Chapter 21

Ever since her allergic reaction, Shang Rongyue had returned to the ascetic life she had lived when she first entered the camp. Every day, it was green vegetables and tofu, without a single trace of meat.

This time, it was even worse. Less oil, less salt. If something could be boiled in water, it would absolutely not be stir-fried. Even the staple food was mainly porridge.

Fortunately, the kitchen occasionally added some sweet corn kernels to the porridge, making Shang Rongyue’s days slightly easier to endure.

But what decent person lived on porridge every day? She was not a rabbit. How could anyone bear eating green vegetables every single day?

After eating grass for several days in a row, Shang Rongyue’s mouth tasted bitter.

That day, when she once again saw green vegetables and tofu, she completely refused to tolerate it. She covered the little clay pot back up with its lid.

“This meal is impossible to eat!”

Shang Rongyue stood up angrily and turned to search the corner cabinet for the candy she had bought at the night market a few days ago.

If they would not let her eat meat, then surely eating something sweet was fine. She remembered that when Shen Sanniang brought the candy back that day, she seemed to have casually placed it on the corner cabinet.

At the time, Shang Rongyue had only been focused on how uncomfortable her body felt and had not paid attention. Perhaps it had been put away in the lower cabinet.

She pulled open the drawers one by one, but inside there were only needlework items like thread and fabric.

“Where’s the candy?” Shang Rongyue refused to give up and searched deeper.

Behind her, Gu Wan had been standing there watching for who knew how long. “Are you looking for this?”

Hearing the voice, Shang Rongyue turned back. It was indeed the vendor’s brown paper bag from that day. Judging by the pattern on it, it should be the bag of plum candies.

Shang Rongyue stood up and had just reached out to snatch it when Gu Wan hid the hand holding the candy behind her back and pointed at the food on the table.

“If you don’t finish your meal, you can’t eat candy.”

Shang Rongyue: “…”

This bandit leader was managing far too much! Now she even wanted to [unauthorized copy]interfere with Shang Rongyue’s meals.

She gritted her teeth and forced a faint smile onto her face. “There’s no need to trouble Chief with such a small matter. Put the thing down, and I’ll definitely obediently finish all those vegetables.”

Are you that idle? Go do whatever you should be doing! Stop managing me!

But Gu Wan leisurely sat down by the table. “It just so happens I haven’t eaten either. I’ll eat with you.”

As she spoke, she clapped her hands. Lanxi entered from outside carrying a tray and placed it on the table.

Inside was the same cabbage and tofu as Shang Rongyue’s, along with white porridge mixed with corn kernels.

Seeing this, Shang Rongyue no longer had any reason to refuse. Since Shen Sanniang could accompany her in eating these bitter green leaves, if Shang Rongyue said anything else, it really would be a little too much.

Even though she was unwilling in every possible way, Shang Rongyue still pinched her nose and swallowed the tasteless food as though completing a task. At the end, she barely used the porridge to suppress the discomfort in her mouth.

Across from her, Shen Sanniang’s movements were elegant. One piece of tofu, one stalk of green vegetable, one spoonful of porridge. She chewed everything carefully, bit by bit, without the slightest displeasure on her face.

In fact, her graceful manner did not look like that of a bandit at all.

How was that possible? Could it be that their dishes had been cooked differently?

Shang Rongyue propped her chin in her hand and asked, “Does Sanniang think it tastes good?”

Only after Gu Wan swallowed the food in her mouth did she slowly give an “Mm.”

In the past, in order to train her, her grandfather had once left her alone in deep mountains and old forests. There was nothing to eat and no one to care for her. When she was lucky, she could find some sour wild fruits. When she was unlucky, leaves and grass roots were not impossible either.

Back then, she had still been so young, and she did not even have a water pouch on her. She could only drink dew from leaves. Fortunately, it rained the next day. Although her whole body was soaked through, it at least solved the urgent problem.

Just like that, her grandfather had left her on the mountain for a full five days when she was not yet eight years old. After that, Gu Wan’s requirements for food became especially low. No matter what was served on the plate, it was more delicious than the grass roots from that day.

