The Missing Husband Returns (11)

The door was already bolted, and the other husband outside hadn't knocked either.

It seemed he had understood his lip movements.

Even so, Xue Ci's anxious heart hadn't settled much.

He couldn't think about so many things at once, especially when his real husband was still so excited about their reunion that he kept telling him how much he had missed him.

He needed to give him some of his attention.

"I was in a car accident and spent a long time in the hospital. The doctors wouldn't let me leave. I missed you every day."

After a brush with death, the words he had once found difficult to say came easily. How could a simple "I missed you" possibly sum up how much he had missed his wife all those days?

Zhao Ying felt he had recovered so quickly only because Xue Ci was waiting for him at home-because if he didn't come back, Xue Ci wouldn't take good care of himself.

"Mm... I, I missed you too..." Xue Ci still sounded guilty. When he thought about how he had mistaken someone else for his husband all this time, he felt as though he had done something wrong.

His eyelashes were lowered and trembling constantly. When he thought of the promises he had made to his fake husband, his cheeks burned, and he bit his lower lip in shame.

The corners of his eyes and his cheeks flushed red.

Zhao Ying noticed that Xue Ci looked a little uncomfortable, but he didn't think of anything like that. Still less did he realize that a man who had spent every day with his wife and nearly taken his place was standing outside the door.

He thought Xue Ci was feeling unwell and touched his forehead with his palm.

It wasn't hot.

Xue Ci's body temperature ran low, making his palm feel even hotter by comparison.

It wasn't just his palm. His whole body had started to sweat.

"You feel a little hot..." Xue Ci said softly.

The fake husband had replaced the light in the room with a brighter incandescent bulb. Xue Ci could easily tell that Zhao Ying's face was abnormally hot. He was probably sick.

"I'll find you some medicine. You just got out of the hospital, so don't get sick again." Xue Ci held the man's arm and helped him back to the bedroom to rest.

Zhao Ying had taken the last bus back to town. By the time he arrived, it was already dark and hardly anyone was around. He had walked the remaining dozens of li home in the dark.

After the long journey and hardly any sleep the night before, he now had a slight fever.

But a minor illness like this was nothing to Zhao Ying. He hadn't even noticed it himself.

"It's nothing."

The man saw some unwashed clothes by the bedroom door and bent down to pick up the basin.

Xue Ci was startled.

"N-no need..."

To wash the clothes, he would have to open the door and go outside, but he couldn't be sure whether the fake husband had left.

He couldn't let Zhao Ying see him.

Xue Ci clung tightly to the man's arm, nearly half his body pressed against him.

In a soft, gentle voice, he pleaded, "Get some rest first..."

"I missed you so much, husband. I want to sleep in your arms right now."

His little wife's initiative made Zhao Ying's entire body go stiff and tingle. A layer of hot sweat broke out on his back.

He felt as though his fever had gotten worse, and a fierce fire had gathered in his lower abdomen.

Xue Ci really knew how to act spoiled.

From the upturned corners of his eyes to his soft lips, pressed together in a pretty curve.

Zhao Ying swallowed unconsciously. He didn't dare look at his pretty little wife. He was sure there was desire in his eyes right now, or why else would he be thinking about licking him all over?

Putting away his filthy thoughts, Zhao Ying swallowed unconsciously and said in a hoarse voice, "...Okay."

After entering the bedroom, Zhao Ying looked up. "Did you change the light?"

"Mm... It was a little dim, so I got someone to change it." Xue Ci gave a vague answer. Afraid Zhao Ying would notice anything else amiss, he urged him, "Husband, you really need to rest. Hurry and lie down. I'll get your medicine."

The thin blanket on the bed was rumpled, but clean. A faint, sweet scent lingered around it.

Zhao Ying had been traveling all day and was covered in dust. Looking at the spotless Xue Ci, he couldn't bring himself to get straight into bed.

"I can sleep on the floor."

Xue Ci already felt guilty about mistaking someone else for his husband. On top of that, Zhao Ying was sick after a tiring day. His face fell, and he said seriously, "No, you can't. If you don't sleep in the bed, I'll... I'll..."

He was like a fierce little kitten trying to scare someone, but with so little experience that it didn't know how to scratch after stretching out its paw. The paw hung in midair, exposing its soft, pink pads instead.

Looking at his little wife, who seemed a little dazed and embarrassed, Zhao Ying naturally supplied the rest. "I'll sleep in the bed, but I'm covered in dust. I need to bathe."

