Chapter 17 - Bear With It

His voice was low and heavy after having been suppressed a long time. Each word wormed its way into Qin Shu's ear, making her body stiff and nervous.

When he felt her body tensing up, Fu Tingyu curled the corners of his lips mockingly. "You said such moving words, but your body's reaction is painfully honest."

It was only then that Qin Shu discovered her body had stiffened from nervousness. This was an instinctive reaction, one that was not within her control.

He must have mistaken this to mean that she hated body contact with him.

"Is there anything wrong with me climbing into my husband's bed?" her voice was slightly low as if she was slightly embarrassed.

Fu Tingyu was stunned. He gazed at the girl who was within his reach on this night. With the help of the moonlight, he could see how her eyes were filled with stars—they were so dazzling.

This was the first time his babe had addressed him as her husband.

"Hearing babe call me her husband is so exceptionally moving." he thought.

Fu Tingyu's eyes darkened. He subconsciously licked his dry lips, feeling a little out of control.

Qin Shu lowered her gaze slightly. Her palms were drenched in perspiration from nervousness. However, she forced herself to remain sitting there, motionless, as if waiting.

Fu Tingyu tightened his grip around the bedsheets and at long last, rose and got out of bed.

Even though there was not a trace of light in the room, he easily navigated his way to the bathroom, having grown used to the room layout, before shutting the door with a thud.

The atmosphere in the room had originally felt stifled, but following Fu Tingyu's departure, the pressure of the airflow was gradually eased.

Qin Shu's already nervous expression grew even more tensed. Fu Tingyu not only disbelieved her, but she had also further angered him.

Should she not have referred to him as her husband?

At this moment, the bathroom was completely dark. Only the moonlight that streamed in through the window illuminated the bathtub.

Fu Tingyu's tall and slender body was seated in the bathtub. The cold water within the tub reached his waist and the front of his bathrobe was undone.

In the night, only the outline of his sharp side-profile and the tall bridge of his nose could be seen.

A cigarette was pinched between his slender fingers. He brought it to his lips and took a drag. White smoke melted into the night sky until it disappeared completely.

In his head, he was replaying Gu Yan's words: "Do you want your hand to become disabled?"

Fu Tingyu still had to protect his babe, so, all he could do was bear with it.

…

At the start of the following day, the first ray of sunlight shone through the window.

Qin Shu, who had been deep in slumber, suddenly opened her eyes. She sat up on the bed reflexively, and it was only then that she realized she was the only person in the room.

Her original intention had been to wait until Fu Tingyu emerged from the bathroom. How did she end up falling asleep?

She quickly grabbed her phone and looked at the time. It was 7:30 A.M, still early enough that Fu Tingyu shouldn't have left for work yet.

Hurriedly, she got out of bed, put on her shoes, and had just reached the door when she ran into Wang Ma who oversaw cleaning the rooms.

As Qin Shu was in a rush to eat breakfast with Fu Tingyu, she turned and left the room without even greeting Wang Ma.

This behavior, in Wang Ma's eyes, was perceived as borne of shyness. Perplexed, her eyes swept over Madam who was in a great hurry to leave. A look of amusement gradually grew in her eyes.

"Mr. Fu and Madam slept together last night—it is so good to see that they are getting along harmoniously," Wang Ma thought.

After tidying up the study room and lounge, Wang Ma left with a smile.

Upon seeing Wang Ma descend from the second floor with a smiling face, Housekeeper Shi asked, "Wang Ma, did something joyous happen?"

"I saw Madam leaving the study room when I went there to clean it. Isn't this considered a joyous matter?" Wang Ma whispered with a smile on her face.

"You mean Mr.. Fu and Madam…" Realization dawned upon Housekeeper Shi's face, followed by a smile.