The back courtyard was specially reserved for ladies and young misses to rest while listening to the opera. Entering through the moon gate, the scenery was even more beautiful. Weeping willows lined the pond, and honeysuckle trellises adorned the outside of the latticed windows. A gentle breeze rustled through countless silk ribbons. Many women were resting under the covered walkway, with the sound of opera singing faintly audible in the background.
After Yi Ning sat down, a maid brought her a plate of split pomegranates. The seeds were a deep, glistening red like carnelian—truly beautiful. Yi Ning instructed Daimao, “Go tell the manager here that we’d like to buy some pomegranates.”
She thought to herself that she could bring some back for Third Brother and the others to taste, as they were indeed very sweet and delicious.
The ladies in the walkway, though not acquainted, exchanged smiles and nods. Yi Ning rarely appeared in public, so many didn’t recognize her. They only saw a beautiful young girl wearing kesi silk, who, despite being only fourteen or fifteen, had her hair styled in a married woman’s bun. They guessed she might be a concubine of some high-ranking official and thus didn’t feel wary of her.
Xu Yong approached, fanning himself with a folding fan. He spotted the lady leaning against a pillar of the walkway and initially thought she was an ordinary woman. He had planned to tease her and make her look foolish. However, as he drew closer, he was stunned to realize she was a delicate young girl. Her slender, pale fingers picked up pomegranate seeds one by one and placed them in her mouth, her fingertips briefly touching her lips, which were as soft as flower petals.
She seemed to hear a sound and turned to glance at Xu Yong.
Xu Yong silently admired her, thinking this young girl’s beauty was extraordinary. If Xie Yun was like a landscape painting to be admired from afar but not touched, this girl was like apricot blossoms on spring branches—tender and delicate, making one want to cup them gently in hand. The sight made his heart itch with desire. But his heart was steadfastly devoted to Miss Xie Yun, and he couldn’t let other flowers distract him.
Having made up his mind, Xu Yong approached with a smile and said, “Madam, here you are! I’ve been looking for you.”
Yi Ning had only seen Xu Yong when he was speaking with Xie Yun earlier; they had never actually met. His sudden familiarity baffled her.
“I don’t know you, sir. You must have mistaken me for someone else,” Yi Ning replied coolly, turning away.
Seeing this, Xu Yong frowned and changed his tone: “Madam, we met earlier downstairs at the opera house. You insisted we had a connection and asked to borrow my jade pendant. I lent it to you because you looked innocent and pitiful. How can you pretend not to know me now? It’s fine if you don’t recognize me, but can you return my jade pendant? It’s an excellent piece of ink jade. If it were an ordinary trinket, I wouldn’t mind giving it to you. But that jade is a keepsake from my eldest sister-in-law, and I really can’t part with it.”
His voice wasn’t particularly low, and it immediately drew the attention of the surrounding ladies and young misses. They began to eye Yi Ning with suspicion.
Xu Yong was well-known in the capital and was the eldest son of Duke Xu, from a prominent family. He came and went freely in places like Ju De Manor, frequented by women, due to his close relationship with the owner. Most of the ladies present recognized him.
Although Xu Yong was somewhat of a troublemaker, he came from a wealthy family and wouldn’t falsely accuse someone over a jade pendant. What he said was likely true.
This young girl didn’t look like she came from an ordinary family. Could she be a con artist trying to steal valuables?
Yi Ning frowned. Xu Yong’s behavior was utterly baffling! She did not quarrel with him, so what game was he playing?
Since he was infatuated with Xie Yun, could it be that someone had put him up to this to embarrass her?
She stopped Pearl from speaking and pondered before saying, “Sir, since you claim I took your jade pendant, let me ask you: did anyone witness this who can testify?”
“My servants all saw it,” Xu Yong replied, smiling as he listened to her clear, soft voice. “Madam, don’t try to deny it. My jade pendant has a qilin pattern and my courtesy name engraved on one side. Anyone who knows me is aware that I own such a pendant. Whether or not you took my pendant can be easily verified if you accompany me to a side room and let a maid search you.”
“Servants hardly count as witnesses,” Yi Ning said with a slight smile. “If you rely on servants’ testimony, my servants can also testify that you never gave me any jade pendant.”
A lady behind them interjected, “Young miss, the gentleman before you is the son of Duke Xu. I suggest you go with him to be searched. If you don’t take it, that will be the end of it. But if you did, you should return it to him.”
