Chapter 10: And She Would Never Again Pay for Any Man’s Desire to Conquer
The car had to cross the entire urban area of Xishuangbanna before reaching the highway.
Despite the rain during the holiday, tourists continued to flock in endlessly throughout the evening.
Neon lights flickered and receded on both sides of the road; outside the tightly closed car windows, bursts of noisy music occasionally drifted in.
The roads were difficult to navigate, with one red light after another; many streets were under construction, forcing detours through smaller side roads.
Fortunately, Jiang Muhe knew the roads well and drove steadily, so Liang Youyun felt no abrupt braking.
The air conditioning in the car was set to a perfect temperature, neither too cold nor too warm, and her bare arms felt no discomfort from any direct blast of cold air.
Liang Youyun knew her acting skills were lacking; the fact that he hadn’t exposed her on the spot was already a sign of considerable courtesy.
So, sitting in the passenger seat, she leaned persistently toward the door, pretending to gaze curiously at the street scenery outside, acting like a newcomer unfamiliar with the area.
She dared not breathe loudly, for she could hear his breathing, so he must be able to hear hers as well.
She remained silent, and neither did Jiang Muhe speak. Yet his posture was relaxed, unlike hers, which made her feel as though she had done something wrong—restless as if sitting on needles, uneasy as if thorns pricked her back.
After about half an hour, as they were nearing the edge of the city, the surrounding noise gradually faded, and the brilliant lights gave way to scattered glimmers. Only then did Liang Youyun adjust her sitting position, slightly turning her head to glance at him from the corner of her eye.
Jiang Muhe’s profile was strikingly defined, especially against the backlight, his contours sharply highlighted. Youyun could even make out his long, upward-curling eyelashes and the subtle movement of his Adam’s apple.
“Um…” Youyun finally spoke, her expression awkward.
Jiang Muhe quickly turned his face to look at her, then just as swiftly looked back at the road.
“That day… I misunderstood the situation, and since I was in a bad mood, I said some nonsensical things. But they weren’t directed at you, okay? You’re great, a really good person. Hmm… Also, I was too rushed and didn’t take the time to understand what was going on… In short, it was all my own confusion. Please don’t take it to heart.”
She stammered, her ability to express herself suddenly failing her. It was truly terrifying; she had no idea where things had gone wrong.
After listening to her finish, Jiang Muhe lowered his voice and asked, “Which day?”
“Huh?” Youyun paused, then quickly added, “It was that day in the rainforest—the day you saved us.”
“Oh, the day we first met,” he said.
“Yes, exactly that day. I’ve always felt I owed you an explanation. And of course, thank you again for saving us,” she replied, reluctantly bringing up the past once more.
He smiled. “You already thanked me over the phone.”
She forced a laugh. “Yes, I’m thanking you in person now. Though I’m not sure how best to express my gratitude.”
Jiang Muhe pressed his lips together as if weighing his words, then suddenly said, “As long as it’s not a ceremonial banner or some material reward, that’s fine.”
Youyun was taken aback again; the remark sounded oddly sarcastic. All she could reply was, “Then let me treat you to dinner this time, okay?”
Jiang Muhe glanced at her, his eyes holding a hint of probing, and asked, “On your own behalf?”
“…”
Youyun looked at him and suddenly burst out laughing; today, he was clearly determined to bring up old scores, and with an expression that seemed deliberately meant to tease her.
She might as well count herself unlucky!
“Yes, on my own behalf,” Youyun said sincerely.
“Mm.” Jiang Muhe nodded slightly, his lips still pressed together, though the smile in his eyes was nearly spilling over.
He was very satisfied with this answer.
“Just laugh if you want to!” Liang Youyun said, seeing how hard he was holding it back.
Sure enough, he could no longer hold back and broke into a smile.
Youyun smiled too; it was as if they shared an unspoken understanding, laughing together for quite some time.
“How did you end up falling into that pit that day? With your skills, there’s no way you could have slipped!” Youyun asked curiously.
“Carelessly.”
“Accidentally? You don’t strike me as the ‘accidental’ type.”
“What kind of person do I seem like?”
“Hmm…” Youyun pondered for a moment. “I can’t quite put it into words, but you seem very cautious, measured in your speech, and skilled even when helping others. Just like how you stepped in to help earlier; you resolved everything with just a few words! It was completely unexpected, like a deity descending from the heavens. My mind is still reeling. Unlike me, who only knows how to be fierce with people.”
Jiang Muhe gripped the steering wheel, merging onto the highway before easing off the brake around the curve to slow down.
From this angle, he allowed himself a few extra seconds to study her face.
