The Missing Husband Returned (24)

The smell in the bed became strange.

Xue Ci sniffed, then whimpered softly from the burn, completely stunned.

The muffled, damp sound traveled through the blanket to Zhao Ying's ears, acting as a catalyst that made his whole body tense.

The kitten in the blanket was so uncomfortable it wanted to escape, but because of the limited space, it tried to prop itself up but fell off each time.

Zhao Ying swallowed hard, afraid of upsetting Xue Ci, and immediately pulled her out of the blanket.

Xue Ci was already covered in sweat, her face and hair were a mess.

His expression was a little dull, and he looked a little aggrieved.

The corners of her eyes are red.

He stood at the foot of the bed for several seconds before looking down at the hot substance on his stomach.

His clothes were already soaked, and some even dripped onto his pants.

They were disheveled and pitiful.

Xue Ci opened her lips, unsure what to say, but then closed them again.

Zhao Ying looked embarrassed and kept apologizing. After apologizing, he carried Xue Ci to a chair and immediately took a towel from the wardrobe to get water outside.

While getting water, she bumped into Lu Xiunan, who was coming out of the room.

The other person glanced at the basin and towel under the faucet and scoffed inwardly.

During this time, Zhao Ying was away working, and Lu Xiunan spent almost every day with Xue Ci. Even though Xue Ci didn't see him as her husband, just being together made her feel incredibly happy.

Unfortunately, Zhao Ying has recently returned.

Lu Xiunan crossed his arms and followed Zhao Ying into the house, deliberately asking, "Brother, where's your sister-in-law?"

Zhao Ying was carrying a thermos and pouring hot water. "Inside the house."

"Okay, I have something to tell him."

Zhao Ying paused, immediately stopping Lu Xiunan: "Xiao Ci isn't feeling well, let him rest first."

After saying that, he carried the washbasin into the bedroom and bolted the door shut.

Lu Xiunan's face immediately turned cold.

Saying it's inconvenient probably means they've done something to Xue Ci again.

In broad daylight, they hid someone inside the house, kissing and biting them, and even brought in hot water and towels. I bet they got something dirty on Xue Ci again.

The young master's brows furrowed with jealousy.

But he was no longer the Lu Xiunan would explode at the slightest provocation; he had learned to be patient.

*

Even after the stains on her stomach were wiped away, Xue Ci still felt sticky and had to take another shower to feel comfortable.

He just felt uncomfortable and didn't pay much attention to it, but Zhao Ying seemed to care a lot. He couldn't concentrate on his wood carving all afternoon and kept glancing in his direction.

Xue Ci noticed that the "king" character on the little tiger's head was about to be carved crooked, so she reminded him.

"It's going off-center."

Zhao Ying paused, stopping what he was doing.

Xue Ci closer and glanced at the wood carving. Seeing that it wasn't damaged, she breathed a sigh of relief.

As a result, his wrist was pinned down.

"Xiao Ci, I'm at noon... I can't be there that fast."

What?

Xue Ci didn't react in time.

"You sit on me, so soft, and you keep rubbing against that place..." Zhao Ying's voice grew softer and softer. It wasn't that he wanted to prove his body; there were many families in the village where the men had cheated or divorced because of their husbands' impotence.

He was afraid that Xue Ci and dislike him, and he was also afraid of being dumped, so after hesitating for a long time, he finally spoke up to explain.

"I'm not usually that fast, and... I do have... strength."

After saying this, Zhao Ying's face flushed red, and he couldn't help but observe Xue Ci's expression.

Xue Ci a little awkward.

It turns out that this was what Zhao Ying had been thinking about all along.

However, this kind of thing is quite important to men... Xue Ci politely. "I know, you're very capable."

11 almost screamed:[.]

Zhao Ying was taken aback, then, with uneven breathing, he moved closer to Xue Ci.

Dark, rough hands gripped the slender arm, and with little force, just a couple of rubs back and forth left red marks on Xue Ci's fair skin.

Xue Ci looked at him with a bewildered expression.

