PWE – Chapter 43 He is just being sentimental

He gazed deeply at her, his low, steady voice tinged with gentleness. “Sorry. I just wanted to do something for this household — to make things a little easier for you. Washing clothes in winter is freezing cold. Since I’m at home these days, let me handle the laundry.”

Xiao Wange glanced down at his hands.

His palms were red from the cold — winter water really was icy. But the truth was, she never washed clothes at the riverside; she always boiled water at home to do the washing.

It was more troublesome, yes, but at least she didn’t have to freeze.

“Mm, thank you for helping with the laundry. But…” She looked straight at him. “Did anyone see you?”

Zhan Zeyan: “……”

He’d thought his words would distract her — when she looked at his hands, he assumed she’d feel sorry for him.

He hadn’t expected her to fixate so stubbornly on whether anyone had seen him. So much for trying to smooth things over.

He coughed lightly and looked at her other hand. “There was fog by the river this morning, the light wasn’t great. They probably didn’t see clearly.”

From that alone, she knew they had.

Her face darkened immediately. Instead of slapping him, she raised a foot and kicked his shin. “Do that again, and you’ll regret it!”

Then she gave a cold snort, grabbed her undergarment from the bucket, and hung it on the bamboo pole.

Zhan Zeyan bent down and rubbed his shin. She hadn’t kicked too hard, but it still hurt like hell.

He thought if he ever made that mistake again, she might actually cripple him.

He glanced sideways at her, ignored the throbbing in his leg, and hurried to hang up the rest of the clothes.

Just then, his mother’s spirit floated by and gave him a frosty look. “You really are an idiot.”

Zhan Zeyan: “!…”

——

Breakfast was cooked by both Zhan Zeyan and Xiao Wange.

But Xiao Wange didn’t say a single word in the kitchen. Her face was dark, her expression a thundercloud about to burst.

Zhan Zeyan stayed silent too — mostly because he didn’t dare speak. He was afraid that whatever he said would only make her angrier.

After breakfast, the two adults, the child, and one ghost set out toward town.

Halfway there, Zhan Zeyan suddenly said, “Wange, once we get to town, why don’t you take Zhaozhao around for a bit? I need to go up to Mount Miwu to find someone.”

Xiao Wange turned her head to glance at him. “We’ll go with you.”

Zhan Zeyan quickly said, “No need. You take the kid shopping, I—”

“Who said I’m going with you? I just heard Mount Miwu is pretty — we’re going to enjoy the scenery.” Besides, He Xiuyan was on that mountain too; she could take the chance to look for him.

Zhan Zeyan: “……”

Alright, that was just him overthinking things.

His mother’s ghost floated past, muttering, “No sense of self-awareness.”

Zhan Zeyan: “!”

——

It didn’t take long to reach Mount Miwu from town — only about half an hour.

The temple where He Xiuyan stayed was built halfway up the mountain.

At the foot of the mountain, Zhaozhao climbed down from Zhan Zeyan’s back and ran toward the stone steps. “I can walk myself! I can climb all the way up!”

The path up the mountain was made of stone steps, one after another. Looking at them, Zhaozhao somehow felt excited.

He started running up the path — when suddenly, someone burst out from the bushes beside the road.

The man collided directly with Zhaozhao.

Zhaozhao fell to the ground, scraping his palm on a sharp stone — blood instantly welling up.

The man looked down at him with irritation. “What’s wrong with you, kid? Charging around like that — don’t you watch where you’re going?”

Zhaozhao looked up at the cold-faced man, frightened. His eyes filled with tears that didn’t quite fall. “I’m sorry, Uncle. Zhaozhao didn’t mean to. I didn’t mean to bump into you.”

“You’d better be more careful next time,” the man said coldly, then turned toward a pregnant woman sitting nearby on a stone, rubbing her ankle.

She looked tired, her belly round — clearly seven or eight months along.

The man opened his mouth to call to her, but Xiao Wange suddenly stepped in front of him, her smile sharp as ice. “You knocked my kid over. Shouldn’t you at least apologize?”

Her voice was cold — cold enough to freeze.

Xu Gaoyi frowned, displeased at being stopped.

He looked up, taking in the slender woman before him. She was thin, but her whole aura was icy and composed. Still, he’d met all kinds of people — and in his mind, a woman was always the weaker side before a man.

So his face hardened. “Apologize? To whom? Comrade, please move aside and don’t block the way.”

He reached out to shove her aside — but a strong hand suddenly intercepted his wrist.

“Comrade,” Zhan Zeyan said coolly, “you can talk things out. No need to get physical.”

His tone was icy as he shoved Xu Gaoyi back hard.

Xu Gaoyi stumbled, barely catching himself on a nearby pine tree.

He gritted his teeth, glaring furiously at the couple — just as the pregnant woman came hurrying over.

“Gaoyi, what’s going on?” she asked breathlessly.

Xu Gaoyi immediately softened, supporting her by the arm. “Xiuwan, you rested enough? Let’s keep going up the mountain.”

