Chapter 56 Are you all asleep?! ...
Chapter 56
The setting sun casts a gentle glow.
It was already close to evening.
The afterglow of the setting sun streamed through the undrawn French windows, casting sunlight onto the messy carpet in the bedroom.
Chu Xingli woke up after a night and a day of tossing and turning.
The moment consciousness returned, all the pain and discomfort in my body came rushing back, vying to overwhelm me.
Chu Xingli felt as if she had been stuffed into a sack and beaten up.
Then they pulled him out again, kicked his arms and legs dozens of times, and finally blindfolded him and dumped him in a corner of an abandoned alley.
"Hmm..."
Driven by the pain in her body, Chu Xingli desperately wanted to find out what had happened yesterday.
Hopefully, his short-lived, almost laughable memory will hold up a little.
Chu Xingli opened her eyes in pain.
I found myself sitting directly above a mirror.
Why does it look so familiar?
It looks like his house?
Chu Xingli froze for a moment, then blinked incredulously.
...It must be because he opened his eyes wrong.
Try closing your eyes and then opening them again.
Chu Xingli opened his eyes again.
His bewildered expression was still clearly visible in the mirror on the ceiling.
Chu Xingli: "..."
He hoped it was just his imagination.
"Hugs, you're awake?" A familiar voice came from beside me.
Chu Xingli tilted her head and looked over, her pupils shrinking.
...Luo Xiaoran?
What's going on?
Why is Luo Xiaoran lying next to him?
Why are they sleeping in the same bed?
"Lie down a little longer," Luo Xiaoran took Chu Xingli's hand from under the covers and kissed it. "I'll go make you some porridge."
Chu Xingli stood there blankly as he kissed her fingertips, her chaotic mind still unable to sort things out.
After Luo Xiaoran finished speaking, he sat up from under the covers.
The corner of the blanket slipped down his shoulder.
Chu Xingli stared intently at the corner of the blanket the entire time, and at the upright shoulders and slender waist that were revealed after it fell down.
"..." Chu Xingli subconsciously swallowed.
After realizing what she was thinking, she couldn't help but curse herself for being a lustful glutton, unable to look away from these images.
"...Hey? What happened to your neck?" Chu Xingli noticed something was wrong, pointed a finger at Luo Xiaoran's neck, "And your lips, are they chapped? They're all cracked."
He was so focused on Luo Xiaoran's neck and lips that he completely forgot about his own condition.
"I'm fine," Luo Xiaoran said, not telling Chu Xingli that he had bitten himself, and changed the subject with a smile, asking, "How about you? Does it still hurt?"
Chu Xingli was certainly in pain.
From the bones to the flesh, everything aches and aches terribly.
"I was beaten yesterday..."
Before Chu Xingli could finish speaking, the events of the previous night flooded into her mind.
Startled, he held his breath for a moment, lying there stiffly, forced to process these...horrifying memories.
He and Luo Xiaoran yesterday...
Chu Xingli's head was spinning.
But the clear image in his mind was there, leaving him no room for rebuttal.
...They actually did it?!
Chu Xingli admired herself for remaining so calm after realizing the truth.
In fact, he knew that even if he didn't accept it, there was nothing he could do to change the situation.
Instead of being shocked, we should use that time to properly solve the problem and find out the reason.
Moreover, they must have done quite a bit when they first got married.
I don't care about this one time anymore.
"Yesterday..." Chu Xingli thought about how the two of them had always been together, so she changed her words, "Yesterday... how did we get back?"
Luo Xiaoran told the truth: "Halfway through, you said you wanted to go home, so I brought you back."
He wrapped himself tightly in a blanket and went out through the back door.
Chu Xingli: "..."
Dude, are you right?
That's too crude a way of putting it.
"Could you please pay a little more attention to your wording..." Chu Xingli's face was flushed, and she didn't even dare to look in Luo Xiaoran's direction.
That's too reckless.
Luo Xiaoran, realizing his mistake, replied, "Okay."
Chu Xingli was quite satisfied with his obedient attitude and breathed a slight sigh of relief.
The next second, Luo Xiaoran said again, "During our passionate encounter, you said you wanted to go home, so I brought you back."
The pronunciation is clear and accurate.
His tone was righteous and righteous.
Chu Xingli: "..."
You breathed a sigh of relief too soon.
"Were things... a little off yesterday?" Chu Xingli was referring to the drugging incident.
His memory was fragmented, and he couldn't piece together the events of yesterday in a coherent way.
