TIPS – Chapter 138

Hearing such teasing, Shen Junxi became even more embarrassed, but he tried hard to maintain a calm expression, not wanting Pei Hongxuan and Wi Xi to enjoy the show.

“You two really have a great relationship,” Wu Xi sighed. In truth, he was quite envious. He didn’t think there was anything bad about it—on the contrary, he admired them a lot.

“Mhm.” Shen Junxi nodded and smiled at Wu Xi. It was a pleasant feeling to know someone envied their good relationship. Although he was being teased and watched, he couldn’t deny that his heart felt sweet.

“What’s so great? You didn’t see them when things were tense,” Pei Hongxuan muttered under his breath, with a clear tone of gossip. He sneaked a glance at Shen Junxi—he just couldn’t stand the smug look on his face right now.

“That’s all in the past. Why bring it up now?” Wu Xi lightly thumped him with a fist, reminding him not to stir up trouble that might affect someone else’s relationship.

“If it’s the truth, why not say it? That way he’ll understand—this happiness they have now didn’t come easily,” Pei Hongxuan replied. Of course, he wasn’t trying to ruin their relationship. As Shen Junxi’s classmate and close friend, he sincerely hoped the two of them would grow old together, happily ever after.

Shen Junxi listened with a smile, not getting angry. He knew Pei Hongxuan was on his side—if anything, he even had a few opinions about Song Jingwei.

“Alright, that’s enough out of you. Everything’s fine now, so quit talking,” Wu Xi said, then caught a glimpse of Old Master Yuan coming over. He quickly smiled and pointed toward the washroom while speaking to Shen Junxi, “Your wife is waiting for you. Hand the baby over and go on.”

Shen Junxi looked a little embarrassed, but his wife’s pull was stronger, so he handed Benben to Old Master Yuan.

“Hehe, Jingwei asked me to pass on a message—he wants you over there,” Yuan Jinyun said with a chuckle while taking Benben into his arms.

“……” At this moment, Shen Junxi’s expression was beyond mortified. He felt that the old man’s one sentence was more overwhelming than ten sentences from the Pei couple.

Really, it was all in his head. Song Jingwei hadn’t said anything—he had just casually asked Yuan Jinyun to pass along the message.

“You’re here. Go help your wife carry in the bathwater,” Yang Shi said when she saw her son coming. She assumed he was there to help carry the water for his wife’s bath. Not that Song Jingwei couldn’t carry the bucket himself—it just felt like this task naturally belonged to Shen Junxi. Everyone at home was used to it, and no one thought anything of it.

If one day, Song Jingwei didn’t ask Shen Junxi to do chores anymore, they’d probably start worrying something was wrong.

Shen Junxi glanced at his wife, who stood nearby and smiled at him. He then lowered his eyes and picked up the bucket.

“I’m going to get some clothes from inside,” Song Jingwei said. “Are you changing all of your clothes, or just some?” Thinking about how he had been working up on the mountain and probably sweating, he made the decision himself. “Better change all of them.” Whether or not he had changed yesterday, he’d change today.

As he walked in, Yang Shi stopped her chores and asked her son in confusion, “So is your wife taking a bath, or are you?”

Shen Junxi froze on the spot. Faced with his mother’s question, he was even more embarrassed. He rubbed his cheek with his fist before gesturing, “I’m bathing.”

“Oh.” Yang Shi accepted the answer and returned to her cleaning, scrubbing the stove.

But soon after, Song Jingwei also came over. Yang Shi saw him go into the washroom and not come out again. Naturally, her son hadn’t come out either.

“This…” Yang Shi thought for a moment and suddenly understood. She covered her mouth and shrugged with a smile, murmuring to herself, “Ah, to be young…”

Shen Junxi had finished preparing the hot water. When he saw Song Jingwei come in, his gaze flickered slightly. He set the wooden bucket down and gestured, “You’re here.”

“Mhm.” Song Jingwei placed the clothes neatly to the side. This washroom, built from stone, was fairly warm.

