The Missing Husband Returned (26)

Zhao Ying had been away on a business trip for two days and had very little chance to rest, so he plunged into the forest to select suitable timber.

Thinking of his young wife Xue Ci waiting for him at home, he didn't feel tired at all; on the contrary, he was full of energy.

Having finished his work ahead of schedule, he drove the secondhand pickup truck back home without stopping.

After knocking twice with no response, Zhao Ying unlocked the door himself and called out twice, but still no one answered.

Most people might think the other person went out because they had something to do, but Zhao Ying's intuition made him extremely uneasy, as the scent of Xue Ci in the whole house was dissipating.

Feeling uneasy, Zhao Ying rushed into each room and searched meticulously, even considering calling the police, when he finally found a document on the dining table in the living room.

It had been lying there from the beginning, but he was in such a hurry to find Xue Ci that he didn't notice.

As Zhao Ying approached, the black and white writing on the white paper was particularly eye-catching.

This is a divorce agreement.

He stood frozen in place, his blood running cold, his head buzzing.

... Xue Ci wants a divorce?

Zhao Ying almost stopped breathing as she picked up the divorce agreement with trembling fingers.

Xue Ci's name appears on the very first page.

Turning the page, you'll find a piece of paper that Xue Ci herself had attached to the back.

The content concerns the division of property.

The left and right lines are his and Xue Ci's names, respectively.

His column had a lot of writing, while Xue Ci's column only had one line—wooden animal carvings.

Zhao Ying could imagine Xue Ci writing these words, sitting upright at the table, carefully writing each stroke.

Xue Ci didn't take any of his money, not even the clothes he had bought.

Zhao Ying felt his heart was about to stop, split open, and he lost all strength.

Before Mingming left on his business trip, his wife, wearing soft slippers with little bunnies on them, ran out of the study, gently kissed his cheek, looked at him with satisfaction and dependence, and told him not to overwork himself.

But why was he completely abandoned after only two days?

This abrupt divorce nearly drove Zhao Ying to the brink of collapse, rendering him irrational. He sat there in a daze for a long time until family members arrived, at which point he raised his head, his eyes bloodshot.

Lu Xiunan cut to the chase. "Brother, did your wife divorce you?"

Zhao Ying's blood ran cold. Seeing Lu Xiunan, he finally understood. His large, calloused hand crumpled the divorce papers. "I know now. Wasn't it you who pulled this stunt behind the scenes?"

"Brother, don't accuse others without evidence," Lu Xiunan said calmly. "You couldn't keep your sister-in-law, so why blame others?"

His nonchalant tone made Zhao Ying dizzy. The man could no longer hold back, his fists clenched so tightly that he punched Lu Xiunan in the face!

That punch was delivered with great force; Lu Xiunan didn't dodge, and half of his face instantly lost consciousness.

Blood began to seep from the corner of his mouth. He sneered, his tone still harsh, as if he hadn't done anything wrong. "Brother, even if you hit me, it won't do you any good."

"It's a done deal that your sister-in-law is divorcing you."

He doesn't love you anymore.

His words struck Zhao Ying like a thunderbolt.

Lu Xiunan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and chuckled, "Brother, it's all your fault for being too obsessed with making money. You're out there every day and don't have time to spend with your wife."

It's normal for your sister-in-law to be disappointed.

"Brother, if I were you, I definitely wouldn't leave such a beautiful young woman alone at home."

Zhao Ying's head was buzzing.

He knew Lu Xiunan was deliberately provoking him, but it was pointless to dwell on it now; he didn't want to know why Xue Ci wanted a divorce.

All he wanted was to win Xue Ci back.

Of course, he guessed that Lu Xiunan was definitely involved in the divorce.

The honest man was so angry that his eyes turned bloodshot and he couldn't speak. He grabbed Lu Xiunan by the collar and punched him again. This time, Lu Xiunan didn't let himself be slaughtered. The two men were strong and sturdy, and their movements were swift, like two male lions vying for the right to mate.

