The Missing Husband Returned (21)

Fu Yun drove to Zhou Family Village early in the morning.

The front door was already open. After he went inside, Zhao Ying heard the noise and came out of the kitchen.

He hadn't expected Fu Yun to arrive half an hour earlier than agreed, and breakfast wasn't ready yet.

Zhao Ying really wanted to prepare breakfast for Xue Ci: "Could you please wait a moment?"

Fu Yun: "No rush."

After all, the other party would be a driving force in future business dealings, so Zhao Ying politely asked, "Have you eaten yet?"

Fu Yun wasn't interested in breakfast and waved his hand, saying, "You can prepare your own. I'll sit for a while."

Zhao Ying didn't say anything more.

Fu Yun found a chair in the lobby and sat down, looking around but not seeing that figure.

--He came so early so that he could see Xue Ci. After all, Lu Xiunan was keeping a close eye on him. He had said he wanted to come over these past few days, but the other party had never agreed. Even yesterday, when he arrived at the door, the other party didn't even give him a glance. They treated him like a rival in love and guarded against him.

The crucial point is that Lu Xiunan is not Xue Ci's husband.

Xue Ci has a real husband, she is not a widow, and her real husband is the Lu Family's older brother who was missing for many years before she was found.

Fu Yun thought that Lu Xiunan would give up on Xue Ci out of consideration for their brotherhood, but Lu Xiunan was really stubborn and only recognized Xue Ci.

The answer is that the other person has seen your body.

Fu Yun was too embarrassed to say that people might not even want to watch it; that would be a ridiculous excuse.

He certainly wouldn't get involved in such troublesome matters, but Xue Ci's image would occasionally flash through his mind.

While waiting idly, Fu Yun glanced at the candy box on the table, picked out a milk candy, and just as he tore open the wrapper and popped it into his mouth, he heard a noise from the other side of the room.

The door slowly opened, gradually revealing a beautiful and innocent face.

Upon seeing Xue Ci again after many days, Fu Yun's heart pounded uncontrollably, and even his breathing became rapid.

Xue Ci was clearly still half asleep; her eyes weren't fully open, her eyelashes were drooping, and there were several red marks on her cheeks from being pressed against the pillow. Her smooth hair was a little messy, and a tuft of hair stuck up on the back of her head, looking quite nice to touch.

He struggled to open his eyes, but was too sleepy and closed them slightly as if giving up.

Fu Yun saw him turning in her direction and called out softly, "Husband."

My back suddenly stiffened.

This... who can withstand it?

Fu Yun coughed, scratched his head awkwardly, and was torn between reminding the other party that Zhao Ying was in the kitchen and pretending not to know to take advantage of the situation when the real husband came out of the kitchen.

The dark-skinned, rough-looking man asked in a gentle voice, "Why are you awake?"

Hearing the familiar voice, Xue Ci her head up, leaning on the other person like a newborn bird, her voice soft and sweet. "I wanted to see you off."

Fu Yun's eyelids twitched violently.

He saw Zhao Ying lean down and gently touch Xue Ci's cheek.

I didn't look closely before, but now that I'm looking more closely, I can see that Xue Ci's lips aren't a natural red, as if they've been badly ravaged.

Fu Yun's face stiffened, and his gaze followed downwards—sure enough, there were several very obvious red marks on Xue Ci's neck.

What happened last night is self-evident.

But they're already married, so whatever they do isn't excessive.

Fu Yun couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. He had only seen it once and he couldn't help but feel jealous. Wasn't Lu Xiunan, who stayed here every day, just torturing himself?

He suddenly remembered why he became friends with Lu Xiunan in the first place: the other person had a lot of drive in everything he did, and would stop at nothing to get what he liked.

But Lu Xiunan had been plotting against Xue Ci for so long without daring to make a move, which shows how much he cared about her.

Although Fu Yun also harbored those feelings for Xue Ci, he certainly wouldn't get involved with the two brothers. He was already content to see Xue Ci occasionally and dared not dream of anything else.

