Xie Jiajiao's cheeks flushed red as she hurried to pull her hand away.
One tug… two tugs…
No movement.
She looked up and glared at Jiang Ye.
"Let go."
But Jiang Ye didn't relent.
Xie Jiajiao froze in surprise.
He was just too fierce!
His hair was shaved close, his features sharply chiseled like they were carved from stone—high nose bridge, slanting eyebrows that met his temples. Unlike the handsome looks of her grandfather, father, and brothers, Jiang Ye's face was strikingly rough and rebellious. A long scar cut across his browbone, brushing his eyelid, giving his wicked face an even more menacing edge. He looked exactly like…
A prison guard.
Xie Jiajiao remembered reading such a description in some random old book about ancient jailers.
Instinctively, she stepped back half a pace—but to her surprise, Jiang Ye was truly tall; her height barely reached his chest.
"What's the matter? Scared?"
Jiang Ye touched the scar on his brow with one hand, while the other slid around Xie Jiajiao's slender waist, trapping her firmly in his embrace and forcing her to tilt her head up to look at him.
Such a tiny waist.
Smaller than his palm.
The memory of her smooth, delicate touch lingered, and his Adam's apple bobbed twice with an unspoken longing.
Xie Jiajiao was startled for only a moment before regaining her composure.
No matter how frightening his looks, a heart more vicious and cruel was far worse.
She pouted and complained, "Why are you so tall? My neck's getting stiff."
Her playful tone shattered the fantasy lingering in Jiang Ye's mind. He muttered low, "Shorty, so troublesome, such a pain."
Yet the corners of his mouth twitched upward.
This little girl wasn't afraid of him at all!
Then, to Xie Jiajiao's shock, Jiang Ye lifted her up with one arm.
Suddenly suspended in the air, she screamed, instinctively wrapping her arms around Jiang Ye's head—and that movement pressed a certain part of her body firmly against much of his face.
"Easy, loosen up. I'm running out of air."
Jiang Ye's voice was hoarse yet teasing, pulling Xie Jiajiao back from her frightened daze. She obediently relaxed her grip, slowly opening her tightly shut eyes to look around.
Only then did she realize she was sitting comfortably in the crook of Jiang Ye's right arm.
He—he was so strong.
Before Xie Jiajiao could recover from her awe, footsteps sounded nearby. Suddenly, her back was pressed against the wall, and Jiang Ye's deep eyes, faintly burning with fire, stared at her without blinking.
"Took advantage of me, huh? So, what do you plan to do about it?"
Xie Jiajiao's previously confused eyes flared with a spark of anger. Her face puffed up like a blowfish.
"You, you rogue!"
How could a girl like her take advantage of him?
Besides, he didn't even take Chinese medicine!
"Oh?" Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow. "Who was the one clinging to me just now... refusing to let go?"
"Shut up!"
If Jiang Ye hadn't mentioned it, the memory of the earlier scene wouldn't have flooded Xie Jiajiao's mind like a password unlocking a secret code.
Blushing fiercely, she hurriedly stretched out her hand to cover Jiang Ye's loose tongue.
But then—
Something soft and slippery started licking her palm.
That feeling was…
A tongue!
Xie Jiajiao was shocked and embarrassed, instantly pulling her hand away like lightning.
"You—you…"
"Me? What about me?" Jiang Ye asked seriously, with no hint of embarrassment, as if he hadn't just done something naughty.
"Jiajiao."
"Jiajiao."
Before she could find words to protest, two voices suddenly came from outside—one male, angry; one female, joyful.
"Get lost!" Jiang Ye growled, annoyed at being interrupted. "If you don't leave now, I'll beat you to a pulp later."
At those words, Su Yu outside trembled with fear, the injury on his left cheek aching faintly.
His reason told him to leave, but seeing the two inside clinging to each other as if kissing, his temper exploded. He felt as if his head had turned a different color.
There were limits even to foolishness.
That Xie Jiajiao—she actually dared to cheat on him.
Damn it, damn it!
Liu Niannian stepped in at just the right moment: "Su Zhiqing, you're hurt. Let's go see the village doctor about your injury."
She glanced at the couple snuggling inside, then leaned close to Su Yu and whispered, "Su Zhiqing, Jiajiao was just blinded by anger. When I talk to her later, she'll realize only someone like you is her true match."
Niannian was right.
After all, a rich landowner's son like that—an uneducated country bumpkin—what chance did he have against someone who graduated high school?
When Jiajiao comes back to Zhiqing's side, he'll just chat a bit about romantic things and snap his fingers to pull her back.
That rich landowner son would be the one suffering.
Su Yu thought arrogantly but looked at Liu Niannian with tenderness in his eyes.
"No, Niannian, it's a wonderful woman like you who deserves my affection."
Liu Niannian was speechless.
She said a few soothing words and helped Su Yu leave.
And Su Yu, afraid of getting beaten, naturally followed her, taking her excuse as a cue to back down.
Listening to their footsteps fade away, Xie Jiajiao gave up struggling, crossed her arms, and frowned coldly as she demanded, "Why won't you let me down?"
Jiang Ye didn't answer but asked in return, "What, changed your mind again? Planning to kick me out and run back to your old flame?"
"I'm not."
"They owe me money, and you're blocking me. How am I supposed to collect from them?"
Having switched sides, she naturally wanted to reclaim what belonged to her.
"That won't work."
"Hm?"
Xie Jiajiao looked at Jiang Ye in confusion.
"Do you think they have any shame? Any decency?"
If they weren't shameless enough, how could they dare not give her a clear refusal, yet spend her money without a second thought?
Xie Jiajiao nodded for Jiang Ye to continue.
Seeing her still hadn't caught on, Jiang Ye sighed quietly to himself.
His silly wife!
"So, you have to ask for the money when there are lots of people around. That way, they'll have some face, and won't dare to refuse you outright!"
Xie Jiajiao's eyes lit up.
"Good idea!"
Jiang Ye gave her a playful shake on the butt. "So, how are you going to thank me?"
Startled, Xie Jiajiao wrapped her arms around him. Before she could think about what he said, Jiang Ye added, "Throwing yourself into my arms? Offering yourself? Not bad."
With that, Jiang Ye began collecting his own reward, pressing kisses to those lips that had been itching for attention for quite some time.
Mmm.
Mmm.
Xie Jiajiao struggled fiercely, but under Jiang Ye's masterful, instinctive kissing, she melted into a helpless mess.
"Ah!"
Her whole body trembled as she let out a soft moan.
Jiang Ye buried his head in the delicate, fair curve of her neck, rubbing gently, then bit lightly, leaving a bright red mark.
So seductive!
Better leave a mark—so no one else would be tempted.
"Big brother! Big brother…"
Jiang Zhu came stumbling in and froze, shocked at the scene before him.
Jiang Ye licked his lips, gently put down the dazed Xie Jiajiao, then turned his gaze toward the dirty and disheveled Jiang Zhu outside. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes.
"Turn around and wait."
With that, he turned back, reaching to stroke Xie Jiajiao's head—but she had snapped back to reality and was staring at him warily, looking at him like a rogue.
He chuckled softly, leaned close to her ear, and whispered: