Chapter 9: The "Irritable" Wife Loves You (9)

"Sister Qi Ruo, you bought nothing but premium rice and white flour this time!"

Lu Ziping looked at the items Su Qiruo had purchased and couldn't help but sigh.

"Zimu’s health is poor, and I have treated him poorly in the past. Since I have said that we will live a good life from now on, I cannot continue to wrong him."

Su Qiruo’s words took Lu Ziping completely by surprise. From childhood to the present, this was the first time she had heard Su Qiruo speak so earnestly.

"But..."

Lu Ziping was about to mention that Yun Zimu did not allow Su Qiruo to touch him, but remembering Lu Dasheng’s warning, she swallowed those words back.

"There are no 'buts.' Since we are to live our lives, we shouldn't live in a daze. You should also work hard to save some money and start a family soon; only then will your life be complete."

After saying this, Su Qiruo shouldered the rice she had just bought and walked out. Lu Ziping watched Su Qiruo’s retreating figure, wondering what she was thinking, until she heard Su Qiruo call her, at which point she hurriedly shouldered the bag of white flour and chased after her.

Watching Su Qiruo buy so many bags and packages, Lu Qimei couldn't help but click her tongue. Sister Qi Ruo was truly generous!

The four of them walked all the way back to Lu Village, arriving just in time for lunch.

Because Su Qiruo had bought so many things, the group first dropped her off and helped her unload her belongings before heading to their own homes.

Yun Zimu, who had been sitting in the room lost in thought, heard the noise and hurriedly leaned against the wall to walk out. His legs were exceptionally painful today.

"Wife..."

Seeing that it was Su Qiruo, who hadn't returned all night, standing outside the door, Yun Zimu felt his nose sting. He had thought she had gone off to drink heavily again!

Su Qiruo raised her eyes and saw the pale-faced Yun Zimu. Looking at the dark circles under his eyes, she figured he hadn't slept well last night either.

Taking long strides over to support Yun Zimu’s arm, Su Qiruo helped him directly into the room and sat him down.

Crouching down to look at Yun Zimu’s legs, Su Qiruo asked with concern, "Is your leg hurting badly?"

Yun Zimu bit his lip and didn't answer, so Su Qiruo knew he was in great pain.

Bending down, she picked him up, ignoring Yun Zimu’s expression, and carried him directly to the bed.

Lifting his pant leg, she saw his red, swollen knees and the bruises on his legs, and Su Qiruo’s expression grew even uglier.

"I told you to rest properly in bed, but you wouldn't listen. If you end up a little cripple in the future, it will be too late to regret it."

As Su Qiruo scolded him sternly, she took a bottle of medicine she had bought in town from her bosom and gently applied it to his swollen knee, then poured a little more into her palm.

"I’ll rub it for you. It might hurt a bit, so bear with it."

"Mm..."

The moment Su Qiruo’s hand touched Yun Zimu’s leg, the person on the bed shrank back and trembled, though it was unclear if it was from the pain or the shyness.

At this moment, Su Qiruo was focused and didn't notice any of that, but Yun Zimu was overcome with shyness.

This was the second time she had seen his legs. From childhood to now, even his father had never lifted his pant legs like this.

In the past, Yun Zimu would have cried and dodged away, but facing the current Su Qiruo, he found he couldn't do it.

Thinking of his father’s words, Yun Zimu’s nose suddenly stung. He didn't want to follow his father’s old path, but things were starting to slip out of his control.

Only after rubbing the ointment into his leg did Su Qiruo move her hand away.

She then took two meat buns that were still warm from her bosom and placed them in Yun Zimu’s hands. Su Qiruo said softly, "I’m going outside to bring the rest of the things in. Eat your buns quickly."

Yun Zimu looked at the buns in his hands and instinctively handed one to Su Qiruo.

"Wife, you eat too."

"I already ate outside. These were bought specifically for you. You didn't eat this morning, did you? Eat quickly; I’ll make you meat pies tonight."

Su Qiruo had only eaten five buns in the morning and hadn't eaten lunch, but these two buns were meant for Yun Zimu, so how could she bear to eat them?

After going out to drink a bowl of warm water, Su Qiruo began moving the things she had bought into the house.

She moved the rice and flour to the kitchen and put them into the rice jar.

She had also bought a small bag of eggs for Yun Zimu. Fearing something might happen to them if left outside, Su Qiruo took them all into the main room.

Compared to the rice and flour, these eggs were not cheap at all.

Yun Zimu, nibbling on his bun, kept his bright, sparkling eyes fixed on Su Qiruo. Seeing her bring back so many things, he couldn't help but frown, suddenly feeling that the bun in his hand wasn't as tasty anymore.

Where did his wife get so much money? She couldn't have done something bad, could she?

As if she had guessed Yun Zimu’s thoughts, Su Qiruo began telling him about selling the bear while she moved the items.

Taking the remaining thirty taels of silver from her bosom and placing them in front of Yun Zimu, Su Qiruo smiled and said, "I plan to repair our house before the rainy season. Keep this money for now. Once I earn some more later, we’ll hire people to fix the house. By the way, we’ll remove these wooden boards and build you a large *kang* here. We’ll also fix up the west room to have a small *kang*, and I’ll sleep in the west room from then on."

"Oh, and I’ll have someone build a small room next to the kitchen later, specifically for you to bathe and clean yourself. It will be clean and safe."

As Su Qiruo spoke of her plans, Yun Zimu couldn't help but start to imagine them.

If they could build a large *kang*, it wouldn't be cold sleeping in the winter, right?

Warm and cozy—just thinking about it made him feel happy.

But...

His wife was leaving all this money with him; wasn't she afraid he would run away with it?

Although Yun Zimu rarely went out, he had heard of many men who took their wives' money and ran away, ruining many women!

But looking at his wife’s expression, it was clear she trusted him deeply.

A warmth spread through Yun Zimu’s heart for no reason. He carefully put the money away, not saying a single word of polite refusal.

Seeing this, Su Qiruo knew the little one was slowly accepting her, and her mood improved as well.

She took out a pair of brand-new cloth shoes and a set of dark blue clothes and placed them beside Yun Zimu. Without saying another word, she went out to fetch water and chop wood.

With trembling hands, Yun Zimu unfolded the clothes, finding two sets of soft undergarments wrapped inside. His little mouth pouted, and tears suddenly rolled down uncontrollably.

His wife... why was she being so good to him?

Even when he was at the Yun estate, he had never worn such new clothes. Only the leftovers the legitimate sons didn't want would ever reach the concubines' sons. With his nature of never fighting for anything, even the things others didn't want never reached him.

The life Yun Zimu had lived before was worse than that of a servant, so with Su Qiruo treating him this well now, he felt it was somewhat unreal.

Tearfully eating the two meat buns, Yun Zimu hugged the new clothes and shoes and fell into a daze.

When Su Qiruo came back in, she saw Yun Zimu leaning against the head of the bed, fast asleep.