Chapter 2473: My Wife Is a Pirate 03

Dusk settled, the sea wind carrying a salty, fishy chill blew in through the open window into the hut.

Bu Changji was about to wake up; to be precise, he was jerked awake by a wave of fresh sweet fragrance Shengsheng.

That flavor, wisp by wisp, drifted straight into his nose.

He opened his eyes, discovering he was still lying on a bed with a coarse cloth sheet, a thick quilt covering his body.

On the small stool beside the bed sat a steady coarse pottery bowl, filled with steaming hot fish slice congee.

The rice grains boiled until they bloomed; in the milky-white broth floated tender white fish slices, dotted with a few specks of green scallion, making one's appetite just looking at it.

He had drifted at sea; although the pirate ship had plenty of oil and water, it was mostly salty, oily preserved or grilled fare, rarely such pure, mellow rice fragrance mixed with the fresh sweetness of fish slices.

Moreover, at this moment his body was still ill, his stomach empty—how could Bu Changji not be hungry?

Bu Changji didn't stand on ceremony; his belly was empty, this bowl of porridge was undoubtedly a timely gift in the snow.

He pushed himself up, lifted the bowl, not minding the heat, gently blew on it, then began to drink.

As he drank, faint voices came from outside the house.

Bu Changji cocked his ear to listen, using the dim light to peer out through the window crack.

Jin Chen was out on that open ground, gathering the dried cuttlefish and dried yellow fish that had been drying.

He moved swiftly, gathering the thoroughly dried sea products into a bamboo basket.

From the side path came a youth wearing hemp-gray cloth.

Slim in build, his face bore the rare fresh and clean handsomeness of a fishing family, holding two round watermelons in his hands.

Upon seeing Jin Chen, his face actually showed a hint of blush.

"Jin Chen Dage," Liu Xiu said in a clear voice, somewhat nervous.

"My father said you rescued a refugee from the pirates today and brought him back; Father asks if you need any help, what you lack."

He spoke while pushing the watermelon forward.

Jin Chen paused his work, glanced at the youth, "Thanks for your concern, Liu Uncle; he's fine, just got a fright, his body a bit weak—let him rest properly."

His gaze swept over the two watermelons; after a moment's thought, he thought the melon would be perfect for a soup with some dried scallop.

"Thanks." Jin Chen turned, picked from the freshly gathered bamboo basket the few pieces of dried cuttlefish of best quality, and stuffed them into Liu Xiu's hands.

"Take this back."

Liu Xiu took the dried cuttlefish; the faint blush on his face faded, replaced by disappointment.

He couldn't help but glance again at the tightly closed door; his father had said, the youth Jin Chen carried away was exquisitely delicate beyond words.

Just then, a suppressed cough suddenly came from inside the house, coughing so hard it felt like his heart and lungs were being torn apart.

Jin Chen's face slightly changed; he immediately dropped the basket and strode straight into the house.

Liu Xiu hesitated a moment, then followed him inside.

The light inside grew dimmer.

Bu Changji leaned against the headboard, his dark hair spread out, covering his mouth as he coughed till his face flushed red, his body trembling slightly, looking fragile and pitiful.

"What's wrong?"

Jin Chen took a few steps to the bedside, supported Bu Changji's thin shoulders, and gently patted his back.

"Where does it hurt?"

Bu Changji finally managed to catch a breath, feeling his windpipe raw from coughing.

He lifted his eyes to the full-of-concern Jin Chen, his heart inexplicably fluttered a beat, then he looked away.

After a while, Bu Changji steadied his breath; his pallid face showed an extremely faint flush, "... Choked, choked on it."

Actually got choked while watching a show!

He, the mighty pirate chief who roamed the four seas, actually ended up so embarrassingly choked while gulping a bowl of porridge—utter disgrace.

Bu Changji felt a hint of shame between his brows, though it didn't show on his face.

Jin Chen, however, noticed; he knew the Heir Apparent's big temper was quite normal, and even found it endearing.

A smile flickered in his eyes; he picked up the bowl again, scooped another spoonful, blew on it, and brought it to his lips.

"Don't rush, drink slowly, there's more."

This scene fell into the eyes of Liu Xiu who had followed in, painfully glaring.

He gazed at the fragrant fish slice white rice congee, feeling somewhat unbalanced inside.

