The donkey cart swayed and jolted along the way, picking up a few more people from neighboring villages. None of them knew Jiang Yuanyuan, and they didn’t pay much attention to her. Instead, their eyes lingered more on the man sitting beside her.
Of course, Jiang Yuanyuan couldn’t help but steal glances at the man she had just bought.
He was indeed tall and sturdy, but he hadn’t uttered a single word. If not for the slave trader’s firm assurance, Jiang Yuanyuan would have worried he was mute.
As the weather grew colder, the midday sun was no longer scorching. Its rays fell gently on people’s faces, bringing a comfortable, warm sensation. However, the sunlight that should have reached Jiang Yuanyuan was mostly blocked by the man’s tall figure. Resting her chin on her hand, she secretly observed him.
In the sunlight, his eyelashes cast delicate shadows on his cheeks, like tiny fans. His nose was high-bridged, and his jawline was sharp and fair, giving him the appearance of a pampered young master from a wealthy family. Yet, when he remained silent, there was an air of solemnity and authority about him that made others hesitant to approach.
Jiang Yuanyuan thought it looked rather pitiful for him to be sitting with her on the donkey cart.
Perhaps he was feeling downhearted, which was why he refused to speak.
The journey from the town back to the village took half an hour by donkey cart. Having slept poorly the night before, Jiang Yuanyuan dozed off, her head nodding with the cart’s swaying motion.
Chu Jing couldn’t help but glance sideways at her. This woman who had bought him was now nodding off, and in the next moment, her head bumped against his arm. She seemed to be sleeping quite comfortably, even nuzzling against his shoulder.
He shifted slightly to avoid her head, but Jiang Yuanyuan leaned against him again, refusing to be shaken off.
The cart was too cramped. Suppressing his irritation, he stopped moving. The thought of being bought filled him with an inexplicable sense of revulsion. Deep down, he felt this shouldn’t be his fate, but he couldn’t remember why. Whenever he tried to recall, a sharp pain throbbed in his head.
Frowning, Chu Jing pushed these thoughts aside and turned to gaze at the sparse vegetation along the roadside.
When the donkey cart reached the village entrance, Jiang Yuanyuan jolted awake. Only then did she realize she had been leaning against the man’s arm the entire way.
Feeling embarrassed, Jiang Yuanyuan stole a glance at the man’s expression.
He didn’t spare her a single look.
Jiang Yuanyuan felt a twinge of guilt but quickly justified herself.
…She had bought this man to live with her, so what was wrong with leaning against him now?
It was midday, just after lunchtime. Most households were taking their afternoon naps, and the village was nearly empty. Naturally, no one noticed Jiang Yuanyuan bringing a man home.
Back at her house, Jiang Yuanyuan glanced at the pile of firewood in the corner, wanting to test how obedient he was. She instructed, “Go chop the firewood. I’ll cook.”
Chu Jing surveyed the small courtyard. It was modest—two small rooms, a kitchen, a corner for raising chickens, and another for stacking firewood. Though small, it was clean and livable.
As this thought crossed his mind, he paused again. He couldn’t remember what had happened before, but when he woke up, he was in the slave trader’s cage. Before he could recall anything, he had been bought.
With a cold expression, Chu Jing effortlessly picked up the axe from the ground. As if splitting tofu, he cleanly cleaved the firewood on the chopping block in two with a single stroke.
Jiang Yuanyuan’s eyes instantly lit up.
He was really good at working!
This was the first meal since adding someone to the household, so it should be a bit better. Even though she felt a pang of heartache over spending so much money today, she couldn’t be stingy.
Accompanied by the crackling sound of splitting firewood, Jiang Yuanyuan happily sliced the meat she had bought today into strips and stir-fried it with green peppers. She also stir-fried a bowl of cabbage, intentionally adding lard to make it fragrant and glossy. As for the rice, she cooked the same amount as when her father was still alive.
Once the meal was ready, Jiang Yuanyuan called out to the man, “Time to eat.”
Chu Jing wiped the sweat from his forehead, tossed the axe aside, and walked toward the kitchen.
His clothes weren’t thick to begin with, and now, damp with sweat, the smooth lines of his muscles were clearly outlined beneath the fabric, making anyone who looked feel a flush of warmth.
Jiang Yuanyuan’s gaze wavered for a moment, hesitating whether she should look or not. But… it wasn’t a big deal if she looked, right? After all, he was still wearing his clothes…
Chu Jing stood at the doorway, waiting for her to hand him a bowl. When he glanced up, he saw her blushing as she stared at his abs.
He paused briefly, then shifted slightly to the side, avoiding her gaze.
Blushing, Jiang Yuanyuan went to serve the dishes: a bowl of stir-fried peppers and meat, a bowl of cabbage, and a small plate of pickles. She filled a large bowl with rice for Chu Jing and a smaller one for herself before beckoning him over. “Come and eat.”
Chu Jing was very hungry, but his ingrained manners and self-restraint kept him from wolfing down his food. Instead, he ate in a way that was pleasing to the eye, though his pace was far from slow. By the time Jiang Yuanyuan had taken just a few bites, he had already finished.
After finishing, Chu Jing remained seated, holding his empty bowl, looking somewhat pitiful.
Jiang Yuanyuan swallowed hard. “I—I’ll get you another bowl.”
She served him another large bowl of rice. This time, he ate a bit more slowly, his gaze lowered, composed and elegant. It didn’t seem like he was eating simple fare but rather savoring a delicacy.
At this point, Jiang Yuanyuan became even more convinced: the man she had bought might very well have been a young master from a wealthy family before!
“What’s your name?” Jiang Yuanyuan asked.
The man paused, seemingly unaccustomed to speaking during meals. “Chu Jing.”
This was the first time he had spoken, his voice low and tingling to the ears. Jiang Yuanyuan asked again, “Do you remember where your home is or who your family members are?”
No matter what she asked, Chu Jing shook his head, appearing to remember nothing beyond his name.
Seeing that she couldn’t get any answers, Jiang Yuanyuan stopped pressing. As long as Chu Jing was honest and willing to settle down and live peacefully with her in the future, nothing else really mattered.
After the meal, just as Jiang Yuanyuan was about to take her father’s old clothes and alter a few sets for Chu Jing to wear, she heard a knock at the door. Her brows instinctively furrowed, thinking it might be that family again.
Seeing her reaction, Chu Jing also looked toward the door, his body tensing slightly.
Aunt Zhang’s voice came from outside. “Yuanyuan, are you home?”
Jiang Yuanyuan glanced back at Chu Jing, signaling him to hide first before she went to open the door.
As soon as the door opened, Aunt Zhang peered inside. “I heard all sorts of clattering noises from your house while I was napping earlier. Did a thief break in? Are you hurt?”
Someone caring about her warmed Jiang Yuanyuan’s heart, but Chu Jing’s situation wasn’t yet suitable to be made public so quickly, so she made an excuse to brush it off.
Hearing her say she was fine, Aunt Zhang felt relieved. After repeatedly urging her to be careful, she headed back first, planning to go work in the fields.
Closing the door, Jiang Yuanyuan felt a pang of bitterness—even an outsider like Aunt Zhang treated her better than her own uncle’s family.
Turning around, she saw Chu Jing looking at her, his eyes dark and deep, as if also asking what was wrong.
Jiang Yuanyuan walked over and patted his sturdy arm, saying softly, “Chu Jing, you have to be obedient from now on. I’ll leave the household matters to you, understand?”