Chapter 2477: My Wife Is a Pirate 07

Liu Xiu, standing not far away, took in the whole scene, hearing Jin Chen's gentle, amused voice, and comparing it to Jin Chen's earlier coldness toward them, felt both sour and angry, unable to help muttering under their breath.

How can a refugee live in someone else's house and then act like a master enjoying themselves?

Liu Xiu didn't lower their voice, so a few nearby people could hear.

Liu Ping'an, standing beside them, grabbed Liu Xiu's arm and said, "All right, Xiu'er, say less, let's hurry home."

Bu Changji's hearing was excellent, and the acidic words drifted into their ears instantly.

A chill flashed in their eyes, but when they lifted their head to look at Jin Chen, they appeared gentle and harmless.

Bu Changji proactively reached out, lightly gripping Jin Chen's wrist, which had a few grains of sea salt on it, and spoke in a soft, obedient tone just loud enough for Liu Xiu, not far away, to faintly hear.

"Dage, I... I actually know how to make some simple dishes."

"I've always been eating and staying at your place for free, and I feel bad about it, so let me handle the meals from now on—consider it... my little thank‑you for staying at your home, okay?"

They tilted their face slightly upward, their eyes clear and tinged with a timid plea, making anyone who saw them feel Soft‑hearted.

Jin Chen heard this, raised an eyebrow in surprise, looked down at Bu Changji's hand, then caught sight of Liu Xiu's increasingly unpleasant expression nearby, and understood everything as clear as a mirror.

They readily nodded, tone cheerful: "Sure, perfect—I'd also like to taste your cooking."

Having received permission, Bu Changji lowered their eyelids, concealing the light in their eyes.

As Bu Changji followed Jin Chen home, they inevitably drew the good‑natured laughter and teasing glances of the fishermen.

Seeing Jin Chen caring for and getting close to the beautiful refugee, and noticing his spring‑breeze‑like smile, the burly fishermen couldn't help shouting jokes.

"Chenzi, nice work—going out to sea and hauling back all these goodies, you didn't also drag back a wife, did you?"

"Exactly, look at how protective you are—if you really take her as your wife, from now on you'll be one of us Whitewave Hollow folks, haha!"

"When are you going to treat us to the wedding wine?"

These jokes mixed with the sea wind, drilling straight into Bu Changji's ears.

A barely perceptible chill flickered in their eyes, they snorted coldly in their mind—a bunch of clueless idiots daring to make fun of them.

Letting a pirate chief stay in Whitewave Hollow, without even considering how many lives they have.

If it weren't for the need to conceal their identity right now, they would certainly make those people know how formidable they are……

Bu Changji was silently grinding their teeth, while Jin Chen walking beside them seemed to have sensed something.

Coincidentally, Jin Chen slightly lowered their head, leaned close to their ear, voice tinged with laughter, and asked softly, "How is it?"

Bu Changji's heart jumped, the tension in their mind tightening.

"What do you mean, 'how is it'?"

"Could it be that this honest simpleton actually took those nonsense words to heart? Do they really want me to become their wife?"

Bu Changji's ears instantly reddened as if about to bleed, feeling both ashamed and annoyed, and blurted out, "No……"

Jin Chen watched the redness spread from their ears to their neck, couldn't help laughing, their tone full of teasing.

"I'm asking you—tonight, with these freshly caught sea cucumbers and fish‑shrimp, how do you find the dish? Where did your mind wander to, huh?"

They deliberately drew out the ending tone in jest.

Bu Changji: "……" Turns out that was the question.

Their cheeks burned, wishing they could find a crack in the ground to disappear into.

Bu Changji patted their flushed cheeks, quickly lowered their head to stare at the sand on the ground, and said, "Oh, this…… is fine."

They never dared to lift their head, thus missing the smile about to overflow in Jin Chen's eyes.

——

At night, Bu Changji stood before the stove.

They had originally just wanted to find something to shut Liu Xiu up, without holding high expectations.

