The Superior Female Lead Pampers Her Husband Without Limit

Jewel had been really kind to him during lunch and had never treated him badly, so Xavi figured she must have a good temper and probably wouldn't be angry with him.

"Um… Savi, I need to talk to you about something."

Jewel wanted to go into town to look for ways to make money, but then she thought about it and realized she shouldn't hide her ten taels of gambling debt from Xavi. After all, he was her husband in name. He had the right to know, and once he did, he had the right to choose whether he wanted to stay or not. If she kept it from him, wouldn't that be the same as lying to him before marriage?

"I wasn't awake when you married into the family, so I didn't get the chance to tell you this. If you want to leave after hearing what I have to say, I'll set you free."

Xavi was shocked. His eyes widened in disbelief.

He had only been married for three days, so why was Jewel saying this now? Did she dislike him asking questions? Or was she just unhappy with him? If that was the case, he could stop asking. Or maybe… maybe she had someone else in her heart and wanted to send him away?

Jewel noticed how frightened he looked and quickly tried to calm him. "Don't overthink it. Just listen to me first."

"I did something stupid before and ended up owing ten taels of silver from gambling. Right now, our family doesn't have enough money to pay it back."

She watched Xavi's face closely as she spoke. If he showed even the slightest discomfort or fear, she would let him go. She didn't want to drag him down with her.

"You came into this marriage through an arranged match. You're my husband, fair and square. I have no right to keep this from you."

When they first arranged the marriage, Xavi already knew Jewel had gambled in the past and didn't have a great reputation. But he had agreed to marry her anyway, just to get money for his mother's medical treatment. So now that he heard about the debt, it didn't come as a surprise.

"If you stay with me, life might be hard for a while. If that's not something you want, I won't force you. We can divorce, and it won't hurt your chances of remarrying in the future," Jewel said honestly.

Xavi understood then—Jewel wasn't trying to push him away because she didn't want him. She just didn't want him to suffer because of her. And even if she did want a divorce, she was thinking about what was best for him…

So what if there was debt? They could pay it back together. A man doesn't marry two women. He already belonged to her now. He was willing to share the hardships of life with her.

"I've told you about the debt. What do you think?" Jewel asked, seeing him still silent.

"I'm not leaving. I'm part of the Jewel family now. I'll stay with you no matter what. I'm not afraid of hard days."

Hard days?

He had never wasted food his whole life. He never even got to eat until he was full. His clothes had always been hand-me-downs from his dad or sister. At home, he cooked, cleaned, worked the fields, and even sewed handkerchiefs to sell. He worked from dawn to dusk. So what if life was tough? He'd grown up like that—he was used to it.

Besides, the thought of leaving right after getting married, of losing the stability he just found, and never seeing Jewel again… that made his heart ache.

Even though they hadn't spent much time together—most of it with Jewel unconscious—he had already started to feel attached to her. That feeling of belonging had quietly taken root in his heart.

And honestly, part of him was a little angry too. Angry that in Jewel's eyes, he seemed like someone who could share joy, but not sorrow. Someone who couldn't face hardship together.

When Xavi lifted his head, Jewel saw that there were tears on his face. She reached out, wanting to wipe them away, but he beat her to it. He raised his sleeve and gently wiped the tears himself.

In that simple motion, it was like he had put on a new face—just like in a traditional opera. The sadness on his face vanished, and his eyes, clear and bright, held a stubborn glint as he looked straight at her with determination.

Jewel hadn't expected him to be this tough. She could tell—if she didn't explain everything clearly now, he might not let her get close again.

Jewel remembered a line she once read in a book: "Buy yourself flowers, grow up with yourself."

That boy, Xavi, had a strong and tough personality. No matter where he was, he never gave up easily. If something didn't go the way he wanted, he would do everything he could to resist it.

"I understand," Jewel said.

Looking at Xavi's stubborn and brave face, she suddenly felt a wave of sympathy in her heart. She used to think that in a matriarchal society, most men were soft and obedient, without opinions of their own. They only knew how to follow the rules, memorize the teachings for men, and behave as expected. But this boy, who came to the Jewel family through a ritual marriage, had broken that image completely.

She slowly reached out, pulled Xavi a little closer, and gently patted his back. After a while, when he had calmed down and was no longer resisting her touch, Jewel asked him seriously:

"Xavi, I'm asking you one last time—are you sure about this? I have nothing. No matter how hard life gets, will you still stay by my side?"

Xavi, resting against Jewel's chest, nodded hard. His voice wasn't soft like before—it was strong and determined. "I've thought it through."

"Alright! From now on, we'll face life together and live well."

As she spoke, Jewel gently wiped away the tear stains on Xavi's face.

Since he had chosen to stay with her without hesitation, she would do her best to treat him well too.

"Xavi, would you like to go to town with me?" Jewel asked in a gentle voice.

Now that she had truly accepted him, she wanted to keep him close. Since they had the time, it would be nice to take a trip to town together—maybe have some fun and help him relax a little.

"You haven't told me what we're going to do in town yet," Xavi said.

He needed a promise that she wasn't planning to gamble again!

"We'll just go out and enjoy ourselves, and maybe look for some ways to make money."

"Okay, I'd love to go with you."

Xavi felt a little excited inside. He had only been to town once when he was little, with his parents. Normally, he never left the village. Now, being able to walk around town with his wife made him really happy.

After telling her father, Jewel left home with Xavi, and the two of them started their walk to town.

Just as they passed their neighbor Li San's house, they heard shouting coming from behind the closed, broken wooden door. It was Li San yelling at his husband. They could also hear a child crying and the weak sobbing of a man.

"All you do is cry!"

"Look at you—you can't even pour a cup of water without spilling it on me!"

"I really don't know why I even married you!"

"You're just completely useless…"