Summer in Your Name - Extra 4

June 19, 11:00 PM.

Zhang Shu returned to Heyan from Nanli after attending an event, looking travel-worn, his trunk stuffed with ‘firewood, rice, oil, and salt¹’ forcibly packed by his in-laws. Before he got back, Sheng Xia had been bombarded with calls from her parents, scolding her for keeping too tight a leash on Zhang Shu. They said he was rushing from one event to another like on a marathon, making them lose face.

(¹: Chinese idiom referring to daily necessities.) 

Sheng Xia was dumbfounded. She hadn’t done anything!

She knew he’d gone to Nanli today for the International Consumer Expo, where Arcial Vision had a booth in the AI section. But he’d said it wasn’t too busy and he could make the round trip in a day!

During his business trips, he usually always came home whenever he could. Even if he could’ve gone a day early and attended the event at a leisurely pace, he’d insist on leaving at the crack of dawn, getting up at four or five to get ready.

Sheng Xia learned from her father, Sheng Mingfeng, that Zhang Shu had been running around nonstop today. After the booth event, he attended a lunch salon, followed by a summit forum and a meeting with the Industry and Information Bureau in the afternoon, barely a moment’s rest.

Now, standing at the door, he struck a relaxed pose, pretending to be annoyed. “What’re you spacing out for? Come give me a hug already.”

Sheng Xia felt a lump in her throat and threw herself into his arms.

Zhang Shu’s driver stood behind them, carrying the pile of ‘firewood, rice, oil, and salt’, already used to this young couple’s shameless habit of hugging at the door when they could just wait until they were inside, tormenting a single guy like him.

Zhang Shu always showered first upon returning home. Meanwhile, Sheng Xia changed into the pajamas she’d bought while shopping with Xin Xiaohe recently, recommended by her friend. Pretending to be casual, she sorted through the stuff Zhang Shu brought back at the kitchen island, only then noticing a thermos with cucumber juice inside.

She was still staring at it when Zhang Shu emerged from the shower.

His gaze roamed over her, top to bottom, then bottom to top, several times. Sheng Xia’s ears flushed faintly.

Black, lacy, spaghetti straps…

Was it too deliberate?

Noticing the slight curve of his lips, Sheng Xia hurriedly steered the subject before he could speak. “You brought this from Nanli?”

Zhang Shu cleared his throat lightly and walked toward her. “Yeah, didn’t you keep saying you wanted some?”

In the summer heat, she’d been craving the cucumber juice from Nanli Affiliated High School. She’d searched everywhere but nothing matched that taste. She’d even tried making it herself, with little success.

“It’s a four-hour drive, though?”

“Mm, so it might not taste as good anymore. Give it a try.” He opened the lid and held it to her lips.

Sheng Xia took a sip, then looked up in delight. “It’s still really good! This is the taste!”

As she tilted her head, the height difference gave him a clear view of her neckline, the fair skin almost dazzling.

Zhang Shu’s voice was calm. “If it’s good, I’ll bring it like this next time.”

It was the middle of the night, and by her usual health-conscious mind, she’d never drink something like this so late. But she was too tempted and downed it all in no time, proudly tilting the cup to show off her achievement. “Not a drop left!”

The moment she spoke, he snatched the cup, set it aside, and in one swift motion, lifted her onto the island counter. His hand pressed against her neck, and a fervent kiss crashed over her.

“Mmm, that’s the taste,” she heard Zhang Shu murmur between kisses. Then, her shoulder strap was tugged down, and a warm, wet sensation spread across her chest.

Her fingers wove through his soft hair, gripping tighter at one point, her toes curling.

This was the kitchen!

A shiver ran through her, her scalp tingling.

Their chaotic moment on the island counter paused briefly, and she was carried to the sofa. She heard him, buried against her chest, calling her “Xiaxia, baby, wife” in a jumbled mess of endearments.

Back in the bed, she instinctively moved toward the headboard, but her ankle was grabbed and pulled back. In her hazy vision, Sheng Xia glimpsed the bedside clock pointing to midnight.

August 20, 12:00 AM.

Timely Rain’s birthday.

“I got you… ah… a VR… g-game console… um… it’s in the b-basement, by the g-garage… did you… you saw it…”

“Mhm, I saw it.”

“Happy birthday…”

“Mhm, I'm happy.”

Whatever he said after that was lost in fragmented gasps, she didn’t catch it.

It vaguely sounded like, “Let’s have a baby.”

Caught off guard, she tensed up instantly, just as he let go of all restraint.

In the tender aftermath, she felt his warm hand resting on her abdomen, a soft kiss brushed her temple. “Your turn to step up now. I’ve already given it my all—not a drop left.”

“…”

Sheng Xia chose to pass out to sleep.

---

← Previous | Table of Contents | Next →

0