Volume One, Chapter 14: My Dear, You Must Be Tired—Let Me Give You a Massage

“What do you mean, shameless? Comrade, look closely—this is my husband. If I want to kiss him, I will. So what? And if you’re lacking a man, you’ve come to the wrong place.” Lin Ranran stared provocatively at Xia Zhiyuan.

“You—!” Xia Zhiyuan, mortified and furious, snapped, “I brought ground cherries for Aunt.”

With that, she hurried off toward Ji Mu’s room.

Little fox, trying to seduce my husband in front of me? You’ll need a few more centuries of cultivation!

Ji Mu found Xia Zhiyuan utterly annoying. The way this girl looked at her eldest son was anything but innocent—it made her blood boil. Her son was married with a wife, yet this young woman kept hanging around. If she really ended up ruining the couple’s relationship, Ji Mu would never forgive her!

“Comrade Xia, we’ve already eaten. We won’t have this, so please take it back.” Ji Mu’s face was cold, her tone even colder.

Xia Zhiyuan, embarrassed but unwilling to give up, insisted, “Aunt, these ground cherries are delicious.”

Ji Mu remained unmoved and issued a direct order, “Comrade Xia, please take it away. We’re not used to eating this. Also, my eldest son is very shy and doesn’t like interacting with other women. In the future, please stay away from him.”

The warning was blatant—any fool could understand.

Xia Zhiyuan slunk away, seething inside.

In her previous life, she’d only needed a little effort to win over the Ji family—except for Ji Junxiao. After much scheming, she finally became the family’s darling. But now, everything was different. Was it because Lin Ranran had come with them?

No, the Ji family was destined to become the richest. She was meant to be the wife of the wealthiest man. She had to find a way to make Ji Junxiao divorce his wife.

“What kind of person is that? Looks decent enough, but spends her time coveting someone else’s husband,” Ji Mu couldn’t help but mutter under her breath.

Ji Junyao returned from hanging up the laundry and, seeing her mother’s angry face, quickly asked, “Mom, who upset you?”

Ji Mu recounted everything Xia Zhiyuan had done. Upon hearing it, Ji Junyao was indignant. “What a person! Sister-in-law finally decided to settle down with us. If she dares mess things up, I won’t forgive her!”

Ji Mu instructed, “Tell your brothers as well. Make sure they all stay away from that woman.”

“Got it, Mom,” Ji Junyao agreed.

Xia Zhiyuan never expected that her actions would offend the entire Ji family.

Back in their room, Ji Junxiao immediately saw that his wife was upset. He knew it must be because of that woman earlier.

He hurried to explain, “Wife, I didn’t know she would bring me things. From now on, I won’t talk to her.”

Lin Ranran bit her lip, forcing a smile. “It’s fine. It just means my husband is attractive.”

A married man experiencing a second spring would surely be delighted, wouldn’t he? Hmph, look at him!

Ji Junxiao quickly declared his loyalty, “In this lifetime, aside from my wife, my mother, and my little sister, I won’t even glance at another woman.”

Lin Ranran pressed, “Really?”

“Absolutely!” Ji Junxiao replied firmly.

“What if I tell you never to interact with that woman again?”

“I promise!” Ji Junxiao vowed without hesitation.

“Good. Remember what you said.”

Lin Ranran smiled at him, instinctively reaching to touch the baby in her belly.

Ji Junxiao’s heart tightened—was she threatening him with the child?

He tried to please her, “Wife, you must be tired. Let me massage your feet.”

“Alright,” Lin Ranran agreed, laying on the bed and coquettishly saying, “Husband, do it properly.”

At that moment, Ji Junxiao felt a bit nervous. Her kiss earlier had been intense, still making his heart race. Now, if he started massaging her feet...

He swallowed involuntarily, struggling to suppress the restless emotions within him.

He locked the door, then tiptoed to the bedside.

Lin Ranran lifted her delicate hand, rolling up her pajama pants. Instantly, a pair of dazzlingly white legs appeared before Ji Junxiao.

Her skin was smooth and lustrous as jade, glowing invitingly.

Ji Junxiao felt a rush of heat surge through him, his whole body burning.

Damn, he regretted suggesting such a deadly idea. Now he was filled with remorse.

Lin Ranran saw him standing there dumbly, a mischievous glint flashing in her limpid eyes. She urged again, “Husband, aren’t you going to massage?”

Ji Junxiao’s mind wandered.

In the past, she would feign headaches and fevers, calling him back urgently. Then she’d cling to him like an octopus, coquettishly complaining about aches and insisting he massage her.