Her complexion was luminous and smooth, her features fresh and delicate; sitting there so obediently, where was anything fierce about her?
“I didn’t expect to run into you here either,” he said. “Jinghong draws crowds of tourists—all sorts of people, good and bad alike. You need to be careful and keep your distance from them.”
Youyun knew he was referring to what had just happened; indeed, she had acted impulsively. That was her nature—whenever faced with an unexpected situation, she was always the first to charge forward.
“Do you often stay in Jinghong?” she changed the subject.
“I used to. Now I live in the old family home in Mannuan.”
“Mm, I visited last time. Your house is beautiful.”
“Did you go inside and look around?”
“No.”
“Next time, I’ll take you to see what’s inside,” he admitted frankly.
Youyun looked again at the man’s profile, a little dazed. Had they known each other for a long time? No, they hadn’t. So why did this friendly banter come so naturally?
“Are you… inviting me?”
“If you still want to go.” Jiang Muhe nodded with a smile. “I sometimes invite friends over for dinner at my place.”
“You cook yourself?”
“Yes. When the mood strikes, I like to try something new, but I can’t finish it all alone, so I ask friends to help out. Most of my friends are in Jinghong, though, so they can’t make it on short notice. I might have to trouble you in the future. You’d be willing to help, wouldn’t you, Secretary Liang?”
How had this man managed to befriend her so naturally?
Only then did Liang Youyun realize that every word he spoke was a trap, waiting for her to step into it!
“I find you… quite talkative.” Not at all like Yuxiang and Zhang He described, saying you rarely speak.
“Really?” He smiled slightly. “I suppose so.”
“How long have you been in Banna?” Youyun asked.
“Hmm… almost six years.”
“I heard from Zhang He that you’re also from Beijing. Are you planning to settle here and not return to Beijing?”
“Yes,” he replied, his expression slightly dimmed. “I moved to Beijing due to my parents’ job relocation. After enlisting in the military, I rarely went back, so I’m not really a true Beijinger.”
“Do you still have relatives or friends in Beijing?”
“Of course. At the very least, my parents are still there.”
He spoke calmly, but Youyun sensed he didn’t wish to discuss his family, so she turned to other topics.
“Zhang He also mentioned you were from the special forces. Is that true?”
Jiang Muhe lowered his gaze, a flicker of melancholy passing through his eyes. “Yes.”
“Which unit?” Youyun pressed, then immediately felt she’d overstepped. “It’s fine if you don’t want to say; I was just asking casually.”
Jiang Muhe stated the designation of his former unit.
Liang Youyun asked no further questions; such a national-level counter-terrorism special forces unit, operating year-round without rest, was not accessible to just anyone. Even someone like herself, with limited knowledge of military structure, had heard legends of this unit: its selection process was notoriously rigorous, and recruits endured various extreme training regimens after enlistment. Only those who survived the first year could be considered made of iron. He had retired to support the parents of fallen comrades, though she remained unaware of what exactly had transpired in between.
“Your comrades must be incredibly formidable,” Youyun remarked with admiration.
“…Are you saying I can’t?” He raised an eyebrow slightly, a smile playing on his lips.
“Oh no, no! What I meant was, just being able to join this unit is already impressive!”
“So once you retire, you’re no longer impressive?”
“That’s not… ” Youyun pressed her hand to her forehead, laughing. “Alright, alright, you’re the impressive one.”
Knowing he was teasing her on purpose, she quickly stopped herself.
Muhe smiled and said nothing more.
Since they weren’t close, Liang Youyun felt she couldn’t pry into his personal matters any further. She stretched lightly and said, “I truly admire people like you who can endure hardship!”
Jiang Muhe kept his eyes on the road ahead and changed the subject: “I read in the reports that you’re a stationed village cadre. How much longer until your assignment ends?”
“Soon, less than four months.”
Jiang Muhe hummed in response, his breath swirling and colliding within the car’s interior.
After a moment, he said, “What bad timing.”
“What’s wrong?” Youyun asked, puzzled.
His smile was faint. “We’ve just met, and you’re already leaving.”
The rain outside intensified, pounding against the car windows with a relentless clatter. Even with the wipers set to maximum speed, they couldn’t clear the curtain of rain. Thunder rumbled overhead as Jiang Muhe slowed down again, his grip on the steering wheel tightening.
The sound of rain diluted the ambiguity brewing in the air.
“Perhaps we can meet in Beijing someday,” Youyun said with a polite smile.
Jiang Muhe suddenly asked, “Do you like Beijing that much?”
That was, indeed, a very objective question.
