My Contract Husband Won't Behave - Chapter 60
A blade of light through the curtains woke Nie Jingzhi.
She frowned, rolled over unconsciously, and opened tired eyes. The first thing she saw was the man who had cared for her all night.
He sat in the armchair with one elbow braced, forehead supported by his hand, apparently asleep. Faint blue shadows lay beneath his eyes and dark stubble showed on his jaw, lending exhaustion to his pale, handsome face.
Her lips curved. She slipped out of bed and walked barefoot, soundlessly, into the bathroom.
Under hot water, she closed her eyes and thought. After everything she had said last night, should she pretend nothing happened this morning—or put it all out in the open?
She showered, put on a robe, dried her hair, and came out stroking it.
Bo Jiusi was awake. Still in the chair, he raised his head and looked at her through eyes less cold than usual, hazy from sleep.
Their gazes met.
Nie Jingzhi sat opposite him, crossed her legs, and greeted him openly. “Morning.”
His gaze moved from her face to her soft, freshly dried hair, lingered, then returned.
“You just recovered. Why wash your hair?” His voice was rough with sleep.
“Sweat made it sticky.” Seeing his concern that she might catch another chill, she laughed softly. “Don’t worry. I dried it.”
After a silence, he asked, “Better?”
“Much.” She thanked him sincerely. “Thank you for caring for me last night.”
He did not answer.
Her smile deepened. “You guarded me all night while I burned, yet now that the fever’s gone, you have nothing to say?”
He drank from the cold glass on the table, put it down, and rose. From the wardrobe, he took a bag and laid it at the foot of the bed.
“Clothes. Change and eat breakfast.”
Then he entered the bathroom.
Nie Jingzhi scoffed at his retreating back. He had not acted so aloof while secretly kissing her during her fever.
Water sounded beyond the closed door. She opened the bag. Inside was a loose, goose-yellow cotton shirt dress in wonderfully soft fabric.
Had he prepared it the night before?
She changed, freed her hair from the collar, and called reception. “Send a light breakfast. No seafood in the crystal dumplings, and no shrimp or crab in the congee.”
When Bo Jiusi came out, he wore a clean black shirt, sleeves rolled to his forearms, wet hair dripping. He sat opposite her and surveyed the empty table.
“Ordered?”
“It’ll come soon.”
Supporting her chin, she looked from his damp hair to his open collar and back.
“Bo Jiusi.”
He looked up.
“When you kissed me last night, had my fever already broken?”
His hand stopped with the glass. “I don’t remember the latter half of the night.”
Her eyes curved. “Then I’ll remind you. I said something, you heard it, and kissed between my brows.”
He held the water without drinking or looking at her. “You remember incorrectly.”
“I don’t.”
“The fever confused you.”
“It was thirty-eight point nine, not forty-nine point eight. I was entirely conscious.” She leaned forward with a smile.
He finally met her gaze.
The doorbell rang. Nie Jingzhi withdrew first and opened the door.
She arranged clear congee, crystal dumplings, steamed egg, and two vegetable dishes on the table. After she bit into one dumpling, Bo Jiusi rested his elbow beside his bowl and watched her eat.
“That sentence you mentioned…”
He paused. She looked up. His face and voice remained calm, but the tips of his ears had reddened.
“What was it?”
Her nervousness disappeared at that color. Setting down her chopsticks, she lounged back and smiled.
“I said, ‘I really like you so much.’”
His gaze was heavy. After a long time, he said, “Mm.”
She stared. Had she heard correctly?
“Is that acknowledgment? Or permission for me to keep liking you?”
With excellent control, he serenely stirred his congee. “Acknowledgment or permission—we’re married. What can I possibly do about you?”
She laughed. “Naturally nothing. Loving my own husband isn’t wrong.”
He swallowed awkwardly. “Talk less. Eat.”
In a wonderful mood, she placed a dumpling in his bowl. Bo Jiusi was fastidious and hated the custom of others serving him food. He saw it, said nothing, and ate it.
The bell rang again.
Feng Wu stood outside in a crisp suit with documents. Seeing her answer, he paused and inclined his head. “Madam. Is Mr. Bo here?”
“Inside.”
She let him enter and resumed her congee. Feng Wu’s gaze naturally swept the room: unmade bed, armchair moved beside it, cool towel and water on the nightstand, two place settings facing each other, steam rising from congee.
Without letting his gaze linger, he approached Bo Jiusi. “Mr. Bo, there’s been progress with Shenglin.”
Bo Jiusi tipped his chin.
“Police have detained Shenglin’s senior management and several core members. They raided the warehouses and factory last night and seized a large quantity of contraband that couldn’t be moved in time.”
Nie Jingzhi ate and listened.
“People are beginning to talk. The general manager’s assistant admitted the old master’s people arranged the deal and that someone inside Bo Group cooperated. But currently every piece of evidence points toward Shenglin. The old master’s side…”
“Insulated themselves completely,” Nie Jingzhi finished.
Feng Wu looked at her. “Yes.”
She set down her bowl and faced Bo Jiusi. “You knew Shenglin was dirty.”
His silence confirmed it.
She stood, carried her bowl to the chair opposite him, and continued drinking. “You didn’t come to Linhai simply to sign. You knew Shenglin and the old master were involved. You deliberately came here to sign the contract so you could lure them out.”
He did not deny it.
“Then did I ruin your plan?”
“You only brought the operation to an early close.” His gaze was deep. “I’ve investigated Shenglin for three months and lacked one crucial piece. Your recording proves in Old Master Bo’s own words that he participated in the smuggling. With it, I can move against him.”
Nie Jingzhi looked down at her congee. She thought she had saved the day. The recording she brought was actually his missing puzzle piece.
“So you haven’t submitted it?”
“No,” Feng Wu answered.
She looked at Bo Jiusi. “Why not?”
