The Missing Husband Returns (17)

The night was deep, branches swayed gently in the breeze, and thick clouds covered half the moon.

In the unlit courtyard, beneath a thin stream of water from the tap, the distinguished man with the cold expression was greedily sniffing a small piece of white cloth.

The scent was so sweet.

Lu Xiunan thought back to the first time he had met Xue Ci. He had been hiding in the wardrobe and had accidentally caught hold of this very thing.

Back then, he had never imagined he would become so deeply infatuated with Xue Ci.

But in his current situation, what did he have to compete with? Someone as shy as Xue Ci was willing to do those things with his husband, so he must have really liked him.

And there was no need to mention his brother, who looked utterly entranced and perfectly willing to be a dog.

Bitterness swept through him.

Lu Xiunan had never expected to end up like this-Xue Ci was sleeping in the house with his husband, while he washed Xue Ci's underwear outside.

Nothing had ever happened between him and Xue Ci.

Or rather, the only reason Xue Ci had anything to do with him was that his face looked exactly like Zhao Ying's.

His expression grew colder and colder.

Lu Xiunan's hands were covered in suds from the cheap laundry powder.

After washing Xue Ci's clothes and hanging them up to dry, he returned to his room and lay awake all night.

Giving up was impossible.

Standing aside without fighting for what he wanted had never been Lu Xiunan's style.

At five the next morning, it was still dark.

Zhao Ying woke according to his body clock. Beside him, Xue Ci was still asleep, his soft hair scattered across the pillow and his slender ankles peeking out from beneath the thin blanket.

He got up quietly and tucked the blanket around him. Then he gazed at his little wife's face and grinned foolishly for a while before placing a gentle kiss on his forehead.

After closing the door, Zhao Ying went to prepare breakfast. He steamed buns and sweet potatoes, stir-fried some pickled vegetables, and left portions for Xue Ci and Lu Xiunan in the pot to keep warm.

Once that was done, he planned to wash the bedsheet they had changed the night before and Xue Ci's clothes.

But the basin that had been under the table was empty.

Zhao Ying glanced into the courtyard and saw Xue Ci's clothes hanging up. He felt them and found they were already dry. It seemed Lu Xiunan had washed them the night before.

Zhao Ying thought it was a little strange that someone else had touched Xue Ci's clothes.

But Lu Xiunan had meant well.

Zhao Ying didn't think much of it and planned to bring it up tactfully when he returned at noon.

A few hours later, the sun was high in the sky.

When Xue Ci got up, he was still half asleep. As usual, he went to the washroom first to freshen up.

Fine, dense foam filled his mouth as he brushed his teeth slowly, talking to 11 at the same time.

[Why hasn't the protagonist been rejecting my attempts to get close lately, like he did in the original plot?]

11 had probably anticipated this result too and comforted his host: [...Host, our progress bar hasn't gone backward! Maybe the protagonist is at just the age to be thinking about these things.]

"..."

Was that so?

Xue Ci could tell the protagonist's characterization was a little off again this time.

Perhaps because they hadn't quarreled, the protagonist didn't dislike him and therefore didn't refuse the intimate acts he suggested.

Xue Ci thought he might need to deliberately pick a fight.

11: [How are you planning to pick a fight, dear host?]

Xue Ci couldn't think of anything for the moment.

The protagonist already took great care of him, handling all the housework and handing over every cent he earned.

He could be called a model husband.

11: [Based on our experience in the last world, the protagonist should get jealous and angry if you spend time with other men or praise them, host.]

[Once he's angry, you can use the chance to quarrel with him!]

Xue Ci's eyes lit up. [Xiao Qiu, you're so clever!]

Delighted by the praise, 11 excitedly bumped into Xue Ci's arms. But before it could act cute and roll around, it was pulled into the little black room.

Damn it, damn it! It was getting locked in the little black room more and more often!

Before Xue Ci could react, something bumped gently against his shoulder.

He turned to look.

Lu Xiunan was holding a toothbrush cup, his face gloomy and his brows drawn with irritation. He didn't look easy to deal with.

Xue Ci silently edged to the other side, afraid of provoking him and becoming his outlet for anger.

Unfortunately, the washroom was too small, and the man had broad shoulders and long arms, so they kept brushing against each other as they brushed their teeth.

Xue Ci sped up a little, wiped the water from his face, and prepared to leave.

But Lu Xiunan was blocking the doorway completely.

Xue Ci parted his lips, but before he could say anything, the other man suddenly said, "Your lips have practically been kissed raw."

Wh-what...

Xue Ci's eyes widened and rounded as he looked up at him with an innocent expression.

Lu Xiunan asked, "Don't your lips hurt from all that kissing?"

"A little."

Only after answering instinctively did Xue Ci realize he didn't have to tell him something like that.

He frowned slightly, holding back his embarrassment and annoyance, and asked in a somewhat displeased tone, "What are you trying to say?"

"I don't know who started it." Lu Xiunan's tone was low, his gaze fixed firmly on Xue Ci's lips. "But once it's started, no man will stop halfway."

