Chapter 22: A Midnight Escape

Chapter 22: An Elopement in the Dead of Night?

When Ruan Qiuqiu emerged from the sack, even Zheng Jian, who had witnessed much in his past life, couldn’t help but be taken aback. Hidden within the sack, her stature was unremarkable, but now, even with her clothes to shield her, there was no concealing the proud swell of her chest…

Zheng Jian quickly turned away, yet Ruan Qiuqiu caught the fleeting look in his eyes. Shy, but secretly pleased, she thought, “Hmph, for all your pretended propriety, you’re still a hot-blooded young man, aren’t you?”

He coughed twice. “Ahem… Miss, where is your home? If it’s not far, you should hurry back—it would spare your family needless worry.”

“My home… my home…” Ruan Qiuqiu’s voice choked, and in the next instant, she burst into tears, sobbing as if her heart would break. “What home do I have left? My family… they’re all gone…”

“Hey, hey, don’t cry…” Zheng Jian felt a wave of awkwardness crash over him. Was her fate truly so tragic? Did Tian Boguang really slaughter her entire family just to seize her?

Ruan Qiuqiu only wept harder.

Exasperated, Zheng Jian thought, What are you crying for? You make it sound as if I’m the one who ruined your family…

“Do you have any relatives? I can take you to them,” he tried.

“I… I have no one. Not a single soul. What’s the point of living? I might as well—might as well just die…” She sobbed as she spoke.

“Damn! You really don’t want to live?” Zheng Jian asked in disbelief.

“No!”

He raised his hand and gestured, “Well, the temple’s a bit decrepit, but the walls are still sturdy enough. If you really want to end it all, just throw yourself against one. That should reunite you with your family down below.”

“What?!”

Ruan Qiuqiu’s resentment toward Zheng Jian soared.

Did that man even have the slightest sense of decency?

She stared at him in stunned silence, her tears forgotten, unable to find words in the face of this handsome yet infuriatingly sharp-tongued man.

Zheng Jian was surprised by the surge of resentment he sensed. Truly, the old saying was right—nothing is more difficult to please than women and petty men. He hadn’t met any of the latter, but as for women’s grievances, he’d experienced them first-hand. The slightest contradiction and they threatened to end their lives; he’d merely followed her lead, yet her resentment had shot up to 999.

Still, the more resentment, the better…

“Qiuqiu! Qiuqiu!” Voices called out from afar.

Ruan Qiuqiu froze, her cheeks flushing hotly as she met Zheng Jian’s meaningful gaze.

He looked at her, amusement flickering in his eyes, and felt surer than ever: “She really is lusting after me.”

“Let’s go, quickly,” Ruan Qiuqiu urged. “I’m frightened, alone on this deserted mountain, in this ruined temple…”

She knew full well those searches were for her, but she had no desire to return. The young man before her was handsome, skilled in martial arts, and, most importantly, capable of driving her mad with his words.

“What’s there to be afraid of?” Zheng Jian feigned ignorance, inwardly amused. “Go on, keep acting. I’ll play along as best I can…”

“I… please, take me with you. I truly don’t want to stay here, or marry the county magistrate as his concubine!” As the voices drew nearer, her anxiety grew more visible, and at last she confessed the truth.

So, her family was not slain, nor had Tian Boguang killed them; he had only abducted her. But even without him, she could not escape the fate of being wed as a concubine to the county magistrate. Her parents, blinded by the customs of the age, were overjoyed at the prospect, while she was powerless to resist. Thus, when Tian Boguang seized her, she did not even cry out—what did it matter, since her fate would be grim either way?

Rescued by Zheng Jian, she saw, for the first time, the glimmer of new hope. If she could escape with him, those searching would assume Tian Boguang had taken her, and her parents would not be blamed by the magistrate. She would thus be free—a perfect solution.

“I, Ruan Qiuqiu, swear that every word I speak is true,” she said softly. Zheng Jian was her sole hope; she dared not take him lightly.

“Very well, Ruan Qiuqiu, I’ll take you with me,” Zheng Jian agreed after a moment’s thought.

Seeing her joy, he continued, “But don’t celebrate yet. I have one condition—you must promise to accept it.”

She would have agreed to anything, even to throw herself into his arms. “Name it,” she said.

“You are not allowed to lust after me,” he replied with a righteous air.

Ruan Qiuqiu was stunned.

Her resentment toward him spiked anew.

“Fine! I promise!” she gritted out. Was he even a man? She was a great beauty, her charms far surpassing those of any mere slip of a girl, yet he remained as dense as a block of wood. The injustice of it stung, but she could do nothing.

With their agreement struck, Zheng Jian wasted no more time. The voices searching for Ruan Qiuqiu were drawing ever closer. He stood, and she, growing anxious, clutched his arm.

He shook her off. “Didn’t you promise not to lust after me? Let go.”

She was speechless.

The two of them dashed from the ruined temple into the shroud of night.

Not two miles on, Ruan Qiuqiu was already flagging, her breath coming in ragged, heaving gasps that made Zheng Jian dizzy to behold.

“Please… don’t… don’t leave me behind…” she begged, tears glimmering in her eyes.

With a sigh, Zheng Jian turned his back to her and crouched down. “Get on. I’ll carry you.”

Relief lit Ruan Qiuqiu’s face as she scrambled onto his back, tears giving way to a joyous smile.

Feeling the softness pressed against him, Zheng Jian couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. “In the end, it’s you who’s taking advantage of me… Listen, don’t squirm. If you push your luck, I really will leave you behind…”

Ruan Qiuqiu’s teeth ached with frustration. Clearly, he was the one taking liberties, yet he acted as though he were the victim. What a scoundrel!

Her resentment ticked up again.

“…Why is her resentment decreasing now?” Zheng Jian wondered as he sped along, a bit disappointed. He needed resentment—wasn’t that the whole reason he’d agreed to bring her along?

It definitely wasn’t because of her figure!

Absolutely not!

…

Here is the second update. Asking for a vote isn’t too much, is it?

(End of chapter)