——

Yu Qiao tilted her head slightly, her pretty face curving into a smile, and said softly, "Auntie, I was exercising; I ran a few laps outside."

"To exercise? Zhao Bao has a gym. Why don't you ask him to exercise with you? He's weak, so it's always good for him to exercise more." Qin Jin'er said softly, her eyes narrowed, looking at Yu Qiao with satisfaction.

Weak?

The young master is no pushover.

Yu Qiao's exposed ear tips turned red, and as she pursed her lips, recalling the young master's fighting prowess last night, her face turned even redder.

"Qiaoqiao, why is your face so red? Are you sick?" Qin Jin'er asked in surprise, reaching out to touch Yu Qiao's forehead.

Yu Qiao didn't dodge, letting Qin Jin'er touch her, and said without changing her expression, "I guess I just finished exercising and haven't recovered yet."

Qin Jin'er chuckled twice and kept looking upstairs: "You've finished exercising, but Zhao Bao is still sleeping."

"Qiaoqiao, Zhaobao is in your hands now. He has a bit of a temper, so you'll have to discipline him properly."

The smile in Yu Qiao's phoenix eyes deepened, and she said softly, "I will take good care of the young master."

After speaking, Qin Jin'er looked at Yu Qiao with affection for several moments before bidding farewell and leaving.

Watching Qin Jin'er's departing figure, Yu Qiao pursed her lips little by little, her dark eyes flashing with an excited, almost sickly, glint. She turned and went upstairs to Shen Zhao's room.

He went into his bathroom and put on his shirt.

Shen Zhao was very tall, and his shirt was too big on Yu Qiao, revealing her two slender and long legs.

Her hair wasn't dry, and the dripping water droplets dampened her shirt, vaguely revealing the delicate curves beneath.

Her hand, gleaming with the luster of white jade, struck the doorknob. Yu Qiao's drooping eyelashes trembled slightly, her crimson lips curled up, and she raised her hand to the teeth marks on her neck, gently caressing them.

This is what the young master bit last night.

With a "click," the door was pushed open.

The bedroom was still pitch black, and all the curtains were drawn tightly.

Yu Qiao closed the door and turned on the light.

The room instantly brightened up.

"Da, da, da,"

Her footsteps sounded eerie in the quiet bedroom as she gradually approached Shen Zhao.

Shen Zhao seemed to sense something; his long, black eyelashes fluttered and lifted, and a look of bewilderment flickered across his pale, almost sickly, handsome face.

He was only wearing a thin white shirt.

He raised his head, his jet-black hair hanging over his bloodshot eyes, a seductive red mole on the bridge of his nose, and slightly parted lips as red as a peony. Because he was tilting his head back, the bluish-purple veins on his neck were faintly visible.

Shen Zhao's voice was low and even hoarser than usual: "Baby, why are you tying me up?"

Yu Qiao's eyes were dark as she walked up to Shen Zhao, bent down, and pressed her cold lips against his earlobe: "Young Master, don't be angry."

"I'm not angry." Shen Zhao felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, as if half his body had been electrocuted. "But you're tying me up, and it makes me very uncomfortable. Can you let me go?"

He didn't start cursing as I expected, nor was he afraid of her, nor did he frantically yell at her to let him go.

Instead, she patiently asked in an almost coaxing, indulgent tone, "Can you let go?"

Yu Qiao was easily swayed by Chen Zhao's charm. Her light gray pupils were clear and bright as she stared intently into his eyes, replying in a gentle voice, "No, you can't."

She placed her hands on Shen Zhao's shoulders, lowered her head slightly, and quickly kissed him on the lips.

Following his example, she coaxed, "Young Master, if this position makes you uncomfortable, then I'll tie you up in a different way, okay?"

Shen Zhao couldn't figure out Yu Qiao's thoughts. His peach blossom eyes were filled with contemplation. Yesterday, the two of them were still deeply in love, but when he woke up, he found that the baby had bound him tightly and disappeared.

Why do we need to do this?

He keenly sensed that the baby seemed very insecure, and coupled with yesterday's unusual behavior, Shen Zhao was certain that something unclean had entangled the baby.

Otherwise, how could the baby suddenly be tied up?

But it's okay, the baby is tying him up because he loves him.

The baby cares about him a lot.

Shen Zhao didn't want to delve into it further.

He blinked and rubbed his cheek against Yu Qiao's palm, like a docile and obedient puppy.

"good."

Yu Qiao stared blankly at Shen Zhao, then suddenly bent down, buried her head in his neck, took a deep breath, and slowly closed her eyes.

“Baby…” Shen Zhao was in a panic. He noticed her low spirits and aloofness, and a sense of panic and tension arose within him.

He glanced sideways and saw the red mark on her snow-white neck; his Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

This mark was left last night; he put it there.

She tied him up here, and he wasn't angry at all; in fact, he was even a little excited, which touched a hidden part of his personality.

