Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Gu Haoting was grabbing a fresh towel from the shelf when his foot caught on the fabric of her pants. He glanced at the other towel he had dropped across the toilet lid and knitted his eyebrows.
“I don’t think she put on anything before she left,” he thought.
Gu Haoting opened the door.
Huo Weiwu had pulled the sheets off the bed and draped them around her body. The remote control was resting in her hand as she sat on the bed, one leg up comfortably as she watched the television.
She didn’t even look him in the eye when he emerged from the bathroom.
Gu Haoting’s lips pressed into a thin line. His gaze was burning as he said in a low voice, “I’m giving you two options: either you go to the black pine forest, or you stay here and wait for me to return.”
Huo Weiwu cast a sidelong glance at him. She tossed the remote control onto the bed and stood up, declaring, “If I make this decision based on the danger involved in each scenario, I still think it will be safer for me to go to the black pine forest.”
“You seem to think that it’s dangerous to be with me. Why is that so? Are you afraid I’ll f*ck you?” Gu Haoting stepped toward Huo Weiwu.
Huo Weiwu felt his approach like a physical pressure pushing her back. Her back stiffened as she retorted, “Weren’t you the one who asked me to decide?”
“Huo Weiwu, don’t forget that you were the one who forced me to marry you. What are you trying to do now?” Gu Haoting replied in an icy voice. He stood before her like a magnificent lion.
“Men don’t cherish women who are too easy to get, right?” asked Huo Weiwu in return.
Gu Haoting pursed his lips. His gaze had grown even more frigid now. “Once you’ve played this game, you’ll realize how far out of your league you truly were. Lieutenant Shang!”
There was a click from the door.
Gu Haoting casually tossed a blanket over Huo Weiwu so that her body was hidden more conservatively.
Lieutenant Shang entered the room with a folded green military uniform in his hands. He nodded.
Gu Haoting changed into it swiftly.
***
Gu Haoting’s physique was naturally tall and powerful, and his military uniform only accentuated those aspects. He looked incredibly suave.
His facial features were as sharp and defined as a knife, and at the same time, he had a cool and indifferent temperament to him. He looked like someone who was capable of riding both the wind and waves, of covering thousands of miles if need be. He could frighten his enemies or charm any woman as he chose.
Indeed, his reputation as the most handsome man in the military wasn’t undeserved.
“Sir, what about her?” Lieutenant Shang asked and then awaited further instructions.
“Give her a set of clothes and dump her in the black pine forest. Let her out only when she has reconsidered her attitude and behavior,” said Gu Haoting ruthlessly. He shot Huo Weiwu another cold glance before striding out of the room.
Huo Weiwu watched Gu Haoting leave, stretching her neck to do so. She then turned to Lieutenant Shang and asked, “There aren’t any poisonous snakes or beasts in the black pine forest, right?”
“The truth is that the Commander is raising 50 wolves in the forest,” replied Lieutenant Shang with an expressionless face.
“Is he insane?” blurted Huo Weiwu, momentarily losing her composure.
“Our enemies are more frightening than the wolves, so all the soldiers have to endure vigorous physical training in the black pine forest for one week,” replied Lieutenant Shang righteously.
“But I’m not your enemy; I’m merely a defenseless woman!” declared Huo Weiwu, her eyebrows brow furrowed.
“The Commander has said that I can only let you out when you’ve realized your mistakes and come to regret your decision. Madam, the Commander spent a great deal of time and effort looking for you over the past week. He has drained not just his energy, but also his financial resources and manpower. The training of his soldiers has been delayed as well. Please do not continue to anger him; otherwise, the consequences will be severe,” Lieutenant Shang reminded her.
“I ran away precisely because I didn’t want to anger him,” she thought.
She did a quick mental calculation and realized that her period would probably arrive in two days. Her menstrual cycle usually lasted from four to seven days, but if she binged on snacks like ice cream, she stood a chance of making her period last longer.
“One day at a time,” she thought.
“I’m about to step into the grave that is marriage. Do you honestly think I’m afraid of those wolves? Haven’t you heard the saying that women are tigresses?” Huo Weiwu replied impatiently.
Lieutenant Shang nodded in acceptance of her decision. “I’ll prepare some clothes for you, Madam.”