Chapter 43 Clear water between lips and teeth…
Chapter 43
"Luo Xiaoran! I've dug up another whole one!"
Chu Xingli was completely unaware that she had received a text message on her phone.
He pulled a large bunch of lotus roots out of the mud and waved happily at Luo Xiaoran, wanting to hand them to him personally.
Zhu Ji stood by the pond, but Chu Xingli showed no intention of handing it to him.
Luo Xiaoran was always good at hiding his negative emotions. When he heard Chu Xingli calling him from the other end, he raised his hand and turned off his phone.
Pei Jianian's name flashed across the screen.
"Here you are, let me give you a hug."
[Whenever something happy happens, Hugs instinctively wants to share it with her husband.]
[Aww, he's so cute, I want to hug him so much! If I catch him, I'll kiss him to death!]
Why do I get the feeling that Ranzi looks like he has something on his mind?
I became unhappy after seeing the message on my phone.
Was he looking at his own phone or Hug's phone? Could it be Hug...?
"Make sure your hands don't get dirty in the water." Chu Xingli stood in the pond, looking up at Luo Xiaoran, who was wearing gloves and holding lotus roots in a bucket.
Luo Xiaoran nodded: "Okay, I'll be careful."
"Are you a little tired?" Chu Xingli noticed that Luo Xiaoran seemed a bit off.
Luo Xiaoran hadn't expected that Bao Bao's emotions would be so sensitive.
He shook his head, and before he could speak, Lin Ning, having just retrieved the last of the ten lotus roots, waded through the water towards Chu Xingli.
“Xingli, Zhu Ji said he wants to eat meat,” Lin Ning said, shaking Chu Xingli’s hand with a smile. “Do you want to come with me over there to look for some? Chicken, duck, fish, or something?”
Lin Ning's smile was sweet, perfectly hitting Chu Xingli's aesthetic point.
At this moment, Lin Ning was so close to him, even the strands of her hair exuded a soft scent, how could Chu Xingli possibly refuse his request?
"Okay, I just saw a small wooden house over there. There should be chickens and ducks inside. If not, we can just collect a few eggs and make do."
Luo Xiaoran grabbed Chu Xingli's arm and, with a slight effort, pulled her out of the waist-deep pond.
"You're really strong." Chu Xingli was very satisfied with Luo Xiaoran's muscles. If it weren't for the mud on her hands, she would definitely have pinched them a couple of times with envy.
Ever since they kissed, Luo Xiaoran has clearly noticed that Bao Bao's attitude towards him is different from before.
It's that kind of unconscious dependence and trust.
It gradually became very similar to what it used to be.
Without a doubt, Luo Xiaoran had managed to appease himself again.
Chu Xingli still remembered that he thought Luo Xiaoran was tired. After repeatedly telling him to sit down and rest for a while, he led Lin Ning towards the small wooden house.
Seeing that he couldn't help with the lotus root picking, Zhu Ji returned to his post to pick green beans, unaware of the situation on the other side.
The cabin was pitch black.
Chu Xingli led the way, and Lin Ning walked in just over ten seconds later.
Then I heard a very ominous sound—
"quack--!!!"
"Holy crap?!" Chu Xingli was terrified, and in her shock, she couldn't help but swear. She turned around and grabbed Lin Ning, ready to run away. "W-why are there geese here?!"
Didn't you say it was chicken or duck?
Chu Xingli always remembered to protect Lin Ning, who was pregnant.
Although Lin Ning's body wasn't as fragile as he imagined, he still had to be extra careful in this critical moment.
Not to mention that Chu Xingli has always held a deep respect for geese.
...When he was a child, under Ms. Ye's guidance, a goose at a farmhouse bit his buttocks hard and wouldn't let go.
It lasted for three minutes.
After being pulled away by those around her, Chu Xingli could barely feel her buttocks anymore.
It took almost half a month for the bruises to fully heal.
Geese are terrifying, absolutely terrifying.
Seeing the goose stretching its neck and coming menacingly, Chu Xingli risked being pecked herself, picked up Lin Ning in her arms, and walked out quickly and steadily, her heart pounding with fear.
Fortunately, after walking less than ten steps, Chu Xingli spotted Zhu Ji's figure in the distance and immediately called out to him, "Zhu Ji, come here quickly!"
That hug was so strong, oh my god!
Even though Ningning is thin, she must weigh at least 120 pounds, and he was able to pick her up in his arms.
[The main reason is that they are young, and people can really do anything when they are pushed to the limit.]
[Haha, I don't understand why Hug is suddenly so strong. He must have never been chased by a goose before.]
[Being chased by geese is really terrifying, the feeling of oppression is too strong (a little girl who has been chased by geese in her village since she was a child o(╥﹏╥)o)]
The cameraman wasn't following too closely, so he was the first to jump out of the cabin and took the opportunity to find a spot that wouldn't interfere with filming or the two heroes rescuing the bear.
