Chapter 522: Held and Kissed

Xu Chaomu’s feet gently shifted two steps backward, and she lifted her puzzled eyes to stare at him.

The man’s profile was sharply defined and very handsome, exceptionally pleasant to look at. Especially when he slightly crooked the corners of his lips, he looked even more attractive.

Such a Shen Chi was somewhat more than Xu Chaomu could handle.

He had shed his coldness and aloofness at that moment, and there was a shallow tenderness in his gaze. The tenderness was like an ocean, deep enough to drown in.

Shen Chi squatted down and placed the shoes beside her feet.

“Lift your foot,” he said.

His voice was deep, magnetic and seductive, like the sound of a rich cello meandering through the air.

Xu Chaomu blinked her eyes, full of hesitation… Was he really going to change her shoes himself?

She had never enjoyed such treatment before.

At most, he had tied her shoelaces for her in the past. Five years had passed, and she still remembered the feeling when he tied her shoelaces for her.

At that time, her chest felt like it contained a little rabbit, hopping and thumping wildly.

Back then, she had liked him for so long without any expression from him. The only exception was that time, when he crouched down and tied her shoelaces.

That day in class, she smiled so much she couldn’t close her mouth, occasionally glancing at her shoes.

The feeling of liking someone was quite wonderful; even a slight indication from them could be remembered for a lifetime.

She remembered that when she went back to the Shen Family’s house that evening, she nearly didn’t want to take off her shoes, staring at the laces and giggling stupidly by herself.

“Lift your foot,” he repeated, emphasizing his words.

Xu Chaomu was pulled back by his resonant and powerful voice, her head lowered, still looking at him.

She saw that his arm was injured, and the bloody handkerchief he had used was replaced. Although he swapped it for a clean one, the blood had still stained the cloth red.

He probably hadn’t had the time to tend to the wound yet…

But when she thought about what he had said, she felt she couldn’t sympathize with him.

After a while, she pursed her lips and took a small step back, “I’ll do it myself.”

Having said that, she squatted down, ready to change her shoes on her own.

Shen Chi didn’t stand up; when she squatted down, she found herself face to face with him.

Looking into each other’s eyes, she deliberately held the slippers a bit farther away. The man’s gaze was quite intimidating, as if he wanted to devour her.

“You’re pregnant, it’s not convenient for you,” he said plainly.

Without further discussion, he still took the slippers from her hand.

Xu Chaomu hopped back warily, dodging him once more like a little rabbit.

Her big eyes were full of vigilance, suspecting that the man had some ulterior motive with his uncharacteristic kindness.

She was only three months pregnant, hardly showing at all. How could that be inconvenient?

She didn’t stand up; still squatting on the ground, Shen Chi was half-squatting as well.

Suddenly, Shen Chi laughed. The two of them, in this position, looked amusing.

“I’m quite capable,” Xu Chaomu retorted with a tilt of her mouth.

“Alright then.”

Shen Chi didn’t bother arguing with her anymore. He stood up, his strong arms swept her up, and he carried her straight to the living room sofa.

“Put me down! I can walk by myself!”

Shen Chi strode towards the sofa, placing her on it. Before she could utter another word, he had already slipped off the white sandals from her feet.

His clean fingers glided over her shoes, serious and profound.

From Xu Chaomu’s angle, she could see the man’s profile perfectly as he changed her shoes, and she no longer struggled, just gazing fixedly at him.

After a long while, she began in a low voice, “Keeping women’s slippers at your house, does that mean you have women over often?”

“They are kept here for you,” this time, Shen Chi didn’t immediately retort.

Xu Chaomu was prepared for his biting words, but didn’t expect him to casually say, “They are kept here for you.”

For some reason, her nose felt sore, and she lowered her head.

“Quite fitting.”

Soon, Shen Chi had changed Xu Chaomu’s slippers for her; they fitted perfectly, neither too big nor too small.

He straightened his back and placed her white sandals and his black leather men’s shoes on the shoe cabinet, side by side.

Watching his figure, for the first time, she felt a sense of home.

She had never had a home since she was born. Before the age of ten, she had no father and had never felt paternal love. After she turned ten, she lost even her mother.

She’d never had a complete family until Zhou Ran took her back to the Shen Family; only then did she avoid living on the streets.

Therefore, she could never truly hate Zhou Ran.

Without that encounter when she was ten, how could she have him by her side today?

Day by day, the days passed with a gentle flow; without him, how dull they would be, how much regret would be added?

She sat on the sofa, just watching his figure.

Could she ever have a home to call her own in the future?

After Shen Chi had placed their shoes properly, he turned and came back to the sofa. As he turned his head, he saw Xu Chaomu staring at him.

However, as soon as his eyes caught hers, she lowered her head, pretending not to look at him.

She looked at the slippers on her feet, clean and fitting just right.

Now she brought her toes together, now she spread them apart, tirelessly repeating the childish motion.

“Are you cold?” Shen Chi walked over to her side.

When they were outside just now, he drove alongside her, watching as she hugged her arms.

“Not cold,” replied Xu Chaomu.

It was a bit cold in the chilly wind, but now at Waterside Pavilion, she wasn’t cold anymore.

Her gaze still lowered to her toes, the feeling from five years ago, when he had tied her shoelaces, returned to her.

Except that now, she was still a bit annoyed with him.

“Shen Chi, didn’t you just say you hate those who threaten you the most?” Xu Chaomu remembered clearly.

“Did you threaten me?” Shen Chi feigned forgetfulness.

“Yes, I said, if you have the guts, don’t see me again.”

“Oh, I have no guts.”

“…” Xu Chaomu held her forehead.

Shen Chi poured a cup of boiling water and brought it over, handing it to her: “Drink some water, don’t catch a cold.”

“Oh, thank you,” Xu Chaomu took the cup.

Holding the cup with both hands, the chill she had felt outside was dispelled; she watched as the steam slowly rose, creating a gentle mist.

Shen Chi sat next to her, very close.

“You’re giving me the cold shoulder now? Huh?” he said, wrapping his arm around her waist, a smile gleaming in his eyes.

Her saying “thank you” after he gave her a glass of water, was she treating him like a stranger?

“Mr. Shen, we’re not close.”

Xu Chaomu actually still brooded over his words, whether they were intentional or not.

“Not close?” The man’s eyes narrowed, emitting a dangerous light.

His large hand simply slid up slowly, from her waist to her ****. And when she wasn’t paying attention, he touched her briefly.

“Get off! You pervert!” Xu Chaomu was furious as she swatted his hand away, nearly splashing the hot water on him.

“Held, kissed, slept with…” Shen Chi narrowed his eyes, looking at her, and paused, “still not close?”

“Do you believe I’ll splash this boiling water on you?” Xu Chaomu warned sternly.

“If you dare, go ahead and pour it,” he challenged.

“You!”

Alright then, Xu Chaomu gripped the cup in her hand, she… couldn’t bear to do it.

But sitting beside a wolf felt too dangerous, so she scooted over to the edge of the sofa.