[10] And She Would No Longer Pay for Any Man’s Desire to Conquer
The car had to pass completely through Banna’s city center before reaching the highway.
During the holiday, despite the rain, tourists in the evening were still coming and going in an endless stream.
Neon lights flickered and receded on both sides of the road. Through the tightly closed car windows, noisy music drifted in from time to time.
The road wasn’t easy to navigate. Red lights came one after another, and many roads were under repair, forcing them to take some detours through smaller streets.
Fortunately, Jiang Muhe was familiar with the roads and drove steadily. Liang Youyun didn’t feel any sudden, harsh braking.
The air conditioning in the car was set just right—neither too cold nor too hot. Her bare arms didn’t feel the discomfort of a direct blast of cold air.
Liang Youyun knew her acting skills were woefully inadequate. He hadn’t exposed her on the spot, which was already giving her a lot of face.
So, sitting in the passenger seat, she kept leaning towards the car door, pretending to be fascinated by the street scenes outside the window, looking like a curious newcomer to the city.
She didn’t dare breathe loudly because she could hear his breathing, so he must be able to hear hers too.
She didn’t speak, and Jiang Muhe didn’t either. But his posture was relaxed, unlike hers—she felt as if she had done something wrong, sitting on pins and needles, with her back prickling as if covered in thorns.
After about half an hour, as they were almost out of the city center, the surrounding noise faded. The lights changed from brilliant and dazzling to scattered and sparse. Only then did Liang Youyun adjust her sitting posture, slightly turning her head to glance at him from the corner of her eye.
Jiang Muhe’s profile was very defined, especially against the backlight, which highlighted his silhouette. Youyun could even clearly see his long, upward-curving eyelashes and the occasional movement of his Adam’s apple.
“Um…” Youyun began, looking somewhat awkward.
Jiang Muhe quickly turned his face to look at her, then just as quickly turned back to watch the road.
“That day… I misunderstood the situation, and I wasn’t in a good mood, so I said some strange things. But it wasn’t directed at you, okay? You’re great, a really good person. Hmm… And I was too impatient, I didn’t take the time to understand the situation… In short, I was just confused myself. Please don’t take it to heart.”
She stammered, her ability to express herself suddenly failing. It was truly terrifying, and she didn’t know what had gone wrong.
After listening to her, Jiang Muhe asked quietly, “Which day?”
“Huh?” Youyun was taken aback for a moment, then hurriedly said, “That day in the rainforest, the day we were rescued.”
“Oh, the day we first met,” he said.
“Ah, right, that day. I’ve always felt I owed you an explanation. And of course, thank you for saving us.” She had no choice but to bring up the old matter again.
He smiled. “You already thanked me over the phone.”
She gave an awkward laugh. “Yes, this is a thank you in person. Although I’m not sure how best to thank you.”
Jiang Muhe pursed his lips, seeming to consider something, then suddenly said, “As long as it’s not some banner of commendation or a material reward.”
Youyun was stunned again. Why did that sentence sound so sarcastic? She could only reply, “Then this time, let me treat you to a meal, okay?”
Jiang Muhe glanced at her, his eyes holding a probing look. “On behalf of yourself?”
“…”
Youyun looked at him and suddenly couldn’t help but laugh. This man was determined today to settle old scores, and he wore an expression that seemed deliberately meant to tease her.
Just her luck!
“Yes, on behalf of myself,” Youyun said sincerely.
“Mmm.” Jiang Muhe gave a slight nod, still pursing his lips, the amusement in his eyes almost overflowing.
He was very satisfied with this answer.
“Just laugh if you want to!” Liang Youyun said, seeing how hard he was trying to hold it in.
Sure enough, he could no longer contain himself and broke into a wide smile.
Youyun also smiled. The two of them seemed to share a tacit understanding, laughing together for quite a while.
“How did you end up falling into that pit that day? With your skills, it couldn’t have been a slip, right?” Youyun asked curiously.
“I was careless.”
“Careless? You don’t seem like the ‘careless’ type.”
“What type do I seem like?”
“Hmm…” Youyun thought for a moment. “I can’t quite put it into words, but I feel like you’re very cautious, measured in your speech, and even when helping others, you do it with finesse. Like just now when you stepped in to help—you resolved it in just a few words! It felt so sudden, like a hero descending from the heavens. My mind is still reeling. Not like me—I only know how to get aggressive with people.”
