When Zhou Mingli returned home that evening, it was already past ten o'clock.
At this time, almost every household had turned off their lights, and the stairwell was pitch black, with only the pale, dark white of the snow on the ground outside reflecting off it.
When he got home, he was suddenly startled to see a dark figure emerge from the kitchen.
"Zhou Mingli?"
"Jiang Ci?"
The two spoke at the same time, and Zhou Mingli's shoulders relaxed. "It's me."
With all three children asleep, Jiang Ci didn't turn on the light. She walked towards Zhou Mingli and felt the coolness emanating from him, causing her to sneeze.
Zhou Mingli stepped back and said, "I'm cold. Don't get so close to me, or you'll catch a cold."
Jiang Ci rubbed her slightly itchy nose and handed him the water cup she was holding in her other hand. "This is freshly poured hot water. Drink some to warm yourself up."
Zhou Mingli followed her hand to the cup, tilted his head back and took a sip. He found it to be warm but not hot. He then drank the water in one go, and his cold body felt as if it had been warmed.
Jiang Ci suddenly approached and touched his cheek; it was so cold that even her fingertips felt chilly. "There's still hot water in the kitchen; wash your hands and face."
Zhou Mingli chuckled softly and replied with an "okay".
He went to the kitchen, poured Jiang Ci another cup, and brought it to the bedroom before going to wash up.
He changed out of his clothes, which were chilled by the wind and snow, and then returned to the master bedroom.
Jiang Ci had finished drinking the water, lay on the bed and yawned, looking at him and saying, "You worked quite a long overtime today."
Helpless, Zhou Mingli lay down and pulled the person into his arms, saying, "It was supposed to end at 8:30, but my master had dinner with me, the managers of the state-run restaurant, and several other state banquet chefs, and we talked about some banquets that might be held later."
"Several head chefs will take turns leading the state-run restaurant's chefs to be in charge of the banquet dinners. I should have an easier time in the next few days, but... the days before the Lunar New Year are another story."
"I hope you can relax." Jiang Ci rolled over, lay on her stomach on the bed, and beckoned to him with her finger, as if to say, "I'm going to tell you a secret."
Zhou Mingli chuckled, but obediently lowered his head.
Jiang Ci mumbled something in his ear.
Zhou Mingli's expression darkened for a moment, but he quickly lowered his eyes to hide his emotions.
He gently patted Jiang Ci's head. "I know. I'll keep a close eye on things from now on. Don't forget to tell Zhe Yue tomorrow to stay home as much as possible."
"I know."
Zhou Mingli pulled her into his arms and said in a low voice, "Don't worry."
Jiang Ci muttered to herself, "I'm not worried at all. I can't wait for those little devils hiding in the dark corners to crawl out so I can catch them all and have complete peace of mind."
Compared to her open rivals Guo Zhen and Xia Lei, Jiang Ci dislikes being stabbed in the back even more.
For example, Zheng Xiao, and the likes of Bai Hua.
Zhou Mingli chuckled, "Jiang Ci, you really hate people who stab you in the back."
"Is that even a question?" Jiang Ci pressed her hand against his chest, yet felt the vibrations within it. Finally, she touched his face and asked, "Isn't it a bit cold to ride a bicycle to work in winter?"
"It's alright, it's cold outside, so my face will definitely get cold from the wind when I ride my bicycle."
Zhou Mingli said something, paused slightly, and gently rubbed his cheek against Jiang Ci's palm, saying, "It's not cold anymore as soon as I get home."
"It's warmer to hold you in bed." His hand caressed Jiang Ci's waist, his words carrying a hidden meaning. "Want to be even warmer?"
"Take it away, I don't want to get up in the middle of the night to wipe myself, I'll freeze to death." Jiang Ci sternly refused Zhou Mingli's invitation.
There's no heating here, and Jiang Ci doesn't want to have to suffer after enjoying herself.
Zhou Mingli sighed deeply, "Can't we at least kiss for a little while?"
Jiang Ci wanted to say no, but worried that it would go too far, the person had already pressed her head down.
A thick blanket covered the two of them, their bodies and heads enveloped in the sweltering heat and adrenaline-pumping intimacy, shielding them from the harsh cold outside. The cramped space became the warmest haven in the world.
Zhou Mingli still got up before dawn.
He felt Jiang Ci's gentle breath against his chest, then hugged her tightly and kissed her face several times.
Then, as if petting a cat, he buried his head in Jiang Ci's neck and took several deep breaths.
It was as if they wanted to etch her scent into their very being.
Jiang Ci groaned unconsciously and raised her hand to push him away.
But Zhou Mingli grabbed his hand.
"Lying in bed with your loved one in winter is the most wonderful thing that wears down your willpower," he said in a breathy, helpless whisper. "I really want to sleep with you until we naturally wake up."
Jiang Ci responded to Zhou Mingli with a turn of her head.
Zhou Mingli chuckled silently, kissed the back of her neck as she turned away, and only with great willpower did he get out of bed. He tucked the blankets in tightly, then tiptoed to wash up, changed his clothes, and left the house.
Wearing a scarf and hat, only his eyes were visible. His gaze swept down to an inconspicuous corner, where he also saw the origami crane.
Zhou Mingli's eyes flickered, and without saying a word, he put his hands in his pockets and went downstairs to work.
After receiving Jiang Ci's instructions, Huang Zheyue and Jiang Ci took the two children to school together after breakfast, and then stayed at home without going out.
After Zhou Mingli returned in the afternoon, he parked his bicycle in another location, took a different route, and returned home.
Few people noticed that he went home.
Huang Zheyue looked at him, then at her own book, hesitated for a long time, and said, "Uncle Zhou, how about I teach you to read?"
“Look at Aunt Jiang, she graduated from high school and is now working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while you’re just a kitchen helper. What will you do if the gap between you two widens in the future?”
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