SM Chapter 26

Chapter 26: A Taste of Their Own Medicine

“Then, should I also erase that mole on your chest…”

The voice was light, as if just a casual question.

But in this past month, Zhu Shihao had already discovered this man’s hidden possessiveness. She interpreted it as a man’s exclusive desire for his woman, similar to a territorial instinct.

She even had no doubt that if this were a fictional world, Tan Zhi Xu would probably want to mark her every time he thought about it, but she accepted his possessiveness.

Because, she wanted it too.

“Ran Cai said before that she wanted to learn swimming and asked me to go with her, but we didn’t go even once. Before we even started, she decided to give up,” she said, walking towards him in the water.

Actually, she had bought two swimsuits. The one she was wearing was purely because she liked it. The other one, meant for accompanying Ran Cai, was much more conventional.

But there was no need to tell him that.

The ripples she created spread outwards, lapping against him.

Tan Zhi Xu just looked at her like that, waiting for her. “Never worn it before?”

“Mm, how is it?”

Before she could get close, he raised his hand, and Zhu Shihao’s hand was barely within reach when he grabbed it, pulling her down to sit beside him.

“Didn’t I already praise it? You can buy a few more to wear at home. If you find it troublesome, I can also help you buy them.”

Hearing this, she glared at him – what was he up to?

Zhu Shihao reached out her hand. “My phone, let me see the pictures.”

He casually picked it up and handed it to her, the stirring in his heart not diminishing in the slightest as his gaze wandered over her.

“You dare to take these photos, and even leave them in the album? What if Aunt Ting and the others see them?”

She never wore anything this revealing when she went swimming with her mother and sister. No mere platonic male-female friendship would involve keeping photos like that of the opposite sex on one’s phone.

After thinking about it, her finger twitched.

Before she could press down, a cool warning came from beside her ear: “Zhu Shihao, if you dare to delete it, I dare to wait until you’re asleep and pose you for pictures.”

Her fingertip instantly lifted high.

Zhu Shihao knew his determination and execution ability all too well.

She pondered for a moment, then seriously offered what she considered a great suggestion: “How about you just crop out everything above my neck?”

“Then, should I also erase that mole on your chest?”

His fingertip pressed down on that small mole, of course, not on the photo, but directly on her chest, the tip of his finger even slightly sinking in.

“Then, Aunt Ting will think that not only do I look at photos of sexy women, but I also need to keep them on my phone to admire all the time.”

She had no words to refute that.

The two looked at each other, and after a full minute, she slowly said, “Then I’ll put an app lock on your photo album.”

Tan Zhi Xu gave a snort of laughter, thinking her actions were unnecessary, but he didn’t stop her. He let her lock the photo album with an app lock, then took the phone and tossed it to the side.

Lying down on the bed, Yang Xu was frantically calling his game buddies in the group chat, but Tan Zhi Xu not only ignored him but also took Zhu Shihao’s phone and tossed it aside.

“Why bother with him?”

“Just bother with me now, that’s enough.”

Zhu Shihao didn’t even have time to reply.

When she saw her phone again, it was already noon. A heavy arm was draped around her waist, and she looked up at the man in front of her. His eyes were closed, and his sleeping face made him seem less aloof and more approachable. He looked like he had slept well.

After quietly watching him for a while, she remembered that her phone had been tossed to his side last night, and she gently removed his arm and got up to reach for it.

She had just gotten the phone when a strong arm wrapped around her waist again, and the large hand gripping her waist tightened, pulling her down onto him.

“What are you doing?”

That little bump made her chest hurt a bit.

Zhu Shihao’s upper body was sprawled across him. She retracted her hand holding the phone and looked at the lit-up screen, her eyes unable to hide her surprise. “It’s almost eleven o’clock. You actually didn’t get up.”

Nor did he wake her up before nine to have breakfast.

“Mm, being considerate of your hard work.”

… Thank you.

Zhu Shihao moved a little, wanting to get up, but he held her down, hugging her tightly. She struggled a bit.

“If you move again, I won’t be able to be considerate.”

She paused, a surge of energy rising within her, and she pushed against his shoulder.

Tan Zhi Xu lifted his eyelids and looked at her for a few seconds, then hugged her and rolled over, pinning her beneath him. “Looks like you want to lie down and sleep a little longer.”

