Chapter 43: Curb Your Ruffianly Thoughts

Grandma Liu noticed the awkwardness and fear in Hu Yao’s demeanor toward Jiang Han, and felt she needed to say some good things about him to reassure Hu Yao.

Young couples were prone to misunderstandings and conflicts.

Taking advantage of a quiet moment in the wine shop, she pulled Hu Yao aside for a chat.

In her old eyes, Jiang Han was a model citizen.

Hearing about Jiang Han’s childhood, Hu Yao found the contrast between his past and present self quite intriguing.

Elderly people loved to chat, but young people couldn’t sit still for long.

Hu Yao, however, was different. She was patient and sat quietly, which made Grandma Liu’s smile even deeper. When Jiang Han came to call her back, Grandma Liu still held Hu Yao’s hand with reluctance.

Hu Yao could only laugh and say she would come back tomorrow.

She didn’t know many people in town. While she could exchange a few words with some, she wasn’t close to anyone. With nothing to do at home, helping out at the wine shop and chatting with Grandma Liu was a good way to spend her time.

That day, the water supply was cut off. Hu Yao was unaware of the lack of water, so the family of three went out to eat at a restaurant for dinner.

Both father and son had developed the habit of drinking soup with their meals, so they ordered an extra bowl of bone soup. However, the restaurant’s soup wasn’t as good as Hu Yao’s, so they only had a couple of sips.

After dinner, the family strolled home leisurely, with Jiang Xiaochao holding one hand of each parent, skipping along happily.

The three shadows, two tall and one small, walking side by side, looked unexpectedly warm and harmonious.

That night, someone came to call Jiang Han to play cards. The water supply resumed in the evening. Hu Yao, being a clean freak, bathed every day. While Jiang Han found it troublesome, he still went to fetch water for her.

“You’ll go bad if you don’t wash every day!”

“I didn’t even mind sleeping with you!”

He went out with the bucket, his voice as loud as ever. In their apartment building, everyone knew everyone’s business, and anything spoken loudly could be heard. Hu Yao couldn’t help but blush and feel embarrassed.

She didn’t ask him to fetch water for her!

“I’ll go get it myself.” She reached for the bucket in his hand.

“There are so many people at the water station, you’ll get crushed!” Jiang Han squeezed her hand open and went out, returning quickly with the water.

He was too fast. There was a long queue at the water station, and her curiosity was obvious.

Jiang Han glanced at her and sighed, “The neighbors were too enthusiastic. They insisted I go first. I couldn’t refuse. Go wash your bath.”

Hu Yao didn’t believe him. It wasn’t the neighbors’ enthusiasm, but everyone was afraid of him! They saw him as a demon!

A few things had happened recently. Xu Guangliang was dead, Xu Xuzhu’s head was broken somehow, and she had gone mad…

All signs pointed to Jiang Han being behind these incidents, and he didn’t deny it.

Xu Guangliang was involved in shady businesses, and everyone knew his money wasn’t clean. But when it came to finding evidence, there was nothing. Even the victims had repeatedly reported him to the police, but to no avail.

Now, he was suddenly dead, supposedly stabbed to death by a woman. She had stabbed him over thirty times, leaving the body unrecognizable.

Before that, many people had seen Jiang Han with that woman. After Xu Guangliang’s death, his business was taken over by Jiang Han. Before Xu Xuzhu went mad, she had boldly gone to see Jiang Han. Many neighbors had witnessed Jiang Han having her dragged away.

Only a fool would think these incidents had nothing to do with Jiang Han. It was a clear case of one criminal taking over another’s business.

Now, even more people were afraid of him. Even the young wives and aunties who had previously chatted with Hu Yao ignored her.

Hu Yao was being dragged down by him.

A few days ago, Jiang Han had also gone to the police station because of the Xu Guangliang and Xu Xuzhu incident, but he returned soon after, looking carefree and relaxed, which showed that he was innocent.

Suppressing her complex emotions, Hu Yao went to change into clean clothes.

Jiang Xiaochao was still playing with his wooden sword. He had been sleeping with them for the past few days. Jiang Han disliked his terrible sleeping posture and wouldn’t let him sleep between Hu Yao and him. He wanted to sleep with Hu Yao, and Jiang Xiaochao wanted to hug her too.

Every night, she was squeezed tightly between the father and son, making it difficult to sleep.

While Hu Yao was bathing, someone came to call Jiang Han to play cards. The house wasn’t well insulated, and she could faintly hear Jiang Han saying he wouldn’t go, and something about her not letting him go.

“…” When did she become so influential over him? He clearly didn’t want to go and was using her as an excuse!

The visitor was also surprised and looked at Jiang Han incredulously, wondering how he had suddenly become afraid of his wife.

Jiang Han didn’t say much and sent him away with a few words.

After Hu Yao finished bathing, Jiang Xiaochao wanted to wash too, and asked Jiang Han to fetch water for him.

“Stop pretending to be clean. You can wash tomorrow!” Jiang Han was less tolerant of him than he was of Hu Yao.

“I want to wash and sleep with Mommy!” Jiang Xiaochao pouted, clearly unhappy. “Daddy fetches water for Mommy but not for me!”

“I sleep with your Mom, not with you!” Jiang Han was blunt.

Jiang Xiaochao was even angrier, his lips sticking out. “Mommy doesn’t like to be hugged by you! You’re stinky! You’re so annoying.”

He always spoke the truth.

Jiang Han was annoyed. He glared at Hu Yao, who was silent, and snorted, “See if she dares not hug me!”

No matter how dirty or smelly he was, Hu Yao couldn’t and wouldn’t dislike him!

These days, he hadn’t even shaved his beard and looked unkempt. He still thought he was entitled to everything. Hu Yao’s clear dislike for him was evident, and she truly didn’t want to hug him tonight.

On the contrary, even if Jiang Xiaochao didn’t bathe, she could still hug him to sleep.

There was a difference in treatment.

“Jiang Han, can you come back and bathe with Xiaochao?” She hesitated to speak.

As soon as she said that, it confirmed what Jiang Xiaochao had said about her disliking him!

“No, I won’t..

“!” He wouldn’t indulge her.

“Then can you shave your beard? It tickles when you kiss me.” She spoke softly, her face turning red again.

Jiang Han paused, looking down at her, his eyes darkening.

“You’re such a pain!” He roughly pinched her soft, warm cheek, but then went to shave his beard, and even took Jiang Xiaochao to wash.

“I want to take a bath with Mama tomorrow.” Jiang Xiaochao, with a head full of bubbles, suddenly remembered that he hadn’t bathed with Hu Yao yet, and said to Jiang Han in a childish voice.

“I’ll break your legs tomorrow!” Jiang Han rolled his eyes, scooping a ladle of water to wash the foam off him.

He hadn’t even bathed with Hu Yao yet, but Jiang Xiaochao dared to think about it!

Thinking about her soft, graceful body, Jiang Han felt a tightening in his chest.

Hmm… Tomorrow, he’d go back and tell those guys to build a shower room in the house!

“Jiang Xiaochao, curb your rogue thoughts!”

He himself was harboring unspeakable rogue thoughts, but he turned around and said it to the innocent Jiang Xiaochao.