Chapter 21: Awakening in His Embrace

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Jiang Jingming turned off the light and, guided by the moonlight, climbed onto the other side of the bed. Sang Yu had thought she would be indifferent, but the moment the mattress sank beside her, her heart involuntarily began to race. The sound of the man's breathing filled the silent night, amplified as if a thousandfold. His breath carried the familiar scent from his body. Perhaps it was because the room originally belonged to him, making his scent seem to permeate everywhere, unsettling her mind. She lay motionless, forcing herself to fall asleep.

Jiang Jingming was no better off. In the past, there had only ever been men sleeping beside him. But now, lying next to him was a woman—the very woman who stirred his heart. His body gradually grew warm. The faint fragrance lingering on her constantly invaded his nostrils, quickening his heartbeat. Each throb sent an inexplicable flutter through him. His body remained tense until the breathing beside him slowly steadied, at which point he exhaled in relief. Realizing the changes stirring within, he felt somewhat helpless. To avoid Sang Yu noticing, he forced himself to endure.

In the middle of the night, something suddenly rolled into his arms. Jiang Jingming opened his eyes and found Sang Yu had nestled into his embrace, holding onto him tightly with both arms and legs. His gaze instantly sharpened. He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing subtly, his eyelashes trembling slightly from restrained emotion. Their proximity was close—the tip of his chin rested just above her head. All he had to do was lower his head to kiss her smooth forehead. His reddened eyes locked intently on Sang Yu in his arms. His breath grew heavier, the dark depths of his eyes swirling as his gaze suddenly landed on a certain spot, setting his body aflame.

Sang Yu wore Wei Jin’s pajamas, which were still a bit large for her. Now, facing him like this, the neckline had slipped down considerably, and when he lowered his head, he caught sight of the pale expanse of her skin. He stiffly lifted his head, but the image lingered stubbornly in his mind. A scorching heat surged toward his lower abdomen, overwhelming his ability to control himself. He took a deep breath and slowly removed Sang Yu’s hands from his chest. But as soon as he moved, she let out a dissatisfied whimper. The leg draped over him shifted slightly and just happened to brush against a forbidden place. The man gasped sharply.

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Sang Yu tightened her hold on him. His body trembled slightly, his heart pounding wildly; there was no way he could pull away now. He could only wait for his body to calm down. The cause of it all, however, was blissfully unaware; she was still dreaming. In her previous bed, there had been a two-meter-tall teddy bear that took up half the bed. Every night she had fallen asleep hugging it. She had not slept well in recent days, but tonight she finally had her big bear again—though it seemed to be moving around. Fortunately, she hugged it tightly enough.

Jiang Jingming looked on helplessly, finally drifting off only as dawn approached.

…

Sang Yu awoke from her sleep, instinctively nestling closer into the warm embrace. Suddenly, she realized something was amiss. She wasn’t at her own home—how could there be a teddy bear here? She slowly opened her eyes. The “bear” in front of her was no bear at all, but a broad chest! Shocked, she realized she was the one holding him—it must have been a dream from last night. Carefully, she glanced up at the man, who was still sound asleep with eyes tightly closed. Relieved, she quietly slipped out of his arms and got out of bed.

Only after Sang Yu left the room did Jiang Jingming dare to open his eyes. In fact, he had woken when she stirred but feigned sleep, worried she might feel embarrassed. He sat up; luckily, she hadn’t looked closely, or else she might have been startled.

When Sang Yu went downstairs, she found He Xiulan already awake.

“Little Yu, you’re up?”

Sang Yu scratched her head sheepishly. “Auntie, I slept late.”

“No, no, it’s still early. Would you like some breakfast first?” He Xiulan said without a hint of reproach.

“Yes, please.”

“I made some barley porridge this morning; you tell me if you like it,” He Xiulan said as she helped serve the porridge in the kitchen.

“Thank you, Auntie.”

“We’re family—no need for formalities.”

“Oh, by the way, Auntie, where are Sister-in-law and the others?” Sang Yu suddenly realized she hadn’t seen Wei Jin and the others—had they not gotten up yet?

“Today’s Monday. Xiao Jin and the others are already at school, and your cousin and the others have gone to work.”

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Sang Yu suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. Everyone had gone to work, and she was just waking up. He Xiulan seemed to sense her unease and said, “Don’t mind them. I usually sleep until nine myself. Today, I woke up early just to make porridge for you.”

Hearing the comforting tone, Sang Yu smiled. “Thank you, Auntie.”

“No problem. How’s the taste?”

Sang Yu took a big sip and gave a thumbs-up. “It’s delicious.”

“That’s good, that’s good,” He Xiulan laughed.

“Good morning, Auntie,” Jiang Jingming’s voice came from behind.

Sang Yu choked on the porridge she had just swallowed. “Cough, cough.”

Seeing this, Jiang Jingming immediately stepped forward. “What’s wrong?”

Sang Yu waved her hand while coughing.

He Xiulan quickly brought a glass of water. “You’re such a careless child,” she said with some concern.

After drinking the water, Sang Yu said, “It’s just that your porridge is too good.” She lowered her head, avoiding Jiang Jingming’s gaze, feeling awkward about the previous night.

Jiang Jingming noticed her discomfort but didn’t press. He simply said, “Be careful.”

Sang Yu nodded quickly. “Okay.”

He Xiulan watched from the side with a fond auntie’s smile. “Our Jingming certainly knows how to care for his wife.”

Sang Yu’s face flushed red again.

He Xiulan also served Jiang Jingming a bowl. “I just realized the vegetables in my yard haven’t been watered yet. I’ll go do that. You two eat first.”

With that, she left them alone. Sang Yu felt embarrassed and didn’t know where to look. She had to admit, the man’s physique was truly impressive. Just this morning, the feel of his muscles had been firm and solid; no wonder everyone wanted to touch his abs. She thought back to the day she saw him showering. Those abs must feel incredibly pleasant to the touch.

“What are you thinking about?”

“About touching your abs.”

After speaking, Sang Yu suddenly looked up in shock at Jiang Jingming and hurried to explain, “No, no, that’s not what I meant. Don’t misunderstand.”

Great, she hoped he didn’t think she was some kind of pervert.