Jinbao Marries a Wife

Jinbao led Que Siming to the back of the house where the night guards stayed. This time, there was no one around. Jinbao spread his hands, “Go ahead.”

The miracle doctor couldn’t hold back any longer. Like a starving tiger, he pounced on Jinbao, hugging him tightly and refusing to let go. He pressed Jinbao’s head down, trying to kiss him, “Xiao Hu…”

Jinbao was disgusted by his clinginess.

He couldn’t forget that night in the pouring rain, when Que Siming had told him to get lost, wearing a cold expression on his face, with those demeaning words coming out of his mouth.

And now? Acting as if nothing happened, like everything was fine and he could do whatever he wanted. What the hell? Did he think Jinbao was some corn cob he could just bite into whenever he felt like it?

Jinbao was furious. He kicked him hard in the shin, “Let go of me, you bastard!”

Even though his internal energy was gone, his strength was still there. A few kicks were enough to make Que Siming feel the pain, so he had no choice but to release him.

Jinbao propped a cane against his chest, “You want to talk, then talk. Stand there, don’t move. Say what you need to say. I’ve got to get home for dinner.”

Que Siming looked at him in disbelief. He never thought there would come a day when Xiao Hu would despise him like this. He hesitated for a moment, then glanced around to make sure no one was nearby before muttering, “I… I ran into Yu Mingjing…”

Jinbao turned his head away, letting out an indifferent “Oh.”

“And my father…”

Jinbao turned back, his clear eyes staring straight at him, waiting for him to continue.

Que Siming kept watching Jinbao’s expression, noticing that when he mentioned his father, Jinbao didn’t seem surprised at all. It made him feel a tightness in his chest. “You knew all along?”

Jinbao nodded.

Que Siming raised his voice, “Then why didn’t you tell me back then?”

“Yu Mingjing said if I told you your father was still alive, he’d kill him.”

Que Siming suddenly felt like something was stuck in his throat. His eyes filled with guilt, mixed with anger. He lifted his hand to remove his mask, rubbed his temples with a frown, and then looked up, “Xiao Hu, this… this time, it’s my fault. I… I didn’t do it on purpose. Back then, how could I trust you with everything that was going on? I… forget it, I was wrong. Let’s stop this. Come home.”

“Home?” Jinbao let out two dry laughs, his voice hoarse. “Go home to what? Que Siming, you still don’t get it, do you? The point of me writing that divorce letter was to cut ties with you. Didn’t you see it, or what?”

Que Siming immediately panicked, “What nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean by cutting ties? I messed up this time, but I came all the way here to apologize. Let’s stop this nonsense, okay?”

Jinbao snorted through his nose, “Who’s messing with you? I’m not playing around. I made it crystal clear: we’re done. You never took me seriously, so what are you pretending for now? You don’t remember what you said that night? Well, I remember every word. Go find whoever you want from now on. If I get mixed up with you again, I’d be a fool.”

Que Siming was desperate, “I said those things out of anger! You made me so mad that I said things I didn’t mean.”

“And this isn’t real either? Then what do you ever say that’s true? You’ve been playing me from the start, why can’t you just admit it now?”

“Who the hell played you?! I traveled all the way from Dongting Lake to Dali, almost died fighting Yu Mingjing along the way. You think I went through all that just to mess with you? Why can’t you see the good I’ve done and just focus on my mistakes?”

“The good you’ve done? What good have you ever done?”

“What do you mean? I haven’t been good to you?”

“And how exactly have you been good to me?”

Que Siming was stunned, a half-crying, half-laughing expression crossing his face. “Wang Erhu, you’re something else. I haven’t been good to you? All this time we’ve been together, you’ve thought I wasn’t good to you? Why didn’t you say something earlier? Why the hell didn’t you tell me, and I would’ve changed!” He had never learned how to treat someone well; all he knew was to make sure Jinbao was fed, clothed, and protected from others. He had given him everything, except for saying it outright. And now, with one sentence, Jinbao was dismissing it all. What was this?

