Becoming the Cannon Fodder Wife of Crazy and Powerful Official - Chapter 43

Huo Qi walked over and untied the sack, revealing Xin Dabao’s face.

Cowering inside the sack, Xin Dabao was startled to see Huo Qi’s fierce, menacing face looming before him. Out of habit, he immediately assumed it was loan collectors who had captured him again. He panicked,

“I’ll pay you back once I find my sister, just give me a few days…”

“Don’t be afraid.” Shen Qingqi, holding a half-woven camp stool in his hand, glanced sideways at Xin Dabao. “I’m your brother-in-law. I’ve invited you here to help us build a house. Once the house is finished, you’ll be paid for your work.”

Xin Dabao stared blankly at Shen Qingqi.

“Brother-in-law? You… you’re my brother-in-law?”

Shen Qingqi gave him a cold look and lowered his head to continue his work.

Xin Dabao’s nervous eyes darted between Shen Qingqi and Huo Qi’s faces. Finally, he recognized Huo Qi, “I remember you! You’re the one who bought my sister from me!”

Huo Qi looked down on this kind of scoundrel and simply ignored him, turning to go into the east wing room. Xie Asheng followed him inside.

Xin Dabao scrambled up from the ground, looking around. Suddenly, he spotted his sister sitting on a stool, holding a small piglet.

Their eyes met. Xin Dabao gave Xin Yueying an ingratiating smile, glanced furtively back at Shen Qingqi, and whispered, “Little sister, can we go inside and talk for a minute?”

Xin Yueying, still holding the piglet, went into the small hall first.

Xin Dabao rubbed his hands together and quickly followed her into the hall. He looked back at Shen Qingqi in his wheelchair and lowered his voice even further, “If I’d known you married a cripple, I would never have agreed to this match.”

Xin Yueying looked at Xin Dabao with disgust and impatiently told him, “You just want to borrow money, right? Didn’t we just tell you? We can lend you the money, but you have to build the house for us first.”

Xin Dabao stood in front of Xin Yueying, his eyes fixed on the white jade peacock hairpin in her hair. His dark pupils drifted downward, examining her gold-wire and white jade earrings, then continued their exploration until they landed on the white jade-inlaid necklace around her neck.

“Looks like that damn cripple is pretty rich? Little sister, seems you’ve married well, huh?” He smirked slyly, keeping his voice low. “So? Can he… perform? You shouldn’t have to live like a widow. Are you still a virgin? Do you want me to find you a few young studs to relieve your boredom?”

Xin Yueying’s eyes flickered. Anger instantly surged from the depths of her heart.

A mischievous smile played on Xin Dabao’s lips. “What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue? Heh, most people become more open after marriage, but you’ve become all prim and proper? Tell me, can he actually do it or not?”

“You filthy scum!” Xin Yueying grabbed the teapot beside her and smashed it against Xin Dabao’s head. Broken porcelain exploded, drenching him from head to toe. As he staggered, Xin Yueying hitched up her skirt and kicked him hard between the legs.

“Ahhh————”

Xin Dabao clutched his crotch and fell to his knees in agony.

Xin Yueying, light as the wind, dashed out, “Huo Qi! Beat him up for me!”

“Coming!” Huo Qi rushed out of the east wing, rolling up his sleeves, and charged towards the small hall.

Soon, Xin Dabao’s cries for help came from inside, “Help! Stop hitting me! Heeelllp! Ahhh!”

The sound of Xin Dabao’s miserable wails filled the room. Xin Yueying stood in the yard, hands on her hips, letting out a smug laugh:

“Haha! Xin Dabao! Out here in these remote mountains, you can scream until your throat is raw and no one will come to save you! Be smart, work honestly and steadily here, and you might live a few days longer. If you say one more word, I’ll slit your throat!”

Xin Dabao had been badly beaten by Huo Qi. He clutched his head, twitching on the ground, blood-flecked foam dribbling from his mouth, “I was wrong, I’ll work, don’t kill me, I beg you…”

“Another word and I’ll cut out your tongue!” Xin Yueying pointed at him threateningly.

Huo Qi hauled Xin Dabao up, tied him to a wooden pillar in the small hall with a rope, then turned and went back to the east room.

Throughout all this, Shen Qingqi didn’t even bother to look up.

He remained focused, head bent over his weaving of the camp stool.

Xin Yueying walked over to him and said softly, “Stop that, go to sleep.”

“I’ll sleep after I finish this one.”

Xin Yueying, “I’ve boiled some medicinal herbs for you. Old Ma said you need to start foot baths today. He gave me a note, it was tucked in with the herbs, I only saw it this afternoon.”

Shen Qingqi, “No need. It’s troublesome.”

“But I’ve already prepared it!” She urged Shen Qingqi to go inside. Shen Qingqi placed the camp stool on his lap and moved his wheelchair with his hands. Xin Yueying quickly stepped over, took the stool off his legs, and said, “Stop that.”

Shen Qingqi pressed his lips together but didn’t insist further.

Xin Yueying ladled the prepared medicinal decoction into a wooden bucket. Just as she was about to carry it into the room, Shen Qingqi had already wheeled himself over, “We can do it here.”

“How can we? It’s cold.” She pointed at the window.

“Really, no need.” Shen Qingqi stopped his wheelchair in the kitchen area and bent to roll up his trousers. “I’m not that delicate.”

“No, this little kitchen is cramped, and it hasn’t been repaired yet. The doors and windows don’t close properly, and the mountain wind is chilly at night. We can’t do it here.” Xin Yueying insisted.

Shen Qingqi glanced at the wooden foot bath bucket filled with medicinal water on the ground and pressed his lips together.

Xin Yueying didn’t quite understand why he was being so stubborn. “Hurry up, the water temperature is perfect now, it’ll get cold soon.”

Shen Qingqi turned and called, “Huo Qi, help me carry this into the hall.”

“Alright!”

Huh? So he was worried she couldn’t lift the heavy bucket?

Shen Qingqi wheeled himself into the hall. Huo Qi placed the heavy wooden bucket on the floor, kicked the broken porcelain pieces aside, and went out.

Xin Yueying followed him in, closed the doors and windows. Shen Qingqi had already rolled up his trousers and placed his feet into the medicinal bath.

Xin Yueying hurried over, draped a quilt over his knees, and bent down to tuck it in properly. “Don’t catch a chill.”

She rolled up her sleeves and knelt beside Shen Qingqi’s feet, reaching out to touch his ankle.

Shen Qingqi bent over and stopped her hand. “What are you doing?”

“Lame Ma told me to press certain acupoints while you’re soaking. He drew the locations on the paper for me.”

Shen Qingqi frowned slightly. “No need.”

Xin Yueying tilted her head and looked at Shen Qingqi. “You keep saying ‘no need,’ but are we treating this or not? Since we are, we should follow the doctor’s orders.”

Shen Qingqi stared intently, his eyes downcast, but said nothing.

Xin Yueying tilted her head, trying to see his slightly lowered face. “Shen Qingqi.”

“Hmm?” He shifted his gaze to look at her. Their eyes met, his clear ones quietly fixed on her.

“You’re acting a bit strange today,” she said.

Shen Qingqi frowned lightly. “I’m not acting strange.”

He straightened up somewhat unnaturally, looking down at Xin Yueying kneeling by his feet. Her small hands, without the slightest hesitation, reached into the water, splashing it gently over his calves as she diligently pressed the acupoints on his legs.

Tied to the wooden pillar, Xin Dabao stared in astonishment at Xin Yueying’s back.

Xin Dabao knew perfectly well: this woman definitely was not his sister!