Shen Zhao smelled the fragrance emanating from her body, and couldn't help but tilt his head back, kissing the marks on her neck and gently caressing them.

It was as hot as being placed in magma.

Yu Qiao felt a tingling sensation on one side of her body, as if she had been electrocuted. Her hands gradually tightened around his shoulders, and she let out a soft moan: "Young Master..."

The hot breath exhaled onto Shen Zhao's earlobe, scalding the skin there and making his body feel restless.

"Baby..." Shen Zhao let out a low, delicate moan. The handsome young man's ears turned red with embarrassment, and a blush of spring lingered around his peach blossom eyes.

He looks just like a male demon.

Yu Qiao placed her hands on his shoulders, slowly stood up, and looked down at him.

He looked up at Yu Qiao, very obediently, taking in all her expressions with an extremely humble posture, like a loyal servant.

Unable to resist struggling, the chains binding her hands and feet emitted a cold, crisp sound that echoed in the empty room.

Yu Qiao stared intently at Shen Zhao, the madness deep in her eyes almost distorted by suppression. Her cold fingers gently traced his delicate eyebrows, his upturned nose, and his slightly parted lips, which were as red as peonies.

She bent down slightly, lowered her eyes, and placed a kiss on the red mole on his nose. Her voice was hoarse and filled with a morbid possessiveness: "I've made up my mind. No one can disturb us."

Why do these people keep targeting her?

They want to destroy everything she has now!?

A stubborn, morbid crimson flashed in Yu Qiao's eyes for a moment, and her crimson lips curled up little by little.

Once those bad guys are dealt with, the young master will be hers forever.

With a "thud".

The chains were gently unlocked by Yu Qiao and fell to the ground.

Shen Zhao remained motionless, maintaining his previous posture, and stared at Yu Qiao with his head tilted back.

Yu Qiao's fingertips traced his jaw and neck, unbuttoning his shirt.

The sound of metal clashing fell.

She nestled against Shen Zhao, pleading in a low, husky, and cold voice, "Young Master, kiss me."

Shen Zhao was completely helpless and powerless against her.

Abandoning all restraint, forbearance, and etiquette, he tilted his head and kissed her fiercely and ruthlessly.

…………

Time passed by, second by second.

The indoor air was hazy.

I can't fall asleep here at all.

Shen Zhao picked up the drowsy Yu Qiao and coaxed her gently in a hoarse voice, "Baby, let's go to my room."

Yu Qiao, her eyelids drooping wearily, her beautiful phoenix eyes shimmering with moisture, swayed her legs and said in a weak voice, "No."

Shen Zhao nuzzled her head with his cheek, his gaze tender and loving, his thin, rosy lips curving upwards as he continued to coax her, "Baby, Mingming will tidy up and then go back to your room, okay?"

"I'm too tired tonight, I should get some rest first?"

Yu Qiao mumbled something, her eyes half-closed; she hadn't slept well for the past few days.

Whatever it was, it gave her a sense of illusion, etherealness, and detachment.

Only the present moment is real.

Yu Qiao hugged Shen Zhao's neck tightly, tilted her head back, and gave him a really hard kiss on the cheek.

She cupped his face in her hands again, leaned closer, and looked at him intently for a long time. Her thick eyelashes trembled and fell, obscuring her cold gaze.

"Cough cough cough..." Shen Zhao coughed twice. It had gotten cooler recently, and the weather was cold.

Just now... I felt hot, so I turned on the air conditioning. Now that I've calmed down, I'll be shivering from the cold.

He was more beautiful than a flower, and his skin was so tender that it would turn red and blue if pinched even slightly.

Yu Qiao sighed, nestled her head into his arms, and reluctantly gave in: "Okay, let's go to your room."

A slight smile flashed in Shen Zhao's eyes. He stopped coughing and stepped out of the room.

He carried Yu Qiao to his room.

"Want to wash it?" he asked.

Yu Qiao blushed slightly and nodded blankly, "Okay."

The two went into the bathroom.

…………

Two hours later.

Shen Zhao carried Yu Qiao out, lifted the blanket, and enveloped her in his arms in an extremely possessive manner.

Her well-defined fingertips entwined her long hair, and her deep, dark peach blossom eyes stared at Yu Qiao, who even in her sleep had a furrowed brow.

I couldn't help but sigh helplessly.

Out of respect for his partner, he never investigated the baby's origins.

But lately, the baby seems to be acting more and more strangely.

What exactly happened?

——

Tick-tock, tick-tock...

Yu Qiao is trapped in a nightmare, a nightmare called Reed Village.

Inside that familiar yet strange, remote and dilapidated mud house, filthy and foul-smelling, were seven or eight boys and girls of similar age, along with the heavily pregnant Chen Baozhu and the male homeowner, Yu Zhenbang.

She had just finished washing clothes in the glacier and carefully placed the wooden bucket in the corner; she hadn't eaten for three or four days.

