The Missing Husband Returns (03)

After Xue Ci asked, the man across from him seemed not to react.

Thinking he hadn't heard, Xue Ci tugged his sleeve. "I want to eat the fried cakes from that shop. Can I?"

Only then did Zhao Ying seem to wake from a dream. His voice was hoarse. "...Okay."

His heart was beating so fast it almost leaped out of his chest. His whole body felt as though it were on fire, and he was so stiff he could barely move.

His newlywed wife had called him "husband" so sweetly on the very day they registered their marriage and seemed especially dependent on him.

The way Xue Ci addressed him left Zhao Ying dizzy.

He didn't dare get too close to Xue Ci, but he didn't dare stray too far either. They had to cross the road to reach the fried cake shop opposite, and when he saw Xue Ci charging straight across, he stiffly grabbed the young man's wrist.

"Watch out for cars."

The summer heat was intense, and the straw hat was no help anymore. Like a little glutinous rice ball, Xue Ci was nearly melting in the sun. His fair skin had been warmed by the scorching rays until it was pink, pale, and dewy. The fine sweat on the tip of his nose resembled steam rising from a white steamed bun, and a gentle press would make his cheek sink in, squeezing up a mound of soft flesh.

Heat rose from his whole body, and the slightest movement stirred up a fragrant breeze.

Zhao Ying began sweating even more. Once he had collected himself, he took Xue Ci's hand and led him to the fried cake shop.

Five or six people were waiting in line, and their gazes quickly settled on Xue Ci.

Oblivious, Xue Ci stared at the fragrant fried cakes fresh from the pan. "Can I buy a few different flavors?"

He saw the man quickly nod.

Smiling, Xue Ci asked the shopkeeper for four flavors, and Zhao Ying paid in silence.

South of the fried cake shop was a bustling snack street, covered with plastic sheets to keep out the rain and black mesh to block the sun.

After only a few steps, Xue Ci was panting softly from the heat. Zhao Ying had him sit down outside a noodle shop and, after asking what he wanted, ordered two bowls of beef noodles.

Other customers sat outside too, holding half a watermelon in the sweltering weather and scooping it out with spoons, eating a mouthful of noodles and then a mouthful of cool watermelon.

Seeing Xue Ci gazing longingly at someone else's watermelon, Zhao Ying told him not to wander off, then hurried to a fruit stall. He bought half a watermelon and picked up a bowl of chilled rice cake on his way back.

Zhao Ying ate quickly. After finishing his bowl of noodles, he glanced at Xue Ci's.

It looked as if Xue Ci hadn't touched it.

He had taken a few bites of each of the four fried cake flavors and left the rest. He had finished the chilled rice cake, but there was still plenty of watermelon.

Judging by his expression, he was already full.

Zhao Ying's gaze fell on Xue Ci's slender waist.

He eats like a cat. No wonder he's so thin.

"Are you full?"

The man's sudden question made Xue Ci a little embarrassed.

In truth, he had been full after the fried cakes, but Zhao Ying had paid for all the food, and wasting food wasn't good either.

He said quietly, "I can't eat any more..."

Food spoiled easily in summer and wasn't good to pack up. Zhao Ying said nothing and moved Xue Ci's leftovers in front of himself.

Xue Ci thought he was still hungry and secretly felt relieved that the food wouldn't go to waste.

The afternoon sun was fierce. After eating, Xue Ci grew sleepy and didn't want to shop anymore.

Zhao Ying pointed at a nearby clothing store. "Do you want to buy some clothes?"

Remembering that the protagonist wasn't well-off, Xue Ci said, "Let's not spend any more money."

"I'll earn more later." Zhao Ying fanned him with the straw hat. He wanted very much to say that they were married now and Xue Ci could spend all his money, but he simply couldn't get such flowery words out. Instead, he said, "Go pick out a few things."

So having a husband really does mean getting to wear new clothes!

Xue Ci didn't refuse again and happily went into the store.

The previously drowsy clerk's eyes lit up when Xue Ci entered. The clerk recommended several outfits, and Xue Ci tried them on, only to find himself unable to choose.

To his surprise, Zhao Ying bought all three.

Xue Ci glanced at the prices, then leaned close to his ear and whispered, afraid the clerk might hear, "Do we have that much money?"

The faintly fragrant breath brushed his ear, and half of Zhao Ying's body tingled as though an electric current had run through it. He stepped back a little, his breathing growing heavier.

"Don't worry. I brought plenty today."

