Pei Lanfar spent the night at the stronghold. Before dawn broke, He Feng left with him for the mine, and this trip lasted the entire day.

Before returning, He Feng made a special detour to town to buy some pastries for Xie Chi.

By the time he reached Yun Village, it was already deep into the night.

He didn’t dare enter the room, afraid of waking her, so he left the pastries at the door and went to sleep in another room.

Early the next morning, Song Wan came humming a little tune to see Xie Chi. Finding her awake, she entered. “You’re up so early.”

“I went to bed early last night.” Xie Chi sat at the table with unopened pastries in front of her.

“What’s this?” Song Wan looked at the packaging, which had three characters printed on it: Rongyue House.

“Seems like little pastries. They were left at the door—probably brought by He Feng.”

Song Wan suddenly exclaimed, “Oh! I remember now! This shop’s osmanthus cake is especially delicious!”

This sudden outburst startled Xie Chi’s heart into unrest. “Then you eat it.”

“Then I won’t be polite!”

Song Wan smiled with pursed lips, carefully unwrapping the package and pinching out a piece of chestnut cake. She took a small bite and stamped her feet in satisfaction. “So delicious! You must try some.”

“I don’t like sweets.”

“It’s really good—try some!” Song Wan pinched off a piece and held it to Xie Chi’s mouth.

She helplessly opened her mouth and ate it. The taste was indeed quite good.

Song Wan opened the other two packages and ate two pieces from each. Seeing that Xie Chi wasn’t touching them, she felt a bit embarrassed and dusted off her hands. “Have you washed? I’ll get some water for you.”

“I’ve washed.” Xie Chi didn’t have any serious injuries. Aside from not being able to lift her arm high, other areas had recovered well, and she no longer used the wheelchair. “Could you help me change clothes? I still can’t pull them up.”

“Sure.”

After Song Wan helped her change clothes, she also helped comb her hair. Suddenly her expression became serious, her voice low. “A’Zhi… there’s something I need to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“It’s… the day they captured you, Chen Zheng had already taken you away. I happened to get up to use the bathroom and saw you, so I went to check your room. I was the one who discovered Song Mang’s corpse. I screamed in fright, which drew the others over. That’s why the people from Qing Village were able to chase you down so quickly.” Song Wan pouted. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. It’s all in the past.”

“If I hadn’t drawn them over, you might not have been beaten, and you almost got burned alive.”

Xie Chi looked at her pouty mouth in the mirror and smiled. “It really doesn’t matter. I’m doing well now. After all, I did kill someone. Actually, getting beaten like that made me feel much better inside.”

Song Wan crouched down. “You’re asking for a beating.”

“…”

“I’ve noticed you haven’t been sleeping well these past few days. Is it because of killing someone?”

Xie Chi fell silent.

“You don’t need to feel guilty. I heard that Song Mang murdered and robbed people, doing many bad things. Someone like him deserved to die—you were ridding society of a menace.”

“Mm.”

Song Wan smiled up at her. “You’re really beautiful. No wonder the young master has eyes for no one else.”

Xie Chi also smiled. “You’re very pretty too.”

Song Wan shook her head. “It’s different. I always feel there’s something special about your temperament—you look like a young miss from a wealthy family at first glance.”

“I grew up in the mountains for nearly ten years. I’m no refined young lady.”

“It’s still different.” Song Wan propped her face with her hands, looking at her. “Where are you originally from?”

“A bit south of here.”

“Is your hometown fun?”

“Not bad.”

“Is there lots of good food?”

“Lots.”

“Do you miss home?”

Xie Chi was stunned for a moment. This question struck her chest like a small hammer.

Did she miss home?

Honestly, no. The Xie family had shallow feelings for her—whether father or siblings, they had always been dispensable.

The only one she cared about was grandfather.

But deep in her heart, there was still a voice constantly reminding her to go home, go home.

“A’Zhi?”

“A’Zhi!”

Song Wan pushed her, and Xie Chi came back to her senses, hearing her say, “They say you’re pregnant—that’s fake, right?”

“How do you know?”

“Aunt Wang told me.” Song Wan covered her mouth and laughed. “She said you’re still a virgin.”

“…” That Aunt Wang really told everyone everything.

“Don’t worry, not many people know. I’m very tight-lipped.” Song Wan suddenly moved closer to her. “Let me tell you something.”

“Mm?”

“That day Chen Zheng and I went to catch fish.” She smiled shyly, touching her index fingers together. “Then he and I did that thing.”

Xie Chi immediately understood. “Outside?”

Song Wan nodded.

“Did he bully you?”

“No, I was willing.”

“But you’ve only known him for a few days.”

