Chapter 53: Stealing a Wife (Part 7)

For Jiang Wu, this night was undoubtedly the nightmare of her lifetime.

The man had been leisurely and elegant while unrobing, but once things began, he was like a fierce beast finally released after starving for a long time, eager to tear the person beneath him apart and swallow her whole.

Jiang Wu did not know whether he lacked experience or simply did not care about the life or death of his partner; from the bottom of her heart to the surface of her skin, there was nothing she could feel except excruciating pain.

Most men were indeed like this. Back then, Jiang Wu had chosen Liang Qian because of his purity, yet she had also feared that very purity, which was why the two of them had not consummated their marriage on their wedding night. Instead, Liang Qian had been forced by Jiang Wu to look at erotic paintings for the better part of the night.

"In matters like this, men can find pleasure no matter what, but women require a man with skill to find pleasure. You must study diligently."

Before the two of them truly consummated their marriage, Jiang Wu had given him a fierce warning: "If you cause me pain, you can forget about ever doing this again."

Liang Qian had only smiled gently at all of this, then obediently followed her instructions.

When the name of Liang Qian crossed her mind, Jiang Wu felt a sour ache in her nasal passages. *Liang Qian*, she kept repeating the name in her heart, *save me.*

Jiang Wu even began to feel grateful for the pain currently wracking her body. If she were to derive any pleasure from this man, it would be even more unbearable for her.

No matter how intense the agony, the woman clenched her teeth and refused to beg for mercy. Chu Ling did not care about her thoughts either; it was as if her disgust and cold indifference could not extinguish his passion at all. When the woman occasionally let out soft, stifled sobs because the pain was simply too much to bear, his passion only soared higher.

It was only when his face—which rarely betrayed much expression—became slightly distorted with scalp-tingling pleasure that Chu Ling paused. With a flick of his hand, he extinguished the candle in the room.

Then, he abandoned himself to further indulgence.

Ever since he entered officialdom, he had been obsessed with power. Climbing upward step by step and tightening his grip on power bit by bit—that was the only thing that could make his blood race.

Yet now, he felt he could understand certain hobbies of those dissolute scions just a little bit.

It truly felt pleasurable, pleasurable to the extent that his mind, which was never allowed to lose its judgment even when drunk, became momentarily as muddled as a pot of paste.

Chu Ling narrowed his eyes in the darkness to calm this terrifying sense of loss of control. Eyes now adjusted to the dark, he could clearly make out some details of the person beneath him: her snow-white skin was covered entirely by the marks he had left. Everything he had once coveted was now within arm's reach, filling Chu Ling's heart with an inexplicable sense of... fulfillment.

He seemed to cherish this woman somewhat more than he had imagined.

For Jiang Wu, however, every low pant and heavy, hurried breath by her ear was a form of torture. With a completely deadened heart, she could only hope that this cruel punishment would end soon.

Jiang Wu did not sleep the entire night. In fact, Chu Ling only rested when dawn was approaching. He probably only dozed for a short while before getting up the moment it was time for morning court.

Jiang Wu was waiting. Waiting for the lingering effects of the drug to slowly fade away. The moment she clenched her fingers and realized she could finally move, she grabbed her hairpin and lunged fiercely at the man dressing by the bedside.

Chu Ling effortlessly intercepted her hand—calling it effortless was already being generous to Jiang Wu. To him, this feeble strength and seemingly slowed-down movement were only worth blocking because the person trying to strike him was Jiang Wu.

"Bastard! Beast!" Jiang Wu had nowhere to vent the overwhelming hatred filling her breast. Even though her hand was caught, she still gripped the hairpin tightly and refused to let go. She wanted this man dead; she wanted him dead at any cost.

The woman before him was marked all over with his traces, and her anger was like a cat unsheathing its claws—completely devoid of lethality, while her curses were limited to just those two words.

Even when faced with a gaze full of hatred, Chu Ling could not muster much annoyance toward her. Far from being angry, he still carried the relaxed satisfaction of one who had been thoroughly sated.

"I always thought you were a smart person, so I hope you won't do anything too foolish." He released her grip. "You cannot kill me."