Every outfit Xue Ci tried on looked good, and Zhao Ying had found it hard to choose too, so he had simply bought them all.

I can't let him suffer with me after getting married, can I?

Zhao Ying paid, folded the new clothes into a bag, and carried it in one hand while holding Xue Ci's wrist with the other.

It was already afternoon by the time they got home. Song Liu was astonished to hear they had registered their marriage.

After they got their certificate, everything else proceeded quickly. Zhao Ying gave Xue Ci a betrothal gift, and the remaining money went toward the wedding banquet and renovating the house.

Neither of them had parents, and Zhao Ying was entirely on his own. They didn't hold a large banquet, inviting only a few of Xue Ci's relatives.

At the banquet, after Zhao Ying had finished toasting the elders, Song Liu pulled him aside and pointed to a bald man. "That man over there is Sun Xingming, a very distant relative. Seeing that there was no one in Xue Ci's family who could work the land, he seized those plots for himself and had other people farm them. He collects quite a bit of money every year and gambles it away. Sometimes, after he's lost it all, he even comes to Xue Ci to borrow money."

"Since you're family now, get the land back if you can. You could use it to pay off the debts."

Song Liu had objected to Sun Xingming seizing the land before, but he saw that she was a woman and picked on the weak while fearing the strong. No matter what she said, he refused to return it.

Zhao Ying glanced at Sun Xingming. The man was drunk, his eyes bloodshot, and even as he made a drunken scene, he was bragging to others about his luck at gambling.

"I understand, Auntie Liu."

Thinking about how Xue Ci had been bullied before, the man's brow furrowed deeper and deeper.

The people of Zhou Family Village weren't familiar with Xue Ci, and since the banquet had been held on Zhao Ying's side, no one in the village knew about their marriage.

It wasn't until three days later, when a commotion broke out at the village chief's house and everyone gathered to watch, that they learned the carpenter from the neighboring village had married Auntie Liu's nephew.

"Back then, you said no one in his family could work the land, so you snatched it away. Now that Xue Ci has married, his husband is healthy and can work the fields. You should give the land back, no matter what! Village Chief, tell us what's fair!"

Village Chief Zhou was still bewildered. "Your nephew got married?"

Song Liu pointed at Zhao Ying. "Yes, they held the banquet just a few days ago."

Before settling the dispute, Village Chief Zhou didn't forget to say, "Congratulations." As a village official, he normally dealt with disputes and helped lead the villagers to prosperity. Song Liu had brought this matter up before, so he knew a little about it. But the Song family had lacked someone to work the land, and it wouldn't do to leave it unused, so he had let Sun Xingming farm it for the time being and give Song Xueci's family part of the harvest each year.

From what Song Liu was saying now, the Song family clearly hadn't received the money, and they also had someone to work the land.

Naturally, the land had to be returned.

Sun Xingming was unwilling to give back what had already landed in his pocket and wanted to keep making a fuss. But everyone around him was speaking up for Song Liu. He gritted his teeth resentfully, yet couldn't help shuddering when he saw the look in the man's eyes.

Zhao Ying had rugged features and looked fierce when his face was cold. He was tall and large as well, making him an intimidating sight.

Sun Xingming had spent years smoking and drinking, and his health was already ruined. Knowing he couldn't beat Zhao Ying if it came to a fight, he finally gave in.

Xue Ci had stayed home the whole time. It wasn't until Zhao Ying mentioned it that evening that he remembered his family still had two plots of land.

His eyes lit up. "Can we farm it ourselves now? Can we plant fruit trees?"

Xue Ci's family had two plots in all. Rice was growing in one, so they couldn't get it back until after the autumn harvest. The other had just been plowed, but the soil was rather dry, and the climate wasn't very suitable either.

When he was told no, Xue Ci's little face fell.

Zhao Ying was at a loss. He wasn't good at comforting people, so he ventured cautiously, "We can grow crops. What do you like to eat?"

Xue Ci tilted his face up, unable to think of anything for the moment. "What crops are there?"

"Sorghum, corn, sweet potatoes, peanuts-any of those would work." Before learning carpentry, Zhao Ying had spent several years farming for others, so he knew a fair amount about it.

Unfortunately, Xue Ci wasn't particularly fond of any of them. Disappointed, he said, "Then plant whatever you want."

Hearing the disappointment in his voice, Zhao Ying tried to please him. "Do you want a peach?"

Xue Ci shook his head. "Washing one is such a hassle."

"I'll wash it."

