The Foolish General's Mute Spouse - Chapter 69

69: Identity from Back Then

His voice wasn’t particularly soft, and in an instant, the surrounding guests all turned their gazes toward them. Fu Yu’an wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

He grabbed Xia Xiu and dragged him out, pleading, “Go sit at the kids’ table! I’m begging you, you really shouldn’t drink, seriously!”

“Hey, hey, hey!”

Xia Xiu resisted, but Qi Ren cracked his knuckles and personally “escorted” him to the children’s table.

The table finally quieted down a bit. Qi Ren moved his stool closer to Fu Yu’an, pouring wine with one hand while the other, under the table, took hold of his.

Fu Yu’an flinched slightly but was soon captured by the persistent man. His fingers were interlaced with Qi Ren’s, the larger hand filling the gaps between them, his thumb gently stroking the back of Fu Yu’an’s hand.

“Should I get you some fruit wine instead? You’ve only just recovered—don’t push yourself like this.”

Fu Yu’an shook his head. “It’s just a little. It’s fine.”

“Even a little is too much! Did you stay up late drawing again last night?”

“Huh? You weren’t—”

“You thought I wouldn’t notice just because I was asleep? Naive!”

“…”

Fu Yu’an traced the rim of his wine cup, lowering his head in admission. “I won’t do it again.”

Next time, I’ll wait until you’re sound asleep before sneaking out.

Qi Ren loved this obedient side of him—it made him want to protect Fu Yu’an fiercely while also wanting to ravage him mercilessly.

A contradiction.

Qi Ren patted the back of his hand with his free hand and stood up. “I’ll go get you some fruit wine. Don’t you dare drink behind my back!”

Fu Yu’an nodded, smiling as he watched him leave.

Before long, Qi Ren returned carrying two large bowls filled to the brim with golden-hued wine.

Fu Yu’an was startled. “Why so much?”

“Couldn’t find a wine jug. It wouldn’t do to bring the whole wine jar over… Make do with this. Should I transfer it to a jug for you?”

“No need, no need. Bowls are fine! It smells amazing—what kind of fruit wine is it?”

Qi Ren leaned down and sniffed. “Not sure. Looks like grape? Try it.”

Fu Yu’an took a small sip. The aroma of the wine, blended with the fruit’s sweetness, enveloped his tongue—rich, mellow, and perfectly balanced.

“Good?” Qi Ren asked.

“Mm.”

Fu Yu’an nodded and handed the bowl to his lips.

Qi Ren took a sip from where Fu Yu’an’s lips had just touched, deliberately pressing against the same spot.

He licked his lips. “It really is sweet.”

Such an old, clichéd move wouldn’t even be worth writing in a storybook, but for Fu Yu’an, it was the first time experiencing it, and he couldn’t help but blush.

Qi Ren pinched his fingers and chuckled. “I won’t tease you anymore. I’ll go check on the groom. You drink by yourself for now.”

Fu Yu’an nodded, eager for him to leave.

Qi Ren was just too clingy. Thankfully, the table was filled with people from the general’s household—otherwise, who knew how much they’d be laughed at behind their backs!

As soon as he left, Xia Xiu quietly slipped back with his chopsticks, biting the tips with a mischievous look.

“Can you two at least be a little more discreet? You were practically about to kiss! And in public, no less. Tsk tsk!”

Fu Yu’an shot him a glance, picked up the bowl again, and took a few more sips of the fruit wine, completely unfazed.

…

Li Ke was making his rounds toasting at the table of Qi Ren’s former subordinates. They were brothers who had once fought side by side, though some had stayed in the capital. Now, they could barely fill a single table together.

Qi Ren hadn’t revealed his identity, and the group had been chatting and laughing until this tall, masked man suddenly appeared. They exchanged confused glances, shaking their heads in bewilderment.

Li Ke was also at a loss, unsure how to introduce him.

Fortunately, Qi Ren had no intention of engaging in conversation. He just patted Li Ke’s shoulder and whispered, “A word in private.”

