Picked Up a White Cut Black Wife - Chapter 23

“You’re in so much pain, and you’re still thinking about this? Let’s go.”

“No, I want my wife to sleep with me.”

Tired of arguing, Shen Zhao simply scooped Shen Qiao into her arms and carried her straight to her room.

The woman in her arms immediately wrapped her arms around Shen Zhao’s neck and began to sob, “I don’t want to! Waaah! Wife, you’re so cruel! I’m in so much pain, and you won’t even stay with me! Waaah…”

Shen Zhao couldn’t help but chuckle. “Alright, stop wailing. Doesn’t it hurt?”

As they reached the bed, Shen Zhao tried to put her down, but Shen Qiao clutched her collar, refusing to let go. “I don’t want to sleep here all alone, Wife. I’m scared.”

“Shen Qiao, you’re not a child anymore.”

“I don’t care!” Shen Qiao buried her face in Shen Zhao’s chest, whining, “Wife is a liar! You promised me at noon! Liar!”

“You have the nerve to bring up what happened at noon!” Shen Zhao gritted her teeth, anger rising at the memory.

Completely unaware of what had transpired later, Shen Qiao grew even more aggrieved. “Waaah! You ate my lunch at noon and then kicked me out! Bad wife!”

“I… if I hadn’t kicked you out, I…” Shen Zhao couldn’t even bear to imagine the scene that would have unfolded.

Suddenly, the person in her arms groaned in pain. “Wife, I feel terrible.”

“If you feel terrible, why don’t you let go?”

“No, Wife, it hurts.” Shen Qiao’s delicate brows furrowed tightly, her face growing even paler.

Fine, Shen Zhao thought, seeing her like this, she couldn’t leave her alone. She carried Shen Qiao to her own bedroom.

As soon as Shen Qiao lay down on the bed, she closed her eyes weakly.

Shen Zhao immediately got up, first pouring a cup of hot water, then finding ibuprofen. She helped Shen Qiao take the medicine and, after a moment, asked, “Feeling any better?”

Shen Qiao opened her eyes slightly, clutching Shen Zhao’s arm and whimpering, “Wife, it’s so bitter.”

“It’ll pass soon,” Shen Zhao reassured her.

“Waaah, it’s really bitter, Wife!”

Shen Zhao gave her a few more sips of water. “Such a drama queen. How bitter can it be? The capsules are coated, aren’t they?”

Even after finishing the water, Shen Qiao’s small face remained scrunched up, her eyes half-open, long, curled lashes glistening with tears.

Shen Zhao pressed her hand to Shen Qiao’s forehead—cold and clammy, but thankfully no fever. She stood up to fetch warm water to wipe her down.

In the next instant, Shen Qiao’s eyes snapped open. She grabbed Shen Zhao’s hand, pleading pitifully, “Wife, where are you going? Aren’t you going to stay here and take care of me?”

“Even in this state, you can’t stop fussing,” Shen Zhao said, bending down to tuck the blanket around her. “Let go of my hand. I’ll fetch some water for you to wash up. You’re filthy.”

“Okay.”

Shen Zhao brought warm water and a towel, wrung it out, and carefully wiped Shen Qiao’s face and neck. She then pulled out her hands and meticulously cleaned them.

Shen Qiao obediently let her do as she pleased, her large, dark eyes fixed intently on Shen Zhao. “Wife, you’re so good to me.”

“Really? Then you’re repaying kindness with ingratitude,” Shen Zhao said flatly. The anger she had been suppressing before work completely dissipated at the sight of Shen Qiao’s weakened state, leaving her with no outlet for her frustration.

“Wife, how could you say that to me?” Shen Qiao pouted, her voice small and aggrieved.

Shen Zhao set her hand down. “Stop muttering and get some sleep.”

“I want to wait for you, Wife.”

Shen Zhao frowned, her eyes filled with disdain. So clingy! What a troublemaker!

After cleaning up the living room and washing up briefly, Shen Zhao returned to the bedroom.

Seeing her come in, Shen Qiao immediately flipped back one side of the blanket, inviting her to share the bed.

