Chapter 10: Deadly Bend 7 – Our Little Wife

Was he trying to rip his head clean off?! That was way too brutal!!

Jiang Shulan’s heart pounded so hard that his chest began to ache.

Trembling from head to toe, he nevertheless stood up obediently and straightened his neck, making it easier for his head to be pulled off. He was being remarkably cooperative.

Yet after enduring several minutes of terror with his neck stiffened, the BOSS still didn’t kill him.

Was he going to do it or not? He still had to go eat cake with Zhilin!

Growing impatient, Jiang Shulan leaned slightly toward the BOSS while tilting his head in the opposite direction.

Someone had apparently changed him into pajamas. The collar was a little loose, and with his head tilted, his delicate collarbone was exposed beneath the light, looking like flawless white jade.

Another two minutes passed.

Jiang Shulan heard voices outside the tent and worried that all this waiting would be for nothing.

Just as he was about to provoke the BOSS, he saw the creature’s fingers press down slightly, finally making a move.

Was it finally over?

Jiang Shulan squeezed his eyes shut. Looking as docile as a sacrificial lamb willingly offering its neck, he prepared himself to log out of life.

Instead, his cheeks were pinched twice.

[?]

[?]

‘Excuse me, BOSS, are you sick?’

The human and the system fell into collective contemplation.

“Shulan?”

Amy’s voice came from the other side of the tent.

Instinctively, Jiang Shulan turned his head.

“I’m here.”

When he looked back, the BOSS had already disappeared.

Amy and Darius entered the tent together, setting down their umbrellas. More than half their clothes were soaked.

“Feeling better?” Amy asked.

“A little.”

Jiang Shulan nodded.

Amy briefly explained what had happened.

After Jiang Shulan fainted, everyone had started heading down the mountain together. However, before they had gotten very far, night had completely fallen and a violent storm had begun.

For safety, they decided to set up camp and spend the night where they were.

“Vincent noticed you had a fever and wanted to give you some medicine,” Amy said.

“But the medicine was in Zhilin’s…” She paused and didn’t finish the sentence.

“Vincent said he knows a little about medicinal herbs. He went out into the rain to gather some and gave them to you.”

“But judging from the storm, it probably won’t stop anytime soon. So he went back out to collect more for the rest of us as well…”

Jiang Shulan swallowed nervously.

“By himself?”

The BOSS was outside!

And Vincent had gone off alone!

Wasn’t that basically delivering himself straight into a tiger’s mouth?

“He was worried about you, so he asked us to stay and look after you,” Darius explained. “Besides, you know Adam. He really needs some rest right now.”

“No.”

Jiang Shulan grabbed a random umbrella.

“I’m going to find him.”

“No way. Not in weather like this.”

Amy immediately objected.

“And Vincent said he has a very good sense of direction. If we go out and get lost, we’ll only make things worse.”

Jiang Shulan’s fingers tightened around the umbrella handle until his knuckles turned white.

“But it’s dangerous out there. I have to find him.”

Amy still refused.

As terrible as it sounded, Jiang Shulan mattered more to her than Vincent.

There was no way she was letting him wander into a stormy forest at night.

While Amy was trying to stop Jiang Shulan, Vincent had already gathered the herbs he needed.

Instead of returning, he easily found a cave lit by firelight.

“Brother.”

The figure that had been standing outside Jiang Shulan’s tent appeared again.

More accurately, he had come to meet Vincent.

Vincent lazily lifted his eyelids.

“You saw him, William?”

William removed the deer skull mask.

His upper body was bare, standing between flickering firelight and shadow.

His frame wasn’t bulky with exaggerated muscles. Instead, a thin layer of taut skin stretched over a powerful, streamlined physique.

Yet anyone standing close could sense the terrifying strength hidden within every inch of those muscles.

Long golden hair draped across his shoulders and chest.

With handsome features and green eyes, William looked almost like an elf.

But there was nothing feminine about him.

Would he be Jiang Shulan’s type?

Vincent pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

Remembering the taste of kissing Jiang Shulan, his Adam’s apple rolled.

The thought that William might taste that sweetness too, irritated him.

From what he had observed, Jiang Shulan was soft-hearted.

And a bit of a face-con.

His younger brother, William, happened to excel at using his beautiful appearance to deceive people.

Even his tears could become weapons for luring victims to their deaths.

When the time came, Jiang Shulan would undoubtedly be charmed senseless by William.

