MY HUBBY IS TOO CLINGY!

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER THREE

~♡~

Yan Ling was determined to redeem herself.

Cooking had failed. Sparring had backfired. Even sneaking into Aoshu’s room had somehow made things weirder.

She needed a new plan.

Then, while wandering the marketplace, she saw it,a woodcarver’s stall, filled with intricate charms and figurines.

'That’s it!'

If she made Aoshu something with her own hands, wouldn’t that prove her sincerity? Never mind that she’d never carved anything before. How hard could it be?

Three days, five splinters, and one bandaged thumb later, Yan Ling held up her masterpiece.

It was… lumpy.

The shape was vaguely round at the bottom, with uneven notches that were supposed to be stripes. The face had two lopsided holes for eyes and a jagged line for a mouth.

She squinted at it.

With a confident nod, she wrapped it in a silk cloth and marched to Aoshu’s study.

Aoshu was reviewing scrolls when the door slammed open.

His wife stood there, cheeks flushed, clutching something in her hands.

"I made this for you," she announced, thrusting the bundle at him.

Aoshu eyed it like it might bite. Slowly, he unfolded the cloth and froze.

"…What is that?"

Yan Ling beamed. "It’s a tiger! For protection!"

Aoshu turned the wooden lump over. One of its "ears" fell off.

He cleared his throat. "…Is it sick?"

Yan Ling’s smile vanished.

"What?"

"It looks… unwell."

Her face turned red. "It’s not a sick tiger! It’s a strong tiger!"

Aoshu poked one of the uneven notches. "Its stripes are falling off."

That did it.

"Fine!" Yan Ling snatched the charm back. "If you hate it so much—"

She hurled it at his chest.

Aoshu caught it on reflex.

"—then throw it away!" She spun on her heel and stormed out, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the inkstone on his desk.

Aoshu sat there, holding the deformed wooden lump.

…Had she actually thrown something at him?

He should be angry. But instead, he found himself staring at the charm, tracing the rough grooves where she’d clearly struggled to carve it.

His thumb brushed where the ear had broken off.

After a long moment, he set it carefully on the corner of his desk.

★

The next morning, Lieutenant Jian caught Aoshu doing something strange.

The general was in the armory, his back turned, fiddling with his sword.

Jian crept closer, then nearly choked.

Aoshu was tying something to his sword hilt. A ragged, lopsided thing that looked like it had been chewed by a dog.

Jian blinked. "Sir…?"

Aoshu stiffened. In one swift motion, he sheathed his sword, the charm now hidden under the wrappings.

"What." he said flatly.

Jian wisely decided not to ask.

But as they walked out, he could have sworn he saw the general’s fingers brush the hilt right where that ugly little charm was hidden.

[System Ding: Intimacy +1!]

Yan Ling was running out of ideas.

The tiger charm disaster still stung, and she wasn’t about to embarrass herself with another carving. Cooking was out of the question, unless she wanted to poison her husband. But she needed that intimacy boost.

Then it hit her.

'What if I just… pretend to cook?'

Aoshu had only tasted her terrible cooking once. If she presented him with something actually edible and claimed she made it, wouldn’t that count as effort? The system couldn’t possibly know the difference.

With renewed determination, she marched to the kitchen.

The head cook nearly dropped her knife when Yan Ling slammed a pouch of coins onto the counter.

"I need dumplings," Yan Ling declared. "Aoshu’s favorite kind. And you didn’t make them, I did."

The cook stared at the money, then at Yan Ling’s determined face.

The cook opened her mouth, then closed it. The sheer confidence of this lie was almost impressive.

"...How many do you need?"

---

An hour later, Yan Ling proudly carried a steaming basket of dumplings to Aoshu’s study. She had even smudged a little flour on her cheek for authenticity.

She knocked once before barging in.

Aoshu looked up from his paperwork, his expression unreadable as always.

"I made these for you," Yan Ling announced, plopping the basket on his desk. "Your favorite."

Aoshu eyed the dumplings. They were perfectly shaped, golden-brown at the edges, the smell of pork and ginger filling the room.

He picked one up, turning it slowly between his fingers.

Yan Ling held her breath.

He took a bite.

And immediately knew.

The flavors were balanced, the wrapper thin but sturdy, the filling juicy, everything Yan Ling’s cooking was not.

He chewed slowly, watching her over the dumpling. She was practically vibrating with anticipation.

"You have… improved," he said finally, his voice flat.

Yan Ling’s face lit up like a festival lantern. "Really? You like them?"

Aoshu took another bite. "Mhm."

She clasped her hands together, grinning. "I knew I could do it! I just needed practice!"

Aoshu said nothing, but the corner of his mouth twitched just slightly as he reached for another dumpling.

★

A few days later, Aoshu's friend came. Chuiye arrived on a sunny afternoon, her smile warm and her manner gentle. She bowed gracefully to Yan Ling. "Sister, thank you for allowing me to stay while I prepare for the imperial examinations."

Yan Ling liked her immediately. Chuiye had kind eyes and spoke softly nothing like the scheming rivals Yan Ling had read about in novels. "Of course! Stay as long as you need," she said, meaning it.

Aoshu stood quietly nearby, his expression unreadable. "The west wing is prepared for you."

For three days, the manor felt peaceful. Chuiye spent hours studying in the garden, while Yan Ling brainstormed new ways to raise intimacy points. She barely noticed how often Aoshu and Chuiye discussed old memories.

Then came lunch.

Yan Ling, determined to prove her "improved" cooking skills, personally carried a plate of steamed fish to the table. She had made it herself this time, no bribes, no help. This will impress him, she thought.

Chuiye smiled as Yan Ling set the dish down. "You cooked this, sister? How thoughtful!"

Yan Ling beamed. "Try it! I worked hard!"

As Chuiye reached for her chopsticks, Aoshu’s hand shot out. He slid the plate toward himself. "I’ll take this."

Chuiye blinked. "But—"

"I’ve been craving fish," he said flatly, already piling a portion onto his rice.

Yan Ling’s heart skipped. She watched, thrilled, as Aoshu took a bite. His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, but he kept chewing.

Chuiye shrugged, picking up a harmless-looking vegetable instead. "You’ve become fond of fish lately, Aoshu?"

He didn’t answer, taking another forced bite. 'Better me than her.' he thought grimly. 'One bite of this and she’d collapse before the exams.'

When Yan Ling caught his eye, she smiled brightly, hopeful thing that made her eyes sparkle. Aoshu froze mid-chew. 'Why is she looking at me like that?'

He had no choice but to finish the entire portion.

The next morning was full of chaos.

Yan Ling woke to a sharp ding in her mind:

[WARNING: Intimacy Level Dropped!]

[Current Level: -3/100]

"What?!" She bolted upright. How? Why?

She replayed yesterday: Chuiye’s arrival (harmless!), Aoshu eating her fish (romantic!), her hopeful smile (charming!).

'Did Chuiye say something? Did I offend him?'

Yan Ling headed straight to Aoshu’s study. She flung the door open.

"Why did the points drop?" she demanded.

Aoshu looked up from his scrolls, one eyebrow raised. "Points?"

Yan Ling flushed. "N-never mind! Did I do something wrong?"

He set down his brush. "You gave our guest food that could kill a horse."

"But you ate it!"

"Because you looked at me like a pleased puppy," he muttered.

Yan Ling gaped.

Before she could argue, Chuiye appeared in the doorway, holding a book. "Aoshu, may I ask— Oh! Sister, good morning!"

Her smile was still kind, but Yan Ling noticed how her gaze lingered on Aoshu. A cold knot formed in Yan Ling’s stomach.