Chapter 29: The Battle Between Man and Snake

After finishing work, Song Zhanjin heard that Lin Wanjun had been assigned to the manure-cleaning team. He was both furious and heartbroken and immediately wanted to confront Wei Yifu to demand justice.

“Don’t make a scene. Junjun left you a message!”

Li Yuetang stopped her impulsive son and said, “Junjun said to endure it for now. If you really can’t hold back, go to the manure team and find her first!”

Without another word, Song Zhanjin dashed toward the livestock shed where the manure team was working.

Along the way, he imagined Lin Wanjun’s “miserable state,” picturing her pitifully covered in cow dung, struggling to pull the manure cart…

His heart felt like it was breaking.

That was his wife, the treasure he wanted to cradle in the palm of his hand!

He also hated himself for being useless—he had married her but couldn’t give her a comfortable life, couldn’t let her live in ease and peace.

Before he even reached the livestock pen, he heard a burst of laughter.

“Hey, that joke wasn’t funny. I’ll tell you one!”

A man spoke up, “Two dumplings got married. After the groom finished bathing, he came out and found a meatball lying on the bed. Shocked, he asked his wife where she went. Guess what happened next?”

“The meatball looked all shy and embarrassed—don’t recognize her just because she took off her clothes?”

Laughter erupted, though someone scolded, “Hey, hey, hey! I already said, no more dirty jokes in front of Xiao Lin from now on. Mind your manners!”

The man who had told the joke quickly apologized, and another round of laughter followed.

Song Zhanjin reached the edge of the livestock pen and saw Lin Wanjun sitting on a haystack, laughing so hard she was bending forward and backward, unable to straighten up. Nowhere did she look the pitiful, miserable figure he had imagined.

“Ah, Zhanjin, you’re here!”

Seeing Song Zhanjin outside, Lin Wanjun jumped down from the haystack, her face lighting up with joy.

The others stopped their work as well, all turning to look at Song Zhanjin in unison.

“Oh, so you’re Xiao Lin’s husband! Not bad, young man. Lucky you, marrying someone like Xiao Lin—your ancestors must be smiling from above!”

Song Zhanjin took the opportunity to pull Lin Wanjun into his arms, then bowed to everyone with humility.

“Thank you all for taking care of my wife. I’ll thank you on her behalf first.”

Someone waved their hand, smiling warmly. “Ah, no need, no need. We’re all family here!”

“Zhanjin, look who this is!”

Lin Wanjun grabbed Song Zhanjin’s hand and led him over to Shi Kai, smiling as she spoke.

When Song Zhanjin recognized the man in front of him, he was a little surprised and somewhat unsettled—such a refined, clean-cut man had been assigned here!

No longer filled with the hostility from before, Song Zhanjin patted Shi Kai on the shoulder, conveying everything wordlessly.

Shi Kai smiled and nodded.

“Don’t worry, Xiao Lin is doing well here. No need to be concerned for her.”

It was just the end of the workday, so Song Zhanjin accompanied Lin Wanjun back to the shared dormitory.

Although she hadn’t done the dirty work herself, sitting in the livestock shed all afternoon still left her covered in a stench.

After two days and nights on the train, and three days and nights in the detention room, Lin Wanjun was desperate for a bath.

Technically, she could have bathed inside her spatial ring, but that would risk drawing unnecessary suspicion.

“There’s a hot spring at the foot of the mountain where we do logging. I went there myself today. Want me to take you there?” Song Zhanjin asked.

That sounded perfect.

After dinner, Lin Wanjun took some fragrant soap and a towel, stepping out of the work school with Song Zhanjin under the gentle moonlight, heading toward the small hot spring at the foot of the mountain.

It was about a half-hour walk.

“Father said he wants to talk to Wei Yifu and try to get you transferred out of the manure team,” Song Zhanjin said.

Just as Lin Wanjun almost tripped over a stone, Song Zhanjin quickly took her hand, holding it warmly and intimately.

“No need. There’s no reason for Dad to grovel over something like this, and even if he did, it wouldn’t necessarily help!” Lin Wanjun replied. “As you saw today, besides the smell, the manure team isn’t bad at all. The older brothers and uncles are all very considerate, and I didn’t have to do any real work!”

Song Zhanjin was curious about one thing: how Lin Wanjun had managed to get along so quickly with the manure team. This was definitely not something sweet words alone could achieve.

