After I awakened my inner voice, I became the treasure of my family.

Chapter 18 Liu Jiaying brings soup to Shen Xiuyan

At night, the moonlight, like water, shines through the thin clouds, casting a hazy silver veil outside the study, making it appear exceptionally tranquil.

The candlelight on the desk flickered slightly. Shen Xiuyan, dressed in a plain blue robe, sat upright at the desk, intently writing something.

Just then, a crisp knock broke the silence. The sound was neither loud nor soft, but it was remarkably clear outside the quiet study.

Without even guessing, Shen Xiuyan knew that the person standing outside the door was none other than his wife's cousin, Liu Jiaying.

It was because, ever since she had been living in the Marquis's mansion, she had come to knock on his study door at this time every year. And Liu Jiaying's behavior was exactly as her mother had described.

These days, she keeps "bumping into" me unintentionally, and after each "bump," she always says things that are ambiguous and misleading.

Sometimes, Liu Jiaying would reveal her admiration for him in her words, but she would also maintain a distant attitude, perfectly portraying her secret love.

His affected mannerisms disgusted him, and he always managed to resist the urge to throw Liu Jiaying out of the Marquis's mansion.

What bothered him most was that his mother would get all excited and animated every time she watched him make a scene.

What do we even call them again? Oh right, a "scheming green tea bitch" paired with a "scumbag" is a perfect match. Faced with his mother's teasing, he had no choice but to let her rant.

Liu Jiaying says she works tirelessly every day, preparing various nourishing soups for her cousin, including ginseng soup, sweet soup, and tonic soup...

Lost in thought, Shen Xiuyan didn't even raise his head, but simply said softly, "Come in!"

At that moment, Liu Jiaying, who was outside the door, heard Shen Xiuyan's gentle and magnetic words and felt an overwhelming joy welling up in her heart.

She subconsciously raised her hand to gently touch her head, where the exquisite pink magnolia hairpin with gold and jade inlay and the phoenix and peony earrings adorned her ears.

Touching these pieces of jewelry, all gifts from her somewhat silly cousin, Liu Jiaying couldn't help but smile with a smug grin.

Although she received such a valuable gift, she didn't accept it for nothing. She even took good care of her husband for a few days. In this way, her cousin can raise her child with more peace of mind in the future.

Liu Jiaying gently pulled her crescent-shaped pleated plum blossom skirt to the sides, revealing even more of her already beautiful and charming snow-white neck.

Her actions further showcased her charm and allure to the fullest.

Just thinking about what will happen later...

Liu Jiaying could no longer contain her excitement, and a smile of determination appeared on her face as she involuntarily curled her lips into a smile.

However, Liu Jiaying quickly realized that there were still people there, and she couldn't appear too eager, so she quickly composed herself.

She reached out and gently pushed open the study door, her graceful steps leading into the room.

Little did Liu Jiaying know that the moment she stepped into the study, Shen Feng, who had been waiting at the door, heard the rhythmic tapping of fingers on the table coming from inside.

Shen Feng suddenly raised his head, glanced at the figure in the study, then chuckled, turned around, and strode out of the front yard.

Liu Jiaying gracefully entered the study, carrying an exquisite food box in her hand. A bright smile graced her lips as she spoke in a sweet voice:

"Brother-in-law, I just overheard Xiao Zhuozi next to you and learned that you still haven't rested yet. You must be busy with official business again."

So, Jiaying specially instructed the kitchen to carefully prepare a nourishing soup for you. Please try it!

Upon hearing that she had brought soup, Shen Xiuyan's previously calm expression instantly cracked, and he froze on his face.

He cursed inwardly: Damn it, is Liu Jiaying poisonous or has she lost her mind? She's been using the excuse of bringing soup to bother me every day!

Couldn't you have come up with a different reason for bringing him food? It's this awful soup every day; he's getting sick of it!

If it weren't to expose her true colors, who would want to play along with you here? Just seeing you is incredibly annoying.

Even I, who prides myself on being a gentleman and never hitting women, feel like giving you two big taunts right now.

Despite his simmering rage and constant rant, Shen Xiuyan suppressed his anger for the sake of future peace and quiet, and responded indifferently:

"Yes, thank you for your trouble, cousin. However, I still have some urgent matters to attend to. Let's set this bowl of soup aside for now and drink it later?"

Liu Jiaying gently placed the soup on the table, feeling somewhat disappointed that he really didn't intend to drink it.

But she quickly cheered up, then gently pushed the soup forward again, and said in a melodious voice:

"Brother-in-law, you should drink some while it's hot! These past few days, I've been watching you stay up late every night to handle things, and it really breaks my heart... Brother-in-law."

Shen Xiuyan narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at her with a half-smile: "Oh! I didn't know that Cousin Liu would care about me so much?"

Seeing Shen Xiuyan like this, Liu Jiaying felt a surge of joy. Her mother was right; no man is immune to temptation, and she always managed to seduce him.

She smoothed the stray hairs from her forehead, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin and a swan-like neck, and looked at Shen Xiuyan in what she thought was her most beautiful pose.

"Brother-in-law, of course I feel sorry for you! Sigh! Ever since my cousin gave birth, she's been busy with the baby all day long and doesn't seem to care about her husband at all."

But every time I see you staying in the study until late at night, I... I really want to "care" for my brother-in-law.

Liu Jiaying emphasized the word "concern" very much, and it even carried an ambiguous meaning!

"Cousin, I'll pretend I didn't hear what you said. All I know is that you came to bring me nourishing soup on behalf of Tingxue."

It's getting late, and it's not really appropriate for a man and a woman to be alone in a room together. My cousin, you should leave quickly! Otherwise, your older cousin might see us and misunderstand our relationship.

Liu Jiaying looked at Shen Xiuyan with a resentful gaze: "Brother-in-law, I... bring you soup and broth every day, using my cousin's name as an excuse to care for you. Don't you understand my 'feelings'... brother-in-law?"

At this moment, Li Tingxue, who was in the next room, could no longer sit still after hearing her cousin's words and immediately wanted to rush to the next room.

However, as soon as she stood up, Baihe and her wet nurse quickly pulled her back, silently shaking their heads to signal her to continue listening.

Li Tingxue then suppressed her anger and continued to listen to the sounds coming from the next room!