Chapter 51

In Cambodia, there is no distinction between spring, summer, autumn, and winter, only the dry season and the rainy season. October is the most pleasant time, as the humidity in the air is greatly reduced at the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the dry season.

When the first rays of sunlight poured into the bedroom in the early morning, Washa woke up. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling without saying a word. She didn’t get up or make any movements, just lost in thought.

After the failed pursuit in the border city and the Chinese authorities set up a dragnet to capture her and Duan Kun, they had no choice but to return to Cambodia to avoid the heat. Along the way, they disguised themselves, used fake identities, and changed routes by land and water several times before narrowly managing to leave the country.

Today marks Washa’s seventh day back in Cambodia. Since she followed Da En, and was sent to the Chinese market, she hadn’t been back to her hometown for several years—

Siem Reap, Cambodia, the small city famous for Angkor Wat.

Their residence is a grand mansion located on the outskirts of Siem Reap, imposing and heavily guarded. The European mercenaries hired at a high price took off their camouflage uniforms and put on suits, their refined appearances masking their fierce and violent nature. At first glance, one might mistake them for bodyguards of a noble family.

The owner of the mansion was a wealthy merchant in Siem Reap just seven days ago, but now he was Da En.

Suddenly, her train of thought was interrupted.

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

Eypby tsv wr lmralppksdzlppzu yqvla zukdt esod qsa y obkzl, tsv ealpple, yde oldv esodpvykap.

Rd vbl zkhkdt assx, plhlayz cwazu xld olal plyvle yaswde vbl vyczl, psxl pbkavzlpp, psxl okvb vblka qllv rasrrle wr sd pvsszp, vblka tzyakdt pyhytlau yde hkszldnl nsdvaypvkdt pbyarzu okvb vbl lmiwkpkvl elnsa sq vbl assx.

Pwyd Iwd oyp yxsdt vblx. Tl vbalo y rklnl sq eau calye kdvs bkp xswvb, vbld zssjle wr yde oyhle yv Eypby, pxkzkdt yp bl prsjl kd Ibxla, “Eypby! R pyhle psxl cllq yde qakle lttp qsa usw, nsxl iwknj!”

Eypby’p lmralppksd alxykdle nsze yp pbl oyzjle shla yde pyv yxsdt vbl taswr sq xld.

Pwyd Iwd prlyale y rklnl sq qakle ltt okvb bkp qsaj yde caswtbv kv vs bla xswvb, pxkzkdt.

Eypby pyke dsvbkdt, fwpv vwadle bla blye pzktbvzu vs yhske kv yde rknjle wr y rklnl sq calye vs lyv.

「…」Pwyd Iwd’p caktbv pxkzl qasgl sd bkp qynl, bkp xswvb nsadlap eassrkdt.

Fllkdt vbkp, y cwazu xyd clpkel bkx pdllale, vssj y pkr sq clla, yde xsnjle, “R pyu, pvwrke Iwd, usw’hl clld qyodkdt shla Eypby yzz eyu, yde pbl bypd’v lhld tkhld usw vbl vkxl sq eyu. Zsw’hl tsv psxl vbknj pjkd.”

“Stupidity and thick skin often go hand in hand,” said a blond man, grinning with yellow-stained teeth as he bent over to pat Duan Kun’s face. “Hey, idiot, call me dad.”

Duan Kun snorted and glared, “My father died a long time ago. If you want to be my dad, you’ll have to die first.”

As the words fell, the thugs seemed to find it amusing and all burst into raucous laughter.

“Is stupidity funny?” A woman’s voice suddenly pierced through the laughter.

The men’s laughter subsided somewhat, all looking at Washa with some confusion. She had set down her bread at some point, her eyes calm but cold.

The burly man who had initially teased her raised an eyebrow playfully and leaned in close, his breath stinking as he spoke, “Stupidity is meant to be laughed at.”

Before he could finish, Washa had already drawn a switchblade, expressionless as she raised it. In the shocked and fearful eyes of the burly man, the sharp blade had already cut through his belt with a “snap,” splitting it into two pieces and causing his pants to slide down, revealing his thick hairy thighs.

And bright red underwear.

“…,” Everyone, including the burly man, was stunned, dumbfounded.

