it, you should just stay in the same room with me! It's too cold outside in the living room. If you catch a cold, who's going to clean and do housework in the future?"
Chen Shuo crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back: "Stay in the same room with you? What are you...trying to do to me?"
Su Xiyan's bright eyes roamed up and down Chen Shuo: "I'm not worried about you taking advantage of me, yet here you are, worrying about me instead?"
"Love to or not, this room really can't be slept in anyway!"
After saying that, Su Xiyan went straight to Chen Shuo's master bedroom, leaving him alone in the cold wind, confused.
Another gust of cold wind blew by and Chen Shuo felt a chill all over his body.
If this kept going, he really would catch a cold.
So Chen Shuo went to Su Xiyan's next room, hugging her quilt back to the master bedroom.
The tightly-shut master bedroom was indeed much warmer.
Su Xiyan had already burrowed into Chen Shuo's previous blanket nest, poking out a round little head.
"Chen Shuo, weren't you going to sleep in the living room?"
While taking out another pillow from the cabinet and laying out the bedding to sleep on the floor, Chen Shuo huffily answered: "This is my home, what business is it of yours where I sleep!"
"If you anger me again, I may even sleep on the big bed!"
Usually sharp-tongued, when it came to this topic, Su Xiyan didn't actually dare make good on it.
Hearing Chen Shuo say this, Su Xiyan's little head immediately retracted back into the blanket.
From Chen Shuo's angle, he could only see the top of Su Xiyan's head.
Her black hair was like a waterfall, spilling over the pillow.
Under the glow of the nightlight, it gave off a gentle radiance.
Chen Shuo walked to the bedside and took away another pillow before lying down on the bedding.
He was clearly very tired and sleepy, yet why couldn't he fall asleep?
Was it because there was an extra Su Xiyan in the room?
From their cohabitation life at Sea View Apartments, to their later confession and established romantic relationship.
It seemed Chen Shuo and Su Xiyan did not actually have much substantial intimacy.
Recalling when Su Xiyan had sneakily kissed Chen Shuo's cheek in the car, he felt a very strange sensation throughout his body from the spot on his face.
So this was what it felt like to be kissed by a girl?
What a pity he had been completely unprepared at the time, by the time he reacted, Su Xiyan had already completed the sneak attack and made her getaway.
That wonderful feeling had only lingered fleetingly, Chen Shuo hadn't even fully captured it.
Now looking back, he still felt a tinge of lingering attachment!
He wondered what kind of situation could evoke that feeling again?
The more Chen Shuo thought about it, the harder it was to fall asleep!
He held his breath and listened. Su Xiyan's breathing had already become long and peaceful.
She was actually sleeping so soundly??
Lying on the bedding, covered under the quilt originally belonging to Su Xiyan's next room, breathing in Su Xiyan's scent all around.
And her breathing sounds in his ears.
Ah, if he could actually fall asleep like this, he really wouldn't be a normal man!
It was destined to be a sleepless night!
...
In the morning, Su Xiyan woke up.
Pulling apart the curtains, it was misty outside.
It turned out it was already raining.
Every autumn rain brought a chill, when the temperatures dropped, rain would inevitably accompany it.
Chen Shuo had slept on the floor all night, she wondered if he'd caught a cold?
Sitting on the bedside, swinging her long, fair legs, Su Xiyan looked at the still sleeping Chen Shuo.
Though he seemed to be sleeping soundly, why did he seem so tired? Could it be he hadn't slept well last night?
Su Xiyan didn't think too deeply about it. She was going to fold the blanket,
but her actions paused instead, and she spread the blanket over Chen Shuo.
The sleeping Chen Shuo looked chubby and cute, she really wanted to pinch his cheeks!
Su Xiyan went back to her next room to change and finish washing up. Chen Shuo was only awakened by her sounds.
While facing the mirror applying lipstick, Su Xiyan tsk-ed: "Chen Shuo, how are you only waking up now?"
Chen Shuo: "Isn't that your fault? If not for you, would I have slept on the ground?"
Getting up and tidying up the bedding, Chen Shuo seemed to suddenly remember something very important and cried out:
"Crap! My mom has an early morning flight, I have to go to the airport to pick her up!"
Chen Shuo got up, quickly washing and changing before preparing to head out.
Su Xiyan chased up: "Wait for me, I want to greet Auntie too."
Chen Shuo agreed. Su Xiyan even felt a bit nervous.
She didn't know if Chen Shuo's mom would be easy to get along with. But since she'd raised a great son like Chen Shuo, she probably wouldn't be too difficult, right?
Su Xiyan psyched herself up, and feeling her clothes were a bit thin, went back to her room and changed into a camel-colored long coat, matching short boots and a black chain bag, and switched out her red lipstick for light peach-colored lip gloss instead.
Giving herself a final check in the mirror that her makeup and outfit had no issues, Su Xiyan then went downstairs with Chen Shuo, ready to set out for the airport.
Going downstairs, they met acquaintances again.
Su Xiyan had an extremely well-behaved appearance, a warm, brilliant smile on her face as she greeted Chen Shuo's neighbors.
From time to time she would tug at Chen Shuo's sleeve, or simply cling to the crook of his arm, resting her little head coquettishly on his arm.
Looking every bit the future virtuous wife, making those neighbors gaze at Chen Shuo with extremely envious eyes.
Hearing the neighbors praise Su Xiyan, Chen Shuo smiled on the surface but silently cursed to himself:
Damn it! Duped by this woman again!