Hearing Bai Ran's words, Sun Zhe was dumbfounded, his heart seeming to skip a beat. It wasn't until her figure disappeared from view that he finally snapped out of it and hurriedly chased after her.
In the kitchen, Bai Ran had tied on an apron and was clearing the dishes, scraping off the leftovers. Her deanor was gentle and virtuous, yet she didn't lack a mature, womanly charm. Her flushed cheeks carried a slight hint of intoxication that was utterly captivating, and her hazy, dream-like gaze was even more srizing, threatening to pull one into its depths.
Sun Zhe stared at her blankly, montarily forgetting what he wanted to say as the feeling of drunkenness deepened.
"Why are you staring at so lustfully?"
"Are you thinking of screwing in the kitchen?"
Only when Bai Ran spoke did Sun Zhe return to his senses. "Sister-in-law," he said in a low voice, "what did you an just now... about going to your room later?"
Bai Ran widened her lovely, intoxicated eyes and retorted, "What do you an, 'what did I an'? It ans exactly what it says."
Sun Zhe looked troubled. "But Brother Huang..."
"Don't worry, silly boy." Bai Ran suddenly cut him off, a sly smile gracing her lips. "I know that guy. After a few cups of that rotgut, he sleeps like a log. Even thunder wouldn't wake him up. Later, even if I scream my lungs out, he won't be disturbed. So, silly boy, you'd better screw hard right next to him."
Sun Zhe's expression turned strange. "Don't call that."
Bai Ran suddenly stepped before him, rising on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck. She pouted, "Silly boy, silly boy, silly boy... I just did. What are you going to do about it?"
"I can't take it when you call that," Sun Zhe said.
Bai Ran's eyes were sultry as she exhaled a fragrant whisper of wine. "And what happens when you can't take it anymore?"
Sun Zhe's gaze drifted downward, fixing on the fiery, sensual red lips before him. He secretly swallowed.
Bai Ran gently narrowed her beautiful eyes and asked coquettishly, "Want a kiss? The kind that leaves a string when we part."
Sun Zhe bit his tongue. He abruptly pulled her arms from his neck, pushed her away, and turned to leave. "My head's a bit dizzy. I'm going to bed."
"Stop!" Bai Ran's tone turned frigid.
Sun Zhe stopped and glanced back at her. Seeing her icy expression, he couldn't help but feel unnerved.
Bai Ran wrung the hem of her clothes with both hands, her voice trembling. "You clearly want it. That thing of yours hasn't gone down at all. Why are you running away? Do you think I'm dirty?"
Sun Zhe sighed softly, a bitter smile on his face. "I admit it. Physically, it's hard to resist, and I really want to. But Sister-in-law, we really can't do this to Brother Huang."
"That's not what you said this afternoon when you were feeling up," Bai Ran shot back.
Sun Zhe looked mortified. "I'm sorry about this afternoon. I really couldn't control myself then. Sister-in-law, maybe we should just stop here..."
But before he could finish, he froze.
He saw that Bai Ran was crying. Two lines of crystalline tears slid down from the corners of her eyes, a heart-wrenching sight.
"Sister-in-law, what's wrong?"
Bai Ran wiped at her tears. "Do you think I'm so promiscuous slut? That despite having a husband who dotes on , I'd throw away all morality and sha to try and seduce a guest who just arrived in our ho?"
Hearing this, Sun Zhe frantically waved his hands. "No, Sister-in-law, I've never thought that!"
"Do you know why I'm trying to seduce you?" Bai Ran asked.
Sun Zhe risked a furtive glance at her, not daring to et her eyes. "Why?"
Wiping her tears, Bai Ran said with a cold laugh, "Because I want revenge on him. I'm going to treat him exactly how he's treated . If I don't, I'll never be able to move on. This will cast a shadow over my life forever."
Hearing this, Sun Zhe's brow furrowed slightly. There must be a story between Bai Ran and Huang Qianggang.
"Why do you want revenge on him?" he asked.
Bai Ran looked out the window and smiled. "The rain seems to have lightened. Shall we go for a walk?"
"Okay."
***
The nights in Xiong City were nowhere near as bustling as those in Yang City. The streets were cold and deserted, and with the patter of drizzling rain, one could hardly see any pedestrians.
An elderly man in a makeshift raincoat made of plastic sheeting was carefully rummaging through a trash bin on the side of the street. Rats that people would normally shrink from scurried over his feet, but he paid them no mind, as if his world contained nothing but scrap that could be sold for money.
Sun Zhe stood under a streetlamp holding an umbrella, watching the elderly scavenger. He said to Bai Ran, "You say your life is hard, but who in this world doesn't have it hard? Yet they all keep on living, struggling tenaciously."