Fisherfolk rely on the sea; fish slices aren't rare, but such fine white rice—how could ordinary village households often afford it?

Only someone as capable and burden‑free as Jin Chen would be willing to buy it.

He went to the trouble of bringing watermelons like this, yet Jin Chen Dage gave him only dried cuttlefish……

Who knows where this person of unknown origin comes from—what entitles him to eat the fragrant porridge personally cooked by Jin Chen Dage, and to be coaxed by him so carefully?

Thinking this, Liu Xiu developed a vague hostility toward Bu Changji.

He deliberately said, "Jin Chen Dage, there are rules in our fishing hollow."

"The refugees captured by pirates this time and then rescued are uniformly arranged by the village chief in the west-side refugee houses, so everyone can look out for each other. Why not send him there too? It would save you the trouble of caring for him alone."

He spoke these words righteously, but his eyes flicked toward Bu Changji, clearly intending to drive him away.

Bu Changji felt a surge of alertness.

The refugee house is crowded and full of mixed eyes; the village chief will surely interrogate and register—how could he covertly gather information, or rest and heal in peace?

A thought moved him; his eyes still moist lifted, gazing straight at Jin Chen, brimming with panic and helplessness, he lightly grabbed Jin Chen's sleeve, his voice soft enough to wring out water.

"Don't send me away, please……"

Bu Changji lifted his face, his eye sockets reddening, that hint of crimson appearing strange yet fragile: "I'm afraid; there are so many people there, I only know you."

Jin Chen well knew his pitiful look was mostly an act, yet hearing that soft pleading, his heart still softened and tingled.

He rubbed Bu Changji's crown, "Rest easy staying here—I said it, no one can drive you away."

This remark was meant for Bu Changji to hear, and also for Liu Xiu standing nearby.

Bu Changji's suspended heart settled back to reality; he let out a breath and leaned against the headboard, "Hn…"

Yet his gaze swiftly swept over Liu Xiu, who stood off to the side with an unpleasant expression.

Seeing Liu Xiu still not leaving, his gaze still fixed on Jin Chen, Bu Changji let out a cold snort in his heart.

This person standing here is an eyesore, and keeps trying to ruin his good fortune.

He thought for a moment, then suddenly furrowed his delicate brows and began to cough softly, as if trying to cough up his five viscera and six bowels, his slender body heaving violently with each cough.

His whole body swayed on the verge of collapsing, and he naturally leaned softly against Jin Chen's shoulder, forehead pressing into the crook of his neck, breath ragged and scorching.

Jin Chen immediately grew tense, supporting him, "Why are you coughing so badly again? Does it hurt?"

"No way, I'll take you to see the village doctor!"

Saying that, he started to get up.

Bu Changji: "!!!"

This honest fool!

Seeing the doctor would be disastrous.

Although the poison in his body was suppressed, if the doctor happened to notice any sign, wouldn't that be walking straight into a trap?

In desperation, Bu Changji gritted his teeth, lunged into Jin Chen's embrace, wrapped his arms tightly around Jin Chen's waist, and buried his face in his solid chest.

"No… I won't go, I… I'm fine… just feeling cold."

"Let me lean on you and rest a bit, just a little while… please…"

That remark wasn't entirely false either; the poison in his body inherently carried a chill, and right now he indeed felt waves of cold seeping out from the gaps in his bones.

With his head lowered, he naturally didn't see the smile in Jin Chen's eyes above him, the corners of Jin Chen's mouth curving up.

Jin Chen's palm landed on his thin back, gently patting and stroking, "All right, don't go, rest against me."

It's really fun to want to protect one's wife who's hiding her identity.

He lifted his eyes again to Liu Xiu still standing in the room, his gaze returning to its usual aloofness, "It's getting late, you should go back. Tell Uncle Liu thanks for the watermelon."

Liu Xiu watched the intimate scene before him, especially Bu Changji entirely curled up in Jin Chen's embrace, with Jin Chen holding him so tenderly, and felt a surge of sour resentment rush to his forehead, his face turning white with anger.

He glared fiercely at the back of Bu Changji's head, then ultimately turned and left unwillingly, without even saying goodbye.

Only the two of them remained in the room.

Bu Changji buried himself in Jin Chen's warm embrace, feeling the warmth, experiencing an unprecedented sense of ease and comfort.

This honest fisherman's embrace turned out to be even more comfortable than he had imagined.