TFRLTOP Chapter 46 Part 1

Chapter 46 – The Rusticated Youth’s Long-Suffering Wife

“It’s my fault, I was wrong. I must’ve been kicked in the head by a donkey…”

The horse’s hooves clopped steadily forward, making the silence around them feel even deeper.

Ming Ming leaned limply against Yan Junsheng, pouting weakly. “It’s getting dark already.”

Junsheng answered with a gentle “Mm,” flicking his whip as his other hand carefully brushed bits of grass from her hair.

She kept complaining. “Why does it have to take so long? When are we finally going to be home?”

“Almost there, we’ll be home soon.” He leaned close, his straight nose brushing against her cheek. “If you’re tired, close your eyes and nap for a while.”

That made her drowsier still. Her eyelids immediately drooped, heavy as lead.

She mumbled a little, still half-complaining.

“Such a pain. That’s not even what I meant. You—acting like you got kicked in the balls by a donkey, then slapped on some tonic wine and suddenly went into heat. What nonsense…”

Hearing her nonsense, Junsheng laughed quietly, replying, “It’s my fault. I was wrong. I must’ve been kicked by a donkey…”

Bit by bit, Ming Ming drifted off against him.

By the time they reached the entrance to the village, she had finished her nap and stirred a little, stretching and yawning groggily. If Junsheng hadn’t been holding her by the waist, she might have fallen right off the cart.

“Careful.”

“Huh?” Passing by Chen Weiguo’s house, she asked in confusion, “Why’s the light still on? My dad hasn’t gone to bed yet?”

Junsheng looked over—she was right.

Ming Ming patted his arm. “Stop here. I’ll just take him the stuff we bought.”

She had just hopped down when a fit of coughing sounded from inside.

Standing in the yard, Ming Ming called out, “Dad? You’re still up? Junsheng and I went into town today and bought a few things for you.”

Inside, Chen Weiguo paused before replying, “Juan’er, is that you?”

“It’s me, Dad. What’s wrong, you’re coughing? Did you catch a chill? Hold on, I’ll come in and pour you some water.”

“No need, don’t come in. I’m already lying down,” he said. “Just leave the things by the door. It’s late—head home. I won’t get up.”

“Oh, alright.”

“Go on now. Once you’re gone, I’ll turn the light off. Just wanted to leave it on for you.”

“Okay then. Dad, I’ll come by tomorrow.” Ming Ming set the things by the door and left with Junsheng.

“I can’t shake the feeling something’s off…” She kept glancing back at the house as the cart rolled on, muttering to herself.

“What is it?” Junsheng asked.

“Nothing.”

But Ming Ming couldn’t figure it out. Life had been too comfortable lately, and she had the nagging sense she was forgetting something important.

“System, did I forget something?”

“How should I know if you don’t?”

Useless damn system. One of these days, she was going to scrap it!

She went home heavy-hearted. The moment her body hit the bed, she was out. After washing up, Junsheng wrung out a towel and carefully wiped the face of his little Schrödinger’s-cleanliness-obsessed princess. Half-asleep, Ming Ming kicked him.

“Go away. You’re sleeping in the other room tonight.”

He caught her foot, wiped it too, tossed the towel aside, then climbed on top of her, pressing his forehead to hers with a mock scowl. “Ungrateful little thing. You were the one who provoked me first, and now you’re acting like you didn’t. Hm?”

Exhausted and annoyed, Ming Ming pulled the blanket over her head, mumbling, “You’re annoying. If you don’t leave, I’ll wake up halfway through the night and geld you.”

“Sure,” he agreed readily, slipping under the blanket and wrapping an arm around her, deliberately holding her tight. He whispered against her ear, “I’ll teach you a trick. You don’t even have to use your hands. If you just squeeze down there a little, forget gelding me—you might just kill me.”

“Yan Junsheng! You—you—” Ming Ming turned her head, stunned by his shamelessness. But he was too strong—she couldn’t even roll away.

“…You donkey bastard, I know.” He shamelessly kissed her mouth for a while. “I can tell you like it too. Don’t worry, I’ll only use it on you.”

Ming Ming stared at him, completely drained.

“Be good. Next time I won’t tease you in public,” he murmured with a smile. “Now sleep.”

She stayed quiet. He took that as forgiveness, turned off the light, and they fell asleep tangled together.

In the middle of the night, Ming Ming gathered her strength and kicked him out of bed.

—

The next morning, Junsheng was sweeping the yard. Ming Ming sat on a little stool, chanting, “abandon, abandon, abandon,” stubbornly refusing to study politics.

“Looks like our Juan’er really is a well-rounded genius. Perfect scores in everything except politics. Even if you scored zero here, you’d still leave everyone else in the dust.”

“Right?”

That was a trap—answering “yes” or “no” was equally wrong. Ming Ming squinted at him for a long moment before mumbling,

“Yesn’t.”

Junsheng: “…”

Yesn’t? Really?

He threw up his hands in mock surrender and kept sweeping.

Ming Ming lifted her chin and went back to “abandon abandon abandon.” Suddenly, from the backyard, Junsheng’s patience snapped.

“Chen Chuanjuan!”

“What?”

“Get over here!”