Jiang Wu looked at the simple, even slightly misshapen sponge cake in her hand, feeling as if a warm current had been injected into her heart.
In her previous life at the Unity Joy Sect, she was accustomed to men currying favor with her using various exotic treasures and miraculous elixirs.
But all those things combined were not as… warm as this cheap cake, still carrying his body temperature.
This man didn’t know how to say it with words, but his actions said everything.
He had taken her words about being “in pain” to heart.
Then, in his own way, clumsily expressed his concern and… apology.
“Thank you, husband.”
Jiang Wu looked up and gave him a bright, sincere smile.
That smile was clean and pure, without a hint of seduction, yet like a ray of sunlight, instantly illuminating Qin Lie’s heart, making his whole being feel warm.
“Eat… eat it quickly.” Qin Lie felt a bit embarrassed under her gaze, awkwardly averting his eyes. “It won’t taste good when it’s cold.”
“Mhm!” Jiang Wu nodded emphatically.
She didn’t use chopsticks; instead, she broke off a small piece with her fingers and put it in her mouth.
The cake’s texture was somewhat coarse, carrying the fishy scent of eggs and the cloying sweetness of artificial saccharin.
Honestly, it didn’t taste very good.
But Jiang Wu ate it with relish.
She narrowed her eyes, looking blissful as if savoring a rare delicacy.
“Does it taste good?” Qin Lie couldn’t help but ask, seeing her expression.
“It’s delicious!” Jiang Wu nodded without hesitation. “This is the most delicious cake I’ve ever had in my life!”
As she spoke, she broke off another small piece and raised it to his lips: “Husband, you try some too.”
Those fair, delicate fingers still had a few cake crumbs on them, looking particularly tempting under the dim lamplight.
Qin Lie looked at the piece of cake offered to his lips and hesitated.
He didn’t really like sweets.
But looking into those bright, expectant eyes of hers, the words of refusal just wouldn’t come out.
As if bewitched, he opened his mouth and took in the piece of cake, along with the crumbs on her finger.
When his lips inadvertently touched her soft, slightly cool fingertip, both of their bodies trembled as if struck by an electric current.
Jiang Wu’s hand shot back like lightning, two rosy clouds flying onto her cheeks.
Qin Lie, meanwhile, froze completely.
He could clearly feel the sensation of her fingertip lingering on his lips—soft, smooth, carrying a hint of the cake’s sweetness, making his heart start racing uncontrollably again.
The atmosphere in the room instantly became ambiguous once more.
“Ahem…” Qin Lie coughed twice to mask his embarrassment. “That… I’ll go heat water for a bath.”
Having said that, he wanted to flee in disarray.
But the hem of his shirt was caught by a small hand.
“Husband.” Jiang Wu’s voice became soft and coquettish again.
“What is it?” Qin Lie didn’t dare turn to look at her.
“I… I don’t want to take a bath today.” Jiang Wu’s voice sounded a bit aggrieved.
“Why?” Qin Lie frowned.
Though conditions were simple in this era, personal hygiene was still very important.
“My body… still hurts.” Jiang Wu tugged lightly on his shirt, giving it a little shake. “I don’t want to move; it hurts when I move.”
Her voice was soft and weak, like she was being spoiled.
Qin Lie’s heart softened again.
Thinking of his roughness last night and her hard work today, the last bit of his resolve instantly crumbled.
“Then… then don’t wash.” He sighed, his tone full of compromise. “Get into bed early and rest.”
“Mhm!” Jiang Wu immediately agreed happily.
She let go of his shirt and obediently climbed into bed herself, then tucked herself in, revealing only a pair of clear, bright eyes that watched him.
That gaze was like a little puppy waiting for its owner to feed it.
Qin Lie felt another wave of pins and needles under her stare.
He quickly went to the yard to take a combat shower himself.
The icy cold well water poured over his head finally extinguished the restless, improper heat in his heart.
When he returned to the room, Jiang Wu was still awake.
She lay with her eyes open, staring at him unblinkingly.
“Why aren’t you asleep yet?” Qin Lie asked while drying his hair.
“I was waiting for you.” Jiang Wu answered as if it were the most natural thing.
Qin Lie paused in drying his hair; that unfamiliar warmth bubbled up in his heart again.
He didn’t say anything else, walked to the bedside, lifted the quilt, and lay down.
He deliberately shifted towards the other side of the bed, attempting to maintain a safe distance from her.
But the moment he lay down, the warm, soft body beside him latched onto him like an octopus.
Her arms wrapped around his waist, her legs draped over his, her little face buried in his chest, her entire body pressed flush against him.
“Jiang Wu!” Qin Lie felt the fire he had just doused with well water threatening to reignite. “Behave yourself!”
