Chapter Ten: The Younger Brother Really Knows His Way

Emptiness, at times, stems from overindulgence.

The days spent with Su Rouxue were nothing short of bliss, but no matter how sweet the moments, one must still tend to the rhythms of life. To Natsuki, these past days had felt like a dream—wonderful, yes, but he could not afford to be greedy. If he showed up exhausted for his orientation in a few days, it simply wouldn’t do.

Now, all he wanted was a good, deep sleep; yet, lying in Su Rouxue’s lavish boudoir, and having uncovered the secret hidden behind his lady’s gentle façade, he felt as though a drop of stimulant had been mixed into his drowsiness—he was sleepy, yet sleep eluded him.

He had always thought of Su Rouxue as someone who merely collected paintings, but upon seeing several bookshelves brimming with volumes in her bedroom, he realized his wife and girlfriend was, in truth, a devoted collector of both literature and art.

A sketchbook had fallen at the foot of her desk. Natsuki went over, picked it up, and the moment he saw the pages lying open, he was struck dumb with astonishment.

Familiar heroines from various anime were soaking in hot springs—drawn with such vividness…

He swallowed hard; the images were simply too provocative. And the most crucial detail: every single one was drawn by Su Rouxue herself.

He flipped through the sketchbook, page by page. What he thought was just a few risqué drawings turned out to be a whole collection—each page bursting with scenes so vibrant and heated they might just make one’s nose bleed.

He never would have imagined Su Rouxue possessed such a side.

She always seemed so gentle, so intellectual—when she was silent, she exuded the aura of a reserved goddess. Yet, in truth, she was something of an erotic artist.

This brought to mind Natsuki’s love for anime, and he was reminded of the character “Eromanga Sensei”—the protagonist’s little sister, who also appeared so prim and proper on the outside…

At this thought, a mischievous smile tugged at the corners of Natsuki’s lips.

Discovering such a unique secret about his wife-girlfriend didn’t diminish his affection or elicit any negative feelings; on the contrary, he found her all the more fascinating for it.

At least for now, Su Rouxue truly seemed to be a soulful artist.

On reflection, it made sense. Anyone who collected so many Lolita dresses, school uniforms, and piles of black and white lace stockings was bound to have such a side.

Natsuki was exhausted. Grinning foolishly, he sat down in a daze on the sofa by the desk and drifted off to sleep…

After tidying up the kitchen, Su Rouxue returned to her room.

When she saw Natsuki sleeping, her heart melted with tenderness. She took out her phone, smiling quietly to herself. “He really is worn out. But from this angle, in this pose, he’s just too adorable!”

She tiptoed closer, intending to savor a good long look at her cute and handsome younger boyfriend.

But when she noticed the sketchbook clutched to Natsuki’s chest, her pupils widened, her cheeks flushed, and she bit her lip in embarrassment.

“Oh no, oh no…”

“Has he found out?”

“Ahhh… How could I have made such a silly mistake? After seeing all those drawings, will Natsuki think I’m not the least bit reserved?”

Su Rouxue panicked.

She clenched her fists, utterly at a loss. Most importantly, there was nothing she could do—should she explain herself to Natsuki when he woke up?

Her thoughts were a hopeless tangle.

With a soft sigh, her beautiful, expressive eyes shimmered with worry as she gazed at her sleeping, adorable boyfriend, truly anxious that after seeing her art, his image of her would be shattered.

She herself was feeling the exhaustion of the past couple of days. She had thought she’d come back to her room and get a good rest, but after this, she was wide awake.

Natsuki’s breathing was soft and rhythmic.

Su Rouxue’s face burned with shame, terrified her cute boyfriend would wake and see her in a completely different light.

Still…

She slipped off her slippers, lay on the bed, drew a deep breath, and frowned.

“If he really cares about me, truly likes me, these things shouldn’t matter, right?”

“I really am lovestruck. What’s the point of worrying so much? Besides… he was the one who confessed to me!”

“No matter what, the reins of this relationship must stay in my own hands. And besides…”

She recalled Natsuki’s fervor and passion at certain moments—perhaps discovering her “erotic” works would only add to her appeal?

So, after turning it over in her mind, Su Rouxue finally calmed down. She had lived for thirty years, and yet here she was, all tangled up in love.

It seemed she truly had fallen for him, heart and soul.

With her emotions settling, she closed her eyes and lay quietly on the bed—yet try as she might, she simply couldn’t fall asleep.

Suddenly, Natsuki’s breathing paused.

With her eyes closed, Su Rouxue felt something drawing near.

A warm hand reached out and gently wrapped around her slender waist. In a soft, tender voice, he murmured, “Let’s get a good sleep together.”

Before the words were fully spoken, his gentle snoring resumed.

Su Rouxue’s eyes flew open, a wave of warmth spreading through her heart, her bashful face breaking into a radiant smile.

One had to admit, this younger boyfriend truly knew how to steal one’s heart.

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