It wasn't an unreasonable request.

But bathing with a low fever might make him worse.

Xue Ci said, "Why don't you wipe yourself down with hot water and bathe after your fever goes away?"

Zhao Ying nodded. "I'll go heat some water."

"No, no, just stay in the bedroom and rest."

Xue Ci heated some water in the main room, then brought a towel and a change of clothes, running back and forth with particular enthusiasm the whole time.

Zhao Ying's heart warmed.

But when Xue Ci offered to help wash his back, he hesitated for a few seconds before refusing, the tips of his ears burning.

While Zhao Ying was washing up in the small room beside the kitchen, Xue Ci took the opportunity to open the front door and sneak a look outside.

There was no one at the door.

Xue Ci immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Perhaps he had gone to A Hui's house, or perhaps he had left altogether. Either way, Xue Ci should be able to keep it hidden tonight.

Xue Ci didn't even know what he had done wrong. Why had someone who looked exactly like the protagonist appeared in this world and also gotten into a car accident?

Zhao Ying had been talking to him nonstop earlier, leaving him no attention to spare. Only now did he have time to ask 11 what was going on.

[Host, you've triggered a hidden plot!]

Xue Ci froze for a moment. He remembered that 11 had mentioned the term when they had first been bound.

Some worlds had been inactive for too long, leaving their information incomplete. Hosts could trigger hidden plots while doing their missions. Hidden plots also came with a large number of missions, putting a host's ability to adapt to the test.

11 reminded him, [Do you remember the information saying that the protagonist has a younger brother?]

Xue Ci nodded.

But the protagonist's younger brother wasn't an important character. He didn't even have a name.

Could it be...

Realization dawned on Xue Ci, and he asked in disbelief, [Are you saying that fake husband... is the protagonist's twin?!]

11 applauded. [Host, you're so clever! That's all the hidden plot has revealed so far-Lu Xiunan is the protagonist's younger twin brother. He's a businessman with the typical character setting of a sharp-tongued elite. Someone set him up during a motorcycle race, causing him to get into an accident and end up stranded in the countryside.]

Only then did Xue Ci realize it.

Thinking back now, there were indeed some details he had overlooked.

For instance, Lu Xiunan was fairer than the protagonist, didn't have the red strip of cloth Xue Ci had given him around his wrist, and was more particular about his clothes.

Because they weren't the same person.

Xue Ci pressed his lips together.

He hadn't known such a coincidence would happen either.

Sitting in the chair, he noticed something strange.

Xue Ci slowly knitted his brows.

[But why did Lu Xiunan pretend to be my husband?]

11 hesitated for a moment, then said quietly, [Host, I think he might be a fragment of that invading virus. There are several fragments in this world, and he might be the sickest one.]

After all, whenever Lu Xiunan acted like a pervert, it would lose contact with the host for a while.

Xue Ci froze, pressing his lips tightly together.

Thinking of the intimate things Lu Xiunan had proposed, his skin immediately flushed pink with embarrassment.

His light-colored eyes grew damp with annoyance.

He, he's come to pester me again...

11 immediately comforted him. [Host, I set up a protective charm for you. He can't hurt you.]

Xue Ci had a vague feeling that the fragment wouldn't do anything to hurt him.

But he would do perverted things that embarrassed him.

[Still, he's restricted by his role in this small world, so he'll only act in ways that fit his character setting. Lu Xiunan is very proud and strong-willed. As long as you tell him yourself that you mistook him for your husband, he probably won't keep pestering you.]

Xue Ci nodded, a little worried.

Besides explaining everything to Lu Xiunan, he also had to keep it from his real husband.

While Zhao Ying was still inside, Xue Ci ran into the bedroom and gathered up Lu Xiunan's clothes, the money he had given him, and the card, hiding them all at the bottom of the wardrobe.

It felt strange, hiding another man's things behind his husband's back.

As though he really had done something to wrong his husband.

Xue Ci hurriedly finished hiding the things and came out just as Zhao Ying finished washing.

To keep Zhao Ying from noticing any traces of another man having lived in the house, Xue Ci stayed glued to him the whole time, holding tightly to his arm and urging him now and then to hurry to bed.

Zhao Ying's nose was filled with Xue Ci's scent. His body was as stiff as iron, and his face was bright red.

His face wasn't the only thing that was flushed and swollen.

