The night was already deep, and Xizhou was quiet. It was just the two of them alone in the room.
They were a legitimate married couple.
Doing something like this was perfectly normal.
Lu Hanzhou was a man in the prime of his youth, full of passion, and the person in his arms was soft and fragrant. Her eyes sparkled in the lamplight, like pools of spring water, alluring and captivating.
She was delicate and charming, utterly seductive.
It was impossible for him to feel nothing.
Yet, her sudden change in demeanor left him uneasy.
On top of that, she had once been so infatuated with Bai Fulin, treating him, her legitimate husband, with indifference. That lingering discomfort still gnawed at his heart.
Her abrupt 180-degree turn in attitude today was hard for him to process.
He needed time to digest it.
So he suppressed the urge coursing through his body and gently pushed Su Xiaowan away from his arms.
He was naturally strong, and Su Xiaowan’s body was soft, so it took very little effort.
Su Xiaowan looked at him in shock.
She began to suspect that this man might simply have no interest in women at all!
She had been so forward—how could Lu Hanzhou remain so calm?
Did she really have to stand there in front of him completely naked?
Su Xiaowan mumbled to herself. If there was no other way… she might not completely mind.
While thinking this, she unconsciously tugged at the strap of her camisole.
One strap slipped off her shoulder, revealing a clear collarbone and a patch of fair skin, strikingly visible in the dim light.
Lu Hanzhou’s eyes glanced at it—and it was like he’d been set on fire. He quickly turned his head away.
Without another word, he lifted Su Xiaowan and laid her on the bed, pulling a blanket over her and wrapping her up snugly from head to toe.
“Go to sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow for work.”
With that, he turned his back and lay down on the floor.
“What an idiot!” Su Xiaowan huffed, glaring at the back of his figure, feeling both frustrated and helpless.
She took several deep breaths, forcing down her irritation.
Well, being angry would just hurt her body—sleep first.
With that thought, she soon fell asleep.
Secretly, she hoped that maybe it was all a nightmare—that when morning came, she would open her eyes and be back in her old world. How wonderful that would be!
But early the next morning, she was woken by the crowing of chickens outside.
Upon opening her eyes, she still saw the same shabby little room.
Su Xiaowan sighed.
As expected, she had been wishing for too much.
Alas… there was no going back. She could never return to her old world.
Lu Hanzhou had already gone out early, leaving her alone in the room.
She stretched, and her hand brushed against a cloth bundle nearby.
Curious, she opened it—inside was her set of silver needles!
These needles had been custom-made by a master, far more delicate than ordinary ones used in Chinese medicine.
Ever since arriving in this world, she had been thinking about this set.
And now, it had come with her. Su Xiaowan hugged the needles tightly, elated.
With them, she could help so many more people!
“Could it be that Lu Hanzhou’s attitude toward me improved because I helped Tang Wenxi’s mother last night?”
Thinking about it, it made sense. Even though Lu Hanzhou had no romantic feelings for Tang Wenxi, she had been a long-time friend. He would surely remember the favor.
It seemed she should continue helping others and doing good deeds.
While pondering this, she touched the bracelet on her wrist and then entered her space.
The shelves were neatly organized with daily necessities—shampoo, shower gel, laundry detergent, toothpaste, and more.
Su Xiaowan felt delighted.
Completing the tasks this space required didn’t seem too difficult.
She also noticed a small bottle in the drinks section, labeled “Holy Water.”
What was this?
Could it be, as described in the book, a miraculous spring with magical effects?
Su Xiaowan took a sip.
The moment it went down, a warm, comforting sensation spread from her throat through her whole body.
It felt amazing.
She finished the entire bottle, feeling much lighter and more energized.
“Xiaowan, are you awake?” Zhang Meiju’s voice came from outside the door.
Su Xiaowan quickly emerged from her space.
Opening the door, she saw Zhang Meiju standing a little awkwardly. “Breakfast is ready. Come eat.”
“All right, I’ll wash up first,” Su Xiaowan replied.
After marrying into this family, the original owner had enjoyed a life of being cared for. Su Xiaowan, now here, naturally followed that leisurely lifestyle.
She brushed her teeth with the toothpaste from her space and entered the kitchen, though the sight of breakfast did little to stimulate her appetite.
On the table were only corn buns—hardly appealing.
She picked one up and ate it slowly, in small bites.
It was healthy enough, but still lacked proper nutrition.
At the end of the day, it was just a staple to fill her stomach.
By now, Lu Yanxi and Lu Hanzhou had already left for work, leaving only her and Zhang Meiju at home.
Su Xiaowan ate one bun and put the rest down. Zhang Meiju asked softly, “Not tasty enough?”
Su Xiaowan hurried to reassure her, “No, Mom. I’m really full.”
“Xiaowan, you used to eat three or four at a time. Now you eat so little… Mom worries you might not be feeling well,” Zhang Meiju said, still uneasy, feeling she hadn’t done enough.
Three or four?
Su Xiaowan froze. That much!
“Mom, I really am full. Want me to check your pulse and see how you’re doing?”
Seeing Zhang Meiju looking so frail made Su Xiaowan feel uneasy. Even with her own body’s condition, she was still thinking of others.
She thought, if she could improve Zhang Meiju’s health, Lu Hanzhou would definitely be happier.
Then, the good items in her personal space might increase even more!
The more she thought about it, the more motivated she became. She reached for Zhang Meiju’s hand to check her pulse.
But no sooner had her fingers touched her wrist than she sighed, frowning deeply.
Zhang Meiju’s health was worse than she had anticipated!
Su Xiaowan had treated many patients, but even those with serious illnesses rarely looked this weak.
Her body seemed barely held together by a single breath.
Her qi and blood were severely deficient, and her pulse was shallow, irregular, and extremely weak.
Looking at Zhang Meiju’s face, it was pale with no color, even her lips were white.
Su Xiaowan suddenly remembered the book: Zhang Meiju hadn’t lived long enough to enjoy a good life with Lu Hanzhou.
Her early death had been a wound in Lu Hanzhou’s heart, one that could not be healed.
It had been Tang Wenxi who had accompanied him, guided him, and helped him gradually overcome the shadow.
Thinking of this, Su Xiaowan paused for a moment, then seriously said to Zhang Meiju, “Mom, your body is too weak. You should rest for now and not do any work.”
Although Zhang Meiju didn’t need to do farm work because of her health, she couldn’t sit still and usually found small tasks to do at home.
Villagers would come to her with torn clothes or new fabric to make garments, and she would accept a small amount of grain as payment.
But such sewing work was meticulous, mentally taxing, and physically draining.
If she continued, her body would surely suffer.
“How can that be?” Zhang Meiju shook her head. “I still have several pieces of clothing to finish.”
“Mom, trust me. Rest for now. I’ll handle cooking for the next few days, okay?”
Su Xiaowan was confident in her culinary skills—and besides, she wanted something good to eat herself.