Chapter 494 Study

Back at the courtyard house, Zhang Yueran was still thinking about that book. She had begged and pleaded with Zhou Xingzhi for a long time before he finally managed to find it through a friend with connections—a forbidden book that was impossible to find anywhere else.

Unfortunately, I've been too busy to take a closer look.

After being asked about it tonight, her curiosity was simply irrepressible.

She quickly finished washing up, and while Zhou Xingzhi was taking a shower, she took out the book with the kraft paper cover from the innermost shelf and carefully opened it under the bedside lamp.

The first few chapters were quite proper, but the further she turned the pages, the more straightforward and in-depth the content became, with rich illustrations and detailed descriptions and bold language that completely exceeded her expectations.

Her cheeks flushed and her heart pounded. She was overwhelmed by the knowledge, yet she couldn't help but be drawn in. Her eyes were wide as she read page after page, her breathing becoming shallow with tension, and her ears were perked up, constantly alert to any changes in the sound of water in the bathroom.

The thrill of feeling guilty made her heart race even faster.

Just as I was reading a jaw-dropping passage, I suddenly caught the sound of a bathroom doorknob turning.

Zhang Yueran was startled and hurriedly stuffed the book into a small drawer on the inside of the bed frame before quickly retreating back into bed and closing her eyes tightly.

Zhou Xingzhi walked into the bedroom, drying his half-dry hair. He immediately saw his wife lying obediently on her back, the blanket covering her chin, revealing only her rosy cheeks. Her eyelashes trembled like startled butterfly wings, and the blush on her cheeks had not yet faded.

He was clearly pretending to be asleep, and his act was full of obvious flaws.

He immediately realized that she must have secretly read the book and was feeling guilty right now.

He didn't expose her, but simply reached out and gently stroked her burning cheek with his cool fingertips.

The cool touch on her face made it impossible for Zhang Yueran to continue pretending. She slowly woke up, opened her eyes, and looked around at him.

"Hmm...you're done washing?"

Zhou Xingzhi did not answer, but stared at her with a deeper smile on his lips.

The light outlined his handsome features: phoenix eyes, fine eyebrows, and a straight nose. His skin appeared even whiter because he had just taken a shower.

She was like a piece of fine jade that had been soaked in warm water, clean and alluring.

Zhang Yueran's heart skipped a beat as she read it. The descriptions from the book somehow popped back into her mind, and her face grew even hotter.

Suddenly, Zhou Xingzhi's expression froze slightly, replaced by a smile of surprise and helplessness.

He quickly leaned over, took a clean handkerchief from the bedside table drawer, and pressed it under her nose.

"Yueyue, don't move, and don't look up." His voice was low and reassuring.

Zhang Yueran was still in a daze when she heard this. She subconsciously reached down and touched her nose, her fingertips stained with bright red blood.

She...she's having a nosebleed!

Zhang Yueran froze instantly, and then her face turned bright red at a visible speed, from her neck to her cheeks and the tips of her ears, and even her eyes became red with anxiety.

Oh my god!

She even got a nosebleed from looking at him!

This is absolutely shameful!

She wished she could dig a hole and crawl into it right now, or turn back time so she could go to sleep peacefully!

Looking at her humiliated and indignant appearance, Zhou Xingzhi's smile almost overflowed.

He gently pressed a clean handkerchief against the sides of her nose and softly comforted her, "Don't panic, it's okay. Lower your head a little, yes, just like that... Relax, it's probably because the heating is too strong and it's a bit dry. It'll be fine in a bit."

Zhou Xingzhi's movements were extremely gentle, without the slightest hint of mockery.

The more he acted this way, the more ashamed Zhang Yueran felt. She didn't dare look at him and could only let him do as he pleased. She cursed herself eight hundred times in her heart and couldn't help but wail: This damn book! And this useless nose! How can she ever hold her head up in front of Zhou Xingzhi again!

Once the nosebleed had truly stopped, Zhou Xingzhi went to get a new damp towel and helped her wipe away the remaining traces on her face.

He tidied everything up, lay back down beside her, gently pulled her into his arms, and finally chuckled softly, his chest heaving: "Yueyue...you really are..."

