Chapter 19: Does Mrs. Pei Want to Cuddle While Sleeping?

Pei Siye’s mood fluctuated wildly. He had originally intended to tell his wife not to call him "Dr. Pei" and to just use his name instead, to make things feel more intimate. But he never expected his wife to take the initiative and ask if she should call him "husband" instead!! Yet, before he could even nod his head, she added that she wasn't quite used to it yet... When exactly would she get used to it?

"Then, let's just use my name." Pei Siye said indifferently, acting as if he didn't care about the honorifics at all.

Li Yunchu’s mental pressure eased significantly. She had actually been a bit afraid of Pei Siye before, so she hadn't expected him to be so easygoing.

"Okay." Li Yunchu licked her dry lips. "Pei Siye."

That was how she would address him from now on!

Pei Siye watched the small girl’s lip-licking motion. *My wife’s lips are dry.* When would he get to be her lip balm? And what did she say? To call him by his name. Pei Siye. Why did she have to use his full name? "Pei Siye"—it didn't sound good at all.

Seeing that his wife had finished washing up, Pei Siye turned and left the bathroom without a word. He was "angry" because she had called him by his full name, but he wouldn't say it; he wanted her to guess for herself.

Li Yunchu watched the man walk away, blinking her eyes. Pei Siye had been busy all day, and he had gone through a lot of trouble for her tonight, so he must be quite exhausted. A doctor’s work was naturally demanding.

When Li Yunchu walked to the bedside, she saw that he was already in bed, wearing a bathrobe. He must have showered in the other bathroom while she was busy in here. The man lay on one side. Li Yunchu sat on the other, feeling somewhat constrained. They didn't really know each other well, and their interactions over the past few days had been like those of friends—at least, that was how she had treated him. Now, they were to share a bed. Her palms were sweating. She thought about how he had used his connections to help her at the hospital today and how considerate he had been that evening.

The girl pursed her lips and asked in a small voice, "What do you usually eat for breakfast?"

Pei Siye was already lying down, his mind filled with the fragrance of the girl beside him. It took him a few seconds to process her question. "Eggs, or lean meat, along with milk or soy milk." He didn't know why she asked, but he answered truthfully.

Li Yunchu looked at Pei Siye with a flushed face. "Then let me prepare breakfast for you tomorrow." She had to do something for him. Even if it were just a trivial matter, it was still a gesture of her sincerity.

Pei Siye paused upon hearing this. "No need." He hadn't married a wife to have her cook for him. He certainly didn't need her to do anything; she could sleep until she woke up naturally, and he could handle breakfast. He couldn't bear to make her wake up early.

Li Yunchu, who had been feeling a bit shy, was caught off guard by his blunt refusal. She stared at him blankly. "I... I didn't mean anything else, I just thought you must be tired too." She hadn't expected such a firm rejection.

Pei Siye realized he might have been too direct. He took a deep breath and ruffled her hair. "I’ll prepare breakfast. I wake up early, and Mom said you like to sleep in, so just sleep until you wake up naturally, okay?" He raised an eyebrow; the girl was so easily flustered, always looking so tense at the slightest provocation.

Li Yunchu bit her lip. "My mom is just talking nonsense; I wake up very early." *Well... at least she dragged me out of bed every day.* But she could wake up early tomorrow. She knew when to sleep in and when not to.

"Go to sleep first. You don't need to be so nervous. We are husband and wife now, aren't we?" Pei Siye took her hand. It was cold, unlike his own, which was warm. *Wife’s hands are so cold. Doesn't she want to take the initiative and let me warm them for her?*

The girl nodded and lay on the other side of the bed. It felt as if a great divide lay between them. Pei Siye turned off the light. He lay there, his breathing heavy. The girl beside him was lying perfectly still; he couldn't tell if she had fallen asleep. *What should I do if I want to hold my wife while I sleep?*

"Are you cold?" Pei Siye asked suddenly.

"No... not cold." Li Yunchu replied quickly, her voice not sounding particularly sleepy either.

"This is your home now, too. You don't have to be so formal. If there's anything you're unhappy with, just tell me directly. I never intended for us to be a 'contractual' couple; I want to treat you as my real wife." He could sense her discomfort, which prompted him to say this.

Li Yunchu, who had been facing away from him, turned around. "Dr. Pe—Pei Siye, can you tell me honestly, did you marry me just to deal with your mother?" In the darkness, she couldn't see his expression.

"No." Her heart raced at his answer.

"Are we... are we lying too far apart?" she heard him ask.

They were covered by a large double quilt, but they were keeping a significant distance, leaving a hollow gap in the middle. The air conditioner was on, and a chill was creeping in. She shifted slightly toward him.

The man’s voice turned hoarse, his gaze heating up. That sweet fragrance was drawing closer, as if to invade his senses. Pei Siye’s breathing grew heavy. "Still a bit too far."

The girl was silent for two seconds before obediently shifting toward him again.

"Pei Siye," she said, her voice soft and soothing, "you could move over too, you know." If she moved any further, there would be a huge empty space on her side. Wouldn't he fall out of bed during the night?

The man felt his temper rising at her words. He really should drink more chrysanthemum tea; he was feeling too worked up. He murmured an acknowledgement and shifted toward the center. The quilt remained flat between them, but they were now pressed against each other through the fabric.

Li Yunchu’s heart beat fast. Pei Siye didn't smell like the hospital's disinfectant anymore; instead, there was a faint scent of tea—a fragrance that usually kept one alert, yet it made her feel drowsy. Just then, she saw the dark silhouette beside her turn over, facing away from her.

"Go to sleep."

His tepid tone made her sleepiness fade slightly. She couldn't quite figure out what she was thinking. On one hand, she was afraid of being too intimate, but once this husband did something that felt cold, she felt strangely uncomfortable. Why was he sleeping with his back to her? She subconsciously touched her arm—it was already clean...

Just as she was about to turn over and keep to herself, she felt his breath draw near.

"Does Mrs. Pei want to sleep in my arms?"