“Yes, don’t lie at such a young age. If you took it, just admit it and return it,” another voice chimed in.
Murmurs of discussion spread around them, mostly siding with Xu Yong.
Pearl whispered to Yi Ning, “Young miss, why don’t we tell him we’re from the Marquis Ying’s household? That would stop his harassment.”
Yi Ning was reluctant to use the Marquis Ying’s name, even though it would immediately shut down the situation. With so many people around, if they heard she was from the Marquis Ying’s household and saw her entangled with Xu Yong, who knows how the gossip would spread? “There are too many people here. Let’s not mention it,” Yi Ning whispered back to Pearl.
Xu Yong’s interest was piqued. He smiled and extended his hand, “Madam, don’t be nervous. Please come with me; a maid will search you. If you didn’t take it, I won’t hold it against you.”
A maid was already standing nearby, bowing as she said, “Madam, please come this way.”
Yi Ning had brought Qing Qu with her on this outing. He was currently peeling pomegranates nearby. One Qing Qu was worth three guards, so she wasn’t afraid. Moreover, Shen Lian and the others were resting in the adjacent courtyard.
With the surrounding discussions reaching a crescendo, she stood up and smiled, “Very well, let’s go.”
On the second floor of the tavern, Lu Jiaxue was having tea with the Minister of War. The minister glanced outside and smiled, “That’s the eldest son of Duke Xu down there.”
Lu Jiaxue was there to discuss business with the Minister of War. The area outside was heavily guarded, and only the two of them were having tea on the second floor. Important figures always valued their safety. He made a noncommittal sound and asked, “What’s happening?”
“It seems he’s harassing a young girl. She looks like she’s married,” the Minister of War said, swirling his wine cup. “You don’t know, but this Xu Yong is quite the troublemaker. He’s done many outrageous things. Once, he harassed the daughter of the Admonitor of the Right Palace Gate. The Admonitor beat him up. When he went home, Duke Xu wanted to beat him too, but their old madam protected him. The Duke was furious but couldn’t lay a hand on him.”
The Minister of War’s account was so interesting that Lu Jiaxue couldn’t help but turn to look. He immediately recognized the person Xu Yong was harassing—it was his adopted daughter, Yi Ning.
He chuckled and said, “He’s gotten himself into trouble this time. That’s Wei Ling’s daughter down there.”
“Marquis Ying?” The Minister of War recalled, “I remember Marquis Ying’s daughter just got married. She wedded Luo Shenyuan, the favorite disciple of Xu Wei, didn’t she?”
“That’s why I said he’s in trouble this time,” Lu Jiaxue set down his teacup, his attitude somewhat casual.
The Minister of War hesitated, glancing at him, “Aren’t you going to intervene? I’m worried this young man might do something rash in the heat of the moment. The girl is married; if her reputation is ruined…”
Lu Jiaxue calmly replied, “Of course, I’ll intervene.” He raised his hand slightly, and immediately someone approached, bowing as they awaited his orders.
“Take a few men down and follow them,” Lu Jiaxue said, glancing at Luo Yi Ning and Xu Yong.
His trusted aide immediately led several men from the Divine Machine Battalion downstairs, while Lu Jiaxue continued drinking tea with the Minister of War.
As Xu Yong led Yi Ning out of the back courtyard, he slowly moved to her side. “Which family are you from, miss? I don’t believe I’ve seen you before.”
Yi Ning glanced at him, “Master Xu, I’m married. You should address me as madam; otherwise, it’s too familiar.”
Xu Yong replied, “You look no more than fourteen or fifteen. Calling you madam would be disrespectful. There’s a quiet private room on the upper floor of a nearby tavern with an excellent view. Why don’t I treat you to some dishes—you can order whatever you like—and give you some gifts?”
“What about your jade pendant?” Yi Ning asked.
Xu Yong opened his fan and waved it, putting on the air of a rake. He smiled, “If the miss joins me for a meal, I’ll gladly give her the jade pendant.”
He opened his palm, revealing the ink-jade pendant. It was indeed of excellent quality. “Tell me which family you married into. I’ve taken quite a liking to you. If you’re willing to be with me, I promise you’ll enjoy endless wealth and status, far better than your current husband’s family.”
Yi Ning inwardly sneered. Just moments ago, he was infatuated with Xie Yun, and now he claimed to like her. He was probably just trying to embarrass her. Even if he did like her, such a dissolute person should be thoroughly whipped by his aunt! She smiled and said, “Master Xu, you’re quite confident. I have no interest in Jade or you. Since your jade wasn’t lost after all, I’ll take my leave.”
