Chapter 58

Watching his granddaughter smile brightly like a blooming flower, Old Master Fang’s expression suddenly turned as dark as a pot’s bottom.

Originally, it wasn’t a big deal for his daughter to be attentive to Xie Zhen, especially since he was still single.

After all, as the old saying goes, a girl chasing a boy is just a thin veil apart.

However, Xie Zhen already had a partner and was even married.

There was absolutely no way that his granddaughter could act as the third party that ruined someone else’s relationship.

Old Master Fang wanted his granddaughter to give up her feelings directly, but Yunyun couldn’t be so eager either.

Seeing her granddaughter smiling like a flower, it simply pricked at his old eyes.

Moreover, with Xie Zhen’s temper, he wouldn’t let his wife suffer any grievances. Just look at how attentive he was to his wife; it could turn into a fight.

Then, the reality was completely different from what Old Master Fang had imagined.

All the old men thought that the young man from the Xie family would give a cold face, but they did not expect Xie Zhen to gently nod at Fang Yunyun, saying, “I returned yesterday afternoon. This is your sister-in-law, Su Xi.”

Then something that left the old men utterly astonished happened.

Fang Yunyun placed the pastries she was holding on the table and smiled brightly, saying, “Sister-in-law, hello! My name is Fang Yunyun. It’s really impressive that someone like Xie Zhen could win you over!”

Everyone thought:  Weren’t they supposed to scratch each other and pull each other’s hair?

Fang Yunyun was undoubtedly beautiful, but what caught Su Xi’s eye the most was that the girl had the face of a loli yet a scorching hot body; in short, she was what people in later generations would describe as both innocent and seductive, with an exceptional charm.

Su Xi quite liked this girl, although she found the unspoken tension between the old men a bit strange. Since it was their first meeting, she felt a bit shy and simply bent her watery eyes toward Fang Yunyun, saying, “Hello, my name is Su Xi. My friends call me Xixi!”

Fang Yunyun smiled brightly, saying, “Alright, I’ll call you Xixi then. Let’s be friends; I like your temperament!”

With just those two sentences, there was no trace of the innocent yet seductive charm anymore; instead, she appeared to be a straightforward girl.

Their first impressions of each other were good. Thus, the two women, who were supposed to be rivals in the eyes of others, got along like old friends, heads together, whispering to each other.

Then, Mrs. Tang Siyun also joined the discussion group, chattering away in high spirits.

The old men exchanged glances, unsure of how to react.

After a while, the chubby old man raised his eyebrows at Old Master Fang, asking, “What does this girl Yunyun mean?”

Old Master Fang didn’t understand either, but that didn’t stop him from boasting. He began to shake his leg, saying, “What’s the big deal? Our Fang family’s daughter can take it or leave it, very open-minded!”

As he spoke, he gave a thumbs-up, looking like he was immensely proud of his granddaughter.

This earned him a collective roll of the eyes from the other old men.

However, Yunyun was able to see things lightly, and to everyone’s eyes, that was a good trait.

After all, they were old friends. If any awkwardness arose over the younger generation, it would be quite embarrassing. While things wouldn’t completely fall apart, some unresolved feelings were definitely unavoidable.

Given the current situation, it couldn’t be better.

So even if they were puzzled inside, no one would dare to ask anything in front of the new daughter-in-law.

The meeting with the old master today was pleasant for both sides.

Old Master Xie was very satisfied with Su Xi. He remained cheerful and glowing until Xie Bo came to pick them up.

Su Xi and the others had arranged to move the banquet two days later. After dinner, Old Master Xie didn’t want to trouble his son again, so they all squeezed into the Jeep and headed to Xie Bo’s place together.

On this summer night, there was a slight coolness in the air.

After washing her hair and taking a bath, Su Xi sat cross-legged on the bed, using a towel to dry her hair.

The 1960s were indeed quite inconvenient. Her hair was thick and long, and every time she washed it, drying it was quite a physical task. But she didn’t want to cut her hair.

In her previous life, for the sake of convenience, after starting martial arts, she had hardly ever kept long hair. She couldn’t help but feel envious when she saw others with their long, flowing hair.

Now that she finally had the conditions to grow her hair long in this life, she didn’t have a hairdryer, which was frustrating to think about.

