Chapter 5

Hu San was used to making vulgar jokes with people. He assumed Xiao Li would understand them too, and perhaps even share some details about what it was like to sleep with Chen Jiaojiao. However, a flash of white suddenly appeared before his eyes. His body reacted faster than his mind. He instinctively dodged backward, only to see a sickle slash through the exact spot where his head had been moments earlier. Xiao Li's expression was so dark that he looked ready to kill someone. "Say that again, and see what happens!" Hu San fell to the ground in fright, nearly losing his soul. "Y-You actually want to kill me!" Xiao Li had genuinely killed people on the battlefield before. He said nothing, but took a menacing step toward Hu San, his entire body radiating a murderous aura. The moment Xiao Li raised his sickle, Hu San screamed and ran away. "Murder! Xiao Li is trying to kill someone!" Xiao Li watched Hu San's retreating figure with a sinister expression. Before anyone else could arrive, he put away the sickle and continued toward the Xiao family home. Regardless of what Chen Jiaojiao's past had been like, she was now his wife. He wouldn't tolerate anyone spreading filthy rumors about her. By the time Xiao Yang and Xiao Bao returned home, the food had already been served, and everyone had started eating. Yet Xiao Li still hadn't returned. Chen Jiaojiao couldn't help saying, "Wait for Xiao Li. He hasn't arrived yet." Xiao Yang and Xiao Bao awkwardly put down their chopsticks. "Second Sister-in-law, we've been working all morning and couldn't hold ourselves back. Second Brother will be here soon. Don't worry." Xiao Bao smiled. "That's right. We'll just eat a couple of bites." Wang Chunyan came over to pull Chen Jiaojiao along. "Let's eat first. We can wait for him while eating. Second Brother is usually the last one to return anyway." Chen Jiaojiao shook her head. In her family, nobody started eating before everyone had arrived. "I'll wait until he comes back." Since Chen Jiaojiao had spoken up, the eldest brother's family stopped eating. Xiao Bao also felt too embarrassed to continue. Li Cui Liu rolled her eyes at Chen Jiaojiao. "I'm pregnant! If you people aren't eating, I'll eat!" Chen Jiaojiao couldn't be bothered with her. She stood by the doorway for quite some time before finally seeing Xiao Li return. His entire head was covered in sweat, and his clothes were soaked with dark and light patches. Chen Jiaojiao hurried over and used her handkerchief to wipe his forehead. "Why did you take so long? Hurry up, wash your face and come eat." Xiao Li was accustomed to being the last person in the family to eat. He looked at Chen Jiaojiao and said, "If you're hungry, you can eat first. You don't have to wait for me." Chen Jiaojiao glared at him, silently cursing him for being an idiot. Xiao Li had no idea why she was glaring at him. He washed his face and sat down at the table. As soon as he took his seat, everyone else began eating ravenously. Chen Jiaojiao looked at the dishes on the table with some distaste. There was a bowl of cabbage and pork-skin soup, a plate of amaranth greens, and a small dish of pickled vegetables that she couldn't even identify. She had absolutely no appetite. Even the dogs at her parents' house wouldn't eat food this terrible! Seeing that she wasn't moving her chopsticks, Xiao Li picked up a piece of meat and placed it in her bowl. "Eat." Chen Jiaojiao immediately picked it up and returned it to his bowl. "I don't want it. You eat it." Afraid that the Xiao family might realize she was looking down on their food, she quickly explained, "The porridge Eldest Sister-in-law made this morning was so delicious that I'm still not hungry." As she spoke, she transferred most of the rice from her bowl into Xiao Li's bowl. Then she picked up a piece of pickled vegetable and ate the two remaining mouthfuls of rice. Wang Chunyan smiled. "Rice porridge really does smell wonderful. If you like it, I'll make it again tomorrow morning." Li Cui Liu curled her lips. "Eldest Sister-in-law, can't you understand what people really mean? She's looking down on our food! She's a pampered young lady from the city. Of course, she can't get used to the food we eat in the village." As soon as she said that, everyone's expressions changed. Chen Jiaojiao pinched Xiao Li. "No, that's not it! I've always had a small appetite." Xiao Li spoke up as well. "She has a small appetite." What an idiot! He really didn't know how to say anything else. Chen Jiaojiao turned to look at Li Cui Liu. "Third Sister-in-law, what have I done to offend you? Why do you keep targeting me? I married into this family to live with Xiao Li, not to be bullied and excluded by you!" "W-Who's excluding you?" Li Cui Liu refused to back down. "You sat there without touching your chopsticks. Doesn't that mean you look down on us?" "Enough." Xiao Li put down his chopsticks and looked at Li Cui Liu. "Third Sister-in-law, hurry up and eat." Xiao Li was already tall and imposing. After spending years in the military, he had developed a fierce aura. Usually, he was quiet and harmless enough, but the slightest hint of impatience made him look frightening, almost like a god of death. When Li Cui Liu met his gaze, she felt a little intimidated. She threw down her chopsticks, turned around, and went back to her room. "Fine! Eat by yourselves!" Xiao Bao cursed, "What an unreasonable woman! She really doesn't know what's good for her!" Then he turned to Chen Jiaojiao. "Don't mind her. That's just how she is." Only then did Chen Jiaojiao look toward Chunxi. "Don't worry, Third Brother. I'm not someone who holds grudges over every little thing... Chunxi, bring over the marinated duck we brought. Let's add another dish to the table." She smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. I asked Chunxi to bring some food for everyone, but I completely forgot about it." As soon as the others heard that there was marinated duck, they stopped caring about Li Cui Liu or anyone else. They quickly assured Chen Jiaojiao that it was no problem at all. Inside the room, Li Cui Liu was practically