Bai Ran stood to the side without a word, her head lowered, crying softly.
Sun Zhe patted her shoulder and sighed under his breath. "Let's go back."
From what Bai Ran told him, Sun Zhe finally understood why she wanted revenge on Huang Qianggang.
It turned out that before Huang Qianggang married Bai Ran, he already had another woman, and even had a child with her. Bai Ran only found out about it a year into their marriage. Huang Qianggang, however, had no idea she knew. He just kept playing the part of the doting husband. And Bai Ran, for her part, never confronted him, choosing to endure it all in silence.
Sun Zhe didn't know the whole truth, but from Bai Ran's description, Huang Qianggang was a real piece of work—a beast, even.
When Huang Qianggang and Bai Ran had to move to Xiong City for work, his other woman and their child moved there as well. Every month, Huang Qianggang would give her a sum of money. He would often use work as an excuse to not co ho for days on end, staying at the other woman's place instead.
He even brought the woman to their ho once. While Bai Ran was drunk and fast asleep, they did it right in front of her. As if to declare her dominance, the woman then deliberately squirted her fluids onto Bai Ran's bed.
Sun Zhe couldn't begin to imagine how Bai Ran must have felt, or how she managed to feign sleep and endure that night.
***
Bai Ran dried her tears. "Ah Zhe, do you believe ?"
Sun Zhe didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked, "Why don't you just confront him about it? If it were , I'd probably get my revenge and then leave him without a second thought. Of course, I'm not telling you what to do. This is your life, and you have to make your own decision. I'm just an outsider, after all."
Bai Ran gave a self-deprecating laugh. "I don't know why. Maybe I'm just scared... Scared of what people would say, scared of disappointing my parents... Even though I know his doting is just a product of guilt, I still choose to silently endure that fake affection. Because to everyone around us, I'm perfect. My marriage, my career, everything."
"So you don't want a failed marriage," Sun Zhe stated.
Bai Ran nodded, wiping away the last of her tears. "Getting to vent to soone... it doesn't feel so bitter anymore."
"Don't cry," Sun Zhe said. "Let's go ho."
Bai Ran squinted into a smile. "Yes. My fluids really shouldn't be coming from my eyes."
Sun Zhe felt the profound double aning in her words but chose not to respond.
***
After returning to Bai Ran's ho, Sun Zhe quickly washed up, went into the guest room, and locked the door from the inside.
He truly sympathized with Bai Ran. He felt her situation was unfair and that she had suffered greatly over the past two years. But no matter what, this was a matter between a husband and wife. As an outsider, he didn't want to get involved, and he certainly didn't want to beco a tool for her revenge against Huang Qianggang.
Ti trickled by as the night grew deeper.
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
In a drowsy haze, Sun Zhe was jolted awake by the sound. He knew it was Bai Ran, so he didn't answer, pretending to be asleep. The door was locked from the inside; she couldn't get in.
Unexpectedly, Bai Ran's voice ca from the other side. "Ah Zhe, if you don't open this door, I'm just going to stand here all night."
Damn it!
Hearing her words, Sun Zhe felt an urge to tear his hair out. After a mont of internal conflict, he got out of bed and opened the door.
The instant the door opened, Bai Ran threw herself into his arms, clinging to him like a fledgling bird returning to its nest.
Sun Zhe gently patted her fragrant shoulder. "Sister-in-law, you should get so rest."
Bai Ran tilted her head up to stare into his eyes, her expression serious. "Revenge is one thing, but I also truly want you. I don't know why. From the first mont I saw you, I was attracted to you. Whether it's love or lust, it doesn't matter anymore. Ah Zhe, I'm in so much pain, it's unbearable... Can you please help ? After tonight, we'll just pretend nothing ever happened."
"You've thought this through?" Sun Zhe asked.
"Yes, I have."
"Then don't regret it," Sun Zhe said.
Bai Ran let out a soft giggle, taking his hand and leading him toward her bedroom. "To be honest, even if it wasn't you, I probably would have found so other man for my revenge. Maybe even that elderly scavenger from before."
"Your tastes are that extre?"
"So, if you don't want to get screwed by an old man like that, then you'll have to be the one to do it. Aren't you n all the sa? You think only you deserve to screw beautiful won, and that it's a cri for anyone else to even touch them."
"..."
At that mont, Huang Qianggang was fast asleep on the bed, snoring like thunder.
Bai Ran led Sun Zhe to the bedside. She turned her back to him, bent at the waist, and lifted her nightgown.
"Ah Zhe, co inside . Quick."
...
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