Compared to a basic candy-bar phone that could only play Snake, the hand-me-down smartphone Liu Ruyun had discarded was practically a flagship device, running smoothly with crystal-clear image resolution.
Why was the resolution so clear?
Because Xiang Feng was currently flipping through Liu Ruyun's photo album!
The poses were seductive, her eyes brimming with spring.
Crucially, she was wearing barely anything.
"What are you looking at? I called you twice and you didn't even hear me."
Having finished her bath, Liu Ruyun was wiping her damp hair as she curiously leaned in closer.
"Wife, you're so open-minded. You're wearing so little in these photos—it looks even better than wearing nothing at all."
Xiang Feng stared at the phone with an excited expression.
"Ah, you..."
Liu Ruyun, whose expression had returned to normal after her shower, blushed once again.
It was all her fault for being careless and failing to delete the photos from her phone before he saw every single one of them.
"Stop looking, delete them right now, ah..."
Liu Ruyun lunged to grab the phone, but Xiang Feng easily sidestepped her. Losing her balance, she stumbled and tumbled straight into his arms.
"Wife, you smell so good. Were you in such a rush to throw yourself at me?"
Xiang Feng wrapped his arms around the woman's slender, soft waist and took a deep breath. The faint, refreshing fragrance was intoxicating, and her jade-like, soft body made his heart race even faster.
"Don't rush, let your husband clean up first and then we'll have our wedding night. Well, tonight won't work—it's that time of the month. Let's wait a few days." Xiang Feng looked somewhat annoyed.
Today was his wedding day. Whether they ate the wedding feast didn't matter; this should have been the wonderful night of their wedding, yet there was the risk of "running a red light."
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
Struggling, Liu Ruyun stood up from the man's embrace, feeling utterly embarrassed. "Give me back my phone right now. You can't look at that."
"Why can't I look? I've already seen what you look like without clothes, and now I can't even look when you're wearing them?"
Xiang Feng frowned. "Is it a crime to look at my own wife?"
"..."
Liu Ruyun was left speechless.
"Wife, do you want me to take some pictures for you? My photography skills are top-notch, you know."
Xiang Feng stared at the woman with eyes shining brightly.
"No need."
Liu Ruyun quickly refused. "You should get some rest. I'm sleepy, I'm going to bed first."
With that, Liu Ruyun practically fled into the bedroom.
Just to be safe, she even locked the door from the inside.
"Sigh, what a buzzkill. We agreed to get married and have babies, and now I'm sleeping alone."
Xiang Feng shook his head in frustration.
Remembering that Liu Ruyun's period was approaching, Xiang Feng felt a little better.
After heading into the bathroom to wash up, he lay down on the couch and continued playing with the phone.
There were still plenty of pretty pictures on it.
That night, however, Liu Ruyun couldn't sleep much.
Thinking back on everything that had happened over the past day felt like a surreal dream.
She had fallen out with the Liu family, completely severed ties with Li Donghao of the Li Group, and then suddenly married Xiang Feng, this crude and fierce little husband from outside.
"Am I really going to have a baby with him?"
Liu Ruyun's face grew slightly warm.
Suddenly, a sharp cramp struck her lower abdomen. Liu Ruyun knew instantly that something was wrong—the pain was all too familiar. She hurried out of bed to find a sanitary napkin and put it on.
*Tap, tap... tap, tap, tap.*
At that moment, someone knocked on her bedroom door.
"Wife, is 'Auntie' here? Is your lower abdomen stabbing you with pain? Do your limbs feel cold?"
Xiang Feng's voice came from outside, sounding as if he had supernatural foresight.
Liu Ruyun had been worried that Xiang Feng might use this opportunity to barge in and take advantage of her, but upon hearing those words, she opened the door as if guided by some mysterious impulse.
Outside the door, Xiang Feng was wearing oversized pajamas, a clean and genuine smile on his face.
He grinned, revealing a row of white teeth that made anyone envious.
"Wife, drink some brown sugar water. It will help raise your body temperature and ease the cramps in your lower abdomen."