Washa flipped the handle of the knife, her tone icy, “These days are turbulent, and everyone has been working hard. I understand the desire for some amusement. But this ‘idiot’ is mine. If anyone dares to mock him again, next time, I won’t just cut your belts.”

The group remained speechless, still in shock.

Washa glanced at the exposed thighs and brightly colored underwear of the burly man, then pointed with her thumb, “You wanted some fun, right? Laugh.”

Upon hearing this, the stunned thugs could only reluctantly force a laugh.

This woman was the right-hand person to the boss for many years, having never backed down even in the face of danger. Despite being a woman, she was skilled in combat and ruthless, never blinking an eye when it came to killing. In this circle, no one dared to easily provoke her.

The burly man who had exposed his underwear was furious but dared not speak. He gritted his teeth, pulled up his pants, and left in embarrassment.

Washa’s lips curled into a smirk as she put away the knife.

On the side, Duan Kun’s smile grew wider and wider. Seeing this, Washa stared at him sternly, “Why are you so happy?”

Scratching his head and dirty braids, Duan Kun chuckled, “Washa, you’re so good to me.”

Washa remained cool, “Don’t you have a saying in China?”

Duan Kun asked earnestly, “What saying?”

“The dog reflects the owner.” She said a clumsy phrase in Chinese, glanced at him, then switched back to Khmer, “Even if you’re foolish, you’re under my command. Anyone who bullies you is disrespecting me.”

Duan Kun pondered for a moment, his expression becoming more serious. “You’re right. In the past, I endured when others bullied me, but from now on, if anyone bullies me again, I won’t tolerate it.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s one thing to bully me, but it’s another to disrespect you.”

Washa felt like laughing but kept a straight face, coldly snorting, “A fool is a fool.” She pointed to the remaining bottles of beer on the table, “You like alcohol, right? Drink.”

Duan Kun laughed, grabbed a bottle, bit off the cap, and blew into the bottle, guzzling down half of it in one go. Then he wiped his mouth and exclaimed, “German black beer, packs a punch. No wonder it’s from the wealthy family’s wine cellar. But…” He glanced around, pursing his lips, “For no reason, why would the boss want to seize this mansion?”

“I don’t know,” Washa shook her head, her tone calm. “If we could figure out what Da En is thinking, then he wouldn’t be Da En.”

Duan Kun frowned, about to say something, but at that moment, a mercenary’s voice came from upstairs, hoarse and rough, speaking in English, “Washa, DK, come here.”

The two glanced at each other, said nothing, and headed upstairs.

The mercenary led them to a bedroom and said, “Wait,” before leaving.

Washa and Duan Kun stood at the door, waiting.

The mansion was luxurious but poorly soundproofed. Whether it was the woman inside being too engrossed or the man too vigorous, they could clearly hear the sounds coming from inside through the thin door.

“…,” After a moment, Duan Kun’s expression showed some embarrassment as he slightly turned his head, while Washa stood still, her expression calm and unruffled.

After what seemed like a long time, the door opened.

A tall man emerged, around thirty-five years old, wearing black pants and a white shirt. His features were sharp, and he was handsome. He was still buttoning up his shirt as he came out, from bottom to top, his eyes slightly lowered, his expression as calm as dead water.

This man had a clear and deep gaze, and if not for the layer of sweat still glistening on his muscular chest, one would almost doubt that he had just been passionately entangled with a prostitute inside.

“Give her the money, then get rid of her,” Da En adjusted his cufflinks, his fingers with distinct joints moving casually. He walked past Washa and Duan Kun without even glancing at them.

Washa and Duan Kun simultaneously replied, “Got it.” After speaking, they prepared to enter the bedroom.

But just as they were about to go in, Da En, who had already walked away, called out a name without looking back, “Washa.”

Both of them paused in surprise.

Duan Kun regained his senses first, nudging Washa with his elbow and whispering, “He called you, go over there quickly.” After saying that, he smiled brightly at her, encouraging her with his eyes.

A few seconds later, Washa followed Da En into a study.

The curtains were drawn, and the room was not lit, making it somewhat dim. Da En bent over and took a seat at the desk, his hands clasped together casually, as he appraised the woman standing a few steps away from him.

