The man teasingly hid my clothes, clearly not the sort of person one could call decent.
Yet I dared not curse him to my heart's content. I knew too well, if I spoke too harshly, he might never return my clothes.
"Have you looked enough?"
"Give them back to me."
Ha Nguyen Vu smirked lazily, his eyes flicking toward the bushes.
"Go over there and take them."
My eyes widened in alarm. If I went there, it would mean climbing onto the bank in full view.
Fear prickled my skin. After all, I was just a young girl, how could I let a man see me like this?
My eyes reddened as I murmured, almost pleading,
"Close your eyes."
The corners of his mouth curved up unconsciously, his tone careless.
"If you're not afraid your husband will find out, I can help you get dressed."
"I am afraid."
He couldn't help but laugh, finally looking away to spare me his gaze.
My legs trembled as I stepped onto the bank, hands covering the most vulnerable parts of myself.
The moment I saw my clothes, I hurried to put them on.
I hadn't expected the man behind me to be so wicked, stealing another glance. But all he saw was my bare back and the curve of my hips, taut and high.
His tongue went dry; a low curse slipped out.
"F***, with a body like that, doggy would feel…"
I startled, turning my head, my voice stammering.
"What did you just say?"
He quickly looked away, feigning innocence.
"I said the scenery in Hai Chau village is quite lovely."
Still wary of him, I rushed to dress and leave.
While he was busy admiring the river and sky, I slipped away quietly, running home as if chased by ghosts.
When he realized there had been no sound for some time, he cast another glance—only to find no one there. A wry smile tugged at his lips.
Who would have thought he'd one day be drawn to a girl from such a poor mountain village?
When I returned, my grandmother was quick to scold me.
"You only went to the stream to do laundry, why were you gone so long?"
"The village chief sent for you. The Minister has arrived."
I froze for a moment.
"They came earlier than planned?"
From what I knew, the meeting was scheduled for early afternoon, and now it was still morning.
With a sigh, I bade my grandmother goodbye and made my way toward the village's cultural hall.
On the road, my thoughts kept drifting back to that man from earlier. I prayed I'd never see him again.
The memory alone was enough to make my skin crawl, what a pervert.
The moment I stepped inside, the village chief grabbed my arm.
"Do you know how long I've been waiting for you?"
I scrambled for an excuse.
"I had to cook for my grandmother."
Then, a voice cold as ice cut through the air, making my heart pound hard against my ribs.
"I thought you were bathing in the stream."