Xiang Feng smiled as he handed the cup to Liu Ruyun.
Liu Ruyun took it and held it in her palms. A wave of warmth spread from the bottom of her heart, surging through her entire body.
Her heart melted.
"Thank you, Xiaofeng."
The woman parted her red lips slightly, her eyes stinging with emotion.
Aside from her late grandfather, probably no one else in the entire world treated her this well.
Even though he had designs on her body, Liu Ruyun didn't feel any aversion to it.
"What are you thanking me for?"
Xiang Feng shook his head vigorously, pretending to be angry. "You're my wife. If I don't cherish you, who will?"
"..."
The sudden burst of dominance from this crude and fierce little guy moved Liu Ruyun even more deeply.
"Right, wife. Sit down, lie back against the sofa, and I'll give you a massage. Your stomach won't hurt nearly as much then."
Xiang Feng helped the woman sit down.
Liu Ruyun's face turned red, however, and she stammered, "Xiaofeng, you don't have to. I'm used to it. Besides, most girls have some pain during their period; you just grit your teeth and push through it. It only lasts three or four days anyway."
"You're different."
Xiang Feng shook his head, his expression turning serious.
"Why am I different? Am I not a woman?"
"You're the most beautiful woman among them all. Even the heavens are jealous of you."
"Pfft!"
Liu Ruyun laughed. Her two shallow dimples didn't hold any wine, yet they were exceptionally intoxicating.
"Wife, you look so pretty when you smile. I want to kiss you."
Xiang Feng stared at the woman with a completely earnest expression.
"..."
Chapter 11: I Really Wasn't Acting Like a Hoodlum
"Xiaofeng, how is your medical skill so amazing? You don't look very old."
Liu Ruyun took a sip of the brown sugar water and cleverly shifted the topic.
"That's called talent."
Seeing that the woman remained somewhat skeptical, Xiang Feng continued, "Wife, how about this? Let's take your condition as an example. If I guess right, how about you let me give you a kiss?"
Looking at the woman's slightly full yet exceptionally sexy red lips, Xiang Feng felt tempted.
"Y-You go ahead."
Liu Ruyun figured she wouldn't lose out on this deal; after all, she was his wife, and letting him kiss her once was no big deal.
If she really didn't want to, she could just refuse to admit to anything later when Xiang Feng brought it up, right?
"Alright, it's a deal."
Xiang Feng's spirits soared.
"The reason you experience sharp pains during your period is because your meridians are blocked."
"Blocked meridians?"
Liu Ruyun frowned, raising a doubt. "Aren't blocked meridians supposed to cause a very light flow? But on the second and third days, my flow is extremely heavy. How could my meridians be blocked?"
"Pain means blockages; no pain means smooth flow."
Xiang Feng put on the air of a veteran traditional Chinese medicine doctor and patiently explained.
"When the flow is heavy, it is indeed flowing. But you're not telling the whole truth. On the first day, the flow is extremely light, sometimes stabbing like needles, sometimes aching with pressure. It's just like a water pipe: when you tamper with it, the water flow is very small, but pressure keeps building up from behind. The water pressure will burst through the obstruction, and if it can't burst through, *boom*, it blows right up."
"And if it does clear, the flow is smooth, but what if it doesn't?"
Seeing the woman deep in thought, Xiang Feng continued, "Right now you're young, beautiful, and full of vitality, so you can withstand the impact and endure the pain. But as you get older, that might not be the case. Therefore, period cramps are not normal—it's an illness, and it needs to be treated."
"Then, how do you treat it? And how did I get this illness in the first place? Am I really different from other girls?"
Liu Ruyun asked without shame.
"Of course you're different from other girls. You have a Profound Ice Spirit Body, something that only appears once in a century!"
Xiang Feng chuckled inwardly, but he didn't voice the actual truth. Such matters were too abstract, and Liu Ruyun might not believe him, likely thinking he was just talking nonsense.
Rolling his eyes, Xiang Feng said, "It's because dampness and cold have entered your body. Simply put, you spent too much time touching cold water, or you lived in a damp, cold place for a long time, which left behind the root cause."
