Chapter 31 – Underwear, Nightdress and Sanitary Pads
Mo Suqing shook her head and said, “I think it’s because you are spoiled! He used to do everything you wanted and now you have your own notions for lots of things, so you can’t stand a little reprimand or control.”
“Suqing, you really think so? You think I am unruly and willful too?”
Mo Suqing felt deeply misunderstood. When did I say anything about her being unruly?and willful?
“I think you have too much leisure time! You should spend some of it thinking about your future, and don’t pick a fight with your uncle all the time. He raises and treats you so well, you should be grateful.”
Leng Xiyao stared at her, “You?have never seen?him before. How do you know if he treats me well or not?”
Mo Suqing felt her head start to ache. What happened to this missy, with the persistent backtalk? She would like to know whom she had got it from.
She must meet this storied uncle of hers in person one day, to see what kind of man he was to spoil his little niece like this. After all, Leng Xiyao did not become outspoken and “willful” overnight.
“You chirp about him all the time. How can I not know he is nice to you?”
“Do I chirp about him all the time?” murmured Leng Xiyao, frowning.
“Whatever.” Mo Suqing nudged her a little. “Let’s get back to work. Don’t let Abbess Miejue catch us chatting!”
Leng Xiyao stuck her tongue out a little, retreated to her desk and began typing furiously.
Mo Suqing worked diligently until her phone rang after most of the office had gone home.
“I’m here. You can come out,” came Ye Zhongjue’s voice from the other end of the line.
Mo Suqing quickly finished up and left the office.
When she got?in the car, Ye Zhongjue turned to look at her and asked, “You must have waited for a long time.”
Mo Suqing fastened her seat belt while shaking her head. “No. The time is perfect. Stick to it every time.”
However, what she was really thinking was that at this hour, basically everyone at work would have gone home; it was perfect because no one would see them.
“Okay,” assented Ye Zhongjue. He started to drive in the direction of their home.
When they passed an intersection, Ye Zhongjue stopped the car close to the curb and asked Mo Suqing, “Do you want to have dinner at home or eat out today?”
Mo Suqing hadn’t realized she had already considered the place where she was living
as their home, too. Every time when Ye Zhongjue described it like that, she didn’t have any weird feelings.
Mo Suqing was going to answer that she wanted to eat at home. But then, she thought of how tired he must be after a day’s work and how?bad?she was at cooking.
She gave him a weak smile and replied, “Let’s eat out.”
Ye Zhongjue paused a moment to consider and nodded, “Alright!”
He parked the car in front of a clean-looking restaurant. The two of them walked in.
Soon after they ordered dinner, Mo Suqing’s phone started to ring.
Mo Suqing gave Ye Zhongjue an apologetic look and said, “Sorry, I’m going to get this.”
“It’s okay. Don’t be so ill at ease when you are with me.”
Mo Suqing was a little taken aback and did not say a word. She took a look at who was calling. It was Mo Zhenfeng.
“Dad,” said Mo Suqing when she answered the phone.
Mo Zhenfeng’s thunderous voice boomed at the other end of the line, “Suqing, what are you doing nowadays? Why haven’t you come home for a visit?” A bitter, sarcastic smile appeared at the corner of Mo Suqing’s mouth.
Go home? Which home? Is your home still?my?home?
But, she also knew that there was someone related to her by blood in that home, so she couldn’t stay away from it forever.
Her voice cracked just a little when she said, “I have been busy at work. I’ll go back for a visit after work tomorrow.”
“But how are you, living alone by yourself? Do you want me to buy you a car? A single woman shouldn’t live alone without a car. It’s too dangerous.”
“No, don’t buy me a car. I don’t know how to drive it, so it’s just going to be a waste of money. I’m fine living out here. I can take care of myself. Please don’t worry about me.”
“Well…” Mo Zhenfeng breathed out a low sigh. “I’m glad to hear it then. Come home tomorrow evening. I’ll have your Aunt Liu cook all your favorite dishes.”
“Okay,” answered Mo Suqing noncommittally. She didn’t know what to say any more than that.
Maybe this was going to be how she and her father talked from now on. Without any words of essence.
After hanging up, it was obvious Mo Suqing was in a low mood.
Ye Zhongjue peered at her. “Is that your dad?”
“Yeah,” Mo Suqing nodded. Then, she chuckled sarcastically, “In fact, he is not only my dad, but also someone else’s. He and I… are just father and daughter nominally now…”
“Don’t?be like that,” Ye Zhongjue could not help but reach out and take her hand.
Mo Suqing went rigid for a moment, but did not withdraw her hand. She knew he was just trying to comfort her.
“You don’t have to say a word. I understand. I am already used to it, after these years. But what about you? I have never heard you talk about your family.”
