Chapter 1890: A Matter of Mind
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
There were originally four legs to stabilize the bed. After one of them was warped, the other three followed suit and became warped too.
It took no more than one to two seconds for the bed to shorten for almost half because of this. Afterward, the already-warped legs could not support the bed for much longer and the whole bed crashed down onto the floor into a mess.
That crash turned Qiao Nan’s face red. She had all reasons to believe that the bed had suddenly turned into this state because she had jumped on it a few times after sitting on it. That meant that she had broken a bed because of her weight!
Qiao Nan felt like digging a hole for herself. How could she face anyone like this?
Qiao Nan was blus.h.i.+ng out of embarra.s.sment, while Miao Jing’s face was red due to holding her laughter in. Miao Jing’s breath was unsteady and her voice was intermittent. However, she did not dare to show it too obviously for fear of provoking Qiao Nan. “N-Nan Nan, don’t bother about it. The bed spoiling has nothing to do with you. No one has stayed in this house for over ten years. I’m sure you saw that the bed was only 1.5 meters. More than ten years ago, a bed of this size was considered a big one, unlike how we have 1.8 or even 2-meter beds now. It’s because the bed was left alone for such a long time that it spoiled. It has nothing to do with you. We don’t really have anywhere to buy a bed at this time. We have many rooms in this house, but the problem is that we don’t have many beds. I’ll tell you what, you’ll sleep in Zhai Sheng’s room and Zhai Sheng will sleep in the living room.”
Zhai Hua had her own room in this house, so it was only natural for her to sleep in her own room. Jiajia had expressed her desire to sleep with someone tonight. Besides, the Zhai family did have many rooms, but they did not have enough beds. As such, Jiajia slept with Zhai Hua tonight.
There was another bed that was Zhai Yaohui’s and Miao Jing’s. No matter how they counted, Qiao Nan had no choice but to sleep in Zhai Sheng’s room for the night. It was logical and rational, and she could not possibly refuse.
Miao Jing knew that Qiao Nan felt a little embarra.s.sed and knew that such an arrangement seemed a little ambiguous. But that was exactly what she was trying to create. She hoped that Qiao Nan’s relations.h.i.+p with her son would be confirmed as soon as possible. She could not be more pleased with such an arrangement.
To prevent Qiao Nan from coming up with other solutions, Miao Jing quickly called out to her son. “Zhai Sheng, hurry and let Qiao Nan have your room. The bed in the guest room is spoiled and no one can sleep in it. Since you’re the host, you’ll have to take it in stride. Sleep in the living room.”
“It’s okay, Auntie Qiao.” Qiao Nan wanted very much to cover Miao Jing’s mouth but dared not do so. “Actually, there’s a good way to solve this. This bed may be broken, but it’s just the legs that don’t work well. The base of the bed is still perfectly fine. I’ll just take it as though I’m sleeping on the floor. There’s the bed frame, a mattress, and a quilt. That’s enough for me to go to sleep.” Anyway, she did not want to sleep in Zhai Sheng’s room.
“Auntie Miao, you know better than me that Brother Zhai’s leg was injured and he only managed to recover slightly after recuperating in Qingshui Town for a while. You have to let Brother Zhai rest well at night. It’s not right for Brother Zhai to sleep on the sofa. The sofa is short and small. It’ll be too hard on Brother Zhai.”
If nothing else worked, she could sleep on the sofa instead.
She was not very tall and was quite pet.i.te. Sleeping on the sofa was still all right for her. But letting Zhai Sheng, who was 1.9-meter tall, sleep on the sofa was really wronging him.
Miao Jing knew that her son would be uncomfortable sleeping on the sofa, but it was Zhai Sheng who had not managed to successfully win Qiao Nan over yet. If he did not make some sacrifices, how would he get his wife? It was worth tolerating a moment’s grievance!
Besides, she did actually have another solution, but would Qiao Nan agree to it? Miao Jing was afraid that she would scare Qiao Nan away with this plan.
Because Zhai Sheng had gone to Qingshui Town to recuperate, there was a room in the Ping Cheng house for Zhai Sheng when he needed to visit the doctor. The Zhai family’s courtyard had many rooms and beds, but only Zhai Sheng’s was regularly cleaned and refreshed. As such, Zhai Sheng’s bed was a two-meter-long bed!
It would fit both Qiao Nan and Zhai Sheng just fine. If Zhai Sheng and Qiao Nan had children, their children could sleep with their parents. That two-meter-long bed was more than enough s.p.a.ce for a family of three.
Unfortunately, Qiao Nan was not even Zhai Sheng’s partner at this point in time. As such, they could not share the same bed. If she really proposed such an idea, it would be no different from chasing Qiao Nan out.
“It’s fine. Your Brother Zhai has thick skin. Sleeping on the couch for a night won’t be much of a problem. Tomorrow morning, I’ll go get a new bed. One night won’t cause much of a problem. It’s the new year. Just listen to me.” As she said that, Miao Jing took Qiao Nan’s hand and pulled Qiao Nan over to Zhai Sheng’s room.
When she reached Zhai Sheng’s room and saw Zhai Sheng leaving without his quilt, Qiao Nan blushed red all over as he brushed past her. “Brother-brother Zhai, I’m so sorry that I have to trouble you tonight.”
Zhai Sheng answered calmly, “It’s no trouble.” Actually, it was all right if she caused even more trouble for him.
“All right. Hurry and get some rest. You may be energetic, but Nan Nan is sleepy.” When Nan Nan had been in the guest room, she had already been on the verge of falling asleep. Looking at how her son’s gaze never left Qiao Nan, Miao Jing was angry and amused at the same time. He cared so much about her, so when would Qiao Nan finally address her as ‘mom’?
There was no point in looking at her in this manner. He had to do something more practical. No matter how much he looked at her, he was never going to get his wife just like that!
Zhai Sheng had given up his room for Qiao Nan. Entering Zhai Sheng’s room, sleeping on Zhai Sheng’s bed, and covering herself with Zhai Sheng’s quilt, Qiao Nan almost lost sleep because there seemed to be Zhai Sheng’s scent all around her, especially Zhai Sheng’s bed and quilt that she had shared with Zhai Sheng for decades in her dream. Now, Qiao Nan was embarra.s.sed to even cover herself with Zhai Sheng’s quilt.
In the end, Qiao Nan had no other choice but to pinch herself on her thigh and pat her face lightly to remind herself not to let her imagination run wild. The Zhai family had only made such an arrangement because she had helped Zhai Hua and Jiajia out. There was no other meaning to it. She should not feel that the situation was ambiguous just because she had taken over Zhai Sheng’s room, was sleeping in Zhai Sheng’s bed, and had covered herself with Zhai Sheng’s quilt.
As long as she calmed herself down, this would all seem quite normal. It was just a matter of mind.
Indeed, onlookers were able to comprehend the situation the most clearly.