67: Chapter 67 The Pink Secret in the Drawer

Friday noon, the sun was just right, making people feel lazy.

Su Wanqing had just finished eating hot pot and was squatting on the floor, packing the foam box filled with bamboo skewers and seasonings, preparing things for the night's stall.

"Stop packing," Chen Fan lay lazily on the sofa, legs crossed, like a rich landlord, "Take a break tonight. We're going to Jiangcheng to see the child tomorrow. If you go with those dark circles under your eyes, our daughter will think I'm abusing you."

Su Wanqing didn't stop her movements and retorted without turning her head: "If I don't set up the stall, who's going to support me? Besides, I'm not on your family's household registration, why should I listen to you?"

"Hey, that's quite a thing to say." Chen Fan jumped up from the sofa the moment he heard this and leaned in close to her, "Then let's go to the Civil Affairs Bureau right now? Nine yuan, I'll pay. We'll get the red booklet, and won't we be a family then?"

Su Wanqing rolled her eyes at him and stuffed a bundle of bamboo skewers into the box, making a clattering sound: "In your dreams. I haven't passed my parents' test yet. If I dared to steal the household registration book to get a certificate with you, the old man would be so angry he'd pass out on the spot."

Mentioning her parents, Su Wanqing's eyes dimmed a little.

Chen Fan put away his playful expression. He squatted down beside Su Wanqing and helped her close the box.

"Wanqing, how are Mom and Dad doing?"

"Not too good." Su Wanqing sighed, "Dad has high blood pressure and a bad heart. Mom has chronic arthritis; it hurts so much on rainy days that she can't even get out of bed. I want to take them to a big hospital, but you know their temper. They refuse to go, saying it's a waste of money."

"I've already made arrangements before we go to Jiangcheng," Chen Fan said firmly, "We'll go to Tanzhou first. I invested in a private hospital there. It's full of experts poached from abroad, and the equipment is better than a Grade A hospital. It was originally prepared for my parents' retirement, but now it's just right for your parents to stay for a few days and get a full physical examination."

Su Wanqing was stunned for a moment, feeling tempted, but her brows were still furrowed: "How much would that cost? If my dad knew it was arranged by you, he probably wouldn't even step through the door."

"That's easy to handle." Chen Fan snapped his fingers, "Just say it's a company benefit. Aren't you 'recruited' by my company now? Just say it's a free physical exam for the families of outstanding employees, and if they don't go, the quota will be wasted. Old folks, you know, once they hear it's free and they can take advantage of the public system, they'll definitely go."

Su Wanqing looked at Chen Fan's calculating expression, and the heavy stone in her heart suddenly fell.

"Okay." She nodded, her voice softening, "Then I'll listen to you. But… do I have to do it too?"

"Must do it." Chen Fan stared at her face, his tone unquestionable, "You've been bracing through colds to save money these past few years; your body is already overdrawn. This time, both you and the child, the whole family is getting a major overhaul."

With the matter settled, Chen Fan stretched and yawned.

"Sleepy, going to sleep."

After saying that, he walked straight towards Su Wanqing's bedroom.

Su Wanqing grabbed him: "Hey! You went to the wrong room! The room next door is yours!"

"The room next door just finished renovation, the formaldehyde smell is strong, it's giving me a headache." Chen Fan kicked off his slippers and slipped into the bedroom like a loach, falling directly onto the big bed covered with pink sheets, "My wife's bed is still the best."

"Chen Fan! You rascal!" Su Wanqing stomped her feet at the door, her face flushed red.

But the man had already buried his face in the pillow, making a comfortable humming sound.

Su Wanqing had no choice but to walk in and try to pull him up.

"Get up! It's broad daylight, what would it look like if someone saw…"

"Don't make noise, I'm just going to doze off for a while." Chen Fan turned over, his hand groping blindly on the bedside table, "Where's the air conditioner remote? It's a bit hot."

"On the table… Hey, don't rummage around!"

Before Su Wanqing could finish, Chen Fan's hand had already opened the bedside drawer.

"What is this?"

Chen Fan's hand froze in mid-air.

The drawer was neatly stacked with a few books, and at the very bottom, hidden away, was a pink, strangely shaped silicone object.

The air instantly froze.