Washa calmly met his gaze.

After a moment, Da En smirked and extended a hand toward Washa, his eyes full of implication. She walked over, and he gently pulled her left hand, guiding her to sit on his lap.

“You seem to have lost weight,” he said, leaning in close to her, murmuring softly as if speaking lover’s words.

She replied, “The police from all over China are after me. From the border city to Siem Reap, I’ve been working hard. I almost died.”

Da En said, “You’ve never disappointed me.”

“But I didn’t kill Ruan Nianchu.”

“Since that woman is difficult to deal with, we’ll set her aside for now.” Da En’s fingers twined around her hair, playing with it in circles. “With what happened in the border city, Lee’s attention is all on his woman. That’s perfect. We can play with other things.”

Washa was slightly taken aback, “You want to target other people?” Then she frowned, “I know, Lee has a mother in the mountains of northern China.”

Da En pressed his thumb against her lips, chuckling softly, “He’s smarter than you. Whatever you can think of, can’t he?”

“You mean…”

“The Ruans and the Lis, they’re both their prime surveillance targets now. They’ve set up traps and are waiting for you to fall into them.” Da En’s voice was light and gentle, “When playing games with smart people, you have to try to guess each other’s thoughts. Understand, Washa?”

She didn’t quite understand, nor did she want to.

But suddenly, Da En chuckled again and said, “Let me tell you what the Chinese are thinking. Seven years ago, they arrested my father but didn’t get what they wanted. As my father’s only son, they naturally deduced that the item they were after must be with me. They want to catch me, but they face two problems: one, they can’t find me, and two, they currently have no legitimate reason to arrest me. So the Chinese choose to wait.”

“Wait for what?”

“Wait for me to make a mistake.” Da En lifted Washa’s chin, staring straight into her eyes, “That means waiting for you to make a mistake. Once they catch you, both of their problems will be solved.”

Washa trembled under his gaze, forcing herself to remain calm as she asked, “So what should we do?”

Da En closed his eyes, his index finger touching his forehead, his tone cold, “The safest option is to kill you and Duan Kun. That ghost has already been dealt with by me. If you two disappear as well, all their clues will be cut off.”

“…,” Washa, nestled in his arms, her eyes flickering with shock.

Da En still didn’t open his eyes as he continued, “I remember you said before that you’re willing to die for me, right?”

She took a deep breath and exhaled, her face pale, her voice extremely calm, “Yes.” After a pause, she hesitated, “But Da En, I can die, but Duan…”

At this moment, Da En suddenly chuckled, lifting her chin to look at her, pinching her cheek, “So nervous? Did you really think I’d let you die?”

“…”

“For now, you and that fool shouldn’t go to China.” Da En kissed her cheek, “Siem Reap is your hometown. Rest well during this time. Staying here, your mood should improve.”

Washa’s heart suddenly relaxed, her pale face regaining a hint of color, “Is there no other action planned next?”

Da En said, “Lee and I are old friends. Old friends want a reason to catch me, so of course, I have to give him one.”

“Who are you sending?”

“You don’t know him.”

Washa was slightly surprised, “I’ve been with you for so long, and there are still people around you that I don’t know?”

Da En didn’t answer. After a moment, as if suddenly remembering something, he casually asked while stroking her hair, “By the way, earlier you said ‘you can die,’ what were you going to say next?”

Upon hearing this, Washa’s heart sank, but her face remained calm as she shook her head, “Nothing.”

Da En narrowed his eyes.

Outside the room, the man extinguished his cigarette and left without a sound.

---

Before coming to the mountainous north, Ruan Nianchu searched online for information. Most netizens agreed that all mothers-in-law in the world liked diligent, capable daughters-in-law who went to bed and woke up early. To make Mother Li like her even more, Ruan Nianchu specifically set up a week-long alarm clock – at 7:30 in the morning.

You see, according to Ruan Nianchu’s usual practice, if she didn’t sleep until noon on New Year’s Day, her mother would be surprised.

This 7:30 alarm clock was her highest respect for her future mother-in-law.

However, ideals are plentiful, but reality is stark. On the second day in the mountainous north, Ruan Nianchu woke up at 10:28 in the morning.

