chapter 62

Feeling a little thirsty, Ai Changhuan got up to drink a glass of water, accidentally kicking something that had been thrown on the ground. At that moment, she regretted what she had done again. If she had known this would happen, she would not have thrown stuff everywhere. Now, she not only couldn’t leave successfully, but she also had to tidy up so many things.

Wailing, she couldn’t bear the mess, so she started to put everything back in order. While tidying, she realized that she had never done any household chores when she was at home, but she had to do everything here. She even had to grow vegetables and cook as if she were a slave.

Ah yes, she could use this as an excuse to tell Grandpa when she divorced in the future. Grandpa coddled her so much that he would definitely approve the divorce to keep her from suffering.

Thinking this, Ai Changhuan was full of energy. She hoped that she would immediately become thin as a bamboo pole to increase the credibility of her enslavement.

In fact, Ai Changhuan had other gains as well. She found one of Lu Zhanke’s photo albums at the bottom of the closet. It contained many of his photos, but most of them were with soldiers from the army. There were very few individual photos, and he wore the same expression every time he took a photo: expressionless. Even though there were so many photos, Ai Changhuan still noticed something strange.

Although this strange picture was also a group photo, it actually included a woman who sat in the first row next to Lu Zhanke. What made her even more suspicious was that in this photo, Lu Zhanke, who had always kept a poker face, lifted the corners of his mouth slightly. He was smiling. He was actually smiling, though his smile was not that obvious.

Ai Changhuan immediately felt that something was strange. Was there an unusual relationship between Lu Zhanke and the woman? Was she his ex-girlfriend? Or his secret crush?

Sadly, no information about the woman could be found except for the photo, so Ai could only set it aside for the time being.

Thanks to Ai Changhuan’s remarkable housework, Lu Zhanke returned home and found the entire house as tidy and as warm as before. He raised his eyebrow and thought, “What the hell is Ai Changhuan trying to do?”

Hearing the movement, Ai Changhuan went downstairs, but she kept a distance: not close to him, just standing at the entrance of the stairs and staring at Lu from afar. She said in a rigid voice, “I… I am hungry.”

She had been hungry for three meals, but she only ate one meal, and with so much housework, she was already starving. As for why she didn’t cook for herself until Lu Zhanke returned, it was purposeful. Voluntarily cleaning up the house was suspicious enough. If even the meals were cooked, wouldn’t she be telling Lu Zhanke that she had other motives? What if Lu Zhanke learned that she was deliberately showing weakness? Therefore, this matter had to be gradual. After all, they quarreled a lot yesterday.

Just like the mantra: “One must let loose in order to capture.”

Seeming undoubtful, Lu Zhanke nodded, took off his coat, and went to the kitchen. “I’ll make scallion oil noodles today.”

Ai Changhuan didn’t answer. She deliberately raised her head with pride, watching Lu closely out of the corner of her eye. As soon as he entered the kitchen, she hurriedly walked several steps, rushing towards Lu Zhanke’s coat.

The cell phone. The cell phone. Was Lu Zhanke’s cell phone in his pocket?

But the instant her hand touched his coat, Lu Zhanke poked his head out of the kitchen. Ai Chang was startled. She hurriedly changed from holding the coat to gripping the remote control and sitting down on the sofa.

Lu Zhanke asked her, “Would you like soup? It will be too dry if you’re only eating noodles.”

Ai Changhuan awkwardly turned off the TV and replied with a calm face, “I don’t really care.”

That wasn’t a strategy. Actually, her movement just then was so stiff that she had twisted her waist.

Another grudge was silently added between them.

Lu Zhanke said nothing, retreated to the kitchen, and continued to cook.

Ai Changhuan deliberately turned the TV volume up. She quietly pulled Lu Zhanke’s coat over, groping Lu Zhanke’s pocket for a while.

While she did this, her heart sped as if it could jump out her throat any second.

After all, it was her first time stealing something.

However, she did not find her cell phone while she rummaged through all the jacket pockets.

Was the phone not in his jacket pocket, but in his pants pocket?

Just as Ai Changhuan was in a daze, Lu Zhanke came behind her. “Chang Huan, what are you thinking about?”

“Ah!” Ai Changhuan, who had a conscience guilty as that of a thief, was startled. She tossed away the clothes in her hand.

Lu Zhanke looked at her suspiciously.

Ai Changhuan was nervous for a while, afraid of being found out. She took the initiative to speak first. “What are you doing? You scared me!”

Lu Zhanke feigned innocence. “I called you several times, but you didn’t reply. What are you… thinking about?”

Lu’s gaze was too penetrating. Awkwardly, Ai Changhuan looked away and said, “Oh, that is… probably because the sound of the TV is too loud.”

“Turn off the TV and wash your hands. Let’s have dinner.” Lu Zhanke didn’t say any more.

However, Ai Changhuan could no longer pull her gaze away from the spot below his waist.

