Seizing the moment, Su Xiaowan leaned a little closer, her voice softer. “Can you feel it? It’s beating so fast…”
Lu Hanzhou jerked his hand back, the tingling sensation lingering at his fingertips.
Su Xiaowan’s eyes reddened slightly, her voice choking. “Do you really dislike me that much?”
He took a half-step back, his deep eyes fixed on her, his Adam’s apple rolling slightly. “Don’t touch me.”
No one knew just how tense his whole body was at that moment.
Even deliberately turning his gaze away, the soft warmth of her skin under his palm, and the faint, subtle fragrance she exuded when she leaned in, ignited a wildfire in his blood.
A heat he had never felt coursing through his body—at twenty-five, this was the first time he had been seized by such an intense desire.
When he had married Su Xiaowan, it had merely been a task to complete; he had never felt such uncontrollable urges toward her.
Now that she was suddenly being so forward, his mind raced with doubt—what exactly did this woman want?
Suddenly, Lu Hanzhou remembered something and stepped forward, his gaze involuntarily dropping to her smooth back.
Between her delicate shoulder blades, the faintly pink, plum blossom-shaped birthmark was subtly visible, like a single petal fallen on snow.
Step by step, he approached, radiating an undeniable authority. Su Xiaowan’s heart raced for no reason, like a little prey caught in a predator’s gaze.
He deliberately avoided her flushed cheeks and glistening eyes, keeping his gaze away from her body, circling to her back.
Su Xiaowan instinctively stiffened. She just intended to turn her head, but he pressed a hand against her shoulder.
His warm palm gripped her wrist with practiced force.
With a gentle twist, he positioned her so she fell into his embrace, awkwardly passive yet intimate.
“You…” she whispered, a mix of embarrassment and frustration. If only she had a silver needle in hand, she would show him what’s what.
Lu Hanzhou’s eyes fell on her upper back. The pale birthmark on her skin was unmistakable.
His brow furrowed, and the grip of his hand unconsciously loosened.
It truly was the same person—but this sudden transformation left him confused.
“Lu Hanzhou…” her voice trembled, “you hurt me…”
Only then did he snap back to reality and quickly release her.
The girl in his arms had reddened eyes, watery and sparkling, lightly panting—a picture of someone who had just been scolded.
The faint red mark he had left on her fair arm stood out sharply against her delicate skin.
This woman was delicate; he hadn’t exerted much force, yet her wrist turned red like this.
And yet, recalling the soft, tender feel of her skin from earlier, his Adam’s apple moved unconsciously.
“It’s my fault,” he said, lowering his gaze, voice deep.
“Just apologizing doesn’t help,” Su Xiaowan turned her face away.
She was still sulking inwardly. Don’t think that just because you’re handsome and well-built, you can bully me… if you want to bully me, it should be in bed, that’s all.
Seeing her reddened eyes and pitiful expression, Lu Hanzhou felt slightly guilty.
He had no real feelings for her, but his previous actions had indeed been excessive.
Rubbing his temple, he asked, “Then what would it take for you to stop sulking?”
Su Xiaowan appraised his tall, upright figure and thought, Being handsome does have its advantages.
Seeing him lower himself like this, most of her anger already dissipated.
“Sleep with me tonight, and I’ll accept your apology,” she said softly, hooking a finger on his shirt.
Lu Hanzhou’s brow furrowed slightly, a trace of surprise flickering across his expression. He hadn’t expected her to be this bold.
Su Xiaowan had long since planned this—if she could get closer to Lu Hanzhou, her mysterious space could unlock new items.
Right now, her greatest hope was to obtain a set of silver needles.
With that skill, she could continue to make a living as a doctor in the future.
After experiencing this man’s body, she would go her own way.
From his attitude, it was clear he had no interest in her.
Since they disliked each other mutually, better to separate sooner rather than later.
Holding a grudge day after day would only harm her; she refused to shortchange herself.
Her slender fingers traced over his solid chest, just as she prepared to have him remove his shirt, when a girl’s urgent shout came from outside: “Hanzhou! Please help my mom—she’s fainted!”
Su Xiaowan had originally intended to take advantage of Lu Hanzhou’s momentary distraction to move things forward, but this unexpected interruption thwarted her plans.
She frowned, recalling a sequence from the book:
[That night, the female lead Tang Wenxi’s mother suddenly suffered a heart attack and fell to the ground.]
[Tang Wenxi rushed to find Lu Hanzhou for help. Having learned first aid in the army, he immediately performed CPR and saved her mother.]
[Afterward, Tang Wenxi, in gratitude, maintained close contact with Lu Hanzhou. Through matchmaking efforts, he gradually developed feelings for her.]
Su Xiaowan shook her head—so her husband in the book was merely a backup.
At this moment, Lu Hanzhou had already released her and dashed out the door.
Su Xiaowan paused, then grabbed his jacket and followed.
As a doctor, she couldn’t stand by and do nothing.
When she arrived, Tang Wenxi was pulling Lu Hanzhou toward her home. This was Su Xiaowan’s first direct encounter with the book’s female lead.
Tang Wenxi was completely different from her—diligent, clever, the only female teacher in the village school.
She had a refined appearance and gentle disposition, loved by the villagers.
She got along well with everyone and, because of her kind heart and willingness to help, later when she started a business after the reform, all those she had helped voluntarily supported her.
This made her business ventures unusually smooth, eventually turning her into a nationally renowned female entrepreneur.
Su Xiaowan couldn’t help thinking: if only she could become the story’s female lead.
At least she wouldn’t have to live in constant fear, worrying about her life being in danger at any moment.
Inside the Tang household, Tang’s mother still lay on the floor.
Her sister, brother, and father crowded around, panicking.
Seeing Tang Wenxi arrive with Lu Hanzhou, they quickly made way.
Tang Wenxi anxiously said to him, “Hanzhou, I tried CPR, but I don’t have enough strength. Mom is still in critical condition. Can you help?”
Lu Hanzhou was surprised—Tang Wenxi knew CPR?
He couldn’t help but glance at her more attentively.
Just as he was about to kneel and start compressions, Su Xiaowan suddenly rushed forward and grabbed him. “Let me do it.”
She glanced at his leg—if he knelt down now, his injured leg would only worsen.
CPR was physically demanding; it required standard, continuous movements for an extended period.
With his leg still unhealed, prolonged kneeling would aggravate the injury.
Since she was already here, there was no reason to let him suffer.
Moreover, she was confident in her emergency skills.
Her sudden intervention left everyone in the room stunned.
“No! Don’t interfere, don’t touch my mom!” Tang Wenxi’s brother, Tang Chengdong, stepped forward first.
Su Xiaowan frowned, her voice sharp: “We’re racing against time! If we delay any longer, it’ll be too late!”
Before she finished, she pushed Tang Chengdong aside.
Everyone was shocked; they hadn’t expected someone so slim to have such strength.
Others tried to stop her, but Lu Hanzhou blocked them.
“Are you sure you can handle this?” Lu Hanzhou asked, his tone assessing.
Su Xiaowan nodded firmly, her hands never stopping. She knelt and began administering CPR on Tang mother with practiced efficiency, faster and more precise than anyone else in the room.
She lightly pressed her fingers on Tang’s wrist, feeling the pulse, her expression gradually growing serious.