A delicate beauty takes a place in a marriage, while a cold, rough man seduces her every night.

The winter sun is not bright.

In the dimly lit office, on the old cotton sofa, she nestled quietly in his arms.

Suddenly, a wet tear fell onto the back of his hand.

Xiao Jinye's heart tightened, and he turned her face to meet her pair of bright, autumn-like eyes.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" He used his fingertip to wipe away a tear clinging to her cheek.

Qingyan looked at his bluish chin and tired face, and pouted, "I feel sorry for you."

Xiao Jingye pinched her waist, turning her to face him, a slight smile playing on his lips: "What are you worried about me for?"

"I feel sorry for you and don't want you to be so tired."

One sentence made Xiao Jingye's heart soften and feel warm.

"I'm not tired," he smiled, lowering his head to gently rub her nose, "but I need my wife's comfort."

Qingyan was slightly taken aback, then gently kissed his lips.

The next second, her red lips were captured by his. All the pent-up longing burst forth at that moment.

He held her waist and pressed her forward, while his other hand grasped the back of her slender white neck, and kissed her deeply.

As they kissed, his lips traveled down her neck and wandered elsewhere.

The skin in front of her collarbone was very sensitive, and when it was pricked, it itched, and she let out two soft moans.

"Don't scream," he said hoarsely, his breath hot, "I can't take it."

Qingyan blushed with embarrassment, afraid that someone would push the door open and come in.

Her sweater was crumpled and the buttons inside were loose; she tilted her head back, not daring to look at him.

"Your beard...it's so prickly, let me shave it for you..."

Soon, the two moved to the break room inside the office.

It's only a few square meters, just big enough for a bed and a small washroom. Xiao Jingye has been sleeping here for a while now.

In the cramped washroom, he sat on a stool, tilting his head slightly back, his expression relaxed and trusting.

Qingyan used a small piece of locust flower soap, dipped it in warm water, rubbed it in her palm to create a dense white foam, and gently applied it to his cheek with her fingertips.

Her delicate fingertips gently rubbed away his stubble, her movements extremely light, as if afraid of hurting him.

The foam clung to his strong jawline, around his lips, and even his sideburns, with a thin layer applied.

This was the first time she had shaved him, and she was focused and attentive.

Qingyan used to think that men with stubble were unsightly, but Xiao Jingye was not unsightly at all; on the contrary, he had a more rugged and weathered look.

Xiao Jingye stared at her, feeling her slender, soft fingertips brush against his skin, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

"Don't move! The knife is sharp; you'll bleed if you get cut."

With her left hand, she gently stretched the skin and flesh of his cheek, smoothing out his taut jaw, while with her right hand, she held the knife handle steady and slowly made a cut in the direction of his beard growth.

The blade grazed the foam, revealing clean, bluish skin underneath.

Being so close, she could see the faint bluish bruises under his eyes, a sign of fatigue from lack of sleep.

Qingyan felt a pang of sadness in her heart.

After shaving, Xiao Jingye bent down to wash his hands at the sink, dried them with a towel, and closed the bathroom door, pinning her against it.

He leaned down and nuzzled his chin against her neck: "I won't prick you anymore, right?"

"Mmm," she replied softly.

The man's dark eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed intently on her: "Lift up your sweater yourself."

"No, let's go out. Mom and Duoduo are still here," she said softly. "We'll talk again when you're done and go home..."

"What do you mean, 'then when I get home?' I can't wait."

Qingyan bit her lip and turned her head away, her earlobes slightly burning.

Although it had only been a few days, it felt like an eternity to the two who were deeply in love.

Xiao Jingye took her hand and placed it on the cold metal buckle at his waist, commanding in a deep voice, "Unfasten it for me."

the other side.

Two female workers sorting goods in the warehouse were chatting with Zeng Yumei.

Everyone chatted and laughed while busy with their work. Zeng Yumei simply led Duoduo to sit down and helped them sort the goods.

The door to the office restroom made a slight noise.

"Aren't you...aren't you tired?" Her long eyelashes fluttered, and her face was flushed.

She felt sorry for his exhaustion over the past few days, but she couldn't bear to kick him out.