“So what? If you like someone, you get together. It’s natural for men and women to be attracted to each other.” Song Wan scratched the back of her hand. “Aunt Wang says you’ve been here quite a while too. How come nothing has happened between you and the young master? I heard he’s never had other women before. The young master doesn’t have problems in that area, does he?”

“No.”

“How do you know? You two have never slept together.”

“I’m guessing.” Xie Chi felt a bit shy and stammered, “Maybe… I don’t know either.”

“Do you want to hear about how that thing is done?”

“…”

Regardless of whether she was interested, Song Wan leaned close to her ear and began describing it, making Xie Chi’s face turn red.

Suddenly, He Feng appeared at the doorway. “What shameful things are you two talking about?”

Xie Chi jumped in alarm, looking exactly like someone caught red-handed.

Song Wan calmly stood up and answered with a smile, “Girls’ whispers—how could we tell you?” Song Wan glanced at Xie Chi and walked away with a smile. “We won’t disturb you two.”

Xie Chi didn’t want her to leave. “Hey, don’t go.”

Song Wan had already run out.

He Feng walked toward her, staring at her flushed face. “Do you have a fever?” He touched her forehead. “No fever, so why is your face so red?”

Xie Chi pushed his hand away, stood up and walked away. “It’s hot. I’m going to eat.”

He Feng followed, seeing the opened pastries on the table. “Were the pastries good?”

“So-so.”

“So-so?” He Feng snorted, walking beside her with his hands behind his back. “Someday I’ll take you to Jiangsu. I want to see just how delicious the food from your place is.”

…

Xie Chi’s original room had long been cleaned, but He Feng was afraid she’d be scared, so he had that room completely sealed with wooden boards. Xie Chi had been staying in He Feng’s room these past few days. He hadn’t pestered her to do that thing—partly because her body hadn’t fully recovered, and partly because Xie Chi kept making excuses, and he was unwilling to force her.

Recently, there were constant problems at the mine, and He Feng went there every few days.

Xie Chi was bored daily with nothing else to do, so she could only pass time by painting. Her injuries had mostly healed, and she began having thoughts of going down the mountain again.

Before the roosters in the stronghold crowed, Xie Chi was already awake.

She stared at the ceiling in a daze until dawn broke, then got up.

Being constantly confined indoors left her mind empty and without inspiration. She wanted to go out for a walk, see some fresh scenery, and collect some painting materials.

The sky was still dark, and most people in the stronghold were still sleeping. She didn’t encounter a single person on the road, and even the little brother guarding the gate was propping his face up, dozing. The stronghold gate was closed. Xie Chi didn’t want to disturb the little brother’s sweet dreams. Being thin, she squeezed through a small fence not far from the main gate.

She got out this easily?

Xie Chi, carrying drawing paper, looked at the outside world in a daze.

If she slipped away now, her chances would be quite good.

But He Feng had said that the main path down the mountain must pass through Qing and Lei villages, while side paths were easy to get lost on and had hidden traps.

Being caught and brought back would be one thing, but if she encountered people from Qing Village, wouldn’t she be skinned alive…

Sigh, she didn’t dare take the risk. It was more reliable to count on He Feng.

So she walked east from the stronghold, choosing a place with suitable scenery to gather materials.

…

When the sun rose over the mountain peak, He Feng discovered that Xie Chi was missing. He was so angry he nearly tore the roof off.

Thus, everyone in the stronghold couldn’t sleep well as they searched for her inside and out.

Xie Chi had just finished a few small sketches when she heard a cry of alarm behind her: “Found her!” This shout made her heart jump, and turning back, she saw the person pointing at her and yelling, “Over here!”

Soon, He Feng was led over by someone.

He looked very unhappy, striding toward her with a menacing air.

Xie Chi sat on the cliff edge, seeing his expression like he wanted to eat someone, her heart trembled, yet she had nowhere to retreat.

He Feng grabbed her by the collar and lifted her up directly, roaring, “What are you doing here!”

His voice echoed through the mountains, frightening flocks of birds to take flight from the distant forest.

“I came to paint.” Xie Chi swallowed and raised her hand.

He Feng held her with one hand and snatched the sketches from her hand with the other, crumpling them into a ball and throwing them off the cliff.

“Hey!” Xie Chi grabbed his arm and pounded him several times. “What are you doing! My paintings!”

“Move one more time and I’ll throw you down too.”

Xie Chi angrily kicked him with her feet. “Throw me! Throw me right now!”

He Feng was at a loss with her, letting her punch and kick him. “Don’t you know to find someone to go with you? Didn’t I tell you not to run around alone? I think you’re tired of living.”

“My legs are mine—what business is it of yours! I am tired of living. Please throw me down.”

Xie Chi’s toes barely touched the ground as he held her uncomfortably. She pounded his hand. “Throw me!”

