SM Chapter 35

“Are you, paying?”…

Chapter 35: Playing Along

“Are you, paying?”…

By the time their passion subsided, it was already past three in the morning. All was silent outside the window, and a warm tranquility returned to the room.

The exhaustion radiating from her mind made Zhu Shihao feel groggy. After resting in bed for a while, she propped herself up on her arms, trying to get up, but the man beside her hooked his arm around her waist and pulled her back.

“What are you doing?”

“Going back to the room downstairs. Have you forgotten? Teacher Zhu and Teacher Liu will be up before seven in the morning.” She didn’t resist, instead snuggling closer into his embrace.

Tan Zhi Xu nuzzled her fluffy head with his chin. “Mm, you sleep. I’ll carry you down.”

Zhu Shihao rubbed her eyes and gave a dainty yawn. “Is that okay?”

He reached out to wipe away the tears that had welled up in the corner of her eyes, gently humming, “Mm, if we get caught, we’ll just say we fell asleep watching a movie. It’s about that time anyway.”

“Sleep, then.” As he spoke, he slowly patted her back with a rhythmic hand.

She grew even more drowsy. Zhu Shihao, with her last bit of energy, clutched at his shirt. “Let’s go down now.”

Tan Zhi Xu didn’t say anything, only releasing her, getting up and scooping her into his arms. He took each step with extreme care, while the person in his arms breathed steadily, her head resting against his chest, looking completely relaxed. Only the hand clutching his shirt showed how reluctant she was to part.

Returning to the room was smooth sailing. At this hour, anyone who wasn’t staying up all night would generally be in a deep, undisturbed sleep.

The room was warm, but the bed was still a little cold. The moment she was placed down, the sensation of being suspended made her wake up a little.

“Zhi Xu.”

Her voice was lighter and softer than usual, like a muddled murmur, yet also like a whispered love confession.

“Mm, I’m here. You keep sleeping.”

He simply lay down beside her, his arms not loosening their embrace. Tan Zhi Xu brushed the stray hairs from her forehead and gathered her close, half-lying on top of him.

Zhu Shihao vaguely responded before drifting back to sleep.

Once she was completely asleep, Tan Zhi Xu slowly untangled her fingers from his shirt and sat on the edge of the bed, watching her for a while.

Delicate features, fair and smooth skin; she seemed to be sleeping peacefully, her beautiful eyebrows and eyes naturally relaxed, the corners of her eyes naturally curved upwards.

His fingertips lightly traced the curve of her brow bone, the bridge of her nose, her rosy lips, his gaze tender and lingering.

He curved his lips into a smile, leaned down to press a kiss on her forehead, tucked her in, and then quietly left.

When she woke up, Zhu Shihao stared blankly at the time on her phone, sitting still in bed, her brain yet to start functioning.

There was a slight noise at the door, and she turned her head to look.

Seeing her disheveled hair and hazy eyes, Tan Zhi Xu raised an eyebrow, no longer bothering to keep his voice down as he closed the door and walked toward her. “You woke up by yourself? Impressive.”

“It’s eleven o’clock. That sounds like sarcasm.”

She raised the back of her hand to rub her eyes, but he caught her hand after only two rubs.

“Don’t rub them. Go wash your face.” Tan Zhi Xu’s tone was calm and matter-of-fact. “I’m complimenting you.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he lifted her chin and kissed her, gently nipping at her lips, eliciting a muffled groan from her, which he used as an opportunity to conquer and plunder.

As soon as the kiss ended, Zhu Shihao slapped him.

“I’ve been sleeping until now, and haven’t brushed my teeth. How can you really bring yourself to kiss me?”

Tan Zhi Xu smiled, a faint curve at the corner of his lips. “Why wouldn’t I? I’d kiss you even if you’d just eaten something.”

Zhu Shihao was speechless for two seconds. “Thanks, but no thanks.”

He patted her butt. “Get up now. We’re going to eat soon. If I don’t see you soon, Auntie Yin will go break branches off trees outside.”

In fact, Liu Ruoyin had wanted to come up and call for them more than an hour ago, but Xu Ting and he had stopped her.

Hearing this, she pouted and huffed.

