Shen Ruxue held the soft, warm daughter in her arms, her fingertips still resting on that strand of hair sticking up on Jiang Leyi’s head. Hearing these words, her heart felt like it was gently tickled by a soft feather, both aching and warm.
She pressed her chin against her daughter’s fluffy crown of the head, her nose tip surrounded by her daughter’s scent, her own voice gentler than when she had coaxed Jiang Lai earlier.
“How could I not see you? Once Mom finishes things over there, I’ll come back to be with you right away. At most half a month, and I’ll be back again.”
Hearing that Shen Ruxue wanted to come back early, Jiang Leyi gently shook her head, her little head nuzzling in her arms.
“No need. You can take your time with things over there. I’ll wait for you. I don’t want to become a burden to you because of a little thought of mine.”
Her voice was muffled, her hand secretly clutching Shen Ruxue’s hem, like grabbing onto something she couldn’t bear to let go.
“It’s okay. I’ll miss you. I won’t get angry because you’re too busy and don’t come back.”
Hearing this, she tightened her arms, holding her daughter even closer, her fingertips gently patting her back.
“It’s Mom’s fault. I’ll come back as soon as possible, okay?”
Jiang Leyi made a sound of “Mm,” lifting her head from her arms. Although her tone was still a little sad, her whole person was still bright.
Because right now the whole family was together, complete. Even if they did nothing, even if they didn’t go out to play, just being in this reality, Jiang Leyi possessed a fondness that the past could never compare to.
And in the room, as soon as the sound of Shen Ruxue closing the door faded, Chi Yingyu immediately leaned in to Jiang Lai’s mouth.
Chi Yingyu’s kiss was light as a feather brushing by, carrying the lazy warmth of just waking up. Before she could even respond, Jiang Lai’s lips were already tingling. Chi Yingyu buried her head in her neck hollow, her nose tip rubbing against the fabric at her collarbone, laughing with a muffled voice.
“Jiang Jiang’s morning kiss is much softer than Sister’s.”
Jiang Lai’s fingertips curled, landing in the soft hair at Chi Yingyu’s nape. The just-woken hair still had a bit of messy fluff, lightly slipping through her fingers.
“Has Sister started getting naughty as soon as she left?”
Jiang Lai pinched her earlobe, her voice carrying some teasing exposure, yet wrapped in a tenderness that wouldn’t dissolve.
“You just said you hadn’t slept enough, and now you’re full of energy.”
Chi Yingyu didn’t dodge, instead shrinking further into her arms, her arms wrapping around her waist again, the force tighter than when she had just woken up in the morning.
Through the thin pajamas, Jiang Lai could clearly feel the warmth of her palm, and the touch of her fingertips unconsciously rubbing along her waistline.
“I want to take off my clothes and sleep a little more, okay?”
Chi Yingyu looked up, her nose tip rubbing against Jiang Lai’s chin, carrying a bit of coquettishness.
“It’s all because of Sister. These past few days I haven’t been able to properly snuggle with Jiang Jiang. My heart is all itchy.”
Hearing Chi Yingyu’s coquettishness, Jiang Lai’s heart softened. Her fingers reached to the buttons of her pajamas, unbuttoning them one by one.
“Then let’s take advantage of your sister being here now and hug a little more, okay?”
The moment the pajama buttons were undone, the cool air wrapped in morning breezeé’» into the collar, Jiang Lai instinctively shrank, but was quickly embraced around the waist by the person in her arms.
Chi Yingyu’s cheek pressed against her collarbone, her warm breath sweeping over her skin, carrying the sweet softness of just waking up.
“Jiang Jiang’s skin is so soft.”
As she spoke, her fingertips gently rubbed against the skin on the side of Jiang Lai’s waist, as if touching a fragile treasure.
Jiang Lai’s breath was stirred into a gentle tremble by the touch of those fingertips. She was just about to say something when the force on her waist suddenly increased. Chi Yingyu seemed afraid she would run away, her arms tightly circling her waist, her cheek rubbing harder against her collarbone, even her breathing tinged with a bit of urgency.
Chi Yingyu’s voice was muffled, carrying the hoarseness of just waking up, yet revealing an unmistakable possessiveness.
“Jiang Jiang is mine.”
“When it’s only me, you can only think of me even more.”
The warm breath swept over her skin, and Jiang Lai’s heart felt like it was gently wrapped in feathers, both soft and numb. She raised her hand to touch Chi Yingyu’s back of the head, her fingertips passing through the soft hair strands, her voice extremely gentle.
“No problem. Right now I’m only thinking of you…”
“Then Jiang Jiang, you’ve really become smooth-tongued now. I know Jiang Jiang has Sister in her heart, even when Sister is out, you still think of her.”
Chi Yingyu looked up, her under the eyes still covered with a thin layer of moisture, yet revealing a persistent light.
“Jiang Jiang, but you’re willing to talk to me like this, say a little something to make me happy, and I’m already very happy…”
Really very happy. Chi Yingyu wasn’t lying about this. Her fingers shrank further toward Jiang Lai’s waist side, as if confirming the person in her arms wouldn’t be snatched away.
“And I’m already very content. You know, Sister doesn’t even have the chance to be alone with Jiang Jiang for a while.”
Jiang Lai looked at the little grievance under her eyes, but also the appearance of feeling sorry for Sister, and suddenly felt both amused and sad. On the matter of sharing herself, Chi Yingyu had really suffered a lot of grievance… So between Chi Yingyu and Shen Ruxue, Jiang Lai felt more sorry for Chi Yingyu.
So whatever Chi Yingyu asked for now, as long as she said it, Jiang Lai could agree. Just looking at Chi Yingyu, Jiang Lai’s heart felt like it had been soaked in warm water, soft to the point of aching.
She gently lifted Chi Yingyu’s face, her fingertips rubbing across her reddened eye corners. Clearly she herself still carried grievance, yet still thought about Sister not having the chance to be alone. This thoughtfulness made Jiang Lai want to give her all her favoritism even more.
“Silly girl…”
Jiang Lai’s voice was soft enough to squeeze out water, her thumb gently wiping across her cheek.
“With me, you don’t need to be so considerate.”
Jiang Lai lowered her head, her nose tip touching Chi Yingyu’s nose tip, warm breaths interweaving.
“The alone time you want, I’ll give it all to you; the words you want me to say, I’ll say them all to you; however long you want to hug, I’ll accompany you for however long.”
Chi Yingyu’s eyes instantly lit up, like dusty stars wiped clean of ash. But she quickly lowered her eyelashes, her fingers gently hooking onto Jiang Lai’s pajama collar, her voice carrying a bit of uncertain timidity.
“Really? Jiang Jiang won’t think I’m greedy…”
“Not greedy.”
Jiang Lai immediately interrupted her, reaching out to pull her tighter into her arms, letting her ear press against her heart.
“My good Ying Yu, you can want anything, I’ll satisfy you.”
Chi Yingyu’s corners of the mouth instantly curved up, like a child who had sneaked a taste of candy. Her arms wrapped around Jiang Lai’s waist again, even her legs quietly tangled around hers, embedding herself completely into the other’s arms. The stickiness was like a snake, wrapping around its prey and absolutely refusing to separate.
“Then can we stay a little longer? I still don’t want to get up so early. The bed is so warm, I don’t want to put on clothes at all. When Sister finishes preparing breakfast and calls us, then we’ll get up, okay?”