Zhao Ying took a firm peach from the freezer and went to the kitchen. Xue Ci followed him, staring at the peach as he murmured, "It's so big..."

Zhao Ying's eyelid twitched.

When delivering furniture, he sometimes waited outside the workshop, where many of the village's young men gathered and occasionally traded a few crude remarks.

Xue Ci's words inevitably made him think of something else.

The sound of running water covered his heavier breathing.

"I'll cut it into small pieces."

Xue Ci was satisfied this time. He didn't realize that he looked like a little wife who knew just how to act spoiled.

He stayed beside Zhao Ying, their shoulders pressed close.

He was terribly clingy.

Suddenly, the sound of the progress bar advancing rang out in his head.

Xue Ci was puzzled.

According to the background, the character he played was still oblivious to romance and wouldn't engage in intimate behavior with the protagonist before the car accident the protagonist suffered after going to the city.

So why had the progress increased when their shoulders accidentally brushed just now?

11 explained, [Host, although the character you're playing is oblivious to romance, he's very timid and depends heavily on his husband in his behavior!]

[Intimate behavior means marital relations. Physical contact like this doesn't count. As long as you stick close to the protagonist and depend on him during this period, the plot can develop normally!]

So that's how it is.

Thoughtful, Xue Ci secretly snuggled a little closer into Zhao Ying's arms as the man put the peach in a bowl.

The burly, dark-skinned man blushed bright red with embarrassment.

Though it didn't show.

The two stayed close together as they stepped out of the kitchen side by side. Zhao Ying had just opened his mouth to say something when he heard a noise in the bedroom.

He immediately looked through the doorway, alert.

The tall butcher was standing in the room.

Zhao Ying froze.

Has someone been in Xue Ci's bedroom all this time?

"The glass in the bedroom window broke, so I asked him to fix it." Xue Ci didn't notice Zhao Ying's slightly stiff expression. He thanked A Hui, then picked out a few of each kind of fruit from the freezer to give him.

Zhao Ying went into the bedroom to check the window and confirmed that it closed tightly after the repair.

He couldn't quite say what he was feeling, but it wasn't pleasant. That night, he tossed and turned without sleeping a wink. The next morning, he brought a bag of vegetables to Xue Ci's house to cook.

While he was cooking, Xue Ci wanted to go into the kitchen to help, but Zhao Ying stopped him.

Seeing the young man's soft, fair fingers, Zhao Ying couldn't bear to let him do rough work. He cut up a watermelon and brought over a fan, telling Xue Ci to stay beside him.

The fan made Xue Ci drowsy. His head was leaning against the door, and he was nearly asleep when he suddenly heard Zhao Ying speak.

"Right, the house needs to be renovated first. Can I stay here with you for a while?"

Xue Ci slowly opened his eyes and gave a sluggish "Mm."

In his daze, he felt himself being picked up. When he woke and went to the main room, the meal had already been prepared and set on the table, covered with a mesh food cover.

Zhao Ying was nowhere to be seen.

Hearing faint voices outside, Xue Ci walked over and saw Zhao Ying talking to A Hui. A Hui was holding a basket of food and had clearly come to bring him lunch.

Only then did Xue Ci remember that he had forgotten to tell A Hui he didn't need to buy lunch for him today.

He was just about to go over when Zhao Ying turned and came back.

Xue Ci stopped. "What were you talking about?"

Zhao Ying said, "I told him I'd come over to cook for you from now on, so he wouldn't have to go to the trouble of making an extra portion."

Xue Ci said, "Oh," and looked at A Hui, who wasn't far away.

The tall butcher's departing figure looked a little dejected.

That evening, Zhao Ying packed a few clothes and came to Xue Ci's house. When it was nearly time for bed, he looked at the only bed in the bedroom, then glanced at Xue Ci. His voice was stiff. "I... where am I sleeping tonight?"

Xue Ci saw that the bed was large and thought it should be big enough for them.

11 immediately reminded the slow-to-catch-on Xue Ci, [Host, that would be OOC! Right now, you're very afraid your husband will ask you to fulfill your wifely duties, so naturally you wouldn't dare sleep in the same bed as him.]

[I understand.]

Xue Ci said tactfully, "Can you sleep on the floor? I get a little hot."

Zhao Ying quickly nodded.

Sure enough, career-minded protagonists don't bring these things up themselves.

Unlike in the last world... my mouth was almost kissed raw.

Xue Ci breathed a genuine sigh of relief and said happily, "I'll get you a quilt!"

