Chapter 5: Chapter 5

With a sweet smile and a wave of her arm, the crowd of bandits who were tortured half to death was revitalized. Each one of them straightened their backs and steadied their horse stance. They couldn’t possibly lose face in front of a beautiful woman, could they?

Seeing the bandits look at Ye Jiayao like hungry wolves, Xia Chunyu started to get annoyed.

“What are you looking at? Take another look and you won’t get to eat dinner,” Xia Chunyu growled.

The gang cursed silently. Third-in-charge was so petty. What could a look do? It wasn’t like they were touching her – he wouldn’t lose a piece of meat.

Ye Jiayao left them to their training as she has already greeted them. She did not wish to disturb them any further. She turned and saw spots of wild strawberries growing on the grass patch at the roadside. She smiled merrily and bounded over. She had heard from her father that these were all over the mountains in the past. In the modern times, the place had been highly urbanized that it has become very difficult to find them, so she was happy to see so many.

Ye Jiayao rolled her sleeves up and lifted her skirt as she began picking strawberries.

The bandits could not control their eyes. It was not common for such a beautiful woman to appear in the stockade and they couldn’t resist staring. Even if they couldn’t touch, taking a few looks would suffice.

Pretty lady, pretty lady look over here, pretty lady, pretty lady look over here…

The bandits rejoiced in their hearts.

It was a pity that Ye Jiayao did not have telepathy with them. Her whole attention was occupied by the red wild strawberries.

Upon seeing their inattentiveness, Xia Chunyu turned his head over to take a look at what was preoccupying them. He raged when he saw that girl bent over, picking god knows what, with that tempting derriere raised in the air.

F*ck!  No matter how much he detested her, she was still his woman. He could not just let these lewd bandits continue ogling her. Their drool was almost dripping onto their shirts for goodness’ sake!

Fed up with training, Xia Chunyu called Peng Wu over. “Stay here to supervise. Use the rod on whoever slacks off.” He threw one last glare at the bandits before walking over to Ye Jiayao.

The bandits were overwhelmed with joy. Peng Wu was nothing compared to third-in-charge. They looked at the new sister-in-law practically as the goddess bodhisattva that saved them from suffering. Thanks to the new sister-in-law, third-in-charge was finally leaving them alone. Everyone had already forgotten how they cursed her before that, blaming her for what they had to endure.

“What on earth are you doing?” Xia Chunyu thundered.

Ye Jiayao looked at him in confusion, not understanding his anger. “Can’t you tell? I’m picking wild strawberries. These are delicious.”

“I think you are here to embarrass yourself.” Xia Chunyu grabbed her hand, dragging her back to their house.

This sudden pull caused all the wild strawberries that Ye Jiayao has plucked painstakingly to drop to the ground. She glared up at him, her anger obvious yet she did not dare to speak, only cursing him in her head. You are the one embarrassing yourself! How is plucking wild strawberries embarrassing? I really don’t know what goes on in that big head of yours!

Back in the courtyard, Xia Chunyu flung her hand away, his voice tight as he lectured, “From now on, you are not to run around the place. To think you are from a wealthy family! Do you even know what the word modesty is? Do you think you are a courtesan from a brothel? Not an inch of you is dignified. If you want to embarrass yourself, go ahead, but don’t drag me into this. If there is a next time, I will fulfill your wish and let you sell yourself as much as you want.”

Was he actually angry at her for greeting the bandits? Was he really annoyed at her for simply waving  her hand?

She chased him into the room, sneering, “I am already a bandit’s wife. Why do I have to behave like a respectable lady? This is called when in Rome, do as the Romans do! If you like respectable ladies, why the hell did you come up to the mountains to be a bandit? The pot should always match with the lid. The day you retire and start doing good would be the day that I turn into a virtuous respectable lady, how about that?”

Xia Chunyu halted, turning around to glare at her, the corner of his mouth twitching. What kind of logic is that?

“Also, what is up with you and this perpetual scowling face? The brothers in the stockade are sure to dislike you because you are always in such a foul mood. If I am more easy-going, I can help you win some of them over. I was only trying to help and here you are, scolding me for my good deed,” Ye Jiayao sulked. Actually, to be perfectly honest, she was feeling sorrier for her ruined wild strawberries.

Xia Chunyu scoffed, “Why are you treating yourself as the wife of a Hei Feng Gang’s leader? Have we matched our eight characters? Ordered betrothal gifts? Prayed to the heavens and earth or drank the nuptial wine? At the very best, you are just a toy. If I am in a good mood I will let you stay in this room and if I am not, I can always reward you to someone else. You don’t have to be so eager to show yourself to others, there will be many opportunities to come.”

Ye Jiayao was so angry all she could do was laugh. “Oh, really? I didn’t know you bandits have so many regulations in getting a wife. In case you’ve forgotten, you are not from a decent family. I don’t care what you see me as, anyway. The brothers in the stockade call me sister-in-law when they see me. In everyone’s eyes, I am your wife.”

This filthy man kept using the threat of giving her to others to keep her in line. If she did not retaliate, she would always be lead around by the nose.

