Chapter 8: Pretty self-aware

After removing the herbal poultice from her hand, he carefully washed it with water.

Looking at her hand, Ye Wuyou saw there wasn’t even a wound and asked curiously, “There’s no injury, so why did you wrap it up?”

Ling Yu glanced at her and replied, “It’s a folk remedy—it helps the swelling go down faster. I’ll put some medicinal oil on later. By tomorrow or the day after, your hand should be fine.”

Once he washed her hand clean, he fetched more water to wipe it down again. Then he took out a jar of medicinal oil from the cabinet and began rubbing it in.

Ye Wuyou’s hand was hot, almost feverish. When Ling Yu’s calloused fingers applied the oil, it tickled a little, as if smoothing out the irritation in her heart. It felt unexpectedly comforting. He also rubbed some oil on her foot, to help the swelling there go down quickly.

After finishing everything, Ling Yu lifted the quilt and motioned for her to lie down. Ye Wuyou obediently lay back, realizing that her hands and feet no longer carried that heavy, throbbing pain—they actually felt much better.

She then began secretly using her newly cultivated ability to heal the wounds on her foot, thinking it would make things easier for her later.

But as she lay there, she grew uneasy. Something felt wrong, as if she had overlooked something important.

When Ling Yu returned from washing his hands, he closed the door and came over to the bed.

Ye Wuyou stared at him in confusion. “Why aren’t you going to sleep? What are you doing?”

Ling Yu lifted the quilt and sat on the edge of the bed. “Move over. Otherwise, the two of us won’t fit.”

Ye Wuyou’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What did you just say—you’re sleeping with me?”

Seeing her frozen in place, Ling Yu impatiently pushed her further in before answering, “Your Ye family sold you to me for 200 yuan to be my wife. If I don’t sleep with you, who else would I sleep with?”

With that, he lay down beside her and pulled the quilt over himself.

Ye Wuyou felt like lightning had struck her. So that was what she had been overlooking! She mentally retraced everything from the moment she woke up: she’d been knocked out cold, ended up here, given medicine, then watched as this man worked, cooked, and tended to her wounds. And now—she realized she had been sold off, beaten half to death, and then sold to a complete stranger as his wife for 200 yuan.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She struggled to get up.

“Hiss—” Pain shot through her, pulling at every wound on her body. She gritted her teeth, face contorting.

“What are you doing?” the man’s displeased voice came from beside her.

Ye Wuyou looked at his sharp eyes, then at his handsome face and strong build, comparing them with her own scrawny, shriveled body. On impulse, she blurted out, “Don’t you find me disgusting?”

The man was stunned by her question, then chuckled lightly. “At least you know yourself well.”

Ye Wuyou was speechless. Was it her fault she looked this ugly? If that damned fate hadn’t dumped her here, she’d be living freely and beautifully somewhere else! Her body was so thin and wasted even she despised it—of course others would too.

Thinking of this, her anger turned back to the Ye family. They’d ruined this body, and worse, sold her off for money. She’d have to get that money back soon, or those heartless people would spend it all. To dare sell her—those bastards must be tired of living!

“Enough. Sleep early. We’re going to the city tomorrow,” Ling Yu said, turning his back to her and pulling the quilt up.

“You clearly despise me, so why do you still want to share a bed with me?” Ye Wuyou pressed on.

“My house only has two beds. One’s in my younger brother’s room. This one was my parents’. If you don’t like it, you can go sleep in the doghouse outside. Just don’t disturb my sleep.” His voice was full of irritation.

That shut Ye Wuyou up completely. She had wanted to ask why he didn’t just sleep with his brother, but with that tone, if she pushed any further, she really might end up in the doghouse.

Who in their right mind would choose a doghouse when there was a bed? She wasn’t that stupid. Forget it—he was a handsome man, she was currently an ugly woman. They were just sharing a quilt, nothing more. She wasn’t losing anything.

That’s what Ye Wuyou told herself. For now, she had no strength to protect herself, not in this frail body. Better to endure, bide her time, and let him act arrogant for a while. Once her power returned, she’d settle the score.