Chapter 420: It

Liu Tianxian's delicate eyebrows furrowed, lingering without easing.

She gently stroked the man's back, as if caressing her own world, her own reliance, her own everything.

She didn't pant or show any sign of fatigue, yet her eyebrows remained knitted.

But her heart was content, and joyful.

The small room exuded springtime warmth; the two clung tightly together, their bodies radiating the scent of mutual arousal.

That scent filled them with comfort and tenderness.

"Hey, wake up, I'm tidying up." Liu Tianxian patted him.

Fang Hong sat up and lay beside her.

Liu Tianxian took out the handkerchief, carefully folding it and placing it in her clothing pocket.

"Why keep it?" Fang Hong said.

"What if someone sees it? I don't want anyone to see it," Liu Tianxian said.

"I saw it," Fang Hong leaned close, whispering with a half-smile as he watched her.

Liu Tianxian swatted him, displeased: "It's all your fault."

"You were the one who asked for it," Fang Hong said.

"Why aren't you this obedient normally?" Liu Tianxian gave him a withering look.

Fang Hong was truly wronged—gentleness wasn't good, and being forceful wasn't good either.

"Besides, I haven't seen you be all that impressive," Liu Tianxian added.

"That's because you're too tight."

"Get lost!"

Just as they were bickering, a series of "Dong Dongdong" knocks came at the door.

The knocks made them glance at each other; Liu Tianxian frowned and whispered, "Who is it?"

"Who is it?" Fang Hong shouted loudly.

"It's me. I boiled some eggs for you," Xu Liyun said from outside.

They exchanged glances; Liu Tianxian said, "You go."

"Again me?" Fang Hong asked.

"Hurry up, I'm starving," Liu Tianxian said.

She hadn't eaten much for lunch, and just now had been active with this man—her stomach had been empty for a while.

"Mom, wait a sec," Fang Hong sighed bitterly; in this freezing weather, he had to get up again and put on clothes—this time, his own.

Wearing Liu Tianxian's clothes would make his mother laugh at him.

After dressing, Fang Hong opened the door. Xu Liyun stood there in a thick padded coat, holding a tray with two steaming bowls of boiled eggs.

She didn't enter, only glanced inside at Liu Tianxian, who was wrapped tightly in blankets, leaving only a small head exposed.

"Auntie, it's so late, aren't you asleep yet?" Liu Tianxian said politely.

"I heard Honghong say you were hungry, so I boiled some eggs—they're good for you," Xu Liyun said.

Fang Hong took the tray; Liu Tianxian said, "Thank you, Auntie, please go rest!"

"Good, eat while it's hot," Xu Liyun reminded, closed the door, and left without disturbing them further.

She could tell the two had been intimate, and she was quite pleased—grandchildren couldn't be far off.

"Look how much my mom cares for you—she hears you're hungry and immediately boils you food. I never get this treatment. I've got to follow you to enjoy the perks. Sigh—people comparing people drive you crazy. I wonder who's really her biological child," Fang Hong sighed.

"It's natural for her to care for me—I'm obedient. You're not. If you're not obedient, why expect care? What are you thinking?" Liu Tianxian smiled, putting on her undergarments and top under the covers, then sat up.

She wore nothing below—still under the blankets.

"How am I not obedient? Aren't I serving you right now?" Fang Hong placed the tray before Liu Tianxian.

Liu Tianxian saw two full bowls of boiled eggs, steaming hot; her hand touched the bowl and immediately pulled back: "Whoa, so hot."

"Take it slow," Fang Hong said.

"Then serve me more—hold the bowl while I eat." Liu Tianxian dared not touch the bowl, making him hold it.

There wasn't even a table here.

"Then how do I eat?" Fang Hong asked.

"Oh come on, I can feed you! It's too hot to hold—I'm afraid I'll spill it on the bed," Liu Tianxian cooed.

"Then eat quickly," Fang Hong let her have her way.