Perhaps feeling sorry for his young wife, the husband kissed her soft face a few times before carrying her back to the bedroom.

Then he closed the door quietly.

Zhao Ying tightened the faded red cloth strip on his wrist. "You can go now."

Fu Yun then turned his gaze back, and before leaving, he swiped a piece of milk candy.

*

Zhao Ying said this trip would take three to five days, but the exact time was uncertain.

The progress bar keeps rising.

Xue Ci was quite satisfied, except that being alone in a room with Lu Xiunan sometimes made him uncomfortable with the other man's gaze.

Whether it was because news spread quickly in the village or because these people were always watching Xue Ci, no sooner had Zhao Ying left than a group of people came to Xue Ci's Xue Ci under some pretext, their eyes glued to her. Zhou Qize didn't even bother to come up with an excuse, saying he liked Xue Ci's personality and wanted to be friends.

Lu Xiunan gave a cold laugh.

Is that the look of a friend?

There was also a group of young people, some with dyed yellow hair, wearing chains that looked like dog leashes, and carrying flowers and snacks, who came up to fawn over Xue Ci.

He hasn't read many books, yet he insists on spouting literary flair and reciting love poems.

Lu Xiunan gave a curt smirk; his cold expression alone was enough to scare people away.

But some can't be scared away; they're probably determined to poach your partner.

Lu Xiunan tried to help get rid of the people, but Xue Ci objected. "Don't do this, I want to make friends too."

After all, he would have to go back to Zhou Family Village after the divorce, and Zhou Qize and A Hui seemed quite reliable to him.

"Friends?" Lu Xiunan's lips curled into a smile, but his eyes were cold. "They think the same way I do, so you consider me a friend too?"

There are still obvious differences.

At least Zhou Qize and A Hui won't say those strange things.

Xue Ci pursed her lips. "Then you must be different from them."

Lu Xiunan slightly lifted his eyelids. "I'm different? Then tell me, what am I?"

When Xue Ci thinking or nervous, she will subconsciously bite her lip.

Lu Xiunan had long noticed this little habit. Staring at the lips that were gradually being bitten until they were soft, ripe, and rosy, he held his breath.

Then, as if she had thought of something, Xue Ci frowned, and then, as if she had made up her mind, finally spoke.

"You're a bad dog."

Lu Xiunan was taken aback.

The words were clearly insults, but when Xue Ci said them, they sounded like... praise.

A soft, gentle tone, with an upward inflection.

Lu Xiunan's breathing suddenly quickened, a surge of heat rose up his back, and an indescribable sense of excitement arose. His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was low and hoarse. "Praise me again."

"..."

Xue Ci felt that Lu Xiunan was somewhat abnormal.

He slipped away from the man's arms, but the man kept pestering him to repeat himself.

Actually, the term "Xue Ci" (xuě cí) is not entirely derogatory.

Sometimes he thought Lu Xiunan was a good person, but in some things he was a jerk.

He's like a bad guy, yet he possesses the loyalty of a dog.

And then this word just popped into my head for no apparent reason.

It was already embarrassing for him to say it, but he didn't expect Lu Xiunan to force him to say it again.

Xue Ci speak again, no matter what the man said; he was very patient while the man was trying to get him to speak.

So he went and sat down next to Zhou Qize.

Zhou Qize was helping him sort the discs when he saw Xue Ci run over, her ears slightly red, and then he saw Lu Xiunan's deep and mysterious gaze, and he naturally understood what was going on.

His broad frame completely obscured Xue Ci, and he deliberately asked, "Xue Ci, when is Master Zhao coming back?"

Xue Ci thought about it carefully for a moment, "There are still three or four days left."

Zhou Qize grunted in response, then glanced at Lu Xiunan, whose expression indeed turned rather unpleasant.

Xue Ci was just wondering whether to watch the DVDs Zhou Qize brought in the afternoon when 11 issued the task.

[Host, you have a new task! The protagonist has been gone for two days; it's time to weed the cornfield.]

Xue Ci responded: [Okay.]