exploding with anger. Chen Jiaojiao had deliberately waited until she went inside before bringing out the marinated duck. Wasn't that obviously intentional? She clutched her belly, feeling as though she might become so angry that she'd give birth prematurely. Chunxi, who had been eating steamed buns nearby, returned to the room and brought out the marinated duck wrapped in paper. The duck had already been chopped into pieces. Its color was beautiful, and the rich aroma of meat made everyone's mouths water. Chen Jiaojiao welcomed them warmly. "Don't be shy. Everyone, help yourselves!" Then she turned to Xiao Bao. "Why don't you call Third Sister-in-law out to eat too?" Inside the room, Li Cui Liu strained to listen. She hadn't eaten marinated duck in a long time either. Unexpectedly, Xiao Bao replied, "Forget about her. If she wants to starve, let her starve." Li Cui Liu's vision went black, and she nearly fainted from anger. At the table, Chen Jiaojiao quickly picked up a duck leg and placed it in Xiao Li's bowl. At the same time, another duck leg appeared in her own bowl. Xiao Li had given it to her. The moment their eyes met, the remaining marinated duck had already been divided among the others. Even Xiao Bao was happily gnawing on the duck neck. Chen Jiaojiao shot Xiao Li a look, silently urging him to eat quickly. Xiao Ping wanted a duck leg too. He looked unhappily at the wing in his bowl and was just about to ask Xiao Li for one when he realized something shocking. His second uncle, who usually gave him all the best food, had already started eating! That was a duck leg! Xiao Li had eaten two bites before noticing his nephew staring at him. This time, he could only pretend not to see him. After all, Chen Jiaojiao had bought the duck, and she had specifically put it in his bowl. As for Chen Jiaojiao, she had barely eaten two bites before finding the duck leg too greasy. She dropped it into Xiao Li's bowl. "You eat it." There were still tiny bite marks left by her teeth on the duck leg. Seeing that she genuinely had no appetite for it, Xiao Li ate what she had left. Xiao Ping looked at Wang Chunyan, who gestured for him to eat quickly instead of being picky. Meanwhile, Xiao An'an looked at Chen Jiaojiao and asked, "Second Aunt, if you don't like duck legs in the future, can you give them to An'an? I love duck legs the most!" Chen Jiaojiao glanced at the few pieces of duck meat in the little girl's bowl and readily agreed. "Of course! From now on, Second Aunt will give all her duck legs to An'an." What a joke! She wasn't going to buy marinated duck again anyway. These people had food to eat and still wanted to be picky. Even her own husband hadn't had enough! After lunch, Chen Jiaojiao saw that Xiao Yang and Xiao Bao were going to take an afternoon nap. She turned to Xiao Li and instructed him, "Get a basin of water, wash yourself, and then take a nap." Xiao Li paused just as he was about to pick up his sickle and leave. "I'm going to harvest the wheat." Chen Jiaojiao tried to reach up and twist his ear, but he was too tall, and she couldn't reach it. She lowered her voice. "You idiot! Everyone else has stopped harvesting, yet you're the only one still working. Don't you know how to put all that strength to better use? Wait until your eldest brother and third brother go back to the fields this afternoon before you go!" Hearing this, Xiao Li's gaze briefly fell on her graceful figure before he obediently went to fetch water and wipe himself down. ... Inside Xiao Bao and Li Cui Liu's room, Li Cui Liu hurriedly asked when her husband entered. "Where's the marinated duck?" "What marinated duck?" Xiao Bao picked his teeth. "It's all gone. Did you really expect me to save some for you? There wasn't even enough for me!" Li Cui Liu clutched her belly, wishing she could kick him twice. "I'm carrying your child!" Xiao Bao casually lay down on the bed. "You chose not to eat. Who can you blame?" Li Cui Liu complained, "That merchant's daughter has no sense of propriety either. Merchants rank below scholars, farmers, and artisans. She's from the lowest social class, yet she dares to act so high and mighty!" After saying that, she expected Xiao Bao to agree with her. Instead, she heard him snoring. She was so furious that she grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. Xiao Bao was startled by the impact. He cursed at her a couple of times before going straight back to sleep. Li Cui Liu was so angry that tears streamed down her face. ... After wiping himself down with cold water, Xiao Li returned to the room and found Chen Jiaojiao eating a bowl of lamb rice noodles. He was surprised. "Where did that come from?" "Chunxi brought it. She asked the shop to blanch the noodles this morning and put the soup in a flask," Chen Jiaojiao explained. Then she asked, "Do you want some?" "No." Xiao Li sat down beside her. "Are you planning to eat like this from now on?" "What else?" Chen Jiaojiao replied, unwilling to put it too harshly. "There are too many people in your family. I'm not used to eating with them." Hearing this, Xiao Li said nothing. He simply watched her eat in silence. After eating half the bowl, Chen Jiaojiao pushed it toward him. "I'm full. You can have the rest." Xiao Li glanced at her slender waist. "Keep eating." Chen Jiaojiao raised her eyebrows angrily. "I told you I'm full! Didn't you hear me?" Only then did Xiao Li take the bowl and finish the noodles she had left. Watching him eat in large mouthfuls, Chen Jiaojiao rested her chin on her hand. Suddenly, she nudged his leg with the tip of her foot. Xiao Li's body stiffened as he looked at her, wondering what she was planning now. "I think your younger sister-in-law doesn't like me. You need to help me deal with her." "That's a matter between women. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to interfere." Chen Jiaojiao slapped the table. "If you don't handle it, then forget about touching me! I didn't marry into this family just to be bullied!" Xiao Li put down the bowl. His gaze settled on her bright red lips as he asked in a low voice, "If I handle it, you'll let me touch you?"