The only way to extract useful information is by asking Luo Xiaoran.
Luo Xiaoran looked away, his voice becoming somewhat indifferent.
"well enough."
He wasn't telling the truth.
Or, to put it another way, he didn't want Chu Xingli to know the truth.
Given Chu Xingli's temperament, if she knew she had been tricked, she would definitely rush over to take revenge without delay.
However, his body has not yet recovered, and his brain cannot withstand strong emotions or stimulation.
Luo Xiaoran then chose to handle the matter alone.
It's best to keep it from Chu Xingli, at least until he regains his memory or is free from the risks of post-traumatic brain injury, before considering letting him know.
Besides, there was really no need to let Chu Xingli know.
Chu Xingli felt unwell and didn't notice the change in Luo Xiaoran's tone.
However, the awkward atmosphere he feared most continued to permeate between him and Luo Xiaoran.
It lingers.
It's impossible not to feel embarrassed when something like this happens.
But as long as he pretends not to care, Luo Xiaoran will be the one who feels awkward.
Chu Xingli cleared her throat, about to speak, when a glass of warm water was handed to her lips.
"Have some water first." Luo Xiaoran's voice had long since regained its usual gentle and deep tone, unlike the hoarse and tired voice he had last night.
It was noon when it ended. Luo Xiaoran didn't go straight to sleep, but went to the bathroom to get hot water and a hot towel.
After wiping Chu Xingli down, she took a shower herself before going back to bed to sleep.
At least I managed to recover some of my energy.
Chu Xingli drank water while stealing glances at Luo Xiaoran.
How come he's not embarrassed at all?
Oh right, Luo Xiaoran came back with him, so... what about Pei Jianian?
To be honest, Chu Xingli really didn't want to mention Pei Jianian's name at this time.
But the incident occurred at Pei Jianian's birthday dinner.
Before he even entered the hall, the conflict between him and Luo Xiaoran remained unresolved.
Everything should proceed according to the original plan, Chu Xingli thought to herself.
“We just had a one-night stand after drinking,” Chu Xingli looked into Luo Xiaoran’s eyes, hesitated, and bit her lip. “We still have to get a divorce.”
He said this with a tentative mindset.
Because I was really worried that Luo Xiaoran would be hurt or angry because of what I said.
However, Chu Xingli could never guess what Luo Xiaoran's current state of mind was.
After what happened last night.
Luo Xiaoran's confidence was greatly boosted.
He had seen how Chu Xingli loved him.
It was also clear that Chu Xingli, who had been hugging him tightly and asking for a kiss last night and kept shedding tears, had the same sincere and deep affection as he did on the day he turned eighteen.
Luo Xiaoran did not do anything to disobey Chu Xingli.
Hearing this, she obediently nodded, agreeing to whatever he wanted: "I'll do whatever you say."
Chu Xingli breathed a sigh of relief.
But I didn't ignore the fleeting feeling of suffocation and sadness in my heart.
“Before the divorce,” Luo Xiaoran promptly paved the way for Chu Xingli, “you can contact me anytime if you have any needs.”
Words that are offensive and offensive.
Chu Xingli Ergen Yi Hong.
...That really hit the nail on the head.
In the adult world, sometimes we don't need so many twists and turns.
Chu Xingli stopped pretending and nodded frankly: "Okay, if I have this idea, I'll come to you."
But we'll have to wait a few more days.
I can't take it anymore.
Luo Xiaoran was invigorated by this action, and no matter what Chu Xingli said, he was only thinking about—
"Why are you looking at me like that? Want to kiss me?" Chu Xingli saw that his expression was relatively relaxed, and her mood improved a lot, so she couldn't help but make a joke.
Unexpectedly, he inadvertently revealed Luo Xiaoran's innermost thoughts first.
Luo Xiaoran looked at him intently, clearly having been told what was on his mind by Chu Xingli.
Chu Xingli: "..."
Now, as soon as Chu Xingli closes her eyes, she can almost see the scenes of herself being tossed and turned over and over last night.
He really didn't dare to get close to Luo Xiaoran at all.
...That's terrifying.
I didn't recover for a whole night.
This is absolutely terrible!
Fortunately, Luo Xiaoran did not intend to do anything else, nor did he bring up the topic of Chu Xingli's earlier conversation.
She simply leaned over and kissed Chu Xingli's lips before getting dressed and going out to cook dinner.
Due to special circumstances, Chu Xingli has several things to avoid eating today.
However, Luo Xiaoran's culinary skills are superb, and he is still able to make many of the dishes that Chu Xingli likes from the limited options.
