The husband I snatched halfway through his life is strange.

Chapter 124 Only He Was Secretly Competing
I got home in the evening.

It was still cold when the wind blew.

These past few days, I've had charcoal smeared on my face when I go out, and after a while, it's started to itch. Yu Tingwan washes her face as soon as she gets back inside.

Wei Zhao was looking down at a book.

It was given to him by the neighbor; he was just looking at it to pass the time.

Hearing the sound, Wei Zhao looked up.

Unlike the obviously ill-fitting cotton coat she wore before, this one fit her perfectly.

Dark blue...

In Wei Zhao's eyes, it looked mature and was something an older person would wear. Even his birth mother, the Duchess of Shun, did not have clothes of this color.

"Can you play chess?"

Yu Tingwan closed her eyes and carefully washed her face, her rosy lips opening and closing.

There were only two people in the room, which clearly indicated that the conversation was directed at Wei Zhao.

"good."

Yu Tingwan: "That's not right. I've already made a promise to you, so you should at least show that you're good at chess."

Wei Zhao spoke frankly: "There are probably not many people in this world who can rival me."

Yu Tingwan was very satisfied.

"...Can you play the flute?"

Wei Zhao: "It's alright."

"That's not right either."

Wei Zhao said calmly, "I wouldn't say I'm an expert, but I did study under a teacher for three years."

Yu Tingwan: "Yes, yes, yes!"

"Just say that if anyone asks next time."

Wei Zhao:......

Outside, Hui Niang and Wei Shouzhong were talking.

The girl pursed her lips as she listened to the voice: "These past few days, my mother hasn't said anything, but she's been thinking about her family. When I got married, my uncle and the others came, but my cousin didn't show up, and I noticed something was wrong."

"I'm just afraid something really might happen."

But Zhao Yong and his wife, Madam Yu, didn't utter a single word about it.

With Wei Shen in such a state, Yu Tingwan was truly preoccupied with her own health.

Things are getting better now, but the county town and the countryside are too far apart, so it's inconvenient to help out even if you want to.

Wei Zhao: "If you want to find out, it's not difficult. The Zhao family's son is studying at the academy in town."

Once the Spring Festival is over, the students all return to the academy.

“That’s what I think too. We have an oxcart at home, I’ll have Dad go over and take a look later.”

If you want to know if Zhao Yu is alright, why don't you just go to town and check?
"What Zhao family son? That's your cousin."

Wei Zhao: "I do have a cousin."

He said in a nonchalant tone, "But he's an incompetent good-for-nothing, a notorious scoundrel, and spoiled rotten at home."

If this were in the past, Yu Tingwan would definitely have refuted it.

Isn't Zhao Yu good enough?
Others take the imperial examinations to get ahead and make a name for themselves, but this man studies hard for years to seek justice for Xiao Niang.

But now, she paused, then continued washing her face.

Not a single word was spoken.

The room suddenly fell silent.

The silence was eerily quiet.

Wei Zhao never intended to hide anything from Yu Tingwan.

Whenever she asked, Wei Zhao would answer without reservation.

But she didn't.

Wei Zhao suppressed his emotions: "There's no need to go to town. We can just ask the neighbors next door later."

Yu Tingwan was stunned: "Next door?"

She suddenly realized something: "A tutor came to visit the neighbor today. Could it be the tutor from town?"

She seemed to realize something, and her tone betrayed her disgust.

"There are only two teachers in the town. One is surnamed Chi. He fell seriously ill many years ago. Although he still insists on teaching, the academy, big and small, has been handed over to the other teacher."

"You must be referring to Master Chu. Hu Yaozu is considered one of his most outstanding students."

Yu Tingwan: "As far as I know, this person is extremely adept at scheming."

The girl is clearly very intelligent.

Wei Zhao closed his eyes. Sometimes, even he couldn't guess what Yu Tingwan was thinking.

She should be suspicious.

Perhaps, she has begun to believe that he is Wei Zhao.

But she didn't react much.

Although Yu Tingwan sometimes wears her emotions on her sleeve, that's only when she's willing to be completely open. If she truly wanted to hide them, who could possibly see through them?
Wei Zhao: "His surname is Chu."

Yu Tingwan said, "I wonder what kind of tricks that person is up to. If I knew, I would definitely ruin it." It seemed like the couple were secretly competing. Yu Tingwan didn't want to elaborate or ask further. Wei Zhao simply let her be.

It seems that no one wants to break this balance.

But only Wei Zhao knew.

He was the only one secretly competing with others.

As for Yu Tingwan, she clearly didn't care.

Yu Tingwan washed her face and dried it with the hanging cotton cloth: "I also bought rouge, but I don't know how to use it."

Yu Tingwan: "I was planning to go home and apply it to my face to figure it out slowly, but I forgot to buy a bronze mirror."

"Fortunately, I have my husband."

Wei Zhao frowned.

His strengths lay in how to wield knives and sticks, how to kill, how to pry open the mouths of traitors, and how to manipulate the people who came to the capital.

He had never touched his daughter's belongings.

"I do not know either."

Yu Tingwan: "It's alright."

Wei Zhao said calmly, "I won't learn it either."

While feeling regretful, Yu Tingwan came up with another idea: "Then I can apply it to my husband's face to practice."

When a man draws eyebrows for a woman, it is called "raising the tray to the eyebrows" (举案齐眉).

Then they're pretty much the same.

Wei Zhao:? ? ?
The area around the eyes has become complicated.

There's nothing you wouldn't dare to do, right?

Wei Zhao: "...That's something I can learn."

Yu Tingwan: "I also bought perfume."

She knows how to use perfume.

The girl opened the box, scooped out some with her index finger, rubbed it in her hand, and then applied it to her face.

Yu Tingwan: "Oh right, I bought clothes for the two elders."

She turned around and walked towards the bed.

Wei Zhao was slightly delayed.

I thought the girl was in the prime of her youth and wouldn't be able to bear the weight of the cotton coat, but she was beautiful, with skin so white it was almost translucent, so it didn't seem out of place at all.

only……

She is more suited to brocade and silk.

"Mother said she didn't need it, but she was happy inside."

"I just tried on Father's clothes, and they fit perfectly."

Yu Tingwan wanted to say something more.

Wei Zhao: "What about mine?"

Yu Tingwan paused, a slight unease flashing across her face. But she quickly concealed her emotions.

"My husband is bedridden, and the room is warm with charcoal burning. There's no need for that."

She sat down by the bed and spoke gently to him, "Besides, don't you have one? It's just sitting there collecting dust now."

Wei Zhao: "Oh."

His tone was flat, but his deep eyes held an unreadable emotion.

"You forgot."

Yu Tingwan, exposed: ...

“Buying it would be a waste. I was thinking that I could buy it later when my husband is better.”

Wei Zhao did not listen.

He said slowly, "You forgot."

Yu Tingwan: "I've seen those clothes too, and they're actually not suitable for you..."

Wei Zhao said quietly, "You've just forgotten."

The girl remained silent for a long time.

She pursed her lips sadly, and said in a very soft voice, "Can't my husband give me a way out?"

It's a rare sight to see someone admit defeat.

Available soon.

Yu Tingwan gently advised, "A man should be more magnanimous and not dwell on such trivial matters."

Just as he finished speaking, Hui Niang's voice came from outside.

"Wan Niang, Aunt Zhao from next door is looking for you."

Here comes the step.

Yu Tingwan slipped away faster than anyone else.

As she disappeared from sight, her steps revealing obvious urgency, Wei Zhao's expression softened, and he picked up his book again.

After an unknown amount of time, a muffled laugh escaped his throat.