Chapter 17: I Don't Mind Accompanying You to Shower for a Whole Night

"Still uncomfortable?" He sat back down by the bed, one arm pulling her into his embrace, touching her head.

Ji Nuan shook her head, slanting down in his embrace dependently. "It's much better."

Auntie Chen was unable to stop worrying the whole time. She passed their door in the middle of the night and heard that there were movements. She rushed off to serve up some porridge.

"Mr. Mo, it's already so late. I'll feed Madam some porridge. Her fever was serious, so she needs to eat some food."

Mo Jingshen used his free hand to take the bowl from her. "No need. I'll do it."

Auntie Chen was surprised. Ever since Ji Nuan had a fever, he never left her side by a single inch. It seemed like this little couple that previously treated each other like strangers were really going to begin their happy life from now on.

Auntie Chen smiled and stopped disturbing them. She quickly left the room and gently closed the door.

Ji Nuan caught the scent of the white porridge. There seemed to be some minced meat inside, and it was extremely fragrant. She immediately glanced inside the bowl. The moment she saw it, she became even more hungry.

Mo Jingshen removed his hand from hers. With one arm he tugged on her shoulder, helping her to sit up and lean in his embrace.

Although Ji Nuan was no longer as dizzy, she still felt rather weak. She laid against his chest limply; her forehead pressed under his chin.

Her eyes remained fixed on the porridge in the bowl like a kitten begging for her owner to throw some food her way.

At the same time, she could feel his gentle breathing land on her forehead.

It was a heart-melting sensation.

Mo Jingshen brought a spoonful of porridge to her lips. "Open your mouth."

This time, Ji Nuan was very obedient and listened to him. When she swallowed, she felt like her taste buds had been awoken. It was so fragrant.

Seeing that she was willing to eat and was eating happily as though her appetite had opened up, Mo Jingshen chuckled softly. Bite by bite, he fed the entire bowl to her.

Ji Nuan laid back down on the bed feeling well-fed and enjoying the care of Mo Jingshen.

"My whole body is covered in sweat. Can I shower again?" she asked in a soft voice.

"Your fever hasn't completely gone down. Shower tomorrow morning."

"But my whole body is so wet and sticky that it's difficult to bear..."

"Bear with it for a night." He did not give in to her and turned off the light, leaving on only the bedside lamp yellow light. "Sleep for a few more hours. When the sun rises tomorrow, we'll measure your temperature again."

Mo Jingshen laid down by her side. Ji Nuan began pushing herself into his body until his arms were around her in an embrace. His hand patted her back gently to coax her to sleep. Ji Nuan pressed her head against his shoulder, whispering, "Earlier on, you carried me out of the bathtub so directly..."

Mo Jingshen did not speak.

She spoke dazedly again, "You've already seen me completely. Then it shouldn't be too much for you to bring me to wash again. I didn't even complain about it earlier."

Mo Jingshen: "..."

—-

At last, because Ji Nuan was a clean freak who could not sleep until she showered, her insistence finally led Mo Jingshen to bring her to shower again.

After showering, her whole body was relaxed and smelled good. She felt that her sickness was half healed. She was wrapped up in a towel and brought back to the bed by him once more.

However, this time, Mo Jingshen did not hold her to sleep.

Ji Nuan turned around, under the yellow bedside lamp, she stared at the man who, for some strange reason, was sleeping with his back facing her. She raised a hand and pushed against his back.

"Why is your back facing me?" she asked. Her voice was still slightly raspy.

Mo Jingshen did not reply, catching her little hand and pressing it down.

"Sleep," he spoke calmly. His low voice was strangely hoarse.

Ji Nuan had thought that because of her illness there was suddenly some feelings between the two of them, but her heart was immediately broken. She was upset because his back was facing her and directly moved closer, pressing against his back and placing her hands on his shoulders. Her face was also leaning against his back.

"Can you turn around? I want you to hold me to sleep~."

"..."

"You were still fine earlier, why are you suddenly turning your back toward me?"

"..."

Hearing her soft and quiet voice filled with slight resentment, he sighed and turned around, giving in to her wishes and holding her in his embrace.

The moment he turned around; Ji Nuan suddenly became aware of his lower body's... changes...

What was that... she seemed to have found the reason...

To ask him to turn around again, was it too late?

Mo Jingshen could not take her slightly wet and moved eyes staring at him. He held her, pressing her head into his embrace.

"When you're all healed, try asking me to help you shower again," he said while gently nibbling on her ear. His voice was low and heavy, yet at the same time, it seemed to hold hidden depths, causing her face to turn red and her heart to pound rapidly. "I don't mind accompanying you to shower for an entire night!"

Ji Nuan instantly became obedient, staying in his embrace quietly without moving at all.

However, she could not sleep. Her hands gently held onto the buttons on his well-made shirt, feeling that although he did not move, in this situation, it should not be easy for him to sleep either.

She raised her head, staring up from under his chin at this man who was handsome to the point of perfection from every angle.

"Have you realized that I've changed a lot?" she asked.

Mo Jingshen's gaze on her these past few days were all attempts to see through her. He was clearly suspicious of her changes, yet he never asked.

Since it was like this, she would just take the initiative.

He gently patted her back, as though coaxing a child who could not sleep and was constantly looking for topics to talk about. He did not answer.

"Do you prefer the current me? Or, do you prefer the previous me?" Her gaze under the yellow light was bright like the moon, even the fever could not dampen the brightness in her eyes.

"It's all you. What's the difference?" His words were unhurried.

"Of course there are differences. In the past, I was always unwilling to accept our marriage, but right now I'm working hard to become close to you." Ji Nuan buried her head into his neck, speaking softly and hoarsely, "In the past, you've always treated me well. Even though I constantly stirred up trouble, you never once slowed your feet that were moving towards me. No matter if you feel like my change is too sudden, please don't doubt my heart. Even if there are one hundred steps of space between the two of us, you have already walked several tens of steps. If you feel tired from the journey, then please leave the rest to me, let me walk. Let me do it. Let me learn to treasure this, to have you... if that is all right..."

The air suddenly fell into silence.

Ji Nuan wanted to look at Mo Jingshen's expression right now. In her past and current life, she had never confessed to someone before.

She attempted to raise her head but was held tightly in his embrace. Even her head was pressed firmly against his neck. She could not lift it even after a moment of trying.

Mo Jingshen: "..."

He remained silent.

"Everything I said earlier was serious. I'm not dazed from the fever. I..."

All of a sudden, she heard his low voice from the top of her head. "If you speak anymore, I won't be able to take into consideration your body's condition. Are you sure you want to continue teasing me?"

Ji Nuan was stunned.

Her confession also counted as teasing?