Of course, she wasn’t looking at “that” location but instead at the position of Lu Zhanke’s pants pocket. His cell phone was there!!!

She really wanted to reach in and steal the phone.

Lu Zhanke also noticed Ai Changhuan’s extremely heated gaze tonight. Although he understood the meaning of his wife’s attention, wasn’t she being too frank?

Lu Zhanke turned around uncomfortably. “You’re not coming to eat?”

“Hm?” Ai Changhuan looked away. “Of course I’m eating.”

After dinner, Ai Changhuan rushed to wash the dishes and said, “Go take a shower. Don’t stay here.”

“Alright.” Lu Zhanke raised his eyebrows and waited, watching to see what Ai Changhuan was planning.

After Lu Zhanke entered the bathroom, Ai Changhuan washed her hands hurriedly and dashed to the basket outside. She was really making a big effort to get Lu Zhanke’s cell phone: she even put the basket outside.

At the moment, Lu Zhanke’s pants were placed right there. As long as she could get them, everything would be settled.

After she squatted beside the basket and held the pair of pants, Ai Changhuan almost burst into tears.

Feeling around, she noticed something stiff in the pocket. Ai Changhuan took a deep breath, slightly excited. Her hands trembled as she reached into the pocket of his pants.

Turns out, it was just a wallet. Ai Changhuan was immediately disappointed.

Did Lu Zhanke bring his cell phone into the bathroom? Was there really a shady secret? Why else would he be doing this?

However, she couldn’t look at the secret even if he had one. Sighing, Ai Changhuan got up and prepared to leave.

The bathroom door suddenly opened, and Lu Zhanke stepped out.

Ai Changhuan looked up along his toes. First the tops of his feet, then the calves, then the thighs, and then up … Well, she couldn’t see any more above that.

Ai Changhuan looked back, a little embarrassed, and asked, “You … why did you get out of the shower so quickly??”

Lu Zhanke stepped out. “Generally speaking, men take very quick baths. Hey, what are you doing with my pants?”

Uh … She got caught.

Ai Changhuan glanced around the room and smirked. “I … I thought your clothes were a little dirty, so I was going to help you wash them.”

That wasn’t actually the case!

Lu Zhanke didn’t seem to sense the stiffness in her smile. “You can wash it tomorrow. It’s too late,” he said cheerfully.

“…” He was so considerate, but Ai Changhuan just wanted to cry.

“Hurry up. Take a bath. I’ll go upstairs and wait for you.”

“What? Go upstairs and wait for her? To do what?” The alarm immediately went off in Ai Changhuan’s mind.

Lu Zhanke just patted her shoulder and turned upstairs.

Ai Changhuan looked at his back and revealed an extremely ugly smile.

After taking a long shower and cleaning up the living room, it was getting late, so Ai Changhuan gritted her teeth and finally went upstairs. A decision was made after her careful consideration while she was taking a bath. If Lu Zhanke did want to do “that kind of thing” with her, she would say that she had her period. Regardless, she had to survive this week.

However, when she returned to the bedroom, she realized that she had been overthinking. Lu Zhanke was not in the master bedroom at all. Did he consciously go to the guest room?

Ai Changhuan was about to cheer and laugh when Lu Zhanke unexpectedly came up behind her. “Done showering?”

“Ah?” Ai Changhuan turned around in shock, glaring at him. “Why do you always appear and disappear like a shadow?”

“You’re just absent-minded.” Lu Zhanke reached out to touch Ai Changhuan’s cheek, but Ai Changhuan tilted her head and avoided it.

Lu Zhanke looked at her helplessly. “I know you always get your hair wet, so I’ll get you a hairdryer.”

Ai Changhuan’s wet hair was indeed a bit uncomfortable. Since he had offered personally, she found it difficult to refuse, so she answered, “Give it to me. I’ll dry it myself.”

Lu Zhanke shrugged. “Well, remember to blow it dry, or you will catch a cold.”

Handing the hairdryer to Ai Changhuan, Lu Zhanke turned around and left. He went to the guest room next door and closed the door right in front of her.

Ai Changhuan was a little dumbfounded. She thought that Lu Zhanke would stay here rudely, but she did not expect to use her own measure to gauge the heart of a gentleman again.

Puzzled, Ai Changhuan also closed the door of the room and went to bed.

Searching for a way to get Lu Zhanke’s cell phone, Ai Changhuan racked her brain, but with little success. She encountered failures one after another. Feeling wilted, she was unable to lift her spirits.

Lu Zhanke assumed that she was a little bored after staying at home for so long, so he offered to take her out for a stroll in two days.

“Where?” Ai Changhuan asked.

“The torch festival of the A Chang ethnic group will be around here in two days. It will be very lively and bustling. If you want to go, I can take you.” Lu Zhanke had been there once or twice, but he never went again. If Ai Changhuan wanted to go have fun, he would go again.