With the four parents downstairs, Tan Zhi Xu didn’t want to stay upstairs any longer. Zhu Shihao went to wash up, and he went downstairs first. By the time she had finished washing up and went downstairs, she was met by Liu Ruoyin on the sofa, her chin lifted and her eyes disdainful.

Her mother pinched her fingers in a mock-elegant gesture, saying mockingly, “Oh my, Miss can be seen by people even after walking out the front door and stepping across the threshold.”

Zhu Shihao touched her nose, greeted everyone, and then sat down next to Tan Zhi Xu.

He picked up a cup from the table and handed it to her. “Milk. Drink it.”

“Oh.” It was warm to the touch, just the right temperature for her. “Did Auntie Wang heat this up?”

“I heated it up,” Tan Zhi Xu lowered his voice, “Little Miss.”

They were the only two on that side of the sofa. Even though she knew the others couldn’t hear, she felt as if tiny feathers were brushing against her heart, leaving a tingling, itchy sensation, and the fingertips holding the glass involuntarily tightened.

She sipped the milk little by little, gradually lost in thought.

It wasn’t until her shoulder was gently tapped that she reflexively turned to look at the person next to her. “Huh? What’s wrong?”

Tan Zhi Xu didn’t speak, only slightly raising his chin in a silent signal to the other side.

Liu Ruoyin was speechless. “What are you thinking about? Your Auntie Ting has called you several times.”

“Oh, Auntie Ting was calling me?” Zhu Shihao asked Xu Ting, who was smiling at her from across the room.

Xu Ting waved her hand, not minding at all. “It’s nothing, nothing. It’s just, Shihao, have you forgotten something?” She raised the red envelope in her hand and shook it.

Zhu Shihao curved her eyebrows into a smile. “More New Year’s money?”

“Of course! There’s always more!” Xu Ting said generously, and the red envelope was also very generous.

Just like when she was a child, she greeted the four parents, said a few auspicious words, and received two big red envelopes.

Of course, Tan Zhi Xu also received one.

Xu Ting didn’t expect him to say anything nice, pursing her lips and “tsk”-ing before handing it over. “Take it, take it. You’re almost thirty, take care of yourself.”

Having long been aware of how biased his mother was, Tan Zhi Xu didn’t even want to argue, or mention how she had just praised Zhu Shihao, who was a few months younger than him, for being young and beautiful, like a student.

Zhu Shihao laughed at the sight of the mother and son, thinking that it was probably a leftover habit from childhood.

When they were younger, Xu Ting would deliberately make him say New Year’s greetings, but Tan Zhi Xu would open his mouth and say things like “May your happiness be as vast as the Eastern Sea and your life as long as the Southern Mountains,” “May you have happiness, love in your heart, and warmth by your side in your middle age”. It sounded strange, yet you couldn’t say he was wrong.

Today was a good day. The sun was bright, casting a rare and warm glow.

Everyone was sitting in the courtyard, basking in the sun, some chatting, others playing chess. Zhu Shihao sat on the swing in the courtyard, swaying gently.

The golden sunlight shone on Tan Zhi Xu as he walked towards her, as if he were wearing a glittering golden cloak. His hair had a golden sheen, his nose was high and straight, his eyebrows and eyes deep-set, and even his usually expressionless face was warm.

“Put this on.” He sat down next to her.

She took the little scarf and wrapped it around her neck, glancing at the half-arm’s width distance between them.

“Zhi Xu, we’re the same age, but Auntie Ting always praises me and teases you. Did you ever feel unhappy when you were a kid?”

Tan Zhi Xu glanced at her, his long legs propping him on the ground, steadying the swing as if it were fixed in place. He started swaying himself.

“No. If it weren’t you, I might have.”

No child likes it when their parents treat someone else’s child better than them.

Ever since he could remember, Xu Ting had always liked Zhu Shihao the most, and she was the one who received the most smiles and praise out of the three children.

Logically speaking, Tan Zhi Xu shouldn’t like this girl who stole his mother’s attention and affection, but he happened to like Zhu Shihao too. Throughout his long upbringing, she was the closest person to him besides his parents, and he truly believed that no one in the world could not like Zhu Shihao.

Besides, he actually understood very well.

