Chapter 1: A Strange Man in Bed

At midday, the fields were quiet, with only the occasional bark of a dog from the village breaking the silence.

An old mahogany table supported a creaky fan, blowing nothing but warm air. On the wooden bed draped with a mosquito net, two figures were intertwined. The bed looked ready to collapse, as if it couldn’t hold out much longer.

Xu Jiaojiao felt as if she were being hugged by a furnace—hot and uncomfortable. There was even an itchy sensation on the back of her neck.

Her delicate brows furrowed in dissatisfaction.

Before going to sleep, she clearly remembered turning on the air conditioner. Could her mother have secretly turned it off again?

She fumbled around on the bed for the remote, but instead, her hand touched something hard. A deep male voice immediately sounded next to her ear.

The furnace behind her pressed closer again, and she couldn’t bear it anymore.

“It’s itchy, don’t touch me.” Xu Jiaojiao swung her hand behind her forcefully, but her smooth, fair wrist was tightly grabbed.

“Jiaojiao, isn’t this what you wanted?” A soft, affectionate male voice responded to her. His voice was deep, sexy, and irresistibly seductive.

The man’s voice startled her fully awake.

Xu Jiaojiao was now wide awake. She opened her eyes in shock, feeling as though her soul had nearly left her body.

“Ahhh! Who are you?”

The girl’s cheeks were flushed red, her eyes still wet with tears from the heat. Her collar was wide open, making her look both delicate and alluring. Xu Jiaojiao had no idea how captivating she appeared at this moment.

In front of her was a half-naked stranger. She immediately retreated to the corner of the bed, trembling all over. “Who are you? How did you get in here? Why are you in my bed?”

Xie Zhi, gazing at the beautiful sight before him, felt the fire in his heart reignite. His predatory gaze slowly swept over the girl, and his Adam’s apple moved up and down with pleasure. He smiled lazily, “What game are you playing, Jiaojiao? Don’t tell me you’ve lost your memory.”

“Huh?” She was genuinely confused, her expression slightly bewildered.

Xu Jiaojiao? The more she heard the name, the more familiar it sounded. The girl racked her brain and suddenly clapped her hands.

She remembered! Wasn’t this the novel her best friend had recommended to her a few days ago? In the story, the villainess fiancée of the powerful male lead constantly caused trouble and ultimately met a tragic end, losing everything.

Because she shared the same name as the villainess and because of the tragic ending, she had been upset about it for quite some time.

“So, I’ve transmigrated into the book!”

Oh my god. Xu Jiaojiao wanted to laugh out loud at the heavens. In her mind, she immediately pictured stacks of golden coins, leveling up, getting rich, and taking on the world like the female leads in other novels. But in the next moment, her excitement deflated. She only vaguely remembered the plot; she hadn’t really paid attention to the part where the heroine built her fortune.

What about a system? Shouldn’t there be a system? She called out in her mind for a long time, but there was no response.

It’s over. I’m completely doomed. Xu Jiaojiao herself was a total failure, not to mention that she didn’t even have the excellent cooking skills the novel’s heroine prided herself on. Thinking of this, she grabbed her head in frustration. If she had known she would transmigrate, she would’ve brought a cookbook with her.

Now, Xu Jiaojiao deeply regretted not listening carefully when her best friend was explaining the novel.

Seeing the girl cry and laugh, her expressions changing by the minute, Xie Zhi panicked. His handsome face couldn’t hide his worry.

“Jiaojiao, are you sick? I’ll take you to the clinic.” As he spoke, Xie Zhi moved forward to pull her up.

But Xu Jiaojiao firmly grabbed his wrist, her watery eyes staring at his face, studying him from top to bottom, inch by inch. It was impossible not to notice—this was her fiancé, Xie Zhi.

She couldn’t resist poking at his face with her finger, her curiosity piqued. “How can someone look like this? Your skin is flawless, not even a pore.”

Thinking of her own struggles with blackheads despite her diligent skincare routine, she felt a sense of unfairness from the heavens.

After examining him closely, Xu Jiaojiao tentatively spoke, “Xie Zhi.”

“Jiaojiao, what’s wrong?” Xie Zhi, hearing that she still remembered him, felt a bit of relief. He couldn’t help but wonder if the food his parents had sent had gone bad, and that Jiaojiao had eaten something that messed with her mind.

Last night, Xie Zhi had opened the salted roast duck sent by his parents, and Jiaojiao had practically eaten half of it by herself. Xie Zhi, being knowledgeable, knew that too much salted food wasn’t good.

But meat was precious, and he couldn’t bear to throw it away. Thinking of this, he felt even more frustrated.

Xu Jiaojiao continued to recall the plot. Xie Zhi had just graduated from high school, and due to the political stance of his family, the Xie family was seized, and Xie Zhi had no choice but to go to the countryside. Fortunately, thanks to his engagement to her, Xu Jiaojiao’s father had taken him to this village. With his intelligence, he was now a teacher at the village school.

But Xu Jiaojiao, being foolish, didn’t want the handsome, devoted Xie Zhi. Instead, she was infatuated with the fake gentleman, Sheng Jie. She even gave most of Xie Zhi’s parents’ belongings to the Sheng family—shirts, pens, snacks, fruit candy—everything was sent over like she was under a spell.

Because of this, her parents had often reprimanded her. But the more they pushed back, the more Xu Jiaojiao believed it was true love. Xie Zhi, meanwhile, silently endured, waiting for her to change her mind.

Later, after the college entrance exams were reinstated, Xu Jiaojiao stole the review books Xie Zhi’s parents had sent, giving them to Sheng Jie, not caring whether Xie Zhi would pass the exams or not. This was the final straw that broke Xie Zhi’s heart.

Remembering this, Xu Jiaojiao shivered. What kind of foolish person would do this? Raising her eyes, she saw Xie Zhi’s concerned expression and was once again struck speechless by his stunning looks.

His deep, narrow eyes carried a hidden emotion, his muscles were well-defined, and his naturally long lashes added to his handsomeness. He was incredibly attractive.

This man could easily be a star in the modern world! He was totally Xu Jiaojiao’s type. The old Xu Jiaojiao didn’t want him, but she did.

“Jiaojiao, why are you looking at me like that?” Xie Zhi’s handsome face flushed slightly, and he stammered.

Thinking of her 26 years of virginity, having never even held a man’s hand, Xu Jiaojiao suddenly felt like teasing him.

She leaned in, her fair arm wrapping around Xie Zhi’s neck, her pale face tilting up as their gazes met. Their breaths intertwined, and Xu Jiaojiao didn’t hold back as her hands roamed, touching and pinching wherever they pleased.

“You’re really good-looking,” she said in a soft, breathy voice.

Xie Zhi’s pupils shrank. He suddenly recalled how this woman had drugged Sheng Jie, trying to force a relationship with him to break their engagement. He grabbed her hand tightly, his eyes darkening with a dangerous obsession. “Jiaojiao, don’t even think about escaping me in this lifetime.”

Her lips parted. “Mmm…”

Fearing she’d say something to anger him, Xie Zhi grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her hard. His mind was clouded with possessive darkness—this woman belonged to him and him alone.

Their lips pressed together. Though Xu Jiaojiao could feel Xie Zhi’s inexperience, men didn’t need lessons in such matters. Soon, she was kissed until tears streamed down her face, barely able to breathe.

Looking down at her fair skin, Xie Zhi was mesmerized by the sight of her tear-filled eyes and reddened face. He couldn’t suppress his desire any longer, and before she knew it, her clothes were gone, and he was on top of her.

………