Mon premier mari après ma transmigration

Chapitre 35

Upon hearing the name Xiqing, Xu Jinrong was filled with anxiety and wished he could fly over immediately to see what was going on. He had no time to chat with Yang Huan anymore and casually agreed, urging Zhang Xiaoqi to set off immediately.

Although Zhang Xiaoqi didn't know what had happened, he firmly remembered the last words the man had said, "a generous reward." He grinned, rubbed his buttocks, and without further delay, kowtowed to Yang Huan, got up, and led the way in a flash.

Xu Jinrong had ridden over with Jiang Rui, but Zhang Xiaoqi couldn't ride, so they hired a carriage along the way, and Zhang Xiaoqi also dismounted and rode with them towards Meijia Village. Along the way, Zhang Xiaoqi meticulously questioned the woman surnamed Hua about many things. Seeing his questioning, Zhang Xiaoqi, eager to please, wanted to reveal everything about the woman, from her appearance and figure to her pregnancy and childbirth, and her later flower cultivation and sales—nothing was left out, big or small.

After Zhang Xiaoqi finished speaking, his mouth was already dry. He saw that the more the man opposite him listened, the more surprised he became. His face turned pale and then green, and finally his face was distorted. His hands on his knees were clenched tightly, the veins on the back of his hands were bulging, and you could even hear the "crackling" sound of his knuckles. Zhang Xiaoqi was startled and was afraid that he would say something wrong and anger him and lose his reward. He quickly shut his mouth and said nothing.

Xu Jinrong felt a throbbing pain in his temples and a throbbing pain in his chest, as if it were about to burst. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down before looking at Zhang Xiaoqi and saying, "Tell me everything else related to that woman. Don't worry, even if you've got the wrong person, you won't be shortchanged on your reward."

Zhang Xiaoqi was overjoyed. He tilted his head, blinked a few times, and suddenly slapped his forehead, saying, "In the past two years, I've seen a man come to visit that Flower Lady. I heard from the villagers that he's her brother. Don't look down on me, sir, it's just bad luck. I'm a good judge of character. These two don't look like siblings at all; they don't resemble each other at all. Although Flower Lady is a widow and not particularly beautiful, her eyes seem to speak volumes, and her figure is truly alluring. Plus, she's young, so it's possible she has a lover. Maybe that boy named Xiaobao is her child..."

"You bastard!"

Xu Jinrong was furious, his face turning ashen.

Zhang Xiaoqi was truly frightened this time. She hurriedly shut her mouth and stared blankly at the person opposite her with a somewhat ferocious face.

Xu Jinrong suppressed his wildly beating heart, closed his eyes and pondered for a moment. When his anger subsided, he opened his eyes and asked, "Was that man handsome and did he have a leg ailment?"

This time, Zhang Xiaoqi dared not say anything more. After thinking for a moment, she looked at his face and said cautiously, "That person is indeed extremely handsome. I haven't seen his legs with my own eyes, but I've heard from the villagers that he seems to have some kind of inconvenience..."

Xu Jinrong fell silent, but his eyes were as dark as the night sky at midnight.

Nearly four years of searching, more than a thousand days and nights of heart-wrenching pain, and then suddenly knowing her whereabouts—it was like a thunderbolt striking him. He felt he should laugh out loud, or roar, but now, he didn't want to do anything. He just sat there in the carriage, facing this lazy bum, waiting to reach her, waiting for her reaction when she saw him, and… waiting to see that child named Xiao Bao.

That was his child, that was his first instinct.

Xu Jinrong clenched his teeth again, his blood surging through his veins, and he could barely control his trembling hands. What kind of heart did this woman have that she would leave home after bearing his child?

Zhang Xiaoqi remained silent, merely squeezing into a corner of the carriage, furtively observing the man inside who clearly seemed emotionally unstable. Even a rogue like him knew this was someone he couldn't afford to mess with. He suddenly regretted his momentary lapse of judgment a few days ago. If he hadn't stolen that flower, none of this trouble would have arisen.

The carriage traveled for about an hour before finally stopping at the entrance of Meijia Village. Zhang Xiaoqi, head bowed, led Xu Jinrong to the far end of the village amidst the villagers' astonished gazes. Only when they could see the lush bamboo grove in the distance did they stop. Pointing at it, he said with a sheepish smile, "It's just over there. The reward you promised, sir..."

Xu Jinrong tossed the money pouch to him, then took a few quick steps, turned past the bamboo grove, and immediately saw a fence with a half-open gate. The courtyard was filled with flowers and plants, but no one was there. However, a clear child's voice could be faintly heard: "Goose, goose, goose, with its neck bent towards the sky... I'm talking about you, don't run away..." This was followed by several honking sounds from the geese.

