Chapter 262 Being a Man Is Truly Difficult

As the boat reached the shore, the woman, looking at Lin Wanrong, gave him a slight smile, "Little brother, were you calling for me?"

"Master Sister, you're still awake at this hour? I wouldn't dare disturb your meditation. I was calling for Xian'er. My wife is home, why isn't she coming out to greet me?" Lin Wanrong shamelessly retorted.

An Biru laughed coquettishly, as beautiful as a blooming flower, giving him a flirtatious glance, "Xian'er? She said she was going to look for her husband during the day, so I returned alone. Didn't you see her? You naughty boy, I suspect you knew she was not here, and you intentionally caused trouble to find me instead, hehe..."

As she gently stroked her sleek hair, her full bosom standing firm, her eyes twinkling, and her graceful demeanor, she was as beautiful as a celestial being dancing on the waves.

The nearly thousand cavalrymen led by Hu Bugui were all vigorous young men. They had never seen such an enchanting creature, their eyes went wide, utterly captivated by her.

‘Damn it, are you flirting with me?’ Lin Wanrong gave a contemptuous glance around, seeing the soldiers he led in a state of bewitchment, he was greatly displeased.

‘What a lack of self-control!’ He averted his eyes from his Master Sister's enticing body, gave Hu Bugui a look, and said with a laugh, "Sister, don't joke around. I don't have the heart or the guts. Tonight, the moon is high, suitable for enjoyable activities. I wanted to ask Xian'er out to appreciate the moon. Xian'er, Xian'er..."

He took a step forward, ready to board the boat, but An Biru swiftly moved to stand in his way. Both of them walked too quickly and almost collided.

Sister An's full and firm bosom stood straight, she winked at him and said lightly, "Little brother, Xian'er hasn't returned yet. You'd better go look for her somewhere else. There's only me on this boat. If you come up, it would be inconvenient for us to be alone. Wait until Xian'er comes back, then you can come up. At that time, I will warmly welcome you..."

‘Challenging me? Just because you have a big bosom?’ Lin Wanrong took his gaze away from her chest, nodded and said, "Sister, you make a good point. It is indeed inconvenient for us to be alone—however, if it's a group of men and one woman, then there's no problem. Hu Bugui, this is my wife's master, also my sister, make sure the brothers keep an eye on her, no one is allowed to harm her. Oh, ordinary swords can't hurt my Master Sister..."

As soon as he finished speaking, he sidestepped An Biru and went straight onto the boat.

An Biru moved swiftly. Hu Bugui and the archers behind him aimed all their arrows at An Biru.

Lin Wanrong waved his hand at the crowd behind him, signaling them to relax. He looked at An Biru with a bitter smile, "Master Sister, why do this? We can get along harmoniously now. It wasn't easy to achieve this; let's not ruin the atmosphere over unrelated matters. Xian'er is your disciple and my wife. I could barely bear to hurt her, how could I possibly harm her? Rest assured, you can leave everything to me."

Having said that, he sighed slightly, walked around An Biru, and headed toward the cabin.

An Biru moved a bit, as if she wanted to hinder him again, but seeing his resolute gaze, she hesitated, then helplessly laughed and shook her head, "Fine. It's not my place to interfere in your couple's game. But you're well aware of Xian'er's temperament, don't scare her off, otherwise, I won't let you off the hook."

‘Scare her? Please, considering the martial arts skills of Xian'er and you, it would take at least three of me to even match the two of you, how could I possibly bully her? However, giving her a little spank on the behind, now that's feasible.’

First, he headed to the middle of the cabin, but he didn't see anyone. As he looked around, he saw a faint light leaking from the bottom of the cabin. As he followed the ladder down, he heard a woman's voice from inside.

"What, you don't like the food? From daytime to night, not a grain of rice or a drop of water? Miss Xiao, you're a renowned beauty, if you starve to the point of losing weight, who knows how many people would be heartbroken, hehe..."

