Ruan Tang was not nearly as bored as Xu Lai.

Knowing he was still awake, her cherry lips parted, but after mulling it over for a long time, she still didn't know how to begin her questions.

Finally, she turned over and sighed, "Fine, I'm going to sleep then."

Xu Lai was speechless.

My dear wife, why aren't you following the script? Shouldn't she be pestering me just like I did, asking 'Are you asleep?' over and over?

Xu Lai couldn't help but sit up and say helplessly, "Darling, is there something you want to tell me?"

Ruan Tang shook her head. "No."

As she spoke, she scratched her nose.

After spending so much time together, Xu Lai knew that his sister-in-law would subconsciously scratch her nose when she lied, and Ruan Tang had this little habit as well.

Xu Lai pursed his lips. "Alright then. I'm going to sleep."

"No!"

Ruan Tang grabbed Xu Lai, who was about to lie down, but she stammered, unable to get a word out.

The two were at a standoff for a long moment.

Ruan Tang finally couldn't hold back anymore. "Why have you been staring at your phone ever since you got home? I remember you rarely used to look at it."

"Contacting a friend," Xu Lai said, his expression slightly hesitant. Does the Heavenly Dao count as a friend?

"Inventing a friend out of thin air." Ruan Tang's beautiful eyes widened. "Ruan Lan already told me! After you caused such a stir at school, a lot of female students were asking for your contact information."

"Uh."

Xu Lai had a strange expression. "You've been jealous about this all evening?"

"I'm not jealous!" Ruan Tang said with a guilty conscience. "I just think that Yiyi's stepmother can't be a student. It would leave such a bad impression."

"Weren't you also a student when you were pregnant with Yiyi?"

"..."

Ruan Tang was at a loss for words.

Xu Lai moved past Yiyi and sat on the edge of the bed to gently hug Ruan Tang, whispering, "Don't worry, okay? No one has contacted me. You can check my phone if you like."

"I'm not checking it."

Though she said that, her eyes darted left and right, as if searching for his phone.

Xu Lai chuckled.

He offered the phone to Ruan Tang, but she didn't take it. Instead, she said, "It's fine. I trust you. Let's sleep."

"Mhm."

Xu Lai also pulled the blanket over himself and embraced Ruan Tang's soft, fragrant body. "Let's sleep."

"Mr. Xu, I think you're sleeping in the wrong place. And your hand is..."

Ruan Tang's face darkened. For the past two nights, Yiyi had been sleeping between her and Xu Lai, but now she was the one in the middle.

"I don't think so."

"Xu Lai!"

Just as Ruan Tang was about to kick the man out of bed, she heard Xu Lai speak warmly.

"My heart is big enough to hold the entire Universe. But it's also very small, because inside, there's only you and Yiyi."

Xu Lai couldn't help but hold Ruan Tang tighter and murmur, "I've seen the most beautiful scenery in the world and met the most beautiful women, but none compare to even one-billionth of you."

This sudden, sweet confession made Ruan Tang's heart race.

"The moon is a visitor to this world, but you, my love, are its peerless beauty—a treasure rarely found."

"...Enough, enough, you don't have to say any more."

Fearing Xu Lai would say something even more outrageous, Ruan Tang hurriedly cut him off. However, she no longer tried to kick him away.

Because this embrace was very warm.

That night, Ruan Tang slept exceptionally well.

She even dreamed that, during a warm, blooming spring, her grandmother was standing in front of Haitang Court, waving with a smile and telling her that she could leave with her mind at ease.

* * *

At nine o'clock in the morning, Ruan Tang slowly woke up. When she opened her eyes, she saw her younger sister, Ruan Lan, sitting by the bed reading a book.

"What are you doing in my room?" Ruan Tang asked, stretching lazily.

SNAP.

Ruan Lan closed the book, a mischievous smile on her face. "Sis, you rarely sleep in."

"So?" Ruan Tang's brows knitted lightly.

"So, you young people should take it easy. After all, Yiyi is still in the room with you," Ruan Lan said earnestly. "I've already had a talk with my niece. She'll go back to her own room tonight so she won't get in the way of you and my brother-in-law anymore."

What?!

She grabbed the pillow from behind her and threw it. "What nonsense are you spouting, you little brat!"

Last night, Xu Lai had been a perfect gentleman, simply holding her with no improper advances whatsoever.

How did it become so sordid in her sister's telling?

"Don't hit me, don't hit me!"

Ruan Lan jumped away, dodging the flying pillow. She clutched her chest and said with a choked voice, "You really can't appreciate good intentions! And here I was, thinking of my big sister the moment something good came up!"

Ruan Tang was skeptical.

Her sister had a long history of tricking her. Would she really have something good in mind for her?

She grew vigilant. "Did you cause trouble outside again?"

"..."

Ruan Lan sighed helplessly and pulled a movie ticket from her pocket, pouting. "They're re-releasing the *Puella Magi Madoka Magica* movie you used to like. You should take my brother-in-law and Yiyi to see it."

She, Ruan Tang, was the mother of a five-year-old.

She was also the icy CEO in the eyes of hundreds of employees. Taking her family to see a magical girl anime?

Just imagining the scene made goosebumps erupt all over her skin.

She quickly covered her sister's mouth, annoyed. "I only liked that when I was thirteen or fourteen! That was ten years ago!"

Ruan Lan replied earnestly, "But in my heart, you'll always be that same big sister from our childhood."

Ruan Tang was speechless.

Seeing that her older sister wasn't keen on going, Ruan Lan muttered, "What a pity. These tickets cost more than forty each."

When Ruan Tang finally went downstairs, rubbing her temples, she saw Xu Lai watching TV while holding Xu Yiyi. Before she could speak, Xu Yiyi ran over happily.

"Mommy, Auntie gave Yiyi a movie ticket! Let's go watch it together!"

"Uh."

Ruan Tang looked closely and saw a *Magical Girl* movie ticket on the table in front of her daughter and another in front of Xu Lai. She felt the world spin.

For a rare moment, Ruan Tang became flustered, acting like a little girl. "Yiyi, um... Mommy won't go. How about you let Daddy take you, okay?"

"I thought Mommy would want to see it."

Xu Yiyi looked disappointed. "Auntie said Mommy really liked it and that you even used to cosplay as a Magical Girl with Aunt Wen Rou and Aunt Luo Chu."

Hmph... Some dear sister she is.

Ruan Tang silently headed to the kitchen, grabbed a cleaver, and marched back upstairs.

No matter how sweetly she spoke, Ruan Lan kept the door locked and refused to open it. Her cackling laughter, however, drifted clearly from the second floor down to the first.

"Damn it!"

Ruan Tang sat back down on the sofa, her pretty face set in a sulk.

This was the one dark chapter of her life, and her sister had just exposed it all in front of her daughter and Xu Lai.

Fortunately, phones weren't so high-tech back then. If any photos existed, she wouldn't be the only one hunting Ruan Lan down.

Xu Lai suppressed a laugh and held back his daughter, who was about to start chattering again.

"Laugh if you want to!" Ruan Tang's face was burning hot. She decided to throw caution to the wind, putting on a defiant expression.

"It's fine," Xu Lai coughed, looking serious. "It's your freedom to like what you want. I respect that."

Ruan Tang, a beat slow to react, let out a breath of relief and hurriedly said, "I don't like it anymore!"

"Mhm."

Xu Lai nodded gravely. "Whether you still like it isn't important. The real question is, can you cosplay it for me? I'd love to see you in that super-short skirt."

"..."

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