Chapter 206 - 204: Where’s the Trust Between a Husband and Wife!?

Chapter 206: Chapter 204: Where’s the Trust Between a Husband and Wife!?

"Xiaxia, are you up yet?" Xia Shanshan knocked on her son’s door.

No sooner had she spoken than Jiang Xia pulled open the door, poked his head out, and chuckled, "Mom, did Yanwan tell you?"

"Mhm, we’re going to her house for lunch." Xia Shanshan nodded, her gaze glancing into the bedroom. "You’re leaving for the Imperial Capital today. Is your stuff all packed?"

"It’s all packed."

"Where is it? Let me see."

Mothers will always worry that their children can’t take care of themselves.

Jiang Xia resignedly opened the door wider and turned to grab the backpack sitting by his bed.

"Just one bag? How much can you fit in one bag?"

Xia Shanshan’s brows shot up. She unzipped the backpack to find only a few T-shirts and some jeans.

"The Imperial Capital is in the north; it gets cold early there. Even if you plan on buying new toiletries when you get there, you’re not even taking a few warm clothes? Take a suitcase. You should at least bring one set of thermal underwear, a sweater, and a down jacket. It even snows there in the winter. You’ll freeze to death," she said irritably.

Jiang Xia scratched his head. His plan had been to buy clothes once he got to the Imperial Capital. The weather was still hot right now anyway, so T-shirts would be fine for the time being.

’Alright, the real reason was that he thought carrying a suitcase to a place so far away would be a hassle. A backpack was so much more convenient.’

’But since the empress dowager has spoken, I might as well take one.’

He spent some time repacking his luggage. Xia Shanshan thought about how her son would be away from home and she wouldn’t be able to look after him anymore. After a moment’s hesitation, she looked at him and reminded him, "Once you get to the Imperial Capital, don’t you go bullying Yanwan, you hear?"

The "bullying" she was referring to, of course, was about the young couple maintaining some propriety in their relationship—not getting carried away and doing something they shouldn’t.

Jiang Xia winced internally. ’When it comes to that stuff between men and women, who’s to say who’s bullying whom? As the saying goes, there are only oxen that are worked to death; have you ever seen a field get plowed to ruin?’

"How could I mistreat my future wife? As long as I have soup to drink, she’ll have rice to eat."

Xia Shanshan smiled warmly. "That’s more like it. If you’re short on money, just tell me. They say the cost of living in the Imperial Capital is high, but it’s an expense your mother can still afford."

"Alright, you should head over there soon. Your dad and I will come by later. Don’t worry about your luggage; I’ll bring it over for you in a bit."

"You got it."

After breakfast, Jiang Xia happily left for his wife’s house. Xia Shanshan stared at her son’s backpack for a moment, and after a long pause for thought, she went back to her room, took a box of her husband’s "little umbrellas" from a drawer, and secretly slipped it inside.

◇

It took Jiang Xia about twenty minutes to get to his wife’s house. He knocked, and the door was opened by his sister-in-law, who was wearing a cute little dress. She had two adorable-looking buns in her hair, which he could tell at a glance were his wife’s handiwork.

"Brother-in-law, you’re here~" Lin Xiaoman’s face lit up with delight as she hugged Jiang Xia’s leg.

"Hey there, good morning, Xiao Man."

Jiang Xia smiled and patted his sister-in-law’s head. A whole summer vacation had passed, and she seemed to have grown a tiny bit taller, though it might have just been an illusion created by her hair buns.

"Xiao Xia, you’re here?" Ji Wanqiu came out of the kitchen wiping her hands, a faint smile on her face.

Jiang Xia looked up and smiled. "Mom, what are you stewing in the pot? It smells amazing."

"Beef and tomato stew. I just put the ingredients in, and you can already smell it?" Ji Wanqiu laughed. That "Mom" from him was much more gratifying than hearing it from her own daughter. "Have you eaten this morning? If not, I can boil some dumplings for you."

"I’ve already eaten. Where’s Dad?"

"He went out to buy groceries. By the way, how come your parents didn’t come with you?" she asked.

Jiang Xia replied, "They said they’d be a little late. They might have something else to do."

"Oh." Ji Wanqiu nodded and smiled. "Yanwan’s in her room. You can go find her yourself."

Jiang Xia blinked. ’My mother-in-law really is the best.’

"Brother-in-law, are you and Big Sis leaving for school today?" Xiao Man asked, holding his hand.

"That’s right."

"Where’s the Imperial Capital? Is it far from our home?"

"The Imperial Capital is in the north. You have to take a plane to get there. It’s really, really far from home," Jiang Xia said with a smile.

His little sister-in-law nodded thoughtfully. The farthest she’d ever traveled for school was to Nanshan Primary School, just a few kilometers from home. It was hard for her to imagine what it would be like to have to take a plane just to get to school.

"Xiao Man has never been on a plane before."

Jiang Xia gently patted her head. "It’s a lot like riding a Ferris wheel. When Brother-in-law comes back next time, he’ll take Xiao Man out to have some fun, okay?"

"Mhm! But, Brother-in-law..." his little sister-in-law hesitated, "will you be gone for a long, long time before you come back?"

"Don’t worry. By the time Xiao Man is on winter break, Brother-in-law will be back."

Lin Xiaoman pouted. Her summer vacation wasn’t even over yet. Winter break felt like a long, long time away.

"Xiao Man will miss you!"

"I’ll miss Xiao Man too," Jiang Xia said with a small smile. "I’ll call Mom and then ask for you."

His little sister-in-law nodded emphatically, a happy smile spreading across her face. "Xiao Man can call you too!"

"Of course."

After playing with his little sister-in-law for a bit longer, Jiang Xia gently pushed open the door to his wife’s bedroom and immediately froze on the spot.

"Close the door!!!" Lin Yanwan hurriedly used a piece of clothing to cover her chest, her voice a mix of embarrassment and annoyance.

"Oh, right."

Jiang Xia understood perfectly. ’Closing the door’ meant sneaking in while his wife was changing and locking it from the inside.

"So... why aren’t you leaving?"

"You only told me to close the door. You didn’t tell me to leave."

He cracked his knuckles, looking at his wife—topless, with those famously smooth shoulders—and chuckled. "Babe, changing, are we? Want me to help?"

"Just get out!"

"If I get out, how am I supposed to help you get dressed?"

"..."

Lin Yanwan took a deep breath. How could she not know this guy was just playing dumb? If she really let him "help," he’d probably strip off the clothes she already had on. She’d been through this routine many times before.

"I don’t need it!!" she said, gritting her teeth.

Jiang Xia sighed to himself. ’We’re already so familiar with each other’s bodies, yet she’s still this guarded when just getting dressed. What happened to the mutual trust between a husband and wife?’

’So what if her top half is bare? It’s not like I didn’t see it in my past life. What’s there to be shy about?’

"Fine, you keep getting dressed. I’ll cover my eyes with my hands. That’s okay, right?"

He silently snuck a glance. The flesh-colored lace bra on the bed was quite pretty, and a single look at the cup size was very satisfying.

"..."

Lin Yanwan was so angry she wanted to beat him up. ’Cover his eyes with his hands? He’ll just peek through his fingers in a second, won’t he!’

"Turn around!"

"Babe, you don’t trust me!"

"...I’ll count to three!"

The corner of Jiang Xia’s eye twitched violently. He very reluctantly turned his back. Lin Yanwan gave him a deep look, then, quick as lightning, pulled on her T-shirt.

Hearing a rustling sound behind him, Jiang Xia secretly turned his head, just in time to meet her embarrassed and annoyed gaze.