Chapter 17

Ruan Mingfu’s heart was anxious as she waited for Xie Yanzhao to speak. The longer he remained silent, the more uneasy she became.

At this moment, she thought of so much.

From their first meeting, Xie Yanzhao had rejected her without mercy. In the subsequent encounters, he had ignored her attempts at friendliness. Thinking that she would be rejected again this time, she felt both angry and anxious, her tears uncontrollable.

Zhou Peng had lost patience with her, and now the only lifeline Ruan Mingfu could cling to was Xie Yanzhao.

As time passed, her heart felt like it was in her throat. Yet, the man remained unresponsive, and her hope seemed to fade, her eyes losing their light…

It’s true.

Marrying her is like marrying trouble. No one would want to make such a losing deal.

Ruan Mingfu’s beautiful, bright eyes were misted with tears as she bit her lower lip tightly, waiting for Xie Yanzhao’s final judgment.

Xie Yanzhao’s gaze was obscure and indecipherable.

He flicked the cigarette to the ground, stamping out the ember with his toe. Taking a step forward, he lowered his head and directly sealed Ruan Mingfu’s red lips with his own.

“Mmm~”

Ruan Mingfu’s head was forced back, and the remaining tears at the corners of her eyes slid down her temples. Her small hands instinctively clung to the man’s clothes, her bright and clear peach blossom eyes full of shock.

Her mind was a chaotic mess, unable to think clearly.

Her slender, soft waist was tightly gripped, leaving her unable to struggle.

But she was on the verge of losing her breath!

Ruan Mingfu’s chest rose and fell rapidly, and the suffocating sensation brought some clarity to her dazed mind. She tried to escape Xie Yanzhao’s control but found herself firmly embedded in his embrace, unable to move.

Was she going to be the first person in the world to suffocate from a kiss?

Ruan Mingfu reached out to pat Xie Yanzhao’s arm.

But her tiny efforts were nothing more than a minor annoyance to a man as strong and tall as him.

It was only when Xie Yanzhao felt her struggles that he slightly loosened his grip.

Ruan Mingfu gasped for breath.

Their foreheads touched, and Xie Yanzhao chuckled softly, “How can you not even manage to breathe?”

Ruan Mingfu didn’t know how to respond.

She stared at him blankly, only to fall into his deep, inscrutable eyes. Her round eyes were still filled with astonishment, and her small face was flushed, as if blushing with rouge. Her red lips were slightly parted, moist with a faint sheen, and her small tongue was faintly visible…

Xie Yanzhao lowered his gaze for a long moment before covering her lips once more.

“You—”

Before Ruan Mingfu could finish her sentence, her words were swallowed.

She only felt the heat and moisture of his lips entangled with hers, and then he pried her open, conquering her.

Xie Yanzhao continued to advance, and she could barely stand, gripping the man’s clothes more tightly, her knuckles turning white from the pressure.

Ruan Mingfu couldn’t hold on any longer and took a few steps back, her back hitting a wall.

The discomfort made her frown.

Xie Yanzhao seemed to sense this too and placed his hand on her back, preventing her from pressing against the wall. Yet he didn’t let up, his towering figure pressing against her, his long legs pinning her down, showing no mercy.

He wanted her to know the cost of provoking him.

Ruan Mingfu felt as though a heavy stone was crushing her, and she couldn’t help but open her confused eyes, looking up at Xie Yanzhao.

With his refined features and deeply dark eyes… that chiseled, somewhat fierce face was now filled with a passionate expression as he kissed her…

All she could feel was the hard body of the man pressed against her, the force so great that she felt she might suffocate in his embrace any second.

The hot breath made her almost melt.

Xie Yanzhao held her lips, his eyes slowly replaced with desire. He couldn’t help but stroke Ruan Mingfu’s delicate, long neck, forcing her to tilt her head back, her whole body like a bow drawn taut.

Ruan Mingfu’s heart was racing wildly!

Her legs went weak, and if it weren’t for the man in front of her, she would have probably slipped down. To avoid appearing too awkward, she had to cling tightly to his clothes, not daring to relax.

Xie Yanzhao’s strength was immense, his arms bulging with veins, displaying a frightening burst of power.

He pulled back slightly, his chest heaving, his voice deep and sensuous:

“Are you scared?”

Ruan Mingfu’s eyes were sparkling, her full red lips glistening with moisture, her head tilted back in a daze, clearly still in shock, only feeling the man’s large hand continuously caressing the sensitive skin on her neck.

The tingling sensation rushed straight to her brain.

Ruan Mingfu snapped back to reality, her delicate, beautiful face flashing with embarrassment and anger.

“You… shameless!”

Her lips were sore from his relentless assault. Ruan Mingfu couldn’t help but touch them, and the pain made her draw in a sharp breath.

She must have broken the skin!

Ruan Mingfu shot him an angry glance.

Damn man, so pretentious!

Xie Yanzhao’s gaze darkened, almost wanting to “bully” her again.

His rough hand was still pressed against Ruan Mingfu’s delicate, fair neck, making her flinch involuntarily.

Xie Yanzhao’s eyes held an emotion that Ruan Mingfu couldn’t decipher. She only felt that the man was very dangerous at the moment, and as she tried to retreat, she found herself pressed against the wall. She suddenly realized that their bodies were still pressed tightly together.