In truth, Jiang Wu knew she could not kill him either; she had witnessed this man's martial prowess before. When all her options were ruthlessly crushed, and she clearly realized there was nothing she could do to exact revenge, the woman's hairpin abruptly changed direction and stabbed toward herself.

"If you die," this time, Chu Ling did not even raise a hand, "what do you think will happen to your husband and your daughter?"

Chu Ling's words caused the hairpin, already pressed against Jiang Wu's neck, to halt instantly.

"With your meager strength, you most likely won't succeed in killing yourself, but you might never be able to speak again." Chu Ling reached out and, without exerting much effort, retrieved the hairpin. "You lost everything else when you fled, yet you still kept this hairpin. Is it okay to use it to commit suicide?"

His nonchalant words always struck precisely at Jiang Wu's heart.

Chu Ling was in no rush to get up now. "Madam Liang, you should have noticed by now that I am indeed interested in you. It was already so back in Tonghuai. If I had wanted to, I could have had you right there."

In fact, at the very beginning, he had indeed hoped this would be a mutual affection.

It was just that Jiang Wu was far more stubborn than he had imagined and remained completely unmoved. Fortunately, Chu Ling was not the sort of person to fly into a rage simply because his pride was slightly wounded. Since it could not be mutual, they would proceed in another way.

"I deliberately arranged for you to be brought to the capital for your own good."

Jiang Wu was struck dumb with disbelief by this shameless remark. How could he possibly claim this was for her own good?

"Accompany me for three months," Chu Ling finally stated his terms. "After three months, you will return to Tonghuai and continue being your Madam Liang. Whatever requests you have, I will satisfy them all, and I will ensure the news never leaks back there to ruin your reputation. Or, if you are unwilling to leave, I can continue to keep you here."

Actually, Chu Ling had originally intended to say one month; in his initial plan, one month would have been more than enough.

Yet, after last night, as if guided by some unseen whim, he had unconsciously extended the time, and even added the final sentence on the spur of the moment—something he did not find repulsive at all.

"In your dreams!" Jiang Wu wished she could tear him to pieces right now; how could she possibly let him have his way?

Chu Ling did not seem surprised by her reply. He simply fastened his jade belt, returning to his aloof and unapproachable demeanor.

"Think it over slowly."

With those words, he vanished from the room.

Jiang Wu's body went completely limp.

She recalled what her father had said when he brought her back: "I have already mailed the letter of separation to Liang Qian, so don't even think about going back."

Her father was even greedier than Chu Ling, for Chu Ling had at least spoken of three months.

How could she possibly agree to let that beast violate her for three months?

***

Jiang Wu fell ill. When the doctor came to examine her, he pronounced it as an inability to acclimate to the local environment and climate.

She had been in the capital for so long without any such issues, yet now she was suddenly suffering from it.

The doctor prescribed medicine, but Jiang Wu secretly poured it all out. She refused to step out of her room, nor could she keep any food down—whatever she ate, she would immediately vomit back up.

Jiang Wu secretly hoped she would simply die like this. If she died of illness, Chu Ling would have no reason to punish her family.

Whether out of consideration for her failing health or because he was waiting for her answer, Chu Ling did not make things difficult for her these past few days.

While Jiang Wu was drifting in this dazed and muddled state, Chu Ling suddenly walked in one day carrying a scroll.

"Madam Liang." He still used this form of address for Jiang Wu, seemingly still acknowledging her status. "There is a letter for you from Tonghuai."

Jiang Wu sat up straight in bed almost instantly.

"W-What?"

Because of her illness over so many days, her face was haggard and devoid of its former vibrancy, and her lips were so dry they were cracked. To be fair, she had lost much of her beauty. It should have been so, and Chu Ling could not quite articulate his own state of mind, yet as he looked at Jiang Wu like this, that was not what he felt at all.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and handed her the scroll and the envelope.

"It was sent to the Jiang residence," he said. "Your father originally intended to burn it, but my men spotted it."

Against all expectations, the man said a great deal of unnecessary, merit-claiming words.

Yet clearly, for Chu Ling, who had already committed the most unforgivable acts, this meager display of mercy was far from enough to dispel even a fraction of her hatred.

Jiang Wu snatched the scroll directly from his hand and flung it open almost immediately.