It was Jiang Shan’s voice!
Jiang Zao’s mind went blank as she kicked the door open and rushed inside.
The two people in the room were startled and turned to look at her at the same time.
Xiao Shuisheng stood beside the bed, his pale skin flushed red, his forehead covered in sweat, veins bulging on his clenched fists.
His mother had been a beauty admired in every village for miles. He had inherited her fair complexion—no matter how much sun he got, he would never tan. Because of this, he was often teased as the “flower of the institute.”
Jiang Shan stood about a meter away from Xiao Shuisheng, her eyes filled with obsession, as if she couldn’t wait to pounce on him and push him down.
The moment Xiao Shuisheng saw Jiang Zao, the sharpness in his eyes faded and was replaced with fear.
The man hurriedly explained, “Zao’er, listen to me. I have nothing to do with her—I was drugged by her.”
In her previous life, this was exactly how Xiao Shuisheng had explained it after the incident.
Unfortunately, Jiang Zao hadn’t witnessed the scene herself back then.
Afterward, Jiang Shan had clutched her sleeve and complained, saying how Xiao Shuisheng had bullied her, how he had torn open several of her buttons, and how she had struggled desperately to resist.
Jiang Zao had believed her and, in anger, called off the engagement.
But this life was different—this time, she had seen everything with her own eyes. She had seen Xiao Shuisheng’s resistance and fear.
Jiang Shan had not expected Jiang Zao, who had been down with a cold, to appear here.
Grabbing her collar, Jiang Shan hid behind Jiang Zao. “Cousin, Brother-in-law Shuisheng is bullying me.”
Damn it, why did this woman suddenly show up and ruin everything!
Xiao Shuisheng anxiously defended himself, “I didn’t!”
“Zao’er, you have to believe me.”
Tears welled up in Jiang Zao’s eyes. She turned and slapped Jiang Shan across the face.
“I clearly heard you outside saying you’d ‘be his antidote.’ Do you think I’m deaf?”
Jiang Shan covered her face, staring at Jiang Zao in shock and humiliation. “How can you slander me like this?”
Jiang Zao’s eyes flickered as she grabbed Jiang Shan’s arm. “Turn around.”
Seeing that Jiang Zao didn’t misunderstand him, Xiao Shuisheng obediently turned his back, placing a hand on the windowsill as the veins on his arm bulged from restraint.
Jiang Shan had never seen such a fierce side of Jiang Zao before.
Before she could process how different Jiang Zao had become—
Jiang Zao had already started tearing at her clothes, quickly pulling out the remaining aphrodisiac from inside her undergarment.
“This was found on you. What else do you have to say?”
Seeing that everything had been exposed, Jiang Shan dropped to her knees and clutched Jiang Zao’s legs.
“Second Sister, I was wrong! I shouldn’t have had such wicked thoughts. Please spare me!”
Jiang Zao sneered and kicked her away, the sole of her plastic sandal leaving a clear print on Jiang Shan’s floral blouse.
Holding the aphrodisiac, she stood at the doorway and shouted loudly, “Come look! Jiang Shan drugged Professor Xiao—she was trying to violate him!”
Jiang Shan’s face turned deathly pale. “Sis—stop talking! I’m begging you!”
The other researchers in the institute were drawn over by Jiang Zao’s shouting. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Jiang Shan had nowhere to hide.
Jiang Zao had someone restrain Jiang Shan and send her to the police station.
If it had been an ordinary man, an attempted crime might have been overlooked.
But Xiao Shuisheng was a senior researcher—his identity was special. Any harm done to him wasn’t just a personal loss; it would affect much more.
As Jiang Shan was taken away, Jiang Zao added one more blow:
“I suspect Jiang Shan is a spy from an enemy country, trying to steal Xiao Shuisheng’s information!”
“She used to ask me about him all the time. When I got sick and couldn’t deliver food this time, she volunteered to go. I suspect even my illness was her doing—her ultimate goal was to steal information.”
Jiang Shan was tied up, her shoulders pinned down by two strong soldiers.
She struggled and shouted back, “Jiang Zao, you’re framing me!”
Jiang Zao watched her being dragged away and let out a breath of relief.
Finally, the matter was resolved.
She returned to the dormitory. The moment she stepped inside, a shadow loomed over her, and a burning-hot body pulled her tightly into an embrace.
Jiang Zao and Xiao Shuisheng had been together for over a year. Aside from holding hands, they had never been more intimate.
His sudden embrace made Jiang Zao nervous, her mouth going dry.
Not to mention—he was in a very dangerous state right now.
The man held her tightly, as if trying to melt her into his very bones.
“You were willing to believe me.”
