She was embarrassed by Jiang Chengbei’s line, “You already slept with me,” feeling as though she was no different from a scoundrel who pulled up her pants and refused to take responsibility. Unable to help herself, she tried to explain.
“Well… I admit I was the one who made the first move, but that was because Cao Xinrou drugged me. After that, you”
After that, Jiang Chengbei completely turned the tables.
His solid, muscular body pressed down heavily. His mouth didn’t rest, his hands didn’t either. Broad shoulders, narrow waist he was powerful in every sense.
Just thinking about that scene made her face burn.
Ning Xi couldn’t continue. Her porcelain-white face flushed pink.
Jiang Chengbei wasn’t doing much better either.
Before, he had only heard married soldiers in the army talk dirty. He’d never taken it seriously—until he experienced it himself.
The old saying really wasn’t wrong.
A woman’s waist is a deadly blade.
He cleared his throat, forcing himself to look away from Ning Xi’s dazzling little face, and said hoarsely, “Then I’ll take responsibility for you.”
“How exactly are you going to take responsibility?”
Looking at this rough man who radiated restraint, Ning Xi suddenly felt mischievous. She wanted to see his ears turn red again, so she deliberately asked, staring straight at him without blinking.
Under her gaze, Jiang Chengbei’s breathing grew heavier.
He took a deep breath, then looked at her solemnly.
“I’ll marry you. I’ll treat you well for the rest of my life. You’ll manage my money and you’ll manage me too.”
His eyes brimmed with sincerity. Ning Xi believed he meant every word.
In the two years of marriage, Jiang Chengbei had genuinely treated the original owner well so carefully it was as if he feared she might break. After their divorce, even when he rose to a high official position, he never remarried. Later, when the original owner was abused to death, Gu Mingze felt it was shameful and refused to let her be buried in his family’s ancestral grave.
Though the Ning parents loved their daughter, a married-out daughter was not buried in her natal family’s grave.
In the end, it was Jiang Chengbei who, upon hearing of Ning Xi’s death, buried her in the Jiang family ancestral grave.
That alone proved Jiang Chengbei was a man worth entrusting with a lifetime.
If she couldn’t return to her original world, spending her life with a man like this didn’t seem bad at all.
Ning Xi agreed to the marriage, but there were things that needed to be made clear. The original owner’s past disdain toward Jiang Chengbei couldn’t be left hanging between them like a hidden thorn.
What if it caused resentment later?
She stepped closer to him and looked up.
“You don’t mind how badly I treated you before?”
Jiang Chengbei said he didn’t.
“That’s just because you hadn’t discovered how good I am.”
Ning Xi thought: quite confident.
She pressed on. “I’m delicate, lazy, and I don’t like doing work.”
“I’m strong,” he replied. “If you’re with me, you won’t have to do any work. I’ll support you.”
“Wouldn’t that make me a freeloader?”
“Even if you’re a freeloader, you’d be the prettiest one.”
That made Ning Xi burst out laughing.
“I never realized you were this slick with words. Fine tomorrow you go submit the marriage application. We’ll get married.”
The word “marriage” exploded in Jiang Chengbei’s heart like fireworks.
He was already twenty-six. He had joined the army at seventeen and spent nine years risking his life, forging unyielding resolve in gunfire and bloodshed. Yet now, a single sentence from Ning Xi completely stirred his heart.
He wanted to laugh freely. He wanted to hug her, kiss her.
“Okay!”
Seeing Jiang Chengbei grin like a giant one-meter-eighty-five child, Ning Xi was infected by his joy.
Luckily, no one passed by, or they’d think the two of them were fools, laughing so foolishly together.
After settling it, they continued walking side by side.
Ning Xi walked very slowly. This body had never suffered hardship pampered since childhood. Delicate and soft, and nearly drained dry, she couldn’t walk fast even if she wanted to. Every step tugged painfully at a certain place.
In the end, she simply stopped and held out her hand to Jiang Chengbei.
“My legs are weak. Carry me.”
Jiang Chengbei hesitated. “If people see us, it won’t look good.”
Times were conservative. Even married couples couldn’t hold hands or embrace in public. He didn’t care himself he was just worried about her reputation.
Ning Xi didn’t care what others thought. Her watery almond eyes stubbornly fixed on him. She neither spoke nor moved.
In the end, Jiang Chengbei surrendered first, turning around and bending down.
“Get on.”
Ning Xi happily climbed onto his broad back and sighed.
