DTTM 53

Chapter 53: Stay and Sleep with Me

“A few days after Bazel informed that your illness was curable, the master summoned me…”

The hand that had been gently rubbing my lips stopped moving, and Zong Yanlei’s tone was hesitant: “Father?”

The interview on the TV continued, faintly accompanied by the audience’s prolonged cheers and commotion from above the room.

“Yes, it was your father.” I lowered my eyes and sighed softly. “He came to me and said that since you have recovered, you no longer need me. He told me to get out of the Zong family after you recover. Moreover, I must not say that I was driven away by him. I must claim that I left on my own, or else I will be in big trouble.”

Upon hearing this, Zong Yanlei slowly removed his hand, but did not interrupt me.

“I originally planned to leave quietly after you had fully recovered and married the princess. But who would have thought that the day before the bone marrow extraction surgery, Wei Nuan suddenly called and said that she was pregnant, but the father of the child refused to acknowledge it and wouldn’t even meet her. She was alone in Baiyujing, afraid to go home and not knowing where else to go. On the other end of the phone, she cried as she said goodbye to me, sounding like she was going to die after hanging up.”

“Wei Nuan was someone I’ve watched grow up since she was a child. We were like siblings. If she wanted to commit suicide, I couldn’t just sit idly by. But the surgery was the next day, and it concerned your health. Madam absolutely couldn’t allow any mishaps, so she kept a close eye on me. The bodyguards wouldn’t let me go out, so I had no choice but to sneak out by climbing over the wall.”

“Fortunately, I found Wei Nuan on a bridge that day. I told her it was okay, it wasn’t something that required her to die. If she didn’t want the child, I would go with her to have an abortion; if she wanted to give birth, I would persuade Wei Bao for her… She gradually gave up the idea of suicide. I bought train tickets with the intention to take her safely back to Zengcheng and come back immediately. But as soon as we got off the train, we were grabbed by the bodyguards waiting there.”

“You know what happened next.”

Zong Yanlei remained silent for a long time, and for a moment, the only sound in the room was the background noise of the television.

I quietly waited.

“But…” After a long pause, Zong Yanlei finally spoke, “Why did Father send you away? Even if I no longer need your blood regularly, can’t the Zong family afford to support an idle person?”

He immediately spotted the biggest inconsistency in the story, but no problem, I already had a plan.

“The Zong family can certainly afford to support me. Not just one me, but thousands of me. But…” I groped for Zong Yanlei’s hand, gently cupped it to my cheek, and lovingly pressed it against his palm. “Master could see that I didn’t just want to be an idle person. I am also a thief with ulterior motives, coveting the master’s treasures.”

The burning hot palm remained still as I pressed it against my face.

“What are you trying to steal?”

I rubbed my face against his palm, and as I spoke, my lips almost grazed the base of his hand.

“Young master, can’t you guess?”

The hand that had been obediently letting me manipulate it suddenly seemed to awaken, taking my face and stroking my left eye with its thumb.

“What do you want to steal?” he repeated it again, leaving me no chance to get away with it.

I smiled, tilted my head slightly, kissed his palm, and said the answer he wanted: “You. I want to steal you away.”

That hand gradually relaxed and was quietly held in my hand again.

“So the child is not yours?”

“He’s not mine.”

“You didn’t marry Wei Nuan either.”

“No, I’ve always treated her like a younger sister.”

“None of the things you said that day were what you truly meant.”

Even though I couldn’t see clearly, I still stared at his face. I raised the hand with the needle in it, and pointed three fingers to the sky: “I swear, everything I said that day wasn’t true, but everything I said today is absolutely true. If I’m lying, may I suffer the consequences…”

His fingers dug into my hair. Before I could finish, Zong Yanlei grabbed my head and pulled me toward him, sealing my lips with his own.

The IV tube swayed gently as I leaned against the sofa armrest, my face forced to tilt upwards.

Our breaths mingled as our face rubbed together, and this time his kiss wasn’t rushed. He finally understood how to control his strength, to hold back his weapon-like canines, no longer treating me like raw meat.

“That’s enough, I believe you.” He said softly, his soft lips brushing against the corner of my mouth, leaving a trail of delicate kisses on my cheeks and earlobes. “I believe you, you had your own reasons…”

I tilted my head, exposing more of my neck to him: “I didn’t want to leave you either, but… I am just a lowly commoner, and I have no say in anything.”

He didn’t say anything, but slowly pulled me closer into his arms.

His hot breath hit my neck, and my bones ached from the hug.

It seemed I had passed his test. So easily.

In my field of vision, the outline of the transparent IV bag on the silver shelf next to me was a little clearer than before.

The medicine worked immediately; after only a short while, my vision wasn’t so blurry anymore. However, it was unbearably hot…

I closed my eyes, wrapped my arms around Zong Yanlei’s back, and rubbed my cheek against his silky silver hair, but I still couldn’t alleviate the heat.