The skin on Jinbao’s face was stretched tight. He couldn’t stand seeing Que Siming’s weak expression like that, afraid he might soften.

With a hint of pleading in his voice, the miracle doctor said, “I’ll treat you better from now on, okay? However you want it, I’ll do it. Just come back with me.”

Jinbao muttered, “This is my home. I’m not going anywhere. How long are we supposed to carry on like this, two men together? Weren’t those your words? You said you didn’t need me, and I can’t give you children either. How can we live like this forever? I’ve accepted it; you should too. Go back to where you came from.”

Que Siming’s face flushed with frustration, “I told you, I said all that out of anger! Why are you clinging to a few words I said? I never realized you were this petty. You’re just mad, right? Fine, hit me. I’m here, came all this way for you to hit. Do it. I won’t fight back. Beat me as much as you want, and when you’re done, we’ll go home.”

Jinbao spat, “Yeah, I’m petty. But I’m not going home with you. Now get the hell out of here.”

“I, Que Siming, have never returned empty-handed. I’m taking you back no matter what. Today, we’re settling this. Either you punch and curse at me until you’re satisfied, and then we go home, or I’ll knock you out and drag you back. You choose!”

Jinbao was utterly enraged, pointing at his nose and shouting, “You dare! Other than being better at martial arts, what the hell are you so cocky about? If I could beat you, with your shitty temper and stubbornness, I’d beat you three times a day. And you still think you can take me by force? If you try to drag me back, I’ll die right here, I swear. Don’t think for a second I’m bluffing. When I say I’m done with you, I’m done! I, Wang Erhu, may not have much to show, but when I say something, I mean it! Now get lost!”

Que Siming’s face turned ashen, left speechless.

His little tiger—soft-hearted, not very bright, and often easily manipulated—was indeed stubborn when it came to things he felt strongly about. And as much as it frustrated Que Siming, Wang Erhu was telling the truth: once he made up his mind, he was more stubborn than an ox, never backing down.

Que had reminded himself on the way here to keep his temper in check, not to provoke him too much. If Erhu got really pissed, the whole situation would only become harder to resolve. But now, seeing the familiar stubborn look on his face, Que knew he had messed up.

He quickly softened his tone. “Alright, alright. Watch, I’ll get you to come back willingly.”

Jinbao spat, “In your dreams.” He turned to leave.

Que blocked his path, “Little tiger, can we stop this? Let me be straight with you. If you don’t come back with me, I’m not leaving either. Just hit me already, stop wasting time. Once you’ve gotten it out of your system, you’ll come home with me. Yes, I’m the asshole here, but you’re not wrong. It’s just that the way you handled things was too suspicious. Fine, I admit I was wrong. Let’s both take a step back, okay? Stop fighting with me. Go ahead, hit me. You’ve been holding in this anger for ages, right? Today, let it all out.”

Jinbao was getting fed up with him, eyeing him sideways, thinking, “This idiot’s asking for it.” His cheek puffed out as he chewed on a piece of sugarcane, savoring it. “Really? You won’t fight back?”

“Nope, I won’t fight back. Go ahead.”

Jinbao nodded slightly, chewing the sugarcane down to pulp, then spat it on the ground. Suddenly, he leaped up and swung the remaining piece of sugarcane, smashing it down hard on Que Siming.

“I’m beating the shit out of you today!”

Que Siming felt a sharp pain in his back, his body slumping.

Jinbao, face twisted with glee, swung the sugarcane like it was nothing, aiming for the thickest parts of Que’s body and hitting him with all his might, cursing all the while. “Que Siming, today’s your day! The second you make a move, you’re a damn cowardly turtle.”

Que Siming’s face was pale, his body twisting and dodging instinctively as he groaned, “You’re really hitting me!”

“Of course I am! This chance is once in a lifetime! Damn it, you bully me all the time, just because you’re better at martial arts. Well, today you asked for it. You deserve it!”

