Chapter 32

Bai Jiaojiao had a fever.

The barefoot doctor in the village said it was due to getting caught in the rain and the shock she’d suffered.

When Father Xiao found out what had happened, he was so angry he wanted to go to Chen Family Village to settle the score with those two, but Xiao Zhou stopped him, saying he’d already arranged for people to stake out the area.

As soon as Chen Dawei and his brother showed up, they’d get what was coming to them—and then be handed over to the authorities.

So many people had witnessed it; those two scumbags had no chance of getting away.

Father Xiao saw the coldness in his son’s eyes and felt like he was meeting him for the first time.

There was no helping it—Xiao Zhou had always been so worry-free. Since he was a kid, he worked hard on the farm, took care of his mother and sister, and later, because he was outstanding, he was recruited into the military. As his father, he’d only ever seen the reliable and gentle side of his son, though something had always felt a little… distant.

Now, when Xiao Zhou occasionally showed a shadowy glint in his eyes, it actually made Father Xiao feel that his son was more real—more human, less like a carved mold.

“Dad, once my wife gets better, I’m taking her to live in the military compound,” Xiao Zhou said.

Father Xiao was stunned for a moment, then sighed. “I told you before to take your wife to live in the compound. You already have a house there, but you wouldn’t listen. Didn’t you guys end up buying an apartment out near the city? Why the change of heart now?”

Xiao Zhou replied, “Because I was stupid before.”

He’d considered this before. In the army, you might not see your family for a month or two at a time. Besides, the place he and his wife had bought was far from his base—closer to the city, but inconvenient. He didn’t understand why his past self would buy a place so far away.

Now, he couldn’t bear to be apart from his wife. Especially after what had just happened—he feared what might happen if he wasn’t home to protect her.

In fact, he was already thinking about how to submit his resignation. Just recently, he’d spoken to someone from a nearby unit—someone who had known him before—and learned that, thanks to his past merits, the military had long ago arranged a house for him.

That person even said they’d informed his father, which made Xiao Zhou even more baffled. Why the hell did my past self go and buy some faraway apartment?!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.

If it weren’t for the house in the compound, he’d have already resigned! Damn his pre-amnesia self!

Still fuming, he returned to the room. Seeing Bai Jiaojiao quietly lying in bed finally soothed his mood.

He glanced at Xiao Yueyue, who was standing beside the bed, and said softly, “Yueyue, your sister-in-law isn’t feeling well today. She can’t tell you a story.”

Xiao Yueyue was still spacing out.

But Xiao Zhou felt like she’d heard him.

Earlier, he had no idea his wife was in danger. His sister had suddenly run over in a panic. Seeing how off she was, Xiao Zhou immediately sensed something was wrong. Sure enough, when he rushed back, Bai Jiaojiao was gone.

At first, he thought maybe she’d run away—but then realized she wouldn’t do that. That’s when his sister pointed in a direction, and he took people and went after her right away.

Thankfully, he was just in time. If something had happened to her, he wouldn’t want to live either.

“Go to bed. Come see her early tomorrow morning,” Xiao Zhou said.

Xiao Yueyue seemed to hear that. She toddled off in her little slippers.

Xiao Zhou took off his clothes, climbed under the covers, and instinctively pulled his wife into his arms.

The rain grew heavier through the night. Bai Jiaojiao, half-asleep, heard some strange noises and gradually woke up.

Realizing she was in Xiao Zhou’s arms, she tried to move away. But then the sounds outside got louder—even the ground seemed to be trembling.

Xiao Zhou woke up too, pressing a kiss to her lips.

“I’ll go check.”

Bai Jiaojiao kept her eyes closed, pretending to be asleep.

Xiao Zhou smiled, tucked the blanket around her, and left the room.

Father Xiao had come out too, his face grim.

“Landslide.”

“It’s okay, get some rest. It’s not safe to go out now.”

Father Xiao had just come to inform Xiao Zhou.

Their village was far enough from the mountains that they didn’t need to worry about it spreading there—but the farmland area had probably been affected.

Xiao Zhou thought of how his wife had warned him about this earlier, and his gaze darkened. When he returned to the room, he held her even tighter.

“Wifey, are you a fairy or something?”

How else could she predict so many things?

She warned about Chen Dawei and his brother, and she even mentioned the landslide.

Everything she said came true.

Bai Jiaojiao wanted to keep pretending to sleep, but he was holding her too tightly.

“Loosen up a bit, I can barely breathe.”

Xiao Zhou realized and quickly loosened his grip, but still held her.

“I’m sorry, wifey. I was useless. I didn’t protect you.”

Bai Jiaojiao corrected him first: “Stop calling me ‘wifey.’”

“Jiaojiao,” he said, his voice low and hoarse, filled with infinite grievance.

She really wanted to cover her ears. That voice was too dangerous.

But she still had to talk to him.

“Xiao Zhou, I told you before—it’s all from dreams. And besides, those two guys had shifty faces, so I told you to watch them.”

“I didn’t watch closely enough.” He’d acted too late.

“From now on, if wifey doesn’t like someone, I’ll take them out.”

Bai Jiaojiao was stunned. Was this how a villain makes a promise?

“No way. We’re law-abiding citizens.”

If she could help it, she didn’t want to see the villain end up in jail.

After all, the first person he killed in the book was the original owner of her body.

Xiao Zhou had plenty of dark thoughts. Other people’s lives meant nothing to him.

Originally, his plan for Chen Dawei and his brother was to leave them at least crippled—or worse, arrange an “accident.”

But his wife had too kind a heart. No matter how dark his thoughts got, he had to hold it back in front of her.

“I was just joking,” Xiao Zhou said innocently.

Bai Jiaojiao: “…” Yeah right. You think I believe that?

Since she was still sick, and the man hadn’t tried anything, and even let her secretly touch his abs a few times, Bai Jiaojiao just let him hold her.

She had a great night’s sleep. The next morning, her fever was gone—but then came an unexpected piece of news.

Chen Dawei and Chen Erzhuang were dead. Buried in the landslide.

Those two cowards were too afraid to go home, worried Xiao Zhou’s people would catch them and beat them up. So they spent the night on the mountain—and just happened to get caught in the landslide.

When the police arrived, the villagers gathered around cursing them. Once they found out why those two were hiding in the mountains, the looks of disdain were everywhere.

Bai Jiaojiao didn’t dare look at the bodies—but she did have the guts to hide behind Xiao Zhou and eavesdrop on the gossip.

When Aunt Tang from the Xiao family heard the village talk, she rushed over. Seeing her dead husband, she let out a wail that sounded worse than a ghost’s.

“Oh heavens! Why?! How could you leave me like this?! What will we do now?!”

Bai Jiaojiao tried to peek, but Xiao Zhou pushed her head back with a finger. “The bodies haven’t been bagged yet.”

She immediately shrank back.

She didn’t want to look—but there’s always someone who just has to start trouble.

Aunt Tang spotted her and stormed over, pointing at Bai Jiaojiao and shouting,

“You little tramp! It’s all your fault my man didn’t come home last night!”