The small boat rocked on the river. Tonight was moonless, with only scattered stars. The riverbank’s lights reflected on the water surface, where one could faintly see their own shadow.

The guard rowed the small boat toward an elegantly decorated pleasure boat in the middle of the river.

He Yan kept her head down, completely silent. The guard couldn’t help looking back at her, seeing the girl sitting straight at the stern, her hands bound behind her back, motionless. Seeming to sense his gaze, she raised her head and glanced at him. The guard shuddered, nearly dropping his oar into the river.

That glance was incredibly cold. He found it difficult to describe the feeling – like a corpse staring at him emotionlessly. The river’s waves sounded dreamlike, making her seem even more ghostly.

It was extremely strange. The guard felt uneasy; she barely spoke or asked questions, unnaturally quiet. Wouldn’t ordinary women ask at least a question or two at this point? But He Yan didn’t. She was like a silent doll, quiet in a way that seemed inhuman.

The water sparkled under the night sky like a whirlpool, drawing her thoughts back to that day when He Wanru’s people held her head down, drowning her in the pond.

She used to be a good swimmer, quite skilled, but now, at this moment, her tense nerves told her she was afraid of water.

She feared falling from this small boat, being sucked into an endless whirlpool, being unable to break the surface again, helplessly watching the light grow more distant, fearing this life ending abruptly like her previous one.

She despised her current cowardice and fear but could think of no alternative except to sit properly in the boat, silently allowing the guard to take her to that luxurious pleasure boat.

The pleasure boat must have belonged to a wealthy family, smaller than a tower ship but much larger than a fishing boat. The guard helped He Yan aboard, lifted the boat’s curtain, led her inside, and then rowed away in the small boat, seemingly under orders to keep his distance.

He Yan stared at the person before her.

Fan Cheng was carefully dressed today, wearing extremely flashy, rich clothes. The cabin was decorated with incense and colored lanterns, the light hazy, the cushions soft, creating an immediately romantic atmosphere.

He Yan struggled out of her mental whirlpool and looked at Fan Cheng, saying, “Young Master Fan.”

Fan Cheng walked over, seated her in a chair, and said, “Ah He, you’ve suffered.”

He Yan remained silent.

“I never imagined that woman would be so vicious, kidnapping you and locking you up. If I hadn’t had people secretly protecting your safety and immediately sending someone to rescue you upon learning of this, the consequences would have been unthinkable. Ah He, surely now you understand my genuine concern?” Fan Cheng said painfully.

He Yan looked at the ropes on her feet and shook her head, “I don’t understand.”

From start to finish, whether bringing her from the residence, putting her in the carriage, or bringing her to this boat, Fan Cheng’s guard had never untied her bonds.

The rough rope had already abraded her wrists, but she felt no pain, only silence.

“I feared you would misunderstand me and refuse to board, so I didn’t untie you,” Fan Cheng explained, following her gaze. Despite his words, he made no move to untie her.

“This is a boat,” He Yan smiled, “I can’t run away, you can untie me.”

Her smile was like a sunrise on snow, indescribably bright and radiant. Fan Cheng stared, thinking: my goodness, how has He Yan grown so captivating, even more, striking than before, with unprecedented bold grace.

This thought made his heart itch, and he reached out to touch He Yan’s face, but she turned aside, leaving him grasping air. His smile faltered, and he simply crouched down, staring at He Yan: “It’s not that I won’t release you, but Ah He, you must understand your situation.”

“My wife is jealous by nature and will never let you go. Even if you return to the He family today, she’ll find ways to get to you tomorrow. My father-in-law is the Chengwu Lang, while your father is merely a captain – there are countless opportunities to cause trouble. But more importantly, there’s you.”

“You’re a young woman without protection. Once she catches you, she’ll surely find ways to torture you endlessly. I… can’t bear to see that.”

Fan Cheng gazed at her tenderly, “How could I watch you suffer?”

“Oh?” He Yan was secretly untying the knots binding her hands behind her back, asking casually, “Then what do you plan to do?”

Seeing her softening, Fan Cheng was overjoyed and spoke without thinking: “I want to hide you somewhere safe, where maids and servants will still attend to you, where my wife can’t find you. After some time passes, I’ll divorce that woman and bring you back to the Fan family. Then you’ll be the mistress of the Fan household, and no one will dare bully you again.”

“Primary wife?” He Yan asked.

“That’s right,” Fan Cheng touched his chest, “Ah He, I swear to you, my heart holds only you. If this marriage hadn’t been arranged early on, I would never have married her! Rest assured, in this life I love only you, my wife will only be you, just wait a while…”

Hearing this, He Yan laughed softly.

Fan Cheng was stunned.

“So, you want me to be your concubine,” she said flatly.

If the real eldest Miss He were here, she probably would have been moved to tears by these vows. But she wasn’t the eldest Miss He, and outsiders see more clearly than those involved. When a man wants to deceive a woman, he’ll say anything. How could Fan Cheng make her his primary wife? He just wanted to deceive her first.

She wondered if He Wanru had viewed her the same way she now viewed the eldest Miss He – equally laughable and tragic – when she had been so devoted to Xu Zhiheng.

“Ah He, you…” Fan Cheng frowned.

“Young Master Fan, I’ve already made myself clear. Since you’re married, I’ve let go of the past. Let’s go our separate ways from here. I have no interest in becoming your primary wife, and I hope you’ll stop pursuing me.”

As she spoke, the knot loosened and came undone.

Fan Cheng didn’t notice the rope falling to the ground, first looking at her in surprise, then suddenly breaking into a cold laugh, “He Yan, you prefer the hard way to the easy way. I tried to coax you nicely, and you got cocky! Pursuing? There are plenty of women in the world, why would I need to pursue someone like you? But this young master’s time and effort spent on you can’t be wasted!”

“Surely Young Master Fan isn’t asking me to repay you in silver?” He Yan asked mockingly.

“This young master doesn’t lack money. You can repay with yourself,” he revealed a lewd smile. “If you serve me well, I might even reward you with some silver.”

Before He Yan could respond, a furious voice suddenly rang out, “What kind of nonsense are you spouting!”

He Yan looked up in surprise to see the curtain lift and a dripping-wet person stride in – it was He Yunsheng.