He happened to have a new quilt, one of the wedding items his Aunt Song Liu had bought for him.

Like a sweet, soft glutinous rice ball, Xue Ci nimbly squeezed through the space beside him and stood on tiptoe to reach for the bedding on top of the wardrobe.

The young man had just bathed and was still damp, his body carrying the moisture of the bath, his eyes clear.

He hadn't dried himself completely. His clothes were damp, and pink showed through the fabric over his chest.

As he stretched up on tiptoe, the hem of his clothes lifted, revealing a small section of his slender, fair waist.

There was nothing but white and pink.

Zhao Ying hurriedly looked away, told him to rest, and deftly made up a bed on the floor himself.

He sweated a lot in summer and couldn't stand the heat, so he didn't need to heat water and pour it into a tub to wash as Xue Ci did. He simply took his basin to the bathing room and gave himself a quick rinse.

By the time he returned to the bedroom, Xue Ci was already asleep.

Zhao Ying took the clothes Xue Ci had changed out of and washed them under the outdoor tap, then tidied up the things in the main room.

By the time he finished, it was late at night.

The bedroom curtains didn't block much light, and the moon illuminated the room.

After Zhao Ying lay down, his heartbeat still hadn't quite settled, and Xue Ci's even breathing kept reaching his ears.

The whole room was filled with fragrance.

He turned over slightly, facing the bed, and found himself looking at the young man's snow-white neck.

So cute.

He's even this cute when he sleeps.

Zhao Ying couldn't help swallowing. His throat felt as though it were on fire, and his whole body was so stiff it tingled.

Perhaps because he wasn't used to having another person in the room, Xue Ci slept restlessly in the latter half of the night.

When he woke, he felt thirsty and got out of bed for some water.

His eyes half-open, he didn't watch where he was going. As he tried to put on his shoes, he stepped on someone and tripped over him-

"Mm..."

So hot.

Xue Ci landed sitting on the man.

Before he could wonder why Zhao Ying's bedding was so close to his bed, the heat of the man's body made his shoulders tremble.

He tried to get up, bracing himself with one hand, but something hard pressed against his palm.

Why is it even hotter...

Zhao Ying suddenly let out a muffled groan.

"Sorry..."

Thinking he had hurt Zhao Ying by stepping on him, Xue Ci scrambled off him, his soft body sore from being pressed against something hard.

In the end, Zhao Ying reached out and helped him up.

Xue Ci sat back on the bed awkwardly. In the moonlight, he saw the man propped halfway up, breathing heavily, as though he were very hot.

Remembering how unnaturally hot his body had been, Xue Ci asked with concern, "Do you have a fever? You're burning up."

Zhao Ying went rigid. Fortunately, the lights were off. Otherwise, Xue Ci would have seen the veins standing out on his forehead and the conspicuous bulge beneath the thin fabric, rising beyond his control.

He got up awkwardly, his voice hoarse, as though he were struggling to hold something back. "I... I'm fine. Why are you awake?"

Xue Ci said, "I was a little thirsty and wanted some water, but I accidentally stepped on you."

"I'll get it for you." Zhao Ying got up and quickly returned with a glass of water from the main room.

After drinking the water, Xue Ci lay down and went back to sleep.

Zhao Ying's gaze fell on Xue Ci's back, then shifted away and down to his own lower body.

He had been like this ever since he lay down, but after Xue Ci sat on him, he was even more swollen.

Zhao Ying took a deep breath, but he couldn't stop picturing Xue Ci sitting on him.

His little wife was slender and frail, his waist narrow enough to circle with one hand.

He probably wouldn't be willing to do these things.

In the blink of an eye, Zhao Ying had been living with Xue Ci for over half a month. He had planted corn in the neglected fields, taken on more carpentry work, and occasionally gone back to oversee the workers doing the renovations.

He also took care of all the housework, never letting Xue Ci so much as pour himself a glass of water. The only thing he hadn't done was sit him on his lap and feed him.

Under his care, Xue Ci's complexion had grown rosy and his cheeks plump, making him look even more delicate.

He was quite satisfied with married life, except that he occasionally stepped on Zhao Ying when he got up in the middle of the night.

He was already being very careful, but the other man put his bedding in a different place every night. Fortunately, Zhao Ying wasn't one to make a fuss. Instead, he apologized and asked whether Xue Ci had hurt his foot.

To pay off Xue Ci's family's debts sooner, Zhao Ying took on a major job: carving a dragon on the entrance to Factory Director Zhou's plant.

