Chapter 23: Protecting My Wife

"Shao Pangya didn't lie to you. She really is married! We all paid the wedding gift money!"

"That's right! Three portions, in fact!"

"And she even came with three little burdens in tow!"

"But we've never seen him. Pangya, don't tell me your husband is so ugly he can't be seen in public?"

"Hahaha..."

The villagers roared with laughter again. Shao Diandian finally understood: this bunch of people were just here for the spectacle and didn't care about the consequences; they weren't going to help the Huang woman, nor were they biased toward her.

However, she really couldn't call Wei Ting out. It wasn't because he was too ugly to be seen, but because he would absolutely refuse to help her deal with the Huang woman and the villagers.

"What is going on?"

A rich, magnetic voice drifted from behind her.

It was Wei Ting.

Shao Diandian’s first thought was: *This guy can get out of bed already?*

Her second thought was: *It’s over. If Wei Ting doesn't play along and says he isn't my husband, I’ll be completely ruined.*

That sounded exactly like something Wei Ting would do.

She clenched her fists, frantically searching for a counter-strategy in her mind, completely oblivious to the reactions of the Huang woman and the villagers.

Wei Ting walked to her side and asked softly, "Why is it so noisy at home?"

Accustomed to Wei Ting’s cold sarcasm, Shao Diandian was momentarily stunned by his gentle tone, which lacked any hidden barbs.

She instinctively turned to look at him.

Now she was even more bewildered.

The swelling on Wei Ting's face had subsided, revealing his true features. His face was as handsome as polished jade, with thick eyebrows slanting toward his temples, a high-bridged nose, and eyes as deep as a mountain lake, currently fixed intently upon her.

In his obsidian-like pupils, her own chubby, wide-eyed face was reflected.

He had looked tall while lying down, but standing up, he seemed even taller. His posture was upright, like bamboo or pine, and even the coarse linen clothes could not hide his inherent air of elegance and nobility.

Old Man Shao hadn't lied to her... this was truly a man a hundred times more handsome than Liu Tongsheng!

Shao Diandian stared, dumbfounded.

This was a man capable of making any woman’s heart flutter. Those who had just mocked him for being too ugly to show his face were now wishing they could bite off their own tongues.

Wei Ting smiled faintly, took the cotton coat he was holding, and draped it over Shao Diandian’s shoulders. "The draft is strong; be careful not to catch a cold."

Shao Diandian wasn't a fool for romance, but this body certainly was; otherwise, it wouldn't have been unable to move its feet the moment it saw Liu Tongsheng.

But that wasn't the point.

The point was: why had Wei Ting suddenly become so gentle and considerate?

Wei Ting’s gaze swept over the Huang woman and Chen Feng, who had been startled into standing up, before he turned to ask Shao Erdan, "Erdan, who are they?"

Shao Erdan replied, "Uncle and Aunt!"

Wei Ting said politely, "So it is Uncle and Aunt. Please, do sit down."

Chen Feng couldn't help but ask, "And you are...?"

Shao Erdan stepped forward and said, "My brother-in-law!"

It was such a strange feeling. Even though he was usually terrified of his uncle and aunt, the moment his brother-in-law appeared, he suddenly felt like he had a backbone.

From the moment he entered, this was the first time Chen Feng had displayed a look of utter disbelief.

The Huang woman looked equally incredulous, as if something more shocking than knives falling from the sky had occurred.

Wei Ting asked, "Uncle, Aunt, what brings you here today?"

Shao Diandian thought: *Oh, as if you didn't hear from inside the room?*

"I..." The Huang woman opened her mouth, then went silent.

Just a moment ago, she had been loudly berating this girl for being unwanted, only for a handsome husband to suddenly appear. The slap to her face was stinging.

"Husband." Realizing that the man wasn't here to sabotage her, Shao Diandian’s mischievous side took over.

