Chapter 57 Spicy Stone Pot Rice

"What about you?"

Lin Youqian expected the same response. Qi Xu, however, avoided the question. "I worked an all-night shift yesterday and I'm exhausted. I need to rest for a while."

"Okay. Call me back when you get to South City."

Since the last break, Lin Youqian hadn't heard a single word of love from her for many days. She didn't even call him "Youqian" anymore.

Aunt Yang asked him, "Mr. Lin, are you having a conflict with your wife?"

"without!"

Lin Youqian sat alone at the dinner table, his food tasted like wax. He instructed Aunt Yang, "If your wife comes home, call me immediately. No matter what time it is."

Aunt Yang wanted to say that the mistress hadn't been home for half a month. She felt a little embarrassed to take the maid's salary.

"Mr. Lin, if you miss your wife, just bring her back. Expecting her to come back on her own is a bit unreliable, considering her arrogant and spoiled personality."

Even without Aunt Yang saying it, he knew that when that little woman came back, he had to take her back quickly. Otherwise, their life together would be over.

Seeing Lin Youqian's terribly gloomy mood, Aunt Yang couldn't stand the suffocating low-pressure atmosphere and couldn't help but say something.

"Mr. Lin, you need to pay more attention to your wife! Last time, she had a cold and a fever for several days. She hid in her bed alone, crying silently. I'm afraid there were so many tears that she had to change the quilt several times because it was so wet."

"She is a delicate girl to begin with. You ignored her even when she was sick. How could she not be sad and wronged?"

Lin Youqian's heart seemed to be drained away in an instant, and even breathing was painful.

"She was sick and had a fever. Why didn't you tell me?"

"My wife won't let me tell you. She said you're busy and there's no need to bother you with such a small matter."

Lin Youqian finally understood why she moved to the staff dormitory, went on a business trip, and was in a bad mood for half a month.

She wasn't being unreasonable, but silently enduring the indifference. Lin Youqian couldn't imagine how distressed she must have looked when she was crying in bed, looking so aggrieved.

In the car, Lu Shixu asked Qi Xu, "Who is it? Calling you?"

Qi Xu replied. "My husband!"

Lu Shixu's heart tightened, and his hands on the steering wheel stiffened. "What do you mean, 'your husband?'"

"Literally. I'm married, and he's my nominal husband."

Lu Shixu felt a strange knot in his stomach. "You're married and have a husband, why did you ask me to come?"

"I told you, he's my nominal husband. Our marriage is quite similar to that of your eldest brother and sister-in-law."

Qi Xu had initially found it unbelievable when he heard how Brother Lu and Sister Hua interacted. But now, thinking carefully, he realized that he was no different from them.

Lu Shixu felt inexplicably distressed. "Why are you getting married when you're so young?"

"At that time, I was desperate and needed money, so I sold myself at a low price. There's no point regretting it now, so let's just leave it at that for now."

Lu Shixu was touched. He didn't know what Qi Xu had experienced, but it must have been very difficult and helpless at that time, so he sold himself for money and married someone he didn't love.

If I had met her earlier, would the outcome have been different?

He pulled a card out of his pocket and handed it to her. "This is my salary card. Take it. If it's not enough, tell me."

Qi Xu felt very strange. Why did every man like to give her a card recently?

"Thank you, but no thanks. I have my own card. Besides, my eldest brother gave me a card, and my husband gave me two. I don't seem to be short of money right now."

Lu Shixu teased her. "Why, you keep Big Brother's card, but you don't want mine? Do you think it's too little?"

"It's not me. I really... didn't mean it like that."

"Then keep it!" The tone of this command was exactly the same as Lin Youqian's.

"Okay!" After all, it doesn't matter if she carries one card or more. Including the card given by Ms. Wen, she now has 5 cards.

But she had never used it before, so she didn't know how much each card could be used for.

It was not until a few months later that she was looked down upon by a bank teller for handling a 600 yuan cash transaction, and she arrogantly threw out a black card.

"Don't withdraw 600 yuan, withdraw all of it!"

The conscientious bank teller was so frightened after seeing the number on the card that he almost fainted.

"I'm sorry, Miss. I was wrong. Please forgive me. If you withdraw all the cash from this card, I'm afraid my bank will have to close."

