Chapter 23: Gradual Cultivation

"Snap!"

A crisp sound echoed throughout the house. Zhao Hong was left completely stunned by the slap.

Xu An glanced at Zhao Hong, speechless. To stare so brazenly at another woman right in front of his own wife—he certainly had guts!

However, one had to admit, as Mu Qingqing lay flat on the bed, her figure was indeed firm and statuesque, with curves that stood proud. Even through the quilt, her exquisite and graceful silhouette could not be hidden; it was full of allure, making it hard for anyone to look away.

"W-Wife, I only took a glance by accident," Zhao Hong stammered, scrambling to explain as he saw the fury burning in Xu Panpan’s eyes. But since he had indeed been caught staring at another woman, he had no real defense, leaving him with only this pathetic excuse.

It made even Xu An chuckle. Such an explanation was worse than saying nothing at all.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, the anger on Xu Panpan's face intensified. "Zhao, do you take me for a blind woman? Get out of here, right now, immediately!"

Seeing this, Zhao Hong had no choice but to slink out of the room.

"Xiao An, where did you bring this woman back from?" Xu Panpan asked, turning her attention to Xu An. To avoid a never-ending lecture, Xu An patiently explained the situation once more.

Xu Panpan frowned. "Xiao An, this woman does not look like an ordinary person; she must come from a prominent family. Such families usually have strict rules. It doesn't look like she will recover anytime soon. Leaving her in your home for so long is not just a waste of time and energy, but once she recovers, she may not even show you any gratitude. If things go wrong, it could lead to major trouble."

Xu An finally understood her concern. He hadn't considered this angle before. In ancient times, women generally placed great importance on their reputations—some would even sacrifice their lives for the sake of their honor. Never mind staying in a stranger's home; even the slightest impropriety in speech could invite malicious gossip.

Since he had brought this woman home, she would inevitably have to stay for a long time, which would certainly affect her reputation. Given her intimidating background, it would be fine if she were reasonable, but if she were irrational, it would be a disaster for Xu An and the entire Qinghe Village.

"Sigh, Sister, you’re right. I was thoughtless in this matter." Xu An suddenly regretted his decision to save her. He blamed his own modern mindset for failing to consider the consequences. After all, in the modern world, a boy and a girl returning home together was a common occurrence.

"Xiao An, you acted out of kindness. Let it go this time. I only hope that when this girl wakes up, she will remember your favor and not make things difficult for us. But you must learn your lesson from this, do you understand?" Xu Panpan sighed helplessly.

"I suppose that’s all I can do." Xu An did not tell her the woman's true identity, fearing it might scare her to death. But this meant the pressure was entirely on him. It was quite a headache. He had thought saving Mu Qingqing would open a gateway to opportunity, but it had turned out to be a hot potato.

After stepping out of the room, Xu Panpan looked around and asked, "Hey, Xiao An, where is your wife? She was just here!"

Xu An was also taken aback.

Xu Panpan said sternly, "Xiao An, let me tell you, it doesn't matter if you haven't achieved much now, or even if you become successful later—things like abandoning your wife and children are absolutely forbidden, understand? Even though Su Yan'er’s background isn't the best, since she has become your wife, you must treat her well."

"Besides, other than being a bit thin, that little girl is quite pretty. You mustn't neglect her or break her heart."

"I know, Sister." Xu An gave a bitter smile.

"By the way, are your wife’s eyes alright? Have you seen a doctor? Is the money enough? If not, I still have some here." Xu Panpan suddenly remembered Su Yan'er’s eyes.

"Sister, don't worry, she's fine." Xu An smiled, feeling a warmth in his heart. It was clear that Xu Panpan truly cared for him.

Afterward, under Xu An’s arrangement, Xu Panpan and her husband began to clean the rooms. Since there was free labor, he might as well put it to use; otherwise, cleaning it all by himself would take the whole night. Xu Panpan seemed accustomed to worrying about her only younger brother, and seeing him assign her chores, she didn't complain. In fact, she seemed quite happy to do it.

As for Xu An, he headed to the kitchen to prepare a meal. He wasn't the original owner of this body; he felt that since they were his sister and brother-in-law, it was only natural to treat them well.

