So, You’re the Henpecked One? 25

Chapter 25

Ever since her mother and the others had passed away, Lin Zhao had rarely felt the feeling of being protected. Now, not only was she being protected, but the one protecting her was her wife. Lin Zhao felt that heaven really did have such good things as pies falling from the sky.

Otherwise, how could she have married Chu Xihuan?

Seeing Lin Zhao’s dependent gaze, Chu Xihuan’s previously annoyed heart slowly calmed down. She maintained a composed expression and said lightly, “You are my person now. If I let them bully you, wouldn’t that be a slap in my face?”

Chu Xihuan hated people who slapped her in the face the most. They should know their own worth.

“Mm-hm, you’re the best~” Lin Zhao sidled up to Chu Xihuan and nodded repeatedly, her eyes glued to her, unable to look away. She felt that Chu Xihuan was even more beautiful than before!

And beautiful and kind-hearted!

How could there be such a perfect person as Xihuan in the world!

Chu Xihuan sensed her clingy attitude and glanced at her, then saw the carrying pole she was still holding. Remembering her wooden reaction earlier, she frowned. “If those people come looking for trouble again, just hit them. The weaker you are, the more they will like to bully you.”

Those people dared to ride on Lin Zhao’s head because they knew she wouldn’t take things to the extreme, right? In their eyes, Lin Zhao’s previous little scuffles were completely painless.

Lin Zhao just hummed in agreement and nodded. But after agreeing, a hint of hesitation appeared on her face. She rubbed the carrying pole in her hand uneasily and said apprehensively, “What if I really hurt them? They won’t report it to the authorities, will they?”

It would be one thing if she were arrested, but if Chu Xihuan were implicated, she would be heartbroken.

“Heh.” Chu Xihuan sneered, a hint of sarcasm in her eyes. “Then they’d better report it to the authorities. If it goes to the yamen, you can also report them and have the officials investigate them for taking advantage of a family with no male heirs.”

Although a lot of time had passed, and such things were not uncommon, if Lin Zhao really made a big deal out of it and made it known to everyone, the members of the Lin clan would not be able to hold their heads up in Yong’an Town in the future.

Lin Zhao looked at her with an adoring expression, feeling that Chu Xihuan was shining in her eyes. How could there be such an amazing person!

Seeing her adoring expression, Chu Xihuan was taken aback. She wanted to knock open Lin Zhao’s head and see what she was thinking!

“Lin Zhao,” she said strangely.

This sudden change in tone made Lin Zhao’s skin instinctively tighten. She gripped the carrying pole and looked at her blankly and apprehensively. “W-what’s wrong, Xihuan?”

Why did Xihuan’s expression give her the feeling that she was about to settle some score?

“Earlier, you used crude language, didn’t you?” Chu Xihuan smiled slightly.

Lin Zhao: “?”

Did she?

Lin Zhao was blank, with no memory of it.

Suddenly, a slap, not too light and not too heavy, landed on her lips. Lin Zhao’s eyes widened.

Chu Xihuan calmly withdrew her hand and stared at Lin Zhao. “From now on, every time you say it, I’ll hit you. Next time, I won’t leave you any face outside.”

If it weren’t for the fact that the members of the Lin clan were still there, and it was Lin Zhao’s first offense, she would have slapped her on the mouth right then and there.

Lin Zhao looked at Chu Xihuan’s not-faking expression and covered her mouth with a slightly aggrieved expression, but she still nodded obediently.

She didn’t even know she had used crude language. How was she supposed to control it!

Seeing her nod, Chu Xihuan ruffled her head as a reward. “You did well earlier. It would be even better if you were a little more decisive next time.”

This method of a stick and a carrot was particularly effective on Lin Zhao. Because of this one compliment, she quickly forgot the grievance of being slapped on the mouth earlier.

“I’ll definitely be more decisive next time!” Lin Zhao said with a determined expression.

Chu Xihuan hummed softly. “It’s getting late. Go and prepare dinner.”

After saying this, Chu Xihuan couldn’t help but sigh softly in her heart. After eating at the Chu residence and then eating Lin Zhao’s cooking, even before she started eating, Chu Xihuan could already imagine the tragic comparison.

If it weren’t to fill her stomach, Chu Xihuan really didn’t want to eat.

They hadn’t gone to buy groceries today, so Chu Xihuan and Lin Zhao checked the things they had brought back from the Chu residence. There were some meat and vegetables inside. Lin Zhao took all the meat and vegetables to the kitchen to start making dinner, while Chu Xihuan stayed behind to tidy up the pile of things.

Ye Liuxiang had not only prepared fresh meat and vegetables, but also a lot of smoked and cured things that could be stored for a long time. The amount of fabric she had given them was enough for both her and Lin Zhao to make three sets of clothes each. Not to mention the other miscellaneous things, all of which were things Chu Xihuan was used to using. This way, her life at the Lin residence would be more comfortable.

Seeing this pile of things, Chu Xihuan’s nose stung a little. How could she not understand how much her family had worried about her willful actions?

Now that her mother was still willing to care for her like this, Chu Xihuan sometimes wondered how lucky she was to have a family like this.

After composing herself and tidying up the things, Chu Xihuan went to the kitchen and saw that Lin Zhao had almost finished making dinner.

A soup made with rendered pork fat and vegetables, served with two bowls of rice. Even for someone like Chu Xihuan, who ate lightly, the clear, watery soup was a little unappetizing.

Chu Xihuan was speechless. When would these days end?

“Xihuan, mother and the others gave us a lot of meat. I’ll hang the rest in the well tonight so it won’t spoil,” Lin Zhao said happily. This was a preservation method she had learned from others.

