Lu Xiaoqiao was completely stunned by Wan Bao’er’s sudden change in attitude.
Wan Bao’er had her back to Xie Xun. She was clearly smiling, yet her voice sounded frightened, as if she was afraid that anything she said might damage the relationship between him and his wife.
It was almost as if, during those few seconds when everything had gone silent, Lu Xiaoqiao had secretly said something to her.
Maybe some angry words.
Maybe even a threat.
Her acting was so convincing that Lu Xiaoqiao almost could not keep up.
Xie Xun was already carrying Xie Yu over.
“A-Xun, give Xiaoyu to me,” Wan Bao’er said weakly, her eyes red with tears. “Go comfort Xiaoqiao and stay with Lutu.”
Lu Xiaoqiao really could not stand this kind of behavior.
It felt like someone had poured gasoline over the anger in her chest and then dropped a spark into it. Her fury exploded, leaving her unable to think clearly.
She blurted out, “What are you pretending for? Your acting is pretty good. Which acting school did you graduate from?”
Wan Bao’er looked shocked. “Xiaoqiao, what are you talking about?”
Lu Xiaoqiao looked at the two of them with open disgust. For the first time, she did not bother hiding what she thought.
“You cheating couple! You two shameless people!”
The moment she said it, someone grabbed her wrist.
Xie Xun’s face turned pale with anger. “What did you just say?”
Lu Xiaoqiao repeated each word clearly.
“You cheating couple!”
Even saying it again did not make her feel any better. Her anger had completely taken over her reason.
She looked at Xie Yu in his arms and said, “That child is yours and hers, isn’t he? You two had him behind your brother’s back…”
Xie Xun’s fingers suddenly tightened around her wrist.
The pain was so intense that Lu Xiaoqiao felt as if her wrist was about to break.
“Apologize!” Xie Xun said coldly.
Her face twisted from the pain, but she still laughed.
“If you dare divorce me and take responsibility for everything, then I’ll respect you as a man.”
The veins on Xie Xun’s neck stood out as he forced himself to remain calm.
“Is it appropriate for you to insult my brother like this? Did he ever treat you badly?”
Lu Xiaoqiao gave a bitter smile.
“Your brother treated you badly? Then you sleeping with your sister-in-law is appropriate?”
Xie Xun bit the inside of his mouth so hard that it began to bleed. His eyes were dark and furious.
“Lu. Xiao. Qiao!”
“Stop fighting,” Wan Bao’er suddenly said. “This is all because of me…”
Xie Xun immediately turned toward her, the corners of his eyes red with anger.
Wan Bao’er instinctively stepped back half a step, frightened by the murderous look in his eyes.
“Sister-in-law,” Xie Xun said, barely keeping his anger under control, “when my wife and I are talking, don’t interrupt.”
Wan Bao’er froze.
This time, she was genuinely shocked.
Xie Xun had never spoken to her like that before.
By calling Lu Xiaoqiao his “wife,” he had clearly drawn a line between them. He was making his position clear and showing exactly whose side he was on.
Wan Bao’er could not hide the fear in her eyes.
Had he fallen in love with Lu Xiaoqiao again?
Even after losing his memories, had he somehow fallen for her all over again?
Lu Xiaoqiao finally pulled her wrist free.
Xie Xun lowered his eyes and saw the bruise forming where he had grabbed her. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something.
But Lu Xiaoqiao had never been willing to suffer in silence.
While he was distracted, she quickly raised her hand and slapped him across the face.
Then, afraid he might hit her back, she immediately ran away as fast as she could.
“A-Xun!” Wan Bao’er cried out.
There was blood at the corner of his mouth.
She had put all her strength into that slap. It was even harder than the two slaps he had received earlier. A clear handprint appeared on his face, and the skin quickly began to swell.
Xie Xun stared intensely in the direction where she had run.
“Sister-in-law,” he murmured.
“I’m here, A-Xun. I’m right here,” Wan Bao’er quickly replied.
Xie Xun lowered his eyes. His cheek was burning with pain.
He touched the injured spot with his thumb and wiped away a little blood.
“Xiaoqiao and I are husband and wife,” he said quietly. “I will indulge her without limits.”
Xie Xun tilted his head slightly, his expression dark and cold as he stared at her.