While she struggled with her still damp long hair, Xie Zhen came in after his shower, wearing a tank top and beach shorts reminiscent of styles from later generations.

His simple outfit accentuated the beautiful lines of his muscles.

Xie Zhen’s muscles weren’t the exaggerated type, but they were full of strength. He had a tall, straight physique, and as he took long strides toward her, the slightly visible abs beneath his fitted tank top became particularly pronounced.

Recalling the previous sensation, Su Xi swallowed hard and secretly averted her gaze!

She was a serious person!

As for Xie Zhen, a soldier king, the admiring glances that she thought were hidden all fell under his notice.

He had long realized that his wife liked his physique, so when they were alone, he often deliberately revealed some muscle to entice her.

Yes, it was definitely enticing.

He had never imagined before that his usually composed self could act like all the male animals, proudly showcasing his exterior in front of the one he cared about.

Each time the girl looked at him with admiration, an undeniable happiness would surge within him.

He thought that whenever he was with Su Xi, he would become unlike himself, even a bit childish, yet he relished it.

Xie Zhen reached out to take the towel from his little wife’s hands and sat behind her, patiently helping her dry her hair.

His movements were very skilled, even more gentle than when Su Xi did it herself, clearly not the first time he had done this: “What were you thinking just now?”

His voice was a bit hoarse. They were already a couple, it was late at night, and they were on the same bed, so Su Xi inevitably let her mind wander. Feeling a bit guilty, she replied in a small voice, “Nothing, really.”

Xie Zhen chuckled softly, his voice low and close to Su Xi’s ear, his breath brushing against her ear, causing her to shiver slightly. She bit her lip and hurriedly changed the subject: “By the way, I haven’t asked you yet, what’s up with Fang Yunyun? I kept feeling that Grandpa and the others had strange expressions today, constantly glancing between the three of us.”

Xie Zhen could easily see through his little wife’s avoidance. His dark eyes were unfathomable, but his tone was deliberately composed: “The old masters have always thought that Fang Yunyun likes me, so when they saw us getting along well today, they probably felt that way.”

“Thought?” Su Xi raised an eyebrow. She didn’t consider herself slow-witted; a woman could usually tell if another woman had feelings for her husband. Fang Yunyun didn’t seem to have that.

Xie Zhen chuckled lightly: “Yeah, a few years ago, Fang Yunyun was urged by her family to marry, and then she told the old masters that she liked guys like me.”

Now Su Xi’s curiosity was piqued. She turned to face him and asked, “What exactly happened?”

Xie Zhen continued his gentle motions: “You’re not angry?”

Su Xi playfully swatted his arm and scolded, “Why would I be angry? She doesn’t like you, and you don’t like her. Is there really any need for me to feel jealous over something so trivial?”

Feigning distress, Xie Zhen sighed, “I was hoping you would get jealous for me.”

Su Xi rolled her eyes, “I don’t want to feel jealous. As a qualified husband, if there really are women coveting you, you should handle those troubles yourself.”

Xie Zhen bent down and kissed his wife’s slightly pouting pink lips, saying, “You make a very good point!”

Su Xi felt delighted. She changed her position, kneeling on the bed, just tall enough to easily reach the man’s lips. With a sweet smile, she held his handsome face and took the initiative to give him a passionate kiss.

As their breaths intertwined and heated up, Xie Zhen’s palms grew hot, firmly gripping his wife’s petite waist. After a long while, he finally pulled away from her sweet lips, gasping, “Honey, don’t tempt me. Let’s wait until your hair is dry, okay?”

Suddenly, Su Xi felt as if she was on fire. She just wanted to give him a quick kiss…

She sat cross-legged and, a bit annoyed, knocked her head against the man’s chest, causing him to laugh so hard that his chest vibrated: “Silly girl, does your head hurt?”

Su Xi: “……” it did hurt a bit. This man’s muscles felt like a steel plate.

“You still haven’t told me about Yunyun,” she decided to let her little head off the hook and continue with the previous topic.

Xie Zhen took a deep breath, suppressing the urgent desire surging within him. However, the movement of his hands became a bit more hurried: “We grew up together, but we didn’t really have any feelings for each other. Five years ago, Fang Yunyun fell in love with a guy, and knowing her family didn’t approve, she secretly started dating him.

