Free Web NovelChapter 154: Chapter 154: Contact
Tang Yuanxiao had barely finished speaking when a woman sitting nearby snorted with laughter.
"Just grabbing her arm? She’s your wife, just hold her close, can’t you?"
As she spoke, the pregnant woman gave Su Li a shove on the waist, pushing her directly into Tang Yuanxiao’s arms.
"This bus is so bumpy, I get tired just watching her. You two are husband and wife, no one’s going to laugh at you."
The woman laughed heartily, her voice not quiet at all.
Others nearby who heard turned to look and laughed along.
"That’s right! It’s so crowded in here, no one will laugh at you, haha."
Amidst the crowd’s boisterous laughter, Su Li—who had been pushed into Tang Yuanxiao’s arms by the surprisingly strong pregnant woman and had her face slam into his chest—was speechless: "..."
’This is a disaster!’
Su Li was just about to pull away when the bus, as if to spite her, lurched violently. Instead of retreating, she ended up leaning even more firmly into Tang Yuanxiao’s embrace.
He had a full armful of her. ƒrēewebnovel.com
"Careful." Su Li had unfortunately lost her grip on the handrail, so Tang Yuanxiao, forgetting everything else, quickly wrapped an arm around her shoulders to steady her.
Tang Yuanxiao tried his best to appear calm on the surface, but being completely unprepared—or rather, already being on edge—he was suddenly holding a warm, soft, fragrant armful of her.
The impact was like Mars crashing into Earth.
Tang Yuanxiao’s mind went completely blank, and he felt so happy he could burst.
Perhaps the shock was too great for him to react immediately. Before he even had time to blush, he was already rushing to Su Li’s rescue.
He was a captain for a reason; his skills were a given.
With that one embrace, Su Li was pulled from her semi-out-of-control state.
Although the bus was still lurching, she no longer felt like she was about to be thrown into the air.
Stunned for a moment after being held steady, Su Li was about to straighten up when she heard a THUMP-THUMP-THUMPING heartbeat, each beat pounding against her eardrum and cheek.
It felt as if the heart was about to leap out of his chest, which seemed to vibrate with every beat.
Su Li froze for a second, listening to Tang Yuanxiao’s rapidly accelerating heartbeat.
Tang Yuanxiao’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He desperately tried to clear his mind, to stop himself from blushing or getting a nosebleed.
He managed to control that with astonishing self-discipline, but his heartbeat was another story.
That frantic, out-of-control, jubilant, racing heartbeat was a completely new experience for Tang Yuanxiao.
What felt like both a few seconds and an entire century passed before Tang Yuanxiao finally found his voice.
"Are you okay?"
He asked Su Li in a low, hoarse voice.
"I’m fine." Su Li shook her head, fumbling behind her for the handrail.
Instead of the handrail, her hand found a pair of small ones.
"Mommy, I’m over here."
Little Tang Mo’s smiling voice reached her ears.
Little Tang Mo patted Su Li’s hand and looked at Tang Yuanxiao. "Daddy, hold Mommy tight so she doesn’t fall."
And wasn’t Little Tang Mo’s voice just a little too loud and a little too happy!
He was overjoyed because Daddy was finally hugging Mommy!
And Mommy didn’t even hit Daddy!
For him, this was a cause for celebration.
The look Little Tang Mo gave Tang Yuanxiao was full of encouragement and approval—’This boy is teachable.’
His clueless father was finally getting it. All his hard work teaching him hadn’t been in vain.
With Little Tang Mo, the master saboteur of mothers, on the job, Su Li wanted to cry but had no tears.
Seeing how happy Little Tang Mo was, Tang Yuanxiao felt amused, happy, and a little bit sad all at once.
His heart was still racing, but he himself had calmed down considerably.
He’d managed to keep his blush under control, and his heart was now filled with a tender warmth.
"Okay," he replied, his voice as steady and reliable as the man himself.
Su Li: "..."
