Chapter 14 A stolen kiss quietly landed on her face.

In a daze, Zeng Zhengqing seemed to return to the willow tree thirteen years ago, the first time he had experienced the taste of "candied fruit poison." He subconsciously took a step back, cautiously staring at her sweet smile.

Qingduo didn't notice his wariness, but she did realize she wasn't pretending. She quickly twisted her waist, straightened her back, clasped her hands in front of her, and whispered, "Brother Qing, I've personally prepared the meal, just waiting for you to come back!"

That's really creepy.

Zeng Zhengqing frowned: "Madam, please call me 'husband'!"

Qingduo's beautiful smile froze on her face. She obediently said, "Yes, husband." She turned and followed Zeng Zhengqing into the house, pouting in dissatisfaction.

I wanted to use our nicknames to get closer, but they politely declined.

That clueless, unromantic blockhead!

The four dishes on the table were beautifully presented, with excellent color and appearance, showing that the cook had put a lot of thought into them: the dried tofu was stacked one piece on top of another, circling the plate; the pine mushrooms were stir-fried with soy sauce, giving them a bright color, and were garnished with a few leaves, as if they had just been picked from the forest; the green and white bamboo shoots looked like two pieces of jade on the plate, crystal clear; and the stir-fried greens were cooked to perfection, with the veins of the leaves clearly visible, and a vibrant green color.

Zeng Zhengqing sighed inwardly: What a delicious vegetarian meal!

He said, "Madam has put in a lot of effort."

Qingduo couldn't help but put her hands on her hips, her chin held high like a sunflower seeing the sun, her tone filled with undisguised pride: "Oh, not at all, it's just the tip of the iceberg, I'm very good at cooking!"

Of course, she wouldn't tell Zeng Zhengqing that another meat dish had tragically died in the pot. At that time, she was busy plating and didn't pay attention to the heat, so the only meat dish turned from "braised pork" into "charcoal-grilled pork".

As the venerable Sima Qian once said, "Great deeds do not concern themselves with trivial matters." This is merely a minor matter and not worth mentioning.

The two sat on opposite sides. Zeng Zhengqing picked up the pine mushroom that Qingduo had put in his bowl, took a bite, and said that it was inferior to the cooking of his own cook or his mother, let alone the cooking of the various famous chefs he had tasted.

“Not bad,” he said.

Hearing the expected feedback, Qingduo smiled and picked up a chopstickful of matsutake mushrooms, putting it in her mouth. Hmm, a bit salty; she'd added too much soy sauce this time. She never used any recipes; she always cooked whatever came to mind, relying entirely on her gut feeling. She'd only put in a little extra effort when eating: if it was bland, she'd add some pickled vegetables; if it was too salty, she'd eat more rice—it wasn't a big deal.

It turns out Zeng Zhengqing likes this level of saltiness; it seems the dishes his cook used to make didn't suit his taste.

"I heard from Zhengji that you went to help him air out his books today?" He finally asked the question that had been bothering him.

Qingduo's eyes lit up immediately: "Hmm! What else did he say to you?"

“He said…” Zeng Zhengqing paused, after all, Zhengji hadn’t said anything, but he said, “Zhengji said you were a great help, thanks to you.”

Qingduo beamed with joy, her hands intertwined like a ball before a lion dance, then she placed them beside her face, suppressing her happiness, and said modestly, "Oh dear, he's too kind. He's my husband's younger brother, and I'm your wife, his sister-in-law. Of course, I have to take care of him!"

No, that's not all.

Her expression was the opposite of her words. Zeng Zhengqing still couldn't figure it out. She was helping Zhengji and cooking for him herself—what was her intention? Based on his understanding of her, she would never do these things for no reason. If he didn't find out, he didn't know how long he would be living in fear.

"Madam, today you helped Zhengji air out his books and cooked for him yourself. Is... what are your plans?" He stared into her eyes and went straight to the point.

The crucial moment has arrived! Qingduo sat up straight, ready for battle.

She doesn't know how to avoid causing trouble, but she's quite adept at apologizing after causing trouble, and even created her own "Lingbo Kneeling Technique".

This technique, called "Kneeling," actually involves kneeling in the heart, not the body; kneeling outwardly, not inwardly. After numerous tests, it has proven remarkably effective. It has been used almost exclusively on her parents, Aro and Ari. Under normal circumstances, the problem is resolved within three moves; in difficult situations, multiple moves can be repeated, yet she will still escape blame. For outsiders, one or two moves are enough to end the fight.

It's time to test the waters on Zeng Zhengqing!

The first move of the "Lingbo Kneeling Technique": Quickly admit your mistakes.

“My husband, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have drunk alcohol yesterday, I shouldn’t have ignored your advice and drunk too much, and I shouldn’t have gone out after drinking, making you worry, and I even... I even talked nonsense, causing you to lose face in front of everyone.”

When Zeng Zhengqing suddenly heard her mention the past he didn't want to recall, his eyelids twitched wildly, and he reached out and lightly pressed his right eye without leaving a trace.

Qingduo was not surprised to see that Zeng Zhengqing remained calm and composed. After making such a big scene yesterday, he would not forgive her easily. If one trick was not effective, then she would try another.

The second move of the "Lingbo Kneeling Technique": The Sincere Attitude Style.

After a moment of preparation, Qingduo burst into tears: "Husband, I really regret it. I was too young and ignorant. I didn't know the consequences of drinking, and I didn't know I would become such a terrible person. Otherwise, I would never have made such a terrible mistake."

"Losing face to myself is a small matter, but hurting my husband's pride is a big deal. Not to mention, my husband took care of me all night and didn't get a proper rest. I feel extremely guilty!"

