After A Secret Marriage With The Trending Queen - Chapter 21

Chapter 21

“Um… that is, you sleep on the bed tonight. I’ll make a bed on the floor,” Shen Lu stood there, wanting to put her hands in her pockets but finding none, feeling awkward and constrained all over.

Ye Qin simply hummed in response, signifying she agreed with Shen Lu’s suggestion. Shen Lu pursed her lips and nodded to herself. She then went to the cupboard to look for extra bedding. Just as she did, her mother suddenly appeared at the doorway. As she was about to speak, she saw Shen Lu holding the quilt and asked, “Lu Lu, what are you doing?”

“Ah, I haven’t been home in a long time, so I want to change to new bedding. What’s up, Mom?”

“The hot water in the bathroom is ready,” she said, then looked at Ye Qin. “Qinqin, go take a bath. Both of you go take a bath.”

“O-okay, thank you, Auntie,” Ye Qin replied in a rush.

After her mother left, Shen Lu, holding the quilt, patted her chest and let out a sigh of relief. “That was close, we almost blew it.” She pouted and found a reasonably wide spot on the floor by the bed, confirming her spot for the floor bed. “You go take a bath first. Get to bed early. Our conditions here aren’t as good as a hotel environment, but I hope you don’t mind.”

Ye Qin pursed her lips but still said nothing. She turned and opened her suitcase, taking out her pajamas. By the time Shen Lu finished tidying up and looked up, Ye Qin had already walked out.

Shen Lu couldn’t help but frown. She never imagined a day when Ye Qin would come to her house and even sleep in her bed.

To avoid suspicion, Papa and Mama Shen had already returned to their own room, talking with the door closed.

“What good fortune did our family accumulate in our past lives to be blessed with such an obedient, sensible, and money-making daughter again!” Mama Shen paced back and forth in the room, bubbling with excitement.

Papa Shen sat on the edge of the bed, finding her very annoying. “You’re not talking about Lu Lu, are you?”

“Of course not! But since Lu Lu has the ability to snag a big celebrity, it must be her destiny,” Mama Shen said, jumping in front of Papa Shen. “Do you think our Shen family counts as one person achieving enlightenment, and all their dependents ascend to heaven?”

Papa Shen’s mouth twitched. He looked at Mama Shen helplessly. “Are you implying that you and I are the dependents?”

Mama Shen was stunned and speechless for a moment. “……”

A short while later, Shen Lu had swiftly made the floor bed. She lay down on it, completely relaxed, resting her arms on the pillow and facing the ceiling. Her mind was filled with a mess of thoughts. The moment she remembered the contract was still hidden in the cupboard, she immediately felt unsafe and jumped up from the floor bed. If her parents could find her marriage certificate, they might find the contract any day. Knowing her mother’s personality, it could cause chaos when that happened.

Shen Lu retrieved the contract, considered it, and decided to hide it inside an old book. With so many books on the shelf, it was unlikely to be noticed.

Just as she finished hiding it, Ye Qin returned from her bath, startling Shen Lu. She quickly covered her fluttering heart. “I-it’s you.”

Ye Qin closed the door as she entered, her tone laced with teasing. “Why are you so guilty?”

“No, I was just thinking of finding a new hiding spot for the contract. It wouldn’t be good if it got discovered again like this time,” Shen Lu quickly explained.

“I’m tired. I need to rest,” Ye Qin said, wiping her hair as she walked to the bed and sat down.

“Oh, okay, you rest. I’ll go take a shower now.” Shen Lu grabbed her clothes hastily and rushed out the door.

Ye Qin sat by the bed in a daze for a while. Then she got up, took out her makeup bag from her suitcase, sat down in front of the mirror, and applied all the creams and liquids to her face. Only after completing the entire routine did she pack up and climb into the bed.

Although this bed was not as soft as the luxurious one in her usual hotel suite, lying down on it had a magical power that coaxed her to sleep. Especially the scent on the sheets and pillows, like the smell of laundry detergent dried in the sun. The fragrant molecules lingering in the air were enough to make her forget the fatigue of a day’s work and the psychological stress she was under.