Xue Ci was a little confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean-" Lu Xiunan leaned down and caught the fresh scent of mint on Xue Ci's lips. He took a deep breath without showing it. "Your husband will keep asking you for it over the next few days."

As though he had finally understood, Xue Ci's shoulders gave a small tremble. He tried to look calm, but his pinkening skin gave him away.

"Once you say you're willing to let him, he'll keep asking for it without end. He'll even want more and pester you all night. In short, your lips are going to suffer for the next few days."

Xue Ci: "..."

Those words were clearly meant to gloat, yet Lu Xiunan looked even more unhappy than he did.

Xue Ci pursed his lips and tried to salvage the protagonist's image. "My husband wouldn't do that."

"Is that so?"

Lu Xiunan's lips curved in something between a smile and a smirk. He stared at his face for a few seconds before looking away, finally saying nothing more.

Xue Ci soon forgot about the baffling conversation.

Over the next few days, however, Lu Xiunan's words did indeed come true.

Zhao Ying came home early every day. He acted perfectly normal while eating and bathing, but once they returned to the bedroom and were alone, he would keep staring at Xue Ci's lips, saying he wanted to kiss him and asking whether they could kiss a little longer.

The dark-skinned, rough man was addicted to it. He thought even his wife's saliva was fragrant, and if he didn't taste it for a day, he had no strength to work.

He pestered Xue Ci every night.

Constrained by his character setting, Xue Ci couldn't very well refuse. When he truly couldn't bear the kissing anymore, he pushed his palms against the man's chest.

Unfortunately, the man only let him go once his fingers had been rubbed red.

Wet, intimate sounds echoed throughout the room. Sometimes Xue Ci would make an excuse to get water in the main room and wouldn't let Zhao Ying follow.

But every time he went out, he ran into Lu Xiunan.

The other man made no attempt to conceal his gaze, which roamed almost exclusively between Xue Ci's slightly swollen lips, his cheeks, wet and red from being jostled, and his slender calves.

He would also corner him while he was pouring water.

His tone was nasty and full of jealousy.

"He kissed you until your legs could barely hold you up."

"Did you let him kiss you there too? He's kissed you pink all over."

"He really can hold himself back, letting you come out at a time like this."

Xue Ci had no strength to argue with him and licked his uncomfortable lips.

When he received no answer, Lu Xiunan was rather upset. "You don't want to talk to me?"

Xue Ci shot him an annoyed glare. "My mouth is sore. I don't want to talk."

Having just been kissed, Xue Ci had a misty haze in his light-colored eyes, and a rich, heady fragrance filled the air as he parted his lips to breathe.

Every day, Lu Xiunan watched the person he liked get kissed like this by his husband. He couldn't do anything, yet he stayed here as if torturing himself.

Lu Xiunan trapped him in the corner and leaned down, bringing the tip of his nose close. "You smell so good. Kissing you must feel incredible."

The strange words made Xue Ci's already trembling waist jerk back. He pushed the other man away with his arm, but then a weight settled on his shoulder-

Lu Xiunan leaned his head over, his nose pressed against Xue Ci's collarbone, and said, word by word:

"I really want to kiss you too."

After saying that, he turned his head and leaned toward Xue Ci's cheek.

Startled, Xue Ci pushed him away and ran back to the bedroom on unsteady legs, not even stopping to drink the water.

He had escaped Lu Xiunan, but his husband was still waiting in the bedroom.

His lips were nearly kissed raw, yet his husband still wasn't satisfied.

He even asked, his face flushed, whether he could kiss somewhere else.

Poor Xue Ci was kissed until he was wet all over, curling up under the covers like a kitten.

Being intimate with his wife at night gave Zhao Ying even more motivation during the day. He soon finished the woodworking commission for the wealthy businessman in the provincial capital: an exquisite wooden carving of two dragons.

He packed it in a wooden box, filled the space around it with foam and soft padding, then put it in his bag and set off for the provincial capital to deliver it.

The businessman was very generous and paid him a sum of money on the spot.

Zhao Ying bought fruit and tea and visited the Lu Family. Father Lu wasn't home, but Mother Lu was delighted to see him and kept him there to chat. She also asked how Lu Xiunan had been lately and whether he had caused any trouble.

Zhao Ying said, "No. He's actually helped us a lot."

"Listen to you two brothers. You even say the same things." Mother Lu smiled. "When Xiunan came home, he also told us how much you'd helped him. He said Xue Ci took him along to pull weeds and taught him to make handicrafts."

Zhao Ying was slightly taken aback.

Mother Lu didn't notice and continued, "I thought Xiunan couldn't get along with anyone. He's used to being on his own, so I didn't expect him to be so close with you two."

"...Mm."

Zhao Ying listened absentmindedly as Mother Lu talked about the past. Seeing it was getting late, he declined her request to stay longer.

"Xiao Ci is still waiting for me to come home."

Mother Lu had long since seen that Zhao Ying was a kind, honest young man devoted to his family. She didn't say anything more, but pressed a red envelope on him, gathered quite a few useful household items from home, and had the driver take him back to Zhou Family Village.

Unable to refuse such warm hospitality, Zhao Ying sat somewhat stiffly in the black business car.

The car was indeed much more comfortable than the bus.

