Chapter 21

The candle was lit again inside the thatched hut.

He Jinshan sat cross-legged at the edge of the brick bed, arms folded, watching Jiang Henian shuffle in with a pout, muttering under her breath as she patted off the dry leaves and straw clinging to her.

She grumbled softly to herself, He’s just as awful even in this place.

Earlier, when she’d been desperate to find a place to hide, so was he. But without a word, he had scooped her up like a chick and tossed her through the window.

Though she didn’t get hurt, landing on her butt was seriously embarrassing!

“What are you muttering about in your head?”

Jiang Henian gasped and immediately clamped a hand over her mouth, her wide eyes full of disbelief: I didn’t say anything out loud!

He Jinshan chuckled, tapping the empty space in front of him. “Explain yourself.”

She inched over hesitantly, sitting far away from him.

But when she caught sight of the cut at the corner of his mouth, her cheeks flushed—she was hurting too!

Being stared at so directly and intensely by this domineering man made her uncomfortable. At last, she opened her mouth and offered an explanation:

“It was… mouth-to-mouth. I was passing by and saved you.”

He Jinshan leaned against the wall, tilting his chin up slightly. Suddenly, he asked, “Who are you?”

The moment the words left his mouth, Jiang Henian’s head shot up.

“You don’t know who I am?!”

Her tone was full of surprise, her expression a mix of hope and joy—this caught He Jinshan’s attention.

He had only meant to ask what her identity was in this world, but her reaction clearly hinted at something more.

He calmly followed up, “Should I know who you are?”

Jiang Henian clutched her hands tightly in front of her, mind racing to figure out how to respond.

Inside, she was already doing cartwheels—Could it be that this guy has no memory of modern times? Oh my god, that’s amazing!

“I’m Jiang Henian… the stepsister of Jiang Yanqiu, your former fiancée…”

When she had suddenly called him “brother-in-law” earlier, He Jinshan had already guessed most of it.

He nodded slightly. “That’s all?”

His question made her second-guess herself.

Is he testing whether I’ll be honest? Is this about paying back the money?

After hesitating, she tilted her head and cautiously replied, “I think… that’s it?”

He Jinshan lowered his eyes, silently locking gazes with her.

Under his dark, piercing stare, Jiang Henian’s scalp tingled. She was nearly ready to drop to her knees and confess everything.

Yes! On [date] in 202X, I borrowed 100,000 yuan from you at a 3% interest rate!

My scumbag dad borrowed 8 million in loan shark debt from your business and fled the country! I sold my bags to help repay 500,000!

I’m horrible! I was planning to default!

Please, Mr. He, have mercy and give me another chance…

“I’m not your brother-in-law.”

Her dramatic mental confession was cut off by He Jinshan’s words.

She blinked. “Huh?”

“I’m not your brother-in-law. The engagement’s been called off.”

Her jaw dropped even further. “Wha—?!”

Earlier, she’d been hiding in the bushes behind the house and had seen some figures through the window, but hadn’t heard a thing.

Now hearing that He Jinshan had enraged Jiang Yanqiu into breaking off the engagement—and that the Jiang family had to return the bride price—Jiang Henian couldn’t hold back her glee. She even giggled out loud.

She could already imagine how furious Wang Chunfang must’ve been—so good, so very good!

With that, she suddenly felt a strange warmth toward He Jinshan.

Memory loss is such a blessing!

Jiang Henian clasped her hands together beside her cheek, her eyes sparkling as she said sweetly:

“Broth—Oops, I mean, Uncle He, you’re amazing! So cool~! Arranged marriages are the worst anyway!”

A vein popped on He Jinshan’s forehead. He gritted his teeth and repeated, “Uncle He?”

Jiang Henian blinked innocently. “You’re 28, right? Ten years older than me. Just like a little uncle. So friendly.”

With a grin that didn’t reach his eyes, He Jinshan reached out and pinched her chin, his thumb pressing mercilessly on the cut at the corner of her mouth, tugging it mischievously and meanly.

