The deep and romantic kiss left Xia Xiyao nearly breathless.

In the end, she still had to lightly push Gu Xingyi’s chest before they finally parted. Clutching her face, Xia Xiyao felt like she was about to catch fire—otherwise, why was her face burning so hot?

Even Gu Xingyi’s gaze had gone from warm to scorching, making her lower her head and not dare to look at him again.

Watching her, Gu Xingyi let out a soft breath. When he spoke again, his voice was slightly husky.

“My dear wife’s kiss sure was passionate—it caught me completely off guard~”

Xia Xiyao’s face turned even redder. She pressed her lips together, finding Gu Xingyi more and more annoying. Typical guy—gets a kiss and still acts like the innocent one.

“Move aside~”

“……”

Gu Xingyi stayed crouched in place, not moving.

Xia Xiyao lifted her small face, puffing out her cheeks and glaring at him with those almond-shaped eyes—she looked just like a bullied little bunny.

“I want to take a shower.”

“M-My legs… went numb!”

Gu Xingyi gave a bitter smile. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to move—he’d just been crouching for so long, his legs were totally numb!

Xia Xiyao let out a soft laugh and blinked at him.

Oh! He wasn’t annoying—he was just a dummy!

Gu Xingyi scratched his head, feeling like his physical prowess had been deeply insulted. He plopped down onto the floor to shake off the numbness, then quickly got up and moved aside.

He really couldn’t understand it. He trained every day—how could his legs go numb just from squatting for a bit? Was his training still not enough?

Xia Xiyao went to take her shower. Only then did Gu Xingyi take off the towel wrapped around himself. Since he hadn’t brought any pajamas, he thought about it for a second, then slipped under the blanket wearing just his underwear.

And so began the wait—which lasted half an hour. Gu Xingyi ended up yawning from the boredom.

He really couldn’t figure it out—why did girls take so long in the shower?

Seriously, by now he could’ve showered ten times!

He reached for his phone and set an alarm. Tomorrow morning, they had to return to Jiangcheng. In just a couple of days, school would start again, and the kindergarten welcome ceremony was coming up.

After waiting a while longer, Gu Xingyi was already getting drowsy when the bathroom door finally opened.

Xia Xiyao stepped out with tiny steps. Her cheeks were flushed, whether from the steam or embarrassment, it was hard to tell. She was gently drying her freshly blow-dried hair with a towel and snuck a glance at Gu Xingyi on the bed.

Their eyes met.

Gu Xingyi’s gaze gradually sharpened, and Xia Xiyao instinctively tightened the towel around herself.

“Y-You… you’re still awake?”

???

Seriously, was that even a human sentence?

Gu Xingyi was speechless, but still replied with a completely straight face.

“I was worried my dear wife might’ve passed out from the steam in the bathroom!”

Looking at the mischievous smile in his eyes, Xia Xiyao pursed her lips. This wolf in sheep’s clothing—his intentions were practically written all over his face, yet he still pretended to be so proper!

She stood frozen for a moment, unsure what to do.

“What are you standing there for… go to bed!”

Seeing Xia Xiyao’s flustered look, Gu Xingyi had to hold back a laugh.

“Mm~”

Xia Xiyao gave a soft reply and forced herself to walk calmly over to the bedside and sit down. The next second, with a click, she turned off the light.

Darkness blanketed the room.

Before Gu Xingyi could even react, the blanket was lifted—and a soft, boneless body slipped right into his arms.

!!!

Feeling the warm, smooth figure in his arms, Gu Xingyi didn’t dare move a muscle. Neither of them had anything on—it was true skin-on-skin contact.

In the darkness, he could even hear her slightly rushed breathing.

Their bodies were tightly pressed together, both frozen in place.

“H-Hold me.”

After a long while, Xia Xiyao’s muffled voice finally came from under the covers.

“O-Okay!”

Gu Xingyi swallowed hard and forced himself to stay calm. He reached out and gently wrapped his arms around Xia Xiyao.

Xia Xiyao, in turn, wrapped her arms around his neck and poked her little head out from under the covers.

At that moment, Gu Xingyi truly understood—

So the feeling from his arm earlier wasn’t lying to him! They were really that big…

“Dummy!”

Seeing Gu Xingyi move like a robot, doing only what he was told, Xia Xiyao whispered softly.

“What?”

Her voice was so low that Gu Xingyi didn’t catch it.

“I said you’re Gu Daizi!”

In the dark room, their eyes gradually adjusted to the dim light.

Xia Xiyao’s cheeks were flushed, but she fearlessly lifted her head and stared directly at Gu Xingyi’s face, just inches away.

Gu Xingyi looked down and met her watery almond eyes in the darkness. Their gazes locked.

“Well, even if I’m a dummy… you’re still the dummy’s wife!”

With Xia Xiyao’s words, Gu Xingyi finally relaxed a bit. A smile appeared in his eyes as he pulled her closer.

Seeing that smile in his eyes, Xia Xiyao pursed her lips, then quickly leaned forward and gave him a peck on the lips before darting back.

“Gu Xingyi… I was actually really scared tonight.”

“Hm?”

“I’ve always been afraid of the dark… and of ghosts. When I was singing tonight, I was so scared inside. But then I remembered you were right down below, and I didn’t feel so scared anymore. I thought—even if I’m the ghost bride, I’m your bride. Thinking like that… made me kind of happy.”

“Then… after we came back together, I got scared again…”

Xia Xiyao mumbled softly, and Gu Xingyi listened quietly.

When she finished, she lifted her head again to look at Gu Xingyi—like she didn’t want to look away for even a second.

“So that’s why you’re a dummy!”

Gu Xingyi chuckled and lowered his head to kiss her forehead.

“Well, a fool and a dummy—sounds like a perfect match!”

“All right, there’s nothing to be afraid of anymore. I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that I’ll always stay by your side.”

“So… good night?”

Hearing Gu Xingyi say good night, and seeing the smile in his eyes, Xia Xiyao froze. Tears welled up again in her eyes.

Gu Xingyi’s warmth… was always right here beside her.

Xia Xiyao buried her little face in the crook of Gu Xingyi’s neck and didn’t want to come out again.

“Good night!”

That was the last thing Xia Xiyao said that night, and it was the one sentence that gave Gu Xingyi the most peace.

So much had happened that night—from the performance to the hotel room—Xia Xiyao’s nerves had been tense the whole time. As soon as she closed her eyes, she quickly drifted off to sleep.

Which made things incredibly difficult for Gu Xingyi.

The warm, soft body in his arms left him wide awake with no chance of sleeping.

But he didn’t regret not doing anything. Some things were meant to happen at the right time. Xia Xiyao tonight… her “readiness” wasn’t truly ready in the real sense.

And so, in this torturous half-heaven, half-hell state, Gu Xingyi held out until after 3 AM before finally dozing off.

The next morning, Gu Xingyi’s internal clock, for once, failed him.

It was the alarm that woke him up.

Groggily, Gu Xingyi turned off the alarm. As he pulled his hand back under the covers… he suddenly felt a soft, full sensation in his hand.

And one hand couldn’t even cover it!

Gu Xingyi instinctively gave it a little squeeze… and was instantly wide awake.

He opened his eyes—and saw that Xia Xiyao’s face was completely red, her almond eyes staring at him with watery intensity.

Oh no.

He was doomed.

He really didn’t do it on purpose!

Gu Xingyi had the sinking feeling that no matter what he said now, there was no way to explain it clearly…