Miss Baby

Even if Caleb still disdained controlling Xiao Yan at this very moment.

With the whole family gathered like this, Caleb must have long since tired of being pushed along, too.

It was better not to provoke him.

Xiao Yan stood up, bringing Rafayel, who had been holding on to her, to his feet along with her. "Then Little Fish will come back to my room with me first."

Rafayel looked worried, as though he genuinely feared that once they were alone, Xiao Yan would grill him and blame him.

But knowing he could not escape, he could only say, "Okay."

Sylus had been waiting for Xiao Yan's decision in the first place.

Seeing her tacitly accept Caleb's arrangements, he understood that the "principal husband rotation system" they had discussed now had their wife's approval.

He tipped his chin at Xavier on the sofa. "A couple of games of pool?"

Xavier rose and readily accepted the challenge.

They each went off to do their own thing.

Xiao Yan led Rafayel out of the recreation room, all the way to the stairs, then up the steps.

Rafayel trudged along behind her, asking quietly, "You don't have whips or other tools for corporal punishment in your room, do you? We still have a banquet tonight. You won't hit my face, will you?"

What was going through this guy's head?

Xiao Yan said nothing.

Rafayel quickened his pace and pressed close beside Xiao Yan. "If you had so many unhappy thoughts, you should've told me sooner. I didn't know anything, so of course I thought everything was fine at home and there wasn't anything you needed me for."

"So it's my fault?" Xiao Yan glanced at him.

Rafayel clicked his tongue. "That's not what I meant. I'm just saying I didn't have any despicable plan to deliberately ignore you and put you in your place right after we got married."

Xavier must have put it that way when he spoke to them earlier.

Condemn them first, then discuss how to make amends together-twice the results for half the effort, right?

Just what one would expect from a police officer, treating the men at home like suspects.

"Look, when you asked me to go to Eldest Miss Jiang's husband-selection banquet with you, I agreed without any hesitation, didn't I?" Rafayel pouted. "While I still don't know you well, I can only wait for you to tell me what to do. That's the only way I can make sure I do what you want, don't make mistakes, and don't get beaten."

They reached her door, and Xiao Yan released Rafayel's hand. "So whatever I say goes?"

Rafayel stepped forward of his own accord, opened the door, and gestured for her to enter. "Well, that depends on whether your requests are reasonable."

They went in and closed the door.

Xiao Yan walked over to the sofa by the window and sat down.

Rafayel followed, lifted the teapot from its warming pad, and poured Xiao Yan a cup of tea.

Picking up the cup, he sat beside her, his deep, beautiful eyes gazing at Xiao Yan imploringly. "The weather's turned cold, and the heating's on at home. Even the air's gotten dry. Have some tea to moisten your throat."

Xiao Yan took the cup without betraying anything, had a small sip, and stared expressionlessly at Rafayel.

Rafayel had already been a little nervous, and now it grew worse. "Why are you looking at me like that? I really haven't done anything to upset you, have I?"

"You haven't done anything to make me happy, either," Xiao Yan said.

"Oh, come on." Rafayel was torn. "I don't know how to make you... okay, okay, Xavier had a bit of a point. Doing nothing was already pretty awful of me in itself. Then can't I just apologize?"

Xiao Yan nodded. "Go on, then."

Rafayel sighed helplessly. "I'm sorry."

"Who taught you to apologize like that?" After waiting so long, Xiao Yan had finally gotten Rafayel back.

Now Rafayel looked as though he had done something wrong, making him so easy to bully.

How could she not tease him a little?

"Then how should I apologize?" Rafayel grew a little anxious. "You have to give me some hints about what kind of apology you like, right? I have so little experience to draw on right now. The two closest to you are Zayne and Xavier. Do you like Zayne's stiff, by-the-book style? Or Xavier's scheming green tea style?"

Oh, he was even letting Xiao Yan order from a menu now.

Things really were looking up.

Xiao Yan took another small sip of tea and set the cup on the coffee table.

Rafayel watched her every little movement closely.

