Chapter6

A dozen minutes later, Lan Yun’er applied the herbal paste onto the hedgehog’s spines and sent them off to help her with a task. Watching the hedgehogs scurry away, she picked up her basket and turned to head to another spot at the foot of the mountain. The five silly birds had mentioned that there were wild vegetables there, so she went to gather some.

However, just as she had picked a few, her husband, Huo Jincheng, found her.

The moment Huo Jincheng saw her, he let out a small sigh of relief. The whole time he had been searching for her, he had been worried about one thing—worried that she might be with Wang Zhiqiang. But thankfully, she wasn’t. Thankfully, she really was just picking wild vegetables.

He walked over to her, his usual cold voice softening a little. “Didn’t I tell you not to come out? You just fell into the water. If you catch a cold from the wind out here, what will you do?”

Lan Yun’er was surprised that Huo Jincheng had found her. After all, this place was quite hidden, tucked behind a stone slope and partially obscured by a small patch of pine trees. She hadn’t made much noise either. She couldn’t fathom how he had tracked her down.

Still, she was quite happy to see him.

When he reached her, she straightened up and placed the wild vegetables into the basket. Tilting her head up to look at him, she said, “I’m not that fragile. I took a hot bath and changed into clean clothes. There’s no way I’ll catch a cold.”

Her delicate face was tilted up toward him, and her eyes, like shimmering pools, seemed to hold a thousand stars, brilliantly sparkling.

Huo Jincheng stared at his beautiful young wife, momentarily dazed. Then he gently draped an arm around her shoulders and said, “It’s better to be careful. Catching a cold isn’t pleasant.” His low, resonant voice was like the sound of a magnificent cello, pleasing to the ear.

Lan Yun’er smiled faintly and leaned into his embrace. “I won’t catch a cold. And even if I do, I’ll have you to take care of me.”

She carried a natural, enticing fragrance that wafted into his nostrils, making his Adam’s apple bob unconsciously. He glanced down at her and said, “Even if I take care of you, it’ll still feel miserable to be sick.”

As he spoke, he started to remove his military coat to drape it over her, but she quickly stopped him. “No, don’t take it off. I’m not cold. I don’t need it.”

Huo Jincheng frowned. “Yun’er…”

“Now that you’re here, help me pick wild vegetables,” Lan Yun’er interrupted with a smile. “There are so many here. It’ll be enough for us to eat for days.” She slipped out of his arms, bent down, and resumed picking vegetables from the ground.

Huo Jincheng looked at her and reached out to pull her up. “Why don’t you sit on that rock over there and rest? I’ll pick them.”

He pointed to a nearby clean rock that looked perfect for sitting.

Lan Yun’er shook her head. “No, I want to pick them with you. If we work together, it’ll go faster. Besides, I enjoy doing things with you.”

Her words deepened the look in his eyes. His gaze flickered as he stared intently at her face.

“Hurry up and pick them so we can go home together,” Lan Yun’er urged, placing the basket on the ground and continuing to pick vegetables.

“Go home together.”

These four words felt like a warm current rushing through Huo Jincheng’s heart, filling it with warmth and excitement. A smile spread across his handsome face.

“Alright,” he replied, bending down to pick vegetables alongside her.

By the time their basket was brimming full, the wild vegetable patch still wasn’t fully harvested. Lan Yun’er straightened up, glanced at the remaining vegetables, and said with a smile, “Once we finish eating these, we can come back here. This spot is pretty hidden, so others probably won’t find it.”

It was like having their own secret garden outside their home.

Huo Jincheng looked at her. “Alright.”

The two of them started heading back. On the way, he carried the basket with one hand and held her hand with the other. Being held and cared for by him felt surprisingly cozy to Lan Yun’er. She suddenly thought to herself, having such a husband was actually quite nice.

The couple had only walked halfway home when they saw a few villagers who had been working in the fields hastily pick up their hoes and run ahead.

When these villagers saw Huo Jincheng, they stopped briefly to greet him. Though they didn’t like Lan Yun’er—finding her too fussy—they still nodded politely when they saw her.

Lan Yun’er smiled and responded warmly, then asked politely, “Uncle and Auntie, why are you all in such a hurry?”

A woman in her forties glanced at Lan Yun’er and said hurriedly, “Didn’t you hear? The captain’s house got robbed. We’re going to check it out.”

“Robbed?” Lan Yun’er feigned surprise.

Another woman of about the same age added, “That’s right! I heard the thief is already surrounded and trapped inside the captain’s house. Tsk, I can’t imagine who would be bold enough to steal from the captain’s house. Thieves these days, they must have no fear of death.”

