Chapter 16

Tang Yajun hadn’t expected to be caught red-handed by Lu Chongjin.

She walked over, opened the back door, and got into the car.

His lips were pressed into a thin line, his face dark, clearly waiting for an explanation.

“You’re back?” Yajun greeted him with a smile, as if nothing had just happened.

“What did he come to you for?”

“He said a few things. You saw it yourself—we were still standing apart.”

“What did he say?” he pressed, unwilling to let it go.

Yajun’s temper flared. “He said we should run away together.”

With that, she reached to open the door and leave, but Chongjin grabbed her arm and yanked her back, making her stumble.

Cui Shan, who had been holding his breath in the front, quickly got out of the car and walked off to give them space.

“You know I don’t want you seeing him again!” Chongjin gritted out, his grip tight with anger.

Yajun hadn’t expected him to lose his temper so badly. The pain in her arm snapped her into clarity.

She had thought theirs was just a marriage arranged by their parents, that he only married her out of filial duty. But now, a flicker of doubt arose.

She raised her other hand to his neck, softening her voice: “He came after me on his own. I didn’t want to see him. Didn’t you see me drive him off?”

Her warm breath fanned over him, and his fury melted in an instant.

His gaze lingered on her flushed lips, his throat bobbing once. “Then why did you say something about running away?”

She chuckled lightly, her fingers sliding down to rest against the firm chest beneath his white shirt.

Her breath was soft as silk. “Because you doubted me first. I was upset, and the words just slipped out.”

Chongjin released her arm, his hand brushing against her fingertips instead. Solemnly, he promised, “Alright. I won’t do that again.”

Yajun’s hand drifted lower to touch his legs. “Your legs have sensation again. Why don’t you try walking?”

Meeting her hopeful eyes, Chongjin couldn’t refuse. He nodded.

Yajun asked Cui Shan to fetch a pair of crutches.

Seeing how the two had gone from quarreling to reconciled in a blink, Cui Shan could only sigh inwardly: one thing really does conquer another.

He had men carry Chongjin down from the car. Yajun pushed the wheelchair back into the courtyard.

She stayed with him as he practiced walking. At first, his legs couldn’t muster any strength at all.

She had him rest his hands on her shoulders from behind, while she pushed the wheelchair forward, guiding him as he tried to take steps.

Gradually, they found a rhythm. Chongjin was even starting to keep up with her stride.

As dusk fell, a light mist gathered in the courtyard.

Chongjin was soon drenched in sweat.

Yajun worried he was overexerting and moved to help him rest.

He turned to her, catching the faint fragrance at her temple. It suddenly reminded him of that day when she secretly sold melons.

He asked the question that had weighed on him for so long: “Those melons you sold that day—where did they come from?”

Caught off guard, Yajun faltered, slipping backward.

Chongjin reached to steady her but was pulled down with her, and in the scramble they toppled together.

“Are you alright?” he asked quickly.

Yajun’s heart burned with annoyance—she shouldn’t have bothered helping him practice.

But it was too late for blame.

She tried to pull him up, but misjudged his weight and stumbled again, collapsing onto him—their lips brushing in the fall.

Their eyes met, and Yajun’s face flamed red. She braced her knees to push herself up—but accidentally pressed against a very sensitive spot.

Chongjin’s back arched with pain, his jaw clenching as he shoved her aside.

“Are you… are you alright?” Yajun stammered, panicked. She knew exactly what her knee had struck.

She smacked her forehead.

“I’m not alright! If you want to kill your husband, just say so!” Sweat beaded on Chongjin’s brow.

Yajun cried out in protest, “I didn’t mean it! It was an accident!”

By the time she managed to help him back to bed, both of them were drenched in sweat.

Seeing the pallor on his face, guilt tugged at her.

She fetched warm water, added two vials of the physical recovery serum, and coaxed him to drink it.

Their fall had left both of them dusty. Yajun removed his outer clothes and wiped him down with fresh water.

After the drink, the sharp ache between his legs eased, and he felt better.

Exhaustion weighed on him—he had already trained hard, and after all that turmoil, his body was spent. He soon drifted toward sleep.

Yajun covered him with a thin quilt and sat by the bed, her thoughts circling back to the incident.

Her knee had struck between his legs—would that set back all the progress he’d made?

She resolved that if needed, she would check him herself when he recovered a little. With all the serums she had, his recovery was only a matter of time.

Thinking that, her mood lightened, and she stood.

The sound stirred Chongjin awake. He opened his eyes, calm again.

Yajun gave him an awkward smile. “You’re awake?”

Just then, Cui Shan entered carrying a pair of crutches, reporting that the man kept in the woodshed had already been taken away by Lu Zhengang’s people.

He’d arranged men to follow and see where the prisoner was taken.

Chongjin nodded. Cui Shan set down the crutches and left.

The next day, Yajun rode her bicycle straight to the alley near her old home.

She parked at the entrance, locked it, and crept quietly to knock on Tang Hewei’s door.

He seemed to have been waiting a long time—at the sound of her knock, he opened at once.

“Come in,” he said, leading her into the courtyard.

Before stepping in, Yajun glanced around. Seeing no one nearby, she felt reassured and followed him inside.

“Is anyone else home?”

He rubbed his hands and shook his head. “No, they’re all at work. I even took the day off just to wait for you.”

Yajun nodded, trailing him toward the back courtyard.

The Tang family lived in a two-section compound: his elder brother and sister-in-law lived in the front, while he and his parents lived in the back.

Yajun knew the place well—it was as familiar as her own home.

He led her into his room, sneaking shy glances at her that only made Yajun’s stomach turn.

She decided to end things quickly. From her pocket, she pulled out two hundred yuan in small notes and placed them on the table.

“This is everything I managed to scrape together. You’d better keep your word.”

“Of course I’ll keep my word!” Tang Hewei thumped his chest in assurance, but his eyes were glued to the cash.

“Count it,” Yajun said lightly, already turning away to wander the room, examining corners and cupboards, every place that might hide money.

Tang Hewei eagerly picked up the notes, carefully counting, oblivious to the fact that she had already moved behind him.