Three Sentences That Made My Ex-Wife Spit Blood - Chapter 40

“You’re really not going to stay with me?” Wen Huaxi bit her lip in frustration when she heard that Yan Qinglan was going to turn her down.

It was rare for her to take the initiative to come find Sister Qing.

Seeing how upset Wen Huaxi looked, her eyes close to tears, Yan Qinglan fell silent. She couldn’t bring herself to say no.

Just looking at Wen Huaxi eased the irritation she had felt earlier because of Wen Suixue.

Even if it was true that she could never fall asleep the first night in a new environment, she was willing to make an exception.

“Sister Qing…” Wen Huaxi tightened her grip on Yan Qinglan’s arm. “Didn’t you say you wanted to take care of me?”

Yan Qinglan froze for a few seconds at the softness on her arm. Then she sighed.

“Alright.” Seeing that Wen Huaxi was still staring at her, she added another quiet word. “I’ll stay with you.”

If she couldn’t sleep, then so be it. She had already prepared herself before coming.

“Let’s go.” Yan Qinglan reached around and gently held Wen Huaxi by the waist.

When they entered the house, Wen Suixue had already gone back to her own room.

Part of her didn’t want to interrupt her sister’s romantic progress, and part of her simply didn’t want to see Yan Qinglan. She was still annoyed.

It was bad enough that her sister’s freedom in love was tied down, but now she was about to become a mother at such a young age, and all because of what happened in a past life?

Wen Suixue wanted to rip Yan Qinglan apart. Hearing footsteps, she locked her door tight.

She really couldn’t understand what was so great about that woman. Why did Wen Huaxi keep falling for her again and again?

Her poor sister had become completely love-struck.

“Did you bring clothes to change into?” Wen Huaxi pulled Sister Qing into the bedroom her sister had prepared for her and only then remembered to ask.

“If I said no, would you lend me some of your sister’s clothes?” Yan Qinglan quickly hid the cloth bag behind her back. Her attempt to act natural was anything but convincing.

Wen Huaxi silently turned her head to glance at the bag, then looked back at Yan Qinglan. Her eyes were full of disbelief and speechlessness.

Yan Qinglan remained calm. As long as Wen Huaxi didn’t see what was inside, it didn’t count as bringing anything.

“Sister Qing, you’re so much taller than me. My dress would look like a shirt on you, and my shirt would become a crop top. Do you seriously want to borrow my clothes?” Wen Huaxi complained, but she still walked over and started digging through her closet.

Before marriage, she had lived at her sister’s house for a long time.

Even after getting married, she often ran back here. Her wardrobe here was even more full than the one at the home she shared with Yan Qinglan.

She casually picked out a loose nightgown and sleep pants and tossed them to Sister Qing.

“I’m going to shower first. You figure it out yourself.” Since she had already convinced Sister Qing to stay, Wen Huaxi didn’t feel the need to keep looking after her.

After all, they were just sharing a bed. That was all.

Yan Qinglan was an adult. Even as a guest, she didn’t need to be waited on.

“Eat first. The food will get cold.” Yan Qinglan caught Wen Huaxi by the hand.

Wen Huaxi couldn’t argue with her, so she followed her back to the living room and slowly finished the nutritional meal.

“There’s also a supplement drink.” Yan Qinglan opened a packet of powder, poured it into a cup, added warm water, stirred it, and placed it in front of her.

“Sister Qing, don’t you think you’re acting like you’re trying to poison me?” Wen Huaxi stared at the cup, clearly unwilling to drink it.

“You can read the ingredients. I had them add extra sweetness. It’s not bitter. It won’t taste good if it gets cold.”

Yan Qinglan couldn’t understand Wen Huaxi’s logic, but still handed over the packaging.

Wen Huaxi pouted, picked up the cup, and drank it all in one go.

After being taken care of by Sister Qing these past few days, she trusted her not to do anything harmful.

To her surprise, it actually tasted pretty good. Sweet, but not sickening. It went down easily.

