Chapter 41  

Jia Shao walked on tiptoe and stretched out her head. Jia Papa was still at work and was not back yet. Jia Mama had taken the baby out for a stroll on the streets.

If she doesn't run now, when will it be the right time?

In her opinion, her home had already turned into a dangerous place and it is not advisable for her to remain. The best choice is to return to her home and anyway, over there she can simply come up with any excuse and what can her parents do about it?

Hurriedly, she pulled out her small case and stuffed the things she had secretly readied into the case. After scribbling down a note, she threw it on the table, picked up her small case and fled.

Just as she pressed the elevator button and waited, her phone suddenly sounded.

Hastily, Jia Shao glanced at it, then narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists.

~ Wife, where are you? ~ Beloved Husband.

When did he touch her phone? And he had the nerve to actually insert such a shameless name for himself!!!

Jia Shao gritted her teeth and stuffed the phone back into her pocket, pretending she did not receive the message.

If it was not for him, would she be bereft of her last place of solace?

If it was not for him, would she be running away in a panic because she was afraid her parents would be able to detect her abnormal behavior?

If it was not for him, would she in a state of anxiety and in such a desperate situation?

After she was almost caught in bed with him, the moment she closed her eyes, she could see her mother standing by her bed looking at her and Zhen Lang embracing intimately....... Then her mother forced her to stay forever with Zhen Lang.......then she dreamt that she was oppressed by Zhen Lang to wait upon him and serve him, making her completely exhausted and extremely tired. Immediately she woke up from the dream to find herself drenched in cold sweat and was unable to go back to sleep again.

She did not intend to reply to Zhen Lang's message and the current Jia Shao is only thinking of quickly running far away. As for that Jinx, she intends to stay as far away from him as possible.

When the elevator stopped on the ground floor, Jia Shao cautiously stretched out her head to look towards the main gate to see whether her mother was anywhere within sight. She could not find any familiar figure nearby.....very good.......

Quickly, Jia Shao slipped out of the elevator carrying her small case and walked towards the main gate.

Just as she took a step forward, a lazy voice with a trace of laughter sounded near her ear. "Wife, it's dinner time. Where are you going?"

Someone was leaning against the wall next to the elevator with hands in his pants pockets. He looked at the sneaky person coming out of the elevator and his eyes were full of smiles.

Jia Shao jumped with fright and her body trembled. As fast as lightning she ran over and clasped her hand over the man's mouth. In a threatening low voice, she said. "I told you not to address me like this!!"

Someone took advantage, put his arm around her waist and planted a kiss in the palm of her hand. Jia Shao pulled back and repeatedly flung her hand with an expression of disgust.

Zhen Lang's eyes rested on the small case she was holding and asked. "My dear, where are you going?"

"I......" Jia Shao shivered. "I'm going shopping!"

"Do you need such a big case to go shopping? Won't you feel tired?" Zhen Lang was full of smiles. "I'll help you."

Holding the case tightly, Jia Shao looked around nervously. "No!"

"How about going together?" Zhen Lang had no intention to give up. "I was thinking of buying something, so why don't we go together?"

"No!" Jia Shao refused vehemently and her eyes reflected her reluctance.

She wanted to leave. She wanted to slip back to living her carefree life. She did not want to always feel scared and always be on the edge of her nerves. Even more so, she did not want to be too close to him.

Zhen Lang held her hand and Jia Shao struggled to pry off his fingers. "No, I'm not going. I won't go. I have something to do."

"If you still insist on staying here, my mother and Jia Ma will be back soon." He said in a flat tone. "My mother told me she would be back by 5 o'clock before she left. There is still another quarter of an hour, so do you want to go or not?"

To be captured by her mother.......

To go with Zhen Lang.......

Without hesitation, Jia Shao straightened up and put on a most charming smile. "Where are we going? Young Master Zhen, what do you want to buy? How do you want this little one to serve you?"

Zhen Lang grabbed hold of her hand and gave her a helpless smile. "Let's leave quickly."

