Chapter 41: Don't Leave After School, I'll Come Pick You Up

Xiao Ziyu caught the pillow firmly, the corners of his eyes lifting slightly.

Chuntao, listening in from the side and completely bewildered, wisely retreated to prepare today's dinner.

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore." Xiao Ziyu put the pillow back in its place, picked up a book, sat down on the stool, and began to read.

Chen Xingmiao sat on the edge of the bed, stealing glances at him, and was surprised to find a faint smile tugging at the corners of his tightly pressed, thin lips.

What is going on here? The little villain seems to be in a remarkably good mood today?

The two of them remained quietly in the room, neither speaking. In this short span of time, Chen Xingmiao had yawned an unknown number of times. Turning to look at Xiao Ziyu again, she found him still entirely engrossed in his book.

An honor student, he is an absolute honor student! Just thinking about her own school days—reading for five minutes and sleeping for ten hours.

If the little villain had lived in the modern era, he surely would have been recommended for admission without exams.

Sensing her gaze, Xiao Ziyu turned his head to look at her, taking in every detail of her rapidly changing facial expressions.

"Wife... what are you thinking about?"

He raised his chin slightly, his voice clear and light.

Chen Xingmiao snapped back to reality and gave him a thumbs-up. "I was wondering, husband, have you always been this serious about your studies? Did you never think about taking the imperial examinations to achieve official rank?"

Hearing this, the light in his eyes dimmed, and his lips twitched slightly. Then, his thin lips curved into an arc of self-mockery.

"There are too many matters to attend to at home; there is no time."

Chen Xingmiao frowned in confusion, recalling the night of their wedding when he was still washing dishes in freezing cold water while the domestic servants stood by, mocking and urging him on.

She vaguely remembered leftover food and scraps nearby. Could it be... has he always been living a life like this?

Doing the chores of a menial servant in the Xiao household and eating their leftover scraps.

Chen Xingmiao drew a sharp breath, not daring to continue down that line of thought. How could anyone live such a life? With so little human rights, even beggars probably lived better than he did.

Is this really the treatment a secondary young master of the Xiao family should receive? Even if the mother is a stepmother, the father should at least be his biological father.

"Husband, I've always wanted to ask—why does Xiao Yinsheng treat you this way? You are his biological son after all. Is there truly not even a shred of paternal love?" Gathering her courage, she voiced the question weighing on her mind.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ziyu's hand holding the book trembled slightly, and the temperature in his eyes turned as cold and piercing as ice.

Meeting his gaze, Chen Xingmiao instinctively shrank back.

What is happening? Did she touch upon some kind of taboo of his?

Under the dim, yellowish lamplight, Xiao Ziyu's thin lips were tightly pressed, and the straight line of his mouth exuded an aura of indifference.

"Husband, did I... say something wrong?" she asked cautiously, her gaze occasionally darting across his face.

"Matters that do not concern you—ask less."

His voice was cold and hard, his gaze like a chilled blade showing no mercy whatsoever.

Chen Xingmiao was momentarily stunned, her eyes holding a trace of confusion mixed with grievance.

Could someone please hand her a "Villain's User Guide"? Why did it feel like she kept stepping onto landmines every single time?

She cast a casual glance at him, her lips pouting in dissatisfaction.

However, through this period of getting along, she had grasped a few key points.

The little villain disliked topics related to his mother and his relationship with the Xiao family. Yet, staying by his side was fraught with constant danger; she still needed to maintain a good relationship with Han Xu and firmly cling to the protagonist's coattails.

Xiao Ziyu swept a sideways glance at her, his gaze eventually returning to the book in his hands.

The atmosphere lapsed into awkwardness once again. Sitting on the bed, Chen Xingmiao nervously twisted the bedsheets out of boredom.

If only she were back in the modern era—how she longed for her smartphone.

Just as she was growing utterly listless and sleepy, Chuntao brought the evening meal and set it on the table.

"Miss, husband, come wash your hands and eat."

Chen Xingmiao sniffed the air, ran over to the table, and leaned in closer to inhale the aroma. "Wow! Chuntao, your culinary skills are getting better and better."

After pouring warm water into the basin, Xiao Ziyu pulled her over, a helpless yet indulgent smile lingering at the corner of his lips.

"Stop saying 'wow' and wash your hands first."

With that, he guided her hands into the water, washing them with gentle care before picking up a towel to dry them for her.

Chen Xingmiao let him handle her hands, realizing that the current version of him was once again somewhat different from the one moments ago.

Could the little villain possibly have a split personality?

A bold thought surfaced in her mind, and even her gaze grew complex.

As if seeing right through her thoughts, Xiao Ziyu raised a hand and gave her head a light tap.

"Eat quickly, stop letting your imagination run wild."

"Let's eat together!" Chen Xingmiao pulled him down to sit, picked up her chopsticks, placed a piece of meat into his bowl, and offered a bright smile, her dimples fluttering at the corners of her mouth.

Xiao Ziyu froze, his expression entirely different from his earlier distant and cold demeanor.

He lowered his fine, dense eyelashes, and when his deep brown eyes looked toward her, ripples stirred within their calm depths.

Seeing him like this, Chen Xingmiao's heart instantly leapt into her throat.

Oh no, did she say the wrong thing again and trigger some hidden switch?

"Husband, I..."

She twitched the corners of her mouth, opening her lips to salvage the situation.

"Thank you." His throat bobbed as he swallowed, and after uttering those two muffled words, he gently pressed his lips together.

Ah? What does he mean by this?

Chen Xingmiao was instantly bewildered, a flicker of mild astonishment flashing through her eyes.

Xiao Ziyu said nothing more. He reined in his smile, his gaze deep and profound, then picked up his chopsticks and began to eat quietly by himself.

At that moment, a distinct sound came from somewhere between the two of them: "Gurgle—"

Embarrassed, she covered her stomach, picked up her chopsticks, and buried her head in her food.

At the dining table, only the faint clinking of chopsticks against bowls could be heard, the atmosphere awkwardly quiet.

Chuntao, standing off to the side, also began to feel uneasy, glancing out toward the night sky from time to time.

Suddenly, a flash of delight appeared in her eyes.

"Miss, looking at the sky, it's likely going to snow tomorrow."

Hearing this, Chen Xingmiao also put down her chopsticks, hurried over to the window, and gazed out at the gray, overcast night sky.

She hadn't seen snow in a long time; back when she was shooting dramas, she never had the leisure to properly appreciate it, making this rare tranquility all the more precious.

"Really? If it snows, that would be wonderful!"

Just as Chen Xingmiao finished speaking, Xiao Ziyu put down his chopsticks and turned to look at her.

"Wife likes snow?"

He curved his lips, his gaze profound, his speech turning exceptionally slow.

Chen Xingmiao nodded vigorously. "Of course!"

"Since wife likes it, once the snow falls tomorrow, I will take wife to a wonderful place to view the snow."

His voice carried a hint of gentle indulgence, though his chilling gaze still made him feel somewhat unapproachable.

Chen Xingmiao's eyes lit up instantly, her face overflowing with undisguised joy as she grabbed Xiao Ziyu's arm.

"Really? You're the best, husband! Then wait for me at the entrance of the academy tomorrow, don't run off anywhere, I'll come pick you up, remember?"

Xiao Ziyu shook his head helplessly, hesitated for a moment, and with a light, half-amused smile, said, "Understood, understood, I'm not a child."