Ye Zhongjue’s expression changed a little, but Mo Suqing was too wistful to notice.
“Actually, my family have been wanting to meet you. I don’t know if you are up to it yet, so I didn’t tell you about them. We can arrange dinner sometime, if you want.”
Mo Suqing withdrew her hand and moved her lips a little, “I’ll think about it. I think it can wait.”
Ye Zhongjue had mixed feelings to her response; he felt both downcast and relieved.
He was downcast because he could see that she hadn’t really wanted to know about his family, or anything about him. He was relieved because he was afraid she would find out about his real identity if she met his parents.
These thoughts were conflicting inside his head.
Later at home.
Mo Suqing figured that since she was going home tomorrow, she would bring more of her clothes from there.
Therefore, she began to clear the content of her luggage. Meanwhile, Ye Zhongjue took a quick shower.
When Mo Suqing took out the luggage to the living room and went to the bedroom, she saw Ye Zhongjue emerging from the bathroom in a bathrobe.
A cloud of hot steam rose around him. His handsome face seemed to be less cold and severe than usual with added warmth and gentleness.
What a titillating picture! Mo Suqing could not help but swallow hard.
He really was an extremely handsome guy who, it seemed, didn’t?realize how attractive he was.
Mo Suqing looked away in embarrassment. “You took a shower.”
“Yeah,” replied Ye Zhongjue. He was drying his hair with a towel, sending beads of water everywhere. Mo Suqing felt some of them hit her face, fresh and slippery.
Feeling a sudden pang of panic, she hurriedly entered the bathroom while stuttering, “W-well, I-I’m going in then.”
She quickly opened the door and closed it behind her. She leaned against it and breathed?hard, her cheeks pink.
She just realized how difficult it would be not to fall in love with a guy like Ye Zhongjue after three years. Could she really keep her promise? Now, she wasn’t all that sure.
Mo Suqing’s weird behavior?caused?Ye Zhongjue?to halt his movement. He turned to look at the bathroom thoughtfully. A drop of water slid down his cheek at the tug of his moving Adam’s apple in a sensual way.
Mo Suqing stood under the shower, letting the water pour down on her face to sober her up. What was I thinking!
She rubbed her face hard, trying to clear her head.
After the shower, Mo Suqing reached out to grab her underwear and nightdress as usual.
She always dried and clothed herself in the bathroom before going out. However, this time, she groped for her clothes but found the rack to be empty.
She turned around and discovered that, in her haste escaping from Ye Zhongjue, she had forgotten her clothes!
She couldn’t believe this. The old clothes she stripped before showering?had been soaked in water and were, of course, wet through. She felt hopeless.
What now? Should I cover myself with just a towel?
No way!?She shook her head violently. That’s too much bare skin! I would die before I go out like that.
Another problem was, her menstruation hadn’t passed either. She needed a piece of sanitary pad.
How much would Mo Suqing like to scream her head off now!
Eventually, after some struggle, she decided?to?ask?for?Ye Zhongjue’s help.
But before she plucked up her courage, Ye Zhongjue, who had wondered why it took Mo Suqing so long to take a shower and had begun to worry, spoke first, “Are you alright?”
Mo Suqing closed her mouth again. She struggled some more, scrunching up her face.
In the end, she replied, “Well, I… I…”
She faltered like this for some time, unable to form a complete sentence.
Ye Zhongjue became more and more worried. I hope she’s okay in there.
“What? What are you trying to say?”
Hearing his concerned tone, Mo Suqing closed her eyes and thought, It’s nothing! We sleep on the same bed, for God’s sake! It’s just asking him to bring my clothes for me. That is all.
“Can you find my underwear, nightdress and sanitary pads and bring them to me please!”
Mo Suqing finished the sentence in one breath, her eyes closed the whole time.
Unfortunately, she spoke too fast for Ye Zhongjue to understand anything. His handsome eyebrows shot up. He put down the book he had been reading and walked to the door to the bathroom.
“What did you say? You were so fast I didn’t catch it. Did you forget anything?”
Mo Suqing’s head dropped to her chest. He didn’t catch it! So I have to repeat myself one more time…
Whatever! Now was not the time to care about trivialities. She had to wear something first!
“I said… Can you bring me my nightdress? They are in the closet, the green cotton ones. Also, my underwear is right next to my nightdress, at the bottom drawer. And… I need a piece of sanitary pad too. It’s in my nightstand.”
Mo Suqing said everything as calmly as she could. She didn’t feel like herself anymore, being so composed and collected. She let out a long breath.
Ye Zhongjue stood there, dumb.
Underwear, nightdress and sanitary pad??She forgot all of these?
The edges of his ears reddened.