Chapter 158: Missed the Bus

After the meal, Gong Zhixuan drove them to the station to buy tickets and then took them back to the guesthouse.

This time, the cost of staying at the guesthouse was covered by the police.

Cheng Jingmo hadn’t slept for two days and nights, so as soon as he returned to the guesthouse, he took a shower and went straight to bed.

At ten the next morning, the three of them boarded a bus bound for Ping County.

The road was a gravel path, and the ride was bumpy.

After a little over ten hours, Yu Xiangnian felt like her bones were falling apart from the jolts.

By the time they arrived in Ping City, it was already past eight in the evening. They found a restaurant for dinner and then checked into another guesthouse.

Yu Xiangnian was so exhausted that she didn’t even have the energy to go to the bathhouse. She washed up quickly and went to bed.

The next morning, the three of them first bought tickets to the township and then went to the department store to buy some items.

Before they left home, Zhao Ruozhu had repeatedly reminded Yu Xiangnian to buy a set of clothes for Cheng Jingmo’s parents and a few pounds of candy to take back home.

In the small county’s department store, they hadn’t stocked the new spring styles yet, and all the clothes were heavy cotton-padded jackets and pants.

Yu Xiangnian felt that she needed such a set!

Ping County was two or three degrees colder than Su City, and Yu Xiangnian thought that the spring here was colder than winter in Nan City!

Faced with the cold, Yu Xiangnian didn’t care about looking beautiful anymore.

She planned to buy two sets of cotton-padded clothes for herself and two for Xiao Jie.

Cheng Jingmo refused, saying that he grew up in the mountains and didn’t feel cold.

Cheng Jingmo chose a bright red floral cotton-padded jacket for Yu Xiangnian.

Yu Xiangnian was speechless!

Was she going to wear this to walk the red carpet at Cannes?!

Cheng Jingmo noticed that Yu Xiangnian didn’t just dislike it; she was resistant.

He explained, “Women here all like this kind of clothing.”

Yu Xiangnian shook her head vigorously in firm protest.

Cheng Jingmo was in a tough spot, “There aren’t many color options.”

Indeed, there were only three colors.

One was bright red, one was dark gray, and one was navy blue.

The other two colors had no patterns and were more suitable for older women.

“Buy one set,” Cheng Jingmo suggested. “Maybe there will be a few banquets at home, and this will be festive.”

Yu Xiangnian was a bit angry, “Why didn’t you mention this earlier?”

A few banquets implied a wedding, meaning she needed to make several beautiful outfits for the wedding!

Cheng Jingmo, seeing through Yu Xiangnian’s thoughts, said, “You look good in anything; there’s no need to make special preparations.”

Yu Xiangnian was annoyed, “What do you know?!”

Last time, it wasn’t her wedding, and this time she still had to dress ugly!

Cheng Jingmo noticed Yu Xiangnian’s eyes turning red and felt helpless.

He truly thought Yu Xiangnian looked good in anything, and even better without clothes.

Fortunately, Xiao Jie spoke up understandingly, “Auntie, my uncle is right. You look good in anything, that’s what all the ladies in the family quarters say.”

This successfully pleased Yu Xiangnian.

“Did they really say that?” she asked.

“Mm!” Xiao Jie nodded heavily.

Yu Xiangnian glared at Cheng Jingmo, still angry, “Do the women in your area all wear this for weddings?”

Cheng Jingmo nodded heavily too.

In the end, Yu Xiangnian bought one floral cotton-padded jacket and two gray ones.

She also bought two navy blue sets for Cheng Jingmo’s parents and two sets for Xiao Jie.

With so many cotton-padded jackets, their suitcase couldn’t fit everything.

Yu Xiangnian bought a large woven bag for the clothes and also bought ten pounds of fruit candy wrapped in red paper.

After taking a bath at the guesthouse bathhouse, Yu Xiangnian changed into a gray cotton-padded jacket.

The clothes she brought from home were simply not enough to keep out the cold here.

In the evening, Yu Xiangnian turned away from Cheng Jingmo, facing the wall, not wanting to talk to him.

Cheng Jingmo hugged her from behind, “Nian Nian…”

Yu Xiangnian ignored him.

“Sorry, I wasn’t sure if they would hold a banquet, so I didn’t tell you.”

Yu Xiangnian still didn’t respond.

Cheng Jingmo gently nibbled on Yu Xiangnian’s earlobe, and when she tried to push him away, he flipped her over instead.

His eyes were filled with desire, and Yu Xiangnian could feel it against her leg.

“I was wrong, I promise there won’t be a next time,” he said hoarsely. “Nian Nian…”

It had been over a week since they had last been intimate, from the night before they left home to today.

Newlyweds who had just begun to taste the sweetness of marriage were easily aroused by the slightest touch.

Yu Xiangnian swallowed, her gaze unconsciously softening. “You promise?”

“I promise!”

Yu Xiangnian wrapped her arms around Cheng Jingmo’s neck and kissed him.

That night, Cheng Jingmo was especially intense, and Yu Xiangnian didn’t know when she fell asleep.

The result of their excessive indulgence was that Cheng Jingmo’s biological clock was thrown off.

Usually, he would wake up on time, but this time, he woke up more than two hours late.

When the three of them hurriedly arrived at the bus station with their bags, the bus had already left.

Seeing the empty parking space, Cheng Jingmo lowered his head in embarrassment and guilt, while Yu Xiangnian was both angry and amused.

Last night had been too much, leaving her legs sore, and now she had run to catch the bus first thing in the morning.

But they still missed it!

It took four hours to get from the county to the township, and the next bus was at three in the afternoon.

Cheng Jingmo asked Yu Xiangnian, “Should we stay another night in the county or wait for the afternoon bus?”

Looking at the two big suitcases, the large woven bag, and the big backpack, Yu Xiangnian didn’t want to make another trip. “Let’s wait for the next bus here.”

“I’ll go buy the tickets.”

When they arrived at the township, it was seven in the evening, and the sky was already dark.

Cheng Jingmo searched around the township but couldn’t find a horse-drawn cart.

It still took more than two hours by cart to get back to the village.

There were no guesthouses or places to stay in the township, and walking back would take at least four hours, not to mention they had so much luggage.

Now they were really in a tough spot!

Moreover, Cheng Jingmo didn’t want his family to worry. A few days ago, when he and Gong Zhixuan were handling the case in Su City, he passed by the post office and sent a telegram home.

He had said they would be home by tonight at the latest.

If they didn’t get back tonight, his family might be worried.

Yu Xiangnian angrily punched Cheng Jingmo. “This is your fault!”

Cheng Jingmo, like a child who had done something wrong, lowered his head. “I’m sorry.”

He considered leaving Yu Xiangnian and Xiao Jie here while he made a quick trip to the village to find a cart or get help from his family with the luggage.

But it was already dark, and he didn’t want to leave them alone.

Being angry wouldn’t help!

Yu Xiangnian looked at the darkening sky and said, “Let’s go!”