Chapter 201: Playing the Hooligan

Chapter 201: Chapter 201: Playing the Hooligan

She saw Li Hanchen standing in front of the sink.

She wrinkled her nose.

’Really? Was it necessary to panic like that?’

’How unusual.’

By the time Li Hanchen came out after drying his hands, Song Yao was already nestled on the sofa, patting the empty spot beside her and beckoning him over.

It used to be like this before, too.

After dinner, they would cuddle up together under a thin blanket, watch some cheesy soap opera, and chat about nothing in particular.

He loved these quiet little moments that belonged only to him and Song Yao.

But... the moment his butt touched the sofa today, Song Yao pushed him down.

’After all, I’ve got a little one in my belly!’

"What’s wrong?"

’Why are my ears suddenly burning?’ he wondered.

Song Yao pressed one hand on his shoulder and the other on her own waist, looking down at him as she asked.

"Hubby, are you on my side?"

The tips of Li Hanchen’s ears turned even redder.

’Of course he was her man. From the inside out, his heart and soul were engraved with her name.’

"So, are we the closest pair, the kind that can’t keep secrets from each other?"

He nodded again, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

’So Song Yao believed that too.’

’That’s great.’

But the next second...

Song Yao tilted her head and added.

"Then are you willing to let me take a peek at your most tightly hidden place?"

Once he understood, a chill ran down the back of his neck. The hair on his arms stood on end, and he instinctively tried to spring up.

But Song Yao quickly pressed a hand to her belly.

"Ouch! Don’t move!"

"What’s wrong? What’s wrong?"

He panicked instantly, his voice cracking.

"Stay put! Don’t get up!"

He immediately froze, his body half-tensed.

Still not reassured, Song Yao emphasized again.

"Seriously, don’t move! If you jostle me, my stomach will definitely cramp up!"

Seeing that he was obediently staying still, her hand snaked under the hem of his shirt.

"We’re so close. What’s the harm in taking a little look?"

Sweat beaded on Li Hanchen’s forehead, trickling from his temples into his sideburns. His lips trembled.

"Song Yao..."

She looked up at him.

The moment she saw his hesitant expression, she snatched her hand back with a WHOOSH and held it up high.

"Forget it, forget it! I won’t look! I really won’t!"

Her heart sank.

’Could it be that what happened last time left a scar on him?’

’Doesn’t everyone have hurdles they need to overcome slowly?’

’Besides, I’m hiding a huge secret myself.’

’I transmigrated into a book, and I haven’t dared to breathe a word of it to anyone!’

"I won’t look, I won’t look!"

She said, trying to slide off him.

But Li Hanchen grabbed her wrist.

"You... really want to see?"

Song Yao blinked a couple of times, her eyelashes fluttering, looking a little sheepish.

"It’s just... I’m curious. Our baby is already eight months along, and you still keep yourself covered up more securely than a piggy bank every day."

"I’m afraid of scaring you."

’It wasn’t that he didn’t want to show her; he was afraid her expression would change after she saw it.’

’He couldn’t bear even the slightest hint of hesitation from her.’

’But he just couldn’t risk it.’

’If she grew distant from him over this... he’d rather spend a lifetime hiding it than ever let her go.’

Song Yao pressed, "Just how scary is it?"

Li Hanchen: "..."

She immediately followed up.

"I mean, how good-looking can it be? Aren’t they all pretty much the same?"

Li Hanchen: "..."

He looked up and stared at her, his pupils contracting for a moment, and his Adam’s apple bobbed.

"You’ve... seen others?"

The air suddenly grew thick.

The wind died down, the curtains hung motionless, and even the soft hum of the air conditioner seemed to have been cut off.

His chest felt tight, and he suddenly felt like an old rag that had been cast aside for something better.

Li Hanchen hunched his shoulders, his head nearly buried in his chest.

"Um... mine is a little different from other people’s. It’s a bit... unsightly."

"It’s just... missing something."

He said this as he helped Song Yao sit down on the edge of the sofa.

