Chapter 39: Scared Away

Wen Nian pouted.

“I twisted my waist.”

She had been bending over for too long this afternoon while dismantling the crab shells.

Just now, when she hugged him, she moved a bit roughly and accidentally pulled a muscle.

Lu Hanzheng gave her a sharp look.

He was from the reconnaissance unit, with keen observation and senses.

He had already noticed her approach and naturally understood her little tricks, so he hadn’t moved.

But he didn’t expect that she could still manage to hurt her waist by herself.

Lu Hanzheng resignedly began massaging the muscles around the little woman’s waist in his arms.

“Ow, ow, ow! Use less force!”

“A bit to the left… yes, right here.”

“So comfortable.”

The massage technique was obviously practiced and quite professional.

Just a bit too strong-handed.

She was delicate, not one of those rough soldiers under his command.

Wen Nian lay against the man’s chest, still restless, her small hand roaming over his chest.

Her slender waist twisted and turned, rubbing against him.

Her mouth called out pain one moment, then moaned in pleasure the next, the sounds sweet and clingy.

Soft jade and warm fragrance pressed close, the enticing scent suddenly invading his nose, making him stiff all over.

Lu Hanzheng’s mouth went dry, his body tense.

The muscles in his arm tensed and bulged slightly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead and trickling down his firm nose.

But the little woman in his arms showed no restraint, her hand sliding down from his hard abs without leaving a trace.

Seeing her getting more and more forward, Lu Hanzheng finally couldn’t hold back and let out a low grunt.

He took Wen Nian’s hand away from his stomach.

Lu Hanzheng looked down at the woman in his arms with a commanding gaze.

Her skin was like fine porcelain, her cheeks pink and tender, lips moist and plump, eyes shimmering with moisture, and below her collarbone, waves of gentle curves.

Like a fresh, juicy, perfectly ripe peach, tempting one to take a bite whole.

The man stared deeply, his dark ink-black eyes like endless night fog.

They drew her into a vortex, instantly swallowing her whole.

After a long moment, the man’s Adam’s apple rolled hard several times.

He suddenly pulled her away, gripping her slender waist, and gently laid her down on the bed.

“Rest early.”

His voice was low, hoarse, and magnetic as he dropped the words and left without looking back—thoughtfully closing the door behind him.

Wen Nian was stunned. She hadn’t even done anything yet.

Why did he run away?

Was she really that tempting?

…

At breakfast, Lin Siyun reminded Wen Nian.

“Xiao Wen, have there been more stray cats lately? Remember to close the doors and windows tightly when you go out.”

Wen Nian nodded.

“Okay, Aunt Lin. But I haven’t noticed any stray cats nearby.”

She really hadn’t seen any cats or dogs in the compound, which frustrated her because she wanted to pet some.

Seeing Lin Siyun pressing her temples, Wen Nian asked with concern.

“Aunt Lin, did you not sleep well last night?”

Lin Siyun looked a little tired and complained.

“There was a stray cat crying on the roof all night, keeping me awake.”

She was light-sleeping and easily disturbed by the slightest noise.

The cat’s meowing last night was intermittent.

The sound was soft and lingering.

It wasn’t even spring—what was it howling for?!

Hearing it made her heart burn, but her sleeping partner slept soundly beside her.

She tossed and turned alone, unable to sleep all night.

Lin Siyun looked a bit listless, barely ate her breakfast, and left with her bag.

Lu Hanzheng kept his head down, feeling a bit awkward, cleared his throat softly, and hastened his meal.

Wen Nian burst out laughing with a puchi.

Lu Hanzheng put down his bowl and chopsticks and shot her a glare.

He straightened his military uniform, put on his cap, and strode off in big steps.

No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like he was fleeing in panic.

Who knew the soundproofing in buildings from this era was so bad!

And she was to blame for that?

After tidying up the kitchen, Wen Nian picked up her spray bottle and headed to the flower garden.

Lin Siyun’s precious flowers needed watering every day.

As she passed by, she once again saw Lu Hanzheng’s gray bedsheets.

Her boyfriend really was a clean freak.

During summer, he changed his bedsheets practically every day.

Now it was already autumn, and he was still so diligent about it.

“Xiao Wen, your flowers are really thriving!”

The neighbor next door walked past carrying a basket of fresh vegetables and couldn’t help but compliment her.

“Aunt Guiying, good morning! Those vegetables look super fresh!”

Wen Nian had just finished watering when she saw Aunt Guiying standing at the gate, smiling brightly at her.

“Xiao Wen, got any secrets for growing flowers like this? Share some tips with me. Your uncle tried growing a few pots, but they all look half-dead.”

Honestly, the foster daughter the Lu family had taken in cooked delicious food and even raised flowers so well.

The flowers in this whole courtyard were just like her little face—bright and tender.

Wen Nian smiled and replied, “No real secret. Just water them regularly, loosen the soil often, and I mixed in a bit of nutrient solution myself. If you don’t mind, I can give you some later.”

How could they not thrive? She’d added diluted spiritual spring essence to the mix.

But she was more than happy to extend kindness—after all, it never hurt to maintain good relationships with the neighbors.

“That’d be great! I don’t mind at all!”

Aunt Guiying spoke cheerfully and then grabbed a handful of vegetables from her basket and shoved them into Wen Nian’s arms before she could refuse.

Wen Nian tried to decline for a while, but faced with such enthusiasm, she eventually accepted.

Back in the kitchen, she casually packed a small bag of snacks in oiled paper and handed it to Aunt Guiying along with the nutrient solution.

“Just something I fried for fun, not worth much. Let the kids have it as a snack.”

Aunt Guiying’s eyes lit up with joy as she quickly took it.

“Thank you, Comrade Xiao Wen! My kid loves your cooking. Your skills are just—this good!”

She gave her a big thumbs-up, full of praise.

Last time, she took her grandson to the tailor shop to get some clothes altered and ended up tasting a bit of the snacks there—it was a revelation.

The child made a fuss for days afterward, and with no other choice, she thickened her skin and came to ask Wen Nian.

Such a pretty and kind-hearted girl with excellent cooking skills—who on earth would be lucky enough to marry her in the future?

Thinking of that, her matchmaking instincts kicked in.

“Xiao Wen, what kind of young man do you like? Tell me, I can introduce someone to you.”

Wen Nian quickly declined, “No need, Auntie. I already like someone.”

People from this era were way too enthusiastic—always trying to set her up.

As soon as Aunt Guiying heard that, she gave up the idea right away.

She loved gossip, sure, but she knew her limits.

She was still hoping to get more snacks from Wen Nian, after all.

Better not pry into her private life.

Seeing her back off so quickly, Wen Nian let out a breath of relief.

Suddenly, Aunt Guiying seemed to remember something.

“By the way, that girl who came to the door looking for you last time—who was she?”

Wen Nian paused for a moment before realizing she was talking about Wen Xue.

“She’s my adoptive father’s daughter.”

Why bring her up all of a sudden?

Aunt Guiying nodded, then asked,

“What happened to her? Was she badly hurt?”

Wen Nian froze mid-action, completely puzzled.

“Hurt?”