Becoming the Cannon Fodder Wife of Crazy and Powerful Official - Chapter 38

The porcelain bowl slid lightly across the kang table with a long, drawn-out hum. Xin Yueying pushed the noodle soup in front of Shen Qingqi with an ingratiating smile. “I heard you didn’t eat dinner, so I specially made you noodles. There are two eggs inside, soft-boiled. Give them a try?”

Shen Qingqi snapped out of his thoughts. Silently, he straightened up, picked up his chopsticks, and began eating the noodles with refined manners.

He didn’t speak, and no sound came from his eating.

But he ate plenty, finishing the noodles in no time.

“Is there more?” He looked up at Xin Yueying.

“Ah?” Xin Yueying was taken aback.

“Is there more?” His dark, bright eyes fixed on her. “I’m not full.”

“…”

Xin Yueying took the empty bowl out, filled another serving, and brought it to him. The little piglet, probably catching the scent, wagged its pointy tail and trotted excitedly at Xin Yueying’s heels, following her into the room.

Shen Qingqi took the noodles and noticed the little piglet that had trailed in behind Xin Yueying, circling near the kang. He picked up a thin, soft noodle and tossed it on the ground. The piglet gobbled it up with a patter.

“Where did the pig come from?” he asked.

“The dead pig woman gave it to me.”

He paused slightly and looked at Xin Yueying. They stared at each other for a moment before he asked, “What dead pig woman?”

“I don’t know her name. She’s just an old lady.” Her mind raced as she swiftly changed the subject, “By the way, raising pigs might be a way to get rich. I heard from her that one pig can actually give birth to twenty or thirty piglets.”

Xin Yueying swung her crossed legs over the edge of the kang. “I’ll buy a few more piglets later. Raise the little pigs into big ones. As long as we take good care of the sow and get her to birth lots of piglets, it shouldn’t be too hard, right? Do you know how to care for a sow? Do they need help delivering when giving birth?”

Shen Qingqi didn’t seem to have any experience in this matter. “Not sure.”

“Oh, I’ll ask that old woman when I see her tomorrow.” That made sense—he’d spent years on the battlefield, riding horses and shooting arrows. If she’d asked about postpartum care for a mare, he might have known a thing or two, but when it came to postpartum care for a sow, he was probably clueless.

Xin Yueying, “I imagine it’s not too hard. Probably just boosting the sow’s nutrition, keeping an eye on her during delivery, and feeding her well afterward…”

“Xin Yueying.” Shen Qingqi cut her off.

He set down his chopsticks, clearly not interested in discussing postpartum care for sows.

“What’s wrong?” Xin Yueying asked guiltily.

Shen Qingqi, “When you do something, be thorough. Be bold. Don’t consider others.” He paused, his deep, intense eyes fixed on her, filled with an unreadable emotion.

Xin Yueying attempted to play dumb,

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. The issue of postpartum care for sows doesn’t involve considering others or not.”

“I’m talking about Meng Ruxin.” He laid it bare, his narrow eyes glinting coldly.

“She used underhanded schemes to plot against you. If you show her mercy and let her off this time, giving her room to catch her breath, not only will she not feel grateful, she will find ways to seek revenge. You’re storing up trouble for yourself.”

Xin Yueying looked at Shen Qingqi with slight surprise.

Xie Asheng had indeed eavesdropped and told him.

And she hadn’t misheard, right? Shen Qingqi was hinting that she could be thorough this time—why not take advantage of Guan Waishan’s influence to eliminate Meng Ruxin for good?

She understood his meaning, but it was still unbelievable.

He was actually taking her side???

Xin Yueying, “But… that’s Meng Ruxin. Her father saved you.”

“He saved me, not you.”

Xin Yueying, “Then if I cause her death, how will you explain it to her father?”

“That’s my matter.”

The room fell silent for a moment. Xin Yueying couldn’t hold back, “Aren’t you even the least bit heartbroken?”

Shen Qingqi paused, avoiding her gaze. His earlier intensity vanished, and he asked softly, “Heartbroken about what?”

“Meng Ruxin!”

Shen Qingqi suddenly looked at her, a flicker of disbelief in his eyes, then frowned and said sternly,

“Xin Yueying, are you out of your mind?”

Heh, my mind is just fine, but judging by the things you did later, you’re the one who’s out of his mind.

Of course, she couldn’t say that.

She could only ask him, “Why are you siding with me? You’ve known her longer, after all.”

Shen Qingqi gazed into those shimmering, watery eyes. Their eyes met briefly before he looked away first, picking up his chopsticks nonchalantly and taking a few bites of noodles.

Xin Yueying waited for what felt like an eternity, long enough to think Shen Qingqi probably wouldn’t answer the question. But just then, he spoke, “You are my wife, Shen Qingqi’s wife. Husband and wife are one.”

Hearing this suddenly made her heart tremble.

He looked up, expressionless. “If you act half-heartedly, it will implicate me. Your death alone wouldn’t be enough to regret, but dragging my life into it—that really wouldn’t be worth it.”

Xin Yueying was stunned.

See? His next sentence is always so unexpected.

Looks like curing him is hopeless. Maybe I should aim to depress him instead.

He pushed the empty bowl toward her. “Go wash the bowl.”

She stared at him angrily, a scene playing out in her mind: her taking the bowl, upending it on his head, and slapping him a couple of times for good measure.

Just briefly imagining this made her feel much better.

That night, when Xin Yueying returned to sleep, Shen Qingqi was still holding that book. She extinguished the lamps in the corners one by one. Seeing he had no intention of sleeping yet, she left one lamp for him by the kang edge.

Xin Yueying climbed onto the kang and lay down. Shen Qingqi slightly turned his back, giving her the chance to observe him freely.

He wasn’t frail; he had broad shoulders, and the lines of his arms exuded strength. She gazed at his long legs—he was half-propped on his left arm, not lying flat, but even so, her toes only reached about the level of his calves.

Xin Yueying frowned and pushed him. “Am I really a bit short?”

Shen Qingqi turned back, looking at her with some surprise. He glanced at her toes, then at his own legs, seeming to instantly understand her meaning. A teasing smile touched his lips. “Depends on who you compare yourself to.”

Xin Yueying had no other rivals to compare with, so she asked directly, “Compared to Meng Ruxin.”

Shen Qingqi looked at her expressionlessly. “You’re shorter.”

“…” Didn’t learn your lesson? Why talk to this little villain? Just asking for trouble.

Angry, she closed her eyes, turned over, and ignored him.

But then the person behind her suddenly tugged at the corner of her clothes. “Are you angry?”

She frowned. “How would I dare be angry? I’m terrified. I wouldn’t dare be angry.” She used the fiercest tone to say the most cowardly words.

The person behind her chuckled softly. He leaned in slightly and whispered by her ear, “But you are more beautiful than her.”

Hearing these words suddenly so close to her ear, Xin Yueying’s eyes flew open. She instinctively turned her head and realized he was extremely close. At this intimate distance, their eyes locked in a steady gaze.