Xia Chunyu squinted, his lips rising into a treacherous curve. He slowly leaned over as Ye Jiayao leaned away. When he didn’t drink, he has a clean and fresh scent on him, just like the wind in this mountain. However, she knew that the winds in the mountains were the hardest to grasp with its turbulent undercurrents that can engulf anyone up at any time.

His lips were almost touching the tip of her nose and Ye Jiayao stared anxiously at him, almost becoming cross-eyed. Why must he come so close when he talks?

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“Maybe I can’t reward you to my brothers but I can sell you. I heard that selling out of the borders can fetch a good price and then you can forget about coming back for the rest of your life,” he said, his tone gentle as though he was whispering words of endearment.

Ye Jiayao was unable to balance herself with him leaning so close and her body fell backward. Just as she thought she was going to land splat on the ground, his arm circled her waist and pulled her back up. Ye Jiayao’s nose collided into his firm chest as she took in a deep breath.

“Don’t try to provoke me. Here, what I say goes,” Xia Chunyu said firmly.

He really is ruthless! Ye Jia Yao shut her mouth despite all the barrage of curses she wanted to hurl at him.

Xia Chunyu laughed coldly on the inside as he saw the fight leave her. Pitting against him never resulted to good things for his opponents.

“Don’t wear this anymore, it’s an eyesore,” Xia Chunyu demanded, eyeing the wedding garb with disgust.

“What would I wear? Why don’t you help me ask second-in-charge if he also took some stuff with him while he kidnapped me? All my clothes are in my trousseau.”

Xia Chunyu knew that he did not have any clothes for her here, and the clothes that the Aunties wear in the stockade were not suitable for her either. He really had to ask second brother if he wanted to dress his bride in something less conspicuous.

“Do not run out here, do you hear me?” he warned, pointing at her.

Ye Jiayao’s large eyes blinked and she nodded obediently.

Once Xia Chunyu walked out, Ye Jiayao started hitting his pillow with her fists.

“F*ck being your toy! You are the toy! Filthy man! Just my luck to end up with a bandit! Just you wait, I’m going to play you to death,” she ranted.

After venting her anger, Ye Jiayao lied on the bed, spent. She knew that the road ahead was obscure, a long way with a heavy burden and she had to come up with a plan. She has given up on conquering his heart. She originally thought that he was quite handsome but now, she had decided that this filthy man has no merits other than good appearance. He has no respect for women. Plus, he was arrogant, aloof, cold and fickle. No matter what angle she looked at it from, it was impossible for her to like someone like that. If they were in the modern times, she would’ve already f*cking slapped him in the face.

However, she still has to play along. Only by winning his trust and the trust of the brothers in the stockade could she have the chance to escape.

She would need to begin with food. She would start by pampering his stomach and turning him into such a fussy eater that he would like no one’s food but hers. She would cultivate a habit in his body to get him to progress to psychological dependence on her.

Yes, that was it, Ye Jiayao concluded, her fighting spirit reignited. Her conquering would start with delicacies.

After a while, Xia Chunyu returned, still empty-handed. “Song Qi says they did not snatch any other things. Just make do with these for a few days and if you don’t go out, it’s okay if you don’t wear anything.”

Lecher beast,  Ye Jiayao cursed inside.

“That’s weird. When you go down the mountain, don’t you all steal some things up? I have quite a generous trousseau,” Ye Jiayao complained. Her sister from her stepmother would stand to gain from her things if they really did not take it.

It really did seemed a little odd to leave such a generous trousseau behind and only taking the girl. That did not seem like second-in-charge’s style. Every time second-in-charge goes down the mountain, it was a total havoc. He burned everything useless and takes everything he deemed has value.

“Why are you out of breath? Get me a cup of tea.” Xia Chunyu frowned at her.

Ye Jiayao poured him a cup of cold tea compliantly. “There’s no more hot water, will this do?”

Xia Chunyu glared at her, face full of dissatisfaction. “If there is no hot water then go to the kitchen and get some.”

Ye Jiayao sulked, “Didn’t you forbid me from going out?”

“It is not allowing you to loiter at places you shouldn’t go to. Don’t you realize you are in a bandit’s den? Aren’t you afraid that someone will peel your skin and eat your bones?” he barked.

Then that would mean that you are useless as a third-in-charge. Which bandit would dare to covet your woman?  Ye Jiayao thought to herself.

“If I go, I really doubt they will give me water. Just this afternoon, I wasn’t even given lunch! I asked them for food and they said there was none. I offered to make some for myself and one auntie went as far as to extinguish the stove fire in front of me. I just ran out after snatching a cucumber because I was so hungry. If it wasn’t for me being fast, that auntie would have probably caught up with me and snatched the cucumber back,” Ye Jiayao muttered.

Xia Chunyu spat out the water he was drinking.

He looked at Ye Jiayao, unable to make sense of her. She even snatches food? What, was she mad from hunger?

“Why are you looking at me like that? I am speaking the truth,” Ye Jiayao said.

“Are you daft? Can’t you just say you are my woman?”

Ye Jiayao replied innocently, “Unless they were colorblind or fools, they should’ve known who I am as soon as they saw me in this garb! Why do I even need to announce that? I am actually puzzled too. I just came here last night so I know that I didn’t offend them. Could it just be because you did not win the hearts of the people, third-in-charge?”