But everyone in our circle knew she had a boyfriend, and we all helped her keep it a secret. Later, when she turned 25, her grandfather thought she was old enough and pressured her to go on blind dates.

She had no choice but to tell her grandfather that she liked guys like me, using me as a shield. At that time, I was single, so out of our childhood friendship, I agreed. But my parents and sister knew about it and didn’t take it seriously…”

Su Xi hadn’t expected such a backstory and couldn’t help but grow curious about Fang Yunyun’s boyfriend: “Have you met Yunyun’s boyfriend? Why did her family disapprove?”

Xie Zhen chuckled, “I haven’t met him, but I think they would probably agree now. You see, Fang Yunyun liked her boyfriend five years ago when she was 23, and he was only 17. There was no way her family would agree to that.”

“Oh my! A little wolf dog!” Su Xi didn’t expect such a shocking revelation. It was unbelievable. While there were plenty of people getting married at sixteen or seventeen these days, she was still somewhat surprised.

No wonder the Fang family wouldn’t agree back then. They probably would now, considering that guy was likely 23 years old by now, definitely an adult.

Xie Zhen narrowed his long eyes and tossed the towel onto a nearby chair. He pulled Su Xi into his arms and threatened, “What do you mean by little wolf dog?”

Su Xi covered her face, realizing she had slipped up. She smiled apologetically, “I didn’t mean anything, I was just saying it casually.”

“Oh? That can’t be right. I saw your expression, and you looked pretty envious!”

His voice had a chilling quality to it, and Su Xi inexplicably felt her body soften. Meeting his dangerous gaze, she gritted her teeth, lunged forward, and pushed him down onto the bed, capturing his lips with hers, effectively sealing his annoying mouth shut…

And then… Su Xi, the little fairy, gradually understood what it meant to fall into a tiger’s den.

Not only did she get devoured, but she also had to clearly explain what a little wolf dog and old dried meat were.

All she remembered was that just before everything faded to black from the overwhelming sensations, the man leaned close to her ear and asked if he had the stamina to be a little Grandma Chen dog!

—o—o—o—

On July 19th, the weather was still wonderfully sunny.

Su Xi and Xie Zhen’s wedding was scheduled for the evening. There wasn’t any particular significance to this timing; it was mainly to accommodate the family and friends who had to work during the day, so the banquet was arranged for the evening instead.

They only set up four tables, which was definitely a low-key affair for the Xie family.

The banquet was held in the yard. Tang Siyun took Su Xi’s suggestion, pooled some money, hired a chef, and provided him with a list of dishes along with labor costs, allowing him to handle the arrangements himself.

This way, everyone could enjoy a more relaxed atmosphere.

Today was not the actual wedding day; the banquet was more of an opportunity to introduce the new daughter-in-law of the Xie family to friends and relatives. Therefore, Su Xi didn’t make a special effort to dress up; wearing a red wedding gown or similar attire felt too sensitive.

Instead, Su Xi opted for a military uniform, similar to what she had worn on the wedding day, and adorned her head with several large red roses as embellishments. With light makeup, she followed Xie Zhen as they walked behind Xie Bo and Tang Siyun, toasting each table as they went.

The guests today were all close friends of the Xie family, and the atmosphere of the evening was lively and harmonious.

When Su Xi and Xie Zhen finally reached the younger generation’s table, Xie Bo finished toasting and led his wife back to the main table.

However, Xie Zhen and Su Xi did not rush to leave; taking advantage of Xie Zhen’s good mood today, the young ones boldly began to stir up some mischief.

“Xie Zhen, tell us how you managed to win over such a beautiful sister-in-law!”

“Get lost! Shouldn’t Xie Zhen kiss his wife first?”

“Yeah, yeah! Today is a good day; he should definitely kiss her!”

“Kiss! Kiss!”

“Kiss! Kiss!”

“……”

The young people were having a raucous time, and the laughter and teasing drew the attention of the other tables, who laughed and scolded the rascals. Today, they were definitely getting bolder in front of Xie Zhen.

Xie Zhen ignored them, pulling his wife to sit down and picking up clean chopsticks from the table to serve her some food. After going around the tables for drinks, Su Xi had consumed quite a bit and needed some food to balance it out.