In the end, both of them were covered in wounds and had lost all their strength.

Zhao Ying's voice was hoarse. "You've long harbored designs on Xue Ci, but let me tell you—"

"Xue Ci and I will never get a divorce!"

After saying that, he stood up straight, took the few pages from the table, and left.

*

Divorce without a word and then run away from home; this behavior is highly immoral.

Zhao Ying, in particular, treated him very well.

Xue Ci felt that she would definitely be punished for doing bad things, such as going hungry on her first day back in the countryside.

However, the situation was much better than he had imagined—the flowers in the small garden were being carefully tended, he didn't have to go hungry, A Hui had given him a bamboo basket full of fresh fruit.

Xue Ci arranged the fruits and vegetables, washed an apple, cut it into small pieces, and handed it to A Hui.

A Hui washed his hands before taking the food, picking up a piece, tossing it in the air, and offering it to Xue Ci's lips.

Is this... feeding him?

Xue Ci wanted to say that she had hands, but seeing A Hui's enthusiastic expression, she was too embarrassed to speak up and, to be polite, bit his hand.

Her soft, luscious lips accidentally brushed against the butcher's hand. The man's pupils darkened, his breathing became heavier, and he visibly became excited.

Xue Ci just finished biting and swallowing when another piece was offered to her.

One piece after another... Xue Ci ate most of the apple.

Moreover, several times during the process, A Hui wiped the juice off his lips directly with his hand.

The butcher used to hunt, so his hands were rough, which made Xue Ci uncomfortable, and her lips quickly turned red.

The man stared intently at that spot.

The house had been uninhabited for almost half a month, so while the dust wasn't choking, a thin layer had settled. When Xue Ci returned in the morning, she only remade the bed in the bedroom and didn't have time to tidy up the house.

I just picked up the rag, and my hand was suddenly empty.

Xue Ci turned around and almost bumped into the butcher's chest.

The tall man's imposing presence instilled a sense of dread in him, and he instinctively took a step back.

Fortunately, A Hui was different from those men who liked to corner him and then drag him to the table to say strange and vulgar things. The other man simply took his rag, walked to the table, and silently wiped away the dust.

Xue Ci became less wary of A Hui.

Little did he know that from the moment the tall, strong man saw him, he couldn't help but have obsessive thoughts popping into his mind.

He could even easily hold Xue Ci was much smaller than him, in his arms whenever he wanted, causing her to swell up with juices and become unable to utter a single word, only able to cry.

Xue Ci her back to A Hui and didn't see the infatuation in the tall butcher's eyes.

He was taking the wooden animal carvings he had brought back from the provincial capital out of the cloth bag, wiping them clean, and placing them back in their original positions.

After marrying Zhao Ying, he was always the one who lived off her. He divorced her without even discussing it, so he was definitely too embarrassed to take any of her money.

But these wood carvings were a gift from Zhao Ying.

It should be possible to take it...

Xue Ci decided to hide them all in the closet.

With A Hui's help, the house was quickly cleaned. There were groceries in the basket, Xue Ci invited them to stay for dinner as a token of her gratitude.

Perhaps his vegetable-cutting skills were too clumsy, and A Hui couldn't stand it anymore, so he took his place.

Xue Ci wanted to wash the vegetables, but was stopped. In the end, she had no choice but to wander around the lobby and clean up the trash.

I had just finished putting it away when there was a commotion at the door.

Looking up, I saw that it was Aunt Song Liu.

"Xue Ci, why are you back?" Song Liu, who hadn't seen her nephew for half a month, looked delighted. Seeing the noise in the kitchen, she said, "You're with Xiao Zhao, right? You're staying for a few days this time. Tell Xiao Zhao not to cook anymore, just come to my house for dinner!"

"..."

Xue Ci pursed her lips, unsure how to begin.