“Did Mother… ask you anything?” Shen Junxi gestured again.

“Hm?” Song Jingwei looked at him with confusion, then shook his head. “She didn’t ask anything. Why?”

“Mm…” Shen Junxi quickly shook his head. As long as she didn’t ask, that was good. But then again, now that Song Jingwei had come in and not gone back out, Yang Shi must’ve noticed.

“Are you afraid they’ll laugh at you?” Song Jingwei said. “If so, why don’t you just bathe by yourself? I’ll wait until you’re done.” With that, he turned to leave.

“……” That was unacceptable. Shen Junxi quickly grabbed him with both hands to stop him, urgently gesturing, “Don’t go.”

“Don’t what?” Song Jingwei turned and asked, his expression full of teasing.

“……” Shen Junxi blinked at him, suddenly irritated at how he was clearly just toying with him.

Song Jingwei cupped Shen Junxi’s slightly childish face and leaned in to kiss him.

In the dim washroom, surrounded by the cool air, they held each other close, lips pressing together with deep affection.

They didn’t dare take too long—after all, the water might get cold.

“Let’s bathe first, okay? I’ll get intimate with you again in the afternoon,” Song Jingwei whispered as he wrapped his arms around Shen Junxi’s neck. He kissed the corner of his mouth, then his eyelids.

He really liked Shen Junxi’s eyes. They weren’t particularly large, but their shape was elegant, and the lines smooth. What made them truly captivating wasn’t their appearance, but the look in Shen Junxi’s gaze. Whether he looked up at you or lowered his eyes, that fleeting moment was enough to make one’s heart race.

There weren’t any overly complicated thoughts or hard-to-read emotions—only straightforward, honest feelings. The moment you got close, you could tell he held you in his heart, because your reflection was always present in his eyes.

Song Jingwei gently pushed him away a little and helped him take off his clothes.

Shen Junxi stood quietly in front of him, obediently allowing him to undress him. His face was calm and full of anticipation. He seemed like he also wanted to reach out and help undress the other, yet hesitated, unable to move.

“Help me,” Song Jingwei said, directly grabbing the other’s hands and guiding them to the sash at his waist. He had already removed his heavy coat earlier, leaving only his padded robe.

“Okay,” Shen Junxi smiled slightly. His fingers reached beneath the chin of the person he loved and began unfastening the delicate knotted buttons—one by one. They seemed endless, but in truth, it didn’t take long.

Shen Junxi enjoyed the process, though he was worried his wife might get cold. He quickly helped Song Jingwei remove his robe and set it aside. From then on, they got serious about taking a bath, and any previous ambiguous atmosphere instantly disappeared—because it was cold!

Song Jingwei sank into the bathtub, rubbing his goosebumped arms and letting out a long sigh.

He said to Shen Junxi, “Aren’t you cold? Hurry up and get in.”

Shen Junxi was still wearing a pair of underpants. Under Song Jingwei’s gaze, he lowered his eyes, took them off, and quickly stepped into the tub.

But the very actions that made Shen Junxi feel uncomfortable, Song Jingwei carried out naturally and confidently—looking where he wanted, even casually touching as he pleased.

“What are you covering up for? It’s not like I haven’t seen it before,” Song Jingwei said helplessly. He and Shen Junxi had long since been open with each other, but the other always acted like a bashful virgin, embarrassed even just to show some skin.

“…” Shen Junxi sat across from him, unable to hold back a smile, then focused earnestly on bathing.

“Bathing together doesn’t mean you wash yourself and I wash myself.” When Shen Junxi looked up at him, Song Jingwei added, “It means you wash me, and I wash you.”

“…” Shen Junxi looked down at the water. His and Song Jingwei’s legs brushed against each other—slippery and warm.

“Help me scrub my back,” Song Jingwei said, turning around and leaning against the edge of the tub.

After a moment, Shen Junxi slowly approached. The hot washcloth began gently rubbing his back, gradually increasing pressure. After a while, the cloth was gone—replaced by Shen Junxi’s hands. They roamed across his back, and soon they weren’t just touching his back, but all over his body.