“I secretly brought that Red Tashan from home!” Lin Wanjun said with a cheeky smile.

Hearing this, Song Zhanjin immediately understood. That explained everything—earlier, he had been worried these people might pretend to be kind while harboring ulterior motives!

“You’re so bold. Aren’t you afraid someone will notice?”

Song Zhanjin pinched Lin Wanjun’s nose, laughing as he spoke.

“What’s there to be afraid of? You think they’d report me for bribery? Sure, I bribe, they accept—it’s like grasshoppers on the same rope. No one can escape!”

Lin Wanjun said, “Besides, they’re not that kind of people. After spending an afternoon with them, I feel they’re trustworthy.”

“I know your team leader,” Song Zhanjin said. “He definitely recognized me too, but to avoid unnecessary trouble, no one exposed it.”

Lin Wanjun let out a small “Ah.”

“You know Qin Sijun?”

The team leader was named Qin Sijun.

Song Zhanjin nodded, then leaned close to Lin Wanjun and whispered a few words into her ear. Lin Wanjun’s eyes went wide.

“Re…really? He’s such a high-ranking official? Even higher than Dad?”

Good heavens—she had spent the entire afternoon shamelessly calling Qin Sijun “uncle” without realizing his real status!

For a moment, Lin Wanjun was speechless, a strange, indescribable feeling swelling in her chest.

They soon arrived near the hot spring.

“I’ll keep watch here. You hurry and take your bath,” Song Zhanjin said, handing her a flashlight. “I scouted it this afternoon. The hot spring isn’t very deep—up to my waist, probably up to your chest. Don’t be afraid.”

Lin Wanjun nodded, pushing through the waist-high weeds to the edge of the spring. She sat on a large rock and untied her foul-smelling clothes.

Sliding slowly into the warm water, she couldn’t help but sigh in contentment.

So comfortable! Absolutely wonderful!

After soaking for a while, she began washing her hair and body at a relaxed pace.

Suddenly, rustling noises came from the grass behind her, growing closer and closer.

Lin Wanjun pushed her wet hair aside and looked toward the sound. In the dim moonlight, a red-chain snake was slithering out of the undergrowth, lifting its head and hissing, flicking its tongue.

Oh, for heaven’s sake…

At that moment, the hairs on the back of Lin Wanjun’s neck almost stood on end.

Save me… save me… save me…

Her mind screamed frantically, and her eyes instinctively flicked toward where Song Zhanjin was standing.

If she called out for help now, she was certain Song Zhanjin would rush over without hesitation to grab the snake and protect her.

But… could she rely on him forever?

He was never truly hers. The woman he was meant to protect for life was his official partner, Dong Yingying—not her, a venomous supporting character with a swapped soul.

The cruel and absurd reality forced Lin Wanjun to swallow the plea for help that had already formed on her lips.

She no longer retreated, instead swimming deliberately toward the red-chain snake.

Although Song Zhanjin had his back to the hot spring, his ears were attuned to every sound coming from it.

Earlier, he had heard the gentle splashing of water—but suddenly, it stopped. A silence fell that made his heart tighten with unease.

“Junjun?”

He called out, but Lin Wanjun did not answer.

“Lin Wanjun, what’s wrong?”

Song Zhanjin’s voice rose slightly. Without hesitation, he turned and sprinted toward the hot spring.

Just as he burst through the grass, the red-chain snake lunged at Lin Wanjun, tongue flicking, while she reached out toward it.

It was a tense standoff—human against snake, as if a battle for dominance was about to unfold.

Seeing this, Song Zhanjin’s heart tightened painfully, caught between fear and anguish.

In a flash of lightning-like speed, Lin Wanjun pinched the snake’s deadly seven-inch point precisely.

The cold body of the snake coiled around her arm. Her face was deathly pale, yet she gripped the snake’s head tightly, then seized its tail and pulled with all her strength.

The writhing snake froze instantly, suspended stiffly in midair.

Song Zhanjin’s heart felt like it was being ripped apart.

That foolish woman—why wouldn’t she call for help? Why face such terror alone? Was he really so unworthy of her trust and reliance?

Unable to contain the surge of anguish in his chest, Song Zhanjin stared at Lin Wanjun in the hot spring and shouted hoarsely,

“Lin Wanjun, are you crazy?!”