The Prime Minister’s Little Wife

Chapter 56: Have You Really Decided?

The Xu family chatted happily, filled with joy and warmth.

Xu Zhizhi suddenly felt a chill emanating from the person beside her, his gaze fixed on a particular spot. She followed his line of sight but saw nothing.

How strange. Was it just her imagination?

When she looked back at Xiao Jingheng, he was smiling gently at her, with no trace of coldness in his expression.

Seeing that it was getting late, everyone prepared to wash up and go to bed.

Second Uncle Xu’s family and Third Uncle Xu, along with his two children, headed in one direction.

Xiao Jingheng and Xu Zhizhi’s family returned to the old house.

Meanwhile, on the other side, in the afternoon, Nangong Yunhao had rushed to the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion in Qingshan Town, covered in dust.

Upon learning that Manager Li and Xiao Jingheng had gone to Qili Village, he hastily ate a meal, tidied up, and was about to go find them.

As he reached the door, he saw Manager Li returning from Qili Village after having dinner.

Manager Li exclaimed in surprise, “Young Master, you’re back?”

“Where’s Jingheng?” Nangong Yunhao asked urgently.

The two spoke at the same time.

Manager Li hesitated, unsure whether to tell the truth to his young master.

At that moment, Nan Ba, who had just parked the carriage, came over and said, “He doesn’t want to come back. He’s selling himself to repay a debt!”

“What?!” Nangong Yunhao could hardly believe his ears.

“Selling himself to repay a debt?”

“Didn’t he find us?”

“If he found us, why would he be short on money?”

Manager Li and Nan Ba exchanged a glance and shook their heads. They didn’t understand either.

Nangong Yunhao was dumbfounded!

His arrogant cousin, that radiant and extraordinary young man—where had he gone?!

Who could tell him what was going on in this world?!

No! He had to go find Xiao Jingheng immediately.

Nan Ba grabbed his master and said, “Young Master Xiao insisted on staying.”

“That village girl is named Xu Zhizhi…”

“What? Xu Zhizhi?”

Nangong Yunhao interrupted Manager Li’s words.

Manager Li explained to Nangong Yunhao that when Xiao Jingheng had first arrived in Qingshan Town, his kneecaps had been forcibly broken, leaving him unable to stand. He could only crawl and beg.

Manager Li said with shame, “At the time, we might have seen him, but we didn’t realize it was Young Master Xiao!”

Nangong Yunhao didn’t know what to say. While searching for Xiao Jingheng, he had never imagined that such a proud person would be crawling on the ground, begging!

And so, they had missed him all this time.

Now that he had calmed down, he didn’t know why his cousin wanted to stay at Xu Zhizhi’s house, nor did he dare to disrupt his cousin’s plans.

He could only take Nan Yi and Nan Ba to secretly meet his cousin and ask what was going on.

Little did he know that while eavesdropping from the rafters, he would stumble upon such a shocking revelation, almost falling off in surprise!

His cousin had shot him a chilling glare, and Nangong Yunhao didn’t dare to move.

He obediently stayed put.

Even though he was the older cousin, six years Xiao Jingheng’s senior, ever since they were young, he had always had to follow his younger cousin’s lead.

If they fought, he couldn’t win. If they argued, it would end in a fight. Over time, he had become afraid of this younger cousin.

Fortunately, in front of outsiders, Xiao Jingheng always gave him face and never embarrassed him. He was still the older brother.

But in private, it was the opposite. He was the younger brother, and Xiao Jingheng was the older one…

As they reached the door of the old house, Xiao Jingheng pulled Xu Zhizhi aside and said:

“I’ll sleep in the new courtyard tonight. I can make a simple bed out of wood.”

Xu Zhizhi had been wondering how to arrange things for him, so his suggestion worked well for her.

The main reason was that their house had been turned into a mess last night by Old Madam Li and her children.

“I’ll go in and get a thin quilt for you,” Xu Zhizhi said as she walked inside.

Father Xu and the others waited at the door with Xiao Jingheng. Soon, Xu Zhizhi came out with a quilt and handed it to Xiao Jingheng, saying:

“This quilt is new. You can sleep in the bamboo hut next to the kitchen tonight. Tomorrow, my cousins and I will finish building the bamboo house, and my father will make a wooden bed for you.”

The quilt was one of several Xu Zhizhi had bought in town and stored in her space. She couldn’t get used to the hard bed here.

At night, she would lay the quilt on the bed, and during the day, she would store it in her space.

The old quilt in her room, which had been used by Old Madam Li and her children, was something she no longer wanted to use!

Xiao Jingheng listened to the girl’s gentle and sweet voice. Although it was dark, his martial arts training allowed him to see clearly at night.

He could see the young girl standing before him, her small face the size of a palm, with exquisite features. Her dark eyes sparkled like stars, and her lips, red and full, moved as she spoke, resembling a ripe peach waiting to be picked.

Xiao Jingheng suddenly felt a tightness in his lower abdomen, a rush of heat surging to his head. Almost instinctively, he stepped forward… and grabbed the quilt.

Xu Zhizhi felt a wave of heat rush toward her. She looked up at Xiao Jingheng, but the night was too dark, and she could only see his silhouette.

She thought Xiao Jingheng had rushed over and grabbed the quilt because he couldn’t see either.

Seeing the girl’s bewildered expression, Xiao Jingheng couldn’t help but laugh.

Forget it! There were still people waiting for him tonight. He would have plenty of time to get closer later.

“Alright, since my wife has given the order, how could I dare to disobey?” Xiao Jingheng said before turning and walking away.

Xu Zhizhi shook her head with a smile and went inside. She remembered the injured man from before, full of hostility, nothing like the shameless and mischievous person he was now.

Father Xu watched his future son-in-law’s retreating figure, his smile widening.

Xiao Jingheng held the quilt, which carried a faint, refreshing scent. It made him feel at ease.

The scent felt familiar and comforting. He secretly wondered if this was a quilt the girl had used before.

She had said it was new, but new quilts didn’t smell this good. He smiled to himself as he thought about it.

When he returned to the entrance of the new courtyard, he saw his cousin staring at him in shock.

Nangong Yunhao looked at his cousin, who was holding a quilt and smiling like a fool.

He was stunned! He looked at Xiao Jingheng in disbelief and asked, “Are you really Xiao Jingheng?”

“Absolutely genuine! Do you have a problem with that?” Xiao Jingheng said arrogantly.

The tone was unmistakably that of his aloof and proud cousin.

Nangong Yunhao asked urgently, “Was what they said earlier true? Why? You’ve never liked women before, have you?”

“Who said I don’t like women? Do you also believe the rumors that I prefer men?”

“Then what about your previous fiancée? She was so talented and stunning, like a fairy. You didn’t like her, but you like a dark-skinned village girl?” Nangong Yunhao asked incredulously.

“You’re still too young! You can’t judge people just by their looks. Don’t be so shallow. That woman was a hypocrite, all show and no substance!”

“Then you shouldn’t just casually decide to marry a village girl!” Nangong Yunhao was so angry he felt like vomiting blood at being treated like a child by his cousin.

“I’m serious. It’s not a casual decision. I want to marry her. This is the first time I’ve felt so strongly about wanting to marry someone,” Xiao Jingheng said with unprecedented seriousness.

“Have you really decided? To marry a village girl as your official wife?”

(End of Chapter)