Yet this stunned silence lasted only a few seconds before the corners of the man’s mouth curled into a sarcastic smirk.
“Jiang Wantang, you sure are quick with your tongue.” Lu Chenzhou averted his gaze, not looking at her at all, his voice raspy as if filled with sand.
“Switched tactics? You used to seduce me with your body; now you’re trying to fool me with your mouth?”
The words were brutally harsh, but Jiang Wantang had no way to argue—the original body’s past misdeeds were simply impossible to scrub clean.
Taking a deep breath, she bypassed the heavy obstacle blocking her path and headed straight for the edge of the brick kang bed.
“Fine. You don’t believe me, and I won’t force you.”
Jiang Wantang tossed the heavy canvas bag onto the bed with a loud thud. Sliding down to sit, she began rubbing her aching calves.
“I’ve been traveling all day, couldn’t even grab lunch, and now my stomach is sticking to my back. Got anything to eat? Let me grab a bite to stave off the hunger.”
Lu Chenzhou stood unmoving, his tall frame looming like a solid wall. The moonlight cast his shadow long and heavy across the dirt floor.
“Jiang Wantang.”
“What?” She looked at him, putting on her best innocent expression.
“Drop the act.” Lu Chenzhou turned abruptly, looking down at her intently.
“Make things crystal clear. Don’t give me that bullshit about not being able to let me go. You got the quota to return to the city, you took all the money, you were already on the train—how could you possibly turn back?”
“Why couldn’t I? Aren’t I standing alive right in front of you?” Jiang Wantang pointed to her own face.
“Pinch me if you don’t believe it. See if I’m a person or a ghost.”
Lu Chenzhou’s fists clenched tightly, the veins on the back of his hands bulging like green serpents.
He wanted to pinch her—he wanted nothing more than to strangle her to death, just to spare himself from being led by the nose like a fool day in and day out!
Yet in the dead of night, taking in her delicate, pale face worn out by the journey, and hearing the clear gurgle coming from her stomach, Lu Chenzhou’s throat bobbed. He forced himself to suppress the rage burning in his chest.
Without further interrogation, he turned, walked over to the stove, scooped a large bowl of cold boiled water, and slammed it heavily onto the worn wooden table.
“Only water. If you want food, go buy it at the commune.”
Jiang Wantang looked at the bowl, her eyelids twitching.
Figures. This man would rather suffer than lose face; his lips are harder than nails.
Still, she wasn’t picky. Picking it up, she gulped down most of it. The cold water finally washed away the dryness in her mouth and tempered the anxiety in her heart.
Setting the bowl down, Jiang Wantang gestured toward the pile of valuable items on the table.
“Food coupons, fabric coupons, industrial vouchers—they’re all here. And this whole stack of eighteen hundred and sixty yuan, count it yourself right now, not a single cent missing. As for this jade pendant…”
Jiang Wantang carefully took the red cloth bundle and handed it to him.
“I didn’t damage it; not even a speck of dust was chipped off. Lu Chenzhou, I know the original… I mean, I know I used to be a scumbag, stealing your things like a total jerk. Everything I brought back today, principal and interest, I’m returning to you in full.”
Lu Chenzhou glanced at the thick stack of ten-yuan bills, his eyes darkening like an abyss with complex emotion.
This money was earned by running into the deep mountains in the dead of night, risking getting caught, and betting his life at the black market!
When she had run off with it, he felt like dying. Not because he cared about the cash, but because his poured-out heart had been trampled right into the mud!
“Keep it,” Lu Chenzhou uttered coldly.
Jiang Wantang froze. “What?”
“I said, keep it.” Lu Chenzhou didn’t even spare the money a second glance.
“You took it, you manage it. I’m not taking it back.”
“Lu Chenzhou, are you out of your mind?” Jiang Wantang was dumbfounded.
“This is your lifeline! Aren’t you afraid I’ll sneak out again tonight while you’re asleep?”
At the word “sneak,” Lu Chenzhou’s gaze turned sharp as a blade!
In a single stride, he reached the edge of the bed, bending one leg up against the frame as he leaned over abruptly. His massive frame exerted a heavy pressure, completely swathing Jiang Wantang in his shadow.
“Just try it.”
Lu Chenzhou’s voice sank to a chilling level, his hot breath brushing against her sensitive earlobe.
“Jiang Wantang, if you dare take one step out of this courtyard tonight, I swear—I’ll break your legs and lock you in the shed, so you’ll never see the light of day again!”
The words were spoken with sheer brutality. If it were the original host, she would have been screaming and trembling in terror by now.
Yet as Jiang Wantang looked into the hidden terror beneath his dark eyes, her heart ached sharply.
He wasn’t truly cruel; he was terrified. Terrified that she would turn into a gust of wind again, vanishing without a trace.
Instead of shrinking back, Jiang Wantang met his gaze, reaching out to pat his rock-hard arm.
“I’m not running.”
Her tone softened, carrying a comforting warmth.
“Lu Chenzhou, if you’re worried, I’ll leave my travel permit with you. Starting tomorrow, I’ll work the fields with you and live as your wife.”
Lu Chenzhou’s body stiffened visibly.
“Live as my wife?” he echoed dryly, as if hearing a fairy tale.
“You, a spoiled city lady, want to live with a dirt-poor nobody who has no parents?”
“Who says you’re dirt-poor? You’ve got over a thousand yuan in savings! Besides, you’re strong and smart—a thousand times better than those useless city boys.”
Taking advantage of the moment, Jiang Wantang showered him with sweet words without holding back.
Flustered by her praise, the tips of Lu Chenzhou’s ears flushed a faint red, though his face remained as dark as the bottom of a wok.
“Save the sweet talk.” Turning his head away sharply, he yanked open the cabinet, grabbed the small bag containing her travel permit, and shoved it straight into the bottom locked drawer. With a sharp click, he locked it right in front of her!
The swift motion resembled a robbery so much that the corner of Jiang Wantang’s mouth twitched.
Right, round one of his control streak is officially live. With my travel permit in his hands, I’m well and truly trapped here.
After locking the drawer, Lu Chenzhou slipped the key into his trousers pocket. A hint of smug darkness crossed his face, followed by a cold snort.
“I have your travel permit. If you try any funny business, I’ll burn it right in front of you.”
Jiang Wantang couldn’t help rolling her eyes, patting the mattress beneath her.
“Fine, fine, fine, Boss Lu, handsome Lu! I’m not going anywhere! So now… where do I sleep?”
After all, there was only one big brick bed in the entire room!