The late afternoon.
The Leng Family home.
In the study, a soft orange light permeated the air. Outside the window, the setting sun gradually descended, casting warm rays. The room was filled with tranquility, with only faint bird chirps and distant car sounds breaking the silence.
On a soft sofa bed, Leng Qingqiu lay quietly, her long hair spread across the pillow, emitting a subtle fragrance.
As the sun sank lower, the light in the room softened, falling on her face and accentuating her delicate features.
The corners of Leng Qingqiu's mouth turned up slightly, as if she were having a pleasant dream.
Mmm... so comfortable... so warm.
It's been a long time since I felt this way.
I even dreamed about Dad and Mom...
Dreaming?
Suddenly, Leng Qingqiu's brow furrowed slightly.
Wait a minute...
"This isn't right! What time is it now?!"
She abruptly sat up, frantically getting to her feet from the sofa bed.
Leng Qingqiu clutched her head, filled with regret.
Damn it, how did I fall asleep? How could I let my guard down like this? What happened before I dozed off?
Leng Qingqiu searched for her cane while trying to recall the scene before she fell asleep.
Oh right, she remembered now. Gu Yan had been giving her a massage earlier.
And unexpectedly, as he massaged, she had fallen into a comfortable sleep??
Really... damn it.
"How could I have slept until now because of that man's amateur massage technique?"
Leng Qingqiu grumbled through gritted teeth, her cool face full of unwillingness. Judging by the current room temperature, she could tell it was already afternoon.
How could she have wasted so much precious time??
Just then.
"Hey hey hey, what's this about 'that man's amateur massage technique'? Your dear husband will be very hurt, you know."
"Qingqiu, the fact that you slept so soundly just proves how skilled my massage was, doesn't it?"
Along with a teasing voice, a cane was placed into Leng Qingqiu's palm.
Hearing this scoundrel's voice, Leng Qingqiu's expression cooled. She gripped the cane tightly and stood up from the sofa bed.
Then, turning her head towards the direction of Gu Yan's voice, she emphasized coldly: "Don't flatter yourself. I didn't fall asleep because of your massage!"
"It was simply because I was exhausted from staying up late!"
"You know what! Your massage skills are really terrible!"
Even though she knew in her heart that it was indeed Gu Yan's massage that had relaxed her nerves and caused her to fall asleep, she would never admit it!
If she admitted it, who knows what would happen!
Seeing Leng Qingqiu's stubborn attitude, Gu Yan found it quite amusing.
He knew that the system had been constantly prompting him with messages like:
[Pure love interest feels comfortable], [Pure love interest feels happy], [Pure love interest is so comfortable she lost consciousness], and so on.
Of course, in reality, Gu Yan wouldn't act like a stupid, insensitive man. So, with a somewhat disappointed tone, he sighed: "Oh, I see. And here I thought the massage techniques I specially learned for you, Qingqiu, had really helped you."
Did I go too far?
Hearing the disappointment in Gu Yan's voice, Leng Qingqiu felt a twinge of guilt in her heart, knowing she had lied out of stubbornness.
Moreover, she still needed to use the Gu Family's resources. That's right, it was only because she needed to use the Gu Family that she couldn't let Gu Yan feel despair and leave.
So she took a deep breath and said, "Well... it's not like it was completely useless. It did help a tiny bit."
After a moment's thought, Leng Qingqiu turned towards Gu Yan and emphasized, "Really, just a tiny bit. Don't misunderstand anything."
Hearing this, Gu Yan seized the opportunity. He reached out and took Leng Qingqiu's hand, saying happily, "Really, Qingqiu baby! Then how about I give you a massage every day from now on?"
Suddenly feeling her delicate hand being grabbed, coupled with Gu Yan's abrupt change in tone, Leng Qingqiu became quite flustered and annoyed.
"You! Let go of me! Who gave you permission to keep touching me?"
"And change that sickeningly sweet way of addressing me! It's disgusting!"
Leng Qingqiu was losing her composure. This Gu Family's eldest son, known as Shen Wan'er's biggest admirer, was truly as annoying as rumored!
"Yes, yes, yes. Qingqiu, I'll call you whatever you want. We're family after all!"
Gu Yan nodded repeatedly.
"Pah! Who's family with you?!"
"But didn't you accept my proposal?"
"That! That was a childhood engagement!"
"Isn't the meaning of a childhood engagement that we've been an old married couple since we were kids?"
"You!"
If Leng Qingqiu could see Gu Yan, she might not have been able to resist getting physical with him.
This bastard's mouth was full of nonsense, not a single serious word. If it weren't for her need to use the Gu Family, she wouldn't bother dealing with him at all!
It's so infuriating! For the sake of her revenge plan, it seems she'll have to endure for a while longer.
Thinking this, Leng Qingqiu took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
Then she spoke, "Fine, say what you want. So, can you go home now? It's already so late."
Just as she finished speaking.
There came a clattering sound from downstairs.
Then Leng Ling'er's complaining voice rang out: "Sis! I'm so angry! The math test results from last time came back! I failed again! Is that teacher targeting me or what?!"
"Also, Big Sis! Wasn't Auntie Ya on leave? Who cooked for us? I smell food coming from the kitchen."
Her voice got closer and closer, until she reached the study.
Leng Ling'er walked in: "Sis..."
Her voice stopped abruptly.
Gu Yan waved at her: "Welcome back."
"I'm back... Wait, no!"
Leng Ling'er answered reflexively, then quickly shook her head. She pointed at Gu Yan: "You, you, you! Why are you here?!"
"Didn't you promise me you wouldn't be alone with my big sister anymore?!"
Hearing this, Gu Yan looked puzzled instead: "What's strange about me coming home to see my wife?"
He then said righteously: "That condition of yours was absurd to begin with! What law says I can't be alone with my own wife!"
?
Leng Qingqiu, standing to the side, slowly raised a mental question mark. She faced Gu Yan with an expressionless face.
This man... is truly shameless.
"See... see his wife...?!"
"Absurd..."
Leng Ling'er's face reddened. She looked at Gu Yan, then at Leng Qingqiu whose hand was being held by Gu Yan. She immediately began to stammer: "Well... I guess that makes sense..."
She seemed very conflicted: "But... but it's still not okay. Big Sis is my family, you're my sister's husband, so I'm your sister-in-law, which means we're all family now."
Leng Ling'er got more and more confused: "Ah, ah, ah, this is so annoying!"
She decided to stop thinking about it and pointed at Gu Yan, showing her cute canine teeth as she threatened: "Anyway, you better leave! Otherwise... you'll taste the power of this young lady's 10th-degree black belt in Taekwondo!"
On Leng Qingqiu's side, she secretly smiled to herself. As expected of Ling'er.
Still standing on her sister's side.
Gu Yan, on the other hand, shrugged indifferently, but his expression became somewhat amused: "Do you really want me to leave? It's fine if I go."
"But can you two cook?"
"I've only finished half of the meal preparation, you know."
??
Cooking?
Leng Qingqiu frowned: "What are you talking about? What cooking?"
As she spoke, she paused. Oh right, Auntie Ya had mumbled something last night about needing to take some time off.
So it would just be her and Ling'er at home for quite a long time to come.
Leng Ling'er also paused: "So the smell of food from the kitchen is from your cooking?"
She looked at Gu Yan curiously: "You, a young master, know how to cook?"