Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  Qiao Nan’s eyes were full of surprise when she realized that it was Brother Zhai. “Brother Zhai, when did you come back? Come in, I will pour you some tea.”

  Upon seeing Zhai Sheng, Qiao Nan smiled brightly, her sparkling eyes forming an adorable crescent moon shape. She pulled at his sleeves naturally and led him into the house.

  Zhai Sheng looked down and noticed that Qiao Nan’s fair hands stood out against his tanned complexion. Her arms were slender and fair. She had delicate and smooth skin.

  A faint smile formed on Zhai Sheng’s lips. He shifted all the bags that he carried from his left hand to his right hand. He grabbed hold of Qiao Nan’s soft and warm hand and walked side by side with her into the house.

  “Brother Zhai, have a seat, I will pour you some water.” Qiao Nan was focused on making him comfortable that she gave no response to what he did.

  Zhai Sheng let go of her hand reluctantly. “There’s no hurry.” Then, he put the bags in his right hand on the ground. The bags were so heavy that they left several red marks on his rough palm.

  However, in order to hold Qiao Nan’s hands, Zhai Sheng did not mind the pain at all.

  “Brother Zhai, have some hot water.” After pouring the hot water for Brother Zhai, Qiao Nan realized belatedly that Zhai Sheng brought a lot of stuff with him and had left them on the floor. “Brother Zhai, that’s too polite of you. Whenever you come here, you will bring so much stuff with you. It’s winter solstice and the Lunar New Year is around the corner. Don’t tell me that there isn’t anyone at home, so you want me to prepare meals for you?”

  In the past, Brother Zhai would not show his concern for her outright. Why did he do so openly now?

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  “Have you forgotten that you promised to cook me a table of food? Are you going back on your words?” Zhai Sheng felt pleasantly sweet while drinking the hot water poured by his ‘young wife’.

  “No.” Qiao Nan waved her hand. How could she possibly go back on her words? “Since I am treating you, I should be the one paying for the food. How can I ask you to bring the food?”

  Zhai Sheng lifted his right hand and reached out toward Qiao Nan.

  Qiao Nan blinked her eyes in confusion. She stared at Zhai Sheng’s palm. What did he want her to do?

  Zhai Sheng directed his gaze at Qiao Nan’s hand and then back at Qiao Nan.

  Qiao Nan raised her hand, not knowing what to do, and faced her palm toward Zhai Sheng’s own. Her hand was clean. There was no dirt on it.

  Zhai Sheng laughed in exasperation. She was, after all, his ‘young wife’. She did not know what he meant with his gestures. It proved that Nan Nan did what she promised and maintained a distant relationship with the boys in her school.

  It was good that Qiao Nan did not know all these. He was the most important man in Nan Nan’s life, and he would guide her step by step along the way.

  “Give me your hand.”

  “Alright.” Qiao Nan obediently placed her hand onto Zhai Sheng’s palm.

  Zhai Sheng clasped her hand and pulled Qiao Nan along with him. “Come over here to have a seat.”

  “Okay.” Qiao Nan nodded obediently. She sat so close to Zhai Sheng that their thighs were touching each other. After a summer break of sitting so close to Zhai Sheng, Qiao Nan had been accustomed to it. She no longer felt strange or awkward. “Brother Zhai, you can tell me directly if you want me to sit down. I am not a child, so there’s no need to hold hands.”

  Zhai Sheng took a deep breath and resisted the impulse to pinch Qiao Nan’s face. Instead, he placed his palm on her head and pulled her into his embrace. “You are worse than a young child!”

  While in his embrace, Qiao Nan smelled a faint sandalwood smell. It was pleasant and mesmerizing, making Qiao Nan dizzy. She clutched his clothes and asked, “Brother Zhai, did you raise a dog when you were a child?”

  Otherwise, why did he have the habit of rubbing her head every time he saw her?

  “Brother Zhai, shall I buy you a dog with a good pedigree when I have money in the future? What type of dog do you like?” When she grew up and started working, she did not want to be rubbed on the head by Brother Zhai.

  Zhai Sheng’s dark eyes glinted, a dangerous look in his eyes. He tightened his vice-like grip around Qiao Nan’s waist while the other hand still rested on her head. He could feel Qiao Nan’s soft silky hair brushing against his fingers lightly. He liked the soft touch of her hair. “Do you mean that when you have money in the future, you will not be this close to me anymore?”

  “Nan Nan, tell me. Are you thinking of having a boyfriend, and hence you are afraid that your boyfriend will be jealous?” There was a teasing note in his tone. He stopped brushing her hair, but rested his hand by her ear, lightly touching her soft and tender earlobe. They shared a sweet moment with each other.

  Qiao Nan could not help but shiver, her ears turning red. She quickly covered her ears with her hand. “Brother Zhai, it’s itchy!”

  Qiao Nan might be slow, but she could feel that she was too close to Zhai Sheng. Their distance had already surpassed that of a close friend. She pushed at Zhai Sheng’s chest, wanting to widen the distance between them. However, she was locked in Zhai Sheng’s tight grip. If he did not allow her, then she would not be able to move an inch.

  “Nan Nan, you haven’t answered my question.” Zhai Sheng would not let her go unless he got her reply.

  As a soldier, once he had a target in mind, he would only focus on the bull’s eye and never let his target escape from him.

  Qiao Nan felt a mixture of anger and shyness. She yelled at Zhai Sheng, “There’s no boyfriend. Besides, there’s no man whom I find pleasing to the eye. Brother Zhai, I will keep my promise to you, but you must keep a check on yourself as well. You are different from me. I am still a student, and my top priority is my studies. I shouldn’t have a boyfriend at my age. As for you, you are not young. You should find yourself a girlfriend or even settle down to have a family and kids. Brother Zhai, you are a soldier. You should know to keep a clear distinction between friends and families. You should be mindful of your status and behavior. When you have a girlfriend in the future, she will be mad if she sees us behaving in such a way!”

  “Both of us are clear about you treating me as your younger sister, but your girlfriend doesn’t know about it. Anyway, if I am your girlfriend, and I know that you are so close with your younger sister, I will be jealous and angry. I will definitely break up with you. Brother Zhai, if you do this again, I will be mad!”

  In fact, Qiao Nan’s words were meant for Zhai Sheng and herself.

  “Brother Zhai, I am a blockhead. I like things to be strict and precise. Brother Zhai, you are a soldier. You always obey the rules in the army. You should apply this attitude to your life as well. What you are doing is very dangerous!”