"Why isn't the child saying anything? Are you tired from the car ride?" Song Liu told Xue Ci sit down and rest, then called out to the kitchen, "Xiao Zhao, stop cooking!"

Soon, a tall figure emerged from the kitchen.

After seeing him clearly, Song Liu was stunned. "What... it's him? Didn't Xiao Zhao come back with you?"

The divorce couldn't be kept secret any longer, so Xue Ci hesitated for a few seconds before telling the other party.

Song Liu was shocked. "Why the sudden divorce? Did his family bully you? Or did he get rich and become arrogant, and do something to wrong you?"

"... No, Zhao Ying is a very good person."

Xue Ci explained vaguely, using the phrase "it's hard to say" to gloss over the matter.

Song Liu was too embarrassed to ask any more questions.

But she guessed that Zhao Ying or the Lu Family must have done something wrong, otherwise, given Xue Ci's personality, why would she take the initiative to divorce?

She ruffled Xue Ci's hair. "It's okay, Auntie's here. If you want a divorce, then go ahead. We can talk about the future later. Are you hungry? Come to my house for dinner?"

Seeing that she had finally managed to get away with it, Xue Ci, "No need, thank you, Auntie. A Hui is still cooking."

At this moment, A Hui stood still, his expression unchanged, but Xue Ci could tell he was very excited.

It's a bit like a big dog that might pounce on him at any moment.

Song Liu also glanced at A Hui. Her opinion of the butcher had changed considerably. He was frightening to look at and couldn't speak properly, but he was much more honest than the average person.

Just look at her nephew's expression...

Xue Ci just gotten divorced, and Song Liu was worried that he might do something drastic, so she decided to stay and watch over him, and also help out in the kitchen.

As evening approached, the three had just finished dinner. The butcher, ever observant, began clearing the table. Xue Ci was about to help when she heard 11 remind her: [Host, your ex-husband has come back to ask you to remarry!]

"..."

[His brother was following behind!]

Xue Ci's first reaction was to close the door, but as soon as she reached the door, she was enveloped by a dark shadow.

He raised his face; it was getting dark, so he couldn't see Zhao Ying's expression. But he could sense that the other party was aggressive and had clearly come to settle scores with him.

Xue Ci pursed her lips tightly, startled, and took a few steps back.

Seeing that Xue Ci was avoiding him, Zhao Ying's face darkened further, and he firmly held Xue Ci's wrist. "I have something to say to you."

"Say what you have to say here." A detached voice came from the doorway.

Lu Xiunan glanced at their tightly clasped hands.

"She's not your wife anymore, don't touch her."

Song Liu and A Hui, who were standing to the side, kept glancing back and forth between the faces of the twin brothers.

The lights were turned on inside, Xue Ci finally saw the severe bruises on their faces; they both looked quite disheveled.

Are they... fighting?

11: [Yes! Those Fragment recorded it. I can hack into it. Does the host want to watch it?]

"..."

Xue Ci's hand was still firmly held in Zhao Ying's grasp. His eyes were red, as if he was trying very hard to suppress his emotions, but he couldn't control himself. His voice was on the verge of collapse.

Despite her aggressive demeanor, she immediately tried to persuade him to stay, "Xiao Ci... why do you want a divorce? What did I do wrong? What made you angry? I'll change!"

Zhao Ying looked very pitiful.

Xue Ci didn't answer the question, her gaze falling on his cheek. "Does... your face hurt?"

Upon receiving the concern, Zhao Ying's eyes lit up instantly. "Xiao Ci, let's... let's talk, okay?"

Xue Ci pang of pity, but soon heard the sound of the progress bar rewinding.

He slowly withdrew his hand from the other person's.

Zhao Ying's hand went empty, and his heart ached terribly.

"I'm not good enough for you." Xue Ci used the same reason from the original plot, saying that their family was wealthy and successful, and that he would definitely not be home for many years to come.

