The treatment ended quickly. After pulling the silver needle from Shen Jingzhe's heart, Lin Xiao removed the silk stocking that had been covering his eyes, then turned and left.

Shen Jingzhe lay in bed for quite a while before getting up and walking toward the bathroom. Her gaze fell upon the pair of stockings on the bed, the very ones that had just covered Lin Xiao's eyes. A tempting flush immediately spread across her incredibly beautiful face. Unfortunately, her veiled face hid it from view.

When Lin Xiao returned to Su Qingning's room, she was drying her hair. He took the hairdryer from her hand, and to his quiet delight, she naturally entrusted her hair to him. Her silken tresses danced like sprites in the warm air as she leaned into his arms, closing her eyes in blissful enjoyment.

After more than ten minutes, her hair was finally dry.

"Thank you," Su Qingning said softly.

Lin Xiao almost thought he was hallucinating. He chuckled, "Darling, there's no need for 'thank yous' between us."

Su Qingning didn't speak, but she sighed inwardly. Soon, we won't be.

Of course, Lin Xiao couldn't hear her thoughts. "It's getting late. Should we go to bed?"

Su Qingning nodded. She had already agreed to let him sleep in her bed, considering it a final gesture of repayment before their divorce. She got into bed first, and Lin Xiao climbed in after her.

Although Lin Xiao knew nothing would happen—he had promised her, after all—he couldn't suppress the excitement bubbling up inside him as he lay beside her. To spare her any awkwardness, he turned off the light.

In the pitch-black room, neither of them spoke. Su Qingning couldn't see the expression on his face, but he could see her perfectly. She was clearly shy, curling up and maintaining a distance of at least half a meter from him.

Although Lin Xiao had promised not to touch her, he hadn't promised he wouldn't hold her. So, despite her shyness, he pulled her into his arms.

Su Qingning's body immediately stiffened.

"Don't be afraid," Lin Xiao whispered into her ear. "I just want to hold you. You can sleep peacefully."

His hot breath tickled her ear, and her body trembled slightly. But his incredibly gentle voice soothed her frantic heart, and she began to relax, her body softening in his embrace. Lin Xiao could tell she was no longer as flustered.

Perhaps it was exhaustion, or perhaps his embrace made her feel particularly secure, but either way, she soon fell into a sweet, deep sleep.

Lin Xiao, however, was wide awake. The woman in his arms was Jinling City's number one belle. No, in his eyes, Su Qingning wasn't just the city's number one belle, she was its most captivating stunner. Her face wasn't that of a seductress, but her figure was scorching hot. Shao Mei'er and Chu Xiangxue already had impressive figures, honed by years of yoga, but Su Qingning's could easily eclipse them both. What normal man could possibly sleep while holding such a delicate beauty?

Fortunately, listening to her steady breathing, Lin Xiao's own heart began to calm down. He lay awake for a long time that night, thinking about many things: Su Qingning's career, her future, and their relationship. He lost track of time, eventually succumbing to drowsiness and falling asleep with her still in his arms.

In a daze, he thought he heard someone whisper in his ear.

"Lin Xiao, I think I'm falling for you!"

It must be a dream, he thought, dismissing it as an illusion.

When the first rays of morning sun shone into the room, Lin Xiao opened his eyes. Su Qingning was still sound asleep in his arms, as quiet as a baby. Her fair skin was as tender as an infant's. He watched her quietly.

Soon, her breathing became unsteady, and Lin Xiao realized she was awake and only pretending to be asleep. But he didn't call her out on it. Instead, he deliberately whispered, "My wife is so beautiful. I should steal a kiss before she 'wakes up.'"

With that, he pressed his lips to hers. A jolt like electricity passed between them. Su Qingning's body trembled slightly, a faint blush creeping across her pale cheeks. She had intended to "wake up," but now she was too embarrassed to move.

Of course, Lin Xiao knew this, so he kissed her all the more recklessly. Although she was still pretending to be asleep, her breathing grew heavier and heavier. Finally, when she felt she could barely breathe from his kisses, she couldn't keep up the pretense any longer.

She pushed him away, looking at him with eyes as soft as silk.

"Darling..." she cooed, her voice delicate. "Stop... please stop kissing me, okay?"

BOOM!

Her single, coquettish plea sent a jolt through his entire body. He knew Su Qingning could be devastatingly charming, but he had never imagined it would be this potent. Her words had stimulated him so much he'd almost lost all control.

"Oh? Darling, when did you wake up?"

Su Qingning gave him a light, playful tap on the chest. "You're so annoying, always bullying me!"

Clearly, she knew that he knew she had been faking.

Lin Xiao chuckled. "Are you hungry? Shall I carry you downstairs for something to eat?"

"Not hungry," Su Qingning said, shaking her head.

"Then shall we sleep a bit more?"

Su Qingning nodded obediently. As Lin Xiao pulled her into his arms again, she took the initiative to wrap her own arms around his waist. Perhaps it was the thought of their impending divorce that afternoon that made her want to hold tight to this man who, in their short time together, had always protected her.

But what Su Qingning didn't know was that her embrace made Lin Xiao's body tremble with excitement.

After some time, Lin Xiao suddenly said, "By the way, darling, Shao Mei'er told me your bar can reopen for business tomorrow. Are you happy?"

Su Qingning nodded. She was, of course, happy about the bar reopening. The key issue, however, was whether the reopening would go smoothly, which was still a big question. After all, today was Su Qingfeng's wedding day, and she had sworn that after the ceremony, she would stop at nothing to teach Su Qingning and Lin Xiao a lesson.

At this thought, Su Qingning looked up at him. A trace of sorrow flickered in her eyes, but her voice was firm as she said, "Lin Xiao, let's go get our divorce certificate soon."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.