TTTQF Chapter 126

Murdering One’s Husband

"..."

Jiang Miao feels a burning gaze fixed on him. When he looks up, that gaze shows no signs of remorse and continues to linger around him freely, even growing hotter.

"Are you going to eat or not? If not, then pack it up!" He can't bear it anymore and voices a warning.

The owner of that gaze smiles slightly and says, "I'll eat. The food Ah Miao makes is exactly to my liking. I'll finish every bit of it. As for the dishes, leave them to me. I'll clean them all."

Jiang Miao sneers after hearing this: "Leave them to you? This morning, after you washed them, a bowl and plate went missing. How many more are going to disappear tonight? Spendthrift!"

Pei Che feels a bit embarrassed. "With practice comes skill. I promise I won’t break any tonight."

"Alright, take your time then." Seeing his sincere promise, Jiang Miao has nothing more to say. He turns his attention to the two kids who have already finished eating and are whispering quietly to each other on the side. He instructs, "Xiao Shitou, Mu'er, go wash up and then head to your room to sleep."

The two children immediately run to the kitchen to fetch water for washing, then return to their room to sleep. On usual days, if Jiang Miao is in a good mood, they might dawdle a bit, but today they tuck their tails in and behave perfectly. Jiang Miao feels somewhat comforted; at least they are considerate.

After the two children leave, Jiang Miao suddenly feels the air in the dining room grow thin. Though he doesn't look at Pei Che, he can clearly feel Pei Che's gaze never leaving him.

Jiang Miao can't figure out what has gotten into him. This morning, Pei Che had been acting all wronged, and now by evening, it's like he has become a different person.

He stands up and walks toward the bedroom, Pei Che's eyes following his back until he is out of sight. Only then does Pei Che focus on his meal.

After finishing, he cleans up the table and goes to wash the dishes. The dishes are a bit slippery that night, and despite his carefulness, there is still a loud "clang" as one shatters.

Pei Che freezes, his guilty eyes darting toward the bedroom, hoping Jiang Miao hasn't heard it. He hides the broken pieces behind a tree to cover up the evidence, then quickly finishes washing the rest and neatly puts them back in the kitchen.

He washes his hands three times with soap, making sure there is no strange smell left before stepping out of the kitchen with a spring in his step, turning to head toward the bedroom.

"Ah Miao—" Pei Che's cheerful voice abruptly stops. The large bedroom is empty, and the pillows and blankets on the bed are gone.

His expression darkens. He turns around and heads straight for Mu'er and Xiao Shitou's room.

The two children are sound asleep in bed, and there is no one else in sight. Pei Che tucks their blankets in a bit more securely before heading out.

The yard isn't large, and the only other place to go is the study. Pei Che walks over to the study, where the door isn't locked. He gently pushes it open. There is no need to search; Pei Che immediately spots Jiang Miao's figure on the small couch by the window. Jiang Miao seems uncomfortable, tossing and turning several times in a short span, his restlessness visible.

"Ah Miao," Pei Che calls softly.

The person on the couch instantly stiffens, even holding his breath for a moment. Jiang Miao, with his back to the door, remains silent, pretending he doesn't exist at all.

"Ah Miao," Pei Che sits down at the edge of the couch, "let's talk, alright?"

Jiang Miao still doesn't respond. Having just realized his feelings for Pei Che that morning, only to experience a tragic heartbreak, he certainly doesn't want to talk now.

"I know you're awake." Pei Che is persistent, speaking as he reaches out to pull at Jiang Miao's blanket.

Unable to resist, Jiang Miao suddenly sits up, furious. "What are you doing?! I want to rest right now. I don’t want to talk!"

"Ah Miao, I know you have some misunderstandings about me. You're usually so straightforward, so why are you avoiding me today?" Pei Che moves closer, and the mere fist-width gap between them makes Jiang Miao feel suffocated.

"W-what do you mean by avoiding?" Jiang Miao stammers, "I’m just... never mind, if you want to talk, then hurry up and say what you need to!" He scoots back, trying to increase the distance between them.

"Why were you angry this morning?" Pei Che scoots forward again. "You said it wasn’t because I came back late, so what was the reason?"

"I already said—"

"Don’t say you weren’t angry. You and I both know that’s not true." Pei Che interrupts Jiang Miao's attempt at denial and then drops a bombshell. "Were you... jealous?"

Jiang Miao's eyes widen, his expression frozen in shock. When he finally snaps out of it, he exaggeratedly exclaims, "Huh? What are you talking about? Jealous of what? You've got it wrong. We’re both men—why would I be jealous of you?"

Pei Che quietly looks at him, his eyes seemingly piercing through all the lies. Jiang Miao’s voice grows smaller and smaller until it eventually disappears. After a moment of silence, Jiang Miao lowers his head and awkwardly says, "Alright, I admit I was a bit bothered. So, what do you want to do about it?"

He feels a twinge of sorrow in his heart, assuming Pei Che has come to warn him not to harbor any delusions.

"Just... a bit?" Pei Che, seeing him finally admit it, can't help but feel a surge of joy.

Jiang Miao looks up angrily, his eyes slightly red as he glares at Pei Che. "I was very bothered, alright? You bastard! Have you forgotten you’re already married? Even if it’s just a contract, you shouldn’t be emotionally involved with someone else while it's still valid!" Jiang Miao decides to lay it all out, figuring that since Pei Che already knows, he might as well voice his frustrations. After all, even if he doesn’t vent, this jerk will never like him anyway.