Raising his hand and placing it on top of her head, Tan Zhi Xu gazed at his parents in the distance. Their current demeanor was completely different from when they were working. It was a relaxed ease that he rarely saw these days.

“I know they love me, and I’m just as important to them.”

No matter how much they liked another child, it would never exceed their love for their own child.

Zhu Shihao tilted her head to look at him, smiling as she patted his head. “Wow, Zhi Xu understands everything.”

After having his head patted, Tan Zhi Xu gave her a faint glare, but didn’t stop her, letting her ruffle his hair a few more times.

“Here.” He took a small pink envelope out of his pocket.

Zhu Shihao accepted it in confusion. “What is this?”

The envelope wasn’t large, not even as big as her palm, but it was small and exquisite, with an uneven surface, obviously not filled with money.

“A red envelope, can’t you tell?”

Under the sun, Tan Zhi Xu’s voice was even lazier.

Zhu Shihao: “…”

If it were that obvious, would she even need to ask what it was?

“Open it and see if you like it.”

She pressed on it, thinking it was most likely a necklace, and opened it as she was told, saying, “Didn’t I already get New Year’s money?”

She had seen a transfer in her account when she woke up this morning, which was more than it had been in the past two years, and she wondered for a moment if it was money to buy her freedom, but she didn’t dare ask for fear of being disciplined.

“Mm, the New Year’s money is New Year’s money, this is a New Year’s gift.”

As soon as it was taken out, she was captivated by its beauty, the perfectly cut gemstone reflecting a dazzling light in the sun.

This was no longer a matter of New Year’s money.

Tan Zhi Xu immediately understood her liking it, and ignored her hesitation, his tone casual. “Just accept it, don’t think about it.”

However, it looked very, very expensive.

“Are you, paying?”

Alright, she couldn’t help asking, but she phrased it a little more delicately.

Slowly turning his head, he lowered his eyes slightly, staring at her with his calm, dark eyes. After a few seconds, Tan Zhi Xu sneered.

“Why don’t you just ask if I’m paying for your services?”

Zhu Shihao frowned, hesitating for a moment. “That’s not a very good word to use.”

Hearing her say this, Tan Zhi Xu coldly huffed.

“Zhu Shihao, if you dare say that, I dare tell you how a financial relationship should be played. Would I care about whether you’re comfortable or enjoying yourself? Would I serve you? Would I let you groan and whine and act like a spoiled brat?”

Three consecutive questions made her face flush, and the image was vivid.

“N-no, it’s not like that. I’m not acting spoiled, am I?”

She didn’t know how to refute the first two questions.

Tan Zhi Xu curved the corner of his lips, looking half-smiling as he admired her increasingly rosy face. “Who was it who wanted it harder and faster, then softer and slower? Baby, how can you not admit it?”

He had never used that nickname in such a sober setting, devoid of lust or ambiguity. She didn’t know if her face was red, but she could clearly feel the heat rapidly rising on her face.

Opening her mouth, she couldn’t speak, only shoving him.

“You’re so annoying, Zhi Xu.”

Seeing this, Tan Zhi Xu curved his lips, lazily acknowledging her words. “Mm, I’m annoying, so Little Miss should hurry up and accept it. Don’t make me annoyed with you. Do you want me to put it on for you?”

Zhu Shihao looked at the necklace in the palm of her hand, then glanced at her parents on the other side of the courtyard, gently humming in agreement.

“Yes, Zhi Xu, please put it on for me.”

He didn’t have so many concerns. Hearing her say that, he picked it up from her palm, unfolded it, and looped it around her neck. The necklace settled into the scarf she had pulled away, against her skin, a moment of coolness that was quickly warmed by her body temperature.

After putting it on, Tan Zhi Xu carefully smoothed her hair, and placed a clandestine kiss on her hair.

“But Zhi Xu, I didn’t prepare a gift for you,” she said, feeling a little upset.

Raising his hand and pinching her soft cheeks, Tan Zhi Xu raised his eyelids, his voice still lazy, but his eyes and the smile on his lips were extremely gentle.

“I did, how could there be none. You are.”

Zhu Shihao was the best gift in his life, and after meandering around, she was personally given to him after he developed ulterior motives.

(End of Chapter)