“Can I look around your sister’s house?” Yan Qinglan asked when it became clear she couldn’t stop Wen Huaxi from going to shower.

“It’s better if you don’t. After all, it’s still my sister’s home. Just wait in the room for me. You still have to blow-dry my hair later.”

After giving that order, Wen Huaxi suddenly had a rare moment of concern and asked if Sister Qing had eaten before coming.

Yan Qinglan said she had, then obediently sat at the desk in Wen Huaxi’s room, scrolling through her phone and dealing with some work.

By the time both of them finished showering, it was still early. Wen Huaxi said she wanted to go over her script. Sister Qing put her phone away and sat beside her, quietly keeping her company.

Later, when Yan Qinglan went out to get some water, she saw Wen Suixue walking toward her room with a bag of takeout.

“Did you eat?” Wen Suixue remembered that Sister Qing had only brought one meal earlier.

“No.” Yan Qinglan didn’t lie. But it didn’t matter to her.

“Good. I wasn’t planning to let you have any anyway.” Wen Suixue snapped at her and coolly disappeared into her room.

Yan Qinglan said nothing. She was now convinced that Wen Huaxi’s stubbornness was inherited.

Their daughter would probably have the same personality. She would have to take care of two little queens.

“It’s bedtime, Xiaoxi.” If Wen Suixue could mess with her, she could return the favor by teasing Wen Huaxi a bit.

It felt like harmless revenge.

Sister Qing reached out and gently covered Wen Huaxi’s eyes.

“What are you doing? It’s not even that late. Let me finish a few more pages.” Wen Huaxi grabbed her hand and tried to pull it away.

“It’s already ten o’clock, Xiaoxi. Time to sleep. You need proper rest, especially since filming during the day is already exhausting.”

When words didn’t work, Yan Qinglan leaned in and hugged her. “You’re already so amazing. Do you still need to go over the script?”

She had seen Wen Huaxi finish scenes in one take.

She knew Director Qin Shuyue, and anyone who could pass under her direction in one take had to be exceptionally talented.

She had always thought Wen Huaxi, the straight-A student type, didn’t need that much preparation.

“That’s exactly why I’m good. It’s because I prepare. Anyway, you came all the way here to stay with me.”

Wen Huaxi was just reviewing the scenes she would shoot next.

She packed everything away and reached out her hand.

Yan Qinglan didn’t know why but instinctively reached out as well.

“I want a hug. Don’t you get it? Are you made of wood or something?”

She had taken the initiative for once, and of all people, it had to be this completely clueless woman.

Forget it. She didn’t want the hug anymore.

Wen Huaxi pulled her hand back, but Yan Qinglan caught it again.

“I understand now. I thought you had something to show me.” Sister Qing smiled and pulled her into her arms.

Wen Huaxi gave a soft hum, barely holding back her grumbling. She wrapped her arms around Yan Qinglan’s neck, and the two of them rolled onto the bed while hugging.

“Will you really not be able to sleep?” After the lights were off, Wen Huaxi leaned in closer and whispered like she was carrying out a secret mission.

“It’s alright, Xiaoxi,” Yan Qinglan answered gently.

She just wanted to look at Wen Huaxi.

That feeling had reached its peak earlier when she returned home and couldn’t find the person who was always there.

She realized she was beginning to crave something.

She wanted closeness. Especially the warmth of Wen Huaxi’s touch.

Being held by Wen Huaxi, feeling her arms around her, even just a little, eased the restlessness in Yan Qinglan’s heart.

Moments like this, when Wen Huaxi took the initiative to ask for a hug, were rare and brought her unexpected joy.

Once she embraced her, she didn’t want to let go.

Yan Qinglan gently stroked Wen Huaxi’s hair.

She had dried it herself earlier. Now, it was smooth and silky under her fingers, the texture pleasantly soothing.

“Do you really want to stay with me that much? Even if you can’t sleep, you still want to stay by my side?”

Hearing Sister Qing’s question, Wen Huaxi looked proud of herself, as if she were wagging an invisible tail in delight.

