"What are you thinking?" Qiu Tong looked at him with amusement. "I'm asking you to sleep on the floor, not to share the bed with me. Seriously!"

"But is that really appropriate..." Su Ming was somewhat tempted to sleep inside, given that there was air conditioning. However, the thought of being alone in a room with a woman made him uneasy. What worried him more was that his cousin-in-law seemed to have a bit of a temper.

"Look at how nervous you are! It's like I'm trying to have an affair with you. Stop overthinking it, I'm not that kind of woman." Qiu Tong rolled her eyes dramatically, half amused, half exasperated.

Su Ming blushed and remained silent, still a bit hesitant.

"Alright, come in!" Qiu Tong came up to him, gave him a gentle push, and said in a calmer tone, "Don't worry, it's fine. Jiang Jian is on a business trip and won't be back for a while."

"Okay then!"

At this point, refusing would only make him seem guilty. Su Ming carried his mat and thin blanket and followed Qiu Tong into the bedroom.

The bedroom was slightly smaller than the living room, with a double bed by the window. The air conditioning was already on, making it pleasantly cool. Qiu Tong helped him spread the mat on the floor beside the bed and tossed him a pillow. "Go to sleep!"

The lights were turned off, leaving only the faint bluish-gray glow from the streetlights outside filtering into the room. Su Ming lay flat on the mat, closed his eyes, but couldn't fall asleep.

His cousin-in-law was sleeping on the bed right next to his mat. He could hear the faint creaks of the mattress whenever she turned over and smell the light scent of her body wash, a mix of jasmine and a hint of sandalwood.

In the darkness, his vision was deprived, but his other senses were unusually sharp. He couldn't help but recall the soft touch of her skin when his fingers accidentally brushed against her earlier, the glimpse of her curves beneath the neckline of her nightgown, and the way she furrowed her brows and her skin flushed when she rubbed her chest...

Even the memory of her getting angry in the bathroom, teaching him how to use it properly, stirred a different kind of feeling in him.

Damn it, why was his mind filled with images of his cousin-in-law's seductive figure? His thoughts wandered, imagining embracing her.

A wave of heat surged from his lower abdomen, and Su Ming abruptly opened his eyes, staring intently at the indistinct shadows on the ceiling, cursing himself inwardly.

He couldn't think like that; she was his cousin-in-law. Even though she belonged to someone else now... she was still his cousin-in-law!

On the bed, Qiu Tong seemed to be having trouble sleeping as well, tossing and turning. After a while, she suddenly sat up. Slowly, she slipped off her spaghetti-strap nightgown, revealing her pale body.

"Oh my God, what is she doing?"

Su Ming was startled and quickly closed his eyes, but his curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn't help but squint to take a peek.

In the dim light, he saw Qiu Tong lowering her head, examining the red, swollen area on her chest in the faint blue glow of her phone screen.

After a while, she started to gently scratch her chest.

Su Ming felt a pang of guilt, wondering if his accidental touch earlier had caused her serious discomfort. Was she still in pain?

Driven by curiosity, he propped himself up on one arm, leaning toward the bed to get a clearer view.

Unexpectedly, Qiu Tong suddenly turned her head and caught him in the act.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Qiu Tong quickly pulled her nightgown back on and angrily switched on the bedside lamp, scolding him, "Su Ming, how dare you peek at me!"

"Cousin-in-law, I... I wasn't peeking..." Su Ming turned pale with fright and shook his head vigorously.

"If you weren't peeking, then why did you get up?" Her eyes bore into him accusingly.

"I... I accidentally saw you scratching your chest..." Su Ming nervously explained, "I really wasn't peeking..."

Qiu Tong closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again, her anger subsiding significantly.

Seeing that she didn't seem angry anymore, Su Ming asked softly, "I'm sorry, cousin-in-law. Did I hurt you earlier? Is your chest still red?"

"You think you hurt me earlier? Do you think you have iron palms or something? You just brushed against me, it wasn't enough to hurt until now." Qiu Tong relaxed her hand, replying with a mix of amusement and exasperation, "I was scratching because I got a rash from the heat a couple of days ago. I didn't turn on the air conditioning, and now it's unbearably itchy at night."

As she spoke, she scratched her chest through her nightgown.

"Cousin-in-law, I know a herb that's very effective for this." Su Ming responded excitedly, "You can find it in vegetable gardens and by ponds, it's called purslane. Just crush it and apply the juice to the rash, and it'll stop itching immediately. It should clear up in a day or two."

"Really?" Qiu Tong sat up excitedly and turned on the room's light.

Under the bright white light, through the thin red nightgown, her graceful figure was faintly visible.

"Of course it's true. My grandfather is a well-known herbalist in the area, he knows a lot about herbs and can even set bones!" Su Ming replied proudly. He was telling the truth; his grandfather not only knew about herbal medicine but also martial arts, and Su Ming had learned quite a bit from him since childhood.

Qiu Tong's eyes lit up. "Is it really that effective? Then what are we waiting for, let's go find some nearby."

"Now?" Su Ming glanced at the heavy darkness outside the window. "Cousin-in-law, it's really late, and it's pitch black outside. It might be hard to find."

"You really are an honest kid." Qiu Tong chuckled, shaking her head with a bit of urban nonchalance in her tone. "The city's nightlife is just starting, it's not even ten yet. Let's go, the sooner we find it, the sooner I can use it. This itch is unbearable."

Seeing her determination, Su Ming nodded. "Well... alright then."

"You go out first." Qiu Tong gestured for him to leave.

"Huh?" Su Ming was taken aback and said anxiously, "Cousin-in-law, I'm not familiar with this place. Going out alone might not be a good idea..."

"You fool!" Qiu Tong was amused by his naivety, giving him a teasing glance. "I meant leave the room so I can change into some proper clothes. I can't just run outside in a nightgown, can I?"

Only then did Su Ming realize, his ears turning red instantly. He muttered an "Oh" and hurriedly turned to leave.

"Wait!" Qiu Tong called out to him again, reconsidering. "Never mind, just turn around, you don't have to leave."

Su Ming obediently turned his back, facing the wall. The room fell silent, with only the low hum of the air conditioner and his slightly quickened heartbeat audible.

However, directly in front of him was the large wardrobe mirror in the bedroom. The mirror reflected the scene behind him in the dim light.

Instinctively, Su Ming glanced up and saw Qiu Tong reaching behind her to undo the straps of her nightgown. The deep red silk gown slipped off her smooth shoulders, pooling at her feet. The dim light outlined her graceful silhouette—her skin was fair, her waist slender, and the curves of her full hips rose and fell in the shadows.

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Damn it, her pale body was right there for Su Ming to see. His heart was in his throat.