The moment she lifted her hand, the man instantly gripped her wrist.
His fingers, long and pale, pressed against her skin, and the veins on the back of his hand expanded in controlled, sinuous lines.
Time seemed to stop.
Wen Qiao’s senses sharpened. Beneath her skin, her pulse thudded against the man’s warm, dry, yet overwhelmingly commanding fingertips.
Only then did she realize that his hand was much larger than hers, capable of controlling her effortlessly.
After just a moment, the man released her wrist.
Simultaneously, he stepped back two paces.
Wen Qiao frowned.
Her skin was delicate, and though he hadn’t used force, a red mark still remained on her pale wrist.
She pouted and rubbed the mark.
“Sorry.”
Lu Yanchen’s apology was sincere.
He hadn’t expected her skin to be so tender. A simple grip had left a mark. He had only intended to stop her from getting too close.
Wen Qiao’s voice was soft and sweet.
“Comrade Lu, I guess we can say we’ve had some intimate contact. I should be responsible to you.”
Lu Yanchen frowned and flatly refused.
“No need.”
Wen Qiao was momentarily stumped by his blunt decisiveness.
After all, she was a beautiful woman. Was it really necessary for him to treat her like some venomous snake?
“Anyway, I saved your life. A life debt should be repaid with my body.”
It was just dating, not something that went against military rules. Why did he have to look so solemn and righteous?
Lu Yanchen’s gaze fell on her again, a hint of scrutiny in his eyes.
Was she trying to leverage a favor?
His expression remained cold.
“Then change the terms.”
Seeing that he was unmoved, Wen Qiao felt a surge of frustration.
She had countless admirers and was always the one rejecting others. She had never been refused herself.
And now…
For the first time she actively flirted with a man,
She failed.
No wonder he was the male lead—so difficult to handle.
Wen Qiao decided to play stubborn.
“No.”
“I don’t care. You took advantage of me, so you have to be responsible.”
Lu Yanchen’s dark eyes looked at her, his brow lifting slightly.
“Oh? What advantage did I take?”
Clearly, she had been the one taking advantage, yet she twisted the truth and tried to turn it back on him.
Wen Qiao stiffened, her expression slightly frozen.
Why was this male lead so unpredictable?
Wasn’t this era supposed to be extremely conservative?
Traditional morals dominated, especially the strict idea that men and women should not touch each other.
Whatever happened between them on the bed just now—no matter who took advantage—it already crossed the line.
Requesting an explanation seemed completely reasonable.
Wen Qiao nodded to herself, steeling her courage. She spoke:
“You touched me.”
Lu Yanchen’s response was resolute.
“Impossible.”
He would never commit an act that violated moral principles. Not even in a state of unconsciousness.
He had always been strict with himself, practicing restraint and self-discipline.
With every female comrade, he kept at least three meters of distance.
Never touched, barely spoke.
His heart belonged only to his country and family.
Matters of love were simply not part of his plan.
Eight years ago, the Military Commission inspection team received a report accusing his grandfather.
Coincidentally, some foreign antiques were found in his grandfather’s study.
The Lu family was immediately labeled as corrupt bourgeoisie, accused of having reactionary tendencies.
The inspection team intended to take the entire family in for questioning.
To protect his family and prove his innocence, his grandfather committed suicide on the spot.
With the accused dead, the investigation could not continue.
Moreover, the Lu patriarch had served a lifetime in the military, achieving countless merits.
Not only was he a founding hero, he had also been an outstanding commander during the revolutionary wars.
After his grandfather’s death, the authorities, recognizing his past contributions, were lenient toward the Lu family.
They merely transferred Lu Yanchen’s father from the Capital Military District to the southern Tibet frontier.
When the family was in crisis, his grandfather’s friend Qin Zhanguo quietly helped, placing him in the Yangcheng Military District.
A remote, isolated island.
Only by staying far from the center of power struggles could they ensure his safety.
Sure enough, the hidden enemies, seeing the once-mighty Lu family fall apart, did not continue their attacks.
And so, the matter quietly ended.
A once-ambitious young man, a “red third generation” with a proud pedigree, suddenly fell from grace.
The beloved prodigy became a subject of scorn.
Yet he refused to submit, refused to give up, refused to live an ordinary life.
He risked everything to climb higher, repeatedly achieving military feats, all to improve his family’s situation.
The southern Tibet frontier was known as a life-forbidden zone.
An average elevation of 5,000 meters, bitter cold, and low oxygen.
Harsh environment, scarce resources, and constant watch from Indian forces meant immense military pressure.
His father’s old injuries flared often with age.
His mother was frail, and medical conditions there were limited.
Lu Yanchen worried deeply about his parents’ health.
But aside from secretly sending supplies, he could do nothing.
Under such circumstances, Lu Yanchen had no heart for love.
Over the years, he forced himself to mature quickly.
All he wanted was to uncover the truth, clear the Lu family’s name, and find the people who had framed them.
Repay hatred with hatred, revenge with revenge.
Taking advantage of his distraction, Wen Qiao grabbed his large hand and pressed it against her chest, randomly pressing a few times.
“There. You touched me now.”
Lu Yanchen froze, his pupils constricting sharply.
His palm twitched as if burned, retracting instantly.
The fleeting touch remained in his palm.
Soft, elastic, carrying her body’s warmth.
An invisible brand seared into him, throwing his heartbeat into chaos.
He instinctively clenched his fists, pressing his nails into his palm to dull the strange tingling sensation.
He hadn’t expected this woman to act so boldly and brazenly.
A suppressed growl escaped his throat.
“You…”
Wen Qiao was unafraid, tilting her delicate face to smile at him, lips curved provocatively.
Her breath so close it could burn his jaw.
“If you don’t date me, I’ll report you for molestation.”
She even listed the charges.
Lu Yanchen’s dark eyes stared deeply at her.
Each word deliberate.
“You are threatening me?”
His aura was intense. Though expressionless, it felt like standing beneath a crumbling wall.
As if icicles hung above, ready to fall at any moment.
Wen Qiao’s heart tightened, her scalp tingling.
It was the first time she had seen such a young man radiate such oppressive weight.
Had she gone too far with her words?
Better not backfire.
Wen Qiao was flexible and adaptable.
She immediately forced a coquettish smile.
Sweetly admitting defeat.
“I’m joking. Actually, I fell in love with you at first sight. From the moment I saw you, I liked you.”
“You hugged me, you touched me… can’t just deny it now.”
“Look, I’m so beautiful. You won’t lose out. Just date me.”
Lu Yanchen almost laughed from irritation.
This woman was bold with her words, outrageous in action, flirtatious, pretentious, shameless… and full of lies.
Love at first sight?
He hadn’t detected a trace of affection in her eyes.
He had no heart for love, but that didn’t mean he lacked judgment.
When he was in the military district, many young girls admired him, but he could always tell who truly felt affection and who was just flirting shyly.
Wen Qiao, confident as she was, found this male lead unexpectedly hard to read.
She tried soft and hard tactics, but he seemed completely unmoved.