Su Wanqing's face turned red like a cooked shrimp in an instant, and the heat seemed to be rising from the top of her head. Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she shrieked and pounced over: "Don't look! Close your eyes!!"

She wanted to close the drawer, wanted to cover Chen Fan's eyes, but in her frantic state, she tripped and pounced directly onto Chen Fan.

Chen Fan caught her, and in a whirlwind, their positions swapped.

Su Wanqing was pressed into the soft mattress, her hands covering Chen Fan's mouth tightly, ashamed and angry enough to die: "Chen Fan, you jerk! Forget it! Quickly forget it!"

Chen Fan blinked, his eyes full of playfulness and understanding.

He gently pulled down Su Wanqing's hand, the distance between them so close that their breathing could be heard.

"Wanqing."

His voice was low and hoarse, carrying a magnetism that made one's legs go weak.

"These years have been hard on you."

Su Wanqing turned her face to the side, not daring to look at him at all, her eyelashes trembling like fallen leaves in the wind. That was her last bit of privacy as an adult woman living alone, and it had been exposed so nakedly by this jerk.

Chen Fan leaned into her ear, his hot breath spraying on her sensitive earlobe, inciting a shiver.

"Throw it away later."

He chuckled wickedly, his tone overbearing and ambiguous.

"With me around, this thing can retire. How could it be better than me?"

"Shut up! You rogue!" Su Wanqing was so embarrassed she bit his shoulder hard.

Chen Fan didn't dodge, letting her bite, and instead held her tighter.

After messing around for a while, Su Wanqing ran out of energy. Plus, she hadn't slept well last night, and surrounded by the familiar scent of Chen Fan, she actually drifted off to sleep in a daze.

This sleep lasted until after four in the afternoon.

The sunlight outside the window turned orange, slanting onto the bed.

Su Wanqing woke up first. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Chen Fan's enlarged face. He was still sleeping, breathing evenly, his arm dominantly across her waist.

She didn't dare to move, afraid of waking him, and afraid of facing the awkwardness after waking up, so she could only close her eyes and pretend to be asleep.

"Stop pretending, your eyelashes are shaking like fans."

A chuckle came from above her head.

Su Wanqing blushed, still closing her eyes and not making a sound.

"Still not waking up?" Chen Fan's fingers gently rubbed her waist, moving upwards, "If you don't wake up, I'm going to check the treasure in the drawer again, to see if there are other styles…"

"Chen Fan!"

Su Wanqing opened her eyes abruptly, grabbed his restless hand, and glared at him in annoyance.

Their eyes met.

The smile in Chen Fan's eyes slowly faded, replaced by an intense, inescapable desire. He lowered his head, his nose tip touching hers.

"Wanqing, I want…"

"You're not allowed to think!" Su Wanqing pushed him away in a panic, jumped off the bed, and smoothed her messy clothes, "I'm hungry! Let's eat!"

Chen Fan watched her fleeing back and laughed out loud on the bed.

This layer of window paper had finally been completely poked through.

That night, the two of them really didn't go to the night market.

Chen Fan made a phone call, and half an hour later, a catering truck with a five-star hotel logo parked downstairs. Several uniformed waiters filed in and set a table of exquisite French cuisine on the old, paint-chipped dining table.

Red wine swayed, candlelight flickered dimly.

After dinner, the bodyguard took away the tableware.

Only the two of them were left in the room.

This time, Su Wanqing didn't drive Chen Fan back to the room next door, nor did she mention sleeping in separate rooms again.

After washing up, the lights were turned off.

In the darkness, the two bodies naturally leaned against each other.

There was no madness of that final step, just a tight embrace. Su Wanqing rested on Chen Fan's arm, listening to his steady heartbeat. The void in her heart for the past ten-plus years was finally filled.

It was late at night, and the occasional sound of car horns came from outside the window.

Su Wanqing's fingers were unconsciously drawing circles on Chen Fan's chest.

"Chen Fan."

"Hmm? Can't sleep?" Chen Fan kissed her forehead.

Su Wanqing snuggled into his arms, her voice very soft, like dream talk, and like she had gathered all her courage.

"Do you think…"

She paused, burying her face in his chest, her voice as thin as a mosquito.

"Should we have another child?"