Devil’s Warmth

After the Labor Day holiday just ended, it happened to be the start of summer. This year, the summer in B City was rainy, and it has been drizzling since early morning.

Bei Yao opened her eyes, the other side of the bed was empty. When she reached out her hand, there’s still the remaining warmth of the man. Pei Chuan must have just woken up. Today, Bei Yao would go back to school.

She dressed up and went out. There was noise coming from the kitchen, Pei Chuan was making breakfast.

Her black and white eyes fell on the man.

The morning light, presented his broad shoulders while making breakfast.

Pei Chuan heard a sound and looked back. Bei Yao said, “Let me make breakfast ba.”

Pei Chuan shook his head. “Go and wash your hands, you have to go to school after eating.”

She smiled with closed lips. “Pei Chuan, you seem to be bringing up a child.”

His expression was dull, if you observe carefully, you’d find that he was slightly stunned.

After saying that, Bei Yao went to the washroom to wash her hands. She saw that the top of the washing machine was stained with water, and the clothes had been washed. Bei Yao thought she could help with drying the clothes. When she opened the washing machine, inside was the man’s pajama pants from last night. She was a little confused. Pei Chuan woke up early in the morning only to wash one pants?

Bei Yao was stunned, then her face flushed.

I heard that men have physical needs in the morning.

Now, should I dry it or not?

Bei Yao thought about it and carried the pants to the balcony.

She was wearing the bunny slipper bought by Pei Chuan, it was cute and small. Then, she took the pole to dry the clothes outside. When Pei Chuan came out with the milk he had warmed up for her, he saw her drying his pants, and his face slowly stiffened.

She turned her head, and held her smile. She went over to eat with a straight face, as if she had not guessed anything.

After the two of them finished eating, Bei Yao asked him, "Are you going to work?"

Pei Chuan nodded.

Bei Yao bit the straw and said vaguely, “Then I will go to school.”

Pei Chuan said, “I’ll send you.”

She shook her head. “Isn’t the Scientific Research Institute and our school in the opposite direction? I’ll go by myself.”

He looked down and made a sound of agreement.

Bei Yao was different from him. Even though she was already in university, Bei Yao was still living in school, she was studying medicine and was quite busy. She probably… would not go back home. After all, it was convenient to stay at school, you have to go back and forth if you live here.

He may only see her once a week.

His black eyes narrowed slightly, watching her happily go out.

Bei Yao walked to the door and saw Pei Chuan looking at her from the dining table. She put her bag on her back and waved at him while changing her shoes. “Come here for a moment.”

Pei Chuan stood up and walked to her side.

Under the morning light of early May, there was a sweet scent when he approached her. The rain drizzled outside and the air was clear.

She was wearing a rabbit slipper on one foot and her laced-up sky blue sneaker on the other.

Bei Yao could not stand steadily when changing her shoes, so she put one hand on Pei Chuan’s chest to stabilize herself.

She just put on the two shoes and had no time to tie the shoelace when she suddenly raised her head, stood on tip-toe, and kissed him on the cheek. “Hubby, work properly!”

She finished speaking and ran away with a red face, regardless of whether the shoes were worn properly or not.

Pei Chuan froze in place and lightly touched his face after a long time. She called him… what?

He looked at the entrance, there was a light rain outside the opened window of the building. Bei Yao had already gotten into the elevator, her figure disappeared without a trace.

He gently touched the place where she had kissed, the place still carried the sweet and soft aroma of the milk the girl had drunk. The unspeakable discomfort in his heart disappeared. Even if he could only see her once a week, it did not seem disappointing anymore.

Pei Chuan went out later than Bei Yao. His modified new car was in the garage. The scientific research institute was indeed in the opposite direction from Bei Yao’s school.

As Jin Ziyang thought, the price of marrying Bei Yao was not small.

At least she did not know that starting from today, he was about to deal with Huo Xu.

A man who was eyeing to take his beloved wife. His gaze deepened and he turned the car around.

Huo Xu was not stupid. At least he should now know that Bei Yao was married. Pei Chuan accompanied Bei Yao at home yesterday, and had missed an opportunity, so now, every minute was important.

In a street cafe in 2013, a middle-aged woman in stockings was drinking coffee.

It was raining outside. Pei Chuan walked in, his black trench coat was stained with a few droplets of water.

The elegant middle-aged woman, who was drinking her coffee, turned her head, her eyes were cold. “Who are you? Sending me those kinds of photos...”

When she thought back on those photos she saw early in the morning, the elegance in Jiang Huaqiong’s face disappeared, and was a bit fierce. It was as though, if Pei Chuan did not answer to her satisfaction, she could strangle him to death.