When the voice reached Xu Jinrong's ears, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and his feet froze on the ground. He was only a few steps away from the door, but he felt as if a thousand pounds were weighing him down, and he couldn't move. He felt as if all the blood in his body rushed to his chest.

"How many times have I told you? Don't peck at the flowers. Go eat in the trough." Then came a hissing sound as geese were herded away. A big white goose with a red crown crawled out from the crack in the door, flapping its wings as if to run away. Then a chubby little child ran out after it, waving its hands to try to drive the goose back.

Xu Jinrong bent down and grabbed the goose by the long neck, lifting the goose, which was still squawking and flapping its wings, to the little boy. He squatted down and looked at him before whispering, "You must be Xiao Bao..."

Seeing the goose struggling in his hands, Xiao Bao felt a pang of heartache and quickly took it back. The big white goose was quite heavy, and his arms were short, making it a bit difficult for him to hold it, but he held on tightly. Just as he was about to nod, he suddenly took a step back, tilted his head, and looked him over carefully again. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "My mother told me not to talk to strangers. If he tries to come any closer, I'll shout loudly so everyone can hear me..."

As he spoke, the large white goose jumped down from his arms and waddled back into the house. Xiao Bao looked back and was about to turn around and run in after him when Xu Jinrong gently grabbed his arm.

Xu Jinrong grasped Xiaobao's chubby, soft arm, gazing at his own clear reflection in Xiaobao's dark pupils. He saw Xiaobao's innocent, clear eyes staring intently at him, a mixture of curiosity, surprise, and a hint of fear in them. Xu Jinrong wanted to smile at him, but his facial muscles were stiff and unmoving. He wanted to say something, but his throat felt as if it were blocked by a wad of cloth. It wasn't until he saw Xiaobao reach out his little hand and gently wipe his cheek that he realized his eyes were burning, and two lines of tears were already streaming down his face.

"My mother said that a real man who cries will be laughed at, and even if he falls down, he should get up on his own..."

Xiao Bao hesitated for a moment, then said in a childish voice.

Xu Jinrong wiped the dampness from his face, nodded emphatically, picked up Xiaobao, and whispered, "I understand. I'll go find your mother now." He pushed open the wooden gate, bent down, and had just stepped inside when he heard a woman's voice from behind the house: "Xiaobao, who were you talking to just now? Did someone come to buy flowers..."

The voice, tinged with laughter, melodious and gentle, sent a chill down his spine, making his blood freeze, yet also a sense of ethereal disorientation, as if he were ascending to heaven. Looking up, he saw a figure emerge from behind the low fence beside the house. Black hair, arched eyebrows, bright eyes, a blue cloth robe, a bundle of pruned branches in her arms, a faint smile on her lips—it was none other than Wen Danmei, the woman he had searched for years, the woman who had caused him such anguish and resentment, the woman he could never forget.

After a joyous midday, Danmei and Miaoxia rode in her husband's car to the city to buy some things. Danmei played with Xiaobao for a while, then went to prune the branches in the flower field behind the house. Because geese are quite intelligent and will sound an alarm if a stranger approaches, she felt at ease, listening to him reciting newly learned nursery rhymes and talking to the big white goose in the front yard. When she heard the big white goose becoming restless and faintly heard Xiaobao talking to someone, she went out to see what was going on. When she looked up and saw the person, her mind went blank, and she almost collapsed to the ground.

Xu Jinrong looked at Danmei and saw that her face suddenly turned pale, her eyes wide open, and the flower branches in her arms had all fallen to the ground. She couldn't move an inch for a moment, but she was holding Xiaobao and staring at her without blinking, as if she was afraid that if she blinked, all of this would disappear without a trace, just like a midnight dream.

"mother……"

When Xiao Bao saw Dan Mei, he wriggled off Xu Jinrong and ran over on his short legs. When he got to her side, he looked up and smiled, "Mom, he's not a bad person. He cried when he saw me just now. I felt sorry for him, so I talked to him a bit more."

Chapter eighty

Danmei watched as the man opposite her slowly took one step towards her, then another, getting closer and closer, her mind reeling. She could barely hear what Xiaobao was saying anymore; she only subconsciously followed his approach, retreating step by step until she reached the edge of the wooden shed, with nowhere left to go.

"Mother, what's wrong?"

Xiao Bao stood in the middle, looking at Xu Jinrong's gloomy face, then at Danmei, whose face was pale, leaning against the wooden awning. He had never seen his mother show such an expression before. Although he was young, he vaguely knew that this man had frightened his mother; she was very afraid of him.

Xiao Bao hesitated for a moment.

He wasn't afraid of him; in fact, when he saw him squatting in front of him crying, he even felt a little wanting to be close to him. But... since his mother didn't like him...

"You frightened my mother. Get out of here right now."

