Chapter Twenty-Two: Facing Calamity

The next morning, Qin Xuan was awakened by the alarm he had set. He reached out to touch Qin Liner, who was still sound asleep beside him, and then carefully withdrew his arm, which had gone numb from being hugged by her all night.

After getting dressed and washing up quickly, it was time to prepare porridge for the two little ones.

Just as he was stirring the porridge with a spatula, a pair of arms wrapped around him from behind.

“What the—!” The sensation was electric, especially when those hands lightly pinched his abs twice. That taut, shivering feeling afterward was something only the unattached could never understand—got it?

Qin Xuan turned to find Liu Ruoxi grinning mischievously.

“What are you doing?” Qin Xuan tried hard to suppress the tingling running through his waist and abdomen.

“How does it feel?” Liu Ruoxi asked with a giggle.

“Quit fooling around—the porridge is almost done.” Qin Xuan forcibly turned his head away, using his other hand to pry her arms from his waist.

“Hmph!” Liu Ruoxi, feeling rebuffed, let go but gave his waist a hard slap before she did, inwardly confused: why hadn’t the seductive strategies she’d learned last night worked?

Standing to the side, Liu Ruoxi sniffed the fragrant aroma wafting from the pot and glanced at the earnest Qin Xuan.

“Qin Xuan, don’t we look like a married couple right now?” she couldn’t help but ask, curiosity getting the best of her. “And there’s even a child in the next room who only knows how to sleep!”

Qin Xuan: ?

“Not at all,” he denied flatly, shooting her a look of disdain.

Liu Ruoxi was speechless—her good mood for the morning thoroughly ruined by Qin Xuan.

“Go wake Liner; breakfast’s almost ready.” Qin Xuan gestured with his lips.

“Oh,” Liu Ruoxi replied, turning and heading toward Qin Liner’s room, only to find the bed empty.

Seeing she’d gone to the wrong room, Qin Xuan was instantly alarmed: this was trouble!

Sure enough, Liu Ruoxi quickly caught on, shot Qin Xuan a glare, and rushed to his room. There, she found Qin Liner still fast asleep and, unable to contain her annoyance, flipped her over and delivered a flurry of sharp smacks to her behind.

“Ah!” Qin Liner woke with a start, feeling her beloved bottom stinging with every slap, the pain banishing any trace of sleepiness.

“Liu Ruoxi! What are you doing?” Qin Liner clutched her rear, blocking Liu Ruoxi’s hand as she tried to continue, her face full of grievance—if it were Qin Xuan, he’d never have the heart to hit her.

Unfortunately, Liu Ruoxi