One meal of braised pork completely broke through the psychological defenses of the two little wolf cubs.
After eating their fill, the plate was cleaner than their faces.
Er Bao slumped in the chair, rubbing his round belly and letting out a meat-scented burp. The way he looked at Su Man had already changed from “bad woman” to “real mom.”
Da Bao still looked awkward, but the hostility was gone. When Su Man cleaned up the dishes, he even awkwardly helped carry the bun basket.
“Alright, since you’re full, go wash up and sleep,” Su Man said while directing Lu Zhan to move the table back inside and laying down rules for the kids.“From now on I cook, you two wash dishes and sweep the floor. Whoever doesn’t work won’t get meat next meal.”
“Got it…” Er Bao answered immediately.
Da Bao snorted but silently grabbed a broom and swept the bone scraps in the yard.
Lu Zhan raised his brows at the scene. In the army even orders hadn’t subdued these two brats — yet this woman recruited them with one meal?
Seems like it really takes a villain to deal with villains.
After everything was cleaned up, night had fully fallen.
The compound was quiet except for occasional barking dogs.
Su Man washed the children’s faces and feet and sent them to sleep in the west room. With meat in their stomachs, they slept soundly and soon began snoring.
Su Man stood in the main hall, staring at the closed door of the east room. Suddenly her heart started pounding.
In all the scheming earlier, she’d forgotten the most important thing.
This was the bridal room.
Their marital bedroom.
Back in the dorm she had boldly declared they’d sleep separately — but that was to force Lu Zhan to sign the marriage report. Now the certificate was obtained and they were living together. In this compound, walls had ears — if they slept apart the first night, rumors would spread by morning.
Besides… the house conditions didn’t allow it anyway.
Su Man took a deep breath and pushed open the east room door.
A dim kerosene lamp lit the room.
Small space. A 1.5-meter wooden bed took most of it. Beside it an old wardrobe and a desk.
Lu Zhan sat on the bed drying his hair.
He had clearly rinsed off again, wearing only army-green shorts. Under the yellow light his broad shoulders, firm chest, and washboard abs were sharply outlined.
A walking surge of hormones.
Hearing the door, he looked up, his deep eyes dark in the lamplight.
“Finished?”
He tossed the towel onto the table, voice low and hoarse.
Su Man’s gaze swept over him; her cheeks warmed and she quickly looked away.“Mm. The kids are asleep.”
She shuffled to the wardrobe and opened it.
Empty.
Only the single army-green quilt on the bed.
“So… there’s only one blanket?” she said awkwardly. “Maybe I can squeeze in with Er Bao?”
“Er Bao sleeps wildly. If you hadn’t fed him today he’d kick you off the bed at midnight,” Lu Zhan said calmly.
He stood up. His tall figure filled the small room.
“Besides, letting the bride sleep in the children’s room on the wedding night — should I still keep my reputation?”
He stepped closer.
Su Man backed up until her spine pressed against the wardrobe.
“Then… you sleep on the floor?” she tried. “Like last night?”
“That was cement in the dorm. Here it’s dirt — damp. Want my old injury to relapse?”
He leaned near her ear; warm breath brushed her neck.
“Su Man, did you forget something?”
Her heart raced as she pressed her hands to his chest.“F-forget what?”
“Yesterday you said if I don’t force you, we sleep separately.”
He played with a strand of her hair.
“But I remember saying too…”
His voice lowered with a dangerous hint of amusement.
“As compensation, you must fulfill a wife’s duties.”
She looked up nervously.“You… what are you planning? You promised not to force me!”
“I did.”
He sat back on the bed and patted beside him.
“But the bed is this big and there’s one blanket. If you want the floor, I won’t stop you. If you want the bed…”
His eyes darkened.
“Depends whether you dare sleep next to me.”
A provocation.
Su Man bit her lip. He clearly knew she wouldn’t sleep outside or on the ground.
Fine.
Sleep then! He’s a soldier — he promised he wouldn’t force her. Besides… with that body, if anything happened she might not be the one at a loss.
She steeled herself, removed her outer clothes, slipped under the quilt like a nimble rabbit, rolled to the innermost wall corner, and wrapped herself like a cocoon.
“I’m sleeping! Border line — whoever crosses is a puppy!”
She turned her back, heart pounding.
A soft chuckle sounded behind her.
The bed sank — Lu Zhan lay down.
His strong masculine presence surrounded her. Even with distance she could feel the heat behind her.
This would be a sleepless night.
Lu Zhan stared at the dark ceiling, hands behind his head.
The woman beside him gradually breathed steadily, but he couldn’t sleep. The wound under his ribs throbbed — lingering toxin.
Strangely, when her faint fragrance drifted over, the pain eased.
He turned and looked at the small figure curled by the wall.
This woman was like medicine.
Not only healing him… perhaps healing this family.
A faint smile formed. He pulled part of the quilt over her exposed shoulder.
“Good night, Mrs. Lu.”
At that moment, Su Man suddenly rolled over.
One leg flopped onto his waist and she clung to him like an octopus, mumbling in her sleep:
“Braised pork… don’t run…”
Lu Zhan stiffened, breathing heavier.
Damn.
Not medicine — a life-stealing fairy.
Gritting his teeth and resisting the urge to throw her off the bed, he closed his eyes helplessly in the night filled with meat aroma and body warmth.
Life… really had become lively.