Chapter 31.2

Ruan Mingfu looked sympathetically at the chubby man. “You must be having a hard time with someone like him.”

“What do you mean by that?” Lu Yan continued to struggle but couldn’t free himself from Li Zheng. “Let me go! Let me go!”

“What’s all this noise about?!”

A loud shout interrupted everyone’s movements.

Ruan Mingfu looked up to see the landlady with a fierce expression on her face. Her intimidating demeanor was somewhat reminiscent of a coarse, domineering woman.

She glared at Lu Yan. “So it was you making all this racket. And you’re bullying a young lady—what kind of man are you?”

Li Zheng let go of Lu Yan, looking embarrassed.

“It wasn’t me…”

Lu Yan tried to argue, but the landlady cut him off.

“What do you mean it wasn’t you? I saw you clearly,” the landlady said as she approached. “Weren’t you just thinking of hitting someone?”

Lu Yan: “… I, I didn’t.”

“Didn’t?” The landlady gave him a scornful look. “A grown man like you, not attending to proper business but causing trouble for a female comrade? How dare you!”

Lu Yan: “…”

“I’ll tell you this. This guesthouse isn’t yours alone. If I catch you fighting again, I’ll have you thrown out!”

“Sorry,” Li Zheng smiled apologetically at the landlady, then turned to Ruan Mingfu with a sincere look before grabbing Lu Yan’s collar. “Let’s go.”

Lu Yan was reluctant.

He hadn’t yet dissuaded Ruan Mingfu, and what if his brother really intended to marry her?

But seeing the intimidating landlady, Lu Yan swallowed his words.

He could only give Ruan Mingfu a warning look, but the landlady caught him doing it.

“You little brat, are you still trying to threaten a female comrade?” The landlady rolled up her sleeves, clearly ready to give him a lesson.

The landlady was quite formidable, with a robust build that seemed even sturdier than theirs.

Li Zheng was startled, and Lu Yan quickly ran away.

The landlady couldn’t catch him, so she shouted after him.

“Little scoundrel, no troublemaking in the guesthouse! If I catch you again, I’ll have you thrown out!”

Seeing Lu Yan’s figure disappear completely, Ruan Mingfu approached. “Comrade, thank you so much. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known what to do.”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” the landlady replied. “If these two rascals bother you again, just come to me.”

Ruan Mingfu readily agreed.

After successfully entering her room, Ruan Mingfu sat down, feeling exhausted both physically and mentally. She looked at the three boxes lying quietly on the table, her thoughts wandering.

*

In the morning, Ruan Mingfu was still in bed when she heard a cacophony of noises, vaguely accompanied by the sharp cries of a child.

Frowning, she turned over, trying to continue sleeping.

The noisy sounds outside seemed to seep through every crack, challenging her fragile nerves.

Ruan Mingfu’s irritation grew.

She decided to get up.

She got out of bed and opened the door to see what was happening outside.

As soon as she opened the door, the cold night air hit her, making her shiver.

The temperature difference between day and night in Wancheng City could exceed twenty degrees.

Ruan Mingfu peeked out, curiously looking in the direction of the noise. She saw a crowd of people, including the landlady, looking troubled and somewhat fearful.

She walked over.

Halfway there, she saw two men in military uniforms coming out, carrying a stretcher as if lifting something.

Ruan Mingfu was about to look closer when a large hand suddenly covered her eyes, plunging her into darkness.

She grabbed the hand and tried to struggle, but a deep, magnetic voice spoke close to her ear.

“Don’t open your eyes.”

The voice was so familiar it made her eyes water.

Ruan Mingfu didn’t say anything.

With her eyes covered, her ears became more sensitive.

She heard the sound of measured footsteps approaching her. A moment later, strong hands lifted her up, and she felt herself being carried back to her room.

Lifted?

Ruan Mingfu was annoyed and about to get angry.

But suddenly, she heard the sound of a door closing, and the hand over her eyes was removed.

The sudden bright light after the darkness made Ruan Mingfu blink, struggling to adjust.

When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the tall figure of the man she hadn’t seen for two days.

The man looked more weathered than before, though still handsome. His chin had stubbly beard, giving him a more rugged look.

Damn!

Ruan Mingfu couldn’t help but touch the corner of her mouth.

Fortunately, she hadn’t drooled.

When Ruan Mingfu looked at Xie Yanzhao, his gaze was on her as well.

His beautiful peach blossom eyes were filled with a gentle light, reflecting her clear, waking face. Her delicate features were flushed with the redness of just waking up, and her hair was still loose behind her.

The collar of her nightgown was slightly wide, exposing a lot of her fair skin.

She probably didn’t realize how alluring she looked at the moment.

Xie Yanzhao lowered his head slightly, his gaze catching on the slight curve of skin revealed under Ruan Mingfu’s collar. Realizing what he was looking at, his ears turned bright red.