Pei Chuan looked calm and measured her for a moment. As expected, Huo Nanshan was Jiang Huaqiong’s weak spot. A mother, once you mentioned her dead son, would become a madman.

He sent the photos taken by the police when Huo Nanshan died to Jiang Huaqiong before going out in the morning, and only now did he talk to her here.

Pei Chuan nodded and sat in front of her. “Ms. Jiang, I have no intentions to offend you. But this is the fastest way to see you. I deeply regret the death of the Eldest Young Master Huo. I know you’ve been investigating the cause of his death for a long time, so I’m here to help you today.”

The vein on the back of Jiang Huaqiong’s hand showed, she sneered. “Help me? How do you want to help me? Do you know who killed my son? Do you have evidence in your hands?”

Jiang Huaqiong’s tone was indifferent, obviously in her opinion, using her dead son’s photo to stimulate her could not be tolerated.

Pei Chuan said lightly, “I don’t know who it is, after all, all the evidence has been destroyed. You have investigated for several years but got no result, I have no way to change something that does not exist.”

Jiang Huaqiong was furious and slapped the table. "You don't know, and still dare to send me a photo like that."

Pei Chuan said, “You’ve been suspecting Huo Xu for a long time, but never got an evidence. You are not afraid of killing the wrong person, but afraid that the murderer of your son will get away from justice.”

He ordered a cup of green tea and took a sip. “As an outsider, I shouldn’t interfere with your family’s affairs. But this matter threatens my wife’s safety. I have to stand up, Ms. Jiang, I assume you received some news a while back that Huo Xu was pursuing a college student.”

Of course, Jiang Huaqiong understood. She was not stupid and said with amazement, “You mean Bei Yao is your wife?”

Pei Chuan took out the marriage certificate from the briefcase. “More than sixteen percent of the Huo family’s properties are in your hands. Huo Xu is very weak, he has someone he likes named Shao Yue, but he is afraid you’ll find out that six years ago he and Shao Yue appeared at the same time in C City. The two people did not dare to appear in front of you at the same time, so he approached my wife."

Jiang Huaqiong finished reading the document with an unclear expression. “But why should I trust you?”

Pei Chuan said, “There are some things that you will know if you check carefully. There is definitely evidence abroad that Huo Xu and Shao Yue had lived together, as for domestic...”

Pei Chuan was extremely calm and took out a document from the bottom of the file. “February 16 this year, inside the Hengtai Hotel suite, Huo Xu and Shao Yue opened a room. They both used a false name. The corridor’s surveillance recorded them, even if Huo Xu wore a hat and a mask, I think you must be familiar with him.”

His expression was calm as he spoke of other people's room affairs.

"In the document, the woman with the mask is not my wife."

Pei Chuan covered Bei Yao’s face in the marriage certificate, only revealing a pair of almond eyes, his gaze softened as he continued. “My wife’s eyes are clear and beautiful.”

Jiang Huaqiong looked at the picture on the document then at the marriage certificate, she believed him a little bit in her heart.

“Ms. Jiang, only when a person has a guilty conscience will he conceal things, and he will panic to find a shield. I don’t care what you think in the end, but you can’t hurt my wife, because I am the same as you.” Pei Chuan paused and said coldly, “If you can kill for someone important to you, I can too.”

Light rain fell outside the teacher’s building, washing the Phoenix tree outside the window to a tender green. Wang Qiankun said, “Yaoyao, why did you take a leave of absence some time ago? You only came back today, don’t you know how fast the courses went these days?”

“Emm.” The lecturer had not yet entered the classroom, Bei Yao gently lifted up her long-sleeved jacket, revealing the ring on the ring finger. "Getting married.”

“……”

For a long time, several people were quiet. Qin Dongni laughed out loud. "Yao Yao, when did you learn to make a joke? Getting married? Did you buy a fake ring to make us believe you? We won’t be fooled. This diamond is quite real and beautiful ah, but it’s too big to be real.”

Everyone knew that Bei Yao has a boyfriend she had been waiting years for, and was only released some time ago, so how could he afford to buy such a valuable ring?

Bei Yao said, “It’s true, I’m not lying to you guys.”

“Okay, okay, I believe you.”

Bei Yao: “...” Every time she told the truth about Pei Chuan, why didn't anyone believe it?

Even the most honest Shan Xiaomai was covering her mouth and laughing.

Bei Yao had no choice and did not quarrel with them. She took her roommate’s notes and started to catch up with the knowledge from a few days ago. There was a lot to learn about medicine. She has been delayed for so long and has to take time to make up for it.

