The Missing Husband Returned (13)

This was not the first time Xue Ci had been kissed, but Zhao Ying's kiss had the ferocity and roughness unique to a rugged country man.

His hands were rough, and so was his tongue.

The inside of Xue Ci's mouth grew sore and numb from the friction.

He couldn't push Zhao Ying away, and trying only made the man more excited.

The room echoed with intimate wet sounds and the man's swallowing.

Xue Ci grew lightheaded from the kiss and suffered quite a bit, but the man seemed addicted to kissing him and went on without end.

During a pause for breath, he finally had a chance to stop him. "No, we can't kiss anymore..."

His attitude was firm, but his voice was weak and soft.

Zhao Ying let him go, only then beginning to regret it-

What had he done to Xue Ci... with that kiss?

His whole face was damp and flushed, his lips a vivid red, marked clearly with moisture and bites. The little bead of his upper lip had been sucked swollen and gleamed as if a rub of a finger could make juice squirt out.

His cheeks, originally whiter than eggshells, had been bumped into patches of pink and red.

The tip of his nose had been rubbed red and twitched slightly now and then.

He looked on the verge of tears.

Zhao Ying realized he had been bullying Xue Ci and immediately apologized. "Xiao Ci, I... I don't know why I was like that either. I'll definitely go slower next time, all right?"

There's going to be a next time...?

Xue Ci frowned pitifully.

Seeing that he was unhappy, Zhao Ying drew back a little and apologized over and over. He wasn't good at coaxing people with sweet words, and all he could do was repeat the same few things, like "Xiao Ci, don't be mad at me" and "I didn't mean to, but your mouth smells so good inside."

He said those strange things with a perfectly serious expression.

Xue Ci's face turned beet red. Even opening his mouth was still a little difficult, so he gave a muffled "Mm."

In his muddled head, the awareness he had left told him that Lu Xiunan should still be outside the window and that he had made the noise just now.

He was a bomb that could charge into the room at any moment.

He couldn't let his husband find out. If he did, they might get divorced ahead of time, and the plot would reach a point beyond saving.

Xue Ci tilted his face up slightly, and warm, fragrant breath accompanied his words. "I'm hungry. Get me some rice."

Xue Ci rarely used such a spoiled, willful tone, but Zhao Ying was delighted to indulge him. He carried him to the bed. "Rest first. I'll get your rice and bring it to you."

"..."

Was he going to feed him next?

He was a wife, not a child.

Xue Ci firmly refused. "Just serve it and sit down and wait for me. You don't need to bring it over."

Zhao Ying obeyed Xue Ci's every word, but he looked so pitiful with his face all messy that Zhao Ying wiped it clean for him before leaving the bedroom.

As soon as he was gone, Xue Ci went straight to the window.

There was no sign of Lu Xiunan. Perhaps he had been imagining things.

Xue Ci breathed a sigh of relief and carefully went to close the half-open window.

But the moment his fingers touched the frame, a figure appeared, and in the next second, something sticky and scorching licked his fingers.

Xue Ci was so startled that he forgot to pull his hand back, and Lu Xiunan straightened up.

They were very close, but fortunately, a window separated them.

When Xue Ci came to his senses, he looked at him in disbelief, then forcefully shut the window and fastened the latch.

He was actually very afraid that Lu Xiunan would make a sound, but the man never spoke, merely fixing his gaze on Xue Ci's mouth.

With such a jealous expression and an inscrutable look in his eyes, it was clear what he wanted to convey even without a word.

Xue Ci felt very uncomfortable. Frowning, he drew the curtains.

He ran out of the bedroom, washed his hands, and sat down at the table in the main room. He waited anxiously for half a minute and only relaxed completely after making sure there was no more noise outside.

His gaze shifted to the dining table.

Zhao Ying had already served the rice and had steamed two small sweet potatoes with it today.

The sweet potatoes in this era were especially fragrant and sweet. Xue Ci had praised them endlessly after trying them once, and ever since then, Zhao Ying had washed a few and steamed them on top of the rice every few days.

The fragrance of rice mingled with that of sweet potatoes, and Xue Ci would eat a little more as a result.

After peeling the sweet potatoes, Zhao Ying put them in Xue Ci's bowl. "We'll plant these after we harvest the corn."

According to the plot, they had planted their corn late, and it would ripen around the end of October.

That was exactly when he would accept the Lu family's check and sign the divorce agreement.

Xue Ci looked up to find Zhao Ying watching him expectantly.

Though he knew it was impossible, he didn't dampen Zhao Ying's enthusiasm and quietly said, "Okay."

He picked up a large piece of sweet potato with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth. After eating both potatoes, he was already full.