She turned to leave, but Xu Yong, not expecting her to refuse his bait, signaled his guards to flood into the courtyard. He stepped forward, “Miss, don’t go. I haven’t finished speaking…” He reached out to grab Yi Ning’s hand, but she swiftly turned and slapped him. Her mood was already sour, and he had conveniently presented himself as an outlet for her anger.
Xu Yong felt her slap was soft and didn’t hurt at all. Instead, he quickly grabbed her hand.
Seeing this, the maids cried out in alarm and rushed forward to pull them apart, but were surrounded by several guards.
Unable to break free, Yi Ning glared at him angrily. During the incident with Shen Yu, Yi Ning had been ill and lacked energy. This time, however, she was angry. Seeing that Xu Yong was unyielding, she decided to be ruthless. She lifted her leg and kicked him hard. Xu Yong felt a sharp pain in his shin. His expression immediately changed, and he gripped her hand tighter. “You’re quite wild, daring to kick me!”
Yi Ning coldly laughed and suddenly took a few steps towards him. Xu Yong was startled and retreated a few steps. “Not just kick you, but kick you hard,” Yi Ning said, before delivering another powerful kick. This time, she didn’t hold back at all. Caught off guard, Xu Yong stumbled backward and fell into the pond, splashing water everywhere.
Now Xu Yong was truly angry, soaked from head to toe. He lost patience with Yi Ning and said grimly, “Hold her down for me!”
Several guards immediately moved to act, but Qing Qu intercepted them first. He had already sent a young maid to alert the others, and Shen Lian and his men, who had been waiting nearby, immediately rushed in to surround and protect Luo Yi Ning.
Xu Yong had initially thought she was just an ordinary married woman, but this display of force was not that of a common household!
The guards were tall and sturdy, obviously well-trained fighters. An ordinary family couldn’t afford such protection. This woman was certainly not of common status, and not someone’s concubine—how could a concubine have such an entourage?
Yi Ning slowly wiped her hands with a handkerchief and looked at Xu Yong, saying, “Master Xu, although my husband isn’t from a noble family, he’s not someone to be trifled with. You falsely accused me of taking your jade pendant earlier. I intended to clear things up, but you became unreasonable and ended up in this sorry state. Now let me ask you, how much is your ink jade pendant worth?”
Xu Yong looked very displeased, fearing he had indeed kicked a hornet’s nest this time. He had tried to play the hero for beauty but ended up in a messy situation instead. However, being used to causing trouble—he had even dared to harass the daughter of the Admonitor of the Right Palace Gate—there was little he wouldn’t dare to do. But at this moment, faced with superior numbers, he found himself at a disadvantage.
He smiled again and said, “Madam, you misunderstand. I was only anxious because I truly lost my ink jade pendant.” He opened his palm, and indeed, the jade pendant was no longer there. “You see, madam, you haven’t returned the pendant to me yet!”
He insisted that the jade pendant was missing. What could this young woman do to him?
The maids were speechless at his brazenness.
Suddenly, a voice spoke from behind them.
“I’d also like to know how much your jade pendant is worth.”
Yi Ning turned around to see Lu Jiaxue, dressed in everyday clothes, standing at the entrance with his men. He had probably been there for a while before slowly walking in. His guards flooded in, surrounding all the other guards. The aura of these battle-hardened soldiers was completely different, exuding a fierce, killing intent.
Xu Yong, now helped up by his guards, was shocked to see Lu Jiaxue: “You’re… Military Governor Lu? Lord Lu?”
“Indeed,” Lu Jiaxue sat down on a stone bench in the courtyard, leaning against the stone table. No matter his demeanor, he always exuded an aura of power and dominance. A gust of wind made Xu Yong shiver, and seeing Lu Jiaxue’s relaxed posture, he realized he had truly gotten himself into trouble this time. Lu Jiaxue then smiled, “How much is it worth? I’ll compensate you. Do you want that?”
Why had Lu Jiaxue suddenly appeared?
Yi Ning still remembered the last time she saw him—the bleeding head in her dowry box.
Lu Jiaxue hadn’t initially planned to come down, but considering how much Wei Ling cherished this daughter, he couldn’t completely ignore the situation. He had stood outside for a while, listening to their conversation. She was quite interesting, even kicking the man into the pond. There was always a fierce side to her nature that couldn’t be completely hidden, no matter how docile she tried to appear.