He Feng suddenly let go. Xie Chi couldn’t stand steady and sat on the rock behind her. Her bottom had just touched the stone when he lifted her again, directly embracing her. “From now on, tell me where you’re going.”

Xie Chi was still in an angry mood and pushed him away forcefully. But He Feng didn’t budge, and she nearly fell backward instead.

He Feng caught her waist in time, lifting her into the air. His expression softened. “Alright, stop making trouble. I’m sorry—I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

Xie Chi tugged hard at his hair several times.

He Feng kissed her chin.

Xie Chi was both angry and embarrassed, lightly slapping his mouth. He Feng smiled and said, “Hit me—hit me until you’re happy.”

Xie Chi turned her face away. “Put me down.”

“I won’t.” He Feng rocked her body. “From now on, if you want to come out and paint, tell me. I’ll accompany you.”

“You’re not around.”

“Have someone find me. Anyway, you’re not allowed to run around alone.” He Feng squeezed her bottom. “Did you hear me?”

Xie Chi’s body trembled.

“I’ll ask again.” He pinched her bottom again. “Did you hear me?”

Xie Chi helplessly said, “Fine.”

“Fine what?” His hand moved down to her thigh. “Say you heard me.”

“I heard, I heard.” She looked at the several people in the distance who were snickering and tugged at He Feng’s clothes. “Put me down.”

He Feng put her down. “Alright, continue painting.”

Xie Chi had no mood left. She angrily turned around, looked down the cliff, and said, “The sketches were all thrown away by you! I worked so hard on them. You’re really too annoying.”

She turned and kicked him, then walked back to the stronghold in a huff.

…

After eating breakfast with He Feng, Xie Chi went back to her room and slept the whole day. When she woke up, it was already evening.

Her stomach was a bit hungry. She got up to find something to eat in the kitchen but saw a stack of drawing paper on the table.

It was what He Feng had thrown off the cliff that morning.

She saw them spread out flat, completely intact.

There was also a flower placed beside them.

They were just a few sketches—if they were gone, they were gone. Xie Chi hadn’t taken it too seriously.

She never expected He Feng would actually retrieve them.

That cliff was so deep you couldn’t see the bottom—it must have been quite difficult for him.

She picked up the white flower and smiled unconsciously.

She had never seen this type of flower before and didn’t know what it was called.

She sniffed the flower’s scent—a light fragrance that she liked.

…

He Feng had gone down to the bottom of the cliff to retrieve her sketches and picked a flower from the steep cliff face.

Because of picking the flower, he had pulled at his wound and bled again.

The drawing paper had been crumpled into balls and wouldn’t flatten no matter how much he smoothed it. It had also gotten wet from the mountain dew, making the ink run.

While Xie Chi slept in the room, He Feng didn’t dare go in. He sat at the door drying the paper, regretting deeply—why had he impulsively crumpled them up?

He sat outside the door thinking for a long while, still feeling he had been too harsh with Xie Chi that morning. One flower didn’t seem like enough.

Qing Yangzi said girls all liked pretty jewelry, so he quietly placed the sketches and flower on the table inside the room, then rode out with Qing Yangzi to buy some jewelry for Xie Chi.

After browsing around, he found the large pieces too vulgar and the small ones ugly—nothing caught his eye. He found shopping really annoying, so he finally just closed his eyes, grabbed one randomly, paid, and left.

On the way back to the stronghold, they encountered a group of people being questioned by several men from Lei Village.

He Feng casually glanced at the woman sitting in the car and his eyes went straight.

A man in a long robe was holding gold bars, offering them to Lei Wang while bowing and scraping, saying something.

He Feng stared straight at the woman. “Pretty, isn’t she?”

Qing Yangzi replied, “Pretty.”

“I’m going to snatch her.”

“Huh?”

Seeing He Feng riding over, Lei Wang quickly dismounted to greet him. “Young Master went to town?”

“Mm.” He Feng saw this group had four cars and should be wealthy people. “Where are they from?”

“The county magistrate’s third concubine.”

He Feng waved him aside and headed straight for the people in the car. He dismounted, walked to the back seat, bent down, and rested his forearm on the car window to look at her.

This concubine was quite attractive, dressed up elaborately, and showed no fear at all. “What are you looking at?”

He Feng said nothing.

The concubine smiled. “You’re a decent-looking young man, but what a pity.”

He Feng crooked his finger. “Come here.”

The concubine actually did move closer. He Feng reached toward her ear and tugged at her earring, but couldn’t pull it off.

The concubine winced in pain and pulled back. “Gentle.” She touched her earlobe and looked at him meaningfully. “Getting handsy—do you fancy me or it?”

He Feng stared at her earring. “Take it off.”

