CHAPTER 45

Little Yunmiao was quiet and well-behaved.

She flipped through a thin hardcover storybook from cover to back, but just as she was getting engrossed in it, she suddenly realized that both her mommy and mom were not by her side.

Yunmiao paused for a moment and turned her head towards the closed bathroom door.

Then, she carefully climbed down from the bed and slowly approached the bathroom door.

As she got closer to the bathroom door, she could faintly hear indescribable sounds coming from inside. The sound of water and a hint of voices mixed together, making it difficult to distinguish which one was dominant. However, it was enough for Yunmiao to confirm that at least one of her two mothers was inside.

The little girl waited for a few seconds but saw no signs of the door opening. She called out, "Mommy? Mom?"

In the midst of the bustling noise inside the bathroom, the human part of the sound instantly disappeared.

Yunmiao blinked in confusion and called out again, "Are you inside?"

Finally, there was a response from inside.

A rustling sound approached, footsteps could be heard, and then the bathroom door opened slightly.

Chu Yu, dressed in a bathrobe, appeared at the doorway.

Yunmiao was delighted. "Mom!"

Chu Yu walked out directly but turned back to firmly close the bathroom door.

After doing all this, she squatted down and lifted Yunmiao up in her arms. "Did my baby wait too long?"

Yunmiao shook her head. "I was reading, so I didn't have to wait."

Her attention was still inside the bathroom. "What about Mommy? Is she inside?"

Chu Yu smiled and nodded. "Mommy hasn't finished bathing yet. I'll stay with Yunmiao first."

Yunmiao nodded in understanding.

The little girl was just a little over two years old, and it had always been Shu Yanyan who helped her with her personal hygiene. So, when it came to the fact that her mom and mommy were taking a bath together in the bathroom, she naturally accepted it without showing any surprise.

This also made Chu Yu secretly relieved.

Yunmiao grabbed her hair. "Mom, your hair is wet."

Chu Yu paused for a moment. "Yes, it got wet while I was taking a bath. I didn't have time to dry it."

In reality, just a second before Yunmiao called out to them, she was still in the bathtub. Worried that Yunmiao might get anxious if she didn't get a response, she quickly dried herself off and came out wearing a bathrobe.

The hairdryer was in the bathroom, and Chu Yu looked back at it, dismissing the thought that had just arisen. "...It's okay, I'll dry my hair once Mommy finishes bathing."

Yunmiao nodded. "Okay."

Chu Yu carried Yunmiao and gently placed her back on the bed. Since her hair was still damp, she didn't get on the bed for fear of wetting it. Instead, she sat on the carpet. Fortunately, the bed wasn't too high, so Chu Yu sitting on the floor was only slightly shorter than Yunmiao sitting on the bed, and it didn't hinder their interaction at all.

After about twenty minutes, Shu Yanyan opened the bathroom door and walked out.

Apart from a slight flush on her cheeks, her pajamas were neatly worn, and her hair, which had been wet like Chu Yu's in the bathtub, was now fluffy from blowing dry.

Yunmiao: "Mommy!"

Shu Yanyan nodded and looked at Chu Yu, but immediately shyly averted her gaze upon making eye contact with her.

Her focus was also on Chu Yu's wet hair. "I, I'm fine now. You should go and take care your hair."

Chu Yu nodded and walked past her towards the bathroom.

As she passed by Shu Yanyan, her hand seemingly accidentally brushed against Shu Yanyan's hand back, causing Shu Yanyan's face to blush even more.

Shu Yanyan took a deep breath and took her place next to Yunmiao, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Mommy? Mommy!"

"Huh?" Shu Yanyan snapped back to reality and saw Yunmiao looking at her with confusion. "What's wrong?"

Yunmiao tilted her head. "I asked why you took such a long time to bathe? Didn't you hear me calling you?"

Shu Yanyan sheepishly lowered her head.

She had indeed been a little absent-minded just now, and coupled with Yunmiao's soft-spoken voice as a little girl, she truly didn't notice Yunmiao calling her. After clearing her throat a couple of times to alleviate the awkwardness, Shu Yanyan composed herself and replied, "Um... Mommy, um, took a bit longer to bathe today. It felt so comfortable, so... I stayed a little longer. I...I won't do it next time!"