That person had been the same way. When Lu Jiaxue didn’t want to go to the garrison for a boring assignment and instead lay in her room bullying her, she thought of the three obediences and four virtues, suppressing her anger to smile at him.
But when he fell asleep, she drew three cat whiskers on his face with ink. When he woke up and went to confront her, she feigned innocence with a meek expression. He then pulled her into his arms, kissing her face and smearing the ink onto her fair skin, his stubble scratching her.
Soon she was begging him to stop, complaining of discomfort. Once Lu Jiaxue had his fun, he cupped her face in his hands, carefully wiping it clean with his fingers.
Xu Yong turned pale. Looking back at Yi Ning, he saw her coldly staring at him.
Feeling utterly humiliated, Xu Yong hurriedly cupped his hands and said, “Lord Governor, I truly didn’t know this lady was associated with you… I apologize to her and hope you won’t hold it against me.”
“No need to apologize,” Lu Jiaxue said, fingering his ring. “Just slap yourself twice.”
Xu Yong’s face darkened further, but considering the consequences of offending Lu Jiaxue, he cursed himself for interfering. He may be reckless, but he knew who he could and couldn’t provoke. Who exactly was this woman, to make Lu Jiaxue stand up for her? Steeling himself, he immediately slapped himself twice, loudly: “Thank you for the lesson, my lord.”
Xu Yong then asked to take his leave, but Lu Jiaxue remained silent. Xu Yong stood rigidly in place, not daring to leave without Lu Jiaxue’s permission. Only when Xu Yong’s forehead began to bead with sweat did Lu Jiaxue wave his hand, allowing him to go.
After he left, the courtyard fell silent. Yi Ning thought to herself that she hadn’t asked for his help; she had brought plenty of people, and if the reason failed, they could have beaten that guy to a pulp. Now she was supposed to thank him?
She could only walk up to him, curtsy, and say, “I must thank my adoptive father for speaking up for me today. I have no way to repay you but will remember it in my heart. I’m sure you’re busy with official matters, so I won’t disturb you further.”
As she reached the doorway, Lu Jiaxue said, “Stop. Did I say you could leave?”
“Does my adoptive father have something else to discuss?”
A quarter of an hour later, Yi Ning sat inside, peeling pomegranates for Lu Jiaxue.
She cut open the seams with a knife, then carefully separated the sections. Using a special silver pick, she extracted the seeds one by one.
Lu Jiaxue was playing chess with the Minister of War. The room was quiet except for the sound of water dripping from bamboo leaves.
Lu Jiaxue had no ulterior motives; he just felt this little girl didn’t take him seriously enough. After all, he had saved her on her wedding day, even if he had personally delivered the severed head. She hadn’t seemed particularly grateful for his help earlier, so he decided to make her peel pomegranates for him as a small punishment.
Yi Ning watched him play chess from the side. His skill was terrible. Despite the Minister of War giving him a five-stone handicap, he still couldn’t win. But as an observer, she kept quiet, not daring to offer advice to Lu Jiaxue. She guessed the two retainers standing nearby didn’t dare either. Winning or losing was at the governor’s discretion; who knew if he’d be pleased with advice?
People have their strengths and weaknesses. Lu Jiaxue was a genius at military strategy, but aside from his good handwriting, he was hopeless at refined pursuits like music, chess, and painting.
The Minister of War, probably not wanting to embarrass Lu Jiaxue too much, gave him two more stones but still won.
“Scholar’s games,” Lu Jiaxue tossed the chess pieces into the container and drank some tea.
The Minister of War smiled and said, “Your adopted daughter is the wife of the top scholar. Her skill must be quite good. Why not let her play in your stead?”
The Minister, an elderly man with a full beard, didn’t seem concerned about propriety between men and women.
Lu Jiaxue glanced at Yi Ning, who sat down directly across from the Minister of War, and smiled, “Then please go first, Minister Fu.” Her hands were sore from peeling pomegranates, so this was a good chance to rest.
Minister Fu laughed heartily, appreciating her straightforwardness, and began to play.
Lu Jiaxue raised an eyebrow but said nothing, sitting nearby to watch her play.
Just then, someone knocked on the door and entered, saying, “…says she’s a maid of the young miss from the Marquis Ying’s household.”
Lu Jiaxue allowed her to enter.