“Young Master…”

I wrapped my arms around his back, not knowing why I was calling him.

He responded softly, his breath brushing against my temple.

We didn’t say anything more and just held each other. Beneath our clothes, our body heat mingled; the sounds of people outside, the noise of the television, all faded away, as if even time had slowed down at that moment.

“Knock knock knock—”

Just then, a knock on the door abruptly shattered the intimacy in the lounge.

The enchanting atmosphere vanished in an instant, and we both froze almost simultaneously.

“Xiao Man, it’s me. Are you inside?” Wei Bao’s voice came through the door, followed by Aunt Chun’s slightly hesitant attempt to stop him and the children’s excited laughter.

“Uncle, are you inside?” This was Zong Yinzhuo.

“Daddy, it’s me! Open the door!” It was Wei Jiarui.

I quickly pulled my arm back, but the hand with the needle in it accidentally pulled on the IV stand next to me.

“Don’t move.” Zong Yanlei stepped back a little and glanced in the direction of the IV stand. “It’s backflowing.”

He grabbed my hand and placed it lower. Then he straightened up to open the door, but quickly turned back and straightened his clothes.

“Wait a minute, I’ll be right there.” He called out, straightened my clothes, and got up to walk towards the door.

As soon as the door opened, the two children rushed in like cannonballs.

“Uncle!”

“Daddy!”

I blinked my eyes, which were still covered by a thin mist, and could only vaguely make out two small, swaying figures.

“I’m right here,” I called them over.

“Ah, Uncle, what’s wrong?” Zong Yinzhuo, who had been quite enthusiastic, immediately stopped in his tracks and stood in front of me when he saw me getting an IV drip. The round, brown-haired figure next to him tried to step forward, but was pulled back by him.

“It’s nothing, just a nutrient injection.” I continued waving.

Hearing this, the two children relaxed again and sat down on either side of me.

“Uncle, you and Daddy are amazing! You came in first place!”

“Daddy, so many people were calling your name just now! It’s so lively here!”

Zong Yanlei came up to me, seemed to pat Zong Yinzhuo’s head, and said, “Keep an eye on things for your uncle. If the medicine runs out, have someone come and remove the needle.”

Zong Yinzhuo obediently nodded.

“There’s a party later, but you don’t need to go since your eyes aren’t better yet. Take the kids and get some rest.”

It took me a moment to realize he was talking to me.

“Oh, okay.” I looked up at him and smiled slightly. “Drink less and have fun.”

Zong Yanlei hummed and raised his hand. I thought he was going to touch my head, but instead he put his hand on the IV line, adjusted the speed, and then turned and left the rest room.

That night, Zong Yanlei did not return until the two children went to bed.

“Daddy, Xiao Mitang said you can tell stories, I want to hear one too.” Wei Jiarui squeezed next to me, his head nestled against my arm.

“Uncle, can you sleep with us tonight?” Zong Yinzhuo squeezed to my other side and looked up at me to ask.

I hesitated for a moment. This bed was wide enough for three adults, so I could sleep in it, but… I glanced at the direction of the hidden door, which made me feel strangely unsafe.

“Uncle? Please?” Zong Yinzhuo shook my arm when he saw that I didn’t respond for a long time.

“Please?” Wei Jiarui imitated him, and vigorously shook my other arm.

“Okay, okay, stop shaking me, I’ll sleep with you, I’ll sleep with you!” I quickly gave in, slid down a bit. I lay flat between the two of them, closed my eyes, and started telling the story I made up.

The story was only halfway through when the wildly imaginative plot left me wondering about the ending. Fortunately, the breathing was slow and even on both sides, indicating that they were sound asleep.

The bed was spacious enough, but the two little ones’ sleeping postures were unsightly. Especially Wei Jiarui, who would kick me every now and then, forcing me to wake up from my light sleep time and again.

Around midnight, I was kicked awake again. Just then, I heard a noise from next door, so I tiptoed over Wei Jiarui and got out of bed.

The hidden door was already open, and a dim yellow light shone from the other side. Because my eyesight had not yet recovered, I could only grope my way forward.

Suddenly, I felt something approaching. Just as I was about to turn around, someone grabbed me from behind and pulled my outstretched arm back. Our fingers intertwined.

“Why aren’t you asleep yet? Were you waiting for me?” Zong Yanlei buried his face in my neck, the strands of hair brushing against my cheek still damp, and the subtle scent of his shower gel wafted through the air as he spoke.

It’s so hot.

I had no clue if it was because he just took a shower, but he was like a giant furnace. I felt like my back was sweating after just a short hug.

“I slept next door with the kids tonight,” I explained to him. “But they’re such restless sleepers, it was driving me crazy. I was thinking of going upstairs to rest, but I heard some noise coming from your side, so I came to check.”

“That’s perfect.” He said, without asking me anything, and led me straight to the bed. “I’m a good sleeper, I don’t make a fuss, stay and sleep with me.”