“Mm,” Chu Xihuan replied, sitting down and eating slowly without any emotion, thinking that it was really not easy for Lin Zhao to have supported herself until now.

The meal was eaten in a state of despair for Chu Xihuan. While recovering from the previous meal, she waited for the members of the Lin clan to come again.

Logically speaking, after being beaten out like that, they would definitely go to the clan head to seek justice. However, she waited and waited, but she never saw Lin Yongchang and the others come to settle the score.

Chu Xihuan was speechless.

Did they get scared? Logically speaking, that’s impossible, right?

“Xihuan, the water is ready.” Lin Zhao poked Chu Xihuan’s arm, who seemed to be in a daze.

Chu Xihuan came back to her senses and replied with a hum. She stood up and instructed, “If anyone comes to the door while I’m bathing, don’t open it.”

At that time, the members of the Lin clan would be numerous and powerful. If she were bathing, it would not be convenient for her to come out. If Lin Zhao were left alone, who knows how she would be bullied.

“Oh, okay,” Lin Zhao nodded obediently.

Chu Xihuan paused for a moment, then ruffled her head again before leaving.

Lin Zhao, who had had her head ruffled, looked at Chu Xihuan’s retreating back with a slightly confused expression, not understanding why she had suddenly touched her head.

But…

Xihuan is willing to be close to me!

Lin Zhao’s eyes were almost smiling out of sight.

She was overjoyed. After Chu Xihuan finished her bath, she also washed herself, washed their changed clothes, and jumped into bed, looking at Chu Xihuan with an eager and expectant expression.

Chu Xihuan was speechless.

She would rather the members of the Lin clan come to their door.

Chu Xihuan forced herself to calm down and, as if nothing had happened, tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and walked toward the bed.

She glanced at Lin Zhao again. She was almost suspecting that Lin Zhao was doing it on purpose. Originally, Lin Zhao slept on the outside, but now she had climbed into bed first. If she got into bed now, wouldn’t she have to climb over her?

“Tuck your legs in.” Chu Xihuan knelt on the side of the bed and patted Lin Zhao’s leg lightly.

“Oh, okay.” Lin Zhao obediently tucked her legs in to make room for Chu Xihuan. This way, Chu Xihuan didn’t have to climb over Lin Zhao to get to the inside.

Chu Xihuan lay down. Before she could even let out a breath, Lin Zhao, who was beside her, had already turned over and leaned against her, reaching out to hold her in her arms.

Chu Xihuan was speechless.

“Xihuan, you smell so good~” Lin Zhao said softly.

Every time she was this close to Xihuan, Lin Zhao couldn’t help but marvel at how good she smelled. It just made her happy.

Chu Xihuan’s face was expressionless. She was strangely getting used to Lin Zhao’s flirtatious behavior.

“Xihuan, can I put my leg on you?” Lin Zhao asked cautiously.

Lin Zhao was asking very sincerely. She felt that if she put her leg on Chu Xihuan, she could hold her tighter and sleep more comfortably.

Chu Xihuan suddenly sensed that Lin Zhao might be playing tricks on her. She was really testing her bottom line a little bit every day.

The first day was a kiss, the second day was a hug, and on the third day, she wanted to press her whole body against her.

“No,” Chu Xihuan said in a wooden voice.

This person was really good at taking a mile when given an inch.

Hearing her refusal, Lin Zhao couldn’t help but ask with a bit of grievance, “Why…”

She really wanted to be close to Xihuan.

Chu Xihuan took a deep breath. “Because it’s heavy, of course.”

And put her leg on her? Wouldn’t half her body weight be on her then? Chu Xihuan didn’t think she had any masochistic tendencies.

“Huh?” Lin Zhao was first startled, then replied with a dejected “oh.” Then, as if she had thought of something, her eyes lit up. “Then Xihuan can hold me and put her leg on me while we sleep!”

Since Xihuan thought it was heavy, she didn’t mind!

Chu Xihuan was speechless. This person really dared to think.

“I don’t sleep like that,” Chu Xihuan said quietly. She had always been a good sleeper and didn’t have the habit of hugging things to sleep. If she switched to the position Lin Zhao had described, she probably wouldn’t be able to sleep comfortably either.

Lin Zhao said, “…Oh.”

She dejectedly buried her head in Chu Xihuan’s shoulder, thinking sadly that Xihuan would probably never hold her in that position in the future.

“Then can you kiss me?” Lin Zhao asked again, rallying her spirits.

She couldn’t kiss her, but it should be okay for her to kiss her, right?

Chu Xihuan felt a vein throb on her forehead. “Shut up. Are you going to sleep or not? If not, get out.”

She was sure of it. Lin Zhao was testing her bottom line bit by bit! She should have made her copy those idioms a hundred times earlier!

Lin Zhao immediately shut up.

A long time later, just as Chu Xihuan was about to fall asleep, thinking that Lin Zhao had finally quieted down, she suddenly heard Lin Zhao’s slightly aggrieved voice.

“Xihuan, you used crude language.”

“Why can you say it and I can’t…”

And she even hit her for it. Lin Zhao pouted in the dark.

Chu Xihuan woke up. “…”

She had just told her to shut up. Was that considered crude language?

She didn’t have the patience to explain to Lin Zhao. “Because I’m older than you, and you have to listen to me. If I say you can’t say it, you can’t say it.”

Lin Zhao puffed out her cheeks and mumbled, “That’s not fair.”

As if she were afraid Chu Xihuan would hear, and also afraid she wouldn’t.

“If you make another sound, get out of bed,” Chu Xihuan said indifferently.

Lin Zhao immediately shut up and didn’t dare to make a sound.

**

Author’s Note:

Xixi: Why are you so talkative? [Angry][Angry]