Shang Rongyue looked doubtful. Gu Wan picked up a piece of tofu and placed it into the small bowl in front of Shang Rongyue. Only after doing it did she realize that the chopsticks just now had been used by her.

Seeing the other party stare at the tofu for a long time, Gu Wan thought it was because of the chopsticks. Just as she was about to pick up another piece for her, Shang Rongyue scooped up that piece of tofu with a spoon and brought it into her mouth.

Mixed together with the green vegetables, the beans seemed to carry a fishy smell. Shang Rongyue felt so [stolen content]uncomfortable that she wanted to vomit, but considering that the person across from her was still eating, she ultimately endured it and swallowed it down.

She reached a conclusion: Shen Sanniang definitely had no sense of taste!

This ordeal made Shang Rongyue choke and cough repeatedly, her face flushed red.

Across from her, Gu Wan, whose fingertips had just touched the serving chopsticks, also felt her ears grow scorching hot.

If she was going to eat, then she should just eat. No one was fighting her for it. Why was she in such a hurry?

She lowered her head, trying her best to avoid meeting the girl’s eyes across from her. Unconsciously, she began eating a little faster.

After everything was cleared away, Shang Rongyue spread out her palm. “Plum candy. You promised me!”

Gu Wan opened the paper bag and took out two pieces, handing them to her.

Shang Rongyue looked at the two pitiful pieces of candy in her palm, her face full of doubt.

Only this much?

But across from her, Gu Wan was already preparing to leave. Before closing the door, she left behind one sentence: “If you eat dinner properly, you can receive two more pieces!”

But dinner had already been set on the table for a long time, and Shen Sanniang still had not come.

Ziying said that after the chief left in the afternoon, she had gone out and had not returned.

Without the temptation of candy, Shang Rongyue did not even want to glance at the food. She claimed she felt unwell and wanted to rest early.

Ziying seemed already used to the fact that when her Young General was absent, Miss Li had no appetite for tea or rice. She did not say much and only cleared away the food from the table according to Shang Rongyue’s wishes. Before leaving, she seemed to hear the other woman lying on the bed complain, “She clearly said she would come tonight. She doesn’t keep her word!”

Hearing this, Ziying smiled faintly and closed the door as she left, letting her rest early inside.

Shang Rongyue tossed and turned in bed from hunger, unable to sleep. Fortunately, she had saved one of the candies Shen Sanniang gave her at noon and pressed it under her pillow. At this time, she took it out to stave off hunger.

A slightly sour sweetness spread across the tip of her tongue. Shang Rongyue really liked that flavor. She had only forgotten that sour plums had an appetite-stimulating effect. By the time the candy in her mouth melted, she seemed even hungrier.

Shang Rongyue was so hungry that it was unbearable. She could only get up and reluctantly use the tea on the table to fill her stomach.

Suddenly, there seemed to be movement outside the door. Then, a sweet, cloying scent drifted in.

“Who’s outside?”

Shang Rongyue thought it was Shen Sanniang or Ziying. She had just wanted to go to the door and look, but her legs would not listen to her. She could not move a single step.

That scent seemed like an invisible hand, drawing away all her strength. Her whole body went soft, and she barely managed to hold onto the table to keep herself from falling.

The next moment, the door was pushed open. After seeing clearly the figure at the doorway, alarm bells rang loudly in Shang Rongyue’s heart.

It was Shen Sanniang’s cousin, that Young Master Shen whom she had “framed” last time.

He covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief. The incense in his hand was about to burn out, still carrying sparks. In the dim night, it glowed with a strange light.

He threw the incense onto the ground and crushed it a few times with the tip of his shoe before finally removing the handkerchief from his face.

“I heard Third Gu say your surname is Li?”

He stepped over the threshold and slowly approached Shang Rongyue, not hurried in the least. A strange smile hung at the corner of his mouth.

“Don’t be afraid. I am always most generous toward beautiful women, especially my women.”

Seeing him approach, Shang Rongyue retreated again and again until she reached the dressing table. Her hand, hidden behind her back, accidentally touched the scissors on it.

