Chapter 5: She Knew How to Spark His Desire

When Lei Zhentian saw her coming at him with a pair of scissors, he panicked. He let out a terrified shriek, “I don’t want you anymore! Get the hell out of here!”

Ye Taoyao tossed the scissors aside and walked back over to Gu Jincheng and his men.

Gu Jincheng’s three teammates stood there, completely frozen. They instinctively crossed their legs. The display they had just witnessed was enough to terrify any man. Even Gu Jincheng couldn’t help but turn his head away to hide a faint smile at his little sister’s antics.

But she wasn’t done yet. She walked straight up to him and gave his shin a sharp kick.

Gu Jincheng looked down at her with a look of indulgence. “What is it?”

“Take off your jacket,” she demanded.

The three men behind Gu Jincheng scrambled backward, instantly clearing a wide circle around the two of them. This new sister-in-law was fierce and full of attitude. No wonder she could boss their battalion commander around. It was clear they could no longer look at Ye Taoyao as a regular woman.

Gu Jincheng let out a quiet sigh, bit his lip, and shook his head with a laugh. He slid off his heavy army-green jacket and handed it to her, leaving himself in just a thin undershirt. It was a standard spring-issue military jacket, but it didn’t have any rank insignia on it, meaning regular civilians wore it too. It would do perfectly to keep her warm.

The only problem was that Gu Jincheng stood nearly six feet four inches tall and was built like a tank, while Ye Taoyao barely reached five feet six inches. His jacket was massive on her.

Ye Taoyao didn’t care about the fit. She stripped off her thick, clumsy red wedding coat, tossed it to the floor, and pulled his oversized green jacket over her shoulders. The fabric was so wide and long that it completely swallowed her small frame, hiding her slightly pregnant belly. The hem hung so low that it covered her hips and thighs, making it look as though she were wearing a very short skirt.

Every time she shifted, the loose fabric swayed around her. She looked exactly like a child wearing an adult’s clothing, and it seemed as if the jacket might slide off her shoulders at any second. Even though the garment completely engulfed her, Gu Jincheng could scent his own familiar, rugged smell lingering all over her, making it feel as if she belonged to him.

It was a strange feeling, and he couldn’t quite pinpoint why it bothered him. In his memory, his sister had always been shy and hesitant to touch his things. Yet looking at her now, a sudden wave of heat rushed through his body.

While he was lost in thought, Ye Taoyao stepped closer and tilted her chin up at him.

Gu Jincheng stared at her, slightly dazed. Seeing that she wasn’t deeply traumatized by the forced wedding, he smiled down at her and asked patiently, “Do you need anything else?”

Ye Taoyao looked up at him and said plainly, “Pick me up.”

She spoke with an absolute authority, as if ordering him around was something she had done a thousand times before.

Gu Jincheng laughed softly. His sister had changed so much during their time apart. He held out his arms, trying to figure out how to lift her comfortably, but Ye Taoyao quickly lost her patience with his hesitation.

She looked at him with a critical eye. “Are you weak or something?”

Someone snickered. The men standing behind them tried desperately to muffle their laughter, their shoulders shaking from the effort.

Gu Jincheng stared at her, bit his tongue, and knelt down. He extended a strong arm and said with a deep sigh, “Alright, I’ve got you.”

Ye Taoyao stepped forward and sat firmly onto his forearm. A second later, he easily scooped her up into a standard bridal carry. Finding herself off the ground, she wrapped both arms tightly around his neck.

“I haven’t slept in days,” she told him as she settled in. “Wake me up when it’s time to eat.”

With that, she closed her eyes and rested her head against his broad chest, falling asleep almost instantly. Her movements were incredibly smooth and relaxed. Gu Jincheng thought to himself that even the pampered daughters of high-ranking military officials back in the city didn’t carry themselves with this much natural confidence.

The muffled laughter of his teammates still echoed behind him, but Gu Jincheng ignored them, trying to push down the strange sensation rising in his chest. As he walked out with her in his arms, a rich, sweet floral scent drifted past his nose. He froze for a second. In that fleeting moment, he felt an unexpected surge of desire, and his body grew incredibly warm. A burning sensation seemed to creep from his fingertips all the way through his veins.