The man obediently took his medicine and got into bed, feeling somewhat ill at ease. After a certain soft, white bundle lifted the thin blanket and burrowed into his arms, his expression grew even more awkward. He didn't know where to put his hands or feet. His eyes wandered for a long time before finally settling on that snow-white neck, the only place he dared look.

So soft... and he smells so good.

It was Zhao Ying's first time being pressed this close to Xue Ci. Hot sweat broke out on his back, and veins bulged at his temples and along his arms.

His breathing gradually grew heavier.

Xue Ci's earlobe felt uncomfortably hot, and he gave a soft hum.

He turned over, his pink fingers clutching the man's clothes as he buried his little face against his chest.

"X-Xiao Ci..." Zhao Ying's voice was terribly hoarse as he said awkwardly, "Maybe I should sleep on the floor after all..."

"No..." Xue Ci's voice was clearly drowsy.

Zhao Ying was troubled. Holding back was difficult, and he was afraid of frightening Xue Ci. He said nothing more and moved a little farther away. Before long, he heard Xue Ci's faint, even breathing.

The curtains hadn't been drawn, and moonlight streamed in.

Xue Ci slept curled up in his arms like an unsuspecting little animal.

The feeling of being relied on made Zhao Ying especially captivated.

Even the most honest man had moments of desire.

Moonlight covered Xue Ci like a thin veil.

The honest man wasn't sleepy in the slightest. His eyes were fixed on Xue Ci, roaming over every inch of his skin.

Finally, they settled on his lips.

They looked so soft.

Zhao Ying thought of the dirty talk he had heard some young men from the village exchanging while he was doing carpentry.

"My hands are covered in calluses from all this work."

"Why does a man need such soft, delicate skin? Besides, what's wrong with having calluses on your hands? You can rub your wife and make her feel really good."

Rub him... would it feel good?

Xue Ci's skin was so tender it seemed water would come out if pinched. A little force was enough to leave red marks on him.

They were married. Would Xue Ci be willing to let him rub him?

Zhao Ying swallowed, ashamed of his filthy thoughts.

But when his gaze fell on Xue Ci, he couldn't help thinking about it again.

Zhao Ying's heart pounded. By the time he came to his senses, the pad of his finger was already pressed against Xue Ci's lips.

They're really... so soft.

Although he was Xue Ci's legally married husband, he was still sneaking around as he did this. The man hunched his broad back, his spine taut. His knuckles were thickly callused, and after rubbing them back and forth two or three times, not even daring to use any force, the small center of Xue Ci's lip swelled from the sensitive contact.

As if feeling uncomfortable, Xue Ci gave an unconscious, soft hum. A warm, moist fragrance escaped his lips, which had parted slightly because the man had pressed too hard.

Zhao Ying's eyelid twitched violently.

His heart thumped against his chest, and even his eardrums felt hot.

His heart was beating so hard that he was afraid it would wake Xue Ci.

Even so, he still couldn't bear to move his finger away from Xue Ci's lips. His body was rigid, and he didn't dare move.

The overly rough knuckles made his little wife sense danger.

His eyes remained tightly closed. Occasionally, he hummed through his nose and kicked at the sheets, his feet stretching straight and his toes pressing together.

But in the end, sleepiness won.

If he had woken at that moment and met the man's eyes, he probably would have been frightened. That obsessed gaze looked as though it had already licked him all over.

Xue Ci had things on his mind and didn't sleep very soundly.

When he opened his eyes, it was just beginning to get light. A burning-hot body was still pressed against his waist, and a strong arm lay across his lower back.

He hadn't been very comfortable all night. Xue Ci called softly, "...Husband?"

The person behind him didn't answer. Judging by his breathing, he was fast asleep.

Xue Ci carefully moved Zhao Ying's hand away and got out of bed as quietly as he could.

He looked back and touched the man's forehead.

His fever had gone down.

Before Zhao Ying woke up, Xue Ci decided to take Lu Xiunan's things to A Hui's house. If Lu Xiunan happened to be there, he would explain that he had mistaken him for his husband. If he wasn't, he would leave the things at A Hui's house for the time being.

As for A Hui finding out about it... so be it. He probably wouldn't say anything, and Xue Ci trusted him.

The things were already packed at the bottom of the wardrobe.

Zhao Ying usually woke up very early. Afraid of waking him, Xue Ci glanced back from time to time. He usually bit his lower lip when he was nervous, but today his lips were swollen and numb.

Xue Ci didn't dare bite them again and drew a soft breath.

