NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: The Doting Husband
Chapter 6: The Doting Husband
On his way home, Lu Yuan couldn’t wait to immerse his consciousness in the system space.
The top-level physique reward appeared as a luminous golden sphere within his personal system inventory. When he focused his awareness on it, a simple prompt materialized:
[Use Now?]
Was there even a question?
Lu Yuan immediately confirmed, and in the next instant, a torrent of energy surged through his body. The sensation was so intensely pleasurable that he nearly cried out loud. Only the public setting of the street kept him from voicing his ecstasy.
The power coursed through his body in a complete circuit before gradually dissipating. As Lu Yuan regained his composure, he noticed the world around him had transformed.
Everything appeared with crystalline clarity. Previously, his slight nearsightedness and astigmatism had blurred distant streetlights. Now, he could distinguish individual moths fluttering around those same lamps with perfect precision.
Beyond enhanced vision, Lu Yuan felt infused with boundless energy and strength. Even the oppressive summer heat—which normally left everyone uncomfortable—now felt pleasantly mild. His entire body had undergone comprehensive enhancement, exactly as he’d hoped.
The top-level physique was truly remarkable!
Lu Yuan strolled contentedly back to the compound around nine o’clock. Though tomorrow was Saturday—a day off from work—the courtyard remained lively with men playing cards and shouting boisterously. On typical nights, these games continued almost until dawn.
Uninterested in joining them, Lu Yuan headed directly toward his home. The compound featured two street lamps—one illuminating the front yard where the older, more senior residents gathered for cards, and another in the back where younger men congregated. Several elderly women also clustered in the back courtyard, engaged in conversation.
Before Lu Yuan could reach his door, a familiar voice called out:
“Hey! My wife is coming home tomorrow!”
Lu Yuan turned to find Wang Xiaofei watching him with undisguised smugness.
Of the four men approximately Lu Yuan’s age living in the compound, only Wang Xiaofei interacted with him regularly. One worked as a cook with irregular hours that rarely aligned with theirs. Another came from a wealthy family who spent summers indoors with electric fans, seldom venturing outside.
Living in adjacent homes and working in the same factory workshop, Lu Yuan and Wang Xiaofei had developed an unspoken rivalry.
Seeing Wang Xiaofei’s self-satisfied expression, Lu Yuan could only laugh inwardly. The poor fool had no idea his “wife” had already become someone else’s.
And yet, something about Wang Xiaofei’s presumptuous claim rankled him. “Your wife”? Su Liyan had never met him, much less agreed to marry him. What right did he have to speak of her so possessively?
Nevertheless, Lu Yuan decided against confrontation. His marriage to Su Liyan wasn’t yet formalized. If he revealed too much now, Wang Xiaofei would undoubtedly tell his mother, Wang Xu, creating unnecessary complications. Better to wait until tomorrow, after securing the marriage certificate with Su Liyan.
“You’re incredible!” Lu Yuan responded casually before unlocking his door and disappearing inside.
Wang Xiaofei interpreted Lu Yuan’s brevity as envy, which only heightened his satisfaction. Soon he would be a married man with someone to care for his needs—how wonderful! Growing up, Lu Yuan’s family had enjoyed relative prosperity while his own struggled. Finally, Wang Xiaofei had something to boast about—especially since his mother claimed his future wife was extraordinarily beautiful, with demon blood no less!
Early the following morning, around seven o’clock, Lu Yuan slipped out of the courtyard while most residents still slept.
He walked directly to Shuntai Guesthouse, where Su Liyan and matchmaker Liu Sufang awaited him, already prepared for the day’s important business.
Upon arrival, Lu Yuan immediately presented a red envelope to the matchmaker.
Liu Sufang’s face brightened at the sight. “Why such hurry, young man? You could give this to me after receiving your certificate!”
Despite her protest, her hands moved swiftly to accept the offering. Quietly opening the envelope to confirm the ten-yuan note inside, her smile widened appreciatively.
Lu Yuan ignored her transparent delight. “It’s merely a formality. Why wouldn’t my wife marry me today?”
The matchmaker chuckled knowingly. “She’s been quite impatient herself—asked several times this morning why you hadn’t arrived yet.”
At this revelation, Su Liyan—who had maintained shy reserve since Lu Yuan’s arrival—shot the matchmaker a reproachful look. “Auntie! That’s not true…”
Seeing Su Liyan’s embarrassment, Liu Sufang relented. “Alright, alright. Let’s focus on obtaining your certificate first before anything else.”
The three proceeded along the main road, soon arriving at the district office serving Lu Yuan’s neighborhood. The early hour meant no waiting, and they quickly began processing their paperwork.
Liu Sufang, though illiterate herself, conscientiously verified Lu Yuan’s credentials by asking a literate staff member to confirm that his residence, workplace, and family situation matched his previous claims.
With documentation in order, Lu Yuan and Su Liyan posed for their official photograph. The entire process took less than thirty minutes.
Just like that, they became legally married.
Lu Yuan gazed at the certificate with profound satisfaction. Beside him, Su Liyan appeared utterly joyful—she had scarcely slept the previous night, still unable to believe her fortune in marrying someone so suitable.
“Come,” Lu Yuan said, grinning as he clutched their marriage booklet, “let’s buy you some new clothes.”
Su Liyan started in surprise. “Brother, I have clothes already,” she protested gently. “Don’t waste your money.”
Lu Yuan dismissed her concern with a serious wave. “How could this possibly be wasteful? Think about it—when you wear beautiful clothes, doesn’t that make me look good as well?”
Su Liyan blinked her lovely eyes before nodding earnestly. “Yes…”
“Exactly!” Lu Yuan continued, his smile returning. “When you dress beautifully, I feel proud, and you can walk with dignity. Don’t you want to make your husband proud?”
Su Liyan hesitated, parting her lips to offer some explanation but finding herself unable to counter his peculiar logic. Yet she wasn’t foolish—she recognized this as her husband’s way of showing affection and care.
Her heart filled with sweetness, like honey flowing through her veins. My husband is truly attentive, she thought. And his words sound so nice…
Unable to formulate a response, she finally nodded shyly in agreement.
Liu Sufang watched their interaction with genuine pleasure. Who didn’t enjoy witnessing such tender moments? The couple’s evident affection for each other was heartwarming.
Although her professional responsibility ended with the marriage—having already received her payment—Liu Sufang still cared about the young women she matched. As a human being, she naturally hoped for their happiness and well-being. It pained her to hear stories of girls she had matched who ended up being mistreated by their husbands.
Deciding not to intrude further on the newlyweds’ moment, Liu Sufang prepared to depart. Her work wasn’t finished—she still needed to inform Wang Xu about the unexpected development. As for how to break the news…well, a successful matchmaker relied on more than just making connections. The art of communication was equally crucial.
The three parted at the district office gates. Lu Yuan immediately took Su Liyan to the newly opened department store in the eastern part of the city—determined to spend generously on his bride.
The couple walked blissfully together, their happiness evident to all who passed them.
Meanwhile, Liu Sufang faced a considerably less pleasant situation. In all her years as a matchmaker, she had encountered unreasonable clients and witnessed dramatic outbursts—but never had she confronted anyone quite as volatile as Wang Xu proved to be.