Su Nuannuan let out a long sigh of relief, her tone light and cheerful. “Thank you, Regiment Commander Ji, for not marrying me. If you really want to make it up to me, then give me money. One thousand yuan, plus national food stamps. Once I have the money, I’ll leave the Ji family.”
The attendant cleaning nearby trembled, nearly spilling the water in her basin all over the floor.
One thousand yuan—she really had the nerve to ask for such an outrageous amount.
A worker’s monthly salary was only thirty-six yuan. How long would it take to save up one thousand yuan? This girl must be foolish. Only a fool would agree to such a demand.
“Fine, I’ll give you the money. But you have to promise to come with me to the island as a military dependent,” Ji Xiao agreed without even furrowing his brow, his response straightforward.
The attendant’s lips twitched as she looked up in disbelief. There really was a fool willing to agree.
That was one thousand, not one hundred. How could he just casually agree to give it away?
“Money first,” Su Nuannuan said, holding out her palm.
Becoming a military dependent was out of the question, but she had to get the money.
“I don’t have that much cash on me. I’ll take you to withdraw it later,” Ji Xiao replied, thinking she had agreed. His troubled mood improved considerably.
When the food arrived, he picked up a piece of spare ribs and placed it in her bowl. “Eat while it’s hot.”
The spare ribs were tender, fragrant, and perfectly cooked.
With such delicious food before her, Su Nuannuan ate earnestly, not wasting a single grain of rice.
In her previous life, she had been an orphan, never knowing where her next meal would come from, growing up hungry.
In this life, she was also an orphan. Though she had a place to stay, she had never eaten a full meal in her life.
Chopsticks moved swiftly across the table, the only sound the crisp clinking of utensils against bowls.
Su Nuannuan ate without looking up.
Ji Xiao continuously served her dishes and ladled soup into her bowl. “Don’t rush. Eat slowly. Your stomach isn’t good, and eating too quickly will make it hard to digest. Have some hot soup.”
Su Nuannuan didn’t look up. Though she ate quickly, her back remained straight, her movements graceful and poised, exuding an air of cool elegance.
It was as if eating was a matter of great importance, worthy of her full attention and effort.
“No talking while eating or sleeping.”
Had he just been scolded? Ji Xiao was momentarily stunned before a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
His stern face, like an iceberg melting, softened with amusement, easing the sharp intensity he usually carried.
“You’ve changed. The old you would never have despised me this much.”
“Why?”
“If you’ve endured it for eight years, what suddenly gave you the courage to rebel?”
Three questions in a row struck like thunder, exploding in her ears.
Su Nuannuan paused mid-bite, her calm eyes churning with turbulent waves.
How perceptive. Had he noticed?
[Host, don’t be nervous. You’ve already merged with this body. No one can detect anything unusual.]
She swallowed the food in her mouth, took a sip of soup to rinse it down, and then sneered mockingly. “Wasn’t eight years of trying to please you foolish enough? I’ve been a free servant in your family for eight years. Isn’t that enough?”
“If I can’t see any light in life, why shouldn’t I fight desperately for a way out?” Su Nuannuan set down her chopsticks and wiped the corners of her mouth. “I’m full.”
Ji Xiao took the leftover dishes she had eaten from and, without any sign of disgust, poured them into his own bowl.
Like a whirlwind sweeping away the remnants, he quickly finished the leftover food.
Wiping his mouth, he pulled out a stack of small bills and several food stamps from his pocket, placed them on the table, and called out loudly:
“Uncle Wang, the money for the meal is on the table.”
“Ah, alright,” Chef Wang poked his head out from the window. “Finished eating? Next time, just tell me what you want to eat. Don’t be shy.”
“Okay, thank you, Uncle Wang.”
Ji Xiao stood up and pulled Su Nuannuan to her feet. “You’re still so young, don’t talk about life and death. We neglected you before, but from now on, we won’t let you suffer any more grievances. Come on, let’s go buy some clothes.”