Yunmiao didn't doubt her answer, she just smiled and said, "Yunmiao wants to bathe with Mommy too."

Shu Yanyan could only appease her by saying, "Hmm, next time, Mommy will take you to soak in a hot spring."

Yunmiao nodded happily. "Okay."

Her attention then shifted to the toys on the bed, and Shu Yanyan breathed a sigh of relief, forcing herself to focus and play with her daughter.

Before long, Chu Yu finished drying her hair and came out.

With another person sharing Yunmiao's attention, Shu Yanyan finally had some space to daydream.

But that didn't mean it was a good thing because whenever she spaced out, she would remember what happened in the bathroom just now.

It was so inappropriate!

How could they engage in such activities in the bathroom while Yunmiao was still in the bedroom?

Just the thought of it made Shu Yanyan's face quickly flush.

She unintentionally lifted her head to look at Chu Yu, coincidentally catching Chu Yu's gaze as well. Their eyes met briefly in the air, igniting sparks that further heated Shu Yanyan.

The ambiguous atmosphere lingered until it was time for Yunmiao to sleep.

After putting the little girl to bed, Shu Yanyan closed her eyes. But for some reason, she didn't feel sleepy at all. Instead, she felt increasingly thirsty lying there.

There was water in the bedroom, but it was stored in a thermos and still warm. At this moment, Shu Yanyan just wanted a glass of ice-cold water freshly taken from the refrigerator. Ideally, it would be cool and refreshing, capable of extinguishing the heat in her body completely.

This kind of desire couldn't be easily quenched once it arose. Shu Yanyan held on for nearly half an hour, but she couldn't bear it any longer and finally opened her eyes.

After confirming that Chu Yu and Yunmiao were both sleeping peacefully, she carefully got out of bed and quietly left the bedroom.

The kitchen was on the other side of the living room. Although they didn't cook here, it was fully equipped. In the smart refrigerator, besides the ice-cold water Shu Yanyan wanted, there were various fresh fruits and tempting snacks.

Shu Yanyan had no appetite, so she bypassed the extravagant recommendations and directly chose a glass of iced water.

The smart refrigerator started working, and soon, a glass of cold water emitting a chilly aura was placed on the countertop.

Shu Yanyan was a bit impatient.

She grabbed the water glass, ignoring the slight pain on her fingertips caused by the freezing cup. She hurriedly pressed the rim of the cup against her lips.

Just as she took a small sip, before her overheated body could even celebrate the refreshing coolness, Shu Yanyan felt someone holding her hand, the one holding the water glass.

She froze for a moment, set the cup down, and turned around, only to find Chu Yu standing behind her.

Shu Yanyan felt a bit embarrassed. She used her arm to cover her mouth and discreetly wiped the water stains from the corner of her lips.

"You're not sleeping?"

Chu Yu leaned against the counter, trapping Shu Yanyan between the counter and his embrace.

"Yanyan can't sleep either."

Shu Yanyan raised the cup in her hand. "I came out... to drink some water."

Chu Yu was a bit puzzled. "Ice water?"

He asked, "Don't you usually drink warm water?"

As she spoke, she moved the ice water away, placing it on the far side of the countertop where Shu Yanyan's arm couldn't reach. "If you drink this whole glass, you'll probably have an upset stomach. Are you planning to sleep tonight or not?"

Shu Yanyan anxiously watched her water glass being taken away, but she also knew that Chu Yu's words were not wrong. She could only weakly say, "...I won't drink it all, just give it back to me, I'll take a couple sips."

"Hmm?" Chu Yu raised an eyebrow and pointed to her mouth. "Didn't you already drink some just now?"

Shu Yanyan pouted her cheeks. "I just took a small sip, and it disappeared before it even reached my throat!"

Chu Yu chuckled and repeated her words, "Disappeared before it even reached your throat?" She asked, "Then where did it go?"

