CHAPTER 826: CHAPTER 826: GETTING ALONG

"Where could I have gone? You haven’t come back to see me for so long. Being alone in Shangjing is so boring, so I went out to have some fun. Besides, how was I supposed to know you’d come back for me? I thought you’d forgotten about me." Ariel reached out with her fist, lightly pounding Xu Ke’s chest as she complained.

"It’s my fault. I neglected you," Xu Ke promptly apologized.

Xu Ke’s straightforward admission of fault made Ariel swallow the words she was about to say, and her eyes sparkled as she changed the topic.

"You’ve been away for so long, and now you’re finally here. Is it just to say these things to me?" Ariel’s eyes suggestively lingered on Xu Ke’s Adam’s apple, her gaze both enchanting and sharp, like a satin ribbon with a hook, wrapping tightly around him.

While Xu Ke was away, he didn’t see other women. Upon returning, he was busy with Yu Xia and company matters. Ariel’s gaze made him feel as if he were being roasted by fire, his breaths searing hot, ready to ignite sparks at any moment.

With just one look, both understood what the other was thinking.

It was like dry wood meeting a raging fire, their body heat rising together, heating up the air around them, leaving a trace of warmth and sweetness in the atmosphere.

Xu Ke, eyes burning with passion, picked up Ariel. She felt everything around her spinning wildly, as if Xu Ke possessed instant teleportation magic. The next moment, they were in the bedroom, "You little heartless one, let me show you how much I’ve missed you."

"Close your eyes," Xu Ke said in a husky voice.

"No way, I haven’t seen you in so long. I really miss you. I just want to look at you. It’s not like I’ll lose a piece of flesh," Ariel pouted, her eyes filled with stubbornness.

Xu Ke looked into her eyes, a doting yet helpless smile appearing on his face, "My fault, I’ll make up for it later." As he spoke, he covered Ariel’s eyes with his large hand, leaving only her delicate chin and nose exposed.

Unsatisfied with Xu Ke covering her eyes, Ariel kicked and reached out to pry his hand away, like a playful little kitten. But all her struggles were easily subdued by Xu Ke.

By the time the moon hung high in the sky, Ariel could barely open her eyes, even speaking was a raspy struggle, and even moving a finger felt exhausting.

As she slept, she even started to snore softly. Xu Ke watched her sleep with a silly expression and couldn’t help but chuckle. He secretly picked up Ariel’s phone and recorded her sleeping, planning to show her the next day.

"You said you missed me and wanted a good look at me, but here you are, sleeping like a little pig, completely unaware," Xu Ke said, pinching Ariel’s nose, prompting her to scrunch her brows in displeasure, swatting away his mischievous hand and falling back into a deep sleep.

Ariel mumbled in her sleep, her words unclear, her pursed lips making her look adorable, causing Xu Ke to laugh. He gently bit her shoulder, murmuring, "You little heartless one."

Seeing that she didn’t wake, Xu Ke carefully saved the recording, placed the phone aside, and settled into the dreamland with Ariel in his arms.

The next day, Xu Ke woke up earlier than Ariel. Ariel was awakened by the aroma of food lingering in the air. She groggily opened her eyes and tried to follow the scent. But the moment her feet touched the ground, she fell to her knees.

Her knees hit the floor hard, snapping Ariel out of her groggy state.

Xu Ke, carrying food towards the bedroom, quickened his pace upon hearing the noise. There he found Ariel kneeling beside the bed, looking pitifully at him.

Xu Ke quickly set the tray down and walked over to Ariel, picking her up as if she were a child.

"Why are you kneeling on the floor?" Xu Ke asked with a trace of concern, placing her on the bed. He saw the red marks on her pale knees, the color deepening, clearly indicating that Ariel had taken quite a fall.

"Does it hurt? Let me get some medicinal wine to rub on it." Xu Ke said, attempting to leave, but Ariel caught him by the ear, pulling him back.

"Why am I kneeling on the floor? You’re the culprit and you dare to ask me why. If it weren’t for you, my legs wouldn’t be weak. If they weren’t weak, I wouldn’t have fallen. Look at my knees, they hurt so much," Ariel pouted and said in a cutesy tone.

"Then don’t stop me, let me get the medicinal wine. Rubbing it in will make it feel much better," Xu Ke said, trying to stand, but Ariel hooked his neck and pulled him back.

"I don’t want any medicinal wine; it smells awful. I don’t like it. Besides, this is your fault. Why should I bear the consequences? It’s not fair." Ariel said, swinging her slender legs.

Seeing Ariel’s demeanor, Xu Ke realized she was just being playful. Such injuries were of little consequence to her. Understanding this, Xu Ke relaxed.

"It’s my fault, but let’s not pretend you weren’t the one provoking me yesterday. Without some discipline, you’d be out of control," Xu Ke said, pulling her into his arms with a teasing look.

"When have I ever been out of control? You’re just slandering me. You keep bullying me; how could you be like this?" Ariel pouted, her eyes even welling up with tears, looking so pitiable, like a kitten about to be abandoned. Even knowing Ariel was faking it, Xu Ke’s heart still ached for a moment.

"Alright, alright, it’s my fault, I was wrong. Are you hungry? Come and eat first," Xu Ke said, smiling at Ariel’s adorable frown.

"You’re just trying to shut me up with food, aren’t you?" Ariel pouted, her eyes filled with naive curiosity.

"What’s going on in that little head of yours? I’m worried you’ll be hungry. If I wanted to shut you up, I wouldn’t need food," Xu Ke said with a mischievous grin, looking at Ariel.