Shen Junxi lowered his head and kissed his wife’s bare shoulder, hugging him tightly from behind, utterly content.

By the time they finished this long and tender bath, the water had started to cool. They hurriedly got up, dried off, and dressed. Luckily, they didn’t feel cold right after getting out, and once dressed, they felt warm all over.

When Yang Shi saw the two of them come out one after the other, she cleared her throat and said, “Done with the bath? Go call your father back for lunch.”

Shen Junxi and Song Jingwei nodded casually, even discussed who should go fetch Shen Dongming. In the end, Shen Junxi went, and Song Jingwei stayed behind to help Yang Shi bring out the dishes.

“Jingwei, I heard from Xi’er that you’re thinking about giving Benben a little brother?” Yang Shi hesitated for a long time before finally asking her daughter-in-law quietly.

“Hmm?” Song Jingwei thought for a moment and replied, “That’s something for later—not something we’re considering right now.”

Yang Shi nodded with a smile. “Now really isn’t the right time.” She added sincerely, “I just hoped you two would have a few more kids. It’d be nice to have a big, lively family in the future. But of course, it’s up to you two. If you don’t want to, your father and I won’t force you.”

Song Jingwei said, “We’ll think about it.” He understood that elders hoped for many children and grandchildren. Yang Shi and Shen Dongming had only one child—Shen Junxi—so it was natural they wanted more grandchildren.

“Oh, don’t worry about it. I was just asking casually. There’s plenty of time—take your time deciding.” Yang Shi spoke gently. What she said was heartfelt. Even though she often talked about wanting a bunch of grandkids, she respected Song Jingwei’s wishes. If he truly didn’t want children, they wouldn’t push it. There was no need to stir up tension over something like that.

“Mm, we’re still young. No rush,” Song Jingwei replied.

“Exactly,” Yang Shi said with a smile. “These next few years, you two should just focus on building your relationship.”

By the time Shen Junxi brought Shen Dongming back, it was time to eat. Once again, the whole family gathered together—noisy and joyful.

Shen Dongming suggested, “Now that the water issue’s resolved, how about inviting everyone over for a celebration sometime?”

Everyone thought for a moment and quickly asked, “Wait, what day is it today?”

They counted on their fingers, then all exclaimed in shock, “Tomorrow is New Year’s Day!”

Well then, they’d been so busy they’d forgotten all about New Year’s Eve. Yang Shi hurriedly said, “Let’s finish lunch and start boiling water and killing chickens. Tonight, let’s invite everyone over to celebrate the new year at our place!”

Shen Dongming said, “Yes, yes, yes, none of you are getting away. I’ll arrange tasks for all of you.”

Shen Junxi and Song Jingwei exchanged a glance. Of course, they weren’t among those being assigned tasks. After finishing lunch, they said, “Dad, we’re going back to our room to rest. It’s been a tiring few days.”

“Go on, go on,” Shen Dongming said quickly. His son and daughter-in-law were indeed exhausted. From today until after the New Year, they wouldn’t need to do any chores at home—he had said so himself.

Yang Shi smiled and added, “Go ahead, don’t worry about Benben. We’ll take care of him.”

Old Master Yuan also chuckled and said, “This old man will look after the little one for you.” Everyone had been busy lately, and Yuan Jinyun had been helping take care of the baby. He enjoyed playing with Benben.

“Thank you, everyone,” Song Jingwei said with a smile as he gently pulled his son’s hand and led Shen Junxi away.

Leaving the table so anxiously and ahead of time was something Shen Junxi had never done before. His mood was a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

Earlier in the lavatory, aside from a kiss at the beginning, they hadn’t done anything else. They had simply bathed together in the tub—scrubbing each other’s backs and helping one another clean up. But in their hearts, they both had plans. Something was bound to happen during the afternoon rest, so their bodies had been in a constant state of subtle excitement.