When Pei Che wraps his arms around him and pulls him into an embrace, Jiang Miao is momentarily stunned. His ear presses against Pei Che’s chest, where he can hear the steady and reassuring beat of his heart, making the whole situation feel somewhat unreal.

"Ah Miao, I’m really glad you’re being honest with me. What happens yesterday is actually a misunderstanding," Pei Che says as he explains his plan with Han Qin to Jiang Miao. "The reason I do that is to test your feelings for me. I’ve been dropping hints all along, but you’ve never responded, which makes me a bit anxious."

"You’ve been dropping hints?" Jiang Miao feels confused. What has Pei Che been hinting at?

Pei Che lets out a bitter laugh. "Yes, didn’t you notice?" He begins listing all the things he’s done and said, and only then does Jiang Miao realize that there have been hidden meanings behind Pei Che's words all along. Unfortunately, Jiang Miao had never thought of it that way at the time.

"What about you?" Pei Che asks, curious as to why Jiang Miao has suddenly started to understand his feelings.

Jiang Miao, feeling a bit embarrassed, replies, "On Mid-Autumn night... I’m awake." If it weren’t for that kiss, he probably wouldn’t have thought of it in that way at all.

Pei Che suddenly feels enlightened and then a little frustrated. If he had known that’s what it would take for Jiang Miao to understand, he would have stopped wasting his time with hints long ago.

On Mid-Autumn night, in a moment of impulsiveness, Pei Che takes that bold step. But in hindsight, it’s fortunate. If he hasn’t, who knows when Jiang Miao would realize his feelings?

Thinking of that brief, fleeting kiss, Pei Che suddenly feels a bit overheated. When Jiang Miao notices Pei Che's arm tightening around him, he looks up in confusion, only to bump into Pei Che, who has lowered his head as if about to say something.

The atmosphere is so harmonious; everything flows naturally. After a brief, gentle kiss, Pei Che leans in again, this time deepening it with tenderness. Jiang Miao, who often jokingly calls himself an “experienced driver” in the modern world, feels utterly defeated by Pei Che, this naturally gifted ancient man. Not only is Pei Che’s kissing technique superior, but even his lung capacity puts Jiang Miao to shame.

Determined not to let Pei Che outdo him in this area, Jiang Miao resolves to work on his stamina. Meanwhile, Pei Che, unaware that the person in his arms is lost in thought, feels a profound happiness radiating through him after the kiss. Pei Che suddenly realizes that although Han Qin is unreliable at times, he has been right about one thing—matters of love are indeed irresistible.

“Shall we go back to the bedroom to rest?” Pei Che asks, though his hands are already moving to pick up Jiang Miao’s pillow and blanket.

Jiang Miao, feeling slightly embarrassed, doesn’t object. The misunderstanding has been cleared up, so there’s no need to keep sulking. Besides, the small couch has been quite uncomfortable to sleep on.

Back in the bedroom, Pei Che is about to place Jiang Miao’s things on the bed, but then he reconsiders and leaves only the pillow there.

“What are you doing? I still need a blanket!” Jiang Miao calls out when he sees Pei Che stuffing his blanket into the wardrobe. It is early autumn, and the nights have grown cold—how can he manage without a blanket?

“Ah Miao, have you ever seen a married couple with two separate blankets?” Pei Che replies, ignoring Jiang Miao’s protests as he shoves the blanket into the wardrobe.

Jiang Miao is at a loss for words, momentarily forgetting that just a short while ago, their relationship has undergone a major shift.

After washing up, the two get into bed. At first, they lie there stiffly, a half-person’s distance between them. As they doze off, Jiang Miao casually mutters, “The blanket seems a bit drafty,” and naturally scoots a little closer to the middle.

“It does feel a bit drafty,” Pei Che agrees, inching closer as well.

Their arms, separated only by their thin nightclothes, touch, sharing warmth. At some point, they both turn to sleep on their sides, and before they know it, their once neatly placed hands end up resting on each other.

…

"Brother! Open the door!"

"Brother Miao! Open the door!"

Voices call out from outside. Jiang Miao, hearing them, struggles to crack his eyes open. He notices that sunlight is already streaming through the window—it is broad daylight.

He wakes up late! He suddenly opens his eyes wide and tries to sit up, only to realize he can’t move. Pei Che’s arms are wrapped around his neck and waist, his chin resting on Jiang Miao’s head, enveloping him in a domineering embrace. Jiang Miao feels his face flush; he hadn’t expected that a grown man like him could feel so cared for.

But this isn’t the time to sleep in. If he stays lying down any longer, the voices of the two little ones will likely carry over to the other yard.

He nudges Pei Che and whispers, “Ah Che, it’s time to get up!”

Pei Che responds with a soft "Mm," but there is no sign that he intends to let go. He hasn’t slept well the night before, and after shedding his burdens yesterday, holding something warm in his arms makes him sleep soundly.

“Get up! We’re going to be late!” Jiang Miao pushes him again. When he still doesn’t wake up, he has no choice but to resort to more forceful measures.

With a sharp pain at his waist, Pei Che jolts awake, grabbing Jiang Miao's mischievous hand and saying in a slightly hoarse voice, “What should be the punishment for attempting to murder one’s husband first thing in the morning?”

“Stop being ridiculous and get up!” Jiang Miao’s ears turn hot, and he deliberately scolds him to cover up his embarrassment.

Pei Che laughs, pinching Jiang Miao's flushed earlobe and says, “At your command."

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