Noble Son-in-Law - Chapter 37.1

Chapter 37.1

Li Zhi had seen Shen Qingqing look down on him countless times, seen her get angry more than once, and watched her put on a fake smile for the elders repeatedly. But this was the first time he caught her smiling genuinely with him.

When his young wife, clad in a lovely pink mid-length dress, suddenly burst into laughter, he felt she looked like a blooming flower. As she laughed, she shyly lowered her head, her lips still curved in a smile.

It reminded him of a hunter who had raised a beautiful little fox that always resisted being tamed, showing its teeth and claws daily. But one day, after the hunter kept feeding her, the little fox surprisingly put away its fangs and eagerly came over to lick the hunter’s hand.

Li Zhi felt a flutter in his heart, as if Shen Qingqing had just licked him.

“Why are you laughing?” He asked, sitting beside her with a plate in hand.

Shen Qingqing blinked and replied, “I’m not laughing at anything; I just think the Marquis’s teeth look especially white today.”

How could Li Zhi not hear her sarcasm?

His first thought was that he might have something unsightly stuck to his teeth.

‘If there is something, then continuing to talk will only increase the number of embarrassing moments.’

Thinking that, Li Zhi handed the plate to Shen Qingqing silently, then stood up and walked towards the dressing table.

Shen Qingqing held the plate and stole glances at the man with her almond-shaped eyes. But since Li Zhi was sitting sideways, she couldn’t see what he was up to at all.

Li Zhi checked his teeth but didn’t find anything unusual on his teeth. He was puzzled and for a few seconds before he realised why Shen Qingqing laughed.

‘She was actually laughing at my sun-kissed face.’

But to Li Zhi, it was no big deal.

He turned back to Shen Qingqing as if nothing had happened. Noticing she was just standing there with the plate, he asked, “Aren’t you going to eat the melon slices?”

Shen Qingqing bit her lip.

Shen Qingqing thought Li Zhi was tired from the bumpy ride, which was why she thought to save some refreshing melon slices for Li Zhi.

Even though she had her reasons to show her appreciation, Shen Qingqing just couldn’t bring herself to say it.

Worrying that Li Zhi would catch on to her plan, she quickly grabbed a bamboo stick and started popping melon slices into her mouth.

Li Zhi sat nearby, watching as the young wife enjoyed her snack like a little kid.

Hearing her cheerful crunching, Li Zhi suddenly felt thirsty.

He got up to pour himself a bowl of tea and downed it in a couple of gulps.

Shen Qingqing watched him from behind, thinking he must have been out in the sun too long to be so thirsty. Her heart softened as she remembered the sweaty guards parading on the road.

When Li Zhi returned, Shen Qingqing frowned and handed him the plate, saying, “It’s been sitting out too long and doesn’t taste good anymore. I don’t want to eat anymore. You eat it.”

Cut fruits and veggies would lose their flavour over time, and since his wife was showing such a rare kindness today, Li Zhi didn’t think twice and took the plate.

Shen Qingqing slipped on her embroidered shoes and went to rinse her mouth.

Li Zhi instinctively followed her, grabbing a few melon slices with a bamboo stick and popping them into his mouth. A refreshing sweetness burst on his tongue.

He was a bit surprised and glanced down at the melon slices on the plate.

Coming from a wealthy family, his lifestyle was no lower than those of children in official families. So, he was sure that the melon slices were well-preserved and wouldn’t be something Shen Qingqing would turn her nose up at.

‘She had been so eager to eat that she was still thinking about it even in her sleep, so why had she stopped?’

A thought crossed his mind, and Li Zhi grabbed another piece of melon. He noticed Shen Qingqing turning around, so he quickly popped the slice into his mouth again.

Shen Qingqing watched as he spat the melon slice into his handkerchief after just one bite.

Shen Qingqing saw him spit the melon slices into his handkerchief after just taking a bite.

Shen Qingqing asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?”

Li Zhi frowned and said, “It’s really unpalatable.”

Shen Qingqing opened her mouth in surprise. ‘Is it unpalatable? How? It tasted as fresh as it did during the day just a few minutes ago.’

Li Zhi noticed the look on his young wife’s face and quickly figured things out.

‘The feisty little fox is finally starting to settle down.’ This put Li Zhi in a great mood, so he glanced down and finished off the last of the melon slices.

Shen Qingqing: ‘...Was that piece really that bad?’

“It’s getting late; time for bed,” Li Zhi said, placing the plate back on the table while pouring tea and rinsing his mouth.

Feeling sleepy too, Shen Qingqing hummed and snuggled back under the covers.

As soon as she lay down, Li Zhi skilfully moved in closer. His body was warm, and Shen Qingqing subconsciously shifted. But before she knew it, he had pushed her down and rolled over her.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?”

Li Zhi kissed his young wife’s ear softly, saying, “I was thinking about it.”

Just those gentle words made Shen Qingqing’s resolve melt away.

It was a feeling she couldn’t quite describe. Realising she couldn’t stop him, she surrendered and buried her face in the pillow. She tried to cover her ears to block out his kisses, but Li Zhi caught her wrists with one hand and lifted them above her head, then began to explore down her neck without hesitation.

Have a nice day!