Investing in My Crippled Wife: Every Return Makes Me Stronger

’...Whatever. Let’s just do it as I remember.’

Soren took a slow, silent breath, forcing his body to move on pure muscle memory. He stepped forward, bent down, and carefully slid one arm behind her back and the other beneath her knees.

The instant he lifted her, the reality of her proximity hit him full force, but he locked his jaw and moved with mechanical precision. He carried her the short distance and placed her gently onto the mattress. Bending over slightly, he reached for the blanket and pulled it up over her shoulders, keeping his movements as steady and natural as possible.

”...Soren.”

Her low voice cut through the quiet room, causing him to freeze instantly, his fingers still gripping the edge of the blanket. He forced his expression to remain entirely neutral before looking up to meet her eyes.

”What is it?” he asked, keeping his tone calm.

Ethea looked up at him, a trace of hesitation flickering across her face. Her lips parted slightly as if she were about to say something important, but after a brief pause, she lowered her gaze.

”...No. Just... goodnight.”

”Mm. Goodnight,” Soren replied softly, adjusting the edge of the blanket one last time. ”Have a nice dream.”

He carefully stepped away from the bedside, walking over to where his own mattress was laid out on the floor. As he lay down, the lingering silence in the room felt heavier than usual. He could tell she had wanted to say something else, but since she had chosen to drop it, he decided not to push. He would just wait until she was ready.

Taking a deep breath to clear his mind of the tension, Soren closed his eyes and immediately dove back into his cultivation.

He couldn’t afford to waste a single night. Despite his steady growth, his progress was still a bit slow. Even Ryan had already left him behind, and the gap wasn’t going to close itself.

As mana began to circulate through his core, the quiet warmth of the room faded, replaced by the rigid focus of a man who knew exactly how much stronger he needed to become in order to achieve his purpose.

───────

Two days later.

The sudden chime of the doorbell echoed through the apartment.

At the dining table, Aunt Clara gripped the armrests, ready to stand, but Soren reacted faster.

”I’ll get it,” he said, pushing his chair back.

He glanced at the clock; it was about time.

He walked over to the foyer and pulled the door open.

As expected, a familiar face was waiting outside, a beautiful woman with striking white hair.

”Good evening, Sister Zoe,” Soren said, stepping back to clear the entryway. ”Come on in. We’ve been waiting for you.”

”Evening, Soren,” Zoe greeted him back, stepping inside the apartment.

She then followed Soren into the living room, her eyes immediately finding Ethea and Aunt Clara. After exchanging brief, polite greetings, Soren guided her to the dining table, pulling out a chair for her before taking his own seat.

As they settled in, the atmosphere became relaxed.

”Miss Ethea,” Zoe directed her attention across the table. ”How have you been lately? Are you adjusting to the new place well?”

Ethea met her gaze, offering a soft nod. ”Sister Zoe. I am doing well, and the new place is much more comfortable. Thank you for your assistance in securing this place.”

Zoe waved her hand dismissively, brushing off the gratitude. ”I merely pulled a few strings. Soren earned this place through his own merits, so you should thank him instead.” She then turned her gaze toward the older woman. ”What about you, Aunt Clara? Have you been keeping well too? I hope Soren hasn’t been making your job too difficult.”

Clara let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. ”Not at all, Lady Zoe. Soren is a wonderful young man. He constantly lends a hand with the household chores, even though that is supposed to be my responsibility.”

”Oh, is that so?” Zoe murmured, a subtle, amused glint appearing in her eyes. She glanced back at Soren before looking at the two women again. ”Well, if he ever gives you trouble, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I will discipline him myself. That goes for you too, Miss Ethea. If he ever makes you upset or brings you to tears, just give me a call. I’ll gladly give him a personal crash course on how to treat a woman.”

Ethea and Clara both laughed at the remark, the tension in the room melting away completely.

’...’ Soren, however, felt his lips twitch before he let out a helpless sigh.

He could only blame himself for this. Because of his follow-up training sessions to refine the spear technique, their relationship had naturally improved, growing into a comfortable familiarity. Still, he hadn’t anticipated her jumping straight into full teasing mode the moment she stepped through his door.

Shaking his head, he decided it was best to retreat before she could escalate things any further.

He pushed his chair back and stood up from the table.

”You ladies continue talking,” he rolled up his sleeves slightly as he turned toward the kitchen. ”I’ll take care of the meal.”

Zoe paused mid-laugh, her gaze shifting from the two women back to him.

”Wait.”

A single eyebrow crept upward with clear doubt.

”...You are the chef?”

Soren simply smiled. ”Yes, I can-”

”Hey!” Before he could even finish his sentence, Zoe turned away from him entirely, addressing the other two women. ”Is that true? Can he really cook?”

’...There she goes again.’ Soren shook his head, utterly defeated by her relentless teasing.

He didn’t bother arguing, turning on his heel to make a swift exit toward the counter.

”Wait, what are you even cooking?” Zoe called out after him, turning around in her chair. ”You’re not just frying eggs, right? Do you need help?”

Soren simply waved his hand without looking back, stepping into the kitchen area.

”Just wait and see.”