He wanted to push her away, but she only held on tighter.
“I won’t.” She rubbed against him in his embrace like a stubborn child. “You’re so warm. It’s comfortable sleeping while hugging you.”
Her words were both innocent and shameless, making all Qin Lie’s anger feel like punching cotton—force with nowhere to go.
He could only lie rigid, letting her hold him like this.
He closed his eyes, silently reciting military regulations and discipline in his mind, trying to calm himself this way.
But the woman in his arms was far from quiet.
Her little hand began tracing circles on his chest.
“Husband.” She called him again.
“What!” Qin Lie responded impatiently.
“I’m thirsty.” Her voice sounded pitiful.
“Then get up and pour yourself some water!” Qin Lie said irritably.
There was a thermos and cups right on the table.
“But… I don’t want to move.” Jiang Wu’s voice sounded even more aggrieved. “You’re holding me so tight, I can’t move.”
Qin Lie: “…”
He felt a vein throbbing at his temple.
This woman was simply his natural-born nemesis!
He took a deep breath, telling himself not to argue with her. She was in pain, her body still hurt. He was a grown man; he should be more generous.
Thinking this, Qin Lie sighed in resignation.
He let go of her, sat up, and got out of bed.
He poured a glass of warm water and handed it to her. “Drink.”
His tone was still stiff.
But Jiang Wu didn’t take it. She just lay in bed, tilting her little face up to look at him.
Those big, watery eyes were clearly spelling out “Feed me.”
Looking at her self-assured, spoiled posture, waiting to be served, Qin Lie felt that nameless anger flare up again.
“Jiang Wu, don’t push your luck!” he said through gritted teeth.
Did this woman really think she was some feudal landlord’s wife from the old society? Needing to be fed even to drink water?
“I’m not pushing my luck.” Jiang Wu blinked innocently. “It’s just… my body hurts, I can’t get up.”
As she spoke, she even let out two weak coughs.
That fragile, heart-wrenching look reminiscent of Lin Daiyu instantly extinguished all Qin Lie’s anger.
He looked at her, then at the water cup in his hand, an internal war raging.
Feed, or not feed?
If he fed her, it showed no principles; wouldn’t she just ride roughshod over him in the future?
If he didn’t feed her, seeing her pitiful state, his heart just couldn’t bear it.
Just as he was torturing himself with this dilemma, Jiang Wu spoke again.
Her voice was light, but it struck Qin Lie’s heart like a heavy hammer.
“Forget it, if you don’t want to, then forget it.”
“I won’t drink.”
“I’ll just endure it.”
Saying this, she turned her back to him, presenting him with the back of her head.
That posture was filled with the grievance and desolation of being abandoned by the whole world.
Qin Lie’s heart clenched sharply.
He couldn’t stand seeing her like this the most.
“Who said I don’t want to!” The words almost burst out of him.
Once said, even he himself froze.
On the bed, Jiang Wu, with her back to him, curled her lips into a triumphant smile.
She knew this man yielded to softness, not force.
Qin Lie stood by the bed holding the cup, his face alternating between red and pale.
He felt the principles and bottom lines he had built up over more than twenty years were crumbling bit by bit before this woman.
He stood there holding the cup for a full half minute before finally sighing in resignation.
He walked to the bedside and sat down, then reached out to gently turn the woman lying with her back to him.
“Open your mouth.” He commanded in a tone that was almost gritted teeth, yet full of helplessness.
Jiang Wu turned her head, looking at his frustrated, reluctant expression that seemed ready to commit murder, and was inwardly delighted.
She obediently opened her little mouth.
Qin Lie brought the cup to her lips, carefully feeding her water.
The warm water flowed down her throat into her stomach, and also into her heart, warming it.
Looking at the man before her, clearly unwilling yet moving with utmost gentleness, a corner of her heart seemed to soften a little more.
This man wasn’t as detestable as she thought.
He even seemed a bit… cute.
After drinking, Qin Lie placed the cup on the bedside table, then lay down and pulled her back into his embrace.
This time, he didn’t struggle.
He had resigned himself.
“Still thirsty?” he asked hoarsely.
“Not anymore.” Jiang Wu shook her head in his embrace.
“Does it still hurt?” he asked again.
“Seems… not so much anymore.” Jiang Wu’s voice was soft and sweet.
“Sleep.” Qin Lie patted her back as if soothing a child.
“Mhm.” Jiang Wu made an affirmative sound and closed her eyes.
Soon, her breathing became even and deep.
Listening to her steady breath, feeling the soft warmth in his arms, Qin Lie’s heart gradually calmed.
He looked down at her peaceful sleeping face, and a preposterous thought suddenly emerged.
Maybe, being entangled by her for a lifetime…
was… also pretty good.