Woodcarving was delicate work, and the plant's entrance couldn't be taken down, so he had to spend each day at the factory.

But when the time came, Zhao Ying would stop working and hurry home to cook for Xue Ci.

The workers around him all noticed and teased him. "Rushing home to cook for your wife!"

Zhao Ying would always lower his head and smile, silently admitting it.

Before long, everyone knew he was a wife slave.

But one day at noon, when it was time to leave, Zhao Ying unexpectedly stayed.

Li Junguo asked, "Did you have a fight at home today?"

Zhao Ying scratched his head. "No, he said he'd bring me lunch."

The night before, Xue Ci had suddenly told him he didn't need to come home to make lunch the next day. He would make it and bring it over.

The weather was hot, and lighting the stove made the kitchen even hotter. Naturally, Zhao Ying didn't want Xue Ci to go to the trouble and had meant to dissuade him, but Xue Ci had swayed his arm and complained softly, "Other people's wives all bring their husbands meals."

Zhao Ying could no longer bring himself to talk him out of it.

It was as if a feather had brushed his heart, making it itch and leaving him floating.

As though he'd been given a love potion.

Still, he was afraid Xue Ci would hurt himself, so he got up early and prepared a few dishes for steaming. All Xue Ci had to do was put them in the iron pot and steam them.

As mealtime approached, Zhao Ying grew restless and couldn't focus on his work. He simply put down his tools and stood at the entrance to wait.

From a long way off, he spotted Xue Ci wearing a straw hat.

Unable to wait another second, the man strode over to Xue Ci on his long legs, looking rather like a big dog greeting its owner.

"How did it go? You didn't hurt yourself, did you?" Zhao Ying took the lunch box and carefully checked Xue Ci's fingers.

Xue Ci said, "..."

Surely I'm not that useless.

The task 11 had given him was to bring the protagonist a meal and take the initiative to put food in his bowl.

That meant they had to eat together.

Xue Ci linked arms with Zhao Ying. "I'm hungry too."

Zhao Ying had prepared enough for two anyway. "I'll take you to the workers' cafeteria."

It was mealtime at the factory, and the cafeteria was crowded. As soon as Xue Ci entered, everyone turned to look at him in unison.

Startled, Xue Ci immediately hid behind Zhao Ying.

Most people at the factory had never met Xue Ci.

"You're a lucky man, Master Zhao!"

"Your spouse is so pretty. No wonder you go home to cook every day."

Hearing himself described as a good-for-nothing, Xue Ci felt his face heat up and clung to Zhao Ying's arm.

He looked just like a little wife who depended heavily on his husband.

Zhou Qize had just entered the cafeteria when he spotted a flash of pink and white in the crowd.

His gaze lingered on Xue Ci's face for several seconds before he looked away.

At mealtime, Song Xueci sat with his husband. From across a table, Zhou Qize watched the young man put food into the bowl of the person opposite him as he chewed his own meal expressionlessly.

Song Xueci didn't come the next day.

Zhou Qize got himself a steamed dish he had never eaten before, but after a few bites, he put down his chopsticks.

He felt it wasn't as good as what Song Xueci had made for his husband.

After completing the task of bringing the protagonist a meal, Xue Ci took it easy for several days, though the progress bar had risen to 30%.

Next came the crucial plot point where the protagonist went to the city.

Sure enough, when Zhao Ying came home that evening, he told Xue Ci that the woodcarving was finished but still needed a coat of special clear varnish. None of the nearby towns sold it, so he had to go to the provincial capital to buy some.

"I can be back in the afternoon. I'll make your food ahead of time in the morning, so you can heat it up for lunch," Zhao Ying reminded him. "Oranges have come into season recently. I bought a bag and left it in the kitchen. Also, it's gotten hot again these past few days, so don't go out. Your skin burns easily."

Xue Ci lowered his head and murmured, "Mm."

Thinking Xue Ci found him long-winded, Zhao Ying said nothing more.

But a few seconds later, halfway through the meal, Xue Ci suddenly ran into the bedroom. Zhao Ying was about to get up and see what he was doing when Xue Ci came back out.

He had a strip of red cloth in his hand.

Zhao Ying asked gently, "What did you go to do?"

Xue Ci stared at his arm, and without needing to be asked, the man raised it.

Xue Ci tied the strip of red cloth around Zhao Ying's wrist.

"This is to keep you safe. Make sure you wear it." Whenever Xue Ci had traveled far from home as a child, his family would tie a red string or a strip of red cloth on him.