Liu Tianxian picked up a spoon, scooped a plump white egg, bit into it, then fed it to Fang Hong.

Fang Hong slurped it all into his mouth in one go.

"Good to you, right?" Liu Tianxian watched him.

"Very good. My wife is so virtuous," Fang Hong said.

"Who's your wife?" Liu Tianxian asked while eating.

"After all this, you're not my wife? Then what counts? Have a baby." Fang Hong said.

"Ah!" Liu Tianxian gasped.

"What's wrong?" Fang Hong was startled, thinking she'd burned herself.

"We didn't use protection just now—what if I get pregnant?" Liu Tianxian stroked her belly.

Fang Hong was speechless—he thought something serious had happened. Her reaction time was absurdly slow; she only realized now. He said, "So what if you do?"

"You'll be responsible, I'm telling you," Liu Tianxian poked him with the spoon, then took a big bite of egg to replenish her energy.

"Responsible, responsible," Fang Hong shrugged—he could afford it.

"If I get pregnant, you'll take care of me—you'll stay by my side at all times, obey my orders. When the baby's born, you'll raise it—you'll change diapers, feed formula, do everything." Liu Tianxian assigned him his future duties.

"Then why are you doing that?" Fang Hong said.

"I already suffered just giving birth—now you want me to do more? Do you even have humanity?" Liu Tianxian said.

"We men exert ourselves too, okay? Just now, you just lay there motionless, I was exhausted," Fang Hong complained.

"If the child takes your surname, isn't it still your child, ours together? If it takes your surname, shouldn't you put in some effort?" Liu Tianxian shot back, taking another bite of egg, regaining strength to argue.

"That's not fair—you're making it about surnames. It's your child too, ours jointly," Fang Hong said.

"You're the one being unreasonable, counting every little thing," Liu Tianxian rolled her eyes at him.

"You started it."

"So what if I started it? Do you have a problem?" "."

Fang Hong chose to shut up and concede—too stupid, arguing with a woman.

They were just bored, had no embryo yet, and were already arguing over who exerted more effort, who deserved more credit, who should do more work.

"Leave me some! You ate it all!" Fang Hong watched her finish both bowls, one bite at a time.

"Drink the broth."

Liu Tianxian tossed her spoon aside, leaned back against the headboard, burped, patted her belly, looking utterly satisfied.

If there really were a child, this would count as proper nutrition, she thought.

"You said you were feeding me, then ate it all yourself," Fang Hong muttered.

"What are you muttering about?" Liu Tianxian's ears were sharp.

"Nothing. Thank you, madam wife, for leaving me the broth," Fang Hong said.

"Hmph! So sarcastic," Liu Tianxian sniffed.

Fang Hong was speechless—she used to be reasonable, but now that their relationship changed, she stopped being logical.

Sigh, being a man is so hard!

No choice—he picked up the bowl and started drinking the leftover broth. He was hungry too; he hadn't eaten since afternoon, and had just undergone intense exertion.

Seeing him drink so eagerly, Liu Tianxian grew hungry again: "Give me a sip too."

"Here, here," Fang Hong fed her the broth from his bowl—such a true foodie, wouldn't even let broth go to waste.

Liu Tianxian sipped, licked her lips, thoroughly satisfied.

Fang Hong had no choice but to drink the rest, finishing it all—he was hungry, and had burned through a lot of energy.

After drinking, he put the bowl aside, took off his clothes, and lay back on the bed. They lay flat; Liu Tianxian rested her head on his chest, tenderly.

Now that they were full, neither could sleep right away.

Fang Hong gently stroked her face with his hand: "What time is it?"

Liu Tianxian glanced at her wristwatch: "Nine-thirty."

"After all that fuss, it's only nine?" Fang Hong said.

"We went to bed early—we were in bed by six," Liu Tianxian turned off the light.

That night, they kept talking softly, their voices hushed and fine.

The next morning, while Fang Hong was still asleep, Liu Tianxian had already risen to groom and dress—she'd never done so early before.