“What if I don’t?” The concubine’s eyes were like autumn waters, deliberately flirting with him, her fragrant shoulder bumping against his hand resting on the car.

“If you don’t?” He Feng said calmly, “Then I’ll cut off your ear and take it along.”

“…” The concubine calmly removed the earring. “Here, take it.”

He Feng reached out to take it, but the concubine grabbed his fingertips and wouldn’t let go. He shook forcefully and flung her off.

The concubine rubbed her wrist and said coquettishly in a thin voice, “What a rough man.”

He Feng didn’t want to deal with her—her perfume was making him dizzy. He straightened up, saw Qing Yangzi beside him, and wiped his hands on him.

Seeing this, the concubine shook her head and smiled. “I’ve never met a man who could escape my grasp and remain unmoved. You’re an interesting little bandit.”

He Feng took the money pouch from his waist and threw it into the car. “If it’s not enough, I’ll have someone get more.”

The concubine smiled and opened the pouch to take a rough look. “It’s enough.”

He Feng nodded. “Thanks.”

Seeing him mount his horse, the concubine called out, “Hey, what’s your name?”

He Feng didn’t even turn back, saying to Lei Wang, “Let them pass.”

The attendant broke out in a cold sweat, bowing as he asked, “Are you alright, madam?”

The concubine leaned against the car window, pouting as she watched He Feng’s retreating figure. “I’m fine. Get me another pair of earrings.”

A Lei family member shouted, “Stop talking nonsense and get going.”

…

He Feng happily returned with the earrings and headed straight for Xie Chi’s room.

She was painting under the eaves. He Feng threw the earrings to her. “Here you go.”

Xie Chi picked them up and looked. “Earrings.”

He Feng stole glances at her expression. “Mm, robbed them on the way down the mountain. They looked nice, so I got them for you.”

Xie Chi threw them back to him. “I don’t want them.”

“Why?” He Feng was puzzled. “Not pretty?”

“I don’t want things other people have used.”

He Feng weighed the earrings. “I saw you using my gun quite comfortably.”

“…” Xie Chi didn’t want to argue with him and lowered her head to paint.

He Feng pulled a ring from his pocket that he had bought and held it in front of her eyes. “This one wasn’t stolen.”

Xie Chi didn’t even look. “Ugly as hell.”

“…”

He Feng put his hand back. “Take it or leave it.”

Just then Song Wan passed by. He Feng whistled at her, and Song Wan looked over.

He Feng threw both the earrings and ring to her. “For you.”

Song Wan caught them and looked. “So pretty.” She pocketed them and ran back to her room. “Thanks!”

He Feng looked at Xie Chi again. She paid no attention to his actions. He knocked on the table, but Xie Chi still didn’t react.

He knocked twice more. “Draw one of me.”

Xie Chi didn’t look at him. “A portrait for your funeral?”

“Whatever.”

“Fine, some other day.”

Seeing her cold attitude toward him, He Feng felt annoyed and pushed her. “I retrieved your paintings for you.”

“I saw.” Xie Chi pretended to be cold, but inside she was delighted.

“Still angry?”

Xie Chi said nothing.

He Feng stood there for a while, then silently turned and walked away.

“Where are you going?” Xie Chi quickly asked.

“Going out for a bit.”

…

He Feng went down the mountain again, returning late at night carrying three boxes.

Xie Chi was sleeping soundly when He Feng shook her awake. She saw him open the boxes one by one for display—inside were rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.

Xie Chi’s eyes were dazzled. “Did you rob these too?”

“No, I bought them.” He Feng picked up a necklace and shook it. “You said you didn’t like things others had used. These are all new. I didn’t know which kind you’d like, so I got a bit of everything.”

Though Xie Chi wasn’t very interested in such items, she was still moved. She said insincerely, “Why buy these? I don’t even like them.”

He Feng pulled her to the mirror and pressed her shoulders to sit down. “Even if you don’t like them, wear them for me.”

He put on her necklace and earrings, then filled all ten of her fingers with rings. Then he held up her hands and said with satisfaction, “Beautiful.”

Xie Chi couldn’t help but smile slightly. “You’re so rich? These can’t be cheap.”

“Your man has more money than you could spend in a lifetime.”

“…” Xie Chi removed the rings. “I don’t want to owe you anything. I don’t want them.”

He Feng pressed down on her hands. “I’m not giving them to you for free. Sleep with me in exchange.” As he spoke, his face moved in to kiss her.

Xie Chi quickly stood up to dodge. “I still have something to discuss with Song Wan.”

He Feng lazily sat down and said to her, “I should have had you that day.”

Xie Chi pretended not to hear, covering her ears as she ran out.

“Keep playing hard to get. When I finally catch you someday, you’ll be in for it.”

…