She nodded. “Yes, I love them all: Peking duck, zhajiangmian, almond tofu, Youleyuan, and Fuhua Zhai—they’re all my favorites.”
Jiang Muhe smiled and nodded. “Well, it’s all about food, then.”
Youyun continued, “On a deeper level, it was a goal I set for myself. When I was young, I attended a summer camp in Beijing, visited many attractions, and even watched the flag-raising ceremony. That’s when I made up my mind: I had to go to Beijing, get into Tsinghua or Peking University, and make a life for myself there.”
Then she found it amusing herself and asked awkwardly, “Wasn’t that rather childish? As kids, we always carry so many unrealistic dreams.”
Jiang Muhe lowered his head with a faint smile, offering no reply.
To him, Beijing was no longer home. His life journey had been winding and complex, and he had no idea how much Liang Youyun had learned from Zhang He. Yet he saw no reason to let her know; after all, she might not be interested in the slightest.
Just then, Yu Xiang in the back seat suddenly let out a soft moan, her voice dripping with coquettish charm as she murmured ambiguously, “…Brother, please don’t touch me anymore…”
Liang Youyun froze; today, this girl had utterly embarrassed them all! It would be one thing if Yu Xiang herself remained unaware, but now that both she and Jiang Muhe had heard those words, vivid, sensual images inevitably sprang to mind.
“She… had too much to drink and is dreaming…” Youyun glanced back at Yuxiang and explained, though the excuse sounded weak. Dreaming? What kind of dream? Clearly, it was an erotic one.
After a moment, Jiang Muhe asked, “Are you tired? If so, you can rest; we still have an hour before we arrive.”
“I’m not tired; I often stay up late.” Of course, she couldn’t sleep. What if she ended up like Yuxiang, talking nonsense in her slumber?
The night was deep; perhaps it was time for some late-night conversation.
Under the cover of night, Youyun ventured a bold question: “Hey, Jiang Muhe, do you have many friends here in Xishuangbanna?”
She recalled the scene at the bar earlier, where he had claimed the owner was his friend, and then a whole group of companions had appeared behind him.
“Quite a few,” Muhe said. How can one do business without making friends, even if they’re just fair-weather companions?
“Do you also have many female friends?”
Jiang Muhe paused, taken aback, and countered, “Why would you think that?”
Liang Youyun felt she’d seized an opportunity to probe deeper. Gossip is human nature, after all. With such a long road ahead and nothing else to do, she might as well ask questions that genuinely interested her.
“Look at how skilled you are at conversation,” she said, though what she really meant was “at flirting.” “With your looks, your figure, your impressive skills, and your extensive connections—given such excellent conditions, it’s impossible that no girls have pursued you. I bet there have been many, right?”
Jiang Muhe listened in silence, the corners of his mouth slowly curving upward.
“You’re smiling, aren’t you? I guessed right, didn’t I?”
Liang Youyun felt smug; even a fool could tell that a man like him would never be lonely. Perhaps that secluded house of his was meant for rendezvous with someone he cherished.
“Thank you for such high praise,” he said, his tone and expression both faint and unreadable.
“I’m not blind; I’m just telling the truth,” Youyun replied with flattery.
“And you? Do you have many friends?” Jiang Muhe asked.
“Not many. I have a bad temper; few people can stand me.”
“Oh?” He was curious. “How bad is it?”
“Sharp-tongued, quick to anger, and even prone to throwing punches.”
Jiang Muhe chuckled, turning his head to glance at her. It was the first time he’d ever heard a woman describe herself so viciously, and yet she did it with such composure!
Youyun averted her gaze. She knew exactly what he was thinking: she wasn’t any man’s ideal type. Some of her past boyfriends couldn’t even last two months; when breaking up, they’d point fingers at her, calling her ruthless, domineering, and lacking inner beauty, claiming they’d all been deceived by her innocent-looking face!
Sometimes, when provoked, she would resort to physical confrontation; more often, however, she simply scoffed. These men were unworthy of her company—weak, narcissistic, and incapable of true appreciation. Not that she needed anyone’s admiration anyway. Having reached a certain age and witnessed every trick in the book from her suitors, she had long since become disenchanted with romantic fantasies and the ideal of free love.
Love should be pursued while one is young; otherwise, as age advances, concerns multiply, leading to mutual exhaustion that outweighs any gain.
Thus, she stubbornly believed that Jiang Muhe was merely seeking novelty, after all, her kind-looking face and contrasting personality easily stirred a man’s desire to conquer.
As for her, she would no longer pay the price for any man’s desire to conquer.