“Get out! If you dare do anything to me, Sanniang won’t let you off!”

Sanniang? She called her quite intimately.

Gu Ze was not in a hurry. He slowly sat down by the table and even leisurely poured himself a cup of tea.

Speaking of tea, he again thought of how Li Yueyue had framed him that day using the matter of Emei Snow Bud and goji berries clashing.

Since she had been unkind, then she could not blame him for being unrighteous.

Gu Ze said leisurely, “Miss Li, there is no need to be anxious. Soon enough, you will be the one begging me.”

Shang Rongyue was just about to ask what he meant when, suddenly, strands of itchiness spread out from the bottom of her heart. It felt as if a soft little milk cat had taken residence in her chest, its not-quite-sharp claws teasing her heartstrings again and again.

Her body gradually heated up as well. When she pressed the back of her hand against her cheek, the burning sensation startled even herself.

Seeing Shang Rongyue begin to react, Gu Ze finally said leisurely, “This is a treasure from Tianxiang Tower. Ordinary people couldn’t buy it even if they wanted to. For you, I spent quite a lot!”

No one was born willing to become a woman in a brothel. If one’s appearance was ordinary, the madam might use a whip to make them nod. But if she encountered someone beautiful, a body covered in wounds would not sell for a good price.

At such times, certain incenses came in handy.

This incense was also called Spring-Welcoming Sigh. Once inhaled, one would become addicted and could no longer do without people. Every day, one would need to seek pleasure with others to resolve the burning desire inside.

Precisely because of this, even the strongest bones would have to beg “Mother” to arrange more business for them.

But Great Zhou had classified this item as a banned drug, and in recent years, it had become increasingly hard to find. Of course, even before it was banned, unless one encountered a woman with truly immortal beauty, madams were unwilling to pay a high price for it. Clearly, a whip was more cost-effective. And for just this tiny amount, Gu Ze had spent quite a bit of silver.

Since he had paid such a heavy price, he had to taste enough sweetness in return.

Watching the strange redness rise over the other party’s skin, and seeing her bright, moist eyes gradually become dazed, Gu Ze put down the teacup in his hand and approached her bit by bit, saying leisurely, “Why make things so difficult? Wouldn’t it be better if you obediently submitted earlier? If this young master is in a good mood, I’ll definitely make you comfortable.”

Gu Ze’s gaze, sweeping over her from top to bottom, made Shang Rongyue feel nauseated. Her nails sank deep into her palms, barely keeping her mind clear. The hand hidden behind her back tightened around the scissors.

But not to mention that she had barely eaten anything tonight, Shang Rongyue’s original body was also very unlikely to be a match for a man. Seeing Gu Ze approach, the hand in which she hid the scissors suddenly stabbed toward him. The blade landed perfectly on Gu Ze’s face.

His fingertip brushed across his cheek, leaving behind a crimson streak of blood. Gu Ze’s eyes turned vicious.

“Stinking whore. You refuse the face I give you!”

He had no more patience. He easily snatched the scissors from her hand, then lifted her up over his shoulder and casually threw her onto the bed.

It was precisely this fall that made the pain clear Shang Rongyue’s mind a little. She pulled out the butterfly hairpin from her hair. This time, she aimed the sharp end at her own neck and threatened, “Don’t come over!”

Oh. It seemed the medicine had not fully taken effect yet.

Gu Ze slowed down his movements. At this moment, Li Yueyue’s breathing was gradually becoming heavier. Because of the struggle just now, her collar was slightly open, revealing her snow-white Read on BaiLianTales chest rising and falling violently. Her eyes were misted with water, as if she would cry in the next moment.

One could imagine how soft and alluring she would be once the medicine fully took effect.

Gu Ze sat by the bed, his fingertips gradually reaching toward the hem of Shang Rongyue’s skirt.

“Following me won’t be a loss for you,” he said leisurely. “In any case, girls have to marry sooner or later. As long as you serve me well, I definitely won’t let you suffer. I’ll let you become my beloved concubine. Of course, if you do well, becoming my proper wife isn’t impossible either. Think about it. A woman like you can do nothing more than marry a poor scholar as his proper wife and suffer hardship your whole life, or find some old man and become his concubine. Since that’s the case, why not directly follow me? Wouldn’t that be better than those options?”