Upon hearing this voice, Lin Wanrong's heart leapt with joy. Thanks to the Buddha, the Bodhisattva, it was indeed Xian'er's doing. He used to not believe when people said Xian'er was a witch, but after today, if anyone said she wasn't, he'd be the first to disagree.

Lin Wanrong peeked inside, only to see Miss Xiao and the Madam tied up with ropes, sitting on a low couch. They looked a bit dejected, but their spirits were still high, and it didn't seem like they had undergone any inhumane torture. Xian'er, on the other hand, was sitting in a chair, with a cup of hot tea on the table in front of her. She took a small sip of the hot tea with her red lips, looking at the two women in front of her, a smile on her face.

"Witch, if you want to kill us, then just do it. I, Xiao Yuruo, am not afraid of you!" Miss Xiao's angry voice echoed.

"Kill you, you think I wouldn't dare? The number of heads I've taken is enough to fill this Xuanwu Lake." Qin Xian'er took out a sharp dagger, and with a swoosh, thrust it into the wooden peg next to Miss Xiao's ear, sneering, "What's so difficult about killing you? But —"

Suddenly, she laughed seductively, "If I let you die that easily, it wouldn't be fun, it would be too easy on you. Miss Xiao, aren't you known for your pride and aloofness? Today, I will strip you of your clothes and see how you maintain your pride, hehe..."

As Qin Xian'er said this and moved to start, Miss Xiao cried out in shame and anger, "Witch, what are you doing, ah—"

Lin Wanrong broke into a cold sweat at the sound of it. It was indeed his wife, always unpredictable and inscrutable, just like him. But Xian'er wanted to undress Miss Xiao, that was a tough one for him. Should he jump out now to the rescue or should he wait until she was fully undressed? What if she undressed Miss Xiao and then moved on to undress the Madam? As a man of virtue, should he look or not?

Anyway, it was two women fighting, and the kind that involved stripping, which made his heart itch with curiosity. He was in no hurry, he let them have their row, waiting for the crucial moment to intervene like a divine being descending, that would be the moment his worth would be reflected.

"Miss, please wait!" Madam Xiao's voice suddenly rang out, urgently, "Please listen to me."

Qin Xian'er giggled, "Madam, do you think if you ask me to stop, I will?"

With a swift motion, she tore the sleeve of the Eldest Miss, revealing Xiao Yuruo's snow-white, crystalline wrist. The Eldest Miss cried out in surprise.

Qin Xian'er humphed, "What are you crying about? It's only a ripped sleeve, isn't it? And there are no men here. The only man on this ship is my husband. Even if he saw, it would be your honor. You're taking advantage of the situation and still acting coy."

Qin Xian'er was really indomitable. Lin Wanrong couldn't help but laugh bitterly, feeling a little moved in his heart. Regardless of whether what Xian'er did was right or wrong, she defended him selflessly. This deep affection made it impossible for anyone to berate her. As a man, all are creatures of desire, and a woman like this would leave them pampered, how could anyone bear to scold her?

"This lady, if I remember correctly, both Yuruo and I do not know you, and our Xiao family has no grudges against you. I don't know why you kidnapped us today. If it's for money, the Xiao family has some modest wealth. As long as it's within our means, we won't hesitate," said Madam Xiao.

"Money? Does your Xiao family have a lot of money?" Qin Xian'er gave a cold smile. If it were about money, the leftover money of the White Lotus Sect was enough for her and her Master to enjoy for ten lifetimes.

"Is the money of the Xiao family earned by you? If it wasn't for someone dedicating all their efforts to assist your Xiao family, how much could the two of you earn even if you cracked your heads? You Xiao family members don't appreciate favors. Today, I bound you here not for gold or silver, not for properties, but just to vent some anger."

"Venting anger?" Madam Xiao was taken aback. "What do you mean? How did our Xiao family offend you?"