With quick steps, she followed him and then Jia Shao discovered that Zhen Lang was also carrying a case similar to hers in his hand. Before she could ask any further questions, he had flagged down a taxi and pushed her inside.

After putting their luggage in the boot, he got into the car to sit beside her and in a calm voice, he said to the driver. "Airport."

Airport?!

Under Jia Shao's surprised gaze, he reached out to rub her short hair. "Girl, you can't take it anymore and want to run away?"

"No......" Jia Shao refused to admit. "I've to go back to work. 'Golden Sunflower' can't do without me."

"Oh......" Zhen Lang dragged on the word. "It's good we have each other for company. I received a call this morning telling me I'm needed at the hospital. There is a major surgery waiting for me."

Looking at his expression......only ghosts will believe him.

Jia Shao secretly despised him in her heart and she looked out of the window as her stomach continued to growl with hunger.

The moment they entered the airport hall, Jia Shao rushed to the service center with the intention to ask whether there were any tickets. But who knew that just as she took the first step forward, she was pulled back by the back collar of her shirt.

"What are you doing?" The voice was just a little louder and it had drawn 'concerned' stares from the people. Jia Shao did not dare to shake off his hand and could only endure being dragged all along the way.

"This side......." Immediately, he held out his hand in front of her. "Identity card."

"Hey!" Jia Shao struggled. "I haven't bought a ticket yet. Why did you bring me here to get a boarding pass?"

Ignoring her struggles, Zhen Lang skillfully pulled out her wallet from the back pocket of her pants to search for her identity card. After finding her identity card, he threw it on the counter and received two boarding passes with ease. At this moment, Jia Shao had a vague feeling.......

"You've guessed I would be running away?" She grabbed his shirt and hooked her hand on his nape to pull his head down. "So you had booked the plane tickets earlier?"

He just smiled, lifted his eyebrows and his eyes looked at the restaurant not too far away. "Would you like to eat something?"

Someone shook her head, glared at him and said in an unforgiving, threatening tone. "Tell me, did you do it intentionally?"

"What is intentional and unintentional?" Zhen Lang found it a bit funny. "Since you were a child whenever you did any shameful deed, you would feel anxious, feel afraid that people would find out and then you would hide. Because of yesterday's incident, today you will definitely flee."

Is it? Jia Shao did not know how to refute. She wrinkled her nose, released her hold on his shirt and said with a little stubbornness. "I'm not fleeing. I'm busy with work."

"What do you want to eat?" Zhen Lang pulled her over and placed a hand on her shoulder. In a lazy voice, he asked. "There is no food stocked in our little nest. Do you want to eat something here first?"

"Don't want!" Jia Shao rolled her eyes in disgust. "The food served in the airport is not good. I don't want to eat."

Zhen Lang's fingers caressed her soft tender lips as if he was playing with his most beloved toy. "Then shall we go to that Sichuan restaurant near our house to eat Sichuan food?"

Jia Shao suddenly narrowed her bright sparkling eyes into slits and nodded her head hard. She totally did not think that this time when the two of them return together, she is going back as his wife and will have to fulfill the obligations between a husband and wife.

On the plane, Jia Shao fell asleep on the shoulders of Zhen Lang and her dream was full of boiled pork slices and fish-flavored pork strips.

(This is fish-flavored pork strips and it is a spicy Sichuan dish.)

Zhen Lang was playing with her fingers and Jia Shao's fingers cannot be regarded as beautiful. Her knuckles were rough and covered with a lot of calluses. All the scars were left behind from year-long practices over time. Due to her carefree personality, all these did not matter to her and looking at her hands, they were not the normal smooth and tender hands a woman should have.

"Will it be inconvenient for her to wear a ring?" Zhen Lang lifted her wrist and lightly kissed her every finger making her feel ticklish.

"Don't even think about it." Jia Shao answered obscurely. "You're not allowed to put anything on my finger. How will I be able to practice in future? It will be difficult for me."