Gu Jincheng closed his eyes and forced himself to take a deep breath until the strange urge passed. When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was clear and focused. He could never harbor such improper thoughts toward his sister, but his body’s physical reaction was undeniable. He began to worry if the villagers had drugged her with something malicious.

However, when he looked down to check on her, he heard only the slow, steady rhythm of her breathing. She was fast asleep, and her face was perfectly peaceful. The mysterious, intoxicating scent had vanished into thin air. Gu Jincheng shook his head, figuring he was just exhausted from the long mission and letting his imagination run wild.

Back in the courtyard, Lei Zhentian was terrified of Ye Taoyao. She was far too wild and dangerous, and he wouldn’t take her back now even if someone paid him.

Because of this, he signed the separation papers faster than anyone else. The moment the village leader stamped the document, Lei Zhentian snatched the stack of cash and limped away as fast as his bad leg could carry him.

Gu Jincheng didn’t bother to glance at him. The paper carried the signatures of the village leaders and the official stamp of the local commune, making it fully legally binding. He carefully folded the document and tucked it away before turning to leave.

Watching their retreating figures, Lei Zhentian waited until they were a safe distance away before his bitter nature took over. He spat on the ground and shouted after them, “Take that crazy woman! She’s a wild animal! Once you get her to the city, she’ll be looking for other men and making a fool out of you every single day!”

“You better watch out when you sleep at night! She’ll probably take a pair of scissors and cut your manhood off while you’re passed out!”

“Keep that damaged goods for yourself! Who knows how many men have already had their way with her anyway!”

Before he could finish his sentence, Gu Jincheng stopped dead in his tracks and turned around.

Lei Zhentian froze in terror and tried to run inside, but he was too slow. Gu Jincheng launched a fierce kick that sent the man flying into the room, followed by a series of agonizing screams as bones cracked against the floor.

Gu Jincheng glared at the trembling village chief. “You promised to keep him under control, so I will expect to see results. I will have men from the military base check on this village regularly. If he breaks the law or causes any more trouble, I won’t show him any mercy.”

His expression was as cold and lethal as a predator on the hunt, and Lei Zhentian was so terrified that he didn’t dare to breathe loud. After the village chief gave several frantic promises to handle the matter, Gu Jincheng and his men finally carried the sleeping Ye Taoyao away from the chaotic village.

The drive from Lei Family Village along the rough mountain roads took two full hours just to reach the nearest town. Gu Jincheng originally planned to drive straight through to the city to find a proper state-run restaurant, but Ye Taoyao woke up just as the jeep pulled into the small town. She had been woken up by the sharp, empty pains of hunger in her stomach.

She opened her eyes and realized she was still leaning heavily against his shoulder. Gu Jincheng was looking out the window, studying the landscape to check their route.

Her sudden movement alerted him immediately. He turned to look at her and asked gently, “Yaoyao?”

Ye Taoyao didn’t say anything at first. She simply reached out and poked his muscular arm with her finger. “I’m starving. Stop at a restaurant in town so we can eat.”

Gu Jincheng’s arm stiffened at her touch. Her casual affection always seemed to disrupt his usual military discipline.

Seeing that he didn’t answer right away, she pointed at the oversized jacket she was wearing and frowned. “I’m filthy. I need a bath after we eat.”

She wanted him to take her to a restaurant, buy her a completely new outfit, and let her wash up. She expected him to provide everything from undergarments to pants, socks, and shoes. Gu Jincheng was a grown man who had never even held a woman’s hand, let alone shopped for female clothing.

In the past, his sister had been so shy and reserved that she wouldn’t even let him fetch her a cup of water. Now she was demanding that he take care of her from head to toe. He shook his head and sighed silently. It was obvious that her hardships in the countryside had altered her personality completely.

He explained patiently, “Yaoyao, this is just a small town, and the local shops won’t have any decent clothes. There is a restaurant here, but if we stay too long, we are still too close to the village. It will be a massive headache if those villagers change their minds and follow us.”