Zhang Yueran buried her face in his chest, protesting in a muffled voice, "Don't laugh! Don't say anything! Forget it! Forget it now!"

Zhou Xingzhi stopped laughing, but the rise and fall of his chest still betrayed his emotions.

Zhang Yueran was even more embarrassed and angry. She hurriedly straddled him and pinned him down.

In the dim light, she looked down at him, her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide and wet, trying to create a fierce aura, but the effect was more like a blustering, frizzy kitten.

"Zhou Xingzhi!" she called him by his full name, "You...you're not allowed to think about what just happened! Do you hear me?"

Her "insubordinate" attitude is truly rare.

Zhou Xingzhi raised an eyebrow in slight surprise, then his gaze darkened.

Her clothes were disheveled, her collar askew, and her long black hair slipped down her shoulders, with a few strands clinging to her sweaty neck, trembling gently with her slightly panting breath, making her appear even more charming and unrestrained, like a rose that suddenly blooms in the night, recklessly exuding an alluring fragrance.

His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, his voice lower and hoarser than usual: "What?" He raised his hand, his fingertips gently brushing aside the strands of hair on her cheek, "...I just learned a new trick from a book, and I'm going to...put it into practice so I can forget?"

Zhang Yueran's little scheme was exposed by his words, leaving her nowhere to hide.

Shame, panic, and a hint of restless curiosity.

Looking at his thin lips, she was overcome with emotion and forgot everything else.

"You, you mind your own business!" she shouted, her voice trembling with fear, before actually bending down and kissing his lips.

Her kisses were haphazard and unorthodox, just instinctive sucking and biting, clumsy and messy.

Zhou Xingzhi did not respond immediately, but simply endured it, letting her clumsily put it into practice.

He squinted, his eyelashes trembling slightly, his breathing gradually becoming deep under her reckless advances.

He didn't respond immediately, but whenever Zhang Yueran showed any signs of backing down, he would subtly entice her to continue.

...

After a long while, Zhang Yueran took a moment to breathe heavily and complain in the crook of his neck, "I...I think...I still need to study more...This...is so tiring..."

The movement of the Zhou Xingzhi that had been silently endured has finally begun.

His hand, which had been around her waist, suddenly moved up, pressing her even closer to him until their bodies were pressed tightly together, their heat scorching each other.

He took her soft earlobe into his mouth, sucking and nibbling it gently, feeling her shiver, before whispering in her ear, word by word:

"Okay, I'll teach you."

Zhang Yueran was bewitched by the gentleness in his voice, her mind wandering. She could only nod, letting him lead her into a maze.

The teaching was long and meticulous. He was extremely patient, guiding her step by step, telling her how to do it, and demonstrating it to her.

His lips were burning hot, his hands were burning hot, and their breaths mingled together, indistinguishable from one another.

Zhang Yueran studied very diligently. She has always been a good student who never admits defeat, even in a class that makes people blush with embarrassment.

Zhou Xingzhi had extremely high standards. If she lost focus even slightly, or if her movements became clumsy or awkward, he would stop, fix his gaze on her, and coax her softly, or give her a command:

"This isn't right... Let's try again."

"Focus... Yueyue."

"Slow down...learn from me."

He did it again and again, patiently and tirelessly, until she got it right.

At first, Zhang Yueran still had that competitive spirit, but gradually, her physical strength and mental energy were completely exhausted by the extremely high intensity of studying.

Her breathing was disordered, her body was weak, her eyelashes were wet and stuck together, and even her fingertips were trembling slightly.

However, Zhou Xingzhi remained strict, as if he really wanted to teach her to be an excellent student.

Finally, Zhang Yueran exhausted her last bit of strength.

She buried her face in his sweat-dampened shoulder, too weak even to shake her head, and sobbed intermittently.

"Let's learn again next time... okay?"

"I...I really can't keep studying..."

Zhou Xingzhi felt a pang of pity for her as he looked at her, so worn out by her studies.

He kissed her sweaty forehead: "...Reinforcement after class, continue tomorrow."