The Useless Alpha’s Yandere Wife - Chapter 47

The two slept soundly through the night. The next morning dawned clear and bright, the air crisp with the scent of ice and snow. Even the sulfurous odor of the hot spring seemed milder.

Having stayed an extra day or two to enjoy the hot spring’s soothing waters, everyone took turns soaking in the pools to relax.

The officers and prisoners bathed separately, as did the Qianyuan and Kunze. The Zhongyong were few in number—no more than two out of ten people—and possessed stable temperaments, so they often formed their own group, quietly going about their business.

Sang Yu chose a shallow hot spring pool for Lord Miao. Though her knees were immobile, soaking in the hot spring was beneficial and harmless, so she should participate actively.

In truth, Miao Fengqing’s right leg could move, but she couldn’t put weight on it. Overexertion now might hinder her future recovery.

Sang Yu carried Miao Fengqing to the edge of the pool and, without a word, began roughly unbuttoning her clothes.

“Stop, stop, stop! What are you doing?” Miao Fengqing slapped away Sang Yu’s hand, her expression a mix of alarm and disgust.

“Taking off your clothes, of course. You can’t go in the water dressed, can you?” Sang Yu was stunned by the slap. Glancing down, she saw her dark hand was now red. She really hit me?

“I don’t need you to undress me! My legs are paralyzed, not my hands!” Miao Fengqing glared at her, her already cold expression darkening further.

“But we’re only two steps from the pool! How can I get you there if you don’t undress?” Sang Yu retorted, equally annoyed. Who wants to serve her anyway? Complaining about this, complaining about that—isn’t she just trying to get Miss Su to come and wait on her? Too proud to ask directly, yet she finds fault with me every day!

“I can’t compare to Miss Su’s meticulousness,” Sang Yu said, testing the waters. “If Lord Miao finds me inadequate, should I call Miss Su to assist?”

Miao Fengqing leaned against the stone, her gaze lowered, neither agreeing nor refusing. Sang Yu inwardly cursed Lord Miao for putting on airs.

“Go,” she finally murmured after a long silence.

“Right away!” Sang Yu, feeling like she’d been granted a pardon, turned and vanished in a flash.

Su He had received many favors from Miao Fengqing during their journey, so helping her was both reasonable and kind.

Parting the makeshift curtain, Su He found Miao Fengqing sitting by the pool, looking as if she’d been abandoned there. Her expression softened immediately upon seeing Su He enter.

“I heard you were being difficult with Sister Sang and throwing a childish tantrum?” Su He teased, her eyes crinkling into a smile, a pair of sweet dimples adorning her cheeks.

“Who’s your ‘Sister Sang’?!” Su He’s face, which had been slightly expectant just moments before, instantly darkened as she recalled a particularly infuriating incident.

On the day they first met, Su He had clearly been waiting for someone at that spot, her face flushed with bashful anticipation. And that person definitely wasn’t her!

“Then what should I call her? She’s obviously older than me!” Su He retorted matter-of-factly.

“I’m older than you too! Why don’t you call me ‘Sister’?” Miao Fengqing’s brow furrowed deeply, all thoughts of enjoying the hot spring now completely forgotten.

“But you don’t like being called ‘Sister’!” Su He found her behavior utterly baffling.

“How do you know I don’t like it?” Miao Fengqing countered.

“Don’t follow me, and don’t call me ‘Sister Qing’! I don’t like having a little sister!”

“Do you remember saying that? Does it sound familiar?” Su He pressed, her gaze fixed on Miao Fengqing’s eyes.

“I don’t remember it, and it doesn’t sound familiar!” Miao Fengqing shook her head stiffly, her expression blank as a mask.

“Hmph! Lord Miao, with your youthful age, your memory is already failing you! You’re worse than an eighty-year-old!” Su He mocked openly.

“Perhaps I’m getting old. Did that really happen? I don’t remember!” Lord Miao denied vehemently, a faint blush rising on her cheeks.

Miao Fengqing, who had been trying to find a flaw in Su He’s behavior, awkwardly fell silent.

“Why did you call me here?” Su He asked, her face etched with resentment as she leaned closer.

