CEO's Ugly Flash-Marriage Wife Hides So Many Identities
Chapter 342 Baby, I Want to See You

Chapter 342: Chapter 342 Baby, I Want to See You

After hanging up the phone, Pei Liyan’s heart remained restless for a long time.

He kept thinking back to that winter ten years ago. Where was he then, and why didn’t he have even the faintest impression of it?

At that time, he was still a student, and Qiao Rui was just a child, wasn’t she?

She had known him so early on.

He was so overwhelmed, though he didn’t know why. His heart was suddenly filled to the brim, so full it hurt—an excited kind of ache.

After smoking two cigarettes in a row, Pei Liyan managed to calm down a bit. He picked up the phone again and dialed Qiao Rui.

This time, though, he chose a video call.

At that moment, Qiao Rui had just finished her late-night snack and was upstairs taking a shower.

When the first video call came through, she didn’t answer.

Pei Liyan felt a small pang of disappointment.

Five minutes later, he dialed again.

He found himself feeling like a nervous young boy, brimming with excitement.

By then, Qiao Rui had finished her shower and reverted to her natural self, without any disguises or makeup—just her pure and clean appearance.

Her skin was as white as porcelain, flawless without a single blemish.

She looked into the mirror at her reflection and sighed inwardly, wondering when she should confess everything to him.

Suddenly, her phone rang.

She jumped in surprise, only to see it was a video call from Pei Liyan. For a moment, she froze in confusion.

Didn’t this guy say he wouldn’t call again tonight?

Why was he calling her now?

Flustered, Qiao Rui rushed back to the restroom to start applying makeup.

But by the time she came out, the call had already ended.

Instead, Pei Liyan sent her a message.

"Babe, I want to see you!"

Reading the message, Qiao Rui shuddered with discomfort.

Being called "babe"—it was so cringy.

It was the first time he had called her that, and it felt way too much.

She shivered but still returned his call.

Pei Liyan had assumed he wouldn’t get to see Qiao Rui again tonight.

Yet, she had called him back.

Unconsciously, the corners of his lips curved as he immediately answered the call.

After a momentary shake of the screen, Qiao Rui’s face appeared. Her hair draped over her shoulders, making her delicate features stand out even more.

Pei Liyan gazed at the girl on his screen, his eyes gentle and full of longing.

Anyone being stared at so intently would likely feel awkward.

Under his sticky gaze, Qiao Rui had no choice but to speak first: "It’s the middle of the night—aren’t you sleeping?"

"I missed you!" Pei Liyan replied softly, staring at her.

Qiao Rui’s face flushed. She glanced at him—his angular face was handsome from every angle.

But his sudden sweetness caught her off guard. "I’m really tired. Can I go to sleep?"

Pei Liyan noticed her uneasy expression and couldn’t help but smile. "Then sleep. I’ll watch you while you sleep."

This wasn’t letting her sleep—it was the exact opposite.

She avoided his eyes, dodging his gaze, and finally placed her phone face down on the bed.

Pei Liyan chuckled lightly. "Feeling shy, huh? You’re finally showing a hint of a little girl’s demeanor."

"And you’re turning into a creepy old man," Qiao Rui retorted with irritation.

"Babe, lift your phone and show me your face!" His voice came through again.

Qiao Rui’s face grew even hotter, almost letting out a groan.

Had he seriously called her "babe" just like that?

She flipped the phone over and met Pei Liyan’s deep and affectionate gaze. She wanted to ask how many other women he had called "babe," but the words stuck in her throat.

Because his eyes were so deeply sincere.

They were gazing at her, so intently.

For a moment, Qiao Rui forgot how to react. She opened her mouth slightly but eventually swallowed her words.

"What were you going to say?" Pei Liyan had caught her hesitation. "Tell me directly; don’t hold back."

"Nothing." Qiao Rui shook her head. "I just think calling me that is gross."

The fleeting suspicion in her eyes had not escaped Pei Liyan’s notice. He smiled faintly and said, "It’s not because of that, is it?"

"If not that, then what else could it be?" Qiao Rui countered.

"You’re wondering whether I’ve called other women ’babe’ before, aren’t you?"

Qiao Rui was stunned, her mouth slightly agape.

Was this man a mind reader or something?

He had actually guessed her thoughts.

"I guessed right!" Pei Liyan said smugly. "I can responsibly tell you—I never have. You’re the only one."

Qiao Rui pouted. "If you say so."

"Unhappy?" Pei Liyan asked. "Don’t want me to call you that?"

"Yeah, I don’t like it," Qiao Rui admitted bluntly.

"Why?" Pei Liyan raised his brows mischievously. "Give me one reason."

Qiao Rui met his questioning gaze and said, "You calling me that makes me feel like you’re not a good person."

"Hahaha!" Pei Liyan couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing.

His laugh was deep and magnetic, very pleasant to hear.

It was the first time Qiao Rui had seen him laugh so openly, baring his straight, white teeth.

She buried her face in the bed, showing only her scalp to the camera.

Pei Liyan realized that to deal with this girl, sometimes you had to thicken your skin and let your emotions overflow. Otherwise, she wouldn’t know to feel shy.

His voice was still tinged with laughter: "Between us as husband and wife, we need a little romance in private. The badder I seem, the happier you’ll be, right?"

"Shut up!" Qiao Rui snapped, lifting her head.

"Little girl, this shy look of yours makes me want to fly to your side immediately and have a grand, dramatic reunion with you," Pei Liyan suddenly said.

"Pei Liyan!" Qiao Rui glared at his shameless expression, feeling embarrassed and annoyed. "If you keep talking, I’m turning off my phone."

"Don’t!" He smiled even wider. His dark eyes sparkled, his gaze brushing gently over Qiao Rui’s face. "Babe, I miss you very much right now."

Qiao Rui was at a loss for how to deal with this man.

In the middle of the night, not sleeping, calling like this—it felt like they were in a heated romance or something.

"I already told you not to call me that," she said firmly. "It’s honestly disgusting."

"You’ll get used to it," Pei Liyan said, satisfaction glimmering in his eyes as he watched her frustrated expression.

He continued gazing at her face, once again pondering whether he had really met her that winter ten years ago.

Qiao Rui glared at Pei Liyan. He still wore his lazy demeanor, lips curved in a smile, eyes gentle and sticky, falling on her face and giving her the impression he had bad intentions.

If he were by her side right now, he’d probably devour her!

"What’s with you tonight?" Qiao Rui sensed something odd about his behavior. "If you’ve got something to say, just say it—stop being gross, okay?"

"It’s nothing," he shook his head. "But from now on, you might need to get used to this."

"Used to what?" Qiao Rui asked, confused.

"Used to us talking often," he replied.

"Oh," Qiao Rui said. "If there’s something to discuss, fine. If not, don’t bother me—you’re wasting time."

Pei Liyan frowned slightly. He had to admit, his woman wasn’t the clingy type.

Unlike the women his friends knew, who always clung to their men.

But Qiao Rui always seemed eager to escape him, and it left Pei Liyan feeling a little defeated.

"Don’t you want to try feeling what it’s like to date?" Pei Liyan asked.

Qiao Rui hesitated. Acting like they were dating felt irrelevant now—they had skipped those stages ages ago.

Without giving him any face, she retorted bluntly: "Fine. Then stop sharing a bed. We’ve already done that—now you want to date? So pretentious!"