It was Fu Hong, one of Yi Ning’s second-tier maids assigned to her by Luo Shenyuan. She approached and whispered in Yi Ning’s ear: “Madam, the Lady Lu who spoke with you at Xiangyun Society heard you were here having tea. She sent someone to say she’d like to meet with you…”
Yi Ning’s chess piece clattered loudly onto the board.
“We’ll discuss this later,” Yi Ning said, her expression neutral, fearing to reveal anything with Lu Jiaxue nearby. “Can’t you see I’m playing chess?”
Fu Hong immediately acknowledged and retreated outside.
The others didn’t seem to have heard what the maid said. Yi Ning glanced sideways at Lu Jiaxue; he appeared not to have heard either, his hand holding the teacup perfectly steady.
She let out a breath, thinking to herself how Xie Min was here too! What a coincidence—usually, she couldn’t meet any of them, but now they were all gathered in one place.
Minister Fu casually said as they played, “My lord, let’s forget chess for today. Why don’t you join us at Yongle House next time for a few games? This self-cultivation isn’t your style…”
Yongle House was a gambling den favored by many officials and nobles, where high-stakes games were played. Yi Ning remembered that many years ago, Lu Jiaxue used to sneak out with other young nobles to play there at night. He had good luck and often won, bringing back treats for her.
“We’ll see if I have time,” Lu Jiaxue’s voice suddenly grew soft.
“Miss Wei, you hear that? Your adoptive father is so stingy. Is he afraid of losing money?” Minister Fu said to Yi Ning with a smile.
“My adoptive father is skilled at gambling. I don’t think he’s afraid of losing money,” Yi Ning smiled back. “He’s probably afraid that if he wins too much of your money, Minister Fu, you won’t play with him anymore.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she noticed Lu Jiaxue’s hand freeze mid-sip.
Then he slowly tightened his grip on the teacup.
Minister Fu and the other retainers looked at Yi Ning strangely, and the atmosphere suddenly grew tense.
Yi Ning didn’t understand what she had said wrong. Thinking carefully, she wondered if her joke had been inappropriate. Just as she was about to speak, one of Lu Jiaxue’s retainers suddenly asked her, “Miss Wei, our lord has never gambled. How do you know he’s skilled at it?”
Yi Ning was stunned. He knew how to gamble, and he was very good at it. Did no one else know?
“My lord, you know how to gamble? Why haven’t you ever mentioned this before?” Minister Fu asked Lu Jiaxue with a smile.
Hearing this, Yi Ning’s body went rigid. She began to feel hot all over, her palms sweating. Had she said something wrong again? Perhaps he had stopped gambling after that time, to the point that no one knew.
But that didn’t make sense. Even if he had stopped gambling then, how could his retainers claim he had never gambled?
“I don’t know how to gamble. I only lied about it back then out of necessity,” Lu Jiaxue suddenly smiled. His voice was very calm, eerily calm, like the stillness of the sea before a storm.
“I suppose there’s only one person in the world who would think I know how to gamble.”
His tone was soft and slow, but the words hit like hammer blows.
Yi Ning’s heart pounded. She immediately pushed back her chair and turned to run!
Her hands shook violently. She had a premonition that if she didn’t leave now, she might never be able to!
The teacup finally shattered, porcelain shards scattering across the floor. She had barely crossed the threshold when an iron-like grip seized her, followed by an overwhelming presence. His voice dripped with menace: “Luo Yi Ning—where do you think you’re going?”
The room fell deathly silent. No one knew what was happening.
Yi Ning’s face turned ashen, gripped by an incomparable fear. She twisted her hand, struggling to escape Lu Jiaxue’s grasp: “Let go of me! What are you doing?”
Lu Jiaxue knows… What will he do now that he knows? Will he kill her again? She shouldn’t have run—her flight only confirmed his suspicions. She cursed herself for losing her composure earlier, unable to think clearly at the moment, acting purely on instinct.
What should she do now?
Claim it was all a misunderstanding? Lu Jiaxue wouldn’t believe that even if he were a fool, let alone with his razor-sharp mind.
Lu Jiaxue pinned her against the door, maintaining his iron grip. Without turning around, he said, “Minister Fu, I’m afraid I can’t entertain you any longer today. Please leave—I need to have a good talk with my adopted daughter.”
The Minister of War opened his mouth to speak but saw Lu Jiaxue’s still-smiling face. Bewildered by the sudden change, as the young woman had been calmly playing chess moments ago, he forced a smile and said tensely, “Then… we’ll chat another day, my lord.”
