I raised my nemesis into my husband

Chapter 45.1

Editor: Jodi

As a thank-you gift for helping with today’s pig delivery, Lu Peng’s dad gave each of them a pig’s tail.

“I want to trade mine for an ear.” Ning Sheng said.

“Ear, huh…” Lu Peng’s dad rummaged through the freezer. “I only have cooked ones, should I give you a bowl?”

Ning Sheng: “Okay.”

“You’re eating it now?” Xu Ling asked.

Ning Sheng: “You hold it. This young master doesn’t eat this kind of stuff on the road.”

“Then where are you going to eat it? In front of Pei Qi?” Xu Ling asked.

“Don’t scare Pei Qi!” Ning Sheng told him.

“Pei Qi’s got the healthiest mental state of all the pigs in town.” Xu Ling said in reply.

Ning Sheng liked little pigs, not big ones, but that didn’t mean he’d just ignore Pei Qi.

He’d buy Pei Qi expensive salmon, fancy chocolates with nice packaging, and one time, he even thought about feeding it ginseng.

Xu Ling would honestly rather he ignored Pei Qi. Otherwise, one day, it’d probably end up in a pet hospital, and even then, the hospital might not accept it.

“Let’s go home.” Xu Ling found a takeout bag and rode his motorbike back at full speed.

Ning Sheng hugged his waist tightly, the warmth of his fingers seeping through the thin fabric of Xu Ling’s shirt.

“Did Lu Peng’s dad get hurt?” Ning Sheng asked. “How come I didn’t see it?”

“His elbow got scraped.” Xu Ling said. “He covered it up with his sleeve.”

Ning Sheng really hadn’t noticed.

Ning Sheng: “You’re actually pretty observant.”

Xu Ling: “…”

Xu Ling: “You really don’t know how to talk like a decent person, huh?”

**

At the car wash, Xu Ling’s mom was asking Xu Ling’s stepdad what he wanted to eat for the Mid-Autumn Festival tomorrow.

Xu Ling’s stepdad: “I feel like having some pig ears.”

Xu Ling’s mom: “Alright, we’ll have that tomorrow.”

“Don’t you still have a car that needs washing?” Xu Ling’s mom said. “I’ll help you out.”

Xu Ling parked his motorbike at the entrance of the car wash and placed the pig ears on the small dining table by the courtyard gate.

“I’m taking a shower first.” Ning Sheng told him.

Xu Ling: “Then I’ll go too.”

The wooden stairs let out a crisp rhythm as the two teenagers ran up quickly.

Meanwhile, Xu Ling’s stepdad, having just finished washing a car, sat down at the small table, poured himself a glass of beer, and fixed his eyes on the plate of braised pig ears.

Xu Ling’s stepdad: “?”

Tomorrow got here that fast?

*
“Mmm, finally sleeping on a real bed.” When Xu Ling walked into the room, Ning Sheng was sprawled out on his bed.

The teenager, dressed in fresh white pajamas, had his head buried in Xu Ling’s pillow. “So comfortable.”

As Xu Ling approached the bed, he was caught off guard when a restless foot kicked his leg. However the culprit showed no remorse, instead turning his head slightly to gauge Xu Ling’s reaction, the corners of his mouth curling into a teasing smile. Then, another kick. And another.

“Why don’t schools give students better beds?” Ning Sheng asked. “Studying is already tough enough, do they have to make sleeping hard too?”

“Good point. You should work hard, become the headmaster, and open a school with minimal homework, massive dorms, and nightly dance parties.” Xu Ling said.

Ning Sheng: “Someone already did that. It’s called a nightclub.”

Xu Ling: “…”

He went downstairs to dry his hair. When he came back, Ning Sheng had already fallen asleep in the same sprawled-out position.

Lying on his side, his head rested on the pink bedsheet Xu Ling’s mom had bought. His long eyelashes cast soft shadows, and only half of his face was visible, calm and peaceful. He must have put up a small fight against sleep before giving in, because his right hand was still loosely clutching a corner of the blanket.

The blanket, however, was only draped casually over his lower back, one side slipping just enough to highlight the clean lines of his waist and the gentle curve of his lower back.

“Ning Ning.” Xu Ling pinched his face. “You’re going to get a stiff neck sleeping like this.”

Ning Sheng opened his eyes groggily, glanced at him lazily before tossing the pillow aside sleepily.

Xu Ling: “…”

Great.

There was a risk of a stiff neck, so he just got rid of the pillow altogether. Now there was nothing for his neck to stiffen on.

Xu Ling didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“Ning Ning.” He turned him over and pushed him a little further to the inner side of the bed. “Princess?”

The princess woke up just long enough to give him a kick, throw him a half-asleep glare, mutter something indistinct, then promptly fall back asleep.

Satisfied, Xu Ling turned off the light and lay down.

---

Xu Ling suddenly shot up in bed in the middle of the night.

Xu Ling: “…”

He turned his head and, in the moonlight filtering through the window, looked at the peaceful silhouette beside him.

Right there on the pillow. So why the hell was he dreaming about him?

And not even in a normal way.

Ning Sheng wouldn’t wear something like that. And he definitely wouldn’t smile like that.

There was always a chill about Ning Sheng. Strangers thought he was arrogant and rude., while people who knew him a little better found him contradictory. But one thing was certain—his “princess” vibe was as genuine as it got.

Xu Ling rubbed his temples, however the more he rubbed, the worse his head hurt.

It was said that one dreamt about what was on one’s mind.

So what was I thinking about?

That princess might finally fix his attitude?

That shouldn’t be?