Jiang Muhe gripped the steering wheel as they were about to enter the highway. He slowed down at the turn, stepping on the brake.
From this angle, he could linger on her face for a few more seconds.
Her face was radiant, her eyes clear and bright. She sat there quietly, looking perfectly well-behaved—where was the aggression?
“I didn’t expect to run into you here either,” he said. “Jinghong has a lot of tourists—all sorts of people, good and bad. You still need to be careful and avoid them.”
Youyun knew he was referring to what had just happened. It was true—she had acted impulsively. She tended to be like that, charging headfirst into unexpected situations.
“Do you often stay in Jinghong?” she changed the subject.
“I used to. Now I live in the old house in Mannuan.”
“Yeah, I went there last time. Your house is beautiful.”
“Did you go inside?”
“No.”
“I’ll show you the inside next time,” he said frankly.
Youyun glanced at the man’s profile again, feeling a little dazed. Had they known each other for long? Not really, so how did this kind of friendly conversation come so naturally?
“Are you… inviting me?”
“If you still want to go,” Jiang Muhe nodded and smiled. “I sometimes invite friends over for meals at home.”
“You cook yourself?”
“Yeah. When the mood strikes, I like to try new things, but I can’t finish it all alone, so I have to ask friends to help. Most of my friends are in Jinghong, though, and they can’t come over right away. I might have to trouble you in the future. You wouldn’t mind helping, would you, Secretary Liang?”
How did this person so effortlessly become friends with her?
Liang Youyun finally realized that every word he said was a trap, just waiting for her to step into it!
“I find you… quite talkative,” she said. Not at all like what Yu Xiang and Zhang He had said—that he spoke very little.
“Really?” He chuckled. “I guess so.”
“How long have you been in Banna?” Youyun asked.
“Hmm… almost six years.”
“I heard from Zhang He that you’re also from Beijing. Are you planning to settle here and not go back to Beijing?”
“Yes,” he said, his expression dimming slightly. “I moved to Beijing because of my parents’ work. After joining the military, I rarely went back, so I’m not exactly a pure Beijing native.”
“Do you still have relatives or friends in Beijing?”
“Of course. At the very least, my parents are still there.”
He spoke candidly, but Youyun sensed he didn’t want to talk about family, so she moved on.
“Zhang He also said you were in the special forces. Is that true?”
Jiang Muhe lowered his gaze, a flicker of gloom passing through his eyes. “Yes.”
“Which unit?” Youyun pressed, then felt she might have overstepped and added, “It’s okay if you don’t want to say. I was just asking casually.”
Jiang Muhe told her the designation of his former unit.
Liang Youyun didn’t ask further. This kind of national-level counter-terrorism special forces unit that operates year-round isn’t something just anyone can join. Even someone like him, who doesn’t know much about military structure, has heard legends about this unit—the selection process is extremely rigorous, and after enlisting, they undergo various extreme training. Those who survive the first year are already iron men. He retired to support his fallen comrade’s parents, but who knows what exactly happened in between.
“Your comrades must have been incredible,” Youyun remarked with admiration.
“…Meaning I’m not?” He raised an eyebrow slightly, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
“Ah, no, no! I meant just being able to join such a unit is amazing!”
“So after retiring, I’m no longer amazing.”
“That’s not…” Youyun laughed, rubbing his forehead. “Alright, you’re amazing.”
Knowing he was deliberately teasing him, Youyun quickly stopped.
Jiang Muhe smiled and didn’t continue the conversation.
Since they weren’t familiar with each other, Liang Youyun couldn’t pry further into his privacy. He stretched lightly and said, “I really admire people like you who can endure hardships!”
Jiang Muhe kept his eyes on the road ahead, changing the subject. “I read in a report that you’re a village cadre. How much longer until your assignment ends?”
“Almost there, less than four months.”
Jiang Muhe gave a soft “hmm,” his breath swirling and echoing in the car.
After a moment, he said, “What a coincidence.”
“What do you mean?” Youyun asked, puzzled.
His smile was faint. “We just met, and you’re about to leave.”
Outside, the rain grew heavier, pattering loudly against the car windows. Even with the wipers at full speed, they couldn’t keep up with the downpour. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Jiang Muhe slowed down again, gripping the steering wheel tighter.
The sound of the rain diluted the ambiguous tension brewing in the air.
“Maybe we can meet in Beijing in the future,” Youyun said with a polite smile.
