Xu Tingsheng flipped over and hid inside his blanket with his back facing away from Little Xiang Ning as he pretended to be asleep.

  For one, he really had no way of staying on the topic of ‘when he would finally be able to bed her’ which had already completely diverged from the right area of conversation. Rather than being dishonest, it was best if he simply stayed silent and out of harm’s way.

  He knew full well that she was sixteen as it was still too early to do anything. That was fine. However, all his memories and sensations were still fresh in his mind, and her delicate self existed right there before him. If he said that he felt nothing……Xu Tingsheng was still not so hypocritical a person.

  Secondly, he thought that the young girl might be able to calm down and go take a bath this way. After she had fallen asleep, he would be able to pass the remainder of the night through tolerably.

  Little Xiang Ning called hey ‘twice’ before exclaiming tentatively again, “Xu Tingsheng.”


  Xu Tingsheng showed no reaction as there was only the sound of him breathing.

  Xiang Ning had decided that she must treat Uncle a little better. Her heart ached greatly as she too had a heart that wished to ‘lovingly dote on’ Uncle. However strong he might look on the outside, she had seen him suffering wrongs before, also having seen him comatose and vulnerable……

  The meaning of ‘lovingly doting on’ him was basically equivalent to ‘letting him have his way’.

  Her hands pressing on the bedframe, she leapt off her bed with a cry that seemed to boost her own courage while also serving to remind Xu Tingsheng, “I’m coming!”


  She stood barefooted by her bed for a while, hesitating as her slender frame shook slightly. She clenched her teeth and stepped onto the bedframe with one leg as she climbed up onto the bed. How courageous a feat was that?

  Little Xiang Ning took a deep breath before steeling herself, not saying a word as she hugged him through the blanket, thinking, “You dirty ruffian who refuses to speak to me just because I won’t let you bed me-this is fine already, right?”


  Yet, as Xu Tingsheng continued to ignore her, Little Xiang Ning was overcome by a feeling of helplessness.

  “Are you still angry, Xu Tingsheng?” Hiding her face behind the blanket, Little Xiang Ning asked carefully, “Then, although I can’t let you bed me, I can lie down together with you. Is that okay?”


  She sounded just like she was coaxing a child. I can’t let you eat ice-cream, but stop kicking up a fuss if I give you sweets, okay?

  Xu Tingsheng had no way of pretending to be asleep any longer. Why did it feel as if Uncle was being shameless and acting coy to cheat a little girl?

  He turned and shook his head, saying, “No need. Nope, go back to your own bed. Hurry up and take a bath before going to bed. I’m not angry. I’m just tired, really.”


  Little Xiang Ning gazed at Xu Tingsheng’s expression for a while, confirming from the awkward expression on his face that he was embarrassed as she hesitated for a while before helping to raise a pedestal for him to step onto, “But I’ve already come over.”


  Xu Tingsheng felt greatly pained as he thought to himself: Do you really think I don’t want to, my dear Miss Little Xiang Ning? Do you think I don’t want to lie down together with you, to hug you from behind as we fall asleep together? ……It’s not like we’ve never done that before. How long has it been already? But Uncle’s really afraid that he wouldn’t able to bear it!

  As soon as he allowed for that, there was no saying that he would be able to continue holding himself back for sure.

  “Go back to sleep,” Doing his best to suppress the ‘evil demon’ within him, Xu Tingsheng said while putting on a stern expression.

  “Okay,” Little Xiang Ning whose good intentions had been cruelly trampled in the dirt answered meekly as she removed her hands and returned to her own bed.

  Soon after, the sound of the trickling of water resounded from the bathroom. Xu Tingsheng had no way of staying calm with that. Not fantasising about it was one thing. Yet, those memories in his mind were just too vivid as it was really too difficult not to think of them.

  The design of this motel’s bathroom was very special. Though the walls were made of frosted glass, everything below knee level was transparent for some reason.

  Xu Tingsheng cautiously flipped over and snuck a peek, even though from this angle, he was only able to see her slender legs and delicate feet along with the water that dripped down her soft, tender skin……

  Amidst his thoughts, the water suddenly ceased to flow.

