Slow to mature after marriage

The two continued walking along the corridor.

Chengyuan Garden is even larger than it appears from the outside. Passing through a moon gate, you enter another courtyard. The artificial mountain made of Taihu stones gleams with a bluish-gray light under the moonlight, and a still pond reflects the lanterns under the eaves. A few koi occasionally swirl their tails, shattering the light and shadow in the pond.

Bo Yan's courtyard is located at the deepest part of the house, a secluded dwelling with blue bricks and gray tiles, and two osmanthus trees with lush foliage in front of the door.

"We're here," he said.

Mu Siwan nodded and pushed open the door to go inside.

-

After taking a shower, Bo Yan dried his hair and walked towards the bedroom.

He pushed open the door, then stopped in his tracks.

Mu Siwan is already asleep.

My sleep quality remains as good as ever.

But today she didn't curl up in the corner of the bed as usual; instead, she lay flat on her back with her face slightly turned toward him.

Moonlight streamed in through the window and fell on her face.

Her eyelashes hung quietly, casting a small shadow. Her nose was straight and delicate, her lips were softly shaped and slightly pursed, with a natural curve.

Bo Yan stood by the bed, staring at that face for a long time.

My gaze finally settled on those lips.

It was a very pale pink, which looked especially soft under the moonlight.

He remembered the way she buried her face in the pillow and chuckled that day, and the way she called him "Bo Yan," the last syllable rising in her voice, carrying an undisguised smile.

The moonlight melted away her usual aloofness.

A wisp of hair fell across her forehead and clung to her lips.

He raised his hand and gently pushed it aside.

My fingertips brushed against her lips.

Very light, very fast.

It seemed like an accident.

But he didn't stop immediately.

It just hung there in mid-air for two seconds.

She knew nothing. Her breathing was steady; she was sleeping soundly.

Bo Yan stared at that face, his Adam's apple bobbing.

Then she withdrew her hand and gently lay back down on her side.

The sound of her even breathing filled my ears.

The man put his hand over his eyes and closed them.

The sensation from that moment still lingered on my fingertips.

Soft.

Bo Yan knew very well that for a moment just now, he wanted to kiss her.

Whether it was hormones or the quiet moonlight—the thought did pop into my head.

But kissing is something that applies to ordinary married couples.

This does not apply to him and Mu Siwan.

-

Bo Yanzheng closed his eyes, his consciousness gradually sinking into darkness.

Suddenly, my waist felt heavy.

Something has gotten tangled up.

He opened his eyes and looked down—

Mu Siwan had somehow crossed the invisible boundary between them, burying her face in his shoulder, her arms tightly wrapped around his waist, and even pressing one leg against him.

The person wrapped around him like an octopus.

Bo Yan froze.

Her face was buried in the crook of his neck, her warm breath brushing against his skin.

soft.

It's too soft.

His Adam's apple bobbed, but he didn't dare to move.

She usually sleeps in a very good position, curled up in the corner of the bed, so quiet that she is almost invisible.

What's going on tonight?

Bo Yan looked down at her.

The woman was sleeping soundly, but her brows were tightly furrowed, as if she was searching for something, and once she found it, she wouldn't let go.

He didn't move, just lay there, letting her hold him.

But she held on too tightly.

So tight that he could clearly feel every contour of her body—her waist, her chest, her legs…

My breathing is a little erratic.

He stared at the ceiling and gritted his teeth.

A dozen seconds later, Bo Yan gently raised his hand, trying to remove her arm.

As soon as he touched her wrist, she hugged him even tighter and snuggled closer into his arms.

She buried her face even deeper.

Bo Yan closed his eyes briefly.

It’s over.

He took a deep breath and gave up struggling.

Lying still, without moving.

I could hear her breathing.

The tip of my nose smelled faintly of her fragrance after her shower.

Her arms were tightly wrapped around his waist.

Bo Yan stared at the ceiling, feeling for the first time how long the night was.

Tomorrow is Sunday.

One more day.

-

The next morning, Mu Siwan was awakened by the sunlight.

She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling for a while.

The sound of water could be heard coming from the bathroom.

Bo Yan is taking a bath again.

She sat up and stared blankly for a while.

I had a dream last night.

In her dream, she was kicked out of the Mu family's house and huddled alone in a street corner, shivering with cold. It was dark and the wind was fierce; she felt she might freeze to death there.

Then the sun came out.

It's warm.

very warm.

She reached out to grasp that bit of warmth, and then she woke up.

She looked down at where she was lying—slightly to the left of the middle of the bed, next to Bo Yan.

I looked at myself curled up again—just like in my dream.

She sat up straight and tucked her hair behind her ears.

The bathroom door opened.

Bo Yan came out, his hair still dripping wet, a bath towel draped over his shoulders. He glanced at her, stopped, crossed his arms, and leaned against the door.

I just looked at her like that.

It carried a hint of accusation.

Mu Siwan found his gaze somewhat puzzling.

"What's wrong?"

Bo Yan stared at her, his gaze complex, and asked slowly, "Did you sleep well last night?"

Mu Siwan nodded.

"fine."

She rarely has a good dream.

Bo Yan raised an eyebrow, his lips twitched, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped himself.

Mu Siwan looked at his face, and her professional instincts kicked in.

"You didn't sleep well last night," she commented, resting her chin on her hand. "You have noticeable dark circles under your eyes and slightly puffy eyelids—typical signs of a continuously excited sympathetic nervous system."

Realizing she should show her husband some care, Mu Siwan asked, "Is it because of excessive liver fire? Should we see a traditional Chinese medicine doctor?"

Bo Yan stared at her serious face and laughed out of anger.

"No need," he said. "Don't we have a forensic pathologist at home?"

Mu Siwan felt puzzled: "Forensic doctors can't cure living people."

Bo Yan stared at her for two seconds, and the smile on his lips slowly changed.

"Really?" he said. "Then I almost died from your treatment last night."

Leaving behind this meaningful remark, he turned and walked towards the dressing room.

He took two steps, then stopped.

Today is Sunday.

He didn't turn around; his voice drifted over from that direction. His back straightened, and the black-browed serpent snake writhed with his movements, as if alive, slowly swimming. When his shoulder blades moved, the snake's head slightly rose, exuding a menacing aura.

"I hope no one dies today."

Mu Siwan sat on the bed, watching his figure disappear behind the door.

Sunday.

My ears started to feel hot belatedly.

Mu Siwan lowered her eyes and silently told herself: This is a normal physiological reaction, an increase in facial temperature caused by the dilation of capillaries, and has nothing to do with emotional fluctuations.

It's okay.

This is simply a normal physiological phenomenon following the secretion of adrenaline.

She told herself that.

-

The Bo family was very lively all day.

Bo Yan was playing chess with the old man in the study. Bo Qishan was a man of few words and slow in making moves, and Bo Yan was even slower today.

The two sat facing each other without saying a word for a long time, but the game on the chessboard was already fiercely contested.

Occasionally, the old man would make a move and glance at his grandson over his reading glasses.

"Absent-minded".

Bo Yan looked down at the chessboard, didn't say anything, and held a chess piece between his fingers, not placing it down for a long time.

The old man didn't urge him, and picked up his teacup to take a sip.

Bo Yan finally placed the chess piece.

The old man glanced at it and then uttered four more words.

"Utterly foolish."

Bo Yan: "..."

By the time the game of chess was finished, the sun was already setting in the west.

Laughter drifted in from the garden outside the window from time to time.

Bo Qishan threw the chess piece back into the chess box and waved his hand.

"Let's go, let's go, your mind isn't on the chessboard."