Three?
Su Zhi widened her eyes in shock, thinking Yue Chunhan was joking. But under the candlelight, Yue Chunhan’s dark eyes were deep, his expression calm and serious—nothing like he was teasing.
Su Zhi immediately sucked in a sharp breath.
She hadn’t finished reading the original novel. Could it be that this gloomy, ruthless man had some… unusual preferences?
Help!
Her face filled with shock and panic, Su Zhi took two steps back, staring warily at the man before her.
Her heart was in turmoil as she frantically tried to think of what to do, completely at a loss. The man, however, simply watched her caution and alarm with an unreadable, quiet gaze.
Just then, the door creaked open.
Su Zhi jumped, stiffening as she nervously turned her head. Peeking through the crack was a small head, with soft, light brown eyes that met hers.
It was a little girl, about four or five years old, with a messy, crooked ponytail.
Su Zhi stared, stunned. Looking at the bedding and small pillow the girl was clutching, it took her a long moment to realize—was this the third person Yue Chunhan had meant?
“C-can I come in?” the little girl asked timidly.
“Yes, of course!” Su Zhi let out a huge sigh of relief. Hurriedly, she stepped forward to take the heavy bedding from the girl’s arms, noticing the child’s pale, delicate face, which was full of apprehension and even fear.
Su Zhi searched her memory of the plot, recalling that this was Yue Chunhan’s adopted daughter. In the original story, the reason Yue Chunhan hadn’t married until now wasn’t just because of his violent, gloomy personality and the old injury to his left foot—it was also because he was raising a daughter.
This daughter was the only child left behind by the couple next door after they passed away. Seeing she was orphaned, Yue Chunhan took her in and raised her as his own. He paid no mind to the gossip from others, and the timing of his marriage wasn’t really an issue for him either.
But no one expected him to marry so soon, let alone that his bride would be Su Zhi, the well-known village beauty.
Except this marriage was practically a farce. Neither party was willing, and even Yue Chunhan’s adopted daughter, Yue Tiantian, was full of anxiety. She was only four years old, but she had heard more than once how Su Zhi had a bad reputation and was disliked by everyone. They all said Su Zhi would surely be the worst stepmother, beating her every day.
Yue Tiantian looked at Su Zhi uneasily. Even though she was instantly struck by Su Zhi’s beautiful appearance upon meeting her, she quickly remembered what the villagers said—the prettier her stepmother’s face, the more wicked her heart. With that thought, she shrank back in fear, worried that Su Zhi might start bullying her at any moment.
Su Zhi had absolutely no resistance to adorable children. Learning that the little girl would be sleeping in the room with them tonight actually brought her relief—the thought of sharing a bed alone with Yue Chunhan was unbearable, but having a small child there wasn’t a problem at all.
Thinking this, Su Zhi’s gaze toward Yue Tiantian even held a touch of gratitude.
For the wedding, Su Zhi’s family had sent over two sets of bedding. Su Zhi spread out the new bedding and carefully placed Yue Tiantian’s bedding between her own and Yue Chunhan’s. Looking at the small barrier that now separated her from Yue Chunhan, Su Zhi’s tense mood eased a little.
It was already bedtime, the sky outside pitch black. Su Zhi awkwardly took off the red coat she had been wearing and placed it at the edge of the kang, revealing the fitted white sweater she wore underneath.
The original host loved beauty too. Unlike the loose, hand-knitted sweaters others wore, this one was fine, soft, and clung to her figure. As Su Zhi lifted Yue Tiantian onto the kang to help her take off her shoes, her waist bent in a curve so slender it seemed almost ethereal—as if Yue Chunhan’s large hand could easily span it.
In the flickering candlelight, Su Zhi’s face was porcelain-fair and clear, her eyes seeming to glisten with an indescribable allure. Yet her expression was so open and guileless, creating a striking collision of innocence and sensuality that made it hard to look away.
