Chapter 3

Bai Jiaojiao quickly placed the clothes and hot water bottle down and darted out, closing the door behind her. The whole process took less than five seconds.

Xiao Zhou watched her the entire time. His vision was excellent, so he didn’t miss the look of panic on her face—just like a frightened little rabbit, sensitive and weak.

What had already been hard to suppress was now even harder.

He closed his eyes, using the cold water to douse the nearly uncontrollable desire.

Bai Jiaojiao sat by the bed, cleaning up the mess on the floor and replacing the bedsheets. After what had just happened, she was completely exhausted—on the verge of collapsing into sleep.

Just as she was about to drift off, the bathroom door creaked open. Instantly wide awake, Bai Jiaojiao shot up and stood at attention.

“Xiao Zhou, let me help you with the bandage,” she offered.

Xiao Zhou saw how drowsy she looked and nearly laughed. “No need, I can do it myself.”

“I…” Bai Jiaojiao started to agree, but then remembered how dangerous the villain could be. What if he had some delayed brain injury and blamed her later? She quickly changed her mind. “Actually, I’ll do it. I studied some medicine.”

She expected more pushback, but to her surprise, he simply nodded.

Huh… this villain was actually… kind of obedient?

His face had already been cleaned, and he had even washed his hair. Getting close, she could smell the heat and scent from his body.

Cautiously, Bai Jiaojiao used a dry towel to dry his hair and carefully checked his scalp.

There was some light swelling and broken skin, but nothing serious.

She had studied traditional Chinese medicine in the modern world. From Xiao Zhou’s earlier reactions, she already suspected he wasn’t seriously hurt. Now she was sure. She quickly and neatly bandaged the wound.

“All done. Get some rest tonight. We’ll go to the hospital tomorrow,” she said.

Even though she knew he was fine, she figured a hospital trip would show that she cared—important when dealing with an unpredictable villain.

Yawning, she walked toward the small sofa.

“Where are you going?” Xiao Zhou’s voice suddenly turned cold.

Bai Jiaojiao shivered. The tragic fate of the original host flashed in her mind. She quickly explained, “I’m just going to sleep on the little sofa. Not outside the room—just right here.”

No way she’d end up like the original host, who cheated during marriage and ended up dead. No, thanks.

Xiao Zhou frowned. That sofa was too small—he couldn’t even fit on it.

And even though he had no memories, he wasn’t about to sleep beside a woman who was basically a stranger.

But…

He glanced at the woman’s delicate figure. She was the wife he had apparently forced himself on before losing his memory.

After some inner conflict, he finally said, “You sleep on the bed too.”

Bai Jiaojiao looked at him in disbelief.

In the novel, every time the villain came home, he forced the original host to sleep on the couch. If she ever got to sleep on the bed, it was only during… those moments. Afterward, she was kicked off.

This villain wasn’t following the script at all.

Xiao Zhou sat down on the bed, patting the space next to him. His cold gaze betrayed no emotion—it could’ve been casual, or a sign of his patience wearing thin.

Bai Jiaojiao forced a smile uglier than crying and walked over in baby steps, secretly hoping he’d change his mind halfway.

Watching her move like a slow little turtle, Xiao Zhou’s previously uncomfortable mood improved.

She was kind of… cute. Like a little turtle disguised as a rabbit.

He had thought she might be a threat, but her clear fear and cautiousness made her seem totally harmless—someone he could afford to trust, at least until his memories came back.

Bai Jiaojiao said timidly, “I’ll sleep…”

“Inside,” Xiao Zhou cut in.

“…Huh?” she blurted.

Wasn’t that a little too intimate?

“What?” His voice grew a few degrees colder.

“N-Nothing. I meant to say—you’re so thoughtful! Afraid I’ll fall off the bed in the middle of the night, right?”

Trembling, Bai Jiaojiao climbed to the far inner edge of the bed, curling up against the wall.

“Heh,” Xiao Zhou chuckled coldly. Watching her curl up like a scared little kitten, something soft flickered in his otherwise icy eyes.

Click.

The lights went out.

Bai Jiaojiao didn’t dare move, completely tense. She was scared he’d suddenly remember everything and kick her out—or worse, hurt her.

But she was so tired… Within two minutes, she had fallen asleep.

Xiao Zhou turned his head and gently pulled down the blanket that had covered her face.

Even in the dark, he could clearly see her delicate, soft features.

The little rabbit was scared of him, but still managed to fall asleep beside him so quickly.

Did that mean… she actually liked him? That she felt safe with him? That maybe she didn’t really want a divorce?

Xiao Zhou quietly scorned his past self. How could he marry someone he liked, yet scare her this badly? If he really had forced her like the clues suggested… he hated that version of himself.

But he didn’t dislike the current Bai Jiaojiao. Maybe, before the memory loss, he had already liked her.

He reached out and gently pulled her into his arms. Her scent filled his nose.

His nerves slowly relaxed.

He slept deeply through the night.

The next morning, Bai Jiaojiao was woken up by the crowing of a rooster. Still groggy, she thought it was her alarm clock and reached out for her phone—only to touch hot, firm skin. And it was getting hotter.

She jolted awake, opening her eyes to see a pair of deep, cold black eyes staring right at her.

And she—like an octopus—was wrapped all over him.

She instinctively pulled back, but his hand reached out just then, making her flinch even harder. Her head smacked right into his palm.

“So clumsy?”

Xiao Zhou had expected her to bump into something, but not that it’d be exactly like he predicted.

Bai Jiaojiao didn’t dare move. “Sorry… I’m a little clumsy,” she said timidly.

Whatever you say, Big Villain. Just don’t kill me when you get your memory back.

“I was just speaking casually. You’re not clumsy,” he muttered.

Idiot… don’t go agreeing to everything.

Xiao Zhou’s gaze drifted to the marks on her body—left by him before he lost his memory.

Her eyes were slightly red, lips like delicate petals. His breathing grew heavier. He shut his eyes, pushing away the sudden thoughts and immediately went to the bathroom.

He despised the version of himself who had forced someone… but if that someone was Bai Jiaojiao, maybe he could understand it. Because even now, he didn’t know how long he could resist.

Bai Jiaojiao blinked back tears. The way he looked at her was terrifying. She wanted to run, but she didn’t have the courage.

At 7 AM, she changed clothes and brought Xiao Zhou out. They had to get to the hospital today.

The ox cart they rode was in worse condition than she’d imagined. She didn’t even consider sitting down. After some hesitation, she took off her jacket and laid it on the seat.

“Tch, Xiao Zhou’s wife is so delicate. Doesn’t look like she can do any real work. Marrying her was the worst luck of his life,” said a middle-aged woman, infamous for gossiping.

“Right? With how good Xiao Zhou’s conditions are, he should’ve married someone capable,” added another auntie.

In Bai Jiaojiao’s memory, the original host had often been criticized. And honestly, it wasn’t all unjustified.

She had grown up in a military compound and couldn’t accept the sudden fall in status—from heaven to dirt. She’d often insult villagers, calling them “ignorant lowly peasants.” Even the women speaking now had once been friendly—until the original host cussed them out.

At first, Xiao Zhou tried to stop her, but after she called him “a useless man who made her live in a dump,” he never spoke up for her again.

Now, Bai Jiaojiao just wanted to be invisible. She would behave like a quiet, obedient shadow until the divorce was finalized. She had no plans to live here long-term anyway.

What she didn’t notice was that the man next to her, who had previously looked fairly neutral, suddenly wore a frosty expression.