The Substitute Bride and the Cripple

He Lei hid a laugh. “I can tell you’ve never been in a relationship before. Some call it flirting. Others call it foreplay. It’s just how the two of them do things–especially since the young master likes his wife’s cooking very much.” He looked at her sympathetically. “You might not have noticed these small details, but when you live with the young master, you have to observe his emotions. There are some things he keeps silent about, but that doesn’t mean he agrees with them.”

Ke Liuyi sneered. She had wanted to play the role of a dutiful wife and make her presence known to Jiang Shaocheng, only for him to dismiss her and treat her as an eyesore. Her heart was perilously close to being shattered by the man she had had a crush on for several years. She refused to take this lying down. “What tricks did Ms Tang employ to make your young master think so highly of her?”

He Lei pondered the question for a few seconds. “What do you think, with that simple mind of hers? She’s an open book—she looks weak on the surface, but sometimes she fights back, because she still hasn’t learnt her lesson after being bullied by the Feng family all those years. She’s a silly, naive girl, but her tastes are bolder than you would expect–she isn’t afraid to kiss the young master, even with his scars.”

Silly? Naive? Bolder than expected? Is that what Jiang Shaocheng found so desirable about her? She doubted Tang Qiu was half as simpleminded as she let others believe. Ke Liuyi rolled her eyes in anger. “So, why didn’t your young master expose his identity earlier and tell her that he’s actually not crippled?”

“The young master said that she would abandon him if she knew the truth. I can’t figure out what he was thinking. Handsome, healthy, and rich–how could any woman bear to leave him? Wouldn’t you agree, Doctor Ke?”

Of course she did. But Jiang Shaocheng simply refused to give her a chance. She looked through the window at the couple eating together inside, feeling fury rise up like bile. If Jiang Shaocheng had found a better woman than her, she would have given him her blessing. But what was so good about Tang Qiu? Ke Liuyi wasn’t about to just give up just like that! 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝒆𝘸𝚎𝙗𝒏oν𝙚𝘭.𝐜𝒐m

***

In the mansion, Tang Qiu and Jiang Shaocheng finished eating. Her husband followed her when she got up to wash the dishes and clean up the kitchen. “It’s okay, dear. I’ll do it.”

“I should clean up after myself too. Unless you think I’m getting in your way, Qiu?”

“Never,” she assured him, seeing his face fall. “I just don’t want you to get your clothes dirty.”

“So be it.” He couldn’t resist adding, “You can help me change into new clothes.”

Tang Qiu couldn’t argue with him, so she could only let him assist her. Cleaning up was, admittedly, less of a chore with his help. When they were done, she prepared to go upstairs to read.

Jiang Shaocheng eyed the thick stack of books she was carrying. When he found out that Professor Sun had assigned her to read all of them, he patted her head sympathetically. “Sounds like a laborious task.”

Tang Qiu stared at the heavy pile of books. She had her doubts too, but she had already promised Professor Sun that she would finish them all. “I’ll do my best. Dear, you have to supervise me. If I fall asleep, you have to wake me up!”

Jiang Shaocheng looked at her serious expression and smiled. “If you want my help, you have to pay me first.”

Tang Qiu pounced on him without hesitation and kissed him. Jiang Shaocheng hugged her and could not bear to let go.

“Dear, I need to start my reading.”

Jiang Shaocheng agreed, but didn’t release her yet. He lowered his head and took his time to kiss her forehead before letting go.

Professional books were very boring. After reading for more than an hour, Tang Qiu felt sleepy. She propped up her eyelids, only to feel them drooping not long later.

“Qiu, get up and drink some water,” Jiang Shaocheng reminded her.

Tang Qiu quickly obeyed. She was earnest about her studies, but Professor Sun’s assignment was more than a little taxing. She scratched her head and drank some water before pouring a second cup for her husband.

“Not easy, is it?”

Tang Qiu nodded. “The content itself is manageable, but there isn’t an autopsy available for reference. I have to imagine the anatomy myself. It’s a little troublesome.”

Anatomy?

Jiang Shaocheng deliberated and pointed at himself. “Why don’t I be your research subject? You can use parts of my body for reference.”

Tang Qiu’s eyes lit up. “You’ll have to take off your clothes.”

“Would you mind that?” he asked, smiling.

“Of course not,” she said without a trace of humor. “You’re devoting yourself to the study of medicine!”

He nodded, matching her seriousness. “Help me take them off, then.”

Tang Qiu immediately helped him take off his jacket and shirt. The light shone down on his muscles, accentuating their sculpted, well-defined lines. Tang Qiu’s face turned red. Just by looking at him, she felt that something was wrong. Her husband was ill–how could he be so muscular? It didn’t make sense. “Dear, you cough just from being out in the wind. How did you manage to train your muscles?”

Jiang Shaocheng was caught off guard by her question. Had he shot himself in the foot?