In the husband's home, she couldn't be as casual as at her own. Besides, she'd heard Xu Liyun rise at dawn to clean the house—even earlier than her.

Xu Liyun sat on a small stool, holding a cleaver before a plump hen. She glanced at Liu Tianxian's walking posture and immediately brightened—then brought the cleaver down, severing the chicken's head, blood splattering.

"Xixi, why not sleep a little longer?"

"I'm well-rested, Auntie. What are you doing?" Liu Tianxian crouched down; the pain had greatly eased.

"I'm making chicken soup for you and Honghong—both of you need nourishment," Xu Liyun said.

"Oh!"

Liu Tianxian stood, twisted her waist, moved her body, doing light exercise.

Soon after, Fang Hong got up, went to brush his teeth and wash his face. Liu Tianxian appeared at the doorway watching him.

Fang Hong glanced back at her and smiled.

Liu Tianxian smiled too: "Why are you smiling?"

"Nothing. Isn't it good to see you smile? Should I cry instead?" Fang Hong washed his face.

"Silly," Liu Tianxian slapped his buttock.

After Fang Hong finished washing, he picked up incense sticks, yellow paper, and a hoe: "I'm going to weed the garden."

"I'll come with you," Liu Tianxian knew he was going to pay respects.

"Then change your shoes—the path is full of mud, hard to walk," Fang Hong said.

"It's fine—I'm wearing boots. If they get dirty, they get dirty," Liu Tianxian didn't care.

They walked together to the back vegetable garden. Liu Tianxian saw endless fields; the roadside grass was soaked with dew, wetting her clothes.

Fang Hong supported her as they crossed the muddy path and grass. His father was buried behind the vegetable garden—rural folks usually buried their dead in vegetable plots or beside dirt roads, unlike cities with public cemeteries.

When they reached the spot, Liu Tianxian's shoes were caked with thick mud, but she said nothing—here, no joking around.

Fang Hong used the hoe to clear the weeds around, pulling up all the tall grass—some reached halfway up his waist.

"Is there anything I can help with?" Liu Tianxian asked.

"Light the paper. Light it," Fang Hong handed her a lighter.

Liu Tianxian crouched before the tombstone, the yellow paper igniting easily. She looked up at the name engraved on the stone, and her face grew solemn.

After Fang Hong finished clearing the weeds, the small house-like tomb emerged behind the tombstone.

He and Liu Tianxian crouched together, tossed the yellow paper into the flames, then took a bundle of incense, lit it, and stuck all the sticks into the incense burner in front.

Then he pulled Liu Tianxian to her feet, stepped back, and bowed deeply to the tombstone. Liu Tianxian clasped her hands together, bowing with solemn reverence.

Neither spoke a word. After bowing, Fang Hong took Liu Tianxian's hand and led her back.

"Is it over?" Liu Tianxian asked.

"It's over. I've seen you." Fang Hong said.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Liu Tianxian asked again. She remembered that people always said something when visiting graves, just chatting.

"What to say? I don't know what to say. It feels like there are so many things I want to pour out, but they're stuck in my throat and I can't utter a word." Fang Hong's mood sank.

Liu Tianxian fell silent, not knowing how to comfort him. It felt deeply sorrowful, and she couldn't help but want to turn back and take one last look.

"Don't turn around." Fang Hong turned her head back straight.

"Huh? Why?" Liu Tianxian was puzzled.

"I don't know why, but after paying respects, don't look back." Fang Hong said.

Liu Tianxian suddenly felt reverence and dared not turn back, but she was curious and asked: "What are those yellow papers we burned?"

"They say it's gold down below." Fang Hong had heard this from the older generation.

Liu Tianxian nodded, understanding roughly.

When the two returned to the house, Xu Liyun had already prepared the meal and served each of them a bowl of chicken soup.

After dinner, the two drove into the city to process their marriage certificate.

(End of Chapter)