Zhao Ying had always been in charge of the cornfield, and Xue Ci couldn't even distinguish between the weeding tools. He got up and ran to the farm tools behind the gate, which were taller than him, touching and patting them like a curious child.

11 was startled: [Host, don't hurt yourself! 11 has found a loophole in the mission. The mission requires you to go to the cornfield, but it doesn't require you to do the work yourself.]

Xue Ci lost in thought: [You mean--]

11: [Please randomly select one lucky person from among those present!]

Xue Ci pondered for a moment. He was closest to Lu Xiunan, so he glanced at him and their eyes met.

Waving.

Why are you yelling at a dog?

Despite thinking this, Lu Xiunan obediently walked over without being able to control himself.

He leaned closer to Xue Ci and whispered, "What are you doing?"

Xue Ci pointed to the farm tools. "The cornfield needs weeding, and you're the strongest in the family."

"..." Lu Xiunan was amused and annoyed. He always called Zhao Ying "husband" in a coquettish way, and called him "little brother" to distance himself from him. Now that he needed something, he knew to praise him.

Of course, he wasn't unwilling. "Then what reward will I get?"

Xue Ci tilted her head slightly, her eyes round and dull, and hesitated before saying, "I'll give you one of my comic books."

Lu Xiunan: "That was originally a gift from me."

Xue Ci breathed a sigh of relief; he was actually reluctant to give it up either.

Seeing that he couldn't think of anything, Lu Xiunan said, "How about you call me 'bad dog' again?"

"..."

Xue Ci gave him a disapproving look, but fortunately, after Zhou Qize inquired, he said he was happy to help weed the field.

Lu Xiunan said coldly, "Can't I take care of my own land?"

Zhou Qize: "I'm Xue Ci's friend, so I'm definitely willing to help him."

In contrast, Lu Xiunan seemed like a lazy bum who lacked common sense and was stubborn.

Xue Ci had already decided to ask Zhou Qize for help and ignored Lu Xiunan.

Zhou Qize had helped with farm work when he was a child and still remembered it. After taking the sickle and hoe for weeding, he saw that Xue Ci was also going and told her to bring a coat and a straw hat to be careful not to get scratched by the sharp grass.

The temperature at the end of September was just right, and a gentle breeze was blowing on their faces. On their way there, the three of them ran into a butcher who was delivering fruit. When they heard Xue Ci say that she was going to the cornfield, they turned a corner and went there together.

After not going to the fields for a while, the corn stalks that were originally only waist-high have grown to two meters, each one taller than Xue Ci, so dense that there is no air left.

Xue Ci tried to crawl inside, but Zhou Qize stopped her.

"Corn husks are rough; your skin will definitely feel scratched and uncomfortable if you go inside."

Zhou Qize took off his coat, found a stable stone, laid it down, and let Xue Ci sit on it.

"A few of us can handle it."

With enough farm tools, the three men said nothing more and quickly disappeared into the field, their figures hidden by the tall corn stalks.

Xue Ci sat there, so bored he was almost asleep. He took the basket the hunter had brought and went to a nearby stream to wash a bunch of grapes.

The stream was unpolluted back then, and the water was clear.

After Xue Ci washing, she glanced at the surrounding bushes, picked a large leaf, folded it a few times to make a small cone, and turned it upside down to put grapes in it.

When he returned to the cornfield with the grapes, several men came out of the field, each with an anxious look on their faces, as if they were all looking for him.

Xue Ci waved to them.

Zhou Qize breathed a sigh of relief, "You scared me to death! I called you but you didn't answer. I thought you'd run off somewhere."

I went to the stream to wash the grapes.

Seeing that Lu Xiunan's expression was unpleasant and his mouth was open as if he was about to criticize him, Xue Ci immediately stuffed a grape into his mouth.

Successfully gagged.

Lu Xiunan bit into a grape and didn't say anything.

"These grapes are very sweet." Xue Ci had secretly tasted them for them while they were washing, and then handed the leaf tube to Zhou Qize and A Hui.