Zhao Ying understood what was going on from Xue Ci's expression. He took his bowl and tipped all the remaining rice into his own large porcelain bowl.

They had kept up this habit since the first day they registered their marriage.

"Eat a little more next time."

Though he knew how much Xue Ci could eat, Zhao Ying still reminded him.

When he had held him in his arms earlier, he could feel how slender and fragile Xue Ci was. It made him feel incapable of taking good care of his wife.

Since Xue Ci had married him, the least he could do was make sure he had enough to eat and warm clothes to wear.

Zhao Ying ate quickly, finishing his rice in two or three mouthfuls before starting to clear the table. Xue Ci wanted to help, but he stopped him. "I can do these things."

His wife was naturally fair and tender, and his palms were even softer and smoother. He shouldn't be doing these things.

"Are you afraid I'll break a bowl?"

Xue Ci had a reason for asking: he had done it before. Around the second day after they registered their marriage, before Zhao Ying had moved in, they had eaten lunch together. He hadn't been much help, so he had helped clear the dishes afterward, only to accidentally break a bowl. Zhao Ying had stopped him just as he was about to pick up the pieces.

Zhao Ying had looked especially nervous at the time.

"No," Zhao Ying muttered.

Xue Ci couldn't think of any other reason he wouldn't let him work.

Zhao Ying said nothing more. He quickly gathered the dishes and put them in the kitchen, then applied a coat of varnish to the little dog he had carved that evening, telling Xue Ci to wait until it dried before touching it.

Xue Ci watched the little wooden dog with great interest. The corners of Zhao Ying's mouth lifted, and he turned and went back to the bedroom to count their savings.

Some would go toward the hospital bill, and some toward paying the renovation crew.

Very little would be left, not even enough to pay off Xue Ci's debt.

But Xue Ci hadn't mentioned it, so the debt collectors probably hadn't come by during this time.

Zhao Ying put the money away.

He had thought that as long as he and Xue Ci lived a stable life together, earning enough to get by would be fine. But after returning this time, he had noticed quite a few expensive things in the house.

The refrigerator that took up nearly half the kitchen, the ice cream in English packaging inside it, and the well-made clothes and dolls in the corner of the wardrobe.

They had all been given to Xue Ci by others while he was away.

Xue Ci had many suitors, even with him as his husband by his side. But as long as he was incapable, that wouldn't stop them from pursuing Xue Ci.

If one day Xue Ci felt that life with him was too hard and divorced him outright, he would understand.

Zhao Ying lowered his head in shame.

But... he didn't want to accept that ending.

He loved his wife very much.

So having only this little money and no ambition in his heart was far from enough.

That night, Zhao Ying slept on a makeshift bed on the floor. Xue Ci worried that sleeping on the floor so soon after leaving the hospital would be bad for his health and asked him to sleep in the bed.

The man said awkwardly that his body was hot and he was afraid of burning him.

Xue Ci nodded thoughtfully.

But the fragments' voices sounded in his head.

[I think it's that part of him that's hot.]

[Baby, why did you let him kiss you? You've never even kissed me of your own accord.]

[Baby, could you stop muting me? Otherwise, I could have told you sooner that those two are twins.]

[Does that Lu guy have no shame? He even wants to be the third party?]

So noisy...

Although he could learn some hidden plot details from the fragments, he also had to listen to them quarrel with one another and say strange things.

Released from the little black room, 11 sobbed and poured out its grievances to Xue Ci: [Host, they're so strong, and my system level is too low to beat them. Muting them doesn't work anymore, boo-hoo-hoo (╥﹏╥)]

To tame the strong, sometimes great force wasn't necessary.

Perhaps all it took was to make them fall in love with you and become completely love-brained.

Xue Ci licked his uncomfortable lips. "I'm going to sleep."

The fragments immediately fell silent.

A few seconds later.

They fawned: [Good night, baby.]

Xue Ci wasn't sleeping very deeply. Half awake, he felt a kiss on his cheek, but he was too sleepy to open his eyes and only mumbled a few words that even he couldn't remember.

His cheek was kissed again.

Then he felt the other person straighten the thin blanket and wrap it around his stomach.

The presence was familiar. Xue Ci kept his eyes closed and slept peacefully.

By the time he woke fully, the sun was high in the sky. Zhao Ying had already put away his bedding, and a note he had written lay on the table: [Gone to the provincial capital hospital to pay the bill. Back this afternoon. The food is keeping warm in the pot. Remember to eat when you wake up.]

The man could make lifelike wood carvings, but he was especially clumsy with a pen.

It took Xue Ci quite a while to make out every word.