"I can’t risk scaring you again. You’re still carrying our little one."

"How about you take a shower now? I’ll go get the water heater started."

"I’m not scared!"

Song Yao scrambled to her knees on the sofa, her knees pressing into the soft cushions.

Li Hanchen swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

"Y-you really want to see?"

"Of course! I’ve already shown you everything!"

The words had barely left her mouth when she realized something wasn’t right.

’Seems like I’m getting the short end of the stick, doesn’t it?’

"But you! You keep yourself all covered up every day, like you’re carrying a precious treasure box!"

In a huff, she sat up straight and crossed her arms over her chest.

’She was crystal clear on one thing: this was a bad deal.’

’If she was going to play by his rules, she should have held something back too!’

"I’m going to take a shower," Li Hanchen said.

"Go, go! I’ll be waiting for you!"

Song Yao immediately clapped her hands in agreement, her fingers still sticky with a bit of juice from the orange she had just peeled.

She waited and waited... and waited...

The man who usually finished wiping himself down in three minutes... his shower today...

"What’s taking you so long?"

Song Yao’s voice came from outside the bathroom door.

"No, no, I’m coming out now!"

He hurriedly dried himself off while calling out a reply.

Hearing her rush him, he moved like his feet were on fire and finished up in a flash.

Song Yao’s eyes lit up again. Li Hanchen jutted his chin toward the bedroom.

"Got it, got it!"

Li Hanchen reached out from behind to tug her ponytail but grabbed at empty air.

Her hair was so smooth and slippery he couldn’t get a grip.

Once they were in the room, he stammered again.

"Um... I’ll turn off the lights, okay..."

Song Yao: "Huh?"

She had just pulled down the hem of her nightgown.

Hearing this, she froze and looked up at him.

"Turn off the lights."

He repeated, already raising his hand toward the switch on the wall.

"Hmm?"

His hand was already on the switch.

Song Yao quickly stopped him.

"Hey, I haven’t told you yet, but actually... my vision is a bit blurry!"

She took a half-step forward, tilted her face up, and widened her eyes.

"Since when?!"

His hand froze in mid-air, all the shyness vanishing from his face.

"It’s just... when the lights are off, I can’t even see where you’re standing clearly..."

Her face flushed slightly as she secretly pointed in his direction.

Li Hanchen: "..."

He stared into her eyes for two seconds, then glanced at her swollen belly. His lips moved, but he didn’t say anything.

Of course, he understood.

But when he looked down, he saw Song Yao sitting on the edge of the bed with her large, pregnant belly.

’Doing this... why do I feel like a pervert?’

"A per..."

Song Yao looked down at her own belly and clicked her tongue.

’It... kind of does seem that way.’

She rubbed her belly. The baby gave a gentle kick, and she flinched her shoulders instinctively.

"Ahem, it is a little, isn’t it?"

She nodded obediently.

She twirled the strap of her nightgown around her finger, then let it go.

"Then..."

He opened his mouth, but the rest of the words didn’t come out.

"It’s almost dawn, let’s just go to sleep! We can talk about it after the baby is born. After the baby..."

After his long shower, the little flame of her curiosity had already half-died out.

"Alright, alright! After I give birth, you can show me then!"

She then added.

"You have to keep your word."

"Deal!"

He nodded and reached out to take her finger.

The two of them made a pinky promise.

Song Yao happily finished her shower, fell asleep the moment she lay down, and let out soft, sweet snores.

While she slept soundly, someone else was suffering through the night.

Li Hanchen sat leaning against the headboard, closing his eyes only to open them again, over and over.

He Wei was awake almost the entire night.

She only managed to doze off for twenty minutes right before dawn. In the morning, with bags under her eyes as puffy as two steamed buns, she marched straight to her supervisor’s office.

She collapsed into a chair. Before any tears could fall, her voice cracked.

"Boss! I want to divorce Yang Lei!"

Nine times out of ten, you advise reconciliation, not separation.