In the afternoon, after school, Bei Yao began to tidy up some frequently used things in the bedroom.

Qin Dongni said, "Yaoyao, what are you doing?"

Bei Yao said, “I’m going to move and live outside the school.”

“Ah? Move out?”

Bei Yao folded her underwear and nodded. “Yes, it is impossible to still live in school after marriage. I have to go back home, I don’t live alone anymore.”

“......” The dormitory was quiet for a long period and Qin Dongni swallowed hard. “F*ck! You said the truth ah, really married?”

Bei Yao nodded.

Qin Dongni said, “Oh my, then that ring is real? Crap crap crap!” She was so surprised that she did not know what to say!

However, Bayao simply packed up her things and really went home.

After a long time, Qin Dongqi said, “If people at school know that Bei Yao got married, I don’t know what kind of explosion it will become!”

When Bei Yao went home and opened the door, the room was empty. Pei Chuan has not returned yet.

She remembered that the institute was quite busy, so she didn't call Pei Chuan.

Pei Chuan was indeed very busy, when he went to work at the Institute, he thought that Bei Yao had gone back to school. That house without her became less inviting. He was focused on his work and was the last to leave.

It has been raining all day, and he had to keep a close eye on Jiang Huaqiong’s movements. Once she failed to attack Huo Xu, he might become a cornered dog that would jump over the wall*.

*t/n: A desperate man would risk anything.

It was half-past ten when he got home. Pei Chuan opened the door and found that the light in the living room was on.

His heart couldn’t help but beat a few times faster. He raised his eyes to look over, Bei Yao was sitting on the small coffee table in the living room copying notes.

“You’re back!” Bei Yao put down the pen. “Have you eaten?”

Pei Chuan shook his head.

There was a shallow, unspeakable joy in his heart, and he suddenly fell in love with this home.

Bei Yao said, “There is food in the kitchen. I’ll warm it up, you wait, I’ll get it.”

She happily put the food on the table. Pei Chuan washed his hands and walked over, the knot in his throat twitched. “Did you make it?”

Bei Yao nodded. “Eat up.”

“How about you?”

“I’ve already eaten.” She was a little embarrassed. After all, she was waiting for Pei Chuan to eat together, but she later thought he would not come back. She usually went to bed early. As she was about to, the voice in her heart told her to wait, so she waited until he came home.

That was not what Pei Chuan meant, he paused. “When I’m eating, what will you do then?”

Bei Yao said, “I will write notes next to you. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in class, I have to catch up.”

After saying that, she brought her textbooks and notebook over. She sat by his side and started copying notes.

She wrote very seriously, her dark eyelashes were like butterfly wings, quietly hanging down.

He ate while watching her, the books were all about medical knowledge that he occasionally read in prison.

It rained, and the crystal lamp above his head shone in a warm tone. He finished his meal in a few minutes.

Bei Yao put down her pen. “I’ll wash the dishes.”

He held down her hand. “I’ll do it, you write your notes.”

He finished washing the bowl and came out. "Yaoyao, will you... live here in the future?"

She blinked. "Yes ah, this is our home, of course, I will live here."

He pursed his lips, afraid to show his joy. The word "home" came out of her mouth, and it sounded very nice, he had not been home for a long time.

He simply sat next to her and watched her write about medical knowledge.

Bei Yao thought for a while, and looked up at him, her eyes glittered with lights. “Pei Chuan, shouldn’t you massage your legs every day?”

He was slightly startled.

Bei Yao said, “I study medicine, I am a professional.”

He was silent for a moment. “Don’t make trouble. Finish writing and go to bed early.”

He got up to leave. When he heard her say this sentence, his heart warmed-up, but instinctively became a little cold.

Bay Yao stretched out her arms around his neck, forbidding him to go. “I studied seriously! Just let me try, okay?”

He caressed her face. “Be good, let go.”

She bit her lip and shook her head. Pei Chuan had to slowly get used to having her in his life. Otherwise, he would wake up early and go to bed late every day, taking advantage when she was asleep to put on and take off his prosthesis.

Considering that she would be disgusted or afraid, he always paid close attention to stagger the time.

Pei Chuan’s lips were slightly pale. With her sharp eyes, she noticed it, and sighed softly in her heart.

This stubborn person really does still mind ah. She thought of the Pei Chuan who woke up to wash his pants early in the morning, feeling sad and funny in her heart.

She stopped writing and leaned into his arms.

Her voice was delicate and soft. “Let me try, okay? Hubby.”

He froze.