Wife and Kids

The bathroom was filled with steamy mist. Ye Shuang had Bai Yuyou sit on a small stool while he used a bath sponge to scrub her body—the city’s humid and hot climate made daily showers a necessity. Going even a single day without washing would leave one feeling unbearably uncomfortable, as if ants were crawling all over.

"Ye Shuang."

"Hm?"

"The front needs washing too."

"Then lift your arms."

"Okay."

Ye Shuang reached forward, spreading the soap suds evenly before rinsing them off with the showerhead. Her delicate skin, smooth like peeled egg whites, seemed even more alluring under the hazy steam.

As he felt the lingering sensation in his palms, Ye Shuang was gradually growing accustomed to this, yet he couldn’t escape the natural human reactions.

"Ye Shuang…" The girl slowly turned her head, droplets trickling down her hair as her beautiful eyes fixed on him. "Your wound… it’s swollen again."

"Should I apply medicine?"

"Don’t just touch it suddenly!"

"Does it hurt?"

"……"

Ye Shuang pinched the bridge of his nose, but since Bai Yuyou was still recovering, he didn’t press further. Gazing at the curve of her back, he withdrew his hand. "Alright, let’s go out."

"Ye Shuang."

"What?"

"Let me wash your hair," Bai Yuyou said softly.

Ye Shuang paused, then chuckled and didn’t refuse.

He sat on the stool Bai Yuyou had just used, while the girl clumsily imitated his motions, scrubbing his hair with unskilled hands. Yet the moment her slender fingers touched his scalp, Ye Shuang felt an indescribable, unprecedented sensation.

"Yuyou…"

"Hm?"

"Don’t… rub shampoo into my eyes."

Soon, Ye Shuang’s hair was lathered with foam. Bai Yuyou picked up the showerhead, rinsing his hair thoroughly.

Under the stream of water running down his face, Ye Shuang glanced up at the mirror, where the girl was focused entirely on washing his hair.

She’s grown up.

Ye Shuang sighed inwardly. No longer the girl who would thoughtlessly undress outside, unaware of social norms. Now, she even knew how to wash someone else’s hair.

Just then, Ye Shuang suddenly felt Bai Yuyou press against his back, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

"Yuyou?"

"Ye Shuang… you’re so warm," Bai Yuyou murmured, nuzzling her cheek against his back.

"Don’t cling like this!"

"The water!"

……

After some playful chaos, the two finally stepped out of the bathroom. Ye Shuang wore only a pair of shorts, while Bai Yuyou followed in an oversized T-shirt—so large it could practically be a dress on her.

The hemline swayed ambiguously, revealing a pair of slender, snow-white legs.

The reason? During their earlier tussle, Bai Yuyou had dropped the showerhead, splashing water everywhere and soaking her clothes. Left with no choice, Ye Shuang had lent her his own clothes.

Still, there was no denying how endearing Bai Yuyou looked in his oversized attire.

"Change into these new pajamas," Ye Shuang said, retrieving a fresh set from the balcony. But the girl shook her head.

"No."

"I don’t have any more spare pajamas. Come on, hand them over." As soon as he finished speaking, Bai Yuyou turned and retreated into the bedroom, burrowing under the covers right in front of him.

Ye Shuang walked to the bedside, eyeing the lump under the blankets, and tapped it lightly. "Yuyou, come out."

A few seconds later, a hand emerged from the blankets, clutching a note—

【(。-ω-) Yuyou is already asleep ZZZZ】

Ye Shuang: "……"

Expressionless, he reached into the blankets, groping around until he found her nose, and gave it a gentle pinch.

……

The night passed without further incident.

Due to Bai Yuyou’s injury, Ye Shuang had taken a day off for her to rest. He didn’t plan on going to school either—after all, the only reason he worked as a school doctor at Yinshan Academy was for her sake.

At the break of dawn, Ye Shuang woke up to an empty bed and turned his attention to the rest of the apartment.

Bai Yuyou, as usual, had risen even earlier, secretly practicing her cooking skills. Ye Shuang lingered by the doorway, peeking into the kitchen—bathed in the soft morning light, the girl stood in that same oversized T-shirt, listening to the sizzle of oil in the pan.

"Who knows what time she even woke up," Ye Shuang mused before returning to bed for a little more sleep.

When he woke again, Bai Yuyou had crawled back under the covers, nestled against him in deep slumber. Her steady breaths warmed his neck, and one slender leg sprawled carelessly over his body.

Gazing at the girl so close to him, Ye Shuang caught a faint whiff of cooking oil clinging to her—inevitable, given she’d been in the kitchen wearing his clothes.

"Trying to hide it… what an idiot." He couldn’t help but smile. Yuyou probably hadn’t even noticed the smell herself.

After washing up, Ye Shuang headed downstairs to buy breakfast—simple fare like fried dough sticks, steamed buns, soy milk, and rice noodle rolls. Given Bai Yuyou’s appetite, he bought enough to feed four or five people.

Passing by a convenience store, Ye Shuang suddenly paused and stepped inside.

"Looking for cigarettes?" The shopkeeper noticed the man eyeing the tobacco shelf and asked, "What brand?"

Ye Shuang withdrew his gaze and replied calmly, "Blue Arrow."

"Don’t have that one."

"Then chewing gum."

"Ah." The shopkeeper gave him a strange look but grabbed a pack from the shelf. What was this guy doing staring at cigarettes if he wasn’t buying any?

"Young man, you look like a smoker. Why not grab a pack?"

Ye Shuang popped two pieces of gum into his mouth. "Quitting recently."

"Tch, cigarettes aren’t that bad. My old man’s pushing ninety and still smokes and drinks every day," the shopkeeper chuckled. "Wife keeping you on a tight leash? Sneaking a puff or two won’t hurt."

Ye Shuang only smiled, scanning his phone to pay.

"Just don’t want to bring secondhand smoke home, that’s all."

"Alright, paid."

"Got it." The shopkeeper grinned. "Seems you really care about your wife and kids."

Ye Shuang thought for a moment.

"Yeah… something like that."

Back home, Ye Shuang set the breakfast on the table. Noticing Bai Yuyou still hadn’t woken up, he decided to head upstairs.

He wanted to visit the elderly neighbor who owned the blue-haired cat—the old man seemed to know something about Bai Yuyou’s past.

Since the elderly usually woke early, around six or seven, and it was already past nine, he doubted he’d be disturbing anyone.

With that in mind, Ye Shuang left the apartment again, heading upstairs.