The Ex-Husband Returns

Chapter 4: A New Identity

There truly weren’t any men’s clothes in the house, so Qiao Mo found a loose set of pajamas for him to wear for the time being.

What had looked oversized and baggy on her ended up clinging tightly to the man’s body, outlining his chest muscles and eight-pack abs.

That body was too good. Qiao Mo couldn’t help but swallow hard.

She’d been single for twenty-three years—of course she’d had thoughts about men. But now that she was pregnant, she really couldn’t afford to let her mind wander.

“Do you want another bowl?” she asked, pointing to his empty dish.

Xiao Xu touched his still somewhat flat stomach and nodded without hesitation. “Sure, I could eat more.”

Thankfully, she’d cooked a little extra. Otherwise, it really wouldn’t have been enough for him.

Xiao Xu sat back down at the table, casually swept the hair from his forehead, picked up his chopsticks, and continued eating without a word.

Even though he’d been born into a wealthy, prominent family, years of working at a research base—fighting for meals with a bunch of burly men—had shaped his easygoing nature. Comfort always came first.

Qiao Mo slowly poked at the noodles in her bowl, sneaking glances at him. She had to admit—he really was handsome.

That high-bridged nose, those sharp eyes, and a jawline like it was carved from marble... Every single feature hit her taste exactly.

She studied him for a moment longer. Oddly enough, he looked familiar. But she couldn’t quite recall where she’d seen him before.

“Have we met before?” she asked, biting down on her chopsticks with a puzzled look.

Without looking up, Xiao Xu replied, “That’s impossible. I haven’t been back to City A in three years.”

Three years? That was just like her deadbeat husband.

Qiao Mo, momentarily caught up in the role, frowned. “You’ve been gone that long? Don’t you think your family might worry about you?”

Xiao Xu put down his chopsticks, pulled out a napkin, wiped his mouth with quiet grace, and said slowly, “Everyone in my family is busy. They’ve all got their own lives. No one has time to care whether someone lives or dies.”

That... sounded exactly like something those heartless members of the Xiao family would say. Seems like rich people were all the same.

Once Xiao Xu finished eating, Qiao Mo got up, took his bowl along with her own, and carried them into the kitchen sink.

No need to rush washing them—she’d deal with the guy first. It was so late already, and having a strange man stay in her home... What if someone saw?

She picked up her phone, held the power button, and handed it to him as it powered up. “Here, call your family. Have someone come pick you up.”

Xiao Xu took the phone, dialed a number, and hit call. Minutes passed. He didn’t know how many times he tried, but the line kept telling him: No one was answering.

Qiao Mo could relate. It was the exact same every time she called that damned husband of hers.

She finally couldn’t stand to watch anymore and gently said, “Maybe they’re just busy. Why not try someone else?”

Xiao Xu frowned at the screen. “There’s no one else. He’s the only one I can contact right now.”

Qiao Mo was stuck. What was she supposed to do—let a complete stranger stay the night?

“It’s really late,” she said carefully. “It’s probably not a good idea for you to stay here. Why don’t I find a hotel for you?”

Xiao Xu lifted his gaze and moved his lips slightly. “I don’t have any money.”

Qiao Mo replied, “I can lend you some.”

She went through all her bank cards and barely scraped together two hundred yuan. If she gave it all to him, she wouldn’t even have money for food.

It was late. She felt awkward about kicking him out. He looked... unsafe. What if he got targeted by some drunk? Love doesn’t exactly care about gender, after all.

Just as she hesitated, he suddenly said, “If you let me stay here for the night, I’ll pay you at the highest hotel rate.”

Qiao Mo couldn’t help but laugh. “Do you want to tally up how much you already owe me in the past couple of hours?”

Xiao Xu looked at her with utter seriousness. “Don’t worry. I’ll pay back every cent.”

Well... that was probably the best she could hope for. Worst case, she’d lock her bedroom door when she went to sleep. That would do.

Early spring evenings were still chilly, and Qiao Mo had only bought one quilt that day. Not wanting the man to freeze, she dug out all her thickest clothes for him.

“You’ll have to make do. There’s only one quilt at home. Just wear whatever you can, and the rest—just cover yourself with it. It’s better than nothing.”

Xiao Zheyan looked at the pile of colorful clothes in her arms, his lips pressed into a tight line. “Thanks.”