The weather had turned cooler in September, and a gentle breeze brushed his face.

Business at the factory had recently entered its slow season, and with everyone busy with the autumn harvest, Zhou Qize had given some of the workers two extra days off and taken some time for himself as well.

When he arrived at Xue Ci's door, Xue Ci was watering the flowers with a homemade watering can. Sunlight refracted through the mist in rainbow colors, and his face took on a hazy, ethereal beauty.

Zhou Qize stared, transfixed for a moment. When he came to his senses, he immediately looked away and deliberately coughed to make Xue Ci notice him.

Sure enough, Xue Ci heard the sound and looked up. "Are you here to see my husband? He's not home today. He went to the city."

He and Zhou Qize were about the same age, though Zhou Qize looked more mature, so he didn't need to call him ge.

When Zhou Qize heard that, he thought it was just as well that Zhao Ying wasn't home. He could stay a little longer.

"I came to see you. I said I'd bring you some books last time, and I happened to have time today." Zhou Qize had brought university textbooks. The last time Xue Ci watched a movie at his house, he had mentioned dropping out of school, so Zhou Qize had brought them for him to look through, along with some magazines he had bought in the city.

Setting the books aside, he first carefully took a bowl of ice jelly out of another bag.

It had been made at his home that morning and was very fresh. It had been chilled in the refrigerator for a while, so it wasn't too cold and was more refreshing to eat.

The bowl for Xue Ci was covered with raisins, crushed hawthorn, and little cubes of watermelon.

That morning, Mother Zhou had seen him hastily take a bowl from the refrigerator and thought her son's tastes had changed. He had never liked eating such things before.

After presenting the ice jelly to Xue Ci as if offering a treasure, Zhou Qize pulled out a magazine. "Read while you eat. I'll water the flowers for you."

Zhou Qize reminded Xue Ci of an enthusiastic senior at university. His lips curved, and he sweetly thanked him.

The tall young man looked away, the tips of his ears slightly red, and immediately got up and went to the little garden by the door.

Though called a little garden, it was really just a small plot of reclaimed land. Every household had one; most grew some greens and scallions, while some plots had been left untended.

But Xue Ci didn't use his plot to grow vegetables. He had divided it into several regular shapes for planting flowers.

The petals were translucent and crystalline, folded over one another in layers, so full of sap that it seemed ready to spill out.

Just like the person who tended them.

Xue Ci was a quiet and patient person who would certainly take good care of the flowers he planted. He had even wiped clean the old, dirt-stained bamboo poles of the fence beside them and hung ribbon bows from them.

The last time they had gone to the market together, he remembered how Xue Ci had helped him carefully pick out potted plants, then patiently explained how to care for them.

The gentler someone was, the more easily they aroused possessiveness.

After watering the flowers, Zhou Qize went inside.

Xue Ci was so absorbed in the magazine that he had forgotten to eat the ice jelly. He held it up in his left hand while struggling to turn the pages with the other.

Zhou Qize chuckled inwardly, but at the same time felt a sharp pang of regret.

Why was someone so cute already married?

Was there still a chance he could get divorced?

At certain moments, he would have some immoral thoughts, especially when he was with Xue Ci.

But he soon convinced himself otherwise.

It wasn't immoral. He was merely attracted to Xue Ci and wanted to be friends with him; he didn't want to break up his family.

Xue Ci didn't notice Zhou Qize enter and turned another page.

"Is it good?" The corners of Zhou Qize's lips lifted. "I'll hold the ice jelly for you."

"It is."

Compared with the fragmented reading on modern phones, the short-story columns in magazines of this era were especially captivating.

Xue Ci read quietly while Zhou Qize sat across from him, quietly watching him. Neither seemed to grow tired of it.

Whether because of the afternoon heat or the warmth of his palm, the ice jelly soon lost its chill. Zhou Qize glanced at Xue Ci's lips and picked up the porcelain spoon.

"Are you still eating the ice jelly?"

Xue Ci gave a distracted "Mm" and reached out to take it, only to hear Zhou Qize suddenly add, "Do you want... me... me to feed you?"

The last word was very unclear, and Xue Ci didn't hear it. As he looked up, a familiar voice came from the doorway. "Xiao Ci."

Zhao Ying stood there, his feet still outside the door, a television in his arms.

Xue Ci's eyes lit up instantly. He got up and trotted over. "Did you buy a television?"

Zhou Qize froze.

More than worrying whether Zhao Ying had heard what he had just said, he worried that the television at his house would no longer hold any appeal for Xue Ci.

Then he wouldn't be able to find an excuse to spend time with him.

