Chapter 1 First meeting

Translator’s Note

I decided to translate this on a whim. I’ve read the manhwa and it wasn’t as detailed as I’d like it to be and the pacing was kinda fast.
I know the ML can be somewhat off putting for many, thus I’d like to know everyone’s opinion on this novel first. Should I continue this novel? Do let me know in the comments below! Thx~

The eighth day of the winter lunar month in the 12th year of the Republic of China was Gu Qing Zhou’s birthday. She turned 16 today.

She took the train from the small county town to Yue City.

Yue City was the provincial capital. Her father was an official in Yue City, serving as the deputy chief of the General Administration of Customs.

When she was two years old, her mother died, her father remarried, and she became redundant at home.

Her mother’s loyal servant for life had brought Gu Qing Zhou back to her hometown in the countryside where she had lived for 14 years.

In the past 14 years, her father had never asked about her. To bring her to Yue City now in the cold winter and twelfth lunar month, there was only one reason.

The Si family wanted her to withdraw from the engagement!

The governor of Yue City’s surname was Si, and he was powerful. 

“It’s like this, Miss Qing Zhou. Back then, the madam and the governor’s wife were close friends. Since you were a child, you and the governor’s second son have been in an arranged children’s marriage.” Wang Zhen Hua, the steward who came to pick up Gu Qing Zhou, told her the whole story.

Steward Wang was not afraid at all that Gu Qing Zhou would not be able to accept it, and spoke bluntly.

“…The young master turned 20 this year and will need to start a family. You’ve been in the countryside for so many years. Not to mention the master, even you would be embarrassed to marry into the prominent governor’s mansion, right?” Steward Wang spoke again.

Thinking on behalf of her in every aspect.

“Yet the governor’s wife kept her promise. She exchanged tokens with the madam in those days, which was the jade pendant you carried. The governor’s wife is hoping you will return the jade pendant in person and withdraw from the marriage.” Steward Wang continued.

The so-called money transaction was described beautifully. It should be done in an open and bright manner, to deceive oneself.

Gu Qing Zhou’s lips raised slightly.

She was not stupid. If the governor’s wife really kept her promise, she would have brought her back to be married, not to make her withdraw.

Of course, Gu Qing Zhou did not mind withdrawing.

She had never met Young Master Si.

Compared with the contempt of the governor’s wife, Gu Qing Zhou was even more reluctant to use her love to fill the arranged children’s marriage made by their elders.

“Since this marriage is embarrassing the Gu family and my father, then I’ll just go and withdraw.” Gu Qing Zhou obeyed.

Like this, Gu Qing Zhou followed Steward Wang and took the train to Yue city.

Seeing Steward Wang’s satisfied expression, a sneer flashed across Gu Qing Zhou’s lips inadvertently.

“What a fluke! I was originally planning on going to the city after the new year, but I was still thinking of an excuse. Unexpectedly, the governor’s wife gave me one. It really is a timely assistance.” Gu Qing Zhou thought.

Going to withdraw from the marriage gave her an opportunity to enter the city. She really should thank the Si family.

Gu Qing Zhou had grown up and could not hide in the countryside all the time. All the things that her mother had left her were in the city. She wanted to go and get them back!

The grievances between her and the Gu family should also end!

Withdrawing was a trivial matter, and returning to the Gu family in the city was Gu Qing Zhou’s purpose. 

There was a dark red rope around Gu Qing Zhou’s neck and on it hung half a piece of a green hornless dragon pendant. It was carved by a craftsman when Madam Si set the arranged children’s marriage.

The crack had been carefully polished. It was smooth and clear, and could be worn close to the body.

“The aura of jade has the greatest vitality. Dividing it into two destined the marriage to fail. My late mother was also ignorant.” Gu Qing Zhou chuckled lightly.

She put the half jade pendant onto her chest again.

She was alone in her train carriage. Steward Wang slept outside.

After closing the door, Gu Qing Zhou slowly fell asleep from the shaking of the carriage.

She slept in a daze.

Suddenly, a slight cold wind rushed in and Gu Qing Zhou opened her eyes instantly .

She smelled blood.

In the next moment, someone with a chilly and bloody smell quickly entered her carriage and closed the door.

“Let me hide for a moment!” His voice was clear and dignified, and he did not let Gu Qing Zhou speak.

Without waiting for Gu Qing Zhou to agree, he quickly took off his shirt. Wearing cold wet trousers, he got into her bed.

The bed on the train was so narrow that it could not fit two people, so he was crushed on top of her.

“You…” Before Gu Qing Zhou could understand what was going on, the man pinned her down.

He was very quick.

The man had a ferocious aura. The smell of blood lingered for a long time and filled in the carriage.

His hand quickly tore off her shirt, revealing her snow white skin.

“Scream!” He commanded, his voice hoarse.

Gu Qing Zhou understood.

Whether it is a passionate scream or a shrill scream, a naked man and woman on the bed would be tacitly regarded as intimate.

Intimacy could cover up a man’s deeds.

At the same time, the man held a cold knife against her neck, “Shout, shout louder, or I’ll cut your throat!”

Gu Qing Zhou’s blood coagulated and her face paled.

The man’s cold upper body pressed against her warm body. 

Her limbs stiffened for a moment, and she did not move.

He ripped open her shirt. With skin-to-skin contact, his sweat soaked her.