"Ask her," Qin Xian'er said, pointing her delicate finger at Xiao Yuruo. She giggled, "Miss Xiao, did you tie the broken red thread back together?"

"It's you--" Xiao Yuruo's face changed as she angrily exclaimed, "You witch of the White Lotus Sect--"

"So what if I am?" Qin Xian'er sneered, "A witch is a witch, but it's a hundred times better than an ungrateful person like you. Today, I'm going to teach you a lesson on behalf of my husband."

"Your husband?" Miss Xiao remembered the scene on Su Qinglian's boat during the trip to Hangzhou, where this witch and Lin San were flirting and then fell into the water together. She felt a pang in her heart and spat, "He's your husband? Your words sound pleasant. But I don't know where this enchantress came from, claiming to be someone's wife after failing to seduce him, I have never seen a shameless woman like you before."

Qin Xian'er laughed, "Why are you so angry? My husband and I were matched by my Master, and after the formalities, we became husband and wife. As his wife, why shouldn't I seduce my own husband? But I don't know which girl is so shameless, trying to bind my husband with a red thread, I really admire her audacity--"

"You, you--" Xiao Yuruo, both embarrassed and angry, retorted, "You sly fox, he only has Qiaoqiao and Miss Qingxuan, where did you, a self-proclaimed wife, where did your slander come from?"

Qin Xian'er gave a cold laugh, "True, Qiaoqiao is indeed my husband's wife. I am the first, she is the second. As for that vixen Xiao Qingxuan, what is she? Like you, she's not even fit to carry my husband's shoes!"

Good heavens, Xian'er, that lass, even had the audacity to rank herself first among his wives, a point she had never raised before. If one were to rank them, then Qingxuan, who entered the family first, should be first, followed by Qiaoqiao, and then her. Yet she shamelessly put herself first, Lin Wanrong thought, chuckling to himself.

Madam Xiao asked, "Yuruo, who are you all talking about?" Xiao Yuruo gritted her teeth and replied, "Who else could it be? The most annoying man in the world! You witch, if you have the guts, release me—"

"Do you want to fight? I am more than willing to accompany you." Qin Xian'er coldly huffed, the dagger flashed in her hand, cutting the ropes binding Miss Xiao. Her martial arts were strong, she naturally did not fear that a weak woman like Miss Xiao could escape from her grasp.

"Yuruo, what are you doing?" Madam Xiao cried out in a panic.

But Miss Xiao seemed not to hear her mother's words, as she pointed at Qin Xian'er and said, "Witch, you kidnapped me once, almost costing me my life. Today, you insult me in this way—I, I'd rather die." Recalling the humiliation, tears filled her eyes. She picked up a nearby vase and threw it at Qin Xian'er.

Qin Xian'er easily dodged, rolling up her sleeves, "Fine, today I won't use martial arts, I will accompany you in this game and see who's the stronger one."

It was really about to turn into a fight, Lin Wanrong thought with surprise. Was it fashionable these days for girlfriends to be so wild? Always ready to fight? He expected it from Xian'er, but Miss Xiao, who was always gentle and noble, also resorted to physical violence. Damn it, the times had really changed, far beyond his imagination.

He stealthily looked inside, only to see Miss Xiao's jade hand gently moving, her bosom rising and falling rapidly, too emotional to speak. Qin Xian'er's delicate hand was placed on her slender waist, her beautiful figure standing tall, a cold smile at the corner of her mouth as she looked at Xiao Yuruo. Both women were incredibly beautiful, their jade-like faces flushed. Standing together, they were like twin lotus flowers, their beauty comparable.

Grandma's, Lin Wanrong exhaled, these two beauties, even in a fight were so captivating. Should he continue to secretly watch, or should he jump out to play the hero and save the damsels?

Just as he was mulling over this, he felt a heat by his ear, and a fragrance like orchids and musk entered his nostrils. A flirtatious female voice said, "Little brother, why are you hiding here and watching?"