But as he entered the kitchen, he saw Su Yan'er crouching by the stove, tending the fire to boil water. Her fair little face was smeared with soot like a kitten, and beads of sweat lined her forehead. It was both heart-wrenching and adorable to see.

"Yan'er, why did you come to the kitchen? I’ve told you so many times, your leg is injured, you should rest more," Xu An said, feeling quite helpless.

"H-Husband, please don't be angry. Sister is here, and I didn't want her to think I only know how to eat and don't do any work, so I..." The little girl seemed to know she was in the wrong, and her already quiet voice faded away until she went silent.

"Sigh!" Xu An pinched her cheek affectionately. "Sister might have a fierce reputation, but she is actually very reasonable. You are injured, so resting is the right thing to do; why would she be unhappy? Besides, you are the mistress of this house. You can do whatever you want here; you don't need to worry about anyone else's opinion."

*You don't need to worry about anyone else's opinion?* The little girl was stunned. She felt a bit unaccustomed to this, as she had always had to mind the expressions of her aunt’s family. But since her husband said she didn't have to, she would have to learn to be that way. Her husband must want her to be better.

Xu An patted her head and continued, "In the future, if I do something wrong, you even have the right to point it out and demand that I change."

With Xu An’s knowledge and mindset, if he wanted to mold the little girl into an obedient doll, it would be effortless. But he didn't want that. Coming to this world, he felt a lack of belonging; he needed someone with thoughts and ideas of her own by his side. Otherwise, it would be too dull.

The little girl looked at Xu An with wide, watery eyes, revealing a touch of innocent simplicity. Her husband was so capable, how could he ever do anything wrong? If anything was wrong, it must be her own fault!

"Alright, I'll take over. Have you finished the candied hawthorns? I bought you some pastries as well—different from the last ones. They are in the book basket; go get them yourself."

Xu An didn't expect her to understand his intentions immediately; it would take time. He had to be patient.

"I haven't finished them yet. The candied hawthorns are so expensive; if Sister sees them, I'm afraid she might be unhappy..." the little girl said, lacking confidence. After all, she hadn't helped her husband with anything at home, yet she ate so much, and she was worried Xu Panpan would hold it against her.

"Don't think so much. Sister just praised you earlier; she has no issues with you. You don't need to worry about these things in the future. Besides, you are eating things I bought, which has nothing to do with her. Eat them without worry," Xu An said with a smile.

"H-Husband, I've already put the candied hawthorns away. I... I think I'll wait until Sister and Brother-in-law leave before I eat them."

"Fine, as you wish." Xu An shook his head. This little girl was still too insecure at heart. It would be hard to change that in a short time; he would have to let time do the work.

"Also, H-Husband, I haven't finished the pastries you bought me last time."

"Are they not tasty?" Xu An asked, puzzled.

"No, they are very delicious." The little girl’s eyelashes fluttered. "I... I just wanted to save them to eat with you, but I didn't expect you to buy new ones."

This little girl! Xu An sighed softly. "Those were bought specifically for you. You don't need to save them for me in the future; just eat them yourself."

"Oh~" The little girl stood by, looking a bit awkward. She suddenly felt that her husband didn't need her at all. She seemed unable to help him with anything.

Xu An, not noticing the change in her expression, began to render the lard. At the same time, he took out some pork ribs to blanch and prepared various seasonings. Before long, a rich, savory aroma began to waft out of the kitchen.

"What is Xiao An making? Why does it smell so good?" Zhao Hong and his wife, who were cleaning in the side room, stopped what they were doing as they caught the scent.

"How could Xiao An know how to cook? It must be his wife doing the cooking!"

"I didn't expect that little girl to be so thin but possess such good culinary skills." Xu Panpan knew her brother well and didn't believe for a second that he was the one cooking.

"Indeed, that brat is quite lucky," Zhao Hong added with a smile.

"What? By the sound of it, you're saying marrying me was a raw deal for you?" Xu Panpan shot a sidelong glance at Zhao Hong.

"Wife, you know I didn't mean that."

"Hmph, I can't be bothered to argue with you. You keep cleaning; I'm going to go see his little wife. We are family now, so we should get to know each other." With that, Xu Panpan dropped the broom in her hand and headed straight for the kitchen.