In short... they're already divorced.

Xue Ci guiltily looked away.

Zhao Ying still gripped his hand tightly. "Lu Xiunan forced you, didn't he?"

Song Liu, standing to the side, was surprised and had already imagined a grand drama unfolding in her mind.

The story is roughly about two brothers who both fell in love with the same woman. The younger brother, taking advantage of his older brother's inattention, forced his sister-in-law to divorce her husband, thus winning her over.

She had seen too many dramas like this in TV series, but seeing it happen to someone she knew made her feel that Xue Ci was the most pitiful one. With the two brothers causing so much trouble, the Lu Family would definitely side with their son, and Xue Ci would be the one who got hurt in the end.

Song Liu angrily retorted, "You city folks are so different! Do you think my nephew is easy to bully?! Get out! Get back to the city!"

Zhao Ying wanted to explain, but Song Liu stopped him. She was a little nicer to Zhao Ying, after all, she had taken good care of Xue Ci in the village before.

"Go back home quickly and deal with your own family issues before coming back!"

For the first time, Zhao Ying's attitude was so firm. He gripped Xue Ci's hand tightly again, refusing to let go, as if if he let go, Xue Ci would never be able to get back together with him.

I need to talk to you alone.

Stubborn as a bull.

Xue Ci's wrists were starting to ache and felt uncomfortable, so she bit her lip.

While he was still thinking, A Hui walked towards him, his eyes fixed on Zhao Ying, his fists clenched as if he were about to fight.

Xue Ci was so frightened that she immediately said, "A Hui, he didn't do anything to me."

Upon hearing his words, the butcher instantly lost his arrogance and returned to his original position.

Lu Xiunan glanced at A Hui.

His sister-in-law always manages to attract stray dogs.

With everyone present, Xue Ci was afraid they might say something they shouldn't, so she asked Aunt Song Liu to go home first.

Song Liu asked worriedly, "Are you sure you can manage here alone? They're all tall and strong, won't they bully you?"

"No, it won't."

Seeing that Xue Ci seemed to have something to say to Zhao Ying alone, Song Liu decided not to interfere.

She had barely left when Zhou Qize entered the house.

Ever since Xue Ci and her husband moved to the provincial capital, Zhou Qize has been thinking about her day and night, completely distracted, and even went to the Village Chief Zhou to ask for her phone number.

He dialed cautiously, but Lu Xiunan answered the phone. After making a few sarcastic remarks, Lu Xiunan hung up.

Zhou Qize was feeling down for several days, and before he knew it, he had arrived at Xue Ci's doorstep.

The door was open.

"Xue Ci?"

As if there weren't enough people in the room, Zhou Qize squeezed in as well. "Aunt Liu just said you're divorced, is that right?"

The twin brothers looked at him with hostile eyes.

In the crowded lobby, surrounded by four tall men, Xue Ci's wrist was still being held by Zhao Ying. Her eyes were filled with tears, and she was biting her lip, looking very pitiful.

Any one of these four men could subdue him with one hand.

Xue Ci was a little scared.

Why is everyone gathered together?

They just got divorced this morning, and now everyone knows about it.

Another rival has emerged. Zhao Ying's eyes darkened, and as if to assert his presence, he rubbed the soft flesh at the base of Xue Ci's thumb with his fingertips.

Xue Ci, feeling uncomfortable from his persistent nagging, finally gave in. "I'll talk to you."

*

The bedroom door was tightly closed.

The bolt, unused for a while, made a grating sound.

"You... don't lock the door." Xue Ci's voice was weak.

He found Zhao Ying's current appearance terrifying; his eyes seemed to want to devour him.

After all, being divorced is something no man can tolerate.

He listens to you a lot.

What?

Xue Ci stared blankly. "... Who?"