She blinked her eyes, which held not a single tear, and said with a pathetic, aggrieved expression, "Uncle and Aunt are here to break us up."

The Huang woman was startled. "When did I say I was going to break you up?"

Shao Diandian continued, her little face looking wronged. "Weren't you just trying to set me up with a marriage match, Aunt? You said that apart from the second cousin, no man in the world would treat me sincerely, and that I was too fat and stupid for anyone to want."

Wei Ting looked at her with a smile. "Who said that? You aren't fat at all."

Shao Diandian looked at him with eyes more innocent than a fawn's. "Then am I stupid?"

Wei Ting took a deep breath, his smile unwavering. "Not stupid. Very smart."

Shao Diandian gripped his slender, jade-like hand and asked, choking back a sob, "Husband, will you abandon me?"

*That’s enough!*

Wei Ting smiled. "I am your husband; of course I won't abandon you."

Shao Diandian threw herself into his arms, sobbing, "Husband, you are the best!"

Shao Erdan shivered from head to toe. *My sister’s act is back on...*

The villagers, who had been force-fed a mouthful of PDA, thought: *...Damn it! I’m stuffed!*

The Chen couple had been thoroughly humiliated. To think they had bragged so boldly, only to find the Shao family had long since taken in a live-in son-in-law.

Shao Diandian pulled out a handkerchief and cried in a high-pitched, affected voice, "Husband, Aunt said the eldest cousin is a scholar and I’m not worthy of him. You should go take the imperial examinations one day and bring glory to the Shao family name!"

"They have already left."

Wei Ting reverted to his icy persona in a second.

*Uh...*

*That was fast.*

*I hadn't finished my performance yet.*

Shao Diandian, still craving more, pushed against his chest to leverage herself out of his arms, taking the opportunity to feel his pectoral muscles on the way.

Wei Ting: "..."

"They all left? Huh? Where’s Erdan?"

"He went to the kitchen to pour water."

Wei Ting returned to his room.

Shao Diandian followed him on her chubby legs.

Wei Ting sat on the edge of the bed with a cold face. "What are you here for again?"

Shao Diandian put her chubby hands behind her back and raised an eyebrow. "To check your injuries, of course... Husband!"

Wei Ting said coldly, "Stop calling me that."

*He was cuter when he was being gentle, even if it was fake.*

Shao Diandian clapped her hands. "Alright, I'll stop teasing you. Let me see your wounds."

Wei Ting looked warily at the chubby hands reaching toward him and said in a low voice, "I can do it myself."

Shao Diandian stood up straight and gestured. "Go ahead, then."

Wei Ting fumbled for a long time but couldn't undo the knot.

Embarrassed, he lowered his hands and turned his face away.

Shao Diandian stepped forward, amused, and undid his clothes, unwrapping the gauze on his abdomen and left calf.

The special medicine she had taken from the base's pharmacy was the latest development, and she had to admit, its efficacy was truly remarkable; the wounds had already scabbed over without a hint of redness or swelling.

However, since the injuries had been deep enough to see bone, he still needed to stay in bed and recover.

"Your calf is swollen."

He did occasionally get out of bed, but always with Shao Erdan’s help, and he had been putting his weight on his right leg.

Just now, to support her, he had walked out as if he were completely fine.

Shao Diandian lost the desire to tease him and said seriously, "I’m going to apply some medicine. Tell me if it hurts."

Wei Ting said calmly, "It’s just a minor injury; it’s nothing."

Indeed, his body was covered in old scars; who knew how many times he had gambled with his life.

After tending to Wei Ting’s wounds, Shao Diandian went to the backyard.

The three little ones scurried in, looking at him with adorable expressions.

"Are you satisfied?" Wei Ting didn't care to acknowledge the three brats.

The three little ones held out their tiny fists.

*Daddy worked hard, let us massage your legs.*

Wei Ting hummed, somewhat satisfied. "This is a one-time thing. I won't help her again next time... Hiss—you hit the wound!!!"