“Go ahead,” Lu Jingheng said, leaning against the doorframe as if ready to listen.
“First, in public we are husband and wife, but in private we stay out of each other’s lives. You are not allowed to enter my room, and I won’t enter yours.”
“Agreed.”
“Second, during our marriage, I hope you handle your personal relationships properly—especially with your childhood sweetheart. I don’t want her causing unnecessary trouble for us.”
A barely noticeable frown crossed Lu Jingheng’s face. “There’s nothing between us.”
“Whether there is or isn’t, you know the truth yourself.” Ruan Wen had no intention of arguing. “I only care about the outcome.”
“Third.” Ruan Wen looked directly at him, speaking each word clearly. “When the time is right, or if you find someone you truly love, we can divorce at any time. I won’t cling to you, and I’ll leave with nothing.”
After hearing the three conditions, Lu Jingheng fell silent.
He realized this woman was far more rational—and far more ruthless—than he had imagined.
She had calculated everything with absolute clarity, as if marriage were nothing more than a business transaction, completely devoid of emotion.
For some reason, the thought irritated him.
“Why should I believe you?” he asked.
“You don’t have to.” Ruan Wen shrugged indifferently. “But you don’t really have a choice, do you?”
She had him cornered.
For the first time in his life, Lu Jingheng experienced what it felt like to be at someone else’s mercy.
He stared at her for a long moment before finally forcing out two words through clenched teeth.
“Deal.”
With his agreement secured, the tension in Ruan Wen’s body eased. She nodded, accepting the arrangement.
Lu Jingheng did not linger. He turned and closed the door behind him.
The moment it shut, it felt as though two separate worlds had been sealed apart.
Ruan Wen looked around the room that would be her home for the foreseeable future. The furnishings were simple but clean and tidy—far better than she had expected.
She placed her worn cloth bundle on the table. The few sets of clothes inside were currently all her worldly possessions.
Downstairs, Lu Yongjie paced anxiously back and forth, glancing repeatedly toward the staircase. When he saw only his son coming down, his brows knitted tightly together.
“Where’s Ruan Wen?”
“She’s upstairs unpacking,” Lu Jingheng replied curtly.
“You brat!” Lu Yongjie snapped. “The girl just arrived. She doesn’t know anyone here, and you leave her upstairs by herself? Has a donkey kicked your head?”
Lu Jingheng accepted his father’s anger without expression, though his mind was still on their three-part agreement.
Stay out of each other’s lives. He was simply honoring the terms.
“That’s enough,” a gentle female voice came from the kitchen.
A graceful middle-aged woman wearing an apron emerged carrying a plate of food.
“Give the girl some time to adjust. Jingheng, go wash your hands. Dinner’s ready.”
The woman was Qin Lan, Lu Jingheng’s mother and the head nurse at the military district hospital.
As she set the dish on the table, her gaze briefly swept over her son before she addressed Lu Yongjie.
“Grandpa took his medicine and fell asleep. Let’s eat first and let him rest a little longer.”
“Fine.” Lu Yongjie sighed. He was happy about his son’s marriage, but the boy was as dense as a block of wood, which worried him.
“I’ll go call Ruan Wen down for dinner,” he said, moving toward the stairs.
“Dad, I’ll do it,” Lu Jingheng stopped him.
Lu Yongjie gave him a suspicious look before waving him off.
Lu Jingheng walked to Ruan Wen’s door and raised his hand, yet hesitated before knocking.
The first rule: he couldn’t enter her room.
Calling to her from outside shouldn’t count as breaking the agreement, right?
Clearing his throat, he said stiffly, “Dinner’s ready.”
Silence.
No response.
His brows furrowed.
Had she fallen asleep?
He raised his voice slightly.
“Ruan Wen, come downstairs for dinner.”
With a creak, the door opened.
Ruan Wen had changed out of the travel-worn dress she had been wearing. She now wore a white blouse and blue trousers she had bought herself. Her two braids hung neatly over her chest, and with the fatigue washed from her face, her delicate beauty stood out even more.
She simply looked at him, her clear eyes devoid of emotion.
“I know.”
Lu Jingheng felt as though he had punched a ball of cotton—neither satisfying nor effective.
He gave a quiet hum of acknowledgment and headed downstairs first.
At the dining table, Qin Lan had already served the rice.
When she saw Ruan Wen come down, she offered a polite smile.
“Ruan Wen, right? Come sit. The train ride must have been exhausting. Eat first.”
“Thank you, Auntie,” Ruan Wen replied courteously as she took the seat beside Lu Jingheng.
The meal was somewhat awkward.
Trying to ease the atmosphere, Lu Yongjie kept putting food into Ruan Wen’s bowl.
“Ruan Wen, eat more. You’re so thin. This braised pork is Jingheng’s mother’s specialty. Give it a try.”
“Thank you, Uncle.”
Qin Lan watched as the pork she had placed in her son’s bowl was immediately transferred by her husband into Ruan Wen’s. A flicker crossed her eyes before she smiled again.
“Ruan Wen, you’ve just come from Haishi. Are you used to northern flavors?”
“It’s fine. I’m not a picky eater,” Ruan Wen answered flawlessly.
“That’s good.”
Qin Lan nodded, then casually changed the subject.
“So, Ruan Wen, what kind of things did you do back home?”
It was a cleverly phrased question.
A wealthy young lady from a capitalist family would naturally be expected to know nothing about housework.
Lu Jingheng’s grip on his chopsticks tightened. Just as he was about to speak, Ruan Wen answered calmly.
“My family was fairly well-off before, so I didn’t do much housework. However, I learned some traditional Chinese medicine from my elders. I can handle common ailments like headaches and fevers, and I’m fairly skilled in acupuncture and therapeutic massage. If Uncle or Auntie ever feel unwell, I can take a look.”
Both Lu Yongjie and Qin Lan froze.
Especially Qin Lan.
As a head nurse, she knew enough medicine to understand that traditional Chinese medicine was vast and profound. It wasn’t something just anyone could claim to be skilled in.
She had intended to embarrass Ruan Wen, only to find herself outmaneuvered instead.
“Oh? You know medicine?” Lu Yongjie asked with interest. “That’s impressive. Grandpa’s health hasn’t been good lately. He’s seen plenty of Western doctors, but nothing has helped much. How about taking a look at him sometime?”
“I only know a little,” Ruan Wen replied modestly. “I can examine Grandpa, but I can’t guarantee results.”
The more humble she was, the more convinced Lu Yongjie became that she truly had some ability.
Lu Jingheng cast her a surprised glance.
After what happened at the train station, he had assumed it was a coincidence.
Now it seemed she genuinely understood medicine.
Just how many secrets did this woman have?
At that moment, the courtyard gate opened.
A clear voice carrying a trace of grievance drifted inside.
“Uncle Lu, Aunt Qin, I brought some calming soup for Grandpa.”