The ice jelly in his hand had completely lost its chill.

"I saw it when I went to the city, so I bought it. Don't you like watching movies?" Zhao Ying came in, set the television on the table for the moment, and greeted Zhou Qize.

Then he naturally reached out and patted Xue Ci on the head. "What do you want to watch this time? We can go buy some DVDs together."

"You're so good to me, honey."

Xue Ci's eyes curved into a smile.

Zhou Qize couldn't quite say how he felt. Xue Ci seemed very dependent on his husband, and Zhao Ying doted on his wife.

They were a harmonious, loving couple, but that only made him feel worse. Standing there, he felt especially out of place.

"Xue Ci, I've put the ice jelly here."

Zhou Qize spoke up. He didn't know why he had said anything. Perhaps he wanted to get Xue Ci's attention.

Hearing him, Xue Ci tugged on Zhao Ying's arm. "Oh, right, honey. Zhou Qize brought me some books."

Zhao Ying fixed his gaze on the bowl of ice jelly and the books spread open on the chair. Xue Ci might not have heard what the other man had just said, but he had heard it clearly.

Tension simmered beneath the surface in the confined space. Both men stood unusually straight, and after their eyes briefly met, Zhou Qize said, "I won't disturb you, then. I'll head back."

Xue Ci waved to him. "I'll return the magazines when I'm done reading them."

After he left.

"Do you still want the ice jelly?" Zhao Ying picked up the bowl. "There are too many raisins. How about we throw this one away?"

Xue Ci thought it was a bit of a waste. "Throw it away?"

Zhao Ying said, "If you want some, Xiao Ci, I'll make it tonight."

Hearing that, Xue Ci said nothing more.

Zhao Ying threw away the ice jelly, put away the books Zhou Qize had brought, and set up the television.

That night, Xue Ci watched television until late. By the end, he could barely keep his eyes open. He fought off his sleepiness to take a bath, then fell fast asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.

Zhao Ying didn't make a bed on the floor. He held Xue Ci from behind.

The honest man's eyes were full of possessiveness, his arm wrapped tightly around Xue Ci's waist.

Over the next few days, Zhao Ying became busy. Apparently, he had landed a big job with a renovation contractor he'd met in the provincial capital.

Afraid the carpentry work would disturb Xue Ci, he put up a simple shed nearby. Every day after finishing work, he went into the kitchen to cook. After dinner, he would go check the fields as the sun set, and finish the farm work before dark.

Xue Ci was well looked after and didn't have to do a thing. Every day, he lazed around in the bedroom reading.

There was just one matter that was hard on him.

His husband seemed to have a great appetite in a certain regard.

Although he hadn't asked him for anything so far, judging by how often he asked for kisses... Xue Ci's lips were swollen every day.

His husband, with his honest, rugged features, seemed quiet enough, but at night he would close the bedroom door and beg to know if he could eat his mouth.

Xue Ci huddled under the covers in distress, his voice muffled. "We already kissed yesterday..."

Xue Ci wasn't very forward about kissing. Zhao Ying felt guilty that he couldn't take good care of him. "Was something uncomfortable?"

Xue Ci thought for a moment. "You kissed too hard."

Zhao Ying immediately reflected on his behavior. "Then I'll be gentler, Xiao Ci."

But that's what you said yesterday, too.

Xue Ci crawled out from under the thin blanket. "I'm going to fold the clothes."

It was raining lightly that evening, and the clothes hadn't been folded yet after being brought in. Xue Ci put on his shoes and ran to the main room, where he sat in a chair and folded the clothes slowly, trying to stall for time.

Zhao Ying followed close behind. His hands were broad and he worked efficiently, finishing the few pieces of clothing in no time.

Xue Ci started looking for something else to do, but the house was in perfect order and didn't need him to do anything at all.

"Xiao Ci." Zhao Ying began looking at him expectantly, like a large dog that had gone without its master's affection.

Xue Ci pursed his lips and gave up resisting.

He urged him, "Hurry, hurry up."

On that overcast night of steady drizzle, the temperature in the brightly lit bedroom rose sharply.

Xue Ci was held in the man's arms, his chest heaving.

A rough, large hand supported his waist, while his pink-and-white, palm-sized face was covered in tearstains.

His lips had clearly been roughly crushed and sucked, the overtaxed flesh swollen, glistening and wet.

"Wife," the man called softly. The mushy terms of endearment he couldn't bring himself to say normally all came out at times like this.

"Wife, did that feel good this time?"

Xue Ci's eyes were still unfocused, and he gave a dazed "Mm."

