Chapter 82

In the evening.

After they finished dinner, Jiang Cheng quickly tidied up the pots and dishes.

Xia Li boiled water, waiting to wash up before resting early.

Her gaze flickered and landed on the jacket he was wearing.

As soon as they got home, she had planned to take it off and return it to him.

He swiftly put it on, his eyes sparkling with a hint of shyness, and when she wasn’t looking, he even leaned down to sniff it.

Xia Li:…

His voice was low, each word deliberate:

“Wife, are you trying to abandon me again, or not?”

Xia Li noticed his expression darkening, his tall figure looming in front of her, leaving her with no way to retreat.

The warmth from the stove made her cheeks slightly flush.

She looked up and explained, “No, don’t say that.”

“Actually, now that you know so much, you should understand that I’m not your husband, I…”

She paused her words.

Because she saw the strange, deep look in the man’s eyes.

He tightened his jaw, his lips pressed into a thin line, staring down at her with an expression that was dark and cold.

It was like something burning in ice.

Cold yet searing.

It made Xia Li shiver, as if she were being watched by a hidden beast.

She took a deep breath.

Just then, the water on the stove began to boil.

Bubbling and steaming, the heat rose.

The man’s gaze flicked over to it, and he silently took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling as he suppressed his emotional turmoil. He stepped past her to grab the kettle and walked away briskly.

Xia Li furrowed her brows slightly.

She thought that perhaps her earlier words had been a bit out of place.

But sooner or later, she had to say it.

His earlier gloomy expression had shaken her a bit and left her feeling unsettled.

.

She initially thought the man would sulk after that.

Unexpectedly, when the weekend came, she planned to go into town to shop, and Jiang Cheng hurriedly followed her.

They got up early, sitting together in the back seat of the bus, just like they did when they went to the movies, their shoulders brushing against each other.

The bus moved slowly, stopping frequently, and more people boarded along the way.

Xia Li wore a light blue round-neck thin jacket, carrying a light-colored shoulder bag. Her delicate long hair fell over her shoulders, and she used a wide blue headband to keep her bangs in place, revealing her fair and tender face.

She looked clean and neat, not gaudy or overly eye-catching.

Today, she mainly planned to buy some daily necessities in the city, fearing she wouldn’t have much time once school started.

She also hoped to see if she could find study materials for her upcoming exams.

As more people boarded, the bus swayed, and the passengers swayed along with it.

“Sweet rice, sweet rice, anyone want some?”

A middle-aged woman squeezed onto the bus, carrying a large bundle, and quietly asked those around her.

“The sweet rice just cooked is very fragrant and warm; would you like a stick of sweet rice?”

The ticket collector turned a blind eye to her.

The woman slowly made her way to the back of the bus, unveiling her bundle, instantly filling the cramped bus with the sweet aroma of fresh rice.

Xia Li felt a bit hungry.

Sitting in the inner seat, she glanced at the tall man beside her, just about to ask the woman how much a stick of rice cost.

Jiang Cheng turned his head towards the woman and said, “Excuse me, I’ll take one.”

“Okay! That’ll be forty-five cents.”

He paid and took the sweet rice.

Once the woman left, he leisurely held it in his hand, his handsome profile silent.

Xia Li looked at him, curious, and raised her eyebrows: “Are you going to eat it?”

After a long pause, Jiang Cheng finally turned his head, his thin lips slightly lifting.

His voice was calm and low: “I bought it for my wife, to see if she wants to eat it.”

Xia Li’s eager hand retreated.

Looking at him, she saw his indifferent expression, but in that indifference, his gaze towards her was deep and profound.

Xia Li pulled the corners of her mouth up and chuckled, “Oh, then make sure you enjoy it with your wife.”

Saying this, she waved her hand and bought a steaming corn on the cob from the woman.

Holding it, she took another glance at the man who seemed not to care.

With her eyes narrowed and delightfully biting into the corn, she was filled with a sweet taste as the fresh, plump kernels burst with flavor. A gentle breeze flowed through the bus window, softly brushing her hair behind her shoulders, making her fair face seem to glow.

Eating something so fragrant and delicious in such a crowded bus was a lovely experience!

Xia Li puffed up her cheeks, munching on the corn while occasionally glancing at the man beside her.

His expression was dark.

But he didn’t say anything.

Xia Li continued indulging beside him, her soft cheeks resembling a little hamster.

Tch! Trying to corrupt him!

He even knew how to tempt her with corn? Did he really think she could be bought with a mere corn on the cob?

The bumpy bus suddenly took a sharp turn.

As Xia Li happily savored her corn, she inadvertently bumped into the man’s shoulder due to the motion.

With the sudden turn, the passengers in the bus jostled against each other, grumbling in confusion.

Jiang Cheng was sturdy and large, securely seated.

He lowered his eyes to see the girl suddenly falling into his embrace.

Xia Li didn’t even notice, plunging into his arms only to gasp in surprise, her front teeth clashing against the corn cob.

“…”

Let’s just say this was extremely awkward.

Xia Li hurriedly got off him.

In her haste, she even nibbled a few kernels from the cob.

She looked at him, her expression innocent as she met his gaze.

Well, if he didn’t want it to be awkward, then he shouldn’t act awkward.

Jiang Cheng glanced at the corn in his hand.

