Chapter 18

Bai Jiaojiao instinctively turned around, wanting to shrink back, but the man firmly gripped her other wrist. His grip was so strong, she could faintly hear a creaking sound.

Xiao Zhou hadn’t expected her bones to be so delicate. He quickly released her hand as soon as he realized it, but the woman was already shedding big, silent tears.

“Wuwu, it hurts…”

Xiao Zhou’s eyes turned cold. “If you don’t want to die, stop crying.”

Bai Jiaojiao tried hard to stop, but the more he scared her, the more her tears flowed.

“I’m sorry, I really tried.”

The man frowned tightly, seemingly encountering something unfamiliar. He subconsciously reached out to wipe her tears, but the woman dodged his hand.

“Forget it, this is what Bai Jiaojiao deserves. I’ll go pay respects to my parents first.”

Bai Jiaojiao had made peace with it. Plus, if she cried, it would just look like mourning. It’s just that her pants were letting her down.

She didn’t notice the man’s hand frozen awkwardly mid-air.

Xiao Zhou stared at her retreating figure with a heavy heart.

This liar.

Those glassy eyes—he would never forget them. It was that night she drugged him, using those innocent, seductive eyes to trick him into bed.

He had already decided to build a life with her, but when everything ended and he was ready to take her to wash up, she had changed—turned into the very Bai Jiaojiao he despised most.

He thought he’d never see her again in this life.

But unexpectedly, she came back during his lowest moment—as an outsider.

Why as an outsider?

Wasn’t she the one who broke into his life first?

The house wasn’t big. Bai Jiaojiao turned and arrived at the front hall in just a few steps. The crowd looked at her in confusion.

“Xiao Xiao, why didn’t you get your wife a coat in this freezing weather?”

“So your wife’s here. No wonder I didn’t see her yesterday.”

Bai Jiaojiao glanced around. There were people from Xiao family village, but also a few unfamiliar faces who avoided her gaze. One middle-aged man kept looking at her several times.

“Who are you?” she asked instinctively, wanting to step closer—only to remember the draft in her pants.

If she walked over, she’d really give herself away.

Even though she’d said earlier she didn’t care, deep down she really did.

Suddenly, a long military coat was draped over her shoulders, long enough to almost cover her calves.

The man’s voice behind her was low and warm. “Why did you come out without dressing properly?”

Bai Jiaojiao looked at him in disbelief—this was the most shameless man she’d ever seen.

Xiao Zhou wore a gentle, doting expression—like something straight out of a novel. A pure, kind mask.

Bai Jiaojiao would bet that if she ran to tell everyone now that this man had tried to kidnap and kill her, they’d all think she was crazy.

Before she could say anything, the crowd was already greeting Xiao Zhou warmly. His face was pale, his expression tinged with sorrow over his parents’ passing, and the heavy responsibility of carrying on and caring for his wife.

“Jiaojiao insisted on kneeling here all day to mourn my parents. No matter how much I tried to stop her, she wouldn’t listen and ran out by herself.”

Bai Jiaojiao: “…”

The man glanced at her with a warning. She forced a smile. “Yeah.”

Not because she was afraid—she just wanted to spend a bit more time with the Xiao family.

“Oh right, Ah Zhou, could you bring me something to eat later? I haven’t had breakfast yet.”

To outsiders, Xiao Zhou was too kind to ever refuse.

He looked at her and smiled gently. “Alright.”

Bai Jiaojiao blinked sweetly. “My appetite isn’t great—I can be picky. But I know the best Ah Zhou will indulge me.”

His expression stiffened briefly, but quickly returned to normal. “Mm.”

The villagers praised him one after another. “Even though his parents are gone, at least he still has his wife. Their bond is real.”

“If his parents can see from the afterlife, they’d be relieved knowing he’s not alone.”

Xiao Zhou paused slightly in his steps.

Bai Jiaojiao bowed a few times in front of the altar, pretending not to hear what he had said earlier about kneeling all day, then sat down and casually chatted with the villagers. Only then did she learn who the unfamiliar people were.

They were from neighboring Chen family village—friends of Xiao Zhou’s father.

Bai Jiaojiao joked, “I read once in the paper that criminals love returning to the scene of the crime after they’ve done it.”

“Miss Xiao, you’re scaring us. The police already came. They said it was an accident—what killer?” one aunty rubbed her hands nervously.

Everyone looked a bit shaken. Talking like that in a mourning hall felt like a horror movie.

“Bai Jiaojiao!” Xiao Qianwen, who had been silent until now, suddenly exploded. “Why did you come back now?! Zhou’s already grieving the loss of his parents, and now you’re making it worse—saying creepy things in a place like this! This isn’t a place for your drama!”

Others nodded in agreement. They thought the wife was being unreasonable.

Bai Jiaojiao took a deep breath. She’d been here long enough to know—everyone treated her like a pushover.

But she was destined to die under a villain’s hand—why would she fear anyone else?

“I’m Ah Zhou’s wife. Something this big happened—not coming would be unfilial.

Whatever happened between me and Ah Zhou, we’re the ones in a relationship. What’s with your ‘lady of the house’ attitude? Trying to be the other woman?”

“I—” Xiao Qianwen’s face turned bright red.

Just then, Xiao Zhou came over with breakfast—a large tray of freshly steamed buns.

“Everyone, have some. There’s more porridge in the kitchen.”

The mood immediately lightened.

The smell of meat buns made everyone’s expression soften. “Thanks, Xiao.”

When he reached Bai Jiaojiao, Xiao Zhou handed her a bun expressionlessly. But instead of taking it, she leaned up and took a bite.

Then said, “Take the wrapper off for me.”

Xiao Zhou’s warm smile nearly cracked.

“Oh my, look how much Xiao spoils his wife!”

“Of course!” Bai Jiaojiao said smugly, even glancing at the sour-faced Xiao Qianwen who was glaring at them while eating her bun.

Xiao Zhou turned her head back and said coldly, “If you’re going to eat, eat properly. Don’t look around.”

Bai Jiaojiao understood instantly.

Hah. Get this angry over a childhood friend being mentioned? If you liked her so much, why didn’t you marry her earlier? Why wait until marrying the original Bai Jiaojiao before realizing your feelings?

She opened her mouth and took a few more big bites.

The filling was rich and flavorful. The meat and sauce mixed perfectly.

She was enjoying it so much that she took the bun from him, afraid she’d dirty his hands with sauce, and continued eating herself.

Xiao Zhou looked at his now-empty hands, feeling strangely unsettled.

He frowned ever so slightly but quickly masked it when others looked his way.

The mourners left by noon, not wanting to trouble him for lunch.

Bai Jiaojiao occasionally chatted, even talking to the three black-and-white portraits like old friends.

The once cold and lifeless mourning hall now had a hint of warmth.

Xiao Zhou pursed his lips and brought her a bowl of noodles. “Eat.”

“I’m coming!”

Even if it was just plain noodles, as long as he made it—it would be delicious.

She got up too fast, but her legs couldn’t keep up and she fell forward.

Bai Jiaojiao closed her eyes, bracing herself for a face-first crash into the ground.

Suddenly, she fell into a warm, firm embrace, faintly scented with mild soap.

It was soothing.

She looked up, momentarily stunned.

“Xiao Zhou… why would you…” catch me?