Xiao Yang, who was driving, tried his best to hide a grin. “The commander is right, Sister-in-law. We aren’t afraid of those thugs, but if they show up in a crowd, it will delay our trip and you won’t even get to enjoy your meal.”

Zheng Qing sat in the passenger seat and covered his mouth to hide a laugh. Realizing his commander needed some backup, he chimed in with a bright smile, “Just hang on a little longer, Sister-in-law. We’ll be in the city in another two hours, and the state restaurant there has an incredible chef. The food is fantastic, and you can eat as much as you want.”

Ye Taoyao accepted the logic, but her stomach let out another loud growl. She gave the man next to her a frustrated push. “Then get out of the car and buy me something to tide me over for now.”

Gu Jincheng was solid muscle and sat as immovable as a mountain, so her push didn’t budge him at all.

Ye Taoyao pulled her hand back and rubbed her fingers, complaining that his muscles were too hard. “And make sure it actually tastes good,” she added sharply.

Gu Jincheng had never dealt with a woman this demanding, but considering everything she had suffered, he found himself feeling incredibly patient. He smiled at her and said softly, “Alright, wait here.”

Zhou Jun, who was sitting in the back row, saw Gu Jincheng open the door and decided to join him. “Old Gu, I’ll come with you to stretch my legs.”

The two men returned a few minutes later holding two paper packages. One contained a bag of White Rabbit milk candies, and the other held a piece of coarse grain flatbread common in the countryside.

Ye Taoyao was starving, but the moment she took a small bite of the dry, dense bread, she stopped chewing and her face twisted in disgust.

Gu Jincheng noticed her expression. “What’s wrong?”

Without a word, she pinched off the piece she had bitten, threw it away, and stuffed the rest of the hard bread back into his hands. “This is terrible. You eat it,” she ordered.

Gu Jincheng caught the bread. Looking at the pure disgust in her eyes, he felt a bit helpless. If this were one of his soldiers, he would have lost his temper by now, but he felt so much pity for her that he simply chewed on the dry bread himself.

As he ate, he asked quietly, “How did you end up down here in the first place?”

Ye Taoyao unwrapped a milk candy and popped it into her mouth. The rich, sweet flavor quickly washed away the dry taste of the bread. Hearing his question, she glared at him. “You’re a soldier. Shouldn’t you look into your own military records to find out how your family got targeted?”

Her temper was incredibly sharp. Gu Jincheng had faced many hardships in his life, but he had never received this much attitude in a single day.

He frowned in confusion. “What do you mean? And where is Mom? Why isn’t she with you?”

Ye Taoyao looked at him, letting out a long, heavy sigh. As she spoke of their mother, the residual emotions in her body brought a wave of genuine grief to her eyes.

“Mom passed away,” she said quietly. Her eyes turned red and tears began to well up. “I carried her memorial plaque all the way to your military base to find you, but the guards at the gate wouldn’t even let me inside. They turned me away.”

She stopped talking there, realizing they had company in the car.

Gu Jincheng froze. He sat there with a piece of bread still in his mouth, feeling a sharp pain rip through his chest as if his heart were being crushed. He stared at his sister, his voice cracking with emotion. “How did she pass?”

He had spent all his time on intense military missions and had failed to see his mother one last time. It was a massive failure of duty as a son, while his sister had stayed behind to care for her until the very end. Any lingering annoyance he felt toward Ye Taoyao vanished, replaced by an overwhelming sense of guilt and protectiveness.

Ye Taoyao looked at him and offered a brief answer. “She was sick.”

Up front, Xiao Yang and Zheng Qing stopped smiling and said solemnly, “We are truly sorry for your loss, Commander.”

Even the talkative Zhou Jun fell silent, reaching over to place a comforting hand on Gu Jincheng’s shoulder to let him know the team was there for him.

Gu Jincheng’s eyes stung. He was truly alone in the world now, save for his sister. For a moment, the world felt incredibly cold and empty, but then he looked at the sharp-tongued woman beside him and reminded himself that he still had her to protect.

