Chapter 21: Just Another Transaction

When Xing Haotian re-entered the ward, Wei Zi was already lying in the hospital bed, covering her body with a quilt. Not wearing any undergarments made her feel somewhat awkward, and she could only rely on the quilt to protect herself, gaining a slight sense of security.

Xing Haotian looked at the empty food container pushed to the side and asked casually, "Have you eaten? Was it to your liking?"

Wei Zi did not give him a cold shoulder this time; after all, one tends to be more accommodating after being fed. The ingredients used were so rare that even in the Huatian Kingdom, few could find their equal. However, for Wei Zi to actually voice her praise was a difficult task.

"Mm," Wei Zi nodded, which served as her affirmation of the meal.

Xing Haotian broke into a happy smile. At the very least, he had found something that satisfied Wei Zi. Getting her approval felt as if she were affirming him personally.

"Take a look, is this your backpack? Is anything missing?" Xing Haotian handed her the bag, approaching cautiously, as if being closer to her allowed him to feel that refreshing coolness she emanated.

Upon seeing the bag, Wei Zi ignored everything else and quickly snatched it. She opened the innermost compartment to retrieve the contract her grandfather had given her. It was intact, and a heavy weight lifted from her heart. At the same time, however, a different, heavy pressure settled onto her shoulders.

"General Xing!" She looked toward him. Her eyes were obscure and difficult to read, yet a faint smile curled the corners of her lips. She appeared devil-may-care, her eyebrows slightly arched, looking like a blooming peach blossom. In an instant, she transformed from cold as ice to bewitchingly alluring.

"I’ve considered what you said earlier, and I find I cannot accept it. I am only sixteen. Marriage is the graveyard of love; I don't want to talk about marriage. Let’s just call this a one-night stand! If you feel you owe me, I happen to be in a bit of trouble. Protect me for half a month, and let’s treat this as a transaction," Wei Zi said.

She had returned to the Imperial Capital. While one could not say this was Wei Dongming’s territory, he was powerful and influential, making him someone she found very difficult to deal with at the moment. If Wei Dongming found out she was in the hospital, he would likely arrive soon and potentially use all manner of tactics. She could not stay in this hospital because it was dangerous here too; she didn't even know if that doctor named He had seen her.

Right now, the only thing that could protect her was this connection with Xing Haotian. He was not the type to be ungrateful, especially since she had cleared the fire poison from his body. If she had only proposed a one-night stand, he might not have agreed, but by framing it as repaying a debt, he wouldn't feel he owed her anything further. Gradually, perhaps they would have no more intersections.

She viewed this as a transaction—each getting what they needed—and once the transaction was complete, there would be no more ties between them.

Upon hearing Wei Zi’s words, Xing Haotian felt as if he had been struck by lightning. A rift opened in his heart, causing a piercing pain.

"A one-night stand? Is that what you think this is?" Xing Haotian, who had always been conventional, educated in the most orthodox military principles, and inherently conservative, felt as though a great hole had been gouged into his heart. To him, this was definitely not good news.

Wei Zi was his first woman. Not only had she cleared his fire poison, but they had also shared that intimate experience. He had been filled with fantasies and expectations, and he never imagined she would respond this way.

"Heh, isn't this normal for society these days?" Wei Zi’s eyes flickered. She spoke lightly, trying to appear steady, though she felt incredibly anxious inside. While it might be "normal" for society, it was a massive event for her. Yet, she had to act this way to avoid any further entanglement with him. She was afraid that if she grew to hate him, she might reveal her true colors, and one day he would discover the truth and kill her in return. Wei Zi was deeply guarded; her lies were a means of self-preservation.

"A one-night stand? Do you do this with other men, too? You’re so young—how can you have so little self-respect!" Xing Haotian’s eyes widened, his fire-red irises glaring like two scorching suns about to erupt. Anger surged within him; he wanted nothing more than to give her a sound thrashing.

Xing Haotian’s sudden outburst shattered the calm facade Wei Zi had maintained. She felt that while anyone in the world had the right to be angry at her, he did not, because he owed her! In her previous life, if it hadn't been for Xing Haotian, her profound core would not have been shattered, she would not have been forced into exile, and she would not have ended up as a bottom-tier mercenary.

She had been reborn, and she had thought it was a chance given to her by heaven. She never expected to fall into Xing Haotian’s hands again. Although the outcome was different, she could have remained cleaner. Xing Haotian had once again ruined her hopeful vision for the future, staining her like a blank sheet of paper once more.

"Self-respect? General Xing, everyone else has the right to say that to me, but you? You have no such right. My self-respect was destroyed at your hands!" Wei Zi’s aura turned ice-cold. Even Xing Haotian felt the surrounding temperature drop, extinguishing his rage instantly. At this moment, Wei Zi was cold and devoid of that earlier allure—this was her true self.

The anger in Xing Haotian’s eyes dissipated. Wei Zi was right; having experienced it himself, he knew her words were the truth. He was her first man. He had even been the one to help clean her body afterward. The facts he had witnessed with his own eyes could not be false.

Thinking of this, the atmosphere of their argument suddenly turned incredibly ambiguous. A trace of joy welled up in Xing Haotian’s heart. That’s right, he was her first man. How could she not have self-respect? She must only be saying those things out of anger—perhaps she was just taking her frustration out on him. After all, he still had memories from when the fire poison had taken hold; she had been so terrified and had resisted him so fiercely. It wasn't a lack of self-respect; she had simply been unable to fight him off.

Thinking of this, Xing Haotian was immediately filled with regret. He had actually lost his temper with her; he wanted to punch himself.

"I’m sorry, Wei Zi. I didn't mean it. I just couldn't control my emotions." Xing Haotian apologized hurriedly, begging for forgiveness.

Wei Zi’s face remained frosty. The more she looked at him, the more displeased she became. "Get out," she snapped. "I don't want to see you!"

Xing Haotian wanted to stay with her longer, but seeing the disgust in her eyes, he could only feel dejected. He suppressed what he wanted to say and replied, "Alright, you’re tired today. Get some good rest."

Hearing him mention that she was "tired," Wei Zi’s expression darkened further. She shot him a glare so icy it forced him to back out of the ward.

Only after exiting did Xing Haotian remember that Wei Zi had mentioned needing his protection from some trouble. Protecting someone was second nature to him; even if she hadn't asked, he would have done it. However, he realized he hadn't asked who was causing her trouble. Still, to a general of the Empire like Xing Haotian, trouble—no matter the size—was something far too easy to handle.