Chapter 40: Does My Lady Wish to Know? Give Me a Kiss

This pheasant was truly nourishing; even when Chen Jie left, Wu Zhong was still practicing martial arts, moving a heavy millstone.

Lady Bai gave Chen Jie two steamed buns and the leftovers from today's meal, a dish of stir-fried pork with celery.

Carrying the food, Chen Jie returned to his own home.

Su Yunjin and Little Bean were already waiting in the courtyard, Su Yunjin's face filled with worry.

When Chen Jie came down from the mountain this morning, he had only told her he was heading to the Bai family with a sack; he had been gone all day, and she had been worried to death.

The old, gambling-addict Chen Jie.

Su Yunjin had once wished he would just die out there, but after the changes of the past few days—especially the firewood and the full water vat this morning—she felt a difference in him, the presence of a man.

"I'm back."

"Brother-in-law!"

Little Bean ran toward Chen Jie, but his eyes were fixed on Chen Jie's hands.

"Does Brother-in-law have anything delicious?"

"Do you like stir-fried pork with celery?"

Chen Jie teased Little Bean with a smile. Hearing this, Little Bean couldn't help himself and swallowed hard.

"Wife, heat up the food, and here are these two buns."

Chen Jie handed the food to Su Yunjin.

"Husband, why did you bring food back again? You aren't allowed to do this next time. Once or twice is fine, but if it continues, people will start to harbor resentment. You just started as an apprentice; don't leave a bad impression on Doctor Bai."

"And don't always worry about me and Ruirui. Our family has lard and sorghum rice; life is much better than before. I can also dig up some wild vegetables, and we can eat well without you bringing things back every single day."

"If this goes on too long, it will become annoying to others," Su Yunjin nagged.

Chen Jie nodded and said, "Wife, I understand. I didn't want it; Auntie Bai insisted on stuffing it into my hands."

Su Yunjin: "Even so, you can't always take it."

"Alright, alright, I'll listen to my wife, listen to my wife."

...

The food was quickly heated. After Chen Jie finished eating, he watched Ruirui and Su Yunjin sitting at the table eating the stir-fried pork with celery. Su Yunjin mostly ate the celery, while most of the meat ended up in Little Bean's mouth.

"Sister, why aren't you eating the meat?"

"Hehe, Sister doesn't like it."

Su Yunjin spoke dotingly, but Little Bean looked puzzled. "Meat is so delicious, how can Sister not like it? Ruirui likes it."

Hearing this, Chen Jie picked up a piece of meat from the plate and placed it in Su Yunjin's bowl.

Su Yunjin looked up, meeting Chen Jie's gaze with a hint of confusion.

"Ruirui is right. Meat is so delicious, how could my wife not like it? You have to learn to enjoy eating so you can be even more beautiful, right, Ruirui?"

"Mhm, eat meat, become beautiful, Sister eat."

Ruirui sensibly put his favorite meat into Su Yunjin's bowl.

Seeing this, Chen Jie picked up another piece and said, "Eat one more."

Ruirui: "Mhm, eat one more."

"Enough, enough, I really can't eat any more."

A happy smile appeared on Su Yunjin's face as she covered her bowl; otherwise, all the meat from the stir-fried pork would end up in her bowl.

Seeing it was about time, Chen Jie said to Ruirui, "Alright, let's let Sister off for now. As for the rest, little Ruirui, you are responsible for eliminating it."

"Mhm!"

Ruirui nodded vigorously, his face full of happiness; there were still five or six pieces of meat left in the bowl.

Su Yunjin took a bite of meat, but then her expression became heavy. She glanced at Chen Jie, her mouth opening as if to speak, but then she fell silent. Seeing her like this, Chen Jie understood.

"Are you wondering about Ma Liu's matter?"

Su Yunjin paused, then looked at Chen Jie with worry. "Husband, I did some math at home today. Even if we sold our house, we could only scrape together five taels of silver at most. That is far too short of the twenty-five taels needed."

After saying this, her face was clouded with gloom.

"Mhm, don't worry about that. I've already solved it."

"Huh? Solved it?"

Su Yunjin looked at Chen Jie in shock, her large eyes full of disbelief.

Having just eaten meat, her slightly oily little lips parted slightly, looking quite alluring.

"Really??"

She asked in disbelief.

"Really. That's what I was busy with today."

Su Yunjin steadied her mind and looked at Chen Jie. "Husband, how... how did you solve it?"

Chen Jie smiled. "A wise man has his own tricks."

Su Yunjin said anxiously, "Husband, stop being cryptic and tell me quickly."

"You want to know?"

Chen Jie looked at Su Yunjin's pretty face. Although she was a bit sallow due to long-term malnutrition, her foundation from a scholarly family was still there; as long as she ate well, she would eventually recover.

"Yes."

Su Yunjin nodded. This heavy stone had been pressing on her heart; it had almost crushed her yesterday, yet Chen Jie had solved it so easily. She was extremely curious about how.

"Give me a kiss, and I'll tell you."

Chen Jie stared into Su Yunjin's eyes.

Her eyes were as bright as gems.

Upon hearing this, she was instantly bashful, her face turning red as she gave Chen Jie a coquettish glare.

"Ruirui is right here, stop talking nonsense!"

Having said that, she lowered her head and began fiddling with her collar.

Looking at her, Chen Jie said, "You and I are husband and wife, it's legal. What nonsense? It's just a kiss, what's the big deal? Ruirui!"

"Hmm?"

Ruirui looked up.

Chen Jie pointed to his cheek and said, "Give Brother-in-law a kiss."

"Oh."

Ruirui stepped forward, and his greasy, large lips pressed directly against it.

*Smack!*

"Good boy. Eat up."

Chen Jie looked at Su Yunjin with a chuckle. "Look at Ruirui, then look at yourself."

Su Yunjin gave Chen Jie a shy, annoyed look. "Are you trying to kill me? Ruirui is a child, how can I... compare to him?"

"Hehe, then do you want to know how I dealt with Ma Liu?"

Su Yunjin thought for a moment and said, "If you don't want to tell me, then don't. Anyway..."

*Smack!*

Su Yunjin wanted to say more, but she suddenly felt her body stiffen as Chen Jie kissed her on the face. She was instantly stunned.

High temperature warning!

Her face turned as red as a tea kettle.

Her heart pounded violently.

A woman under feudal etiquette was not as open as those in later generations; Chen Jie's behavior could be considered quite bold.

Looking at Su Yunjin's reaction, Chen Jie actually felt a sense of middle-school romance; girls back then would also blush...

"Ahem, wife, since you want to know but won't kiss me, I can only take a little loss and kiss you. Now that the deal is struck, I can tell you. Do you still want to know?"

"Mhm~"

Su Yunjin nodded gently. Although she was flustered, her curiosity remained, and the heavy stone in her heart had not yet been moved.

Seeing this, Chen Jie reached into his bosom and found the promissory note.

"Take a look."

Chen Jie handed the slip of paper to the woman.

Su Yunjin took the paper and scanned it. Her heart finally settled completely; it really was the debt note Ma Liu used to extort money. Now that the note had been retrieved, the debt was naturally cleared.

"Husband, how on earth did you do it!"

Su Yunjin's eyes were filled with curiosity and inquiry.