Fortunately, Xiao Yang was an expert at breaking the tension. He spent the rest of the drive sharing lighthearted stories from the base, keeping the mood from growing too heavy. By the time they reached the city, darkness had fallen completely. Xiao Yang pulled the jeep up to a large state-run restaurant.

The four tall soldiers escorted Ye Taoyao into the building. Since it was so late, they needed to secure rooms at the local state lodge for the night before heading back to their respective bases in the morning.

Among the group, Xiao Yang and Zheng Qing were Gu Jincheng’s subordinates. Xiao Yang was there strictly to drive and assist with transport, while Zheng Qing had been brought along because he had local connections in the province that helped track down the village where Ye Taoyao was being held.

Zhou Jun held the same rank as Gu Jincheng, and the two had been close comrades in their old unit. Gu Jincheng handled the tactical frontline work while Zhou Jun focused on the political and administrative side. Because Gu Jincheng had saved all their lives on the battlefield, they considered themselves brothers. That was why they had all used their personal leave to help him rescue his sister, and Gu Jincheng wanted to show his gratitude by buying them a proper dinner.

The only problem was that Gu Jincheng had used up most of his cash dealing with the villagers. His savings were secured in a bank account, but the banks were closed for the night. Sensing his friend’s dilemma, Zhou Jun quietly slipped him three hundred yuan in cash along with a handful of supply coupons. They both knew that once Gu Jincheng took his sister home, he would need funds to arrange a proper memorial for his mother.

The men had no intention of taking advantage of Gu Jincheng’s wallet. They ordered a few simple, filling meat dishes, some stir-fried vegetables, and a large basket of steamed buns.

Ye Taoyao was too hungry to wait for the shared dishes, so she ordered herself a large bowl of tomato and egg noodles. White flour noodles were considered a luxury item during this era, and the portion size was massive. She took her time eating, and by the time she finished the hot soup, she was completely full.

She picked up a steamed bun, took two small bites, and set it down, unable to eat another mouthful. The men ate with military speed and cleared the table in no time.

Zheng Qing wiped his mouth and stood up, mentioning that he needed to return the borrowed jeep early in the morning. He suggested that he and Xiao Yang head over to the lodge first to check in and handle the luggage.

That left Gu Jincheng and Zhou Jun to take Ye Taoyao to shop for necessities.

The trip was entirely for Ye Taoyao’s benefit. Gu Jincheng stood outside the department store, looking down at her with a look of extreme awkwardness. “Yaoyao, do you really need me to buy all those clothing items you mentioned?”

Ye Taoyao was focused on finding a new comb to fix her messy hair, so she simply nodded without looking at him.

“Then you wait out here while I go in…”

The thought of buying a woman’s intimate undergarments made the hardened soldier completely flustered.

Ye Taoyao ignored his embarrassment. She pointed significantly at her slightly rounded belly and shoved him toward the entrance. Before pushing him through the doors, she deftly reached into his pocket and took five yuan along with an industrial coupon. She stayed on the first floor to buy herself a bright red fabric flower hair accessory from the cosmetics counter.

It took Gu Jincheng a full half hour before he finally trudged down the stairs from the second floor, clutching a tightly wrapped brown paper bag. His face was tense and his ears were bright red, and no one dared to ask what he had actually purchased.

Ye Taoyao didn’t care about his embarrassment. Once they checked into the state lodge, she immediately headed to the shared bathroom to wash up.

Gu Jincheng still needed to talk to her about their mother and their future plans, so he walked over to her room before turning in for the night. He knocked and pushed the door open, only to find that she had already stripped off her clothes and stepped behind the thin bathroom curtain without shutting the door properly.

A moment later, the sound of rustling fabric stopped, and Ye Taoyao’s clear, demanding voice drifted through the steam.

“Gu Jincheng, I forgot to bring my clean clothes in here. Go into that brown bag and bring them to me. I need the undergarments too!”

Gu Jincheng froze at the doorway, completely speechless.