SM Chapter 72

Chapter 72: Moon Book Red Thread “Yes, be good to you.”

Chapter 72: Moon Book Red Thread “Yes, be good to you.”

The first thing Zhu Shihao said upon opening her eyes and seeing Tan Zhi Xu was, “Ah, have you had lunch yet?”

“Your self-awareness is quite clear,” Tan Zhi Xu said, placing the bowl and plate on the bedside table. “No, it’s past ten o’clock. Aunt Liu asked me to wake you up for food.”

She rolled over and lay on her stomach, tilting her head to look at him, sniffing her nose with some distaste.

“So you brought it up for me? How am I supposed to sleep with this smell in the room? You might as well have just called me down to eat.”

Tan Zhi Xu stared at her for two seconds, then made as if to get up and take the bowl away.

“Hey, hey, what are you doing?” Zhu Shihao leaned forward and pressed his hand down.

“Since you dislike the smell in the room, I’ll take it back down. Miss, just pretend I wasn’t here.”

She pouted. “You really can’t take a joke.”

Tan Zhi Xu gave a smile that wasn’t quite a smile. “That counts as a joke? Alright, get up and eat.”

As he spoke, he patted her bottom.

Zhu Shihao got out of bed and stretched first. She slipped on her slippers, but before she could even stand up, someone pulled her, and Tan Zhi Xu kissed her. Just as he was about to deepen the kiss, she pushed him away.

“I need to brush my teeth.”

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. “Go ahead.”

By the time she finished washing up and came back, Tan Zhi Xu was holding his phone, apparently replying to a message from someone. When he saw her come over, he tapped the phone a few more times and placed it on the bedside table, reaching out to her.

“Eat. It’ll get cold in a bit.”

“Just by looking at it, I can tell this was made by my dad,” Zhu Shihao said as she ate, watching him.

That gaze, that look, was clearly waiting for him to ask.

Tan Zhi Xu followed her lead. “What’s wrong?”

Zhu Shihao moved the food that was about to enter her mouth slightly away and tilted her head to ask him, “Aren’t there any New Year’s gifts or red envelopes this year?”

It wasn’t that she wanted these things, but they were always there in previous years. This year, the sudden absence of them gave her the feeling that something was missing, and also caused a slightly inappropriate sense that he no longer cherished her now that he had her.

Of course, she trusted Tan Zhi Xu.

Raising his hand to pinch her soft cheek, Tan Zhi Xu said in a calm tone, “Why don’t you check your phone.”

“Hmm? Hold this.” Handing the bowl to him, Zhu Shihao’s eyes brightened a little as she reached for her phone, muttering, “I’m not being greedy for your things, okay?”

Tan Zhi Xu gave an “Mm” in response, not caring.

He wasn’t stupid. If Zhu Shihao wanted to be greedy for his money, it would be too easy; she wouldn’t even need to resort to deception or trickery.

“Wow, so generous.”

Her eyebrows curved as she smiled, and Tan Zhi Xu’s mouth tilted upward. He rubbed her head with his free hand. “Eat first. The gift is upstairs; we’ll go get it later.”

With that, he held a spoonful of porridge and offered it to her lips.

A knock came from the door, and Zhu Shihao subconsciously replied, “Come in.”

The moment Liu Ruoyin entered, she saw this scene. Staring at the spoonful of porridge, even though the person being served was her own daughter, she couldn’t help but glare. “Zhu Shihao, how old are you? How can you be so lazy?”

Zhu Shihao was completely confused. She looked at her mother, then turned a pouting face towards Tan Zhi Xu.

He chuckled softly and turned to explain, “No, Shihao was just replying to a message and asked me to hold the bowl for her; it’s my fault.”

“Alright, don’t defend her.” Liu Ruoyin didn’t believe it. One was willing to hit, and the other was willing to be hit. She was too lazy to say more, but her tone was subtly dangerous. “Zhu Shihao, get out of bed.”

Having said that, she turned and left.

The two looked at each other, and Tan Zhi Xu fed her a mouthful. “Mm, you were wronged; you must be feeling aggrieved.”

“It’s not that serious.” She took the bite, then took the bowl and spoon from him herself.

After finishing her meal, Zhu Shihao changed her clothes, and the two of them went downstairs together.

Jia Jia ran over and hugged her leg. “Auntie, Happy New Year!”

Zhu Shihao looked down and tugged at the two little buns made of her braids. “Happy New Year.”

She pulled out the red envelope she had brought down from her pocket and gave it to her.

“Thank you, Auntie.” Jia Jia grinned as she accepted it, then turned and handed it to her mother. “Mommy, help me keep it safe.”

Finally, she didn’t forget to emphasize, “It’s mine, okay?”

Zhu Suiyi looked down at her daughter, pursing her lips.

Tan Zhi Xu, coming over from the kitchen, also took out a red envelope and gave it to Jia Jia. As in previous years, Jia Jia didn’t hesitate, said “Thank you, Uncle-in-law,” and then turned it over to her mother.

