“Sis, let me go?” Lin Wenkang wiped his mouth and volunteered. Before he could finish, Zhou Jin slung an arm around his shoulder. “Brother Kang, I need your help with something.”
“Huh? What kind of help? Let me do this first.”
“No—it has to be now.”
As the two of them tugged at each other, Lin Aiyun had already pulled Xiao Cheng out of the kitchen. She grabbed the flashlight from the main hall and headed out.
It wasn’t completely dark yet. Moonlight bathed the earth, and the surroundings were quiet. Tall foxtail grass lined the path, and fireflies danced among them like tiny green stars, adding a touch of life to the still night.
Lin Aiyun and Xiao Cheng walked side by side. Most people were still at home after dinner, chatting indoors—few ventured out, so they were the only figures around.
Xiao Cheng reached out and pulled her by the arm, steering her away from a foul-smelling ditch, walking on the outside himself. The flashlight beam wavered, then steadied, lighting the path ahead.
His thoughtfulness made the corner of her mouth curl up, easing the knot in her chest. She opened her mouth, having rehearsed what to say, but now that the moment had come, she didn’t know where to start.
A breeze lifted the stray hairs on her forehead, tickling her skin. She brushed them aside, took a deep breath, and steeled herself: “Xiao Cheng, I have something to tell you.”
“Aiyun, is there something you want to tell me?”
They spoke at the same time. They looked at each other and laughed. His eyes glittered in the shadows. He glanced around, then switched off the flashlight. His warm hand closed over hers.
“We’ll fall into the ditch like this.” She watched his smooth, unbroken motion, a helpless smile curving her eyes. But despite her words, she didn’t pull away—she even opened her fingers to interlace with his.
A low laugh sounded beside her. He swung their linked arms, shot her a teasing glance, and drawled: “Well then, you’re holding on so tight—if I fall, I’m taking you with me.”
“Then let go.” She straightened her back, raising her voice as if to bolster her courage, and made a show of pulling her hand back—but he tightened his grip.
“Lin Aiyun, my hand isn’t something you can hold when you want and let go when you don’t.” His tone was casual, almost joking, but the look in his eyes was dead serious. “Even if we fall into the ditch, we fall together.”
At that, she stopped, and he stopped with her.
It was a summer night. Cool breezes carried away the day’s noisy restlessness. The air was thick with the mingled scents of wild grass, refreshing and serene. Crickets and frogs called out from the shadows, weaving a unique symphony.
“Alright, Xiao Cheng.”
Her answer came so crisp and sure—without a hint of hesitation—that his fingers curled instinctively, hooking over her hand. He stared at her, his thick lashes trembling slightly, before a smile he couldn’t suppress spread across his face.
“Don’t worry. Your husband here won’t let you suffer that kind of hardship with me.” He raised an eyebrow playfully and led her forward. He’d walked this path so many times lately that he could navigate it blindfolded—even without the flashlight, he could keep them steady.
“Pfft—not yet.” She spat back, her ears burning red, her voice soft and low.
But he wouldn’t let it go. He pretended not to hear and asked again: “Huh? What’d you say? Say it again—I didn’t catch it.”
She could tell he was teasing her on purpose. The heat spread from her ears to her cheeks. She forced down her smile, looking flustered, and grumbled: “Xiao Cheng, you’re doing this on purpose.”
“Aiyun, you’re just so cute when you’re shy.” His brows and eyes were full of springtime smugness, his handsome face radiating pure delight.
“You…” Who could withstand Xiao Cheng at his most shameless? He was like a street thug, all cheek and no filter—and he loved using it on her. He wouldn’t stop until he’d made her flustered and annoyed, and then he’d chase after her to make up. Every single time, he never tired of the game.
“Alright, alright.” Xiao Cheng knew when to quit. He added: “In a couple of days, I’ll be able to say it out loud without any shame.”
Their wedding was in five days.
At that thought, her heart suddenly raced. She was silent for a long moment before bringing the conversation back to where it started: “Xiao Cheng, I have something to tell you.”
“Go ahead.” He nodded, signaling her to speak.
“I liked someone before. He’s from the neighboring village.” She cut straight to the point. His expression slowly darkened, turning a little grim under the moonlight. She quickly added: “That was a long time ago—I don’t like him anymore.”
“If you still did, wouldn’t that make me a total failure?” His long, narrow eyes drooped slightly, his dark pupils hiding emotions she couldn’t read. The playful lilt in his voice told her he wasn’t truly angry.
Lin Aiyun couldn’t help letting out a sigh of relief. Still, talking about her “ex” in front of her current partner was bound to be awkward. She cleared her throat and continued slowly: “Remember when I told you in Changzhu Village that I’d once fallen into the water? He was the one who saved me.”
She spoke quickly, telling him the whole story—how she’d met Meng Baoguo, how things had started and ended before they even really began. She held nothing back.
When she finished, silence fell. Xiao Cheng gave a low grunt in response, his face tight.
She glanced at him, then edged a little closer, linking her arm through his. When her fingers touched his skin, she felt nothing but hard muscle.
Sure enough—he wasn’t nearly as calm as he looked. She’d known all along that a jealous man like him wouldn’t take this lying down. It was all bottled up inside.
Just as she was about to say something, his expression shifted. All at once, the calm was gone. His thin lips pressed together, looking fragile and obedient—but his voice carried a deep hurt.
“That’s all in the past. I don’t mind. Actually, I’m grateful to him for saving your life.”
They happened to pass an abandoned house with a large camphor tree in the corner. Lin Aiyun pulled Xiao Cheng aside, pushed him against the trunk, and cupped his face in her hands, forcing him to meet her eyes. “Really? You don’t mind?”
“Mm.” He wore an air of magnanimity, but his red-rimmed eyes betrayed him.