He’d already compromised by putting on pajamas. But asking him to wear more women’s clothes? Absolutely not. Covering himself with them—maybe that was tolerable.

What surprised him was how poor this woman really was. She didn’t even have a spare quilt.

“By the way, I never asked your name.”

Hearing her question suddenly, he blurted out, “Just call me Xiao Zheyan.”

(From this point on, the male lead starts using the alias Xiao Zheyan.)

He had returned with a mission this time, posing as an obstetrician at a top-tier hospital to collect scientific research data. For convenience, the organization had created a new identity for him—Xiao Zheyan.

Also surnamed Xiao? Could he be related to the Xiao family?

But a second later, she dismissed the thought. No way. Just having the surname Xiao doesn’t mean anything.

Out of caution, Qiao Mo didn’t tell him her name either. Not that he asked again later.

“It’s getting late. You should get some rest. I’m heading to bed too.”

With that, Qiao Mo turned and went to her room. Now that she was pregnant, she had to start living on a proper routine.

The next morning, before Qiao Mo even opened her eyes, she heard loud clanging sounds from outside. She quickly got out of bed to see what was going on.

“What are you doing?”

She found Xiao Zheyan holding a spatula, facing off against a charred, unrecognizable blob in the frying pan, looking dead serious.

“Hungry?” Qiao Mo gently took the spatula from his hand and asked tentatively.

Scratching the back of his head, Xiao Zheyan looked embarrassed. “I caused you so much trouble yesterday, so I thought I’d cook breakfast to thank you.”

“Wow, well thank you very much—your gratitude nearly burned down my kitchen.”

Qiao Mo pushed him out of the kitchen and closed the glass door behind him, keeping him safely away from potential disaster.

“Just sit on the couch, okay? My phone’s on the bedside table in my room. If you want to call your friend or family, feel free to use it.”

After a peaceful night, Qiao Mo had developed some trust in Xiao Zheyan. He seemed so clueless and awkward—it was hard to imagine him being a threat.

Once Qiao Mo entered the bathroom, Xiao Zheyan quietly stepped into the bedroom to retrieve the phone. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a soft pink undergarment.

His entire face flushed red, all the way to his ears.

At twenty-seven, he had never been with a woman. He’d dated before, but it never went beyond holding hands.

Seeing something like that out of the blue? His body reacted instantly.

Noticing the “change,” Xiao Zheyan quickly covered himself with his hands, snatched the phone from the bedside table, and hurried out of the room.

He sat stiffly on the sofa, back straight, legs tightly crossed, doing his best to hide the awkward situation.

Thank goodness Qiao Mo was still in the bathroom. If she saw him like this, he’d die of embarrassment.

Taking a deep breath, he looked down at the phone and redialed the number he had tried countless times the night before.

“Hello? Who’s this?”

Someone finally picked up. Xiao Zheyan suppressed his growing irritation and said coldly, “It’s me.”

There was no mistaking that voice. Li Feng nearly jumped out of bed. “Why are you calling me? I thought phones weren’t allowed at the base?”

Clearly, Li Feng had forgotten all about his return yesterday.

“I came back yesterday. I called you all night!”

All night?

Li Feng quickly checked his call log. Sure enough—dozens of missed calls, all from the same number.

He scratched his head sheepishly. “Sorry, man. I got drunk last night and didn’t hear a thing.”

Of course, Xiao Zheyan thought. He probably spent the night at the bar again. Wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a strange woman in his bed right now.

“I don’t care what your excuse is. You’ve got one hour to come get me.”

At the research base, Xiao Zheyan was technically Li Feng’s superior. He was used to giving orders.

Li Feng jumped out of bed in a panic, throwing on clothes as he pulled up the location pin Xiao Zheyan had sent.

The woman in his bed stirred and mumbled, “So early? Where are you going?”

Li Feng replied, “To pick up a living legend.”

Back on the other side, after ending the call, Xiao Zheyan walked back to return the phone.

Assuming Qiao Mo was still in the bathroom, he didn’t think twice and pushed the door open.

“Aaah—!”

A high-pitched scream nearly shattered his eardrums. Snapping to his senses, Xiao Zheyan quickly turned his back.

“S-Sorry! I thought the room was empty!”

His words tumbled out in panic. All he could see in his mind was the smooth, pale curve of her back and that slim, delicate waist... barely a handful wide.