“Yes.” Normally, Sister Qing would have insisted it was Wen Huaxi who begged her to stay.

But today, her body and heart had both been comforted by Wen Huaxi. That sense of fulfillment softened her mood. Instead of being sharp, she accepted the moment without a fight.

“If Xiaoxi isn’t here, I won’t be able to sleep,” Yan Qinglan added calmly, cutting off any teasing that might follow.

Wen Huaxi felt her ears warm up. Embarrassed, she wanted to pull away from the hug, but Yan Qinglan held her tighter.

“Xiaoxi, this bed isn’t very big. If I don’t hold you, I’m afraid you’ll fall off while sleeping.” She had finally caught her little prey. There was no way she would let her go.

“It’s just a single bed, after all. Sister Qing, do you really have to hold me while we sleep?” Wen Huaxi mumbled, a little flustered. Her bed wasn’t exactly small. It was about the same size as the one in Sister Qing’s home.

“Xiaoxi, you don’t want to?” Yan Qinglan’s voice turned a little cold.

It felt like if Wen Huaxi said no, she would end up being hugged even more tightly with no chance to escape.

“No, it’s not that. I’m just worried that you might accidentally hurt the baby.” Wen Huaxi was unsure how to respond.

Eventually, she gave in. The truth was, she did want to be held by Sister Qing.

Whether the hug had a hint of romance or not didn’t matter.

If it didn’t, she could enjoy it without guilt and tell herself they were just comforting each other.

She had read that humans needed three hugs a day. So why couldn’t she hug her contract wife?

“I won’t. I’ll be very careful,” Yan Qinglan said, loosening her grip slightly and softening her movements. “Be good and go to sleep.”

In that moment, Wen Huaxi thought that even if the hug carried some unspoken feelings, she might still be okay with it.

It was only a hug. That didn’t mean she liked her.

Wen Huaxi snuggled closer and whispered softly near Sister Qing’s ear.

“Goodnight, Sister Qing.”

Yan Qinglan’s fingers tensed slightly.

She had always been sensitive to unfamiliar beds. Normally, she could never sleep the first night in a new place.

But surrounded by Wen Huaxi’s gentle scent, a light sweetness like cherries, she felt surprisingly at peace. Slowly, she drifted off.

Again, she dreamed.

Lately, her dreams had become more frequent.

Maybe her mind had decided that instead of forcing her to recall everything at once, it was better to return those memories slowly through dreams.

In the dream, she saw herself and Wen Huaxi. They were close and affectionate.

Then the scene shifted. She was laughing and talking with Meng Qingzhou in a restaurant. They seemed familiar with each other.

If it had just been a meal, Yan Qinglan might have been able to bear it, even if it hurt to see herself with someone else.

But the angle shifted slightly, revealing a flash of red in the background.

Her little red fox.

Wen Huaxi was hiding in the shadows, silently watching her on a date with someone else.

That poor little fox couldn’t even approach openly. She had to sneak around, only to witness that scene.

Yan Qinglan felt her chest tighten. She tried to stop her dream self from going any further.

But she couldn’t.

No matter how hard she tried, she failed.

Wen Huaxi turned and walked away. Her figure looked small and fragile. Even from behind, her sadness was clear.

Yan Qinglan was full of frustration, even inside the dream.

What was that version of her thinking? Leaving such a sweet girl at home and going out with someone else?

Did she ever stop to think that someone had been silently watching her all along, hoping for just a little attention?

Maybe that version of her, or herself, did know.

Yan Qinglan remembered the early days of her marriage with Wen Huaxi.

She had known from the start that Wen Huaxi liked her.

That was why she had chosen her out of all the possible candidates for a contract marriage.

She thought someone who liked her would be easier to control.

She had gone to others not out of romantic interest, but to avoid deepening her connection with someone she saw only as a contractual partner.

From the beginning, she had been clear-headed.

So clear-headed that it became cold.

If she had not regained those memories, she probably would have made the same choices all over again.

