Chapter 132: Wedding Night — Part 2
“Wife… I want to take a shower too.”
Gu Tingxiao knocked softly on the bathroom door. Sheng Wanyan had just begun to undress when the sound reached her, making her breath hitch in her throat. Her in-laws were already asleep just down the hall; if they woke up to find Gu Tingxiao loitering outside the bathroom, she would die of embarrassment.
“Be quiet!” she hissed.
Gu Tingxiao pursed his lips and stared at the door for a moment. Then, he silently squatted on the floor, waiting. His wife had told him to be quiet, but she hadn’t told him to leave.
As he listened to the sound of splashing water, his mind drifted back to his dreams. In those dreams, his wife’s face was always flushed, her voice a soft, coquettish plea for him to be gentle. He used to wake up from those dreams and have to stumble to the bathroom to cool his head; now that the real thing was finally within reach, he was loath to move a single inch.
When Sheng Wanyan finally emerged, she was startled to find him still there, huddled on the ground. “What are you still doing here?”
Gu Tingxiao sprang to his feet, standing at stiff attention, looking at her with absolute gravity. “Wife, I’m waiting for you.”
“I don’t need you to wait…”
“I do.”
His tone was so serious that Wanyan couldn’t help but wonder if he was still drunk. “Fine. Go take your shower; I’ll wait in the room.”
“Wife, I’ll walk you back.” Gu Tingxiao escorted her to the bedroom with a small, triumphant smile. He watched her sit down on the bed, making sure she wouldn’t bolt, before rushing off to take a lightning-fast shower.
Wanyan watched his retreating back with a touch of amusement. Once he was gone, she quickly pulled a few skincare products from her spatial warehouse. She didn’t have much time before he returned, so she settled for a simple routine—toner, lotion, and a bit of cream—before hurrying back under the covers.
She had been up since the crack of dawn, and if it weren’t for the high-stakes nature of her wedding night, she likely would have crashed hours ago. Thinking about the “private advice” her mother had whispered to her the night before, her face heated up.
It’s fine, she told herself, taking a few deep breaths. I’ve seen all kinds of men in my previous life. There’s nothing to be afraid of. She kept psyching herself up until the door clicked open and Gu Tingxiao returned, carrying a basin of hot water for her to soak her feet.
Seeing his wife tucked under the quilt, Gu Tingxiao’s eyes cleared instantly. There wasn’t a trace of alcohol-induced blurriness left in his gaze. If Wanyan had seen that look—full of sharp determination and predatory focus—she would have been speechless with indignation.
He set the basin down and gently pulled back the quilt. Looking at her face, he felt a wave of profound satisfaction. After drying his hair and ensuring it was neat, he spoke softly. “Wife, get up and soak your feet.”
Wanyan frowned in her daze, pulling the quilt higher. “Mmm…”
“Be good. Soak your feet so you won’t be as tired tomorrow.” He knew she had worked hard all day. If she didn’t relax now, she’d wake up feeling like she was paralyzed.
Sheng Wanyan sat up, still half-asleep. Gu Tingxiao moved behind her, letting her lean against his chest as he placed her feet into the warm water. She let out a small, comfortable moan. Gu Tingxiao stiffened slightly at the sound, his gaze growing even more intense.
As the warmth seeped into her skin, Wanyan’s sleepiness began to fade. Gu Tingxiao moved to the edge of the bed and began to massage the soles of her feet. She instinctively tried to pull away. “How can I let you do that?” she stammered. It was embarrassing to have her new husband washing her feet like a servant.
“Wife, a massage will make you feel better.” Gu Tingxiao held her feet firmly. He knew she was shy, but he figured if he did this often enough, she’d eventually get used to it.
“I… I can do it myself,” she insisted.
Gu Tingxiao looked up at her, his expression steady. “I’ll handle it from now on. You just need to enjoy yourself.”
Wanyan bit her lip, her face turning pink. Why did that sound so suggestive? “Enjoy what…?”
“You married me for happiness, not to suffer,” he said firmly. “There is no reason for your quality of life to drop just because you left your parents’ home.”
Wanyan paused. This man truly had thought through every detail of their future together. “Comrade Gu Tingxiao, I should warn you—I spend money quite freely.”
She felt it was best to be upfront. She had unlimited supplies in her space and zero intention of lowering her standard of living.
“Wife, you have the final say in this family. If you spend it, I’ll just earn more. Don’t worry about anything else; I’ll take care of it.” He wouldn’t dream of letting her struggle. As long as she was happy, the money was well-spent.
Wanyan felt a wave of relief. She wanted her family to live comfortably without being targeted by jealous neighbors, and she had worried about how her spending might affect his reputation at the base. It seemed they were already on the same page.
As he massaged her, Wanyan marveled at how large his hands were—they easily eclipsed her feet. Gu Tingxiao was equally surprised by how small and delicate she felt. He carefully dried her feet with a towel, tucked her back into bed, and went to empty the basin.
When he returned, he locked the door and retrieved a small iron box from the wardrobe. “This is the money I’ve saved over the years. I’m giving it to you for safekeeping.”
He opened the box to reveal 480 yuan in cash along with various industrial and food coupons. “In the past, I used to send five yuan a month to help the children of some fallen comrades. I stopped once we started dating, and I won’t be sending any more. Those years were enough.”
He had been selfless when he was alone, but now he had a wife to support and future children to think of. Eight years of charity was a respectable run; it was time to be a little “selfish” for his own family.
Wanyan’s eyes brightened. “All of this is for me?”
“From now on, you’re the boss of this house.”
“Really? I can spend it however I want?”
Gu Tingxiao nodded, his lips twitching into a smile. “I’ll make it, you spend it.”
“Then it’s a deal! I’ll manage the house, and you’ll be the breadwinner.”
“Good.”
Wanyan hopped out of bed and opened her own dowry box, pulling out her savings and the betrothal money. Gu Tingxiao watched her count the bills one by one, her eyes gleaming with a love for money that made him chuckle softly. This little “money-grubber” was finally his.