Zhao Ying couldn't stand being stared at like that. His eyes gradually deepened, and he whispered "baby," saying he wanted to kiss him again.

Xue Ci froze, then looked away.

We already kissed at noon.

"We only kissed for a few minutes." Zhao Ying was at the age where his desires were at their peak. Having tasted the sweetness once, he couldn't resist the temptation, especially with Xue Ci so unguarded next to him.

But seeing Xue Ci's troubled expression, he said, "Did I... do something make you uncomfortable? Tell me what's wrong, and I'll definitely change it."

Xue Ci avoided discussing this topic.

He urged the other person to continue carving while he went to water the plants in the small garden.

The two slept separately that night.

As the weather turned cooler, Xue Ci wrapped herself tightly in the quilt, burying half her face under the covers, and immediately closed her eyes as soon as she lay down in bed.

Seeing that he was unwilling, Zhao Ying did not bring it up again.

Supporting a wife requires money, especially if you want her to live a good life.

After completing the big project he took on in the city, Zhao Ying didn't rest. Master Li, an acquaintance from the manufacturing plant, came to him to order furniture, and he accepted the job no matter how big or small.

In my free time, I would ride my bicycle to town to learn to drive.

Zhao Ying had little formal education, and he had to pass a driving test. At home, he would take the books from the driving school and ask Xue Ci for help whenever he encountered a word he didn't understand.

Xue Ci his name with pinyin; his eyelashes drooped, and his profile was fair.

Her appearance is undeniably attractive.

Zhao Ying couldn't resist giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Xue Ci put on a serious face. "I'm a teacher now, you need to listen to the lesson carefully, and you're not allowed to kiss me."

He spoke earnestly, but Zhao Ying couldn't help but swallow hard, his eyes burning. "Teacher Xiao Xue."

"I... I did it again."

The man's neck turned red, and his voice was hoarse. Xue Ci was stunned for a moment, then realized what he was saying.

In the courtyard, Lu Xiunan was watering the small garden when he heard a series of hurried footsteps behind him.

He turned around, Xue Ci ran towards him, her cheeks flushed and wet.

Her collar was disheveled and open, revealing a hint of bright pink.

It looked like it had just been sucked, with traces of moisture remaining.

Round and bulging.

There were also a few very faint teeth marks nearby.

Xue Ci hurriedly hid behind him.

Lu Xiunan looked away with difficulty, then turned to Zhao Ying, who had followed closely behind him from inside the house.

The man looked slightly embarrassed, but the aggression in his eyes was impossible to hide.

What's going on?

Lu Xiunan was too lazy to pretend anymore.

These days, Zhao Ying guards against him like he's a lover, suspicious and paranoid, even watching him when he talks to Xue Ci.

Seeing that the other person still wanted to say something, Lu Xiunan blocked Xue Ci completely. "Brother, did you quarrel with your sister-in-law? Mom and Dad asked you to give in to her last time, why are you bullying her again?"

"If it were me—" he trailed off, implying, "If I were your husband, I'd dote on him rotten."

Zhao Ying's expression stiffened slightly.

Xue Ci sensed the strange atmosphere between the two this time.

"Xiao Ci! Why are you all standing at the door? You two seem to get along really well!"

Everyone looked over and saw it was Song Liu.

"Is this your brother? They really look alike!" Song Liu exclaimed upon meeting Lu Xiunan for the first time. "I've seen twins before, but I've never seen you two look so alike. Xiao Ci, how do you usually tell them apart?"

Xue Ci poked her head out from behind Lu Xiunan and honestly said, "Clothes..."

Aunt Liu glanced at the brothers' clothes; one wore a simple linen coat, while the other wore an elegant shirt—clearly the attire of city dwellers.

She chuckled twice, "Have you been busy these past few days?"

Xue Ci sensed that the other person had something to say, so she nudged Lu Xiunan, signaling him to move aside.

Lu Xiunan obediently moved to the side.

Song Liu was surprised. She had heard from her family that Zhao Ying was a rich young master from the provincial capital who looked down on the villagers and usually ignored everyone.