“Husband, aren’t you going to massage—” she would say, her eyes fixed on him.

He dutifully massaged her, but as he did, she would start to “play tricks.”

“Husband, right here, a bit lower, a bit more—”

As a young man full of energy, how could he withstand such teasing? Of course, he’d lose control.

He couldn’t stop himself.

Lin Ranran finally noticed Ji Junxiao’s odd behavior.

She realized the weight of her words.

A blush quickly spread across her cheeks.

Dear heavens, the original owner was a master at seduction! It seems a woman must know how to charm to keep a man under control. So shy! Let her die!

While she was lost in thought, Ji Junxiao, hands trembling, gently took hold of her fair foot and began to massage.

Lin Ranran shivered.

Oh my, it felt like an electric current!

For Ji Junxiao, the whole process was torture.

Beautiful wife right in front of him, so close yet untouchable—it was agonizing!

As he massaged, he wanted to move up her calf.

Ji Junxiao, your wife is pregnant—are you a beast?

Three major disciplines, eight points of attention! Recite them!

Obey all commands; do not take a needle or thread from the masses; all captured goods must be handed over. Speak politely; trade fairly; return borrowed items; compensate for damages; do not hit or insult people; do not damage crops; do not harass women; do not mistreat prisoners.

Ji Junxiao recited these countless times before barely suppressing his restlessness.

“Wife, you have blisters on your feet—does it hurt?” Ji Junxiao asked, concerned.

Lin Ranran took out some antiseptic, saying, “Just a few blisters, nothing serious. Use this.”

“You even bought this?”

How many surprises would she bring him?

He realized he didn’t understand her at all.

“Of course. Better safe than sorry. I’ll give some to Mom and little sister later—they walk more than I do, so theirs must be worse.”

Ji Junxiao was deeply moved. “Thank you, wife.”

“See how good your wife is?”

Ji Junxiao nodded eagerly.

“Then shouldn’t you give me a kiss?” Lin Ranran pointed to her lips.

Ji Junxiao felt his self-control snap instantly—his wife was testing his limits!

After applying the medicine, he couldn’t help himself and quickly pecked her lips, then grabbed the medicine and hurried out.

Lin Ranran watched him flee and couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Speaking of which, the baby was four months old now. Would marital relations really have no effect?

Pah! What nonsense! Her head was full of rubbish—surely the original owner had led her astray.

Ji Junxiao went out and ran right into Xia Zhiyuan.

“Brother Ji,” Xia Zhiyuan greeted him warmly with a smile.

Ji Junxiao didn’t even lift his eyelids, walking straight to his mother and little sister’s room.

Xia Zhiyuan stomped her foot in frustration.

Just then, Chen Jing walked by with some clothes and teased, “Xia, admiring the handsome guy?”

Xia Zhiyuan blushed, “No.”

Chen Jing laughed, “Honestly, the men in the Ji family are all handsome. If you have your eye on one, tell me—I can help sound him out.”

Xia Zhiyuan, cheeks red, walked toward the well, “None of them.”

“Oh, shy are we?”

Their conversation was overheard entirely by Lin Ranran.

She understood clearly—Xia Zhiyuan was deliberately waiting at the door for Ji Junxiao, hoping for a chance encounter.

Though Ji Junxiao could resist now, if Xia Zhiyuan used tricks, and Lin Ranran, pregnant, couldn’t satisfy him, what if he lost control?

After all, in the book, the male and female leads were those two—the author was bound to tie them together.

Thinking this way made Lin Ranran uneasy.

But soon she thought it through—if Ji Junxiao really couldn’t stay faithful, then such a man was not worth keeping!

She needed to prepare for both possibilities. Her cousin’s side was out of reach, and if Ji Junxiao couldn’t be relied on, she’d have to depend on herself!

Build a career, earn money, cultivate her own influence!

A woman must stand strong!

With this thought, Lin Ranran drifted off to sleep.

When Ji Junxiao returned, Lin Ranran was sleeping soundly.

She looked serene and lovely as she slept. Ji Junxiao couldn’t resist kissing her gently twice on the cheek before climbing up to his bunk.

On his way back, that female comrade tried to strike up conversation again, but he ignored her.

Back in the army, female soldiers would talk to him, but if it wasn’t work-related, he wouldn’t reply. They pursued him, but he paid no attention—someone like Xia Zhiyuan, he simply looked down on.

But his wife got angry, which meant she was jealous. Jealousy meant she cared. Thinking this, Ji Junxiao felt happy and soon fell asleep.

