CHAPTER 61: CHAPTER 060 DON’T GUARD AGAINST ME 1

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The perspective shifts back to where Xie Jingchen coldly glares at Wang Xiaocui, then gloomily pulls his newlywed wife back to their room to talk—

Xie Jingchen presses his lips tightly and clenches his teeth, calmly listening to his mother’s words. Then coldly glancing at Wang Xiaocui and signaling to Zhou Xiuhua, he sternly pulls his wife away and leaves directly.

Zhang Shan Ni is somewhat coy, um, it’s not that she’s annoyed by Wang Xiaocui’s unreasonable overbearingness, but rather it’s the reservedness of a new bride that instinctively makes her twist and turn awkwardly; it’s embarrassment, it’s shyness.

Regarding those nonsensical words from Wang Xiaocui, she had actually heard far worse in the apocalypse, so she just pretends to be overwhelmed and lowers her head, putting on the appearance of a meek wife, which is enough to give that loose-lipped sister-in-law a taste of her own medicine.

When Xie Jingchen holds her hand, she genuinely didn’t expect this somber-faced Brother Rong Wei to actually be such a ’warm man’!

Truly! He boldly grips her hand tightly, right under Wang Xiaocui’s eyes!

Ha! Having understood the conservatism of this period, Zhang Shan Ni feels as if her heart is drinking honey, filled with sweetness.

—But let’s not talk about that; once they left the front courtyard, he held her hand tightly, intertwining fingers. His rough thumb gently caressed her knuckle joints and... calluses!

Finally, back in the bridal room, he even teased her with some playful touches and sweet nothings!

Thinking about what had happened after he pulled her back to the room, Zhang Shan Ni further lowered her head and quietly ate her meal, feeling too embarrassed to look up at the vegetables and pieces of meat that kept appearing in her bowl.

Contrary to Zhang Shan Ni’s silence, Zhou Xiuhua, seeing her third son still taking care of his own wife and knowing the words of the fifth family, realized that her third son didn’t really care about those words, thinking she might have worried too much. If her third son truly cared about his wife’s background, he wouldn’t have brought her back to the Old Xie Family in the first place!

Zhang Shan Ni didn’t focus on the Xie Family people around her; having been an abandoned woman for many years, she hadn’t interacted with the opposite sex for a long time. At this moment, as she chewed the coarse rice in her mouth, her thoughts drifted back to when Xie Jingchen had pulled her into the room—

Xie Jingchen pulled her back to the bridal room with a grim face, then immediately changed from his prior tension, turned around and directly picked her up, giving her quite a scare. Then, ignoring her struggles, he held her and sat down on the festive bed, directly placing her on his long legs, and solemnly said:

"Little girl, don’t be angry or overthink, it doesn’t matter to me."

She was truly stunned at that moment, but what she cared about wasn’t Wang Xiaocui’s slander, but his actions! Yet she still instinctively asked him:

"Brother Chen, do you really not mind the nasty things people in the village say?"

Even his own siblings viewed her this way; one can imagine that it must be similar throughout the Qingshan Team. But if she had to choose between her natal family and a good reputation, she would not hesitate to choose the latter!

"Silly, these words don’t hurt us! We just need to live our lives well. What others say isn’t on our mouths, and we can’t control it!"

Xie Jingchen shook his head. As for the village gossip, how long can it spread? Before long, it will be replaced by new rumors.

"So you don’t mind that I don’t have a natal family either?" Zhang Shan Ni really had to admire this stern-faced Brother Rong Wei anew, truly a hero thinks alike! It made her forget to continue struggling while he held her.

But after all, having never interacted with a man like this before, her ears gradually began to turn a shade of purple-red.

"I wouldn’t care enough to let you break ties with your parents if that’s what bothered me!" Xie Jingchen laughed, "Rather, are you not angry that I encouraged you to cut them off?" Xie Jingchen adjusted her awkward, rigid posture so that her face was directed towards him for better communication.

He thought about how to nourish his little wife’s body as he felt her weight effortlessly resting on his thigh—she was too light.

When he asked that question, he actually recalled his little wife lying on the bed sobbing quietly the day before. Realizing this, he knew she was ultimately saddened. He inwardly scolded himself for his thoughtlessness in asking such a superfluous question.

However, Zhang Shanni’s response took him by surprise.

"Why would I be angry? With such parents, could we even live peacefully?" Zhang Shanni shook her head; Xie Jingchen’s actions had allowed her to legitimately break away from her biological parents. She truly wanted to laugh joyously to the skies for days and nights to express her delirious joy—who cared about the fate of Zhang Zhiguo and his family!

"Good that you see it that way!" Otherwise, they would have missed each other!

Seeing a slight smile in her eyes and her body relaxing again, he realized she genuinely didn’t care about the unintelligible relatives of Zhang Zhiguo but cared only about the family of Zhang Hongqiang, which somewhat reassured him.

After all, the heartless behavior of Zhang Zhiguo’s family made the tender-heartedness of Zhang Hongqiang’s family even more evident.

"It’s good you can see it this way. My dear wife, don’t take the fifth family’s words to heart too much; she’s just a foolish woman without brains. If you cannot get along with her, you don’t have to bother about her. If she goes too far, just tell your mother-in-law, she will protect you. You’re the sister-in-law after all, if you don’t like her, just keep your distance, don’t let yourself be aggrieved."

Xie Jingchen tenderly touched his little wife’s earlobe and spoke gently, thinking to himself: His woman, Xie Jingchen’s woman, shouldn’t be bullied by anyone.

"Erm, is that okay?" Zhang Shanni asked in surprise, feeling embarrassed by his intimate address yet sweet inside upon hearing his considerate words. Honestly, she thought he would ask her to endure it.

"What’s wrong with that? When I return, we’ll file our marriage report, and then you, my wife, can apply to accompany me to the Suirong Guard. Once you’re away from her, what does it matter what she thinks? Fifth does have some brains, but he’s married someone who doesn’t!"

"Pfft, you talk about your sister-in-law like this!" Zhang Shanni laughed heartily, leaning on his robust body. Hearing him disparage his fifth sister-in-law as foolish and brainless again made her laugh wholeheartedly, showing her pearly white teeth.

Having a husband who wholeheartedly considers her has always been Zhang Shanni’s deep-seated desire. Xie Jingchen’s words truly made her feel very sweet! After all, having a husband who isn’t blindly biased towards his family came as a delightful surprise!

Thus, Zhang Shanni’s smile was genuine and sincere; her almond eyes crinkled into adorable crescents.

Feeling the warm breath near his ear, Xie Jingchen stiffened for a moment. Seeing her cute face close-up—although a bit tanned—her features were truly beautiful, paired with her overall sweet aura, he unconsciously leaned down—

Xie Jingchen had beautiful intentions, but he miscalculated the force as he leaned down, causing their lips to collide heavily—

"Chirp—"

Fortunately, he chose the angle well; they didn’t hurt themselves as there was no clashing of teeth.

Zhang Shanni, her lips sealed by his kiss and still smiling, was stunned when she felt his soft lips on hers.

Xie Jingchen, his eyes downcast, still enveloping her smaller lips, heard the slight clash of teeth, and, seeing his little wife’s alarmed stare, he hastily retreated after a brief moment. His heart was pounding violently, tinting his dark face with a blush, yet he seriously commented:

"Dear wife, you’re really sweet!"

Meanwhile, Zhang Shanni, shocked by his action, remained frozen, yet inside screamed: What happened to being chaste? How did her normally shy Brother Rong Wei suddenly change his style??