The word “sleep” was ambiguous, to say the least.

When they were eating lunch, she couldn’t help but glare at him every now and then. He acted as if nothing had happened, eating his food peacefully, and even taking the time to put food on her plate.

It was freezing outside. Outdoor activities were hard to endure, so the two packed up in the afternoon and headed back.

As always, without asking a single question, he automatically took her to Shen Yi. It had to be said, she was very used to this. Zhu Shihao went straight to the bedroom to change clothes as soon as she entered the door.

In the warm and cozy room, the two curled up on the sofa, preparing to play games. As soon as they went online, they received a friend request. Tan Zhi Xu rejected Yang Xu’s request the second he saw it.

The next second, his voice came from beside her: “Ah, Zhi Xu rejected me.”

The hand checking the message paused, and she slowly turned to look at Zhu Shihao, her gaze dark. “You accepted it so readily.”

Zhu Shihao blinked, saying nothing.

But a teammate had something to say, and Wei Wang’s voice came through: “Request again now, Brother Xu will definitely accept.”

Yang Xu thought this was a great idea. His fingers quickly sent a team invitation, and sure enough, this time it was accepted.

“Let’s call someone else,” Yang Xu called out in the group chat, calling for those who were first come, first served. “Oh, I’m live-streaming, mind if I go off air?”

The comments on the screen were full of wails. Yang Xu first explained and then comforted them: “It’s rare that this person is willing to play games with me. This opportunity is rare. I’ll make it up to you guys tomorrow. How about I do two live streams?”

Hearing his words, Wei Wang shrugged. “I don’t care.”

It wasn’t them showing their faces, so it wouldn’t have any impact on them. It would impact Yang Xu, however, highlighting just how bad he was at the game.

Zhu Shihao looked at the person in front of her. Tan Zhi Xu sensed her gaze and looked up, seeing her cautious little expression. He chuckled softly and said, “Whatever.”

Yang Xu raised his eyebrows. “Oh yo, looks like I don’t need to wait for next time.”

After waiting for a while, Li Chennan came in.

Wei Wang casually asked, “Do you even have time to play games tonight?”

Li Chennan asked back, “Otherwise? Should I be busy collecting bottles?”

Wei Wang laughed. “There’s enough people, let’s start.”

At first, Yang Xu was still able to remember to talk to his fans, but later he completely forgot. The others didn’t really care either, and entered the game state.

Halfway through one match, in a corner that the others couldn’t see, even the fans could no longer bring themselves to praise their brother with a clear conscience.

“Good Baby, save me! Ah, I’m dead.”

He was really dead, not an abstract “dead.”

Tan Zhi Xu, who hadn’t said much all along, coldly opened his mouth: “Speak nicely. I not only have photos of you with lightbulbs hanging from your nose, but I also have photos of you wearing a dress.”

Yang Xu choked, craning his neck. “Shihao hasn’t even said anything. Xu, how about you stop controlling everything?”

There was a guy from the Northeast in the crew, and his accent had been a little off lately.

Tan Zhi Xu said in a light tone, “Oh, really?”

“Of course, I have been controlled in everything from a young age.”

Zhu Shihao’s eyebrows lifted and she asked, “Is that so?”

The person in question was actually asking him, and Yang Xu hesitated, dejectedly saying, “Okay. I’m coming out. Friends, wait for me.”

“You could have stayed out,” Li Chennan’s eyelids twitched.

As expected, in less than two minutes, he was back.

Tan Zhi Xu jeered, “Your existence is meant for the other side. You’re an undercover agent. You’re being a little too direct with your feeding, do you want to pretend a little?”

“It is a bit. How can anyone go in as soon as they see an opening?” Wei Wang nodded, summarizing, “You’re being a bit unprofessional with your undercover work.”

The comments were all “hahahaha.”

Yang Xu was aggrieved. “I’m participating in team fights so actively.”

“We ask you to be passive,” Tan Zhi Xu coldly replied.

Zhu Shihao gently suggested, “Look how good it is at home. As long as you stay put, red and blue buffs don’t drop, and you can have eternal life.”

“Good Ba…”

A cold laugh interrupted him, and Yang Xu decisively changed his words: “Shihao, don’t learn from them. They’re bad people, and you’re a good person.”