*
After dinner.
Despite the aches and pains in her joints and the exhaustion, Chu Xingli put down her chopsticks and went into her study to deal with official business.
Before entering the study, Chu Xingli hesitated for a long time before finally speaking out the words that had been weighing on her mind for the entire meal.
"Would you like to change your clothes?"
After all, Luo Xiaoran had told him during dinner that he was going to do a live stream at the director's invitation.
Is it a little inappropriate to dress like this?
Luo Xiaoran looked down at his pajamas, his eyes full of innocence: "Why?"
Chu Xingli naturally couldn't tell that he was pretending to be stupid; he just felt like he had punched a cotton ball.
Faced with Luo Xiaoran's calm and composed attitude, he himself seemed to be making a fuss over nothing.
"I'm afraid you'll be cold." Chu Xingli stood there for more than ten seconds before she could barely come up with this reason.
Luo Xiaoran smiled and said, "I'm not cold, thank you for the hug and concern."
Chu Xingli waved her hand helplessly: "Whatever makes you happy."
After saying that, he pushed open the door to the study and went inside to work.
Luo Xiaoran's live streams are entirely dependent on his mood.
He was in a very good mood today, so of course he wouldn't refuse the director's request.
Luo Xiaoran entered the live stream room that the staff had started preparing in advance.
This immediately sparked a frenzy among fans in the comments section.
The crew members were thrilled when they saw him enter the live broadcast room:
Hello, Teacher Luo!
Luo Xiaoran nodded politely: "Hello."
The staff member seemed to see the prize money beckoning to them: "Oh my god, thank you so much, Teacher Luo, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this live stream for everyone!"
Luo Xiaoran smiled and said, "Yes, I just finished dinner with Baobao."
Staff: "???"
He wore a front-buttoned loungewear outfit, which allowed viewers in the live stream to easily see the deep red hickeys on his neck and collarbone.
[Staff: Huh? I haven't asked about this step yet.]
What's that on your neck? Tell me what it is?! (Heartbreaking)
[She was even wearing a traditional Chinese-style pajamas jacket; who knows if it was intentional or just a coincidence?]
[Given Ranzi's current condition, do we even need to invite him? I feel like even if we don't invite him to stream, he'll just pop up and show everyone the hickeys on his neck.]
I don't believe it, my wife won't abandon me (tears streaming down her face)
[Staff: How are you feeling today, Ms. Luo? Ranzi: Yes, the marks on my neck are from Bao Bao's bites.]
Lu Yunxin hasn't been filming lately; she's currently in the live stream room.
She played on her phone while occasionally answering questions from fans in the comments section.
As soon as she saw Luo Xiaoran enter, she was about to speak when her gaze was drawn to the marks on her younger brother's neck.
...Why is their relationship progressing so quickly?
Good evening, Sister Lu.
Luo Xiaoran noticed that Sister Lu's eyes were gleaming with a sharp light.
She looked eager to ask him some bold questions.
Seeing this, the staff member who dared not ask the question aloud nervously stared at Lu Yunxin, encouraging her with his eyes.
Dear Teacher Lu, for everyone's sake, you must ask!
Lu Yunxin acted immediately, refusing to waste time: "Xiao Ran, that scratch on your neck..."
Just then, Chu Xingli came out of the study.
This directly confirmed everyone's thoughts.
Chu Xingli was extremely concerned about saving face.
Even if he was unable to walk a step one second because of back pain or buttock pain, he would straighten his back instantly the next second because he was about to appear in front of the camera.
He walked past Luo Xiaoran with his head held high and chest out, seemingly casually.
Ah! Hugs! My dear wife~
[Seemingly hesitant, but actually quite adept]
Sister Lu is practically acting out my personality.
[Looking at Bao Bao's slightly conservative walking posture, I understand everything (doge)]
[The way he's walking so cautiously is so obvious... I won't tell who burst out laughing.]
[So happy!]
Chu Xingli would not let Luo Xiaoran lose face in front of outsiders.
Although he knew that Luo Xiaoran wouldn't actively call on him to come over and greet everyone.
But Chu Xingli thought that since this was Luo Xiaoran's live stream, she should go and say hello.
Otherwise, no matter what, people will laugh at Luo Xiaoran for being wishful thinking.
He had read many comments online.
He and Luo Xiaoran were only divorced, not enemies.
Er Gou was doing parkour in the living room and didn't have time to pay attention to Chu Xingli, who came out of the study.
