Chapter 135: A Bloody Case Sparked by an Ice Cream

Jiang Zao shifted again, pressing her abdomen firmly against Zhou Lichuan’s abs. Suddenly, the little occupant inside flipped over, kicking its father sharply through the skin of her belly.

“……”

Jiang Zao’s speechlessness was written all over her face. Staying up in the middle of the night just to kick her father—how much did this child dislike him?

Zhou Lichuan stifled his laughter, wheezing as he struggled to catch his breath. The child seemed to despise him; whenever Jiang Zao’s stomach got close to him, the baby would start creating a commotion inside. It often left Jiang Zao with a sore back, causing her to kick the culprit in retaliation.

Irritated by his laughter, Jiang Zao sighed. “Zhou Lichuan, I want a popsicle. Could you get me one?”

Zhou Lichuan stopped laughing, propped himself up, and said, “It’s so late. You’ll feel unwell if you eat that now.”

Jiang Zao pouted, looking particularly alluring under the dim night light. “Just one small bite, just a tiny bit. I don’t care, I just want it.”

“…Only one small bite.”

“Mmhmm!”

Zhou Lichuan was helpless. He couldn’t resist her watery eyes; he just wanted to unconditionally agree to all her demands, completely incapable of resistance.

Jiang Zao climbed out of bed with him, clutching the soft hem of his pajamas and following close behind like a little tail. They snuck to the refrigerator. Zhou Lichuan had previously stocked it with plenty of ice cream, instructing the kitchen to keep it replenished so that Jiang Zao could have one whenever she craved it.

He took out a pineapple-flavored popsicle and tore open the packaging. Cool mist drifted from the treat, and Jiang Zao began to salivate at the sight.

Zhou Lichuan held the popsicle up and said, “Only one bite.”

The popsicle was brought before her. Jiang Zao reached out to take it, but Zhou Lichuan pulled it away. “I’ll hold it for you; you just take a bite.”

Jiang Zao stared at the popsicle for a moment, as if calculating which angle would allow for the largest possible mouthful. Finally, she chose her angle, opened her mouth, and bit off nearly a third of it.

The cold popsicle entered her mouth, and the world transformed into the fresh, sweet taste of pineapple. Before she could even savor the happiness, a soft sensation covered her lips.

Zhou Lichuan pulled her waist in and kissed her directly, his tongue darting in with practiced agility to transfer most of the popsicle into his own mouth. He stood straight, quickly devouring the remaining two-thirds without leaving a single scrap for her.

“Mmph! You stole my popsicle! And you stole it right out of my mouth! Aren't you being childish?”

Jiang Zao was so angry she stomped her feet. She had finally managed to get a bite, only to have the rest snatched away, and a surge of indignant fire flared up within her.

Zhou Lichuan’s mouth was filled with the taste of pineapple. Relying on his height advantage, he looked down at Jiang Zao, whose eyes were red with fury. He laughed while hungrily finishing off the rest of the popsicle.

Jiang Zao tried to reach for it. “Leave some for me.”

Zhou Lichuan held her shoulders firmly, pinning her in place. He didn’t reply, just focused on eating.

“Zhou Lichuan! I’m mad at you!”

Zhou Lichuan raised an eyebrow, his eyes crinkling with amusement as he continued to eat. Seeing the last bit of the popsicle disappear into his mouth, Jiang Zao finally deflated, pouting in profound dissatisfaction.

Catching sight of her expression, Zhou Lichuan’s heart softened. He leaned down and kissed her pouting lips, gently passing the final morsel back to her.

“Is it sweet?” the CEO asked shamelessly.

Jiang Zao smacked her lips, savoring the final trace of cool sweetness, then defiantly tilted her head up. “Hmph, fine, if you won’t let me eat it, then don’t. I already got a taste, and you still had to snatch it from my mouth. You’re not a man of your word.”

Zhou Lichuan chuckled. “Who’s the one not keeping their word? Hmm? We agreed on one small bite, and you bit off a third. Even a healthy person shouldn’t eat like that, let alone you.”

Jiang Zao felt a wave of grievance. “But I just want to eat something cold, sweet, and flavorful. I don’t want any of those soups anymore. Being forced to drink medicinal herbal broths every day makes me so unhappy.”

Jiang Zao was struggling, and Zhou Lichuan knew it well. Just looking at her slender, fragile frame, even now that she was pregnant, told him that her days were far from easy.

As she poured out her grievances, the tears became uncontrollable, dripping down her cheeks.

“Waaaah, I just want to eat something good, but none of you will let me. I want salty food, I want pickles and salted eggs, but you limit those too. The food you give me isn’t good at all; it’s like you don’t want me to live, waaaaaah.”

Zhou Lichuan couldn't handle this at all. He quickly pulled her into his arms and coaxed her softly. “Alright, alright, don’t cry, okay? It’s my fault, all my fault. I’m the one who makes you suffer so much, and I’m the one who can’t give you what you want to eat and keeps everything limited. It’s all my fault.”

In the late stages of pregnancy, Jiang Zao’s emotions were sensitive, and her cravings were becoming increasingly strange. She had developed an intense desire for pickled vegetables and salted eggs, demanding them every single day. No matter how healthily they were prepared, pickled foods lacked proper nutrition. For the sake of her health, the nutritionist had set a strict daily limit that was never to be exceeded. Combined with the irritability of pregnancy and the craving for cold foods, her long-repressed emotions finally exploded in the middle of the night.

“I hate numbers the most! Having to eat according to numbers every day—if it’s too much or too little, it’s a problem. If numbers are so precise, I might as well just take nutrient injections every day! Why even eat? Waaaah, you don’t care about me at all; you just use a nutritionist to fob me off!”

The more she spoke, the angrier she became, even twisting the facts to vent her frustration.

Zhou Lichuan immediately joined her in the rant. “Yes! You’re right! I’m a jerk! I’m the biggest jerk in the world, not even letting Zaozao have a popsicle, letting her suffer, and being away from home so she has to stare at those hateful numbers alone. I’ll fire the nutritionist tomorrow and get you one who doesn’t track numbers.”

Jiang Zao sniffled and looked at Zhou Lichuan. “They didn't do anything wrong, why would you fire them? I just don't like having to weigh my food, I didn't tell you to fire anyone! You capitalists are so heartless.”

Zhou Lichuan let out an “oops,” not knowing how to coax her anymore. “Zaozao, honey—then tell me, what do you want? I’ll pluck the stars for you if you want. Or is there something you don’t want? I’ll go get rid of it for you.”

Jiang Zao looked into his eyes, muttered to herself for a long time, and then said pitifully, “I want… I want to sleep. I’m tired.”

Zhou Lichuan sighed in relief and quickly brought her back upstairs.

“Alright, I’ll sleep with my wife. Nothing is more important than my wife’s sleep. When I get back from Nancheng tomorrow, how about I take you to see Xiao Bai in the afternoon? We can take him out to play and get some fresh air, how does that sound?”