Even now, she didn’t believe her decisions were wrong.

But those choices had hurt Wen Huaxi.

And she didn’t want Wen Huaxi to be hurt anymore.

When she opened her eyes, she was momentarily alert, unfamiliar with her surroundings.

Then the faint scent that belonged only to Wen Huaxi reminded her where she was.

The girl in her arms was still resting comfortably, pressed close to her.

She murmured softly in her sleep, peaceful and relaxed.

If you were the one I hurt in the past.

Yan Qinglan gently brushed a strand of hair away from Wen Huaxi’s face.

She didn’t know what the right thing to do was now.

But she hoped Wen Huaxi would never remember those painful memories.

That way, she wouldn’t be sad. And maybe Yan Qinglan would still have a chance to make things right.

She drifted in and out of sleep again.

When morning came and she opened her eyes, seeing Wen Huaxi right there beside her felt unexpectedly comforting.

Her heartbeat echoed in her ears. She carefully shifted her numb arm and felt more at ease when she saw that Wen Huaxi was still sleeping soundly.

As her thoughts began to wander, Yan Qinglan started to feel conflicted about how close she had allowed herself to become to this young woman.

She felt divided between night and day.

During the day, she reminded herself to keep her distance from Wen Huaxi.

They had no real emotional bond, no romantic relationship, only a legal agreement.

No matter how many memories surfaced, she couldn’t let them influence her judgment.

She didn’t want anything holding her back. She had always believed she didn’t need love or a partner to share her life.

But at night, all her reasoning disappeared.

Just seeing Wen Huaxi made her happy.

A small touch could calm her enough to fall asleep in an unfamiliar place.

She had made up a poor excuse just to come see her.

She wanted to hold Wen Huaxi. That was why she stayed still the entire night, even as her arm went numb and sore.

Mornings were when those two feelings collided.

Yan Qinglan furrowed her brow, overwhelmed by the chaos in her mind.

She still didn’t want to admit where those strange feelings came from.

She just wanted to go with the flow.

Recently, the return of those memories didn’t bother her as much as they used to.

At night, they stirred her heart. During the day, they no longer made her want to hurt herself just to stay clear-headed.

The one thing that hadn’t changed was her desire to be near Wen Huaxi.

As long as Wen Huaxi didn’t question her, Yan Qinglan could keep pretending she hadn’t changed.

She could continue staying by her side like this.

“Sister Qing.” Wen Huaxi blinked awake, groggy and confused. When she saw Yan Qinglan beside her, for a moment she thought she was back in their shared house.

The dream version of Sister Qing had annoyed her, so her first thought was that they should sleep separately.

Before Yan Qinglan could react, Wen Huaxi pouted and planted a kiss on her cheek.

The spot where she kissed instantly burned, so hot that Yan Qinglan almost pushed her away.

But Wen Huaxi wasn’t done yet.

She was determined to completely smother Sister Qing’s face with kisses.

She pinned down the stunned and slowly melting Yan Qinglan and continued kissing her cheeks with playful energy.

Mwah. Mwah. Mwah.

After being kissed more than a dozen times by Wen Huaxi, Yan Qinglan’s face was completely wet. Her heartbeat had become fast and chaotic, leaving her with no room to worry about whether Wen Huaxi’s kisses were messy or not.

Just as Wen Huaxi was about to take it a step further and bite her lips, seeing that Yan Qinglan remained unresponsive, Yan Qinglan finally snapped out of it and gently pinched her lips.

“What are you doing?” Even her voice, meant to scold, lacked any real strength.

Wen Huaxi had kissed her before, just brief touches like a dragonfly skimming water, barely leaving a trace.

She usually kissed Yan Qinglan’s cheek, and over time, Yan Qinglan had grown used to it, slowly accepting that Wen Huaxi would kiss her.

Now that it happened again, and more boldly, Yan Qinglan realized she actually liked it.

Liked it enough that she wanted to kiss Wen Huaxi back.

A real kiss. Not a playful peck, but a deep one, like the kind she remembered from her dreams. Lips pressing together, tongues entangling, sharing everything between them.

