“In today's society, the pressure is immense and competition is fierce. The awakening of self-awareness is unprecedented. Coupled with the rapid development of cognition and science, psychological issues have truly entered the public eye. At the same time, discussions regarding the family of origin have become quite intense...”
On the podium, the professor stood beside the PowerPoint presentation, slowly introducing the theme of the lecture.
Li Zi sat in a corner of the back row, pen in hand, diligently taking notes.
The professor was an excellent lecturer, but Li Zhenting had never been the type of student who could focus in class. Returning to a classroom after so many years, with Li Zi sitting right beside him, the sleepiness he thought had vanished suddenly surged back with a vengeance. Within ten minutes, he could no longer keep his eyes open.
*Thud.*
With a soft sound, his head came to rest on Li Zi’s shoulder.
Li Zi was somewhat surprised by how quickly he had fallen asleep. She tilted her head to look at him; her lover’s relaxed expression was hidden beneath the hood of his sweatshirt, revealing only the slight upward curve of his lips.
She didn't want to disturb him, but sleeping so openly was somewhat disrespectful to the professor. Thus, taking advantage of a moment when the teacher’s back was turned, she supported Li Zhenting’s head and shifted him onto her lap.
Li Zhenting shifted uncomfortably for a moment, adjusted his position, and fell into an even deeper sleep.
His breathing was slow and rhythmic, his head rising and falling slightly with each breath. Li Zi felt that this quiet, relaxed state was exceptionally rare for him lately. Her chest felt warm with affection, and she reached her hand beneath the desk to gently stroke his hair.
A classmate in the same row shot them a look of protest at being forced to witness such a public display of affection. Li Zi could only mouth a silent, apologetic "Sorry."
Li Zhenting slept through the entire lecture. It wasn't until Li Zi had to change classrooms that she finally woke him.
He sat up from Li Zi’s lap with a dazed expression, scratching his hair and asking sleepily, “Is class over?”
“Yes, we have to go somewhere else now.”
Amused, Li Zi helped smooth down his hair and pulled his hood back on. “You want to sleep the moment class starts, don't you? And you claim you're not a piglet. Did your teachers use to throw chalk at you all the time?”
“...You’re the one who got chalk thrown at them.”
Li Zhenting felt a bit embarrassed and annoyed at having his history as a poor student exposed. He turned his head away, unwilling to look at Li Zi’s teasing face.
Li Zi chuckled softly, knowing when to stop. She didn't tease him further and began packing her things.
“If you haven't slept enough, do you want to go back and sleep? It’s more comfortable in bed.”
Seeing the man immediately turn back with a flicker of panic in his eyes, she added, “Of course, I don't mind continuing to serve as a pillow for my little piglet.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, the face hidden under the hood lunged forward and bit her lip, leaving a faint tooth mark. The culprit spoke with righteous indignation: “You’re being really annoying today.”
“Fine, fine, I’m annoying.”
Without pointing out the flush creeping across his cheeks, Li Zi generously admitted her fault.
“So, do you want to follow this annoying person now? I’m going to be late.”
She extended her free hand and took Li Zhenting’s right hand. Her words were a question, but her actions had already decided the answer for him.
Li Zhenting’s hand gave a slight tremor before he opened his fingers and locked them tightly with hers.
“Let’s go.”
During the second class of the afternoon, Li Zhenting managed to hold out for an extra ten minutes before finally succumbing to the hypnotic lecture and collapsing onto Li Zi’s lap again.
His vow of “I rarely fall asleep in class, just watch me stay awake through this one” had been made with such conviction, only to be ruthlessly overturned by reality shortly after.
In the gaps between taking notes, Li Zi occasionally checked on him. Seeing that he was still sleeping soundly, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Li Zhenting’s behavior clearly reflected how terrible his sleep had been previously. Being able to catch up on his rest while leaning on her was far better than letting him lie awake in bed alone.