The car stopped outside the supply and marketing cooperative.
Inside, it was packed with people buying goods, bustling and noisy, the clamor loud enough to lift the roof.
“Stop pushing, stop pushing! The meat is sold out. Those still in line, please disperse,” the salesperson shouted expressionlessly.
“How is it sold out again? Can’t you stock more meat next time? My kids have been crying for meat.”
“Are you keeping it for yourselves? This is my third time here, and it’s sold out as soon as you start selling. It’s unfair—we’re going to report you!”
“That’s right, report them! This is too much. Every time we come, there’s no meat. How are ordinary people supposed to live?”
The crowd was in an uproar, each carrying a basket with angry expressions on their faces.
So noisy!
Su Nuannuan felt dizzy, her fingers digging tightly into the seat as fine beads of cold sweat broke out on her forehead.
The car door opened, and Ji Xiao stood beside her, urging, “Get out. After buying clothes, I’ll take you to meet someone.”
The person in the car stared blankly, her face pale as large drops of sweat slid down her cheeks.
Seeing her dazed, Ji Xiao called out again, “Nuannuan?”
Su Nuannuan lowered her head, her heavy bangs blocking her vision. She gasped for breath, her thin body trembling slightly.
“I have clothes to wear. There’s no need to buy more.”
She hated crowded places.
Ji Xiao rubbed his forehead, took a deep breath, and asked patiently, “What’s wrong now? Weren’t you just fine with it a moment ago?”
“Too many people. Annoying.” Su Nuannuan closed her eyes, curling up in the seat, trying hard to calm her frantic heartbeat.
Ji Xiao ran a hand through his short hair, pressed his tongue against the back of his teeth, and let out a low chuckle. A roguish smile appeared on his cold, handsome face.
“Alright, got it. I’ll go buy them for you.”
With a loud bang, he slammed the car door shut.
The car trembled slightly, signaling its owner’s suppressed anger.
Su Nuannuan shakily rolled up the car window as quickly as she could. Once the noise outside was blocked out, she finally let out a quiet sigh of relief. Her tense body slumped, and her heart raced as if it were about to leap out of her chest.
[System, convert all Luck Points into Health Points.]
A pink piglet popped up. [One hundred Luck Points can be exchanged for one Health Point. Are you sure you want to convert all of them, Host?]
[Convert!] Su Nuannuan closed her eyes, her lips tinged with an abnormal purplish-black hue.
This body’s constitution was too weak, with insufficient blood supply to the heart, making it completely unable to withstand this episode.
One more time, and her fragile heart meridian would rupture.
She needed to increase her Health Points as soon as possible!
[Conversion successful. Host’s Health Points +10.]
[Current Beauty Points: 20]
[Physique Points: 10, budding like a lotus]
[Voice Points: 40, soft and gentle]
[Health Points: 32, vitality restored]
[Combat Power: 0, weakling]
[Luck Points: 0]
A warm current flowed through her heart, easing the dull ache. Su Nuannuan’s complexion returned to a healthy rosy hue.
[Host’s Health Points are too low. If you experience three more episodes, this body will die.]
Su Nuannuan opened her eyes. “Don’t worry, I won’t die.”
Through the car window, she saw the tall, upright man carrying bags, his steps hurried and slightly unsteady as he walked quickly toward the car. A flush spread from his neck to the back of his ears.
Damn, this was the first time he’d bought clothes for a woman. Thankfully, no one he knew had seen him, or he’d have been utterly embarrassed.
He yanked the car door open.
Several paper bags were tossed into her lap. “Change into these. I’ll wait outside.”
Su Nuannuan held the clothes, looking up at his flushed earlobes, her gaze drifting to land on his sexy, attractive thin lips.
One kiss for 100 Luck Points, exchangeable for 1 Health Point.
To survive, she needed to kiss him 68 times.
Might as well treat it like kissing a dog—go for it!
She suddenly reached out, grabbed his collar, leaned in, and pressed her lips against those thin lips.