The voice was neither loud nor soft, but just right for everyone in the cabin to hear. Lin Wanrong was startled, realizing he could no longer hide, he stood up, cursing under his breath at this vixen who was always causing trouble for him.

"I didn't see anything. Carry on, and call me when you're done." He turned to leave, the situation was too embarrassing. Sister An was deliberately trying to embarrass him. As he thought this, he retreated, his eyes lasciviously scanning over Sister An's chest.

Seeing Lin Wanrong, Qin Xian'er swooped over like a gust of wind, her voice soft, "Husband, you're back?"

Upon seeing him, Miss Xiao's eyes reddened, but she held back her tears, clenched her fists,and glared at him, saying, "It was you... you let her kidnap me. I... I hate you..." Unable to continue, she turned her head, not wanting him to see the tears in the corners of her eyes.

Damn, nobody was more wronged than him. But Xian'er was his wife and what she did, he had to bear too. He sighed, choosing not to speak.

"Husband, look, I have invited Miss Xiao over here, and also brought Madam Xiao. This Miss Xiao treated you like that yesterday, I will take revenge for you today," Qin Xian'er said, clinging to his arm.

Lin Wanrong gave a bitter smile. ‘Invited indeed! Was this your revenge for me? This feels more like trouble.’ "Xian'er, let them go," he said helplessly.

"Let them go? Why? Husband, she treated you so badly yesterday, I will not let her go--" Qin Xian'er pouted.

"Let them go!" Lin Wanrong was irritated, his face serious.

"I won't— if you want to let them go, you do it yourself!" Qin Xian'er's eyes reddened slightly, and with a swift movement, she stormed out, nearly knocking over An Biru in her haste.

This girl, she was so demanding. Lin Wanrong approached them and said, "Madam, you must have been frightened. Today's events were unexpected. I will send someone to escort both of you home right away."

Before Madam Xiao could speak, Eldest Miss Xiao scoffed, "Unexpected, indeed. The witch who kidnapped us turns out to be your wife. How very... amusing." She began to laugh, tears trickling down her cheeks. It was not laughter, but sorrow. Damn, who had he offended? He was always stuck in these ungrateful situations. It was really annoying. Lin Wanrong waved his hand, saying, "Think whatever you want, I've never claimed to be a good man anyway--"

Seeing him like this, Eldest Miss Xiao couldn't help her tears from falling like rain. She suddenly rushed out, saying, "I hate you, I hate you--"

Lin Wanrong quickly grabbed her sleeve, roaring, "You hate me, why do you hate me? What the hell did I do wrong? Why do you hate me?"

"I just do, I hate you--" Eldest Miss Xiao bit him hard on the arm, then ran out, tears streaming down her face.

Looking at the bloody bite mark, Lin Wanrong gave a bitter laugh, "Sister, have you seen enough? If you have, could you please help me out? I've had enough trouble for today."

An Biru gave him a meaningful look and sighed, "Being a man is quite difficult, isn't it?"

‘Damn, knowing you for so long, this is the first time you've said something that makes sense.’ He gave her a grateful smile. If it weren't for Madam Xiao standing beside them, he really wanted to hug his Master Sister and give her a good kiss.

He walked over and untied Madam Xiao's rope. Madam Xiao looked at him with worry, "Lin San, what's going on between you and Yuruo? Yesterday it was already a big mess, and today, what is this? You should come back home with me."

Lin Wanrong sighed, "Madam, Miss Xiao and I have incompatible personalities. It would be better for us to take a break and calm down. It will be good for everyone."

Madam Xiao laughed, "You young people always talk about incompatible personalities, making up excuses that make people laugh. When Mr. Xiao and I got married, we didn't even know each other. Didn't we still get along well after the marriage? If you just talk it over, any misunderstanding can be resolved."

Sweating, how could this be compared? This wasn't the same thing at all. Lin Wanrong smiled, "That's why, Madam, you are forever so youthful and beautiful, incomparable to anyone."

