Chapter 16: Chapter Six

“Jiang Jie, are you misunderstanding your cousin’s meaning?” Bai Ziling did not want to be labeled as an unchaste woman.

“Why don’t you call him here to confront him?”

“I’m not here to confront him—I just…” She sighed helplessly. “It’s nothing!”

Jiang Jie believed there was nothing wrong now, but after only one coffee with her, Di Zhiwei had been smitten and hoped she’d become free soon. He knew his cousin’s nature—he could tell a joke from the truth. Zhiwei meant it.

“I don’t want you meeting my cousin alone again,” Jiang Jie ordered with authoritarian tone. “After the divorce, do as you please—but as long as you’re still my legal wife, behave yourself.”

“Jiang Jie, you’re making me sound like a whore!” Bai Ziling could not accept how he viewed her.

“That’s what you said yourself.”

“You…” She wanted to throw something at him, but couldn’t decide what—his decorations and mementos all looked precious and valuable.

“Only forty-five days left—a little over a month. You can endure it!” Jiang Jie sneered.

“I want to leave right now…”

“Don’t even think about it.”

“Fine! I’ll give up my one point five million!” she shouted at him.

“You can give up your one point five million, but I still want my five hundred million. Frankly, I don’t want to maintain this ‘marriage’ forever either. As soon as forty-five days are up, we divorce immediately—I won’t let you stay a second longer!” Jiang Jie made his position clear to her.

Bai Ziling bit her lip and stayed silent.

“But during this time… please behave with dignity.”

“Jiang Jie, you should…”

“I won’t go to hell or be pierced by ten thousand arrows—but you…” He tossed out a final warning: “Beware of being stoned to death for straying!”

【Chapter Six】

Jiang Jie was jolted awake by a shrill scream. For a moment, he didn’t know what had happened. When he realized the sound came from Bai Ziling’s room, he rushed over immediately.

Bai Ziling had dreamed… the same well, the same long-haired ghost woman, the same one crawling out of the television—only this time, it was her who died of fright. The scene was so vivid, so real, as if she were truly there. She didn’t just scream in the dream—after waking, she kept screaming.

The door wasn’t locked, so Jiang Jie turned the knob instantly. He thought a thief had broken in to rob or assault her—but when he saw only her in the room, he felt tricked. What was she screaming about?

Her chest heaved rapidly. Still pale-faced, she stared at Jiang Jie as he burst in.

“Did you see a ghost?” He knew she needed gentle comfort, but after their recent argument, he couldn’t speak softly to her.

“You’re the one who saw a ghost!” she shot back, refusing to show weakness or beg for help—even if she had to spend the night curled under the covers, she wouldn’t appear cowardly in front of him.

“Then why are you screaming?”

“Because I feel like it.”

“It’s the middle of the night!”

“Call the police then!”

Jiang Jie wouldn’t call the police, but he gave her a furious glare. “If you’re scared easily, don’t watch those movies. What are you trying to do? Pretend to be terrified to lure me into your room?”

Bai Ziling leapt out of bed, ignoring her sheer silk nightgown that barely covered her, and didn’t notice Jiang Jie’s expression change. She lunged at him—not to embrace him, but to hit him.

“I had a nightmare! I didn’t mean to lure you here! Do you think I’m acting?!” she shouted as she punched him, her fists landing hard on his chest.

“You know it yourself!” he dodged as he replied.

“I saw that ghost woman…”

“You said you didn’t see a ghost!”

“In my dream!” she hit harder. “She crawled out of the well, hair hanging loose, full of hatred and fury.”

“Are you any less terrifying?” he mocked.

“Jiang Jie…” she roared in fury.

“Don’t you know humans are more terrifying than ghosts?”

Exhausted and truly frightened, the wildcat who had moments ago been clawing and snarling now collapsed into sobs. She accidentally kicked a chair leg, pain making her flop face-down on the bed, crying louder and louder, ignoring everything.

Jiang Jie couldn’t just walk away. That wasn’t what a man with conscience would do.

“Bai Ziling, do you want to wake up the whole neighborhood?” His words held mockery, but his voice was low and soft.

“Stay away from me!”

“This is my house.”

“Then I’ll leave!” she wept bitterly. “First you call me a slut, then you mock me even when I have nightmares. What kind of demon are you?!”

“I’m not a demon. I…” To calm things down, he conceded. “I’m sorry.”

“Insincere,” she spat, looking up.

“Bai Ziling, you’re ungrateful. You hit me, you took advantage, and now you’re being unreasonable! I’ve never met a woman so irrational! I apologized!”

“You’re not sincere!”

“You…” Jiang Jie didn’t coddle women, didn’t tolerate their tantrums, and had no desire to care for a temperamental woman. She wasn’t his real wife, and he didn’t love her. He turned and walked out of her room, closing the door behind him.

Bai Ziling knew he had left. She was furious and terrified—dawn was still two or three hours away. At home, her sister would comfort her through fearful, sleepless nights—but here… she could rely only on herself. So she cried harder and harder.

She didn’t notice Jiang Jie had returned, didn’t know he stood beside her bed, watching her sprawled on it…

After a while, she felt someone turn her over and sit on the bed. Strong arms lifted her, pulling her into a warm embrace…

Bai Ziling froze, too terrified to struggle—this was more terrifying than seeing a ghost.

Though Jiang Jie’s face was expressionless, his arms were warm and reassuring. Only now did she notice—he wasn’t wearing a shirt, and his chest bore red and swollen marks from her earlier punches.

“Jiang Jie…” She even forgot to cry.

"It's over," he said casually.

“You…”

“Sleep,” he ordered, not gently.

She wiped her tears. “I can manage on my own…”

“When you fall asleep, I’ll leave,” he promised.

“I’m… not afraid anymore.” She forced herself to be brave, unwilling to be held like a seven- or eight-year-old child. A dream was just a dream. Ghosts didn’t exist. Nothing to fear.

“Sleep,” he stroked her hair. “And don’t move.”

“You…” She felt his physical reaction.

But Jiang Jie said nothing, showed no intention to take advantage—only wished the remaining days would pass quickly. Then it struck him: since marrying Bai Ziling, he hadn’t slept with another woman. It was unthinkable.

“Jiang Jie, I won’t… with you,” she pouted.

“This is just a physical reaction, Bai Ziling. I won’t pin you down. You can sleep peacefully.” He glanced at her. “Any normal man would react this way holding a woman in a sheer nightgown!”

“No one asked you to hold me,” she said, yet dared not move, afraid things might spiral out of control.

“As your ‘husband,’ when you’re afraid…”

“You’re not my husband.”

“If you want me to become your real husband…” He looked at her with a rare, wicked glint. “I would…”

But Bai Ziling didn’t retort or strike back. Her head rested on his shoulder, eyes closed, breathing steady and even. With safety, she relaxed and fell asleep.