Why are you acting so obedient in front of Xue Ci?

Xue Ci asked Song Liu what was the matter.

Song Liu snapped out of her reverie. It was busy farming season, and they still had several acres of land to harvest. Her son and daughter-in-law were in the city taking care of their grandson, and she and her husband were too busy to manage alone. Luckily, Zhao Ying was home recently, so she thought she'd ask if he had any time and could help out.

Song Liu was considered the matchmaker for Zhao Ying and Xue Ci. Zhao Ying always regarded her as an elder in his family and nodded in agreement.

Xue Ci had never harvested rice before, but she was eager to go along.

Upon hearing that Xue Ci was going, Lu Xiunan went along as well.

Zhao Ying glanced at Lu Xiunan: "You can harvest rice too?"

Lu Xiunan's expression remained unchanged. "Brother, what are you saying? When you're not home, I'm the one who takes care of the cornfield."

He didn't look at Zhao Ying's solemn face.

The group dressed, grabbed their farm tools, and set off, only to run into Zhou Qize on the way.

"Xue Ci, what are you all doing here?"

The factory has been busy lately, Zhou Qize has been working overtime every day. As soon as he finally had some free time, he immediately got ready to go find someone.

Xue Ci adjusted her straw hat, looked up, and exclaimed with great interest, "Let's go harvest rice!"

Zhou Qize: "I remember your family didn't grow rice."

Before Xue Ci could answer, Lu Xiunan interjected, "You seem to know quite a bit about my family."

Zhou Qize paused for a few seconds, then said, "Xue Ci and I are good friends."

Lu Xiunan sneered, "Is that so?"

The temperature was just right, and a gentle breeze blew, tilting Xue Ci's straw hat to the side.

Zhao Ying reached out to steady him and helped him fasten the belt again.

He interrupted them, "Don't waste any more time."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qize stopped arguing with Lu Xiunan about love.

Neither of them are real husbands, so what's there to argue about?

He regretted it a little, fearing that his image in Xue Ci's eyes would be distorted, so he also went to help harvest rice.

The more people the better, of course, and Zhou Qize is good at farming. Xue Ci knows that she is slow at working with her own strength, so she plans to untie the straw hat string and give the hat to him.

Several people tried to dissuade him.

There are many insects in the field, so you should wear it.

"I'm fine. I don't attract mosquitoes, and I'm not bothered by the sun."

Zhou Qize has been deliberately sunbathing lately, and he thinks that Xue Ci is with Zhao Ying because she likes dark skin.

During the autumn harvest season, the fields turn golden, and the leaves of the trees wither and fall.

Xue Ci, standing on the edge of the field, wore a light blue shirt and seemed like the Yiyi of spring color.

Villagers who were resting nearby were all drawn to Xue Ci upon seeing her.

Some of the bolder young people even whistled loudly.

Upon hearing the sound, Xue Ci looked over, her raised neck forming a beautiful arc, the straw hat strap fluttering in the breeze beside her face.

Like a mountain spirit.

However, the handsome young man was quickly surrounded by several people, blocking his view.

Arriving at Song Liu's rice paddy, Xue Ci wanted to try harvesting rice. Zhao Ying helped him put on gloves and rain boots, gave him some instructions, and guided him to adopt the correct posture, warning him not to get cut by the sickle.

The novelty of harvesting rice was intriguing for Xue Ci, who was particularly enthusiastic. However, he was physically weak, and soon his body was covered in sweat, his face flushed and moist.

Zhao Ying found a rock, spread clean clothes on it, and let Xue Ci sit on it to rest.

Xue Ci, panting slightly, said dejectedly, "Am I a lot of trouble?"

"Won't."

Zhao Ying took off his straw hat and fanned the person. Taking advantage of the moment when no one was looking, he kissed Xue Ci hard on the cheek.

Song Liu's family didn't have much land, and the three young, strong men worked quickly, and with some competition between them, they harvested a third of it in an hour.

Xue Ci sat there idly weaving straw ropes. When she saw the others return to rest, she immediately took out a disposable cup and filled it with water from a water bag.