The man looked gratified, but Xue Ci's pleasure hadn't been enough to satisfy him. He had only had a small taste, and he hadn't had enough of his tongue either.

I probably can't kiss his mouth anymore.

What about somewhere else?

Just as Xue Ci lay drowsily in the man's arms, a husky request came by his ear. Soon, an incredulous expression appeared on his rosy little face, and his feet tensed with shame.

The OOC alarm sounded.

He was a mild-mannered, honest wife, unable to refuse his husband's needs.

Xue Ci had no choice.

Just seeing an expression Xue Ci never showed normally was enough to leave Zhao Ying completely satisfied.

He stared at Xue Ci, unable to tire of looking at him from every angle.

As he stared, he began to grin foolishly.

Xue Ci: "..."

Xue Ci had been getting fed up with all the kissing, but seeing him like this now, he didn't know whether he should throw a little tantrum.

Sweaty all over, he pushed himself up. "I'm going to take a bath."

Zhao Ying immediately said, "I'll help you."

Xue Ci shook his head.

Zhao Ying opened his mouth but didn't dare say anything more. He immediately went to heat some water and put a bucket in the bathing room.

In the steamy room, Xue Ci's face was strikingly beautiful.

Zhao Ying had a few more thoughts he shouldn't have had, but quickly suppressed them. He carefully washed Xue Ci with a towel, then wrapped him in a blanket and carried him back to the bedroom.

It was still raining outside, and the air was a little cool. Zhao Ying's body was as hot as a red-hot piece of iron.

He dressed Xue Ci in a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, then crouched beside the bed like a big dog, carefully committing Xue Ci's features to memory bit by bit.

The man stared at Xue Ci without the slightest attempt to conceal it. His face burned, and he covered his head with the blanket.

Later, Zhao Ying lifted him up and gave him some water.

The patter of rain outside was like a lullaby, and Xue Ci soon fell asleep.

Zhao Ying was too excited to sleep, so he sat beside Xue Ci and worked on a wood carving.

His hands looked rough, with deep lines and old calluses, but his fingers were particularly strong as they deftly worked a carving knife over a fine piece of wood.

Wood shavings fell with a soft rustle.

The wood gradually took shape, revealing the figure of a young man.

Zhao Ying finished carving the outline of the face and held it up beside Xue Ci's face for comparison. He didn't seem entirely satisfied.

Late into the night, he got up and opened the wooden chest, placing the half-finished carving on top of the marriage certificate.

Three or four carvings were already resting on the certificate, all of the same person. The first was especially rough, but his technique had gradually improved with the later ones.

After locking the chest, Zhao Ying swept away the wood shavings, then went out to tidy the bathing room.

He had been hearing faint noises at night lately and thought there might be a stray cat, so he took a flashlight and checked all around the house.

Finally, he stopped near the bedroom.

Zhao Ying frowned deeply and crouched down.

In the steady drizzle, two footprints lay beside the window.

The footprints were deep, as though someone had stood there for a long time.

The next day, Xue Ci was woken by voices outside the door.

11: [Host, the Lu family has brought a paternity test to acknowledge their relative. Our progress bar has gone up!]

Xue Ci checked, and sure enough, the progress bar had risen to 65%.

He got up at once and went out to find several people sitting in the main room.

A well-preserved middle-aged couple looked over at him, and the woman said in delight, "Is this the family member you mentioned?"

Zhao Ying walked over, took Xue Ci's hand, and introduced him to everyone. "This is my spouse, Song Xueci. He's a little shy around strangers."

Xue Ci bit his lip lightly.

If the whole Lu family is here, then Lu Xiunan...

Noticing Xue Ci's nervousness, Zhao Ying reassured him. "Don't be afraid. I'm here."

He led Xue Ci into the main room and introduced him to the Lu family elders one by one.

"That's right, Xiao Ci, I also have a younger brother. We're twins."

Xue Ci lowered his eyes and gave an uneasy "Mm."

The next second.

He felt a gaze at his side that was impossible to ignore.

He looked up to see Lu Xiunan leaning against the side of the doorway.

Xue Ci's heart pounded, but he greeted him calmly. "...Hello, brother-in-law."

The shirt the man wore today was more elegant than usual, and there was no trace of how disheveled he had looked yesterday, standing by the window in the drizzle.

He stared at Xue Ci for a long time before slowly lifting his eyelids and walking over.

A faint, wicked smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, but his expression soon returned to normal.

As though they were meeting for the first time, he showed a touch of good manners.

"This is the first time I've met someone as beautiful as you, sister-in-law."

So beautiful that he wanted to pick him up and thrust into him hard enough to make him cry.

Author's note:

Countless little upstarts want to join this family.