Chapter 59: Three Rules and Agreements

That night, Chen Yuyi and Shen Zhujun did not return to the small villa. The room was once Shen Zhujun’s, but it had been arranged as if it were their bridal chamber, giving Chen Yuyi a sense of newlywed bliss.

Shen Zhujun wore slippers and a thin silk nightdress that clung to her graceful figure. In the dim light, she was irresistibly alluring. She kept only this one nightdress at home—not to benefit anyone’s gaze, but simply because it was impractical to sleep in formal attire.

Chen Yuyi’s eyes flickered, and he couldn’t help but recall the day Shen Zhujun had been afflicted with a spring fever, the hazy memory now intertwining with the tantalizing sight before him, setting a fire in his gaze.

Fortunately, his self-restraint was now far beyond that of ordinary men; otherwise, he could hardly guarantee he wouldn’t do something beastly tonight.

Shen Zhujun, feeling the heat of his gaze, grew even colder. She tugged at her nightdress self-consciously and glared at him. “Let me warn you—if you dare have any improper thoughts, I’ll make sure you’ll never be a man again!”

Chen Yuyi touched his nose, recalling her formidable strength, and felt a trace of genuine fear.

Still, it would be an awful waste not to admire the beauty before him.

Thus, Shen Zhujun’s attitude did nothing to dampen his appreciation of her figure.

Perhaps, stung by his intense gaze, Shen Zhujun dove into the bed and wrapped herself tightly in the covers, lamenting how unlivable life was becoming. Someone’s courage was truly growing by the day.

She felt compelled to have a serious talk with him. “Sit down. We need to talk.”

Chen Yuyi smiled slightly, nodded, and sat on the bed. “Alright.”

“I didn’t say you could sit on the bed! Sit over there!” Shen Zhujun, startled like a frightened rabbit, pointed to a makeshift pallet in the distance.

“Why should I go there? This bed is as much mine as it is yours.” Earlier, Chen Yuyi had seen Shen Zhujun set up a small pallet but hadn’t commented. He’d already decided he wouldn’t sleep there. At Fujiang Garden, he’d nearly been relegated to the doghouse. Now, at the Shen family home, with even the old matriarch treating him kindly, he wasn’t about to take the floor.

Shen Zhujun froze. He’d been forceful before, but now he seemed even more so. If this continued, what if he decided to use force against her?

“You’ll sleep there whether you want to or not! Otherwise, get out of this room!” she snapped, her beautiful eyes blazing.

“Aren’t you afraid Grandma will come check on us in the night, see we’re sleeping separately, and start to suspect?” Chen Yuyi teased, actually finding her anger rather attractive.

“She has better things to do. Don’t make excuses. I want to lay down some ground rules—”

“Better let me lay down the rules first,” Chen Yuyi interrupted, not budging from the bed, his expression turning serious.

“You want to set the rules?” Shen Zhujun could hardly believe he dared make demands of her.

“Why not? Can’t I set three rules for you?” Chen Yuyi smiled lightly, then continued.

“First, from now on, this room is mine. I sleep on the bed, you sleep on the pallet. If you’re not afraid of your family’s suspicions, you can sleep elsewhere. Second, you should know it’s impossible for a man to be subjected to temptation for long without acting on it. So, please pay attention to your attire—don’t be too revealing. I can’t guarantee the consequences otherwise. Third, if I behave strangely at night, don’t make a fuss or tell anyone, because I might sleepwalk sometimes. That’s all I have for now; if I think of more, I’ll let you know.”

Shen Zhujun was dumbfounded, hardly believing her ears.

Of course, Chen Yuyi had his reasons. His main focus was on cultivation, and having Shen Zhujun around was already quite inconvenient. Besides, he no longer felt the need to be deferential to her, hence his assertiveness.

“Are you sure you’re talking to me?” Shen Zhujun bit her lip, glaring at him as though his terms were a personal insult.

“Of course. Who else?” Chen Yuyi replied calmly.

