Chapter Thirty-Six: Jealousy

Jiang Hu toyed with Mo Niannian’s hand, occasionally pressing kisses onto her fingers, his eyes brimming with satisfaction as if it might spill over at any moment.

Mo Niannian slapped his hand away. “Are you some kind of pervert?”

She really felt she couldn’t endure another minute of this. What kind of trash specimen was this? In just the past two days, she had cursed more than she had in the past hundred years put together.

Jiang Hu, in an excellent mood, lifted her into the hanging basket chair in the conservatory. “This is something you like too, sister. You can sleep or rest here when you want.”

Mo Niannian’s face was icy, refusing any interaction. There were just six hours left—she would bear it.

“Sister, take a look. If you’re not satisfied, I can change it.”

This was the castle he had built for her. From now on, this would be a world for just the two of them. Jiang Hu’s gaze was intense, nearly overflowing with tenderness, fixed on her, hungry for a response.

Mo Niannian closed her eyes, perfectly embodying the phrase “out of sight, out of mind.”

Jiang Hu’s eyes darkened slightly, and a smile curled at his lips. “You really are disobedient, sister.”

“How should I punish you?” he mused for two seconds, then his eyes lit up. “I’ve got it.”

He produced a piece of cloth from who knows where and blindfolded her.

“Sister, let’s play a fun game.”

“What are you doing?” Darkness covered Mo Niannian’s vision.

With her sight gone, her other senses sharpened dramatically. She was acutely aware of Jiang Hu’s presence—the heat of his stare, as if he wanted to swallow her whole.

Jiang Hu’s voice was low and languid, a hint of mischief at the end. “Sister, can you guess where I’ll kiss you next?”

“If you guess right, there’s a prize.” He leaned in closer; Mo Niannian could feel the warmth radiating from his body.

Furious, she snapped, “I guess you’ll—” but Jiang Hu cut her off, sealing her lips with his own. He kissed her thoroughly, only letting go after a long while. “You need to play the game properly, sister.”

“Now, try again.”

Mo Niannian struggled, ready to drag this bastard down with her. But she was drugged and weak; Jiang Hu easily restrained her with one hand.

“So naughty.”

He stroked her cheek, trapping her in his embrace, and this time, he bit her chin.

“Sister, can you guess where?” he whispered. “Sister…”

For two whole hours, Mo Niannian heard nothing but that word, until she was ready to retch. She knew now—she was wrong, so wrong, she should never have come to this minor world for a mission.

Wouldn’t it have been better to just stay a god in peace?

Utterly exhausted in body and soul, she flinched reflexively every time she heard him call her “sister.”

Jiang Hu, that damned bastard! She truly wanted to strangle him with her own hands!

[Host… perhaps… you could pretend to go along with him for now. He does listen to you, you know,] the system chimed in, unable to watch anymore. This darkened male lead was simply terrifying.

[Go along with him? Not a chance!]

“Sister, why don’t we try another game?” Jiang Hu’s devilish voice whispered in her ear again.

Mo Niannian shuddered instinctively.

“Sister, will you help me? I miss you so much I’m going insane,” he murmured, playing with her earlobe.

He was losing patience.

Mo Niannian was on the verge of exploding. She wanted to kill this dog of a man right now! To hell with everything!

He grabbed her hand, caressing it with infatuated tenderness. Instantly, she caved. “Wait! I… I’m hungry.”

“Shall I feed you, then?” Jiang Hu deliberately misinterpreted her words.

“…Jiang Hu, I’m really hungry,” she said, her voice softening.

He looked a little disappointed, gave her a quick kiss, and got up to head for the little kitchen. “Wait for me, sister.”

Of course, before leaving, he made sure to lock her in.

Utterly spent, Mo Niannian lay lifeless in the cradle chair, regretting everything. Why had she ever pitied this wretch?

She began to cry loudly.

The system slipped out again, asking, [Host, how about my suggestion? He really does listen to you.]

[Ha.]

[Hang in there, host. Just four more hours, I promise you’ll be able to move on to the next world in four hours.]

Then the system vanished.

The thought of those endless four hours made Mo Niannian wish she could just die again.

Jiang Hu, meanwhile, couldn’t relax leaving her alone in the conservatory; he was haunted by the thought she might disappear at any moment.

Restless, he returned after only five minutes.

He scooped Mo Niannian up. “Come with me, sister. I can’t bear to leave you here alone for so long.”

She had no right to refuse.

Jiang Hu carried her away.

Mo Niannian gave up all resistance, nestling quietly in his arms.

Jiang Hu was blissful, his heart swelling with heat and satisfaction, tightening his hold on her again.

He set her on a stool, then happily began to wash and chop vegetables. He didn’t want to waste a single moment. He knew her hunger was likely just an excuse; he was well aware of her appetite, and it wasn’t even mealtime yet.

He quickly cooked a bowl of noodles and placed it on the table.

Then he picked her up again. “Sister, you can eat now.”

These days, every time she heard him call her “sister,” Mo Niannian wanted to vomit. But for the sake of surviving the last few hours, she swallowed her pride and decided not to provoke Jiang Hu any further.

You never knew what a blackened male lead might do; she had no desire to be devoured by a beast.

She refused his attempt to feed her.

Just as Jiang Hu seemed ready to invent a new torment, Mo Niannian hurriedly said, “Jiang Hu… let’s talk for a bit.”

Jiang Hu calmed, propping his chin in his hand as he stared at her. “What do you want to talk about, sister?”

Listlessly stirring her noodles, Mo Niannian said, “Honestly, I never thought… you… you would like me.”

Who on earth would have guessed? She’d always seen him as a younger brother, and yet he wanted to pursue her?

“Surprised? Haven’t you always been seducing me?” Jiang Hu deliberately turned the tables, watching her face change colors.

Her face became a painter’s palette, running through every hue from red to purple.

She racked her brains and couldn’t think of a single thing she’d done that qualified as seduction.

She suppressed the urge to upend the noodles over his head, finally forcing out, “I have not.”

Jiang Hu humored her, his tone indulgent. “Alright, alright, you haven’t.”

That only seemed to confirm his previous accusation.

There was no chance of continuing this conversation. Mo Niannian shut her mouth and ate, chewing the noodles as if each bite were Jiang Hu himself, grinding them to pieces.

This was the ultimate humiliation!

Jiang Hu didn’t idle. When Mo Niannian ignored him, he took it upon himself to play with her hand, toying with it as if he’d found the most fascinating toy in the world.