Seeing him like that made her heart ache. She quickly promised: “Right now, I only like you. And in the future too. For this entire lifetime.”
“Really?” His clear voice cracked with a hint of rasp, as if he couldn’t quite believe it.
She nodded firmly. “Whoever lies is a dog.”
The moment the words left her mouth, he spun her around and pinned her against the tree. His burning palms trapped her wrists above her head. His ragged breath fanned across her face. She looked up and met his sharp, blazing eyes—nothing like the pitiful act from before.
“Like hell I don’t mind. I’m so jealous I’m losing my mind. If you hadn’t come to your senses in time, you’d have married him already.” His dark eyes bore into her, burning like two wild flames.
“You said it yourself—whoever lies is a dog. You can only love me.”
Despite the tension, Lin Aiyun burst out laughing. Her almond-shaped eyes curved into crescents. Ignoring his darkened expression, she planted a loud kiss on his cheek.
“Got it. I won’t lie to you.”
His face cycled from black to green to a suspicious shade of red. He stammered, unable to get a word out—she’d caught him completely off guard.
How could she do this?
“Xiao Cheng, you’re so calculating. Playing pitiful just to get a promise out of me.”
Her hands were still pinned, and she gave a half-hearted struggle. But now that his scheme was exposed, he only held her tighter. She had no way out. So she tilted her head back to look at him, her chest rising and falling, and said with a smile: “But I like it.”
With each word, his breathing grew heavier.
The last syllable had barely left her lips before his mouth was on hers—no chance to pull back. His wild, scorching breath tangled with her tongue. All her whimpers and breath were swallowed in the kiss.
With her hands pinned above her head, a strip of her waist was exposed. His free hand—long-fingered and strong—found its way to her, his thumb rubbing absent circles into her skin.
Emboldened by their isolation, his hand slid up, gripping the softness he’d been longing for. He rarely touched her there, but now he came with a fierce, storm-like intensity, showing no mercy.
She gasped, letting out a soft whimper—a sound that only made his body burn hotter. His Adam’s apple bobbed, his breathing turning ragged.
The thrill of their kisses, the danger of their surroundings—the excitement only deepened.
His hand fit around her just right—not too big, not too small—perfect for playing with, but never enough.
“Say it again.” He pulled back just enough to let her breathe.
Her hands dropped to clutch his collar, gasping for air. Her mind was a blur, but she knew what he wanted. And since he loved hearing it, she was happy to say it: “I like Xiao Cheng. Only Xiao Cheng.”
Hearing her obedient reply, the pent-up frustration that had been weighing on Xiao Cheng finally lifted.
He’d known about this for a while—but the dossier Jiang Yan had given him was nothing compared to the details Aiyun had just shared herself. So when he first heard how deeply she’d fallen for another man before, he couldn’t help the jealousy that surged up.
But now, seeing her willing to coax him, willing to say the sweet things he loved to hear—suddenly, nothing else mattered.
Still, some things needed to be dealt with. Certain pests needed to be cleaned out.
With that thought, Xiao Cheng’s eyes narrowed.
He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, then said slowly: “After I left this afternoon, I came back.”
She blinked, then quickly caught on. She moistened her lips and asked hesitantly: “You heard everything? Me and Peng Juan…”
“Mm. I’ll handle it.” He bent down, the tip of his nose touching hers, their faces so close that the slightest movement would bring their lips together again.
She nodded. She knew Xiao Cheng was decisive and efficient—leaving it to him was the easiest way. But she also worried he might just throw money at the problem to get rid of it quickly. People like Peng Juan only grew greedier once they got a taste. The first threat would lead to a second, a third…
Though the money was nothing to Xiao Cheng, Lin Aiyun didn’t want to give the Meng family a single cent.
They didn’t deserve it.
She couldn’t help asking: “How are you going to handle it?”
Xiao Cheng nipped at her lips, his hands never stopping, shaping and kneading her softness through her clothes. If not for the tight knot of her bellyband, she had no doubt he’d have slipped his hand inside instead of leaving a layer between.
“Do I look like the type to send money to my rival?” He saw right through her and bit her tongue lightly. The next kiss was deliberately, obscenely deep.
Hearing him say that, she felt at ease and stopped worrying about the Meng family’s mess.
But with her attention back on the present, every sensation sharpened. With the wedding approaching, Xiao Cheng seemed to have picked up new tricks—every chance he got, he’d use all sorts of techniques and teasing moves that left her breathless and distracted.
Her face flushed, she pushed at him twice. Seeing he wouldn’t budge, she let him have his way. But after a while, she couldn’t help squeezing her legs together—a movement that didn’t escape his notice.
He let out a low laugh, his hand sliding down to toy with the waistband of her trousers. She was wearing loose pants tonight—no buttons. Catching his intent, she let go of his neck and grabbed his fingers.
“Want to?”
His hoarse voice, thick with raw masculinity, sounded right by her ear. And then his lips caught her earlobe—it was too much.
To be fair, Lin Aiyun was an adult woman with experience. To say she didn’t want it would be a lie. But this place—it was practically outdoors.
Thrilling as it might be, it was just too embarrassing. What if someone saw them…
“If we don’t go back soon, my parents will worry.” After a long, conflicted pause, she managed to stammer out the words.
“But I want it.” He said it plainly, without a shred of shame.
She bit her lip. He didn’t need to say it—she already knew. Pressed so close against him, his arousal was impossible to miss.
After a moment’s thought, she shook her head. “No. There’ll be a smell.”
There was no clean water nearby. And her parents were experienced adults—the moment they got back, anyone close enough would catch the scent. And she’d left the house with a purpose tonight; her mother would definitely come ask her how things went. Everything would be exposed.
She couldn’t bear that shame.
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