Especially now, having left everyone’s sight and returned to their own room.

Shen Junxi held his wife’s hand, gently squeezing his palm, his face showing a mix of embarrassment and open desire.

Song Jingwei leaned in to kiss his lips. When he saw Shen Junxi instantly open his mouth and lean in eagerly, he chuckled softly and wrapped his arms around him. They embraced tightly by the bed and kissed passionately before saying anything else.

“Mm…” Shen Junxi kissed his beloved husband tenderly, eyes filled with a ridiculous amount of softness. His palms gently soothed over the other’s back. He really wanted to say something to Song Jingwei, but he couldn’t—and that was his greatest regret.

Perhaps it was precisely because of this that his gaze was so full of emotion. And perhaps because his gaze held such pure, heartfelt feelings—and Song Jingwei just so happened to love that sincerity—he gradually won him over.

“Get on the bed.” When their lips finally parted and their breathing turned heavy, Song Jingwei pushed him away and moved to the bed. He reached into the covers and felt a warm sensation, then turned to smile at Shen Junxi. “When did you prepare this?”

There were already two hand-warmers under the quilt, making the bedding warm and toasty.

“…” Shen Junxi smiled with his lips pressed together. He had taken time earlier to prepare them, so it wouldn’t be too cold.

“Mm, come here.” Song Jingwei lay down on the bed and beckoned to Shen Junxi.

Shen Junxi walked over, took off his padded robe, and crawled into the cozy bed.

The two of them snuggled tightly under the covers. Then, one item of clothing after another was tossed out from under the blanket, scattered onto the footrest. The bundled quilt was still for a while, then began to move violently.

Song Jingwei lifted part of the blanket, poking his head out as he gasped and moaned softly.

Under the covers, Shen Junxi was pressed on top of him, moving with strength, making the bed creak rhythmically…

By evening, Song Jingwei slowly woke up, his body aching and sore. He found himself still nestled in the warm covers. The foot warmer was still hot—likely Shen Junxi had changed the charcoal for him. But he was alone on the bed. Shen Junxi who had ravished him that afternoon was no longer there.

Listening carefully, it sounded lively outside—probably every household was busy preparing for New Year’s Eve.

Song Jingwei stretched and got up to get dressed.

At that moment, the door creaked open. Shen Junxi poked his head in and, seeing that his wife was up and dressing, smiled as he entered and closed the door behind him. He gestured: “It’s not time for dinner yet. You’re not going to sleep more?”

They had fooled around until late in the afternoon—Song Jingwei had barely rested at all.

“No, I’ll sleep early after dinner,” Song Jingwei replied hoarsely. His throat felt a little dry.

Shen Junxi gestured again: “I’ll go get you some soup. Wait a moment.” Shen Junxi quickly left.

By the time Song Jingwei had finished dressing and was sitting on the bed putting on his shoes, Shen Junxi returned with a bowl of lotus root soup.

It was piping hot, so he stirred it with a porcelain spoon to help it cool as he walked over.

Song Jingwei reached out to take it, but Shen Junxi didn’t hand it over. Instead, he sat by the bed and blew on a spoonful before holding it up to Song Jingwei’s lips.

“…” Song Jingwei looked at the spoon near his lips, then at Shen Junxi’s expectant expression. He opened his mouth and accepted it.

These kinds of affectionate gestures were things young lovers would do—Song Jingwei had never imagined they would happen to him one day. Just thinking about it would have once felt terrifying. But now, he found it completely natural.

Because it was Shen Junxi.

Simply because it was Shen Junxi, he didn’t feel awkward. Nothing about it felt wrong.

Everything just happened naturally.

“Not bad,” Song Jingwei said with a smile when he saw Shen Junxi’s inquiring look.

“…” Shen Junxi nodded with satisfaction and scooped up a piece of meat for him.

It was a lean cut, stewed until tender and soft, melting in the mouth. After eating it, Song Jingwei felt it was enough. He reached out his hand toward Shen Junxi, indicating that he wanted to feed himself now.