Zhu Ji and Luo Xiaoran rushed in together.
However, because of Lin Ning's health condition, Luo Xiaoran let Zhu Ji pass through this somewhat narrow door first.
After confirming that Zhu Ji had taken Lin Ning back into his arms, he went up behind Chu Xingli to drive away the geese that were flapping their wings and chasing after him.
That goose was very cunning, attempting to bypass Luo Xiaoran and continue chasing Chu Xingli and Lin Ning.
Luo Xiaoran wasn't about to let it succeed. He picked Chu Xingli up in his arms, took a few long strides, and walked out of the cabin. He slammed the wooden door shut, completely shutting the goose out.
He remembered that when Chu Xingli was a child, a goose pecked his bottom until it was bruised.
It's just not convenient to tell Hugs right now.
It will make the other person feel even more embarrassed.
Luo Xiaoran put Chu Xingli back on the ground, helped him stand up, and then casually removed the chicken and duck feathers mixed in with Chu Xingli's hair.
“There were indeed chickens and ducks inside, but I didn’t expect there to be geese too,” Chu Xingli said, gripping Luo Xiaoran’s arm tightly with lingering fear. “Thank goodness you were here, otherwise the child…”
Luo Xiaoran grasped his hand again, helping Chu Xingli regain his composure.
Realizing she had almost let something slip, Chu Xingli immediately changed the subject: "Otherwise... we'd have to carry Ningning even further."
Luo Xiaoran's encouraging education is everywhere: "Hugs are so great, and they're so strong."
Chu Xingli was pleased by the praise, took out two items from her pocket and handed them to Luo Xiaoran, saying with a smile, "I was quick, so I took out two eggs to nourish you."
Luo Xiaoran took the eggs with both hands and thanked Chu Xingli with a smile: "I like them very much, thank you for the hug."
I think I heard... a child?
[Hugs, don't think I didn't hear you just because you spoke fast]
[Oh no! Could she be pregnant?!]
[Probably not. Ranzi is so concerned about Baobao's health. If she were pregnant, it would have been detected when she went to the hospital after the poisoning incident.]
[Maybe they're trying to keep this from everyone!!!]
Look at how ridiculously Ranzi is laughing!
Chu Xingli was still reeling from being chased by the goose and had no idea that, in the eyes of the audience, he was now a pregnant man who was several months along and had kept his pregnancy a secret.
*
After returning to the villa and having lunch, Chu Xingli and Luo Xiaoran went upstairs to their bedroom to take a nap.
As soon as Luo Xiaoran entered the room, he went into the bathroom to wash his hands.
Chu Xingli followed him in, and with practiced ease, she took Luo Xiaoran's hand and helped him rub the foam on the back of his hand.
"I'll take a shower in a bit. After you wash your hands, go change your clothes and lie down to rest."
Chu Xingli went down into the pond. Although she was wearing waterproof overalls, she still felt dirty and needed to wash herself to feel at ease.
He showered very quickly and came out in a bathrobe in no time.
He thought Luo Xiaoran had already closed his eyes to rest, but unexpectedly he was sitting on the sofa with a hairdryer waiting for him.
"Hug me, let me dry your hair," Luo Xiaoran adjusted the temperature setting on the hairdryer, pulled Chu Xingli to sit beside him, and said gently, "Take a nap after your hair dries."
Chu Xingli was indeed a little sleepy.
Hearing this, he yawned, nodded, and said, "That's fine. I've had quite a bit of exercise this morning."
Chu Xingli has a lot of hair, and Luo Xiaoran had to blow-dry it for a while before it was completely dry.
"I'm sorry, my hair took too long to fix." Chu Xingli knew her situation and felt very apologetic.
Luo Xiaoran tidied the hair dryer cord and put it back in its place, then smiled and said, "It's so cute. It gets all fluffy after being dried by a hug."
Chu Xingli blushed at his praise of her as if she were a child, a kitten, or a puppy: "Go lie down and get ready to rest."
[Ever since that kiss, their relationship has become even sweeter, sob sob]
They were probably really tired; neither of them remembered to cover the camera, hahaha.
[Give me a kiss, sir, and another one. (Hands clasped in prayer)]
It's a pity we can't hear anything; Ranzi turned off their microphones.
[Haha, Ranzi is so cunning! Is he afraid we'll hear something we shouldn't?]
[Can someone please tell me if Hug is pregnant or not? o(╥﹏╥)o]
Chu Xingli set an alarm and tucked her phone under her pillow.
The bed was wide enough, and he and Luo Xiaoran maintained a polite distance, neither of them touching the other, so they could get a good rest.
"Buzz—Buzz—"
Chu Xingli had barely closed his eyes when his phone, which was under his pillow, vibrated.