After all, they were a proud pirate chief, usually eating the coarsely prepared meals made by the ship's cook or dining at shore‑side taverns, with personally cooking only a handful of times.

But perhaps it was talent, or perhaps they were extra careful not to appear inept in front of Jin Chen.

Yet in handling those fresh ingredients, they actually showed some skill.

The plump sea cucumbers were deftly split open, the entrails removed, then rubbed with coarse salt to slough off the surface slime, rinsed with clean water, retaining just the right salty freshness.

The orchid crabs were scrubbed clean, chopped into chunks, and stir‑fried with ginger slices and garlic cloves; the shells quickly turned red, giving off a tempting roasted aroma.

They also blanched the tender seaweed sprouts Jin Chen had brought back in the pot's residual oil, then tossed them with a simple soy‑vinegar dressing.

Finally, they reheated the leftover rice porridge from the day and sprinkled it with chopped scallions.

Although all were simple fisherman's methods, the heat control was fairly good, and when plated, the dishes were complete in color, fragrance, and flavor.

The two sat down at the small table and ate quietly.

The sea cucumber was springy, the crab meat fresh and sweet, the seaweed strands crisp, and even the plain porridge simmered until the rice aroma filled the air.

After a day of running about at sea, Jin Chen was indeed hungry and ate a fair amount.

As Jin Chen ate, their gaze unintentionally swept around the room, their brow slightly rising.

Bu Changji, meanwhile, was lowering their head to crab legs, keenly noticed Jin Chen's subtle expression, their heart gave a little jolt, and they quickly followed Jin Chen's gaze to scan the interior.

Uh‑oh, they had gone out during the day to meet Hai San, then returned and got busy cooking—this place clearly looked like it had been unattended all day, as if they'd gone somewhere they shouldn't have.

Their heart raced, but their face remained calm; they picked up the porridge spoon and ladled a generous scoop into Jin Chen's bowl, which was already nearly empty.

"Dage, you've worked hard today—have some more."

Jin Chen withdrew their gaze, landing on their face, half‑smiling, picked up a pair of chopsticks, took a strand of seaweed, chewed it slowly, and then, as if casually, asked, "You've been bored stiff at home today, huh—where did you go wandering?"

"My wife, this precarious Heir Apparent guise, huh."

Bu Changji: "……"

Their mind raced, the fingertips holding the spoon tensing slightly.

Telling the truth was absolutely impossible.

Bu Changji lowered their eyelids to stew their emotions; when they lifted their head again, their eye sockets faintly reddened, the corners of their mouth drooping in a wronged way, tinged with timidity.

Just walked around near the house…… looked at the sea for a while. You weren't there, … I don't know anyone, I'm scared inside, I didn't dare go far

The more he spoke, the softer his voice became, and his head also drooped.

Jin Chen listened to his sincere and heartfelt words, and seeing Bu Zhangji straining to hold back tears, his eye sockets red but unable to shed a tear, he suddenly put down his chopsticks.

He reached out his hand and lifted Bu Zhangji's drooping cheek.

Bu Zhangji's eyelashes twitched violently, he was forced to lift his face, and his eyes collided with Jin Chen's dark pupils.

His handsome face, under the soft glow of the oil lamp, actually appeared somewhat… gentle.

Bu Zhangji's heart skipped a beat; for a moment he forgot to struggle, forgot to continue pretending to be wronged, and just stared blankly at him.

Jin Chen's fingertip brushed the corner of his mouth, wiping away a grain of rice; seeing Bu Zhangji's somewhat dazed expression, the smile in his eyes deepened.

"If you can't cry, don't force it; just looking at you makes me anxious." He paused, his fingertip lightly rubbing his smooth cheek, then habitually rubbed the top of his head.

"I'm not blaming you either; this little valley is just this big, you can go wherever you want to relax, just be careful about safety."

Oh, no, that's not right.

"Also remember to come back for a meal."

Bu Zhangji lowered his head even more from being touched, his heart inexplicably stirred, and his cheek seemed to retain the rough, warm sensation.

【Detected Villain Heartthrob Value +6, total 6!】