Chapter 294: Mrs. Hou, you owe me an explanation.

 Chapter 294: Mrs. Hou, you owe me an explanation.

Chapter 293: Mr. Hou, the Patriarch, is the Right Husband for Qin Ruan Yunjiao felt that everything that had happened between him and Qin Ruan was not a matter of who was right or wrong. Fate had pushed them beyond certain limits, and Qin Ruan was his responsibility. He had an obligation to protect her and the child she carried in her belly. "Don't say that. I won't be working so late in the future," Qin Ruan said with some self-blame. She wasn't the kind of person who couldn't recognize kindness or who was overly dramatic. When you are wrong, you should always show gratitude and respect for other people's care and kindness. This was the lesson she learned from her painful past life experiences. Hou Yunjiao held her hand and played with her fingertips, "In the future, try to handle things during the day. If it's inconvenient, don't forget to eat. I won't restrict your freedom, but you have to take care of your body." "I understand," Qin Ruan said in a dull tone. Hou Yunjiao thought she was still sulking, so he gently touched her head. "I shouldn't have been harsh on you today. Don't be angry. I brought you some soup. Would you like to have some?" "Yes!" Qin Ruan's stomach growled as soon as she spoke. She didn't blush like most girls, but instead, she stared at Hou Yunjiao with her big eyes wide open. Her eyes seemed to be speaking, asking Hou Yunjiao where the soup was and that she wanted to drink it. Hou Yunjiao was amused by her hopeful expression and his sexy lips curved into a pleasant arc. He leaned over and extended his hand to the person sitting in the passenger seat, "Pass me the soup." "Yes, Third Master." The person placed the familiar and exquisite thermos that Qin Ruan was familiar with into San Ye's hand. In that moment when he turned around, Qin Ruan saw his true face clearly. She blurted out, "Hou Qiang?" Huo Qiang's expression showed surprise for a moment, but it quickly disappeared. He respectfully bowed his head to Qin Ruan, "Madam." "Does Ruan Ruan know Lao Qiang?"  Hou Yunjiao casually asked without even lifting his head as he opened the sealing lid of the insulated bucket. This was his first time bringing Hou Qiang to meet Qin Ruan, and she shouldn't have known Lao Qiang. Upon hearing this, Qin Ruan's brain sent out a danger warning. Oh no! In her past life, she had indeed seen Hou Yunjiao take Hou Qiang to the Wanbao Mountain Cemetery. This was the first time she formally met Hou Qiang in this life. "I don't know him, but I heard Hou Zhi mention him once," Qin Ruan replied, staring at the insulated bucket in Hou Yunjiao's hand with an eager and drooling expression. She looked calm, and it was hard for people to detect anything wrong with her. Hou Yunjiao poured the soup into a bowl and handed it to Qin Ruan with a gentle smile on his handsome face, "Drink it while it's hot. If you come out an hour later, the efficacy of the soup will be greatly reduced." He smiled as if the previous question was just a casual one. Qin Ruan thought she had done a perfect job of not letting the man in front of her notice anything wrong. However, she didn't know that Hou Yunjiao had already confirmed that it was a lie when she started to explain. Hou Zhi, Hou Chuan, and Hou Qiang would never mention each other in front of others. To Hou Zhi, Hou Qiang was an elder who had personally raised her, and their relationship was different. Although Qin Ruan was now his wife, she had not been in contact with the core of the Hou family. Although the Hou family's secret guards were respectful to her on the surface, they were not loyal to her. As Hou Yunjiao looked at Qin Ruan with a smile in his eyes, she sipped the soup in small mouthfuls. With a hot bowl of soup in her stomach, she felt both physically and mentally relieved of her exhaustion. Hou Yunjiao reached out to touch Qin Ruan's hair that was tied up, slowly moving it towards her ear. Since her hair was too short to be tied with a hair rope, he had ignored it when he inquired about Hou Chuan and the Su family earlier. Seeing that Qin Ruan had not trimmed her hair yet, Hou Yunjiao gently spoke, "When you wake up tomorrow, shall we have someone trim your hair?" "Okay," Qin Ruan responded casually as she placed the empty bowl on the car's storage rack. Her mind couldn't focus on her hair. She was worried about shouting Hou Qiang's name just now, whether it was inappropriate and would be discovered by Hou Yunjiao. The other party changed the topic too quickly, and her uneasiness gradually disappeared. It's good that she wasn't found acting strangely. If Hou Yunjiao really pursued it, she didn't know how to answer him. Hou Yunjiao lowered his eyes and saw the changes in her expression. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself. This girl had a lot of secrets, and he was waiting for the day when she would confess them to him voluntarily. Qin Ruan's character was too simple. She remembered every little bit of kindness that others showed her. This kind of silly girl, even after struggling in the filthy West City for eighteen years, still retained a unique innocence. Her innocence was pure, daring to love and hate, and her thoughts were simple. This kind of Qin Ruan was good, so good that Hou Yunjiao felt a little pity for her. He hugged Qin Ruan again and said softly, "We still have a bit of a journey left. Want to close your eyes and rest?" He could see that Qin Ruan was exhausted and knew that she needed rest. "Mm." Qin Ruan didn't refuse. She leaned on Hou Yunjiao's shoulder and closed her eyes, slowly emptying her mind. She didn't