As a result, neither of them moved.

Xue Ci, puzzled, "Don't you like to eat it?"

Lu Xiunan saw through their intentions and revealed a mocking expression.

They're not related, yet they expect Xue Ci to feed them?

"I love it, give me one more."

Xue Ci: "?"

After Lu Xiunan finished speaking, Zhou Qize began to find a reasonable excuse for the benefits he wanted. "My hands are all dirty... Xue Ci."

Xue Ci didn't see through his intentions and was slightly annoyed.

"I forgot..."

As Xue Ci's slender fingers pinched a grape, white and tender, and brought it to her mouth, Zhou Qize had the urge to put Xue Ci's entire finger in his mouth.

Unfortunately, he only dared to think about it; Xue Ci already had a husband.

After eating the grapes and drinking half a pot of water, the group worked while secretly vying for attention, finishing their tasks just before evening.

*

Zhao Ying's trip to the provincial capital took longer than expected.

However, seeing the progress bar rapidly increase to 80%, Xue Ci knew that the other party's career was progressing smoothly.

He hadn't had any tasks lately, and someone would take care of him as soon as he woke up, so he lazed around like that for several days. Finally, on the afternoon before the twins' birthday, Zhao Ying returned from the provincial capital.

The man had been gone for five days. He was a bit darker and thinner, his features were more defined, and the simplicity and honesty between his brows had faded, replaced by a more mature and composed demeanor.

He hadn't seen Xue Ci for a long time, and as soon as he entered the house, he hugged her tightly.

As if suffering from some kind of skin craving, he buried his head in Xue Ci's neck, deeply inhaling the scent of his little wife.

"Xiao Ci, I miss you so much."

The man's voice was slightly hoarse, carrying a hint of weariness from the long journey.

Xue Ci wanted him to rest well, but Zhao Ying said he wanted to hold him while he slept.

Seeing Zhao Ying's bloodshot eyes, Xue Ci couldn't bear it and agreed to his request.

He was held tightly in the man's arms, unable to move. Perhaps he was truly exhausted, Zhao Ying's breathing quickly became steady.

After sleeping all afternoon, Zhao Ying was noticeably more energetic.

He took two bears out of the bag he had brought back.

Xue Ci pleasantly surprised; he had completely forgotten about it.

"Thank you, honey!"

Zhao Ying's voice was slightly hoarse after waking up. "Xiao Ci, tomorrow is my birthday."

Xue Ci then realized something and pretended to be confused. "My brother said our family will take us to the city to celebrate my birthday."

Zhao Ying actually preferred to be alone with Xue Ci: "Do you want to go over there?"

Xue Ci nodded. "They really want to celebrate your birthday."

"We'll come back tonight."

Xue Ci knew what to do when he got back that night, but he knew Zhao Ying had gotten drunk at his birthday party, so he readily agreed.

As evening approached, Lu Family's parents came to pick them up.

Zhao Ying was chatting with his parents, Xue Ci was strolling outside, and Lu Xiunan got out of the car and suddenly handed him a watch.

Xue Ci was taken aback. "For me?"

Lu Xiunan said casually, "I need to dress formally tonight, so I need this."

Actually, their birthday celebrations aren't formal; they usually just have gatherings at home with relatives and chat about everyday things.

There are no dress requirements.

He simply wanted to give the watch to Xue Ci.

Xue Ci probably doesn't know the significance of this watch yet.

Lu Xiunan didn't care whether he knew or was willing; he just coaxed and tricked the other party into accepting it.

The group set off for the provincial capital.

The Lu Family booked an entire floor of a grand restaurant in the provincial capital to celebrate the brothers' birthdays, and they also bought new clothes for Zhao Ying and Xue Ci in advance.

Both of them changed into shirts.

Xue Ci's white shirt made her skin look even whiter, her cheeks rosy, and she looked incredibly radiant.

Zhao Ying grew increasingly fond of his wife, and when no one was looking, he secretly gave Xue Ci a quick kiss on the lips.

"My wife is so beautiful."

