Chapter 11: The "Irritable" Wife Loves You (11)

Yun Zimu’s hand, holding the needle and thread, paused, and he nodded slightly.

He felt the same way. He had seen his wife’s behavior over the past few days; as long as she was willing to settle down and live a proper life with him, he really had nothing else to ask for.

Seeing Yun Zimu nod, Qian’s face blossomed into a smile.

"That’s right. You’re a smart person, little brother; your good days are still ahead of you!"

The two spoke a bit more, but Qian hesitated many times and dared not ask why Yun Zimu was unwilling to share a bed with Su Qiruo.

When it came down to it, this was a private matter between a husband and wife, and as an outsider, it really wasn't his place to pry.

Thinking of his own wife’s instructions, Qian could only sigh.

He was afraid he wouldn't be able to help Su Qiruo with this favor...

On the other side, Su Qiruo, who had originally only intended to repair the roof to keep out the rain, ended up bargaining with the workers and simply had them rebuild the *kang* in the east room as well.

But with all this commotion, Yun Zimu had nowhere to sleep that night.

Su Qiruo couldn't bear to have Yun Zimu make do in the kitchen with her, so when she went to pick him up, she suggested he stay at Lu Dasheng’s house for a couple of days.

Yet, Yun Zimu had a stubborn streak from somewhere and simply refused.

With no other choice, Su Qiruo brought him back to her house, which was currently half-renovated, moved a wooden bed frame into the woodshed, and barely managed to find a place for Yun Zimu to sleep.

"Where is Wife going?"

Seeing Su Qiruo spread out the bedding and prepare to leave, Yun Zimu spoke up, which was a rare occurrence.

Su Qiruo turned back, curious, and looked at Yun Zimu, who was staring straight at her with a nervous expression. She smiled and said, "I’m not going anywhere, just outside. You don't need to be afraid."

Thinking that Yun Zimu was timid, Su Qiruo deliberately added that last part.

"Wife, you should sleep inside!"

Yun Zimu’s voice was as soft as a mosquito’s hum, his small face flushed like a ripe apple, looking incredibly alluring.

Su Qiruo hurriedly averted her gaze, rubbed her nose in embarrassment, and gave a light cough. "You rest early. If you need anything, just call out loudly; I’ll be able to hear you."

With that, she disappeared through the doorway without waiting for Yun Zimu to say anything else.

The dim oil lamp illuminated Yun Zimu’s delicate face; beneath his straight, elegant nose were lips pressed tightly together.

It was clearly he who had forbidden her from touching him, yet now that he had asked her to stay and sleep here, she had fled.

Was it that she was already tired of him and no longer wanted to be with him?

She was unwilling to get close to him, and Yun Zimu should have been happy about that, but the sense of loss in his heart could not be hidden no matter what.

Lowering his eyes to look at his toes, Yun Zimu felt a sour, uncomfortable ache in his heart.

Perhaps his father’s words weren't necessarily right. Even though she had only bought him and hadn't married him yet, the villagers all called him the Su family’s husband!

Did that mean he was actually her husband, and not just a servant bought for pleasure?

Because Yun Zimu’s biological father was a concubine who had lived his whole life in humility, he had always taught Yun Zimu that even if he were to marry a common laborer in the future, he must only be the primary spouse and never a concubine.

Su Qiruo had bought him back but hadn't held a wedding ceremony with him. In Yun Zimu’s heart, he wasn't truly Su Qiruo’s husband yet, so naturally, he wouldn't allow her to touch him.

But now that she really didn't even think about that, he felt stifled again.

His wife had become so good now; there must be many young men outside who wanted to marry her. If she married someone else later, would she abandon him?

A flicker of worry rose in Yun Zimu’s heart—a mix of reluctance to part with the current Su Qiruo and fear of an unknown future.

"Crackle..."

The oil lamp flickered, startling Yun Zimu out of his wild thoughts. Carefully blowing out the lamp, Yun Zimu crawled under the covers, once again caught in a struggle between his father’s words and Su Qiruo.

Su Qiruo lay on a bamboo chair outside. The night breeze was cool, but it kept her from falling asleep.

She knew how important a man’s purity was in this world. Yun Zimu was becoming increasingly close to her, but she was becoming more and more afraid to get close to him.

Su Qiruo was timid when it came to matters of the heart. She was afraid of falling too deep only to find it was unrequited; that kind of pain was truly torturous.

Therefore, before she could clearly understand their feelings for each other, Su Qiruo didn't want to ruin Yun Zimu’s purity.

She couldn't deny that Yun Zimu was an excellent man—pure, kind, quiet, soft, and beautiful. Such a man was very attractive to a woman like Su Qiruo, who held independent and autonomous thoughts.

Su Qiruo thought that if Yun Zimu were willing, she would definitely dote on him and treat him well for the rest of her life.

It was just that cultivating feelings took time; she didn't want Yun Zimu to be with her without knowing where he stood.

She didn't know when she finally drifted off to sleep. When she woke up, the village roosters were already performing a symphony from east to west.

Getting up, she folded the thin blanket and placed it on the bamboo chair. Su Qiruo then carried the water buckets to fill the vat and went to gather a large bundle of firewood.

As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, she saw smoke rising from the chimney.

She walked quickly into the house, only to find that Yun Zimu had already started a fire to cook.

"Wife..."

Seeing her enter, Yun Zimu hurriedly tried to stand up, leaning on the fire poker. Su Qiruo rushed to drop the firewood and support him.

"You don't need to do these chores. It’s most important that you properly nurse your leg."

In the basin to the side, the dough had already been kneaded; the smooth ball of dough was clean and tidy, just like Yun Zimu.

"But Wife, you’ve been working so hard bringing people to repair the house every day. I should be the one washing clothes and cooking for you."

Yun Zimu lowered his eyes and said softly. Which family’s husband would be as delicate as him, not only failing to serve his wife properly but also waiting for her to take care of him all day?

"That will have to wait until your leg is healed, won't it?"

Su Qiruo helped Yun Zimu outside to sit on the bamboo chair. She carefully rolled up his pant leg to check the injury on his knee before rolling it back down.

"It looks like it’s healing. You must be careful in the future and stop acting recklessly."

Yun Zimu listened quietly to Su Qiruo’s nagging, feeling a peace in his heart he had never experienced before.

This life was so much better than when he was at the Yun manor; he should be content.

After breakfast, Su Qiruo packed some steamed buns and the cold side dishes she had made, then took Yun Zimu to Lu Dasheng’s house.

"Zimu’s health isn't good, so I’ll have to trouble you to take care of him for these two days, Brother-in-law."

Su Qiruo placed the items she brought on the table and said to Qian while holding Yun Zimu’s hand.

"What are you saying, sister? I’m usually quite bored myself. Having the Su family’s little brother here gives me someone to talk to."

Qian said with a smile, thinking the more he looked at the two of them, the more they seemed like a perfect match.

He had previously thought that Su Qiruo had wasted such a good appearance with such a rotten personality, but people could change, and now she had even learned how to cherish someone.

"Then you stay here with Brother-in-law, and I’ll come pick you up in the evening."

Su Qiruo said softly to Yun Zimu.

(End of chapter)