Chapter 6 – Not Hitting You Really Would Be a Pity

Lu Cheng and Xu Nuo—their names put together spelled the word “commitment.”

Xu Nuo couldn’t help but wonder: when her biological mother gave her that name, was it because she already knew she’d written down Lu Cheng’s name for her future?

After dinner, Cheng Wanying arranged for Xu Nuo’s accommodations.

The rooms in the house were all occupied, and the only one left was the bedroom of the second son and his wife, which was currently unoccupied.

“They don’t usually come home. You can stay in their room for the next few days,” said Cheng Wanying, leading Xu Nuo into the room.

Xu Nuo looked around—it was clean and tidy. A wedding photo of a man and a woman hung on the wall. There were a woman’s facial creams and hair ties on the table.

From the moment she stepped in, she could tell this room still bore all the traces of its female occupant’s daily life.

It didn’t feel right for her to stay here.

If it were her own room, and a stranger came to stay in it, she knew she wouldn’t be happy about it either.

“Auntie Cheng, I’ll stay in the guest room with Xu Shan,” she said. Even though she didn’t like Xu Shan one bit, it felt more appropriate.

“That room only has a single bed. The two of you squeezing together wouldn’t be comfortable,” Cheng Wanying replied.

“It’s fine. We’re both thin, we won’t take up much space,” Xu Nuo insisted.

Cheng Wanying had offered the second son’s room out of kindness—after all, the girl had come such a long way, and squeezing her into a single bed just didn’t sit right with her.

But seeing how thoughtful Xu Nuo was, even taking the initiative to suggest the guest room instead, her impression of her rose even more.

“Good child. Then bear with it for a few days.”

“It’s no trouble at all, Auntie Cheng.”

So Xu Nuo was arranged into the guest room where Xu Shan was staying. Auntie Lin was instructed to prepare a new set of toiletries and clean clothes for her, and told her to wash up and rest early.

Xu Nuo followed Auntie Lin to the upstairs bathroom, took a hot shower, and changed before returning to the room.

Xu Shan was lying against the headboard eating an apple, bits of fruit falling from her mouth onto the bed.

Xu Nuo frowned. “Eat downstairs. You’re staying in someone else’s home—how can you be so careless about hygiene and your behavior?”

Normally, it was Xu Shan who bullied Xu Nuo, to the point where Xu Nuo hadn’t even dared to make a sound.

But now she was acting like a completely different person—and actually had the nerve to scold her!

Especially thinking about what Xu Nuo had said earlier that exposed her identity in front of everyone—it made Xu Shan grind her teeth in hatred.

“Don’t lecture me!” Xu Shan snapped, lifting her eyes lazily. “Let me ask you—do my parents know you came to the capital?”

Xu Nuo stared at her coldly. “Yes.”

“They agreed to let you run away like this?” Xu Shan widened her eyes.

Xu Nuo gave her a glance. “What do you think? Is that such a hard question? Even with your toes you could figure it out.”

“So you did sneak away!!!” Xu Shan’s voice, already loud by nature, now reached an ear-piercing pitch. “Xu Nuo, are you trying to kill my parents?! They already accepted the bride price. Now you’ve backed out and run away—what’s going to happen to them?”

“You really want to know?” Xu Nuo replied coolly. “Then go back tomorrow and see for yourself.”

Only then did Xu Shan realize a crucial point.

Xu Nuo was here, and Lu Cheng had agreed to the engagement. That meant she, Xu Shan, had no reason to stay anymore.

She would have to go back to Qingshan Village.

No—she didn’t want to go back!

Life in the capital was too comfortable. She had no desire to return to that remote mountain valley, scraping a living from the dirt.

At that thought, a wave of resentment surged in her chest.

There was no way Xu Nuo had escaped on her own. Someone must have helped her.

“Was it that old hag who helped you escape?!” Xu Shan immediately thought of Old Madam Lin.

The moment she mentioned her, Xu Nuo’s face darkened. She responded seriously, “Xu Shan, Grandma has already passed away. Please show some respect to the elderly! If I hear you insult her again, I won’t be polite with you!”

“Oh? Look at you acting all tough now. You won’t be polite with me? I dare to insult her, what are you gonna do about it? That old hag, that wretched old hag! She should’ve died a long time ago! Serves her right! She deserved it!”

Smack—!

A loud, crisp slap landed on Xu Shan’s face.

At that moment, Lu Chen was coming down from upstairs to retrieve something from the guest room.

Little Yi Yi seemed to be running a fever and had been crying nonstop, interrupting his conversation with their father, Lu Huaizheng. Since Cheng Wanying was busy holding the child and couldn’t leave, she asked him to come downstairs and fetch the thermometer.

As he approached the door, just as he was about to knock, he overheard the argument inside.

Then came the sharp sound of a slap.

Followed by Xu Shan’s tearful voice: “Xu Nuo, are you insane? You actually hit me!”

Xu Nuo’s tone was calm. “You brought it on yourself.”

“Oh, so now you’re tough, huh? Come on, my face is right here. Hit me again! Hit me a few more times! I want the Lu family to see what a vicious woman you really are behind their backs!”

Since she was literally offering her face up, it would be a waste not to take advantage.

Smack! Smack! Smack!
Three more slaps, sharp and clean.

Her palm stung and turned red from the force—it was burning hot.

If hitting hurt this much, she could only imagine how painful it must be to receive it.

Still, Xu Nuo felt Xu Shan deserved it. For being disrespectful to Grandma, for stealing her money and engagement contract—someone needed to teach her how to behave.

Maybe the pain got to her.

Xu Shan didn’t fight back. Instead, she covered her face and started crying, “You actually hit me…”

Xu Nuo shook her stinging hand. “I don’t like hitting people. But since you insisted, not hitting you really would’ve been a pity.”

Just then, a baby’s cry rang out from upstairs. Lu Chen decided not to eavesdrop any longer. He raised his hand and knocked on the door.

Hearing the knock, Xu Nuo stepped over and opened the door.

Seeing it was Lu Chen, she was a bit surprised. “Big Brother Lu? It’s so late—do you need something?”

Lu Chen noticed she’d just bathed. Her fair face was dewy, long black hair falling softly over her shoulders. She looked gentle and quiet—nothing like someone who had just delivered a series of fierce slaps.

“I need the thermometer. It’s in the desk drawer—the third one from the left.”

“Okay.” Xu Nuo nodded and quickly opened the drawer. Sure enough, there was a mercury thermometer inside. She handed it to him. “Big Brother Lu, is the baby running a fever? Can Auntie Cheng manage on her own this late? Do you need help?”

“No need.” Lu Chen took the thermometer and glanced at Xu Shan’s now-swollen cheek.

Following his gaze, Xu Nuo looked too—Xu Shan was pouting, clearly about to start wailing again.

The baby upstairs was sick. Auntie Cheng must already be worried sick—no need to add more trouble!

“Oh, mosquitoes. A mosquito flew to her face just now—we were trying to swat it!” Xu Nuo smiled. “Just hit a little too hard.”

Lu Chen said nothing, only gave her a deep look.

Then turned and went upstairs.

The night wore on. Both girls were tired, so they squeezed onto the same bed and fell asleep.

Xu Nuo had just drifted into a light sleep when she was jolted awake by the sudden noise and panic from upstairs.

“Quick! Hurry! What do we do? Yi Yi, my sweet baby—what’s wrong with you?!”