Xiao Bao ran up to Xu Jinrong and blocked his way.

***

When Xiqing went out, he was with Miaoxia and her husband. After they finished shopping in the city, seeing the young couple going out alone like this, and being so affectionate all the way, he felt embarrassed to follow them. Just then, he met an acquaintance from a neighboring village who was also driving a donkey cart, so he rode in that person's cart back. When they reached the fork in the road, he thanked him, picked up his basket, and got off. He saw that the sun was already setting in the west, and Meijia Village was just ahead, its outline visible. It would only take a quarter of an hour to walk there.

Xiqing had only walked a few steps when he heard the clatter of hooves behind him, growing louder and louder. Donkey carts and oxcarts were common in this area, but horse-drawn carriages were a rare sight. He couldn't help but stop and glance back. He saw a horse-drawn carriage, one of the city's rental vehicles, the driver cracking his whip as it approached. He couldn't see the people inside or where it was going. Because the road was narrow, he moved aside to let it pass.

Just as the carriage passed, another man on horseback approached. He was a man in his mid-twenties, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, riding a large chestnut horse. He appeared to be with the people in the carriage. The man on horseback stared ahead with a serious expression. His gaze quickly swept over Xiqing, who was still standing by the roadside. He gave the reins a slight tug and galloped past, creating a gust of wind.

This time, Xiqing let out a soft cry and subconsciously chased after him for a few steps. When he saw that the other person had already gone dozens of steps away, he stopped.

Was she seeing things? Why did that man on horseback look so much like... Jiang Rui? He was darker than she remembered, and his face was more rugged than before, but she felt she couldn't be mistaken!

Could it be that the adults have finally come looking for us?

Xiqing covered her mouth, staring at the backs of the carriage and the rider, her heart in turmoil, unable to discern whether she was happy or sad. The basket in her hand had already fallen to the ground, rolling out several Bodhi fruits that she had specially bought and brought back for Xiaobao that day.

Jiang Rui followed behind the hired carriage, his anxiety probably no less than Xu Jinrong's. If heaven were to take pity and they truly found the lady this time, not only would his master be freed, but he himself…

As he was thinking this, he suddenly remembered the village girl who had stood by the roadside to avoid the carriages. He hadn't had a good look at her in his haste, but now that he thought about it, she seemed somewhat familiar...

Jiang Rui paused his horse slightly and looked back.

He was a martial artist, and his eyesight was much better than that of ordinary people. Even from this distance, he could still clearly see the woman's face.

With thick eyebrows, large eyes, and slightly dark skin, he was still standing by the roadside, staring blankly in his direction.

Jiang Rui suddenly reined in his horse, turned around, galloped back, and leaped down in front of her.

"It really is you! Are you... alright?"

He felt his heart pounding wildly, and he looked at her, stammering.

When Xiqing saw him ride back and stand in front of her, her eyes were filled with undisguised joy. Overwhelmed with mixed feelings, she was both sad and happy. She didn't know what to say for a moment, so she hummed softly and bent down to pick up the Bodhi fruit that had rolled out earlier.

"I'll do it!"

She had just bent down and reached out when he stepped forward, and their hands landed on the same fruit one after the other, her hand enveloped by his.

Xiqing let out a soft "Ah!" and then recoiled as if stung by an insect, biting her lip and staring at the back of her feet. Jiang Rui blushed and stood there, staring blankly at her.

Xi Qing glanced at the man opposite her, and memories of their past work together flashed through her mind. Suddenly, she felt a faint sweetness rise in her heart and asked in a low voice, "Now that you're here, I suppose the master is here as well?"

Jiang Rui replied, "It was in that carriage just now."

Xiqing then realized what was happening and hurriedly said, "Madam and Xiaobao don't know that the master has come. Hurry up and go see!"

Jiang Rui was taken aback, then remembered that his master had already arrived ahead of them. He quickly picked up the fruit and put it back in the basket, then picked it up himself and said, "Let's go together."

Because it was the time when villagers were returning home, the sudden appearance of unfamiliar faces in the village naturally attracted attention. Xiqing, preoccupied with his family's situation, didn't care about such things and walked ahead, with Jiang Rui leading the horse behind. They hurried to the gate, and as soon as they stepped inside, they saw Xiaobao blocking Xu Jinrong's path, looking up at him as if to shoo him away. Without hesitation, Xiaobao cried out, "My lord!"

Xu Jinrong turned around, glanced at Xiqing, then lowered his head and gently stroked Xiaobao's head. He squatted down again, looked at him, and said softly, "Xiaobao, your mother and I used to be very good to each other. Why would I scare her? I've been looking for her for a long time. I came here to say a few words to her. Is that alright?"

Xiao Bao looked back at Danmei again, hesitated for a moment, and his little face was filled with confusion.