Qin Xiuwan nodded. “Mm, I’m fine now.”

Xu Gaoyi smiled. “Then let’s go.”

Xiao Wange’s cold voice cut in, “You can go up, but first you’ll apologize to my son.”

She crouched to help Zhaozhao up, her eyes darkening when she saw the cut on his palm. While cleaning the wound with a handkerchief, she shot a fierce glare at Xu Gaoyi.

“Gaoyi, what happened?” Qin Xiuwan asked, frowning.

Xu Gaoyi scowled. “The kid ran into me. I just told him to watch where he’s going next time. But his parents — a couple of uncultured, quarrelsome street folks — decided to block my way and demand an apology!”

His voice rose with irritation.

Qin Xiuwan looked at Xiao Wange. “Comrade, children shouldn’t be reckless — they could get hurt. My husband’s tone may have been harsh, but he wasn’t wrong.”

Xiao Wange, still tending to Zhaozhao’s wound, raised her eyes slowly. “Your husband was peeing in the bushes. He finished, jumped out without warning, and ran right into my son. Not only did he not apologize — he scolded him. Tell me, whose fault is that?”

“Uh…” Qin Xiuwan frowned, turning to her husband. “Gaoyi, did you really hit the child?”

“Xiuwan…” Xu Gaoyi began, but before he could finish, Zhaozhao cried out, “Ah! Uncle, there’s a ghost behind you! A big one and a little one!”

His eyes went wide with horror.

Xiao Wange narrowed her eyes, spotting what he saw — and a cold smile curled her lips.

She knew this man wasn’t any good. Now she was certain of it.

Zhan Zeyan glanced behind Xu Gaoyi but saw nothing, only a faint chill in the air.

His mother’s ghost murmured beside him, “There really are ghosts — two of them. Both died terribly.”

The ghosts looked exactly as they had when they died.

The big one’s abdomen was slashed open, hollow inside. The small one’s intestines, a sickly greenish color, were wrapped around its body like ropes.

Zhaozhao was genuinely terrified. He clutched his mother’s sleeve, trembling.

Xiao Wange quickly pulled him close, covering his eyes. “Zhaozhao, don’t look.”

Xu Gaoyi, unnerved by the child’s words, glanced over his shoulder — but saw only gravel and tree roots.

Still, the mention of “a big ghost and a little ghost” sent a chill down his spine.

He clenched his fists, scowling at Zhaozhao. “You little brat! What nonsense! Lying about ghosts — you think that’s funny?”

Qin Xiuwan, however, felt her skin prickle. She tugged on his sleeve nervously. “They say children can see things we can’t… Gaoyi, are you sure there’s nothing behind you?”

He put an arm around her, trying to sound calm. “Of course not. The kid’s making it up. There are no such things as ghosts — we’re educated, scientific people, remember?”

They’d both studied materialist philosophy in university — the belief that spirits didn’t exist.

But Qin Xiuwan couldn’t shake her unease.

Then Xiao Wange sneered. “You claim to believe in science — so what are you doing climbing this mountain? Don’t tell me it’s for the scenery. You’re headed to the temple, aren’t you?”

Her tone dripped with mockery.

People only came to temples to burn incense or exorcise ghosts — neither of which had anything to do with “believing in science.”

Qin Xiuwan flushed with embarrassment. It did sound ridiculous — a “scientific” person visiting a temple.

Xu Gaoyi’s face darkened like storm clouds.

Xiao Wange’s lips curved into a sharp, cold smile. “Comrade, do you really know your husband? You think he’s a decent man — but some men only seem respectable. Underneath, they’re worse than animals.”

“Who are you calling an animal?” Xu Gaoyi’s voice turned frigid.

Zhan Zeyan stepped closer, holding Zhaozhao in his arms. His eyes glinted dangerously. “She didn’t name anyone. Why so jumpy — unless she hit a nerve? Are you really that kind of beast?”

“You—”

“You knocked over my kid and scolded him. For a so-called intellectual, you sure don’t act like one. So here’s your chance — apologize to my son. Or admit you’re just another uncultured street thug like us.”

Every word dropped like ice.

Xu Gaoyi opened his mouth to argue, but Qin Xiuwan quickly tugged at his arm, signaling him to stop.

She turned to the couple, apologetic. “I’m sorry. My husband was worried about me and lost his temper. Please forgive him.”

Then she smiled gently at Zhaozhao. “I’m sorry, little one. Uncle didn’t mean to bump into you, alright? Don’t be upset.”

Zhaozhao hesitated, then said, “Okay. Since pretty auntie said so, I won’t be mad.”

His earnest tone made Qin Xiuwan laugh softly. “You’re such a sweet boy.”

Zhaozhao beamed — until he suddenly froze.

He pointed in alarm. “Auntie, watch out! The little ghost — it’s on your head!”

Qin Xiuwan went pale, her body trembling. Xu Gaoyi caught her just in time.

As he steadied her, he glared at Zhaozhao. “You brat, keep talking nonsense and I’ll give you a beating!”