Wei Wang made a long “boo” sound.

“What’s the difference between this and four against six?” Tan Zhi Xu glanced at her, taking the opportunity to educate her, “So, you should reject when you should reject. Kindness shouldn’t be used on playing games with him.”

One game ended.

Putting the phone on the sofa, Tan Zhi Xu twisted his wrist. “For the sake of continued friendship, we’re logging off. You can randomly pick four unlucky people.” If they were face to face, Li Chennan would have had to clasp his fist in salute: “I’m getting busy, I have to go collect bottles, goodbye.”

Yang Xu was speechless. “… You don’t need to make up such a casual excuse even if you don’t have one.”

After quitting the game, Tan Zhi Xu looked at the person who was holding a water glass and asked her, “Fun?”

Zhu Shihao paused. “Occasionally playing one game with him means that I can reject him for a month afterward, as a gesture.”

He hummed and leaned back, resting against the sofa, and lazily asked her, “What do you want to do?”

She thought about it and shook her head.

It was too cold. Otherwise, they could go for a drive, they could see the night view, and they could even stroll along the streets.

He obviously understood as well, and casually lifted his arm, gently patting the top of her head twice. He didn’t even look at her, his expression nonchalant and his voice low and lazy.

“When the weather gets warmer, I’ll take you for a ride and let you experience the speed and the passion.”

When the weather gets warmer… that would still be a few months away.

Zhu Shihao lowered her eyes, suddenly thinking about whether they would still maintain this kind of relationship when summer came.

Thinking about it, her heart suddenly clenched, and her hand that was hanging by her side unconsciously trembled.

Once New Year’s Day passed, the students were waiting for winter break, and everyone was looking forward to the New Year.

Winter break arrived as scheduled. Liu Ruoyin’s senior high schoolers still had to attend extra classes, but Zhu Yingqing’s tenth graders were already on break. He began to relax, and once he was free, he began to care about the daily lives of his two daughters.

He took on the task of helping to take care of Jia Jia from time to time and visited all kinds of markets every day, inevitably increasing the frequency of calling Zhu Shihao, summoning her home every few days to eat big meals and health-preserving soups.

Zhu Shihao happily agreed. Returning home to eat ready-made food was something that happened every winter and summer vacation. She could also occasionally run into Zhu Suiyi and her family when they came home, making it very lively.

Regarding this matter, the one who suffered the most was Tan Zhi Xu.

He coldly looked at the person in front of him who said she wanted to go home. “Zhu Shihao, you went back the day before yesterday and yesterday.”

“But Dad said that today there’s braised spare ribs, stir-fried clams, and tomato beef brisket, and he also made mushroom chicken soup,” Zhu Shihao looked up at him, her expression earnest, her eyes full of longing.

Her bright eyes left him speechless for a moment.

Tan Zhi Xu paused for a moment. “I’ll make it for you.”

“You don’t make it as well as my dad.” Zhu Shihao said honestly.

Did she have to be so realistic?

Tan Zhi Xu irritably ran a hand through his hair. After his parents started their business, they were very busy. He had received a lot of care from the Zhu family while growing up, so he had always thought Zhu Yingqing was a truly family-oriented good man.

But people like that made extremely good husbands and fathers, but as a father-in-law, he was obviously a bit “unfriendly.” Zhu Shihao was being summoned home so often that she was hardly ever at his place.

Thinking of this, he became even more annoyed.

A clear sense of vexation appeared on his usually indifferent face. Frowning, the person who was normally unaffected by anything was currently mired in a clumsy but helpless mood.

Zhu Shihao raised her hand and smoothed his brow, her voice gentle: “Do you want to come with me?”

It wasn’t realistic to stick to her every time, but going once in a while was still very normal.

Sure enough, when Zhu Yingqing saw him, he said, “Zhi Xu is here. Good luck, today’s all hard dishes,” and invited him to view the kitchen.

Liu Ruoyin didn’t have classes in the evening and came back after finishing her classes in the afternoon.

The last to return was Zhu Suiyi’s family. Jia Jia ran in excitedly and hugged her grandparents and her aunt one by one.

Then, standing in front of Tan Zhi Xu, she loudly called out.

“Uncle-in-law.”