The rhythm sounds like a phone call, not a text message.
Chu Xingli fumbled for her phone and squinted at the screen.
After seeing the caller ID, my sleepiness vanished instantly.
He almost instinctively sat up in bed, but then he remembered that Luo Xiaoran was still sleeping and he couldn't wake him.
Chu Xingli put her phone on silent.
The screen would light up for a while, then turn off, and then light up again after a while.
The person on the other end of the line has almost as much patience as Luo Xiaoran, Chu Xingli thought to herself.
After a long while, the screen finally went out.
Chu Xingli, adopting an ostrich mentality, was just about to breathe a sigh of relief and lie down again when she received another text message.
[Xingli, I have something very important to tell you. Please answer my call.]
This text message had no note.
But unless Chu Xingli is truly stupid, she knows who it is.
...After all, he's the protagonist, so what if it's related to Luo Xiaoran?
What if they've somehow gained control over the Chu family's core interests? Wouldn't that be even more serious?
Chu Xingli felt a mix of emotions. She thought that since this day was bound to come sooner or later, she might as well cut the Gordian knot.
While Luo Xiaoran is still asleep, we can solve the problem.
However, to Chu Xingli's surprise, just as he was about to get up from the bed, Luo Xiaoran's hand suddenly touched his waist and abdomen.
It was heavy.
Not to the point of being unable to breathe, but enough to keep him pinned down on the bed and unable to get up.
If Luo Xiaoran's breathing hadn't been even and steady, Chu Xingli would have almost thought he did it on purpose.
What's even more disheartening is that when Pei Jianian called again, Chu Xingli accidentally swiped across the screen to answer while tilting her head to check if Luo Xiaoran was asleep.
"Xingli?" The voice on the other end of the phone was the gentle and friendly one that Chu Xingli had expected.
Chu Xingli replied in a breathy voice: "...Wait a minute, I'm going to..."
His waist and abdomen were being pressed down, and he took a breath, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.
Pei Jia smiled patiently, "Yes, it's okay, I'll wait for you."
Chu Xingli awkwardly murmured "Okay".
Pei Jianian is abroad.
They probably don't know that he and Luo Xiaoran are participating in a program.
Not to mention being able to see the current scene.
"Xingli, is there anyone next to you?" Pei Jianian asked gently with a smile, noticing that Chu Xingli seemed a little uncomfortable.
Chu Xingli was startled by his question.
He thought Pei Jianian could see the scene around him through the receiver.
Calming herself down, Chu Xingli took a breath and answered softly, "Nobody's here."
Luo Xiaoran's hand on Chu Xingli's waist tightened slightly.
But Chu Xingli did not feel his strength.
"Xingli, can I talk to you?" Pei Jianian asked, but his tone left no room for refusal.
Chu Xingli's heart sank.
What does Pei Jianian want to talk about?
When will he and Luo Xiaoran be able to completely divorce and sever ties?
“We have already gone through the divorce process,” Chu Xingli said directly and without any hesitation, “and we are currently in the cooling-off period.”
Pei Jianian's voice didn't reveal any specific emotion, but Chu Xingli intuitively sensed that he seemed very happy.
"Ah, really?" Pei Jianian's voice was very low and soft, and the more you listened, the more you felt that he was incredibly gentle.
[Who is Hug talking to on the phone? Why are you being so careful?]
I suspect it's a love rival, because Ranzi's hand was clearly placed on Hug's waist on purpose.
[Could he be some random guy waiting to get a divorce and climb the social ladder?!]
[Maybe it's a mistress who likes Ranzi, calling to provoke him and pressure him to step down.]
[It's so satisfying to watch from God's perspective!]
Luo Xiaoran is very jealous.
He didn't want Chu Xingli's gaze to fall on anyone other than himself.
When Luo Xiaoran heard his phone vibrate, he knew who was calling.
He pretended to be asleep and slowly moved closer to Chu Xingli on the pillow.
I got so close that I could gradually hear what the person on the other end of the phone was saying.
"Xingli, when you're less busy, can we have a meal together?"
Luo Xiaoran's hand moved silently upwards along Chu Xingli's waist and abdomen.
Chu Xingli was completely unaware, only thinking about how to answer Pei Jianian in a way that would be appropriate and not offend anyone.
“…Xingli?” Pei Jianian waited for a long time but did not hear Chu Xingli’s voice, so he smiled and reminded him.
Chu Xingli finally belatedly noticed Luo Xiaoran's movement beside her, and just as she turned her head to look—
The next moment, Luo Xiaoran kissed her firmly on the lips.
"Um...you..."
The muffled "wait a minute" was accompanied by the clear sound of water between the lips and teeth, and was simultaneously transmitted to the other end of the phone through the microphone.
Pei Jianian hung up the phone.
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