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Cheng Yuanyue looked at him and gave a toothy smile, draping her small white blouse over his face.
“Girl, turn back before it’s too late.”
Lu Chen’s world turned into a blur of white, the faint fragrance of the girl’s clothes surrounding him.
The next second, he felt her tugging at his shirt.
One button, then another, came undone.
He…
Cheng Yuanyue hooked a finger under his collar and asked softly,
“Do you like it?”
Lu Chen wanted to tell her to stop. The words lodged in his throat, yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get them out.
“Mm…”
The muffled sound that came out was his own groan.
Lu Chen didn’t think it was his voice at all.
No—this wasn’t what he really wanted. He was feverish, muddle-headed, and to his shock, even a little expectant.
“Then I’ll begin.”
The young girl yanked his shirt open and pressed herself down against him.
Lu Chen’s breathing instantly grew heavier.
How could she be so shameless?
She pulled away the shirt covering his head. Just as he thought he could finally breathe, a pair of soft lips pressed down against his.
Cool and sweet—like salvation.
But her clumsy, aimless kissing left him unsatisfied.
He raised his arms, pulled her into an embrace, and deepened the kiss. His fever-burned body longed to melt this girl into his very bones.
Half an hour later, the girl lay beside him, drenched in sweat, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
Though the man was ill, it hadn’t dulled his ability at all. She had never lain with a man in her past life, and now she realized—this kind of thing wasn’t so bad after all.
Soon, she sat up and began dressing herself again.
Lu Chen had fainted, whether from exhaustion or the fever worsening she wasn’t sure. His chest wound had begun to bleed faintly again.
Cheng Yuanyue stepped outside, picked some herbs, and pressed them against his wound.
Her toe nudged something on the ground. She picked it up—it was a wristwatch, with the character “Lu” carved on the back.
The quality was clearly excellent.
She clenched it in her palm, then turned back toward him and said,
“I’ll buy this watch off you—for one yuan.”
Taking out the only one-yuan bill she had, she placed it beside him.
After a thought, she removed the flower ornament from her own hair and slipped it onto his wrist.
He was the male lead, after all. She had saved him, even slept with him. If he had even a shred of honor, he would surely seek her out later—whether for revenge or gratitude, she could accept either.
Glancing once more at the flower on his wrist, she smiled and finally walked out of the cave.
The next morning, Madam Shen woke Cheng Yuanyue early.
She brought out a red dress and a red flower ornament, saying they’d been sent by Boss Qiao for her to wear on her wedding day.
Yuanyue sat meekly before the mirror, letting Shen Xiuying apply makeup and fix the flower in her hair.
As she worked, Shen Xiuying coaxed her,
“Ah-Yuan, don’t blame your mother. This is a woman’s fate. I only have one son—your elder brother. If you don’t save him, who else will? Marry Boss Qiao obediently, and your brother will be released.”
Yuanyue’s gaze remained calm.
“Mom, if I die, will you remember me?”
“Pfui! What nonsense.” Shen Xiuying spat in annoyance.
“Today is your wedding day. Talking about death is unlucky. You’ll be a rich young madam, living in comfort—it’s a blessing.”
Yuanyue studied her mother’s face. She spoke of her daughter’s marriage without a flicker of worry. The man had already killed three wives, and yet her mother showed not the slightest concern that she might meet the same fate.
Truly—daughters were grass, sons were treasure.
In the original book, the pitiful girl’s tragic end had been entirely her family’s doing.
Outside, her second uncle, Cheng Baoshan, asked,
“Big Brother, Sister-in-law, do you really want to marry Ah-Yuan to that Boss Qiao? That man is no good. Ah-Yuan is such a good girl…”
“If we had another way, would we do this?” Cheng Jinshan replied coldly. “Do you have a solution?”
Baoshan only sighed, cursing Cheng Jiafu—locked up because he brawled over a woman, and now his sister had to be sacrificed to bail him out.
“Boss Qiao may be old, but he’s wealthy. Ah-Yuan will live well. Don’t talk nonsense.” This came from Grandma Qin Fang.
“She’s helping her elder brother. At least our family’s raising her isn’t for nothing. Girls are meant to be married off for their family’s sake,” Shen Xiuying added as she finished the makeup.
Inside, little sister Fangfang whispered,
“Sis… will Mom and Dad sell me too one day, to save big brother?”
Yuanyue stroked her face gently.
“No. If you don’t want to marry, no one can force you.”
“Really?”
She nodded.
But in her heart, she was already plotting—how to sabotage this marriage.
Running away wasn’t possible. If she escaped, they’d punish Fangfang instead.
If worst came to worst, she’d marry into the Qiao family, then kill the old man herself. Once he was gone, his wealth would be hers.
He had ruined the original girl’s life; this time she would make him pay.
With the bridal veil covering her head, Cheng Yuanyue silently rehearsed countless plans.
The entire village knew about her marriage.
Her brother Cheng Jiafu had fought with Wu Tianyou, the village thug next door, injuring him badly. Wu’s family demanded 500 yuan in compensation, and Jiafu was jailed until it was paid.
Unable to raise the money, Shen Xiuying had promised her daughter to the wealthy Boss Qiao in exchange.
Many villagers gathered at the village entrance, waiting to watch the wedding procession.
But as the auspicious hour passed, no one from the Qiao family arrived.
Grandmother Qin frowned.
“Could the Qiaos have changed their mind? Why haven’t they come?”
“Perhaps they were delayed. Let’s wait,” said Cheng Jinshan.
At last, near noon, people from the Qiao family arrived—not the groom, but his two sons and their wives.
They announced,
“Before she even entered our house, Boss Qiao died. This girl is clearly cursed. Our Qiao family will never accept her. Not only must you return the betrothal money, you also owe us 500 yuan as his funeral expenses.”
From inside, Cheng Yuanyue nearly shouted for joy.
The old man was dead? She didn’t have to marry him after all!
Truly, her fate was iron-clad—she’d brought down the villain just by arriving.
But Shen Xiuying, on hearing she had to return the money and pay more, immediately refused. She dragged Yuanyue out, yelling,
“It’s not us refusing—it’s you who can’t take her. Why should we return the money? The girl is yours. Dead or alive, she belongs to the Qiao family!”
“Yes! Since it’s your Boss Qiao who’s dead, not us refusing the marriage, why should we return the bride price?” Grandma Qin shoved Yuanyue toward them.
“Take her away. Living, she’s your daughter-in-law. Dead, she’s your family’s ghost. Nothing to do with us.”
The Qiao sons and daughters-in-law were stunned. What kind of family was this—so desperate to be rid of their own daughter?
Boss Qiao’s eldest son looked at Yuanyue’s face, and nearly drooled.
The old man had had good taste—she was beautiful. If they weren’t going to return the money, maybe he could take her instead.
But his wife noticed his wandering eyes and twisted his ear sharply.
“Where do you think you’re looking? She’s a curse, a husband-killer. She’s not stepping foot into our house!”
The second daughter-in-law agreed. Who would want such a pretty girl in their home? That was just trouble waiting to happen.
“You don’t have to take her, but we won’t return the bride price. If you insist on the money, then take her with you.” Grandma Qin made her stance clear.
The Qiao women exchanged a look.
“Forget it, Sister-in-law. Better to leave her here than bring a jinx into our home.”