She clutched her stomach, her face slightly pale, her eyes fixed on the wild vegetable porridge and a few pieces of cured meat on the table.

Chen Baozhu, holding a four-month-old baby boy, glanced at her, spat fiercely, and said with disgust, "What are you looking at? How much work have you done? All you do is eat, eat, eat! You've bankrupted the family!"

“I haven’t eaten for almost four days,” she replied calmly, her gaze shifting to Chen Baozhu.

"You dare to talk back?!" Chen Baozhu was instantly enraged. She shoved the baby boy into a girl's arms, strode over, raised her hand, and slapped her hard across the face. She kicked the girl in the stomach, and the girl's lower back hit a sharp corner, causing her to break out in a cold sweat from the pain.

"You've really gotten bold! You're a worthless piece of trash, what right do you have to eat?" Chen Baozhu grabbed her hair and slammed her head against the wall. "You little slut, don't you love seducing men? Go sell yourself when you're hungry, and let those men give you a bite to eat!"

She was in so much pain she was about to faint, so she grabbed Chen Baozhu's hand and pressed her to the ground.

Blood from her head flowed into her eyes, blurring her vision. She picked up a brick and smashed it over Chen Baozhu's head.

With a "bang," Yu Zhendong put down his pipe, his face dark, kicked her in the back, grabbed her hair, and threw her to the ground.

In an instant, all the boys and girls in the family came over and held down her hands and feet.

She watched helplessly as Yu Zhendong picked up a hammer with his left hand and a coffin nail with his right, his face twisted and cold as he walked towards her.

"No, no..." She was terrified, and tears instantly streamed down her face. She cried and begged, "Don't nail me! I'll never do it again! Please don't!"

Yu Zhendong held the coffin nail against her shoulder blade, raised the hammer, and with a "snap," began to strike the coffin nail one blow at a time.

The coffin nails were driven into her flesh bit by bit, piercing her shoulder blades. She was in so much pain that she felt dizzy and bit her tongue.

"Trying to rebel?" Yu Zhendong sneered. "Yu Qiao, tell me, do you still dare?"

She cried and said she wouldn't dare to do it again.

Yu Zhendong did not let her go. He took another coffin nail and hammered it into her right shoulder blade.

She fainted from the pain.

I woke up again in the storage room.

She had been locked up inside for so long, so long that she thought she was going to die, before Chen Baozhu finally opened the door, threw a steamed bun on the ground, and glared at her: "Aren't you going to eat?"

She tried to pick it up with trembling hands, her fingertips shaking so badly that she couldn't manage it.

"You're really useless." Chen Baozhu picked up the steamed bun and roughly stuffed it into her mouth.

Her eyelashes trembled, her heart felt heavy and she felt like she was suffocating. Ignoring her choking, she swallowed hastily.

Chen Baozhu glanced at her backside, clicked her tongue in disgust, and said, "She acts like she's going to die after just a few days of hunger. How is she going to carry on the family line for my sons?"

"Let me tell you, in our Yu family, sons are a must!"

She lowered her head, not daring to reply; her proud self-esteem was once again crushed to pieces.

That evening, Yu Zhendong squatted at the door, smoking his pipe, smacking his lips, his eyes cloudy, and looked at her. He said to Chen Baozhu, "Yu Qiao is thirteen this year?"

"More or less." Chen Baozhu followed Yu Zhendong's gaze and saw that thirteen-year-old Yu Qiao had already grown into a beautiful young woman, and even her sallow complexion and thinness could not hide her beauty.

"You can have children now..." Yu Zhendong seemed to be deep in thought, a strange and lewd smile appearing on his aged face.

“It’s possible…” Chen Baozhu said slowly, “Didn’t the village doctor say that Yu Qiao is weak and malnourished? She’s only thirteen, isn’t she too young? Even if she could… you know, I doubt she could be saved.”

"Besides, what if she has a difficult childbirth if it's too early? She can't die; she still needs to carry on the family line for the other children!"

Yu Zhendong didn't reply, his small eyes gleaming as he stared at Yu Qiao's back. After a long while, he chuckled twice.

"That's fine, let's wait until she comes of age."

After saying this, Yu Zhendong left, puffing on his pipe.

Chen Baozhu spat at her again and then locked her in the storage room.

She silently leaned against the corner, staring blankly at the sliver of light shining through the wooden door.

She was like a cheap commodity, trampled underfoot by these scoundrels, but she never gave in. Why should she have to live like this?

On her eighteenth birthday, she finally poisoned these people and set fire to the evil village.

She watched as these people were engulfed by flames in their sleep, and she also watched as she finally broke through the muddy, endless darkness to make way for them.

But why?

Why can't we let her go?

Why must fate play such cruel tricks on her?!

The scene shifts to the main hall of Silver Bay Manor. Under the white and gold glass lamp, Shen Zhao, tall and slender with a sickly pale face, looks at her with disgust and sneers, saying, "Yu Qiao, do you think you're worthy of climbing into my bed?"