Frozen Pear and Boxing King stayed close together. When Chu Xingli came out, they meowed and stuck to her.
Chu Xingli wanted to bend down and scoop the two little ones up, but as soon as she moved, her face turned pale.
……pain.
Luo Xiaoran picked up Dongli and Quanwang, one in each arm, and placed them in Chu Xingli's arms.
Chu Xingli was finally able to sit next to him and waved to everyone: "Good evening, everyone, hello Sister Lu."
[Ahhh, it's on my neck too!]
[Soul Reincarnated as Little Mimi!]
His arm was exposed, and there were bite marks on it.
[His face turned pale. Hugs. You really gave it to him? o(╥﹏╥)o]
Could you invite me next time? I'd love to watch from the sidelines (doge)
[Ranzi, you really need to check Baobao's elementary school education! (earnestly)]
Chu Xingli: "..."
The comments section in the live stream was so bad it was unbearable to look at.
Chu Xingli was terrified by these rabid remarks.
He silently pulled his pajama collar tighter: "I'm thirsty, I'm going to get some water."
Luo Xiaoran suppressed a laugh, his expression calm: "Go."
Remembering Chu Xingli's walking posture, Luo Xiaoran quickly stood up and asked, "Can you carry me by yourself?"
Chu Xingli roared, "Shut up!"
This embarrassing thing has been exposed!
[hhh Hug: (Slams table) Now that you've said it, everyone knows, right?!]
[No need to hide it anymore, hug. Even if neither you nor Ranzi say anything, everyone understands (doge)]
*
After finishing her official business, Chu Xingli poured herself a glass of warm water.
He didn't linger behind Luo Xiaoran's live stream.
He was genuinely worried that he would be too weak to walk, so he simply went back to his bedroom to lie down and rest.
Thinking that he hadn't looked at his favorite novels and comics for several days, Chu Xingli took out his phone.
I opened the app with great interest.
He adjusted to a comfortable lying position, leaned against the cushions, and started reading.
"Buzz—Buzz—"
Chu Xingli was engrossed in watching the show, feeling rather disheartened, when Lin Ning called.
He was so frightened that his phone almost hit him in the face.
"Hey, Ningning?"
He was always incredibly enthusiastic towards Lin Ning, and answered the phone without a second thought.
Lin Ning seemed to be in a good mood today, and was quite ready to have a good chat with Chu Xingli.
After the two chatted about some trivial matters of their lives over the past few days, Lin Ning suddenly changed the subject:
"Xingli, you and Xiaoran..."
However, before Lin Ning could finish speaking, a sound similar to a large animal running wildly came from the other end of the phone.
Immediately afterwards, Zhu Ji's loud voice came through the receiver.
"Are you asleep?! Are you asleep?!" Zhu Ji's way of speaking was always extremely abrupt and bold.
Chu Xingli felt a wave of dizziness upon hearing this.
He was probably covered by Lin Ning's microphone and turned around to be scolded a few times.
Upon hearing Zhu Ji's voice again, it had become gentle and polite... offensive—
"So you and Xiaoran finally started living like husband and wife?!"
Xing Li and Xiao Ran can't fool him at all!
He had already noticed something amiss on Xiao Ran's neck during the live stream!
Chu Xingli, who was hit again: "..."
Lin Ning, who was clueless about raising her child: "..."
Chu Xingli got angry and hung up the phone in a huff.
Lie down on your back on the pillow.
The mirror on the ceiling has been replaced, but Chu Xingli can still see himself crying wildly last night through it.
"..."
Chu Xingli silently hugged her head and curled up into a ball.
Help!
Who can help him forget this memory?
"Buzz—Buzz—"
The phone, which had been tossed aside, vibrated again.
Chu Xingli touched it and took a look.
It was Ms. Ye Huihui who called.
We cannot avoid or refuse to answer.
"Mom." Chu Xingli answered the phone.
"Hugs, why didn't you answer Mom's calls?" Ms. Ye Huihui's voice was filled with worry. "Luckily, Ranran contacted me and said you drank too much and were sleeping soundly, otherwise Mom would have asked your older brother to look for you."
Luo Xiaoran is quite considerate.
Chu Xingli pursed her lips.
Not hearing a reply from Baobao, Ms. Ye Huihui assumed he was still uncomfortable and asked, "Baobao, do you want Mommy to go check on you now?"
That would be terrible!
"No, no, no! No need!"