He awkwardly turned his head away, his Adam’s apple moving rapidly up and down.

“Put on your clothes properly.”

Ruan Mingfu: “……”

She looked down at her own clothes.

It was originally an outer garment. Ruan Mingfu found the material soft and comfortable, so she used it as pajamas. She hadn’t made any changes to it, and she wasn’t even exposing her arms—it was quite decent.

She suspected that this guy was just looking for trouble!

“Why are you here?”

Ruan Mingfu ignored him and sat down on the side.

The room was a bit dim, so Xie Yanzhao, standing at the door, couldn’t see his expression clearly.

“I came here to handle some matters.”

But he didn’t say what those matters were.

Ruan Mingfu didn’t care.

Tsk~

What could there be to handle at the guesthouse? This guy probably came here because he couldn’t wait to see her.

Ruan Mingfu started feeling smug again.

If that dog of a man was worried she might become a widow, he should just say so. She wasn’t so fragile. Instead of being straightforward, he had been hinting around, making her think he wanted to back out, causing her to scold him all night.

He deserved it.

If he had just been honest, none of this would have happened.

She went about her day as if nothing had happened, but at night she hid under the covers, not daring to cry too loudly.

Thinking back on the torment of those days, Ruan Mingfu was both angry and upset, but her heart strangely found some peace.

No, she couldn’t be the only one suffering. She wouldn’t let that guy off easily either!

Ruan Mingfu put down the cup she was holding. “You can go about your business. It’s inappropriate for a man and woman to be alone in the same room. I won’t keep you.”

She thought, let him hurry up and leave.

She couldn’t see Xie Yanzhao’s expression, but she heard him take a long time to respond.

“Alright.”

Ruan Mingfu: “……”

Alright what!

That jerk deserved to be single all his life.

If he left, she would never ask this bastard to stay!

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, so she took a big gulp from her cup.

Xie Yanzhao pursed his lips and, as he was about to leave, his eyes inadvertently fell on the two packed bags in the room.

His strong eyebrows furrowed.

He hesitated in his steps.

“What’s wrong?” Ruan Mingfu feigned ignorance, her gaze falling on the three boxes on the table. She picked them up. “You came at just the right time. Take these things back with you so I won’t have to make another trip later.”

Seeing Xie Yanzhao standing still, she pushed the items into his hands.

Xie Yanzhao looked at the boxes.

The items had not been bought long ago, and the outer packaging didn’t seem to have been opened. Indeed… Ruan Mingfu had long planned to leave him, so naturally, she wouldn’t use the things he bought.

He lowered his head, looking unexpectedly disheartened.

This sight fell into Ruan Mingfu’s eyes.

Though her face didn’t show it, she was almost laughing in her heart.

Serves him right!

He needed to be treated like this.

After a while, Xie Yanzhao spoke with difficulty. “… These are for you. Just take them.”

“No free lunches,” Ruan Mingfu took two steps back. “You should take them back.”

The air around them seemed to become silent for a moment.

At that moment, a knock came from outside the door.

“Comrade Ruan, are you in?”

Ruan Mingfu glanced at Xie Yanzhao, who immediately moved to hide behind the clothing rack. Fortunately, the clothing rack at the guesthouse was quite large, completely concealing his tall figure.

As long as the room wasn’t visible, no one would notice him.

Ruan Mingfu opened the door.

She saw the two Lu brothers and the chubby boy standing outside.

Ironically, Lu Yan had injuries on his face—bruised and swollen eyes, and he was wincing in pain from time to time, looking especially ridiculous.

Lu Yang got straight to the point. “Here is one thousand yuan and a train ticket.”

He handed over the two items.

The money was in an envelope, looking quite full. Ruan Mingfu glanced at the train ticket.

“Comrade Ruan, when I went, the sleeper tickets for tomorrow were already sold out,” Lu Yang explained, “Only the day after tomorrow’s were available.”

Ruan Mingfu didn’t mind.

Anyway, if her guess was correct, she probably wouldn’t need this ticket.

She glanced at the clothing rack.

“Then make it the day after tomorrow.”

Lu Yang looked relieved. “Comrade Ruan, then you see…”

“Don’t worry, the engagement with your family is hereby nullified. Don’t come to trouble me, and I won’t cause trouble for you.”

As she said this, Ruan Mingfu looked at Lu Yan.

Though his face was bruised, and she couldn’t make out his expression, from his eyes, she could read his dissatisfaction.

Ruan Mingfu narrowed her eyes, about to react, when Lu Yang suddenly pulled Lu Yan over.

“Come here. I heard you caused trouble for Comrade Ruan yesterday?” Lu Yang was truly exasperated with his younger brother. “Quickly apologize to Comrade Ruan!”