"That's right."
Liu Ruyun nodded repeatedly, blurting out, "Years ago, when I first arrived at the Liu family, I knew I had no status or standing, so I scrambled to do all the laundry and cooking. I washed clothes and bedding in the dead of winter. Later, I studied abroad, and in that place, the highest temperature of the four seasons never exceeded ten degrees Celsius, while the coldest dropped below minus forty. It was around that time that I started feeling terrible pain every single time."
"Isn't that it?"
Xiang Feng leaned his face closer and grinned. "Wife, I guessed it all correctly. Do I get to collect my kiss first?"
"Ahem."
Liu Ruyun blushed. "Let's not rush. Tell me how to cure this illness. Can it be completely cured? Even reducing some of the pain would be fine."
"This illness isn't difficult. Only..."
Xiang Feng raised his eyes to glance at the woman, his brow slightly furrowed.
"Only what?" Liu Ruyun asked hurriedly. Since it concerned her own body, she dared not be careless.
"Do you want to treat the symptoms, or the root cause?"
Xiang Feng answered with a question of his own.
"How do you treat the symptoms? And how do you treat the root cause? What's the difference?" Liu Ruyun wasn't so easily fooled.
"To treat the symptoms, I just need to give you a simple massage and warm compress. I can't guarantee anything else, but it won't hurt this time—though next time is uncertain. Treating the root cause is easier to understand: it means it will never hurt again. However, the method of treatment is a bit peculiar, and you might not be able to accept it..." Xiang Feng watched the woman, his eyes growing a bit more burning and captivated.
"What is the method to treat the root cause? Tell me first."
Liu Ruyun didn't suspect anything.
As a sufferer of menstrual cramps, only she knew how excruciating those few days every month were.
As a woman, there were always those few days every month when she had to act like a child, wearing something akin to a diaper, sticky and extremely uncomfortable all day long, plagued by sharp cramps in her lower abdomen, unable to take a bath or eat anything cold—it was sheer misery.
If the root cause could be cured, why settle for treating just the symptoms?
"Well, treating the root cause means the combination of Yin and Yang."
Xiang Feng rubbed his nose.
"What do you mean? Keep it simple."
Liu Ruyun frowned.
What the hell was a combination of Yin and Yang?
Tai Chi and the Eight Trigrams?
"Simply put, it means sleeping with me."
"Y-You hoodlum!"
Liu Ruyun's face turned beet red as she gritted her teeth and glared at Xiang Feng.
She had previously thought her little husband was quite honest, but now it was clear he wasn't honest at all.
His mind was entirely set on taking advantage of her body—he was terribly wicked.
"Wife, I really wasn't acting like a hoodlum."
Xiang Feng smiled helplessly. "Men belong to Yang, and women belong to Yin. The union of a man and a woman is the combination of Yin and Yang, adjusting and nourishing each other's bodies. How on earth did that make me a hoodlum?"
"If you don't believe me, feel free to ask the female friends around you. See if their pain decreased or even vanished after they got married or started sleeping with a man. If I'm lying even a little bit, may I be struck by five lightning bolts and die a miserable death."
"Really?"
Liu Ruyun was half-skeptical.
"Do I have any reason to lie to you?" Xiang Feng said. "You're already my wife; sleeping with me is entirely natural and justified. There's no need for me to use your body to make jokes, right?"
Hearing this, Liu Ruyun nodded slightly. It seemed to make sense.
"Then how do we treat the symptoms? I need to think about the method for the root cause—I'm not ready yet."
Liu Ruyun said softly, her face flushed.
If he had truly wanted to do anything to her while she was unconscious and drowning in the water, he could easily have taken advantage of her then.
Liu Ruyun still trusted the man's character somewhat.
"Treating the symptoms is quite simple. Come here, move a little closer, and I'll give you a massage. But you'll have to endure it a bit; my strength is a bit high, and I'm afraid you won't be able to handle it."
Xiang Feng rubbed his nose while hiding a wicked grin.
"Oh, it's fine. Go ahead, I can take it!"
