Chapter 6: From Little Stray Dog to Big Wolf Dog?

The man, looking like a stray dog, drooped his eyebrows and stubbornly stared at Xia Li, silently moving his lips, “Little wife. Mine.”

Xia Li frowned.

What obsession does this man have?

What kind of strange habit or issue makes him call a stranger “wife”?

Is he trying to latch onto me?

Xia Li thought warily.

The two stood facing each other in the dim light, the air thick with the smell of firewood and fish.

At that moment, the sound of bubbling water boiling on the earthen stove broke the silence in the kitchen.

Xia Li withdrew her gaze and looked at the large copper pot, “…Fine, you go wash up first.”

Well, he did catch her three fish.

Fish are a precious commodity around here.

For a bowl of fresh fish soup, it’s only right to do a good deed to the end.

Besides, even though this person looked tall and strong, he had an air of innocence and foolishness about him that didn’t seem put on. She could sense that he meant no harm and wouldn’t hurt her.

She could endure one night; tomorrow, she would send him to the police station.

In the yard, the sound of water splashing could be heard.

The man seemed afraid that Xia Li would run away and, knowing how dirty he was, took the opportunity to wash himself in the dark of night right there in the yard.

Fortunately, the yard was directly connected to the kitchen and the hall, with walls on both sides, providing enough privacy so that neighbors wouldn’t think someone was misbehaving in the middle of the night.

Listening to the sounds outside, Xia Li had the kitchen door tightly shut.

She stopped what she was doing, took the last bit of vegetable oil, and fried the fish until both sides were golden brown. She then placed some radish slices and vegetable stalks underneath the fish. With a “whoosh,” she poured half a pot of boiling water into the large pot, and the fragrant steam immediately filled the air.

Speaking of which, Xia Li’s family situation was somewhat similar to the original owner’s.

She was also orphaned at a young age, and her mother had divorced, each forming new families and leaving their daughter, Xia Li, to be raised by her grandparents.

Her mother was somewhat better; she would send money every month.

As for her scummy father, he was truly despicable. He would talk about child support but also liked to ask her grandparents for money to support his new family and the child he had with his mistress.

Fortunately, although her grandparents were from an older generation, they had no preference for sons over daughters. Instead, they doted on Xia Li because she had grown up without her mother’s care.

Her grandfather was a poor old professor at a Chinese medicine research institute, well-versed in traditional medicine.

Her grandmother was a well-known cook, famous for her culinary skills, and even after retirement, she was re-employed as a food critic.

Xia Li was raised on her grandmother’s excellent cooking, which not only made her discerning but also quite picky about food.

So later on, when she studied medicine and became a food streamer, it seemed to stem from her childhood experiences.

Although she studied Western medicine, her grandparents were very proud and comforted by her during that time.

The heavy pot of fish soup gradually reached a boil, and after adding the last handful of chopped green onions, the rich and fresh aroma was thoroughly released, making Xia Li swallow hard.

She felt a deep sense of gratitude towards the ridiculous man still bathing in the yard.

The fish was done cooking, and the night was quiet.

A few beams of bright moonlight peeked through the thin clouds, illuminating the rural night sky.

Xia Li pushed open the door with a large porcelain basin, making a creaking sound.

A solid figure crouched by the door, the yard was filled with water stains, and the moonlight cast a bright, scattered glow all around.

The man suddenly stood up upon hearing the noise and turned to face her.

His gaze first landed on Xia Li, whose cheeks were flushed from being by the earthen stove for too long, and then shifted to the large basin of creamy, aromatic fish soup, as he slowly inhaled deeply in disbelief.

“Wife… it smells so good.”

He was so hungry, as if he hadn’t smelled food this wonderful in ages, that he instinctively swallowed.

Xia Li’s eyes fell on him, and her steps halted, the surprise evident in her gaze.

She almost thought she had mistaken him for someone else.

Was this a stray dog turned into a big wolf dog?

After taking a shower and putting on an old set of clothes given to him by the former village chief, the man looked completely different from before.

All the dirt on his face and body was washed away, revealing a clean and sharp jawline and his bronzed skin.

It turned out he wasn’t as dark as he had seemed earlier.

His facial structure was strong, and his short black hair still glistened with droplets of water. In the night, his features seemed to reveal a somewhat imposing aura.

His long, slender eyes were deep and transparent under his dark eyebrows.

His straight nose led down to a thin, pressed lip, granting him a rugged yet handsome appearance.

At this moment, the man naturally, almost woodenly, gazed at the fish soup in her hands, as if he were patiently holding back, the sharp aura about him softening somewhat.

Xia Li swept her gaze over his muscular forearms and lean, toned frame, noting even how defined his Adam’s apple was.

In short, this man had a presence that was distinctly above that of an ordinary person.

Just standing there in front of her, he exuded an overwhelming aura of pressure.