25 – Qin Feng’s Scars
On the way home.
Sun Xiao Lan was puzzled: “What’s so bad about being the county magistrate’s coachman? Why didn’t you try to persuade your man earlier?
Let me tell you, coachmen get plenty of perks. Think about it—if anyone wants to know where the county magistrate is going,
they’d have to ask the person in charge of his carriage. Who knows how many benefits they could get!
This is a job others would beg for, yet I don’t know why your man turned it down, and you just stood there without saying a word!”
“Really?” Taohua thought for a moment and smiled faintly. “If it’s as you say, then I’m actually glad Qin Feng didn’t agree earlier.
If he were to become the county magistrate’s coachman, he definitely couldn’t casually reveal his whereabouts. But if the powerful people in the city asked and he didn’t tell them, he’d offend them.
That puts him in a difficult position either way. It doesn’t seem like a good job after all. It’s better to stay home hunting and farming.
At first, hearing everyone in the village praise this job, I felt sorry for Qin Feng. But now, I don’t feel sorry at all!”
“Huh???” Sun Xiao Lan was speechless. “Is that what I meant? No, I didn’t!”
“Well, I don’t care. I’ll just listen to Qin Feng.” Taohua smiled innocently. “I just want to tend to our own little plot of land. He can hunt, I’ll tend the vegetable garden, and maybe we’ll raise some chickens and ducks. Later, we can have a couple of children. As long as we can live a good life, that’s enough for me.”
“You, you,” Sun Xiao Lan laughed and linked arms with Taohua. “Let’s just say you’re blessed in your simplicity, but you’re not really simple at all!”
Taohua smiled and said nothing more.
But Taohua didn’t expect that the situation would soon take a turn.
Because the rumors that had been circulating before were once again being spread by gossips.
It was the slack farming season, and the villagers had nothing better to do than gossip about other people’s affairs.
They cheerfully said that Taohua brought good fortune to her husband, but also claimed that Qin Feng wasn’t lucky enough to receive the good luck she brought.
Although they didn’t say these things directly to Taohua and Qin Feng, walls have ears. Sun Xiao Lan, as Taohua’s good friend, quickly told her everything.
“They’ve started spreading rumors again, saying your man didn’t take the county magistrate’s job not because he’s foolish, but because he’s shrewd!
Didn’t I tell you before? Qin Feng has a scar, and they think it must be from his days as a bandit or a villain.
By the way, have you seen that scar on his body? Is it really that terrifying?”
Taohua shook her head: “I haven’t seen it, and I don’t know what it looks like. But I’ve touched it, and it’s quite long.”
“Ah??” Sun Xiao Lan was curious. “You two have been married for so long, sharing a bed every night. How could you not have seen it?
Does he not want you to see it? Do you two not take off your clothes when you’re intimate?”
“Of course we take them off, but we don’t light the lamp. It’s not that he doesn’t want me to see.”
“Then when you touched the scar, didn’t you ask him about it? Aren’t you curious?”
“I am curious, but…” Taohua frowned slightly. “Every time he… well… my mind goes blank. Who remembers to ask about that?”
“That’s true,” Sun Xiao Lan chuckled unkindly, “Let me tell you, tonight you should try keeping the lamp lit. It’ll definitely be a different experience. Hey, what’s wrong with you, Taohua? Usually you’d blush when I say these things, why are you so indifferent today?”
Taohua was somewhat distracted: “I also want to know what he used to do before.”
“Then just ask him,” Sun Xiao Lan said, “You two are already husband and wife. You might even be pregnant with his child already. It wouldn’t be right for him to keep hiding things from you.”
Taohua was still lost in thought and didn’t respond to Sun Xiao Lan immediately.
Seeing her silence, Sun Xiao Lan asked: “What’s wrong? Are you worried the rumors are true? Afraid he really was a bad person before, someone the authorities are after?”
Hearing Sun Xiao Lan’s question, Taohua suddenly snapped back to attention.
“That’s impossible. I don’t believe my Brother Qin could be a robber or a bad person. He’s absolutely not that kind of person. I’ll ask him when he gets back.”
In the evening, Qin Feng finished work and came home for dinner.
Taohua looked at him, wanting to speak but hesitating, and was distracted even while washing dishes.
Seeing this, Qin Feng simply took over the dishwashing himself.
Only after the bowl was taken from her hands did Taohua realize she had been lost in thought.
She tried to take the bowl back from Qin Feng to continue washing, but he wouldn’t let her.
“You worked hard cooking. Go rest.”
Hearing him say this, Taohua felt extremely ashamed:
“You’re the one who worked hard, Brother Qin. You’ve been doing heavy labor outside since morning. I just tidied up the house a bit. Let me wash them.”
Qin Feng ignored Taohua’s outstretched hand and said without looking up:
“Why be so polite with your own husband? It’s just washing a few dishes. It won’t tire me out.”
Watching the man voluntarily doing household chores, a thought suddenly popped into Taohua’s mind.
So what if this man really was a robber before? What matters is that he’s a good person now!
She was willing to live her life with him. He truly had a place in her heart!
Thinking this, Taohua couldn’t help but wrap her arms around Qin Feng’s waist from behind.
She pressed her cheek tightly against Qin Feng’s broad back, deeply inhaling his strong masculine scent:
“Brother Qin, no matter what happens in the future, we husband and wife will face it together.”
Qin Feng paused in his dishwashing. He sensed something was off with Taohua tonight: “What’s wrong?”
But Taohua shook her head: “Nothing. I just want to hold you like this for a while.”
Qin Feng made a sound of acknowledgment and said nothing more, letting his little wife hold him like that.
When night fell, as usual, Taohua washed up first and went to bed, then Qin Feng washed up before coming in to bolt the door and blow out the lamp.
But tonight, Taohua refused to let Qin Feng blow out the lamp.
Qin Feng had already noticed his little wife was acting strange. He walked to the bedside and sat down, asking Taohua:
“What’s wrong with you today? Why are you unhappy?”
Taohua looked up, her large, bright eyes fixed intently on Qin Feng.
She opened her mouth, but not a single word came out.
Qin Feng frowned: “What is it exactly?”
Taohua still didn’t speak, just reached out to pull at Qin Feng’s collar.
Seeing this, Qin Feng caught her hand: “What’s going on? Tell me!”
Taohua said somewhat petulantly: “You’re my man. Can’t I take your clothes off? Does there have to be a reason to undress you? Then tell me, what reason could I possibly have?”
Qin Feng could tell something was off in his young wife’s tone, but he truly couldn’t figure out the reason.
He could only sigh and release his grip on Taohua’s hand: “Go ahead, do whatever makes you happy.”
“Fine, I will!” Taohua shot Qin Feng a spirited glare and immediately pulled open his collar.
Instantly, the fierce scar about a foot long on Qin Feng’s chest was exposed before Taohua’s eyes…