“So this is what it feels like to stand higher and see farther.”
She was comfortable but Jiang Chengbei suffered.
The young woman was far too well-developed. Those soft, yielding curves pressed against him through layers of fabric, scorching him until every muscle tensed. By the time they reached the gate, fine beads of sweat dotted his forehead.
Their intimate posture naturally drew the Jiang family’s attention.
The Jiang family hadn’t split households. The first and second branches lived together.
The first branch was Jiang Chengbei’s family: his father Jiang Youfu and mother Tian Guilan.
His elder brother Jiang Chengdong, sister-in-law Zhang Hongmei, and their six-year-old daughter Jiang Xiaoyu.
Jiang Chengbei was the second son.
Below him were a younger brother, Jiang Chengnan, and a younger sister, Jiang Yanyan.
The second branch was his second uncle’s family.
Second uncle Jiang Youcai and second aunt Zhou Qinglian had two daughters and a son.
The eldest daughter Jiang Xiuxiu had married into the neighboring village. The younger daughter Jiang Lihua had just turned eighteen. Their son Jiang Shi’an taught school in the county.
There was also the family patriarch, Old Master Jiang.
A thin, small elderly man full of vitality, always smiling, especially toward Ning Xi.
Seeing his grandson carrying Ning Xi back, he thought she was injured and hurried over.
“Girl Xi, where are you hurt?”
Ning Xi was too embarrassed to explain and secretly pinched Jiang Chengbei.
Jiang Chengbei hissed softly. His handsome face flashed with restraint. It didn’t hurt—instead, it felt like a hook scratching at his heart.
Suppressing his thoughts, he set Ning Xi down and announced the marriage.
“Tomorrow I’ll submit the marriage application to the army.”
“Good, good, good!”
Old Master Jiang was overjoyed, saying “good” again and again.
Jiang Youfu and Jiang Youcai were both honest men and smiled happily.
Jiang Chengdong was also happy for his younger brother. Marrying the one you love was indeed a joyful thing.
Aside from those four, the rest of the Jiang family had mixed expressions.
Zhou Qinglian looked pleased at the misfortune.
Marrying a capitalist’s daughter Jiang Chengbei’s military career was probably finished. He’d always overshadowed her son before; now it would be her son’s turn to shine.
Her son was a teacher.
In the future, he’d marry the principal’s niece.
Tian Guilan’s face looked terrible. Thinking of what Cao Xinrou had said, her heart felt like a bucket of water being hoisted up and down. She couldn’t help speaking.
“Marriage isn’t child’s play. Chengbei, you really must think this through.”
She glanced awkwardly at Ning Xi and sighed inwardly.
The girl really was stunning but beauty couldn’t fill a stomach.
Her son had worked so hard to reach his current position. Young as he was, he’d already become a battalion commander and was now transferred to a confidential department. With good performance, he might rise even higher. He absolutely couldn’t marry a woman like Ning Xi with a questionable background.
“I’ll be honest,” she said. “You and Ning Xi aren’t suitable.”
“Xi girl, consider this aunt’s plea. Please spare Chengbei. To be frank, your background is problematic. Marrying you would be a burden for him it will definitely affect his future. You”
Before she could finish, Jiang Chengbei cut her off.
His expression was stern, his voice cold.
“My future is something I’ll fight for myself. I don’t rely on women. Ning Xi’s background won’t affect me. I want her, and that’s final. Mom, you know my personality. Once I’ve decided something, I won’t change it. No amount of persuasion will work.”
Those words nearly gave Tian Guilan a heart attack.
“I’m your mother! How can you talk to me like that?!”
Jiang Chengbei ignored her. When his hard, sharp gaze turned toward Ning Xi, it softened.
“You go back to the room first. I’ll handle everything.”
Those four words I’ll handle everything carried a reassuring strength. Ning Xi believed Jiang Chengbei could resolve the marriage issue. She smiled sweetly at him and went back to her room.
Tian Guilan was even angrier.
Jiang Yanyan was furious too. Taking advantage of no one noticing, she followed Ning Xi inside.
As soon as she entered, she spoke unkindly.
“Hey, do you know you’re the third party? If it weren’t for you, the one marrying my second brother would be Sister Xinrou. She’s loved him for years, and my brother liked her too. It’s only because you showed up that the two of them couldn’t end up together.”
“If you had any self-awareness, you’d get out of my house and go where you’re supposed to accept reeducation!”