“Su Zhi! Su Zhi! Come with me, quickly! What are you just standing there for? Yue Chunhan will be here any moment now!”
A frantic knocking sound came from the rear windowpane. Outside the front courtyard, firecrackers crackled and popped, mingling with a man’s urgent shouts. Su Zhi jolted upright from the kang bed, her head spinning and heavy.
The lingering agony of a car crash still throbbed in her mind. Rubbing her temples, she surveyed her surroundings in astonishment: a dilapidated, rural-style room with a kang bed she had never seen before. The night air held a slight chill, and the only light in the room came from a single red candle casting a feeble glow. A poorly made, red paper cut-out of the double happiness character was pasted on the wall.
Looking down, Su Zhi was shocked to find herself also dressed in a red jacket. She was baffled.
Hadn’t she just been in a car accident? Where was this place? What was going on?
As she tried to gather her thoughts, the window was knocked on again.
The rural house was cramped and dim. The rear window had been pushed open, and a lanky young man was struggling to climb through it. Unfortunately, the windowsill was too high. He could only lean in, one arm desperately stretching forward, trying to grab Su Zhi’s arm, his face flushed with urgency as he urged her, “Come with me, Su Zhi! If we don’t leave now, it’ll be too late! Yue Chunhan will be back any minute!”
Yue Chunhan?
Su Zhi latched onto the name. It suddenly struck her—wasn’t this the name of the male second lead from that incredibly popular period novel she had been reading recently?
She had been firmly on the male lead’s side, but the male second lead, Yue Chunhan, seemed wildly popular. Many readers had clamored for the author to make him the main love interest instead. Annoyed by the debate, she had dropped the novel before finishing it.
In the story, Yue Chunhan was a violent, brooding, and terrifying local bully-type character. Discharged from the army due to an injury, he walked with a slight limp in his left foot. Yet, no one in the village dared mock him because everyone who had jeered at him had been severely beaten up by Yue Chunhan.
His name alone was enough to silence crying children. The village girls trembled at the sight of him. However, later in the story, he leveraged his sharp mind to rapidly build a fortune. His exceptionally handsome looks and unique character setting also earned him countless fans.
Su Zhi had no particular fondness for this kind of cold, sinister second male lead trope. But now, looking at her red jacket, the red candle in the room, the red double happiness character, and recalling the man outside the window calling her “Su Zhi” and urging her to run away with him, a dreadful suspicion began to form in her mind.
…Could it be that she had transmigrated into the role of Yue Chunhan’s fleeting, runaway bride from the novel—the one who was barely mentioned?
Su Zhi… yes, that was right. Yue Chunhan’s ex-wife shared her name, Su Zhi. This was also part of why she hadn’t liked Yue Chunhan’s character.
She remembered the setting and fate of this ex-wife: a character written as promiscuous, vain, and seductive. Terrified of Yue Chunhan, she eloped with her lover on their wedding night. Initially, she used her captivating looks to garner admiration and money. Later, passed around between men, she eventually became the mistress of a military officer. She spiraled into degradation and was finally abandoned, dying with bitter regret.
On the table, the red candle dripped crimson teardrops of wax. The candle flame flickered. Outside, the firecrackers were gradually dying down, and the faint murmur of guests could be heard. The skinny man at the rear window kept urging her frantically, “Su Zhi, what are you waiting for? Yue Chunhan is coming back! If he catches us, we’re finished!”
The skinny man was deeply afraid of Yue Chunhan. After all, he was one of those who had been severely beaten for mocking Yue Chunhan’s leg.
Yet today, he had mustered the courage, overcoming his fear, to come and take Su Zhi away, to help her flee the marriage. Clearly, Su Zhi’s allure had temporarily outweighed the terror Yue Chunhan instilled in him.
Su Zhi was beautiful. In the candlelight, adorned with simple hair ornaments, her beauty was captivating—fair skin, red lips, and eyes that shimmered like water, full of charm and seduction.
Even the most ordinary red jacket seemed to accentuate her slender neck, making her skin appear exceptionally fair and delicate. Her waist was so slim it seemed one could encircle it with a single hand.
