Chapter 6 Stop Fooling Around, Go to Sleep_1

Shen Xinglan didn't speak, just watched them with amusedly smiling eyes.

Huo Yuran and Huo Yuting felt their skin crawl under her gaze, even a hint of fright within them.

But, on second thought, this was the Huo family's old mansion and she should not dare to harm them. They straightened themselves up again with that in mind.

"Auntie, Yuran only wanted to get close to you, but you pushed her away. You're really too cold," said Huo Yuting. While she supported Huo Yuran, she glared at Shen Xinglan. Huo Yuran's eyes, meanwhile, swirled with tears.

Before Shen Xinglan could respond, Huo Shiyan and a few others appeared. Huo Shiyan immediately went to Shen Xinglan's side.

"What happened?" Huo Shiyan asked Huo Yuran and Huo Yuting with a stern face. His eyes slightly squinted.

Rattled by his stern countenance, Huo Yuran wanted to move back, but Huo Yuting was standing behind her, denying her any chance to retreat.

"Uncle, Yuran and I saw Auntie feeding the fish and we wanted to greet her. But then she pushed Yuran away. Auntie must not like us."

Huo Yuting gestured to Huo Yuran's wrist, revealing the scrape on her palm.

Huo Yuran's mother, Lady Huo, noticed the scrape on her daughter's hand. Her gaze directed towards Shen Xinglan, expecting an explanation.

With all eyes on her, Shen Xinglan chuckled and said,

"Indeed, I don't like you two, but I would never go as far as laying my hands on you. Doing so would be beneath a person of my status."

"What is your explanation then?" Huo Shiyan's gaze was somehow colder than before, making it clear that he trusted Shen Xinglan and was standing by her side.

Huo Yuran, who had feared Huo Shiyan since childhood, felt an icy chill envelop her as she withered under his cold stare.

"Auntie was just..." Huo Yuting trailed off as Huo Shiyan's freezing gaze fell on her.

"I was feeding the fish peacefully when suddenly you two started buzzing around me like two bees. Then Yuran lunged towards me - out of fear, I dodged, and I suppose that must have been when she fell. It seems that Yuting blames me for not catching Yuran in time."

Emphasizing the word "nieces," Shen Xinglan's glinting, honeyed smile provoked Huo Yuran and Huo Yuting.

Despite only having the status of peers, now that she was married off to their uncle, she suddenly outranked them, treating them as the younger generation with no regard for their feelings.

"You're the bee!" yelled Huo Yuran, glaring back at Shen Xinglan. A pampered young miss and the pride of the Huo family, she was adored and pampered by everyone - yet Shen Xinglan called her a bothersome bee.

Growing up spoiled by her father and elder brother, Huo Yuran was somewhat of a half-wit who wore her emotions on her sleeve. With Shen Xinglan's words and Huo Yuran's flare-up, the gathered crowd understood what had happened.

"Silence, you will apologize to your aunt!" Lady Huo scolded. Was she blind to the situation? Shen Xinglan was no longer the girl they could bully. She was Huo Shiyan's newlywed wife, the third Lady Huo, protected by him.

"No need for apologize, just avoid me in the future. I truly don't like the younger generation like you. Just as you dislike someone of my age being your elder," Shen Xinglan replied, a smirk playing on her lips. It was her first time back to the old house after the wedding, she didn't want her actions to give people more reasons to gossip about her.

"Copy the house rules and present it to me before six o'clock tomorrow," commanded Huo Shiyan flatly. Just because his wife wouldn't hold a grudge didn't mean he would the same tolerance. Those who bullied his wife must pay a price.

"Uncle..?" Huo Yuran was stunned. Was he really punishing them by making them copy out the house rules?

With Huo Shiyan's word, no one else could object. Moreover, the sisters were clearly at fault, and perhaps copying the house rules would clear their minds.

"There won't be a next time," said Huo Shiyan as he led Shen Xinglan away by the hand.

Upon seeing this, Huo Jinghua's face broke into a satisfied smile. His son was finally learning to be sentimental.

"Does the Huo family still have house rules?" Shen Xinglan asked, it was the first time she'd ever heard of being punished by copying out the house rules.

"Of course, all the noble families with hundreds or even thousands of years of history have their own house rules. Shen family also has its own," explained Huo Shiyan. When he asked for their family register, her father had shown him the Shen family rules and only after he pledged to respect them did her father finally, reluctantly, give him the register.

Shen Xinglan looked at Huo Shiyan in surprise. How was it that he knew about the Shen family rules and yet she was kept in the dark? Was she a Shen or was he?

Although Huo Yuran and Huo Yuting had been assigned to transcribe the house rules, they still attended the evening banquet dressed up and pretended as if nothing had happened. Nevertheless, they didn't dare provoke Shen Xinglan again.

During the banquet, both Shen Xinglan and Huo Shiyan had been made to drink excessively.

Normally, Huo Shiyan was stern and aloof, hard to approach. However, due to the festive atmosphere and his congenial disposition today, his peers managed to fill his glass several times.

By the time the banquet ended, Huo Shiyan was tipsy and those who had encouraged his binging were already long gone, fearing his revenge when he sobers up.

Shen Xinglan was also quite drunk and had to be escorted to her room by servants.

Even though they had not stayed overnight in the old mansion on their wedding night, Huo Shiyan's courtyard was still decorated brightly in celebration.

Furniture and bonsai plants taped with red "double happiness" stickers, the bedspread in their room was red with a "May you have children soon" message made from dried jujubes, peanuts, longans and lotus seeds.

"Xinglan, wake up," said Huo Shiyan gently pinching her cheeks. He didn't dare apply too much force, her skin was too delicate and a firm touch could leave a mark.

With a smack, Shen Xinglan swatted his hand away and mumbled,

"Stop bothering me, I want to sleep!"

Seeing her turn around and face the other way, Huo Shiyan rubbed his own forehead. Is she too drunk to join him?

He was really looking forward to tonight, but she just went straight to sleep after all. A grossly miscalculative move!

Gently, he bathed her, removing her makeup and washing her face with warm water. He used more care with his touch than he ever had before, his eyes filled with hidden affection.

After washing her face, he delicately wiped her arms. Her arms were pale and glistened under the light, so soft it seemed like they had no bones. They felt extremely delicate as he wiped them down.

He took off her high heels and noticed her exquisite feet and toes, tempting like lotus roots. As his gaze trailed up, her slender and glossy legs that spread out beyond her dress made a tempting sight.

By the time he finished tidying her up, Huo Shiyan was covered in sweat, the corners of his eyes were a bit red.

Coming out of the bath, he saw Shen Xinglan with one leg propped outside the duvet and her dress riding high up on her thighs. The collar of her dress hung loose, revealing the inside.

Seeing this, a flicker of desire passed through Huo Shiyan's eyes, a wave of heat rising within his body.

Looks like his previous bath was all for naught!