In Gu Changfeng’s dark eyes, her extraordinarily radiant face was reflected.
There was not the slightest hint of the shyness or panic typical of an ordinary woman on that face. Instead, there was only an open, frank scrutiny, as though she could see straight through him.
“Had a sleep?” he repeated her words, his voice deeper than before, as though he were weighing the meaning of those few words. “Do you really think it was as simple as just having a sleep?”
His gaze lowered, landing on the snow-white shoulder exposed beyond the covers.
He did not miss the fleeting gleam in her eyes, sharp and calculating, like a hunter locking onto its prey.
This woman was completely different from the timid, cowardly orphan girl from the countryside described in the records.
Gu Changfeng even nearly wondered if he was imagining things. It felt as though she was the military officer, while he was the fragile woman.
After a pause,
Su Qiao smiled and slowly pulled the slipping blanket higher, covering the alluring glimpse of skin.
“What else could it be? Regiment Commander Gu, we’re both adults. You’re unmarried, I’m unmarried, and under circumstances like these… Once dawn comes, we go our separate ways and mind our own business. Wouldn’t that be just fine?”
Her words were light and casual, without the slightest sense that she had suffered any loss. Yet those seemingly indifferent words struck directly and precisely at his sense of responsibility as a soldier.
Just then, more fragments of the original owner’s memories surged through Su Qiao’s mind, piecing together a much more complete picture.
Her aunt-in-law, Sun Cuifen, was greedy and mean.
She had long set her sights on the thirty-six yuan and the pile of ration coupons Gu Changfeng had given as the betrothal gifts, and had been determined to have her own lazy, gluttonous daughter, Su Lan, take Su Qiao’s place.
So she had devised a vicious scheme.
She obtained some illicit, dirty drugs from the barefoot doctor, planning to have one of the village hooligans ruin the original owner’s innocence.
That way, the original owner’s reputation would be destroyed, leaving her no choice but to be manipulated into marrying the old widower at the west end of the village. Sun Cuifen could then pocket another bride-price payment.
Who could have expected the original owner’s will to survive would suddenly explode, allowing her to desperately escape the trap that had been set for her?
In her panic, she accidentally barged into another room.
Inside was Gu Changfeng, who had likewise been set up and drugged.
His rivals in the army, jealous of his promotion, had bribed the people at the guesthouse and drugged him with a different substance, waiting for him to make a fool of himself so they could accuse him of misconduct and use it against him.
Two people, each drugged by different schemes, had thus accidentally ended up together.
Well, damn.
Su Qiao clicked her tongue inwardly.
This was practically an incredibly lucky start in what should have been a hellish opening.
Not only had she avoided being violated by the hooligan, she had also picked up a handsome, well-built military officer as her husband—one whose identity was practically the ultimate protective shield.
Not a bad deal.
She raised her eyes again, her gaze becoming bold and direct as she openly looked Gu Changfeng up and down.
That face was sharp and rugged, carved as though by a knife and axe, with an imposing, masculine air—the kind of tough-guy look that would have been especially popular with women in the apocalypse.
As for his physique, he looked slim in his clothes but was clearly muscular underneath. Even through the thin shirt, she could sense the powerful muscles beneath it.
Not to mention the military uniform and his status as a “regiment commander.” In the late 1970s, that identity was practically a walking security pass.
Perfect.
Being examined from head to toe by her seemingly seductive gaze, Gu Changfeng suddenly felt a wave of heat shoot from the base of his spine to the back of his neck. The tips of his ears began burning uncontrollably.
He abruptly turned his face away, avoiding her gaze, and broke the silence stiffly.
“Getting a marriage certificate is currently the best way to resolve the problem.”
His voice carried an unquestionable, commanding tone, as though he were announcing an established fact.
“Oh?” Su Qiao crossed her arms, the edge of the blanket barely resting against her full curves, outlining a breathtaking silhouette.
Leaning against the headboard, she looked as languid as a cat basking in the sun. “What’s in it for me?”
Love was too intangible. Su Qiao only believed in tangible benefits.
Clearly, Gu Changfeng had not expected her to ask that.
In his view, once a girl had lost her innocence, his willingness to take responsibility and marry her was already the best resolution he could offer.
She should have been grateful and accepted it, whether tearfully or reluctantly.
Not behave like she was now, bargaining with him like a shrewd merchant.
He remained silent for a moment, seemingly organizing his thoughts.
“After we get married, I’ll send you my monthly allowance. I’ll guarantee that you won’t have to worry about your living expenses.”
“I’ll submit the application for you to join me with the army. You can move into the military family compound. If you don’t want to go, I’ll find a way to take care of the house here as well.”
He paused before adding, “My family is in Beijing, far from here. Without my permission, they won’t come here to disturb your life.”
Finally, as though delivering his closing statement, he said without a trace of emotion, “Comrade Su Qiao, this is a decision forced by circumstances, and the only way I can take responsibility for you. It is the best choice for both you and my reputation.”
Listening to his rigid, matter-of-fact explanation, Su Qiao’s little mental calculator began clicking away.
Marrying him meant she could immediately escape her aunt-in-law’s den of wolves. She would no longer have to live at the mercy of others or go hungry.
She would also have a stable base from which she could slowly build a career using the supplies in her space.
More importantly, this man seemed old-fashioned and serious, and he appeared to regard this marriage as a kind of “contractual partnership.”
No interference in each other’s lives? That was practically a perfect arrangement tailor-made for her.
“Sure, Regiment Commander Gu.”
Su Qiao suddenly threw off the blanket, revealing her curves once again. Barefoot, she stepped onto the cold floor.
She was wearing only the original owner’s faded, loosely fitting undergarment, and her alluring figure was faintly visible in the morning light.
She walked toward him step by step until only a fist’s width remained between them, close enough to feel each other’s breath.
Gu Changfeng instinctively took half a step back, his back hitting the cold wall. He had nowhere else to retreat.
A delicate fragrance mixed with the lingering traces of last night’s intimacy aggressively filled his nose.
He watched as she lifted her beautiful, radiant face and smiled at him, her eyes glistening with a naturally seductive charm.
“However, before we get married, shouldn’t we discuss the specific terms first?”
Her voice was soft and gentle, with a hint of husky allure.
The next second, a slender finger, cool to the touch, landed on his bobbing Adam’s apple.
Her fingertip seemed to carry an electric current as it deliberately—or perhaps unintentionally—glided lightly over his prominent throat.
Gu Changfeng’s breathing suddenly stopped.
Every muscle in his body instantly tensed like a bow pulled to its limit.
He clearly felt his Adam’s apple move uncontrollably beneath her teasing fingertip, bobbing sharply once more.
A strange, almost uncontrollable shiver traveled from his spine all the way to his brain.
This woman… was unbelievably bold!
She was nothing like the gentle and yielding woman she had been the previous night.
He suddenly raised his hand and seized the hand she had been playing around with against his neck.
Her wrist was slender, her skin smooth as silk. Enclosed in his rough, broad palm, it looked even more delicate and fragile.
“What conditions?”
Gu Changfeng’s voice was restrained to the extreme, carrying a hoarseness and tension even he had not realized were there.