Que Siming’s temper flared too, “Go on! Keep hitting! If you don’t feel bad, keep going! But when you’re done, we’re going home!”

“Go home, my ass! Did you not see the divorce letter? Do I need to write you another one? I’m done with you, don’t you get it? Today, I’m just here to give you a lesson! I’ll show you for tormenting me every day! For keeping me up night after night with your nonsense! For not trusting me! For using me! I’ll beat you for that!”

“I never used you! I was just talking shit. Ouch! Damn, I was just talking shit!”

“Talking shit? That was straight-up disrespect! You bastard, how could I have been so stupid to stay with you back then? I regret it so much now! If I ever go back to you, I might as well be a pig!”

Que Siming’s eyes reddened. “How can you say you regret it? What right do you have to regret? Everything we’ve been through together, which part of it was fake? I was just angry for a moment and said some stupid things, and this is how you treat me? Why do you remember all the bad things I said and forget the good? Can you really say you’ve never been happy with me? Do you honestly think everything I’ve done for you was fake?”

Jinbao’s hands had gone soft from all the hitting. Seeing the redness in Que Siming’s eyes, his arms suddenly felt unbearably heavy, and he couldn’t lift them anymore.

“Que Siming, you still don’t get it… You have no idea how hard it was for me to decide to leave with you… My family didn’t expect me to carry on the bloodline, so I thought, if I meet someone I like, I’ll just go for it. Life isn’t that long, right? If it’s a man, so what? As long as I’m happy… My young master and Zhaocai tried so hard to talk me out of it. The way they looked at me… it hurt to even see their eyes. You can’t imagine how much determination it took for me to leave with you.

I got framed by Yu Mingjing, ended up covered in shame. Who the hell could I even complain to about my grievances? I blame myself for being stupid—I never blamed you for not trusting me. If it were me, I’d have been suspicious too. But you had your doubts, fine, I get that. But why did you have to say such degrading things to me? I’ve lived with dignity all my life… I’m not some guy who exists just to serve men. If I didn’t care for you, how could I have let you treat me like that?

I never expected that deep down, that’s how you truly saw me. You wouldn’t have said those words if you didn’t secretly think them. I don’t care if it was in anger or not—if you didn’t have those thoughts in your heart, you wouldn’t have said those things. And now, every time I think about us, sleeping together every night, I can’t stop imagining how you must have looked down on me, how you must have treated me like a toy or a whore…

Que Siming, my heart is completely cold towards you. I can fend for myself, earn my keep, survive on my own. So tell me, why should I stick around and humiliate myself by staying with you? Do you want me to go back to degrading myself the way I used to? Maybe in the next life.”

As Jinbao spoke, he started crying too—not for anyone else, but for himself. He felt like he’d been so unlucky, so foolish. No one had forced him into this; he’d pushed himself into the fire pit. He let himself be used, and maybe he deserved it. But now, he was awake, and nothing could force him to continue degrading himself.

Que Siming stared at him, stunned, his vision blurring. It felt like all his internal organs were tangled in a knot, leaving him unable to breathe.

So this was how his little tiger had been feeling… This was what he thought all along…

Que Siming was at a loss for words. He wanted to explain, to shout, “Bullshit! I truly love you, I’d die for you…” But under the cold, unfeeling gaze of Jinbao’s eyes, it was as if someone had clamped a hand around his throat. No matter how sharp-tongued he had been in the past, now he couldn’t get a single word out.

Jinbao tossed the broken sugarcane onto the ground and harshly wiped his face. He felt a strange relief; saying those words out loud helped more than keeping them bottled up. Maybe now he wouldn’t spend every night tossing and turning, unable to sleep. It felt good to let it out.

In a flat tone, Jinbao said, “That’s it. Go wherever you want, just don’t bother me again.”

“Is it because of Lou Jingyu?” Que Siming asked quietly after a long silence, his head lowered as if he had just found his voice again.