Two retainers remained in the room, looking at each other in confusion. Lu Jiaxue suddenly roared, “Get out, all of you!”
Terrified by his unprecedented outburst, the retainers hurriedly complied and left. Lu Jiaxue then yanked Luo Yi Ning inside and slammed the door shut, locking it.
An unprecedented sense of crisis made Yi Ning’s heart race uncontrollably. She tried to think quickly, but her shaking hands and heightened anxiety left her mind blank.
Lu Jiaxue loosened his grip on her wrist, then pressed her hands down, forcing her onto the luohan bed. He leaned in close and said, “Why did you run just now—feeling guilty, or scared?”
Lu Jiaxue’s tone was very deep. His face was inches from hers, handsome and profound, bearing the marks of years passed. It was all so familiar, yet strange.
“I don’t understand what you’re saying, Lord Governor,” Yi Ning could only feign ignorance now. If she didn’t admit it, what could Lu Jiaxue do? Supernatural matters were too absurd; Lu Jiaxue had never believed in such things!
But her reaction earlier had been too obvious. Unless he was incredibly stupid, how could he not be suspicious? And Lu Jiaxue was never stupid! Even in his youth, his carefree attitude was just a facade; he was a person of formidable character.
Lu Jiaxue laughed again, a low, almost suppressed sound. Then he suddenly gripped Yi Ning’s chin and forcefully pressed her down onto the bed. “You don’t understand? ‘The conqueror lays down his armor, loyal bones rest in green hills.’ You thought I didn’t hear your maid mention you speaking with a Lady Lu earlier? Stop playing dumb. Back then, when I was out planning affairs, I lied to you about gambling. You were so naive, you believed me—and still do. Luo Yi Ning, how dare you say you don’t understand!”
Yi Ning closed her eyes.
Indeed, she had been foolish! Back then, he wasn’t gambling at all; he was out planning affairs and simply deceiving her.
“I don’t know anything. I only guessed you knew how to gamble,” Yi Ning said. “Lord Governor, I’m married now. This closeness between a man and woman is improper, and you’re my adoptive father. Do you want rumors to spread and ruin my reputation?”
She twisted her wrist, trying to escape from under him.
“You won’t admit it? I have ways to make you confess slowly!” Lu Jiaxue’s lips were almost touching her delicate face. “Between us… what’s there to be formal about? If you sleep with me, I’ll know everything about you immediately.”
“Get lost!” Yi Ning was so angry she wanted to hit him. “I’m your adopted daughter, and I’m married. I don’t know what you’re thinking! You’ve mistaken me for someone else!”
“There’s no chance I’m letting you go,” Lu Jiaxue said coldly, still holding onto her as he stood up. If she was her, he had personally sent her to someone else, even provided a dowry. All those times he had treated her dismissively, one by one, because he didn’t know it was her… it was too ridiculous! If it was her… this vague anger made him want to destroy everything.
Now he was about seventy to eighty percent certain, but the mix of rekindled passion and despair in his heart kept him from being completely sure. He feared it might still be an illusion, that in the end, it would all be for nothing!
Suddenly, there was a commotion of footsteps outside.
Yi Ning faintly heard Qing Qu’s voice: “…Where is our madam? The old madam is looking for her to return…”
Pearl had gone to fetch Qing Qu!
Yi Ning despairingly felt that a military man was nothing like Xu Yong; his grip was impossible to break free from. She lowered her head and bit down hard, but his hand was as hard as iron. He leaned down and said mockingly, “Are you stupid? Do you think you can bite through? Go ahead and bite! You’re not leaving no matter what. Even if you’re not her, you’ll stay by my side. Admit it, tell me if it’s you or not!” His voice grew increasingly severe!
He was still pressing her down, but Yi Ning’s hand touched something on the luohan bed…
It was the silver pick she had used to remove pomegranate seeds!
She raised it and, catching him off guard, stabbed towards his face. Lu Jiaxue instinctively dodged to the side, loosening his grip. She seized the opportunity to break free and roll off the bed. In that instant, a thousand thoughts raced through her mind. The door was out of reach, with his men guarding it. But the window was possible—this was the second floor, and there were pomegranate trees below. Jumping would only result in minor scrapes and, at worst a sprained ankle.
Should she jump? He was already getting off the bed to grab her; there was no time left! Yi Ning grew increasingly anxious.