The child couldn’t see it, but Zhu Suiyi clearly noticed that this red envelope was significantly thicker than the others.

However, Zhu Suiyi lightly snorted, glancing at Tan Zhi Xu. “Just because the identity is different, things are different, huh? There’s a big difference between being an uncle and an uncle-in-law.”

“Suiyi.” Zhu Shihao called out helplessly.

Tan Zhi Xu’s lips curved into a smile as he accepted it gracefully. “Sister Yi is right.”

His frank acknowledgment rendered Zhu Suiyi speechless. After two seconds, she muttered, “You’re really honest, aren’t you.”

After sitting for a while, Tan Zhi Xu scratched her palm. Seeing her look over, he said, “Do you want to go upstairs and see the gifts?”

Zhu Shihao’s lips curved into a smile. “Okay.”

The two went up to the third floor. The gifts weren’t just one or two items; there were bags, bracelets, and even a pair of high heels and hair clips.

Holding the hair clip, she smiled helplessly and happily. “Why even send hair clips? I’m already this old.”

Leaning against the wall, Tan Zhi Xu said casually, but tenderness inadvertently flowed from his face.

“Seven-year-olds can get them, seventeen-year-olds can get them, of course twenty-seven-year-olds can get them, seventy-seven, eighty-seven, ninety-seven-year-olds can get them too.”

The first time she had received a hair clip from him could be traced back twenty years. It was far less delicate and expensive than the one in her hand now, a plastic one with overflowing glue.

Years had passed, and the luster had long faded, but it still lay quietly in her box of collectibles. No matter when she saw it, it still brought the same joy she had felt when she first received it.

“Why buy so many? I rarely wear hair clips.”

There were six in this box. It was obvious that he had taken them apart and put them together himself; if it weren’t for the texture and workmanship, she would have thought it was a box bought online.

Tan Zhi Xu looked relaxed, his back slightly arched, and his demeanor was casual, but the look in his eyes as he looked at her was clear and focused.

“I was originally thinking of giving two to Jia Jia, and you could play around with the rest. But then I thought, these things aren’t even worth much, so you and Jia Jia can play with them together.”

He spoke casually, as if these weren’t items that cost four figures each, but rather four yuan each.

Before Zhu Shihao could speak, the man leaning against the wall straightened up. The height difference made him lower his head slightly. Looking at the beautiful girl in front of him, Tan Zhi Xu took a step forward and hugged her loosely, resting his chin on the side of her head.

A smiling voice came from above. “I can give Shihao whatever she likes, whenever, whatever, as long as I can. If I can’t, then…”

He dragged out the ending, stopping there. Zhu Shihao couldn’t help but ask, “Then what?”

“Then I’ll go freeload off my parents.”

His tone was somewhat deliberately serious, and then he chuckled softly.

Zhu Shihao punched him lightly. “You really are a good son.”

She put down the box, hugged him back, and the two stayed there quietly for a while, without speaking or moving, but it wasn’t boring. The soothing, pleasant atmosphere was very relaxing.

Tan Zhi Xu lifted her up, with his hands around her waist, took a step back, sat down against the desk, and casually placed her on his lap.

“I want to kiss you for a bit, Shihao. They’re here, so I can’t really kiss you.”

Mainly, he was afraid that he would go too far, and Liu Ruoyin and Zhu Yingqing wouldn’t be able to stand it.

The words expressed a bit of frustration. It was rare to see him like this, and Zhu Shihao curiously examined him, seeing his unhappiness through his calm expression and tight lips.

Raising her hand to smooth his slightly furrowed brow, Zhu Shihao took the initiative to lean in and kiss him.

“Okay.”

Tan Zhi Xu held her chin and bent his head to kiss her. Perhaps it was truly as he had said, that he really wanted to kiss her. From the moment their lips touched, the kiss was intense. He held her, explored, and even the tangling and sucking were forceful.

It wasn’t until he felt her rapid breathing that he slowed down, gently comforting her.

He didn’t know how long it had been before Tan Zhi Xu took the initiative to release her, burying his head in her neck. His voice was low and hoarse, and with his heavy breathing, it seemed somewhat muffled because of the position.

“I can’t kiss anymore; I’m feeling it.”

Zhu Shihao paused, then softly hummed in response, raising her hand to stroke his head.

How could she not feel anything when kissed by her lover?

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to kiss, but that she couldn’t at this moment.

After calming down for a good while, he finally raised his head, nuzzling her face. “Shihao, let’s go downstairs. If we don’t go down, I’ll lose points with Aunt Liu and Uncle Zhu.”

Hearing his words, she giggled. “Okay, let’s not give them a chance to deduct points.”

Without touching the other gifts, Zhu Shihao went downstairs with the box containing the hair clips. “Then I’ll share these with Suiyi and Jia Jia, okay?”

“Mm, you can do whatever you want.”

Tan Zhi Xu didn’t care about these little things. As for gifts, he could give Zhu Shihao as many as she wanted.

Sure enough, as soon as they appeared in the living room, they were faced with meaningful glances from everyone.

