Chapter 107: It Was Your Right Leg That Hurt Just Now

"Don't sit on my bed," Li Qingying said anxiously.

"Wife, my feet still ache. Could you rub them for me again?" He Haoxuan continued, wearing a shameless grin.

Worried about him, Li Qingying pointed to a chair nearby and told him to sit there.

He Haoxuan excitedly extended his left leg. "Oh, wife, it felt much better after you rubbed it earlier. But it's hurting again now. Please, I’ll be so grateful—I might even offer myself to you in return."

"Don't talk nonsense." Hearing the phrase "offer myself," Li Qingying’s face turned bright red; she was so embarrassed she felt like hitting him.

Suddenly, she looked up and glared at him. "You said your right leg was hurting earlier. Why is it your left leg now?"

"Is that so? Wasn't it the left one you massaged?" He Haoxuan broke into a cold sweat. *Damn it, I’ve been caught.*

"You scoundrel, He Haoxuan! You actually dared to lie to me!" Li Qingying pinched his left leg hard.

"Ouch! Wife, I was wrong, please spare me!" He Haoxuan pleaded. "I stood in line for so long today to get those tickets; even if I didn't accomplish anything great, I still put in the effort. My feet are genuinely tired."

When Li Qingying moved to shoo him out, he started babbling again: "Wife, I’m terrified of sleeping alone in my room these past few nights. Why don't I just sleep here?"

"Absolutely not." Li Qingying would never let him sleep on her bed—it was far too shameful. She had never even considered such a thing, nor did she ever intend for it to happen.

"I’m truly scared. For the last few nights, I’ve dreamt that someone is trying to kill me. I’ve been suffering from insomnia. If you don't believe me, look at my eyes—they're as dark as a panda's." As he spoke, he inched closer to her.

"You—stay back!" Li Qingying retreated in alarm. It was late, she was in her own room, and she was wearing her pajamas. She was worried about what he might try to do. If he forced himself on her, what would she do? Should she scream for help or fight him off with everything she had?

"Wife, can I stay? I’ll even sleep on the floor," He Haoxuan said with a pained expression. "I’ve really had a tough time lately."

Li Qingying rolled her eyes. "Enough. Don't think I don't know what you're up to. Get out."

Seeing she wouldn't budge, He Haoxuan hung his head and slunk out. Just as he pulled the door open, her faint voice drifted from behind: "When you come back up later, be quiet. Don't let my mother hear you."

"Come back up later?" He Haoxuan froze.

*What’s going on? Why would she want me to come back up?*

Seeing him acting dumb, Li Qingying stamped her foot in frustration. "He Haoxuan! Didn't you say you wanted to sleep on the floor? You jerk, get out of here!"

"Oh! You agree? That’s wonderful!" He Haoxuan jumped for joy.

Just then, Song Li’s voice rang out from the second floor: "He Haoxuan! What are you doing on the third floor? Get down here this instant!"

He Haoxuan scrambled downstairs, making sure to shut the door behind him. Downstairs, Song Li continued her tirade. Li Qingying shook her head; her mother was a bit of a snob, but there was nothing she could do about it. Fortunately, He Haoxuan had a thick skin and didn't care how much she scolded him.

*Sigh.* Li Qingying sighed. She figured that once her mother finished scolding him and went back to her room, he would sneak back up. The thought of him creeping up the stairs made her want to laugh, though she also felt a nervous flutter. If he was sleeping on the floor, would he try to climb into her bed once she fell asleep? The more she thought about it, the more embarrassed she felt, and she began to regret letting him stay.

The house eventually went quiet. Knowing he would be coming up soon, she kept her eyes fixed on the door. But before long, she heard a sound from the window.

"Who's there?" she asked, turning around, only to see He Haoxuan climbing in through the window.

"Wife, it's me. Please, don't scream," he whispered anxiously.

"What is wrong with you?" she hissed. "There's a perfectly good door, why are you climbing through the window?"

He Haoxuan jumped inside and laid his bedding on the floor. "Sigh, do you think I wanted to do this? Your mother is guarding the stairs with a chair. It looks like she doesn't intend to sleep at all tonight."

Li Qingying couldn't help but giggle. She hadn't realized her mother was so persistent in her distrust of him.

"Alright, wife, get some sleep. Your mother said we're visiting her hometown tomorrow, and we need to make her look good," He Haoxuan said.

"Sigh, that's just how we are—always so obsessed with appearances," Li Qingying said, shrugging helplessly. "My relatives on my maternal side have always looked down on my father, calling him a good-for-nothing. Now that I've married you, they say the same things about us."

He Haoxuan grinned shamelessly. "So, their point is that both you and your mother married 'good-for-nothings,' and they make fun of you for it, right?"

"Sigh, let them laugh. We’re used to it," she replied with a bitter smile.

"Wife, don't worry. Tomorrow, I will make sure you hold your head high," he said firmly.

"Fine. Now go to sleep, and don't you dare move around. If I catch you trying to climb into my bed, I’ll kill you," she threatened.

"Wife, rest assured," He Haoxuan said quickly. "If you don't invite me up, I won't move. I’m not that kind of person, unless—" He realized he was saying too much and clamped his mouth shut.

Li Qingying turned off the light. She had expected to have trouble sleeping with him on the floor, but to her surprise, she drifted off quickly.

The next morning, the sound of birds woke her. She opened her eyes to see He Haoxuan lying on his makeshift bed, staring at his phone. "You're awake? Why haven't you gone downstairs yet?"

"I had to wait for you to wake up and tell you before I left," he said with a smile, rolling up his bedding and tucking it under the wardrobe.

"What is the meaning of this?" she asked, her face flushing. He was clearly planning to come back tonight.

"Haha, wife, I’ve found that my sleep quality has been excellent since I started sleeping here. Come on, let's go down for breakfast." He reached out to help her up, but she gave him a kick.

"Hmph, I knew you were trying to take advantage of me. Get out of here!" she glared.

He Haoxuan went down to the living room and found Song Li sitting on the sofa.

"Huh? He Haoxuan, I didn't see you in your room earlier. Where have you been?" Song Li asked.