Zhen Lang held her hand and gently separated each of her fingers to interlock with his fingers. His other hand stretched over her shoulder to pull her close and the sleeping Jia Shao shifted her position. Leaning into his arms, she snuggled until she found the most comfortable position, then let out a sigh and sank back into her dream. Zhen Lang looked down at the silent woman in his arms and the gentleness in his eyes gradually emerged.

Throughout the two-hour journey, Jia Shao had slept comfortably until Zhen Lang pinched the delicate skin on her face to bring her out of her deep sleep.

Taking the advantage she was still in the midst of waking up, he kneaded and squeezed her face to make it look similar to a pig's head. "Quickly wake up. Are you hungry? Let's go and eat Sichuan food."

"Um......" The sleepy Jia Shao was led by Zhen Lang as she sauntered foolishly like a child. Suddenly, she sniffed and said. "Vet, can I request we go back home to take a bath before we eat? My body stinks."

Zhen Lang turned around and scratched her nose. "Don't you feel hungry?"

With sleepy eyes, she muttered. "I'd rather starve than stink."

"Okay, we'll do whatever you want."

It was not until Jia Shao was immersed in the warm bath water that her exhaustion and drowsiness were completely gone. In the bathroom, she was happily playing with the foam bubbles in her hands while Zhen Lang was in the living room sorting out both of their clothes.

After opening the suitcases, he took out all the clothes then sorted every piece of clothing before putting them back into their individual wardrobe. When he picked up his last piece of clothing, the bright red and gold box fell out.

He picked it up and gently opened the box. The two bright red booklets were lying together and they were intimately attached to one another.

Opening the booklet, the two people in the photo were sitting shoulder to shoulder but obviously, one of them had a sluggish expression and was completely at a loss.

His fingers caressed that dazed face in the photo and the smile on his face became bigger and bigger.

"Little fool, except for you, do you think it is possible for me to marry another woman?" He muttered but unfortunately, the person in the bathroom was unable to hear.

Holding the booklet, he leaned back on the sofa and let out a long sigh.

"Ah!......" The person in the bathroom screamed and Zhen Lang instantly jumped up from the sofa. "What's the matter?"

Jia Shao looked at the dirty clothes that she had already thrown into the washing machine and then looked at the empty clothes hooks on the wall. Tragically, she called out. "Vet, I forgot to bring in my clothes."

After hearing a light laugh from outside the door, a few pieces of clothing were stuffed through the small gap of the opened door.

Jia Shao took the clothes and could not help but feel annoyed. "Vet, why is it this dress again?"

She discovered that every time if Zhen Lang was to help her bring her clothes, he would always give her a small dress. Doesn't he know that if she is to wear a dress, she will feel very tired?

She cannot walk in big strides nor can she walk fast and she also has to wear wedge shoes. It is a lot of trouble compared to wearing casual shoes and pants.

"If not, you can come out and choose your clothes." The person's reply made her depressed and helplessly she put on the dress.

The two people who had washed up felt refreshed as they walked out the door. Jia Shao was so hungry that her legs felt weak and no longer resisted the hand that was supporting her by the waist. The two people slowly walked in the moonlight and headed towards the Sichuan restaurant at the end of the street.

In the early summer night, the moonlight shone down brightly like water spilling and tiny little stars were sparkling in the night sky. The sounds of various insects and birds were soft and lovely. They walked with their arms around each other as their figures cast long shadows on the ground.

"Can I order one more dish, Fu Qi Fei Pian?"

(Fu Qi Fei Pian is a popular Sichuan cold dish made of thinly sliced beef and beef offal.)

"Okay."

"Then I want one more dish, Mapo Tofu."

"Sure."

"Vet, I am very hungry......"

"So hungry that you can't walk? I can give you a piggy-back ride."

In the stillness of the alley, there were only the voices of the two of them whispering.

Suddenly, Zhen Lang halted his footsteps. At the same time, Jia Shao frowned and turned around.

It was not known when a few figures had gathered behind them some distance away. When they stopped their footsteps, the figures did not try to hide their presence anymore and immediately surrounded them, trapping the two people in the center.