Chen Dazhuang and Hu Peng had been kicked out by Zhan Zeyi. Alone now, Zhan Zeyi looked at Tang Qiyue, her eyes crinkling in laughter, dazzling in the soft night light.
"Damn, she's like a fairy!" he muttered under his breath, unable to look too long; staring at her would shake his willpower.
Tang Qiyue didn't hear him and followed him back into the room. When they saw the bright red quilt on the bed, both were momentarily dumbfounded. They hadn't considered this detail earlier in the day, but as bedtime approached, the problem became obvious.
Zhan Zeyi glanced at Tang Qiyue but, as a man, couldn't show his discomfort. He turned and grabbed a basin to wash up.
Hearing the commotion, Zhan's mother followed him. She stood beside him as he brushed his teeth.
"Son, I know you don't want to get married," she said, "but now that you've brought her home, you can't bully her. Understand?"
Zhan Zeyi spat out the foam in his mouth.
"Mother, who dares to bully her?"
He couldn't help thinking of what Chen Dazhuang and Hu Peng had said. Judging by their reactions, everyone would treat Tang Qiyue like royalty from now on.
His mother, unaware of the reason, assumed sarcasm. She slapped his back gently. "Speak properly. I asked around today. Your wife's life hasn't been easy. Don't be fooled by her young lady reputation."
During the day, she had grown disgusted at Tang Qiyue being replaced by her stepdaughter. While Zhan Zeyi and Tang Qiyue handled the household matters, she had gone to visit neighbors, gathering details about Tang Qiyue's family.
The Tang family was wealthy, so finding information wasn't difficult. Zhan's mother learned about Tang Qiyue's mother and her situation: a divorced woman barely making ends meet with a child. Crucially, on the day of Tang Qiyue's marriage, her mother had gone out of town to buy goods. She was also rumored to be a heavy drinker, leaving young Tang Qiyue to support the family.
"Tomorrow, when you take your wife back to her parents' home, remember to visit your mother-in-law. She should be back by now."
Zhan's mother had prepared two sets of gifts and given him all the instructions for the visit.
Zhan Zeyi, impatient with such matters, only nodded perfunctorily. He planned to confront Tang's father directly the next day. If his father dared to trick him, he would make him pay.
Finally, he managed to get his mother back to her room. Draping a towel over his shoulder, he carried the washbasin back inside, wiped his face, and noticed Tang Qiyue had already changed clothes and was in bed.
In the dim light, the bright red wedding quilt covered the bed. Tang Qiyue, her face like a peach blossom, turned her head to smooth her long, shiny black hair. She glanced at him, her beauty captivating like a bewitching enchantress.
Zhan Zeyi froze for a moment but quickly looked away, gritting his teeth and muttering a curse only he understood.
"Aren't you going to wash up?" he asked coldly.
Tang Qiyue, noticing his expression, assumed he was criticizing her for being unclean.
"I've already washed! There's water in the room!" she replied, pointing to a basin next to his stand. The basin, toothbrush, and towel were all damp, clearly showing she had washed while he was talking to his mother.
Zhan Zeyi wasn't one to compromise. This was his room, after all. He was still injured and had no intention of sleeping on the floor.
He walked to the bed, glanced at the red quilt, then at Tang Qiyue, who had moved to the other side.
Afraid of angering him, she hurriedly explained, "This is the only quilt my family gave me as part of my dowry. Your original quilt was taken by my mother!"
She hadn't intended to share the quilt with him; she simply had no other choice.
Zhan Zeyi clicked his tongue, removed his clothes, and lay down under the covers.
Even though Tang Qiyue had anticipated this, she was extremely nervous about lying in bed with a man she barely knew. She stiffly followed him under the quilt.
The light bulb cord had been extended to the headboard for convenience. If she wanted to pull it to turn off the light, she would inevitably lean toward Zhan Zeyi and bump into him. Sleeping with the light on wasn't an option either.
Zhan Zeyi watched her toss and turn, unable to sleep.
"Are you trying to make up for last night?" he suddenly asked, turning to meet her gaze. The distance between them was just a fist's width, their breaths brushing.
Tang Qiyue's face flushed instantly. She wanted to shake her head, but the pillow held her back. Frantically, she waved her hands.
"No! I just want to turn off the light!"
Though she had survived the apocalypse and was open-minded, this situation made her uncomfortable.
Her hurried movements loosened her tie-up nightgown, exposing the fair skin below her neck under the warm orange light.
Zhan Zeyi, in the prime of his life, could easily lose control. If it weren't for the pain from his wound, he might have.
He grabbed the cord. Click!
The lights went out instantly, plunging the room into darkness.
Zhan Zeyi exhaled silently, trying to calm the lingering image of her skin etched into his mind. But the more he tried, the clearer it became.
Just as he was about to lose control, a finger poked his chest.
Out of reflex, Zhan Zeyi grabbed the mischievous hand, pulling her close and restraining her:
"Behave yourself!"
Tang Qiyue hadn't expected this. Being held in Zhan Zeyi's arms, she was momentarily blank, unsure how she ended up there. The stern reprimand, the darkness, and the closeness left her flushed with a mix of shame and anger—only to be met with the crisp sound of the lights turning off.