The veins on Xiao Jingye's neck were bulging, showing that he was enduring to the extreme, and his breathing was particularly loud.

He didn't say a word, just stared at her flushed face, gritting his teeth and remaining silent.

Qingyan hooked her arms around his neck, buried her face in the crook of his neck, and saw the slightly protruding, sexy Adam's apple. As if possessed, she stuck out her tongue and gently licked it.

"Hmm..." The man visibly stiffened for a moment, letting out a low, hoarse groan.

Zeng Yumei led Duoduo to help with the work for quite a while before getting up and going out of the warehouse to wash her hands.

Stepping into the office, I saw Qingyan leaning back on the sofa with her eyes gently closed.

"Where's Jinye?" she asked.

Qingyan opened her eyes and immediately sat up straight: "Mom, he went to deliver goods."

Where are you delivering the goods?

"It's not far, just inside the city. We'll wait for him to come back and then go out to eat together."

When Xiao Jingye returned, the family went out to eat together.

At the bus station, as they parted, Duoduo clung to Xiao Jingye's leg, sobbing, "I want my brother to go home, I want my brother to go home."

Zeng Yumei pulled her away: "Your brother is busy."

Xiao Jingye bent down and picked up his younger sister: "I'll be back home after I finish these few days of work. Be good at home, and don't make Mom and your sister-in-law angry, okay?"

"When I make money, I'll buy you something delicious when we get back."

"Really?" Duoduo sniffed and choked up, "Then don't forget to buy me some bear-shaped cookies."

The cake shop sells the kind of cookies sold in bulk by the supply and marketing cooperative. They come in all sorts of animal shapes and are very popular with children.

Xiao Jingye smiled and said, "Okay~"

Zeng Yumei pulled Duoduo onto the bus.

Qingyan said, "Let's go."

He looked at her, and their eyes met, filled with a tender and lingering affection.

She remembered something, and a blush rose on her cheeks.

Standing by the car door, she gently reminded him, "Make sure you eat well."

"understood."

Xiao Jingye waved goodbye to her reluctantly.

Just as Qingyan was about to get into the car, she suddenly turned around and ran into his arms, saying, "I love you."

It was a very light sentence.

After saying that, she quickly turned around, got into the car, and closed the door.

Through the car window, Qingyan saw Xiao Jingye standing there in a daze, watching the car drive away.

She smiled, pursing her lips, and muttered to herself, "Silly girl."

Duo Duo, who was quite sensitive to certain words, looked at her and said, "Sister-in-law, who are you calling stupid?"

"Your brother."

-

A snowfall blanketed the village, and the atmosphere of the approaching New Year grew stronger day by day.

Qiao Nianshan was bedridden. When Qiao Qingyan went back to her parents' home to visit him, she learned that he had been coughing on and off for almost half a month and had not gotten better. His face was sallow and haggard.

Chen Xiuying was always out and about and didn't stay by his side to take care of him.

Qingyan was anxious, so she asked the village doctor to come to her house to treat her. The doctor prescribed some herbal medicine and anti-inflammatory Western medicine.

She cooked a bowl of hot noodles and brought it over, asking, "Where did Chen Xiuying go?"

"I don't know." Qiao Nianshan barely managed to eat half a bowl of noodles, swallowed the medicinal soup, and lay back wearily on the earthen bed.

A violent coughing fit followed.

He shakily pulled a wad of crumpled banknotes from his inner pocket and stuffed it into Qingyan's hand: "Keep this money safe, and don't let your stepmother see it."

"I don't want your money," Qingyan said.

"My health is failing, I won't live much longer... cough cough, I might die any day now, take this. It's for you."

He covered his mouth tightly to suppress a cough, guilt rising in his eyes: "It's because your father owes you so much."

Qingyan bit her inner lip and paused for a moment: "Don't say such discouraging things. The doctor said it's just a cold and a persistent cough. If you take good care of yourself, you'll recover soon."

Qiao Nianshan insisted on putting the money in her pocket. Unable to refuse, Qingyan had no choice but to say, "Then I'll keep it for you for now."