If Jingwei thought his day would improve after getting a morning kiss from Xue Ning, he was sorely mistaken.
It seemed that everyone in the house (other than his precious darling) had it out for him! He's sure that if they had a dog, it would have peed in his shoes. After the bean sprouts were done, he was sent to prepare dough in the restaurant kitchen.
During this time, he had to deal with his own ineptitude while Xue Ning's dad and her brother watched and commented on his lack of skill. He was not proud to say there was more flour on the floor than there was on the table top, and he had dropped the dough more than once while trying to create the noodle strands because he was so tired.
No one was eating that for sure.
To add insult to injury, Wei Yan also had no noodle pulling experience, but he was somehow doing better than Jingwei! Or at least, that was what Uncle was making it seem. According to him, Wei Yan had 'potential' while Jingwei was just wasting precious dough.
Jingwei wanted to snidely say that having potential and realising it are two different things, but then he realised it could also be used to insult his whole life, hence he kept his mouth shut.
Then after the dough it was sorting herbs, then it was weeding the garden, then it was fixing the antenna, then it was unclogging the skinks, then cleaning the toilets, then fixing that stupid tap…
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtHe felt less like Xue Ning's boyfriend, and more like a free handyman and maid! He offered to pay someone to fix this, but Uncle was insistent that he do all this himself.
What's more, he wasn't too good at those tasks to begin with, so he had to deal with a litany of judgemental tuts from Xue Ning's family, especially when Wei Yan and Ming Guang could do all those tasks without batting an eyelid.
Even that faulty tap agreed. It shot a sharp burst of freezing water all over his shirt when he made a wrong twist, drenching him completely!
Fuck his life. Jingwei had stared at the tap and morosely wrung his white T-shirt dry, rumpling it entirely. He sighed, stared at the tap, and decided to let Ming Guang handle it.
He was so done. He wanted his wife!
"Xue Ning?" Jingwei whispered, peeking around the walls to look for his precious darling. He sadly didn't find her.
After having his self-esteem eviscerated, all he wanted was to be held by Xue Ning's warm comforting arms. He hadn't had a chance to speak with Xue Ning after their kiss in the kitchen in the morning. Every time he saw her, they were surrounded by at least three other people. Why hadn't she seeked him out yet?
Then he saw her in the yard. She was not alone.
She and Wei Yan had their arms wrapped around each other!
"What on earth!" He nearly shrieked in shock, the jealousy that emerged was so hot and strong he almost felt his body burn into pieces as though he had been chucked into an incinerator. He rushed into the yard, determined to pry them apart and demand an explanation. "Let her go! You bastard!"
Wei Yan had gone too far this time - Jingwei could deal with snide comments and backhanded compliments, being shown up at every turn, but he definitely could not endure him touching Xue Ning, especially not like this!
And Xue Ning, what was she thinking? The thought of her betraying him… it was inconceivable. He wanted to cry. Or scream.
"Oh?" Xue Ning turned around and her mouth ran dry when she saw Sun Jingwei in a wet T-shirt charging in her direction. Then she saw the anger in his eyes and realised the position she was in.
"Why are you holding onto - " Jingwei began, upset, but then Xue Ning did something with her arms, and Wei Yan's body fell to the floor.
"Holy shit? Did you kill him?" Jingwei demanded cautiously. "I mean, I'll still help you hide the body!"
"What? Don't be ridiculous," Xue Ning said, rolling her eyes at Jingwei's words, trying not to be distracted with the way his chest muscles looked in sunlight. "We were just sparring."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Sparring." Jingwei repeated, crossing his arms as he glared at Wei Yan on the floor. He had a feeling this man was doing it on purpose. Wei Yan got up easily with a casual shrug.
"Miss Li asked for a 1-on-1 lesson," Wei Yan said, blinking innocently. "How could I refuse?"
"You still should have," Jingwei muttered grouchily. "Xue Ning-ah, next time you want someone to spar with you, ask me instead! I'll let you fling me on the ground as much as you like!"
Xue Ning gulped. Jingwei was saying pretty dangerous words. WIth his wet shirt, the only place she wanted to fling him at was her bed so she could take it off him.
"You were busy helping Dad around the house, I didn't want to give you more work. You're already so tired." Xue Ning said instead.
And it was true, no matter how attractive Jingwei looked now with his tanned muscles out on display and rivulets of sweat beading down his neck, Xue Ning could still sense the tired haze he carried with him.
It made her unable to enjoy the sight as much as she would have.
She knew her father was keeping her away from Jingwei on purpose, but that didn't mean she had to like it. Jingwei was a guest, yet now he was treated like a slave. She'd bet he had never been treated like this ever in his life!
"How are you? Are you alright?"
"Tired," Jingwei replied with surprising honesty. "More importantly, you shouldn't pick him! I'm your boyfriend! If you want someone to punch or grapple with, it should be me!"
Xue Ning paused, an eyebrow raised. "What's gotten into you? You want me to punch you?"
"I don't like you laying your hands on another man," Jingwei burst out. "You should be touching me!"