Zhao Ying's forehead was covered in sweat, and he took out a handkerchief from his coat pocket.

She carefully wiped the sweat from her husband's brow.

An exceptionally beautiful scene.

It was so beautiful that Lu Xiunan felt a pang of envy.

He chuckled sheepishly, "Sister-in-law, I'm sweating too."

Xue Ci hesitated, then took out a tissue from her pocket and handed it over.

Another one was given to Zhou Qize.

Zhou Qize said thank you. The tissue still had a faint fragrance, but he couldn't bear to use it and carefully put it in his pocket.

During the break, he heard Lu Xiunan Xue Ci the treatment that should be given to a husband, while the real husband stood aside without getting angry or embarrassed.

Could it be...?

Zhou Qize's heart skipped a beat.

After the two had rested, they went back to the field, but he didn't set off immediately.

He touched the brim of Xue Ci's hat.

Xue Ci looked up at him and reminded him, "If you're tired, you can keep resting."

"No..."

Zhou Qize was so nervous that his expression tightened. After a few seconds of silence, he finally asked, "Does Lu Xiunan like you?"

Xue Ci was slightly taken aback, unsure of what to say, and pursed her lips in silence.

Zhou Qize immediately understood. "He knows you have a husband, yet he's always around you. Don't you hate him?"

Xue Ci thought about it carefully, "He wasn't surrounding me; he's Zhao Ying's younger brother."

"And he doesn't like me anymore."

Xue Ci's slowness was unexpected by Zhou Qize. He straightened his back; perhaps because Xue Ci looked exceptionally beautiful today, he impulsively wanted to express his feelings. "Then... if I say, I, I—"

"Xiao Ci."

Zhou Qize froze. Not far away, Zhao Ying was watching him with a serious expression, making him look like some kind of homewrecker.

Xue Ci around and waved to Zhao Ying.

Then he turned back and asked, "And then?"

Zhou Qize's voice was dry. "... It's nothing."

Xue Ci was puzzled, but Zhao Ying called his name again from behind, so he turned around.

Zhou Qize's face was sullen.

Judging from Zhao Ying's expression, the other party probably knew what he was about to do.

What good would it do to know? If we can tolerate Lu Xiunan, why can't we tolerate another one like him?

Zhou Qize suddenly became self-righteous.

He walked past Zhao Ying with his back straight, then went to harvest rice with great spirit.

Xue Ci found a book in a bamboo basket and read it until evening. The group finished harvesting the rice and carried it to Song Liu's courtyard.

To express his gratitude, Song Liu treated them to dinner.

The two brothers were dressed similarly for work today, so she Xue Ci for Zhao Ying.

"Hey, Xiao Zhao, you must be tired. Come eat here!"

Xue Ci was about to correct him when she heard Lu Xiunan chuckle, "Not bad, good stamina."

"Aunt Liu," Zhao Ying said.

Song Liu then realized what was happening, chuckled awkwardly, and tried to smooth things over. "Oh, you're the one who's Xiao Zhao! Look at my eyes!"

She could sense that Zhao Ying's tone had been very cold.

What's going on between these two brothers? Are they having relationship problems?

Zhao Ying was distracted throughout the meal. It wasn't until he finished washing up and returned to his bedroom that evening, listening to Xue Ci's even breathing as she slept, that he finally relaxed a little.

A sense of crisis spread from my limbs to my heart.

"Your wife has been spending a lot of time with your brother lately."

I always mistook your brother for you.

"I think he treats your wife quite well; it seems he truly considers her family."

Lu Xiunan genuinely wanted to become family with Xue Ci.

Zhao Ying tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

Perhaps he should take Xue Ci away from here as soon as possible.

*

According to the plot, the two will move to the city after the autumn harvest.

Perhaps due to a deviation in the previous plot, causing a disruption in the timeline, Zhao Ying has not yet opened a shop in the city.

The progress bar stopped at 80%.

Xue Ci's suggestion to move to the city is inconsistent with her character.