Jinbao curled his lip in disgust. “It has nothing to do with that little brat. Good riddance.” With that, he turned around and walked away without looking back.

Only then did Que Siming dare to look at his retreating figure. His eyes were red, and he was biting his lip so hard it was bleeding.

You’re mine. I could give up everything else, but not you…

Back in his room, Jinbao had no appetite for dinner.

He shut himself in, staring at the ceiling as he lay in bed, turning from side to side.

His heart throbbed painfully, refusing to settle. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Que Siming’s face—different faces from various times: when they were young, when they reunited, and just now…

He didn’t want to think about it, but he couldn’t forget. Since their separation, he had thought about Que day and night, not a single peaceful moment. He threw himself into work just to keep from crying, because crying over this felt too humiliating.

Jinbao thought to himself, maybe it’s just too soon. Given more time, the pain wouldn’t come as often. And after a few years, he might even forget about it altogether. It wasn’t really such a big deal, after all. When others had passed away, people grieved for a while, but eventually, they moved on and forgot. As long as enough time passed, it would fade. Forgetting would be the best outcome…

He covered his eyes with his arm, fighting off the stinging sensation and holding back the tears that threatened to spill.

He didn’t know how long it had been, but eventually, his exhaustion from the day dragged him into sleep.

In the middle of the night, Jinbao woke up feeling something heavy pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe. Something was tickling his face, and it made him itch.

He struggled for a while before finally opening his eyes.

What he saw was a pale, beautiful face, staring at him with big, watery eyes.

“What… why are you on top of me?” Jinbao was irritated but too tired to do much. He weakly cursed, feeling utterly drained.

Lou Jingyu lowered his head and forcefully kissed him, their teeth painfully clashing together. His hands weren’t idle either, roaming across Jinbao’s smooth skin.

Jinbao tried to push him away. “Lou Jingyu, are you out of your damn mind again? Get off me!”

His hands were pinned above his head by Lou Jingyu, and his legs were also trapped. Looking down, he realized most of his clothes had already been removed.

“Lou Jingyu!”

The young master was panting, his face flushed in a pretty shade of red. He lowered his voice and said, “Brother Jinbao, let’s do it.”

“Do it? Do it, my ass! Get off me!”

“Let’s give it a try. You’ve been holding back for a while, haven’t you?” Lou Jingyu grabbed Jinbao’s crotch and gave it a light squeeze. “I’ll make sure you feel good.”

“You don’t know shit. Let go of me, Lou Jingyu, I’m warning you, don’t go crazy!”

Both of them were young and full of energy. Despite Jinbao’s unwillingness, being touched like this made his body react.

Lou Jingyu grew more excited, licking Jinbao’s lips. “Brother Jinbao, let’s do it. I haven’t done this before, but I’ll do my best to make it feel good for you.”

Jinbao couldn’t help but feel both amused and frustrated. “Stop messing around and get off.”

“I’m not messing around. I’m serious. I just want you to know that whatever Que Siming can give you, I can too.” Lou Jingyu tugged at Jinbao’s pants, pulling them off completely.

Jinbao’s lower body betrayed him, his arousal obvious under the covers. His undergarments were soaked, with a wet spot clearly showing.

Jinbao was both embarrassed and furious, his face flushing deep red as he tried to contain his anger and humiliation.

Lou Jingyu’s throat moved as he swallowed, lowering his head to kiss Jinbao’s chest.

He knew he was being too hasty, but the sudden appearance of Que Siming earlier had completely thrown him off balance. He was terrified that the two of them might rekindle their old flame. If that happened, what would he be? Something awkward and pitiful, caught in the middle. He couldn’t accept that.

Jinbao’s anger flared, and he began to struggle fiercely. He was strong, and for a moment, Lou Jingyu couldn’t hold him down.

Growing desperate and enraged, Lou Jingyu pressed down on Jinbao with all his strength, ripping his clothes to shreds in his frenzy and forcing his legs apart.