Just thinking about such a beauty eloping with him made the skinny man’s heart itch fiercely, as if scratched by a cat. Excitement and anticipation surged from deep within him.
Hearing his incessant urging, Su Zhi indeed walked over. Her eyes were downcast, her lips glossy with rouge, looking like ripe cherries ready to burst at a touch.
The skinny man eagerly reached out his hand, watching Su Zhi approach with delight. Both were lost in their own thoughts, completely unaware that a tall man had appeared at the doorway at some point.
The man had a high nose bridge, thin lips, and handsome features, but his aura was dark, cold, and ruthless. Seeing the scene inside the room and at the window, he stood there quietly, watching them expressionlessly.
The skinny man expected Su Zhi to follow him, to climb out the window and elope. Even the sinister man in the corner wore a faint, knowing sneer at the corner of his mouth.
But to everyone’s surprise, Su Zhi walked over and, instead of following the skinny man, swiftly closed the window tight and, for good measure, slid the door bolt shut as well.
This move caught everyone off guard. The brooding man in the corner raised an eyebrow slightly. The skinny man, now shut outside the window, was also stunned, anger quickly flooding his face. “Su Zhi! What do you mean by this? Open the window! Are you playing games with me?!”
Through the clear glass pane, Su Zhi considered for a moment, then said sincerely to the skinny man, “I’m sorry, you’re a good person, but after careful consideration, I think I prefer my husband more.”
Yeah, right. As if she’d go with him. This scumbag clearly had ulterior motives too.
The skinny man was instantly speechless, his expression indescribable. He stared at Su Zhi in disbelief, thinking she had gone mad.
Husband? Could she possibly mean that ferocious Yue Chunhan?
Had Su Zhi forgotten? It was precisely because she was terrified of Yue Chunhan that she had hastily sought his help to escape the marriage, her main goal being to get away from Yue Chunhan! Now that he was here, Su Zhi didn’t want to leave anymore?
Furious and humiliated, the skinny man was just about to argue with Su Zhi when he glanced up. His face instantly turned deathly pale. All thoughts of contention vanished. He quickly hunched down and scurried away along the base of the wall, leaving Su Zhi standing there, still a bit dazed.
Huh? She thought she’d have to waste more breath convincing him, but he was persuaded that easily?
Su Zhi was surprised but relieved. She glanced back into the room, seeing nothing amiss, then relaxed her posture, leaning against the edge of the kang bed to contemplate her next move. She didn’t notice the tall, brooding man lurking in the shadows by the doorway, his dark eyes silently fixed on her.
Husband?
Prefers her husband more?
What game was this woman playing?
The man referred to as her “husband” curled his lips into a cold, mocking smile. He swept a glance at Su Zhi, who was leaning there, then pretended to have noticed nothing and turned to leave.
…
Although Su Zhi hadn’t been born into a wealthy family, she had never lacked for food or clothing in her previous life. Finding herself transmigrated into a period novel was rather distressing.
Firstly, the original host’s identity was awkward and her ending tragic. Secondly, life in this era was hard, with scarce resources. She wasn’t sure if she could endure it, not to mention the particularly thorny problem tied to her current identity.
—Today was her wedding night, and the man she had married was the most fearsome “big bad” male second lead described in the book: cold, violent, someone who wouldn’t hesitate to beat a person black and blue over the slightest disagreement, an object of fear for everyone in the village.
Tonight, she had to sleep with such a person.
It wasn’t that Su Zhi didn’t want to run away from the marriage. But eloping with a lover on her wedding night would utterly ruin her reputation. Besides, that “lover” wasn’t a good man either—just look at the original host’s fate in the book.
Compared to a life of degradation, confusion, and misery, sticking with Yue Chunhan, though seemingly dangerous, offered a much brighter prospect. As the male second lead, he had a very promising and prosperous future ahead—a perfect candidate to latch onto! If they could coexist peacefully and get along, following him might lead to a decent life.
Moreover, if she and Yue Chunhan truly couldn’t get along, she could always choose to divorce after tonight. After all, the original host’s marriage to Yue Chunhan had been a forced arrangement in the first place.
