But if it were Silly Zhao, Chen Jiu reckoned he wouldn’t even need to give candy; just a touch on the hand, and he’d likely do whatever he was told.
Thinking this way, Chen Jiu’s idea didn’t seem wrong after all.
Zhao Chen felt a bit speechless but could see that Chen Jiu didn’t have any malicious intent. In his memories, although Chen Jiu disliked Silly Zhao drooling over him, he never said anything harsh and would even give him some food when he said he was hungry.
It seemed that Chen Jiu’s character was indeed beyond reproach.
Zhao Chen stared at Chen Jiu for a while without expression and then said in a deep voice, “Alright, follow me.”
With that, he glanced complexly at the two pieces of candy, turned, and headed back to the thatched hut with the chicken in hand.
Chen Jiu had felt a bit embarrassed when taking out the candy, but Zhao Chen’s blatant disdain made him feel awkward.
However, it wasn’t a total loss; Zhao Chen had agreed to play along and show Chen Ling and the others.
Chen Jiu carefully put the candy back into the sachet, reattached it to his waist, and obediently followed Zhao Chen.
After walking for a short while, Zhao Chen stopped and turned to ask him, “What’s your name?”
“Ah?” Chen Jiu was taken aback.
“My mind wasn’t clear before, so I couldn’t remember many things and didn’t remember your name.” Zhao Chen explained.
“Oh.” Chen Jiu understood and quickly replied, “Chen Jiu.”
So, according to Zhao Chen, he only recently became clear-headed? Why did he suddenly become clear-headed?
Chen Jiu was curious but felt too embarrassed to ask.
Zhao Chen nodded and, without further explanation, continued walking forward.
He walked slowly, so Chen Jiu didn’t have to worry about keeping up. The rest of the journey was relatively easy.
Before long, they arrived at the thatched hut.
The hut was old and in disrepair, with a leaky roof.
It had originally been the home of an old hunter in the village. When the hunter passed away two years ago, Zhao’s grandmother and second uncle had driven him to live there, only sending him one meal a day and neglecting him otherwise.
Fortunately, kind-hearted Zhang Shi and Zhao Lin from the Zhao family secretly gave him more food and brought doctors when he fell ill. Otherwise, he might have died long ago, and there would have been no chance for Zhao Chen to cross over.
Zhao Chen looked at the dilapidated thatched hut with a sense of decay and sighed inwardly.
He put the pheasant in the cage at the hut’s entrance, placed the basket in the kitchen, and scooped some water.
After washing their hands together, Zhao Chen led Chen Jiu to the hut’s only bedroom.
He had spent the entire morning cleaning the inside and outside of the hut, making it reasonably clean now.
Though it was still extremely simple, he hoped Chen Jiu wouldn’t mind.
Chen Jiu, of course, wouldn’t mind. He had spent three years in a filthy dungeon, and the thatched hut was a thousand times better.
However, he felt a bit nervous. Although Zhao Chen didn’t seem like the kind to take advantage of someone in distress, he was still a man.
Sharing a room with a man made him a bit anxious.
Zhao Chen noticed his unease and spoke to him first, “Don’t overthink it. I…”
He originally wanted to say he wasn’t interested, but worried it might come back to haunt him later, so he changed his words, “I’m not that much of a beast.”
Chen Jiu blushed and quietly retorted, “I didn’t think that way.”
“Good.” Zhao Chen said coldly, expressionless, “You rest for a while. I’ll make dinner. Those people won’t come so soon, right?”
Since it was a scheme, someone was bound to come watch the show.
If they arrived and saw them eating, it wouldn’t have the desired effect.
Chen Jiu shook his head, “No, they want me to…”
He paused, blushing before continuing, “To be pregnant with your child. They should come tomorrow morning.”
Those scoundrels had calculated that, with his weak body, he would faint once violated, unable to escape their trap. So in his previous life, Chen Ling had brought a group of people to find him the next morning.
Unfortunately, they didn’t find him with Silly Zhao but saw that disgraceful scene with Qian Yun instead.
At that time, Chen Ling must have been furious, and for the next while, she didn’t speak to him.
Chen Jiu had thought she was upset about the family’s reputation, and he kept trying to please her.
In hindsight, he realized how foolish he had been.
