Jiayi had not yet spoken when Huo Zhenyang already began, "Daddy, of course, sleeps with Mommy."

She knew that Huo Zhenyang had always been hiding the matter of their divorce from Zaizai.

She was the same; several months had passed, and she still didn’t know how to bring it up.

Right now, with the words on the tip of her tongue, she still didn’t say anything.

Zaizai then felt relieved and blissfully closed his eyes.

As long as Daddy and Mommy slept together, it meant they hadn’t quarreled.

Huo Zhenyang turned off the lights for Little Baozi and walked over; in the dim light, he picked up Jiayi.

"I... I can walk by myself," she called out softly.

"You’ve already walked a lot tonight. Are you trying to let your foot injury drag on and never heal?" He headed towards the door.

Back in the master bedroom, Huo Zhenyang, as usual, filled the bathtub with water, carried Jiayi into the bathroom, left the door slightly ajar, waited for her to finish washing, put on her undergarments, and then carried her out again.

Although it was still very awkward, she didn’t know how to refuse and had to obediently wrap her arms around his neck, hunching her body up in his embrace as he carried her in and out.

After being placed on the bed, the atmosphere in the room became somewhat indescribably intimate.

She propped herself up on the bed, about to say something, but he lightly patted her head, "Sit down."

She suddenly forgot what she wanted to say, looked at him as he turned around, went to get the medical kit, took out the ointment for her foot injury, and started to apply it to her.

The redness and swelling on her ankle had obviously subsided a lot, but it would still take some time before it fully healed.

She saw that the dressing was changed and was about to draw back, but his gaze was fixed on the outer edges of the swelling on her foot, lifting her delicate foot arch gently.

"What are you doing?" Jiayi was taken aback.

"The doctor said that it’s best to massage the area after applying the medicine every day to help dissipate the bruising, which will also speed up the recovery," he said as he started gently massaging.

"Zzz..." A piercing soreness surged, Jiayi held back the tears that almost burst out, feeling a mixture of pain and itchiness.

He immediately softened his touch, "Is this pressure okay? Tell me if it hurts."

She nodded, eyes brimming with tears.

Meanwhile, in the children’s room, Zaizai hadn’t fallen asleep yet.

Perhaps because he hadn’t been back to Disheng for several months, he found his first night back a bit uncomfortable in his bed.

After Mommy and Daddy left, he played in bed for a while, but still felt no sleepiness.

He rubbed his eyes, hopped off the bed, walked out of the bedroom, and headed towards the master bedroom, wanting to sleep with Mommy and Daddy.

Just as he approached the door, he heard Mommy and Daddy’s voices inside:

"It hurts... it still hurts..."

"Good girl, bear with it a bit, it does hurt here."

"I can’t, it hurts... be gentler... ah... mmm... stop."

"Okay."

"...It still hurts. You’re lying, how is that lighter. Wuu wuu..."

Zaizai’s eyes widened in shock, his pudgy hand shot up, he forcefully pushed open the door, and shouted, "Daddy, are you spanking Mommy’s butt again!"

The two were startled apart by this sudden appearance of Little Meatball.

Huo Zhenyang’s face darkened immediately: "Why aren’t you sleeping, running over here?"

Zaizai tilted his head and saw Jiayi indeed had several teardrops on her face, huffing angrily: "If I go to sleep, you’ll beat Mommy to death!"

He just doesn’t understand why Daddy always bullies Mommy! It’s only the first day since they moved back and he’s already bullying her.

What happened to the promise of having a baby brother! How can she possibly have a good baby brother like this.

Jiayi inhaled a cold breath and wiped away the tears that had sprung up from both pain and itchiness: "Mommy wasn’t hit, you go back to sleep first, be good."

But Zaizai ran thump thump thump to the bed, wedged himself between the two, vigilantly guarding against Daddy doing anything cruel to Mommy, refusing to leave.

Huo Zhenyang was terrified that Little Baozi would roll around on the bed and bump into Jiayi’s foot, so he picked up the meaty bundle, ready to carry him straight back to his own room and tuck him into bed: "Were you spoiled by your grandparents and Mommy, huh? Alright, Daddy will let you taste some hardship."

Although Zaizai was afraid of Huo Zhenyang, when it came to protecting Mommy, he never hesitated, and quickly hugged Jiayi’s neck: "I want to sleep next to Mommy!"

This way Daddy won’t be able to bully her.

Just then, Auntie Li, hearing the commotion upstairs, had come up, and at the doorway, she saw this scene, hurried over, and picked up Zaizai: "Little master, why aren’t you sleeping well and running to Daddy and Mommy’s room?"

Zaizai, hugging Auntie Li’s neck, mercilessly exposed Huo Zhenyang’s transgression: "Daddy is bullying Mommy again, I heard it from outside, Mommy was crying so hard, she kept saying it hurts, asked Daddy to be gentler, to stop, but Daddy didn’t listen!"

Auntie Li’s face turned red, and she glanced over at the two.

Jiayi had no choice but to explain: "He was just massaging my foot..."

But Auntie Li clearly had already misunderstood, coughing twice and giving Jiayi a meaningful glance that said "I get it, no need to explain," then she put down Zaizai, bent over and coaxed: "Later I’ll talk to the young master, I’ll supervise him and make sure he won’t bully your mommy again, shall we go back to sleep?"

Zaizai liked Auntie Li very much and trusted her, knowing among all the servants in the house, Daddy listened to Auntie Li the most, and Auntie Li always protected Mommy. After thinking for a while, he finally nodded his head.

Auntie Li gave the two a look, signaling them to continue, then hurriedly led Little Baozi away.

Stepping out of the master bedroom, Auntie Li closed the door for them and let out a sigh of relief.

But Little Baozi was still somewhat worried: "Auntie Li, don’t forget to help me keep an eye on Daddy later, okay?"

Auntie Li nodded, fearing Zaizai might disturb the two again later, crouched down to admonish: "Zaizai, don’t you always want a little brother? Be good, and in the future, don’t run into Daddy and Mommy’s room in the middle of the night like this. Don’t make noise for Daddy and Mommy, and the baby brother can be born sooner." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

All of a sudden, with such commotion from the little master, she didn’t know if the young master would still be in the mood...

At times like this, men can’t stand disturbances! What if he loses the mood—what to do then.

Zaizai is at the age of being half-informed and mischievous, unable to be confined.

No, she must remind the young master to lock the door at night.

Zaizai found it difficult to accept: "Can’t I come over even when Daddy is bullying Mommy?"

Having a brother is important, but you can’t just watch Mommy get bullied.

Auntie Li smiled: "From now on, Auntie Li will keep an eye out for you, and absolutely won’t let the young master bully your mommy again, okay?"

Zaizai was temporarily reassured and returned to his room with Auntie Li.

***

Inside the room, with Zaizai gone, it was once again quiet. And a bit more awkward.

Seeing him stand up and start to unbutton his shirt, Jiayi remembered the conversation she had interrupted because of the foot massage and quickly said: "I’ll sleep in the guest room these coming days. Please have someone prepare it for me."

She and he are now just ex-husband and ex-wife.

Even if they buried the hatchet and reconciled, at the moment... they are not husband and wife after all.

Moving back to Disheng, for her, was always going to be something that could cause gossip.

How could they possibly sleep in the same bed?

It seems a bit odd.