Yet at this moment, Gu Qing Zhou didn’t care about his frivolity. All her attention was on the knife that was held against her neck.

“I…I won’t…” Returning to her senses, Gu Qing Zhou gritted his teeth.

Against her neck was a knife that could slice through iron like mud. She dared not act rashly. She cherished her life.

“…How old are you?” In the darkness, the man was stunned. He had not expected it to be a young girl’s voice.

“Sixteen.” Gu Qingzhou replied. Her lungs were suffocating from being crushed by him and she could not breathe.

“You’re not young, quit pretending to be innocent!” The man said.

At this time, the train stopped.

Uniform footsteps sounded, waking up the sleeping travellers and the train became noisy.

The army was coming to check the train.

“Shout!” The man’s voice was hurried, he imitated the performance on the bed, “If you still don’t shout, I’ll come for real…”

His arms were strong and his voice was cruel. What was more, his knife was resting against Gu Qing Zhou’s neck.

Met with a fugitive, Gu Qing Zhou had lost her opportunity.

She was not sure she could subdue this man. She made a prompt decision and hummed softly.

Hummed like a woman who was being loved…

She hummed childishly.

The man’s lower abdomen tightened slightly, almost rippling.

The girl hummed clumsily like a kitten, full of allure.

When the door of Gu Qing Zhou’s carriage was rudely pulled open, she hummed very rhythmically because the man’s knife moved to her back.

Then, as if startled by the door, she stopped.

The beam from the flashlight shone on them. Gu Qing Zhou’s snow-white chest was half exposed. She was spread out among the pillows with her snow-white skin and thick ebony hair.

She screamed and hugged the man on top of her.

The officer shone the torch and seeing the intimacy in the room, he was embarrassed as he was young. Moreover, Gu Qing Zhou was staring at him nervously, making him bewildered. He withdrew in embarrassment, his heart beating wildly, and he forgot to look at her husband’s face clearly.

Then the inspecting officer said at the door said, “Nothing found.”

The footsteps disappeared.

The entire train was checked, and it took half an hour before it started up again.

The man on top of Gu Qing Zhou also removed the knife from her neck.

“Thank you.” In the dark, he got up and dressed. 

Gu Qing Zhou buttoned up her slanted cardigan without saying a word.

The train swayed gently and moved at a constant speed.

The carriage was silent.

The man thought it was very strange that a 16 year old girl would button her clothes calmly without crying or asking after experiencing such a horrifying situation. This was quite unusual.

He lit a match.

In the faint dim light, he could see the girl’s face and the girl could see his.

“What’s your name?” He reached out and squeezed her slender lower jaw. Her face was palm-sized and it fit in his broad, rough palm.

Her eyes, like inky gemstones, were vigilant, perhaps a little grievous, but there was no fear.

“Li Juan.” Gu Qing Zhou made up a lie.

Li Juan was the Mother Li who had raised her.

No one was foolish enough to tell a fugitive their name.

She did not struggle, but her eyes were fixed on the dagger at the man’s feet.

Her eyes moved slightly, thinking about the moment when the dagger was against her neck.

In the dim light, her eyes gleamed clearly and she was particularly charming.

The man said coldly, “Alright, Li Juan. You saved my life today and I will give you a reward. “

A whistle was heard from outside the car.

This was a code.

The man threw the bloody coat out of the carriage window, and only then did Gu Qing Zhou realize that the blood on his body was not his own.

He was tired, but not hurt.

The person who came to retrieve him had arrived.

The match in his hand went out.

“Where are you from, where am I going to find you?” The man spoke again, unable to stay for too long.

Gu Qing Zhou bit her lip and did not answer.

The man thought she was shy, but he did not have any time to ask more questions. He stepped forward, wanting to get some token, and saw the half jade pendant around her neck.

He pulled it off, put it into his shirt, and said to her, “This train will arrive in Yue City in three days. I’ll send someone to pick you up at the train station! I still have something to do now and it’s inconvenient to take you with me, take care of yourself!”

After all, he stashed Gu Qing Zhou’s jade pendant well and then quickly disappeared at the end of the corridor.

After the man left, Gu Qing Zhou took out her hand from the quilt.

She had a gun in her hand, the latest Browning model.

Looking at the gun, her eyes were bloodthirsty. The corners of her lips were slightly raised and she smiled smugly.

She did not care about the jade pendant that the man had taken away. She never even thought about the marriage that the jade pendant brought, let alone using the jade pendant to keep the marriage.

The jade pendant was not her bargaining chip.

Besides, the gun she had stolen was valuable!

It was a great deal!

“This new Browning model is priceless and it could not be bought even from the black market. He was a member of the military government.” Gu Qing Zhou concluded.

When the man climbed into her bed, he reacted very quickly and carried a sharp dagger. Gu Qing Zhou lost the chance to subdue him, but at the same time she had felt the pistol in the pocket of his trousers.

Gu Qing Zhou had always wanted a gun of her own.

She was afraid that the man would remember that the gun had dropped so Gu Qing Zhou had kept silent, successfully diverting the man’s attention. Up until he left, the man had not noticed it.

She did not know who the man was, but he looked no more than 24 or 25 years old and he was full of arrogance.

He said that he would pick her up at the train station, which probably meant he had some influence in Yue City.

Gu Qing Zhou would not fall into a trap willingly.