Chapter 8: Bed Sharing

Ning Ke paused for two seconds before retorting: “What? Did I call you?”

Yan Yunzhi didn’t speak, just quietly looked at her.

Her misty, rain-like eyes were clear, the corners slightly curved. After a moment, she gently nodded.

Ning Ke felt uncomfortable under her gaze and turned her head, touching her ear.

She looked out at the traffic flow outside the window and exited Weibo again, lest her hand slip and cause some awkwardness later.

The rest of the drive was silent.

It was just getting dark when they arrived home.

As Ning Ke changed her shoes in the foyer, she received a call from her uncle, Ning Hui: “Uncle, have you been busy lately?”

Ning Hui was a serious and upright person, speaking methodically: “No matter how busy I am, I can’t be busier than you. How long have you been back? Haven’t even come home for a meal.”

“Been busy recently,” Ning Ke took off her coat, “I’ll come back tomorrow.”

Ning Hui: “Is Azhi home too?”

Ning Ke: “Mm, she’s home.”

Yan Yunzhi had already guessed what she was talking about. After undoing her scarf, she said softly: “I’ll go back with you.”

Ning Ke mouthed a “thank you” before replying to her uncle: “We’ll come back together tomorrow.”

Ning Hui said okay: “I’ll ask your aunt to prepare dinner.”

Ning Ke held the phone, showing no intention of hanging up, talking as she walked upstairs, occasionally revealing a hint of petulance: “You’re busy with work, haven’t talked to me in so long.”

She focused on the call, completely unaware that Yan Yunzhi was still standing in the living room, watching her retreating back.

…

The next day, they arrived at the Ning family home exactly at four o’clock.

Ning Ke had rushed through a live stream in the morning and came directly from the company.

Before coming, Yan Yunzhi had sent a message saying she would come from home, having prepared health supplements for the elders.

They met outside the door before ringing the bell.

Aunt Meng Yuejiao opened the door herself, smiling brightly as she took Ning Ke’s arm: “Why did you bring so many things?”

Ning Ke always acted spoiled with her family, hugging her arm and shaking it: “Auntie, if Uncle scolds me later, you have to protect me.”

The recent public opinion buzz hadn’t been small; Ning Hui must have known already.

Sure enough, upon entering the living room, she saw Ning Hui sitting by the window reading a book, his face stern, looking displeased: “It’s almost Chinese New Year, why do you still have to go out and film a show?”

Ning Ke had a fearless personality, but having lost her parents young, she spoke somewhat softer to the uncle who raised her: “Just doing something I like. Isn’t that allowed?”

Ning Hui: “Keke, it’s not that Uncle is criticizing you. Given our family’s circumstances, does a girl like you need to be out in the public eye like this? Let alone one of you, even ten of you, the family can afford to support!”

He grew angrier as he spoke. Ning Ke’s debut hadn’t been smooth—negative press, scandals, even being blacklisted two years ago.

Ning Hui knew all this, but he never intervened to fix things, instead hoping Ning Ke would come home and properly be the young lady… or perhaps more accurately now, Mrs. Yan.

Ning Ke: “But I just like it.”

Ning Hui: “How old are you? Can ‘liking it’ put food on the table?”

Ning Ke stopped talking.

Ning Hui’s blood pressure also soared from the outburst.

Aunt Meng, half worried and half trying to ease the tension, patted her husband’s back: “Alright, both of you say less. Keke, quickly get your uncle’s blood pressure medicine!”

Ning Ke pressed her lips together firmly and turned to go upstairs for the medicine.

Yan Yunzhi poured a glass of water and handed it to Ning Hui, saying warmly: “Uncle, please calm down. Xiao Ning is still young, there’s nothing wrong with doing something she likes.”

Ning Hui took a sip of water, his rapid breathing gradually calming down, before asking: “Azhi ah, did Keke drag you into this variety show this time? This girl, she can’t just go crazy herself, she has to make you go crazy with her.”

Yan Yunzhi shook her head: “Accompanying her in doing something she likes, I’m very willing. There’s nothing wrong with it.”