But Wen Huaxi had never gone beyond kissing her cheek.

If Wen Huaxi truly wanted more, wouldn’t they have already gone further?

So Yan Qinglan didn’t dare make a move. She didn’t want to ruin what they had—something that felt both like friendship and something more.

Wen Huaxi, caught by the sudden question, was startled.

She glanced around her room and finally realized where she was—at her sister’s house.

And Sister Qing had only stayed the night because she begged her to, sharing the same bed, side by side.

A soft blush spread across Wen Huaxi’s ears as she grew flustered and tried to escape.

But Yan Qinglan was still holding her by the waist, and escape was impossible.

“It’s nothing. Let me go,” Wen Huaxi stammered, avoiding eye contact.

As Yan Qinglan loosened her grip on her lips, Wen Huaxi took the chance and bit her lightly.

“You kissed me first. Twenty-three times, to be exact,” Yan Qinglan said softly, unwilling to let her off the hook so easily.

At the very least, if they were not truly kissing, she still wanted her…

“I was half asleep! I thought you were one of my plush dolls!” Wen Huaxi blurted out a hurried excuse, trying to wiggle her way out of the situation.

Yan Qinglan now looked at her like a hunter eyeing her prey. Wen Huaxi felt a chill at the back of her neck and instinctively tried to flee.

“A plush doll? Xiaoxi, that excuse doesn’t work. I’ve seen your room. You don’t even have a plush doll.”

Yan Qinglan’s gaze darkened slightly.

“Could it be you thought I was someone else? Is that why you kissed me so naturally?”

Who was this person acting jealous? Was this really her aloof, playboy, emotionally distant contract wife?

“I didn’t! I’ve never shared a bed with anyone else!” Wen Huaxi swallowed nervously.

Yan Qinglan’s eyes seemed to trap her. Fear crawled up her back, making her limbs weak and her mind fuzzy.

“Not in any way. I swear I haven’t.”

Wen Huaxi looked like she was about to raise her hand and swear an oath.

“Please believe me, Sister Qing. I… I kissed you because I wanted to. I was happy to see you the moment I opened my eyes, so I kissed you.”

What was she saying? Did she really like Yan Qinglan?

She couldn’t even say the word “like” aloud anymore. Unlike before, when she could tease Sister Qing and say it so easily.

She bit her tongue and tried another excuse.

“It was the dream’s fault! I dreamt we were playing a kissing game. That’s why I kissed you.”

Yan Qinglan’s mouth twitched. Wen Huaxi had put so much thought into her excuses just to fool her. She really didn’t know whether to laugh or scold her.

Still, the frustration in her heart wouldn’t go away.

“Sister Qing, please don’t be mad. There really isn’t anyone else. I kissed you because I wanted to. You kissed me before too, remember? Was it because you mistook me for someone else?”

The moment she said that, Wen Huaxi turned the tables and began questioning Yan Qinglan’s past behavior instead, firmly refusing to admit her own part in this mess.

“Of course not,” Yan Qinglan exhaled slowly. No matter what, Wen Huaxi had kissed her. Only her.

“Then if you wanted to kiss me, why not do it properly?”

Yan Qinglan gently grasped Wen Huaxi’s shoulders and pulled her in closer.

She lay back on the bed, and Wen Huaxi landed right on top of her.

“Or is it that you don’t know how?” Yan Qinglan actually smiled.

Wen Huaxi grew increasingly nervous as Sister Qing leaned in.

Even though she was technically on top, she felt completely under Yan Qinglan’s control.

She shut her eyes tightly. She thought that maybe her first real kiss in this life would be with Yan Qinglan after all.

But Yan Qinglan didn’t go for her lips, sweet and tempting as they were.

Instead, like last time, she kissed other parts of her face in a slow and lingering way.

The tip of her nose, her cheeks, the corners of her eyes. Surrounded by these familiar sensations, Wen Huaxi felt her heart tremble. A soft sigh escaped her lips.

