Picked Up a White Cut Black Wife - Chapter 26

“I’ll get you a cup of hot water,” Shen Zhao sighed helplessly. “Let go.”

A moment later, Shen Qiao was cradling a cup of hot water in one hand, sipping it slowly, while her other arm was looped around Shen Zhao’s, her head resting comfortably on her shoulder. She looked utterly relaxed, showing no trace of her earlier pain.

Shen Zhao, meanwhile, was using one hand to research on her tablet while the other massaged Shen Qiao’s soft, pleasantly textured belly.

Yet even this wasn’t enough for Shen Qiao. Casting sidelong glances, she surreptitiously, like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, slowly shifted her leg from one blanket to the other while Shen Zhao was distracted.

When Shen Zhao showed no reaction, Shen Qiao pressed her luck, nimbly burrowing her entire body into Shen Zhao’s arms.

“Shen… Qiao!”

“Wife, your blanket is so warm! Mine’s freezing.”

Shen Zhao scoffed but, refusing to believe her, reached out to touch it. Sure enough, it was barely warm.

Before they knew it, bedtime had arrived. Shen Zhao glanced at the person beside her and said, “Go back to your side. Now.”

“What’s wrong with sharing a blanket?” Shen Qiao flopped down, burying her face in the covers, leaving only her eyes visible. “We can’t sleep separately. What if I disappear in the middle of the night? You wouldn’t even know.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“Then my wife should sleep with me! I promise I won’t move around!” Shen Qiao said earnestly, raising four fingers as if swearing an oath to convince Shen Zhao. “Really, I swear!”

Fine, better this than her sneaking in later, Shen Zhao thought. She was startled by her own thoughts—she was becoming increasingly indulgent.

“Wife~” Before Shen Zhao could respond, Shen Qiao had already settled into bed, closing her eyes and feigning harmlessness.

Shen Zhao removed her glasses, turned off the bedside lamp, and gave the person beside her a disdainful shove. “Move over. Don’t touch me.”

“Mmm,” Shen Qiao hummed, shifting slightly but remaining stubbornly close.

The night passed. As expected, the morning revealed that the person who had dutifully stayed on her side of the bed had once again crept into Shen Zhao’s arms.

After this happened repeatedly, Shen Zhao grew accustomed to it. She calmly pushed Shen Qiao away and left for work.

These days stretched into March.

The heavy snow gradually melted, giving way to a sudden cold snap. The biting chill seeped into their bones, making the air feel even colder.

This day was no different from any other.

The morning’s work concluded, and lunchtime arrived.

The restoration team had grown used to Shen Qiao’s visits, often taking her around to explore the workshop.

“Xiao Zhao, we’re going to lunch! I’ll check if your little girlfriend is here,” Yu Xiaoxiao teased.

Shen Zhao had nearly finished restoring half the painting and was working on the final color matching and retouching. Without looking up, she retorted mildly, “She’s not my girlfriend.”

Yu Xiaoxiao pursed her lips. “Whose cousin is she, then? Bringing you meals every day without fail, working so hard and never complaining… tsk tsk tsk, and you won’t even give her a proper title.”

Hearing this familiar line, Shen Zhao shook her head helplessly. “What? Did she sneak behind my back to complain to you again?”

“Not that I’m saying anything,” Yu Xiaoxiao said, propping her chin on her hand. “But if you keep denying her like this, don’t blame Sister Qiao when someone else steals her away.”

Shen Zhao glanced up at her. “What do you mean?”

“Sister Qiao is so beautiful and kind-hearted. Plenty of people in the museum have their eyes on her.”

Shen Zhao’s hand froze mid-stroke, her brow furrowing slightly. A barely perceptible flicker of displeasure crossed her face. “When did this start?”

“It’s obvious to anyone with eyes,” Yu Xiaoxiao shrugged. “What? Getting worried?”

“No,” Shen Zhao replied, her voice tinged with coldness. “She’s still too young for romance.”

“Oh, I see,” Yu Xiaoxiao said. “Well, then I’ll wait until Qiao gets older and arrange a good marriage for her.”

“Yu Xiaoxiao, you—”

“Hahahaha…” Seeing Shen Zhao’s reaction, Yu Xiaoxiao slapped her thigh and doubled over with laughter. “Keep pretending if you want!”

Shen Zhao lowered her head awkwardly, gazing at the half-visible face in the painting, her thoughts drifting elsewhere. She urged Yu Xiaoxiao, “Let’s go eat.”

“Ah, it’s so nice when someone brings you food, unlike us…” Yu Xiaoxiao sighed as she left the room.

Lacking the focus to continue restoring the painting, Shen Zhao set down her tools and removed her gloves, but she couldn’t shake off the restlessness in her heart.

Just then, a message arrived from someone.

Shen Qiao: Wife, are you ready?

Shen Qiao: I’m almost there! Today’s menu includes your favorite yam and pork rib soup, steamed pork with rice flour, and stir-fried celery.

Still as noisy and annoying as ever.

Shen Zhao glanced at the message and turned off her phone. A moment later, she reopened it and scrolled through the chat history. Most of the messages were from Shen Qiao, ranging from trivial observations about her day to occasional two-word replies from Shen Zhao.

Yu Xiaoxiao’s earlier words suddenly resurfaced in her mind. Shen Zhao frowned and shook her head in denial, but an unfamiliar feeling began to stir within her, rising uncontrollably.

Shen Zhao: I’m ready. Where are you? I’ll come pick you up.

There was no immediate reply.

To make commuting easier, Shen Zhao had bought her a new car and obtained her driver’s license just two weeks prior. Assuming she was still driving and not wanting to distract her, Shen Zhao decided to wait a bit longer.

But the wait stretched into fifteen minutes.

Not only did her messages go unanswered, but her phone calls also went straight to voicemail.

What’s going on?

Shen Zhao’s temples throbbed, a premonition of disaster flashing through her mind. Unable to sit still, she hurried out while dialing her number again.

Suddenly, she remembered the weather warning from earlier that morning: Roads are still icy and slippery. Drive with caution…

Horrific images flooded her mind, plunging Shen Zhao into an icy panic. She felt frozen from head to toe, momentarily forgetting to breathe as her heart pounded erratically. Yet she desperately suppressed her rising anxiety, refusing to let her fear show.

She ran into a colleague returning from lunch and was about to greet her when she noticed her unnaturally pale face. “Engineer Shen, what’s wrong?”

“I have an urgent matter to attend to this afternoon. Could you please request leave for me? Thank you,” Shen Zhao said, forcing herself to sound calm. But the anxiety etched between her brows betrayed her composure.

Having never seen her like this before, the others were momentarily stunned, nodding blankly. “Oh, okay.”

With that, Shen Zhao strode out. The icy ground, still thawing, was slippery. Her heart sank as her worst fears seemed about to materialize, her face paling further.

Yet her mind remained blank, utterly unable to imagine what might happen.

Meanwhile,

Shen Qiao drove to a more secluded area. Approaching a sharp turn, she slammed the steering wheel, executing a rapid turn that made her ordinary car feel like a race car.

Just then, a young man suddenly appeared ahead. Dressed in a white cloth robe, carrying a cloth bag on her back, with a buzz cut, sharp eyebrows, and piercing eyes, she stood with one hand raised to her chest in a chanting gesture and the other holding a compass. She exuded an air of otherworldly grace and righteous dignity.

Xi Su!

It was him!