Chapter 15

Gu Yueqian filled the jar with rice soup and handed it to Lu Cheng.

Lu Cheng took it, turned around, and left without even saying thank you.

Gu Yueqian: “…” Fine, just bear with it.

When Lu Cheng carried the rice soup to the fields, there was no one on the ridge—he usually did the work of two people, so he rarely rested at noon. Only two young men wandered over from a distance.

“Brother Cheng, now that you’ve got a wife, why don’t you stay home a little longer?”

“What do you know, Er Mao? Brother Cheng has a wife now, of course he’s gotta earn more work points to support her. You think it’s like you—one mouth to feed and nothing to worry about?”

Er Mao grinned, his white teeth bright against his dark face. His sharp black-and-white eyes caught sight of the jar in Lu Cheng’s hands. “Brother Cheng, what’s in there? Smells good—like rice soup.”

The other youth leaned in and sniffed hard. “It is rice soup! I knew it—your wife made it for you, didn’t she? So you wouldn’t be thirsty in the fields.”

Er Mao looked obviously envious. “No wonder you’ve been working so hard every day, Brother Cheng. Having a wife really is something else.”

(Of course it is. Don’t you have one yourselves?)

Er Mao added, “Kinda makes me want to marry one too. Hey Brother Cheng, does your wife happen to have a sister…?”

In an instant, Lu Cheng’s knife-sharp eyes swept over him. Er Mao shrank back, the smile frozen on his face. “My bad, bro. Won’t happen again.”

“Cut the crap and get to work.”

Lu Cheng tossed down a cold sentence, then stepped off the ridge. He walked over to a flat stone, brushed off the dirt carefully, and only then set the jar down. The way he handled it, you’d think that rice soup was rarer than nectar from the heavens. Just because his wife made it—was that necessary?

Er Mao curled his lip in disdain, then mimicked the move—pinching his fingers together to brush at the ridge like he was cleaning it, then plopping himself down with a hip wiggle, putting on a smug face. He turned to the other youth. “Jian Cai, do I look like him?”

Before Jian Cai could answer, Lu Cheng had already picked up his hoe.

Er Mao’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He scrambled away, shouting over his shoulder, “I’m sorry, Brother Cheng! Won’t do it again!”

Lu Cheng just kept hoeing, too lazy to deal with this fool.

…

That evening, they ate cornmeal-vegetable pancakes again, with the leftover half-can of fish and some rice soup. As for the tomato sauce and fish bits left in the can, Gu Yueqian instructed Lu Yao to stir them into tomorrow morning’s coarse corn porridge. Add a handful of chopped vegetables, and it would taste much better than plain coarse porridge.

That night, Gu Yueqian gave herself a quick wash and got ready for bed. The toilet Lu Cheng was building would take a few more days to finish.

As usual, once Lu Cheng finished washing, he lay straight on the bed like a bundle of sugarcane, stiff and unmoving all night.

Gu Yueqian was used to it. She blew out the candle and climbed into bed.

In the village night, there were only insects chirping and dogs barking—none of the city’s noise, none of the zombies’ roars. With no need to stay on edge against unknown dangers, in a safe bed and a real home, her sleep had been getting better and better.

She was just about to drift off when she felt the man beside her rustling. Just as she wondered what he was doing, a hand suddenly reached over.

Gu Yueqian instantly grabbed his wrist, frowning in alarm. “What are you doing?”

In the pitch-black dark, the man stayed silent, his breath the only proof he was alive.

“Sleep,” he said flatly.

“Then sleep.” Gu Yueqian found him inexplicable and shoved his hand back.

But suddenly the man pressed on top of her. Startled, she shrank toward the head of the bed. If she couldn’t tell what Lu Cheng was trying to do by now, she’d have to be an idiot!

She remembered the first night she had transmigrated here—it had also been pitch-black, a hard, solid man beside her. She’d reached out, felt the sharp features of his face, the firm bounce of his chest muscles, and thought she’d stumbled on a free meal. Why not take advantage? And so… well, she did. Just recalling it now made her ears burn.

She remembered his hands most of all. Years of farm work had left calluses, the skin rough in places, his knuckles thick and strong. The abrasive touch had sent shivers through her. She’d thought to herself: this must be a sharpshooter’s hand, so aggressive, so dominating. That night she had been all soft cries and demands, over and over, until the next morning—when she woke to a wrecked room and a flood of memories that made her feel like the sky was falling.

No wonder something had felt off—she’d thought it was just that he was too impressive, but now she knew the real reason.

Still, Gu Yueqian wasn’t the type to play coy. If the guy was handsome, she went for it—no hesitation. But now… she was just over a month pregnant. She needed to protect the baby. This was absolutely off-limits.

“Lu Cheng, don’t forget—we’re only in a contract marriage. My parents said before they left, in a year I’ll be free again,” she reminded him.

Lu Cheng paused. She had been so willing on their wedding night—what was she trying to say now?

Hmph. Stubborn woman.

Gu Yueqian thought he’d gotten the message and pushed at him.

But Lu Cheng pinned her wrist above her head, his voice cold, words bitten out: “We’re married.”

“So what? Let me go,” Gu Yueqian snapped.

“You’re my legal wife,” he said.

“Contract wife,” she corrected.

“Still my wife.”

“So what?”

“Sleeping with my own wife—that’s only natural.”

(Only natural?!)

“You—!” Gu Yueqian was furious. How shameless could one man be? She tried to kick him off the bed, but he was a farmer, far stronger than her. His legs clamped down and held her fast, no chance of escape. As his face buried against her neck, Gu Yueqian blurted the truth.

“I’m pregnant!”

The man froze instantly, blood roaring in his veins, the world going still.

She couldn’t see his face in the dark, but she could feel his shock. She pressed on: “I’ve missed my period for days now—it’s very likely.”

With that, Gu Yueqian yanked her hand back, wrapped herself tightly in the quilt. At least now she should be safe. She waited for him to say something—maybe I’ll take responsibility. I’ll raise our child well.

But instead, Lu Cheng—actually—got up! Opened the bedroom door! And walked out?!

Just like that—walked out, fresh as could be?!

Gu Yueqian waited in bed for a long while, but he never came back.

Furious, she grabbed a pillow and hurled it at the door. “If you’ve got the guts, don’t come back tonight!”