She pulled her hand away from Little Tang Mo’s, grabbed the handrail, and finally escaped Tang Yuanxiao’s embrace.
She stood up straight and took a step back—if she hadn’t, she would have started to worry for Tang Yuanxiao’s safety.
’His heart is beating way too fast. I hope he doesn’t pass out.’
The moment his arms were empty, Tang Yuanxiao felt an emptiness in his heart. He didn’t try to do anything more, though, merely hovering a hand around Su Li to keep her from falling.
"Be careful, Mommy," Little Tang Mo urged worriedly from behind.
Unable to cope with the jolting, Su Li sighed internally, glanced up, and finally raised her free hand to loop it through Tang Yuanxiao’s arm.
Tang Yuanxiao’s eyes lit up, and he stood even straighter.
As he looked down at Su Li, layers of joy bloomed in his eyes, gradually melting the sharp lines and cold features of his face.
That kind of joy was breathtaking.
Su Li looked into Tang Yuanxiao’s eyes, her gaze faltering as an incredible thought suddenly flashed through her mind.
’Tang Yuanxiao is... he’s...’
Su Li averted her gaze, her expression unreadable as she looked down. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
Tang Yuanxiao could only see the crown of Su Li’s head, not her uncertain expression, and the corners of his mouth curved up in a fleeting smile.
He glanced at Little Tang Mo, who was still silently mouthing the word ’hug’ at him, and his gaze gradually filled with resolve.
’Su Li, I won’t give up just like that.’
’I won’t give up on you.’
’Even if we’re divorced, I’ll do everything in my power to win you back, to make you my wife again.’
’I only want you.’
The bus cabin was crowded and incredibly bumpy, filled with occasional gasps and complaints.
But in the corner with Tang Yuanxiao and Su Li, it was as if they were in another world.
One of quiet serenity.
The bus slowly made its way toward the Imperial City. Tang Yuanxiao only had eyes for Su Li, failing to notice a gaze fixed on him from behind and to the side.
A look that seemed to hold resentment, hatred, and a hint of coquettish anger.
「After a bumpy ride of over an hour, they finally arrived.」
The group disembarked in a noisy, lively throng.
"Brother Miao, you’ve really gone all out!"
Everyone looked at the restaurant before them, clicking their tongues in amazement.
Mr. and Mrs. Miao had truly been generous. When he said he was treating them to a banquet, he meant a real banquet.
They had booked a restaurant that people usually only came to for wedding receptions.
"Come on, come on, let’s go in, hurry up."
With a grand wave of his hand, Mr. Miao led the way inside.
Adults and children filled five large tables to the brim. It was an incredibly lively scene.
Tang Yuanxiao and Su Li were "lucky" enough to be seated at the main table, along with Mr. Miao, Mrs. Miao, Miao Zhi, and a few other high-status individuals.
Miao Zhi had also seated the nurse, Yang Xiangyun, at their table. Miao Zhi kept calling her "Sister Yang," and the two looked very close.
Miao Zhi was very busy. Behind her sat a group of adolescents and teenagers.
Everyone from ten to their late teens who wasn’t yet married was there. With their friends behind them, the chatter was non-stop.
Su Li, too, was surrounded by the married women and their children. Most of the kids were mischievous, and in an era of relative material scarcity, they were also quite gluttonous.
The dishes had only just started arriving, and more than half the children couldn’t sit still.
"Stop grabbing at the food! You act like you’re starving!"
"If you grab again, I’ll break your hand!"
Along with the scolding, there was the sound of children being spanked, followed by loud wails. The noise gave Su Li a headache, but when she looked down at Little Tang Mo beside her, she felt a sense of relief.
Little Tang Mo sat obediently, not moving, the very picture of a quiet and well-behaved child. He couldn’t have been more obedient or well-mannered.
"Momo is so well-behaved." Before Su Li could praise him, someone else spoke up.
Su Li looked up and saw Yang Xiangyun, sitting across from them, smiling as she praised Little Tang Mo.