  Xu Tingsheng hurriedly closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep.

  Through his eyes that were open just a crack, Xu Tingsheng saw Little Xiang Ning exiting the bathroom. She was already wearing white pajamas with tiny blue apples printed on them with her hair tied up high behind her head……

  While she clearly looked sprightly and youthful, there was somehow a tinge of an alluring flair about her.

  Standing between the two beds, Little Xiang Ning looked at the calm face of Xu Tingsheng who seemed to be slumbering peacefully for a long while as she smiled happily. She bent down, next lightly tracing the air above his face, first his left and right brows, then his nose, then his lips……

  As she meticulously drew with her finger, Little Xiang Ning’s clear white teeth were visible as she smiled joyfully. It was apparent how she viewed Uncle sleeping peacefully before her like this as a very happy thing.

  If she had only gotten onto his bed to lie down with him so as to coax him earlier, looking at this person who was in a restful slumber right now, Xiang Ning really wanted to lie down beside him, peacefully leaning into his embrace.

  “But I was just shooed away by him. How shameful.”


  She got up, poured herself a glass of water and drank a mouthful of it. Her throat ‘rumbled’.……Little Xiang Ning hurriedly covered her mouth, glancing at Xu Tingsheng’s sleeping face as she dared not utter a sound for fear of waking him up.

  Fortunately, Xu Tingsheng moved not an inch.

  Gazing at the cup of water in her hand, the little girl looked deep in thought for a time as was mirrored by her constantly changing expression. Only after a while did she purse her lips, seemingly having come to a firm decision.

  She stood up and blocked Xu Tingsheng’s field of vision. Even though it seemed that he was indeed asleep, Little Xiang Ning moved her hand that was clutching the cup of water behind her.

  Her expression was bashful yet also determined and resolute as it was as if the sixteen-year-old girl was about to do something big.

  Xu Tingsheng gazed curiously at her from his slightly opened eyes.

  “.……So it was like this.”


  She turned her wrist as the cup of water was overturned, the water inside falling onto the bed.

  A portion of the bed was drenched. Little Xiang Ning turned and felt it. It was like the wet part was too little, and a bit too near the edge of the bed too……the young girl frowned, looking a bit disappointed.

  Since she had decided to do this, she would not stop till she had seen it through. Little Xiang Ning clenched her teeth and tiptoed to the cabinet by the door. She poured another cup of water, yet hesitated as she then set it down again. She lifted up the entire electric kettle……

  Little Xiang Ning took a few steps with the rather heavy electric kettle before hesitating yet again as she turned back around.

  “Looks like she’s given up,” Xu Tingsheng felt a bit like laughing out loud, and was also just that slightly disappointed.

  In the end, it turned out that it was not like that. Little Xiang Ning turned back and grabbed that cup of water that she had just put down as well……she really wasn’t afraid of having too much of it……

  Carrying a cup of water in one hand and an electric kettle in the other, Little Xiang Ning did not intentionally move to block Xu Tingsheng’s vision now. He seemed in a deep sleep, anyway.

  Swish! With a flourish, the water from that cup in her left hand was first poured onto the pillow. Next, her slim wrist shook a few times as she made sure to get those last few drops of water out as well.

  Putting down the cup, Xiang Ning grabbed the electric kettle with both hands, watering her bed as if she were watering plants. She sprayed it to and fro, ever so happily, ever so triumphantly.

  Xu Tingsheng looked at her side profile. She seemed so cute with that earnest expression on her face and that slight crafty upward curling of her lips.

  He suppressed his laughter, but a brief sound was still emitted from his throat.

  Hearing it, Little Xiang Ning leapt up like a startled hare. She turned and looked at Xu Tingsheng while clutching the electric kettle just like that.

  Having no way of pretending to be asleep any longer, Xu Tingsheng simply opened his eyes, smiling as he looked at her.

  Panicked, distressed, anxious, with an expression like that of a first-time thief who had been caught in the act and wanted to cry and also seemingly trying desperately to think of what she should say to explain her actions, Little Xiang Ning’s brain froze. She was unable to do anything else but simply look pitifully at Xu Tingsheng.