Meanwhile, Su Xi’s eyes kept drifting toward the handsome man sitting next to Fang Yunyun, feeling as though she had seen him somewhere before.

Xie Zhen kept a close watch on his wife and certainly noticed her occasional glances toward Fang Yunyun’s boyfriend.

His expression darkened slightly as he recalled the term “little wolf dog,” and for some inexplicable reason, he felt a bit annoyed at the sight of Fang Yunyun’s boyfriend. “Xi Xi, what are you looking at?” he asked.

How could that pretty boy compare to him?

Oblivious to her husband’s mood, Su Xi leaned closer to him and whispered, “Don’t you think Yunyun’s boyfriend looks a bit familiar?”

Xie Zhen turned his head to take a good look.

To be honest, putting aside all other emotions, the guy did seem somewhat familiar, but he just couldn’t recall where he had seen him before.

The two people’s gazes were not very subtle; even Fang Yunyu and her partner noticed and looked over. Yunyu directly asked, “What are you two looking at?”

Su Xi smiled and said, “I always feel like I’ve seen your partner somewhere before, but I just can’t remember.”

Yunyu’s partner, named Gu An, upon hearing this, he carefully examined Su Xi and Xie Zhen, then shook his head with certainty, “I don’t think we’ve met before.”

This couple, whether in appearance or temperament, was truly outstanding; even if he had only met them once, he would not forget them.

Just as Su Xi was about to say that she might have remembered wrong, a flash of inspiration struck her. She tapped Xie Zhen’s arm excitedly and said, “I remember now! Last year, when we first went to the city, we ran into him on the street during that time Mei Li was being unreasonable. Do you remember?”

With such an obvious prompt from his wife, Xie Zhen, who had a good memory, immediately recalled the person. Wasn’t that the unlucky guy? However, he had to admit that Gu An had handled things decisively back then, and he had a bit of admiration for him.

“What are you guys talking about? Have you really met our Gu An?” Fang Yunyu grew even more curious.

Before Gu An could deny it again, Su Xi explained under the curious gazes of everyone, “It was probably around September last year. Were you in F City?”

Gu An was truly surprised. Could it be that they had really met? “Yes, I was there looking for my Eldest Brother at that time.”

Su Xi clapped her hands. “That’s it! I remember that you were falsely accused by a female comrade, and Xie Zhen and I happened to be in the crowd. So you didn’t see us, but we remember you.”

Gu An suddenly understood, recalling the unjust disaster from a year ago. He still felt a bit nauseous thinking about it. Under Yunyu’s inquisitive gaze, he recounted what had happened.

No one had expected such a thing to occur, and they all expressed that they had learned something new.

Fang Yunyu praised, “Very good, Gu An Comrade. Keep up this excellent style.”

Gu An only smiled indulgently at his partner, clearly showing that they had a good relationship.

Su Xi quietly asked, “Have they come out to their family about this?”

Xie Zhen lowered his voice in agreement, “It should be!”

“Does the Fang family not oppose it?”

“Look at Old Master Fang’s expression; doesn’t he look like he was opposed to it? Maybe he’s grinding his teeth!”

Su Xi recalled how Old Master Fang had looked forced during the toast earlier and said in confusion, “I think Gu An and Yunyu are quite suitable for each other. Five years younger isn’t a big deal, is it?”

Xie Zhen shook his head, feeding Su Xi a bite of food before explaining, “It’s not just about that. Old Master Fang wants his granddaughter to marry a soldier. Gu An is probably involved in politics, and at his age, he should still be honing his skills in the field, which must be tough. The old man probably doesn’t want his granddaughter to suffer along with him.”

Su Xi understood. Such matters were beyond the reach of outsiders like them. However, she felt that in the end, Old Master Fang would definitely compromise.

After all, the old man doted on Fang Yunyu so much that he wouldn’t want her to face difficulties. Moreover, Gu An was indeed an excellent candidate. If he agreed now, it was just a temporary dissatisfaction.

—o—o—o—

In the days that followed, Su Xi was almost always busy.

One day she went shopping with her mother-in-law, the next she dined on delicious food with Pang Xing or Fang Yunyu.

Sometimes, a few women would go out together, often without the men, and they were having a wonderful time.