She just didn't know if he would be able to sleep this well at night.
Sure enough, after sleeping through half the day in the sacred halls of academia, Li Zhenting was wide awake that night.
Li Zi couldn't help but tease him. “See? Didn't I tell you to hold on during the evening self-study session and not sleep? Now you can't fall asleep, can you?”
Li Zhenting felt a bit aggrieved. “But I was just so sleepy then.”
“So what now? Are you going to stay up all night and turn back into a pig during the day?”
When it came to Li Zhenting’s health, Li Zi was quite serious.
“It’s okay for a day or two, but we have to fix this as soon as possible.”
“I want to fix it too, but I’m just so energetic right now.”
Frustrated, he pulled the quilt over his face and mumbled, “Just ignore me and go to sleep. Let me try to find the mood for sleep on my own.”
Seeing him like this, Li Zi had no choice but to bring out her backup plan.
“If I make you a bit more tired at night, you won't have the energy to be so awake, right?”
“Huh? What?”
The man peeked out from under the quilt, looking at her suspiciously. “What do you mean by 'tired'?”
“The kind of exercise exclusive to the nighttime, of course. For two people.”
Li Zi curled her lips into a smile and pulled a long-unseen personal item from her travel bag, waving it over his head.
Li Zhenting recalled how he had lost all dignity in the bathtub in the early hours of the previous day. He used to fall apart under her touch even when he was at his physical peak; with his current condition, it would likely be even more terrifying.
He instinctively moved a bit further away from her and said, “Let’s not. I can't handle your intensity right now.”
But he was pulled back by a firm hand. “It’s okay. I’ll be gentle.”
Li Zi never lied. She was indeed very gentle—so gentle that, in the end, the man bit her shoulder and urged her to hurry up.
So gentle that he was tormented until he was on the verge of tears.
After nearly a week of this continuous "adjustment," Li Zhenting’s biological clock was finally forcibly reset.
Having lost all face at night, Li Zhenting finally didn't want to stay by this increasingly "wicked" woman's side during the mornings, lest she try something in public. He accepted Li Zi’s suggestion and chose to go chat with Li Qingliu to pass the time.
At the same time, Li Zi decided to move forward with one of her plans.
After class that day, she didn't go directly to "Delicious" to pick him up. Instead, she went back to the hotel, packed her luggage, and checked out.
Then, she sent Li Zhenting an address: “Come here.”
Li Zhenting was confused: “Where is this?”
“You’ll know when you get here.”
She was playing mysterious.
Li Zhenting tapped the screen dissatisfiedly, as if poking the person herself. “What are you up to now?”
He bid farewell to the increasingly busy Li Qingliu and took a taxi to the Jiayuan Apartments. Following the address Li Zi had sent, he found the corresponding building and room number and knocked.
“Coming!”
A familiar female voice came from inside. At that moment, Li Zhenting’s heart suddenly raced, and he had a strange premonition.
“You’re here.”
The door opened, and Li Zi stood there in loungewear, smiling at him.
“Welcome home. Let me introduce you—this is our home.”
“I bought it a while ago, but I didn't think I’d need it yet, so it was left vacant.”
“A while back, I had someone come in to renovate it. Now, we can move in.”
“Are you satisfied, fellow master of this humble abode?”
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
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佳苑小区 | Jiayuan Apartments | The name of the residential complex where Li Zi bought an apartment.
寒舍 | Humble abode | A self-deprecating term for one's own home; Li Zi uses it playfully.
双人运动 | Couples' exercise | A common Chinese internet euphemism for sexual intimacy.
学渣 | Poor student / Academic slacker | Slang for a student who performs poorly or doesn't study.
猪崽 | Piglet | Li Zi's affectionate/teasing nickname for Li Zhenting.
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My Fierce Beta Husband is Surprisingly Sweet | Chapter 54 | A Place to Call Home | Novela.app | Novela.app