Yue Tiantian stared, mesmerized, before finally snapping out of it and quickly scrambling onto the bed. Uncomfortably, she whispered her thanks to Su Zhi, “Th-thank you… sister…”
Sister?
Su Zhi had been tense all evening and only began to calm down upon seeing Yue Tiantian. Her expression softened slightly, her full, rosy lips curving upward as she gently replied, “Not sister… Well, it should be ‘Mom,’ but if that’s too hard to say, it’s okay. You can call me Auntie.”
Yue Tiantian looked at Su Zhi, who was as pretty as a painting, and quickly called out, “Auntie.”
Though the address felt a bit odd, it was still more comfortable for her than being called ‘Mom’ by a child. Smiling, Su Zhi acknowledged it, then hesitantly glanced toward the other end of the kang.
The several-meter-long kang was fully covered by the three bedding sets. At bedtime, Yue Chunhan had also removed his coat, revealing the solid, taut muscles beneath his shirt. His dark eyes were fixed intently on her.
“All set?” Yue Chunhan asked her coolly.
Su Zhi nodded. The next moment, the single candle in the room was blown out, plunging the entire space into darkness.
The three of them lay side by side on the kang, with Yue Tiantian sandwiched between Su Zhi and Yue Chunhan. Yet none of them felt sleepy, especially Su Zhi, who stared wide-eyed out the window.
Outside, the moonlight was hazy, faintly casting a silvery glow. After a whole evening of tension and unease, Su Zhi should have been drowsy, but her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, utterly confused about what the future held.
Why was her luck so bad, transmigrating into this period novel? What should she do? Had her original body been completely wrecked in the car accident? Could she ever go back? Would she have to live here forever?
While Su Zhi was lost in her anxiety, her sharp ears picked up a faint, muffled sob. Startled, she realized it was coming from Yue Tiantian, sleeping beside her.
Yue Tiantian had burrowed under the covers, her face buried in the blanket as she cried quietly. In the dim moonlight, her small body trembled with each hiccup.
Su Zhi’s mind was in a haze, belatedly realizing that Yue Tiantian was probably just as confused and scared as she was about the current situation. After all, the original host’s reputation in the village wasn’t good.
A sense of shared hardship and pity washed over Su Zhi. She stealthily craned her neck to glance at Yue Chunhan on the other side. Seeing his eyes closed as if in deep sleep, her tense heart relaxed a little. After a moment’s hesitation, she reached out and gently placed her hand on Yue Tiantian’s back, patting and soothing her softly, just like her own mother used to do when she was little.
Yue Tiantian peeked her head out from under the covers, revealing a face streaked with tears. Her large eyes were brimming, on the verge of spilling over, looking utterly heart-wrenching.
As Su Zhi patted her back, Yue Tiantian sniffled and asked, “Auntie… are you going to live here forever? Are you never leaving? Are you… going to be my mom now?”
Su Zhi hadn’t figured out the answer to that question herself. Just as she was feeling troubled about how to respond, Yue Tiantian quickly switched to another.
“Auntie… will you hit me? They all say stepmothers are scary, that they won’t feed me and will hit me… wu wu…”
Su Zhi couldn’t help but let out a long sigh. Questions like these probably troubled every child in a blended family—the anxiety, the fear of being disliked, the worry that their parents might not love them anymore…
Yue Tiantian’s eyelashes fluttered, tears streaming down her cheeks. The little child cried so pitifully that Su Zhi’s heart melted. She couldn’t bear it and gently pulled Yue Tiantian into her arms, stroking her hair softly and wiping the tear tracks from her cheeks. “No, I won’t bully you,” she assured her. “I promise.”
Cradled in Su Zhi’s embrace, Yue Tiantian smelled a faint, delicate fragrance. Auntie’s body was soft and warm, and her voice was so gentle—nothing like how the village kids had scared her.
Su Zhi held the little girl, comforting her. “Go to sleep now, don’t overthink it. I won’t bully you. In fact, if anyone else bullies you, I’ll help you go beat them up together.”