Meng Yuejiao: “Exactly, Azhi has always doted on Keke. Them joining a show together this time, I’m not surprised at all. Alright Old Ning, stop worrying about the young couple’s affairs. If Old Master Yan blames us, it won’t be too late for us to apologize then.”

Ning Ke heard this sentence just as she came downstairs.

The Ning and Yan families were old friends, but the Ning family had declined over the years.

Her marriage to Yan Yunzhi was considered marrying up.

Because of this, her family was very polite to Yan Yunzhi, afraid of offending Grandpa Yan.

Aunt Meng looked up and saw her: “Aiyo Keke, why are you just standing there傻? Hurry and bring the medicine down!”

Ning Ke answered and descended the stairs to Ning Hui’s side: “Uncle, take your medicine.”

Ning Hui grunted, took the medicine, and said no more.

This little episode was finally over.

After dinner in the evening, Meng Yuejiao said: “It’s rare that both of you aren’t busy lately, and it’s snowing outside again. Stay here tonight. Keke’s room is cleaned daily.”

Ning Ke subconsciously looked at Yan Yunzhi. Yan Yunzhi nodded: “Okay.”

Meng Yuejiao: “I’ll ask Sister Zhao to stew some chicken soup. We’ll have chicken soup noodles tomorrow morning.”

After dinner, Yan Yunzhi played chess with Ning Hui.

Ning Ke stood beside them. Seeing Ning Hui looking very happy, she couldn’t help saying: “Uncle, if others came, they might not know who the real daughter of the Ning family is.”

Ning Hui burst out laughing: “You girl, getting jealous of your wife now?”

Yan Yunzhi’s eyes also curved.

This faintly coquettish tone from Ning Ke was rare.

Usually, she was either dismissive or spoke in a spoiled, unkind manner towards her.

Ning Hui clapped his hands: “Alright, alright, this old man doesn’t need you two to keep me company. You two go back to your room and rest.”

Ning Ke: “Okay, goodnight Uncle.”

She led Yan Yunzhi to her room.

This wasn’t Yan Yunzhi’s first time here. She had… come before, but because Yan Yunzhi’s health was poor, sensitive to noise at night, and picky about beds, the elders had never asked her to stay overnight.

Today was coincidental due to the snow, which prompted Meng Yuejiao to suggest it.

Ning Ke pushed open the room door: “Come in.”

A room is a person’s private territory; naturally, one dislikes others entering.

But no matter how much she disliked it, she couldn’t possibly let Yan Yunzhi sleep in the guest room.

There was only one bed, and asking someone to sleep on the sofa made no sense.

After all, Yan Yunzhi was her wife in the legal sense.

Yan Yunzhi stood at the door, waiting for her to speak before entering.

The villa she and Ning Ke lived in had been renovated before they moved in, so the overall style leaned towards cool and minimalist.

Ning Ke’s room was different.

To the right upon entering was a separate walk-in closet, hung with rows of dresses, haute couture gowns, designer bags, and sunglasses.

To the left was a set of pure white furniture, pink and blue wallpaper, and a pumpkin carriage-shaped shelf filled with many plush teddy bears.

These decorations didn’t match Ning Ke’s usual temperament; they were quite cute.

After entering, Ning Ke first took off her earrings, then found two new sets of pajamas: “I’ll shower first.”

Yan Yunzhi: “You first.”

Ning Ke didn’t stand on ceremony, quickly finished showering, and came out wrapped in steam, her hair dripping wet.

Before entering the bathroom, Yan Yunzhi said: “Dry your hair soon.”

Ning Ke: “Oh.”

Only when the sound of water started in the bathroom did Ning Ke let out a sigh of relief.

‘Really not used to this… This was the first time spending the night in the same room with Yan Yunzhi.’

‘Marriage really is troublesome.’

On the room table sat a wooden photo frame containing her and Yan Yunzhi’s wedding photo.

Ning Ke stared blankly at the photo while drying her hair, honestly unable to remember when she put the photo there. Probably her aunt placed it.