even notice this unconscious dependence and trust. ... Huo Mansion. Qin Ruan opened her confused eyes with a sense of falling sensation in her body. Hou Yunjiao, who carried her upstairs, hung his head and spoke softly with an apologetic tone, "Did I wake you up?" Just now, he slipped a little and made a big movement, which caused Qin Ruan to wake up. "I feel like my body is falling, and it scared me." Qin Ruan told the truth. She struggled in Hou Yunjiao's arms, "Let me down, please." "Don't move." Hou Yunjiao's voice was slightly deep, "We're only a few steps away. I'll carry you back." Qin Ruan had slept soundly in the car and her complexion had also regained some color. Hou Yunjiao remembered that when she received the person at the Rong family before, Qin Ruan's face was pale and weary. He didn't ask Qin Ruan what she had been doing, but he knew she must have been dealing with those ghosts. He felt like he needed to have a good talk with Qin Ruan. Qin Ruan was holding onto Hou Yunjiao's shirt and didn't struggle as she leaned against his chest. Hou Yunjiao carried her back to the bedroom, not the guest room, but to his own large bed. "Third Master?"  Qin Ruan sat on the bed, her exquisitely beautiful face full of confusion. She had always lived in the guest room, so why didn't Third Master send her back to her room? Hou Yunjiao undid the second button on his shirt. He stood by the bed, his deep eyes looking down at Qin Ruan. He reached up and touched Qin Ruan's slightly dazed face, his lips curling up. "Still sleepy?" "Not really." Qin Ruan's drowsiness had disappeared the moment she was placed on the bed that didn't belong to her. Hou Yunjiao swept her stray hair behind her ear and casually pinched her earlobe. He had to admit, Qin Ruan was really beautiful. In her beauty, there was the innocence that couldn't be erased even after her adulthood, and a hint of seduction that he personally bestowed upon her. This contradictory atmosphere was what made men unable to resist and also made them indulge in fantasy. Hou Yunjiao had witnessed Qin Ruan's appearance, body, and the restrained wild temperament she possessed. He knew how alluring this girl could be. Since learning that she was pregnant, he had not thought of any other ambiguous sexual encounters. Perhaps the night was too tempting, or maybe it was Qin Ruan's cute and dazed expression that made Hou Yunjiao feel restless. Realizing that the situation was not good, he released Qin Ruan's earlobe and took two steps back. "What's wrong?" Qin Ruan was puzzled by his series of evasive actions. Hou Yunjiao lowered his gaze slightly, staring at the casual shoes on Qin Ruan's feet. His tone was calm and composed as he said, "Since you're not sleepy, shall we chat later?" Qin Ruan asked, "What do you want to talk about?" She glanced up at the wall clock in the room. It was already past midnight. Normal people would be asleep by this time. What could they possibly talk about in the middle of the night? She had a vague feeling that something was not right, but she couldn't explain why. Hou Yunjiao collected himself and looked at Qin Ruan's solemn face with a calm expression. His voice contained a hint of amusement as he said, "Let's talk about our wedding, and why you came to me after I fell asleep. Did you do something that you're not supposed to?" "I didn't!" Qin Ruan immediately retorted. Hou Yunjiao raised his hand and let go of the cuff of his shirt that he had been holding on to. He said nonchalantly, "You didn't come to me while I was asleep, or you didn't do anything bad to me?" "...I didn't do anything bad," Qin Ruan said, her face slightly annoyed. Everything she did was for Hou Yunjiao's own good. How could it sound like she had taken advantage of him while he was asleep? She had only combed the black chi off of Third Master's body. Nothing more. Hou Yunjiao approached Qin Ruan, bent down, and gently lifted her chin with his long, fair fingers. There was a hint of affection in his deep and affectionate eyes. He spoke softly, with a hint of coaxing, "Mrs. Huo, I believe you didn't do anything bad to me, but I think you need to explain why you came to me while I was asleep." This man was too wicked. He was just teasing her earlier. Qin Ruan had a bit of a temper too. "Can I refuse?" "Little girl, what do you think?" Hou Yunjiao rubbed Qin Ruan's fair chin and smirked. He didn't give Qin Ruan a chance to refuse, stood up, and headed toward the bathroom. "After I finish my shower, I hope Mrs. Hou will give me a satisfactory answer," Qin Ruan said, watching him enter the bathroom and feeling her heart race. Hou Yunjiao had just unbuttoned three buttons on his white shirt, and she could see the contours of his body underneath. Despite his weakness, he was over six feet tall, with perfectly proportioned physique. Just now, Qin Ruan had caught a glimpse of his body, which seemed shallow but was actually explosively powerful, with small areas of sensual texture. She widened her eyes and covered her rapidly beating heart with her hand. At this moment, she realized that she was married to the third master, and that they were husband and wife. She was his wife, and he was her husband. They were a legal couple, with responsibilities to each other. Recalling the playful curve of his lips and the meaningful smile on his exquisitely handsome face before he left, Qin Ruan's face flushed with anger and embarrassment. She covered her reddened face and let out a shy, embarrassed sound. This man, who exuded a strong hormone scent with every step, was like the most potent aphrodisiac, stirring up the deepest desires of body and soul. (End of this chapter)