Chapter 91 - 89: Misunderstanding

After just two knocks, she collapsed weakly to the ground.

CREAK~

Qin Shen’s door opened, and he immediately saw her lying on the floor.

Jiang Si lunged forward and threw her arms around his waist.

A refreshing energy flowed into her continuously, and the sharp pain in her chest eased in an instant.

’Just as I thought. When Qin Shen massaged me before, it was to get close and relieve my pain.’

’In fact, the massage wasn’t even necessary. Just skin-to-skin contact is enough to relieve the discomfort from the energy stone.’

When Qin Shen transformed into the large White Tiger, he probably needed the energy stone to keep his body from losing control, just like Jiang Si did.

Qin Shen’s body stiffened when Jiang Si suddenly hugged him. Still holding on to a shred of rationality, Jiang Si said with trembling lips, "Just for a moment. Thank you."

She had hugged him all over when he was the White Tiger. To save her own life, Jiang Si couldn’t afford to be embarrassed.

Qin Shen hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Can we close the door?"

If anyone saw them, it would surely lead to a misunderstanding.

Jiang Si immediately nodded.

BANG—

The door shut. As Jiang Si clung to Qin Shen in the dim room, she finally realized how unusually intimate their situation felt.

To deflect the awkwardness, Jiang Si deliberately brought up a topic. "Your room seems a little cold."

She was sure she had put an electric heater in everyone’s room.

In the darkness, Qin Shen seemed to glance down at her before carrying her to the bedside and turning on the electric heater.

Jiang Si thought about his thick fur. ’Qin Shen probably isn’t afraid of the cold at all.’

Based on how long it took her to recover last time, she would need to hold onto Qin Shen for at least a few hours.

Jiang Si already felt unwell, and from holding onto Qin Shen like this, her legs and feet started to ache after just a short while.

Noticing her fatigue, Qin Shen offered like a gentleman, "Would you like to lie on the bed? I can change into my original form."

Jiang Si hesitated for a moment and asked him, "Does changing into your original form consume energy?"

Just like how he was visibly drained after using his Healing Power once.

Qin Shen’s deep voice sounded softly in her ear. "It does."

Jiang Si paused. "Then, then never mind..."

Qin Shen took her hand, and they lay down together on the large, soft bed.

Jiang Si suddenly felt her face grow hot. It was probably because the heater was on too high, making it seem like Qin Shen’s hand holding hers was burning up.

Jiang Si had intended to remain rational and get up as soon as she felt a little better.

But being this close to Qin Shen was just irresistibly comfortable. The glowing energy stone inside her seemed to release a sedative, and her eyes closed involuntarily.

Before she drifted off completely, a random thought crossed Jiang Si’s mind. ’If Qin Shen minds, I’d be willing to take responsibility for this.’

The closer she was to Qin Shen, the more comfortable she felt. Unconsciously, Jiang Si clung to him like an octopus.

A faint smile touched Qin Shen’s handsome face in the darkness. He brushed a strand of hair from her eyes and slowly closed his own.

When she woke up, it was already broad daylight.

For the first time, Jiang Si felt that sleeping could be this comfortable. It was as if every pore in her body was breathing.

She was just about to stretch when, the moment she opened her eyes, she was stunned by the scene before her.

She was clinging tightly to Qin Shen, just like an octopus.

The collar of Qin Shen’s pajamas was slightly open, faintly revealing his tempting pectoral muscles—likely her handiwork as well.

Jiang Si’s face flushed red, then went pale as she tried to figure out how to handle the situation.

Suddenly, Qin Shen’s eyes opened. His deep gaze was like an alluring vortex, quietly watching her.

’He’s being too well-behaved.’

Jiang Si’s breath caught, and her heart couldn’t help but beat a little faster.

Before she could even come up with something to say, a knock came from the next room. It was Shen Baoying. "Sisi, are you up? Time for breakfast! Mom made sweet rice balls, your favorite sesame filling."

Jiang Si started to panic. If she spoke, she’d reveal that she had spent the night in Qin Shen’s room. If she didn’t, Shen Baoying might get worried and break down the door, discovering her anyway.

There was no signal to call Shen Baoying either.

Just as her mind turned to mush, Qin Shen asked, "Do you need me to explain for you?"

’Even if Qin Shen explains, Mom will calculate the time and realize we were alone for at least a few hours.’

Jiang Si pressed a hand against him. "You go out. Just say you saw me go to the warehouse. I’ll come out after my mom leaves."

Qin Shen glanced at the hand Jiang Si was gripping him with and nodded. "Okay."

Jiang Si quietly hid in the bathroom and heard Qin Shen open the door and say to Shen Baoying, "I think Jiang Si went to the warehouse."

Shen Baoying was taken aback. "I just came from there and didn’t see her." Then she mused to herself, "She probably took a different route. Well, Xiao Shen, you should come out and have breakfast too."

Qin Shen nodded. "Okay, I’ll be there after I get ready."

Shen Baoying seemed to have left. Jiang Si immediately came out of the bathroom. "Thanks, I’m leaving now."

"Mm."

Jiang Si had just opened the door when she was met with Shen Baoying’s shocked face.

She felt a pang of guilt. "Mom, let me explain..."

Shen Baoying’s eyes darted between her and Qin Shen for several seconds before she waved her hands frantically as if her pants were on fire. "No need to explain... no need to explain... It’s Mom who disturbed you two..."

Jiang Si genuinely just didn’t want everyone to misunderstand and cause unnecessary trouble for Qin Shen.

But now, it was as if they’d been caught in the act.

She stole a glance at Qin Shen, but he looked completely calm and composed, as if she had been overthinking things from the start and he didn’t think it was a big deal at all.

Jiang Si felt deflated for a moment. She said to Qin Shen, "Sorry about that. My mom just loves to let her imagination run wild. I’ll clear things up with her later."

Qin Shen stared at her, making Jiang Si feel even more embarrassed. ’I should have just told Mom everything openly.’

She rushed back to her room in a flurry, splashed her face with water, and finally calmed down.

SIGH—

Yesterday, she had taken a bath in her space, and the bathwater was still there. When she returned to the space, she suddenly discovered that it had actually grown by one square meter.

Jiang Si was stunned. ’Don’t tell me sleeping with Qin Shen can make the space expand?’

’This is so damn awesome.’

’If it expands by one square meter a day, that’s three hundred and sixty-five square meters a year. By the time I die, won’t I be able to fit the entire Earth inside?’

’Forget the future, even right now, one square meter can hold a lot of things.’

Jiang Si wondered if she should discuss it with Qin Shen. After all, this was a good thing. No matter how many supplies they had, they could run out one day. The bigger the space, the more secure she would feel.

But she couldn’t be sure it was because of being close to Qin Shen.

’What if it expanded on its own? It would be so awkward to ask to get close to Qin Shen again. Definitely more awkward than today.’

And it wasn’t like Qin Shen seemed interested in her.

Jiang Si sighed. She decided to play it cool for now, suppress her joy about the expanding space, and see if it would continue to grow tomorrow.

When she went down to the hall for breakfast, her whole family gave her meaningful looks, occasionally flashing an overly friendly smile at Qin Shen.