Chapter 043: A Troubled Future Liu's wife pushed Lu Yun gently and stood up, dressing herself with a faintly pensive expression. "Little Yun," she said, her voice tinged with lingering disappointment, "don't ask anymore. I'm just a faded flower—something worn out and half-bloomed. I don’t want you to laugh at me. So here's what I've been holding in since yesterday." Lu Yun wasn't stupid. His question had merely been a little afterglow moment, something natural after the initial passion had settled into tender warmth. If he pressed any further, it would only make Liu’s wife uncomfortable—after all, such an intimate matter needed to be kept with some dignity. Summer was indeed wonderful. Lu Yun took the clothes offered by her and dressed quickly in a few movements. As he reached out to begin chatting, a sharp cry came from Liu’s wife's side—unexpectedly sudden. She had bent down halfway, one hand pressed firmly against her full posterior, clearly in pain. "Mrs. Liu," Lu Yun rushed over, helping her onto the bed, "what happened?" Blushing furiously, she replied with a growing sense of indignation: "It’s not you—it’s *you*. What did you do to me just now?" Lu Yun paused, instantly understanding what she meant. His face warmed up too, and he stammered, “I… I didn’t expect it would hurt you so much, Mrs. Liu. I… I…” Liu looked at him with a pointed gaze before slowly lying back down, sighing, "Little piglet, how could you be this callous? That place—can't you just treat it with care? It's not something you casually invade! After all, I've been so gentle in my treatment of you." Lu Yun lowered his head, glancing at his right middle finger. During the peak of passion, he had lost control and gently pressed a little moisture from the stream onto his fingertip—then pushed it into Liu's backside passage. Liu had been completely immersed in bliss, utterly unaware of Lu Yun’s subtle movements until she tried to open the door just before they were about to leave. As she took that first step, a sharp tearing sensation surged through her, prompting her to drop to her knees and cry out loudly. "Mrs. Liu," Lu Yun asked gently, concerned, "are you really in pain? Should I go down to town for some pain-relieving medicine?" "I’m telling you," she snapped, “Do you know how many of these ‘delicate’ things you've invented? Have you never heard of a woman whose private area has been untouched by anyone before? Do you think the doctor will understand that I was injured during your performance?" Lu Yun stepped forward with a warm, attentive gesture—rubbing her shoulders and massaging her legs tirelessly—only stopping when a smile began to bloom on Liu’s face and she started laughing softly. Only then did he pause. "Are you not angry anymore, Mrs. Liu?" Lu Yun asked, smiling. Liu sighed, then smiled warmly. "Oh, you little rascal—you’ve really outgrown your childhood! You’re nothing short of a demon when it comes to being bad." Lu Yun shrugged awkwardly, unsure what to say next. "Little Yun," Liu said, adjusting the fan in her hand, "go fetch me that fan. It's unbearable how hot it is today!" In these rural villages, air conditioning was unheard of—fans were still considered a luxury even just imagined. Lu Yun groaned and went out to the outer room, returning with a fan to wave back and forth over Liu’s body. "Little Yun," Liu said, "what exactly is going on between you and Xiao Ying? If you can trust me, just tell me. I might be able to offer you some advice. The only condition: don't forget about me in the future." Liu had been observing Lu Yun and Xiao Ying closely—their interactions were clear as day. She knew every little thing they did, even what was going on beneath the surface. But Lu Yun couldn’t quite find words to explain. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to speak—he simply felt as though their relationship remained just like childhood pretend play. In Lu Yun’s mind, Xiao Ying's declaration of love last night had only been a momentary impulse. And now, the thought of it made his head ache. Xiao Ying was an orphan—no parents at home—though outwardly Lu Yun seemed indifferent, in truth he carried a quiet shadow of anxiety. Though young, she had grown into someone quite mature. Her gentle smile kept appearing in his mind, constantly reminding him of how much he cared for her. When Xiao Ying first expressed her love to him, Lu Yun had already imagined her as his future wife. But what did he have—what could he offer? Would Xiao Ying's father agree to their marriage? Lu Yun smiled wistfully. After all, Xiao Ying’s father was known for being so practical and even a little fussy. If Lu Yun ever asked him personally, wouldn’t the man simply throw him out with one well-placed gesture of disapproval? "Little Yun," Liu said, eyes widening, "what is it now? Why aren’t you answering?" Liu had never expected to hear such serious questions about Lu Yun and Xiao Ying’s future. In her mind, they were merely children playing house—something that would fade after a while. Yet from Lu Yun's expression, she sensed he was genuinely in love with Xiao Ying! She thought for a moment, then smiled. "This one has to be settled between you and Xiao Ying. No one else can help. And by the way," she added, “don’t forget to keep your hands off her—her father’s temper is well-known.” Lu Yun offered a tired smile. "Mrs. Liu, I’m not a three-year-old child anymore. I have my own sense of propriety." Hearing this, Liu finally eased her mind. Though still feeling the lingering pain in her private area, she turned over and got up to prepare some food for Lu Yun, then handed it to him with a smile. "Little piglet," she said, "you’re small in stature but strong in spirit—probably won’t recover from this for two or three days." Lu Yun silently rolled his eyes—he had just said the same thing earlier that morning! And hadn’t it been the very same situation again? "Mrs. Liu," Lu Yun said, “today afternoon, I’m not going to class at all—I’ll be staying here with you. Just let me know what things are available and how much they cost.” Liu shook her head vigorously. "That won't do! I can’t sell anything if I'm interrupted in the middle of my day. If I have to, I'll go talk to your teacher and ask for an exception." "No," Lu Yun quickly interjected. If she went, he feared the very possibility that she might end up having a scene with him—something far beyond just a simple conversation! "Mrs. Liu," he said firmly, “I’ll manage this on my own. Please take care of yourself and rest as much as you can.” Though young, Lu Yun’s words carried weight—and Liu believed in him completely. With a graceful wave of her hand, she looked at him with a tender smile: "Well then, you’ve got some heart—you truly know how to think about me." "Mrs. Liu," Lu Yun said, with a mischievous grin, “could you tell me now—what kind of information I should know? What did you and other men do?" Liu paused, puzzled. "Information? What information?" Lu Yun chuckled, smiling brightly. "I mean, the things you’ve done with other men. You only mentioned your third uncle so far. I’d like to know about others—anyone else in our village who’s been involved with you." Liu's face suddenly flushed slightly, her tone becoming more reserved. "Little Yun," she said softly, “do you really care about the details of what has happened between me and other men?" Lu Yun slapped his own chest, mentally cursing himself—why had he brought up this issue now? He quickly bowed his head, apologizing with a gentle smile: "Mrs. Liu, I didn’t mean to imply anything serious. It’s just that… men often have these shy little thoughts, you know." ... PS: As our novel is preparing for the Star Ranklist next month, we’ll only be able to update one chapter per day over the remaining days of this month. Starting May 1st, we will release a surge of updates—please continue your support! Also recommended: Our friend’s fantasy novel *Reverse Demon*, updated daily with over ten thousand words—rich and captivating! Chapter 043: A Troubled Future — Completed!