Chapter 243

Chapter 243: Not an Ounce of Strength Left Jiang Shixu ran the bathwater, placed Chu Tang into the tub, and picked up a towel to gently wipe her delicate, fair skin. Whether it was the steam from the hot water or not, the flush on Chu Tang's face refused to subside. The bathtub was large, so the two of them bathing together didn't feel cramped at all. Chu Tang leaned against the edge of the tub, letting Jiang Shixu wash her body. Jiang Shixu looked at Chu Tang's rosy cheeks, his heart stirred, and he leaned over to kiss her cheek again. He kissed her twice, pecking like a chick pecking at rice. It wasn't enough. Jiang Shixu then brushed his lips lightly against Chu Tang's mouth like a dragonfly skimming the water. Chu Tang's whole body was sore and limp, too exhausted to have an ounce of strength left, so she let Jiang Shixu kiss her. "So obedient." Jiang Shixu's dense kisses fell on her lips, her face, her brows and eyes. After the bath, Jiang Shixu carried Chu Tang to the bedroom, dried her hair, and changed the sheets. Chu Tang sat on the chair while Jiang Shixu stood behind her, blow-drying her hair. "Can I stay the night?" Chu Tang said weakly, "I'm really tired. I don't have an ounce of strength left." The man behind her seemed to let out a low chuckle. The hairdryer swayed as his slender fingers ran through her hair. "I promise, tonight I'll only hold you while we sleep. Nothing else." "I don't believe you." "Really." He had just done it three times. From afternoon until dusk when the sun set. His energy was terrifying. She didn't dare provoke a man who hadn't had a taste in so long. Chu Tang shook her head. "Still don't believe you." "Have I ever lied to you?" She might not have brought it up, but now that he mentioned it, Chu Tang's expression darkened. She said coldly, "Oh? Really? Then what did you say when you broke up with me?" Jiang Shixu was speechless. Knowing he was in the wrong, he quickly apologized: "My mistake. The situation was special back then. You know now why I had to break up, right?" "Heh." Chu Tang's voice was icy. "Fine, breaking up is breaking up. But what about you saying everything you'd told me before was a lie? And you and Li Lanxi's fake scandal—isn't that also lying to me?" Jiang Shixu said sheepishly, "A white lie." Chu Tang wasn't buying it. "It's still a lie." "Alright." Jiang Shixu conceded defeat. After drying her hair, Jiang Shixu asked softly, "You must be hungry. What do you want to eat? I'll make it for you." "I'm fine with anything." Jiang Shixu walked into the kitchen and noticed the rice cooker was plugged in, showing "Keep Warm" mode. He looked at the steaming rack beside it and lifted the lid to find four dishes and a soup. It seemed the housekeeper Zhang Caixia had come by earlier to cook. Maybe she had knocked, but they'd been too absorbed to notice. Jiang Shixu set the food on the table and called Chu Tang out to eat. Seeing the four dishes and a soup on the table, Chu Tang asked suspiciously, "How did you make this so fast? Even ordering takeout wouldn't be this quick." "I didn't make it." Chu Tang froze. So it was the cooking lady who made it. But during dinner time, they'd been in the middle of their passionate moment and hadn't heard any knocking... She'd been so lost in it that she'd forgotten Zhang Caixia would come by to cook at dinner time. Ah, so embarrassing. She'd even let out a few moans she couldn't suppress. Could it be... someone heard? Maybe it wasn't that they hadn't heard the knocking, but that Zhang Caixia hadn't knocked at all because she'd heard their noises? Chu Tang's face flushed so red it looked like it might drip blood. Jiang Shixu knew what she was thinking. He curled his lips. "It's fine, Tangtang. We're all family." Seeing her standing there frozen, Jiang Shixu walked over, gently guided her to the table, and pulled out a chair for her to sit. "Come eat. You're exhausted, you must be starving." Not having seen A Wen all evening, Chu Tang found it a bit strange. She called A Wen. "A Wen, have you eaten?" A Wen seemed to pause for a moment, her tone different from usual—stammering. "I... I've eaten." Chu Tang: "..." So A Wen had heard too? Ahhhhhh. Chu Tang's face grew even redder. It was all Jiang Shixu's fault for being so good at seduction. A kneeling kiss had left her completely dizzy. She'd forgotten that she ate dinner with A Wen almost every night at home. A Wen must have come to call her during dinner time. "O... okay." Chu Tang stammered as she hung up. ... After dinner, Jiang Shixu wheedled and coaxed Chu Tang into letting him stay the night. He repeatedly promised he wouldn't do anything tonight—just hold her while sleeping. Chu Tang thought about how she'd made him hide from Yang Xuelian during the day, treating him like he was someone shameful to be seen with. She still felt somewhat guilty about that. Because of that guilt, Chu Tang finally agreed to let him stay the night. That night, Jiang Shixu indeed didn't tease her. He simply held her while they slept. In the middle of the night. Half-asleep, half-awake, Chu Tang kept feeling someone touching her. One moment rubbing her face, the next pinching her nose, then kissing her lips. Ticklish. She knew Jiang Shixu wouldn't stay so well-behaved. Whatever. She was too tired and too sleepy to deal with him. Chu Tang slept very soundly that night. She slept through the night without dreaming or waking up once, dozing straight until she naturally woke. It was the weekend today, so no need to go to the law firm, and no alarm clock to disturb her. When Chu Tang opened her eyes again, the hour hand on the wall clock pointed to ten. Her body was weak and sore all over. As she shifted slightly, she noticed an arm extending from beneath her neck. Chu Tang had been sleeping on her side, her back facing Jiang Shixu. One of his arms was threaded under her head and neck, while his other hand rested on her waist. He was facing her back, holding her in a side embrace. This sleeping position was very comfortable because, with Chu Tang lying on her side, her shoulder propped up a space, allowing Jiang Shixu's arm to pass through the gap between her shoulder and head without getting numb from pressure. The two were pressed close together, Chu Tang's back fitting perfectly against Jiang Shixu's chest. He still hadn't woken up. After all, they had done it three times yesterday afternoon—he must be tired too. Chu Tang gently lifted the hand resting on her waist, intending to slip out of his embrace and get up. Just as she was about to rise, the man's arm suddenly tightened, pulling her back into his embrace. "Stay with me a little longer," Jiang Shixu said, his voice thick with sleep, slightly hoarse and sexy. Chu Tang said, "It's ten o'clock already. Not early." "Be good, sleep a bit more. There's nothing to do anyway." Chu Tang had no choice but to yield and lie back down, catching another round of sleep. When she opened her eyes again, it was already eleven-thirty. Almost mealtime. Chu Tang got up and nudged Jiang Shixu. "It's eleven-thirty. Get up and wash up. Stop sleeping." Bright light filled the room, and the man's strikingly handsome features fell into Chu Tang's view. He slowly opened his eyes, his drowsy look even more alluring. Chu Tang's breath caught. Here he was, seducing her again in the middle of the day. She couldn't keep looking—if she did, they'd end up doing it again and skip lunch altogether. Chu Tang casually averted her gaze and said in a deliberately proper tone, "Stop sleeping. Get up now." Jiang Shixu's voice was low and husky. "Why did you turn your face away?" Chu Tang grabbed the pajamas nearby and put them on. "I'm going to wash up." As soon as her feet touched the ground, Chu Tang stood up. The soreness in her legs became even more pronounced, and her body swayed—she nearly fell. Jiang Shixu curled his lips into a light smile. "Tangtang, be careful." Chu Tang let out a huff. "It's all your fault." He had been so rough yesterday—so enduring, so forceful, and three times at that. Who could possibly handle that?