Time flew so fast. She and Yan Yunzhi had been married for two years in the blink of an eye.

Staring at the photo for a long time, Ning Ke remembered the first time she met Yan Yunzhi, when Yan Yunzhi was twenty-four.

Coincidentally, two years ago, she married Yan Yunzhi. At that time, she was exactly twenty-four, and Yan Yunzhi was thirty-four.

Ning Ke saw herself in the photo with a cold face, looking deeply troubled, as if Yan Yunzhi were her enemy.

She vaguely recalled the photographer persuading her many times that day, telling her to smile, but she really couldn’t muster one.

Finally, Yan Yunzhi asked softly: “Ning Ke, smile. Okay?”

The sound of water in the bathroom stopped.

“Ning Ke,” Yan Yunzhi, wearing a haze blue nightdress, gracefully walked over, “I need to blow-dry my hair.”

Ning Ke made way for her. As she stood up, she remembered she forgot to put away the wedding photo and quickly said: “My aunt put it there.”

After saying it, she regretted it again. This was her room; what was strange about displaying a wedding photo? Saying that made it seem even more like trying to hide something.

Yan Yunzhi: “It looks nice.”

She looked at the photo, the corners of her lips lifting.

She remembered Ning Ke looking unhappy that day. She asked her to smile, but Ning Ke coldly refused.

Finally, helpless, she put her arm around Ning Ke’s shoulder.

The girl still didn’t smile, but her thoroughly red ears betrayed her awkwardness.

The photo captured that fleeting moment—fluttering, beautiful.

Ning Ke finished drying her hair, applied skincare products, lifted a corner of the duvet, and lay down.

The duvet was fluffy, soft, and warm.

It wasn’t early, but she wasn’t sleepy.

The sound of the hairdryer in the room stopped.

She faintly heard the north wind howling outside the window, and the sound of snow falling in clumps from the overloaded pine trees in the courtyard.

It suddenly became quiet.

Ning Ke felt uncomfortable.

Only the bedside wall lamp was left on. Soon, the space beside her dipped, and her nose caught a somewhat cool fragrance.

She took a deep breath, the uncomfortable feeling intensifying.

Ning Ke didn’t look at the person beside her, resisted the urge to turn over, didn’t play with her phone, just placed it aside.

Yan Yunzhi also didn’t speak and turned off the light.

Ning Ke couldn’t sleep, lying in the dark with her eyes open.

She didn’t know how much time passed before there was some movement beside her.

It was Yan Yunzhi turning over, her back trembling slightly.

It sounded like she was suppressing a cough.

‘Was it still… because she caught a chill walking in the wind that day?’

Ning Ke couldn’t lie still anymore. She sat up, turned on the light, got out of bed, and poured Yan Yunzhi a glass of water.

“Thank you,” Yan Yunzhi said softly, “Did I wake you?”

Ning Ke: “It’s fine. I wasn’t asleep.”

Yan Yunzhi put down the cup: “You sleep. I’ll go to the study and read for a while.”

“No, you stay here,” Ning Ke stopped her, “I wasn’t sleepy anyway.”

Yan Yunzhi: “I’ll disturb you.”

She turned her head, her profile slender and frail. Her thick eyelashes fluttered with the coughs, her delicate, long eyebrows furrowed, carrying a cold, fragile beauty. Her right hand gently pressed against her chest as she whispered, “It’s really nothing.”

Ning Ke frowned, unable to resist cursing: “Yan Yunzhi, what kind of quack doctor did you find before?”

Yan Yunzhi shook her head: “Don’t say that. Ning Ke.”

“Forget it. Anyway, you stay here. It’s so late, if Uncle and Aunt find out you went out, they’ll scold me,” Ning Ke couldn’t hold back anymore, “I’ll go sleep outside.”

‘Don’t even cough properly, suppressing the sound in your throat.’

“I’m much better,” Yan Yunzhi couldn’t stop her and could only grab her wrist, “Don’t go out.”

Ning Ke instantly froze.

She allowed herself to be pulled back onto the bed.