Yue Tiantian giggled at Su Zhi’s last remark, but she blinked her big eyes, unable to fall asleep. Being so young, she couldn’t tell if Su Zhi’s words were sincere or just meant to placate her. Anxiety about the future still lingered in her heart.
Su Zhi, however, was genuinely starting to feel sleepy. Having inexplicably arrived in this strange place and spending the whole evening on edge, she was barely holding on. Seeing Yue Tiantian still awake, she simply continued patting her back and said softly, “How about I tell you a story? Once it’s over, we’ll sleep, okay?”
Yue Tiantian had never experienced anything like this. Yue Chunhan worked from dawn till dusk every day, and she was often left to fend for herself. Previously, she had slept at Grandma Zhao’s house next door. But Grandma Zhao was old—how could she cuddle and pat her like Su Zhi did, or tell her stories?
Smelling Su Zhi’s soft, sweet scent, Yue Tiantian nodded eagerly.
“Once upon a time, deep in the ocean, there was a very beautiful little mermaid…”
As Su Zhi patted Yue Tiantian’s back, she began telling the story of The Little Mermaid in a gentle voice. Yue Tiantian listened intently at first, but as her mind gradually relaxed, she quickly fell into a deep sleep, nestled comfortably in Su Zhi’s arms.
Su Zhi tucked the blankets around her. Amid her own anxieties, she continued patting Yue Tiantian softly until, after a while, she too fell asleep, their heads resting close together.
On the other side, Yue Chunhan—whom Su Zhi had assumed was long asleep—quietly opened his eyes, glancing over at Su Zhi from a distance.
The moonlight outside was hazy and serene. Su Zhi slept peacefully with her eyes closed, her skin fair and features delicate. At some point, the covers had slipped down, revealing her form-fitting sweater that hugged her body, accentuating her alluring curves.
From Yue Chunhan’s angle, he could clearly see Su Zhi’s slender neck and the expanse of snow-white skin trailing down to her collar—strikingly pale.
Yue Chunhan didn’t like Su Zhi, but even he had to admit that her appearance was exquisite. No wonder someone had dared to try and elope with her on her wedding night.
Lying there in that white sweater on the worn-out, old kang, she still looked like a young lady fallen from the clouds. Every breath she took seemed to carry a delicate fragrance, and the room itself felt brighter just because she was in it.
Yue Chunhan let out a quiet scoff. Thinking about her unusual behavior tonight, he wondered what she was really plotting. Could she actually intend to live with him?
He didn’t care to dwell on it, closing his eyes and trying his best to ignore Su Zhi on the other side.
·
Su Zhi woke up feeling suffocated. Startling awake in the middle of the night, she belatedly realized that she had been so tense and anxious all evening that she hadn’t eaten a thing or even used the bathroom.
When she awoke, the moonlight outside was bright. Both Yue Tiantian and Yue Chunhan seemed to be asleep. Yue Tiantian was even snuggled closely against her, sleeping soundly.
Su Zhi felt like crying. How was she supposed to handle her urgent need? Should she wake Yue Tiantian and ask her to show her where the bathroom was? But she had just managed to get the child to sleep—it wouldn’t be easy for her to fall back asleep if woken now.
After much thought, Su Zhi couldn’t hold it any longer. Her heart pounded nervously, filled with dread, as she rolled over toward Yue Chunhan and carefully poked his arm.
Yue Chunhan’s arm was pure muscle, built up over years of labor—the lines were incredibly defined, his firm skin exuding raw strength.
Su Zhi marveled inwardly, feeling like his arm was thicker than her own leg. That sense of power was as if he could knock her over with one punch. Remembering Yue Chunhan’s violent, ruthless nature from the original story, her fear grew.
If she hadn’t been utterly clueless about where the bathroom was, she wouldn’t have chosen to wake him. Just as Su Zhi was hesitating, Yue Chunhan abruptly opened his eyes.
He looked at her, his dark eyes cool and distant, brows furrowed as he asked, “What’s the matter?”