Chapter 20: The Couple’s Honest Talk

“He gets injured… Big Brother often gets injured…”

“Back then, our family was poor. Even potatoes and sweet potatoes weren’t enough to fill our bellies. Big Brother, to ensure we had something to eat, would go hunting in the far, far away mountains…”

“Sometimes he’d encounter wild beasts, getting scratched was commonplace. But Big Brother was afraid we’d worry, so he always hid it from us, secretly applying medicine alone…”

Thinking back on those past events, Huo Chuchun still felt a pang in her heart.

At that time, their family lacked a pillar. Zhang Yue’e’s health wasn’t good, she couldn’t do heavy work, and Huo Dongzhi and Huo Chuchun were still so young.

The entire family’s burden rested on Huo Nanchuan alone.

At that time, Huo Nanchuan wasn’t even an adult, yet he had to force himself to become a responsible man.

Only if he was strong enough could he support the family and protect his loved ones.

Huo Nanchuan silently endured and did all these things.

Even when he suffered the most severe injuries, his body torn and bloody by the claws of wild beasts, he wouldn’t utter a word of “pain” in front of Zhang Yue’e.

It was because of these experiences that he later became the down-to-earth man who developed step by step, eventually becoming the nation’s richest man.

Chi Wan, listening to Huo Chuchun’s words, felt a sourness in her nose.

Thinking of Huo Nanchuan’s past ordeals, her chest felt heavy with sympathy for that man.

In such an atmosphere,

Chi Wan didn’t dare ask anything more about those “lower body” matters.

After listening, she touched Huo Chuchun’s hand, gently squeezing it.

“Little Chun, don’t feel sad, those things are all in the past. I’ll be here for you from now on, I’ll be good to your Big Brother.”

Chi Wan said, while raising the corners of her mouth.

Revealing a faint, yet gentle smile.

Huo Chuchun was stunned speechless, only able to firmly grasp Chi Wan’s hand, as a silent response.

…

After getting dressed, the two prepared to open the door and go out.

But as Chi Wan approached the door, she heard a noise outside.

After sending the Third Uncle home, Huo Dongzhi hurried back.

The young man stood outside the room, pacing back and forth, occasionally glancing at the closed door.

It was unclear what he was looking at.

He looked like he was about to peek.

As if Chi Wan, having closed the door, would bully Huo Chuchun.

Huo Nanchuan couldn’t stand it anymore.

He walked over with a cold face and patted Huo Dongzhi on the back of his head.

He said coldly, “What are you looking at? Go away.”

In this room, his beautiful wife might have her back exposed.

How could he let a brat see it.

The man silently expressed his possessiveness.

After being scolded, Huo Dongzhi pursed his lips without speaking, but there was no rebellious stubbornness on his face. Instead, he listened to Huo Nanchuan and obediently moved to the side, sitting on a small stool.

He was still that awkward teenager, but the sharp thorns seemed to have disappeared.

When Chi Wan and Huo Chuchun came out, they happened to see the two brothers, one standing, one sitting, both looking up nervously at the door Chi Wan had opened.

Their appearance…

Was exactly like two anxious dogs waiting for their master’s affection.

Large dogs that looked fierce but were actually gentle in nature.

Chi Wan raised an eyebrow slightly, “What are you two doing here? Are you worried about me?”

Her gaze was somewhat playful, with a hint of teasing.

Especially when she swept her eyes over Huo Dongzhi.

The stubborn and hard-mouthed teenager had previously refused to even call her sister-in-law, and even gave her the cold shoulder.

But after this afternoon’s incident, Chi Wan became the family’s great hero.

A weak woman, yet she protected Zhang Yue’e and Huo Chuchun.

Even at the cost of her own injury, she protected her family.

Huo Dongzhi heard all this from Zhang Yue’e.

Zhang Yue’e also said, “You brat, listen carefully! I don’t care what those people outside gossip about! In my eyes, Xiaowan is our family! She’s your sister-in-law! If it weren’t for her today, Little Chun would have almost been disfigured! Control your bad temper! If I see you being disrespectful to Xiaowan again, don’t blame me for being impolite!”

After a series of reprimands,

Zhang Yue’e’s tone was unprecedentedly stern.

Huo Dongzhi remained silent, but nodded.

Actually, without Zhang Yue’e saying these words, his prejudice against Chi Wan was silently dissipating.

However…

He was used to being at odds with Chi Wan, making it too awkward for him to suddenly show kindness to someone he didn’t like before…

Huo Dongzhi didn’t know how to face Chi Wan, and hearing her teasing words, a rush of heat rose to his face.

The young man quickly stood up from the stool.

He explained to Chi Wan, “Who’s worried about you! I’m worried about Little Chun.”

Saying that,

Huo Dongzhi stepped forward, grabbed Huo Chuchun’s hand, and the two of them left.

Watching the two leave, Chi Wan smiled and shook her head.

Somewhat happy, and somewhat helpless.

Beside Chi Wan, a man gazed at her with deep concern.

“Let me see your injuries again.”

The man said.

Immediately after,

Huo Nanchuan pulled Chi Wan back into the room and closed the door.

It was already evening, and the outside light was gradually fading.