He cast a calm gaze at her and said blandly, “Wife, if you want some, just say so; I bought it for you in the first place.”

Xia Li: …

The bus swayed along, and they finally got off.

The fresh air hit them, much cooler than the cramped, dizzying atmosphere of the bus.

Xia Li stretched her arms and yawned, her long hair somewhat messy, which put her in a good mood.

The streets in the city looked clean and spacious. Not far from the bus station was a supply store, but now people preferred department stores for shopping; the products were not only plentiful but also stylish.

It was a pity that there wasn’t a department store in their county town; otherwise, Xia Li would have loved to explore.

She first went with Jiang Cheng to the largest department store in the city.

The storefront was spacious and brightly decorated, with rows of shelves stocked with various small goods, such as perfumes in the ladies’ section, hair ties, eyebrow pencils, lipsticks, and all sorts of small jewelry.

Xia Li first picked up two tins of moisturizing cream, the metal boxes adorned with pink peony flowers, perfect for moisturizing her face in winter.

As she chose her items and strolled slowly, she didn’t pay any attention to Jiang Cheng.

Noticing some fabric for men’s clothing, she thought about reminding him to buy a few winter clothes.

Turning her head, she found him standing far away at the edge of another shelf, focused on examining something.

Seeing that he was looking so intently, she didn’t approach him.

After selecting what she wanted to buy, she looked again and was surprised that he was still standing there without moving.

She started to wonder what it could be that needed so much examination.

Was the price too high for him to want to buy it?

Xia Li quietly made her way over.

However, just as she got a couple of steps behind him, Jiang Cheng turned around and looked at her, noticing her.

His expression showed no signs of surprise. When he saw her approaching, he half-raised his eyebrows and asked her curiously, “Wife, this gift is for you. Would you like it?”

“?”

What is it?

Xia Li curiously looked at the thin red and white box in his hand.

He noticed the bold letters on the top:

Kangle brand xx set.

Xia Li glanced at the small box again.

Then she looked at the man, whose face was serious and puzzled.

She snatched it from him, returned it to the shelf, and quickly pulled him away while he wasn’t paying attention.

After running to the back of another shelf, the man looked down at his little wife, who was tightly holding onto his arm. Before he could manage a smile, Xia Li furrowed her delicate brows and asked:

“Why did you go get that thing? Are you being a rogue?”

Jiang Cheng asked in confusion, “What thing?”

Xia Li raised her long lashes and glared at him.

Jiang Cheng thought to himself, his little wife’s frowning look was truly adorable, like a little kitten who thought it was fierce.

He asked, “Was it that thing just now?”

How was it being a rogue again?

He answered honestly, “I asked over there, saying I wanted to buy something to make my little wife happy.”

“And they gave me this.”

“Wife, isn’t that a good thing? Don’t you like it?”

Xia Li followed his gaze and looked over, completely speechless.

The young salesperson at the counter looked refined and scholarly; how could he recommend this to the man?

Xia Li didn’t know how to explain it to him, so she lowered her voice: “… Just don’t touch that again!”

“That thing, that’s something only proper married women can buy. If you buy it, you’ll get caught, and I won’t help you.”

“Ah?” Jiang Cheng became anxious; was it that serious?

“And also, what did we say before?” Xia Li frowned and whispered, “You’re not allowed to call me that outside.”

Jiang Cheng fell silent.

He looked unhappy, his brows furrowed, and he turned his head to walk aside.

Xia Li didn’t want to look at that salesperson when she checked out.

Fortunately, the salesperson didn’t show much expression either.

After buying the daily necessities, it was almost noon.

Xia Li had eaten two corn on the cobs; she wasn’t very hungry, but seeing the stalls by the roadside selling various pastries like fried dough twists and egg cakes, along with sweet potatoes roasted over hot coals, the enticing aromas wafted over, making her a bit tempted.

Holding her bag, she turned to Jiang Cheng and asked, “Are you hungry? Do you want to grab something to eat before we go?”

The man happened to walk over, his tall frame slightly bending as he took her bag.

With a casual glance, his expression remained cold as he replied, “Not hungry.”

Xia Li raised her eyebrows and looked at him, amused.

“Alright, then don’t eat.”

She handed him the bag and ran to a stand selling roasted buns, queuing up to buy two.

The buns were filled with meat; they were a bit pricey, but they were quite large, about the size of Xia Li’s palm.

In this era, the buns were genuinely made with real ingredients, filled with solid pork, and the thin outer skin was baked to a crisp yet chewy texture. The filling was generous, and with one bite, the delicious juices burst forth.

Seeing the golden oil flow from the bun, she quickly took another bite to prevent it from dripping.

Eating something so satisfying on a cold day was truly delightful, no wonder there were so many people in line.

Xia Li ate half of the bun by the roadside and already felt a bit full.

The man stood nearby, unable to help but glance at her.

Hmph.

She smiled softly to herself.

With her soft, pale cheeks puffed up, she deliberately said while eating, “These buns are so delicious; mmm, I’ve never had such tasty roasted buns before~”

Jiang Cheng turned his face away, his expression serious.

He swallowed hard and said coldly, “Wife… if you really like them, I can bake them for you every day.”

Xia Li held the bun in her hands, blinking in surprise.

He looked at her and continued walking forward, holding the bag.