Originally, the host had accidentally fallen into the river while washing clothes. Yue Chunhan, who happened to be passing by, rescued her. They were found clinging together, disheveled and soaked, by many onlookers who decried it as scandalous. Consequently, they hastily chose to marry.
It goes to show that whirlwind marriages are ill-advised. Who could have predicted this marriage would end in such a lamentable outcome?
Su Zhi’s mind churned with thoughts. As the sky outside grew darker and she thought she heard footsteps approaching, her heart tightened with nervousness.
She had never had a boyfriend before. She never expected that upon transmigrating, she’d find herself at her own wedding, not only immediately facing the wedding night but also with a complete stranger.
Just as her anxiety peaked, the old wooden door creaked open with a zhiya sound. The groom—the man she had married today—entered the room.
His footsteps were heavy. In no time, he was standing before Su Zhi. Under the candlelight, his figure cast a large shadow over her.
Su Zhi looked up and met a pair of deep, dark eyes that held a wild, wolf-like intensity.
Yue Chunhan was very tall and broad. The disparity in their builds was stark. With broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and taut muscles, he loomed like a mountain, exuding an indescribable, intense sense of oppression. Su Zhi instinctively clenched her fists and shifted her body slightly backward.
…So terrifying, help!
Yue Chunhan’s thin lips curled into a cold arc. His dark eyes rested impassively on Su Zhi.
He was extremely handsome. In fact, based solely on his face, one couldn’t tell he was a fierce and violent man at all. But facing this visage, Su Zhi could only recall the vivid descriptions from the novel of his ruthless fights. Instantly, she felt utterly unnerved.
Su Zhi stood up from the kang, steeling herself to speak. “It’s late… Are you planning to sleep in this room? Should I make the bed for you?”
Eager to escape the current bizarre and tense situation, she didn’t wait for Yue Chunhan’s response and hurriedly sought something to do, hoping to alleviate the awkwardness and tension.
But she stood up too hastily. The red bricks paving the rural floor were uneven. A raised corner tripped her directly. Su Zhi felt herself pitching toward the rear window—even if she didn’t fall hard, she’d likely scrape herself. Suddenly, a large hand reached out from behind, wrapping around her and pulling her into an embrace.
The red wedding candle flickered, casting a dim glow. Su Zhi, her entire body stiff, tumbled into Yue Chunhan’s arms.
They were too close. She could hear her own heart pounding violently. Her nose faintly caught the clean, fresh scent of soap lingering on Yue Chunhan, as if he had just bathed.
Instinctively, her hands clutched at Yue Chunhan’s lapels. But her touch landed on a broad expanse of firm muscle. Having never been this close to a man before, Su Zhi felt intensely awkward. A deep blush began to spread from the roots of her ears.
She was already beautiful. In the hazy lamplight, with her face flushed, her beautiful eyes shimmering with a hint of moisture as if she might cry, looking utterly pitiable… When she lowered her head, it revealed a large expanse of fair skin on the back of her neck, so tender it seemed one could pinch water from it, dazzlingly white.
Yue Chunhan held Su Zhi with one arm, keenly aware of her slender waist, seemingly so slender it could barely be grasped. The loose red jacket, with its festive color, made her face appear even more delicately fair and flawless.
Su Zhi squirmed uncomfortably in his embrace, trying to break free. Her twisting only made Yue Chunhan hold her closer. He could even feel their mingling breaths, and the warm, delicate texture of a young woman’s skin.
Their breaths intertwined. Remembering that the man holding her was the violent male second lead from the novel, Su Zhi felt her scalp go numb, terrified he might give in to some beastly impulse and do something to her. She forcefully struggled out of Yue Chunhan’s embrace, leaning against the kang edge, breathing heavily. With a strained smile, she said to Yue Chunhan, “Thank you.”
Yue Chunhan’s face, illuminated by the flickering candlelight, was a mix of light and shadow, revealing no discernible emotion. His voice, however, was ice-cold. “No need.”
He then addressed her earlier question. “There’s only this one kang in the house. Naturally, we’ll all sleep here.”
Then, his dark eyes swept over Su Zhi’s instantly stiffened body, taking in her look of alarm. He added unhurriedly, “The three of us will sleep together.”
Three?