The summer night was stifling, like a giant steaming pot.
Lu Si had been having a rough few days.
Ever since his legs were crippled and he returned home, his pride had barely kept him upright—but the physical humiliation was impossible to hide.
He hadn’t bathed for several days. He felt like his whole body was starting to smell sour.
If it were the old Su Ci, she would have stayed far away, or worn a look of obvious disgust.
But the person inside now was Su Ci who had transmigrated into the book.
Su Ci was sitting in the courtyard enjoying the night breeze, lazily fanning herself with a worn palm-leaf fan while calculating her KPI for the month.
“Before transmigrating I worked 9–9–6. Now the food might be worse, but at least I don’t have to deal with idiot bosses, revise PowerPoints, or squeeze onto the subway. As long as I take good care of the ‘Living King of Hell’ inside the house, I get a monthly allowance—and in this era where people still have to work the fields for work points, I can basically live a laid-back life.”
Su Ci was extremely satisfied with this arrangement.
Once again, she sighed happily.
This was the life she had always dreamed of!
“Su Ci.” A man’s suppressed, low voice came from inside the room.
Su Ci sighed and stood up reluctantly.
For the sake of her long-term meal ticket, she needed to maintain professional standards.
She pushed the door open. The room smelled faintly of medicine and sweat.
Lu Si sat in his wheelchair with his back to her, his spine straight as a drawn bowstring.
“Husband… I mean, Lu Si. What’s the order?” Su Ci leaned against the doorframe lazily.
Lu Si’s fingers tightened on his knees. His voice was cold and stiff.
“I want to take a bath.”
Su Ci raised an eyebrow.
There were no showers in this era. Bathing meant heating water, mixing hot and cold, and hauling a heavy wooden tub inside.
It was real physical labor.
Seeing that she didn’t move, Lu Si’s expression darkened further, a flash of self-loathing crossing his eyes.
“If you’re unwilling…”
“Of course I’m willing,” Su Ci interrupted him, even smiling slightly. “You were injured for the country. Helping you bathe is an honorable task.”
Mainly because in this summer heat, not bathing would stink up the whole place—including the caregiver.
Su Ci moved quickly and went to the kitchen to heat water.
She was strong; she carried two buckets at a time without trouble.
Soon, a steaming wooden bathing tub was placed in the center of the room. She even thoughtfully set out soap and a coarse cloth towel nearby.
“All set. The water temperature is perfect. You can wash yourself?” Su Ci clapped the dust from her hands.
Lu Si stared at the tall rim of the wooden tub, then looked down at his completely numb legs. His face turned iron-gray.
“Go out. Close the door.”
Su Ci couldn’t have agreed more.
“Got it. I’ll guard the door. Consider it security duty—not even a fly is getting in.”
She turned to leave, but before closing the door she added—without the slightest sense of boundaries:
“Commander Lu, the floor’s dirt. Once it gets wet it’s slippery. Your upper body may be strong, but your balance isn’t great. Take it easy.”
“Get out!”
An enamel mug smashed against the doorframe.
Su Ci didn’t get angry. This was just the temperament of a paying client—perfectly understandable.
As long as the money was good, forget mugs—even gold bars thrown at her, she’d catch them.
The door closed.
Inside came the rustling sound of clothes being removed, followed by the splash of water.
Su Ci squatted by the door counting ants, wondering what to eat tomorrow morning.
“Lu Si’s allowance isn’t small. Tomorrow I’ll go to the black market and trade for some pork fat, render some lard, and make dumplings with the crispy bits… Let the neighbor Auntie drool with envy…”
She was just imagining the taste of braised pork when suddenly a loud crash sounded from inside the room.
Bang!
It was followed by the sloshing sound of water as the wooden tub tipped over.
The fan in Su Ci’s hand stopped mid-air.
That sound… was like a two-hundred-pound pig falling flat on the ground.
“Lu Si?” she called out.
Inside the room was deathly silent. Only the sound of water spreading across the floor remained.
Su Ci’s eyes sharpened.
Oh no.
Her long-term meal ticket. Her guarantee of never having to work in the fields. Her braised-pork sponsor.
If he had fallen and gotten seriously hurt, wouldn’t her laid-back salted-fish lifestyle be ruined?!
“Lu Si, I’m coming in! For the sake of my work points—no, I mean for your safety!”