Liu Ruyun replied, then proactively shifted a bit closer to Xiang Feng.
Without wasting any breath, Xiang Feng secretly channeled his inner strength, pressed his palm against Liu Ruyun's lower abdomen, and began massaging gently.
"Mm-hm..."
A wave of warmth washed over her, and Liu Ruyun instinctively let out a comfortable moan, a flush rising across her pretty face.
"Wife, don't moan in such a seductive way, or I won't be able to restrain myself."
Though he said that, Xiang Feng mischievously increased his strength.
A stream of pure, vigorous Yang energy slowly seeped into the woman's body. Liu Ruyun tightly pressed her red lips together, gritting her teeth to endure the split-second pain as the barrier was breached.
"Mm-hm..."
After a long while, Liu Ruyun let out another muffled groan, though a light sheen of sweat now coated her brow. The pain on her face had completely vanished, and her entire body instantly felt much lighter.
"It feels so good."
"Uh, wife, I suggest you head to the restroom. It's going to get pretty torrential shortly, so you'd better mentally prepare yourself."
Xiang Feng withdrew his hand and warned her.
"No, it's already starting to pour..."
Liu Ruyun's expression changed drastically as she bolted for the bathroom.
"As expected of a genuine Profound Ice Spirit Body. This marriage was a great deal, and my wife is drop-dead gorgeous."
Watching the woman's retreating figure, Xiang Feng rubbed his chin, his smile laced with cunning.
Chapter 12: You Can't Cure This Illness
After the torrential storm passed, Liu Ruyun, suffering from "severe blood loss," fell into a deep sleep, leaving her no time to properly thank her little husband, Xiang Feng.
Early the next morning, Liu Ruyun was lured awake by the aroma of food.
"Did you make all of this?"
As soon as Liu Ruyun stepped out of the bedroom, she was instantly stunned.
A simple yet exceptionally exquisite breakfast was laid out on the dining table.
There was fragrant congee, sweet and sour smashed cucumbers, steamed soup dumplings, steamed plain buns, and a cup of warm soy milk on the side.
"Wife, you're awake? Come over and eat."
Wearing an apron and barefoot, Xiang Feng shuttled back and forth between the kitchen and the living room, looking every bit like a devoted house-husband.
Especially when she saw the slightly youthful yet exceptionally healing and brilliant smile on the man's face, Liu Ruyun suddenly felt that this kind of simple, cozy life wasn't bad at all.
Tearing off a piece of a bun and putting it into her mouth, her eyes lit up. It was sweet, delicious, and perfectly soft and chewy—better than anything made at restaurants outside.
"Is it good?"
Seeing her reaction, Xiang Feng became even more smug. "Wife, just wait to enjoy blessings after marrying me. I guarantee I'll raise you until you're plump, white, and tender."
"Get lost, I'm not a pig."
Liu Ruyun rolled her eyes, her faux-angry expression making her look even more charming.
"Hehe, just an analogy."
Xiang Feng patted his chest and said, "Anyway, marry me, and you won't have to worry about a thing from now on."
"I..."
*Beep-beep... beep-beep-beep...*
Just as Liu Ruyun opened her mouth, her phone on the table rang urgently.
Catching a glimpse of the caller ID, Liu Ruyun's expression turned somewhat ugly.
——Liu Tianlong!
"Hello."
Taking a deep breath and adjusting her emotions slightly, Liu Ruyun answered the call.
"Liu Ruyun, Grandma is gravely ill. Get to the hospital immediately."
"What?"
Hearing what was said over the phone, Liu Ruyun subconsciously looked at Xiang Feng.
Xiang Feng had previously stated in front of everyone that the old matriarch wouldn't live past three days.
Barely a day later, the old matriarch was hospitalized in critical condition. This...
"Hurry up!"
Before Liu Ruyun could speak again, Liu Tianlong on the other end had already hung up.
"Xiaofeng, accompany me to the hospital. Grandma is seriously ill, and I'm afraid something might happen to her."
Liu Ruyun pinned all her hopes on Xiang Feng, her tone carrying a hint of pleading.