Next morning, before dawn, Ji Mu got up to make breakfast.

She cooked millet porridge and checked the chicken coop—there were two eggs! She quickly boiled them.

She silently praised Ranran for her cleverness. Thanks to her buying the hen, they’d have endless eggs from now on.

She’d heard that if you keep collecting the hen’s eggs, it’ll keep laying. She didn’t know if it was true.

Ji Mu resolved to make sure her daughter-in-law had eggs to eat every day.

Xia Zhiyuan hadn’t slept well all night. Hearing movement, she got up immediately.

Seeing Ji Mu busy preparing breakfast for the family, she was surprised.

Logically, shouldn’t the daughter-in-law get up early to serve the family? Why was the mother-in-law serving the daughter-in-law in the Ji family?

“Aunt, good morning,” Xia Zhiyuan greeted.

Ji Mu didn’t want to respond, but since they shared a courtyard, she couldn’t ignore her completely, so she replied coldly, “Morning.”

Honestly, this girl was shameless!

“Doesn’t your daughter-in-law get up to cook? You have to do it yourself?” Xia Zhiyuan couldn’t help but ask.

Ji Mu frowned, “Comrade Xia, this is my family business. You’re meddling too much.”

Xia Zhiyuan’s face alternated between pale and red. “Aunt, I was just curious. In other families, daughters-in-law get up before dawn to fetch water, chop wood, wash clothes, cook…”

“That’s other families. In ours, there’s no such rule,” Ji Mu retorted bluntly.

Xia Zhiyuan was furious.

In her previous life, she had worked hard to please the Ji family, enduring many grievances at first. Only after having a child did the Ji family treasure her.

But Lin Ranran was lazy and lucky—why did she get such good fortune?

It must be because of the child in her belly.

The Ji family always worried about carrying on the family line—the child was more important than their own lives.

In her previous life, Lin Ranran had aborted the child just to marry her cousin.

Though the plot was changing, she believed the overall direction wouldn’t.

She needed to find a chance to talk to Lin Ranran.

“Sorry, I was too nosy,” Xia Zhiyuan said, then went back to her room.

Ji Mu’s good mood was ruined, and she couldn’t help cursing, “Vixen, ruining my son’s happiness early in the morning.”

“Aunt, a few days ago, the Youth Camp gave every youth ten pounds of sweet potatoes for breakfast. Let me bring you some as an apology,” Xia Zhiyuan, unwilling to give up, brought out a small basket of sweet potatoes—she was making a real effort.

Ji Mu replied coldly, “We don’t lack food. Comrade Xia, keep them for yourself.”

Just then, Ji Junxiao got up.

“Brother Ji—” Xia Zhiyuan immediately brought the sweet potatoes over, hoping to impress him.

Ji Junxiao didn’t look at her.

Ji Mu instructed, “Xiao, take the porridge into the room, and wake your wife for her eggs.”

Ji Junxiao replied, “Okay.”

The eight members of the Ji family squeezed into Ji Mu and Ji Junyao’s room for breakfast.

Xia Zhiyuan watched, her eyes nearly red with envy—why could Lin Ranran sleep late and eat eggs, while she had to gnaw raw sweet potatoes!

The Ji family ate porridge and salted radish, but Lin Ranran had two eggs to herself.

Lin Ranran peeled the eggs, kept one for herself, and separated the white and yolk of the other—giving the white to Ji Junyao and the yolk to Ji Mu.

“Ranran, Mom doesn’t need it.”

“Sister-in-law, I don’t want it either.”

Seeing they wanted to return the egg, Lin Ranran said, “If you both refuse, then I won’t eat it either.”

Unable to refuse, Ji Mu and Ji Junyao ate the egg with tears in their eyes.

Oh, they’d taken the baby’s nutrition—they felt they’d let the Ji family down.

The Ji men saw this and felt warm inside. Lin Ranran had not only changed for the better but was thoughtful too; they’d seen it last night when she shared the meat.

After breakfast, all the Ji family members except Lin Ranran went to work.

Xia Zhiyuan was even more upset—why could Lin Ranran rest at home?

“Aunt, your daughter-in-law doesn’t go to work?” a curious youth asked.

Ji Mu explained, “Ranran’s health isn’t good—she’s not working for now.”

“That’s not good, Aunt. Even seriously ill people go to work. If she doesn’t, how will you get food?”

“Exactly, you shouldn’t spoil your daughter-in-law too much, or she’ll get out of hand.”

“In my opinion, she’s just lazy. Starve her a few times and she’ll behave.”

A few youths chimed in one after another.