The Foolish Husband of the Landlord's Family (GL)

Chapter 31: The Bullied Little Wife

Jiang Yuan naturally noticed the grievance in Lin Kong's eyes, nearly spilling over. If Lin Kong had simply burst into tears, it might have been more manageable, but her silent endurance was heart-wrenching.

"Why are you on the verge of tears again?" Jiang Yuan gently dabbed at Lin Kong's eyes with a handkerchief, unfazed by her tendency to cry.

Lin Kong, however, worried that Jiang Yuan disliked seeing her cry. Now, knowing Jiang Yuan might not like her, she feared even more being seen as a crybaby.

"Kong'er wasn't crying... water just got into my eyes," Lin Kong denied, shaking her head. "Wife, your handkerchief was too wet. The water seeped into my eyes."

"But I wrung the handkerchief quite dry," Jiang Yuan replied, mimicking the motion of wringing out the handkerchief, her expression innocent. "See? No water dripping."

Realizing her pretense was futile, Lin Kong sniffled, turning away without a word.

Jiang Yuan had never explicitly expressed affection for her, and when Song Keyan mentioned it, Jiang Yuan hadn’t denied it, leaving Lin Kong with a nameless fear. Her eyes reddened further, tears silently streaming down her cheeks like a wronged little wife.

Jiang Yuan sighed, watching Lin Kong present her with her back once more. She wrung out the handkerchief again and moved to face Lin Kong, gently wiping her tears.

Lin Kong stubbornly leaned away, not letting Jiang Yuan wipe her tears.

Jiang Yuan paused, then softly said, "Crying too much makes people dislike you."

These words seemed magical, prompting Lin Kong to look up at Jiang Yuan, allowing her to wipe her face. Her eyes were brimming with unshed tears, making her appear even more pitiable.

Once the sticky sensation vanished, leaving her face clear and comfortable, Lin Kong timidly hooked her pinky around Jiang Yuan’s, asking, "Wife, you do like Kong'er, right?"

Her large eyes were wide open, innocently expectant and full of light.

Jiang Yuan found herself momentarily lost in Lin Kong’s deep brown eyes. Lin Kong’s gaze held only her, but her own eyes carried too much.

Regaining composure, Jiang Yuan responded with a question, "Kong'er, do you think your parents liked you?"

Discussing Lin Kong’s parents was still a sensitive topic, bringing tears to her eyes. She whispered, "They did."

"Did they tell you they liked you every day?" Jiang Yuan gently guided her.

Lin Kong recalled how her father often wore a serious expression, fetching her home like a mischievous chick, while her mother always smiled warmly, worrying over her well-being, though never verbally expressing it.

Suddenly missing her parents, Lin Kong’s voice quivered, "No, they didn’t say it."

Jiang Yuan caressed her cheek, brushing away the tears beneath her lashes, speaking earnestly, "So liking someone isn’t just about saying it, but..."

Curious, Lin Kong asked, "Is it about actions?"

"..." Jiang Yuan felt momentarily stumped, shooting Lin Kong a glance before continuing, "It's about feeling it through everyday interactions. Just like your parents loved and cherished you, though they didn’t say it, you felt it. The same goes for how I feel about you. Do you understand?"