William could probably hug him until he cried, and Jiang Shulan would still foolishly think he was being treated kindly.

The thought of losing favor in the future made Vincent’s jealousy nearly overflow.

As for whether Jiang Shulan accepted it?

That was never a consideration.

Jiang Shulan had no choice but to accept it.

Accept everything about both brothers.

William rubbed his fingertips together thoughtfully.

He could almost still feel that touch.

Soft.

Smooth.

Warm.

Beautiful.

Adorable when his eyes turned red with tears.

Enchanting even when unconscious and obedient.

“I saw him. Our little wife. He’s very beautiful.”

****

Completely unaware of the tragic future awaiting him, Jiang Shulan was still worrying about Vincent.

After finally convincing Amy and Darius not to stop him, he unzipped the tent.

The moment he stepped out, his face slammed directly into Vincent’s chest.

Vincent worked out regularly. His body was solid as a wall.

Jiang Shulan’s delicate nose couldn’t handle that impact.

It instantly turned red and sore, tears springing into his eyes.

“Vincent!”

Even though Vincent had taken care of him, noticed his collapse immediately, and braved the storm to gather herbs.

Those were separate matters!

Jiang Shulan firmly believed in keeping accounts clear.

Absolutely not spoiled. Not at all.

Rubbing his nose, he shouted indignantly,

“Why were you standing outside without making a sound?! Do you know how much my nose hurts? I’m furious!”

Jiang Shulan had absolutely no intention of acting cute.

Yet his watery eyes, his pitiful expression as he rubbed his nose, and the faint tremble in his voice made him seem utterly harmless.

Instead, Vincent’s heart softened.

“I’m sorry.”

Vincent lowered himself slightly, crouching so they were closer in height.

His large, cool hands wrapped around Jiang Shulan’s.

“Let me see, okay, baby?”

He knew it probably wasn’t serious.

But he couldn’t help himself.

“My fault.”

“Look!”

Jiang Shulan pointed at his bright red nose.

“This time I’ll forgive you. But if there’s a next time, I’ll-I’ll…”

A soft kiss suddenly landed on the tip of his nose.

Their foreheads touched.

Their breaths mingled.

The distance between them was far too intimate.

Vincent’s eyes held a tenderness deep enough to drown someone.

His pale lips curved slightly.

“Your fever finally went down.”

Amy and Darius looked away awkwardly.

At the same time, they both felt that Vincent spoiled Jiang Shulan far too much.

Vincent had risked his life gathering medicine for him.

And now that Jiang Shulan was feeling better, he immediately started causing trouble again.

Yet Vincent accepted the scolding while worrying about his health the entire time.

Jiang Shulan, meanwhile, remained completely oblivious to the affection hidden beneath it all.

He was still furious.

“Idiot! I said it hurts!”

He jumped up and started hitting Vincent.

Vincent simply extended one arm and effortlessly trapped him against his chest.

While restraining Jiang Shulan with ease, Vincent pulled out several herbs.

“Amy, wash these first and keep them in your mouth. They’ll help reduce fever and calm the nerves. Get some rest.”

The owner of the tent had effectively dismissed them.

Amy and Darius wisely left.

Vincent spent a long time coaxing Jiang Shulan before finally earning his forgiveness.

After all that commotion, Jiang Shulan had worked up a sweat.

“That’s good. Sweating means you’re recovering.”

Vincent picked up a clean towel and carefully wiped him down.

“The rest of your clothes are damp. You can’t change into them. I’ll find you another set tomorrow.”

Jiang Shulan pressed his lips together.

Maybe he had been a little unreasonable.

A tiny bit of guilt surfaced.

“Thank you, Vincent.”

“Mhm.”

The moment his guard was down, Vincent kissed him again.

For quite a while.

By the end, Jiang Shulan was sweating all over, and under the excuse of “wiping him down,” Vincent had practically touched every inch of him.

Jiang Shulan rewarded him with a fierce slap.

The next morning, the group prepared to head down the mountain.

Just after packing their belongings, Amy instinctively pulled out her phone to check the map.

Then her face changed.

“My phone is gone!”

“What?!”

Jiang Shulan hurriedly checked his own pockets.

Empty.

His browsing history hadn’t even been deleted yet!!!

Darius’s phone, Adam’s phone, and Vincent’s phone were all missing too.

They were now stranded in a completely unfamiliar forest…

Without a single phone among them.

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