Chapter 89.2

“Go on!” Hu Wanning playfully chided her. “Why are you being polite with me?”

Eventually, Ruan Mingfu also shared the local specialties she brought back, and only then did Hu Wanning and Xu Zhu leave.

She lazily sprawled on the sofa, feeling the room’s warmth, and blissfully closed her eyes.

“Home is still the most comfortable.”

As she petted Wangcai, who had just been bathed, she suddenly felt the weight of someone sitting down beside her. Looking over, she saw Xie Yanzhao offering her a cup of ginger tea.

“Drink this.”

She wrinkled her nose, overwhelmed by the strong ginger scent wafting towards her, and shook her head vigorously.

“No, I won’t drink it.”

Ruan Mingfu was quite particular about her tastes.

She wouldn’t eat garlic or ginger, hated skin-on foods, and absolutely avoided offal. She didn’t even tolerate ginger in dishes and definitely wouldn’t touch a whole bowl of ginger soup.

She resisted and instinctively scooted away, but Xie Yanzhao held her in place.

“We’ve been on a train for so long, it’s chilly,” he urged, pushing the ginger tea closer to her. “Drinking this will help prevent a cold.”

Ruan Mingfu glanced at the golden broth and turned her head away.

“I’m not drinking it.”

“Not drinking it?”

“Not drinking it… uh!”

Suddenly, she felt her lips being blocked, and her teeth were easily pried open. The warm tea was poured into her mouth, and she had no choice but to swallow.

Ruan Mingfu opened her eyes, casting a resentful look at him.

That scoundrel!

Xie Yanzhao was too strong; she couldn’t resist and felt utterly taken advantage of. Finally, he released her.

“Are you going to drink it?”

Ruan Mingfu, her eyes shimmering with tears, looked tousled, and her lips appeared to have a fresh coat of color, making her look enchanting.

“…I will drink it.”

Seeing the nearly empty bowl, she begrudgingly took a sip.

A wise man doesn’t suffer losses for nothing. One day, she would find a chance to get even!

“I finished it!”

Ruan Mingfu admitted she was a bit emotional. After handing the bowl back, she turned away from the dog man and buried herself into the sofa, completely unaware of the fiery gaze behind her.

Xie Yanzhao’s deep, still eyes rippled with intensity.

He leisurely set the empty bowl aside, his gaze warm and deep.

“Your clothes are wet.”

His low, magnetic voice echoed in her ears, making Ruan Mingfu inexplicably blush.

She remembered.

It was because that scoundrel’s actions were too abrupt, causing some ginger soup to spill from the corner of her lips… Ruan Mingfu touched the small damp spot on her chest and was about to head to her room to change when she was suddenly pinned by the scoundrel behind her.

Having already taken off her thick cotton coat, she wore only a thin sweater underneath.

Through the lightweight fabric, Ruan Mingfu could feel how he grasped her waist and the warmth radiating from his palm.

Her heart raced, and she instinctively turned, bumping into his firm nose.

So the scoundrel was leaning in closer to her.

Ruan Mingfu felt a tingle at the back of her neck.

She wanted to escape but found all her retreat routes blocked. She could only slightly turn her body, trying to push him away, but he held her firmly.

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

As time passed, her lips became even more alluring.

Xie Yanzhao’s gaze fell precisely on them, darkening with intensity. He even, in a moment of nervousness, stupidly licked his own lips, making his eyes appear even more dangerous.

Seeing that the scoundrel showed no signs of letting her go, Ruan Mingfu had to bravely speak up.

“I…I’m going to change my clothes…”

As she tried to get up, he pulled her back into his embrace, his hand gently caressing her delicate, beautiful face.

“My clothes are wet too. Should we change together?”

Ruan Mingfu glanced over.

The man was wearing black, so any stains were hard to see. There was only a coin-sized spot on his chest, darker than the rest of his shirt.

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

“You scoundrel!”

Before she could scold him further, he sealed her lips with his own.

This time, it wasn’t the playful banter from before. He kissed her fiercely, as if he wanted to consume her whole. Gradually, she felt her lips growing numb, and it became harder to breathe.

“Mm…”

Ruan Mingfu struggled, leaning back instinctively, but he held her tight, wrapping his arms firmly around her waist, leaving her no chance to escape.

Just when she thought she might suffocate, Xie Yanzhao finally released her.

At that moment, Ruan Mingfu was completely drained of energy.

She leaned against his solid chest, listening to the rapid beating of his heart. Her hands fell limply to her sides, unable to grasp his shirt, her beautiful peach blossom eyes clouded, and her swollen lips parted as she gasped for breath.

Xie Yanzhao gently stroked her silky long hair and asked in a deep, enticing voice, “Kick me out and find someone new, huh?”

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

She knew this scoundrel was petty.

It was just a casual joke, yet he held onto it for so long!

Xie Yanzhao tightened his grip around her waist. “Tell me!”

Ruan Mingfu wanted to cry but felt utterly exhausted.

With her current state, she could barely catch her breath, let alone explain.

“Not talking?” Xie Yanzhao squinted, his hand slipping under her clothing, moving upward. “Are you going to talk or not?”

Ruan Mingfu shuddered at his touch.

He had her most vulnerable spot in his grasp, her face flushed with shame and an overwhelming feeling of helplessness.

Embarrassed and angry, she bit him.

He responded with a firm grip, causing her to let go of his flesh. She didn’t even have a chance to retaliate before he cupped her chin, forcing her to look directly into his eyes.