"No matter which one is outside, they all listen to you." Zhao Ying walked up to Xue Ci, and the next moment, he grabbed her slender waist, ignored Xue Ci's soft screams, and lifted her onto the table. Then he pressed his hands on her shoulders, as if to prevent her from escaping.

"Everyone's eyes are on you, especially Lu Xiunan. Did he kiss you?"

Xue Ci's thin shoulders trembled uncontrollably as she forced a smile and said, "You... you shouldn't do this..."

"You two have known each other for a long time, haven't you?" Zhao Ying lowered his eyes, his voice low and devoid of any emotion. "Last time I went to pay Xiao Ci back the money, she said she had already paid it back. That person was Lu Xiunan, right?"

Xue Ci's eyes widened.

He genuinely didn't know about this and had always assumed that Zhao Ying had paid back the money.

But... if Zhao Ying already knew he knew Lu Xiunan, why did he hide it?

Shouldn't we be suspicious and disappointed in him, feeling that he's two-timing us?

Soon, Xue Ci no longer had the energy to think about this matter.

His earlobe was bitten hard.

A hot tongue gently swept across him, and he shuddered, his face flushing.

What is this...?

Why are they still acting like this even though they're already divorced?

Xue Ci suddenly remembered the times he had bullied her, and suppressed her guilt.

With a furrowed brow, he said, "What do you want to talk about? Tell me quickly."

Zhao Ying's breathing was heavy as he slowly said, "Remarry."

Xue Ci was taken aback for a moment, then her attitude became firm, "We're already divorced, I won't remarry. Didn't I tell you? We won't be happy together. You need to focus your energy on your work."

The protagonist of a career-oriented novel should be focused on their career. Someone who suddenly proposes divorce should be met with disdain and then thoroughly humiliated. Why would they so easily suggest remarriage?

Xue Ci him away and jumped off the table. "What you want to talk about is remarriage, but that's probably not going to happen. I'm not good enough for you, and you don't like me."

Zhao Ying's voice was hoarse. "Who said I don't like you? I'd love to rip my heart out and show it to you."

Xue Ci pursed her lips, unsure of what to say.

The room suddenly fell silent. A little embarrassed, he stammered, "Anyway... I won't remarry. From now on, we'll go our separate ways."

"I know it must have been Lu Xiunan who said something to you, right? You still like me, Xiao Ci. You were just forced into it. We'll move back, back to Zhou Family Village. I don't want anything—"

When Xue Ci heard that he was giving up his career for remarriage, she gasped softly in shock and immediately retorted fiercely, "No! I'll like you even less if that happens!"

The man's eyes were downcast, and the bruises on his face and his disheveled clothes made him look particularly disheveled.

He doesn't want to Xue Ci.

A dark cloud gradually settled over the honest man's eyes, brewing a storm.

Xue Ci realized she had spoken too harshly and softened her tone. "Don't fight with Lu Xiunan anymore. Remember to apply medicine to your face injury. And if you have work to do, don't be so—"

Before he could speak, he felt his mouth being covered.

"Hmm..."

The honest man usually dotes on Xue Ci, always holding back when kissing or engaging in intimate acts. But this time, he seemed to have turned evil, becoming incredibly forceful, kissing Xue Ci until her whole body ached.

The sweet juice in my mouth was sucked away, and my soft tongue was forcibly pulled out.

The already sensitive tip of the tongue was being repeatedly entangled.

Xue Ci couldn't hold back her tears, which fell from the corners of her eyes and were licked clean by her divorced husband.

His firm nose squeezed his soft cheeks out of shape.

A wet and soft patch.

Xue Ci pushed the person away forcefully, her tongue still exposed to the air, and before she could retract it, it was taken into her mouth again.

It's so sour!

Xue Ci let out a soft whimper. She was picked up abruptly, and the man gripped her slender ankles tightly, letting her fair legs drape over his waist, her back pressed against the cold wall.

Very high...

Xue Ci lost her balance and, frightened, clung to Zhao Ying's neck.