The two found a secluded corner. Li Ke remained respectful toward him.

“What are your orders, Master?”

“Nothing major… It’s really not ideal to bother you on your wedding day, but…”

“Please, speak freely!”

“Could you… help me ask Xiao Zhu—subtly, don’t make it obvious—just try to coax some information out of her?”

Ah, it must be about His Highness again!

Sure enough, Qi Ren lowered his voice further. “Help me find out—back then, who was helping Yu’an deliver those illustrated books out of the palace? Was it Xiao Zhu?”

Li Ke was startled, not understanding why he’d suddenly bring up the books.

He glanced around to ensure no one was listening, then whispered, “Xiao Zhu mentioned this to me before. His Highness usually delivered them himself, saying he didn’t want to tarnish a young girl’s reputation… Why do you ask?”

“He delivered them himself?” A thought flashed through Qi Ren’s mind, fleeting but significant.

His instincts told him there was something off about the past events, but he couldn’t quite piece it together yet.

“I’ll ask him about it later. I feel like I’ve overlooked something.” Qi Ren frowned slightly. “Go back to your toasts. And take tomorrow off—no need to report to the general’s residence!”

Li Ke’s face lit up with joy, and he quickly clasped his hands in gratitude before happily returning to the festivities.

Qi Ren downed the wine in his cup in one gulp and strode back to find Fu Yu’an.

Only to see him and Xia Xiu leaning against each other, dazed and swaying like a pair of drunkards.

Qi Ren’s bl00d boiled with rage, a twisted sense of catching them in the act, and he nearly yanked Xia Xiu away on the spot.

The two bowls of fruit wine on the table were empty—one finished by Fu Yu’an, the other by Xia Xiu.

“Yu’an… hic! Your husband’s here! Your man! Hahahaha, his face looks so dark!”

Qi Ren: “…”

Everyone at the table hung their heads in silence, afraid to make a sound lest they incur his wrath.

Fu Yu’an had his eyes closed, clearly already drunk and passed out.

Qi Ren suppressed the urge to hit someone, repeatedly reminding himself that this was someone else’s wedding banquet and he couldn’t make a scene.

He shot Xia Xiu a fierce glare, then grabbed Fu Yu’an’s arm and hauled him up.

Xia Xiu, losing his support, wobbled unsteadily before his head thumped against the table with a dull thud.

Clutching his head, he groaned in pain. Fu Yu’an, slightly more alert now, glanced down and gasped in concern—completely unaware of his own predicament—and even had the nerve to console him:

“Are you okay?”

Qi Ren grew even angrier, yanking Fu Yu’an closer and shielding him from Xia Xiu with his broad back.

Fu Yu’an craned his neck, still trying to check on Xia Xiu. With an irritated click of his tongue, Qi Ren finally lost his patience and dragged him out of the hall.

Outside, a light snow had begun to fall at some point, the flakes drifting down and melting the moment they touched their hair.

Qi Ren scooped him up in a bridal carry. Fu Yu’an didn’t resist at all, instead cheerfully catching snowflakes in his palm, only to watch them dissolve into droplets before he could even examine them properly. Disappointed, he withdrew his hand.

The cold wind had finally sobered him up a little, but he was still unbearably drowsy.

Qi Ren watched as he nuzzled against his chest like a small animal, and the anger in his heart instantly dissipated.

Forget it. There’s no way he’d ever fall for someone like Xia Xiu—so scrawny and weak. Why am I even worrying about this?

The carriage was waiting outside. Qi Ren carried him in, bundled him up in his own cloak, and settled him inside.

With a long whistle from the coachman, the carriage lurched into motion, heading toward the general’s residence.

Fu Yu’an rested his head against Qi Ren’s shoulder. Qi Ren gently brushed the stray hairs away from his face and asked softly, “Did you drink the whole bowl? The aftereffects are this strong? Wasn’t it just fruit wine?”

Fu Yu’an let out a few vague murmurs, eyes still closed—who knew if he’d even understood the question.