It was then that Qi Xu understood what Lin Youqian meant by "no limit" which he repeatedly emphasized.

After a long time, when they were almost in South City, Lu Shixu couldn't help but ask her, "Do you like your husband?"

"I don't know!" Qi Xu's answer was surprising.

"What do you mean you don't know? You're not really a child. If you like it, you like it. If you don't like it, you don't like it. Why are you afraid to admit it?"

Qi Xu was certain. "I did."

This answer is quite intriguing. I liked it before, but now I don’t know.

Seeing that she was in a low mood, Lu Shixu drove the car into the service area and took her downstairs to have a meal.

"Are you hungry? What do you want to eat? I'll help you order."

Qi Xu ordered a bowl of stewed soup and a stone pot rice. Lu Shixu unexpectedly ordered exactly the same thing.

"What a coincidence! I also like pigeon soup and spicy food."

Qi Xu looked at Lu Shixu who was gasping for breath from the spiciness, but did not expose him. He considerately asked the waiter for two glasses of milk.

"Brother, spicy stone pot rice tastes even better with milk!"

The tips of Lu Shixu's ears turned slightly red, and after taking two big gulps of milk, the burning sensation in his stomach finally eased.

"Does your husband like spicy food like you?"

Qi Xu didn't pay attention to this problem. She had eaten with Lin Youqian many times, but she had never paid attention to what he liked to eat.

He always prepared the meals, and she just enjoyed them. During meals, he would help her pour soup, peel shrimp, and pick out the fish skin she disliked. But she didn't even know what kind of food he liked.

"My husband is not picky about food. He likes to eat everything."

Mr. Lin, who was praised for not being picky about food, had no appetite even though the table was full of dishes. He only took two bites with his chopsticks and put down his bowl.

Sitting alone on the sofa, I turned on the TV, played a random channel, and stared blankly.

Suddenly, a news came from TV.

"Entertainment Pioneer reports that at 2:10 PM New York time, my country's youngest musical talent, Mr. Ouyang Jiashu, officially declared his love for his junior sister at his concert. His love declaration was, Qi Xu, I love you. You are the sun, moon, and stars in my music. Every note of my music is a rhythm of love for you. Every line of my lyrics is a voice of love from my heart. Be my girlfriend, okay?"

"The title song of my latest album, 'Qi Wa', is dedicated to my beloved junior sister!"

The support Ouyang Jiashu mentioned was an official announcement to the world that he loved Qi Xu. This was not only a slap in the face to Song Yunzhou, but also a slap in the face to her unreliable husband.

Lin Youqian couldn't sit still any longer and angrily smashed the remote control on the TV. He immediately called Qi Xu.

"Where are you now?"

Qi Xu's tone was impatient. "Didn't I tell you? I'm back in South City and on my way. How many times do you have to ask me?"

"I'm asking you, where exactly are we now?"

Qi Xu glanced at the sign outside and told him, "Dongping Service Area, what's going on? What do you want?"

"Get off the highway at Dongping. I'll come find you later."

Qi Xu felt that this man was sick and had no idea what was going on.

"Why are you looking for me? I've already told you that I can handle my own affairs. Isn't tomorrow Tongtong's birthday? Just spend time with the child."

Lin Youqian's tone was hurried, and he was panting slightly. "I won't accompany you anymore. I'll accompany you."

Qi Xu scolded him, "Are you sick? Why do you do what you want? How can you go back on your promise to the child?"

At this moment, Lin Youqian's mind was full of Qi Xu, and he had no extra thoughts to worry about anything else.

"It's okay, Tongtong is easier to coax than you. I'll just buy some more lollipops later."

At this moment, Qi Xu really didn't want him to come. "I said, I'll be in South City soon, can you please stop causing trouble?"

Lu Shixu couldn't help coughing because of the spiciness. Although he tried his best to suppress it, the sound still came through the phone.

"Who are you with? A man?"

Qi Xu looked at Lu Shixu and explained to the man on the phone. "A friend."

Lin Youqian was completely enraged, the veins on his fists showing. He ordered Qi Xu in a tough tone.

"I don't care who you're with. Get him out right now. Right now. I'll be at Dongping Airport in an hour. If I don't see you, you'll be responsible for the consequences."