That's right! Sister-in-law was lying on the heated brick bed, completely lost in self-pleasure. With one hand, she fiercely squeezed her own peaks, while the other rested on her intimate region, vigorously and rapidly flicking the small bud there. Her body was incredibly sensitive, trembling nonstop even without a single finger inserted. Her flawless figure was already drenched in sweat.
This scene was nothing a repressed woman like Luo Qingcheng could compare to. Paired with the half of her face obscured by long hair, it exuded an unusual, ethereal beauty. In an instant, the lustful fire Chen Xiaobei had just suppressed flared up again.
Ah! I can't believe Sister-in-law is pleasuring herself. To be widowed in her prime... anyone would feel empty and lonely. Thank God I didn't make a sound, or this would've been mortifying. It looks like I should find Sister Wang instead.
Thinking this, Chen Xiaobei was about to leave to give his sister-in-law some space. But just as he turned, he accidentally knocked over a fire poker at his feet.
Damn it! Chen Xiaobei's hair stood on end. I clearly remember that thing being outside. When did it get next to me?
It was too late to grab it. A crisp sound echoed through the room, and his sister-in-law's eyes instantly snapped toward the doorway. Their eyes locked. For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Sister-in-law covered her mouth tightly, her wide, beautiful eyes filled with terror and humiliation. This was the expression Wang Meifen had taught her. Given Chen Xiaobei's identity, she absolutely could not let him discover she was faking it. Chen Xiaobei, however, was completely dumbfounded, his mind blank as he stood frozen in place.
Just then, his sister-in-law snatched a pair of scissors from the edge of the bed and thrust them toward her chest, sobbing, "I can't live anymore!"
"Sister-in-law, no!"
Chen Xiaobei's mind buzzed. Daring not to delay another second, he lunged forward and grabbed her wrist. "Sister-in-law, don't do anything foolish! Pleasuring yourself is normal; there's no need to die over it," he urged loudly.
"Xiaobei, don't bother with me! I can't face anyone now! You… just let me die!" his sister-in-law cried out tragically, trying to snatch the scissors back. Large teardrops streamed from her eyes, and they were not feigned at all. The bitterness in her heart was real, and so was her sorrow.
Chen Xiaobei hurriedly threw the scissors aside. Forgetting the barrier between them, he pulled his sister-in-law into his arms. "Sister-in-law, listen to me. This is nothing, really. Think about Xin Xin! If you die, she'll be left without a mother!" he consoled her tenderly, gently stroking her back.
He felt his waist tighten as his sister-in-law hugged him back, burying her face in his chest. Chen Xiaobei's body shook. He was at a loss for what to do. At that moment, she spoke again, her voice breathy and filled with deep emotion.
"Xiaobei, it's been over a year. To take care of me and Xin Xin, you resolutely returned to the countryside. I really don't know how I can ever repay your kindness."
"Sister-in-law, please don't…"
"No, I need to say this!" she interrupted, lifting her head. "Even though I am Chen Xiaoshan's wife, I was only married to him for a month before I became a widow! You could say that you're the one who has spent the most time with me, not Chen Xiaoshan."
"Sister-in-law, really, don't say any more!" Chen Xiaobei trembled, his heart enveloped by a wave of pain.
"Xiaobei!" She straightened up and pressed a delicate finger to his lips. "No matter what, facts are facts. Xiaoshan is gone, and he's never coming back! But life has to go on, and… and besides…" She suddenly trailed off.
Chen Xiaobei instinctively asked, "And what?"
Gently wiping her tears, she choked out, "And… I think… I think I'm starting to forget what Xiaoshan looked like."
"What?" Chen Xiaobei frowned, the words making him somewhat uncomfortable. But while they were blunt, they weren't wrong. People can't live in pain forever. Besides, she had become a widow just a month after marrying. It was understandable that her feelings for his older brother had faded.
Just then, Chen Xiaobei felt a softness against his chest again as his sister-in-law took the initiative to snuggle into his embrace.
"Xiaobei, let's forget about Xiaoshan. Let's forget about our identities. Time has been the witness to our journey from being awkward strangers to the intimate companions we are today.
"Perhaps you think your sister-in-law is a cheap woman, always trying to seduce you. But in my heart, I… I've long thought of you as my man!
"Xiaobei!" she cried, tilting her head up again. She gazed at him, her eyes filled with desperate pleading. "Hold me, I'm so lonely! Please, hold me!"
Her voice was so tender it felt like it could melt his very heart. Chen Xiaobei was completely stunned. He had never imagined she would use this opportunity to so bravely confess her feelings to him.
CRASH. The barriers in his heart crumbled to dust. As if drawn by an invisible force, his arms wrapped around his sister-in-law's warm, slender waist, holding her tightly.
"Xiaobei, I… I love you!" she whispered fervently. "Let me be your woman!"
The words were out. Tears soaked the front of his shirt as her feverish body trembled uncontrollably—partly from excitement and partly from fear. The arrangement Shen Jiawen and Wang Meifen had made was nothing like this. According to Wang Meifen's plan, the moment Chen Xiaobei caught her, Shen Jiawen was supposed to play the part of a wanton woman and immediately bed him. But when it actually happened, Shen Jiawen found she couldn't do it. She realized she simply loved Chen Xiaobei too much. She didn't want to ruin his life over a moment of selfish desire. She wanted him, but she wanted it to be an honest act of love, not some sordid scheme.
That was why Shen Jiawen had confessed. She needed to know what was in his heart, and no matter the answer, she would accept it. But the waiting was terrifying. Staring at Chen Xiaobei's bewildered face, Shen Jiawen felt so nervous she thought she might wet herself.
"Xiaobei, let me be your woman!" she repeated after a pause, her expression growing even more vulnerable. "I… I really want to be your woman. So, so badly…"
"Sister-in-law!"
Gazing at the tear-streaked beauty before him, Chen Xiaobei's internal defenses completely collapsed. The woman he loved most had just confessed to him! If he turned and walked away now, how could he ever be worthy of her love?
Big Brother, I haven't wronged you. It's just that time has made me take your place. A relieved smile touched Chen Xiaobei's lips. He cradled her stunning face in his hands and said with deep passion, "Sister-in-law, I love you too! Be my woman!"
With that, Chen Xiaobei leaned down and pressed his lips against her soft, pink ones…