“Nothing much. Just sit nearby and keep an eye on me. If something happens while I’m soaking, you can alert someone outside,” Miao Fengqing said, her voice tinged with weariness as she removed her outer robe.

“Spit, spit, spit! What are you saying? Hurry up and do what you need to do. I’m busy too!” Su He snapped, her expression tense.

Miao Fengqing lowered her gaze, her long, upturned lashes fluttering slightly. She said earnestly, “It’s awkward for you to stay up there. Why don’t you come down? It’s much more comfortable here than outside.”

“What’s this ‘up there’ and ‘outside’? Just seeing you makes me uncomfortable!” Su He retorted, stepping back and eyeing Miao Fengqing with suspicion.

Lately, Su He had been struggling to navigate her relationship with Miao Fengqing.

Miao Fengqing’s eyes flickered. Did she now look like a con artist? Or was Su He about to transfer her affections elsewhere? Frustration and unease churned within her, but she couldn’t voice her concerns directly. She didn’t know how to broach the subject.

She obediently waded to the edge of the pool, found a smooth rock to sit on, and closed her eyes, feigning sleep.

Only when there was no further movement did Su He finally glance at her.

She waded into the water wearing only her inner robe. The white silk clung to her body like a second skin, becoming almost transparent in the water. Her chest rose and fell noticeably, whether from anger or something else.

Su He suddenly remembered Miao Fengqing’s leg injury. She had been so caught up in their argument that she had completely forgotten!

A pang of guilt struck her.

“I’ll get you some dry clothes later!” she said, her voice barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz, yet it tickled Miao Fengqing’s ear.

“Mm, thank you!” The snow-cold voice carried a hint of amusement as the corner of Miao Fengqing’s lips curled upward in a secret smile. She quickly covered it with the back of her hand, afraid of being discovered.

Jiang Yan woke up refreshed after a long sleep, her spirits much brighter than the day before.

Tan Qianyue slept until late morning, with only two hours left until noon. Since they weren’t traveling today, Jiang Yan didn’t wake her.

When Tan Qianyue finally opened her eyes, she found a basin of water, a washcloth, and a toothbrush arranged on her right. Beside them sat a bowl of canned fruit in syrup, an egg, and two meat buns.

“No good deed goes unpunished,” Tan Qianyue quipped, her mouth moving faster than her brain.

“Don’t you mean ‘no good deed goes unrewarded’?” Jiang Yan teased, her laughter ringing out as she watched Tan Qianyue’s still-dazed expression.

The Eldest Miss glared at her, remembering the events of the previous night. But her glare held no threat in Jiang Yan’s eyes, instead resembling the petulant pout of a proud little kitten.

An hour later, Jiang Yan had packed her belongings and prepared to face the unknown dangers ahead.

The officers finally noticed Captain Lu’s disappearance!

“What? You still haven’t found him? Where the hell did he wander off to?” Captain Wei roared, slamming his broadsword to the ground in fury.

“Boss, yesterday he hooked up with some young lady again, said he was going to soak in the hot spring. But we haven’t found him all day!” his subordinate reported truthfully, though no one knew exactly which woman Lu had gone with.

“That damn dog never listens! He’s always fooling around and neglecting his duties. Abandoning his men like this! When I find him, I’ll break his legs!” Captain Wei fumed, his displeasure growing at Lu’s self-indulgent behavior.

Earlier that morning, the prisoners had started fighting. When they couldn’t find Captain Lu, they came to Captain Wei, disturbing his rest. Now, the old man was stomping around with a sour look on his face, searching everywhere.

Two hours passed, and everyone realized Captain Lu was truly missing—neither alive nor dead, with no trace of him anywhere on the mountain.

A bad feeling began to creep into Captain Wei’s heart.

“Search! Everyone search! Find him alive or dead!” he barked frantically, ordering everyone, including the prisoners, to join the hunt.

Jiang Yan glanced toward the cliff behind the mountain. The snow there was at least two or three meters deep, with a fresh layer of snow from the previous night. Without digging by hand, it would be nearly impossible to find any clues.

Besides, even if they found something, who could prove she had killed him?

Another hour passed, and darkness fell completely. Every place had been searched except for the cliff behind the mountain… Captain Wei’s heart turned cold.

Is that second-in-command really dead?