If he had looked in a mirror just then, he would have noticed that his lips were a vivid red, as though someone had held them in his mouth and sucked on them for a long time, or lewdly rubbed them back and forth with a fingertip.

Unfortunately, his little wife was too slow to notice and had never suspected the person sleeping beside him.

Xue Ci had just gathered the packed belongings into his arms when a sound came from the window.

He had barely turned around when a shadow pressed toward him.

Seeing the agitated look on Lu Xiunan's face, Xue Ci jumped and backed away. But a solid wardrobe stood behind him, trapping him firmly in the corner.

Xue Ci went pale. Once he recovered, he immediately glanced toward the bed.

His voice trembled with nerves. "Y-you... go outside first."

"What are you afraid of?" Lu Xiunan's eyes were bloodshot, and he clearly hadn't slept all night. His hair was disheveled, his shirt collar was rumpled, and a button was missing. He looked nothing like his usually fastidious self. He seemed to have stopped caring about his appearance. After staying up all night and turning every possible thought over in his head, he finally couldn't hold back and came to see Xue Ci.

Only to find Xue Ci curled up in another man's arms.

Lu Xiunan was nearly driven mad with jealousy. "Afraid I'll kiss you in front of your husband?"

Xue Ci's eyes widened. His arms trembled around the things he was holding, and his waist and slender legs were shaking too. It was hard to tell whether he couldn't bear the weight or had been frightened by the man's words.

"D-don't be like this..."

He licked his sore, swollen lips. Afraid of waking his husband, he spoke in a pitiful whisper that was barely audible. "Don't talk about it here..."

Lu Xiunan's gaze fell on the things in his arms. As though realizing something, he curved his lips into an unsettling smile. "Are you going to throw my things away?"

His voice was low and hoarse. Xue Ci struggled to free one hand, then grabbed his clothes with pale pink fingers and mouthed, Let's talk outside.

Before coming here, Lu Xiunan had thought he would never again let himself be so bewitched by Song Xueci that a glance or a few mouthed words could send him away. But now, it seemed last night's scene was playing out all over again.

With a cold expression, he followed obediently behind Xue Ci like a vicious dog on a leash.

Once they were out of the bedroom, Xue Ci breathed a little easier. After calming down, he packed the things into a bag and set it on the table. "You look just like my husband. I mistook you for him."

A thick, impenetrable fog seemed to cloud Lu Xiunan's dark eyes. "So? Are you really going to dump me? Or do you want me to be your secret lover?"

What...

Xue Ci looked a little bewildered. Ignoring the last few words, he said, "So let's pretend we don't know each other and nothing ever happened."

Lu Xiunan's expression grew colder than before.

Song Xueci had dumped him outright, without even mentioning the possibility of a secret lover.

"You're cutting all ties with me without even asking my name." Lu Xiunan's tone was subdued, and his expression was even more frightening. He had thought he would walk away without a backward glance after saying that.

But instead, his heart ached as though someone had gripped it in a fist, as though he had been used, then viciously thrown to the ground and trampled.

His eyelids twitched as he lowered his voice, sounding like a jealous husband driven mad with envy and utterly devoid of manners. "Then what were we these past few days? Do you know how many times you called me husband? Didn't you say he used to sleep on the floor? Why was he in the bed, holding you in his arms? Your lips are so red. Did you let him kiss you?"

"What about the rest? Did you give him that too?"

The barrage of questions overwhelmed Xue Ci. "I really did mistake you for someone else..."

After a moment's thought, he took the opportunity to get him to acknowledge his relative. "You look alike. Are you related?"

To his surprise, the other man answered at once, "He's my older brother. We're twins."

So they've already acknowledged each other... Xue Ci put on a shocked expression, but inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief.

He pressed his lips together awkwardly and tried to smooth things over. "Then... I suppose that makes us family."

Lu Xiunan sneered. "That's right, sister-in-law."

He spat out the last two words with emphasis.

The atmosphere grew awkward, and Xue Ci was afraid his real husband would wake up if they kept arguing.

He put the things on the table and urged him, "Remember to take these. Don't tell my husband about what happened before."

After a moment's thought, he added another sentence, hoping the other man would understand. "I love my husband very much."

Hearing Xue Ci call someone else his husband and say he loved him so much drove Lu Xiunan mad with jealousy. "You want me to pretend nothing happened? Impossible!"

"Song Xueci, I've had your lips and your chest in my mouth, and you want me to pretend nothing happened? Dream on."

