Chapter 22

Mu Wanwan swallowed unconsciously. This damn man’s figure really was first-class.

Helping him apply medicine was no big deal. After all, it wasn’t as if she was at a loss.

Wen Lin sat on the edge of the bed while Mu Wanwan crouched down to apply the ointment.

Her fingers were a little cool. When they brushed against Wen Lin’s skin, it tickled faintly, making his whole body tense.

He had no idea why, but lately whenever Mu Wanwan drew close, he felt an inexplicable nervousness.

Mu Wanwan caught the faint trace of male hormones from his body, which made her uncomfortable. She sped up her movements.

The wound on his waist was manageable, but the one on his thigh left her embarrassed. After all, the changes in his body last time were still vivid in her memory.

Her faint breath spilled against his thigh. His skin felt scorched as if burned, and a certain part of him threatened to react again.

Wen Lin hastily pulled up his shorts, closing his legs slightly.

“That’s enough. You’ve applied it well enough.”

His sudden movement startled Mu Wanwan. When she noticed the flush on his face, realization dawned instantly.

She turned and hurried out.

Wen Lin ruffled his hair in frustration. He wasn’t a man with strong desires, so why had he been losing control so often lately?

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Mu Wanwan was even more puzzled. In their past life, Wen Lin had been married to her for three years without touching her, completely indifferent to her advances.

So what was happening now? She hadn’t even done much. Could it be that the skin on his thigh was just too sensitive?

After thinking it over, she decided that had to be the only explanation. Surely Wen Lin couldn’t possibly harbor such thoughts about her.

She dropped the matter and went back to sleep after bathing.

Worried she might roll into him again, she had been placing a pillow between them these past two nights.

Tonight was no exception. She set the pillow firmly in place, then lay down with her back to Wen Lin and drifted off.

Wen Lin watched her slender back, listening to her steady breathing.

He didn’t know what possessed him, but his leg nudged the pillow aside.

When he realized what he’d done, he was shocked. What was wrong with him? Why would he do such a thing?

Yet deep inside, he felt a faint expectation.

Before long, Mu Wanwan rolled over. With no pillow blocking her, she naturally crossed the invisible line.

Her soft body pressed against him again. Though a little unused to it, Wen Lin’s lips curled in the darkness.

Mu Wanwan had no idea about his small act. In her dream, she imagined a big fluffy dog by her side. She reached out to hug it, feeling cozy, though uncomfortably warm.

The next morning, she woke to find herself entwined with Wen Lin once more, their posture highly intimate.

She carefully sat up, spotted the fallen pillow on the floor, and scratched her head in exasperation.

This was ridiculous. Luckily Wen Lin was still asleep. She quickly got out of bed and slipped away.

The moment she left, Wen Lin opened his eyes, a faint smile glimmering within them.

---

Before long, it was Grandma Ju Bo-ran’s birthday. Mu Wanwan was to help prepare dinner, so she went over in the afternoon.

Ju Bo-ran introduced her to the family, and after exchanging greetings, she went into the kitchen.

She had put much thought into this birthday feast. All the dishes were light and easy to digest for an elderly person.

She even made a large cake, decorating it carefully to look pleasing.

With the household cook assisting her, Mu Wanwan wasn’t too tired.

Sweet-and-sour mandarin fish, braised chicken, duck blood vermicelli soup, steamed bass…

Dish after dish, beautifully plated, was set on the dining table. Finally, she placed the large decorated cake in the center, its surface adorned with fruit and a message of blessing.

Grandma Ju was overjoyed. The sight alone whetted her appetite. She hadn’t expected such a pretty young woman to have such excellent culinary skills.

She warmly invited Mu Wanwan to sit and eat with them. The rest of the family chimed in, so Mu Wanwan accepted without fuss.

After the meal, when Mu Wanwan was about to leave, Ju Bo-ran escorted her out and even gave her a red envelope with twenty yuan inside.

“That’s a bit too much for my pay.”

Mu Wanwan was surprised. A meal like that, at most, should earn five yuan.

“Grandma was very happy today, and everyone loved your cooking. I think your skills are worth this much.”

“Since you put it that way, I’ll gladly accept!”

She tucked the money away cheerfully.

Ju Bo-ran, worried about her walking home alone, offered, “It’s already dark. I’d better see you home.”

Mu Wanwan considered it. Public safety was decent these days, but one could never be sure at night. If she really ran into thugs, she might be in danger. So she didn’t refuse.

Walking side by side, they chatted casually. But as they turned into a narrow alley, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded from behind.

Before they could turn, a sharp pain struck the back of their heads. Both lost consciousness.

Once they collapsed, two thuggish men sighed in relief. Each hoisted one body onto his shoulder and carried them away.

At the designated house, they dumped the two onto a bed, then went out to the courtyard to demand payment from the waiting woman.

Lin Huiru, pained at the loss, handed over fifty yuan.

“Remember, you must not breathe a word of this to anyone!”

“Don’t worry. We brothers are the tight-lipped type. If you’ve got more jobs like this, you can call us anytime.”

One of them, a scar-faced man, grinned as he pocketed the money, then left with his partner.

Lin Huiru glared at them with disgust, then hurried inside.

She took two pills from her pocket, found a way to get both Mu Wanwan and Ju Bo-ran to swallow them, and quickly locked the door before leaving.

Tonight was the perfect chance. She had known Mu Wanwan would be helping at Ju Bo-ran’s, so she had arranged for men to wait outside, ready to strike.

She had already learned that this house was one Mu Wanwan had rented. The landlord had moved out days ago. That made Lin Huiru even more convinced there was something improper between Mu Wanwan and Ju Bo-ran.

If so, she would “help them along.” Since this was Mu Wanwan’s rental, she would have no way to explain later. Who would believe it was all a setup?

Lin Huiru ran straight to the Wen family’s old residence and called Wen Xin along.

With Wen Lin injured, he couldn’t travel far. Besides, she feared he might notice something amiss, so she hadn’t told him.

Wen Xin, however, was the most important part of the plan.

When she heard Lin Huiru say Mu Wanwan was cheating with another man, Wen Xin burned with rage.

So, Mu Wanwan—let’s see how she gets out of this.