He had exchanged points for this one. It could block pain without changing the plot.

Xue Ci had seen how well Zhao Ying had treated him these past few days, so he didn't want him to get hurt.

The man looked pleasantly surprised by Xue Ci's concern, then awkwardly lifted the corners of his mouth.

"Xue Ci."

Xue Ci tilted his face up. "Hmm?"

"I..."

Zhao Ying swallowed the words "I'll miss you" and said something else instead, gazing into Xue Ci's eyes. "I'll be back soon."

Unfortunately, on this trip to the city, the protagonist would have to go through a car accident and be reunited with his family. It would be at least half a month before he returned.

After he left, Xue Ci had to cook for himself again.

On the third day, when his husband still hadn't returned, Xue Ci had to ask around at the places he usually spent time. Everyone said they hadn't seen him.

Finally, Xue Ci arrived at the factory, where someone led him into the workshop. Everyone was busy at their stations.

He stood there, a little at a loss.

Someone about his age suddenly walked past. As though grasping at a lifeline, Xue Ci said softly, "Hello."

Zhou Qize lowered his gaze. "What is it?"

The corners of Xue Ci's eyes were red, and he looked pitiful. "Have you seen my husband? His name is Zhao Ying."

"Master Zhao." Zhou Qize drew out the last syllable. "I remember he went to the city to buy varnish a couple of days ago. Hasn't he come back yet?"

Xue Ci's voice sounded pitiful. "He's been gone for two days. He told me he'd be back the same day."

"Maybe the varnish is hard to find."

After speaking, Zhou Qize noticed that Xue Ci's cheeks were flushed from the sun and a fine layer of sweat covered the tip of his nose. He was probably thirsty, as he licked his lips from time to time.

"Don't worry," he comforted him softly. "Would you like to come to the office and sit in front of the fan for a while?"

Xue Ci had spent the whole day running around the village according to the plot. Thirsty and hot, he followed Zhou Qize with scarcely any hesitation.

Zhou Qize looked young, but he was very mature.

After Xue Ci sat down, Zhou Qize first treated him to black tea and biscuits, then told him not to worry and said he would contact his classmates in the provincial capital to help look for the man.

Before Xue Ci left, Zhou Qize also pressed a box of teddy bear biscuits into his hands.

With that done, Xue Ci settled down at home to wait for the plot to unfold.

That night, however, just as he was about to find a change of clothes and take a bath, he felt someone forcibly pull the window open.

Thinking it was a thief, Xue Ci backed away behind the wardrobe in fright, only to freeze when he saw who climbed through the window-

How could it be...

Stunned, he called out instinctively, "Husband?"

The person facing him had his brows tightly furrowed. He was panting as though he had run all the way here, half his face smeared with blood and his clothes badly torn.

Why did Zhao Ying come back early? And how did he get so badly hurt?

Before Xue Ci had time to think further, he heard a jumble of footsteps outside.

Zhao Ying immediately fixed a wary gaze on the window.

Was someone trying to kill him?

Was someone afraid Zhao Ying would be acknowledged by his family and fight for the family fortune?

For the moment, that was the only possibility Xue Ci could think of. He immediately stepped forward, caught the other man's sleeve, and leaned close to whisper in his ear, "Hide first."

The warm breath tickled Lu Xiunan's ear, and he immediately pulled away.

He gave Xue Ci a complicated look, but the footsteps were drawing closer and closer, so he looked away and searched for a hiding place.

The wardrobe was the only place in the room where he could hide. Lu Xiunan nimbly slipped inside and closed it.

Darkness surrounded him. Holding his breath and concentrating, he watched the room intently through the crack that let in light.

All he could see was the young man's slender figure.

When some people were highly tense, their brains went into overdrive.

Lu Xiunan suddenly realized that a country bumpkin he didn't know had called him husband.

What the hell?

The footsteps gradually receded.

Lu Xiunan relaxed and took a deep breath, only then noticing that the entire wardrobe smelled lovely.

It wasn't a strong fragrance, just a faint scent, as though it came naturally from someone's body.

He was long-limbed and curled up inside, and the tip of his nose accidentally brushed against something.

It smelled wonderful.

Finding it in the way, he reached out and hooked it down, just as the wardrobe was opened from outside.

Light streamed in. He looked down and finally saw what the little bundle of fabric in his hand was.

Author's note:

Baby is about to mistake someone else for his husband.

Far away in the hospital, Carpenter Bro is about to be cheated on before he's gotten a single bite.