Chapter 178: Farming: Saving the Substitute Bridegroom 21

"Lead the way." Jin Chen gestured to the yellow-clad person.

This time, the two scarred brothers didn't dare to follow anymore; watching Jin Chen's back as he entered the inner room, the scarred man glanced again at the three corpses that had been hauled off the platform, and gave himself a slap.

Today I'm really blind! Not to mention not getting the money, the boss will surely give me a harsh punishment—what a sin.

Jin Chen followed the yellow-clad person to the outside of a stone chamber; seeing him trigger a small mechanism at the doorway, the heavy Main Gate sprang up from the ground, revealing a passage for people to enter.

"Please, this way."

The yellow-clad person gave an ingratiating smile.

The two bent over and entered.

Jin Chen nearly got overwhelmed by the face-full of perfume that hit him.

He frowned, taking in the scene inside the stone chamber.

In the center leaned a middle-aged man in fine robes, holding several plump and slender beauties in his arms while still puffing on a cigarette.

【What a fine fellow, he's not afraid of suffocating in here, not even leaving a ventilation opening.】

0731 looked all around and discovered it was completely sealed, like an ancient version of a tiny dark cell.

"This must be the warrior who just won, right? Don't stand on ceremony, have a seat."

The man flashed a mouthful of yellow teeth, his gloomy eyes deliberately feigning kindness, yet they were still like a cold, venomous snake, making one feel uneasy.

Jin Chen ignored him, saying, "The bank notes?"

"Eh, you'll definitely get them, let's make friends—go, go keep this warrior company."

The man shoved a certain girl whose clothing was half-exposed from his embrace.

She smiled, revealing half of her fragrant shoulder, and walked toward Jin Chen.

0731:!!! This is going to be bad!

【Host, cold……】

Whoosh—

The short dagger shot into her heart; the girl stared, eyes wide, then collapsed.

Stay calm……

0731 swallowed the rest of his words.

Horrible, too horrible.

Jin Chen's face grew icier, "You're asking for death."

The man: ……

The yellow-clad person: …… He silently covered his eyes.

Forgot to tell the boss, this is a ruthless character—not someone they could previously rope in at will.

The man wiped off his smile, sized up Jin Chen, but couldn't match him to any of the martial world's various experts.

He sat up, drew from under the table a white-wrapped bundle of ten thousand taels in bank notes, and gestured for the yellow-clad person to hand them to Jin Chen.

"I don't know where this warrior comes from."

"Just a hunter."

Jin Chen took the money, moved his wrist, and pulled out the poison hidden beneath the fabric, saying, "The poison's not bad; next time hide it more discreetly."

His eyes mocking, he flicked the poison from his fingertip straight at the man, but it only grazed his cheek before embedding in the stone.

What profound internal strength!

The man's gloomy eyes gained a hint of wariness as he watched Jin Chen leave.

Shortly after, he had the yellow-clad person investigate his identity and repeatedly stressed that concealment was essential, otherwise they might only see him come and never go back.

The yellow-clad person furrowed his brow, "Me?"

Good heavens.

——

Jin Chen emerged from the lone trader's stall, already possessing over twelve thousand taels in bank notes on him.

He could be said to have made a killing.

0731 rolled around excitedly in the space.

He bought his husband the glutinous rice cake he liked, also picked up a few sets of clothing and a jade hairpin with a silver bracelet, then mounted his horse and returned laden with goods.

Returning to the bamboo lodge on the mountain, it was barely evening when he got there; the setting sun dyed half the sky red, and faintly one could hear the suona and wailing coming from the grave hill.

0731 returned to the Silver Wolf's body, patted Yelin's knee, and gestured for him to go outside.

"What's up, Fortune?" Yelin, who was embroidering a sachet, saw the Silver Wolf's movement and instinctively looked outside, wondering, "Is my husband back?"

"Whoa!"

Yelin hastily put down his needle and thread and jogged out the door.

"Slow down."

Seeing his husband rush out, Jin Chen quickly warned, took a few quick steps to catch him, and said, "Why are you running so urgently?"

"I missed you."

Yelin lunged into Jin Chen's embrace, instinctively drew a deep breath, then his body stiffened; he sniffed again and confirmed that besides agarwood, there were other scents.

He straightened his body, followed Jin Chen into the house, though his smile faded a bit, and a hint of obsession and gloom flickered in the depths of his eyes.

"These are the pastries for you, and I also bought some ready-made clothing and bracelets; Linlin, see if you like them."

Jin Chen first put the bundle on the table, went to the kitchen to fetch water and wash his hands, then sat down to unpack, taking out each item one by one.

Yelin remained silent, took the pastry, bit into it, chewed slowly, then compliantly let Jin Chen help him put on the silver bracelet; it looked lovely, making the skin on his wrist appear ever fairer and more tender.

"Linlin, turn around, let me help you put on the jade hairpin."

Jin Chen pinched the cheek of his husband, who was lowered head eating the pastry.

Yelin turned aside, letting Jin Chen comb his hair and pin it up; after eating a piece of pastry, he finally spoke.

"Husband, is the town fun?"

"Huh?"

Jin Chen was attentively combing his hair; hearing that, he thought of the fighting arena, wondering whether to tell his husband, but feared worrying him, hesitating, he casually replied, "It's fine."

After all, he had earned an extra ten thousand taels.

Yelin's pale fingertips suddenly clenched the hem of his robe, his almond eyes reddening slightly, revealing astonishing possessiveness.

In his mind unbidden appeared the image of Jin Chen wandering among the brothels; reason told him his husband would never do such, yet possessiveness kept gnawing.

"The hairpin is done; let me, your husband, see—has my husband become even more handsome?"

Jin Chen smiled, gently turning him back.

"Really handsome; the jade hairpin suits Linlin."

Yelin curled his lips, lifted his gaze to meet Jin Chen's, unwilling to keep indulging in wild thoughts, for he knew he would surely go mad.

"Husband, I have a question for you."

"What's wrong, putting on a cold face?"

Jin Chen, puzzled, cupped his husband's delicate, pretty cheeks in both hands and asked softly.

"What is that scent on you, where did it come from?"

Yelin asked.

Jin Chen widened his eyes, "What scent?"

He lifted his arm to sniff, indeed catching a trace of scent, and instantly recalled that stone chamber.

Having stayed in there so long, he was bound to pick up the smell.

Looking again at his husband's tear-filled eyes, Jin Chen realized, oh, he was jealous.

"What are you thinking, Linlin? Listen as I explain in detail."

Jin Chen wanted to pull Yelin into his arms, but thinking of how he now rejected the scent on him, he could only take his hand and hurriedly explain.

"Originally I went to the medical hall to sell lingzhi, earning over two thousand taels in silver notes; who knew that after leaving I was targeted and taken to an underground fighting arena—filthy and chaotic—where they said if I fought their enforcers and won I'd get ten thousand taels, if I lost I'd pay money."

Yelin's almond eyes widened ever more; worry instantly overrode his jealousy as he hurriedly felt Jin Chen's body, asking, "Husband, are you hurt?"

"No, no, they didn't hit me," Jin Chen soothed, continuing:

"Then they said they'd go to the boss to get money; the boss's quarters were full of women, and the scent I picked up there—I swear I didn't touch them; I got the silver notes and left."

Jin Chen deliberately omitted the details of the fighting and killing, stating only the essentials.

He stroked Yelin's hair, saying, "I like only you, always have."