No? Can I read the mind of my mortal enemy?

When it came to reading the letter, Shi Qiao's interest was piqued.

She peeked out from under the covers, revealing only one eye.

Pei Jingnian reached out his hand, "Wife, could you forgive me a little?"

Shi Qiao turned around, briefly putting aside the unpleasantness of last night, and moved closer to Pei Jingnian.

She pressed her ear against Pei Jingnian's chest, and as she tilted her head back, strands of her hair brushed against Pei Jingnian's chin. "That depends on how you perform later."

"If you don't read it with enough emotion, I won't forgive you."

Pei Jingnian twirled the edge of the letter between his fingers. "Okay."

He handed the letter to Shi Qiao, "Open it."

She carefully peeled off the wax seal of the flying little witch, muttering to herself, "Pei Jingnian, where did you get this wax seal?"

"I had it custom-made." Pei Jingnian rested one hand on Shi Qiao's pillow.

Shi Qiao subconsciously chimed in, "Who did you get to draw this background? It's ugly."

The two suddenly fell silent, and after a long while, Pei Jingnian replied in a very low voice.

"I."

Shi Qiao's hand slipped, and she almost tore the envelope apart.

She blinked twice quickly. "I still have half a sentence to say."

"What I really meant was, although at first glance... it's a bit ugly, but actually..."

Shi Qiao frantically searched her brain for suitable words, and it took her a long time to come up with a sentence.

"Actually, it's still kind of ugly-cute."

"Ugly people don't leave much of an impression, but those who are exceptionally ugly are the ones who leave a lasting impression."

"...Wife, is this supposed to be a consolation for me?" Pei Jingnian reached out and hugged her, leaning on her shoulder with a somewhat aggrieved expression.

Shi Qiao poked him with her index finger, "But no matter what, you made this yourself, so..."

She carefully placed the intact wax seal on the bedside table. "I will keep it safe."

She took a piece of paper out of the envelope, and the aroma that wafted out was a mixture of sweet, cool pine and apple scents, and if you listened closely, you could also smell a faint vetiver.

The letter paper is entirely red, like a bowl of mulled wine, with gold ink. Both sides are filled with characters. The basic shape follows the style of semi-cursive script, but there are more connecting strokes between the characters, making it elegant and powerful.

very beautiful.

The first line simply reads "Greetings, greetings."

Shi Qiao felt inexplicably embarrassed and put the unfolded letter back into Pei Jingnian's hand.

"You read it, I'm listening." She obediently lay down.

"Okay, sure."

Pei Jingnian remotely controlled the windows in the room, completely extinguishing the last glimmer of starlight.

Shi Qiao rolled over. "Why did you suddenly make the room so dark?"

He turned on the small nightlight on the bedside table, holding the letter in one hand and hooking his arm around hers with the other. "Last night, I was wrong, so I want to make it up to you, my wife."

"Doesn't this match the atmosphere of the evening?"

Shi Qiao glanced guiltily to the side, not expecting Pei Jingnian to care so much about the excuse she had just made up.

She was now even more glad that she hadn't told Pei Jingnian the real reason.

Otherwise, given his personality, he would definitely try every possible way to make it up to her.

She shook her head slightly and buried herself in Pei Jingnian's arms, "It's...so-so, please read it quickly."

Pei Jingnian responded and gently patted her back, as if telling her a bedtime story.

He smoothed out the letter with his fingertips, making the three creases on it a little smoother. "Do I have to say 'Merry Christmas' again?"

Shi Qiao glanced up slightly at the blessings in front of her, "Skip these."

Pei Jingnian slid his fingertip down, cleared his throat slightly, and said, "Then I'll officially begin."

After a pause of about three seconds, the deep, resonant voice resumed.

"Honey, I was so happy, so very happy, when I received your handwritten letter."

Shi Qiao pressed herself against Pei Jingnian's chest, and before she had even started, his heartbeat had already skipped two beats, racing wildly.

"After all, the last time I received a letter from you was when we were both still little kids."

Shi Qiao swallowed hard, her ears burning.

She's only written two letters to Pei Jingnian in her lifetime, the other being that apology letter: "Pei Jingnian, are you really holding a grudge? Are you really that angry that I sold your photos?"

Pei Jingqing pinched her cheek, then leaned down and couldn't help but peck her. "Ugh, so annoying."

"Because you sold my photos, it's like telling me that you have absolutely no possessiveness towards me."

Shi Qiao retorted, "What would a child like that know about possessiveness?"

"Why not?" Pei Jingnian twirled the corner of the letter. "I just don't want anyone else to see you."

"That's because you're too precocious!" Shi Qiao poked his chest. "What kind of older brother thinks about his younger sister all day long?"

"The utterly perverted Pei Jingnian."

Pei Jingnian hooked his fingertips around hers, a slight smile playing on his lips. "So now, hasn't our poor 'little sister' also given this annoying, perverted older brother his wish?"

Shi Qiao covered the lower half of her face with the blanket, "Quick-tongued, pause, continue reading."

Pei Jingnian returned his gaze to the letter and continued reading:

"I've thought about it for a long time, what should I write to you in reply? If it's about reminiscing about the past, then it would be better to tell you everything you want to know in person when we're snuggled together;

If I simply wrote some sweet words, the letter would seem rather ordinary, no different from anything I write usually.

"So, I think I still want to talk about things in the present."

"If nothing unexpected happens, I should propose to you the day before our engagement party, and I will also give you this letter on that day."

"Honey, did I say what I really wanted to say back then? Don't you think what I prepared was too simple?"

As Shi Qiao listened to Pei Jingnian read on, her voice filled with childlike worries, she couldn't help but speak up:

"Why are you only worried about these things? Shouldn't you ask me first if I said yes, or if the proposal was successful?"

Pei Jingnian reached out and pinched her cheeks. "What do you mean?"

"Does this mean some people are still planning not to agree to my request? Hmm?"

Shi Qiao's cheeks bulged slightly from Pei Jingnian's squeezing, and even her lips were pouting as she struggled to enunciate the words:

"Pei Jingnian..."

"You didn't act like this when you proposed!"

She muttered to herself, her little mouth opening and closing.

Pei Jingnian turned over slightly, pressing most of his weight onto her, his gaze fixed on her lips.

"So... honey, what was my attitude back then?"

Shi Qiao felt herself sinking deeper into the mattress and reached out to push it away.

"Just... so pitiful."

Pei Jingnian responded with a soft "Mmm," and squeezed his entire body into her blankets.

"Also, it looks like I'll cry if I don't agree..."

"And then?" Pei Jingnian placed the letter in his hand on the bedside table.

"Um……"

Pei Jingnian leaned down and pecked her lips, seemingly about to separate but then returning the kiss just as she was about to lower her guard.

Pry it open and slip inside.

But it was very light, and there were no plans to go any further.

His rough fingertips habitually slid down, massaging her inner thighs.

But suddenly, I felt a slight swelling.

He froze, then let go.

"Honey, are you hurt here?"

Shi Qiao was startled; that was when Pei Jingnian bit her yesterday…

"No, please don't..."

Pei Jingnian buried himself under the covers and, by the dim light of the bedside lamp, could see the half-hidden bite marks.

Oh?