Chu Xingli suddenly sat up in bed, afraid that Ms. Ye Huihui would come over now, and hurriedly explained, "Yes, I was very tired yesterday and slept the whole time. Mom, don't worry about me."
Hearing that Chu Xingli was alright, Ye Huihui was relieved. After reminding him and Luo Xiaoran to take care of their health, she hung up the phone.
Chu Xingli lay back down on the pillow, lost in thought.
I closed my eyes, trying to drift off to sleep.
Unfortunately, I simply couldn't do it; I wasn't sleepy at all.
"Buzz—"
Chu Xingli was convinced.
Why is it happening again?
He answered the call without even looking at it, sighing wearily, "..."
"Xingli, I heard you slept with Xiaoran yesterday?" Gu Zezhou's strong voice came through the receiver.
He showed no signs of the fatigue one would expect from someone on a business trip, and his tone was full of gossip and curiosity.
Startled, Chu Xingli instinctively reached out and covered the speaker, afraid that others would hear it.
...Although he was the only one in the room now.
But it still made Chu Xingli feel very guilty.
"No," Chu Xingli said stubbornly.
"Gagaga~"
Gu Zezhou laughed like a duck.
After laughing, she confidently exposed Chu Xingli's lie with the tone of "I already knew, you don't need to lie to me": "Those marks on Xiao Ran's neck are from dog bites, right?"
Chu Xingli: "..."
Almost reflexively, Chu Xingli looked down at the bruises on her wrist that were clearly bruised from being gripped so tightly.
And the faint red teeth marks on my forearm that haven't faded yet.
Was it a dog bite?
It's hard to say who's the dog between him and Luo Xiaoran.
"I'm sleepy, I'm hanging up." Chu Xingli was worried that he would trick her into revealing information, so she just wanted to end the call as soon as possible.
Gu Zezhou spoke rapidly: "When people are embarrassed, they usually pretend to be very busy, or they'll say they're sleepy or tired, tsk tsk~ I get it~"
Chu Xingli: "..."
Throughout the day, he was constantly reminded of the fact that he had slept with Luo Xiaoran the night before.
In terms of wording, admitting that "slept with Luo Xiaoran" was already the limit for Chu Xingli.
Any more would be impolite.
However, the promise I made with Luo Xiaoran... was a bit impulsive.
But it's also understandable.
You won't lose out.
Husbands and wives become casual sex partners, and then go their separate ways after divorce.
"Yawn..." Chu Xingli finally felt a little sleepy.
I was thinking of taking a quick shower in the bathroom, then lying down and going to sleep, so I wouldn't have to think about these upsetting things anymore.
Surprisingly, he seemed more energetic after taking a shower.
Lying on the pillow, blinking my eyes, I wasn't sleepy at all.
The night was still.
With no noise around, it's a perfect place to immerse yourself in your own mental world and clear your mind.
Chu Xingli slowly closed her eyes and placed her hands on her abdomen.
However, I accidentally touched my side and it immediately caused a sharp pain.
Chu Xingli lifted the hem of her clothes and took a look.
...It's bruised.
From the side of the waist to above the hip bone.
They all had bruises of varying degrees.
Following that trail, Chu Xingli found the other symmetrical position.
Sure enough, a bruised finger mark was visible.
Chu Xingli looked down at the curve of her fingers.
It was discovered that only a half-closed hand gesture could create this type of bruise in this location.
Chu Xingli: "..."
I was so focused on taking a shower that I washed too quickly and didn't have time to check the situation properly.
We need to check it carefully now.
Chu Xingli kicked his pants off and lowered his head angrily.
The scarlet teeth marks at the base of her thighs were immediately noticeable.
"..."
Why would you die from such a bite?
Is Luo Xiaoran a dog?
Definitely.
He drank some strong liquor and didn't know his own strength.
Chu Xingli closed her eyes, feeling utterly dejected.
A sound suddenly came from outside the door.
It vaguely sounded like Luo Xiaoran's footsteps.
Chu Xingli has excellent hearing.
It was clear that Luo Xiaoran was walking towards his room.
What does he want to do?
Why did he come to this room?
Could it be that you still want... you know...?
Absolutely not!
He was determined to righteously and firmly reject Luo Xiaoran!
You also need to tell Luo Xiaoran that what you're doing is wrong!
There are oxen that die from exhaustion, and... there are also fields that can be ruined by plowing!
The moment the bedroom doorknob was turned open, Chu Xingli immediately took a deep breath.
The burning fighting spirit that had been preparing to argue logically was instantly extinguished.
He buried himself in the covers and started pretending to be dead.
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