Recalling how Lan Yun’er had stolen from Aunt He’s house earlier in the day, the woman felt awkward. She forced an uneasy smile and said, “Well, I’ll head over first. Don’t want to miss the show.” Then she quickly ran off to escape the uncomfortable situation, followed closely by the other villagers.

Lan Yun’er watched them leave, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on her lips. She turned to Huo Jincheng and said, “Jincheng, why don’t we go take a look too? I’m curious to see who would dare steal from the captain’s house.”

Huo Jincheng wasn’t interested in such drama; he found it meaningless. But since his little wife wanted to go, he softened his gaze and said, “If you want to see, then let’s go.”

Lan Yun’er beamed and clung tightly to his arm. “You’re the best.”

Huo Jincheng: “…”

As she held tightly to his arm, her softness pressed against him, making him feel both uncomfortable and sweet.

Meanwhile, at Captain Fan Tiezhu’s house…

The Fan family had surrounded the house, worried the thief inside might escape. The yard was already crowded with villagers, eager for entertainment during the relatively idle winter season. Hidden among the crowd was Zhou Mingyue, who watched the house with a faint smile.

Today, she planned to utterly disgrace Lan Yun’er and have her chased out of the Huo family!

Her fingers clenched tightly as she wished she could storm in and drag Lan Yun’er out immediately to show everyone what a shameless thief she was.

Also present was Huo Jincheng’s eldest sister-in-law, Cao Yunxia. She stood at the back of the yard, holding her youngest son. Rising on tiptoe to look ahead, she muttered, “Who could it be? Who’s bold enough to rob the captain’s house?”

Just then, a 12- or 13-year-old girl named Bian Chunyu, a neighbor of Zhou Mingyue and her close confidant, walked over. Hearing Cao Yunxia’s question, she quickly seized the opportunity to chime in loudly, “I saw who it was.”

Her voice was loud enough for everyone in the yard to hear. Instantly, all eyes turned to her.

“Who is it?” someone asked eagerly.

Bian Chunyu hesitated, nervously twisting her fingers. After a few moments, she glanced at Cao Yunxia and said, “It’s someone from your family. It’s your new sister-in-law—Lan Yun’er.”

What? Lan Yun’er? Again?

Everyone was stunned, murmuring in disbelief. They couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Lan Yun’er truly was incorrigible. She had just stolen from Aunt He’s house earlier and been chased into the river. Now, before the day was even over, she was stealing from the captain’s house? Did Lan Yun’er have to steal to survive?

Cao Yunxia was initially shocked but quickly started wailing, slapping her thigh. “Oh heavens, what did the Huo family do to deserve this? Why did we marry such a woman? She’s been stealing all day long, shaming our family name!”

At that moment, Huo’s parents and their other family members returned from town. Cao Yunxia rushed over, clutching her son. “Dad, Mom! No matter what, you have to drive Lan Yun’er out of the house this time! That shameless woman has stolen from the village twice in one day! If we don’t drive her out, where will our family’s dignity go?”

Cao Yunxia had been startled to hear it was Lan Yun’er but quickly grew excited. This was the perfect chance to have Lan Yun’er expelled from the Huo family. After all, stealing from the captain’s house would surely be intolerable to her in-laws, who would have no choice but to drive her out.

Huo Jianzhang, Huo’s father, was in poor health. He had gone to town to see a doctor, and the sudden news nearly made him collapse. Fortunately, Huo’s mother, Yao Guizhi, caught him in time.

Yao Guizhi, who appeared kind but was actually fiery, glared at Cao Yunxia coldly and snapped, “What nonsense are you spouting? What did Xiaoyun steal?”

Cao Yunxia eagerly recounted Lan Yun’er’s misdeeds from the day and concluded, “Mom, we must make Jincheng divorce that shameless woman. If we keep her, she’ll ruin our family!”

Second daughter-in-law Zhong Cui Tao, who was usually timid, softly protested, “It probably wasn’t Xiaoyun. I don’t think she would steal from the captain’s house.”

“Why not?” Cao Yunxia retorted angrily, glaring at Zhong Cui Tao. “She’s already been caught at the captain’s house. Do you want to go inside and see for yourself?”

Zhong Cui Tao, who had a hard life in the Huo family due to her husband’s paralysis and having only daughters, shrank under Cao Yunxia’s harsh words.

Cao Yunxia continued, “Lan Yun’er is a scourge. We must not only drive her out of the Huo family but also out of the village! Otherwise, she’ll steal from one family today and another tomorrow. How can the village have any peace?”

Yao Guizhi’s face darkened, and she was about to reply when a woman’s voice interjected, “What nonsense! You think it’s Lan Yun’er stealing from the captain’s house? How is that possible? I just saw her picking wild vegetables with Huo Jincheng.”