But Zhao Ying has yet to bring it up.

Xue Ci felt she might need to do something to subtly hint at her intentions to the other person.

[According to your character in this world, it's not that you hate city life, but rather that you're afraid of being abandoned by your husband.]

[You can subtly express your longing for city life to the protagonist.]

Upon hearing 11's suggestion, Xue Ci suddenly understood.

While having breakfast with Lu Xiunan that morning, he cautiously probed, "Are you going to the city soon?"

Lu Xiunan raised an eyebrow. "You want to go?"

Xue Ci nodded. "Is it inconvenient for you?"

"No, it's very convenient."

Lu Xiunan usually invites Xue Ci to the city, but she always refuses. However, today Xue Ci actually took the initiative to ask to go together.

As if afraid the other person would change their mind, he asked impatiently, "Where do you want to go?"

Xue Ci: "I'm not familiar with this area, so I'd like to go out and explore."

"Okay." Lu Xiunan then asked, "Shall we go now?"

"..."

Xue Ci her head. "Wait for your brother to come back."

Lu Xiunan asked unhappily, "You're bringing my brother along too?"

It makes it seem like Zhao Ying is the outsider.

Xue Ci: "He's very busy. I just told him I was going out with you."

"OK."

Lu Xiunan felt that there was a reason why Xue Ci suddenly called him to go out.

After a few seconds of contemplation, he thought that Xue Ci might be trying to use him to make Zhao Ying jealous, since Zhao Ying had been away from home quite often lately.

Xue Ci so clingy; she definitely wants her husband to be with her.

Or... because he looks like Zhao Ying, they might use him as a stand-in.

Lu Xiunan pursed his lips and cleared away the dishes.

Xue Ci sat on a small stool and glued water crystal chips onto her hair tie.

With less than a month until his divorce, he needs to save some money for himself.

After washing the dishes, Lu Xiunan found a stool and sat down.

The two were neither too close nor too far apart.

Xue Ci thought Lu Xiunan was there to help, but then she heard him suddenly say something like, "If you're lonely, you can treat him like a husband. Anyway, he looks exactly like Zhao Ying, and he won't make you cry or bully you. He'll even carry you to the toilet on purpose."

Xue Ci, then realized what was happening.

Her voice tinged with shame. "How... how did you know...?"

Lu Xiunan moved closer, his hot breath hitting Xue Ci's earlobe.

I saw the other person's shoulders trembling.

His tone turned harsh. "How could I not hear my sister-in-law crying so beautifully?"

"But I won't be like my brother, bullying my sister-in-law until she cries."

"I will take good care of you and make you very comfortable."

Xue Ci bit her lip and moved to the side.

The weather has gotten hot again recently, and he was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts at home, with pink patches on his knees.

Lu Xiunan stared intently, his gaze seemingly taking in Xue Ci's entire body.

Zhao Ying didn't get home until late at night.

Before going to sleep, Xue Ci said that she would go to the city with Lu Xiunan the next day.

Zhao Ying paused for a moment, then asked, "Is there anything you need to buy? I can—"

Xue Ci interrupted, "I just want to go out, I want to go to the city and have a look."

"... good."

Zhao Ying didn't say anything more.

Xue Ci woke up the next day, Zhao Ying was no longer in the room, but a note was still left on the table.

Lu Xiunan got up early in the morning, carefully styled his hair, and wore a gray suit jacket. After breakfast, he drove Xue Ci to the city.

He didn't sleep well the night before last. In the middle of the night, he called Fu Yun out and asked him where he went on dates.

"I'm still fucking single, and I've never been on a date!"

Fu Yun, without even opening his eyes, exclaimed after regaining some consciousness, "Holy crap, you're going on a date with your sister-in-law? Does your brother know about this?"

Lu Xiunan: "His consent is not needed."

Seeing that Fu Yun was useless, he had someone drive him to the home of someone with extensive dating experience, only to find that the other person was the type who only slept with people and didn't care about relationships.

They said they would directly take people to a hotel room.

Lu Xiunan coldly told him to get lost.