“But I won’t tolerate everything from you. Don’t keep using my feelings for my brother against me, okay?”
Wan Bao’er swayed and almost lost her balance.
Had he remembered something?
“You want to keep your position as the woman in charge of the household,” Xie Xun continued. “Then sit there properly. As long as I don’t say otherwise, no one can take that position away from you. Xiaoyu is my brother’s only child. I will protect him. But don’t push me to the point where I only care about the child.”
“……”
Wan Bao’er’s pupils suddenly shrank.
Her voice trembled. “You… Xiaoqiao… you two…”
Xie Xun handed Xie Yu back to her and removed the IV needle since the infusion was finished.
His voice returned to its usual calm tone, but there was still a quiet warning in it.
“An elder brother’s wife is like a mother. Sister-in-law, you should stay out of matters between husband and wife.”
“……”
When they returned to the Lu family, the older couple lovingly carried Lutu into their room.
Lu Xiaoqiao rushed straight into Lu Xue’s room. She had been holding back her sadness and anger all night, and now she buried her face in Lu Xue’s pillow and began sobbing.
Lu Xue: “……”
Her sharp eyes immediately noticed the bruise around Lu Xiaoqiao’s wrist.
“What happened?”
Lu Xiaoqiao continued sobbing. “He did it.”
“……”
Lu Xue frowned, got out of bed, and pulled out the first-aid kit.
“Why is your palm swollen too?”
“I slapped him,” Lu Xiaoqiao cried even harder. “Waaahhh!”
Lu Xue: “……”
At the same time, just outside the hospital, Xie Xun suddenly leaned against a wall.
A bitter taste of blood rose in his throat.
Lu Xiaoqiao was crying at home.
“I’m getting a divorce! If he refuses, I’ll blow up the Xie family! Waaahhh!”
Xie Xun suddenly vomited, and blood stained the front of his shirt.
Lu Xiaoqiao continued crying.
“Pervert! Pervert! Pervert! Was my brain blown up by fireworks when I decided to marry him? Waaahhh!”
Xie Xun’s mouth opened uncontrollably. His heart was in terrible pain, and no matter how hard he tried, he could barely breathe.
A warm, metallic taste of blood kept flowing from the corner of his mouth.
Lu Xiaoqiao cried, “He hurt my wrist so badly! They… they… waaahhh!”
The pain hit him like a huge wave.
His vision turned white, his body suddenly went weak, and he collapsed heavily onto the ground.
He passed out.
Someone nearby panicked and shouted, “Doctor! Doctor! Someone just fainted!”
As Xie Xun smelled the dirt beneath him, the corner of his mouth lifted into the faintest smile.
He was so angry that he almost laughed.
Several words flashed through his mind:
Lu Xiaoqiao, try crying one more time and see what happens!
Lu Xue still could not understand how things had turned into a slapping match when she had only been away for a short while.
Even though Lu Xiaoqiao cried until she was nearly choking on her sobs, she still did not tell Lu Xue about the affair between Xie Xun and Wan Bao’er.
She did not want to put such ugly things into her sister’s ears.
Because Lutu had suddenly gotten sick, everyone in the Lu family slept late the next morning.
Lu Xiaoqiao’s mother went upstairs to ask what had happened the night before.
But when she reached the door of Lu Xiaoqiao’s bedroom, she saw Xie Xun sitting outside.
The man was sitting on the floor, leaning awkwardly against the wall. His thick eyelashes covered his lower eyelids, but they could not hide the dark circles and exhaustion on his face.
The swelling on his cheek and the bloodstains on his clothes frightened Lu Xiaoqiao’s mother.
She instinctively cried out.
Xie Xun slowly opened his eyes and said hoarsely, “Mom.”
“Why are you sleeping outside the door, child?” she asked worriedly. “What happened to your face? And where did all this blood come from? Were you hurt?”
Xie Xun let out a breath and pushed himself up from the floor, looking completely exhausted.
“It’s nothing. Is Lutu feeling better?”
“His fever is down,” she replied. “Xiaoqiao is sleeping in her sister’s room. Go inside, take a shower, and change your clothes. Why didn’t you go in and sleep?”
Xie Xun rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“I thought she was sleeping in her own room. I was afraid of waking her.”