She gently pinched Shu Yanyan's chin. "Yanyan, open your mouth, let me check."

Shu Yanyan lightly punched her shoulder, feeling embarrassed. "Stop teasing..."

She took a deep breath. "Yunmiao is still in the bedroom."

Chu Yu sighed upon hearing that. "I know."

She seemed to relax all at once, bending down and resting her head lightly on Shu Yanyan's shoulder. "I was really startled in the bathroom earlier. As soon as Yunmiao called, I hurriedly left. Hmm? Wasn't it just in time?"

Thinking back to that moment, Shu Yanyan felt both embarrassed and amused.

It was truly the first time she had seen that expression on Chu Yu. Just a moment ago, she had a relaxed and intimate rhythm with her, but the next moment, when Yunmiao's voice rang out, Chu Yu, the master strategist, froze in place as if caught in the act, standing up from the bathtub.

Naturally, Shu Yanyan was also in a hurry, but after coming to her senses and seeing Chu Yu's appearance, she even forgot to respond to Yunmiao first.

Then, she had the privilege of witnessing Chu Yu hastily wiping herself off at the fastest speed, pulling a bathrobe out of the cabinet and haphazardly putting it on. Even in such a busy moment, Chu Yu didn't forget to turn back and reassure her, "It's okay, I'll go out and keep her company."

Shu Yanyan just nodded slightly, then quickly went to the bathroom door, pushed it open, and carried Yunmiao away.

There was only herself left in the bathroom, and Shu Yanyan let out a slow breath, followed by quietly laughing to herself for a long time.

Now, thinking back, she couldn't help but want to laugh.

Of course, if she really laughed out loud, Chu Yu would probably get annoyed and embarrassed.

Shu Yanyan suppressed her laughter and praised, "Hmm, very good. Ahem, you've worked hard taking care of Yunmiao."

"Taking care of Yunmiao isn't hard." Chu Yu rubbed her soft skin on her shoulder and neck with her chin. "It's the hardship of holding back."

Shu Yanyan pretended to be innocent. "...Oh."

There was a hint of undeniable grievance in Chu Yu's eyes. "Hmm? Are you just brushing me off like that?"

She hugged Shu Yanyan tightly. "Once you're comfortable, you become heartless and ignore me?"

Shu Yanyan blushed.

At that time, time was limited, and the two of them did only reach the step where Chu Yu was serving her... as for...

She blinked her innocent eyes. "...You saw it too. Yunmiao came, and I couldn't do anything."

Chu Yu sighed. "Sigh, yes, I know, can't blame you."

She said that, but her hand was not honest and began wandering on Shu Yanyan's back.

Shu Yanyan still had some sanity left.

"Don't... Yunmiao is still sleeping in there. You don't want that kind of thing to happen again, do you?"

Chu Yu's body stiffened, and she obediently withdrew her hand.

She left Shu Yanyan's side, casually took the glass of ice water, walked to the refrigerator, and got a glass of room temperature water. Then, she handed the room temperature water to Shu Yanyan. "Drink this, at least it won't be too cold."

"After drinking it, go back to sleep."

Shu Yanyan took the room temperature water but before she could drink it, she saw Chu Yu tilt her head back and gulp down the entire glass of ice water she had prepared for herself.

She didn't even spare the ice cubes inside, crunching on them in her mouth.

Shu Yanyan stared in astonishment. "...How can you even eat the ice cubes?"

Chu Yu mumbled in response, "Crunch... Not eating ice cubes, should I eat you instead?"

Shu Yanyan dared not speak.

She lifted the glass and took small sips, drinking about half of the room temperature water, then handed it over. "That's enough."

Chu Yu had also finished dealing with the mixture of ice water.

She put both the glass in the sink and said to Shu Yanyan, "Hmm, let's go back."

Just as Shu Yanyan took a few steps, she was called back. "Wait."

Shu Yanyan turned back. "Hmm?"

Chu Yu walked up to her. "My mouth feels a bit cold, I'm afraid I'll freeze Yunmiao."

Shu Yanyan glared at her in complaint. "You ate so many ice cubes, how can your mouth not be cold?"