“Get out!” Shen Zhujun suddenly hurled a pillow at him.

Chen Yuyi reached out and caught it effortlessly.

“So, it’s best you leave the bed for now. But if you like lying here, I don’t mind,” he said, making as if to climb under the covers.

Shen Zhujun shrieked in fright and fled from the bed, scrambling away.

“Chen Yuyi, you scoundrel!” she shouted, her hair disheveled, eyes blazing as she stormed to the door, yanked it open, and slammed it behind her.

Chen Yuyi felt the lingering warmth she’d left on the bed and couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Then his eyes sharpened. He produced a few Biluodan pills, swallowed them, and, after quietly consolidating his cultivation, lay down and closed his eyes.

In the middle of the night, he heard the door creak softly. Someone tiptoed in.

He knew it was Shen Zhujun and feigned sleep.

She crept in, glanced resentfully at him on the bed, shook her tiny fists in silent fury, sighed, and went to the pallet on the floor.

The next morning, Shen Zhujun left for the company early, skipping breakfast.

Chen Yuyi, on the other hand, enjoyed breakfast at the Shen family’s home. The meal was lavish, with all manner of exquisite dishes, though he himself was not particular, eating casually.

Xu Ruizhi clearly wanted to make a snide remark, but with the old matriarch present, she didn’t dare. She merely shot him a look of utter contempt, as if sated by annoyance alone, barely touching her food before declaring herself full and leaving.

Shen Youlin also ate quickly and left for school, never once glancing at Chen Yuyi, as if he were invisible.

In the end, only the old matriarch and Shen Chengde remained.

“Yuyi, if you need anything, just ask Ah Zhong. If there’s anything in the house you’re unsure about, you can ask him as well,” the old matriarch said after sipping some porridge.

“That’s right, son-in-law. If you have any questions, you can ask me too. After breakfast, why don’t I show you around? It’s good to let the family see you,” Shen Chengde added eagerly.

The old matriarch cast him a glance, prompting Shen Chengde to quickly switch topics. “Better you take some time to get familiar with the house first.”

Chen Yuyi found this amusing. Clearly, his father-in-law was scheming something.

When the matriarch finished her porridge, she said, “Yuyi, I’m getting on in years and won’t accompany you. Feel free to look around, but remember to be back in time for meals.”

Such a gentle admonition warmed Chen Yuyi’s heart, filling him with a sense of belonging.

Afterward, the old matriarch retired to her own separate quarters.

The Shen family mansion covered a vast area, with several courtyards. Besides the main luxurious building, there were one or two older ones—once the residence of the late master and the old matriarch. Now, seeking peace and quiet, she still lived there. She seldom left those rooms, preferring to rest inside; even her meals were sometimes brought to her. But since meeting Chen Yuyi, her spirits had improved greatly.

“Xiao Tao, what do you think of this son-in-law?” she asked, sunning herself with eyes half closed, speaking to the middle-aged woman always by her side.

Though already in her fifties, the old matriarch still called her Xiao Tao out of habit.

“Madam, I can’t say for sure, but I feel this son-in-law has a presence about him—he’s no ordinary man,” replied Luo Tao, who served the old matriarch out of deep gratitude. Her husband, Ma Zhong, was both chauffeur and steward.

“It’s good you see that much,” the matriarch nodded approvingly. Having grown up serving at her side, Luo Tao’s ability to judge people was far superior to that of her daughter-in-law.

“But Madam, aren’t you worried that bringing him forward so soon might provoke the Xing family?” Luo Tao asked with concern.

“The Xing family is a prominent clan. If they can’t even tolerate this, they don’t deserve the title. Besides, I never promised a marriage alliance with them. Don’t bring it up again. If they come knocking, I’ll speak to them myself.”

The matriarch closed her eyes and said nothing more, resting quietly.

After breakfast, Chen Yuyi wandered through the entire Shen estate, but soon found himself with nothing to do. At that moment, the Shen family received guests.