He had been a soldier, a top performer in the army, with far keener observational skills than most people.
The Su Xiaowan in front of him today—her words and actions—were completely different from before.
Was this really the same Su Xiaowan he had known?
The old Su Xiaowan never smiled like this.
When she had smiled before, it was usually for money or because she wanted something from him.
But today, several of her smiles felt genuine to Lu Hanzhou.
Her kindness toward him and his family didn’t seem forced at all.
It was as if she had completely changed into someone else.
Could there really be two identical people in the world?
Suddenly, Lu Hanzhou remembered the plum blossom-shaped birthmark on Su Xiaowan’s back.
Maybe he could use that to confirm things later.
Relying on her memory, Su Xiaowan carried the clothes and headed toward the modest bathroom outside.
In this era, ordinary families didn’t have their own toilets and used the village’s public latrine.
But the Lu family’s conditions were better, and with Lu Hanzhou’s leg injury, they had built a private bathroom.
That alone was considered quite good.
She had to heat water herself every day, carry buckets, and wash—everything had to be done by hand. Su Xiaowan found it a bit difficult to adjust.
There wasn’t even shampoo or body wash—just the oldest method, soap nuts.
How wonderful it would be to have a bottle of shampoo and body wash, she sighed.
She had always loved cleanliness and especially enjoyed things that smelled nice.
Just then, she looked up and noticed, on the shelf by the window, two bottles she hadn’t seen before—a bottle of shampoo and a bottle of body wash!
And it was the exact brand she usually used.
Su Xiaowan froze. Where had they come from?
Could… it be her space coming into effect?
She quickly used the shampoo on her hair, lathering it up, and washed her body with the body wash.
Afterwards, whether it was psychological or real, her hair seemed shinier, and her skin soft and smooth, not dry at all.
She had always loved the faint floral-fruity scent of this shampoo and body wash. It was soothing and pleasant.
She hadn’t expected her space not only to produce items but even make them more effective than before.
Just as she finished, Lu Yanxi came in to bathe.
The moment Lu Yanxi entered, she smelled the fragrance and inhaled deeply.
It was intoxicating—better than anything she had smelled on Sister Wenxi.
She muttered to herself: Hmph, that fox Su Xiaowan must have spent my brother’s money on some perfume!
She had heard that city women liked to wear perfume, just a little and it would last all day—but it was expensive.
“She’s such a spendthrift. I must tell my brother!” Lu Yanxi thought, though her nose betrayed her curiosity and she inhaled again.
It really smells amazing… I wish I had some.
Meanwhile, Su Xiaowan returned to her room, closed the door, and removed her thick cotton jacket and pants.
Although it was cold at night, she wasn’t used to sleeping in too many clothes.
Back home, she had slept in silk camisoles—soft and comfortable.
Here, conditions didn’t allow it, so she dug through the original girl’s old clothes and found a short-sleeved top and shorts to sleep in.
She sat on the edge of the bed and slowly dried her hair.
Lu Hanzhou entered the room and immediately noticed her sitting there.
Her long, black hair flowed over her shoulders, thick and full, like a soft cloud.
Her small face looked even more delicate against the dark hair.
Her eyes were bright and clear, like a little deer’s, full of life.
But when Lu Hanzhou noticed her outfit, his brows immediately furrowed.
She was wearing far too little! A low-cut vest, side-on while drying her hair, revealing her collarbone and a gentle curve beneath the neckline, like a snow-covered hillside, gleaming softly in the light.
His gaze darkened, and he quickly turned away.
Then he looked down—her shorts were ridiculously short, legs pale and slender, catching his eye instantly.
And her feet, clad in slippers, nails neat and lightly pink, like tiny shells.
This woman…
If he believed in spirits, he might have suspected she was a fox spirit that had cultivated in the mountains.
Seeing Lu Hanzhou, Su Xiaowan didn’t stop her motions. She continued drying her damp hair while giving him a gentle smile. “Hubby, you’re back?”
Lu Hanzhou nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on her smiling face for a moment.
Then he spoke, “Sleeping in so little isn’t appropriate.”
Su Xiaowan stared at him in disbelief.
What was his problem?
They were married, sharing a bed—it would actually be more convenient to wear less.
She was already considerate enough to keep some clothing on. (Thinking of pouncing on him…) But when she glimpsed his muscular arms under his short-sleeved shirt and remembered they’d be sharing a bed soon, she decided not to fuss.
She set down the towel and slowly approached Lu Hanzhou.
In the dim light, he watched her approach, brow furrowed, expression unreadable, unsure of her intentions.
Then, in the next moment, Su Xiaowan suddenly grabbed the hem of his shirt and lifted it.
His firm, toned abs and obliques were instantly revealed. Su Xiaowan’s eyes widened.
The tanned, tight muscles were crisscrossed with scars—knife cuts and what looked like gunshot marks—making her heart skip a beat.
She looked up at Lu Hanzhou.
He had been a soldier—these must be the injuries he received on missions.
Seeing the scars stirred a mix of emotions in her chest.
She remembered the book hadn’t described him much, as he was only a supporting character.
Lu Hanzhou expressionlessly pushed her away, lowering the hem of his shirt, his voice cold as ice: “Su Xiaowan, do you know what you’re doing?”
His sharp eyes fixed on her, clearly displeased with her actions.
Su Xiaowan looked at his stern face and deliberately acted hurt, eyes glistening. “Hubby, we’ve been married so long, yet you’ve never touched me… do you dislike me?”
“When you chased after Bai Fulin, did you ever think you were already married?” Lu Hanzhou’s expression darkened instantly, his gaze cutting like a blade.
He had already been making concessions by not insisting on divorce.
Thinking of her pulling Bai Fulin like that, he couldn’t accept it.
Su Xiaowan sighed inwardly—this was all the mess left by the original girl.
Once a marriage has cracks, it’s incredibly hard to repair.
But her space required intimacy to unlock more items—the shampoo and body wash had come from there.
Besides… she really did fancy Lu Hanzhou’s body.
Summoning her courage, Su Xiaowan went to him and gently took his hand.
She looked up, eyes shimmering, voice soft and tender: “Hubby, my heart is all yours… don’t believe me? Feel for yourself.”
She guided his hand to press lightly against her soft chest.
Through the thin fabric, he could feel the warmth and softness.
At this point, she had no choice but to try.
Lu Hanzhou had completely not expected such boldness.
The warmth and softness under his palm made his breath hitch; he froze, stunned.