Between their intertwined lips, the man breathed heavily and whispered in Xue Ci's ear.

"I don't want a divorce."

He spoke each word slowly and deliberately, as if he would stay by Xue Ci's side even if he had to be a dog for the rest of his life.

When Xue Ci was put down, she was stunned.

His cheeks were bright red from the impact, and his entire body felt as if it had been crushed.

The perpetrator was still staring intently at his face, as if observing his expression right after being kissed.

Xue Ci was truly angry this time. She told Zhao Ying to leave with a stern face, saying she didn't want to see him again.

Zhao Ying saw that Xue Ci's eyes were full of tears, and she spoke in a tone that suggested she was about to cry, without uttering a single word.

Three men were still standing in the lobby, none of them had left, as if they were waiting for the outcome of Xue Ci's negotiations with Zhao Ying.

What I saw was Xue Ci's face, which was covered in kisses.

In other words, Xue Ci foolish. She thought that by keeping her head down, she wouldn't be discovered, but in reality, you could tell from her voice that she had been kissed and pampered.

The group looked hostile, but their expressions softened slightly after learning that Xue Ci was unwilling to remarry.

It was already dark and the temperature had dropped. Xue Ci's cheeks were burning hot from the kisses, so she made up an excuse to get everyone to leave.

He returned to his room in a daze, feeling sleepy due to lack of oxygen, and fell asleep as soon as he covered himself with the blanket.

She didn't know how much time had passed, but when Xue Ci woke up, it was already a raging storm outside.

He glanced at the time; it was already 11 p. m.

I took out a change of clothes and a towel from the closet to take a shower, but as soon as I opened the door, I saw a figure.

Xue Ci was startled, but breathed a sigh of relief after confirming it was Zhao Ying: "You... come in first!"

Zhao Ying didn't know how long he had been standing in the rain; he was soaked to the bone.

Like an abandoned stray dog.

No... don't be so pitiful.

Xue Ci immediately got him a towel and clothes.

Fortunately, there were still a few sets of Zhao Ying's old clothes at home.

He urged the man to change, but the man remained motionless, his dark eyes fixed on him.

The temperature had already dropped in October, Xue Ci worried he would catch a cold. "If you don't change, don't talk to me anymore."

He's gone bad now.

They all know they're threatening people.

However, this tactic was very effective, and Zhao Ying quickly changed his clothes.

The man didn't hide from Xue Ci; he changed in the lobby, stripping naked, but his eyes never left her.

Xue Ci turned her face away somewhat awkwardly.

With the rain pouring down outside, he had no choice but to take Zhao Ying in.

But fearing to give the other person false hope, she remained silent.

The two remained silent in the lobby. Xue Ci felt uneasy under his gaze and turned on the television.

He didn't understand how things had gotten to this point...

After a while, Xue Ci got up to go to the kitchen to pour water. After pouring it, he turned around and was almost startled by Zhao Ying, who was following closely behind him.

Zhao Ying's cheeks flushed an unnatural red. Xue Ci was stunned and touched his forehead.

I have a fever...

Her guilt intensified. Xue Ci immediately found fever-reducing medicine at home and boiled water for Zhao Ying to take.

Zhao Ying was very obedient and cooperated throughout the entire process.

"You need to go to sleep quickly after taking your medicine." Xue Ci sighed, "... Don't get sick."

Treating patients so harshly is really going too far.

Xue Ci found some bedding, intending for Zhao Ying to sleep in another room. However, her wrists were then entangled.

Zhao Ying finally spoke.

I heard that the temperature of the mouth is higher when you have a fever.

The man's voice was hoarse as he pinched Xue Ci's fingers and put them in his mouth.

Xue Ci was so burned that she tried to pull away.

But then they heard the other person continue—

"Xiao Ci, how about trying other places?"

Author's Note:

You're sick, kid, but your mouth isn't dead yet.

Don't infect our baby.