"Flatterer!" Madam Xiao shook her head and laughed, then took a few steps forward, "If you don't want to come home now, then I'll send someone to fetch you in a few days. By the way, was that woman really your wife?"

"Yes," Lin Wanrong confirmed without hesitation.

Madam Xiao sighed and didn't speak further. She started walking towards the exit. As they disembarked from the ship, they found that Hu Bugui had already arranged two palanquins. Seeing Lin Wanrong disembark, he hurried over and reported, "General Lin, Miss Xiao is already in the palanquin."

The palanquin curtain was lowered and there was no movement from within. Presumably, Miss Xiao was still shedding tears inside. Lin Wanrong helplessly shook his head. ‘What are you crying for? If anyone should cry, it should be me.’

Madam Xiao entered her palanquin and nodded and smiled at the soldiers outside, "Thank you for your efforts, Generals."

Madam indeed has the demeanor of a noble family, Lin Wanrong sighed. Suddenly, he remembered what Xu Wei had said - anyone who kidnapped Madam Xiao would have his entire clan executed. His heart skipped a beat. It was Xian'er who had kidnapped Madam Xiao, and Xian'er was his wife. Damn, if Old Xu really took it seriously, wouldn't he also be executed? What a joke!

Lin Wanrong said to Hu Bugui, "Brother Hu, when you report back to Master Xu, tell him today's events were just a misunderstanding--"

"Indeed, a misunderstanding. Yuruo and I were just out for a leisurely stroll by the lake," Madam Xiao said, looking at Lin Wanrong with a smile.

Lin Wanrong gave a thumbs-up. Madam was indeed wise and understanding. If only Miss Xiao could become like Madam one day.

As he watched the palanquins of Madam and Miss Xiao recede into the distance, Lin Wanrong turned around and nearly collided with a voluptuous figure.

"Sister, are you a cat? Moving around without making a sound?" Lin Wanrong's heart pounded as he leaned forward, getting closer to her soft bosom.

An Biru chuckled and stepped back, "I'm just curious, which one of them has caught your fancy?"

"Sister, you must be joking." Lin Wanrong said seriously, "I am pure, even purer than snow."

An Biru's expression changed, "Pure? I see you have forgotten about your own wife in the name of this purity. What did Xian'er do to wrong you? Today, for your sake, she even involved me in kidnapping this mother-and-daughter duo. Why do you think she did all this?"

"Why?" Lin Wanrong asked in confusion.

"Oh you, despite your claims of being smart--" An Biru said, gently tapping his forehead, "Xian'er saw you so distressed last night and worried for you. Today, she deliberately captured these two and let you see how she tormented them, just to help you let go of your concerns about the Xiao family. How could you not understand?"

Sweat, what a peculiar method. Lin Wanrong stepped onto the boat, hastily looking around. He found Xian'er sitting at the bow of the boat, her slender legs dangling over the side, tapping against the side rhythmically, her mouth pursed as she hummed something.

"Huh, has a fairy descended to the mortal realm?" Lin Wanrong exclaimed in surprise.

Qin Xian'er turned her head with a hum, not giving him a glance. Lin Wanrong sat down next to her, smiling, "Beautiful fairy, say something--"

"No!" Xian'er said.

"If you don't speak, then I'll have to hug you, come here, let your husband give you a hug--"

"Annoying, let me hug you tightly—" Xian'er turned and embraced him tightly, her face buried in his chest. Her delicate body trembled violently, and tears streaked her cheeks.

"There, there, don't cry. Your husband is just teasing you," Lin Wanrong gently patted her shoulders.

"But why did you scold me in front of that woman? Husband, Xian'er feels upset, wu wu—"

Lin Wanrong lightly patted her cheek, wiping away her tears, "Silly girl, I scold you because I care about you. We are husband and wife, the more I scold, the more it shows affection and closeness. Look at Miss Xiao, she wishes for me to scold her, yet I don't. Why? She's not qualified, she's levels below my precious Xian'er!"

