The Slacker Stepmother and the Non-Domineering CEO

While taking a shower in the evening, Nian Suian belatedly realized she felt nervous about sharing a bed with Gu Junxing that night.

Part of her thought nothing would happen between them here, while another part of her mind couldn't help but wander.

After showering, she dried off, got dressed, and stood in front of the mirror.

Her reflection showed a face flushed red - whether from the hot shower water or her own imagination, she wasn't sure.

Nian Suian lingered in the bathroom for a long while. Finally, with her hair dried and skincare routine completed, she had no excuse to stay any longer.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and said to Gu Junxing who was sitting on the sofa, "I'm done. You can shower now."

"Alright."

Gu Junxing didn't have any particular reaction, nor did he question why she had spent so long in the bathroom. He simply took his pajamas and went to shower.

To ease her tension, Nian Suian turned on the TV... and started watching Tom and Jerry.

Yes, this atmosphere felt much more relaxed.

Gu Junxing's time in the bathroom was much shorter than Nian Suian's, at least that's how it felt to her.

When he came out, he glanced at Tom and Jerry on TV, then at Nian Suian sitting stiffly against the bed despite trying to appear casual. He seemed to understand something and gave her a knowing, half-smiling look.

Nian Suian glanced at Gu Junxing, then struggled to shift her gaze back to the TV.

He was wearing black silk pajamas today, the soft fabric clinging to his muscular frame, the outline of his chest muscles subtly visible as he moved.

Gu Junxing casually walked to the bed, pulled back the covers, and got in.

The scene might have appeared strange from an outside perspective - a man and woman sitting on a large bed, not speaking, just intently watching Tom and Jerry on TV.

Even though Gu Junxing wasn't sitting particularly close, Nian Suian could still feel the warmth radiating from him.

On the TV screen, Tom was playing the piano, but as Nian Suian watched, she felt her heart jumping like those piano keys.

"Suian, don't be nervous."

Hearing Gu Junxing say this, Nian Suian stubbornly replied, "Who's nervous? I'm not nervous at all."

Gu Junxing patted her head, comforting the stubborn girl, "Mm-hmm, you're not nervous. You just really love Tom and Jerry."

Gu Junxing's casual attitude made Nian Suian feel her nervousness was unnecessary, so she finally lay down.

It was actually far from her usual bedtime, and she couldn't fall asleep just by closing her eyes, so she started browsing on her phone while lying down.

After scrolling through some short videos, she finally relaxed...

But the bad news was, she relaxed too much and forgot about the current situation.

As she scrolled, she unconsciously changed position from lying on her back to her side, and stretched her legs without thinking.

When she touched another warm "object," she suddenly realized what happened and quickly pulled back.

"Sorry about that."

"It's fine."

Gu Junxing then turned off the TV and lay down, moving closer to Nian Suian's side, watching her.

This time even short videos couldn't ease her tension. Although they had hugged and kissed before, this was their first time lying face to face like this.

For most people, a bed is something very intimate, and lying in bed with someone you're attracted to inevitably creates a different kind of feeling.

Nian Suian put down her phone and looked at Gu Junxing's face so close to hers, unconsciously swallowing.

Gu Junxing slowly moved closer, and Nian Suian didn't pull away. They drew closer until their lips met.

During the kiss, Gu Junxing's hands remained restrained on Nian Suian's waist, not wandering.

Ironically, though Nian Suian had been the nervous one initially, she was now the one tentatively touching Gu Junxing's abs.

Not satisfied with feeling through his clothes, she boldly slipped her hand under his shirt.

She clearly hadn't considered the consequences such touching might bring.

"Suian... Sui Sui... stop touching," Gu Junxing murmured, holding her closer, letting her feel his body's response.

Nian Suian felt his heat and immediately stopped moving, quickly withdrawing her hand.

After a moment's hesitation, she said, "Um... maybe you should let go of me, I'll move further away so you can cool down."

"No need, just stay like this."

Gu Junxing held her tight without letting go. Nian Suian remained stiff, her face buried in his neck, even her breathing careful and measured.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything here. I just need a moment to calm down."

Gu Junxing had no intention of doing anything with Nian Suian here in the hotel.

Ten minutes passed, and Nian Suian could still feel...

"Um... can you really calm down?"

With her blank practical experience but exceptionally rich theoretical knowledge, Nian Suian carefully asked Gu Junxing, "Are you uncomfortable?"

"It's manageable," Gu Junxing took a deep breath, "A sweet burden."

Gu Junxing had misjudged the situation. He had thought it would be like previous times, where waiting quietly for a while would naturally resolve things.

However, it wasn't working at all - in fact, it was getting worse.

"I need to use the bathroom."

Gu Junxing got up and went to the bathroom. Soon, the sound of running water could be heard.

Nian Suian lay in bed, face red, listening to the sound.

When he returned, Gu Junxing lay down at the very edge of the bed.

Worried she might overthink things, he explained, "I'm cool now, just keeping some distance for a moment."

"Actually, if you're really uncomfortable, I could..." Nian Suian didn't finish her sentence, but tugged at Gu Junxing's hand to convey her meaning.

"No need, Suian." Gu Junxing brought her hand to his lips for a light kiss, "You don't need to do that."

Once he felt his body temperature return to normal, Gu Junxing turned off the lights and moved back toward the middle of the bed.

"Let's sleep."

"Mm."

Nian Suian snuggled deeper under the covers, resting her head on Gu Junxing's arm and closing her eyes.

She had always liked burying her head under the covers while sleeping - it made her feel more secure.

The bed was warm and cozy, the person beside her equally warm, and before long, Nian Suian fell into a deep sleep.

She slept well through the night.

When she next opened her eyes, she saw the man looking at her with a smile.

"What time is it? Don't you have work today?"

"Eight-ten, still early."

Seeing that Nian Suian was awake, Gu Junxing got up, but not before tucking the blanket around her.

"I'm getting up now, you sleep a bit more."

Nian Suian made a sound of acknowledgment and closed her eyes again.

After changing into his work clothes, Gu Junxing returned to the bedside and spoke softly to Nian Suian.

"I'll ask the hotel to deliver breakfast outside the door at nine-thirty, remember to get up and eat then. I won't be back for lunch, so you can either order room service, get takeout, or go out to eat - but if you go out, be careful and call me if anything happens."

"Okay, I understand. I won't go out, I'll just order takeout."

She didn't feel like going out alone anyway.

"Alright, then I'll take you out for dinner when I return tonight." Gu Junxing said, then bent down to kiss her forehead that was peeking out from under the covers before leaving.