Jiang Wu quickly returned from the canteen with rice and some vegetables.
Although she had been an enchantress from the Union of Joy Sect in her previous life, she had also mastered skills like music, chess, calligraphy, painting, cooking, and needlework to please those powerful Daoist lords.
A simple dinner was transformed by her into a feast for the senses.
The white rice was steamed until each grain stood distinct, the stir-fried vegetables were vibrant and crisp, and there was a bowl of tomato and egg soup, the yellow, white, and red hues making one’s mouth water.
Qin Lie sat at the dining table, staring at the surprisingly sumptuous dinner before him, once again falling into silence.
In their year of marriage, this was the first time he had eaten a meal cooked by Jiang Wu.
In the past, he either ate at the military canteen or came home to cold pots and empty stoves.
“Try it, see if it suits your taste.”
Jiang Wu served him a bowl of rice and added a generous portion of vegetables to his bowl, her bright eyes watching him like a small animal awaiting its owner’s praise.
Qin Lie picked up his chopsticks and silently took a bite.
The taste of the meal was unexpectedly good.
Light but not bland, carrying the pure, natural fragrance of the ingredients themselves.
It was leagues better than the canteen’s mass-produced food.
He said nothing, but the speed at which he ate noticeably quickened.
The meal ended in an oddly quiet atmosphere.
Qin Lie took the initiative to clear the dishes and wash them in the kitchen.
When he emerged, he found that Jiang Wu had changed her clothes.
She was no longer wearing the somewhat old cloth dress from earlier but instead a brand-new, eye-catching red dress.
This dress had been made for the original host just a few days ago, originally intended to be worn when meeting Zhou Mingyuan.
The fabric was the trendy polyester of the time, and the style was bold, with a fitted waist that accentuated her slender figure perfectly.
The hem was short, ending just above the knees, revealing a pair of straight, shapely calves.
Jiang Wu’s skin was already snow-white, and against the red dress, it seemed even more dazzlingly pale.
She sat by the bed, using a small mirror to braid her jet-black hair into two loose pigtails that fell over her chest.
Under the dim yellow lamplight, the lines of her profile were soft, her lips red, her skin white, and her hair cascading like a waterfall. She looked like a vivid painting, rich in color and beauty.
Qin Lie only glanced once before feeling his breath hitch.
He quickly averted his gaze, his Adam’s apple bobbing unconsciously.
“It’s late, get some rest.”
He used his usual cold, stiff tone in an attempt to conceal his fluster.
With that, he took his pillow and a thin quilt from the cabinet, preparing to sleep on the small bed in the outer room.
Though they had lived in the same room for a year, they had always slept in separate beds.
The original host had disliked the smell of sweat on him and forbade him from touching her.
Qin Lie was a normal man with needs, but after being rejected time and again, his interest had faded.
Deep down, he was a proud man who couldn’t bring himself to chase after someone who disdained him.
Over time, sleeping separately became an unspoken agreement between them.
But today, just as he picked up the quilt, his wrist was grabbed from behind.
“Darling, where are you going?”
Jiang Wu’s voice came from behind him, carrying a hint of a trembling grievance.
Qin Lie stood with his back to her, his body stiff as a rock.
“I’m going to sleep outside.”
“Why?” Jiang Wu asked innocently, tightening her grip to keep him from leaving.
“Aren’t husbands and wives supposed to sleep together?”
Qin Lie closed his eyes, feeling his patience nearing its breaking point.
He turned around, intending to tell her to let go, but was met with a pair of misty, watery eyes.
“Jiang Wu, what game are you playing?” His voice was gravelly.
“I’m not playing any games.”
Jiang Wu shook her head, her expression as serious as could be.
She released his wrist and instead wrapped both arms around his neck, bold and unhesitating.
Warmth and softness filled his embrace in an instant.
The unique fragrance of a young woman, mixed with the clean scent of shampoo, invaded his senses, wrapping his reason layer by layer like an invisible net.
Qin Lie froze entirely.
He could only feel the person in his arms, soft as a boneless cloud, unbelievably pliant.
“Qin Lie, we’re husband and wife. Isn’t it only natural to do what husbands and wives are supposed to do?”
She whispered in his ear, her voice so soft only the two of them could hear.
Her warm breath brushed against his earlobe, sending shivers of tingling pleasure through him.
At twenty-six, Qin Lie had received the most orthodox and rigorous education.
In his mind, matters between men and women were sacred and private.
He had never encountered a woman as bold and direct as Jiang Wu.
Her words, her actions—every detail was fiercely challenging the thread of his self-control.
“You… let go!”
It took immense effort for him to force the words from his throat.
He wanted to push her away, but his arms felt too heavy to lift.
“No.”
Instead of letting go, Jiang Wu held him even tighter.
She pressed her cheek against his burning chest, and through the thin fabric of his shirt, she could clearly hear the drum-like pounding of his heartbeat.
Thump, thump—steady, powerful.
Filled with the primal rhythm of life.
The corners of her lips curved upward in satisfaction.
It seemed this man’s body was more honest than she had imagined.
“Darling…”
She called out again, drawing the word out, laced with endless allure.
Then, she did something that completely shattered Qin Lie’s composure.
She tilted her head back, her eyes half-lidded with seduction as she looked at him, then extended her pink tongue to lightly moisten her slightly dry lips.
“My chest hurts so much. Could you help rub it for me, please?”
Her voice was soft and coquettish, sweet to the point of cloying, itching its way into one’s heart.
Qin Lie was completely at a loss, unsure where to place his hands or feet.
His gaze involuntarily trailed from her graceful collarbones, downward…
The collar of the red dress wasn’t particularly low, but in her current posture, it was especially tantalizing.
Her snow-white skin glowed seductively beneath the red fabric.
He could even see…
Qin Lie sharply turned his face away, the lines from his cheeks to his neck tensed with extreme restraint.
He felt all the blood in his body rushing toward one place.
That place clamored, roared—unfamiliar and alarming to him.
“Jiang Wu, if you keep messing around, I’ll lock you up, I swear!”
His voice, tinged with desire, grew husky and strained.
To Jiang Wu, the threat held no intimidation.
Instead, she smiled even more brightly.
Her hand slid down from his neck, coming to rest on the neatly buttoned collar of his shirt.
Her fingertips were cool, his skin scorching hot.
The contrast sparked tiny currents between them.
“Fine.”
Looking into his eyes, now dark with shock and desire, she spoke softly.
“Then lock me up.”
“Preferably, with yourself.”
“For a lifetime.”