Only a naive girl like Xian'er would believe his words. Xian'er lifted her tear-streaked beautiful face and asked blankly, "Husband, is what you're saying true?"

"It's true," Lin Wanrong answered solemnly, "Truer than gold and silver."

Xian'er burst into a smile, burying herself into his embrace, "Husband, you are so kind! Then you can scold Xian'er as much as you want in the future, you can even hit Xian'er."

He was taken aback by her peculiar request. Teasingly, Lin Wanrong lifted her round chin and pecked her cherry lips, "My dear, how could I bear to do that— once a week will suffice!"

"Annoying!" Xian'er playfully nestled in her husband's arms, then suddenly asked, "Husband, have you ever liked Miss Xiao?"

"Never, absolutely never! This is the truth, as real as what I just told you," Lin Wanrong immediately declared seriously.

"Hmm," Xian'er nodded lightly, "I feel relieved. Husband, you should marry her in the future—"

"What—," Lin Wanrong nearly tumbled off the bow of the ship, ‘Am I really getting old? I can't fathom the thoughts of these young girls nowadays!’

"It's not good, I'm a serious man. I won't bring anyone home without love. If I did that, how could I face you, Qiaoqiao, Qingxuan, and whoever else?"

Upon seeing his stunned look, Xian'er couldn't help but giggle, she squirmed playfully in his arms, "Husband, I want you to marry Miss Xiao to torment her. Once you marry her as a concubine and assign her to my room, don't consummate the marriage with her. I'll find ways to order her around every day, isn't it interesting?"

‘Interesting, truly interesting—’ Lin Wanrong's face had turned white. This girl has been harboring such thoughts for more than a day or two. She wouldn't be planning to do the same with Qiaoqiao, Qingxuan, and the Second Miss, would she? That'd be the death of him.

Seeing his pale face, Xian'er tried hard to suppress her laughter. Lin Wanrong looked at Xian'er, seeing her struggling not to burst into laughter, and he realized, this girl was intentionally making fun of him.

"Very well, let me first have my way with you, Xian'er. Strip off your clothes—" Xian'er broke into a fit of laughter, the couple cavorted together, the passion between them flaring.

"So, have you two made up?" An Biru strolled over from behind, settling down beside Lin Wanrong, asking with a smile.

"Master—" Xian'er's face reddened, and she quickly sat up from her husband's embrace.

"General Lin, Little brother, I must say, your mouth is quite something. Women across the world who encounter you are indeed facing a bewitching spell, few can escape your grasp," An Biru sighed.

"Sister, eavesdropping isn't a good habit," Lin Wanrong replied with a teasing smile. She made it sound as though he was a lady-killer. "I wonder, Sister, if you can escape my spell."

An Biru gave a slight smile, not saying a word.

Lin Wanrong yawned and said, "Xian'er, I want to hold you."

"Hmm!"

"Sister, I want to hold you."

"Hmm!"

As Lin Wanrong's left arm went around Xian'er and his right hand was about to circle An Biru's slender waist, he saw Sister An giggle, revealing a chilly glint in her palm, appearing ready to strike.

Lin Wanrong's expression changed instantaneously, withdrawing his hand. He solemnly said, "My bad, my bad, I almost embraced the wrong person. Sister, this is just habitual speech and action, it doesn't mean I will really hold you— you see, I sought your opinion beforehand, didn't I?"

An Biru shot him a coquettish look, but inside, General Lin felt a chill. No wonder Xian'er didn't blame him for flirting with her master. It seemed that the man who could frivolously flirt with Sister An had not yet been born in this world.

While he was mulling over this, a sharp whistle echoed from the distant Qinhuai River. A firecracker soared into the sky. Lin Wanrong's expression changed, "They've started, they've finally started…"