Jiang Zao’s heart ached. Gathering her courage, she wrapped her arms around him, her smooth forehead resting against his shoulder.
“You’re my man. Of course I believe you.”
A drop of sweat from his chin fell onto her earlobe.
Unable to resist, he gently kissed her ear.
His lips were burning hot, sending a current through her.
Jiang Zao’s round eyes widened. “Don’t…”
Xiao Shuisheng’s voice was slightly breathless as he restrained himself. “I thought… you’d side with your cousin again.”
Jiang Zao and Jiang Shan were only a year apart and had grown up together.
She had always thought they were very close. Many times, Jiang Shan had misled her. When Xiao Shuisheng warned her to stay away from Jiang Shan, she had even gotten angry.
Thinking about it now—she had been foolish.
“From now on, I’ll only believe you. No one is more important than you.”
Xiao Shuisheng’s lips curled into a smile.
“Professor, the doctor from the institute is here. May we come in?”
Outside the door, Xiao Shuisheng’s assistant asked cautiously.
Xiao Shuisheng released Jiang Zao, stepped back, and straightened his clothes before responding in a deep voice, “Come in.”
Calm, composed, and authoritative—there was no trace of the fiery passion from just moments ago.
The military doctor set up an anti-inflammatory IV for Xiao Shuisheng and used cool water to wipe him down, finally suppressing the effects of the drug.
It was getting late. Jiang Zao told him to rest well. “I’ll come see you tomorrow.”
Xiao Shuisheng tried to pull out the IV to walk her out.
Jiang Zao pressed him back down. “Be good.”
After saying that, she glanced around. Seeing no one nearby, she leaned down and quickly kissed his cheek before fleeing.
Xiao Shuisheng stood there in a daze, touching his cheek.
Jiang Zao rode her bicycle back but didn’t go straight home. Instead, she turned into the alley next door to her second uncle’s house, parked the bike, and went inside.
Only her second aunt, Feng Miao, was home. Seeing Jiang Zao, Feng Miao gave her a look of disdain.
“Shanshan went out. Come back tomorrow.”
Jiang Zao glanced inside. “Auntie, the book I lent Shanshan the other day—she hasn’t returned it. I’ll just take it back.”
Feng Miao responded casually, “Go find it yourself.”
Jiang Shan was fortunate—she was the only child in her family.
She had her own room, pink curtains on the window, and her own desk.
Unlike Jiang Zao, who had to share a small room with her sister Jiang Xing among four siblings—stuffy in the summer, drafty in the winter, never getting proper rest.
Jiang Zao opened Jiang Shan’s drawer and took out a jade pendant from a biscuit tin.
She grabbed a random book as a cover. On her way out, she waved it at Feng Miao. “Auntie, I’m taking this.”
Feng Miao raised an eyebrow. “Jiang Zao, your studies have always been worse than my Shanshan’s. Don’t copy whatever your sister does. She has talent—you don’t.”
“Listen to me—marry your fiancé early. I heard Xiao Shuisheng’s mother doesn’t like you. Can’t blame her. You have no job, no education—aside from a pretty face, you have nothing. Better cook the rice before it’s too late so the Xiao family will accept you.”
Jiang Zao didn’t get angry. She simply smiled and left.
Auntie, don’t worry—your daughter will be giving you a big surprise soon.
Seeing Jiang Zao only smiling foolishly without talking back, Feng Miao spat on the ground. “What an idiot!”
“No matter how good a man is, she can’t keep him. Too bad Shanshan isn’t as pretty as her—otherwise, how could someone like Xiao Shuisheng end up with that fool?”
After getting the jade pendant, Jiang Zao eagerly put it around her neck.
The pendant was teardrop-shaped, somewhere between jade and stone. The moment she wore it, a cool sensation spread across her chest, dispelling the heat in her body.
In her previous life, Jiang Shan had borrowed it, then later claimed it was lost.
Only before Jiang Zao’s death had Jiang Shan come to the hospital to boast—saying the pendant was blessed. As long as you dripped blood on it to bind it as your own, it would bring endless good luck.
Only then did Jiang Zao realize that the pendant her grandmother had secretly left her had such a miraculous effect.
Finding a secluded spot, she took out the pendant and let a drop of her blood fall onto it.
The blood vanished instantly. The pendant flashed red briefly before returning to normal.
Sure enough—Jiang Shan hadn’t discovered its secret yet.
Jiang Zao returned the bicycle to Yanqiu. When she reached home, she adjusted her breathing, reddened her eyes, and walked into the courtyard.
Liu Chunhua lifted the curtain and asked, “Why were you gone so long?”
Jiang Zao looked up. “Mom… Jiang Shan tried to steal my man.”