In that moment, she saw the intense desire and possessiveness in his gaze.

Her body shivered as she pushed against him.

“… Let me go…”

Xie Yanzhao’s eyes were deep, filled with an overwhelming pressure.

He leaned slightly closer, whispering in her ear, “Not a chance!”

All her senses were dominated by him. She tried to pull away, but he assertively brought her back, their movements causing clothes to tumble off the sofa, accidentally covering the napping Wangcai.

Their lips and tongues collided, the sound of their connection rising.

Suddenly, a voice came from outside.

“Sister-in-law, sister-in-law?”

The loud voice jolted the dazed Ruan Mingfu awake.

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she turned her head to escape his kiss.

“… There’s someone…”

Xie Yanzhao’s face was filled with desire.

He seized her restless hands and scooped her up in his arms. She gasped, startling the still-sleeping Wangcai. The dog lifted its head, shaking off the clothes covering it, but before it could wag its tail at its owner, Xie Yanzhao had already carried Ruan Mingfu into the room, leaving Wangcai outside.

Seeing no response after calling several times, the people outside eventually left.

The next day, Ruan Mingfu groggily opened her eyes. She instinctively rubbed against the blanket but was immediately pulled close by the person next to her, locked tightly in his embrace.

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

She suddenly remembered everything!

Looking at the arm draped across her waist, she gritted her teeth in frustration. She pushed his arm away and tried to distance herself from him. Then she kicked him, but he caught her ankle, dragging her back into his arms.

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

Damn it, this scoundrel!

“Get off me,” she growled, slapping him on the side and grabbing a pillow to hit Xie Yanzhao on the head. “What are you pretending for?”

Usually, he woke up earlier than her, so why was he still asleep now?

Xie Yanzhao opened his eyes, showing no signs of just waking up. He calmly pushed the pillow away and attempted to pull her into his embrace again, but she slapped his hands away.

“I’ve decided. Starting tonight, we’re sleeping in separate rooms!”

Ruan Mingfu found this scoundrel more and more annoying.

Since the room was already warm, it didn’t matter where she went. She glared at Xie Yanzhao and grabbed her pillow to leave, forgetting that her ankle was still caught in his grip.

“Let go.”

“Not a chance.”

Xie Yanzhao understood very well.

If he let go, Ruan Mingfu would definitely run away.

Only a fool would release her!

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

You jerk!

Is he spoiled or something?

Ruan Mingfu tried to pry his hand off her ankle, but instead, she found herself entirely back in his grasp. Xie Yanzhao held her tightly again, a smug smile on his face.

Ruan Mingfu: “… You scoundrel.”

She didn’t know why, but this man was becoming more and more shameless in front of her. Yet, he still put on a serious facade in front of others—how ridiculous!

“Yes, I am a scoundrel.”

Xie Yanzhao readily accepted the nickname.

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

“Let go! Get off me…”

Just thinking about yesterday made her feel infuriated. Luckily, that person had only called from outside and hadn’t come in. Otherwise, she would have been utterly humiliated. Plus, once inside, Xie Yanzhao’s outrageous actions only fueled her anger.

“No matter what you say, we have to sleep in separate rooms tonight.”

Xie Yanzhao frowned. “No room for negotiation?”

“None at all!”

She was determined to set some boundaries with this annoying man.

Xie Yanzhao sighed, but he didn’t seem bothered.

“Alright then.”

Having prepared for a lengthy argument with the man, Ruan Mingfu was taken aback. “What?!”

Damn it! Did she lose her appeal to him?

Ruan Mingfu pushed yesterday’s anger aside and couldn’t help but start to ponder. There was a mirror by the side of the bed, and she couldn’t resist taking a look. After a long night, she still looked radiant, even more beautiful than yesterday. It was as if she was a bewitching spirit thriving on the energy of the night.

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

Help! Why did she suddenly have such a thought?

Turning her head, she glanced at the man beside her.

But there he was, full of energy and vitality, looking far more spirited than she did.

She wasn’t a bewitching spirit.

Suddenly, she felt a wave of relief.

“We…” Ruan Mingfu was about to speak when her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of something outside. Her face lit up with excitement. “Look, it’s snowing!”

In contrast to her excitement, Xie Yanzhao appeared indifferent.

“This should be the first snow of the year,” he said, leaning over to look out the window. “It’s a bit late this year compared to previous ones.”

Ruan Mingfu was already captivated by the snow outside and hardly heard what Xie Yanzhao said.

Excitedly, she got dressed and dashed outside with Wangcai.

She had no idea when the snow had started falling.

A thick layer covered the ground, and while the vegetables in the yard remained green, half of them were buried beneath the snow. Snow continued to fall from above, and Ruan Mingfu couldn’t resist stretching out her hand to catch a flake.

But the snowflake lingered in her palm for just a moment before quickly melting into water.

A chilly wind swept by, causing Ruan Mingfu to sneeze.

“It’s cold outside, and being out for too long isn’t good for your health.”

A thick military coat was draped over her, wrapping her snugly.

Wangcai was joyfully rolling in the snow, running around like he was even more excited than Ruan Mingfu. As she enjoyed the snowy scene in the yard, she noticed some activity in the neighboring yard, where people were moving things in and out.

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Ayalee: Hello, guys! I’m unlocking this week’s chapters a bit early since I’ll be a little busy tomorrow. Hope you enjoy the story!

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