When Xiao Yan turned toward him and made to raise her hand.

He leaned his upper body back and held his right hand in front of his face. "Don't hit me! My face is so good-looking, I can't let it get marked up!"

Xiao Yan pulled Rafayel's hand down and gripped it tightly.

Amused and a little curious, she held back her laughter and asked, "Why do you think I'd hit you?"

"That Xavier." Rafayel still looked frightened. "He said he threw a little tantrum with you once, and you made him kneel for an entire afternoon and gave him a few lashes on the back. The wounds still haven't scabbed over, and they bleed whenever he moves even a little."

Xiao Yan: "..." Xavier must really have gotten his fill of acting today.

She cleared her throat. "Ahem. Then did you see me make him kneel with your own eyes? Did you see the wounds on his back yourself?"

"No, I didn't." Rafayel paused, realizing something, and sat a little straighter.

He tilted his head and blinked at Xiao Yan. "You never punished him, right? He was scaring us, right?"

"Can't you look and think for yourself?" Xiao Yan glared at him.

With his wife glaring at him in such reproachful displeasure, Rafayel thought that no matter how he looked at her, she did not seem like a girl who enjoyed corporal punishment.

Not only that, she seemed rather wronged.

And taking what Xavier had said today into account.

She seemed to be the sort who bottled everything up and shouldered all the pressure alone.

Then... then she was actually really nice.

A great deal of remorse quietly rose in his heart.

He really had neglected his wife for too long. That was not how a husband should behave.

And he kept thinking about avoiding responsibility and shifting the blame.

There was nothing honorable about that.

"Then, can I properly apologize to you again, in my own way?" Rafayel finally let a smile tug at his lips.

That face was lovely to look at even when it was all scrunched up.

With that smile, his whole being brightened, making him even cuter, far too lovable~

Xiao Yan let Rafayel shift his hands, warmly enclosing hers between both of his.

Rafayel leaned his head closer, his already sweet, mellow voice taking on more breathiness and the fond indulgence of someone intent on coaxing her.

"I apologize." His smile widened ingratiatingly. "I was wrong. I was wrong about everything. I'll definitely do better next time~"

Those were... lines he had said in the game!

Xiao Yan's heart trembled, and she could no longer disguise the faint tremor in her gaze as she looked at him!

Noticing the slight trembling of Xiao Yan's fingers, Rafayel thought she might truly have been terribly hurt.

And why was she so easy to coax?

Just a meek apology from him had moved her this much?

She really was still an eighteen-year-old girl.

"All right, I really do know I was wrong. I shouldn't have kept you waiting so long." Rafayel kept up his efforts and leaned a little closer.

He gently closed his eyes and rested his chin on Xiao Yan's shoulder. "Forgive me, hmm?"

Unable to keep herself in check, Xiao Yan answered in a trembling voice beside Rafayel's ear, "Little Fish..."

"Mm." Rafayel chuckled, his voice growing softer and sweeter. "My wife is still a little one. How could I be so cold and keep her waiting in misery? It'll never happen again. Her Baby Little Fish will behave himself. She'll give Little Fish a chance, won't she?"

Xiao Yan let out a long sigh, finally releasing so very much of the frustration that had built up in her heart.

She could not help raising both arms and wrapping them around Rafayel's neck.

Rafayel froze, his body stiffening for a few seconds, but he soon relaxed again.

He nuzzled his head against Xiao Yan's. "Then, what should Little Fish call you in private? Always calling you 'wife' feels so stiff, doesn't it?"

Xiao Yan stroked the soft curls at the back of Rafayel's head.

They felt fluffy and wonderfully pleasant beneath her hand, putting her utterly at ease.

"Miss Little One?" Rafayel began coming up with names. "Hmm... not quite right. A little one is a baby, so I'll call you-"

Xiao Yan was full of anticipation.

"Miss Baby." Rafayel laughed happily. "Hehe, that's a good one. You're my Miss Baby, and I'm your Baby Little Fish~"