It wasn’t until Xie Zhen’s expression grew darker that Su Xi decided to decline the last two invitations from her friends and reserved the final two days for her newlywed husband.

“Are you really angry? I just thought, who knows how long it will be until I can see Mom again? Plus, because of my sister, I feel like she’s not very happy. I wanted to take this opportunity to cheer her up. We’ll have plenty of chances in the future,” Su Xi explained, leaning against the man’s shoulder in a spoiled manner after they returned to their room that evening.

Xie Zhen wasn’t actually upset. Seeing his wife come back every day in high spirits made him happy.

However, along with that happiness, he couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy. Perhaps because he cared too much, he found himself worried that his own serious demeanor might make his little wife feel bored.

He never expected that his twenty-year-old wife, at such a lively age, would notice their mother’s emotions even earlier than he did as her son.

At that moment, Xie Zhen felt a pang in his heart. He reached out to pull the girl into his embrace, closed his eyes, and kissed the top of her head, his voice low and husky, “I’m not angry. How could I ever be angry with you? I’m just a bit worried seeing you so happy every day.”

Su Xi lifted her delicate hand and wrapped it around the man, her voice soft as she asked, “What are you worried about?”

“Worried… that I’m too quiet, that I can’t make you happy, and that you might find me boring!” Xie Zhen never hid his true emotions in front of his wife. He liked to lay his real self bare before her, unlike most men who felt that this was a loss of face.

Su Xi straightened her back and looked seriously at him. “How could you think that?”

Xie Zhen lowered his head, gazing into his little wife’s watery eyes. He pressed his lips together, unsure of how to articulate his feelings. “I used to think you didn’t like lively environments. When we went out on dates, I didn’t see you get excited when you bought things.”

Su Xi burst into laughter, then nestled back into his arms, seeing the confusion in his eyes. “What are you thinking? Friends and husbands are different. When girls go shopping together, it’s like this. I can’t quite explain it; it’s just that when I’m with my girlfriends, I’m a bit more carefree. But it’s different with you.”

At this point, Su Xi affectionately nuzzled into the man’s broad embrace. “I can tell you with certainty that before I met you, I had no idea what kind of partner I wanted. But the moment I met you, I thought, ‘How can this man be so handsome? He fits perfectly with my aesthetic!’ That was during our first meeting.”

Su Xi lifted her gaze and shared a kiss with the man, whose eyes were nearly melting with warmth. She continued, “Later, when I ran into you again in G Province, I was actually quite happy. After I settled you guys into my place, I went to look for you, but by then you had already left.

I was pretty disappointed. I searched the floors up and down but didn’t find anything left behind by you. I thought we would never see each other again… After that, I often thought about you but felt too shy to ask my  brother about you.”

How could there be such sweet words in the world? Xie Zhen felt as if he were soaking in honey, the sweetness making him feel a little light-headed.

He had never realized that his little wife had liked him for so long, just as he had liked her from the very beginning.

He held his petite wife tightly in his embrace, his large hand gently stroking her back as he sighed with satisfaction, “Xi Xi, we are the same. Even after years apart, I recognized you at a glance two years ago. At that time, I was afraid of involving you, so I didn’t leave any information in your room. Later, I didn’t contact you because I was worried that you might think I was being too forward. If I had known…”

If he had known, he would have boldly confessed and not wasted a year.

Su Xi asked, “If you had known what?”

“If I had known, I should have sent out the few confession letters I had written!”

Su Xi immediately pulled back from the man’s embrace, her bright eyes sparkling. “Letters? I want to see them!”

Xie Zhen kissed his little wife’s brows, delicate nose, and rosy lips repeatedly, whispering sweetly, “I’ll show you when we return to Hongjun Island, okay?”

As Su Xi succumbed to the man’s tender kisses, she gradually lost track of thoughts about the letters.

She lifted her fair little hand, grasped his shirt, tilted her head back, her exquisite face flushed with a rosy hue, shyly accepting her husband’s gentle affection.

Xie Zhen laid her down on the bed, propping himself up beside her, one hand supporting his weight while the other slowly moved down as their kisses grew more passionate. Between the soft kisses, he kept murmuring, “Xi Xi… I love you! I love you so much!”

“I love you too!”