"Y-you..." Xue Ci's eyes widened. When he realized what Lu Xiunan meant, his slow-to-react face flushed pink with embarrassment. "When...?"

There was not a trace of shame on Lu Xiunan's face. He seemed to have completely thrown caution to the wind, unafraid that Xue Ci would hate him. Song Xueci had already cast him aside anyway.

He had already shown Song Xueci his body, too. It was worthless now.

"I kissed you while you were asleep."

"Your mouth smelled so good, and so did your saliva. Whenever I licked inside your mouth, I sucked up so much of it."

"I sucked that place until it swelled up too, all puffy."

"You even made little noises and talked in your sleep, pressing your fingers against me."

"After doing all that, how are you still going to dump me?"

W-what...

Xue Ci's face was vivid with anger, and his eyes grew misty with tears of embarrassment.

He was even more alluring than usual.

11 was desperately trying to block out Lu Xiunan's voice, only to be dragged straight into the little black room. It saw Lu Xiunan lean close to its host, his lips moving.

It could only vaguely make out words like "swelled up" and "flowed out."

The next second, it saw its host kick the other man, both angry and embarrassed.

The kick didn't hurt, but the thought that Xue Ci had reconciled with his husband and didn't like him at all made Lu Xiunan's heart ache in spasms.

It was as though a piece had been hollowed out of him. The gap Xue Ci had once filled had dried up, leaving nothing but emptiness.

Fine.

Song Xueci had dumped him completely.

Xue Ci finally sent Lu Xiunan away. At least he wouldn't see him again before the protagonist took him to the provincial capital.

When he went into the bedroom, Zhao Ying had just woken up.

Seeing that Xue Ci was already awake, he quickly got out of bed. "Are you hungry? I'll go make breakfast."

After a breakfast that suited his taste, Xue Ci was in a much better mood.

Zhao Ying actually still had plenty to do: the unfinished work for Factory Director Zhou, the house being renovated, the cornfield that needed weeding... But after so many days apart, Xue Ci was very dependent on him and followed him everywhere.

It was hot, and Zhao Ying didn't want Xue Ci exposed to the sun, so he decided to wait until evening, when the temperature dropped, to do those things.

Some of his woodcarving tools were still in the cabinet. He took them out and carved a puppy for Xue Ci while telling him about the car accident and how the Lu family had acknowledged him as one of their own.

It seemed the plot had corrected itself in time. Xue Ci asked, "So are you going to live in the city?"

"The paternity test results aren't back yet, so we can't be sure I'm a Lu." Zhao Ying looked at his delicate, innocent little wife. "Do you want to live in the city?"

Xue Ci thought about it. "I'll go wherever you go."

Zhao Ying's stolid expression softened as the brilliant evening light stretched their two shadows long.

The sun set just as he finished carving the puppy.

The temperature was just right.

"It still has splinters, and it needs a coat of varnish." Seeing Xue Ci reach for the puppy, Zhao Ying stopped him in time. After reminding him, he picked up a coat and some water for Xue Ci. "Let's go see Factory Director Zhou."

Just then, however, a task was suddenly issued-

[Take the initiative to be intimate with your husband.]

[Time limit: ten minutes. Reward: 200 points.]

Xue Ci's eyes lit up when he saw the reward.

The points were generous this time.

"Wait..." Xue Ci stopped the man as he was pouring cooled boiled water into a cup. "I-I'm a little thirsty now."

Zhao Ying stopped and held out the cup.

Xue Ci didn't take it, trying hard to think of a way to be intimate with him.

His eyes darted around, and then he said quietly, "Can I sit on your lap while I drink? The chair is so hard."

Zhao Ying froze.

But he simply couldn't refuse his little wife's request.

The man's body was especially stiff, and his face flushed red as he let his little wife sit on his lap.

Zhao Ying's muscles were more comfortable than the chair when he relaxed them. Xue Ci sat without a care and took a few perfunctory sips of water before hearing the task completion notification.

Satisfied, Xue Ci was just about to get off the man's lap when the chest behind him rumbled. "...Xiao Ci."

Xue Ci turned his face, accidentally brushing his cheek against Zhao Ying's chin.

He felt the man stiffen and thought he didn't want to sit like this. But the next second, he heard his usually simple and honest husband ask in a low, hoarse voice.

"Xiao Ci, can I kiss you?"

Author's note:

Next, Lu the dog will probably watch Xue Ci and his real husband do all sorts of things... while raging helplessly.