Chapter 762: A Million Times for You (124)Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Tuoba Gucheng did not look at her and instead kept his eyes fixed on the lines of the book he was reading. “It’s my parents’ blessing to have such a sensible daughter-in-law like you.”
Lin s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ snorted with laughter and said, “Why don’t you say that you’re the most blessed to have me as your wife?”
“It’s my blessing too,” he answered perfunctorily, seemingly trying to brush her off.
“When I called home this afternoon, my parents said that Sis Xiaoning didn’t inform them nor the Jin family of the fact that she’s still alive. Since we’re family, shouldn’t she have informed us firsthand?”
“Are your parents upset about that?” he asked, placing his book onto the headboard.
“A little. My parents and the Jin family were worried sick and devastated when they heard about her execution. Yet, she didn’t even tell us that she was alive. They treat her like their daughter, but what about her? Does she even see them as her parents?”
“That goes without saying. She obviously treats you guys as her family. Why else would she bother acknowledging them as her G.o.dparents? It’s not like she lacks parents.”
Lin s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ sneered and said, “Hubby, you have no idea. She obviously acknowledged my parents as her G.o.dparents because of my family’s status in society; likewise for the Jin family. If we were just average citizens, would Sis Xiaoning bother acknowledging us? It’d be impossible.”
“You said that she’s after the clout of being a.s.sociated with your family, but didn’t you guys harbor an ulterior motive too? Didn’t you say that she was the one who did everything she could to save your life when she first predicted your impending death? Even if she’s after the benefits your family’s connections can bring her, aren’t you guys after her fortune-telling abilities too? Besides, didn’t you also say that she hasn’t requested any help from you guys even until now?” said Tuoba Gucheng.
Lin s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ was at a momentary loss for words. Feeling rather peeved and disgruntled, she retorted, “Hubby, why do I feel like you’re speaking up for Sis Xiaoning?”
“I was just stating facts. To put it bluntly, you people are just making use of each other, and since that’s the case, how could you possibly expect her to treat you guys like her own family? Besides, you guys don’t see her as your blood kin anyway.”
“We do see her as a part of our family. My parents have always treated her as their daughter, just like how I do see her as my own sister,” Lin s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ said in defense of herself.
Tuoba Gucheng could not be bothered to continue arguing with her and instead said, “It’s getting late. Let’s go to bed early.”
“Hubby…” Lin s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ struggled to sit up and turned to look at him.
“What’s wrong?”
“Tell me honestly, do you think Sis Xiaoning is pretty?”
“Why did you ask me that out of the blue?” Tuoba Gucheng asked with raised brows.
“I want to know what you feel about her. Tell me, quick,” Lin s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ urged, swinging his arm.
“How do you want me to explain? I can’t,” he said sternly.
“What do you mean? All you have to tell me is whether you find her pretty or not.”
Seeing how insistent she was, he had no choice but to answer, “Objectively, she’s quite pretty, indeed.”
“How about when compared to me?”
“Compared to you?” Noticing the look of hope on Lin s.h.i.+s.h.i.+’s face, he continued, “She can’t be compared to you.”
Beaming with joy and confidence, Lin s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ asked, “Really?”
“Yes.”
There were two ways that his words could be deciphered.
One would be none other than that they were two strikingly different individuals who could not be compared the same way.
The other would be that An Xiaoning was nowhere near comparable to Lin s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ in terms of appearance.
Hence, Tuoba Gucheng’s answer was rather intelligent, for he had actually meant the latter, though Lin s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ had understood his words to mean the former.
Lin s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ lay down in bed and said, “Hubby, you haven’t gotten intimate with me ever since I got pregnant. The doctor said that we could resume our normal s.e.x life once I’ve pa.s.sed my first trimester. It’ll be fine as long as we’re careful.”
He placed a hand on her stomach and said, “Safety should be our priority. You’re still pregnant.”
“But it won’t matter…” She grabbed his hand and placed it on her chest. “I want it.”
Without hesitation, he retracted his hand and placed it on her back instead. “Be good and listen to me. What are we supposed to do if a complication occurs? Go to bed.”
Seeing how concerned he was for the safety of their fetus, Lin s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ did not insist further and went to bed in peace.
He was still wide awake even when she had already fallen asleep.
All he could think about was An Xiaoning’s face and voice. Thus, he could not curb his temptation and got out of bed to give her a call.
An Xiaoning was woken up from her sleep by the sudden ringing of her mobile phone. She answered his call in a daze, “h.e.l.lo.”
“Are you asleep already?”
“You haven’t gone to bed yet, Your Majesty?”
“I miss you.”
An Xiaoning immediately fell speechless and opened her eyes. She leaned against the headboard and said helplessly, “Your Majesty…”
He chuckled and said, “Fine, I won’t tease you anymore. Go to bed, quick.”
“Okay, goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
An Xiaoning ended the call and looked at her phone screen to see that she had an unread message.
She opened it to read its content and hurriedly called the sender.
“I went to bed early tonight and I just saw your text.”
“I’m right outside your door,” Jin Qingyan said in his captivating voice. An Xiaoning immediately ended the call.
She was not wearing any pajamas and instead just put on a long feathered jacket, which ended at her knees. She pulled the zipper and opened the bedroom door.
No. 9 happened to be on duty. Upon the sight of her, he immediately asked, “Sis, do you want some water?”
“No, I’m going out for a while.”
“Do you want me to call No. 5 and No. 8?”
“No, it’s just right outside.” She then headed downstairs in her slippers.
The temperatures were freezing outside, with the chilly winter breeze. She walked out of the entrance with her hands in her pocket, only to see that there was not a single soul in sight.
Was he just playing a prank on me?
An Xiaoning took a closer look to confirm that there was no one. Just as she was about to return inside her house, she heard a whistle coming from afar.
She looked over to see that a figure was standing at the stairwell opposite.
She scurried toward him and burst into laughter. “Why are you so stealthy like a thief?”
“Because I didn’t want to put you in a spot.” He took out his mobile phone and pointed at the time on the screen. “If you’d taken any longer to reply to me, I would’ve really gone home.”
“Why didn’t you call?”
“I was thinking that you were probably in the shower or asleep. If you were taking a shower, you’d reply to me once you were done. But if you were asleep, wouldn’t I be waking you up by calling you?”
She looked at him and smiled widely from ear to ear. “Since when have you been so caring and understanding toward me?”
“That all depends on my mood.” He placed his mobile phone back inside his pocket and extended his arms to hug her. He continued, “I’m not afraid of anyone, but I just don’t want you to be put in a difficult predicament. Being able to see you every day is enough to make me happy, even if we can only meet in secret.”
An Xiaoning leaned her head against his shoulder and did not utter another word.
They embraced each other in the darkness of the corridor. “How did you come here?”
“Would you believe me if I said that I walked here?”
“Yes…”
Although he wasn’t afraid of anyone, An Xiaoning was still intimidated by Tuoba Gucheng’s authority, deep down.