Since he could spot the old matriarch's chronic illness at a glance, he must have a way to save her.
Even though the old matriarch had been harsh and petty toward her, and even forced her to marry Li Donghao, Liu Ruyun couldn't bring herself to hate her.
After all, the Liu family had given her a chance to survive back then.
This was also why Liu Ruyun worked herself to the bone.
She had to protect the life's work her grandfather had spent half a lifetime building!
"She's failing already?"
Xiang Feng frowned, somewhat puzzled. Could it be that his judgment had been wrong?
According to his deduction, the old matriarch shouldn't have run into trouble until the third day.
Today was only the first day.
"Xiaofeng..."
The woman wore a displeased look.
"Alright, let's go. Who told me I love my wife the most?"
Time was pressing. Liu Ruyun didn't even have time to change her clothes before she brought Xiang Feng straight to the Xianhai First People's Hospital.
Outside the intensive care unit, the two of them ran into Liu Tianlong and his group.
"How is Grandma?"
"Hmph, you little slut, you moved in together so fast!"
Wang Huilan stared viciously at Liu Ruyun, though out of fear for Xiang Feng, she only dared to mutter under her breath.
"Hmph!"
Liu Changsheng snorted heavily, his face cold. "Do you still have Grandma in your heart?"
"I..."
Liu Ruyun felt awkward and annoyed. She wanted to argue, but the words stuck in her throat.
"Department Director Zhou just went inside to do an examination. I believe there will be results soon, so don't worry."
Liu Hong wasn't quite as sharp-tongued. After offering an explanation, he turned around and kept his eyes fixed on the ward.
Liu Ruyun opened her mouth, desperately wanting to let Xiang Feng go inside and try.
After all, his medical skills were even more miraculous. But seeing the cold attitudes everyone held toward her, Liu Ruyun ultimately suppressed the thought.
*Screech.*
Before long, the ward door opened.
Seeing this, Liu Changsheng and the others swarmed forward.
"Director Zhou, how is my grandmother?"
"Is the old matriarch alright?"
"Everyone, calm down and listen to me."
Zhou Bin pressed his hands down, frowning as he said, "The old matriarch's condition is not looking good. Everyone should prepare themselves mentally. We used equipment to examine her for a long time, but we couldn't figure out the symptoms. The patient is still unconscious; let's wait for President Wang to return and take a look. He might have a way, so..."
"So, you can't cure this illness."
Xiang Feng finally couldn't hold it in any longer.
He had never had any fondness for Western medicine.
Damn equipment that couldn't even diagnose symptoms, yet dared to boast about being advanced?
Nonsense!
"Who are you?"
Hearing this, Zhou Bin's face instantly dropped.
"Shut your mouth! Is there any place for you to speak here?"
Liu Changsheng glared at Xiang Feng. "Director Zhou is a top-tier cardiovascular expert at the Xianhai First People's Hospital. Do you have any right to question him?"
"Exactly! If you want to show off, go pee and look at yourself in the mirror first. What kind of thing are you?"
With men backing her up and taking the front line, Wang Huilan haughtily raised her chin.
"Failing to even figure out the patient's cause of illness, and you call yourself an expert?"
Xiang Feng didn't back down at all, a mocking smirk curling the corner of his lips.
"Oh? Judging by what you're saying, you must be able to diagnose the patient's illness?"
Zhou Bin narrowed his eyes, a look of disdain on his face.
"Of course I know. I don't even need to look to know the old matriarch's symptoms and the cause of her illness." Xiang Feng stated with absolute certainty.
"Talk is cheap!"
"Really thinking of yourself as a divine doctor?"
As his words fell, they immediately drew a wave of sneers and mockery.
"Don't believe me? Fine, just wait. Give me two minutes."
Without any further explanation, Xiang Feng slipped past them and dashed straight into the ward.
"What's going on?"
"Stop him! Don't let him treat the old matriarch!"
"Uncle, Second Uncle, Xiang Feng's medical skills really are very good. Why don't we let him try?"
Liu Ruyun spoke up.