Shen Zhao ignored the gesture, grabbed the other blanket from the bed, lay down, covered herself, turned off the light, and closed her eyes.

A resentful gaze immediately shot from beside her. “Wife, why aren’t you sharing a blanket with me?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Why not?”

“Why does everything need a reason? You’re so annoying.” Shen Zhao rolled over, turning her back to Shen Qiao.

Shen Qiao huffed, immediately abandoning the warm covers. Like a slippery eel, she wriggled into Shen Zhao’s blanket, snuggling comfortably against her back.

“Shen Qiao, get out!”

“No, you promised me at noon,” Shen Qiao retorted, her voice righteous as she clung to Shen Zhao like an octopus.

Shen Zhao’s teeth itched with anger. “Let go of me!”

“Then Wife, hold me while we sleep.”

Shen Zhao: I shouldn’t have shared a bed with this woman! Where did I go wrong? How did she even get in here?

She couldn’t figure it out. Ever since this woman appeared, more and more things had become incomprehensible.

Shen Zhao forced herself to remain calm. “Just lie still.”

Shen Qiao pondered for two seconds, then released her. “Wife, I’m lying still now. Come here quickly.”

Shen Zhao took a deep breath, turned around, and maintained a half-arm’s distance from Shen Qiao. She then casually draped an arm over her. “Alright, now sleep.”

“Huh?” Shen Qiao was momentarily stunned by the perfunctory hug. Is this a scam?

No way. If the mountain won’t come to me, I’ll go to the mountain.

With that thought, she slowly moved closer, pulled Shen Zhao’s hand around her waist, and nestled her head contentedly against Shen Zhao’s chest, artificially creating a scene of the two sleeping sweetly in each other’s arms.

Shen Zhao watched her complete her maneuver in silence, then ruthlessly withdrew her hand.

“Wife,” Shen Qiao whined, on the verge of tears. “Just hug me, please.”

“Then move away from me and sleep on your own pillow,” Shen Zhao said, amused.

Shen Qiao stubbornly refused to budge, bristling with indignation.

Is she getting prickly?

Shen Zhao’s mood lifted slightly. She closed her eyes, intending to fall asleep.

Just then, the person beside her let out a muffled groan, then carefully took her hand and placed it on her stomach. “Wife, my tummy hurts so much.”

“That’s what you get for staying up so late,” Shen Zhao chided, swatting her hand. “I’ll go get you a hot water bottle.”

“No,” Shen Qiao’s voice was much weaker now, but she clung to Shen Zhao’s hand. “Wife, please rub it for me. It’ll feel better if you rub it.”

Shen Zhao got up and turned on the light. Seeing Shen Qiao curled up in pain, her heart softened. She pulled her into her arms and gently massaged her stomach. “Does that feel better?”

“Mmm-hmm,” Shen Qiao murmured, nodding like a chick pecking at grain as she inhaled the refreshing fragrance filling her nostrils.

Gradually, the person in her arms calmed down, her breathing evening out. With her eyes closed, her profile radiated tranquility.

Shen Zhao found herself gazing at her for a long time, her gaze drifting downward from her eyebrows to her nose and lips—every feature exquisitely refined, like a young lady from an ancient noble family.

Too noisy, clingy, and utterly shameless, she thought.

As the medicine took effect, Shen Qiao’s brow gradually relaxed, and the color returned to her lips, blooming like petals in full bloom.

Something must have crossed Shen Zhao’s mind, for she blinked rapidly and swiftly averted her gaze, extinguishing the lamp. Closing her eyes, she was haunted by images of intimacy with this person.

Frowning, she irritably pushed the woman in her arms away, forbidding any further contact.

But within moments, as if equipped with an automatic sensor, Shen Qiao advanced a step for every step Shen Zhao retreated, nearly pushing her off the bed.

Seeing her pitiful state of pain today, Shen Zhao couldn’t be bothered to settle scores. With a sigh of resignation, she pulled Shen Qiao back into her arms, finally bringing her to stillness.

Just before drifting off to sleep, Shen Zhao heard her mumble, “Still… still want… Wife… to hold me…”

“Keep dreaming,” Shen Zhao muttered.