Although he often thought about it, how could he possibly take the pure and innocent Xue Ci such a place?

In the end, Fu Yun suggested going out for a meal, shopping, visiting a park, or going to an amusement park, which finally managed to get rid of the young master.

So Lu Xiunan actually made that arrangement.

Xue Ci cautiously said to 11: "[It seems this virus really likes amusement parks.]"

11 thought it meant she wanted to go on a date.

The two stayed until the afternoon. There was a fried cake stall on the street. Lu Xiunan saw Xue Ci staring at it longingly, so he went over to buy some. There were many people queuing around, and he was worried that Xue Ci would be jostled. "You stay here and don't wander around."

Xue Ci nodded obediently.

Lu Xiunan didn't personally queue up at the roadside stall, but now he's willing to do this for his sister-in-law.

On second thought, he realized he had already fallen for it.

The bottom line no longer exists.

After buying the fried cakes, I saw a man standing next to Xue Ci.

Lu Xiunan's eyes darkened.

The man was indeed trying to strike up a conversation, repeatedly asking Xue Ci if she was a student from the neighborhood.

The other person reeked of cigarettes, and their gaze was unsettling. Xue Ci avoided them and remained silent.

Seeing that the man was still clinging to her and even starting to speak blatantly, Xue Ci frowned and said that she was already married, trying to get him to leave.

But the other party didn't believe it at all and kept pestering him.

"Xue Ci."

Lu Xiunan walked over with a cold face.

The man exuded an aura of superiority, noble and indifferent, with an extraordinary presence. He looked at the person who approached him as if he were a dead man. He was about to utter a "get lost" when, in the next second, he felt his clothes being tugged.

"I told you long ago, my husband is amazing!" Xue Ci's eyes widened, her tone fierce.

Lu Xiunan's back stiffened.

He hadn't heard Xue Ci call him "husband" in a long time.

He then glanced indifferently at the person who had approached him.

One glance and they're gone.

Are you injured?

Lu Xiunan's tone was urgent.

Seeing Xue Ci her head, he felt relieved and handed her the fried cake, saying, "Don't eat too much."

It was as if he were giving instructions to his young wife.

The two sat on a park bench, completely unaware of the gray pickup truck parked by the roadside.

Zhao Ying was watching them with a furrowed brow.

*

It was already dark when Xue Ci got home.

Zhao Ying was preparing dinner in the kitchen.

Xue Ci over, squeezed into his arms, and recounted everything she had done and eaten that day. She concluded by deliberately exclaiming, "There are so many fun things to do in the city!"

He then secretly observed Zhao Ying's expression.

The man's mood changed.

They must have realized something.

Xue Ci thought that if the protagonist couldn't grasp it, he would remind him a few more times.

really.

After washing up and lying down in bed that night, just as he turned off the light, Zhao Ying asked, "How about we move to the city?"

Xue Ci with satisfaction.

Feigning surprise, he asked, "Do you want to go?"

"Yes, I'm planning to open a shop in the city." In the darkness, Zhao Ying's deep eyes were fixed on Xue Ci. "I've recently rented a place, and we can move there directly."

Xue Ci was taken aback.

Are you renting a house?

He was just about to confirm with 11 whether he had to live with the Lu Family when someone hugged him tightly from behind.

High temperatures can impair one's ability to think.

Xue Ci's back trembled from the burn.

All he could hear was Zhao Ying whispering in his ear, "Xiao Ci seems to really enjoy spending time with Lu Xiunan lately."

Many people already consider him Xiao Ci's husband.

Wh-what...

Xue Ci sensed that Zhao Ying's mood was a bit off.

He tried to struggle, but the man's large hand on his waist completely restrained him, rendering him unable to move.

The voice was weak.

"Husband..."

The next moment.

"It's my fault." Zhao Ying vigorously rubbed his wife's thin shoulders until she trembled all over.

The voice couldn't hide the jealousy and possessiveness.

"I didn't make Xiao Ci feel comfortable there."

Author's Note:

Just say you want to eat it.