And what woke her up wasn’t the alarm clock, it was Li Teng.

She bit the blanket in anger, angrily questioning, “Did you turn off my alarm clock at 7:30?”

Li Teng answered very calmly, “Yes.”

Ruan Nianchu was even more angry, “Why did you inexplicably turn off my alarm clock?” Didn’t he know she wasn’t diligent or capable, so she could only rely on going to bed and getting up early to perform well?

He replied without changing his expression, “You slept until almost two-thirty last night. I was afraid you wouldn’t get enough sleep if you woke up at 7:30.” He was purely concerned about her sleep, feeling sorry for her body.

In response, Ruan Nianchu’s reaction was to throw a pillow at him, her face blushing, “Do you also know I didn’t get enough sleep? Who made me not get enough sleep? It’s all your fault!”

After all, she was still a little girl who had been pampered too much and had a bit of a temper, which Li Teng was used to. He caught the pillow and put it aside, his mouth twitching slightly, then went to hug her, whispering softly in her ear, “Hmm. It’s my fault. My bad.”

Ruan Nianchu bit his neck and hummed, “What’s wrong?”

Li Teng smirked, “You’re too strong.”

“…” Ruan Nianchu was choked by this answer, taking a few seconds to complain, “Being strong doesn’t mean I can’t do push-ups. There are thousands of sports in the world, why do you like that one in bed?” After complaining, she frowned, “Isn’t it almost lunchtime?”

Li Teng replied with a sound, kissing the tip of her nose, “My mom made dumplings.”

Her temperament, her anger came and went quickly, and she heard this, blinked her eyes, happy, “Did you really ask Auntie to make dumplings for me?”

“I never go back on my promises to you.” He reached under the blanket and lightly pinched her waist, patting it, “Get up quickly. I have to go out to see friends in the afternoon.”

Ruan Nianchu was puzzled, “Who?”

“You don’t know him.” Li Teng picked up a cartoon nightgown from under the bed and handed it to her, “Some childhood friends. I’ll introduce you when we meet.”

Li’s mother’s dumplings were big and filled to the brim. Ruan Nianchu, who had a good appetite last night, ate twenty of them for lunch.

Li’s mother smiled and looked at her, seeing her heavy dark circles, she asked, “Nianchu, you don’t look too good. Do you have trouble sleeping?”

Hearing this, Ruan Nianchu could only dryly laugh and bury her face in the bowl, while dryly laughing and admitting it, she kicked Li Teng under the table.

But actually, her mood was still quite good.

According to the theory Qiao Yufei had instilled in her – “If you like someone, you must want to sleep with that person” – a person’s soul and desire are inherently synchronous. Based on this, Ruan Nianchu combined it with her own practical experience to come up with another theory – the more a person likes someone, the more they must like sleeping with that person.

In local terms, this meant that Li Teng must really like her.

Around five in the afternoon, Ruan Nianchu went out with Li Teng to have dinner with his friends.

The location was an ordinary small restaurant.

As they approached the entrance, Ruan Nianchu suddenly remembered something and exclaimed, “Oops, I forgot to put on makeup.” As she said this, she opened her handbag and took out her portable lipstick to apply it to her lips, muttering to herself, “Why didn’t you remind me?”

Li Teng replied without much tone, “You’re so beautiful, it doesn’t matter if you put on makeup or not.”

“…” Ruan Nianchu couldn’t help but smile at his sweet words, “Did Li Teng eat sugar today? Why is your mouth so sweet?”

He approached her lazily, hands in his pockets, bending down to get closer to her, “Why don’t you taste it yourself?”

She blushed, covering her mouth and leaning back, “Don’t be naughty on the street.”

Li Teng raised an eyebrow, deliberately getting closer, “What did I do that was naughty?”

As they were talking, a woman’s voice suddenly came from nearby, bright and full of surprise and joy, “Brother Li?”

---

Sansukini: Ooops! A rotten peach blossom appeared?

Thanks for visiting. If you like this story, then I’m shamelessly asking you to visit NovelUpdates and give a 5⭐ review. (人❛ᴗ❛)♪тнайк　чоц♪(❛ᴗ❛*人)

You can also check out my other translations Here