"I'm not going back tonight," Nan Xiao released her, kicked off his shoes, and lay down.
Lan Yuxi sneered, kicking him off the bed while chiding, "I've seen shameless people, but none as shameless as you. Did you ask for my permission? You're sleeping in my bed! Want to play the rogue with me? Have you forgotten who the originator of playing the rogue is?"
Nan Xiao raised his hand, grabbed her ankle, and with a gentle pull, Lan Yuxi landed on top of him.
Lan Yuxi tried to push herself up, resting her palms on his chest, but Nan Xiao pressed her back down.
"Stay with me for one night. Let me see if I can sleep with you by my side," Nan Xiao sighed softly. "Perhaps I've slept for too long. Since I woke up, I haven't slept much. If this continues, I'm afraid I won't be able to protect the three of you."
Lan Yuxi's eyes flickered, and she placed her hand on his wrist.
Nan Xiao cooperated perfectly, not moving erratically.
By the time Lan Yuxi finished feeling his pulse and looked up to ask if he had a headache, she saw that Nan Xiao had already fallen asleep.
Lan Yuxi watched him for a moment with heartache. Seeing that he had fallen into a deep sleep, she slowly tried to move his arm that was around her waist. Just as she was about to succeed, Nan Xiao, in his sleep, placed his hand back on her waist.
Lan Yuxi stealthily glanced at him. Seeing that his eyes were still closed, she didn't dare to move again.
That night, Nan Xiao slept soundly, while Lan Yuxi didn't close her eyes once. She thought a lot. When she was a child, she often slept like this, lying on him.
He said he hadn't taken good care of her, but she knew Nan Xiao had been wholeheartedly good to her.
Thinking of the two children, Lan Yuxi found it even harder to sleep. She knew how much they longed for paternal love. However, agreeing to marry him like this felt suffocating.
It was only near dawn that Lan Yuxi managed to doze off. When she woke up, Nan Xiao was no longer there.
She thought he had left. When she went downstairs, she found Nan Xiao playing chess with her father.
Lan Haolin glanced at her and then huffily turned his head away.
Lan Yuxi pouted and walked over, "Dad, good morning!"
"Still early? It's almost ten o'clock. The two children have looked for you upstairs at least ten times!"
"They're back?" Lan Yuxi looked around. "Where are they?"
"With your mother and your second brother, they went to the back garden."
Lan Yuxi glanced at Nan Xiao. Seeing that he looked energetic, she glared at him with annoyance.
Nan Xiao smiled at her, calmly made a move, and then stood up, "I'll go steam some buns for you. If you're hungry, have some porridge first."
Lan Haolin slightly raised his hand, signaling him to sit down. "Don't we have servants at home? Let them do it. You stay and play chess with me. We haven't decided a winner yet!"
Lan Yuxi glanced at the chessboard. "Dad, you've already lost!"
Lan Haolin looked at the chessboard in disbelief. "What's going on? How did I lose?"
"You're just not as skilled!" Lan Yuxi, afraid of being scolded, quickly scurried to the dining room.
Lan Haolin snorted, "Look at that. This is what you've spoiled her into. Zi Xin never spoke to me like that."
"Children are only this candid in front of their biological parents," Nan Xiao said meaningfully, then handed him the teacup before heading into the kitchen.
Seeing him enter, Lan Yuxi asked in a low voice, "Why didn't you leave? Dad didn't say anything to you, did he?"
"I left, and then I came back. Otherwise, how would the two children have returned?"
Lan Yuxi tapped her forehead. They say childbirth makes a woman foolish for three years. Her three years are over, so why hasn't she recovered yet?
Nan Xiao raised his hand and rubbed it for her. "Thank you for last night. I slept well."
Lan Yuxi's eyes darkened. "Do you get headaches sometimes?"
"Yes. As soon as I think of you, I get a headache," Nan Xiao replied, turning on the gas stove.
Lan Yuxi was speechless.
"Have you been to the hospital for a full check-up recently?"
"No."
"I'll accompany you to the hospital for a check-up later. You often have insomnia and occasional headaches. I suspect there might still be an un-dissipated blood clot in your head."
"There is. I had a full body scan after I woke up. Huo Ding told me about it."
"Then why aren't you hospitalized for treatment?"
"I wasn't in the mood. At that time, I felt like there was no point in living. It would be nice to die like that."
"Bah!" Lan Yuxi gave him a kick in annoyance. "You must go to the hospital with me later. If the blood clot is small, I can treat it with acupuncture."
Nan Xiao looked at her with a smile. "Does that mean we'll be able to see each other every day from now on?"
Lan Yuxi rolled her eyes at him. "Alright, you don't need to make buns anymore. I'll have some porridge and then we'll go."
Lan Yuxi bent down and turned off the stove.
Nan Xiao saw her rushing to the dining room and shook his head helplessly. "Why are you still like when you were a child, so impulsive? Even if we go to the hospital, there's no rush for this little bit of time."
"The sooner the better. I don't want my two children to be without a father," Lan Yuxi said, sitting at the dining table and lifting the porridge bowl to drink.
Seeing this, Nan Xiao quickly returned to the dining room and made her a fried egg.
Outside the dining room door, Lan Haolin peeked inside. Seeing Nan Xiao serving his daughter her meal, he walked out with his hands behind his back, in a good mood.
At three o'clock this morning, his wife, who hadn't slept all night, could no longer hold back and told him the truth about Zhaochao and Mumu's parentage.
After listening, he got up intending to go to Junlin Tianxia to tear Nan Xiao apart.
His wife quickly pulled him back, telling him that Nan Xiao wasn't at Junlin Tianxia but in their daughter's room. She also recounted the conversation she had accidentally overheard between them.
Lan Haolin immediately lost his temper. Nan Xiao's choice to abandon supporting An Lanshu for the sake of his daughter and grandchildren greatly pleased him.
Although he couldn't touch that old woman An Lanshu due to his daughter and grandchildren, he felt a sense of satisfaction seeing her, an elder, being divorced by Nan Zhenting.
His happiness made him forget his anger. He returned to bed, lit a cigarette, and after a moment of thought, he finally understood his daughter's heart. Her love for Nan Xiao was etched into her bones. When she said she wouldn't marry, it was out of spite. As long as Nan Xiao made the right choices, she would eventually agree to marry him.
Nan Xiao had also performed well today, hiding his strength to play chess with him and losing subtly in every game.
Thinking this, Lan Haolin's smile gradually widened.
In the dining room, Nan Xiao placed the fried egg beside Lan Yuxi and then sat down next to her.
"Xi Bao, do you know where your grandmother is?"
Lan Yuxi looked at him warily. "Why are you asking?"
Seeing her expression, Nan Xiao knew that Lan Yuxi knew where her grandmother was.
"Your grandmother is an old man's incurable heart ailment. I think if they could meet, perhaps those grudges could be lessened."