The room was even darker, only by getting closer could one see the expressions on each other’s faces. This time, Huo Nanchuan didn’t dare to say anything like “take off your clothes” again.

He was truly afraid of Chi Wan, afraid that she might undress completely in front of him again.

If that happened…

He couldn’t guarantee that he could still control his desires and leave without looking back again.

Chi Wan had applied medicine to the back of her neck, and her collar was loosely unbuttoned.

Huo Nanchuan reached out and lifted the clothes at the back of her neck, immediately seeing a patch of fair skin, and below, slightly protruding shoulder blades.

Very delicate, very beautiful.

His gaze followed the smooth skin downwards, only lingering on the wound.

The red marks had been wiped clean, and the ointment was a milky white, oily substance, applied to Chi Wan’s fair skin, shining brightly.

The ointment had a faint mint scent, and a refreshing smell could also be detected.

Chi Wan’s wound finally didn’t look so serious.

But Huo Nanchuan’s heart felt like a heavy stone was pressing down on it, making it hard to breathe.

His eyes darkened slightly as he looked at Chi Wan’s face, so close at hand, so alluring.

Chi Wan also looked at the man in front of her.

The moment their eyes met—

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry.”

In the quiet room, the man and woman’s voices sounded simultaneously.

Huo Nanchuan and Chi Wan said exactly the same words, both expressing their apologies to each other.

A slight look of surprise flashed across both their faces.

Compared to the steady Huo Nanchuan, Chi Wan had always been the more proactive one.

And in this situation, she also knew why this man would say “I’m sorry” to her.

It was simply words of concern, about not taking care of her, causing her injury.

Rather than saying these things, it would be better to do something to improve their relationship~

Chi Wan didn’t want to hear those words she could guess, so she simply took the initiative to control the conversation.

“Let me speak first.”

As she spoke, she took Huo Nanchuan’s hand.

The man’s palm was large and rough, feeling prickly, yet it gave her an unprecedented sense of security.

“I’m sorry, I was too flamboyant, too high-profile. The farce this afternoon was all because I exchanged five catties of pork with the production team…”

The culprit—five catties of pork.

It aroused Sun Gui Xiang and Liu Cui Hua’s greed, so they rushed in, arguing, fighting, and grabbing.

Only after fully understanding the Huo family’s affairs did Chi Wan understand why Huo Nanchuan’s family, although they could afford white rice and had some savings to live on,

still kept their home dilapidated, and were considered poor by others.

This was Huo Nanchuan’s way of keeping a low profile.

Because as long as their family had a slightly better life, Sun Gui Xiang and those people would rush to their door and cause chaos.

But she did the opposite of Huo Nanchuan, creating all the incentives.

However—

“But I don’t regret it.”

Chi Wan’s eyes were firm, and she said forcefully.

Looking into the man’s dark pupils, she repeated, “Huo Nanchuan, even if I knew this would happen, I wouldn’t regret it. I would still do it. Because you’ve been so good to me, I want to share your burden, and I want to do something good for you.”

The tender words gently entered Huo Nanchuan’s ears.

She said she wanted to do good for him…

Huo Nanchuan was momentarily stunned, his thoughts becoming light and fluffy like cotton wool.

Just like Chi Wan’s hand in his palm.

Small and delicate, soft and tender to the touch, smoother than white tofu.

While Huo Nanchuan was lost in thought, Chi Wan continued.

“These days, you said something about my period, not letting me go out. Actually, I know you were worried about me, and didn’t want me to hear those rumors.”

“The people in the village are gossiping about me and Song Jing, saying that we have an improper relationship!”

“As long as you believe me, I don’t care about those rumors. But what about you? What are they saying about you? Huo Nanchuan, I can ignore myself, but I can’t ignore you. Do you understand?”

Chi Wan’s clear and bright eyes looked straight at Huo Nanchuan, revealing her worries.

The rumors affected more than just Chi Wan and Song Jing.

They also included Chi Wan’s husband.

The villagers would say that Huo Nanchuan picked up someone else’s discarded shoe, that he married a woman with a bad reputation, and that he was a fool, that he was wearing a green hat…

Huo Nanchuan was the innocent victim.

But he stood like a copper wall and iron wall in front of Chi Wan, blocking everything from her, not even letting her know about it.

But Chi Wan didn’t want to be a pampered canary.

She wanted to do good for Huo Nanchuan, to restore his reputation.

So…

“Huo Nanchuan, I don’t have the ability to change these rumors yet, but after a long time, people will realize they are wrong.”

“We are husband and wife now, bound together in status and relationship.”

“I hope that in the future, when they mention us, it won’t be those messy relationships, but they will say—Huo Nanchuan’s wife is amazing! She bought five catties of pork for the family, she’s their little lucky star.”

Chi Wan is the lucky star, that’s what Zhang Yue’e often said.

She would blush and deny it, but she also hoped everyone knew that she was Huo Nanchuan’s lucky star.

Chi Wan raised her chin slightly, her eyes shining brightly, determined to achieve all this.

The next second.

Her waist tightened.

She fell into an embrace filled with masculine hormones.

At the same time.

Her lips were also met with a burning, lingering kiss.