Jiang Muhe suddenly asked, “Do you like Beijing that much?”
This was a rather objective question.
He nodded. “Yes, I do. Peking duck, zhajiang noodles, almond tofu, Youleyuan, Fuhuazhai—they’re all my favorites.”
Jiang Muhe smiled and nodded. “Well, all food-related.”
Youyun continued, “On a deeper level, it’s a goal I set for myself. When I was a child, I attended a summer camp in Beijing. We visited many attractions and watched the flag-raising ceremony. Right then, I made up my mind—I must go to Beijing, get into Tsinghua or Peking University, and establish myself there.”
Feeling a bit silly, he asked awkwardly, “Isn’t that childish? Kids always have so many unrealistic dreams.”
Jiang Muhe lowered his head and smiled but didn’t answer.
To him, Beijing was no longer home. And his own life had taken so many twists and turns—he didn’t know how much Liang Youyun had learned from Zhang He. But he had no reason to share it, as the other person might not even be interested.
Just then, Yu Xiang in the back seat suddenly let out a soft moan, her voice seductive as she murmured something ambiguous, “…Brother, don’t touch me anymore…”
Liang Youyun froze. Today, this girl had completely embarrassed them all! Even if Yu Xiang herself didn’t know what she was saying, he and Jiang Muhe couldn’t help but imagine those suggestive scenes.
“She… she’s dreaming because she’s drunk…” Youyun glanced back at Yu Xiang and explained, though the explanation felt weak. Dreaming? What kind of dream? Clearly, it was a steamy one.
After a moment, Jiang Muhe said, “Are you tired? If you are, you can sleep for a while. We still have an hour to go.”
“I’m not tired. I often stay up late.” Of course, he couldn’t sleep. What if he started talking nonsense like Yu Xiang?
The night was deep, perfect for some late-night conversation.
Taking advantage of the darkness, Youyun asked a bold question: “Hey, Jiang Muhe, do you have many friends in Banna?”
She recalled earlier at the bar, how he said the bar owner was his friend, and how a group of friends had followed him.
“Quite a few,” Muhe replied. In business, how could one avoid making friends, even if they were just drinking buddies?
“Do you have many female friends too?”
Jiang Muhe was taken aback and asked in return, “Why do you think that?”
Liang Youyun felt she had seized an opportunity to probe his background. Gossip is human nature, after all. The road was long, and with nothing else to do, why not ask questions she was genuinely curious about?
“You’re so good at conversation,” she said—though what she really meant was “flirting”—”and you have looks, a good figure, impressive skills, and a wide network. With such great qualities, it’s impossible that no girls have pursued you, right? I bet there are many, aren’t there?”
Jiang Muhe listened silently, a slow smile curling at the corners of his mouth.
“You’re smiling, aren’t you? I guessed right, didn’t I?”
Youyun felt smug. It didn’t take much thought to figure out—how could a man like him possibly be lonely? Perhaps that secluded house of his was meant for meeting someone special.
“Thank you for such high praise,” he said, his tone and expression both calm and detached.
“My eyes aren’t blind. I’m just telling the truth,” Youyun flattered.
“What about you? Do you have many friends?” Jiang Muhe asked.
“Not many. I have a bad temper, and few people can stand me.”
“Oh?” He was curious. “How bad is it?”
“I’m sharp-tongued, quick to anger, and sometimes even get physical.”
Jiang Muhe chuckled, tilting his head to glance at her. It was the first time he’d seen a woman describe herself so harshly, and with such composure!
Youyun avoided his gaze. She knew what he was thinking—someone like her was no man’s ideal type. The boyfriends she’d had never lasted more than two months. When breaking up, they’d point fingers and call her ruthless, domineering, and lacking inner beauty, claiming they’d been fooled by her innocent face!
Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, she’d resort to physical confrontations, but more often than not, she’d just scoff. Those men weren’t worthy of her—they were weak, narcissistic, and incapable of appreciating her. Of course, she didn’t need anyone’s appreciation. At her age, having seen all kinds of suitors’ tactics, she’d long grown disillusioned with romance and free love.
Love is best experienced when you’re young. Otherwise, the older you get, the more baggage you carry, and the more you end up draining each other—hardly worth the effort.
So, she stubbornly believed that Jiang Muhe was merely seeking novelty. After all, her kind face and contrasting personality easily stirred men’s desire to conquer.
And she would no longer pay the price for any man’s conquest.