“You and your little uncle play tongue games?”

Jiang Henian yelped in pain and nearly sprang up.

She turned bright red from head to toe—like an overripe tomato.

W-What tongue games?!

What nonsense is this?! Oh my god, what’s this evil man talking about?!

Even people in this era are this shameless?!

Her palms were sweaty, her whole body flushed. She accidentally bit one of the tiny cuts on her tongue, making it hurt even more, and her words came out garbled.

“Y-You stob being rudth! I-I was shaving you! It was you suddenly—”

He Jinshan tightened his grip on her chin. “Straighten your tongue when you talk.”

His features were sharp, with a hint of a delinquent edge. With just a slight shift in expression, he looked fierce and oppressive.

Fueled by anger, Jiang Henian smacked his hand. “You bit me! It hurts like hell!”

She’d never admit she bit herself first—that whole blood-feeding part was impossible to explain.

He Jinshan noticed her frowning and wincing. She was really in pain. The mischievous glint in his eyes faded a little. He let go and changed to gently cupping her chin instead.

“Stick it out. Let me see.”

By this point, Jiang Henian had given up on saving face and adapted fast. With a huff, she stuck out the tip of her tongue.

There were several tiny cuts—bright red.

The soft, pink tongue shimmered slightly under the light, quivering a little.

He Jinshan’s mind unwillingly drifted back to the moment he’d regained consciousness—the tight, warm sensation of their lips and tongues locked together.

Damn…

He looked away and gave her forehead a light shove.

“Such a crybaby. Got any medicine?”

Jiang Henian almost blurted out “Yes!” but thankfully caught herself. Can’t let him know I do!

She pressed her lips together and shook her head, putting on a pitiful look.

He Jinshan frowned slightly, glancing around the shabby, empty room.

He reached over and pulled the basket Zhang Fengying had left by the bed, lifting the cloth covering it. Inside was half a candle, a cornbread bun, a bowl of watery porridge, and an old enamel cup.

“Drink this.”

He pushed the bowl of porridge toward her.

Jiang Henian looked down at it, then back up at the injured man leaning against the wall.

He Jinshan met her eyes. “What? You need your little uncle to feed you?”

She quickly shook her head and picked up the still-warm bowl with both hands.

It was already dark, and Jiang Henian was starving after a full day in the fields.

At noon, she’d only been given half a bowl of watery corn gruel at the Jiang household. If she hadn’t snuck into the cornfield to eat a boxed lunch, she wouldn’t have made it till now.

This bowl of white rice porridge, though still thin by modern standards, had visible grains and a glossy sheen.

She licked her dry lips and murmured, “Thank you.”

She turned to go squat and eat it on the floor, but He Jinshan’s calm, slightly impatient voice stopped her.

“Where are you going? Just eat here.”

So she took off her shoes and climbed onto the bed, sitting beside him with her back to the wall.

Knees up, cradling the bowl, she carefully held the edge and sipped with the wooden spoon.

The warm porridge stung her tongue a little, but its gentle texture flowing into her empty stomach felt heavenly.

He Jinshan glanced sideways at her, then looked away when he saw her eating with gusto.

He propped up his left leg, the less-injured one, and casually bit into the dry cornbread bun.

The dim candlelight flickered at the bed’s headboard, casting shadows in the worn-out hut. For a while, only the quiet sounds of chewing filled the room.

Then slowly, there came another soft sound—a faint sniffle.

“Is it bad?” He Jinshan asked.

Jiang Henian shook her head, holding the bowl tightly, and a tear dropped into the porridge.

It was the first peaceful meal she’d had since arriving here.

Only two days had passed, but they had felt endlessly difficult and long. Even a plain bowl of rice porridge now tasted incredible.

Her sniffles were soft and careful, like she didn’t want to be heard.

He Jinshan paused mid-bite, holding the last bit of his bun, and silently stared at the crown of her head.

What had this little girl gone through before he woke up?