She was so embarrassed that she clenched her fist and lightly punched his shoulder, burying her burning cheeks deep in his strong, sweaty shoulder, her voice soft and sweet.

"No...that's ridiculous! How embarrassing!"

Shen Huaichuan, however, was relentless, his teeth gently nibbling at her blood-red earlobe, his hot breath spraying onto her neck, his voice hoarse and barely audible.

"My dear wife, please... just once, okay? Please?"

Zhou Qiqi's body went weak from his teasing, and her last bit of resolve began to crumble. Remembering his long criminal record, she playfully scolded him:

"You...you said the same thing last time! And the time before that! When did it ever count? You're lying..."

Shen Huaichuan raised his head, his deep eyes shining brightly in the dim light. He actually tried his best to put on a sincere and almost innocent expression as he looked at her, swearing to the heavens:

"This time it's for real, I promise, I'm a dog if I'm lying."

Seeing his rare childlike demeanor, Zhou Qiqi's heart softened, and as if possessed, her remaining rationality finally gave way.

She sighed, somewhat resigned and helpless, slowly climbed out of bed, walked to the wardrobe, and began rummaging through it.

A moment later, she slowly and reluctantly put on the cat costume she had worn for the family photo.

The soft fabric against the skin brings a slightly cool sensation.

She lowered her head, her fingers trembling slightly as she pulled on the zipper, feeling much more ashamed than when she wore it in the photo studio last time.

She was wrapped in a fluffy onesie, her two pointed ears stood up playfully on her head, and a long tail swayed unconsciously behind her.

Moonlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, outlining her petite yet adorably mischievous silhouette in her mascot costume. Her exposed skin was dazzlingly white, making her look like an innocent cat caught in a trap without realizing it.

Shen Huaichuan's eyes instantly darkened, becoming as dark as unyielding ink.

He reached out and gently cupped her face, which was covered by a cat headpiece. His fingertips lifted her blushing cheeks, and his thumb lingered on her smooth chin. A kiss filled with endless love and obvious longing landed gently yet firmly on her cheek.

...

The hazy moonlight cast the patterns of the curtains onto the wall, and on that wall, one could vaguely see a petite and delicate shadow with cat ears and a tail, which was closely enveloped by a taller and more imposing figure.

The shadow of the cat's tail initially swayed uneasily and gently, but gradually, as if it had lost its strength, it drooped softly, only to be gently and firmly embraced by the arm of another shadow.

In the stillness of the night, only their suppressed yet unbearable breaths remained, weaving together a beautiful yet scorching web.

......

The next morning, unsurprisingly, Zhou Qiqi overslept again.

The sun was already high in the sky, and bright sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains.

She opened her eyes groggily, and it took her a while to come to her senses.

Turning her head, she glanced at the empty bunk beside her, where even the blankets were cold. She huffed angrily and pulled the blanket over her head.

I'll never believe that man's nonsense again!

We agreed it would only be once, but it kept happening again and again, it never ended.

She was so exhausted that she could barely keep her eyes open, and she vaguely remembered that the person was still breathing and coaxing her in her ear.

"This is the last time, this is really the last time..."

What do you mean "last time"? It's clearly the last billion times!

She thought angrily, "Next time, next time I absolutely must not be soft-hearted again!"

I dawdled for a while before finally getting up.

It must be said that although Shen Huaichuan was discredited in some aspects, his thoughtfulness afterward was beyond reproach.

He must have been up late last night, but she was clean and fresh now, wearing clean cotton pajamas, which meant he had cleaned her up carefully.

Zhouzhou had already gone to school. Breakfast was left for her on the table, covered with a mesh cover.

After washing up, Zhou Qiqi ate some warm porridge and steamed buns. Her physical discomfort gradually subsided, and her mood brightened.

Fine, I'll let it go for now, since he still has some conscience.

After finishing breakfast, she quickly tidied herself up, hopped on her old bicycle, and rode off towards the garment factory, feeling refreshed and energetic.

------------------------------

Two or three days after the press conference, the deadline for the first batch of orders was yesterday.

Zhang Guoqiang spent the entire morning holed up in his office, busy with his abacus and documents without even looking up.

When Zhou Qiqi returned from the workshop, it was almost noon. As soon as she entered the door, he excitedly grabbed her to share his "battle report".

"Qiqi, we really fought a brilliant battle this time!"

His face was flushed as he pushed the compiled list in front of her.

"The first batch of orders for 'Ink Splendor' is this many—"

He held up two fingers and then gestured an eight, "Eighteen thousand pieces!"

All the production lines in the factory were running, but the monthly production capacity was less than 10,000 pieces. However, the enthusiasm of wholesalers from all over the country was overwhelming. Many people transferred their deposits in advance without even saying hello, and clamored to order the second batch of goods.

Looking at the number, Zhou Qiqi quickly calculated in her mind: 18,000 pieces, which would amount to 360,000 yuan. This was no small sum, and her tense shoulders finally relaxed slightly.

I can finally catch my breath.

Although the city provided a low-interest loan when she contracted the production line, the principal and interest still weighed heavily on her shoulders.

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