This acting is over the top. Zeng Zhengqing forgot about his twitching right eye and stared blankly at her tears. The tears came suddenly, like a sun shower that came without summoning the clouds.

He remained silent, genuinely curious about how far she could go with her performance.

Why isn't he saying anything? Didn't Fang Qing say that Young Master Zeng is the most magnanimous person? Qing Duo thought that if she said a few words, she could gain his understanding and let the matter pass, but he just looked at her thoughtfully and didn't say a word.

Qingduo bit her lip, realizing she had truly underestimated him! But it didn't matter; she was a seasoned veteran, how could she possibly lose to a mere Xiao Qing!

She wiped away her tears, her eyes filled with tenderness.

The third move of the "Lingbo Kneeling Technique": Sweet Talk Style!

"My lord," she said, trying to imitate the gentle and graceful woman from the opera stage, swaying her head and singing in a soft, affected voice, "Since I married into your family, I have enjoyed a blessing I've never experienced before. I remember all the good things you've done for me. So what I said yesterday wasn't out of disdain for you, my lord; it was because I wasn't ready. I hope you will be magnanimous and forgive me. My lord is the best husband in Wuzhou City, no, the best husband in the whole world!"

Watching his wife's vivid performance, he really wanted to burst out laughing. He knew in his heart that if he smiled, he would definitely miss the good show to come. He told himself in his mind: Don't laugh, while clenching his fist and pressing it to his lips.

Qingduo excels at countering moves with moves, finding weaknesses in her opponent's expressions and words to quickly seize the opportunity. But now, Zeng Damou on the other side remains silent, like a cicada whose soul has left, leaving only an empty shell clinging to a tree.

My husband is truly a master of disguise! Has he practiced the Iron Shirt and Golden Bell techniques? He actually wants to "defeat opponents with no moves"!

Qingduo's smile vanished instantly, and she glared at him silently, her cheeks puffed out. Of course, she still had many tricks up her sleeve, but the first three had no effect whatsoever, and a sense of frustration welled up within her. For a moment, she couldn't muster the energy to continue her offensive.

Zeng Zhengqing keenly noticed her discouragement and knew it was time to stop. Just as he was about to say something to comfort her, he heard Qingduo huff and puff, "Zeng Zhengqing! I offended you yesterday. If you have any complaints, you should have just said so! I woke up today and found out about this, and I've been trying to make amends ever since! I helped your brother, cooked you something delicious, and apologized to you. I did my best!"

“You’ve been so good to me, and I don’t want to let you down at all. I want to treat you even better and make you happy. But you… but you…” She pouted and looked at him with a wronged expression.

"Tap!" "Tap!"

His heart was like a still lake, undisturbed by any storm, but she stirred up ripples within it.

Zeng Zhengqing felt a warmth in his heart. He was about to tell her that he wasn't angry with her and hadn't taken her words to heart; he understood her hesitation and timidity. But the words that came to his lips were: "After hearing what you said yesterday, my wife, I did feel a little uncomfortable."

Qingduo stared at him blankly, and he smiled slightly: "But seeing my wife go to such lengths for me and pour out her heart, I am very moved."

"Thank you, madam."

Qingduo was half-believing, half-doubting. She pointed to herself and said, "Did I make you feel better?"

Zeng Zhengqing nodded in affirmation and said, "Yes!"

Instantly, Qingduo smiled and eagerly served Zeng Zhengqing food: "Husband! Eat bamboo shoots! Eat dried tofu! Eat fragrant greens!"

Zeng Zhengqing's eyes were full of doting affection as he picked up some food for her, saying, "Madam, please eat too."

Even someone who has mastered the Golden Bell Shield technique would find it difficult to resist his lovely wife.

At this moment, Qingduo thought smugly, "The Lingbo Kneeling Technique is still quite effective!"

When it was time to rest that night, Qingduo was late going to bed. She mumbled to Zeng Zhengqing, "You go to sleep first, I have things to do!"

She's still missing one crucial element in being a good wife!

Zeng Zhengqing didn't think much of it. He hadn't rested well last night while taking care of Qingduo, and he had been busy at the shop all day. He was exhausted and fell asleep quickly.

When he woke up the next day, Qingduo was still fast asleep on the outside. As soon as he got up, she got up and dutifully helped him get dressed. She didn't know when he had rested last night, but she was still having a good dream.

Zeng Zhengqing tiptoed out of bed, picked up the footwear that had already been placed there, put it on, and looked back at Qingduo. The corners of her mouth were upturned, and one of her fists was sticking out of the blanket, as if she was encouraging herself. Zeng Zhengqing couldn't help but smile.

Huh? After he finished putting it on, he suddenly felt that the feel of his feet was different from before. He lifted his foot to take a look and was immediately stunned. There was a piece of red cloth sewn on the heel of the footwear. The stitches were crooked and uneven, one stitch overlapping another, very fine and dense.

He suddenly realized who was behind it, smiled helplessly, and looked at his wife, who had come up with such a whimsical idea. Her sleeping face was like a peach blossom bud, flushed with a delicate pink, revealing a touch of innocent charm. Long eyelashes, a delicate nose, and... slightly pouting lips.

Her bright red lips reminded him of vibrant bellflowers; if you removed the stem, you could taste the sweet nectar.

Before her lips even moved, the fragrance of her lip rouge filled the air.

Zeng Zhengqing's Adam's apple bobbed as he slowly leaned down and gently placed a kiss on her face.

A note from the author:

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Qingduo: Wow, I completed the duties of a good wife in one day! I'm so awesome!