Zhu Suiyi was the most shameless, and she took the lead in teasingly saying, “Oh, the parents aren’t around, so why didn’t the two of you spend more time alone?”

Of course, if it were just her and her sister here, she could have said it more directly.

Zhu Shihao pretended not to see Liu Ruoyin’s dagger eyes and glared at Zhu Suiyi. “I even took the gifts apart, thinking of sharing them with you and Jia Jia.”

She still understood the principle of knowing when to stop. After making a joke, Zhu Suiyi took over her words in a timely manner. “Gifts? Is there even a share for me?”

“Yeah, hair clips. We’ll share them.” She sat down next to Zhu Suiyi and opened the box.

Zhu Suiyi knew at a glance that these weren’t bought by her sister. Although they weren’t short of money, they wouldn’t buy so many expensive and impractical hair clips at once.

“Zhi Xu sent them, right? It’s really rare that I can receive a New Year’s gift from Zhi Xu, even if it’s just being shared.”

From a young age, when the Tan family hadn’t become rich yet, Tan Zhi Xu spent almost eighty or ninety percent of his accumulated pocket money and New Year’s money on Zhu Shihao. It was also fortunate that he wasn’t materialistic.

Later, when the Tan family became rich, his wallet became even more full. Buying gifts became a simple matter of expenditure, but the act of giving Zhu Shihao gifts, whether on holidays or not, was amplified.

However, this special treatment had always been exclusive to Zhu Shihao. Sometimes Zhu Suiyi also lamented that it was lucky that she was already a relatively mature age when Tan Zhi Xu’s handwriting became larger, otherwise it would have been hard not to be envious and jealous.

But she had always known that her sister also loved her. However, she also loved her sister.

Thinking this, Zhu Suiyi reached out and touched Zhu Shihao’s head, and the expression on her face became kinder.

“There are six in total, just enough for us to have two each.” Zhu Shihao was accustomed to her occasional nervousness and didn’t care about her actions or expressions at all.

Since they had already been brought down, it meant that it had been agreed upon. Moreover, she believed that Tan Zhi Xu couldn’t have only sent hair clips. Zhu Suiyi let Jia Jia pick one and then picked one for herself.

“That’s enough, leave the rest to her.”

Zhu Shihao frowned slightly. “Pick one more.”

Zhu Suiyi refused. “It’s okay, such a small child only needs one. Don’t give her a chance to develop a false sense of entitlement. I’m fine; I don’t really like wearing these things.”

Otherwise, children can’t be spoiled, but she could still buy some for herself.

Zhu Shihao looked at her for a while. Knowing that she truly thought that way, she didn’t say anything more.

Like last year, the two families stayed here for a few days before leaving. Tan Zhi Xu also left with them. Zhu Shihao wasn’t here, so what was he supposed to do alone?

Before the end of the Spring Festival holiday, they gathered with Wei Wang and the others again, and Xu Yan and Bai Yizhao, who hadn’t left Sangzi, were also called.

Time passed normally and quickly. Just as Zhu Shihao continued to go to work and get off work, and Tan Zhi Xu continued to be affectionate with her, she received a call from Liu Ruoyin.

“Mom,” she said, lying on the bed and swinging her legs.

“Where are you?”

Keenly aware that Liu Ruoyin’s tone was off, her swinging legs slowly stopped. Zhu Shihao sat up, hesitating before choosing to tell the truth.

“In Shenyi.”

Liu Ruoyin, sitting in Zhu Shihao’s room, wasn’t surprised by this answer and looked calm.

“Come back tomorrow.”

Zhu Shihao pursed her lips. “Mom, tomorrow is Friday; I have to work.”

Liu Ruoyin remained unmoved, unusually forceful. “It won’t be a big problem if you miss one day at your studio. Come back tomorrow; I have something to ask you.”

She vaguely sensed that there was something she wanted to say.

She was silent for a moment before saying, “Okay, I’ll come back for lunch tomorrow.”

Liu Ruoyin gave an “Mm” and hung up the phone neatly.

Looking at her phone, Zhu Shihao felt uneasy and helpless when she thought about the questions she would face tomorrow. This mood lasted until Tan Zhi Xu came back after taking a call.

He saw her unease at a glance and asked her with a frown, “What’s wrong?”

Zhu Shihao suddenly woke up, tidied her expression, pretended to be normal, and even acted a little unconvinced.

“My mom called me back for dinner and told me to pack up all the unwanted clothes and things at home to throw away. How can I throw away all those things that are full of memories?”

Tan Zhi Xu knew that she kept a lot of things from her childhood. He observed her expression for a while before setting his mind at ease.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he touched her face and said with a faint smile, “Then just put them away. You can put them in Shenyi or Huating.”

Glancing at him, Zhu Shihao snuggled into his arms.

“Zhi Xu, how can you be so good?”

“Yes, be good to you.”

He could always keenly sense her emotions.

But coincidentally, she also knew how to most easily deceive him, even if it was just for the moment.