He suddenly wanted Xue Ci to ride in a car too.

After arriving at Zhou Family Village, Zhao Ying didn't go straight home. Instead, he had the driver stop at the village entrance and took the money he had just earned that day to his creditor's house.

The creditor was a bald middle-aged man, eating noodles with his upper body bare. The tattoo on his arm was fierce-looking, and he looked vicious all over.

Zhao Ying put the money, principal and interest included, on the table. But the creditor waved a hand. "What's wrong with your memory? Didn't you pay me back already?"

Zhao Ying thought Xue Ci had secretly borrowed the money from relatives. "Did Xue Ci pay you back?"

But the man said, "You're the one who fucking threw the money in my face. You forget? Or have you been making too much money lately?"

Zhao Ying frowned deeply. He realized something was wrong, but didn't show it. He took the money back. "Sorry. I was in a car accident recently, and my memory hasn't been very good."

The creditor said nothing more about it. "Go on, get out of here. I have more debts to collect after I finish eating!"

Zhao Ying took the money and left, but stopped just as he reached the gate.

He turned back. "When did I pay you back?"

The driver was already familiar with the location of Xue Ci's home. After driving to the entrance, he helped unload the things from the Lu Family.

Zhao Ying was strong and didn't let the driver help any further. He simply filled both hands and carried everything home.

His arm muscles bulged firmly with the effort.

The sky was already beginning to darken, and the wooden door stood ajar, light from the main room spilling through it.

At the thought of Xue Ci waiting at home, all of Zhao Ying's fatigue from the day vanished at once.

He put all other thoughts aside and pushed open the door. Xue Ci was sitting in the main room watching television.

Lu Xiunan was sitting beside him.

He didn't know whether it was a husband's vigilance, but Zhao Ying felt that Lu Xiunan was sitting far too close to Xue Ci.

His long legs were stretched out, his feet resting lightly on the floor, and his whole body was angled toward Xue Ci.

A plate of cut fruit sat in front of Xue Ci, with a delicate little fork on it.

That kind of fork was something Lu Xiunan had brought with him.

Zhao Ying's eyelid twitched. He suddenly remembered Zhou Qize asking Xue Ci whether he needed to be fed when they were alone together.

Had Lu Xiunan ever said something like that to Xue Ci?

...A strange feeling welled up in him.

But it was quickly interrupted by his little wife's voice.

Xue Ci ran over to him.

"You came home so late today."

"I'm sorry." Zhao Ying put down what he was carrying and reached to touch Xue Ci's head, but immediately withdrew his hand, afraid it was dirty.

He asked dotingly, "Are you hungry? I'll make dinner right away."

Xue Ci shook his head. "Lu Xiunan already cooked, and he saved some food for you."

Zhao Ying glanced at Lu Xiunan, and their eyes met.

Lu Xiunan said mildly, "I brought some seafood from home a few days ago. It wouldn't keep much longer."

Zhao Ying was silent for a moment. "Thank you."

Lu Xiunan said, "No need to thank me. You and my sister-in-law both like it, so I'll definitely bring more in the future."

Zhao Ying's breathing grew uneven.

He didn't know why, but hearing Lu Xiunan call Xue Ci "sister-in-law" today made him particularly uncomfortable.

It was as though it were some intimate, exclusive form of address.

"Honey, go eat. It's being kept warm in the pot." Xue Ci noticed how tired he looked. "You look exhausted. Take a bath and rest after you eat."

Zhao Ying hesitated. "All right. I'll wash the dishes and bring in the clothes first, then I'll rest."

"No need. Lu... my younger brother said he'd wash them. You must be tired after your journey today." His little wife looked up at him, his heart aching for him. "You can leave the clothes for him to wash too."

Zhao Ying opened his mouth as though he wanted to say something, but in the end, he only murmured, "Mm."

He went to the kitchen and lifted the lid off the pot. The seafood in the kitchen was unlike anything he had ever seen.

A savory aroma wafted up, but Zhao Ying had no appetite at all.

He carried the pot into the main room. Lu Xiunan was sitting on his stool.

When Xue Ci saw him coming, he said to Lu Xiunan beside him, "Move over a seat."

Then he smiled at Zhao Ying. "Honey, come over here!"

Fortunately, Xiao Ci cared about him as much as ever.

Zhao Ying relaxed a little.

A foreign movie was playing on the television. Whenever Xue Ci came across something he didn't understand, he would mutter to himself, and Lu Xiunan would explain it.

Zhao Ying said nothing.

He didn't understand any of it, nor was he interested in the movie. He had bought the television for Xue Ci.

But Lu Xiunan understood it all very well.

He glanced at his twin brother.

A spotless shirt, sleeves neatly rolled up, and a composed demeanor.

He had studied abroad and had an air of refinement, yet none of the spoiled-young-master attitude of someone raised in luxury. He listened to Xue Ci and was willing to cook, cut fruit, and wash clothes for him.

They even shared the same face.

Zhao Ying's heart sank.

He suddenly realized that Lu Xiunan could completely take his place in this home.

Author's note:

The husband sensed a threat and wanted to use his strong body to make his wife stay. (Just kidding.)