Chapter 23.1 - Sincerity (1/3)

Translator: Superbulat

In the darkness, the man’s heavy breathing gradually calmed down.

After his fire of desire receded, Song Mo numbly tied his belt, but he didn’t want to return to his room right away. He moved to a corner, absent-mindedly leaned against the wall, and gazed up at the moon in the sky.

In early May, the moon was thin and curved like a hook.

Song Mo painfully closed his eyes.

How could he have desires for his niece? His niece massaged his shoulders because she wanted to be filial to him. How could he!

No, from now on, he must not allow her to touch him anymore. Even if it would make her sad, it was still better than having thoughts that he shouldn’t have and sinking deeper and deeper.

After washing his hands quietly, Song Mo returned to the room.

Song Mo breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that she was already lying down. He took off his shoes, lay on the bed stove, and covered himself with a blanket. After a tiring day and even released it once with his own hands, he was beyond exhausted. He dozed off as soon as his head hit the pillow.

The man’s breathing soon became even, and after a while, he even made light snoring sounds. She hadn’t heard him snore last night, which showed how tired he was today.

Tang Huan opened her eyes and pressed on the man’s shoulder, making him lie flat on his back.

Song Mo was completely unaware. After a slight pause, his snoring sounded again.

Tang Huan reached into his blanket with her small hand and grabbed his hand. Seeing that Song Mo didn’t respond, she crept into his blanket. Song Mo slowly opened his eyes in a daze. When Tang Huan noticed that he was about to wake up, she rubbed her face against his shoulder and whispered softly, “Uncle, Jinzhi is afraid of sleeping alone. My good Uncle, hug me please…”

Song Mo was still feeling groggy. When he heard his niece being coquettish, in a half-conscious state, he thought that he went back to ten years ago. He instinctively turned around, took Tang Huan into his arms, and patted her gently while coaxing her in a muffled voice, “Good girl Jinzhi, Uncle will hug you to sleep. Be a good girl…” His hand movements gradually stopped as he fell back into a deep sleep.

This was the first time this man had hugged her on his own accord.

Tang Huan lay quietly in the man’s sturdy arms for a while. After he was sound asleep, she moved her left hand below his waist and held that thing, feeling a little tempted. It was such a torturous feeling to see a beauty in front of her but not being able to lay her hands on him yet. He had been outside for a full hour just now. He had lasted so long by himself; surely if he did it with her, he would last even longer, right? Sigh, such a squandered opportunity. With such a beautiful lady lying next to him, this man still… He deserved to be ‘picked’ nine times by her!

They both had a good night’s sleep.

After yesterday morning’s experience, when he woke up in the morning and found himself sleeping together with his niece again, Song Mo quickly calmed down, especially since his niece was still properly dressed, he didn’t have to worry about her waking up to another embarrassing situation.

Tang Huan cooperatively woke up the moment he retracted his arm. “Uncle…”

Her face was still buried in his shoulder, with her left hand hugging his waist inside his zhongyi .

After being stunned for a moment by the position they were in, she asked with a little innocent and shy tone, “Uncle, w-why did I roll into your blanket again?”

Song Mo couldn’t remember either. But what he was more concerned about was, why hadn’t his niece moved her hand away yet?

Tang Huan sullenly asked without lifting her head, “Uncle, are you angry that I’m hugging you like this?” She withdrew her hand from inside of his zhongyi , but instead of completely retracting her hand, she placed it on him, this time over his clothes.

Song Mo didn’t know whether he should move or stay still. He felt as if his brain had been glued together. He awkwardly explained on behalf of both of them, “No, I’m not angry. Jin-jinzhi hugged Uncle because you had a nightmare. As long as Jinzhi can sleep well, as long as you do-don’t mind how hot it is to squeeze under the same blanket with me, why would Uncle be angry…”

What an excuse!

However, Tang Huan was very satisfied with his answer. She played along with him, “Then Jinzhi will sleep with Uncle for the next few days, so I don’t have to be afraid at night. Uncle, is that all right?”

Song Mo wanted to say no, but how should he refuse? Tell her that she had grown up so she shouldn’t hug an adult man to sleep? So what were the two of them doing now? For something like this, unless she realized by herself that it was inappropriate and took the initiative to keep a distance from him, otherwise, as her uncle, he absolutely shouldn’t be the first to speak, in order not to hurt her pride. As for why his niece suddenly became so bold and so dependent on him, it had to be because his brother’s sudden death had dealt her too harsh a blow!

“Jinzhi, y-you can keep lying down. Uncle will be getting up now.”

After barely resolving the difficult situation at hand, Song Mo sat up stiffly, put on a robe, and got off the bed stove.

Tang Huan looked up at him and asked, “Uncle, are your shoulders sore?”

“They’re not sore, thanks to your massage last night.” Song Mo casually lied while putting on his shoes.

“Then I’ll massage you again tonight!” Tang Huan smiled.

“No need, one time is enough. Un-Uncle is going to make breakfast!” Song Mo bolted in haste.

Tang Huan stretched her body comfortably and listened to Song Mo scooping water and lighting a fire outside.

Tang Huan didn’t follow him to the fields after breakfast. She departed at noon from their house with a small basket to bring him lunch.