The Lu Family was celebrating the birthday of their long-lost son, so they naturally invited many relatives and friends, most of whom were from the same social class. These people were also very courteous and did not force Zhao Ying to drink alcohol when they came over to greet him.

However, their gazes would always linger on Xue Ci for a while.

This was completely different from what they imagined country folk to be; he looked like a pampered young master.

They gave Xue Ci an extra red envelope.

Xue Ci received so much money that her hands were sore from accepting it.

But seeing that Zhao Ying hadn't drunk a drop of wine yet, he felt a little anxious.

Fortunately, someone came over to offer a toast soon afterward.

Fu Yun was followed by several young men, who also handed Zhao Ying a glass of foreign liquor.

He chatted absentmindedly about business while glancing at Xue Ci's face.

But then he noticed the watch on Xue Ci's wrist and was shocked.

Isn't this Brother Lu's wife watch? He said it was passed down from his ancestors, and since he doesn't plan to get married, he's just left it at home.

So now it's just been given to Xue Ci like this?

In front of his real husband's biological older brother?

Fu Yun so surprised that countless thoughts flooded his mind, but he didn't dare to say anything. He simply poured Zhao Ying another glass of wine.

Nothing more needs to be said; it's all in the wine.

This foreign liquor is very strong, and Zhao Ying's face flushed red after drinking it, even his neck turned red.

Seeing that it was about time, Xue Ci didn't let him drink any more.

Zhao Ying was still conscious. He had met all the relatives he needed to see and had drunk some wine, so he told Lu's parents that he wanted to go back.

Seeing that it was getting late, Lu's mother said, "There are rooms available at the hotel. Would it be alright if you and Xue Ci stayed there for the night?"

Zhao Ying stubbornly shook his head. "We'll go back first."

Lu's mother couldn't persuade him otherwise, so she called the driver to take the two of them home.

Inside the car, Zhao Ying, still feeling the effects of the alcohol, didn't say much. He held Xue Ci's hand tightly the whole way, as if afraid she would run away.

Zhao Ying only felt at ease when he saw the familiar house.

Seeing that he was quite drunk, Xue Ci felt relieved and had just opened the bedroom door to tell him to get some rest when her vision began to blur.

Zhao Ying lifted him onto the table and first gave him a deep kiss on the lips.

Before Xue Ci could react, her fingers suddenly felt icy cold.

Looking down, Zhao Ying was putting a ring on his finger.

It's gold.

Xue Ci was stunned. "You bought it?"

The drunk Zhao Ying didn't talk much, he just stared at him, then took off the watch from his wrist and threw it aside. Then, he took out a gold bracelet from somewhere and put it on his wrist.

Xue Ci completely bewildered. "Where did you get so much money?"

Zhao Ying leaned down, and the two were very close, their noses touching.

I don't like the way he looks at you.

What...

Before Xue Ci could figure out who the other person was referring to as "he," she felt her mouth being bitten hard.

Zhao Ying lifted him onto his lap, forcefully invading the territory he had never reached.

Finally, Xue Ci, covered in a thin layer of powder, looked completely flushed.

Lu Xiunan saw all his relatives off, but couldn't find Xue Ci anywhere. He asked around and found out that Xue Ci had gone back to Zhou Family Village with Zhao Ying.

His face suddenly stiffened, and he sped back.

It started to drizzle in the middle of the night.

Lu Xiunan rushed to the door, but it was locked tightly.

No one answered the door when I knocked.

He scratched his head in frustration, but then he heard a faint sobbing sound coming from the window.

A lump formed in Lu Xiunan's throat, and his expression shifted repeatedly, as if he already knew what had happened, yet he couldn't help but move closer to that direction.

Xue Ci out in a sticky, watery sound.

"Didn't you say this was the last time...?"

My stomach doesn't feel well...

"I... sob... I really don't want it anymore..."

Accompanying the low sobs was a weak-sounding slap.

Author's Note:

It's that time of year again when Lu Dog stands outside the window in the rain, listening to the story of his baby being eaten over and over again.