"Festive!"

Xu Jinrong called out softly, and Xiqing seemed to snap out of her daze. She hurriedly came over and coaxed him in a low voice, "Little Bao, be a good boy. Auntie bought you some Bodhi fruit. Let's go to the well to wash it and it'll be delicious..." As she spoke, she took his hand and gently coaxed him out. Just as they reached the door, Little Bao suddenly turned back and said, "You have to keep your word. You really can't scare her!"

Xu Jinrong turned around, smiled at him, and nodded. Xiao Bao then waved to Danmei, and Xiqing picked him up, closed the door, and left. Only the two of them remained in the courtyard.

As soon as Xiao Bao left, the smile on Xu Jinrong's face vanished, leaving only a cold and stern expression.

He didn't come over again; he just stood there, staring at her.

This man, who had suddenly appeared before her four years later, was still the same as before, with broad shoulders and a straight back. However, the deep, indelible frown lines between his brows, his sinister gaze, his tightly clenched jawline like a knife cut, and the suppressed anger emanating from his entire body—yes, anger. He must have been trying his best to suppress it, but she could still clearly sense it.

He is no longer the same person he once was, just like her. Time has gradually sculpted them, now separated by vast distances, into entirely different people.

Her son's innocent actions and childish words had almost brought her to tears, but his response to her son made her even more upset for no reason.

...He and she used to be very, very close. He searched for her for a long time, and now he just wants to say a few words to her...

Danmei felt as if an invisible hand was tightly gripping her throat, making it hard for her to breathe. If she didn't escape the oppressive feeling he was giving her, she felt she would really faint from suffocation. She would run away anywhere as long as she was no longer standing in front of him like this.

She turned abruptly and ran towards the house, slamming the door shut. With trembling hands, she bolted it, leaned against the doorframe, her legs so weak she could barely stand.

“If you don’t open the door, I will take Xiaobao away immediately, and you will never see him again.”

After a long time, so long that she thought he had disappeared, she heard his voice outside.

Cold, restrained, as if devoid of any emotion.

She thought he really would do that if she continued to separate the inside from the outside with this door.

She's been hiding here for four years. Has she become so used to hiding herself in her shell that even now, she continues to do so meaninglessly, even ridiculously,?

What's meant to come will come.

She closed her eyes, took a long breath, and after the burning anxiety subsided, she finally reached for the door latch.

He must have been listening to her the whole time. As soon as she pulled the latch, a hand reached through the crack in the door, and then he pushed the door open, came in, and slammed it shut behind him.

They stood so close, the closest they'd been in four years. She could smell his scent, a familiar, dry, and mellow masculine aroma that sent a slight dizziness through her again.

Why aren't you speaking?

He looked down at her and moved closer. She took a step back, her back already pressed against the door.

What do you want me to say?

She stared at his shoulder and squeezed out her first words since seeing him in a low, hoarse voice.

"Why were you smiling at me so nicely one moment, and then disappearing without a trace? Why did you take my child with you, leaving me separated from him for so long? Do you know how I've endured all these years? If I hadn't accidentally gotten news of you, you would still be hiding, avoiding me your whole life, wouldn't you? Why are you treating me like this..."

His voice gradually lowered, and then he threw a punch that grazed her cheek and landed with a thud on the door panel just inches from her ear, causing the fine dirt on the door frame to shake off.

Danmei shuddered and instinctively closed her eyes. After a while, when she didn't see him make a sound, she opened her eyes slightly and met his gaze.

The sun had already set outside, and the light inside the room was even dimmer. In the dim light, he was no longer as agitated as he had been moments before; his gaze was dark and calm.

"From the moment I appeared before you, you seemed terrified, even your son noticed. What are you so afraid of about me? Do you think I am so worthless?"

“I’ve been searching for you for almost four years, and I’ve thought about you for almost four years. If I ever find you, how will you treat me? Now I know, you still don’t want to see me, and I suppose you don’t want to come back with me.” He reached out a hand, pinched her chin, lifted her face, stared at her intently for a moment, then shook his head, his voice filled with weariness and suppressed pain. “Now that I know you have my son, even for the sake of our son, I will never let you wander like this again. You can resent me or hate me, just come back with me.” With that, he released her chin, opened the door, and called in Jiang Rui and Xi Qing, instructing them to fetch the carriage parked at the village entrance.

"Xiao Bao, I just talked to your mother. You'll come with me to live in a new place. There will be many new and interesting things there that you've never seen before. Are you willing?"

While waiting for the carriage, Xu Jinrong, holding Xiaobao, glanced at Danmei, who was sitting in the room staring blankly at the two of them, and asked with a smile.

Xiao Bao's eyes lit up, and he suddenly tilted his head to look at him, asking, "Who are you? Why do my mother and I live with you?"