She suggested, "Then why don't you wait here for a while?"

Chu Yu shook her head and refused. "No, it'll be more troublesome if Yunmiao finds me missing later."

She grabbed Shu Yanyan's arm. "I have a solution, Yanyan, help me with it."

Shu Yanyan hadn't reacted yet. "Huh?"

The next second, Chu Yu lowered her head and kissed her lips directly.

Shu Yanyan was stunned for a moment but quickly snapped out of the frozen state.

This kiss was different from before.

In the past, whenever their lips and tongues intertwined, Shu Yanyan would suspect that the warmth in Chu Yu's mouth would melt her. But this time, the other person's lips, including the probing tongue, felt icy cold to the touch.

But it didn't make Shu Yanyan dislike it.

She had originally wanted to drink that glass of ice water, but Chu Yu forcibly replaced it with room temperature water. Although room temperature water was still okay, its effects were not as potent as ice water.

Now, with Chu Yu's lips and tongue pressing against hers, it gave her a chance to make up for it.

She was somewhat greedy, opening her mouth willingly to cooperate, even taking the lead in this kiss, wanting to extract even a tiny bit of that coolness that should have belonged to her from Chu Yu's mouth.

This proactive approach undoubtedly brought immense enjoyment to Chu Yu.

She was like an excellent instructor, guiding Shu Yanyan, the eager student, teaching her how to share their mutual warmth. This kind of teaching not only brought pleasure but also gave Chu Yu a sense of accomplishment. Every time Shu Yanyan made "progress," the joy in her heart multiplied.

It was unknown how long it had passed before the two reluctantly separated. By this time, the lingering coolness in Chu Yu's mouth had long disappeared. If there were specialized instruments, one could visually see that the temperatures in their mouths had gradually become indistinguishable.

Shu Yanyan was breathing heavily, and Chu Yu took the opportunity to embrace her in her arms.

When Shu Yanyan had returned to normal, Chu Yu led her back to the bedroom, lying down on either side of Yunmiao.

In the moonlight, the two gazed at each other in the darkness. Chu Yu could discern the same fervent desire hidden in Shu Yanyan's eyes as her own.

She curled her lips and silently said to Shu Yanyan, "Good... night..."

Shu Yanyan swallowed nervously and slowly closed her eyes.

The next day.

The family of four had each been busy throughout the day and finally reunited for dinner, enjoying a sumptuous meal.

The Empress Dowager still had the matter she instructed Chu Yu about last night on her mind.

While elegantly cutting her steak, she casually mentioned, "Baby has already slept with mommy for so long. How about tonight, you sleep at grandma's place?"

Yunmiao swallowed a mouthful of porridge and looked at Chu Yu and Shu Yanyan with some hesitation.

Shu Yanyan put down her utensils and stroked her hair. "How do you feel, baby? Do you want to sleep with grandma?"

Yunmiao was honest. "I want to sleep with grandma, and I want to sleep with mommy too."

The Empress Dowager almost blurted out, "Okay! Then both you and Yanyan can come to my place for the night!"

Fortunately, Shu Yanyan interjected first. "How about you go to grandma's place tonight, and next time I'll bring you back?"

Yunmiao, of course, didn't refuse her suggestion. "Okay."

Shu Yanyan retracted her hand and nodded to the Empress Dowager. "Then... Auntie, please take care of her tonight."

The Empress Dowager was extremely surprised in her heart.

But she didn't show it, just smiled and nodded. "No trouble at all, I will take good care of Yunmiao, don't worry!"

Shu Yanyan nodded and lowered her head to resume eating.

While she couldn't see, the Empress Dowager cast a questioning glance at Chu Yu, who had remained silent throughout.

Sensing her mother's gaze, Chu Yu looked up.

She lifted her wine glass and toasted the Empress Dowager from a distance, a smile on her lips clearly showing a sense of accomplishment.

The Empress Dowager averted her eyes and silently scoffed in her heart. Although she didn't say anything outwardly, she looked at Shu Yanyan with a hint of sympathy.

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