“Do you know that my older cousin is only a woman? In the end, everything before your eyes will return to me sooner or later. When that time comes, wealth and honor will naturally not be lacking for you. But if you refuse…”

No. Looking at Li Yueyue’s skin gradually reddening, Gu Ze knew clearly that the beauty before him was already within his grasp.

Gu Ze leaned a little closer to Shang Rongyue. He did not finish the rest of his words, but his eyes had already expressed all his thoughts.

“I spit on that!”

Seeing that Gu Ze’s hand was about to touch her, Shang Rongyue suddenly kicked him away. The sharp end of the hairpin once again pointed toward him, threatening him.

“Even without this camp, in character bailiantales.com and martial arts, you can’t compare to even a strand of Sanniang’s hair!”

This sentence thoroughly enraged Gu Ze. What he hated most in his life was others saying he was inferior to Gu Wan.

Ever since childhood, because of Gu Wan, he had suffered no small amount of punishment. Everyone often said he was not as good as his older cousin.

Older cousin.

Since she was an older cousin, in the end, didn’t she still have to marry and become someone’s wife, support her husband, and teach her children? Then why did she have to humiliate him like this?

If there were no Gu Wan, he would be the most favored young master of the Gu family. Everything before him would not need to be fought over. It would naturally be delivered to him and left for him to choose.

All because of Gu Wan. Only because of Gu Wan!

“What use is there in saying Sanniang over and over? Look, didn’t she still send you far away here all alone? In the end, you’ll still become mine!”

Shang Rongyue’s body temperature was growing higher and higher, and her vision gradually blurred. Gu Ze seized the opportunity, grabbed her ankle, and dragged her in front of him.

The sudden touch made Shang [unauthorized copy]Rongyue panic. The hand clutching the golden hairpin stabbed toward him, but he easily snatched it away.

With her palm empty, Shang Rongyue seemed unable to find any way to protect herself.

Gu Ze casually threw the hairpin he had taken toward the door. The golden ornament struck the ground with a clang, like a despairing cry on her behalf.

Then, without explanation, with a sharp slap, Gu Ze struck Shang Rongyue across the face.

He was completely enraged. His face was dark and sinister as he growled, “You refuse the face I give you, is that it? Then don’t blame this young master!”

After saying this, he seized her wrist and leaned down, pinning her onto the bed.

At that critical moment, accompanied by a violent crash, the door was broken open from outside.

At the doorway, Gu Wan stood there, the wind stirring the hem of her robe until it snapped sharply in the night.

Why had Gu Wan returned? She should still have been outside!

Gu Ze was so frightened that he froze in place. Beneath him, Shang Rongyue recovered slightly. ​stolen content​Seizing the opportunity, she kicked him away.

She wanted to get up and run toward Gu Wan, but that kick just now had already used up all her strength. At this moment, her hands and feet were weak, and she could not summon even the slightest bit of force.

When Gu Wan approached, Shang Rongyue curled up in the corner of the bed. Her clothes were disheveled, and her skirt was full of wrinkles. The grievance filling her chest drove tear after tear to fall, hanging on her swollen cheek.

Gu Wan looked toward Gu Ze in the corner, her long sword pressing against his neck.

“You dared hit her!”

The instant the cold blade touched his skin, Gu Ze panicked completely. He quickly tried to shirk blame, pointing at Shang Rongyue on the bed.

“Older Cousin, listen to me. She was the one who seduced me!”

The next moment, a burning heat wrapped around Gu Wan’s wrist.

That strange body temperature made her realize something was wrong.

She saw Shang Rongyue’s face flushed red, her consciousness bailiantales.comhazy. In a sweet, cloying voice, she kept murmuring that she felt unwell, that she was so hot.

Lifting her misty eyes, she murmured, “Sister, save me…”

Keeping Gu Ze blocked away, Shang Rongyue grasped Gu Wan’s hand and guided it toward her own collar, until Gu Wan’s palm came to rest over that soft fullness.