Yan Qinglan was definitely feeling something too.

Morning was a time when people were half-awake, with just a little less logic than during the day. It was also when they were most vulnerable.

But it also required more restraint than night.

Looking at Wen Huaxi’s face so close to hers, waiting expectantly, Yan Qinglan’s expression softened.

She had not made up her mind. Not yet. And before she did, they couldn’t cross that line.

So she pressed a gentle kiss to the corner of Wen Huaxi’s mouth.

It should have been the most suggestive kiss of all, but it was filled with restraint.

It was as if she were saying she wouldn’t hurt her.

Wen Huaxi bit her lip. That kiss on her mouth had been unmistakable.

She wasn’t fully satisfied. But she didn’t want to upset the balance between them either.

So she quietly held herself back. After Yan Qinglan’s round of “demonstration kisses,” she returned every single one.

She even insisted on returning them double.

If Sister Qing kissed her once, she had to kiss her back twice.

Yan Qinglan carefully shielded her stomach the entire time, allowing Wen Huaxi to act freely.

When their ridiculous “kissing game” finally ended, Wen Huaxi ran into the bathroom with her face burning and slammed the door shut.

Yan Qinglan sat on the bed for a few seconds, then stood up.

She had to wash the clothes Wen Huaxi had lent her by hand.

After they both freshened up, things gradually returned to normal.

Maybe it was because daylight had fully broken. Today didn’t feel as ambiguous as last time. They were able to adjust much more quickly.

Wen Huaxi had already calmed down, able to wrap herself around Sister Qing’s arm again and act spoiled without hesitation.

But the moment they left the bedroom, she let go of Sister Qing and ran off to find her sister, grabbing her arm and speaking to her in the exact same tone.

Even her voice sounded the same.

That solved the mystery. Yan Qinglan stood quietly nearby, feeling like an outsider.

So this whole time, Wen Huaxi had been treating her like an older sister.

The warmth between them came from that illusion.

Yan Qinglan let out a long sigh. It was better than being seen as some ex-lover or past flame.

Still, could she really accept only being Wen Huaxi’s older sister?

The answer was clear.

If she could, she wouldn’t have asked if Wen Huaxi was mistaking her for someone else. She wouldn’t have demonstrated how to kiss, and she certainly wouldn’t have allowed Wen Huaxi to kiss her so freely.

But if she really wanted to be more than that, why hadn’t she kissed her properly?

Yan Qinglan thought back. Wen Huaxi had closed her eyes.

It had been a clear invitation.

Why hadn’t she seen it in the moment? Why had she only kissed the corner of her lips?

It was a shame. But even if she could go back, she probably still wouldn’t have dared to kiss her.

Maybe Wen Huaxi felt the same. Otherwise, why hadn’t she made a move when she had the chance?

A sound from the other side of the room interrupted her thoughts.

“Enough already. Take your wife and get going,” Wen Suixue said, flicking her sister’s forehead.

“I’ll come visit the set in a few days. Xiaoxi, take care of yourself. And take care of my little niece.”

After finally coaxing her sister into a good mood, Wen Huaxi smiled and walked back over to Yan Qinglan’s side, waving to her sister.

“Bye, Jie. Don’t forget to prepare a gift for your niece.”

Wen Suixue saw right through her. That “gift for the baby” was clearly just an excuse. It was Wen Huaxi who wanted the present.

“I will. Don’t wear yourself out, and don’t film too late into the night.” Then she turned to Yan Qinglan. “You. Watch over my sister.”

“Alright.” Yan Qinglan didn’t argue.

Around Wen Huaxi and her family, Yan Qinglan was remarkably patient. She didn’t get angry at all.

Wen Suixue raised an eyebrow and closed the door behind them.

She didn’t realize that the only reason Yan Qinglan was being so agreeable was because of those two words: “your wife.”

Even after getting into the car, Yan Qinglan was still thinking about it.

So, when Wen Huaxi leaned against her, she looked over and, for some reason, softly said, “Wife.”