“Let go of me!”

She was both angry and embarrassed, glaring at Xie Yanzhao.

Xie Yanzhao raised his eyebrows and looked at her, but his body didn’t move, showing a hint of mischief.

“I’m just exercising the rights of your husband in advance.”

Ruan Mingfu was stunned, her eyes lighting up.

“You… you agreed?”

Under Ruan Mingfu’s expectant gaze, Xie Yanzhao chuckled and nodded.

He thought Ruan Mingfu probably didn’t realize how beautiful she looked at that moment.

Her already exquisite and radiant face was glowing like a camellia after the rain, captivatingly beautiful. Especially when she looked at him, her innocent expression was even more alluring.

With his affirmative answer, the heavy stone that had long pressed on Ruan Mingfu’s heart finally lifted, making her feel a sense of lightness.

She sincerely thanked him, “Comrade Xie, thank you.”

Xie Yanzhao’s expression was peculiar, but he didn’t say anything. He simply put his hands in his pockets and took a step back.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you back first.”

The clothes of both individuals were still neat, though there was a noticeable wrinkle on Xie Yanzhao’s shirt around the abdominal area.

Ruan Mingfu averted her gaze, feeling a bit guilty.

The newly engaged couple were at a loss for words. After walking in silence for a while, Xie Yanzhao suddenly spoke up, “Aside from the wedding gifts, is there anything else you want?”

Ruan Mingfu kept her head lowered.

It wasn’t because she was shy, but because her lips were swollen. She feared that someone might notice if they were on the road.

“I don’t need any of that. Just let me go with you to the troops,” she said.

She didn’t want to be left behind. What if Zhou Peng went mad and didn’t even let her get married?

“If you marry me, of course you will follow the army,” Xie Yanzhao thought for a moment, then added, “You don’t have to save money for me. My wife must have what other wives have.”

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

Is that really what she meant?

Did he think she was someone who would save money for him?

Ruan Mingfu didn’t want the so-called wedding gifts, purely because she didn’t care for them. In her time, they had long been obsolete.

However, it was nice to hear that he was so generous.

Who doesn’t like a man whose generous to them?

“Let’s talk about it later,” Ruan Mingfu continued, “When should we go to get the marriage certificate?”

Only couples who have obtained a marriage certificate are truly married. Their marriage was still just a verbal promise, and she worried he might change his mind.

The shrewd Miss Ruan thought that having the certificate in hand would give her a sense of security.

“It might take a few days,” Xie Yanzhao explained before Ruan Mingfu could get upset. “The military has regulations. Marriage for soldiers requires approval, and with all the procedures, it will take at least two or three days.”

Hearing this, Ruan Mingfu furrowed her brows, looking at him with some difficulty.

She bit her lip, unsure of how to express herself.

Xie Yanzhao stopped walking. “What’s wrong?”

“I… I still have a little concern,” Ruan Mingfu said with some trepidation, wringing her fingers as she mentioned her parents’ situation. “Will it have any impact?”

She was very anxious, afraid that Xie Yanzhao would reject her.

“It will have some impact,” Xie Yanzhao said, his gaze lingering on Ruan Mingfu’s face, noting the lingering red marks at the corners of her eyes. “But… not much.”

Ruan Mingfu’s emotions were like a roller coaster.

When she realized he was teasing her, she was so angry that she wanted to hit him.

Seeing the address for the young intellectuals, she shot Xie Yanzhao a glare.

“I’m going in first!”

Zhu Hong, who had been anxiously waiting, breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Xie Yanzhao personally escort Ruan Mingfu back. But seeing Ruan Mingfu with her head bowed, rushing into the house, Zhu Hong didn’t dare approach recklessly.

“Don’t look at it anymore,” Hu Lihong sauntered over to her. “I think there will be a happy event soon in our educated youth camp.”

Zhu Hong looked up at her.

Hu Lihong, however, ignored her.

*

Before leaving, Ruan Mingfu scolded him. Xie Yanzhao touched his nose guiltily.

He couldn’t help it.

He just wanted to see Ruan Mingfu’s reaction when she was angry.

After ensuring Ruan Mingfu safely returned to the educated youth camp, Xie Yanzhao didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he leaned against a tree and reignited his cigarette from the faint glow of the embers.

He took a deep breath, the smoke masking the complexity in his eyes.

Recalling the phone call he had received that day, Xie Yanzhao’s lips curled into a sarcastic smile.

He was determined to marry Ruan Mingfu!

His life was not something others could dictate.

With emotions churning in his eyes, Xie Yanzhao exuded a fierce aura. Anyone who saw him now would be terrified.

When the cigarette burned down to his fingers, causing him pain, Xie Yanzhao snapped back to reality. His deep, inscrutable eyes seemed like a deep pool, difficult to fathom.

He flicked the cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it with his foot.

….

Xu Zhu returned from visiting comrades and saw Xie Yanzhao standing at the Wu family’s doorstep like a statue. He thought his old friend had come to welcome him.

He waved enthusiastically, “Old Xie!”

But as he approached and got a clear look at Xie Yanzhao, he wished he could beat his former self for being so naive.

Why did he have to get involved in this?

Xie Yanzhao spoke in a deep voice, “Xu Zhu, care for a practice session?”

Xu Zhu: “…”

He really should have known better!

**