Shen Lu took off her clothes and stepped under the shower. As usual, she lathered herself with body wash. When her hands, full of foam, slid over her wet body, her mind unexpectedly flashed back to that passionate night, and a blush crept onto her cheeks. After showering, Shen Lu changed into a clean, comfortable pajamas and quietly pushed the door open.

Ye Qin was lying on her side, facing the far wall of the room. Shen Lu dared not disturb her rest, walking lightly on her toes. She quietly returned to her spot on the floor bed. Before lying down, she stole a glance at Ye Qin. Her eyes were closed, and her expression was peaceful. She must have fallen asleep. Only then did Shen Lu lie down with a sigh of relief.

But just as Shen Lu settled down, a knock came from the door, followed by her mother’s voice. “Lu Lu, are you asleep?”

Shen Lu instantly sat up, looking at Ye Qin first. Sure enough, Ye Qin had also opened her eyes. “Just about to sleep…” Shen Lu answered, stretching her voice.

Silence reigned outside the door for a few seconds. Then Mama Shen said, “Can I come in?”

Shen Lu knew she couldn’t avoid it. She quickly sought Ye Qin’s agreement. “I might need to get on the bed now. Is that okay?”

Ye Qin didn’t speak but nodded helplessly. Shen Lu quickly rolled up her floor bedding, gathered it up, and tossed it behind the window curtain. Then she hopped onto the bed and lay down on Ye Qin’s other side. To make the act more convincing, Ye Qin voluntarily pulled the thin blanket over to cover her slightly.

“Okay, come in, Mom,” Shen Lu replied.

Mama Shen opened the door and walked in, smiling brightly. “You two haven’t slept yet? I didn’t interrupt anything, did I?”

Shen Lu let out a small breath, feeling helpless. “Mom, why are you not sleeping and coming into my room so late?”

Hearing this, Mama Shen was intrigued, sensing a story. “Aiya, Mom knows. I just came in to grab something and then I’ll leave. I won’t bother you.” Her words clearly held a double meaning.

Shen Lu rubbed her forehead. Mom, where is your mind going…

In the end, Mama Shen just strolled around the room and walked out empty-handed, closing the door behind her. It was then that Ye Qin, who had remained silent, slowly spoke, a sentence drifting out. “Auntie just came in to inspect.”

“I thought so too,” Shen Lu pouted. With the crisis averted, she prepared to get off the bed. Just as she sat up and put on her slippers, she heard Ye Qin speak again from behind her. “Don’t sleep on the floor bed. What if Auntie comes back later?”

Shen Lu froze, her entire spine rigid. “That… that actually makes sense.” She then, without hesitation, got back into the bed, lying down next to Ye Qin, seeming a little too eager. Realizing something was off, Shen Lu abruptly sat up. “Um, I think I’ll get another quilt.”

Ye Qin didn’t speak this time, tacitly agreeing.

Shen Lu knew, and she was self-aware. Ye Qin allowed her to share the bed only to deal with her occasionally intrusive mother, not because she agreed to share the same blanket.

Now, with the lights off and on the bed, Shen Lu’s heart was racing like a stampede of deer. She couldn’t calm down. She didn’t even dare to move slightly, lying perfectly still. This, of course, made it even harder to sleep.

Ye Qin was now sleeping in the same bed as her. Even if there were no complicated romantic feelings between them, it was still very nerve-wracking.

Perhaps sensing her distress, Ye Qin suddenly spoke. “Don’t overthink it. Go to sleep early. We’re going back to City H tomorrow.”

The sentence broke the tense atmosphere, forcing Shen Lu back to reality. “Okay, I know. I’ll go to sleep right now.”

Despite her words, sleep wasn’t something she could simply will into existence. Shen Lu took the opportunity to boldly turn over, facing away from Ye Qin, and then let out a nervous sigh. Now, I should be able to sleep.

Half an hour later, Shen Lu’s mind was still wide awake, with no sign of sleep. She didn’t dare toss and turn, afraid of disturbing Ye Qin’s rest. She was truly stuck between a rock and a hard place. Was she really going to lie here with her eyes open until dawn?

In contrast, the sound of calm breathing was now coming from behind her. So, Ye Qin must have fallen asleep?

Therefore, Shen Lu cautiously changed her sleeping posture and quietly asked, “Sister, are you asleep?”

“…I’m asleep.”

Shen Lu: … She’s asleep and can still talk.